Campaign Events & News
Campaign Events
Regular Campaign events are held all around the country and sometimes overseas to encourage more people to get involved and also to provide an update on the progress we are making.
Campaign News
January 2010
FUNDRAISING FOR NEXT PROJECT BEGINS
Phase Two: Refurbishment of the current Sports Centre
We are obviously very keen that the construction of Phase Two of the George Welsh Centre (the provision for more changing, classrooms, dance/martial arts and a reception area for visitors) is completed as quickly as possible. All members of the Campaign team are working hard to secure the necessary funding for this next phase. With a considerable amount of the funding now in place, a further £500,000 is now needed to enable our dreams to become reality, and the George Welsh Sports Centre to be completed.
If you are keen to support our efforts to raise the remaining funds, please go to How to Give to Gordonstoun.
Artist's impression of the soon-to-be-refurbished George Welsh Sports Centre.
View an updated artist's impression of Phase Two of the George Welsh Sports Centre reception area.
View the Floor Plan George Welsh biography
October 2009
NEW SPORTS HALL IN USE
Students already benefiting from wonderful new facility
We are delighted that, after a considerable amount of work by all concerned, and following generous support by a significant number of the Gordonstoun family, we have now opened Phase One of the George Welsh Sports Centre. The magnificent new sports hall, completed in August 2009, is being very well used by Gordonstoun, Aberlour House and the local community and is already having a hugely significant impact on the sports programme at Gordonstoun.
July 2009
SPORTS HALL TAKES SHAPE
Students to benefit from new hall in the Autumn term
After three years of fundraising, designing the hall, acquiring council permission and preparing the foundations, we are thrilled to see Phase I of the George Welsh Sports Centre - the new Sports Hall - developing at a very rapid pace. Over the summer, builders will be completing the hall which will be in use by Gordonstoun and Aberlour House students, as well as the local community, by the beginning of the next school year.
Our fundraising efforts, however, have a long way to go and we are now working hard to secure sufficient funding for Phase 2: the much-needed refurbishment of the existing sports centre.
When completed, the hall will have a significant impact on sport at Gordonstoun. This phase will involve the complete refurbishment of the current sports hall and will provide a brand new fitness suite, an ancillary hall, reception rooms, classrooms and extra changing areas. When the whole project is complete, Gordonstoun will have a facility fit for the 21st Century and the whole of the school community is excited about the development.
The Sports Hall under construction, Open Day, May 2009
Download a copy of the most recent Gordonstoun Plus Campaign Newsletter:
Newsletter - July 2009
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January 2009
EXCITING TIMES AHEAD
Sports Hall phase 1 started November 2008
After three years of fundraising, we are delighted that funds are now in place to enable Phase 1 of the George Welsh Sports Centre to proceed. Planning Permission for the new building was granted in late October and contractors have already been on site, clearing the ground in preparation for the new hall. We are most grateful to the many Gordonstoun supporters, listed on Page 2, who have helped us attain our goal. Without them this wonderful achievement would not have been possible.
The new sports hall will have a real impact on the sporting life of the school. With the growth of both the senior and junior schools over recent years, the current sports hall - now in its 41st year - has been under increased strain and there is presently simply not enough indoor space for all programmed classes to take place effectively. The new hall, which will be almost three times the size of the current facility, will boast two full-sized basketball courts, the Bob Whitby Memorial Cricket nets, badminton, volleyball, football and tennis facilities. This will make an enormous difference to sport at Aberlour and Gordonstoun, as David Morton, Head of Physical Education, emphasises:
‘‘The new sports hall will allow us to run two indoor classes simultaneously during PE lessons, allowing for an improved development of skills. We hope to introduce several new activities to further enhance opportunities for students. The biggest impact, however, will be during the afternoons and evenings when more Gordonstoun students will be able to access a high quality, warm, indoor space. We anticipate a surge of enthusiasm and interest in Physical Education and fitness as the new facilities become available’’.
Phases 2 and 3 of the Sports Hall - the conversion of the current hall into teaching, reception and changing areas, as well as the upgrading of the swimming pool and squash courts - are due to happen once Phase 1 is complete, although further fundraising is required to ensure that these phases will run seamlessly together.
Clearing the land for the new Sports Hall
£4 MILLION PLEDGED!
The Campaign team is delighted to announce that, due to the generosity of parents, former students and friends of the School, and following a huge amount of hard work by everyone involved, the initial £4 million target has not only been reached but exceeded.
The current total of pledged gifts now stands at just over £4.29 million - a truly excellent achievement. We are enormously grateful to everyone who has given or pledged their support and helped us to reach this mammoth target.
The Board of Governors has consequently given approval for the construction of Phase One of the George Welsh Sports Centre, comprising a splendid new sports hall to be located on the eastern side of the existing facility. This will commence next Autumn, with an expected build time of 7-9 months meaning that, if all goes well, we should be using it by Summer 2009.
A Continuing Need
The new George Welsh Sports Centre is destined to revolutionise sport at Gordonstoun and will give an enormous boost to both the School and the local community. However, and not surprisingly, estimated building costs have risen considerably during the lifetime of the Campaign and the £2 million initially estimated as the total for the three phases of the build is now out of date.
Phase One - Provision of main Sports Hall
Phase Two - Provision of changing rooms, first aid/referee’s room, entrance reception, lift and stairs. Upper Floor - Minor Sports Hall, classrooms, staff room/office, staff changing rooms, visitors lounge.
Phase Three - Remedial works to swimming pool, new poolside facilities, refurbishment of first floor viewing balcony and squash courts. Provision of new fitness suite.
This means that, if we are to proceed quickly with Phases 2 & 3, we need to continue raising revenue. We urge anyone who has been considering making a pledge or donation but has yet to commit to get in touch with the Campaign Office.
Thereby the Campaign rolls on!
September 2007
CAMPAIGN TARGET IN SIGHT
July saw us undertaking a major Telephone Campaign, the first in Gordonstoun’s history. Twelve current students and recent OGs contacted over 1000 former students to talk about the School as it is today, to find out more about what people had been doing since they left Gordonstoun and to introduce and outline the aims of the Campaign. The response was superb, with 44% of those we spoke to agreeing to make a Campaign pledge - and some fascinating stories arising from the conversations. The overall total pledged during the Telephone Campaign was a very pleasing £125,000. We were also delighted to be offered the opportunity to auction a unique silver model of Gordonstoun House made by renowned silversmith and OG Gordon Lochhead (Windmill 1967). More will follow about this in the Spring.
As a result of this activity and several other significant pledges and events over the summer (see overleaf), the Campaign total has taken a major leap forward and now stands at just over £3.5 million pledged. This brings our £4 million target tantalisingly close and we urge anyone who has considered making a pledge but not yet done so to join the large numbers who have already given their support by completing and returning the attached Gift Form. With the help of all the Gordonstoun family we can achieve - and perhaps even exceed - our target; this would be a real success for all concerned.
2007: Previous artist's impression of the George Welsh Sports Centre
June 2007
OVER HALFWAY THERE...
£2 million raised and counting!
The Campaign team are delighted to announce that the £2 million barrier was broken through in early May, with logged gifts and pledges now totalling £2.1 million. This has been the result of a huge effort by all concerned but there remains a lot to do if we are to reach our stated target of £4 million by the end of 2007. Consequently no stone is being left unturned in our attempts to raise the money and we are enormously grateful to all of those who have given or pledged their support.
Of particular significance in recent weeks was a wonderful dinner in honour of George ‘Jockey’ Welsh, held at Mews Restaurant and Bar in Mayfair on the evening of 12th April and hosted by key supporter Matthew Tawse (RS 1985). The twenty people around the table were treated to spectacular food and wine, as well as a number of wonderful Jockey anecdotes, and at the end of the evening the great man himself gave a very passionate vote of thanks to all who had attended. As a direct result of this night, the George Welsh Centre fund has increased by almost £200,000 and now stands at just under £1 million.
This leaves us with a further £1 million to raise for the sports centre project and we are pushing hard to achieve this goal by the end of 2007. If you are one of the many hundreds of people who remember Jockey’s positive impact on your time at Gordonstoun and would like to do your bit to help, please contact the Campaign Office
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Campaign Brochures
Campaign brochure
George Welsh Sports Centre brochure
Sponsorship/Scholarships & Bursaries brochure
Chinese Brochure (in English)
US Brochure
Kurt Hahn Foundation/Legacy brochure
NB Each PDF file may take a minute or two to download.
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