An unexpected phone call from Hawke’s Bay Foundation to Sherwood School has kick-started an exciting new project at the Central Hawke’s Bay school.
In early August, Linda Calder, Development Manager at Hawke’s Bay Foundation contacted the school to pass on the good news that they were the recipients of a donation from the Barry Family Fund.
The grant is being used to establish an orchard on the school grounds, with students planting six apple trees, six pear trees and a plum tree, which ties in perfectly with the school’s focus on sustainability and the environment.
In 2017, Andrea Barry and her family made the decision to establish a fund with Hawke’s Bay Foundation. Having raised their family and established the successful BEL Group business in Central Hawke’s Bay, the Barrys were keen to create a lasting legacy for their community.
The Barrys also liked the flexibility of Hawke’s Bay Foundation’s charitable model, which allowed them to target their giving to specific areas. “Our three children all attended Sherwood School and we feel strongly about the CHB community. We loved that we could tailor our fund to support areas that were meaningful to us.”
Sherwood Principal, Christine Morrison, says the fund is fantastic news for the small rural school of 24 pupils. “It’s exciting to know that we have a guaranteed funding stream which over time will grow and keep giving back to our school forever.”
Linda Calder of Hawke’s Bay Foundation says the Barry Family Fund is a great example of how community foundations can help tailor charitable giving to meet the needs of individual donors.
Our motto is “live here, give here,” says Linda “This donation is the perfect example of our motto in action.”