This week, we were delighted to welcome Mr Norm McGillivray, the founder of the 2022 School Charity, Beddown, to our Year 10 Ethics Assembly. Mr McGillivray shared with us his personal story and inspiration to start the charity four years ago. Beddown has enjoyed tremendous growth this year—the support they can offer as a first response to people experiencing homelessness has escalated with their recent merger with InCommunity. Despite this, he shared some alarming statistics. Currently, each night 8 200 people in Australia are sleeping rough and, in 2021, 424 people lost their lives as a direct result of sleeping rough.
Beddown aims to repurpose empty spaces as pop-up accommodation for the vulnerable. To support vulnerable females at their newly established ‘The Club’, located in Ipswich, Year 10 students packed bags with essential personal items. This was a rewarding experience for the volunteers who organised the collection of donated items and wrote a heart-warming good night message to accompany each bag.
Congratulations to 2022 Service Captains, Simran Mackrani (12H) and Isabel Shorrock-Browne (12R), for leading Student Council fundraising activities throughout the year. Girls Grammar students also took part in our own ‘shed your bed sleepover’ on the evening of 15 October, choosing to sleep somewhere safe that was not their own bed.
Sixty-six bags and $2500 were donated to Mr McGillivray at the Year 10 Ethics Assembly on Tuesday.
Ms Lynne Mungomery
Director of Service
