St Thomas’s is a state primary school which caters for students from Year 1 to Year 8 (aged 5 years to 13 years) that is located in the heart of Kohimarama. Established in the early 1950’s the school serves families in Kohimarama plus surrounding suburbs and currently has a roll of over 900 students. The school has undergone a substantial building programme with a new intermediate block that opened in 2015, and the new administration block opened late in 2015. Further new developments are currently in the pipeline.
The local Ray White office at Kohimarama has a long sponsorship association with the school and on Saturday 25th June the annual PTA fundraiser, a Quiz Night, was the eleventh successive event that Ray White Kohimarama had sponsored at St Thomas’s. Peter Best, owner of the Ray White office in Kohimarama for 25 years estimates over the eleven years these events have raised in excess of $300,000 with the proceeds going to amenities and equipment for the school. This year a record $34,000 was raised with the proceeds going towards the junior playground.
This year’s event had “A Night at the Movies” theme with parents, teachers and friends at each table dressed as a movie theme. It was a highly charged atmosphere, and Ray White Kohimarama / St Heliers team were decked out as The Wild West. Auctioneer Neil Newman did a sterling job auctioning off an array of items from pamper packs, orthodontic treatment, weekends away and tickets to The Blues matches. The company got great publicity throughout the evening and this is ongoing through the weekly school newsletter.
Ashleigh Cripps of the Ray White team also donated time, designing the “A Night at the Movies” logo. This design featured on promotional material in the school newsletter, the tickets and the signboard that was located outside the school and generously donated by ABCphotosigns.
The Ray White Kohimarama and St Heliers offices get great mileage from the school and participate in other events during the school year. Peter Best says his association with the school is very close having had grandchildren at St Thomas’s and his Kohimarama home adjoins the school grounds, so he is frequently returning balls, frisbees, and hats that come over his fence.
If you’re in the area and would like to pop in and see the team at Ray White Kohimarama or Ray White St Heliers, you can find them at;
Ray White Kohimarama, 5 Averill Avenue, Kohimarama or visit rwkohimarama.co.nz
Ray White St Heliers, 10 Polygon Road, St Heliers or visit rwstheliers.co.nz
