- 21 December 2017
Bairds Mainfreight Primary School
Our relationship with Bairds Mainfreight Primary School started over 20 years ago and grew into something truly special.
It all started with a cheque to go towards some new sports gear for the school. Bruce Plested saw how much joy this small gift gave the student and he wanted to do more. At the time the Board of Trustees wanted to help their students to become more computer literate. Mainfreight and the Board of Trustees came up with a 5 year plan to see that all classroom had their own computers.
“Putting technology in Bairds Primary was a critical part of the relationship between Mainfreight and the school” – Kevin Drinkwater, Global IT Manager
Initially we provided two brand new computers to show the teachers what they could do with the technology. The only person in the school that knew how to use a computer at the time was the school secretary. She would have the students come to her and she would teach them how to use the computers.
“They were making the most of what they had and that really struck a cord with us” – Carol Selwyn, PA to Bruce Plested.
It was important that the teachers knew how to use these computers. A meeting was set up with a lecturer from Technology Studies at the Auckland College of Education to provide further training. It was in this meeting that Kevin Drinkwater told the school that from the beginning of the next school year all classes will have their own computers. Our 5 year plan was turned in just one year.
Since then we have gone on to sponsor a team to enter the soap box derby race annually; we work together with Duffy Books in Homes, providing students with books to inspire the love of reading in the home and to celebrate our 20 year relationship we have set up a scholarship fund helping former student with their high school and university studies.
To show the team at Mainfreight how much the school appreciated what they had done for them, they changed their name from Bairds Road Primary to Bairds Mainfreight Primary.
“By having a generosity spirit, we get far more back than we give away” – Bruce Plested, Founder and Chairman of Mainfreight.