A New Year With a New Start Celebrating The Wellington College CHINA Community New Lunar Year Cocktail Reception

On Friday 10th February 2017, the day before the Chinese Lantern Festival, over 120 guests from all over the world gathered at Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai to celebrate the first cocktail reception held by Wellington College China Community. The attendees include representative parents from member schools, school leadership teams, teachers and as well as guests from our sister school at Berkshire, UK. Mr. Murray Lindo, Head of Wellington Community joined the event and brought the best wishes for this special occasion from Wellington College. Within just eight years, Wellington College China has grown rapidly, with over 1500 pupils and 600 staff across the group. Recognized as the leading international and bilingual education providers in China, Wellington College China is perceived as a brand of quality and progressive education. In addition to the academic excellence, tradition and prestigious reputation, what makes Wellington College China truly proud is the strong and active community formed by our Wellington pupils, parents, teachers and staff, as well as old Wellingtonians. As Ms. Joy Qiao, Chair of Governors ofWellington College China said,‘The Wellington values of courage, respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility apply not only to the education we offer, but also to who we are and what we represent as a community. The Wellington community is also a special one because it is a truly international one, closely and deeply linked to the Wellington community in the UK. The thousands of pupils and parents of Wellington College China are now part of a global network formed by tens of thousands of current and former pupils and parents of The Wellington College, with its 158 years of history. That is a prestigious and powerful network!’ 

Speech by Ms. Joy Qiao, Chair of Governors, Wellington College China

In fact, the community of Wellington College China has existed for a while, but it is the first time that the group is officially announced as a cross-school organisation, supported by the Wellington community in the UK. With a long – respected history, the Wellington Community serves as a platform where all members are invited to meet up, build friendships, rediscover old friendships, share ideas, make contacts and create business opportunities. As Murray Lindo, Head of Wellington Community explained, ‘You all represent an extraordinary pool of talent and experience – and in many ways, you can see my work as being rather like a match-maker – to match interests, passion and skills to the areas where Wellington needs support. To harness the talents of the Wellington Community we have created a number of programmes where we feel members of the Community can get involved in and benefit from a wide range of programmes / services such as educational pastoral support, careers, business, social, cultural and philanthropic.’ 

Speech by Mr. Murray Lindo, Head of Wellington Community

The Wellington College China community aspires to be a caring community that imbues the Wellington values and identity. Dr. Ahmed Hussain, Director of Schools of Wellington College China introduced Wellington College Bilingual Hangzhou, which is the latest addition to the Wellington College family of schools in China. It is planned to open in 2018. . As he said, “The Wellington College China Community will be enhanced through the introduction of our latest member which is Wellington College Bilingual Hangzhou, that will build on the success of the International schools in Tianjin and Shanghai and also the launch of Wellington College Bilingual Shanghai.”

Speech by Dr. Ahmed Hussain, Director of Schools, Wellington College China

Launched in Shanghai, Wellington College China community is expected to create a diverse and vibrant environment with multiple opportunities and challenges as it develops. As the Master of Wellington College International Shanghai, Gerard MacMahon gave his special wishes and prospect of the future of this new community, “Already, after just two and a half years, Wellington College International Shanghai is being talked of as one of the best international schools in the city. Those of you who are close to the college will be aware of the very many ways in which we wish to continue to improve, but we already have a community to which people are proud to belong.” also welcomed OWs in Shanghai, and visiting Shanghai, to the College or maybe to take advantage of the College’s outstanding facilities to host a meeting, a charitable function, a sports event, or a performance.

Speech by Mr. Gerard MacMahon, Master of Wellington College International Shanghai

A toast by the guests to the Year of the Rooster from Wellington College China Community

Chinese Lantern Festival symbolizes the end of the Lunar New Year holiday and a brand new start of another prosperous year. The cocktail reception ended in forging of friendship across the representatives of the Wellington College China Schools.