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Buy St David's - The Soldiers Memorial Church, New Zealand

  • THANK YOU

      6 July 2021
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    We wish to thank all of you for your pledges and donations. This was a huge campaign for us and we're grateful for all the public support we have received.

    We were not successful at purchase by tender, but the great news is that a patron of Friends of St David’s Trust, Ted Manson ONZM purchased all three properties on the site to secure St David’s Church.

    The funds that all of us have raised will be applied to transferring the ownership and stewardship of the St David’s building into Friends of St David’s Trust.

    The future is looking brighter than it has for many years!

    In due course we will be able to get on with addressing the significant amount of deferred maintenance on St David’s to enable the doors to re-open as the St David’s Centre for Music.

    This future also sees St David’s continue as a living memorial to uphold the pledge New Zealanders make every year on ANZAC Day. We will remember them.

    Once again we'd like to acknowledge the generosity of Ted Manson ONZM - one of our longest supporters of Friends of St David’s Trust.

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  • ** TENDER CLOSES TODAY**

      17 June 2021
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    We need you to help us save St David's and create The St David's Centre for Music. This new role honours this sacred place and enables it to continue as a living place of remembrance.

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    We’re calling on you to support us in the purchase of St David’s to protect it as a living, musical memorial for all New Zealanders. You can help us in THREE ways:

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    1. Make a pledge. This means you can pledge now, and donate the money when convenient for you. Email contact@SaintDavidsFriends.org.nz for a form.

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    2. To donate now, visit our givealittle link, every bit helps!

    https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/buy-st-davids

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    Or

    3. Purchase a ticket to our online concert-movie, To the Stars. Streaming until 14th July.

    https://www.tikstream.com/friends-of.../event/to-the-stars

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    Let's show the world what St David’s can be!

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  • The Denzien features our TO THE STARS Concert

      16 June 2021
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    Denizen Magazine has published an article on our "TO THE STARS" concert, describing it as an "enchanting online concert" with an "outstanding line up". https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/culture/this-enchanting-virtual-concert-is-aiming-to-save-one-of-aucklands-most-important-historic-buildings/

    Tickets are still available to view this very special performance at https://www.rememberthem.nz/to-the-stars/ and all tickets go into the draw for a Max Gimblett quatrefoil.

    The St David’s tender closes tomorrow on Thursday 17th of June, so time is of the essence if this beloved building is to be saved.

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  • RSA Endorses our Work

      15 June 2021
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    We are so grateful to have the endorsement of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association in our vital work to save St Davids.

    “Not only does this building remember those that went overseas and didn’t return, it will also serve as a living memorial for those young New Zealanders who continue to serve overseas.” - Graham Gibson, Auckland and Regions RSA President.

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    The church was paid for and built as a living memorial to the lives lost in WW1, so it needs to be protected. We have three days before tenders close. If you haven't already, please give generously. If you have already, please ask your friends and family to consider the cause.

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  • Thank you Lumo Digital for your Support

      14 June 2021
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    Our billboards are up and looking fabulous.

    Our special thanks to Kent Harrison and the team at LUMO Digital Outdoor for their tremendous support.

    Tenders close on Thursday for St Davids. Please encourage your friends and families to support our vision. We have a Facebook Page and one on LinkedIn.

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  • ❖❖The St David’s Centre for Music ❖❖

      11 June 2021
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    Our proposal will see St David’s become a centre for acoustic music to meet the need for an acoustic music venue in the Auckland Region.

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    Choirs, soloists, chamber music, pianists, chamber orchestras, orchestras need a space like this. With 450 seat capacity in the Great Hall plus numerous smaller rooms, St David's provides the perfect space for this.

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    This space will be 'To Remember Them' like we promise every ANZAC Day.

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    Musicians, soldiers, and all NZers when they are in Auckland can come and hear rehearsals, concerts, all types of music. And to sit quietly to Remember Them.

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    • 11/06/2021 by Pamella

      That is just so fantastic! It's amazing what we can do when we all pull together. Pamella

  • One Week to Go

      10 June 2021
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    We have one week to go. This means we have only 7 days to raise the necessary funds to purchase the church and keep it as a memorial for New Zealanders.

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    Every donation is a vote to save St David’s! Please exercise your right to vote – every dollar counts.

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  • ✤✤THE FACES BEHIND THE FRIENDS OF ST DAVID'S TRUST ✤✤

      9 June 2021
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    A trustee since 2018, Lisa Bates MNZM brings a wealth of arts intelligence to the Friends of St David’s Trust Board.

    The TO THE STARS virtual concert has been a passion project for her, as well as the music centre concept as a whole. Along with designer Doug Hawkins they have been a huge support to St David’s in the development of a Centre for Music.

    Previously a board member of NZSO, and a regular contributor to arts philanthropy in New Zealand, Lisa brings her extensive sector knowledge, tenacity, imagination, work ethic and a big vision to our future purpose.

    With a 25 year portfolio of arts contribution, Lisa is a star performer in the St David’s Centre project!

    Tickets for TO THE STARS are still available. Don't miss this superb 45 minute video of some of New Zealand's most talented artists. You can see more information on the concert at https://www.rememberthem.nz/.

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  • The First Winner of a Max Gimblett Quatrefoil Drawn Today

      2 June 2021
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    Lisa Bates MNZM, one of our Trustees, drew the first winner of our Max Gimblett quatrefoil this morning. We'll be sending the artwork out to our winner shortly. We have a further two draws to go, with the next on the 20 June and the final draw on the 14 July. Every purchase of a ticket for 'To The Stars' online concert goes into the draw. If you haven't already seen this stunning concert, tickets are available at https://www.tikstream.com/friends-of-st-davids/event/to-the-stars

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  • Tender Date Extended by Seller

      31 May 2021
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    The Friends of St David's Charitable Trust is relieved to announce we have another two weeks before the tender closes on June 17, 2021. The trust invites you to continue helping us to buy St David's and secure it in perpetuity as a living memorial. Thank you to our donors so far - every dollar counts and is a vote to save this wonderful building. Please share the campaign with your friends and anyone who you think might be interested.

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  • BREAKING NEWS - Deadline Extended

      31 May 2021
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    The tender for the sale of St David's has been extended until the 17th June. This means we have more time to raise the necessary funds to purchase the church and keep it as a memorial for New Zealanders.

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    Every donation is a vote to save St David’s! Please exercise your right to vote – every dollar counts. Please encourage friends and family to support our vital work.

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  • TONIGHT

      29 May 2021
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    ✤✤✤TONIGHT!!!✤✤✤

    In addition to our givealittle fundraising, the Trust is also staging 'To the Stars', a virtual concert that streams this evening. If you want to be part of this special online event, don't forget to tune in at 6pm with your supplied link. All funds raised will be used to buy St Davids.

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    If you can't watch 'To The Stars' tonight, don't worry, your link is live until the end of June so you are free to watch it as it suits you.

    Buy your tickets to TO THE STARS to be in to WIN one of three Max Gimblett ONZM Remembrance quatrefoils, that were exhibited at Te Papa Tongarewa.

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    Tickets still available from here https://www.tikstream.com/friends-of-st-davids/event/to-the-stars

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    #tothestars #buystdavids #onlineconcert #nzmusic

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  • Buy St Davids

      25 May 2021

    This video tells the story of St David's, why it's so important to our community, our soldiers and how we want to ensure the building has a future.

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  • Win a Max Gimblett Remembrance artwork

      16 May 2021

    Buy your tickets to TO THE STARS to be in to WIN one of three Max Gimblett ONZM Remembrance quatrefoils, that were exhibited at Te Papa Tongarewa.*

    ✤OUR PLAN FOR ST DAVID'S ✤

    No building has a secure future unless it is in daily use by the community. Our work over three years of extensive planning and testing have proven its potential as a sustainable and much-needed centre for music. As the St David's Centre - Te Whare Tapere o Hato Rāwiri.

    The church building can serve the needs of the acoustic music sector, as a performance space for choirs, chamber music, soloists and orchestras.

    To support the future of The St David's Centre please purchase tickets to our inaugural online concert.

    https://www.tikstream.com/friends-of-st-davids/event/to-the-stars

    Renowned artist Max Gimblett ONZM is releasing three of the Remembrance artworks from the Te Papa Tongarewa exhibition in support of the future of St David's, his childhood church.

    The exhibition of these coveted quatrefoils launched on ANZAC Day 2015, where an installation of the brass artworks adorned the exterior of St David's, the Soldiers' Memorial Church, Auckland.

    *Three Remembrance quatrefoils to be won. Each ticket purchased is one entry. Promotion drawn 30 May 2021. NZ residents only. T&CS apply.

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  • Simon O'Neill - World Famous Tenor backs the Campaign

      14 May 2021
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    World famous tenor Simon O'Neill has added his voice to buy St David's Church on Khyber Pass in Auckland and repurpose it for acoustic music. "The atmosphere, acoustics and scale of St David's create an incredibly valuable opportunity for music in New Zealand. Its location in Auckland - Unesco City of Music – is fitting." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/global-tenor-star-joins-fight-to-save-historic-auckland-church-for-acoustic-music-centre/XVJTK5XU27BCFSC2ZBLLGTDZ4Q/

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