On Friday 10th February 2017, the day before the Chinese Lantern Festival, over 120 guests from all over the world gathered at the Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai to celebrate the introduction of the Wellington College China Community. The attendees included representative parents from member schools, school leadership teams, teachers as well as guests from our sister school at Berkshire, UK. Mr. Murray Lindo, Head of the Wellington College Community, joined the event and brought the best wishes for this special occasion from Wellington College. Within eight years, Wellington College China has grown rapidly to over 1500 pupils and 600 staff across the group. Recognised as a leading international and bilingual education provider in China, Wellington College China offers pupils a quality and progressive education. In addition to its academic excellence, tradition and prestigious reputation, what makes Wellington College China truly proud is the strong and active community formed by the Wellington pupils, parents, teachers and staff as well as Old Wellingtonians. As Ms. Joy Qiao, Chair of Governors of Wellington 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 some time, but the New Lunar Year Cocktail Reception was the first time that the group was 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 the Wellington College 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 and 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 with plans 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, the Wellington College China Community will create a diverse and vibrant environment with numerous opportunities for its members. The Master of Wellington College International Shanghai, Gerard MacMahon gave his special wishes for 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.” He also welcomed Old Wellingtonians in Shanghai and visiting Shanghai to the College as well as 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 symbolises the end of the Lunar New Year holiday and a brand new start of another prosperous year. The cocktail reception ended with newly forged friendships across the representatives of the Wellington College China Schools.