We are extremely positive about Falcon right now, and have adopted an aggressive marketing and development policy to ensure continued enrolment of quality boys. A comprehensive strategic plan was drawn up following the self-appraisal exercise conducted by our Educational Consultant in 2004. This identified the need for financial support as being vital in three areas which will help to ensure the continued existence of Falcon as a world class centre of educational excellence.
1. Information Technology is playing an increasingly important role in education with ‘tools’ such as interactive smart boards becoming necessities rather than luxuries. The Beit Trust is currently funding a new computer center; additional computers have recently been acquired; and we have ordered our first interactive smart boards. This is a huge area that needs long term support.
2. Teachers of the right calibre must be recruited and retained. This will be one of the biggest challenges in the next five years. Falcon needs to provide incentives for staff who are willing to commit themselves to Falcon and travel that proverbial ‘extra mile’ (or much further in our case).
3. Sports facilities of world class standard are required to attract top calibre boys and maintain our enviable sporting traditions.
To this end, Falcon will be officially launching a major fundraising/awareness campaign in Harare during October 2006. This will extend over five years, and our immediate focus will be raising funds for the new multi-functional 620 sq. metre High Performance Centre, complete with ablutions, offices, kitchen and lecture rooms.
The Davenport Pavilion is named in memory of Mark Davenport, Falcon Upper VI pupil who tragically lost his life together with four other Falcon and Peterhouse boys in that horrendous road accident during May 1987. The Davenport family has graciously agreed that the original structure be demolished in order to make way for the new gymnasium, which will again be named the ‘Davenport Pavilion’.
You will note that we have gone to great lengths to maintain the Falcon tradition of a mining village, hence the frontage being a replica of the original Bushtick Mine club. This is intended to minimise the impression of excess height, which although necessary in a gym, has been designed so as not to conflict with the mining village concept.
This new and prestigious building will be a tremendous asset to the College. Economic hardships in Zimbabwe preclude funding of this project from school fees – hence this appeal.
Construction has already commenced on the site of the Davenport Pavilion, ideally situated amongst the playing fields. The picture below is the old Pavilion....
And here it's starting to come down...
...and you can see the work is going ahead with confidence...
Update: 19/09/06. Progress was stalled by lack of materials e.g. door frames and window frames of the required specifications. Some have since been sourced and progress is being made. The western wall is now reaching first floor level while the opposite wall is as high as it will ever be because it will be fitted with sliding French doors. The front facade is taking shape. You can see the clear progress on the two pictures below.
Update: 28/09/06. Here's the first floor level
...and level 2 (28/09/06 update)
As you can read from this and other pages in this section, The Africa Challenge is a major part of raising funds towards the new Davenport Pavilion. John will be paying all his expenses, none of the money raised will go towards his costs. The target for the gymnasium is US $70,000 or US $5,00 per km some of which he has already raised. But there is a long way to go.
We'll be posting more pictures of construction on this page when we can.