BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS
AT ST Margaret Mary’s College, we value hospitality, compassion and community.
We strive to maintain our supportive and motivational environment where students are fuelled to grow and become young women of spirit and purpose.
In our college, we also attach great importance to the mental and physical health of our students and take considerable measures to prevent bullying, discrimination and negativity in all forms.
This year, St Margaret Mary’s College was lucky to receive a generous donation of a Buddy Bench from the Joyful Foundation.
Buddy Benches create a positive environment of inciting “buddies” and not “bullies”.
Every Joyful Foundation donated Buddy Bench is blue, representing serenity and calmness, with the words, “In memory of Joy Donnellan”.
Our blue Buddy Bench was installed at our Junior Campus.
The Joyful Foundation, created in 2013, is a charity helping disadvantaged students all around North Queensland.
This foundation was created by Ron Donnellan, father of the late Joy Donnellan.
Joy was an inspiring woman who believed that children and students should not be held back for their lack of opportunities and financial constraints.
Joy graduated from James Cook University in 1994 with a double degree in education and psychology.
She worked as a schoolteacher, guidance officer and registered psychologist.
Joy had a special way of connecting with young people – she saw potential in every young person she met.
In 2011, Joy became seriously ill and tragically died of cancer at the age of 52.
Her father was determined to continue his daughter’s mission and legacy to help students experiencing tough situations to achieve their fullest potential, through the creation of the Joyful Foundation.
To this day, the foundation has supported more than 1000 students and 87 schools, providing stationery packs, uniforms and Buddy Benches.
The Buddy Benches initiative was brought about as a way to advocate for anti-bullying and promote a safe and positive environment at schools.
The Buddy Benches were installed in schools so children could simply take a seat and expect another student or a teacher to start a conversation with them.
The main objective of the Buddy Bench is to act as a peaceful area where young people can retreat to, as well as acting as a focal point that removes concealed negative feelings of isolation.
The Joyful Foundation Buddy Benches are locally manufactured in Townsville and delivered by Ergon Energy for free.
To date, the Joyful Foundation has installed 57 Buddy Benches throughout schools in the North Queensland region and we are grateful to be one of these educational institutions to honour and appreciate this beautiful cause.
The Buddy Bench helps students who are vulnerable to feel that they are not alone in the journey of education.
It is truly an honour to support this foundation.
Like, Ron, we believe that “It is in giving that you truly receive”.