When Old Connections Find Their Way Home
Months of planning unfolded as we watched the project transform the school around us. A date was set – Saturday 21st February, 2026 – and to anchor the day, we invited Alumna, Kerre Woodham, broadcaster, and storyteller extraordinaire, to bring her trademark warmth and wit as our guest speaker, and she did not disappoint.
Over 250 tickets were sold. The catering filled the corridors with the most wonderful aromas, the drinks were chilling, and – as if on cue – the sun arrived right on time.
Sacred Heart women came from near and far; from Australia, and from the length of Aotearoa. Name tags in hand, a cool glass of bubbles at the ready, the air filled with the joy of reunion. Classmates found each other, and old staff were welcomed back with open arms. Sisters reunited. And you could hear it through the year groups that gathered - “Is that Sister Clare? Oh my gosh, she looks amazing!”
Those stories carried beautifully into Kerre’s address, a hilarious and heartfelt reflection on her own days at Sacred Heart. But the afternoon’s most unforgettable moment came when Kerre spoke warmly about a teacher who had always believed in her – Mr Simons. Mid-story, she called out on a whim, "Mr Simons, are you here?" and then, at the back of the hall, a hand went up. Kerre squealed, leapt from the stage, and made her way through the crowd for a long-overdue hug. The hall erupted – everyone clapping and cheering as this utterly unplanned, long-overdue reunion unfolded right before us.
The day also offered a meaningful opportunity to introduce our Better Together Donor Wall. Alumnae jumped at the chance to purchase a disc to be etched with their name and the years they attended – a lasting legacy embedded in the very walls of the school they loved. Donations from the wall will provide essential funding that directly supports our Mission: we believe every student is unique and has the potential to change the world for the better – me aro ki te haa o Hineahuone.
After Kerre’s address, guests were invited to tour the school – to walk familiar halls, peek into old classrooms, and let the memories rush back. As Kerre herself said when she stepped into one of the rooms: "There it is. That’s the smell I remember."
We must acknowledge our remarkable young women who volunteered for the afternoon, looking after guests and guiding tours, all of them proudly representing today’s Sacred Heart.
The afternoon drew to a close amidst the sounds of conversation and laughter, our talented musicians providing the perfect backdrop. What happened at the Garden Party went beyond a reunion. It was women who had grown up within these walls who found their way back to one another. And we’re only just getting started.
Our HERstory website has now launched…. a place to reconnect, celebrate, and welcome our Alumnae back.