Dean Turner
Supporter of Newcastle Middle School
BORN and bred Hunter businessman Dean Turner was first introduced to the work of Newcastle Middle School when he began playing in its fundraising golf days each year.
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The school offers learning experiences for students with moderate to severe levels of disability between Year 5 and Year 8.
But Mr Turner and fellow Harvest Homes director Stephen Taylor discovered more about the school from their accountant, who had a son with autism who attended the Waratah campus.
So when the time came that they wanted to do more to support a local charity, giving to Newcastle Middle School was a natural choice.
“We’ve supported them over the years through golf days and various other things, so when we thought of supporting a charity we thought it would be good to help out a local one,” Mr Turner said.
“The school doesn’t get a lot of funding from the government, so we thought we’d try to help them out.”
Harvest Homes, a boutique building company, will give $50 from every house it builds to Newcastle Middle School. Their contribution to the school will equate to about $5000 a year.
“We’ll give them a cheque every quarter,” Mr Turner said.
“We presented them with the first one a couple of weeks ago.
“It will help them out with school activities and buying playground equipment, and also help them run a bus they bought recently thanks to fundraisers.”
Mr Turner said he hoped the money would help both the students who attended the school, as well as it’s hardworking and caring teachers.
“There are always kids who need a little bit more support than others, so if the ones who don’t need as much attention can be amused with some new or interesting play equipment, then it will help them, and the teachers, out a lot,” he said.
Mr Turner said it was rewarding and satisfying to be able to help out an organisation such as the Newcastle Middle School.
“It just makes you feel good,” he said.
“We don’t really get anything out of it as a business, but it makes you feel good to do something you know will help these kids.”
Newcastle Middle School principal Belinda Ryan said the staff, students and families were very grateful for the support. Funds would be used to buy specialised adaptive equipment and improve the playground, as well as support the operational costs of the school’s buses.
“An ongoing initiative such as this means students well into the future will benefit,” Ms Ryan said.
