David Bingham

David was a very special person in our school community – a parent, a staff member and a hard working volunteer. David would spend some time before school each day in picking up any item that may cause harm such as broken glass or tree branches that had blown down over night, removing any graffiti, sweeping up leaves and gumnuts and generally ensuring that the school grounds were neat and tidy. He would then work with individual children, supporting them in the classroom as an integration aide. He had an uncanny ability to connect with children where others had been unable to. He developed specific projects for some of the students such as building billy carts and then putting them to good use in our annual Kids Carnival- he certainly made a huge impact on the lives of the children that he worked with. Dave had a passion for books and was an avid collector. He was extremely knowledgeable and if any staff member wanted to find something out, then they would ask Dave. If he didn’t know he would research it until he found the answer. He was Seaford’s version of Google. Sadly, David passed away suddenly in December of 2009.

The school community believed that it needed to do something to ensure that Dave would be remembered and so it was decided that “Dave’s Shed” would be built. A shed is significant in two ways- we heard in the eulogy at Dave’s funeral of the magic of his shed at home which was crammed with all manner of items that Dave had collected over his lifetime- Dave always saw a use for something and would never throw anything away. The old school shelter shed was the place where Dave and his students would do their projects, and for them this was also a magical place. Dave’s Shed which now sits proudly next to our new Early Learning Centre, overlooking our veggie gardens and the Lone Pine that Dave planted in November 2009 was made possible through the financial support of local businesses and families attached to the school as well as the generous contribution of time by members of the school community at working bees over two weekends in creating the shed and surrounds.

Dave’s shed was officially opened on Thursday July 28th 2011 at 4 pm with the unveiling of a mural of Dave attached to the shed by members of his family.

Footnote

In 2020 as part of our large capital works program Dave’s Shed needed to be demolished. The signage has been retained and in 2021 when the capital works program is complete, a new shed of similar dimensions and style will be rebuilt at a new home within the school grounds and the signage reattached. Dave’s Shed which is a physical reminder of the legacy left by David Bingham will always be part of this school.