Thanks to You Philanthropy Report 2019-2020
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
Contents Letter from the Headmistress Letter from the Development Director
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Overview of the year The Great Big Bursary Ball Launch of the 1710 Society Update on Finances LEH in the Community Public benefit provision Student charitable giving COVID response Giving and Getting Involved Our vision for the future The Bursary Fund Legacy Giving The Friends of LEH Investing in STEM Other ways to give Recognition of your support Thanks to You
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Lady Eleanor Holles School
LEH has a proud past and an important mission. Through your support we continue to build a community that loves learning, explores new horizons, and works together to prepare pupils for life’s journey. The 2019-20 school year was unlike any in the School’s history. We began the year with excitement and optimism. Parents, staff and alumnae came together at the end of November to support our very first Great Big Bursary Ball, raising over £65k for the Bursary Fund. In mid- March, reality was dramatically altered by the Covid-19 lockdown and we saw our community unite in many inspiring and meaningful ways. Many parents donated to the LEH Hardship Fund, helping us to support families that were suffering financially. Over the next four months, pupils and alumnae shared stories on social media of courage, ingenuity and resilience, overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles and raising significant funds for NHS charities and the School.
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
Generous U6 parents donated their deposits to sustain future bursary students, and other kind alumnae and parents signed up to become members of the 1710 Society of Regular Givers. At the end of this unprecedented year, I believe that LEH has emerged stronger than ever. As I write this report, we are uncertain how long this crisis will last, but I am sure that we will stand strong and find new opportunities to learn, grow and thrive together, with a greater recognition of what is really important in life; our connectedness and our compassion for each other. Your philanthropy is the ultimate testament to your belief in LEH and thank you for your vote of confidence. More than ever, we are reminded that we couldn’t do it without you. On behalf of those whose work you inspire and whose education you make possible, thank you for your support of LEH. Heather Hanbury Headmistress
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Lady Eleanor Holles School
encourage their daughters, and by our alumnae, who never cease to amaze us with their extraordinary achievements and generosity.
Whenever I start to write about philanthropy at LEH, I am reminded of Henry James’ words: “Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” LEH is a school where kindness is ingrained in its very fabric. We are fortunate to find kindness everywhere, as evinced by the efforts of the staff to bring out the very best in our pupils, by our pupils who care for each other’s welfare as well as their own, by parents who work with staff to support and
It is with great pride and appreciation that we bring you this report. With your support, our students continue to achieve remarkable success, academically, in sport, music, art and in the wider community. We are hugely grateful to all of the alumnae, parents, grandparents, staff and friends who have joined together to support LEH in this most unusual year. We are thrilled to be able to acknowledge the donors and community members who engage with the school and make it magical. At the very heart of LEH is Mrs Hanbury’s vision: a school characterised by purpose, respect, courage, joy and kindness. In an unpredictable year that has surprised us all, we are deeply grateful to each person, family, and company that has made a gift to support our remarkable school. Jennifer Blaiklock Director of Development -3-
Thanks to You 2019-2020
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The Great Big Bursary Ball Over £65,000 was raised at the incredibly successful inaugural Great Big Bursary Ball at Twickenham Stadium on November 30th, with all proceeds going directly to the LEH Bursary Fund. The sell-out event was attended by 360 guests, who all ate and drank, laughed, chatted and danced the night away. Before the main event guests were serenaded by the fantastically gifted Holles Singers. They sang a medley of carols in an invigoratingly chilly pitch-side reception, while guests sipped champagne and walked on the hallowed, floodlit turf of Twickenham, the home of rugby union. A Tree of Promises, with a wonderful selection of gifts ranging from hampers to dance lessons, was a complete sell-out before guests had even taken their seats for dinner and the silent auction raised almost £30,000.
Great Big Bursary Ball 2019 2019
LEH alumna and former bursary recipient Georgia Galton Ayling gave an impassioned speech about the difference a bursary has made to her life. Georgia attended LEH from 2007 to 2013, before winning a place at Oxford University to read English Language and Literature. She then joined a graduate programme called Teach First and works as a teacher. “I wanted to use my privilege to try to combat the huge inequality that exists in our education system. I feel incredibly strongly that a pupil’s academic success should not rely on their socioeconomic background.” She said: “I can only thank LEH from the bottom of my heart for the education they provided me with. I also want to thank everyone who supports the bursary fund because you really are changing the lives of children in a way that they will never forget. Thank you on behalf of all of them.”
You are warmly invited to the LEH Great Big Bursary Ball on Saturday 30 November from 7pm to midnight at Twickenham Stadium. Tickets available through the Parent Portal. £95 per person. All proceeds will be donated to the Bursary Fund. Dress code: Black Tie
Lady Eleanor Holles School
1710 Society Launch Your monthly gift can help change a life From our foundation in 1710 to the present day, the generosity of individuals like you has allowed our school to thrive. The impact of your donations to LEH is reflected in the vibrant faces and stories of our students. Your kindness gives the gift of opportunity and knowledge. The new 1710 Society of Regular Givers was launched in March 2020 specifically to support the Bursary Fund. It is an initiative to help provide invaluable financial stability that allows us to plan ahead and work more efficiently to help more students. Every year, the demand for bursary places increases, and to give more pupils the opportunity of studying here, we require ever greater funding. LEH does not benefit from any foundation or endowment, so we rely on our community’s generosity to enable our students to become the thinkers and creators of tomorrow. In response to our first appeal, we have added over 40 new members to our Regular Giving group and received one off donations of more than £15,000. Please consider joining them and becoming part of the 1710 Society. With your help, LEH will continue to transform lives, communities and the wider world. If 100 people gave £17.10 a month, with gift aid, it would cover the cost of 1 new bursary student
If 75 people give £171 a month, with gift aid, it would cover the cost of 10 new bursary students
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
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I hope that there will come a time when the Bursary Fund is sufficiently funded to overcome financial barriers and educate every girl deserving of a place at LEH, and so I sincerely urge all those who are in the position to do so, to donate and give more girls like me an opportunity that I have been so privileged to receive.
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Soshin Limbu LEH 2010 - 2017 -8-
Financial Update
Lady Eleanor Holles School
Funds allocated to our Bursary Programme 2015/2016
£773,000
2016/2017
£822,000
2017/2018
£930,000
2018/2019
£ 1,132,000
2019/2020
£ 1,192,000
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
£1,520
Average donation to the Bursary Fund
£42,000 £20,000
Leaver deposit donations
Bursary Fund Donations (with Gift Aid) 16/17
21k
17/18
320k
18/19
280k
19/20
340k
Donations made to the COVID Hardship Fund
63% of donations came from regular givers
240%
increase in alumnae donations
Total Number of Donations
Alumnae Former Parent Former Staff Parent Staff
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Public Benefit Provision
This year forty six children from eleven local state primary schools took part in our SHINE Programmet
The School continues as an active member of the Hampton Independent and State Schools’ Partnership
SHINE, or ‘Serious Fun on Saturdays’ has been running for over ten years. The programme consists of a twelveweek course, targeted at students in Year 5, from local partnership primary schools. The key aim is to engender a love of learning through fun activities where pupils will explore subjects and ideas outside the National Curriculum. The sessions are led by teachers from LEH with members of the Sixth Form acting as mentors. Studies have shown that similar projects at other schools have helped to raise attainment across the board for the pupils attending.
The ISSP is a group of seven secondary schools (of which five are maintained schools) within the Borough, with the aims of raising standards, encouraging cooperation and collaboration, and promoting social cohesion. During the year, the School hosted a Languages day and Model United Nations Conference for partnership schools. This was in addition to organising a Music Partnership day and offering various academic lectures, summer catch up sessions, student mentoring, a careers fair and a series of evening parent talks to the partnership. -11-
Thanks to You 2019-2020
LEH supports the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Schools Together initiative. Projects have included: • Our physics staff providing support at Reach Academy. • Organising joint school trips with local special needs primary schools. • Following the success of our collaboration with Hampton High on the ‘Write the Girl’ drama workshops, a first play ‘Wellington 24’ was commissioned. Hampton High pupils were invited to audition and 6 girls won parts. Hampton High and LEH pupils worked together to stage the play and it was performed over three nights in the Spring term.
Sixth Form pupils Local schools take At the request of travelled each week their Associated the school, LEH's to Twickenham Board Music Exams Deputy Head School to give small at LEH so they can became a Governor groups of Year 11 avoid travelling on the Board of pupils targeted help long distances to Reach Academy, in science. examination centres. Feltham. -12-
Lady Eleanor Holles School
Charity and Raising Awareness Helping others less fortunate than yourself is a much-cherished principle at LEH, pupils have been raising money for charity ever since the school was first founded in 1710 and today’s students are no less enthusiastic. Every year the school elects a charity, which becomes the major recipient of fundraising efforts for the year. However, this isn’t the only focus for charitable work and pupils volunteer in a wide variety of other capacities. Members of the Service Volunteers raised funds to accompany children with special needs from two schools on trips to Legoland and Hobbledown Farm and sizeable donations of tinned food were also collected for various local foodbanks. Those pupils engaged in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme volunteered at local charity shops, libraries, litter picking and helping with park runs. The Eco Squad is one of the newest societies at LEH and in the past few years, they have successfully reduced the consumption of single-use plastics, increased awareness around the amount of food wastage in school and organised litter picking events in the community. They have many exciting plans for the future:
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This year we want to become a certified Green Flag School recognised for its excellence in environmental action and learning across a variety of environmental issues. We plan to build a green wall to increase biodiversity and reduce pollution, which would bring great benefit to the School.
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The Charity ‘Crisis at Christmas’ used the whole of the School’s vehicle fleet over the Christmas and New Year period. LEH members of staff are also involved in active service, leading and accompanying pupils who participate in a variety of outreach work for the benefit of the public during the year, including local choral, dramatic and sporting groups as well as organising fundraising events for for many charities throughout the year. -13-
Thanks to You 2019-2020
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pupils volunteer at local state primary schools
£6,000
Over was raised for Plastic Oceans UK.
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Nearly local elderly residents came to our two Service Volunteer tea parties. -14-
Lady Eleanor Holles School
COVID-19 In a year like no other, as the impact of the coronavirus was being felt around the world, the LEH community responded in a remarkable way. Fundraising, volunteering, creating and inspiring – here are some of the ways they helped.
Music is life and we were all missing singing after shutdown. So, to commemorate VE day, Cantata got together virtually to record a lockdown production of ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’. The Holles Singers sang a tribute to those magnificent pro-musicians who’ve had their income wiped out by COVID and also decided to learn and record the beautiful ‘Loving Kindness’ by Howard Goodall. He composed this Eastern blessing for Aled Jones and dedicated it to the sacrifice and courage of health workers.
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
During the Easter holidays the Supersonics, a team of Form I’s from the Junior School, came together running a distance of 2-5km at home and managed to raise an amazing £7,665 for NHS Charities Together.
The Upper Sixth rowing squad ensured a special end to their LEH rowing career by raising over £2,300 for Shooting Star Hospice. They each rowed a marathon on indoor rowing machines and exercise bikes while cheering each other on over zoom.
LEH was able to donate 365 pairs of goggles to Morden Primary Care network. Our Head of Textiles responded to a request from Teddington Hospital to make special headbands to hold on face masks and also made multiple pairs of surgical scrubs. -16-
Our Vision for the Future Philanthropy is one of the founding principles of LEH. The school was set up more than 300 years ago as a charity school with the aim of providing a good education to those who would otherwise be unable to afford it. We are not only duty bound, but also proud to continue that tradition of giving and inclusion. Our goal is not only to continue this tradition but build on it.
Our vision to make entry to LEH “needs blind” is a bold one. By this, we mean that in an ideal world, an applicant’s financial situation should not be considered when deciding admission. We are a long way off being able to make this a reality, but we are working hard to encourage parents, alumnae and friends of LEH to help us to support as many deserving pupils as possible. -17-
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I have left LEH not only with an outstanding education and qualifications, but also with friends who I know will always be there to support me and skills which have prepared me well for the next stage in my life. I am very grateful for the last seven years, and the opportunities I have had due to the bursary scheme.
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Simrah Basit LEH 2010 - 2017
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Lady Eleanor Holles School
The Bursary Fund The Bursary Fund is the cornerstone of LEH’s fundraising efforts and thanks to the generosity of our community, we are closer than ever to making the opportunity of an LEH education available to any bright girl who wishes to come here, regardless of her family’s financial circumstances. However, there are still many deserving girls who we are unable to help. Last year applications for support went up by over 50% and current circumstances mean that need will likely increase further in the coming months and years.
An LEH bursary covers not only tuition but all associated costs such as uniform, transport to and from school, curriculum trips and lunches
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students supported by bursaries this year
100
our target number of bursaries available in 2025
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
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I became a student of Lady Eleanor Holles at the age of 17. I had passed my GCSEs from my previous secondary school, but I needed to leave. By then, I had been bullied for 10 years, and my mental health had deteriorated. Lady Eleanor Holles provided a unique environment, where was I encouraged to study. I was pushed to defeat obstacles and turn failures into success. Lady Eleanor Holles provided a variety of extracurricular activities, despite entering the school at a later stage. I tried RAF, Rowing Club and Running Club. The school had an educational mentor, and after a recommendation to a Education Psychologist, we discovered that I suffered from dyslexia. Lady Eleanor Holles stood by me as I passed my A-levels and went to medical school. This is what I needed. Your teachers become your mentors. The school focus on high-level teaching with critical thinking and a supportive environment, which turns the girls to ambitious and empowered women. The Bursary Fund gave that exclusive opportunity to me, and for that I am eternally grateful towards the school. Fast forward 13 years later, I am a medical doctor and I am in a position to stand for myself and use my platform to improve public healthcare. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the teachers and my peers. The teachers ingrain into the students that no obstacle is too big or too hard to tear down and achieve whatever they want. The determination and the courage you obtain from this school… I will always remember what my teacher had told me “You’ll find yourself having the world at your fingertips”.
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Lady Eleanor Holles School
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
Legacies The best memories we make are the ones we make together Legacy gifts allow us to plan for the long-term future of the school and to continue to offer the very finest education to future generations of girls. LEH does not benefit from any endowments, so we rely wholly on the generosity of our community to support our students. After you’ve taken care of the people closest to you, would you consider a gift to support the Bursary Fund? Your enduring legacy will be the impact that the talented pupils you help have on the world. This year we received over £20,000 worth of legacy donations and many other generous pledges for future gifts. As we are a registered charity, a legacy gift is free of inheritance tax. Your donation will either be taken off the value of your estate before inheritance tax is calculated, or it will reduce your inheritance tax rate if 10% or more of your estate is left to a registered charity (from 40% to 36%).
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You can donate fixed amounts, what’s left after other gifts have been given out, or a specific item.
I have made some donations to School projects but I have also decided to make a provision in my Will. I am doing this partly because I believe in the school, its ethos as well as its achievements, but also because I was lucky enough to have my schooldays funded by a local authority scholarship. I feel that this is an appropriate way to give something back and help future generations of girls. Perhaps you will feel you could do this too. I hope so. Jane Ross LEH 1957-1964
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Lady Eleanor Holles School
The Friends of LEH, the school’s parents association, celebrates its diamond anniversary this year, with 60 years of fundraising and social activities. In that time they have financially contributed to a huge range of activities around the school. From funding new lighting and sounds systems or supplying sophisticated drones for the Airgineers Club, right up to helping out with major capital investments like the refurbishment of the Junior School laboratory or the completion of the Gateway building project. The secondhand uniform sale profits go to the school libraries to support author talks, workshops, and furnishings to make the library experience more enjoyable for our girls. The fabulous calendar events each year typically include welcome evenings, quiz and comedy nights, discos and the biggest annual fund raiser of the year, the Christmas Bazaar. -23-
Thanks to You 2019-2020
Get Involved The Friends is run by a Council, a group of up to 24 members, including 19 parent volunteers as well as school representatives, who meet termly to discuss ideas and projects as well as to plan events. The Council is extremely fortunate to be assisted by a network of class reps from each year group who support and promote events. In addition, by engaging with their fellow parents through informal get-togethers, including coffee mornings, evenings out and end of term parties, class reps strengthen our sense of community. There are many ways to be involved: sharing ideas, attending events, becoming a class rep or joining the Council - any and all participation is welcomed. The ongoing success of The Friends is wholly dependent on the enthusiasm and generosity of every LEH family and for this, we are enormously grateful. -24-
Lady Eleanor Holles School
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Science is not a boy's game, it's not a girl's game. It's everyone's game. It's about where we are and where we're going
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
Investing in STEM At LEH we are keen to inspire the next generation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by providing our students with a wide range of exciting opportunities. WELL Logisitics STEM Scholarship The 2019/20 STEM Scholars have inspired both students and staff with their energy, enthusiasm, commitment and passion. They have entered (and won) national and international competitions, attended conferences and created beautiful works of art. In short, they are prominent and respected STEM ambassadors - and a credit to the school. Worldwide Energy Logistics Ltd (WELL)’s kindness in enabling us to offer our students such a wonderful opportunity is much appreciated and we hope will continue to encourage others to follow their example. Being awarded the WELL STEM Scholarship and having my STEM related pursuits and successes both in and out of school recognised has given me a huge boost. The scholarship has further fired-up my desire to inspire and encourage young women to consider pathways into STEM and I am currently proactively planning many new extracurricular activities at LEH. I intend to be a positive role model to the girls at school and work towards breaking typical stereotypes by addressing the underrepresentation of females in STEM by encouraging as many girls into STEM as possible. Arabella- STEM Scholar
Corporate Sponsorship There are many opportunities to sponsor specific scholarships or projects. If you are interested in discussing naming opportunities, please contact Jennifer Blaiklock, Director of Development, on 020 8783 9806. -26-
Lady Eleanor Holles School
is the UK’s biggest online shopping fundraising site. As a community, we can raise money for the LEH Bursary Fund simply by going through the easyfundraising website every time we shop online. It doesn’t cost a penny extra, as the donations come directly from the retailers, and it’s really simple to use. There are over 4000 companies involved in the scheme, including M&S, Booking.com, Argos, John Lewis, Aviva and Waitrose, so you can collect on everything from groceries, electronics and fashion to household utilities and travel. There are already
145 supporters in the LEH community
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Thanks to You 2019-2020
is another easy way to support the Bursary Fund at no extra cost to you. Amazon will make a donation to us of 0.5% of all eligible purchases that you make, when you do so via AmazonSmile. You can use the same account on AmazonSmile as you would on Amazon. com and your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are all the same. You will find all of the same products, at the same prices, available on smile.amazon.co.uk and once you’ve nominated your chosen charity you can also activate it via the Amazon Shopping app (under settings) to make the process even more straightfoward. There are already
63 supporters in the LEH community
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Recognising your support We are so grateful for all of the support from our wonderful community and it is important to us to be able to show our appreciation. Silver, Gold and Platinum Donors
All of our donors will be featured in the annual philanthropy report and will receive special communications and invitaitons during the year. Donors in Gold and Platinum levels will additionally feature on a Benefactors’ board in the school atrium and be invitated to an annual Benefactors’ reception with Mrs Hanbury. If you are interested in endowing a named bursary please contact Jennifer Blaiklock, Director of Development, on 020 8783 9806. -29-
The Lady Eleanor Society
The Lady Eleanor Society was formed to recognise and thank benefactors and those who have made arrangements to leave a gift to the school in their Will. In addition to Benefactors’ events, Lady Eleanor Society members are invited to an annual showcase school event as guests of the Head Mistress.
The 1710 Society
Members of the 1710 Society receive a special lapel pin on joining and will feature on a dedicated members board in the school atrium. In addition, they receive invtiations to events throughout the year, including receptions before selected music and drama productions. We will discuss preferences for recognition before publishing anything and donors are always welcome to remain anonymous. -30-
Lady Eleanor Holles School
Thanks to You Mr Adams and Ms Hutton Komedera Family Imran Ahmad and Fazila Mayet Sri Konala The Baulk Family Kroijer Family Miss Mary Beardwood Nishant Kumar and Roli Agrawal Moira E. Black CBE MA The Laguillo Family Mrs Jennifer Blaiklock Mrs and Mr Lee From the Estate of Elizabeth Brie The Friends of LEH David and Helen Campbell Andrew and Jane Linford R Casale and H Allen Mr and Mrs P Littler Mr and Mrs Coovadia David Liu and Vivian Ng Robin and Kaari Crees Professor and Mrs Longmore Simon Croft Mrs Gillian Low Dr Timothy Cross and Professor Julia Mr and Mrs Malani Black Mr Mammadov and Mrs Mammadova Mr and Mrs Deol Mr Breffni Mathews Dr Ranvir Dhillon and Dr Kirandeep Nicola Mathews Dhillon Miss E Mathie Mrs Norma Dinnage The McCormick Family Charlotte and Will Downie Miss Barbara Megson Elaine and Nick Dunn Mr and Mrs Morrill Flora Dyson and family Mr Tahir Mughal and Ms Farah Khan Egelie-Tick family Michael Murphy and Annette Stark Kevin and Kathryn Ellis Mr Ngo and Mrs Tran Mrs Fiona Forbes and Mr Jonathan Mr Nigel Noble Hiscock Stephen and Pilar O’Connor Mrs June Fuller Jeremy Oates and Liv Sandbaek Mary Geraghty and Simon Nordon Painter’s Company Charities Dr P and Mrs M Graham Jonathan and Alison Ress From the Estate of Jill Grant Mr and Dr Riley Mrs Heather Hanbury Caroline and Mark Silver Mr and Mrs Holloway Mr and Mrs Sohal Simon and Daniela Hotchin The Stoney Family Mrs L Hughes Sinnah and Ruba Sukumar Mr and Mrs Isac Feargal and Sophia Supple Dr and Mrs Jack-kee Thevenon Family -31-
Thanks to You 2019-2020
The Timblo Family And many donors who wished to Van der Spuy Family remain anonymous. Dr and Mrs Vergopoulos WELL Logistics A special thank you to all of the Keith and Deb Westhead generous supporters of our Great Big Mrs Patricia White Bursary Ball and the members of our Sarah Whitehouse community who support the school in Christine and Gareth Williams so many other ways.
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Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3HF t: 020 8979 1601 e: office@lehs.org.uk www.lehs.org.uk
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