Supporter Update - Nov 2021

Supporter Update Issue 4: November 2021

Welcome to our new donors!

Opening of the Nadine Uppal Theatre On the 30th September, the Faculty of Performing Arts were delighted to invite donors and parents to the grand opening of their newly re-furbished theatre.

You raised an incredible £140,000 to complete the refurbishment which included new tiered, retractable seating, a sprung floor, curtains, sound, and lighting. The work was carried out over the summer holidays and has transformed the theatre. Please do come and take a look if you have not already done so.

It was wonderful to welcome Sternian and actor Julian Sands back to LWC and even more enthralling to hear his inspiring words as he officially opened the theatre. Julian is a School House boy who attended in 1969-76. Julian’s career has spanned the stage and screen with memorable performances in Steven Spielberg’s Arachnophobia and A Room with a View.

Julian was able to spend time talking with our young performers and we hope he will be returning in the future to perform his one-man show.

Trek the Sahara in aid of The Foundation As part of the College’s centenary celebrations, the Development Office is excited to announce we are organising a trip of a lifetime to the Sahara Desert in Morocco for parents, guardians and Sternians.

This fantastic adventure challenge will take place over 6 days from 23-28th February 2023. Participants must be over the age of 21 and prepared to raise funds for The Foundation.

CLICK HERE to find out more or to register your place

Science The theatre has been named after Nadine Uppal who sadly passed away in December 2019 at the age of 42. Although not a pupil at LWC, Nadine could have easily qualified as a Foundationer. We were delighted to name the theatre after this brave, young woman and equally delighted to welcome her family to the event and we hope they continue to enjoy their new-found connection with LWC.

Performing Ar ts We would like to thank our donors once again for their generosity. This project would not have been possible without you. The Performing Arts department and their pupils are relishing this wonderful new space. Thank you

CCF Banner Blessing The 15th October 2021 may go down in the history books here at LWC as one of our most memorable mornings. What a fantastic day it was! Here some of our Cadets reflect on this momentous morning...

As we marched down from Sutton Hall to the field in front of the war memorial to the sound of bagpipes and a drum beat, the realisation of how big an occasion this was really hit me like a brick wall. I could see the whole school waiting expectantly as I got nearer the field. The whole school had gathered, and it was immense. As we marched into ranks, I could see the banners in front of me; they were spectacular.

We all stood still until commanded. When we were at attention the Lord Lieutenant walked in through the gates along with the Headmaster. This was when we all felt proud of our contingent. The blessing of the banners took

place after a series of commands in the banner party. The banners were presented and then blessed by a priest.

This was a very important part of the ceremony and so everyone was silent during it. I can officially say that I have now spoken to a Queen’s representative, it was such an honour.

When we had finished our parade, we saw an amazing show of Gazelle helicopters. They weaved in and out of each other like nothing I’ve ever seen before. As the aerobatics finished and the Gazelles landed to great applause, the cadets, for all their hard work, were able to meet the pilots and see the engines and cockpits of the helicopters.

All in all the whole day was an experience I will never forget and I was so honoured to be a part of it.

With thanks to Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson Esq for joining us on the day and to everyone involved in making this an absolutely wonderful celebration. Particular thanks as always to our donors. Without your generosity this wonderful celebration would not have been possible.

Fundraising Income 2020/21 A Year to Celebrate!

We had hoped we might exceed £600,000 by August 2021 and we did it! Despite the challenges of 2020/21 we are delighted to report that we raised £637,148!

Your generosity has only increased in these turbulent times and we cannot thank you enough for your support.

Our income was up by 20% in comparison to 2019/20 and we welcomed 205 new donors with gifts ranging from £10 - £100,000.

Thank you on behalf of everyone here at LWC.

Please help us reach our Fundraising Target for 2021/22

Fundraising Income 2020/21 £637,148 raised LWC Foundation Aspirations Covid-19 Appeal

Raised to date

£637,148

Trusts & Charities for Foundationer Fees

£231,238

Individuals

£405,910

LWC Foundation

£195,910

Covid-19 Appeal

£47,000

Aspirations

To make a donation CLICK HERE

CCF Performing Arts - Theatre Other

£163,000 £11,000 £140,000 £12,000

Foundation Update Despite the challenges of 2020/21 we were delighted with our fundraising income of £195,910.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support. Some of you give monthly, annually or as a one-off donation. It is greatly appreciated and we would not be able to support as many Foundation pupils without your constant, unwavering support.

Our income has decreased slightly from 2019/20 and there were a number of reasons for this. Most notably Covid-19 which impacted so many families and their ability to give. So the challenge is on for 2021/22! We will keep you updated with our progress.

At the moment the College is supporting 50 Foundationers with many new children arriving last September.

Save the Date!

Foundation Day 10th March 2022

CLICK HERE to support the Lord Wandsworth Foundation by shopping at smile.amazon.com

Interview - Pete Maidment, Foundation Tutor There are so many members of staff involved in the lifecycle of the charity including Foundation Tutor and LWC Chaplain, Pete Maidment. His role is deeply rewarding but not without its ups and downs....

How are the new Foundationers settling in?

What challenges do you face?

Yes really well, particularly in the First Form where they’ve become a tight-knit group within themselves as well as a part of the greater group. The 6th Formers are finding things a little more tricky. It’s a big change of life from a secondary state school to independent Sixth Form with boarding, but they are making the most of the opportunities that are offered them and slowly settling into the new routines.

Time is always the biggest issue. Like all academic staff here I try to get involved with every aspect of school life; sport, lunchtime and Saturday clubs, duties and so on. Foundation students often excel in the creative world so I get to as many school productions and musical performances as I can.

The safeguarding part of the role can be really busy, not surprisingly. I think that at one point last year I was working with professionals from five different local authorities at the same time – lots of red tape!

What are your key areas of responsibility?

The aim of the Foundation Tutor role is to provide a single, stable, pastoral person throughout their lives at LWC. So I join the Foundation Manager on the initial home visits, ensuring that our relationship with the family is both pastoral and administrative from the word go. I follow up with a wellbeing visit just before the students start at LWC and then meet with each Foundation student for a pastoral 1:1 at least once a term.

I act as the designated safeguarding lead for any Foundationers that require child protection support and I also represent them as the official designated teacher if they are in care.

You have a close working relationship with our Admissions Team. Can you tell us a little bit more about your involvement there?

I work very closely with Georgina our new Admissions and Foundation Manager, we have already spent hours driving around the South East meeting potential Foundation students for next year. It’s really important to have the perspective of someone from the academic side of school life when we are interacting with Foundationers and their families. I’ve been based in Junior House for years and so have a really good idea of how the House runs and what each child might bring to that space, but I also get to see students in lessons and recognise the challenges they might face there.

What is the most rewarding part of the role?

We are just starting to increase our work with ‘looked after children’, children who are in care for one reason or another.

It’s a really exciting opportunity. Looked after children tend to have the worst outcomes of any children in the UK, and only very recently has the government agreed that boarding schools, particularly those like LWC can have an unbelievably positive impact on children in that situation. We are developing good working relationships with our local authority, and charities like the Royal Children’s Springboard Foundation are offering lots of support in this area.

What have you got planned for 2022?

We are making plans for Foundation Day in March which we are really excited about, and the school’s centenary which also marks 100 years of the Foundation giving us even more opportunity for the future.

Aspirations Update Fundraising for the Future Following on from the success of recent projects for the CCF and Performing Arts, we are now focusing our fundraising efforts on science.

We do hope you have seen our latest Aspirations for Science brochure. If you would like a copy in the post, please do let us know or click below to read it now.

Science

Excitement is mounting as the build nears completion. It is a huge investment for the College, but one that is crucial to ensure we can prepare pupils for the world that lies ahead – one where curiosity, creativity and technical expertise will be a prerequisite of employment.

Whilst the construction phase is fully funded, we still need the support of the LWC community to bring the building to life with vital equipment to ignite the pupils’ passion for the sciences.

There are plenty of donor opportunities, for you to help support current and future LWC pupils develop their love for science.

If you would like to know more or discuss making a gift then please contact development@lordwandsworth.org

Click here to read our latest brochure

Performing Ar ts

Donor Club News 1912 Society – Annual Event It was wonderful to see some of our wonderful 1912 Society members in October. We toured the beautiful gardens at RHS Gardens Wisley, followed by a delicious lunch. It was lovely to catch up and we would highly recommend a visit!

If you would like to find out more about the 1912 Society and leaving a legacy in your will, or any of our donor clubs please contact development@lordwandsworth.org

The Headmaster, Governors and Development Office Team would like to thank all of our donors for the support you give LWC, particularly with the prolonged situation we are all facing.

Whether your gift is large or small, regular or one-off, it is an accumulation of everyone’s donations that enables LWC to fund the Foundation and other projects across the College.

We are truly grateful for each and every gift we receive, and hope to receive in the future…

Thank you.

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Sam Corfield, Development Director

T: 01256 860243

Kate Boyd, Development Manager

T: 01256 860297

E: development@lordwandsworth.org Lord Wandsworth College, Long Sutton, Hampshire RG29 1TB Registered Charity No. 1143359

www.lordwandsworth.org/support-us