Supporter Update - June 2023

LWC Giving Day raises

£93,436!

Supporter Update

RECORD NO. OF DONATIONS

The final week of the Spring Term 2023 ended on a high as we hosted our first ever LWC Giving Day on Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th March in aid of our Centenary Appeal.

We were humbled and deeply moved by the generosity of our global community as we welcomed a record number of new donors. We received a total of 631 donations which is an incredible figure. 60% of the donations were first-time donors to LWC with donations ranging from £1-£5,000 and the average gift being £143.

The Giving Day was not just about donations, it was about a global community coming together and celebrating our first 100 years of philanthropy here at LWC.

Sam Corfield, Development Director

Donors were asked to choose from one of three Appeals: The Foundation, The Foundationer Extras Campaign or the Centenary Sculpture Appeal.

Thank you to each and every one of you for the donation that you made.

We were so grateful to have your support and could not have achieved these wonderful figures without you. Sternians, current and former LWC parents, governors, staff and friends of the College all dug deep and made either postal or online donations through our bespoke Giving Day website.

The Development Team had organised fun activities across the campus that encouraged staff and pupils to celebrate the two-day event. This included sporting challenges like putting, cycling and rowing. The Medical Centre trained 100 pupils with essential first aid skills. Each House took part in a Bake-Off as well as other fun activities such as discos, quiz nights and stair climbing challenges! The Music Department ran a 100 Songs from 100 Musicals sing-a-thon and the Catering Team stepped up with a multitude of initiatives that further highlighted the unique community spirit here at Long Sutton.

7: June 2023

Issue

Centenary Challenges

Return from the Sahara

On Thursday 23rd February 25 Sternians, parents, staff and governors embarked on their journey to the Sahara Desert in Morocco to raise awareness and much needed funds for the Lord Wandsworth Foundation.

The trekkers had been training for months ready for the heat and challenging terrain as well as packing a unique list of kit that included ‘sandgaitors’ to keep the fine, powder like sand out of their hiking boots.

It took a day and a half to reach the edge of this vast desert to start their adventure. A journey that began in the bustling city of Marrakech, over the snow-covered Atlas Mountains and then down into the Draa Valley oasis.

The group spent 3 nights sleeping under the stars (quite literally for some!) in the desert, after long, hot days navigating their way through the shifting sands alongside wild roaming camels. They covered over 50km, resting only to retreat from the midday sun and re-charge their batteries.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the trekkers, our friends, for the support they have given The Foundation and to all those who made generous donations.

Fundraising is a challenge, but they raised the roof on the initial goal of £30k. A tremendous achievement. Roll on the next adventure!

Chaplain’s Centenary Challenge

On Sunday 30th April, our Chaplain, Mr Pete Maidment, and a team of dedicated staff, pupils and parents, took part in the 100km Three Castles Challenge in aid of the Lord Wandsworth Foundation.

£51,000 RAISED £3,415 RAISED

36 pupils, 10 staff and 4 parents all made a commitment to run a section from Winchester to Windsor. This historic route (inspired by the journeys of King John) winds its way through the countryside, enjoying views of the Great Hall at The Castle, Winchester, Odiham Castle along the Basingstoke Canal and finally Windsor Castle.

Many congratulations to the team for this incredible achievement!

All proceeds went towards the education of Foundation pupils and securing the prosperity of the Foundation for the next 100 years.

We are so grateful for all the support you gave Mr Maidment and his team. Thank You for all your donations!

Philanthropic Support

It appears that our Centenary year has certainly helped to boost philanthropic support, compared with last year, from the whole LWC Community - Sternians, current and former LWC parents, staff, governors and pupils!

Thank you to everyone who has helped whether your donation was large or small, regular or one-off, every gift matters and the accumulation helps to ensure we can continue to support LWC pupils in numerous ways. We aren’t quite up to previous income levels, but the picture is a little rosier than last time we wrote to you and we do still have a few more months till the end of August!

Fundraising Income 2022/23

2022/23 total to date £570,664 (Incl. gift aid estimate)

LWC Foundation £524,030

LWC Capital Appeals £26,009 Foundationer Extras £20,625

Giving Day Income

Volunteering

This year has also seen overwhelming support from parents and Sternians for all our Futures events, generously sharing their career insights and advice at Roundtables, virtual talks and our larger Futures Days.

Thank you for supporting LWC in this way, it is invaluable for our pupils as they consider their future paths.

Our most recent event was the whole school Futures Fair on Friday 24th March, all pupils at LWC took part and it gives pupils the opportunity to explore a range of careers, university courses and degree apprenticeships.

Thank you to everyone who came along and took time from work to talk to the pupils. It is greatly appreciated.

To find out more about lending your support with our careers talks and fairs please contact futures@lordwandsworth.org.

Raised to Date £570,664

Income Breakdown Income Breakdown £570,664 Individuals

Trusts & Foundations

Amount Raised Current Parent 42% Former Parent 3% Sternian 46% Current Student 3% Current Staff 3% Former Staff 1% Governor 1% Friend/Other 1% Number of Donors Breakdown Current Parent 53% Former Parent 4% Sternian 27% Current Student 4% Current Staff 3% Former Staff 1% Governor 1% Friend/Other 7%

£340,416

£230,248

A letter from Foundationer Parent, Joanna Playford, who openly shares the challenges she faced when her children were so young. As Millie’s time at LWC draws to a close, Joanna reflects on the impact LWC has had on the entire family and her hopes for the future.

Having been a Foundation parent here for what is coming up to seven years, it is about time that I expressed my gratitude to The Foundation, but also talk about why The Foundation is so important to not only the children it supports, but their families too.

Our journey to Lord Wandsworth College began in September 2016 when we loaded up the car with bed sheets, suitcases, and trinkets from home, along with smiles of both excitement and fear.

The years leading up to this day had been hard. Millie’s father had been killed in a road traffic collision a month after her first birthday, I was 25 and in my final year at university. A couple of years later my mother was diagnosed with Cancer, she died 18 months later, along with her brother and sisters all in the same year. Millie was 5. I had no maternal, paternal or familial support other than a cousin living in Scotland. A couple of years roll by and I begin a new relationship. With hindsight, I can see I was unconsciously desperate to have a ‘normal’ family. Millie almost 8, when her brother Thomas was born. From around mid-pregnancy onwards, I was emotionally, financially and physically abused.

Thomas’s father has addiction illness. Not something I had any idea of when we met, and I am not sure he did either. Between the birth of Thomas and the first time we heard the name Lord Wandsworth College we were living with the abuse, police having to be called to our home, court hearings, non - molestation orders, people we did not know knocking on my door threatening me because he owed them money. I had crippling anxiety. Finally, I managed to remove him from our home and set up a business.

Millie’s early childhood had been full of trauma, whether she realised it or not at the time. When it came to thinking about secondary schools for her, I was overwhelmed. Her headteacher suggested I look at LWC. Millie and I eagerly went online to search. She saw the picture on the home page and fell in love in an instant. We only had a week or so to meet the application deadline and thank our lucky stars we did.

In September 2016, once Millie had settled into her dorm at Junior House, I walked to my car, started up the engine and sobbed. I felt like I was grieving for her father all over again, I was not sure if I had made the right decision. I was worried Millie wouldn’t fit in. I was scared that my heart just wouldn’t allow her to be free.

After seven years of being a part of this school, and beneficiaries of The Foundations support Millie, Thomas, and I are in a much happier place. Millie passed all her GCSEs with a couple of 9’s to boot. Her talent for Art was recognised in her first year here and has been nurtured and encouraged so enthusiastically that she now has offers to study Fine Art at university. She has also become a balanced, caring, self-motivated woman who has the tools to achieve anything she chooses to set her mind to.

I feared in the beginning that deciding to accept a place for Millie showed a weakness in my parenting and that it would damage our relationship. But I had nothing to fear. The support The Foundation offers is larger than that of covering the cost of a child’s school fees. It supports families to grow stronger. I have continued running my business and I have had more time for Thomas.

I will be forever grateful to The Foundation, and all the experiences Millie has had here; sport, travel, education, lifelong friendships, and the opportunities she now has as a result of her time here. Thank you.

Foundation Day 2023

A celebration of 100 years of Foundationers here in Long Sutton.

On Monday 27th March, we hosted our annual Foundation Day celebration in the Gavin Hall. Guests included Trusts and Charities who support The Foundation, donors, Foundation parents, and other loyal supporters of the College.

This year there was an even greater emphasis on celebration as it is our Centenary year. The Foundation has been supporting children who have suffered the loss of a parent for over 100 years. Before the College opened its doors in 1922, Foundation pupils were educated and cared for at Gosden House in Bramley, Surrey. Just over 2,500 pupils have passed through the College since that time.

Foundation Prefects, Ellie Smith (U6) and Millie Playford (U6) hosted proceedings and Millie and her mother, Mrs Joanna Playford told their story of how they came to LWC and the impact it has had on their lives. We were also delighted to hear from Sternian Foundationer Chris Bray (A573, School, 1962-69) who returned to LWC to express his gratitude for a wonderful upbringing at LWC.

We were most proud to reveal our new Foundation film, commissioned for our Centenary year, which cleverly recounts the story of how Lord Wandsworth’s bequest ignited the spirit of philanthropy here in Long Sutton. To watch the film please scan the QR code below.

Thank you to all those who attended, performed or spoke. It is always a lovely, and extremely moving, afternoon. Our thanks also to the Catering Team who provided us with the most delicious afternoon tea!

SCAN HERE TO WATCH THE FOUNDATION FILM

Focus - Regular Giving

What is Regular Giving?

Regular Giving is a quite simply a recurring gift/ donation that you give to a charity.

Donors choose how much and how frequently they would like to give (monthly, quarterly, or annually) and then set up a standing order with their bank. It is easy to set up and helps donors manage their charitable contributions. For the charity, regular giving is one of the best ways to show your support as it supplies them with a steady, reliable income stream that they depend on. Our regular donors are automatically members of our Quercus Club.

What is the Quercus Club?

Quercus – the grand, old, oak tree that stands within the grounds of LWC in Sheephouse Copse, is the subject of many a Sternian story, and the inspiration for the name of our regular giving club here at LWC.

The Quercus Club was created to formally recognise generous individuals who donate to The Lord Wandsworth Foundation on a regular basis. Whether that is through monthly, quarterly or annual donations, this loyal group of donors, ensures that The Foundation has a steady, reliable stream of income that is the bedrock of the charity.

Club members are invited to College events throughout the year as well as an annual Donor Reception. This is an opportunity for us to thank donors and update them on Foundation and College news.

Imran Sroya, Foundationer (Sutton 1985-1992)

FIND OUT MORE

To find out more about the Quercus Club or to become a member please do contact Kate in the Development Office or visit lordwandsworth.org/support-us/donor-clubs

TO PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FOUNDATION

the QR code to become a regular donor.

Scan

The Quercus Tree can be found along the 5km Beckwith route which winds its way through Sheephouse Copse.

The Foundation gave me the education, opportunities and a start in life I could never have hoped for. I feel truly fortunate. Thank You.

Centenary Appeal

It has been an action-packed Centenary Year with so many activities and celebrations.

It has been wonderful to see how the whole LWC Community have really stepped up this year to support the College. In particular, The Beckwith, Sahara Trek, Chaplain’s Challenge and the Giving Day have all helped secure hundreds of new donors, all supporting LWC. Thank you. We still have a few more months of the year to continue to raise funds for our Centenary Appeal. This appeal, unsurprisingly, focused on The Foundation, but also included our new Foundationer Extras and Centenary Sculpture campaigns.

The Foundation

It comes as no surprise that The Foundation has remained the focus of our attention throughout our Centenary year. We have had so much to celebrate with over 2,500 Foundation pupils passing through the Acorn Gates since the College opened its doors in 1922. Finding new and innovative ways to fundraise can be a challenge but it has been great fun exploring different fundraising avenues to support our charity this year. We have been humbled by your generosity as numbers of donations to The Foundation have increased. Your support is invaluable and we thank you.

Foundationer Extras

This year we launched our Foundationer Extras Appeal. An opportunity for us to ensure we widen access to the wonderful array of extra curricular activities, experiences and equipment at LWC. The appeal has struck a chord with so many of you and we thank you for your on-going generosity. An education at LWC should be a rich and rewarding experience, with the opportunity for all to explore their talents. It has been wonderful to see Foundation pupils access musical instruments, travel abroad and begin drama/music lessons this year. Please continue to support the appeal if you can.

Centenary Sculpture

Fundraising for the Centenary Sculpture of Baron Sydney James Stern began approximately 18 months ago. We have seen a steady stream of support, most notably from our Sternian community who have for many years requested a lasting tribute to our philanthropic founder, Lord Wandsworth. How wonderful it was to see the miniature draft (maquette) early this year. The sculpture is going to look wonderful when it is erected in Stern Court, outside our new Flowers Science Centre. Thank you so much for your most generous donations. There is still time to support this appeal if you are able to. We will of course report back when the bronze bust is finished and in situ!

DONATE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE CENTENARY APPEAL

Please scan the QR code to make a donation to one of these three campaigns. Thank you! If you would like to discuss your gift, please get in touch with Sam in the Development Office.

Members of the 1912 Society, Cedrus and Quercus Clubs, are being invited to a Donor Reception at the Centenary Festival. With so many of our Donor Club members already on site for the Centenary festivities it is a perfect opportunity for us to thank you for your continued generosity. Invitations went out in the post, but if for some reason yours didn’t reach you and you are a Donor Club member, please do get in touch with the Development Team.

The Headmaster, Governors and Development Office would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to both our donors and to all of you who give up so much of your time to support the College in a variety of other ways that means so much to us. Many of you are new to the LWC community and we welcome and thank you for your time and generosity.