Development Office Impact Report Summer 2023

It is so good to know the traditions still continue. I wish you continued success in all that you do to keep the School so vibrant and of the times. Plus the information on the website keeps us so in touch; It is so much fun to try to put names to the faces on some of the OH lunch gatherings, and out-of-town events... and even better that you now ensure, with the captions, we know exactly who is who, so no arguments!

Old Hymerian, Class of

1961

The Development Office is here to enrich our student body. In the last school year, our Hymers community has supported us in so many ways and has had a huge positive impact on over 1000 students’ lives at our school. It is thanks to many of you that we can add value to our students each day. Members of the Board of Governors, the Head, and the Development Office would like to thank all those who have contributed to the school. We appreciate each and every gift no matter what the proportion of your time and your money.

I’m forever grateful to have attended a school with a community that has so much social diversity. When I was at Hymers as a student, many of my friends came from all over Hull and East Riding. It’s not until many years later that you realise one of the most positive influences from my school days was that of our school friends, represented with a cross-section of economic backgrounds and differing world views. My passion is opening access to high-quality education for every student, regardless of the family’s financial means.

I am excited about what The John Hymers Bursary Fund means for any young person; the possibilities that are created, and the difference it makes for them and their family more broadly. I donate to The John Hymers Bursary Fund as I know what a young person could become by being given this opportunity. We are extremely grateful for your continued and generous support. Our bursary programme helps break down the

enormous gap in educational inequality that has grown between those who have and those who have not. Social mobility remains one of the greatest challenges of our nation. Thanks to donations from our Hymers community we are continuing to make a life-changing impact on young people’s lives locally.

Our recent leavers who attended Hymers on a bursary place have gone on to study at Cambridge, they are completing internships at leading investment banks, they are in their final year at medical school, or are in leading parts in West End shows. A bursary changes a life and opens up a world that may not have been possible without the tremendous support of our donors. We hope that in future years many more will make The Reverend John Hymers Bursary Fund their charity of choice.

Emily Pennack, Development Manager OH 1989-95

The Old Hymerians Impact

You may leave Hymers… but it never leaves you

610 … attended an OH event

43

Alumni

… returned to talk to students about their career journey since leaving Hymers

60

Alumni

… gave a mock university interview to our Sixth Form students

35

Alumni

… exhibited at our annual Careers Fair

110

Alumni

… have written to a Junior School student sharing experiences about moving into Hymers Senior School

40

Alumni Alumni

… offered a work experience placement for a senior school student

Our

annual

events programme

Lasting relationships are built at school. Whether you are a parent, pupil, OH or a member of staff, we aim to provide ways for you to maintain these connections as well as make new ones, for life.

We are committed to providing an inspiring and meaningful programme of activity through events, networks, and volunteering opportunities, to ensure that our community thrives.

Our termly events programme provides access to incredible venues and an immense network.

We aim to provide a range of cultural, educational, sporting, social, and business events, last year we held over 15 events so there really is something to appeal to everyone. This could be back singing in the choir at school, playing in a sports match or attending a drinks event in one of our UK cities.

Emily Pennack, Development Manager

Where have we been and what have we done...?

City drinks in London … Golf tournament at Ganton Golf Club, Scarborough … Rugby tournament versus Pocklington … City drinks in Newcastle … Bi-monthly lunches at Hymers … Golf tournament at Hull Golf Club, Kirk Ella … City drinks in Cambridge … Hockey tournament versus students … Annual black-tie dinner in London … City drinks in Manchester … Founder’s Day celebrations … Annual black-tie dinner in Hull … City drinks in Leeds … Remembrance Day Service and Lunch … Annual Garden Party … Opened The Eric Gordon Mallalieu Library … Digitalised Hymers archives

Old Hymerians offer careers advice

The Careers Fair held annually in the Hall sees OHs, parents, and friends of the school come together to give career guidance to over 200 students from Hymers. From medics to lawyers, IT professionals to airline pilots, musicians, and entrepreneurs; it is wonderful to have such a wide range of fields represented. The pupils gain a great deal

from this opportunity, allowing them to hone their networking skills, ask searching questions and broaden their horizons in a friendly, informal atmosphere.

In any given year, we welcome back OHs who kindly offer to present at various school societies on a range of subjects including Law, Languages, Classics, and Medicine to name but a few.

Our evening Drinks events held across popular cities (Leeds, Manchester, Cambridge, Newcastle) attract a strong following across all age groups, with OHs attending each event. They take place after work and provide a relaxed and sociable environment for OHs to network and catch up with one another over refreshments and light nibbles.

grateful

Mock interviews are held annually for our current Sixth Form students. Members of the OH community volunteer as guest interviewers to put the students through their paces. The students always find the interviews helpful and enjoy meeting mentors who are experts in their chosen fields.

Thank you to those Old Hymerians and families that spoke to our students and families at our series of HymersCAN! (Careers and Networking Events) and supported our nextgeneration workforce about their careers after Hymers.

We hold many networking events throughout the year travelling across the country...

Preserving our school heritage

At Hymers we have a rich heritage that we are proud of, dating back to 1893. During the last few years, with the help of a legacy given to the Old Hymerians Association, we digitalised our back catalogue of school publications, photographs, and old memorabilia.

Through the diligent efforts of the Development Office team and volunteers we have undertaken a full audit of our artefacts, archives, and paintings; enabling us to make the best use of the collection to engage all members of the school community with our unique history and heritage. As we know, yesterday is our history.

The team and a group of younger students have been working tirelessly to archive the effects of lockdown on the school within the wider context of the global pandemic; a piece of our history that will interest future generations. We are always grateful to receive memorabilia of any type from members of the Hymers community. Unlimited access to the digital archives is available to all members who register on our OH website.

Old Hymerians website

This is our online social and business networking hub. Designed to bring the Hymers community closer together, it enables willing OHs, past Hymers parents, grandparents and staff to stay connected and support each other in all aspects of their life.

The OH network website is different to other networks like LinkedIn because everyone

who joins has a shared affection for Hymers and its community.

This means we can create a highly engaged and supportive online community of those who are willing to help each other, both socially and professionally. From finding accommodation on a gap year trip to giving advice to someone who wants to

change their career, there is a forum for people to support each other. The hub allows members to connect with each other, mentor recent leavers, find jobs and expand professional networks.

Over 450 Old Hymerians have offered some form of support, whether that is mentoring, reviewing CVs or simply giving advice on business sectors.

Hymers network in numbers… former pupils are in touch

5,250 Alumni 160 … are able to offer career guidance

Members

214 … willing to answer industry-specific questions

An early success story

I have found the Old Hymerian network to be immensely valuable, and I believe it’s something that other schools struggle to rival. The OH network can be a great source for work experience placements which are so helpful in getting insight into a particular industry or business, but also they are so important to help boost your personal statement for university applications. In an increasingly competitive environment, it really does set you apart from other candidates, which is crucial when trying to secure university offers.

Personally, I have been able to leverage my experience gained during a work experience placement at an investment firm, that was set up through the OH network to help me pass interviews and to gain university offers. In addition to this, I was able to set up Zoom and telephone calls with OHs who currently work in banking for interview advice and prep.

The OH network is extremely eager to help and give back, and because of this help, I was able to land a Financial Markets Apprenticeship at Standard Chartered Bank, which meant I decided to turn down my offer from the University of Edinburgh to study finance. Even after I have left Hymers and started working the OH network is still so helpful as it gives me internal contacts in the firm with which I now work, as well as contacts in a new city who are always keen to support other Old Hymerians, even after they have left school.

OH Finn Starky, Class of 2023

Members 21

… have offered advice in setting up a business

Members 86

… offering to review CVs

Members 450

… willing to mentor

Members 48 … within 9 country groups

Looking ahead

Hymers has always produced leaders (without ever forgetting the benefits of being a thoughtful and influential follower too), and it will be important that we continue to do so; we must produce leaders who are driven by life-affirming values and care for our world. This puts enormous responsibility upon all of us in schools to bring up the next generation with a love of life and a generosity of spirit; what we do here now will impact the world of the future.

Your support of the school will help us to stay ahead of the times, to widen access to Hymers so that individual circumstances don’t prevent students from benefiting from our education, and to provide facilities that give a love of learning to all who live here; your support will make a material difference to the world in which our children and grandchildren live.

2022-23 in numbers...

2

of our students were fully funded by trusts and foundations

62% was received in legacy donations

£1,500 of our donors were new donors

was raised by our students hosting a colour run for the Reverend John Hymers Bursary Fund

£125,000

I always look back at my time at Hymers very fondly and am very grateful for the opportunity to have studied there between the ages of 12 and 18. My parents are both university-educated but I grew up on a council estate in Hull owing to my father’s profession. In addition to the natural sense of “not fitting in” that is customary in adolescence, my upbringing created an additional feeling of being out of place and I had difficulty making friends during primary school.

Hymers was an excellent school that enabled me to challenge my weaknesses, find friends and expand my horizons.

When I was transitioning to secondary school my catchment school was one of the worst in the country and so I was quite excited at the prospect of an opportunity to get a bursary to attend Hymers. With that in mind, I worked hard, sat the exam, and was accepted. I was a little nervous that I might be seen as ‘the bursary kid’ but I quickly found my feet and in fact having a bursary was never really mentioned. My secondary education really spring-boarded my future and I went on to study Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

Since then, education and social mobility have remained an important part of my working life.

I am delighted that Hymers continues to offer a bursary scheme and I would really encourage others to make the most of the opportunities that Hymers affords them.

On 20 July 2023, I was admitted to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons after graduating with a Bachelor’s in Veterinary Medicine and Science (BVMSci) from the University of Surrey. This achievement is shared with numerous people who have helped me during my academic progression, but none more so than the staff at Hymers and the alumni network of Old Hymerians.

I am certain that the academic environment and support network at Hymers was the sole reason I gained a place at vet school. But looking back on my fond school day memories, I have come to realise that Hymers is also the reason I have been able to succeed over the past 5 years. The school instils an unwavering work ethic in the students that study there. Hymers makes you realise, aim for, and achieve your full potential. I firmly believe this is the single greatest asset anyone, student or otherwise, can posses, as hard work conquers all!

OH George Burns, Class of 2017

Old Hymerian Bursary award recipient.

Thank you for your ongoing continued support. If you are at a time in life where you can make Hymers your charity of choice we would be delighted to use your donations to increase our bursary provision. Currently we have 12% of children on a bursary place and each year we have to say ‘no’ to 35 talented children in the area who we know would have thrived at Hymers College.

would love to hear from you…