EDUCATION New SCHOOLS BURSARY


SCHEME for all Ranks by Anthony Robinson, Director of The Radley Foundation


R


adley has a long tradition of supporting Service families and now the Radley Foundation, in partnership


with Downe House and St. Mary’s Calne, has created a new bursary scheme called ‘The Radley Armed Forces Fund’.


Its purpose is to help


finance the education of sons and daughters of Service men and women killed or wounded while serving.


This has been inspired by the loss in Afghanistan of two Old Radleians, Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe MBE and Lieutenant Dougie Dalzell MC, and by the injuries to others. The tragic loss of two such fine men was keenly felt throughout the Radley community and many former pupils contacted the school to encourage us to create a lasting tribute in their honour. Fifty- eight Old Radleians are currently serving in the Armed Forces.


As a direct result, The Radley Armed Forces Fund was launched shortly before Remembrance Sunday in Nov 10. Its initial aim was to raise £1m during 2011 and then £5m by 2015 so bursaries could be made available to the children of all ranks in all parts of the Armed Forces, whether they have connections with the three schools or not.


The Bursary Awards, which will be named after Colonel Thorneloe and Lieutenant Dalzell, will be based on sensitive means- testing up to 100% of school fees; the boys will go to Radley College and the girls to either Downe House or St Mary’s Calne, and funds will also be available for some years at Prep School.


The response from the three school communities and beyond has been immediate and powerful and the Fund has got off to a flying start with over £1.2m donated during the first year. More than 1,100 gifts and pledges have been received and many hundreds of people have been involved in a raft of fundraising events.


One of the most notable has been the awe- www.raf-ff.org.uk Envoy Summer 2012 23


inspiring feat of twenty Old Radleians and friends who raised £100,000 by competing in the Kindrochit Quadrathlon in Scotland last July: a mile swim across Loch Tay, then the scaling at speed of the imposing Seven Munros before 10 miles of kayaking and, finally, a 35 mile circumnavigation of the Loch on road bikes. All of the team completed the course in times between ten and seventeen hours – a real achievement for such a punishing test of stamina and resolve.


One hopes that our valiant Armed Forces, who put their lives on the line for us every day, will feel the full weight of this extraordinary support and the deep gratitude that lies behind it.


Our focus has now moved to the families of the killed and wounded and the task of briefing them carefully about the opportunities and benefits of the Radley Armed Forces Fund. The MoD has been helping us over the last three years, and we estimate there are at least 2,500 families we need to reach. Bursary Awards have already been made and we are keen to make further Awards during 2012.


When the Fund reaches £5m, we will be able to educate between six and fifteen children at any one time, depending on the size of their means-tested awards, for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, while the capital fund is building up, trusts, organisations and individuals have most generously given us lump sums that will enable us to fund immediately ‘whole educations’ for a number of Armed Forces children.


If you have lost a loved one or been wounded in any campaign while serving your country and have a child who qualifies for a Radley Armed Forces Fund Bursary Award, do please get in touch to find out more about the Fund and the three schools involved.


Equally importantly, if you know of a family who would benefit from our Fund, please spread the word and encourage them to contact us. We are particularly keen to hear from families who may never before have considered independent education for their children.


For more details, please email me at anthony. robinson@radley.org.uk or give me a call me on 01235 543151.


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