An update on our fundraising efforts
Donald Hughes
We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the work of our important and highly respected Donald Hughes Trust, which was founded in 1970.
The fund was set up to honour its namesake, former Headmaster Donald Hughes, who worked tirelessly to ensure that disadvantaged children and young people would not miss out on the opportunity to have an outstanding education. Through the Donald Hughes Trust, his benevolent project continues to this day.
The Donald Hughes Trust is now an important source of funding for our Fully Funded Places scheme at Rydal Penrhos, which each year allows disadvantaged local children and young people to join our school. As a charity, this is something we feel passionate about and we know that our alumni, parents and staff are similarly supportive and engaged.
We have lots of ideas on how we might revitalise donations to this fund and wish to make it an everyday part of what we do as a school. We have already made an incredible start thanks to the generosity of the Rydal Penrhos family and we are deeply grateful to all the wonderful givers who have contributed thus far.
These contributions have included both large individual gifts and smaller donations or legacies, however the single most popular way to contribute is through a small monthly donation with Gift Aid. We would ask anyone who feels they could help us in this way to get in touch so that we can assist them in setting up their donation or you could download the form here and return it to us.
If you set up a regular donation to the Donald Hughes Trust, you will become a member of our 1946 Club, named after the year that Hughes joined the school. You will also receive a complimentary pin badge featuring our beautiful school crest, as seen below.
We would like to say thank you to all our alumni who have already supported this project or others. Philanthropy is a huge factor behind the success of Rydal Penrhos over the years and we are beyond grateful to our benefactors.
We recently held a collection for both the Donald Hughes Trust and St David’s Hospice before the Prep Spring Concert, which saw over 200 people descend on the Memorial Hall to mark the occasion. The money raised will be split between the two causes and we would like to thank everyone who contributed. Even a little goes a long way!
Supporting the Donald Hughes Trust is not only a way of honouring a strong connection with the school, it is also a way of joining together with other alumni to support the next generation following in their footsteps.
We hope you will consider becoming part of our school’s incredible tradition of philanthropy. Every gift – whatever the scale, and whatever the reason – makes a huge difference to the work of the Donald Hughes Trust. It helps provide life-changing opportunities to children who are awarded a Fully Funded Place, each of whom adds to the vibrant internal diversity of the pupil body, in turn enriching the school community as a whole.
“I can’t express in words or actions how much this means to me, and how much it has helped me and will continue to help me and my future, but all I can say is how thankful and appreciative I am of this chance to prove myself" - a Rydal Penrhos pupil, who joined thanks to a Fully Funded Place supported by the Donald Hughes Trust.
Values such as compassion, tolerance, good humour and courage are instilled in our pupils from a very early age and are core components of the ethos that guides the Rydal Penrhos community on a daily basis. Help us continue our work in improving the prospects of our children and young people, and in turn our local communities, by donating to the Donald Hughes Trust.
Anyone wishing to donate can do so easily on our website (https://rydalpenrhos.com/society/donald-hughes-trust/donate/). For those wanting further information or an alternative way of giving, please contact 01492 530155 or email alumni@rydalpenrhos.com.
