Events in Ukraine continue to be concerning. While it is easy to be downcast at the quantity of bad news, I was enormously encouraged to hear from Farida Korallus, the Chair of the Friends (our parents’ association), that over the Easter holiday £34,000 was raised in only two weeks for emergency supplies and a convoy of five vans driven 2200 km across Europe to deliver more than five tonnes of supplies to those who need them most. Further details may be found here. Many of our schools’ families were involved in this: many congratulations to them on the value of their work and the example of community action and philanthropy which it represents!

I know other families have volunteered to accommodate Ukrainian families in their homes: I have been heartened by all such stories. It’s so good to be able to talk about such public spirited generosity to pupils, so do please tell us!

We have been giving a great deal of thought to the contribution we can make as a school. We had offered a small number of places this term to families of existing students, not all of which have been able to be taken up. Next term, two additional pupils from Ukraine will join us as boarders in Year 12, I hope, adding to the significant number of life-changing bursary pupils whom we already accommodate.

Only last August, I wrote to parents and alumni to ask for help in managing two Afghan evacuees who joined the School in September. Through the generosity of parents, we have been able to fund their education at last until the middle of next year. Indeed, over the last four years,  we have been able to take more than 40 students into the School on such bursaries, both through the generosity of parents and former pupils and through enlarged funding the School has set aside for this purpose. Around a quarter of senior school families make an additional termly contribution (on which we can claim Gift Aid) towards funding such places. These pupils add enormously to our community: they provide a breadth of pupil population, social background and attitudes which enriches all our pupils’ experience.

I know that many families are seeing their finances stretched already, thanks to the changes in taxation, and in the economy – directly or indirectly as a consequence of COVID-19. With our current resources, we are unable to offer more places than we currently do. I am writing therefore to ask any OBs who might be able to make further contribution, either on a termly basis, or as a one off, to click HERE, or contact me on anniversaryfund@berkhamsted.com. I know that every place we are able to offer makes a significant difference: and we know from experience that donors who come to meet our bursary pupils are enormously encouraged by the conversations they have – something we have tried to capture in this SHORT FILM, which features Berkhamsted pupils and staff, and a location kindly donated for the purpose. Please support us if you can.