Legacies and Giving

Legacies and regular gifts make a substantial difference to current and future generations of BGS students. Recent legacy bequests have funded life changing bursaries for students, supported for post-school education, enabled the purchase of educational school equipment and provided donations towards the refurbishment of areas of the School. It is a wonderful way to ensure the memories of our alumnae are woven into the heart and fabric of the School.

Under our strategic aims we are committed to widening access to education and keen to support students with financial assistance, who may not otherwise be able to benefit from a life changing education. Building our bursary funds is a key objective and every donation towards this aim is hugely appreciated.

For more information please contact:

Emma MacKenzie

Alumnae@Bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

How to Give

There are a number of routes to giving at BGS.

Leaving a gift in your Will

As neither of the heritage schools are registered as schools is it no longer possible to leave funds to these organisations. Please be advised that if it was your intention to leave any bequests to either Dame Alice Harpur School or Bedford High School they will not automatically be transferred to Bedford Girls’ School. If you do wish for your bequest to be transferred to BGS please note that you will need to specially amend your Will to stipulate that change of beneficiary.

Regular or one-off Gifts

If you wish to leave a regular, or oneoff gift, please do so by either making a donation straight to the School or through our charitable organisation, The Foundation. Please contact Emma MacKenzie for further information: alumnae@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk.

Recent Legacy Donations

We would like to give heartfelt thanks to the following alumnae who have kindly given to Bedford Girls’ School in their Wills, enabling current and future students to benefit from their generosity.

Moira Margaret Bates (previously Albone, née Richardson, DAHS 1954): left £120,000 to the school to support a future bursary student.

Sheila Cubitt (former member of staff BHS 1955 – 1976): left £1000 to school for charitable purposes.

Nesta Kathleen Jones (former member of staff BHS 1943-1961): £1000 left to The Foundation.

Recent Legacy Benefactors

Marion Waller Lifesaving Award

Two Sixth Formers embarked on their Lifeguard training during February halfterm, under the expert guidance of Head of Swimming, Mr Ed Castro. Marion’s kind legacy will enable the School to fund two lifeguard training places, each year over five years.

During the application period for this Award we received many strong applications from students looking to benefit, and kindly The Fellowship Fund agreed to fund an additional three Sixth Form students to benefit from the weeklong training course. The Fellowship Fund have since kindly agreed to compliment Marion Waller’s Lifesaving Award and will fund two places for the next four years.

Lower Sixth student, Ella Ponter reflected on her experience: “Doing the Marion Waller Lifeguarding Award was a wonderful and very beneficial experience. Being able to have such an opportunity has taught me many important skills, as I now have a wider knowledge of first aid and more capabilities to be able to help others.”

Lower Sixth student Clea Grimshaw said of her experience: “I loved taking part in the NPLQ course at school, as I felt it was a great way to gain another qualification, learn first aid and work towards a part-time job. I am grateful for the Fellowship Fund that covered the course cost for me as I don’t think I would been able to have this opportunity otherwise.”

Oxbridge Legacy

We currently have six BGS alumnae benefiting from the (Elizabeth) Shortland-Jones Award legacy, providing an annual bursary support towards their costs of studying their first undergraduate degree at Oxbridge.