MILTON ABBEY ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2017
MILTON ABBEY SCHOOL Milton Abbey is a small, pioneering co-educational boarding and day school set in a stunning rural location in mid Dorset. We provide a traditional alternative, promoting difference and the pursuit of personal strengths and preferences, and our all-encompassing bespoke education challenges and stretches each pupil within a caring and supportive environment. Pupils leave Milton Abbey as confident and resilient young adults, who are well prepared for life and armed with the skills to enable them to succeed in the global workplace.
CONTENTS Welcome from the Chairman of Governors
1
A message from the Headmaster
2
Supporting Philanthropy for the Future
4
Development Update
6
Part of the Local Community
10
Getting Involved
11
Our Supporters
12
Development Board
back cover
WELCOME It was with great pleasure that I became Chairman of Governors back in June. Having lived in a nearby village for around eight years, I have observed Milton Abbey grow and develop but being now on the ‘inside’, it is very exciting to experience what is on offer and available in this very special school. Recently, Milton Abbey has received some excellent reviews which have highlighted: ‘the inclusive and caring atmosphere, the wide selection of courses, cutting edge, entrepreneurship, bespoke education…’ These are characteristics ‘we’ would all associate with the School but are now becoming more widely recognised. Indeed, it is an exciting stage in the development of Milton Abbey and the increasing pupil numbers, including male/female mix, are strong indicators of real progress. This academic year will be a time of change as the current headmaster moves to a new appointment. However, we are delighted with the recent appointment of Judith Fremont-Barnes as his successor and are confident that she, together with the senior leadership team, staff and Governors, will embed and build on what has been achieved in recent years. Notwithstanding the above, the independent school sector will continue to face potential challenges and the Board will work to ensure that the School is in the best possible position to meet these challenges while ensuring that the facilities fully meet the needs of our developing school community. In this respect, I commend this Annual Giving Report which highlights areas for development and specific projects, which will help to position Milton Abbey at the forefront of a bespoke education, as well as detailing what has been achieved during the past year. On behalf of the Governors, I want to express our sincere appreciation to all those who have so generously supported these development projects and have therefore invested in the future of this unique school.
Ian Bromilow Chairman of Governors
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A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER It is with a mixture of pleasure and sadness that I write this, my final message for our Annual Giving Report. I have greatly enjoyed meeting many of you who have generously supported the School over the past few years – parents, alumni and friends of Milton Abbey – and I am personally most grateful for the trust and commitment you have shown by choosing to invest in the School during my tenure as Headmaster. It is also with some sadness that I will be leaving at such an exciting time, with pupil numbers increasing, a strong Governing body in place, a committed staff room, a flourishing alumni association and the continuing growth and development of our facilities, allowing us to deliver a top quality experience for all our pupils. We are now delivering nine BTEC courses alongside traditional A levels and the attraction of our Sixth Form offer has seen the largest ever intake this year, with over 120 pupils now studying at this level. Our new MA Business Programme, to be launched in 2018, will help to provide further support for these young men and women as they look to move on from Milton Abbey, providing a network of contacts to assist them with work experience, careers advice, mentoring and internships. 2
The continued growth in popularity of subjects such as Countryside Management, as well as newer courses such as Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, highlight the diverse range of opportunity for our pupils, alongside Hospitality, Sport, Creative Media and more traditional academic subjects. Through our capital projects and the Milton Abbey Fund we aim to provide the additional facilities and equipment needed to support pupils in all these areas and have been delighted with the variety of projects we have been able to fund this year, as highlighted in the report, thanks to your generosity. The changing world of fundraising legislation means that we will be required to obtain agreement from individuals to continue to send out information about our Development activities in the future. The new requirements of the Fundraising Regulator and General Data Protection
Regulation, which will have an impact on the future of philanthropy in schools, are outlined in this report and we very much hope we can count on your assistance in helping us to comply with these changes and therefore enable us to continue to keep you updated with Development news and opportunities for your support. There is much still to do and I hope to be in a position to see a number of projects completed before my departure, but in the meantime I would like to take this opportunity once again to say thank you, and I look forward to continuing to see Milton Abbey flourish in the future under your generosity.
Magnus Bashaarat 3
SUPPORTING PHILANTHROPY FOR THE FUTURE Philanthropy has always been at the heart of education and has helped schools like Milton Abbey to grow and thrive over generations. However, as a charitable organisation, we are bound by the laws that govern philanthropic giving and we are now seeing a number of significant changes being introduced that will have an impact on the continuation of our fundraising activities. In 2015, following a review of fundraising practices by charities, the Fundraising Regulator (FR) was established to strengthen the system of charity regulation and restore public trust in fundraising. As part of its work, the FR launched the Fundraising Preference Service (FPS) in July 2017, which will enable individuals to have
greater control over the communications they receive from charities, including information by post, email and telephone. In addition to the FPS, the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) will come into force in May 2018. This legislation aims to give individuals greater confidence and control over the collection, storage and use of their personal data, in particular in relation to receiving direct mail communications from businesses and organisations, including charities. To comply with the new laws, we will be required to ask our parents, alumni and friends, to give their specific consent to receive some communications from the School in the future, including fundraising and marketing information.
At Milton Abbey School we treat your privacy seriously and take great care in the handling and safe storage of your data, and we only use your personal details to contact you with information we believe you would like to receive, such as newsletters, invitations to events and reunions, updates on developments and the School and opportunities for you to be involved. However, to ensure that we comply with the changes in legislation we will be working over the coming months to contact all our constituents to seek permission to continue sending out these communications and we very much hope that as our supporters, you will be happy to give your consent for us to keep in touch with you.
Whilst this will be a time-consuming exercise for the School, we are embracing this opportunity to get to know our parents, alumni and friends better, allowing us to find out in more detail what communications you would like to receive from us and how you would prefer us to communicate with you. We greatly value your continued interest in the School and would be delighted to hear any comments or thoughts you may have on the communications you receive from us. Further information will be sent out direct to all our constituents in due course but if you have any queries in the meantime regarding the FPS, GDPR or how your data is managed by the School, please do not hesitate to contact us.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE It has been a frustrating year in relation to our capital projects, reflecting the down side of occupying such a beautiful heritage site – additional work resulting from detailed consultations and reports required by the local planning authorities on the back of interest from Historic England have meant projects have been delayed and costs have increased in line with the extra work required. However, the start of the new academic year has seen progress with all our key projects and we very much hope this year will see them brought to completion.
CAPITAL PROJECTS Despite the challenges outlined above, planning permission was finally received in August for the new Gallery and Art Centre and the details for this project are now being drawn together. A final push on the fundraising is underway with the aim of work starting in the spring. We are currently working on the appointment of a contractor for the new Centre for Countryside and Equine Management, which means as soon as this has been completed, plans will be put in place for the work to go ahead. We are enormously grateful to all of you who have very generously supported these key projects and have remained so patient in the face of ongoing delays. Equestrian Arena Alongside the new Centre for Countryside and Equine Management, plans are continuing with the aim of building a new Equestrian Arena near the stable block development. This will enable horses to be trained and exercised on site so pupils will be able to spend more time working their horses without having to travel off campus to use an arena in the local area. 6
In June, comedian and current parent, Rory Bremner, generously put on a special evening at the School to help support fundraising for the project. Our enormous thanks go to Rory and all those who supported the event, which raised nearly £15,000. Along with other donations received, this means that we are now seeking the final £12,500 required to reach our target. Further to detailed discussions with Historic England, a new planning application will now be submitted for the Arena. Cricket Nets Generous support from a number of our parents, along with a contribution from the Milton Abbey Fund, means that we have secured the funding required to install new all-weather cricket nets on campus. Further to lengthy discussions with Historic England around the proposed location of the nets, a planning application is now being prepared and will be submitted with the aim of the nets being in place in time for training for next season.
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BURSARY PROGRAMME
THE 1954 SOCIETY
The Milton Abbey Bursary Programme provides additional resources to support the Toby Mann Fund and the William Holy-Hasted Trust, both of which provide valuable assistance to pupils who would not otherwise be able to come to Milton Abbey or whose circumstance merit support to remain at the School. Our thanks go to all those who have generously chosen to support this important initiative during the past year.
The 1954 Society allows us to recognise those who have pledged to support the School with a gift in their Will and enables us to acknowledge their generosity during their lifetime. Legacies are a vital source of support as they can be used to fund long-term priorities, such as the Bursary Programme, and can help to build an endowment. The next 1954 Society Lunch will be held in summer 2018 and we look forward to bringing together members of the Society as an opportunity to thank them for their commitment and update them on news from the School.
THE MILTON ABBEY FUND In the three years since the launch of our annual appeal, over £80,000 has been donated towards projects to enhance a variety of activities and facilities of direct benefit to our pupils. Projects that have been supported through the Milton Abbey Fund range from stage equipment in the New Barn Theatre and a scrum machine for rugby, to tools for Countryside Management, Creative Media, Science and DT. The Fund was established to enable the School to provide additional equipment and facilities of immediate benefit to our pupils each year, as well as helping to build a foundation of support for future plans and developments. Thanks to the generosity of our parents and alumni, this year’s appeal has enabled us to support the following projects: •
Professional camera and green screen for Creative Media Studies
•
Digital microscope and VDU for Science
•
Lathe for Design Technology
•
GoPro camera, software and equipment for Sport
In addition to these projects, we have also received funding for the purchase of mobile lights to enable pupils to pursue outdoor sport and activities during the darker evenings, funding to plant new trees around the site and a generous gift to support the purchase of dedicated equipment for the Art Department. We are still seeking further support to enable the refurbishment or replacement of the Steinway Grand Piano, which was one of our targets for the Fund last year, and very much hope to complete this in due course. Projects for our 2017-18 appeal include: •
New Kubota to support Land Based Studies, including the School Farm and Shoot - £15,000
•
Lamb Weigh Crate for the School Farm - £600
•
Selection of equipment for the Hospitality Kitchen - £2,000
•
Golf Launch Monitor for indoor, real-time golf practice - £3,000
Support where it is needed most We are enormously grateful to all of you who have supported the Fund and in particular to those who choose to make regular and unrestricted donations to the School as these give us the flexibility to respond quickly to the areas of greatest priority and need.
PART OF THE COMMUNITY Not only is the School focussed on building support that will benefit our pupils but we are also committed to a programme of activity that is aimed at providing benefits to the wider Milton Abbey community. Great Stare Project The recently formed Milton Abbey Heritage Trust (MAHT) brings together the School, the Diocese of Salisbury and the Forestry Commission as a registered charity for the protection, restoration, educational interpretation and development of the Abbey, St. Catherine’s Chapel and the surrounding Capability Brown landscape. ‘The Great Stare’ project, which has received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Viridor Landfill Communities Fund, will provide improved access, new car parking, signage and interpretation, which will assist plans for development and promotion of the Abbey and St Catherine’s as a venue for a variety of performances and activities. It is the MAHT’s goal to enable as many people as possible to share in the Abbey experience and benefit from its very special presence, recognising and embracing the fundamental Benedictine principles on which it was founded. In keeping with its Benedictine Heritage, a newly launched Abbey Affiliate structure of Members, Associates and Companions forms an important part of this outreach to encourage Benedictine values and community involvement at the Abbey and in the countryside around. You can discover more about the project at www.miltonabbey.org. Round Square We are proud to be a member of the Round Square association of schools, which share a commitment beyond academic excellence to personal development and responsibility. The organisation, like Milton Abbey, believes 10
passionately in character based education. The Round Square philosophy of IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service) is integrated into school life and includes activities that involve pupils undertaking service to support residents within the local community as well as international aid projects. During this year we welcomed pupils from Loisenlund in Germany and from Lima in Peru, with one of our Fourth Form pupils spending four weeks in Peru in return. Following our attendance at the International Conference in Cape Town this October, we hope to forge further links and exchange experiences across the global network. Community Support The School supported two charities during the year, chosen by the pupils, which were Julia’s House children’s hospice and SKRUM (a children’s charity working in Swaziland providing life-saving education on HIV/AIDS), and funds raised for these organisations totalled nearly £4,000. Other groups and organisations that benefit from the School’s community and outreach activities include: Milton Abbas Parish Council and local residents, Milton Abbas Sports Club, The Abbey Swimming Club, Bere Regis Swimming Club, Blandford Swimming Club, Bere Regis Cricket Club, Kingston Maurward College, Sunninghill School, Milborne St Andrew First School and Dunbury First School. Members of the local community are also able to join the School golf club.
GETTING INVOLVED As members of the Milton Abbey community, we welcome the involvement in school life of all our alumni, parents, former parents and friends. There are many opportunities get involved – as volunteers (to host or help with events), as part of the careers programme (to provide careers advice, guidance, mentoring or work experience) and as guest speakers (to give life-experience talks to current and former pupils). The Milton Abbey School Parents’ Association (MASPA) offers an exciting programme of activities throughout the year for all our current and former parents. This provides an opportunity to get to know other parents from the School in a more social setting. Activities over the past year have included a cycling weekend in Dorset, wine tasting evenings, a ski weekend in Saas Fee, a yoga retreat, a cookery masterclass with Rose Prince, a wine and port tasting trip to Portugal and a midsummer flower arranging day. Our sincere thanks go to all those parents who have generously donated their time, facilities and expertise in helping to
offer and arrange these activities and to all the parents who have supported the programme. The Milton Abbey Association (MAA) aims to support all former pupils via a network of contacts, offering careers advice, business links, sport and social events, all of which are promoted via its online community, The MAA Hub www.miltonabbeyassociation.org.uk. The MAA also supports pupils through the 18-24 Career Pathway, which offers work experience placements, careers talks/visits, and a mentoring programme, all of which have been hugely successful during the past few years thanks to the generous support and participation of our former pupils. The Friends of Milton Abbey School (FoMAS) is a forum for keeping in touch with news from the School via a monthly e-newsletter and invitations to attend events at the School. Members can join a mailing list to receive regular bulletins and updates and receive invitations to key school events www.eventsatmiltonabbey.co.uk/newsletter
OUR SUPPORTERS The Headmaster and Governors are extremely grateful to all those who have supported Milton Abbey School during the 2016-17 academic year. Your gifts and donations have helped to support the 2020 Vision and shape the future of the School and we would like to express our sincere thanks for your generosity.
Benefactors who have given between September 2016 and August 2017 Sheikh Rashid Al-Sharqi (H’04) Lady Elizabeth Barne* Dr & Dr M Broggi Professor Alastair Bruce of Crionaich (D’78)* Mr T Bullick (Former Staff) Mr T Carson (D’78)* Colonel O J H Chamberlain (A’68)* Mr A Chatikavanij (H’80)* Mr J Chattock Mr O C Clark* General Sir Jack Deverell* Mrs E Eden Mr T D Edwards-Lunn (T’95)* Ms J Elmendorff Mrs H Franks* Sir James (A’89) & Lady Fuller Mr & Mrs S Gates Ms S Greene Mr C Hanbury Mr P Hands (A’79) Mr P H Harrison (T’61)* Mr L Humphreys (A’60) Mr & Mrs M Jebsen Mr & Mrs D Kowitz Mr A R J Langton (D’65) Mr P W McGrath (H’78)* Mr T Mellery-Pratt (A’66) Mr & Mrs P Morrissey Mr & Mrs M Myatt-Taylor 12
Mrs P Nicholson Mr & Mrs M Pike Mr A Quinton (T’64)* Mr & Mrs A Rhodes Mr F J W Robarts (D’73)* Colonel & Mrs C M Roskelly* Mr & Mrs D Scott Mr P Snowball Mr & Mrs D Thornton Sir Philip Williams Bt* In addition, we would like to thank those who have given their support for the benefit of our pupils via the Toby Mann Fund and the William Holy-Hasted Trust. Milton Abbey Careers Programme We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those parents and alumni who have so generously given their time and expertise to support the Careers Programme in various ways this year, including careers talks, visits, trips and activities, work experience placements and acting as mentors for both current pupils and recent leavers. We were particularly delighted that 24 of our Lower Sixth Form pupils were placed with former pupils during the careers week in June.
*denotes those who make a regular (monthly/annual) donation to the School
Your generous support is greatly appreciated
The 1954 Society Members The 1954 Society enables us to recognise and thank, both during their lifetime and beyond, those who have chosen to name Milton Abbey School as a beneficiary in their Will. If you have not yet informed us of your intentions, we would be delighted to hear from you and welcome you as a member of the Society. Lady Elizabeth Barne (Life Governor) Mr J E A Barnes (Life Governor) Mr A N C Bengough (H’72) Mr J V Booth (T’79) Mr J H Burder (T’57) Mr G de Soissons (Former Parent; deceased) Mr M D de Soissons (H’75; deceased)
Mr R V de Soissons (H’75) Mr N Hadden-Paton (A’71; Life Governor) Mr P H Harrison (T’61) Mr P W McGrath (H’78; Governor) Mr A Quinton (T’64) Mr D J Reason (Former Staff)
DEVELOPMENT BOARD We are enormously grateful to the members of our Development Board who have given their valuable guidance to support our activities during the past year. • Alastair Ames (T’73) • Katharine Butler (Governor) • Mike Chattey OBE (H’79; Former Parent) • Ruadhri Duncan (D’86) • Nigel Hadden-Paton (A’71; Life Governor) • Harry Jarman (H’07) • Patrick McGrath (H’78; Governor) • James Pike (A’92) • Charles Vivian (H’85) • Alex Wakeley (A’88) • Magnus Bashaarat (Headmaster) • Lindsey Kelly (Development Manager) We are also grateful for the ongoing support of our Parent Development Advisory Group, whose members continue to assist Development activities in their various areas of expertise. • Justine Elmendorff • Helen Franks • Penny Freer • Alice Fresson • Michael Hatchard (Former Parent) • Amanda Hill The Development Office was established at Milton Abbey with the sole aim of supporting philanthropic giving to the School. If you would like to discuss making any sort of donation to the School, please do not hesitate to contact us at development@miltonabbey.co.uk or 01258 882234. .
Milton Abbey School | Blandford Forum | Dorset DT11 0BZ t. 01258 880484 www.miltonabbey.co.uk 14
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