JC: There is lots of talk about friend-raising and patience and it takes a long time, but I sense that things don’t always happen as a result of direct conversations. KW: I have had experience of people with whom a relationship has been built not through me but through the Floreat, the school’s magazine, and through other magazines and communications. They have kept in touch with the school but not necessarily through any individual. And, when they hear about a project that they might want to get involved in, they say: “Yes, I’m here.” So, it’s important to keep sharing news of students’ successes, promoting strong messages, inviting them, even if they don’t come initially. JC: How many major donor meetings are you involved in during a month or a year? KW: The short answer is not enough, but I am seeing people a lot. And, because I have been here a long time, I know so many members of this community and I am able to approach those individuals we know are engaged or may be tempted to get involved. I want, in this new campaign for the capital project, to be meeting 20 people a month. I would like to be able to achieve this reasonably quickly. JC: For many people involved in this work, meeting alumni can be exhilarating and their contribution massively enriches the school, and not just financially. KW: I agree. Some of these people have become personal friends. I was recently at a memorial service for a Rugbeian who was a dear friend. I always say that it is one of the most extraordinary jobs because of the profile of those people with whom you have the privilege to work, and a group you wouldn’t come across in any other role including captains of industry, creatives, academics, entrepreneurs and there are hundreds of them. They care about the school and engagement is not work for them. Perhaps the excitement of finding and dealing with such extraordinary people is lost sometimes. With five people in the team you could be seen as a bit of an overhead and an expense, and it’s not necessarily obvious that the development work is enriching the academic life of the school and its future. But the contribution goes far beyond the money. We never have any shortage of Arnold Foundation tutors – the staff love being involved and find it incredibly rewarding. It is no accident that, when we started the Arnold Foundation, 4% of Old Rugbeians were sending their children to the school and now it is 20%. To attract them back from all over the world isn’t easy, so that growth is really significant. And I hear again and again from parents who say they chose Rugby because of the Arnold Foundation. JC: So, all of this makes the school a better place. What more could anyone ask? We’ll end it there.
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