The Friends of Berkhamsted School

A Year in Review 2021-2022

We were thrilled to see many of The Friends’ activities return after a couple of unusually quiet Covid years.

Change of Friends structure

During those quiet times, The Friends Association used this time to carefully evaluate its structure and made a significant change. After 40 years of operating independently from the School, The Friends has now become part of the School’s charity and work under the umbrella of the School’s charitable registration. This has many advantages, not least working closely together with the School. In many ways, little has changed; parent volunteers continue to organise social events, act as House Reps, meet as a team of volunteers and raise funds to benefit the Berkhamsted School Group and its pupils. The new structure was announced on July 5th, 2022.

Highlights

In 2021, we raised £1485 for Herts Young Homeless (HYH) and an additional £1870 in 2022 at two successful Quiz and Curry Nights, hosted by our favourite HYH quizmasters Anil and David. Our popular “local” Coffee Mornings continued in Berkhamsted, Harpenden, Amersham, Beaconsfield and Wendover, connecting new and existing parents and making them feel part of the Berkhamsted parent community.

In June 2022 we held the fabulous musical family event, Proms in the Quad, at the Castle Campus featuring performers from the Sixth Form, Senior and Prep School. A total of £3460 was raised, shared equally between The Friends and the Music department.

The Prep Summer Discos in May were a roaring success with two sessions in one afternoon/evening, covering all year groups with over 300 children.

What a wonderful way for them to end the year!

Last, but not least, the Pre-Prep organised a hugely successful 2022 Summer Fayre with a record attendance with over 150 families, raising an amazing £5020.

Queen’s Jubilee Clock

To commemorate the Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, The Friends donated a beautiful, high quality, external, Heritage style clock to the Boys’ School, which is hanging on the wall above Bartrum House.

The 2022/23 school year kicked off with a successful Induction Day Coffee Morning in Old Hall, welcoming those many new parents in Y7, 9 and 12.

In addition, we will be hosting a magical Winter Ball at Ashridge House in December and the traditional and lively Burns Night will be back in January 2023.

It is thanks to all those wonderful parent volunteers we’re able to create such a thriving parent community and I am extremely grateful for that!

Farida Korallus (Hon) Chair of The Friends