14 minute read
Living the School Motto
QUI FACIT PER ALIUM FACIT
PER SE Old Perseans are living by The Perse School’s motto Qui facit per alium facit per se (he who does things for others does them for himself) long after their school years. We spoke to six OPs who have found fulfilment through helping others in their lives.
Catherine Francis (2002)
I LEFT THE PERSE Sixth Form in 2002, and after a year in Tanzania teaching in remote rural schools, I went on to read Geography at Oxford University. After graduating I worked for the NHS in Cambridge, then for a conservation NGO, followed by a move to Australia for three years raising funds for the Medical Sciences Division of Queensland University.
I now work for the Medical Sciences Division at Oxford University raising major philanthropic funds for research, scholarships and capital projects. My focus for the past year has been supporting Oxford University’s Covid-19 research programme.
In February 2020, we received a call from Oxford’s Jenner Institute who needed emergency philanthropic funds to support vaccine research into a new viral outbreak – this previously unknown coronavirus. Government and institutional funds were not flowing quickly enough, there was a real need to find funding fast, and our team was asked to help.
Covid-19 marks the return of a very old (and familiar) enemy. Throughout history, nothing has killed more human beings than the viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause disease. Not natural disasters, nor war – not even close.
Oxford University started to build an army of academics, supported by hundreds of students, bringing new ideas to the table every day. As part of my role, I sit in on weekly science calls with the leading academics working on Covid-19 and I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like a war room, with some of the top minds collaborating across Oxford and with other institutions, coming together to find innovative ways to bring an end to this global crisis.
We also built another army, small but mighty, an army of fundraisers. All of them knew one another but had never come together like this before – Fundraisers in the UK, Hong Kong, China, the US, Corporates, Trusts, and Foundations. Just as the world was responding to this growing epidemic, so was our fundraising team.
In the early days, it was hard to close a gift. Philanthropists wanted desperately to try to help their country obtain enough protective equipment, food, supplies, hospitals built, provide support for businesses etc. A vaccine was the last thing on their mind. But we tried different tactics and we didn’t give up.
We reached out to our networks, pulled together multiple proposals, hosted countless webinars and zoom calls with our lead academics, created a crowdfunding campaign, wrote letters and hosted VIPs in our labs. Our first major gift of £6 million came in from an Oxford alumnus. It was the first real sign that we could do something big and our campaign began to grow.
Since that first call from the Jenner Institute, we have raised a significant amount of funds from over 2,000 donors which has supported over 100 different research projects, including the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which is now being rolled out at a rapid pace. Whether big or small gifts, every penny has counted, helping to accelerate our research across a number of areas, and fill significant holes that other sources of funds couldn’t fill. The war against Covid-19 is far from over, but we are beginning to win this fight.
People ask me why I went into philanthropy. To have the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the world, helping to support them to achieve their goals and to have an impact on society, is incredibly rewarding. Likewise, I have been fortunate to be able to engage with donors who have a real passion for philanthropy and healthcare, and genuinely want to make a difference. I could not be prouder to be a small part of that.
I LEFT THE PERSE in 2008 and went on to study Theoretical Physics at York, following years of unending support from Mrs Odhams as my physics teacher. Thinking back to my time at The Perse I remember each year Mr Jeffries gave an assembly setting a challenge for students to consider: ‘How is the world different for you having been in it?’ (paraphrased, because as all my previous teachers will be aware, detailed recall was never my strong point). At the time I didn’t grasp the meaning behind it but in the years after the question resonated with me. While at York I spent a large amount of my time working and running the student-run helpline Nightline which broadened my perspective on the value I could play in others’ lives, leading me to apply for a charity graduate scheme.
As part of this scheme, I worked in a local authority homelessness department. Having been afforded a very sheltered existence up to that point, the realities of the economic crash and the policies of austerity that followed were suddenly brought into sharp focus and strengthened my resolve to forge a career in this sector.
For me, the challenge was to find how my skills could be best used. After securing a role as an analyst in a national charity, the picture became a bit clearer. While seemingly different, the skills and challenges of my degree, applying and testing the QUESTIONS ON HOW TO MEASURE THE IMPACT AND PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, NEEDED THE SAME APPROACH AS MY DEGREE, JUST WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA AND MEASUREMENT TOOLS.
validity of theoretical models to experimental results, were the same questions that I faced as an analyst everyday. Questions on how to measure the impact and performance of services in a meaningful way, needed the same approach as my degree, just with different types of data and measurement tools.
I have worked in a variety of research and analytical roles since, and I am currently working at a notfor-profit consultancy focused on system’s change, looking at how complex systems in local areas can collaboratively change how they operate and work together to better support those who need it.
In my view the role of the research is to translate the experiences of people into information that can be used to transform the system. This could be through evidencing people’s experiences to lobby national and local government to adapt policies, or by understanding what types of services and interventions are effective. The overall aim is to improve the lives of those who experience difficulties, moving towards a system where fewer people need help and those that do receive the right support at the right time.
Working in the voluntary sector has challenged me in ways I could not have expected. The restricted funding climate means charities and local authorities are constantly having to deliver quality services for less resources and to more people. I have consistently felt humbled by the experiences and resolve of service users I have worked with. More importantly, being in this sector has given me a sense of direction and purpose to continue working to support people who need it.
Millie Diss (2013)
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED my time at The Perse School for Sixth Form, so much so that when I left school in 2013, I decided to spend my gap year coaching sport at the Perse Prep. I have always loved sport, and after enjoying Sports Science at A Level I decided to study Applied Sports Science at the University of Edinburgh, achieving a first. After my year coaching at the Prep, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but learned that primary school age was perhaps not for me! I spent the summer after graduating organising The Perse Summer School, then began my role as a graduate assistant in the sports department. Since then I have never looked back! I was fortunate enough to be given a teaching role the following year and I am now in my second year as a teacher, alongside setting up a baking business from home.
The opportunities at The Perse are phenomenal, and this filters through to staff too. As well as being a form tutor, I took on the charities co-ordinator role whilst Emma Kenzie (2005) was on maternity leave. I enjoy personally supporting charities in any way I can, so I was incredibly excited by the opportunity to manage school charity events. This year has been incredibly challenging in many ways and unfortunately it has had a vast impact on charitable efforts. We’ve had no choice but to be creative and to think outside the box in order to be Covid-19 safe. The pupils were gutted to hear there would be no sponge the teacher, but we came up with lots of innovative alternatives.
We supported Children in Need this year at the Upper, fundraising for a much-deserved cause as well as boosting school morale during the day. Each year group enjoyed a special lunchtime activity they could attend including dodgeball, football and netball tournaments, a massive game of capture the flag, and an orienteering treasure hunt. These activities were all huge successes and we raised over £2,000. We collected a record number of Christmas shoe boxes (603) for Link to Hope, and held a non-uniform day to support Jamie’s Wood, raising £2,000 in memory of Jamie Gardiner (2013). We also hosted our first ever virtual Power2Inspire PowerHouseGames to promote inclusion through sport, and a Christmas hat and jumper day to raise money for Cambridge Global Health Partnerships who procure essential supplies such as PPE for low and middle income countries. One of my favourite virtual events was a charity bake for Christel House. Mr St John and Mr Mahendra went head–to-head to create the best dinosaur themed cake which was then judged, with Mr St John coming out on top. Pupils also had the opportunity to enter their own baked goods in different categories – it transpires we have a lots of aspiring bakers in the School!
I have loved and benefitted from the Charities Coordinator role in so many ways, so while I am sad to not continue with it now that Mrs Kenzie is back from maternity leave, I am looking forward to being a Head of House next year and being involved with charity events in a different way.
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED SPORT, AND AFTER ENJOYING SPORTS SCIENCE AT A LEVEL I DECIDED TO STUDY APPLIED SPORTS SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, ACHIEVING A FIRST. AFTER MY YEAR COACHING AT THE PREP, I KNEW I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER... WE’VE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO BE CREATIVE AND TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX IN ORDER TO BE COVID-19 SAFE.
Nick Hindmarsh (1977)
I LEFT THE PERSE in 1977 at the end of Fifth Form (Year 11) and attended the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology for A Levels. I immediately started playing rugby for the OP team and found myself propping against men twice my age! I loved it and ended up playing for the OPs until I left Cambridge six years later, ending as Captain.
From 1979–83 I worked for Lloyds Bank in several Cambridge branches, however the processdriven nature of the role meant that it was not for me. It was in 1983 on a holiday in Yorkshire when I chose to pop in and see the economics department at the University of Leeds. After speaking to an Admissions Tutor he agreed to let me start an Economic History degree five weeks later! The next three years were amazing; I ended up with a 2.1 and headed to St Catherine’s College, Oxford to complete my PGCE. My second child was born the very day my teacher training started. She didn’t sleep for months which was certainly good preparation for a life in the classroom!
Training didn’t put me off though; I spent 30 wonderful years teaching, including the Headship of three schools. I drew my life in education to a close in 2016, and after spending a few months messing about on boats, I saw an advert for a small charity, Dartmouth Caring. I joined and have never looked back.
Life in Devon is wonderful, even in lockdown. We are lucky enough to have a boat in Plymouth and sail as much as we can, and we have access to amazing walks across Dartmoor National Park and along the South West Coastal Path. However, the Dartmouth you see on holiday is not the Dartmouth experienced by many residents; located on a large hill, the average life expectancy differs by ten years between the top and the bottom.
Dartmouth Caring provides a wide range of resources to this small, rural, and isolated community; shopping and prescription delivery, palliative and oncology care, patient transport, meals on wheels, lunch clubs and memory cafés, benefit and housing advice, and much more. Over the past five years we have doubled in size and provide a key role in the community, and in 2018 we won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The pandemic has been frantic and stressful, but also fulfilling. We cancelled our lunch clubs, memory cafés and all group activities in March last year. Within 48 hours we set up a meals on wheels service which to this day has delivered over 10,000 meals, almost all free, to those in need. In the first few weeks many of our clients were panicked and scared, unsure how they would get food and petrified by the news headlines. Meeting their needs and allaying their fears is what we do; we delivered shopping, meals, and prescription deliveries, as well as telephoning vulnerable members of the community. Fears reduced in subsequent lockdowns as clients knew what support was available. The gratitude shown to volunteers and staff, as well as a significant increase in donations and volunteers has made it all worthwhile. It was heart-warming to see the whole community come together.
My role is in strategy and fundraising, the latter benefitting from many Covid-19 grants this year, helping our response and that of others. A major growth area in the past three years has been the services we provide to support the NHS and Social Care. You can read more on our website – www.dartmouthcaring.co.uk
OPs in Pastoral Care
We spoke to two OPs who are currently working at The Perse School in the pastoral team.
Dani Creese (2006)
AFTER STUDYING Psychology and Zoology at university I returned to The Perse in September 2009 to teach biology. I loved my time as a pupil and teaching here has been just as fulfilling, if not more! Early on in my teaching career I took up the role of Head of Year 7, alongside my biology teaching. Since then I have had various pastoral roles and I am now Assistant Head (Pupil Welfare), trying to fill the huge shoes that Mrs Hague left (I still can’t call her Gail). Having the opportunity to work with such talented and knowledgeable colleagues in supporting our young people to develop into well-rounded and fulfilled young adults is rewarding and motivating. The “Sunday blues” before the working week starts has never been a problem for me, which I never take for granted!
Antonia Eccles (née Game) (2008)
I RETURNED TO The Perse in June 2014 to start my career in teaching. I love the variety that Perse life offers (I teach maths, economics, PSHE, emotional well-being, and games) but the pastoral dimension of our education provision is what I find most rewarding. As Head of Lower School with responsibility for overseeing the pastoral care of our Year 7 and 8 pupils, what matters most to me is contributing to a positive, stable and nurturing environment that promotes our pupils’ best interests and outcomes. Every child is unique and deserves to feel valued, and I enjoy helping our pupils to see their value as a person. This is not always straightforward, with some of the challenges faced by young people, but I invest time, in collaboration with others, to identify pupils’ individual needs, share in their successes and trials, and value their contributions. I have always been people-oriented and so the benefits for me come from working with our young people and an extraordinarily talented and supportive pastoral team; it is a wonderful community to be a part of. ...WHAT MATTERS MOST TO ME IS CONTRIBUTING TO A POSITIVE, STABLE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES OUR PUPILS’ BEST INTERESTS AND OUTCOMES.
