Foundation Events

Foundation Launch Evening

In September 2022 we created the Bede's Development Foundation and launched our Bede’s Transformational Bursary Fund, showing that we are a school that puts its values into action. On Wednesday 21st June we also celebrated the launch of the Bede’s Development Foundation. This evening presented a unique opportunity for those who attended to hear about the aims and work of the Foundation from the Trustees themselves. The evening included a presentation on the Foundation and an opportunity to hear from current pupils, staff, alumni and Trustees of the Foundation, as well as a Q&A with Head & CEO Pete Goodyer, Director of Advancement Charlotte Sutton, Bursar & COO Jonathan Northway and parents and Trustees Warwick Booth and Simon Cloke; with Simon Smith, the Chair of the Bede’s Development Foundation, presiding over the event.

Head and CEO, Peter Goodyer said: “We want to make a difference to the lives of young people who never ever thought they would be able to access a Bede’s education. Ultimately, it comes down to social mobility, to creating a ripple effect across our school, local and wider communities where every single person is afforded the opportunities that a Bede’s education provides - no matter their background.”

Giving Day

On the 21st-22nd of June 2023, Bede’s celebrated its first ever Giving Day. 

During 36 fun-filled hours, our incredible pupils, staff and governors from every part of the Bede’s community went out and volunteered across over 30 different projects, completing in excess of 5,000 hours of voluntary work across 36 fun-filled hours for our Giving Day. These volunteering projects were focused on a whole host of different areas including the environment, helping in local primary schools or those with disabilities; supporting people from overseas, the elderly or local food banks. Through their generosity, they made a difference to those they helped, and also unlocked an extra £8,000 in challenge funding towards Bede’s Transformational Bursary Fund.

The goal of our very first Giving Day and the aim of the Bede’s Development Foundation was and still is to raise vital funds for our Transformational Bursary Fund so that we can increase the number of 110% bursaries on offer at Bede’s, with the goal of having offered in excess of 20 110% bursaries by 2029, the Senior School’s 50th anniversary. As our pupils set an example to others and showed that the Bede’s values lie at the heart of everything we do; people from across the Bede’s community were inspired to donate and support this cause of ours.

We really believe in what we are doing and to prove this, our Bursary matched every penny that was donated on our very first Bede’s Giving Day, doubling the value of donations. And it didn’t stop there, as donations throughout the 36 fun-filled hours also unlocked specific giving challenges to unlock even more funding. 

For example, when we received 350 donors, we unlocked an extra £3,500 in funding, and Head Pete Goodyer along with our School Prefects undertook the Ice Bucket Challenge. Through the overwhelming support of the Bede’s community for our first Giving Day, we raised an extraordinary £155,591 from 398 different donors. We cannot thank you enough.