Abingdon Impact Report 2019-2022

BURSARIES AT ABINGDON Supporting Future Generations: My decision to give back bingdon has provided a top quality education for thousands of children down the generations and has always promoted the belief that OAs have a role to play in society. I entered Abingdon in 1957 as a local boy from the town, benefiting from the long abolished Direct Grant scheme financed by the County Council. Abingdon now has a bursary programme that enables financial help to be given to able children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to receive the education that so many of us received in our time. That bursary programme has been a success but it needs to be a much greater success to help more children of great potential who would benefit from all that an Abingdon education offers, but whose family circumstances do not permit this without assistance. From Abingdon l went to university – the first in my family to do so – before entering teaching and then being called to the Bar and practising as a criminal barrister for 23 years. The latter years of my legal career were in the judicial office. I have no doubt that I owe much to Abingdon which stretched and challenged me. Good teaching and numerous extracurricular activities had a positive influence on me, including sport, drama, music and the CCF – with the Debating Society being of particular interest! Abingdon’s Debating Society was a good precursor to later jury speeches. Don’t lose your audience! All of this, together with a truly inspirational Headmaster in Sir James Cobban, has held me in good stead for the rest of my life. Having gained so much from Abingdon, l firmly believe that future generations should have access to the sort of education l enjoyed. Giving to the School’s bursary programme and including Abingdon in my will is an obvious and natural way to support that belief. n A Alan’s story: from Abingdon town to the Bar, the story of a local boy Alan R Williams OA 1965 I M PA C T R E P O R T 2 0 1 9 - 2 2 | 7