Abingdon Impact Report 2019-2022

T H E A B I N G D O N F O U N D AT I O N | 8 BURSARI ES AT ABINGDON A Life Giving Back Marjory Morris MBE y mother last visited the School at the opening ceremony for the Yang Science Centre which she and I supported by sponsoring the Linus Pauling laboratory. She was undoubtedly as excited to see the School and what was happening there as she had been in 1968, when she’d dropped me off for my entrance exam. This was a continuation of her involvement and commitment to Abingdon since the day I got the offer to become a pupil. My parents were passionate about education. They were determined that I would get the best start in life that they could give me, and even then I was aware of what they had to do to ensure that I was able to attend Abingdon School. From my point of view, I look back at my time at Abingdon and know that it was hugely influential in allowing me to become the person that I am. Abingdon nurtured my love of both science and history through great masters. It taught me how to be an independent thinker. It allowed me to develop my personality. I know that my parents considered their money very well spent between 1969 and 1976. They thoroughly enjoyed being part of the School community which they continued to support in the years after I had left. When the time came to finalise my mother’s estate in 2020, I was delighted to be able to continue my parents’ support of Abingdon through her legacy. Over the years my parents had supported the amazing building programmes at the School, but on this occasion the impact had to be more personal. Her bequest was to give another child the same chance in life that I had had and so her gift is supporting the School’s bursary programme. At this time it seems to me that there can be no better way to support young people than allowing them to enjoy a great education. The fact that Abingdon provides so many opportunities, both in academic life and the extracurricular programme of the Other Half, is fantastic. Boys with a wide range of aptitudes can thrive. Such talents lie everywhere in our community and I firmly believe that a school community is strong when it has a breadth of pupils of varying talents and backgrounds. Abingdon’s bursary programme allows boys, who would not otherwise be able to benefit, to enjoy what Abingdon has to offer. I know that Abingdon has ambitious plans for the programme and to my mind it is built very much in the spirit of John Roysse. I am delighted that as a family we have played a part in supporting it. n M Gareth Morris OA 1976 There can be no better way to support young people than allowing them to enjoy a great education.