Old Princethorpians

On Tuesday 7 February, Princethorpe College hosted its first successful networking event for families past and present, who work in the farming and agribusiness sector. The evening was designed to bring farming professionals together, foster new connections, exchange ideas, build relationships and allow attendees to explore potential business opportunities.

During the evening the attendees heard from Jules Mold on the diversification of her and husband David’s farming exploits at Meadow Field Glamping, as well as from Dr Mathias Foo from the University of Warwick who spoke about his research into the use of light in agricultural practice. Both sessions were fascinating and informing and prompted many conversations.

The evening event was a great success, providing valuable opportunities for attendees to connect and learn from each other.

Steve Kowal, Development Director, said: “We would like to thank all our farming visitors and speakers for their participation and support in making the evening a success. We look forward to continuing to engage with the farming sector and building enduring and mutually beneficial relationships that support both our continued success”.

On Friday 13 January, the Foundation’s Development Team welcomed donors to Princethorpe for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. Organised as a thank you for those who support the work of the Foundation, over 100 visitors enjoyed a fascinating evening uncovering a little of Princethorpe’s unique history and the stories of three very special Old Princethorpians who attended St. Mary's Priory between 1900 and 1910. Visitors were given a glimpse into the lives of these special OPs and of the subsequent impact they had on the world once they left school.

In this the third ‘Hidden Princethorpe’ event, guests were first treated to a presentation by Catherine Lewis, the College's Archivist before they began their tour. They explored many of the College’s hidden places, including a visit to the Organ loft and basement, Mount Zion in the Chapel and the College cellars, areas not typically open to pupils or the public.

After all that exploring, the evening finished with refreshments and drinks and plenty of convivial chat. Development Director, Steve Kowal, commented, "We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our donors who joined us at our ‘Peeps of Princethorpe’ event. We hope you enjoyed learning more about the rich history and vibrant community here at Princethorpe. Your support, and the support of all donors to the Foundation, is greatly appreciated and helps us to continue providing exceptional educational opportunities for all our pupils. Thank you to you all for being a part of the Princethorpe family."

The event was a great success and the donors left with a deeper understanding of the College's rich history and heritage, many thanks to all the donors who attended. The College is looking forward to hosting more events like this in the future.

To find out more about the work of the Development Team please visit https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/supportus

The Annual Fund is the cornerstone of philanthropy at The Princethorpe Foundation and allows parents, supporters, and friends in the wider community to make a voluntary contribution to support the school. Those who give to this fund, including many members of staff, have the satisfaction of knowing that their donations have a significant impact. Such gifts touch the lives of every pupil in all our schools, every day of the year.

Each year, this fund supports the purchase of necessary academic and co-curricular equipment, ensures educational, enrichment and entertainment opportunities for pupils, and helps maintain the Schools’ academic and sporting facilities. The Annual Fund helps us to move forward with our plans to improve and develop the schools and the teaching and learning experiences that take place within them.

Gifts to this fund are unrestricted, allowing the Foundation’s leadership to determine where support is most needed, and can do the most good. The Annual Fund contributions are at the heart of all that we do, and all that we give to our pupils.

Every contribution is meaningful, regardless of amount and many of our supporters choose to make regular contributions, monthly or annually, big or small. These regular donations are helpful and popular as they provide critical and predictable support for the School, year on year, whilst also allowing donors to plan their giving. Those that give regularly, make a significant difference to our pupils' experiences.

Every year, parents, grandparents, Old Princethorpians, staff and friends of the Foundation donate to the Annual Fund. We invite you to help us by donating to the Annual Fund.

To find out more or make a donation visit the school website here.

The College's new Science Centre will be ready for teaching in September 2023, facilitating not only state of the art science education at Princethorpe but also the opportunity to redevelop the existing site for complete cross-curricular enhancement.

It is still possible to support the project in several different ways:

• By having a name engraved on a wall brick to be displayed in the entrance lobby of the Science Centre (£100)
• By having a name engraved on a chemical element on our Periodic Table display in the Science Centre (£250). Just 14 elements remain now please contact the Development Office to find out what is still available.
• By having a name engraved on a granite paver to be placed outside the entrance to the Science Centre (£500)
• By you or your company sponsoring a display panel featuring the picture and biography of a particular scientist, as well as your name, message and company logo (£1500)
• You could also choose to name a specific laboratory or piece of equipment (if you would like to discuss this further, please contact stevekowal@princethorpe.co.uk)

To participate, please contact the Development Office here.

So many of our parents, staff, OPs and friends have done much already to support the Foundation and we are incredibly appreciative of this. It’s fantastic to see the Princethorpe community joining together to make the vision for Science a reality.

Donations can be paid over a period of months, please contact the Development Office for more information.