From One Generation to the Next YOUR LEGACY CAN CHANGE THE LIVES OF FUTURE GENERATIONS
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hence on this day of the year we honour our Founder by showing that his goodness is neither forgotten nor unappreciated”
Giving has always been part of the Loughborough Schools Foundation story. Our journey began with the generosity of Thomas Burton, whose bequest in 1495 laid the foundations for what would become Loughborough Grammar School and, ultimately, the family of schools we know today. More than five centuries later, that same spirit of philanthropy continues to shape the lives of young people across our community. Your own experience, or that of a loved one, at one of our schools was made possible by those who came before you. Generations of alumni, parents and friends have chosen to support the Foundation through gifts in their Wills, helping create opportunities and experiences that have inspired countless pupils. As a registered charity, with pupils and the wider community at the heart of everything we do, we believe in the power of education to transform lives.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we can open doors that might otherwise remain closed, providing bursaries, supporting talent, enhancing facilities, and helping young people reach their full potential. A gift in your Will is an opportunity to continue this tradition of giving and become part of a story that spans generations. By remembering Loughborough Schools Foundation in your Will, you can help secure the future of our schools and ensure that those who follow in your footsteps have the chance to learn, thrive and achieve. Every gift has the power to change a life. Together, we can build on a heritage more than 500 years in the making and ensure that opportunity, community and excellence endure for generations to come.
Why should you leave a gift to Loughborough Schools Foundation?
Because it’s a personal and lasting way to support something that matters deeply to you. Whether you’re a former pupil, a member of staff, a parent, or simply someone who values the role education plays in shaping lives, a gift in your Will can help ensure future generations continue to thrive at our schools. Your gift could open the door to a lifechanging education for a pupil who might not otherwise have the chance. It could help nurture talent, support inspiring teaching, or contribute to facilities that spark creativity, confidence and ambition.
Many people choose to give a gift out of gratitude; for the opportunities they had, the people they met, or the part they played in the life of our schools. It’s a way to honour those memories and values, and to pass them on. Even a small percentage of your estate can make a meaningful difference. It’s a quiet, generous gesture that helps others flourish and continues your connection to the schools well into the future.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the school and I wouldn’t have gone to the school without the bursary. Donating to LSF can change the course of someone’s life and if they’re anything like me, they’ll be hugely grateful for it” Tom (LGS 2016)
What will be the impact of my gift?
Your gift can help to transform lives and open doors for bright, young individuals who are underrepresented in independent education by providing bursary support. Your gift can also support impactful and topical initiatives and programmes, specifically designed to empower and inspire young minds in areas like STEM, enterprise, sports, and music. Every gift, no matter the size, directly touches the lives of those who learn at our schools, offering them opportunities they might otherwise not have access to. Your gift can help remove financial barriers for pupils from low-income
families, care backgrounds and other challenging circumstances, enabling them to attend one of our schools and access the opportunities they need to flourish. It can also provide support for items such as educational trips, learning resources, school meals, bus passes and uniform, ensuring every pupil can take part fully in school life. The impact of your gift can be vast and far reaching, and will help us create a nurturing and stimulating environment for all of our pupils across the Foundation, today and in the future.
A LEGACY STORY
The Parkin Sports Centre Opening new opportunities in sport
Some of Sheila Parkin’s (LHS 1953) happiest memories were from her time at Loughborough High School and she remained in touch with LHS and her old school friends throughout her life. Sheila’s final gift to Loughborough High School was to generously remember her school in her Will. Sheila sadly passed away in 2017 as the vision for the new sports facility was being conceived. With the help of the Development Office, Sheila’s friends organised a fitting funeral featuring the School Hymn. The Parkin Sports Centre is a lasting memorial for Sheila and celebrates her life and the impact her philanthropy will have on today’s pupils.
Sport is an important part of a pupil’s education because it has a transformative power, whatever level they play at. It builds confidence and self-esteem; develops teamwork and friendships; teaches pupils how to win and lose graciously and the resilience and perseverance to pick themselves up after a fall. The Parkin Sports Centre has opened up new opportunities from dance to strength and conditioning, self-defence, badminton and basketball, enabling many more pupils to enjoy the same spirit of participation, variety, fitness and competitive success of those who passed before them.
School Bursaries Be part of their story
Education shapes lives; it inspires, empowers, and opens doors. But for some bright and ambitious children, financial barriers stand in the way of opportunity. At LSF, we believe talent should never be held back by circumstance. That’s why bursaries are so important. They enable children from all backgrounds to access the exceptional education we offer; nurturing their talents, raising their aspirations, and giving them the tools to succeed. Your legacy gift, no matter the size, could help to fund bursaries, investing in potential, unlocking a child’s ambition, raising their sights, and changing the course of a life.
“Education is one of the greatest legacies of our country, and I personally cannot imagine being without my time in Loughborough. The bursaries you are providing do change people’s lives and help them actually feel like they can work towards what and who they aspire to be.” Hannah-Maria (LHS 2021)
“Going to Loughborough Grammar School was something I would never have had the opportunity to experience without support. It’s definitely the case that my time at the school made the man I’m growing up to be, from being Deputy Head Boy, playing cricket at Headingley and ultimately applying to Oxbridge – the pinnacle for many students. Above all this though, the ethos and grounding the school provides you with, as well as the community spirit, is second to none.” Jordan (LGS 2010)
Bursaries don’t just change one child’s future. They enrich our schools too, by ensuring that every classroom is a place where ability, not ability to pay, defines opportunity. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and supporters, we’ve already been able to increase the number of bursaries available. But the need is growing. More families are seeking help, and we want to say ‘yes’ to more deserving children. Be part of their story. Help us offer more children the chance to write a brighter future.
“To the donors who supported my place, thank you for allowing me to have an environment that felt like family and giving me a gift which is truly lifelong. Sometimes it’s scary to believe in yourself for things that you didn’t think previously possible – but that is where the biggest achievements and most fulfilment comes from.” Dr Fatima Camp (LHS 2018)
A LEGACY STORY
Arthur Shepherd’s Legacy A lasting impact
The refurbished Loughborough Grammar School Tower and Sixth Form Centre has been made possible through the generosity of Arthur Shepherd (LGS 1914), whose legacy gift has significantly contributed to the school’s transformation. Arthur Shepherd was a visionary businessman whose legacy continues to benefit Loughborough Grammar School decades after his passing. The gift Arthur left in his Will has supported redeveloping essential facilities to ensure that they meet the needs of a growing and diverse student community.
The renovation of the LGS Sixth Form Centre has transformed this once functional but dated space into a bright, modern environment designed for study, collaboration, and social interaction. Now boasting individual workstations, collaborative meeting rooms, and an enhanced café, the new Centre provides Sixth Formers with a dynamic space for academic work reflecting the independence and academic focus of university life. This ensures that Loughborough Grammar School remains at the forefront of educational excellence for years to come.
A LEGACY STORY
The Greasley Bursaries Transforming futures for local pupils
We are deeply honoured to have received an extraordinary legacy gift from Derek Greasley (LGS 1956), a transformative bequest that will profoundly impact the futures of pupils for years to come. This remarkable gift funds ‘The Greasley Bursaries,’ providing financial support for talented pupils from Charnwood to attend LGS or LHS from Year 7 to Year 13. Covering tuition fees and associated costs, these bursaries will create lifechanging opportunities, enabling pupils to access an outstanding education and thrive without financial worry. Derek, who joined LGS in 1948, was a passionate advocate for education and giving back to the community that shaped him. His generosity ensures that deserving pupils, many of whom might otherwise not have had the means to attend, will benefit from exceptional academic and co-curricular programmes. A lifelong supporter of LGS, Derek was deeply involved in school life, participating in the Air Training Corps, Chess Club, and Choir, and later founding the “Class of ’48” alumni group, which he nurtured for nearly 40 years.
His lasting contribution exemplifies the profound impact of legacy giving, breaking down financial barriers, fostering an inclusive environment, and enriching the lives of future generations. Derek’s generosity will empower pupils and help shape future leaders who will carry forward the values of education, service, and community.
Next Steps Deciding where your legacy will go
If you have decided to give a gift to Loughborough Schools Foundation, here is a quick summary of what you will need to do, in conjunction with your legal professional. 1. Decide how you would like your legacy to benefit the Foundation, or one of the individual schools. 2. Decide what sort of gift you intend to leave. Residuary: The remainder of, or a specific percentage of, the value of your estate is left to the Foundation after you have provided for your loved ones. Pecuniary: A specific amount of money is left to the Foundation. Specific: This leaves items of value other than sums of money, such as stocks and shares, property or jewellery to the Foundation. Reversionary: A gift which allows named individuals to benefit from your estate during their lifetime, after which the designated assets will be given to the Foundation. Conditional: Your estate would pass to the Foundation in the eventuality that no named beneficiary survives you.
3. Contact your legal professional and inform them of your decision. If you have already made your Will and now want to make an alteration to it, you will need to complete a codicil form and send it to your legal professional. 4. If you are happy to, please complete the Legacy Notification Form enclosed and send it to the Development and Alumni Engagement Office. This is not a legally binding document. You will be invited to join The Thomas Burton Society, and this will enable us to thank you during your lifetime for the gift you are planning to make. Loughborough Schools Foundation is a registered charity (No. 1081765) and as such any legacies made to Loughborough Schools Foundation may be exempt from UK Inheritance Tax. Current guidance is available from www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax or your legal professional. Please contact the Development and Alumni Engagement Office if you have any queries about the process or would like to discuss leaving a gift for a special purpose. For more information, please visit www.lsf.org/giving
Thank You The Thomas Burton Society
Loughborough Schools Foundation established the Thomas Burton Society to recognise those who have made a legacy gift in support of their school. Thomas Burton was a local wool merchant who left money in his Will in 1495. Ralph Lemyngton, Executor of Burton’s Will, had the vision and foresight to found a school to educate the local boys of Loughborough in 1495. The Thomas Burton Charity went on to establish Loughborough High School in 1850 and Fairfield in 1969. Today, Lemyngton’s coat of arms is preserved in our school crests.
We understand that your Will arrangements are a personal matter, and you may wish for them to remain confidential. However, if you choose to let us know that you’ve included your school or the Foundation in your Will, it gives us the opportunity to thank you during your lifetime. It also helps us plan for the future and prepare for the difference your gift will make. Joining the Thomas Burton Society is entirely your choice. If you decide to join the Society, you'll receive invitations to special events and opportunities to hear about and see the impact of philanthropy across the Foundation. Of course, if you would prefer your gift to remain private, we will always respect your wishes.
Thank you for your support of Loughborough Schools Foundation and for continuing a tradition of generosity spanning over 500 years. As a registered charity, we rely on the philanthropic support of our alumni, former staff, friends and parents to further our charitable objectives and sustain the Foundation into the future.
The Development and Alumni Engagement Office Buckland House Burton Walks Loughborough LE11 2DU 01509 638915 development@lsf.org or alumni@lsf.org www.lsf.org Registered Charity Number 1081765