A legacy of philanthropy
Like many people of my age and slightly older, it was due to funding either from central government or the Local Education Authority that I was able to attend a school not dissimilar to Hymers.
Whether under the Direct Grant system that operated between 1945 and 1976 or its successor the Assisted Places scheme between 1980 and 1997, thousands of children each year were able to receive a first class education at selective schools across the land through state funding. The positive impact that these schemes had upon social mobility in the UK are evidenced both through countless personal stories and through broad demographic and socio-economic data patterns. Those of us who benefitted personally from a high quality fee-assisted education understand the transformative impact that a bursary can have upon the lives of a child and their family.
Shining as a bright light in the independent sector and in a way matched by few other schools, Hymers remains a school that is both highly aspirational and socially inclusive. This is something of which we should all be proud, not least in the knowledge that this is in accordance with the will of the Revd Dr John Hymers, that we should be a school for “the training of intelligence in whatever social rank of life it may be found”.
Last academic year showed once again how readily the current pupils of Hymers embrace and cherish our social purpose to be ambitious and high achieving, while extending opportunity to as broad a range of children in Hull and the surrounding area as possible. We see this in the readiness with which our students volunteer to support the reading of children in local primary schools or to assist with programmes such as our English and Maths enrichment days for gifted & talented Year 5 pupils. We were delighted that one recent Hymers initiative – the Science Triathlon in which our sixth formers support Year 10 students from the local area as they carry out three STEM challenges – won a national award in 2025.
The first Hymers Giving Day last June was enthusiastically seized upon by our current pupils, by Old Hymerians and by the wider school community to get behind our fundraising efforts for the school Bursary Fund. Heartened by the success of this venture, our preparations are well advanced for our next Giving Day in the summer.
Last academic year saw the imposition of VAT on the fees paid by parents at independent schools such as Hymers. This has undoubtedly posed a significant challenge to the senior leadership team and governors as we strive to maintain the breadth and quality of a Hymers education, while keeping fee increases as low as possible and maintaining the number of bursary places through the fee remission scheme. However, this challenge has only stiffened our resolve to stay true to our founder’s wishes, in the sincere hope that we will be able to continue to benefit from the support of the Old Hymerian community. The support provided to the school by Old Hymerians and other supporters throughout the last year has been hugely impressive and welcome. On behalf of the school as a whole, I should like to express my gratitude to every OH who has given back to Hymers in any way in the last 12 months – whether that be in the form of time, expertise or money. Quite simply, Hymers would not be the outstanding school that it is today without the sustained support of our friends, former pupils and their families.
From talking to many of you this year, I know that Hymers has always offered an education that has positively impacted upon the life trajectories of its students. Thank you for continuing to support us as we continue in our purpose to offer a life-changing education to as many local children as possible.
Justin Stanley Headmaster
Enabling bright futures
Trees and plaques 1893 Tree-lined Avenue…
Thank you to all our former and current staff, parents, and pupils who purchased a tree on our Giving Day last year. Together, we raised enough to sponsor one term’s school fees for a bursary student here at Hymers.
The trees have been planted at the front of the School, in the heart of our grounds, each with a plaque recognising our generous donors. We look forward to welcoming you back to visit them for many years to come.
Impact of bursaries
Fundraising has become instrumental in widening access and growing bursary support, Last year the school held its first giving day, raising £85k for the John Hymers Bursary Fund. Philanthropic support has enabled the school to expand its bursary provision to 86 bursaries currently, with an average fee remission of 84% and 22 students receiving full bursaries.
Since its foundation by philanthropists in 1893, Hymers has moulded young people who have made their mark not only locally but nationally and globally as well, forging successful careers across a range of sectors. Our pupils are often reminded that they stand on the shoulders of giants
A Hymers education can make a transformational change to a young person’s life. 75% of our bursary recipients secured a place at Russell Group Universities.
Working at the school, I see first-hand the difference that a bursary can make to students at Hymers. A good example is a number of Sixth Form students who have come from local schools in Hull to study at Hymers for their final two years.
At Hymers young people can access subjects that are not available in local schools and I have seen them thrive in an environment where students are passionate about their studies. Equally, they get access to superb support for Higher Education and a wealth of other opportunities, whether that is debating or the Extended Project Qualification, stretching and challenging them academically in a way that just would not happen in their former schools.
I also enjoy seeing younger students flourish in the Hymers setting, being exposed to not just excellent teaching, but the sport, theatre, music and travel opportunities that Hymers offers. One recent bursary student was able to go abroad for the first time during her time here, and flourished academically, achieving a place at Oxford after six years with us. Hymers, for her, was transformational and that is why I give money every month.
Sophie Dickinson | Head of Classics
Starting at Hymers as an eight-year-old felt like coming to a different world. We lived in a terraced house on the ring road in Hull. Dad left school at 15 with no qualifications and wanted something different for his sons. He had a strong belief in the power and value of education. In those first few weeks I felt my horizons broadening – not only because my closest friend lived in Swanland! I remember vividly sitting at the front of the stage for my first Christmas concert, pinching myself that this was MY school. It still feels like MY school more than fifty years later, and regular giving helps build and maintain that connection.
I began to donate in 2002 when I received a letter from the school, personalised with a handwritten note from my chemistry teacher Alex Sutton. I was asked if I’d help with fundraising to buy part of the old Botanic railway sidings to improve the Junior School and sports facilities. Over the years the targets changed, with attention turning later to money for the Learning Resource Centre. I was invited to the LRC’s official opening, where I saw the transformation which the school had undergone. This wonderful place was so much more than a library. It was linked to the Gore (what I still think of as the old gym), but now a bright, modern space retaining its sense of history, including the climbing bars on the walls.
now?Where are they
We caught up with Andrew Edwards (1975-1985). He spent 34 years as a BBC radio presenter and journalist inspired by public speaking and acting at Hymers and a careers event in the Main Hall.
That’s what Hymers has done so brilliantly – turning into the vibrant, modern co-educational school it is today (all boys until the sixth form during my time) without forgetting its past, not least the wonderful original buildings. That Main Hall, where I sat in my shorts as a treble in the Christmas concert of 1975, still has a sense of magic and awe. I returned recently to sing in Handel’s Messiah on that same stage and felt the hairs go up on the back of my neck.
I was lucky enough to be chosen as Head Boy in my final year and recall with pride launching to the assembled Senior School our first ever charity appeal – for special care baby monitors at the then Hedon Road maternity hospital. Public speaking like that still brings me back to school, MCing on a number of occasions the Old Hymerians’ annual dinner from that same stage.
The great Neil King also staged a number of school productions in the hall. Acting, most memorably in The Duchess of Malfi in the upper sixth, helped give this lad from Fairfax Avenue a confidence which (always with a few nerves) is still with him!
It was in that same hall that I attended a careers event where Graham Henderson, a producer at BBC Radio Humberside, was on a BBC stand.
I loved listening to the radio (Mum was a great Terry Wogan fan) but had no idea that folk like me could actually be on it. Graham was the first person to make me feel that might be possible. I came away with information about various BBC training schemes, including the one I ended up joining in 1989 after university, the Trainee Reporter Scheme.
During that same period, I had my first practical experience of radio, after Hymers friend Ed Bacon and I made a programme about proportional representation (rather grandly called PR: progression or regression?). It was chosen as the Yorkshire winner of a competition organised by BBC local radio and Hansard, the official report of Parliamentary debates. We were interviewed live on Radio Humberside, whisked away from school to the studio for an hour.
So I performed in plays, spoke in public, went on theatre trips, played (not very well) at second row in the second XV, sang in the choir, began a love of running (during sixth form lunch hours with teachers Geoff Wilson and Les Price), got a decent set of A Level results and made lifelong friends. Hymers shaped who I am. It opened me up to life’s possibilities. But it wouldn’t have been possible without generosity.
My brother John followed me in 1978 and ended up at Oxford. As a result of a glowing performance in the entrance exam, he was given a scholarship which paid a big chunk of the fees. That financial
bonus really came into its own two years later. Dad lost his job when the building firm he worked for closed during the recession.
It was only when clearing our parents’ house after their deaths that I found the letter he sent to John Ashurst, then Headmaster, explaining the downturn in the family’s financial fortunes. Dad was a proud man and it must have been a difficult letter to write. It spoke volumes that he kept it, knowing that – eventually – we would get to read it.
I now realise that it was only through the kindness of the school that I was able to continue, as our parents could no longer afford to pay all the fees. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mr Ashurst and the governors.
It was the generosity of others that allowed my brother and me to stay at Hymers for a full ten years each: now it’s my turn to give back.
Hymers shaped and inspired me. It gave me confidence and a wide range of experiences and opportunities. I’ve donated regularly now for more than twenty years. I’m no millionaire, but I hope what I give will help others enjoy in turn the lifelong gift of a Hymers education.
Andrew Edwards OH 1975-85
The generosity of others allowed me to stay at Hymers: this is my way of repaying that debt of gratitude.
I am delighted to have been able to give something back to Hymers and, specifically, to the Bursary Fund. The underlying principles of the Fund are exactly in tune with the wishes and aims of our founders, Dr John Hymers and his brother, Robert.
I was extremely fortunate to be able to attend Hymers as, in those days, the school was what was known as a Direct Grant school, meaning that the government allocated grants directly to parents whose means were insufficient to meet the full burden of the school’s fees. Sadly, a Labour government abolished this system in 1976, and Hymers went fully independent, which meant that my parents had to really struggle to keep me at Hymers until I went to university in 1978. I remember being very keen to join school skiing trips, but unfortunately my parents couldn’t afford them.
The teaching was superb, as it is today. In the junior school I really struggled with Maths and had some excellent extra tuition from the then deputy head, Mr Ransome.
For GCSEs, or O Levels as they were then called, I had Mr Ashurst, the Head, for Latin, Mr Thompson for Ancient Greek, and Mr Watson for French - all brilliant. We had Mr King for English, who was also wonderful, making the dreaded English much more bearable for me! He would organise trips to the theatres in Sheffield and Scarborough, both coincidentally ‘theatres-in-the-round’, and the latter being the theatre in which Alan Ayckbourn’s plays always premiered.
We caught up with Nick Beecroft ( 1968- 1978) who has garnered over 30 years’ experience in international trading and financial services, including Deutsche Bank, Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank.
I had wonderful teachers all the way through. For A Levels I was taught by Mr Underwood for Maths, Mr Sutton for Chemistry, both extraordinarily gifted, and Mr Wooldridge for Physics, who was also very good, young and enthusiastic.
As a result of all this wonderful tuition, I was lucky enough to be able to study Physics at Oxford after Hymers. We should always tell Hymers students never to believe any of that stuff about Oxford, or Cambridge, being too stuffy or posh; they both give you tremendous opportunities in life and I found it very easy to make life-long friends at college, with whom I remain very close.
The sporting experiences which I enjoyed at Hymers were also immensely formative and enjoyable; cricket was, and still is, my passion and I also loved my time playing for the rugby teams. The life-lessons which both of these sports give to young people should not be underestimated and these were drilled into us by our wonderful coaches. Sadly, the opportunities for state school pupils to play competitive sport have diminished even further since I was at school, in many cases due to the sale of playing fields for development. Yet another reason why I am so happy to support the great work of the Bursary Fund.
I feel enormously grateful to Hymers for the start in life it helped give me and the opportunities which my time at the school subsequently afforded me. I feel privileged to have been a pupil.
1893 Legacy Society
Since its opening in 1893, Hymers has depended on and benefited from the generosity of those who shared the vision of the College’s founder “for the training of intelligence from whatever social rank it may be found”. The College in its current form is the result of generations of giving, from the first founders to many Old Hymerians and friends of Hymers.
Have you considered a gift in your will?
Many people have multiple demands on their finances which might preclude them making a gift in their lifetime. Equally, they may have been supporters of Hymers in their lifetime and wish to make a final gesture of support. A will is one of the most important legal documents you will ever make and leaving a legacy can be a final tribute to Hymers, a gift that endures in perpetuity. Anyone who makes us aware of their intention to leave a legacy to the school will automatically become members of the 1893 Legacy Society. Legacies of all sizes are always appreciated and, unless you wish to tell us, we will never ask how much you have pledged. Your commitment to Hymers helps safeguard its future and strengthens our mission to
widen opportunity to further excellence, and to promote social mobility for generations to come.
We are delighted that we can now honour those who intend to support Hymers in their will in an annual lunch with fellow benefactors and friends of Hymers, as we acknowledge the vital role you play in supporting our mission. This gathering will offer us the opportunity to express our gratitude, share our vision for the years ahead, and celebrate the enduring impact of your support.
Your generosity ensures that students of all backgrounds can access the transformative education and life-changing opportunities the John Hymers Bursary Fund provides.
Fulfillingdreams
When you think about your time at Hymers, what is it you are most thankful for? Was it the wide variety of experiences that shaped your character? The opportunity to receive a first-rate education from caring, committed teachers? Or, was it the people – the friends you made and the classmates’ company you shared – that are the enduring impact of your time at the School upon your life?
Each year, we hear from hundreds of Old Hymerians who recognise the role Hymers has played in shaping their lives and those of their families. To be educated at Hymers is a privilege that we believe should be open to as many gifted local children as possible. We are intent that the growth of our bursary scheme must continue supporting pupils - changing the lives of more bursary children than are in the School presently - with as little delay as possible. Our current fund now sits at over half a million pounds, but we need to aim for much more.
The gift of
time
We extend our sincere gratitude to our alumni network for your invaluable support, knowledge and expertise of your chosen career with our students.
We also extend a huge thanks to our alumni who kindly sponsor school activities and sports kits. Over 200 hours of your time was gifted to our students last year. Thank you.
thank you
Development Head of message
I will always be proud to work in a school so wonderfully supported by its alumni community. The generosity of you, our members and friends, sustains the places, opportunities and connections that bring the whole Hymers family together. As our students remind us, support for Hymers reaches far beyond buildings or bursaries; it creates community, opportunity and a sense of belonging that endures.
Over the past five years, Hymers College has invested in development, expanded to a team of two of us, implementing a new CRM, and focusing on strengthening its alumni relations programme, resulting in significant growth in philanthropic income. Working with the Old Hymerian Community, we have increased alumni engagement through networking, mentoring and careers support, reunion events, and initiatives like the annual Year 6 letter writing project, which connects current pupils with alumni and introduces students to the alumni network.
We are absolutely delighted to share that we have been highly commended in last year’s national Social Mobility Awards, an achievement made even more meaningful given the calibre of schools we stood alongside. To be recognised among such major players is an honour in itself, and to earn this commendation while still in our infancy is something we are incredibly proud of. This recognition reflects the passion, dedication and belief that drive our mission every day.
It reminds us that meaningful impact doesn’t require decades of history; it requires commitment, heart, and a loyal and engaged community that stands behind the work. We are excited for what lies ahead, and this moment serves as both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a motivation to keep pushing forward.
We are extremely grateful for those that have told us of their support in their will; your support is essential in remaining true to our Founder’s message. Old Hymerian philanthropy remains at the heart of our mission to widen access and enrich every aspect of school life. Your support has enabled us to provide vital bursary funding and enhance some of our facilities. By giving back, you honour the education that shaped you and help ensure that the next generation of Hymers students can enjoy the same exceptional experience. We are immensely grateful for your loyalty and commitment.
Thank you for all you do, and for the inspiration you continue to provide to those who follow in your footsteps. We are deeply grateful to have you as part of our story.
With warmest regards,
Emily Pennack Head of Development
OH 1989-1995
Bursar’s
reflections
Independent schools are facing an unparalleled financial environment. While we remain confident that Hymers offers exceptional value, we know that the imposition of VAT and rising living costs could deter families and threaten the very inclusivity that lies at the heart of our school. Protecting accessibility through our Fee Remission Scheme will be pivotal in the years ahead as we continue to honour our founder’s vision.
That is why philanthropy matters more than ever. The generosity of the Hymers community — alumni, parents, staff and friends — has already changed hundreds of lives. Your donations can mean the difference between a student’s dreams being realised or lost. By supporting the Fee Remission Scheme through the John Hymers Bursary Fund, you help us maintain and potentially expand the
programme at a time when external pressures threaten to shrink it. Every donation — no matter the size — contributes directly to the bursary fund and ensures that our inclusive ethos continues to flourish.
Together we can protect Hymers’ unique character, honour its founding vision and give the next generation of talented young people the opportunity they deserve. Your steadfast support will ensure that ability, ambition and potential remain the criteria for admission to Hymers College. It will ensure that ability — not ability to pay — opens the door to Hymers and that our school continues to serve Hull and the wider region for generations to come.
Matt Tuckwood-Hill Bursar
There are many things you can do with your money but I think it’s important to give back. Now I’m retired and at a time in my life when you start to give back. Giving back is something that I can do: VAT on school fees is a disaster for social mobility. If I can make a difference to just one child with my donations and be successful with a Hymers Bursary, the sense of social justice that I learnt at Hymers has come full circle.
Why I Why I support donate
I have seen first hand that a bursary is more than just a financial transaction. It can give students the opportunity and resources to transform their trajectory and realise their full potential. In my classroom, I’ve watched talented students from modest backgrounds grow into confident leaders because the barrier of tuition was removed. I donate because I truly believe in the mission “to provide a first-class education to intelligence in whatever social rank of life it may be found”. Investment in the John Hymers Bursary Fund is an investment in a life changed forever, and I am proud to be part of that tradition.
Dr R Main | Teacher of Classics & Assistant Director of Sixth Form
Mike Wilson | Class of 1966
help... What can you do now to
The Development Office is responsible for all fundraising activities in support of the John Hymers Bursary Fund and Hymers Heritage and Conservation projects. If you would like to make a gift or would like a discussion in confidence on how you may wish to shape your support we would be delighted to speak to you.
Set up a regular gift
Even a small monthly donation makes a meaningful difference to our bursary fund and helps us plan long-term support for pupils who need it most. Please do consider supporting the John Hymers Bursary Fund however you can, so that together we can achieve our goal of ensuring that Hymers remains the School you remember and would want it to be: open to all who would thrive here. Our Old Hymerian community continues to make an extraordinary difference to the life of the School.
Name John Hymers Bursary Fund in your will.
Make a one-off contribution
Every gift, of any size, directly supports opportunities for talented young people. If you are able to support us with a regular donation, it doesn’t need to be a large one. If every former student who once walked Hymers’ corridors, crossed the Quad, and sat in the Main Hall contributed the cost of a takeaway coffee or a lunch out with friends, we would meet our bursary fundraising target with ease. Together, small gifts can make a transformative difference, we are grateful for every contribution.
Spread the word
Share our bursary appeal with friends, classmates, and fellow alumni. Personal stories and recommendations are powerful.
Attend events or reunions
Staying engaged strengthens our community and often inspires others to give back.
Offer your time or expertise
Alumni talks, mentoring, and career support create invaluable experiences for current students.
Stay connected
Simply keeping in touch and championing Hymers within your networks helps us grow a vibrant and supportive alumni community.
More information about supporting the School can be found using QR Code opposite...
Through your generosity and participation, you have helped us provide life-changing opportunities for current pupils and strengthened the Hymers legacy for generations to come. From supporting bursaries to enriching our co-curricular offer, your impact is felt across Hymers. Every contribution whether it be your time, expertise, or philanthropy plays a vital role in sustaining the inclusive environment our students enjoy today. Thank you for remaining part of our story, and for ensuring that future Hymers pupils can continue to thrive. The School is sincerely grateful to all those donors that have offered their financial support and to all those volunteers who have offered their time during the last academic year.
Abby Wilson
Adrian Beecroft
Andrew Crafter
Andrew Edwards
Andy Chorlton
Andy Eavis
Anne Bakker
Arthur Weston
Ayse Hamilton (Djahit)
Bansari Patel
Beatrice Fagan
Belinda Garry
Ben Cater
Brian Pollard
Bruce Wilkie
Catherine Dominic
Christopher Blucke
Christopher Lawes
Class of 1996
Colin Oliver
Colin Rochester
Connie Purdy
Cooper Family
Cory Thurlow
Dale Sumner
Dan Clarke
Dan Rosinke
Daniel Matthews
David Kittmer
David Stark
Di Thompson
Duncan Hider
Eamonn Price
Elizabeth Kershaw-Yates
Emily Pennack
Emma Gerald (Danforth)
Frazer Middleton
Gareth Fulton
Gemma Braithwaite (Chivers)
Gemma Vickerman (Edwardson)
Glenda Greendale
Gordon Lingard
Graeme Middleyard
Graham Nicholson
Han Zhang
Henry Kilpatrick
Hugh Platt
Ian Ireland
Ian Nicholls
Ian Walton-George
Jacob Grantham
Jacqui Falkingbridge
Jamie Wheldon
Jane Kirkby
Jenni Willoughby
Jeremy Dunn
John Allen
John Britton
John Canby
John Fairest
John Kittmer
John Morris
John Rank
John Redman
Jonathan Leafe
Jonny Davies
Joseph Bryan
Julian Ray
Julian Tyacke
Juliet O’Sullivan
Justin Stanley
Karen Murden
Kate Psaila
Kaysie Howes
Kevin Thompson
Krisztina Mocsai
Laura Bakker
Laura Booth
Laura Shimells
Lauren & Ewan Barkley
Leonard Rogers
Lizzie Sweeting
Lucy Northen
Lucy Trynka
Lynne Raymond
Maddie Boyers
Marian Fowler
Mark Clayton
Martyn Green
Martyn Smith
Matthew Ashra-Blundell
Matthew Pickles
Matthew Plaistowe
Michael Bridger
Michael Wilson
Michelle Paterson
Mike Palmer
Mike Roberts
Mike Wilson
Natasha Saleh
Nathalie Brady
Neil Ashton
Nick Beecroft
Nick Towers
Nicoletta Momigliano
Lonsdale
Olivia Bailey
Pat Conn
Paul Bryan
Paul Duffy
Paul Robinson
Paul Rosen
Peter Townend
Peter Williams
Philip George
Philip Simison
Philip Stark
Philip Wood
Rachel Bennett
Raj Shah
Richard Byas
Richard Gore
Richard Youden
Rob Main
Robert Dymond
Russell Young
Sam Wilson
Sara Lidgard
Sarah Lightowler
Science Staff 2025
Sean Gibbons
Sean Scott
Shyam Moudhgalya
Simon Hewitt
Simon Mitchell
Sir James Reckitt Charity
Sophie Dickinson
Stephen Martin
Sue Marsden
Thomas Kitching
Thomas Saxby
Tim Davies
Tim Gilroy
Tom Elstone
Tom Holland
Tony Escreet
Tony Gilbert
William Bennett
William Blackburne
Xiao Yuan Wang
Yrina Ghrabigi
The donors and volunteers listed above made a gift to the school between 1 January 2025 - 31 December 2025.
Every effort is made to ensure that the full roll of honour is accurate, we apologise wholeheartedly if there are any inaccuracies, please do inform the Development Office if this is the case.
