At Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby, our staff community is at the heart of school life. This month, we were reminded once again of the profound impact our colleagues have on the lives of our students—and the importance of supporting them when they need us most.
Recently, a member of staff reached out regarding support for one of our long-serving teachers, Tom Gledhill, who has been part of the Abraham Darby team since 2009. Tom was born with a significant hearing impairment, having lost around 70% of his hearing at birth. Despite this challenge, he has built an exceptional career in music education, inspiring countless young people through his teaching, leadership, and dedication to the school’s musical life.
Tom currently teaches full time at Habs Abraham Darby, contributes to Saturday morning peripatetic lessons, and plays a central role in the school band and wider extra-curricular music programme. He has gone above and beyond for the school community on numerous occasions, including stepping in as Acting Head of Music when needed.
A Unique Need for Specialist Hearing Aid
Because of the nature of his work, Tom relies on highly specialised hearing aids designed specifically for music listening and production. His current hearing aids are now nine years old and urgently need replacing.
The cost of suitable replacements is a significant expense that Tom has been struggling to meet. In search of support, he approached us to explore whether there might be any funding available through Haberdashers’.
A Grant to Make a Difference
Following consideration by the Chair of the Charities Committee, we are delighted to share that a £2,000 grant has been approved as a contribution towards Tom’s new hearing aids.
Tom is a deeply valued member of staff whose contribution to the cultural life of Abraham Darby cannot be overstated. His passion, talent, and commitment enrich the experiences of countless students each year. We are proud to support him in continuing this important work.
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We are pleased to support Tom in securing the equipment he needs to continue delivering high-quality music education to the students of Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby.
A gift in your will
Gifts from William Adams, Robert Aske and William Jones – as well as Thomas Arno – continue to enable significant impact for our schools and their pupils.
A gift left to the Foundation in your Will could do something similar. Simply include details of your gift, alongside the Haberdashers’ Foundation’s charity number (275067), in your Will.
For more information about leaving a gift in your Will please contact our Director for Charities.
