PHILANTRHOPY NEWS
A gift left by Thomas Arno to the Company in 1937 continues to create impact 88 years after his death.
88 years ago, the ‘gentleman’ and landowner, Thomas Arno, died.
Thus far, his could have simply been the story of many.
But a few years before Arno’s death, a chance conversation with the then Clerk of the Company, changed a fairly unremarkable story into something extraordinary.
Arno had met the then Clerk, Guy Eagleton, at a City event. They spoke about the charitable work of the Company, and Arno was so inspired that he decided to leave a sizeable part of his estate to the Haberdashers’, creating the Thomas Arno Bequest.
The £300,000 that Arno left in 1937 has been carefully and wisely stewarded by the Company since then. This ensures that around £70,000 of grants are available on an annual basis today.
The fund is available to current and recent past pupils, as well as to schools and for staff bursaries. The maximum grant size is £2,000 and crucially the objects are broad, which allows the Charities Committee to allocate funds to a variety of projects.
In excess of 1,300 grants have been made from the Thomas Arno fund, mostly to young people from Haberdasher schools (current and former pupils).
One recent awardee said:
I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for selecting me as a recipient of the Thomas Arno Fund. This opportunity means a great deal to me, and I am excited to embrace all the academic, professional, and cultural experiences that the year abroad will bring. I will be proud to keep you updated on my progress and to share how this experience shapes both my studies and my personal growth. Thank you once again for your generosity and confidence in me.
Highlights from recent grants include:
A new book gifted to all new Year 7 students across Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South schools to encourage reading for pleasure and support the transition between year 6 and year 7
Financial support for a Hatcham College alumni in the final year of her medical degree
A number of grants made as contributions towards instruments for students from Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby, whose families would otherwise be unable to afford this cost
A grant to help access vital mental health support for a student from one of the schools
A grant for a talented rugby player from Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby to be able to afford the twice weekly transport costs from Telford to Worcester, having been scouted by Worcester Warriors Academy
Financial support for a Ukrainian refugee from Habs Boys as a contribution to his degree in International Relations
A grant for a student to make use of local community space to grow food and support the local food bank
Thomas Arno awardee Uwaila Ehioghae (pictured) spent two weeks at Tokyo Women’s Medical University to compare women’s health care provision in Japan and Benin. Uwaila is a Haberdashers’ Hatcham College alumna.
A grant for a student to undertake a geological mapping project in Elba, Italy.
QUOTE
It’s extraordinary that a single gift, left so long ago, continues to create meaningful impact for Haberdasher pupils. It’s worth reflecting on this and remembering the following:
- Make the most of your conversations with the Clerk
- Gifts left to the Company will be wisely stewarded such that they may have decades of impact to individual pupils and their schools
- Gifts left with few restrictions enable the Company to direct funds to where the needs are greatest
If you want to follow in the footsteps of Thomas Arno, then do consider leaving a gift in your Will to the Haberdashers’ Foundation. It’s a very straightforward and simple process.
Remember that there are tax advantages to leaving a gift in your Will to charities. Leaving at least 10% of your estate to charity can reduce the inheritance tax rate from 40% to 36% on the remaining estate.
To discuss this further please contact Susan, Director for Charities on 020 7246 9985)
