Community Outreach STAMFORD ENDOWED SCHOOLS
Its commitment to charitable endeavours and outreach projects within the local community ensured that this Lincolnshire school became a worthy joint winner of this award
The Stamford Card is an excellent example of the symbiotic relationship between the Stamford Endowed Schools and the town of Stamford, of which they’ve been the beating heart for the past 488 years.
e objective of the card, which is available to all residents and visitors, is to support local independent traders, maintaining the vibrancy of the town’s eclectic high street, while also providing funding for an education at the schools for local children.
Cardholders bene t from perks and discounts with local businesses, while funds raised provide ‘transformational fee assistance’ to those local children who require means-tested funding of at least 80 per cent of the fees, and who would otherwise be unable to bene t from an education at Stamford.
Despite the economic e ects seen by the Covid-19 pandemic over the past two years, support for the Stamford Card continues to grow. e initiative has seen an increase of more than 30 per cent in the number of businesses signing up as card partners, and an increase of 45 per cent in the number of paying cardholders.
Further supporting the businesses of Stamford, the schools provide provision of meeting spaces and refreshments for the ShopStamford board and marketing meetings, and o er practical support of all ShopStamford events, including training and merchandise distribution.
An annual late-night shopping event sees pupils and sta from the schools volunteer their time to serve refreshments, marshal, and show recognition for the town’s traders.
e list of charitable endeavours and outreach projects undertaken and engaged with by pupils and sta each year is phenomenal, with examples from this academic year including:
– 495kg of food collected for the town’s foodbank; where students regularly volunteer, sort, and donate.
– 470 Easter eggs donated and distributed to local care trusts and care homes.
– 500 gi s and cards donated to the Evergreen Care Trust to celebrate Christmas, a er their annual Christmas tea party (usually held at the schools) was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Wherever possible, the schools work with local companies and suppliers, based within 30 miles of Stamford. In 2020, £1.6m was spent with the schools’ top 20 local suppliers.
e schools’ thriving community of over 1,600 families and 12,000 alumni receive regular updates, encouraging support for local businesses.
roughout the pandemic, as businesses were forced to close, the schools funded and managed digital marketing campaigns, amassing 50,000 impressions on Facebook, raising awareness of how local traders are
“I’M DELIGHTED THAT STAMFORD SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED AS A WINNER OF THIS AWARD. It’s fantastic to be recognised for our ongoing commitment TO SUPPORTING THE STAMFORD COMMUNITY”
operating, and how customers could reach them.
Stamford School’s Principal
Will Phelan said: “I’m delighted that Stamford Schools have been announced as a winner in this award. It’s fantastic to be recognised for our ongoing commitment to supporting the Stamford community, and my congratulations to all of the students and sta who are supporting our town in so many di erent ways.” stamfordschools.org.uk