AKS Foundation Hosts Second Patrons’ Lunch, Celebrates Key Milestones and Looks to the Future

On Friday 8th November, AKS welcomed guests to the second annual Foundation Patrons' Lunch, held in the OAKS Hall at the school. The event provided a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the significant progress made over the past 12 months, while expressing heartfelt gratitude to those who have supported the Foundation’s ongoing work.

This year’s lunch was a celebration of remarkable achievements, notably the Foundation's ability to provide fully-funded transformational bursaries for students entering AKS Sixth Form this September. This milestone marks a key moment in the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that exceptional students, regardless of their financial background, have access to the life-changing opportunities that AKS offers.

“We are incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made in the past year,” said Chris Dickson, Chair of the AKS Lytham Foundation. “The launch of the fully-funded bursary programme is a pivotal step in our mission to broaden access to AKS and to offer transformative educational experiences to students who might otherwise have been unable to join us. This lunch was an important opportunity to celebrate our supporters, thank them for their generosity and highlight the tangible impact their contributions are having.”

Recognition was also given to our first major donors, BookCheck Ltd on behalf of Old Lidunian, Mr Anthony Pilkington and the Old Arnoldian Association. These major donors now feature on the Major Donor Wall which has been newly installed in the entrance to the Senior School.

David Harrow, Headmaster at AKS said:

“It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet with our Patrons and some of our incredibly generous benefactors, and to reflect upon the difference that they have already made to the next generation. Being able to support a number of students on fully-funded bursaries at this early stage has exceeded our expectations, and serves as an inspiration for what can be achieved in the future”.

During the lunch, guests enjoyed performances from the AKS Prep School and Senior School Chamber Choirs and also a short performance from the senior school student leads from the forthcoming AKS Musical Sweeney Todd.

Guests were also given an update on the important role alumni have played in enhancing AKS’s careers programme. The Foundation has been fortunate to benefit from the involvement of numerous former students, whose expertise, mentorship and professional insight have helped to broaden the horizons of current pupils in Senior School and Sixth Form and offer them a more comprehensive view of potential career paths.

Looking ahead, the Foundation is excited about further expanding its impact, with future plans to increase the number of transformational bursaries available and to deepen its connections with the broader AKS alumni network.

The Foundation Patrons’ Lunch not only allowed the school to reflect on these achievements, but it also offered a chance to outline the exciting prospects on the horizon for both the school and its students.

For more information about the AKS Foundation or to learn how you can support its work, please contact Sarah Walton (Director of Marketing, Development and Engagement) sarah.walton@akslytham.com