As you are no doubt aware, City of London Freemen’s School was set up in 1854 to help orphans of the Freemen of the City of London.

As we approach our 170-year anniversary (June 2024), we are looking forward to celebrating with a large-scale event, open to all students, parents, the local Ashtead community, charitable partners and, of course, our alumni.

More information to follow in due course!

However, as we look to the future, we should also respect our past, and the charitable principles upon which the

School was founded, through the offer of a free education to any promising child, no matter their family’s income or assets. This was the School’s aim in 1854, and our commitment to increasing our bursary provision remains a key goal of the School today.

We are, therefore, proud to launch our new bursary fundraising campaign: ‘Freemen’s Fellowship 170’ to align with our upcoming anniversary celebrations. For the next two years, we will be running events, selling Freemen’s branded merchandise and seeking donations to boost our bursary fund. This is what a bursary means to one of those students:

“Without my bursary, I would not be academically thriving within this fantastic school. I am eternally grateful for your generosity.”

Roland Martin agreed: “This year’s A-level results confirm just how life-changing bursaries can be, with students in receipt of bursaries receiving some of the top A* grades and securing their places at their first choice Universities. For many such students, they will be the first in their families to attend universities.”

Already the School receives support via donations from current parents, alumni and organisations. The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one such supporter, generously contributing to Freemen’s bursaries for many years. What is their motivation?

“Supporting young people to succeed in education and nurturing future talent is fundamental in ensuring a prosperous future for all. Bursary support opens up the option of private and often boarding education to a wider range of students. This benefits those who might not ordinarily think this is an option for them as well as giving a more diverse and enriching environment for those within the school. It is natural that the Grocers’ Charity would wish to invest in young people in this way. We are proud to be linked to City of London Freemen’s School and enjoy watching the successes of students that we have supported.”

Whilst we are so proud of what we have already achieved, there is much more we could do – with your help.

As alumni of Freemen’s, we would love your support with this campaign. Your donation to the bursary fund will go even further thanks to the generous match funding contributions provided by the City of London Corporation. To discuss this further or to pledge a donation to the #FF170 bursary campaign, please contact the Development & Alumni team development@freemens.org, call us on 01372 822444.