A bursary does have the potential to transform someone’s life.

I benefited from a free place at The Abbey in the 1970s and 1980s. At the age of ten, I was living on a council estate in a village with my parents and two older brothers.

I support the school by making a monthly donation to help a student from similar circumstances to my own.

In a single-sex school, I was able to develop academically without feeling that some subjects were for boys and others were for girls. At The Abbey, I was able to learn and achieve in a supportive atmosphere, where a thirst for knowledge and an interest in all subjects was encouraged.

I left school knowing that exams were not the be-all-and-end-all of education – that the most important thing was to want to carry on learning throughout your life. My natural curiosity was encouraged, not stifled.

I feel privileged to have attended a school that meant, and still means, so much to me. I know the sense of community and belonging is something that few people seem to feel towards their school.

I would like to thank all donors, both past and present, for enabling girls to attend The Abbey. My hope for the future would be that one day ALL children can receive an education of the quality that The Abbey provides. Then there would be no need to ask for financial support to provide bursaries for some. However, just because we can’t help everyone now doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t help anyone. We shouldn’t give up – we should do our best to help those that we can.

An Abbey education is not just about the benefits to the individual student but the development of adults who will have a positive impact on their community and society throughout their life. Giving academically-able girls an education they would not otherwise be eligible to receive is an extremely worthwhile thing to do.

Supporting one girl now will benefit many lives in the future.