News from our beneficiaries

It's been a great time for the beneficiaries of our biggest charitable fund, the Dame Alice Owen Foundation. We are pleased to report on some stonking successes by the amazing young people benefiting from projects being funded by the Foundation:

Company Three

The talented team from the fabulous youth theatre group, Company Three, presented their latest play, the Act, at the Yard Theatre in April. As with all of Company Three’s productions, the Act portrayed an unflinchingly honest view of teenage life, exploring the pressure to “act out” intimacy rather than live it and confronting “the act” of sex itself. Delivered with energy and interesting choreography, the performance challenged the audience to think about how they relate to the teenagers in their lives, seeking to spark inter-generational conversations about sex and relationships.

Music in Secondary Schools Trust

Later in April, the Music in Secondary Schools Trust presented their Fifth Anniversary Concert at the London Palladium. Over the last five years the project has grown to offer education in classical music to 11 schools, 6 of which are in Islington and funded by the Dame Alice Owen Foundation, with 3,700 pupils on the programme. Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose Foundation also supports MiSST said: “The programme has had an overwhelmingly positive impact, visibly promoting pupils’ social behaviour, integration and attendance, increasing engagement and enhancing teenager’s self-image.”

Dame Alice Owen's School

Dame Alice Owen's School was delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds MP, for a visit recently. The visit gave both staff and students the opportunity to find out more about the current government's approach to education and to discuss issues which are affecting the school right now. Shortly after this visit, the school's Headteacher came to Brewers' Hall and was glowing with pride to see the magnificent Jazz Band perform at our Masters and Clerks' Dinner. Our guests, the Masters and Clerks of other Livery Companies, were amazed to see such a confident and accomplished performance by the students.