Abingdon News No.58

26 September 2021 Virtual wine tasting On 20 May members of Abingdon’s 1563 Society and their guests joined each other virtually for a wine tasting event hosted by Arthur Verdin (OA 2006). Arthur chose a range of complex and lesser known fine wines which were delivered prior to the event to all attendees. We were taken on a journey to France, Italy and further afield to California and New Zealand. Along the way the assembled tasters quizzed Arthur about the provenance of the grape varieties and vineyards. This event was universally enjoyed by all who attended and we hope to plan an in-person wine tasting in the future. If you would like to find out more about the wines we tasted and the 1563 Society, please contact Harriet Alderman at [email protected] or +44(0)1235 849107. Abingdon Development The vision for bursaries at Abingdon A successful bursary programme is fundamental to our future as a leading independent school. Abingdon pupils experience and engage with different perspectives throughout their time here, reflecting the world they will encounter beyond school and university. Widening access to an Abingdon education with the support of means-tested bursaries at different levels benefits all pupils, ensuring that our school remains an accessible and diverse community with a grounded ethos. This academic year 70 pupils at Abingdon are in receipt of a bursary. Our ambition is to reach 110 bursary places by 2026 (10% of our school cohort). We can only achieve this by increasing the number of people in our community who choose to support bursaries, through making a legacy pledge, through individual donations and by encouraging pledges at varying levels to support a pupil for 7 years from September 2022. This will enable us to offer more bursary places within the next admissions cycle. To find out more and hear how bursaries have impacted the lives of others, visit www.abingdon.org.uk/ support-us/the-impact/bursaries OA support for new Salvi Mia harps Thank you to David Allen (OA 1966) and his wife Shelagh for their continued support of our burgeoning harp section at Abingdon School. Their recent donation has enabled us to purchase two Salvi Mia harps which takes the number of harps at Abingdon to six. 110 bursary places by 2026 70 bursary places in 2021