Everyone at The Mayor’s Fund for London was saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Jack Petchey. We send our warmest wishes and condolences to his family and those close to him. Sir Jack was an incredible champion for young Londoners, and personally and through his Foundation, a hugely significant supporter of organisations that find positive opportunities for young people so that they can succeed and thrive. Before many funders were considering things like youth leadership as important, Sir Jack and his foundation were funding thousands of young achievers each year to implement projects that they had designed and created themselves, and recognising the contribution young people had made to changing their communities for the better. We have been privileged at The Mayor’s Fund for London to have enjoyed Sir Jack’s support for over 10 years, delivering in partnership with his Foundation the Count on Us schools maths challenge, helping thousands of young Londoners develop their numeracy skills, and build confidence, leadership and team work. Only this week at the Count on Us final, we were reminded of Sir Jack’s own story, of how he struggled with maths as a young man, but ultimately found it an essential skill as he built his hugely successful range of businesses. The event was a lovely celebration of what young people can achieve, with the right support and opportunity, and was a great example of the power of partnerships that he and the Foundation have inspired. Sir Jack also supported the direct development of young leaders, through the Foundation’s internship scheme. At the Mayor’s Fund we’ve been incredibly pleased to have had two fantastic young leaders join our team over the past two years through this programme. Laura and Dianne have made a huge impact, helping us put the voices and aspirations of young Londoners at the heart of our work. We hope that would have made Sir Jack very proud indeed.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Sir Jack Petchey CBE. We know that thousands of people whose lives have been touched through the work of the Jack Petchey Foundation will miss this great character and the inspiration he brought to many. Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends. If you would like to write a message in memory of Sir Jack, please post it here or directly on our dedicated in-memory page: https://lnkd.in/e8dWNnkU
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