Development - How to support us

Help us support bright young minds

Expanding the funds we have for bursaries is a top priority for St Dunstan’s. Bursaries at St Dunstan’s give academically able children from lower income families the chance of an excellent, and often life-changing, education. Widening access through bursaries is an important vehicle for improving social mobility and a route towards a more inclusive society.

It takes £22,000 to support a full bursary student in the senior school for a year. In this context, large gifts will be transformational but a collective effort can be just as meaningful. Over £1.5 million has been raised since 2020 and a robust 10 year plan is being rolled out in order to cement a transformational bursary programme for deserving  local Lewisham pupils. 

If you are able to support our Bursary Fund, you will be giving an extraordinary opportunity to academically able children from our local area to benefit from education that would otherwise have been entirely inaccessible to them.

We know from experience that bursary pupils make an invaluable contribution to our school community. We currently support over 50 bursary students throughout the College but we need to do more. 

At St Dunstan's, we believe in the power of diverse communities to shape a broad minded and humane future. Schools like St Dunstan's can, and must, play a fundamental role in forging that future: it will be more important than ever as we move into a post-pandemic Britain.

Sandeep Katwala ('78)

Chair of De Paul Charity

Take a moment to listen to David's compelling story:

By giving a gift to support bursary students:

• More children with outstanding promise will be able to access an excellent education at St Dunstan’s beyond financial constraint.
•  More young people will have the confidence to navigate their future effectively, with the compassion to understand and appreciate others.
• Our whole student community will benefit from the diversity of its members.

Please make a single donation online today HERE called "a Single Direct Debit Donation" or via the payment platform Stripe on our alumni software SDConnect HERE.

Thank you also to all our supporters and donors for helping us raise £100K during our first ever Telephone Campaign in August 2023. We are all so grateful:

Why not support our new Theatre?

St Dunstan's has an impressive track record in staging inspiring and memorable live performances over its long history. Our new Performing Arts Centre includes a theatre space to match up to the talent of our students. It was officially opened on 30 March 2022 by Dean Byfield and it has been designed to be used as flexibly as possible since then.

Maybe you too would like to celebrate your family's part in the life of the school or perhaps mark your own passion for theatre and performance?

By sponsoring a seat or becoming a performance sponsor, you will be supporting a first-class resource that inspires and enthuses Dunstonian students for years to come. Our new theatre will also be a resource for professional, amateur and community groups, a hub for workshops, live-streaming and inspiring live shows. There are also options to sponsor the theatre's lighting, staging and backstage areas such as make-up and costume.

Whatever you choose, you can be sure that you will be playing your own part in ensuring the very best of the performing arts at St Dunstan's.

Please make a single donation online today HERE called "a Single Direct Debit Donation" or via the payment platform Stripe on our alumni software SDConnect HERE.

The achievements of the College are founded on the generosity of many generations of past Dunstonians and the support of donors today will similarly help define our future.

Once family and friends are appropriately remembered, thoughts often turn to charities and institutions which have a special place in a person's life. For many, the years spent at school are some of the most significant and life-changing times. This is particularly true at St Dunstan's College where there is a vibrant community of Dunstonians interconnected in a whole range of different ways. By leaving a gift in your will, you will be providing vital support to future generations: legacies are extremely important to St Dunstan’s and we are very grateful for every bequest we receive, whatever its value.

How to leave a legacy

How do I make a Will?

Making a Will is very important but not as hard as you may think. Remembering a charity along with your loved ones can have a huge and positive impact for those you choose to benefit. As a registered charity (no 312747), all legacy gifts to St Dunstan's are completely free of IHT. Gifts can be of a specified amount (pecuniary gift) or a portion of your estate (residuary gift).

I already have a Will, so how do I add St Dunstan's to it?

Reviewing your Will regularly is important as tax law and personal circumstances do change. You can always make small alterations to an existing Will by completing a Codicil.

Do I need a solicitor when making or amending my Will or writing a Codicil?

We strongly advise you see a solicitor when seeking to write or update your Will and/or your Codicil. Visit the Law Society website to find a solicitor near you at www.lawsociety.org.uk.

I can only leave a small legacy - is it still worthwhile?

Any legacy left to St Dunstan's College plays a vital role in ensuring the education and facilities at the College are stae of the art for generations to come. We are extremely grateeul for every gift bequeathed to us, no matter the size. Whatever you can give, you have our deepest thanks.

If you decide to remember the College in your will, do please let us know by filling out our Pledge Form HERE so that we can keep in touch and let you know how gifts like yours are supporting the College and its students.

The Albam Exorna Legacy Society

The Albam Exorna Society was established to recognise those who have left a bequest to St Dunstan's college in their Will and who wish to be recognised publicly. It is our opportunity to thank all our legacy donors during their lifetime. Membership of the Society is entirely optional as we understand you may wish to keep your intention private.

We organise an annual lunch in the Spring for all members which is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate your generosity as well as for you to share memories from your time at the College with like minded Dunstonian donors. As a member of the Society, you also receive regular updates on how legacies are having a significant impact on the life of students at the College and you are invited to special College events such as Remembrance Day or Commemoration Day. 

All communications regarding legacies and /or legacy pledge forms remain strictly confidential.

St Dunstan's Educational Foundation Charity number is 3112747.

There are a number of ways you can support St Dunstan’s College. All donations, large or small, are precious  and meaningful regardless of the amount. You can give in a number of ways:

You can MAKE A DONATION which can take the form of:

• an online single donation HERE called a "Single Direct Debit Donation" or through the payment platform Stripe on our alumni software SDConnect HERE (you will need to be a registered member of SDConnect)
• a single donation by cheque or electronic transfer by downloading  our form HERE
• a regular donation by direct debit by downloading  our DD Form HERE or by setting it up online HERE
• employee match funding scheme: many organisations offer match funding schemes as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, whereby the employer matches the amount you donate by an equal value of donation.

• for current parents, a regular gift can be made by adding a donation to your termly fee invoice or by opting to gift your deposit when your child leaves St Dunstan’s College. Please contact our Finance Department directly at finance@stdunstans.org.uk to organise.

You can MAKE A LEGACY PLEDGE  to be included in your Will and let us know by filling out our Pledge Form HERE. 

Pledging a legacy enables you to make a charitable gift in your Will, which has not cost to you during your lifetime. We recommend you contact your solicitor to either draft your Will or a Codicil to your existing Will.