Give the Gift of Education

Together, you can provide boys with life-changing opportunities.

2017 YGB donors' names here 

An Education for All

Needs-based bursaries are vital for opening the doors to driven students who would otherwise not be able to attend BGS, and to ensuring diversity at the School.

Over the past year, 65 BGS Old Boys gifted approximately $1.5M to bursaries, including year-group bursaries (1943, 1966, 1979/80, 1982), Jamie Pherous ’85, Simon Fenwick ’86, Jim Truesdale ’43 and the Heath-Huxley and Pullar families.

These gifts provide essential financial assistance to deserving students, helping them to embark on their BGS journey. It is a journey where each student is challenged to rise to their best, where individual talents are nurtured in a caring and supportive environment, allowing students to grow into thoughtful and confident young men of character who contribute to their communities.

The impact of a BGS bursary can best be explained by those who receive them. In 2017 Archie Attwooll graduated from the School after attending BGS on a bursary funded by the 1966 year group. Archie, who comes from a rural Queensland town of just 100 people, said the bursary had changed his life.

“There were three people in my year group and 32 kids in the whole school when I left home to become a boarder at BGS,” he said. “Year 9 was pretty tough adapting, but I made really close mates and loved it from then on. The bursary gave me the opportunity to attend BGS and opened new doors.”

His father, BGS Old Boy Scott Attwooll ’87, said Archie had developed into a mature young man while at the School. “An education is so important and there is no comparison to BGS,” he said. “Without a bursary it wouldn’t have been possible, so we’re very thankful.”

BGS Old Boys Ross Parry and Bob Hunter were two of the 18 Old Boys from the Class of 1966 who funded Archie’s bursary. Both emphasised the importance of philanthropy for those with the means.

“My father didn’t have an education, but his greatest priority was to educate his kids, and he made many sacrifices to make that happen,” Dr Parry said. “I was fortunate to receive a great education and have a career where I’ve been able to give back.”

Mr Hunter attended BGS on a bursary and was happy to contribute to see other students gain the same opportunities. “My dad came from Belfast and escaped a terrible situation there to start a life in Australia, so the bursary made a big difference for our family.”

Headmaster Anthony Micallef said BGS aimed to nurture an inclusive community, where students from varied backgrounds combined to live the core values of endeavour, learning, respect, leadership, and community.

“The transformative potential of a BGS education, through incredible academic, extracurricular and cultural opportunities, is immeasurable,” he said. “We need people from different backgrounds to get a broad view of the world and bursaries help to make that diversity possible.”

(L to R): Ross Parry, Ann-Maree Attwooll (mother), Archie Attwooll, Scott Attwooll (father), Bob Hunter, Anthony Micallef.

Year Group Bursaries

Every year group is encouraged to support our vision to provide the gift of education, now and for future generations. While each year group will have different circumstances and drivers, this initiative will collectively make a significant difference to young men in financial need.

The initial amount raised and invested by each year-group is not critical; the focus is on creating an initial fund and committing to grow the fund into the future. Not everyone gives the same amount – some are able to give more, some less – but all contributions are significant*.

Since 2017, donations to Year Group Bursaries have been invested in the BGS Bursary Fund, which operates as an endowment fund, with invested capital maintained in perpetuity. Income generated by the capital investment is utilised in accordance with DGR guidelines and drawn upon to offer needs-based bursaries.

Donors listed on the YGB pages include Old Boys, who have supported their peer year, and parents, who have made voluntary contributions through school fees in 2017 and 2018. Information is based on Giving Data from the start of 2017 to the present.

For more information please refer to Frequently Asked Questions

*All gifts, regardless of size, make a difference and are tax deductible.

For information about your Year Group Bursary, please contact:

Inma Beaumont

Executive Director -
Advancement and Community Relations
E inma.beaumont@brisbanegrammar.com
T +61 7 3834 5212