Education is key to solving many conflicts, President tells AGM
Our President, Estelle Morris, told the Annual General Meeting this month that there is even more need for the Educational Opportunity Foundation and the education projects we support at a time when the world is facing such a difficult period. Baroness Morris of Yardley said that having read the Annual Report she felt optimistic.
“If you look at history there have been times when the world has not been in a great place and it’s at those times that we can make most difference. I struggle to think of a time where education was a cause of conflict but can think of every example where education is the solution.
“We know from history, that as we come out of those difficult times, building schools and educating children, and educating young adults, in lots of different circumstances are going to be key to achieving opportunity for all.”
Delegates saw video updates from three Grant Partners, drawn from the Annual Report, on the impact of the projects the Foundation funded and the way they had transformed young people’s education and life chances.
Director Joanne Knight shared with the AGM a summary of some of our work in 2023 including:
- The 21 grants given by the Displacement Education Fund to support young people in the UK and worldwide who have been displaced by conflict.
- A review of our UK grant-giving which confirmed our priority focus on care experienced young people and highlighted what works well in educational projects to support them.
- Signing up to the Funders Commitment on Climate Change to pay our part in tackling the issue.
- Agreeing a five-year financial plan which included the difficult decision Trustees made to reduce the new grant budget so we can continue to protect the value of our investments for future grant giving.
Treasurer David Baron introduced the Annual Financial Statements, which were approved by Members, along with the minutes from last years’ AGM and SGM, and the reappointment of Begbies as the 2024 auditor. He pointed out that the charity will pay out £1.4million next year including new and existing multi-year grants, so the reduction in the new grant budget will come in future years.
Estelle Morris thanked David and outgoing Vice-Chair Joy Palmer Cooper and congratulated their successors: new Treasurer Robert Spencer and new Vice–Chair and long-time Trustee Charlotte Cashman. She also welcomed three newly elected Trustees Jeanette Brady, Alex Macdonald and Davinder Dosanjh and congratulated Anood Al-Samerai on her re-election for a second term. You can find out more about them here.
Estelle Morris also thanked Ricardo and Rodrigo Lopez-Portillo y Lancaster-Jones, direct descendants of Joseph Lancaster, who joined the online meeting from Mexico.
Before the formal business of the AGM began, Chair Jane Creasy confirmed that the Charity Commission and Privy Council had approved our change of name and told delegates the charity was to be known as Educational Opportunity Foundation, from the day after the AGM. She added we would also use a strapline which promotes our connection to Joseph Lancaster and history: Improving life chances worldwide since 1808.