QuIET Fundraising Group Meeting

This month’s meeting of the QuIET/BHS Fundraising Group took place on Wednesday, 25 May at 4pm GMT, 6pm Lebanon time. As usual, several Trustees are joined by the Principal, Bursar and Marketing Manager as well as a close US Friend of the school with a wealth of experience in fundraising. Items on the agenda this month were the US campaign, with Principal Gray set to visit the US in autumn to meet with Quaker Meetings, Quaker Schools, Old Scholars and other individuals in a position to support the school. The Gulf strategy was also considered and it is still hoped BHS will be able to visit the region again towards the end of the year, as it had done to Dubai at the end of November 2021. The continued planning for and proposed establishment of a Legacy Society was discussed, as was the endowment campaign to help secure the school’s sustainability with a self-financing facility for 100 student bursaries each year. The excellent British Yearly Meeting presentation by David Gray and Sarah Barrett on Saturday, 21 May was shared, with many Friends in attendance and very engaged with what was said, and several very motivated to support. Other items discussed were BHS tea towels for sale in Lebanon, the hiring of a Quaker teacher volunteer with a vast amount of experience for next academic year and further preparation for UK and other international schools to visit Brummana for next year’s BHS Model United Nations marking the 150th anniversary of the school, amongst other points.