No. 139 The Trusty Servant
Al Gordon photographed by his own plaque in Cloisters
Equally he believed that regular sports and“ staying in shape” was of immense importance; and he practised what he preached, running the London marathon when he was in his 80s( at the time the oldest man to finish the marathon course) and living to 107.
He planned that his Fund should help with the Sports programme at the School, and since being established the Fund has sought to help where additional monies could make a real difference. Over the last 21 years the Fund’ s contribution includes:
1) help on an annual basis towards coaching, particularly for soccer, cricket, squash and athletic development. It is planned that this programme will be extended to cover some girls’ sports;
2) financial support for the original Astro turf in KP, now replaced by the two girls’ houses;
3) the levelling and relaying of Gater field;
4) help in designing and financial support for the School’ s Sports Scholarship programme;
5) a significant contribution towards the new Sports Centre, particularly the six new squash courts, now named the‘ Albert Gordon Squash Centre’; and
6) a contribution, made alongside Winchester College Society, towards some of the OW sports teams, in particular sailing( the OWs are the holders of the Arrow Trophy, the unofficial public school championship) and football, plus the costs of running Nevin Pot( the OW Winchester Football tournament).
At its latest meeting the Fund also agreed to support, from September 2025 onwards, an additional Sports scholarship, to be named after Albert Gordon, to be awarded to any outstanding sportsman or sportswoman joining the School at VI th Book.
It is worth mentioning one other part of the Gordon Fund’ s activities. For many years the Fund supported a young American graduate spending an academic year at Winchester, helping in the classroom and on the sports field. This programme allowed Winchester to benefit from the presence of some outstanding Americans and two of them, Amanda Talboys( née Chain) and Nathaniel Allan, now serve on the Fund’ s Committee. After some 15 years this programme has had to cease, not for lack of good candidates, but because the Government’ s immigration changes have made it impossible to get the necessary visa. It is hoped that this problem can be overcome and that this part of the programme can start again.
The Fund Committee, chaired by Dan Gordon with his brother John as cochair, meets once a year in Winchester to discuss with the Warden, Headmaster and Director of Sport how the
School’ s programme is developing and determine where the Fund’ s resources can best be used. It will be clear that the Committee’ s purpose is to work with the grain of the School’ s own commitment to sport, encouraging where it can by reference to North American precedents, and supplementing with financial help where additional funds can make a difference.
It is hoped that OWs, who feel they have benefited from their sport at Winchester and share the Fund’ s commitment to making the School a great home for the Scholar Athlete, might consider making a contribution towards the Fund, knowing that it will go in its entirety to helping Wykehamist sport. If interested, they should contact Melanie Bushell( mb @ wincoll. ac. uk) who can direct any donation to the Fund. Every fund loves a significant donor, but in this case it is notable that small amounts can make a difference, particularly towards the cost of outside specialty coaches. For example, the Fund has made possible the fast bowler coach who has helped to make the Lords’ opening attack a force to be reckoned with. Three wins in a row against Eton at cricket, and the demolition of the Harrow XI earlier this season, have not happened by chance!
The entrance to the Albert Gordon Squash Centre
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