The inaugural Pangbourne Giving Day has been celebrated as an outstanding success, with the Pangbournian Community raising an incredible £21,106 over 30 hours of giving to mark 30 years of co-education at the College.

As Pangbourne’s very first Giving Day, the scale of support and generosity shown by pupils, parents, staff, Old Pangbournians and friends of the College exceeded all expectations. With further donations still being received and the final matched contribution from a generous donor yet to be confirmed, the total raised is expected to grow even further.

The funds raised will support both the Transforming Futures initiative and the Pangbourne College Community Fund, helping to provide life-changing Sixth Form bursaries as well as supporting local educational charities and community initiatives. Together, these programmes create opportunities that have a genuine and lasting impact on young people’s futures.

Remarkably, the amount raised means the College is now close to fully funding an entire transformational Sixth Form bursary for one pupil for a full academic year, an extraordinary achievement for a first-time event and a powerful demonstration of what the Pangbourne community can accomplish together.

Adding to the momentum, every donation made during the 30 hours of giving was matched by a generous donor, doubling the impact of every gift and inspiring even greater participation across the College community.

One of the most symbolic achievements of the day came through the Divisional fundraising challenge. In fitting alignment with the spirit of the 100% Colour Run, every Division smashed its fundraising target, achieving 100%. The depth of support and generosity from Old Pangbournians online, who backed the Divisions with enthusiasm and pride, was great to see. Representing generations stretching from the 1950s through to the 2010s, OPs and the wider Community played a key role in driving momentum and reinforcing the strength of the Pangbournian Community across time. Their involvement added a unique and meaningful dimension to the event, highlighting the lasting connection between the College and its alumni.

The 100% Colour Run itself was a major highlight of the day, bringing together the whole community in an atmosphere of energy, colour and celebration. Students took on a demanding course around the College grounds, with outstanding performances across the board. Some runners powered through with real pace, surging confidently towards the finish line, while others showed determination and perseverance to complete the challenge at their own rhythm. What stood out most was the inclusivity of the event, every student had the opportunity to take part, regardless of ability and every effort was met with encouragement and pride from peers, staff and spectators. The result was a powerful display of unity, determination and school spirit. 

Across the Quad, Divisional fundraising stalls brought creativity, humour and plenty of friendly competition to the festivities. Students and staff organised a wide range of imaginative activities, including “Guess the Teacher from the Baby Photo”, “Pin the Moustache on the Head”, sponge-throwing challenges that left teachers happily soaked and the crowd favourite “Splat the Macquarie Elk”, where students dressed as Elks dodged water balloons thrown by enthusiastic participants. The stalls created a vibrant carnival atmosphere and showcased the energy, teamwork and personality of each Division.

Beyond the impressive fundraising total, Giving Day showcased something even more meaningful: the strength, generosity and unity of the Pangbournian Community. Students were able to see firsthand the positive impact that collective giving can have and the opportunities it can create for others.

Oli Knight, Head said, “To raise over £21,000 during our very first Giving Day is a truly incredible achievement and far beyond what we could have imagined. The enthusiasm, generosity and community spirit shown throughout the event was exceptional and students experienced, first hand, what it means to be a force for good in an imperfect world. These funds will help transform lives through providing transformational bursary support to care-experienced young people while also supporting important local educational and community causes through the Pangbourne College Community Fund. We are enormously grateful to everyone who helped make this event such a success.”

The success of the inaugural Giving Day has set a strong benchmark for future events and highlighted the enduring strength of the Pangbournian Community,  proving that when the community comes together, extraordinary things can happen.

Thank you to everyone who showed their support!