This Year's Gilligan Family Travel Award is Launched

Find out more about The Gilligan Family Travel Award

The Gilligan Family Travel Award is very generously provided by Jonathan and Philip Gilligan, who are both Old Edwardians, in memory of their mother Mrs Joan Gilligan, who passed away in May 2015, having taught French and German at KES prior to her retirement. The award also commemorates their father, Bill who led fundraising initiatives at the School, and their late brother, Simon who was also an OE.

Mrs Gilligan had herself kindly provided a travel fund over many years, supporting a number of pupils at KES in their study of modern languages and experience of other cultures. Post COVID her sons, Jonathan and Philip, wished to continue the award, but also to increase access by inviting applications from all pupils, in Years 10-13, who are keen to undertake purposeful travel and to deepen their understanding of other cultures and countries.

King Edward's is very grateful to Jonathan and Philip for continuing the Gilligan family’s commitment to King Edward’s with this award, and for building on their mother’s legacy to give today’s pupils opportunities through travel both to broaden their horizons and to develop a greater understanding of different cultures and countries.

Objective of the award

The award, which will be made annually, will help a pupil to fund a trip which may be overseas or within the UK. The trip must have an educational focus and should ideally include an official activity or programme specifically aimed at broadening cultural understanding and/or improving knowledge and ability.

Eligibility

Pupils in Years 10-13 at King Edward’s School may apply for the award. 

The Award

One or more awards may be made each year, up to a maximum value of £1,500 each.

Procedure for applications

A letter of application should be sent to the Headmaster. The application should contain details of how the trip will provide educational merit and/or provide in-depth opportunities to improve knowledge and/or skills. A statement of expenditure should also be included, giving as accurate a breakdown as possible of the expected costs of the trip, including travel, accommodation, meals and the courses or activity to be undertaken.

The Award opens in September 2022 and applications should be submitted by 31 January 2023. A decision on the awards being given will be made before the end of the Spring Term. It would normally be envisaged that trips would take place during the Summer holiday, although Easter expeditions would not be discounted. For those pupils in Year 13, the trip could be undertaken in the Summer immediately after leaving KES.

Selection criteria

Applications will be considered in terms of the educational merit of the proposed trip, the quality of the proposed travel and the cultural/learning experience, the financial outline and the presentation of the information. Consideration will also be given to the extent of personal development to be gained though the proposed trip. It is recognised that many of the trips being considered will be solo or small group ventures, and therefore an opportunity that is more likely to appeal to older pupils. Should the award be oversubscribed, the School may give priority to applications from older pupils, recognising that those at the younger end of the age range are likely to have further opportunities to apply in the future.

Conditions

On completion of the trip, the successful applicant(s) must submit a formal report for Jonathan and Philip Gilligan. This should include a summary of the activity undertaken and how they have benefited from the experience. The report can be a document with photos or a digital equivalent – eg a video log. As well as receiving feedback from the Gilligans, successful applicants will be formally presented with a Gilligan Family Travel Award certificate by the School, which can be included on their CV.

Examples of possible trips

• ­Pupils may apply for an award to help fund a school organised trip eg Kenya
• Volunteering schemes abroad or in the UK
• Tour to visit specific sites of historic, cultural or scientific interest
• Language or other knowledge or skills-based course/exchange in a foreign country
• Archaeological dig in the UK/abroad