Benefactors Reception honours Perse legacy and future

On Saturday 6 June, The Perse School welcomed 83 benefactors, supporters and members of the School community for this year’s Benefactors Reception. The event brought together those who play a vital role in supporting the School’s continued success, while celebrating its remarkable scientific heritage through the unveiling of plaques honouring three Nobel Prize-winning alumni.

The afternoon began with a warm welcome from Head Ed Elliott, setting the tone for an occasion that balanced celebration, reflection and gratitude. Guests gathered to hear the story of John Clarke, whose remarkable journey from Perse student to Nobel Prize winner provided a powerful thread throughout the event.

Ed Elliott shared words from Professor John Clarke, who reflected on his time at The Perse and offered a personal insight into his work and achievements: “I have spent a good deal of time thinking about my career. My 12 years at the Perse played a pivotal role. Because I was so highly educated I spent my three years as an undergraduate living in Christ’s College. This provided more time for me to study and resulted in my becoming a research student at a leading research laboratory.”

Attendees were then welcomed by Tom Keith-Roach, President of AstraZeneca UK, who then unveiled a plaque in honour of John Clarke. The moment was marked with a toast proposed by Ed Elliott, recognising both Professor Clarke’s extraordinary achievements and the wider significance of his work. As a former bursary student, his success stands as a compelling example of the transformative impact that access to education, and the generosity of benefactors, can have, not only on individual lives but on the advancement of society as a whole.

The reception also celebrated the wider legacy of scientific excellence at The Perse, recognising fellow Nobel Prize-winning alumni Ronald G. W. Norrish and George Paget Thomson. As Head Ed Elliott reflected: “These plaques celebrate three extraordinary Perse alumni whose discoveries helped shape modern scientific understanding across physics and chemistry. Their achievements continue to inspire our students today and reflect the spirit of curiosity, intellectual ambition and innovation that has long been part of life at The Perse.”

Throughout the afternoon, guests enjoyed refreshments accompanied by a string quartet, before being invited to tour the School’s laboratories. Led by prefects, these visits offered insight into the School’s current approach to science education and research, drawing a clear connection between its distinguished past and its forward-looking present.

The afternoon served as both a celebration of The Perse’s rich heritage and a reminder of the vital role benefactors play in shaping its future, ensuring that generations of students are supported, inspired and able to achieve at the highest level.