Posted on 30th April 2009
School pupils from Oxford will learn about philanthropy by donating £50 of Alec Reed’s money to a charity of their choice through the Big Give.
Twenty four children aged 11-12 from the Dragon School will each use the website to decide which of 5,000 registered charities they would like to give a £50 voucher provided by Reed. The children will be taught about Gift Aid and how to give intelligently.
Reed said he hoped to see other similar schemes being set up. “I want to encourage more people to use their wealth to help inspire the next generation of philanthropists,” he said.
The pupils will also put together arguments to encourage further support for their chosen causes. In June, the five best proposals will be presented to Reed, who may make further personal donations.
The independent preparatory school organises lessons and workshops for the children to learn about the financial, as well as the ethical, aspects of charitable giving.
The Big Give is an initiative of the Reed Foundation, a member of the Association of Charitable Foundations.
