Tower and Town, February 2021 (view the full edition)The Kempson Rosedale Enterprise Trust[Please see also Barney Rosedale's Everest photos in the gallery section of this issue] Older readers will remember 'G' Kempson, a remarkable Marlborough citizen and Mayor, scholar, teacher and College housemaster, governor of the then Marlborough Grammar School, and member of two pre-war Everest expeditions. He inspired many people of all ages with his lively enthusiasm for natural and local history and mountaineering: two of the members of the successful Everest team in 1953 were his pupils. When he died in 1987, the Kempson Enterprise Trust was established in his memory and honour, with the generosity of the many he had inspired, to encourage sixth-formers at both Marlborough schools to undertake a wide range of activities which could enlarge and enrich their lives. Since 1989 the Trust has made grants to young people every year, except 2020: crewing on tall ships; first ascents in the mountains of Kazakhstan; teaching posts in Africa, South America and India; diving in the Red Sea; helping on an archaeological dig; and even a parachute jump. So many lives enriched. By 2009 it was clear to the Trustees that with a declining income due to the financial crisis, lower interest rates and fewer friends who remembered 'G', we could only be able to make worthwhile grants for a few more years. Then in the final days of 2009 Rupert Rosedale was killed in an avalanche on the wintery slopes of Ben Nevis. Son of a local GP and a St John's pupil, Rupert was well on his way to a career as mountain guide and had spent a decade as head of Outdoor Activities at the College. Like 'G', his life and work crossed the divide between the Marlborough schools and he inspired generations of young people; among many achievements, he led expeditions to wild and challenging mountainous places around the world and restarted the College's participation in the Devizes to Westminster canoe race each Easter. As a result of the generous donations given in his memory the Trust has been renamed, strengthened and able to continue the work of helping young people to expand their horizons and explore the world. For a good many years now, the Trust has established an Autumn lecture. This last year Vanessa Folkerts, the youngest European to climb Everest, gave a talk (by Zoom from San Francisco) about her ascent. The talks are partly to fundraise, but more to show our fellow-men and -children that the world is diverse and rich and threatened. At a time of petty divisions and narrow nationalisms this may be more important than we can imagine. The Trust has an excellent website: www.kretrust.com. Please support us to continue this contribution to a saner world. Contributions may be made via the website or by cheque to the Treasurer, KRET, 8 Southview Place, Marlborough SN8 1DD |