Autumn Ball raises £15,000……….Thank you!
We are delighted to announce that last Friday’s (11th October) Autumn Ball raised £15,000+ for the Fund.
First and foremost it was a lovely evening, enjoyed by 140 friends and supporters in the beautiful Farnham Castle.
We would like to thank Geraldine, Kathy, Howard and Andrew for once again donating their lovely venue and all of their time in making the ball such a success. We would also like to thank all of their staff, from the team that arranged the event to the catering and waiting staff on the night. They were so professional and friendly making the dinner a relaxed and enjoyable evening.
Finally, a big thank you to all those who attended! Without your support, both on the evening and throughout the year, the Fund could not continue to directly support so many young children through their education in Liberia.
Autumn Ball-Update (30/08/24)
We are thrilled to say that, as of today, we have sold 123 tickets and are very close to a full house for this forthcoming event. If you haven’t booked your table yet the details are as below.
We look forward to seeing you and once again thank Cathy, Andy, Geraldine and Howard for their generous support in enabling this wonderful event and, of course, those of you who have booked tickets once more.
We look forward to seeing you on the 11th.
Autumn Ball 2024
Last year we had a hugely successful and enjoyable evening at Farnham Castle (reported below) and we are delighted to advise that, by popular demand, we are reprising the Autumn Ball this year on October 11th.
Thank you once again to the team at Farnham Castle, led by Cathy and Andy Wells, Howard and Geraldine Lupton, whose generous support has made this possible. Andy & Howard are from Sean’s Class of 1982 and we really appreciate their support and that of their wonderful team.
The only admin you need to know is that you book your tickets with Farnham Castle at events@farnhamcastle.com and you make the payments to SDCF on the Merchandise page of this website.
Annual Quiz Night
We are delighted to announce the date of our next Annual Quiz as Saturday 3rd February 2024. It will once again be held at Salesian College Farnborough with the slightly earlier start time of 6.30.
This is always a good fun night and further details will be posted shortly.
What a lovely evening!!!!
A huge thank you to well over 100 supporters who came along to the Autumn Ball last Friday (29th September) and made the event such an memorable evening. In the beautiful surroundings of Farnham Castle we enjoyed lovely food, good company and dancing that definitely aligned with the audience!
This will be a very successful fundraiser and SDCF would like to formally thank the whole of the Farnham Castle team who generously donated the evening and organised and managed the event so well.
In the meantime, here are just a few photos that go some way to capturing the evening.
Autumn Ball-Tickets Update
With over 100 tickets sold we have just a few left on a first come-first served basis.
All the details for what promises to be a lovely evening at the stunning Farnham Castle are in the article below.
We look forward to seeing you in a week or so!
Dinner Dance-September 2023
We are very pleased to announce that we are holding a fundraising Autumn Ball at Farnham Castle on September 29th.
Thanks to the kind generosity of Farnham Castle, all ticket proceeds will go directly to SDCF. The promotional flyer, published by Farnham Castle, that provides full details is pictured below.
To enquire about tickets, please contact Farnham Castle on 01252 720402 or email events@farnhamcastle.com
Please pay for your tickets by secure payment HERE.
Payment is only via this website, and once you have paid, you will receive a confirmation of your booking from Farnham Castle.
Tickets are £95 per person and you can purchase tickets individually, or book tables of 8-10.
Walk for Sean 2023
The 2023 Walk for Sean is just around the corner on the 5th March 2023. This year it is taking place in Farnborough and the key details are below:
The WFS is open to all who want to take part and is a gentle 5Km walk starting (1pm) and returning to the Sean Devereux 6th Form centre at Salesian College Farnborough.
We are also specifically looking for at least 30 supporters (anywhere in the world) to commit to walking 30 miles and to each raise £100, culminating with the last few miles on March 5th.Ideally these last few miles would be walked in Farnborough at the “Walk for Sean” although we know this may not be possible for all of the 30.
Teas, cakes and refreshments will be available
Entry is £10 per person (£15 for a family); if you can raise a little sponsor income for your efforts, please do so. All payments, (including any sponsor income) can be made as below:
Pay on the day, Cash or Credit/Debit cards
Pay online via this website by clicking on our secure payments site HERE
All proceeds of course go to educating children in Liberia
If you are planning to join us on the 5th March (or volunteering for the “30 for 30” challenge) please email us to let us know so that we can plan for both marshalling and refreshments (admin@seandevereux.org.uk)
The images below are 5 of our “30 for 30” volunteers, Theresa, Mark, Helen & Patrick and Dale. Thank you for their efforts and we hope that you can join us.
Quiz Night 4th Feb:
We have 2 great events coming up, both of which have proved hugely popular in years gone by.
The Quiz, open to any team, will take place at Salesian College on the 4th February. Defending champions “The Class of ‘82” are there to be challenged.
Details are available directly below and spaces are filling rapidly.
The Walk for Sean is of course the event that was postponed in September 2022 due to the Queen’s death.
It will be a 5km sponsored walk and, this year to mark Sean’s anniversary, will be held in Farnborough on the 5th March with walkers gathering at the Sean Devereux 6th Form building. The key details are listed below:
5th March, 13.00hrs, Salesian College, Farnborough
5km walk, all flat from Sean Devereux 6th Form building around Polo fields-Suit all abilities & ages. The walk will be marshalled at all key points.
We are looking to try and raise £5,000. Every penny goes into supporting the education of the children in Liberia and at this time there are over 200 children receiving full-time education that would not otherwise do so.
The Theme is “30 for 30”
We are specifically looking for at least 30 supporters (anywhere in the world) to commit to walking 30 miles and to each raise £100, culminating with the last few miles on March 5th.Ideally these last few miles would be walked in Farnborough at the “Walk for Sean” although we know this may not be possible for all of the 30.
For supporters who cannot commit to the “30 for 30” we would like to invite you to take part in the more leisurely “Walk for Sean”. This leisurely walk is followed by refreshments back at the school . The entry price is just £10 (or £15 for a family group) and there will of course be a raffle.
For those committing to the “30 for 30” sponsorship:
You arrange your own sponsorship to raise £100 and submit your sponsorship either via our website HERE , on the day of the Walk or via a cheque made payable to the Sean Devereux Children’s Fund
For all those commiting to the “30 for 30” we will send you a commemorative “30 for 30” T-shirt to use during your walk
Send us photos or videos of your walk for use on our website and Social Media
For all others, please email us via the website to tell us you are coming and to help us manage the numbers. You can pay your entry fee online or on the day via cash or card
More details of the event will be published on this site, Facebook and Instagram. We look forward to seeing you and commemorating Sean’s anniversary with this very special walk.
Walk for Sean 2022-"30 for 30”
In January 2023 it will be 30 years since Sean was murdered in Somalia.
We will of course be commemorating this and remembering Sean with a number of events throughout this time, including a special memorial mass early in the New Year.
Our first event will actually be the 2022 “Walk for Sean” on September 18th which this year will be taking the theme “30 for 30”.
It will of course be the usual fun family day to which everyone is welcome to participate at the Sean Devereux Park in Yateley.
However, as a fund raising event we are specifically looking for at least 30 supporters (anywhere in the world) to commit to walking 30 miles and to each raise £100, culminating with the last few miles on September 18th.Ideally these last few miles would be walked in Yateley at the “Walk for Sean” although we know this may not be possible for all of the 30.
For supporters who cannot commit to the “30 for 30” we would like to invite you to take part in the more leisurely “Walk for Sean”. You will be familiar with this 5km walk for all ages and abilities which is followed by a BBQ, bouncy castle (strictly for the children!) and of course essential re-hydration. The entry price is just £10 and there will of course be a raffle.
What happens next?
If you would like to be amongst the 30 walkers, please email admin@seandevereux.org.uk. Just confirm whether you will be doing your 30 miles to finish at Yateley on September 18th or remotely. We will confirm that you are one of the “30 for 30” walkers by return.
You arrange your own sponsorship to raise £100 and submit your sponsorship either via our website HERE , on the day of the Walk or via a cheque made payable to the Sean Devereux Children’s Fund
For all those commiting to the “30 for 30” we will send you a commemorative “30 for 30” T-shirt to use during your walk
Send us photos or videos of your walk for use on our website and Social Media
For all others who want to be part of the “Walk for Sean 2022”, please let us know that you plan to attend via the email address above. Entry is just £10 per walker and you can pay on the day with cash, debit/credit or online if you prefer.
We will post further updates on this site during the next few weeks and really look forward to seeing you on the 18th September.
This year we are trying to raise £5000 through the generosity of your support and time. Every penny goes into supporting the education of the children in Liberia and at this time there are over 200 children receiving full-time education that would not otherwise do so.
There is no more fitting reminder of the work that Sean started and you are helping to continue.
Forthcoming Events
Our next 2 events are currently planned for:
Sunday June 19th: A very special Cricket Match
A 20-20 cricket match between a SDCF team and a Pete Spelman xi. Pete was a contemporary of Sean from the Class of ‘82 and sadly lost his live last year having suffered from MND. This event, which we hope to make an annual game, will be a family fun day at the Salesian College playing fields and any money raised will be split between SDCF and a Motor Neurone Disease charity. Full details will follow on this website.
Sunday 18th September: The 2022 Walk for Sean
Once again, our major annual fundraiser will be the Walk for Sean. This is always a lovely day out as well as an opportunity to raise money to support all our projects in Liberia. Last year we raised over £5000 that paid to refurbish the toilet facilities at the school. This project was vital to support attendance at the school, health and security and represents a real improvement for the children.
Further details will follow on this site, Facebook and Instagram but do please put the date in your diary.
The English Chamber Orchestra:
At this time it has not been possible to rearrange the event that was twice postponed due to the pandemic. Both parties wish to do so and we will announce details as soon as we can, For those who paid for the first event and did not seek a refund, tickets will of course still be honoured or refunded.
2022 Quiz Night: Saturday 26th March (updated)
This year’s ever-popular Quiz Night will be held on Saturday 26th March at the Salesian College in Farnborough. The re-arranged date will now provide the opportunity to once again enjoy the delights of good company, a fiendish quiz, and good food and drink.
We are, as ever, grateful to Salesian College and the PTA for hosting the 2022 Quiz Night.
You can now register your team by downloading and completing the form downloadable below:
Entry Form.
Get your entries in early and we look forward to welcoming you on March 26th.
“Walk for Sean 2021-September 19th (Yateley +anywhere in the world!)
We are delighted to announce that, after a virtual Walk last year, we are planning both a real live Walk in 2021.
This will be our 5th “Walk for Sean” and is our major fundraiser in the year. After the challenges of the last 15-18 months, we are looking forward to seeing as many of our supporters in Yateley, whilst also inviting the participation of anyone, anywhere in the world.
We are looking for at least 100 supporters to each raise £50 by taking part in the 2021 “Walk for Sean”, in so doing raising £5000.
The £5000 will be to substantially improve the toilet block and associated facilities at our Brewerville school, as well as helping to maintain hygiene and safety during the time of Covid.
Here are the key details:
The WFS will be a 5km walk at Sean Devereux Park, Yateley on the 19th September, starting at 1pm.
The day will feature the WALK, and there will also be a BBQ, bouncy castle,bar and refreshments. It is a fun day for all ages and a chance to meet up and see old friends!
The Walk is a leisurely, largely flat countryside walk that suits all ages.
You can also do your own WFS anywhere in world on the same day or anytime until Christmas 2021 to suit you
WFS can also include running, swimming, cycling if that suits you and your individual challenge better.
Please send us your photos, videos etc of all training or efforts from around the world and we will post them on this site, in our newsletters and on Facebook/Instagram.
The 5km walk on the day can be the culmination of your efforts, or the start of your challenge, the choice is yours.
There is a registration fee of £10 for each participant and everyone will receive a “Limited Edition WFS 2021 T-shirt” (pic to follow).
Register via the donate button with your Name, WFS 2021, T-Shirt size and either the words ATTEND or REMOTE
If preferred you can register by email at admin@seandevereux.org.uk with the same details as above and a “PAY ON THE DAY” option if attending.
T-shirts will be distributed at WFS if attending. If you are doing the WFS remotely, we will happily post but would ask for £3pp UK or £5pp Overseas
Please do register, even if undertaking WFS remotely, so that we can plan for the day and make it the greatest possible success
Anyone participating will also be entitled to a £5 off voucher for our soon to be re-arranged English Chamber Orchestra Concert
The event will be undertaken in accordance with all guidelines that pertain at the time. However, as an outdoor event, we anticipate no problems.
We very much look forward to seeing you, hearing from you and sharing with you the opportunity to further help the schoolchildren of Liberia
English Chamber Orchestra-Fundraising Concert Postponed
The English Chamber Orchestra and Sean Devereux Children’s Fund are disappointed to announce the postponement of the charity concert due to take place on the 2nd July in Farnborough.
This postponement follows the Government’s most recent delay to the removal of social restrictions.
Clearly the safety and enjoyment of the paying public, the musicians and the students involved in the workshops and concerts is our clear priority.
We will announce the new date for the concert very soon on our websites and social media. This will most likely be in the early Autumn as we very much want to maintain the planned Close Encounters project with All Hallows Catholic School and Salesian College.
This is a difficult time for all those involved in the provision of live music and of course charity so we very much hope that we can welcome you the charity concert on the revised date.
Thank you for your support and please do visit the website of the ECO, http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/, for details all our activity and programmes, as well as on this site for latest news.
For all those who have purchased a ticket already via Eventbrite, we will be contacting you shortly with regards to your ticket purchase.
A Huge Thank you!
2020 has been a hugely difficult year for everyone and it is therefore with huge gratitude that we thank everyone who took part in any way in our “unique WFS 2020”.
Thanks to your efforts, we raised just over £8000 to help us maintain Sean’s legacy in educating children in Liberia.
From New York to Newark and via the West Coast of Ireland, many people walked, rowed, cycled and bounced, supported generously by their friends and family and we are really grateful for every single contribution!
All monies will help keep children in education and help with the welfare of them and their families at this horrible time. As an example, in 2020 we have already advanced, in addition to school fees, over £4000 to help with COVID protection and awareness.
Our newsletter will give further details of how your contributions directly benefit the Liberian children, as evidenced by the picture at the top of this page.
“Walk for Sean 2020”
This year’s “Walk for Sean” is going to be very different to previous years, due, of course, to the global Coronavirus situation.
Sadly, we are not going to be able to get together as one group with an annual celebration of Sean’s life and fundraiser. However, we are still going ahead with a Global “Walk for Sean”.
You can take part in a Sponsored “Walk, Run, Cycle or Swim for Sean” but based in your own location and with just your family or socially distanced friends.
Join the worldwide Sean Devereux community by posting your images/films on Instagram/Facebook and via our website
Take part on any date between the 4th October (the originally scheduled date) and the 5th December 2020
Raise your money and use our VIRGIN MONEY page to pay in
For any family group/friends group that raised £100+ we could give one free Sean Devereux hoody and 2 t shirts*
For any family group/friends that raised £50+ we could give 2 free Sean Devereux t shirts*
*subject to stock/size availability
Like all charities, we need to continue to raise money, in this case for children in Liberia who are suffering all the same challenges as ourselves but starting from a significantly lower base.
Thank you very much for supporting the Sean Devereux Children’s Fund in all our activities.
Quiz Night-Saturday 8th February
The ever-popular quiz night will once again take place at the Salesian College on the 8th February. This occasion puts the “fun” in fundraiser and is always enjoyed by all those attending.
Teams should be a minimum of 8, max of 10 and entries need to be in by Jan 31st. To enter your team,just download and complete the attached form and return it to office@salesiancollege.com
“Beyond the Roadshow” with Andy McConnell from the BBC’s Antique Roadshow
A Huge thank you to Andy McConnell from the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow who richly entertained an audience of over 80 people last Saturday.
In doing so he helped us raise over £1300 for the Fund and we are really grateful for those who purchased tickets and took part in our raffle on the night.
With tales from his colourful journalistic past, to his contribution to one of the BBC’s most enduring and popular programmes, the audience had a good laugh whilst learning about his specialism-glass. We can all certainly now spot a Lalique when we see one?
We were grateful that Raquel Cassidy, our patron, took time off from her own busy schedule to attend the evening and meet so many of our supporters.
Our next fundraiser will very likely be in February 2020, the ever popular quiz night at Salesian College, Farnborough
“The Road to Monrovia”- We raised a staggering £8000+
Thank you to everyone who took part in any way. We can confirm that the event raised in excess of £8,000, every penny of which will allow us to directly support the education of children in Liberia.
The Family Fun Day -2-5pm 23RD jUNE 2019
Thank you to all who helped us celebrate completing the “Road to Monrovia” at the Family Funday.
Quiz Night Success
We held our Annual Quiz night on Saturday 9th February and once again, thanks to great support from over 300 people, raised £2400.
This is the equivalent of 13 sponsorship packages, a real boost to the Fund. The winners, “Don’t forget the Nuts” are pictured below, triumphing on a fiercely contested night.
A fine collection of mental athletes!
2018 Walk for Sean
“The UK and Africa came together on Sunday 8th July to mark the 25 years Anniversary since the Sean Devereux Children’s Fund was set up following the tragic death of Sean in 1993.
Approximately 150 hardy walkers completed the 5k course in sweltering heat in Yateley, and over 300 students, parents and teachers from the Sean Devereux School in Liberia did the same, joined by the desire to make a difference to the children of Liberia – providing them with an education in Sean’s name. Photographs of the efforts were shared at the time across the continents and there was a great feeling of togetherness and unity of purpose. The objective this year was to build up the Library at the school with books, desks and tables along with a TV so that the children can see news of the wider world. In addition we hope to develop a science laboratory too as there is a real need for this to help broaden the depth of such lessons. We have raised £9,000 to date in the UK and amazingly 250 US dollars was raised in Liberia through the activities and donations going on there. Maureen Devereux – Patron of the Fund said “ I would like to thank everyone who took part in this amazing event both here and in Liberia. Sean would have loved to see such harmony and unity and it is great that we are able to help the less fortunate and vulnerable in this way.”
We were also fortunate to have received outstanding support from local businesses in Yateley and Farnborough this year. Many have pledged money to support the fund and we are very appreciative of their kindness and help. It truly has been a team effort.”
