Supporters of the trust gathered for a dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s on Friday 30th May 2025, hosted by our patron Peter Phillips and his partner Harriet Sperling, with guests of honour Finlay Calder OBE (captain of the 1989 British & Irish Lions) and Dean Richards, Finlay’s great Lions’ backrow team mate.

Before the dinner, Peter Phillips made the award of Birrell Blues to seven recipients: Des Anderson, David Butler, Luke Jones, Crawford Henderson, Chris Keey, Jonathan Pope and Toby Watson. It was also announced that Des Anderson had become the third member of the Patron’s Court of Benefactors, joining founder members Matt Keats and David Bucknall.

During the dinner, before we were entertained and inspired by an after dinner discussion between Finlay and Dean, Peter Phillips welcomed and thanked those assembled for their support for the trust. Angie Marriner (the trust’s representative in the Eastern Cape of South Africa) provided an update on HBST scholars past and present highlighting the significant impact of the trust’s activities in the city of Makhanda. Our Chairman Stephen Sparrow spoke about the wonderful team of supporters now assembled, to complete the process of “future proofing” the longevity and materiality of the trust’s activities, through its support of the education of talented children in financial need in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.