We are delighted to announce the introduction of the Lara Olanrewaju OP Staff Award which has been created to honour former members of staff who have made an exceptional and lasting difference to Princethorpe pupils and to the wider life of the College. It will sit alongside the annual Alumni Award (click here for details) and will be presented each year at the Princethorpe College Prize Giving Ceremony.

For many Old Princethorpians, it is the people as much as the place that stay with them. A teacher who opened a door, a tutor who offered encouragement at the right moment, a sports coach, mentor or member of support staff who went above and beyond; these are often the people who leave a lasting impression. This new award will give OPs the opportunity to recognise those individuals and to celebrate the impact they have had over many years. For details, including the nomination form, click here. You can also access the nomination form via the link at the end of this article.

Alongside the award, we are also establishing the Lara Olanrewaju Staff Appreciation Fund. The purpose of the fund is to support meaningful and appropriate ways of recognising the contribution of both current and former staff who have made a genuine difference to the life of the Foundation and to generations of pupils.

The fund is intended to create an additional and lasting way for the wider Princethorpe community to express appreciation and gratitude for those members of staff whose care, commitment and influence have meant so much to so many.

It will support initiatives such as the Lara Olanrewaju OP Staff Award, alongside other carefully considered forms of staff recognition over time, helping to ensure that exceptional contribution, dedication and service are acknowledged in a meaningful way.

This new initiative has been made possible through the vision, generosity and commitment of Jide Olanrewaju and the wider Olanrewaju family, whose desire to honour their mother and grandmother, Lara Olanrewaju, has helped bring this tribute into being. Through these efforts, the Foundation is able to establish a lasting form of recognition that reflects the importance of staff in shaping the lives and experiences of Princethorpians.

Nominations for both the Alumni Award and the Lara Olanrewaju OP Staff Award will open in May each year, with a deadline at the end of August. The OP Committee will review the nominations received for the Staff Award and select the recipient, who will then be informed and invited to attend the Princethorpe College Prize Giving at the end of November, where the award will be presented.

We hope both the award and the fund will become an important and valued part of OP life: a way of recognising those members of staff, past and present, whose influence has lasted well beyond the classroom, and whose contribution deserves to be remembered and celebrated.

Support the Lara Olanrewaju Staff Appreciation Fund

Nominate someone for the OP Staff Award

Nominate someone for the OP Award