The Trust thanks Hugh Scurfield for seven years as Chairman
The Development Trust bade a fond farewell to Hugh Scurfield on Thursday 26th January as he stepped down as Chairman of the Development Trust.
Hugh joined King's in 1943 as a direct grant pupil and he was subsequently awarded a King's Scholarship. He was an extremely able student and excelled in all areas, but his passion was for rowing and he rowed in the 1st IV from 1953 and was made Captain of Boats in 1954. He was also Head of Chappel House and Deputy Head of School.
After King's, he went on to Hertford College, Oxford to study Maths, although his academic studies may have taken second place to rowing! He is distinguished as having won the Goblets at Henley in 1959.
After leaving Oxford, he became an actuary of considerable note. He is the past president of Institute of Actuaries (1990-1992), and past president of the International Congress of Actuaries (1998). He was the General Manager, Actuary, and Director of Norwich Union Insurance Group. Other notable positions held include: Director, Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (1994-2004); Member, International Actuarial Association (1998); Non-executive Director, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust (2003); Deputy Chairman, Help the Hospice (2002-2006); Vice President, Help The Hospice (May 2006); Trustee and Chairman of the Severn Hospice.
Hugh was asked to join and chair The King's School Development Trust in 2005, a position he held until January this year. In that time, The Trust has secured over £7million in donations and pledges to the school. It currently provides financial support to 28 pupils and thanks to the generous donation from the Baker family, it is financing the construction of the Michael Baker Boathouse.
His leadership has provided advice, encouragement and support to both the Trustees and the FDO. He has been a firm protector of the role of the trust with the governing body and his expert advice on the establishment of the Enduring Bursary Fund and the investment of those funds has been invaluable.
Most importantly, Hugh remains a figure for whom other OVs have tremendous respect and admiration. He is remembered as a model pupil and a model person by anyone who has met or dealt with him and is frequently the reason for people coming back to and supporting the school.
Andrew Reakes (Ch 64-69) takes over as the new Chairman of the Development Trust on 27th January 2012. But we are delighted that Hugh will continue to play an active role with the school and OV community despite stepping down from the Trust. Indeed he is already booked to return for several key events over the summer.