The Laidlaw Foundation is thrilled to share our Annual Review 2022/2023, which encapsulates our journey over the past academic year and highlights our efforts towards reducing poverty, promoting equity, and developing next-generation leaders.

“The last twelve months have been busy and productive. From our work in schools to our support for women in business, we are proud of the achievements we have made this year and the impact we have had on the lives of hundreds of young people.”

—Susanna Kempe, Chief Executive Officer of the Laidlaw Foundation

Our four core programmes have demonstrated remarkable development, expanding both in reach and impact, each grounded in our commitment to creating positive and lasting change in the world.

  • The Laidlaw Schools Trust continues to support over 5,500 pupils across 8 academies in the North East of England, offering exceptional education opportunities. Additional funding from the Laidlaw Foundation has been used to promote digital literacy, broaden the spectrum of extracurricular activities, and bridge the educational divide exacerbated by COVID-19. Notably, Sedgefield Hardwick Primary Academy was shortlisted as one of the most innovative schools globally by T4 World’s Best School Prizes, the only school in the UK. 
  • The Leadership & Research Laidlaw Scholars completed 314 research projects at 17 top universities worldwide, with several of these projects published in peer-reviewed academic journals. Through the Leadership in Action projects, undertaken by 306 students, our Scholars continued their leadership learning in real-world contexts, working alongside communities and contributing to meaningful change.
  • We also celebrated the graduation of the inaugural cohort of 28 Women in Business Laidlaw Scholarship recipients at London Business School and Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. Additionally, we welcomed the first group of women to the Laidlaw Trailblazers Access programme at Trinity College Dublin.
  • Through Laidlaw Scholars Ventures, we have invested £2.7 million into five promising businesses led by Laidlaw Scholars. Our portfolio includes four innovative start-ups: CardiaTec, Sool, ProMotion, and Guava. Sable, one of our initial investments, was successfully acquired in 2022. 

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Laidlaw Foundation. Enjoy the read!