Our mission
Our unwavering dedication to education and community development, is at the very heart of our mission.
At the Fonthill Foundation, we believe that education is the cornerstone of positive change, and community development is the path to a brighter, more inclusive future.
Education initiatives
We are passionate about creating opportunities for learning and personal growth. Our educational initiatives are carefully designed to foster curiosity, inspire young minds, and provide access to quality education for all.
Our history
The Fonthill Foundation, our charity, is the legacy of Fonthill Lodge School, dating back to the 1800s.
It began as ‘Radcliffe’s,’ established by Rev. Dr. George Radcliffe in the early 1800s in Salisbury. In 1840, George’s son, Rev. William Coxe Radcliffe, relocated the school to Fonthill Gifford, renaming it ‘Fonthill’. A few years later in 1886 the school moved to Saint Hill, on the outskirts of East Grinstead, where it remained until the early 2000’s. The senior school closed in 1985, followed by the prep school in 2011.
Despite this, we continue the legacy initiated by George Radcliffe in the 1880s through the Fonthill Foundation Charity, supporting life-changing educational opportunities for young people.
Our team
Meet our staff
At the core of our mission, you'll find a dedicated and passionate team that makes a big impact. They are the driving force behind our pursuit of a brighter, more inclusive future through education and community development. We see our small size as an advantage, as it allows us to work closely, communicate effectively, and make quick, informed decisions.
Ceetah Grieves
CEO
Laura Ward
Projects ManagerBoard of Trustees
Our organisation is guided by a committed and experienced Board of Trustees. They bring diverse skills and knowledge to the table, ensuring that our decisions and leadership are of the highest quality.
Victoria Henley
Trustee
Maggie Lloyd
Trustee
Niki Cannon
Trustee
Adrian Carver
Trustee
Andrew Spiers
TrusteeWhat's new
Stay in the loop with our latest charity news, projects and goings on.
Congratulations to the Fonthill funded Spear Brighton Cohort
Congratulations to the Fonthill funded Spear Brighton 2026 cohort who successfully completed their initial 6-week training phase of the Spear Foundation programme. Fonthill are a long standing supporter of Spear Brighton who support unemployed 16-24 year olds to realise their potential by coaching them with the mindset and skills to get into the world of work and thrive once they are there. Trustees were delighted to meet the 9 young people and support them at their recent mock interview workshop, which as always proved to be a really inspirational day. Following their celebration event the young people will now embark on their follow on year of Spear support. We wish them all the very best with their progression to employment. To find out more about Spear Brighton visit www.spearbrighton.org
Delightful Social at the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership’s Community Kitchen
Trustees Maggie Lloyd and Niki Cannon were delighted to join other funders and supporters at Brighton & Hove Food Partnerships 'pre-Christmas' thank you event held at their Community Kitchen Venue. The event, organised as a 'thank you' to the valuable funders, supporters and friends of the organisation, promoted the work of the partnership and showcased the super talents of the chefs and food professionals working with the Charity. A thoroughly delightful evening with the bonus of such fabulously delicious foodie treats! Thank you in particular to Kawthi who produce the lovely indian style nibble and Sally the amazing and modest 'cupcake queen'!
Fonthill Foundation Announces Role as Lead Funder in Jamie’s Farm, Lewes
Since 2019 The Fonthill Foundation has had a very successful partnership with Jamie’s Farm, Lewes, and the trustees have seen the enormous impact the farm has had on young people attending. Recently, opportunity arose for the Foundation to help secure the Lewes farm site for the future of Jamie's Farm. The charity’s ethos of encouraging a family atmosphere, the amazing staff and their gentle therapy, combined with the benefits of outdoor life and greater proximity to nature is closely aligned with the Foundation's values and longstanding commitment to outdoor education and passion for the environment. The trustees are thrilled that, by assisting Jamie's Farm to continue its work, the legacy of Fonthill school will live on. Read more on the Jamie's Farm (Lewes Blog)
Farm to Fork Day with the Prept Foundation & Plumpton College
Fonthill's CEO and Trustees had a great time visiting Plumpton College in the glorious sunshine for one of the Prept Foundation's 'Farm to Fork' days. The programme for primary school pupils is part of a wider 'Adopt a School's' programme of in-school workshops that are delivered to primary schools across Sussex. The programme aims to help children develop a positive relationship with food, to understand healthy nutrition, grow their cooking skills and to learn where food comes from. All of this as well as growing their understanding of the hospitality industry and future employment opportunites in the sector.
Supporting Spear Brighton Mock Interviews
Trustees and their families were delighted to support the recent Spear Brighton Mock Interview Session. Helping young people on the Spear Foundation programme to develop their confidence and interview skills. We were especially pleased to be supporting this group of young people as they are the cohort funded by our UK programme. It is always a pleasure to be part of this award-winning progamme that has supported hundreds of young people in the Brighton & Hove area to overcome the challenges they face and build vital skills for their career, enabeling them to be fully prepared for the workplace and ready to commit to long-term employment.
New Round of Community Grant Funding
We are thrilled to have awarded fifteen Community Grants in our latest funding round. As always we received a high-level of interest in this programme that offers grants of up to £5,000 to community focused education projects. Recipients include: Varndean College, Dens & Signals, Impact Initiatives, Prison Family Support CIC, Tuppenney Barn Education, Brighton Women's Centre, 1st Petworth Scouts, Brighton Marina Studios Foundation, Priory School, Pregnancy Options Centre, Chichester, Debbie Stevens Wellbeing CIC, Carlton Hill Primary School, Brent Lodge Bird & Wildlife Centre, The Goodwood Education Trust, and Family Support Work.
