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Jack Petchey Foundation Awards
• 15 Nov 2007 •
 THE Jack Petchey Foundation promoted its 2007 annual ‘Achievement and Leadership’ awards ceremony for the Albufeira and Silves Algarve municipalities. Almost 300 award winners from secondary schools, youth groups and sports clubs attended the ceremony which took place at the Montechoro hotel. The British Consul, Celia Edwards and the Regional Director for Education, Libório Correia also attended the event.
Jack Petchey OBE was unable to travel from the UK this year to deliver the awards. Helen Fennell, the Director of the Algarve branch of the foundation said, “He has not been able to come this year. I think it’s getting difficult for him to travel. He will be 83 this year and I know he is sorry that he is not here, but he has sent a special message for the young people here today.”
The Achievement award winners each received a medal to go with their framed certificate and a 300 euros cheque for sports clubs and 450 euros for schools to help their projects. 11 secondary schools, ten sports clubs, two local boy scouts groups, the Albufeira Voluntary Fire Brigade and six charities have received money donated by the Jack Petchey Foundation to the Achievement award winners. There was also recognition for youth leaders who have demonstrated, in an outstanding way, an ability to encourage and motivate young people.
At the ceremony, 29 leaders received 1,500 euros each. The money will be used in projects chosen by each leader.
The Jack Petchey Foundation was formed in August 1999 in England. In the UK the Jack Petchey Achievement & Leader Award Scheme reached, by the end of 2006, more than 1,000 schools. Grants of almost 45 million euros have been given since the Foundation was established and its grant budget for 2007 is close to 18 million euros. In January 2004 the Foundation introduced a programme in the Algarve which focused initially on the Albufeira District. In July 2005 the Loulé District was included and in January 2006 the Silves District.
Jack Petchey was born in 1925 in London. From a disadvantaged background, he became a prominent businessman and property developer. In 1945 at the end of the Second World War Jack left the navy and became a clerk. He was told by the personnel officer of his firm: "You'll never make a businessman". However, this discouraging remark did not prevent him from becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Britain and in the Algarve.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2004. The citation reads, "For services to young people in East London and Essex through the Jack Petchey Foundation".
In a message recorded in the UK, Jack Petchey said: "I’ve taken a lot out of life. I’ve been very lucky and I’ve taken a lot of enjoyment and a lot of material out of life and I think it’s the responsibility of all of us to give back to society something that we have taken out.” Mr Petchey addressed directly all the Achievement & Leader Award winners, saying: “I would like to say to you all: be proud of your achievement. Say to yourself each and every morning, I am an achiever. Be proud of what you got. I wish you well.” |  Return to Top
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