Integrated Education Celebrated at the House of Lords, Westminster

Lord Dubs, a long-standing supporter of Integrated Education and a campaigner for child refugees and a former Northern Ireland Minister, welcomed almost 100 guests to the House of Lords on Tuesday 19 November to celebrate the crucial role played by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) in Northern Ireland.  The dinner was attended by major donors and supporters, as well as leading political figures and former students of Integrated schools.  Supporters travelled from far and wide to enjoy the celebration.

Also attending and addressing the event was Fleur Anderson MP, Minister of State for Northern Ireland, who spoke of her passion and commitment to Integrated Education.  Minister Anderson informed guests that her government would continue to support the efforts of the IEF and Council for Integrated Education to expand Integrated Education in Northern Ireland.

David Montgomery, Campaign Chair of the Integrated Education Fund, talked of the impact of Integrated Education:

“Before Integrated Education we were robbed of the culture and society of one side of the community – wrenched from our infant playmates at the age of five and sent off in different directions to school.

Set that against the growing and joyous reality of a new Northern Ireland, with or without the initial capital, where more young people identify with the same feeling of belonging to a unique place, a shared pride in a peace achieved before many were born, and little need to seek validation by identifying with another place, country or institution.”

The IEF works to support the growth and development of Integrated Education in Northern Ireland.  IEF Chair Peter Osborne outlined how as a charity the IEF relies entirely on the committed network of supporters and donors in order to be able to do this vital and important work.  The exclusive London event was a chance to celebrate the successes and achievements of the Integrated Education movement over the past year.  It also offered an opportunity to reflect on the challenges of the work yet to be done.

The special guest speaker was Louise Kingh, Principal of Sion Mills Integrated Primary School, a school which has a proud history of fostering social integration.  The school was established in 1879 by the Herdman family, who were committed to creating a shared, diverse, and inclusive educational environment in the village.

Principal Louise Kingh said:

“As we look to the future, we are filled with hope and a renewed determination to embark on more whole community initiatives that will allow us to stop and take time to celebrate and promote our school and our ethos. We are committed to building on our legacy as an Integrated primary school and committed to exploring ways to ensure we continue to grow within the community and beyond. This would not be possible without the vision, ongoing guidance, advice and financial support of the IEF. 

On behalf of our entire school community, I extend my deepest gratitude to the Integrated Education Fund and to you as supporters.  Your unwavering support encourages us to resist becoming complacent, to strive to provide our children with a strong integrated foundation rich in diverse opportunities.  Through our partnership we will continue to build a brighter, more inclusive future for generations to come.”

She also explained the changes and many developments in the school since starting the journey of Transformation to official Integrated status.

Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the IEF said:

“The IEF House of Lords dinner is a great opportunity to say thank you to many of our supporters. It is a tradition that started many years ago thanks to the support of Baroness May Blood, our late Campaign Chair.  The evening brings together an eclectic mix of supporters from the world of business, politics, the community and the arts.  It is a very diverse group of supporters but with one common aim – the desire to see more of our children and young people attend school together.”

The dinner was generously funded by Tony Carson, a successful entrepreneur and son of legendary comedian, the late Frank Carson.

The event was held in the Cholmondeley Room and Terrace of the House of Lords.

If you are interested in supporting Integrated Education, then please see:https://www.ief.org.uk/support-us/for how you can get involved.

For more information please contact:

Emma Hassard, Integrated Education Fund:emma@ief.org.uk