After the challenges of a global pandemic and then the sale of Matfen Hall in 2020, the sad news came through that the Matfen scholarship cannot continue beyond 2023. The link established at Matfen over 20 years ago between Sir Hugh Blackett and Mike Dormer has been a huge success and indeed a jewel in The Willows’ crown.
Sir Hugh wrote to the Club prior to the season to explain the rationale behind the decision. He could not have done any more to change the outcome. Embedded are the memories of those wonderful 36 young Kiwis whose lives the Blacketts have enriched. For each their Matfen experience has been life changing. Here, is a précis of Sir Hugh’s communication:
“I write today with rather a heavy heart as with huge regret we have concluded that The Willows scholarship can’t continue for 2024. It really comes down to accommodation and employment. Before I sold the hotel, we had 4 staff houses in the village and one in particular was reserved for seasonal staff including the Kiwi boys. This worked really well as they had a five minute walk to the hotel and a five minute walk to the cricket ground. There was plenty of work for them and plenty of cricket. Unfortunately, the new hotel ownership has not been able to provide the employment as in the past; so Archie and Angus have found work in a local pub in the neighbouring village. Accommodation this time has been through the generosity of Eddie Scott (whose son Tom came to NZ a few years ago) but this is not viable looking forward. Efforts to find an alternative for 2024 scholars have proved almost impossible in the area and also might have involved having to provide them with a car. This would have presented further difficulties with insurance as it is so expensive for young drivers.
It is really disappointing that this has come about but hopefully we can keep the door slightly ajar in case circumstances change. The positives of The Willows connection for Matfen have been immense over the last 20 years. We now have a thriving club with girls’ teams, boys’ teams and two senior teams. My very brief conversation all those years ago with Mike proved incredibly rewarding and has given great life experience to the boys in question as well as a huge boost for our club. Matfen CC was very close to folding 20 years ago and I am so grateful for all the help and support we have had from The Willows”.
Sir Hugh concludes by thanking Mike Peacock, James O’Gorman and Callum Curnow for their work in finding the 2023 candidates and in re- establishing the scholarship post-Covid.
It is fitting that we express our sincere thanks to Sir Hugh and Lady Anna for the wonderful contribution they have made to The Willows over a very long period.