Our Development Lead Lesley Naylor was delighted to recently catch up with the Right Worthy Brother Nick Baldwin, Master of the St Edmund Conclave of Freemasons, who presented her with a cheque as part of the ongoing commitment of Freemasonry to help charitable causes. She also took the opportunity to interview him.

Why did you choose to support CoachBright?

It was predominantly in my mind after meeting you; there are so many worthwhile charities and the choice of who to support becomes more difficult every year, but I felt that a charity that helped young people from a disadvantaged background was a special one.

What did you tell the conclave members about CoachBright?

I had to sell the idea to members at a recent meeting in Calne because they had five applications to look at and could only choose one. But young people have been hit hard over the past few years, what with Covid and then the cost-of-living crisis, and so a charity that helps young people experiencing financial and educational difficulties was a good choice for us.

What do you think about the education system in England generally?

I’m sure it’s better than it was in my day. But to be frank, at some point, I switch off because apart from grandchildren, which are out of my hands, I have no input. I no longer have children of a school-going age, so education isn’t something that is predominantly in the front of my mind.

What was your education like?

I went to an expensive boarding school, followed by grammar school, followed by college, followed by art university. I enjoyed it, although, at the time, I thought it was a waste of my time! I went on to run my own printing business and then became a full-time artist.

What is the most important message you would give to a young person about their education?

I would say, try very hard to get as much education as you can. No education is wasted, even if at the time, you wonder why you’re learning something. Anything that extends your knowledge is bound to help you in the long term. So whilst it may feel like a waste of time while you are learning - trust me it isn’t!

On behalf of the whole team at CoachBright, thank you so much for your ongoing support of our work. Community support means a great deal to us, and without your kind generosity, we simply wouldn’t be able to reach as many young people.