The Rank Foundation and Hull
Blue Plaque at Lord Rank's place of birth
The city of Hull has a particular place at the heart of The Rank Foundation and thus the Rank Fellowship. J Arthur Rank was born in the city, as the blue plaque above shows, and the flour-milling business which provided the platform for his remarkable commercial and philanthropic achievements was based in the city.
The Foundation is looking at ways of helping community regeneration in Hull: it is well-known that there are areas of great deprivation in Lord Rank's native city. There are also charitable projects of high quality and one of these is St. Michael's Youth, where School Fellow Archie Dunlop has recently enjoyed an excellent Community Action Placement. His enthusiastic report can be found here. More on Hull as the Foundation's initiative develops.
Many congratulations to Rank Fellow Farzhin Mirshahi, who has been offered a place to study the MPP (Master in Public Policy) over a two year programme at the Harvard University JFK School, starting in the Fall [autumn] of 2012. In order to enable him to secure this qualification, Farzhin has received two fellowships from Harvard: a Fellowship for the Belfer Centre of International Relations and a Fellowship from the Centre of Public Leadership called the Dubin Emerging Leaders Programme. Both fellowships will pay off tuition and healthcare fees and just as importantly, will place Farzhin at the heart of the School's academic initiatives. Farzhin writes: "It will be a change from trading at Goldman Sachs, but I think the move closer to world affairs, international relations and diplomacy is one that I'm hugely excited by. I hope that my dreams of being at the heart of the reconciliation in relations between East and West will be aided by this opportunity."
David Sanderson, Chief Executive of the Rank Foundation, performed the official opening of the Merseyside Youth Support Trust at its impressive new base in Kirkdale, Liverpool. This was the culmination of immense hard work by Fellows Lee Evans, Simon Walker and Janet Pickering, supported by excellent guidance and advice from others within the Rank network, notably Rob Whitmore, Clair Ferguson and Bob Lister from the London Youth Support Trust [all present at the opening}, David McCausland and a host of others with professional expertise and support.
The Trust's excellently fitted business units were on display and the centre looks an ideal place for business incubation, with the Liverpool Film Academy on site for media training and the De Vere Academy also in the centre, with the catering opportunities this provides. John Storey is the centre manager for MYST and he has clearly made an admirable start in attracting interest from possible MYSTers. Many congratulations to everyone involved: this is a major landmark in the Fellowship's evolution.
"Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." Yoda