Jack Petchey is one of the UK's most successful businessmen. Born in East London in July 1925, Jack came from a working class background with very few advantages. From an early age he showed the entrepreneurial skills that have aided his success.
In 1937 as a 12-year-old, Jack was prosecuted at East Ham Magistrates Court for working under age. The prosecution evidence was that Jack was carrying vegetables, i.e. tomatoes, the defence being that tomatoes were a fruit - not a vegetable. The case was dismissed!
In 1999, he set up the Jack Petchey Foundation as he wanted to give opportunities to young people in London. Over the last ten years he has donated over £65million to schools, clubs and projects which benefit young people in London. In 2004 Jack was awarded an OBE at Buckingham Palace, by Her Majesty the Queen.
Every year the Jack Petchey Foundation hosts almost 80 Achievement Award Celebrations across London and Essex. They are designed to celebrate and publicly recognise just some of the many thousands of Achievement and Leader Award winners from the organisations that we support. On Monday the 7th June, ten Saint Paul’s Academy Award winners attended the gala at the Greenwich Theatre along with Mr Mc Cann (Jack Petchey Coordinator) and Miss Henry. The evening’s celebration was quite an event. Very enjoyable and well planned, allowing ample opportunity for all to share in the excitement of such unique individuals. Our students were great ambassadors for our Academy, for Greenwich, indeed for London. Well done to them all.
