The Rather Use Than Fame Club is growing: Learn more
The William Ellis Trust
Since launching in December last year, the Rather Use Than Fame Club has begun to do exactly what it was created to do: turn steady, reliable support into real opportunities for pupils.
Our monthly giving initiative provides flexible, in-year income that allows us to act quickly and back the projects that make a meaningful difference inside school. Regular gifts give us confidence. They allow us to plan ahead, commit early and respond when opportunities arise. We are delighted that membership has leapt into double figures, and continues to grow.
Inspired by the school motto, the club exists to create opportunity. It helps ensure that every pupil can access enriching experiences that support both academic success and personal development, regardless of background.
Looking ahead to 2026/27, we have already committed forecast income to an exciting partnership with Middlesex University. Year 10 pupils will co-produce a series of podcasts exploring what it means to grow up as an adolescent male in Camden in 2026. Crucially, early support from the club strengthened our ability to secure additional funding from local trusts and foundations, alongside a significant gift from an alumnus.
Regular giving also strengthens core initiatives such as the staff innovation fund. Demand for the fund often exceeds available resources. Monthly income gives us the flexibility to say yes to more teacher-led ideas that we know work for pupils.
As the club grows, so will its impact. Our ambition is not simply to increase income, but to build a community of committed supporters who feel connected to the life of the school and the difference their giving makes.
A modest monthly gift can have a powerful cumulative effect. It can help remove financial barriers, extend access to opportunity and ensure that pupils from under-resourced backgrounds are fully supported to thrive.
We cannot promise that joining will make you famous. We can promise that it will be useful.
If you would like to play a part in creating opportunity for pupils today, we would be delighted to welcome you into the Rather Use Than Fame Club. You can learn more on its dedicated page here, and set up a direct debit there or via the clubs homepage on our Charities Aid Foundation account.
If you would prefer a conversation, or would like to share your reasons for joining, please contact our Director, Will Durham, at wdurham@williamellis.camden.sch.uk. He would be very pleased to hear from you.