1525 Society: Introducing our New President
Major General Jonathan Shaw CBE (S 1970–75) has taken on the role of President of the 1525 Society, following in the footsteps of his father Lord Michael Shaw (S 1934–38), who was the Society’s first president when it was founded in 2002.
For Jonathan, the role is both an honour and a responsibility. “I was deeply flattered to be asked, and it’s a great honour to be given that job,” he says. “I look forward to it.”
Jonathan’s connection to Sedbergh spans generations. “I was certainly the second generation of kids to come here from our family. My father was here before the war, my two brothers came before me, and indeed there used to be a cupboard in the middle common room [Sedgwick House] with my father’s initials, my brothers’ initials, and then mine etched into the wood,” he recalls. “So we go back a few generations, and yes, we love the place.”
Reflecting on his schooldays, Jonathan struggles to single out a defining memory. “People ask me what my one great memory of the School is, and I can’t really answer that question, because there are just so many. We had a tremendous feeling of community, of teamwork, of being all in it together,” he says. “It was a natural life. It was a simple life. You could concentrate on having fun as a kid, or sport, or whatever you wanted to do. I really appreciated that lack of distraction. There’s no better environment than to get away from the screens and all the mental pressure than to be in the countryside in Sedbergh.”
The landscape itself, Jonathan believes, was as much a teacher as any classroom. “The hills give you a sort of perspective and put your everyday troubles into a broader context. If you’ve got a problem, the best thing to do is go for a walk and think about it. The hills, they do shape you. They’re very wise old elephants, as Wainwright would put it. And they have a lasting effect on you,” he explains.
Reflecting on the legendary Wilson Run, Sedbergh’s ten-mile cross-country race, Jonathan calls it “a sort of bonkers event, really. And yet it’s an absolute cornerstone. It’s a School-wide celebration, and it really doesn’t matter where you come in the race – the key thing is just to take part and be part of a great communal event.” He fondly remembers his own experience: “I was lucky enough to come third once, and that was a very proud day. The freedom of running outdoors, that feeling of physical power and endurance… it lives with you for life. It breeds a sense of perseverance, of keeping going when things get tough. Those mental skills and character traits are applicable everywhere.”
Jonathan, who went on to have a trailblazing military career, traces much of his resilience and outlook to these early experiences. “All that time spent outside… it’s a fantastic treatment for life. You conquer the elements, you conquer your fear, and it gives mental reassurance,” he says. “Even decades later, the lessons endure. It teaches you to keep going when things are tough.”
As President of the 1525 Society, Jonathan wants to extend these benefits to as many pupils as possible. “The 1525 Society helps to fund pupils who might not otherwise be able to come here, and projects that otherwise might not happen. It’s an opportunity to contribute to the health of the School, and in turn the health of society,” he says. “There’s an epidemic of mental health problems for children today. We know the advantages of exercise, of time spent outdoors. Sedbergh has that absolutely in its soul. The 1525 is a real chance for people to make their contribution, not just to the School, but to the youth coming through. It is a way of sustaining this rare and special environment for future generations.”
“Every Old Sedberghian has benefited hugely from Sedbergh,” he adds. “The 1525 Society is a really good way of making a contribution, not just to the institution, but to the youth of tomorrow, on whom we will all ultimately rely.”
For further information about the 1525 Society and the projects it has funded, click here.