Selection of items from the Jack Petchey Foundation Archive collection
Jack Petchey Foundation Archive selection, University of Kent.

Jack Petchey Foundation Archive

The Jack Petchey Foundation Archive contains papers relating to the work and activities of the Jack Petchey Foundation, alongside personal material relating to the founder of the Foundation, Sir Jack Petchey CBE (1925-2024). Sir Jack Petchey was a businessman and philanthropist who after leaving the Navy started a taxi business, a second hand car business, and later a property business, generating the wealth he then dedicated to charitable work and philanthropy focussed on young people.

History of the Jack Petchey Foundation

The Jack Petchey Foundation was set up by Sir Jack Petchey CBE in 1999 to inspire and celebrate young people. Since 1999, over £170 million has been invested in programmes to benefit young people aged 11-25 across London and Essex. The Foundation has supported many programmes, from sport to science, art to internships, vlogging to volunteering. This includes the Jack Petchey Achievement Award Scheme, which runs across over 1400 youth clubs, youth organisations and secondary schools in London and Essex; The Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge, a public speaking competition for young people, and Step Into Dance – an inclusive dance programme for secondary school students. 

The Archive Collection

The archive collection consists of material relating to Sir Jack Petchey’s early work and companies, the archive papers of the Jack Petchey Foundation, Jack Petchey’s diaries, and other material including photographs, press cuttings, personal material, framed certificates and awards, DVDs and CDs.

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