Winged Boots launches transformative bursary at Brentwood School

Winged Boots’ founders, brothers David Ox (Winged Boots’ managing director) and Daniel Ox (Ocean Holidays Co-CEO) were former recipients of a similar transformative bursary scheme that allowed them to obtain a Brentwood School education. So, when the opportunity arose to pay forward the amazing experience which they were fortunate to receive, they were eager to support.

“The bursaries gave us the opportunity to attend a school that, due to financial circumstances, we would never have had a chance to go to,” Daniel Ox says. 

“Being able to pave the way for others who are starting out in a similar position is something that has immense personal significance to me,” David Ox adds. “It’ s an honour and privilege to give back to the school that shaped me into the man I am today, and I look forward to other local businesses joining the 1622 Corporate Partnership in the near future.”

Samuel Mason, Director of Development at Brentwood School, said: “Bursaries are transformative in so many ways. Not only do they broaden horizons for the recipients, as seen in David and Daniel’s case, but they also facilitate a socially diverse school environment which has undeniable wider benefits for all pupils. 

“We’ re extremely grateful to Winged Boots for kickstarting the 1622 Corporate Partnership. At Brentwood School, we’ re proud that 10% of our senior pupils have been awarded bursaries, and we look forward to our partnership equipping even more students with the skills and experience they need to thrive. David and Daniel’s success story demonstrates the incredible value bursaries can have, and we’re excited at the prospect of other local businesses joining the scheme too.”

To discover more on 1622 Corporate Partnership, click here.

Winged Boots has other initiatives ongoing with Brentwood School to help widen student’s education and prepare them for entering a work environment. In March we attended the school’s annual careers fair to talk to students about a career in travel. 

We have also hosted multiple students from the school and its sixth form at Ocean Holidays for work experience. One female 15-year-old student recently enjoyed a week with Winged Boots’ marketing team while a few weeks prior two sixth-form students had a two-week crash course in working within a travel group, spending time across all departments from accounts and sales through to product, marketing and HR.

Alongside this, Winged Boots is also part of the school’s business studies department and recently set the students a task under their consultancy programme. A group of students were tasked with looking at a selection of Winged Boots bookings to create customer personas and then to create a marketing proposal. Their insights were truly inspiring, and we look forward to bringing the class a second project in the next academic year.

Winged Boots’ support more than just local children and their education. We are also proud to announce that in June 2024, as part of Ocean Holidays Group, we hit a huge milestone by raising more than £100,000 for local charity Haven House Children’s Hospice. Through a series of fundraising events, raffles and an online auction (thank you Covid), we have helped support more than 400 families who use the charity’s unbelievable service, offering support to families of children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses. 

Read more about our work with Haven House.

To join the 1622 Corporate Partnership and to offer a bursary placement at Brentwood School to another student, contact Samuel Mason at masons@brentwood.essex.sch.uk or call 01277 243329.