Graham Prime's Legacy
It is a great privilege to share with you the news of a generous legacy left by Graham Prime BA, BSc, a former pupil of Dean Close School. Graham attended our school from 1958, describing his time here as ‘the happiest memories of his formative years’ which remained close to his heart throughout his life. He recently left a legacy totalling £126,998.09 to support the Foundation Awards here at Dean Close School.
The Foundation Awards aim to make a significant difference to the lives of talented and financially-deserving young people by providing them with the opportunity to receive a Dean Close education. These awards are intended to support those pupils who can truly contribute to school life, take part in activities and inspire those around them. Graham's generous contribution will help us in achieving this goal, and we cannot express how grateful we are for his support.
Graham's commitment to helping others was a significant part of his character throughout his life. He enjoyed a full career retiring as a Senior Architect at Coventry City Council, being a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Graham had great intellect, enjoyed wide respect for being competent at every building trade skill in addition to his professional role as an architect. A good example of his creativity and innovation was his invention of a prison cell door locking system which designed out the problem of prisoners barricading themselves in a cell. This was in response to a government national appeal to architects to find a solution and resulted in notable savings to the tax payer. It took Graham weeks of creative thinking; demonstrating the importance of NEVER giving up in the face of a challenging problem. His admirable personal resolve led him to designing the solution to the delight of the governments’ Scientific Support Dept. Graham selflessly gave the intellectual property rights for his invention to the government for the public good and the design remains in use to this day. Throughout his life Graham always helped others. On one occasion whilst on holiday Graham dived off a promenade into the sea in inclement weather to save a drowning lady. After the rescue he quietly returned to his hotel and continued with his holiday. Graham also enjoyed doing electrical, plumbing and building work in the houses of various friends, never charging for his labour as he simply enjoyed helping others.
On his headstone, the words "A Generous, unique and special friend" encapsulate the kind of person Graham was. He valued his education at Dean Close School and recognised the impact it had on his life. Graham's legacy was his way of saying thank you to the school that supported him enormously during his youth.
We extend our deepest appreciation to Graham for his generosity, and we will ensure that his wishes are carried out. With his support, we will be able to give deserving pupils the chance to access an excellent education, regardless of their financial background.
Once again, we are grateful for Graham's generous contribution, and we will ensure that his legacy will continue to make a significant impact on the lives of many young people.
Those who pledge a legacy gift to Dean Close are invited to become a member of the Cornerstone Society.
To learn more about how you can leave a lasting impact on Dean Close School, or to notify us of your existing plans to do so, please contact Natalie Norman from the Development team. You can reach her via email at nnorman@deanclose.org.uk, phone at 01242 267446, or by visiting here.