7,500 Miles, One Special Return

It had been 13 years since Margaret Marr (née Morris, LHS 1953) last walked the corridors of Loughborough High School. In March 2026, she returned, accompanied by her husband Alex and two of their children, Marya and Zander, for a visit that brought the past and the present together.

Margaret and Alex’s journey from Washington State to Loughborough, over 7,500 miles, had a simple purpose: for Margaret to revisit the place that shaped her early years and relive memories from more than seven decades ago. Loughborough was also where she first met Alex, then a student at Loughborough College of Technology, now Loughborough University. Margaret often reflects on how her time at the school was formative, leaving a deep impression long after leaving in 1953.

This visit, however, was not only about looking back. It was also about looking forward, allowing them to see firsthand the impact of the scholarship they created together.

The decision to give back began in 2024, when Margaret and Alex were inspired to establish the Margaret Marr (Morris) Scholarship. Their generous commitment supports a pupil from Year 7 through to Sixth Form, opening up opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

During their visit to the school, the Marr family met the pupil they are supporting and her family. It was a special moment, putting a face to someone who had, until then, existed from afar. Later, they attended the Spring Concert, where they had the joy of seeing her perform. Seeing her on stage was a simple but powerful reminder of what their support makes possible, not just in the classroom, but in confidence, creativity and experience.

The visit was filled with moments that bridged the past and the present. Walking through familiar spaces, Margaret reflected on her own school days, including the friendships that began there and have endured across continents and decades. Her lifelong friendships with Joan Davis (née Hancock) and Doreen MacLean (née Frost), which started on their very first day at school, are a testament to the kind of connections that begin at our schools and stay with you.

For Marya and Zander, the visit offered a deeper understanding of Margaret’s connection to the school, the start of their parents’ marriage and the values that inspired their family’s generosity. Marya, who lives in California, and Zander, who is based in Arizona, were able to see firsthand the environment their family’s support is helping to sustain. Together, they experienced not only the school’s physical setting but also its spirit, one that continues to nurture talent, ambition, and curiosity in each new generation.

Their time in Loughborough was part of a wider UK visit, but this return was particularly significant. Though much has changed since Margaret’s school days, the heart of the school remains the same. Their visit was a reminder of how those early experiences stay with you and can inspire something lasting in return.