Lyford Cay Foundations Hosts Annual Holiday Reception Celebrating Impact, Partnership, and the Next Generation of Bahamian Excellence

(NASSAU, BAHAMAS) – On Monday, December 29, 2025, Lyford Cay Foundations welcomed guests to the Lyford Cay Club for its Annual Holiday Reception, an evening dedicated to celebrating educational achievement, national partnership, and the transformative power of opportunity across The Bahamas.

The reception brought together scholars, FOCUS and Family Island Leadership Programme students, alumni, donors, partners, board members, Bahamas Government representatives, and members of the Diplomatic Corps. Distinguished guests included; The Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin, Minister of Education, Technical & Vocational Training; and His Excellency U.S. Ambassador Herschel Walker and Mrs. Walker.

The evening opened with welcoming remarks from Executive Director Dr. Nicola Virgill-Rolle, who reflected on the Foundations’ enduring mission and the partnerships that make its work possible.

 “This gathering is a celebration of people, our scholars, students, alumni, donors, and partners, whose belief in education continues to open doors and shape brighter futures across our islands,” she shared.

The keynote address was delivered by alumnus Miguel Colebrook, a two-time Lyford Cay Foundations Scholar. Formerly a student of C.C. Sweeting High School, having matriculated through Queens’s, Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard Universities and now a Managing Director at a global law firm based in London, Colebrook reflected on access, personal agency, and the responsibility of turning opportunity into impact.

“Most of life exists between impossibility and certainty, and in that space, there is room to influence outcomes,” said Colebrook. “Many of the things I’ve achieved were once improbable, but they were possible. And that possibility was enough to turn unlikely outcomes into certain ones.”

Chairman of the Lyford Cay Foundation, Inc., Mr. Basil P. Goulandris, highlighted the Foundations’ growing reach and impact throughout 2025. Over the past year, more than $2 million was invested in youth and community initiatives, supporting 86 Scholars across disciplines including education, healthcare, environmental science, and the trades. Through the Community Grants Programme, 22 non-profit organisations advancing arts, education, sports, environmental awareness, and vocational training received support.

Family Island engagement remained a central focus, with 49 Grade 11 students from 13 islands participating in the Family Island Leadership Programme, while more than 250 students benefitted from tuition-free enrichment through FOCUS and early literacy support through LEAP.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of certificates to the Peter George Goulandris Heritage Scholars, delivered by Minister Hanna Martin. The programme, launched in partnership with The King’s Foundation Building Crafts Programme, enabled eight Bahamian tradesmen to train in the United Kingdom in traditional crafts essential to heritage preservation.

Scholar reflections from Wentist King offered a deeply personal account of the experience, including training at Dumfries House, Highgrove Gardens, and Heritage Lime, as well as the extraordinary opportunity to meet the charity’s Royal Founding President, His Majesty King Charles III.

“I am happy to return home alongside my fellow Scholars and begin putting this training into practice,” said King. “We have so much to appreciate here, and the future is bright for the eight of us because of this unique opportunity.”

Looking ahead, Chairman of the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation, Mrs. Mary Filipelli-Hall, announced the establishment of the Timothy N. Unwin Memorial Scholarship for Specialised Legal Studies, honouring the late former Chairman. The scholarship will award up to CAD$10,000 per year to a Bahamian pursuing postgraduate studies in arbitration, negotiation, or mediation, with applications opening on February 14, 2026.

The programme concluded with remarks given by U.S. Ambassador Herschel Walker and final reflections from FOCUS student Dylan McEwan, who shared insights from Summer SLAM and explored how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can shape safer, smarter communities in The Bahamas.

Lyford Cay Foundations’ Holiday Reception once again served as a powerful reminder of what is possible when education, partnership, and purpose align, a fitting close to a year defined by connection, opportunity, and shared belief in the potential of Bahamian people.