Salisbury Cathedral School welcomed former pupil and renowned philanthropist Hamish Ogston CBE, founder of the Hamish Ogston Foundation, to Salisbury Cathedral as part of the school’s annual Speech Day on Friday, July 7.

In his capacity as guest of honour, Hamish spoke to the audience of parents, pupils and staff about his life experiences and presented the end-of-year prizes.

Hamish attended Salisbury Cathedral School from 1957 to 1961, following in the footsteps of his older brother Bruce, as a chorister in the Cathedral choir.

His career and philanthropic works were recognised in 2011 when he was awarded a CBE for services to business and community.

SEE ALSO: 16-bedroom Pythouse in Tisbury on the market for £18m

The goals of his charitable foundation are to preserve historic buildings throughout the world by funding heritage skills apprenticeship programmes, to support and enhance the UK’s historic choral music and organ tradition, and to work towards eliminating the disparities in both access to medical treatment and health awareness around the world by funding vital research.

Hamish said: “It is an honour to return to Salisbury Cathedral School on its speech day, to revisit its historic grounds and to meet with the pupils and staff that benefit from them today.

"My interest in our country’s oldest living cultural heritage, choral music, stemmed from my time at the school, and it gives me great pleasure now, as it did then, to hear this music echo through the nave of Salisbury Cathedral.”