Committed to helping learners unlock their dreams
Tutorfair Foundation honours the support of the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation.
The Harrison-Frank Family Foundation is well-known for supporting young professional musicians by loaning them fine violins. What is less widely known is that the Foundation’s trustees also make thoughtful donations to causes they believe in, quietly shaping lives through their generosity. This was certainly true of Barbara Harrison Frank.
We never imagined that a conversation we had with Barbara in 2019 would go on to have a ripple effect on hundreds of students.
Barbara was exceptionally well-informed about the education sector and the different approaches taken by charities. She enthusiastically shared ideas and held a deep belief in the impact that high-quality tutoring could have on the life of a talented student who could not otherwise afford it.
We were deeply saddened to learn that Barbara passed away in 2021 and assumed that this might mark the end of our shared story. Instead, we were honoured when her daughter, Jeannie, chose to continue her mother’s legacy.
Towards the end of 2024, Jeannie made a generous contribution to the Tutorfair Foundation. That year had brought significant challenges, including the prolonged absence of our director, Joss, for medical reasons. Jeannie’s support, however, helped make it our strongest year yet. We reached two major milestones: tutoring more than 500 students and delivering over 10,000 hours of learning in a single year, an extraordinary achievement for a small charity.
Over the summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming Jeannie to our offices in Farringdon. As we discussed plans and programmes, we also shared feedback from students and families who benefited directly from her donation.
“You cannot begin to imagine the way I feel. Writing this, I am very emotional. The support you have given John over the last couple of years has been appreciated in a way that no words can describe. Thank you, Tutorfair.”
- Tutorfair parent, 2025
We were privileged to hear Jeannie share her vision and her remarkable family story:
“My mother’s interest in education and the learning challenges faced by young people never flagged throughout her life. She graduated top of her class from Stanford University in 1956 with a BA in Education and a Master’s in Speech Therapy.
At grammar school, teachers thought she was unintelligent because she spoke very little, and when she married in 1957, she still didn’t know how to boil an egg. It was only after her death that I discovered she had graduated summa cum laude.
My mother discovered Tutorfair about ten years ago and asked many questions about the tutoring programme, surprising Joss Serrailler, Tutorfair’s Director, and the team with her sincere interest, deep knowledge, and curiosity to learn.
She died five years ago from complications related to COVID. Yet, when I meet with Joss and the team, she sits beside me in my mind, and I am reminded of her caring involvement and practical support for Tutorfair.
I am honoured to continue to support Tutorfair.”
— Jeannie Harrison
Jeannie’s approach to supporting our work has been truly exceptional. It is rare for grant-makers to fully appreciate the importance of unrestricted funding for small charities. This trust allows us to use funds where they are most needed, investing in our people and systems to drive sustainable, long-term growth.
As we close 2025, the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation has made another significant donation to help us expand our programmes in 2026. As we reflect on the impact this support enables, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jeannie and the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation.
Thank you for trusting us. We are inspired by you and look forward to learning from you and growing together.