Terry Mansfield CBE
It is with the greatest sadness that we announce the loss of a very dear friend of UWC Atlantic, Terry Mansfield CBE, who died at the weekend from Covid-19 virus at the age of 81. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies go out to his wife Helen, two daughters, Victoria and Anna, and their families.
Terry will forever have our love and our gratitude. He was a remarkable man, an ardent supporter of the values and purpose of UWC Atlantic and the wider UWC movement and a generous benefactor of the College.
Jill Longson, Chair-Elect of The UWC Atlantic Board of Trustees said, “I had the great privilege of knowing Terry for many years. On the College's Development Committee he was inventive and creative, proposing new and imaginative ideas. As a member of our Advisory Council, he contributed wisely to our thinking. Terry gave his considerable ‘time, talent and treasure’ in equal measure, long before that expression had even been thought of.”
Energetic, imaginative, enthusiastic and warm-hearted, Terry was passionate about the power of education. He admired the creativity of young people and their capacity to see things in a different light. He was also hugely encouraging and supportive of emerging talent, inspiring students to embrace and pursue their goals.
He gave his time willingly and happily to help shape tomorrow’s generation. He was a great judge of potential and had a genuine empathy with those who had come from distinctly challenging backgrounds. His belief in our students’ ability to lead the future was evident in the way he engaged with them - always with kindness and with wisdom.
Unfailingly generous, loyal and kind, he supported UWC Atlantic both personally and corporately through the Hearst Foundation and brought his valuable global perspective, passion and extensive commercial experience to support our philanthropic efforts.
In 2013, to mark the College’s 50th and the Hearst company’s 125th Anniversary, a full scholarship was offered to the first student from Syria, a decision shaped by Terry’s visit to the country two years earlier, shortly before the troubles escalated. This scholarship was then followed by a further scholarship for a Palestinian refugee from the Wavel camp in Lebanon.
In paying tribute, Peter T. Howe, Principal, UWC Atlantic said, “The students Terry sponsored throughout the years really enjoyed their relationship with him and have received the news with universal sadness. He had the ability to connect with each of them on a personal level and as a sponsor he cared for them deeply. He’d ask them thought-provoking questions and was genuinely interested in their responses. They adored speaking with him and he was always deep in conversation with students at the many Leavers’ Ceremonies he attended, including his final one at the College last May.”
Terry, the former president and CEO of the National Magazine Company Ltd., Hearst’s international publishing arm in the UK, was awarded the CBE in 2002 for his service to the magazine industry and was the first non-American to serve on Hearst’s board of directors. Alongside supporting UWC Atlantic, Terry also worked tirelessly with a number of other charities and organisations with a social, humanitarian or change-making focus.
He was a founding member of Victim Support and, with The Princess Royal, he helped change the law to protect the rights of victims in court. He never really stopped working and, in the 18 years since stepping down from executive duties to become a consultant at Hearst, he was also a major fundraiser for Historic Royal Palaces and last year received an award for his work in raising funds for the Diana Princess of Wales Exhibition and the Children’s Playground at Hampton Court Palace. He also acted as chair and patron of World Heart Beat, a music school for underprivileged children in south London and dedicated time to the Shine Awards, the schools’ magazine awards for over 1000 schools in the UK, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Lancashire University for his work in fashion and for championing talent.
It is hardly surprising that glowing, heartfelt tributes have been pouring in from every sector of business and industry and from every corner of the globe.
‘Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend’ and every hour, every minute and every second Terry spent supporting others defined the remarkable man that he was. He will be much missed by the UWC Atlantic community. His impact will live on and continue to be felt in immeasurable ways, particularly in the students whose lives he has transformed.