Leaving a gift in your Will, which is also known as legacy giving, plays a vital role in the continued success of the College; legacy gifts are one of the most powerful and thoughtful ways in which alumni, friends and supporters can be part of the College’s future.
This annual lunch and day programme is held to thank and recognise the College's Legators - those who have included King’s College in their Will.
Programme
We are delighted for guests to join the Provost for an update on the College. After a fabulous lunch, some of our graduate students will share their research with you. This includes talks from Katie Collins (KC 2022) on “The Study and Design of Intelligible Human-Centric AI Thought Partnerships" and Chris Tagnon (KC 2024) on “Motorsport Innovation and Technology Transfer”. The day will close after light refreshments and a musical performance by Spencer Boya (KC 2023). However, if you would like to extend your day, Evensong in Chapel will commence at 5.30pm, with entrance from 5.15pm.
You can view the full programme here.
This year's speakers:
Katie Collins (KC 2022)
Katie Collins is a final-year PhD student at King's studying human-AI interaction and computational cognitive science in the Dept of Engineering. She is also a Student Fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for Future Intelligence. Following a BSc in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, Katie completed an MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence at Cambridge under a Marshall Scholarship (one of fifty American scholars selected each year to study at the graduate level in the UK).
Chris Tagnon (KC 2024)
Chris is a First-Class engineer, currently pursuing his MPhil at King’s College, Cambridge. He has a diverse background in research, consulting, and entrepreneurship in various sectors, notably energy, battery technology and quantum computing. Having expressed a strong passion for motorsports since childhood, Chris has also gained experience within Red Bull Racing’s Advanced Technologies arm as a vehicle dynamics and performance engineer. He aims to bridge the gap between motorsports and the wider innovation sector by applying specialised engineering expertise to venture development in sectors such as aerospace, energy, or the future of mobility. Chris is a two-time Royal Academy of Engineering scholar, most recently awarded through Sir Lewis Hamilton’s foundation, Mission 44.
Our musicians
Spencer Lee Boya (KC 2023)
Spencer Lee Boya, FRSA, is a multi-disciplinary artist and the Chief Executive Officer of Boxing is Love (no. 1200384), a BOXRAW Foundation that aims to fight structural inequalities through Boxing, Research, and Artistic Expression.
Previously, he co-founded ‘The Social Canvas Projects’, a series of 3 projects that took place from December 2023 - April 2024 to address the violent conflicts around the globe at the time through the lens of the Creative Arts. Throughout the three projects, he engaged more than 100 students from all artistic disciplines and organised 3 events that attracted 1000+ visitors, including figures like Ai Weiwei, and Gabriel Prokofiev who worked with him on a voluntary basis in support of the project’s mission.
He also co-founded the 2nd edition of the Indie-clips short film festival where he welcomed more than 54+ submissions from 16 countries featuring high-profile judges such as BAFTA-winning producer Jordi Morera, D&AD pencils winner Neil Pymer etc.
As a composer, Spencer’s works for film and TV have been screened at Academy and BAFTA awards-qualifying film festivals in Tokyo, Belgium, Dublin, Berlin, Los Angeles and more. Previously, as commissioned by the Fitzwilliam Museum, he worked with poet Mary Jean Chan on a piece of found poem set to music, performed at the museum. His concert piece for string orchestra, ‘An Ephemeral Bagatelle’, was played at the Royal Academy of Music, and his Original Music ‘Gabrielle’ played 3 sold-out concerts at Greenwood and George Wood Theatre in London and was named ‘an iconic performance’ by the China Daily and Shenzhen Daily. He was also the musical director of the original musical ‘Beyond Today’, where he played 4 concerts in the ADC theatre. As a pianist, he played at the Danube Palace as a finalist of the International Liszt Ferenc Competition and performs regularly around Cambridge.
At King's College, Spencer was awarded the Derek Cornwell Scholarship (2025) for excellence in music performance, the ESG scholarship (2023-2025)(two places per annum) and the Susan Tomes Music Prize 2024. He also served as the 128th President (24-25) of the Cambridge University Amateur Boxing Club, the President of King's College Graduate Society (23-24), and Co-President of King's College Music Society (24-25), where he regularly conducts the King's College Orchestra. Spencer studied the piano with Professor Andrew Zolinsky (RCM), Composition with Dr. Raymond You, and briefly conducting with Dominic Grier (RAM).
Shelly Lee
Shelly is a clarinettist and composer. She attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama's BMus course (2020-2022), where she focused on clarinet performance as her first study and composition as her second. During her time there, she studied clarinet with Andrew Webster, bass clarinet with Robert Ault, and composition with Steve Potter. She also participated in coaching sessions and masterclasses with Joy Farrall, Michael Collins, Benjamin Mellefant, Ausias Garrigos Morant.
In 2024, Shelly transferred to Goldsmiths, University of London, to pursue a more well-rounded music education. There, she continued her clarinet studies with Heather Roche and Pete Furniss. Prior to her time in London, she studied with clarinettist Linus Fung in Hong Kong.
Shelly's clarinet journey began in her early years with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Hong Kong (MYOHK). In 2018, she was invited by the Hong Kong Tourism Board to perform in London. She performed as the principal clarinettist, playing Mahler's Symphony No. 1 and Shostakovich's Golden Age Suite at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in 2019.
Her compositions have been played at venues such as the Royal Academy of Music (Susie Sainsbury Theatre), King's College London (Greenwood Theatre), Deptford Town Hall, George Wood Theatre, and Keynes Hall at Kings College Cambridge.
Aside from clarinet and composing, she also plays cello and piano to an intermediate level.
We are delighted that Spencer and Shelly will perform:
Solo Piano - Eight Memories in Water Colour Op.1, Tan Dun, 1978
Clarinet and Piano - Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano, Joseph Horovitz, 1981
Registration
Registration has now closed but if you would like to visit King's at another time during the course of the year, we would be delighted to see you. Please call us if this is the case: +44 (0)1223 331481 (Tuesday - Friday 7:30 until 2pm).
Logistics
The logistical information below is also available to view and print in PDF.
Dress code
The King Henry VI Circle Event is an informal event. Smart casual is appropriate. It would also be lovely to see you wearing your King Henry VI Legacy Circle pin.
Parking
A limited amount of parking is available in the Garden Hostel car park and the field next to it. A map is available should you be unclear about the location of the car park.
The Porters will have a full list of all those given permission to park. If the gate isn’t already open when you arrive, please ring the intercom and give your name – the gate will then be opened for you. If the Garden Hostel car park is full, please try the field to the left of the entrance to Garden Hostel car park. If you requested parking, your permit will have been sent to you.
All parking in College is offered subject to availability on the day and is never guaranteed. In the event that you are unable to park in College, there are a number of car parks in and around Cambridge. More information about parking in Cambridge can be found online at www.cambridge.gov.uk/parking.
If you would like to request parking and have not already done so, please contact events@kings.cam.ac.uk.
Arrival to King’s
Entrance to the College will be possible through the front gate on King’s Parade and back gate on Queen’s Road.
There will be Visitor Guides on the gates between 9am and 5.30pm. Their task is to reduce unnecessary disturbance, maintain a secure and safe environment and manage and control the flow of tourists to the College and Chapel. When asked, please let them know that you are a guest attending the King Henry VI Circle Event.
You are welcome to arrive a little early to stroll the College grounds and catch up with Cambridge. From 11.30am, registration and drinks will be served in the Chetwynd Room. Please ask a Porter if you require further directions or assistance.
When you arrive, you may see the “punt and paddleout” protest against sewage pollution on the Cam. This is organised by the charitable organisation Cam Valley Forum and is registered with Cam Conservators. It has the support of Scudamores and will be family friendly and peaceful. At some point between 10:30 and 11:30 a photographer will step off a punt onto the West riverbank to take some photos of the flotilla on the river, with King’s and the Chapel in the background. A poem will be read and some words will be shared by a local historian.
Cloakroom
There will be coat rails inside of the Chetwynd Room from 11.30am. Guests are advised to keep valuables with you at all times.
Registration and light refreshments
Tea and coffee will be held in the Chetwynd Room on your arrival. There are a few steps up to the Chetwynd Room from the Front Court but a small lift is available. Should you need to use it, please use the call point situated to the right of the lift and a Porter will come to help. Level-access WC facilities are available in the corridor outside the Chetwynd Room.
Wi-Fi access
Guests are welcome to use the College Wi-Fi. Details for signing to the King’s network will be available at the registration desk.
Evensong
If you have conveyed an intent to attend Evensong, seating has been reserved for you with the King Henry VI Circle Event group. Please join the College queue in front of the Gibbs Building for priority access through the south door at approximately 5.15pm. The service programme can be viewed here.
Photographs
As at all King's events, we sometimes choose to take photographs of the event and of the guests at it. King's may reproduce the photographs following the event for inclusion on the website or on Facebook. The College may also include images in the King's Parade magazine or e-news. Please let us know in advance of the event if you (or your guest) would prefer not to be photographed.
College Pantry
If you would like to purchase any of our excellent wine to take home, please contact the Pantry for the most current wine list: guido.felice@kings.cam.ac.uk. The Pantry will not be staffed on the 17th May but collection or delivery arrangements can always be made.
Departing College
The back gate is locked as standard, although there will be a Visitor Guide there until 5.30pm. Guests wishing to exit King’s College via the back gate should press the button found to the left of the right-hand pedestrian gate. When the button’s red light turns green, the gate will unlock ready for you to open and pass through. It is quite heavy so do take care. For security reasons, please do not let anyone in through the gate as you are going out. If you have parked in the Garden Hostel car park you will need to walk around rather than through the garden on your way back to your car.
Cancellations
If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please do let us know so that we may adjust the seating plan and prevent on catering wastage.
Contact Details
Email: events@kings.cam.ac.uk
Legacy Giving
Whether you are an existing College Legator or someone who is thinking about leaving a gift in their Will to King's College Cambridge, we would be delighted to hear from you. Your intentions matter and we encourage you to talk to us about them. By confirming your plans, it lets the College know what's important to you and where you would like your gift allocated when the time (eventually) comes.
Tel: +44 (0)1223 331481
Email: legacies@kings.cam.ac.uk
Of course, King's would like to recognise you appropriately for your most meaningful gift. However, this is your choice and if you prefer to stay anonymous, we respect that.
King's College Cambridge recommends that all individuals seek independent, qualified advice before making a charitable bequest.
