The 53rd Annual Eton Action Fair, the largest fundraising event in Eton College’s calendar, took place on 26 September 2026. Families from Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead attended the fair, along with the parents and friends of students attending the College. By mid-morning, the school grounds were buzzing with activity as students, staff and other members of the community gathered to support five charitable organisations selected by boys.
There were nearly a hundred charities and local businesses on College Field. Visitors enjoyed the variety of food to sample, including Greek and South Asian cuisine, Malaysian dumplings, vegan options, and ice cream. A miniature train carried children past swing boats, a bouncy castle and inflatable games. Throughout the day, there were also music and dance performances on the event’s main stage.
Many stalls were operated by the Boarding Houses, providing boys with an opportunity to raise money for charity in a variety of ways. At RGC’s (Mustians) renowned ‘Really Good Crêpes’, a long-established staple of the fair, one boy claimed that they produced “the best crêpes in Windsor”. At RCH’s (South Lawn) coconut shy, participants competed for piles of sweets.
“People were surprised at how difficult the coconuts were to knock over, yet the fact that each throw contributed to charity encouraged many visitors to keep trying,” explained Alex G (Year 12), after assisting with the running of the stall.
The funds raised will be distributed amongst five charities entirely proposed and voted upon by the boys of Eton College. Busy Buttons CORE Charity, located in Windsor, was selected by the winners of the Social Impact Challenge, Kaius V (Year 12) and Anand N (Year 12), in January 2026. Busy Buttons employs art and creativity as a means of supporting the wellbeing and self-esteem of children, while also strengthening social connections within their local communities. During the fair, Busy Buttons offered several art and craft activities for young children to complete at their colourful stall. The charity commented: “It was a pleasure and an honour to be part of such an incredible event.”
The remaining four charities were selected by popular vote in the Eton Action Annual General Meeting. After a series of short-listed presentations were given, every boy was endowed with four voting tokens. There was space for one local, national and international charity, in addition to a fourth option for the most beloved unselected organisation.
The local charity of choice was the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service. The charity supports children and their families who have been affected by life limiting or threatening illness throughout Berkshire, South Bucks and the surrounding area. The Devines, Fiona and John, created the service to honour their late son Alexander.
MMPower Foundation, which provides computer education to underprivileged children in Myanmar and Cambodia, as well as access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities within those communities, is another charity benefiting from the fair. Ludo D-J (Year 12), one of five boys who operated a stall for the foundation during the fair, commented: “It was a challenging journey leading up towards the Action Fair and it was great to see us as a team pull together and make it happen.”
The LouLou Race Foundation was established to provide funding for young athletes’ development in order to allow them to achieve their full potential as competitors through participation in training and competitive events at a local and national level. The Foundation helps eliminate the financial barriers that can prevent young people from participating in sports by giving them access to equipment, coaches and competition; this allows all young people, regardless of economic status, to participate in the sport they are passionate in.
The Motor Neurone Disease Association supports individuals who suffer from MND, and funds research aimed at finding new methods of treatment, and, ultimately, a cure. The organisation also provides support to families and caregivers of those who are impacted by this condition, and raises awareness through its campaigns about the challenges they experience.
This year, the Eton Action Fair raised £45,000.
The effort put into the fair by boys, staff, stallholders and visitors alike will provide critical assistance to thousands, supporting children’s hospice care in Maidenhead as well as educational opportunities and access to clean water through initiatives in Myanmar and Cambodia.
