Memorial to John Whitaker he opened a free Sunday School in Pickford Street, which accommodated about 40 children. In doing this he was inspired by Robert Raikes who had initiated the Sunday School movement, and by David Simpson, a local Anglican priest who had earlier provided schools for poor children in the town. Unlike most Sunday Schools, Whitaker's school was non-denominational. In 1814 he followed this by opening a much larger purpose-built Sunday School in Roe Street. The school was financed by public subscription and by the children paying a small weekly fee. Whitaker died in 1820, but the school continued to flourish, and
Tricia Raikes Tricia Raikes Tricia Raikes is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the co-founder and co-president of the Raikes Foundation, and has held this position since 2002. Her husband is Jeff Raikes, former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Prior to co-founding the Raikes Foundation, Tricia was Director of Creative Services and Marketing Communications at Microsoft. Tricia holds a position on the Board of Directors for the College Success Foundation for Washington DC and Washington State. Additionally, Tricia serves on the Board of Directors for the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management with her husband,