About Sir Jack Petchey CBE 1925-2024

Sir Jack Petchey set up the Jack Petchey Foundation to inspire young people across London and Essex to work hard and reach their full potential.

Sir Jack was an incredible inspiration to everyone who works at the Foundation. Even at 98 he took an active interest in the running of the charity, as do the rest of his family who share his vision.

He was born into a working class family in the East End on19th July 1925, left school at 13 and then joined the Navy in 1943. After leaving the Navy, he began working as a clerk for a solicitor’s firm. He applied for management training but was told he would never make a businessman.

Sir Jack always says:
If you think you can, you can!

Instead of giving up, Sir Jack used his £60 life savings, which included the gratuity pay from the Navy, to buy a second hand car and started a taxi business. Through hard work and innovative thinking, he proved them wrong and built a multi-million-pound empire.

Sir Jack’s experiences led to his passion to increase young peoples’ aspirations by rewarding their achievements.

In 2016, Sir Jack received his knighthood in recognition of his many years of charitable work.

If you would like to find out more about Sir Jack, you can read this obituary here or read his autobiography ‘If You Think You Can, You Can’ that is available as a free PDF.

He died on 27th June 2024, aged 98 – or as he would say, almost 99!