New fund launched to help students
The University of Bradford has launched a new fund to support those students most in need.
The Bradford Futures Fund will provide a bursary of £1,000 per year towards the living costs of students facing the most significant challenges to accessing and staying in higher education. The bursary will be guaranteed for the duration of their degree.
Every donation to this fund up to a total of £10,000 will be matched by alumni donor, tech entrepreneur Rob Wilmot.
Rob said: “I am immensely proud to be associated with Bradford, and proud of my roots in the city, having studied and lived here. I’m from an underprivileged background, so I know what it is like to not be certain of your future. My time at Bradford was vital in developing the skills to succeed in my career and the money that I received from the University’s student hardship fund helped me make it through.”
“The Bradford Future Fund provides support to those students who need it the most, ensuring that they can succeed and fulfil their potential regardless of background or financial situation. I am delighted to be able to match donations to the Fund through this appeal, and I hope you will join me in supporting Bradford.”
The University successfully raised more than £30,000 last year through its COVID-19 emergency appeal which went to students in urgent need of financial support.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon said: “This past year has been one of unprecedented hardship and the ongoing effects of COVID-19 are still having a major impact on our students. Many will have lost part-time work which they rely on to cover basic living costs like food and accommodation. As the University of and for Bradford, we simply cannot allow financial difficulties to jeopardise our students’ education and future success.
"The newly created Bradford Futures Fund will provide a bursary of £1,000 a year towards the living costs of students facing the most significant challenges to accessing and staying in higher education. This bursary will be guaranteed for the duration of an individual’s studies.
"Our alumni community has already been so generous, and I am so grateful for your support over the past eighteen months, but the world is not back to normal, and a significant number of our students are still facing an uncertain financial future.
"I encourage you to help those in most need by giving a small monthly donation of whatever you can afford to the Bradford Futures Fund. Your generosity will be matched by one of our other alumni supporters – meaning that every gift will be automatically doubled."
If you are able to contribute to the fund please visit https://intouch.bradford.ac.uk/public/donate/pledgeNew.aspx.