High profile honorary graduates of the University of Worcester have given their support for efforts by staff to raise money for student scholarships and hardship funds.
Lord Mervyn King with Prof David Green
£12,500 has already been raised in the first five days since the campaign’s launch on April 11.
Sir Philip Craven, former President of the International Paralympic Committee and Lord Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England, have given both funds and messages of support to Vice Chancellor David Green and his colleagues.
As part of the University’s two-year-long Anniversaries Campaign, marking two major milestones in its history – 20 years since gaining full university status in 2005 and 80 years since being founded as an Emergency Teacher Training College in 1946 – the University is aiming to raise funds to help students through their studies.
Sir Philip Craven said: “David Green and his team, and the whole University of Worcester at their backs, have always impressed me regarding the purity of their endeavours in believing in the unique spirit of sport.”
He added: “I shall always support them”
Staff at the University are already holding bake & craft sales, car washes, quizzes and more as they prepare for the central event of the activities: a 24-hour fitness challenge which involves walking overnight, racing canoes up and down the River Severn, pulling a tractor and many more challenges as well.
Mervyn King said: “There are few causes as important as providing opportunities for young people to pursue their dream of education.”
He continued: “I benefited from such opportunities; we need to offer the same to the current generation of students.”
He added: “As ever, David Green is leading from the front. Good luck to him and everyone involved in this inspiring campaign at the University of Worcester.”
As part of the fundraising efforts, the Vice Chancellor will walk 280km along the coastal Camino Portugues, the historic pilgrim’s path from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Professor David Green CBE DL, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Worcester said: “The whole campus community has been touched to see so many messages of support as people give what they can to this vital cause.”
He continued: “We’ve been delighted to see so many people giving generously to the vital cause of helping students realise their potential, to complete their studies and get jobs which allow them to make their fullest contribution to society.”
An anonymous donor has already pledged to match every penny raised up to £100 for every kilometre Professor Green will walk, totalling a donation of £28,000, which will double to £56,000 if enough donors come forward to sponsor his 14-day-long walk.
Donations already received currently range from £5 to £2,800.
The University is a charity and donations from UK taxpayers are eligible for gift aid.
If you’d like to make a donation, you can do so by following this link to Professor Green’s Just Giving page.
For information on courses at University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries, telephone 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk