Supporting Essex
Why give to Essex? One of the great privileges of being Vice-Chancellor is that I can see the impact and achievements of Essex every day. I see our students making progress academically and growing as people, and I see the vibrant life of our campuses enhanced by their entrepreneurship and creativity. When you give to Essex, you could support them with scholarships, give to sports, societies and the arts, or contribute to their own crowdfunding. Whatever you do, you make a difference to the whole Essex community. You help us all grow. Thank you.
Where we need your help. Scholarships
Henrik Nordmark, Statistics and Computer Science 2013, was awarded the Townsend Scholarship in 2013, and is now Head of Data Science at intelligence marketing company Profusion.
Professor Anthony Forster Vice-Chancellor
My wife had a full-time job while I studied, and we were just about making ends meet, but it was uncomfortably tight. Combining part-time work and study would have been incredibly difficult. I heard about the Townsend Scholarship, and Kaloyan Stoyanov and I were lucky enough to get it. Elizabeth Townsend used to invite us for Sunday lunch, and we’ve both stayed in touch with her – and each other. Every year, I give a few hundred pounds to the scholarship fund at Essex. It’s not as much as I’d like, but I’m very happy to contribute back. Before Essex, I had two undergraduate degrees, and spoke three languages, but no-one was returning my calls. With the Masters, I was getting calls from recruiters several times a day. It changed my life – and Kalo’s. We work together now.
You can choose to support a specific area, or simply make a donation which we will allocate to the area of greatest need.
Student Experience
Click
Claire O’Sullivan, Politics and International Relations 2003, is now Head of Supporter Engagement at the University of Birmingham, and makes a monthly gift to our Student Experience fund.
Sana Kikhia (MA Global Project Management 2016) used our Click fundraising platform to raise over £2,300 to start Embroideries of Hope, a women’s workshop in a refugee camp in northern Greece.
I’m really happy to support the Student Experience Fund. Essex uses it to match and support the fundraising that students do – for sports, societies, arts and theatre work, and their own charity projects. One example that really captured my interest was a group of researchers who’d developed robot-assisted technology for para athletes. They got to test their invention at an international championship, and got coverage on the BBC – and that profile helps them win more investment. My regular gift helps to match the students’ own fundraising pound for pound – and they learn how to manage a project, build and enthuse a network, and bring about real change. It’s a hugely rewarding way to support the new generation of Essex students.
I’d set up a project in my country, Syria, to offer loans and grants to displaced and vulnerable families to start small businesses. I wanted to help refugee women, too, to escape their isolation in a camp near Thessaloniki. The idea was to create a space and buy raw materials they could use to create original crafts – and to empower them by helping them support their families by selling their work. Thanks to the generosity of Essex alumni, staff, students and supporters, we’re helping them to integrate into the community and feed their families – and lifting their wellbeing. I’m working now on a plan to help students in Syria to take classes online in order to improve their skills. I always have plans to help others – it’s my passion in life.
How you can give. Supporting Essex couldn’t be easier, and there are flexible options to suit you: Single Gift There are several ways to make a one-off contribution to one of our funds. n Online:
You can make an online credit card donation at https://alumni.essex.ac.uk/supportus
n Cheque:
You can send a cheque made payable to ‘University of Essex’ to Philanthropy Team, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ. Please specify which fund you would like to support, and we will send you a form so you can apply Gift Aid to your donation. n Phone:
You can give over the phone with your credit or debit card by calling 01206 874472.
Recurring gift If you can make a recurring gift by direct debit, this helps us to plan for the future and make sure our projects are sustainable, while still giving you total control over your gift. You can change the amount or frequency, or cancel the gift entirely, at any time by contacting your bank. To make a recurring gift, either on a yearly or monthly basis, please either call our office number or enter your bank details into our online form at https://alumni.essex.ac.uk/supportus
A gift in your will Leaving a bequest in your will can be a special way of leaving your mark at Essex and making a dramatic impact at the same time. After taking care of your loved ones, you can use it to continue your existing giving indefinitely, or even to give the largest gift to Essex that you will ever make. You could also use it to reduce the inheritance tax your family will be liable for, as giving 10% of your estate can reduce inheritance tax by 4%. To find out more about making a gift in your will, contact James Martin on 01206 874472 or jrmartin@essex.ac.uk.
Tax-efficient giving Giving to Essex has a real impact on students, and it can help reduce your tax liability if you are a higher and additional rate earner. Cash donations can offer relief through the Gift Aid scheme, and any gifts of shares or property can offer Capital Gains relief. You can find out more on our website at www.essex.ac.uk/thankyou/get-involved.
CONTACT:
T 01206 874472
E thankyou@essex.ac.uk
u www.essex.ac.uk/thankyou