Impact Magazine 2018

IMPACT SUPPORTER NEWSLETTER

2018

THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, IT’S BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR FOR STUDENTS AND FOR SALFORD.

WELCOME FROM PROFESSOR JACKIE KAY

This has been a fantastic year for Salford, for our staff, students and our alumni – a year full of life-changing opportunities and developments. Much of this is thanks to your support and generosity, and the lifelong relationship you built with the university during your own time here as a student – however recent, or in the distant past that may be.

During the past year, over one hundred students have received bursaries, scholarships, prizes and awards; all funded by the wonderful generosity of our global donor community. Other notable gifts to the university include funding for innovative engineering ventures such as the Morson Maker Space; support for enriching art programmes such as the Haworth Life Drawing Series; funding for vital research into combatting life-threatening diseases; and support to fund new important facilities, such as the Salford Institute for Dementia Hub. Gifts to the university don’t come just in monetary awards however, and I would like to thank those members of our alumni community who support Salford by volunteering their time and expertise. We currently have many alumni involved in rewarding mentoring schemes – helping today’s Salford students to grow in confidence and skills. Volunteers from our alumni community are also an essential part of the university’s Widening Participation events – inspiring local young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider Higher Education.

This dedication to supporting the next generation of graduates, and enhancing the work of the university, is one of the reasons we are so incredibly proud of the Salford alumni community.

Your generosity changes lives, and not just of our students, but also the lives of those around them – and for generations to come.

On behalf of everyone here at the University of Salford – staff and students, past, present and future – thank you for your generous support of this wonderful university.

You make a difference for all of us, so thank you!

Professor Jackie Kay Chancellor and Writer-in Residence, University of Salford Scot’s Makar (Scottish poet laureate) since 2016

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES

Danny Haughton at his graduation

WE BELIEVE THAT ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD BE OPEN TO ALL – ENABLING STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL, REGARDLESS OF FINANCIAL BACKGROUND. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR DONOR COMMUNITY, AND THE SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER OVER ONE HUNDRED STUDENTS A LIFE-CHANGING BURSARY OR SCHOLARSHIP.

MGF UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP This year, we’d like to congratulate three students who have graduated under the MGF Undergraduate Scholarship: Monika Szewczyk, Osman Habib and Syed Rizvi (pictured above).

Syed said of his scholarship: “I don’t think I’d be at this stage, or I wouldn’t have this quality of degree if MGF didn’t support me, so thank you.”

The scholarships were created thanks to the fantastic ongoing support of MGF Excavation Safety Solutions; this is part of a long-term partnership agreement with the University – enabling more students to pursue engineering degrees.

Osman also graduated this year, and said: “It means everything to me, from the help that I have received, to the placement opportunity that they gave me – it is a helping hand.”

interest in their progress, instilling a sense of pride and belief in each of the graduates, whilst strengthening Gerry’s vision to support engineering students at Salford.

Salford is extremely grateful to the philanthropic support of organisations such as MGF Excavation Safety Solutions, in helping students to achieve their goals.

James Kelly said of his scholarship: “I think the main thing about the scholarship from the Mason family is the support. I mean obviously it was a financial scholarship, but it was mainly the network and having people there that you can talk to who can support you throughout – that’s what I most enjoyed really.”

Monika said about graduation day as an MGF scholar: “Oh it feels brilliant to graduate, it’s one of the best feelings ever. We made it, YES!”

Ged Mason said of his family’s scholarships: “Our partnership with Salford University is delivering real change by attracting new talent to technical sectors and developing the next generation of engineers.”

PETER CASEY SCHOLARSHIP Peter Casey is founder of The Casey Group, and alumnus of our predecessor college, the Salford Technical College – having graduated in Civil Engineering in 1960.

In 2013, he created the Peter Casey Scholarship within the School of The Built Environment, to help remove barriers into Higher Education. Peter pledged £30,000 over 10 years to provide student scholarships in recognition of excellence.

This year, Stuart Lally graduated under the annual scholarship, with a first-class honours degree in Construction Project Management. Peter attended Stuart’s graduation (pictured above).

Stuart said: “I’d love nothing more than to be able to offer my gratitude (to Peter) for creating and supporting such a scholarship – but most of all for putting a little back in to the industry that made him.”

THE FIRST GERRY MASON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE GRADUATES Congratulations to four engineering scholars who graduated this year: Yasir Alrufaee, Hamza Evans, Lewis Smith, James Kelly (pictured above right) all graduated, having been funded throughout their degree by the Gerry Mason Engineering Excellence Scholarship.

Since the graduates started their Salford journey, the family have been a consistent source of support to them. They have benefitted from placement opportunities at Morson International and the family have maintained a keen

L-R: Yasir, Hamza, Lewis and James

SALFORD ADVANTAGE BURSARY GRADUATES Thanks to the donations and support of our alumni community, we’re able to offer a £1,000 annual bursary to promising students who need it the most.

Congratulations to two Salford Advantage Bursary students who have graduated this year: Danny Haughton graduated in Criminology, and Sultan Azouz graduated in Construction Project Management.

Having graduated, Danny is now planning his next steps: “I’d like to do mentoring through the University, and still do some projects as a student ambassador.”

Sultan said of his bursary: ”Thank you to the donors that supported my scholarship – today wouldn’t have been possible for me without it. It has been an opportunity that will change my life and has made me look forward to my future now that I have a degree. I will be forever grateful.”

Sultan Azouz

CONGRATULATIONS AS THE FIRST GERRY MASON SCHOLARS GRADUATE THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OF THE MORSON GROUP AND THE MASON FAMILY, SALFORD STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM A NEW ‘MAKER CULTURE’ ON CAMPUS THIS YEAR, AND FOUR STUDENTS HAVE PLENTY TO CELEBRATE HAVING BECOME THE FIRST TO GRADUATE UNDER THE GERRY MASON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP.

Graduation day for the four Gerry Mason Engineering Excellence Graduates

ENGINEERING SUCCESSFUL CAREERS The Gerry Mason Engineering Excellence Scholarships were created by the late Gerry Mason, founder of Salford engineering firm, Morson International. Gerry pledged £270,000 to support talented students to pursue an engineering degree, without being deterred due to tuition fees and living costs.

This year saw the first four scholars graduate – congratulations to Yasir Alrufaee, Hamza Evans, James Kelly and Lewis Smith.

Lewis said of the difference the scholarship had meant to his studies: “Financial pressure was lifted, and the family have been unbelievable – everyone involved has been unbelievable, and I’m forever grateful.”

After continuing Gerry’s legacy of support for engineering students at Salford, we are proud to announce that his wife Margaret, son Ged, and daughters Natasha, Sara and Carmen have very kindly agreed to support a further five Gerry Mason Engineering Excellence Scholarships for this academic year – a testament to the positive impact of their life-changing support over the last three years.

SALFORD HAS JOINED THE MAKER MOVEMENT Thanks to the very generous support from Morson Group, Salford students are now able to benefit from a new campus digital fabrication hub – the ‘Morson Maker Space’.

The space is equipped with high tech laser cutters, vinyl cutters, and 3D printer facilities, and this year we’ve kick-started the maker movement on campus with Maker Monday sessions – offering staff and students introductory classes in fabrication technologies, including laser cutting, 3D printing and electronics using Arduino.

A key part of the maker movement will focus on integrating digital fabrication skills into the wider Salford curriculum, and the Morson Maker Space has now integrated ten programmes within the School of Computing, Science and Engineering and one course in the School of Arts and Media – and we’ve been working with module leaders to explore and develop further maker courses across the university.

But it doesn’t stop there; we’re also working to support the Morson Group pledge of changing the perception of women in engineering. The Morson Maker Space will focus on activities to engage girls to consider an engineering career, and we’re also proud that this partnership will see the launch of targeted scholarships to inspire women to take up engineering as a career path – with the first ever Master by Research in robotics being offered as a scholarship for female students only.

GRADUATE PROFILE: YASIR ALRUFAEE Yasir moved to the UK eight years ago from Kuwait; he came to Salford to study Aeronautical Engineering because he enjoyed the prospect of using his creativity to solve complex problems and make ideas a reality. He graduated this year under the Gerry Mason Engineering Excellence Scholarship.

MY DREAM JOB AFTER UNIVERSITY: Aeronautical Engineer SOMEONE I AM INSPIRED BY: Steve Jobs – I have learnt a few tips from him about leadership qualities HIGHLIGHT OF MY FINAL YEAR AT SALFORD: Learning about Aircraft Design Enterprise – I really loved this module I’M PROUD OF…: For my aerodynamics assignment the calculations were challenging, but I spent two days on them and it took some trial and error, but thankfully I managed to get the values I needed MY TIME AT SALFORD WAS...: Fantastic, the course content was amazing, and the teachers were supportive. I have really enjoyed my experience at university.

YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR SALFORD YOUR DONATIONS AND SUPPORT REALLY DO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO SALFORD STUDENTS, TO THE UNIVERSITY’S FACILITIES, AND TO OUR ABILITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE GLOBAL ISSUES WHICH IMPACT US ALL. HERE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW RECENT DONATIONS HAVE ENABLED US TO IMPROVE WELLBEING FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA, SUPPORT YOUNG WOMEN IN THEIR EDUCATION IN UGANDA, AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF PERFORMERS AT SALFORD. THANK YOU.

SALFORD GETS ACTIVE FOR DEMENTIA ACTION WEEK

We also raised a fantastic £1,184 with a telephone campaign in May, and the University’s Crowdfunding campaign, ‘Proud to believe in life beyond dementia’, also raised £275.

We got behind Dementia Action Week earlier this year, with activities across campus to raise funds to support the community wellbeing groups at the Salford Institute for Dementia.

Fundraising for the Institute continues – raising funds for materials and activities at the Salford Dementia Hub, including for arts and crafts sessions, a camera for the photography club, and specialist instructors to run exciting sessions – all designed to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia.

Over 40 people took part in a ‘Sportathon’ on campus, with staff and students testing their endurance on exercise bikes and rowing machines to cover a kilometre for every person living with dementia in Salford. As well as a big thanks to all our energetic volunteers, we’d also like to thank everyone who threw some pennies and pounds into our bucket collections – and thank Santander for generously match-funding, helping us to raise over £300 in total.

If you would like to support the Salford Institute for Dementia, please visit www. salford.ac.uk/giving/priorities/dementia

Dementia Action Week at Salford included a panel debate with Salford alumnus and actor Christopher Eccleston on perceptions of dementia in the media and society

CROWDFUNDING FOR ACCESS TO EDUCATION IN UGANDA

NAME A SEAT CAMPAIGN

This year saw a significant increase in crowdfunding support at the University, including for Salford’s ‘Develop with Dignity’ project.

We’re delighted to offer alumni the opportunity to name your very own seat in the New Adelphi Theatre, with all funds raised going to support our services for students.

‘Develop with Dignity’ is a project to help young women in Uganda who regularly miss school due to not having enough sanitary products.

By supporting Salford in this way, you’ll be leaving a lasting legacy on campus – as well as helping countless students to realise their potential.

Donations to the fund will pay for 15 University of Salford student volunteers to travel to Uganda to provide reusable sanitary pads. Donations will also enable the young women to receive vital education on personal care and family planning, as well improve their confidence through sporting activities.

You’ll also find yourself in famous company, as Salford alumni and Car Share stars, Peter Kay and Sian Gibson, recently secured their seats.

We raised a fantastic £3,542. Thank you to everyone who has given their support to this life-changing project.

If you would like to find out more about our crowdfunding projects, please visit www.fundus.salford.ac.uk

THE NEW ADELPHI BUILDING WAS OPENED WITH A WORLD PREMIERE OF WORK BY RENOWNED PLAYWRIGHT, JIM CARTWRIGHT. AS WELL AS HOUSING THE UNIVERSITY’S CREATIVE AND ARTS PROGRAMMES, THE NEW ADELPHI THEATRE IS DELIGHTED TO BE WORKING WITH JIM CARTWRIGHT AGAIN THIS YEAR ON SOME VERY EXCITING PROJECTS, INCLUDING WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND ALUMNI TO FINE TUNE THEIR WRITING SKILLS. WE’RE ALSO PLANNING A LARGE SCALE PROJECT WITH JIM TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2019 – WATCH THIS SPACE!

To secure your seat, please visit newadelphiseat.salford.ac.uk/2017

SUPPORTING STUDENTS PETER TAYLOR, CREATIVE MUSIC TECHNOLOGY, THIRD YEAR STUDENT “I was raised in Manchester in a working class household by my parents, along with three siblings. I displayed a natural talent for music and I was one of four soloists in the school choir. I also found myself drawn into the technology and the production aspects of recorded music, what went into it, how music was written and constructed, and how sound was reinforced for live performance etc.

If I had to choose one thing that influenced me to pick this course, it would have to be the freedom that it afforded me in my creative work – while also providing me with a solid understanding of music creation, production and of the workings of the music industry itself. Now my dream job is to become a professional composer and arranger for media and film projects.

Without this bursary I would have been unable to afford the majority of the books on my reading list – it’s also made it possible for me to devote more time to my studies. “

“THIS BURSARY HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER AND I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW GRATEFUL I AM. I ONLY HOPE THAT ONE DAY I’LL BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME FOR SOMEONE ELSE.”

EVERY YEAR, WE AWARD BURSARIES TO STUDENTS WHO COULD OTHERWISE BE DETERRED FROM STUDY DUE TO FINANCIAL RESTRAINTS. BURSARIES ARE FUNDED THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE SALFORD DONOR COMMUNITY – AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY GIVE TO STUDENTS ARE LIMITLESS. HERE’S WHAT SOME RECENT BURSARY BENEFICIARIES HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE HELP THEY RECEIVED…

CHRISTINA WENHAM, ADULT NURSING, SECOND YEAR STUDENT “I live in Bradford with my grandmother and grandfather. I have lived with my grandmother for 13 years and before this with other family members and in care homes. I commute to Salford daily from Bradford as I find this easier and more comfortable than moving out considering the circumstances.

On my course I have learnt I am more resilient than I thought I was, especially in ward scenarios that most people would find especially challenging. I had previously wanted to be a midwife but was swapped onto this course as there was a lack of places. I have found out now that I am much more suited to this role as I like working with a variety of individuals, not just pregnant women.

My dream job now is to be a nurse, but specifically work within the Macmillan field, or even as an end of life nurse.

Without the bursary I wouldn’t be able to commute to the university every day – I am very thankful for the bursary, it’s provided me with such a fantastic opportunity.”

EMILY MIMMACK, VISUAL ARTS, SECOND YEAR STUDENT “The course has really helped me to overcome a lot of doubts – whilst I accept criticism within my work, I won’t feel disheartened as it is proven to help me to progress. I have changed massively since coming to university, I feel more motivated to work hard as I really want to take advantage of the facilities, as well as my time here.

I have been reflecting on the direction I would like to go in once I have completed my degree; I’m building myself to hopefully make my own creative business. I have had a history involving struggles with mental health, so I initially wanted to become an art therapist. Now I would like to work for a clothing company.

I have to pay my own bills and support myself – as I attend university full-time I find it difficult to find a job. I have very low income, but I’ve also been getting involved in voluntary work which I feel will be helpful in the future.”

“LAST YEAR I HAD THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO VENICE WITH MY COURSE. I FOUND THAT I SOURCED LOTS OF IDEAS AND IT WAS TRULY INSPIRATIONAL. THERE ARE LOTS OF ART GALLERIES IN BRITAIN THAT I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT, HOWEVER I STRUGGLE TO PAY FOR TRAVEL. A BURSARY GIVES ME THAT FREEDOM TO DISCOVER NEW PLACES AND KNOWLEDGE.”

SANTANDER UNIVERSITIES THE UNIVERSITY HAS RECENTLY ENTERED THE THIRD YEAR OF AN ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIP WITH SANTANDER UNIVERSITIES, DURING WHICH TIME THEY HAVE PLEDGED £300,000 – BENEFITTING OVER 200 SALFORD STUDENTS. HERE’S AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FANTASTIC BENEFITS AFTER RECEIVING A SANTANDER UNIVERSITIES FUNDING AWARD.

CHERRELLE BIRD Cherrelle was awarded a £750 start up award for her business idea ‘Book 4 Events’ – an online party and event booking platform, providing a community for event suppliers and a shop for event organisers.

Cherrelle, pictured left with Damien Mullany from Santander Universities and her business partner Darren Cain, said: “The funding from Santander helped us to secure a website and gain an online presence. We purchased marketing materials such as business cards which are useful for networking and making key contacts within the industry.”

“We loved pitching the idea to the panel and it has encouraged us to enter future pitching competitions. We would absolutely recommend this experience to any students looking to start-up – the feedback from the judges was really insightful.”

IDIL ISMAIL Idil was awarded £1,000 for her business idea SALSOC Synthesis.

The company uses currently produced and newly manufactured organic products, created in undergraduate laboratories using green and sustainable methods. The products are subsequently sold to the local and national chemical industry; this means that laboratory waste is reduced, and chemical products are used more responsibly.

The company’s vision is that undergraduate chemistry laboratory classes at Salford will become the first UK university laboratories to put into practice the concept and principles of green chemistry.

Idil, pictured above with her business partner Nicola guest, said: “With myself and Nicola being from a science background, with very little business acumen, the university has mentored us and helped us in that regard.”

HENRY ROMANENKO Henry was awarded a £700 start up award for his business creating Arabic and North-African inspired jewellery.

The Enterprise Team at Salford helped Henry to make his business a reality; evaluating the viability of his business idea and helping Henry to devise a strategy for business development.

Henry used the award money to buy essential equipment for the business, including purchasing photography equipment to ensure quality images for publications, on websites, and across social media.

SOPHIE HIGGETT Sophie was awarded a £500 Santander travel award, to help with her studies in Wildlife and Practical Conservation.

During her course, Sophie took part in a five-week youth expedition with the British Exploring Society to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. As part of the expedition, Sophie was able to work with the Peruvian NGO Foundation to learn about building bio-gardens and to provide training to encourage local farmers to work in a more sustainable way.

Henry said: “OUR GOAL IS TO PROMOTE THE ROMAN KENO BRAND AT LONDON FASHION WEEK – GET PROMOTED IN MAGAZINES AND BLOGS, AND HOPEFULLY SELL OUR JEWELLERY AT WELL RECOGNISED HIGH-END STORES.”

“I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH MY PROJECT IN THE AMAZON FOR AN EXTRA TWO WEEKS THANKS TO THE MONEY FROM SANTANDER.” “IT WAS EMPOWERING TO WORK ALONGSIDE OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE AND DEVELOP OUR SKILLS TOGETHER OVER THE COURSE OF THE TRIP.”

STUDENT HARDSHIP GOING TO UNIVERSITY IS A TIME OF EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES, BOTH SOCIALLY AND ACADEMICALLY. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES STUDENTS NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO SUCCEED – THANKS TO YOUR DONATIONS THE HARDSHIP FUND IS THERE TO HELP SALFORD STUDENTS WHEN THEY NEED IT THE MOST. At any point in their Salford journey, students may find themselves in unforeseeable financial and personal difficulties, through no fault of their own – and they may contemplate having to drop out of university.

Every year we have hundreds of applications to our Hardship Fund; through your support, we are able to offer a lifeline to students when they need it most – a lifeline to succeed, and to continue with their studies and provide a good career and future for themselves.

This year, in addition to providing emergency financial awards, your donations have also enabled us to purchase a third crisis room on campus. The crisis room allows us to support students who find themselves in extreme difficulty, and sometimes dangerous situations such as homelessness. The crisis room also offers a lifeline to students who have become estranged from their family or from the care system, or for students who need a safe space when they have needed to leave their home urgently for a variety of domestic issues.

We already have two crisis rooms on campus, but thanks to your donations, the addition of a third room means we are now able to offer even more students a safe space to stay in – and through this support we enable many more young people to succeed in their university careers.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LIFTING THE PRESSURE AND STRESS OFF ME. I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD AND THE SUPPORT OF THIS FUND. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE POSSIBLE FOR ME.”

SALFORD INSIGHT MENTORING SCHEME THE ‘SALFORD INSIGHT MENTORING SCHEME’ IS A MENTORING INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONSIDER HIGHER EDUCATION – PARTICULARLY ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. It’s been an exciting year for the ‘Salford Insight Mentoring Scheme’ – the University’s mentoring programme which sees volunteer student mentors matched with a local young person for a year-long mentoring agreement.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SUCH A VALUABLE PROJECT AND CHANGING THE LIVES OF LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE.

The young people say that they are now more inspired about the idea of university and Higher Education; several of the young people have visited Salford, and the group regularly talk to their mentors about options for further education and careers.

It’s also fantastic news that many of the young people involved say that they have grown considerably in confidence – even reporting that their relationships at home have improved due to the skills they have learned from their mentors. One of the young people recently asked her mentor for guidance about how to approach a problem she was having at school – all great examples of the very tangible difference that the scheme is having on the futures of the young people involved.

Mentoring is a powerful tool to help another person go through challenges in their life, and the mentors provide a positive role model for the young people – inspiring them, helping them to build their confidence, and helping them to make important decisions about their lives. By having a positive role model in their lives, the young people are also able to develop their own communication skills, problemsolving skills, and trust.

Through their involvement, the volunteer mentors also enhance their own student experience, and gain transferable employability skills for their future careers.

Thanks to your donations, we hope to increase the number of mentor and mentee matches, as well as develop relationships with additional partner schools in the region – enabling us to impact the lives of many more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds locally.

Jessica Parker, 2nd year Social Work student and mentor

VOLUNTEERING AND MENTORING VOLUNTEERS MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS – SIMPLY BY SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, AND A BIT OF TIME. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS VOLUNTEERED THIS YEAR.

Our Alumni Volunteering Programme is a great way for alumni to get involved with a range of activities and projects across the University – and it makes a big difference to current Salford students.

This year, students have been lucky enough to hear from, and network with, numerous alumni entrepreneurs and senior business leaders, including Peter Bradbury, Head of Sky Music – Peter has given talks to students both on campus and in London.

Students also heard from Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren – Mike spent two days on campus, sharing his knowledge and advice, before delivering a fantastic public lecture.

Engineering students were also inspired by a visit from Diana Kennedy, Chief Architect for the Upstream Division at BP.

Alumnus and McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt

Here are a few more examples of how our volunteer community have helped this year…

WIDENING PARTICIPATION EVENTS Widening Participation is central to Salford’s vision to make university accessible to those students who are under-represented in Higher Education.

Every year, we run a series of activities and events for school and college groups – these include Explore Salford taster days which give school and college students a taste of what university is like by experiencing a day of subject specific activities on campus.

Alumni volunteers are vital to these events; talking to the students to give them an idea of what to expect at university, and how it could help them to pursue a fantastic career.

“I am passionate about encouraging young people to work towards a positive future regardless of their background, therefore when I was given the opportunity to share my personal experiences with students from Salford, it was a no-brainer.”

Saskia Murphy, English alumna and Freelance Journalist, a speaker at an Explore Salford session.

Saskia Murphy

OPEN DAYS Every year, hundreds of prospective students come to our Open Days to get a taste of what studying at Salford is like.

We invite alumni to deliver welcome talks and to give prospective students the chance to ask questions about what it’s like to study at Salford. This year’s prospective students heard from alumni now working in a range of exciting sectors and careers – from radio presenters to social media producers, litigation and physiotherapy. Our alumni really prove a degree from Salford can take you anywhere, and the skills and experience you gain last a lifetime.

“I came all the way from Wales not knowing anybody – and it was a daunting experience. And there’ll be people in their first year now who are going through that exact situation, and I want to share my experience and make them feel that it is going to be ok!”

Bradley Harris, Social Media Producer at the BBC and Freelance Journalist. Bradley graduated from Salford in 2016.

INSIGHTS AND NETWORKING Insights and Networking events give current students a chance to network with alumni and academics – helping students to get a sense of what’s possible in their chosen sector and gain inspiring advice. The event includes a Q&A, drinks reception and a networking session. Last semester our inspiring events focused on law, business and marketing.

INDUSTRY ADVICE SCHEME The Industry Advice Scheme is a hugely rewarding volunteer opportunity for our local alumni. The scheme sees a past student mentor a current student across a ten-month period; it’s a great way to enable a current student to build their confidence and employability skills.

Each mentoring relationship is very different – some students need help writing excellent graduate applications, others may benefit from industry insights and advice on how to obtain the experience they need to pursue their dream career.

Kiera Brown, a second-year marketing student, was mentored by Katherine Littlewood, an Account Manager for Fanatics International in Manchester.

Kiera started her mentorship keen and enthusiastic, but she was lacking in some professional confidence and felt unsure of the best career steps to take after graduation.

Katherine and Kiera met regularly and worked on building her employability and seeking opportunities to enhance her CV; Kiera was also supported with securing herself a placement year at a marketing company in London – something Kiera said she could not have achieved without her mentor’s support.

To find out more about volunteer opportunities, please contact us by email at alumni@salford.ac.uk

SALFORD INSTITUTE OF DEMENTIA THE SALFORD INSTITUTE FOR DEMENTIA IS THE UNIVERSITY’S INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN DEMENTIA CARE. THE RESEARCH TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE INSTITUTE CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS DESIGNS FOR DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY BUILDINGS, GARDENS, URBAN SPACES AND TRANSPORT NETWORKS – ENABLING THOSE WITH THE CONDITION, AND THEIR CARERS, TO LIVE WITH MEANING AND PURPOSE. IN THE UK ALONE, THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 835,000 CASES OF DEMENTIA, WITH THIS NUMBER ANTICIPATED TO GROW TO ONE MILLION BY 2021. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD, WE HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO UTILISE OUR RESOURCES TO BENEFIT THOSE IN OUR SOCIETY WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY DEMENTIA. WHILST A CURE IS SOUGHT, WE ARE FOCUSING ON ENABLING PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA TO LIVE POSITIVE LIVES. YOUR DONATIONS MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, and leaders from charities: Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and Dementia UK, visited the University’s Dementia Hub in support of Dementia Action Week at Salford

Dr Tracey Williamson and Wendy Mitchell, Times Best Selling Author of ‘Someone I used to know’ which was about her personal experience of young onset dementia. Wendy was the keynote speaker at the end of study conference in June 2018

YOUNG ONSET DEMENTIA RESEARCH Funding by The Booth Charities has enabled a three-year ‘Living Well With Young Onset Dementia’ study, which conducted research to better understand how people diagnosed with young onset dementia can be supported at the point of diagnosis.

The Institute’s research, led by Dr Tracey Williamson, found that the large quantity of information offered to people at the point of diagnosis was often described as ‘overwhelming’. The research also found reported difficulties with a lack of out-of-hours support, a need for counselling, a wish for more art and craft activities, and the need for greater insight into employer approaches to supporting workers with dementia.

To address these areas, a set of tailored, supportive leaflets have been developed in collaboration with people living with dementia and their family carers – highlighting key information in a succinct and easy to understand way.

The leaflets have now been adopted by the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Memory Assessment and Treatment Service, and all people assessed at the clinic will receive a copy.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Research Associates within the Salford Institute for Dementia have been focussing on the challenges faced by people living with dementia, and their carers – including the implications of depression, a lack of social interaction and a loss of identity.

As part of this work, the Institute has formed a panel of Dementia Associates – a group of people all living with dementia, and their carers – to better understand how to support people to lead their most positive lives.

Thanks to donor support, the Institute has launched a number of community engagement groups, including a memory cafe, a music group, funded by Music in Hospitals and Care, and a gardening group. Support by the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust has enabled the Institute to carry out an evaluation of these community engagement activities.

The memory café, or ‘Sid’s Café’ as it’s known to it’s regulars, offers a friendly place where people affected by dementia can meet and chat with others in a similar situation; it’s a place where friendships are formed, and valuable peer support is found – as well as lots of chat, relaxation and fun.

The Good Life Club is a friendly gardening group which meets regularly at the Institute to care for a small garden at the Dementia Hub. The group grows fruit, vegetables and herbs and use their produce to cook and eat together.

The music group meets each month to watch live performances from some of Salford’s most talented musicians – this is a key part of the Institute’s work as research has concluded that engaging in music can increase cognitive functioning and reduce depression, as well as have a positive impact on the wellbeing of people living with dementia. The Institute is also using observational tools to assess the impact of attending the music group, and initial findings from this evaluation were recently presented at the British Society of Gerontology annual conference at the University of Manchester.

Visit www.salford.ac.uk/salford-institute-for-dementia to keep up to date on developments within the Salford Institute for Dementia.

LEGACIES AND BEQUESTS FASHION STUDENTS HAVE A STYLISH FUTURE THANKS TO A GENEROUS LEGACY A former fashion lecturer has left a £50,000 legacy to help Salford students in their careers as clothing designers. Barbara Baldwin, who taught at Salford in the ‘70s and ‘80s, left the money in her will to support students on the University’s Fashion Design programme.

One of Lauren McKay’s catwalk designs

The Barbara Baldwin Fund will enable students to apply for financial support – helping with projects such as international placements, or visits to fashion houses in Japan, China and the US. Barbara taught the Fashion Design HND in the former Salford College of Technology, before a fashion degree programme became part of the University.

Lauren McKay

Nigel Howe, Associate Dean of the University of Salford’s School of Arts and Media, worked with Barbara and said: “I remember her as an energetic woman who was absolutely passionate about what she did, who knew her subject inside out and who loved her students. As this legacy shows, she was completely committed to Salford and adored the place.”

Lauren McKay recently graduated with a BA in Fashion Design, having received a financial award thanks to the Barbara Baldwin Fund. Lauren said: “I was over the moon!

It was such a relief as well, as the money was a massive help towards my final year. The prize helped towards my final collection.”

Lolita Korizaite

Lolita Korizaite came to the UK from Lithuania five years ago and has recently graduated with a first-class honours degree in Fashion Design. Lolita also received an award thanks to Barbara’s generous legacy; Lolita said: “This extra help was very useful and made a few of my troubles from a huge list disappear in a second, because at that moment I had no idea where I was going to get all the money for all the things I needed to complete my degree.”

YOUR LEGACY, OUR FUTURE Every year, we offer a number of scholarships, bursaries and prizes to ensure students have the best university experience possible and are able to achieve their potential.

None of this would be possible without the philanthropic support we receive.

By leaving a gift in your will, you can extend your charitable giving beyond your lifetime and provide invaluable support to the next generation of Salford students.

If you would like more information about donating to the University by leaving a gift in your will please contact Claire Green t: +44 (0) 161 295 3432 e: c.l.green@salford.ac.uk

CAMPUS INITIATIVES THE CAMPUS INITIATIVES FUND SUPPORTS PROJECTS WHICH PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SALFORD STUDENTS. The Campus Initiatives Fund awards grants to projects which enable students to take advantage of the many fantastic opportunities available to them while at university. This could include projects to improve facilities, for academic or extracurricular opportunities, or for projects which help Salford students to engage with the local community.

The fund is entirely supported by the generous donations of our donor community; to be considered for funding, projects must show how they have a positive impact on students, the campus, or for our local Salford community.

Thanks to your support, this year we have been able to fund the Saturday Science Club where students from Salford’s biology, chemistry and physics programmes run practical science classes for local GCSE and A-level students in Greater Manchester.

Donations have also funded ‘Invisible Histories’ – a project engaging Salford students in digital storytelling and digitisation techniques – which will make a sub-set of rare items in the Working Class Movement Library available online.

Donations this year have also funded new technology for Salford – enabling engineers to create virtual reality environments in which to envisage structural models.

The fund also awarded a grant for a group of ten Occupational Therapy students to attend the International Congress of Occupational Therapy at the University of Miguel Hernandez de Elche in Spain; this was a fantastic opportunity for the students who were able to contribute to the conference by delivering a presentation – developing their skills in abstract writing, presentation and international collaboration.

The group were asked to give a few words about how they felt they had benefitted from the experience, they said: passion, empowering, networking, greater understanding, collaboration, professional development and personal development opportunity.

These opportunities were made possible thanks to donations by University of Salford donors to the Campus Initiatives Fund. Thank you.

To discuss how you can help make every student’s experience exceptional, please contact Claire Green via c.l.green@salford.ac.uk or +44 (0)161 295 3432.

You can make a single gift, or set up a regular gift by visiting https://www.salford.ac.uk/giving/priorities/campus-initiatives

John Williams presenting at the congress

SAY HELLO! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE MANY WAYS YOU COULD SUPPORT SALFORD, WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. YOU CAN CONTACT THE TEAM ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF MAKING A DONATION OR VOLUNTEERING – HERE ARE OUR DETAILS.

PATTI HOLMES

GARETH PETTIT

EMMA GOLDSMITH

CLAIRE GREEN

Head of Alumni Engagement & Development

Alumni Engagement Manager

Development Services Manager

Development Manager – Individual Giving

e: p.a.holmes@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 2896

e: g.t.pettit@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 3396

e: e.goldsmith@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 6271

e: c.l.green@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 3432

Patti leads alumni and development activity at the University. As a fundraiser she also manages major gifts activity and works to secure large gifts in support of the University’s strategic priorities.

Gareth manages alumni engagement activity and is responsible for building connections with our global family of over 165,000 plus graduates.

Emma manages our information, systems, research and regulatory compliance. She also works closely with the Finance team on gift processing and income management.

Claire oversees Individual Giving activity, including regular giving, individual donations, direct marketing initiatives, and legacies.

PAUL BUTLIN

LAUREN TAYLOR

SUNNY TAILOR

LUCY FISH

Alumni Engagement Officer

Regular Giving Officer

Donor Engagement Officer

Alumni Engagement Officer

(Communications and Events)

e: l.taylor@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 7062

e: s.tailor@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 2446

e: l.fish@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 5909

Lauren manages the Salford Advantage telephone campaigns and crowdfunding. Her role also includes on-campus and community fundraising.

Sunny is responsible for donor engagement and stewardship of Salford’s family of donors.

Lucy’s role focusses on developing a lifelong relationship with Salford Business School graduates through communications, events and their involvement with the School.

e: p.butlin@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 2381 Paul oversees alumni communications as well as being involved with alumni events and reunions.

YOU CAN ALSO WRITE TO US OR VISIT US IN PERSON AT:

LORNA PONTEFRACT Alumni Engagement Officer (Volunteering) e: l.j.pontefract@salford.ac.uk t: +44 (0)161 295 6287 Lorna focusses on engaging our alumni and supporters in a wide range of valuable volunteer opportunities including mentoring, networking events, open days and profiles.

Humphrey Booth House The University of Salford The Crescent Salford M5 4PF @SalfordGiving e: supporters@salford.ac.uk www.salford.ac.uk/giving

Humphrey Booth House The University of Salford The Crescent, Salford M5 4PF +44 (0)161 295 2446 supporters@salford.ac.uk @SalfordGiving

www.salford.ac.uk/giving