Life changing fundraising target extended to £200million

Ambitious target

Professor Sir David Greenaway, said: “Universities are places of transformation. Our ambition for Impact was for it to be transformative but I did not anticipate that so much could be delivered so quickly. That it has is a tribute to the loyalty, commitment and generosity of so many alumni and friends.

“We have already achieved so much, but now is not the time to hit the brakes. It is clear to see that charitable support for life-changing research and student support is still needed.

“Bright students from disadvantaged backgrounds still face barriers in accessing higher education, so we plan to continue our work with local young people to develop ambition and attainment from the age of seven.

“Our researchers developed the world’s first blood test to detect early-stage lung cancer. With further support, we believe we can make equally dramatic breakthroughs in the early detection and personalised treatment of breast cancer. These are just two of the critical issues that our ambitious new targets will allow us to address”.

Tackling global issues

Since its beginning, generous gifts from all over the world have been contributed on a regular basis to the Campaign, changing thousands of lives both in the UK and around the world. Impact has helped to fund the University’s ground-breaking research on major issues such as stroke rehabilitation, dementia and sustainability.

Just some of the impressive figures created through Impact include; £1,948,357 raised to fund student-led projects through Cascade; five new professorships; £1.7m through its five Life Cycle challenges; a 50 per cent reduction in the average time taken to diagnose brain tumours in children through Head Smart and 180 local schools have taken part in our Nottingham Potential programme.

Success has been possible thanks to generous contributions corporations, trusts and individuals such as:

• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) — which contributed the biggest ever corporate donation towards the GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry on the University’s Jubilee Campus
• Law alumnus David Ross, who has made significant contributions towards the University’s new £40m sports village on University Park and Nottingham Potential programme
• The Haydn Green Foundation, who have been instrumental in helping establish a student entrepreneurship institute and have supported medical research
• Barbara Porket, who has been donating regularly since 1992 to our student-led project fund, Cascade

Impacting on people’s lives

The campaign has also helped talented students across Nottingham to access higher education, regardless of background through the University’s Widening Participation programme and providing hundreds of scholarships each year.

Amy Cox from Derby attended the Nottingham Potential Summer School in 2012. Amy was a focused A Level student from a low income background. She knew she wanted to go to university but lacked confidence and was concerned about cost. Amy is now a Summer School Ambassador and Mentor. She is currently in her second year of a Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry degree at Nottingham.

Amy said: “The support I received from Nottingham Potential means so much. It took away the worry of being a drain on my parents (financially) — and the feeling of putting other people under pressure to help me achieve.

“I always wanted to come to university because it would open doors for me that were closed to my parents. My advice to others would be to see what support is out there. There may be more than you think. I’m incredibly thankful for Nottingham Potential – it has really changed my life.”

Life-changing research

12 years ago, David and Sue Clark received the devastating news that their four-year-old daughter had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. After years of treatment at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre in Nottingham, Rebecca is still alive today.

Sue said: “Now aged 16, Rebecca is living proof that the research is working. Her treatment at the centre saved her life and we are hopeful that more research will give us new treatments with fewer side effects. It could mean so much for the futures of Rebecca and other children like her.

“What does the Impact Campaign mean to us? It means simply everything. Without the work of the Centre, we wouldn’t be here today with our daughter Rebecca.”