The fundraising and volunteering campaign that has been at the heart of the University of Nottingham for the past six years has raised £242,140,000.
Since publicly launching in 2011 Impact: The Nottingham Campaign has transformed the lives of thousands of people - whether through funding life-changing research at the university, helping young people achieve their dreams through scholarships and inspirational talks or developing the sports and teaching facilities on campus.
The fundraising campaign was initially given a £150 million target to meet by University of Nottingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Greenaway.
With the help of some 1678 volunteers generously sharing their time, skills and expertise, and 18,500 donors, it has been the most successful campaign in the university's history.
Achieving the incredibleUniversity of Nottingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Greenaway said:“I remember the raised eyebrows when we launched the campaign with our original fundraising target. It was bold and ambitious but raising such a sum of money here was without precedent. To have surpassed the target so emphatically is simply staggering and a tribute to the loyalty, commitment and generosity of so many friends of the University in Nottingham. My thanks go to everyone who has contributed to the Impact Campaign.
“Universities are places of transformation and this campaign has truly changed people’s lives and sown the seeds of future discovery and innovation. I leave the University convinced that as it strives to go beyond the ordinary, to tackle the great world challenges of our time it will always need and receive the support of people who share its vision and its dreams. I am very proud of what we have all achieved together.”
An extraordinary impactLaunched in October 2011, the Campaign has made a significant impact:
- 3,228 students have been able to follow their academic passions and experience the fantastic opportunities that University offers thanks to donations to our scholarships fund
- 13,298 students have been involved in community projects in the UK and around the world thanks to donations to our Cascade fund• Pupils at 160 schools in the East Midlands, living in areas under-represented within higher education, have participated in educational activities to raise aspirations and help them prepare for university
- Experts at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre have given hope to thousands of children and their families around the world with leading research. Today, 7 out of 10 children survive a brain tumour – more than ever before
- 1,678 volunteers have fuelled the University’s ability to positively change the lives of people in Nottingham and around the world
- The David Ross Sports Village supported by a significant commitment from Nottingham alumnus David Ross, taking his total support for the University beyond £10 million
- Transformational support from the Cripps Foundation of £9 million will enable us to provide a new state of the art health centre which will meet the needs of the students, staff and local community of Nottingham
- 1,044 students received expert career guidance in the last year from inspirational volunteer mentors and speakers
- Development of the GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry, supported by a £11.5 million donation from GlaxoSmithKline, a spectacular building which is set to become a global centre of excellence shaping the future of drug discovery
- More than 4,000 students in the UK, Malaysia and China have taken modules at the Haydn Green Institute for Innovation and Enterprise, fostering entrepreneurial thinking and creating career pathways. The Ingenuity Lab within the institute currently supports more than 2,500 members and 162 active businesses.
While the Impact Campaign has come to an end, the University is committed to building on the success of its biggest ever campaign. Fundraising and volunteering will continue to play an important role in ensuring that the University of Nottingham remains a place where merit – not background – defines who becomes a Nottingham student, and where world-class research continues to tackle the global challenges faced by generations today and in the future.
Over the past seven years, Nottingham Life Cycle, led by Professor Sir David Greenaway has raised over £3 million for life-changing research and student support as part of the Impact Campaign. This year Nottingham Life Cycle is aiming to raise a further £500,000 to give a brighter future to children with brain tumours.
Helping students say yes to their place at Nottingham
With two children of her own at the age of 16, and a spell in foster care, the odds were stacked against biochemistry student Rachel Wiffen. But six years later, and thanks to a scholarship funded through the Impact Campaign, Rachel’s life has taken a different path.
“I’d always wanted to go to university. Even when I fell pregnant that never really changed. I went into care after I’d had Callum and Lilly. I had to get away from the situation I was in at the time so that the three of us could be supported”, Rachel said.
“Being such a young mum was a harsh reality but I just got on with it and I never lost sight of the idea of continuing my education. So I finished my GCSEs, got AAB grades at A levels and got accepted to do Biochemistry here at Nottingham in 2015.
“I bought a laptop with my scholarship money so I can work at home. I simply wouldn’t have coped without it.“
The kindness and selflessness shown by scholarship supporters is having a major impact on my family and our future. It’s like I have a second chance at life. I thought the idea of becoming a scientist was beyond my reach but now I’ve got the tools to reach it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done but it’s a life changing experience.”
Creating a brighter future for children with brain tumours
David Walker is Professor of Paediatric Oncology and Co-Director of the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre at the University of Nottingham.
“I cannot thank enough everyone who has supported our work and strengthened our voice over the years - especially our patients and their families who bravely share their stories to help raise funds and awareness. Your belief and generosity across the years has helped accelerate and sustain our research progress.
“I have treated many children over the past 20 years and I remember each of them – when you treat a child there is always something that stays with you. In the future, I believe there will be a test to predict if a child will develop a brain tumour, using the genetic information that we have discovered over the past 10 years. You can help drive forward new developments like this. Together, we can bring the day when all children can lead full lives, free from this devastating disease, a step closer.”
Mentoring student businesses to success
For lawyer Ed Wright, volunteering for the University to help student start-ups has been an energising experience for over 10 years.
“I’m hugely enthusiastic about seeing how the businesses develop. It’s been a real joy working with the Ingenuity Lab, the business ideas and problems I have been faced with there never cease to amaze me. It is a very open field and that helps me keep sharp.
“My professional experience and external point of view means that I can help students identify issues and opportunities they may not have considered. I would definitely encourage others to get involved in mentoring - it’s an incredibly rewarding experience both personally and professionally.”
Find out more about some of the extraordinary projects and people that our supporters have funded, and learn about some of the exciting areas where you can make a difference.
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Notes to editors:
The University of Nottingham is a research-intensive university with a proud heritage, consistently ranked among the world's top 100. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our 44,000 students - Nottingham was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, was awarded gold in the TEF 2017 and features in the top 20 of all three major UK rankings. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement. We are ranked eighth for research power in the UK according to REF 2014. We have six beacons of research excellence helping to transform lives and change the world; we are also a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…