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Setting the gold standard
Not many people can claim to play a vital role in groundbreaking medical research, but it is true for Leamington man, Ted Pridgeon. Ted and his wife Myrtle have donated more than £1 million for medical and biomedical research at the University of Warwick. Ted's most recent donation will be used to fund an annual gold medal for the Warwick Medical School undergraduate who produces the best research project.
Donations made by Ted and Myrtle Pridgeon over the past few years have been used to help fund a Professor of Neuroscience in the University's Department of Biological Sciences and to provide support for a PhD student in the same department. Ted is particularly interested in supporting research which will contribute to a better understanding of the brain and will hopefully lead to improvements in the quality of life of people suffering from serious, but not necessarily terminal, medical problems.
Upon receipt of Ted's latest donation, Professor Yvonne Carter, the Dean of Warwick Medical School, said: 'We are delighted with this gift of an annual gold medal, but if anyone really deserves a medal it is Ted and Myrtle Pridgeon themselves. Between them they have already donated over £1.25 million towards biomedical and medical research at the University. Their generosity will help produce real advances in biomedicine that could make a difference to countless people.'
The Ted Pridgeon research professorship in Neurosciences is currently held by Professor Nick Dale. Professor Dale and his colleague Professor Elizabeth Jones lead a research team which has recently uncovered a crucial signal that switches on eye development. This discovery will greatly assist researchers looking at stem cells connected to eye development and opens up an avenue of research that could eventually lead to an 'eye in a dish'.
All here at the University are extremely grateful for Ted and Myrtle's generosity over the years and their continued interest in supporting such important research.
If you would like to find out how you can help to encourage and support research here at Warwick, please contact the Development & Alumni Relations Office (Sam Davies).
To learn more about Professors Dale and Jones' 'eye in a dish' project, please click HERE.
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The Telephone Campaign enters a new era and a new home…!
After celebrating our 10th Anniversary year last year, the 2007/08 academic year signifies a new era for the Annual Fund Telephone Campaign as we enter our second decade of fundraising.
Our new dedicated Calling Room opened in October 2007 and is located on Westwood campus providing a fully equipped and resourced location for all our calling shifts. This fresh and constructive environment will allow the Student Calling Team to further excel itself and also opens up many new possibilities as we look to the future. In addition, this new facility will benefit the University in other ways by offering a call-centre resource which could assist other departments in their own work.
After working in the new Calling Room for the first time during the Autumn 2007 Campaign, here's what some members of our team had to say about this exciting development…
'The Calling Room is a great place to work! Having our own 'home' means there is always a fantastic atmosphere amongst the team!' Ed Banks, Shift Supervisor, 3rd Year Mathematics
'Having a dedicated space in which to work has enabled us to expand our abilities by having the optimum working environment. The modern facilities are user friendly meaning we can really focus on the most important part of our job - the calls.' Oliver Cooper, Student Caller, 2nd Year Biochemistry
'It's brilliant to have a space of our own as it really boosts team morale and allows us to feel more at ease when working surrounded by familiarity. We can work far more efficiently now and we don't waste time packing up which means that we can raise even more money for the Warwick Annual Fund. Madi Sinclair, Shift Manager, 3rd Year English & Theatre Studies
Visitors to the Calling Room are always very welcome so if you would like to come along and see what goes on 'behind the scenes' please contact Faye Jennings. |
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| Students presenting at the final of the business enterprise competition: The Big Deal |
Widening Participation – the Goal programme
The University of Warwick is home to over 10,000 undergraduate and 7,000 postgraduate students, but its commitment to education does not rest there.
As part of the widening participation strategy we are working with young people from backgrounds under-represented in higher education, through the Goal programme – a scholarship programme for disadvantaged gifted youth.
Goal supports 450 gifted and talented students, aged 14–18 years, drawn from 22 local authorities across England. The programme is now entering its third year and will see a further 200 students from across the country join the programme.
Over a four year period, Goal provides a range of unique, personalised opportunities to increase self esteem, motivation, self confidence and attainment that will guide them through the most critical period of their education – GCSEs and A-Levels – and on to university.
The opportunities are provided by the University and leading organisations to provide students with an insight, not only of higher education but also future career opportunities. Partners include: Goldman Sachs, HM Treasury, JP Morgan, Caterpillar and many more.
To find out more about Goal visit: www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/goal, or to support this initiative simply visit: www2.warwick.ac.uk/alumni/giving/donate/ and quote Goal.
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Benefactors magazine – now available online!
If you didn't get a chance to read your copy of Benefactors (our annual report on Warwick's fundraising activities), you can view it online now on our Giving to Warwick website.
As well as detailing the various projects within the University which are currently seeking philanthropic donations, Benefactors also provides information on the money raised by the University of Warwick Foundation during the past financial year.
It is very important to us to keep all Warwick Benefactors updated with regard to our fundraising progress – quite rightly, donors are keen to ensure that their donations have been used for the purpose they specify. We hope the Benefactors publication helps to demonstrate the regard in which we hold our Warwick Benefactors and their involvement and interest.
There is still time for you to make a contribution to support any of the projects highlighted in Benefactors – by making a donation today, you can reserve your place in next year's Roll of Benefactors! Online donations can be made via the pages of Giving to Warwick.
As a reminder, here is a list of the projects featured:
Scholarships at Warwick
Warwick Medical School – Student Electives
Warwick Music Scholarships
Students' Union Development
Warwick in Africa
The Reinvention Centre
WBS Fund for Academic Excellence
Warwick Volunteers
You can also choose to direct your gift to the areas of greatest need or another aspect of Warwick – please state your preference on the giving form.
If you have any questions about Benefactors, would like to be profiled as a donor or wish to find out more about making a donation to one of the above projects, please email benefactors@warwick.ac.uk |
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| Sir Malcolm and Lady Bates with the University's Registrar, Jon Baldwin |
Raising funds for future leaders - Warwick Business School's Corporate Fundraising Dinner
As the finale to Warwick Business School's 40th anniversary celebrations, over 100 people gathered in London in January for our inaugural corporate fundraising dinner.
Generously sponsored by Jasminder Singh (Chairman of Radisson Edwardian Hotels), the event took place at the flagship Mayfair Hotel. Alumni, friends, associates and corporate partners enjoyed an evening of business and pleasure, whilst raising funds for scholarships in support of future leaders.
David Richards (Chairman and Chief Executive of Prodrive and Chairman of Aston Martin) gave an entertaining and engaging after-dinner speech about the acquisition of Aston Martin and answered questions on subjects such as his future plans for Formula 1.
Everyone had the opportunity to bid in an auction, with incredible prizes on offer, including VIP tickets for the final of the hit prime-time show Dancing on Ice, a football shirt signed by the Arsenal squad and a day with Prodrive and the Subaru World Rally team.
Having been entertained by Rachel Kerr (a Warwick alumna and former Stars in their Eyes finalist) and The Spires Wind Trio, the occasion ended for some in the small hours of the morning.
It was a successful evening with a substantial amount raised generating two scholarships for full-time MBA students who would otherwise be unable to take up their study at WBS. A huge thank you to all the individuals and organisations who supported the event, either through donating prizes for the auction, for 'goodie' bags, or by attending the evening.
For more information on how you can help WBS in raising funds for future leaders, please contact Charlotte Wilkes or telephone +44 (0)24 7652 2813. Visit our website at www.wbs.ac.uk/about/development/. |
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