Brian Wheelwright, Director of the Wates Family Charities and Professor Diane Mynors (centre), Head of Engineering and Informatics, speaking to one of the Wates scholars.

Brian Wheelwright (right), Director of the Wates Family Charities and Rachel Gould (centre), Head of the Student Life Centre, speaking to one of the Wates scholars.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), Professor Clare Mackie, speaking to Richard Wates, Chairman of the Ronald Wates Family Committee of the Wates Foundation.

Richard Wates (right), Chairman of the Ronald Wates Family Committee of the Wates Foundation, applauding the Wates scholars.

In 1961, the Wates Group - one of the largest UK construction companies - helped to build the University of Sussex.

Now, thanks to a grant from Wates Family Charities - with particular support from Norman Wates Committee, Ronald Wates Committee and Patrons of the Wates Family Enterprise Trust - ten Sussex students are benefiting from extra financial support.

The new Wates Family Scholarships support eligible students from London and the south-east for the duration of their undergraduate degree. The Scholarships are aimed at students studying engineering, law, psychology and social work.

And, at a celebration event this month, the first recipients – all of them first-year undergraduates and eligible for Sussex’s First-Generation Scholars scheme - received a certificate to mark the support. They are:

• Jose Luis Berna Moya - Electronic Engineering
• Laura Cross - Psychology
• Chatura Fernando - Product Design
• Lauren Hall - Law
• Jasmine Hubbard - Psychology
• Georgie King - Psychology
• Jack Lloyd - Law
• Pembe Ramadan - Law
• Amelia Smith - Psychology
• Shannah Weir - Law

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Farthing, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), Professor Clare Mackie, welcomed Richard and William Wates to the University.

The Director of Wates Family Charities, Brian Wheelwright, was also at the event. He says: “Through their philanthropic giving, the Wates family are keen to promote work that builds social values and responsibility and provides access to opportunities that address disadvantage.

“Supporting students to study vocational subjects at Sussex fits well with our own values and we hope this financial support will enable them to thrive academically.”

Sarah Cullen, Head of Widening Participation at Sussex, is delighted that the University’s own commitment to supporting students is being enhanced by philanthropy in this way.

She says: “At Sussex, we are endeavouring to make sure that talented, hard-working First-Generation Scholars get all the support they need to fulfil their potential.

“Funding such as this is a vital part of that support and will make an enormous difference to our students.”

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