We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to our alumni and supporter community who have contributed to our Nourish appeal over the summer, providing cost of living provision on campus for returning students who are struggling with their food bills.
Alumni responded to our call for help at the start of summer and donated over £16,850 to ensure that vital services such as our Student Pantry and £1 hot meals on campus would be available to returning students in September. And their generous donations were then matched by the Newcastle University Development Trust – meaning a total support package of £33,700 guaranteed to support those most in need in the new academic year.
During the rising cost of living, many students have had to regularly go without food and other necessities because they cannot afford them. The price of student staples like eggs and cheese have risen by over 33%, and this steep rise has been paired with an increase in private rent costs in Newcastle. It is reported that students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are feeling the pinch the most, with 30% regularly going without food and other necessities.
In response to the rising cost of living in the UK, Newcastle University increased the support available to students to the sum of £1.7 million last academic year, which included emergency bursaries, additional part-time work opportunities on campus, a free-to-access pantry in the Students’ Union stocked with kitchen essentials and discounted hot meals in outlets across campus.
The £1 hot meals benefitted 1,300 students a month last year, including second year Magdalena.
This year, my bills for electricity and gas went significantly up and I was looking for ways on how to save money when I found out about the Student Pantry and £1 meal deals on the Students' Union social media. Being able to access these services meant I didn’t have the extra worry of spending lots of money on lunch. I was able to save quite a lot of money and it relieved the financial stress significantly. Knowing our alumni community is supporting this much needed initiative and subsidising meals on campus means everything. It’s heartening to know our alumni are invested in students like me.
Magdalena
The money donated to the Nourish appeal will ensure the £1 meals and the Student Pantry can continue in the upcoming academic year, and students facing food poverty will have the support to continue their studies.
As well as stocking NUSU’s Student Pantry with essential items, including pasta, milk and eggs, and funding the discounted hot meal programme, donations to the Newcastle Student Fund also provide free sustainable period products across campus and emergency bursaries for students at risk of homelessness.
Thanks to our generous alumni community, Newcastle University students most at risk now know that help is there for them. Thank you for supporting the next generation of Newcastle graduates.
About the Newcastle Student Fund
Our mission is to give Newcastle students the best possible opportunities while they’re with us, providing them with the skills and experiences they need to thrive while with us, and in their future.
We don't want any student to miss out on what makes belonging to Newcastle University so special. With your help, we can fund scholarships, hardship payments, society memberships, sports equipment, field trips and more. We can also make higher education more accessible to students from marginalised groups, including from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds.
The Newcastle Student Fund was launched in 2021 as a legacy of the kindness, hope and belief in the power of education shown by our alumni and donors at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, over £500,000 has been donated to the Fund’s four main areas of focus:
- Getting into Newcastle University
By offering a suite of scholarships and bursaries for students who have overcome the greatest barriers to reaching higher education.
- Making the most of student life
By giving students the freedom to enjoy all aspects of life at Newcastle without the fear of financial hardship.
- Supporting students in times of greatest need
By providing immediate financial aid if things go wrong.
- Getting ahead in the graduate job market
By funding opportunities and programmes which boost student employability and support our promising entrepreneurs.
About the Newcastle University Development Trust
The Newcastle University Development Trust was established in 1972. It is a registered charity (528066) and is independent of Newcastle University. For nearly 40 years, it has received and invested funds from donors for the benefit of the University, including funding a range of academic posts, student support initiatives and other projects.