Grants Awarded To Students

2020 has been a challenging year for many people as the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic continues to be felt. One group who has had a particularly difficult time is those students who completed their A Level courses during lockdown and have gone on to university this year. It was therefore with an increased appreciation of their significance that the EH Thompson Awards were granted this week. The EH Thompson Bequest, which was established in 1996, is a charity administered by the Brewers’ Company which awards grants to former students of Dame Alice Owen’s School to support their further education at university. 

This year, five applications were considered by a committee consisting the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of Dame Alice Owen’s School and the Clerk. Awards were made to all applicants, totalling £1,562.  These will go towards purchasing items such as textbooks, calculators and laptops, as well as covering expenses such as society membership and language tuition.

The Clerk, Michael O’Dwyer, said “It was both humbling and uplifting to speak to these young people and to hear about the difficulties that they have striven to overcome this year. It is a testament to Dame Alice Owen’s School that it has produced such resilient individuals and it is our hope that the grants awarded today will enable them to get the most out of their time at university.”