Alumni and Friends Fund grant awarded to nine projects
The Alumni and Friends Fund is at the heart of Liverpool’s community. It provides essential support to countless students, ensuring they receive the best possible Liverpool experience. A portion of the money raised through this fund is made available to support one-off projects across the University. Students, societies, and staff are invited to submit applications for funding to support projects to enhance the student experience.
This academic year, the grant was awarded to nine projects which met a variety of different needs, including supporting the Liverpool Women’s Handball team to attend their first European Championships in Poland, to expanding the development of the Experimental Archaeology Centre at the University’s Botanic Gardens at Ness.
Ancient Technologies Student Research Group
The Alumni and Friends Fund grant was awarded to establish an Ancient Technologies Student Group to support students with an interest in traditional crafts, ancient technologies and/or heritage science. The programme will provide a series of extra-curricular workshops, building on staff-taught sessions and lectures, enabling students to gain significant hands-on experience amongst their peers.
The programme will utilise the infrastructure provided by both the Elizabeth Slater Laboratories in Abercromby Square and the Experimental Archaeology Research Teaching Hub at Ness Botanic Gardens (another recipient of the grant). Whilst being a campus space, the gardens are also open to the public. Funding will help the group to purchase the necessary resources to provide these workshops including consumable materials for the specific activities they will be conducting over the course of the year and years to come. The provision of raw materials such as copper and iron ore will allow students to explore refining and medieval bloomery techniques and materials such as glass powders will allow students to explore the production of adornments and artefacts. The award will also be used to purchase additional safety equipment.
“We would like to thank the Alumni and Friends Fund supporters for their amazing generosity in helping us provide our targeted workshops through the Ancient Technologies Student Research Group. Without this funding, it would have been very difficult for us to seek out the experiences and learning we are now going to provide to other students. The kickstart your support has given will directly impact the operation of the student-led group and provision of extra-curricular opportunities for many years to come.”
University of Liverpool’s Handball Club
Last year was the Handball Club’s first year as a BUCS sport and the women’s team came second at the University Championships. The team qualified for the European University Championships in Poland this summer and was awarded the Alumni and Friends Fund grant to support the cost of the entry fee for the competition ensuring no student misses out on this opportunity due to financial difficulties.
“Thank you to the supporters of the Alumni and Friends Fund. Handball is a very small sport in the UK; our clubs rarely have an opportunity in European competition and our national teams sometimes can’t even compete in qualification tournaments. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for every single player on the women’s team. Hopefully, they can be good ambassadors for our university and raise the profile of our sport”
Liverpool Veterinary Anatomy Society
The Alumni and Friends Fund grant was awarded to the Liverpool Veterinary Anatomy Society to support the purchase of models and posters as revision aids to consolidate the material covered in lectures. A survey was issued to students to identify the most useful models and posters. These resources, alongside homemade board games and Kahoot quizzes, will be used for an engaging and interactive revision society which will enhance the learning of these topics. The team are also planning to add an Anatomy-themed Pictionary to their repertoire of board games too.
“Thank you very much for your support and generosity. We really believe this will change the lives of current and future veterinary and bio veterinary students. We are looking forward to our revision sessions with the addition of these resources. We are looking forward to showing you what these funds will allow us to achieve. We hope to increase the confidence of our peers and future years so that they can volunteer at the Trusty Paws clinic in Liverpool as well as improve their mental health, especially at exam times and during rotations. We are hopeful that these resources will help shape the future University of Liverpool Veterinary Science Graduates”
Other projects in receipt of the Alumni and Friends Fund Grant include:
- Supporting the Scouser Space Society in attending a satellite building competition organised by Orbital Astronautics and purchasing essential components to build the satellite
- Replacing worn and old equipment for the Canoe Team including purchasing a new boat, paddles, and helmets to help the team grow
- Supporting training for the University’s Menopause Support Network which is open to both students and staff
- Launching a series of sustainability workshops for up to 100 students from all disciplines to explore the interdisciplinary nature of the Sustainable Development Goals
- Replacing tired and damaged pom poms for the Liverpool Foxes Cheerleading team
- Expanding the development of the Experimental Archaeology Centre at the University’s Botanic Gardens at Ness, including extending the workshop area creating a flexible open space for research and teaching across a wide range of ancient technologies
The Alumni and Freinds Fund grant wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community. Your support increases opportunities available to students and creates an inclusive environment where students regardless of their background or financial circumstances can pursue their passions and explore their interests without barriers.
To find out how you can support and create enriching opportunities for our student community, please visit the Student Experience Fund webpage.