Rebecca, Reading, Berkshire

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust for the support that you have given me.
I am undertaking a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work.

I was born deaf in my right ear and have a significant hearing loss in my left ear.
I feel anxious when in large groups as the volume of noise is confusing and I cannot follow what people are saying by lip-reading.
The money that the PGMT has given me has been a great help – it has allowed me to purchase essential books for my course and I have also purchased a digital voice recorder so that I can record group discussions and they can be electronically transcribed through the university – this enables me to catch up on parts of the conversations that I may have missed.
I have also enrolled on a BSL level 3 course through Deaf Positive Actions – this will help me to improve my signing skills so that I am better at communicating with others in the Deaf community.
I am really enjoying studying and when I have qualified, hope to gain a position as Social Worker for the Deaf and those with sensory impairments. – Thank You!

Joshua, Leeds, West Yorkshire

The bursary I received from PGMT has made a massive difference during the first year of my full-time MA in Art Psychotherapy Practice.

As the postgraduate student loan barely covers the fees and any earnings from my job as a part-time Care Worker with older people has to go towards my basic living costs and transport costs, the bursary has been a real bonus!

I’ve been able to use the bursary to pay for psychotherapy and art books along with art materials. So far this year I’ve achieved good results and PGMT has been instrumental in enabling me to do this. Thank you so much PGMT!

Zenya, London

I just wanted to say thank you for the bursary of £250.
This will help me to succeed with my course and support my learning opportunities and I am ever so grateful to PGMT.

Lynne Evans, Swansea, Glamorgan

I am a lone parent who has recently embarked on a post-graduate degree. Having taken an unpaid career break to do the course, I need to be very cautious about expenditure and I keep to a tight budget, with little money for extras or luxuries. I was therefore very fortunate to receive a £300 bursary from the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust, and I have put the majority of this money towards the purchase of a new laptop.
Prior to this, I had to do any work at the university campus, not always practical with dependants at home.

I also purchased a digital voice recorder with the remainder of the money, which I use to record lectures (I have hearing loss in both ears).

These two pieces of equipment have enabled me to work from home, and I am also now able to listen to the lectures in the peace and quiet of my living room to ensure that I am not missing out on lecturer and/or student class contributions. The purchases are making my degree course so much more manageable, and I am certain will enhance my ability to produce work to a high standard.

I am very grateful to the trustees of the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust for making such a positive difference to my life as a student.

Robert, West Yorkshire

The bursary I received enabled me to carry out field work as part of my studies, in particular my geological mapping project dissertation, in the Lake District. I was able to purchase the equipment I required including: a GPS device, communication devices, geological hammer, waterproof clipboard, waterproof notebooks, hiking and waterproof equipment and towards accommodation and transport. Without the bursary I would have struggled to complete the tasks, with the bursary I was able to complete my dissertation.

I have just graduated with a 1st class honours degree in geology. The bursary was a great help in assisting me achieve my goals, for which I am very thankful.

Robert (Edge Hill University)

P.S. The photograph was in my geological mapping project area.

The photograph was in my geological mapping project area in the Lake District

RW, Lancashire

I would like to thank you for the cheque you recently sent to me to help with my costs for books for my course.

As I was bought up in the care system I never had the opportunity to access further or higher education as I was expected to go out and work which I have always done, it was only recently I was able to pursue a lifelong passion and access a degree course.

Your support has boosted my confidence and made a real difference to my life.

Thank you so much.

Georgie P, Bradford

The opportunity to go to Nepal was given by my head of year at my school, Mary Hare School. There were 16 students and 5 members of staff. The school partnered with an organisation called VOLUNTEARS on a three week trip in July 2017.

During the trip we did volunteering work: the first week we were in Kathmandu, renovating the boys’ dormitory in a deaf school; during the second week we did trekking in the Himalayan mountains; in the last week we were in another city – Pokhara – working with deaf children and adults from the age of three to twenty-five.

The best part of the trip for me was interacting with the Nepalese children and the fantastic view on top of Poonhill mountain. A bursary from the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust helps me with funding my trip.

Georgie, second left volunteering in Nepal

Jake H, Kent

Dear PGMT,

I applied to the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust last year for funding to help me to buy equipment such as a desktop (All in one PC) and books for the college to help me with my course.

Well, I would like to say that it is going so brilliant for me because I am getting the grades that I wanted and looking to apply Extended Diploma in Information Technology (IT) Level 3 course for September and I will do it for 2 years.

At the moment, I am getting 8 distinctions and one merit. I am pleased because of the equipment that is helping me.

I would highly recommend for deaf and hard of hearing students to apply because I feel it would help them to achieve as well, and it is definitely helping me a lot!

The course I am doing at the moment is Diploma in Information Technology (IT) Level 2 until the end of June 2018.

Kind regards,

Jake

Local fundraising – in any weather!

The Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust is a small charity which mainly relies on the generosity of ordinary people donating to us at local fund-raising events, such as bucket collections at sports matches.

PGMT trustees (left to right) Malcolm Robinson, Dave Marshall and Mike Pulford help with a collection at a rugby match between Bradford and Bingley and Alnwick in early January 2018.