After an appeal in the Salford Star and the incredible response of the community, local girl, Hannah Gaffey, has won a £20,000 Future Finance scholarship to go the University of Cambridge to do an MPhil in Education.
Hannah first appeared in the Salford Star in June, promoting her GoFundMe appeal and t-shirt sales to try and raise the money to take up the Cambridge University offer (see here). She then entered a Future Finance scholarship contest, where she beat off 730 applications from students at 382 universities and institutions, to make the final 13 shortlist.
Hannah then went public again asking the community to vote for her, and the response was ballistic...within two days, over 5,000 people had read the Salford Star article which was shared again and again on social media, and it was announced this week that Hannah had won the scholarship...
"What an overwhelming privilege and honour it is to announce that I'm the recipient of the Future Finance Scholarship Programme" she says "After eight months of campaigning, fundraising and worrying, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
"I could never have achieved this without the support network of friends, family and my local community" she adds "I am incredibly excited to be able to take my place at Murray Edwards College Cambridge in October, and begin a future where I can give to others the kind of support Future Finance has given me. I am extremely proud to be Future Finance's ambassador because we share the same ethos for education for all, regardless of background or economic situation."
Hannah, who went to Light Oaks Infant and Junior School, recently graduated from Queen Mary, University of London with a BA in English Language and Linguistics and developed a keen interest in education and international development, with a specific focus on providing a high-quality education for all.
Outside of her studies, Hannah is volunteering for the Red Cross in Norway ahead of her move to Cambridge, and has previously undertaken charity work with Macmillan Cancer Support, CoppaFeel!, Bloody Good Period, Judah's Cloud and the Meningitis Research Foundation which fuelled her ambition to bring about positive change. This will make Hannah the perfect ambassador for Future Finance, taking part in networking events and speaking opportunities on campus to support other students to fulfil their potential.
"Our scholarship programme was founded as a way to invest in the next generation by providing support to those who might otherwise have never had the opportunity to take their education further" says Olga Dolchenko, CEO at Future Finance
"Hannah's story stood out to us because she shares our passion for making education accessible to all" she adds "Hannah's commitment to furthering her education is not just supported by all of the team at Future Finance, but also to the thousands of people who voted for her. It is a privilege to be able to bridge the funding gap allowing Hannah to fully concentrate on her studies. On behalf of all of the team at Future Finance, I wish Hannah the very best of luck with her course and every continued success for the future."
For a full background see previous Salford Star article: Two Clicks Could Get Salford Girl Into Cambridge University – click here
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