Funding offers opportunities to talented students from under-represented backgrounds

Northumbria University law student Ami Leake has been awarded a bursary worth up to £7,500 over three years to help with accommodation and living costs during her studies.

The John Bloom Law Bursary, managed by the Tees Valley Community Foundation, is a benevolent fund that offers financial support to students from Teesside who wish to study law or a related subject at a UK university. This year, a student from Northumbria has been selected as part of the University’s Higher Education Without Barriers campaign, which was launched in January to enable talented students from all backgrounds to access higher education.

Ami was able to demonstrate her academic ability to secure the bursary and she says this means she can now fund her way through university and realise her career ambitions in law. She explained: “To apply you had to write a small essay on why you thought you should be chosen for the money. Being awarded this bursary means a lot to me as I’ve always been pushed aside from opportunities due to not being able to do the same things because I have a child. This is proof to me that it’s not always the case! Students should definitely apply for this as it’s a very simple process and the rewards can be huge! The money awarded will help students through the cost of living as well as everyday expenses that help your studies.”

Professor Michael Stockdale, Head of Department in Law, said: “Northumbria Law School blends its top 5 research power status with an equal commitment to student education, graduate employability, providing opportunities for all students regardless of their background. And given that our students come from a variety of backgrounds having access to initiatives such as the John Bloom Law Bursary is incredibly important. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Tees Valley Foundation Community Foundation to facilitate this funding as a legacy to John Bloom, who was a distinguished solicitor from Teesside with a passion for his local community, and I congratulate Ami on her success.”

Northumbria Law School is committed to providing and supporting employability enhancement initiatives for students both at a local and national level. As well as partnerships with organisations such as Tees Valley, every year it nominates first year students for the prestigious Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme. Northumbria Law School has also established a Levelling Up Law Mentoring Scheme to encourage students from less advantaged backgrounds to consider a legal career in London by giving them access to a mentor working in the capital. Students are also nominated for various access schemes within the legal profession, including the Middle Temple Access to the Bar Awards that seeks to encourage students from widening participation backgrounds to consider a career at the Bar.

Supported by businesses, charitable trusts, and alumni, The Northumbria Higher Education Without Barriers campaign has raised over £2m and benefited more than 800 students in outreach, scholarships, hardship, well-being, and enterprise.

For more information on studying at Northumbria Law School please visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/law.

For more information on supporting Northumbria’s Higher Education Without Barriers please visit our website

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NOTES TO EDITORS

• Northumbria is ranked 5th in the UK and 1st in the North East for graduate start-up businesses, based on aggregated turnover, according to the Higher Education Business Community Interaction Survey (HEBCIS) 2019/20