Fundraising campaign hits £50 million milestone
The University’s Circles of Influence campaign has reached £50 million thanks to the generosity of alumni, friends and charitable trusts and foundations all over the world.
The milestone brings the total money raised a step closer to the £60 million target, to be reached by the campaign’s end in 2011.
The Circles of Influence campaign aims to have a far-reaching impact both within and outside the University. It has four broad themes of Health and Lifestyle, Society, Heritage and Culture, and Creating the Leaders of Tomorrow. Projects within those themes include student scholarships, a new music building, and innovative research in areas as diverse as healthy ageing, brain injury rehabilitation, and personal financial management.
Extraordinary donations that were instrumental in reaching the £50 million mark include a transformational gift from the Liz and Terry Bramall Charitable Trust for a new music building to complete the Aston Webb semi-circle in the centre of campus.
Liz and Terry say: ‘We are thrilled that our donation has enabled the University to begin work on the new music building. We are proud to be associated with a project that completes the historic Aston Webb semi-circle and provides showpiece facilities for the Department of Music. It is a wonderful opportunity for our trust which has young people, music and education at the heart of its work.’
Another donation that has transformed a campaign project is the generous gift from the foundation of the healthcare company Bupa, which supported the Translational Research Manager post coordinating all interdisciplinary research within the obesity project.
Bupa medical director and alumnus Dr Peter Mace (MBChB, 1976) says: ‘We’re aware that obesity is currently a major crisis in the UK and Bupa is very happy to support any way of reducing the impact of that crisis.’
Vice-Chancellor Professor David Eastwood says: ‘Reaching the £50 million total is a major milestone for our Circles of Influence campaign and I would like warmly to thank every donor who has helped us reach this point. Our target of £60 million is ambitious but I firmly believe the strength of our projects and the enduring nature of our donors’ support will enable us to reach it by the campaign’s end.’
For more information or to make a gift, visit www.alumni.bham.ac.uk/circlesofinfluence
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