About the bursary
The Greenwich Community Fund is supported entirely by philanthropic donations from the alumni community. 2020/21 was the pilot year for the Greenwich Community Fund and marks the start of an ongoing partnership between the Alumni and Fundraising Team and Greenwich Students’ Union.
The key ideas behind the Greenwich Community Fund are to empower students to run community projects that benefit an aspect of the university’s strategic plan, help improve employability and is developed enough to ensure longevity for following years to come.
A Blessing in Disguise
Members of the Performing Arts Society benefited from the Fund to stage their own production, A Blessing In Disguise. It’s a comedy murder mystery play written by members of the Society. It's set in a hotel during the Cold War in the 1950’s and focuses on human relationships, sacrifices, equality, love, and peace.
The play received £1000 of Greenwich Community Funding for props, costumes and resources to support the recording of behind-the-scenes footage as well as the entire play and was managed by Performing Arts society members Djeylan Karakdayi and Johannes Burgin The students then chose to sell tickets for the two performances with proceeds being donated to the Ukranian war effort. This project has had a positive impact for the Greenwich and local community who attended having received excellent reviews.
For a lot of students interested in studying the creative industries, Greenwich is the university of choice. As Djeylan Karakdayi, a member of the Performing Arts Society explains, this is because of the university’s links with the film industry as well as its facilities. “The drama facilities are open to anyone who wants to put on a play, such as the Performing Arts Society. This opened doors for us to explore our inspiration and artistic goals.”
Djeylan goes on to explain how they applied for the Fund. “After discussing our project with the Students’ Union, we were encouraged to apply to the Greenwich Community Fund, which was the right decision. We wanted to polish our production as much as possible, and the additional funds allowed us to give our members and the audience the best possible experience.”
Since performing the show, some of the Society’s members including Johannes have gone on to be in the latest Bathway Theatre production Woyzeck Marie at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and some have joined the Society of the Dramatic Arts in the new semester.
“A Blessing in Disguise was a playground for some of us, to test out our acting abilities and see if we would want to do it in the long term. In addition, it improved our teamwork and communication skills, which are important in any career.”
Scholarships and Funds at Greenwich
Choosing to go to university can be a daunting decision. And we know that it is difficult to make important life decisions when you feel restricted by financial worries – a scholarship can make this decision easier and change the course of a student’s life.
Students must consider how they will pay for their accommodation and living costs. They may also be the first in their family to go to university and not feel confident that they are making the right choice.
Through one of our established scholarships or numerous prizes and awards, Greenwich is able to provide our students with peace of mind. This type of gift can be transformational and nurture future talent.
When bright, capable people miss out on university and other life-changing opportunities, there is a much higher cost to society – which is why we need your help. Your donation helps outstanding students access education and recognises their achievements along the way regardless of financial constraints.
The Greenwich Community Fund is one of a number of scholarships and bursaries established to support Greenwich students to succeed.
Thank you to all our alumni and friends who support Greenwich by giving to a Scholarship or one of our other Funds.
If you would like to establish a new scholarship or extend one of our existing scholarships to additional students, please contact fundraising@gre.ac.uk.
