Fifteen students from across rural Dorset have been awarded vital grants to help them pursue rural careers through the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Agricultural Society’s Student Support Fund. The fund, set up specifically to assist students entering agricultural, horticultural, and land-based industries, is now in its fourth year and has awarded over £6,000 in grants for 2024.
The fund offers financial help for university or college fees, books, equipment, and even transport costs – often a major hurdle for students living in remote areas. This year’s recipients include Georgia Angel, 21, from Margaret Marsh, who will use the grant to support her studies at Bristol Veterinary School. Gracie-Mae Barkess, 16, from Gillingham, who suffers from a mobility condition, will receive help with the cost of a laptop and transport to Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester where she studies land-based subjects.
Oliver Swanton, 12, from Shaftesbury will use his grant to cover the costs of bus travel to Dorset Studio School on the Kingston Maurward Campus and Nathan Keeble, 16, from Motcombe, will use his award to help fund the £800 annual cost of travelling to Kingston Maurward, where he studies Wildlife Conservation and Ecology. ‘I want to be a game warden,’ Nathan says.
Matthew Price, chair of the Student Support Fund, praised the recipients: ‘These youngsters show a great work ethic. For some, the cost of getting to college in rural Dorset can be as much as £1,500 a year. The fund makes a real difference in enabling them to continue their education and become our county’s future farmers and countryside custodians.’
Several students received their awards at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, presented by Battens Solicitors, who donated to the fund via the Battens Charitable Trust, which has been supporting local communities for 39 years. Director Naomi Dyer says: ‘It is a fantastic way to support these aspiring students and the farming community.’
- Applications for the 2025 Student Support Fund will open in March 2025. For more information, email studentsupport@gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk. Those interested in sponsoring or supporting the fund can contact Sue Harris on 07970 865790.
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