UA92 and The Moulding Foundation agree £250,000 partnership

The Moulding Foundation has agreed to support a new bursary scheme launched by Manchester education establishment, UA92 (University Academy 92), to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The contribution, worth a quarter of a million pounds, will support 25 students from Greater Manchester with £10,000 grants over the next three academic years, supporting them throughout their higher education studies at UA92.

CEO at UA92, Sara Prowse, said: 

“We are extremely proud to have partnered with The Moulding Foundation to support more students and remove their financial barriers as they move through their higher education journeys.

“Progression in education is made infinitely more difficult if young people are priced out of their dreams due to a lack of financial support, social inequalities and accessibility. This funding, kindly led by Jodie Moulding, will support students in achieving the qualifications that they aspire to, irrespective of their backgrounds, boosting their life chances and equality as they progress throughout their careers.

“We would like to thank them for this significant and important contribution.”

The Moulding Foundation was established in 2020 by Jodie Moulding and her husband, Matthew Moulding Founder & CEO of THG (The Hut Group) to enable disadvantaged people and communities in the North of England to achieve their full potential.

In two years, the Foundation has pledged over £9 million to charities and good causes.

Jodie Moulding, co-founder of The Moulding Foundation, said: 

“Removing barriers and creating equal opportunities is at the core of our mission, so we’re delighted to support UA92’s new bursary scheme. Through this partnership, we hope to enable students at UA92 to unlock their full potential and participate fully in university life.”

In addition to the Moulding Foundation’s contribution, UA92 remains in talks with key philanthropists from across the North West and will announce further bursary partnerships later this year as part of its Bursary 92 programme. 

Bursary 92 is part of a wider programme of financial assistance for UA92 students, including its Make it For Real programme, an innovative financial package targeted at young people in communities where financial deprivation is high and where accessing education is perceived as unaffordable or inaccessible.

The programme is specifically aimed at those in receipt of, or eligible for, free school meals and provides recipients with £5,000 worth of support which includes a laptop, unlimited data, lunch every day, travel pass to and from campus and a £150 home voucher.

UA92 currently has over 800 students enrolled in degree and higher education courses across business, sport, media and digital disciplines. It was co-founded in 2019 by Lancaster University and the Class of ‘92 to make higher education accessible to all through its founding principles of accessibility, social mobility and inclusivity.

More than 21% of UA92 students are from the most disadvantaged areas of the community – a figure standing UA92’s participation levels above the national average of 13.5% (UCAS).