How a legacy tailored for change lives on at Sunderland

The legacy of a north-east champion of education for all is being kept alive, empowering a young trainee teacher and a fashion student from the University of Sunderland to achieve their ambitions and make an impact on their community.

Primary Education student Amanda Brannen and Fashion Design and Promotion student Kurt Dobinson, both from Sunderland, have won this year’s Sir Tom Cowie Sunderland Award, receiving £10,000 each to support them in their final year of their studies at the University.

The award was set up in memory of the Wearside-born entrepreneur who died in 2012, aged 89. Sir Tom Cowie was a long-term supporter of the University and believed passionately in its principles of affording those with talent, regardless of background, the opportunity to enter higher education. As part of his legacy, the Sir Tom Cowie Sunderland Award was set up to support students to achieve their full potential.

There could be few students who better demonstrate how the support of the award is changing lives than Amanda.

The 31-year-old has been working as a cleaner to help support her family, while studying for her Primary Education degree.

For Amanda, who returned to education by studying for an access to Higher Education qualification, the £10,000 award has had a huge impact on her studies and family life.

“When I got the phone call telling me I’d won the award I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders,” she said.

“Thanks to the Tom Cowie Sunderland Award, I have been able to quit my housekeeping job and focus solely on my last year of studies.

“I want to teach students with autism. My son was diagnosed with autism, and it has made me passionate to ensure that he and all children can have the best outcome for their education.”

Fellow award-winning student Kurt is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Sir Tom Cowie, one of the region’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Kurt, 24, is hoping to launch his own tailoring business, but first he wants to learn more about a culture that had an impact on him growing up.

“I grew up in a school that had a large Indian community so naturally was exposed to their culture and lifestyle,” Kurt, from Hendon, said.

“This allowed me to experience something very different from my own background, and the clothes that were a part of that were always so regal and colourful, which got me interested in the types of garments they wear. 

“With the support of the Tom Cowie Sunderland Award I am hoping to visit India to learn how to create different traditional garments. I will also be able to acquire a sewing machine and materials to help with my Indian focused collection. It will help with getting the materials and training needed to produce garments of the highest quality.

“The experience I gain will help with the tailoring business I hope to set up in Sunderland after I graduate, as I can branch into different types of garments. I found that there weren’t that many tailoring businesses in Sunderland, so I want to create something here that allows people to have a local tailor for any of their needs such as suit fittings and alterations.”

Dr Ben Middleton, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Society and Creative Industries at the University of Sunderland, said: “I am delighted that Amanda and Kurt have been awarded this prestigious scholarship. Both candidates are deserving of the scholarship, having excelled in their studies.

“I’m looking forward to tracking Amanda and Kurt’s progress this year, and I am excited to see them cross the stage at our graduation ceremony next summer.”

David Gray, FRICS, Chairman of Trustees of The Sir Tom Cowie Charitable Trust, added: “I am delighted that Amanda and Kurt have won this award and hope this makes a difference, helping them move forward in their final year.”

The Sir Tom Cowie Sunderland Award is now open to applications from full-time undergraduates at the University of Sunderland studying either Arts, Business, Education or Engineering programmes, who are at the end of their penultimate year (second year for standard programmes or third year for four-year programmes) of their studies. You must be from the City of Sunderland in order to apply.