We are delighted to award a £20,000 grant to The Open University (OU) Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF) to provide study kits for Army veterans.
Ensuring that veterans can access education opportunities and find rewarding careers after their Army service is a priority for our charity. We have been longstanding supporters of the DVSF, the only scheme of its kind in the UK offering free education and specialist careers and disability support to former members of the Armed Forces.
Our grant will help around 14 disabled Army veterans to complete their further education studies by providing them with new study support kits, including computer equipment, desks and accessories.
Gregg, a veteran and DVSF beneficiary, said:
“Before the DVSF scholarship with the OU, I experienced knockbacks from my local universities saying I wouldn’t cope with higher education. The OU understood and valued my experience, for that I’m so very grateful.
“Not only has studying with The Open University given me a degree, which I am very proud of, it has also developed my research skills, improved my confidence and given me a different view of the world.”
Jhumar Johnson, Chief of Staff to the Vice-Chancellor, The Open University, said:
“We are delighted that ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, whose work we hold in such high regard, has awarded this grant to the OU. The charity is committed to supporting Army veterans in accessing the transformative power of higher education and their support will help scholars funded through the Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund to access much needed essential study-support equipment. This grant will ensure that the beneficiaries of the funding are given all the tools that they require to help them achieve study success during their time with The Open University and beyond”.
Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:
“The Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund offers life-changing higher education opportunities, and we are proud to be one of its longstanding sponsors. We need to ensure that disabled veterans can study effectively and comfortably to complete their degrees and get the financial support they need. We were only too pleased to provide this latest grant to the OU.”
Read more about the Open University Disabled Veterans’ Scholarship Fund here.