New: Ash Court
Read about our plans for a new Wing at Ash Court
What Girton students think about the funds…
Sports Pavilion Fund
"The recent pitch development has given us more than consistently playable pitches – they’re fantastic. On top of this, a pavilion would not only reflect the College’s sporting success, but also provide a gym where the rowers would not be split across two sites, and ensure a fitness space would be available anyone that wanted to train. The pavilion will provide a space to enhance all aspects of the wide variety of Girton sports." Anna Heaton, Women’s Football Captain (2008–09)
Teaching Support Fund
“Supervisors really push you to get the most out of your ability, which they can do particularly well when they are based in College because they know you personally. The supervision system means that we are seen as individuals and not just numbers and having continuity in your teaching is really important in identifying your strengths and weaknesses.” Leanne Sheen, 3rd year, MML
Postgraduate Bursaries Fund
“Financial stress should not be taken lightly. As a member of a university which strives on excellence, one will want the financial freedom and stability that boosts creativity and in turn brilliance. The College scholarships have helped a vast number of students, myself included, to free themselves from the stress of financial burdens that were holding their research back. Such funds also open the door to a greater number of talented people, who may have found it difficult to study at postgraduate level had these funds not been available.” Bogdan Roman, Postgraduate Student
Childcare Bursary Fund
“I very much appreciate the Girton childcare bursary. Without the bursary, we could not send our daughter to nursery where she can play and learn with other kids. Meanwhile, both my wife and I are able focus on full time study.” Mr Gen-Tao Chiang, Postgraduate Student
Additional Projects
In addition to our priority funds, you can support almost every aspect of College, including: Lawrence Room Fund | GBCB Millennium Fund
Please contact the Development Office if you would like to discuss a specific fund.
The Lawrence Room
The Lawrence Room Appeal was launched in 2007 to raise funds for the housing, conservation, cataloguing and display of the College’s collection of antiquities. Generous donations have allowed the acquisition of a number of new cabinets; a new display highlights the ways in which Girton’s history is reflected in the collections held in the Lawrence Room; and a complete electronic catalogue is well under way.
Approximately £75,000 has already been raised. A further sum is needed to ensure an annual income sufficient to cover the running costs of the Lawrence Room in perpetuity. This will allow the collections to be opened regularly to the public, and to be used for teaching and research within the University and beyond. A Lawrence Room donation form can be downloaded.
View the Lawrence Room webpage.
Girton College Boat Club (GCBC) Millennium Fund
(Endowment of £100,000 or annual funding of £10,000)
Girton has an excellent and inclusive boat club, which welcomes rowers both who are expert and those with no prior experience when matriculating at Cambridge. Since the College went mixed, both men’s and women’s boats have seen considerable success, with the women’s first VIII being 5th on the river in Mays 2009, and the men moving steadily up the second division and looking to break through to the first in Mays.
For more information on rowing at college please see the GCBC website.
In 2000, Girton set up two endowment funds to help to fund annual Girton College Boat Club running costs. Prior to this, funding had had to be found from Girton’s income from student fees, a sum which has been diminishing in real terms, every year, and by subscriptions which students and other members of college pay each term as rowers. As a women’s college until 1979, Girton had no accumulated endowment fund for rowing at all.
Thanks to fundraising the endowment funds for the boat club, made up of the Jane Marks Memorial fund, and the GCBC Millennium Fund, now stand at approximately £40,000. At a realistic rate of return, of 4% per annum, these generate £1,600 per year to help to fund repair of boats and if left to accumulate, eventually they generate enough income to help to buy new boats. We are also grateful that we receive sponsorship from PriceWaterhouseCoopers which assists in many of GCBC’s running costs, including some new equipment purchases.
Any other equipment purchase has to be enabled by capital fundraising, such as the donation which alumni and friends have given to buy blades for the first men’s VIII, to buy the IV ‘Danny Boy’ this year or purchase the newer eights, the Jane Marks and the Alastair Reid . The endowment funds are invested in perpetuity, so additions to the endowment help to maintain GCBC in the long-term. Additions to these funds, in any order of magnitude are especially welcome, and will enable us to compete more effectively against other College boat clubs on the Cam.
Donate to the GCBC Millennium Fund
Current GCBC Equipment needs include (prices correct as of June 2009):
New VIII+ = £14,000 (Current priority is for a new women’s VIII)
New IV+ = £8,000
New Double/pair = £5,500
New single scull = £3,500
New set of oars = £2,500
Cox box = £400
Megaphone = £100
Two-way radio = £90
Cox box headset = £75
Cox box charger = £20
The Infidel Boat Club
The Infidel Boat Club is the alumni boat club of the College – it welcomes all Girtonians who wish to support rowing and stay in touch with latest GCBC news. It also occasionally competes in races against Girton boats and in regattas around the UK. View the Infidel Boat Club website.