A unique educational opportunity is being offered by Ellesmere College to commemorate the centenary of the Save the Children charity and the inspirational achievements of its locally-born founder, Eglantyne Jebb.
Young people who have shown ‘selfless support’ to their community will be eligible to apply for the Jebb Scholarship, which will support a Sixth Form place at the College from September 2020.
Ellesmere College Headmaster Brendon Wignall said: “The centenary commemorates a very special milestone and it focuses attention on the outstanding achievements of these two extraordinary sisters, who were born so close to the College.
“Eglantyne Jebb and the town of Ellesmere will be forever linked and we thought it would be a fitting tribute to mark the centenary by launching a scholarship in her name. It is something the college and the town can be proud of and we hope it will prove to be a tremendous educational support.
“Save the Children was built around the principles of helping others, including within our own community and the college wants to recognise and reward those young people who selflessly support the community in whatever way that may be.”
Applications for the Jebb Scholarship are invited from young people who can demonstrate their commitment to the community they live in and the people they support – for example through volunteering their time, working on community projects, or raising money for local charities.
The Jebb Scholarship will support one Sixth Form student through the duration of their education at Ellesmere College. A further means-tested bursary can also be applied to the scholarship, if required.
Save the Children was launched by Eglantyne and her sister, Dorothy Buxton, at the end of the 1st World War, to provide food and medical aid for children left starving in Germany and other parts of central Europe. As Dorothy stepped back to pursue a more political path, Eglantyne expanded the charity’s work to other parts of the world. It now supports children in more than 100 countries.
Eglantyne’s great-great nephew Richard Jebb, said: “I am delighted to hear that Ellesmere College has set up a scholarship in Eglantyne’s name. Her life’s work was all about permitting children – regardless of their background, religion or nationality – to reach their full potential, and this scholarship embodies her ideals in a very tangible fashion. It is also very welcome that a school located less than a mile from her birthplace and with which she would have been personally familiar has been able to set this up in the centenary year of Save the Children’s foundation.”
Len Graham, chairman of Ellesmere Sculpture Initiative, which is leading the Save the Children centenary project in Ellesmere, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council, England said: “We’re delighted that Ellesmere College is commemorating Eglantyne Jebb by offering this scholarship.
“Eglantyne understood the importance of education and the need to equip young people to fend for themselves and earn a decent living. We would encourage local families to apply – it’s a great opportunity, and we very much welcome the College’s initiative.”
Applicants can apply for the Jebb Scholarships by completing the scholarship application form from www.ellesmere.com – search for ‘Jebb’ – and attach evidence to support the application.
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