Our We Care at Christmas campaign aims to make the festive season a little brighter for BU students without family support.
Last year, your donations enabled us to provide 70 estranged students with a £50 gift voucher, to help tackle feelings of isolation at what can be a difficult time.
Inspired by the heartfelt responses of those we helped, we’re pleased to launch our campaign for 2025. Once again, we are setting out to raise £3,500 to provide each student with a gift, and every donation really does help.
Please donate what you can to show our estranged students that they’re not alone this Christmas.
Find out how your donation makes a difference
“As an estranged student, I cannot put into words how appreciated your help is - not only financially, but emotionally. Knowing I’m not on my own in this situation and that I have the aid of the university means more than I can express. The Christmas campaign allowed me to buy my little cousin a Christmas present that I would not have otherwise been able to buy. Not only did she adore it, but it gave me the opportunity to experience the love and gifting of the festive period. I am in awe of those who donate simply to help me, incredibly grateful and I hope that they and you know that it means a great deal to me.”
“I wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for the Amazon voucher I received through the We Care at Christmas campaign. As someone who is estranged, it truly meant so much to me that your team thought about the little things that can make a big difference during the holidays.
The voucher allowed me to in all honesty, feel normal during a time where I’m surrounded by people talking about how they got this and that from their families. It helped ease some financial stress and made the season feel a little brighter.”
“I was very happy I received the voucher. It definitely made a difference! I was able to use it to get a few little things I needed for my room as well as a little gift for myself which I haven’t been able to do for a very long time. It was nice to feel someone cared.”
“I am very grateful for the unexpected gift I received through the campaign. This thoughtful gesture made a difference and was a kind surprise. I would like to extend a big thank you to the entire BU team and to everyone who donated. Your generosity and support have been incredibly uplifting, especially during moments when it feels like the odds are against me.”
“I cannot express enough how grateful I was for the voucher. I used it to buy shampoo and conditioner for myself and a gift for my sister. It really helped make Christmas feel like Christmas again. Something so small makes such a difference. It is a huge relief to be so well supported by the university consistently.”
A message from our Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Alison Honour:
“I know first-hand that a university qualification can be life changing and I am passionate about increasing opportunities so that more people can access higher education. Students who are estranged from their family networks face significant barriers to achieving their degree, and we are working hard to ensure that they feel supported and valued as part of the BU community. If you are able to give to this year’s campaign, your gift will make such a difference. The comments from those who received gifts last year show the significant impact your donation can have. Thank you for considering supporting our students this Christmas.”
