Vice chancellor on 174-mile walk to fund scholarships

A university's vice chancellor is to walk 280km (174 miles) along the Camino Portugués, as part of efforts to raise £100,000 for student scholarships and hardship funds.

The route is the historic pilgrim's path, which runs from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Prof David Green, from the University of Worcester, said he was concerned that due to the cost of living, some students were overwhelmed by financial pressures and could withdraw from their studies.

"Walking 280km over 14 days is a tough challenge, at least for me, and I want to help raise every pound we can," he said.

The university said an anonymous donor has pledged to match every penny raised, up to £100 for every kilometre, Prof Green walks.

"Because of cost-of-living pressures and the spike in inflation, there are students studying full time and working 20 hours a week, sometimes more, and they're still finding it difficult to make ends meet," he said.

"There are also students who can't work alongside their studies, sometimes because of a disability, or because they have caring responsibilities for their parents, their children, or siblings."

The university already hands out multiple scholarships and prizes to students, which are funded through donations from philanthropists, university fellows, local employers and some graduates.

As well as Prof Green's challenge, other members of staff are doing fundraising activities to boost the funds, including paddling along the River Severn, pulling a tractor and car washes.

The fundraising is part of the faculty's two-year-long anniversaries campaign, which marks both 20 years since it gained full university status, and 80 years since it was founded as an emergency teacher training college.

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