Posted on 14 April 2010
The Merthyr Valley (c) Freefoto.com
In 1966, 116 school children died in the Aberfan mining disaster – a whole generation whose lives and potential were tragically curtailed midway through their morning lesson. Although a small village in the Merthyr valley, Aberfan’s plight drew the sympathy of people from across the globe.
In 1968, the Welsh Society of San Francisco entrusted the University of Wales with a commemoration fund for the children of the village. The scholarship now serves to encourage and assist students from Aberfan and the surrounding Merthyr Valley, to pursue higher education.
The £1000 scholarship is awarded annually by the University of Wales to a young person of school age, whose parents lived in Aberfan at the time of the disaster, or to a person of the same age living in Merthyr. The money will be divided between two or more suitably qualified applicants and the award is valid for up to 3 years.
Preference will be given to candidates who wish to enter any University of Wales colleges or universities as first year undergraduates. In previous years, award winners have gone on to achieve great success in subjects ranging from Arts to Medicine, with a little help from this benevolent fund.
Application forms for the Scholarship can be obtained by visiting:
http://www.wales.ac.uk/en/Scholarships/ScholarshipRecords/AberfanChildrensScholarship.aspx
Or emailing awards@wales.ac.uk
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For more information about the University of Wales please visit: www.wales.ac.uk