University of Hull launches Jeremy Round Scholarship for LGBTQ+ community

Ten new scholarships to support the LGBTQ+ community have been announced by the University of Hull.

The Jeremy Round Scholarship, named in memory of the University alumnus, cookery writer and journalist, will award each recipient with £1,000 to support the costs of study.

The scholarship is believed to be the first of its kind offered to the LGBTQ+ community at undergraduate study level in the UK.

Recipients will also have the opportunity to meet with LGBTQ+ alumni from the University of Hull, including Jeremy Trevathan of major publishing company Pan Macmillian, who has helped launch the scholarships.

To be eligible, students must identify as LGBTQ+ and either have a household income of under £25,000, or a disability.

The scholarships are supported, and part-funded, by Jeremy Round’s former partner, Jeremy Trevathan.

The two Jeremys – who became affectively known during their time at the University as ‘Jeremy Squared’ – met while studying at Hull.

Mr Trevathan himself encountered significant challenges as a gay student living in the 1970s.

His experiences have now inspired him to help the University launch the Jeremy Round Scholarship.

Jeremy said: “I wanted to support this scholarship because of a period I experienced when I found myself alone, unable to talk with my family as I hadn’t come out to them, and was rejected by the new friends I thought I’d made at the beginning of my adult life.

“It was a tough time for me, but I found my way through. There are many types of isolation that all undergraduates can experience.

“I wanted to set something up specifically for LGBTQ+ students who may have particular experiences and who may need some financial support in particular.”

Members of the LGBTQ+ community can face a variety of barriers when accessing higher education.

The new scholarships can be used to support students with accommodation costs, living expenses, books and other educational equipment.

Jeremy Round was a talented food writer, who rose to prominence when he became Food Editor at The Independent.

He was highly regarded by the whole food community, from suppliers and home cooks to chefs and cookery writers, and was awarded the highest accolade at the time for food writing, the overall Glenfiddich Award in 1989, just a few months before he died unexpectedly of a brain haemorrhage.

“I would like Jeremy to be remembered for being fearless about how he lived his life,” Jeremy Trevathan said.

“He was unashamed of his sexuality, his issues with mental health, and his size. Indeed, he revelled in it all, as he did in life in general.

“He had so many other things that he thought were more important and that defined who he was more than his sexuality and he reached out and grabbed life by the horns. I think that’s a great role model for students today.”

Professor Becky Huxley-Binns, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Hull, said: “Going to university is an incredibly exciting time for students, but it can also be a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community feel vulnerable.

“At the University, we work incredibly hard to make sure all students feel comfortable and settled when they arrive with us at Hull. University is a place where people develop an identity, meet new people and express themselves through both their study and social life.

“We hope these new scholarships help to remove some of the barriers facing people accessing higher education, and build on the University’s commitment to equality and inclusivity.”

Apply here, or contact the Fair Access Office via hefunding@hull.ac.uk or 01482 463002 if you have any questions.

If you would like discuss helping to support these scholarships, please contact The Development and Alumni Relations Office: Jonathan.greenwood@hull.ac.uk.