University of Northampton invests more than £2.5million during pandemic as accommodation fees waived

As part of its Covid-19 Hardship Fund, the University of Northampton has invested millions of pounds in its students during the pandemic.

The university earmarked £2.5million to waive final term accommodation payments, a further £100,000 to provide laptops and worked with Santander to support international and EU students who were eligible for tuition fee loans.

Aside from the financial aid, university members of staff and students have also been involved in a huge number of good deeds that have helped the local community throughout the pandemic, including vacant accommodation being given to healthcare staff and rough sleepers.

Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nick Petford, said: “Someone once said light-heartedly that hindsight is always 20/20. But looking back over the past few months, some astonishing things have happened at the University of Northampton that show there is a lot of truth in that saying.

“As soon as news stories started to tell us that something very big was about to happen, there was an automatic desire across the University to step into the breach and help out, sometimes before our partner organisations even approached us.

“It’s woven into our DNA to be change makers and to proactively seek to support others, so I wasn’t the least bit surprised to read and hear about the fantastic, altruistic work we have been engaging in.”

In addition, nearly 400 students stepped up when the NHS needed healthcare professionals and the campus was used as a base for the Red Cross to store food to be delivered to vulnerable people and as a temporary assessment clinic for people with Covid-19 symptoms.

All of the financial help and good deeds, including student ‘check ins’ and support, are detailed in a report the university has released entitled ‘Supporting our Community: The University of Northampton’s Response to Covid-19’.

Prof Nick Petford added: “As a society, we might have felt before coronavirus that we were less kind and tolerant toward others. But I feel this experience has brought back to us a sense of basic decency, of neighbourliness and of taking a pause to consider what we can do to help those around us.

“This report sums up all that we are about at Northampton and I hope people have time to read the wonderful examples of what has been happening and feel the same amount of pride that I do.

“Another famous phrase – ‘It goes without saying’ – doesn’t do justice in these instances. So, I’d like to say a big, personal thank you to all of our people for going above and beyond when it was really needed.”

To read the full ‘Supporting our Community: The University of Northampton’s Response to Covid-19’ report, visit the university's website.

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