BURSARIES

Dossier
Funding for horticultural exchanges, travel and projects
This is the first of what I hope will build into a dossier for horticulturists of varying ages and stages who seek funding for projects and travel. The Institute offers a number of awards, the RHS has numerous bursaries and there are other horticultural organisations that offer substantial funds for specific projects. The list below is not by any means definitive, nor are all the details of eligibility included. Please contact the organisations direct for further information.
If you know of other organisations that award similar bursaries please let me have details for future issues. Please E-mail full contact details and the name and a short synopsis of the award to me (barbara.bsegall.com).

IoH Awards and Prizes
Aberconway Medal
Medal and £500 Prize for best annually submitted dissertation by students or horticulturists under the age of 30. Closing date 15 July each year.

James Bruce Prize
For top person taking the RHS Diploma in Horticulture Practical Examination. Books to the value of £50.

Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition
Winner receives the £1500 Percy Thrower Bursary to travel. Heats held in January-March each year at various venues around the country. Age limit under 30.

College Prizes
One year free IoH membership to students nominated by participating horticultural colleges.

Details of all the above from Administration Manager, Institute of Horticulture, Institute of Biology, 9 Red Lion Court, London EC4A 3EF.
Tel: 020 7936 5957
Fax: 020 7936 5958
E-mail: ioh@horticulture.org.uk
Website: www.horticulture.org.uk

Lantra Funding
Money from the European Social Fund (ESF) is available for the training and development of individuals working within the environmental and land-based sectors, whatever their vocation or gender. Whether you are looking for a vocational course (Tractor-driving, Dry Stonewalling) or wish to develop personal skills (People Management, Interpersonal Skills), Lantra CourseFinder has a variety of courses to offer - and hopefully one to suit you..

The funding is available for individuals if they are:

• Living or working within England (but not South Yorkshire, Merseyside, Cornwall, Isles of Scilly or the Channel Islands)
• Working within an environmental or land-based industry
• Employed by an SME (small to medium sized enterprise) that meets the following:
  • Employs fewer than 250 employees
  • Has an annual turnover of less than 34 million pounds (50 million euros) or
  • Has an annual balance sheet total of 29 million pounds (43 million euros) or less
• Over 19 years old
• NOT receiving any other funding
• NOT working for a public sector body or organisation
  
• NOT an unpaid volunteer

LSA Charitable Trust
Grants for the advancement of education in horticulture and land cultivation. The Trust awards grants to students on recognised courses in horticulture where the grant would alleviate hardship and either ‘make the difference’ to enabling the completion of a course, or enable the student to gain practical and relevant experience by meeting living or travel expenses.

Application forms may be obtained from the LSA Charitable Trust, 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LH. Applications should be made by 28 February or 31 August each year.

The Merlin Trust
Available to young horticulturists between the ages of 20-35.
55 Deodar Road, London SW15 2NU.
Secretary: Fiona Crumley
Tel/Fax: 020 8874 4951
Website: www.merlin-trust.org.uk

The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust
Funds available for the advancement of research in any branch of horticulture and the publication of the results of such research; to assist the creation, development, preservation and maintenance of gardens accessible to the public; the promotion of the cultivation and wide distribution of plants which have value to mankind; promotion and cultivation of new plants; assisting the publication of books or other works relating to science or horticulture.
Cory Lodge, PO Box 365 Cambridge CB2 1HR.
Tel: 01223 336299
Fax: 01223 336278

The Alpine Garden Society Travel Award
Two main types of travel awards - for young people under 30 years of age and for those over 30. Both are aimed to help provide field experience for the serious study of alpine plants. In recent years the terms of the awards have been extended to include students or employees joining scientific expeditions if it was felt appropriate to support such an application.
AGS Centre, Avon Bank, Pershore WR10 3JP.
Tel: 01386 554790
Fax: 01386 554801
Website: www.alpinegardensociety.org

The Mary Helliar Travel Scholarship
Aims to assist horticulturists with travel if project is connected with the ornamentals industry, and with plant propagation in particular and which will help to further their careers. The award is open to anyone, irrespective of age or experience. The scholarship is administered by the International Plant Propagators Society.
Current Secretary of IPPS is
Clare Shaddick, 2 Crondall Lane, Farnham,Surrey.
Tel/Fax: 01252 725880
E-mail: ipps@paston.co.uk

Studley College Trust
In partnership with the Tresco Abbey Gardens, Isles of Scilly, two scholarship positions are sponsored by the Studley College Trust for a 12-month period for the practical development of skills and experience.
Hill View, Chapel Lane, Ratley, Banbury OX15 6DS.
Contact: David Brazier - Administrator
Tel: 01295 670397

Writtle College
New Gardeners' Foundation is an annual studentship of £3000 to cover two years of study at Foundation Degree level at Writtle College.
Contact Mike Hall, Writtle College, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3RR.
Tel: 01245 424200
Website: www.writtle.ac.uk

RHS Bursaries
The Osaka Travel Awards
Available for horitcultural projects from applicants between 25 and 35 from UK and Japan.

Blaxall Valentine Bursary
Provides financial support for individuals or groups of individuals for plant exploration or plant study expeditions to any part of the world.

The Coke Trust Awards
Aim to provide assistance mainly to professional and student gardeners,to enable them to broaden skills and experience; also provide assistance to individuals, institutions, charities and gardens open to the public, in clearly defined horticultural projects with distinct educational, research or historic value.

RHS Financial Awards
These awards are available for a wide range of projects associated with horticulture and are available to individuals or groups.

The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Bursary
Administered as part of the RHS Financial Award system, it is awarded annually for proposals of particular excellence, for individual candidates aged between 20 and 35 who are UK or Commonwealth citizens.

E A Bowles Memorial Bursary
Is restricted to £500 awarded every two years for support of a project on the work of E A Bowles; his garden at Myddelton House or on one of his particular horticultural interests.

Jimmy Smart Memorial Bursary
Is restricted to £1,000 per year and aims to provide financial support to a working gardener for travel and/or accommodation during visits overseas with the primary intention of seeing or studying plants and/or trees in their natural habitat. Additional support may be offered to gardeners applying for funding for visits to Australia and New Zealand. The award is open to experienced working gardeners in the British Isles, particularly those whose work includes responsibilities relating to National Collections and there is no age restriction).

BALI – Geoffrey Chalk Memorial Award Fund
I£1,500 awarded annually for a travelling scholarship to enable the winner to broaden their knowledge and interest in landscaping either nationally or internationally. There is no restriction on destination or duration of travel.
Application forms can be obtained from contact@bali.org.uk or by telephone 0870 770 4971 and must be received by 26 August.

All RHS bursaries are administered by the RHS Bursaries Committee and are considered four times per year. Applications should be received by 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 24 December for consideration at the May, August, November and February meetings of the committee. For full details of eligibility and application forms contact The Secretary, RHS Bursaries Committee, Education Department, The RHS Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB.
Tel: 01483 212380
Fax: 01483 212382
E-mail: bursaries@rhs.org.uk

Further information may also be found at www.grantsforhorticulturists.org.uk