Events, Grants & Programmes

The January Declaration – A new and fairer deal for the North East

The Webb Memorial Trust has launched a North East based campaign calling for a new and fairer deal for our region. For more information see The Poverty and Inequality Programme

Children North East Conference

The Webb Memorial Trust helped to fund a conference looking at the issues of child poverty. The conference was held in Newcastle on 23rd November 2011 at The Sage, Gateshead. We hope to publish a report on the event in the near future.In the meantime if you need any further details about the day contact the organisers: Children North East on enquiries@children-ne.org

Measurement of Poverty: A Prize Essay Competition

“Poverty is not due to a weakness of individual character but is a problem of social structure and economic management”

These words by Beatrice Webb, co-founder of the New Statesman were as relevant in 1909 as they are today. What does poverty mean to people? What factors should be taken into account in defining poverty? And crucially, how can we engage more people in solving it?

The Webb Memorial Trust and the NEW STATESMAN ran a joint competition to develop a ‘Measurement of Poverty Index‘. The winner of the competition was announced on December 8th:

For more information see The Poverty and Inequality Programme

The Webb Memorial Trust scholarship to Ruskin College, Oxford

One scholarship to be awarded annually (this may be to the same person for a period of 2 or 3 years, depending on the length of their course, in which case the scholarship will not be advertised again until that person has graduated)

To be awarded competitively

• Applicants must have been resident in the UK for at least three years.
• Applicants must have a confirmed full-time place at Ruskin College on any course at least a year long at higher education level (level 4, 5, 6 or 7)
• The panel’s decision will be final
• Applicants should send information about themselves, the course they plan to take at Ruskin and why they want to study on it, and should tell us (at tweet-length) what Beatrice Webb, were she alive today, might tweet about any of the Coalition Government’s policies that are relevant to social welfare plus suggest a list of those people or organisations she might link up with on Facebook to campaign around it.

Scholarship applications should be sent to: Hannah Jones, Academic Registrar, Ruskin College, Walton Street, Oxford OX1 2HE.

For further information about courses at Ruskin go to www.ruskin.ac.uk or contact Hannah Jones at hjones@ruskin.ac.uk

A Minority View

Book launched on 19th May 2011

Beatrice Webb had a plan of what a good society free from poverty would look like. It took 30 years for her views to be accepted, but they became the basis for Britain’s welfare state, and in the 30 years following the Second World War, British society made good progress on poverty as a result.

However, in the past 30 years, we have lost our way and interest in poverty has waned. For more information see The Poverty and Inequality Programme

Funding Applications

For the next 5 years the Trust has committed most of its funding resources to a structured programme that will be focused on the issues of poverty and inequality in the UK.

Funding applications outside of that programme may be considered provided they relate to the provision of solutions to the reduction in poverty and inequality in the UK. Applications should be made online using this application form

All the work supported should reflect the original aims and ambitions of the Webbs – the achievement of social and economic justice and the advancement of education and learning with respect to the history and problems of government and social policy.

Funding applications from individuals including students will be rejected.