University of Bath receives £1 million endowment from trust
Howard Lake | 28 June 2007 | News
The University of Bath has been given a £1 million endowment by the locally-based Medlock Charitable Trust to further research into vehicle engineering and bio-fuels.
The Medlock Charitable Trust has built up the endowment over the past few years specifically for the University, and the income earned from it will fund a named Chair in the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Design in perpetuity.
The first holder of the Medlock Chair in Engineering is Professor Gary Hawley, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who will get funding to further his research into vehicle systems. The funding will support several students studying for PhD research degrees.
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The Trust was set up by Len Medlock, who established the successful sub-contract engineering business Hebron & Medlock, based in Oldfield Park, in 1951. His son David is now Managing Director of the firm, which employs over 1,000 staff and has an annual turnover of £45 million, and Managing Trustee of the Trust.
Mr Medlock is also High Sheriff of Somerset and a Pro-Chancellor at the University. His long involvement in the voluntary sector, has included work with Shelter, an adult literacy project in Manchester, and the Gateway Club in Bath.
The endowment fund will remain at at least £1 million and the income from this will fund the Chair.
Siôn Lutley, Director of Development & Alumni Relations at the University, said: “The Medlock Chair in Engineering will provide a real boost to the University’s world-class engineering research and Professor Hawley is a very worthy inaugural recipient of the Chair.”
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
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