What we do for younger people

The Foundation is designed to build on the success of Sir Simon’s ‘One City’ policy –
a landmark initiative that aimed to provide young people with education and training.

Over the past 12 months we delivered the following programmes for young people in Westminster:

  • Sir Simon Milton Scholarships are designed to help university students afford to live and eat so that they can study and achieve their potential.  We continue to fund five students from low income families at university with these awards.  We made one new award for the 2022-2023 Academic Year.  We now have 21 Scholarship alumni making their way in the world.
  • We are also supporting four students from low income families at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, Simon Milton’s alma mater, with Sir Simon Milton Bursaries.
  • The Sir Simon Milton Westminster University Technical College (UTC) closed in August 2022.  The Year 11 pupils have now all gone to new schools of their choice.  Year 13 pupils have all followed individual pathways on to university, vocational training or employment.
  • Prior to its closure the Foundation provided grants to the UTC to ensure that the experience of the remaining pupils at the school would be the best it could be at a vulnerable time.
  • The successor organisation on the UTC’s Pimlico site, Ada, The National College for Digital Skills, will come to Victoria in September 2023.  We are already providing Sir Simon Milton Bursaries to support up to 40 Sixth Form students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.  In addition, the bursaries will support other requests for exceptional circumstances, such as offering an enriching extra-curricular trip benefitting up to 75 pupils.
  • Students from care backgrounds often face greater financial and emotional pressures without the family support networks that other students have.  We are supporting the University of Westminster with Sir Simon Milton Care Leaver Bursaries.  The Bursary is awarded to 5 Westminster-based Care Leavers.  The purpose of the bursaries is to support these students in their final year and to transition into employment.
  • With our partner, the Council, we gave £10k worth of Christmas vouchers to care leavers and families that are in need during the holiday season.  We were showered with thanks for making a very hard Christmas just a little bit easier for so many.