Education, Education, Education
The Trustees of the Welcome Bureau Charitable Trust have always acknowledged that education lies at the heart of social mobility and future family security for war-torn families, and so it is here that we have focussed much of our endeavour. There is much to celebrate.
The Son of our ‘first’ family is in his last year of secondary school in his home town of Kyiv, having returned there in 2024. In his own words, “I’m working hard to make the most of this important time and prepare for the next stage of my journey – studying Law at University. Its a year filled with both excitement and challenges, as I focus on my studies and start thinking seriously about the future I want to build. Given the situation in our country, resilience has become more than just a word – its something I try to live by every day. Despite the uncertainties, I’ve learned to stay positive, adaptable, and hopeful. These experiences are shaping not only my outlook on life but also my motivation to pursue Law, where I hope to make a difference and stand up for what’s right.”
When reflecting on his time at Bristol Grammar School (BGS), he wrote, “Overall, BGS gave me so much – not only strong academic knowledge but also confidence, lifelong friendships, and unforgettable memories. I’m very proud to have been part of this school.”
We are thrilled that the Son of our ‘second’ family was successful this summer in his aspiration to go to a British University, a dream he has apparently held since the age of eight, and started in September at an excellent Russell Group institution. Term has started well and he is enjoying the full student life, working hard but also forming new friendships and pursuing his chosen hobbies. He is pleased with his course choice and is relishing life in a self-catering student flat in University halls of residence. Having never played rugby before attending Clifton College, he uncovered a new passion and is now thoroughly enjoying playing weekly at Uni. He has also joined the Sprinting Club, which will no doubt enhance his performance on the wing!
The Daughter of our ‘third’ family completed a very successful year at Clifton College, with notable academic success, sporting prowess and a new circle of friends with whom to enjoy every aspect of life, both in and out of the classroom. We are so proud of how well she has thrown herself into the opportunities on offer and are delighted to report that she was part of the winning team of a recent inter-house musical competition. Like the Son of our ‘second’ family, the Daughter of our ‘third’ family aspires to a University education and is certainly displaying the work ethic required to get there and thrive.
We continue to be so very grateful to BGS and Clifton College for launching these young people onto a path of enormous opportunity, entirely free of charge.
Financial Pressures on Students
One of the greatest challenges facing a fresher at British University outside the classroom is the management of finances. The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) recently published findings of research, conducted with the Centre for Research in Social Policy, which featured worrying headlines:
- To have a minimum socially acceptable standard of living, a student needs £61,000 over the course of a three-year degree, or £77,000 if studying in London – all excluding fees.
- First-year students face higher costs than other students, due to one-off ‘setting-up’ costs (eg buying a laptop) as well as ‘settling-in’ costs (such as freshers’ week activities).
- For students in England, the maximum annual maintenance loan available to people from low-income households is £10,544 – this covers just half the costs faced by freshers.
Many of us will remember only too well the extent of the support we gave to our own children during their studies, both material and emotional. We Trustees took the decision to continue to support for a further year the home of our ‘second’ family via the current monthly rent top-up grant. This provides stability for both Mother and Son and also gives Son a base to which to return when needed and from which to earn money in the holidays. In addition, the charity is contributing the bulk of the University accommodation costs. Our view is that with careful budgeting and part time work in the holidays to supplement the maintenance loan, the minimum socially acceptable standard of living can be achieved. We have made a four year commitment to the family – the length of the Son’s course – and will continue to fundraise to this end.
As a reminder, the ‘third’ family is financially independent of the charity so Welcome Bureau currently has no financial commitments aside from the above.
News From Kyiv
Back in the first two years of the war, we Trustees were all astonished by the resilience and courage shown by the Mother and Son of our ‘first’ family during their time in Bristol. It has been nothing short of heart-breaking to witness via our regular FaceTime phone calls the utter destruction brought about by the War. Their lives have been turned upside down, there is no possibility of making plans beyond the everyday, there is no end in sight, they don’t sleep, they spend their nights monitoring the scope and scale of drone attacks (and worse) above their heads, the power is intermittent, they have to endure the vagaries of ambivalent, international support and the permanence of primordial fear is emotionally and physically devastating. Still, they face the dreadful, daily realities with fortitude, grace and, remarkably, good humour but it is sadly inevitable that three and a half years of this living hell has taken a tremendous toll. We send them our love and earnest prayer that they stay safe, as well as our pledge to continue to stay in touch and offer whatever comfort we can.
Refuge in Bristol
Of course those we support here in Bristol, although physically removed from danger, also face a daily struggle of gigantic proportion. Separated from friends and family, careers abandoned, standard of living slashed, they live every single day in grotesque fear of news from the front line and their home towns involving those they love. In this context, they report that the most potent antidote to the harsh realities of their significantly diminished lives is the thought that their children are not only safe from the bombs but that they are being educated, and educated to a very high standard to boot.
Thank You to Our Supporters
We extend our deepest gratitude to our supporters who have continued to get behind the aims of the Welcome Bureau Charitable Trust and who, since our inception, have raised over £44,000, every penny of which has gone directly to those in need. We hope you feel as proud as we do of these young people, who are putting their best foot forward, aiming high and really applying themselves to building a successful and fulfilling life. And we hope you acknowledge your own significant part in helping to provide the right environment in which these young hopefuls may flourish.
Glorious Alchemy Christmas Fundraising Concert
On Thursday 11 December 2025, Glorious Alchemy Choir will be performing their ninth fundraising concert in aid of Welcome Bureau. Tickets will be available from the website on 4 November 2025. This year, the event will take place in the yoga studio at Isobel’s house, Haberfield Hall, a six minute drive from Clifton. After the concert, supporters will be invited to toast the season and join in with a seasonal sing-along in the main house.
We hope to see you there!
Launch of Glorious Alchemy Christmas Fundraising Album
All the best,
Isobel, on behalf of the Welcome Bureau Trustees
Isobel Trenouth | Katie Clarke | Julia Greenbury | Lynn McGeoch
Welcome Bureau is a charity registered in England and Wales (1201450)