Student charity fund

We're grateful for small mercies and free further and higher education in Scotland. Course fees are paid for by me, and loads of other tax-payers, and while we can debate all day about what our tax pounds and pennies should and shouldn't pay for, clearly in the field I work in, I'm happy that we invest in education. You'll see that I said 'invest' and not 'pay for'. It's something I feel passionate about, and some days it hits me smack in the face why I do.

I spoke with two students at length today. One has slept each night this week in a car and the other owes £300 rent tomorrow and has 2p in her bank account. We have systems in place to help now and the two sets of circumstances have now only come to light. Bottom line is that I have a duty of care and we'll figure it out. There's more detail I could give but you'll understand why I won't. It's easy to get personally involved and fundamentally, I wish there was something I could do.

So call it naive, or I don't know what, but from today I am starting a Student Help Fund. Whether I go the full charity route or not, I don't know. But I've stated it here, so it means I gotta do it. The dollar in the pic as a mere symbol, symbolic of the start of this project, as a pound coin just didn't seem right. Colleges and unis have their student services and advisors, this fund will act as little help. It may simply be a finger in the dyke, and with my students volunteering with Cash for Kids of late and so many charities you and I support and have our reasons for doing so, this Student Fund will be a challenge. But I read something the other day about wanting somebody to help and then realising that I am somebody. So when I said I wished there was something I could do, well this is it. More on a future blip.