Student power
Sharing skills and shaping minds
Thanks to your donations to our student project fund, Cascade, 39 new student projects will begin this year. Our volunteer review panel have helped select projects from new water filtration technology to ground-breaking developments in electric motorsport. Your support is helping our students develop life skills outside the lecture theatre and change lives both in Nottingham and around the world.
Bringing clean water to Bambui
Imagine living in a town where the only water fit for human consumption is bottled and unaffordable. This is reality for the people of Bambui, an emerging township in Cameroon. But thanks to your support for Cascade, Nottingham students are now providing free at source, clean water to thousands of people.
“Being a part of this project has been a life-changing experience” said Tomi Greene, a 3rd year History student.
“We heard about the water problems in Bambui in a lecture and just wanted to help. We first travelled out in 2014 and realised the situation was serious. So we contacted the University’s engineering department with the challenge to develop a water filtering system that would be cheap and sustainable.
“Together, we created a bio-sand filtration system from local materials and worked with local people in Bambui to bring it to the town. Cascade funding has been enormously important to us – I am so proud that since our project began, deaths by water-borne diseases in the area have dropped significantly. Helping another community and seeing the challenges faced by others has changed my life – I think differently now.”
Racing to win
In 2014, The University of Nottingham Electric Superbike was created. Now your gifts to Cascade are supporting our students to take this innovative bike to the next level.
“I am delighted to be one of the students involved” said Ben Sheard, a 2nd year Mechanical Engineering student. “I found out about it in my foundation year and consistently pestered the staff to let me get involved. The bike began with just three guys in a shed – now we’ve won constructor and rider European championships two years running!
“Thanks to support from Cascade, I get to work all the way through the process – I’m designing and testing, and getting new parts made which are used in races. For a student like me, this is invaluable experience – near impossible to get!
“During the off-season, I spend my spare time developing the bike. When we’re racing, things are very different. The experience of travelling as part of a motorsport team to the European Championships was amazing – I was working inside a concrete box for three days but it was brilliant. This project has changed my life – it’s shown me that motorsport is what I want to do. Thank you to everyone who gives to Cascade – you’ve made this amazing experience possible for me.”
Students need your support today
Our crowdfunding platform – Impact Jumpstart – helps students fundraise for their projects. If you would like to find out more, visit jumpstart.hubbub.net
Working in Tandem
Winnie Motswagae, Chemical Engineering student
“Ten years ago, Nottingham students travelled to Meserani in Tanzania to help build an education centre. Local people now have access to a free education, and can learn English, Maths and Computing alongside skills like tailoring.
“This centre is now in need of repair. Students like me have helped keep this much-loved place running but now we need your help. Please help us refurbish this centre, and continue to give future generations the education they deserve”.
Target: £1500
Find out more
Community First Responders
Alex Ferriman, Medicine student
“In an emergency, every minute counts. We work alongside the ambulance service, helping people in need.
“Thanks to your support, in two years 50 students have put in over 7,000 hours treating people with breathing difficulties, anaphylactic shock, cardiac arrests and many more conditions. By arriving on the scene first, our trained volunteers are literally saving lives.
“But we need equipment. We’re asking for your help to buy two new defibrillators, so we can continue giving vital care to those who need it most”.
Target: £2,000
Find out more
Project Myemyela
Lucy Wren (middle), Architecture and Environmental Design student, with project team members Charlotte Hodgson (left) and Rachel Levy (right)
“The Letsitele Valley of Limpopo is one of the poorest and least developed areas in South Africa. Over three quarters of the population of Limpopo live below the national poverty line with limited access to education.
“We want to do our bit to change this. We are a team of architecture students with plans to design and build a school in the Letsitele Valley, but we can’t do this alone. We need your help.
“Our goal is to raise £38,000 for the materials and equipment needed to build the school. Please help us to give these children the gift of education.”
Target: £38,000
Find out more