The Bell Scholarship has been established thanks to the generosity of alumna Ann Bell, with the aim of supporting a student with bi-polar, to ensure their diagnosis is not a barrier to successfully achieving a degree at CCCU.
The scholarship has been set up in memory of Ann’s late husband Gordon Bell, whose family has been impacted by the congenital mental health condition.
Gordon Bell was diagnosed with bi-polar when he was 35, during his professional life in Further Education. Ann’s hope is that in his memory, she will be able to support a student with the same condition, enabling them to achieve their life and career goals.
The Bell Scholarship will offer the successful candidate £5,000 a year, for each year of their study to a maximum of £15,000.
Alongside the financial award, the scholar will be offered the support of a dedicated case worker from the Mental Wellbeing team. They will also have the option of working with a Futures coach to develop their confidence during their time at CCCU. The scholarship will be available to students until 2030.
I am incredibly passionate about the life-changing impact an education can provide. This is why I fully support Futures and I made the decision to establish my own scholarship in memory of my husband Gordon.
Ann Bell, Bell Scholarship Founder
About Ann Bell
Ann studied Geography and General Studies on the Teacher Training programme and graduated in 1971 when the university used to be Christ Church College Canterbury.
Ann explains how she began her studies as a mature student at the age of 25, after working since leaving school for the multinational organisation, Unilever. She adds how her time at CCCU set the foundation for her life, and it was here that she developed her love of landforms, earth movements, geology, and urban geography. Ann was one of the top three students, achieving a Certificate in Education (Cert Ed) and B Ed Part 1.
Her love of geography has continued throughout her life, giving Ann the opportunity to study glaciers in the Arctic, canoe, rock climb cliff faces, mountaineering, marvel at volcanic eruptions, and be a National Park Ranger in the Peak District. She has also had the pleasure of passing on this passion to students when teaching geography and environmental studies.
Ann established the Bell Scholarship in 2024 in memory of her late husband Gordon Bell, with the aim of supporting a student with bi-polar disorder, to ensure that their diagnosis is not a barrier to them successfully achieving a degree at CCCU.
Ann's late husband, and other members of his family, have been impacted by this congenital mental health condition, and it is her hope, that in Gordon’s memory, she will be able to support a student with the same condition, enabling them to achieve their life and career goals.
The situation faced by students now is very different from when I studied, with tuition fees, a lack of financial support and rising costs - I can’t imagine the pressure students must face today. I think it’s such a shame that financial pressures might cause them to miss out on opportunities that were available to me, and that made such a lasting impact on my life.
Ann Bell, Bell Scholarship Founder, with Gemma Xiouris, Bell Scholar
If you are interested in establishing your own Futures Named Scholarship and would like to find out more, please send your enquiries to the Futures team.
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