December is here already, and while we start shopping for gifts for family and friends, many of us are thinking about the seasonal tradition of looking out for those less fortunate than ourselves.
Charitable giving is something that is often a very personal matter, but as a charity ourselves, we at the University of Reading understand the importance of charity and the value it plays in society. And that means doing what we can to support and highlight the other charities that do unmatched work in Reading and Wokingham.
For example, for the third year running, the University is participating in The Giving Tree initiative. Run by Connect Reading, the campaign helps organisations and businesses work with local charities to become secret Santas for local people in need.
This year our University community will be collecting gifts for local children and families who are supported by ABC to Read and Berkshire Women’s Aid. Staff and students can pick up a tag from the Christmas tree, located in our library foyer – each tag has an item on that someone has requested and it is a really personal way to donate to charity, knowing that it will bring someone joy over the festive period.
Last year the University community gave 164 gifts to children and young people staying at the Royal Berkshire Hospital over Christmas. I hope our students and colleagues can manage even more in 2024.
Last week we hosted the Reading Rotary Santa Run on our Whiteknights campus. This is always a fun event that brings people together to raise vital funds for local charities. We had around 500 runners take part, with routes for all ages and abilities. The funds raised will go to the Rotary Benevolent Fund, Thrive and Rainbow Trust.
Earlier this year, Rainbow Trust was announced as the first ever University of Reading Charity of the Year. Rainbow Trust supports families caring for a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness and the University has been working closely with the charity’s Thames Valley Care Team over the last few months.
A collection of arts and crafts materials, to provide some entertainment for ill children and their siblings during family support visits, resulted in almost 50 activity packs being created. These simple items will provide some much needed relief for children, and their parents, during difficult times. My thanks to all my colleagues who showed such thought and generosity.
I know there are many other good causes being supported by our staff and students at this time of year, and throughout the year. It is wonderful to see such community spirit across our campuses.
Of course, the University itself is a charity, set up more than a century ago with donations of land and money from local people, providing the very definition of a positive legacy. In more recent years, University donors have given generously and enabled us to develop support programmes, allowing more people of all backgrounds to achieve academic success.
Donors are also making a real difference to our incredible research projects, helping shape new solutions to pressing world problems – such as preserving our heritage, tackling climate change, and helping farmers grow our food.
Charity is about bringing people together – even if a donor never meets the person they help, or expects anything in return. To me, there is no better spirit of Christmas.
Robert Van de Noort is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading
