It has been six months since Queens’ alumni and friends came together and raised a staggering £945,000 on Giving Day 2025! This incredible total has already had an impact through the three featured funds, The Unrestricted Fund, Access and Outreach and The Student Accommodation Initiative and we are delighted to share the following update. We would like to take this opportunity to thank every person who generously gave to our 2025 Giving Day, the achievements below would not be possible without you.

The Unrestricted Fund

The Unrestricted Fund allows us to direct support where it is needed most. One of the most significant impacts the Fund has had these last six months has been the Queens’ Bursary scheme. The College recently awarded 110 students with an additional Queens’ Bursary allowing them to focus on their studies without financial strain. The Fund has also allowed us to continue to maintain and upgrade the estate, from much needed maintenance to the Mathematical Bridge to the total removal of the gas supply from the college kitchens in favour of all-electric cooking.

Access and Outreach

Since Giving Day 2025, the Access and Outreach team has been busy! Alongside attending careers fairs and school visits, we were excited to host two groups of students from our link area of Bradford at Queens’. This year we also hosted 20 Year 12 students for the residential STEM Smart programme. Students spent a week at Queens’ attending STEM sessions at the Cavendish Laboratory. In September, we hosted the Medieval Day, where 30 students visited College for a day of medieval-themed activities, including talks from our Fellows, a walking tour, and a visit to the Wren Library to see some impressive medieval manuscripts.

The Student Accommodation Initiative

We are thrilled to share that thanks to the support of our alumni, work is now underway at Owlstone Croft! Over the summer D-Block and the extension to A-Block were demolished as the team worked hard to clear the site. The first foundations are now being laid, offering us a glimpse of what is to come. The timber frames for the new terraces are expected to start appearing on site in February 2026, marking the next milestone in the project. Keep an eye out for updates, the fundraising for Owlstone Croft continues.