The 2019 Student Social Mobility Awards were introduced by the Patron of upReach, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC who welcomed guests to the House of Lords, to highlight the importance of social mobility work supporting students from less-advantaged backgrounds to access top professions.

Jon Lightfoot said, “We are absolutely delighted to have won the Highest Impact University Initiative Award at the recent upReach Student Social Mobility Awards. The Scholarships are really important to the University of Bristol given our recent 'University of Sanctuary' award, in Bristol - a City of Sanctuary. This award reflects the hard work being undertaken by numerous staff across the University to support the fabulous students we have seen come to the University under the Scholarship. It has been very rewarding to see the success and progress of our Scholars.”

The award coincides with the pledge of an additional £100,000 funding for Sanctuary Scholarship from the University's Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO).

The University's pioneering Sanctuary Scholarships scheme, established in 2016, has provided 34 scholarships to asylum seekers and refugees, helping towards the cost of full or part-time undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. It is set to welcome a new cohort of scholars for the 2019/20 year.