NEWS RELEASE
The Right Reverend Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely, has been appointed as patron of the Marshal Papworth Trust, a charitable fund educate agricultural and horticultural students from developing countries in UK colleges and universities,
Formed in 2001, the Marshal Papworth Fund runs UK-based scholarship and short course programmes from funds bequeathed from Huntingdonshire farmer Marshal Papworth. The fund is wholly managed by the East of England Agricultural Society.
Through its scholarship programmes the fund develops life changing, land-based skills, enabling students, from developing countries to facilitate sustainable farming within their own communities.
Tom Arthey, Marshal Papworth Fund chairman, said: “We are thrilled that Bishop Stephen becomes the Fund’s patron. We look forward to working closely with him to identify and nurture potential partners, sponsors and advocates to help us secure the fund’s future and enable many more agricultural students from developing countries to benefit from our scholarships.”
Since the formation of the Marshal Papworth Fund, 18 years ago, the charity has helped more than 195 students from developing countries to achieve their dreams and help their home communities. To sustain its programme and make it possible for many more students from around the world to benefit from the education it provides, the fund relies on donations.
Bishop Stephen said: “I have long enjoyed an association with the East of England Agricultural Society, so when I was asked to help support the great work that the charity undertakes I was only too pleased. I have played a major role in building up links with Churches overseas and have travelled to South Sudan and Latvia on behalf of the Diocese of Salisbury and Vellore in South India as Bishop of Ely. I have recently visited Kigali in Rwanda to build the new inter-diocesan link and know the importance that the role of sustainability plays in securing social, ecological and commercial longevity.”
Find out more about our Marshal Papworth imitative here.
