Students to benefit from £25,000 donation to university

Posted 2 September 2014

Students are set to benefit from a generous £25,000 donation to the Harper Adams University Development Trust from the estate of a successful Warwickshire dairy farmer.  

The Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust, which was established in memory of Elizabeth Creak, a former High Sheriff of Warwickshire who previously ran one of the county’s largest dairy farms, is sponsoring a series of student scholarships at Harper Adams. 

The first to benefit are postgraduate students Claire Cianchi, from Herefordshire, and Rachel Glover, from Warwickshire, who will each receive a Clyde Higgs Scholarship, named after Miss Creak’s uncle from whom she inherited the farming enterprise in 1963. 

Both Claire and Rachel will be starting the MSc Sustainable Agriculture programme at Harper Adams University in September. 

The Clyde Higgs Scholarships are worth £4,500 each and the remaining funds donated to Harper Adams from The Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust will support undergraduate scholarships, to be awarded during the 2014-15 academic year. 

Dr David Llewellyn, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “We are very much aware that the agri-food sector requires able young entrants, and we have a strong track record in working with industry to meet this need. 

“The generous donation from the Elizabeth Creak Trust will help our students to pursue their education at Harper Adams University and to fulfil their ambition to work in the agri-food sector, where rapid advances in science and technology are providing fantastic career opportunities for our graduates.  We are extremely grateful to the Trustees for their support, for both the University and our students.”

Elizabeth Creak, born in 1926, graduated from McGill University in Montreal and worked for Allen Lane of Penguin Publishers before returning to England to work with her uncle, eventually becoming his successor.  She passed away in October 2013 and left the bulk of her estate to the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust, to provide scholarships in her uncle’s name and to “support and encourage new blood in farming and finance projects to help farmers survive and thrive in their challenging modern environment”.  

Trustee Paul May said: “Clyde Higgs was a highly innovative and enterprising farmer who was well known for challenging the status quo and cross-fertilising best practices among farmers in the UK. His practical approach and constant quest for efficiency helped him to significantly increase output. He recognised the same passion and ability in Elizabeth, who became a highly capable and well-respected farmer who brought many creative ideas to the industry. 

“Harper Adams University encourages that same passion, enterprise and creativity in its students, therefore the Elizabeth Creak Trust is delighted to be able to support Claire and Rachel as they undertake their postgraduate studies, as well as future undergraduate scholars.  We wish them every success.”