Lord Rootes Memorial Fund
Over the years several University of Warwick climbers have secured funding for their trips from the Lord Rootes Memorial Fund.
The aim of the fund is to “encourage creativity, innovation and impact through support of projects by individual and groups of Warwick students, especially projects that: Demonstrate innovative and creative thinking; encourage personal development and challenge in pursuit of an idea or objective; create new enterprises, cultural initiatives and/or social impact”.
Past projects have combined climbing and mountaineering with social outputs such as fundraising, writing English language guidebooks and researching the cultural and economic impact of mountains.
- Projects can be awarded between £100 and £3,000 in funding.
- Projects typically take place during the summer vacation.
- All students can apply, whether full-time or part-time, undergraduate or postgraduate.
- You can apply even if you are leaving the university at the end of the academic year.
- The application process involves an interview in front of a panel who will ask you questions about your project.
Tips for Application Success
I got in contact with former WUUC exec member Ben Martyn who was awarded funding for his trip to Japan in 2014. He had the following tips for application success:
- The projects are, in part, about personal growth so explain how your project is a challenge, how it will be stretching, but also show that it will be achievable.
- Make it clear why your project is unique. If you are planning to go abroad you will need to make it clear why your project couldn’t be done in the UK.
- The fund doesn’t want you to end up getting injured or dying so a really thorough risk assessment is essential. You can base yours on the one WUUC uses for tour (ask an exec member for a copy) but go into as much detail as you can.
- In your risk assessment include any climbing training you have had. As well as if you have been on a club or society executive committee and organised trips (especially if they were trips abroad).
- Your interview panel may or may not include climbers; they will want to know what experience you have climbing outside in order to reassure themselves that you know what you are doing.
Past Project Reports
Successful applicants are required to write a report on their project in return for the funding. Several of these reports are linked below. Good luck!
- Cycling the Summits - a Fundraising Mission Across the UK (2014)
- Spiritual Peaks: The Presence and Influence of the High Mountain in Himalayan Religious Culture (2014)
- Exploring the Cliffs of Japan to Provide an English Language Guide to Climbing in the Areas Around Tokyo (2014)
- Climbing the Limestone Cliffs of South East Asia and China (2013)
- An Expedition to Alpamayo (2011)
- Expedition: High Atlas (2010)
- Scaling New Heights: Rock Climbing in Thailand (2008)
Other Grants
The British Mountaineering Council has a long list of general mountaineering grants. It is worth looking at these to see if any might apply for your expedition. The BMC also has an expedition grant scheme of its own.
