ACH Crisford Charitable Foundation Bursary
At Staffordshire University, we place students at the heart of everything we do, and supporting the Horizon Fund, helps support every student with ambitions and aspirations to be the very best they can be, and take a step towards their brighter future. This is a belief that echoes across our connected community - with the many donations of gift, time, and opportunities, our students have experienced the generosity of our donors and have already achieved incredible things.
One-way students are supported via the Horizon Fund is through the Ashwin Kagdadia Scholarship.
Friends Andrew Crisford and Fred Forshaw first met in 1966 as students on the country’s first ever Computer Science degree at Staffordshire University’s Stafford Campus, formerly known as Staffordshire College of Technology (SCOT).
After graduating, Fred and Andrew’s careers took them in separate directions. Fred went on to work in computing for John Player and Sons (Imperial Tobacco), Nottinghamshire County Council and Associated British Maltsters Limited. He then spent 20 years running his own successful computer consultancy business. Andrew spent two years working in computer-aided ship design for the Navy before following his passion for restoring antique clocks and watches. He has travelled the world as a renowned horologist and time piece valuation expert.
Now, after reconnecting as friends in retirement, Andrew and Fred are united in their mission to help create opportunities for the next generation of students as trustees of the ACH Crisford Charitable Foundation, which was founded by Andrew, his late wife Caroline, and son, Benjamin.
“I have been lucky to have been paid to indulge my hobby for the last 45 years. Now it is incredibly important to me to encourage people to take up education to improve their lives and opportunities.”
- Andrew Crisford
“We really do want to help people make the best of their education. Bursaries, even if only a small amount, can be an enormous help when some students are worried and not knowing where their next amount of money can come from.”
- Fred Forshaw
“I would want to embrace myself to be motivated and determined all the time during my journey of study. I would like further opportunities to open my path but would much prefer to choose a specific role that would make it more enjoyable for me.
The bursary has been used towards booklets, textbooks, folders and for food for me to have a healthy lifestyle. I also used these funds for transport and clothing on the days that I am studying before arriving to the university or when already at university. I usually do not spend much but this has helped me to make the most of my every day life.
I hugely would like to thank you for supporting me within my studies whenever I needed it.”
- Muhammed
My aim is to learn the key factors on what makes a successful event, a talented gamer or a creative entertainer. I'm waiting for the chance to take away something tangible for my ambitions. I have high expectations for personal success and wish to make a living from such an enlightened industry.
The money has been put towards establishing an esport league for the game Crossout. Equipment for recording, editing as well as giveaways. It has been an enormous help to get my projects off the ground."
- Harry
What I wanted out of this course is to learn as much of computer game design as much as possible to jump into the industry after I complete it. I want to learn to model, program and design games either on my own or as a team to create games I can only imagine beforehand.
The funds are used to help pay for my travels and living expenses that my family couldn't always provide. With this bursary, I can live a little easier to focus on my study without financial strain distracting me and can finally give 110% of my effort in classes.
Thank you for your generous help and support you have given me."
- Ishaq
“I have been trying my hardest and have sort of enjoyed working at home it felt very unusual at the start of the semester because I have never experienced this sort of scenario before but now I am getting used to it and there's more support available so it wouldn't be a worry.
I can't express how thankful I am for this donation; I'm looking to spending some of the money on some more storage for my pc as I've had to download so many files and large projects it takes up a lot of space.”
- Nibras
“I used the Bursary to purchase a Raspberry PI and the necessary hardware. I thought this would be a good chance to get some on hand experience with the PI which I would be using in the 2nd semester. I also got into my first project which was to use the PI to block web ads. It has solidified the foundations of what I had learnt in my first semester in which I applied it to my current situation, supplementing my learning.
Thank you."
- Andy
"I’d like to thank the ACH Crisford Charitable Foundation for their support which has been crucial in making my experience at university as good as it’s been despite this difficult year."
- Aaron
