Welcome to the first edition of our Donor Digest! Building upon the legacy of our former donor newsletter, we are thrilled to embark on a fresh approach to showcasing the impact of your generosity on our students and Manchester Metropolitan University. We value your feedback, so please let us know your thoughts.

Here in the Development and Alumni Relations Team, we consider ourselves fortunate to be surrounded by a community of inspiring scholars, educators, and donors—among whom you are included. With the Donor Digest, we aim to spotlight some of these remarkable individuals and their stories, providing you with a firsthand look at the real difference your support makes.

2024 holds special significance for Manchester Met as we proudly commemorate our bicentennial year. It is a historic milestone marking two centuries of driving progress and innovation and transforming lives through excellent education and research. Such momentous occasions serve as a poignant reminder of the invaluable contributions of donors like you, whose generosity continues to provide scholarships for less advantaged students, and funding for pioneering research that helps improve lives and transform communities around the world. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to seeing the difference we can make together in the next 200 years!

Yours sincerely,

Emma Lavelle-Wood

Head of Philanthropy

Development and Alumni Relations 

It is our pleasure to introduce you to a new scholar in each Donor Digest. In this edition, we are thrilled to introduce the talented Armani, Max Mara Opportunity Scholarship in Fashion.

Each Donor Digest provides us with the opportunity to share your philanthropic journeys and to highlight why you choose to give. In this edition, we are delighted to introduce you to fellow donor, Professor Matt Hamnett.

“Donors transform student’s lives. Often, I find, First Generation donors are first generation themselves, and when the students hear a donor has had a similar experience or feeling at some point at university, they suddenly feel, “Well, if you can do it, I can do it"

Hannah Holmes, Deputy Faculty Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Business School

We want to take you behind the scenes of the reports, newsletters and events you experience by introducing you to a new Development Team member in each Donor Digest. With this being our first edition, I thought I’d pop my head up from behind the keyboard.