“Applying for the scholarship gave me the possibility to approach stories related to simple and humble people from my home town who did something great and special – they saved young soldiers’ lives. Furthermore, I got to know the work you are doing to keep the ties between the descendants of those soldiers and those of the Italian families.”
These heartfelt words come from Letizia D’Alessandro, from Tagliacozzo in Abruzzo, who was one of 46 young Italians, from different regions, who were awarded four-week language study bursaries in 2023. The majority attended in July and August, with 29 choosing Wimbledon and 10 opting for Wheatley (Oxford). A small number pulled out and three deferred until 2024.
The language schools at both Wimbledon and Wheatley are run by Centre of English Studies (CES) and the students assessed the tuition as “good” or “excellent”. Accommodation with local families, which is obtained by the schools, was generally thought to be good; on the rare occasions that there are problems, a school will find an alternative host. The students also gave good marks to the kind MSMT supporters who stay in touch with them, in particular checking their safe arrival at their host family on the day before a course begins. If you can join this gallant core please let us know!
Letizia was not alone in giving positive feedback. We received comments such as: “One of the best experiences of my life and I will never forget it”; and “I was invited to talk at my high school about my experience in London”. One student did remark, however, that “there were too many Italians there and it is impossible not to speak in your native tongue.” Unfortunately, although we do not allow our own students to frequent a school at the same time if they already know each other, we cannot control the number of Italians who are attending outside our own programme!
Much of the credit for a successful year goes to David Kettle, our Administrator and Student Co-ordinator. One student writes: “He followed me step by step and helped me until I came back home.”
Sixteen students attended a picnic organised by David and some of the trustees in London’s St. James’s Park on 13th August. Its success guarantees that it will be repeated in 2024.
By 31st January 2024, there had been a high number of applications for bursaries for this year, and regrettably several had to be turned down. As in 2023, we have awarded 46, of which 42 have been confirmed. There are likely to be one or two withdrawals, as usually happens.
An exciting development for 2024 is a new relationship with the British Institute of Florence, which has been pioneered by trustee Ian Laing. Hitherto, we have rarely received applications from Florence, despite the fact that many escaped PoWs would have passed through the area or been hidden there (such as Ian’s own father). We agreed to award three bursaries through the BIF. One goes to a student from the Institute’s own language school; a second to a student from one of the Italian state schools which has links to the Institute; and a third to a pupil from a school that caters for disadvantaged young people. In the event, the Florence applications were so strong and numerous that we awarded five bursaries to this programme.
We have high hopes for this initiative, which will also help to raise the Trust’s profile through the auspices of the British Institute.
John Simkins
From the Newsletter
