A history of giving

Since our beginning as New Hall at Silver Street in 1954, the College has always benefited from the donations of supporters. Founded with just one shilling, the College had no endowment, but Rosemary Murray, Robin Hammond and their colleagues raised money for running costs and a permanent home for the young College. People bought bricks, schoolgirls sold cakes and retired teachers donated insurance premiums. Eventually enough money was raised for our new and permanent buildings on Castle Hill.

Over the years, alumnae and friends of New Hall have continued to provide invaluable and much needed support to the College, giving generously to student support, teaching funds, building projects and the Art Collection. Donations to the College have helped to build three new accommodation blocks of en-suite bedrooms (Pearl House, Buckingham House, and Canning and Eliza Fok House) improve IT facilities, and prevent the College from closing permanently when major structural damage to concrete in both the Dome and the Library put the College in urgent need of financial assistance.

In 2008 we announced our refoundation as Murray Edwards College, following the single largest personal donation to a Cambridge college, £30million, from alumna Ros Edwards (née Smith, 1981) and her husband, Steve. This gift will secure the future of the College, forming the major part of the College’s permanent capital. Whilst this gift is transformative, we will continue to need the support of our alumnae and friends to allow Murray Edwards College to offer a Cambridge education to women of exceptional potential from all backgrounds.

Our 50th Anniversary Campaign raised over £6.5million for a variety of projects and we are very grateful to all those who donated during this Campaign. We have a variety of ongoing fundraising projects, including the regeneration of Orchard Court, the endowment of further Fellowships, supporting the bredth of activities that make up the student experience, the strengthening of our student support fund and securing the future of the New Hall Art Collection – your support would be greatly appreciated.

Murray Edwards College/New Hall is a Registered Charity (Registration No. 1137530).