The Sir Henry Stephenson Endowment Trust was originally established in 1912 by Lady Stephenson, in honour of her husband, who had played a prominent part in the foundation of Sheffield University and who had died in 1904.
The endowment, now worth several hundred thousand pounds, is invested on behalf of the Trustees, through the University of Sheffield. It generates £10,000 to £15,000 of income each year, which is disbursed by the Trustees.
The Trustees include, ex officio, the Bishop of Sheffield (chair), the Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield University and the Dean of Sheffield, and seven others drawn from the Diocese of Sheffield, Sheffield University and the Stephenson family.
The purposes of the Trust, as defined in the Trust Deed, are three-fold:
- the award of a “Sir Henry Stephenson Fellowship” tenable at the University of Sheffield by a person who is an actual communicant member of the Church of England (with a reference for a person who is or intends to be in Holy Orders in the said Church)
- the award of grants or bursaries to persons studying for Holy Orders in the Church of England (with a preference for those who are graduates of the University of Sheffield)
- in the promotion of religious education in accordance with the doctrines of the Church of England for the benefit of students attending the University of Sheffield.
(1) The Sir Henry Stephenson Fellowship
The fellowship award dates back to the 1950s. Among prestigious previous fellows are: Prof E R Wickham, Prof Anthony Thiselton, Dr Wesley Carr and Prof John Webster. The two most recent fellows have been Grace Emmett and Matt Williams.
Fellowships are typically awarded on an annual basis, for an academic year (ie, typically running from September to August) as an honorarium of £10,000, to support a research project. It is expected that the Fellow will give public lectures and/or guest lectures in seminars, and will design the project so as to communicate outcomes in a way that is stimulating, engaging and participatory.
(2) Grants for Ordinands
Trustees welcome applications from ordinands who are graduates of the University of Sheffield or who are sponsored for training by the Diocese of Sheffield. Applications will typically be to enable the enrichment of the ordinand’s formation (through, for example, book grants, residential experiences, conference or placement costs). Up to £2500 is available each year to support this part of the work of the Trust.
(3) The Promotion of the Christian Faith to the Benefit of Students at the University of Sheffield
Trustees welcome applications from students at the University of Sheffield to enable them to undertake activities and experiences which will deepen their Christian faith. In particular, trustees welcome applications which put the Christian faith into practice, seeking to make a lasting difference in the world. Up to £2500 is available each year to support this part of the work of the Trust.
Applications to the Trustees
The closing date for applications is 30 April each year. Awards in all three categories are made by Trustees in May for the forthcoming academic year.
Applications can be made by letter and sent to:
The PA to the Bishop of Sheffield, Bishopscroft, Snaithing Lane, Sheffield, S10 3LG
or email pa@bishopofsheffield.org.uk.