A student dedicated to improving the lives of others has received a cash boost from the family of businessman and benefactor Brian Roper.
Vicky Baldy has been given a £500 bursary from the Roper family as she prepares to embark on a career in physiotherapy to rehabilitate people through exercise and movement.
The City of Bath College student was selected for the Roper Award for her caring nature and compassion when helping people in need.
The Roper Award was presented to the 27-year-old student by Mr Roper’s wife of more than 50 years Margaret. The new bursary is to be awarded annually to celebrate the life of Mr Roper who died of cancer in May.
Vicky was among 74 Access to Higher Education students who attended the College’s end of year celebration at Komedia with their families and friends.
She was inspired to return to College after watching physiotherapists care for her father when he was seriously ill.
Vicky will be starting a three-year physiotherapy degree at Oxford Brookes University in September. Physiotherapy is one of the most competitive degree programmes in the UK.
Nicole O’Flaherty, former chair of governors at City of Bath College, said the College wanted to express its gratitude for everything the Roper family had done.
A total of 412 students at City of Bath College have benefitted from the help of the Roper family over the last 4 years and the College’s Roper Building is named after them.
The couple, who were given Freedom of the City, have donated more than £6 million to charity in the city with their bathroom firm channelling some of its profits into the Roper Family Charitable Trust.
Mrs O’Flaherty said: “This award is a celebration of Brian’s life and will help to keep his memory alive.
“I feel I am very lucky to have known Brian and Margaret for more than 20 years. I remember immediately being struck by the bond between them, they shared the same values.
“They stood for fairness, inclusion, encouragement, opportunities for personal growth and giving back to the community.
“Their generosity has been considerable… 412 students have been able to attend College because of Brian and Margaret’s generosity. 412 students have had their lives changed and can now fulfil their dreams of a better life through education.”
Carolyn Guy, Access to HE course leader, said Vicky was selected for the Roper Award for her considerable career experience, work ethic, thirst for knowledge and exemplary attendance record. It was also noted how she was very supportive of her peers and would go on to become “a first rate professional.”
Vicky, who lives near Melksham, left school at the age of 17 and has been working as a personal trainer and sports masseur for 10 years after setting up her own business.
She said: “Seeing the work physiotherapists did with my dad was the deciding factor for me. He’d had a heart aneurysm and had been given just weeks to live. I believe his transformation was down to the work of the physiotherapists.
“I don’t think I even knew the extent of what physiotherapists could achieve until then, it was a real eye-opener.”
Vicky returned to education to re-train as a physiotherapist and said she was grateful to the Roper family for helping her to achieve her dream. It is her ambition to set up her own physiotherapy business.
She said: “I’ve been working in health and fitness for 10 years and this is definitely the right time for me to make a career change.
“Returning to college has really developed my skills and I feel more academic now than I ever did before.
“I like the idea of building on what I was doing before to help people progress. I’m looking forward to helping people get over their injuries and working with them to ensure they have a better lifestyle.
“I’m so glad I have this opportunity, I feel very lucky.”
The Access to HE course is designed to help mature students develop their skills, confidence and educational potential in preparation for degree or diploma level study. It is a recognised as an entry qualification for all universities in the UK.
