Warwick forum’s funding questioned

**Barclays is one of the largest sponsors of Student Hubs, a registered charity which aims to “transform student involvement in social action”, the _Boar_ has learned.
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Warwick Hub, the University’s branch of the charity, is a student-run forum for ethical and campaigning societies.

Concerns have been voiced amongst some of the student body about the ethical dichotomy of a charitable organisation that promotes social action being sponsored by a banking organisation.

Warwick Hub is supported by Student Hubs, whose funding comes from a variety of sources such as corporate organisations as well as charitable trusts and universities.

The latest charitable funding reports show that Barclays gave £30,000 to the charity for the year 2011, the largest amount, matched only by Man Group Charitable Trust. Barclays also provided £20,000 for the year 2010.

Barclays will also be sponsoring the annual Student Volunteering Week in February 2013, hosted by Student Hubs and the National Union of Students.

Callum Calvert, a third-year Maths student who has used Warwick Hub, commented: “I think if the decision is between having the Warwick Hub’s good work with Barclays money, and not having Warwick hub at all, then I would decide to have Warwick Hub’s good work”.

Warwick Hub told the _Boar_: “Warwick Hub aims to engage students in ethical and charitable activity on campus.

“Our core activities include… running events and conferences and providing students with the opportunity to gain work experience in the not-for-profit sector through ethical internships.”

However third-year Engineering student Sudeep Gurung commented: “I think it sends out the wrong message, and undermines the purpose of social action if the organisation is to be funded by establishments such as Barclays”.

The registered charity was set up just over a year ago and witnessed over 2,500 sign-ups within a short time of starting, ranking it as the third most successful Student Hub in the country.

Warwick Hub also has a weekly e-newsletter, The Week, which keeps its subscribers informed of ethical and charitable events and opportunities occurring both on campus and further afield.

The Hub supports 22 groups at the University, including Students’ Union (SU) societies including Warwick RAG. It also supports numerous individual projects.

Student Hubs has organisations in universities across the UK, including Bristol, Imperial and Oxford. Warwick’s branch overtook the older hubs in Cambridge, Southampton and Oxford Brookes universities.