HEREFORDSHIRE is one step closer to hosting a new university after a campaign to find the remaining founders for the project was realised.

The Hereford Times teamed up with the Herefordshire Tertiary Education Trust (HTET) – the charitable organisation putting together a business case for the new university project – last October, to find those who could complete its Founders' Fund.

The trust needed 30 more founders to come forward to make up a total of 100 individuals, businesses and organisations who would make a minimum donation and seed investment of £5,000 to begin to realise the vision of the New Model in Technology and Engineering (NMiTE).

And HTET has this week revealed it has now received £1,050,000 in cash or in kind – more than doubling the fund’s original target launched in Hereford by Glaxo CEO, Sir Andrew Witty in July 2014.

It has also achieved its aim of 100 donors and, in accordance with its objectives, will not seek further donors.

HTET’s patron, Herefordshire’s Lord-Lieutenant, The Countess of Darnley, said: “To all of those who had the courage, foresight and means to support the Founders’ a very big and heartfelt thank you.

"The history of universities almost always begins with a collection of wise individuals or organisations who fund the foundation of an institution, to ensure that learning can occur freely and benefit the community.

“That so many Herefordians have supported the project has, I believe, given HM Government the assurance that the County is truly committed to a university.

"It is thanks, over the last three months, to the unstinting support of the Hereford Times and the tireless enthusiasm of High Sherriff Bill Jackson that the fund has recruited its final 30 donors.”

The university project is still waiting to hear whether its request for around £25million from

the government for the project has been successful.

The team has been patiently waiting for news following the delivery of the Autumn Statement by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, last November.

But those involved believe an announcement could be expected soon, although they do not have a definite date.

Lady Darnley continued: “In thanking them, I should also like to put on record the appreciation of everyone associated with this project to David Sheppard and Karen Usher for their indefatigable leadership of the 40 or so volunteers who have, over the last four years, helped turn our dream for a university into a potentially world-leading reality.”

HTET Founders' Fund donors are:

ABT Products Ltd, Acre Accountancy Ltd, Active Rights Management, Alex Aftalion, Architype Ltd**, Arctic Circle Ltd, Balfour Beatty plc, Guy Baring Charitable Trust, Barrs Court Engineering Ltd, Bartonsham Dairies Ltd, Bathgate Flooring Ltd, Drs Maureen & Patrick Beauchamp, Viscountess Boyd Charitable Trust Brightwells Ltd, British Cassis – Whittern Farms Ltd, British Land – Old Market Hereford, Philip & Margaret Brown, Julia Budd, Eastnor Castle Estates, Mark & Kate Edwards, Mr & Mrs Ellerton, Mark Ellis, EMS Ltd, ETL Systems Ltd, Jeanie & Ian Falconer, Four Acre Trust, Roger & Liz Gates, Richard & Cary Goode, Ange Grunsell, Haigh Group Ltd, Edward & Victoria Harley, Harrison Clark Rickerbys Limited, Haygrove Ltd, Hayley Group Ltd, Monique Heijn, Hereford City Rotary Club, HFT Forklifts Ltd, Mr & Mrs Antony Hichens, Griffith Holliday, Nat & Laura Hone, Impact Print & Design Ltd, Mr & Mrs Charles Ingleby, Kelso Consulting Ltd**, Christina Belloc Lowndes, Jesse Norman MP & Kate Bingham, Orchard Valley Foods Ltd, P & M Group Ltd, Perrett Laver Ltd**, Blair Priday, Prometheus Medical Ltd, Joan Ritchie, RWB Global Ltd, S&A Group Holdings Limited, Sanders Polyfilms Ltd, Ian & Nicola Saunders, Schaeffler (UK) Ltd, Sequani Non Clinical, Keith & Ann Shawcross, Martin Stratford, Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd, Ian & Gill Tait, Bob Tabor Trust, Ian Thompson, Tomhead Ltd, TRP Sealing Systems Ltd, Victoria & Stephen Wegg-Prosser, H Weston & Sons Ltd, Robert Wyatt & Lucy Ewing, Wye Valley Brewery, Wye Valley Group Ltd, Andrew & Shelagh Wynn, Yieldstone Ltd.

In Memoriam: George Baillie OBE, AMIEE; Oscar Pearce-Higgins; George Sheppard MA, FICE, FIWE; Philip Willmott BSc, AMIMechE. Anonymous: 3 Individuals & 2 Companies. **Honorary Member