Ruth Hayman Trust

Providing educational grants to adults who have come to settle in the UK and whose first language is not English. The Trust is NATECLA’s nominated charity and we support them with their fundraising initiatives throughout the year.

  • “Thank you Ruth Hayman Trust for sponsoring me. I would not be able to study English because we don’t have enough to pay. It is helping me with my life in the UK.”

    Woman from Brazil awarded a grant for ESOL at Blackpool and Le Fylde College

  • “I'm incredibly grateful for this grant. It's exactly what I needed to get started working in clinics again. I was feeling really down about being away from my career and I was struggling with how to get back into it, so this is a huge boost."

    Dentist from Afghanistan, awarded a grant for a dental nursing course

Who are the Ruth Hayman Trust and what do they do?

The Ruth Hayman Trust gives educational grants for a wide range of courses to support adults who have come to settle here, speak English as a second or other language and could not otherwise afford to pay for their studies. Most of the successful applicants are refugees and asylum seekers.  The charity was founded in 1983 by NATECLA in honour of Ruth Hayman, a lawyer exiled from South Africa who started neighbourhood English classes in the UK and was the first secretary of NATECLA.

The Trust awards over £100,000 of grants annually.  Most grants are for course and exam fees but there are also awards for essential books and equipment such as hairdresser’s scissors, and travel for disabled students with a doctor’s letter.  We provide grants for a wide range of courses and qualifications such as interpreting, accounting, healthcare, security, and registration fees to enable doctors, dentists and pharmacists to work in the UK.  We also fund the IELTS and OET examinations and some ESOL courses.

There are 5 meetings to award grants per year and the dates are advertised on the website.  Application forms and guidelines on how to apply are available on the website.  All applicants need to provide a reference - if the applicant has studied in the UK we expect an academic reference from a teacher to show that the chosen course is appropriate.

  • “I completed the course and passed all 5 exams……I have currently started working as a freelance interpreter and translator with the help of the Ruth Hayman grant.”

    Solicitor from Ethiopia, awarded a grant for a Diploma in Public Service Interpreting exam and registration

  • “Your support not only relieved financial pressure but also gave me confidence in my abilities and aspirations.”

    Kurdish civil engineer from Iraq, awarded a grant for an IELTS exam needed to apply for a Master’s Degree scholarship

How RHT operates

Our funds come from a variety of sources. We receive donations from individuals and organisations, we hold fundraising events such as concerts, sponsored walks  and book launches, often involving our active patrons, and supporters run events and take part in challenges in aid of the Trust. We participate in the Big Give Christmas Challenge every year, where donations are doubled around the first week in December. Students in ESOL classes organise fundraising events for us, using their English and working with others in a real - life situation. We can support their teachers with lesson plans and materials, and the students themselves with certificates to thank them. 

 The Trust has no office or staff. All the work of the Trust is done by the volunteer trustees (15 maximum) with the result that 99% of funds raised by the Trust go directly to successful applicant

We are grateful to NATECLA for their continuing support.