The Simon Shades Award

Frequently Asked Questions

Brun Bear Foundation Medical Grant: FAQ

About The Simon Shades Award

The Simon Shades Award was established in the spring of 2019 to honour the life of Simon Shades, his generosity of spirit and legacy of contribution to the community.

The Award is an annual, merit-based competition.

The goal of the award is two-fold.

Firstly, in delivering their project the candidate should have a meaningful experience that is personally and professionally rewarding.

Secondly, the proceeds of the award are intended to fund living expenses and/or tuition fees during the
successful candidate’sstudy.

The first half of the award is paid promptly in support of this aim.

The second half of the award is contingent on the successful delivery of the project as formally agreed with The Brun Bear Foundation Trustees.

The award is a one-time award of £1000. It is funded by The Brun Bear Foundation.

The trustees of The Brun Bear Foundation do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national/ethnic origin.

Who can apply?

The Simon Shades Award is open to:

Candidates completing their secondary education at a school or college and starting a full-time undergraduate or vocational course at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education.
Home-schooled candidates starting a full-time undergraduate or vocational course at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education.
Candidates who left school within the last three years and were prevented from taking up a full-time undergraduate or vocational course at a recognised UK-based university or institute of further or higher education within a year of leaving school due to serious illness.
Candidates currently pursuing a full-time undergraduate, postgraduate or vocational course at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education.
Candidates with a place on a full-time course at a private college in the UK.
Candidates returning from a gap year who are returning to take up a confirmed or to continue their place on a full-time undergraduate, postgraduate or vocational course at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education.
Candidates who are resuming their full-time undergraduate, postgraduate or vocational course studies at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education where serious illness has interrupted their studies.

What we cannot fund

We cannot fund:

Part-time courses
Apprenticeships
Trustees of The Brun Bear Foundation, and members of such trustees’ families, as well as relatives of Simon Shades, are ineligible for The Simon Shades Award.

Please elaborate on the project requirement.

As part of the application process, applicants are asked to propose a project that is consistent with the charitable purposes and objects of The Brun Bear Foundation.

The project can be:

A standalone project
Part of a larger scheme
Part of a phased project

The Brun Bear Foundation supports:

Community projects in the London Boroughs of Bromley and Lewisham
Medical research for infants and children
Animal welfare with special emphasis on bears

The Brun Bear Foundation has four main fundraising streams:

Children's books and education
Community and cultural events
Pop up restaurants and super clubs
Epic challenges - destinations to date have included Mongolia and Uganda

Candidates are encouraged to familiarise themselves with www.brubearfoundation.org and www.bamematernity.com

The successful candidate will need to complete their project within twelve months of receipt of The Simon Shades Award.

Key dates and process

The trustees are happy to receive applications throughout the year.
The trustees consider every application that meets our criteria carefully and sympathetically.
The Foundation strives to process applications as quickly as possible.
Applicants may be required to provide additional information and/or attend interview.
Successful applicants will be notified via email.
The decision of the trustees is final.
It is not possible for the trustees to give reasons why applications are not successful or enter into any dialogue or correspondence on projects which do not receive funding.

What information should I have in place before I apply via the official online form?

For those taking up a new course:

Full details relating to the fulltime undergraduate or vocational course you intend to take at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education.

You should apply at the point that you have either a conditional or unconditional offer in writing.
A 500-word personal statement explaining why you want to apply for The Simon Shades Award.
A 500-word statement explaining your course selection and motivation.
A thorough understanding of what The Brun Bear Foundation stands for, does and how it does it.
A well thought out project based on this understanding - there is a lot of scope! The Foundation is involved in children's books and education, community and cultural events, pop up restaurants and supper clubs and epic adventures in the UK and overseas.
We seek two references. You will need to provide details of two referees - one academic reference normally from your school or college - and one from someone who has known you for three years and is not a relative. The Brun Bear Foundation will follow up on references.

For those on a full-time undergraduate, postgraduate or vocational course at a recognised UK-based college, university or institute of further or higher education:

You can apply while on the course providing you will have at least one year's fulltime study ahead of you.
A 500-word personal statement explaining why you want to apply for The Simon Shades Award.
A 500-word statement explaining your course selection and motivation.
A thorough understanding of what The Brun Bear Foundation stands for, does and how it does it.
A well thought out project based on this understanding - there is a lot of scope! The Foundation is involved in children's books and education, community and cultural events, pop up restaurants and supper clubs and epic adventures in the UK and overseas.
We seek two references. You will need details for two referees: one from a tutor on the course you are currently pursuing and one from someone who has known you for three years and is not a relative. The Brun Bear Foundation will follow up on references.

How do I apply?

Click here to access the official Simon Shades Award form.

Please note, we only accept applications for The Simon Shades Award made via the official online application form. We are not able to respond to mail sent requesting donations or funding.

Terms and conditions

Applicants for The Simon Shades Award agree to be bound by the award's terms and conditions.
No other alternatives to the award will be offered and the award is non-transferable.
All applications must be completed and received in full. No consideration will be given to applications which do not meet all the conditions, which are incomplete or invalid. The Brun Bear Foundation accepts no responsibility for applications that are lost, corrupted, damaged or delayed in transit.
All applications must be received via the online application form here and only one application will be accepted per applicant. If an applicant is found to have submitted more than one application, they will be disqualified.
When you apply for this award, your personal and contact information will only be used in relation to this application, unless you agree that we can keep in touch.
The Simon Shades Award is intended to help fund living expenses and/or tuition fees during study. It can be used to this end however the student chooses.
Shortlisted entries will be judged on a discretionary basis based on the merit of each application by The Brun Bear Foundation trustees. The decision of the trustees is final. No correspondence will be entered into about the decision made and there is no appeal against this decision.
Any winner found to have supplied incorrect or misleading information in their application at any time will be liable to immediately repay the entire Award. Depending on what has taken place legal proceedings may follow.
If a candidate feels that they are unable to complete their project to the agreed specifications
and within the agreed timeframe, the candidate must email the Trustees immediately and
communicate:
The reason that they are unable to complete their project to the agreed specifications and
within the agreed timeframe
A proposed variation to the project that is aligned with the overarching purpose of the
Award and the original project put forward by the candidate and approved by the Trustees
This variation may span scope, timeline or substance of the project or some combinationof all three.
The Trustees will seek to communicate their view of the variation within a week of receipt.
They may require more time to better understand the revised proposal and may also
require a formal meeting with the candidate to better understand the circumstances that
have led to the request for a variation and / or the variation itself, before communicating
their final decision.
If it is the case that a mutually workable agreement is found the Award and its financial
terms continue unchanged.
If it is the case that a mutually workable agreement cannot be found the Trustees reserve
the right to withhold part, or all of the balance of the Award.

What happens if my application

is successful?

If your application is successful you will be notified by email and sent an Acceptance Form.

The Acceptance Form must be completed and returned before any monies are released.

Failure to return an Acceptance Form within one week of it being sent out risks the Award failing by default.

Monies will only be transferred by bank-to-bank transfer. Any bank charges will be borne by the recipient.

In accepting the award, the award winner agrees to take part in promotional activity to publicise the Award when requested by The Brun Bear Foundation.

If I am unsuccessful can I reapply?

The Trustees will consider proposals from previously unsuccessful applicants one year after the original application and providing they still have at least a year to run on their intended course.

The Trustees will consider proposals from previously unsuccessful applicants if extenuating or exceptional circumstances can be evidenced.

How and when will The Simon Shades Award be paid?

The Simon Shades Award will normally be paid in two installments.

• £500 will be paid by bank-to-bank transfer within a month of the decision to make the
Award.

• The remaining £500 will be paid on the successful delivery of the candidate's project as
approved by the Trustees*.

*The successful candidate should have full regard for the stipulation that the remaining £500
is paid only on completion of their project as approved by the Trustees.

If at any point the candidate feels unable to complete the project, or seeks a variation in its
scope, the procedure set out in the Terms & Conditions of this Award, and repeated here in
full for convenience and clarity, must be followed.

Failure to follow this procedure risks forfeiting the second half of the award. Depending on the nature and circumstances communicated, there may be a further and formal follow-up from the Trustees.

Term:

If a candidate feels that they are unable to complete their project to the agreed specifications
and within the agreed timeframe, the candidate must email the Trustees immediately and
communicate:

• The reason that they are unable to complete their project to the agreed specifications and
within the agreed timeframe
• A proposed variation to the project that is aligned with the overarching purpose of the
Award and the original project put forward by the candidate and approved by the Trustees.

This variation may span scope, timeline or substance of the project or some combination
of all three.

• The Trustees will seek to communicate their view of the variation within a week of receipt.
They may require more time to better understand the revised proposal and may also
require a formal meeting with the candidate to better understand the circumstances that
have led to the request for a variation and / or the variation itself, before communicating
their final decision.
• If it is the case that a mutually workable agreement is found the Award and its financial
terms continue unchanged.
• If it is the case that a mutually workable agreement cannot be found the Trustees reserve
the right to withhold part, or all of the balance of the Award.