Brabners & We Love MCR extend Maurice Watkins Social Mobility Bursary

Originally launched in 2022 in memory of former Manchester United director and Brabners partner Maurice Watkins CBE, Brabners has already provided £30,000 through the bursary scheme, with the latest funding bringing its total commitment to £75,000.

The scheme has supported 11 young people to date, with awards covering tuition fees and essential equipment to support their studies.

With annual support now increased from £10,000 to £15,000, the next phase of the bursary will run until at least August 2028 as part of We Love MCR’s Rising Stars Fund.

The bursary is open to young people aged 15-22 who are from, or live in, Greater Manchester and aim to enter the legal profession. Applicants can apply for funding to help cover the cost of essential items such as laptops and study materials, travel and clothing for internships or interviews, in addition to tuition fees. Applications are assessed by We Love MCR Trustees.

The bursary scheme honours Brabners’ former head of sport Maurice Watkins CBE, who passed away in 2021. Watkins served on Manchester United’s board for 28 years and as a partner at Brabners for 15 years.

Watkins’ lifetime of charitable service saw him awarded a CBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours list, having raised more than £68 million for local hospitals as chairman of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital charity appeals board.

The Maurice Watkins Bursary is part of a range of initiatives supported by Brabners’ Social Mobility Affinity Group to improve diversity in the legal profession. The firm’s broader commitment to strengthening the legal community was recognised when Brabners was named Law Firm of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards earlier this year. Brabners also supports local charities through its independent grant-making charity, The Brabners Foundation.

Social impact is also a key focus of the firm’s True North network, which has quickly grown to become an almost 500-strong collective of purpose-led organisations working to unlock the economic potential of the North.

Nik White, managing partner at Brabners, said: “Maurice’s commitment to giving back to the community continues to inspire us, and is a constant reminder of our purpose: to demonstrate that business can bring about positive and lasting change. By recommitting to the bursary and increasing its funding to £15,000 per year, we can better support young people not only with the obvious costs of studying, but also with the less visible barriers – like the expense of travel, laptops or professional clothing – that can quietly serve to exclude them from our profession.

“Our partnership with We Love MCR reflects our long-term commitment, and it’s been a pleasure to see the impact it has had to date. We’re proud to play our part in promoting social mobility, as we look to ensure that the legal sector better reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.”

Simon Wright Head of Charity at We Love MCR, said: “We are pleased to continue our work with Brabners in supporting Manchester’s Rising Stars. The Maurice Watkins Bursary has already had a life-changing impact for its recipients, and this renewal, together with the increased funding, means we can provide even more opportunities for talented young people from diverse backgrounds to succeed in law.”

For more information visit: https://www.welovemcrcharity.org/rising-stars-fund