The University of Nottingham

The Joseph Foote Trust has become the latest admission to the University’s College of Benefactors.

The Trust was founded in 2005 by Andy Foote following the diagnosis of his son Joseph with a brain tumour in 2000 when he was just two years old. It was established with the aim of raising the brain tumour survival rate from 15% to 80% to prevent other families having to go through the terrible ordeal that Joseph and his whole family had to endure. Tragically, Joseph died in 2007, aged nine.

The Trust has supported more than £2.4m of research at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre at the University. Based at the Queen’s Medical Centre it has been rewarded with several research breakthroughs. It merged twice last year to become The Brain Tumour Charity, a single national brain tumour charity with an annual income of £4.5m, covering 70% of all web traffic, patient support and charity-funded research across the UK.

Established in 1998, the College of Benefactors honours the University’s most generous philanthropic donors and involves members being admitted during one of the University’s annual graduation ceremonies and being given a special blue gown to wear.  Since its inception, membership has grown to 39 and comprises companies, charitable organisations and individuals who have shown extraordinary generosity in support of the University’s strategic priorities.