Greg Dyke Digs Deep

OUTGOING CHANCELLOR Greg Dyke has pledged to match all donations given to the university as part of the Giving to York scheme, which awards bursaries to students.

Greg Dyke has vowed to match pound for pound donations made in 2014/15 under a new initiative called Think York.

The initiative aims to get potential donors thinking about the difference York has made to their lives and hopes to demonstrate why York is one of the leading universities in the UK.

As well as awarding funding to students to supplement their income, Giving to York is involved in a number of projects including most recently helping raise money to send a duck, Astroduck, to space.

Giving to York is primarily funded by York Alumni, through the YuCall call centre.

Announcing the scheme, Vice-Chancellor Koen Lamberts said: “We strongly believe that there is as much power in the numbers of people giving – all of you Yorkies who give through the Giving to York programme for instance – as there is in the exceptional, transformational gifts that help us to achieve major projects.

“And when these two things come together the effect is unequalled. That is why I am delighted to announce the launch of two major matching challenges which are generously supported by two York alumni.”

Greg Dyke announced he was stepping down from his role as chancellor last year.

He is due to depart at the end of this academic year.

Dyke has been the chancellor since 2004, and took up a post of chairman at the FA in 2013.

He graduated from York with a politics degree in 1974.

A university spokesman said a shortlist for his replacement would be announced once the Senate had discussed it.