Women’s Charity Celebrates £22,000 worth of Grants to Support Education for Women

The Diamond Education Grant, a charity set up by Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) marks the UN’s International Day of Education by celebrating £22,000 worth of education grants given to women in 2025.

Last year, grants were given to 22 women who had faced barriers or those who would experience the biggest impact. The charity allocates grants to women who reside across Europe, Asia and the Caribbean.

Now in its 54th year of activity, The Diamond Education Grant has opened its applications for this academic year to encourage as many women and girls as possible to apply.

The Diamond Education Grant has issued 340 different grants since 2009 – with 255 in the last decade – to the value of approximately £340,000 in total. This has allowed women to secure new qualifications, boost their career prospects and aid their economic independence.

Gillie O’Rourke, President of Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland, said: 

“While The Diamond Education Grant, now its own charity, runs parallel to SIGBI, it’s something our members champion annually. Resonating with the Soroptimist vision, we believe that every woman deserves the opportunity to reach her full potential, regardless of her circumstances.

“It’s one of our charitable objects as an organisation. We believe universal access to safe, inclusive and high-quality education and training for women and girls is a fundamental human right as enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights. Yet many women face barriers that prevent them from pursuing higher education or securing meaningful employment.”

Milly Fyfe, 40, is one recipient of The Diamond Education Grant, awarded in 2025, after she set up her Community Interest Company (CIC) No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents.

Milly had sustained a spinal cord injury during childbirth – this has significantly impacted her daily life. She felt that the training would not only provide her with a focus and distraction from her chronic pain but would also support her to help other women and the local community by promoting food security and sustainability.

Once the grant was received, Milly took part in training delivered by Charnwood Foraging so that she could help other parents learn about foraging and cooking. This allowed Milly to gain knowledge and confidence to start sharing safe and enjoyable foraging experiences with others.

Milly said:

“This award has been truly transformational. I was able to access learning from Jo at Charnwood Foraging and this, along with other resources I’ve been able to access, has sparked new ideas for how I can further develop our not-for-profit social enterprise, The Countryside Kitchen.

“I now see a clear pathway to expanding our educational offer by including foraging walks and workshops alongside our existing “grow, cook, eat” sessions.  I am already receiving interest from local groups wanting me to lead these, which demonstrates the demand and the potential community impact of this new skillset.

“On a personal level, the course has had a profound impact on my wellbeing, and I would like to sincerely thank The Diamond Educational Trust for making this opportunity possible. Your support has given me the confidence, tools, and inspiration to take this forward and integrate foraging into the heart of The Countryside Kitchen.”

Other recipients of the award this year spanned a nurse paramedic, a senior yard manager, an IT professional, a midwife, and a medical herbalist which demonstrates the breadth of its impact.

SIGBI believes that every woman and girl, both nationally and globally, has the right to access education.

“Whether it’s financial hardship, lack of resources, or overwhelming life challenges, these obstacles can seem insurmountable,” Gillie said. “These are the people who need access to support like this, and this is something that the UN’s International Day of Education advocates for.”

SIGBI, which also has consultancy status at the UN, works to break down barriers that affect women with the aim of creating gender parity, empowering women to overcome hurdles and stereotypes, pursue their dreams, and shape their own futures.