The Eva Koch scholarships provide support and time for individuals to work on research, documentation and creative projects. In 2025 the focus of the scholarships will be the climate crisis, sustainability and climate justice.
Woodbrooke offers supervision for your research, opportunities for networking and support to disseminate your work within the Quaker community and beyond.
Topics can include:
- Research into Quaker spirituality or practice related to the climate crisis;
- Documentation of learning and good practice relating to Quaker responses to the climate crisis;
- Development of creative work that might deepen understanding of and response to the climate crisis.
- Inquiry into Climate Justice, the intersection of multiple systemic issues, and how this relates to and/or can inspire witness around Quaker testimony.
Scholarships from previous years can be viewed here
Purpose of the scholarship
- Support short pieces of research or exploration on subjects and issues of relevance and importance to Quakers in Britain and beyond.
- Create the opportunity for individuals to make an initial exploration of a subject or issue that might lead to more significant research and action in the future. The scholarships are not intended to be academic research projects but may lead to such in the future.
- Establish a mutually-supportive, time-limited research community.
Who can apply?
The scholarships are open to individuals or groups. Participants will be responsible for putting aside time to do the work primarily in their own homes or in a venue of their own choosing. You will be largely working on your own.
What Woodbrooke offers
- Tutor support via zoom, to cover 7 meetings between the beginning of March and the end of May 2025 – including support for dissemination and online presentations in June 2025.
- An online space where scholars can connect, discuss their work, and worship together;
- £250 in expenses to visit libraries, purchase materials, travel to group meetings, etc.
Dissemination Options
This will depend on the purpose of the work and the intended audience. Options include:
- An essay published in Friends Quarterly or Friends Journal;
- A series of articles published in The Friend;
- A Pendle Hill Pamphlet
- A dedicated website or blog;
- A Woodbrooke course (on-site, off-site or online);
- Online learning materials;
- An audio and/or video presentation;
- A lecture delivered and then published online;
- An exhibition or installation.
Applications
In 2025 we will be offering up to 4 scholarships to run from 2 March – 23 May 2025.
To apply please complete the webform below or download this word form and return it by email to learning@woodbrooke.org.uk.
Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Scale of proposal (is it achievable in the time allowed for the scholarship)
- Clarity and quality of project
- Quality of proposed dissemination methods
- Contribution to Quaker life, thought and witness
- Availability of research materials
- Applicant’s capacity to do the work
The closing date for applications is Friday 20 January 2025.
If you have any questions please contact Ben Pink Dandelion, Programme Leader for Research via ben.dandelion@woodbrooke.org.uk
About Eva Koch
The Eva Koch Scholarship was originally started by the generosity of Hugh Lawson, Eva’s second husband, whom she married at the age of 88.
Eva was born on 4 August 1900. Both she and her first husband, Richard, were Berliners and, although they had Jewish ancestry, were brought up as Protestants. They suffered persecution under Hitler and Richard was held in a concentration camp for nine months. He had been a successful solicitor but all their possessions were confiscated in 1939. After the war they received compensation from the German State and, as they lived simply, much of what Eva left Hugh on her death on 26 January 1991 enabled him to endow the Scholarship in her name.
Eva came to Woodbrooke many times, especially at Easter and Christmas. A fuller account of her life generously lived, can be found in the Proceedings of London Yearly Meeting 1991 (pp 152-3) where we can note that she and Hugh often asked themselves why they had been so lucky as to find, late in life, a love that was both unexpected and unsought.
Hugh was born on 13 February 1912 and was MP for Skipton 1944-5. He worked as Deputy City Engineer for Nottingham for 25 years, and then as the City’s Director of Leisure Services in the three years before his retirement. He married Dorothy Mallinson in 1937. They had two sons, and joined Friends later in life. Dorothy died in 1982 and after Eva’s death 1991, Hugh planted a wood in their memory, ‘The Two Wives Plantation’ at Newstead Abbey. He died on 23 March 1997.
