A WORCESTERSHIRE student has just started life at university with the support of a unique programme from Lloyds Banking Group.

Eighteen-years-old Emily Gotch from Honeybourne, near Evesham, will study psychology at University of Birmingham through Lloyds Scholars Programme, which offers talented young people from lower income households the opportunity to gain employability skills and experience alongside their degrees.

The scheme is run in partnership with eight leading UK universities. It offers students a complete package of financial support, paid internships and a business mentor while, in return, students must volunteer for at least 100 hours per year whilst participating on the programme.

Richard Cooper, head of education and employability at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We are so excited to welcome this year’s new scholars to our programme. We look forward to nurturing their talents throughout their degrees and helping them to develop both academically and professionally. As Lloyds Scholars they will receive individual mentors, as well as internships that aim to expose them to a vast array of disciplines across our bank. They will also each roll up their sleeves and undertake 100 hours of community volunteering every year of their Scholarship. This helps them connect with their communities in a uniquely compelling way and ensures that our goal of helping Britain prosper will be at the heart of all we do for the very long term.”

Lloyds Scholars launched in June 2011 and, so far, 360 students have been supported and 25 have graduated from the programme. Sixty-eight percent of those graduates have joined the Lloyds Banking Group Graduate Programme, as part of its regular, highly competitive annual graduate intake. Others have gone on to post-graduate study, while several have successfully embarked on alternative career paths.