Stormzy awarded honorary degree by Cambridge for work supporting black students
Rapper Stormzy has been awarded an honorary degree from Cambridge University for his work helping black students get into higher education.
The 31-year-old received a Doctorate in Law on Wednesday for his 'transformative' scholarship programme, which funds black UK students to study at the university.
Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, launched the Stormzy Scholarship in 2018.
So far, 56 undergraduates have benefited from full tuition and maintenance support, backed by his #Merky Foundation and HSBC UK.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said: 'Stormzy's scholarship programme has had a transformative impact and we are proud to recognise his work with this degree.'
He was among eight public figures to receive the honorary degree.
Ms Prentice added: 'Each of this year's honorary graduands has made an extraordinary contribution to their field, and their work continues to inspire people in Cambridge and around the world.'
Other recipients included acclaimed actor Sir Simon Russell Beale, who was awarded a Doctorate in Letters, and US political activist and author Professor Angela Davis, who received the same honour.
Lady Arden of Heswall, a former justice of the UK Supreme Court, was honoured with a Doctorate in Law while Olympic gold medallist Dame Katherine Grainger, the current chairwoman of UK Sport and incoming chairwoman of the British Olympic Association was also awarded a Doctorate in Law.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Sun
Wild price of toast at Glastonbury festival and food prices revealed as revellers feel ‘ripped off'
FURIOUS Glastonbury fans have slammed the "ridiculous" price of food and drink at this year's festival. Festivalgoers have been sharing videos online of what's on offer at the Worthy Farm event's hundreds of food stalls, with some charging £14 for chips and £2 for "half a slice of toast". 4 4 4 Yesterday, The Sun revealed the cost of a pint at this year's festival, which kicked off on Wednesday and is set to welcome over 200,000 fans, is between £6.95 and £7.20 - up a maximum of 40p since last year. A festivalgoer from Manchester, known as on social media, posted a video to TikTok reviewing some French toast he'd bought for breakfast at the festival. The "classic French toast" with maple syrup costs £6, but with just three half slices of toast included, one user pointed out that the stall is charging £2 for half a slice of toast. "£2 for half a slice of toast, festivals are wild," they wrote. Another said: " That's Glastonbury for ya....", while another user argued that "anything under £10 is ok" at the festival. Elsewhere, food trucks have been spotted selling "loaded fries" for £14, toasted sandwiches for £10, and Mac and Cheese for up to £16. Another reveller, known as BoSFinesse, posted a video to TikTok of a burger he got at Glastonbury this week - with some of his followers pointing out the "eye-watering" price of £15. "Burgers are coming in at anywhere between 10 to 15 quid a pop, which is pretty much the average price of a meal anywhere at the festival" he said in the video, adding: "So be prepared to remortgage your house for this one." One follower replied: "15 f***ing quid...", while another said the prices at the festival were "ridiculous". "I'm sure I had one of these at an event a few weeks ago, the price was indeed eye watering but it was absolutely bloody delish!," another follower wrote. One follower fumed: "Why is it 15 quid... rent cannot be much... just ripping people off." Glastonbury chaos as bosses are forced to SHUT part of festival as Lorde performs surprise set However, Glastonbury has also been offering a £6 meal deal option since 2015, which is available at more than 250 stalls at the festival. It comes as prices at the festival's on-site bars caused a stir among fans earlier in the week, with some dubbing the costs "absolutely disgusting". A double shot of spirit with a mixer will set you back an astonishing £13, while pints of draught beer and cider cost between £6.95 and £7.20. Glastonbury bar prices Here's the breakdown of prices at Glastonbury: Burrow Hill Cider - £6.50 Brothers Festival Cider - £6.95 Brooklyn Pilsner - £6.95 Stonewall Inn IPA - £7.20 Spirits&Mixers (double) - £12.90 Spirit&Red Bull (double) - £13.90 Wine (175ml) - £7.95 Soft drinks - £3 Red Bull - £5 Burrow Hill is best value pint on the menu this year, coming to £1.91 per unit. Festivalgoers have also pointed out the huge premium being slapped on wine at the event, with organisers charging £32 for a bottle of wine that can be bought for less than than £10 from some retailers. As photos of the on-site bar menu emerged on social media earlier this week, one fan commented on X: " Imagine paying over £300 for Glastonbury tickets to be told it's a further £32 for an £8 bottle of wine. 🤪 don't give festivals your coin it's a proper scam." Some came to the defence of the festival bars, saying that the prices are "not bad". One fan wrote: "That's not bad considering it's a festival." Another person said: "Still cheaper than some pubs I've been to." The Sun has contacted Glastonbury for comment. Stars will take to the stage at the iconic festival from today, June 27, to June 29, with this year's headliners including The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo. 4
The Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Sun
Pregnant Shaughna Phillips says boyfriend will be released from jail ‘within weeks' as she reveals baby's due date
SHAUGHNA Phillips has revealed her boyfriend Billy Webb is set to be released from prison and will be present for the birth of their second child. Love Island star Shaughna, 31, was quizzed about Billy - who was jailed in 2023 on drugs charges - during an Instagram Q&A. 3 3 3 One fan asked: 'Will Billy be home in time for the birth?' Pregnant Shaughna replied: 'Yes! We definitely wouldn't have tried for this baby if he wasn't going to be here. 'I'm so intrigued to see how he's going to be at the birth because he is not good with blood AT ALL. 'So I feel like watching him react will take my mind off of what is happening.' Shaughna also shared her due date with fans, adding "Technically I'm due in November, but will likely be having a planned c-section so more than likely the baby will be here in October." Shaughna and Billy are already parents to two-year-old daughter Lucia. The Sun recently revealed how Shaughna and Billy managed to try for a baby despite his sentence. An insider said: 'Billy has been in a Category D prison, which means he has been able to spend a fair bit of time with Shaughna. 'He even managed to be home over Christmas, which meant a lot to her and, of course, Lucia. He hasn't been released as many people thought, but he has a lot of privileges.' Category D prisons - also known as open prisons - have minimal security and "low risk" inmates are allowed to leave the site to work, "resettle" or attend education during the day. In November . 'The best couple of days, this Christmas is going to be so special.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Lady Louise Windsor is joined by her rumoured university boyfriend and the Duchess of Edinburgh as she competes in carriage driving festival
Lady Louise Windsor was spotted enjoying a day out with her family - and her rumoured boyfriend - at The Sandringham Festival of Carriage Driving today. The 21-year-old, who is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, this afternoon took part in a competition at the annual festival in Norfolk. The royal, who currently in the third year of her English degree at St Andrew's University, was joined by a band of supporters, including her mother, Sophie, 60, and Felix da Silva-Clamp, who she is understood to be in a relationship with. Aboard a carriage, the young royal was seen driving a sleek black horse across the concourse while Felix, dressed casually in a pale blue shirt, walked alongside. The pair beamed as they chatted with one another. Louise and Felix first met at St Andrew's, where their close bond has became the source of vast speculation, with many believing the two to be romantically linked. They appeared relaxed in each other's company on Friday, both smiling as they enjoyed a conversation. During one particularly jovial moment, Louise appeared to dangle her whip into the air for Felix to clap between his hands. Meanwhile, doting Sophie was seen at the perimeter of the course, snapping photos of her daughter - who is known to share the late Queen Elizabeth II's love for horses. Felix also appeared to get on well with the Duchess this afternoon, as the pair enjoyed watching Louise in action. She has oft been hailed as the royal family 's 'secret weapon', thanks to her natural poise combined with a down-to-earth nature and resemblance to her grandmother. And the young royal seems to be making the most of her studies. In pictures released in March earlier this year, the 16th in line to the throne was seen masterfully taking to the stage alongside her university friends as they all starred in a play. She is known to have taken lead roles alongside Felix, who also shares her passion for theater. The rumoured lovebirds were also was seen cosying up to Felix at her 21st birthday last November. The duo wrapped their arms around each other, gently placing their heads together as Lady Louise took selfies on her phone, while in another image, she was seen snuggling up to Felix, placing her hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder. The pair have been forging a strong bond over the past two years, with Felix - whose father is a solicitor - even reportedly travelling down to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk to see Louise at her driving competition in June, where she won an impressive silver medal. If the couple go the distance they will follow in the footstep of William and Kate, who also met when they were students at St Andrews - and Felix already seems at ease with the family. The young man works in an ice cream parlour in St Andrews while undertaking his studies, according to the Daily Express, and Lady Louise herself has experience of taking on a low-key part-time job despite her royal status. In 2022, she spent the summer working at a garden centre before embarking on her higher education. Louise was said to have been helping out on the tills, greeting customers, and pruning and potting plants - for £6.63 per hour. One customer said: 'She is a really modest and sweet young woman who is polite and attentive to customers. She seemed to be loving the job. You'd never imagine the Queen's granddaughter would take on a role working behind a till.' Another added: 'The staff seemed to adore her. It's not every day you buy your begonias off a royal.' As part of Lady Louise's four-year English Literature degree programme, undergraduates can study a semester abroad. Although Felix was born in London, he went to Melbourne Grammar School and his mother, who works for the World Health Organisation's mental health gap action programme, currently lives Down Under. It has been reported that Lady Louise is too keen to jet off to Australia for her final year - with Macquarie University at the top of her list. A source told the Express that due to Felix previously attending a school overseas, studying in another country is an option they're considering. However, the plan has not been finalised yet. Thus far, Lady Louise has ensured her studies come first as she completes her degree - missing out on two Easter Sunday services in a row as she stayed in Edinburgh. Despite being cousins with Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince William and Prince Harry, Louise uses the title 'Lady' rather than 'Princess'. She was not made a princess at birth because her father, Prince Edward, wanted to shield her from the pressures of a life in the public eye. Speaking to The Sunday Times in 2020, her mother, Sophie, explained: 'We try to bring them up with the understanding that they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles.' Louise has previously expressed an interest in pursuing a career in 'the military, diplomacy or law'. A source told The Sun in August: 'She talks about being very keen on a career in the military, serving the King and country. She is all about the Army Cadets and has fallen in love with it.' If Lady Louise goes down the military path, she will be the first female royal since her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, to do so. She is thought to have been extremely close with her late grandmother, having paid nearly fortnightly visits to Elizabeth and Phillip. Royal expert Ingrid Seward has previously explained that Louise and her brother, James, Earl of Wessex, 'were the grandchildren that they saw the most'. In comparison, 'while the older ones were seen less frequently, this little girl was there every weekend'. It was even reported that Louise had no idea her grandmother was the Queen until later in life, her parents wanting to preserve a 'normal childhood' for her. Her mother, Sophie, once revealed in at an interview that as a child, Louise had come home one day saying: 'Mummy, people keep on telling me that grandma is the Queen.' Lady Louise was their seventh grandchild. And for Philip, she brought not just joy but a sense of personal pride. This was because she became the first royal to officially carry the surname Mountbatten-Windsor - so allowing Philip's surname, Mountbatten, to continue into the future of the Royal family.
