Today is an important day for St Anne’s College. Just a few weeks ago our undergraduates vacated their rooms in the Bevington Road houses as generations of their predecessors have done so at the end of every Trinity Term – you may have been among them. However, unlike previous years, we will not be welcoming students back to the Bevs in October. Instead, after many months of planning, the houses will undergo a two-year regeneration programme, a significant project on which work is starting today, Monday 10th July.
You may have heard already about our plans for the beloved Bevs. In short, the ten Bevington Road houses require urgent attention due to their poor condition and outdated facilities, meaning the work is a matter of necessity rather than choice. The project will enhance the accommodation, update bathroom and kitchen facilities, increase the number of rooms from 70 to 82, and make these Victorian houses as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. At the same time, we are seeking to honour the houses’ history and preserve the ‘home away from home’ experience so many previous residents have enjoyed. We have created a special microsite to serve as an information hub for the project, and we will also continue to keep you updated by email and in our publications. You can find the microsite here.
Regenerating the houses will be the most expensive capital project the College has ever undertaken, so we are seeking philanthropic support from alumnae and friends of the College, who value the life-shaping experience St Anne’s provides to its students. Donations do qualify for gift aid (if you’re a UK tax payer) and donors have the opportunity of their support being recognised in a variety of ways thus leaving a permanent record of their contribution to inspire current and future generations. We are very grateful to those who have already donated to the project, and we look forward to keeping you all up to date on our progress, each step of the way.
You may also be interested to read a fascinating history of the Bevington Road houses compiled by our Library team, which you can read here in our “Stories and Updates” section. As time goes on, this section will be populated with project updates and memories of the Bevington Road houses from across the decades. (If you have a story to tell, please do get in touch with the Development Office (development@st-annes.ox.ac.uk) – we would love to hear it!)
The site also contains a lot more information about our plans, motivations, hopes for the future, and the Recognition Opportunities that are available. We hope you will want to check the site regularly over the course of the project, and that you will find the updates from our architects, contractors and staff interesting and informative.
The Bevington Road houses are an integral part of St Anne’s, and we’re excited to be embarking on this long-planned project to rejuvenate and preserve them for future generations of students.
With all good wishes and thanks for your support,
Helen
Helen King, QPM
Principal