A student from Ilkley is among eight from across Yorkshire who have just started their life at university with the support of a unique programme from Lloyds Banking Group.

The Lloyds Scholars Programme opens doors to students who otherwise might not have had the financial backing to attend leading universities including The University of Sheffield, The University of Warwick and Oxford University.

The programme offers students from lower income households a complete package of financial support, paid internships, a business mentor and the opportunity to develop their employability skills. In return, students must volunteer for at least 100 hours per year while on the programme.

Among those participating is Anna Simpson, of Ilkley, who is studying history at Oxford University.

Richard Cooper, head of education and Employability at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Lloyds Scholars is a unique social mobility programme developed to encourage and support young people from lower income families to study at some of the UK’s leading universities.

“The community work that the scholars do in return helps them connect with their communities in a uniquely compelling way and ensures that our goal of helping communities prosper will be at the heart of all we do for the very long term.”