It is with great sadness we share the news that Gabriel Pretus, alumnus, Honorary Fellow and long-term supporter of Royal Holloway, has passed away.

Gabriel’s connection with Royal Holloway began in 2000 when he started a Master’s degree in modern history, following his retirement from practising family law. He was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College on 23 May 2019 in recognition of his many years of philanthropic support to the university and to Royal Holloway’s Department of History through the charity he co-founded alongside his studies, The Friendly Hand Trust.

The Friendly Hand Trust works to offer practical aid nationally and internationally, with a focus on engaging in direct ways to make an immediate difference to people’s lives. Since 2002, the Friendly Hand Trust has supported Students at Royal Holloway in several ways including, an endowed PhD scholarship, postgraduate research bursaries in the Department of History and most recently, research projects and public-facing educational activities and the annual awarding of the University’s Sanctuary Scholarship.

This Sanctuary Scholarship, formerly known as the Article 26 Scholarship, awards tuition fees for an asylum seeker or their child to study for an undergraduate degree in any subject. It is Friendly Hand’s key provision of an annual fully-funded maintenance bursary to support the Article 26 scholarship holder which has, in practical, everyday terms, brought this scholarship within reach of those for whom it is intended. Last year we spoke to Sancturay Scholarship recipient Kehinde about how the support from Gabriel and the Friendly Hand Trust made her dream of Higher Education a reality.

Gabriel’s work to help others leaves behind a wonderful legacy, which will be continued through the Friendly Hand Trust. News of his death will be met with sadness across our community and our collective thoughts are with his family at this time.