Homeless student turned Cambridge fresher, Jacob Lewis, has set up a hardship fund in his name to tackle the problem of "endemic” poverty in parts of Wales.

Lewis, 22, was previously featured in Varsity for achieving a place studying Law at Hughes Hall, Cambridge, despite having to ‘sofa surf’ and having no permanent home.

Following offers of donation from individuals across the world – including Venezuela and New Zealand – he thought such generosity could go towards helping his college, Coleg y Cymoedd.

Lewis told Varsity that he believed if you have a "privileged education" then you have "an obligation to make the world a better place".

Ian Rees, Head of the A-Level Centre at Coleg y Cymoedd, told Varsity that everyone at the college was "obviously delighted with his success".

When speaking to Varsity, Lewis highlighted that while "fantastic people" run the college, he was prompted to start the fund due to its difficulties in finding the funding for those they want to help.

The total on the fund’s GoFundMe page has reached £850 at the time of writing. Flendr, another website where you can contribute to Jacob’s fund, has waived its usual commission for donations.

The college said that the hardship fund was for to support students like Jacob who have to "overcome significant obstacles and financial difficulty to secure places at prestigious universities".

"The College's contingency fund has been in existence for some time and was set up to give financial assistance to students with particularly challenging financial circumstances in order to support them with their studies," Rees told us.

"We have used the money in the fund in the past to support a range of students who might otherwise have to abandon their studies due to financial difficulties... This might include: help with travel costs, a subsistence allowance, or, in more extreme cases like Jacob's, assistance in finding temporary accommodation through key parts of the exam preparation, revision and sitting process.

"We were also able to help Jacob - and will help other students in future - with travel and accommodation expenses to attend university interviews and Open Days, as we did with Jacob when he attended for interview at Cambridge, and when he sat his LNAT admissions test."

Judith Evans, Principal of Coleg y Cymoedd, said that the college's excellent results "are a demonstration" of its "mission to strengthen the South Wales Valleys through excellent academic provision".  

Lewis did stress that his experience is not a rare one, telling us that he is merely "one of many" students who face poverty in this region of Wales, and feel Cambridge is "distant" and "out of reach".

Rees told us that the local authority, Rhondda Cynon Taff, contains "some of the most deprived wards in the country".

"[A]bout half our students would be defined as facing financial hardship to some degree," he told us, "but... need would be assessed on a case by case basis by pastoral tutors, administrative staff  and managers in the College who know individual students and their circumstances the best."

He reiterated that he and the college were "certainly determined" that no students should "fall through the gaps".

"The contingency fund is there to ensure, as best as the college can, that this does not happen," he said.

Lewis told us that he did not the need the money himself because he had survived the past year with "nothing but the shirt on his back".

In discussing his attitude to money, the 22-year-old said that he had realised over the last year that money is not the most important thing in life.

Despite enjoying a "perfectly comfortable existence" with a "lovely house" while working in finance, he felt there was always something nagging in the back of his mind about going to university.

Lewis also clarified that while "some media stories implied that I did my law coursework in a doorway with a dog", this was not the case, and he was never forced to live on the streets.

He said his father had offered to let him stay, but that it did not work out because he is, in his own words, "a nightmare to live with".

A lack of space in the houses of other family members ultimately forced him to stay with friends and find a place to sleep where he could.

Lewis also told us he is looking forward to making the most out of Freshers' Week.

"Drinking is one of my hobbies, and I take pride in it!" he said.

You can donate to the hardship fund set up in Jacob’s name at or www.gofundme.com/jacobhardshipfund or https://app.flendr.com/Campaign/ViewCollection/FRC000222

@jackhimself