If, as the famous proverb goes, ‘The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit’, then legacy donors have a special understanding of this philosophy. 

Every legacy donor is unique in their passions, priorities, and resources. But most give in their wills out of a deep sense of commitment to an aspect of the future that they wish to safeguard, promote, or develop for coming generations.

But what if you could give to the Future itself? 

That’s just what the late Beryl and Michael Saich ​have ​accomplished through a generous legacy gift to the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Climate Repair (CCR). 

CCR collaborates with scientists around the globe to investigate ways of removing greenhouse gases and cooling the planet, building knowledge for informed decision-making. By pairing this work with rapid emissions reduction, CCR hopes to protect our planet and our future. 

According to CCR director Professor Shaun Fitzgerald: "We need the Centre for Climate Repair in order to ensure we have a holistic, overarching strategy for tackling climate change. All the scenarios now considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) see us going through 1.5 degrees centigrade of warming. Rather than just resigning ourselves to that, we need to explore alternatives, solutions, and mitigations.” 

It’s critical work by any measure, and th​e new​​ ​legacy from the Saich family is set to underpin this mission. 

The Saich-Powney Studentships, named in memory of Beryl Saich (née Powney) and her late husband Michael Saich, will be established under this bequest. These will support endowed international PhD scholarships at CCR, in climate change solutions unrelated to fossil fuels. A further apportioning of the gift will help fund CCR’s general costs. 

Endowed PhD scholarships secure Cambridge’s research excellence not only for tomorrow but in perpetuity. It’s a legacy of resources as well as of freedom of thought, exploration, and imagination.

Born in Coventry, Beryl Saich was a professional librarian with a full and rich career. She worked first in London public library services and later moved to the Surrey NHS library and information services in 1970. She became District Librarian for the East Surrey Health Authority in 1988, tasked with developing a small hospital library into a professional library service. She was committed to promoting accessibility to reading for all throughout her professional life.

Michael, also a professional librarian, was born in London and spent all his working life in London public library services, becoming Borough Librarian​ of the Borough of Merton​. He negotiated and largely designed the new central library in Merton Civic Centre, with strong Scandinavian influence. In 2002 Michael co-established a project entitled ‘Eurotoolbox’; this annual collection of children’s books in European languages, available to all UK libraries free of charge, proved so successful it continues to this day. 

As well as being leading lights in librarianship, Beryl and Michael had many outside interests. In retirement, ​they became​ ​active ​members of the Surrey Gardens Trust, joining its committee and supporting its work to champion historic parks and gardens. Beryl in particular was a keen participant in their research and recording group.

But who were they as people?

Married in 1956, they built a close family whilst both working. Their daughters, Nancy and Dinah, reflect on their parents: 

'So many things were important to them: family, libraries, nature, history, archaeology, architecture (especially of libraries!), camping and travel, music, art, gardening, and definitely having fun. They lived their whole (long: 94 and 92!) lives in the UK, and although they both had quite humble beginnings, Mum and Dad had a wide interest in the world and were well travelled and very well read.’ 

Nancy and Dinah helped to focus and direct the bequest to CCR via a Deed of Variation to Beryl’s ​w​ill. Nancy describes what led to the gift: 

‘Mum and Dad were very concerned about the environment and climate change. Through my work on climate change at the European Investment Bank, and via their own enquiries, they were well informed on the latest science and on the urgent need for mitigation solutions.

Mum was worried about the future for their three grandchildren and for the next generations across the world. Having lived 6 months longer than Dad, and having control of their joint assets, she made the decision to use the money for something “important and useful”. 

‘Knowing of CCR’s work and its focus on research into urgent implementable solutions that will help us avoid tipping points in the climate system, it seemed to her and to us to be a good choice for the bequest.’ 

Originally planned as a fellowship, thoughts evolved after a discussion with Professor Fitzgerald highlighted the need for funding of postgraduate research, PhD students in particular. It led to the creation of an endowed scholarship attached in perpetuity to the Saich and Powney names. This seemed to be ‘a wonderful way forward’, according to Nancy and Dinah. ‘The bequest would not only do something “important and useful” but also create a permanent memorial to two amazing people.’

‘We further understood that funds are needed for the general running of CCR and so it made sense that a smaller part of the bequest should support those costs.’ 

At Collegiate Cambridge, our PhD students are a vital part of our intellectual community, and postgraduate work is a crucial step in building a pipeline of the top scholars of the future, whose expertise is fundamental in maintaining the frameworks that underpin our society and the advances that redefine it. A diverse cohort of students strengthens our capacity to address pressing national and global challenges across both theory and practice, not just in academia but across industry, policy, leadership, and much more.

And yet, each year, approximately half of the postgraduate applicants who receive an academic offer do not take up their place, often due to lack of funding. Our postgraduate offer-holders are the great minds of the future and the authors of the next world-changing breakthroughs, who, without funding, will miss out on Cambridge’s extraordinary and enriching environment. Philanthropic support is needed now more than ever. 

In Nancy and Dinah’s words: ‘We hope the bequest will lead to successful research for breakthrough climate solutions: helping us keep the global temperature increase to a manageable level on our planet, and protecting the world for future generations as Mum wanted. In addition, of course, the legacy will be supporting young people from the UK and around the world in their postgraduate education at Cambridge.’ 

Professor Fitzgerald said: 

“The generosity of Beryl and Michael Saich will make a lasting difference to our work. Their support enables us to invest in new research and in the next generation of scientists and policy-makers, helping to expand the options available to tackle climate change and protect our planet for the future.” 

A legacy such as Beryl and Michael’s is such a wonderful way to stamp your vision on tomorrow and help shape the future, and a gift to our planet, the climate, and the environment through the CCR is truly a lasting bequest to all our futures. Funding a postgraduate scholarship benefits society in ways we cannot yet imagine, but we do know there must be a funded place at Cambridge for anyone with the talent and aspiration to succeed.