The Monte San Martino Trust grants about 20 bursaries a year to Italians between the ages of 18 and 25 to study English for a month at selected language schools in London or Oxford during the summer.

The students come primarily from areas where most help was given to PoWs on the run, including the Marche, Molise, Tuscany, the Abruzzi and other regions. Although it is not a condition of the bursaries to be a relative of a family who fed and hid Allied PoWs while they were attempting to reach safety, many applications do come from descendants.

Fascinating stories of wartime courage and generosity often accompany these applications, together with copies of official certificates of gratitude awarded to the family (Alexander Certificates issued by the Allied Screening Commission).

Three hundred bursaries have been awarded since the foundation of the Trust – a milestone marked in 2007 by the special award of one three-month bursary.

The Trust frequently receives expressions of thanks from the students’ teachers and parents. It is clear that the pupils value the role that the bursaries play in strengthening their English language skills, thereby improving their prospects in today’s job market.

In addition, the students gain an increased understanding of British people and culture, thus reinforcing the strong bond between the two countries as reflected by initiatives such as the Monte San Martino Trust.