I had to smile ironically at the article about the University of Sussex (or "us" as it now calls itself) in which we were informed that the university is to "take part in a new scheme to boost the number of children from less well-off backgrounds going into higher education".

Apparently £60,000 will be made available by the Government for three or more teachers to go back to the university for one term to work on projects to remove barriers preventing poorer youngsters from going to university.

Well, I'm not a teacher. But I am a graduate of that very university who came from a less well-off background.

I studied there in the early 1980s and had a full grant with which to support myself.

Had student financing been then as it is now (and will be in the near future) there is absolutely no way that I could have benefited from a university education.

If there's £60,000 going spare, could I suggest it goes towards helping the likes of us go to "us" by way of maintenance grants?

There is no point whatsoever in raising sights, hopes and dreams only to have them dashed through lack of money.

-Lynne Nicholls, Brighton