
Scholarship Funding
The Stewart Baines Coltart Scholarship Fund is available to fully paid up members of the League and is for financial assistance with course fees and associated costs of study, for both professional and personal development.
About the fund
In 2020, our three Scholarship Funds were amalgamated into one: The Stewart Baines Coltart Scholarship Fund. The name of the new fund was chosen to reflect the founders of the original funds:
The Isla Stewart Memorial Fund
Isla Stewart trained as a nurse at St Thomas’s Hospital and was appointed Matron at Barts in 1887, where she remained until her death in 1910. She was a pioneer of State Registration of Nurses and campaigned for formal education and training. She founded the League of St Bartholomew’s Nurses in 1899.
Following her death in 1910 the League decided to set up a fund as a memorial, which was used to provide a library for nurses. In 1930 it was agreed to use the income from the fund to provide travelling scholarships and bursaries for League members.
The Helen Baines Memorial Fund
Helen Baines was a much loved Assistant Matron, who spent her whole working life at Barts. She commenced training in 1909 and went into administration in 1914 as an Office Sister. She was appointed an Assistant Matron in 1921 and became Acting Matron in 1940. She was an able administrator who made time to visit the wards and was known for her wise advice.
In 1921 she took on the role of Honorary Secretary of the League and remained in post until 1939 when she was elected the first Life Vice President. She died in April 1944 following which a fund was set up in her name to provide scholarships and travelling bursaries for League members.
William Derrick Coltart Award
William Derrick Coltart was an orthopaedic consultant who trained at Barts, qualifying in 1930. He worked as a house surgeon on the general wards followed by the orthopaedic wards and then became an orthopaedic registrar at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. After the war, he was appointed an additional orthopaedic surgeon at Barts. He died in June 1963.
In 1967 a fund was set up in his memory to provide an award for an educational study visit in either the UK or overseas.

What the fund covers
The Stewart Baines Coltart Scholarship Fund was established to enable nurses to further their studies in nursing. We recognise that modern nursing requires a broad range of skills and will consider applications for financial support for further study in a wide range of topic areas.
The Stewart Baines Coltart Scholarship Fund welcomes applications for scholarships related but not limited to, the following topics:
- spiritual care
- mindfulness
- clinical care
- business studies and management
- nurse education
- developments in healthcare provision
- information technology training and associated costs
- health and safety
- counselling & coaching
- preparation for career change/retirement
The Scholarship Fund welcomes applications from fully paid-up members of the League. There is no limit to the number of applications from each member.
How to apply for a grant
All applications must be made on the Scholarship Fund Application form by clicking ‘Apply Now’ below. If you are unable to complete your application online please click the link below to download an application form. Completed applications must be submitted by the advertised closing dates. All applications must clearly set out how the grant will be used.
The closing dates for receipt of scholarship application forms are as follows:
- 6th November 2022
- 5th March 2023
- 7th May 2023
- 10th September 2023
- 5th November 2023
- 10th March 2024
- 5th May 2024
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