I AM writing to make all Guardian readers aware of the national disgrace which is student poverty. (From Warrington Guardian)

I AM writing to make all Guardian readers aware of the national disgrace which is student poverty.

One in five students drop out of college before finishing their course. It is little wonder when we consider that after paying rent they have an average of £18 a week to survive on.

As a student at South Cheshire College, university would be a natural prgression at the end of my two year course. However the recent rise in tuition fees has made it practically impossible for me to make this step.

Recent figures show that applications to university are falling by up to 25 per cent and last year the number of mature students was down by 10 per cent.

If the government does not do something about this current financial situation then application figures will deteriorate further.

I would urge all students to write to the secretary of state for education and employment at the following address or contact their local student union.

David Blunkett MP,

Sanctuary Buildings,

Great Smith Street,

London.

SW1P 3BT.

TRACEY BARKER

Rutland Drive, Middlewich.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.