Jason Arday funeral fundraiser raises £84,000 after the professor’s tragic dying

More than £80,000 has been raised to help the family of Cambridge professor Jason Arday less than 24 hours after an appeal was launched following his tragic death

More than £80,000 has been raised to help the family of the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday, less than 24 hours after the fundraising appeal launched. The 41-year-old, who stepped down earlier this month during a plagiarism row, was found dead after emergency services were called to a Battersea address on Friday.

Arday resigned from his position as Professor of Sociology of Education following the allegations and subsequent inquiry. Mr Arday – who made history as Cambridge’s youngest ever black professor in 2023 – acknowledged mistakes in his work causing the plagiarism allegations.

In the wake of his passing last week, a donation page, established by Windrush campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon, has already surpassed its initial £80,000 goal to help cover funeral expenses for Mr Arday’s family. A vigil is also scheduled to take place on Monday evening on the steps of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, reports the Mirror.

The GoFundMe requested assistance to support the professor’s family with funeral and related costs. Within 18 hours of its creation, the appeal had garnered more than £65,000, prompting the target to be increased to over double the original amount, now standing at £110,000. Click here to donate.

He stated he had endured “an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack” and insisted he was not a “liar” after the authenticity of his PhD thesis was challenged.

Liverpool John Moores University investigated the initial plagiarism claims regarding his doctoral thesis and found no evidence to support a formal academic plagiarism after an initial review of his PhD thesis. The investigation concluded it was an issue of poor referencing or mistakes rather than intentional misconduct

The-late British sociologist was married to Debbie-Ann McKenzie, with whom he tied the knot in 2014. They had two children together before parting ways in 2019.

In a statement released through the fundraiser, Jason’s family said they had been “touched by the messages of love, condolences and acts of kindness” since his death, and requested privacy to mourn.

Mr Vernon wrote: “Jason was a pioneering Black British academic, author, educator and advocate whose extraordinary journey inspired people across Britain and internationally. His appointment at the University of Cambridge was historic, and his work brought important attention to race, education, inequality and neurodiversity.

“But behind the public figure was a human being: a husband, father, relative, friend and colleague. Those who knew Jason have described him as a gentle soul.

“In the period before his death, Jason was subjected to intense public scrutiny following allegations concerning aspects of his academic work and career. Those matters became the subject of significant media and social media attention. Jason disputed allegations made against him, and questions surrounding them had not all been finally determined when he died.”

He continued: “I am therefore establishing this fund to help contribute towards funeral, memorial and associated family costs and to provide practical support during an unimaginably difficult period.

“I have seen first-hand how, at the moment when a family is experiencing profound grief, the financial cost of a funeral and the practical responsibilities surrounding a death can become an additional burden.

“Today should be about compassion, dignity and solidarity with a grieving family. Jason’s life was bigger than the controversy that surrounded his final weeks.”

The Metropolitan Police said his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious.

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