There are funders listed online but they are ear-marked for specific groups (e.g. women, medics, residents of Bradford etc) so I can't recommend any as I don't know your specific circumstances. Ask your librarian for assistance finding information about trusts and charities. There are agencies that offer interest-free loans (i.e. they give you a 'grant' that you have to pay back when you can afford it) if that is feasible for you. I'm self-funding a full-time PhD and looking for finance to attend international conferences - tall order but not impossible if you think laterally. Good luck!

I have a scholarship to cover my fees only. I get nothing for living costs or research costs. The scholarship is for 3 years full-time study. If I switch to part-time I lose the scholarship so I have to stay a full-time student. Besides I want to finish in 3 years if possible. I have to work to pay bills and fund my research. I work 30+ hours per week. It is damn difficult but it is do-able. I have no other life apart from work and study which might not suit some people.

Just had my first year review too. I passed but I feel depressed. Why? I guess its an emotional let-down. I was stressed out beforehand and when I passed I wanted to celebrate. I texted a friend I had passed and he said 'I expected you to!' and my supervisors said the same. Everyone around me treats my 'achievements' as routine. I think they think I sail through these things. I never get a chance to celebrate. Sometimes I wish I could fail because then I could have a chance to feel something. I am surrounded by people who think I am a 'machine', a clever thinking machine. How did that happen? I am flesh and blood! This is so unfair. [Gloom]

You have my sympathy Sheena. I fall out of love with my thesis on a regular basis. When I am trying to overcome aversion, I try breaking the contact down into minor things and try to make those things fun. For example, I identify a treat I really want and tell myself I can have this as soon as I have finished 10 minutes on the thesis (or if 10 is too much then 5 mins or even 1 minute contact at a time on very bad days). I do my set time with the thesis then I enjoy the treat and I have long rest periods between contact. So on a bad day I will have 1 - 10 minutes then a coffee and biscuit. Followed by an hour's walk in the park (when I usually find myself thinking interesting things about the thesis). 1 - 10 minutes and then lunch. And so on. At the end of the day I might have spent 5 - 50 minutes on the thesis. I then reward myself for doing so much. I always reward and praise my efforts and never think of them in a negative way as too little or trivial. After a day or so of this I usually find I am back in love with it and can work hours on end and enjoy the thesis. Hope this helps!