Durham First

Career tips from the top:Lorraine Heggessey,the First Lady of British Media.p03

Careers: Durhamalumni on theircareer paths

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Durham UniversityStrategy 2010–2020

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Changes afoot atPalace Green Library

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Issue 28 Spring/Summer 2010 The magazine for alumni and friends of Durham University

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Durham First 28 Spring/Summer 2010

Notes from the Chancellor

When the time came for me to sit downand share my latest ‘notes’ with ourgrowing gaggle of graduates (drove ofDunelms?) I was looking forward withmuch anticipation to my next visit toDurham, and Stockton, in the Spring.

This will be my fifth year as Chancellor ofyour wonderful University and I am stillas proud (and, to be truthful, as bemused)today as I was when you first asked meto join your illustrious but ever-friendlycommunity of scholars, staff andsuperstars in 2005. I am, of course,enormously humbled and honoured too.

Now, as I wistfully reflect on my inductionto the University family, I hear that you’realready looking ahead to 2020. I can’tkeep up.

The one thing I’m really hoping this newten-year strategy will do in its attempts tohail your eternally ambitious and leading-edge institution as one of the finest onplanet earth, is to highlight to the worldthe distinctive paradox that I’ve cometo realise is at the heart of what makesDurham so special. Many of you tellme this is the ‘Durham Difference’.

It’s somehow getting across thatjuxtaposition between world-classresearch and education with that tangiblesense of community and intimacy thatdelivers the ‘excellence on a human-scale’ that our Vice-Chancellor and somany others espouse. It’s also importantto celebrate the contrast betweenthe personal development and socialresponsibility you took from yourcollege experience, with the University’sincreasing diversity and far-reachinginternational impact.

That global impact of the University,and particularly its alumni, is perfectlyillustrated with your incredibly generousand impassioned support for my annualfundraising appeal – to establishpostgraduate scholarships for Afghanwomen – which I launched in the pagesof this magazine in our last issue. Onceagain you’ve made people sit up andtake notice, as invariably you’ve donethroughout your lives, with Universitystaff, and soon the people of the UK,pledging their support, and their faithin Durham, to make this commendablevision become reality in 2010.

My heartfelt thanks and admirationto you all. You should be as proud ofthis collective display of humanity andkindness as you are of your alma materwhich continues to work hard to harnessthe Durham Difference.

Best wishes

FeedbackDurham First is continuously improvingand we really need your ideas andfeedback to continue shaping yourmagazine. For the next edition, we wouldbe particularly interested in hearingstories and memories of your collegeexperiences. We would also love to hearfrom you if there are any aspects of ourUniversity community that you wouldlike to read more about. As ever, pleasefeel free to contact the editors:durham.editor@durham.ac.uk

University ShopFor our full range of gifts and merchandise (new and oldfavourites) please visit www.durham.ac.uk/university.shopor contact us at university.shop@durham.ac.ukor +44 (0) 191 334 9251

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Note from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris HigginsOur five year university strategy2005–10 has served us well. We arenow building on this foundation, andDurham’s ranking by the 2010 GoodUniversity Guide as the third best broadsubject University in the UK (and, ofcourse rated by most alumni as numberone) with a strategy for the next decadeand beyond.

The world is changing. There arenow 138 Universities in the UK andeducation and research are increasinglyglobal. Our strategy recognises this,setting out the type of University weintend to be – defining the ‘DurhamDifference’ – and building on whatis uniquely special about DurhamUniversity. Our priorities are simple– the highest levels of excellence ineducation and research, learning from

and exemplifying the best in the worldin research-led education for the mostable students with the greatest potential,taught and mentored by some of theworld’s leading researchers at theforefront of their field.

All institutions in the UK are expectinga rocky ride, given the state of publicfinances, but as I have said before,Durham outlasts not only Governmentsbut political parties. Our currentstrengths, and a focus on excellence ineverything we do, will serve us in goodstead in weathering the downturn andemerging a stronger university, recognisedworld-wide as a university ‘shaped bythe past – creating the future’.

For more on the new Strategy,turn to p10.

In this issue03 – There’s not much point in livingin an Ivory Tower…Lorraine Heggessey, CEO of Talkback Thames and formerBBC One Controller, talks to Astrid Alvarez about herzig-zag career path.

05 – Career Paths: Is it the journey or thedestination?Alumni talk about the directions their Durham degreesare taking them.

08 – Long Arm of the LawThree Durham alumni reveal how they rose up the ranksto become senior police officers.

09 – Arctic AdventuresThree ex-Stockton students reveal details of their missionto reach the North Pole.

10 – Traditions and ModernityHighlights from the new University Strategy 2010–2020and what it means for alumni.

11 – Durham – Cradle of ScholarshipProfessor Tom McLeish, P-V-C for Research, tells thestory of Durham as the cradle of scholarship.

12 – Modern Lessons from Medieval HistoryMichael Prestwich, Emeritus Professor of History, shareshis fascination with the Middle Ages.

13 – Tomorrow’s YesterdaysJon Purcell, University Librarian, gives an insight intothe planned changes at Palace Green Library.

15 – Media Round-UpAll the latest news and developments from the Universitywith some headline-grabbing research breakthroughs.

17 – Sport ReportA glance at some of the recent sporting highlights.

18 – Getting Involved: the alumna who“stayed on”Natalie Crisp, Durham Students’ Union President, explainshow DSU Societies are helping to shape her career path.

19 – City of Culture 2013 – The ShowMust Go OnAn update on Durham’s bid for City of Culture 2013.

19 – Will You or Won’t You?Durham alumnus Richard Roberts explains the importanceof keeping a Will.

20 – Ustinov College at 45Dr Penny Wilson, Ustinov College Principal, reveals plansfor Ustinov’s 45th Anniversary Reunion this summer.

21 – News in BriefNews from alumni and the University.

21 – (Fair)Trade in your Tea!Alumna Emma Huntly talks about her foray into Fairtrade,and dropping in for tea at Number Ten.

22 – Events CalendarTake a look at forthcoming alumni events.

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The day I came to Durham for my interview,I remember the view from the railwaybridge, it was so beautiful. I am a Londoner,and had never spent any time north ofWatford. I spent three extremely happy,idyllic years in a student bubble. It musthave rained while I was at Durham, butI really can’t remember it, only sunshine.

Working on Palatinate, the studentnewspaper, really stimulated my interestin journalism [where she worked underthe editorship of future journalist and BBCnewsreader George Alagiah (BA Politics,Van Mildert, 1975–78)]. Before DurhamI thought I wanted to go into Law.

When I started applying for jobs I wasrejected by everyone! Just like me,everybody will get rejected at some stagein their careers, moving past that is reallyimportant. After graduation, I eventuallyI got a job at the Acton Gazette andI volunteered for a hospital radio. ButI pursued my dream to be a journalistand by the following September I wasat the BBC.

A graduate traineeship at a big companywill provide fantastic training, but it isfiercely competitive. The advantage ofsmall companies is there are a lot moreplaces you can get into. The disadvantageis that you start at the bottom and have towork your way up, make the tea and sweepthe floor.

So much is down to you; a lot depends onyour reputation. You have to go around andmake the connections and contacts to helpyou get your next step on the ladder. Youhave got to get yourself noticed whateverthe job, no matter how menial, becausewe cannot be bothered with people whocannot be bothered to do their job.“Do what you love and

you will do it well. Life istoo short to spend yearsin a job you hate.”

If you always stay within your comfortzone, you are never going to progress.Almost every new job I’ve had has beena big scary job and I’ve not known ifI could do it or not, so you just have tohold your nose and plunge in. No-one isever completely brilliantly qualified forany job; everybody has their strengthsand weaknesses.

Having an entrepreneurial attitude,whether in a big or small organisationis really important, because sometimespeople in big organisations can start todrift and wait to have things happento them, rather than being proactive.Sometimes, in order to continuedeveloping, you may need to leaveyour job and the security of the bigcompany to move on.

Do what you love and you will do it well.Life is too short to spend years in a jobyou hate. Find the thing you love andyou will feel energised, happier goingto work, happier in everything.

I have often joked that I’ve gone forshort-term satisfaction rather than long-term gain. It has meant I’ve zig-zaggedall over the place and actually in theend it has all worked out fine. Although,I never claim to have had a grand plan,even though everyone says you aresupposed to have one!

Alan is an extremely tenacious businessman and he is a great negotiator whobelieves in backing young talent. Simonis a fantastically powerful figure who worksincredibly hard. He is a real obsessive;it’s the same with Alan Sugar, they bothpay huge attention to detail and nothingpasses them by. They have a relentlessdesire to improve everything, makeeverything bigger and better. They areconstantly building on their successesand are never complacent. Simon lostall his money quite a while ago, and heis determined it will never happen again.

You make your own luck. You might get alucky break, but the really important thingis what you do with it.

In the early days, there were more hurdlesto cross and I had to prove myself, but thatgot me noticed more. What women haveto overcome the most is their own self-limiting belief. I have often said thatwomen tend to go for jobs two years afterthey are ready for them and men tendto go for jobs two years before they areready for them. I’ve done no research onthat but whenever I say it people smilein acknowledgement, as if there is sometruth to it.

Positive attitude. Hire for attitude, trainfor skills. You will never change anyone’spersonality and their personality needs tofit with the organisation. Most companiesnow have articulated values, so makesure that your values are a good fit to thecompany you want to work with. Knowingyourself and forgiving yourself for notalways making the right decisions isthe toughest part.

It is about self-awareness too. People lookto you for a clear sense of direction andyou have to give it to them. But it does notmean you cannot admit making mistakes.Telling your staff: “I’m sorry, I thought thatis what we should have been doing, butnow on reflection, I think we should takea different path”. Being honest and openwith your staff and communicatingregularly is very important.

There’s not much point in living in an IvoryTower. It is very easy for leaders to becomeisolated. Staff surveys never give the fullpicture so it’s important that you have acouple of colleagues who will give you afew home truths, and that you give thempermission to do that.

What I am most proud of are my twodaughters [17 and 20]. Seeing themprogress will always outshine any pridein my own achievements.

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TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTHDirections, in which Durham degrees aretaking our alumni, are quite literally to theends of the earth. Our Queen’s Campusintrepid explorers heading for arcticadventures (see page nine) are perfectlybalanced by Katherine Snell (BScMolecular Biology & Biochemistry,St Chads, 1997–2002), whose mostrecent expedition as a naturalist, sailorand photographer has taken her toAntarctica, one of the richest habitatsfor wildlife in the world.

Career development and transition canoccur at any time and sometimes severaltimes during a person’s working life.Canadian alumnus Kevin Spreitz (MBABusiness Administration, Ustinov, 2002–04) is a good example. Starting his careerin the military, Kevin chose DurhamBusiness School to do his MBA, becamea management consultant and now worksas a professional photographer(www.spreitz.ca).

In the 21st Century, alumni seekingemployment are sending applications toemployers facing unprecedented globalchallenges of uncertain demand, a volatileeconomy and worldwide competition fortalent. This requires a greater flexibility.In a more interconnected world, graduateemployability is a key factor in shapinguniversity choice.

Global employers value a graduate’sinternational experience, one that embracescultural knowledge and not just language

skills. Sought-after core competenciesinclude resilience, self-reliance and peopleskills. In the most recent Council forIndustry and Higher Education (CIHE)report on graduate employability, 86% ofemployers consider good communicationskills to be important. Other key skills andattributes include team-working, integrity,passion; even character and personalityare ranked.

At Durham the Careers Advisory Serviceand the Centre for EntrepreneurialLearning are working closely with theAlumni Relations team. Alumni careermentoring schemes are being developedand some alumni are already activelyinvolved through colleges, offering careersupport and employment opportunities,such as Grey College Business Angelsset up by Steve Gregory (BA Theology,Grey, 1965–69) and Thomas Cliff(MSci Chemistry, Grey, 1997–2001).

Alumni support graduate recruitmentfairs on behalf of their employers, suchas Dr David Foster (BSc Applied Physicsand Electronics, Grey, 1975–78) whowent on to do a PhD (Castle, 1978–82)and then turned to Durham once againto successfully complete an MBA bydistance learning with the BusinessSchool (1996–99). David now holds asenior management position at CERN(the European Organisation for NuclearResearch) in Geneva, Switzerland and wasin Durham in February for the Science,Engineering and IT job fair, representingthe opportunities at CERN for emerging

graduates of all disciplines. David said“It always feels like a “coming home”in many ways, although the mixed-sexcolleges still take a bit of getting used to –I was three years in Grey and then threeyears in the Castle which were not co-edat the time!”

Whether you are a recent graduate, ayoung alumnus/a starting your job searchor a more mature alumnus/a looking forcareer transition to further your personaland professional development, you maywell find your career path is a long andwinding road, and what is more, thatcould be the best part!

We received a huge number ofsubmissions from alumni for which weare truly grateful and we are sorry notto be able to feature them all. Thefollowing represents just a few of themany inspirational and wonderfullydiverse stories that we received.

INTERNSHIPSSarah Lisowiec (BA English Literature,Collingwood, 2004–07) successfullyapplied for a place on the HBOS plc risingstars internship programme. After stintsin Spain and the UK, Sarah was selectedas one of four (from 400) candidates forthe Graduate Marketing programme atWorld Vision UK, a Christian charity. Theprogramme has allowed her to travel widelyin the US and Canada, as well as spendingsome time in South Africa shadowingthe production of two direct-responsetelevision adverts. Sarah says: “It’s been

Career PathsIs it the journey or the destination?Alumni talk about the directions their Durham degrees are taking them.Astrid Alvarez, Alumni Relations Manager

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great to sample life in the US andexperience American office culture, whichis truly fast-paced and caffeine-fuelled!I’ve come a long way since 9am tutorialson American Poetry and Renaissancetragedies, but I will always rememberthe great education and opportunitiesavailable to me at Durham, andCollingwood, which have enabledme to get to where I am today.”

CAREER PATHS ACROSS THE GLOBEKapil Kirpalani (LLB Law, St Aidan’s,2000 – 2003) was born and raised inHong Kong. He chose Durham to studyLaw and has never regretted it, workingin private practice in London and thenback in Hong Kong for eight years aftergraduation. Kapil, after meeting seniorbanking professionals at a party, in 2006set up a hedge fund with one officeand four members of staff. Now, PacificHarbour Capital Ltd has 35 members ofstaff working across eight offices. Kapilis a proactive alumni ambassador stillbased in Hong Kong.

Readers may also remember the story ofVancouver-based war-time lovebirds, HarryCullis (BSc Physics, Hatfield, 1937–40)and his wife Freddy, from the previousDurham First who met at Durham, butwho, due to their international work inthe war effort, were forced to spend manyyears apart.

Bill Bunbury (BA English Literature,Hatfield, 1960–63) and his wife, Jenny(BA History, St Mary’s, 1961–64), alsofind themselves flying the internationalDurham alumni flag. Bill, having taken

up a teaching post in Western Australia in1964 and Jenny following him shortly after,later became a founding producer of theABC Social History Unit of the AustralianBroadcasting Corporation, and found timeto write 11 books! Meanwhile, marriedalumni Sarah (BA Combined SocialSciences, Hild Bede 1998–2001) andPhil Waymouth (BSc Natural Sciences,Hild Bede, 1998–2001) helped to co-found Tenteleni (www.tenteleni.org.uk), aproject that sends over 100 volunteers eachyear from 12 UK Universities (includingDurham) to work on nine charitable projectsin five African countries. The project hasjust celebrated its ten-year anniversary.

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC POSTSFelix Riede (BA Archeology & Anthropology,Van Mildert, 1999–2002), originally fromGermany, having completed postgraduatestudies in the UK now works as AssistantProfessor in Prehistoric Archaeology atthe University of Aarhus in Denmark.

Roy Haines (BA History, St Chad’s,1944–47), despite getting a 2ii in hisdegree, was encouraged by a Durhamlecturer to pursue his research as apostgraduate. Roy, now retired, wasProfessor of Medieval History at DalhousieUniversity, Halifax, Canada, and sinceretirement has published several booksand examined a doctoral thesis at theSorbonne in Paris.

Bryan Spinks (BA Theology, St Chad’s,1967–70) always thought he was destinedfor a different career path, but advice froma Chad’s tutor meant he eventually opted

for research over liturgy: “As I reflect onmy undergraduate days, I assumed I wouldserve in a parish, and not in my wildestdreams did I expect my Durham trainingto take me via a circuitous route to aChair at Yale.”

ENTREPRENEURIAL ALUMNIDurham also appears to be a hub fornurturing entrepreneurs. Munir Mamujee(BA English Language & Linguistics,St Aidan’s, 1992–95) runs his ownrecruitment firm, ‘m2r’ (www.m2r.co.uk),covering the UK and Middle East, whichhas won several awards. Munir has evenmet Gordon Brown at Number Ten.Meanwhile, Annabella Forbes (BACombined Arts, Hild Bede, 2005–08)has recently launched ‘bed&fed’(www.bedandfed.co.uk), an innovativeweb directory that guarantees guests a‘home away from home’ as well as allowingpeople to make money by renting outtheir spare room. She says the idea cameto her when she was still studying atDurham. James Herbert (BA BusinessEconomics, Hild Bede, 2000–03) isthe co-founder of Find Invest Grow (FIG)(www.findinvestgrow.com), a companythat promotes young entrepreneurshipin the UK, particularly amongst graduatesof the past five years. In this venture,James is effectively helping to createthe next generation of entrepreneurs –and hopefully some of these will beDurham graduates.

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DARING TO BE DIFFERENTMatt Pritchard (MSci and PhD Physics,Van Mildert, 1999–2007), has somehowmanaged to merge physics with magic andstand-up comedy (www.labmonkeys.co.uk)!Likewise, Dan Evans (BSc Botany, VanMildert, 1974–77) has fashioned aportfolio career, working as both a freelancephotographer and a musician (he playsthe English dulcimer – www.english-dulcimer.com). He says he was heavilyinfluenced by his time at Durham owingto ‘the beautiful historic setting and theinteraction with bright minds’.

Other musicians include ChristopheCapewell (BA Modern Languages andMusic, Collingwood, 1998–2002) andHarry Bird (BA Arabic with Middle EasternStudies, Van Mildert, 1999–2003) whosedelightfully-named folk band ‘Harry Birdand the Rubber Wellies’ has just releasedits debut album, Long Way to be Free.Google them!

LOCAL IMPACTCloser to home, some alumni have beenable make a real impact on the North Eastregion. Dominic Collett (BA Geography,Castle, 1999–2002), who works for SkyTV on their Sky Arts channel, was involvedin the critically acclaimed Lumiere festival

which came to Durham in November 2009as part of the City of Culture bid (see page19). Simon Hodgson (BA Geography, VanMildert, 1974–77) supports the physicalenvironment in his role as a RegionalDevelopment Agency Director at theForestry Commission England, whichincludes responsibility for Kielder Forest,the largest forest in England. He cites thevoluntary conservation work he undertookduring his time at Durham as the originalmotivation for his career path.

Durham alumni career paths areincredibly varied and weave an intricate,interconnected web across the globe.Crucially, successful career paths haveresulted from the hard work of ourgraduates. Yet all those who wrote in didemphasise that it was some aspect oftheir Durham experience that originallyprompted or inspired them to pursue thecareer directions they eventually took.That will be the Durham Difference!

For further alumni career informationand advice, please contact the CareersAdvisory Service www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice/graduates and theCentre for Entrepreneurial Learningwww.durham.ac.uk/cel

Special thanks to: All alumni readerswho wrote to us. Thanks also to KeithHerrmann, Deputy Chief Executive ofCIHE for his presentation, snippets ofwhich appear here, and to NicolaDavidson, Vice President, J.P. Morgan,Sydney for information provided, usedas research for this article.

Image Captions/Credits1. Katherine Snell, Antarctica.

2. Felix Riede, Assistant Professor in Denmark.

3. Harry and Freddy Cullis, still together 65 years

after war-time separation.

4. Roy Haines (right) examining a thesis at

the Sorbonne.

5. Bryan Spinks, now a Chair at Yale.

6. Sarah Lisowiec in South Africa.

7. Bill and Jenny Bunbury whilst at Durham.

8. Munir Mamujee runs an international

recruitment firm.

9. James Herbert, co-founder of FIG.

10. Annabella Forbes has just launched ‘bed&fed’.

11. Dan Evans playing the dulcimer.

12. Christophe Capewell and Harry Bird’s folk band.

13. Dominic Collett, Lumiere festival.

Photo: Sky Arts/Artichoke.

14. Matt Pritchard merging science with comedy.

Photo: Backdrop NASA, ESA.

15. Simon Hodgson has responsibility for

Kielder Forest.

What is your greatest college memory?In the next edition of Durham First, we will be focusing on college experiences and we need you to help us.Do you have any particularly formative memories of your time in a Durham college? How did being part ofa college shape your university experience? We need contributions from ALL Durham colleges, past andpresent, and we cannot wait to see which college receives the biggest response!

Please email durham.editor@durham.ac.uk with your stories and pictures.

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Long Arm of the LawYou may be surprised to learn the extent of the influence Durham has had, through threeof its graduates, in policing the South East of England. Chief Constable Sara Thornton(BA Philosophy & Politics, Trevelyan, 1981–84) heads up Thames Valley Police, Giles York(BSc Natural Sciences, Hatfield, 1986–89) is Deputy Chief Constable of Sussex and SimonCole (BA English Literature, St Cuthbert’s, 1985–88) is Deputy in neighbouring Hampshire.Durham First caught up with all three to see how they made the move from Durhamstudent to senior police officer.

Sara Thornton explains that during her finalyear at Durham a friend told her that he wasapplying to the Metropolitan Police on thegraduate scheme. Initially, Sara voiced hersurprise about this, but he went on to tell herthat, contrary to her opinion (which waspoorly informed), the service provided greatopportunities for a varied career that reallymeant doing something important, and whichhad scope for progression. “I was interestedso signed up for a familiarisation course inthe Christmas vacation and 25 years laterI am a Chief Constable,” says Sara. “Afterfifteen years in the London MetropolitanPolice I moved to Thames Valley in 2000and became chief two years ago.”

“I have no regrets about the career choiceI made 25 years ago and while, as a womanin a male-dominated world, life is notalways plain sailing, I can honestly saythat I thoroughly enjoy my work which ischallenging and satisfying. I recommend it!”

Giles York, meanwhile, was convinced tojoin the police by another Hatfield alumnus,Richard Ing (Hatfield, 1984–87). “At thetime of the ‘Milk Round’ careers fairs Ispoke with many lawyers, accountantsand marketeers who described long hours,boring work but eventually good reward.I think I wanted more fun than that andRichard certainly inspired me by being theonly person to say he could not wait to getback to patrolling the streets of Brixton afterhis weekend off!” Giles started on the beatin Maidstone, near his home town ofTonbridge, Kent. More recently he spentnearly four years working in South Wales asAssistant Chief Constable with a very broadremit across many aspects of operationalpolicing before moving to Sussex. “Durhamproved to be an exceptional opportunityin my life that has given me persistentfriendships and that solid foundationfor reinforcing new contacts acrossthe country.”

Simon Cole, for his part, decided to jointhe police whilst inter-railing around Europeafter his second year: “I felt that I wantedto do a job that really made a positivedifference to society, and in policing I havealways felt able to do that,” says Simon.“My Durham degree enabled me to joinon what was the equivalent of the presentHigh Potential Development Scheme.”Simon worked in the West Midlands for15 years before moving to become AssistantChief Constable of Hampshire in 2003.“I loved my time at Durham and only havehappy memories of Cuth’s. I spent a lotof time rowing and coaching (in fact Gilesand I even raced against each other!) andCuth’s acknowledged that by naming asingle scull after me, which was a lovelygesture. Durham allowed me to be self-sufficient, confident and to developleadership skills that have stood mein good stead in policing.”

The three intrepid explorers, who allgraduated in 2008, feel a strongconnection to Queen’s in particular and itis this that inspired them to come back tothe North East and help not just their oldcampus, but children and young peopleacross the region.

Tim Williamson (BSc Biomedical Sciences,John Snow, 2005–08 – pictured left) isthe expedition’s leader. In February 2010,he became the world’s first recordedperson to climb from East to West overthe Pennines at night. Not only this, hedid it solo without sat-nav, at the heightof the coldest winter the UK has seenin decades.

James Turner (BA Business Finance,Stephenson, 2005–08 – pictured centre)is responsible for the logistics and financeof the expedition – from training to reaching90ºN. He is both an accomplished skierand rugby player who loves competition.At weekends he can be found power-kitingalong Blackpool beach before many peoplewake up in the morning.

Throughout the mammoth training regimeand the polar expedition itself, MohammadRahgozar (BA Business Finance, JohnSnow, 2005–08 – pictured right), willprovide their only link to the people backhome thanks to his expert use of theircommunications equipment. Currentlyfinishing his MA at Oxford Brookes inComputing, he has been noted assomething of a rising star thanks to hisencyclopaedic mind and his determinationto succeed.

The route the polar expedition will takehas never been completed before. It willbe the world’s first unaided, unsupportedtrek from Greenland to the North Pole.The trio will begin at the very north of themainland, where the land meets the ArcticOcean. From there they will trek the full450 miles over frozen sea in temperaturesbelow -30ºC. Throughout the 65 arduousdays it will take, they will be draggingeverything they will need to stay alive insleds made from reinforced Kevlar. Whenfuel and food is added, each of their sledswill weigh 75kg.

The natural movement of the ice floeswill be constantly pushing the team backsouth, adding to the miles they will needto cover each day. Giant pressure ridgesof ice up to 10ft in height pose a hugedanger, as will the constant threat offalling through the melting ice with everystep they take. And then there are thepolar bears, frostbite, dehydration andhypothermia to guard against.

The journey will be gruelling and theirfriendship which began at Queen’sCampus will be tested to its limit. Theironly communication with the outside worldwill be via satellite phones and real-timevideo which means on the ice, the onlypeople they can really rely on are eachother.

You can follow their progress online atwww.pursuitexpedition.co.uk. Alternativelyto donate to the Obesity Research Group inQueen’s Campus, visit Durham’s Dunelmcommunity: www.dunelm.org.uk/pursuit

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ArcticAdventuresIn February 2012, three Durham alumni will begin an expedition to theNorth Pole in a bid to raise funds for the Obesity Research Group in theWolfson Research Institute at Queen’s Campus. The research group, led byProfessor Carolyn Summerbell (Principal, John Snow College), is pioneeringstudies into child obesity and its links to social inequalities in familiesacross the North East.

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Our new University Strategy has beendeveloped with input from across theUniversity community and has beenapproved by University Council. Thisambitious new vision poses a number ofchallenges for our university community,from responding to external changes on anational and international level to ensuringexcellence in all we do as we embracenew ways of working.

Durham’s worldwide reputation andperformance in research and educationplaces it amongst the top institutionsin the UK. Our human-scale andcommunities facilitate personal andinterdisciplinary interactions and offerour students and staff exceptionalopportunities for personal developmentand achievement, attracting some of themost able and motivated students andstaff from around the world. We wantour current and future students to enjoyand benefit from the best, and mostrounded education possible, just asyou did throughout your studies here.

Durham University has yet to reachits full potential in exploiting itscombination of traditions and modernity.Our challenge is to raise Durham’s profileon the international stage and to achievewider recognition as an outstanding placeto work and study, reflecting excellencein research and education. As alumniyou can help us to achieve this aimby acting as ambassadors forDurham University.

Excellence in our core activities ofresearch and education across theUniversity will ensure not only thepreservation of the quality of a Durhamdegree but that the University cancontinue to excel in an increasinglycompetitive environment. This strategyrepresents our ambition to achieve our fullpotential and, as always, its success relieson the contribution of all staff, with vitalsupport and participation from all of ourstakeholders, especially alumni.

I. RESEARCHWe will be recognised, world-wide,for creative thought, transformativeresearch of the highest calibre andthe conception of new ideas acrossa full subject base of sciences, artsand humanities and social sciences.Our research and scholarship will bothbenefit from and shape the nationaland international agendas. We willfoster interdisciplinary andmultidisciplinary working.

II. EDUCATIONWe will set the highest standardsin research-led education for bothundergraduates and postgraduates,linking research and education indistinctive and creative ways.

Students will engage directly withworld-leading scholars in our academicDepartments supported by unparalleledopportunities for personal developmentin our residential College communities.We will welcome the most able and

motivated students with the greatestpotential, whatever their background.Durham graduates will be able to makea positive contribution to society inwhatever field of endeavour they choose.

Embedded in our Research and Educationare three ideals:

1. A World University We will ensureDurham is a University for and of theworld, learning from and embedding bestinternational practice in everything we do.We will proactively develop internationalpartnerships that influence national andinternational agendas.

2. Community & Place Durham Universityis shaped by the places in which we live,study and work. We will maintain andenhance Durham University and its localenvironments and communities as placesin which all partners can realise theirfull potential.

3. Environmental & FinancialSustainability We will use our strengthsin research and education to achieveprogressive social, environmental andeconomic benefits, locally, nationally andinternationally. We will manage resourcesto deliver a sustainable and long-termfuture for the University.

We will keep you updated in future issuesof Durham First on the University’sposition in league tables and on ourprogress in attaining the objectivesset in the strategy. For further detailssee www.durham.ac.uk/strategy2020

“Durham University has a capacity to astound out of all proportion to its size.I don’t know any place that manages to be more intimate and infinite at once.”

Bill Bryson OBE, Chancellor of Durham University

Steve Chadwick, Director of the Strategic Planning and Change Unit,articulates Durham University’s values, outlines a ten-year roadmapand calls for support from alumni to spread the word.

Traditions and Modernity

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Does the history of a place matter? Is the“Durham Difference” to be measured onlyby the present city and university, or do theacts of thinking, writing and learning ofpast centuries, fruitfully conceived by thebanks of the Wear, contribute to theenvironment of education and researchhere today? My own experience at theend of my first year in Durham leads meto answer all the above with a resounding“yes”! I am increasingly aware of ourinheritance of learning to which the WorldHeritage Site of Durham Cathedral andCastle is ever-present testimony. For astarting point we might begin at the westend of the Cathedral. There the visitorwill find the tomb of the man we know as“The Venerable Bede”, a monk of Jarrowand Wearmouth who exceeded his remitas scholar, priest, teacher and theologianto a degree that set learning in Britain onan entirely new path – one that arguablywe are still following today.

Long before the concept of a “university”was crystallised in Europe from themedieval schools of the thirteenthcenturies in Bologna, Paris and Oxford,before even the North African Islamicforebears in Fes and Cairo, in the earlyseventh century Bede and his communitywere thinking and writing about the worldthey inhabited. The final granting toDurham of its university charter in 1832is therefore more of a stage-post than abeginning. Between Bede and BishopVan Mildert’s benefaction stand more thana millennium of libraries, learning andlegacy. Among the testimonies to this longtradition remain the unique ancient booksof the Cathedral and University collections,and the lives of other fascinating charactersresponsible for the development of

learning here, such as Robert Graystanesand William de St. Calais. Neitherwere Durham’s activities as a cradle forscholarship confined to the North East:three Oxford colleges were foundedfrom Durham, those we now knowas University College, Balliol Collegeand Trinity College.

But back to Bede. It is well known thathe wrote arguably the first British historyin Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum,“Ecclesiastical History of the EnglishPeople” (731AD). Frequently copied andtranslated, it differs from modern historyin many ways in its church-centredviewpoint and selective use of sources.However, it begins with a chapter on ourIslands’ geography – an approach with arather modern ring that insists on settinga reasoned history within a setting ofharsh winters and long summer days, richmineral wealth and diverse biology. I amreminded not only of the strong traditionof British history maintained at Durhamto this day, but also of the current researchof our Geography Department whichencompasses both the social life of ourregion’s communities and the electroniccapturing of the three-dimensionalstructure of our coastlines.

Less well known is Bede’s authorship ofthe first British science. In De natura rerum,“On the nature of things” (c. 703AD), hetransforms an earlier classical genre bycombining a theology of creation togetherwith an early physics of the world. It makesastonishing reading for anyone who wasever taught that science only really startedin the European Renaissance – for Bedetackles recognisably scientific questions.From where do volcanoes draw their

explosive power? What is the shape ofour world? He sets up puzzles fromthe confrontation of prediction andexperiment (an example is the phasesof the moon over time). Like his history,Bede’s science is seen through other lensesthan ours, but recognisably plants theseeds of traditions still flourishing today.Our Earth Sciences department is tacklingvulcanism from rather closer (andwarmer!) quarters than Bede did. And theInstitute for Cosmological Computing iscalculating predictions, not now of thephases of the moon, but of the shape anddistribution of distant galaxies so thatastronomy’s current “unknown effect” –dark energy – can be brought to light.

Durham has been an extraordinary placeto observe, debate, think and write for avery long time.

DurhamCradle of ScholarshipProfessor Tom McLeish, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, considersDurham’s significance in the history of scholarship, pre-dating itsfoundation 178 years ago.

The tomb of the Venerable Bede, DurhamCathedral

Detail from folio 6 of Cosin V.ii.6, which contains Symeon ofDurham’s c. 1104 history of the Church of Durham in whichthere is an encomium (written tribute) to Bede.

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It is difficult to imagine anywhere moreappropriate to study medieval history thanDurham, with the evocative power of theCathedral and Castle. It is not, however,the case that all the events of the medievalperiod are well remembered in the city;the way in which Bishop Anthony Bekemployed thugs from Tynedale to besiegethe Cathedral for three days in 1300 hasfor some reason not gone down infolklore, nor are visitors to the GalileeChapel reminded of poor abused AnastasiaNeville, who stood there for six Sundays,holding a candle, doing penance in herunderclothes.

The Middle Ages has immense fascination.In part this is because it is a distant period,with some very different beliefs; themedieval world was one in which strangebeings, dog-faced and even headless men,were thought to inhabit distant lands.At the same time there was much that isrelevant today; in England, many of thefoundations of present institutions, suchas parliamentary government and thecommon law, were laid. Some of theproblems faced in the Middle Ages werenot very different from the present. Thebanking failures around 1300, and thecollapse of government credit in the late

1330s, demonstrated problems ofundercapitalised financial institutionsand overstretched state borrowing all toofamiliar today. In 1320 the Lancashireelectors were much concerned over theissue of parliamentary expenses, claimingthat they could find men to serve as MPswho would claim far less than their currentrepresentatives. Global warming may nothave been a problem in the fourteenthcentury, but climatic change was evidentto contemporaries as they observed thefrozen Thames in 1310. A predecessorof today’s climate scientists kept a carefuldiary from 1337 to 1344, recordingfrost, cloud cover, wind directionand other details.

Medieval history is not, therefore, anesoteric, obscure and irrelevant subject.It is sometimes thought of as beingsomehow different, and even special;there is a mystique and fascination aboutdocuments written on parchment infaded brown ink. Yet while reading thehandwriting of the documents may begiven a special cachet by being termedpalaeography, it is hardly as problematicas reading student essays was in the daysbefore word-processing. The accountsproduced by Edward I’s clerks, recordingin great detail matters such as militarylogistics, are more straight-forwardthan those of the present day.

The kind of evidence that survives fromthe period I have worked on, that of thethirteenth and fourteenth centuries, is ofcourse different in some ways from thatof more modern periods; the absence ofmuch private correspondence is a notablelack. The scale of surviving governmentrecords, on the other hand, can only bedescribed as astonishing, quite comparablewith far more recent periods!

There is still much to reveal and tounderstand about the Middle Ages, andthe information revolution of today isproviding historians with new tools. This isa thriving subject, with many new questionsto be asked about a formative andfascinating period.

Modern Lessons fromMedieval HistoryEmeritus Professor Michael Prestwich makes surprising links betweenstrange medieval beings and headless men and the modern world ofpoliticians’ expenses scandals and climate change.

“Medieval history is not an esoteric, obscure and irrelevant subject.”

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For many former students their memoriesof the University Library are inextricablylinked to Palace Green Library. Before therelocation of the modern collections tothe ‘new’ Main Library at the Science Sitecommencing in the late 1970s, PalaceGreen Library was the focus of muchundergraduate and postgraduate study andlibrary usage. With the planned relocationof the law and music collections to theMain Library in early 2013, the opportunitynow exists to look holistically at the buildingand to determine how best to protect itspast, adapt it for present and future use,while ensuring its centrality as a researchhub and exhibition centre, not only forthe University, but the wider community.

Scaffolding outside Palace Green Libraryis striking evidence that a redevelopmentproject is now underway. The transformationof this wonderfully eccentric and yet vitalacademic hub for the University’s SpecialCollections will create a modern facility, not

only for current and future researchersbut also for the wider community. PhaseOne of the redevelopment is already inprogress and will provide exhibition andinterpretation spaces to welcome in thepublic and show off the University’streasures within a sensitive adaptationof the existing historic buildings withinthe World Heritage Site.

The first phase of the redevelopment willsee the transformation of the upstairsExhibition Hall into a modernmultifunction space which will be usedprimarily for exhibitions showcasingUniversity treasures from our Library andMuseums but also high-profile travellingexhibitions in conjunction with UK andinternational bodies. The space will beadaptable for other uses including publiclectures, poetry readings and musicperformances. Exhibitions in planninginclude ‘Treasures of the University’, ‘TheLife and Music of Sir John Stainer’, and an

exhibition celebrating the achievements ofDurham University sportsmen and women.In parallel to the Exhibition Hall, the17th-Century Bishop Cosin’s Library isbeing restored, pictures conserved andmore sensitive lighting installed. Theredevelopment of the Exhibition Halland Bishop Cosin’s Library aims to becompleted by the end of 2010 allowingwider use of these very importantUniversity resources.

At the heart of the building and a keyelement of the redevelopment project willbe the creation of a new and enhancedSpecial Collections Reading Room createdfrom the current Pace Law Library – theplace in which researchers will be able towork with our wonderful collections in acomfortable but secure, supervised room.This will be designed to allow our widevariety of collections, in their manyshapes, forms and sizes to be studiedin an environment conducive to their

Tomorrow’sYesterdaysJon Purcell, University Librarian,on creating a new research hub,gallery and exhibition centre atPalace Green Library.

1. A copy of the very scarce 1928 edition of W.H. Auden’sPoems with photos of the poet.

2. The exterior of Palace Green Library.3. Restored panel paintings in Cosin’s Library.4. A mid-15th Century Psalter.5. A photograph from the Sudan Archive of the leaders

of the White Flag League.6. The interior of Cosin’s Library.7. The device of England’s first printer after it was taken

over by his successor Wynkyn de Worde (c.1497).8. Designs of the new exhibition space by Colin Williams

of Inscape Ltd.

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preservation. These include medievalmanuscripts and printed books, from thedawn of printing to modern private pressbooks, on every conceivable subjectfrom theology to cookery. There are alsodocuments recording the lives and worksof people over the last thousand years,from Prime Ministers to peasants,explorers to excavators and bishops tomidwives. As well as forming a major partof the record of the North East region, ourcollections range across Europe, documentthe rise and decline of the British Empireand stretch beyond into outer space.Within many of these collections aremaps, photographs, films and evensome of the artefacts which evokeeveryday life in the past.

In parallel with the Special CollectionsReading Room, later phases of theredevelopment project will also allow thecreation of a much larger conservationlaboratory incorporating a bookbinding

classroom, an education room which willbe used for a variety of outreach activitieswith school and community groups,enhanced strongroom storage forcollections, staff accommodation andseminar space to facilitate teaching andstudy. Part of the ground floor will also beconverted into a government indemnityhigh profile gallery space allowing more ofthe University’s extensive art collection tobe displayed together with travellingexhibitions from UK and internationalinstitutions.

The collections contained within PalaceGreen Library are only as good as theirpotential discovery and access: somecollections acquired over the Library’s 180years’ existence are uncatalogued. Part ofthe Library’s development strategy is toseek external funding to catalogue thesehidden treasures and make them availableto the research community in parallel withacquiring new archive collections. This is

the great potential of Palace Green Library– a research hub, an exhibition and galleryspace, a place of discovery, a venue forscholarship and a means of bringing tolife the many documents and rare booksacquired during the lifetime of theUniversity and a means of engaging thewider community with both the buildingsand what’s inside.

This vision of Palace Green Libraryrespects the past, adapts for the presentand prepares for the future. As previousgenerations of students have used theLibrary, cherished its quirkiness, historyand scholarly ethos, so we trust will futureinhabitants of the University and city.

There will be a further update on theproject in the next edition of Durham First.Please visit www.durham.ac.uk/library formore information in the meantime.

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01RESEARCH SHOWS FLEXIBLE WORK ISGOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

There is evidence to suggest that flexibleworking might be beneficial for employees’health if they are allowed to have inputinto their own working patterns, a reviewby Cochrane Researchers involving DurhamUniversity researchers suggests.

In Scandinavian countries, flexible workingarrangements for employees with familiesare commonplace. And last year, the UKgovernment extended an earlier piece oflegislation, meaning all parents withchildren under 16 now have the right torequest flexible working arrangements.

Following the findings of the ten studiesinvolving a total of 16,603 people, DrClare Bambra of the Wolfson ResearchInstitute said: “Employees who are ableto adapt their work schedules to fit inwith their wider lives feel better.”

02NEW EVIDENCE LINKS DRILLING FIRMAND LUSI MUD VOLCANO IN INDONESIA

New data provides the strongest evidenceyet that the world’s biggest mud volcanowas not caused by an earthquake,according to scientists led by DurhamUniversity. The Lusi mud volcano haskilled 13 people and displaced 30,000others in East Java, Indonesia.

Drilling firm Lapindo Brantas has deniedthat a nearby gas exploration well wasthe trigger for the volcano, blaming anearthquake 280km (174 miles) away.In response, a group of scientists led byProfessor Richard Davies from DurhamUniversity have written a discussion paperin which they refute the main argumentsmade by the firm and document newdata that provides the strongest evidenceto date of a link between the well andthe volcano.

Photo: Dithajohn/Greenpeace

03FOOD PRODUCTION SHOULD BEZIMBABWE’S TOP PRIORITY ACCORDINGTO EXPERT

Zimbabwe’s government needs to face theissue of land ownership head on to pull the

country out of poverty, a Zimbabwe historyexpert says. Dr Vimbai Kwashirai, lecturerin modern African studies at DurhamUniversity, says a complete overhaul ofthe agricultural sector should come aboveall else to ensure food security and reviveindustries and jobs in Zimbabwe.

Elections are meant to take place atthe end of this year. Dr Kwashirai saysit is essential these go ahead and areconducted fairly. “A shift in the politicalbalance could see further positive changesand slowly but surely pull the country outof poverty.”

04BABIES TO HELP REVEALMORE ABOUT AUTISM

Researchers at Durham University’sQueen’s Campus, are lookingfor babies of up to two years old to takepart in research to help understandhow babies’ brains work. It is hopedthe research will give clues abouthow autism develops in babies.

The tests, which are non-invasive,harmless and painless to the babies,will tell the scientists how babies seethe world, how their brains process thethings they see, and what this meansto brain development.

Dr Vincent Reid, a psychologist at DurhamUniversity who leads the research, said: “Itis vital we know more so we can identifyproblems and developmental delays muchearlier, which could lead to earlier diagnosisof conditions such as autism.” Interestedparents can find more information atwww.durham.ac.uk/cdp/research/baby-labor by contacting the Baby Lab on+44 (0)191 334 0440.

05MONKEYS SNIFF OUT MATINGPARTNERS WITH DIFFERENT GENES

The world’s largest species of monkey‘chooses’ mates with genes that aredifferent from their own to guaranteehealthy and strong offspring.

Results obtained from mandrills (a speciesclosely related to humans) support thedisputed theory that humans are in factattracted to those with a dissimilar geneticmake up to maintain genetic diversity.Lead author, Dr Jo Setchell from Durham

University’s Anthropology Department,said: “This is an important advance in ourknowledge of how mate selection works inmonkeys. We now need to dig deeper andestablish how they do this. I think smellis a strong candidate here.”

06RAPID STAR FORMATION SPOTTEDIN “STELLAR NURSERIES”

The Universe’s infant galaxies enjoyed rapidgrowth spurts forming stars like our sun ata rate of up to 50 stars a year, accordingto scientists at Durham University.

The findings show that “stellar nurseries”within the first galaxies gave birth tostars at a much more rapid rate thanpreviously expected.

Lead author Dr Mark Swinbank, in theInstitute for Computational Cosmology, atDurham University, said: “Given the size ofthe star forming regions, we would expectit to be forming stars at the rate of aboutone sun per year, but it seems to be muchmore active than that.” Royal AstronomicalSociety President Professor Andy Fabiansaid: “This pioneering work shows whatour own galaxy might have looked likewhen it was a tenth of its present age.”

07FEAR OF DISCRIMINATION SAW PADDYSAND BIDDYS DECLINE

Irish Catholic names Patrick and Bridgetalmost died out among 19th-CenturyIrish immigrants in Britain due to fear ofdiscrimination. New research by Durhamand Northumbria Universities into morethan 30,000 records suggests that a fearof prejudice made the Irish immigrantssteer clear of giving their children IrishCatholic names, a trend also seen intoday’s society among other immigrantcommunities elsewhere in the world.

Lead author Dr Malcolm Smith, fromDurham University’s AnthropologyDepartment, said: “We think that peoplechose to avoid traditional names tominimise prejudice rather than peoplesimply being influenced by general orEnglish names within their community.”

Photo: The Illustrated London News/MaryEvans Picture Library.

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SPORT REPORTAs the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) winter league season draws toa conclusion, we review just some of the success stories from the winter programmein what could yet be Durham’s best year in recent history.

MEN’S & WOMEN’S HOCKEYDurham had an unbelievably strong seasonat University level, headlined by theWomen’s First Team reaching the NationalChampionship Final for the third year outof the last four.

The Men’s First Team have been joined byAssistant Coach Michael Boal in Septemberwho has since had a significant impactupon the men’s side of the club. TheNational Championship Last 16 victoryaway at Bristol University took them toQuarter-Finals.

The National League will continue for afurther few weeks but our women sit topof National League North and in a perfectposition to secure a play-off position to theNational Premier League. Our men, whoalso play in National League North, lookwell set to secure a top five finish.

MEN’S LACROSSEA golden season for men’s lacrosse endedwith victory: an historic first national titledefeating Nottingham University in thefinal by 17 goals to six, at the BUCSChampionship finals.

It is the first season that the club has had acontracted coach and the results have beenremarkable with the club going undefeatedthroughout despite playing in what isbroadly recognised as the toughestconference in the country.

WOMEN’S LACROSSEThe Women’s Lacrosse Club First Team,under the guidance of our GraduateAssistant Player/Coach, Chelsea Martinez,and boasting one of the strongest squadsin Durham’s 36-year lacrosse history, havegone one better than 2009 by reaching theSemi-Finals of the National Championship.

The Women’s Lacrosse Second Team wentunbeaten throughout the season andsecured their third National Trophy titlein a row with a convincing victory overCambridge University First Team.

MEN’S RUGBY UNIONThe First Team had a tough start to theseason but found their form going intoChristmas. The club is proud the FirstTeam secured fifth place in the NorthernPremier League.

The Second Team, promoted to NorthernPremier League B, lost a lot of players atthe end of last year. Despite this the clubmade it through to the Last 16 of theTrophy. The future looks bright for men’srugby with the appointment of the club’sfirst full-time coach just around the corner.

MEN’S & WOMEN’S TENNISThe Women’s First Team will sooncompete in the Semi-Final of the NationalChampionship, for the second time inthree years. The impact of player/coachesSally Pearson and Lucy Scott has beenconsiderable; they are working hard to

put together a first and second teamcapable of winning the NationalChampionship and National Trophynext time around.

Player/coach Ruben Rivero has impactedon the men’s programme. Durham missedout on promotion by the narrowest ofmargins for the second year in succession.The second team exceeded expectationsby reaching the final of the NorthernConference Cup.

NETBALLThe Netball Club went into the season withvery high expectations having just appointedtheir first full-time coach, aiming to securepromotion to the Northern Premier League.As the season went on, the Durham side gotbetter and better and eventually secured theDivision One title decisively.

FENCINGAnother strong year for our fencers witha Quarter-Final appearance for both the menand women, once again securing Durham’sstatus as one of the leading fencingprogrammes in British University Sport.

Both the men’s and women’s first teamwent into the season with high expectationsand weathered tough opposition. As theyear went on however, both sides gotstronger and both finally won their Last16 ties. The club will be retaining mostof their first-team fencers and will pursueyet stronger ambitions in 2011.

Getting Involvedthe alumna who “stayed on”Natalie Crisp, Durham Students’ Union President, (BA Theology, Grey, 2006–09, pictured top right),reveals how her involvement as a student DSU officer became more than just a hobby,it turned into a job with training!

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When I think back to my arrival in DurhamI remember being overwhelmed by all theactivity. Meeting the countless enthusiasticpeople who had obviously thrown themselvesinto university life was a little bit dauntingand I certainly did not think in those firstcouple of weeks that I would be sitting here,four years on, as President of the Students’Union. The great thing about Durham, andin particular the collegiate system, is the factthat it is so easy (to use an overused anddistinctly clichéd phrase) to get involved.Junior Common Rooms and UniversitySocieties such as DUCK (Durham UniversityCharities Kommittee) offer individuals theopportunity to make a direct impact on thecommunity in which they live, or to organiseregular social events for over 1000 people.These self-governing communities aresomething of which I am immensely proud.

If I am entirely honest, my involvement inDSU is a serendipity. I was annoyed aboutan issue; my sister had asked me to look intorepresentation for students with disabilities,and I had discovered that they weredistinctly lacking and my friend from homewas unable to visit me in college as shewas in a wheelchair. I was complaining to afriend and at that exact moment our SeniorDSU Rep in college emailed out about thevacant Students with Disabilities Officerposition in DSU. With no real knowledgeabout the Students’ Union I marchedoff to the meeting and promptly gotmyself elected.

It was perhaps the best decision I evermade. In one year I revitalised the position,was able to introduce a network of disabilityreps in college to ensure there was peersupport, re-established the Students withDisabilities Association, which has grownfrom strength to strength and held asuccessful Disability Awareness Week. DSUgave me a voice when I felt like I had none,and I stood to be President to ensure thatthis was something open to all students.

As President it is my job to co-ordinate allof the representational activity of the Union.I am the Press Officer, and the public faceof DSU. In the past year I have organisedcampaigns on higher education funding,chaired debates involving MPs and theVice-Chancellor and ensured that Durham’sMP presented a petition to Parliament onclimate change. Through hard work anddetermination I have reached out to morestudents, and have succeeded in activelyengaging them in the Union, which hasresulted in the highest ever turn out inissue-based referendums and elections.I also sit on the Board of Directors, settingthe strategic direction of the Union, withoverall financial and legal responsibility.I work closely with the Vice-Chancellor andsenior members of the University, sitting onUniversity Council, numerous committeesand representing the students of Durham.

I work closely with all the college presidentsand elected student officials, to ensureeveryone’s voice is heard and democraticdecisions are made. I did not realise I wouldattend so many training events and gain somany valuable transferable skills when Istood to be President. If someone had saidto me last year that I would be able to dowhat I now can I would never have believedthem. It has given me self-confidence,determination to promote and speak aboutissues and policies (in an adult manner) andopportunities to write and even have my ownradio show! Thinking ahead to the future Iam still undecided about what I want to doexactly, but the one thing which I am certainabout is that the experiences which I havehad and all that I have gained while inDurham have made me distinctly moreemployable then when I started!

For further information see:www.dsu.org.uk

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City of Culture 2013The ShowMust GoOnCity of Culture Bid Communications Team Member,Catherine Barrow, updates Durham First on Durham’s bid.

Durham alumnus, Richard Roberts (BA Law& Politics, St John’s, 1976–79) explainsthe importance of keeping a Will.

Over 60% of the population do not havea Will: and yet we can all be certain thatone day our mortality will catch up with us.Dying without a valid and properly drawnWill can often lead to a legal minefieldwith conflicting claims and heightenedemotional battles between relatives. I haverecently been involved in a case wherethe lack of a Will cost the family over£150,000 in legal costs to resolve a rippedapart family at a time when they couldall have done with each other’s support.

The cost of a straightforward Will ought notto be more than £250. When you considerthe value of your assets and the need toprotect your family this is a very modestcost. Many of us pay two or three timesthat every year to insure our cars and yetmost of us are prepared to ignore makinga Will and let the Governments’ laws ofthe day rule who receives our assets.

It is difficult to acknowledge, or even thinkabout, but sadly it is not just the elderlywho pass away and so as soon as you ownyour first home, or have any significantasset, it makes sound sense to make sureyou have a Will in place. In addition toprotecting your family you can also use yourWill to remember friends and charities byleaving them legacies – all major charities,including our own Durham University, relyheavily on legacy income to help them intheir work. You could provide significanthelp to one of these by remembering themin your Will. The only question that remainsis Will you or won’t you?

Richard Roberts is a solicitor, a memberof STEP and a member of The Law SocietyWills and Equity Committee. He is aDirector of Gedye and Sons and practisesin both London and the Lake District.

Will Youor Won’t You?

Disappointed…but determined the show will go on.

That was Durham’s upbeat messagefollowing news that the Durham City ofCulture 2013 bid has not made theshortlist selected by an independent panelof judges led by TV mogul Phil Redmond.

But Durham County Council Leader,Simon Henig, reaffirmed that Durham willshowcase its own cultural offer in 2013.

The highlights will include a return of thehugely successful Lumiere festival of light,an England v Australia Ashes Test Matchand the emotive return home for threemonths of one of the world’s greatesttreasures – the Lindisfarne Gospels –to the city’s Castle and Cathedral WorldHeritage Site.

“Of course we’re disappointed not to makethe shortlist because it was a first-class bidsupported by the whole region – but we’renot downhearted,” said Councillor Henig.

Photo: Matthew Andrews

“This is just a part of a very long journeywe have to make to achieve our vision ofraising Durham’s profile on the nationaland international stage and developing oureconomy and personal aspirations throughculture-led regeneration.

“So we are determined to continue todevelop our cultural and visitor offer in2013 and in particular it will be anamazing year in the county. We’ll bemore than pleased to work with thewinning city to support them and ensurethat our 2013 events complement theirown programme,” said Councillor Henig.

Major capital projects potentially worth£20m are already progressing in the cityincluding the World Heritage Site visitorcentre on Palace Green, a proposed newvisitor attraction and a conference centre,the £5.5m transformation of the city’sMarket Place into an events space, whilemore than 20 developments worth £60mare under discussion or construction inthe county.

For information and booking see:www.durham.ac.uk/whatsonEvent Durham: +44 (0)191 334 2887

Ustinov College at 45Dr Penny Wilson, Ustinov College Principal, talks to Durham First about thecelebrations for the 45th anniversary of Durham’s Graduate Society/Ustinov College.

The Graduate Society was renamed UstinovCollege in 2003 in honour of former DurhamUniversity Chancellor, Sir Peter Ustinov (left).

Ustinov College was built on a 21st-Century vision of a unique postgraduatecommunity within Durham, supportedby the University’s investment in animaginative building development atHowlands and by the internationalistassociations of the Ustinov name. It isequally founded, however, on anotherearlier vision – that of Professor Bill Fisher,in response to the growth of Durham’spostgraduate community in the 1960s.For many people in the University andbeyond, ‘Grad Soc’ is still a living reality,and it is this continuity over the past45 years, as well as its exciting moderndevelopment, that the College will becelebrating this summer.

At the last count there were, across theworld, 17,000 Ustinov/Graduate Societyalumni, to which we add about a thousandmore each year. Expansion in postgraduatenumbers in Durham in recent yearsmeans that Ustinov is now a very largecommunity, with over 2,000 currentmembers, about a third of whom live incollege accommodation either at HowlandsFarm or at Dryburn, where our familyaccommodation is now located (havingmoved from Kepier in 2005). Because ofits size, the career stage of its members,its internationalism, and also because all

its accommodation is self-catered, Ustinovhas, to some extent, had to redefinethe Durham collegiate experience.Key features are, as with other Colleges,social facilities and events managedby the Graduate Common Room (GCR)committee, known as the HouseCommittee in GradSoc days, and the bar;alongside these the College supports acafé, a hub for daytime interaction – andopen to all visitors and members of theUniversity. Among the special initiativesdeveloped over the past few years are theUstinov Seminar (a Saturday morninginterdisciplinary seminar for all Durhamresearch students), the UstinovInterCultural Forum (UIF), and a suiteof café activities focussing on science,politics, poetry and – most recently –language exchange. A wealth ofinformation on College life today can befound in the Ustinovian, an outstandingtermly magazine accessible via theCollege’s website.

As we celebrate 45 years of postgraduateprovision we are keen to find new ways ofincorporating the memorabilia of the pastas well as the activities of the present.This year we will be able to do this in avery special way by launching a historyof the Graduate Society written by former

Principal Dr Mike Rowell. The anniversaryweekend in July will offer a range ofevents for alumni of all ages and interests,including a special Ustinov seminar,Durham tours, and a formal dinner. It willalso, in this electronic age, act as a focusfor reconstruction of a communal history,drawing on our alumni community of17,000 people across the world fortheir memories and images of theirpostgraduate years in Durham over thepast four and a half decades. As I wrotein an earlier article in Durham First soonafter my arrival: “In their contact, howeverfleeting, with GradSoc or Ustinov, in theirexperiences and friendships, lie not onlythe history of the College but part of thehistory of postgraduate education in theUK”. We look forward to hearing fromour alumni over the next few months,and bringing many of you together tomeet each other in Durham and enjoya summer weekend in July.

Ustinov/Graduate Society 45th AnniversaryReunion Weekend, 16th–18th July 2010.

For information, booking and to submitmemories and pictures see:www.durham.ac.uk/ustinov.college/alumni

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NEWS IN BRIEF

I was really excited when I opened a copyof Durham First last year to see a pictureof students all ‘Going Bananas’ for FairtradeFortnight. There are several ‘Durhamites’ atthe Foundation, who all got involved withrunning Go Bananas at Fairtrade HQ in London,so it is inspiring to know that the event appealsto current students’ sense of social justiceand imagination.

My role as Marketing Manager at the FairtradeFoundation is mostly spent leading our flagshipcampaign, Fairtrade Fortnight, a two-weekcelebration of all things Fairtrade. This year thewhole campaign is about tea, swapping yourusual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa, and we evengot to pay a visit to Downing Street dressed astea ladies to pass on the message!” (See image:Emma stands to the right of Sarah Brown).

Studying Anthropology at Durham really openedmy eyes to global injustices and developed mysense of responsibility to play a part in rightingthe balance. I ran lots of DUCK fundraisingevents in my university career which gave me lotsof the skills that helped me get my current joband Durham University achieved Fairtrade statusback in 2007, which is fantastic. The Universitygroup is very involved with the Durham citypartnership running events for students and thewider community. This year there are tea dances,wine and chocolate tastings happening across thecolleges.

Fairtrade is reaching a tipping point, deliveringreal benefits to disadvantaged producers. Amongmany examples, we have even seen Starbucksswitch to 100% Fairtrade coffee. However, thereis still a long way to go, especially for producers

of less well-known products. You will seeFairtrade raisins from Afghanistan in the shopssoon. And that is what makes Fairtradefascinating. It is trade with a developmentfocus, which makes it no surprise that Durhamstudents, with their keen interest in justice anda global outlook, have taken it to heart.

Emma Huntly (BA Anthropology, Grey, 1999–2002), Marketing Manager at the FairtradeFoundation, reflects on how her time at Durham helped her to forge a career in Fairtrade.

SCHOLARSHIP GIFT – LARGESTEVER – TO HELP COUNTYDURHAM STUDENTS STUDYAT DURHAM UNIVERSITYLast December, Durham Universitylaunched a scholarship fund for CountyDurham students thanks to a £1milliondonation from local entrepreneur andcouncillor, Bob Young. The donation isthe largest scholarship gift in the historyof Durham University.

The fund, known as The Robert YoungScholarship Fund for County Durhamat Durham University, will support localstudents who meet Durham’s entryrequirements, but who are unable to securefunding for their university education fromother sources and whose parents or nearfamily are unable to fund their education.

RECOGNITION FROM THE QUEENDurham First sends its congratulations tothe Durham recipients of 2010 New Year’sHonours. The two staff honoured were

Roderic Dutton OBE (Geography andInternational Office) for contributions toacademic and economic links betweenJordan and the UK andMichael PrestwichOBE (History: Emeritus Professor) forcontributions to research and scholarship.Alumni recognised were: Sir Robert (Bob)Burgess (BA Sociology, Hild Bede, 1965–71), Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University,for services to Higher Education; KathleenThomas CBE (MA Business Administration,1988–92), Principal Oldham College, forservices to Further Education; Dr LindaEbbatson OBE (BA Archaeology, StCuthbert’s Society, 1985–87), LeaderChester-le-Street Council, for services toLocal Government; Peter Clarkson MBE(BSc Geology, St Cuthbert’s Society,1964–67), for services to Antarctic science;Elizabeth Smith (née Jackson) MBE (BAEducation, St Mary’s, 1953–57), Vice-Chairman and Board Member of ColchesterInstitute, for voluntary services to Furtherand Higher Education; Dr Robert Larter(BSc Geology, Van Mildert, 1979–82),Geophysicist British Antarctic Survey, PolarMedal for services to Antarctic research.

DURHAM ALUMNUS WINSBBC’S STRICTLY COME DANCINGCongratulations to Chris Hollins (BASociology & History, Hild Bede, 1990–93),Sports Presenter for BBC Breakfast, whodanced his way to victory in the 2009series of Strictly Come Dancing. Chris wasan active sportsman during his time atDurham and after leaving, he forged his

media and sports broadcasting career withstints at Sky Sports, GMTV, Meridian andFive TV, before joining the BBC News teamin 1999.

STARS OF DURHAM FIRSTBACK COVER IDENTIFIED!Readers of Durham First may rememberthe nostalgic image of two ladies in collegegowns leaving the Castle gates on the backcover of the previous issue. The image hadbeen in the Palace Green archives for manyyears, and its subjects had never beenidentified…until now! One of the ladiesconcerned has since contacted the editorsto let us know she recognised herself andher friend. They are Mary Burkett (PGCEEducation, Hild Bede, 1945–46) and EvaTyson (DipEd, Hild Bede, 1942–43).

(Fair)Trade in your Tea!

22

EDITORAstrid AlvarezAlumni Relations Manager

DEPUTY EDITORLeah TetherAlumni Relations Officer

CONTRIBUTORSRebecca GrundyPublications and Internal Communications Officer

Leighton KitsonMedia Relations Officer

Tim McInnisDirector of Development and Alumni Relations

Carolyn MoraleeAlumni Relations Assistant

Julia RobertsPlanning and Operations Manager

Quentin SloperAssistant Director of Student Sport

DESIGNCrombiewww.crombiecreative.com

PRINTLinneyprintwww.linney.com

CONTACT USAlumni enquiriesAlumni Relations TeamDurham University, University OfficeOld Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP

T: +44 (0) 191 334 6305F: +44 (0) 191 334 6073E: alumni.office@durham.ac.ukW: www.durham.ac.uk/alumni

www.dunelm.org.uk

Letters to the EditorAlumni Relations TeamDurham University, University OfficeOld Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP

T: +44 (0) 191 334 6305F: +44 (0) 191 334 6073E: durham.editor@durham.ac.uk

With special thanks to:Palace Green Libraryfor the kind provision of images

© Durham University 2010

Opinions expressed are those of individual writers.Requests for reproducing material should be madeto the Alumni Relations Office, where permissionwill usually be given.

www.durham.ac.ukwww.dunelm.org.uk

ALUMNI EVENTS CALENDARWe hope that you are able to enjoy one of the events detailed below. If you wouldlike an alumni event you are organising to be added to our website or if you wouldlike any further event information, please contact alumni.office@durham.ac.uk

MAY 2010

27THMAYSeminar by the Chartered Instituteof Marketing in conjunction withNorth East Chamber of Commerce,Durham Business School

JUNE 2010

7TH JUNESt Chad’s College Choir sings Evensongin Durham Cathedral

16TH JUNEGarden Opera, Fountains Hall,Grey College, Durham

19TH JUNESt Mary’s College Annual Garden Party,St Mary’s College, Durham

22ND JUNEConcert sung by St Chad’s College Choir,St Chad’s College Chapel, Durham

Mildert Day, Van Mildert College, Durham

26TH JUNEHatfield Association Midlands RegionalDinner at the Civil Service Club, Cheltenham

JULY 2010

2ND–4TH JULYVan Mildert Association Reunion Weekend,Van Mildert College, Durham

3RD JULYHenley Royal Regatta

16TH–18TH JULYGraduate Society/Ustinov College AlumniReunion Weekend, Ustinov College, Durham

AUGUST 2010

13TH–15TH AUGUSTGrey College North American Reunionand Family Weekend, venue TBC

SEPTEMBER 2010

DATE TBCGrand opening of new building and AlumniReunion, Stephenson College, Stockton

3RD–5TH SEPTEMBERHatfield Association AGM and AnnualReunion, Hatfield College, Durham

24TH–25TH SEPTEMBERCollege of St Hild & St Bede ReunionWeekend, College of St Hild & St Bede,Durham

24TH–26TH SEPTEMBERSt Mary’s College Society Reunion Weekend,St Mary’s College, Durham

www.durham.ac.uk/alumniwww.dunelm.org.uk/events

POSTSCRIPTSeveral Durham alumni have put pento paper and published books recently.The first of these is David Baldwin(BA Politics, St Chad’s, 1975–78),who unearths some remarkable nuggetsof historical information includingnew information in his Royal Prayer:A Surprising History (Continuum).

Meanwhile, for Tom Cooper (BScGeography, University College 1982–85)the road from Palace Green to the highwaysand byways of Ireland was a long andwinding one as he rode over 10,000km toresearch his book Cycle Touring in Ireland(Cicerone).

Henrietta Heald (BA English Literature,St Mary’s, 1974–77) stayed much closerto Durham while researching her biographyof William Armstrong,

Baron Armstrong of Cragside (1810–1900),Magician of the North (NorthumbriaUniversity Press).

Additionally in 2009, Michael Fossett (BScMathematics, Castle, 1950–54) publishedPilgrimage to Glory led by John-bar-Zebedee: A Disciple beloved by Jesus(Pamela Richards).

Last October, Bill Bryson sent his annualChancellor’s Appeal to alumni asking themto consider making gifts to a ‘Scholarshipsfor Afghan Women’ initiative. Many alumnihave responded; and yet, we have heardfrom some that Bill’s letter did not getthrough, quite possibly because of thepostal strikes. In light of this, we arepleased to bring everyone up to date.

A Durham alumnus, ProfessorHamidullah Amin, is the currentchancellor of Kabul University inAfghanistan. We are working closely withhim to select a minimum of 25 of Kabul’sbrightest female graduates to study atDurham for postgraduate degrees fundedby alumni. These young women wouldjoin us in annual groups of five over thenext five years. They are awed by theopportunity and the generosity of ouralumni, for these women were educatedunderground at a time when it was aserious crime for girls to be educatedin Afghanistan. They and their familiesrisked horrific punishments.

We will embrace these young women intoour collegiate university, enabling themto succeed in their courses and in theextra-curricular educational opportunitieswe are arranging for them (in leadership,entrepreneurship, culture etc.). Inexchange, they will enrich the overallstudent experience at Durham. Whenthey return to their homeland, theywill do so as our abiding friends andas integral members of our alumnicommunity. Importantly, they can helpbuild a civil society in Afghanistan andbecome role models to thousands ofyoung Afghan women.

Alumni have given generously, forwhich we are sincerely grateful. Wehave now raised sufficient funds to offer18 scholarships (over five years) to thesecourageous young women. Our hope isto raise enough to bring at least sevenadditional students to Durham.

Will you consider helping? Gifts of any sizeare incredibly meaningful, for it is the

cumulative effect of many that makes thedifference. More information is available atwww.dunelm.org.uk/chancellorsappeal2009,which we invite you to visit. Gifts can bemade to ‘Durham University (Chancellor’sAppeal)’ and directed to my attention atthe address below.

We look forward to reporting back toyou on the success of this appeal andintroducing you to the young scholarsfrom Afghanistan whose lives are aboutto change, rather dramatically, forthe better.

Thank you and with all good wishes.

Tim McInnisDirectorDevelopment and Alumni Relations

Chancellor’s Appeal Update

Durham University, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Chancellor’s Appeal, The University Office, Old Shire Hall, Durham, DH1 3HP