176_Network Spring 2005

Network
Nottingham Trent University Alumni Association
Playing with fire:
A hobby which sets
the world alight
IN THIS ISSUE:
02. Announcing our Alumnus of the Year
14. What a difference your gifts make
18. How to make your mark as a mentor
21. Campus regeneration gathers pace
|
Autumn/Winter 2007
Contents
Stars of film and TV make some noise for NTU
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
Our first Alumnus of the Year
Fresh fields for conservation work
Streets ahead in the Race for Life
Introducing new benefits for alumni
Fire hobby sparks enthusiasm
Model approach to classroom fun
A day in the life of an entrepreneur
New networking group in China
The recent open day for alumni in full swing
10
13
14
15
18
Forthcoming attractions
From Hollyoaks to The Bill
Alumni Fund: how your money helps
Thanks to our latest donors
What you can do for your University
Campus regeneration gathers pace
19
20
21
23
24
27
28
29
Alumni Survey: you have your say
Scaling Snowdon - by wheelchair
Creating an inspirational place to study
Link with Severn Trent is a UK first
Our latest honorary graduates
Reunions
Wedding news
Past and Present
Front cover:
Playing with fire - Dimitri Papadakis
© Nottingham Trent University and may not be reproduced
or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the
prior written consent of Nottingham Trent University.
01 | Network
Welcome
Welcome to another issue of Network, your
alumni magazine.
This year, more than 6,000 new graduates
have become members of the Alumni
Association.
In this issue you will find the usual mix of
inspiring stories about the University and your
fellow alumni. Taking centre stage, we extend
a big thank you to all the Alumni Fund donors
for continuing to add value to the learning
experience of current students.
As one cohort graduates, another arrives,
and we’d like to thank alumni Steve Dixon,
Nick Burton and Zoe Bidmead for being
involved with this year’s Welcome Week. If,
like them, you wish to support NTU on a
voluntary basis, find out how on page 18.
As always, remember to keep in touch.
Update your details regularly and we will make
sure that you receive news and information on
forthcoming events.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue of
Network. Please keep sending in your stories –
we really enjoy hearing from you.
Ceris Crow and Clare Oswin
Alumni Office
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 8777
Email: [email protected]
Message from the
Vice-Chancellor
Each year at graduation I am impressed by
the quality of our graduates and excited by
the prospect of your future successes. All of us
who are involved in shaping your futures
wonder what you will do after University, and
who you will become.
As all our issues of Network demonstrate,
the career successes of our alumni are many
and varied.
This year we awarded honorary degrees to
three individuals who have been inspirational
mentors, both to the University and to our
students.
One of them, world-renowned visual artist
Lucy Orta, is a graduate of NTU. Like many of
our alumni, her talent and energy have the
capacity to inspire others. We are keen to
make the most of this, and in these pages you
can find out how to get involved in mentoring
current students or providing work placements.
As part of our mission to inspire success,
the project of creating a visionary new space
at the heart of the University’s City site
continues. The Newton-Arkwright
development looks set to revitalise the links
between University and city centre for
generations to come.
We will keep you informed of progress. In
the meantime, thank you for staying in touch
and for continuing to inspire us with your
enterprise, ambition and success.
Best wishes
Professor Neil T Gorman
Vice-Chancellor
Artist is ‘Alumnus of the Year’
A new award recognises the vital role which our alumni play in raising NTU’s profile through their distinctive
attainments, professional success and contributions to society. Congratulations go to our very first winner...
Photography credit: Stefan Korte. Courtesy the artist and The Modern Institute, Glasgow.
Introducing Nottingham Trent University’s
first-ever ‘Alumnus of the Year’ – celebrated
artist Simon Starling.
Simon (Photography 1990) has been
honoured for his outstanding achievements on
the arts scene. Selected from an impressive list
of nominees, he travelled from Copenhagen to
receive the trophy at the November
graduation ceremony.
Simon has become one of NTU’s most
high-profile alumni since 2005 when he won
the prestigious – and often controversial –
Turner Prize. His seminal work in that
competition was Shedboatshed, a wooden
shed which he had dismantled, transformed
into a boat, paddled down the Rhine and then
rebuilt as a shed.
While the ‘Alumnus of the Year’ title might
not attract quite the same media frenzy as the
Turner Prize, Simon was delighted to be the
first recipient. He said: “It was a complete
surprise but a very welcome one. I have been
living outside Britain for some years now and it
came as a bit of a shock that I was still on the
map in Nottingham.”
Recalling his Trent Polytechnic years, he
commented: “I was lucky to be part of a very
interesting group of people studying
photography there in the late 80s. Two of
those people – Jeremy Millar and Will Bradley
– have remained very important to me and
have ended up working in related areas of art
practice, but there are many others who
brought so much to the table.
“Recognising the importance of the student
peer group has very much affected the way I
approach running my own class at the Art
Simon’s intriguing work – Shedboatshed (Mobile Architecture No 2) – impressed Turner Prize judges
School in Frankfurt where I have been a
professor for five years now.”
Simon has made his name as an artist
fascinated by the processes involved in
transforming one object or substance into
another. In solo exhibitions worldwide, he has
showcased installations and pilgrimage-like
journeys highlighting ideas about nature,
technology, economics, modernity and mass
production.
Audiences are encouraged to consider the
stories behind each construction and
transformation – and the Turner Prize jury
praised his ability to create “poetic narratives
which draw together a wide range of cultural,
political and historical references”.
Simon has described the impact of the
Turner Prize as a “tattoo you can’t get rid of”.
He says: “It seems to follow you everywhere –
it will forever be in the first line of every press
release about my exhibitions and these days
more people come to hear me lecture than
before. Even in far-flung places, the reputation
of the prize is a great attraction. In that sense,
my audience as an artist has become far
greater since the prize.
“But in most other respects life and work
continue as before. I think it also depends
where you live – after winning, I was very
happy to escape back to my studio in Berlin!”
His current project is equally intriguing. He
is about to return to Toronto to recover a steel
copy of a Henry Moore sculpture from the
bottom of Lake Ontario. He placed the
sculpture in the water two years ago where it
has played host to a growing colony of Zebra
mussels.
This work will go on show at The Power
Plant in Toronto next February and Simon also
has other projects in the pipeline in India,
Austria, Italy and Hungary.
Award is an honour for
proud designer Aran too!
Who better to design the ‘Alumnus of the
Year’ award than one of the university’s
own alumni? Acclaimed designer Aran D
Higgs (Decorative Arts 2004, PGCE 2006)
was commissioned to create the stunning
trophy presented at the ceremony. Aran,
who specialises in steel sculpture, said: “I
feel honoured that the University
approached me to design such a
prestigious award, especially as it will be
presented to eminent alumni like Simon
Starling for years to come.”
Alumnus of the Year Simon Starling
02 | Network
Alumnus prizes conservation
A new conservation society has blossomed into life at Brackenhurst campus – thanks to the commitment and
leadership of award-winning graduate Andrew Whitelee.
Graduate and conservationist Andrew Whitelee
(Environmental Conservation and Countryside
Management 2007) has won a University prize
for establishing a student conservation society.
The new Students’ Union Conservation
Society is the first NTU Students’ Union society
to be based at the Brackenhurst campus, and it
has already attracted more than 40 members.
Members get involved in activities ranging
from practical conservation days to plant and
dragonfly observation courses. The society has
also forged strong links with wildlife,
conservation and community groups, enabling
students to take part in projects which have a
real impact on the local environment.
During his time at Nottingham Trent,
Andrew represented Brackenhurst students on
the Southwell Town Forum, and his award
nomination was endorsed by the Town Council.
Andrew was one of nine high-flying NTU
graduates to receive a Trust Fund prize at this
year’s graduation ceremonies. The Trust Fund
rewards students annually for displaying
academic excellence; showing leadership,
creativity and innovation; contributing towards
the internationalism of the University; or
displaying social and civic responsibility.
Andrew was praised for the consistently
high standard of his academic work and his
dissertation on water vole populations. He now
hopes to undertake PhD research on
woodlands and climate change, and plans to
use some of his prize money on a pilot study.
He said: “I am deeply proud to receive this
Conservation pioneer Andrew Whitelee
award as it proves that all the hard work that
went into setting up the society was
worthwhile. I’d like to thank fellow students
and University staff for their help.”
Apes are just great for Emily
Studying the orang-utans at Twycross Zoo was the inspiration for Emily Williams to embark on plans for a
fascinating career in the field of primate rehabilitation.
Emily Williams plans a primate research career
A final-year degree project exploring the
behaviour of great apes living in captivity gave
primate researcher Emily Williams a taste for
research, prompting her to head north this
autumn to begin an MSc in Wildlife and
Conservation at Napier University in
Edinburgh.
Her project involved filming and observing
the orang-utans at Twycross Zoo, in order to
assess the effects of visitors on their
behaviour.
Her findings emphasised the need for
further research into an area which is often
overlooked, and included general suggestions
for enriching the animals’ living environments.
Originally set on a business career, Emily’s
enthusiasm for wildlife was too strong to resist,
and she enrolled at NTU via a non-standard
entry route on a FdSc Wildlife Conservation
course. Her impressive grades soon
fast-tracked her straight into the second year
of the honours degree in the same subject.
Emily describes her experience of studying
at Nottingham Trent as “brilliant”, but found
the independent project particularly inspiring.
She says: “The project has really fuelled my
interest in research, so I’m looking forward to
taking my studies to an even higher level.”
She now has her sights firmly set on a
career in the field of primate rehabilitation.
Pastures new for rural tourism
Calling all countryside enthusiasts ... NTU has a course to help you make the most of new career options.
The rural tourism industry looks set to receive a
boost from a new course that has been
launched at Nottingham Trent University’s
School of Animal, Rural and Environmental
Sciences.
The BTEC National Award in Countryside
Management (Rural Tourism) has just taken on
its first cohort of students at Brackenhurst. The
qualification will enable them to access other
FE courses, as well as providing a platform for
03 | Network
studying the Foundation degree in
Environmental Conservation and Countryside
Management. Teaching places a strong
emphasis on practical learning, helping prepare
participants for careers in forestry and
conservation; to work with volunteer agencies,
or as countryside rangers and wardens; or to
set up countryside management businesses.
Senior Lecturer in Countryside and
Agriculture, Andrew Alder, said: “The use of the
countryside for recreation has grown vastly
over the years and there are now more rural
tourism jobs than ever before. The national
parks of Britain are good examples of how
tourism and the environment are managed
together, and it’s vital that people are
equipped with the necessary skills needed for
their conservation.”
For more information, visit:
www.ntu.ac.uk/ares
Louise is raising for life
Prize-winning motivator Louise Holland knows what it is like to go the distance for a good cause.
Race for Life, the annual women-only 5 km run
in which thousands of participants raise
millions for Cancer Research UK, wouldn’t be
what it is today without Louise Holland (Sport
(Administration and Science) 1988).
In the late 1980s, Louise was, like many
other students about to graduate, planning to
go travelling after her exams, but, encouraged
by tutor Doug Williamson, she carried out a
final-year dissertation which focused on
disability sport, and this led to a change in her
plans. When she left Trent Polytechnic in
1988, she successfully applied for a job as
South East Regional Development Officer with
the British Sports Association for the Disabled.
She made good progress, going on to
become National Events Manager for junior
and senior sports events before leaving in
1994 to have her first child, after which she
became National Events Manager for Cancer
Research UK (the Imperial Cancer Research
Fund as it was known at the time).
Race for Life began that same year, with
680 women raising £36,000 through a single
race. By 1996, the number of race participants
had increased 20-fold, and half a million was
raised in sponsorship. It was also the year that
Louise set up a dedicated Race for Life Events
Team.
The team is now made up of 145 staff,
reflecting the phenomenal growth of Race for
Life, which is now the largest fundraising series
in the UK, and 2007 saw around 665,000
women take part in over 250 individual race
events around the country. Funds are still
coming in, but the team hopes to raise in the
region of £63 million.
It is estimated that, since it began, Race for
Life has raised £300 million to support Cancer
Research UK’s pioneering work in the fight
against cancer, which now affects one in three
people. Every pound raised in sponsorship
goes directly to the scientists, doctors and
nurses who work tirelessly to find new
treatments for the widespread disease.
Most of the women who take part in the
race have had some personal experience of
cancer, either through contracting the disease
themselves, or by seeing their loved ones go
through it. It is an event which attracts
women of all levels of fitness – there is no prize
for coming first, and almost half the
participants choose to walk the course.
Louise says: “I meet a lot of amazing, brave
people who have suffered from or been
affected by cancer. They have the most
inspirational stories, and it is them who make
me want to continue doing the job.”
Her success in encouraging people to get
involved in raising money for such a vital cause
saw Louise being named as 2005’s Motivator
of the Year, a title awarded by Promotion
Louise (right) with friend Rachel Roxburgh (left)
and athlete Paula Radcliffe (centre)
Activity Manager magazine, and won in 2004
by fundraising supremo Sir Bob Geldof.
Louise said: “I was very honoured and
thrilled to receive this award as recognition for
the organisation, for Race for Life, and for the
Events Team.
“If it hadn’t been for Doug Williamson
getting me involved when the British Sports
Association asked for volunteers for their
mini-games during my first year at NTU, I
wouldn’t be where I am now. I feel privileged
that Doug was able to shape my career in the
way he did.”
She is still in touch with Doug Williamson
from time to time and occasionally visits NTU
to give presentations to Sports Science
students about her work.
Every year thousands of women put their best feet forward to take part in the Race for Life
04 | Network
Exciting new benefits for alumni
From holidays to library resources – the Alumni Association is your passport to some great deals.
Exclusive discounts from The
Enlightened Traveller®
Nottingham Trent’s Alumni Association has
joined forces with The Enlightened Traveller®
to secure you a 5% discount on holidays and
short breaks in Southern France.
A family-run business, The Enlightened
Traveller®, has extensive local knowledge of
the region, with family ties dating back to the
1930s. Holidays are available all year round,
and range from self-guided and group walking
tours to opportunities for active learning and
recreation, including painting, pottery and
French cuisine.
To find out more about the holidays on
offer, visit the website:
www.enlightened-traveller.co.uk
You can claim your 5% discount when you
book by phone, post, email or online quoting
the promotional code NTUAET0807.
Those who prefer a more DIY walking
holiday can visit sister website:
www.Walking-Languedoc.com and gain the
same 5% discount when quoting the
promotional code NTUAWL0807.
New addition to library
membership
Existing and new alumni members of NTU’s
library can now make use of a brand-new
electronic resource: Emerald Management
Xtra. Emerald Management Xtra provides
access to 160 full text journals and reviews
from the top 300 management journals. It is
the largest, most comprehensive collection of
peer reviewed management journals and
online support for librarians, students, faculty
and researchers. Key journals include European
Journal of Marketing, European Business
Review, International Journal of Managerial
Finance and Journal of Consumer Marketing.
Existing members will soon be sent their
Emerald log-in details.
If you are interested in obtaining alumni
readership, which also allows you to borrow up
to four books at a time, you can sign up with
Libraries and Learning Resources (LLR) for an
annual discounted subscription of £25. For
further information and an application form,
please telephone the Alumni Office on:
+44 (0)115 848 7777 or email us at
[email protected]
For details of other benefits exclusive to
alumni, including discounted holidays
and car hire; news of events and
career-related opportunities; and help
with staying in touch, visit us on the
Web at: www.ntu.ac.uk/alumni
The warmest of welcomes
Alumni help give new students the best possible introduction to Nottingham Trent University life.
Once again, NTU held a successful Welcome
Week for new students. The week incorporates
a series of events, fairs and information
sessions designed to make everyone feel
equally involved and to kick start their
experience of student life in an inspiring and
enjoyable way.
Our alumni, as always, were on hand to
help with the proceedings. This year three
alumni volunteered to act as masters of
ceremonies at a series of welcome receptions
hosted by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Neil
Gorman.
Steve Dixon (Broadcast Journalism 1995),
Sky News anchorman, took on the Albert Hall.
05 | Network
Facing more than 700 students at a time –
more than 3,000 in total – he admitted that
he was apprehensive at first.
“The prospect of talking to large numbers
of 18-year-olds was rather daunting, but I
remember my first week at Nottingham Trent
and was happy to be a part of helping new
students settle into their new life at
University,” he said
Alumni who helped host events at the
Clifton campus were Nick Burton (Computing
Systems 1994) – Lead Graphical Software
Engineer at Rare Ltd – and Zoe Bidmead
(Equine Studies 1999) – an award-winning
teacher from Lincolnshire.
Sky News anchorman Steve Dixon
Playing with fire
The heat is on for a team who bring real ‘flare’ to all their performances.
Dimitri Papadakis (Business Information
Systems 2005, Research Methods 2006) may
work as a librarian by day, but as dark falls, he
takes on quite a different identity.
Dimitri is a member of FireWorks – a
performance collective who have been doing
bespoke shows and displays since 2003, using
fire to delight, surprise and entertain the
public.
They eat, breathe and juggle fire, dance
with it and spin it, accompanied by live
percussion, at festivals, clubs and displays.
At any one time, the group can consist of
ten or more people and the equipment they
use includes staffs, poi (balls on ropes) and fire
ropes (lengths of kevlar dipped in paraffin).
Newcomers start out by learning to juggle
or using unlit devil sticks. Dimitri himself first
took up his “hobby” two years ago after
becoming aware of fire juggling, spinning and
dancing through some of his social networks.
He says: “It’s very exciting and mesmeric.
We are dealing with a dangerous, intangible
substance.”
Working with the staff is something he
particularly enjoys: “It can be really intuitive –
it generates such momentum – you get in tune
with it and learn new ways of interacting with
it simply through improvising.”
In spite of the obvious dangers of playing
with fire, Dimitri only recently sustained a
minor injury when a wick hit him on the arm,
leaving what he describes as “a decent scar”.
During performances, the group always has
safety people standing by with extinguishers,
wet towels and buckets of water, and careful
preparation is a big priority.
Dimitri says: “I love the challenge of
working with a live element. The key is not to
fear the fire – you have to be patient and trust
your skills when you’re learning complex tricks.”
As well as having worked for the
Nottingham Trent University libraries, Dimitri
completed his Masters degree in Research
Methods last November. Since then he has
had various jobs, including some teaching in
Research Methods for the University. He hopes
to move into doing this in a more permanent
capacity while keeping the flame burning in his
spare time.
For more information on FireWorks and to
book them for an event visit their website at:
www.thefireshow.net
Ring of fire: Dimitri and his fellow performers are blazing a trail to thrill their audiences
06 | Network
Magical mechanisms
Popular stories, books and songs have been brought dramatically to life for youngsters in a project to create a
range of stimulating new resources for the classroom.
New graduates from the BA (Hons) Primary
Education course specialising in Design and
Technology carried out projects during their
course in which they were asked to create a
teaching resource for helping children learn
about mechanisms, and enabling them to
engage in computer-controlled activities.
The projects produced some fascinating,
fun designs that prompted supporting teacher
Rose Ward to comment: “The final display of
work was inspirational and the students
demonstrated beyond doubt that they are
worthy of their specialist status. They will now
take their expertise, which is considerable, into
their own classrooms when they take up their
first teaching posts.”
Helen Gambon’s School Bus was designed
with moving parts that work in synchrony with
the popular children’s song ‘The Wheels on
the Bus’, and Kate Miller’s Big Wheel contains
sensors that allow a computer operator to halt
each seat at the boarding platform to load
passengers. Both items are impressive in
concept and quality of finish.
Rebecca Simpson’s design was inspired by
the classic children’s novel Charlotte’s Web.
The model combines gears, pulleys and cams
to operate characters from the book, enabling
Charlotte to descend from her web while the
other animals move around in their own
distinctive ways.
Emma Webb also chose a well-known
children’s book – The Cat in the Hat by Dr
Seuss – on which to base her model, a cat
whose tongue can be moved from side to side,
using a system of linked parts and gears, while
a thought bubble rises out of his hat in which
LEDs light up to form a question mark.
Emma said: “The project built my
confidence in my own abilities. I would never
have imagined I could achieve what I have
and to such a high standard. I now feel I can
go out into a school and share my expertise,
promoting inspiring design and technology
work and confidence in practical skills.”
Film research leaves
Esme hearing stars
In the cult of celebrity, image is everything,
and nowhere is that truer than in the world
of Hollywood. But Nottingham Trent
University researcher Esme Davidson has
been looking into a recent phenomenon
which suggests that not only are the stars of
the big screen recognisable for their polished
07 | Network
Streets ahead: Helen Gambon with her model of the School Bus
“I now feel I can go into a
school and promote
inspiring design and
technology work.”
Web of intrigue: Rebecca Simpson’s work
looks, but also for other, less visual,
distinctive features.
Since the 1990s, the rise in popularity of
animated feature films has seen a host of
famous actors lending their vocal talents to
a wide range of characters, and big names
like Robin Williams (Aladdin) or Will Smith (A
Shark Tale) are still proving to be huge
box-office attractions, without even having
to set foot in front of the camera.
Esme’s thesis – ‘Hearing Stars: Popular
Fabulous feline: Emma Webb’s Cat in the Hat
Feature-Length Animation and the Celebrity
Voice’ – draws on phonetics, case studies
and theories of voice quality to explore what
has so far been a neglected field of film
theory. She comments: “I discovered that
film stars had historically tended to be
theorised in terms of their star image, and
not how they sounded. My thesis makes a
serious intervention into how stars can be
studied, and how their voice contributes to
their star image.”
A day in the life of security
entrepreneur Sukhi Ghuman
Entrepreneur Sukhi Ghuman (Law 1999) graduated from Nottingham Trent with a healthy dose of ambition
and a hunger to succeed. A few years later, while practising law, a discussion with one of his clients inspired
him to set up a security business, Octavian Security. Sukhi gave us an insight into what life is like for him as
head of a large successful organisation.
“It’s an unreasonable hour
of the morning and,
slugging back the first of
the day’s many coffees, I
board my 1 am flight to
Dubai. I am on my way to
have the first of a series of
meetings with new business prospects for
Octavian Security, both there and in Oman.
On the plane, I am reading Richard
Branson’s autobiography again. I have to do
this as I have still not yet caught up with him
and feel that I may be missing something – I
am on track as I have grown my security
business from my back bedroom to a
£10 million company in three years, but I have
a way to go yet and I do value Richard’s input!
At around 7 am I land in Dubai. It never
fails to amaze me how hot this country gets,
but luckily for me, unlike some hotter climes,
everything works well here in spite of the
blistering heat.
“I am on track as I have
grown my security business
from my back bedroom to a
£10 million company in
three years.”
No sooner have I taken the familiar trip
down the steps of the plane than I am in a car
being whisked off at high speed to my first
meeting in Oman. If Dubai is revered as a
postmodern oasis, Oman is an oasis of culture,
and a visit is always awe-inspiring. The
Forensic courses show
evidence of quality
Forensic science courses at NTU have won
an official seal of approval for their quality
and content.
The Forensic Science Society has
accredited both the BSc (Hons) Forensic
Science and BSc (Hons) Forensic Science
(Physical) degree programmes.
Sukhi is pictured (centre) with Octavian security officers in Dubai. Octavian Security is now just one
arm of the multinational Octavian Group, which employs 500 staff in security, law, recruitment
and facilities management.
meeting goes well with our potential logistics
sector client – I think that Octavian will win it.
Following this visit, it’s back across the
desert plains to Dubai, catching up with the
day’s emails and going over my notes for my
meeting with Ian McPhee, co-director of my
company’s Dubai arm – Octavian Risk
Management LLC. Ian advised on security
before the latest Gulf War and our meeting
shows that he has lost none of his security
nous as he announces his strategies for some
of our global clients who are based in Dubai.
For all his talents, he doesn’t make great tea
The society’s approval covers the key
areas of crime scene investigation,
laboratory analysis and the interpretation,
evaluation and presentation of evidence.
This accreditation, coming hard on the
heels of similar recognition from the Royal
Society of Chemistry, effectively means that
forensic science teaching at NTU matches
accepted "expert" UK practice.
It also brings significant benefits for the
University’s graduates in the extremely
though, and with this thought I head off back
to the airport for the UK, where they do!
Back on the plane, I am going through
meeting notes and writing the emails to send
to my team on landing so that they will be up
to speed for our London operations meeting in
the morning. Back in London, I head for my
hotel where I have every intention of going for
a swim, having a bite to eat and finally getting
some sleep! But I can’t help thinking we do
have two big tenders to prepare for this week,
so maybe I’ll have a look at those – just for a
little while?!”
competitive forensic science employment
market.
“Nottingham Trent’s forensic science
students will have the advantage of
studying professionally approved
programmes and this official recognition
should place them in a strong position when
they are seeking jobs as crime scene
investigators and evidence analysts,” said
Dave Butler, Principal Lecturer in Forensic
Science.
08 | Network
Experience shared
Alumna Xie Fang has become an ambassador for NTU Alumni China, a
new networking group exclusive to alumni based in her home country.
Reception always good
in Malaysia
The Alumni Association provides the
perfect way for you to remain in contact
with your friends, wherever they may be in
the world, to keep up-to-date with
developments at your university, and to
enjoy professional networking
opportunities.
Keen to build on these relationships,
Nottingham Trent’s Vice-Chancellor,
Professor Neil Gorman, hosted an alumni
reception at Kuala Lumpur’s Shangri-La
Hotel on 8 September. The event enabled
former students and their guests to meet
old friends as well as other NTU alumni
living in Malaysia. This year, it attracted
around 100 people, including familiar face
Zunaina Mohd Saifulbaha (Accounting and
Finance 1995) who was on hand again to
help run the event.
She commented on the importance of
this alumni networking: “Once we leave the
University, every one of us makes our own
way, venturing into various things. The
University, being the common ground,
brings us together, bridging all gaps. Each
of us can learn from one another via this
platform. Sharing knowledge and
experiences with people from the same
institution makes alumni feel proud,
motivates us, and gives us a sense of
belonging.”
At the event, Professor Gorman gave a
presentation updating guests on the latest
developments at NTU – such as the
Newton-Arkwright regeneration project –
and explaining how relationships continue
to develop internationally thanks to our
alumni ambassadors overseas.
He also outlined the ways in which our
alumni continue to help us after they
graduate, by sharing their experiences of
the University with people they know
through personal and professional
networks; by helping at events in their local
region (like Zunaina); by joining the online
mentoring programme; and contributing to
the future of NTU via the Alumni Fund.
As always, he emphasised the
importance of staying in touch, and
reminded people how easy it is to do that
through the Alumni Online Community –
www.ntu.ac.uk/alumni
09 | Network
The successful and varied career of Xie Fang
(Newspaper Journalism 2004) has drawn
inspiration from the time she spent studying at
Nottingham Trent. Having just compiled her
first book – from stories penned for the
Shanghai Morning Post about living in the UK
– she is also promoting our new networking
service in China.
After leaving Nottingham at the end of her
Masters course, Xie Fang worked in Hangzhou
as an English teacher, and later in Beijing as an
editorial assistant for Le Nouvel Observateur.
She then moved to Shanghai, and began
working for China Daily, where her
performance as a reporter scooped her a Chief
Editor’s award. As well as freelancing for other
publications, Xie Fang continues to work for
China Daily and recently moved to Beijing to
specialise in writing features for the paper.
Debut as an author
Xie Fang’s book – entitled “小话西游” (Xiao
Hua Xi You, or An Overseas Chinese Student in
England) – describes her experiences of
learning English in the UK and studying for a
Masters degree. Published by the Shanghai
People’s Publishing House, it recounts the
whole experience of an international student
in Britain. She says: “To gain a British degree is
not as easy as many Chinese students
imagine. One of my purposes in writing the
book is to share my stories with other Chinese
overseas students, and also I want to tell those
who are going to the UK to be well-prepared
financially and spiritually.”
Valuable new skills
Before coming to Nottingham, Xie Fang had
six years’ experience in the Chinese media
industry as a broadcaster, TV presenter and
journalist. Her love of newspaper reporting
inspired her to choose the MA at Nottingham
Trent. She says: “In China we are used to
following rules made by the schools, and adults
hardly question what we are taught, but the
MA course required self-study, and the learning
environment enabled me to challenge things.
I learned how to develop critical thinking and
appreciate personal opinion – it has been very
helpful for my career.”
NTU Alumni Ambassador Xie Fang
“Challenges can make you stronger. A lot
depends on your determination.”
Now she has her sights set on more
ambitious projects, including a second book –
this time written in English – focusing on a
child’s experience of China’s one-child policy.
NTU Alumni China
Xie Fang’s enthusiastic approach should be a
great boon to Nottingham Trent’s new
flagship overseas networking service, NTU
Alumni China. The service will help alumni
keep in touch and up-to-date with what is
happening at the University, as well as
providing networking opportunities in China.
Xie Fang says: “I am delighted to do this for
NTU in return for the very special experience I
had there. I am looking forward to helping my
fellow alumni establish a career and social
network here in China so they can continue to
benefit from their university experience even
after they have left.”
Alumni Officer, Clare Oswin, said: “This is
our first overseas alumni group and I am
looking forward to seeing how it progresses
over the coming months. We would like to
thank Xie Fang for her generosity in
volunteering to help out.”
Membership of NTU Alumni China is FREE
– the University just needs permission to
share members’ data with Xie Fang. To
arrange this:
Positive challenges
1. Update your details using the online
update form at www.ntu.ac.uk/alumni
Coming up against fierce competition for work
on her return to China, Xie Fang faced her fair
share of challenges, but she remains positive:
2. Email us at [email protected] giving
your permissions for data transfer.
Highlights of our calendar
An update on our recent alumni events – and a special preview of two forthcoming attractions
Nottingham Open Day
A sporting chance for charity - thanks to Varsity matches
Each year Nottingham Trent University and
The University of Nottingham hold a series of
sporting events to celebrate sporting
excellence and to raise funds for charity.
This year’s Annual Charity Varsity Series
raised money for CP Sport, a sports
organisation for people with cerebral palsy
that provides sporting opportunities to
individuals of all ages and at all levels, from
the recreational to the Paralympic.
The Alumni Association was pleased to be
able to welcome some former students back
to support Nottingham Trent University’s
teams.
The competition was good-natured but
fierce, as always, and NTU got off to a great
start with a thrilling 5-3 victory in the ice
hockey, followed by a memorable double for
our men’s and women’s football teams at
Meadow Lane (home to Notts County FC).
The women did us proud in rugby union,
winning 10-5, but the men didn’t fare so well,
and a string of defeats soon followed in rugby
league, netball and basketball.
Our women’s hockey team secured a win,
but again the men weren’t as fortunate,
which left everything hanging in the balance
for the cricket at Trent Bridge. Only a win
would allow NTU to tie the series and retain
the championship title.
And then the heavens opened! With the
match abandoned as a washout, both sides
took a point each, ending the series 7-6 in
favour of our friends down the road. So, we
will have to wait until next spring to have a
chance at winning back the title.
Dates have not yet been confirmed for
Varsity 2008, but if you are interested in
coming along to support our teams, please let
us know by emailing [email protected]
The Alumni Office was delighted to welcome
back former students to an Alumni Open Day
on Saturday 6 October 2007.
Alumni came from all over the UK to meet
up with friends, participate in tours of the
Clifton and City campuses and hear about the
latest developments at NTU. They also had an
opportunity to visit the world-famous Goose
Fair which was in town during the weekend.
The Open Day was hosted in NTU’s newly
refurbished Bonington building. After the
campus tours, guests enjoyed looking at old
photographs of their student days. If you
have any photographs or stories you would like
to share with us from your time at Nottingham
Trent, please send them to The Alumni Office,
Nottingham Trent University, FREEPOST
NG1826, Burton Street, Nottingham NG11BR.
We promise to return your originals.
Campus memories rekindled at the open day
Announcing two new alumni events for your diary
We’ll meet again at Brackenhurst
A reception for former students of the Brackenhurst campus will be
held on Saturday 14 June 2008. All Brackenhurst alumni for whom
we have up-to-date details will receive news of this event in the New
Year. If you have any stories or photographs of your time at
Brackenhurst, please share them with us. To update your details and
to register interest in attending, please contact [email protected] or
telephone 0115 848 8777.
Join us at the House of Commons
Thanks to alumna Hazel Blears MP (Law 1977), an exclusive
reception for NTU alumni will be held in the Terrace Marquee at the
House of Commons on Thursday 22 May 2008. More news on this
event will be published in the New Year. To register interest in
attending, please email [email protected]
10 | Network
Art and Design students
show great promise
This year’s degree shows demonstrated why Nottingham Trent University’s School of Art and Design has long
held an international reputation for high standards of creativity, achievement and innovation.
Quality and variety
A starring role at the shows for alumni Jonathan Glazer (left) and Paul Kaye
The 2007 degree shows provided a fitting
showcase for talented Art and Design students,
and an opportunity for people around the
University and city to enjoy a true feast of
inspirational, and often groundbreaking, work.
Celebrity launch
The series of events was officially opened by a
pair of celebrity alumni with well-deserved
reputations of their own for innovation – in the
world of film and television.
Film director Jonathan Glazer and
comedian / actor Paul Kaye (both 3D Design
(Theatre) 1987) studied together at Trent
Polytechnic.
Paul first became famous as streetwise
Powerful designs from Jacobien Spekreijse
11 | Network
celebrity interviewer Dennis Pennis, and has
since appeared on TV in Two Thousand Acres
of Sky and Hustle, and in films including Black
Ball and It’s All Gone Pete Tong.
Jonathan is known for directing television
adverts such as the Guinness Surfer, and the
Sony Bravia commercial in which 70,000 litres
of coloured paint explode against a block of
high-rise flats. His first feature film – Sexy
Beast – earned him a BAFTA nomination.
They both spent time chatting to final-year
students and viewing their work. Jonathan
said: “I really can’t speak highly enough about
my experience here and I’m really glad to be
back and catch up with some familiar faces.
The standard of the students’ work is amazing
and I wish them every success for the future.”
Visitors feast their eyes on the MA exposition
For the undergraduate degree shows, the
inspirational design ideas of creative and
forward-thinking students from 16 courses and
23 nations were put on display at various
venues across the University’s City site.
The events showcased a wide variety of
media and creative practices, including
sculpture, painting, illustration, graphics,
photography, print, moving image, theatre,
digital design, directional fashion, knitwear,
textiles, decorative arts, futuristic products, and
cutting-edge furniture and interior design
solutions.
In a high-profile event at Nottingham
Arena, 55 talented Fashion Design students
presented debut collections at a show called
Fashion 55, where professional models
traversed an 80ft runway displaying an array
of designs from high-street style to couture
glamour to an audience of 4,000.
The Fashion Knitwear cohort unveiled their
catwalk creations at Fully Fashioned – a show
hosted at Nottingham Council House.
A Feast for the eye
The School’s annual Art and Design MA
exposition, this year entitled Feast, served up a
veritable international banquet of talent and
creativity.
The eclectic menu incorporated the work of
76 students representing 13 different courses
from subject groupings spanning Fashion,
Textiles, Knitwear, Fine Art, Graphic Design,
Klaxons sound for Simon
The undergraduate shows were popular attractions for lovers of innovative art and design
Performance / Live Art, Designed Environment
and Product Design.
Within the School of Art and Design’s
portfolio of postgraduate courses,
collaboration and interdisciplinary working
feature prominently, and the exposition
reflected this, providing an exciting and
thought-provoking experience for the visitor.
The strong international profile of the
School’s MA community was also well
represented by work which drew inspiration
from around the world – taking in Korean
fashion, Greek typography, Japanese textiles,
Dutch wallpaper and Chinese photography.
The students exhibiting their work were
ready to recognise the support they have
received for their ideas and explorations while
studying at NTU.
Jacobien Spekreijse (Fashion Knitwear
Design 2007) – for whom characters like early
feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft and pop
singer Björk provided inspiration for garments
celebrating the power of women who are not
afraid to express themselves – commented:
“This MA was more than a technical learning
journey – it also allowed me to understand and
create my own working method by researching
the roots of all my design inspiration – the
powerful woman.”
Fellow MA graduate Lucy Wilhelm (Textile
mADe to impress
Design and Innovation 2007) worked with a
combination of surface pattern design and
texture to create textiles that can be explored
through touch, making them more amenable
to use by people who are visually impaired.
She said: “The Masters programme at NTU
allowed me to sharpen my skills as a
professional designer. It was a year of
exploration and encouragement of my talents,
supported with essential research and
innovation.”
For details on MA programmes visit:
www.ntu.ac.uk/postgrad
In the Spring 2007 issue of Network, we
featured an article about Simon Taylor
(Fine Art 2004), guitarist with
up-and-coming new rave band, Klaxons.
The band’s debut album Myths of the
Near Future entered the charts at number
2 when it was released in January, and it
has now won them the £20,000
Nationwide Mercury Prize for best album
of the year, beating big names including
Amy Winehouse, the Arctic Monkeys and
Jamie T.
The three-piece group – Simon and
friends Jamie Reynolds (lead vocals and
bass guitar) and James Righton (vocals,
guitars and keyboard) – ran onto the
stage at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel
to collect the Mercury Prize from new
music afficianado Jools Holland.
Considering the band has only been
together for two years, the accolades are
beginning to pile up – they also won the
Best New Band gong at the Shockwaves
NME Awards earlier in the year.
Klaxons have won fans for their
irreverent and challenging approach to
pop music. Currently on tour promoting
their album, they have been dubbed
leaders of London’s new rave scene. Their
music focuses on pulsating tempo,
pounding rhythms and hypnotic vocals.
To find out more about them, visit their
website at: www.klaxons.net
Textiles to touch from Lucy Wilhelm
NTU is pleased to announce that the brand
new mADe@ntu website is now online, selling
contemporary knitted and felted accessories
and interior products designed and made
exclusively using the skills and expertise of
students and staff on the Fashion Knitwear
Design and Knitted Textiles Programme.
Established in 2003, mADe@ntu products
are created from 100% Merino lambswool
and the range includes scarves, mittens, hats,
cushions, bags, hotwater bottles, bedsocks
and notebooks.
The production of the mADe range is
managed by a Nottingham Trent University
student currently on their work placement
year. It is also tangible evidence of the work
being done on the course to develop an
exciting and innovative approach to product
design.
Visit the website at:
www.madeatntu.co.uk
For more information contact
[email protected]
or telephone 0115 848 8672.
12 | Network
Alumna designs a career in TV
Ever since her eye-catching degree show, the scene has been set for one Nottingham Trent University graduate
to achieve TV success in popular programmes ranging from Hollyoaks to The Bill.
Alice at Sun Hill Police Station, known to millions of TV viewers as the home of The Bill
Exhibiting her work at a final-year degree show
proved to be a big career break for TV designer
Alice Bardrick (Design for Television 2004).
She had already dipped her toe into the
waters of TV design through a period of work
experience on ITV’s This Morning and a
design assistant job on 60 Minute Makeover.
But a chance for something more permanent
came along when a designer for Channel 4’s
popular soap Hollyoaks visited a Design for
Television degree exhibition at NTU.
She was impressed by Alice’s work and
offered her a job as Design Runner on the
show – making tea, dressing sets and helping
with props.
Alice worked on Hollyoaks for two years,
later becoming Assistant to the Designer,
which allowed her to work on floor plans and
attend meetings with the show’s directors.
One of her tasks was to design a set for a
student fair. She says: “I’d been heavily
involved with the Students’ Union at
Nottingham Trent as a fresher rep and a
member of the entertainments team, so I had
lots of experience to draw on!”
By the time she left Hollyoaks, Alice was
Standby Art Director, which involved being on
set and in charge of resetting props between
takes and scenes. She says: “I absolutely loved
13 | Network
my time there. There was a young cast and
crew, and we had so much fun together, but
sometimes I felt like I was still at university and
I decided it was time to move on.”
Like most people in her industry, Alice now
works freelance. Within a month of leaving
Hollyoaks, she was snapped up by The Bill,
initially as Assistant Art Director, going on to
her current role as Standby Art Director.
A typical day is spent filming on location,
which means arriving early to load props onto
a van. Alice liaises with cast members and is in
charge of everything from vehicles to
handcuffs! Ensuring strict continuity is really
important as scenes from the show are not
filmed in order.
Alice says: “There’s so much more work
behind the scenes than you could imagine!
Each 12-hour day results in only seven minutes
of TV. Long hours on location in the pouring
rain are not funny, but I enjoy going to work
every single day. I love being part of the crew
and getting to see the finished piece –
something to show for what I’ve worked on.”
“The hardest thing is building your network
of contacts. It’s very much about who you
know in this industry. Since leaving NTU, my
friends and I share our contacts, and I still use
the course portfolio I built up while studying.”
Alice has come a long way since
graduating, but firmly believes that her best
achievements are yet to come. She is always
on the lookout for new projects, and recently
had meetings with a number of shows,
including Holby Blue and EastEnders. Her big
dream – to work on a film – shows every sign
of coming true.
Getting to grips with the set of The Bill
Funding futures
Every year, you help us raise significant amounts of money for the Alumni Fund – a living legacy which provides
improved resources and facilities for the University’s current students. During 2006-2007, the fund raised
£40,000, money which is being spent across the University on a wide variety of projects.
Lace resource preserved
Puppets to promote a serious message
Promoting classroom diversity
The School of Education received funding to
help students of Primary Education and
Childhood Studies build confidence and skill in
addressing sensitive communication issues in
the classroom.
The purchase of a range of persona dolls
and large responsive puppets will enable
trainee teachers to encounter issues of social
justice, diversity, inclusion and bullying in a
safe environment where they can practice
techniques for dealing with situations where
these issues may arise.
The dolls and puppets are specially made
to emulate the size and look of children
representing a wide range of ethnic and
cultural groupings, ages and disabilities.
Through direct interaction with the
equipment, which can be made to express a
range of emotions via responsive mouths and
hands, students will be able to explore various
attitudes and responses and learn how to
promote inclusiveness through empathy.
Mobilising future design
The Alumni Fund has enabled the School of
Architecture, Design and the Built
Environment to acquire two mobile robots as
an initial step in establishing a mobile robotic
environment for use by Product Design
students.
The initiative is partly driven by the need
for designers to understand some of the
limitations that engineers operate under in
the process of manufacturing consumer
products. It also reflects the need to
The School of Art and Design’s lace collection,
comprising 75,000 items, has received a boost
from the Alumni Fund, in addition to a major
grant from the AHRC, to allow work to begin on
setting up a database and making key parts of it
web-accessible for NTU students and external
scholars.
As a unique archive of the history and
production of lace, with strong connections to
Nottingham – a city famed for manufacturing
the fabric – the collection is of international
importance, and will provide a unique resource
for teaching and research in the field of Fashion,
Textiles and Applied Design.
Money from the Alumni Fund will pay for
electrical fittings, a computer, digital camera and
external hard drive to support the digitisation of
the collection, which includes pieces dating back
to the 1600s.
Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator of
the collection, Gillian Proctor, said: “Once the
database is established, we hope to enable
access to key pieces through the Internet.”
Other projects supported by the
Alumni Fund include:
• The establishment of a low-melt alloy
casting facility which will open new
applications for students of Art and
Product Design.
• A Web2.0 space, to be developed as part
of the Culturgen project, enabling students
and staff to communicate and exchange
information and data in a way that creates
a networked community around
professional practice and curriculum
development.
• An electrochemical detector for the
School of Science and Technology
which will give students valuable hands-on
experience of high-performance liquid
chromatography.
• The purchase of a new attachment for an
infrared spectrometer, enabling Forensic
Science and Chemistry students to carry
out laboratory work on solid samples of
forensic interest using modern rapid
sampling techniques.
• The purchase of a complete samba band
performance kit as a central resource for
the PGCE Secondary students studying the
music strand, for use in placement schools.
• Provision of practical consultation videos
for Sport and Exercise Psychology students,
based on key topics and issues and
enabling the shift from theory to practice.
• Development of an online space enabling
Theatre Design students to share work and
forge links with students from similar
educational establishments.
introduce undergraduate students to the
home intelligent toy market – an exciting
growth area tipped by Microsoft CEO Bill
Gates to be the next “hot” arena for design,
manufacture and consumer engagement.
The two robots are fitted with ultra-sonic
range finders and camera modules and are
designed to provide realistic simulations of
human-driven decision-making processes.
Further funding is being sought for additional
mobile robotic units to expand the range and
complexity of the student experience in this
area of design and technology.
• Improvements to the University’s teaching
placement library, a resource for all
students on initial teacher education
courses (primary, secondary and postcompulsory).
• Improvements to the print finishing area
in the Photography resource basement
in the Bonington building.
• The purchase of MP4 players to allow
students to undertake self-directed video
induction tours of the University’s libraries
and IT resource rooms.
14 | Network
Alumni Fund donors 2006-2007
Staff and students at the University would like to express sincere thanks to all those who have made a gift to
the Alumni Fund during the last academic year.
In recognition of your support we are pleased to list the names of all those who have made a gift to the Alumni Fund between August 2006 and
July 2007 (where possible, including maiden and former names). We would also like to thank those donors who preferred to remain anonymous.
Thank you for your support. The Alumni Fund continues to make a real difference to the student experience at Nottingham Trent University.
Please help us to open doors for Nottingham Trent students again this year by adding your name to the 2007-2008 donor list.
Alumni Fund Supporters 2006/2007
1940-1959
Sydney Alexander, Agriculture 1948; John Hill,
Agriculture 1950; Philip Swan, Agriculture 1950;
Bernice Kozlowski (née Gleadle), Textiles 1952;
John Walster, Agricultural Merchanting 1957; Dr
Andrew Fawcett, Chemistry 1959; Janet Metcalf
(née Smith), Rural Economy 1959.
1960-1969
Josephine Moss, Agriculture 1960; Brian
Robson, Agriculture 1961; Alan W Bednall CEng
MIMechE, Mechanical Engineering 1962; Clara
Smith (née Chambers), Education and Main
Subject 1962; David Richmond, Estate Surveying
1964; Jennifer Burnett, General 1967; Colin
Machin, Agriculture 1967; Ashwinkumnar
Gosrani, Business Studies 1969.
1970-1979
Martin Charlesworth, Quantity Surveying 1970;
Terence Graves, Printing Technology 1970;
Sheila Hutchinson (née Storry), Primary
Education 1970; Kathleen Tatlow, Primary
Education 1970; Keith Gompertz, Legal Studies
1971 and Corporate Law 2001; Barbara Bevin
(née Darley-Osmar), Education 1972; Michael
Bickerstaffe, Business Studies 1972; Ralph
Jones, Building 1972; Bryan King, Business
Studies 1972; Professor Paul Lester CBE,
Mechanical Engineering 1972; Ian Reaves, Legal
Studies 1972; Margaret Tyas (née Clarke),
Primary Education 1972; David Birch, Town and
Country Planning 1974 and Landscape Design
1978; Roger Boucher, Quantity Surveying 1974;
Simon Davey, Business Studies 1974; Tony
Kockelbergh, Business Studies 1974; Barbara
Sloman (née Haslam), Agriculture for Women
1975; Richard Allitt, Civil Engineering 1976; Paul
Anderson, Quantity Surveying 1976; Rev Colin
Bones, Applied Chemistry 1976; Jim Scholes,
Projects to improve the learning environment
15 | Network
Textiles 1976; Mrs J Trice (née Ballantyne),
Agriculture for Women 1976; Bryan Chambers,
Applied Chemistry 1977; Councillor John
Hartshorne, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
1977; Richard Hutchings, Civil Engineering
1977; Ian Irving, Business Studies 1977; Robert
Tasker, Applied Biology 1977; Geoffrey Williams,
Civil Engineering 1977; Robert Dale, Building
1978; Stuart Beevor, Urban Estate Surveying
1979; Professor John Farrell, Business Studies
1979; Christopher Jones-Bridger, Business
Studies 1979; Austin Madu, Chemistry 1979;
Ritchie Sharpe, Humanities 1979; Dr
Christopher Voisey, Urban Estate Surveying
1979.
1980-1989
Paul Marriott, Quantity Surveying 1980 and
Building Procurement 1996; Patrick Nelson,
Computer Studies 1980 and Business Studies
1984; Steven Barker, Quantity Surveying 1981;
Kai-Fook Choi, Public Administration 1981;
Johnathan Hobson, Applied Biology 1981; Chris
Murton, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
1981; Roderick Campbell, Law 1982; Rosemary
Carabine (née Davies), Applied Chemistry 1982
and Secondary Education 2000; Tim Cobb,
Economics 1982 and Marketing 2003; Yvonne
Forman (née Cutting), Textiles 1982 and
Secondary Education 1995; Jeremy Rennie,
Business Studies 1982; Peter Richardson,
Modern European Studies 1982; Keith Turner,
Business Studies 1982 and 1984; Neil Burman,
Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1983; Jim
Harley, Business Studies 1983; David Knight,
Business Studies 1983; Julian Wildsmith, Law
1983 and Legal Practice MBA 1998; Paul
Cullinan, Quantity Surveying 1984; Dr Richard
Edwards, Mechanical Engineering 1984 and
1988; Simon Barrett-Danes, Computer Studies
1985; John Chablo, Electrical and Electronic
Engineering 1985 and Common Foundation
Programme 1989; Tony Edwards, Accounting
Helping trainee teachers hone Web design skills
and Finance 1985; David Hargreaves, Urban
Estate Surveying 1985; Nick Higgins, Applied
Chemistry 1985 and Secondary Education 1988;
Jennifer Skellett, Social Sciences 1985; Thomas
Lindop, Print Media Management 1986; Adam
Moore, Humanities 1986; Robert Wood,
Accounting and Finance 1986; Nicola Baumber
(née Hampson), Urban Estate Surveying 1987
and 1990; Andrew Masdin, Business Studies
1987; Julie Pickworth (née Spencer), Law 1987;
Martin Walker, Accounting and Finance 1987;
Martyn Deacon, Applied Chemistry 1988; David
Jackson, Building Studies (Quantity Surveying)
1988 and Quantity Surveying 1991; Elaine Kay
(née Marshall), Public Administration 1988;
Heather Robinson (née Irons), Applied
Chemistry 1988; David Ellis, Computer Studies
1989; Richard Farnham, Land Administration
(Estate Management) 1989 and Urban Estate
Surveying 1992; Grant Morrison, Applied
Chemistry 1989; Graham Swift, Management
Studies 1989 and Secondary Education 1996;
Barbara Volpato (née Sedgebeer), Humanities
1989.
1990
Keith Attwood, MBA 1990; Andrew Beardmore,
Computer Studies 1990; Richard Bell, Combined
Studies in Science 1990; Dr Barry Causier,
Applied Biology 1990; Steven East, Electrical and
Electronic Engineering 1990; Catherine Farmer,
Humanities 1990; Rosslyn Hamlyn (née Payne),
Law 1990; Simon Holden, Quantity Surveying
1990; Simon Hurlbatt, Accounting and Finance
1990; Neil Lawler, Residential Development
1990; Timothy Leadley, Applied Biology 1990
and Secondary Education 1991; Christine
McAlinden (née Bell), Applied Biology 1990;
Stephen Morley, Craft Design and Technology
1990; Dr Peter Nash, Applied Biology 1990;
Nigel Popplewell, Combined Studies in Sciences
1990; Steve Sells, Electrical and Electronic
Engineering 1990; Esther Stapleton, Business
Boosting student health promotion campaigns
and Finance 1990 and Business Studies 1994;
Penrose Taylor, Social Sciences 1990; Rupert
Weldon, Business Studies 1990; Lilian West,
District Nursing 1990 and Secondary Education
1994; Paul Wright, Industrial Studies 1990.
1991
Elizabeth Ash, Primary Education 1991; Vijiya
Buljeean, Education (Further and Higher
Education) 1991; Simon Calvert, Social Sciences
1991; Theresa Coll (née Kinloch), Maths/Physical
Science/Design and Technology 1991; Damian
Grosvenor, Electrical Engineering 1991; Matthew
Jenkinson, Communication Studies 1991; Ian
Kennedy, Qualification in Social Work 1991;
Margaret Lambert, Science (Applied Biology)
1991; Jeffrey Lofts, Electrical and Electronic
Engineering 1991; Gene Morgan, Combined
Studies in Sciences 1991 and Advanced
Manufacturing Technology 1992; Tony Mowles,
Accounting and Finance 1991; Bernadette Petrie
(née Mullan), Applied Social Studies 1991; Claire
Plant (née Pipe), Humanities 1991; Geoffrey
Poyzer, Civil Engineering 1991; Richard Squires,
European Business 1991; Neil Stockall, Law
1991; Karen Walker, MBA 1991; Mark Ward,
Biological Sciences 1991; Tracey Worrall, Primary
Education 1991.
1992
Rajinder Bahra, Applied Chemistry 1992; Louise
Batt, Graphic Design 1992; Scott Blake, Urban
Estate Surveying 1992; William Brennan,
Maths/Physical Science/Design and Technology
1992; Esther Cornell, Manufacturing Engineering
1992; Fiona Fowkes (née Beattie),
Communication Studies 1992; Andrew Hindle,
Manufacturing Engineering 1992; Kirsty Johnson
Cox (née Johnson), Sport (Administration and
Science) 1992; Catherine Lawson, Secondary
Education 1992; Emma Lewis (née Pierce),
European Business 1992; John Morris, Primary
Education 1992; Yaseen Parkar, Construction
Management 1992; Dean Penford, Social
Sciences 1992 and Careers Guidance 1994;
Julian Read, Mechanical Engineering 1992;
Sarah Rodgers (née Nabb), Communication
Studies 1992.
1993
Sarah Abdy (née Holtham), Humanities 1993
and Primary Education 1994; Harriet Armstrong
Viner (née Armstrong), Humanities 1993;
Nicholas Beal, Law 1993 and Legal Practice
Course 1994; James Bennett, Urban Estate
Surveying 1993; Catherine Caley, Occupational
Health Nursing 1993 and Health Studies 1995;
New equipment for the observatory at Clifton
Susan Clark, Business and Finance 1993; David
Couldwell, Computer Studies 1993; Chris Dawe,
Industrial Management 1993; Tessa Evans,
Building Studies 1993; David Farmer,
Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) 1993;
Dominic Fryer, Construction Management 1993;
Matthew Herring, Economics 1993; Jeetendra
Jethwa, Combined Studies in Sciences 1993;
Atika Kapila, Primary Education 1993; Elaine
Keeton, Primary Education 1993; Michael
Lindsay, Building 1993; Austin Martins, Social
Sciences 1993; Dr Mark Middleton, Applied
Chemistry 1993 and Industrial Studies 1993;
Farhan Mirza, Industrial Management 1993;
Stephen Paget, Building 1993; David Parker,
Design and Technology 1993; Vincent Poole,
Secondary Education 1993; Nicola Tarr, 3D
Design (Theatre) 1993; Iain Tyrrell, Land
Administration 1993 and Estate Management
1996; Hugo Venter, Computing Systems 1993;
Sarah Wright, Accounting and Finance 1993.
1994
Anthony Allgood, Public Administration 1994;
Joanne Bal (née Brown), Applied Biology 1994;
Lisa Butterworth (née Spencer), Graphic Design
1994; Russell Coulter, MBA 1994; Paul Deal,
Cost Management of Building Engineering
Services 1994; Jane Gandy, Manufacturing
Systems Engineering with Management 1994;
Sharon Gasson, Magisterial Law 1994; John
Glendenning, Combined Studies in Sciences
1994; Fiona Gray, Social Sciences 1994; Neil
Harvey, MBA 1994; Paul Heslop, Building 1994;
Helen Hunt, Primary Education 1994; Dominic
Hyett, Sport (Science and Administration) 1994;
Jacqueline Jones, Combined Studies in Sciences
1994 and Secondary Education 1995; Dr Paul
Kennedy, Urban Estate Surveying 1994 and
Environmental Science 1998; Steve Kirk,
Mechanical Engineering 1994; Amanda Lacey,
Business Studies 1994; James Luker, Civil
Engineering Studies 1994 and Civil Engineering
2003; Sarah Mawdsley, Modern European
Studies 1994; Daryl Murray, Electrical
Engineering 1994; Mark O'Leary, Building
Studies 1994; Lynn Ponsonby (née Nightingale),
Business Studies 1994 and 1996; Malcolm
Townroe, Legal Practice Course 1994; Allan
Wood, Law 1994.
1995
Eric Adjaidoo, Health Studies 1995; Simon
Barnes, Quantity Surveying 1995; Deirdre Bray,
Business and Finance 1995, Business Studies
1996 and Secondary Education 1997; Mandy
Collison, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Extra resources for School of Education students
with Management 1995 and Secondary
Education 2002; Nicola Darby, Modern
European Studies 1995; Gareth Devine,
Engineering Surveying 1995; Kieran Donaghey,
European Business 1995; Katie Farrar,
Humanities 1995; Dr Simon Griffin, Integrated
Engineering 1995 and Mechanical Engineering
2000; Crispin Heath, Social Sciences 1995; Fiona
Henry, PGCE 1995; Aurangzaib Hussain,
Management Studies 1995; Ceri Jenks, Quantity
Surveying 1995; David Kay, Accounting and
Finance 1995; Robert Lee, Manufacturing
Engineering 1995; Laura McGinlay, Textiles with
Clothing 1995; Eddie Miller, Human Resource
Management 1995; Sue Moore, Management
Studies 1995 and MBA 1997; Andria Oliver,
Combined Studies in Sciences 1995; Michael
Pernette, Combined Studies in Sciences 1995;
Alan Pugh, Law 1995 and Legal Practice Course
1996; Philip Stanton, Business Information
Systems 1995; Linda Stein, Applied Chemistry
1995; Adrian Swain, Accounting and Finance
1995; Matthew Wilson, Accounting and Finance
1995.
1996
Rachel Anderson, Business Administration 1996
and 1997; Elizabeth Bennett (née Chavez),
Primary Education 1996; Andy Bukavs, MBA
1996; Nova Carr, Modern European Studies
1996; Dr Evelyn Chan, Mathematics in Science
1996 and Mathematics 2000; Raymond Clough,
Advanced Litigation 1996; Christopher Dafnis,
Computing Systems 1996; Robert Davie,
Construction Management 1996; Andrew Dawn,
Fine Art 1996; Francis De Souza, Combined
Studies in Sciences 1996; Dilip Desai, Civil
Engineering Q/S 1996; Melville Evelyn, Design
and Technology 1996; Carolyn Forsyth, Further
Education 1996; Pamela Gow, Management in
General Practice 1996; Marianne Graham, Fine
Art 1996; Allison Herkes-Peck (née Herkes),
Modern European Studies 1996; James Hickey,
Business Studies 1996; Martin Kelly,
Communication Studies 1996; Peter Kosmalski,
Secondary Education 1996; James Leach,
Furniture and Product Design 1996; Esther Lewis,
Applied Biology 1996; Philip Lines, Industrial
Management 1996; Kay Meacher, Fashion
Technology 1996 and Fashion and Textiles 1997;
Claire Moore, Humanities 1996; Joanne Onions,
Manufacturing Systems Engineering with
Management 1996; Lee Palmer, Accounting and
Finance 1996; Carol Sarbutt, Further Education
1996; Jonathan Sharpe, Humanities 1996 and
Social Science Research Methods 1998;
continued on page 17
Training students to become basketball referees
16 | Network
1996 continued
Anna Sherrin, European Business 1996; James
Smith, Estate Surveying 1996; Rosemary Stamp,
Marketing Management 1996; Timothy
Stirmey, Law 1996 and Legal Practice Course
1997; Dilys Taylor, Law 1996 and Legal Practice
Course 1997; Jacqueline Turrell, Contemporary
Arts 1996; Paula Warnock (née Bower), Law
1996 and Legal Practice Course 1997; Sarah
Watson, Applied Biology 1996 and 1998;
Timothy Whitworth, Building 1996; Catherine
Wilkes (née Hutton), Primary Education 1996;
Mark Young, Applied Biology 1996 and 1998.
1997
Reuben Abrams, Financial Services 1997;
Timothy Bishop, Management Studies 1997
and MBA 1998; Julie Brookes, Primary Education
1997; Robert Harding, Furniture and Product
Design 1997; Stuart Hirons, Computer Studies
1997; Geoffrey Hoff, Further Education 1997;
Earle Hughes, Law 1997; Neil Jones, Industrial
Management 1997; Paul Keegan, Management
1997, Management Studies 1998 and MBA
2000; Noel McConkey, Law 1997; Satish Mistry,
Financial Services 1997; Jon Mitchell, Business
Economics 1997; Claire Mumford (née
Newton), Computer Studies 1997; Dr Kevin
Owen, Construction Management 1997 and
Construction Procurement 2003; Carole Radford,
Science (Applied Food Studies) 1997 and Food
Science and Technology 1999.
1998
Susan Beet, English 1998 and Further Education
2000; Louise Berger, European Business 1998;
Joanne Blagona (née Fisk), Design and
Technology Education 1998; Donal Brannigan,
Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1998;
Christopher Brett, Estate Surveying 1998; Lee
Butcher, Combined Studies in Sciences 1998;
Alison Butterworth, Textiles with Clothing 1998;
Samantha Childs (née Hall), Secondary
Education 1998; Manmohan Chohan, Industrial
Management 1998; Alan Conway, Business
Economics 1998; William Corkery, Civil
Engineering (Commercial Management) 1999;
Andy Darvill, Applied Biology 1998; Andrew
Dubock, Broadcast Journalism 1998; Sarah
Edom, Textile Design 1998; Paul Goddard,
Broadcast Journalism 1998; Richard Hayes,
Human Resource Development 1998; Philip
Jackson, Accounting and Finance 1998;
Stephen Jermy, Quantity Surveying 1998; Peter
Leach, Humanities 1998; Patrick Lee, MBA
1998; David Lytton, Law 1998 and Legal
Practice Course 1999; Simon Mann, Law 1998;
Helen Marsh (née Normington), Law 1998;
Giving science students the tools of the trade
17 | Network
Farah Mohammed, Biomedical Sciences 1998;
Emma Moores (née Martin), English and
Environmental Studies 1998; Maureen Quinn,
Humanities 1998; Thomas Raybould, Computer
Studies 1998 and 2001; Joanne Robinson,
Business Administration 1998; Fiona Russell
(née Gerber), Environmental Health 1998;
Christopher Shilham, Social Sciences 1998;
Balwinder Singh, Biomedical Sciences 1998;
Gail Sugden, Social Sciences 1998; Brian
Thompson, Humanities 1998; James
Wentworth, Building Studies 1998 and
Construction Management 2000; Sarah
Wilkinson, Sport Science 1998.
1999
Antony Angell, Industrial Management 1999;
Stellan Barton, Furniture and Product Design
1999; Steven Doughty, Cost Management of
Building Engineering Services 1999; Philip
Flanagan, Accounting and Finance 1999; Sian
Freestone-Walker, Broadcast Journalism 1999;
Karen Goffe, Social Sciences 1999; Catherine
Hare (née Rosie), Occupational Health and
Safety Management 1999; Serjeet Heera,
Investigative Journalism 1999; Claire Holder
(née Field), Biomedical Sciences 1999; Nathan
Jones, Modern European Studies 1999; Petra
Knight, Fashion and Textile Management 1999;
Graham Lovering, Law 1999; Sally
Meadowcroft, Computer Studies 1999; Godfrey
Moustache, Management Initiative Programme
1999 and Occupational Health and Safety
Management 2003; Patrick O'Brien,
Environmental Science 1999; Andrew Perry, Civil
Engineering 1999; Kerry Self, Primary Education
1999; Francine Southall, Social Sciences 1999;
Kirsten Sparrow, Legal Practice Course 1999.
2000-2005
Keith Atherton, Applied Physics 2000; Lay Chen
Aw, Business Administration 2000; Arminder
Brooks (née Tumber), Mathematical Methods
for Information Technology 2000; Pete Burnett,
History 2000; John Finch, Media and Cultural
Studies 2000; Lindsay Gladwin (née Stevenson),
Applied Food Studies 2000; Jenny Grodzicka,
Hotel Catering and Institutional Management
2000 and Business and Hospitality Management
2001; Michelle Heeley, Europe with German
2000 and Bar Vocational Course 2001;
Catherine Hope, European Business 2000;
Rebecca Lalor, Sport (Administration and
Science) 2000; Peter Lister, Safety, Health and
Environmental Management 2000; Alan Lo,
Social Work Studies 2000; Rosalind Mayes,
Criminology 2000; Gillian Meeks, Textile Design
Keeping equine studies riding high
2000; Jake Penrose, Computer Studies 2000;
Cara Phillips, Communication Studies 2000;
Dilip Sharan, Management Studies 2000 and
MBA 2001; Heather Sharman, Accounting and
Finance 2000; Katy Shepherd (née Ellson),
Accounting and Finance 2000; Jacqueline Smith
(née Peddie), Human Resource Development
2000; Steven Smith, Electrical and Electronic
Engineering 2000; Victoria Sponton,
International Relations With Politics 2000; Andy
Thompson, Sport Science (Administration And
Coaching) 2000; Paul Towers, Sport
(Administration and Science) 2000; Adam
Williamson, Sport (Coaching Business and
Exercise Science) 2000; Timothy Wilson,
European Economics 2000 and Social Science
Research Methods 2001; Kean Yap, Quantity
Surveying 2000; Sultan Ali, Computer Studies
2001; Sian Arnsby, Human Services 2001;
James Bashford, Business and Quality
Management 2001; David Baxter, Industrial
Management 2001; David Chadwick, MBA
2001; Clare Coley, English 2001; Neera Dhir,
Applied Biology 2001; Richard Elston, French
with International Relations 2001; Benjamin
Flynn, Fine Art 2001; Paul Gough, Management
2001 and Management Studies 2002; Ellie
Harrison, Fine Art 2001; Peter Hirons, Business
Leisure and Sports Education 2001; Laura
Kirkbride, Chemistry 2001; Joanna Nicholls,
Psychology 2001; Robert Parker, History 2001;
Timothy Pilgrim, Electronics and Computing
2001; Justin Tonge, Communication Studies
2001; Baldeep Bhaur, Accounting and Finance
2002; Anca Mandleson (née Manolescu), MBA
2002; Anthony Tan, MBA 2002; Gregory White,
Legal Practice Course 2002; Charles Cole Jr,
Advanced Litigation 2003; Carol Drake,
Counselling and Psychotherapy 2003; Mark
Smith, Quality Management and Improvement
2003; Tracie Yeoman, Law 2003; Lancelot
Kajokoto, Business Administration 2004 and
Management Studies 2005; Nicolas Tamalet,
European Economics 2005; Matthew Trimnell,
Financial and Project Management in
Construction 2005; Au Wah, Electrical and
Electronic Engineering 2005.
Honorary graduates
Professor Peter Cochrane OBE HonDEng and
Electrical Engineering 1973; Baroness Platt of
Writtle HonDSc; John Williams HonMA.
Former staff
Doreen Martin, Brackenhurst College lecturer
1951-1960.
A sharper focus for media projects
What can you do to help
your University?
Hannah Welsh (Furniture and Product
Design 2007) travelled to Eindhoven in
The Netherlands to work as an intern
with furniture designer Maarten Bass
Careers mentoring
programme
Thanks to generous alumni volunteers, we
have been able to launch an online careers
mentoring programme for current students, in
collaboration with our colleagues in the
Careers Service.
The programme allows Nottingham Trent
alumni to share their professional experiences
and expertise with current students via email,
providing advice and guidance for developing
their own careers.
Mentoring volunteer and alumna Lisa
Gibson (Strategic Human Resource
Management 2001) said: “Support from an
excellent person was fundamentally important
in my approach to my career. I wanted to be
part of the NTU mentoring programme so
that I could offer this sort of support back to
somebody else.”
Access to the mentoring programme is via
the University’s Virtual Learning Environment
(VLE) – a secure password-protected
web-based learning platform for current
students. As well as enhancing the student
learning experience, the VLE facilitates
communication and collaboration between
tutors, students and external parties.
If you are interested in acting as a mentor
for current students, please contact the Alumni
Office at [email protected] with your name
and contact information, together with details
of your career and any additional expertise
you have to offer. At the present time, the
mentoring programme is available via email
contact only.
Work placements
Nottingham Trent has an impressive
reputation for the excellence of its students
and the quality of its courses. The University
has one of the best graduate employment
records in the UK, which owes much to the
emphasis we place on providing relevant and
practical vocational education through course
elements such as work placements.
Many employers see NTU as their ideal
choice when recruiting both graduates and
undergraduate placement students.
If you’re an employer, we can help you
source the right undergraduate with the skills
your company needs to help you:
• Develop new products, research niche
markets or competitor behaviour, and
develop business ideas.
• Solve technical problems, and improve
information management systems and
operational procedures.
• Develop new projects or complete tasks
that have been sidelined due to lack of
time.
• Improve sales and profitability through
developing marketing strategies, website
infrastructure or e-commerce facilities.
To find out more about offering placements to
students, please contact the Alumni Office on
+44 (0)115 848 8777 or email
[email protected]
“The placement year is
incredibly rewarding and
beneficial for students.
Working with Maarten
allowed me to see the
possibilities of a design
career and opened my
eyes to the diversity of
work places. It really
made me think about
what I wanted from my
time at university.”
Recruitment
The Careers Service organises a number of
recruitment events throughout the year and is
always interested in hearing from potential
exhibitors. Please see the Careers Service
website for more details:
www.ntu.ac.uk/careers/employers
Don’t forget!
As a graduate of Nottingham Trent University,
you are still able to use the Careers Service
facilities free of charge. Please do not hesitate
to contact the team on +44 (0)115 848 4647.
Volunteering for Open Days
Do you remember the first time you visited
your University? Did you wish you could have
spoken to somebody who knew what it felt like
starting out at university? Well, you could
share your experiences of your time at NTU
with prospective students by volunteering to
help out at one of the many open days we
hold throughout the year at our City, Clifton
and Brackenhurst campuses. If you are
interested, please contact us for more
information on +44 (0)115 848 8777.
18 | Network
Alumni Survey 2007
Thanks to those of you who completed our Alumni Survey. The survey
was mailed to alumni from selected graduation years asking for views on
the Alumni Association and university life in general. If you weren’t
included this year, we may be contacting you soon for your views.
Nottingham Trent – a
great environment for
postgraduate study
Did you know…?
• Nottingham Business School runs one
of the largest Doctor of Business
Administration (DBA) courses in the UK.
• Nottingham Law School runs the only
Legal Practice Course (LPC) on the
market to have been consistently
graded “excellent” by the Law Society.
• The School of Animal, Rural and
Environmental Sciences frequently
produces prize-winning student
dissertations, garden designs and
livestock.
• Postgraduates studying in Architecture,
Design and the Built Environment
number 300, and all will be in high
demand by leading employers around
the world when they leave NTU.
• The School of Art and Design has a
worldwide reputation for creative
excellence, and has been rated
“excellent” for teaching in external
government reviews.
• In Arts and Humanities, the widely
acclaimed journal Theory, Culture and
Society is celebrating its 21st
anniversary.
A great response
We received over 1,100 completed surveys –
and you helped us regain contact with 122 of
your fellow alumni, meaning that your friends
will now also enjoy the benefits of the Alumni
Association.
A fifth of all respondents told us they had
attended a University reunion. However, 68%
said they had not been back to the University
since graduation. Well, what are you waiting
for? Contact us for your Reunion Pack which
explains how we can help you with your plans!
The alumni website was rated most highly
for ease of use and for being an informative
site. It scored lower in terms of being a useful
tool for networking purposes – but we have
listened to your comments and your new
Online Community, to be launched later this
year, will be developed to include this service.
Your views on Network
• 92% of respondents remembered receiving
their Network magazine. Although more
than half would prefer to continue receiving
it in printed form only, 28% of alumni
indicated they would be happy to receive
email notification once a copy was
available online. Therefore we plan to build
this facility into our new Online Community.
• Those pages which are most read include
“Past and present”, “Weddings” and those
with news on University developments.
• The School of Education’s innovative
music PGCE for secondary teachers is
unique in the East Midlands region.
• The School of Science and Technology
hosts wide-ranging research of national
and international status in
sector-leading facilities.
• The School of Social Sciences boasts
Europe’s only Professor of Gambling
Studies.
• NTU guarantees an offer of Universityallocated accommodation to all new
postgraduate students.
Why not come along to the
University’s Postgraduate Open
Day on Wednesday 30 January
2008?
19 | Network
Luxury weekend break
The lucky winner of this year’s Update Your
Details promotion is Janet Young
(Environmental Health 2007), who said she
was “delighted” to have won and is already
planning her return to Nottingham.
The promotion offered all Nottingham
• We were also offered suggestions as to
what you would like to see in your
magazine and will be working to
incorporate these ideas into future issues.
Other key findings
• 76% said that they had recommended
NTU to a friend or acquaintance.
• 21% of alumni told us that another family
member also attended NTU.
• Many of you also asked how you could help
your University. We’ve dedicated a full
page to this. See page 18 to find out how
you could help.
Prize draw winner
And finally, those who returned their survey
were entered into a prize draw for a luxury
weekend break at The Nottingham Belfry,
exclusively arranged by our friends at
Experience Nottinghamshire. The lucky winner
was Martin Holmes (Legal Practice Course
1998).
For more information on The Nottingham
Belfry visit:
www.qhotels.co.uk/hotels/the-nottinghambelfry-nottingham-nottinghamshire
For more details about what to see and do
in and around Nottingham, go to the
Experience Nottinghamshire website:
www.visitnottingham.com
Trent University alumni the opportunity to
win a weekend break for two at
Nottingham’s fabulous Lace Market Hotel,
just by updating their details online.
We hope that Janet enjoys her stay at the
Lace Market Hotel. Last year’s winner, Mike
Blackburn (Combined Studies in Sciences
2000), visited Nottingham with his wife
Rachael prior to their wedding to claim his
prize. He said: “The Lace Market Hotel is very
nice. Our room was comfortable and we had
a lovely meal in the hotel’s restaurant. The
weekend went very quickly, though. There is
too much to do in Nottingham for a
weekend to do the city any justice!”
To find out more about the Lace Market
Hotel, visit their website at:
www.lacemarkethotel.co.uk
Climber celebrates survival with
wheelchair ascent
A terrifying mountaineering accident almost claimed his life, but – with the help of his friends – intrepid
Michael Garton still managed to scale the heights of Snowdon in his wheelchair.
Michael meets members of the helicopter rescue team
Only ten months after a serious climbing
accident left him paralysed, chemical research
and development officer Michael Garton
(Science (Chemistry) 2005) has conquered
Snowdon, the highest peak in England and
Wales.
It took a team of 19 climbers three and a
half hours to help Michael and his wheelchair
up the 3,560ft (1,085m) mountain, with the
aid of ropes.
He said: “I have climbed Snowdon many
times before but this was very special. It was
such a great feeling to be up there in the fresh
air, in that environment with all my friends.”
The team which helped him scale the Welsh
giant included staff from the spinal injuries
unit at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital.
The climb, which involved 11 other
wheelchair-users, was organised by the
Back-Up Trust, a national charity that supports
people suffering from spinal cord injury.
Michael’s accident happened when he
became the first British person to launch a solo
attempt on the notorious 5,950ft (1,814m)
Trollveggen (Troll Wall) in Norway. A climber
since the age of 12, and a veteran of the
Matterhorn, he had always harboured an
ambition to climb the Troll Wall, which was
thought to be unclimbable until 1965 when a
Norwegian team became the first to make a
successful ascent.
With its 3,300ft (1,006m) sheer rockface,
topped by a 150ft (46m) overhang, rescue
attempts on the Troll Wall are generally
considered impossible, but as Michael
traversed the face a section of it collapsed,
leaving him hanging upside-down, unconscious
and with his neck broken, from a tiny ledge
1,000ft (305m) above the valley floor.
He says: “When I came round I realised I
was paralysed. Because the climb is so
dangerous, rescue attempts are never
mounted. I couldn’t see any hope of surviving.
Eventually I blacked out again through
hyphothermia.”
It was at this point that luck stepped in. In
a car park several miles away, a tourist
enjoying a view of the Troll Wall through a
high-powered telescope spotted Michael and
alerted rescue services.
The crew of a Norwegian Air Force Sea King
helicopter who happened to be training nearby
mounted a daring recovery mission. By the
time they reached Michael, he had been
hanging from the cliff face for ten hours.
Astonished to find him alive, they lifted him off
the mountain, narrowly avoiding a massive
rockfall themselves.
Michael remained unconscious for 12 days
following the accident, and spent three weeks
in an intensive care unit in Norway before
being flown back to Britain to begin his
recovery.
Prior to his Snowdon climb, he had begun
to regain some movement in his arms, and he
has not given up on walking and climbing
unaided at some point in the future. He says: I
want to do it again, but I haven’t decided yet
where the next climb will be. Hopefully the use
could come back to the rest of my body.
Doctors say that with spinal injuries anything
is possible.”
20 | Network
All change on campus as
transformation gathers pace
The last few issues of Network have given you an insight into the investment being made in the University’s three
campuses to create an inspiring environment for work and study. Here we turn the spotlight on key
developments at Brackenhurst, and check in on the transformation of the City site’s two most prominent
buildings into a visionary architectural feature in the heart of Nottingham.
Building on success at
Brackenhurst
Exciting new developments in the animal
science course provision at the Brackenhurst
campus have received a boost with the
opening of a new £1.5 million building that
houses a state-of-the-art Veterinary Nursing
Centre and Animal Unit.
The School of Animal, Rural and
Environmental Sciences has received
accreditation from the Royal College of
Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to deliver a new
flagship Veterinary Nursing Foundation degree
(FdSc), onto which its first cohort of students
has enrolled this year.
The excellent new facilities are enabling the
students to learn essential clinical and basic
animal handling techniques before they
embark on clinical placements.
So far, 14 students have begun their studies
towards the qualification, with many
commenting on the high standard of
equipment available.
They are currently preparing to go out into
their approved veterinary practices for the first
stint of the work placement which covers 70
weeks of practical experience.
Plans are also underway at Brackenhurst to
develop a Rural Knowledge and Enterprise
Centre (RKEC) to provide high-tech physical
and virtual learning, research and support
facilities that will be accessible not only to
students but also to the local community and
rural-based businesses.
Resources available within the RKEC will
include a new library; conferencing facilities; a
one-stop shop offering advice, research and
consultancy services; support for business
start-up and incubation; access to education,
training and continuing professional
development; and knowledge transfer for
business innovation and growth.
Dean of the School, Professor Jenny Saint,
said: “Our vision is based on Brackenhurst’s
impressive heritage as a provider of
land-based education and training.
“We intend this to be the main location in
the region for all matters in relation to
land-based, food and ancillary businesses.”
Animal magic: excellent new facilities have opened at Brackenhurst
“The vision is based on our
impressive heritage in
land-based education.”
Professor Jenny Saint welcomes progress
21 | Network
Pet project: the new veterinary nursing degree
A new heart for
NTU - at the heart
of the city
The transformation of the University’s City
site began in earnest in the spring of 2006,
with the closure of the Newton and Arkwright
buildings. Since then, work has been ongoing
to create an inspiring new campus hub, which
will create a focal point for the University’s
city-centre site, and a vibrant new space at
the heart of Nottingham.
The Newton building has been stripped of
its internal walls and fittings, and the east
and west barrel vaults have both been
removed in preparation for its metamorphosis
into a more modern, streamlined teaching
and learning facility.
Bird-lovers will be pleased to hear that a
pair of peregrine falcons, which have been in
residence on the roof of Newton for several
years, were so undisturbed by recent building
work that they successfully hatched four
chicks. According to the Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds, there are currently only
1,285 breeding pairs of peregrines in the UK.
Members of the University’s Estates and
Resources team have worked closely with
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the RSPB
to carefully monitor the birds and to ensure
their security and well-being.
A sensitive approach to preserving the
local wildlife has been matched by an impulse
to preserve the architectural heritage of the
site.
As previous unsympathetic renovations
carried out on Arkwright are gradually being
dismantled, the building is revealing the
A stunning atrium will form the centrepiece
Space to develop: a bird’s eye view shows how the new-look campus will take shape
grandeur and beauty of its original Victorian
architectural features.
The interior is being restored to its former
glory, and the building integrated into the
development as a whole by the addition of a
vast glass atrium, designed to create a central
court for the City site.
Currently under discussion, in conjunction
with Nottingham City Council, is the idea of
utilising the regeneration of the
Newton-Arkwright complex to create a
University Quarter for the city.
This would enable the University to vacate
some of the more peripheral and less
well-used buildings, many of which are leased.
It would also allow NTU to concentrate its
activities in a more compact area, around
which pavement cafés and carefully designed
walkways will create a stronger sense of
cohesion for the site.
The University’s Director of Estates and
Resources, Ged O’Donoghue, says: “We want
to offer students and staff what they want
and need – gold-standard facilities and
services we can all be proud of.”
Arkwright’s Victorian grandeur will be revealed
as unsympathetic renovations are dismantled
Clearing the way for progress: Goldsmith building and some of the barrel vaults have been removed
22 | Network
Link with Severn Trent is a first
Nottingham Trent’s strong reputation for post-experience course innovation has received a significant
boost with the success of a new partnership.
The recent launch of a Diploma in
Management Studies (Supply Chain) has
established the first ever bespoke supply
chain management course run by a higher
education institution for the utility sector.
The two-year postgraduate course –
leading to a nationally recognised award for
managers – is the result of an important
partnership between Nottingham Business
School and major local employer Severn
Trent Water.
The course aims to create a business
learning context in which supply chain issues
and the management development needs of
Severn Trent, its suppliers, contractors and
consultants can be effectively addressed.
Tony Wray, Managing Director of Severn
Trent, said: “Severn Trent Water is very
pleased to be involved in such an important
initiative. We are committed to continued
improvement in our business and this
exciting course provides a unique opportunity
for members of our supply chain to address
issues and learn together in a
knowledge-sharing collaborative
environment.”
The Business School is adept at designing
courses to suit the timetabling needs of
professional people, and this one is no
exception as it is delivered in two stages via
day-blocks.
Course participants will gain better
understanding of supply chain companies’
strategies, business plans and operations; and
cultivate improved relationships between
people at different levels within member
organisations.
They will also learn to identify areas for
improvement and develop solutions more
efficiently, and make significant contributions
towards a unique and dynamic knowledge
bank for member companies to access and
utilise.
The course incorporates a research project
that enables participants to study in detail
issues identified within their company’s own
supply chain, and also allows them to
undertake consultancy within Severn Trent’s
supply chain group of companies.
Participants who complete the full course
of 14 modules will have gained two thirds of
the credits required for a Master of Business
Administration (MBA) degree, giving them an
opportunity to progress further if they
choose to.
Dr Mike Brown, Director of Postgraduate
Corporate Programmes at Nottingham Trent
University, said: “This innovative course is the
result of a great deal of planning between
the University and the senior management
team at Severn Trent Water.
“We hope it will enable greater discussion,
debate and knowledge that will be to the
benefit of all involved.”
Gold awards for volunteering
In its role as a good neighbour, Nottingham Trent actively encourages its students to contribute to the local
community - and five volunteers are now celebrating after receiving top prizes for their efforts.
Volunteer Stephanie Dale made a documentary
At the student volunteering celebration evening
23 | Network
Five NTU students received Gold Awards from
National Student Volunteering England – the
only nationally recognised scheme where
students’ volunteering activities are honoured
by their peers.
Their remarkable achievements have played
a key role in building strong community
relations and highlighting the University’s
status as a good neighbour.
Stephanie Dale, Samantha Keetley, Jodie
Middleton, Adelle Hayes and Anna Pope have
all demonstrated leadership, dedication and
achievement in their work for the wider
community, while continuing to participate
fully in university life.
Stephanie was recognised for her work as a
study coach supporting 10-to-14-year-olds at
the Nottingham Forest Study Centre. She
spent two years there as part of the ‘Playing
for Success’ scheme, helping pupils to raise
their standards in literacy, numeracy and ICT.
While there, she also completed a feature
documentary on why white working class boys
are a key group failing in literacy.
Meanwhile, Samantha was praised for
promoting student volunteer activity on the
Brackenhurst campus and in the community of
Southwell; Jodie has been mentoring two
young people on behalf of the Youth
Offending Team; Adelle volunteers with the
Nottinghamshire NHS Healthcare Trust at a
residential unit for adults with mental health
problems; and Anna works at the Nottingham
Refugee Forum, supporting asylum seekers
while co-ordinating other student volunteers.
In addition to the five Gold Award winners,
recognition was gained by 14 students who
took part in the Community Volunteer Award
programme – a personal development tool
designed to raise their awareness of how the
skills they develop through volunteering can
enhance their employability.
Professor Nigel Hastings – Pro
Vice-Chancellor for Arts, Humanities and
Education – said: “By volunteering their time,
energy and skills, these students make a huge
contribution to the community. It is not only
others who reap the benefits, as student
volunteers also gain invaluable experience,
skills and confidence.”
Honouring distinction
The July 2007 degree ceremonies presented an opportunity to confer honorary degrees on three figures who
have made a significant contribution, both to the University and in the public arena.
Lucy Orta: art as activism
Honorary Master of Arts
Professor Lucy Orta’s (Knitwear Design 1989)
unique blend of art with social activism has
created a new genre in the field of visual art
and gained worldwide recognition.
When she was studying in the School of Art
and Design, Lucy became the first person from
her course to complete a six-month sandwich
placement in New York. Since then, she has
travelled the world matching her creative
expression to the social issues she encounters.
Her vision is to create “architectures of the
soul” – work which turns the spotlight on
sensitive areas of society, reflecting the need
for change and alternative lifestyles. Her early
creations included Refuge Wear and Body
Architecture, works that feature tents which
double as overcoats and backpacks that
become sleeping bags. These address issues
of homelessness and social exclusion.
A later work, Nexus Architecture, comprises
outfits linked together via umbilical structures
to form a single garment that can be worn by
many people at the same time, representing
the need for human and social connection.
Lucy now divides her time between her
studios in Paris and the London College of
Fashion, where she became the first person in
the UK to be appointed to an endowed Chair
of Fashion. She has remained in close touch
with NTU, employed students on placement,
and delivered lectures and seminars here.
Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter
Jones said: “Her work is a beacon of excellence
and a true inspiration for all the students who
are following in her footsteps.”
Diarmuid Gavin:
‘Rock and roll’ gardener
Honorary Doctor of Art
A familiar figure from the world of gardening
TV, Diarmuid Gavin is known for his innovative,
conceptual approach to garden and landscape
design. His use of unconventional materials
and innovative engineering solutions has
courted controversy, yet he has won many
awards at prestigious events including the RHS
Chelsea Flower Show.
As well as appearing on TV programmes
including Home Front, Planet Patio and Garden
School, Diarmuid writes newspaper articles and
books, and delivers seminars internationally.
The Rt Hon Sir Igor Judge:
a gift for encouragement
Honorary Doctor of Laws
The most senior judge in the country, the Rt
Hon Sir Igor Judge, has received an honorary
doctorate in recognition of his major
contribution to the success of Nottingham Law
School, in particular its flagship Bar Vocational
Course (BVC), which this year celebrated its
tenth anniversary.
Sir Igor has enjoyed a distinguished career
as a barrister and judge of distinction. He has
appeared in every level of court and in
innumerable reported cases, including
landmark cases that have resulted in changes
to the Law.
In addition to his media work, he has a
garden design and construction business –
based in Dublin and London – which engages
in projects across Europe, the Middle East and
South Africa.
In spite of his busy schedule, Diarmuid finds
time to support the work of Nottingham Trent
University by assisting with academic
programmes and regularly visiting to lend
expert advice.
In conferring the degree, Professor Peter
Jones said: “To staff and students at
Nottingham Trent University, he is quite simply
an inspirational figure – a true mentor who,
with his generous support and unwavering
enthusiasm, has made a vital contribution to
our academic and practical work.”
His first judicial appointment was as
Recorder of the Crown Court in 1976, and he
went on to gain a number of eminent
positions during the next three decades,
including Queen’s Counsel (1979), High Court
Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division
(1988-96), Deputy Chief Justice of England
and Wales (2000), and first President of the
Queen’s Bench Division (2005 - present).
Sir Igor has been generous and unwavering
in his support of Nottingham Law School.
Each year, he delivers a lecture on sentencing
and advocacy, undertakes a visit to meet
students and hosts the Nottingham Trent
University BVC dinner. He also acts as an
ambassador for the BVC among the judiciary
and wider legal profession.
24 | Network
Joining the NTU community
Matthew’s musical mission
Introducing the new
Dean for Social Sciences
The School of Social Sciences has gained
a new Dean – Professor Christopher Pole
– who comes to NTU from the University
of Leicester, where he held the posts of
Sub-Dean (Postgraduate) in the Faculty
of Social Science and Assistant Director
(Research) for the School of Education.
Professor Pole has had a successful
career in the field of Sociology, with
particular interests in the Sociology of
Education and Childhood.
He has moved around the country
and, in his early career, worked for
organisations including the National
Foundation for Educational Research and
the Institute for Employment Studies
(University of Sussex). He went on to a
joint appointment in the Department of
Sociology and the Centre for Educational
Development, Appraisal and Research at
the University of Warwick, before joining
the Department of Sociology at
Leicester.
He has undertaken projects under the
ESRC’s ‘Children 5-16: Growing into the
21st Century’ programme and, more
recently, the ESRC / AHRC ‘Cultures of
Consumption’ programme.
He says: “I am really looking forward
to the challenge of developing further
the University’s already well-established
profile in the Social Sciences.”
Professor Pole replaces Professor
David Mason, who has been promoted to
the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor for
Business, Law and Social Sciences at
NTU.
25 | Network
Matthew Hopkins joined the University
earlier this year as Director of Music, a
position created with the aim of increasing
student and staff participation in musical
activities, and thereby creating a more
inspiring environment for work and study on
campus.
Matthew began by working with the NTU
Musician’s Society and student singing
group Mystro, going on to establish the NTU
Chorus – a University-wide choir open to
students and staff. He has also been
arranging individual tuition for students.
His own interest in music began at the
age of eight, and by the time he was 14, he
had already sung in many cathedrals around
the UK, performed in St Petersburg, Russia,
and sung in front of US President George
Bush Senior in Washington DC.
He went on to become Accompanist and
Assistant Director to the Royal Leamington
Spa Children’s Choir with whom he toured
many prestigious venues in Europe.
Matthew also has a BMus (Hons) degree
from the Birmingham Conservatoire, where
he studied under the tutelage of famous
tenor Professor Julian Pike.
Currently, he conducts various musical
groups, including the Staffordshire Youth
Choir and Midlands Festival Orchestra, as
well as continuing his professional singing
career.
Matthew has plenty of experience of
motivating people to get involved in music,
and he has ambitious plans for Nottingham
Trent University.
He commented: “Music is an excellent
way of bringing people together and I
would like to provide the opportunity for
everybody to take part in a musical activity
at the University.”
Striking the right note: Matthew at work with music-loving students
‘Gaines’ for Law School
World-class litigator Keith Gaines is settling
into his new role as Dean of Nottingham Law
School.
On joining Nottingham Trent University,
Keith said: “The legal profession in the UK is
undergoing significant change, and eyes are
on the Law School to continue its lead on the
key debates surrounding legal education.
“I am looking forward to being in the
driving seat, shaping the educational response
to this market change.”
Nottingham Law School has earned a
leading reputation for course innovation as
well as for unrivalled excellence in professional
provision.
In 2006, the School took the innovative
step of announcing a
partnership with
leading global
education services
provider Kaplan Inc,
creating a
Nottingham Law
School campus in
London.
Alumni talent speaks volumes
The Killing Jar
Nicola Monaghan
Hard-hitting, compelling, gripping, exuberant
– the expressions critics have used to
describe this debut novel by Nicola
Monaghan (Writing 2004) suggest that her
status as a rising talent is assured. And to
confirm it, she has scooped the 2007
Okrafo: Over a century in the
lives of a liberated African
family 1816-1930
Victor Okrafo-Smart
Author Victor Okrafo-Smart (History and
Gender 2000), spent five years researching
and writing his book.
Published this year to coincide with the
bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade,
the book’s story begins with Okoroafor the
First, a Nigerian-born man rescued from
slavery in 1816 by the British and repatriated
to Sierra Leone.
It goes on to chart the lives of his twin
grandsons Frederick and Francis and a
friendship with Devon man John Weeks, whose
surname was adopted by the family and
Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award, to add
to a Betty Trask award which she received for
the same book.
The Killing Jar tells the story of Kerrie-Ann,
brought up on a run-down Nottingham
council estate, who comes of age under a
dark shadow of drugs, abandonment,
criminality and exploitation. As a young girl,
she strikes up an unlikely friendship with an
elderly woman who passes on an intricate
knowledge of butterflies and moths,
knowledge which somehow becomes crucial
for Kerrie-Ann’s survival.
Creative Writing Programme Leader
David Belbin, who tutored Nicola, said: “It
was always obvious that Niki was going
places. Her determination, unflinching
subject matter and the energy of her writing
were there from the start.”
Fans will be glad to know that Nicola is
currently working on her second novel,
provisionally entitled Starfishing.
Palm Tree Publications UK
ISBN: 978-0955472404
passed down through generations of
descendants, many of whom became active in
education, politics and medicine.
The book has been described by
Christopher Fyfe, Reader in African History at
Edinburgh University, as “a work of real
scholarship and a valuable contribution to the
historiography of Sierra Leone”.
Victor says: “The environment which I
experienced as a postgraduate student at
Nottingham Trent contributed towards the
success of my writing. The book could not
have been written without the support,
encouragement and interest of my tutor
Judith Rowbotham. She was a wonderful
source of inspiration.”
Find out more at: www.okrafo.com
Vintage
ISBN: 978-0099496879
Fresher
Loay El-Hady
First-time author Loay El-Hady
(Humanities 2004 and Creative Writing
2006) is currently grabbing the student
zeitgeist with this adrenaline-charged
sprint through the first 48 hours in the life
of a Nottingham fresher. The book is
based on Loay’s own bizarre experiences,
which initially provided inspiration for a
diary published in the NTU student
newspaper Platform.
‘Random Diary’ was, he says, erratic
but entertaining; people said they liked it,
and it got him thinking. After graduating,
the idea of turning those little bits he had
written for the paper into a book began to
grow and he enrolled on the MA in
Creative Writing.
Learning the craft of composition
required discipline and dedication, but
Loay’s tutors made sure that he learned
to take criticism and hone his talent. They
also encouraged him to keep at it when
the publishers’ rejections started rolling in.
Eventually, production company Stone
Soup picked the book up. Loay says:
“They told me how much I would get for
the endeavour. I didn’t care – I was so
elated that I would’ve been happy with a
chocolate bar!”
If you’ve ever been a fresher, miss
being a fresher or want to know what
being a fresher is all about, Fresher is the
perfect read for you.
To read an extract of Loay’s book visit
his website at: www.lhady.com
Stone Soup Publishing
ISBN: 978-0955646607
26 | Network
Reunions
Brackenhurst bunch celebrate anniversary year
The Brackenhurst class of 1976-77
celebrated their 30th anniversary with a
reunion on Saturday 16 June. They enjoyed
a tour of Brackenhurst Farm and the School
of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
before heading to a local pub for a buffet
supper.
Organiser Jill Asher (Agriculture 1977)
said: “It was great to be together again after
all these years. However, we were unable to
trace a few of our classmates, so I would like
to urge all former Brackenhurst students to
check their address books and share
information so that we can regain contact
for future events.”
If you can help Jill trace any Brackenhurst
graduates from 1976-77, please contact her
via the Alumni Office on +44 (0)115 848
8777 or at [email protected]
Planners mark the big 3-0
The BA (Hons) Town and Country Planning
class of 1977 have continued to hold reunions
in Nottingham ever since they graduated.
Their 30th anniversary gathering, held on the
weekend of 23 June, was a real success.
Having met on a canal boat for their tenth, a
river boat for their 20th and at a riverside pub
for their 25th, joint organisers Robert Cole and
Steve LeMottee decided it was time to return
to the city centre and see how much had
changed over the past three decades.
Nineteen former course members and four
lecturers met on the Saturday afternoon at the
Orange Tree on Shakespeare Street to begin
the celebrations, which also included a meal on
Saturday night and a pub lunch on Sunday.
Five years on and alumni
are back in Business!
The Business Studies class of 2002 held
their five-year reunion in Nottingham on
Saturday 7 April. The celebration, which
was a huge success and attracted more
than 50 people, began down at the
Waterfront, went on to the Pitcher and
Piano bar and continued on to the Lizard
Lounge. Organiser James Burwood said:
“It was fantastic to catch up with old
friends who I hadn’t seen in five years
and it was as if nothing had changed. It
was great fun and I am looking forward
to organising something again next
summer.”
27 | Network
Psychology set to mark
its ten-year milestone
Did you know that the University is celebrating
the 10th anniversary of the BSc Psychology
course? A reunion for all those who have
studied this course over the years is planned
for next summer. To register your interest to
attend please contact the Alumni Office on
+44 (0)115 848 8777 or at
[email protected]
Rain was no dampener
for the class of ’82
A wet July weekend in Nottingham isn’t
everyone’s idea of a good time, but for a
group of friends celebrating 25 years since
completing their Economics studies, it didn’t
spoil the fun. A meal in the Lace Market bar
Bluu marked a diversion from “Memory Lane”
because that part of town was not frequented
much by students in the early 1980s, but all
agreed it was a splendid night spent in great
company. One of the attendees, Tim Cobb,
said: “Circumstances transpired to keep
several of the gang from attending this year,
but they won’t be so lucky next time!”
Planning a reunion?
If you are planning a reunion in 2008, ask
for a Reunion Pack today.
The pack, put together in association
with Experience Nottinghamshire, contains
tips on arranging your reunion and how the
Alumni Office can help you get in touch
with some of your “old” friends. It also
provides information on venues and hotel
accommodation in Nottingham.
Packs are free - all we ask is that you let
us know about your reunion (and maybe
share some photographs).
If you have a reunion planned, and
would like to let others know, do contact us
so that we can advertise it on our website.
Of course, you don’t have to be
arranging a reunion in order to make
contact with your friends. Did you know
that each year we help a number of you get
back in contact with lost friends through our
email and letter-forwarding service? If you
are trying to trace one of your old
University friends, let us know. If we are in
contact with them, we will email or write to
them and request that they contact you.
You can also post your contact details on
our website at: www.ntu.ac.uk/alumni
To find a friend or obtain a Reunion Pack,
please contact us at [email protected] or
telephone +44 (0)115 848 8777.
Wedding news
Joanne Franklin
Business and Quality Management 1999 and PG Dip Chartered Institute of Marketing 2004
Married Steven Coates in May 2006 at the Priest House Hotel, Castle Donington. The couple met
on a night out in Nottingham in 1999 and have been together ever since. They had a fantastic
honeymoon travelling through California and to Hawaii where they conceived their first child,
Harry, who was born in Feb 2007.
Joanne Franklin and Steven Coates
Lindsay McGuire
Photography 2004
Married Brian Schlick on 26 February 2007 on the cruise ship MV Diamond Princess. The couple
met while working for the Princess Cruises company. They received luxury treatment from all
their friends and colleagues who still worked on the ship, and both the wedding and the cruise
around Mexico were fantastic! After the cruise, the couple moved back to California to start their
lives together. Lindsay misses all her good friends from NTU and has fond memories of her time
here.
Lindsay McGuire and Brian Schlick
Nicola Graham
Business and Quality Management 2000 and PG Dip Chartered Institute of Marketing 2005
Married Giuseppe Vassallo on Saint Patrick’s Day, 17 March, 2007 at Kelham Hall, Newark, in
Nottinghamshire. The couple met at a student night in Rock City in 1999. Other alumni who
attended the wedding were Caroline Bell, Susan Manthorpe, Vikki Firth, Louise Montgomery, Phil
Burkinshaw, Steve Wiseall and Craig Robinson. The couple honeymooned in Goa, India
Nicola Graham and Giuseppe Vassallo
Mike Blackburn
Combined Studies in Sciences 2000
Married Rachael Gill on 28 April 2007 at Taplow House Hotel, Buckinghamshire. The couple met
at work during Mike’s first job in the RAF. After the wedding, they travelled to Peru where they
completed the Inca Trail before moving on to New York City for the final part of their
honeymoon.
Rachael Gill and Mike Blackburn
Katie Archer
David James
Combined Studies in Science 2003 and PGCE 2005
Civil Engineering 2005
Got married on 12 May 2007 at St Michael’s Church, Sandhurst. The reception took place at the
Community Hall and was attended by several alumni – Lisa Callison, Gemma Steward, Jodie
Bradley, Caroline Westgate, Alex Bailey, Ed Swain, Joe Perkins, Clare Nash, Darren Jenkins, Robert
Mellor, Paul Clark, Naomi Langdale and Gavin Doyle – as well as current NTU student Tim Archer
(Katie’s brother).
David James and Katie Archer
Edward Statham
LLB Hons Law 2003
Married Gillian Frances Burke at St Nicholas Owen RC Church, Thornton-Cleveleys, on 23 June
2007. The reception was held at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, and it was a perfect day that
went without a hitch. The couple spent their honeymoon in Paris and in Arnside near Kendal.
Edward Statham and Gillian Frances Burke
28 | Network
Past and present
Fifties, Sixties and Seventies
Christopher Penter | Secondary Education 1971
After working for 16 years in secondary leadership I was appointed Deputy
Director of Nord Anglia Inspection Services and have now moved to a position
which allows me to operate across the whole company as principal consultant.
Recent work has taken me to the Middle East, China and Eastern Europe as well
as within the UK.
Terry Maxwell | Education 1976
I have worked for the last 30 years in Nottinghamshire schools, and am currently
Acting Head Teacher at Stevenson Junior School, Stapleford, Nottingham. I am
also working on an MA with NTU on aspects of Virtual Environments and Music
Education at Key Stage 2. In addition to that, I have successfully completed the
NPQH course and have an Associated Arts degree from Chabot College,
Hayward, California, USA. I am very interested in music production and
creativity.
Eighties
Paul Grahamslaw | Modern European Studies 1983
After 15 years in journalism, I went into PR, firstly with a local authority and now
with my own consultancy. I am married with two children and live in the
beautiful seaside resort of Scarborough.
Mark Smith | Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1983
I worked for BT Plc from 1975 till 2004, becoming CEO of BT Broadcast Services,
a $500-million revenue media solutions business. I am now Director of Eutelsat
SA, Paris, France, and Chairman and CEO of Zeus Solutions.
Philip Davis | Mechanical Engineering 1986
I am now joint owner and director of a successful innovation and creativity
consultancy based in Warwickshire, working with household names such as Tesco,
Waitrose, the NHS, RAC, Shell, Accor Hotels and Birmingham Midshires.
Jane Drabble | Applied Social Studies 1988 and Social Work 1988
I have recently left youth offending work to work with drug users in a drug
treatment setting. I am still studying for my research Masters at Birmingham
University. I’m happy to hear from anyone who may remember me.
Philip Hodgson | Law 1988
I am a self-employed IT consultant, and have lived in the USA for the past
11 years.
Nineties
Philip Lee | Creative Arts 1990
I went on to get an MA and PhD. I am now married with two children and have
been living in Turkey since 1992.
Justin Dorman | Economics 1991
On 14 July 2006 my partner Claire gave birth to a beautiful baby daughter, Lucy
Grace Dorman. I am currently working in the Northamptonshire Police Road
Policing Unit, leading investigations into serious and fatal road traffic collisions.
Deborah Jowett (née Jones) | Modern European Studies 1994
I went into sales and customer service after leaving NTU, culminating in a job as
European Supervisor for Armstrong Ceiling Tiles. I had twins, Ben and Rosie, in
2002 and decided to be a stay-at-home Mum. In the meantime, my sister set up
an events company with her friend and they run the whole business using
graduate mums who work part-time at very reasonable rates! I work from home
for my sister and also help out at the bigger events which I enjoy immensely. It’s
our ten-year wedding anniversary this year! Where did the time go?
Margaret Simms | CertEd 1994
After the CertEd I did an MEd in Human Relations (1996) at the University of
Nottingham; then returned to NTU for a part-time PhD. My research project is
on recruitment and retention of early years practitioners. I am writing up now so
29 | Network
hopefully it won’t be too long before I’m a doc! I have worked in the early years
and education sectors for many years and have presented at national and
international conferences. To find out more about what I am doing these days,
visit my website: www.proceedc.com
Andrea Cooper | Modern European Studies 1995
After a dabble in mortgages I joined Hays Specialist Recruitment in 1997 and
I’m still there! I moved to London with the company in 1998 and am now based
in the Covent Garden branch. I am responsible for finance recruitment to central
government organisations and am often found skulking in the corridors of power!
Now living in Earlsfield near Wimbledon with Stewart, I recently became an
Auntie (to Callum) and am spoiling him rotten!
Catriona Harrison (née Hopkins) | Business Studies 1995
I have worked in advertising agencies since 1995 to produce advertising
campaigns for Fiat, the Government, Mars and P&G, to name a few. I have been
part of the management team of a large agency called Leo Burnett London for
the last three years. I am soon to begin a new career as worldwide board
member of a strategic talent management company called The Talent Business.
I married John Harrison in 2005, and am still living happily in London. Still in
touch with BABS and BAEB classes of 1995, and god-mum to many of their kids.
Hopefully they’ll be godparents to mine soon.
Sarah Chu (née Wright) | European Business 1996
I am married to Luigi. We have two children, Domenico (three years old) and
Matteo (four months). We live in Eastbourne where Luigi is a teacher.
Paul Coulson | Law 1996 and Legal Practice Course 1997
On leaving Nottingham, I took a year out before starting a training contract at
mid-sized Yorkshire firm, Keeble Hawson. I qualified as a solicitor in September
2000. In June 2001, I joined the northern office of national firm, Nabarro
Nathanson. In October 2002, I was recruited to the Sheffield office of global
firm DLA Piper, where I was subsequently promoted to the role of associate. In
March 2007, my family relocated to Northern Ireland and I took up my current
post as Head of Legal at international pharmaceutical organisation, Norbrook
Laboratories. I married Joanne (whom I met through work) in May 2002. In
January 2005, I became father to our first child, Timothy. The following year, we
had a daughter, Lucy. My time outside work is spent helping Joanne run around
after the children!
Peter Brooks | Engineering Surveying 1997
I joined Watercare in November 2006 after moving to New Zealand in October.
In the nine months I have been employed by Watercare Services Limited I have
established excellent working relationships with the six Local Network Operators.
We have taken the opportunity to seek a new life in NZ and are enjoying every
minute of it. We live within ten minutes of ten beaches and have settled in very
well to the NZ outdoor life style.
Paul Dale | Primary Education 1997
I’m now self-employed and working as a photographer, specialising in people! I
set up my business, dodo photography, in 2005 and had a lot to learn from day
one, not least the intricacies of managing your own time and the fine art of self
promotion! I shoot weddings, mainly, but am becoming more in demand for
location photoshoots.
Rachel Henderson | Fashion Business 1999 and Fashion and Textiles 2001
I married Ian in 2003 and had a son, Noah, in March 2006. I am now in my
sixth year as a secondary school teacher (teaching Art and Design). I still keep in
touch with Louise Hellcar and Helen Louise Sestan and would love to hear from
others from the BA course.
Noughties
Amear Ali | Mathematics 2000
Got married in September 2002 and now have a baby boy. We are expecting
another baby soon. I started working for KPMG in 2001 and joined Hewitts in
January 2006. It would be good to hear from anyone who studied the BSc
Maths / Stats course!
Dean Brunton | Industrial Management 2002
I am now studying part-time towards an MA in Planning Policy and Practice at
London South Bank University, following which I aim to become a member of the
RTPI.
Kate Ramsay | European Business 2003
I am now a sales manager and lead a team of six people. I enjoy finding other
graduates sales roles and am loving the money! Pareto Law – the company I
work for – has been named the number one small company to work for by the
Sunday Times, and we’re back in the finals of National Sales Team of the Year
which we also recently won.
Jonathan Eames | Business Information Systems 2003
I graduated in 2003 and gave the vote of thanks speech at the graduation
ceremony. However, neither my friends nor parents recorded it so if anyone has
a copy I would be grateful to hear from you. Please email:
[email protected]
Nicholas Miles | Applied Chemistry 2004
I left NTU and spent a year in middle management at a pharmaceutical
company on the England / Wales border before moving to GCHQ as an
Intelligence Analyst in February 2005. In May 2007 I received an offer of a
place on the civil service fast stream and will be taking up that opportunity in the
next few months. I live with my partner and three children (two step-children
and one of my own) in Gloucester.
Gemma Wade | Business Leisure and Sports Education 2004
I am working in central London as a recruitment consultant for the educational
sector, and am engaged to Ben Wiles, also an NTU graduate – we are getting
married 12 July 2008 in Staffordshire.
Jen Shiun Yong | Interior Architecture and Design 2004
After graduation, I started to assist in the family business of interior design and
renovation. A year later I decided to proceed with additional services to the
business, which was interior architecture and design. At present we are
collaborating with a firm of chartered surveyors based in Essex, who specialise in
analysing daylight and sunlight in buildings all around the UK.
Roxanne Magee | Criminology 2005
I have just spent a year travelling around the world and in September 2007 I will
be going back to university to complete my Law conversion course at UWE in
Bristol.
Paul Roberts | Business Economics 2005
I am working in mental health at the moment, helping people who have or have
had mental health problems go back into work or education. My role is to
provide support before and after they commence employment / education and
also to assist people with building up their confidence and to help them back to
normal day-to-day life.
Josephine Kenyon-Blair | Law 2006
I am in South Korea for a year teaching English, and hoping to travel before I
settle down.
Rachel Lowe | Primary Education 2006
Sarah Marshall and I spent five months abroad teaching in South Africa on a
Wild Coast marine and wildlife project working with deprived children. We also
travelled to Saudi Arabia to teach for three months in a British International
School in Riyadh. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to teach overseas in a
few years time after we have completed our NQT year in teaching.
Go online today at www.ntu.ac.uk/alumni and tell your friends what you are
doing now or see what your friends are up to, all in a safe password-protected
area especially for Nottingham Trent alumni.
In memoriam
Richard A Jones (BSc Applied Biology 1994, PhD 2002)
A much loved son, and dear friend, Richard sadly died on 1 July 2006, aged just
38. He studied for a HND, BSc and PhD at Nottingham Trent University, staying
on at the Clifton campus to carry out postdoctoral research. A memorial service
was held for Richard on 14 May 2007, at which moving tributes were given by
University staff, friends and former work colleagues.
Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Professor Bob Rees, said:
“Richard was an outstanding scientist who made an immeasurable contribution
to the School, but more importantly he was a great human being who would
help anyone with their problems, be they work-related or not. He was a friend to
all who knew him.”
A bench on the Clifton campus has been dedicated to Richard on which, during
the weeks following the memorial service, a box was placed for friends to leave
him a promise: either a wish, or an ambition to fulfil.
A new prize – the Richard Jones Prize for Outstanding Achievement in
Biochemistry and Microbiology – was awarded in Richard’s memory to a student
at this year’s graduation ceremonies.
A memorial lecture dedicated to Richard was incorporated into this year’s School
of Science and Technology Research Conference. The lecture was delivered by
Richard’s former PhD supervisor, Professor Martin Griffin, who is now Head of the
School of Life and Health Sciences at the University of Aston.
Obituaries
Adrian Brown (Business Studies 2001)
A much loved son, brother and uncle, Adrian died suddenly on 20 November
2006. Adrian continued to study after his graduation in 2001, gaining a
Diploma in Accounting and Book-keeping, and planned to further his studies in
Accounting. He was working as an accounts assistant at Cambridge Consultants
prior to his death. He was proud to be godfather to his nephew and niece, and
enjoyed the company of friends. He was fond of music and also enjoyed a game
of chess, his PlayStation and dining out.
Nic Martin (Hotel and Catering Management 1993)
Nic died suddenly on 12 May 2007, aged 35. He studied Hotel and Catering
Management at NTU, and after graduating held several management positions
in good hotels around the country, eventually settling back in Cheshire a few
years ago. He enjoyed his time at NTU very much and made some fantastic
friends. He is sadly missed.
Francis Kenneth Hill (Textile Design 1948)
Much loved husband of Madeleine, and brother to Aubrey and Norman, Francis
recently passed away. Francis was a former student of one of NTU’s predecessor
institutions, the Nottingham and District Technical College. He was an
exceptional student and won a number of top national awards for his textiles
and design work while studying here. His speciality was hosiery design and he
went on to manage a hosiery firm in Leicester. Mrs Hill has kindly donated to the
University the gold and silver shields which Francis was awarded during his time
as a student.
Richard Payne (PGCE Higher Education 2002)
Loving husband, father and grandfather Richard died on 10 April 2007. He was
called to the Bar in 1964 and practised at The Ropewalk in Nottingham until
1998. He was also a member of the Institute of Arbitrators. Richard became a
full-time lecturer for NTU’s Bar Vocational Course in 2000, on which he taught
until his retirement in 2006. During this time, he gained a Postgraduate
Certificate of Higher Education and a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property
(with distinction), and was awarded a Fellowship. He loved his work on the BVC
and enjoyed getting the best out of his students. At a thanksgiving service, the
family received a book of remembrance which included many lovely comments
from Richard’s former students.
John Pearson (Insolvency Practice 2005)
Much loved husband of Suzanne, John died on 25 September 2006 aged just 29.
He was a distance-learning student on the Insolvency Practice course and worked
for the Insolvency Service. Originally from Chesterfield, John moved to his
beloved city of Liverpool where he met Suzanne (a local girl) and had a season
ticket for Liverpool Football Club. Suzanne and John had planned to get married
in November 2006, but in April of that year John became very ill and was
diagnosed with secondary cancer – the original site of the primary cancer could
not be found. Due to his deteriorating health, the wedding was brought forward
to July 2006. A tribute fund has been established in John’s name in aid of the
Christie Hospital where he was treated – see www.justgiving.com/johnpearson
A tribute site can also be found at www.gonetoosoon.co.uk
30 | Network
Nottingham Trent University
Where will NTU take you next?
Are you considering postgraduate or professional study? You know from your own
experience at Nottingham Trent University that we encourage our students to
achieve high standards. We consistently deliver education and research that will
enable you to advance your career further.
Just take a look at what we can offer you at postgraduate level:
• Over 160 postgraduate and professional courses, designed in consultation with partners from business and industry.
• Four departments rated 5 for research in the RAE.
• Postgraduate funding and studentships including bursaries for Masters courses and research degrees.
• Outstanding learning resources and facilities, supporting a growing reputation for academic success.
• A range of full-, part-time and distance learning courses available.
For more information on postgraduate study at NTU,
visit www.ntu.ac.uk/postntu today.
© Nottingham Trent University and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the
prior written consent of Nottingham Trent University.
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