St Mary's College Magazine September 2022

MARY'S

N O T E F R O M T H E E D I T O R S

Working on this year's magazine has been an absolutely fantastic and thoroughly enriching experience I have been in contact with some wonderful people, from alumni to College staff and students Speaking to Paul Embleton and Charlie Walker were particular highlights for me as they provided fascinating insights into the intricacies of life at Mary's I am extremely grateful to have been given countless opportunities to connect to the College's roots and witness ongoing developments Through this internship, I have been able to experience life as a Journalist and Editor. Elsie, Mae, and I have produced something I am truly proud of and to see it all come together is hugely rewarding I hope it provides an enjoyableread!

This internship has been an immensely rewarding experienceandIhopethemagazineisabletodojustice to each individual, be it members of staff or students past and present, that contribute to the sense of community that defines the College It has been a pleasure speaking to alumni and inspiring to see the variousroutesMary'sstudentshavepursued Speaking to Biddy Baxter was a highlight and my inner child was very excited wading through the College's Blue Peter archives! I am very proud of the magazine Melissa, Elsie,andIhavecreated I'velearntinvaluable skills, ranging from organisational to communication, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have been given. I hope you enjoy reading Mary's as much aswehaveenjoyedcreatingit!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my journalism internship thisyear;workingwithMaeandMelissahasbeensuch a pleasure I have been able to develop my organisational skills through the various content calls and interviews that we have arranged It has been so eye-opening talking with alumni about their experiences at Mary's and meeting a few at the celebration for the 70th anniversary of the Fergusson Building Interviewing David Saddington, and learning about the amazing work of the Environmental Society have also been highlights of the internship for me On top of the editorial and graphic design experience that I have gained this year, I am incredibly proud of the magazine that we have created I hope that you enjoy readingit

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to produce and edit the 2021-22 issue of Mary's magazine, following Laetitia Eichinger's pilot The journalism internship opportunity provided by St Mary's College was not only an exciting prospect, but also invaluable experience. We have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of producing this magazine, from contacting alumni, to conducting interviews with College staff It has been fantastic to work together and produce something we are thoroughly proud of, and will no doubt open doors for our future careers

Elsie Lewis, English Literature, 3rd Year

Mae Brennan, English Literature, 2nd Year

Melissa Rumbold, Liberal Arts, 2nd Year

MaggiDawn Principal'sWelcome

Welcome to this edition of Mary’s We are delighted to bring you reports of our College activities and projects, alumni news, and much more! It’s been a year of recovery as we have begun to emerge from the pandemic, reopening College spaces one by one, and relaunching activities from online to in-person As I write, we are back to something like ‘normal’, but the tenor of this recovery has not at all been ‘going back’, rather we have been moving forward into the future. Having learned a lot through the pandemic, we have both strengthened our College traditions and launched some new projects

We are celebrating a number of new endeavours Lumière comes to Durham every other year, and this year for the first time we hosted one of the installations at St Mary’s For four nights in a row, the front terrace was lit up by Jim Campbell’s 'Scattered Light', a giant web of 1,600 LED lights programmed to flicker on and off, creating the illusion of figures moving across the terrace. Hundreds of visitors stood in front of the College entrance, intrigued by the moving figures and the story they told.

For the first time we introduced a music Fellow at Mary’s Matt Warren, who teaches in the Music Department, has overseen the development of College music, organising small ensembles for College events, evenings of music, readings and poetry, and the relaunch of the Chapel choir, culminating in a short choir tour to Edinburgh Our new internship program also got off to a flying start, and we are expanding the program next year to include students working on biodiversity, as well as journalism, social media, library management, and alumni relations. Our first St Mary’s College Ph D scholar, Lewis Robinson, has made a great start on his postgraduate studies All of this activity is a testament to the uniqueness of College life – the talent and imagination of our student body, the commitment of the staff team, and the ongoing support of our alumni who have contributed their time, skills, and financial resources to get these projects off the ground.

One of the highlights of the year has been the arrival of our new Steinway pianos The whole University has become a ‘Steinway University’, meaning that some of our rather old pianos have been replaced by beautiful new instruments The arrival of the pianos happily coincided with our celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the Fergusson Building – 70 years since Mary’s moved from buildings spread across the Bailey up to the hill, to what is now the Fergusson Building Our evening of celebrations included a lovely archival display by Anne Elliott, our alumna and archivist, and a series of performances on the piano including everything from Bach and Beethoven to jazz and original indie-rock compositions

We have enjoyed visits from Katie Corrigan, former Mayor of Durham, and David Saddington, who gave the after-dinner speech at the Epiphany Dinner, and a student workshop on biodiversity Inspired by his visit, we are developing further areas of wildflowering around the grounds, with the Environmental Society playing a leading role Our Arts Society have recently completed a stunning new mural in the Bar, and as always, our College sports, arts, and theatrical groups have flourished, as well as groups dedicated to volunteering and peer-to-peer welfare These and many more events, achievements, and awards fill the pages of this edition, and I hope you will enjoy reading more about what has been a rich and exciting year.

In closing, I want to thank the College community for my time at St Mary’s It has been an honour and a pleasure to preside over the College for the last three years, despite the fact that most of that time has been overshadowed by the pandemic I am proud of all we have achieved despite the restrictions To have emerged as a strong community with a whole set of new endeavours is really something to celebrate, and is a testament to the strength and resilience of the whole college community. Later this year, when I return to my Professorial role in the Department of Theology and Religion, I shall hand over the reins to Professor Adrian Simpson, who I know will take the College on to the next phase with confidence and aplomb I look forward to seeing what is in store for Mary’s in the next chapter Thank you to all of you who have made my time at Mary’s so rich and rewarding

Best wishes as always,

The Rev’d Professor Maggi Dawn

JCR PRESIDENT'S WELCOME

Megan Titterington, St Mary's College JCR President 2021-22

Although a cliché, I knew I wanted to be JCR President from my first year at St Mary’s College. The JCR President in my first year was Ellie Ng, who was an inspiring President. Observing the role as a fresher, and later as a JCR executive member, doesn’t show the various intricacies of the job I have had such an amazing year, and it has been a privilege to hold the position

The job is so diverse, and no two days have been the same – I have learned so much along the way. The first few months definitely involved finding my feet, but it also meant that I got to meet and connect with so many staff members who were there to help One of my favourite memories from the early days of being JCR President was working closely with Helen Davies, our Operations Manager, as we figured out a way to make the bowling alley trip to Newcastle amazing for the freshers. The amount of time Helen put into making Fresher’s Week the best it could be given the Covid restrictions just highlights the level of care that the St Mary’s College staff give to the students.

One of the many great things about leading the JCR is seeing other students getting involved in College. Mary’s has a reputation of being the friendly college, with a close-knit community. I love seeing people getting involved in the JCR to make the most of their College experience. I remember hearing in my first term as President that a fresher wanted to run for a JCR executive role and I was so happy about it because it was great to see someone so new value the JCR Feedback from Fresher’s Week showed that the first years loved the events put on by College It makes me so proud that the Freps (student volunteers who look after the freshers in the first week and welcome them to College) were able to provide that experience.

My time at Mary’s has been so special. Anyone who knows me knows that I love this college so much One of the reasons that I applied to be a Frep, Post Offer Visit Day Representative, and eventually JCR President was because I wanted to ensure that every other student that arrives at Mary’s could have as good an experience. My favourite event of the year was President’s Guest Night. It was so emotional in first year to hear Ellie Ng speak about the people who made Mary’s the welcoming and fantastic community that I was in. As I write this article, I have my own President’s Guest Night coming up and I have never been more excited to be celebrating the people that make Mary’s a great place

INTERNS' INSIGHTS

Ben Sharp (MA History) talks to Melissa Rumbold about his time as Mary's Alumni Engagement Coordinator Intern.

What were your main responsibilities involved in the internship?

I was responsible for organising and co-ordinating alumni events to ensure that alumni know about the developments that are taking place at St Mary’s College

How has this internship aided your future prospects?

This opportunity has helped me with my confidence and will definitely encourage me to apply for internships in the future outside of Durham University

Why do you think other colleges should provide this opportunity?

Other colleges should provide this opportunity as it allows students to grow not only professionally but also personally.

What was your favourite moment of the internship?

My favourite moment was helping set up for the 70th anniversary of the Ferguson Building and the subsequent celebrations for it The evening involved fantastic entertainment as some of Mary's music scholars played the new Steinway piano in Kenworthy, and Mary's kitchen provided delicious refreshments

What is the most important skill you’ve learnt on your internship?

The most important skill I have learnt is the ability to speak up when I have an idea or suggestion. All voices need to be heard in a workplace and I have felt my voice being really valued on this internship.

BEN SHARP

INTERNS' INSIGHTS

Lauren Eglin (MSc Marketing) & Grace Hogan (English Literature, 2nd Year) talk to Melissa Rumbold about what they've learnt from the Mary's Social Media Internship.

What were your main responsibilities involved in the internship?

Lauren Eglin: I co-ran the St Mary's College social medi content on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter this year. The job involved creating informational posters about College and university-wide news and events, shooting and editing aesthetic pictures of College and Durham, and coming up with innovative ways to show off student life at St Mary's.

Grace Hogan: We ran all of the St Mary’s social media page and made sure the college community stayed up to date and aware of what’s happening within college life, whils showcasing all the best bits of Mary’s life to current and prospective students.

LAUREN EGLIN

How has this internship aided your future prospects?

LE: The opportunity to develop my digital creativity and cater to a range of target markets (prospective students, current students and alumni) on multiple platforms has enabled me to really put the skills I am learning in my degree (MSc Marketing) to the test. This internship requires me to carry out my tasks whilst also completing my Master's degree; I have had to work on my time management skills. I also have so many scenarios that I can talk about in a job interview - I do feel a lot more employable as a result!

GH: It has given a completely unique insight into the running of College life and events, as well as the logistics of college social media marketing

Why do you think other colleges should provide this opportunity?

LE: It is a lovely way to stay involved with College life. I have had the opportunity to work with people from so many different societies and keep up to date with all the wonderful events going on in College and within the university community as a whole. It is lovely to contribute to the College's communications and connections to both prospective students and alumni, so I have had the chance to share the brilliant aspects of my college with a wide audience

GRACE HOGAN

GH: It is a really eye-opening experience, one that I think can open a lot of doors for students, post-university. It is easy to manage alongside studies and other commitments, which is always a plus!

What was your favourite moment of the internship?

LE: I really loved making content for Lumiere 2021! It was so exciting to have such an impressive installation on St Mary's terrace. I visited the display every night and took lots of photos – I was sad to see it go I also joined the Q&A session with the artist who designed the piece, Jim Campbell, and found his work and motivations so inspiring

GH: Advertising the Mary’s library and reading room through our mystery book exchange

What is the most important skill you’ve learnt on your internship?

LE: I think for me, the most important thing I have learnt has to be that it is ok to make mistakes! I am such a perfectionist and if I do not produce content that matches my expectations, I am very prone to beating myself up about it This internship has shown me that it is worth thinking about how much work I have put in and considering the successes I have had, before I criticise myself I can learn and grow from mistakes instead of trapping myself inside their web.

GH: Definitely balancing a schedule, knowing what to post and when to do it as well as learning about social media engagement and insights.

President's Guest Night

5th May 2022

Photography by Shireen's Shots

SPOTLIGHT ON STAFF

OUR EDITORS INTERVIEW MEMBERS OF MARY'S STAFF ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE OF WORKING AT THE COLLEGE

PaulEmbleton

We interviewed Paul Embleton, Mary’s Senior Head Chef, about his extensive work behind the scenes in the kitchen and developmentshehasseeninthefoodindustryovertheyears

Having been in the catering industry since his first work placement at 15, Paul’s ambitions have always been in food Working alongside his mother, head housekeeper of a hotel which Prince William and Prince Harry stayed at, Paul gained his first taste of the industry as a waiter, progressing to the kitchenandsettinghissightsoncatering

Prior to his position at Mary’s, Paul worked in The County, a pub-restaurant in Newton Aycliffe, owned by world-renowned chef Raymond Blanc’s first scholar In his 7 years at the restaurant, Paul met and cooked for Raymond Blanc three times and completed a food and beverage programme with him. Paul also had the opportunity to cater for a mini summit where Jacques Chirac and Tony Blair were in attendance. Out of the 7 years he worked there, the restaurant won Dining Pub of the Year five times and was Michelin recognised as one of the best 250pubsinthewholeoftheUnitedKingdom

Paul began his future with Durham University in 2001 where he joined the Queen’s Campus for more manageable hours This allowed him to spend more time with his family and to obtain a better quality of life than his previously immensely busy schedule had offered After five years, Paul became Mary’s Senior Head Chef in 2006 and has occupied the role ever since Over the years, Paul has seen many developments in college catering, including the increase in food standards, rising professionalism of formal dinners, and the College adaption to the COVID19 pandemic. Having joined a team where members of the catering staff had worked for the College for 40 years, Paul explains how he has put his mark on College catering, improving the food standards dramatically The College now offers meat, fish, vegetarian, and vegan options for students Most recently, the UK Food Information Amendment, also known as Natasha’s Law, has meant that the pre-packaged foods at Mary’s since October 2021 must include a full ingredients list d ll l b lli d M ’ h b t f ll

Paul’s typical day usually lasts from 11am-6:30pm where he is constantly working behind the scenes to ensure students are well-fed and the kitchen is organised. He manages staff rotas, wages, office work and the logistics of ordering meals and ingredients. Paul’s busy days means he and the team have countless invaluable opportunities to build rapport with students,servingMary’sundergraduatesandpostgraduates

Having been with Mary’s since 2006, Paul’s role as Senior Head Chef enabled him to meet his partner Joanna 10 years ago, who was working in Mary’s kitchen as a Food Service Assistant The job also allowed Paul to embark on a 2-week all-inclusive trip to Japan in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Teikyo’s partnership with St Mary’s Paul was able to witness Japan’s cuisine and food preparation methods, whilst also visiting fish markets with enormous tunas! He also visited a Tempura restaurantwhereheindulgedin15courses

Inthreewords,PauldescribesMary’sasfriendly,manicandfun!

LEFT:PaulwithRaymondBlanc

ABOVE:PaulattheJapaneseFishMarket

HelenDavies

Pleasecouldyouexplainwhatyourroleentails.

As the College Operations Officer, I deal with day-to-day operationsmanagement

WhatisyourfavouritethingaboutStMary'sCollege?

My favourite thing about College is the Fergusson Building and itsarchitecture.Ilovehowitsitslookingouttothecathedral.

WhatisyourfavouriteplaceinCollege?

My favourite place in college is the driveway. The seasonal changes are so beautiful, especially the spring blossom I really appreciatethelovelygroundsaroundCollege

WhatisyourfavouritememoryofSt Mary's?

Meeting famous people has been a highlight of the job Over the years, I have met the ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn, and the 'Poirot' actor Sir Peter Ustinov I have also enjoyed watching various well-known bands that the JCR have booked forevents

HowwouldyoudescribeCollegeethosinthreewords? Historical,cultural,inclusive

HowhaveyouseentheCollegechangeovertime?

The biggest change that College has undergone in the time that I have been here is St Mary's transitioning from an all female to a mixed college. Also, the catering has changed from having many formals in a week to a small handful planned throughout eachterm

DaveRobson

Pleasecouldyouexplainwhatyourroleentails.

My main role is Student Support which probably takes over 90% of my time. Student Support is sometimes confused with counselling, but they are different: we signpost students on to the University Counselling and Mental Health Service for counselling. My other responsibilities are being the College Officer lead for Welcome and Orientation Week and maintaining the First-Generation Scholars network in the College.

HowlonghaveyouworkedatStMary’s?

I was appointed to a lectureship in Computer Science in Durham in 1983 Other jobs have included being a Deputy Executive Dean looking after Natural Sciences for fifteen years, Principal of St Cuthbert’s Society, working in the Counselling Service, doing Student Support at University College, Josephine Butler College and St Aidan’s College I also worked part-time in the NHS for twenty-two years I was appointed to my parttimepostinSt Mary’sinMarch2014

WhatisyourfavouritethingaboutStMary’s?

Thestudentsandgettingtoknowthem

WhatisyourfavouritememoryyouhaveofStMary’s?

I have so many lovely memories it is hard to pick out one Graduation and seeing students graduate after many struggles is always a lovely memory but it is also sad to see them leave Durham Another memory is my one and only visit to Klute with the previous Principal, previous Vice-Principal and the JCRPresident

HowwouldyoudescribetheCollegeethosinthreewords? Friendly,community,fun

HowhasstudentsupportatMary’sprogressed?

My colleagues in Student Support are amazing; I am very fortunatetobeamemberofthisteam Wehavehadmuchmore training and support in some areas (such as sexual misconduct) andarebetterequippedtohelpstudents

WhatmakesstudentsupportatMary’sunique?

I am not sure if we do anything which is unique, but we do put a lot of emphasis on following up and checking in with students who have approached the team Perhaps we are the only College which encourages students to do the Durham parkrun…

Charlie Walker

What is your role in College and what does it entail?

My role is Student Enrichment Coordinator which entails helping the college and JCR with anything student related, especially personal development This year I have been organising the Horizons talks and community outreach, as well as working with Matthew Warren on music and wellbeing, and the Durham Inspired Award I am assigned to work two days a week at Marys, two at Hilde Bede and a day on the Student Enrichment Directory team

How long have you worked in this role and how did it come to fruition?

I graduated from Durham in 2017 and worked with the Student Union for a couple of years in admin. A pilot for my current role was advertised in April 2020, and I knew it would be a more student facing role which was really what I wanted, so I applied

How has your role helped the Mary’s community?

My role is about helping people and is therefore focussed on personal development in its direct sense. So much of what students at Mary’s do is about the community My role is then to help students reflect on what they’re doing and what transferable skills they’re gaining from these experiences, and to help them think about developing those in future

What is your favourite thing that your role has allowed you to do?

The Horizon talks are the most interesting, as people come in from outside college, whether it be alumni or college contacts. The tagline is to introduce, inspire, and innovate. They are all about introducing interesting people, generally someone you wouldn’t encounter in Durham outside of the academic world The aim is to inspire people to think differently about things and innovate in terms of thinking of new projects to work on.

What is your favourite memory from Mary’s?

My favourite memories have to be meeting new people and discovering our differences. Often there’s a conflict of interest between the sporty members of staff and the JCR, and myself and others who would much prefer a croissant and crossword in bed! Another great memory was when Emma and the JCR executives took me to a College dinner which was lovely and helped me ease into the role.

What is your favourite thing about St Mary’s College?

The College grounds are absolutely beautiful It really helps the community to have a wonderful space to meet people and thrive

How have you seen the College develop over time?

I’ve seen development through the introduction of the Durham Inspired Award It is tailored towards people already doing sports or societies outside of their degrees, and gives them a space to reflect on their enrichment in a more structured way It aims to help them articulate the improvements, journey, and skills they’ve learnt from those roles to a potential employer

Do you have any upcoming plans for your role?

I’d like to strengthen college development in terms of multiplying the amount of coordinators so each college has access to enrichment aid There is also a plan to reach out to the St Mary’s neighbours on Quarry Head Lane and invite them to College to build stronger relationships with people living so close to College.

How would you see your role in connection with the wider university experience?

Part of my role is about trying to share knowledge between Hilde Bede and Mary’s Hilde Bede have been working on a video on gender and sexuality to aid development around those issues, and I would love key people at Mary’s such as WAM to watch and encourage them to use the video and take away key points. I have also been able to learn about what’s going on in Team Durham, Durham Student Theatre, and Leadership Teams that I can bring back to the College

StephenTindale

WhatisyourroleinCollege?

I am College Operations Team Leader I direct the St Mary’s College porter team as well as manage housekeeping and reception I also oversee any maintenance issues on the grounds

HowlonghaveyouworkedatStMary’s?

I’ve worked at the college for 28 years, with this being my final year at Mary’s before I retire Previously, I worked in heavy industry until I responded to an advertisement in the local paper. Whilst I first began working at Mary’s on a temporary basis, I enjoyed Mary’s so much that I stayed! I soon brought my family with me, and my daughter later attended Durham University – she did not attend Mary’s though, I suspect in ordertoavoidherdadseeingwhatshewasupto!WhenIretire this year, I’m going to miss the place immensely I have a specialattachmenttoMary’s;ithasgivenmeareallygoodlife.

WhatisyourfavouritememoryofStMary’s?

During the millennium celebrations, I lived on-site with my family The College was unoccupied and my son was the first to step into the Fergusson and Williamson Buildings this century.

HowwouldyoudescribetheCollegeethosinthreewords?

Friendly,accommodating,andwelcoming.

HowhaveyouseentheCollegedevelopovertime?

Aside from COVID causing significant changes, when I first started at Mary’s, the College was all female In 2005, the College became mixed, which was a massive shift, though that’s not to say there were no males on College grounds prior! There wasn’t always constant porter service and when the fire alarm rang, it used to come through to my house - that’s when it became easily identifiable who was supposed to be on College grounds and who was not! Whilst there have been significant changes, students will always be students It gives megreatsatisfactiontoseestudentswalkinonFreshers’Week and graduate as completely different people I love to see students returning and I am always keen to hear what they’re up to! Despite many changes, Mary’s has maintained its sense of community, and I have great pride in witnessing the togethernessthatcontinuestodefineMary’s

Twig

What is your name and role inCollege?

My name is Twig and I am the College therapy dog I liveinEmmaGray'soffice.

What is your favourite thing aboutStMary’s?

Being able to run along the Fergusson corridor and getting lots of fuss from studentsalongtheway

How would you describe the College ethos in three words?

Nurture, opportunity, and fun

WhereisyourfavouriteplaceinCollege?

My bed (I’m incredibly lazy) in Emma’s office, especially if the sun is shining and there are rabbits or squirrels on the lawn to watch!

What is your favourite memory of St Mary’s? Beach Day at Mary’s – deckchairs, therapy donkeys, and free ice cream a perfect respite from revision and exams

REVIVAL CHARITY FASHION SHOW

Although a University wide fashion show, Revival is predominantly run by Mary's students Mae Brennan spoke to Louisa Wagstaff (English Literature, 2nd Year), Director of Revival 2022, about the extraordinary charity event.

Please could tell us more about this year’s Revival - especially the incredible amount of money raised for charity! In 2022, Revival Charity Fashion Show supported the North-East based charity Feeding Families. Feeding Families helps those experiencing food poverty, supporting them through the provision of food, education and other wellbeing resources. This year, Revival aimed to widen the reach of the show, expanding beyond the Mary’s community. Whilst predominantly Mary’s, Revival’s executive members included individuals from various colleges yet all working towards the common goal of raising as much money as possible We ran several fundraisers that were central to showcasing Revival to the wider University community, including a charity football match organised in collaboration with Durham University Men’s Football Team. The event was hugely successful, receiving a much larger turn-out than expected!

How did you come up with the theme of Equality & Opportunity? Did you have any specific inspiration?

I wanted the theme of Revival to relate both to Feeding Families as well as the values Revival seeks to uphold The theme of 'Equality and Opportunity' epitomises what Feeding Families can provide as all services are openly available to all, resonant with Revival’s message that regardless of race, sex, gender identity, sexuality, religion, body type, disabilities, and class, the show is open to every student, Mary’s and beyond.

u tell us more about the charity s.

s provides necessities to those hrough various campaigns. Each od boxes are packed and in the 000 meals have been donated on a Wall’ initiative several times year, and two of these campaigns the organisation of Revival. The campaign is a food drive across which allows members of the p to have a collection box, with ecting as many food supplies as the surrounding area We the Christmas Hamper provision, e of the ‘Tin on a Wall’ campaign, lected specifically Christmaso everyone was able to celebrate dless of personal circumstances. oke Night at Mary’s to collect Christmas Hamper appeal, and eding Families, Juliet Sanders, year was the largest appeal yet, hampers delivered.

Why did you choose to support Feeding Families?

As a North-East based charity, Feeding Families allowed us to make a tangible change to our community The North-East was an area disproportionally affected by the pandemic, having been placed in continuous lockdowns for a longer period of time compared to other areas of England. In the atmosphere of this consequential cost-ofliving crisis, it is more important than ever to ensure charities like Feeding Families have as much support as possible as their services remain vital during these trying times

Revival this year, raised over £16,000!

What makes Revival such a unique event, in terms of the Revival community as well as the show itself?

Revival is a collaborative community which seeks to celebrate individuality I wanted to foster this empowering and inspiring environment for both the executive committee and models, ensuring these aspects of the show worked in unison with one another. Revival is such a special way to raise money for charity, simultaneously allowing a celebration of the amazing work of Feeding Families as well as the impressive work of the designers whose clothes we showcase. After months of effort, organisation and rehearsing across 20 executive members and 30 models, Revival is an immensely rewarding event You can see the impact on the models throughout the process as they grow in confidence with each rehearsal and it’s amazing to witness the awe audience members have for the models as well as an appreciation for the organisation behind the event. I’ve had so many people tell me after watching Revival that they are keen to get involved in next year ’ s event!

WELFARE AT MARY'S (WAM)

Charlie Harris (English Literature, 3rd Year), Assistant Male Officer, talks about his involvement with WAM.

At its most basic, Welfare At Mary's (WAM) is a student-led welfare initiative put in place to allow Marians a way of confidentially voicing welfare concerns either about themselves or their peers. However, this simplistic view obscures WAM’s true importance and wider impact upon Mary’s College life. Comprised solely of students, WAM prides itself on being a friendly and accessible line of support for those going through difficulties. Whilst not as specialised or extensive as Mary's Student Support team or some of the University’s specialist support services, the WAM team holds drop-in sessions on a regular basis

It is the integrity of this support to Mary’s welcoming environment which prompted me to become involved with the organisation. Upon first arriving in Durham I was amazed that there was a team of student volunteers there to listen to me if I needed it, and it was a great reassurance to know that I was part of a community which visibly cared about its students. I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of campaigns the team ran throughout the year, each of which working to raise awareness of different welfare issues

After joining WAM I really enjoyed contributing to these campaigns, as well as running my own with the help of the WAM committee. Of all the different ones of which I’ve been a part, my favourite is the annual body image campaign (this year excellently co-ordinated by our head officer Sophie Tice) which aims to fight the negative messages sent out by (social) media surrounding how we view our own bodies.

For two years I have loved being a part of WAM and I am really proud of the support which as an organisation it represents Now, more than ever, it is so important that students feel cared for by their college and I hope WAM continues to be a large part of why Mary’s exceeds in fulfilling that obligation.

LUMIERE

18TH-21ST NOVEMBER 2021

Elsie Lewis and Lauren Eglin share their thoughts on Lumiere 2021.

The 2021 Lumiere festival brought much needed post-lockdown light to Durham. Through the medium of art and music, a feeling of hope was cast across the city. Perhaps the recent pandemic inspired the numerous artists; many of the displays focused on an idea of coming together The ‘City of Light, City of Stories’ instalment by local residents who collaborated with artists from The Lantern Company and Jo Pocock, which was by College Green, and showed that although ‘home’ is often an isolated place, it belongs to an interconnected community. One of my favourite displays was the poetry, which was projected onto the castle walls accompanied by the poets’ voices reading out lines from their best work. This highlighted the externalisation of written work as the liminal space of thought was projected across the river. For many students, Lumiere brought a break from deadlines and a chance to explore Durham. It was refreshing to see the city flooded with visitors come to admire Durham’s beauty. St Mary’s College had its first display, bringing many students and members of the public to admire the college. American artist Jim Campbell designed the ‘Scattered Light’ display. Campbell suspended 1,600 LED lightbulbs to incorporate the transmission of moving figures from a recording of Grand Central Station in New York City. The contrast in the low-resolution light between the dazzling illumination of the background and the softness of the shadows in the foreground creates a truly mesmeric effect The display inspired a thought-provoking perception of depth as the urbanity of the lights relied on the darkness of the night for a complete experience of sublimity.

Photograph of 'Scattered Light' by Lauren Eglin

AN INTERVIEW WITH...

ENVIRONMENT OFFICER

Francesca is St Mary’s Environment Officer and the Chair of St Mary’s Environment Society. Francesca organises campaigns and projects around College to help Mary's become more environmentally sustainable, promoting eco-friendly activities that students can do to improve their carbon footprint.

What are your core values as a society & what are the aims of the Mary’s environmental society?

We hope to change people’s lifestyle habits in small ways to enable a more sustainable future. I believe that small community-based projects can really make a huge difference within the global struggle against anthropogenic climate change.

By providing resources and opportunities, such as sharing university-wide occasions, a much larger group of likeminded people are reached and, in turn, are able to band together and make a larger difference to the environmental cause. For example, a Facebook page has recently been created for those interested in eco-activities and events. Consequently, wider-reaching events, from seminars to SCOOP meetings to protests, are organised around University campus.

Photography by Ella Smith

ELSIE LEWIS TALKS TO FRANCESCA WARREN (ENVIRONMENTAL GEOSCIENCE, 3RD YEAR), ABOUT HER INVOLVEMENT WITH MARY'S ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY.

What are some of the campaigns that the environmental society has done this year?

The Reducing Waste campaign, which ran over Christmas, advertised purchasing from small, local businesses or second hand where possible instead of from multi-national or large companies, such as Amazon or Pretty Little Thing. These companies have a much larger impact on the climate as their factories are often within developing countries where there is less red tape on environmental laws and there is therefore a higher carbon footprint due to the distance that the package must travel. Moreover, companies such as Amazon have such a high turnover of products, so their left-over waste is often just dumped and burned, once more massively impacting the climate. This campaign also promoted not falling for the trap of buying unnecessary items in the Boxing Day or January sales. Our Veganuary campaign involved posting quick, tasty, and easy vegan meals weekly across January for people to try, as well as some more detailed ones for those who are more interested in cooking. With this campaign there was also a fact page about how veganism is better for the planet. The aim with this campaign was to show how delicious vegan food is, and try to reduce meat consumption By posting new recipes, students were encouraged to try new techniques and flavours that they potentially wouldn’t have tried before. We also held a litter pick during January around Observatory Hill and filled 4 bin bags with rubbish. I help out other colleges and Greenspace, for example, assisting with the My Greenspace website and app, which allows people to win £20 vouchers for restaurants or shops. I also participate in Fairtrade Fortnight, or the Greenspace festival, which happens in Easter Term.

How is Mary’s becoming an eco-friendlier college?

We aim to have a wildflower garden to boost biodiversity and increase pollinator populations. There are also talks with College about having more vegan and vegetarian formals. This was brought up at the start of the year and it was great to see Emma Johnson, our JCR Vice President, push for this menu! By promoting campaigns within College and showing how easy it can be to do your part in the fight against climate change, I hope I am making an impact (no matter how small) on people’s lives and their daily actions.

Photography by Madeline Hartland

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID SADDINGTON

ELSIE LEWIS TALKS TO DAVID SADDINGTON ABOUT HIS TIME AT MARY'S AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK HE HAS DONE SINCE.

Many Marians enjoy sitting in the eco garden outside Fergusson It has become a space of sanctity for students We interviewed David Saddington, the founder of the eco garden, about his time at Mary’s and his environmental work since leaving university.

Former Mary’s student David Saddington has pursued a career in environmental campaigning His latest course of action was the nature campaign for COP26, which was held in Glasgow in November 2021 David describes the summit as a critical moment for climate action, particularly in the context of emerging from the pandemic to step up the ambition of tackling climate change

The nature campaign aims to reduce emissions; a lot of the focus for this was on target setting, asking countries to come back to Glasgow with more ambitious pledges than they had in the Paris Agreement, 2015 David says that 6 years on from Paris, we still need to reduce the emissions gap and devise new targets as we are not on track to meet the Paris Agreement target of 1 5 degrees The nature campaign was a new idea for COP, and is part of the UK’s aim for real economy change to start imminently cutting emissions The nature campaign looks at really specific interventions to identify specific problems One of the specific aims of the nature campaign was the aim to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. David says that when looking at where to cut emissions, a stronger focus needs to be placed on the numbers, as we need to not reduce global emissions by 2%; we need to get to net zero in the next 28 years

This is a huge ambition; David has identified that forest loss and land use change contributes nearly a quarter of global emissions, adn much of that number comes from global supply chains of things that we all buy.

He has looked at globally traded commodities such as palm oil and chocolate, soy and beef, because these products are grown, farmed around the world, and are shipped to consumer countries like the UK, but can contribute for up to 80% of forest loss in tropical regions. David expressed the imperative necessity of halting and reversing deforestation Thanks to David’s work on the nature campaign, it was decided at COP26 to globally clean up trade in these agricultural products through the focused intervention of greening supply chains in the Forest, Agriculture & Commodity Trade (FACT) government dialogue and private sector commitment from global brands The nature campaign managed to mobilise £14b worth of public and private finance towards forests from COP26

David was already a keen environmental activist before his time at Mary’s but got involved as an Environment Rep at college due to his passion for helping the environment and reducing climate change

Young consumers have an enormous amount of power, so for David, making a tangible, physical change in Mary’s and doing eco events with another Mary’s student Chris Vos was important. They organised a large public awareness event in Durham, with a giant cinema screen in Market Square which showed the climate change film Changing Ice and had conversations with shoppers and locals about climate change. There was also a panel discussion in the evening in the town hall with the Green Party, lecturers and professors, and the student volunteers about what individual changes could be made to reduce climate change.

David’s parents conserve the garden, maintaining it once a fortnight Since its development, memorial benches have been added to the space, making it a very popular reading spots for students when the sun shines. Over the summer, the Grammy award winning song writer Nile Rodgers took a break from his tour to visit the garden to see the tree memorialising the young poet Mattie Stepanek Mattie was one of the reasons that Nile Rodgers set up his foundation which aimed towards world peace. Nile Rodgers’ mentorship programme supports young change makers such as environmental activists, and young people challenging racial injustice. For the programme, David planted trees and helped developed small gardens.

We were honoured to welcome David back as our key speaker for this year's Epiphany Formal, and we hope that he will return to Mary's soon.

David enjoyed engaging the wider student community in environmental issues For him, the focal point of this was the creation of the eco garden. The eco garden not only delivered on his manifesto pledge but was a way of uniting the college community in a tangible project to make environmental change David says that the event took 48 hours, and he and some friends started early on a November morning. He says that at the peak involvement thirty students digging the garden with spades and trowels and were joined by Mary’s Jazz David chose the planting in the garden, the buddleia and lavender for biodiversity, to encourage butterflies and bees to pollinate the garden in the summer. David says that planting the garden raised awareness and excitement for what tangible change could be made by the individual The eco garden is a physical reminder that although climate change is a global existential threat, the individual can make a change.

David recognises that going to one of the best universities in the world has given him a career trajectory that has enabled him to make a powerful difference.

Photography by Elsie Lewis

BIDDY BAXTER

Among the earliest female editors at the BBC, Biddy Baxter is a household name credited for a forward-thinking focus on audience correspondence and participation

At its height, Blue Peter was watched by 8 million and received more than 1,000 letters a day as children eagerly sought a coveted Blue Peter badge Biddy explains the proactive voice of the audience was essential as ‘it was important to know how our audience was reacting to what we were offering’ The Mary’s editorial team are all proud owners of Blue Peter Badges, and the creation of this interactive viewing experience remained essential in transforming Blue Peter into the British institution that it is today.

'Keep trying and don't give up!'

From 1952 to 1955, Biddy was a student Durham University, attending at a tim when only 6% of students were fema When asked why Durham, Biddy explain the ‘main attraction was going as far away possible from the Midlands’, which was h birth place, and that ‘St Mary’s was new a exciting’. Unable to choose a favour moment or memory whilst at St Mary Biddy explains, ‘I thought it was all wonderful!’.

Mae Brennan talks to Biddy Baxter about her time at St Mary's College as well as her role as Editor of Blue Peter.

Mark Curry (Blue Peter presenter 1986-89), Janet Ellis (Blue Peter presenter 1983-87), Peter Duncan (Blue Peter presenter 1980-1986)

Biddy was awarded an MBE in 1981 and has since published a collection of children’s letters that were sent to Blue Peter. In November 2013, Biddy was announced as the recipient of the Special Award at the BAFTA Children’s Awards in 2013. Praised by Anna Home, former head of BBC Children’s Television, on receiving the award, Home explained that ‘if anyone deserves to be recognised she does’ as ‘Blue Peter is a legend and she is Blue Peter’.

In 1963, Biddy devised and introduced the Blue Peter badge to encourage viewers to send in programme ideas, pictures, letters, and stories. Created by Tony Hart, the instantly recognisable emblem of the Blue Peter ship was designed, speaking to the show’s mission of setting off on an adventure. On 27th June 1988, Biddy left Blue Peter and viewers saw Biddy rewarded the programme ’ s highest honour of a gold Blue Peter badge, which Biddy described as her ‘greatest honour’. To pick a favourite memory or moment from Blue Peter, Biddy explains is impossible, and that there are ‘ so many – I could write a book!’. Editor for an astonishing 26 years, Blue Peter and Biddy Baxter are synonymous and for anyone wishing to pursue a career in television, Biddy advises to ‘keep trying and don’t give up!’.

Valerie Singleton (Blue Peter Presenter 1962-72)

Diane-Louise Jordan (Blue Peter presenter 1990-96)

Diagram of the Blue Peter Garden (Scale 1:100)

Janet Ellis (Blue Peter presenter 1983-87)

Masquerade Ball 25th February 2022

Photography by Shireen's Shots

Mary’s Day 19th June 2022

Photography contributed by students

Postcards From Mary's

My roots are firmly in the North East I lived in the seaside town of Saltburn just forty miles from Durham I chose Durham because of the collegiate system. St Mary’s accepted me for an Honours Degree in English Language and Literature with French subsidiary This was when almost all St Mary’s undergraduates had the luxury of living in College for all three years As a postgraduate, I lived on the Bailey in Lightfoot House

I decided on a teaching career – tempted by the long holidays and some sense of vocation – starting in Derbyshire as I wanted a change from the North East After four years I was back, teaching English in a wellestablished school in Sunderland where I enjoyed tutoring A Level students on the brink of University entrance

I stayed in touch with St Mary’s by following its history at first hand and was delighted on leaving fulltime teaching to be invited to the semi-voluntary role of College Archivist As I like to combine accuracy with creative thinking, I have developed my own style of making the archives meaningful

I have recently edited and published a book of poems and am currently editing a family memoir

AftergraduatingfromDurhamin1978,Istudied Japanese at SOAS University of London before reading International Relations at Tokyo University Following this, I joined the Foreign OfficeandwaspostedtoTokyoandSingapore I looked at Japan’s role in the resolution of the Cambodia conflict and had various subsequent roles, including Departmental Director at the Daiwa Foundation, Director of the UK-Japan 21stCenturyGroup Ico-foundedandranLinks Japan, Solar Links Initiative (East Africa), the PLENTI Project (South India), the Burma Campaign Society, the International Friendship andReconciliationTrust,GlobalLinksInitiative I’ve also sat on a range of boards, such as Gap, Latittude Global Volunteering, International RefugeeTrustandJapanHouseLondonTrustas well as being on an advisory board for a Japanese insurance company and a representative for BACSA I’m still working today, have 4 children and am a granny too! I live in London yet continue to see many of my Mary’sandDurhamfriends.

PhillidaPurvis

Mary’s1975-1978

AnneElliot Mary's 1966-70

I was at Mary’s from 1972-75, read Russian. All women then, and Rus sadly is no more Following Durham worked for GCHQ as a linguist, Russian then Japanese. From there, I went to B Monitoring as an Editor In 1997, I elected Labour MP for Reading East, served two terms. I stood down in 20 and trained as a teacher of English I t spent nine years at the European Cour Human Rights in Strasbourg I’ve wor in Latvia, Cambodia, and Tajikistan, get caught by the pandemic in Tajikistan spending almost three years there I’m now volunteering in Honduras with no intention of retiring! I have been married twice, now happily single and have a son and daughter as well as three granddaughters!

JaneGriffiths Mary’s1972-1975

I attended St Mary’s College first between 2012-13 for my masters, and then for a PhD 2014-18. My first academic monograph, Foreignness and Selfhood: SinoBritish Encounters in English Literature of the Eighteenth Century, was published by Routledge in May 2022. I studied English at Durham and deeply enjoyed my student experience at St Mary’s College. In 2019, I settled back in my hometown, Beijing, and started my career as an Assistant Professor of English Literature at Peking University.

MengmengYan

2012-13and2014-18

I attended St Mary’s as a postgraduate in 2006-7 and met some great friends. I have played hockey in London for several years and have been the hockey captain of a couple of teams

The alumni hockey weekend over the years has definitely helped to maintain links recent and has enabled the more recent graduates to have access to friendly hockey games once they have graduated Phillipa White (2006-9) and Anna Chamberlain-Webber (2007-11) have also played for one of the ladies team at the same club and William Storey (2005-9) has also joined the club on hockey tour.

Mary's 2006-7

FreddieHowell

Yuk-Ting (Zoe) Hua

Mary's 2017-2020

I was house hunting in London yesterday and found myself by the canals ‘Little Venice’ is what they call it -- how pretentious. I’ve always been drawn to bodies of water. This is a comforting sign. Just ten minutes prior, I hastily transferred the holding deposit on my phone from my Monzo account outside a church that will now be a ‘church in my neighbourhood’ I mean, everything lined up – the windows faced south, the flat no is ‘eight’, a lucky number in Chinese culture; it was a tiny studio, the size of my current room, but everything made sense

Just a week ago after watching my favourite band in Shepherd’s Bush with my old course mate from Durham, I decided it was time for the ‘big move ’ to the ‘big smoke’ The past week has been a whirlwind of trying to rush through all my research projects that I am contracted for, late nights on Zoopla flipping through 10 alternative lives on 10 different google chrome tabs; and lastly, sitting down across my housemates in a living room that is actually a kitchen in a creaky Brighton house that feels a bit like a commune breaking the news – ‘it’s not you, it’s me ’ .

I have been uhming and ahing about this move for months In fact, maybe about half a year since I’ve completed my Masters at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). I thought I’d stick it through, and it was rewarding – I made the most of the networks I had at the IDS; assisting on research projects ranging from carbon sequestration and kelp restoration in Sussex, flood resilience in India, and Chinese development. Even when I got my job in London, I thought I would be one of those ‘Brighton-commuters’ But now I’ve become the other side of the Brighton demographic, one of those rushing to move to the big city, to return to the hustle and bustle.

I love ‘London-by-the-sea’, this little city that I could cradle with my arms, that I’ve walked through multiple times during the pandemic, melting scent-scapes of incense, coffee, and then the sea-breeze I remember Fridays last year well In the second term, I had 5 hours of zoom classes and seminars back-to-back on Fridays. With my eyes glued to the laptop, the most liberating moment ‘breaking out’ from this virtual room. It was saying my ‘thank-yous’ at the end of class, slamming my laptop lid shut, and charging out of my door for a brisk walk by the beach

On the most turbulent of days, I sought comfort in bodies of water I carried this energy with me everywhere I went Third year, writing essays in the Billy-B, slamming my laptop down, ‘I’ve had enough today’; and then taking the ‘nicer’ walk down the river, through the Bailey and then up to Claypath

It feels like spring today, and wandering around, I am reminded of daffodils on Observatory Hill and cherry blossoms outside Marys Last year this time, I asked my friends in college to help me check whether the blossoms are out. I have so many photos on my phone of them by these cherry blossoms in Spring I think about us having Tesco raspberries and lounging by the river, watching the rowers go by I think about how much I’ve changed since my third year came to a halt from COVID. I’ve always told myself that it’s not worth it to rush to London – the rent is too high, friends are scattered But now with a job that I love in London, with a bit more ‘experience’ (on my CV and in life); now the time feels right.

It is springtime, and the river is a good sign

Rebecca Baxter Mary's 1989-91

I was a Mary’s girl from 1989-91 and my degree was in English Literature and Language. I was the first person in any branch of my family to make it to university, so it felt like a real honour to me I went on to gain a Ph.D., studying late eighteenth-century female novelists, and married a Mildert boy, Jeremy Baxter, who I met through the Durham University Scout and Guide Group. When he finished his Ph D in computer science in 1994, we moved to Great Malvern for his job while I was still finishing my Ph.D. I decided against teaching and instead wrote in my spare time and worked in various part-time roles in order to allow us the time to start a Scout Troop, which we still run today For the last eight years I have been the company administrator for a friend’s park homes business and of course, I have an unpublished novel in a draw (well, on a memory stick)!

We have three daughters and have been amused and pleased to see our 20-year-old twins take after their parents in choice of subject. Kay is now at Selwyn College, Cambridge, studying English Literature, while Hattie, following her father into computer science, is currently a Mary’s girl - she even has special permission to wear my old gown (now the ‘family gown’) to formals! It’s been a complete delight to visit her regularly and to see how the university has developed since our day Our youngest daughter, Elyssa, has had to put up with far too many ‘do you remembers’ as we wander around nostalgically…

My main hobby, aside from reading and Scouting, has always been needlecraft I went to Durham with various projects in hand and can remember being teased about belonging to ‘St. Mary’s College Crochet Circle’ by lads from other colleges (their invention)! While I was at home with my girls when they were small, I started making items to sell and, teaming up with my Mum, we soon had enough for a craft stall We enjoyed selling at fairs in our area for about a decade, until it all came to an end with the first lockdown Nothing daunted, we immediately set up on Etsy as ‘A Stitch in Time Malvern’ and have now had a couple of years of online trading, which has been brilliant With a much larger market open to us, I have been writing and selling patterns for my bestselling creation, Tuppenny Mice, and have just begun a collaboration with a well-established online shop, Cloudcraft, who are selling kits for some of my patterns. My latest pattern, Jane Austen-themed Regency Tuppenny Mice, has allowed me to combine my passions for literature and needlecraft in a very satisfying way!

I absolutely loved my years at St. Mary’s and have never stopped appreciating the way we were able to test out our independence while feeling safe and supported by the college. Gaining a Durham degree makes you feel that you can turn your mind to anything and my working life has certainly been far more varied, interesting and amusing than I ever expected!

ABOVE: Rebecca's Jane Austen themed Regency mice

An American Student at Mary's

Suzanne Scott recalls her time at Mary's as MBA student in 1998.

My time at St. Mary’s is time I hold dear and will never forget. It was some time ago now, 1997-1998. The internet was in its fledgling stages. I had just come from four Frenchspeaking years in West Africa. I felt so excited to be going to an English-speaking location However, when I arrived in Durham and was making my way to the college, I realized I couldn’t understand anyone I heard speaking on the streets. I started to worry – I panicked, “Don’t they speak English here?!” Later I learned about Geordie, the local dialect. I also realized that learning a little would get me a very long way.

My first night in college, I met some other international students and we decided to head to the dining hall for the evening meal, or “tea,” as it is called. As we made our way through the line and saw what was on offer, we saw this enormous tray of what looked to me to be some sort of layered lasagne. I asked the women behind the deck about it. They described it as “ savory pancakes.” My mind starts turning this over and over trying to make sense of what in the world might be savoury about pancakes. Neither French nor American pancakes are savoury at all! Typical American, I blurted this out loud enough for everyone to hear. The local women behind the deck laughed until they cried. “Git a load o’this lass. She don’t know what savoury pancakes are, ” in as heavy a Geordie accent as I’ve ever heard. The other international students in line also started to laugh! The hearty, multi-cultural, and raucous laughter was all we needed to break the tension. It was a complete release of anxiety, long-haul travel stress and fear of the unknownlearning something new and being in a city in a country none of us knew well was a terrifying prospect, especially with graduate school starting the next day! This gift has always remained precious to me

I ended up becoming very good friends with those local ladies, visiting them often in the kitchen at St. Mary’s. They looked after me with great care, making sure I had what I needed for my packed lunches each day. It was a partnership, a friendship, a vital connection, a touch stone, a place of acceptance. That’s what’s waiting.

COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE WITH...

ANNEE.ELLIOT

ST MARY'S COLLEGE ARCHIVIST

THE ROLE OF THE ARCHIVIST

'The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there'. So says the metaphorical opening of ‘The Go-Between’ by L P Hartley True it is that the past is different from the present but the present is shaped by the past However, the present day at St Mary’s is clearly more immediate than the past. Raising awareness of the past and linking it with the present, bringing the history to life is a major task of the College archivist

THEN AND NOW

Along the 123 years of St Mary’s College history, there are major landmarks. The College began in 1899 as the Women’s Hostel on Claypath with only 6 students and a Principal. In 1901 it moved to the bigger Abbey House on Palace Green In 1919 Collegiate status was granted under the new name of St Mary’s College and students moved into a new main home at 8 The College in the Cathedral Close. By 1924 St Mary’s was the largest college in Durham and more students needed more accommodation On October 23rd 1947 the foundation stone of our main building was laid by Princess Elizabeth Designed by Vincent Harris, this was the first college on the Elvet Hill site. In October 1952 the first students moved in But yet more space was needed and in 1962 Williamson was added, then by 1993 Williamson was extended and the Kenworthy Conference Hall and atrium were added to Fergusson. In 2006 the all-female Shepherd Wing was established. In 2005 St Mary’s had become mixed and by 2008 it was well and truly so with the first mixed graduation and first male Principal. For the Diamond Jubilee of Fergusson in 2012, the terrace forecourt was re-laid and restored to its original design

SHOWCASING

To prevent the College archives from being merely 'records stored of deeds long since forgot' [Walter Scott], an important role for me is to make them visible, bringing the past into the present. One way is creating displays of selected archive material on current topics An obvious location is the showcase cabinet on the main corridor currently celebrating recent centenaries This display is to be replaced by marking the 70th anniversary of Fergusson in 2022, happily coinciding with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee –thus the display links with a national event especially notable because the Queen laid our foundation stone in 1947 and re-visited in 1960 A semi-permanent display is of the College crest helping us not to take the crest for granted as we see it around College. Seasonally, the annual Christmas shelf might showcase carol service venues past and present. I research, design and install these displays which place topical College themes into a historical context

I make extensive wall displays for St Mary’s College Society (Alumni) Reunions, going down the decades, a sheet of facts for every tenth year of history. Numerous areas of celebration, topical in the Reunion year, are depicted by pictures of interesting developments, people, and significant events such as the building of the Learning Centre

PhotographybyAlanGardner

NETWORKING

Contact with Alumni and associates is not only interesting but can be entertaining! A small package arrived in the post containing a College egg cup complete with College crest returned by a 1970s Alumna re-discovered while de-cluttering her loft! Could any present student imagine doing similarly in 50 years time?! Could Joyce Horsman in 1947 have thought that her scrapbook of anecdotes and photos would be archived 70 years later?

Networking can be surprising A gentleman wished to donate his late wife’s (also a Mary) College scarf – that led to a lively email correspondence with him about his wife’s achievements This inspired me to write about the history of the College scarf and him to write about his wife’s life

I respond by email to queries and requests An Alumna wanted to know how the wild boar statues came to the Fergusson portico so I supplied details of our sculpture trail A gentleman wanted the exact date of the carol service in the year he first set eyes on his Mary’s Alumna wife and he was amazed that I supplied a copy of the order of service The JCR asked for material to display at the centenary dinner and for the history of College hockey for the Sports Weekend gathering I also liaise with Principal and staff to draw attention to any relevant issues

I am an enthusiastic committee member of the long-established, successful St Mary’s College Society (SMCS). I make a major contribution to the work of SMCS including providing information, photographing events and even designing a presentation album to mark Principal Hackett’s leaving.

DISCOVERING

I enjoy a variety of research tasks on request as well as self-motivated. This includes serious matters, for example, how Mary's did not close during two World Wars yet, a modern pandemic forced College's closure, to more humorous matters. The centre of the forecourt originally had a tree planted in a square of garden - the tree did not last long because it was run over by a fire engine!

Two brilliant sources are ‘A Centenary Review’ by Elizabeth Boyd and ‘Doves and Dons’ ed. Marilyn Hird. Particularly useful are SMCS Newsletters dating from 1927 and Principals’ Reports before that. Autobiographical items such as anecdotes, letters, reminiscences and ‘Education in the Melting Pot’, by the first Senior Student Bessie Callender are fascinating. Records of experiences of all age groups are invaluable. Take, for example, Gwyneth Cole’s experiences as a fresher in both 1947 and 1952, and Biddy Baxter’s pioneering career as ‘Blue Peter’ presenter.

Many records, photographs and documents are housed and catalogued at Palace Green. The more historical narrative archives and photographs are stored in the College. Who could resist old black and white photographs of College buildings, the Queen’s visits, and quaintly dressed students of a century ago?

PhotographybyElsieLewis

WRITING

I have composed numerous articles with text and images prompted by issues of immediate interest for SMCS Newsletter readers and College members. Some concern people - anecdotes, personal stories, anniversaries, achievements, reunions of friendship groups. Some news is inevitably sad but celebratory of lives well lived such as obituaries significantly of three Honorary Fellows: writer and presenter Denise Robertson; author of ‘A Centenary Review’ Elizabeth Boyd; first Archivist Gwyneth Cole. Other features concern places – the development of our residences from the peninsula to Elvet Hill. An article entitled ‘Fine Dining’ was about the history of that hub of student life, the Dining Hall. Yet more news concerns then and now. The history of the position of Senior Woman/JCR President from the first, Bessie Callender in 1899, to the impressions of a recent JCR President Luke Wagner in 2017. And activities – the story of drama at St Mary’s including Shakespeare productions prompted by the 400th anniversary in 2016 of Shakespeare’s death. Also the history of hockey from 1900 (when students had to share their pitch with a field of cows!) to hockey nowadays and the present Sports Weekend.

COLLECTING

Collecting material is a joint ongoing effort In addition to my own methods, I rely on contributions from other people I welcome items of interest including photographs, whether in digital or hard copy, of past and present events A memorable example is my project ‘Chronicling College Covid’ when I could not risk entering College Key members of JCR, MCR, and SCR sent me written accounts about their experiences of the unprecedented times in College life How amazed posterity will be at the way St Mary’s College overcomes challenges

We archive for the future

PhotographybyAlanGardner

Mary Woodward & the College Scarf

Anne Elliot discusses the importance of the College archives as Canon Peter Woodward discovers wife, Mary Woodward's, College scarf.

Mary Woodward (née Hall) St Mary’s student 1953-1957, was a fresher in the second of the year groups to occupy the splendid new 1952 buildings on the Elvet Hill site. Like most students, she owned that distinguishing mark of St Mary’s College - the purple and white scarf.

The scarf has a long history. After St Mary’s gained collegiate status in 1919, its name and a new main building at 8 The College, which later became the Chorister School on Cathedral Close, were created. More changes followed this to befit the new status of St Mary’s, including a crest with motto, a boat and a College scarf.

In the 1927 edition of ‘The Dove’, the College magazine, Senior Woman Olive Greeves records that ‘The JCR has adopted a College scarf of purple and white, these colours having come to be definitely regarded as the college colours’. It was quite a heavy fabric with three pairs of vertical white stripes on the purple.

The modern scarf, the result of a student design competition, is complete with fringe but maintains its traditional look. It is purple acrylic with two vertical groups of stripes which pick out the colours white, red and blue from the College crest. The College name and crest are prominently displayed.

When Mary’s husband Canon Peter Woodward was sorting out her belongings, he came across her purple and white scarf with a tiny faded nametape stitched discreetly on a corner. This discovery, coupled with the time and opportunity that lockdown 2020 gave, allowed Peter to go through papers and check memories with family and friends, inspiring him to compile these recollections. He is pleased to have achieved this and appreciative of the opportunity the SMCS Newsletter has given him, explaining “I am ever so happy to have all this on record for my family and especially the children and grandchildren.”

And so the task that had begun with Mary’s scarf was completed with the following article We are very grateful to him for his generosity in sharing these memories of Mary’s significant achievements and wish him and his family all the best

Those of us privileged to have spent our University years at Mary’s are well aware of the benefits of belonging to the College I graduated in 1965 with a Chemistry degree; a rich experience of intense study in my favourite subject; a supportive environment for my first time living away from home; more political awareness (October 1962 saw a student march on Palace Green protesting at the risks of the Cuban Missile crisis); a lasting affection for the City; and several lifelong friendships.

Most graduates find it impossible to leave Durham behind completely and Alumni have been revisiting Mary’s for more than 100 years. St Mary’s College Society (SMCS) has existed under its current name since 1920, having evolved from the Old Students Society established as the first students graduated in 1902. Today, the prime responsibilities of SMCS continue to be providing mechanisms for former students to sustain their links with College; contributing to the College community; and supporting the academic and social development of today’s students Good two-way communication between Alumni and the College is ensured by our Committee’s mix of elected Alumni (a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and up to eight other Alumni members) with the College Principal, Vice Principal, Archivist, JCR, MCR Presidents and previous year ’ s past presidents (for one year) as Ex-Officio members

We are currently planning financial student support for the coming Academic year, including the SMCS Book Fund last run in 2020/21 which enables current Mary’s students to buy essential but expensive books when there may be financial barriers. We also hope to re-establish the Travel Bursaries and the Postgraduate Bursaries for conference attendance, neither possible to use during the pandemic, though we are aiming to expand the latter to include virtual conferences. We run an article competition liaising with Student Journalism interns and SMCS is committed to assisting College in helping with student hardship.

We are adapting our approach to communicating with Alumni by continuing to collaborate with College and the Mary’s Magazine, as our principal publication vehicle and encourage alumni to submit articles, news and photographs Important SMCS news and reports will also be directed to the Mary's Magazine. Our Alumni communications policy will make more and more use of social media: the website, Facebook and Instagram.

An Annual Reunion has always been the means for Alumni to re-visit College and Durham This has not been possible for the last couple of years, but we are exploring what we can do for 2022 The Reunion aims to draw back Alumni making re-connections with old friends whilst enjoying a formal dinner and entertainment. We also have the Annual General Meeting which reports on all facets of the Society’s’ activities, as well as elections to the SMCS Committee Recently we have held meetings on Zoom and we are keen to encourage further online participation.

From summer 2021 all new graduates have automatically been given SMCS life membership This cohort and that of 2022 will be invited to contribute to Society Funds following graduation and we will set up mechanisms for attracting donations from alumni

An Annual SMCS lecture with a speaker in the public eye has been a good route for attracting Mary’s alumni and a wider Durham Audience to a Society event Initially these were face to face in College, but the 2020 and 2021 lectures were virtual ones In 2021, Fiona Hill, the foreign affairs specialist, who advised US Presidents George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump provided an insightful and objective view of American Politics from her firsthand viewpoint with an audience of 200 Fiona featured on Desert Island Discs (Radio4) in May 2022 .

Sandra Ward, SMCS Acting President (February 2022 - present)

Photography by Elsie Lewis

In Memoriam: Pam Aynesworth

Pam Aynesworth was St Mary's College Bursar from 1971 to 1997. She worked particularly with Joan Kenworthy (Principal 1977-1999) who wrote these warm words on Pam's retirement in the 1997 SMCS Newsletter: "Pam has been a wonderful friend to students throughout the years, kind, ready to listen, always rational and thoughtful in her responses. She has taken particular pleasure in providing for special occasions. Members of the University Estates and Buildings Department enjoyed working with her - and she saw through many structural and other changes to the College... She has been held in high esteem and has been a splendid colleague with whom to work" She retired to Hexham in 1997 but, always welcome, she maintained links with the College. One of her most recent visits was to the St Mary's College Society 2019 Reunion dinner, celebrating the centenary of the granting of collegiate status to St Mary's in 1919.

The Alumni Editor has fond memories of Pam, who was very kind to her. “After an accident in my first term in the Autumn of 1975, which landed me in hospital with a head injury, Pam was so kind to me when I was released. She sent staff to check on me several times a day, and ensured that all my meals were delivered to my room until I was well enough to get up. That was when I first realised that College was not like Halls of Residence; there were people there for me who really cared, and a lot of the care was organised by Pam.”

She died on 17th November 2021; her funeral was on 2nd December She is much missed by all who knew her.

Christine Wright bids farewell to Pam Aynesworth, Mary's Bursar from the 70s.

St Mary's College

CHAPEL CHOIR

Matthew Warren

St Mary’s Chapel Choir has been part of my life since 2011, when I joined as a chorister. Now, ten years later I’ve just finished my third year as musical director of this wonderful group. Every time I’ve returned to the job it has been a new and glorious experience working with singers with all kinds of previous musical experience who come together to develop their abilities and grow to create an outstanding sound.

The development over this year has been marvellous Many in college will remember the choir’s performance at the carol service alongside the enthusiastic singing of some few hundred Marians. This was a night to remember and I imagine any of you who know a choir member may still hear the rollicking tune of “Hail! smiling morn ” whilst they’re washing up!

This year also saw some innovations in the choir’s performances With the chapel off limits for most of the year due to poor ventilation, we decided to explore other venues and formats. Particularly memorable have been the Compline (night prayer) under the moonlight in the college cloisters. Another successful experiment has been the Words and Music evenings, which have combined selections of literary readings from Milton to Eavan Boland with musical contributions from the choir, pianists Tom Milnes and Ziqing Wang

(the choir’s Assistant Musical Director), as well as our own Maggi Dawn. These developments have brought the choir’s music out of the chapel and into College and allowed the choir to grow from its pandemic-induced dormancy into a confident choir with an outstanding sound.

To cap the year off, the choir resumed the old tradition of going on a June tour, this year, to Edinburgh The four night trip brought everything from a performance in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral to an impromptu performance in the sea. The choir sounded fantastic (watch out for forthcoming posts on the Choir’s Instagram!) and no-one got swept off the top of Arthur’s Seat. All in all, it was a success!

Every note the choir produces is the result of the efforts of numerous excellent and dedicated people. The college’s choristers have shown extraordinary dedication and enthusiasm and are at the root of making this year so excellent for the choir. But others too have been instrumental in their support: our Assistant Director of Music, Ziqing Wang and choral scholars Hannah Tunnicliffe, Lizzie Howe, Peter Nielan, and Ben Lee; our Chaplain, Peter Kashouris; and the support in many different ways from the College and particularly Maggi Dawn and Emma Gray.

St Mary's College

MARY’S MIXED VOICES

Lydie Logan (Liberal Arts, 2nd Year), Olivia Kennington (Psychology, 2nd Year), Henry Alexander (Music, 2nd Year)

How long have you been involved with MMV?

About a year and a half or whenever rehearsals were allowed to start last year!

How is the club run? Are there regular meetings and sessions?

We rehearse at Mary’s every Tuesday evening in either the JCR or a music room. The rehearsals are very relaxed yet productive too as Henry, our Musical Director, leads us through the pieces, keeping us on the straight and narrow! We’ve had several socials throughout the year as well.

Why did you join MMV?

For Liv and Lydie - we missed a creative outlet during lockdown. We realised we spent a lot of time messing around singing together and so we both agreed to join MMV! We liked that MMV was a relaxed group with a varied repertoire For Henry - I saw a vacancy for Musical Director in the Music course group chat and thought it would be a good experience as I would like to be a Choral Director in the future

How has it been being co-presidents of MMV? What sort of responsibilities does this entail?

It’s been really rewarding to be in charge of something we enjoy and feel passionate about It’s been nice working together as well to split the load! Responsibilities mainly include organising and leading rehearsals and spreading the word about MMV across social media

Please could you tell us about one of MMV’s successes?

We think the return of the social aspect of MMV postCOVID is our biggest success this year Members have been able to meet others interested in music across various year groups and we ’ ve shown it’s not just sports societies that know how to have a good time!

How has MMV added to your sense of the college community?

We’ve been able to meet lots of people across year groups and coming back to Mary’s every week has made us feel we are still part of College despite living out.

What would you say to those considering joining MMV?

Do it! Don’t feel nervous as there’s nothing to losethere’s a group of people already laughing at their own mistakes too!

What is your favourite MMV memory?

Anytime Henry belts out (successfully) the soprano part and when we all dressed up as High School Musical characters, most notably when Gabriel D’Souza wore a stunning brown wig!

How do you hope the club will progress in upcoming years?

We want it to remain an inclusive space for those who haven’t had as much music experience yet enjoy performing. It’s been really nice post-COVID to see the social side of MMV revived as well as the increase in male voices, which we hope to see continue

St Mary's College

WOMEN'S RUGBY

Natasha Judson-Richardson, Physics, 3rd Year

How long have you been involved with Women’s Rugby?

Since my first year, so 3 years!

Why did you join Women’s Rugby?

I wanted to get involved with a new sport when I came to Durham I saw Women’s Rugby at the sports and societies fair during Fresher’s Week and thought it seemed like good fun. I had never played before, yet quickly realised the majority of members hadn’t played either! It was nice to learn together surrounded by such a friendly and inclusive group of people.

How is the club run? Are there regular meetings and sessions?

The club is organised by an executive committee consisting currently of a Captain, Vice-Captain, Treasurer, Publicity Officer, Development Officer, and Social Secretary During the season, which runs in Michaelmas and Epiphany, we have weekly training sessions at Maiden Castle which focuses on gameplay and rules. We also have socials throughout the year. The main playing aspect is at the weekend where we play in the college league, playing 10 aside matches against various colleges.

How has it been being Vice-Captain of Women’s Rugby? What sort of responsibilities does this role entail?

It is good fun and predominantly involves the organising and running of training sessions It is the joint responsibility of the captains to run practice, including the training of new members of the club As Vice-Captain, I am responsible for stepping in for the Captain during practice or game days, as well as completing administrative work for the club. Most importantly, I am responsible for managing the stash. This year, I organised the application for the Development Fund to buy new kit for the club.

Please could you tell us about one of Women’s Rugby’s successes?

At the end of Michaelmas Term, we were at the top of the college leader board for Women’s Rugby!

How has Women’s Rugby added to your sense of the College community?

As Women’s Rugby is a relatively small group, you get to know one another really well. When I first joined, everyone was so friendly and inviting, and more than willing to help out! Most people have never played before coming to university, so we all learn and develop our gameplay together - you quickly become part of a very close-knit team

What would you say to those considering joining Women’s Rugby?

Do it! Rugby games, practice, and playing in matches, more recently at the Festival of Sport, have been some of my favourite College memories! If you have never played before, don’t worry as most of us haven’t either. We learn together and I have formed some great friendships through Women’s Rugby. We are open to people joining at any time throughout the year, so never feel like it’s too late because we would absolutely love to have you!

What is your favourite Women’s Rugby memory?

The post-match chocolate orange tradition In my first year, Jess, current Women's Rugby Captain, brought a chocolate orange to one of our first matches and ever since, we bring a chocolate orange to every match! It definitely motivates you when you ’ re playing!

St Mary's College

RUNNING CLUB

Tilly Pitt, Mathematics, 3rd Year

When was Mary's Running Club set up?

Mary’s running club was set up in September 2020 by Ethan Collins and me.

What sort of runs and meet ups do you do?

Every week we do Durham Parkrun and go out for brunch afterwards. We also do group runs on a Sunday afternoon and organise other running events, such as a trip to Newcastle to do Newcastle Parkrun, running bingo, and organising an annual run to raise money for charity.

Why did you start the running club?

We wanted to create a running club to meet other runners as well as to encourage people to take up running. I really enjoy running, but it is a quite a solo sport, so creating a club means you can meet other people to run with and share routes with

What is one of your favourite running club memories?

One of my favourite running club memories has to be organising the 10km/ half marathon charity run which raised over £500 for Mind with many members running their first 10km or half marathon in the event.

How has Mary's Running Club contributed to your sense of college community?

We have competed against other colleges, such as Trevelyan and Mildert, as well as in the intercollegiate Parkrun competition The club also unites Mary's students across different years as it is open for all year groups. Moreover, the common goal of raising money helps us to feel proud of being team Mary’s

St Mary's College

BADMINTON

Kat Charles, Engineering,4th Year

Why did you join Mary’s Badminton?

I joined the badminton club at the beginning of my first year As I had played badminton before university, I was keen to carry this on in a relaxed social environment, but where I also had the opportunity to improve and compete

What is one of your favourite badminton memories?

By far my favourite experience was participating in the intercollegiate varsity against York in 2021 Especially as a Captain, it was great to play alongside other colleges and represent both Mary’s and Durham.

Tell us about your best success at a tournament?

Our women ’ s team in particular has had incredible success in recent years After promotion to the premiership following an undefeated season in 2019, we went on to place second in 2021 and eventually win the league after college sport restarted last year, making us the best college team in the university!

How has Mary’s Badminton added to your sense of college community?

For me the resurgence of the club postlockdown captured the sense of Mary’s community. Since the majority of members graduated during the pandemic, we effectively had to start from scratch last year The enthusiasm of new members, many of whom hadn’t played much badminton before, to participate in training sessions and matches has meant the club has grown significantly, becoming more inclusive, social, and exciting.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DURHAM

Mary's Magazine ran a Photography Competition The aim was to showcase the City and all its charms

WINNER: Cameron Smart, Geology, 2nd Year

FIRST RUNNER UP: Miley Yijie Jia, Psychology, 2nd Year

SECOND RUNNER UP: Rex Munson, Renewable Engineering , 4th Year

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARY'S

Mary's Magazine ran a Photography Competition. The aim was to showcase Mary's in all its glory.

WINNER AND COVER IMAGE: Anna Gallagher-Gill, Biosciences, 2nd Year

Melissa Rumbold speaks to Anna Gallagher-Gill about her prize-winning photograph and her memories of Mary’s this year.

Congratulations on winning the photography competition! What inspired you to capture this part of Mary's?

Thanks so much! Seeing the grounds of Mary's just after spring with the scattered snowdrops was just too picturesque not to photograph!

What is your favourite thing about Mary's?

I'd have to say my favourite thing is the beautiful scenery of Mary's at all times of the year, not only outside, but inside too with the wonderful people! The College radiates peace and happiness.

Tell us your favourite memory of Mary's this year?

I enjoyed all the College events this year but my favourites have to be the Midsummer Ball where I was Head of Decorations, and the Halloween Carnival and seeing all the brilliant costumes.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARY'S

FIRST RUNNER UP: Oscar Mackay, History and Politics, 1st Year

SECOND RUNNER UP: Elizabeth McCauley, Music, 3rd Year

ART

Mary's Magazine ran Art Competition. This year's prompts were: space, distance, history and time.

WINNER: Molly Mihell, English Literature, 1st Year

Having always been intrigued by different spaces and how they can be transformed, I took prompt 'space' and considered architectural places and their often dynamic nature - whether due to the movement of light or people. I attempted to reflect this sense of movement and change through my artwork by abstracting real architectural scenes - the first two are gothic churches and the second two are industrial sites

ART

RUNNER UP: Francesca Fantoni, Modern Languages, 4th Year

I believe this charcoal life drawing represents the body’s connection with its surrounding space – something that we don’t acknowledge enough in our busy lives. The sitting and relaxed figure offers a moment of contemplation. The combination of sharp mark making in the negative space with the dustiness of the chalk also alludes to the passing and fading of time that the body experiences.

POETRY

Mary's magazine ran a Poetry Competition. This years prompts were: elements, divinity, dreams, and morality.

WINNER

: Kirsten Meek, Joint Honours (English Literature and Philosophy), 1st Year I dream for a life

As I sit under the bursting sky I soak in the landscape of lilies budding; A nightingale sings me a lullaby But it can’t contain my heart from thudding

I dream for a life of continued blissWhere there is no threat of war.

I dream for nature to always bloom like this Is that too much to ask for?

The birds here sing harmoniously But what do they sound like across the border? Governments argue zealously Bombs are dropping down as an order

A gentle breeze caresses my face, A feeling of peace in the air, But melancholy has my placeFor how can I be happy? The world is in despair

Refugees flee to us to escape their fate

Why are people turning their backs?

We are blessed enough to not relate Please help them, before more attacks!

I dream for children not dreaming about guns And for soldiers to quickly return home, A world where no one ’ s on the run And spouses don’t anxiously sleep alone

The world could easily flourish, With nature replacing war grounds, But everything seems to be malnourished, With bullets and bombs as the only sounds

I dream for a lifeIs it too late for us to redeem?

I dream for a lifeA life that lives like a dream.

POETRY

RUNNER-UP: Seren Saunders, English Literature, 2nd Year

A Meeting

I am meeting with you tomorrow, despite my better sense, to discuss the fog. It’s thick, a choking smoke, and despite the months I’ve spent lost in it I am no closer to finding a way out

I am asking you to hold out a hand to me, show me the purple light hiding in the dewy grass, lady birds and crows, a kind word or a gust of wind.

Perhaps this is a lot to ask, to ask at all is a liberty –I only hope that you can see inside me, And see why I had no other choice.

CREATIVE WRITING

Mary's magazine ran a Creative Writing Competition. This years prompts were: elements, divinity, dreams, and morality.

WINNER: Freyde Fallon-Sayers, Liberal Arts, 1st Year

LANDING

“God Almighty.” His panicked curse breaks the quiet hissing of upbeat pop from her headphones.

“Sorry?”

“I think we ’ re stuck ” He chuckles to himself anxiously and peers around the metal box that forces them to face each other.

“Oh, I didn‘t notice. I’m sure we’ll be moving in a second.” She plucks an Airpod from each ear and her light brown eyes, framed by smudged kohl, meet his penetrating gaze He shakes out his colossal arm to glance at a watch that weighs him down, just like the abnormally large briefcase in his other hand and mutters, “I’ve got a meeting in two minutes.”

Her eyes rest for a few moments on the twin slabs of steel that confine them. He clumsily turns aside to the row of buttons that glow bright blue, the shapes incomprehensible Which way are the arrows facing, inwards, outwards, up, down?

“My office is on the top floor,” he mumbles The dimly lit screen above their heads illuminates a pixelated number 3 His shoulders lift and stiffen.

“Press the bell,” she says. “They’ll get people to come and help us out. I wouldn’t worry. ”

He jabs at the alarm button repeatedly with a chunky forefinger, creating a series of dissonant beeps.

“They’ve probably heard us, ” she continues. “Someone should be coming soon. ”

"I sure as hell hope so. ”

He tilts his head up to the fluorescent light as if in prayer She chuckles, leaning back on the metal bar in front of the mirror, then flexes her fingers which are almost pixie-like.

“I’m going to miss my meeting,” he sighs. His glassy eyes are blue and fixed on hers.

“It’s not the end of the world.”

“You’re surprisingly calm. What’s your name?”

“Maya.”

“I’m Ashley.” He reaches out to shake her hand and she giggles. His grip is firm, the fingers scrunch up her thin hand as if it’s a tissue “At least we have each other’s company ”

His eyes are all over her blouse with an embroidered collar, checked skirt and tights, velvet jacket, platform boots. Ashley’s voice sounds overhead, crisp and synthetic. “You have an eccentric flair; my frowning colleagues wear carbon-copy skirt suits ”

She notices his admiration and eyes his jacket, a smudge of white on the collar that could be toothpaste An intimidating businessman dribbles toothpaste like a toddler.

“Do you work here?” he grins.

“Well, I’m an intern at the publishing house. I started on Monday.”

“How are you finding it?” The grin deepens, turning unsettling.

I get to read for hours every day ” She’s whispering, her arms rise up and elegant toned forelimbs now hover above her head.

She looks into his eyes again but tiny red veins stretch around his iris. “Ideal,” he whispers. A joy envelops her. She laughs manically: “Never has a man in a suit demonstrated appreciation for my career choice ” Her arms drop as if they were weights hanging on a piece of string.

He chuckles to himself, then appears uncomfortable and shakes off his jacket. He undoes the top button at the collar. Maya notices a bead of sweat swim slowly from the top of his brow, a transparent tadpole that drips off his left cheek His forehead glistens, and she wonders whether he’s sweating from the heat of his wool suit. But she feels a raging warmth too, from her shoulders, her palms She rests her hand on the back of her neck, below her hairline, and feels a burning sensation She removes her velvet blazer and takes hold of the front of her shirt, shaking it to create airflow Now he fumbles for the buttons on his shirt, popping them out, revealing a chest that glows a burning pink.

Where’s the scar on his shoulder? Maya hears a cacophony of shouting. A celebration? In a single movement, she crosses her arms and pulls off her shirt

Their eyes meet suddenly What’s that smell?

Thick orange smoke billows across the floor and creeps upwards Coughing, they scramble for the buttons, pressing them manically, banging on the walls, Ashley shouting profanities, Maya bent double against the side.

“The doors!” She sticks her fingers through the crack and heaves outwards, then they part robotically Their bodies roll forwards on to the landing like seals on a beach A loud ringing suddenly fills her ears The fire alarm, finally

We’re safe on the landing.

It was so warm, are we going to die?

Maya lies swathed in a thick duvet, her skin damp Her phone alarm is sounding persistently, and she stretches over to break the noise with a single tap, then turns towards the empty space next to her.

Red curtains glow in the autumn morning sun. Hair sticks to her temples with moisture. She touches her cheeks. They’re burning.

CREATIVE WRITING

RUNNER UP: Jasmine Starbuck, Law, 1st Year City of Dreams

In Florence, on the corner via dell’Agnolo and Guieseppe Verdi, amid all the nightlife, is a kiosk, in restored condition, alike 4 others around the city. 2 euros and a world of patience, delivers a strip of black and white film captured from this photobooth.

I went there once, when I was older than I am now, with a man whom I’ve never met and a life I don’t know. I went to this kiosk, sweating from the days heat, ecstatic to find it at last I looked to the man beside me and laughed, almost hysterically, trying to pronounce the faded Italian that ran across the top He looked at me, with eyes I had never seen before, and opened his palm to show me 2 euros

For a second, he looked like my father, a man who had always been there to provide for me, making his child happy one final time at this photobooth. I felt like that child, asking for money to put into a vending machine, to waste on some piece of crap I knew my father would disapprove of; but he never said no and he would always give me the 2 euros if he knew how happy I would be I picked up the coins, adjusted my bag and headed into the machine.

Inside of the photobooths is a mini darkroom and development studio, that is how they develop the pictures, but when I entered it felt like a real size darkroom. I put my bag on the floor and fed the coins into the only source of light Only a curtain separated me from the streets of Florence, yet the darkness was immeasurable Truly, the kiosk was not part of this world. I turned to my side as the man entered, he said something I don’t recall and pushed in next to me as the flash went off for the first picture. Startled by his entrance, I knew I wasn’t looking so I desperately turned to face forward. After all this excitement I had to be within the pictures it printed There’s only one chance in the FOTOAUTOMATICA

A world of patience later, I had my tiny strip of 4 photos. In black and white they hid a multitude of sins that the modern-day exposes and emphasises I was thankful to finally see myself, but I did not recognise the woman in the photos She was much older, much sadder and much lonelier than I was. She was alone and there was a blankness behind her eyes that begged me to pity her.

Why would this woman come to Florence when she clearly did not belong? She was not dressed right; she did not have the youth for exploration, and she was evidently not happy enough to be in the City of Dreams She looked like a woman who had lost everything in her life and was at this kiosk as a last resort, to cling to her wishes and her past She looked like she had wasted her life prior to this, and the kiosk had printed mugshots of her offence

I was not that woman and when I did eventually go to the corner via dell’Agnolo and Guiseppe Verdi, I went with someone I loved and a life I was happy with I did not need to ask for the 2 euro and the world of patience, feels like seconds, when you know what pictures you ’ re waiting for