Preface This is the first year that the Students’ Union has published a Graduation Yearbook, and 2008/09 - your final year at Nottingham Trent - has been a year of firsts. 2008/09 saw the installation of Sir Michael Parkinson as NTU’s first Chancellor. In April, Sir Michael launched the UK’s largest student-dedicated newsroom in the new Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism and, later this year, we’ll see the opening of the newly-regenerated Newton and Arkwright buildings. NTU has gained first place in the 2009 People and Planet Green League, becoming the most environmentally-friendly university in the UK. The 2008 QAA institutional audit commended NTU on Welcome Week; on the embedding of employability; on the commitment to research-informed teaching; and on the supervision, support and monitoring of postgraduate research students. In September 2008, Alan Johnson, then Health Secretary, opened the Anthony Nolan Trust Cord Blood Bank - a ground-breaking new facility that will offer a lifeline to thousands of patients with life-threatening illnesses. NTU’s world-leading research was recognised in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise and won a 72% increase in our research grant from HEFCE. There were countless other memorable moments from 2008/09 and many of them are captured in the Yearbook. As you look through the pages, you may find photos of you, of your friends, of events you took part in during the year but it may be that your special moments from the year are captured only in your own photos and own memories. I hope you had a good year and a great experience throughout your time at NTU. Most of all, I hope that the skills and knowledge you gained and the friends you made will stay with you and grow with you throughout your lifetime. I wish you every success and happiness in your future career. Professor Neil T. Gorman, D.L. Vice-Chancellor
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Editorial I’m not entirely sure what to write here so due to my rather inconvenient writers block I am going to borrow some words from a great and inspirational man, Mr Frank Sinatra... “And now the end is near... and so we face the final curtain...” Today is a special and memorable day in each of our lives, the start of the real world. The last few years of lectures, tutorials, essays, dissertations and assessments are all over, we’ve done the hard part and today we get to walk across the stage and be given the confirmation that it was all worth it; our degree. Congratulations! Sadly there are drawbacks to the celebration, and that is that the official goodbye to the student lifestyle that we have all become accustomed to has finally arrived. Gone are the days of staying in bed all day, take-aways 24/7 and partying all night long. A lot of love, care and attention have gone into this Yearbook and I hope that you will all treasure it for years to come. Please ensure that you use the space in the back to write messages etc to one another and make your copy personal to you. The Yearbook is full of your memories and lots of photos, a few articles to encourage you to start taking things a bit more seriously, as well as some interviews with members of NTU Alumni.
I hope that everyone who graduates today is leaving Trent with the best memories of their university experience. The aim of this book is not only to remind you of these memories in years to come, but also to showcase how great you all looked at Graduation Ball. Trent students scrub up well! Over the last few months the majority of us have packed up our belongings and decided what is worth keeping and what possessions are to be discarded. Some of us have gone back home, others stayed in Nottingham and others are off travelling the globe, but wherever you go, whatever you do and however you get there always remember... T-R-E-N-T- We are the Trent Army! Thank you to everyone who has contributed, especially those of you who sent in your best memories of Trent and to the everyone at NTSU and NTU who assisted me with putting all of this together. I hope that you are all proud to be a member of the Trent Army and to have graduated from NTU. Good Luck in all your future endeavours and adventures, and never forget your uni days! Love,
Amy Victoria Gathercole Editor
Thanks... A huge thank you to everyone who made this possible: Stephanie Combs, Lucy Knighton, Andrew Trendell, James Davies, Marjorie Brown, Drew Heatley, Patrick Taylor, Melanie Ward, Graham Taylor, Stefan Ebelewicz, David Baird, Arfan Razak, Louise Holland, Sarah Harrison, NTU Alumni Office, Jayne Whiteley, VC Neil Gorman, and everyone who sent in all of their Trent Memories! Class of 2009 Graduation Yearbook | Platform | 3
[Photos, from top: Sergi Arbusa; Katie Corbett; Patrick Taylor]
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T
his year has been one to remember for the Executive Committee of your Students Union. We have made big changes, set new standards and laid strong foundations for future years. The year began with the biggest and best Welcome Week that Trent has ever seen and ended with the biggest and best Graduation Ball that Trent has ever seen. In the mean time though, there has been plenty of other stuff to shout about too. We ran the first Education Campaign in living memory at Trent, raised over ÂŁ56,000 for charity, sold out the Ice Arena for the Ice Hockey match during the best ever supported Varsity series, saw Trent Media gain national recognition, ran blood donor sessions on site, were nationally recognised for our efforts to be an ethical organisation, saw both Sports and Societies grow in membership, and importantly, we changed our constitution to allow the Union to better represent all Trent students.
All this, and everything else that we and the Union have achieved over the last twelve months could not have been possible without the Students here and their undying love for Trent. Having all been Trent students we know how passionate people here are about their Uni and how amazing it is to be part of the Trent family, so we’d like to say a massive thank you to you all, not just for making this year an amazing experience but for making our whole time at Trent absolutely incredible. Thank you everyone, and congratulations on your Graduation!
Love, Your Exec 2008/09
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“You may have seen students [or have been a student] stacking shelves in a Supermarket or helping in shops. These students are trying to earn some cash to pay off their debts that they accumulated whilst studying. Some are rich enough not to need to.
A Bit of Contrast This article was sent into Platform early in the year, with a letter attached that stated: “I enclose some memories of my own student days. Compare with your own experiences. Sincerely, Marjorie Brown – B.A. Dip. Ed. Dip, Child Psych” As it provides some interesting thoughts we felt we should share it with you... Hopefully it will remind us not to take everything for granted. Love, Platform
Now, all have some choice [in where they work] - as Wartime students, we had no choice. War work was compulsory, except for the lucky ones. I worked as a Welder in a factory, assuring that the tracks made by four other women that I worked with would not collapse in use on the Battlefield. Easier work for me was picking the strawberries and potatoes and visiting social service clients and helping out in a Hospital. They even let me see operations. Present day students would be appalled at our living conditions, sharing a room with three other students with a bitterly cold wind blowing through the boarded up windows when we tried to light our one source of heat, a coal fire. How I looked forward to regular parcels of this black gold sent by my parents in Wales. One day a postman discovered our secret, a parcel once leaked. Sadly I had to report - no more coal supplies. Food parcels would have been very welcome. We were often so hungry. Our sufferings were nothing compared with those of sailors we saw, ready to risk their lives on Atlantic convoys, or the wounded soldiers carried to our local hospital. We remember the sad faces of French sailors, now homeless, their ship scuttled on Mersey Waters. Though no-one took advantage of an opportunity to practice one’s French. What most female students soon realised about the University was the shortage of men. Exempt from military service, medical students were very popular!“
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nter and the the chants, the ba I’ll never forget ries! My perse ty rsi va ker at the occasional strea be those to t go memories have Comsonal favour ite ar. ye al fin my Grove in house, spent at Gedling rls Gi y G.G and the Rowd e have monly known as er Th ly! mi fa become my these girls have er fight s, GG ter, fire extinguish gh lau s, ar te en be ll remain wi s rie mo many me breakfasts and so y dress, nc fa t through all the in that house! Bu ages, 21sts, rn ca t) ou it ot making oceans, kinkis (n cket s, sick bu il WITH ....’ cockta ‘WE ARE FRIENDS ooooss, pp pp pp Tip babs and en so bucket s, Trent Ke be ve az ing time and ha I have had an am ople. I’ll pe ite ur vo fa with my luck y to share it Trent Army!! E- N-T we are the RTet rg fo r ve ne xx .xx P.. ELL WOO GG AND CROMW Lucie Birket t
le memo So many incredib on the so es rti ries...af ter pa co -op, to ps tri n ke un fas, dr r dr y ba e th sit-ins at dr ink st amazmo e th ing et and me years of my ing people. Best ! Xx x nt Tre ks an th life... Terri Stern
So many memories... my best one being meeting my girlfriend in the hallowed Church of Oceana on a Tuesday night... who is currently sat opposite me. My favourite memory of a fantastic three years! Drew Heatley
kO kk t k k es k k ! ! B s ds ck O ar r Si m e y e n w a r d f a so t i ur o , f o e r pw l as ev d u e c t ie an t h ot to 9 ’ ie T ‘0 z z Li
So many memories...
There’s no possible way I could beg in to reduce my three years at Trent into just one memory from moving into Sandby on tha t ver y first day I’ve felt honoured and priv ileged to be par t of the Trent Army. First and second yea r held so many funny, but for me third year and being par t of the well known Gedling Grove hou se (or G.G) has been amazing. Despite exams, essays, dissertations and documentaries these girl s have been there for me when things have bee n tough and I hope I’ve helped them when they’ve had a bad time. But of course the nights out are what has made Trent so memorable whethe r it’s a sit in in Ocean, arguing with the taxi driv er over who dropped cheese in the taxi, being kno wn personally at Tipoos, dancing on the pod iums in Walkabout , fishbowls and triples in BZR , six room challenge in Oceana or VKs, double rod ka bulls and the sports hall at Climax, I know Trent has made me the person I am today and I will ‘ne ver forget’ it! Charlot te Frenchman
I can’t n but in ame just o ne be Fresh st er r i es h a ve t o s m y b e s t m e m o r y m em o be Te dr un k mpler en wa sa lk ha d s o m a n s t o O ce a n n d t h e n a y ama t ha t w z ing t , I have er imes extras e mostly d at Tre ow n t l ove l i nt o my e w ith t GG + he Tre s . I can’t m iss ou nt Tig of this t er s w w hi c h w t o u r t h e b e o r l d ! I h av as o u e g en s t t hr t e e e ye reg re ars of rally had t s at a my li f ll ! e, n o B eth M ul l an Feroz e
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Meet in g e ve r yo n e a out in f ter a O ce a n good n in the West B ight 24 ho r idg fo u r co rd . op in Passin g on k nowle Trent dg to t h e Freshe e and a love make rs o m em o r ies of and watchin f their o g t h em Ro o t h wn . C anna van
d I h a ve 4 years an d The best people an g n zi a am fun f o met some ts lo h r life w it e fr iends fo ourt is th .. Norton C t. u o ts ory m e nigh m st e ! T he b best hall s! ll and e grad ba th e b to has h all my it w till 7am making it iends. closest fr T R EN T E ARE THE T R E N T...W AR MY:D. one!! st to every All the be Wai L au
ls, Candy Summer Bal , Field tr ips, nie, Ocean at y the Car be ay Floss and K m e (w rst antics Brackenhu know how pus but we m ca l al a sm ping , ep R r , Freshe to have fun) School Week, High Campaigns eograG e th es w ith Musical tim I couldn’t ine nights ... phy girl s, W or y! I’ve em m vour ite pick one fa Trent ree years at loved my th az ing am e ade som and have m e par t of proud to b fr iends!! I’m xx army! X the TRENT Danielle Kir
Hav ing T H E m os t amaz ing time all of the ti m e, a bs o lutely lo v ing Univ ersit y life and meeting s o m e of the mos t fantasti c people in the w orld! It is so to sum u p my thre hard e years of Unive rsit y ... a part from to say that I h a ve loved ev ery sing le secon of it! X x d x Emma L o
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My favour it e memor ie s at Trent ha in general. ve to be 20 I had a won 09 der ful fr iend that had ha ship group d some chan ges over th had been tr e 3 years b uly brilliant ut . Fly fm had streng th to gone from streng th an d I was proud of the spec ial things th to be a par t ey did. I ho ceremony sted an aw w ith Geord ards ie Steph in fr people, whi ont of 250 ch was men tal. Gradua incredible. tion ball w And I found as a brilliant gi share all th rlfr iend to ese great ti mes w ith. U been the b niversit y ha est time of s my life than people who k you to th have been e a par t of it there fella. . “We’ll get . . But we’ll get there la ughing ” X Sam Jarret t
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ut ew b e a f o be t i u e’s q has t th 20 0 T h e r g h li g h t i i h om w o “ S ex the n a r s in g in g ig h t i g n s t p s sit t i e a n h er R the l 9 Fres ire” on ek 08/0 F e r! is on sher ’s w the yea f e o r e F k h f c t o a r ndtr n t fo e – sou you Tre y life, w k m T h a n e a r s of l ! y al b e s t iss yo u m w il l r ou te AJ S
Being at Tre n t has r ewa r b e en din It ’s g iv g and fun e x p er en m e the m ima ny along os oppor th ence o t interest in t h ea t r e way t ha t g, f on wa e in fi tunit ie my life to d l r s t ye fr iend a te. s and ar I ne ks t ha t e in ve r xper ie g into I’ve m are al n ade an lu even c Djanogly le ces d the Hocke nforget tab o c t ure n t le. Hig e y, Plat m m p l em a te d . hlight for m , and o Th s inclu or ies that Tr f co u r we s h e d e, L a se the ent Media, obv io are w c s r B a l l s! t a n da usly C a z y w , rd Tre limax nt Ent alk s home t Varsit y Ice . I w ish s like o Wez e ve r y , z ie B K in ki, The one g me m ood lu ake th Big O ck in t and is yea and a he fut rboo so ure an x x x x x ng in my he k happen. d t han k s I leave ar t ... T for h e - R - E- N w lping -T ...W ith a smile A my V e o n my are t h Gathe f a ce e TRE rcole NT AR MY !
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So many memories... My be st the la memor ies f st rom mostly three years came year, w in first he amaz in g peop n I met t he m os COUR le in Hall Ts M ER t ball s f loved you a IDIAN ro ll . g iven m each year Al so the law me so w h ich ha m e of some ve the m m em o os t aw r ies . X eS arah Baker
it ’s believe Great ! y d ’t a n e alr I ca n fu d ries an ove r az ing m a t o s o m me the m ith lready times w eryone a v e s is M :) e funnile th p f o pe ! some o d a h e v a ree years and I h er the th v o t u o ts est nigh nt!! x I love Tre ard Natalie W
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Jack Gall on
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ldtr ip e the fie has to b ry gra o o e m g e m rst year M y b es t s the ent as fi a w w e d n w a in n to Spa much fu o me s o s s a w w it t to kno phers ... perly go as b e e n ro h p t I rs e u m h first ti Bracken ough it ’s people! d even th l ball s n a amaz ing o to s ampu onderfu a great c n some w ely miss be w ro th s nit small , ha me w ill defi that I ca r year! I year afte and I am so glad t n ing at Tre here... x A my H ea
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er umb e er n h s T he f fire ng o h difof r i it w ove r one es g a m p e o p l e l l l ove d t a n fere ar s w h o r un k ! e d t h e y . g e t t in g g. t hi n an it zm g Br C r ai
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th kswor w a H Jodie Makin g final y the most o f ear w i t h ou par t ie r s at P ier rep Ro a d ont wi ing ho th my ama z us e m a tes a f r ien d nd s! X M el an ie Wa rd
thing st e b fe li at T he en n t has b e s k e about Tre o n n ow urst, every n little w o s Brackenh it s a , and it h f everyone et some o . I h a ve m y it n re u e m th com people amazing e the most ow w ill b n k I h hic o k n ow s ls some of w a ck ra r life. B fr iends fo great pare fun w ith v a h the to w ho ich where est of wh ! ties, the b m e three of th Ball s- all am Zoe Bingh
at mories th many me of the o s re a There think d ow n htmare to it ’s a nig I’ve narrowed it t u t; b n best one d last day at Tre y first an . y people o to tw M ounded b a con rr u s rink . re go for a d truck up in a lec tu 1.) I was fused as I was. I s nd we decided to In an hour a n . just as co ith two of them t started serv ing veral shots, w s e s n ju d o d n ti a a a h o rs s the ve e pub wo owo th f , o m A outside g a C ju 1 M 1 a Y , e e in th w It was g r! f eve ncin bottle o g a n d da t 1 s t day we h a d a as sing in ff the curb! - Bes w I e m p 0 o , everyon fell at 12.3 promptly at 7.30am d of my Uni d d n n a u A ro C a YM ked e en . A s I loo en part is was th ation Ball ’t feel sad that th proud to have be u d ra G .) 2 n all and I did d above h a d g o n e d I w a s h a p p y a n n t 4 ev a ! X a re life, inste ing so amazing. T of someth e Jen Skus
r af te t he t song t a y is h e l a s s mor -T t wa t me d B all s e a t . I e t t in g b h a t r y G e g M k r one y fo t- Ta p a r t r F o r g e e e ve r y . e e ve it N e v i n g t o s l ov i n g c k t o e u z l d a n d m a o a o lved t , Go ey d invo iss Tren ever th t I ’l l m in w ha e r yo n x st y y Ve J enn
My favo urite exp eriences been the at T Varsit y s eries’ I lo rent have the cam ve the ri araderie valr y, , th a n d m os e occasio t of all b nal strea eing gam of the m e -side fo ker atches, p r a lot hotogra Platform p hing the . m for Katie Co rbett
The fir s t day of was a ner vo universit y us o n e scar y and a on no fr ie e for me, as I ha d any te nds, didn’t k this a ch er s n ow w a s an ge was a n xious! nerally ‘spo d before on fe d But w it k n ew ’ so m a ny h in the people and s t and all first week I ar te d to enjo t m ens e y the e he lec turers ly xper ie w ish a , I now miss nce im ll the b the go od t im e and le e c t ur er s t fo r my fe llow s s and s. t uden A sim W ts ahid
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So many memories... o ma ny I h a ve s r ies g m em o amaz in n’t ld u o w I at Trent star t... til to here rent un k n ow w at I’m T th w o lf n e k ys bu t I do ill cr y m think I w ds night that I die!! I e st e ve r y W r the re to sleep Ocean fo ials have in t o n I am key soc e fe! Hoc lete. I’v of my li fe comp esome li i n U y w m a e ma d m os t e of the rget never fo me t som l il w I d n ll x x x x x a a u le o p peo I love y . .. m e t Army! n the Tre any of th re a e -T w T-R-E-N x EPIC! X te Brain Charlot T h e b es t choice I h a ve e v w a s co m er ma de ing to Tre nt! The b three ye es t ars of m y life! -Trent W omen’s Football Club has definite ly pulled me through ; amaz in g times, amaz ing some people a n d m em w ill nev ories I er forge t! -Sw imm ing in th e ‘Big O’ e we e k ! very -Varsit y series -Fresher Repping -Campaig n we e k -Drink th e bars d ry...Clift -TOUR!! on! I h a ve m e t some amaz ing along th people ew helped to ay and you have all make Tre nt the gre experien ce it cou atest ld b e en x x h a ve p o ssibly x Emily Cla re
There are w ay too man y b es t memori es! I’ve enjoyed every minute a t Trent! G ood luck to e veryone for the future...M iss you a ll! X x x Raman Ja g pal
on the Mojitos in Coco Tang with out ht nig most random falling ah Sar ca, Eri and ah Sar ing across over in town and slid le, Lauren falling sty e tru in und gro the way home from the on bus asleep on the way to the the the cit y and going all e a disco!’ hav all s ‘let g gin airport, sin the neighke wa to loudly with the boys ss night dre cy fan gle sin ry bours up, eve pped in dro we till g and generally dancin ond! sec ry eve ed lov e hav Ocean.... I
Peverell fi re alarms. .. although annoy ing was very funn y seeing w ho left whose room. T he bomb scare in fi rst year o w h e n we f U ni all had to wait in th park in ba e car re feet. Nearly ge tt ing an a sbo in seco ye a r a n d nd stealing m oney arou the bar at nd the end o f each flir of course t and the bay w atch song times x x x ... fun L aura Ma rt in
Most of my be st memor ies of Trent are from my final year , although I ha d some fantas tic Helen Louise Kimber nights out in Year 1 as a Fr - Templars be esher fore Ocean an d Oceana were amaz in g, pitchers AN D Pro Evo, what more co uld you want? There h I made loads a ve b e e of fr iends in ns m om en the IR Soc, went to some ts at Tre o many unforg cracking hous et table nt! Bein Army h e part ies and had som g par t o as just b e great nights f the Tre een the of my li out; al so, running in th nt b es t e x fe! e elec tions w per ienc N O R TO as such an e exhilarating N COUR experience, a T and p most ra true rollerlay ing “ coaster of em ndom it who ca ot ions . em h om terestin n br ing e on a n g game th e ight ou There’s only playedrow and t? ” was one regret - th the car 32” T V. an in at I didn’t headre do things rig Being ta and a p s t, ht from the be wheelb olice r io ken hom gi a nning, and t van w rth e at too, esp in I di dn’t do even an amb ere pre ecially more! But it’s ulance t t y sp e w h en m a truly great r ide in been c ia l y da d o tr ip, and I wou m om en a fire en rganise ld like to ts g ine to thank ever yo to make d a surp take us ne w it officia ho ’s contributed r ise to the la my good tim l that I’ ser v ice to all s t e ve r es! ve u s e d sw climax all thre ,fanc y d hil st being at e emerg uni! Thro ress, dip Gi useppe Lab en c y ugh all ping , dis ing ,21s the sho t,table ts dancing co rooming ,kin sliding k y ing ,c ,bike ra ,ba arnag ck r id A M A ZIN y watching and G time KEBABIS ing ,Broadmars shared h H yo u T R E in g it s been w ith A M NT x x x an A ZING p e o ple!!Lo Vick y Ir ve reson
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or ies! too many mem my There are way Ar t en Tr et er forg I w ill never ev ve ha I ing people I ER , and the amaz rget Ocean EV fo r ve y ne gb ill ru met , I w t Women’s member Tren t w ill always re s ever but mos al ci so st the be at is th ily and have had m fa e ver forget th ll! of all I w ill ne ies of Pevere az ing memor am ve Ha s, ht fig TRENT! od fo , I die!) Eg ging (D BLOCK till e dr ill s, cock s, the beast, fir se es m n amazly te lu drunke so Ab ! g of fire, flirt e! tail night! rin time of my lif itely had the fin de d lve ever y vo ing an in s ie or , sured mem le I have met My most trea amaz ing peop e th of e st on be single u all! The st w ithout yo as feel totally lo af ter part y w e Th e! lif my but I er ov three years of s it’ ve can’t belie immense! St ill a thing! X ge an ch t n’ would
Co n s e q uences, P ic t ion ar y, r in g of fir ing and e, bully dr ink curr ies a Birrell Ro a d M t t h e assive! Daniell e P ove y
gto ima beg in n to e v e e m t I canno e if I didn’t co t s f e li b I y e m h ine e en t It has b y life and y a d s e Trent! m n n ce o f g! Wed exper ie change a thin have by far Y ’t Y n r Y would OCKE Y r ies!!! The ba w ith H em o a t we m h t t night s s t e n d e y fon ainm n en ter t held m ar) the nd the (a ea ch b n ls e w ! e a G w cr t IN e Z b Z s MA Z cr os st came a cean...A was ju up in O GILL S TREE T g t in a d s r n e at ea s t ye a r ut my y ing Also fir !!!! Througho z a s t am me the mo se awe s o ve met I w ill not loo a h I , t w ch o u Tren n s k f full o who I people h! It has been it touch w y t imes x x x pp f un , ha ghji ner ’ Va ina Tur Kajal ‘T
Becca Gaffney
s b e en en t ha h out Tr b as su c a w g k ! thin s s we e a r e w Ever y h y I s ay s r e g! Fr can e en m em o e t b r a e ” r v amaz in y favour ite e e W h has b m ve n e v e r s . ( I c a n n t e of a blur, ame of “I ha ll resh Tren est t im e in!) F a g e g a I wi h t e y e wa e b ! A l l t h w hi c h a l l s and a hug m p h a e t s r e e th th de nd boat li f e t ween ome people my ds I m a r li f e a e g , w ith ts o ’v n maz in rs and sitf a e e e i t r look a r w e f en r g e ig h t s mpl a ek s w th o e e o T f b w f t be t t o w a s n no ra z y t ur n s t fe leave ’s ju o t t I g T h e l a eana , t h e re c ll ! a in c t h e en on r e f us G rad B e x tr ips, O he floor and ar Dr y! The ama z n a l l b in g ! ! X t B a n , e s o h t t c k a z t t ing in il a a r t e n D r m u g d a d n h e a it ai g to b t in Ocean fantast ic , w D es get t in ve r b u st ig g y n d n ot t uden t fore J a e was ju y ’v t e r g, “W eas ter pa ing af ish I could b , my uni son e some t lb w a I il h ! T w m e is 9a Tak oon th orever!! rds of bu t “s f ” y s t h e wo e m r od t im ren t A had go ’s dream!” T e s l e n one h e ns o e St e p n a J a Emm The Point in Clifton around the regulars’ ta ble carr ies the most mem ories where I met loads of people and made best fr iends! Goo times that d w ill be mis sed xx x Mona Nanam y
We starte d the nigh t going ou few quiet t for a drink s be fore endin wasted tr g up y ing to ge t into Tan get in we tra. To have to p over our sh ut our bla oes and in ck sock s the case o shoes w it h a guy go f one g u y swap ing En de d up out of cash home just to get in . so using m to buy dri n k s a s we y credit ca attempt to rd women in chat up a there befo ny re ending strip club the night w ith very in the li ttle mem apart from ory of any tr y ing to thing conv ince we’re pro the stripp athletes a ers that s they da nce away Drink s an .. epic! d Str ippe rs - £150 Awesome each night out - Priceless !!! All toppe d off the n e x t day good old w h e n we Toby Carv go for a ery to cha awesome t and re -l night of Tr ive the ent!!!! Ross Dav ies
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So many memories...
I enjoy e just ‘c d the grad b os it w all a night to sp e s a g rea t nd w it fr iends h my b efore g o o db I ha d t ye a n o s ay d mo h om e! ve b a ck Jules M ann
Trent = cracking
Loved every minute of it, the worst memory in three years was finishing...
Rachel O’Brien
Dominic Hay
I have loved every minute that I have spent at Trent!! It really was the best choice I have ever made!! I have so many amazing memories here and its all because of the amazing friends that I have made over my three years. Being part of the Trent Army could possibly be the best thing I have ever done! Grace Sharpes
Business School lecturer Vince Saxon, locking the freshers in the lecture theatre shouting at everyone for about an hour. We never did see him again... Tom Cockeram
There’s just too much I could write here. Volunteering: Running societies (+ all the wicked things I got to do in them), I.E. throwing condoms at people, painting all sorts of things, fundraising for the “Random genocide” (I’m saying “Rwandan”, I swear!). Nights out: Scummy Ocean with the Baywatch theme and fancy dress (Kinki!), Pound a Pint at Varsity, LEG WOBBLER, cheap pitchers at Templars, going canoeing in the arboretum drunk, library drunk, Victoria Centre pool drunk! And of course the absolutely unforgettable Graduation Ball (survivor!). Nights in: sledding down the Gill Street hill, 15 Waverley street mansion (do I need to say more?!). Above it all are the amazing people I’ve met along the way, I love you guys, and you’ve made university the best three years of my life! It’s a shame the degree got in the way... Rob Netherway
My best memories of TRENT are the Rufford 05/06 crew, Flirt! on Friday nights and bogeying behind the bar at the point, 64 Melton Road and the slip and slide, Ocean and the crazy kinki costumes, Rocky City and the tattoo abuse, Born in the 80’s rave!, Drinking the bar dry on a termly basis, Brack Ball, Grad Ball and Surviving to 7am! All the best to everyone who’s graduating this year! Thanks Trent! Xxx Gemma Jardine
Going to Trent Uni was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, I’ll never forget the amazing friends I made and the awesome nights out from going for a dip in the ocean to boogying in the disco room at Oceana! The graduation ball was a night I’ll never forget, I love you all guys and good luck in the future! T.R.E.N.T WE ARE THE TRENT ARMY!!!XXX Sentho Pembleton
Definitely Trent rugby Union varsity, 06,07,08 and 09!! The best atmosphere ever, and play ing in front of the Trent army is immense!! Also Callela Fest ....fantastic memeories! x
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Katie Astbury
Meeting Ra chel O’Brien has to be th greatest mom e single ent not only of university my whole lif but of e. ...On a mor e serious no te. Best th years of m ree y life. The de gree is the least import ant thing that I’v e gained fr om it . The most important? The amaz ing pe ople I’ve met who I w ill never forget (in cluding Rach el O’Brien) x Liam Wilson My friends and the rugby girls have made my time at Trent. Being here for 3 years makes me think I’m still going to see these people everyday day rest of my life. I struggle to think I might not hear from them or see them everyday now I have left Trent. However my memories are social nights, shopping trips, random trip to hospital, drinking and nights out on socials and the dip in the ocean every Wednesday. Loves it xxxx
I am proud to be from Trent and I don’t think a lot of people can say that about their Universit y. Climax, Oceana, Ocean , DV8! Varsity, Brack Ball, Exe c Elections, Init i8, RaG , travelling to Newcastle and losing 15-0 playing Table Tennis! Hitchhiking to Dublin and do - ing any thing else apart from a s signments! I have loved eve ry moment, from Welcome We ek 20 05 to The Sur vi- vor ’s photo after Grad Ball, but none of it would have been worth it without the people I have met along the way. I have definitely made some friends for life! Good luck to everyone graduating this year! Dominic Smith
Charlotte Stearman
I loved everything about being at Trent. The memories I have are of all the amazing people that I met here. They are the best friends anyone could ever wish for and I will never forget a single one of them. Coming to Trent was the best decision I ever made. Sinead Ann
has been y at Trent Ever y memor ies have or em m st my be amaz ing, but Colv ille 6 at Ocean and been made in deliver y s y’ ur sb in the Sa Street , from ng to feed ing Harr y tr yi man to watch t w ill neven om m n. Each her car chicke n!! er be forgot te Shehzana Dha
Studying at Nottingham Trent has given me some of the best memories that I will cherish forever (T.R.E.N.T. WE ARE THE TRENT ARMY!). Not only have I met some of the greatest people who I know will carry on being great friends, but I have had the experience and independence to find out just who I am. I even surprised myself with a good degree haha!!! I’m very sad to be leaving, but good luck to everyone who is graduating and good luck to my friends graduating next year. Miss you guys. Hollie Marshall
My best mem or ies of Not tingham are me and my fr how iends would always leav work to the e our last minute, usually in fa of the pub vour and then complain ho w much work we ha d to do! Most of all I w ill miss the banter! Would I do it all again. ..T.R .E .N .T!! (Har t, J. , 20 09. I hate harvard referencing, 22(07), pp... ) Jack Har t
The best three years of my life!! I will never forget all the great nights out, I think ocean has to sum up the best nights at Trent, all the costumes, cheap drinks (that seem to spill more on you or the floor than actually in your mouth) and the song Infinity! WE ARE TRENT ARMY :) I’ve loved every time at Trent and amazing people forget, I want to gle person who it. Special thanks has been one of throughout these just wouldn’t amazing without Good luck to the future, stay hope to see you day x x x
single day of my have met so many that I will never thank EVERY sinhas been apart of to Tanya who my best friends three years and have been so her. everyone for in touch and all again one
Chloe Voller
rsity Ice HockThe first ever Va nt were losey I saw when Tre back in the me ca t bu ing badly n, I couldn’t wi last 5 minutes to from all the y da xt ne speak the e us we threw at chanting and ab . um the Notts sc Dominic Lindsey
ramsi
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Platform meets…
Platform: Is performing gigs exclusively for University students unusual for you? Calvin Harris: Recently no, we’ve been doing quite a few uni balls, and they’ve been interesting. We’ve done the whole spectrum of uni balls. We didn’t really do that many before. P: Would you say they’re better crowds? CH: You can usually rely on a uni ball crowd to have imbibed a certain amount of alcohol, which always results in a better reaction. So the answer is yes, these gigs tend to go off that little bit extra. P: Your first two singles propelled you into the
mainstream quite quickly. Would you say there is extra pressure on you to keep the momentum going? CH: I don’t really know, I just sort of muddle on, and just make songs as they go. There was never really any pressure to do a second album; the Dizzee record was just a stopgap between the two. It just ended up being bigger than anyone thought it’d be. It’s just been a mixture of luck, timing and the fact that the songs were good. It’s a good mixture for me. P: You’ve got the album out in August; have you got a lot of festival activity this summer? Dizzee played Reading and Leeds – do you think
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you’re diverse enough to play these? CH: I think Reading and Leeds are the ones that I probably couldn’t do. I think it’s a rocky crowd, and not many people have seen the live shows, but maybe after they’d seen it they’d think it could go down at Reading and Leeds, but just seeing your name on a Reading and Leeds bill, I think people would immediately have an adverse reaction to that. P: Your success didn’t happen overnight; what do you think of this ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ culture with the ‘overnight celebrity’ phenomenon? CH: I think that’s fine; everyone has their place in that
sort of thing. We’ve always had talent shows; I remember Sheena Easton won a talent show and no one was badmouthing Sheena Easton. So it goes back way before most people were born, who are complaining about it now. It’s making money, and people like to make money apparently, so this is why they exist. And it’s entertaining as well, it’s a TV show and it’s good to have a laugh at other people’s expense – everyone enjoys it. If I walked up on the stage now and I fell over, 99%, possibly 100 would be pissing themselves! A person falling over is one of the funniest things you can see. It’s one of the most basic human needs to see someone suffer,
and get pleasure from that, it makes everyone feel better and that’s why we laugh. P: You’ve produced some songs for Kylie on the X album, and recently turned down working with Lady GaGa; what do you prefer – producing or performing? CH: I like making songs, that’s one of my favourite things to do. The whole reason I get to perform is because I make the songs in the first place, so I would always pick making songs. P: You were nominated for a Brit Award and an Ivor Novello; if you could win any award, what would it be? CH: It’d be a Grammy wouldn’t it? The Grammy’s the one; it’s the award to win. Not a Brit Award, are you kidding me? No, a Grammy, they’re the ultimate awards. But numerous wise men have said awards ceremonies are shite unless you actually win one.
P: I read an article somewhere recently that you said you ‘re-invented disco’…? CH: That’s PR nonsense. You see you make a record then give it to the record label, and then that’s where all the problems begin! They need to sell the record, so they need an angle from which to sell the record. That’s how they work, that’s not how the people who make music work. So that’s what they get on with, and I end up answering the questions that they came up with, so it comes full circle. P: Are you affected by the reviews you read, do you think, “that’s not what I’m trying to say at all”, or are you unaffected? CH: Now I think fuck it, but I always read reviews - I think everyone does. You can usually work out from the review if they don’t really get it. P: As someone who has set
their goals out and achieved them, what advice would you give to the guys and girls graduating right now? CH: I would say be cynical. Don’t trust anybody! Be happy above anything else. Be happy and cynical, you can’t balance those two! P: Finally, how on earth did you film the video for The Girls? CH: Heavy medication! You can tell at the beginning I’m very jaded and emotionless! Interview conducted by Drew Heatley and Graham Taylor Background Photo: David Baird (www.david-baird.co.uk)
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Graduation Ball 2009 Review:
There have been many words that I have heard used to describe what Grad Ball was, and EPIC is the one that I feel best describes it. I’ve not spoken to a single person who did not have a great time. For the graduates - you did it! Grad Ball was your final night at Trent, and the Survivors Photo proves just how much stamina the Trent Army really has. And for the nongraduating attendees, you’ve got it all to look forward to again. From 7pm – 7am we partied, danced, sang our hearts out, cried our makeup off, and enjoyed what really was the best night at university (for a lot of people.) It began with people arriving in their masses girls in their posh frocks and the boys all suited and booted - to be greeted by fire breathers on stilts, whilst having their photos taken (which you can find at www.takethatphoto.co.uk) by the professionals, and then on into the arena itself to be greeted by curtains and twinkling lights. The guests then entered through the draped curtains to find themselves transported into a beautiful setting including a casino and circusstyle stalls. Walking through further, everyone could then see the huge stage in the arena where the entertainment for the night would later echo from, and in front of which everyone would dance ‘til their feet hurt. The main event began with the ever impressive and energetic Feeder, then rocked out to new boy on the block Calvin Harris’ disco reinventions, through to a powerful and pounding DJ set from Pendulum. All in all, very memorable... well, depending on how much alcohol you consumed! 18 | Platform | Class of 2009 Graduation Yearbook
The After Party was a newly added bonus this year, and went down as a great success in Trent history - hopefully a tradition that will now continue year on year. Most people just did not want the night to end, and so the partygoers poured in through the doors of the familiar SU. The usual DJ’s were hard at work to keep us awake, the drinks were as cheap as ever, and the energy was eclectic. As time ticked on and on, and the clock struck 6.30am, with the Survivors Photo drawing closer, the music took a different turn and all the classic Trent songs began to play. The arms went up around one another, people climbed up onto one another’s shoulders, and the circles enclosed whilst the tears began to flow as the entire room belted out the familiar lyrics of the comforting sound of Take That singing... “We’ve come so far, we’ve reached so high... we’ve looked each day and night in the eye and we’re still so young and we hope for more...” for the final time. So, Trent, in those immortal words “we’ve had success, we’ve had good times,” and I hope that you all remember this. Amy V Gathercole Editor
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[Grad Ball Photos (pages 20-37): Stefan Ebelewicz]
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ll on Bao i t a u d hot l Gra OfficiaSurvivors’ nPFriday 2009 at 7:00am o 9) 00 r (Taken19th June 2 Taylo k ic r t o: P a Ph ot
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Favourite Films from Uni
We asked some graduates which film most reminded them of their time at Trent. Here is what they said... “Top Gun ...I attended a screening at the little known charming cinema, The Savoy which was a special screening which is a annual event where people dress up and it was a predominantly student event.“ Sarah Hemsworth “St.Trinians... It reminds me of uni and girly nights in full of giggles... ‘Snakes in the Grass’” Rebecca Wood “Anchorman... I watched it for the first time during Welcome Week in 2005 and have laughed so hard for the past four years, watching it with various groups of friends that I have made along the way.” Dominic Smith “Legally Blonde... since first year, around revision time or just when I felt that my degree wasn’t fun I watched this and realised how unrealistic it all was...but it did teach me the meaning of Mens Rea!“ Amy V Gathercole “Hot Rod... The perfect student film, it comes from the comedy genius of Saturday Night Live stars ‘the lonely island’ and is without a doubt one of the funniest films and it shows that, if you put your mind to it...you can achieve ANYTHING! (Cool Beans!)“ Melanie Ward “Van Wilder... obvious reasons... being at uni for too long... having too much fun and nearly not getting a degree!!” Sarah Mason
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Platform’s Graduation Playlist Platform Music’s graduates’ soundtrack to the university years The Killers - When You Were Young: With
an aptly euphorically nostalgic tone, The Killers provide the perfect soundtrack to growing up, moving on, and looking back.
Elbow - One Day Like This: A glorious and celes-
tial celebration of love, life and the simple things. This will see you right.
LCD Soundsystem All My Friends: This
triumphant tune from the disco-infiltrating dancepunk pioneer soundtracked many a night of ecstasy, reminding us that its your friends that keep you dancing.
We Are Scientists – After Hours: Last year’s
indie anthem to those tender drunken moments of romance. Altogether now: SAY...THAT YOU’LL STAY.
Radiohead – 15 Step:
Artful, experimental, epic, understated yet complete, the opener from In Rainbows is an orgasmic electro-rock Odyssey.
[Andy Trendell}
Head Automatica Beating Heart Baby: A
Rock City main room classic. Sing, dance, and drink cheeky vimto... Good times.
Pendulum - Fasten your seatbelts: Yes, all
Pendulum songs do sound the same... Regardless, this is a huge tune to kick start any party.
Soulja Boy - Crank That: Doesn’t matter
where you are, if you’re out this WILL get played... and everyone WILL do the dance like it or not.
Frank Turner - A Love Worth Keeping: Mellow, heart-wrenching, beautiful, worth keeping.
Operator Please Leave It Alone: Prob-
ably the best thing to come out of an Australian Battle of the Bands, ever.
[Sarah Harrison]
Fedde le Grand – Put Your Hands Up For Detroit: This track an-
nounced our arrival at Nottingham Trent – the iconic dance number peppering
many a Climax Saturday and had all our drunken hands in the air.
Enter Shikari – Sorry You’re Not A Winner: Enter Shikari hit the
ground running with this dirty great tune mixing heavy rock with some electronica, whetting students’ appetites for the up-coming festival mosh pits.
Foo Fighters – The Pretender: Dave Grohl
and his band of merry men smashed back into our consciousness with this frenetic rock track, which rightly became one of the Foo’s most popular.
Fall Out Boy – This Ain’t A Scene: Their
most successful charting single to date, the Chicago quartet deliver a call to arms against the preference of style over substance of the ‘emo’ social scene.
Kings of Leon – Sex On Fire: The sons of a
preacher man conquered the mainstream well and truly with this song and it’s immense hook, and eased
us into our final year of studies. [Drew Heatley]
Iglu And Hartly – This City: A timeless slice of
good old fashioned pop-rock (this one’s for you Pete)
M.I.A – Paper Planes:
None can deny the sheer class of this song. It’s also the perfect opportunity to pretend to be far more street than you actually are.
This Town Needs Guns – 26 Is Dancier Than 4: This indie floor filler, with its mathy, quirk-pop tendancies saw us through many a sweaty night out in 2nd year.
Secondsmile – This Is Your Home Town And It’s Cutting You: An
epic and intense post-hardcore anthem to soundtrack the experience of being away from home for the past 3 years.
Explosions In The Sky – The Birth And Death Of The Day: A
slow-burning, sky-reaching post-rock classic. Everyone should have this in their lives. [Graham Turner]
Honourary Extras: Alphabeat - Fascination: The word is on your lips...
Black Eyed Peas Boom Boom Pow:
Because we’d hate to seem 2000 and late
Vampire Weekend – A Punk: Ey Ey Ey Ey! Rihanna – Umbrella: No, you’ll never escape it. We won’t let you.
Foals – Cassius: Mathematic glory.
Dizzee Rascal feat Calvin Harris – Dance Wiv Me: S’up darlin? I’ve been keeping my eye on your movement...
Michael Jackson – You Wanna Be Startin Somethin’: RIP. We will miss you x A.T.
To listen to this playlist using SPOTIFY, rearranged so it makes party sense, head over to www.ntumusicplatform.blogspot.com - Peace and love x
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Class of 2009: The Year of t h e H a rs h R e alit y T
hree years ago the new Trent freshers poured onto campus in their thousands ready to make new friends, have some fun, and most importantly, complete a degree that would help them prosper and flourish in their future careers.
Few would have banked upon graduating in the worst economic climate in 20 years, in the midst of a global recession. The Class of 2009 will also be the most indebted in history thanks to the £3,000 top-up fees, meaning students face the highest graduate unemployment levels in a generation, coupled with the worst finances. Hardly the helping hand most were expecting from their shiny new degree.
Predictions suggest that 40,000 students will still be looking for work in six months’ time, which could help tip the figure of unemployed under-25s past the 1 million mark. Whilst student loan repayments won’t start until one is earning £15,000 per year, many students can’t help feeling aggrieved; this isn’t exactly what they signed up for.
More students than ever before are opting for an extra year of postgraduate study in a bid to ride out the worst of the unemployment battle, but statistics suggest that graduating in 2010 holds little hope for an economic improvement. Paul Redmond, head of careers at Liverpool University, said: “Since the onset of the credit crunch, demand for careers interviews has increased by 30%. We are also noticing a huge increase in demand for work-based internships, voluntary work and part-time jobs.”
Another tactic to evade the quest for jobs is to go travelling. The student travel agency STA said it has seen a 14% rise in applications for working visas, indicating that more students are considering travelling and working abroad this year, despite the harsh economic conditions across the globe.
But is burying your head in the sand really the answer? Just because the competition is fierce, it does not mean failure is inevitable. Employers now, more than ever, are searching for independ-
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ent, industrious and hardy candidates - so that year travelling on your CV might hinder your prospects rather than aid them.
Increasing numbers of students are turning to bar and retail work to make ends meet, yet at least this displays a work ethic to any potential employer. A willingness to get your hands dirty in order to get to where you want to be is an attribute that may well put you head and shoulders above the rest.
Just because something is difficult, it does not mean we should not try. The jobs are out there, they’re just tougher to find. They’ll be harder to get, but the sense of achievement should you get one will be ten-fold. Trent students have continually proven that they’re bright, enthusiastic, resourceful students - which make for exciting, individual and employable graduates. Don’t be tempted to shy away from the challenge. If something’s worth having, you’re going to have to work for it.
Lucy Knighton
Got that interview? Here’s some top tips to ensure you set off full-steam ahead into your new career: 1. PREPARE Everyone is going to be a little nervous, but doing some background research on the company and researching a few potential questions should ease any major tensions.
2. PRESENTATION
If you dress professionally, chances are you’ll feel professional and act in an according manner. Employers want to see that you’ve made and effort, and are serious about the position.
3. ANSWER TRICKY QUESTIONS WELL Be prepared to explain any gaps in your employment. If you went travelling for a year, explain why you think that experience makes you a better candidate. Don’t just say you felt like a year-long holiday, you’ll appear work-shy.
4. INTERVIEW THE INTERVIEWER
Go with a few questions of your own, you’ll seem engaged and enthusiastic. There’s nothing worse than the interviewer asking if you have anything to add only to be met with deafening silence.
5. RELAX!
You need to let your personality shine through, which won’t happen if you’re a gibbering wreck! Breathe, speak clearly and eloquently and try to be as natural as possible. Lucy Knighton
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Even though you’re graduating, you can still take part in Union activities like Sports Clubs, Societies and Trent Media with an NTSU Associate Membership - for just £10 a year! Email Claudette.Maxwell@su.ntu.ac.uk for more info and an application form.
Graduation is not goodbye! Following your graduation you join the ranks of more than 85,000 alumni worldwide, and will remain a valued member of the Nottingham Trent University community. Membership of the Alumni Association is free and automatic. Just keep in contact with us whenever you move on in your personal or professional life – we really want to hear about it! Nottingham Trent Alumni Online is the Alumni Association’s web portal for all former students of the University. Visit www.ntualumni.org.uk to find out more. Soon after graduation you will be able to register to use the Alumni Online community area where you can search for Nottingham Trent University friends, add messages and photos, and update your details, all in a secure password-protected environment. You can also register for an ntualumni email address. Also, as long as we have your up-to-date mailing address, you will receive Network, your alumni magazine. It’s packed with news about your fellow alumni, your university, events and reunions and developments in Nottingham. You can pick up the latest issue from our stand in the Byron building on graduation day. The Alumni Relations team wishes you the very best with your plans for your career or further study. We hope that you will remember with pride and affection your achievements at the University as well as the city and the friends you have made. Remember to send us copies of any great graduation photographs. We look forward to hearing from you! alumni@ntu.ac.uk
Benefits for you! Don’t forget - membership of the NTU Alumni Association is your passport to some great discounts, offers and special deals. Take a closer look at just a few examples of how you can benefit… Food for thought with the Gourmet Society As alumni of Nottingham Trent University, the Gourmet Society is offering you a 14-month membership for just £25 (normally £53 for 12 months) when you join quoting promotional code NTU. To find out more, visit: www.thegourmetsociety.co.uk. Get into the swing of things at Go Ape! Climb rope ladders, swing into giant nets, zip wire through trees, crawl through tunnels and inch along high-wire bridges. NTU alumni get a 20% discount off of the normal entry prices. To find out more visit: www.goape.co.uk or call 0845 643 9215. Enjoy the sporting life with the NTU O2 fitness suites Make the most of special discounted Sport and Fitness Membership at NTU. This offer is available if you join Nottingham Trent Students Union as an Associate Member (£10 annual fee). You will then become eligible for Sport and Fitness Membership for less than half price for the academic year. Plan that dream holiday with Cottages4You Exclusive 10% discount on holidays booked through Cottages4You. The 10% discount applies to enchanting properties - from castles and villas to farmhouses and sites - throughout the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Visit the Cottages4You website at www.chooseacottage. co.uk/partners/NOT Alternatively call Cottages4You on 0870 191 7829 and quote NOT10. For a full run-down of the many benefits available to alumni, visit www.ntualumni.org.uk
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Alumni Profile Arfan “Raz” Razak – Graduating Class of 1995 Earlier in this year I met Raz, 44 - an entrepreneur, who graduated from Trent with a BSc in Medical Sciences. He is now a very successful Restaurant owner and lives with his wife and family in Nottingham. His restaurant, Curry Lounge, was picked pretty much by chance to appear in the now famous Gordon Ramsay television series, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares on channel 4. Since then the place has become famous, with crazy fans of Ramsay’s dining nightly. Raz told stories about some of his more eccentric clients. One concerns a woman from Texas and her husband who took a two hour drive 46 | Platform | Class of 2009 Graduation Yearbook
to the airport in the states and flew to the U.K with the sole intention of dining at Curry Lounge; they stayed in a local hotel for the night and flew back to the USA the following morning. The woman is somewhat obsessed with Mr Ramsay and has flown all over the world just to dine in his restaurants; she left with hundreds of photos. Another bizarre story involves twelve pilots from a Singapore Airlines. They had seen Curry Lounge featured on the television show on their in flight entertainment system, and decided to turn up, didn’t book a table or anything. One of the most extraordinary tales
that Raz told me about was about the best and most extravagant tip he has ever received. He received a booking via phone and thought it was a wind-up, so when the day came for the Russian party to dine he was expecting his friends from the casino around the corner; and not a limousine to pull up outside the restaurant and a Russian entrepreneur and his entourage to get out. Once he recovered from the shock, Raz served them. They enjoyed their evening so much that when it came time to pay the bill they left a rare Siberian diamond as an extravagant tip! In the time between leaving Trent and owning his own business he travelled the world working for medical drugs companies, in his words “I worked with Nytol... a drug that sends you to sleep and I worked with Viagra... a drug that does the opposite!” He literally lived out of a suitcase for two years as a successful travelling salesman and sales director and saw the world. He gave it all up when he turned to charitable work which he refers to as “incredible”. Since the success of the restaurant he has set up a charitable Trust too.
He realised that the lifestyle he was leading was no longer for him when he was at a conference in Cuba in 2005 and he heard Michael Jacksons’ Man in the Mirror playing. This is when he first started to doubt that he wanted to do this for the rest of his life. When he missed the birth of his second daughter that is when he realised he had had enough, she was a week premature and he was in Istanbul. He spoke to me about his experiences at University, some which are pretty impressive, and somewhat controversial. One, which is particularly relevant
sent by the Dean of the University! Raz and his friends decided to seal off an entire common room in H Block and create their own sauna using several flat’s kettles, with over forty people enjoying their accomplishment. He also assisted in the removal of his friends’ entire bedroom and supervised its relocation to the lawn, including power. As his final words of congratulations Raz wanted to pass on the following to the graduating students of Trent: “Don’t get hung up if you cannot get a job in the same area as your degree, of all the people that I studied with only a handful actually has a job that has something to do with their degree”. He also urged, “you should take any job that you are offered as it is easier to get a job once you’ve had one... waiting staff, call centre, anything just take it!”
“Don’t get hung up if you cannot get a job in the same area as your degree; of all the people that I studied with, only a handful actually has a job that has something to do with their degree”
In 2004 he was asked to attend a conference in Turkey. He was reluctant as it was in the area where bombs were being dropped, so he was in grave danger, but went anyway. He also attended a conference in Iceland where the company had hired Boney M to play exclusively for them on a floating iceberg. “Wearing a tux and a fur coat is not exactly everyday attire...”
He says that he personally owes a lot to Phil Bonner ”who was my tutor, as when I was involved in a car accident he was very understanding and even sent me bags of coursework to do”.
to us at Platform, was when he posed as a rogue reviewer. The Black Orchid (now known as ISIS) was having its opening night in his first year so Raz and his mate (accomplice) Paul Travers fibbed their way in to the club, interviewed the “I was fortunate to meet six/seven people on my first day at Trent that I spent the manager and managed to score their next four years with. They are now living own bar tab for them and their ‘associand working all over the globe but we ates’ for the rest of the evening! all still make the effort to keep in touch. In fact, some of the boys contacted me When talking about his days at University he remembers Clifton as his “home”, through Facebook after the T.V series aired and all came in one night and had and recalls a few anecdotes about his a curry.” time there. Some of the crazy antics that he and his friends were involved in are outrageous and one even resulted in Amy V Gathercole a sternly worded letter of warning being Editor Class of 2009 Graduation Yearbook | Platform | 47
Alumni Profile
Louise “Squeeze” Holland – Graduating Class of 1988 The woman behind one of the UK’s most phenomenal fundraising success stories was chosen as NTU’s Alumnus of the Year for 2008. We caught up with Louise Holland, who is still racing - and raising -for life. Louise studied at Clifton campus whilst at Trent and her memories of Trent range from legendary 12-legged pub crawls that began in Old Market Square, to having difficulty dressing 6ft 6 (or so) men in bras and skirts for Netball socials at The Palais (now known to us as Oceana) for the 80s equivalent of Kinki Klassmates – “School girls and perverts”. Initially upon leaving school, Louise wanted to be a criminologist or a 48 | Platform | Class of 2009 Graduation Yearbook
forensic scientist. It was only when she discovered that Trent offered a Disability in Sport module that her mind was made up she was going to university in Nottingham. Ever-modest Louise Holland couldn’t have been more surprised when she heard she was Alumnus of the Year. Her instant reaction was: “But I’m only doing my job!” That job just happens to be a role in which she has supported the battle against cancer by helping raise some £300 million. For Louise is the motivating force behind ‘Race for Life’ – the annual women-only 5k run which has grown to become the largest fundrais-
ing series of its kind in the UK. Such has been her impact in advancing a worthy cause that the BSc (Hons) Sport Administration and Science graduate won the Alumnus of the Year vote by a distance. The award was launched last year to recognise alumni for their outstanding achievements, professional success and contributions to society. Louise, who is Local Supporter Fundraising Director for Cancer Research UK, said: “I had to read the letter several times before the news sank in. I feel honoured, excited and privileged - especially as it’s all come about because I’m simply doing a job I love.” She added: “I like to think the award reflects the dedication of everyone involved in our campaigns. I meet a lot of amazing, brave people who have suffered from or been affected by cancer. Their inspirational stories make me want to continue doing my job as well as I can.” Louise, who graduated in 1988, was nominated by Principal Lecturer in the School of Education Doug Williamson. He supervised her dissertation on disability and sport in schools.
event has grown meteorically. This year it raised more than £55 million as almost 700,000 women took part in 260 events countrywide. The money raised goes directly towards pioneering work to help find new treatments for cancer. Now in charge of both national events and community fundraising, Louise admits her job is as challenging as it is rewarding. Her target is to raise some £110 million this year, a tough call even though she now has a 291-strong team as well as a cause which has captured the goodwill of the country. She would love to see one
University is where you make great memories and Louise shared with us some experiences from her first day at university. “My dad was talking to another girl’s dad, the girl was wearing a blue pencil skirt, a red and white striped top and had a perm (it was the 80s), and this girl was called Cathy Lowe and is now the Godmother to my daughter. We met on the first day and were inseparable throughout uni as we studied the same course and we are still best friends today.” She also talked about how she came to have the nickname “Squeeze”, she assured us that it is not for indecent reasons and is quite innocent. “On my first day a Freshers rep decided he disliked my nickname and so gave me a new one, which by the end of uni everyone referred to me as, even lecturers. I remember on one occasion that someone rang the house and my mum refused to let them speak to me until they called me ‘Louise’ as opposed to ‘Squeeze’.
“I was advised to do a gap year and travel the world - instead I ignored this advice and applied for a job which I was not qualified for nor had the experience in... but I got it.”
Doug said: “Always popular and sociable, Louise shone out amongst her peers through her pure energy and focused approach. It’s no surprise she has gone on to achieve so much for this worthy cause.” It was while working on her dissertation that Louise decided on her future career. She worked with the British Sports Association for the Disabled before joining Cancer Research UK in 1994 and taking over the running of ‘Race for Life.’ Under her direction, the
million women taking part in ‘Race for Life’ one year: the record so far is around 750,000. The race concept is constantly developed - this year a 10k version was piloted. Looking back at her NTU days, Louise said: “The learning I gained - together with the life experience of studying in Nottingham - helped make me who I am today. As for Doug Williamson, he’s a great lecturer. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have gone into my first job in disability sport.” He is the man who supported her dissertation, which she was so keen to do that she even started to write it in her second year. Louise refers to him as her Guru.
She would like to congratulate all of the graduates at this year’s ceremonies and imparts the following advice: “Always follow your heart, do what’s best for you and not what anyone else tells you.” She explained that “I was advised to do a gap year and travel the world - instead I ignored this advice and applied for a job which I was not qualified for nor had the experience in... but I got it.” She and her husband are now looking forward to taking a “gap year” later in life upon her retirement. Network Alumni Magazine & Amy V Gathercole, Editor
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Memories of Trent...
We have already spoken to many members of the Trent Army about their best memories of being at Trent, but here is space for you to all do what a yearbook is all about: write personal messages to one another that will make you laugh, raise a smile, or even remind you of the embarrassing times and make you cringe for years to come! Here are several pages for you to do just that... what the heck, go crazy and stick in a photo or two...
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