FOR ALUMNI, PARTNERS AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER | ISSUE 36 | WINTER 2020
Building for the future
1 | VENTA 36 | AUTUMN 2019
What’s inside this issue‌ 3
5
Welcome to Venta 36
Our response to Covid
7
13
Huzzah! History with drama
West Downs is Up
15
17
Sustaining the success of future students
27 Careers service for life
Music for Justice
21
25
Fashioning a sustainable future
Sustaining the memories
29 Alumni benefits and gifts
31
35
Driving a cycle of change on the Isle of Wight
Learning about sustainability from an early age
37
38
Alumni Recognition Award
Helping to keep us all connected
39
41
Delivering for charity
Write here, write now
44
45
In memory of
Then and now
Editorial team
Stay in touch
Nicky Booth Communications Manager (Students and Alumni)
www.winchester.ac.uk/alumni
Savannah King Acting Head of Communications
+44 (0) 1962 624850
Corinne Mackenzie Communications Officer (Alumni)
alumni@winchester.ac.uk
lumni Office, University of A Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 4NR, UK Winton Club – University of Winchester @WinchAlum
Our thanks to all contributors to this issue.
If you know of a fellow graduate who isn’t receiving Venta or other communications from us, please encourage them to get in touch.
University of Winchester
We would like to keep you updated about our work at the University of Winchester. This may include news, invitations to attend events, or to take part in fundraising campaigns or related activities. If you wish to amend your communications preferences with us, or wish to be removed for our database, please let us know. Cover image shows our new West Downs Centre; read more about it on page 13. Cover image and page 13-14 photo credits Peter Langdown.
3 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Welcome to Venta 36 BY NOW, ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ HAS BEEN WORN THIN FOR DESCRIBING 2020. AS OUR WORLD CONTINUES TO TACKLE THE MANY CHALLENGES COVID-19 HAS PLACED ON ALL OF US, MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU, YOUR LOVED ONES AND COMMUNITIES. Throughout this time, as a values-driven institution, we have reacted with the community spirit that has been a key feature of Winchester throughout our history. Acetate sheets normally used to cover printed dissertations were donated to the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in order to make face shields. Student accommodation and on campus parking were turned over to frontline staff at the hospital so they could live closer to where they needed to work in order to serve us while protecting their families. iPads normally used on campus were donated to Hampshire County Council to provide elderly residents with a way to keep in touch with family and friends. Staff and students volunteered in their community by sewing face coverings, working in clinical settings, delivering supplies to those in need. This semester we have been teaching via a blended format, with some face-to-face and some online teaching for every student. Our students and staff have risen to the challenge with flexibility, tenacity and compassion. Covid-19 has profoundly disrupted every aspect of our lives - employment chances, health and education will be scarred for a generation. As well as dealing with countless cases of human tragedy, our institutions now face challenges that for many could be existential. It is crucial we all play our part to address these challenges, many of which will ripple throughout all our communities for months and maybe years to come. Yet, at the same time, we must not lose focus on existing challenges. Indeed, in my more reflective times I wonder whether our experiences in 2020 feel like a grim dress rehearsal for some of the global challenges on the horizon. Population growth, increasing use of artificial intelligence, global economic shift to emerging economies, and more. And perhaps the most important and urgent - the climate and ecological crisis. I believe the power to address global challenges and drive change is in our hands – as a University community and as a 30,000-strong alumni community spanning over 90 countries worldwide.
This edition of Venta highlights just some of the inspirational work being undertaken by our alumni and University across these areas, from ground breaking work in sustainability education in schools to transforming transportation on the Isle of Wight. Personally, I am especially proud of our new West Downs Centre, our most sustainable development to date. Especially right now, the need to create a future that allows all to thrive is crucial. As you continue to transform our world for the better, I ask for your support in sustaining the future of your University and the success of our students. We would love to work with you to help inspire the next generation with your experiences and wisdom. Can you mentor a current student or graduate to support their career development? Can you provide work placement or internship opportunities in your organisation? Can you enthuse prospective students to commit to becoming a Winchester student? Please do get in touch with the alumni team (details on page 2) to explore ways to get involved. I hope you enjoy reading Venta 36 and that the stories within inspire global citizenship. Through the crisis of the current context, I hope we can find clarity to all act in a way that supports those near and far. I urge you to be positive, peaceful activists, taking action where possible to contribute to building a more sustainable world. Professor Joy Carter CBE DL Vice-Chancellor and President of the Winton Club Alumni Association
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 4
5 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
OUR RESPONSE TO COVID AS THE WORLD GRAPPLES WITH THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER, WE’VE BEEN DOING WHAT WE CAN ACADEMICALLY AND PRACTICALLY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
We supported the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic, providing campus accommodation to frontline staff who were unable to stay in their own homes.
We made available funds of £3.4 million to support our students who had returned home because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and were no longer living in their University accommodation.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 6
Members of the public were invited to keep a diary and document their experiences of living during the unsettling time to help create a coronavirus archive.
We became one of the partners in an international research study which aims to assess what the impact is on people who are unable to enjoy being outdoors or have access to green spaces and the countryside because of lockdown restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
A range of appropriate measures were put in place for a ‘Covid Safe Campus’ to ensure students and staff were safe for their return to campus and into accommodation.
A team of researchers from the Childhood and Youth Research Group, in our Psychology Department launched a new study aiming to understand how parents managed the demands of homeschooling and parenting during the coronavirus lockdown.
7 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Huzzah! Martin presents history with drama
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 8
9 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
WHETHER AS A SAILOR, SOLDIER OR SIDEKICK IN A PANTO, MARTIN JAKEMAN KNOWS THEATRE IS ALWAYS MORE THAN JUST PUTTING ON A SHOW. Martin Jakeman joined the University of Winchester in 2014 on the BA Drama course. his ‘Winchester Experience’ was one of variety, taking on many different opportunities. His most memorable moments include co-writing and touring a parody show of Les Misérables called Les Pissérables and attending workshops run by Rufus Norris, Artistic Director of the National Theatre. Martin co-created the highest ever graded final year project in the Drama department, Brexit Stage Left. When asked about his inspirations from the course, Martin says “We were lucky to have a wide variety of speakers and guest lecturers. During our Final Group Project in year 3 we were co-taught by the amazing Cath Church from the Platform 4 theatre company. I remember one lecture well; Cath told us about her show called Memory Points which focused on the older community, looking at their memories and creating installations around the stories. We were given a handout of the programme and as I turned through the pages I got more and more gripped.” For a year after graduating Martin worked as the Terrace Bar Supervisor at Winchester Student Union where – during quieter periods of the day – he would scribble down future project ideas. The flexible working times meant that he was able to rewrite, rehearse and perform his award-winning show Hamalot! which in the summer of 2018 won Best Show at the Hat Fair’s new Top Hat Competition. The prize was a commission for Hat Fair 2019 as well as mentoring by Andrew Loretto and Katrina Henderson from the Theatre Royal Winchester and Hat Fair. “When I talked with the Winchester Theatre Royal about what I was going to do for my commission, I remembered Cath Church’s lecture and her amazing show. That was my inspiration to interview and record my grandfather’s war stories and to create Home Fires.”
While listening to his grandfather, Martin realised that there must be many others in the aging generation that had stories to tell but no one to tell them to. His next project became clear – it would be about social history and include recording and archiving as many war stories of Winchester as possible from those who lived through it. The show was named Home Fires: the stories of women and children during WW2 it was launched under his new theatre company; Historical Huzzahs! The aim was to create fun, accessible and educational historical theatre for modern day audiences.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 10
11 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Martin was eager to take up volunteering opportunities to enrich his studies. He says “I volunteered twice in a National Theatre project called WeAreHere which introduced me to performing as historical people. The following year my lecturer Marilana summed it up perfectly for me. We spoke about ‘theatre as a gift’; the concept that allows the audience to connect with a piece of art and use it to reflect. In the case of WeAreHere, when walking silently in uniform around parts of London, we met many people grieving for their relatives who fought in the Great War. “I also volunteered my time as a performer at Weeke Community Centre with the fantastic David Simpkin (BA English with Drama 198184). He was a guest lecturer in Pantomime on the Popular Performance module in my second year. After doing a few lectures on the topic I decided I wanted in! In 2015 I was Wishy-Washy in Aladdin which was SO much fun. Even after my volunteering module was over, I carried on taking part in the pantos (I’m now on number 4!)”
After leaving Winchester Student Union in August 2018, Martin started a full-time job as an actor at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. To date he has had the privilege of performing on HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, HMS M.33, with even a short stint in the Horrible Histories Pirate Exhibition. Being surrounded by so much heritage and performance has inspired Martin to create more and more with Historical Huzzahs alongside his Dockyard job. Sadly, like most places earlier in the year, Portsmouth Historical Dockyard closed due to Covid and Martin was based at home for 12 weeks. Not wanting to just sit around at home he started offering free Zoom workshops for schoolchildren on topics like World War Two, Victorian Medicine and Victorian Schools. They proved an instant success with bookings soon piling up. After a few months Martin began his next big project, a First World War workshop that would work both over Zoom and in person but the outlays were over £1000. It was thanks to a successful Crowdfunder campaign that Martin and Historical Huzzahs now have everything they need to run the Tommy Trench experience which is currently touring virtually and physically in partnership with the Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop. Since graduating, not a working day goes by without Martin using many of the performance skills he learnt at Winchester. For him there is no such thing as a ‘normal day’ as he utilises crafts like improvisation, artefact interpretation and character development to bring history to life for his daily professional life.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 12
13 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
WEST DOWNS IS UP The University’s flagship sustainable development welcomes its first students
AS THE START OF THE 2020 ACADEMIC YEAR APPROACHED, IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS ONE THING EVERY UNIVERSITY NEEDED TO FACILITATE SOME SAFE FACE-TO-FACE, SOCIALLY DISTANT TEACHING – MORE SPACE. OF COURSE, CONJURING UP TEACHING SPACE OUT OF THIN AIR IS A CHALLENGE BUT LUCKILY FOR WINCHESTER, THE MUCH ANTICIPATED WEST DOWNS CENTRE WOULD BE OPENING FOR THE START OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR, INCREASING OUR TEACHING SPACE BY 20% AT EXACTLY WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. ALONG WITH SPACE, THE OPENING OF THE WEST DOWNS CENTRE, A SUSTAINABLE NEW DEVELOPMENT ON OUR WEST DOWNS QUARTER, IS A CONCRETE REMINDER THAT EVEN – PERHAPS ESPECIALLY – AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THIS IS A PLACE WHERE FUTURES MATTER; THE FUTURES OF THE PEOPLE WHO STUDY AND WORK HERE AND OF THE PLANET.
Perched on the top of the hill, next to the University of Winchester Business School, the climb to the very top of the West Downs Centre offers the glorious reward of the city of Winchester at your feet, the undulations of the South Downs meeting the open Hampshire sky. On ground level, it catches the eye of those to-ing and fro-ing from the city centre, a modern welcome to an ancient city along the bustling Romsey Road. The inspirational state-of-the-art facilities for learning and teaching is home to our Digital Technologies computer and digital-related degree programmes including Computer Science, Cyber Security and Digital Media Design. The contemporary design, by award-winning Winchester-based architects Design Engine, includes a drum-shaped 250-seat auditorium, art gallery, café, food hall, shop, library, social learning areas and teaching spaces. A garden with water features is an oasis nestled in the heart of the new development.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 14
Green at the West Downs Centre means more than the courtyard garden. Professor Joy Carter CBE, DL, Vice-Chancellor commented “As a university that prides itself on being a beacon of sustainability and social justice, it was key that the new building embodied these values – we wanted the building to not just meet our educational needs, but also lead the way in sustainability.” The new development is one of the greenest in Winchester, with sustainability a driving principle of its development from day one. The plans for the West Downs Centre were rated ‘Excellent’ by the recognised assessment method, BREEAM, which assesses the sustainability of buildings. Features including solar panels, a wildflower roof and built-in bird and bat boxes are found throughout the development and it uses carefully sourced building materials, chosen for their longevity. The building is thermally efficient with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems to help minimise the amount of energy that can escape
to the outside. During construction, approximately 90 per cent of the construction waste did not go to landfill, with projects such as excavated chalk going to other local building sites helping to boost the sustainability credentials. With the West Downs Centre, sustainability goes beyond eco-friendly features. Winchester is the first UK university to secure green finance for campus development. Triodos Bank, Europe’s leading sustainable bank, uses the power of finance to invest in projects that are good for people and the planet. The vision of this building is for it to be a civic building, just as much as a university one, a place for the community to shop, eat, learn and be inspired alongside students and staff. When it is safe to do so, we look forward to welcoming you to explore this space for the future.
15 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Sustain the future Here are just some of the ways you can support and sustain the success of the next generation of Winchester graduates by volunteering your time and expertise.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 16
Volunteer your unique skills and talents to stay involved with the exciting possibilities ahead for you and your alma mater. CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS WITH A ROLE AS AN ALUMNI MENTOR. MENTORING CURRENT STUDENTS CAN BRING MANY BENEFITS – FOR THEM AND FOR YOU. YOU CAN GIVE CONTINUING SUPPORT TO CURRENT STUDENTS THROUGH: your career insights into different roles, organisations and sectors ■ skills development (communication, relationship building, organisation) ■ access to information and advice through your professional experience ■ access to new contacts and networking opportunities
SUSTAIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALUMNI PROGRAMMES BY BECOMING A FOUNDING MEMBER OF A NEW WORKING GROUP We want to establish a group of engaged alumni to work alongside us to develop the University’s professional networks and alumni mentoring programme. If this is your passion and you want to get involved from the outset, we need you! For more information about any of these volunteer opportunities or to register your interest, please get in touch by email to alumni@winchester.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1962 624850.
■
YOU CAN GAIN A CONTINUING CONNECTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY, OUR STUDENTS AND ALUMNI THROUGH: an understanding about today’s graduates, their expectations and abilities ■ skills development (coaching) ■ interaction with fellow mentors, building networks and sharing best practice ■ future recruits, thanks to talent spotting ■ a sense of pride and achievement having given back to the student community ■
SUSTAIN YOUR PASSION FOR THE UNIVERSITY WITH A ROLE AS AN ALUMNI AMBASSADOR, WORKING WITH PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS YOU CAN GIVE YOUR UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO INSPIRE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO COMMIT TO BECOMING FUTURE STUDENTS THROUGH: your passion for Winchester expert, local knowledge of your area of the world ■ inspiration to individuals to think of themselves as a Winchester student ■ positivity about the life-changing power of being part of the Winchester community ■ ■
YOU CAN GAIN LIFELONG ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SUSTAINING YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THROUGH: ■
direct links to the latest information about the University – be among the first to know about new courses, developments and activities
If you don’t feel you have enough time to be a Mentor or an Ambassador, then why not support the University in these ways: KEEP YOUR CAREER SUCCESS ALIVE BY SHOWING OTHERS THE WAY If you think your career story could help to guide others on their employment path, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us an email at alumni@winchester.ac.uk to let us know what you’ve been up to since you graduated and how Winchester helped you get there.
TELL US A STORY FOR THE WEBSITE www.winchester.ac.uk/alumni If you have a story you think would be of interest or inspiration to future and current students or alumni, please send it to alumni@winchester.ac.uk
GIVE SUPPORT TO THE UNIVERSITY AND OUR FUTURE STUDENTS Remembering Winchester in your Will by leaving a legacy to the University is a lasting gift to future students and to the continuing development of this unique place in years to come. If you would like to include the University of Winchester in your Will, a solicitor will be able to advise you which type of legacy suits you best. We also welcome donations to our Winton Benevolent Fund which gives students or alumni the opportunity to receive hardship support.
For further information or if you would like to advise us of your plans, please get in touch with by email to alumni@winchester.ac.uk
17 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 18
MUSIC FOR JUSTICE: ALUMNUS BRINGS HOPE AND INSPIRATION FOR THE FUTURE Philip Herbert B.Ed Music, 1979-1983 Composer
19 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
FROM TEACHING TO COMPOSING FOR JUSTICE, ALUMNUS PHILIP HERBERT’S CAREER SOUNDS IMPRESSIVE. The time has flown since I was a student at King Alfred’s College (as the University was then known). The course prepared me for a teaching career by developing the professional skills required by all teachers in the classroom. I learned a whole range of musical skills for teaching up to GCSE and A level, as well as leading practical musicmaking activities for young people. I recall being involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities: in music such as chamber choir, choral society, chamber music, various larger ensembles and musical theatre; and in sporting and cultural events in Winchester. I was fortunate to receive great support and guidance with creative approaches to teaching and learning from my personal tutor, the late Brian Longthorne (Head of the Music Department), Ernest Piper
(Senior Music Lecturer) and Diana Owen (my piano teacher). In those busy four years, I also found time to complete my LRAM Piano Teaching Diploma (from the Royal Academy of Music) and my ARCM Piano Performing Diploma (from the Royal College of Music). My experiences at Winchester inspired an interest in learning about the process of performing, along with creative approaches to making music in education and beyond in the music industry. Eventually, after some persuasion, I had an opportunity to study for an MA in Music at Andrews University in the USA – something I never planned to do but the experience was a great adventure that opened my eyes to new possibilities. Consequently, my life has been varied in the pursuit of many professional activities. For example, I spent time teaching as a head of department, writing music for films, writing production music for EMI
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 20
and examining for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). I sang with London Adventist Chorale in a BBC Prom in a piece called Cry the Beloved Country by Kurt Weill alongside the BBC Singers, the Matrix Ensemble and various distinguished soloists. I have also coordinated concerts, workshops, projects, courses, residencies and masterclasses at a University Arts Centre, and created projects for performance such as Ballare to Dance to celebrate internationalism and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in a Cultural Olympiad in the East Midlands. My interest in composition developed from teaching composition as part of GCSE and A Level Music, as well as the nudge from creative friends who have encouraged me to write my own music. I have loved witnessing the impact of newly created music on an audience. Elegy: in memoriam - Stephen Lawrence is a piece that was composed in February 1999 as a gesture of empathy after watching the shocking news coverage of the tragic murder of Stephen Lawrence. It was subsequently premiered, by invitation from the Prince’s Foundation, for the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust’s first Annual Memorial Lecture in September 2000, delivered by HRH Prince Charles. The piece is richly scored for 18 string players, one for each year of the life of Stephen Lawrence. It is a chorale in three sections, imbued with the influence of English pastoral composers. This piece has had several performances, including being performed at the Southbank Centre by request of Chichi Nwanoku, the founder of Chineke! Orchestra, in their first public performance in 2015. It was Chichi Nwanoku, who introduced me to Afa Dworkin (President of the Sphinx Organisation in the USA), who then programmed Elegy as a piece in the theme of Music for Justice for a tour across the USA. My invitation to hear the Sphinx Virtuosi perform Elegy at Carnegie Hall during this tour was a very memorable occasion. The year 2020 has ushered in the global Covid-19 pandemic and consequently the lockdown. Covid-19 was unexpected but there have been more surprises along the way this year. For example, the tragic events that would spark the Black Lives Matter movement and others that would make such a huge impact on our way of normal life, globally. There has been much time for reflection this year on what really matters in life. In June 2020 the Sphinx Virtuosi created a virtual performance of Elegy in a specially devised video, dedicated to Black individuals who have tragically lost their lives. This performance caught the attention of musicians in several orchestras in the
USA, including the Detroit and Houston Symphony Orchestras, as well as orchestras in colleges and Universities. Consequently, what started as a quiet year has become much more animated with a range of music commissions to respond to, taking me into 2021. A recent commission that came from BBC Radio 3 is on a theme of Composer Postcards where composers were asked to write short pieces based on inspirational themes for listeners during this pandemic. I have composed a short piece for Marimba called Particles of Hope, inspired by the science which is the backdrop to the narrative of this current global pandemic. It is hope that keeps us alive and focused on making progress towards the future. Yes, I can say that King Alfred’s College gave me a starting point, a foundation on which to develop skills that are still keeping me going in 2020. www.philipherbert.org
21 | VENTA 36 | AUTUMN 2019
Fashioning a sustainable future for luxury jewellery Michela Ferraro-Cuda, Executive MBA, 2015-2017 Course Director, MA Luxury Jewellery Management, Birmingham City University
VENTA 36 | AUTUMN 2019 | 22
23 | VENTA 36 | AUTUMN 2019
IN THE ALUMNI OFFICE WE LOVE TO START EACH MORNING BY READING THE RICH VARIETY OF EMAILS SENT TO OUR ALUMNI TEAM INBOX. OUR FAVOURITE MESSAGES SHINE WITH YOUR APPRECIATION FOR THE CAREER AND LIFE OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE CREATED FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES AT WINCHESTER. A RECENT EXAMPLE WAS A MESSAGE FROM MICHELA WITH THE FOLLOWING PARTICULARLY GLITTERING COMMENTS: The MBA changed my life! I am now Course Director of a Masters programme designed to promote responsible and sustainable management in the luxury jewellery industry – the subject I care about most in the industry in which I worked for nearly 30 years.
We had to find out more about Michela’s dream job so we asked her a few questions. WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW AND HOW DID YOU GET THERE? Michela: The School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University (BCU) was looking for someone to coordinate and teach a new Masters programme specifically dedicated to addressing management challenges and opportunities in the luxury jewellery industry. I had interviewed a Senior Lecturer at the School while researching for my MBA dissertation. Luckily, they remembered me when the vacancy was posted. Having looked at the details I realised how perfectly my MBA studies and my 30 years’ experience in the jewellery industry would combine to match the role requirements. So I applied, was selected for interview and then offered the position the very same day. I was ecstatic! WHAT ROLE DID WINCHESTER PLAY IN YOUR JOURNEY? Michela: During my 30 years’ experience working in the luxury jewellery industry, I often witnessed the unfair and dangerous activities that it, more or less intentionally, has promoted. I applied for the MBA at Winchester because I was excited about investigating the key themes of ethics, responsibility and sustainability in relation to my industry. My MBA research inspired the dedicated module ‘Luxury Jewellery and Ethical Branding’ in the course I contributed to design and direct. In this module students learn about the ethical, responsible and sustainable challenges this industry faces following decades when they were ignored in the greed for pure profit.
VENTA 36 | AUTUMN 2019 | 24
Last year one of my former students visited a goldmine in Myanmar, Burma, and realised, to her astonishment, that they were using mercury in their operations. She witnessed first-hand the huge lack of awareness that is still considered normal in remote and rural areas. Credibility is the most important aspect that the luxury jewellery industry cannot risk to compromise any longer, especially after the Blood Diamonds film.
Students on the course develop proposals to help companies and brands proactively improve their credibility by adopting Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable operations, and to promote them using fair, transparent and informative marketing messages to their strategic advantage. DO YOU THINK THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY IS TRYING TO IMPROVE ITS TRACK RECORD REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY? Michela: Since my research began, I have noticed a marked increase in interest in the industry to adopt significant changes. There are organisations offering different kinds of certifications and projects that are promoting raw materials coming from responsible sources, but not an official industry-specific agreement about ethics, responsible management and sustainability. These themes are often flaunted by brands to create flamboyant marketing campaigns in an attempt to meet consumer demand. My students are often shocked to learn about the unfair operations in the supply chain. ‘Ethical’ is a used and abused term in jewellery. So far, the most accepted agreement (although not official) relates to ethical gold and raw materials, those that come from artisanal or small-scale mines (ASMs) where there are programmes in place to minimise the environmental impact. This can be achieved by using the appropriate equipment and implementing processes that improve the communities where the ASMs operate. Although a Responsible Management, agreement would cover ethical issues too. I am pleased to say that there is a scheme for responsible jewellery which promotes close controls on the supply chain, keeps records of breaches in the scheme and demonstrates improvements adopted. DOES JEWELLERY OFFER A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SUSTAINABILITY MORE ATTRACTIVE? Michela: It definitely does – but only if this is clearly part of the vision and the values of the brands. Otherwise clients would see through the superficiality and inconsistency.
One of my other activities is to promote informed communication for industry professionals, contributing magazine articles to clarify the commitments expected of them to underpin their marketing claims. I hope that this work inspires my students to drive positive change in the jewellery industry by directing their future ventures at helping brands adopt ad hoc and correct sustainability strategies. HOW DOES YOUR ROLE AT BCU HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SUSTAINING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY? Michela: BCU has launched a dedicated programme to integrate sustainability in the curriculum of each course. Besides that, we have been very proactive in promoting sustainability, with dedicated weeks during which learning and activities are geared to informing students about the importance of adopting a sustainable lifestyle and how our community effort can generate benefits for everyone.
For information about studying for a Winchester Executive MBA (Master of Business Administration) visit winchester.ac.uk/mba Find out more about Sustainability and Ethics at the University of Winchester here winchester.ac.uk/about-us/sustainability-and-ethics
25 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Sustaining the memories! WE LOVE TO WELCOME OUR ALUMNI BACK TO WINCHESTER AND THE ANNUAL WINTON CLUB REUNION IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO REFRESH MEMORIES, CELEBRATE LASTING FRIENDSHIPS AND FORGE NEW ONES.
On the weekend of 28-30 June 2019, over two hundred alumni gathered together to enjoy a gloriously sunny return to the campus they remember with such fondness. Some were paying their annual visit while others were coming back for the first time in fifty years!
The Covid-19 pandemic unfortunately led to the cancellation of Winton Club Reunion 2020. Keep an eye on our website for information on the next Reunion. Come back to meet up with old friends, make new ones, refresh your student memories and discover all the exciting changes for yourself!
When asked for reflections on the weekend’s highlights, here are just some of the responses from this year’s returners:
If you want to plan your own reunion at the University, we can offer discounted SU venues and on-site accommodation. We can help you send out messages to drum up interest and make sure your reunion will be a great success.
“Meeting up with lifelong friends we made at King Alf’s and just being back in Winchester.” “Meeting dear old friends and seeing the lovely campus.”
For further information, get in touch by email to alumni@winchester.ac.uk
“Taking great pride in hearing how well the University is doing and my long connections to it.” “Just being here.” “Catching up with friends and recounting tales of the past.”
Never too late! JOHN EDMONDS AND DENISE (NÉE) MACKNAY ATTENDED KING ALFRED’S COLLEGE DURING THE MID-70S. THEY BOTH COMPLETED A TEACHING CERTIFICATE, FOLLOWED BY A B.ED DEGREE OVER FOUR YEARS OF STUDY. DURING THE EARLY SUMMER OF 1976 THEY SHARED A BRIEF FRIENDSHIP. During this time, John was completing his third year B.Ed Art Exhibition. This took the form of photographing sculptures built from leaves, rocks, twigs and the like which had been collected by Denise in the New Forest. By June of that year, the friendship had fizzled out and they went their separate ways. Both John and Denise went on to build successful lives. John became a Primary Headteacher in Nottinghamshire, married and had three children. Denise became a Senior Teacher in Secondary Education in North Essex, also married and had three children. Fast forward to 2017. By that time, both John and Denise were divorced and single again. They decided
to attend the Winton Reunion in June of that year. That weekend, their friendship was rekindled. A longdistance relationship developed during which time they both travelled between Nottingham and North Essex on a regular basis. 2020 has been an eventful year for John and Denise. In January, they decided it was time to stop travelling around the country and join forces. Two houses were sold, one house purchased, an engagement and a lockdown wedding happened. So, 44 years after first meeting two lives have now been merged into one. Which just goes to show that it’s never too late!
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 26
“I’ll never go to Winton!” THE 1970S WERE A GREAT TIME TO BE AT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. APART FROM HAVING A GRANT, NO TUITION FEES AND SO MUCH LESS ALL-ROUND PRESSURE, WE WERE THE FIRST GENERATION OF STUDENTS TO BE AT COLLEGE AS ADULTS. IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE IT NOW, BUT PREVIOUSLY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAD ACTED IN LOCO PARENTIS UNTIL THE AGE OF 21. ONLY IN 1970 WAS THE AGE OF MAJORITY REDUCED TO 18 AND SO OUR TIME AT COLLEGE WAS MARKED BY STUDENTS PUSHING BACK ON THE TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES AND RULES IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. We found a growing confidence that we could change things for the better. And we did. I am still very proud to have been part of many successful campaigns such as the Anti-Apartheid Movement’s Boycott Barclays campaign, which eventually led in 1986 to Barclays Bank withdrawing from South Africa. As a student, at this time I saw the Winton Club Reunion weekend (‘Winton’) as an example of all the outmoded, irrelevant traditions we were fighting against. I swore I would never attend a Reunion. So what’s changed? Well certainly my views on Winton. I attended my first in 2018, marking 40 years since my B.Ed year group graduated and in August 2019, I also joined an informally organised reunion of people who had started at King Alfred’s in 1979. Both were great weekends, providing time to meet up, rekindle friendships, share memories and simply enjoy the company of those who we spent special years of our life with.
Oh and what about the stodgy traditions? As the University has grown, changes to Winton have become inevitable. At a very simple level there is now not enough room in the dining hall to accommodate all those who wish to attend the Winton lunch. So things have to change and evolve even further and discussions are taking place about how best to organise the weekend in the future. As you’d expect there are some interesting and exciting ideas being suggested. These include setting up an Alumni Memorial Scholarship Fund and the development of an oral history project. The truth is, whilst some traditional elements will always form an important core of the Winton weekend, people pick and choose what they attend and engage with, and increasingly many also arrange their own informal gatherings over the course of the weekend. Despite all I said and thought back in the 1970s, I was looking forward to going back to Winton again this year, especially as I had been invited to respond, on behalf students who left in 1980, to a speech by Martial Rose, who was the College Principal whilst I was at King Alfred’s College. It would have been a memorable and fascinating occasion but then, as we all know, the world changed and everything was cancelled. Hopefully by next summer things will have moved on and we will all be able to meet up again for Winton. It will be great to see you there. James Walker – Geography B.Ed – 1974-78 and SU President 1978-80
27 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Support from the Careers Team for life! THE CAREERS TEAM ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT GRADUATES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER ARE WELCOME TO ACCESS OUR RESOURCES, WEBINARS, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE SERVICES FOR LIFE! WHAT’S ON OFFER? As a graduate of the University of Winchester, there is a breadth of resources to access and the Careers Team will support you to explore your different options, your job search and study ideas. Whether you are looking for graduate roles, considering professional study, exploring self-employment, preparing for an interview or still thinking about your options, we are here to help. CAREERCONNECT - OUR ONLINE PLATFORM As a graduate you have access to CareerConnect, the University’s Careers and Jobs Platform where you can:
Search for work and set choices to be alerted of roles that suit you. ■ View and attend our workshops and events. ■ Access information and advice. ■ Book a careers appointment with one of our Faculty Employability Advisers. ■
A careers appointment will give you “time out” to discuss your future options, to consider your interests, values and challenges and to help you through the process of applying for careers, If you haven’t already registered to CareerConnect you can create an account yourself using this link: winchester.jobteaser.com/en/users/sign_in You will need to select the ‘New? Sign up’ option and register using either your @unimail.winchester. ac.uk email address or a personal email address of your choice. You will initially be asked a few quick questions to set up your profile, but once you have
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 28
done this you can book an appointment, register to our programme of webinars on the events page, browse and apply for jobs, or read our resources. CONSIDERING YOUR FUTURE PATH The impact of Covid-19 has altered the labour market and the effects are felt by everyone. Some employers are yet to confirm recruitment decisions for the rest of 2020 and beyond. However, not all industries have been hit and some businesses are still expanding, and others will not remain subdued for long, Therefore, it is important to remain flexible when considering all your options. There is no perfect roadmap but whatever stage you are at in your Career, consider these steps to make a positive difference to your career journey. STEP 1 – TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE AND WEIGH UP YOUR OPTIONS Your degree and unique experiences since graduating will have equipped you with skills and opened opportunities with a variety of employers and occupations. Take time to reflect on your experience and connections, to develop a good picture of your options. STEP 2 - RECOGNISE YOUR STRENGTHS Further to becoming an expert in your current role or course subject, you will have also developed technical, specialist and transferable skills. Consider any work, research, volunteering, training, presentations you have made, membership of a group or playing for a team, etc. Consider the skills you may want to tell employers about, including possibly research and analysis skills, leadership and motivation or time management and problem solving. STEP 3 – DECIDE SOME NEXT STEPS Finding the right path and making realistic decisions involves weighing up your options and circumstances, while at the same time, aiming to match your interests and motivations to your unique profile of skills, values and aptitudes. Gain as much information as possible to help, such as: Learn from employers. Attend webinars or presentations and talk to those doing jobs you’re interested in. LinkedIn is a very powerful tool for connecting with organisations, ■ Gain experience. If you are seeking a new role, a career change or having to find something different, aim to build in time for work shadowing, volunteering, or work experience. ■ Complete an online careers questionnaire to generate ideas, e.g. Career Planner on www.prospects.ac.uk ■ Take time to research and gain insight into your local, national and global jobs market. ■
■
Discuss your plans with someone you really respect, perhaps someone a few years ahead of you in their career path or a Faculty Employability Adviser at the University of Winchester.
STEP 4 – FIND WORK There will be a breadth of opportunities and graduate roles advertised on a range of sites that you will be qualified and skilled for. Use CareerConnect, winchester.jobteaser.com/en/users/sign_in our Careers and Jobs platform where you can set your preferences to receive email alerts. ■ Sign up for job alerts on a range of known sites, use filters to narrow your searches and upload your CV to make yourself searchable by recruiters www.reed.co.uk, www.indeed.co.uk www.totaljobs.com, ■ Register to get notifications on specialist graduate job sites such as www.prospects.ac.uk targetjobs.co.uk and best-graduates.co.uk. ■ Search on the websites of companies you really want to work for. ■ Use sector specific job sites for a range of industries, like www.charityjob.co.uk ■ Use employment agencies as many employers use them and signing up will sometimes give you access to jobs that aren’t advertised elsewhere. ■ Update your LinkedIn profile and make connections with graduates, lecturers, and relatives. ■ Many jobs are not publicly advertised so be proactive and use your contacts to find them. ■
STEP 5 – CREATE A GREAT CV AND LOOK GOOD ON YOUR ONLINE APPLICATIONS Producing a professional application to secure an interview is vital, as an application form or CV is your first chance to make a positive impression to employers. Creating a successful CV and application will progress you to the next stage in the application process (an interview or assessment centre). Take a look at our ‘CV Guide’ which you can download from the resources page on CareerConnect, for a step-bystep process to creating a professional CV. Whatever your circumstances, your unique experience has equipped you to manage your plans and next steps. Remember, different opportunities will become available to you at different points in your life. Here at Winchester Careers Service we aim to help you navigate your personal career path. Aim to remain positive, resilient and flexible and be kind to yourself too. We wish you all the very best and do keep in touch via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @_UoWcareers.
29 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Alumni Benefits AS ALUMNI, YOU HAVE A WORLD OF BENEFITS WAITING FOR YOU.
Alumni Masters Scholarship: Up to 20% off a Masters programme COME BACK TO GO FORWARD A postgraduate qualification from Winchester will help you achieve your professional ambitions, advance your career and boost your future earnings. We provide you with a stimulating and supportive learning environment to help you reach your full potential, flourish in an increasingly competitive job market and make a difference in the world. ■
We run a Back to Study day, with dedicated sessions for postgraduate students, shortly prior to starting
■
We offer workshops and one-to-one appointments to boost your academic skills so you needn’t be daunted
■
We have a dedicated student support team to help with any questions or challenges you may experience
Find out more at www.winchester.ac.uk/alumnischolarship
Careers support OUR CAREERS SERVICE TEAM OFFER SUPPORT TO ALL GRADUATES. SEE PAGES 25-26 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. All alumni can access our CareerConnect jobs and opportunities portal for free. If you and your company has a job vacancy, why not get in touch to advertise on the portal to attract a fellow Winchester graduate or student? Are there any discounts or benefits you would like to see, or would your company be willing to offer a discount or benefit to your fellow Winchester alumni? Get in touch on alumni@winchester.ac.uk
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 30
Gifts WE HAVE A RANGE OF ITEMS FOR SALE TO REMIND YOU OF YOUR TIME HERE.
MUG
£11.00
CHAMPAGNE FLUTE
£21.00
SILK TIE
£27.00
VISIT WWW.WINCHESTER.AC.UK/STORE TO SEE WHAT’S AVAILABLE. PRICES LISTED INCLUDE UK POSTAGE.
MAGNETIC PIN BADGE
£2.75
GLASS TUMBLER
£18.50
WOOL SCARF
£35.00
ECO JUTE-COVERED NOTEBOOK
£13.50
BAMBOO PEN
£3.75
RECYCLED TYRE COASTER
£2.50
COMPACT MIRROR
£17.00
31 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
KAYLEIGH DRIVES A CYCLE OF CHANGE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT Kayleigh Richter, BA Law, 2014-2017 DIRECTOR OF KR SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANCY LTD, AND ACTIVE TRAVEL OFFICER FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 32
33 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
I’M KAYLEIGH AND I STUDIED LAW AT WINCHESTER. WHEN I WAS ELECTED AS THE WINCHESTER STUDENT UNION ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, I FELT LIKE I HAD FOUND MY TRUE CALLING! I was fascinated by sustainability and drawn to the challenge of helping others understand how it could really make a difference to the world.
My proudest achievement was when the University’s senior management team decided to take part in the National Union of Students’ NUS Responsible Futures programme. It was then that I truly realised that the University was dedicated to sustainability and that I had played my part well in raising the profile of sustainability on campus and within the Student Union. It’s wonderful to hear that the University has now been awarded the NUS Responsible Futures accreditation. After graduating, I wanted to find a role that combined my interests, knowledge and passions and helped to raise the profile of sustainability at all levels. When I moved back to the Isle of Wight, I knew that there was a gap in the market for what I wanted to achieve. After 6 months of full-time work in retail alongside developing my business plan, ‘kr sustainability consultancy’ was born in November 2017. Within six months of trading, I landed my first contract with SYSTRA Ltd as a ‘Sustainable Transport Project Manager’ to deliver travel behaviour change to businesses across the Isle of Wight. Since then I have been developing my own services and engaging with the business community on Sustainability and the Biosphere, and I also champion the Green Impact programme for the Isle of Wight. My ‘day job’ or main role is Active Travel Officer for the Isle of Wight Council where I aim to help promote and facilitate sustainable transport to businesses, employees, jobseekers and apprentices. I was also the Environment and Sustainability Project Officer for a short while. During this time, I helped the Council with its carbon management and climate strategy in response to their ‘climate emergency’ declaration. I work with businesses to help them with strategy and policies geared to catalyse change in travel behaviour amongst employees.
The benefits to businesses are financial (saving money in the long-term) and profile-raising (strengthening their sustainability credentials).
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 34
Examples include reducing the use of fleet vehicles and introducing subsidies for using public transport or building cycle storage. COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we work, so encouraging travel behaviour change is now harder to deliver, however the pandemic has provided new and exciting opportunities. Businesses are now taking into account the effects that the pandemic has had upon employee behaviour and on business operations. Green agendas are now also very much at the top of the list due to the huge focus on green transport. Cycling is still very much at the top of everyone’s list, and commuter use has only increased post lockdown. To continue to encourage this positive behaviour is key and this is something that we continue to drive with businesses. We are currently working with the NHS Trust on the Island to reduce employee travel by car, and to assess their fleet management practices. This followed the announcement from the NHS about their net-zero goal and there is now a drive to encourage this positive change. It is my hope that businesses continue to realise the benefit of a green agenda going forward. Through my consultancy business and outside my Council role, I work on some exciting projects with local businesses. For example, an event that is set to attract 40,000 people is set to come to the Island next year and my consultancy is implementing a Sustainable Events management system that was first used with the Olympics in 2012 to help reduce its impact, alongside the communication, and the implementation of behaviour change practices. We also help businesses with their environmental practices, and we are currently working with a pest control business on their Green Impact award, and ISO14001 Environmental Management System. This system will help to establish what the business should be doing to reduce their environmental impact and to help them keep track of the legal implications of the business. We are hoping that Green Impact will help establish the business’ environmental baseline. As a student at Winchester, I was given the unique opportunity to blend working with the NUS Green Impact award while studying Law.
It was through this that I discovered I had a taste for environmental auditing and compliance, and a love of reading policy and legislation. This combination plays a crucial role within my consultancy work, for example on waste management and keeping up-to-date with the latest transport governance, and environmental legislation. The island’s unique geographical location means that we can collect data on our ecological footprints
to calculate how we could reach net carbonzero emissions. As we are essentially a closed off community, we have a fantastic opportunity to become self-sufficient. Our location gifts us the means to establish wind and tidal power sources and, as one of the sunniest places in the UK, solar farms are a must and local produce is abundant! The main challenge is in attracting funding; the opportunities either do not reach the island or are significantly lower than the rest of the UK. This has had a significant impact on social development here. Professional jobs are scarce and we live in a lowwage seasonal economy, making us vulnerable to higher rates of unemployment. Due to our relatively low population compared to other UK islands, we do not have the necessary demand to increase our grid capacity and we are therefore less attractive to the larger green energy initiatives. So being in a unique location doesn’t always mean that we are in a good position. However, in June 2019 the Isle of Wight was recognised by the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a Biosphere Reserve – a learning site for sustainable development. This status acknowledges that we can live in harmony with the natural landscape and gives us a lot of leverage to increase our funding prospects and to attract attention from central government. To retain the UNESCO status, we must keep moving towards being a more sustainable self-sufficient island and everyone in the community needs to engage with this. Capitalising on this pride and sense of ownership is a huge opportunity, and I think it will encourage the positive change needed to overcome some of our challenges and barriers. The concept of a circular economy gives me great hopes for the future. The idea that we can create a closed loop system for everything that we produce is an exciting prospect. Bringing as much as we can back into the production of a product from a ‘cradle to cradle’ perspective is a brilliant idea to make the most of our resources and to reuse them again and again. It gives me hope because it pushes the words ‘recycling’ and ‘reuse’ to the next level. It means less waste and less pressure and capitalisation on our natural resources.
Are you making a positive difference in the world thanks to your time at Winchester? We’d love to hear from you – email us at alumni@winchester. ac.uk to share your career story and inspire others.
35 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
LEARNING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY FROM AN EARLY AGE
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 36
“Personally, I would like Sustainability to be compulsory in schools,” Edd continues. “For me, children learning about the environment is just as important as literacy and numeracy.”
Free Community status. They have taken their work to Westminster, where they met Michael Gove. They have appeared on CBBC Newsround, and they have won several awards, including Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots Educational Environmental Institution of the Year 2019, Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Schools Champion 2019 and Eco Schools Primary Eco School of the Year 2019. In 2017 Edd found out about the Harmony Curriculum and the fantastic work of Richard Dunne, Director of Harmony in Education for the Sustainable Food Trust and former Headteacher of Ashley CofE Primary School, He visited Richard’s school to learn more about The Seven Principles of Harmony and how they could be used at Damers First School. Edd went on a four-day Harmony Development Course at the Princes Studio of Traditional Art in London.
EDD MOORE IS THE YEAR 3 TEACHER AND ECO COORDINATOR AT DAMERS FIRST SCHOOL IN DORCHESTER, DORSET. HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER IN JULY 2012 WITH A PRIMARY PGCE WITH QTS.
Edd says “Many aspects of The Seven Principles of Harmony (developed by HRH The Prince of Wales) were already covered by our curriculum through the work I have mentioned, but not under the Harmony label”. He goes on to say “In the past year the children have been producing some phenomenal geometry work linked to nature and have a greater depth in their knowledge of the Natural World around them. A simple example is that they now know that there are different coloured carrots – not just orange ones – which links so well to The Principle of Diversity – There is strength in diversity”.
Edd admits that when he first joined Damers School eight years ago, there wasn’t a huge level of environmental awareness across the school. “The children didn’t know about recycling or how to look after their environment,” Edd explains. “They also didn’t know where their food came from – they just thought it came from the supermarket! I saw great potential to embed the Eco-Schools programme across the school.” Eco-Schools is a global programme engaging 19.5 million children across 67 countries, making it the largest educational programme on the planet. Edd is very clear about the benefit that his pupils get from engaging with the programme.
Through the hard work and determination of Edd and his pupils, Damers First School have achieved Plastic Free School status from Surfers Against Sewage, as well as inspiring their community to secure Plastic
Roger Marks Photography (C) 2018
“The children gain confidence and they believe that what they are doing will make a real difference to the society they live in,” he says. “They have the passion and confidence to stand up in front of a room full of people and talk about the change they would like to see. “They are very determined, and they do not take no for an answer! The skills they are developing are skills they will need as adults.” Edd’s passion is clearly shared by his pupils, who have given up their weekends to lobby local businesses on environmental issues. “Some of the children even asked for litter pickers for Christmas!”
37 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD NOMINATE NOW! ‘The award is a demonstration of the University’s pride in its alumni and its commitment to inspiring both current students and alumni, encouraging them to value their contribution to society as highly as their career goals and other aspirations.’ PROFESSOR JOY CARTER, VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE WINTON CLUB ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. MEET THREE RECENT RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARD.
2018 CHARLES CRACKNELL BA HISTORY WITH ARCHAEOLOGY 1979-82 For his dedication to helping young people in the north-east to develop a culture of enterprise
2017 ASHLEY BEAMENT BA DRAMA 2012-15 for caring full-time for his mother alongside studying and working
2019 JOHN HARTLEY CERT.ED. 1963-66 for his lifelong extensive service to communities many and various
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO YOU BELIEVE DESERVES AN ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD? FIND OUT MORE AND DOWNLOAD A NOMINATION FORM AT WWW.WINCHESTER.AC.UK/ ALUMNI/GET-INVOLVED
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 38
GEMMA HELPS TO KEEP US ALL CONNECTED GEMMA HAUXWELL GRADUATED IN 2004 WITH A BA (HONS) IN DRAMA STUDIES AND NOW WORKS AS A REGIONAL LEADER OF PRESALES AT VERIZON, THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY. As Gemma herself says, a role in telecoms is not an obvious step from Drama. She worked in retail for a while before securing a full-time position in an office, working in network support and her career since then has been in that industry. She started at Verizon twelve years ago as a Project Manager and has progressed through three other roles to leading a team involved in work underpinning the vital systems we are so reliant on at this difficult time. Her team are involved in improving network, increasing bandwidth and enabling home working for their customers including National Grid, Tesco and TNT. Gemma says “Although we’re not on the front line, this is really valuable work to enable these pivotal companies to keep running. My team support all of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and I specifically run operations for the UK and Ireland. The
team working for me are in the Philippines so it’s been a battle getting some of them working from home but all except two are now fully connected at home. “My degree has helped hugely in my career. Although I’m not performing on stage any more, I often have to present to large rooms full of people and the experience and practice of acting has given me a really good basis. Especially as I’m often the only woman in a meeting full of men, so it can take real confidence to speak up. “I absolutely loved my time in Winchester. My three best friends now are still the same best friends I met there, and we’ve all grown up together, been at each others’ weddings and now our children play together. Winchester was definitely the right choice for me.”
39 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Gemma has also found time in her busy life to get involved with various charities. Her voluntary work for Christian Aid and Street Pastors was recognised when she had the great honour to carry the Olympic torch on the relay for London 2012.
Gemma says, “I’m not really enjoying being at home all the time. I love routine which is greatly lacking, and the main thing I miss about being in the office is random chats with people from other teams in the kitchen.”
Working from home is nothing new to Gemma because she had been doing that two days a week before the lockdown. She and her husband, who is also working from home, have a three-year old son. Their biggest challenge is keeping him busy while they work and finding a good balance between work and playing with him.
Gemma’s tip for others juggling work and homelife during this difficult time is “to be kind to yourself. You never took on your job or career expecting to be a full-time parent as well, so don’t beat yourself up if you feel like you’re not excelling.”
KATY COMMITS TO DELIVER FOR CHARITY KATY JONES GRADUATED FROM WINCHESTER LAST YEAR WITH A BA IN CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY STUDIES (CYCS). SHE IS NOW WORKING FOR THE BLOOD CANCER CHARITY, ANTHONY NOLAN, IN THEIR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND RECENTLY VOLUNTEERED, ALONGSIDE HER JOB, TO DELIVER EMERGENCY STEM CELLS AROUND THE UK FOR THE CHARITY. We asked Katy to tell us how her experiences as a Winchester student helped her to secure this rewarding and vital work, and how they continue to inspire her career. She replied “I loved the CYCS modules on working with young people in informal educational settings and offering opportunities aside from schools. My dissertation was on mental health which I found fascinating so I knew I wanted to do something to support and enhance young people’s wellbeing.”
Katy volunteered throughout university with the Winchester Marrow and the Winchester Hub and said “it was the biggest driver towards a career in youth engagement in the charity sector where so many opportunities and so much support is provided.”
She carried on to explain that “Marrow is a network of over 50 societies in universities across the UK working with the Anthony Nolan charity. I set up Winchester Marrow in my first year with the help of my new course-mates and flatmates after my best friend had lost his sister to leukaemia. As a volunteer, you sign students up to the stem cell register (to register, it just takes five minutes with a form and a cheek swab), raise lifesaving funds and get to meet likeminded incredible people. Winchester Marrow still operates and has signed up nearly 1,000 students and people within the Winchester community to the stem cell register since 2016. It was the best thing I did at Winchester!” After Katy finished her studies, she continued to volunteer for Anthony Nolan throughout the summer with the National Marrow Committee, supporting Marrow groups up and down the country. She then worked as an au pair in Northern Italy for a while to fund a month of travel in Thailand with a friend from Winchester. Returning to the UK, Katy’s job search began in earnest and she was successful in following a lead suggested by a friend about a vacancy at Anthony Nolan.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 40
In early October, Katy wrote to say, “I’m really enjoying the role. It’s hard work but very rewarding and I’m working from home. Today it was made permanent so I’m very happy about that! I have a fileload of around 20 donor-patient workups, communicating between UK donors, international donor registries and UK transplant hospitals to arrange the stem cell donations. It’s like a puzzle trying to make it fit with the donors’ schedules and the patients’ treatment plans, and things can wrong at any point. Covid has obviously had a big impact on transplants and transport, as often we are transporting cells abroad. But it’s a great job and no two days are the same! “And I’m very excited that we have our first University of Winchester student who signed up to the register donating stem cells to a patient in November! It’s really come full circle!”
“The extensive volunteering I did whilst at university was a key factor in my securing a three-month placement at Anthony Nolan at the end of December, working within the Register Development Team during their busiest period.”
After a couple of months, as the risk of Covid-19 grew, Katy and her team started working from home and an opportunity arose for her to step up to the front line in helping to save lives. As Katy explained, “The role as a stem cell courier is usually done by incredible Anthony Nolan volunteers, carrying stem cells throughout the UK and abroad. However they are mostly over the age of 70, some having had blood cancer in the past, and therefore needing to self-isolate. International couriers who would usually collect directly from the clinic or hospital where the stem cells were donated now couldn’t due to social distancing measures. “So staff were asked to start taking on the trips and I volunteered. I did four trips; it was incredible to see a bag of donated stem cells and be part of its journey from donor to patient. It’s a nervous time for those living with blood cancer during a normal year but I can’t begin to imagine the uncertainty they must be feeling during the pandemic. Being able to help was both emotional and empowering.” Katy’s salaried placement was due to finish on 14 April but, adapting to the rapidly changing situation and recognising Katy’s dedication and commitment to the charity, Anthony Nolan rehired her and placed her on furlough until July. She was thrilled when they renewed her contract, initially for six months, as a Donor Provision Co-ordinator.
Visit www.anthonynolan.org/ coronavirusemergencyappeal to find out how you can help the charity keep this lifesaving work going.
Are you working or volunteering in a key role to support your community to cope with the impacts of the Covid-19 virus? Email alumni@winchester.ac.uk to tell us what you are doing. We are so proud of - and can’t wait to hear from - you! Or do you know a Winchester graduate who is going the extra mile to help others in this unprecedented time? Nominations are still open for the Alumni Recognition Award 2021.
41 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
Write here, write now! WE COULDN’T BE BIGGER FANS OF WINCHESTER GRADUATES AND STAFF PUBLISHING BOOKS IN GENRES RIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD. HERE ARE SOME RECENT RELEASES – PERFECT TO CURL UP AND READ NOW, OR ADD THEM TO YOUR BOOK CLUB LIST.
the city. Terrified of the apartment’s balcony, she develops obsessive rituals to keep their baby safe. Her difficulties expose her to a disturbing endgame between the elderly caretaker and a local racketeer who sends a gift that surely comes with a price.
SNEGUROCHKA BY DR JUDITH HENEGHAN (MA WRITING FOR CHILDREN, 20002003, PHD 2014-2018) Judith Heneghan, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing, has published her first novel for adult readers. Snegurochka (published by Salt) is set in Kiev in 1992 and follows Rachel, a troubled young English mother, who joins her journalist husband on his first foreign posting in
Judith said: “Snegurochka has been brewing for over 20 years, but I received invaluable encouragement from the Doctor of Creative Arts programme here at Winchester, led by Professor Andrew Melrose. Salt, too, have been hugely supportive and I’m thrilled that my novel is joining their dynamic and outward-looking list.” Winchester-based novelist and alumna Claire Fuller said of the book: “An unforgettable story. The claustrophobia is palpable, and the characters are utterly convincing in this beautifully observed novel. Outstanding.”
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 42
WHAT MAKES THE MONKEY DANCE: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF CHUCK PROPHET AND GREEN ON RED BY DR STEVIE SIMKIN, READER IN DRAMA AND FILM
PEOPLE OF ABANDONED CHARACTER BY CLAIRE RILEY WHITEFIELD (MA CREATIVE AND CRITICAL WRITING 2016-2018)
Stevie Simkin’s biography of Chuck Prophet and Green on Red was published 21 August 2020 via Jawbone Press. Prophet started out as a post-punk California kid who helped kick-start the alt-country genre when he joined Dan Stuart’s Green On Red, then making a name for themselves as part of the so-called Paisley Underground. He has gone on to establish a reputation as one of the most respected solo artists of his generation.
Clare’s debut crime novel, which focuses on a protagonist who suspects her husband of being Jack the Ripper, was released in October 2020 by publishing house, Head of Zeus.
Stevie says, “I set out to explore the music of Chuck Prophet and Green on Red by tracing the arcs of those careers within the context of seismic changes in the music industry over 40 years. I ended up recording hundreds of hours of original interviews as well as digging through extensive audio, press and photographic archives.” Simkin and Prophet got to know each other after Stevie wrote a review of one of Chuck’s shows in London in 1997. They became friends, but it took another 18 years for the idea of the biography started to take shape. “For me, it was a way of exploring music I am passionate about by deploying the skills I have learned over the last thirty plus years as a researcher”, says Stevie. The result is a book that is both a detailed biography and an industry case study, and it has drawn praise from Tom Petty’s official biographer Warren Zanes and writer and comedian Stewart Lee amongst others; it has also scored positive reviews from academics as well as magazines such as Uncut and Record Collector.
The book’s synopsis reads: “When Susannah Chapman rushes into marriage with wealthy surgeon Thomas Lancaster, she believes her future is set. But after the honeymoon things start to turn sour at home, and as Susannah follows the newspaper reports of the terrifying killer stalking the streets of Whitechapel, her suspicions over where her errant husband has been spending his time take the darkest route possible.” Madeleine O’Shea, commissioning editor at Head of Zeus, said: “This book has the biggest, most explosive central hook – a new bride suspects her mysterious husband of being the notorious killer, Jack the Ripper. How could you not be gripped? People of Abandoned Character is page-turning for sure, but it also engages with important questions on gender, class and mental health, making it a book for crime-lovers and reading groups alike.” “We’re delighted Clare’s novel has been selected for publication and, as a recent graduate of our Masters programme, that she’s realised her ambition to become a recognised, published author”, said Programme Leader for MA Creative Writing, Nick Joseph.
43 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
hidden secret is revealed, scraps of reminiscence, letters and reconstructed scenes serve to recapture time and weave an entertaining social history. Another Winchester-based alumna, Judi wrote We appear to have lost the time (published by FeedARead.com Publishing) following the loss of both her parents after their eight year decline through dementia, Like many carers, Judi found maintaining a sense of humour was the essential key to surviving the experience and this humour helps to make this entertaining story very readable. Judi was moved by her overwhelming experience to write this poignant book. She hopes that others who find themselves in similar situations will draw comfort from knowing that they are not alone in facing such a profound human challenge.
WE APPEAR TO HAVE LOST THE TIME BY JUDI WOODNUTT (B.ED 1971-1975) The story tells of George and Joan Ellis whose baffled admission: “We appear to have lost the time” sets off a series of events that lead to irrevocable change in more than just the dynamics of the immediate family. Told by their daughter Julie, who found that ‘humour of the blackest sort’ is her ‘best tool or weapon’ to combat the worst effects of this experience, the story records the bizarre situations and events that occur as dementia takes over her parents’ lives. When a long
Have you published a book? EMAIL US AT ALUMNI@WINCHESTER.AC.UK TO LET US KNOW.
VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020 | 44
In memory of WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE DEATH OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER AND WINTON CLUB COMMUNITY. WE SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THEIR FAMILIES.
Mrs Gina Churchyard (Dane)
1964-67
Mrs Gillian Hayward (May)
1964-67
Mr Roger Barnes
1967-70
Mrs Sally Tebbit (Chase)
1969-73
Mr Neil Hoyland
1973-76
FORMER STUDENTS
Mr Chris Riches
1973-77
1950-52
Mr Nigel Fletcher
1974-77
Mr Kenneth Funnell
1952-54
Mr Alan Ward
1975-78
Dr David Maxwell
1952-54
Mr Charles Russell-Sealey
1976-79
Mr Frank Morris
1952-54
Miss Sheela Moran
1979-82
1952-54
Mr Michael Wortley
1981-84
Mr Alan Brown
1953-55
Mr Derek Davies
1984-87
Mr Gerald R King
1953-55
Mrs Angela Thompson (Canavan)
1993-96
1953-55
Mr David Downey
1994-97
Mr Keith E R Galloway
1954-56
Mrs Sophie Lowrey (Womersley)
2001-04
Mr John Gardner
1954-56
Mr Roger Brooks
2007-11
Mr Harry Wilkinson
1954-56
Mrs Natasha Young (Longhurst)
2018-19
Mr Neville Williams
1954-56
Mr Michael Christopher Easey
1955-57
FORMER STAFF Professor Peter Billingham
Mr David Tamcken
1958-60
Mrs Rita Clark
Mr Terence Waites
1958-60
Mr Peter Crossley
Mr Michael Bridge
1959-61
Dr Bridget Egan
Mr David Orchard
1959-61
Ms Paula Godfrey
Mr Christopher M Townend
1959-61
Ms Erica Hatcher
Mr Robert Young
1959-61
Professor Neil McCaw
Mrs Julie Jones (Watson)
1963-66
Dr Geoffrey Tassie
Mr Raymond G Trevis
Mr Ronald Ryde
Mr Robert W Morley
45 | VENTA 36 | WINTER 2020
THEN and NOW STROLLING BACK THROUGH THE YEARS: THE TERRACE, KING ALFRED QUARTER
www.winchester.ac.uk/alumni alumni@winchester.ac.uk +44 (0)1962 624850 Alumni Office, University of Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 4NR, UK Winton Club – University of Winchester Alumni Association @WinchAlum www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-winchester
The word Venta comes from the Roman-British name of Winchester, Venta Belgarum, meaning meeting place of the Celtic Belgae tribe. We are proud to adopt it as the name of our magazine, as university is a place and time for the meeting of new people and new ideas. Our Venta magazine signifies a meeting of our proud past and formidable future.
THE UNIVERSITY FOR SUSTAINABLITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Caring for the environment is important to us so Venta is 100% recyclable and made from 100% recycled materials.