The Jesuan 2024

T H E J E S U A N

Celebrating women in sport

A 40-year anniversary for female footballers • Rowing then and now Creativity and the community • Meet two of our new Fellows Snapshots from the College • Our donors’ report

From the Master

Dear Jesuan,

I can’t help but wonder, “What happened to the term?” If closely attuned, one will be familiar with that strange temporal shift that only Cambridge can magically create It was the warm glow of Christmas. I blinked, and suddenly, it felt as though eight weeks of conversation, committees, challenges, and laughter had been crammed into just two.

Lent Term is one of my favourite times because I have the annual pleasure of speaking to ever y third-year student for a fifteen-minute Third Year Review I often ask, “What is your disser tation/ project?” and hear questions and ideas spanning across the full range of sciences and humanities. I am not only impressed, but also humbled at such academic curiosity and free thinking

Of course, life at Jesus is more than our academic prowess. Since the last edition, we opened a new Ar t Room –a space available at all hours to students, Fellows and staf f who wish to paint, draw or do ceramics. Thank you to the Yarn Crafters for reminding me how to cast on and cast of f at our inaugural opening

Spor t is featured heavily in this issue of The Jesuan I freely admit to being an avid armchair enthusiast I stay up for the Super Bowl, love watching the Olympics with my family, and I enjoy settling on the sofa to watch a test match Before coming to Cambridge, I spent a period of my life in the stands at QPR. So, I am ver y pleased to be at Jesus when the blossoms and the buds unfurl because they herald the season that I become a touchline aficionado cheering on our Jesuans

I caught the first half of the Men’s 2nd Football Team against Homer ton –a spirited game we lost in the last minute I also watched our basketball team take on John’s at an indoor cour t at Kelsey Kerridge (pictured above). We lost, but our team played with hear t and worked hard; a proud day to be in the viewing galler y

I love the fact that in spor ts, moments of utter genius seemingly come out of nowhere but are, in fact, the result of years of preparation Top of my list of genius spor ting moments is the 25 Januar y 1997, FA cup 4th round QPR versus Barnsley when Trevor Sinclair, rising with precise timing, executed the best overhead bicycle kick in the histor y of football.

I can now add another moment of genius to my list In Februar y, the Women and Non-Binar y Football Team took to a bitterly cold pitch against Homer ton in a Cuppers quar ter-final game The team’s pace and power were matched by their great passing chemistr y, and they won 9-0. Isobel Boothroyd took a corner kick with such power, precision and spin that time seemed to freeze The low ball whipped past the defenders before sailing into the net. It was amazing. I hope Isobel never forgets that moment; I know I won’t

The camaraderie of spor t unites us At Jesus, there is a team for ever yone. Here’s to celebrating our spor ts teams and other College teams, the Yarn Crafters and the touchline aficionados!

Sonita Alleyne, OBE

Edited by Kate Coghlan

Designed by Nikki Williams

The Development and Alumni Relations Of fice

Jesus College, Cambridge CB5 8BL

Tel: +44 (0)1223 339301

Email: development@jesus.cam.ac.uk

Our creative community

ART CLUB MOVES INTO NEW ROOM

The Jesus College Ar t Room is now open to all for pursuing creative ar ts The room is conveniently located at 18 Jesus Lane, next to the Study Centre The Ar t Club were the first to make use of the space for their meetings, which expanded to two evenings a week this term to meet growing demand

The club also launched a weekly knitting/crochet session and plan an end of term exhibition to celebrate ever yone ’ s hard work. Follow the Ar t Club on their Instagram account @jesuscollegear tclub The Ar t Room is available at other times for individuals, or people working on their own ar t projects

HOOK, LINE AND LYRICS

CREATIVE WRITING CLUB AND COMPETITION

Emily Winslow continued to lead weekly writing sessions for a fiction-loving class, many of whom enjoyed a guided tour of the Old Librar y and a visit from a literar y agent, David Godwin. The shor t stor y competition proved popular again this year The theme this year was historical fiction, following previous years ’ themes of science fiction, love, crime and ghost stories Contestants were invited to submit a shor t stor y set in the past and at least par tly in Cambridge Judges Emily Winslow and Menna van Praag awarded prizes to Jesus students April Egan, Rachel Gardner, visiting student Eliza Powers, and to Jesus staf f member Dr Molly Becker

The College’s bi-annual songwriting competition was established to provide an oppor tunity for aspiring songwriters to submit their songs, meet fellow songwriters and get exposure and feedback from a panel of professionals from across the music industr y. It is suppor ted by the Cambridge Centre for Music Per formance The winners (pictured with the Master, Professor Ben Walton and Alex Hall, from the Centre for Music Per formance) were Greta Thompson, Pembroke, Engineering 2022 (Band Aquatic Ape); Pablo Hubacher Haerle, Pembroke, Philosophy 2020; Patrick Ferris, Pembroke, Computer Science; Roy Juxon, Downing, Economics 2022; and Tara Buxton, Jesus, English, 2023

JOHN HUGHES ARTS FESTIVAL

JHAF is an annual student-run ar ts festival that takes place in memor y of the The Rev’d John Hughes. It’s a wonder ful oppor tunity to bring together ar tists in and around Jesus College This year ’ s festival ran from 16-18 Februar y, with a theme of ‘Assemble’ Ar tworks were inspired by the stained glass and ceiling paintings in the Chapel and were produced during Ar t Club sessions inside the Chapel

SHORT FILM COMPETITION

The latest round of the Film@Jesus shor t film competition saw some high-quality entries competing for prizes Joint first place was Zeb Goriely and Sophie Stemmons with The Littlest Student and Julia Jin Wang with What Lusi Found There. Third place went to Claudia Vogt with Starry Eyed. Zeb, Sophie, Julia and Claudia have shared their films on Vimeo

From left to right: Zeb Goriely, Claudia Vogt and Julia Wang

MUSIC SOCIETY

The JCMS concer ts for the past term commenced on 7 October with an opening concer t featuring our ver y own Dean of Chapel and Senior Organ Scholar, presenting a recital of music for saxophone and organ Notable events throughout the term included the Freshers’ Concer t on 15 October, where our new students showcased their musical talents within the exquisite acoustics of the Chapel Additionally, on 17 November, the JCMS Orchestra per formed their termly concer t. The event was conducted by current students and featured a dynamic program of music by Sibelius, Schuber t and Mozar t

In the community

CAMBRIDGE JAZZ FESTIVAL

In November 2023, Cambridge Jazz Festival returned to the Frankopan Hall, with two headline events featuring the award-winning jazz musician and steel pan vir tuoso, Leon Foster Thomas (pictured below) He ran a popular masterclass and then per formed an evening concer t with music influenced by his Caribbean roots and the harmonic and improvisational complexities of jazz.

DONATIONS DRIVE

A drive for donations saw the College community unite to collect food, toiletries and warm clothing for a local homeless charity, Winter Comfor t Nikki Williams from the Development and Alumni Relations Of fice coordinated the collections and also arranged a clothes swap in conjunction with the JCSU, with unwanted donations divided between Winter Comfor t and the local charity shops

CAMBRIDGE FESTIVAL

In March 2024, Jesus College hosted four events for the annual Cambridge Festival The first was a workshop aimed at children aged 10-14, showcasing a new set of teaching resources based on Dr Max Long’s research into natural histor y films from the 1920s and 1930s. Usually shown to popular cinema audiences prior to a feature-length movie, Secrets of Nature were enjoyed by millions of people, and are some of the earliest precursors to today’s Planet Earth and Blue Planet

At the ‘Masculinity and the Natural Body’ event, par ticipants engaged in a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between masculinity and the natural body The discussions explored societal perceptions, expectations and representations of the male physique Attendees had the oppor tunity to critically examine and challenge traditional notions surrounding masculinity and its connection to the natural world

The event ‘What’s Novel About a Novel: Stor ytelling and Traveling Knowledge’ provided an insightful journey into the world of stor ytelling and its role in the dissemination of knowledge Par ticipants explored the novel as a medium for transmitting diverse forms of knowledge, emphasising the unique ways in which stories can travel and shape our understanding of the world

In the final event, Dr Siddhar th Soni discussed his book Monstrous Archives, the winner of the 2023 Ideas Prize for Non-Fiction, which tells the stor y of the industrial transformation of the archive into a large and inscrutable monster He took attendees on a journey through the technologies that underpin the archive, to illuminate the anxieties and ideologies surrounding the archive today

Photo by Martin Bond Photography

MOVEMBER FUNDRAISING

Visitors in November may have noticed the large number of students, staf f and Fellows spor ting new moustaches for the charity event Movember. The hair y team raised £1,406 in total towards work raising awareness about prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention

The College Mental Health team and the HR Depar tment arranged a ‘Movember’ celebration with tea, cof fee, cake and raf fle prizes to encourage donations Over the last 20 years, Movember has raised over £879 9 million for men ’ s health.

The annual students versus staf f football match (above) took place on 24 November, followed by post-match refreshments Experience triumphed over youth again this year with the staf f side winning 5-2. Elsewhere, it was a resounding win at Varsity (see JCSU repor t) Well done to all of our teams! In December the Ultimate Frisbee Team (below) won the Cuppers with a score of 8-5 against a team comprising students from Pembroke, Christ’s, Emmanuel and Hughes Hall

Sustainability news

SUSTAINABILITY A-Z

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL STRATEGY

We launched our first Sustainable Transpor t Strategy which encourages all College members, staf f and visitors to employ low-carbon transpor t methods and outlines a series of measures to facilitate this Many College members and staf f contributed to the development of this strategy, which includes the following: measures to encourage active travel; use of public transpor t, car-sharing and electric vehicles; expanding on-site storage; improving facilities and hybrid meeting options to reduce the travel required for business; and revising rules for travel on College business and guidance on funding student and academic travel

The Environment Committee and the Decarbonisation Working Par ty oversaw the launch the College’s A-Z of Sustainability. Inspired by the success of a student-facing A-Z written by previous Green Of ficers, this document was created by the Domestic Bursar’s Of fice and Communications Of fice to fulfil the Environment Committee’s vision for the College to be “recognised globally as a leading academic institution where sustainability is intrinsic through engagement, collaboration and innovation” Fur ther information can be found here

Student news

JCSU NEWS

To help usher in the new academic year and welcome our newest cohor t of Jesuans, our JCSU Freshers’ Reps, Kieran and Lizzie, hosted a week of various activities Highlights included a ‘dress as the first letter of your name ’ bop with live music, a rounders swap with Sidney Sussex, a trip to the ADC Theatre to watch Romeo and Juliet as well as a Freshers’ Formal followed by a silent disco. Students were able to unwind and enjoy extra special evenings throughout Michaelmas with a variety of themed formal halls including a formal in recognition of Black Histor y Month, a green (plant-based) formal, an LGBTQ+ formal, and a Halloween formal, among others

We have continued our tradition of spor ting excellence at Jesus and this year travelled to Oxford for the annual Jesus-Jesus Varsity matchup. Jesuan spor ting ability was on display even away from home with the Women and Non-Binar y ’ s Football Team winning 7-0; the Hockey team winning 4-0; and Mixed

MCR NEWS

Our Freshers’ For tnight this year was a resounding success, with our Social Of ficers organising and coordinating 52 events to welcome in our new MCR community members. This was made possible by the suppor t of our amazing

Netball winning 17-7 against our Oxford counterpar t. To top it of f, the Men’s Football Team clinched a victor y under pressure in a drawn game that went to penalties while the Mixed Lacrosse team got us over the line in a nail-biting 1-0 victor y The return to Jesus in Lent Term was kickstar ted by our talented new Freshers’ Reps, Jenni and Ewan, who organised Refreshers’ Week events to re-introduce students to Jesus Several students par took in a walk to Grantchester which featured tea and scones at the Orchard Tea Garden and a walk into Cambridge for hot chocolate. One highlight was the 80s-themed Superbop, which was attended by Freshers from twelve dif ferent Colleges, with lots of Jesus Freshers attending The week ended with a popular pool tournament in the Games Room, with pizza enjoyed by all Adi Mishra, JCSU President

Por ters and College staf f working across several depar tments

Before the Christmas vacation, we filled the Hall for MCR Superhalls, for Halloween and two Christmas Dinners

We are immensely grateful to the Por ters for leading our Christmas Carols and to the catering team for suppor ting us with these events and providing such excellent meals across the term

The New Year has seen another packed Refreshers’

For tnight to welcome in the new term Our events ranged from an MCR classic ‘3-minute Thesis’ formal, to a mature student mixer, Burns Night Superhall, and a trip to Knoops Café for some hot chocolate and a walk around the City of Cambridge. Special mention goes to T. J. Jacobs for the Selkirk Grace, Freddie Goldstone for the Address to the Haggis, Harin Wijayathunga for the Toast to the Lassies, and Julia Rohan for the Address to the Laddies We look for ward to this new term, complete with weekly Welfare Yoga, Ballroom Sessions, Welfare Brunches, new MCR initiatives, a stimulating MCR Graduate Conference and more to come!

Alanna C. E. Gilmartin, MCR President

MCR welfare community: welcoming new postgraduate students during the Freshers’ Welfare Tea event

Snapshots from the College

GROUNDS AND GARDENS

Several winter projects are under way or have been completed which include developing the external and internal gardens of Lower and Upper Park Street, Marshall Cour t, Librar y Cour t and East House. A bee bank has been created on the far side of the rugby pitch from recycled soil, sand and logs The boathouse green spaces have had additional planting introduced to promote

DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

Suppor ting the University’s pilot Development and Alumni Relations Internship Programme last summer lent the team a helping pair of hands belonging to Matthew Creswell (Pembroke, 2021) who – among many other valuable contributions – led the production of the College’s new legacy brochure. In Lent, JCC Gives of fered alumni and donors another oppor tunity to contribute to the College’s success –we were thrilled to raise £124,418 with 300 donors taking par t And as an exciting addition to our events programme, this year for the first time we invited postgraduate alumni to join the Graduate Conference to hear what our current postgraduate community are working on and celebrate their achievements over dinner

The Development and Alumni Relations team

biodiversity Winter/Spring displays have been created in the pots around the College The team have har vested the wildflower seeds from Nor th Cour t and King’s College, ready to use in the Librar y College meadow Twenty trees including a variety of fruit trees are to be planted and 500 bulbs have been planted around the grounds and gardens.

Lee de Grammont, Head of Grounds and Gardens

PORTERS’ LODGE

In August 2023, the College was the venue for the Ram Katha event, where Indian spiritual leader Morari Bapu recited the Katha over nine days and over 18,500 people passed through our gates The message of truth, love and compassion was one that resonated At the beginning of Michaelmas, we welcomed our new and existing students to the College over a hot drink It’s always been a great pleasure for us to find out a little more about our newest

CONFERENCE AND CATERING

members of the community and the things they are passionate about Lastly, there is a wonder ful tradition where the Head Por ter (ably suppor ted by the College Butler and any Duty Por ters who feel brave enough) leads those in attendance at the Christmas formals, in a selection of carols at the end of their meal. We are pleased to repor t that the student body were in resounding fine voice, and did not leave the Head Por ter singing on his own for long!

Simon Durrant, Head Porter

Whilst the kitchen team has been getting used to their new kitchen, our colleagues in conference have been busy putting the last few touches to the Forum building. The space has been transformed into a welcoming, air y and well ser viced meeting and dining area The Elena Hall and Sibilla Room are a great addition to our por tfolio and can now been seen in our updated Conference vir tual tour For those of you who might remember the old cardio gym and adjacent May Ball stores, it is wor th looking to see how the space has changed!

Alexis Moreau, Manciple

HOUSING AND MAINTENANCE

The of fice and management team have warmly welcomed several valuable new staf f members: an Administrator, a new Super visor, a Housekeeping Por ter, and eight new members who have joined our permanent cleaning team The Long Vacation was bustling with conferences, weddings and other significant events and we under took deep cleaning and renovation of student accommodation in all the external proper ties Five houses also under went renovation as par t of the HMO refurbishment programme Over the festive break, we redecorated Chapel Cour t student accommodation, cleaned West Cour t bedrooms and function room carpets, and deep cleaned student accommodation in Librar y Cour t, Nor th Cour t and Chapel Cour t We also organised the much-needed re-sanding and varnishing of stairs and landings between the main Hall and Upper Hall. Isabel Harrison, Housing Manager and Sonia Horton, Housekeeper

CHAPEL AND MUSIC

In Januar y, the Chapel celebrated the historic installation of a new altar cur tain on the east wall. An ornamented cloth suspended behind the high altar, the new dossal cur tain is a re-creation of one depicted in a painting of the inner chapel renovations that took place in the 1840s These renovations, which included an entire refit of the inner chapel in an imaginative medieval style, were carried out by the British Catholic

TUTORIAL

architect Augustus Pugin, who also played a major role in the design of the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) as well as Gothic revival buildings, redesigns and renovations across the countr y. Most of the design in the painting was ef fected during the 1840s, but there is no evidence to suggest this dossal cur tain was ever installed At the star t of the academic year, we welcomed our new choral scholars and Junior Organ Scholar, Miriam Reveley, to the College Just before the term began, the boy choristers gave a joint concer t with the girl choristers of St Catharine’s College for the feast of Michaelmas in the Jesus Chapel –a collaboration that I hope will become an annual tradition Michaelmas musical highlights included a per formance of Gabriel Fauré’s sublime

Requiem accompanied by the East Anglian Chamber Orchestra for All Souls’ Day, a packed JCMS orchestral concer t in the Chapel which included music by Sibelius, Schuber t and Leopold Mozar t’s quirky Toy Symphony, and a sold-out per formance of Handel’s beloved Messiah with the world-renowned Academy of St Mar tin in the Fields orchestra featuring our combined choirs At the end of term, the choirs sang their annual Advent Carol Ser vice to a capacity Chapel –one of the most special events in the College calendar Before the vacation, the choir also had the privilege of giving a Christmas concer t (for the third time) in the village of Pickwell in Rutland to a large and enthusiastic audience. The Rev’d James Crockford, Dean of Chapel

This past year, we ’ ve welcomed over 1,000 state school students on visits and residentials as par t of our outreach programme We’ve delivered sessions in schools for over 2,000 state school students in our link areas of Westminster, Brent, Ealing and Tyne and Wear. Our student ambassadors toured Tyne and Wear in Januar y, visiting 16 state schools and delivering 28 sessions for over 1,100 students from ages 10-18 Students praised our ambassadors for being informative and relatable The Senior Tutor conducted a comprehensive review of welfare provisions in the College, gathering input from over 200 students, staf f and Fellows The review identified areas of strength and made 18 recommendations for fur ther enhancement These are now being implemented to strengthen student welfare for the future Jenny Jenyon, Tutorial Manager

LIBRARY NEWS

Sarah Bur ton (Assistant Librarian Academic Ser vices) and Diana Caulfield (Assistant Librarian) have joined Rhona Watson in the librar y, from the MMLL Librar y and the Fitzwilliam Museum Librar y respectively. Sarah is

CAREERS AND MENTORING

Michaelmas Term was the busiest ever for Jesus Connect We kicked it of f by welcoming back our returning students after the summer and meeting new faces at the Freshers’ Fair, and we ran over 10 separate careers events. Our par tnership with the University Careers Ser vice continues to go from strength to strength, with the University Careers team now

here to develop academic skills within College and is working closely with Dr Lizzie Collingham who of fers academic writing suppor t The librar y launched a LibGuide this autumn and it will be developed to provide asynchronous academic skills material We shall of fer one-to-one training when the new Training Room at the back of the Kwok Room is launched in the Spring. The librar y continues to develop its wellbeing and accessibility materials, which included our annual Easter and Halloween treasure hunts in the librar y,

visiting the College regularly and the introduction of a new termly ‘Pop-Up Stand’ in the Roost Café, where students can chat informally with careers advisors without an appointment We were delighted to welcome some wonder ful speakers to the College for our ‘In the Business of ’ series, including Tim Campbell (BBC’s The Apprentice) and the RT Hon Andrew Mitchell MP

and we of fered our first crafting session in the Garden Room for Halloween (pictured left). The Seed Librar y (a joint project developed with the Churchill College gardens and librar y team) received a Cambridge Sustainability Green Impact Project award from the University We have given several talks about the project, to librarians and to a Green Impact UK session, and produced a display for the Cambridge Natural Histor y Society

Rhona Watson, Quincentenary Librarian

who appeared with several other alumni from across the political spectrum for our ‘In the Business of Politics Panel’. In Lent Term we ran our inaugural breakfast roundtable on charities and sustainability Thank you to ever yone who par ticipated – we hope you enjoyed this as much as we did!

Sarah Richey, Careers Mentor

Six months at the IF

16 October: Barrister Philippe Sands KC spoke about his career in international law and the current global moment.

Philippe Sands didn’t always want to be a barrister –he applied to Cambridge for Economics, and only switched to Law a few weeks into his programme But from those beginnings, he went on to establish an international reputation, litigating cases before the International Cour t of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the European Cour t of Justice “Right now, it’s a ver y intense period”, Philippe admitted, citing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine But asked if he is optimistic about the future, he said he is: “We’re just at that stage where we ’ re finding our way ”

10 November: John Bercow answered questions from Jesus College students about his career in national politics.

Before speaking to a packed public audience in the Frankopan Hall, former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow met with group of around 80 Jesus College students to discuss his career and the state of UK politics (pictured below) John fielded insightful and engaged questions from the students for over an hour, ranging from what he thought Labour might do first if they won the next general election to how to address disparity between the nor th and south of England.

30 November: Dr Nina Seega took us behind the scenes of the early days of COP 28.

Jesus College Postdoctoral Associate Dr Nina Seega was one of around 70,000 people who attended COP 28, the international climate conference held in late 2023

On the opening day of the conference, the IF hosted an informal conversation between Nina and the College community where she explained the histor y of COP, the stakes of this par ticular conference, and what she hoped might come out of the two weeks of discussions and negotiations.

11 and 12 December: A Hackathon co-hosted with the University of Cambridge ThinkLab tackled how to promote inclusivity in the workplace.

15% of the UK workforce is neurodivergent, yet workplaces often are not designed to accommodate diverse needs How can working environments become more accessible?

The first University of Cambridge ThinkLab Hackathon, which the IF co-hosted at Jesus, aimed to answer this question

Over two days, par ticipants collaborated to come up with ideas and solutions for making hybrid workplaces more inclusive. The winning team received £5000 from the ThinkLab to pursue their proposal: a digital platform that caters to the specific needs of neurodiverse individuals to improve their remote working experiences

25 January: Mike Harrison became the third Jesus College graduate to speak at the IF in the 2023-2024 year.

When Mike Harrison spoke at the IF about how and why he incorporates pressing global issues into his dystopian novels, he joined an impressive list of Jesus alumni who have shared their exper tise with IF audiences Bill Harston made us laugh with a talk about humour in October, and BBC presenter Ros Atkins shared his approach to communication and explanation, which he first began developing while an undergraduate at Jesus

22 February: The Lisa Jardine Memorial Lecture brought Jesus alumni back to the College.

Alumni gathered back at the College from across the globe for this year ’ s annual Lisa Jardine Memorial Lecture. This year ’ s lecture, given by Professor Emily Jackson (pictured below), considered whether we need a new regulator y regime to address the scientific developments of recent years The talk was followed by an evening of fur ther discussion at a drinks reception co-hosted by the IF and the Development and Alumni Relations Of fice.

16 March: Dr Max Long used his research on historical nature documentaries to teach children about natural history and the environment.

In September 2023, Jesus College Fellow Dr Max Long launched a set of free, downloadable resources for school histor y teachers based on his research into Secrets of Nature, a series of natural documentaries from the 1920s and 1930s At an interactive Cambridge Festival workshop co-hosted by the IF for children ages 10-14, Max put his resources to the test – to great success! Find out about the three other events the IF co-hosted with the Cambridge Festival on page 2

The College that rows: then and now

When exactly young men from Jesus College first wandered over to the River Cam and star ted ‘messing about in boats’ is unclear, but in 1827, with George IV on the throne and Lord Liverpool as Prime Minister, they took it upon themselves to form a Boat Club Being close to the river, Jesus College was one of the first with a Club, and naturally took par t in the ver y first day of bumping races in the Lent Term of 1827. With just two other Colleges (John’s and Trinity) they competed on the first day, with Caius and Emmanuel joining in on subsequent days

Much has changed since 1827 The University has expanded by 13 Colleges most of which boast a men ’ s and women ’ s first eight as well as lower boats In 2023, 154 crews took par t in the May Races, with a total of 1,386 competitors

Rowing at Jesus continues with as much enthusiasm as it ever did With the Club approaching its bicentenar y year in 2027, we talk to past and present rowers about what rowing for JCBC means to them and how the experience has changed over the decades.

Then ...

The first female postgraduate students arrived at Jesus in 1977 and the first female undergraduates in October 1979 Shane Redding (1979) was in that first cohor t and obser ved: “The rowers were surprised that we wanted to join them, and we wore our own kit until we were eventually given men ’ s rowing vests We surprised them again when we won oars in the Lent Term, and we celebrated as equals at the annual Boat Club supper. I watch JCBC race at the Bedford Head now and I’m proud to still suppor t them The quality of the rowers is amazing; they train more seriously. They learn about fitness and nutrition; it’s become more scientific Rowing is a great way to make friends It gives you a wonder ful sense of belonging and makes you feel suppor ted and par t of a team ”

Dr Sally Adams (1979) rowed with Shane Redding, as one of the original ‘79ers crew At a Fairbairn’s Boat Club Dinner in 2023, she spoke about her experience. “We insisted on no early mornings and having enough time to apply waterproof mascara so that even though we might not be the most skilled on the water, we aimed to be the most glamorous Having said that, we often didn’t have the right kit and looked anything but glamorous in our black and red vests and thick black shor ts with padded bottoms.”

Theo Huckle KC (1980) star ted his College spor ting career in the rugby team before discovering rowing, ending up on the British Rowing Board and Chair of Welsh Rowing He said: “The rugby boys tried rowing at the end of our first year and absolutely loved it. We became pretty obsessed, spending entire dinners discussing how a blade enters the water! There’s no better spor t for wellbeing because it’s musculoskeletally safe, it promotes fitness, determination and teamwork, and it’s therapeutic too; Bow stopped us to watch a kingfisher once; we were so pleased The equipment has moved on; I learned with ‘pencil’ blades, and rowed with Macon blades (‘spades’) which were thicker and shor ter. Now they use ‘cleaver’ blades, which they say are more ef ficient I scull and coach with those today We used heavy wooden ‘clinker’ boats or wooden shell boats; in plastic they’re lighter and stif fer –they cost a lot more though!””

Nick Tubbs (2014) said: “I star ted here as a rugby player, but when I revealed to my College brother that I’d rowed before, he said “See you at the Boat Club at 6am tomorrow”, so I went. I rowed in the second boat, then the first boat It was great fun, and I made my closest friends through a joint passion for rowing The boat only feels right when you ’ re all concentrating and working together Rowers become a close-knit community and there’s a strong culture of alumni returning to help by coaching or financially. Rowing can be seen as an

Jesus College Women’s First Boat, Lent Bumps 1980 From back to front: Lorraine Rose, Karen Reid, Caroline Gonzalez, Shane Redding, Ruth Deacon, Sally Adams, Jennifer Bird, Celia Parkes and Fiona Blair

inaccessible spor t, but we tried to change that by not charging subscription fees, or for race entries or kit I was keen to help the novices learn and progress. The number of clubs on the river has grown and rowers must queue for a turn now. Poor weather conditions often mean that novices can’t row, which is incredibly frustrating It’s wor th persisting though, because when you win, the feeling is incredible ”

... and now

Ruari McColl (2021) is a current undergraduate student and the Boat Club’s Men’s Captain He said: “Like most rowers at Jesus I star ted when I joined in Freshers’ Week Over the three years I have been at Jesus, rowing has massively changed my experience for the best. The morning sessions and mandator y fitness has provided a lot of structure and routine to my week which I really like. Moreover, a focus on optimising fitness and strength has made me live more healthily, for instance thinking about my nutrition and ensuring I get enough sleep I also really love the camaraderie that you get through rowing and feeling that you are suf fering together in training to win races as a team Finally, and most impor tantly, the races (such as Fairbairns, Lent Bumps and May Bumps) hugely excite me and provide a good focal point at the end of each term It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that rowing has genuinely made my university experience a huge amount more enjoyable Changes that I’m aware of include the red and yellow flags on the river which have meant that our training has been disrupted, especially for the lower novice boats which are banned from going out in yellow flag conditions. As a Captain, I find it ver y dif ficult to organise training outings during the afternoon as people have busy

lecture and lab schedules. Most Colleges therefore tr y to row before 9am and the river is packed with crews ”

Orchid Balgobin (2021) is a current undergraduate student and a cox for JCBC She said: “I had never rowed before coming to Cambridge, but I knew that it was a spor t that I’d tr y out during my degree Rowing and being involved with JCBC, like many of my experiences at this university, have been ver y specific to the brief time that I will spend here; granted I am now tempted to continue it somehow in the future As a cox, my involvement is ver y dif ferent to the rowers, but I still feel the sense of community within JCBC Jesus holds ever yone involved to the same high standards, but you can see how it pays of f. The Club and our coaches are committed to helping craft our techniques and push us to reaching our fullest potentials Rowing is like any team spor t in that it expects accountability and when you get into that boat, all nine individuals are one, striving to achieve one joint goal regardless of background and who you are The success of JCBC means that there is also great reward with Boat Club Dinners, socials and brunches that foster team spirit and make the hard work truly wor th it They are displays of the culmination of our termly ef for ts and dedication to this spor t and to each other In terms of my time at College, it does require early star ts or blocked out two or three-hour weekend sessions to make the most out of our time on the water, but it is manageable and can be achieved if you are committed or willing to reap the rewards Overall, to me, rowing or coxing means a sense of belonging in a tight knit tapestr y – one fabric, one purpose, one result Things on the river are changing During my time at JCBC, we have had numerous red and yellow flags, and the Cam has burst its banks on multiple occasions I’ve never seen it so wide!

M1 and W1 celebrating together after the May Bumps 2023

For us this means less time on the water, or alternative training, which can sometimes prove troublesome when there are races, and you haven’t managed to get enough time on the water that week I’ve never appreciated the Cam before rowing, but it is insane how much we rely on it for this spor t and when it is out of action, we almost are as well ”

Sarah Sharp (2022) is a postgraduate student and current Women’s Captain She said: “Things have definitely changed in College rowing over the years – primar y impacts are the increasing academic demands on students and more dramatic weather conditions (climate change!) leading to the river sometimes being unsafe to row. The main challenge now is being able to per form at the required standard while students juggle intense workloads with up to eight training sessions per week and reduced time on the water due to excessive wind or flooding 45 years after the first women ’ s crews were permitted to row, we have the most successful women's squad of the Cambridge Colleges. Our W1 are undefeated this year and currently hold May and Lent Headship, and our W2 is highest ranked second boat in both Bumps Almost all the members of these boats learned to row or cox at Jesus.”

Jonathan Conder, Head Coach, said: “I star ted rowing on the Cam in 1979, albeit for a town club The last

Jesus College Boat Club

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for ty years has seen huge changes The number of College Boat Clubs has grown, and they are all tr ying to get three or four crews out most mornings which means the river is ver y congested and long queues form Academic schedules are ver y demanding, and most students seem to be in lectures, super vision or labs from 9am to 6pm We aren’t allowed to row in the dark, hence the high number of outings at first light I’m happy to repor t that with the push to include more state school educated students at the university, the vast majority of our rowers have not rowed before coming along to JCBC Last year and this we had over 100 new beginner rowers come along to tr y out rowing We have been able to suppor t them by hiring a dedicated Learn to Row coach (Callum) and this has helped enormously We are able to teach people to row, scull and cox ef fectively which enhances their experience of rowing, JCBC, Jesus College and their time at Cambridge

It is however ver y frustrating when this fresh enthusiasm for the spor t is dampened by yellow or red flag conditions

The Boat Club is unusual In the M1 last week we had an undergraduate rower who star ted in October and a postgraduate who has just completed his viva

Our Fairbairn’s W1 had one Hungarian, one Irish, two German, one New Zealand and four English rowers/cox in it I think this is fantastic as the Boat Club is a place where the College really pulls together ”

If you wish to hear more about the Club’s successes through the JCBC Trust’s termly newsletter, and oppor tunities to remain in touch with the Club, please sign up to our mailing list by scanning the QR code or emailing the College’s Development and Alumni Relations Of fice at: development@jesus cam ac uk

JCBC Bicentenary 2027

JCBC will be celebrating the 200-year anniversar y of its foundation in 2027. Working groups are being formed and, whilst ideas are still developing, preparations are under way Fur ther details, including of oppor tunities to get involved, will also be circulated on the JCBC mailing list

Oars over the years from top to bottom: Pencil blades, Macon blades (thicker and shor ter) and Cleaver blades

Past and current rowers and Trustees at the 2021 naming ceremony for the new boat, ‘Sally Adams’

For ty years of women ’ s football

Written by Leah Neves Gomes (2022, Education), Captain of the Jesus College Women and Non-Binary Football Team

This academic year, we celebrate 40 years of Women’s Football at Jesus College That’s 40 years of competition, community and female empowerment in spor t. I have played football for as long as I can remember; it is a central par t of my upbringing and my parents had me in a kit as early as possible (I have photos to prove it!) As one of the current Captains, I had the privilege of going through the Jesus College Archives during Easter Term last year, which was a more rewarding and revealing task than anyone could have predicted. The Archives highlighted an extensive catalogue of Jesus College spor ting and society entries, in addition to photos dating back to 1984 revealing a corner of football histor y at Jesus The first ever group of women admitted to the College arrived in 1979 However, it wasn’t until 1983-84 that the ladies football team was inaugurated

The first Captain was Philippa J Boardman, who was kind enough to share her memories of the first female team of 1983 The players recall having to borrow men ’ s shir ts to play their first games, and regularly not being taken seriously by the College in terms of their commitment to the game Due to apathy in lower years and the stigma of women in spor t at the time, the team often failed to reach full 11-aside teams to play Spor ts for women were rudimentar y and there was only a small cohor t of women interested in playing The ‘usual suspects’ ended up playing on all the teams across College including netball, hockey and later football and rugby Some had never played football before, and Boardman remembers that most of the team were kind friends who would play to fill up spaces

As far as memor y goes, the first ever match was against Newnham. The skill level welcomed an honourable 0-0 draw and once again shir ts were borrowed from the men ’ s team to create a more professional image. The first game was in 1983, however it was not until the following year that football took of f in a more organised manner for the women at College Whilst today, Jesus College Women’s and Non-Binar y Football Team is considered one of the best amongst Cambridge Colleges, their humble beginning was home to many losses As the first female teams began to sur face across Cambridge, 1984 also saw the beginning of the first female intercollegiate league and Cupper’s competition away from men ’ s spor ting. Within a few months, it was clear that female football was here to stay

The Jesus College Women and Non-Binar y Football Team has now reached a documented 17 out of 38 Cuppers finals This is the highest number of finals reached by any female College football team in Cambridge. The team has won Cuppers nine times, in the following years: 1986, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2022

Our first ever Captain continues to break new ground for women; she was among the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England and is now celebrated as one of the leading female figures in high religious positions. She continues to inspire us and we’ll raise a glass to her as we gather to celebrate the achievements of ever y woman and non-binar y member of our football community from the past for ty years

Archives update: ‘Jesus College: Empire, Slavery and the Colonial World’

An exhibition based on research by Jesus College’s Legacies of Slaver y Working Par ty (LSWP) was displayed in the Marshall Room during Michaelmas Term and will return from 29 April to mid-June 2024 The exhibition, ‘Jesus College: Empire, Slaver y and the Colonial World’, is open to the public

The Women and Non-Binary Football Team 2023-2024

The Women’s Football Team in 1983

How long have you been in Cambridge?

For almost a decade now! I star ted as an undergraduate in Natural Sciences in 2014 at St John’s and stayed there for my PhD. It’s been wonder ful meeting so many interesting people who are also curious about how the world works. Cambridge is a par ticularly great place to be a zoologist because of its rich histor y and oppor tunities for interdisciplinar y collaboration

For example, I’ve done a lot of work in collaboration with applied mathematicians and computer scientists to understand and quantify biological patterns I wanted to continue working in this stimulating and collegiate environment, so I was ver y quick to apply when Jesus College adver tised a Junior Research Fellowship

What does it mean to join Jesus College as a Fellow?

I was delighted to be of fered a role, especially since I missed my inter view! Carr ying out fieldwork in Zambia, I was caught out by a complete network failure When I finally received a signal, the College ver y kindly rescheduled and the inter view went well. I was ver y excited when I heard the good news I’ve found the College to be a super welcoming community and I’m enjoying getting to know the other Fellows I also love the College wildlife: I’ve seen woodpeckers and foxes and the deer is a real favourite. I’m looking for ward to birdsong in the spring along the nature walk

How did you first become interested in natural sciences?

Two things, really. On one hand, natural histor y has always fascinated me I star ted birdwatching as a teenager and joined my school’s natural histor y society

On the other, I’ve also always liked logic puzzles and game theor y Reading The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins when I was at school brought these two interests together, because the book applies logic and game theor y to evolutionar y questions For example, what strategies should organisms adopt to ensure successful and stable sur vival? I’m fascinated how animals adapt to their environments, so studying natural sciences was an easy choice for me.

Strategies for sur vival

Dr Tanmay Dixit recently joined the College as a Junior Research Fellow. He is an evolutionary biologist focussing on the coevolution between brood parasites and their hosts.

Which area of study fascinates you most currently?

I am currently fascinated by how animals perceive their world, and how this influences their interactions with other species and their evolution. My fieldwork in Zambia involved mimicking the behaviour of cuckoos by placing imposter eggs into other birds’ nests This trick has huge benefits to the cuckoo in terms of time and energy expanded building a nest, looking after eggs and raising chicks It has huge costs to the host birds though, and I’m interested in how the host species evolve to avoid raising an imposter We’ve even seen some of this evolution within the last few decades Some previous studies have obser ved changes over time in egg colour, and I’ve discovered changes in the patterns of host eggs, that make them easier to distinguish from a cuckoo’s egg. In the past I used real eggs to test how good the host birds were at recognising an imposter – but now I’m making model eggs using white tac and coloured film, to test how hosts respond to dif ferent colours and patterns

How is the discipline of evolutionary biology developing?

Exciting new scientific techniques and methods allow us to learn in dif ferent ways now. It’s cheaper and quicker to sequence genomes, and AI is developing to enable the analysis of bigger data sets This is all wonder ful, but I still think it’s impor tant for students to experience the natural world Fieldwork still plays a vital role in evolutionar y biology

How do you unwind outside of work?

I enjoy birdwatching, of course! There are some good reser ves near Cambridge, including Fen Drayton and Wicken Fen Rare birds like Pallas’s leaf warbler sometimes show up, but I also find common birds such as swifts par ticularly alluring; they spend almost their whole lives on the wing and are completely built for flight

Other than birdwatching, I play the violin and the piano, and I still love logic puzzles and games – I’ve recently star ted setting cr yptic crosswords ever y few weeks for the Depar tment of Zoology.

Working in the best interests of the child

Stephen Gilmore is a University Professor of Family Law and CCNg Fellow in Law at Jesus College. He is Director of the Cambridge Family Law Centre in the Faculty of Law.

How long have you been in Cambridge?

I arrived in September 2023 to take up my appointment as Professor of Family Law in the Faculty of Law and moved immediately into my rooms in First Cour t For the previous 16 years, I was at the law school at King’s College London, latterly as a Professor and Vice Dean I enjoyed my time there, but it was time for new oppor tunities and new challenges.

What does it mean to join Jesus College as a Fellow?

My wife and I came to Cambridge for a leaving do years ago, and by coincidence we stayed as overnight guests in West Cour t We had a wonder ful stay and fell in love with the place The grounds are expansive and beautiful, and it’s a per fect location in the city. More impor tantly, the people are warm and welcoming and it’s a great oppor tunity to mix with scholars of all disciplines. I feel for tunate to be par t of such a diverse, transparent and inclusive community Being educated at a state school in the Nor theast of England myself, makes me par ticularly appreciative of the College’s initiatives to widen par ticipation It’s an honour to follow in the footsteps of Jesuan lawyers like Glanville Williams, Sir Rober t Jennings and James Crawford (not that I am comparing myself in any way); and to be associated with our distinguished law alumni, such as our three retired Lords Justice of Appeal (Sir Stephen Ir win, Sir Ruper t Jackson and Sir Colman Treacy), indeed all of our alumni. As I said to the Master upon election: ‘I am hugely committed to playing an active role in the College community and dedicating myself to preser ving and enhancing the College's distinction’.

How did you first become interested in studying Law?

As a child, I was drawn in to law when watching the TV series Crown Cour t, and at the age of 12 declared that I wanted to be a Barrister The cour t’s regalia and the drama of cross-examination of witnesses attracted me initially. Of course, the practice of law is not always as dramatic as por trayed on TV I later took a more informed decision, appreciating that the skills needed to study law, such as examining fine details, language skills, and the ability to interpret the law and construct an argument, seemed to suit my skills sets. My career path wasn’t linear though; at one

point I took a new set of science A-levels and almost studied medicine. I spent a few years working for the health ser vice in a child and family psychiatric ser vice, where I discovered an interest in family law, par ticularly relating to children’s rights. Around that time, I read a book called Children The Modern Law which was written by Andrew Bainham, a Fellow at Christ’s Reading that book led to my leaving the health ser vice, reading for the Bar, and going on to do a specialist Master’s degree

Twenty years later I co-authored the 4th edition of the book! Life has a strange way of coming (almost) full circle

Which area fascinates you most currently?

I have written extensively on issues in Family Law, on the law relating to parental responsibility, post-separation parenting arrangements, and child rights (especially adolescent autonomy). However, my current focus is on the legitimacy of judicial exercise of discretion in children cases I am interested in the connections between legal decision-making and social science research evidence on child well-being My vision through research and collaboration with other disciplines, is that in future decisions in children cases, judicial discretion will be underpinned with a greater understanding of the social science research evidence relating to child well-being, thus perhaps bringing to it greater legitimacy

How is the practice and study of law changing?

New developments in the practice of law include the use of AI to research legal areas or to draft legal documents The practice and study of family law is becoming more complex over time, as it expands to include civil par tnerships, same sex marriages, assisted conceptions and dif ferent meanings of parenthood. As a teacher, there’s the challenge of covering vastly increased content

How do you unwind outside of work?

It’s tempting to list the usual activities like time with my family, playing chess, and riverside walks to Fen Ditton and Grantchester. My less conventional hobby though, is magic and mentalism, with a par ticular focus on card magic I probably have as many magic books and media on my shelves as I have on family law I don’t per form often, but I can occasionally be persuaded!

Discovering Fado music in Por tugal

Oliver Doggett (2020, Music)

For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with music I was a chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford when I was younger, which developed my interest in singing hugely. Since then, I have explored as many dif ferent styles and genres as I can lay my ears on I love tr ying to experience dif ferent perspectives through which one can listen to music and obtain dif ferent forms of enjoyment. I sing as my primar y instrument, but also play piano, bass guitar and violin I was a member of the Jesus College Choir until December 2022 and the President of the Cambridge Music Production Society

Last summer, I received a travel grant towards a three-week trip to Por tugal to explore its traditional music forms. Por tugal is one of the few European countries to maintain a strong culture of traditional music, which is called Fado Fado, meaning ‘fate’ in Por tuguese, originated from sea songs that would be sung about leaving and returning sailors Its hear t-wrenching sonority of the Por tuguese guitar and free-time singing is something I learned to be a consequence of Por tugal’s troubled past, including the tyrannous dictatorship through par ts of the 20th centur y Fado is therefore an impor tant vein of the Por tuguese national identity, which could be seen through the passion of the per formers, as well as the captivated audiences

During my three-week trip, I went to eight dif ferent Fado concer ts, as well as hearing it frequently sung in the street The travel grant helped with the concer t ticket costs, the travel between Por tuguese cities to explore the dif fering regional styles of Fado and also a singing

lesson with a fabulous singer of Fado I am grateful for the financial suppor t for this thoroughly enjoyable experience I include Fado as par t of my own singing reper toire now, thanks to the trip. Fado music has littered my playlists since my Por tugal trip The melancholy of it is truly arresting. However, listening online doesn’t come near to the live experience of a live Fado per former and guitarist

“I include Fado as par t of my own singing reper toire now, thanks to the trip”

If I were to recommend one Fado singer to readers, it would be hard to look beyond Amalia Rodrigues, the renowned ‘Rainha do Fado’ (Queen of Fado) She played a crucial role in fighting for expression through Salazar’s Dictatorship, and you can hear life, as well as pain, in her voice

This was my first trip abroad focused around music, but I often go into London to listen to DJs and musicians that are relevant to my studies For example, I wrote my second year Disser tation on J Dilla and Madlib last year, so at the star t of the year I went to see a Madlib DJ set in KOKO, London as I was interested to hear what kind of music he would play in a club atmosphere and what the dynamics of his per formance would be, as he is primarily a hip-hop beat maker.

Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on Italy’s ageing population

Maryam Sheikh (2020, Geography)

I was grateful to receive funding for a research trip I under took in Florence, Italy, which informed a demographic paper exploring the impact of COVID-19 on Italy’s ageing population I visited in March 2022 when tourist numbers were markedly lower than during the summer season

In terms of cultural dif ferences, scouring the dif ferent elements of the city revealed that most of the restrictions of Covid are long gone Still, some strategies have left an imprint on the city This star ted right at the airpor t, with staf f members still wearing masks, especially older ones You would still see the odd couple of people wearing protective gear in the streets. However, huddles of crowds formed and dispersed, with no one visibly distressed by the impacts of proximity. I noted that in spite of the ebb in tourist numbers, and the rising costs for British citizens post-Brexit, the museums maintained a steady flow of visitors I visited the Palazzo Pitti, Boboli Gardens, The Uf fizi Galler y, Santa Maria Novella Church and The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (they were all fairly packed with queues taking about 10 mins to get inside)

One of the main reasons often stated to explain the pandemic’s devasting impacts on Italy has been its ageing population, which is one of the most pronounced within Europe with a total fer tility rate of 1 32 in 2019

In comparison, the average world fer tility rate floated around the 2 4 bir ths per women in the same year

The historical resilience of Italy (and Florence) dealing with past pandemics, faced a new and formidable challenge due to the three demographic components at play: mor tality, fer tility and migration

In terms of mor tality, the pandemic significantly af fected older adults, with Italy witnessing mor tality rates of 12 8% for those aged 70-79 and 20 2% for those above 80 during the height of the crisis The immediate aftermath hinted at a temporar y reduction in the ageing process of the population, but demographers anticipate a return to pre-pandemic mor tality levels, subdued now by the ef fective rollout of vaccination programs

Fer tility intentions bore a more substantial impact than mor tality rates, as couples, par ticularly those under 30 and without ter tiar y education, were less likely to

postpone childbearing. COVID-19 containment strategies, including physical distancing, decreased the likelihood of sexual intercourse, af fecting conception chances. The decline in fer tility poses long-term repercussions, contributing to Italy’s ageing crisis and altering the age-dependency ratio

Migration, another crucial component, saw a significant decrease due to the pandemic and policies aimed at reducing international migration. However, migration statistics indicate a recover y since the pandemic’s peak, with Italian expatriates returning home during this time. The ebb in foreign emigration, which had contributed to Italy’s ageing population in the preceding decade, marked a notable shift

The overall impact of the pandemic on Italy’s demographic processes adds to the existing climate of uncer tainty, par ticularly following the sovereign debt crisis. The spatial dif ferentiation within Italy, notably between the Nor th and South, highlights the need for tailored policies

Suggestions include better childcare suppor t, financial assistance for childbearing, and monitored immigration, especially considering the low fer tility levels, to suppor t the ageing population in the shor t term

I extend my sincere gratitude for the invaluable oppor tunity to conduct this research, which significantly contributed to my demographic paper

Why I give

Lene Hansen (1996, Criminology)

What first brought you to Cambridge?

My journey star ted with an unexpected letter in the post I was studying for a graduate diploma in criminology at the University of London and had written a 10,000-word thesis about stock exchange fraud I was passionate about the subject and received a Distinction I didn’t know that my super visor, Professor Stephen Parrott had shared my work with anyone else until I received an invitation from Professor Barr y Rider at Jesus College to meet him for tea He was the Founder of the Cambridge International Symposium of Economic Crime and quizzed me as to whether I’d really written the disser tation, before asking if I would like to do a Masters or a PhD here

I couldn’t af ford to continue my education at the time and my visa was up, so I returned to work for the Australian Stock Exchange as a risk manager of derivatives. The closest I got to Cambridge for the next year, was a corporate invitation to join a rowing club. I’d been a gymnast from the age of three, a swimmer in the national championships, a horse rider and a triathlete, so how hard could rowing be? I was terrible at it, but I became obsessed and before long was training 14 times a week and beating other more experienced crews After accepting the of fer from Jesus College as a non-rower, I arrived 18 months later with a string of state and open titles I was delighted to compete successfully as a Cambridge Blue in 1997 before a modestly successful international ef for t and I’ve coached rowing ever since, with a number of my rowers going onto to successful international and Olympic careers

Why choose Jesus College?

Jesus College provided me with a sanctuar y within easy reach of the boathouses In my opinion it’s the most beautiful College and has ever ything you need on site I completely fell in love with the Chapel; I saw the opera singer Jessye Norman per form there once and found the experience soul changing. People sometimes ask whether I felt out of place, but in truth, Cambridge is the first place that I felt fully comfor table in my skin because people are judged here for their passion and their curiosity. Most people were kind and encouraging.

I’m also a great fan of the direction the College is heading, under the excellent leadership of the Master, Sonita Alleyne Her strong morals, her energy and her honesty set a wonder ful example for the students. She’s a positive and connecting influence on the whole community. The careers programme is especially impor tant, and I’m delighted to contribute to the excellent work of Sarah Richey and Clelia McElroy as a speaker and mentor

How has your career progressed?

I’ve achieved more than I could ever have hoped for professionally. I’ve worked as a regulator, a litigator, a consultant and a COO I’ve lived in four countries and worked in over 20. My growing awareness of the critical need for practical training by experienced practitioners early in people’s careers led to the founding of The Glass Ceiling Project in 2017 I now of fer career guidance and useful introductions to current students and it’s hugely rewarding to hear that they’ve secured their ideal internship or that they’ve found my guidance inspirational. I’m also in the final stages of writing a book on life and crime called ‘Where’s the Harm?’ which I call an ‘anti-textbook’ because it is about encouraging students to question rather than parrot existing knowledge It is a great place to discuss the experiences that I have had along the way, and I was thrilled to have a cohor t of Jesus College students contribute their thinking

What does Cambridge mean to you now?

Cambridge saved me It raised my sight from the ground in front of me to the horizon and gave me the courage to believe in my voice and to use it I would never have been able to sit in senior government litigation meetings or present my ideas to huge audiences without the confidence gained here That’s what we suppor ters can of fer now – that one oppor tunity for someone with passion to develop their confidence and their voice

Why do you support the College?

If you have the oppor tunity to financially suppor t a student to attend Cambridge, why wouldn’t you? I struggled to come here financially, and for years I experienced high levels of worr y and low levels of joy in my ef for ts to pay for that If I can release someone of that burden, then I will Put simply, if you can help young people, you should It’s also extremely dif ficult for many young people to establish themselves after the pandemic years, and we need to invest in them as the next generation. We need young people with ideas and passion to make big changes in the world. When I stop progressing in my career, my legacy will be the young people that I’ve empowered along the way

Total donated: £3,691,079

What it is used for

*This includes £2,225,853 for Student Financial Support among other priorities such as Teaching and Outreach and Widening Participation

Total number of donors: 1,416

Who the donors were

Undergraduate alumni 83% 1,175 (participation 15.2%*)

Telephone Campaign

Total raised: £153,000+

Alumni contacted: 213

Number who gave: 142

Proportion who gave: 64%

Crowd Funding

Total raised: £158,000+

Number of donors: 162

Postgraduate alumni 8.2% 117 (participation 4.2%*)

Other alumni 0.1% 1 (participation 0.2%*)

Non-alumni 8.7% 123

Total raised: £636,658

Proportion of all donations: 17.2% Legacies

Donors by countr y

Diving into digital fundraising

If you have received an email or letter from us recently, or have watched our 2024 film for JCC Gives, you’ll already be aware that more students than ever before need suppor t through bursaries, scholarships and grants from the College. This is where the power of collective action and generosity comes into play, and why we, at the College, are reaching out to our alumni and beyond

With the increasing number of students requiring suppor t, the challenge to break down barriers to education intensifies and the College is committed to providing the best educational experience for all students It’s a pivotal moment that calls for innovative approaches to fundraising, prompting us to explore the vast potential of digital platforms The decision to venture into digital fundraising initiatives is not just a leap into the unknown but a strategic move to broaden our horizons and connect with our community on a global scale

Digital fundraising of fers a unique oppor tunity to communicate our mission ef fectively, allowing us to share the impact of your contributions directly and compellingly. Unlike traditional methods such as postal appeals, telephone campaigns, and face-to-face conversations, digital channels enable us to reach out to our alumni and friends in a way that resonates with the changing dynamics of communication and philanthropy.

However, it’s impor tant to address a common quer y that arises frequently: the necessity of donation income for your College. Surprisingly, some within our community are unaware that College relies significantly on donations to provide suppor t for our students to deliver world-class teaching and to ensure the College meets the needs of the

£430,000+ has been raised in the last three years from digital fundraising campaigns (JCC Gives)

21st centur y This underscores the impor tance of our digital fundraising ef for ts – to enlighten and inform our suppor ters about the critical role their generosity plays in sustaining the College’s legacy of excellence and inclusivity

Our journey into digital fundraising – JCC Gives – began with our inaugural Giving Day in 2022, followed by a successful Crowdfunding Campaign in 2023 These initiatives have not only helped to raise essential funds for our students and facilities, but also allowed us to engage with new and existing donors in meaningful ways. Digital fundraising aims to foster a culture of giving and par ticipation

As we go to print, we ’ ve held JCC Gives 2024 from 5-7 March. Whether you choose to suppor t us this year or in the future, we invite you to join us in this digital fundraising endeavour. Your suppor t is crucial in enabling us to continue providing an environment where all students with the tenacity and the talent can make the most of their Cambridge experience By contributing, you ’ re not just donating; you ’ re investing in the future of promising individuals and ensuring that the College remains at the forefront of excellence

Current undergraduate, Esther (2021, Land Economy), starred in our JCC Gives 2024 video

Gifts in Wills

Ever yone should write their Will. A Will allows you to make provision for your family, can reduce the impact of Inheritance Tax and ensures that your money and possessions are given to the people and charities you care most about You should seek legal advice when making or revising your Will Unrestricted legacies at Jesus are usually added to the endowment, meaning your gift will remain par t of the College in perpetuity. You can also express the wish that we use your legacy gift towards a par ticular purpose, for instance bursaries or our beautiful buildings If Jesus College has had an impact on your life, please consider giving back through your Will

The 1496 Society

Consider what you want your legacy to be:

Please tell us about your legacy gift so that we can thank you with an invitation to join the 1496 Society. Named after the year the College was founded, the 1496 Society honours the many generous donors who recognise the impor tance of Jesus College’s mission with a gift in their Will 1496 Society membership benefits include a letter of thanks from the Master, a special membership pin, and invitations to an annual lunch for those who have left a legacy, as well as the annual Donors’ Garden Par ty. We are ver y grateful to the 195 members of the Jesus community who have chosen to remember the College in their Will:

P A Johnson (1951)

W B Page (1951)

S J Robinson (1951)

K B Wedmore (1951)

R Carr (1953)

M A Ludgate (1953)

J A Williams (1953)

D A Wright (1953)

E P Beck (1954)

N D Durand (1954)

I H C Waters (1954)

Anonymous (1954)

M W J Clegg (1955)

J A Jef feris (1955)

W H Theakstone (1955)

K M Treves-Brown (1955)

Anonymous (1955)

B Landy (1956)

J D Rimington (1956)

Anonymous (1956)

P Dawson (1957)

T P Francis (1957)

M Jarman (1958)

P J P Mulhall (1958)

B A Noble (1958)

C H Reeson (1958)

R W Renwick (1958)

M Reupke (1958)

P M Slotkin (1958)

A Stillmark (1958)

M Fireman (1959)

G N Harby (1959)

Anonymous (1959)

T G Barker (1960)

N J Campbell-White (1960)

P A Oppenheim (1960)

D E Wilson (1960)

Anonymous [4] (1960)

T M Southern (1961)

Anonymous [2] (1961)

C V Anson (1962)

B N Buckley (1962)

J A Hudson (1962)

Anonymous (1962)

B A Fireman (1963)

A R Amy (1964)

D A Bieda (1964)

R A Dorkings (1964)

N A Nagler (1964)

S J Bar ton (1965)

S B Crooks (1965)

M L Hooper (1965)

M P W Lance (1965)

D J McCollum (1965)

K M Southern (1965)

A Sutton (1965)

G J White (1965)

Anonymous [2] (1965)

R Bower (1966)

Anonymous (1966)

P F Coe (1967)

S I Fitzgerald (1967)

R G Gutman (1967)

G G Oxley (1967)

K S Richards (1967)

M J Allchin (1968)

P I Day (1968)

J L Gordon (1968)

M C W Hunter (1968)

M Liddle (1968)

F S Ruttonshaw (1968)

Anonymous [2] (1968)

R Hall (1969)

C I Kirker (1969)

I F Perr y (1969)

D J Warnes (1969)

A J Waywell (1969)

C M Ellis (1970)

R J C Turner (1970)

Anonymous (1970)

R W Allen (1971)

P M Cannell (1971)

A A Chalkley (1971)

P Crook (1971)

C A Fiddian-Green (1971)

D A Fok (1971)

A R C Kershaw (1971)

J Winchester (1971)

A W C Yuen (1971)

N S Hoult (1972)

J P Wotton (1972)

Anonymous (1972)

T C Holtz (1973)

C M Lewis (1973)

Anonymous (1973)

R N Higham (1974)

C P Hughes (1974)

J Jenkins (1974)

J Y Randall (1974)

C K Rober ts (1974)

J F Warren (1974)

M A Clarke (1975)

A P Levinson (1975)

J Sinyor (1975)

W O A Coales (1976)

J K B Withrington (1976)

Anonymous (1976)

R M Gibson (1977)

J P Halsey (1977)

M R Sheridan (1977)

A M Teague (1978)

Anonymous (1978)

J F Davis (1979)

S R Davis (1979)

D W Scott (1979)

M D D Chaloner (1980)

N D R Goddard (1980)

A P Harrison (1980)

J C Healy (1980)

M J Oliver-Trotter (1980)

J M Pexton (1980)

J K Teague (1980)

A J Wheelhouse (1980)

A T M Wyles (1980)

E McMeikan (1981)

A W Davison (1982)

S E Knowles (1982)

Anonymous (1982)

I Paterson (1983)

Anonymous [2] (1984)

M D Bar tlett (1985)

R B Findlay (1985)

J G Whitehead (1985)

P M Day (1986)

M J Page (1986)

Anonymous (1986)

F H Marshall (1987)

D H Mar tin (1987)

Anonymous (1987)

Anonymous [2] (1988)

D S R Bould (1989)

S S P Quay (1989)

J J Watson (1990)

Anonymous [2] (1990)

A K Fyfe (1993)

G N Barrand (1994)

G F Har t (1994)

E J War wick (1994)

J Arrastia (1995)

H M Berr y (1995)

D R D Oppenheim (1995)

T G War wick (1995)

H E Coates (1996)

A Hollingswor th (1996)

L M Nor thwood (1996)

P A Smith (1997)

J B Murray (1999)

A B Stone (2000)

H C Fenton Grif fin (2001)

G M Pradella (2001)

T A S Austin (2002)

I R McCracken (2005)

A S O’Brien (2005)

G M Patton (2005)

K E Slade (2005)

J M Miller (2008)

P K Sood (2008)

N A Tubbs (2014)

S Br yant

W A Chetwin

E M Fitzgerald

M Gaine

D Gordon

C Harris

C Hughes

D Jones

P Langley

D S Maitland-March

E Marksteiner

N Paterson

H J Spurrier

D C Stewar tby

R Wyles

Anonymous [3]

To discuss leaving your legacy at Jesus, contact Maisy Smyth in the Development and Alumni Relations Of fice development@jesus.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 339301

UPCOMING EVENTS IN 2024

1496 Society Lunc h

Wednesday 1 May

JCCS Wales Dinner

Saturday 18 May

JCCS Annual Buffet Lunc h

Saturday 15 June

Society of St Radegund Annual Dinner

Monday 24 June

Donors’ Garden Par ty

Saturday 29 June

Anniversar y Dinner (1984, 1994, 200 4, 2014)

Saturday 29 June

Reunion Dinner (1999 and 2000)

Saturday 6 July

JCCS Annual Dinner

Friday 27 September

70 Years on Anniversar y Lunc h (1954)

Monday 4 November

60 Years on Anniversar y Lunc h (196 4)

Monday 11 November

50 Years on Anniversar y Lunc h (1974)

Monday 18 November

JCCS London Drinks Reception

Tuesday 26 November

Fur ther details, including information on how to book, can be found on the College website If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with us

VISIT OUR ONLINE GIFT

We are ver y pleased to be able to of fer a wide range of gifts and mementoes, including cuf flinks, silk ties, silver pins, tote bags, paper weights, playing cards, tea towels, prints and books, cuddly teddy-bears, embossed Moleskine notebooks, the College flag and CD recordings of the Choirs of Jesus College – and not forgetting our College Gin!

www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/alumni/gift-shop

GIFT IDEAS TO SUPPORT THE VISUAL ARTS AT JESUS COLLEGE

“Ar t for Tomorrow”, a por tfolio of 10 original prints specially curated for the College, including works by world-famous ar tists; a limited-edition silk square scar f designed by Stephen Chambers RA and printed by the Armani silk printers, Maver of Como; and Thirty Years of Contemporary Art: Jesus College, Cambridge 1988-2018 by Jean Bacon and Jim Roseblade, a richly illustrated photographic memoir of three decades of Sculpture in the Close and the development of the permanent sculpture collection.

To purchase, please contact:

The Development and Alumni Relations Of fice, Jesus College

Tel: +44 (0)1223 339301 or Email: development@jesus cam ac uk

CONFERENCES, EVENTS AND ACCOMMODATION

Booking your next event with us of fers you another way to suppor t your College, as well as impressing your guests with an exclusive experience

Our exceptional standards are demonstrated by our AIM Secure and 5* Visit England accreditations The College has an excellent reputation for repeatedly delivering outstanding events for clients such as the Judge Business School, AstraZeneca and Microsoft Research, as well as a plethora of public sector organisations, University depar tments, societies and associations

We of fer a 10% discount for alumni bookings Please email conference@jesus cam ac uk and our friendly team will get back to you

Our West Cour t development also of fers a range of luxur y accommodation in the centre of Cambridge

To make a booking please contact us directly on +44 (0)1223 760571 or email reception@jesus cam ac uk