John Snow College Summer Newsletter 2023

John Snow College Newsletter

Summer 2023

Final Words from the Editor

Hello everyone, well, here it is my final Editor’s comments. Many of you now know, I retire from John Snow College and the University at the end of this July so this is the last time I get to “speak” to you all, so I’m going to use my time to say some “thank yous” and reflect.

In my 14 years as the Vice Principal of John Snow College, I have had the good fortune of working with many clever, knowledgeable and loyal colleagues. Some of these people I will never forget as they have played an important part in my professional life. I want to thank in particular Carolyn, Gini and Nicola who have been travel companions on my long journey. They’ve always been there for me, through the ups and the downs, the good times and the not-so-good times. Always ready, willing and able to give help and advice, to talk through delicate situations and to lend a listening ear. Fuelled by lemon drizzle cake, we’ve shared many a problem, solved many a difficult challenge and somehow managed to retain our sense of humour so that we’ve shared many a laugh. Thank you for your wisdom and companionship.

Over the years I have also had the thrill of working with our JCR Presidents and their Execs and Non-Execs. Such tremendously talented young people, wedded to the College, bursting with ideas, enthusiasm and energy. So, Elizabeth, Ben, Chris, Saleenah, Diana, Stuart, Kenya, Anna, Will (x 2), Richard, Jack, Lydia and Laura, and your Teams throughout the years, a huge thank you for your dedication, hard work, creativity, motivation, inspiration, sheer determination, optimism and your “can-do” attitude. The world is a better place because of people like you.

I will of course treasure the happy memories of numerous College and JCR events which help make us who we are. The wonderful catalogue throughout the annual cycle is remarkable. Secured permanently in my thoughts is the excitement of the frenzied but highly organised move-in weekends, the crocodile procession of over 500 students through the narrow, cobbled streets of Durham into the splendour of the Cathedral for Matriculation. Busy, exciting events such as Fresher’s Fair. Fun events such as Snow Day, this year’s Abba gets my “douze points”. Beautiful Formal Dinners with immaculate table settings, good food, good service, good company and good musical entertainment – my social life for many years! Ultra-special events such as the prestigious annual Dr. John Snow Public Lecture and Supper held on his Birthday. The wonderful, (if exceedingly long), Annual College Dinners, which have provided us with the yearly opportunity to single out some of the students who have excelled and given freely of their time to ensure that John Snow continues as a strong, lively, caring, progressive and effervescent community.

Of course, the year rounds off with Congregation and what a splendid job Durham University does when it comes to these Graduation ceremonies. Set in the magnificent surroundings of the Cathedral and then spilling onto Palace Green in June and July, they are a sight to behold. Irrespective of weather conditions, which as we know, in addition to sunshine, can include wind, rain and even snow, especially at the January Winter Congregations, they are marvellous occasions. Such satisfying days, particularly when we watch those students who entered College nervous and apprehensive of what lay ahead of them, then graduate as confident, academic people ready to make their mark positively upon society. Mission accomplished.

Many of you know I love music, so I would like to thank in particular all of the Music Soc Presidents who have put up with me over the years and have been very patient with me. My thanks to all of our splendid College Buglers who have sounded the bugle, (always brilliantly polished by my Dad), in Matriculation processions, at the beginning of numerous Formals and events and always at our annual College Act of Remembrance. Your dedication is admirable. Many thanks indeed to all of the accomplished musicians who I have cajoled and even begged over the years to perform at our events. To many of you I publicly apologise for the last-minute requests I have made for “just one more song” or whispered, “sorry, it’s next week”.

So, to take me back to my job as Editor of the Newsletter... as someone who loves the English language, grammar and punctuation, (Yasmin knows exactly what I mean), I have loved being Editor. Reading through reports and stories has been delightful and only occasionally annoying when the dreaded apostrophe appears in the incorrect place. The one thing I don’t love, as so many of you know, is IT, (I much prefer a fountain pen and a bottle of Quink) and that’s where I can proudly muse upon the huge development of this communication over the years. When it first began, I did it solo, as a Word Document without photos and it was sent out as an attachment! Then, over time and after several name changes, (“Information Bulletin” was surely a flash of inspiration), the skills of Beth MacDougall, Matthew Hulse, Niall Oddy, Lynn Preston, Nicola Rose, Jack Judge and more recently Angela Lo, came to the rescue and metamorphosised the publication into the highly professional, splendid version, which you now read. I take no credit at all for the formatting, (but I have taken a lot of the photos; yes Phil, some of my photos do “see the light of day”).

I could chatter on forever, (as many of you know), but I’ll draw to a close by wishing our new Principal and Vice Principal every success in their roles and hope that they enjoy this ever changing, unpredictable, exciting College environment which plays a big part in our lives. To our wonderful Staff Team: Gini, Tom, Dom, Angela, Rebecca, Anna, Stacey, Phil, Claire, Paul, Dionne, Andrew and Faye – stay strong and work hard to maintain our precious College and community spirit, (an occasional game of Hide and Seek will help). To our incoming JCR President Ella and her Exec and Non-Exec, I wish you all the best for the year ahead. You know the College well, do all that you can to keep it special. Members of our Alumni, please keep in contact with the College and let us know how you are progressing, you are important part of our community. To all of the Porters and Cleaners, many thanks for all that do to keep the College functioning. You are integral to the day-to-day working of our College.

I close on a personal note by thanking my husband John and daughter Jennifer for living the job with me and I apologise for all the disturbed nights’ sleep, courtesy of the “on-call” rota. I’m so looking forward to all our family times ahead. Special message to my 4 year old Grandson Isaac: “Get ready, Gran’s all set for loads of adventures!” I would have liked to have listed every person whom I have met and enjoyed working with over the years, from Queen’s Campus through to Howlands, Rushford Court and onto Mount Oswald, past and present staff, students and Alumni, but that would fill a Newsletter all on its own, so I’ll resist the temptation. What I would like to do, is to wish every single one of you, no matter where you are in the world, good health, good fortune, much happiness and every success in all that you do. Take good care of yourself and others and be kind to the planet. It has been an absolute privilege and joy to be the Vice Principal of John Snow, I will miss you and the College very much indeed.

I don’t really want to bleed, but if I do, I hope it’s blue.

Singing and signing out now, so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu…

Janet Dixon-Dawson, Vice Principal of John Snow College x

Reflections from Professor Carolyn Summerbell

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve as the Principal of John Snow College for the last 15 years. The most important memories that will stay with me are those of joy and pride in seeing John Snow College students and Alumni realise their dreams and excel in their ambitions. I also have ‘stand out’ memories of great times working with a number of College staff and particularly Janet, Gini, Nicola and Glen. Working alongside a strong and supportive team, who were very different characters but who had signed up to the same vision and goals, was a truly fulfilling experience. One of the most treasured members of staff by all those who studied and worked at Queen’s Campus is Paul Walmsley, the College Porter, whose ability to fix anything, and whistling skills, are legendary. That said, nothing works very well in a College unless you have a strong JCR and MCR Leadership team, which is particularly true for the Common Room Presidents, and Sports captains and Society presidents. The names of past JCR and MCR presidents are now for all to see on our new Honour Boards in College, along with those awarded a HLM. All those receiving Annual College Dinner Awards, (those that made an outstanding contribution to the College community) are/will be listed in the College archive - this is an ongoing project which is due to ‘go live’ this summer. The main reason the College is in such a strong position today is because of the consistent strength of the JCR Leadership teams and other key students over the years (more on history a little later).

The journey for me started in September 2008, at Queen’s Campus Stockton. It was a truly wonderful bubble right on the River Tees with, over the following few years, the very best sports centre and boat house. The other half of my job was Professor of Nutrition in the School (Department) of Medicine and Health (later to be called Medicine, Pharmacy and Health). Between then and now, the College has been based in 4 separate locations (Stockton, Howlands, Rushford Court and Mount Oswald). I have also moved academic departments, first to Sociology and then to Sport and Exercise Sciences. There was one year when both the College location and the Department location changed – some mornings I had to think hard about where I was supposed to be going that day.

A brief history of the College (with grateful thanks for information from Prof. Martyn Evans, the previous Principal of John Snow College, and the memoires of John Lindley, the previous Director of CIS at Durham)

Let me take you back to the 1980s. Mrs Thatcher is firmly in charge as Prime Minister. It is a time when, as an initiative of Mrs. T, the Teesside Development Corporation (TDC) is formed to lead the large-scale redevelopments of decaying industrial sites in Teesside, including the whole Teesdale area. The Vice Chancellor at the time was Prof Fred Holliday who first mooted the idea of a suggested development of a satellite site of the University at Stockton at a meeting of Senate in the late 80s.

The University and TDC, quickly joined by Teesside Polytechnic, (now Teesside University), jointly agreed and found funding to establish a new university college, to be known by the rather clumsy title of JUCOT (Joint University College on Teesside). Progress was breathtakingly rapid and within a period of less than 12 months the Holliday building, and the residences which later became John Snow College, arose. Four new course streams were established and students recruited, and teaching began in October 1992. For Durham University, the main objectives of developing this satellite site were

1) To make a contribution to encouraging more people from the North East region to take up a university education;

2) To have a research base in a major industrial area;

3) To provide space for the University to expand. [Of course, there are now (2023) more DU students in Durham City than there ever was in Durham City and Queen’s campus combined].

JUCOT was opened by the Queen a few months later. JUCOT grew rapidly, both in student numbers and physically and the courses evolved, though it was about ten years before the medical school was established. Teesside University backed out of the project in 1994, and the college became known as University College Stockton at the University of Durham Stockton Campus (UDSC, and later, in 2002, to be Queen’s Campus). Sumi Ariaraj (grateful thanks for his help with the history) was the first JCR President at UDSC (2000/01). The decision to create two colleges in the campus was not taken until around 2000 and so John Snow and Stephenson Colleges emerged in 2001. Alumni from the Stockton campus were ‘grandfathered’ into either John Snow or Stephenson alumni (Sumi to John Snow).

The acting Principal at the time was Anne McNamara. Huge thanks to the first John Snow JCR Presidents, Louise McCathie (2001/02) then Richard Crabb (2002/03). A new and exciting era began as the two Colleges quickly took shape, and John Snow developed, with the first Principal joining in July 2003, Prof Martyn Evans. Grateful thanks to the JCR Presidents who worked with Martyn to help set the culture and vision of the College; Eleanor Barry (2003/04), Richard Downey (2004/05), David Newsome (2005/06), Deborah Ndlovu (2006/07) and Kate Lees (2007/08). The friendly long-standing rivalry between John Snow and Stephenson Colleges started, as did many friendships and a number of relationships which endure to the present day.

I have the fondest memories of Queen’s Campus, Stockton. It was a very happy place to work and study with a strong community spirit and a meaningful diverse and inclusive culture. We had great sports teams and were particularly strong in rowing, netball, basketball and rugby. We also put on many excellent musical performances at the ARC theatre in Stockton.

The College culture around fundraising for charity and volunteering was particularly strong. Grateful thanks to Leandro Martins (2008/09), Elizabeth Glancy (2009/10), Ben Ineson (2010/11), Chris Howard (2011/12), Saleenah Gafoor & team (including Will Barry) (2012/13), Diana Blankson (2013/14), Stuart Flegg (2014/15), Kenya Peters (2015/16), Anna Mackey (2016/17) and Will Lewington (2017/18). Many others added exceptional energy and sparkle, including Adam Rathbone (MCR), Jojo and Luke Robbins-Ross.

In 2015/16, rather than stay at Stockton and expand student numbers, the University decided to plan for the transfer of the School of Medicine Pharmacy and Health to Newcastle University and all other programmes and the two Colleges to the main Durham Campus. The planning for the new College building on the old Mount Oswald golf club site in Durham City took place over two/three years and involved long meetings, planning, spreadsheets, and more spreadsheets. I do love a plan and a spreadsheet! From a personal perspective, I was very sad to leave the Stockton campus in the summer of 2018, and equally sad to see my dear academic colleagues move to Newcastle University or other Universities in the region.

From summer 2018 we were ‘in our transition years’, which I referred to as being ‘on tour’. We first moved from Queen’s Campus and onto Howlands and were squished between Butler and Stephenson for a year (2018-2019). Our College building at Howlands is now called the Saltwell Building, and is part of Stephenson College. Delays in building work on the Mount Oswald site meant that we were not able to move into our new College buildings in summer 2019 as planned, so we moved to Rushford Court. Initially, we were disappointed, but the Rushford Court year (2019-2020) turned out to be fabulous up to the point, in March 2020, when the Covid pandemic started. In summer 2020 (yes, during Covid restrictions) we finally moved into our new College home on Mount Oswald. Special thanks to Lucy McEnaney and the two fantastic sabbatical Transition Officers (Sophie Breedon and Matt Hulse) who helped keep things on track whilst we were ‘on tour’. One of the unexpected joys of this journey was the gift of being able to have our College Formal dinners in other Colleges, including Castle, Hatfield, Grey and Trevs, and also other venues including the wonderful Durham City Town Hall. Memories of these fabulous events will stay with me forever. Thanks to the JCR teams, Yasmin Porter and Phil Smith for making them so special.

The last three years have been both challenging and rewarding. Some said the John Snow College culture and spirit wouldn’t survive the move from Stockton to Mount Oswald and that we would need to ‘start from scratch’. How wrong they were. Thank you to the student leaders and other key students who have invested their time and hard work in moving the John Snow culture and spirit during our transition years. Particular thanks to our JCR Presidents, starting with Kenya and Anna, then Will (double thanks, 2017/18 and 2018/19), Richard Freeman (2019/20), Jack Judge (2020/2021), Lydia Leach (2021/2022) and Laura Wales (2022/23). Again, many others added energy and sparkle, including Beth Fenwick (MCR), Bella Zhang and Sonny Neal.

I am now going back into the Department, full time, and looking forward to a year of research leave before teaching again from October 2024.

I have mentioned to the new Principal that the playing of the bugle, the inclusion of musical entertainment, and the sharing fruit platters with raspberry coulis, at Formal dinners are a College tradition, as are our fruit bowls and boxes, and that they should continue…

One of the tasks that Janet and I set ourselves before we left Queen’s Campus was to complete the College archive from its inception to when it moved to Durham City. This year, (2023), we have updated it again, (in both a digital and physical format), up to summer 2023, when Janet and I leave the College. We hope it provides fond memories for the thousands of John Snow College alumni.

We did, over a number of years prior to the Covid pandemic, have a good connection with some alumni and hosted a few very enjoyable alumni events in London. This work was driven by a series of very good sabbatical Alumni Officers (Monika Strycharczyk, Rosa Sparks, Beth MacDougall and Matthew Hulse). Sadly, once the funding for these roles was removed, we found it difficult to carve out enough time to continue this work alongside moving the College, and then came the Covid pandemic. I know the new Principal is keen to prioritise this work both in the UK and in other countries. Going forward, I hope alumni of the College have the opportunity to attend a reunion and, when able, visit the new College buildings on Mount Oswald.

Toast

So here’s to the memory of John Snow and to the growing prosperity of John Snow College. Change is inevitable, and sometimes essential. However, I hope that the John Snow College culture and spirit, founded in those early years of the College and nurtured by successive student leaders, continues to shine through into the future.

Best wishes,

Professor Carolyn Summerbell

JCR President's Message

As the year draws to a close, and our possessions and memories get packed in to boxes ready to move on to the next venture, a final term recap is in order. Characterised by the end of exams and celebratory events, the final few weeks in Durham have not been short of excitement (although they have been short of sleep for this JCR President). Stress less week and the ACD feel like a lifetime ago despite them beginning this Term, with farm animals on site, the awarding of HLMs and the ceremonial handover of the pump handle.

Our Boat Club kicked off the summer events season with their Ball held on the Prince Bishops River Cruiser, which is shaping up to be a nice tradition as this is the second year that the event has been held onboard, hopefully continuing for many more years. 140 guests boarded for an evening of music, photos, BBQ, and Awards as they sailed through the picturesque sunset scenes of Durham.

With the Hub Hall at full capacity and no dessert cutlery in sight, it could only mean the Sports and Societies Dinner was up next. Our Sports and Societies Officers Ella and Lottie hosted the event, giving each Sport Captain and Society President the opportunity to rise to the stage and present their full and half colours for the year. It was great to see so many of our active student groups represented and so many of their members celebrated for their contributions.

A Summer Garden Party at Sherburn House Charity marked the final visit of the year for our Intergenerational Outreach project. With garden games on the lawn and plenty strawberries and fizz to go around, our students enjoyed celebrating the end of the academic year with the elderly residents of the sheltered living complex and care home. The visit welcomed both new and regular participants resulting in a wonderful afternoon of conversation and connection.

Our Sports Officer Ella had been working hard behind the scenes for many months to ensure all pitches and timetabling were set for a full day of sport against Josephine Butler. The day started early with basketball and concluded late with pool and darts in the Igloo, our teams secured an overall win for John Snow! Huge Congratulations to everyone who took part in Varsity this year and brought the title home!

As our 2020 cohort missed out on their Matriculation year group photo due to Covid, this year was the last opportunity to get as many of the year group together they went their separate ways after Graduation. We were also very keen not to have a gap in our Matriculation photo archive! Students also had the chance to have individual portraits taken before gathering for the year group photo. We were delighted that Jack Judge the JCR President for 2020/21 finally got the chance to don the Presidential gown and take his seat on the front row. A magnificent brunch featuring croissants, pastries, fruits, cheeses, and bubbles followed the photo to mark the celebrations and bring the cohort together.

Following countless hours of flower arranging, Hardwick Hall was transformed into the ‘Secret Garden’ for our 2023 Summer Ball. The Ball Committee and JCR Committee members who volunteered their time, were led by our fantastic Ball Chair and Deputy Ball Chair, Emma and Rhys, to ensure every detail was immaculate, ready to welcome the 800 dinner and ents guests who would be attending that evening, which is the largest Summer Ball John Snow has ever seen! The night consisted of a three-course meal, fairground rides, indoor entertainment, live music, photobooths, food vans and flower walls galore and went well into the early hours of the next day!

John Snow Charity Fashion Show Committee chose was ‘Moving On Durham’, which helps 16–25-year-olds find safe housing in the local area as their charity for this year’s Show. Consisting of catwalks to exhibit clothing from a range of designers, the 32 models were well supported by friends who bought tickets to help raise money and to cheer them on. Compared by our JCR Chair and Welfare Officer, Yazz and Grace, and showcasing the John Snow Dance Society and the Ivies Band, (featuring several John Snow students), there was no shortage of entertainment. On track to raise even more money than last year, we have our fingers crossed that the Show will make a huge contribution to Moving On Durham once the final total is revealed.

The summer events rounded off with Snow Day, an opportunity for all years to come together and celebrate the end of the year in College. With a uniform of blue Snow Day t-shirts and face paint, our students enjoyed the inflatables, food vans, live bands and drinks in the bar, including our Snow Day specials. Prior to the event, students voted for who they thought should get the top spot for the Snow Day awards which were then presented on stage. The event drew to a close with our highly anticipated ABBA Tribute band that had all (including Janet) singing and dancing along! A great time was had by all.

The last few days as President have been spent on Palace Green celebrating Congregations. I’ve had the privilege of processing in the ceremonies for many of our students and the JCR Committee, which makes me feel like a mother duck sending off her chicks into the big wide world. Laura

JCR President Handover

I can’t quite believe the time for me to write my reflections on my time as President has come around already, it doesn’t feel like two minutes ago since I was stood in the Hub Hall delivering my hust, hoping I’d get the chance to extend my years at John Snow by one more. Having held a role on the JCR Committee consecutively throughout my time in Durham, it is going to be very strange going from all of my interests, friendships and even my job growing out of College and the JCR, to leaving the thing that has characterised the last four years of my life behind. First year me would barely recognise myself, all thanks to the confidence and experience the JCR has bestowed on me.

Thank you to everyone who has gotten involved this year – overseeing all aspects of JCR life has been made a breeze thanks to the dedication of every individual running the sports, societies, outreach and events that contribute to the diversity of student led experience we have in John Snow. This year’s committee have been the most dedicated, altruistic, and passionate group of people I’ve had the honour of working alongside and calling my friends, and I’m so excited to see what they’ll go on to do next. I’m so proud of everything the committee and entire REP team have gotten through together this year, and grateful for the opportunities they’ve created for our students.

The thing that is making leaving somewhat easier, is knowing that the JCR is being left in the capable hands of our new President. Ella, it’s already clear that you’re going to hit the ground running and bring so many new ideas to the JCR. With such great changes occurring within College, I can’t wait to see how Snow grows with you throughout your Presidency. You know I’ll be back soon (though it may take a little time to recover from the year first) to celebrate your successes with you.

I may have begun my time as JCR President by accidentally knocking over and smashing all of our formal flower vases in the first week, however I hope to have gone out with a bang as well as coming in with one.

Thanks for everything John Snow. Keep bleeding blue.

Laura

Wales

John Snow JCR President 2022-23

JCR Sport

Ella Merefield (Sports Officer)

The Pool Cup Final saw John Snow A and B go head-to-head, guaranteeing a Snow victory either way!

Snow A team pipped the B’s to the post and brought home the Cup! Rounders finished joint 1st in the League, winning many games!

JSBC saw the composite 8 have a victory over Leeds, but unfortunately losing to St Leonard’s in the next round.

Our single, Charlie Brown, bowed out early but to the final overall winner so nothing to be upset about!

Cricket sadly didn’t have a very successful Term, but are raring to go with the indoor season next Term.

The stand out performance from this Term goes to John Snow Women’s Hockey who brought home the Floodlit Cup! These girls pulled a stunning performance, beating Van Mildert B, A, Collingwood A and Grey to take victory! An incredible way to end our year! Congrats girls‼!

The final term of 2022/23 resulted in a stellar demonstration of Snow Spirit and resulted in a range of incredible successes!

Varsity

Ella Merefield (Sports Officer)

The annual sporting event of the season also took place this term! On June 8th, Snow competed in the traditional varsity against Josephine Butler.

This year saw complete Snow dominance!

Snow took an outstanding overall victory at 3:57 pm, winning 8 of the 15 events before the sun had set!

We started the day with strong victories from basketball, volleyball and ultimate frisbee.

It came down to the mixed netball to secure the netball victory and lacrosse and rounders unleashed the hounds to bring home the bacon!

Tennis added another victory, with JoBo women’s rugby handing over the win to JSWRFC due to a lack of a team.

Men’s football finally took an astonishing 4-2 over JoBo to end the day at MC!

The Igloo was the venue for a pool masterclass, well done to darts who didn’t quite seize vistory (this time).

Badminton, squash, mixed hockey and women’s football all played amazingly but the close games sadly didn’t fall in Snow’s favour.

Nonetheless, Snow Spirit shone on and off the pitch, with excellent athletes giving it their all and all the wonderful supporters bringing the chant ‘No John Snow, No Party’ to life! Thank you to everyone involved, we are victorious once again!

JCR Societies

Lottie Keyse (Societies Officer)

Despite the hectic nature of Summer Term which was dominated by revision, exams, and eventually goodbyes, John Snow Societies have continued to provide a myriad of student enrichment opportunities to our students.

Daisie Houlden brought students of all years together for an evening away from revision to celebrate languages and cultures through her screening of Eurovision in the Igloo. Even during the exam period itself, Hope Godsmark and Imi Singh continued to run weekly dance and boxing classes respectively, offering students a space to let off steam. Jasmine Uppal somehow managed to fit a screening of every Formula 1 race around her studies!

Post-exam June gave our Societies the time and space to thrive again. Eleanor Metcalfe and LGBTQ+ Soc organised several events to celebrate Pride month –including banner making, a bar crawl in collaboration with other Hill colleges, and a parade down to Durham Pride. Porridge Society organised their debut event of a porridge bowl paint and sip in the Igloo, which proved hugely popular! Our Darts Society represented John Snow in the final event of Varsity, showcasing the Igloo and its new darts board to Josephine Butler College.

Our Society Exec Committees have shown true dedication throughout the year, volunteering their time alongside their degrees to create exciting and diverse opportunities for students. Organising socials takes a great deal of preparation and often perseverance when engagement is lower than expected. It was fabulous to hear from our Presidents at Sports and Societies Dinner about the individual contributions students have made in promoting their society. They all truly deserved the recognition given in their full and half colours.

I have had the most wonderful year as Societies Officer. It has been quite a task keeping track of the unique requirements and activities of 35 societies, (the most societies John Snow has ever had!) but it has been truly rewarding seeing the support networks, friendships and new interests and opportunities that these facilitate. Particular highlights for me have been when we have celebrated the efforts and talents of all those involved –such as at the Charity Showcase. I am sure that under Caitlin’s leadership next year Societies will continue to flourish and I look forward to hearing what the next eccentric proposal is (although nothing will beat the Roast Dinner Society!).

John Snow Charity Fashion Show 2023

Lottie Keyse (Societies Officer) and Molly Sanders (President of the John Snow College Charity Fashion Show 2023)

JSCFS 2023 was a huge success! The show was held on 13th June at Durham Amateur Rowing Club in aid of “Moving On Durham” which is Durham’s leading youth homelessness charity aiming to help 16–25-year-olds find safe housing and a fresh start. Moving On Durham was chosen due to its critical benefit to the local community, particularly during the current cost of living crisis.

The Fashion Show included 9 walks, showcasing a variety of designers, styles and brands. 32 John Snow students successfully auditioned to be models for the Show, celebrating the diversity of our College community. All models attended countless hours of rehearsals and as a result showcased the clothes fantastically on the night. Many of the models also completed a variety of fundraising activities throughout exam season to boost the total. These included a team 500km run in May, a 12-hour danceathon in collaboration with Phoenix Cheer and John Snow Dance Society and a bingo night.

This year we were extremely fortunate to secure a large variety of table sponsors including Skittles, Grenade Bars, Wizard Chocolate and Hearth Drinks. On top of this, we had some great raffle and auction prizes on offer, for example a Bicester Village VIP Pass, PT sessions at Pure Gym and limited edition Firmenich Candles. These kind donations not only added to our guests experience of the Fashion Show but also added to the grand total for our charity. It was wonderful to see everything come together on the evening, and the hard work of the huge team of Exec and volunteers paid off. The supportive atmosphere was incredible, with everyone cheering and celebrating the confidence of their friends on the catwalk.

Best of all, whilst the grand total is still being totted up, we’re hoping that we have raised approximately £13k for Moving On Durham. Well Done to everyone and a huge thank you!

Sports and Societies Dinner 2023

Ella Merefield (Sports Officer) and Lottie Keyse (Societies Officer)

Our Annual Sports and Societies Dinner was hosted on June 5th in the Hub Hall and was a raging success. 16 Sports and 20 Societies were invited to attendtotalling 240 students - with the President of each awarding Full and Half Colours to their members.

This year, we saw an incredible 105 awards go to enthusiastic and dedicated John Snow students, who have gone above and beyond this year for our College and their respective clubs. Full colours recipients received a John Snow tie or engraved necklace, whilst half colours received a certificate.

The evening was filled with laughter, amazing speeches and great food, with the Igloo ending the celebration in the best way possible. We’d like to say a big thank you to Phil and Claire, and our external caterers from Ramside, that provided a wonderful Dinner and thank you to all students who attended.

We’d like to give a special mention to the following students who were awarded Honorary Colours for their exceptional contribution to sports and societies throughout their time at John Snow:

Sport:

Sonny Neal - Rugby

Dan Gibson – Squash and Badminton

Men’s Football A – Team of the Year Volleyball – Club of the Year

Societies:

Eleanor Huyton – Environments Society

Eleanor Metcalfe – LGBTQ+ Society

Hope Godsmark – Dance and Roast Dinner Societies

Summer Ball 2023

Emma Whitehouse (Ball Chair)

Held at Hardwick Hall, this year's John Snow JCR Summer Ball, ‘The Secret Garden’, was attended by over 800 guests, including numerous alumni students- some even from the 2001 cohort! This was one of the biggest Balls the College has seen, so thank you for all the continued student support and assistance from our JCR President, Laura, and the JCR committee.

Preparation for this Ball was immense. From the beginning, the Summer Ball committee wanted to create as many of our own decorations as possible. We even turned the Pump Handle Room into a temporary florist, with many JCR members unlocking their secret flower- arranging talents. Rhys Mills, current Deputy and incoming Ball Chair, was a key component to the smooth running of this event, and the enormous amount of time that he volunteered and dedicated to the Ball was extraordinary. Hannah Wilson ensured that the venue had elegant touches, with her hand drawn place cards and seating charts. Eleanor Huyton and Teji Ramnsey volunteered their support as Assistant Ball Chairs, allowing for a thoroughly organised event. Hannah Willert and Ali Thompson dedicated their time to assisting and creating the handmade decorations. Evie O’Conell helped me to search and book highquality entertainment and vendors, creating clear lines of communication on behalf of the committee. Finally, Will Hall, with the support of Olivia Harrald, continued our pledge to ensure that price increases due to the cost of living crisis were not passed onto students through their organised budgeting.

On the day of the event, hundreds of recycled jars were filled with hand arranged floral bouquets. Flowers and greenery filled the venue, with our amazing vendors ensuring the highest quality decorations. As the guests arrived and the prosecco flowed, it was an incredible atmosphere to reflect on the accomplishments of all attendees. For many, this was their last John Snow Ball as students, and we hope that they made some incredible memories. Whether it was dancing away to Kinky Jeff, whizzing on the dodgems or listening to Fred and Will’s entertaining karaoke, John Snow balls continue to be a core highlight of our College community's student experience.

If this was your first John Snow JCR Ball, I hope to join you in dancing the night away in the future 2023 Winter Ball. I cannot wait to see what incredible events you create for the John Snow JCR community next year, Rhys.

Thank you to everyone in the JCR community!

Snow Day 2023

Congregation

Congratulations to all of our students who graduated this year. We hope you enjoyed your celebration and we wish you every success for the future!

Outreach & Community Engagement Projects

Janet Dickson-Dawson

College Outreach gives students the opportunity to engage with our local community and give back to the area in which they are living. It offers the chance to meet new people outside of the University setting, develop their own skills and do something different.

This academic year John Snow has launched 3 dynamic outreach projects so this is a good opportunity to bring you up to speed with each of them

Sherburn House Intergenerational Project

At the 21st Anniversary Dinner for John Snow College and Stephenson College we gave an undertaking to embark on a joint Project. Andrew Tinkler, our Joint Chaplain, suggested an intergenerational project with Sherburn House Charity which cares for the elderly. Using his network of contacts, he was instrumental in setting up the initial meetings. 2nd Year English Literature student and JCR Outreach Officer Ben Webb and 3rd Year English Literature student and Welfare Officer Grace Marshall have been active organisers of the regular visitor trips, highlights of the year include a Christmas Concert and Summer Garden Party.

Ben and Grace have worked hard to ensure that we now have a strong Project which enables students from John Snow College and Stephenson College to often visit the elderly residents. It’s a two-way process whereby the residents enjoy the insight into student life and chatting to young people and students get the chance to talk to an older generation, learn from their experiences and glean a lot of local knowledge. Strong friendships have been formed and we aim to keep this Project running for a long time.

“Wear meets Tees”- Partnership with Tees Valley Music Service

The development of this Project came about through two pianos. When John Snow College moved from its site at Queen’s Campus, Stockton in 2018, we left there, in safe storage, our Grand Piano which had been purchased by the College when it was founded in 2001. Our intention was to move the piano one day to our new location here at Mount Oswald in Durham City. However, in July 2021 we were excited to learn that Durham University had joined the All Steinway School Initiative and that we were to become an “All Steinway School” – a project very close to the heart of our then Chancellor, Sir Thomas Allen. It was particularly meaningful to us as our then JCR President, Lydia Leach, was selected to be part of the delegation which went to Hamburg to visit the Steinway factory to choose the Grand piano for the Hub!

As we would no longer need our original grand piano, our College Principal, Professor Carolyn Summerbell and I decided that, rather than sell the piano, we would gift it to a Teesside organisation as a fitting legacy to our time there. We decided upon Tees Valley Music Service so that it could be used in the musical education of young people on Teesside. From this grew our Music Project, “Wear Meets Tees” which has the overall aim of enhancing the musical development of young people through joint collaboration and a range of music initiatives between the College, the University and TVMS.

The Project was launched on Sunday 11th June with a Workshop followed by a Concert which showcased the talent of some of the students from Tees Valley Music Service and the Durham University Concert Band (DUCB) who were very keen to be involved in an outreach project. The Band included some of our John Snow College students: Abi Kaye, (outgoing DUCB President and trumpet player), Henry Day, (one of the Conductors and alto sax), Kiko Keighery, (piano and alto sax), Kiran Johnson, (percussion) and Isabelle Booth (alto sax).

We very much anticipate that this Partnership will grow from strength to strength over the years and bring together musically talented young people from Teesside, John Snow College and the University.

Partnership with Springfield Academy, Darlington

This Project is in its infancy and was just launched on Thursday 20th June 2023. The aim, driven by the Head Teacher, is for John Snow College to work with the Academy to raise the aspirations of primary age school children who live in a recognised area of deprivation in Darlington.

Our first event was a huge success. 31 Year 6 children accompanied by 3 members of their staff, visited the College and University to gain an insight into University life. The programme, which we had to rapidly adapt due to a massive downpour of rain, consisted of “something musical” led by students Leah Fraser and Ellie Davies (and me), where the children had the opportunity to play a very broad range of musical instruments – including the Steinway (!) – then “something sporty” led by our College Student Support and Enrichment Co-ordinator Thomas Cullen - sporting activities based around a quiz about John Snow College. After a packed lunch indoor picnic, we all had a 40minute walk to the Science site where the children soon forgot that they were soaking wet, as they excitedly watched two chemistry Lab technicians, Luke O’Driscoll and Emma Knighton perform experiments involving liquid nitrogen and dry ice which culminated in frozen flowers and bananas!

Thanks to Chemistry Dept. Manager Jim Fraser for sorting out the science part of the programme at such short notice. The day was a huge success. We are keen to continue this relationship to inspire children from a young age and show them that anything is possible with hard work and determination.

Some of my special moments from the day include:

Child’s question: “Do they have after school clubs at University? (which, in a way, I suppose we do, I’d never thought of JCR Societies in that way!)

After watching liquid nitrogen freeze a banana; Child 1: “Could I eat that?” Child 2 “Yes but you’d get a poorly tummy.” Child 1: “That’s OK, scientists know how treat it”

After watching the “smoking” dry ice “Well that’s that sorted, I’m going to be a scientist when I get older”

The sense of achievement on getting the sports questions correct!

After their tour of the gym, one child remarked “Wow that was a serious place to get strong!” Another observed “Just like those gyms you see on the tele, I never, ever, thought I’d come into a place like this!”

The glee on a child’s face when she played the violin for the very first time in her life then said excitedly to me “I can’t believe I did that!! Never in the whole wide world did I ever think I would play a violin! I was good wasn’t I?”

The absolute look of surprise, then joy on a child’s face when she heard the sound of the cello.

The queue which formed to watch the inside workings of the Steinway, marvellous.

A truly remarkable and rewarding day.

John Snow College Merchandise

The John Snow College Merchandise Collection is available to order on Durham University’s Official Shop!

We are currently selling:

Toffee, the John Snow College Bear

Reusable Coffee Cup

John Snow College Pin Badge

Enamel Cufflinks

College Pen

Lanyard

Clear Water Bottle

Card Wallet

USB Stick

Sports Water Bottle

Contact

John Snow College

The Approach

Durham

DH1 3FR

T: +44 (0)191 334 0046

E: snow.college@durham.ac.uk

John Snow College

The modern College with traditional values

"Per scientiam et prudentiam quaere summam"

Through knowledge and wisdom strive for the highest

durham.ac.uk/johnsnow.college

Durham University and Durham University logo are registered Trade Marks of the University of Durham. Unless otherwise stated, all material in this publication is copyright of the University of Durham. The University makes every effort to ensure that the information contained here is accurate. This publication is intended as a general guide to University of Durham's facilities and form no part of any contract between you and the University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the University. Please note that the University’s website is the most up to date source of information and we strongly recommend that you always visit the website before making any commitments.

© Durham University 2023