Hope Life Summer 2015

Journey to Palestine

Playwriting Prize Winner

Tennis Tournament

Hope Life Summer 2015 | Edition 2

If you have a story to share, get in touch at hopelife@hope.ac.uk

Journey to Palestine

Hope Life

Playwriting Prize Winn

er

Tennis Tournament

Hope Life Summer 2015 | Editi

on 2

Summer 2015 | Edition 2

Contents If you have a story

to share, get in touch

at hopelife@hope.ac.uk

In this issue 3 PhD Scholarships New PhD Scholarships announced.

5 Walker Art Gallery Exhibition Students exhibit at Liverpool Walker Art Gallery.

16 Playwriting Prize Awards

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News in Brief

Help children through reading, alumni mentoring scheme, accreditation news and an update on the Science Building.

8 Dyspraxia Study New research study to help children with Dyspraxia.

12 Alumni News News or past and upcoming reunion events.

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Diabetes Lecturethon

10

Tennis Tournament

15 In the Media A run down of Hope’s appearances on TV and in the press.

20 Alumni Stories Where are they now.

24 Our People Fine Art student Rebecca Feeley talks about her voluntary work.

14 2

Annual Culture Carnival

22

Owen Barden Iron Man

27 The Final Word Dr Sonia Tiernan reflects on Ireland’s Yes vote for marriage equality.

Welcome from Professor Pillay We have come to the end of another academic year at Liverpool Hope. There is much to celebrate and reflect on. There have been so many achievements both for Liverpool Hope as a university and also for our students and staff as individuals.

The research publications of our academics have grown in scope and number. The new Science Building has reached roof top and should be handed over for use by our students by Christmas.

At Liverpool Hope we strive to actively contribute to the academic, social and cultural life of Liverpool and further afield. That is why we sponsor two excellent events, working with two important organisations in our city – both of which are represented in this issue of Hope Life.

The Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize is a biennial event which the University sponsors in partnership with The Royal Court Liverpool. In its inaugural year we were delighted to affirm the writing talent of Katie Mulgrew at a gala dinner at our Creative Campus. Katie was awarded the £10,000 prize money, as well as the chance to have her play staged at the Royal Court.

The Liverpool Hope University International Tennis Tournament is another big event in our calendar. This wonderful celebration of sporting achievement fits firmly with our goals of bringing out the very best in our students, both in academic and collegial life. This year’s tournament comes at a particularly exciting time for the University’s Sports and Science community as the School of Health and Exercise Science make great new strides both in research and new programmes. The new MSc degree in Diabetics has just been launched. Our Sports Scientists have embarked on some exciting new biomechanical and sports physiology projects.

We look forward now to the great graduation celebrations. I wish you all a restful summer.

With best wishes Professor Gerald J. Pillay Vice-Chancellor & Rector

Hope Life is published by Liverpool Hope University, Hope Park, L16 9JD. Tel: 0151 291 3219 Email: hopelife@hope.ac.uk Website: www.hope.ac.uk/hopelife

News around campus A round up of news and events from Liverpool Hope.

Tackling social inequality with EU RE-InVEST The Department of Social Work, Care and Justice is one of only two UK universities to take part in a €2.7 million EU project that will attempt to deliver a more inclusive, powerful and effective EU-wide social investment strategy.

RE-InVEST is aimed at gathering evidence to promote an inclusive EU through the development of a social investment strategy at EU level.

Montreal Visiting Scholar Senior Lecturer in History, Dr Sonja Tiernan, has been invited to be the Peter O’Brien Visiting Scholar to the Canadian Irish Studies Centre at Concordia University, Montreal. She will be teaching on the Irish Studies programme.

PhD Scholarships TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH HOPE

Liverpool Hope has announced new PhD Scholarships in a range of subject areas for study in 2015. This award will cover full tuition fees and a monthly maintenance grant each year for a maximum of three years of full-time doctoral study.

Applications are invited from outstanding individuals of a high calibre and the University is seeking confident, innovative postgraduates with a record of achievement to undertake a broad range of thematic and inter-disciplinary projects. This call is open to both UK/EU and international applicants.

Full details of the PhD subject areas and how to apply can be found at www.hope.ac.uk/phdscholarships

Hope Life is produced and printed in house at Liverpool Hope University.

Cover image: Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize winner Katie Mulgrew.

The views expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of Liverpool Hope University.

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Hopkins at Hope Cracker writer Jimmy McGovern visits Hope as part of Gerald Manley Hopkins Conference wider day of talks exploring Hopkins as writer, composer and priest, organised by the English and Music departments at Liverpool Hope.

Jimmy spoke about how he initially fell in love with the work of Hopkins at school when he was presented with his poem ‘The Windhover’: “The Windhover took me by the throat when I was fifteen. A teacher handed out the poem to the class and I was struck by it. Hopkins’s work has been taken on by many intellectuals, but his work is very visceral.”

Banished and Cracker writer Jimmy McGovern visited Liverpool Hope’s Creative Campus to discuss his writing career and how his radio play Felix Randall, inspired by Gerard Manley Hopkins’s time in Liverpool, reflects his own conflicting views on the poet and priest.

Liverpool Hope University has a Hopkins Hall named after the poet, and the architecture of its Creative Campus gardens is also inscribed with his poem ‘Pied Beauty’. ‘Hopkins at Hope’ has been organised by Dr Guy Cuthbertson, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, and Head of Music Dr Laura Hamer.

The broadcast of Jimmy McGovern’s BBC radio play and his Q and A, which was free and open to the public, was the culmination of a day of talks from experts who explored Hopkins’s poetry, music and life. Jimmy’s talk was part of a

Dr Cuthbertson said: “Liverpool Hope is extremely proud of its connections to Hopkins, and this conference was a chance to celebrate his work but also to get an insight into what Liverpool was like at the time he was writing.

Liverpool Hope Question Time The Students’ Union hosted an open debate for Liverpool Wavertree Prospective Parliamentary Candidates in the run up to the General Election.

The Big Debate was intended to give the audience a last chance to ask questions to the candidates in the week before the General Election, It was attended by students, staff and local residents and was chaired by Dr Michael Holmes, Senior Lecturer in Politics.

Candidates were there to encourage the audience to vote for them and their political party in the General Election.

The candidates were Luciana Berger (Labour), Leo Evans (Liberal Democrats), Peter Cranie (Green Party), Dave Walsh (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) and James Pearson (Conservative). Independent candidate Niamh McCarthy was unable to attend and UKIP’s Adam Heatherington did not respond to the Students’ Union’s invitation.

After opening statements from each candidate, the audience were then able to ask questions. Questions ranged from 4

each party’s stance on Palestine to tuition fees and how each party would work to provide support for students.

Feedback from both audience members and candidates was that the debate was a great success and gave candidates a chance to really interact with each other, rather than just talking about their own policies.

Students’ Union President Hannah Baker said: “This event was a brilliant opportunity for students to find out what each party stands for and get to know more about the policies and intentions of each candidate.

“There has been a lot of talk in the media that all the parties are the same. This was a chance for people to hear for themselves the ways in which they are different and to help them to decide who to vote for.”

Walker Art Gallery exhibition for Hope Design students ‘Back to the Future’ displays student work inspired by the Walker Art Gallery collections Work by Design students from Liverpool Hope has gone on display at the Walker Art Gallery. ‘Back to the Future’ is an exhibition of new work created by the students as a response to historic pieces in the collections of the Walker Art Gallery.

This project forms part of an ongoing partnership between the University and National Museums Liverpool and is the third in a series of biennial displays.

The students were invited to the gallery and were shown a range of objects from glass, ceramics, costume and metalwork collections designed to inspire them and illustrate the themes of ‘commemoration and remembrance’, ‘communication’ and ‘status and use’.

Student Faye Johnson said: “I feel extremely excited and honoured to have been part of the ‘Back to the Future’ exhibition and have my work presented in the Walker Art Gallery, it was a really exciting project to be part of as it involved creating a piece that was inspired by historical pieces in the collections of the Walker Art Gallery.

“My final work was inspired by the letters we were shown in the Walker handling session. During World War II my

grandfather was working at sea, two of his friends died when the ship was tragically torpedoed. When he came home he wrote to his friends’ two wives, the replies of the two women inspired me to recreate these in porcelain with screen printed phrases on and stamps from 1940. I created a memory box of my grandfather using photographs of him and the porcelain envelopes.”

Charlotte Fahey was inspired by the wax seals she was shown in the Walker Art Gallery handling session to create her design. She said: “I found the project very interesting, I liked how I took inspiration from wax seals and went on a journey to get the end product of my screen printed plate.

When I found out my work was selected for the Walker Art Gallery I was very excited and very proud of myself and all the others who are on display.”

Megan Devine was inspired by the shoe from the handling session. She said: “I started to look at the shapes and silhouettes of 18th century shoes. This led me to look at geometric shapes and repeat pattern, which led me to repeat the shape to create my statement necklace. I am very proud of what I have achieved whilst being part of the National Museums Liverpool Project, and pleased with my outcome that is exhibited in the Walker Art Gallery.”

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Diabetes Lecturethon Academics share diabetes expertise with the public A team of clinicians, nutritionists, psychologists, biologists and sports scientists welcomed members of the public for a day of Diabetes-themed lectures in aid of Diabetes UK. The lectures ran non-stop from 9am-5pm, with lecturers paying £5 to present, and audience members giving a suggested donation of £1 to stay as long as they liked.

Senior Lecturer in Biology Carl Larsen, who organised the event, said: “The lecturethon allowed different disciplines at Liverpool Hope to work together and share some key messages about diabetes. It was a pleasure to be a student for the day and be taught by such high calibre people - our students are very lucky. It was particularly nice to welcome members of the public to Liverpool Hope, because we recognise the importance of our relationship with the local community.”

Topics included Type II diabetes and osteoporosis, strength training and diabetes management, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and diabetes and foot care.

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Audience member Diane McGann said: “Working in the ambulance service, I deal with lots of different aspects of health, and this was a good opportunity to get a more in depth insight into diabetes in particular. I also come across a lot of people with dementia, and I am interested to find out more about its relationship to diabetes.”

Did you know?

• There are 3 main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes • More than 3 million people in the UK are diagnosed with diabetes • Diabetes affects around 370 million adults worldwide • The global diabetes rate is expected to reach 9.9% of the adult population by 2030

News in Brief

Help children through reading Are you passionate about reading? You could help to improve the lives of disadvantaged children across Liverpool with one-to-one shared reading experiences As a Volunteer Reader for The Reader Organisation you will make a weekly visit to a child (age range 11 to 16 years old) in their own home, foster home or a community setting, to read aloud and discuss literature with them. In return you will develop your skills in shared reading and be part of the exciting community at The Reader Organisation.

For more information, please contact Celia Jordan, Volunteer Manager at celiajordan@thereader.org.uk

BSc Nutrition accredited by Association for Nutrition The BSc Nutrition degree at Liverpool Hope has been officially accredited by the Association for Nutrition (Accreditation Number 274) All BSc Nutrition students graduating from summer 2015 onwards have the opportunity to apply for direct entry to the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists at Associate level. This register distinguishes nutrition practitioners who meet rigorously applied training, competence and professional practice criteria.

Dr Farzad Amirabdollahian, Principal Lecturer in Nutrition, said: The accreditation will give our students an excellent first step on the ladder as they pursue their career in nutrition.�

Science Building taking shape

Alumni Mentoring Scheme The Alumni Mentoring Scheme is a new project which will pair a student or recent graduate with experienced professionals, who volunteer to provide a one-to-one insight into their sector, careers, and support and guide their mentee.

The mentors will be a mix of alumni and other individuals (including Hope staff) and the mentees will be current second or third year students or recent graduates who apply to the scheme. The Alumni team will co-ordinate the mentoring process and provide mentor training, continued support for the mentor and mentee, and a handbook full of resources and activities.

The scheme is a great opportunity to build new relationships with students, whilst assisting in their development and reflecting on your own professional practice. If you would like more information, or if you wish to apply, please visit www.hope.ac.uk/alumni/ alumnimentoringscheme or call 0151 291 3219.

Work to create a new ÂŁ8.5m Science Building at Hope Park is well underway and the structure of the building can now be seen.

The new building will feature specialist laboratory spaces dedicated to nutrition, genomics, cell biology and psychology, along with laboratories and space for sport and exercise science.

It will house a 25m sprint track with force meters and motion capture for biomechanical analysis, a phlebotics lab for blood sampling, and treadmills and BODPODs for physiological analysis. The next steps include constructing the external walls and creating a first floor from metal decking and concrete.

The building is due for completion in January 2016.

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Dyspraxia Study

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Sports Psychology researchers have eye on new gaze training technique Sport Psychology Lecturer Dr Greg Wood and Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in Human Movement Dr Charlotte Miles are helping to manage symptoms of dyspraxia in children by adapting gaze training techniques normally used by athletes.

Dr Greg Wood and Dr Omid Alizadehkhaiyat have secured £35k in HEIF funding for their project that is exploring the effectiveness of gaze-based training intervention on catching co-ordination in children with co-ordination disorders.

The ‘quiet eye’ is the final visual fixation on a target that takes place immediately before a final movement when performing a skill. Examples include an archer’s final gaze at the target before releasing the arrow, or when a person tracks a ball coming towards them with their eyes before they perform the grasping action of a catch. Quiet Eye Training (QET) was originally developed in the field of sport science over 15 years ago by Professor Joan Vickers, who is also assisting Dr Wood and Dr Miles in their research. Dr Wood and Dr Miles’s research is the first to use QET to help children with Dyspraxia.

In research funded by the Waterloo Foundation and published in the academic journal Research in Developmental Disabilities, Dr Wood and Dr Miles used high tech gaze trackers to trace the quiet eye of children with and without dyspraxia as they completed tasks such as catching a ball, and found that highly coordinated children use a longer quiet eye period in comparison to average and poorly coordinated children.

The new QET methods that they have developed encourage the child to lengthen their quiet eye period through a steady gaze on a target before beginning the most critical part of a movement. By using these methods for just a single one hour session, Dr Wood and Dr Miles found significant changes in the children’s catching technique that remained evident a further six weeks after the session.

Liverpool Hope has now funded a further 12 month project to further develop QET for children with Dyspraxia, and Dr Wood and Dr Miles are currently recruiting children between the ages of 7-10 from the Merseyside area who have confirmed or suspected dyspraxia to take part in six weeks of fun movement and co-ordination sessions, during which the development of their quiet eye technique will be tracked.

Before and after the training programme, the children will complete a set of movement tasks whilst fitted with cutting edge technology that provides detailed information about their eye movements, muscle contractions, foot pressure distribution, postural control and 3D limb movements. This data will help Dr Wood and Dr Miles understand how a change in the child’s quiet eye affects their movements, and will enable them to provide parents with detailed information about their child’s movement capabilities.

Dr Wood said: “In practical terms, Quiet Eye Training changes a child’s gaze behaviour to provide them with better and more complete information about a task during the movement planning and preparation phase. The results we have already seen of using QET to help children with Dyspraxia were remarkable given the short amount of time the children were given to learn, practise and retain the new technique.”

Dr Miles added: “The traditional route to help these children is to provide intensive and often costly one-on-one physiotherapy. As such, QET has already been identified by some paediatric physiotherapists as a method they can use in sessions with their patients diagnosed with DCD to help them develop their motor skills in other real world tasks.”

For more information or to take part contact Dr Charlotte Miles milesc@hope.ac.uk or visit: www.facebook.com/ motorskillsresearch. For the latest updates, you can also follow @DCDLiverpool

Dyspraxia Facts • Dyspraxia (otherwise known as Developmental Coordination Disorder or DCD), affects around 6-12% of primary aged children in the UK • Dyspraxia can severely impair the ability to perform everyday tasks such as tying shoelaces, or safely crossing a road.

• Quiet Eye Training (QET) was originally developed in the field of sport science over 15 years ago

by Professor Joan Vickers, who is also assisting the research team in this latest study.

Royal Society Grant for Dr Greg Wood Dr Greg Wood has recently been awarded a Royal Society Grant (£15,000) for a research project that aims to explore how upper-limb amputees use their eye movements when learning to use a prosthetic hand in everyday reaching and grasping tasks. This pilot work will hopefully be used as a basis for designing a gaze-based intervention that will aim to expedite the rehabilitation process.

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Tennis Tournament

Tennis stars come to Liverpool Liverpool Hope is delighted to be the title sponsor of the annual Liverpool International Tennis Tournament 2015.

The Liverpool Hope University International Tennis Tournament is the biggest tennis exhibition in Europe and over the past 13 years has welcomed legends including John McEnroe, Martina Hingis, Ilie Nastase, Richard Krajicek, and former British Number One and US Open Finalist, Greg Rusedski. Last year Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli delighted the crowds when she came to compete after retiring following her Wimbledon victory.

The tournament offers a fantastic opportunity to bring worldclass players to Liverpool, giving our students, staff and the local community the chance to experience international level tennis.

Super-skilled Iranian Mansour Bahrami will wow the crowds at Liverpool Cricket Club in June when he enters the 2015 Liverpool Hope University International Tennis Tournament.

Nicknamed the Court Jester, Bahrami’s tricks include holding six tennis balls in his hand while playing a set, along with many other stunning shots. Mansour and his Bahrami 10

Army of supporters will descend on Aigburth from 18th – 21st June to see if his blend of world class tennis, off-thecuff trickery and comedic mind games can see him etch his name onto the tournament trophy.

Tournament Director and organiser Anders Borg from Northern Vision said: “Thanks to support from our sponsors, in particular Liverpool Hope University, this year’s tournament is set to be a really exciting event with some great entertainment, hospitality and a fantastic venue.”

Bahrami said he is delighted to join the Liverpool tournament: “Liverpool Hope University International Tennis Tournament is one of the best competitions in the UK,” he said. “It combines everything that tennis has to offer, pitting up and coming WTA and ATP players against true legends of the game.

For more information visit: www.liverpooltennis.co.uk or call 0151 227 5940

Students thank staff at the Hope Star Awards This academic year the Student Led Teaching Awards name was changed to Hope Star Awards to celebrate the excellence and best practice of all staff at Liverpool Hope.

The awards were student led with students on the steering group; Nicoletta Uzoeto, Sophie Pye, Alison Sendall and Dominic Spowart. These students decided the awards and their description, helped to plan the evening and decided on the winners.

80 nominations were cast and 44 people including academics and other staff members were nominated for nine awards.

Students’ Union Vice President Education, Megan Jezzard, said: “We believe everyone plays a role in the successful running of Liverpool Hope and these awards are a way of thanking staff for all they do.”

Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Dr Emma Katz was awarded the prize for Student Opportunities. She said: “Students are at the heart of all my teaching, so I am delighted that so many of them nominated me for this award. Students have commented that they enjoy my teaching because I explain topics clearly, show lots of enthusiasm, and help boost their selfconfidence.

“But it’s not just a one way street my students have boosted my own confidence as a teacher, taught me new things, and inspired me with their hard work, perseverance and success.

As many of them graduate this year, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate them and wish them all the very best for the future!”

The winners were: Innovation Award – Deborah Baldwin Student Opportunities – Dr Emma Katz Supportive Tutor – Dr Zoe Kinsley Supportive Staff – Susan Forde Thinkers – Dr Stefanie Kappler Feedback – Dr Kathleen Orlandi Inspiration – Jen Hough Hope Community Hero – Adelle Collins Course Rep of the Year – Amy Worsley

World War I medals in special exhibition IN PICTURES: The Sheppard-Worlock Library hosted an exhibition of World War I medals, memorials and sculptures created by Edward Carter Preston.

A prolific artist, Edward Carter Preston is principally known as a designer of medals with his commissions including the Next of Kin Memorial Plaque and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His innovative ‘Plychrome’ sculptures were made to

support the rehabilitation of those who had been disabled in active service.

These works have been curated from the collection of the Liverpool Hope University Carter Preston Foundation, established by Edward’s youngest daughter Julia Carter Preston and her husband Michael Pugh Thomas.

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Alumni News Notre Dame Candlemas Reunion 2015 The snowdrops in the grounds of Liverpool Hope University, once again, didn’t let us down and were in bloom in time for the Notre Dame Candlemas Reunion on Monday 2nd February.

Remembering Father Hanlon On Tuesday 6th January Christ’s College alumni (including many from the first cohort of Christ’s students) met to remember the first College principal Father Louis Hanlon who died tragically in January 1965. The guests celebrated his life and lasting impact on their college experiences in a service in Hope Chapel. Lunch then followed, giving attendees the chance to share their memories of the inspirational man.

Mike Hopper, a Christ’s alumnus who organised the event, reports: “The Father Hanlon Remembrance Service was very memorable, but in particular made special by the most sensational ‘Voices of Hope’ group of singers who mesmerised their audience with the quality of their harmony. Our thanks also go to Stephen Pratt, Professor in Music at Hope, who is also a Christ’s alumnus, for volunteering their presence on such a worthwhile occasion.”

“Our four guest speakers really caught the mood and I thank them for their contribution with some very appropriate memories.”

The Conference Centre was overflowing with former students of Notre Dame College renewing friendships and chatting. Tea, coffee and biscuits were available and then everyone made their way to Hope Chapel where they were welcomed by Clare Baker, the Alumni Relations Manager. The noonday mass was concelebrated by Bishop Malone and Fr Stephen Pritchard and we were fortunate to be able to acquire the services of Marc Jones to play the organ.

Pictured are Mike Greaney and Maggie McCarthy, the very first elected President and Lady President of the Christ’s College Students’ Union, who took these positions in November 1964.

Former Staff Reunion Lunch 2015 Following the Former Staff Reunion in 2014, another get-together was planned for 2015. Former staff members of S. Katharine’s College, Christ’s and Notre Dame Colleges and LIHE met at Hope Park on Friday 27th March.

Lunch in the Arbour Restaurant followed and friends chatted and exchanged news before afternoon tea was served.

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Those attending were keen to continue this tradition of a yearly reunion and would like to encourage former staff members to attend. We offer a relaxing day with lunch and a donation from the cost for the day goes towards providing a scholarship for a student who might be deterred from embarking on a degree course through shortage of funds.

Please encourage any former colleagues who are not on our lists to get in touch with us on alumni@hope.ac.uk or 0151 291 3219.

Beyond Graduation

Your relationship with Hope doesn’t end when you graduate.

We are here to offer you support and celebrate your success.

With competition for Graduate roles as fierce as ever, it is important to make the most of the services available to you after graduation to help you stand out from the crowd and stay competitive in the graduate job market.

weekly workshops in The Hub to promote local part time work, placements abroad, work experience and graduate opportunities, including NHS, Thomas Cook, USA SummerCamp, Barclays and a variety of Teaching agencies.

Hope Graduates have on-going access to a number of Careers and Employability Services, run through our Employability Hub. The Hub is located in the Gateway Building at Hope Park and open 9am – 5pm weekdays.

T: 0151 291 2032 E: hub@hope.ac.uk

Recruitment Fairs

Careers Express and Careers Appointments Careers Express is a drop-in service in The Hub, where you can speak to a Careers Adviser for 10-15 minutes without needing to book an appointment, perfect for all quick queries. (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10:30am – 12:30pm, Wednesday 10am – 12pm) Careers Appointments are for more in depth discussions and last 45 minutes. You can book an appointment by calling or e-mailing The Hub. Telephone and Skype appointments can be arranged if you do not live locally.

‘My Career Centre’ Careers Portal Giving you access to career tutorials, 1,500+ employer insight videos, a CV builder and a powerful job search engine, the Careers Portal is an essential resource to maximise your graduate potential. Once graduated, please contact careers@hope.ac.uk to arrange your new graduate log-in.

Employer Workshops

We host four annual fairs, each with a different focus, but all of them designed to help our students and graduates find work and learn from industry insiders.

• • • •

Creative Careers Day Volunteering and Work Experience Fair Ask the Recruiters Teaching and Education Fair

Keep up to date with all Employer Workshops and Recruitment Fairs by following our Facebook page. The page is also updated daily with sourced local and national opportunities including part time work and Graduate jobs www.facebook.com/HopeUniCareers

Alumni Benefits You can continue to take advantage of benefits and services which we, and fellow alumni, offer to you – frequently at a discount.

In the coming weeks we are looking to develop the benefits and services that we offer to our Alumni. We would be interested in hearing from alumni who have an offer that they would like to promote to the Hope Alumni community via our website.

Please get in touch with us on alumni@hope.ac.uk or call 0151 291 3219.

Local and national employers from all sectors host 13

A joyous fusion of cultures Countries from across the world were represented at the 2015 Liverpool Hope Culture Carnival.

The Hope community celebrated its rich and diverse cultural mix at a Culture Carnival at Our Place.

Countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Kurdistan, Uzbekistan, USA and Nigeria were represented, and the event also included a variety of musical performances.

After the carnival was officially opened by Professor Pillay, staff and students were invited to visit tables hosted by international students representing their countries. Many wore national dress and offered authentic foods and crafts from their home country.

Carol Crawford, International Student Support Manager said: “The International Culture Carnival was a joyous fusion of cultures, with tables showcasing the history, crafts and traditions of the many different countries that make Liverpool Hope what it is. We would like to thank all the participants for taking part and making the event a success.�

Stories of Hope The carnival also saw the launch of Fountain of Hope, a book of essays written by international students detailing their funny, exciting and often moving experiences of studying in the UK. Professor Pillay presented prizes and certificates to those who had shared their stories.

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Edited by Dr Wendy Bignold & Merin a

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If you would like a copy of Fountain of Hope, in exchange for a small donation to our international education charity Global Hope, please contact Merina Rai raim@hope.ac.uk

Supporting Nepal One of our Nepalese students Pranay Raj Shakya is raising money to help supply food, tents, safety masks, medicines, water purifying tablets and more for those affected by the recent earthquake in his home country. You can donate at www.gofundme.com/pranayfornepal

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In the Media CNN International highlighted March’s Women in Peace and Conflict conference as one of 10 International Women's Day events not to miss.

Professor Pillay gave an interview to The Tablet about Labour’s proposed cuts to student fees.

Dr Bryce Evans wrote a piece for The Conversation on the World War II-style British Restaurant, which was selected as one of the top blogs of the week by Guardian Society and was also picked up Citymetric (part of the New Statesman).

the importance of constitution; Neil Addison spoke about the law on religious discrimination at work; Dr Bryce Evans argued the case for the return of the World War II-style British Restaurant; Professor George Mair commented on Merseyside Police’s latest crackdown on drugs and Dr Joel Rookwood spoke about discrimination in football.

The Liverpool Echo reported on: the School of Health Sciences’ Diabetes Lecturethon; Dr David Bolt’s nomination for the Positive Role Model award at the National Diversity Awards; Liverpool Hope’s Nutrition students healthy eating event at Toxteth Fire Fit; Insight to Business Awards and Liverpool Hope’s part in the RE-inVest EU social equality project.

MA student Angela Semata presented a programme on BBC 1 about the issue of suicide and young men.

Dr David Lundie wrote a comment for Schools Week on reports suggesting that teachers are being asked to help tackle religious extremism in schools.

Downtown Liverpool, Switch on to Business and the Lowestoft Journal reported on the Insight to Business Awards.

Dr Mike Finn was interviewed on Russia Today and his new book The Coalition Effect was reviewed by the London Evening Standard, Lancashire Evening Post, Financial Times and The Spectator. Dr Finn also appeared as a commentator as part of CNN’s election coverage.

The Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize was featured by The Stage; Irish Times; Irish Post; Manchester Evening News; Lancashire Evening Post; Chortle; The Liverpool Echo; Purple Revolver; itsliverpool; Rochdale Guardian; Welsh Daily Post; Brighton and Hove Argus; This is London; Art in Liverpool; Made Up Theatre; Irish Literary Times; Coastal Scene; East Anglian Daily Times; Bootle Champion; The Skinny.

The Irish Post covered the launch of Dr Sonja Tiernan’s new book, Sexual Politics in Modern Ireland, which explores issues such as prostitution, sex education, homosexuality, the patriarchal system and abortion, as well as Ireland’s relationship between the Church and State. Dr Tiernan was also interviewed about her book as part of the hour long special Sexual politics in modern Ireland on the Irish national radio station Newstalk.

Dr Evan Jean Lawrence, Professional Tutor in International Relations, was interviewed by BBC Radio 5 Live about the recent arrest of three Syriabound British teenagers in Turkey and appeared on BBC Breakfast and ITV News to discuss the Abid Nazeer case and UK security issues.

University Art Curator Susan Beck, Senior Lecturer in English Dr Guy Cuthbertson and Graduate Intern Georgia Kane-Frazer appeared on Bay TV Liverpool discussing the exhibition of World War I medals, memorials and sculptures created by Edward Carter Preston.

Fine Art student Anthony Hamlyn was invited to the BBC Radio Merseyside studios to draw a caricature of BBC presenter Sean Styles live on air, as part of Red Nose Day 2015.

Music student Sarah Clifford appeared on Bay TV’s Arts Alive: Acoustic show, where she performed her self-penned songs Sweep Up, Sweet Girl and Waiting For You. A number of Liverpool Hope academics have shared their expertise with Radio Merseyside: John Sawyer discussed

MA student Hannah Colquhoun spoke to the Independent about her experience of studying for a postgraduate degree Liverpool Hope.

North West Tonight, Radio Merseyside and the Liverpool Echo all reported on the Hopkins at Hope event.

Times Higher Education online featured a photograph of the Hope Park campus in bloom.

Dr Joe Greener was interviewed by Children and Young People Now magazine about Liverpool Hope’s part in the €2.7 million EU RE-InVEST project that will attempt to deliver a more inclusive, powerful and effective EU-wide social investment strategy.

Dr Mike Brocken spoke to the Guardian about data analysis research that argued that the Beatles and the Rolling Stones did not revolutionize music, but only followed existing musical trends.

Dr Dave Evans, Fellow in Education and Associate Professional Tutor, appeared on Radio Luxembourg for an interview about his new book 'Language and Identity: Discourse in the World' which was launched in December 2014.

Senior Lecturer in Politics Dr Michael Holmes and Lecturer in the History of Education Dr Mike Finn both contributed to the Times Higher Education’s pre-election feature on what could be done to improve British Politics.

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Playwriting Prize

Playwriting Prize no joke for Katie Rochdale stand-up comedian Katie Mulgrew took away £10,000 and the opportunity to have her work considered for production by the Royal Court Liverpool after being awarded the inaugural Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize.

The awards evening on Wednesday 1st April marked the culmination of a 14 month process which saw 200 scripts submitted from across the country. The prize was designed to encourage new writing in comedy from both professional and amateur playwrights so all pieces were judged anonymously. It is the UK’s second largest playwriting prize after the Bruntwood Prize.

Katie’s play was chosen from the shortlist by a team of expert judges including actress and director Kathy Burke, screenwriter and novelist Frank Cottrell Boyce,

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playwright John Godber, critic and writer Paul Allen, Liverpool Royal Court Chief Executive Kevin Fearon, Liverpool Hope University Drama Academic Dr John Bennett, and Liverpool Echo Arts Editor Catherine Jones.

Katie, the only woman shortlisted, won for her play Omnibus which centres on housemates Nell, Lauren, Mark and his girlfriend, Jessica. All four of them are enjoying a soap opera marathon on what they think is a typical Sunday afternoon, until an unexpected visitor arrives to give them an episode to remember.

Katie was presented with her award by Liverpool Hope’s Principal Lecturer in Drama Dr John Bennett. Also in attendance on the night were Lord Mayor and Liverpool Hope Alumna Cllr Erica Kemp, and the ceremony was compèred by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Roger Phillips.

Music was provided by Voices of Hope.

Dr John Bennett said: “Katie’s play made me laugh out loud and is a skilful, deft combination of classic farce with contemporary urban mores; all judges agreed it was a

worthy winner. I hope that this success helps Katie in her writing career and I look forward to following her progress from this point. I am sure we will be hearing more from her in the future.”

Gillian Miller, Chief Executive of the Royal Court Liverpool Trust said: “This announcement is the end of a long process that has seen some great scripts submitted and Katie is a worthy winner. The other great thing to take out of this is the working partnership between The Royal Court and Liverpool Hope University. Professor Gerald Pillay and the team at Liverpool Hope have been hugely supportive and it bodes well for this prize in future years.”

Two Highly Commended Over 21 awards and two Highly Commended 21 and Under awards were also given out on the night.

Milo Bell from Preston was Highly Commended in the Over 21 category for his play Baggage, in which four

people, each from different generations and with varying aspirations, spend the night shift in a hotel awaiting the arrival of a big shot TV producer. Milo used his own experiences of working as a hotel porter to inspire his play.

Freelance Journalist and Playwright Ian Salmon, from Netherton in Liverpool, was Highly Commended in the Over 21 category for his play The Comeback Special in which a Liverpool lad finds himself talking to the ghost of Elvis.

Writer, comedian and theatre practitioner Robert Cooke was Highly Commended in the 21 and Under category for The Box, which centres on two men stuck in a room with no obvious way out and a magic box that contains whatever they want it to.

Liverpool Hope University student Jonathan Cheriyan from London was Highly Commended in the 21 and Under Category for Happily Ever After?

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Palestine Trip

Journey to Palestine MA Social Work student Jemma Herbert, shares her experiences from the department’s fieldtrip to the West Bank.

“A sense of solidarity and curiosity pushed me to sign up to the fieldtrip to the West Bank. Our trip was postponed due to the attacks on Gaza in 2014, we were finally able to go at Easter 2015.

In Jerusalem we traced pathways polished with the footsteps of pilgrims, so much human history in such a small 18

place! We visited the holocaust museum and cried alongside other international visitors at the atrocities so vividly captured there.

“A sense of solidarity and curiosity pushed me to sign up to the fieldtrip to the West Bank” For the remainder of our visit we stayed on the West Bank, in Tulkarem refugee camp, and toured key sites including Bethlehem, Jenin and Hebron. We met with community

workers to learn about their approach to social work and saw many impressive community projects, from theatre and dance to volleyball.

I was struck by the contrast between Israel and the Occupied Territories. Israel is a highly sophisticated society, akin to many affluent European countries I have visited, whereas the West Bank is more like the global South, with a very scant share of resources. With just a few miles between them, the impact of Israeli state decisions on the lives of the Palestinian people was shocking to see. Israeli military presence dominates daily life on the West Bank; Check points litter every road and the separation wall looms as an eight metre high monolith, separating villagers from their farmland, children from their schools.

Staying with families in the camp, talking with them and sharing their day to day lives had a profound impact upon me. Their strength, resilience and grace in such an extreme situation was truly inspiring.

People have asked me, why go to Palestine? What has it got to do with social work? I consider myself lucky to have studied social work in a department which has a strong emphasis on social justice and the global context of social work. The international definition of social work emphasises the importance of the dignity and worth of all people, of upholding human rights. Never have I seen this more starkly illustrated than in Palestine.�

“I consider myself lucky to have studied social work in a department which has a strong emphasis on social justice and the global context of social work.�

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Alumni: Where are they now Hope Life speaks to three recent graduates to find out where their careers have taken them so far and how their time at Liverpool Hope helped them in their first steps into the world of work.

Lewis Teare BA History and Politics Graduate Graduate Management Scheme at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Southport “I started my job in April, just a couple of weeks after completing my internship at Liverpool Hope. I am responsible for dealing with clients and fleet control amongst other things and the graduate programme has been great as it is teaching me how to run a business from the bottom up.

“I am really enjoying my new job. It is a brilliant challenge and no two days are the same. I have the opportunity to meet lots of different people and there are lots of opportunities for me to develop my career with Enterprise.

at the Employability Hub at Hope. A member of the skills acquisition team from Enterprise came to Hope to speak to students and after the event they asked me to apply to their Graduate Training Programme.

“My time at Hope was a great preparation for my job, especially my internship helping to launch the Digital Humanities Hub. I was able to develop my skills and it also taught me how to use my initiative more and honed my communication and project management skills, which have all been useful in this role.”

“I got this role after attending an event

Aoife Maher BA English Literature Graduate Office Manager and Marketing Executive at Nicholson Search and Selection, London “In my role I am responsible for planning events, looking after invoicing and finance as well as marketing for the company including managing social media, writing press releases, copywriting and looking after the website.

“I loved my time at Hope.

The lecturers were so helpful and supportive and I enjoyed the homely atmosphere.”

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“I first moved to London to work for Liverpool in London, which was a role I got through my internship at Liverpool Hope. I moved to this role so I could develop my career in Marketing, which is something that I have always had an interest in.

“Living in London has really helped to develop my career and there is always so much going on as well as a variety of people to meet. I

think it has been a great way for me to get my first steps on the career ladder.

“I loved my time at Hope. The lecturers were so helpful and supportive and I enjoyed the homely atmosphere – it really felt like a family.

I found there was so much support available at Hope to help you get your first job and I would encourage all students and graduates to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible. The more work experience you can gain, the better it will be for your CV, as well as helping to build your confidence.”

Marissa Pendlebury MSc Psychology Graduate Public Health Research Assistant at JMU’s Centre for Public Health, Liverpool “My job involves the systematic review and evaluation of health promotion initiatives. I really enjoy the qualitative data collection side – I get to interview a range of people who use health services, find out what did and didn’t work, and what could be changed. This could include speaking to people who have used drug or alcohol dependency services. I then present my findings to health professionals and Public Health managers, and have the chance to write up my research as papers.

I also present to students on public health courses at the university.

“Having such good research training at MSc level has really helped me fit in to my current role.”

“My time at Liverpool Hope prepared me extremely well for this role. During my MSc, I worked as a research assistant within the Faculty of Science, which equipped me with the confidence to deal with people from different sectors, from both the academic and administrative spheres.

“My MSc supervisors Dr Farzad Amirabdollahian and Professor Galina Paramei were incredibly supportive of my MSc research into the psychology of eating behaviours and stress and nutritional status. We are hoping to get our results published in a well-known journal, such as ‘Appetite’. Having such good research training at MSc level has really helped me fit in to my current role.

“I hope to take some additional courses alongside working at JMU and eventually pursue a PhD. I love that research, which I became so passionate about at Liverpool Hope, is now central to what I do. Public health research can have a big impact on people’s lives, and I am very happy to be part of that.”

Alumnus Dr Geoff Baker returns to Liverpool Hope as Visiting Fellow Liverpool Hope alumnus and education leadership expert Dr Geoff Baker has returned to the University as a Visiting Fellow.

Dr Baker graduated with a first class honours degree in History and Theology from Liverpool Hope in 2002, winning the Mary Rose Prize in his final year. He is now Principal of Cromer Academy in Norfolk, having previously help the positions of Executive Vice Principal and Deputy Director of Teaching for the Inspiration Trust, and specialises in leadership in education.

After Liverpool Hope, Dr Baker went on to study for a Masters and PhD in Early Modern History at Keele University where he also lectured. He then turned his

interest to the education sector, completing two further Masters degrees and pursuing a second doctorate in education at Leicester University. He became Senior Academic Advisor at the Centre for Integrative Learning at the University of Nottingham. Since moving into secondary education he has worked as a history teacher and held senior leadership posts at three secondary schools.

Dr Baker delivered a seminar to Liverpool Hope staff and students on the topic of ‘Teacher development through professional partnership: Harnessing the power of professional learning communities’, the topic of which is pertinent to staff across the Faculty.

Dr Baker said: “It is wonderful to be back at Liverpool Hope.

My experience as an undergraduate fuelled my love of learning and I have fantastic memories of my time here.”

Did you know?

92.8% of students in employment or further study six months after graduation in 2013 Our alumni include two members of the House of Lords, Lord Michael Storey, Lord David Alton and a member of the House of Commons, Steve Brine, MP for Winchester & Chandler’s Ford Great Britain athlete Jenny Meadows studied Sports Studies with English at Hope

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Our People

“...I hadn’t swum since I was a child, but I absolutely love the combination of the disciplines and after my first event I just kept coming back for more.”

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Taking on Ironman Owen Barden, Lecturer in Disability in Education, has always been a runner and in the last few years has taken up triathlon, but in July he will take his sport to the next level as he competes in Ironman UK .

Amongst Owen’s experiences of triathlon, he has swum at Crosby Marina and even in the Albert Dock. He said: “People are always surprised to hear that the Docks are actually really clean, and because of the high walls it is like getting into a bath.

“The one thing that did give me a shock though was the jellyfish! I wasn’t expecting them but they don’t sting.”

In preparation for the Ironman UK, Owen has been training six days a week before and after work. He said: “I am feeling quite nervous, I think it would be strange not to, especially as this is my first Ironman distance challenge.

Completing the London Marathon has definitely given me more confidence.

The London Marathon is always an incredible occasion, thousands of people running over 26 miles around the capital. For some it is the first time they have completed such a feat, for others a large fancy dress costume adds to the challenge, but for Lecturer Owen Barden, this was just a warm up.

“I realise the challenge does sound ridiculous – and it kind of is! I guess I am just going on the theory that if you get the level of effort just right after all of your training, you should be able to just keep going on and on.”

He completed the marathon in his fastest time ever at 2 hours 57 minutes and 40 seconds. For his next challenge the marathon will only be one third of the task as he prepares to take on Ironman UK. On 19th July, Owen will start a race that he hopes will take him around 11 hours 30 minutes with a 2.4m swim in Pennington Flash. This will be followed by 112m in the saddle cycling, finishing at the Macron Stadium in Bolton.

The final leg will be the marathon.

“I realise the challenge does sound ridiculous – and it kind of is!

Owen said: “I have always loved running and wanted to try something new. Triathlon seemed like the obvious next step and I joined MerseyTri. Up until two years ago, I hadn’t swum since I was a child, but I absolutely love the combination of the disciplines and after my first event I just kept coming back for more.”

Owen is raising money for the Sherwood Castles Rotary Club, which supports five causes, including a children’s hospice and the Air Ambulance. Liverpool Hope has already pledged to sponsor him £500, with Professor Pillay, Vice Chancellor of the University, praising him for “flying the Hope flag.”

You can donate at www.justgiving.com/owen-barden or send a free text to 70070 with the code OBEE73 and an amount.

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Our People

“We need to be more aware of what is going on in the world and what the real issues are. I want to make my name as an artist whose work has a social purpose.�

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Creating change through art Student Rebecca Feeley knows first hand how art can change lives – because it has helped change hers.

Rebecca has now been challenged by World Merit to find ways to discuss gender equality in her own community. Right now she is in the middle of researching with her World Merit group, who she meets regularly via WebEx and Skype.

“I started off a new social action called ‘Share World Happiness’ which involved creating something for three people and then challenging them to do the same,” said Rebecca. “The idea is to create an immense ripple effect of people being creative and sharing happiness, globally.”

Rebecca is hoping to study for an MA, with the ultimate aim of becoming a professional artist and Art Therapist. She is also documenting her year as a World Merit ambassador through a series of drawings and paintings.

BA Fine Art student Rebecca Feeley wants to make a change with her art through the World Merit Fellowship Programme. In January, she will travel to Washington to mark the end of her year as an ambassador with the organisation.

Rebecca is one of the 23 World Merit participants, chosen from around the world to follow the intensive year-long leadership and social justice awareness programme.

Rebecca said: “We need to be more aware of what is going on in the world and what the real issues are. I want to make my name as an artist whose work has a social purpose. I want to make people think. I want to look back on my life and know that I have made a difference and had a real impact on someone else’s life, just like my friends, tutors, supporters and the World Merit community have had on mine.”

A young carer from the ages of 14 to 18, Rebecca has signed up for Liverpool Hope’s Service and Leadership Award and she is a leader with Big Love Sista, which aims to empower communities through creative activities. Rebecca also volunteers at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where she helps with arts and crafts – and she does all this whilst studying for a degree in Fine Art. After studying years one and two full time, Rebecca opted to study part time in order to dedicate time to her World Merit Fellowship Programme and other volunteering commitments.

As a part of her social action for World Merit, Rebecca led her own community arts project, bringing together 40 people from diverse backgrounds - young people, unemployed people, people from the local boxing gym, homeless people and people with dependency issues – to take part in art sessions. Rebecca provided the materials, led the sessions and curated the final exhibition in Knowsley, before auctioning the art work to raise money for the community.

Rebecca, who specialises in painting, said: “The first thing that people will say is that they can’t draw – but it is not about ability. I suggested to one person, why not paint words? It doesn’t matter – the point is that it is an outlet. It is incredibly rewarding to see people using art as a way to express emotions that they may have kept inside for a long time.”

Rebecca says that she is inspired by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, whom she met at World Merit Day in Liverpool in July 2014.

Rebecca...

Was one of the artists selected to exhibit at Blackburne House as part of Liverpool’s Light Night Volunteers at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital helping the children with arts and crafts Wants to be an art therapist after University.

Is inspired by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, whom she met at World Merit Day in Liverpool in July 2014.

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Events Wednesday 10th June PsychoPolitics in the Twenty First Centre, Hope Park www.hope.ac.uk/psychopoliticsc21

Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st June Liverpool Hope University International Tennis Tournament, Liverpool Cricket Club www.hope.ac.uk/tennis

Wednesday 24th and Saturday 27th June Open Day www.hope.ac.uk/opendays

Wednesday 24th – Sunday 28th June 2015

Alumni, students and staff compete in first joint quiz night

Collegium for African American Research Conference, Hope Park www.hope.ac.uk/caar

Liverpool Hope University held its first Alumni, Student and Staff Quiz Night on Thursday 22nd January.

Tuesday 30th June – Wednesday 1st July

More than 100 people filled Our Place, the social space at Hope Park, all vying for the highest score and £100 cash prize which was sponsored by the Alumni Office.

Theorising the Popular Conference, Hope Park www.hope.ac.uk/news/conferences/theorising

Thursday 2nd – Monday 6th July SIG Writing Conference – International Conference on Writing Research, Hope Park www.hope.ac.uk/sigwriting2016

The quiz covered a selection of topics from sport and entertainment to ‘match the celebrity to their degree.’

After a tightly fought battle, a team of Liverpool Hope students claimed the £100 prize, with runners up receiving vouchers for Our Place.

Friday 17th July PGCE Graduation, Hope Park www.hope.ac.uk/graduation

Monday 20th July Marilynne Robinson Guest Lecture, ‘What are we all doing here?’

5.30pm, Senate Room Hope Park RSVP to events@hope.ac.uk

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Tuesday 21st to Thursday 23rd July

Clare Baker, Alumni Relations Manager said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to bring these three groups together and simply have fun. It was a great success and we would like to say a big thank you to all of the Liverpool Hope University alumni, staff and students who took part, Our Place, our bar staff, and Adam Dumbleton, our superb quiz master! We hope everyone enjoyed the evening and can join us at our next event.”

Graduation, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral hope.ac.uk/graduation

There will be another quiz in the coming weeks, check www.hope.ac.uk/alumni for details.

The final word Yes Equality: Ireland’s referendum on Marriage Equality Dr Sonja Tiernan, Senior Lecturer in History and Politics - and who is currently writing the official history of the Irish Marriage Equality campaign - reflects on the momentous result of the country’s Marriage Equality referendum.

On Friday 22 May, Irish people went to the polls in a referendum to decide on including a new subsection into Article 41 of the Constitution.

The article simply stated ‘Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.’

There was a record high turnout, seeing over 60% of eligible voters casting their vote. This was helped in part by a large number of Irish emigrants who returned home specifically to cast their vote. It is estimated that thousands of emigrants returned initially led by a social media campaign called #gettheboat2vote which targeted Irish emigrants living in Britain. However, the evening before the polls opened thousands of emigrants began flooding into Dublin airport coming from as far as Australia, Canada, America and Africa. This was clearly an issue which people held very strong personal opinions about. Social media was alight with emotional stories trending through twitter with the hashtag #hometovote.

“the evening before the polls opened thousands of emigrants began flooding into Dublin airport coming from as far as Australia, Canada, America and Africa. This was clearly an issue which people held very strong personal opinions about.”

The Irish people voted ‘Yes’ by a large majority making civil marriage for same-sex couples legal in Ireland. There was an overall majority with 62% of the electorate in favour of the amendment. In fact only one constituency, Roscommon, out of Ireland’s 43 parliamentary constituencies, returned a No majority. This is a momentous result for Ireland. This is the first time that any country has introduced Marriage Equality by public vote. Ireland is being held up as a beacon for establishing equality legislation across the globe. Closer to home, it is hoped that Northern Ireland, who have not legislated to provide same-sex couples access to civil marriage, will be inspired to move towards equality. The referendum result has generated huge celebrations across the country.

A campaign that was initially identified as an LGBT issue quickly turned into a question of equality and was supported by people of all sexualities. The three main organisations, Gay & Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN): Marriage Equality and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) joined forces to form Yes Equality. Describing themselves as ‘an independent nationwide civic society campaign,’ Yes Equality organised thousands of volunteers across the Republic of Ireland in what became a mass movement campaigning for equality. Pop up shops opened around the country selling Yes Equality badges and posters to finance the campaign.

Volunteers took to the streets in their thousands canvassing houses and public areas. People toured the country in a ‘Yes’ campaign bus visiting rural towns and urban spaces.

This became an impressive social movement and it signified positive change in Ireland.

“Ireland is being held up as a beacon for establishing equality legislation across the globe.”

The significance of this change has been recognised by the Catholic Church, who once held tight control over how Irish people voted, often dictating from the pulpit. During the run up to this referendum some Catholic priests openly supported a yes vote and while other priests, such as Fr John Britto of Donegal, attempted to profess the No agenda during a Sunday sermon, parishioners reacted by walking out of church. The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, announced that the result of the referendum shows that the Catholic Church in Ireland ‘needs to take a reality check.’

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has praised Ireland noting that ‘this is a truly historic moment: Ireland has become the first country in the world to approve marriage equality in a nationwide referendum,’ adding that ‘the result sends an important message to the world: All people are entitled to enjoy their human rights no matter who they are or whom they love.’ The Irish Justice Minister, Frances Fitzgerald is committed to ensuring that this legislation will be enacted in Ireland as soon as possible so that couples will be able to marry whom they love as early as August of this year.

You can read more expert comments from our academics at www.hope.ac.uk/news/expertcomment

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