Hope Life Spring 2015

Hope Life Spring 2015 | Edition 1

Graduation 2015 Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize Work starts on Science Building If you have a story to share, get in touch at hopelife@hope.ac.uk

Hope Life

Hope Life Spring 2015 | Edition

1

Spring 2015 | Edition 1

Contents

Graduation 2015 Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize Work starts on Science Building If you have a story

to share, get in touc

h at hopelife@hope .ac.uk

In this issue

4 Research Excellence Framework World leading and internationally excellent research at Hope.

Liverpool Hope University Health Sciences Building

55 News in brief

Project Visualisation

14 Winter Graduation 2015

Glass Poetry, a visit with Wordsworth and tea with the Lady Mayor.

6 Hope Interns 50 Graduates start their working lives with the University.

7 News in brief Guest lectures, awards and ceremonies.

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

8

Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize

12

New Science Building

18 Honorary Degrees Lyse Doucet and Ken Loach honoured.

22 The Biking Pro-Chancellor Page 1

Monsignor John Devine talks about travelling the world on his motorbike.

Events 26 Highlights from Mental Health and Well-being day.

27 The Final Word

20 2

International Jazz Festival

24

Design for Hollywood

Expert comment from Dr Michael Holmes on the upcoming general election.

Welcome from Professor Pillay It is wonderful to read about such a variety of good news in the pages of this magazine. Hope Life does so well in gathering news from across the campuses to remind us of how well our University is doing. We are truly blessed to be part of such a vibrant community.

Winter Graduation was a wonderful occasion and is featured in this edition of Hope Life. The photographs in the graduation section capture well the sense of celebration that we all felt as we gathered together at the Metropolitan Cathedral. The two honorary degree recipients this year were Lyse Doucet, the well known BBC international correspondent, and internationally renowned film director, Ken Loach. They both gave impassioned speeches to our graduates and stand as shining examples of the power of determination and commitment to a cause ­– qualities that we wish for all of our students.

In this edition we also hear from the 10 shortlisted writers for the inauguaral Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize.

This new prize is the result of a partnership between the University and the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool.

From 200 hundred entries our judging panel narrowed the shortlist to these 10 plays. The brief synopses of the shortlisted plays gives one a taste of the depth of talent among the writers who entered. I very much look forward to finding out who is the winner; not to mention the anticipation of seeing the winning play performed on stage at the Royal Court, Liverpool later this year. This is a wonderful example of Hope collaborating with partners in this vibrant city of culture to promote creativity and excellence.

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.

Partnership for online Bible Liverpool Hope has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem, in a move which will result in the production of a new online interactive version of the New Jerusalem Bible.

Inaugural Lecture Series begins The relationship between Science and Religion was discussed at this year’s first Liverpool Hope Inaugural Professorial Lecture.

Each year, newly-appointed professors at Liverpool Hope University have the opportunity to address the University and wider public with a key aspect of their field of research.

Professor Siska spoke on ‘De paradoxo cosmologico geocentrico’ where he made the case for more collaborative efforts between the sciences and humanities ­– including theology and religion ­– which are often seen as being in opposition.

Britain has to export to survive Business Fellow, Max Steinberg CBE, Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision, gave Hope staff and students insight into the running of the Liverpool International Festival for Business, as he delivered a guest lecture.

Emphasising the importance of exports for the UK economy, Max said: “The UK will never have a market in the country to provide enough demand to meet the economic demands of this country. We are a pinprick in the context of the whole world. We have to export to survive.

If the UK doesn’t export, economically we’re dead in the water. The government’s target is to double exports to £1trillion by 2020.”

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

Cover image: Graduates celebrate outside Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool.

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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REF 2014 at a glance Liverpool Hope University More than a third of research rated as world leading (4 or internationally excellent (3 )

1st

2nd 3rd

4

th

)

in the North West for Research Intensity (Times Higher Education).

3x improvement in research quality since 2008

44%

of Research Outputs ranked as world leading ( or internationally excellent ( ).

55%

of permanent academic staff submitted work in 12 Units of Assessment

)

The research of 154 UK universities was assessed

HOPE FOURTH IN THE NORTH WEST FOR RESEARCH INTENSITY In the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Liverpool Hope University had over a third of its research rated as “world leading” or “internationally excellent”.

A table published by the Times Higher Education on research intensity places Manchester, Lancaster, Liverpool and Liverpool Hope in the top four in the North West, ahead of Salford, Liverpool John Moores, Manchester Metropolitan, Central Lancashire, Chester, Edge Hill, Bolton and Cumbria. Liverpool Hope is in the top half of the table for all universities in the country.

What is REF? It is the government’s assessment of research strength in UK universities.

The four UK higher education funding bodies allocate about £2 billion per year of research funding to UK universities, based on the quality and volume of each university’s research. REF results give an indication of the research culture at an institution and the impact that research has on society.

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What does it mean for our students?

Unlike at many other universities, at Liverpool Hope all staff who teach our students also undertake research and all researchers teach. We place a strong emphasis on researchinformed teaching. The research done by our academics informs the teaching students receive, ensuring that our courses are innovative, current and stimulating.

News in Brief English Literature students pay a visit to William Wordsworth The English Department’s Level C Single Honours students went on a study visit to Grasmere in Cumbria, where they toured Wordsworth’s family home, Dove Cottage.

Student Gemma Daniels said: “The trip to Dove Cottage in the Lake District was extremely interesting. To see William Wordsworth’s home and its surrounding areas was great; you could really get an insight into why certain poems were written.

“The tour and workshop with one of the Wordsworth experts was very thought-provoking and provided interesting biographical information which will help greatly in our studies.”

Did you know?

William Wordsworth wrote many of his best remembered poems while living at Dove Cottage, including ‘Ode: Intimations of Immortality’, ‘Ode to Duty’, ‘My Heart Leaps Up’ and “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”.

Time for tea Participants and volunteers from the University’s ‘Contact the Elderly’ organisation took tea with the High Sheriff and Lady Mayor of Liverpool at Liverpool’s Crowne Plaza hotel.

Contact the Elderly is the only national charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people.

Liverpool Hope organises monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups of older people, aged 75 and over, who live alone. This offers them a regular and vital friendship link every month.

Craig Haywood, Student Volunteer and SALA Student Representative, said: “I can say for certain our ladies and all the volunteers had a most wonderful time. All of the staff at the Crowne Plaza made sure we were all very well looked after, it was a most gratefully received occasion.

“We would like to express our gratitude and best wishes for a long and successful future for Contact the Elderly.

May they continue to grow and help many more lonely elderly people.”

Contact the Elderly at Liverpool Hope is always on the lookout for new volunteer drivers, cake bakers and hosts. For more information, contact Ursula Boote at booteu@hope.ac.uk

The writing’s on the wall (and windows) IN PICTURES: Glass Poetry, organised by the English Department and English Society, saw staff, students and the public sharing their favourite quotations, poems and song lyrics on the windows of the Gateway Building.

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Hope Interns

HOPE INTERNS GET CAREERS HEAD-START More than 50 Liverpool Hope graduates started their working lives as they embarked upon the University’s internship programme.

Liverpool Hope has provided funding for a cohort of its 2014 graduates to undertake three month paid internal internships in roles across the University.

The three-month programme, now in its fourth year, offers Liverpool Hope graduates professional experience in a number of internal roles across the University to enhance their CVs and develop their skills.

Roles in the internship programme range from Project Officer to Event Co-ordinator and Workshop Facilitator. All interns undertake a series of induction sessions and ongoing training.

Previous Liverpool Hope interns have gone on to roles such as Senior Forecast Analyst - Legal Aid Agency (London); Office Manager - Mando Group (Liverpool); Office Manager and Marketing Executive - Nicholson Search and Selection Limited (London); Student Admissions Administrator Liverpool Hope University (Liverpool).

Lynsey Martin, Employability Manager, said: “The Internship Programme is a proven success for Liverpool Hope graduates with many participants going on to find graduate level employment in their chosen field and in locations including London, Liverpool and Leeds.

“The Internship Programme gives Hope graduates the opportunity to develop the relevant skills and attributes needed for them to take the first steps on their career path.”

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Evie Sussex - Mentoring Scheme Project Officer “I’m setting up a mentoring project for the current students.

The scheme aims to link them up with Hope alumni to give them support and careers advice.

“This was the internship I really wanted to do. I studied Textile Design here at Hope and while I was studying I worked for a craft company. The owner of the company acted as a mentor to me and it really helped me so mentoring is something I’m passionate about.

“Since starting the internship I’ve been applying for jobs similar to this one; I’d like to work full time as a project officer.”

Carla Woods - Child Research Forum Research Assistant “I’m networking with a lot of tutors at the University during my internship – and a lot of them are my old tutors! I studied Education with Childhood and Youth Studies for my undergraduate degree, so I’m working in the department that I studied in.

“It’s only been a couple of weeks since I started the internship but I’ve really enjoyed myself so far. Before I started this my aim was to get into adoption and fostering services. I’m still looking to do that in the long term but my next goal is to work here at Hope.

“I’m also volunteering at the moment as an independent visitor, befriending a child in a care home.”

News in Brief Dr Helen Knowles comes home to Hope Liverpool Hope’s History and Politics students received a guest lecture from someone familiar with the University; alumna Dr Helen Knowles.

Dr Knowles, who is now Visiting Assistant Professor of Government at Skidmore College, New York, did her undergraduate study at Liverpool Hope and emigrated to the United States in 2000. In a lecture entitled ‘What Next for the Nine?: Predicting the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015’ she looked at what will happen when the US Supreme Court concludes its current term at the end of June 2015, examining what the powers of the federal and state governments will look like, and to what extent this will affect the rights and liberties of Americans.

Dr Knowles is currently working on a book-length project entitled Parchment Slaves. She is also coediting (with Steven B. Lichtman - Shippensburg University) Judging Free Speech, a volume of nine original essays, each providing a comprehensive, yet concise and accessible overview of the free speech jurisprudence of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Best First Book Award for Liverpool Hope University’s Dr Heather Ellis A book charting the history of educational reform at the University of Oxford, written by Liverpool Hope’s Dr Heather Ellis, has been jointly awarded the Kevin Brehony Prize for the best first book in the History of Education (2010-2013).

Dr Ellis’s book, Generational Conflict and University Reform (published by Brill), offers a fresh interpretation of a series of ground-breaking reforms introduced at the University of Oxford in the first half of the 19th century.

Innovations such as competitive examination, a uniform syllabus and a broad range of degree subjects are often seen as products of the reforming zeal of early 19th century Britain. However, Dr Ellis argues that they are more accurately understood as attempts by senior university members and government officials to respond to the challenge posed by a new generation of confident, politically-aware students influenced by the ideas of the American and French Revolutions. As such, it highlights the importance of generational conflict as a factor influencing the nature and course of university reform.

Past and present mix at Foundation Day

The University community gathered together in Hope Chapel on the morning of Friday 23rd January, for the annual celebration of Foundation Day. A packed chapel listened as Shannon Devlin, the youngest student currently studying at the University, asked Revd Dr Kevin Kelly to tell the story of Hope. Revd Dr Kelly’s address focused upon Liverpool Hope’s ecumenical roots, tied in with observations on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in which this year’s Foundation Day fell.

The homily was delivered by Professor Les Ebdon, CBE DL,

Director of Fair Access to Higher Education and former ViceChancellor of the University of Bedfordshire.

This was followed by a performance by the University’s a cappella vocal group, Voices of Hope, featuring works by Charles Villiers Stanford and Josef Rheinberger.

The service closed with the presentation of a number of scholarships and prizes. The Tony Grayson Scholarship, which recognises excellence in the University’s support staff, was awarded to Education Faculty Librarian Philippa Williams and Education Faculty Administrator Christine Parry.

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Playwriting Prize

8

Judges make final deliberations before naming £10,000 winner of Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize The judges of the inaugural Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize met to make their final deliberations before announcing the £10,000 winner.

The Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize is the UK’s second largest after the Bruntwood Prize. As well as being presented with £10,000, the winning writer’s work will be considered for production by the Royal Court Liverpool.

More than 200 writers submitted their work, with entries from the North-West, London, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Judges Kathy Burke, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, John Godber, Paul Allen, Kevin Fearon, Dr John Bennett and Catherine Jones have read all top ten plays and the winning play will be revealed in April.

The top ten are: Rob Hitchmough - One Step Ahead One Step Ahead centres around a bank robbery where the robbers’ demands for motorbikes takes the situation in a whole new direction.

Rob is an actor who has appeared in Spooks, EastEnders and Brookside. When not writing he teaches drama and improvisation.

William Lee - Terry’s Wake Terry’s widow Teresa and her friend Anne gather for one last night to give Terry a send-off. All is going well until son Little Terry shows up to throw a spanner into the works.

William is a Liverpool-born market stall holder who lives in South East London. He started writing at 15 and by 20 he was the lyricist and lead singer of several Liverpool bands.

Domenico Farelli - House Sitting for Ronnie Walker A fresh-faced trainee accountant agrees to house-sit for the infamous accountant Ronnie Walker, but the arrival of his best friend and the fear of the unknown noise upstairs may put an end to everyone’s dream.

Medico-legal admin Domenico Farelli is based in Cardiff. His play, My Kingdom for a Penguin, was produced in Theatre Clwyd as part of Boxed Set anthology weekend.

Richard Molloy - O Do Not Love Too Long O Do Not Love Too Long takes place on the front porch of a small apartment building, where an aging Irish immigrant retreats from a London he no longer belongs to.

Secondary school teacher and LFC fan Richard grew up in Dublin and has lived around the world. His play The

Separation premiered in Dublin and picked up a Best New Play Offie award nomination.

Katie Mulgrew - Omnibus Omnibus takes the form of a farce. Housemates Nell, Lauren, Mark and his girlfriend, Jessica are enjoying what they think is a typical Sunday afternoon. Until an unexpected visitor shows them what that truly means.

Stand-up comedian and writer Katie Mulgrew is from Rochdale. She has written and starred in two Edinburgh Fringe stand up shows and has had three plays commissioned.

Chris Bennion - Calvary Calvary is based on the little known Welsh legend of John Jones. This play imagines what happened in his final days.

Originally from North Wales, Museum Education Officer and freelance writer Chris now lives in east London.

Michael Ross - Happy To Help In Happy to Help, Tony Manning, UK managing director of a multinational supermarket chain, decides to work undercover for a week at one of his stores, and ends up getting a far more authentic experience than he’d have ever wished for.

Michael works as a Bookseller at the National Theatre Bookshop, and has been writing for the fringe for nine years.

Ian Salmon - The Comeback Special The Comeback Special is about an almost normal Liverpool lad with a gift he doesn’t really want.

51-year-old Freelance Journalist and Playwright Ian was born in Bootle, and now lives in Netherton. Ian wrote Venus Rising for Liverpool’s Page To Stage and is a regular contributor to theanfieldwrap.com.

Milo Bell - Baggage In Baggage, four hotel workers, each with different aspirations, are on the night shift awaiting the arrival of a big shot TV producer.

Milo is from Preston and used his own experiences of working as a hotel porter to inspire his play.

Mike Packer - The Come Back An incident between two families impacts on a comedian’s plans for a comeback.

Mike is from Brighton and has written critically acclaimed plays, including Cardboys and Inheritance.

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In the Media

Hope transformed into Diet Lab for BBC Liverpool Hope hit the small screen earlier this year as the University provided the backdrop for a three part series of the BBC's Horizon strand, looking at the effectiveness of various forms of dieting.

University's labs and accommodation as well as the campus gardens and Cornerstone Building.

‘What’s the Right Diet For You?’ was hailed as a 'groundbreaking experiment'. In the special series 75 volunteers were put on personalised diets, under the supervision of Professor Tanya Byron and Dr Chris van Tulleken, in an effort to see whether this is more effective than a 'one-size-fits-all' approach.

The personalised diets were all developed around the theory that there are three main types of eaters - Emotional Eaters, Constant Cravers and Feasters. All of the volunteers went through a series of tests to find out which sort of eater they were before being assigned a diet.

The programme makers spent a number of weeks filming at Liverpool Hope during the summer of 2014, using the 10

You can Take the Test and find out more about the programme at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes

In the Media Dr Farzad Amirabdollahian appeared on the Sunday Politics Show to discuss the idea of Healthy Havens, which would see the amount of sugary drinks and snacks available in public areas reduced and healthier options being put in their place.

Students get political with BBC and ITV Liverpool Hope students joined Students' Union President Hannah Baker on BBC1’s The Sunday Politics show where they debated the impact that Individual Electoral Registration (IER) could have on the student vote.

A shorter version of the report appeared on North West Tonight and Granada Tonight, and the students also appeared live on BBC Radio Merseyside's Breakfast Show and Drivetime Show on Monday 2nd February. Labour Councillor Nick Small also came to Liverpool Hope to give his opinion on the issue.

Dr Patrice Haynes, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, spoke to the Guardian Higher Education Network about the gender imbalance in UK universities’ Philosophy departments.

Dr Joel Rookwood appeared on France 2, where he discussed the history of the Liverpool derby and the relationship between Liverpool and Everton football fans.

The Liverpool Echo reported that more than a third of research produced at Liverpool Hope was “internationally excellent” or “world-leading” and fourth in the North-West for Research Intensity.

Dr Jane Moore was interviewed by The Times Higher Education Supplement about Liverpool Hope’s 40% more PGCE and BA QTS places for 2015 entry. She also appeared in Educate Magazine, where she discussed how the North West can keep its best new teachers in the region.

Dr Bryce Evans and Dr Michael Brennan discussed the symbolism of the poppy as part of BBC Radio Merseyside’s Remembrance Day coverage.

Previously, one person in every household was responsible for registering everyone else who lives at that address. Under Individual Electoral Registration, each person is now required to register to vote individually, rather than by household. This means that many students who have moved away from home and who do not know of the changes, may not be registered to vote.

Speaking to The Sunday Politics show, Hannah said that the more students who show their passion to register, the more politicians will listen to students' needs.

She also encouraged students to register, saying: "It's so important that students do vote - if they are not using their vote they are not using their voice."

Lana Mahmud, who comes from a background in North of Iraq, spoke about her passion for promoting voter registration among students and Daniel Leung discussed whether it was more appropriate for him to vote in Liverpool or in his hometown.

Dr Stephen Kelly, Lecturer in Modern History, wrote an opinion article for Yahoo News Ireland on ‘Charles Haughey’s election as Fianna Fáil leader – the Northern Ireland factor.’

Dr Mike Finn and BA QTS fourth year student Sophie McBlain took part in the Radio Merseyside debate ‘is there too much testing in schools?’ Dr Finn and Sophie debated the issue with education leaders, headteachers and union representatives live in the studio. Dr Finn has also been appointed as a regular newspaper reviewer on the Radio Merseyside Breakfast Show.

MA Beatles and Popular Music graduate Charlotte Martin was interviewed by The Independent about her experience on the course and how it has helped her with her role at The Beatles Experience.

Itsliverpool and Getintothis previewed the Liverpool International Jazz Festival.

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New Science Building

WORK BEGINS ON NEW SCIENCE BUILDING Work has started to complete a new ÂŁ8.5 million Science Building at Hope Park.

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. There will also be a double height robotics suite and engineering lab to aid the building and testing of drones.

Psychology labs will include motor control capture and vision 12

and colour labs as well as cognitive and neuro-behaviour suites. The building will also include space for research synergies with both Psychology and Sport.

Nutrition labs with food analysis and testing facilities, two large Bioscience and Environmental Science labs and a suite of dedicated research labs for the study of Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Nutrition, Molecular Genetics, Tissue Culture and Bioinformatics will take up the first floor.

erpool Hope University alth Sciences Building

ject Visualisation

1 4 5 6

2 floors of labs

3

Doubleheight robotics room

25m sprint track

2

invested in

ÂŁ8.5m new building

Work completed by

January

2016

For more information please visit www.hope.ac.uk/science/newsciencebuilding 13

Winter Graduation

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Graduates and families celebrate at Winter Graduation 2015

Liverpool Hope’s Winter Graduation Ceremony took place on the afternoon of Thursday 22nd January, and saw over 200 degrees awarded to a mix of post- and undergraduate students.

In his address, Vice-Chancellor Professor Pillay congratulated the graduands on their hard work and shared with the audience some detail from the University’s results in the recent Research Excellence Framework. He went on to say: “The greatest joy is seeing our graduates use their gifts to help others and build a more caring society.”

The graduation was held at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Graduates and their families were joined by Hope’s academic staff, who congratulated all of their former students. Voices of Hope performed at the ceremony, which also included passionate speeches from our two honaray degree recipients. You can read more about these speeches on pages 18-19.

Graduate Nicole Mulholland, who received her bachelors degree in Health and Psychology during the ceremony, said: “I’ve loved my time at Hope - I knew from the first time I came here that this was the university for me.”

Read about the success stories from the day, as we celebrate with our graduates on pages 16-17.

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Our Graduates Hadiur Rahman “I’d definitely recommend Hope to other students.

Liverpool is a great city and Hope is a great university!”

Nnamdi Ezeh “I’ve loved living in Liverpool while I’ve been on the course. Now it’s over, I’m applying for the MA in Human Resource Management and Development here at Hope.”

Fiona Yakubu “I have loved meeting new people and spending time on the beautiful campus.”

Alex Aghasili “Hope is a really friendly university and everyone makes a real effort to get to know you.”

Rose Thompson “Hope has been like a huge family to me. I have got involved in some really great stuff and travelled to Kenya with Global Hope.”

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Teaching and Still Learning Caroline Gallagher – MA Teaching and Learning “The Masters in Teaching and Learning course was about being reflective about your own practice.

I also did my undergraduate degree in BA QTS Special Educational Needs here at Hope.

“A lot of Irish students come to Hope so I’d heard about the University, but the main reason I chose to come here was that Hope was one of the

few institutions to offer the Catholic Teaching Certificate.

“When I first came here my year were the first to live in the new halls on Hope Park campus. Where the Gateway Building is now were halls of residence and during my time here they were demolished and replaced by the Gateway Building.

“I’d advise students considering postgraduate study that it’s a really useful thing to do: when I told my students what I’m doing, they’re really impressed because it shows them I’m still learning.”

Learning the value of education Marissa Pendlebury, MSc Psychology Marissa Pendlebury graduated this winter with an MSc in Psychology.

During the course, she also worked as a research assistant within the Faculty of Science.

“On my course I looked at combining Psychology with Health Behaviour. I found all the tutors really supportive.

I found that the university experience is not just about getting grades, but being critical and finding your passion.

“I’ve also learned that sharing knowledge with other students enhances your student experience.

“I felt there was less pressure to get a certain grade; I learned to value the learning process more. I became more of a specialist at postgraduate level.

“As a postgraduate student at Liverpool Hope, I feel like I’m on more of a level with the tutors – like I’m more a part of the university ‘family’.

“I’d advise people thinking of doing postgraduate study that it’ll help you grow academically, but also as a person. You’ll definitely find your passion if you do a postgraduate course.

“It’ll give you the edge in the job marketplace - plus, it’ll make you happier!”

Let it be! MA for Beatles Story employee Charlotte Charlotte Martin, MA The Beatles, Popular Music and Society Charlotte is employed as Groups Development Officer at the world-famous Albert Dock attraction and has welcomed people from across the globe to The Beatles Story for the past seventeen years.

She wrote her dissertation on the economic value of the Cavern and how it has become a significant part of Liverpool’s tourism industry. As part of her research she interviewed The Beatles’ secretary Freda Kelly, and even looked at archives from the 18th century which detailed the Cavern site’s original use as a warehouse.

Image Credit, Jack Rowley: copyright Beatles Story Ltd.

Charlotte Martin is celebrating after becoming the first member of staff at The Beatles Story to graduate with an MA in The Beatles, Popular Music & Society since the attraction started working in partnership with Liverpool Hope.

She said: “I really enjoyed the course. It was challenging and academically rigourous, but it has helped me to enhance my knowledge, and to further develop my presentation and communication skills, which really helps me at work. I get a real sense of satisfaction from seeing people really connect with Liverpool’s musical heritage. Musical heritage is a key income stream for the city’s tourist industry and I hope that my research has helped to highlight that.”

Students of Distinction Ella Houston and Stephen Newport, MA Disability Studies like to work as a university lecturer in disability studies or a closely related subject. I hope to continue making the most of my connections and the energy for learning and research that was sparked years ago by the Disability Studies and SEN team at Liverpool Hope.”

Ella Houston and Stephen Newport are the first two full time MA Disability Studies students to graduate from Liverpool Hope University – and both of them were awarded a distinction.

Ella said: “I was inspired at both BA and MA level by the work of Dr David Bolt, and in particular his work on disability, aesthetics and advertising. This led me to develop my own research interest, which involves applying feministdisability studies perspectives to advertisements. I would

Stephen Newport came from a scientific background to study for his MA in Disability Studies. He is now looking forward to a career in teaching. “I have now decided to take a PGCE with a specialism in Special Educational Needs (SEN) and I have secured a place at Palmerston School on the Liverpool Hope School Direct Course. I really enjoy the work that I am doing and I find it extremely fulfilling to work with children who have special needs. I have also been told that my dissertation could be published, which I am seriously looking into.

“I found the student support systems at Liverpool Hope just what I needed to enable me to study hard and to achieve. I also enjoyed the smaller university and the way that people knew me and were always very friendly and supportive.”

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MEDIA TRAIL-BLAZERS AWARDED HONORARY DEGREES Both Lyse Doucet and Ken Loach have carved their careers in the media using their positions in front and behind the camera to alert us all to the wider world around us. They have been awarded honorary degrees by Hope for their courage, determination and social conscience.

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She said “I am very touched by this recognition by Liverpool Hope University which prides itself on being the only ecumenical university in Europe, and a place of learning which welcomes all faiths. I am proud to join a community with such a distinguished past, which seeks to provide a better future for a new generation.”

During this year’s Winter Graduation ceremony, two honorary doctorates were awarded, to broadcaster Lyse Doucet and filmmaker Ken Loach. Quoting the poet Seamus Heaney, Lyse Doucet exhorted graduates not to live ‘timorously’, while Ken Loach delivered an impassioned defence of the welfare state and the power of community.

Did you know?

Lyse Doucet was named the 2010 Radio News Journalist of the Year at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Ken Loach’s citation was read by Professor Michael Lavalette, Head of the Department of Social Work, Care and Justice. Professor Lavalette gave an account of Ken’s career in television and film, emphasising the social conscience which is present in all his work.

Did you know?

Ken Loach won the BAFTA Fellowship Award in 2006 Giving the citation for Ms Doucet’s honorary degree, Professor Michael Mulqueen, Head of the University’s Department of Media and Communications, praised her work reporting from war zones around the world, as well as her compassion for those caught up in such situations.

In her response Lyse spoke about her own time at university, and her struggle to find a career in journalism. She warned students of the pitfalls ahead of them as they began their working lives, but encouraged them not to give up.

Inspiration in poetry Lyse Doucet and Ken Loach both called upon literary greats in their degree acceptance speeches.

Mr Loach used two opposing quotes to demonstrate how we must all work together to better our society rather than only looking to self interest. He said: “Your neighbour is not your enemy or competitor but your comrade.”

His first quote was from Alan Sugar who reportedly said: “There’s nothing wrong with being greedy. If you’re a businessman, that’s what it’s about.” As the antithesis to this, Ken Loach quoted John Donne’s poem No Man Is An Island.

No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent,

Ken’s response took the form of an apology to the audience of graduands, for the ‘failure’ of his generation to maintain and build upon the Postwar Settlement. At the close of his speech, he urged those present to confront the challenges ahead of them, in the form of climate change, social immobility and division.

A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.

As well as if a promontory were.

As well as if a manor of thy friend’s Or of thine own were: Any man’s death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind, And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

Ms Doucet encouraged all graduates to grasp every opportunity, shape their own dreams and contribute fully to this “one world”. She quoted a poem from Seamus Heaney that she was given on her own graduation day: The way we are living, timorous or bold, will have been our life.

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What’s On

LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL RETURNS Barclaycard Mercury Award nominees GoGo Penguin, jazz rock super-trio Troyka, Velocity Trio and the James Taylor Quartet headline at this year’s Liverpool International Jazz Festival.

The third Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) started on Thursday 26th February and ran until Sunday 1st March 2015 with a packed programme of both free 20

and ticketed concerts, and a programme of Sunday workshops.

LIJF was established in 2013 by Liverpool Hope University, based at the University’s Capstone Theatre at its Creative Campus.

Previous years have seen performances from Courtney Pine, Denys Baptiste, Roller Trio, Get the Blessing, Impossible Gentlemen, Kit Downes, Led Bib and Jason Rebello, alongside a plethora of amazing local artists.

GoGo Penguin

The musical emphasis of LIJF is on cutting edge jazz, creativity and innovation in music-making but also on widening accessibility of jazz related music to general music audiences. The 2015 Festival is no exception to this ethos.

For LIJF 2015 the Capstone Theatre is working in collaboration with The Kazimier, a popular and forward thinking venue in Liverpool City Centre for the two performances which open and close the Festival.

The Kazimier staged the opening concert Barclaycard Mercury Award nominees GoGo Penguin. The events continued with jazz rock super-trio Troyka performing at The Capstone Theatre. Their intense live shows have seen them hotly tipped to follow in the footsteps of Polar Bear and Portico Quartet. They were nominated in the Jazz FM Awards 2012 in two categories, cutting edge jazz innovation and best UK Jazz Act, and this concert is part of a national tour to promote their new CD release.

The rest of the programme included a series of free musical performances, jazz workshops and not-to-bemissed concerts from the likes of trombonist Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio.

The final concert of the Festival by the James Taylor Quartet took place at The Kazimier and is a co-promoted event by the Capstone Theatre and The Kazimier. For a quarter of a century, the James Taylor Quartet has set the standard for the coolest sounds in funky acid jazz.

On dozens of mighty albums and at their legendary gigs at home and around the world, they’ve quietly become a byword for distinguished British creativity.

For more information about future events at The Capstone Theatre, visit www.thecapstonetheatre.com @LpoolJazzFest LiverpoolInternationalJazzFestival 21

Our People

“In 2010 I went to Istanbul on the bike: it took three weeks there and back. I went through 13 different countries.�

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Hope’s biking Pro-Chancellor Liverpool Hope’s Pro-Chancellor Monsignor John Devine is a familiar face to members of the University community, often seen around campus or officiating at events. What is less well known is that Monsignor Devine is a lifelong biker who has traversed large swathes of the globe on his motorcycle.

Monsignor Devine’s associations with Hope go back a long way; to his early childhood. He says: “I grew up near what is now Hope Park campus and one of my earliest memories is on Sundays when we would walk to Calderstones Park along Taggart Avenue.

“The Christ’s College side of the campus wasn’t there at all, and the S Katharine’s side was surrounded by a high wall.

“I remember on those walks, when I was growing tired, my dad would put me on his shoulders and I could see over the wall, into the campus – I remember seeing the HCA building!”

“I’ve always enjoyed the mechanics of biking – and taking them to bits!”

After school, Monsignor Devine attended Upholland seminary, where he trained for the priesthood, being ordained in 1973. Following his first posting in Skelmersdale, he decided upon a change of scene.

“In 1981 I volunteered to work in South America, in Peru. I worked for five years with the Qechua Indians in the Andes.

I was looking after 34 different communities up there. I travelled by horse. Some parishes I only went to once a year - my record was 26 weddings in one go!

“It was while up in the mountainous regions of Peru that Monsignor Devine’s love of biking took hold.

“I’d started biking when I was about 19 and then had a trail bike up in the Andes. I’ve always had bikes, off and on, since.

“I was in Peru for quite a while, and did a fair bit of travelling around South America while I was there.

“This was at the time of the Shining Path and they were up where we were. They slavishly followed Mao’s revolution: start in the country, then the city.

“We got caught in between, in the crossfire of the security forces and the terrorists. It was a militarised, violent situation.”

Upon returning to the UK, Monsignor Devine was made Director of his alma mater, Upholland, before taking on a role with the North West Development Agency, as a voice for churches.

He says: “All that time I was riding my bike, doing a lot of European trips. When I had conferences in Berlin and Prague I’d go on the bike, also camping trips during summer in Spain and France.

“In 2010 I went to Istanbul on the bike: it took three weeks there and back. I went through 13 different countries.

That’s the kind of biking I like: not racing or sports, but long distance.

“That was on a 16-year-old BMW bike and I’ve always enjoyed the mechanics of biking – and taking them to bits!

“The latest trip I did was around Germany and Holland. I try to do a trip every year. I went to Berlin, Potsdam, Munich and Tubingen, as well as the Black Forest.

“Being Pro-Chancellor is a privilege – Hope is such a vibrant and creative community located in a suburb of Liverpool.

You might expect it to be quiet, but the whole of the world is here on campus with staff and students from every continent.

“I enjoy meeting the students and their parents. Every student has a story and their time at university is the most important time of their lives so far and it’s a privilege to create that opportunity for them and to be a part of that.

“We got caught in between, in the crossfire of the security forces and the terrorists. It was a militarised, violent situation.”

“I feel I get a lot more out of being Pro-Chancellor than I put in. I enjoy the challenge of helping to make Hope into an institution we can all be proud of, providing the best possible experience for our students, and the best academics and facilities.”

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Our People

“Every piece starts with me and my inspiration comes from nature itself.�

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Jade’s 3D printing work in demand in Hollywood 3D printing isn’t just the realm of Computer Science students; we explore how MA by Creative Practice student Jade Crompton is pushing the boundaries of the technology.

Jade Crompton’s pioneering combination of 3D printing and ceramics is earning critical acclaim – and now her work is in demand in Hollywood.

However, instead of shipping hundreds of boxes of ceramics to the Hollywood 3D Printing Gallery (who contacted Jade after seeing images of her work on Twitter), Jade simply clicks a button.

Philip Cotton, founder of 3D FileMarket.com has written that Jade’s technique is “exceptional in terms of innovation” and that her work is “an example of how in the right hands, 3D printing is a powerful creative tool for innovation.”

“I am still a ‘maker’ and I have the skills for more traditional techniques. Craftsmanship is at the heart of what I do.

Jade’s work has appeared on the 3D Printing Association website and she is hoping to exhibit at the 3D Print Show next year. She has also been approached by a company to design a chess set using her techniques.

Does Jade worry that the rise of 3D printing will mean the end to the idea of the draftswoman spending hours meticulously shaping a bowl or vase?

“Whilst I will be sending the gallery some of the finished ceramic pieces, I will also send them the design files of my work, which they can print out on their own 3D printers (in a choice of plastics) and sell to customers. It is a new way of selling work, but it is becoming more popular.”

“Jade’s work is an example of how in the right hands, 3D printing is a powerful creative tool for innovation.”

Jade’s inventive technique involves designing moulds using CorelDraw and Solidworks and then printing them on a 3D printer. She then uses the mould for traditional ceramic slip casting techniques. She also casts moulds from lasercut Perspex and often combines both kinds of mould in her collection which includes lamps, vases, fruit bowls, cups and sculptures.

“I am still a ‘maker’ and I have the skills for more traditional techniques. Craftsmanship is at the heart of what I do.

By adding 3D printing into the mix, I am able to push the boundaries of what we can do with ceramics – that is what excites me. Every piece starts with me and my inspiration comes from nature itself.”

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Mental Health and Well-being Day On Tuesday 17th February the University celebrated Mental Health and Well-being day. This is an annual event that aims to reduce the stigma around Mental Health whilst promoting a happy and healthy lifestyle.

The event was held at both Hope Park and the Creative Campus and was open to both staff and students.

During the day, mental health and well-being organisations opened up stalls in Our Place and staff and students were able to ask questions about the support they could receive from the University and other external organisations. These included stalls from charities such as Addaction, Bipolar UK and WHISC (Womens Health Information & Support Centre) as well as from the Students Union, The Chaplaincy and Liverpool Hope Reader Organisation. The day also offered staff and students the opportunity to take part in some free workshops. These included a mindfulness taster session and The Unbolted Theatre Company, which is made up of

Josie Davies, Student Mental Health and Well-being Advisor, says the event “was a success in promoting Mental Health and Mental Well-being to students and staff at the University and reducing the stigma around Mental Health.

The smoothie bike and henna artist again proved very popular and one of the new additions to this years’ event, the mindfulness taster sessions were also well attended.”

Support for students is available all year long from Josie and the rest of the Student Development and Well-Being team.

They are located on the first floor of the Gateway Building and are always happy to help and provide confidential and professional support on any issues you may have during your time at Liverpool Hope University.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Capstone Classics: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Thursday 19th March, 6.30pm, Capstone Theatre, £5

March

Professor Ruth Pilkington’s Professorial Lecture Thursday 26th March, 1pm, EDEN Lecture Theatre

Professor Christopher Williams’ Inaugural Professorial Lecture Wednesday 4th March, 5.30pm, Senate Room Education In Challenging Times: ‘The Changing Role of the Teacher in Multi-Agency Work’ Thursday 5th March, 1pm, EDEN Lecture Theatre MDI present Next Stage Wednesday 11th March, 7.30pm Capstone Theatre, £10.50 (£8.50 concs) Education In Challenging Times: ‘The Hope Challenge’ Thursday 19th March, 1pm, EDEN203 26

a group of third year drama students, who explored the anxieties of studying in higher education.

April Education In Challenging Times: Dr Phil Bamber Thursday 16th April, 1pm, EDEN Lecture Theatre Gwilym Simcock Wednesday 22nd April, 7.30pm Capstone Theatre, £11.50 (£6.50) Professor Tina Cook’s Professorial Lecture Thursday 23rd April, 1pm, EDEN Lecture Theatre Capstone Classics: Psycho Thursday 23rd April, 6.30pm, Capstone Theatre, £5

The final word With the General Election fast approaching, Senior Lecturer in Politics Dr Michael Holmes traces the history of the UK electorate and argues that to make a difference, we should do even more than visit the ballot box.

The NUS is running a campaign that aims to encourage anything up to a quarter of a million students to register to vote in time for the general election on Thursday 7 May. Previously, heads of household filled in the registration form for all – and in some cases, particularly in apartment blocks or student flats or areas with extensive shared accommodation, that meant that large numbers could be missed off the register, or polling cards could go astray and be misused.

A new independent Electoral Commission was established in the UK in 2001, and one of their suggestions was for a new registration system, in order to ensure a more complete electoral register and to deter electoral fraud. This led to the new Individual Electoral Registration system being introduced last year. The new system means that while the existing electoral rolls have been carried over, every new voter must personally register to be able to vote.

This is particularly important in relation to students and their participation in the election, so the NUS and a nonparty campaign called Bite The Ballot have been very active in trying to encourage young people to register – you can register to vote as soon as you are 16, even though you cannot actually vote until you reach 18. This could increase the student voice in the election and in the subsequent parliament.

The right to vote is of course a key part of democracy. But it is one that emerged only slowly in the UK. At the start of the 19th century, less than 3% of the country’s population were eligible to vote. And when protests against this exclusion grew, they were met with violence and repression – the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester in 1819 occurred when mounted yeomanry armed with sabres attacked a crowd calling for political reform, killing at least eleven.

A series of acts through that century brought minimal change. The First Reform Act of 1832 saw the right to vote extended to include a greater number of male property owners – but still, something around 85% of people had no right to vote. The Second Reform Act of 1867 went further, but only 40% of males were enfranchised. The Third Reform Act of 1884 gave all male house owners the right to vote, but that still meant considerable numbers were excluded – and of course, no women.

So it was not until the 20th century that the UK finally became more democratic. The Representation of the People Act 1918 gave all males aged 21 and over and all women aged 30 and over the right to vote, without any property requirements; the Representation of the People Act 1928 brought women’s voting age into line with that of men; and the last major reform was the Representation of the People Act 1969, which brought the age of voting down to 18.

“Follow the political news, attend meetings, join a party or an interest group, join a demonstration or a march or sign a petition – in short, get active and be involved!”

However, the right to vote does not in itself guarantee a thriving democracy. There is a major problem today of declining turnout in elections. Turnout in UK general elections was over 80% in the early 1950s, but in the 2001 election it had sunk below 60%. Even though subsequent elections have seen the figure creep back over the 60% mark, there is a clear problem of voter disengagement. The figures for local and European elections and for votes such as those for police commissioners have seen even worse turnout figures.

Some argue that this could be addressed by lowering the voting age to 16 – but this on its own would probably only increase the numbers who wouldn’t bother to vote. Others have suggested making voting compulsory, as happens in Belgium and Australia, for example. But a more fundamental point might be that people will vote when they feel their vote matters, that there is a genuine choice to be made, and that there are real alternatives on offer. For instance, the Scottish independence referendum last year seemed to really engage citizens there, and it produced a turnout of almost 85%.

Overall, it suggests that the right to vote is a crucial part of the democratic process – but not the only part. So if you are not already registered to vote, then make sure you do so – and when election day comes, go out and actually use that vote. But don’t stop there. Follow that up by getting engaged with politics – follow the political news, attend meetings, join a party or an interest group, join a demonstration or a march or sign a petition – in short, get active and be involved!

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

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LIVERPOOL’S INTERNATIONAL ARTS VENUE

WHAT’S ON

Spring Season 2015 Full listings www.thecapstonetheatre.com

Donna Disco Tuesday 17th March, 7.30pm £11.50 (£9.50 concessions)

Gwilym Simcock Wednesday 22nd April, 7.30pm £11.50 (£6.50 concessions)

Max Luthert Sextet Friday 1st May, 7.30pm £11.50

Juan Martín with Chaparro de Málaga Saturday 9th May, 7.30pm £16.50

BOX OFFICE 0844 8000 410

www.ticketquarter.co.uk

Marius Neset Friday 17th April, 7.30pm £11.50

Vein Friday 24th April, 7.30pm £11.50

Stretch Trio Friday 8th May, 7.30pm £11.50

The Weave Friday 15th May, 7.30pm £11.50