Message from the Principal

Carolyn Summerbell

Epiphany term 2023 saw our College Sports clubs and Societies thrive like never before, a number of excellent JCR-led events, a new annual heritage trip, and two wonderful Formal dinners.

Our College Sports Club captains and exec members continue to show effective leadership, great sportsmanship, and a strong commitment to inclusivity and diversity. We are one of the top Sports Colleges this year. Our College Societies are steadily growing in number and engagement. Kickboxing (led by Imi Singh and Stuart Lewis) and Board Games and Chess (Led by Ben Rushton and Baylie Feast) have continued to run regular classes and events during this term which have proved particularly popular. The Art Soc (led by Katie Reid) has been innovative in providing a number of very creative sessions around campus, and the Environment Soc (led by Eleanor Huyton) organised a very popular tote bag painting event in the Igloo. A collaborative initiative involving three College Societies –International Association (led by Zainab Amin), Languages and Cultures Soc (led by Daisie Houlden) and POC (People of Colour) Association (Ade Adejobi) resulted in an excellent College Lunar New Year celebration.

A new event which focused on heritage and culture was piloted this term. The York heritage trip (organised by Laura Wales, your JCR President, with financial support from College) involved taking 100 students on a day trip to York, the birthplace of Dr John Snow. Highlights involved seeing the replica Dr John Snow water pump, the York dungeons, and the Jorvik Viking Centre. It was a great success, and I hope this will become a fixed event in the annual John Snow calendar. Also new for this year is our College Outreach work which includes great successes with Sherburn House Charity and emerging engagement with Tees Valley Music Service and Darlington Springfield Academy. Thank you to all those involved with this Outreach work and I hope these will become enduring flagship projects for the College.

Our two JCR-led Formal dinners this term were themed. One was a Burns Night dinner and the other a Charities, Outreach and Societies dinner. Both Formal dinners were wonderful and memorable events enjoyed by all. The JCR organised perfect after-dinner entertained (a Ceilidh and a live music session in the Igloo, respectively). I hope these two themed Formal dinners will become fixed annual events in the College calendar. The term ended with a fabulous Charity Performing Arts event (led by Hope Godsmark, with excellent support from Louis MacFarlane).

I have the sense that the College community is stronger than ever and am impressed and humbled by our many strong student leaders and their approach to successful engagement, importance of inclusion and well-being, innovation and, where possible, opportunities for fundraising for charity and outreach work.