ustinovianthe The Summer 2022 Issue u Look for the Helpers Local GlobalCommunity,Citizens The Big Meeting A Hopeful Relaunch of a Local Tradition Breaking the Bias Hope for a More Equitable Future Lights in the Darkness Looking Back at Durham’s Winter Festivals
CUR/08//22/219 you would like to submit to the next edition of the Ustinovian, please email ustinov.publication@durham.ac.uk
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Editors Di Wang, Marco Cheung, Sarah Rosen. Special Thanks Sarah Prescott and Emily Watson. Design curious12.com
If
Photographers Dave Roberts (Cristina Balaban and Kelan Ford in Southern Carpathians, Romania) Shoun Obana (Saint Olcán’s Well) Shireen H-Yousefi, Shireen’s Shots
Photography (Ustinov’s Castle Formal) Writers Shoun Obana, Glenn McGregor, Sarah Rosen, Janelle Rabe, Jessica Mellody, Anil Sindhwani, Brad Din, Ayurshi Dutt, Honor James, Giulia Zavagno, Chris Yao, Cristina Balaban, Di Wang, Marco Cheung, Dom Birch.
Contributors
The Ustinovian magazine and blog is written by Ustinovians, for Ustinovians. The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of Ustinov College or Durham University.
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LetterEditor’s 3 theUstinovian UstinovianThetoWelcome
contents The Summer 2022 issue ustinovian the 4 Principal’s Letter 5 A message from the Assistant Principal 6 The Big Meeting A Hopeful Relaunch of a Local Tradition 8 Updates from Our Global Citizens Ustinov Scholarships in Action 12 Heritage of Hope 15 Primroses Poem 16 Look for the Helpers Local GlobalCommunity,Citizens 18 Getting to Know the GCR 20 Getting to Know the GCP 22 Lights in the Darkness Durham’s Winter Festivals 24 Breaking the Bias Hope for a More Equitable Future 28 Cue Sports Ustinov Joins the Team 30 Ustinov College’s Castle Formal We would like to welcome you to the Summer 2022 edition of the Ustinovian! Our theme for this issue is Hope. We hope you enjoy reading all about Ustinov College. In this edition, we delve into the history of the Miners’ Gala, celebrate International Women’s Day, and look for the happiness and hope around us. We had the distinct pleasure of learning just how committed our students and staff are to their communities and their studies. You all continue to demonstrate just how hopeful we should be, even in the face of great challenges.
It’s hard not to feel a bit hopeful now that we’re in the summer sun. But as the days begin to grow shorter, or we’re caught in the famous British rain, let’s take this sense of hope and happiness along with us. We would like to give huge thanks to the Ustinovians who contributed to our College magazine. It could not have been made without you and we look forward to your future contributions! With warmest summer wishes, Dr Sarah Rosen, Assistant Principal Marco Cheung & Di Wang, Editors
LetterPrincipal’s
...we wish for a better outcome than the present such as a gender equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, and a world that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, peaceful and sustainable.
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Glenn McGregor Professor of Climatology and Principal of Ustinov College Hello Ustinovians. The theme of this ‘Ustinovian’ is hope.
Needless to say, I hope you enjoy this edition of the Ustinovian.
Hello all and welcome to the Summer edition of the Ustinovian the theme of which is hope, quite appropriate really as this time of year we have watched the flowers bloom again and now hope for summer sunshine. It’s probably safe to say that a day does not go by without using the word hope in a whole range of contexts from the personal—I hope my essay is ok—to international relations—I hope the war in Ukraine stops—and the state of the planet—I hope we can avoid dangerous climate change. Given its frequent use it is probably worth reflecting on what we mean or intend to articulate in using hope in everyday Theconversations.Englishword
durham.ac.uk
hope comes from Proto-Germanic hopōn (hope), which is of unknown origin. It seems to have entered into the English language in the 13th century in the form of the Old English work hopa. The origins of hope as an idea however can be traced back to Greek mythology with Elpis being the spirit of hope. Elpis was often personified as a young woman, usually carrying flowers in her hands. In terms of philosophical treatments, hope has not been paid as much attention as belief and desire and in some ways is subaltern to these Ambivalentattitudes.assessments
of hope can be found in the writings of many philosophers. On the one hand, hope has been considered as an attitude of those who possess insufficient knowledge that potentially leads to misguided actions. Alternatively, hope is also seen as a response to despair with someone who expresses hope seen to hold a positive disposition. Aligned with these contrasting interpretations of hope are suggestions that hope can be viewed as rational or irrational, and thus possess the qualities of both good and evil. Philosophical musings aside, and back to the quotidian, our contemporary use of hope is intended to connote a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen, with a focus on a positive outcome. This is apposite to the intentions of this edition of The Ustinovian, which touches upon matters for which we wish for a better outcome than the present such as a gender equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, and a world that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, peaceful and sustainable. My hope is for all of these things. Knowing the qualities of Ustinovians, as is apparent from the collection of excellent articles in this edition of the Ustinovian, furnishes me with great hope for a better world.
Principal’s Letter
As the warm (or warmer) weather settles on Durham during these summer months, hope seems just a little bit easier to grasp. The days here in the Northeast are long, and the nights short. There is something new to try, someone new to meet, and somewhere new to go around every corner. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming College events—there is always a new opportunity waiting for Andyou.enjoy your summer! Grab a popsicle from the ice cream truck on the sidewalk—or grab an ice lolly from the ice cream van on the pavement. And I look forward to getting to know you in the months to come.
Sarah M. Rosen Assistant Principal 5 theUstinovian
A message from the Assistant Principal
Since starting at Ustinov College as the Assistant Principal in December 2021, my colleagues and I have started a dictionary on the Membership Office whiteboard. This ever-growing list of British and American idioms was the upshot of many moments in the office that are best described as ‘lost in translation’. It’s now routine for my British (and Commonwealth) colleagues to excitedly exclaim, ‘there’s another Americanism for the whiteboard!’ after a conversation with me that I thought was entirely normal. But, hey-ho, that’s the reality of moving away from one’s home country—it is an exciting learning opportunity, for both you and those you meet. The Britishism on the board today is ‘take a pew.’ Which is a request for someone to sit down with you and have a chat. So, please, take a pew. I’d like the chance to get to know you. When I moved from Brooklyn, New York to Durham in 2014, I didn’t expect to put down roots here. I was in Durham to learn, to grow, but not to create a new home—that would follow later. By the time I finished my PhD in Anthropology in 2020, those roots had grown regardless of my initial intentions. I have had the privilege since then of building a community that has supported me, and Ustinov College has played a significant part my personal and professional Thisgrowth.isa privilege I want to extend to you, Ustinovian. We are a diverse, supportive, committed community—and we want to be an active and integral part of your growth, wherever you end up putting down your roots. The theme of this edition is hope. In my experience, hope wears many hats. We look for hope in times of crisis, we use hope to push us forward towards our goals, we bring hope to others through our actions. It takes hope to come to university, especially from abroad, and it’s hope that gets us through the toughest periods of study or personal difficulty.
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The Big Meeting A Hopeful Relaunch of a Local Tradition
TraditionLocalaofRelaunchHopefulA
It is an event that many Durham students don’t get to appreciate—undergraduates are often away from Durham during the summer months and thus miss out on County Durham’s largest celebration of its own history. Each year, hundreds of silk banners representing parts of the county parade from North Road, through Market Square, over Old Elvet Bridge to the racecourse. They are accompanied by brass bands performing their favourite numbers. At the racecourse there are speeches and stalls. The event feels like something between a protest, a festival, and a solemn ceremony remembering the past. Locally it is known as the Big Meeting. The Big Meeting has only been cancelled a handful of times since its inception in 1871—the Gala did not run during both world wars and it was cancelled in 1921, 22, and 26 because of generalstrikes. And, of course, it did not run in 2020 and 2021. Britain’s biggest celebration of organised labour befell the same fate as Pride events, festivals, and summer weddings. It did not have a zoom equivalent, and it would be hard to replicate the colours of the banners, the depth of the music, and the rousing nature of the northern identity online. But after a two-year hiatus, the Gala returned in 2022 and was dedicated to key workers: shop staff, teachers, nurses, and bus drivers to name a few. The Durham Miners’ Association billed the events as a “massive demonstration of public support” for “everyone who risked their lives to keep society functioning throughout the pandemic”. It was a fitting theme, recognising the pandemic’s effects specifically on those whose labour became invaluable over three lockdowns and several on-again, off-again periods of isolation. The theme also had the effect of highlighting that it is these groups of people who form the backbone of organised labour in the twenty-first century. While the coal mining industry of the Northeast has all but disappeared, people working on shop floors or in warehouses or on trains, are the inheritors of the traditions represented at the Miners’ Gala. Other things are changing at the Gala, too. In 2018 the Durham’s Women’s Gala was revived to celebrate one hundred years of women’s suffrage, and there are more new banners at the Gala depicting women who have been important to the labour movement. When I was at the Gala in July, a woman with light pink hair approached me and invited me to Coalfields Pride the next Saturday.
Each year, hundreds of silk banners representing parts of the county parade from North Road, through Market Square, over Old Elvet Bridge to the racecourse.
By Dom Birch 7 theUstinovian
The Gala feels genuinely more diverse than it has in the past. This year, it felt celebratory and forward-looking. The pandemic forced many people to reckon with parts of their world view: what they thought was essential, and how they wanted to live going forward.
On the second Saturday of every July, the Durham Miners’ Gala is held. The country’s largest annual gathering of trade unionists, the Durham Miners’ Gala is at once: a showcase of the North-East; a link between County Durham’s communities, past and present; and a celebration of trade unionism and working-class culture.
The reopening of the last year has not, quite, been a return to business as usual. The world has changed in ways impossible to ignore. Amidst the chaos and loss of the last two years, however, has been the opportunity to stop, think and reassess. For many of us lockdown reinforced the value of traditions, of a reiterated connectivity to the past: I made a private promise to myself that I will not spend a summer without going to a Pride event until I am physically unable to march, or dance. But coming out of lockdown has also shown how traditions can change, and how they can adapt to a more uncertain future. Being at the Miners’ Gala this year filled me with pride, and hope. I was proud of my region, and of humanity’s ability to celebrate and uplift each other. I was hopeful that, despite the collective trauma of the last two years, human resilience and kindness will continue to shine through wherever and whenever we choose to come together.
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European Conference on Domestic Violence Ayurshi Dutt On 14th September 2021, I virtually presented an oral paper at the European Conference on Domestic Violence. Ustinov College kindly sponsored my conference registration fee as they believed in the validity of my ongoing research, its ability to raise awareness of violence against South Asian women, and its overall impact on individuals and society.
ECDV is one of the most reputable platforms available to the researchers, policymakers, and scholars tirelessly working in the field of violence against women, coercive control, and domestic abuse. My ongoing research, based on qualitative interviews with female survivors of forced marriage belonging to Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi communities in the UK, was well situated in the overarching themes of the conference. I presented my initial findings based on biographical interviews with female survivors at ECDV under the broader session titled Trafficking, Forced marriage and Other
The conference gave me a chance to present my preliminary analysis. I had the opportunity to listen about projects done by colleagues and other researchers in my field. Other early career researchers in my session asked really insightful questions, which helped me hone both my methodological standpoint and analytical framework. This was also a helpful space for people involved in sensitive and emotionally triggering research to share their coping mechanisms and how they situate their own emotionality in the research they do. The conference became a space for sharing my work, getting feedback on it, strengthening my positionalities, and also developing useful contacts with fellow researchers and discussing scope for What’scollaborations.next?Building on the extensive and excellent outcomes of ECDV, the Journal of Family Violence will publish a special issue on methodological and ethical issues related to the study of domestic violence and abuse. I will be co-authoring a paper for this journal with presenters I met at ECDV with the aim of promoting an exchange and discussion of issues, challenges and problems, as well as experiences, practises and strategies in designing and conducting research on domestic violence and abuse. I was able to highlight how the survivors had experienced control and abuse before, during and after the forced marriage, hence solidifying my attempt at aaforcedunderstandingmarriageasprocessratherthansingleevent.
Updates from Our Citizens:Global inScholarshipsUstinovAction ActioninScholarships
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Conferences
Sources of GBV. I used Evan Stark’s theoretical framework of coercive control to contextualize the abuse experienced by survivors in the context of their familial and intimate partner relationships. Violence perpetrated by family members (fathers, mothers, brothers, uncles, and aunts) was a common theme emerging from my interviews. In my presentation, I was able to highlight how the survivors had experienced control and abuse before, during and after the forced marriage, hence solidifying my attempt at understanding forced marriage as a process rather than a single event.
ActioninScholarships
It was particularly beneficial to be around other scientists who work in a similar area to myself to trade ideas, papers, and questions. Such interactions with other scientists from my field have allowed me to think about new questions and angles to my work and have allowed me to further scrutinise and strengthen my methods.
My research was presented in the ‘Natural Hazards’ session of the conference, as I broadly work with volcanoes. When we think about volcanic hazards, eruptions might spring to mind as being the most severe risk. What is sometimes forgotten is volcanic collapse, where large parts of the volcano weaken and catastrophically tumble down. These collapses can be quite unpredictable and can happen at any stage of a volcano’s lifetime. This means that, sometimes, collapse can be harder to predict and monitor than eruptions. And large volcanic collapses can pose huge risks— especially when a volcano is close to huge metropolitan centres. For example, Naples sits at the foot of Mt Etna, Seattle at the foot of Mt Rainier, Tokyo sits near Mt Fuji, and Auckland sits amid many active volcanoes.
My research investigates a volcanic collapse on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, which occurred 300,000 years ago. By looking at very small-scale structures within the collapsed part of the volcano, I’m trying to understand the mechanics and physics of how these rocks, made of cooled lava, behave. I was able to show some of these preliminary results at the conference. Ultimately, we’re hoping this research will help us gauge the risk of it happening again on similar volcanoes. I would like to thank Ustinov College for their generosity, this financial support made this experience all the more achievable. I found the conference hugely beneficial, not only to my project but also to my development as a scientist. I hope that in the future others will be able to benefit from the same support.
European Geoscience Union (EGU) General Assembly Honor James In May of 2022, I attended the European Geoscience Union (EGU) General Assembly at the Austria Centre in Vienna. I was able to present preliminary results from my Masters’ thesis, which I am working on to obtain my MScR (Master of Science by Research) in Earth Sciences. This conference is one of the largest in the field, with over 14,000 attendees both in-person and virtually.
Not only was this week in Vienna beneficial from a scientific standpoint, being able to discuss my research with world-leading experts, but it was a fantastic opportunity to network with scientists from research institutions around the world. This was especially exciting given the last few years where such social opportunities have not been possible. Not only was I exposed to novel and cutting-edge research that is being conducted in a wide range of research areas, but I was able to learn valuable skills pertaining to science communication first-hand. I have seen the importance of being an engaging and enthusiastic orator and the value of good science communication, which has pushed me to strengthen my own presentation and engagement skills.
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Chris Yao Hi there! My name is Chris Yao, a doctoral student at Durham University Business School and member of Ustinov College. I was very lucky to receive funding support from Ustinov College to attend the sixth Marketing Science and Innovation International Conference, which took place in Changsha Hunan, China in May 2021. This conference is one of the biggest in China for management and marketing scholars. Our paper (with my two supervisors) titled Open with competitors to innovate? A temporal perspective on the paradox of openness versus protection was accepted for oral reporting at the conference. I was very happy that Ustinov College gave me the funding, which mainly covered my registration fees and conference fees. Given the global crisis we were (and are) going through, the conference was changed to be online. Despite this, my experience was excellent. I gave a presentation about my paper and obtained many useful and insightful comments. I was also nominated as the host for a workshop. All in all, this was an excellent experience and I appreciate the support from Ustinov College. Age is the main risk factor of a multitude of diseases, especially neurodegenerative ones such as Alzheimer’s. There are many changes to human physiology with age, and an understudied area of this is the microbiome, which is the collection of microorganisms that colonise your gastrointestinal system. In the last ten years, research has found a decrease in microbial diversity in aged populations and that certain bacteria can increase inflammation—which may play an important role in the initiation of Parkinson’s Disease. In my research, I use a nematode called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans for short) to study the intersection of neurodegeneration and the microbiome as C. elegans are short-lived and easy to manipulate. I’m working with an industrial partner, Magnitude Biosciences, with the hope of finding therapies that slow disease onset or alleviate
10 UstinovPeterSir
Marketing Science and Innovation ConferenceInternational
Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease (AD/PD) Conference Giulia Zavagno
I got to present my poster and work to academics, medics, and industrial professionals, which has led to continuing discussions. I’ve returned to Durham with renewed excitement for my studies, and a new perspective on my work and how it fits into the field. I would highly recommend other students to keep an eye out for the college’s many travel awards to assist them in their research.
Attendingsymptoms.conferences is an important part of being a PhD student—not just as practice for future in research, but also to meet others in the field and collaborate. With most conferences moving online the past two years, I was excited when I was accepted to present a scientific poster at AD/PD in Barcelona. Being one of the largest conferences in Europe for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, it was a great platform to showcase my work and finally network in person. My research funding covered the registration and travel costs, but there were also smaller expenses which were difficult to get reimbursed, such as printing the poster and the tourist tax levied on all visitors to the city. Therefore, I applied to the Ustinov Travel Award and was very happy they could offer me £100 to cover these costs. It gave me the opportunity to attend without stressing about miscellaneous expenses, and I’m very appreciative that Ustinov has such awards for its students. Across the five days of the conference in March, I attended talks given by researchers from all over the world, as well as industrial symposia which brought me up to date with what pharmaceutical companies were interested in for future clinical trials.
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I was very happy that Ustinov College gave me the funding, which mainly covered my registration fees and conference fees
Despite inherent challenges associated with mountainous environments, such as occasional stormy weather and encounters with wildlife, I am beyond grateful to have learned how to lead and organise a field expedition of this kind. None of this would be possible without the practical support my supervisors, family, co-fieldworkers, and the generous financial support from Ustinov College through the Norman Richardson Postgraduate Research Fund, the Quaternary Research Association, and the Royal Geographical Society with IBG. Finally, following the field expedition, there is yet another mountain to climb – data analysis and writeup! At present, I am completing my mapping of glacial landforms, refining remotely-gathered data against field observations. So far, a main finding would be the confirmation of the existence of former glaciers in these regions – plenty of depositional (moraines) and erosional (ice-moulded bedrock) landforms support this, indicating former glacier extents. A key challenge was differentiating between such glacial landforms and those of other origins, for example periglacial (rock glaciers – slow-flowing deposits of ice and debris) and paraglacial (rock slope failures – rockfall deposits or landslides at the foot of slopes). Through rigorous cross-checking with well-established diagnostic criteria, it has been an exciting experience to debate potential origins and reach a conclusion – which can be either enhanced, or even debunked once I process my numerical dating and modelling data! Regardless of any challenges, the wider importance of my project – the first performed in the Southern Carpathians that will reconstruct the past glaciation of not one, but two mountain ranges, to understand past atmospheric circulation of the whole region – and the wonderful memories I made during fieldwork will lead the climb towards the final peak of my PhD
The extent, timing and dynamics of past glaciation in the Southern Carpathians, Romania Cristina Balaban Around the world, glaciers in mountainous and polar regions are melting at unprecedented rates under relentless climate change. Glaciologists are working around the clock, taking observations, both in the field, and remotely, through satellite images and in laboratories, to understand the glaciers’ response to such change, and how it may evolve in the future. However, to grasp the connection between ice and climate over much longer timescales, we turn our eyes to the past—that is, glaciers that are not there anymore.
of past glaciers have widely been undertaken in mountain ranges situated in either wet or dry climates. However, little is known about former glaciations of mountains located in transitional, temperate-continental climates, such as that of the Southern Carpathians, Romania, Central-Eastern Europe. My PhD project sets out to reconstruct the extent, timing, and glacier dynamics in these mountains. To reconstruct glacial extents, I am mapping landforms indicative of ice extent (e.g. moraines—mounds of debris left behind by the glacier as it retreats, and ice-moulded bedrock—rock outcrops with scratches caused by glacier flow upon them). To determine the timing of past glaciation, I am measuring concentrations of isotopes in the rock of these landforms as a proxy for age. My research focuses on the Godeanu mountains in the west, and the Iezer mountains in the east. The Godeanu is in a warmer, wetter, sub-Mediterranean climatic zone, while the Iezer is in a colder, drier, transitional temperatecontinental one. However, the two mountain ranges share a similar geological make-up and topography, which enables me to differentiate between the past atmospheric circulation patterns more clearly. During summer 2021, after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was finally able to collect data to achieve these aims. For six weeks, I exchanged the routine of my office work for base camps in steep, rough, breath-taking terrain. I transitioned from observing glacial landforms remotely from satellite images, to actually walking on and sampling them, reminding me of the reason I chose to specialise in Physical Geography—to not only to decipher the history of relict landscapes, but to see and experience them. I was also delighted to undertake work alongside shepherds, their sheep flocks, and dogs. Sharing such a vast and remote terrain with company that calls it home was nothing short of fascinating—I was particularly impressed with the shepherds’ local knowledge and resilience, as well as their generosity (one of them shared locally-produced food with us as if we were their guests!). I learned that even the remotest environments can harbour community.
Fieldwork 11 theUstinovian UstinovPeterSir
The geological period of the Quaternary (the past 2.6 million years to the present) has been characterised by fluctuations between cold and warm climate episodes. During the cold climate episodes, glaciers and ice sheets were much more extensive than at present, highlighting the link between low insolation, cold temperatures, high precipitation and glacial activity. Conversely, during the warm climate episodes, glaciers and ice sheets retreated to higher elevations and latitudes, or even completely disappeared, as is the case now, only exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, understanding the past behaviour of mountain glaciers is key in deciphering the climate conditions under which they operated. In turn, such knowledge is vital in predicting how present mountain glaciers might behave under long-term, future climate change and how that will impact other components of the Earth system and Reconstructionshumanity.
12 HopeofHeritage
Fact or Fiction? This scene sounds like something from a myth or fairy-tale, but surprisingly, there are elements of the scene that hold true. During the summer months, the well has been known to overflow. This has been both well documented and witnessed many times over the years.
Saint Olcán’s Well
By Shoun Obana Safely tucked away on a shelf in my childhood home is a small wooden box. At the bottom of this box, wrapped in tissue, you will find three irregular tiny orange crystals. A geologist will tell you that these are hematite rich gypsum crystals—otherwise known as selenite. Commonly found and having no particular monetary value or noteworthy properties, these tiny stones are essentially worthless.
Three gypsum crystals from Saint Olcán’s Holy Well locally known as amber pebbles or Cranfield stones.
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A short distance south of my family home, on the shore of Lough Neagh, lies Saint Olcán’s Holy Well— the place from which my crystals came. If local folklore is to be believed, at midnight on the 28th of June you might stumble upon a handful of people waiting and hoping that this well will overflow to yield crystals, like mine, that they can take as their own.
The well itself has been maintained by the Creggan Local Heritage Group, whose members regularly clean it. The group had the chance to empty the well and explore right to the bottom. They confirmed the presence of tiny orange crystals forming along the well’s north face, between cracks in the stone. A theory exists that if these become displaced, the stones gather amongst the silt at the bottom of the well and when it overflows, the surrounding ground may become laden with the crystals, which are locally known as amber pebbles or Cranfield stones. Three gypsum crystals from Saint Olcán’s Holy Well locally known as amber pebbles or Cranfield stones.
Left: Saint Olcán’s Holy Well at Cranfield, County Antrim, Northern Ireland 13 theUstinovian
The significance of midnight on 28th of June relates to the feast day of Saint Olcán on the 29th of June. Saint Olcán was a disciple of the more well-known Saint Patrick. During the fifth century, they worked to spread Christianity through what was a largely pagan Ireland. Often this conversion involved the adaptation of pagan rituals and holy places, rather than forbidding them altogether. It is believed that the well may have been a holy place for the pagans and that Saint Olcán would have blessed it in the hope of easing the conversion of its pagan worshippers to Christianity. In a similar way, it is possible that the feast day of Saint Olcán on the 29th June could be a Christianisation of the summer solstice which is on the 21st of June. The eve of the solstice coincides with the Pagan festival of Litha, which celebrates midsummer and the power of the sun god.
HopeofHeritage
Rags tied to the branches of the tree above the well Saint Olcán’s Holy Well at Cranfield, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Offerings left at the well by visitors.
Visitors continue to do this at the well which is evidenced by the many rags that can still be found on the trees by the well today.
A Mass service being held at Saint Olcán’s Holy Well on the feast of Saint Olcán (29th June 1911) Archival photo of pilgrims visiting the well in early taxis
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Lizzy Quigley—a woman who lived by the well as a child in the early 1900s— recalled in an interview with a local historian that a mother and her blind son from Newcastle upon Tyne travelled to Cranfield and stayed with her family during their visit. The pair had hoped the healing powers of the well might restore the boy’s sight. A Place of Heritage?
HopeofHeritage
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A Place of Hope? In a verse adaptation of Sophocles’ play Philoctetes, known as ‘The Cure at Troy’, the Irish poet and playwright, Seamus Heaney talks of the belief in healing wells in relation to hope. Although layered with many meanings the adaptation speaks to the idea that wells, such as Saint Olcán’s, were as much centres of hope as anything else: “…So hope for a great sea-change On the far side of revenge. Believe that a further shore Is reachable from here. Believe in miracles And cures and healing wells…” So why are Cranfield Stones so sought after? In ‘A History of Down and Connor’, published in 1882 by Reverend James Laverty, there are accounts of visitors searching for the well’s ‘miraculous stones’. Travellers hoped that the stones might protect them at sea; Fishermen similarly used these stones as protective talismans whilst working on the lough. There are also accounts of Irish people carrying Cranfield stones when emigrating to America as a form of protection during their voyages to their new homes. Over the centuries, people would make pilgrimages to the well in the hope of gaining spiritual assistance. Pilgrims in need of a cure would take a piece of cloth, dip it in the holy water of the well, and tie it to the tree above. It was believed that as their fabric deteriorated, so too would the pilgrim’s ailment.
These ideas, stories and mythologies have been woven into a rich tapestry of heritage associated with the area. Like many Irish traditions, the folklore of the well has largely been passed from generation to generation orally. For around 1600 years, this story has in some form or another been kept alive by the local community. Like many others from the area, I have my own stories about the well. As a child I spent time playing there and have mixed memories of the fun we had combined with fear from some of the more morbid tales that surrounded it. In March 2020, the country entered its first lockdown of the pandemic. During this time, I moved back to my family home for the first time in over twenty years. I enjoyed revisiting the well, contemplating the significance of my stones, and reminiscing about the time I spent at Cranfield as a child. Now a devout agnostic, I found myself at Saint Olcán’s well. I took fabric, dipped it in the water and tied it to the tree like the countless pilgrims who had visited before me. Although doubtful it would bring me healing, I enjoyed the ritual. Just like my stones, it represents my inclusion in a rich yet intangible heritage of the place where I am from. A place of history, culture, storytelling, tradition, and if you choose to believe, miracles and cures and healing wells.
PRIMROSES There is nothing Quite as hopeful As flowers in the Spring. Except perhaps The flaming leaves That quiver in the Autumn. And there is nothing Quite as peaceful As snowfall in the Winter. Except perhaps The heavy air That breaks in Summer rain. Somewhere between Birth and death, Waking, Rest— Is a lesson to be found. I have travelled round And round Trying desperately to Learn it. Bloom where you’re planted, Rest where you’ve landed, You do not need to Earn it. Poem By SM Rosen theUstinovian 15
‘Look for the helpers’ is a call to action. When our community heard that there was one such helper in our own ranks, we looked. Anna-Mae Hesletine, a deeply valued member of the Ustinov staff, has a presence one cannot miss. Many of you will know her as the gregarious face that greets you at Reception, as she has filled the Helpdesk Assistant role on a secondment since March. What many of you may not know, is that she has gone above and beyond to help those in our community in the face of an international disaster. We had the privilege to speak with her and learn her story. While Anna-Mae was watching ITV News, she learned that three Ukrainian lorry drivers were stranded in the Littleburn Industrial Estate in Langley Moor. As she lives just over the road, she sought them out and offered to help them. Two of the three men had already managed to get home, but the third, Anatoliya Chornyi, was still stranded. He didn’t speak much English, so Anna-Mae relied on Google Translate to communicate and offer him food, clean clothes, a shower, and shelter
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HelperstheforLooking
to keep warm. Anatoliya accepted her offer and spent the evening getting to know Anna-Mae and her family over a shared meal. He told her that he has a wife, children, a cat, and a dog named Copper in Kyiv—which made Anna-Mae laugh because her dog is also named Copper! But she also recalls the pain he was in when he spoke of the family he was separated from. By the next morning, the community had come together to provide clothes, shoes, bedding, and other essentials. In time, a translator from ITV got in touch, offering the support of a charity in Darlington that could help get him to Poland. He became emotional at the thought of going home, and when they finally said their goodbyes, he shook her husband’s and her little boy’s hands. When he returned to Kyiv on March 17th, he FaceTimed Anna-Mae and introduced her to his wife and kids. They still Mister Rogers, long considered an American treasure for his work in public broadcasting, calls us to find the hope by looking for the helpers. As a juggernaut of children’s TV programming, with shows such as Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Fred Rogers was undoubtedly speaking to the young people who witness disaster in trying times, and not to us adults. But I have found myself returning to this quote over and over again. Perhaps this is because he asked me to be his neighbour through my television screen 25 years ago; perhaps this is because he helped me through the trying times of my youth. Whatever the case, I carry this forward today to my new neighbours here at Ustinov College.
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helpersforLookingthe By Sarah Rosen 16
There is no doubt we are living in challenging times, times that seem to present us with few (if any) clear solutions. On the back of a pandemic, came war within Europe—and these ongoing tragedies are merely rungs on a very long, unhappy ladder that stretches back centuries. In challenging times, especially when we feel our collective hands are tied, it can be nigh impossible to find the hope. But hope is the foundation on which we build solutions.
‘When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.’ Fred Rogers message each other from time to time to check in. He promises once the war is over, they will see each other again.
‘Look for the helpers’ is a call to action— but looking around us for the helpers is only half the battle. We must also look within us for the helpers. We must ask ourselves how we become the helpers who others look to in times of great Anna-Maeadversity. was nominated for a Volunteering Award at Durham University for her actions, and I hope we can all look to her example and become the helpers who bring hope to our local and global communities. 17 theUstinovian
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durham.ac.uk GCRThe 18
We facilitate all of our Ustinov athletics teams, of which there is a very large variety. We have, to name just a few, a volleyball team, a cricket team, and men’s and women’s football teams. Best of all: Ustinov is a winning college. The women’s football just won the league for the first time and the volleyball picked up another trophy. The GCR is responsible for ensuring all of our athletes have access to the equipment they need to succeed. If you’re not an athlete but want to stay fit, the gym is accessible to the whole college and, likewise, run by the GCR. All of these require our work, whether directly or in assisting other members of this wonderful college. Perhaps most importantly, the GCR is crucial in the maintenance of various places for socialising. The cafe is stocked with board games of all stripes and we have a music room for all your practicing needs. We have access to various streaming services for a movie night with your friends. In conjunction with the College’s amazing staff, we’re proud to be an integral part of Ustinov’s social life.
The role of the GCR is both immediately obvious and inconspicuous. Yes, we are here to set up and run social events, such as formals—although Ustinov is not a gowned college—intercultural nights, film screenings, and so on. We host trips to amazing places, like York and Scarborough (both of which I can’t recommend enough!). These aren’t just events for show, they are genuine opportunities to build community and good-will throughout Ustinov. But these are only the high profile items. As always, so much work goes on under the surface. It’s sometimes hard to keep track!
Getting to Know the GCR
By Anil Sindhwani
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As you’ve surely noticed, the common thread here is facilitation. We know that Ustinov is a diverse, special place: indeed, we represent at least 94 nationalities. But postgraduates are too smart, mature, and experienced for hand holding, so our aim here is help you help yourself, whether you want to win some trophies, play pool, learn more about different cultures, or find a new favourite British city. We can’t do everything and be everywhere—but we can set the stage for postgraduate living in Durham. And best of all: so can you! The GCR needs your help to pull off amazing induction events next year to welcome in a new class of some of the most diverse, wonderful, funny, and caring students. Please find us online at ustinovgcr.com
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Harry Potter Themed Litter Pick
This was a great way to tackle an important issue whilst bringing students together with a shared interest in Harry Potter!
Following the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, this year, we have been able to hold a number of in-person volunteering opportunities for students to get involved with in college.
As the Volunteering Fellows of Ustinov College’s Global Citizenship Programme, we have focused on engaging students in important charitable work, to support the wider University and local Durham community, while offering the opportunity to meet like-minded students.
By Jessica Mellody
During Michaelmas term, we also continued a successful Christmas Card project from the previous years’ Volunteering Fellow. Durham University partnered with local care homes to bring Christmas spirit to some of the elderly residents through student written Christmas cards. Ustinov students were able to talk about their life as students, their Christmas plans and their hobbies in thoughtful letters that were matched to like-minded care home residents.
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Christmas Teams Challenge In December, we hosted a Christmas Teams Challenge where volunteers came along to help put together decorated kits. They packaged Snowman Soup and Magical Reindeer dust, that went on to be sold by charities and delivered to children across County Durham. The whole initiative focused on coming together as a college community to make as many kits as possible to help charities and vulnerable people across County Durham.
Christmas Card Appeal
Getting to Know the GCP: Volunteering
As with all cities across the UK, litter is a problem in Durham which harms the wildlife and natural environment. So, in an effort to keep the college environment and surrounding residential area clean, and as part of Student Volunteering Week at Durham University, we decided to hold a litter picking event – with a Volunteerstwist!came along decked out in their Harry Potter outfits and were separated into Hogwarts houses before competing to collect the most litter. House points were allocated based on amount of rubbish collected and the winner received a Harry Potter prize.
As well as volunteering events, we have also had the chance to run longer projects. During Michaelmas term, we teamed up with Feeding Families, a charity based in the North East that offers support, hope and security to those experiencing food poverty. We placed donation boxes throughout Ustinov College which staff and students donated to. After the success of the campaign, we continued with a donation drive in Epiphany term and partnered with Beyond Food Foundation, a student-led project working with Durham Foodbank to raise awareness of the importance of foodbanks, collect food donations, monetary donations and other essential items for those most in need in our local community. Our Other Projects This is just a small look into the volunteering events we have offered this year. We have also recruited volunteers for St Cuthbert’s Hospice, an organisation which provides free care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses, people approaching the end of life and people that are bereaved; we have recruited ambassadors for One for the World, an organization which aims to revolutionize charitable giving to end extreme poverty; we have offered volunteer work with the Woodland Trust Project, the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK which centres on the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage; and we have begun recruitment with Karbon Homes’ Silver Talk, an initiative to combat isolation in the elderly by pairing students with elderly residents in local nursing homes. We hope these events will run in future years with GCP volunteering and continue to provide Ustinov College students with a meaningful way to connect with one another while offering support to local charities and organisations. ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’ Mahatma Gandhi Ustinovian
In an effort to provide a relaxing break to Ustinov students in the Easter holidays, we worked in collaboration with Durham Minds - a project that aims to champion positive wellbeing within the University and the community - to run a Spring Charity Craft session. During the craft session, we made treat packs (Hot Chocolate Bunnies and Bunny Bait) which were sold by local charities to fundraise, or given to organisations supporting local community members, to ensure that everyone had the chance to enjoy a Spring treat. Much like our Christmas Teams Challenge, the whole initiative was about coming together as a college to try and produce as many kits as possible!
Donation Drives
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Night Walk for International Women’s Day International Women’s Day, celebrated globally every 8th March, recognises the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. With that, we thought it was also the perfect opportunity to bring awareness to the difficulties women around the world Moreface. than one in five women (19%) avoid walking alone at night – a number twice as high as men (9%) - for fear of being threatened or assaulted. In an effort to bring awareness to violence against women we hosted a night walk through VolunteersDurham.dressed up in glow sticks, bracelets and necklaces, and walked from Ustinov College to Durham City Centre, where there was a short silence dedicated to women who have been victims of abuse. Lauren, one of our Volunteering Fellows, gave a moving and informative speech on the difficulties that women face worldwide. There was also the opportunity to provide a small donation to RSACC, a local charity which supports women and children who have been the victims of abuse. During an event that celebrates the successes of women, the night walk was a great way to bring students together to raise awareness for an important and prevalent issue that plagues women worldwide.
Spring Charity Craft Session
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Looking
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This was my first time attending the Durham Fire and Ice Festival, held on February 25th and 26th, 2022. The theme this year was ‘Science’. Let’s look back at the event and see how they wowed Durham residents and Ustinovians. There were nine different ice sculptures, carving demos, and spectacular fire performances. Durham locals and Ustinovians also celebrated the Lunar New Year— the year of the Tiger. As the days begin to get shorter, we look forward to all the ways Durham brings light into our lives. Back at WinterDurham’sFestivals
By Marco Cheung I’d like to look back on some of Durham’s winter festivals, as these events guide us through the dark months of winter and into the spring and summer. A fantastic event that is available to Ustinovians every other year is the Lumiere Festival. Thankfully, the Lumiere Festival continued as planned during the pandemic, and we were delighted to be able to experience the UK’s largest light festival. The Cathedral’s theme ‘In Our Hearts Blind Hope’ seemed particularly fitting for this issue of the Ustinovian.
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durham.ac.uk Empowering Women in Academia: A 2 Minute Pitch Competition GCP Conference/Seminars and GCP SUCCESS Women in Entrepreneurship – Karen Langdon GCP SUCCESS Charity Night Walk to Combat Violence Against Women GCP Volunteering Beyond Women in STEM: Changing Direction after your Degree GCP Café Scientifique Women in Protest and Resistance Movements GCP Café Politique Women in Global Leadership – Professor Barbara Kellerman Ustinov CMT Women in College Leadership – Emily Watson Ustinov CMT International Women’s Day Pub Quiz GCR International Women’s Day Movie Night GCR Ustinov College annually celebrates International Women’s Day with a month-long programme of activities. We were thrilled to provide the varied and dynamic series of events for Ustinovians throughout the month of March this year, planned through a collaboration between the Global Citizenship Programme, the Graduate Common Room, and the College Management Team. Here is what we had on offer for 2022: Breaking the Bias: Hope for an Equitable Future 24 DayWomensInternational
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International Women’s Day: SUCCESS and Seminars
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How can we empower women in academia?
This was the central question at the International Women’s Day event organised by the Seminar team in collaboration with the SUCCESS team, which was held on 03 March 2022. One of the speakers even challenged the question since the term empowerment implies that women lack power. Seven fantastic women speakers at the event clearly demonstrated that women have tremendous power that needs to be enhanced in academia and beyond. All the speakers rose to the occasion with their diverse, strong speeches. Some of the speakers discussed the glaring gender gaps in literary fiction, silencing women’s voices in stories that should feature them at the centre. Several speakers provided concrete, systematic recommendations to support women with concurrent roles as academics, mothers, and wives. These include more flexible working arrangements and daycare facilities within universities. They argued that universities should have proactive efforts to solicit the insights of student mothers on the additional help they would need to fulfil their multiple responsibilities. A few speakers emphasised the individual and collective actions we can take to support our fellow women academics. This entails being kinder to ourselves and not aspiring for perfection to the detriment of our own wellbeing. This, admittedly, is easier said than done amidst the various internal and external pressures, feelings of inadequacy, and imposter syndrome that impact women in academia. This can involve actively praising and lifting up our women colleagues to promote our collective achievements and Reactionsstrengths. from the audience livened up the event. The energetic flow of discussions enriched the insights on making academia a more welcoming and accommodating space for women to flourish in our respective fields. Ustinov College’s Assistant Principal, Dr Sarah Rosen, and Sociology PhD candidate, Ayurshi Dutt, provided excellent feedback and insights about the speeches and the conversations. At the end of the event, the online and in-person audience voted for the three best speakers. Congratulations to Arwa Alzraiy, Tarneem Hamad, and Xinyue Li! The event was a resounding success, with more than 20 attendees. More importantly, the event provided dynamic spaces for dialogue on how we can work together to advance or support women’s rights and welfare in academia and beyond.
Some of the speakers discussed the glaring gender gaps in literary fiction, silencing women’s voices in stories that should feature them at the centre.
SP: Has the role been what you expected, or has it presented any surprises or any challenges? EW: Well, I wasn’t really used to the collegiate system, so I’ve had to learn how the GCR works. We’re reporting to trustees, and then reporting to the College, and to the University as well. I would say that, of course, I expected the role to entail planning a variety of events. Being responsible for the majority of the student experience at Ustinov College, particularly the social side, was slightly more responsibility than I thought. So that’s taking a bit of getting used to. One pleasant surprise, I didn’t expect to be linking up with the surrounding community and I’m glad that we get the opportunity to invite locals to events. We’re not just separate from everything else, we actually get involved within the Durham community, particularly here in Sheraton Park.
SP: And that speaks very much to the College tagline of ‘Local Community, Global Citizens’, which is why we’re delighted to welcome you today to talk about leadership in the local community. Both in terms of, obviously, the College community in this context, but also the wider relationship with the local neighbourhood. What would you say to other students who might be thinking about going for either leadership roles or executive roles within their common rooms?
Emily Watson, GCR President: An Interview Conducted by Vice Principal of Ustinov College, Sarah Prescott, for International Women’s Day
EW: I think if you care about the student experience that you get, then you should apply for a role. You don’t necessarily have to be the President, there are so many different roles available. And I think that diversity of representation is really important because each individual will bring something different to the table. People come from different backgrounds and different experiences, and these can all be used to represent as many people as possible.
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SP: That sounds really, really interesting. That’s obviously what attracted you to the PhD at Durham. When you arrived at Durham, what attracted you to the role of GCR President within the College?
EW: I had been President of the Football Society during my undergrad, and I was very much interested in getting involved in more central University matters. But I was too busy during my Master’s to do so. When I came to Durham, I thought that this role would be a good opportunity to fulfil this aim, as well as being fully immersed in the Ustinov Community, as I like to be involved in the student experience.
Emily Watson: Before this, I was in Bristol doing Politics and International Relations as my undergraduate degree. After that, I did a master’s degree in International Development. I took a few years out before starting my PhD. I did some work and volunteering with a disaster relief charity and was coaching a men’s football team—a homeless football team. And once I decided to do my PhD, I saw the course at Durham, and I was pretty excited. I spoke to my supervisors, and I chose to come here. So now I’m doing a PhD in Politics, specifically feminist foreign policy, which looks to change the shape of foreign policy through intersectionality, moving away from traditional and masculinised versions of foreign policy.
Ustinov Meets…
In the GCR, we’ve got a Treasurer, Welfare Representative, Student Union Representative, Secretary, and Chair. And all these have very important responsibilities. So, for the Treasurer, if you’re good with maths, or you’re doing some kind of financial or business degree, you can bring your knowledge to the GCR and help get things through smoothly. If you’ve been involved in any kind of welfare or charity before, or even if you’re just concerned with welfare, there are many different events that we do towards welfare. The Students Union Rep is really important, because we need someone who will liaise with the University for us, so we can get stuff done and also follow things through properly. Unfortunately, at the beginning of this year we had a spiking incident. We were able to work with the University quickly through our Students Union Rep to get support, like anti-spiking materials. And we also have positions such as Livers Out Representative, for students who are not living in College accommodation. If there are things we could be doing better to be inclusive, then the Livers Out Rep will be able to tell us what we can do to get Ustinovians involved who don’t live Thereonsite.are also non-exec roles. Under Welfare there are sub-sections, so you would have the Men’s Rep, the Woman’s Rep, BAME Rep, LGBTQ Rep. We’ve been liaising with them, particularly this term, to try and plan events for these different groups so everyone feels included. We also have the Ball and Formal Officer, who helps us with the balls and formals, which are very important as they’re a big part of the College experience. And there are even roles like Gym Rep or Eco Rep, there’s so many different roles that you can do. And as the GCR is responsible for a large part of the student experience at Ustinov, the more people on the team means that we can fulfil our role more efficiently. SP: I’m delighted you mentioned diversity in terms of representation because it’s a 26
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Sarah Prescott: Welcome to Ustinov College’s ‘Ustinov Meets’ interview series. Today, as part of the International Women’s Day celebrations at Ustinov College, we are delighted to welcome Emily Watson, Graduate Common Room President. My name is Sarah Prescott, the Vice Principal of Ustinov College, and it’s my pleasure today to interview Emily and ask her a few questions about her role as GCR President—and her sporting achievements while here at the University as a PhD student. So, no further delay, I’ll move to Emily and ask her the first question, which is what brought her to Durham in the first place?
By Janelle Rabe This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can find the interview in its entirety on the Ustinov College website.
EW: Get involved with the GCR. It’s very rewarding and you get to meet a lot of people. You get to work as a team and it’s really fun to actually produce an event or a welfare activity that helps people. And, of course, you can put it on your CV and you can be proud of that. If there’s something that you think should be improved, get involved. Things can only change with people’s involvement.
...it’s a very diverse community at Ustinov, with over 94 nationalities represented across our student body this year 27 theUstinovian
SP: So, the ability to manage priorities, to manage your time, and to balance conflicting priorities, are obviously key skills that are required for the role. What other skills do you think you either might need to do the role, or that you might develop during the role?
very diverse community at Ustinov, with over 94 nationalities represented across our student body this year—with a lot of different faiths and cultures. And good gender balance is also important. You mentioned reflecting and representing the student body to the University, could you talk a little bit more about how you work with the College Management Team as well?
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EW: I would say, firstly, positivity. If you’re positive, that filters down to your exec, and then even to the other echelons of the whole community. So, I think positivity is really key to good leadership. I’m going to reiterate that delegation is really important to good leadership. You can’t do everything yourself. You need to be able to problem solve, because there are going to be issues and problems, nothing is going to run smoothly all the time. So definitely get used to problem solving and trying to work as a team. Also, relationship building, especially with the role in the GCR. Because you are talking to many different people, you’ve got to build those relationships. Sometimes you will have to have difficult conversations, but you need to try and have good relationships with people.
EW: I’ve touched on this already, but I would say you can’t do everything yourself. Even if you are a perfectionist, reach out. There are lots of people around that can support you, so delegate and trust those around you. I think that’s good advice for anyone in any role.We need spaces for dialogue on how we can work together to advance or support women’s rights and welfare in academia and beyond.
SP: I’m glad you mentioned teamwork and development and continuous improvement, because you’ve very nicely segued me into my next question. Alongside your GCR Presidency role, and your PHD, you also represent the College and the University on their football teams. What sort of skills do you feel might transfer from your role within sport across to your role in the College? EW: I would definitely say confidence— believing in yourself. I think that any key to success is believing in your own ability. Once you realise performance is all about believing in yourself—people say that scoring in particular is about 40% ability, and then 60% mentality—I think that you can transfer that into any endeavour that you go into. So whether that’s being the President, or within my PhD, you just have to remember how you got here, and then follow through and believe in yourself. I’d also say that a very transferable skill that I’ve learned from football again, is communication. Whether I’m on the football pitch or whether I’m talking with my exec, a team can only be successful if everyone knows what’s going on and they plan ahead. I would also say planning as you would plan formations and team tactics beforehand, and you also need to have a plan for the year ahead for your team and for yourself.
EW: A big part of it is that you gain confidence in yourself. And, as I said before, you can transfer that into other things. I would say, you can do stuff that perhaps you never realised you can do. And if you can do that in sport that means you can also do it in other endeavours. Being a part of such a supportive community, team building and making friends, you always know that you have that network, and you can fall back on them. I can say from my own experience that, although you do make friends on your course, you feel closer with those that you play sport with, and I think it’s really nice to have that friendship network. I think it helps to break stereotypes about women’s capabilities. If girls do play sport, they have this certain stereotype that surrounds them. I think you can break stereotypes and change people’s ideas about how far women can go. One challenge is that more investment needs to be made, both financially and with support. I feel a lot of people still argue that women shouldn’t be equally paid, and they mock Women’s sport. But I feel any real advancements can only be made if there’s genuine investment and support. The Women’s Super League for football, for example, has grown in popularity, and the standard of pay has progressed. Women’s football was banned in the UK for over 50 years, and as a result of that, the sport is behind the men’s standard. But it doesn’t mean that it can’t reach those heights, and investment is key. SP: I wonder if you can tell me what good leadership looks like to you?
EW: I would say communication. Communication has been key because, as I’ve said about the structure before, I’ve had to report to trustees, to the College, to central University, obviously my own exec, and Ustinovians. So, I’ve definitely learned the importance of making sure that everyone’s in the loop. Something that I’ve also learned the hard way is delegation. It’s really important to delegate at the start. You want to do everything, and if you’re a perfectionist like myself, you just need to realise that there’s a team around you for good reason—all of whom are very capable of undertaking their jobs. You just need to be aware of that and reach out and make sure you’re not trying to do it all yourself. Also, I’d say you need to learn that you can’t make everyone happy, unfortunately. So, you need to be able to take criticism in your stride, and learn from it, and improve in whatever way that may be.
SP: On a final note, looking back now, what would you have said to yourself in October?
SP: Those are very important and transferable skills, thank you. I think you’ve nicely segued again into my next question, which was going to be around women and girls, and how that seems to be a rapidly developing area in football, but also across sport. What do you feel are the benefits to getting girls and women into sport and what might be the main challenges that still remain?
EW: With the College Management Team, I have meetings with them every week. So, if there are matters or concerns that I can’t particularly address myself, I always go to the College and we try and work together in order to solve different problems. And we try and plan events together as well. The College will get the news out for us, and also help pay for stuff, which is also great! The College supports students who plan academic student experiences, and we try and liaise with them in order to make events bigger—often that’s collaboration between the GCR and the Global Citizenship Programme. And if I have a problem, or something I want to raise at the University level, the College will help me in order to do that, too.
SP: This interview is going to be released to applicants who might be looking at coming to the College next year, and I was wondering if you have one message you could give in relation to the GCR and getting involved with the GCR.
durham.ac.uk
The men’s teams had a reasonable start to the tournament. Durham 1sts came top of their group, beating the #1 seed and championship holders, Liverpool 1st, in the group stages and comfortably sealing their place in the knockout stages for Men’s Championship. Durham 2nds made it through a tough group, placing third and securing their competition in the Men’s Trophy knockouts. The women’s team from Durham also did very well, placing 2nd in their group and making it through to the Women’s TheChampionship.finaldayof reckoning arrived, with all teams qualifying for knockout play. Durham 1sts fell early, losing to an in-form Dundee 1sts, who reached the semi-finals. Durham 2nds beat Sheffield Hallam 1sts (predicted by many to win the entire tournament), then losing to the eventual finalists from Strathclyde 1sts (containing the Individual Championship Winner). On the women’s side, Durham 1sts had a good run, beating the second seed in the tournament. In reaching the semi-finals, they had already secured a BUCS medal—unfortunately, they lost to Aberystwyth 1sts, the winners of the entire Women’s Championship. All in all, BUCS 8-ball 2022 was a fantastic experience for Durham Cue Sports. Each Durham team had a stiff draw in the knockout groups. Many of our old faces had previously graduated, with a substantial number of players
Ustinov Joins the Team SportsCue
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By Brad Din 28 Durham University Cue Sports embarked on the first BUCS 8-Ball Pool tournament since the start of the pandemic. Like many things in the world, the tournament experience was completely different in the wake of COVID-19—instead of a long-standing single venue, this year’s tournament was split across three different venues in Longton, Stokeon-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. However, the quality of the competition had only improved. After Durham 1sts came runners up at the most recent tournament they attended, we had high hopes for this outing.
in the squad experiencing their first BUCS tournament. In any case, it seems certain to say that the future of Durham Cue Sports will be in safe hands. We turn our attention now to the upcoming BUCS Snooker competition; looking to challenge the best universities in the country yet again. If you have any questions about cue sports (English 8-ball, American 9-ball, or Snooker), or would like to get involved, then please do not hesitate to get in contact with me. If you’re interested in trying one of our introduction sessions or already have some cue skills and would like to join the team contact me on twitter at: @DUCueSports Ustinovian
The final day of knockoutqualifyingarrived,reckoningwithallteamsforplay. CitizensGlobalCommunity,Local
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Celebration 30 Ustinov College’s Castle Formal, April 2022
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