leedsbeckett.ac.uk/alumni facebook.com/LeedsBeckettAlumni @BeckettAlumni

Leeds Beckett University alumni magazineIssue 18

great impact, with more students accessing their support and also dropping in to chat about university life. I really enjoyed sitting down with them myself and hearing more about the work the wider team does in representing students.

I also had the pleasure of attending our University’s Long Service Awards for staff – congratulations to everyone who has served 25 years or more at our University this year. There is a real sense of occasion as these colleagues meet to share their memories of our institution over lunch and it’s an honour to be able to help them celebrate their commitment to our University, students and colleagues.

Finally, Graduation 2015 is upon us and I’m looking forward to congratulating our first Leeds Beckett University graduates as well as awarding honorary awards to those whose work and achievements reflect the

values of our University and inspire our students and graduates.

Having met a range of exceptional people through the Foundation of Light, the charity I founded when I was chairman of Sunderland Football Club and still chair today, I’m pleased to be able to use those contacts to nominate some outstanding individuals and organisations worthy of the accolade in order to expand our University networks, foster relationships and ultimately create new and exciting opportunities for our staff, students and alumni.

Congratulations to all of this year’s graduates. I hope their studies give them the confidence and ambition to achieve their goals and succeed in their chosen careers or whatever they choose to do next.

Sir Bob Murray CBE

After I became Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University in 2013, I pledged to give £30,000 to students over six years to help those that need a bit of extra support to achieve their goals.

This year, Billy Haigh, Louise Wade, Saeed Muthana, Jugraj Singh Bhadal and Jamie Howarth received the scholarship award to help support their studies. Congratulations to them all! It is very rewarding for me to be able to give something back to my university by supporting these hard working, talented students. I hope the scholarships will make a real difference to them and I wish them every success in their studies.

I met with the Students’ Union president, Jay Malpass-Clark, when I was back in Leeds and had a tour of their new premises. There have been several transformations of our estate in the last few years, directly in response to student feedback. Moving the Students’ Union to a location more visible to our students is just one of the ways in which we are working to enhance our student experience. I know from speaking with Union officers that this has already had a

WELCOMEI was delighted to visit campus recently to award this year’s Sir Bob Murray Scholarships to five very deserving first year Leeds Beckett students who are just starting their journey with us.

From our Vice Chancellor

As we come to the close of another academic year, we are celebrating the achievements of another cohort of graduates.

I’m sure you remember your graduation day – the sense of pride and achievement, the hope, the aspirations. It is such a life-defining moment for so many. It gives me great pleasure to preside over these ceremonies and this year shall be particularly special to me as these are the final graduations before I retire in September.

We have had quite a year at Leeds Beckett University. We have continued to build our international profile and extend our reach overseas with delegations to India and China where we met senior figures and graduates in those countries. The reputation of research at our University continues to grow. We demonstrated advancement in a number of areas in the Research Excellence Framework which is used to assess university research activity, and we launched our fourth Research Institute focused on retail just a couple of months ago. We have celebrated the Professorial Inaugural Lectures of seven new professors: David Carless, Martin Samy, Simon Gardiner, Alan Simson, Alex Nunn, Teresa Stoppani and Sue Backhouse. We also celebrated a high-profile guest speaker programme which you may have attended, retained the annual Varsity trophy for the 10th consecutive year in a day of sporting contests against the University of Leeds, and we were recognised in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index at number 51 this year – a rise of 117 places from last year – showing our continued commitment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender agenda.

These are just a handful of the achievements during the last 12 months – I could fill this magazine with many more!

Whatever your relationship with us, I would like to wish you the very best for the future, and please do keep in touch with us.

Professor Susan Price,Vice Chancellor

MOMENTUM / 18

Hello from Leeds Beckett University.

This edition of Momentum marks a significant anniversary - it’s 10 years since our alumni magazine was launched.

This is our 18th edition, but in issue one we featured alumnus Ricky Wilson and caught up with the lead singer of the Kaiser Chiefs ahead of the band’s European tour and performance at Glastonbury. Issue one also included the story of our University’s India Office launch 4,000 miles away in Delhi. We are very pleased to say that our India Office is still going strong today and it also recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. If anyone has a copy of Momentum issue one, we would love to hear from you.

2015 has been an exciting year for our University. We have entered the Stonewall Top 100 Employers, ranking at 51st place. This reflects our inclusive community and also the sustained energy and enthusiasm for promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues across our University. We have also welcomed Professor Phil Cardew as Deputy Vice Chancellor,

Academic. Professor Cardew was formerly Pro Vice Chancellor, Academic, at London South Bank University and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in English from the University of Southampton and a PhD from the University of Leeds. It has also been an exciting couple of months for the Alumni, Partner Engagement & Events team. In March, our 14 Bright Futures scholars were announced, coinciding with our Spring Alumni Calling Campaign, which you can see featured on page 4.

This issue also features alumni in our Where Are They Now? article. We had an overwhelming response on our Leeds Beckett Alumni LinkedIn discussion asking for alumni to share their success stories. A few are included in this issue and you will see more in issue 19. We love to see, read and hear what our alumni are doing now, so please keep your success stories coming in.

Once again, it’s been a pleasure to edit this magazine and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Joe Taylor BA (Hons) Sports Marketing & Public Relations (2012)

From the Editor

Chancellor Sir Bob Murray with four of the five recipients of this year’s Sir Bob Murray Scholarships

If you are interested in featuring in a future edition of Momentum, email alumni@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Momentum is published for the alumni and friends of Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Polytechnic, James Graham College, City of Leeds College of Education, Carnegie Physical Training College, City of Leeds Training College, Yorkshire College of Education & Home Economics, Yorkshire Training School of Cookery, Leeds College of Commerce, Leeds College of Art (pre-1970), Leeds College of Technology (pre-1970), Yorkshire Training College of Housecraft.

The views expressed within this publication are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of our University.

FEATURESOur honorary graduates 7Each year, as well as celebrating the achievements of our graduating students, we award honorary degrees to inspirational people.

Reach for the Sky 9Alumnus Stuart Payling recounts his journey from student at our University to Marketing Executive at Sky.

Enterprise 11Find out about the services our Enterprise & Innovation Academy can offer alumni.

Enterprise success stories 12Be inspired by our entrepreneurial alumni.

Sport coaching goes global 21Find out more about our partnership with the International Council for Coaching Excellence.

Commissioning Editor: Patsy Robertshaw

Editor: Joe Taylor

Contributors: Darren Aldred, Penny Brazier, Andrew Bush, Pete Butler, Kirstie Frenneaux, Thomas Gadd, Sam Gibson, Emma Gilbert, Julie Harris, Mikaela Hulme, Alex Keating, Thomas Lyon, Kiran Mehta, Georgie Mills, Fern Pullan, Keith Rowntree, Joe Swan, Anna Towers, Julia Williams.

Correspondence is welcome and should be addressed to: Alumni Team, Leeds Beckett University, Brontë G05, Leeds LS6 3QS

+44(0)113 812 3147

alumni@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

leedsbeckett.ac.uk/alumni

Contents

REGULARSUniversity news 2

Events 3

Giving news 4

Ten things 5

Research news 13-15

Alumni social media and competition 16

My room, your office 17

Postgraduate success stories 20

Sports news 23

Where are they now? 25

Digging through the archives 27

9

11 12

7

Leeds Beckett recognised in Stonewall top 100 Our University has been recognised for its commitment to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) staff and students in the latest Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

We entered the top 100 British employers for the first time in 51st position, a rise of 117 places from last year’s ranking in Stonewall’s nationally recognised league table of gay-friendly employers.

Vice Chancellor Professor Susan Price said: “We are delighted to have been named in Stonewall’s top 100 and this outcome reflects a sustained programme of work and continued activity around the LGBT agenda at our University.”

Deputy Vice Chancellor appointedIn March, we welcomed Professor Phil Cardew as our new Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic.

Professor Cardew was formerly Pro Vice Chancellor, Academic, at London South Bank University. He holds a first-class BA (Hons) in English from the University of Southampton and a PhD from the University of Leeds. Prior to his role at London South Bank University, he was Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Winchester. Professor Cardew has also worked extensively for the Quality Assurance Agency in the UK and undertook institutional reviews in Oman and Australia.

Research assessment outcomesOur University is celebrating its growing reputation for research following its best results from the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The REF is an assessment of university research activity which is used to determine funding for universities across the country in a range of subject areas.

Professor Andrew Slade, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research & Enterprise at our University, said: “I am delighted to see improvements in quality in all areas compared to the previous research assessment in 2008. The results show that we are absolutely committed to having world leading, practical research, which underpins our teaching and delivery of our courses and this in turn provides an inspirational and dynamic environment in which our students can thrive.”

Chair of the BoardDavid Lowen has taken up the position of Chair of our Board of Governors

David knows Leeds well, having previously lived in the city for 30 years. He is a former Editor of Calendar News and was a Director at Yorkshire Television for six years where he was responsible for network programme development and corporate development. David established and was the first Chairman of Leeds Media, the best-practice organisation for media companies in Leeds, and he was also previously Director of the Yorkshire Screen Commission (now Screen Yorkshire) and Chairman of Leeds Studios.

University news Vice Chancellor appointment announcedProfessor Peter Slee will be Leeds Beckett University’s new Vice Chancellor when our current Vice Chancellor, Professor Susan Price, retires at the end of August this year.

Professor Slee is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Huddersfield where he has helped drive major improvements in student satisfaction levels, research outcomes and the university’s league table position.

Professor Slee has a wealth of experience in the sector and possesses an in-depth knowledge of the local and regional environment within which our University operates. He also has an excellent track record of senior leadership across similar institutions notable for achieving success and transformational change. Prior to taking up his current role at the University of Huddersfield in 2010, he held a number of senior roles in higher education management at Northumbria, Durham and Aston universities, and he was also Head of Education Policy at the Confederation of British Industry. His leadership and vision will be critical in developing our next strategic plan.

1 MOMENTUM / 18

MomentumLeeds Beckett University alumni magazineIssue 18

Giving newsAt Leeds Beckett University, we make real improvements to people’s lives. With a long and proud history of raising aspirations and achievements, we can make higher education accessible to those who may not have considered it.

Jessica Swain, a student caller who is in the final year of a BA (Hons) in Education Studies, said: “The calling campaign donations really do make a difference to disadvantaged young people. It gives them the chance to fulfil their potential. One of the best parts of being a student caller was the conversations with alumni; learning about their time at our University and what they have done since they graduated. One particular conversation that always sticks with me was with an elderly man who had spent a lot of time volunteering in Africa teaching orphans.”

Our March 2015 calling campaign raised more than £10,000, equating to another 10 scholarships to be awarded in the future.

Bright Futures Scholarship recipient Aidan Hall, who is in the first year of a BA (Hons) in Social Work, said: “This scholarship means a great deal to me as it has given me the opportunity to express myself academically and helped me out in areas where I would otherwise have struggled. It gives more people a fair chance at succeeding and can allow our University to unearth talents that would have been missed without this financial support. I would personally like to say a massive thank you to the alumni of our University who donated towards this scholarship. What you have done is fantastic.”

March 2015 saw the return of our Spring Alumni Calling campaign.

Since 2013, our University has been able to award 40 Bright Futures Scholarships of £1,000 each to talented undergraduate students who might otherwise have been unable to afford a university education. These scholarships are funded by generous donations from our alumni. Each campaign, a group of student callers from Leeds Beckett University take to the phones, contacting up to 10,000 alumni over a four to six-week period.

Our Leeds Business School programme, which was sponsored by Yorkshire Bank, had a successful run of 12 speakers. Our most popular events were A New Era in Communication: The Science of Engagement, by PR guru Colin Byrne, and our annual Economic Prospects lecture, by Will Holman, Deputy Agent of the Bank of England. Will delivered the lecture to an impressive 125 guests, and looked at the current global economic development and uncertainty and how this is likely to affect the UK and regional economy.

Carnegie Conversations, sponsored by FrontRow Legal, was also extremely well attended with a number of high-profile speakers from the world of sport gracing our University. The series opened with Jamie Peacock and Jamie Jones-Buchanan in conversation with Tanya Arnold discussing My Journey is Your Journey – A Tale of Two Rhinos, closely followed by The Yorkshire Way, an evening with Dickie Bird and Andrew Gale in conversation with Dave Callaghan.

Our newest addition to the guest speaker programme, the Faculty of Arts, Environment & Technology had a successful start to the year with its first lecture attracting one of the biggest audiences across the 2014/15 series. Tracey Thorn is a singer-songwriter and author, best known for her work as half of Everything But The Girl. The event, Tracey Thorn in Conversation with Peter Mills, attracted more than 100 guests on the evening.

We are currently working on our speaker programme for 2015/16, which will be available to book via leedsbeckett.ac.uk/events in September. If you have any questions on our series or would like to discuss delivering a lecture yourself, please email us at eventsteam@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Dickie Bird and Andrew Gale in conversation with Dave Callaghan Date: 4 February 2015Lecture: The Yorkshire Way

Alan Crane, construction industry adviser and consultantDate: 17 February 2015Lecture: Culture of a Future Integrated Industry – What Can Education Provide?

Derek Redmond, British athlete Date: 15 April 2015Lecture: Sport is a Journey of Physical and Mental Challenges

EventsIt has been another great year for our guest speaker programme. We welcomed 21 speakers to our University during 2014/15, our highest number of speakers to date. We saw the return of our established Leeds Business School series and Carnegie Conversations, and also introduced our first Faculty of Arts, Environment & Technology guest speaker programme.

Tracey Thorn, singer-songwriter and authorDate: 15 October 2014Lecture: Tracey Thorn in Conversation with Peter Mills

Colin Byrne, Chief Executive, Weber ShandwickDate: 11 November 2014Lecture: A New Era in Communication: The Science of Engagement

Will Holman, Deputy Agent, Bank of EnglandDate: 13 January 2015Lecture: Economic Prospects

REGULAR 4 3 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

to support you after graduating

10% discount on courses*

MyHub

Networking events

Degree certificates and transcripts

Jobs and careers support

Library membership

Global volunteering projects

Ten things

1

2

65

9

7

Enterprise & Innovation Academy mentoring

Enterprise & Innovation Academy start-up funding

Gym membership8

4

3

10

Our jobs and careers support services can provide you with free career advice and guidance, including how to write your CV, developing your interview skills and nurturing employer engagement.

We can supply a copy of your degree certificate, a letter of verification, a diploma supplement or a copy of your transcript.

If you are a recent graduate, we offer a one-to-one mentoring service to ensure you get the best possible information and guidance for your business.

We can help you with the difficult task of sourcing and applying for external funding for new businesses.

Our international volunteering projects are open to alumni and can enhance your personal and professional development.

You can access MyHub online job adverts for five years after you graduate.

We host a number of networking events and lectures throughout the year to help you keep in touch with our University and help you grow your professional networks.

For an annual subscription, you can enjoy 24-hour access to the libraries at our City and Headingley campuses.

If you are after some of the best facilities in the region for recreation, fitness or competitive sport, our Community Sports Membership is available.

Whether you’re interested in career progression or a career change, we have a course that’s right for you.

* Terms and conditions apply. Please visit our website for further details: leedsbeckett.ac.uk/alumnidiscount REGULAR 6 5 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

Our honorary graduatesEach year, as well as celebrating the achievements of our graduating students, we award honorary degrees to inspiring people who have made a significant contribution to their field.

Those receiving awards at this year’s ceremonies include the 8th Earl of Harewood, David Lascelles, architect and television presenter George Clarke and former Leeds Beckett student and rugby union World Cup winner Emily Scarratt.

Other notable individuals who have received honorary degrees from Leeds Beckett include:

Harry Potter actor Matthew LewisMatthew Lewis is an actor who portrayed loveable northerner Neville Longbottom in all eight Harry Potter films. Matthew, who was born and bred in Leeds and recently starred in the primetime BBC One series The Syndicate alongside Timothy Spall and Joanna Page, was awarded an honorary masters by our University for his significant contribution to the arts and charity work.

Emmerdale actress Gaynor FayeLeeds-born actress Gaynor Faye currently plays fiery businesswoman Megan Macey in Emmerdale and previously played Judy Mallett in Coronation Street. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts in 2013.

True Blood star Alexander SkarsgårdLeeds Beckett alumnus Alexander Skarsgård is a Hollywood actor, ex-Marine and star of the hugely successful series True Blood and Generation Kill. He has acted in blockbusters such as Zoolander, Melancholia and a remake of the 1971 classic Straw Dogs, featuring Kate Bosworth. Alexander studied English at our University, renting a basement flat in Otley Road, before moving to a New York theatre school and becoming an actor.

BRIT Award-winning band RudimentalPiers Aggett and Kesi Dryden, of chart toppers and BRIT Award winners Rudimental, returned to Leeds Beckett in 2014 to receive honorary degrees. Piers and Kesi graduated from our University in 2008 having studied BSc (Hons) Creative Music and Sound Technology.

Legendary cricketer Geoffrey BoycottGeoffrey Boycott was a leading light in English cricket for a quarter of a century, making over 48,000 runs and scoring 151 first-class hundreds in his career with Yorkshire and England. He ended his playing career in 1986, was awarded an OBE by the Queen in recognition of his services to cricket, and has become an often controversial commentator on the game.

Comedy legend Barry CryerBarry Cryer, one of Britain’s most successful and long-standing writers and performers, received an honorary Doctorate of Arts in 2013. Barry – who has written material for household names including Morecambe and Wise, Ronnie Barker, Bruce Forsyth and Billy Connolly – has contributed to the UK’s entertainment industry for more than 50 years and was awarded an OBE in 2001.

7 FEATURE MOMENTUM / 18

MOBO founder Kanya KingKanya King, the founder and chief executive of the MOBO Awards, was awarded an honorary degree by Leeds Beckett in 2009 in recognition of her contribution to the music industry. As well as being the driving force behind the MOBO Awards, Kanya is an internationally recognised entrepreneur and innovator and in 1999 was awarded an MBE for her services to the music industry.

2009/101st year at University

2010/112nd Year at University

2011/123rd Year at University

2012/131st year at Sky

2013/142nd year at Sky

20153rd year at Sky

Reach for the SkyStuart Payling graduated from our University in 2012 with a BA (Hons) in Sports Marketing & PR. Here he recalls his journey from fresher to Marketing Executive at Sky.

1st day at UniversityHeadingley Campus was one of the things that convinced me to study at Leeds Beckett, but walking across the lawn on my first day was still daunting.

2nd year as a studentOne thing I didn’t expect to learn during a Marketing and PR degree was Swedish, but having the opportunity to work with IKEA in my second year was testament to the University’s connections, which was another reason why I chose to study here.

1st day of Believing in BetterMy first day at Sky as a Marketing Graduate was possibly one of the most exciting of my life so far. Joining a company full of brilliant people renowned for pushing every boundary was the best way to have a first tilt at Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.

Sky Atlantic and Sky ArtsI look back on the six months I spent working on Sky Atlantic and Sky Arts in my second year as a Sky Marketing Graduate as the experience that showed me I’m advertising at heart.

Few things left me as star struck as sitting opposite Stephen Fry and Kiefer Sutherland in a tiny church as they read through their script for the Christmas special Marked, although taking a seat on the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones is well up there.

Eight months into a career with Sky SportsWriting this in April, I’ve been part of the Sky Sports marketing team for eight months and can safely say pursuing this career has been brilliant.

Managing our 2015 Masters golf tournament campaign was a highlight. I’m sure there’ll be lots more to come, but I’m in no doubt that where I’ve managed to get to is thanks to help from lots of great people at Leeds Beckett, so thank you very much.

Looking forwardIt’s getting close to the most exciting part of the year for Sky Sports: our annual campaign for the start of the new Barclays Premier League season. It’s great to be right in amongst it at such a critical time for the brand and the business.

1st day at Sky BetAt the end of my first year I joined Sky Bet as a part-time marketing assistant. I’m in no doubt that this opportunity was the sort of thing I needed, so thank you for putting me forward Angela, Mike and Kacy (BA (Hons) Sports Marketing & PR tutors).

Leaving Leeds BeckettThree amazing years at Leeds Beckett ended with graduation in summer 2012. Being awarded a first-class honours degree made all the hard work worthwhile, but a lot of the success was down to help from the great people I met along the way.

Print it one-sided to make it feel heavierThis was some advice given to me at University for my dissertation, which was then 105 pages and 24,000 words long. No doubt, every graduate will agree there aren’t many better feelings than handing a dissertation in.

(Special thanks to Angela Green for being an amazing tutor on this work!)

1st year as a studentI learned lots of things in my first year, but the one that stuck was that advertising and sport were career paths I needed to follow.

FEATURE 10 9 FEATURE MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

At Leeds Beckett University, we recognise our role in fostering graduate employability and being a catalyst

for social and economic progress in our region and beyond. Through our Enterprise & Innovation Academy, we offer free skills training and business advice to students and graduates looking to start their own business or social enterprise. Engaging with us means we can help you recognise relevant funding, training or networking opportunities, and connect you with the expertise appropriate to you and your business. Our students and graduates (up to five years after graduating) can also access an entrepreneur boot camp, free Chamber of Commerce membership and free business start-up support, including a business address for up to a year.

Our Enterprise & Innovation Academy also offers a variety of business premises and office services in Leeds and Wakefield at affordable and competitive rates. Our flexible packages are designed to suit your individual business needs; whether you are looking for a creative co-working space in which to collaborate and build connections or a professional space to hold meetings.

For more details, visit our website

leedsbeckett.ac.uk/eiabusiness

• Helped create 166 businesses and 204 jobs.

• Awarded 186 proof of concept and start-up grants worth £220,000.

• Provided £30,000 of support for social enterprises.

• Delivered 1,658 mentor appointments.

• Recently partnered with local law firm Lupton Fawcett Denison Till to provide a year’s free legal support worth £30,000 to six of our fledgling businesses.

• Awarded five Vice Chancellor’s Enterprise Scholarships, worth a total of £15,000, to students over the last five years.

• Provided £111,000 of European Regional Development Fund support to 29 individuals and helped create 11 businesses over the last five years.

Enterprise statistics

leedsbeckett.ac.uk/alumni LeedsBeckettAlumni @BeckettAlumni

Get in touch!

Kirstie Frenneaux

Whether you are looking to start your own business, develop your product portfolio or simply enhance your enterprise skills, we can help you reach your goals.

Enterprise

For more information, please visit leedsbeckett.ac.uk/eiastudents

Our Enterprise & Innovation Academy has:

GRADUATE ENTERPRISE SUCCESS

CadmaqAbiodun ‘Abi’ Yusuf studied an MSc in Advanced Engineering Management at Leeds Beckett University and currently lectures first-year engineering students in their computing modules at our University.

Alongside his lecturing, Abi runs his own company, Cadmaq, which provides CAD-based mechanical engineering systems design consultancy to a wide range of industries. Cadmaq is almost a year old and is an Enterprise & Innovation Academy client. Abi wants to grow Cadmaq into a leading systems-development company in the flight simulation and training industry, ensuring pilot training simulators are preparing pilots for real-world operations.

Moo’d Cereal HouseIn February this year, Leeds Beckett graduates Jenn Gibb and Zoe Blogg launched Moo’d Cereal House, a bar-style café, in Headingley, serving more than 100 types of cereal from around the world.

In developing their business concept, the entrepreneurial duo received support from Leeds Beckett’s Enterprise & Innovation Academy, including mentoring from a business adviser and a proof-of-concept grant designed to help establish the feasibility of their business idea. Talking about their experience, Zoe said: “Leeds is such an amazing city and full of independent businesses and exciting activities. We were really excited about launching Moo’d. It’s a totally new concept for Yorkshire, but our mentor and business adviser gave us the motivation to make our idea happen.”

Response to Moo’d Cereal House has been positive, and Jenn and Zoe have since won the 2015 Business Concept of the Year award, an annual competition open to Leeds Beckett students and graduates which offers a £1,500 prize to the best early stage business idea.

FEATURE 12MOMENTUM / 18 11 FEATURE MOMENTUM / 18

Zoe Blogg (left) Jenn Gibb

Leeds Beckett scientists prepare Army for Everest challenge

and improve their chances of reaching the top of Mount Everest.

Speaking before the team headed out to Nepal, Dr O’Hara said: “At high altitude, pulmonary diffusion and oxygen transportation are limited, meaning the body is in a state of oxygen deficiency. The body tries to compensate for this, and through acclimatisation the situation can be improved. However, at extreme altitudes such as on Mount Everest, the body cannot completely compensate, which makes such a challenge very hard and potentially life-threatening. Therefore, we hope this training prior to the expedition will help them acclimatise more effectively while on the mountain and enhance their performance.”

Ahead of the expedition, Dr Kirsty Watson, British Army team doctor and an Army Reserve officer with 208 Field Hospital in Blackpool, said: “My role is to keep the team alive and well on the mountain and bring them home again! The injuries that you see tend to be injuries from falling, problems with their teeth, lots of altitude sickness, pulmonary oedema (the build-up of fluid within the lungs) and cerebral

During the training, the Army team spent prolonged periods of time each day in our University’s environmental chamber, which simulates extreme altitude conditions. The scientists tested the team both before and after the training to measure effectiveness of the pre-acclimatisation protocol.

Due to the tragic earthquake and avalanches which struck shortly after their arrival in Nepal, the team were unable to complete the expedition as planned. However, all the team have returned safely to the UK. Please consider donating to the Nepal Earthquake Appeal to help those affected.

Photos courtesy of Corporal Michael Strachan, Royal Logistic Corps, British Army.

oedema (fluid on the brain), chest and skin infections. I’m expecting to see all of these, which is part of my duty of care.”

A team of six regular and reserve soldiers, along with a team doctor, departed from the UK in April to

attempt to climb the world’s highest mountain. As part of their preparations for the conditions they expected to face, the team took part in a research study led by Leeds Beckett PhD student Mark Cooke, which was supervised by Dr John O’Hara, Reader in Sport and Exercise Physiology, and Visiting Professor Lt Col David Woods.

Our University experts put the team through a pre-acclimatisation protocol, allowing the expedition team to experience and acclimatise to the physiological challenges of climbing at extreme altitude

Mark Cooke said: “We can assess the team’s responses in our environmental chamber where we can control the environment and monitor how they respond, which in turn can help us to try and predict how they may respond throughout the expedition. Many of the team have got lots of experience of altitude exposure, so they’re quite comfortable with some of the symptoms which occur on exposure to hypoxic (reduced oxygen content) environments. Certain individuals respond well to altitude and are efficient in their adaptation. However, some individuals do not cope well at altitude and are therefore more at risk of altitude-related illnesses such as acute mountain sickness.”

British Army soldiers were put through their paces by sport scientists at Leeds Beckett University as they prepared to climb the North Ridge route of Mount Everest.

“I think that this training will make us feel more prepared going to altitude. I think what we are doing here is amazing and that it’s going to be the future. It’s really quite exciting to be involved.” Dr Kirsty Watson, British Army team doctor.

Dr Kirsty Watson

REGULAR 14 13 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

ALUMNI SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMPETITION

Thanks to all of our graduands who have been tweeting about Graduation 2015. Below is a selection of our favourites. Don’t forget to post your graduation pictures and tag us in them. We’d love to see some photographs of our graduates enjoying their special day.

Booked my graduation tickets! @leedsbeckett

Graduation gown, hat, hood, photo and first two tickets booked #leedsbeckett

Just got a save the date for graduation #itshappening @leedsbeckett

On another note, Graduation @leedsbeckett is booked

Amanda Champion@mandachampion

So all being well, I’ll officially graduate on Tuesday 21st July at 5pm! #leedsbeckett Hope I get one of them graduation dresses!!

Adz@AdzRichBarr

Graduation tickets, mortar board & gown, photographer all booked ready for graduation @leedsbeckett lets just hope I pass! @PBCoachingLeeds

Margaret Inglesant@Marg_Inglesant

Charlotte Rose@Charlie_Rose93Ellie Shackleton

@Ellie_Shack

Rich B@BURGESSOFFICIAL

WIN AN IPAD MINIWe are giving you the chance to win an Apple iPad Mini.

Describe our University in three words. Entries will be judged on originality and creativity. The winner will receive an iPad Mini and their entry will appear in the next edition of Momentum.

Complete the competition mailing form included in this magazine. Fold the form over and return it free of charge to us in the post.

Competition rules:1. The competition is only open to Leeds Beckett alumni who provide their name address or email.2. Only one entry per person will be accepted.3. You will need to describe our University in three words.4. The competition runs from Monday 20 July 2015 to Friday 2 October 2015. The Alumni Team at Leeds

Beckett University will judge all the entries and will decide the winner.5. The winner will be announced on Friday 16 October 2015.6. The winner will be contacted using the details provided.7. The winning entry will appear in the next edition of Momentum.

For further details about the competition, email: alumnimagazine@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Lunch box research provides food for thought

With healthy eating and childhood obesity regularly featuring in the news, research by Dr Hannah Ensaff, of our University’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, has helped lift the lid on the contents of school children’s lunch boxes.

Hannah and project researcher Katie Mahoney surveyed more than 1,000 parents of primary school children in England to find out about the content of their children’s packed lunches. They wanted to reveal parents’ motivations for sending their children to primary school with a packed lunch and explore what parents chose to include.

“Our initial results gave us a real insight into parents’ perspectives when it comes to providing a packed lunch for their children in primary school,” said Hannah, who led the research.

“Dietary habits and food preferences established during childhood are likely to continue into adulthood. Parents’ viewpoints are therefore critical; they directly influence food availability and diversity for children.”

Initial findings from the study showed parents predominantly provided their children with packed lunches in order to ensure their child had enough to eat, to track their food intake and to provide a healthy and high-quality lunch.

In the survey, researchers asked parents for their views on packed lunches, why they chose to send their children to school with

a packed lunch or otherwise, what they chose to include in their child’s most recent packed lunch, and how they chose the foods they included.

Key findings

› 88% of lunch boxes contained sandwiches.

› The mean number of fillings in a sandwich was 2.2 and the most popular fillings (excluding margarine / butter) were ham (44%), cheese (26%) and cucumber (20%).

› The majority of parents (92%) included a piece of fruit in their child’s lunch box, with grapes (39%) and apples (34%) being the most popular.

› Nearly half of parents (47%) also reported including a vegetable / salad snack.

› 70% of parents included a yogurt / fromage frais item.

› Cheese snacks were also included in more than a third of lunches, with Babybel (15%) and Cheestrings (12%) being the most popular.

› More than half of parents said their child’s packed lunch contained a savoury snack, with potato crisps (19%) and potato starch snacks, e.g. Hula Hoops (12%), accounting for most of these.

› Six out of 10 parents included confectionery. A chocolate covered biscuit bar, e.g. KitKat, was the most popular (14%), followed by cereal bars (11%) and cake (10%).

› The overwhelming majority of parents included a drink; the most common drink was tap water (38%), followed by diluted squash (27%).

Hannah said: “Packed lunches can play an integral role in children’s diet, and this is particularly important, not only because a large proportion of children take a packed lunch to school, but also because of the Universal Infant Free School Meals initiative which came into effect in September.”

The survey was split into four main parts: Packed Lunches; Your Child’s Most Recent Packed Lunch; Packed Lunches and You; and Packed Lunches and your Child’s School. Other questions related to the Universal Infant Free School Meals initiative and packed lunch policies at schools. The online survey was open during May and June 2014, and 1,291 parents took part from across England.

REGULAR 16 15 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

imposing and inside there was an elegant entrance hall, with period fireplaces, furniture and paintings, flanked by a large common room and dining room.”

“I loved my cosy room, particularly the fact that it was in a quiet wing and had dual-aspect wooden sash windows that rattled”.

Vivienne’s recollection is of a narrow, rather drab room with wooden floors, dim conical ceiling lights and “ancient” solid oak furniture, including a dresser with shelves and cupboards, a less than useful corner wardrobe and a desk with a section which lifted up to reveal a mirror. But these were the 1960s, so the room was softened and personalised with a bedside lamp, a

candlewick bedspread, a Dansette record player, magazines about The Beatles, The Rolling Stones (or whoever she had watched on Top of the Pops in the common room that week) and other artefacts which would now be considered retro or vintage chic.

Today, Vivienne’s old room has been transformed into an office, home to Global Lingo, an external company offering professional translation and transcription services which also has offices in London, Singapore and Romania.

The office is now used for meetings and conference calls. Stephanie Amirak, Translation Operations Director at Global Lingo, said: “We’ve been in our office now for 18 months. It’s a really nice office space and has a cosy, comfortable feel.”

Global Lingo moved into Macaulay in October 2013 and Stephanie recalls the room was a blank canvas. “There was no furniture, no colour, the walls were blank and it had no personality,” she said.

Global Lingo has transformed the room into a fresh, vibrant space, painting one wall of the room green – its corporate colour - with the remainder given a lick of white paint. The office now features a wall-mounted TV, a large conference table, chairs, a storage cupboard and various modern ornaments, including a lava lamp and a silver piggy bank.

After graduating from our teacher training programme in 1968, Vivienne became a teacher, holding

various management roles in primary schools in Leeds and Edinburgh. In 1986, she returned to Beckett Park, where our Headingley Campus is based, to join the staff in Primary Teacher Education at Leeds Polytechnic as a Senior Lecturer. Vivienne retired from our University in 2005. In October last year, she organised a reunion of our University’s 1964 to 1968 cohort as they celebrated 50 years since beginning their university journey together.

Vivienne lived in Macaulay Hall from her very first week as a student. She said: “The exterior of Macaulay Hall seemed very

“?????”If you would be interested in featuring in a future edition of My Room, Your Office, email alumni@leedbeckett.ac.uk

In April, we welcomed alumna Vivienne Lindsay to our Headingley Campus to reminisce about her time at our University. Vivienne was a student here more than 50 years ago, and recently came back to visit her old bedroom in Macaulay Hall, which is now an office.

My room, your office

17 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18

Share your postgraduate success stories by emailing our team

PG SUCCESS STORIES

Andy CrumpRegional Operations Director, Punch Taverns

MSc Multi Unit Leadership, 2014

“My tutors encouraged me to pick a topic for my dissertation which would make an immediate difference to my company. My research on recruitment and selection of successful area managers has already changed the way I manage my team and, in light of my findings, Punch Taverns are evolving their hiring policies.”

Charlotte MorrisSenior Media Manager, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Chartered Institute of Public Relations Diploma

“I was keen to advance my career in PR and get a good grounding in the subject. In this industry, you learn a lot on the job, but the diploma helped me understand the foundations behind my day-to-day work. Two years after finishing my course, I was named in PR Week’s top list of up and coming people working in PR.”

REGULAR 19MOMENTUM / 17

Take your next step with us

Congratulations on achieving your degree. Find out how a postgraduate qualification with us can help you reach even greater heights.

Learn more at leedsbeckett.ac.uk/takethenextstep

RAISE YOUR

GAME for our recent graduates*

Po

stgraduate courses

*Terms and conditions apply. Visit leedsbeckett.ac.uk/alumnidiscount for full details

alumni@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

REGULAR 20MOMENTUM / 18

SPORT COACHING GOES GLOBALOur Sport Coaching team are enhancing the reputation of Leeds Beckett University all over the world as they deliver exciting coaching projects across Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia.Our University serves as a hub for the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), a not-for-profit organisation which aims to lead and develop sports coaching across the world. Our Sport Coaching team’s partnership with ICCE has attracted around £500k in European Union funded work examining coaching networks and learning across Europe. This has taken the team to Finland, Germany and Poland and has led to some pioneering coaching systems development work.

Senior Research Fellow Julian North has developed an excellent relationship with European football’s governing body, UEFA, and, together with other colleagues in the team, is working on elite player development systems in England, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. He and David Piggott are also leading a high-profile project for UEFA evaluating their Coaching Convention and coaching licences. The project has engaged with some of the leading names in football management, coaching and coach education across all 54 UEFA member countries.

And that’s just for starters… see what other sport coaching projects we’ve got on the go with our world map.

• UEFA Player Development Study• Badminton World Federation

Player Development Study• Football Coaching Research

& Exchange Group

Coaching Children Workshops & Resources

• Badminton World Federation Player Development Study

• Football Coaching Research & Exchange Group

• Football Association, England and Wales Cricket Board, British Athletics, British Gymnastics

• UEFA Player Development Study• Football Coaching Research & Exchange Group

• South African Coaching System• Coaching Children Course

• Core Coach Education Curriculum• Talent Identification Programme• Coach Developer Academy

Global Coaches House Rio 2016

Philippines Academy of Sport Coach and Student-Athlete Training

Badminton World Federation Player Development Study (also in Indonesia, Denmark and Spain)

US Coaching System

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

JULIAN NORTH

Julian North is a Senior Research Fellow in sport coaching. He worked for a number of national and international sport agencies, including the Australian Institute of Sport, UK Sport, and Sports Coach UK, before he returned to higher education. He is interested in player development, effective coaching practice and coach development and has led work with some of our major national and international sporting partners.

SERGIO LARA-BERCIAL

Sergio Lara-Bercial is a Senior Research Fellow in sport coaching. Before joining Leeds Beckett, Sergio worked for Sports Coach UK. He is interested in the psychosocial development and welfare of children and young people through sport, coach development and effective coaching practice and spends a lot of time on the road supporting our partners. He is also a basketball coach at both grass roots and performance development level.

21 FEATURE MOMENTUM / 18

BUCS Big Wednesday

Leeds Beckett sporting successOur rugby league team have always competed at the highest level and this year was no different. The team travelled to Loughborough for the final aiming to make it 10 trophies in a row. A decade of dominance was sealed with a 24-6 victory over Northumbria.

It’s been a successful season for our rugby union team. After losing out to Hartbury College last year at the BUCS Championships, the side pulled off the comeback of the season to beat Loughborough under the floodlights at Twickenham. Loughborough were leading 23-5 at half-time, but after a team talk from Head Coach Colin Stevenson the team managed to score 26 unanswered points. The success continued with five of the players named in the England Students squad and captain Will Cargill named BUCS Player of the Season.

The men’s football team joined in the celebrations by beating Bournemouth 3-1, earning them back-to-back titles.

Our first season under a new name didn’t disappoint, as we continued to pursue sporting excellence both on and off the pitch.

HockeyNetball

Tom Bosworth – Race walking record breaker

James Machon – Freestyle skiing success

Alumni stories

Rugby union

Football

First up we have our hockey club, with eight teams and more than 100 members. Off the pitch, the club was extremely successful, earning the Contribution to Student Sport award at the Leeds Sport Awards. Over the last year, the club’s players raised more than £2,000 for charity by completing the National Three Peaks Challenge in 23 hours and 22 minutes. Apparently, this isn’t enough for our hockey team; the next challenge is to cycle over 500 miles from Leeds to Paris and raise £3,000 for Marie Curie.

Rugby league

The day finished off perfectly with our netball team thrashing Cardiff Metropolitan 50-31. After a successful season, two players, Natalie Haythornthwaite and Sally Butters, who also play for the Yorkshire Jets in the Netball Superleague, were named in the England Long Squad for the Netball World Cup, which will be staged in Sydney, Australia, in August.

Natalie was also named Sky Sports Superleague Player of the Season.

Leeds Beckett University alumnus Tom Bosworth is celebrating after setting a new British 10km race walking record.

Tom, a BSc (Hons) Sport Performance graduate, set the new record at the Molly Barnett Open & Winter Race Walk Challenge in Coventry. Tom recorded a time of 39 minutes and 36 seconds, smashing Chris Maddocks’ 26–year-old record.

Tom finished in 12th place at the 2014 European Athletics Championships, making him the highest-ranking Brit in 32 years. He has been training full-time at our University since September 2009 and graduated in 2013.

GB Park and Pipe skier and Leeds Beckett Sport Performance graduate James Machon achieved a career best this season, with an eighth place finish in the Ski Halfpipe at the World Championships in Kreischberg, Austria. He went on to compete on the slopes in Utah, USA, as he took part in the 2015 International Ski Federation Ski

Halfpipe World Championships.

James represented Team GB in the 2014 Winter Olympics and has won five consecutive British Halfpipe Championships. He is currently ranked in the top 15 in the world by the Association of Freeskiing Professionals.

REGULAR 24 23 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

Where are they now?Alumni profiles

Amy graduated with a BA (Hons) in Language Studies in 2013. She now works as a Marketing Executive at

Pelsis in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Amy is able to apply the language skills she learned during her degree to a job that also provides opportunities to travel abroad.

Amy recently visited Leeds Beckett University to deliver an inspiring talk to final-year students about her experiences after graduating.

Linda studied BSc (Hons) Safety, Health & Environmental Management and was Zurich

Shield Winner 2010 for best student. She undertook her qualification to underpin the work she was doing as Wellbeing Programme Manager in our University’s Health & Safety team.

Linda finds her degree complements her career in HR in manufacturing environments and commerce. Linda said: “I would strongly encourage all those seeking a career in HR to become dual qualified. The course offered by Leeds Beckett is organised so it is accessible even when people are working full time.”

Amy Frith

Linda Kitson ›

Angela graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Physical Education in 2008. While studying, she completed her coaching

qualifications through our Coach Education programme and gained part-time work as a tennis coach at our tennis centre.

In 2009, she started studying part-time for an MSc in Sport & Exercise Psychology at Leeds Beckett University. Angela started working full-time at Wetherby Tennis Club, near Leeds.

In 2012, Angela was awarded Coach of the Year by the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and in 2014 she was named Aegon LTA Club Coach of the Year. Her award was presented by Judy Murray, tennis coach and mother of Andy.

In 2014, Angela gained her Coach Education tutoring qualification and now tutors at Leeds Beckett University, delivering Level 1 Tennis Coaching qualifications.

Angela Crossley

After graduating from our University in 1973, Robert landed a job teaching PE at Tudor Grange School in Solihull.

He taught PE and chemistry for 27 years and then went on to teach ICT. While at Tudor Grange, Robert became Head of Year, College Pastoral Leader and finally finished as the school’s Learning Gateway Manager.

Robert coached Warwickshire Schools Hockey and Warwickshire County Hockey teams, and also played for local Old Sils Hockey Club 1st XI between 1973 and 2000.

After retiring from teaching in 2012, Robert started volunteering. Robert was lucky enough to be selected as a torchbearer for the London 2012 Olympic Games and as a volunteer Games Maker for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Robert Ireland ›

Jim graduated from our Carnegie College of Physical Education in 1968 with a distinction in Practical

Teaching. He attained an MA in Education from Michigan State University in 1970, an MSc in Applied Mechanics from Stanford University in 1976 and got his PhD in Physical Education from Pennsylvania State University in 1981.

Since graduating from our University, Jim has worked as a Teacher in Surrey and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Stanford University. He now runs his own company, 4D Video, and is based in California. The business provides products and services that employ image-based motion measurement and motion reconstruction.

In 1969, Jim was present at the launch of Apollo 11, the spaceflight that landed the first humans on the Moon, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jim said: “I was invited to watch the launch of Apollo 11 from the Vehicle Assembly Building just three miles from the launch pad. How I got there is a story in itself! Subsequently, I saw two launches of the Space Shuttle, one at night and one in the day.”

Jim Walton

›

›

›

If you are interested in featuring in a future edition of Where are they now, email alumni@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

REGULAR 26 25 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18 MOMENTUM / 18

MAKE A DONATION, MAKE A DIFFERENCEleedsbeckett.ac.uk/giving

Leeds Beckett University is committed to providing the highest quality student experience and opportunities for talented individuals regardless of their background. Since 2013, with the support of alumni like you, we have been able to award 40 Bright Futures Scholarships. Bright Futures Scholarships offer a financial lifeline to gifted undergraduate students who might otherwise be unable to afford a university education.

We would like to increase this number in 2016, so please make a donation and make a difference.

For more information or to donate, please visit our website

leedsbeckett.ac.uk/giving or call 0113 81 23145.

Another explanation for the origins of the arch is that it was constructed in the centre of Leeds for the celebrations to mark Queen Victoria’s visit and was later transported to Queen’s Wood. Several commemorative arches were erected in the town, including one made entirely of bread! A large triumphal arch was built in Briggate, near Beckett & Co bank. It is unlikely that this was the Queen’s Wood arch, but perhaps ideas or designs informed both.

Taking all the evidence into account, it does seem that the present structure was the work of William Beckett. Whether he built it from scratch, cobbled it together from other architectural elements close at hand, imported materials from outside the estate or even adapted an

existing structure, we may never know for certain, which preserves that air of mystery still surrounding Queen Victoria’s commemorative arch.

Keith Rowntree, Archive and Special Collections, Libraries and Learning Innovation

Tracing Victoria’s ArchVisitors to our Headingley Campus are surprised to find a commemorative arch concealed in the surrounding woodland, constructed on a natural viewpoint which in earlier times would have afforded views across the Aire Valley. This Grade II listed structure appears mysterious in its sylvan setting, evocative of ancient civilisations. The mystery continues when delving into its origins and purpose.

The most popularly repeated narrative is that the arch was built by William Beckett, MP and Leeds banker, who had hoped Queen Victoria would stay at Kirkstall Grange during her visit to Leeds in 1858.In the event, she used Woodsley House, the home of Peter Fairbairn, the Mayor of Leeds. That the arch was intended as a commemoration can be seen from the tiled inscription on the monument’s architrave which reads:

‘To commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria to Leeds, Sept 7, 1858 for the inauguration of the Town Hall’.

An alternative account of the structure’s origin is that Beckett added decorative tiles to an existing arch, a folly or eye-catcher erected sometime between 1626 and 1752. However, an 1829 sales description of the estate by George Robins, the celebrated auctioneer, failed to mention the arch. He was not averse to embellishing his property descriptions and an existing folly would

certainly have been brought to the attention of prospective buyers. By 1885, the wood was named Queen’s Wood and by 1908 the avenue was named Queen’s Walk and the arch itself was clearly shown in photographs for the first time.

Digging through the archives

27 REGULAR MOMENTUM / 18

facebook.com/LeedsBeckettAlumni

@BeckettAlumni

Correspondence is welcome and should be addressed to:

Alumni Team, Leeds Beckett University, Brontë G05, Leeds LS6 3QS

+44 (0)113 812 3147alumni@leedsbeckett.ac.ukleedsbeckett.ac.uk/alumni