Reporter

Inside

Practice makes perfect:

health professionals, trainee doctors

and student nurses can sharpen
their skills at new training centre.
Page 4

The write stuff: students are

honing their writing skills with expert
advice from a Royal Literary Fellow.
Page 10

Garden flourishes to win

award: how the Bright Beginnings

outdoor play area is helping children

to learn and have fun. Page 14

Issue 559
July 2011

Leeds counts down

to the 2012 Olympics
With just over 12 months to go until London plays
host to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,
the Universitys students and staff and residents
of the city itself are gearing up to play their parts
in what is sure to be an unforgettable event.
Five of our current students and several
alumni are expected to compete in the
Games. Champion triathletes Alistair and
Jonny Brownlee (Sport & Exercise Science
2008 and School of History, respectively)
hope to secure their Olympic places this
season. The brothers currently sit on top of
the triathlon world after finishing first and
second at the ITU Dextro World Series race in
Madrid. Their next major race is the London
World Series in August, which will be run on
the same course being used for the London
2012 Games. This race acts as a qualifier for
the 2012 Great Britain (GB) Triathlon team,
with Alistair and Jonny both keen to secure
selection at the earliest opportunity.
Current students expecting to take part are
Ed Scott (School of Medicine) who is the
first-choice goalkeeper for the GB Water Polo
team, and Claire Cashmore (Department
of Linguistics and Phonetics) and Fran
Williamson (School of Sociology and Social
Policy) who will both represent GB in the
Disability Swimming team. Another student,
[continued on page 2]
Claire Cashmore will
represent Great Britain in
Swimming at the Paralympic
Games, along with Fran
Williamson.

Next issue: September 2011

Deadline: 15 August 2011

Reporter / Issue 559

Leeds counts down to the Olympics

[continued from front page]

THE REPORTER
is the University of Leeds staff magazine
and produced eight times a year. Over
8,500 copies are distributed to staff
across campus.
The Reporter is produced by Sarah Ward
in the Communications and Press Office.
Contributors to this issue include Simon
Jenkins, Sally Edwards, Alistair McFadyen,
Lara Nulie and Paula Gould.
http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk

STORIES AND LETTERS

Story ideas and letters are welcomed as
hard copy or in email. The deadline for the
next issue is Monday 15 August.
EVENTS
Please submit events online at
www.leeds.ac.uk/events W
DISTRIBUTION AND INSERT ENQUIRIES
Phone Tom on 0113 343 8373
or email t.saxton@adm.leeds.ac.uk
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES
The Reporter
Communications and Press Office
Level 14
Ziff Building
Leeds LS2 9JT
Tel: 0113 343 6699
Email: the.reporter@leeds.ac.uk

If you would like information in

alternative formats (eg, large print
or audio) please contact us.

Siroos Saeed (School of Mathematics),

should be a member of the Iranian
Swimming team. Alumni set to be part of
Team GB are Rebecca Gallantree Diving;
Matt Holland Water Polo; Ashleigh Ball
Womens Hockey; Richard Yates Athletics;
Paul Mattick Rowing.
As well as Leeds students taking part in the
Games as athletes, some 80 students have
already been interviewed for roles as London
2012 Games Makers volunteers who will
welcome the thousands of visitors expected
to visit the Olympic sites.
Matt Davison, Olympic Programme Officer
added. Leeds was just one of a handful
of universities approached by the London
Organising Committee of the Olympic Games
(LOCOG) asking for student volunteers to be
Games Makers. Its clear that our programme,
excellent reputation for Olympic activity and
volunteering initiatives such as LeedsforLife,
help to develop our students into the kind
of people that LOCOG are seeking to be the
public face of London 2012.
Our reputation has also spread further afield,
as the performance director of the Canadian
Wheelchair Rugby team heard about the
facilities available at Leeds especially
The Edge and the proximity of suitable
accommodation in Storm Jameson residences
and approached us about bringing the team
here for three training camps. Were close to
a deal which will see the team complete their
preparations for the 2012 Paralympic Games
here at the University.
Members of the Universitys staff are also
involved in London 2012. As reported in
Reporter 558, sports injury expert Dr Phil
OConnor (Leeds Institute of Molecular
Medicine) will lead a team of over 200 people
diagnosing and treating injuries sustained by

athletes. His colleagues Carole Burnett and

Carol Bailey will be lead radiographer and
image service co-ordinator respectively. The
team will provide a full imaging service for
the 20,000 participants and is expected to
carry out up to 60 MRI scans a day.
Culture is also an important part of the
Olympic experience and four University
initiatives have been granted the London
2012 Inspire Mark which recognises
outstanding projects and events that will
help deliver the Games lasting legacy.
These include two series of Olympic-themed
lectures. The third series took place earlier
this year and proved to be extremely popular
speakers included alumnus Martin Green,
Head of Ceremonies for the Games. A fourth
lecture series is planned for 2012.
Two projects based in the School of
Performance and Cultural Industries are part
of the official Cultural Olympiad. Wingbeats
an arts project led by Adam Strickson has
already held a series of events exploring
flying in many forms, and more will take
place next year. The University is also
partnering the Balbir Singh Dance Company
which has been commissioned by imove to
develop Synchronised, a project involving
synchronised swimmers and dancers. It will
combine Balbirs interests of synthesising
contemporary and Kathak dance with
synchronised swimming, and work with
dancers, swimmers and the general public.
Its already been confirmed that the Olympic
Torch Relay will have an overnight stay in
Leeds on 24 June 2012. Further details are
still to be finalised including the names
of the lucky few people who are chosen to
carry the torch into and around the city but
Leeds will definitely be hosting a large festival
event to celebrate the Torchs visit.
Stewart Ross, Head of Commercial Services
said The University has invested a
significant amount of time and effort during
the last three years to develop a distinctive
Olympic programme, and the hard work is
really paying off now. Were delighted the
programme has managed to reach across
culture, sport and education and will have a
lasting impact on the University.

Are you involved in

London 2012?

Full details of the Universitys Olympic

Programme can be found at www.leeds.
ac.uk/olympics W

During the run-up to London 2012 we are hoping to feature a series of

Olympic-themed articles in the Reporter, so please get in touch if you:
are an academic conducting research related to London 2012
are a member of staff hoping to be a London 2012 Games Maker
know anyone with connections to the University who will be competing,
officiating or helping to organise the Games.
The Brownlee brothers celebrate victory in
the ITU Dextro World Series race in Madrid.

Get in touch with our Olympic Programme Officer on m.davison@leeds.ac.uk

and let us know your story!

July 2011

Louise David of LIHS celebrates winning the Gold award with Mike Howroyd
from the Sustainability team.

Green Impact Awards

make their mark!
An enthusiastic audience attended the Green
Impact Awards, held to mark the successes
achieved during the first year of Green
Impact, and the commitment and dedication
of colleagues working to create a more
sustainable environment across campus.

the huge efforts that people have made to

participate in Green Impact. The first year
of the scheme has been very successful,
and has highlighted the large number of
staff working together to create a sustainable
environment.

The environmental accreditation scheme

run by the National Union of Students has
only been in place for a year and its already
achieved success, with 27 University teams
registering and 20 teams being audited. Even
more remarkable is the fact that two teams
Information Systems Services and Leeds
Institute of Health Sciences achieved Gold
accreditation. Eleven teams were accredited
to Bronze standard and a further eight were
recognised as working towards accreditation.

Dr Lizzie Reather (Faculty of Medicine and

Health) received a special award sponsored
by the union Unite for her Outstanding
commitment to sustainability. Presenting
the award Jo Westerman MBE, chair of
Leeds University branch, said: As well as
co-ordinating her facultys uptake in Green
Impact, she takes part in and supports
a wide range of sustainability initiatives,
including acting as joint-chair of the
University Bicycle Users Group (BUG) and
working to improve infrastructure for cyclists
across the campus.

Staff and departments who have signed

up to the scheme are leading the way,
said Dennis Hopper, Director of Facilities
Management. Its great to see that real
progress is being made across the University.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education
Vivien Jones echoed the sentiment, saying:
This is an area that the University takes
very seriously and its important to recognise

If you are interested in becoming involved

in Green Impact next year please contact
the Sustainability Team at sustainability@
leeds.ac.uk
Further details on Green Impact can be
found on the website.
www.leeds.ac.uk/greenimpact/ W

Leeds plays host to

WUN conference

Student Administration team members (l-r) Rosie

Dowen, Lisa Gleeson, Edel Doherty receive their
award from Professor Vivien Jones.

Gold Award

Information Systems Services (ISS)

Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (LIHS)

Bronze Award

Access and Community Engagement

Estate Services
School of Healthcare
Leeds University Library
Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU)
Strategy and Planning
Student Administration
Leeds Dental Institute
Institute for Transport Studies
Earth and Environment
LIGHT Building

Silver Award

No silver awards

Working towards accreditation

Communications Team
Faculty of Medicine and Health
School of Education
Engineering (SPEME)
Sport and Physical Activity
Catering and Conferencing
School of Music

Unite award for outstanding

commitment to sustainability
Dr Lizzie Reather

included the global impacts made by powerful individual nations

such as China, United States and Japan, as well as the impacts of
different forms of regional co-operation and integration within the
Asia-Pacific.

A WUN international conference hosted by the University on AsiaPacific, Regionalism and Global Governance attracted internationally
renowned scholars from China, Korea, Australia, Mexico, United
States, Canada, Norway and Belgium.

The presented papers form the basis of a book to be edited by

Professors Dent and Dosch and published in 2012. Project partners
have already started to put together new research collaborations
based on their shared interests, for example emerging development
aid donors from the Asia-Pacific.

Hosted by Professors Christopher Dent and Joern Dosch (East Asian

Studies), the event was part of a broader WUN project looking at
developments in the Asia-Pacific region which accounts for around
a half of the worlds population and economy. Key discussion themes

There are plans for a follow-up event to be held at the University of

Alberta in June 2012. For further details contact Christopher Dent
(c.m.dent@leeds.ac.uk) or Joern Dosch (j.dosch@leeds.ac.uk).
3

Reporter / Issue 559

Practice makes
perfect for nurses
and doctors at
new 2.85m
training centre
Health professionals, trainee
doctors and student nurses can
now sharpen their skills in a
state-of-the-art training centre
on the St Jamess University
Hospital campus in Leeds.
The new Clinical Practice Centre, a joint
venture between Leeds Teaching Hospitals
NHS Trust, Leeds Foundation Partnerships
Trust, NHS Leeds, the University of Leeds,
Leeds Metropolitan University and the Open
University, has officially opened.
Funded with 2.85 million from the Yorkshire
and Humber Strategic Health Authority, the
centre is part of an innovative partnership with
a range of education and training providers. It
will offer training for existing NHS staff across
the city, as well as the next generation of
nurses, doctors and healthcare workers.
The centre puts Leeds at the forefront of
work to modernise the training offered by
university schools of medicine and healthcare
and NHS Trusts. It will ensure trainee and
qualified NHS staff are familiar with the latest
techniques so there is no need to repeat
training when moving around the country.
Facilities in the new centre include a
simulated four-bed ward plus mocked up
treatment and observation rooms, allowing
staff and students to practice different
procedures in realistic surroundings. The

Students and staff get hands on in the new centre.

centre is also kitted out with state-of-theart audio visual equipment and videoconferencing facilities.
Dr Mitch Waterman, Pro-Dean for Learning
and Teaching at the University of Leeds
Faculty of Medicine and Health, said: It
is vital that graduating students are well
prepared to enter the rapidly changing world
of healthcare delivery, both in the UK and
internationally. This new purpose-designed
facility will give prospective doctors and
healthcare professionals the opportunity
to practise and perfect their skills through
simulation before they perform procedures
on patients.
Ruth Holt, Chief Nurse at the Leeds Teaching
Hospitals NHS Trust, said: The Clinical
Practice Centre is an enormous step forward
for academic training here in Leeds and
we are tremendously proud of what has
been achieved. Health practitioners at all
levels can look forward to a much improved
learning environment with better facilities,
and for patients this will mean they are
looked after by better prepared and more
confident staff.

News round-up
New standard for University signage
All new signage for University buildings must comply with the newlyreleased Signage Design Guide, and should be procured via Estate
Services. The Guide covers both internal and external signage
and is available at www.leeds.ac.uk/estate_services/downloads/
Signage_Design_Guide_Rev_J_April_2011.pdf . It details the colours,
fonts and materials which can be used, as well as rules about logos,
wording and proliferation. The Guide replaces the previous guidelines
on the identity management webpages.
For further information contact Steve Winter, Head of Maintenance
and Operations: S.J.Winter@leeds.ac.uk

Professor Patsy Stark, who has been leading

the project on behalf of Leeds Teaching
Hospitals NHS Trust and the University
of Leeds, said: Previously training was
undertaken piecemeal in rooms scattered
across hospitals and health centres in the
city and on private premises. Now, students
and staff will have access to vastly improved
new space over three floors which can be
used flexibly to suit every training need.

LUBS hosts world-class scholar

Leeds University Business School recently hosted a high-profile,
world-class scholar from Georgia State University, Professor Tamer
Cavusgil, known for his substantial and sustained contributions to the
fields of international business and global marketing.
To coincide with Professor Cavusgils visit the divisions of
Management and International Business, led by Dr Vassiliki Bamiatzi,
organised a workshop on Management, Entrepreneurship and
International Business.
The workshop was a complete success, says Dr Bamiatzi. We had
28 participants, involved in a fruitful, productive discussion. Professor
Cavusgil opened the workshop with an inspiring presentation on the
Pressing Issues in International Marketing and Business Scholarship
& Observations on Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets and
provided invaluable comments and advice.

July 2011

LeedsforLife offers even more

New improvements to the LeedsforLife website will enable personal tutors
to help their students to get even more out of their time at Leeds and
prepare them to follow their chosen career path.
The LeedsforLife website is already
embedded within the University and provides
a simple, effective system that enables staff
and students to make personal tutorials as
beneficial as possible, says David Gardner,
Learning and Teaching Support Office.
The majority of schools are now using this
system, and almost half our students are
supported by LeedsforLife across all their
years of study.
Staff and students suggested ways that the
website could be improved, so were making
a series of changes. A major improvement
is that personal tutors can now use the
website to record meetings with their tutees,
and students have a specific place to
record and reflect on the skills development
opportunities theyve organised for
themselves or found outside the University.

Other new features that will be in place for

the 2011/12 academic year include:
webforms tailored to the personal tutoring
needs of part-time and foundation year
students
an online tutorial booking system linked
to Outlook
a searchable database of all volunteering
opportunities across the campus
an enhanced career mentoring system.

its relevance to people already in or seeking

to change careers. In future were seeking
to badge other relevant programmes and
innovations in schools, so that it becomes a
consistent theme that LeedsforLife is about
personal development.
LeedsforLife is accessible for up to five years
beyond graduation, so students can continue
to update and benefit from the information in
their Living CV and personal tutors can use
it to write references.

The new webforms address the needs

of mature or part-time students, many of
whom are studying for career-related reasons
and really understand what LeedsforLife
is trying to do, says the Lifelong Learning
Centres Tony Ellis. Weve also published an
introductory booklet to LeedsforLife to give to
all non-traditional students, which stresses

We have embedded LeedsforLife into the first year curriculum through our
compulsory module, Personal Tutorials. This module is designed to enhance
students academic, professional and personal development. We actively
promote LeedsforLife from the outset, so that students can locate and engage
in co-curricular opportunities to develop their employability. Its also a good
way for us to publicise opportunities available within the School.
The LeedsforLife webforms provide a place for students to articulate their
skills development, record their achievements, and reflect on their progress. As
a result, we have found that students are better prepared for tutorial meetings,
and discussions with their personal tutor tend to be more productive. Another
key advantage is that information recorded on webforms can be used to write
more informative and personalised references for students.

In terms of the whole

student experience,
LeedsforLife has now
embedded personal
tutoring into a much
wider framework
and clarified what
students can expect.
It encourages them to
take responsibility for
their own progress,
and genuinely helps
them to explore all the
options that are open
to them at Leeds.
Susan Daniels, School of Performance
and Cultural Industries

Larissa Bdzola, Leeds University Business School

Honorary degree nominations

Members of the University are invited to submit names for
consideration by the Committee on Honorary Degrees when it meets
in the autumn. The criteria specify that honorary degrees may be
awarded to individuals:
(a) of real achievement and eminence in their respective fields,
individuals who are distinguished by excellence, originality and
the capacity to excite.

(b) It is expected that the list of honorary graduates in any year will
reflect the breadth of the Universitys activities and interests, and
in particular the local, national and international dimensions to its
work as well as the Universitys values.
Nominations together with any supporting comments should be
sent to Rebecca Messenger-Clark (Governance & Corporate Affairs
Officer, Secretariat), by 9 September under confidential cover.
5

Reporter / Issue 559

Members of the Leeds delegation including Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Arthur (middle) with members of ECUPL.
Party Secretary Professor D U Zhichun is on the front, fourth from the left.

Wide-ranging visit
strengthens Chinese links

Academic, cultural and professional ties between the University and

Chinese institutions and organisations were strengthened during a
week-long visit to China by a delegation of some 20 colleagues.
Delegation members travelled far and wide,
undertaking a whole range of activities.
Colleagues took part in several media
interviews to raise the profile of the University
and the week also saw the annual general
meeting of the Worldwide Universities
Network, which was attended by the ViceChancellor Professor Michael Arthur and
International Director Dr Judith Lamie.
Colleagues including Professor Peter Buckley,
Marc Smelik, and Phil Steel joined the ViceChancellor and Dr Lamie to pay a reciprocal
visit to the University of International
Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing. A
delegation from UIBE visited the University in
2010, and this meeting was an opportunity to
demonstrate our commitment to continuing
and developing the relationship between the
two institutions.
The Vice-Chancellor, together with Susan
Daniels (PVAC International Director and
Chair of China Working Group), Dr Lamie
and Julia Wang, also visited the Shanghai
Education Commission (SEC). Shanghai
has always been a major market for

students to study abroad, and this visit

allowed us to build our relationship with
SEC and gain a better understanding of the
Chinese governments plan for educational
internationalisation and the opportunities this
might bring, said Dr Lamie.
Professor Arthur, Dr Lamie and Julia Wang
joined Professor Roger Halson (School of
Law and ESSL International Director) and
Kun Chen, Head of our China Office, for a
formal ceremony to sign a further agreement
between the School of Law at Leeds and East
China University of Politics and Law (ECUPL)
under which high flier students from ECUPL
will complete their degree in law in three
instead of the usual four years, before taking
an LLM at Leeds. ECUPL has one of the
highest ranked law schools in China. The
agreement signed builds upon previous
collaborations including the first Shanghai
Summer School for Leeds law students in
2010. Both universities are working hard
together to take the successful strategic
partnerships to the next level, embracing
a wider remit of internationalisation and
research collaborations.

Visits to several cultural institutions were

also on the itinerary, and members of the
Leeds delegation visited the Shanghai
Music Conservatory, the Shanghai Theatre
Academy and the Academy of Visual Arts.
The visit was also an opportunity to
increase links with alumni. Alumni dinners
were held in Shanghai and Beijing, and a
workshop for business leaders (including
alumni) in Shanghai. Discussions were
held about internships and ways to support
the internationalisation of the student
experience, and better prepare students for
life after Leeds.
The culmination of the visit was an event in
Hong Kong for more than 150 alumni and
industry contacts, guests and VIPs, which
was designed to showcase some of the
Universitys world-class research and its realworld impact. Guests listened to a lecture
on regenerative medicine Growing old and
living young given by Professor Shervathi
Homer-Vanniasinkam, Clinical Dean in the
School of Medicine, and member of the
WELMEC Centre.

International celebration
More than 200 international students
attended the annual Life after Leeds
graduation event, together with a host of
special guests including the Lord Mayor of
Leeds Councillor Reverend Alan Taylor
and International Director Dr Judith Lamie.
The event was planned and organised by
Tim Rhodes and Larissa Wood from the
International Student Office in collaboration
with internal partners from the Careers
Centre, Leeds University Union and
Alumni Office. Members of the University
6

Chaplaincy also attended, together with

representatives from external partners Henry
Hyams Solicitors, Tudor International Freight
Company and STA Travel.
It was a privilege to see the event being
so well received by the many international
students, said Tim Rhodes. Were grateful
for the professional presentations given by
our partners; their knowledge and advice will
serve our students well, whether they choose
to remain in the UK following their studies, or
return home with their success stories.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds chats to one of the

international students at the graduation event.

Beyond boots and

handshakes
Local knowledge and longterm relationships with
religious communities are
vital to effective community
policing, according to new
Leeds-based research
announced at Religion,
Policing and Security,
a major international
colloquium held at the
University.

A new artist
on the
University
scene

Neighbourhood policing teams can make

a real difference to community cohesion by
learning about religion in their local contexts
and being aware of the difference it makes
to everyday life. However, a study of police
officers attitudes to religion in two London
boroughs found that some were hampered in
their work by fear of causing offence.
We call it boots and handshakes, explains
Dr Alistair McFadyen, senior lecturer in
Christian Theology and a serving Special
Constable with the West Yorkshire Police.
Sometimes when thinking about religion,
police officers focus on rules like whether
to take your shoes off to go into a place of
worship, or who you can and cannot shake
hands with and they worry that theyll
cause offence or be in trouble, if they get
the rules wrong. So, religion gets treated as
something to worry about that can get in the
way of efficient police work.
Our research found that many individual
police officers had a deep knowledge of
religious communities, built up over many
years. Were recommending that their
knowledge is more widely shared, so that
other officers are equipped with the skills to
understand everyday, local religious life.

Colloquium attendees (l-r): Mel Prideaux (TRS); John

Parkinson, Assistant Chief Constable, West Yorkshire
Police; Mike Higton, Cambridge Interfaith Programme.

July 2011

Contributing to the debate: Inspector Nik Adams,

West Yorkshire Police.

This is important for all aspects of policing

and its the basis on which responses to
specific issues, like the threat of terrorism,
can be built.
Assistant Chief Constable John Parkinson,
who attended the colloquium, said: Our
experience in West Yorkshire has taught
us that good neighbourhood policing and
counter-terrorism work go together. Both
require a thorough understanding of all
communities and how they work and live
together. The Police Service needs to work
with and understand religious communities
as part of our responsibility to society as a
whole.
Dr McFadyen and Dr Melanie Prideaux
(Department of Theology and Religious
Studies [TRS]) led the research, which
was conducted with the Cambridge InterFaith Programme and the Metropolitan
Police Service. The two-day colloquium was
attended by senior policy-makers, academics
and practitioners to discuss the complex,
sensitive situations that arise in policing
multi-religious and secular communities and
focus on the relationship between police
community engagement and social cohesion
on the one hand, and counter-terrorist work
and security on the other.
Download the full report at www.leeds.
ac.uk/arts/downloads/file/804/effective_
community_policing W

Acclaimed theatre designer Becs Andrews is

the latest recruit to the Universitys Academy
of Cultural Fellows a group of artists and
performers with a mission to create new
work, inspire others and bring arts into the
community.
Her two-year appointment with the School
of Performance and Cultural Industries is
funded by the Future Fund of Opera North
and will afford her the freedom to develop
her own skills while collaborating with the
opera company and working on community
theatre projects.
Since graduating, Becs has gained a
reputation as one of the rising stars of stage
design, working on projects including the
multimedia set for Momo by the Ballet Berne,
the spectacular touring childrens opera At
The Rim of the World, and productions with
the Royal Opera House and theatres across
Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Her appointment as the DARE Cultural
Fellow in Operatic Scenography is the latest
product of the fruitful partnership between
the University and Opera North. Im looking
forward to absorbing the culture of both
organisations and working on projects at the
Grand Theatre, in the Howard Assembly
Rooms and at the University, she says.
The opportunity offered by these
collaborations is fantastic. Ive worked
as a jobbing theatre designer for years,
and usually get called into a project thats
already set up. This is the opportunity to
join a production from the start and create
something new, exciting and vibrant.
She will also take her work into the
community, schools, youth groups and
regional arts organisations.
7

Reporter / Issue 559

Faculty
fo
Medicine and

Faculty focus
Faculty focus

Health

Each edition of the

Reporter takes a look at
one of the Universitys nine
faculties here Dean of the
Faculty of Medicine and
Health, Professor Peter
McWilliam, tells us more
about the faculty.

Faculty
facts
Medicine
and Health
Faculty facts
1600 staff, 6200 students (550
international)
59 million annual research income
(900 live grants)
135 million annual turnover (25% of
University total)
28% of our undergraduates are from
lower socio-economic groups
Employability to graduate destinations is
93% at six months

The Faculty of Medicine and Health is a major international centre for research and
education and by far the largest of the Universitys nine faculties. The faculty comprises the
Leeds Dental Institute, Institute of Psychological Sciences, the School of Healthcare, and the
School of Medicine.
It is no exaggeration to say that the faculty is bigger than many entire universities. As a
result, the faculty is home to a large and diverse collection of individuals, as the make-up
of the senior management team shows: I am a physiologist; the facultys Pro-Dean for
Research and Innovation, Professor Jennifer Kirkham, is a biochemist; the Pro-Dean for
Student Education, Dr Mitch Waterman, is a cognitive psychologist; while the Facultys
Director of Health Enterprise and Knowledge Transfer, Dr Susan Hamer, is a nurse.

Research
Leeds has one of the largest health-related
research bases in the UK and this is
largely thanks to the Universitys excellent
relationship with its NHS neighbours. Many
staff wear two hats running a research
project in the morning, talking to patients in
the afternoon and the recruitment rate to
clinical trials in Leeds is second to none. Little
wonder that the 2008 Research Assessment
Exercise identified world-leading research
across the facultys schools and institutes.
The phrase bench to bedside and
back again provides a reasonably good
description of the facultys research strategy.
The main difference is that we are moving
away from the conventional linear pipeline
model and taking a more cohesive approach
to translation, combining our

interdisciplinary strengths in the three key

areas of fundamental biomedical research,
applied health research and clinical research
at all stages of the research and innovation
process.
Our strongest potential for translation arises
where strengths converge, ie:

Cancer research

Cardiovascular research

Musculoskeletal research
(including dentistry)

The faculty hosts the Biomedical and Health

Research Centre (BHRC) a strategic
partnership between the four science
faculties of the University and the Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as well as a
number of collaborative research centres.

July 2011

ocus

New system
to track
postgraduate
progress
A new web-based Postgraduate Development
Record System (PDR) will provide integrated
support to all postgraduate researchers
(PGRs), supervisors, administrative and
training staff from this autumn.

Study
Our faculty receives almost 11,000
applications from prospective
undergraduates, and many more
from professionals and others seeking
postgraduate study. Between them, the
facultys schools and institutes deliver a
wide variety of taught undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes, with subjects
ranging from medicine, dentistry and nursing
through to midwifery, social care, audiology
(rated first in the UK in the National Student
Survey) pharmacy practice, public health,
health informatics, hospital management and
psychology.
Our record on widening participation (WP)
is impressive. The faculty is exceeding the
Universitys target for attracting students from
lower socio-economic backgrounds, and
has consistently done so for several years. A
diverse array of more than 40 separate WP
activities support this success, including the
innovative access programme that links the
School of Medicine with the foundation and
degree programmes in Clinical Science at the
University of Bradford. The facultys WP team
and volunteer students from our schools
participate enthusiastically in these events.
Many of the courses we offer are delivered
with NHS partners across the region.
Medicine, for example, is taught at 100
different locations in West and South
Yorkshire, including two major partners
Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and
Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust as well
as district hospitals, GP practices and health
centres. Our dental students undertake
placements in outreach teaching clinics in
Bradford, South Leeds and Hull, helping
forge closer links with local healthcare
providers and the communities they will
ultimately be working in.
As a faculty, we are keeping ahead of the
competition by investing in state-of-the-art
facilities for our students. Medical students
now have iPhones for mobile learning and
assessment, and dental students will soon
benefit from haptic drilling simulators that
enable users to sense touch and force.

Impact
Our overriding vision is to improve health
and to reduce health inequalities locally,
nationally and internationally. One way to do
this is through education for this generation
of healthcare professionals and the next.
Our distinctive interdisciplinary approach to
translational research is clearly vital, too. We
are expecting this strategy to accelerate the
route to impact and allow us to focus our
time and resources around specific clinical
challenges. Our goal is to deliver research
that is sustainable, distinctive and responsive
to external opportunities. This may sound
ambitious but we want to address truly global
grand challenges across biomedicine and
health. Last weeks global research headlines
featured Professor Alan Melchers work on
a vaccine for prostate cancer; this weeks
are about a breakthrough in the fight against
hepatitis C. I am sure that next weeks news
will be equally exciting.
The facultys international strategy draws
together our dual commitments to education
and impactful research. We have a strong
commitment to international health, not
least through the work of colleagues in the
School of Medicine who are helping establish
systems for delivering basic curative and
preventative health programmes in some of
the worlds most vulnerable, under-served
populations (see the feature in Reporter 556
on COMDIS HSD). We are also establishing
a long-term relationship with a low-middle
income country for health-focused research
and education (the Leeds University Africa
Health Collaboration). Experience gained
from this work will ultimately be used to
benefit other low-income countries.

The University-wide PDR will provide one

common system across all faculties and
schools. It will electronically record and
track meetings between supervisors and
PGRs, postgraduate student training, formal
reports on student progress, and transfer
from provisional registration. The system
will be used and accessible by all PGRs, all
academic staff involved in the career of a
research student (supervisor[s], PGR tutors,
internal and external examiners, advisers,
external supervisors, research groups,
members of transfer assessment panel), and
administrative staff who support PGRs.
The PDR will replace paper-based
processes, can be accessed remotely
and securely, and be easily maintained,
updated and searched, allowing for more
efficient and responsive record keeping. It
will support organisation of supervision and
PGR study by indicating to supervisors when
milestone activities, such as formal progress
reports, are due. It will also be easier for joint
supervisors to see and share information.
It will monitor key contacts between PGRs
and supervisors to support compliance with
UK Border Agency visa requirements for
international students.
The system is easy and intuitive to use,
without the need for training. However,
support and guidance is available if required.
Professor Edward Spiers, Acting Pro-ViceChancellor for Research and Innovation
and Director of the Universitys current PGR
Project, said: This is a major development,
which should enhance the experience of
postgraduate researchers at Leeds. By
providing a standardised electronic system
of record-keeping across the University as
a whole, it should enable the University
to move towards its goal of realising a
commonality of postgraduate experience
across all faculties and schools.
Further information and details about the
names of support contacts for the PDR in
faculties and schools can be found at www.
leeds.ac.uk/student_processes_project/pdrs/
index.htm W
9

Reporter / Issue 559

Milestone
as centre
celebrates
first birthday
More than 2,000 cancer patients have
signed up to clinical trials at the Leeds
Cancer Research UK Centre since its official
opening last year.
The centre, which recently celebrated its
first birthday, brings together researchers
and support from Cancer Research UK,
the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching
Hospitals NHS Trust. Collaboration has been
the key to the success of the centre, which
is based mainly at St Jamess University
Hospital. By making it easier for researchers
in the labs to work alongside doctors on the
ward, patients benefit as soon as possible
from research findings.

Now we are one (l- r): the Universitys Professors Peter Selby and Tim Bishop, Teri Wadsworth (patient),
Peter Sneddon (Cancer Research UK) and Dr Geoff Hall (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust).
Photo Yorkshire Post Newspapers

Professor Tim Bishop, head of genetic

epidemiology at the University and chair of
the Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre, said:
Its been a fantastic first year. The centre
has stimulated new ways of working and built
closer links with scientists, doctors, chemists,
physicists, biologists and engineers on site,

working hard to bring treatments from the lab

to the clinic much faster.It is a huge benefit
for patients to be on clinical trials and we are
delighted that so many have been recruited
from across Leeds and the wider region in
the last year.

The write stuff

Students in the Faculty of Environment are honing

their writing skills with expert advice and help from
Livi Michael, a professional author and member of
the Royal Literary Fund (RLF).
Livi is the second author to be appointed
in the faculty under an RLF Fellowship
scheme which is run in partnership with
British universities and colleges. The scheme
funds and places professional writers in
institutions for a two-year period, during
which they offer writing support and advice
to undergraduates.
We were keen to offer writing support within
the faculty and the RLF scheme seemed like
an ideal solution, says Pro-Dean for Learning
and Teaching Martin Purvis. We applied in
2008 and were lucky enough to get our first
fellow Paul Sayer almost immediately.
That proved so successful that, when Pauls
time with us was over, we jumped at the
chance to host Livis fellowship.
Livi is with us two days a week. Students
consult with her on a voluntary basis,
sometimes responding to a tutors
recommendation. They book in for hourlong slots during which they can discuss
particular problems. Last year, Livi delivered
just over 200 consultations in total and held
surgeries in the Schools of Geography and
Earth and Environment. Although the service
is confidential, weve received feedback
10

that students really value the help that a

professional author like Livi can provide.
Livi, too, is enthusiastic about the Fellowship,
saying: Its a fabulous scheme, and one of
the best ways of employing a writers ability
to help people understand the features that
make a good piece of writing. Often its not
the fact that students havent been working
hard, instead theyve almost been doing
too much and theyre drowning in a sea of
information! I talk to them about things like
note taking, how to frame an argument and
sentence construction. Although Ive no
specialist environmental knowledge, I can
see clearly how essay structure and writing
style can be improved.
Personally, its given me the freedom and
income to work on my next novel. The
scheme is a great initiative and Id love to see
more disciplines and more universities take
on RLF Fellows to help their students.
The RLFs Director of Education Steve
Cook says: When the Fellowships began
in 1999 it was more common for English
departments to host Fellows. Over the years
weve got better at broadening the base and
now were delighted that around a third of

Author Livi Michael.

Fellows are working mainly with science,

business or social science students. Leeds is
a flagship post in this respect.
For our Fellows, working on campus is
a refreshing change from the normally
reclusive life of a professional writer: they
love the variety of students they encounter
and feel that they have something unique
to offer in return. Students are generally
appreciative of the help they get and
kind enough to tell the Fellows what
improvements they see in their work. That
makes for excellent job satisfaction!
We trust that University staff see the Fellow
as an ally in the overall enterprise of helping
students get the best possible marks and
learning experience. We provide added value
to what the University already offers. And the
wonderful thing is that its all paid for by the
independent charitable income of the RLF,
thanks to bequests made by authors such as
Somerset Maugham and A.A. Milne.
More information visit www.rlf.org.uk/ and
www.livimichael.com/ W

Leader
column
Professor Michael J P Arthur
University Vice-Chancellor

Going back to the school Id left some 40 years ago to talk to pupils about their
hopes and aspirations was an eye-opener.
Burnt Mill Comprehensive was built to
educate the children of the post-war
migration from Londons East End to Harlow
New Town. Attracted by preferential business
rates (and modern housing), craftspeople
and entrepreneurs like my cabinet-maker
father grew successful manufacturing
businesses on which the town prospered.
He was canny enough to provide me with
dull holiday work; the monotony of the
production line more than anything shaped
my determination to obtain the qualifications
that would open the door to a fulfilling career.
I was lucky enough to attend a school where
it was assumed from the moment you set
foot in it that if you had the ability, you were
going to university.
Burnt Mill no longer has a sixth form and has
clearly been through mixed fortunes; it sits,
after all, in the countrys fifth most deprived
area.* Quite recently, only one GCSE pupil
was studying history, and the boom years
have scarcely impacted on the fabric of the
school. Little had changed in four decades;
the same buildings, laboratories and
common rooms, although computers are
everywhere (and theres a much better drum
kit in the music room); a playing field stood
waist-high in weeds apparently because the
cash for astro-turf had failed to materialise.
Such lack of capital investment contrasted
sharply with the inspirational energy of the
schools new head, Helena Mills, and the
enthusiasm of her pupils. A historian herself,
shes taking the school in a new direction;
over 60 boys and girls are now studying
history, and theres huge focus on realising
potential and on everyone aiming as high
as possible. The pupils I met were deeply
interested in all aspects of university life and
the opportunity it offers. Having done routine
holiday jobs themselves, they related easily
to my experience (and were entertained by
the notion of professors working in factories).
While they largely hadnt appreciated the
scale of the cuts visited on universities,
and why therefore fees were going up

by so much, they had an incredibly

mature understanding of the financial
arrangements and were well prepared to
make the necessary commitment. Their
parents were certainly worried about debt
figures dominating the headlines, but only
three pupils (from a group of 20 or so)
were concerned about the potential cost
of university education. Ill be delighted
to welcome some of these aspirational
youngsters to our campus in due course.
Meanwhile further welcome evidence of
the opportunities available to our graduates
came with a substantial 7%-point increase
in the annual destinations survey. The
commitment of our careers staff to
students is fantastic, and Im convinced our
destinations figure would be even better if
more students took their advice. This is their
busiest year yet with 7,000 student visitors
which means another 23,000 are not as
concerned about the future as they might be!
The White Paper brought few surprises
and one bad idea, of which more shortly. It
doesnt change our thinking or the course
we have set ourselves; our financial plans
and student numbers will accommodate
the relatively modest changes proposed;
we factored in a potential 5% decrease in
student numbers and many schools were
aiming in any event to improve their staffstudent ratios by cutting student numbers as
well as making appointments.
The economies exercise prepared us for the
new landscape by removing unnecessary
costs and improving efficiency. As a result,
we now have two substantial tranches of
funding available to ease us into the new
system. We have earmarked an additional
12m from tuition fee income for schools
to improve the student experience,
predominantly on academic staff but other
ideas include funding field trips, placements
and new student facilities. The student union
is also involved in these discussions.
Weve also added 9m to our annual
strategic pot (the strategic support and

development fund) to help schools with the

transition into the new system and deal with
fluctuations in recruitment, for example, or
reshaping courses or more support for PhD
students. Proposals for appointing up to 50
new academic leadership posts are being
worked on by deans and others.
The sting in the tail of the White Paper
taking 20,000 places out of the system and
redistributing them in the main (almost
certainly) to private and further education
providers who charge less than 7,500
a year will do nothing for those year
elevens at Burnt Mill who want to come to
universities like ours.
In the short term, it will mean fewer places at
Leeds around 300 in 2012 for those who
do not achieve AAB at A level, and that has
a disproportionate effect on the university
chances of low income and disadvantaged
applicants. The numbers will even out over
time but I fear the immediate, perverse,
effect (as we warned politicians) will be to
limit rather than widen participation.
This clunky attempt to stir market behaviour
into the university system will one day be
revealed for the side-show it is, as if the
new fees hadnt already done enough to
incentivise universities into doing their
best for teaching, learning and the student
experience.
For now, the University of Leeds is more
than ready for the changes ahead; we have
created headroom for academic investment
and our finances are sound. We are clear
that our students are our partners, rather
than consumers, and what that relationship
requires of staff and students. Above all, and
whatever the pressures created by the new
funding arrangements, we understand there
can be no compromise on our academic
standards and professionalism.
Have a great summer.
* According to the Income Deprivation Affecting
Children Index, a government analysis of the proportion
of children under 16 living in low income households.

11

Reporter / Issue 559

The Guardian featured research from the Timescapes project, which says that support
services need to be adapted to deal with a new group of younger grandparents who are
mainly responsible for caring for their grandchildren, often enduring hardship as a result. Dr
Kahryn Hughes (School of Sociology and Social Policy) joint researcher on the project with Dr
Nick Emmel, was quoted.

In the
news
Its hoped that the opening of the new
Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield one of the
biggest purpose-built art galleries outside
London will attract people to visit the area.
Dr Mark Westgarth (School of Fine Art,
History of Art and Cultural Studies) appeared
on BBC Radio Leeds talking about how
local people may use the gallery and the
potential economic benefits to the town as it
becomes a destination for art tourism. www.
hepworthwakefield.org W
Research showing that the inner-core
of Earth is simultaneously melting and
freezing due to circulation of heat in the
overlying rocky mantle was featured in
Nature and several other media outlets
including the Daily Mail online and
the Telegraph India. The study was a
collaboration between the University,
UC San Diego and the Indian Institute of
Technology. The Universitys Dr Jon Mound
and Dr Sebastian Rost (School of Earth and
Environment) were both quoted.
Professor John McLeod (School of English)
participated in In for the Kill, a BBC Radio
4 programme concerning contemporary
black British crime writing. The programme
looked at how the autobiographical narratives
of the past are being superseded by new
writers who are tackling other genres
notably crime fiction and why there is still a
reluctance to see the black detective as hero.
Research from the University into a potential
vaccine for prostate cancer generated
considerable media attention from local,
national and international media. Professor
Alan Melcher (Leeds Institute of Molecular
Medicine), who co-led the study was quoted
in the Times and Express, and the story
was also covered by several news stations
including ITN News and BBC Radio Leeds.
12

An infestation of caterpillars in a Bradford

park was the subject of a story on BBC Look
North, and included an interview with Dr
Tom Cameron (Institute of Integrative and
Comparative Biology) in which he reassured
viewers that the ermine moth larvae were
completely harmless. Thousands of the
caterpillars have stripped 15 trees of all their
leaves and spun huge communal webs
throughout the park.
The first images of small, red hieroglyphs
written inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu
were published in New Scientist and
picked up by other media. The photographs
were taken by a robot which has a camera
that can see around corners, built by the
Universitys Rob Richardson (School of
Mechanical Engineering). Hes part of a team
working on the Djedi project named after
the magician consulted by Pharaoh Khufu
when he planned the pyramid.

Faraday a University spin out company

specialising in innovative packaging made
an appearance with member company
Sun Chemical at the Interpack exhibition
in Dsseldorf. The trade press, including
Packaging News, picked up the companys
Power of Touch design process which
can deliver a range of textured packaging
surfaces.
Dr Oliver Phillips (School of Geography)
featured in an article in the New York Times
about the relationship between lianas
parasitical vines and the trees in tropical
forests that are host to them. Research has
shown that the lianas are outcompeting
trees in areas of the Amazon, northern South
America and Central America. As lianas do
not store as much carbon as trees, this could
have implications for the carbon-storage
capacity of tropical forests.

Dr James Worrall (School of Politics and

International Studies) appeared on Al Jazeera
discussing the recent decision by the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) to set up a paramilitary
force of foreign mercenaries in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE has hired Erik Prince founder of
the US security company Blackwater to
establish the 800-member battalion of foreign
troops, in a deal worth $529m.
X-Men vs Bionic Women, an event at the
Cheltenham Science Festival in which
Professor John Fisher (School of Mechanical
Engineering) played a key role, attracted
media attention from around the world and
was filmed by a Bulgarian TV crew. The talk
included how engineers and scientists are
working on technologies that could help
make people faster, smarter, stronger than
nature could manage, and the dilemmas
such advances could bring.
The Universitys Professor Janet Cade
(School of Food Science and Nutrition) and
Professor Iona McCleery (School of History)
discussed their exhibition on the history
of the sweet tooth on Radio 4s Womans
Hour. The exhibition Sugar and Spice and
All Things Nice, which forms part of their
Wellcome Trust funded project You Are
What You Ate, is at Wakefield Museum until
October. www.leeds.ac.uk/youarewhatyouate

Further details of press coverage can

be found at http://mediacuttings.leeds.
ac.uk/index.aspx W

July 2011

Our people
Honours

Send your honours to the.reporter@leeds.ac.uk

Congratulations to Commercial Services which has been awarded

the Customer First Standard by Putting the Customer First the
awarding body for the National Standard for Customer Service in
recognition of its efforts as a service to put the customer at the heart
of what they do and deliver a first-class customer experience.
As separate services Catering and Conferencing had previously
achieved the National Standard, but this is the first time that Sport
& Physical Activity has gone through the accreditation process.
Following visits and interviews, the assessor praised many examples
of good practice in all areas of the business and where it was a reassessment, was pleased to see that strong progress had been made.
More information about the Customer First standard can be found at
www.customerfirst.org. W
Dr Jackie Hill (Leeds Institute of Molecular
Medicine) ARC Senior Lecturer and CoDirector of the Academic and Clinical Unit
for Musculoskeletal Nursing will be honoured
by the British Health Professionals in
Rheumatology with a lifetime achievement
award for services to Rheumatology Nursing.
She was formally presented with the award
at the BHPR annual conference in Glasgow
earlier this year and has recently retired after
30 years service at the University.
Net Impact the international organisation that inspires, educates,
and equips individuals to use the power of business to create a more
socially and environmentally sustainable world has awarded Leeds
University Business Schools Net Impact Chapter the prestigious
Gold rating.
The Net Impact Chapter was started at Leeds only two years ago,
which makes our progress particularly impressive. This year just 14%
of nearly 280 Net Impact Chapters worldwide achieved Gold standing
and we are the only one in the UK to have received this distinction.
This is a tremendous achievement for the Chapter and places the
School at the top of World Business Schools engaging with corporate
responsibility. The only other European Schools to achieve the same
award were HEC Paris and ESADE.
Net Impacts Gold Chapters are at the forefront of the movement to
build a new generation of business leaders. They provide members
with critical support to learn about careers, expand their
professional networks, and put their business skills to work through
real-world projects.
The Leeds Net Impact Chapters activities this year were led by
President Jaishri Srinivasan and Officers Melanie Kloeppner, Sarah
Birch and Vwaro Omene.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor John Fisher has been appointed
to the Council of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC) for a period of four years from 1 April 2011. Council
is the EPSRCs senior decision making body and is responsible for
determining its policy, priorities and strategy. Members of Council are
appointed by the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts,
and are drawn from both the academic and industrial communities.

ALPS Delia Muir (l) demonstrates the mobile device to Joannie Tate
(ALPS patient and Carer Voice Network).

Assessment & Learning in Practice Settings (ALPS), a collaborative

programme led by the University of Leeds, received a Gold Award in
the Research and New Developments category from the IMS Global
Learning Consortium. The Learning Impact Awards are designed to
recognise the most impactful use of technology worldwide in support
of learning. The ALPS submission was judged by a panel of experts
who rated it as an outstanding example of technology being used to
address education challenges.
The ALPS partners worked collaboratively to develop an
interprofessional mobile assessment and e-portfolio system used
across the five universities to support 360 performance feedback
and reflection. The system allowed health and social care students
on work placements to use mobile devices to complete and upload
assessments and feedback. The devices can also be used to improve
students access to learning materials.
Professor Trudie Roberts, Director of Leeds Institute of Medical
Education at the University of Leeds, and ALPS said: This award
is a testament to the innovative and cutting-edge work undertaken
by ALPS, which has encouraged interprofessional and collaborative
working and raised awareness of how creatively and effectively
technology can be used to support learning.
ALPS involves the universities of Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield,
Leeds Met and York St John, 16 health and social care professions,
service users and carers, the NHS, the Strategic Health Authority and
commercial partners.
ALPS has also been chosen as one of the video case studies to
be featured in the JISC Guide to Emerging Practice, which will be
launched at the Association for Learning Technology Conference
in September.
Angela Foley, General Manager of Bright
Beginnings childcare centre, received a
Member Champions Award at the National
Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
Awards in recognition of her contribution
to the sector. Recently retired as chair of
the Leeds network for private providers,
Angela has also represented the sector at
local authority level, championed quality
childcare and always been willing to share
her knowledge and experience. She is also
a trained accreditor for e-Quality Counts
(e-QC), a leading independently assessed
quality assurance scheme, specifically
designed for group child daycare.
13

Reporter / Issue 559

Small ads
Small ads can be submitted online at
http://smallads.leeds.ac.uk W
The charge is 7 for 10 words or part
thereof (University members)
or 10 (general public).
The deadline for the next issue is
Wednesday, 24 August 2011 at 4pm.
For enquiries please contact
Thomas Saxton on 0113 343 8373
or email t.saxton@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Professional services
ELECTRICIAN. PART P REGISTERED. contact Good
Connections for repairs, installations, alterations,
periodic inspections, testing, new sockets, lighting and
consumer units. Prompt timekeeper. Good value rates.
www.goodconnectionselectrician.co.uk Richard Sykes
0777 249 9414
EFFICIENT HEATING SOLUTIONS installs and repairs
central heating and plumbing systems, gas appliances,
showers, towel rails and radiators. Gas Safe Registered,
Worcester Accredited, Which? Local recommended.
0786 870 3384 www.leedsboilerrepairs.co.uk
efficientheating@gmail.com

WILKINSONS PROPERTY MAINTENANCE All

general property maintenance work undertaken;
pointing, painting guttering, etc. No job too small. Free
estimates. Brian Wilkinson 0113 219 4271 or 0777
307 1041 brian.b.wilkinson@btinternet.com
TRADE SECRETS CONSTRUCTION PARTNERSHIP
we design and install kitchens, bathrooms and
wetrooms, bedrooms, conservatories, custom-fitted
furniture, and more, to your specifications. Repairs and
renovations big or small. All work fully guaranteed.
40 years experience. Free estimates. 0113 261
3286 0776 806 1259 (daytime) enquiries@
tradesecretsconstruction.co.uk
COMPUTER PROBLEMS? For all hardware, software
and networking issues. Home visits inc evenings and
weekends. Reliable and efficient. 0795 863 8686
info@biztechleeds.co.uk
PLASTERER Experienced, free quotes, all Leeds
covered, references available. 0753 059 3563
BUILDING CONTRACTOR All building work
undertaken: roofs, extensions, kitchens and bathrooms
fitted. Free quotes. 30 years experience. Malcolm
Wells 0789 545 9542

LARGE ROOM TO LET Well-furnished and decorated

room with private bathroom and lavatory in owner
occupied house in quiet, residential West Park, LS16.
Probably best suit post-grad, researcher or lecturer,
possibly couple. 85 per week. Brian Jennings 0113
217 8110 bdt.jennings@ntlworld.com
FLAT FAR HEADINGLEY Modern purpose-built, sunny
and quiet. Two bedrooms, well equipped kitchen,
double glazing, gas CH, parking, good transport links
to University. Available 1 Sept fully/part-furnished.
495pcm. 0113 267 3197 d.dalton@lineone.net
LUXURY ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT. Only
395pcm. One double bedroom. Large lounge area.
Fully fitted kitchen. Bathroom with power shower. Third
floor. Unfurnished. Smart traditional stone building.
Bradford City Centre with parking space. 2-minute walk
Foster Square Train Station. 0775 238 0943 llckk@
leeds.ac.uk
SPACIOUS ROOMS IN ILKLEY, edge of Dales. Own
bathroom and kitchen. 30-minute train to Leeds. 400
pcm 0771 006 6798 tombeesley7@googlemail.com

Holiday home to let

House for sale

CHARMING ANDALUCIAN VILLAGE HOUSE near

Granada and Costa Tropical. www.casalasolea.com

HOUSE IN RURAL FRANCE Two double bedrooms,

fitted kitchen, sunny terrace, set in 1.9 acres of
river-fronted meadow and woodland; 130,000 plus
Notaires fees. http://web.mac.com/jbowman or Tel:
0146 274 2476 bob.bowman@btinternet.com

Other

CHARMING HOME FOR SALE Detached, four-bed,

exceptional gardens, GCH, original features. Two
bathrooms, grand reception hall, spacious sitting room,
dining room, sun room, generous dining kitchen, utility
area, cellar. Long driveway and very large garage and
workshop. 425,000 0113 237 0211 moortown@
manningstainton.co.uk

House/flat/room to let
ATTRACTIVE FORMER FAMILY HOME to rent. Four
bedrooms, overlooking park; 15-minute walk from
University. Would suit a family / three professionals
sharing. 800 per month. h.l.bekker@leeds.ac.uk

MRI STUDY Help us to develop new MRI techniques

to advance the understanding and management of
arthritis. We are seeking those over 18 without ankle
problems and no arthritis to have an ankle MRI
and ultrasound. Robin Waxman 0113 392 3064
r.waxman@leeds.ac.uk
VW CAMPER VAN HIRE For further information please
check out the website. www.headingleycampers.co.uk
headingleycampers@gmail.com
WHITE ROSE SQUARES Fun and Fitness to Music.
Square Dancing Beginners start Sunday 11 September
7.00pm, Pannal Memorial Hall, Harrogate. Couples/
singles. First four weeks free. Geoff 0142 387 0221
Advertisers are independent from the University. The University
makes no warranty or representation as to (a) the accuracy of
ads or (b) the quality of goods or services advertised. To the full
extent allowed by the law the University excludes all liability.

Garden flourishes to win award

A mud kitchen, a gate to nowhere, a sand
pit, tyre swing, drain tunnel and even a
tree that can become a dragon or shark, all
feature in the garden at Bright Beginnings
the Universitys childcare centre which has
recently been given a special local award in
the Nursery Garden of the Year Awards by
Leeds Early Years.
Councillor Judith Blake visited the centre
to give the award, and presented a handcarved plaque to General Manager Angela
Foley. The celebration event was attended
by over 70 people, including centre staff,
Ruth Bush the centres architect, designer
Mel Polson from Leeds Early Years, builders,
parents, members of the board of directors
and, of course, the main users of the garden
the children themselves.
Bright Beginnings originally planned to
install flat safety surfaces in its play area
but, thanks to a 25,000 grant from Leeds
Early Years in 2009, it was able to create
a natural garden which gives children an
attractive, stimulating environment with lots
of opportunities to learn.
14

The gardenspaces were planned in

consultation with the children, offering
lots of opportunities for them to engage
in relevant and interesting experiences,
explains Angela. The features of the garden
help children to develop strategies to assess
risk for themselves, promoting greater
body awareness, self-confidence and selfesteem.Children are able to develop a
sense of the wonder of nature, having
opportunities to investigate, observe and
discuss whilst experiencing first hand natural
features and events.
Were really pleased to receive recognition
for the experiences and opportunities we
provide for our children and are proud to
showcase these to other nurseries and
centres. Leeds Early Years will use our
portfolio as a benchmark of quality.
Bright Beginnings have now entered their
outdoor environment in a national award with
Nursery World Magazine.
For more information visit
www.brightbeginningschildcare.co.uk/

Young customers get to grips with the

gardens mud kitchen!

Im particularly happy about

the secure access the children
have to the outdoors in all
seasons provided by covered
balconies, well-designed gardens
and a grassy field. I really believe
in the importance of fresh air and
the invigorating experiences and
motivation that can be gained
from being outside.
Dr Vanessa Bowman (parent)

July 2011

www.leeds.ac.uk/events

Noticeboard
BBC Reith Lectures
Eliza Manningham Buller, the former head
of MI5, will be giving a BBC Reith Lecture
called Securing Freedom. Shell discuss
security in the context of 10 years after the
11 September attacks on America, why we
need an intelligence service and the role it
plays, and the balance between security and
human rights.
The lecture will take place at the City
Museum, Leeds on 7 September at 1800,
and will be recorded for broadcast on BBC
Radio 4 and the World Service to a global
audience of 160 million. Please email Lesley.
Hilton@bbc.co.uk if you would like to attend.

Windows on the World:

Keeping Them Open
All the fun of the Fest!
Therell be something for everyone at this
years Staff Festival, whether its taking part
in a workshop on how to make the perfect
smoothie, chilling out with a free cup of
tea, watching a whole variety of performers,
trying out some fairground games, entering
a competition, browsing craft stalls or just
relaxing with colleagues, partner or family.
This years festival takes place on Friday 9
September from 3pm until 6.30pm. If its a
fine afternoon, the festival activities will take
place around University Square (outside
the Students Union) and stage@leeds. In
the event of rain, well move inside the
Union building.
To make the day really special were looking
for volunteers to help dress the campus to
give it a festival feel or act as stewards. Were
also seeking performers (bands and choirs)
to showcase their talents, comperes who are
happy to introduce acts, stewards to ensure
events run smoothly, and handy folk with the
skills to put together some fairground-style
attractions. If you want to run a stall at the
Fest, theres scope for you, too, so please get
in touch for details.
Contact Cathy ONeill C.Oneill@adm.leeds.
ac.uk, email StaffFestival@leeds.ac.uk with
any questions, requests or offers of help or
visit www.leeds.ac.uk/staff_festival

All are invited to a public meeting to

discuss the future for publicly funded forms
of cultural expression, information and
entertainment being held at West Yorkshire
Playhouse on 16 July.
Organised by Voice of the Listener and
Viewer (VLV) an independent, not-for-profit
association working for quality, diversity and
editorial independence in broadcasting and
supported by the Universitys Institute of
Communications Studies (ICS), the forum
will seek to examine the uncertain future that
faces broadcasting, libraries and the arts.
These outlets offer people windows on the
world, a means of connecting with others
and a space for debate. Are these spaces
and resources now at risk?
Chairing the meeting is the Universitys
Judith Stamper (ICS). Other panel members
are Garry Lyons (School of Performance and
Cultural Industries), Sylvia Harvey, Visiting
Professor in Broadcasting Policy (ICS), and
Lauren Smith, founding member of the
national libraries advocacy group Voices for
the Library.
The event is on Saturday 16 July at 2pm
in the Congreve Room, West Yorkshire
Playhouse. Admission is free and
refreshments will be available from 1.45pm.
Further information can be found at: http://
www.vlv.org.uk/ W

Stanley & Audrey Burton

Gallery Saturday events
The gallerys series of events to support the
Carlos Nadal exhibition continues, with free
workshops taking place in July.
A Fan of Colours: Fan Making and
Decorating Workshop
Saturday, 23 July 2011, 1.30-4pm
Margaret Chalmers (ULITA) will guide
participants in making and decorating
their own version of this elegant summer
accessory. While youre becoming an expert in
this ancient art, children are welcome to join
in to learn how to make simple paper fans.
Dancing with Nadal: Gerry Turveys
Movement Workshop
Saturday, 30 July 2011, 1.30-4pm
This dance workshop will be influenced
and inspired by the strong colours, shapes,
energy and architecture of work by Carlos
Nadal. No movement experience is
necessary, just a willingness to play and be
open to new ideas! The workshop is open to
all curious explorers 16+.
All workshops are free but places are limited,
so please book your place by emailing
Zsuzsa at libzmp@leeds.ac.uk, calling
(0113) 343 2777 or visiting www.leeds.
ac.uk/gallery W

Marks in Time
During July, grab your last chance to see the
Marks in Time exhibition before it closes on
29 July, in preparation for relocation to the
Michael Marks Building in November 2011.
Opened in 2009, the Marks in Time
exhibition is situated in the Parkinson
Building and celebrates the role M&S
has played in peoples lives for 125 years.
Charting the story of M&S from its origins as
a penny bazaar in Leeds Market to todays
position as an integral part of the British high
street, the exhibition showcases how M&S is
woven into the fabric of UK life. The iconic
items featured in the exhibition offer visitors
a snapshot of some of the 60,000 artefacts
that will be housed at the M&S Company
Archive on the Western Campus when it
opens in November. The building will also
feature a brand new exhibition which will
provide a glimpse behind the scenes at M&S
look out for more details coming soon!
15

FAQs
Dr Lizzie Reather
Faculty Project Research Officer

Faculty of Medicine and Health

How did you feel about winning the Unite

award for your Outstanding commitment
to sustainability?

With your passion for the environment,

how would you envisage the perfect
university campus?

I was really surprised to have won the award

but I am very proud and its a great honour. I
think the sustainability team at the University
do a brilliant job, but I can understand
why they would want to give the award to
somebody whose full-time job is not within
the team.

I think its all about the people. It would be

lovely if everybody thought it was possible to
have a more sustainable work environment
and that it was their responsibility to create it.
We cant expect the world to stay the same
if we continue to leave the responsibility
to someone else, and thats why I have so
much respect for the sustainability team.

What does your day job at the University

involve?
My job title is Research Project Officer
which is quite confusing because I dont
get involved in research projects, but I do
projects for the faculty Head of Research
Support within the Faculty of Medicine and
Health. This means gathering data on the
type of research thats happening within the
faculty, the outputs from the research and
trying to ensure the facultys return to the
Research Excellence Framework is the best
it can possibly be. I also do business analysis
for the faculty, so its a mixture of jobs that
changes every day and thats why I love it.
What do you do in your spare time?
I do lots of different things. I sing in the
Leeds Festival Chorus and I play the double
bass. I also enjoy cooking, reading and
growing my own fruit and veg. In terms of
sustainability, I cycle to work and I do little
things around the office which was why I
was so keen to be a part of the Green Impact
scheme. Its such a great opportunity to
make small changes in your workplace.

16

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When you have read

this please recycle it

What are your favourite tips for creating a

more sustainable environment?
Just think about what youre doing in terms
of what effect your actions have on your
surroundings. Its all in the little things. If
everyone turned their computer off at the
end of the day and put their rubbish in the
correct bins, it would make a big difference.
Its also about changing your mind-set and
being organised. So, for instance, could you
go to the supermarket on your way home
instead of making a special trip? Could you
try cycling to work one day a week to see if
you liked it?
Sustainability is often the same as moneysaving so thats a great extra incentive
some days when Im not sure I can be
bothered to cycle, the thought of shelling out
4.20 for a bus ticket persuades me!
Youre joint-chair of Universitys Bike Users
Group (BUG); where did your passion for
cycling originate?
It really started because my neighbour cycles
to work and he suggested I should try it. I
kept giving reasons not to, like the fact Id
have to buy a bike and that its dangerous
on the roads. Once I tried it though, I really
enjoyed the ride to work and it makes such
a difference to my day, because I get to be

outside and the exercise really wakes me up.

I think everybody should have the right to
travel by cycling or walking. Im passionate
that people should be able to get to work
sustainably, but at the moment it can be
hard because there arent many bike-friendly
routes.
Whats your most frequently asked
question?
People ask me what my job is and its
probably the most confusing question
to answer as I have to give a thorough
explanation. I also get a lot of questions
about cycling because I think thats what Im
most recognised for doing at the University.
People mainly ask about whether its
dangerous, or where the best place is to
store their bike around campus.
If you were a character in fiction who
would you be?
Wow, thats a really interesting question! Id
love to be Phileas Fogg from Around the
World in 80 Days as he starts from being
very organised and regimented about his
lifestyle. Its great that he suddenly changes
everything and goes off on his big adventure
round the world. Hes an inspirational
character and I think its lovely that hes able
to rely on other people on his journey and
find love as well!
Who would you choose to be your favourite
cycling companions?
Ive always cycled on my own so have never
really experienced cycling with other people.
It would be really fun to cycle in a big group
through beautiful scenery on a long-distance
trip. Id love to do that, maybe on the
Continent it would be great to relax while
cycling for a change!