Post Office could be the next Woolworths according to new research

The most comprehensive report to be carried out in the UK on the impact of Post Office closures has been published today by the University of Chichester and West Sussex County Council.

This 14-month study was conducted with over 400 residents and 200 businesses in West Sussex and is the first report of its kind to look at the impact on both urban communities and rural areas.

The research was been carried out by Dr David Cooper, a principal lecturer and Dr Jo Horwood, a researcher, at the University of Chichester and commissioned by the West Sussex County Council.

Dr David Cooper said: “People have used the Post Office (PO) in the past because of its convenience and range of services, but if you take that away people will stop using it and there is real evidence that this is happening. If the PO does not improve its customer service and recognise their needs, then I think there is a real chance that it could go the same way as Woolworths.

“Whilst the PO is still a trusted brand, further service degradation is likely to provide an irrevocable tipping point beyond gradual decline. Correcting this requires concerted and urgent action from the company to address customer issues at all levels within the organisation. It will require effort to clearly distinguish the services and the brand of the Post Office from that of the Royal Mail.”

Leader of West Sussex County Council Henry Smith said: “This research reinforces the fact that older people in particular make extensive use of postal services and would value the return of services to their communities. We will now look at the report in detail and its findings and see how we are best placed to respond to residents and businesses obvious concerns.

“During the Post Office consultation process we raised major concerns over the impact closures of branches would have on the community, and sure enough those concerns have been realised with people having lost key local services and as a result having to travel more and facing longer queues.”

The main findings from the report highlight that:

• Urban communities are more affected than rural counterparts
• Deep dissatisfaction with availability of post office services
• Long queues and inconvenience
• Loss of independence

• Loss of social hub
• Economic cost to small businesses
• Environmental impact

The report looked at the impact of the closure of six specific areas within West Sussex, which lost 36 Post Offices in 2008. 655 businesses and residents in total completed the survey which was available online and in hard copies. The survey concentrated on Bognor Regis, Worthing, Horsham, Washington, Graffham and Haywards Heath.

For further information visit http://www.westsussex.gov.uk

Chichester Carol Service 2009

Chichester Carol Service 2009
Originally uploaded by Chi Uni

As in previous years, the Carol Service at Chichester Cathedral featured the highly-regarded University Chamber Choir plus instrumentalists, conducted by Director of Choral Studies, Arthur Robson. The service took the traditional form of lessons and carols with a mix of traditional and popular music.

What, if anything, is wrong with multiculturalism?

Distinguished Lectures Series

Lord Bhikhu Parekh is an Emeritus Professor of Political Philosopher at the universities of Westminster and Hull. He is a fellow of the British Academy and until recently the President of the Academy of Social Sciences. Lord Parekh has received many prizes and awards including the BBC’s Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Distinguished Global Thinker Award, and Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest honours. He was made a Labour Peer in 2000.

Lectures for 2010:

• Nick Herbert MP: Title of lecture to be confirmed Thursday, 28 January 2010, 6.30pm
• The Right Honourable Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC: The Changing Constitution Thursday, 25 February 2010, 6.30pm
• Professor Chris Stringer: The Early Human Occupation of Britain and Europe Thursday, 11 March 2010, 6.30pm

TV Producer of the Avengers and Professionals at the University of Chichester

Brian Clemens, an established producer, writer and director discussed his long and illustrious career as part of a series of talks at the University of Chichester in November 2009.

Brian was pivotal in the huge success of the 1960s iconic spy series, The Avengers, for which he acted as associate producer and main scriptwriter and it has remained the highest rated show to come to America. Starring Patrick MacNee and various female partners played first by Honor Blackman, then Diana Rigg and later Linda Thorson, The Avengers is seen as the television equivalent of The Beatles in terms of its influence upon 1960s programming.

In the 1970s he teamed up with fellow producer Albert Fennell and Avengers musician Laurie Johnson in setting up the UK's first independent television company and from which two further successes would emerge: The New Avengers (making a star of Joanna Lumley) and The Professionals with Lewis Collins and Martin Shaw.

Besides writing for many other popular television series (including Danger Man, The Champions, The Persuaders, Thriller, Bergerac, Perry Mason, and Remington Steele), Brian has also written screenplays for a number of feature films including: Dr Jeckyll and Sister Hyde, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (which he also directed), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The Watcher in the Woods, and Highlander II: The Quickening".

Adam Locks, Senior Media Lecturer at the University, said: “This is the first in a series of talks by key figures from the small screen and cinema. This is a fantastic opportunity for our students as well as members of the community who are interested in TV and film to gain a unique and personal insight in to the industry.”

For further information email: a.lock@chi.ac.uk

Thousands Celebrated at University of Chichester Graduation Ceremonies

Graduands at the University of Chichester’s Graduation Ceremonies shared the stage with celebrity designer Wayne Hemmingway, Lord March and the 2008 Olympic ‘3 blondes in a boat’ gold medal sailors Sarah Webb, Sarah Ayton and Pippa Wilson, who were presented with Honorary Awards from the University on 16th & 17th October at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Over 1,000 students will be receiving their certificates, diplomas, degrees, masters and PHD awards in a range of subjects from Business Studies Dance, English & Creative Writing, History, Music, Sports Studies, Sports Science, Teaching and Theology alongside more than 4,000 family guests and friends.

Five ceremonies will take place over the two days and new graduates will receive their awards from the University’s Chair of the Board of Governors, Richard Bunker.

The Honorary Awards recognise excellence in the Arts, Business, Sports Science and Education both locally and nationally. Other Honoraries at the ceremonies are:

• Ronald Harwood CBE, distinguished playwright

• Sir Jim Rose, leading educationalist

• Stephen Parks, Olympic Sailing Team Manager

The University’s Vice-Chancellor Dr Robin Baker said: “The Graduation Ceremonies are very special days for the university and for all our students. We congratulate every one of them for their achievements and share in their celebrations. We pride ourselves on being the best university on the south coast for graduate employment and we hope that all our students will use the well honed skills and knowledge they have acquired here in their future careers.”

Mother and Son graduate on the same day

Above: Anne Eynon (51) and her son Michael (22) graduated on the same day from the University of Chichester on Saturday 17th October 2009.

Anne who has battled throat cancer twice, in 1996 and 1997, has gone on to complete her PGCE in Teaching and finally achieve her life-long ambition of becoming a teacher.

The mother-of-three from Saltdean, Brighton, said: “Having cancer really did change my perspective on life and priorities so it’s fantastic that just over 10 years later I’ve been able to do something that I’ve always wanted to do. I did my first degree back in the 1970s and I’ve also wanted to teach but then I got married and had a family. So this is a dream come true.” Anne expressed how much she had enjoyed being a student again, and admitted that she and Michael learned from each other.

“It was a thrilling experience to be back at university with my son. I thought he might be embarrassed but he wasn’t. I helped him at times with his academic studies and he helped me with student etiquette-giving me fashion tips and how to fit in as a mature student! We only quibbled over who could use the study and computer,” she said.

Michael, who graduated with a BSc in Sports Science, hardly needed more reason to celebrate this special day, but in addition to his mother’s inspirational story, the ceremony took place on his 23rd birthday.

Over 1,000 students and 4,000 family and friends celebrated at five graduation ceremonies during 16th and 17th October at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Anne was very excited about the ceremony and concluded: “This really has been a dream come true for me and its great to be able to share this fantastic occasion with my son.”

University Lecturer Celebrates Success in the National Training Awards for Supporting Green Tourism

Dr Andrew Clegg, Subject Leader for Tourism Management at the University of Chichester is celebrating his success in the National Training Awards 2009. In recognition of his work, in partnership with Tourism South East and local businesswoman Sandra Barnes Keywood, Andrew was named as winner of the National Training Award – South East Prize for Providing Education and Training 2009 for delivering training relating to green tourism for small businesses.

As part of his work at the University, Dr Clegg works as a consultant and trainer for Tourism South East. Andrew is the national master trainer for the “Green Advantage” programme, a one-day course looking at sustainable business management. Dr Clegg’s award recognises his work in developing training designed to help businesses recognise the value of being green, and seeking accreditation in the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS). The GTBS is a national programme that awards gold, silver or bronze stars to tourism sector companies based on their environmental practices.

The National Training Awards recognise excellence in training and for this award Andrew had to demonstrate the drivers for the training, the nature of the training developed, and how training had impacted on business performance. The feedback from the NTA highlighted the calibre of the training being delivered ‘Judges found that the energy and enthusiasm of the entrant was really infectious...the overall training package has been well modified to engage tourist operations and leads to these companies offering a greener tourist package...the mix of theory vs practice is very good’.

Andrew also provides training in partnership with the Green Training Company, run by Sandra Barnes-Keywood, an award winning green business champion who also runs the Old Chapel Forge B&B in Lagness. Dr Clegg has worked with Sandra to develop a suite of training programmes that support business adoption of green business practices, and in doing so help demonstrate the business case for green tourism not only through savings in cost-efficiency but also how being green can contribute to the overall quality of the visitor experience.

As Dr Clegg points out ‘in the current climate green tourism makes good business sense as it encourages businesses to look critically at how to save money. However, green tourism is not just about energy efficient lightbulbs and the aim of the training courses I have developed is to help businesses recognise the wider social and environmental remit of sustainable tourism. Most importantly it is about getting businesses to recognise that green tourism can have a significant impact on the overall quality of the visitor experience’.

Dr Clegg is keen to acknowledge the help of Sandra Barnes-Keywood – ‘Sandra has helped me to make the training real and without her input I would have not won this award’. Dr Clegg is also grateful to Tourism South East for running the courses he and Sandra have developed. As he explains ‘Tourism South East take an instrumental role in supporting sustainable tourism across the region and I am grateful for the opportunity to deliver this training for them and for the tremendous support they have provided’. Dr Clegg will not however be resting on his laurels. Later this month he will be visiting Malta with Tourism South East to help Malta Tourism develop their own green training programme.

Contact: Dr Andrew Clegg 01243 812017 Email: a.clegg@chi.ac.uk

University of Chichester to offer heart MOT to young athletes

Join local Olympians and take the test …

The University of Chichester, in collaboration with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), is offering young adults aged 14 to 35-years a unique opportunity of having a heart MOT test to assess the structure and function of their heart.

The test, comprising an ECG (electrocardiogram) and where appropriate an ECHO (echocardiogram), is a once in a lifetime test currently being offered too professional, Olympic and recreation athletes.

The University of Chichester is excited in the role it will play in becoming a Southern Centre for CRY and helping CRY deliver their vision set out for 2009:

'to work with cardiologists and family doctors to promote and protect the cardiac health of our young by establishing good practice and screening facilities devoted to significantly reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death throughout the UK.'

Expert technical and medical practitioners from CRY, supported by a fast-track referral system, will conduct the tests.

One hundred places are available on 23rd October 2009 from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and will cost £35.00. All testing will take place at the Bishop Otter Campus in Chichester. To secure a place book on-line now at www.c-r-y.org.uk/

Dr Marcus Smith, Principal Lecturer and Field Leader in Exercise Physiology at University of Chichester, said: “For the price of a text book or a night out you will be given peace of mind that you have a healthy heart and can participate safely in a lifetime of sporting and physical activity. The University is committed to developing closer links with local schools, colleges, and sports clubs and for one individual it may perhaps be the most important test they undertake. I have two sons who fit the 14-35-age category that take part regularly in school and club based sport in the local community. As a parent, and given that every week 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die in the UK from undiagnosed heart problems, this is a service I feel cannot and should not be ignored. Both will be booked in, providing the 100 spaces have not already been taken!”

Dr. Steven Cox, CRY Deputy Chief Executive, said ‘“Although it is essential to look out for the warning signs, our experience is that so often there are no symptoms prior to death and the only way the condition could have been detected would have been if cardiac tests were conducted.’

For more information visit: www.c-r-y.org.uk/

National Poetry Day at the University of Chichester

Writers and scholars from the English Department at the University of Chichester are to mark National Poetry Day on Thursday, October 8th, with a special event.

Members of the public are invited to mingle with staff and students at a free evening forum on 'The Role of Poetry in 21st Century Life'. The discussion will be hosted by the West Sussex Poet Laureate Dr Hugh Dunkerley, who will invite questions from the floor. The forum will be followed by a reading, accompanied by music. The reading is to feature poems written by members of staff from the English Department. The readers include Hugh Dunkerley and the English Head of Department Diana Barsham. They will be joined by Stephanie Norgate and Dave Swann, who also lecture in English and Creative Writing at the University.

Other participants at the forum include Art Department lecturer Chris Aggs, a well-known local artist, whose paintings often use poetry as a source of inspiration. Although now known as an accomplished artist, Chris was originally a student of literature, graduating in English at Oxford University. Stephanie Norgate is an acclaimed poet, whose book 'Hidden River' was published last year by Bloodaxe Books, one of the world's most prestigious poetry publishers. Hugh Dunkerley's latest collection, 'Hare' is forthcoming from Cinnamon Press, while Diana Barsham and Dave Swann are also working on new books of poetry.

Organiser Dave Swann said, "Poetry is a marginal activity for most. Yet those people who would normally ignore it are often drawn to poetry at important moments in their lives. "When people are born or die or get married, it seems natural to look to poetry for meaning and help, or consolation and hope. "In times that sometimes seem starved of beauty, I believe that poetry continues to have a special role in explaining this strange world of ours and also maybe of suggesting other ways in which we could live, particularly at a time in history when so many of our institutions are in crisis. "Staff at the University want to mark this annual occasion by inviting members of the public and students to come together and discuss the state of poetry in the UK, and its relevance to our busy 21st Century lives. "We warmly invite people to come and relate their personal experiences of poetry, and to describe its contribution to their lives, in what we expect to be an enjoyable and inspiring evening."

The event will take place in Cloisters Chamber at the Bishop Otter Campus on Thursday, October 8th, from 7pm to 9pm, and all members of the public are welcome to attend. Entry is free.

Dr Stephen Baysted has recently completed work on the latest iteration of Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed series of video racing games

Dr Stephen Baysted has recently completed work on the latest iteration of Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed series of video racing games – Need for Speed: Shift. As well as being a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Chichester, Dr Baysted is also Director of Sound and Music for Slightly Mad Studios Ltd. who have spent the last 2 years creating and developing Shift for Electronic Arts. With worldwide sales totalling 100 million copies, the Need for Speed series is seen as Electronic Arts’ best selling franchise; and Electronic Arts is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company.

Released worldwide this week on PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, Shift represents a new direction for the Need for Speed series and features a highly immersive and unique race driving experience. Sophisticated and ultra-realistic vehicle audio modelling techniques, for which Stephen and fellow sound designer Greg Hill have won international acclaim in previous projects, form a central part of this experience. Where the innovative music soundtrack is concerned, Stephen worked with a team of leading video games and film industry specialists to shape a radically dramatic sonic backdrop to the game.

Need for Speed: Shift has already received glowing reviews from the industry press and video games channel IGN (ranked among the top 200 most visited websites in the world) has just awarded the game 9 out of 10, and audio specifically 9.5 out of 10. The reviewer enthuses that the sound ‘… is awesome … and brilliantly executed. A lot of other racers have great engine samples, nice crashing effects and so forth, but very, very few actually get the mix of all of this correct. It's a raw sound … and pretty much no racing game on the market conveys this correctly. Need for Speed Shift actually does, and it's music to the ears … This is how it should be done.’

Stephen describes the engine modelling process as one that is extremely complex and technically demanding. ‘It’s a protracted task which starts with recording the actual racing car on location with specialist microphones. Once the recordings have been carefully edited and mastered, the modelling and the ‘fun’ can start! Every single sonic characteristic of the vehicle is modelled including the engine, the transmission, the exhaust, the gears, turbochargers, superchargers, tyre noise, wind noise, chassis resonance and suspension noise.’ Stephen continues, ‘Slightly Mad Studios as a company is renowned for its fanatical attention to detail, its dedication to realism and accuracy, and the audio team is no exception.’ There are over 80 different cars modelled in Shift.

‘One of the most exciting aspects of working in the industry’, Stephen comments, ‘is being able to bring this industry experience and expertise back to the University environment and to the students in the classroom. Because we’re working at the cutting edge of video game development and media production, the teaching can be shaped by it and module content already reflects this.’

Stephen, and Slightly Mad Studios, are currently working on future video game projects.

Read Reviews

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com

Isabel Ashdown launches her debut novel on 28th September 2009

Isabel Ashdown, fiction writer and MA Creative Writing student at the University of Chichester will be launching her debut novel on 28th September 2009.

Glasshopper, published by Myriad Editions, is the story of a family breakdown in the 1980s as seen through the eyes of 13-year-old Jake. An extract won the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition and was described by judges John Mortimer and Fay Weldon as ‘magnificent’.

Isabel finished writing the novel in December 2008 and will celebrate the official launch of the book on 28th September at the Mitre Theatre, Bishop Otter Campus, University of Chichester at 5.30pm. She commented: “My friends, family and tutors have shown me great support and enthusiasm during the writing of the Glasshopper, for which I am sincerely grateful.”

So what tips can Isabel give to aspiring writers? She said: “Carry a notebook at all times, read widely and with a writer’s eye, join or form a workshop group and submit your work to competitions and publications.”

Isabel is now working on her second novel. “I’m most interested in discovering the characters, in understanding their dilemmas and choices, and in watching the subsequent repercussions of those choices unfold before me. Whilst my second novel will have a very different theme to that of Glasshopper, it will appeal to a similar readership.”

Come and listen to Isabel in conversation with University English Lecturer Dave Swann, as she reads extracts from the book, and signs copies of Glasshopper. Copies will be available to purchase on the day.

University of Chichester Celebrates Gaining Fairtrade Status

The University of Chichester is delighted to announce that it has been officially awarded Fairtrade status.

Becoming a Fairtrade University was the joint achievement of staff and the students’ union and demonstrates that the University is doing great things to make sure its campus is more ethical by promoting and raising awareness and availability of products with the FAIRTRADE Mark.

The approved application showed that the University made a commitment to supporting and using Fairtrade products such as food, drinks and clothing are making sure they are available in as many outlets as possible on its campuses(such as the student dining halls, cafés, students’ union bar and shop). The University will continue to expand its product range, to raise awareness of Fairtrade and highlight the benefits it brings to producers in developing countries with students and staff. Dr Robin Baker, Vice Chancellor of the University of Chichester: "As one of the largest institutions in West Sussex, and as a university with a Christian foundation, we are committed to supporting a fair deal for producers in the developing world. This commitment is shared by staff and students alike. Thousands of people pass through the doors of our University every year and each one can make a positive difference. We are delighted that we are now a part of the Fairtrade movement.”

Casper Beade, the Students’ Union President, said: "Our Students' Union has been dealing in the supply of Fairtrade products for a number of years now, from foodstuffs to a range of University clothing. As the Students' voice we are very happy to work with the University to campaign to raise awareness and to increase the availability of Fairtrade products in order to support farmers in countries in need of development."

The University of Chichester will be opening the doors of its two campuses to showcase some of its historical buildings on 10th and 11th September as part of the annual Heritage Open.

The scheme celebrates England’s architecture and culture by offering free access to hundreds of buildings during the course of four days each September.

On Thursday 10th September two tours of Hothamton Crescent on the University’s Bognor Regis campus will take place. The Crescent contains three fine Regency buildings which were built at the end of the 18th century. The buildings were designed to be part of Sir Richard Hotham's grand plan to turn Bognor Regis into a seaside resort for the rich and famous. In 1808, Princess Charlotte visited Bognor and stayed in the centre building of the Crescent, known as the 'Dome'. The Princess was just one of many famous people to have stayed or lived in these buildings.

On Friday 11th September, 2009 the Bishop Otter Campus in Chichester will be open for two one hour tours of the buildings. The Bishop Otter campus was originally an early 19th century church college, founded by William Otter, Bishop of Chichester. Now one of the best modern university’s in the UK, the guided tours will take visitors around some of the University’s beautiful buildings, historic features and will bring to life the many famous visitors and associates from the past. After each tour there will be an opportunity to take part in a University Campus Tree Walk which will take around 45 minutes.

Tours of the Bognor Regis Campus will commence from the main reception desk in St. Michael’s House. Each tour will last approximately 1 hour and will begin at 12.00 and again at 15.30.

The number of places on each tour will be limited so prior booking is advisable. Parking is not available on the campus, however a public car park is located in Hotham Park at its junction with the High Street and Upper Bognor Road. This car park is situated immediately opposite the main entrance to the University.

The tours of the Bishop Otter Campus will commence at 11.00 and 13.00 from the main reception desk. Each tour will last approximately 1 hour. Parking is not available on campus but there is a public car park on the other side of College Lane adjacent to the Chichester Festival Theatre – a five minute walk up the Lane will bring you to the main entrance.

To book a place on one of the tours please contact j.carter@chi.ac.uk or telephone (01243) 816087 and for more information visit the website on http://chiuni.ac.uk/info/HeritageOpenDays.cfm

The University of Chichester remains the top modern university in the UK for student satisfaction

A new survey reveals that students at the University of Chichester are more satisfied with their courses than those at any other modern university in the UK.


Nearly Nine out of ten students (88%) said they were satisfied overall with the quality of their degree course according to the latest National Student Survey (NSS) 2009, making it the top ranked of any modern university and the 15th among all UK universities. The results show a one per cent increase over last year's result and a rise of 8% since 2005.

This comes hot on the heels of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) report that showed Chichester was the top University on the South Coast for graduate employment. The Hesa 2009 study revealed that 94.2% of graduates from the University of Chichester are in jobs or further study six months after they graduated.

Dr Robin Baker, the Vice-Chancellor at University of Chichester said; "I am delighted that our students continue to rate their experience here so highly. I am particularly pleased to see that we have improved on our results from last year. A positive experience of the learning and teaching a higher education institution offers is fundamental to its mission. However we must not rest on our laurels and although our students are very satisfied with their courses, we must continue to ensure that the experience they have at Chichester continues to be outstanding. High-quality teaching is essential for a strong university sector, and it has never been more so than in the economic current climate."

A total of 155 higher education institutions across the UK and 117 further education colleges in England took park in the NSS Survey.

NNS Survey

The National Student Survey results will be published on the Unistats website on 29 September 2009 – at www.unistats.co.uk

Bognor Rox Launch Party 2009

Bognor Rox Launch Party 2009
Originally uploaded by Chi Uni

Rox launch party 2009 at the University of Chichester, MII Bar, Bognor Regis campus.

University of Chichester tops the list of universities on the South Coast for graduate job prospects

Chichester in top 10 in England for graduate employment. A new study has revealed that over 94.2% of graduates from the University of Chichester are in jobs or further study six months after they graduated making it the best university on the south coast for job prospects.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) study looked at last summer’s graduates and the national average was 91%. The figures for Chichester show that it is in the top 10 universities in England for overall graduate employment.Dr Andy Dixon, Head of the Research and Employer Engagement Office at the University of Chichester, said: “This is great news for the university and shows that our graduates have fared well compared to the national picture.

Although we are undoubtedly in tough times it shows that a degree is a strong investment which stands graduates in good stead for a long and successful career.”

The University of Chichester is also working which local partners including Chichester College, Arun District Council, Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council to run the GraduateOn project.

This is funded by Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) through the Economic Challenge Fund and the package will provide support for 300 new graduates across 200 businesses, through personal coaching and mentoring, a two day motivational course, online networks, placement schemes, seminars, business support service and subsidised knowledge transfer partnerships.

Dr Dixon added: “We are committed to helping our graduates find work. GraduateOn will further strengthen the skills and employability of graduates in West Sussex and improve graduate retention in the county. This will contribute to sustainable higher-value economic recovery. The project will assist business to secure the skills it needs to succeed during this challenging time.”

Dr Elizabeth Pike co-authors first UK edition of the global best-seller ‘Sports in Society’ book

Dr Elizabeth Pike, a senior lecturer in Sport Development from the University of Chichester, has co-authored the first ever UK edition of the highly regarded ‘Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies’ book.

Dr Pike, who will be speaking about the benefits and barriers to involvement in physical activity for older people at the World Congress of the Sociology of Sport in Utrecht, the Netherlands from 15-18th July 2009, co-authored the book with Jay Coakley, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, USA.

In 2007 Professor Coakley’s work was recognised by the Institute for International Sport who selected him as one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators, and in the same year he became an Honorary Fellow of the University of Chichester in recognition of his outstanding leadership in the sociology of sport.

This new edition, published by McGraw-Hill/Open University Press, continues the legacy of the Sports in Society series written by Professor Coakley. Dr Pike worked with Professor Coakley to combine the book’s original structure and adapt new material to a UK audience which makes it essential reading for students in this subject area as well as for professionals working within the sports sector.

Dr Pike is also the current General Secretary of the International Sociology of Sport Association.

University of Chichester associate lecturer gains national recognition for locally born anti-apartheid activist.

Associate Lecturer David Rang, a post graduate researcher in gender history at the University of Chichester, has successfully lobbied the prestigious Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) to include an entry for Midhurst born anti-apartheid activist Helen Joseph.

Once the ODNB, a national record of people who have shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, had agreed to include an entry on Helen they asked David to write the article, which was published in May. David studied the life of Helen (as part of his undergraduate dissertation in 2008 and to be invited to write an entry in the ODNB is in itself a recognition of academic merit.

Helen Joseph (1905–1992) was born in Easebourne, nr Midhurst in Sussex and first travelled to South Africa to convalesce after a riding accident in her 20s. She became increasingly involved in the anti-apartheid struggle in that country, enduring repeated banning orders, house arrests, and harassment by the South African police, and was eventually recognized as ‘the mother of the struggle’. At her funeral Nelson Mandela described her as being both ‘a South African revolutionary’ and ‘a lady of the British empire’; this was, he said, ‘a contradiction in the eyes of many but to Helen her own reality.’

David said; “I think she is one of the bravest and most principled people of the 20th century. The people of South Africa know this. Women's Day commemorates a demonstration in Pretoria on August 9th 1956 at which Helen was one of four leaders; there are many places in modern South Africa named after her and she was given the highest honour of the ANC for her part in the Struggle (one of only 19 such awards). However she is hardly known in the UK and is virtually unknown in her birthplace and I want to change that.”

David will be giving an evening talk on the life of Helen Joseph on September 11th as part of Heritage Open Days in the Methodist Hall, Midhurst. For more information please contact David on 01243 536558 or email davidrang@btopenworld.com.

About the ODNB It is a collection of more than 56,600 specially written biographies, which describe the lives of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond. It is the first point of reference for anyone interested in the people who left their mark on the history of the British Isles.

About Helen Joseph Joseph [née Fennell], Helen Beatrice May (1905–1992), anti-apartheid activist, was born on 8 April 1905 at Easebourne, Sussex, the younger child of Samuel Fennell, a civil servant in the customs and excise, and his wife, Mary.

Helen Joseph was instrumental in organising a protest by 20,000 mainly Black women in front of the government Union Buildings in Pretoria on 9 August 1956, an event today recognised in South Africa as a public holiday, Women’s Day. She suffered the full weight of this evil regime’s oppression during the next 25 years and was awarded the highest medal in South Africa for her part in the Struggle. Nelson Mandela read a tribute to her at her funeral in Johannesburg in 1993.

Fifty students set to Rock and Roll at the University of Chichester’s Music Summer School

Fifty students aged 13 to 14-years-old from local schools in the Bognor Regis and Chichester area will have the opportunity to work with professional musicians and lyricists to discover their own musical talents at the ‘Chi Rocks Summer School’ from 7-9th July at the University Chichester.

The 5th annual Summer School, run by the University’s Widening Participation team, will be focussing on music for the first time and will enable the teenagers to run their own song writing company and this will culminate in seeing their song performed by professional band at a Chi Rocks gig in the University’s Student Union bar on Thursday 9th July.

The Chi Rocks event give these young adults the opportunity to learn about writing songs, recording and music technology and ways to market their own company. Those attending won’t necessarily have to play an instrument or sing, but they must love music. The schools taking part are Bognor Regis Community College, Bourne Community College, Manhood Community College, Thomas Bennett Community College and Westergate Community College.

Organise Carole Nairn said: “We’re really excited about this event which will give these students a fantastic opportunity to learn about different aspects of the music business from professionals who teach here at the University. To hear their songs performed by a professional band should be a really great experience for them and hopefully some of them will study music at university in the future.”

If you would like to find out more about this event please contact Carole on tel: 01243 812169 or email c.nairn@chi.ac.uk

‘Changing Childhood’ Conference to be held at University of Chichester

On 2nd - 4th July 2009 the Youth and Children’s Work Department of the Diocese of Chichester is hosting a conference entitled ‘Changing Childhood’.


Working in collaboration with the Children’s Society and the University of Chichester, where the event will be held, the conference will explore studies on childhood.

The year 2009 will commemorate not only the 30th anniversary of the UN International Year of the Child, but also the 50th anniversary of the United Nations’ Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

Over the past few years the media has been abundant with issues concerning childhood and the well-being of children. Therefore this is the perfect time for the ‘Changing Childhood’ conference.

The conference will include the latest research initiatives on childhood studies from specialists in the field, in particular the Good Childhood Inquiry. Through plenary sessions, lectures and seminars the conference will explore childhood in three main areas: the Child and the Church; the Child and Society; and the Child and Culture.

Key speakers at the conference are: Professor Marcia J Bunge (PhD), Dr Rebecca Nye (PhD), Bob Reitemeier (CEO of the Children’s Society), Mary Hawes (National Children’s Officer C of E), Professor William Gray (BA, MA, BD, Th.M, PhD), Dr Sue Morgan (BA, MA, PhD), Rob Abbott (MA BACP), and Dr Robin Baker (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chichester).

Further information is available on the website www.yesonthenet.org.uk/events/yearofthechild/ or from the conference coordinator, Emma Hards on 01273 425684 or email emma.hards@diochi.org.uk.

William Blake and the Bard of Eartham: A Chichester Friendship

Diana Barsham of the University of Chichester presents an illustrated talk on William Hayley

As part of the annual Chichester Festivities Dr Diana Barsham, Head of English and Creative Writing at the University of Chichester, will be giving an illustrated talk on the extraordinary life of the Chichester poet, dramatist and biographer, William Hayley on 4th July. The work of Hayley has been ignored for the last 200 years but in the late Eighteenth Century he was one of the most popular poets of his day and his poem ‘The Triumphs of Temper’ was a best seller. Hayley created the heroine of this poem as a role model for women, advising them on how to respond cheerfully to the trials of marriage, especially when their partners were unfaithful. Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, and Nelson’s mistress, Lady Hamilton were both avid readers! Georgiana claimed the poem saved her marriage.

By the late 1790s Hayley was a famous and successful poet. It was at this time that a number of tragedies in his life led him to form a strong but ill-fated friendship with the artist, mystic and poet, William Blake. In 1800 tragedy struck when Hayley’s dearest friend William Cowper died. A week later his illegitimate and only son also died, aged only 19. Hayley’s estranged wife had died three years earlier and he was left inconsolable. Only William Blake seemed able to understand and address his sorrow. The ruins of time, he wrote, build mansions in Eternity.

As the friendship grew closer, Blake was persuaded to leave his native London to join Hayley in the village of Felpham near Bognor Regis. Hayley was the direct inspiration for Blake’s last two prophetic works, Milton and Jerusalem. In 1803, artist tensions between them led to a series of quarrels and Blake accused Hayley of stifling his genius. Just as Blake had decided to leave Felpham, he became embroiled in an argument with a soldier in his cottage garden. The soldier publically accused him of speaking treason against the King. When Blake was forced to stand trial for Sedition in Chichester, Hayley organised and paid for his defence and, after months of anxiety, Blake was finally acquitted. By 1803 Hayley’s career was in decline. Blake had blackened his character in a series of lampoons he later regretted writing while Byron and the new wave of Romantic poets ridiculed his style of writing. Hayley had had his day. After embarking on a brief and disastrous second marriage with a much younger woman, he lived out his last years as a recluse writing his own biography.

Dr Barsham argues: “As well as being a poet, a scholar and a model gentleman, Hayley was very much a man of the heart, benevolent and generous. Friendship meant everything to him and the rift with Blake darkened his life. For the past 200 years Hayley has been mostly ignored and forgotten. I want to bring back to life this once prominent and interesting man and re-evaluate his literary career.”

The talk, part of Chichester Festivities, will take place at the Mitre Theatre, University of Chichester, Bishop Otter Campus, on Saturday 4th July 2009, 2.30pm. Admission is free. To reserve a space please contact tel: 01243 816456.

An artwork featuring poetry by University of Chichester English lecturer Dave Swann has gone on display in the State Capital Building in New Mexico

The Santa Fe-based artist Clare Dunne has converted Dave’s work into a lavish hand-made book, featuring wood-cuts inspired by the poem.

Staff and students at the University of Chichester will get an opportunity to see Clare and Dave’s work on 8th October, when the English Department stages a series of events to celebrate National Poetry Day.

Currently, the artwork remains on display in Santa Fe, where Clare says it has been “well received by the public and media”.

Dave’s poem, ‘Number’, is a dramatic monologue written from the point of view of a life prisoner suffering guilt for his crime of murder.

He wrote it several years ago after working as a Writer in Residence at HMP Nottingham, where his job was to spread literacy skills in a jail populated by a wide range of offenders.

The poem will be included in ‘The Privilege of Rain’, a book based on Dave’s experiences in the prison, to be published by Waterloo Press in the autumn of 2009.

The book will feature wood-cuttings by Clare, whom Dave met while researching the life of the Nottingham-born novelist and poet, DH Lawrence.

“Since working at the jail, I’ve become increasingly fascinated by Lawrence,” explained Dave. “Frustrated by what he called the ‘narrowness’ of England, he and his wife Frieda took off on a so-called ‘savage pilgrimage’ – their search for the ideal place to live.

“When I learned that they had come closest to finding their idea of heaven on a ranch near Taos in New Mexico, I knew I had to go there one day.

“The ranch was the only place that the Lawrences ever owned – and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with a view down over the Rio Grande. On the drive up there, a cougar crossed our path – which we took as a lucky omen!

“Standing under the tree where Lawrence wrote, with no-one else around – just the wind in the ponderosas – it felt as if electricity was coming up out of the ground. I could hardly believe I was there beneath the tree immortalised by the painter Georgia O’Keeffe. I just felt so lucky to be alive!”

After visiting the ranch, Dave encountered work by Clare which featured bold wood-cuts of trees.

“One way or another, those trees just seemed perfectly suited to the poems,” said Dave. “The prison was in Sherwood, and I liked the irony that the supposed old haunt of Robin Hood was still home to all those outlaws.

“Also, the wood-cuts themselves wouldn’t exist without trees, so there were all these fruitful connections between Lawrence and Nottingham and trees, which led to a new little thicket of poems about the jail.

“Writing can be a lonely business, and collaboration is sometimes a lovely way of finding new inspiration, as well as learning more about this strange world of ours.”

For her part, Clare is continuing to work on fusions of art and poetry, and is on the look-out for a gallery in England that may be interested in staging an exhibition of her art-books.

She said, “I am merciless with writers’ poems, carving them up and illustrating them the way I like, so I was a little nervous about doing Dave’s work, since I know it is quite a presumption. But so far the writers have been very gracious about it!”

One picture shows a tree created by Clare Dunne. The other shows Dave standing by the tree immortalised by the artist Georgia O’Keeffe, who spent several weeks at the Lawrences’ ranch in 1929.

For further information on DH Lawrence’s connections with New Mexico, see http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/travel/22culture.html

Banging the drum for health, well-being and fitness

Scientific research has shown that you don’t have to be sporty to keep fit: a rock drummer gets as much of a workout during a gig as a premiership footballer during a match. And playing drumming-based interactive computer games such as Guitar Hero World Tour could provide real physical and mental health benefits.

During June this year the Clem Burke Drumming Project (a scientific collaboration between Clem Burke, the drummer from rock band Blondie, and the University of Chichester and University of Gloucestershire) was featured at both the Cheltenham Science Festival (3-7 June) and the London International Music Show (11-14 June) where scientists from the Universities of Chichester and Gloucestershire shared their recent research findings related to modern day rock drumming.

Visitors to both shows were able to witness the appliance of science to drumming as Darrin Mooney, the drummer from Primal Scream, was put through an incremental drumming test to the point of exhaustion whilst wearing the latest state-of-the-art sports science technology which measured the changes in his heart rate and oxygen uptake.

Dr Marcus Smith, Principal Lecturer in Exercise Physiology at the University of Chichester said: “The Clem Burke Drumming Project welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the Cheltenham Science Festival and the London International Music Show. We were particularly pleased to be able to share with the general public our views relating to the science of drumming and how drumming may be used in the future to investigate important issues such as childhood obesity and autism.”

World-leading brain imagery scientist, Professor Steve Williams from Kings College London, has been working closely with Dr Marcus Smith and stated: “Patients with suboptimal brain function such as autism, dyspraxia or stroke may really benefit from this technology. Planning and learning these motor skills in such an entertaining manner may well enhance cognitive flexibility and facilitate recovery from an insult.”

Darrin Mooney said: “This test was very interesting for me because over the last six years or so Primal Scream’s music and touring schedule have become much more intense, which means I have to take many more things into consideration like my diet, enough sleep, and as I have got older I have even adjusted my set-up to try and relieve unwanted muscle and joint stress.

“I know it sounds strange but as I am getting older I am finding playing a two-hour, very fast show easier and easier. I put this down to practising almost every day for four hours in between tours, which saves any trips to the gym. I also believe the mental challenge of playing the drums to a high standard gives the brain a unique workout, as you are telling and forcing your brain to do things it’s really not wired to do naturally, and with all four limbs. Over the years I have had to work out systems which allow my brain to learn complicated rhythms and patterns. Some days after practising I feel mentally tired as well as physically tired.”

For more information please visit www.clemburkedrummingproject.com

University of Chichester welcomes Reverend John Dane as its new chaplain

The University of Chichester is pleased to announce that it has appointed a new chaplain।
Reverend John Dane was formerly a curate in the parish of Deddington in Oxfordshire and comes to the University with an enormous amount of experience relevant for the chaplain's role. He succeeds Reverend Hadge Hughes who was with the University of Chichester for four years before leaving to join a church in Queensland, Australia. Reverend Dane who is married with six children has an excellent track record in youth, alcoholism, mental health and community work as well as having business experience in the private sector. Reverend Dane said: “I am extremely excited about our move to Chichester and to working in a University that has created a unique reputation for itself in the Higher Education field for its commitment to supporting students in all aspects of their lives, not just the academic. The University was originally the ‘Bishop Otter’s School’, opened in 1840, in St. Martin’s Lane, Chichester, and was one of the first ‘Church Colleges’. This long association with the church is something to be proud of and I look forward to being a part of the reshaping of that association for a new generation.”

Previous to his role in Deddington Reverend Dane was a consultant to a British medical company. Prior to this he lived and worked in the United States for 15 years, mainly in the field of Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation. In this role he travelled in the US, Russia and Europe developing treatment programmes for a range of occupations including Doctors, Police Officers, Airline Pilots and the Clergy. He was also involved in providing treatment to the entertainment industry, specifically to those in the pop music and movie fields.

On the church front he was Director of Youth Ministry – providing pastoral care for youth and children at St Francis in the Foothills Methodist Church, Tucson, Arizona, a church heavily committed to working with refugees and other marginalised groups. Reverend Dane took up his position on 8th June 2009.

University of Chichester announces the promotion of four of its academic staff to Professors and Readers

The University of Chichester is pleased to announce the promotion of four members of its academic staff to the position of Professor and Reader.


Dr Bill Gray and Dr Alison MacLeod both from the English team have been appointed as Professors and Dr Andrew Chandler from History and Dr Benjamin Noyes also from English are appointed as Readers.

Dr Robin Baker, Vice Chancellor at the University of Chichester, said: “It is important to the University's future that quality research and teaching are recognised and that those who are successful in their applications are supported to enrich the research and teaching culture and achievement of the University.”

University of Chichester in the UK's top 10 for overall student satisfaction - The Times Good University Guide 2010

The Times Good University Guide 2010 published today (3 June) has ranked the University of Chichester as joint 8th in the UK for overall student satisfaction and the top modern university for the percentage of students who complete their degree.

The Guide is one of the most authoritative and widely respected guides to universities in the UK and is an essential and comprehensive tool for students and parents at home and abroad. It ranks 114 UK institutions according to eight criteria including satisfaction, completion rates, degree results and graduate prospects.

Chichester was joint 8th with a score of 81% for student satisfaction and is the top ranking modern university in the UK with 89.2% of its students going on to complete their degree courses.

The University was ranked 59th overall out of 114 universities for the second year running rating it amongst the top modern universities in the country.

University of Chichester Vice Chancellor Dr Robin Baker, welcomed the results and said: “We place a great deal of emphasis on the student experience at Chichester and it is very pleasing to see our outstanding performance in student satisfaction so clearly reflected in the Good University Guide. This Guide further consolidates Chichester's position as one of the UK's leading modern universities."

For more information visit http://www.timesonline.co.uk/gug

Student Aaron Singleton Smith’s debut sci-fi novel published

Could University of Chichester Student Aaron Singleton Smith’s new series of sci-fi books be the next Harry Potter?

University of Chichester student Aaron Singleton Smith has had his debut novel The 7 Worlds Part 1: book A Splinter of Faith published. The book is in a series of eight fantasy stories for young readers.

Aaron who is currently studying for a BA Honours in Performing Arts and Media Production at the University started writing at a very young age, which acted as an outlet for his vivid imagination. His creativity has stretched to screenwriting and he has found his style benefiting from the wider influences offered through his degree. He has just finished the second instalment of this 7 Worlds series.

Aaron’s literary influences include J.K Rowling, Philip Pullman, J.R.R. Tolkein and Dan Brown, he said, “My advice is to carry a notebook around with you everywhere. You never know when you are going to get inspiration; it can come at the strangest of times. The idea for story crystallised while I was on a trip to Bath some five years ago, and the city has served as a great influence within the first book.”

A Splinter of Faith book charts the story of a student called Sam. Life was pretty uneventful for Sam until he received an unusual package which was to change everything – he was to be the saviour of the universe! Magic would be required and he was to face peril from unimaginable beings from the seven worlds. But first Sam and his friends had to work out where their journey to the first world would begin from and would they make it in one piece?

Aaron will be signing copies of his book at Waterstone’s in Chichester on Saturday 6th June from 11am and at Waterstone’s in Woking on Saturday 13th Saturday from 11am. For more information visit http://www.the7worlds.co.uk