The annual 25 Year Lunch was held in the Darwin Conference Suite on 20 October, with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, hosting for the final time before her retirement next year.

At each lunch, the Vice-Chancellor is accompanied (depending on numbers) by her two Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Director of HR & Organisational Development.

Since 2007, Dame Julia has hosted ten lunches, shaken hands and congratulated 126 members of staff. She has handed out gifts of wine glasses, vases, photo frames and pens and, for those who requested a donation to charity, the University has donated to a total of 48 charities such as Cancer Research, MSF, British Heart Foundation, The Dogs Trust (to name a few).

This year one of the invitees, Dave Pilbeam, Deputy Head Chef, cooked the lunch and then joined in the celebrations once service was over.

The lunch celebrates and recognises the contribution each staff member has made over the years at the University and a thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all.

Picture shows (from left to right):
Back row
Tim Pryor (Estates), Dr George Conyne (School of History), Julie Martin (SHEU),
Lesley Lawrence (IS Library Collections), Angela Hewlett-Day (SHEU),
Professor John Fitzpatrick (KLS), Alex Watson (Estates)
Middle Row
Sue Casement (Office of the Master of Rutherford), Justine Abernethy (IS Finance),
Judi Rowbotham (IS Training Team), Angie Allen (School of Computing), Laetitia Gullett (EMS),
Nick Swinford (Estates), David Nightingale (Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost)
Front row
Professor David Ayers (School of English), Denise Everitt (Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer), Neil Oliver (Finance Division), Gill Warr (SSPSSR)
Dr Kathy Bennett (Finance Division – Retired), Maddy Withers (Organiser),
Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow (Vice-Chancellor), Dave Pilbeam (Kent Hospitality),
Peter Lee (EDA), Tim Jenkins (IS Requirements), Alison Ross-Green (Director of HR & OD).