Two cyclists from Kent Sport at the University of Kent are getting on their bikes to tackle the National Children’s Football Alliance (NCFA) Peace Ride to the Belgian town of Ypres on Saturday 23 March in order to twin the University’ sports pitches with the peace field in Belgium.

Oli Prior, Head of Physical Activities and Lee Thompson, Outdoor Facilities Manager are proud to be riding from the first University Peace pitches in the UK and twin them close to the World War Memorial to the Missing in Ypres.  Taking part in the ride will further cement the legacy of the pitches at the Canterbury campus. On arrival at Ypres, the pair will lay a ceremonial Poppy Football at the Menin Gate Memorial at the daily 8pm ‘Last Post’ service.

The NCFA’s Peace Fields project aims is to raise enough money to send a team of team of children from India to the 2019 Global Peace Games in Messines, Belgium.  To support this cause and back Oli and Lee, please make a pledge on the charity’s Crowd Funding page and be sure to include a word of support for Oli/Lee or the University of Kent so the charity know who you are backing. Alternatively, Oli and Lee have their own Just Giving page so you can pledge your support there.

Kent’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Karen Cox said: ‘I am delighted that the University is supporting this great cause and event. I send my very best wishes to all those taking part in the ride and look forward to hearing about the outcomes of the project later this year.’

The Pride (‘Personal Responsibility in Delivering Excellence’) Award recognises members of Kent Hospitality staff who go out of their way to deliver excellent customer service.

Any Kent Hospitality staff member (permanent or casual) may be nominated from Canterbury and Medway campuses. The award is given out four times a year with each winner receiving £100 of shopping vouchers, a certificate and Pride badge.

Nominations can be made by any member of University staff, students or visitors. Make your nomination online or alternatively you can pick up a paper form next to the red nomination boxes located in all Kent Hospitality’s catering outlets in Canterbury and Medway, as well College reception areas.

Please make your nominations detailed, providing as much information as possible why the nominee is being put forward for a Pride Award. The panel are looking for staff who achieve more than just what is expected in their role (i.e. hardworking, professional, positive and friendly attitude).

Congratulations to December 2018 Pride Award winners – Linda Jarvis, Rutherford College Receptionist and Sam Riddington, Medway Food and Beverage Manager.

For further information or for guidance on submitting nominations please contact: pride@kent.ac.uk

Dr Julian Baggini, honorary research fellow in the Department of Philosophy and Kent honorary graduate, has recently been appointed academic director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.

Julian Baggini is a writer and the founding editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine. He has a PhD on the philosophy of personal identity and is the author of over 20 books including The Pig That Wants to be Eaten (Granta, 2010), The Virtues of the Table (Granta, 2014) and The Ego Trip (Granta, 2012). Julian’s most recent book How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy (Granta Books, 2018).

The Royal Institute of Philosophy is a charity dedicated to the advancement of philosophy through the organisation and promotion of teaching, discussion and research of all things philosophical. The Institute is not committed to any particular philosophical school or method or, of course, any ideology.

Julian is also appearing at an event with Richard King, Professor of Buddhist and Asian Studies, called ‘Globalising Philosophy’ taking place on Friday 14 June 2019.

Max Tyler was for many years the historian and archivist of the British Music Hall Society.

After his passing in January 2018, his collection was transferred to the Special Collections and Archives at the University from the British Music Hall Society. He had liaised with the University over a decade earlier to arrange to transfer ownership of the collection after his death.

The collection contains material spanning from the late 19th century to the early 21st century.

It includes: original and copies of Music Hall song sheets, song sheets and scripts for musical comedies, music hall programmes, playbills, 20th century music hall and vaudeville magazines and periodicals, music hall audio recordings on cassette, CD, shellac discs, and reel-to-reel tapes, published books on music hall, and music hall performers, research notes.

We are looking for ways to raise further funding to support cataloguing the collection so that it will readily available to a wide range of audiences, including researchers.

Leaving a legacy can also impact and support scholarships, alleviating hardship and future research.

If you would like to find out more about legacies, please sign up to the Estate Planning Seminar in the Widoger Law Building on Friday 22 March from 15.00 to 16.30.

The Learning & Teaching Network are running the following sessions:

Running an effective Board of Examiners (for Canterbury, Internal staff)

Wednesday 20 March 2019, 13:15-14:30

UELT Seminar Room, Canterbury

External Examining and Boards of Examiners at Kent (for Medway, Internal and External staff)

Wednesday 27 March 2019, 13:15 – 14:30

Lunch will be available from 13:00

Gillingham Building Room 412 (G4-12),Medway Campus

The sessions will give an overview of regulations and requirements relevant to Board of Examiner meetings. Participants will be given up-to-date guidance about the Credit Framework and related examination conventions / procedures for the classification of awards, in accordance with Annexes J and K of the Code of Practice. The relevant policies and procedures will be reviewed, and there will be time for questions and discussion.

If you wish to attend one of the sessions please complete the online booking form: https://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/networks/ltn/documents/LTN_booking_form.html

There are several ways staff can get involved in helping us to raise money for Red Nose Day this Friday (15 March).

We have a cupcake sweepstake taking place at the Medway building reception from Monday 11 through to Friday 15 March. Pick a cupcake flavour from the poster, pay £2 and you could win £30! The cupcake winner will be announced on Friday at 15,00 at the Medway building reception.

Dress down and wear something red on Friday for a donation of £2.

The Great Kent Red Nose Bake–Off Challenge!  We would like to invite staff to take part in a Bake-Off Challenge on Friday. Bake something sweet (no cheating must be homemade) and drop off to R2-09 before 11.00 on Friday. Professor Nick Grief, Dean for Medway will judge the entries. The winner will be announced at 11.30 in R2-09 where you are welcome to join us for tea and coffee (free of charge) and where you will have an opportunity to purchase cakes (please feel free to donate a cake).

If you would like to enter the bake off could you please email me at MedwayMastersoffice@kent.ac.uk

Hope you to see you on Friday to support this worthy charity

Jodie Innes
Master’s Office & College Support coordinator

The Corporate Events team is looking for volunteers to help during congregations for Medway and Canterbury – can you help?

Medway (Rochester Cathedral):

• Tuesday 9 July (x2 ceremonies), 10:30, 14:30

Canterbury (Canterbury Cathedral):

• Monday 15 July (x2 ceremonies) 14:30, 19:30
• Tuesday 16 July (x3 ceremonies) 10.30, 14.30, 19.30
• Wednesday 17 July (x2 ceremonies) 10.30, 14.30
• Thursday 18 July (x3 ceremonies) 10.30, 14.30, 19.30
• Friday 19 July (x1 ceremony) 10.30

This is a special day for all of our graduating students, and a great opportunity to be involved in a feel-good University event.

We have a variety of roles available for volunteers, so whether you would like to be in the Cathedral for the ceremony, helping the graduands check-in, or managing the guest queue, there is something suitable for everyone.

Things to know:

• Volunteers working two consecutive ceremonies will be provided with lunch or dinner in between their two shifts
• Volunteers can choose any ceremony ‘shifts’ from the above list, and full training will be available for your designated role
• In any role, there will be a member of the Congregations’ team on hand to support you
• Different roles will have different start and finish times due to the requirements of that role for the ceremony
• It’s a wonderful week and is a great opportunity to see any students that you have supported graduate.

If you would like to get involved in July 2019 Congregations, we would be delighted to have you!

To register your interest or to find out more about the roles available, please email congregations@kent.ac.uk with your preferred ceremony/ies or your query.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Congregations
Corporate Events, Development Office