January 2023

Alessia Russo

The Maidstone-born footballer was part of the record-breaking Lionesses who inspired the nation last year with their win at the biggest-ever UEFA Women’s EUROs, hosted on home soil. Not only did the team win their first ever major trophy, beating Germany in a final at Wembley with the biggest ever crowd recorded for a Euro’s final (men’s and women’s), but the Lionesses also spent the whole of 2022 unbeaten. With the Lionesses, Alessia went on to play in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Sydney against Spain, the first time the England team had been Women’s World Cup finalists.

Alessia was the third top scorer in the Championship with 4 goals and 1 assist. Her iconic back-heal goal against Sweden resulted in her becoming only a handful of women players to be nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award, given annually for the year's best goal.

Her success is now paving the way for other women and girls to begin playing football and help the women's game grow. Her Honorary Doctorate has been awarded in recognition of her sporting achievements, and her role in raising awareness and creating a legacy for women’s sports in the UK and around the world.

May 2023

Dean of Rochester, The Very Reverend Dr Philip Hesketh

This honour is a reflection of Philip’s commitment to the local community and his dedication to creating knowledge and enriching lives.

Philip was ordained in 1994 and served his title in the Diocese of Canterbury and became Vicar of St. Stephen's, Chatham in the Rochester Diocese in 1998. He was appointed to Rochester Cathedral as Canon Pastor in 2005, and Dean in June 2016.

Under his leadership the Crypt has been transformed into an engaging exhibition space where the famous Textus Roffensis or Book of Rochester, one of the most important of all medieval manuscripts containing a compilation of early English laws dating as far back as the year 7th century, is now displayed.

However, Philip has made sure the Cathedral is about more than just the past. His work and ideas have captivated the local community and thousands of visitors from across the world. He has delivered adventure golf in the nave, which had an underlying educational purpose of encouraging women into engineering.

Philip is also a Kent Ambassador and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Kent in 2019.

November 2021

Keith Oliver

Keith Oliver is a retired local Head Teacher and national ambassador for dementia. Keith was Head Teacher at Blean Primary School and studying for an MA in Education at Canterbury Christ Church when he received the diagnosis of young-onset dementia at the age of 55. Since then, Keith has used his energy and skills to raise awareness of living with dementia and supporting younger people with dementia through diagnosis and beyond.

Geoff Miles

Geoff Miles is a TV producer, director and Chairman of Maidstone Studios. Geoff has used his knowledge and skills to make Maidstone Studios a hub for creative talent and the largest independent studio complex in the UK. He works tirelessly to promote Kent business, support economic growth, and provides a strong voice in attracting new investment into Kent. In 2018 he was presented with the prestigious Kent Invicta Award and is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent and Kent Ambassador.

Hugo Fenwick

Hugo Fenwick is the Store Development Director at Fenwick. Hugo oversaw the construction of his family’s flagship Canterbury store in the Whitefriars redevelopment. In 2014, Hugo was appointed High Sheriff of Kent, one of the youngest people ever to hold one of the oldest secular offices in the UK. He used his time during office to focus on educational initiatives to support young people.

September 2022

Frank Martin

Frank attended The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), graduating in 1973 with a BSc Hons. in Management Sciences. He spent the majority of his working life in Manufacturing Industry, culminating in 12 years as Chief Executive of Margate-based Hornby Plc. Frank was a member of the University’s Governing Body from 2010 to 2021 and was Chair from 2017. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent in 2005.

John McParland 

John McParland was Principal of the John Wallis Church of England Academy in Ashford after a highly successful 10-year tenure, leading transformational change at the school. John steered the underperforming high school into a thriving, first-choice of education for children, pupils and sixth-form students, with the school becoming a successful 0 - 19 academy. His vision for excellence and impact saw the academy acquire Specialist Technology status and secure a £2.2 million project to support significant new building facilities. John has also managed the London County Gaelic Football and Hurling Teams and holds an FA coaching award.

Victoria Pomery

Victoria Pomery has worked in the arts all her life. In 2002 she was appointed as the founding Director of Turner Contemporary to develop an arts organisation in Margate as part of a strategy of cultural-led regeneration. Since opening in 2011, Turner Contemporary has welcomed more than 3million visits. Victoria is responsible for the artistic and strategic vision of the organisation. In 2012, Victoria was awarded an OBE for services to the arts. Victoria is Vice-Chair of the Cultural Transformation Board in Kent and a Kent Ambassador.

Right Reverend Trevor Willmott

Bishop Trevor, who in his own words was “given the gift of faith” as a teenager by an inspiring Christian family, studied for ordained ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge after a first degree in Theology at St Peter’s College, Oxford. Following a curacy at St George’s Norton in St Alban’s Diocese, Bishop Trevor worked in Chaplaincy roles in Oslo then Naples in the Diocese of Europe, and as Officiating Chaplain to H.M. and American Forces in Southern Europe, before returning to England as Rector of Ecton and Warden of Peterborough Diocesan Retreat House; a role he held from 1983-1989. From 1986 to 1997 Bishop Trevor was Peterborough Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Diocesan Director of Post Ordination Training. He was made Canon Residentiary and Precentor of Peterborough Cathedral in 1989. In 1997 he became Archdeacon of Durham and Canon Residentiary of Durham Cathedral, and in 2002 was consecrated as Bishop of Basingstoke.Bishop Trevor has many national church responsibilities and was elected to the Upper House of the Convocation in the Province of Canterbury in 2005 and has been a member of the Business Committee of the Church of England’s General Synod and an elected member of the Archbishops’ Council.During his ministry in Canterbury Diocese, Bishop Trevor became patron of a number of local social care charities and was leader of the Port of Dover Community Trust. As well as holding the post of Deputy Pro-Chancellor at Canterbury Christ Church University, Bishop Trevor was a Visitor of Dover College. Since 2014, Bishop Trevor has held interim Episcopal oversight of the Channel Islands through his role as Assistant Bishop in Winchester Diocese.Bishop Trevor is married to Margaret, who works as a school finance consultant. They have one grown up daughter, Elizabeth, a Hydrogeologist. Bishop Trevor, describes himself as “a real foodie who enjoys cooking”. His other interests include gardening, rugby and cricket.

Catherine Paynter

One of England’s most successful women rugby players, Catherine Paynter (nee Spencer), won six RBS Six Nations titles, captained the team for three seasons and led them to a narrow defeat in the 2010 World Cup final. She significantly raised the profile of women’s rugby through her leadership and now continues to inspire girls and women through her own company Inspiring Women. She is patron of global charity Tag Rugby Trust, and loyal to her Kent roots, as an ambassador of both Shepway Sports Trust and KM Charity team. Catherine is also a regular rugby commentator and pundit and author of the book, Mud, Maul, Mascara.

Lynne Owens

Lynne Owens became Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA) in January 2016, following a 27 year career as a police officer. She is a member of the Government’s National Security Council and chairs the National Strategic Tasking and Coordination Group. An experienced police officer, Lynne joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1989 and served initially as a Constable in Catford. She later moved to Kent Police as a Sergeant where she rose to the rank of Detective Chief Inspector and Senior Investigating Officer within the Force’s Major Crime Department.

Colin Carmichael

Colin Carmichael became the Chief Executive of Canterbury City Council in 1996. He oversees about 500 council staff and works closely with elected councillors to provide leadership and strategic direction. Prior to this, he gained local government experience in London in the late 1980s and 1990s, working for the London Borough of Hackney before becoming Director of Corporate Services for the London Borough of Camden. Colin was a member of the Board of Governors at Christ Church from the academic year 2003/04 until 2016/17.

Professor Abdol Tavabie

Professor Abdol Tavabie has a wealth of clinical and health care organisation experience and until 2013, he was a practising GP with thirty years’ experience. He has passion for improving and delivering high quality patient care through education and development of the workforce, and has been involved in postgraduate medical education for much of his career. Through his work on the development of GP Vocational Training and Continuing Education, Professor Tavabie has trained doctors to become general practitioners, as well as being responsible for training doctors to become hospital consultants. Professor Tavabie is now a retired, Postgraduate Medical Education Dean with nationally recognized success in multi-professional education. In 2015 he became the University’s first Chair of the Institute of Medical Sciences Advisory Board.

Lord Alan Howarth of Newport

Lord Howarth was a Member of Parliament for 22 years and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2005. His ministerial responsibilities have included schools, higher education, science, employment, disability and the arts.

As a Minister for the Arts, he developed a joint programme of work with the Department of Health. He is founder and Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing, which published Creative Health in 2017.

He is also President of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance

Dina Asher Smith

Rising star of British Athletics Dina Asher-Smith was awarded an Honorary Doctorate. The Olympic, World and European medallist became the first ever British woman to run the 100m in under 11 seconds at the London Anniversary Games in 2015, and holds the British records for both 100m and 200m.

Dina also won a gold medal for the 200m in 2016 at the European Championship and is part of the quartet who hold the British 4 x 100m record, resulting in a bronze medal at the Rio Olympic Games.

Stephen Clarke TD

Former Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the University’s Governing Body, Stephen Clark TD, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in recognition of his significant personal contribution to the University. He spent 14 years on the University’s Governing Body, having become a governor in 2003 and served two terms as Pro-Chancellor and Chair. He stepped down after the completion of his second term in July 2017.

Stephen’s journey of 27 years in Higher Education began in 1990, when he led a review of the Urban Learning Foundation, which trained teachers for the London inner boroughs. A retired investment banker, with over 40 years’ experience in Wealth Management, Investment Banking, Stockbroking and Fund Management, Stephen is also Chairman of Medway Maritime Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, a Freeman of the City of London and a supporter of military soldiers’ charities.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE FTS MTMI

Sandra Matthews-Marsh has a 25 year career in the tourism industry. She has been Chief Executive for Visit Kent for the last 12 years, prior to which she was a senior Director at Leeds Castle and has held senior roles in local government.

In 2012 Sandra was inducted into the Top 100 Club for the most influential women in the tourism and hospitality industry. She was invested with the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014 in recognition of her services to Tourism.

Honorary Fellows

Kate Blewett

Kate Blewett is a multi Emmy and BAFTA award winning journalist and documentary director focusing on child exploitation, abuse and neglect. She has filmed in over seventycountries including China, Philippines, Thailand, Africa, USA, India, Bulgaria, Ukraine and the UK.

Amongst her 125 awards are the BAFTA for Best Documentary, 6 US Emmys forOutstanding Achievement, the Monte Carlo UNESCO Special Jury Award and the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. Films include: The Dying Rooms, China’s Stolen Children, Slavery, Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children and Children of the Cybersex Dens. Kate is an alumnus of Canterbury Christ Church University.

Phil Gallagher

Phil Gallagher is a BAFTA nominated performer, best known for his role as CBeebies’ Mister Maker. He proudly attended Canterbury Christ Church College from 1995 to 1998, studying Radio, Film and Television and English.

Since its first transmission in 2007, Mister Maker has become a worldwide hit and has played in over 100 countries around the globe.

Since 2014, Phil has also taken Mister Maker on several Live UK and International theatre tours - including 18 sold out shows at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

Jane Carter

Jane Carter is an alumna of Christ Church, graduating in 1991, with a First Class BA (Hons) in Music and Business Education.

She has more than 25 years of experience in the music industry and is known internationally for her expertise in publishing, recording and live performance.

Jane represents Oscar and BAFTA winning film and TV composers and has masterminded and produced the BBC Natural History concerts The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet which continue to tour globally. She also created and produced the War Horse BBC Prom with the National Theatre and the Wallace and Gromit Musical Marvels BBC Prom with Aardman Animations.

Mr Harry Christophers CBE

Harry Christophers is known internationally as Founder and Conductor of The Sixteen choir and orchestra. He is also Artistic Director of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Granada Symphony Orchestra. Educated locally at the King’s School, the young Christophers was also a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral.

Harry has directed The Sixteen throughout Europe, America and the Asia-Pacific region, gaining a distinguished reputation for his work in Renaissance, Baroque and 21st-century music.He has won numerous awards, including the coveted Gramophone Award for Early Music and the prestigious Classical Brit Award in 2005 for his disc Renaissance. His CD of Monteverdi’s Vespers was nominated for a 2016 Grammy, and his second recording of Handel’s Messiahon The Sixteen’s own label CORO won the prestigious MIDEM Classical Award 2009 among others.

In 2007 he featured with The Sixteen in the BBC television series Sacred Music – the latest programme devoted to Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 was aired in March 2015.

Harry Christophers received a CBE for services to music in the Queen’s 2012Birthday Honours List.

Mr Tom Hart Dyke

Tom Hart Dyke is an English horticulturist, author and plant hunter as well as son and heir of Guy and Sarah Hart Dyke at the family seat of Lullingstone Castle, Eynsford, Kent. He is the designer of the World Garden of Plants located on the property. The World Garden contains approximately 8,000 species of plants, many collected by Hart Dyke from their native environments.

Educated in Kent, Tom first shot to international prominence in 2000, when he was kidnapped by suspected FARC guerrillas in the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia while hunting for rare orchids, a plant for which he has a particular passion. He was held captive for nine months and threatened with death. He kept himself going by creating a design for a garden containing plants collected on histrips, laid out in the shape of a world map according to their continent of origin. After his safe return home to Lullingstone Castle, Tom realised his dream and the World Garden was created.

Mr Stephen Firm OBE

Stephen Firn is the Programme Director of the New Care Model Programme in Tertiary Mental Health Services, NHS England, having recently stepped down as Chief Executive of Oxleas NHS Trust. Oxleas Trust was the first Mental HealthTrust to receive Foundation status, and Stephen is one of the longest service Chief Executives of a Trust in the UK (2002 – 2016).

Having first qualified as a nurse in 1985, Stephen has worked in a range of clinical, teaching, research, and managerial positions. In 2000, he advised the Department of Health on the implementation of the Adult Mental Health National Service Framework. He is a member of the Board of South London Academic Health Sciences Network.

Stephen received an OBE for services to health, particularly mental health, in the 2014 New Year’s Honours List.

Major Peter Norton GC

Major Peter Norton is a retired Major in the Royal Logistics Corps. Brought up in Margate, Major Norton enlisted in the British Army as a Private in 1983 and roseover a twenty-year career to the highest non-commissioned rank of Conductor before then being commissioned as a Captain in 2002. Retiring on medical grounds in 2013, Major Norton saw 30 years of active service in the British Army which included tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq. While serving in Iraq in July 2005 he led his Combined Explosives Exploitation unit to assist a US patrol which had succumbed to an IED attack.

As the unit was securing the attack area a secondary IED exploded, costing Pete his left leg and arm, and he suffered other serious injuries to his right leg and lower back. Notwithstanding these grievous wounds, he refused medical evacuation and continued to command his unit until the area was secured and other IEDs had been identified and disabled. For this conduct Major Norton was awarded the George Cross in 2006. Since his team contained two special agents of the FBI, Norton was also awarded the US FBI Star in 2009. Pete now runs his own consultancy business, is the Chairman of the Victoria Cross & George Cross Association and is also a Trustee and Patron of ‘Help for Heroes’.

Professor Tom Purves

Tom Purves is the former CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the current Chairman of The Royal Automobile Club (RAC). His career in the automobile industry has spanned four decades and began with a Student Engineering Apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce Car Division. After 19 years with Rolls-Royce,Tom joined BMW, representing the firm on the board of Rover after it was sold to the German firm. From 1999 to 2008, he was Chairman and CEO of BMW for North America, and also Chairman and Regional Manager for the Americas. While he was in the States, BMW acquired the Rolls-Royce marquein a development that has become legendary in the UK motor industry.

Since retiring as CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 2010, Tom has been an Advisory Council Member of Lotus Cars Ltd, a Visiting Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University and a Trustee of On Course Foundation. He is on the board of the Motor Sports Association and Chairman of The Royal Automobile Club and Scottish Motor Sport.

Ms Shirley Cramer CBE

Shirley Cramer is Chief Executive of the Royal Societyfor Public Health, a multi-disciplinary public healthorganisation which works both nationally andinternationally to improve the public’s healthand wellbeing.

She was Chief Executive of Dyslexia Action, theUK’s leading independent provider of services forindividuals with dyslexia and other specific learningdifficulties for over a decade, and led the NationalCentre for Learning Disabilities in New York. She iscurrently Chair of the thinktank, British Future and aboard member of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

She has a first degree in social work and has herMSc in Social Administration from ColumbiaUniversity in New York where she led severalvoluntary sector organisations.

She received her CBE in 2009 for services to education.

Professor Mark Hammond

Mark Hammond is Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Canterbury Christ Church. He has had an extensive career in local and central government, having previously been Chief Executive of West Sussex County Council, a post he held from 2004 to 2010. He first joined West Sussex in 2000 as Director of Environment and Development.

From 1985, Mark held a wide range of posts in the Civil Service including private secretary to the permanent secretary at the Department of the Environment; part of the UK team which negotiated the United Nations climate change convention; and the energy, environment and telecoms brief at the British Embassy in Washington.

Mr Stephen Firn OBE

Stephen Firn has been Chief Executive of Oxleas NHS Trust since 2002. The Trust was the first Mental Health Trust to receive Foundation status and Stephen is one of the longest service Chief Executives of a Trust in the UK.

Having first qualified as a nurse in 1985, Stephen has worked in a range of clinical, teaching, research and managerial positions. In 2000, he advised the Department of Health on the implementation of the Adult Mental Health National Service Framework. He is a member of the Board of South London Academic Health Sciences Network and is not remunerated for being a member of this board.

Stephen received an OBE for services to health, particularly mental health, in the 2014 New Year’s Honours List.

Ms Felicity Aston MBE

Felicity Aston is the first woman in the world to ski across Antarctica alone. She is a writer, speaker and adventurer who is one of few women to be awarded the Queen’s Polar Medal. Her polar career began as a meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey and in 2012 Felicity undertook her Antarctic challenge. The two-month, 1,744 km journey saw her entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person to undertake this journey using only personal muscle power.

Felicity has also walked across the ice of Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest and oldest lake, and completed the Marathon des Sables. She is an official ambassador for the British Antarctic Monument Trustand the Equal Adventure charity.

Felicity was awarded an MBE for services to Polar Exploration in the 2015 New Year’s Honours List.

Mr Paul Barrett

Paul Barrett is Managing Director of Barrett’s of Canterbury Ltd. Paul is the fourth generation of the family to be involved in the business which was founded in 1902 by his great grandfather. The company is now one of the largest motor retailers in Kent employing over 350 people.

Paul holds a number of roles in addition to his ‘dayjob’ and is Chairman of Canterbury 4 Business as well as being a member of the Business School Advisory Board at Canterbury Christ Church University.

He is a Kent Ambassador and a Board Member of Kent and Medway Economic Partnership. He is also a business representative on the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, a governor of Canterbury College, a trustee of the Canterbury Cathedral Trust and the Marlowe Theatre Development Trust.

He was awarded the Freedom of the City of Canterbury in January 2015 for a lifetime promoting Canterbury.

Ms Pamela Jones OBE

Pamela Jones has been head teacher at Ifield Special School, Gravesend since 2004. During that time she has overseen its transformation from a school for Moderate Learning Needs to one catering for Profound, Severe and Complex Learning Needs and Communication Difficulties including autism.

Born and educated in Wales at Lewis Grammar School, Ystrad Mynach, Pam commenced her teaching career in Sevenoaks, Kent.

Pam has overseen a complete rebuild of Ifield Special School to cater for its present designation as well asits expansion to take in a nursery and a purpose built sixth form, working in conjunction with North West Kent College of Further Education.

Pam is a governor of NWKC, chair of Kent Association of Headteachers and Kent Association of Special Schools and is a National Leader of Education. Pam was awarded an OBE for Services to Education in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2014.

Mr Edmund de Waal OBE

Edmund de Waal (b.1964) is one of the world’s leading ceramic artists. His work has been exhibited at galleries and museums around the world. He has written widely on art and ceramics, and his prize winning family memoir, The Hare with Amber Eyes (2010) has been translated into nearly 30 languages. In 2011 he was awarded an OBE for services to art.

Mr Peter Firmin

Peter studied art at Colchester and after serving in the Navy, married Joan in 1952. They have six daughters. Until 1958 Peter worked in Stained Glass & Publicity, when Oliver Postgate needed an artist for his live TV series, Alexander the Mouse. After a move to Blean in 1959 they worked on TV films & books including, Ivor the Engine, Noggin, Pogles' Wood Clangers & Bagpuss, until Oliver's death in 2008. Peter served on Blean Parish Council and was involved with Rights of Way, launching the Blean Footpath Group in 1970.

Ms Lizzy Yarnold

Lizzy Yarnold is the current World Cup Skeleton champion and captivated the nation when winning Olympic Gold in Sochi. From Kent, Lizzy was a talented junior athlete in a range of sports and was identified as a potential skeleton athlete through the Girls4Gold talent programme. Most recently, Lizzy has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Ms Gillian Wolfe CBE

Gillian Wolfe has received 28 Awards and commendations in 30 years for showing how the arts can change lives of even the most challenging sections of the public. Her radical programmes have become a benchmark for excellence in making bridges between the arts, education, heritage, well being and community.

Rt Hon Sir John Mummery DL

John Mummery graduated with a BA and the further degree of Bachelor of Civil Law from Pembroke College Oxford in 1963, taught law at the Queen’s College, Oxford till 1971 and is an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College.

From 1964 to 1989 he practised at the Chancery Bar when he was appointed a Justice of the High Court and was knighted.

Over the years his roles have included, Counsel to the Attorney General in Charity Matters, President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal, President of the investigatory Powers Tribunal, Chairman of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau at the Royal Courts of Justice and in 1996 he was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal and sworn as a Privy Counsellor. John sat in the Court of Appeal for 17 years until retiring in 2013. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

Dame Ruth Carnall DBE

As Chief Executive of NHS London, Ruth oversaw an extensive programme of performance improvement and strategic change and this work has been widely recognised in the UK and internationally. Prior to this, Ruth worked as an independent consultant in both the public and private sectors; some of her clients including the Department of Health, Glaxo, the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and the Home Office amongst others. Ruth has a strong reputation in leadership development and the creation of high performing teams and is frequently asked to speak about her experience both here and abroad.

Sir Ian Johnston

Ian's 44 years in the Police Service includes work as an Assistant Chief Constable in Kent, Assistant Commisioner in the Met and Chief Constable of the British Transport Police. His most recent role was the Director of Security of the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Peter Hermitage

Peter Hermitage was the Pro Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University until July last year. He continues as a governor of the University, a role that he has undertaken for the past thirteen years. His career as a police officer saw him rise to the rank of Chief Constable where he was the Director of National Police Training and since retiring from the police has held the posts of chairman of East Kent Hospitals Trust and chairman of the Security Industry Authority. He is a director of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, the national body that deals with student complaints in higher education. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 1996.

Honorary Doctorates

Jo Brand

Since leaving her job as a psychiatric nurse in 1988, Jo Brand has built a large following across the UK, male and female alike appearing initially on the Saturday Live television show. In 1993 she became a resident panelist, along with Tony Hawks, on BBC monologue show The Brain Drain. Soon after, she had her hit “Through the Cakehole” (Channel X for Ch4) series met with great acclaim, as did her series “All the Way to Worcester” (Vera Prods for Ch4). Jo’s diverse appeal is marked by appearances on such eclectic programmes as “Question Time” (BBC) to “Nevermind the Buzzcocks” (TalkBack Prods for BBC) and “Countdown”(YTV for Ch4) to “They Think It’s All Over” (TalkBack Prods for BBC) and The Graham Norton Show (BBC). She presented “Jo Brand’s Commercial Breakdown” (Celador for BBC1), “Jo Brand’s Hot Potatoes” (Assembly Film & TV) and “Jo Brand’s Rudest Home Videos” (ITV1). She has just guest hosted “Have I Got News For You” (Hat Trick).for the forth time. She also appeared on Star Spell, a spin off from Hard Spell, during 2004, and in a bloomin’ fantastic cameo in Absolutely Fabulous.

In 2007, Jo narrated Laughter & Tears: The Les Dawson Story, a documentary tribute to Les Dawson. The programme was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in October 2007. Jo took part in the first celebrity version of Comic Relief does Fame Academy, and then in 2007, she appeared as a celebrity contestant on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice, again to raise money for Comic Relief. In 2009 she participated in Let’s Dance for Comic Relief, another Comic Relief fundraiser, dancing as Britney Spears (‘tis true), reaching the final. She has proved herself an un-willing fashion victim on the BBC1 special “What Not To Wear On The Red Carpet”, learnt the organ for BBC’s “Play it Again”, which she then played to a sell out crowd at the Royal Albert Hall, and she has also taken part in a charity celebrity carol singing choir! She appeared as a judge in the BBC2 series The Speaker in April 2009. She offered her advice, along with John Amaechi and Jeremy Stockwell, in the eight-part series charting the search for “Britain’s Best Young Speaker’‘. 2009 saw her write and star in the utterly marvellous, Getting On, in which she starred along co-writers Joanna Scanlan and Vicki Pepperdine, on BBC in July 2009. The series, set on a hospital’s geriatric ward, was partly inspired by her earlier career in nursing. Getting On, Series Two was commissioned and has graced our screens this year, receiving great reviews, and series three is in the pipeline. Jo received a BAFTA for Best Female Comedy Performance for "Getting On". She can also been seen as the Demon Dinner Lady in the Horrid Henry film.

A critically acclaimed writer, Jo has written the hits ‘A Load Of Old Balls’ and ‘A Load Of Old Ball Crunchers’ (both Simon & Schuster), ‘It’s Different For Girls’, ‘Sorting Out Billy’ and ‘The More You Ignore Me’ (all for Headline Review). Her autobiography ‘Look Back In Hunger’ shot straight to Number 1 on Sunday Times bestseller list, and she has followed up this success with part 2 called 'Can't Stand Up For Sitting Down' which is now available in paperback. ‘The More you Ignore me’ is Jo’s hilarious, poignant and darkly comic novel about mental illness, growing up and parental breakdown which has just been commissioned as a 90-minute film for the BBC. Jo’s latest book, ‘Can’t Stand up for Sitting Down’ is her second autobiographical book, a memoir full of hard-won wisdom and hilarity, expressing her views on life, laughs and friendships. She continues to be a regular contributor on 'QI' and 'Have I Got News For You'.

Mr Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo OBE is the former Children’s Laureate and best-selling author of over 130 books for children including Private Peaceful, The Butterfly Lion, Kensuke’s Kingdom and War Horse , which first performed at the National Theatre in 2007. It continues to be performed at the New London Theatre to sell out theatres, and recently opened in New York and Canada. War Horse was released as a film directed by Steven Spielberg in January 2012.

In 1976, Michael and his wife, Clare, started the charity Farms for City Children. The charity runs three farms around the country, in Gloucestershire, Pembrokeshire and North Devon. Each farm offers children and teachers from urban primary schools the chance to live and work in the countryside for a week, and gain hands-on experience. Michael’s latest book is Pinocchio, published in Autumn 2013 by HarperCollins.

Sir Keith Mills

Sir Keith Mills was born and educated in the UK. He founded Air Miles International Group BV (AMIG) in 1988 to develop the AIR MILES programme. Formerly Chairman of Loyalty Management Group Ltd (LMG) which is the company which owns and manages the Nectar programme in the UK and licenses Air Miles programmes internationally. In September 2003 Sir Keith was appointed International President and CEO of London 2012, the company that was established to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Sir Keith led the team and along with Lord Coe was responsible for developing the bid strategy and persuading the 115 IOC members that London should be granted the rights to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. On 6 July 2005, in Singapore, London beat off competition from New York, Paris, Madrid and Moscow to win the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Having established the London 2012 organisation which planned and organised the Games (LOCOG), Sir Keith remained as Deputy Chairman alongside Lord Coe to oversee operations. Sir Keith is also a non executive director of Tottenham Hotspur Plc and a director and investor in a number of small private companies. In 2005 Sir Keith received a number of awards including: Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Chief Executive of the Year and the Sports Industry Businessman of the Year.In addition, Sir Keith owns two yacht racing teams: TEAMORIGIN, which was established to compete as Britain’s entry in the America’s Cup, and AT Racing, which competes in ocean races with Hugo Boss sponsorship. Sir Keith chairs the sport for development foundation - the UK Sported programme. Sir Keith was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Kent in September 2008 and in the 2013 New Year Honours was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire for delivering a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Honorary Fellows

Mr Pye Hastings

Born in Tominavoulin, Scotland in January 1947, Pye moved to Canterbury at the age of nine. He was educated at Littlebourne Preparatory School and Pilgrims Boarding School in Lydden.

Pye was given his first guitar on his 17th birthday by his sister, Jane. He was soon a leading light in the Canterbury scene going on to form Caravan in 1967. The band’s eponymous first album was released in 1968 and 21 albums later he’s still recording... and not done yet!

Mr Geoffrey Richardson

A native of Leicestershire, but moving to Canterbury forty years ago to join the legendary rock group Caravan, Geoffrey has had an unusual career in music as a progressive rock multi-instrumentalist, a string arranger, a film and television composer, and as a member of the Penguin Café Orchestra.

Honorary Doctorates

Mr Michael Craig-Martin

Michael Craig-Martin CBE RA studied Fine Art at Yale University 1961-1966. On completion of his studies he took up a teaching position first at Bath Academy of Art and then at Canterbury College of Art, now the University’s Sidney Cooper Gallery. Craig-Martin went on to teach at Goldsmiths College, where his students included notable artists such as Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas, Michael Landy, Julian Opie, Fiona Rae and Gary Hume.

Now Emeritus Professor of Fine Art, Goldsmiths College, he was awarded a CBE in 2001 and elected a Royal Academician in 2006. He has achieved international recognition for his work and continues to influence contemporary British Art. Public collections of Craig-Martin’s work include Tate Gallery, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Centre Pompidou, Paris, and Australian National Gallery, Canberra.

The Right Hon the Lord Mance

Lord Mance read law at University College, Oxford, spent time with a Hamburg law firm in 1965 and then practised at the commercial bar. He was appointed QC in 1982.

From 1993 to 1999, Lord Mance was a Judge of the High Court, becoming a Lord Justice of Appeal of England and Wales from 1999 to 2005. He then sat as one of the twelve members of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords until 2009.

From 2000 to 2011, he represented the United Kingdom on the Council of Europe’s Consultative Council of European Judges, elected its first chair between 2000 and 2003.

Current appointments include chair of the Executive Council of the International Law Association and chair of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Private International Law.

Ms Moira Stuart OBE

Moira Stuart's career in radio and television spans more than two decades. She started her BBC career as a production assistant in Radio's Talks and Documentaries department in the 1970’s, before making history by becoming the first black BBC Radio 4 announcer and newsreader, and a programme presenter. Moira moved to television news in 1981 to become the first female African-Caribbean national newsreader on British screens, presenting every type of BBC News bulletin before leaving in 2007, after three decades with the Corporation.

During her career Moira has presented many programmes on radio and television including Best Of Jazz on Radio 2, BBC1’s The Holiday Programme, Have I Got News For You, and her documentary In Search of Wilberforce - which offers a new perspective on the abolition of the transAtlantic slave trade. In 2004 Moira was one of the first subjects featured in BBC One’s successful documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? And in 2006, she made a memorable appearance as herself in Ricky Gervais' hugely popular series - Extras. She now works alongside Chris Evans on his award winning BBC Radio 2 breakfast show.

Her career has been recognised in the industry with numerous awards including the TV and Radio Industries Club Best Newscaster award, the Women Of Achievement Television Personality award; and in 2001 she received an OBE for her services to broadcasting.

Moira has served on various boards and judging panels including Amnesty International, The Royal Television Society, BAFTA, United Nations Association, the London Fair Play Consortium, the Human Genetics Advisory Commission, the Orange Prize for Literature, the BUPA Communications Panel, the IVCA, the Queen's Anniversary Prize, and the Grierson Trust.

Mr Anthony Browne

Anthony Browne was born in Sheffield and has produced 46 books for children, among them Gorilla, Voices in the Park, and Willy the Wimp.

His books have won the Kate Greenaway medal, the Kurt Maschler ‘Emil’ and in 2000 he was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen medal, an international award given to an illustrator for their body of work. He was the Children’s Laureate from 2009 - 2011.

Geraldine Allinson

Geraldine was born and educated in Kent and has worked in the local media industry since 1986. She started at the Midland News Association and moved on to Northcliffe Newspapers after obtaining her degree (BA (Hons) Business Studies). She came back to Kent in 1993 to join the KM Group (KMG), her family’s media company. Since 1993 Geraldine has held a number of positions within the company and in January 2006 she was promoted to Chairman.

In her role as Chairman she supports and encourages the ethos that ‘together we make a difference’ which underpins KMG’s work ‘to help make Kent a better place to live and work’. On 1 July 2011 Geraldine became President of the Newspaper Society (NS). She supports a number of charitable organisations, is a Trustee of the Canterbury Festival and a Kent Ambassador. Married for 17 years, Geraldine lives on the North Downs with her husband and two children.

Professor Abdulrazak Gurnah

A bdulrazak Gurnah was born in 1948 in Zanzibar and teaches at the University of Kent. He is the author of seven novels which include 'Paradise' - shortlisted for both the Booker and the Whitbread Prizes, 'By the Sea' - longlisted for the Booker Prize and awarded the RFI Temoin du monde prize and 'Desertion' - shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize.

The 'Last Gift' published by Bloomsbury in May 2011, is an astounding meditation on family, self and the meaning of home.

Honorary Doctorates

Admiral the Lord Boyce KG, GCB, OBE DL

Lord Boyce joined the Royal Navy in 1961 and his career culminated in his becoming First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy, in 1998 and then Chief of Defence Staff, professional head of the Armed Forces, from 2001 to 2003.

He was elevated to the peerage in 2003 and was appointed Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle in 2004.

Humphrey Ocean RA

Born in Sussex in 1951 Humphrey went to art schools in Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Canterbury. From 1971 to 1973 he was bass player with Kilburn and the Highroads.

Humphrey Ocean paints modern life in south London. Elected a Royal he recently exhibited Humphrey Ocean Perfectly Academician in 2004, Ordinary at Sidney Cooper Gallery on the site of Canterbury College of Art where he studied. A series of his new portraits will be shown at the National Portrait Gallery in September 2012.

Andrea Rose OBE

As Director of Visual Arts at the British Council, Andrea promotes Britain’s artists overseas and has been developing new relationships through the arts, for over two decades.

Working extensively in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, in 2002 she was invited by the Iranian Government to discuss a cultural programme – introducing them to British artists such as Henry Moore to Damien Hirst.

More recently, she has been involved in using the arts and culture to explore and appreciate the culture of others: the most recent example was to bring a statue of Yuri Gagarin to London together with an exhibition on the early Soviet space programme. Andrea’s most recent publication is ‘Gagarin in Britain’.

Ms Charlotte Edwards MBE

In a career spanning over 14 years Charlotte is England's most capped player and leading runs scorer. She has on two occasions been England's Player of the Year and in 2008 was awarded the highest individual honour a player can achieve - The ICC World Player of the Year Award.

As a captain, Charlotte has captained the side to two ashes wins, and in 2009 winning the 50 over WC in Sydney and 20/20 WC at Lords. It will come as no surprise to you that Charlotte is the most successful England captain of all time.

Charlotte's contributions within Cricket go much further than merely playing, and her dedication, commitment and success was recognised further when Charlotte was awarded a MBE in the Queens Honours List in 2009 for her services to Cricket.

Mr Darren Henley

Darren Henley is the Managing Director of Classic FM, the world's largest classical music radio station. Born in Tunbridge Wells, he was educated in Ramsgate and Canterbury, before studying Politics at the University of Hull. The author of nineteen books about classical music and musicians, he works closely with the Department for Education and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport advising ministers on music and cultural education. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute.

Mr Roddy Loder-Symonds

Roddy Loder-Symonds moved to Kent in 1968, having been educated at Radley College and Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. He joined Knight Frank & Rutley. In 1973 he became a partner of Strutt & Parker, responsible for the business in Kent, and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, retiring 1999. From 1970 he has been a partner in his family farming business in East Kent.

Roddy Loder-Symonds has served as: Board member of East Kent Enterprise Agency 1990-2000; High Sheriff of Kent 2000-2001; Trustee of KCA (UK) 2000-2009; Trustee Huggens College Northfleet; Chairman Canterbury Farmers' Club 1982; Chairman Kent Branch of the Country Landowners and Business Association 1985 and currently President; Vice President of Farmers Club, London; Vice President Canterbury Festival; Governor Canterbury Christ Church University 1998 - 2010.

Councillor Leyland Ridings

Mr Leyland Bradshaw Ridings MBE JP was elected to the County Council in 1997 as the Conservative Member for Sandwich.

Born in Australia, he came to England in 1964. After service in the Royal Australian Air Force, he trained as a Chartered Accountant and has lived in East Kent since 1984.

He is a former Governor of Canterbury Christ Church University and presently Governor of Sandwich Technology School, Preston County Primary School, Marsh Academy and the Duke of York’s Royal Military School. He is a Trustee of Kent Music School, the Kent Foundation and Canterbury Christ Church University Students Union. He is a member of the Council of the Order of St John Ambulance, chairs the Civilian Military Partnership for Kent, County President of The Royal British Legion and a retired Justice of the Peace.

Mr Richard Sturt OBE DCL MA

Richard, who read English and Law at Cambridge, has been associated with the firm for more than 50 years, and has been a Consultant since 2001, following his retirement as senior partner. During his long career, he has been the legal adviser to numerous well-known private clients and commercial and charitable organisations. He has specialised in maritime, commercial, charity and ecclesiastical law, for long periods acting as legal adviser to bodies such as the Dover Harbour Board, The King's School Canterbury and the Canterbury Diocese.

He is the author of a number of publications, including three sections of Halsbury's Laws of England and The Collision Regulations, as well as a treatise on the history of chancel repair liability and two major Government Reports: on the Review of Air Proximity Hazards and on National Preparedness for Mass Fatalities. He has lectured widely on Disaster Planning.

Honorary Fellows

The Very Reverend Adrian Newman

Adrian worked as an economist before ordination in 1985. He served parish communities in East London, Sheffield, and central Birmingham (the Bullring) before taking up his present post as Dean of Rochester in 2005.

He is responsible for leading the Cathedral in its mission and ministry, representing the Cathedral in its engagement with the wider community, and has a variety of responsibilities across the diocese.

He describes himself as a social entrepreneur, committed to human flourishing and the re-enchantment of society. He was once introduced as 'the most un-Dean-like Dean in the Church of England' - a description he quite likes.

Sir Graeme Odgers DL

Sir Graeme Odgers DL was born and raised in South Africa. He gained a degree in Engineering from Cambridge in 1955 and an MBA from Harvard in 1959.

His early career was with the World Bank, and then the Dept. of Industry and later Tarmac Plc. and then as Managing Director of BT Plc. From 1990-93 he was the Chief Executive at Alfred McAlpine Plc. and was Chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission 1993-98.

He served as a Non Exec. Director of Scottish and Southern Plc., 1998-2005, and also Chairman of Locate in Kent, 1998-2005 and Chairman of the Kent Economic Board, 2001-2009.

He was knighted in 1997 for services to industry, and made Deputy Lieutenant, Kent in 2002. He gained the Kent Invicta Award in 2009. Graeme is married with three children.

Mrs Caroline Spencer

Caroline was brought up in East Kent and taught History until her three children were born (they are all grown up and flown). She is passionately committed to engendering and developing community life at local, institutional and national level. This she has done through three decades of service in the third sector - most notably in the Church of England, and as a long-serving Governor of Canterbury Christ Church University - and through the mentoring, encouragement and support of many individuals.

Honorary Doctors

The Right Reverend Stephen Venner

Stephen has been Bishop to her Majesty's Forces since 2009, when he officially retired. He and his wife Judy (a Senior Education Advisor for Kent County Council) live in Rochester.

Stephen was a parish priest for 25 years, serving in inner city South London, on a large housing estate in Wilshire, and in an established 'civic' church in Dorset. In 1994 Stephen was ordained Bishop of Middleton, responsible for the Metropolitan Boroughs of Rochdale, Oldham and Tameside in the Diocese of Manchester. For ten years until retirement, he was Bishop of Dover, which meant in practice that he was the Diocesan Bishop for Canterbury, exercising that ministry on behalf of the Archbishop.

Education is very much in the blood, and Stephen is a trained teacher. He has been Vice-Chairman of the Church of England's Board of Education, served on a range of national educational committees, chaired three diocesan Boards of Education, and was the first Pro-Chancellor (Chairman of Governors) of Canterbury Christ Church University.

Whilst living in Kent, Bishop Stephen served on the Kent Strategic Partnership and Kent's Children's Trust Board, which he chaired for a while. He was chaplain to the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and patron of a number of local charities.

He remains engaged in Church and civic life in Kent.

Baroness Tessa Blackstone

Tessa Blackstone became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich in September 2004. She started her career teaching at the London School of Economics, later becoming a Professor at the Institute of Education, University of London, and then Master of Birbeck College, University of London. During the Wilson and Callaghan Administrations she was a member of the Central Policy Review Staff in the Cabinet Office. She has held research fellowships at the Centre for Studies in Public Policy and the Policy Studies Institute and visiting fellowships at Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Melbourne.

She has also been Deputy Education Officer of the ILEA. In 1987, Tessa was awarded a life peerage and subsequently served as Minister of State for Education & Employment and Minister for the Arts. She is a member of the Privy Council. She has chaired the Fabian Society, the Institute for Public Policy Research, the General Advisory Council of the BBC, the ballet board of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Institute of British Architects Trust.

Mr Rupert Bristow

Rupert was Director of Education for Canterbury Diocese and a governor of the University from 1995 until his retirement in 2008 and is active as a Reader in Trinity Benefice, Folkestone. He graduated from London University as an external student at Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, has taught on VSO (Rwanda), was the second Director of the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), and then Dean of Student Services at London South Bank University. He has also been a special adviser to a House of Commons select committee, edited and written for various educational publications and chaired Kent SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education).

.He holds a Masters in Public Service Administration and a Diploma in Counselling and is the author of "Prayers for Education" (2008). Married to Sarah with two grown-up sons, Michael and Richard, Rupert is a cricketing enthusiast and runs a church cricket team.

Ms Melanie Clewlow

Mel was born in Dover into a sporting family. Her family played semi-professional for Dover and Margate whilst her brother played England Schoolboy football. Mel attended Sir Roger Manwoods School in Sandwich where her hockey talents were first noticed by the then head of boys PE Mr Peter Firminger. It was not until Mel was 14 that she committed fully to following her dream of competing at the Olym[ic Games. She joined Canterbury hockey club in 1994 and with their help, developed into an international hockey player. She has represented England at U16, U18 & U21 levels before making her senior debut in 1996 against Ireland. Since then she has been an ever present member of the England & Great Britain teams, playing in three Commonwealth Games, three World Cups, four European Cups and two Olympic Games (Sydney and Beijing), winning two silver medals and four bronze.

Away from the hockey field, Mel qualified as an Accounts Technician and worked for Reeves & Neylan for 10 years before moving to Active Signs Limited in 2005.

Mrs Amanda Cottrell

Amanda Cottrell was born in Windsor in 1941 and educated in England, Switzerland and ultimately at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts in Massachusetts. Married in 1967 to Michael Cottrell they moved to live in Kent. With four children she ran a small holding in Challock for many years, including pigs, sheep, two house cows, turkeys and 700 free-range chickens. Cheese making became a way of life.

The death of her husband in 1996 led to a profound change and she embarked on an energetic career as a volunteer. A magistrate for 23 years, Chairman of her local Parish Council, school governor, County President of the Girl Guide movement and President of the NSPCC. Amanda was High Sheriff of Kent 2006-2007 and is now Chairman of Visit Kent. She is also a Kent Ambassador, a Trustee and Friend of Canterbury Cathedral, Trustee of the Kent Community Housing Trust, and the Kent Wildlife Trust, a Vice President of the Canterbury Festival and Patron of Produced in Kent.

Dr David Flood

Having begun musical studies at an early age, David held his first parish church organist post at 15 and became Organ Exhibitioner of St John’s College, Oxford and spent a further postgraduate year in at Clare College, Cambridge. In 1978 he was appointed Assistant Organist at Canterbury Cathedral and in 1988 was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers.

He was involved in many national and international occasions, such the enthronement of Archbishop Runcie and the visit of Pope John Paul II, and has been responsible for the music at all the special occasions, in particular the enthronement of Archbishop Carey, the enthronement of Archbishop Williams in February 2003 and the 1998 and 2008 Lambeth Conferences. He has given many organ recitals internationally and has studied with Gillian Weir and Jean Langlais. Under his direction the Cathedral choir has toured in Europe and North America. In July 2002 he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music by the University of Kent.

Mr Jools Holland OBE DL

Jools Holland was born in SE London in 1958. At the age of eight, he could play the piano fluently by ear and when aged 15 formed the band ‘Squeeze’, with hits ‘Up The Junction’ and ‘Cool For Cats’. In 1987 he formed The Jools Holland Big Band, which metamorphosed into the current 20-piece Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. Jools has maintained a prolific recording career, which includes the multimillion selling ‘Jools and Friends’ series.

TV work included becoming co-presenter of ‘The Tube’ in 1980. He presented two series of ‘Juke Box Jury’ in 1989 and then 26 shows of ‘The Happening’ in 1990. In 1992 he hosted ‘Later…with Jools Holland’ for BBC2, and the 33rd series is due later this year. ‘Jools' New Years Eve show’ is in its 16th year.

Jools' was awarded the OBE in 2003 and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent in 2005. He plays at many charity functions. His autobiography, ‘Barefaced Lies and Boogie-Woogie Boasts’, was published in 2007. His new album ‘The Informer’ is released in November 2008.

The Right Honourable Ann Widdecombe

The Rt. Hon. Ann Widdecombe is MP for Maidstone and the Weald. Born in 1947, Ann gained honours degrees in Latin and in Politics and Economics and has an MA from Oxford University. Ann was elected an MP 1987. From 1990 she was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Social Security and then Employment, then Minister of State at the Department of Employment, and in 1995 she was appointed Minister of State at the Home Office. In 1997 she was appointed to the Standards and Privileges House of Commons Select Committee. She was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health in 1998 and in 1999 was appointed Shadow Home Secretary.

In 2001 she announced her decision to retire from the Shadow Cabinet citing the wish to be able to speak on issues which she felt strongly about without the constraints of office.

Ann has published her four novels, and is currently writing a prequel to ‘An Act of Treachery’. She has appeared in various television and radio programmes including ‘Ann Widdecombe to the Rescue’, ‘Call My Bluff’, and ‘Grumpy Old Women’.

Mr Derek Underwood MBE

Derek Underwood was a Professional cricketer with Kent from 1962 to 1987, with 520 appearances in first class matches for Kent and 4th highest in the Club’s history. Derek took 2,465 first class wickets with best performance being 9 for 28 against Sussex in 1964. In 1984 he scored his one and only century for Kent at Hastings against Sussex. During his international career, played in 86 Test matches for England taking 297 test wickets and is best remembered for his performance against Australia in 1968 taking 7 for 50.

He was awarded the MBE in 1980 for services to cricket. Derek is a Patron of The Primary Club, Chairman of The Stars Foundation for Cerebal Palsy, member of General and Cricket Committees at Kent C C C. He was President of Kent County Cricket Club 2006 and President of M.C.C. 2008/09. Currently Derek is Sales Director with a company specialising in the manufacture and installation of non-turf cricket pitches. His interests include golf, philately and music.

The Right Reverend Dr J W Gladstone

Dr John Gladstone is Bishop of the Church of South India and was born on 25th December 1945 at Neyyattinkara near Trivandrum.

John was educated in different villages according to where his father, Reverend J Wilson, was currently serving. He graduated from the University College in Trivandrum in 1968 with a Master degree. In 1969 he joined the United Theological College Bangalore for theological studies and completed his bachelors degree in 1972 and Masters in 1975. Meanwhile John served the diocese as a youth pastor and in 1975 was appointed by his diocese to teach in the Kerala United Theological Seminary. In 1978 he joined the University of Hamburg for his doctoral studies and completed in 1983 with Magna–cum–laude.

John returned to India and continued the teaching ministry, in 1991 becoming the principal of the Seminary and in 1997 consecrated Bishop of the South Kerala Diocese.

John has served many national and international Christian bodies and was also President of the Senate of Serampore College (University), the only theological University in India.

As Bishop he started many professional institutions in the diocese, a Medical College and educational institutions. Using his connection with Professor Wright, Vice Chancellor of the University, he initiated exchange programmes in the teaching of English and Nursing.

John is married to Hepzi who is an educationist and they have two children.

The Very Reverend John Hall

John Hall was brought up in South London. Following a gap year in Kenya, he read theology at the University of Durham and, after two years teaching at a comprehensive high school in Hull, trained for the ministry at Cuddesdon Theological College. He was ordained in 1975 and served successively in parishes in Kennington, Wimbledon and Streatham in the Diocese of Southwark. He was a member of the General Synod of the Church of England from 1984 until 1992 and was also an examining chaplain to the Bishop of Southwark.

In 1992 he became Diocesan Director of Education in Blackburn and also, in 1994, a Canon Residentiary of Blackburn Cathedral. He became the Church of England's Chief Education Officer in 1998, with overall responsibility for the Church’s strategy, policy and practice in relation to schools, including 5,000 Church of England schools and universities and for the informal education and nurture of children, young people and adults in and through the Church.

He has written widely and debated publicly on educational matters and was instrumental in the production of the Dearing Report in 2001 and its follow-up, which led to a significant expansion in the number of Church of England secondary schools.

Mr Cecil Humphery-Smith OBE

Cecil Raymond Humphery-Smith (born in 1928), was educated at Hurstpierpoint College, Sussex. On sound advice, he completed postgraduate studies in Biochemistry in London and at the Parma-Piacenza Department of Agronomy. He became consultant to DeRica SpA. His interest in heraldry and genealogy led to an invitation to join the College of Arms.

His Godfather, the late Ven K.J.F. (Julian) Bickersteth, persuaded Cecil to establish a school for the study of the history and structure of the family. In 1961 Cecil purchased premises in Northgate, Canterbury and founded The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies of which he is Principal. He has also edited its journal “Family History” since 1962. The author of many articles and several essential research books, he has lectured widely at home and abroad and contributed to encyclopaedias, DNB, as well as many broadcasts on both television and radio.

A leading member of national and international societies he served as President of La Confederation International de Science Genealogiue et Heraldique from 1986 to 1990. He has also won numerous awards, and in 2004 he was awarded an OBE by HM The Queen for services to education in genealogy and heraldry.

Mrs Thelma Schoonmaker Powell

Thelma Schoonmaker Powell was born in Algiers, Algeria. She grew up on the island of Aruba and after returning to the United States, attended Cornell University where she studied political science and Russian, intending to become a diplomat. While doing graduate work at Columbia University, she answered a New York Times ad that offered on-the-job training as an assistant film editor. The exposure to the field sparked a desire to learn more about film editing, and her career was set.

During a six-week summer course at New York University’s film school she met Martin Scorsese and Michael Wadleigh. Within a few years she was editing Scorsese’s first feature, “Who’s that Knocking at My Door.”. She then edited a series of films and commercials, before supervising the editing of Wadleigh’s 1971 film “Woodstock”, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.

In 1981 she won the Academy Award, the American Cinema Editors Eddie and the BAFTA Award for her editing of Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”. Since then, she has worked on all of Scorsese’s feature films, which have earned her numerous industry accolades including 3 Academy Awards, 2 BAFTA Awards and 3 American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards. She is currently working on Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the British cinema.

In addition to editing, she works tirelessly to promote the films and writings of her late husband, the film director Michael Powell, who was born in Canterbury. She has participated in several of the events honouring Michael Powell organised by the late Nicholas Burton of Canterbury Christ Church University.

Professor John Todd

John Todd was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, and gained his BSc and PhD degrees in Chemistry at Leeds University. He was appointed to the University of Kent as an Assistant Lecturer in Chemistry in 1965, following two years post-doctoral research as a Fulbright Research Scholar at Yale University, USA. He has devoted most of his research career to the design and development of instrumentation for chemical analysis. He was a member of the team that pioneered the Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer, and is participating in the 'Rosetta' space mission to analyse a comet, scheduled to arrive at its target in 2014. He was promoted to Professor of Mass Spectroscopy at the University of Kent in 1991 and his research has been recognised through numerous awards. He has co-authored and edited over 100 scientific papers, books and journals on the subject.

John has also been involved with outside authorities and served on many boards and trusts, including various University and Government bodies. He has enjoyed a working connection with Canterbury Christ Church continuously since 1977. He has served on the Academic Board and on the Governing Body (including 10 years as Chairman of the Audit Committee), and has been directly involved with all the evolutionary stages of the institution.

John Todd has been married to his wife Mavis for 44 years, and they have three sons and several grandchildren.

Professor Chris Bounds

Chris Bounds was born in Eastbourne and educated at its grammar school. At Oxford he gained BA and D Phil degrees in Physics. After five years teaching at the College of Wooster, Ohio, he moved to Manchester Grammar School and completed an M Ed at Manchester University.

In 1977, he joined Christ Church as a lecturer in both Science and Education. The College then had about 650 students, almost all preparing for teaching. From 1980 to 1988, he was head of the Science Department, and also contributed to the development of Masters Degrees in Education and of the PhD programme.

In 1988, Dr Bounds entered Senior Management as Dean of Studies, later becoming Assistant Principal (Academic) and, in 2002, Vice Principal. He had oversight of a range of activities, including Registry and Admissions for most of the period and Academic Quality and Standards for all of it. He also had responsibility for relations with partner institutions and oversaw the merger with the College of Guidance Studies. For a significant period he was responsible for Information Services.

In 1999, Chris was awarded the title of Professor, and remains involved with the research degree programme. He became the first Deputy Vice-Chancellor when the institution achieved University title, and retired in December 2005.

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies is universally acknowledged as one of the foremost composers of our time. His works reach an unusually large and varied public. Plainchant, musical tradition and the haunting landscape of his adopted Orkney Islands all serve as inspiration to Maxwell Davies’s extraordinary and fecund imagination.

His orchestral works range from the ever-popular An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise to the series of eight Symphonies, which The Times has called “the most important symphonic cycle since Shostakovich”. His dramatic works include operas, ballets, and music-theatre works and range in style from the children’s opera Cinderella to The Lighthouse which is the most-often performed opera of the later twentieth century. His choral works range from the awe-inspiring oratorio Job to the delightful song- cycles written for children on the Orkney Islands.

Current projects include a series of ten string quartets for the recording company Naxos which are called the Naxos Quartet. He was appointed Master of the Queen’s Music in 2004.

Mrs Geraldine McCaughrean

Geraldine McCaughrean was Geraldine Jones when she attended Christ Church College, Canterbury (1973-1977), then solely given over to teacher training. But instead of teaching, she worked in magazine publishing as a sub-editor until 1989 when part-time writing became her full-time occupation.

In all she has written 140 titles – from picture books to adult novels - and has been published in 41 countries. Her awards include the Carnegie Medal, Whitbread Children’s Prize (3 times), Guardian Fiction Award, Smarties Bronzes (four times) and The Blue Peter Book of the Year.

She retells myths and legends from around the world and adapts inaccessible classics such as Moby Dick, El Cid, The Canterbury Tales, Gilgamesh and Pilgrims Progress. She has written 50 short plays for schools, a Radio 4 afternoon play, Last Call, a stage play, Dazzling Medusa for the Polka Theatre and two of her books have been dramatised by the Bristol Old Vic.

Teacher-training has of course helped with the countless school visits a children’s author undertakes. October sees the publication of her Peter Pan in Scarlet, the first authorised sequel to J.M.Barrie's Peter Pan and Wendy.

Geraldine is married with a sixteen year old daughter Ailsa.

Mr Gary Rhodes OBE

Born in South London in 1960, Gary spent most of his childhood years in Gillingham. He began experimenting in the kitchen as a teenager by preparing family meals. After training at Thanet Technical College, Gary expanded his techniques in Europe and his first job was as commis chef at the Amsterdam Hilton.

Gary became the sous chef at the Reform Club, Pall Mall and then the Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge. Eventually he became Head Chef at the Castle Hotel in Taunton and retained the hotel's Michelin Star, at just 26 years of age.

By 1990, when he joined the Greenhouse Restaurant in Mayfair as Head Chef, his reputation as one of the UK’s leading culinary masters was well established. Nobody was too surprised when, in 1996, he won the first Michelin Star for the Greenhouse. In 1997 he opened City Rhodes and a year later came Rhodes in the Square. Both were awarded Michelin Stars.

1999 saw Gary take a slight change of direction away from the London-based fine dining establishments into the more widely affordable and easily accessible brasseries of Rhodes & Co in Manchester, Edinburgh and Crawley.

Well-known as an ambassador for British cuisine, Gary has achieved what no other chef has previously managed to do: he has re-introduced the nation to its rich gastronomic heritage and uncovered a culinary culture to rival that of any other country in the world.

Dr John Bragg OBE

Dr Bragg was born in Torquay and educated at the local grammar school. He went on to study at Chelsea School of Pharmacy (part of Kings College – London University) and qualified as a pharmacist in 1950. He became a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society by examination in 1951 then had two years of National Service, during which time he obtained a Diploma of Biochemical Analysis (1952). He joined Glaxo Laboratories in 1953. In 1955 he joined Pfizer Ltd to start up Pharmaceutical Development Laboratories, the first Research and Development operation for Pfizer outside of the USA. By 1962 he was Director of Pfizer Ltd and in 1963 General Manager of Pfizer Chemicals Europe. In 1970 he became Director of Calor Group and Managing Director of the UK subsidiary Calor Gas Ltd. From 1975-1986 he was Director of the Imperial Continental Gas Association (Calor’s parent company). He was Managing Director of Calor Group in 1978 and Deputy Chairman in 1985. He retired in 1986.

From 1986 – 1993 he was a non executive Director of Advance Petroleum Technology Ltd. From 1986 – 1994 he was Chairman of the Canterbury and Thanet Health Authority and Chairman of East Kent Health Authority 1994 – 1996. He has been co-opted to the governing body since 1990 when he was also appointed trustee for the Kent Community Housing Trust. He has been a member of Sandwich Town Council since 1985 and a member of Dover District Council since 1989. He has been a trustee and Deputy Chairman of Sandwich United Charities since 1989 and was Mayor of Sandwich from 1989 – 1992. He was awarded a Doctorate by the University of Kent in 1996.

Dr John Bragg served the Governing Body of the University as Chairman since April 1999 until his retirement in July 2005.

Mr Nicholas Cleobury

Nicholas Cleobury was born in Bromley in 1950 and educated at King's School Worcester and as Organ Scholar at Worcester College, Oxford, winning the Limpus Prize in his FRCO. Early in his career he was Assistant Organist at Christ Church, Oxford and Director of the Schola Cantorum, then Chorus Master at Glyndebourne and Assistant Director of the BBC Singers.

Subsequently his conducting career developed more widely and he has conducted all the major orchestras and opera companies in the UK, notably for the BBC and many times at the Proms. He has conducted extensively abroad, particularly in all parts of Europe (extensively at Zurich Opera) and Scandinavia, but also in Australia, South Africa, Singapore and the USA. He is a fervent champion of New Music and education in music, broadcasts regularly on BBC and Classic fm and has an extensive discography, most recently with the Britten Sinfonia and Royal Philharmonic.

In the 1980s he was Principal Opera Conductor at the Royal Academy of Music (where he is an Hon RAM) and Founder Director of Aquarius. He founded the Britten Sinfonia in the early 90s when he was also Music Director of Broomhill Opera.

At present he is Associate Director of the Orchestra of the Swan, Principal Conductor of the Oxford Bach Choir and Artistic director of the Canterbury based Sounds New (which is the leading contemporary music organisation in Kent and beyond) and for the 2006 Mozart Now.

Dame Kelly Holmes

Dame Kelly Holmes is one of Britain’s most recognisable and admired athletes. She has won Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European medals, and added the ultimate sporting trophy to her cabinet at the Athens Olympic Games – Double Olympic Gold.

Kelly, however is not only known for her medals and records, but is known for her gutsy, committed approach to her athletics and her ability to overcome injury and illness and still stay at the top of her discipline. Her strength and courage has won her many fans both within the sport and outside of it.

She started her athletics career as a promising athlete when a junior and won the 1,500m at the English Schools Championships, but chose to give up her early athletics career in favour of a career in the army. She signed up a few months before her 18th Birthday and over the next 9 ½ years worked her way quickly up the ranks until she was a Sergeant. She joined with the aim of making Officer rank, but once she started to run again, initially for the forces, and started to win major titles she faced a really tough decision – army or running. In 1997 she took the massive step and left the army and made athletics her focus and career.

Her desire to be the best demands that she gives 100%, something she does in everything she takes on. She has the fundamental element for success - the ability to be focused.

She was awarded the MBE in 1998 for services to the British Army and was honoured by the Queen in the 2005 New Year’s honours with a Damehood.

The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally

The Revd Dame Sarah Mullally works as an Assistant Curate in a Church of England Parish in Battersea. She started work in Battersea in October 2004 when she left her position as Chief Nursing Officer in the Department of Health. She was the youngest Chief Nursing Officer ever appointed in November 1999 and as the Government's most senior nursing adviser, she had responsibility for delivering the Government's strategy for nursing and midwifery and led over 420,000 nurses, midwives and health visitors. During her time as Chief Nursing Officer, Sarah oversaw the return of the Matron, a substantial increase in the numbers of nurses and midwives in the NHS and an increase in the opportunities for users to be involved in healthcare.

Sarah started her nursing career at the South Bank Polytechnic in 1980 and became a Registered General Nurse with a BSc (Hons) in Nursing Studies. She return again to the South Bank in 1990 and obtained an MSc in Interprofessional Health and Welfare Studies including a distinction in research. Sarah became a Deacon in the Church of England 2001 and a Priest in 2002. She is presently studying for a MA in Pastoral Theology.

She became an Independent Governor for the London South Bank University in August 2005 and a non executive director of The Royal Mardsen NHS Foundation Trust in November 2005. Sarah Mullally is married to Eamonn and has two children, Grace 14 and Liam 10 and became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2005 in recognition of her contribution to nursing and midwifery.

Mrs Sylvia Denton OBE FRCN

Sylvia Denton has been an active member of the RCN for many years and helped found the RCN Breast Care Nursing Society. She served on RCN Council from 1998 to 2002 as Deputy President, before being elected RCN President in 2002. She is now serving a second two year term ending in October 2006.

Sylvia began her nursing career with a qualification in general nursing from the Royal London Hospital. She practised in the area of thoracic medicine, becoming a research sister and clinical nurse specialist. She also qualified and practised as a specialist health visitor for homeless families.

Since 1980 Sylvia has worked in cancer nursing, specialising in the care of people with breast cancer. Sylvia has a Master of Science degree in advanced clinical practice in cancer nursing. Her current doctoral research is on clinical decision making in cancer nursing.

For her pioneering and innovatory work in the new field of breast care nursing, Sylvia was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in 1990. In 1996 she received an OBE for services to nursing. In 1998 she won the Nursing Standard Nurse 98 Cancer Nursing award. Today she is Lead Nurse/Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist in breast care at Barts and the London NHS Trust. Sylvia also chairs the editorial board of the journal Cancer Nursing Practice.

As well as her RCN presidential role, Sylvia serves on the RCN finance and national forum co-ordinating committees. She chairs the RCN Faculty Steering Group and is a member of the Board of Governors of the RCN Institute. Sylvia is the immediate past president of Europa Donna UK and serves on its board. In 2003 she was elected as a member of the Steering Group of the European Forum for Nursing and Midwifery Associations. Sylvia has been a member of the Department of Health’s Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee since 1998.

Professor Sir William Taylor OBE

Sir William Taylor is currently the Interim Head of the Winchester School of Art (University of Southampton). He is also the Chair of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Area Review of sixteen-plus education and training. For the last three years Sir William has served as special adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Skills, as well as being an adviser on post-graduate awards to the States of Jersey.

Sir William retired as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull in 1991, having previously served as Principal of the University of London. He was also Director for ten years of the University of London Institute of Education, as well as Professor of Education in the University of Bristol, as well as numerous other roles within Education.

Since retirement Sir William has served as interim Vice-Chancellor of Huddersfield and Thames Valley Universities, He has undertaken more than a dozen institutional reviews both in this country and abroad. He has also served as a Council member of the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Sir William has served as President or Chair of many national and international bodies. He was a main board member of an international engineering company and for eleven years Chairman of the board of a publishing company.

In recognition of his services Sir William was honoured with a CBE in 1982 and knighted in 1990.

Mr Peter Williams

Peter Williams has forged a career in journalism, both in newspapers and television.

Starting as an office boy at the Bristol Evening Post, he worked in Fleet Street before becoming a producer and reporter for Southern Television, progressing to work for Thames Television’s “This Week” and the BBC’s “Panorama”. In a documentary career spanning 30 years, he has recorded a number of world scoops, including the birth of the first ‘test tube’ baby, the discovery of the wreck of the Titanic, and the revelation of Japanese biological warfare. experiments on POWs during World War II. He was a Board Member and Controller of Factual Programmes for TVS, and is Chief Executive of Peter Williams Television.

Though proud of his Welsh roots, Peter Williams has lived in Kent for more than 40 years. He was Chairman and founder-member of the Canterbury Conservation Advisory Committee, Chairman of the Oaten Hill Society, President of the Optimists Cancer Care Club, and is a life member of Kent County Cricket Club.

He is in his 19th year as Chairman of the Canterbury Festival and is a Freeman of the City. He was awarded an honorary MA by the University of Kent in 1992 and a Lifetime Achievement award by the Royal Television Society in 2002.

The Very Reverend Robert Willis

Robert Willis has been Dean of Canterbury Cathedral since July 2001.

Born in 1947, he was educated at Warwick University, Worcester College, Oxford and Cuddesdon College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1972 and served in Shrewsbury, Salisbury Cathedral, the Wiltshire village of Tisbury and Sherborne Abbey where he was also made a non-residentiary canon of Salisbury Cathedral. In 1992 he was made Dean of Hereford where he was involved in the organisation of the Three Choirs Festival.

He is Chairman of the Conference of the Deans of the English Cathedrals and also a member of the Cathedrals’ Fabric Commission for England, the body which regulates the conservation of Cathedrals and encourages creative works of art within them. As well as being Dean of Canterbury, he is Chairman of Governors, King’s School, Canterbury.

He has written many Hymns, several of which have found their way into such Hymn Books as “Hymns Ancient and Modern” and “Common Praise”. His verses have also been set and published as Anthems. He is sub-Dean of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, the body which is responsible for St John Ambulance.

Mr Roger De Haan CBE

Mr Roger De Haan is Chairman and Chief Executive of Saga Group Ltd, the UK’s market leader in providing a broad range of services to people aged 50 and over.

Saga Group is one of Britain’s largest companies and operates insurance, travel and financial service companies. It has its own cruise line, publishes Saga Magazine each month which has a circulation of over 120,000, and operates FM and digital radio stations.

Roger De Haan is leading an ambitious partnership project to regenerate the old seaside resort of Folkestone, in his capacity as Chairman of the Trustees of The Creative Foundation (a non-profit making organisation) and The Metropole Arts Centre Trust. With creativity at its heart, the project interweaves new learning opportunities, an employment base for the creative industries and an innovative European Sculpture Park.

Roger De Haan is a director of Screen South and Chairman of the Governors of St Mary’s Westbrook.

Roger De Haan is delighted to have been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the University College.

The Maggini Quartet

Formed in 1988, the Maggini Quartet is established as one of the finest British string quartets.

Renowned for their championship of British repertoire, their acclaimed and ongoing contribution to Naxos’ British Musical Series has seen the Maggini’s worldwide CD sales exceed 100,000. International awards include a Cannes Classical Award 2002, Gramophone Chamber Music CD of the Year 2001, and a Diapason d’Or of the Year 1997.

The Maggini’s commitment to new music has led to important commissions, including James MacMillan’s Second Quartet, Robert Simpson’s Cello Quintet, and works by Eleanor Alberga and Roxanna Panufnik. Now a major 5-year collaboration with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies will see them perform and record ten quartets commissioned by Naxos.

The Quartet appear regularly in prestigious concert series at home and abroad, and are frequent media broadcasters. They are committed to educational work, hold several UK residencies and have an international reputation as chamber music coaches.

The Maggini Quartet have been resident at Canterbury Christ Church University College for ten years. Over the next five years their regular visits for coaching and concerts will include open rehearsals and related activities featuring all Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ Naxos Quartets, and the creation of a major archive of material by the Music Department.

The Most Reverend Gregory Venables

The Most Reverend Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, has lived and worked in South America since January 1978. Prior to this, Gregory Venables studied modern languages and education at Canterbury Christ Church University College and taught English in Broadstairs.

Until 1990, he served as a missionary priest in Paraguay and was Principal of St Andrews College in Asuncion during the difficult years of military dictatorship.

Following three years in parish ministry in England, Gregory Venables was elected bishop of the diocese of Bolivia and Peru. Living at 12,500 feet and travelling constantly in difficult terrain, much of the task was the training and preparation of new clergy.

At the present moment, he and his wife Sylvia live in the sprawling city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, from where Gregory Venables oversees a province which stretches from the southernmost tip of the continent to the jungles of the Amazon.

Two of their grown up children live and work in La Paz, Bolivia and a third in Paraguay. They have two Bolivian granddaughters.

Professor Maurice Vile

Professor Maurice Vile was born in London and educated at the Grocer’s Company School, the Polytechnic, Regent Street and the London School of Economics. He served in the Royal Armoured Corps and was commissioned in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards.

A distinguished career in teaching research and university administration commenced at the University of Exeter in 1954, followed by three years at Nuffield College, Oxford. In 1965, he joined the new University of Kent, becoming Professor of Political Science in 1968. He served the University as Pro Vice Chancellor, then Deputy Chancellor from 1975 to 1984 and during this period, as Chairman of the Collegiate Board, was responsible for establishing and developing the relationship between the University and Canterbury Christ Church University College.

Maurice Vile became Professor Emeritus of the University in 1985 and worked for a time at Boston University before joining Canterbury Christ Church University College as Director of Research from 1994 to 1999. In this role he fostered the College’s research development and oversaw a substantial growth in its research degree programme.

With a special interest in American Politics, Maurice Vile has acted as Visiting Professor in a number of American Universities. His publications include “The Structure of Federalism” and “Politics in the USA”.

A fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Professor Vile was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law by the University of Kent in 1993.

The Right Honourable The Baroness Emerton DBE DL

Audrey Emerton began her nursing career in 1953 at St George’s Hospital in London. After working in nursing practice, teaching and management, in 1973 she became Regional Nursing Officer for South East Thames Regional Health Authority. In 1985 she was appointed Regional Director of Nursing, a post she held until retirement in 1991.

A member of the St John Ambulance since 1946, Baroness Emerton’s contribution was recognised in 1978 when she received the Award of Commander of the Order of St John Ambulance. A number of senior positions and awards followed, culminating in the post of Chief Commander which she held from 1998 to 2002.

Audrey Emerton was awarded the honour Dame Order of the British Empire in 1989 for services to nursing. In 1997, she was created Baroness Emerton of Tunbridge Wells and Clerkenwell for services to nursing and St John.

The Right Honourable Frank Field MP

The Rt Hon Frank Field MP has been the Member of Parliament for Birkenhead since 1979. He was Director of the Child Poverty Action Group for ten years and of the Low Pay Unit for six years. He was appointed Privy Councillor in 1997 and served as Minister for Welfare Reform in the Labour Government from 1997 to 1998.

Throughout his career he has campaigned for the reformation of welfare provision and a move away from impersonal approaches towards forms of mutual aid and social assistance that preserve human dignity and encourage independence and self-improvement. He has published a series of books challenging the political orthodoxies of welfare and pensions, the most recent being “Making Welfare Work: Reconstructing Welfare for the Millennium” (2001).

Frank Field is a practising member of the Church of England and serves as Chairman of the Church Conservation Trust and a member of the Prayer Book Society.

Sir John Grugeon DL

John Grugeon was born in 1928 and educated at Epsom Grammar School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, joining the County regiment, The Buffs, in 1948. Entering the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong, Sir John served in the Far and Near East, Africa, Europe and the United Kingdom. He has also been the Adjutant of the Regimental Depot and the 5th Battalion.

In 1960, John Grugeon joined the Save and Prosper Group Limited. He later stood for election to Kent County Council in 1967. During his term of office, the Local Government.

Act of 1972 brought about many changes, including new structures and political leadership. Sir John was elected Leader of Kent County Council in 1973 and remained so until 1982.

During his time on KCC, Sir John was Leader of the Association of County Councils, from 1984 to 1987, Chairman of Tunbridge Wells Health Authority, from 1984 to 1992 and Chairman of Kent Police Authority, from 1992 to 1998.

John Grugeon was knighted for Services to Local Government in 1980 and appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 1986. He is currently Chairman of Brett Environment Trust Limited.

In his leisure time, Sir John is a keen follower of cricket and enjoys shooting.

Mr Noel Vallely

After graduating, Noel Vallely began his career with Standard Telephones and Cables PLC and in 1985, joined the National Council of YMCAs as Director of Personnel and Training.

Having risen to become Assistant National Secretary, Noel Vallely served on the YMCA College Council, during which time the organisation emerged as one of the foremost trainers of Qualified Youth and Community Workers in the country. He was instrumental in bringing about the association between YMCA George Williams College in East London and Canterbury Christ Church University College.

In 1995, Noel Vallely became Chief Executive of the now renamed Federation of London Youth Clubs. This London-wide organisation has 500 affiliated youth clubs and over 70,000 members.

Married with three children he is involved in church related activities. In addition, Noel Vallely counts among his leisure interests reading, music, cycling, keeping fish and trying to grow Bonsai trees.

Mr Allan Willett CMG

Allan Willett started his first business when he was 26, importing packaging and plastics machinery into the UK. Today, Willett International is a world leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of systems for industries’ coding and labelling needs.

In the early 1990s, Allan Willett increased his involvement in the public sector, becoming the Founding Chairman of the Government’s Industrial Development Board for London and the South East. In 1999, he became the first Chairman of the South East England Development Agency. His three year tenure until the end of 2002 has seen benefits for the businesses, communities and environment of the region.

Allan Willett was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1997, and Lord Lieutenant for Kent in 2002. He lives with his wife Anne in Chilham near Canterbury.

The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Lord Carey of Clifton

George Carey was born in the East End of London. His father was a hospital porter and George was the oldest of five children. After failing his 11-plus he completed his secondary education in Barking, leaving school to go as office boy to the Electricity Board and then to National Service in the RAF. His faith had already been kindled so after the RAF he returned to the Electricity Board but had already decided to seek ordination. He trained and was ordained in 1962, then undertook a first curacy in Islington. He subsequently joined the staff of Oak Hill Theological College in 1966 and moved to St John’s College, Nottingham, in 1970.

From 1975 Dr Carey was Vicar of St Nicholas’ Church, Durham, which he led in a programme of renewal. In 1982 he was appointed Principal of Trinity College, Bristol, which he left to become Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1988. There he introduced and conducted a series of teaching missions.He has continued these in the Canterbury Diocese since he became Archbishop in 1991.

Dr Carey remains a keen supporter of Arsenal Football Club. His other interests include reading, walking and listening to music. He is an enthusiastic user of computers.

The Right Honourable Lord Kingsdown KG

Robin Leigh-Pemberton was Governor of the Bank of England between 1983 and 1993.

Lord Kingsdown’s high profile contribution to national finance has been complemented by lifelong public service in Kent. This has included periods as Chairman of Kent County Council and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Kent at Canterbury. He has been Lord Lieutenant of Kent since 1982.

Lord Kingsdown was born in Kent in 1927. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Oxford, and undertook military service in the Grenadier Guards.

After qualifying as a barrister, he made his career in business and banking. In recent years, he has held directorships of Hambros, Glaxo Wellcome, Redland, and Foreign and Colonial Trust.

Robin Leigh-Pemberton was appointed a Privy Councillor in 1987. He became Lord Kingsdown when he was awarded a life peerage in 1993. The following year the Queen made him a Knight of the Garter.

Professor Richard Pring MA PhD

Richard Pring is Professor of Educational Studies at the University of Oxford and Director of the Department of Education. Prior to being appointed to the Chair at Oxford he was Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Exeter. His earlier experiences in education include teaching in a London comprehensive school and lecturing at Goldsmiths College and the Institute of Education, London University. He was a member of staff at the Institute when it was a powerful force for higher standards in the academic study of education.

He continues to contribute to national and international debate in the areas of teacher education, the nature and policies of vocational preparation and the philosophy of education, through his writing and his joint editing of The British Journal of Educational Studies. Professor Pring is married with three daughters and a grandchild. Among his many interests is running marathons.

Lady Joan Reid

Lady Joan Reid retired from the Governing Body of Canterbury Christ Church University College in September 2001. She had been a Governor since 1991 and became Vice-Chairman of the Governing Body in March 1999.

Lady Joan Reid began her career as a lecturer at St Andrews University after graduating in Modern History and Policital Economy. She had wide experience in education and voluntary work, taking a leading role in a number of charities including chairing the British Federation of Women Graduates Charitable Trust. She was a Director of the Urban Learning Foundation in London which promoted teacher training for inner city schools in partnership with higher education institutions including Canterbury Christ Church University.

Councillor Miss Jennifer Samper

Councillor Miss Jennifer Samper served as Lord Mayor of Canterbury City Council from 1999 to 2001. As Lord Mayor, Councillor Samper placed on record her belief that in this office “there are no politics, just the love of the City and District of Canterbury and its citizens”. This love of the citizens of Canterbury extended to the student population whose interests Councillor Samper has served with enthusiasm and determination while carefully and skilfully balancing these interests with those of the local residents and the business community.

Councillor Samper now serves as Councillor for Chestfield, having first started her local government service in 1976 as an elected member for Swalecliffe. Over the last twenty five years Councillor Samper has served on most City Council committees, including chairing the Housing and Environment and Health Committee for six years.

Born in Whitstable and educated in Canterbury, Councillor Samper spent thirty six years, in Canada and England, in her chosen profession of teaching. She retired as Deputy Head of Herne Bay Junior School in 1995.

The Right Reverend John Richard Allan Llewellin

Bishop Richard Llewellin was born in Wales but during his early years was brought up in India. After attending Clifton College, Bristol, he was articled to a firm in Lincoln’s Inn Fields and then went on to practise as a solicitor in London. It was during that time that he came to believe that his real vocation lay in the ordained ministry, and, having been accepted for training, attended Fitzwilliam House, Cambridge and Westcott House Theological College.

Bishop Llewellin first served as a curate in the St Alban’s diocese and then worked for three years in Johannesburg as Assistant Priest at the Cathedral. He returned to the St Alban’s diocese in 1971 and was appointed Parish Priest of Waltham Cross and then Rector of Harpenden. In 1985 he was consecrated Suffragan Bishop of Truro, and in 1992 was summoned by the present Archbishop of Canterbury to be Bishop of Dover. After serving the Diocese for seven years he was appointed, last year, Bishop at Lambeth and Chief of Staff to the Archbishop, the position at the centre of the Anglican Communion which he now holds.

Mr Kenneth J Moran Dip.B.S.

Kenneth Moran started life working hard with his family on their small farm near Sydney. He joined Pfizer in Australia as a sales representative and within twelve years became managing director. He spent some time in New York before becoming head of Pfizer UK and is now responsible for Pfizer in a number of countries in mainland Europe.

As international marketing manager he helped bring the world Diflucan, a powerful antifungal agent which has become important in treating advanced AIDS sufferers.

Extensive travel in Australia impressed on him the futility of government efforts to address the plight of the indigenous peoples and he laid the foundations for Pfizer’s involvement with the Aboriginal Health Service.

During his time in England he has raised the profile of Pfizer at Sandwich and has supported the development of the local community, enthusiastically advancing the company’s investment in local education and the environment.

The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu - No Biography Available

The Very Reverend John Simpson MA DD

John Simpson is the Dean of Canterbury. His varied career in the Church has included: work in parishes and dioceses, as deacon, priest and archdeacon; work in theological education, as a college tutor, and later as a Director of Ordinands and Post Ordination Training; and, of course, work in cathedrals, which began over twenty years ago when he was appointed a Canon of St. Alban’s.

Symbolism, history, education, international understanding and worship are some of the pillars which support both John Simpson’s personal faith and the global Christian mission of the Cathedral whose life he has fostered for the last fifteen years. He has presided over the renovation and development of the Cathedral itself, steering ambitious projects including the repaving of the nave floor and the building of the Cathedral Education Centre. He has ensured that major events Canterbury has hosted during his time in office, including two Lambeth Conferences and the 1997 celebrations of the 1400th anniversary of St. Augustine’s arrival in England, have provided powerful opportunities for the reinvigoration of local, national and international Christianity.

John Simpson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the University of Kent in 1994.

Brigadier Maurice Atherton CBE JP DL DCL

Maurice Atherton’s family motto is ‘servare munia vitae’: he has devoted himself with remarkable energy to the duty of a life of service in both the military and civilian spheres.

Following his education at St John’s School, Leatherhead, and the Staff College at Camberley, Maurice Atherton was commissioned into the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1946, and served in Egypt, Sudan, Malaysia, Austria and Germany. His distinguished career included periods as: Military Assistant to the Commander of British Forces, Hong Kong; College Chief Instructor at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst; Commanding Officer of the Green Howards, on of the oldest and still unamalgamated British regiments; and Commander of the Shorncliffe Garrison and Deputy Constable of Dover Castle.

Maurice Atherton’s public service record is equally impressive, including long periods as a Justice of the Peace on the Dover Bench and as county President of the Royal British Legion. He was High Sheriff of Kent in 1983-84. Having first been appointed to the Governing Body of the College in 1983, Maurice Atherton was Chairman from 1994-99, and oversaw the institution’s attainment of University College status.

He was awarded the CBE in 1981, is a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, and received his Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law in 1996.

Mr Chandu Christian MA DMS Dip Ed

Chandu Christian was born in 1939, the son of the head master of an Indian village mission school. He attended a town high-school which saw itself as the temple of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of education. The Christian community in which he lived served as a haven for people on both sides in Hindu-Muslim riots surrounding Indian independence. His upbringing and experience fitted him perfectly for the YMCA with its focus on youth and education and its strong opposition to conflict between races and religions.

As a lecturer at the YMCA George Williams College from 1971 and then as Principal from 1991 to 1997, Chandu Christian, by his example and by his influence, advanced the cause of informal education. He vigorously promoted the view that management of people was about allowing them to take control and to utilise their own resources. He worked to achieve autonomous status for the College and developed distance learning courses which extended its influence throughout this county and the world.

Chandu Christian was deeply involved in spreading expertise and developing an infrastructure for youth work in Uganda and in many other African countries. His contribution extended beyond building up the YMCA. In the early nineties he was invited to South Africa to work with youth organisations and to help construct the Youth Work Mandate which was accepted by the new government as the basis of its youth programme.

He has received the Metropolitan Regional Award of Merit for Services to the YMCA.

Mr David Coupe Dipl.Arch.Cant., A.R.I.B.A.

David Coupe was born in Lancashire in 1940, but has spent most of his life in Canterbury studying and later working as an architect in the city. After a brief globetrotting architectural career, building banks in Greece and overseeing European airport buildings for BOAC, he was persuaded to return to Canterbury, where he set up in private practice, first on his own and then with his partner, John Pateman.

Pateman and Coupe have served the city by consistently following the Modernist ideal of simplicity. Their buildings, which are designed to make real use of space and daylight, incorporate three fundamental principles: they are substantial; they are suited to their purpose and they are places that people can enjoy.

In 1979 David Coupe effectively became the College Architect and in 1980 produced a long term development plan for the campus. This encapsulated a vision of how the site could ultimately be developed into a structured series of buildings and open spaces which related to each other: a vision now almost complete. The Student Union Building, the extended Library Building, the Professional Development Building and the Information Technology, Paramedical, Nursing, Resource Based Learning and RFTV Buildings each have individual personalities, but all contribute to an overall design. Only the Old Sessions House, which has recently been acquired by the College and has extended the original campus, was not foreseen in the plan of 1980. Supported in recent years by the imaginative work of the College gardeners, David Coupe has created a College environment which stands out above many other modern higher education campuses.

David Coupe also taught for twenty-eight years as a member of the innovative team at Canterbury School of Architecture and has served on the Administrative Council of the European Association for Architectural Education.

Dr Michael Berry

Michael Berry was educated at Middlesborough High School and at the University of Durham. After completing his National Service in the Marines, he was awarded a Diploma in Education at Oxford University and commenced his career in education. He spent some years in teaching and administration and was then appointed a tutor in postgraduate education at St Peter’s Church Training College, Saltley, where he remained for eleven years.

He came to Canterbury in 1973 when he was appointed Vice Principal of Canterbury Christ Church College. Two years later he succeeded the retiring Principal, Dr Frederic Mason. The next decade or so witnessed a period of severe rationalisation in higher education nationally, during which 168 Colleges were reduced to 20. Under the leadership of Michael Berry, the College survived and in the early 1980s entered upon a period of impressive expansion that saw the initiation and development of an extensive building programme, which is still continuing, a huge increase in the variety and provision of programmes offered by the College and an accompanying expansion in student numbers from 500 a year to the present intake of over 10,000. Michael Berry was instrumental in shaping the present character and reputation of the College and in creating the sound basis upon which it now stands.

Michael Berry retired in August 1997.

Sir David Phillips QPM

David Phillips is the Chief Constable of Kent County Constabulary. Born into a police family, he joined Lancashire Constabulary as a teenage cadet and rose quickly to the rank of Chief Superintendent. Pursuing his education alongside his career, he attained a First Class Degree in Economics at the University of Manchester.

On promotion to Assistant Chief Constable for Greater Manchester, David Phillips took charge of major incidents including the Manchester air disaster. After a period as Deputy Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, he was appointed to his present post in 1993. Throughout his career he has maintained a direct involvement in operations, developing policy and practice in areas as diverse as fraud, football hooliganism and murder.

His pioneering work on intelligence-led policing has included the development of national databases, and manuals based on systematic theories of investigation. He has made significant contributions to national policing through his work on numerous committees of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

David Phillips has enthusiastically supported the development of the innovative BSc in Policing which Canterbury Christ Church College teaches in partnership with Kent County Constabulary.

He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the 1994 New Year’s Honours List.

Mr Peter Smallridge CBE

Peter Smallridge has had a distinguished career in Social Services over the past thirty years. He trained as a social worker in north London and at the London School of Economics while working for West Sussex Area Health Authority. Before moving to Norfolk Social Services Department in 1975, he was Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Croydon College.

Throughout the 1980s Peter Smallridge worked for Warwickshire County Council, first as Deputy Director of Social Services and afterwards, from 1983 to 1991, as Director. Then, in 1991 he was appointed Director of Social Services for Kent County Council from which post he has just recently retired. In July this year he was appointed Chair of West Kent Health Authority.

Peter Smallridge has made a significant contribution to the development of Social Services in the United Kingdom. He is a past President of the Association of Directors of Social Services and former Chair of the Management Board of the Joint Initiative for Community Care. In the wider context, since 1997 he has been both Chair of the European Institute of Social Services at the University of Kent, where he is also a Research Fellow, and a Member of the Board of Trustees of the British Red Cross.

Peter Smallridge has enthusiastically supported the development of the Diploma in Social Work programme and other professional training programmes which Canterbury Christ Church College teaches in partnership with Kent Social Services.

He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1995.

Dr Graham Richard Brown

Dr Graham Brown was appointed to a lectureship in Physics at Canterbury Christ Church College in 1964. He became Head of Science, and subsequently in 1979, Head of Teacher Training. Under his direction, the College launched one of the largest INSET provisions in the country, providing access for practising Kent teachers to study for Bachelor of Education and Master’s degrees, diplomas and doctorates.

Appointed Vice Principal of the College in 1985, he played a significant role in the development of Paramedical Studies, and the establishment of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery Studies at the College. Just before his recent retirement, he instituted an innovative Bachelor of Science degree programme for serving Police Officers.

Graham Brown has a PhD in Metal Crystallography, is a Fellow of the Institute of Physicists and has published numerous scholarly papers.

Mr Benjamin Luxon CBE

Benjamin Luxon is one of the finest baritones of his generation. Born in Camborne, Cornwall, he was awarded a Countess of Munster Award and the Guildhall School of Music gold medal in 1963. He soon joined Benjamin Britten’s English Opera Group, receiving the unique honour of having England’s premiere composer write the TV opera “Owen Wingrave” for him. This role he subsequently sang at Covent Garden.

His international career has taken him to most of the prestigious opera houses of the world, in London, Vienna, Los Angeles, New York, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Milan, where he performed some of the greatest classical roles, including Eugene Onegin, Papageno, Don Giovanni, Wozzeck and Falstaff. He has also sung in oratorio, concerts, recitals and has recorded over one hundred discs. In the United States, he was a popular performer on the folk circuit.

Tragically afflicted by deafness in 1990, he has increasingly turned his attention to producing operas, especially at Canterbury Christ Church College, and training promising young singers.

Mr Henry John Bragg FPS

Henry John Bragg, born in Torquay and educated at Torquay Grammar School, became a qualified pharmacist at the Chelsea School of Pharmacy (now King’s College, University of London), a member of the Pharmaceutical Society in 1950 and a Fellow in 1951. He also obtained the Pharmaceutical Society’s Diploma in Bio-Chemical Analysis in 1953.

He joined Glaxo in 1953 and in 1955 moved to Pfizer at Sandwich where he set up their first Pharmaceutical Development Unit outside the United States. He was subsequently appointed to the Board and became Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Director, then General Manager of the Company’s European Chemical Division. In 1970 he was made Managing Director of Calor Gas (UK) and, in 1978, became Group Managing Director and Chief Executive. In 1980, he was appointed to the Board of Imperial Continental Gas Association - Calor’s parent company.

He retired in 1986 and, in the same year was appointed Chairman of the Canterbury and Thanet Health Authority. In 1994 his responsibilities were extended when he was made Chairman of the East Kent Health Authority which was formed from the amalgamation of the Canterbury and Thanet and South East Kent Health authorities.

He was Mayor of Sandwich from 1989 to 1992. He is currently a Sandwich Town Councillor and Dover District Councillor and a member of the Governing Body of Canterbury Christ Church College.