Alumni in the Media

Alumni of Royal Holloway and Bedford Colleges are making the news all the time. Every two months we cover a selection of these stories here. For past updates, please click one of the links in the archive below.

Archive:

August-September 2009

Stories from October & November 2009

Ann Abraham (BA German & Philosophy, 1974 Bedford College) - Parliamentary Ombudsman
1) The Guardian’s Money Blog (18/10/09) - “Ann Abraham said in her report in July last year that the Equitable Life investors should be compensated by the government. She made a series of recommendations in her report that found maladministration by the government's regulatory authorities, and said the government should fund a compensation scheme for all those who lost out, and get an independent assessment of who should receive money and how much. Instead, the government decided compensation should be limited. It appointed Sir John Chadwick as its very own independent adviser to sort it out. He says he will follow the ombudsman's approach, but will take into account "the extent to which the government has accepted her findings", which is not to a very great extent at all. He has put his views out to consultation.” Last month an early day motion was drafted by MPs in order to get parliamentary discussion of the report. The motion fell and as a result, according to Abraham, "the government was able to act as judge and jury in its own court", hence "people saw no visible distinction between parliament and government"
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2) Daily Telegraph (21/10/09) – Following a landmark High Court ruling the Government has had to climb-down over limiting compensation payments to Equitable Life policyholders: “Last year, Parliamentary Ombudsman Ann Abraham said the Government was guilty of "a decade of regulatory failure" in the build-up to Equitable being forced to close to new business in 2000 when it was unable to pay guaranteed annuities. Ms Abraham's report recommended substantial compensation for hundreds of thousands of policyholders”
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Baroness (Catherine) Ashton of Upholland (Sociology, 1977 Bedford College) - EU Trade Minister
1) The Guardian (20/11/09) - Lady Ashton has been appointed as the new EU foreign minister in Brussels. It is a spectacular rise by any standards. Just 13 months ago she was a relatively junior member of the British cabinet, as leader of the House of Lords. In her latest role she will represent the foreign policy of half a billion EU citizens. Ashton will rank just behind Hillary Clinton and Angela Merkel as one of the world's most powerful women immersed in some of its most intractable problems. Her main areas will be the crisis over Iran's nuclear programme, the Middle East and Europe's fractious relations with Russia. Afghanistan will loom ever larger as the EU face greater US pressure to step up their commitments

2) BBC News (16/10/09) & Financial Times (16/10/09) - The EU and South Korea have agreed on one of the world's biggest free-trade deals. It is estimated that the deal will be worth up to $28bn for the EU and about $18bn for South Korea. While the 2006 US deal with South Korea languishes unratified by both a Congress and White House controlled by the evidently protectionist wing of the Democratic Party, the Europeans cannot believe their luck. Catherine Ashton, the EU trade commissioner, said, “I think the package is the best we’ll ever get and I think it’s a fantastic package for Europe”
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3) The Independent (30/10/09) - “Baroness Cathy Ashton is one of the lowest-profile ministers to have served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet. But she has impressed observers since moving to Brussels last year to replace Peter Mandelson as Trade Commissioner. As High Commissioner, she would head the EU's new External Action Service, a beefed-up foreign ministry created by the Lisbon Treaty. The ministry will comprise 5,000 diplomatic staff posted to around 130 EU embassies around the world” (She was subsequently chosen as High Commissioner)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/browns-baroness-emerges-from-the-shadows-1811702.html

Norman Baker MP (BA German, 1978 RHC) - Politician
1) BBC1 (15/10/09) - Question Time from Hull. The panel included the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson MP; Damian Green MP for the Conservatives; Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat; Nigel Farage UKIP MEP; and journalist and broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell

2) BBC Radio 4, The Today Programme (07/11/09) - Interviewed on Today, Norman warned that any watering down of Sir Christopher Kelly’s MPs’ expenses proposals would “fuel suspicion amongst the public” of a “stitch-up”. He was “deeply dismayed” by newspaper reports that the proposals may not now be implemented in full. “It’s a good package, well received by the public at large, MPs would swallow it, party leaders have got behind it”, he said. He also expressed concern with the reported links between Sir Iain Kennedy, chair-designate of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and Alastair Campbell: “The public needs someone on the side of them, not on the side of the establishment.” Responding to suggestions that Sir Ian was concerned about legal challenges to the new rules, Norman said he hoped the IPSA chairman would only “tweak them at the edges to take account of those sorts of issues rather than re-writing them. If he’s going to abandon the ban on spouses and allow MPs to continue with mortgages, that rips the heart out of what Christopher Kelly said - there’s not very much left after that. It will fuel suspicion, I’m afraid, amongst the public at large that, just as this matter was being put to bed, here is another behind-the-scenes stitch-up”

3) Daily Telegraph (14/11/09) - Norman has urged Gordon Brown to investigate whether Tony Blair breached the Ministerial Code by failing to declare a complex network of multi-million pound companies and partnerships. “Norman Baker, the senior Liberal Democrat MP, last week wrote to Mr Brown, who presides over the Ministerial Code, asking him to investigate the companies and partnerships which – despite being established in 2007 – only came to public attention at the end of last month. Mr Baker said in his letter: "I am writing to you to undertake an investigation into specific financial arrangements created by your predecessor Tony Blair prior to his departure from office and subsequent to it, to establish whether his failure to register these with the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) constitutes a breach of the Ministerial Code, as would appear to be the case” Read More

4) Daily Mirror and BBC News (24/11/09) - Norman commented on George Osborne's expenses claim which exceeded the monthly limit, saying: "George Osborne has either shown a cavalier disregard for the new rules or that he can't add up which is not very encouraging in a shadow chancellor. Either way it brings his judgment into doubt. His claim makes a mockery of the Tory leadership's holier-than-thou attitude. It is a severe embarrassment to his close friend David Cameron"
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Greg Barker MP (BA Modern History Economic History and Politics, 1987) - Politician
New Statesman (01/10/09) - Entry in their “New Ruling Class” list: “Gregory Barker, Shadow minister for energy and climate change. Wealth: £3.9m. Gregory Barker, a former adviser to the Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, reportedly made millions when he sold his stake in a recruitment advertising firm, and continues to rake in cash as director of Flare View, a property investment company, and as an adviser for Pegasus Capital Advisors. He made a £320,000 profit in just over two years by using the second-home allowance to buy and sell a house in the exclusive borough of Chelsea”
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Ethan Boroian (undergraduate Film and Television Studies, 2008-11) - Undergraduate
ITV1 (04/10/09) - The X Factor contestant travelled to Marrakesh for his final audition, but failed to impress judge Cheryl Cole and wasn’t selected for the live final rounds
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David Burke (BA Management Studies & Music, 1996) - Arts Administrator
David has just become General Manager & Finance Director of the renowned London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), based at the Royal Festival Hall. He was previously Finance Director of the national touring company, English Touring Opera. The picture shows their principal conductor, Vladimir Jurowski, conducting the orchestra http://www.lpo.co.uk/contact/staff.html

Jonathan Carpanini (Classics undergraduate)
The Guardian (11/09) - Jonathan was interviewed for an article about the use of studying Classics: "I didn't go for a vocational degree because I never thought of uni as a direct route to getting a job. I chose Classics for the love of the subject. We learn about the growth of ancient cities, for instance, and we do find links in many of the things we study. It has shown me how institutions start to be established within cultures, and the way that politics in Turkey and the Middle East have evolved. Is a Classics degree an indulgence? Actually, I think it's very useful because it gets you thinking about all sorts of issues, gives you a wide spread of knowledge and understanding, and it has trained me to be highly analytical. What I plan to do for a living is completely unconnected – I've just applied to join the police"
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Rachel Cawthorn (Biology undergraduate in 2007, but deferred until 2012)
Evening Standard (30/10/09) - The canoeist is featured in article on the sports stars pursuing gold at the 2012 Olympics. “Cawthorn's pursuit of Olympic glory began in 2005 when she was one of eight youngsters selected from a group of 1000 swimmers, rowers and lifeguards for their potential to become world-beating canoeists. Cawthorn began planning her life around an Olympic dream, choosing to study biology at Royal Holloway College, a short distance from her training base at Dorney Lake in Eton which will also host the Olympic rowing and canoe events. Softly spoken with the looks of a Californian surfer, Cawthorn feels like a second-class citizen in comparison to the rowers she shares a lake with. She said: “It's a bit annoying because everyone knows about rowing and no one knows about canoeing because it's not on television.” Having this summer won a gold medal at a World Cup regatta and finished third in the 1,000 metre sprint at the European Championships, Cawthorn remains on track for a podium finish in 2012. “I've surpassed my goals. To be winning medals is amazing”

Adam D'Souza (BA Ancient History, 2009) - Marketeer
SouthWestBusiness (web) (08/10/09) - Adam D'Souza, 21, has founded the Floreant advertising agency which offers a range of marketing and advertising services specifically to churches. He hopes to promote their work of churches and turn around the decline in congregations
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Peter David (BSc Sociology, 1972 Bedford College) – Journalist
Peter recently took over as Washington Bureau Chief of The Economist. He held similar positions with Nature and the Times Higher Education Supplement, before joining The Economist in 1985
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Baroness (Janet) Fookes of Plymouth DBE DL (BA History, 1957 RHC) - Politician
Press Association (26/10/09) - Tory backbencher Baroness Fookes’s amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill won a vote by insisting that specialist coroners hold military inquests. Lady Fookes said that since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan some coroners had developed specialist knowledge. She said the difference a coroner experienced at holding military inquests made to the feelings of the family of a dead service person “cannot be underestimated”. Lady Fookes added: “The fear is that that expertise might be lost with the passage of time and hence the purpose of the amendment is to ensure a senior Deputy Chief Coroner has overall responsibility for supervising any military inquest and for ensuring that those coroners who undertake it have specialist training”
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Anthony Ford-Shubrook (Human Geography, 2009) - Recent graduate
Anthony was shortlisted for Young Disabled Person of the Year at the Radar (Royal Association for Disability Rights) Annual Awards ceremony (30/10/09). His citation read: “followed up a landmark DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) case on access to the sixth form college of his choice with broader campaigning for better education opportunities, access and inclusion for disabled students and children in the UK and South Africa”. He wrote his BA dissertation on access to education for children with disabilities in a district of Johannesburg and was recently published on the South African government's Department for Education website (a rare honour for an undergraduate dissertation). Anthony is a wheelchair user as a result of having cerebral palsy

Dr Jeni Fordham (BSc Botany, 1965 Bedford College) - Scientist
The Guardian (19/02/09) - Obituary of the molecular biologist who worked at King’s College, London
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Sarah Fox (BMus Music, 1995) - Singer
BBC 4 (30/10/09) - The rising soprano stars alongside Curtis Stigers in the broadcast of the MGM Musicals Prom, one of the biggest hits of the 2009 Proms summer season. It celebrates 75 years of MGM musicals with songs from film classics, including The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St Louis, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, High Society, Gigi and Singin' in the Rain

Jayne-Anne Gadhia (BA History, 1983 RHC) - Head of Virgin Money
The Guardian (24/10/09) - Virgin Money has applied to the FSA for a banking licence. Virgin Money said it was interested in expanding the business to offer current accounts and mortgages and it is widely expected to be in preparation for a takeover bid for Northern Rock. Jayne-Anne Gadhia has approached Northern Rock’s Chairman, Brian Sanderson, to be a senior non-executive director of Virgin bank to satisfy the FSA that it has the experience and managerial firepower to take on a banking licence. Sanderson, a former boss of Standard Chartered, was parachuted into Northern Rock after its collapse to support a rescue and sale of the business
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Jane Gardam OBE FRSL (BA English, 1949 Bedford College) - Writer
1) The Independent (11/10/09) - Positive review of her new novel, The Man in the Wooden Hat (Chatto & Windus), a follow-up to her Orange Prize nominated Old Filth

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-man-in-the-wooden-hat-by-jane-gardam-1799850.html

2) Daily Telegraph (28/11/09) - Her new book, The Man in the Wooden Hat, was selected as a novel of the year in, “a notably fine year for fiction”: “Jane Gardam has delighted readers of Old Filth by returning again (after having done so several years ago in a short story, The People of Privilege Hill) to the judge Edward Feathers (Filth) in The Man in the Wooden Hat. She tells the story this time from the point of view of Filth’s wife, Betty, previously glimpsed only through her husband’s memories, and the result is captivating”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/6661434/Novels-of-the-year.html

Janice Hadlow (postgraduate research 1978-81 Royal Holloway College) - Head of BBC2
The Guardian (11/11/09) - Lord Bragg is to present two documentaries for BBC2, following the cancellation of his The South Bank Show on ITV. BBC2 controller, Janice Hadlow, said, "We very much hope this will be just the beginning of an ongoing and fruitful relationship with BBC2." Bragg is working on a one-off documentary to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible in 2011 and a series about class in Britain. She said the King James Bible documentary would look at the book's "extraordinary legacy and how ultimately, as it spread to the new world and the colonies, it helped shaped the world". The series on class will examine the subject through culture since the 19th century. "We're still working through the detail of this, but Melvyn intends to examine class – upper class, middle class and working class – through all forms of culture, with a final programme on what has happened to our ideas of class in the last 50 years or so," Hadlow said. This will be Bragg’s first major work for BBC television for more than 30 years and takes him back to the channel he helped to launch in 1964

Professor Alastair Hay OBE (BSc Chemistry, 1969 Royal Holloway College) - Chemical Weapons Expert
BBC News (11/11/09) - Professor Alastair Hay, a toxicologist at the University of Leeds described ricin as "a very potent poison". It is roughly 1,000 times more toxic than cyanide and could be used in a bio-terror attack. Commenting on a new anti-toxin that protects against ricin poisoning, Professor Hay said, "Having an anti-toxin in the armoury would be very helpful for anyone who has to deal with possible ricin poisoning"

Anna Hemmings (BSc Economics & Management Studies, 2001) - Sportswoman
Wimbledon Guardian (04/11/09) – “Wimbledon’s canoe queen has joined forces with Olympic gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes to inspire sports stars of the future. Olympian and former world champion Anna Hemmings took part in a training workshop in Manchester alongside double gold medallist Holmes last week. The pair worked with 70 talented young athletes aged 13 to 21, giving them guidance on team building, nutrition and handling the media. Hemmings said: “Having been an elite sports performer, it was great to work with the next generation of up and coming stars and help them learn what it takes to reach the top in sport”
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Robin Ince (BA English & Drama, 1991) – Comedian
1) BBC Radio 4 (30/11/09) - Robin, the one-time Ricky Gervais sidekick, has a new 4 part Radio 4 series, The Infinite Monkey Cage, a witty and rational take on the world of science co-presented with physicist Brian Cox. The first show is today, Monday 30th November at 4:30pm, and his studio guest is comedian and former cosmologist, Dara O’Briain

2) The Guardian (17/10/09) - “After setting up acclaimed comedy night The Book Club at the Albany in 2005, comedian Robin Ince has been at the vanguard of a new, more progressive comedy movement, centring (sic) on innovative, gently cerebral comics”
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3) Robin was on tour until December with his School for Gifted Children show. To tie in with the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, Robin introduced a selection of special guests (Simon Singh, Ben Goldacre, Josie Long, Gavin Osborn, etc) in his popular comedy science cabaret format
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Victoria Ijeh-Okusanya (Media Arts undergraduate) - Student
Victoria was selected to participate in the prestigious Stranger Academy, in Amsterdam (13-17 October). The Stranger Academy, a core project of the European Cultural Foundation, combines an opportunity for networking and improving on video and storytelling skills with a competitive film festival. Over 150 young filmmakers between 15-25 are given the chance to take part in workshops and master-classes, meet professionals and show their work to a broad audience. Victoria’s documentary Sickle Cell, made at Royal Holloway, is an insightful film about sickle-cell anaemia in the Afro-Caribbean population in Britain. The film will be competing in the documentary section of the Stranger Festival. Victoria is also one of five winners of the ‘BBC Blast’ bursary, despite thousands of applicants from across the UK

Wendy Irvin (BSc Biochemistry (Medical), 1987) - Procurement Officer
SupplyManagement (web) (08/10/09) - Interview with Wendy, Vice-President and group CPO at consultancy Capgemini, “In procurement, we need to continue to focus on getting the basics right: relentlessly reducing costs and managing our suppliers”
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Professor Peter Jeavons (PhD Computer Science, 1992) - Academic
Irish Times (08/10/09) - He is a judge for the 2009 Boyle Medal, which is awarded by the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) after consideration by an international panel of scientists. “Peter Jeavons, Professor of Computer Science at Oxford University, is interested in algorithms and computational techniques in biology. The author of more than 60 papers, he originally trained as a teacher before spending time designing superconducting magnets. He completed his PhD at Royal Holloway before moving to Oxford as Reader, then Fellow in computer science before assuming the professorship there”
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Jack Lenox (Ancient History undergraduate) - Student
Evening Standard (15/10/09) – “Jack Lennox,The E-publisher. Studying ancient history at Royal Holloway, Lenox set up the independent student newspaper The Founder in 2006. It now has a turnover of £20,000 a year. More recently he launched enovella (enovella.co.uk), an innovative social network for aspiring writers and poets. It's been an instant hit, registering more than 100 users and 50 submitted works within the first two weeks. Now taking a sabbatical from his studies, he helps other students as president of the Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs (his salary is paid by the Higher Education Innovation Fund, a scheme backed by Gordon Brown), as well as working part time with former Dragons' Den star Doug Richard, on his School for Startups scheme, to help entrepreneurs”
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Dame Felicity Lott (BA French, 1969 Royal Holloway College) - Singer
1) Felicity received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Gloucestershire at a ceremony in Gloucester Cathedral on Friday 13 November. The University, based in Cheltenham, made the award in recognition of her outstanding contribution, both nationally and internationally to opera and conferred. Felicity was born in Cheltenham and has been president of the Cheltenham Choral Society since 1993

2) Felicity gave a recital at the prestigious Wigmore Hall in central London on 20th November. In October she performed concerts in Tokyo with Andre Previn

Eleanor McDougall (BA Classics, 1896 RHC) - Educationalist
The Hindu (10/09) - Article on Eleanor McDougall, the Founder Principal of the Women's Christian College in Chennai (Madras), now affiliated to the University of Madras. She was noted as saying, “We can do no better service to India, than to liberate the energies of wisdom and devotion which are latent in her women and to infuse into them the vital ideals of Christianity.” McDougall was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal for service in British India in 1924

Danny Morgan (BA Drama, 2004) - Actor
1) BBC Radio 2 (27/11/09) - Danny had two minutes to make listeners laugh on the Jo Whiley Show when he appeared in The Good Giggle Guide slot, which showcases newish comedy names. Danny has built a cult as ‘Ginger Bloke’, who makes fun of bands like The Killers, Metallica and Red Hot Chilli Peppers (with their collusion) in his interview slot on MTV2

2) The Independent (01/10/09) - Review of Off the Hook starring Danny, “This student comedy is one of BBC3's sparkier sitcoms. Danny Morgan, who plays Shane, is a terrific comic presence”
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Baroness (Delyth) Morgan of Drefelin (BSc Physiology & Biochemistry, 1983 BC) - Politician
1) Daily Mail (03/10/09) - The £224million ContactPoint database will carry details of 11 million children in England and their parents with the aim of ensuring that children in trouble can be identified by doctors, social workers or police officers. However, tens of thousands of politicians and celebrities are to be allowed to keep their names off the database. Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan said the change would merely extend practice as it applies currently with paper records
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2) BBC News (11/11/09) - Responding to the Local Government Association’s survey which suggests that more social workers are leaving the profession following the Baby P case, Children's Minister Delyth Morgan said the government was investing £109m over the next two years to support social workers and attract more people back to the job. She said more than 30,000 people had already applied to become children's social workers following the Be The Difference campaign run by the Children's Workforce Development Council

Daljit Nagra (BA English, 1991) - Poet
The Observer (29/11/09) - Daljit offers his choice for a Books of the Year feature: “Amartya Sen's The Idea of Justice is a sober analysis of how we arrive at notions of justice. Sen uses examples from eastern and western traditions to help elucidate his abstract arguments. Sobriety is also maintained through two remarkable poetry collections. Both Christopher Reid's A Scattering and Don Paterson's Rain are haunted by the loss of loved ones. While Reid's heartbreakingly spare narrative about the death of his wife is moving for its simplicity of expression, Paterson's collection has an Augustan frankness, an Elizabethan elegance and a postmodern playfulness”
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Mary Nightingale (BA English, 1985 BC) - Broadcaster
Daily Telegraph (12/10/09) - The ITN anchorwoman is a Woman of the Year judge. At the recent Woman of the Year Awards in London, Mary and her fellow judges presented Dame Vera Lynn with a lifetime achievement award
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Bonita Norris (BA Media Arts, 2009)
BBC Radio Berkshire (02/10/09) - Interviewed on becoming the youngest woman to reach the summit of Mount Manaslu in Nepal, the world's eighth highest mountain at 8156 metres. Bonita hopes to be the youngest person ever to climb Everest, which she will attempt next year
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Jeremy Northam (BA English, 1984 Bedford College) - Actor
The Independent (27/10/09) - UK premiere of the film Glorious 39 at the London Film Festival. Jeremy plays Balcombe, a sinister government official, in this Hitchcock-like thriller set in 1939, which also stars Bill Nighy, Julie Christie and David Tennant. The film went on general release on 20th November
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Vivienne Parry (BSc Zoology, 1978 Bedford College) - Broadcaster
Science journalist and TV presenter Vivienne Parry hosted the NHS Chief Scientific Officer’s Conference in London, 24-25 November. Vivienne led the panel discussions as well as presented the prestigious Healthcare Science Awards

Pan Philippou (BA Economics & Public Administration, 1980 Royal Holloway College) - Fashion Executive
Drapers (03/11/09) - Pan Philippou takes over as Chief Executive of Ben Sherman in January. He was recently behind the young fashion brands Firetrap, Fullcircle and Sonneti and before that headed up Diesel in the UK and North America

Helene Raynsford (BSc Biochemistry (Medical), 2003 and current postgraduate) - Sportswoman
Get Reading & Get Bracknell (web) (22/10/09) – “The Paralympic gold medallist was shortlisted for the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards held on November 11. Helene was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in May. After taking a break from training to rest her heart, she began again in September. “It’s been challenging, I have had to gradually strengthen my heart again,” she said. But the Royal Holloway university student, studying an MA in human neuroscience, encourages others faced with challenges to never give up in something they want to achieve. One of her favourite quotes is, “If they say it can’t be done, it’s only because it’s never been done before”
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Rupert Sanderson (BSc Geography, 1989) - Shoe Designer
1) Daily Mirror (18/10/09) - Samantha Cameron (wife of David Cameron) usually wears £350 Rupert Sanderson shoes, as opposed to the cheaper ones she wore to her party’s conference

2) For the second season in a row, Rupert Sanderson is collaborating with fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld. The Autumn/Winter 2009 collection was so well received that they are doing it again for Spring/Summer 2010

Pande Shahov (Music postgraduate) - Composer
MusicWeb International (13/10/09) - From a review of a concert by the eminent pianist Simon Trpčeski, “Finally, the World Premiere: the suite, Songs and Whispers by Trpčeski’s friend, Pande Shahov (born 1973). The six movements divide into four movements based on Macedonian songs from the composer’s childhood and two movements take Chopin as their starting points”
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Joby Talbot (BMus Music, 1992) - Composer
(05/10/09) - Release on CD of Joby Talbot's score for Gerald McMorrow's sci-fi thriller Franklyn, a film that came and went at the UK box office. Also newly available is a limited edition CD of Genus, the ballet he co-wrote with Deru for the Paris Opera Ballet

Dr Simon Thurley (BA History, 1985 Bedford College) - Head of English Heritage
BBC News (24/11/09), The Times (24/11/09) - Simon has launched an appeal to trace Charles Darwin's missing Galapagos notebook, as English Heritage publish Darwin’s remaining 14 notebooks and a microfilm of the missing notebook on the internet. The notebook is thought to have been stolen in the 1970s from Darwin's study at his former home, Down House, now owned by English Heritage. Simon said, “We’re delighted that people can now leaf through Darwin’s notebooks online but there’s a desperately sad gap on the Down House bookshelves and it’s one that we hope will be filled”
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Claire Travers Smith (BA Media Arts, 2002) - TV Producer
Webchats.tv (web) (04/10/09) – “What goes on behind the scenes? Joining Steve in the online chat is Claire Travers Smith, a TV producer who will share some of her stories about working in the TV industry, on MTV, Trisha Show, This Morning and Big Brother. Claire has a lot to tell about how you can get into the world of television, so it’s well worth giving her a listen.” Claire is an assistant producer on The Weakest Link. She produces the 45 minute final show online edit, directs the studio pre-titles and contestant after-show interviews. She also produces after-show interviews with celebrities for various hour long prime time specials
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KT Tunstall (BA Drama & Music, 1996) - Singer
1) GMTV (21/10/09) - KT is interviewed on working with Shirley Bassey. KT has contributed the song Nice Men to Dame Shirley Bassey’s first full studio album for 20 years, The Performance, released on 9th November. The album also features songs by the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Barlow, the Manic Street Preachers and Richard Hawley and is produced by James Bond composer David Arnold. KT said, “It’s one of the biggest thrills to hear Shirley Bassey sing one of your songs”
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2) BBC News (07/10/09) - KT Tunstall's Hold On won an award as one of the most performed songs on US radio at the annual London awards ceremony of the US performing rights organisation BMI at the Dorchester Hotel on October 7. KT had previously won two BMI Million-Air awards when her songs Black Horse and the Cherry Tree and Suddenly I See achieved a combined total of 1.2 million US performances in 2006

3) EcoFriendNews (web) (23/10/09) - KT Tunstall has unplugged her Hungerford studio from the National Grid and intends to use the power of the sun to record her next album. This is the latest in a series of green initiatives that have been undertaken by the singer and continues her deep-rooted, serious, commitment to protecting the environment. “I have a passion for the planet and am at my happiest when I feel in harmony with it. The natural world is in crisis and we are in a position to alleviate it. If Britain goes solar, we can drastically reduce the negative impact of fossil fuel usage and save money on our electricity bills. It would be an amazing thing to witness in our lifetimes,” said Tunstall

Adrian Waddingham (BSc Computer Science and Mathematics & Statistics, 1971 Royal Holloway College) - Actuary
Lord Mayor’s Parade (14/11/09) - Adrian is the new Master of the Worshipful Company of Actuaries in the City of London. He took part in the Lord Mayor’s Parade wearing the actuarial egg-head and carrying the big pencil (good for doing big sums). The Company has just received a Royal Charter from Her Majesty

Francis Wheen (BA English, 1978 Royal Holloway College) - Journalist
Francis in the offices of Private Eye, where he is Deputy Editor
The Observer (29/11/09) – Francis’ new book Strange Days Indeed was chosen by Melvyn Bragg as one of The Observer’s books of the year

Last updated Sun, 06-Jan-2010 11:04 GMT / RP