The Governing Body of St Chad’s College has three new members:
Check out their photos and profiles (together with all the other governors) on the Governing Body page
Chad’s is well and truly in the Christmas spirit and what better way to kick off the festive season than with the pantomime. Completely student led, each year the pantomime showcases the wonders of Chad’s and its exec. Congratulations to the cast who put on such a fantastic show on Friday night and had everyone in the Quad crying with laughter.
On Friday, St Andrew’s Day, David Stancliffe, St Chad’s Fellow (and former Bishop of Salisbury) celebrated the 50th anniversary of his priesting, and the 25th of his being ordained bishop. David presided at a Eucharist at the shrine of St Cuthbert in Durham Cathedral. A number of Chadsians (including our chaplain, David Rushton) were delighted to share the occasion. 
It was so great to see so many postgraduates at Thursday’s formal. Here at Chad’s we aim to celebrate every common room and what better way to do that than with some delicious food and wonderful company. At this time of year it is easy to get wrapped up in work but it was lovely to see so many 4th years and postgraduates, as well as guests, enjoying the evening.
The formal followed the MCR research forum. This week’s presentations were on two interesting topics: Claire Cooper spoke about nature based solutions to urban resilience and Matt Shahin Richardson discussed his research on the way Islamic State has used Twitter. Thank you to both for delivering such interesting topics, and for everyone who attended and asked such excellent questions.
This weekend brought Durham’s annual Novice Cup, in which all college novices compete for the winning title. On the first day, crews have a time trial of 800m on the racecourse with a 360 degree spin in the middle. On the second day, depending on their time, crews are pitched against another in a head race. The weekend saw over 40 crews race with one another. It was a weekend full of splashes, crabs, some broken boats, but, mostly, team spirit. It is events like these which truly reflect the teamwork and effort contributed by not only crew members, but also coaches, the Boat Club exec, and beyond. It’s an opportunity for Chad’s ethos to be represented, it shows all members of the Boat Club, regardless of experience, pulling together to ensure a rewarding weekend was had by all.
Chad’s was lucky enough to have three excellent times, with the novice men’s crew finishing 4th, and the women’s crews finishing 15th and 34th respectively. It’s been a great weekend for St Chad’s College and our Boat Club. It’s fantastic that the novices get the chance to participate in this event so early into the academic year; and so early into their rowing careers! What’s also so rewarding about the weekend is seeing how far last year’s novices have progressed: now senior crews are focusing on WeHORR and HORR, both 8 kilometre head races in March which will take us down to the Thames. Who knows where the novices will be this time next year; a huge well done to all involved.
Our Annual Event for former members of the JCR and MCR Executive Committees will be held at St Chad’s this year.
With free B&B and a 3 course formal dinner, including wine, this is an event which shouldn’t be missed.
Our new Boat Club supporters Association, Green and Gold, will be hosting an afternoon of rowing, followed by a drinks reception and Black Tie Dinner at St Chad’s College on June 30th.
Green and Gold is for all former members of the St Chad’s College Boat Club, so bring your crew and enjoy this 3 course dinner in familiar surroundings.
Tickets: £25 including complimentary B&B in St Chad’s.
The Decades Reunion Weekend is this year aimed at those who MATRICULATED in years ending 7, 8 or 9 and all those who arrived at St Chad’s before 1965. Others are of course welcome!
Centred around the Formal Reunion Dinner on Saturday night the weekend features meals in College on Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday lunch, as well as free B&B on both Friday and Saturday.
Other activities during the weekend include a chapel service on Sunday morning, a ceilidh, and a bar quiz. Plus there will be plenty to do in and around Durham over the course of your stay.
So invite your friends and former classmates and join us in Durham in September.
Tickets: £25 for Reunion Meal – Friday dinner and Sunday lunch additional
It was wonderful to see some of our donors, supporters and partners at our Domus Dinner on Saturday 17th March. Thank you and congratulations to all who made it through the snow.
The Domus Dinner was an opportunity for the College to thank some of our and to hear from the Principal, Dr Margaret Masson, on all that has been going on in College including Intern: North East, the AIM project in collaboration with Park View School, the ongoing fundraising and scholarship projects, and the success of the kitchen, boathouse and other building work.
The event consisted of a drinks reception, followed by dinner in the quad. Many thanks go to the Bailey Quartet for their wonderful music during the drinks reception. After dinner we heard from Dr Masson before the bar was opened for the evening.
We were pleased to be joined by some of the research group who work out of the College on questions of social and economic policy affecting the North East. Dr Masson also took the opportunity to thank our partners at Park View School, and from the North East businesses who are participating in our new Intern: North East programme.
Reading Allowed had its first meeting this Saturday past. Around 15 people came, many to share, some just to listen. We squeezed into a snug little room in Grad’s building. This, alongside the hot drinks and dim lamplight, added to the cosiness. We kicked off with a short children’s story about arrogant raindrops. Reading passed anticlockwise around the circle; with teas, hot chocolates and coffees frantically assembled in the intervening spaces. We had a huge variety of pieces: from Hungarian poetry to Silmarillion to Plath to two people’s own work to a passage on fecal analysis from a non-fiction book on wolves. We have no particular limitations on what can be read; speeches and song lyrics being examples of other writing people may share in the future.
There are currently around 26 people on the chat where we organise the meetings. As it is open-invite, more people are slowly trickling in as their friends recommend it. Overall it was a sort of gender-diverse Dead Poets’ Society; something that we didn’t realise until we actually started. There is another one planned this Saturday, hopefully then continuing every other week.
P.S. Much as we love a pun, we’re hoping that a quote will be shared at some point that makes for an even more fitting name.
Robbie Bell
The Governing Body of St Chad’s College is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Woodruff as its next Chair.
Mark brings a great deal of governance experience and a long commitment to social justice and inclusion. He is currently a Programme Director of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Mark is also a musician and, as a priest, a writer in the field of ecumenism.
Mark knows St Chad’s well. He was a student here in the late seventies and has been actively engaged as an alumnus in recent years.
Mark succeeds Jonathan Blackie, who is near the end of his term as Governing Body Chair. The College is extremely grateful for Jonathan’s wise and kind leadership over the last eight years.
