evolve

Spring/Summer 2009
The magazine for Friends of Coventry University

Making history
Your memories of Coventry and
student life from over the years

Power play
How one graduate’s enterprise
is changing lives in Africa

City living
See the radical changes that will
regenerate Coventry’s city centre

Classroom innovation
Making radical changes to teaching
Engineering and Computing

Jimmy’s
farm
How farmer and TV personality
Jimmy Doherty left Coventry to
set up his pig farm
k
ea
br
tr e n
en th y i
el
ov l in wa
f C ote a
t

y
t o h nd
ho
ar ry ke
he xu ee
a
lu w
a a
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in
W
W
evolve contents

contents
Welcome… 8

There are so many changes going on around

the campus and in the City that we wanted to
share them with you in this issue of evolve.
We have stories from graduates remembering
the good old days of The Lanch, as well as a
look at how some of you are helping with the
creation of the impressive new Engineering
and Computing building.
You can also see the plans for the new City-
centre and see how many of your old haunts
are being replaced by new and more stylish
constructions.
We celebrated these changes in March at a Gala Ball, which many of you 18
20
attended and we have the pictures on page 34 for you to enjoy.
As the campus changes, one thing remains constant – the affection alumni
have for this remarkable institution as you will read throughout this issue.
If this is the first time you have received evolve, then hello and welcome to
your alumni association’s magazine. We look forward to hearing your story
to include in a future issue.
Keep in touch,
Ian
regulars
4 Update
Catch up on all the latest campus
Contact us and graduate news

Telephone: +44 (0) 24 7688 8589 12 Get Connected

Email: alumni@coventry.ac.uk Find out what old friends are doing now
and get back in touch with them
Post: FOCUS, The Development Office, Alan Berry Building, Room 35,
Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB 28 Profile
Website: www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni Scholar Thandokazi Magi reveals how
E-News: A free monthly alumni e-newsletter. Subscribe by emailing a scholarship fund changed her life
SUBSCRIBE to alumni@coventry.ac.uk
30 Lecturer in focus
Facebook: Become a Fan and join the Friends of Coventry University group.
Visiting Professor David Kirk remembers his
Linkedin: Link up with the University and other professionals. first day at Coventry, nearly 50 years ago

Credits: 32 Letters
Your views and opinions about the
This magazine is written and edited by Cheryl Liddle; designed by George Lah-Anyane University and the magazine
and Linda Leung for Coventry University, photographs by Graham Harwood and printed by
Emmersons Press. 34 Reunions
Special thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of evolve. Please keep sending in Pictures of Alumni at this year’s
your stories. prestigious Gala Ball

36 Events
This magazine is published twice a year for alumni of Coventry University. All letters, photos and news
are welcomed but we reserve the right to edit any contributions. The opinions expressed in evolve
Find out about the latest events and activities
are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Alumni Relations Office or on offer to graduates
Coventry University.

2 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni

20
features
8 Big interview: Jimmy Doherty
How a love of nature has turned Jimmy
Doherty into a farmer and TV personality
29 Job search
Advice on tracking down employment in the
current financial climate
16 Research: World in Motion
Coventry is leading the way on
community cohesion
18 Making History
Memories from around the campus as the Sir
Frank Whittle building is demolished
20 City living
A look at the development that is changing
the face of Coventry
22 Classroom Innovation
A £60 million investment to create a new,
high tech Engineering and Computing building
24 Enterprise: Playground power
How one graduate has created a business
with a conscience
26 Recipe for success
How Honorary Graduate and entrepreneur
Perween Warsi created a successful business
24 Vice-Chancellor
Madeleine Atkins
explains the
impact campus
improvements
will have on
Coventry
The University’s campus is a learning environment
in which students from all backgrounds can
achieve their ambitions. It is the physical
interface for our research and consultancy work
with business and organisations in the public
and voluntary sectors. It must support those
partnerships effectively so that the University
can make its proper contribution to economic
productivity and service effectiveness in the city,
region and country.
Increasingly, our students and staff expect to
be able to learn, teach and undertake research
in technologically ‘smart’ ways. The campus
infrastructure must enable this and anticipate
developments in electronic communications and
digital media, which will impact deeply on the
34
ways we work in the future.
It is for these reasons that we are investing
£160m in the development of the campus over
offers the next 10 years. We plan to invoke a clear
sense of identity, place and community for future
students, with exciting new high-tech spaces to
36 Win learn and interact in student life.
The first phase of our redevelopment is to build
a weekend a new Student Enterprise Centre on the site of
hotel the former Engineering and Computing building
(Sir Frank Whittle or C Block as many of you will
break for remember it). The demolition of this building was
two! an emotional day, but one which firmly marked
the start of a new chapter for the University.
Future Engineering and Computing students
38 Benefits
can look forward to a new £60 million high-tech
All the perks of being a member of FOCUS
with discounts on days out and hotel breaks development that is now underway. This intelligent
building will implement radical new methods of
40 University gifts teaching and learning, which you can read more
Buy Coventry University branded souvenirs about in this magazine (see page 22).
to remind you of your student days
The City-centre is also undergoing its own
regeneration programme and we are proud to not
only be supporting that but also playing our part in
changing the face of Coventry.
This magazine is I hope you will continue to be a part of this
available in alternative exciting journey and feel proud of the direction
formats on request. your University is taking.
Please contact via +44
(0) 24 7688 8589, or
alumni@coventry.ac.uk Professor Madeleine Atkins
Vice-Chancellor
update
evolve update
The latest campus and graduate news
Pushing the
boat out
C oventry was recently the first
university to exhibit at the
London International Boat Show,
showing work from successful Boat
Design students and graduates.
Over 100,000 people attended
the show in January and the
University was there to promote
the School of Art and Design’s
expertise in automotive and boat
design. Latest concepts and more
traditional designs attracted interest
from businesses.
Four leading organisations
in the boat industry have since
expressed an interest in working
with the University on a Knowledge
Transfer Partnership (a Government
funded scheme that encourages
collaboration between business and
universities). Possibilities for student
projects and placements were
invited from various companies too.
The course is enabling graduates
to work in boat design, such as
Peter Wells who graduated last year
with a First and was shortlisted for
young designer of the year in the
World Super Yacht Awards.
“When the idea of starting a Boat
Design degree was announced
during my first year I tentatively
signed up, with the idle fantasy of
becoming a super yacht designer,”
said Peter. “Five years on and in the
job I never thought existed, working
at Reymond Langton Design; I have
already been involved in a wide
variety of projects
– including work
on the complete
exterior of a 45m
motor yacht.”
4 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
I WON a cottage holiday!
W
ith a job in financial communications,
one graduate is in the money in
more ways than one after winning
£250 off a cottage holiday.
Angela Elliott née Sinclair (Communications,
Culture and Media, 1996) works in the
marketing team for Barclaycard and was
delighted to hear she had won the evolve competition.
“I never win anything so this is a surprise. I’ll be taking my husband with
me. In fact we’ve just returned from Cuba where we celebrated our one year
wedding anniversary, so this will be another holiday for us to enjoy!”
Angela, pictured with her husband above left, who
used to live in Singer Hall and can remember nights
out at The Planet, correctly unscrambled the name
Jaguar as the car manufacturer who is associated with
Coventry to win the cottages4you prize.
Graduates who didn’t win and would like to enjoy a
cottage break can still get a 10% discount on all cottages4you properties.
Search online and check availability for your dream holiday at
www.cottages-4-you.co.uk/coventry or call the holiday helpline on
+44 (0) 845 268 1282 and quote COV10 when booking.
Sweet boost for Physiotherapy
P
hysiotherapy students will Associate Head of Physiotherapy
benefit from new equipment and Dietetics Ann Green said: “We
thanks to funding from the William are delighted with this new funding.
Cadbury Charitable Trust. Ultrasound is at the forefront of
The Trust, which was founded physiotherapy practice and this
in 1923 by William Cadbury to equipment means we can teach
further his charitable activities, gave postgraduate and undergraduate
£10,000 to the University, which will students using cutting edge
be used to buy a new ultrasound technology. It also enables us to
machine and fund a research project gather evidence-based research to
using the equipment. The grant benefit future treatment.”
also received Government match The William Cadbury Charitable
funding, topping up the total for Trust provides grants to fund a
Physiotherapy to use to £15,000. range of projects in Birmingham
and the West Midlands – including
The research will be around
medical and healthcare projects and
exercise prescription and its effect
on muscle strengthening. medical research.
 University
book launch
A special book celebrating Coventry University has been
published and was launched at a Gala Ball in March.
The Ball, which involved graduates, staff and local
businesses, took guests on a journey through the ages to
reflect the content of the new book The Phoenix Rises: A
Portrait of Coventry University in its City. (See page 34 for
photos from the Gala Ball).
The book explores the institution’s history from 1829
when it was a private Mechanic’s Institute and in 1843
when it became Coventry School of Design – supporting the ribbon weaving and
manufacture industry which was at the heart of the city’s economy.
Many graduates have also contributed to the 160-page book by sending in personal accounts
and experiences of their time studying in Coventry.
Christine Player (Applied Social Sciences, 1973) who sent in her memories of Coventry and
is included in a special feature on page 18 said: “I am looking forward to getting a copy of the
anniversary book of Coventry University to add to my Midlands memorabilia, and to add to my
memories of a place I will never forget.”
Alumni and students can buy the hardback book at a special discounted price of just £30
(£40 RRP), plus postage and packing. Call +44 024 7688 8774 or visit www.coventry.ac.uk/
phoenixrises to buy the book securely online.

Charitable
adventure
O ne graduate brought a new
meaning to island hopping
this May by visiting all 15 inhabited
islands in the Outer Hebrides to
raise money for charity.
Lee Peyton (Technical Response
and Incident Management for
Specialist Rescue, 2006) aimed to
use the skills he learnt on his course
to complete his 300 mile journey in
under 60 hours.
Lee and his friend Garry Mackay
kayaked between all 15 islands,
cycled 250 miles across all of them
and ran to the top of the highest hill
on each island – all within two and a
half days. Their painstaking journey
took them from the south of the
island chain to the most northerly
tip – the Butt of Lewis – to raise
£25,000 for CLIC Sargent, the UK’s
leading children’s cancer charity.
Lee, who is a Watch Manager at
Musselburgh Fire Station, said: “We
dreamt up this challenge as a good
Adventurers: (l-r) Garry and Lee
way to push our limits of physical
preparing for their adventure, see more
endurance, explore some of the www.justgiving.com/outer-hebrides-sub60
wildest and most attractive scenery
in Scotland and generate a great Glasgow’s Great Scottish run for the
deal of cash to support the excellent past three years dressed in full fire
work of CLIC Sargent”. fighting kit with breathing apparatus.
The friends who both work
for Lothian & Borders Fire &
Did you know?
Rescue Service in Edinburgh are
no strangers to fundraising. The Former editor of The Sun
pair have previously taken part in newspaper David Yelland was a
the Three Peaks Challenge, the graduate of Coventry University
Drambuie Pursuit and competed in

5
evolve update
Book sponsorship
supports students
G raduates are invited to support
future generations of students
by sponsoring new textbooks.
The Buy-A-Book Appeal is an
opportunity for graduates to help
top up existing University resources
to give students greater access to
books to help their studies.
Philippe Rawson, pictured below,
(Business Management, 2008)
remembered one book’s influence.
“The most important book I used
during my studies was Integrated
Marketing Communications
by David Picton and Amanda
Broderick, 2005,” said Philippe.
“This book inspired me to start a
career in marketing.”
Donations in multiples of £25 will
pay for new textbooks that can be
added to Lanchester Library’s stock.
Every book that is sponsored will
also feature a bookplate with the
donor’s name to act as a permanent
reminder of their generosity.
Annual Fund Officer Brian Wilson
encourages graduates to back the
appeal. “Books are the cornerstone
of education and with your help
we can ensure future generations
of students benefit from additional
resources to improve access to the
knowledge base that the University
has already established,” he said.
Visit www.coventry.ac.uk/
buyabook to make a donation or
donate up-to-date textbooks you
no longer need. Email alumni@
coventry.ac.uk
for more
details.
After Coventry…
“
Don Spratt (Mechanical Engineering, 1971) went
onto study an MSc in Advanced Fluid Dynamics and
Thermodynamics at City University, before embarking
on an engineering career that has led him to NASA
A
fter working for the
Department of the
Environment at the Fire
Research Station, I moved to work
for the Fluor Corporation in London,
working on rotating machinery for
the Petrochemical Industry.
While on business in California,
I was very lucky to meet my lovely and dedicated wife (now of 30 years)
[pictured above right with Don] and in 1978, I transferred from England
to the Fluor offices in California. I did a couple of roles in Canada and
Colorado before my US citizenship came through in 1985 and I then
changed careers to Aerospace Engineering (a boyhood dream) by
being hired at Martin Marietta in Denver. We were immediately sent to
Vandenberg Air Force Station back in California for me to work on the
fuelling systems for the Space Shuttle, but this only lasted a year due to
the unfortunate Space Shuttle Challenger incident.
I worked on different programs with the same company before it
changed names to Lockheed-Martin in 2001 and I was sent to Texas to
work on the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft (a.k.a F-35 and the Lightning II) as
an Integrity Engineer and enjoyed many business trips back to the UK.
In 2004, I took early retirement from Lockheed and returned to Florida
”
to work back with The Aerospace Corporation on the space shuttle
return-to-flight program after the Columbia disaster.
I was hired by NASA in 2007 and I now work as a Safety and Mission
Assurance Engineer on the Space Shuttle and Constellation programmes,
the latter being the programme that will return men to the Moon (in 2018)
and on to Mars in the 2030s. I have no plans for another retirement!
I would like to get in touch with anyone who remembers me from
Lanchester Poly or any alumni from Coventry that now work at NASA.
Get in touch: Donald.Spratt-1@nasa.gov
Caught on camera
A new video featuring the dramatic changes to the campus has been
uploaded onto the University’s own TV website CUTV.
The video includes images from the buildings that are currently under
construction and will be updated as the campus continues to develop.
The CUTV channel has lots of videos about the University, including
recordings of media personalities, such as Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow,
who have taken part in the Coventry Conversation series. Students have
also taken part in some of the films about student life and the city.
To watch CUTV visit: http://www.youtube.com/user/covstudent
Book of dreams
D
reams became a reality
for one Coventry graduate
when the self-help book she
published also won an award.
Denise Farquharson (Computer
Studies, 1993) was named a Finalist in
the National USA Best Book Awards
for self-help books for her motivational
book called Picture your Dreams.
Denise, pictured above right, who
works for Severn Trent Water as a
Software Release Manager, decided
to write the book when she had an
undiagnosed illness in 2005, believing
she might die without being able to
tell her three young children about her
life’s achievements.
The book encourages people to
University celebrates
world leading research
The University’s research is ‘world-
leading’ according to the Research
Assessment Exercise 2008.
Coventry has seven subject areas
which received the highest rating
in the overall quality profile. This
positive assessment contributes
towards Coventry’s ranking in the
overall university league tables.
RAE2008 is conducted by the
UK universities’ higher education
funding bodies and is based on the
views of international experts in all
the main subject areas.
It is seven years since the last
RAE and although the scoring
system has changed, 81% of
subjects assessed have improved.
The results will determine the
funding institutions get for research
in 2009-10. Over £1.5 billion will be
allocated annually from 2009-10.
For more information about
Coventry’s research visit
www.coventry.ac.uk/researchnet
Did you know?
of our graduates
69% secured graduate
level employment
in 2007
think of an
image that
visualises what
they want to
achieve and
then to focus
on how they will author
reach their goal. can achieve
Denise has something
now recovered like that in the
from her mystery illness and has USA,” said Denise. “Everyone has a
since gone onto run motivational dream to fulfill something in life. We
workshops to help people fill out their all just need a bit of a push and it can
Dreams book. happen. Dreams can come true.”
On winning the award Denise Picture your Dreams is available
said: “It was a real surprise as I was online or in bookshops, priced £12.99.
up against thousands of other new For more information visit
authors. It is great to know a UK www.pictureyourdreams.co.uk
Online course in health communication
C oventry is the first UK university to offer a postgraduate course, which
brings together the knowledge and practical skills needed for students to
be effective health communicators and managers of health communication.
The MA in Health Communication Design is available for part-time study
by using distance learning and from September 2009 will be delivered online,
with optional days of activities on campus.
Developed by the University’s new Health Design and
Technology Institute in conjunction with the School of Art
and Design, the course has been designed to support
professionals who are seeking to augment their knowledge
and skills in this important field. Students can choose to do the
full MA or an intermediate award of a Postgraduate Diploma
or Postgraduate Certificate, or they can select one individual
module and study a specific aspect of health communication.
Drawing on the University’s experience of online learning,
the course makes use of a variety of interactive audio-visual learning methods
to make studying online both engaging and challenging. It uses a range of
teaching methods including online lectures and collaborative work and there is
particular emphasis on practical communication projects.
The course team recognises the challenges of combining study with the
demands of work and family, and has built flexibility into the programme in
several ways, including:
• Intermediate awards
• Three start points per year
• The option to only enrol for one module, either for continuing professional
development or as a taster to help students decide whether to undertake
the full MA programme.
• The possibility of tailoring some assignments so that they are directly
relevant to an individual student’s current or intended employment.
For more information about the course and how to apply, contact
Dr Sandra Harrison, Course Director on +44 (0)24 7688 8540 or email
s.harrison@coventry.ac.uk
7
Farming
hero
Jimmy Doherty’s passion for nature and the good
life has led to a successful career in farming and
on television. Jimmy took time out from the farm
to recall happy days spent in Coventry and to talk
about the friends he made for life at University
 evolve big interview

J
immy Doherty still looks
at the world with a
childlike sense of wonder.
Impressed by the natural
mechanics of the earth, his
excited mind constantly whirrs with
new ideas for getting others to join
him in embracing the good life.
This passion inspired Jimmy to
give up city living and set up his own
rare breed pig farm. It’s also what
has turned this former PhD student
into something of a celebrity after
his mission to set up his farm using
traditional farming methods was
made into the popular TV series
Jimmy’s Farm and a book called
On the Farm.
His love of nature began when
his family moved to the Essex

“I used to keep snakes,

countryside when he was only three.
“I used to run around and was
always impressed by the colour
and vibrancy of nature. I used to
keep snakes, lizards, ferrets and
terrapins in the garage. I was always lizards, ferrets and
investigating things and interested

terrapins in the garage...”

in animals,” explained Jimmy.
“I always loved indigenous breeds
of animals. One of my best friends’
dad worked on a farm and I once
watched him deliver a lamb. It made
me understand about life and want to
be closer to nature.”
This intrigue in the natural world
led him to be the youngest Assistant
Entomologist at the Molehill Wildlife
Park when he was just 16. He
continued to work there while he
studied for his degree in Zoology
and then later moved on to Coventry
University to do a PhD in Entomology
studying insects in semi-natural,
environments. At Coventry he
set up an insect laboratory and
taught Animal Ecology and Animal
Philosophy to undergraduates.
“I set up an insect breeding
laboratory in D block [James Starley
building] and it had all sorts of weird
cages and millions of pickled flies,”
remembered Jimmy. “I used to look
down the microscope at them and
would often play a joke on people
by putting boot polish around the
lens so they would get a print on
their face. Well you have to make
things fun, don’t you?”
It’s this sense of fun that
University technician Mark Bodycote
remembers about Jimmy, describing
him as a character that always
had good parties. The two have
remained good friends and Mark
often visits the farm to help out with
one of Jimmy’s many projects.
“I often ring Mark up with lots
of insane questions,” laughed
Jimmy who also made friends
with graduate Rick Spriggs who
supported him in turning his farm
idea into a reality. “I helped Rick
identify flies in my laboratory as part
of his course. I found out he used
to be a butcher and I asked him if
he’d be interested in working on my
farm one day. He was and the rest
is history. Although he doesn’t work
on the farm anymore, he only lives
down the road.”
Surprisingly, naturalist Jimmy has
fond memories of living in the busy
city of Coventry, hemmed in by a
concrete ring road without a green
field for miles.
“I liked the feel of the city. Some
people say it’s not a nice place but
it’s very industrialised and I think
there’s something very real about
Coventry. It was good fun. The
people are nice and it has a very
good covered market where I used
to buy rabbits, pigeons and salmon
– all sorts.”

9
 evolve big interview
He says Coventry is where he
perfected his cooking, often
competing with his housemate.
“My French housemate said all
English food was rubbish. I proved
him wrong. I get great satisfaction
from cooking – especially when you
know where your food has come
from,” said Jimmy who is also a
good friend of celebrity chef Jamie
Oliver. “It’s a rubbish excuse to say
you have no time to cook – how
long is an episode of Eastenders?
Half an hour? Cook a meal instead
of watching that!”
It’s not just about the cooking,
Jimmy really cares about the
produce used to cook a meal too.
It’s evident from the effort he has put
into creating the perfect environment
to rear his pigs and it pays off in the
produce he sells on the farm.
“If you make the best life for
animals, I feel you have to honour
their lives by cooking the best food
out of their products. You have to
pay a bit more for well cared for
meat though because it takes time
and more money to look after them.
But if you’re buying sausages that
are made from free-range pigs with
95% meat in them, then only eat
two of them instead of four – it will
fill you up more anyway,” said Jimmy,
who recognises that the recession
10 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
might make people cut corners
when it comes to food shopping.
“Everyone has to live within
their means but food is the most
important thing in life. You can
do without CDs and iPods but
you can’t live without food,” he
explained. “It controls your health
and state of mind – helps you to
think and work. So always go for
the best quality – not necessarily the
best cut of meat, go for the cut you
can afford at the best quality. We
throw away 30% of the food we buy,
which is terrible. Eat less but eat
better. Be more frugal with the food
we cook, would be my advice.”
It is this mantra that spurred
Jimmy onto setting up his farm in
the first place, that and a book he
read by John Seymour called the
Complete Guide to Self-sufficiency.
“It sold me a wonderful dream about
living off the land,” he said. “I was
determined to do it. There’s nothing
worse than having regret in your life.
Failure is much easier to deal with.”
And while Jimmy is the first
to admit he has made mistakes
(and been criticised for them by
farmers who said his television
series showed him leaping from one
farming crisis to another), his spirit
and enthusiasm is hard to suppress.
“Once you put yourself out there
and get filmed like I did solidly for
three years all your mistakes are live
for everyone to see. You’re bound to
get criticised,” said Jimmy who was
recently vindicated after making a
programme called Farming Heroes.
“I wanted to show what an amazing
job our farmers do. They’re out there
every day in all weathers. Farming
is the most important industry we
have. Without organised agriculture,
Jimmy Doherty’s student profile
Lived: 229 Daventry Road, Cheylesmore
Favourite pub: Inspire Cafe Bar sold the best beers from around the
world. I liked Whitefriars too – we would sit in the dark and have a lot of
academic conversations.
Favourite memory: I used to go fly fishing on the river and catch
American Signal Crayfish – we used to cook them up. Parties were
always round mine.
we just wouldn’t be here. It’s the
basis of civilisation. I am helping out
in my small way – I want to show
what a dynamic industry it is.”
The programme paid off and
Jimmy’s recent Farmers’ Weekly
award for Farming Champion of the
Year proved the farming community
had finally accepted him.
Jimmy’s farm now includes a
nature trail, woodland walks, a farm
shop, play areas and a field kitchen.
There’s even a website for the Essex
farm at www.jimmysfarm.com
He spends his time developing
new farm attractions such as his
new 100ft by 50ft Butterfly House
that has real banana trees as well
as creating a garden in homage
to Charles Darwin to celebrate the
biologist’s 200th birthday. He also
recorded a programme about the
influential thinker that was aired
on BBC2 in March as part of the
Darwin season. Jimmy replicated
some of Darwin’s eccentric
experiments to appeal to young
people and breathe life into science.
It’s an approach that has caught
the attention of the Prime Minister,
Gordon Brown as Jimmy was
recently invited to Downing Street
to discuss ways to encourage more
children to be interested in science.
For Jimmy, education is about
more than just earning qualifications
though. “University isn’t just about
learning facts and figures. You learn
life skills and meet friends that will
be your friends for life. University
equips you for the future,” said
Jimmy. “If you’re a farmer growing
produce you can do everything but
control the weather and you have
to be prepared for that eventuality.
Education is preparation for life.”
 “If you’re a farmer growing
produce you can do everything
but control the weather and
you have to be prepared for
that eventuality. Education is
preparation for life.”
 getconnected
evolve community
Find out what Coventry graduates are doing now
and share your news with others in the next issue.
Graduated 1960s
David Sansom
Electrical Engineering, 1966
After leaving the
Lanchester, I completed
the IEE (now IET)
Engineering Council
examinations and
subsequently became a Chartered
Engineer. I spent 10 years working in
Germany following which I returned to
the UK and did a part-time MBA. I am
now semi-retired and live in Somerset.
Douglas Robertson
Applied Chemistry, 1968
The highlights of
my computing
career were two
space projects.
The first was to
design on-board
software for
Beagle2 (micro geochemical lab) which
was taken to Mars by the Mars Express
spacecraft to search for signs of life.
The Mars Express was successfully
launched from Kazakhstan on 2 June
2003. Beagle2 is assumed to have
failed to land successfully on Mars
on Christmas morning 2003 as no
communication was ever established
and the cause of failure is unknown.
The second project was to assist
with the design of on-board software
for Huygens taken to Titan (moon of
Saturn) by the Cassini spacecraft to
determine atmospheric and surface
composition.
The Cassini was successfully
launched from Cape Canaveral on 15
October 1997. Huygens separated
from the Cassini on Christmas morning
2004, entered Titan’s atmosphere on
the morning of 14 January 2005 and
then landed on Titan at lunchtime on
the same day. Much valuable scientific
data, including fascinating images,
was obtained from this very successful
mission.
12 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
Peter Thompson
Applied Physics, 1974
I left University and joined British
Aerospace as a materials and
composites engineer. I spent 10
years learning aircraft engineering
and materials and eventually set
up my own company to exploit the
technology, namely Advanced Plastics
and Composites. Today their company
produces injection moulded parts,
Graduated 1970s mainly for the automotive industry and
has grown from three employees in
Shirley Wells 1992 to over 40 people at its heyday
and with a turnover of £3 million.
(nee Dales/Coles-
Parsons)
Swee Lee Wang
Graphic Design, 1972 System and Control, 1979
Since graduating I have worked my
way up the career ladder, starting off
as an engineer and climbing up to
General Manager and Vice President of
Siemens.
Today, I run my own company
supplying and implementing wireless
broadband solutions for ISP, Telcos
and enterprise customers. I also have
another company manufacturing
hospitality telephones and guestroom
devices for the global hospitality market.
Graduated 1980s
David Pick
I left the
Geography, 1982
Graphics
course one
year early
to move
with my
husband to
Teesside. I
did a BSc
in Social
Studies at
After graduating, I trained as a
Teesside
secondary teacher and worked in
Poly and then became a Careers
Officer for Cleveland County. I gained Manchester for six years. In 1989 I
other qualifications such as NVQ4 emigrated to Australia, spending time in
in Counselling, Connexions Advisor Geraldton and Kalgoorlie.
Diploma, British Psychological Society
During that time I worked in the
Level B Certificate, psychometric
Technical and Further Education
testing qualifications and so on. I
worked for a Youth Offending Service sector and studied for a Master of
as an Education Advisor for four years Arts in Science and Technology Policy
before retiring early because of partial at Murdoch University.  In 2002,
blindness in 2007. I completed a PhD in public policy with
Murdoch University.  I am now a senior
lecturer at the School of Management
at Curtin University of Technology, Perth
Western Australia.
Eileen Johnson
Modern Studies, 1984
I moved to Bristol after graduation (my Herve Darritchon
husband worked for Rolls Royce) and Computer Science, 1994
became an Office Manager for a Small to While studying at Coventry, I went
Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) for six years. back to France for my one-year military
I also played an active role in Avon Wildlife Trust (I was the Chair for two years). I service. After I finished my degree I was
moved to the East Midlands in 1992 (due to Rolls Royce again!) and worked for then employed by France Telecom as
Leicester Housing Association as an Agency Services Officer for four housing co-ops a Unix Administrator and Support in
for four and a half years. I was appointed JP but resigned after eight years – too Bordeaux.
much to do! After a few years, I became a
Software Developer at the same
In 1996, I was appointed Executive Officer at Loughborough University and
company and stayed there for six years.
was subsequently promoted to Departmental Administrator in the Department of
During that time, I met my partner
Materials. My main responsibility was for teaching administration, which brought a
who I now have two children with – a
lot of student interaction and was the best part of the job. I took early retirement at
seven year old son and a two year old
the end of March 2009 and moved to South West Scotland the same week! Among
daughter. I have now been promoted
other things I intend to follow my interests in environmental issues and increase
to Software Architect on the Orange
activity as an Amnesty letter writer.
Billing System for subsidiary company
Orange UK.
As a rugby fan, Tolkien Fan and
nature lover, I dream of moving to New
Graduated 1990s James Garland Zealand. I visited the country a couple
Engineering (Electrical and of years ago and I really fell in love with
Claire Harris Electronic), 1994 it and its people.
Foundation Art and After Coventry, I went onto graduate
I’m really looking forward to spending
more time ‘down under’ for holidays
Design, 1992 from the University of Central England,
and we may emigrate there. I’m still
Birmingham, with an MSc in System
After achieving a distinction in looking for opportunities over there.
Design (Microelectronics) in 1995. I
Foundation Art and Design, I completed To those who know me, please email
have since worked in a variety of roles
a Fashion degree at John Moores (herve.darritchon@orange.fr) with your
for Lucas Electronics in Birmingham,
University. I then relocated to London news. I would be very pleased to keep
ARM Ltd in
where I was employed for a decade in in touch.
Cambridge,
various project management, PR and Parthus
marketing roles within design agencies. Technologies Jane White
I also undertook self-motivated and Xilinx Business Studies, 1994
freelance creative work in theatre, as a both in Dublin,
After graduating I have built my career
Ireland.
stylist and visualiser on multi-sensory in a series of marketing roles within
I have the leisure and retail sector, house
creative projects, which involved work
worked with building and more recently in the
across the UK and Europe. I moved
customers from environmental arena. I started my
back to Coventry in 2005 and now all around the career as Advertising and Promotions
work freelance as a PR and marketing world from Korea and Japan, across Manager at Warwick Castle and from
consultant for selected clients from Europe and the Middle East to the their moved into the pub retail industry
all sectors of the creative industries. I USA. I also lecture part-time on an MSc where I spent nine years in a range of
lecture at various universities, including course in Computer Science at Trinity
roles from Brand Manager, Marketing
Coventry, in creative and promotional College in Dublin.
Manager, Concept Development to
subjects. I also run my own eco fashion finally Senior Marketing Manager
accessories label, Trash Blooms at Mitchells & Butlers plc. From
Michael Williams
(www.trashblooms.com) which I here I changed sectors to gain a
design and manufacture in my studio
Law, 1994 different experience and became
After graduating, I Head of Marketing at David Wilson
in Earlsdon.
had various stints Homes before moving to be Head of
at Natwest Bank, Brand at Barratt Homes. Last year
Katherine Brooks Barclays and Bunzl I moved into a new role as Head of
(nee McCreesh) UK. I later became Marketing and Brand at WRAP (Waste
Group Treasurer of and Resources Action Programme) a
BEng Building Services Europcar UK Ltd government delivery body responsible
Engineering, 1994 between 1999 and 2006. I relocated for driving resource efficiency in the UK,
On January 2nd 2009, I gave birth to Nigeria as General Manager of which is very different but a fascinating
to a baby girl, Alice Victoria Brooks, Europcar Nigeria from 2006 to 2008 role within the environmental industry.
weighing 8ib 4oz.  and now I am Chief Operating Officer of
Mother and baby are doing well Continental Corporate Rentals.
and enjoying our time together.
13
 evolve community
Peter Shilla MSc Operational
Teddy Hervet Telecommunications, 2002
MBA Erasmus, 1997 After graduation, I returned to my employer – the
After finishing my MBA I went to communications regulator in Tanzania – where I was promoted
work in Mauritius for six years as a from an Information Technology (IT) Officer, Senior IT Officer
Regional Sales Manager for Ricoh. I to Principal IT Officer in 2006. From 2006 to date, I have been
was in charge of developing Ricoh’s working with a procurement regulator in Tanzania as a Director
sales in three territories, Mauritius, The for Information Technology. This has been very challenging but
Seychelles and Madagascar. I travelled an exciting opportunity to be in charge of an IT function in the organisation, and
a lot with this job and places included thanks to my time at Coventry University I had the necessary skills and knowledge
Kuwait, Dubai, Oman and Holland. to overcome all the challenges. The course at Coventry was well conducted and
I left Mauritius in 2004 to join Canon managed, with a balanced mix of academic, professional and social studies. This
France in Nantes. I was responsible is why I will always remember and cherish my times in Coventry and England.
for business development with IT
companies. I did this for two years and
then since 2007, I have been working Graduated 2000s Shane Kennedy
with Samsung Electronics in France. Sport Science, 2001
I am now responsible for sales of Winifrid Choy Since graduating, I became involved in
Samsung Printing Solutions in the West Business Administration, the fitness industry. This includes being
of France. I have around 100 customers a fitness instructor, a self-employed
of various sizes. 2000
personal trainer/freelance group fitness
The skills I learned while I was studying instructor, and a Manager of a gym. I
at Coventry, especially from the IT-
Yannick Gaume related subjects, and the countless
am currently part of a three year pilot
study, funded by the National Lottery,
European Business resources from different libraries, involving the application of physical
and Technology, 1997 helped me a great deal in progressing activity and nutrition to those with
As I had through my career in corporate talent mental health illnesses and issues. I
always wanted management and e-Learning. I’d like have completed a Wright foundation
to find a job to give a big ‘thank you’ to the senior exercise referral qualification and
in the music staff in the Business School and IT, who registered level three REPS. I am also
business, I I owe a lot to and have always highly a Wushu/Chinese martial arts coach,
believed I had regarded. teaching Kung Fu and kickboxing.
to speak and My heart goes out to all the multi-
write English ethnic communities at the University
correctly, and and the friendly staff in Priory Hall. What Petros Chr. Fatouros
improve my I see on the Coventry website makes LL.B, 2003
marketing and management skills. I me excited for the future of Coventry After graduating
had the chance to come to Coventry and the University. I now live halfway from Coventry,
in order to apply my strategy. The first around the globe in the Philippines and I pursued the
company I worked for, back in 1998, is miss the city’s vibrant charm dearly. LL.M. program at
still the same one today. It is a French Boston University
record company – so I did it! The year I Vikram School of Law
spent in Coventry will always remain one (Massachusetts, USA) in Banking &
of my best souvenirs. Great times!
Raina
Financial Law. After that I was granted
Information a second postgraduate degree in
Han Nee Teng Technology, Accounting for Attorneys at the Athens
2001 University School of Economics.
Engineering Business Following that, I was admitted at the
After coming back to India it was very
Management, 1999 tough getting a job in the field of IT
Athens Bar Association and worked for
I have seven KGDI, the largest Law Firm in Greece,
management, so I had to move into
years of from ‘07 to ‘08.
marketing and take up a role as a
experience Placement Officer. Since I was attached I now run my own office “Fatouros
in the oil and to an Institute, it was very easy for me Lampropoulos & Associates – Attorneys
gas industry, to take up teaching too. Over the years, at Law” (Phi Lambda) which was started
mainly dealing in I have reached the position of Assistant by my grandfather (and, thereafter, my
project control, Professor and am also responsible parents) in the last century. I’ll be more
planning, for the Placement department for a than happy to work with fellow alumni
scheduling and Deemed University in India. I need a and friends of Coventry University who
monitoring. PhD to become a professor, which I am have interests of any kind in Athens or
hoping to do very soon. I have not really anywhere else in Greece.
travelled, except for office work. It would Looking forward to hearing from
be great to hear from anyone from my you all and please pay me a visit when
alma mater. you’re around; Coventry University
connects!

14 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
Yantao Bi
International Media and
Communication, 2003
I was educated in China, the UK
and Ireland, and am an independent
observer, non-partisan freelancer and
communication researcher based in
China. I was a Director of the Centre
for Communication Studies, Hainan
University, China, since I established it
in December 2004. Meanwhile, I work
as the Director for Asian Affairs, Global
Unification International (GUI). I also act
as a consultant to several NGOs and
companies.
I am a contributing author of Global
Voices Online and write for dozens of
influential Chinese websites, including
Guangming Observer, China Thinktank,
China Elections and Governance, and
so forth. So far I have published 10
books (14 volumes) and more than 450
articles in mainland China, Hong Kong,
England, USA, and Germany.
My research interests are political
communication and international
communication. To promote the political
communication studies in China and
advance the democratization of the
Chinese mainland, I have established
the Daizong Meditation Room at
the foot of the world-famous Mount
Taishan, which is the first of its kind
in China. It is open to all interested
researchers in the world, free of charge.
Abdulqader Amoud
(formerly Mohamed
Abdigaheir – name
changed by deed poll)
Computing, 2005
After leaving Coventry, I started working
for Orange in Bristol as a Network
Support Engineer in 2006, where I
stayed until late 2007. I decided to
change careers and joined the media
industry instead and now work as
a Sound and Maintenance/boom
Operator and I’m currently working on
the BBC drama Casualty, which I am
enjoying very much. I have worked on
productions in the West Midlands and
it’s always nice to come back to that
part of the country. I have many happy
memories of my time at the University.
Harshad Chitre
MSc. Automotive
Engineering, 2005
After completely
my Masters, I
moved back to
India and joined
Tata Technologies
in Pune in
February 2006
and worked in Tata Motors Limited
in the Research and Development
department. I worked there for a year
in the Computer Aided Engineering
division as a Motion Analyst for the
Vehicle Dynamics and Ride and
Handling group. In March 2007, I
joined Geometric Limited as a Senior
Application Engineer and now work for
their client, MSC Software: the world’s
leading engineering simulation software
development company.I work for MSC’s
Global Technical Support Team in India
and support MSC’s global clients for
MSC.ADAMS product.
The journey, since leaving Coventry,
has so far been extremely exciting,
eventful and very fast! There are
moments that remind me of my
memorable days in Coventry while at
other times I just long to get back there.
If I ever go to the UK, Coventry will
definitely be on my travel plans!  Since graduation,
Michael Gawne
Business Studies, 2005
Since graduating, I have worked
in various roles. My first job was a
temporary role as a Budget Analyst for
the Learning and Skills Council, which I
got three days after my final exam. After
working there, I moved to international
cement company Cemex to be a
Business Consultant as part of the
global team integrating a new IT (SAP)
system across Europe. I spent the first
12 months in the UK, followed by eight
months in Poland.
After Poland, I decided to take up the
opportunity to work with my brother in
his own start-up company in electric
engineering called Oritech. He needed
someone to help out on the business
stategy and operations side of the
business so I became the Operations
Director.
I am now responsible for the sale
and distribution of Oritech’s Embedded
System product range and all other
business operations. I have also
started researching other business
interests within other sectors – including
advertising and transport.
Sarah Lilly
Communication, Culture
and Media, 2006
I worked as a Marketing Executive at
the Birmingham Post & Mail during
the final year of my degree. After
having a child, I became a Marketing
Executive for Network Si – a company
that specialises in IT and infrastructure
solutions. After my second child, I
could not return to work full time. I am
now looking for a part-time marketing/
communications role I can work around
bringing up two young ones. I would
love to teach Cultural or Media and
Communication studies to young adults
at GCSE level and above.
Students at GCSE level have
to study Citizenship; which covers
many elements of my degree. Some
local colleges have courses in PGCE
Secondary Citizenship that would
enable me to pursue my teaching
ambition. My goal in the following year
is to explore that career path and see
what possibilities are out there.
Nicolas Book
Mechanical
Engineering, 2007
a lot has changed
for me. I started my
Masters at Sussex
University but went to
Germany to write my
thesis on segregation
within continuously
cast bearing steels.
I wrote this in a steel
producing company
called Deutsche Edelstahlwerke
(German Stainless Steel Works/Factories).
My ultimate aim is to obtain three
degrees: English BSc, the MSc and my
German diploma. Since moving back
to Germany, I started my last semester
within my German studies, the practical
diploma project. I moved to the second
largest German Steel producer, the
Salzgitter AG, where my project is
supervised by the Salzgitter Mannesmann
Forschung GmbH. I am researching new
steel types for industrial applications. I
still have lots of things I am planning to
do but a metallurgical masters and a PhD
are my main focuses.
Update evolve with your
news by emailing:
alumni@coventry.ac.uk
15
 evolve research
World in motion
Ted Cantle CBE has held a wide
range of senior positions at a
local level and has served on
a number of national bodies
focusing, in particular, on urban
regeneration and key social and
economic problems. He has
been responsible for many action
research projects, a wide range
of development programmes and
has helped to establish a number
of new policy frameworks.
He regularly contributes
to journals and publications
and speaks at seminars and
conferences.
16 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
In August 2001, the home
secretary appointed Ted to lead
the review of the causes of
the summer disturbances in a
number of northern towns and
cities. The report – known as the
Cantle Report – made around
70 recommendations and the
concept of ‘community cohesion’
was subsequently adopted by the
Government. As well as Chair of
iCoCo, he is Associate Director of
IDeA and was, until recently, the
Deputy Chairman of the Board
of the Environment Agency for
England and Wales.
Ted Cantle has over
30 years’ public
service experience
and coined the phrase
‘community cohesion’
after chairing the
eponymous 2001
Cantle Report into the
summer disturbances
in a number of
northern towns
and cities. As chair
of the Institute of
Community Cohesion
(iCoCo), Ted explains
how Coventry is
helping to create a
global community
Why was the Institute of
Community Cohesion set up?
iCoCo started in 2005 because there
was a need for an organisation to
develop the community cohesion
agenda. The Institute emerged to
bring together academic partners
from universities, practitioners –
people on the ground who wanted
to make changes but needed
more academic input – and policy
stakeholders such as the Equality
and Human Rights Commission, the
Homes and Communities Agency
and Government departments.

Why was Coventry chosen to be
the home of iCoCo?
We joined forces with four
universities, Warwick, Leicester,
Nottingham and Coventry, based on
the work they had all being doing
on community cohesion. Coventry
was the most receptive though.
Coventry’s peace and reconciliation
work and its whole ethos made the
University central to the work we
were doing.
Coventry offered to be the
administrative hub for the
organisation, which was a leap of
faith because no one knew if the
organisation was going to work or
even get off the ground.
What role does academia bring
to community cohesion?
Community cohesion, as an idea,
was based on practical issues
such as understanding complex
communities, anticipating tensions,
and trying to promote understanding
and interaction between different
groups. Academia ensures you
have intellectual rigour and that
projects have a robust measurement
framework. I think academia gives
credibility to the research work and
produces practical results.
It also provides a space to reflect.
Community cohesion grew out of a
very specific need, following on from
the summer riots, and you need
space where you can step back from
the frontline and question things.
Academia provides that space for
reflection and is an opportunity to
develop new thinking and policies.
What has changed since the
2001 review?
In 2001 we were focused more
on different ethnicities, the way
people related to each other and
understood each other.
Since then, we have widened
our focus, not just towards the
Muslim community and the so-
called War on Terror, which has not
been helpful in encouraging better
community cohesion. But we have
also dealt with inter-generational
conflicts, conflicts involving gypsies
and travellers and homophobic
violence in some areas. Community
cohesion has become a much more
rounded programme for dealing with
difference in any form.
I am astonished by the number
of projects there are now all over
the country – 350 practitioners are
signed up to our network, and we
have over 500 examples of good
practice, and at least 15 different
toolkits for different sectors.
Although we’re based in Coventry,
it’s now very much a national and
international organisation. I have
just come back from Estonia where
I went with the Foreign Office to
offer advice on how to integrate
Russian speaking minorities into
communities. We have done quite
a lot of work in this area with other
countries that are now adopting
similar programmes to the ones we
have in the UK.
This country has always been a
leading light on multicultural policies
and quite highly regarded for the way
it approaches multiculturalism.
What are the future issues?
Climate change is already causing
millions of people to move to
different countries around the world
– and that is by far the biggest
issue we face. Water shortages,
energy shortages and disputes over
agricultural land are all coming to the
fore and we have to find a way of
reconciling those issues, otherwise
nations will fall out with each other
and within each other.
There have already been signs of
conflicts between India and Pakistan
over water, which isn’t surprising
given the history. But there are even
divisions and disputes about water in
Portugal and Spain. As we become
more globalised, we may see an
increase in these types of disputes.
Minority rights groups say that
75% of conflicts around the world
are based on ethnicity and faith so
we can only expect this to continue.
What can graduates do to help?
What’s remarkable about our
universities is that we bring together
people from different parts of the
country with a huge number of
international students. UK students
have an amazing opportunity to think
globally, to develop relationships with
people from many different countries
and cultures – providing they get out
of their comfort zones.
We all need to have some idea
about global citizenship. If you are
to survive today it is very likely you
are not going to work for the same
company, you are not going to have
one career, you’re not even going
to live in the same country, you may
have several different identities, your
partner is likely to be from a different
part of the country or a different part
of the world.
The most successful graduates will
be the ones that can navigate their
way around a much more global
environment. It’s important they are
prepared to grasp that opportunity.
Find out more about research:
www.coventry.ac.uk/researchnet
17
 evolve history

Making history
Earlier this year the Sir Frank Whittle building (or C Block as it was formerly
known) was demolished to make way for a new Student Enterprise Centre that
will meet the needs of future students. The news of major developments to
the campus prompted graduates to get in touch with stories from the old days.
Here are a selection of some of the best. Please keep sending them in…

Memories of Sir Frank Whittle building (C Block)

Jason Hall (BEng Mechanical, 1993)
remembers C Block with its engine test beds.
“Two memories stand out for me: one was
riding a Strida folding bicycle – that we were
‘evaluating’ – up and down the corridors
at some speed. The other was my final
year project, which was the design and
manufacture of an 11.5cc glow plug two
stroke engine. We finally got it assembled
and much to my delight, running one
afternoon. It ran on 75% methanol, 5%
nitro-methane and 20% caster oil – i.e.
dragster fuel. It had no exhaust or silencer
and we ran it in a vice most of the afternoon.
It filled the workshop with noise and sickly
smelling methanol and caster oil fumes. The
technicians were initially thrilled that one of
us had actually built something that worked,
but the noise and fumes had them cursing
by the time we packed up several hours
later... I still have the engine here on display
at home.”
Bernard Porter, Head of Department, Mechanical & Automotive
Engineering, remembers the steam turbine and team work.
“When I was a new member of staff we had a wonderful steam
turbine installation in our laboratory. This was a complex machine,
which required a skilled technician to keep it in good order and to
run experiments for students. It was a legacy of our involvement
with companies that made equipment for the electricity generating
industries. When it was running, it was a magnificent sight, with
steam escaping from various places, accompanied by a loud and
roaring sound! But it was certainly ‘real’ engineering.
The other strong memory was more recent and it was when we
first became involved in the Formula Student racing competition.
A group of students
designed and built
the car with just
two academic staff
guiding them, and we
had to gain workshop
space in the corner
of a lab, working all
sorts of hours, but
it created a unique
bond between us all.”

18 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
Memories of Coventry over the years
Trevor Theobald (Chemistry/Zoology, 1975, PhD 1978), who now works Chris Player (nee Collins) (Applied
in Mergers and Acquisitions for a Division of Associated British Foods, Social Sciences, 1972) was a
remembers a much smaller campus. research assistant, a lecturer and a
“During the final year of my PhD, I had a lab on the third floor of D block. The view over to the practice teacher for students on the
Cathedral was magnificent and still lives very much in my memory. Social Science degree for a number
I still visit Coventry on a fairly regular basis and have kept in contact with one of my of years after graduation (alternating
friends from student days. We loved and still treasure the time we spent in Coventry. this with work as a Community
I remember dropping water bombs out of the windows overlooking Fairfax Street on to the Worker/ Social Worker).
unsuspecting public. The new Halls of Residence were beautifully placed to score direct hits! “When I started at the Lanch in 1969
There was a concert by Procol Harum on the upper floor of the Students’ Union. Sitting the buildings were all new – though
just feet away from Gary Brooker, the keyboard player and leader of the band is something sometimes a bit compressed. It had
that just would not happen now. a lovely front outlook – straight onto
I remember the weekly visit to the Humber Bowl with the Ten pin bowling club. Among my the Cathedral and the Phoenix, but
team was weatherman John Kettley, who was also on the same course as me. the view at the back was, especially
The Union bar closed 30 minutes before that of Warwick’s so I remember finishing at the for a country girl, sometimes a little
Lanch and racing over to Warwick to get last orders there. depressing. But the Union and
My son is now at Warwick and reliving many of my memories – oh what glorious days!” campus social life was anything but
dreary 40 years ago.
Alison Holden (Applied Social Science, 1974) who now works for the Home Office Life was buzzing – this was the
remembers enjoying student life in a house with a pool. time of the Arts Festivals when top
“In our second year we moved into fabulous accommodation at 46 Kenilworth bands like Aynsley Dunbar and
Road (I believe it was acquired by the local authority to make way for a bypass Fairport Convention squashed
and made available to The Lanch). We had a huge garden including swimming into the Students’ Union, and my
pool (albeit unusable) and a driveway complete with Rhododendron bushes. friends who had gone to ‘posher’
I remember happy days listening to Caravan ‘In the Land of Grey and Pink’ universities were very jealous of life
and falling asleep to Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ – LPs of course, no CDs in Cov. They regularly came to stay
then. We saw many great bands including – ELO, Thin Lizzy, Chuck Berry and join in the fun. Every week there
and Roxy Music – before the concert the latter dined in the same Chinese were discos, dances and parties
Restaurant as my friends and me. Seeing Bryan Ferry caused so much at the Union, Art College, student
excitement we could hardly hold our chopsticks! houses or Faculty based do’s (the
In the 70s it was almost obligatory to be militant and we had an all night ‘sit best ones were the Law Socials and
in’ in the facilities building – the reason for the Modern Studies do’s).
this escapes me now, but must have been There was no shortage of dance
important at the time! partners or lifts home – the arrival
The IRA Birmingham bombings sadly of the first Social Scientists seemed
robbed us of our graduation ceremony. It to have a significant social scientific
didn’t spoil the affect on the campus itself in that
legacy though and the demographic pattern was
my time at The beginning to expand to include girls.
Lanch left me with The girls on my degree loved the
a great sense of atmosphere – we were always out –
achievement.” there were regular invites to dances.
Looking through the diary of that
How the campus is changing first term I am amazed I managed to
• A £60 million investment for a new high-tech Engineering and Computing complete the first year.”
building (read more about it on page 22)
• A new Student Enterprise Centre, incorporating a new Students’ Union
complete with space for events and gigs.
Read more memories from graduates and enjoy
• New spaces for better lecture theatres and better sports and leisure facilities. the full history of the University in the new book
• New entrances and in some cases more space for some Faculties. The Phoenix Rises. Alumni and students can buy
If you want to know more about the changes visit www.coventry.ac.uk/ this book at just £30 (RRP £40) plus post and
masterplan and if you would like to help shape the future of Coventry packaging. To order, call +44 (0) 24 7688 8774
University, contact Matt Feeley, Head of Fundraising on +44 (0) 24 7688 8589. or visit www.coventry.ac.uk/phoenixrises

19
 evolve feature

City It’s been a year in the making, is valued at

more than a billion pounds and has been
inspired by the views of thousands of local

Living
people; welcome to the new face of Coventry

Green spaces and

environmental features
An abundance of green spaces
(the equivalent of more than seven
football pitches) over four levels.
This will include a new city park as
well as community spaces for homes
(apartments and family homes) and
offices in the city centre. Roads in
the city centre will be redesigned to
make them pedestrian friendly, with
the emphasis on public transport and
walkways across the city centre.

Shops
2.2 million sq ft of retail space, with
anchor retail outlets (to include a major
department store) at West Orchards and
Bull Yard, and plans for more individual
and local shops. Coventry’s much-loved
market will move to a site with space
for an outdoor and indoor market.

Office space
Creative offices to foster emerging
industries and to develop collaboration
between businesses and universities.

Celebrating the City’s history

Bring back the River Sherbourne, so it
runs from Millennium Plaza towards
Greyfriars Green, rediscovering views of
the three spires from key points around
the city centre, creating new routes
from the Cathedral to the city centre.
Regeneration of some key aspects of
Gibson’s original design for post-war
Coventry, including existing squares.

20 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
 evolve feature

I
f you haven’t been back to Coventry for a while, then you might
want to visit soon before a major transformation takes place. A new
masterplan that will guide the future development of the city over the
next 15 to 20 years has been unveiled.
The radical re-think about the city centre was instigated after research
by international retail experts King Sturge in 2007 showed Coventry was
the 11th largest city in the UK, but ranked 43rd in terms of its retail offer.
Coventry’s retail catchment population is double the size of Leicester
but the city centre only attracts two-thirds the number of shoppers.
Businesses (63%) believe the city centre is “too down market” and only
35% of people, interviewed in the research, shop in Coventry because
of the choice and range of shops. So, enjoy this guide to the major

“
changes you can expect to see over the next few years.

This will be a very exciting journey and local

people will be involved every step of the way
to create something unique with its own
special character. We know how special our

”
city and its people are – now’s the chance
to show the world what we’re capable of.
Leader of Coventry City Council, Cllr Ken Taylor

Public buildings
New buildings for the community,
including one for events, concerts
and public use and an iconic new city
library, to be designed through an
international architectural competition.

New homes
More housing will help bring the city to
life day and night.

What do you think of the changes?

Chris Parsons (Civil Engineering, 1992)
“I think the new plans are great, the
changes will really breathe new life into
the city. It will definitely make Coventry
more of an attractive place to stay and
work after you have studied there.”
Send your comments to alumni@coventry.ac.uk

21
evolve feature

Classroom
innovation
The new high-tech Engineering
and Computing building will
lead the way for higher
education in the UK
with radical new
methods of
teaching and
learning
L
ike many UK polytechnics One of the key improvements is
that were built in the 1960s, that the new building will reduce the
Coventry has had to cope number of different locations E&C
with the consequences students have for lectures (currently
of an ageing estate made up of the Faculty is split between eight
unattractive concrete constructions. buildings). Housed on a new site on
While the building facades are Gulson Road, the state-of-the-art
dated, it’s the requirements for the building will be completed by 2011
way internal space is used that has and is designed by ARUP Associates students to interact during the
resulted in a £60 million investment and will be built by Balfour Beatty. lesson. Glass walls, which could be
to construct a whole new intelligent “What we are aiming to achieve written on, would make rooms open
development for Engineering and is a sculpture that attracts people and inclusive.
Computing (E&C) students. to the city as well as the University,” Theatre space will be made up of
Demands from business about explained Ian. two semi-circles (that can be opened
the types of graduates they want to “The building has the capacity to into one round theatre space)
employ and the changes in teaching radically alter not only the Coventry providing up to 250-seat capacity
methods have cast a shadow on skyline but also teaching methods. and there is outside teaching space
the traditional buildings. Tutors It encapsulates so many good ideas too, with large windows so people
offices, hidden behind heavy doors, and the only restriction is the funding can see down into the 2,000 m²
small-tiered lecture theatres and too available to implement everything.” engineering labs. The labs will
much dead space (it is estimated that include a large mezzanine, which was
TEACHING SPACE
30% of floor space in the Armstrong inspired by a university inDenmark,
Intensive research, involving an
Siddeley Building is made up of which enables students to be able
international steering committee, has
corridors and stairs) are all soon to to look down at their product in the
gone into finding the best examples
be a thing of the past. main lab area while they work on a
of learning spaces around the world
“Our business partners and computer simulation.
that will be suitable for the next
research partners expect something SPACE TO THINK
generation of students. The outcome
different these days,” explained has been to create innovative There will be more than 2,000 m²
E&C’s Associate Dean Ian Dunn, classrooms with collaborative of open space inside, and the plan
who is working on the project. learning spaces. Triangular desks is to include lots of different seating
“They expect the technical skills and have been designed to encourage arrangements such as student
knowledge but they also want project collaboration and if LCD screens bookable booths for semi-private
management and creativity skills on and voting technology systems meetings. Staff won’t be locked away
top. We need to create learning can also be included it will enable in rooms but will share space to also
spaces that encourage this.” encourage collaborative working.
The building will be accessible
GRADUATE INVOLVEMENT from 7am until 11pm with a café
open all of the time.
While the new building will benefit future students, graduates have been vital
in perfecting the project – from providing generous and necessary donations GREEN ISSUES
to creating art installations. The technically complex building,
Adam Hussain (Contemporary Crafts, 2008) which has been designed by award
launched his own glass design business called Infini winning architect Dipesh Patel, will
Glass while studying and working with the building’s be environmentally sustainable and
architect to create a contemporary art piece for the has many environmental features.
entrance of the new building. The building will be ‘live’ meaning
“It was part of my five-year plan to work with an that, it will be giving out data about
architect on large scale glass installations and I’ve how it is performing and how
achieved it in my first nine months,” said Adam who comfortable it is to users, that will be
was recently named the overall winner of a Volvo competition to design streamed on the website.
and install a 12-piece architectural glass piece in the foyer of the Volvo The roof, which will be a lab area
building in Warwick. “It’s great to be able to give something back with the art for environmental technologies,
installation, as the University has helped me to develop my business. As a will include a weather station to
member of FOCUS on Enterprise, I still attend networking events and it was provide data for Building Engineering
because of one of those events that I got to be doing this project.” students. It will also be built to
Julia O’Connell (Surface Decoration, 2008) will be recording the actual encourage biodiversity in the area.
construction and development of the building for an installation so that To find out more about campus
people can appreciate the journey of the building project. developments visit www.coventry.
ac.uk/masterplan
23
 evolve feature

Playground
A final year design
project launched

power
a business with
a conscience for
graduate Daniel
Sheridan, whose idea
is helping to light up
lives in Africa

N
ot every graduate wants
to move back in with the
parents and live off an
overdraft just to launch a business
idea. But if being an entrepreneur
was easy, Daniel Sheridan says,
everyone would do it.
It’s a choice the MDes Consumer
Product Design graduate made
after he developed an innovative
way to generate electricity in African
schools.
“I have friends who have landed
good jobs and are getting cars,
going on holidays and looking to
buy property,” said Daniel. “But it’s
my overriding passion to do this and
make it happen,” said the 24-year
old who has moved back home to
Hemel Hempstead where his parents
are supporting his business venture.
Daniel’s dream is to use
Main image: playground equipment to keep
Children play on the
the lights on in African schools.
energy see-saw.
Inset: Daniel with It’s a dream that would reduce the
Children at a school number of kerosene lamps that
in Africa. Top right:
Daniel collects his are currently damaging the eyes
IAE Entrepreneur of of those who are eager to learn. In
the Year 2008 award.
eastern Africa it’s dark by six in the
evening, so people have to rely on
lamps and candles to light the way.
In Uganda alone, approximately 89%
of the country has no access to grid
electricity, which affects children
doing homework, teachers preparing
for lessons and adults that are taking
evening classes.
It was while doing voluntary work
in 2007 at an African school on the
coast of Kenya that Daniel saw how
rural and remote communities could
benefit from electricity. Witnessing
24 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
these difficulties first hand inspired
him to research a design for his final
year project. Through his master’s
level research, Daniel hit upon the
idea that the children could generate
power for their classroom while
they were playing. He just needed
to design a device to enable the
process to happen.
“Despite the hardships in Africa,
one of the positive aspects is the
vibrancy of the children,” explained
Daniel. “I realised that something
designed to be played on by the
children could create energy at
the same time. A see-saw was the
concept I started to evolve.”
The business side of things almost
happened by accident though, and
helped him prepare a business plan
and by the time the Degree Show
had arrived he had not only tested
and filmed his see saw in Africa, he
had registered PlayMade Energy,
designed its logo and launched a
website (www.playmadeenergy.com)
for his new business.
The University’s guidance has
continued long after graduation
and as part of the newly launched
Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship,
Daniel has secured more graduate
mentoring support and funding. He
gained a place on the MAS Product
Innovation Consortium (PIC) scheme, Student days profile
which is also helping fund a final Lived: Priory Hall, Stoke and
prototype of his product. Parkside
Daniel is using testing space at Favourite pub: Dogma

“
the University to help him test the Favourite memory: I attended
prototype to record the amount of the summer ball at the end of
…it’s my overriding energy that can be produced from every year I studied in Coventry

passion to do average use, and ensure it meets

necessary product compliance and
and had some great nights with a
lot of good friends.
this and make British Standards.

”
it happen…
was a mere means to an end while
Daniel was getting the design ready
for his Degree Show.
“I wanted to take a prototype of
my design out to Africa and film it in
use for the Degree Show,” explained
Daniel about his plans. “No one
had done that before. I wanted to
be innovative and possibly use the
film to apply for jobs in International
Development, but I knew I needed
about £1,000 for the flight and to
get the kit made up for the see-saw
to work.”
Daniel saw an opportunity to enter
a BizCom competition through the
University’s Student Placements for
Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED)
programme and won the £1,000
cash prize.
“I entered just to win the prize
money for my trip. I wasn’t even
thinking of my design in the context
of a business at the time but the
entry form helped me to see I
actually had a business model,”
explained Daniel.
As well as the cash prize, Daniel
received mentoring support that
Currently, Daniel estimates if
children play on the see-saw for one
to two hours they will charge two
supplied 12v 7ah batteries, which
could result in a school being able to
power four lanterns for three to four
hours, providing essential evening
light for local communities.
“When the electricity is generated
by the movement of the see-saw
you can hear it,” said Daniel. “There’s
audible feedback, which is really
encouraging for the kids whilst they
have such fun with their friends. I
was so enthused seeing that. The
teachers could see the potential for
the classroom too.”
The power could also be used
for other low drain appliances
such as radios, MP3 players and
communication devices.
Daniel hopes that further
development of the battery
specification may enable the use of
recycled computers in developing
world schools in the future.
It’s Daniel’s enthusiasm and
passion that has recently earned
him The Lord Stafford Award 2008
for Entrepreneurial Spirit as well as
being named the Entrepreneur of the
Year 2008 at the Institute of Applied
Entrepreneurship annual awards.
He hopes that winning high profile
awards will attract attention from
sponsors or businesses that will help
with the funds for the final testing so
he can get Energee-Saws working in
many African schools.
“I once saw a billboard in Kenya
that said ‘Education is our route out
of poverty’ and it reminds me how
important my project is,” explained
Daniel. “When I ask African children
what they want to be when they
grow up, they say they want to be
a doctor or a pilot. There’s a sense
of optimism there and it starts by
making a small difference.”
To sponsor the installation of
an African school see-saw
this year please contact
info@playmadeenergy.com
Want to set
up a business?
Contact Business Enterprise
Works on + 44 (0) 24 7623 6001
or find out more at
www.businessenterpriseworks.org

25
 evolve profile
Recipe
One woman’s crusade
to improve the quality
of Indian food on
supermarket shelves
led to a multi-million
pound business
venture and an
honorary doctorate
from Coventry
26 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
for success
W
hen Perween Warsi moved
from India to Britain in
the 1970s, she was
disappointed with the lack of good
quality Indian food available.
As interest grew in Indian cuisine
and the supermarkets responded
with their interpretations of popular
dishes, Perween saw an opportunity
to do better.
“I tasted this supermarket food
and it was poor – bland and boring.
I saw a gap in the market where I
could raise the bar of the quality and
flavours. I thought, ‘if Britons are
ready to eat Indian food, I’m sure
they would love to enjoy sensationally
better tasting food’ and I knew I
could do that,” she said.
Perween’s mission started
when her two young sons were at
boarding school and her husband
was a busy General Practitioner.
Finding she had “plenty of time on
her hands” she started targeting her
local delicatessens and takeaways
in Derby with samosas and other
delicacies. Her food proved to be
popular, and as orders from new
customers grew it spurred
on an ambition to
approach the
supermarkets.
With no business experience
but resolute in the belief in her
products, Perween kept pushing
the supermarkets until ASDA
gave her a chance with a blind
taste test. Judged alongside other
manufacturers’ food, her products
were voted the best by the panel.
It was a gamble for the retail giant
as Perween was still cooking from
her home kitchen and she needed
to quickly get factory premises and
purchase equipment in order to fulfil
orders – but it was a gamble that
would pay off for both parties.
ASDA, which established its
Curry Pot counter with Perween’s
help, can still claim to be the largest
takeaway in the country and the
innovative takeaway bags and new
packaging have also been designed
by her company.
“There were a lot of challenges
to begin with as we were young
in the business and had literally
a few months experience. Every
bank wanted us to have three to
four years track record and a big
business plan and we didn’t have
any of those things,” explained
Perween about securing the initial
investment for her company S&A
Foods – named after her sons
Sadiq and Abid. “What we did
have though was the belief in our
products and that they were the
best in the country.”
Although her sons were 11
and 13 when she first set up in
1986, Perween soon found it
difficult balancing the ambitions of
the company with her family life.
“There are always compromises to
be made being in business and a
parent. And does it get easier – no.
It’s like juggling many balls and
trying to catch one.”
It was while Perween was
recruiting new people, launching
new products and taking new
customers that her first investment
partner Hughes Food Group went
into receivership. She had originally
joined the Group so she could grow
the business more rapidly and the
news they were folding was a shock
when her company was booming.
“It was a terrible time for me and
everyone who worked at S&A
Foods. But we were determined not
to let it be the end,” she said.
They took advice on how best
to take the business forward and
took equity partner 3i on to help
them orchestrate a management
buy-out, which Perween successfully
completed in 1991. Since then
Perween has bought the shares
back from 3i, making her the 100%
shareholder of the company.
“It’s great to truly own it myself. I
can have the strategy I want for the
business, I have the vision, I see my
products being worldwide one day,
we are expanding very rapidly in
Europe and growing in this country,”
said Perween who now also supplies
to the Co-op as well as outlets in
France, Belgium and Germany.
Perween’s commitment to holding
onto her founding principles
is one of the reasons
why Coventry University
awarded her an
Honorary Doctorate in
Business Administration
in 2005, which Perween
was delighted about.
“It was absolutely
fantastic, I was really
honoured. I am just so
fortunate that everyone
around me has been so
supportive and so
encouraging
and so wonderful. I’m very thankful
to Coventry University for giving
me a degree,” said Perween who
wished the services at the University’s
Technology Park had been around
when she was starting out.
Born into a family of food lovers,
it is clear Perween’s passion for
cooking has fuelled the success of
S&A Foods. “I love food and I love
playing with ingredients and turning
those ingredients into a lovely dish,”
said Perween who had just returned
from the testing kitchen where she
had been trialling some new dishes.
The company also produces Chinese,
Asian and some Italian dishes.
“We’re a very foodie family;
we spend so much time talking
about food. My three year old
granddaughter was recently making
Chapattis with me and she said ‘I’m
grown up now, I can cook for you’,
which is wonderful. Even she has the
passion for cooking.”
It is this passion and her
commitment to quality and innovation
that have established a business
with a turnover of over £60m that
produces 1.25m meals a year.
Perween, who has earned a CBE
and an MBE for her achievements,
believes self-belief is the most
important ingredient for success.
“Be yourself, be original. Have
confidence in yourself. Don’t try to
be someone you are not. Believe in
yourself, believe in the project you
are working on and the products and
services you want to sell.”
For support in growing your business go
to www.businessenterpriseworks.co.uk
or contact the alumni office on
+44 (0) 24 7688 8589
27

evolve profile
S
ince the Southern
African Scholarship fund
started in 1987, Coventry
University has supported 18
black women from Southern
Africa to further their education.
The fund was set up during
apartheid in South Africa to help
black women who, because of
their colour and gender, were
being doubly discriminated
against in education.
Keen to play a part in the
reconstruction of Southern
Africa, the University continues
to support the fund and
concentrates on enabling women
to do postgraduate study;
Q getting such an opportunity will
covering travel and tuition fees,
as well as providing a bursary for
A which is very much valued.
living expenses.
In 2008, donations to the
Phoenix Foundation helped
to part-fund Thandokazi Magi
through her MSc in Computing,
which she graduated from in
November. Thandokazi
explained how important the
qualification was to her life
back in Southern Africa.
28 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
“
This opportunity
will make my life
easier and better
Thanks to support from generous graduates,
black Southern African women are still getting
the opportunity to further their education. Scholar
Thandokazi Magi reveals how a qualification from
Coventry is changing her life
”
Q
How did you feel when you the internet is easy in Coventry
heard you had earned a compared to here. In Coventry,
scholarship at Coventry? I had internet access at the
I was very excited knowing that I
A University and at my home but here
would be studying abroad, it was in South Africa, I only have access
the first time I had been outside of to the internet at school and have
South Africa. to pay big money to access it in an
internet café.
How much did you enjoy
Q Life in Coventry is very easy, just
studying at Coventry? in terms of having access to all
I really enjoyed it as there were the things you need to live. My
A
such a variety of cultures and stay was very comforting and I’m
nationalities there. I’ve learnt a lot very happy to have been given the
from studying in Coventry, such as chance to study there.
learning how to communicate and
mingle with different people from What does it mean to you to
Q
different countries. My qualification know that Coventry graduates
will now help me to be able to get a contributed towards helping
better job. you study?
A It means a lot to me because

How different is your life in
South Africa compared to make my life easier and better. It’s
your time at Coventry? a once in a lifetime opportunity,
Coventry was very different. The
infrastructure and the whole way of
life was so different in comparison
to my life in South Africa. I live in
a rural area in the Eastern Cape
province of South Africa. Here, The Phoenix Foundation supports
there is a lack of infrastructure in students who would otherwise not be
terms of the resources available able to afford to come to the University.
to study compared with those To give a donation in support of the
in Coventry. Life here is fine but charity’s work please call +44 (0) 24
it’s difficult. We have to move to 7688 8589 or donate online at www.
other places in order to get a good coventry.ac.uk /alumni. Thank you to
all our donors – your money is making
education and a better means of
a difference.
living. Access to resources like
Job search
In the global economic downturn finding a job is even harder
– especially for recent graduates. University Careers Adviser
Chris Manley offers his tips for getting on the career ladder

Be flexible It doesn’t matter how long it has

been since you graduated, call
If you are looking for a job in an industry that is making
the University’s Careers Service
Be the boss
Create your employment and
redundancies at the moment or that is notoriously competitive to be your own boss. There’s lots
on +44 (0) 24 7615 2030 and make of support on offer from the
break into, consider how your qualifications, skills and experience
an appointment with an advisor. Government and the University.
could be used in related industries. Many
jobs are open to graduates from lots of Get help from the University’s
different subjects – think about how you dedicated Business Enterprise
could apply the skills you have. Works programme at
Visit www.prospects.ac.uk to learn how you www.businessenterpriseworks.org
can transfer your skills to a range of jobs or
speak to the Careers Office.
Job seeker tip
“I graduated over a year ago now and

Polish the CV Keep an

it is still difficult finding a job in my
ideal profession – clinical psychology.
Spend time perfecting a
stunning CV and covering
eye out However, my perseverance has led to
some part time lecturing work, I temp
Use all resources available to in a busy office and also help out at
letter that show off all the
you to look for work – including two volunteer organisations. As well
relevant skills you have for
your personal networks. Many as paying the bills, I’m still developing
the role you want. Learn how
jobs are never even advertised. my CV and have a current, subject-
to give effective responses to
It doesn’t matter whether you related job. I’m also hoping one of my
application form questions too.
find a job you enjoy through volunteering commitments is going to
Get advice on writing CVs and
a national newspaper, or turn into paid work and who knows,
filling out application forms at
because your mother’s friend’s my career path may just take a
www.prospects.ac.uk
ex-boyfriend’s cousin runs a positive turn if I keep an open mind.”
There are lots of books out
there offering advice too company and has been looking Chloe Morton,
for someone just like you!
such as Write a Winning CV: Psychology, 2008
Essential CV Writing Skills That
Will Get You the Job You Want
by Julie-Ann Amos. Don’t give up Call for help
It’s frustrating when you spend

482,000
hours on an application form and
then don’t hear anything, but
remember it doesn’t affect your
chances of success in the next
…the number of job you apply for. In a smaller
job market it may require several
job vacancies applications before you are It doesn’t matter how long it

in the UK in the successful. Stay motivated by

reading How to get a job you’ll love,
has been since you graduated,
call the University’s Careers
three months to 2009/10 edition: A practical guide Service on +44 (0) 24 7615 2030

February 2009 to unlocking your talents and finding

your ideal career by John Lees.
and make an appointment with
an adviser.

29
 evolve profile
“Metallurgy had
the lowest A-levels
but got the highest
starting salaries”
Visiting Professor in Materials David Kirk
has spent nearly half a century working with
Coventry University. He continues to teach
students even though he retired in 1998
Where did your career begin and
Q introduced a modular combination
how has it progressed?

A My career started in 1959 on
appointment as a Research Fellow
at Birmingham University. This
was followed by two years as a
Senior Research Metallurgist at
the International Nickel Company’s
R&D Laboratories before joining the
Lanchester College of Technology
on 1 July 1960 as a Senior Lecturer
in Metallurgy. Forty-nine years
on I have progressed to Principal
Lecturer in Materials, Chairman of
the School of Materials and now
to being a Visiting Professor in
Materials in the Engineering and
Computing Faculty.
How have things changed on the
Q would happen if a sudden accident
course (and campus) since you
have been here?

A Initially we had HNC, HND, LIM and
AIM courses in Metallurgy housed,
temporarily, at Coventry Technical
College. In 1963 the courses
moved to D block [James Starley
building] after spending £250,000
on a metallurgy suite – 200 years’
salary then for a senior lecturer! The
HND course was the largest in the
UK. This was replaced by honours
and degree courses in Metallurgy.
Metallurgy was broadened to
become Materials and after
merging with the Rugby College we
30 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
of Materials and Physical Science
degree courses. Eventually a
number of factors combined to
effect, sadly, the demise of the
cost-intensive courses in Materials,
Physical Science, Applied Physics
and Applied Chemistry. Personally,
I was glad materials courses were
still running when I retired in 1998.
Q Any interesting memories to share?
 involved numerous contacts with
 industry – especially because of
A Yes, hundreds! For example,
during commissioning of D
block the architect gave strict
instructions about floor loading.
He said exceeding the allowed
maximum could result in the
building collapsing. I asked what
outside caused every student to
rush to one side of the building.
The reply was that the permitted
floor loading would be exceeded!
As an ‘expert witness’ I was grilled
for two days at the Old Bailey
by a barrister who had a PhD in
Engineering. Eventually the judge
stopped the ordeal, declaring: “the
two of you obviously disagree.”
A three-week stint at the Singapore
Institute of Standards included a
visit to the cricket ground where
recent grass cutting had killed six
king cobras.
Materials: Visiting Professor David Kirk
What did you most enjoy in your
Q
job – prior to retirement?

A There was always a great deal
of satisfaction when students
graduated and obtained relevant
employment. This satisfaction was
heightened, knowing the metallurgy
intake had the lowest A-level score
in the University but obtained the
highest starting salaries.
Teaching a technological subject
the sandwich course element.
Consultancy work for industry
was fascinating and ranged from
examining nuclear submarine parts
to egg poachers.
What do you most enjoy in your job
Q
– during retirement?
A The most enjoyable feature is

having the time to carry out
research work on shot peening.
Peening is an industrial process
developed for performance-critical
applications – such as aircraft
and F1 racing cars. I serve on the
International Scientific Committee
for Shot Peening and the SAE
Sub-committee on Surface
Enhancement.
Email alumni@coventry.ac.uk with
the name of the tutor you want to
see in the next evolve.
career
Develop your

As a Coventry University graduate, your education is already benefiting

you in the workplace. Why not let Coventry continue to enhance your
career even after you have graduated?
Postgraduate and part-time study offers you the chance to
add a range of specialist skills to your portfolio and advance
your career options.

We also offer Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

training programmes through our School of Lifelong Learning
to further enhance your career progression.

Come along to one of our Postgraduate and Part-time Open Days

to find out about the opportunities:

Saturday 20th June 2009, 10am – 2pm

Thursday 3rd September 2009, 4pm – 7pm
Saturday 5th September 2009, 10am – 2pm
Thursday 12th November 2009, 4pm – 7pm
Saturday 14th November 2009, 10am – 2pm

Subject experts will be available to advise you about our courses

and you can have a tour round our dedicated facilities for
Postgraduate, Part-time and Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) students.

Our open days take place in the Graduate & CPD Centre, Jaguar
Building on the city centre campus, accessible from Gosford
Street, off Junction 3 of the ring road.

For further information and to register, please

email gradopendays.uni@coventry.ac.uk
or visit www.coventry.ac.uk/postgraduate
or call + 44 (0) 24 7688 8614
For the School of Lifelong Learning visit
www.coventry.ac.uk/soll or
email lifelonglearning.soll@coventry.ac.uk
or call + 44(0) 24 7688 7867
 evolve letters

Letters
Jealous star letter

graduate
Dear FOCUS,

I
received my ‘bite size’ evolve magazine today in the post – all the way in
Barbados and I read it from cover to cover with a mixture of emotions.

I am so proud of the University and all it has achieved, but I also felt
disappointed and jealous in that all these ‘cool things’ have happened AFTER
my time there. It got me to consider doing a PhD so I could have access to
the PebblePad system and the Business Enterprise Works scheme!

As an entrepreneur myself, I know the pitfalls, trials, tribulations and joy that
this path takes you on and I am so proud of Coventry to recognise this and
prepare students to form their own enterprise – even while studying!

I now need to research what the ‘23 soft landing zones’ are in Step 10 [featured in the article Culture of
Enterprise on page 28 of evolve autumn 2008] refer to and how I access these as an international graduate.

I left Coventry in 2005 with my MA in Diplomacy, Law and Global Change. I lived in Lynden House on
Spencer Road and I have been back once (February 2008) for a few days.

After graduation I returned to Barbados where I worked at an umbrella body for the service providers on the
island but my heart was restless and in April 2008 I ‘fired my boss’ to open my own consultancy firm here in
Barbados called DYKON Developments (www.dykondevelopments.com).

The firm existed for 12 years in another Caribbean island but I have taken up the mantle in Barbados. My
areas of expertise are trade in services, trade facilitation, export promotion, trade negotiations like the recent
Cariforum-EU EPA. In fact, the organisation where I previously worked, the Barbados Coalition of Service
Industries (www.bcsi.org.bb) is preparing to host a Trade Mission to the West Midlands later this year.

I am currently now on the Board of Directors of this organisation (BCSI) and I am thinking of ways
that I can use my contacts and experience with the University to facilitate this visit and perhaps
even attend in my capacity as Board Director. Various businesses from the West Midlands have
visited Barbados for the last two years on Inbound Trade Missions seeking to partner with
Barbadian businesses here.

Keep up the excellent work Coventry – and FOCUS for keeping me posted!

I will get over my feelings of jealousy, as I am happy that the incoming generations have all
these benefits. Now if only I could get funding for that PhD!

Liesl Harewood
MA Diplomacy, Law and Global Change, 2005

32 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
Share your views with other Friends of Coventry University and you could
win £25 to spend in Waterstone’s. Our star letter prize is kindly donated
by Waterstone’s Coventry University. Please send letters to Letters,
Development Office, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB

Long distance Member

benefits
relationship I
Dear FOCUS,
Dear FOCUS,
would like to thank you and all
your colleagues for sending me the

I am delighted about the distance you go to evolve magazines and accepting me

keep in touch. Keeping in as one of FOCUS’ members.
mind that I graduated in 1990, 18 years It was an enormous joy for me to
ago, I feel as important to you today see there are people like you that
as you were to me in those days. I left a have put so much effort into keeping
piece of my heart in Coventry. It’s nice to in touch with members around the
feel there’s a retribution somehow. I read the world and also have some of them
magazines you send me from cover to cover reunited after so many years.
and I keep them. I wish you greater success in what
Last year a friend of mine went to Coventry and brought me a jumper from you are doing for members.
the University that I now wear when I exercise. It’s impressive how you are still
present in my life. I’ll check Facebook to keep in touch. M. Fatemi-Anarjan,
Lanchester Polytechnic, 1986
Miriam Portugal, MA Electronic Graphics, 1989

Thank you
Dear FOCUS,
Just a quick note to thank you so much for sending me Evolve.
I was in a slightly homesick mood because of being away from
family and friends over Christmas and New Year and its arrival
over here in South Korea, where I am a Professor in the Liberal
Arts Faculty at Daegu Catholic University, couldn’t have been
timed any more perfectly. A real ‘pick me up’. Thanks again!

Simon Thomas, Applied Social Science, 1988

Waterstone’s is the UK’s leading academic bookseller, with a comprehensive range of course books,
textbooks and professional titles at highly competitive prices. The shop stocks an extensive range of
academic books from the UK and abroad, with an expert team on hand to help.
Waterstone’s, Coventry University, Frederick Lanchester Building, Gosford St,
Coventry, CV1 5DD, or visit other Coventry branches in Cathedral Lanes and the
Lower Precinct.
33
 evolve reunions

Night to remember
It was a night of
glitz and glamour in
March at a special
Gala Ball to celebrate
the University’s past,
present and future

O
ver 300 people, including the
University’s graduates, staff
and friends, got together at
the Gala Ball.
Held at the Chesford Grange in
Kenilworth, a 16-piece orchestra,
fine dining and roaming paparazzi all
made it a night to remember
Vice-Chancellor Madeleine Atkins
welcomed everyone and presented
some of the highlights from the
University’s history as well as
revealed future projects.
Graham Selden (Business Studies,
1997) enjoyed the evening with other
friends from his course.
“We all meet up twice a year
anyway,” said Graham who is now
European Manager for Boeing Global
Mobility Systems. “We thought
coming back for the Ball would be a
fun way to meet up.”
Graham’s friend Paul Nelson
who now runs car dealerships for
Bassetts Group in South Wales and
is married to fellow Occupational
Therapy graduate Rhian (nee Francis)
also enjoyed the occasion. “It’s great
to get everyone together again.”
Stephen Grady (Environmental
Science, 1998), an adviser on
European environmental policy
for the Joint Nature Conservation
Committee, came to the Ball from
Cambridge and said: “It has been
interesting to see how much the
University has changed – both in
technology and teaching methods.”

34 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
Celebrate: Graduates Paul Looking smart: Two former Students’ Union VP Communications Officers
Jack Lowman (back) and Richard Hayward (front right) enjoy a drink with
and Rhian Nelson get ready
Andrew Godridge (Manufacturing and Business Studies, 1992) who is a
to dance the night away.
Health and Safety Officer for Terex in Coventry.

Reunited: Matthew and Susie Woodgate, Stuart and Jo Davies, Greg and Having fun:
Helen Williams, Rhian (nee Francis) and Paul Nelson and Graham Selden. Stephen Grady and
his partner Rachel
arrive at the Ball.

35
 evolve events

events diary
Enjoy events happening on and off campus – many are free to attend or are at a discounted price.
Keep up to date by visiting the events section of the website www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni

May 12–14 June October

30 May-4 June MCM Communications 31 October
Degree Show 2009 Management 2004 Reunion Spooky Ghost Tour of Coventry
Coventry’s final year students’ showcases A reunion for the class of 2004. Family Halloween Event, children welcome.
Time: 10am-5pm Place: Coventry Place: Alan Berry
Place: Graham Sutherland/Maurice Foss
September November
June 26 September 27 November
4 June Business Law Class of 1972 1974 Graduation reunion
Graduate Fashion Show Reunion For all those who missed out on their
View graduates’ Did you graduate in Business Law in 1972? graduation ceremony in 1974, join us
fashion pieces at If so, you may like to join your class mates at for a celebration event 35 years on.
this free show or a reunion dinner in Coventry. Time: TBC
£10 for the VIP Contact Colin Perkin for further Place: Coventry Cathedral
show. details at c.perkin@coventry.ac.uk or on
Time: 2pm or 024 7688 8691 before the end of June.
8pm
Place: The
Herbert, Jordan
Well, Coventry For more information about any of these events or to advertise a
reunion, please call the alumni office on +44 (0) 24 7688 8589.

WIN S poil yourself with this prize of a weekend break for two, which includes
two nights in a luxury suite with dinner, bed and breakfast at the four star
Ramada Hotel Coventry.
The lucky winner will stay in one of the Hotel’s luxury suites, which includes a
lounge/dining room with its own kitchenette. The prize also includes a meal
a weekend hotel for two on both evenings in the Hotel’s Mediterranean style restaurant Fellinis.

break for two! The Ramada Hotel in Coventry is a contemporary, art-deco style hotel based
in the city-centre and was the Gold award winner of the 2008 Godiva Award
for the Best Hotel in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Plan a weekend back in the city where you were once a student and you can
even arrange a tour of the campus or a night out in the Students’ Union.

To be in with a chance of winning a luxury weekend away, just

unscramble the name of this person that is related to Coventry.

YADL OVIGAD
Please send entries to alumni@coventry.ac.uk or post to Hotel Break, Development Office,
Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB by the closing date of 1 September 2009.
Terms and conditions • Meals are for both evenings in the Fellinis
• This prize must be taken at a weekend (Friday and restaurant
Saturday nights) and is subject to availability. • No cash alternative will be offered
• The prize is only for the Ramada Hotel Coventry • Editor’s decision is final

36 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
Graduation glory 35 years on
It was a double
celebration for the
Leek family at last
year’s November
graduation

N ot only did Andrew Leek

(Graphic Design, 2008)
graduate in November but his father
and graduate Robert (Business Law,
1974) got to witness an experience
he missed out on 35 years ago.
Due to the terrorist pub bombings
in Birmingham in 1974, the University
did not hold its annual graduation
ceremony and thousands of
graduates like Robert were denied
the chance to collect their certificate
in Coventry Cathedral.
Robert, who wrote to evolve to tell
his story and share the good news
about his son’s graduation, won the
star letter in the autumn 2008 issue Double celebration: Andrew Leek (front) graduates
and the alumni office photographed with his father and alumnus Robert watching on
him with his son on the day. Robert

said: “I was so proud to be in the
Cathedral to see Andy graduate and
right the wrong of 34 years ago.”
To right the 1974 graduation
injustice, the University will be
inviting graduates from 1974 back
on campus on 27 November 2009
to celebrate the 35th anniversary
and make amends for the missed
graduation (see left for details).
If you know of anyone who
graduated in 1974 without a
ceremony, please contact the alumni
office on +44 (0) 24 7688 8589 or
email alumni@coventry.ac.uk with
details so as many graduates can be
invited to the event as possible.
Class Reunions
Get back together with your former classmates
for a reunion weekend to remember
E ver wondered what everyone
went onto do after graduating
from your course? Conquer your
the most popular types of reunions.
Everyone wonders who is doing well
in their career and how lives have
curiosity and let the alumni office help changed since they graduated. A
you organise a class reunion. class reunion is a great way to find
Graduates from across the out and we can help with all the
decades are organising reunions to planning and organising.”
catch up with all those people they
If you are interested in getting
once shared a lecture theatre with.
support to host a class reunion back
Alumni Relations Officer Kristina
in Coventry, contact the alumni office
Anders said: “We find that these are
on + 44 (0) 24 7688 8589.

37
 Member Benefits
Benefit from your connection to the University and get discounts on useful
services listed below. For more information go to www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
or call the alumni team on +44 (0) 24 7688 8589.

• Discounted Library membership – only £20 per year

University Offers

• Special conference centre rates at the TechnoCentre

Email conference.cad@coventry.ac.uk or call +44 (0) 24 7623 6016
• Careers advice and enterprise:
For graduate vacancies see www.coventry.ac.uk/cu/careers
Email careers.ss@coventry.ac.uk, tel: +44 (0) 24 7615 2525
• University Sports Centre – discounts on full to basic membership
• Join Coventry University Wine Club – call +44 (0) 24 7688 8161
• Associate membership of the Students’ Union – call +44 (0) 24 7679 5200

Discounts on attractions such as The Alton Towers Resort,

Days Out

Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo, LEGOLAND®

Windsor, Madame Tussauds London, the Dungeons,
SEA LIFE centres & Sanctuaries, THORPE PARK and
Warwick Castle. Call +44 (0) 870 220 4000 and quote
Coventry University along with the date of your visit.

Exclusive Open Fairways Offer – save up to 50% on your green fees

Golf

at over 1800 golf courses around the world with the Open Fairways
Privilege Card. Join today for only £69 and start saving. Log onto
www.openfairways.com/joinnow or call +44 (0) 28 9073 1055, quote offer code COV09.

Up to 20% off car and van hire with National Car Rental in the UK and over
Car Hire

80 countries worldwide. To book or obtain a quote, call +44 (0) 870 191 6950
and quote: A000839 for UK car hire, A000840 for UK van hire,
8577504 for International car hire and A000839G for Guy Salmon hire.
*Please note these codes are due to change, please check the alumni website for the latest ones.

Save up to 30%* on AA Personal Membership from the UK’s No. 1

breakdown organisation. Members are also eligible for 25% off European
Rescue

Breakdown Cover. Call + 44 (0) 800 048 0075 and quote Coventry 627.
*Terms and conditions apply. Discount applies to new members only. Please ask for full details when calling.

Save 25% on RAC Breakdown Membership for you and your immediate
family at enrolment or renewal.* Call +44 (0) 800 581 077 and quote GE0300.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please ask for full details when calling.

38 www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni
 evolve benefits

Holidays

Save 10% on a holiday with cottages4you. 15,000 properties

throughout the UK, France, Ireland Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Visit www.cottages-4-you.co.uk/coventry or call +44 (0) 845 268 1282.
Quote COV10 when booking.

Stay in the four-star luxury of the Ramada Hotel in Coventry – Gold Award Winner of the
Hotels

2008 Godiva Award for “Best Hotel” in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Discounted rates start at £67.50 per B&B. Call +44 (0) 870 890 3722 and
quote Coventry University Rate (or call the alumni office for larger group bookings).
Airports

Up to 10% discount on advanced bookings for airport parking and

airport hotels in the UK. Visit www.parking4less.co.uk/alumni or call
+44 (0) 871 360 2131 and quote WY705.

At Your Service
As a Friend of Coventry University you also receive:
Your magazine – evolve magazine will be sent to you twice a year, to keep you in touch with
University developments as well as news from other members, forthcoming events, benefits and more.
Your E-news – A popular e-newsletter sent to members on a monthly basis with news, updates and
competitions.
Your website – www.coventry.ac.uk/alumni for all the latest news and information.

evolve
Your reunions – Get help organising your reunion we can track down
Spring/Summer 2009

The magazine for Friends of Coventry University

old friends, arrange tours or hotel accommodation.

Your events – Members are invited to attend many guest lectures and Making history
Your memories of Coventry and

exhibitions that take place at the University.

student life from over the years

Power play
How one graduate’s enterprise
is changing lives in Africa

Find a Friend – Our database of over 37,000 members may be the link City living
See the radical changes that will
regenerate Coventry’s city centre

between you and your old friends. Keep in touch, Classroom innovation
Making radical changes to teaching
Engineering and Computing

Coventry wants to hear from you Jimmy’s

Telephone: +44 (0) 24 7688 8589 farm
How farmer and TV personality
Jimmy Doherty left Coventry to
set up his pig farm

Email: alumni@coventry.ac.uk
a k

Post: Alumni Relations, Development Office, Coventry University,

re
lb
en th y in
ov in a
tr e
te
C tel aw

y
of ho nd
ho
art ry ke
he xu ee

Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK

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39
The University
Gift Shop e
Round Crystal Paperweight
Mini Bears

Cuff Links
Mini Cut Vase

Satin Notepad and Mirror

Tankard

Business Card Case

Tipsy Clock

Champagne Flutes

Remember your student days with pride and buy special souvenirs
branded with the University name or logo.
It’s now even easier to choose from our selection of high quality goods by shopping online:

www.coventry.ac.uk/onlinestore
If you wish to make purchases by mail order please contact Jackie Walsh, Alan Berry Reception,
Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB. Telephone 024 7688 8774 or e-mail
jackie.walsh@coventry.ac.uk for further details.

Please note: refunds are only available where goods are faulty, statutory legal rights are not affected. Goods will be delivered within 21 days of receipt
of order. If you are not fully satisfied, goods may be returned within seven days for a full refund. Prices are valid until September 2009.