Gala dinner celebrates university’s 175th year

CIVIC dignitaries from across the North West – and including Warrington’s Mayor and Mayoress – attended a gala dinner to mark the culmination of the 175th anniversary year of the University of Chester.
The event was held at the Pargate Road campus in Chester, but guests included many from the Warrington campus.
Distinguished guests included: civic dignitaries; new Chester MP Chris Matheson; past and current bishops; the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, David Briggs MBE KStJ; the Sheriff of Cheshire, Bill Holroyd and Consul General Li, Manchester’s Chinese Consul General.
Also present were honorary graduates including Dr Louise Minchin, BBC Breakfast presenter, and alumni The Singh Twins, Dr Amrit and Dr Rabindra Singh, who each received an MBE for ‘Services to the Indian Miniature Tradition of Painting in Contemporary Art.’ The creative community was also represented by another graduate, Thomas Plunkett, who is President of the Royal Watercolour Society and was commissioned to paint five works to mark the University’s anniversary.
The Gala Dinner was followed by a Staff Ball over two nights.
The University’s anniversary celebrations began in June last year with a lecture by Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury and current Visiting Professor in Literature and Theology. Other activities have included: welcoming HRH The Earl of Wessex; hosting the annual Cathedrals Group Choirs’ Festival in Chester Cathedral; naming a rose; designing a quilt; on the subject of the University’s history, publishing a book, performing a mini opera with Manchester Camerata and local schools and staging an exhibition at The Chester Grosvenor; climbing Snowdon and taking a zipwire for charity; processing through the city streets at graduation and holding a fireworks display at the new Queen’s Park Campus in Handbridge.
Pictured:  Lord Lieutenant David Briggs proposing a vote of thanks after the dinner and,(right) the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Geoff Settle, and Mayoress Jean Settle, with their special guest Teddy George, the Mayoral Correspondent.