Mayor's Speech 175 years of Durham University

I want to say a big thank you for inviting me here tonight at this special dinner to celebrate the end of the 175 year celebrations at Queen's Campus, and also to thank you for all events at both sites that I have been invited to over the past year.

I've had a look on my Mayor's Blog and found 34 entries which shows how much we have done together, and planned, in the last year.

I've learnt exciting names like Congregations, Matriculations and "founders & benefactors".

An experience that takes some beating is entering Durham Cathedral, described quite rightly as "the greatest cathedral on planet earth", by Chancellor Bill Bryson, filled to the brim with students, to the sound of the organ, and the magnificent procession of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and other senior members of the University.

I have so much enjoyed meeting your magnificent Chancellor Bill Bryson there. I recall the first speech of his that I heard, he ended up by saying "Live your dreams, be happy and kill people if they drop litter"

I Didn't agree with last item till last night when I was picking litter as part of Red Nose Day. Maybe he has a point!

We so much enjoyed it when Bill took up my invitation to visit Stockton, looked round Town Hall and High Street. He was so kind and generous with his time to people, and it was a great spin off of having this University here for the people of Stockton

It was June 1991 when I was firsts told The University was coming here, and it was thrilling and exciting news.

I was at the opening by the Queen in 1992. I never dreamed I would be here today, as Mayor at this celebration, or more importantly, the impact it would have on our town.

We wanted links and connections then and that continues apace

You have actively and encouraged and opened up new learning activities to people that live locally.

People who would never have dreamed of going on to Further Education have taken up the offer and it has changed them and their lives considerably.

I've witnessed the development of this campus over the years, and it was interesting to see the photos in the exhibition this morning of how the area has changed physically to what it is now -

Alive, achieving and people of all ages and walks of life are part of it.

Even the river looks nicer with students rowing on it. I've heard that the sandbags outside this marquee are splitting as the gale whips up. Maybe the University will be responsible for turning us into Stockton by The Sea!

We must build on what we have now.

A lot of the students from Queen's Campus travel up to Durham for life outside study, but I hope to see a reversal in that. Durham is of course wonderful and glorious, we like to escape there ourselves at times, but here we have space, excellent facilities, and a great sense of freedom to think and act outside the box and outside tradition.

Some of the events been to encapsulate some of the essence of what I feel is happening here.

I recall the 1st medical students graduating - the excitement for them of being called Doctor; The excitement for us that so many were staying in this area.

This was when I first found out about Community Placements - which are leading the way nationally in how to train doctors by giving them experience in the community. As a result of this I organised a reception for hosts of these placements, and it was good to be able to thank them, and also for them to be able to meet together and hear from Professor Andrew Russell how their important contribution fitted into the training, and even retention of doctors here.

There are new ways of training doctors her at Queen's Campus - patient being treated as whole people is hardly rocket science, but extremely important to most of us. I picked up a flavour of the ethos behind all of this when Professor Hungin spoke of training new doctors and health workers at the Dr McGonigle plaque unveiling at Stockton Town Hall last year.

Sometimes, as Mayor, I see great contrasts. For instance once there was prize giving here and then immediately afterwards I was presenting awards at a venue working some of the most deprived and lacking of recognisable achievement young people in our Borough. But both have people working with them to achieve their potential and their best. When I met some of the workers at this venue, I found that there was a community placement from the medical school there too. That really is the University working with the community.

I went to the launch of Medisin, a student run organisation about global health issues. It was very moving and thought provoking, and good that our students are looking out beyond themselves. I also remember on that occasion being given Fair Trade chocolate on my way in. A small way, but important one, of helping those in poorer countries too. I was delighted to find that you had become a Fair Trade University last month. Congratulations, and what a great boost to us becoming a Fair Trade Borough.

The Carol service where you welcomed the local community is a wonderful memory, I remember meeting you in the howling wind as you walked over bridge, into the Town. Also I learnt about fire throwing, and was able to adapt what was done to the Peace Light Ceremony the week afterwards. We were working together again.

Today, at the Family Fun day, it has been exciting and vibrant. I loved seeing what you do, and talking with some of the students, who were so willing to chat.

The University is an International community with around 200 nationalities, and there is much we can do together in that respect.

Earlier this year I invited the international students to visit our town hall to see something of it's heritage, and they were interested in our democratic process whilst they were there too. I do hope that this can become an annual event, inviting the international students when they arrive here in the autumn.

Also Stockton Borough hosts an International Riverside Festival, and the Billingham International Folklore Festival during the summer. I am sure that there is a lot of scope for international students that have not gone home in the summer vacation to be involved with those.

There are a number of asylum seekers and refugees in our Borough, some of whom will come from the same countries as your students. But wherever each are from I am sure that positive links can be made, and I am beginning to have some ideas on this.

This morning I met the students organising DUCKS ( Durham University Charity Kommittee), and their ambitious fund raising programme, including doing a sponsored walk on the Great Wall of China, ending up in Bejing. Stockton Council has a cultural partnership with Bejing, and I hope that there will be ways that this can be of assistance.

You have been generous to us in the use of your facilities, which are a first class environment for study and research.

I have been to many conferences and seminars over the years, with various hats on, and been able to enjoy those facilities.

Also you kindly gave me the use of your Waterside Room for my fund raising Ceilidh in the autumn, and it was a splendid venue.

The Holocaust memorial day ceremony was here, organised with help from students from the Junior Common Room. It was a moving event, and I think we all felt that we could build on it for the future.

You, of course, can and do use our venues, where appropriate, particularly in the Town Centre, and I hope that this continues to be so.

I have already hosted a dinner for senior council officials and university staff, and hope that this is a beginning to even more and closer working together.

We look to the future

I hope that our students will come back here when they leave, to the Town where they studied. Such links can be very strong. The

Mayor's consort is actually missing this good dinner and occasion tonight to go a college reunion of those who read his subject.

The links with the University have given me hope in the ability to think to debate, to have ideas. Café scientifique and cafe literary this week made me realise this, and I have already put dates in my diary for future events.

In Local Government we are restrained, but although you too have to work within budgets, meet targets and have plans, it is the very essence of a University to create thinking and have vision. I want and I hope that that essence will permeate through those in our town not formally part of your university.

Most of all though, for our future, there are the students that will go out into the world from here, a number we hope will continue to live locally, but wherever they live, whatever they do they will be not only fulfilling their own potential, have the ability to make changes for the better to people's lives, communities and the wider world.

They have done this for 175 years, and I am sure that the world is a better place for it.

You at Queen's campus have been making a difference to our Town here, long may it continue, let it grow, and may we flourish together.

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