On Friday 7th Week, we recognised our students’ achievements – this year via Zoom rather than in the Helwys Hall. Viola Kerr shares more about the event.
On Friday 12 June we held our annual Recognition Dinner with a difference. Alas, no dinner – but an opportunity to raise a glass via our webcams to those students who have been involved in a huge range of University societies and initiatives this year.
It was a great pleasure to welcome Greyfriars alumna Catherine Bray (English 2001) as our guest speaker. Catherine is Head of Arts at next generation broadcaster Little Dot Studios and her work to date includes writing and directing an hour long special for BBC Four on families in film, three years curating and commissioning Channel 4’s Random Acts arts strand and the development, and launching and ongoing exec’ing of the BBC’s Inside Cinema series for iPlayer.
During lockdown her work has continued, writing and directing an hour long TV special for BBC Four. Catherine spoke of the societies she was involved in at Oxford and how the unexpected twists and turns of her early experience of work led her to find satisfaction in writing, producing and directing – encouraging those contemplating the move from studying to career with her insights.
The event ended with some great questions being put to the speaker, and a performance by the Oxford Belles.
This year, we recognised:
Benjamin Chuah – President, Oxford University International Society; Co-Founder, OxQuarantine
Nicholas Crompton – Director of Sponsorship, Oxford Union; Co-Director of Speakers, Oxford Forum for International Development; Co-writer, BBC commissioned short film
Charlotte Haley – Events Officer, Society of Young Publishers (Oxford Branch); Fiction Editor, The Teeming Mass
Ellie Harrington – Writer, Don’t Mind the Gap, shortlisted for Best New Play in OUDS Writing Festival; Director, Astroplode Reload, winning play in Best New Play in OUDS Writing Festival
Tom Harrison – Co-Director, The Entertainer
Edward Holmes-Milner – Director, American Buffalo and The Entertainer
Milly Jonas – Treasurer, Oxford Surf Club
Neil Kotre – Oxford Revue
Brigid Lahiff – Captain, Women’s Blues Futsal
Adam Large – Treasurer, Oxford University Jazz Orchestra
Laila Mafemba – Co-Founder, Melanin
Natasha Mallett – Manager, Oxford University Sinfonietta
Mackenzie Mully – Director of Operations, Oxford Union
Deia Russell-Smith – Profile Editor, Cherwell
Francesca Sisson – Co-President, Oxford Belles
