Nursing students from the ������Ƶ participated in a procession honouring Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey and celebrating International Nurses Day.��

25 students and apprentices were invited to join the 59th Florence Nightingale Commemoration Service which took place on 15th May at Westminster Abbey. This annual event celebrates nurses and midwives who continue Florence Nightingale’s legacy. ��

The commemoration service involves a procession escorting a lamp which alludes to the fact Florence Nightingale was known as ‘The Lady with The Lamp’ as she made her rounds at night tending to the soldiers wounded in the Crimean War. ��Student nurses follow the lamp, signifying the transfer of knowledge to future generations of nurses and midwives. ��

Members of government, including Sussex MP Maria Caulfield who herself is a nurse, attended alongside nursing leaders from across all four countries and the military.��

Before the service, students joined the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) Students Day, which saw more than 100 nursing and midwifery trainees from around the country take part in learning and networking, with workshops and debates from early-career nurses and established leaders in the field. ��This day was curated by ������Ƶ students, and the Head of School and NHS leaders presented at the event.��

The 2024 FNF Students Day was sponsored by the ������Ƶ in partnership with the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UH Sussex). Student representatives from all six year groups across the university’s three pre-qualifying nursing courses participated in this prestigious event. ����

Dr Nita Muir, Head of School of Nursing and Allied Health at the ������Ƶ and Tricia Rigby, Head of Nursing for Practice Development and Education at UH Sussex, said: “This event provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the tenacity and determination of Florence Nightingale in promoting the true value and importance of nursing in society. The desire to promote nursing remains today, particularly as we encourage those who wish to join the profession. ����

“The ������Ƶ in partnership with University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust are delighted to be supporting the FNF Students Day this year, in recognition of the inaugural School of Nursing and Allied Health at ������Ƶ University which began in 2021 in close partnership with University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and other local partners across Sussex and Hampshire.����

“2024 marks our graduation of our first ‘pioneer’ ������Ƶ students cohort, as such it is a proud moment for all those involved in their journey to becoming registered nurses. Students from across our Nursing and Nursing Associates cohorts are benefitting from attending the specially curated Students Day and will continue to promote the profession across West Sussex.” ��

To find out more about nursing at the ������Ƶ, visit: /health/course/bsc-hons-adult-nursing/��

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Academic research carried out by the ������Ƶ has revealed how a new model of dementia care can cut costs by up to 38%. MPs will hear today (Wednesday 15 May) how the integrated care model pioneered by Sage House in Tangmere reduces the burden on the NHS and Social Care.

The University has been working with the team at Sage House over the past 18 months to analyse the impact of the services provided there.

Sage House, based in Tangmere, West Sussex was opened six years ago by local charity Dementia Support who recognised that people were lacking support and help following a diagnosis of dementia. As the only one of its kind in the country, Sage House brings a full range of integrated services and partners under one roof, including advice, guidance, the NHS dementia assessment service, legal advice, activities, respite day care, and wellbeing services care. Since its launch, the charity has proven agile and adaptable, by moulding to the needs of the community and its customers.

Professor Antonina Pereira, Director of the Institute of Psychology, Business and Human Sciences at the ������Ƶ said: “Our research has shown that the integrated model of dementia care provided by Sage House costs less to run than current alternative NHS services, while also improving the quality of life for people living with dementia and their carers. Our evaluation demonstrates that the Sage House model can save, on average, £1,722 per person, each year, when compared to the standard cost of care. With 944,000 people currently living with dementia in the UK, and the number predicted to reach 1.6 million by 2050, the Sage House model has the potential to save the government billions over the coming years.”

The academic evaluation also shows that:

• 61% of people accessing Sage House agreed that it had helped them or their Care Partners to continue working.
• People living with dementia who had access to Sage House experienced significantly greater Life Satisfaction (20% higher), Wellbeing (16%) and Quality of Life (10%) than the standard care model.
• Care partners with access to Sage House demonstrated better access to information and support which led to a significantly greater Quality of Life.

The Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, who is also Conservative MP for ������Ƶ in West Sussex will be hosting the event. She said:

“Given that one in two people in the UK are affected by dementia, it is more important than ever that we as lawmakers look at new ways to support people living with this illness and their families.

“This report demonstrates the tangible benefits that Dementia Support’s model brings to the lives of people in ������Ƶ through Sage House and the efficiencies it creates for our wider healthcare system. We are very lucky to have Sage House in our community and I’m pleased to have been able to give them a platform in Parliament today to speak to other MPs and Peers about their vital work.”

To find out more, visit��nap.dementiasupport.org.uk/evidence-impact

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A unique master’s degree in fundraising is set to launch at the ������Ƶ from September 2024.

The course, the first of its kind in the country, has been designed for charity professionals to develop the knowledge and skills that underpin effective fundraising.

And there is a 25% bursary for staff and volunteers who work in the charity sector – providing they have a personal charity or voluntary sector email address.

Donna Day Lafferty, Senior Lecturer in Fundraising (Third Sector) at the ������Ƶ, who has 20 years of professional fundraising experience, explained the course is focused on the professional needs of fundraisers, aspirational fundraisers, senior managers and trustees.

Building on ten years of undergraduate fundraising training, the new MA Fundraising (for the voluntary sector) is designed and delivered by fundraisers.

Donna said: “Why does anyone study a master’s? It’s usually because they want to be better at what they do, or to do something new. If you have worked as a professional fundraiser, you’ll know it’s a complicated job. We are a team of fundraisers and academics who can offer you robust knowledge that’s applicable in the professional world. Importantly, we are all passionate about the vital role fundraising plays in the voluntary sector.”

Recognising that fundraising is far more than simply asking, the MA Fundraising explores the core fundraising fields of income from individuals and organisations, alongside leadership and organisational change. It considers the critical role of research, ethics, innovation, planning, quality and control, in delivering effective and sustainable fundraising.

At its core is the philosophy that fundraising is a profession, with the power to change lives for better, and that every fundraiser deserves quality training to support them in developing their expertise.

The course will be taught online, with regular live online workshops and learning resources, as well as optional face-to-face workshops.

As well as a core teaching team of experienced fundraisers and academics, there will be expert guest lecturers from the fundraising profession and wider third sector.

If you would like to know more about the MA Fundraising or the bursary scheme, email d.daylafferty@chi.ac.uk, or visit MA Fundraising.

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The first group of students to graduate from the ������Ƶ’s nursing degrees this year will benefit from a generous award to remember former nurse Mary Gilchrist.

Local couple Rod and Joy Gilchrist have kindly donated £15,000 to the university’s nursing school which will be match-funded by the University Hospitals Sussex Charitable Trust. The generous bursary will fund the Student Nurse Academic Achievement award, open to final year students, and the Mary Gilchrist Prize for Academic Endeavour Against the Odds for second year students.

Mary Gilchrist was a pioneering nurse during the mid-20^th��century, serving as a theatre sister in London hospitals during the darkest days of the Second World War, narrowly missing death from German bombs on many occasions. Mary was born the first of ten children in 1914 to a rural ploughman in the Scottish Highlands and fulfilled her dream of becoming a nurse training at a Quaker Hospital in York and later Edinburgh before moving to London.

She later trained as a midwife and psychiatric nurse, dedicating herself to helping children with disabilities and their parents among the poor of East London for which she won many awards. Mary was an important supporter of St Richards Hospital ������Ƶ, where she died in 2013 aged 99.

In memory of his mother and as a mark of thanks to the nurses who looked after him after recent surgery, Rod and his wife Jane decided to make a donation to acknowledge the hard work of the trainee nurses of the future.

Rod said: “My mother loved nursing and would be enormously proud to know she is helping the nurses of tomorrow to follow their dream.”

Dr Nita Muir, Head of the School of Nursing and Allied Health added: “We are delighted by this generous donation from Rod and Joy Gilchrist and the University Hospitals Sussex Charitable Trust, which will support current students, acknowledging their hard work and dedication. This year will see our first cohort of nursing students graduate and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate their success than the new Mary Gilchrist Award for Academic Endeavour Against the Odds and the Student Nurse Academic Achievement award.”

Tricia Rigby, Head of Education and Practice Development for Nursing and Midwifery at University Hospitals Sussex couldn’t agree more stating that: “The Trust and our charity My University Hospitals Sussex are excited and very proud to be able to support these wonderful awards, which celebrate the exceptional contribution our Nursing students make to our profession which underpins the care we provide for all our patients”.

Both annual awards will offer a prize of £500 and the winner of the Student Nurse Academic Achievement award will also pick up a commemorative engraved chalice. The successful students for this year will be announced at this year’s graduation ceremony in September.

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Musical theatre students at the ������Ƶ are taking part in a week-long workshop to develop a new musical which is heading to New York later this year.

The new Scottish folk musical, Lifeline, tells the story of Alexander Fleming and the discovery of penicillin, and 36 students on the BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Performance programme will perform the new musical at the end of the workshop.

The ������Ƶ Conservatoire has established a reputation as a key development facility for new musical theatre writing within the UK since Andrew Wright, Programme Leader for Musical Theatre Performance, launched initiatives to support emerging, new work.

In partnership with Mercury Musical Development and Musical Theatre Network, the students gain first-hand experience of working directly with the writers, creating original roles, having input in the process and truly understanding the myriad of challenges that face those creating new musicals.

For��Lifeline, students are��working in collaboration with producer Jessica Conway and the creative team at Charades Theatre Company on developing and refining��the show��ahead of a confirmed run in New York in the autumn.

Andrew said: “When the opportunity arose for us to work on this show, I knew I had to find a way to make it happen. This is a really exciting opportunity for our students to be involved in the progression of a show that is heading to New York later this year.”

Lifeline, with music and lyrics by Robin Hiley and a book by Becky Hope-Palmer, tells the story of Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming’s world-changing discovery of penicillin in 1928, charting the rise and fall of antibiotics. Fleming’s story weaves with Aaron’s, who is receiving cancer treatment today, almost 100 years after antibiotics were discovered. But his life hangs in the balance, as he waits to see if this miracle cure still works well enough to save him.��

Jessica said: “We are so delighted to be working with the Musical Theatre Performance students at ������Ƶ Conservatoire on Lifeline. We have been on a long journey with this musical, starting under the name of The Mould that Changed the World with two sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and a sold-out tour to the East coast of the US.��We have been working hard over the past year to develop the show ahead of our off-Broadway run this autumn and as a vital part of this development, we are working with ������Ƶ students to get the new version on its feet. They are the first ones to shape this new script and it has been a total joy to see them bring it to life this week. The students’ and Andrew’s commitment to supporting and championing new musicals is fantastic to see and we are really looking forward to performing with them on Friday.”

Second and third-year students will perform the new musical on Friday, 10 May, in The Chapel of The Ascension on Bishop Otter Campus. The performance is directed by Alex Howarth, with musical direction from Neil Metcalfe. The workshop performance is facilitated and produced by Andrew Wright at the ������Ƶ, working in collaboration with Jessica Conway at Charades Theatre.

For tickets, visit:

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Talented musicians from the ������Ƶ are celebrating after taking silver in the prestigious ‘Brass Band Euros’ last weekend. The University’s brass band made the long journey to Palanga in Lithuania to represent England against tough competition from across Europe.

The achievement follows hot on the heels of their success in the national Unibrass championships back in February, where they placed 3^rd.

The brass band was conducted by Emma Button, Associate Lecturer and Instrumental Tutor at the ������Ƶ. The four-day event is the pinnacle of the European brass band calendar.

Emma said: “It was a huge honour to be invited to compete as the representatives for England. I am incredibly proud of everything we have achieved as a band this year and coming 2nd at the European Youth Brass Band Championships is the result of months of hard work and dedication from the students.”

During the competition the band had to perform a piece of their own choice and a set piece. The set piece was The Baltic Way by Jan de Haan, and the band’s own choice pieces were��Prismatic��Light by Alan Fernie and��Gaelforce��by Peter Graham.

The students fundraised to meet their travel costs for the competition and were rewarded with a gala concert and party after the main competition.

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An asylum seeker who had lost all hope of becoming a teacher may now realise her dream after taking the ������Ƶ’s 12-week bridging course, From Adversity to University.

Cenia and her husband Angel fled their home country El Salvador after threats from gangs, arriving in the UK in 2020, 15 days before the pandemic began.

It was a difficult start, with the couple in confinement and then housed in almost a dozen hotels. They fell pregnant with their now three-year-old daughter, before finally coming to Bognor Regis to start their new life.

Cenia had given up her dreams to become a teacher until Sanctuary in ������Ƶ (SiC) and the ������Ƶ stepped in.

SiC’s Pathways to Independence Manager Kerry Foster helped Cenia to plan for the future, and suggested the university’s 12-week bridging course into higher education.

Cenia said: “When Kerry told me about the bridging course, I thought it was a great opportunity to take a big step, especially because I didn’t expect anything more than learning English. I had no idea I would have the opportunity to join the university. My ambitions at that time were limited only to getting a survival job where I had no opportunities for growth but only to survive.”

The pioneering course, From Adversity to University, helps students without necessary qualifications to learn new skills and bridge the gap to higher education.

The module, which has been backed by the Office for Students, utilises the students’ lived experiences to develop academic reading, writing and research skills as well as self-confidence, self-esteem and self-belief.

Cenia said: “To be honest, when I started the course, I didn’t feel very sure I could achieve it. Academic words are still a challenge. However, from the first day of the course, Becky, our teacher, made me feel part of the group. Her warmth and her way of teaching made me feel comfortable, and the topics taught in the course made me open my mind and have helped me to understand myself better.

“My ambitions have changed completely since I knew that it was not too late; my dream is to be able to work with children, to be able to teach Spanish which is my first language. I know I still have a long way to go, I’m still working to improve my English. I am studying Level 1 ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) at college and then the GCSE course so that I can have access to higher courses. I hope after all that I can go to university.

“My experience at the university has been very meaningful, it has opened the way for me to new expectations. It has challenged me and given me hope. It has made me believe in myself and prove that I can achieve everything I set my mind to.”

A spokesperson for SiC, said: “Sanctuary in ������Ƶ is pleased to be working with the ������Ƶ in supporting��refugees and asylum seekers to access the bridging module, From Adversity to University, in order to help them enter higher education and develop their lives in the UK.

“Over the last few years Sanctuary in ������Ƶ has sponsored 10 students who have successfully completed the module. They have all gained important skills from their studies. Six of them are now in employment and two have undertaken further studies. The self-confidence and experience gained on the bridging module was a direct factor in helping them��to secure employment and pursue further studies.”

Senior lecturer Becky Edwards, from the ������Ƶ’s��department of childhood, social work, and social care, developed the project to help reduce barriers to higher education.

She said: “Cenia’s story of courage, resilience and determination is both humbling and inspiring. Teaching on the bridging course and learning from students like Cenia fills me with hope and pride. It is proof of the transformational power of education and a constant reminder that, with the right opportunities, all things are possible in life.”

For more about the course, From Adversity to University, visit:

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Professor Sam Blacker will deliver his inaugural lecture on ‘Optimising Health and Performance in Physically Demanding Occupations’ at the ������Ƶ on Wednesday, 15 May.

People working in the armed forces and emergency services have physically demanding jobs, and Professor Sam Blacker has more than 20 years’ experience conducting research to improve health and performance in these sorts of roles.

He has worked in industry and academia and is currently the co-lead of the Occupational Performance Research Group at the ������Ƶ, which conducts research for defence, emergency services and industry customers in the UK and overseas.

This inaugural lecture will summarise research which has informed evidence-based interventions and changes to policy and practice for the safe and effective selection, training and work practices of people employed in physically demanding occupations.

Sam is a Professor of Exercise Physiology and Nutrition at the ������Ƶ, which he joined in 2013, having spent the previous 12 years working for Optimal Performance Limited, a company delivering research and consultancy to enhance performance, improve health and reduce injury in physically demanding jobs.

The lecture will be held in Cloisters Chamber at the Bishop Otter Campus on 15 May from 6.30pm until 7.30pm. Refreshments will be available from 6pm.

All are welcome to attend the event at the ������Ƶ, .

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Global opportunities are on offer for students to teach overseas after completing a teaching degree; Thailand, Kuwait and Spain are just some of the far-flung destinations where recent ������Ƶ graduates are teaching abroad. Now alumni have shared their stories to encourage potential students to consider either an undergraduate or PGCE course.

Scott Cooper is a final-year student at the ������Ƶ who will be heading to Bangkok to teach after graduation this summer. He said: “I am thrilled to embark on this exciting new chapter as a newly qualified teacher, alongside my wife, in the vibrant city of Bangkok. The support and guidance I received from my university throughout my three years on the primary teaching course have been invaluable in preparing me for this incredible opportunity. I am grateful for the knowledge and skills they have imparted, which have equipped me to make a positive impact on the lives of my future students. Thank you UOC!”

Charlotte LeCornu successfully completed a placement in New York during her teaching degree, which encouraged her to follow her dreams and teach abroad in Thailand. She said: “From the halls of ������Ƶ to the streets of Bangkok, and soon to Milan, my journey has been proof of the power of teaching abroad. Teaching abroad has been about more than just academic life – it’s been about immersing myself in new cultures, exploring new countries, meeting diverse individuals, and evolving as both a person and a teacher.

“My decision to work abroad was fuelled by a wish to explore and a desire to grow. Though the adjustment wasn’t without its challenges, the experiences in Southeast Asia have been priceless and every encounter has enriched me, both as an individual and as an educator. Now, as I look forward to my next adventure in Europe, I carry with me the invaluable lessons and memories from my time at the ������Ƶ and those I’ve had abroad.”

Other teaching alumni include Tawny Barden who decided to spend a year working in Spain to improve her language skills before pursuing a teaching career. Tawny said: “I chose to take part in the British Council Language Assistant Program following my ������Ƶ PGCE in Secondary Modern Foreign Languages which took me to Granada, Spain. I wanted to experience the teaching role in another country before deciding if I wanted to work in Europe as a language teacher. I intend to explore roles in British and International Schools in Spain in the near future after completing my training.”

The University is committed to ensuring students are equipped to make a difference to the lives of children and young people in the UK and beyond. In recent years, new courses such as the BA (Hons) International Education have been launched giving students the opportunity to learn about education issues globally. And students on many of our programmes have the opportunity to study and teach abroad.

Chris Shelton, Co-Director of the Institute of Education and Social Sciences said: “A teaching degree open the doors to global possibilities to teach abroad. Many of our former students now teach around the world in international schools in locations as varied as Thailand and Kuwait. One of our current students is heading to Bangkok once he graduates, which demonstrates just how far a ������Ƶ teaching qualification can take you. We are also excited to be introducing a new International PGCE course from September this year.”

The University will offer a new International PGCE (iPGCE) from September 2024 aimed at overseas students. The new qualification, which will allow students to gain internationally-recognised Qualified Teacher Status, will be taught by highly experienced expert tutors at a TEF gold-rated university with over 180 years’ experience in teacher education.

In addition, the university continues to work with a large number of qualified international teachers through programmes such as the MA Education (online) or our international short courses.

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The rowing team from Lessons from a Boat visited the ������Ƶ’s Sport Performance and Rehabilitation Unit (SPRU) recently to gain valuable insights into their physiological profiling ahead of their gruelling race across the Atlantic.

Jon Wilburn, Steve Potter, Jason Howard and Dan Dicker are preparing for the World’s Toughest Row, a 3,000-mile race across the Atlantic Ocean which could take around 50 days starting in December 2024.

The team aim to raise more than £200,000 for Diabetes UK, The Last Straw and Cancer Research UK by rowing the Atlantic in the world’s most sustainable rowing boat.

As part of their training, the rowers visited the ������Ƶ campus on 5 April to use the specialist facilities, including the Cosmed Q-NRG metabolic analyser which provides accurate measurements of users’ metabolic rate.

Jason said the team could be rowing for 40 to 50 days, and the tests would help them to ‘get the balance right’ when it comes to training and nutrition.

Jon added: “We have got to meet certain criteria for the World’s Toughest Row. It’s understanding a bit more what we going to need; it’s not just packs of sandwiches. It gives some credibility to what we’re doing.”

Steve, who completed a Sports Studies degree at the ������Ƶ’s former incarnation, the West Sussex Institute of Higher Education, in 1992, said: “What we want from it is hopefully a physical, psychological and nutritional programme.

“And students here who are doing a Masters or PhD, we putting our hands up and saying ‘we’re a bunch of old blokes, if you want to use our data, then by all means do.’”

Dr Andy West, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology, said: “The World’s Toughest Row is an extremely demanding physical challenge. The crew will be rowing for somewhere between eight and 18 hours per day in a continuous two to three hour on/off pattern expending between 5,000 and 7,000 calories per day.

“Previous event competitors have reported substantial body mass losses of up to 10% as a result of a sustained imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. All these factors combined can have important performance and potential health implications. As such, members of staff and students from the Institute of Applied Sciences are working with the crew now to ensure they are in the best physical condition when they set off for Antigua.”

To find out more about the Sport Performance and Rehabilitation Unit, visit: www.chi.ac.uk/collaborate/business-and-employers/access-to-expertise/sport-expertise/sports-performance-and-rehabilitation/

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