getinvolvedatwww. ntualumni. org. uk25 AmbitiousplanshavebeenunveiledtotransformBrackenhurstfurtherstilltohelpgalvanisetherural economy. NTUisnowseekingsupporttogeneratemostvaluefromitsowninvestmentinthecampus. TheChelseasuccesswasatriumphfor NTUlecturerSueHayward, whohappensto beanalumna, havingprogressedfromthe NationalCertificateofHorticulturetoa FoundationDegreeandthentheBSc ( Hons) LandscapeandHeritage. Sue, who ledtheteamofstaffandstudentscreating thegarden, said:" Wewereallabsolutely overthemoonatbeingawardedgold." AnoriginalShetlandcroftfaçadeshowed howgardenscanbeshieldedfromthewind. Wallsweretoppedwithturftoprotect againstweathererosion, thegardenpath comprisedstonewasheduponbeaches andthefencewasmadeofdriftwood. Awalkingstickagainstthewallunderlined theinspirationfortheshowgarden: Motor NeuroneDiseaseAssociationco- founder MartinAndersonMBEsuggestedtheidea. Thewinwasalsocelebratedbylecturer CarolineThomaswhojoinedBrackenhurst asastudent19yearsagoandtookseveral coursesbeforetrainingasateacherand joiningthestaff. Thisyearshetoppedup herRHSDiplomawithaBSc( Hons) EnvironmentDesignandManagement. Shemadeamajorcontributiontothe projectbybringingonorholdingbackthe plantssotheywereinperfectconditionfor theshow." Itwasn'teasy, withtheplants beingusedtogrowingsomuchfurtherup north- butitwaswellworthit," shesaid. Swappingshotsforplots Adramaticcareerchangelentanexciting newfocustothelifeofphotographerAndy Tudbury( FdScHorticulture2006)- andnow heiswinningplauditsforgardendesign. EnrollingonacourseatNTUattheage of43wasarealturningpointforAndy, who hadbeenaphotographerfor25yearsbut hadalwaysenjoyedgardeningasahobby. " Itwasanaturalprogression- bothtrades arecentredaroundtheneedtounderstand composition," hesays." Buttosucceedin suchacareerchangeyouneedtohave faithinyourself, acceptitwillbetoughand bepreparedtomakesacrifices. Forme, itwouldhavebeenmuchmoredifficult withoutthehelpIhadfromBrackenhurst." ThegamblehaspaidoffforAndy, who nowrunsHalcyonDaysGardenDesignand whoseworkhasevenwonroyalattention. Ex- photographerAndyTudburyisnowpresenting justtherightimageingardendesign Brackenhurstcampusisthesettingforawhole rangeofinitiativestoboosttheruraleconomy Professionalcoursesforthefoodindustryarea vitalingredientinfutureplans Thisyear'ssuccessstorybeganwhenhe wona£ 5,000grantintheNS& IGrowing GardensTodaycompetitiontodevisea creativespaceforgrowingvegetables. Hisideaswentonshowinthe' growyour own'areaofBBCGardener'sWorldLive andearnedhimanRHSKnightianMedal. WhenhereworkedhisdesignfortheRoyal SandringhamShow, Andywasdelightedto receiveanotherbronzemedalaswellasthe royalsealofapprovalfromPrinceCharles-plusapersonalinvitationtoHighgrove! " Itwasacareerhighlight. PrinceCharles spentovertenminuteschattingtomeand wasverypositive," saidAndy. Nowheisinvitedtoreturntobothshows nextyearandisseekingasponsortohelp himpresenthisconceptsonagranderscale. Hedescribestheshowgardenssofaras " indulgencestoexperimentwithnewideas andpushtheboundaries". Itis, however, hisworkforclientsthatreallyenthuseshim. Hesays:" Thegreatthingaboutbeinga gardendesigneristhatyouareworking withclientstoprovidethemwithafinancial andspiritualassetthatwillgrowforyears tocome." Libraryplanspeaksvolumes Developmentofanewspecialistlibraryand ITsuiteformsthecornerstoneofproposals toenhancethelearningenvironment. Thiswillbringvitallyneededimprovements, extraspaceandstate- of- the- artresourcesat atimewhentheSchool'scoursesare growinginpopularity: inrecentyearsthe campuspopulationhasmorethandoubled toaround1,000fullandpart- timestudents. Boostforruralbusiness Reflectingthedrivetore- invigoratetherural economy, Brackenhurstisextendingits servicestoruralbusinesses. ARural KnowledgeandEnterpriseCentreisbeing establishedtoprovideaone- stop- shopfor support, trainingandnetworking opportunities. Ruralenterpriseswillbenefit frompracticalcoursesinareaslikebusiness planningandmarkettesting. Centresofattention Ambitiousplanshavebeendrawnupfor anewCentreforFarming, Foodandthe EnvironmenttohousecoursesuptoPhD levelinareaslikeagriculture, food production, geography, countryside managementandhorticulture. Theaimis todevelopthecentreonsustainability principles, withabiogasconverterfor renewableenergyproduction. AlumnisupportcanhelptoturnthisvisionforthefutureofBrackenhurstintoreality. Afundraisingcampaignhasbeenlaunched andanewbrochuredetailingsomeoftheproposals- andhowalumnicancontributetohelpenrichthelivesofcountlessstudents-isnowavailablefromtheDevelopmentandAlumniRelationsOffice. Call+ 44( 0) 1158488775oremail: alumni@ ntu. ac. uk

networkNTUpeople 26getinvolvedatwww. ntualumni. org. uk ExcitingchapterforSue NTU'sDirectorofLibrariesandKnowledge Resources, ProfessorSueMcKnight, haswon nationalrecognitionforherworkto enhancethestudentlearningexperience. Suehasbeenawardedacoveted NationalTeachingFellowshipfromthe HigherEducationAcademyunderascheme whichcelebratesexcellenceinhigher education. Winnersreceive£ 10,000 towardstheirpersonalandprofessional developmentinlearningandteaching. Sue, whobecameNTU'sfirstProfessorof KnowledgeandLearningManagementthis year, said:" Whilethisisanindividualaward, Ihavewonderfulstaffwhoreallycareabout thestudentexperience, soitreflects positivelyonthewholeteam." Annadvanceshercareer AlumnaAnnAllen, whohashelpedNTU gainanationalprofileforcareereducation andguidance, isthenewAssociateDeanof theSchoolofSocialSciences. Ann( néeClarke) completedaDiplomain CareersGuidanceatTrentPolytechnicin 1980. Havingworkedinvariouscareers advisoryroles, shereturnedtothe Universityasaseniorlecturerin1993. Inher15yearsatNTU, sheledthe Diplomacoursefromwhichsheherselfhad qualified, beforesteeringthedevelopment ofthecurrentQualificationinCareers Guidanceaspartofanationalpilot. Shesaid:" I'mdelightedtohavebecome Movingup, movingon Top: SueMcKnight, recipientofaNationalTeachingFellowship Above:( lefttoright): NewAssociateDeanAnnAllenandlong- servingmembersofstaffColinYarwoodandBrendaSparkeswhohavebothjustretired AssociateDeanattheinstitutionwhich helpedmedevelopmyownskillsand knowledge. Inmynewrole, Ihopetobuild ontheSchool'sexcellentworkinoffering thesamehigh- qualitylearningexperience topresentandfuturestudents." Surveyingstalwartbowsout ColinYarwood, whohelpedhundredsof surveyingstudentstocareersuccess, has retiredafter18yearsatNTU. Heiswell knowntoalumninotonlythroughhisrole asalecturerbutalsoviahiscontributionas placementtutor, professionaltrainingtutor andthenplacementmanager. Heisalsoanalumnus, havinggaineda PGCHEandanMAduringhistimewithus. Hesaid:" Ithasbeenanenjoyable18 years, especiallyasIoriginallyonlyplanned tostayforayear'ssabbatical! Itgavemea chancetopassonwhatIcouldintheway ofskillstoanothergenerationofsurveyors. " Myinvolvementwithplacementsgave meacontinuingcontactwithsurveying friendsoldandnew, inpracticesintheUK andmuchfurtherafield. " Itisalsowithimmensesatisfactionthat I'veseenmyideaofplacingsurveying studentsinotherEuropeanlandsfortheir sandwichyeardeveloptosuchanextent thattherearemanyNTUalumnipractising abroadascharteredsurveyorstoday." Nowaconsultant, Colinisproudtoreport thatanumberofalumniinleadingrolesin theprofessionhaveaskedhimforhelpin recruitinggraduatesandsandwichstudents. Headded:" SoImaywellstillbeseen aroundNTU, albeitwearingadifferenthat!" Pioneeringroleinknitweardesign BrendaSparkes, whodevotedmuchofher careertodevelopingNTU'suniqueknitwear designprovision, hassaidafondfarewell after35yearsattheUniversity. SheoriginallyjoinedTrentPolytechnicin theearly1970sasapart- timelecturer, goingfull- timein1974andthenbecoming partofthedynamicteamwhichpioneered thefashionknitweardesigncourse. Shetookoverascourseleaderin1990 andtenyearslatermovedontoruntheMA beforebeingappointedAcademicTeam LeaderforFashionMarketing, Management andCommunicationthreeyearsago. ShetakesgreatprideinNTU'sexcellent internationalreputationforfashion knitweardesign." Theindustryknowswe producehighlycreativeprofessionalswho havetheirfeetonthegroundandare, aboveall, nicetoworkwith," shesaid. AfteratriptoSingaporeandBali, Brenda hasplansto" dosomethingcreative" and promisesshewillneverbebored. Alumnifromgraduationyearsdating backtothatofthefirstknitweardesign cohortin1978attendedherfarewellparty. Brendaconcluded:" It'sbeenaprivilegeto workwithsuchfantasticcolleaguesand students. Therehavebeenenormous changesontheway, butI'mpleasedtosay I'vemanagedtoremainsane!"