THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
THE SUSS-EX CLUB
FORMER STAFF NEWSLETTER NO. 2
JULY 2006
Welcome to this second edition of the newsletter of our association for former Sussex staff - now to be known as the Suss-Ex Club. That decision was made by the Steering Group, acting as an interim committee, chaired by former Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Gordon Conway.
This currently comprises:
Gordon Conway (Chairman), Bob Benewick, David Betts, Valerie Cromwell, Mike English,
Jackie Fuller, Christine Glasson, Charles Goldie, Kenny Kenefick, Willie Lamont, Mike Land, Steve Pavey, Adrian Peasgood, Jennifer Platt and Ken Wheeler
The Steering Group is supported by Richard Price (Staff Welfare Officer) and the Development & Alumni Relations Office (Dominic Tickell Director, Marina Pedreira-Vilarino Deputy Director, and Roger Walkinton)
The aim is to wind the Group up and replace it by some more formal and democratically composed committee structure when further progress has been made in contacting potential members and getting initial activities launched.
The Club is open to all former staff of the University, whether they left before retirement or have retired, and whether their posts were academic, manual, technical or clerical. Please check with all former colleagues with whom you are still in touch that they are on the circulation list for this newsletter. If they are not, but would like to be, please ask them to contact the Development & Alumni Relations Office, Bramber House, Falmer BN1 9QU who will be happy to add their names and addresses (postal and email) to the list.
MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION
In order to give the Club some working funds, the Steering Group proposes that an annual subscription be levied, probably initially of £10 per member (and with provision for partners).
That would pay for mailings and other running expenses, and also enable the Club to hold the occasional activity such as a Christmas party at no further charge for members.
However, that will not come into action until the lists of potential members are fuller, and activities have developed and it is clearer what members would like to do.
PROPOSED SUSS-EX CLUB ACTIVITIES:
The Steering Group is planning an initial programme of events and activities, but many other possibilities could emerge; it is up to the members to propose activities they would be interested in and to volunteer to help organise them, pass on names of useful contacts, etc. A so far very tentative programme for the next few months may look like this:
2006
week of 18 Sept Brighton Theatre Royal Alan Bennetts Habeas Corpus
[see page 5 for urgent form]
October Gym activity [see page 6]
?Oct/Nov talk by Gordon Conway on Life after Sussex Philanthropy and the Civil Service possibly held informally in IDS
?Nov Dinner in Sussex?
late Nov/Dec Christmas party
2007
?May Visit to Chartwell or Wakehurst Place
?Summer Wildlife or historical guided walk on the Downs
?Nov Dinner with speaker at the House of Lords
Please indicate your likely interest on the form attached, so that we can assess whether or not to run them, and so that you can be contacted when arrangements become firmer.
OTHER BENEFITS:
In addition to this programme of events and activities, it has been arranged that Suss-Ex Club members will also:
· Receive Falmer (the alumni magazine, twice a year by post).
· Receive Sussex lectures leaflet (three times a year by post).
· Receive a former-staff newsletter by email.
· Have access to a special page on the Sussex website.
· Have access to alumni/staff benefits (www.sussex.ac.uk/alumni/benefits)
VOLUNTEERS WANTED: ARCHIVE WORK IN LIBRARY
Do you have about a day a week to help us in the University of Sussex archives? We need 1 or 2 people who would be able to commit some time on a regular basis to sort and list papers relating to the early days of the University.
In the first instance, we would like volunteers to assist in the production of a database of all interviews already done with former University staff. This would include details about copyright, access, privacy, description of content, key words and biographical details. The information would provide a good basis for developing an oral history project, identifying key interviewees and planning further interviews.
More long term archival projects might include: indexing of the University's photographic collection, sorting the papers of the first VC, working through the published material (guides, prospectuses, reports, student newspapers) checking for gaps and duplications.
We are experienced users of volunteer help in Special Collections and volunteers would join a friendly and supportive team. Familiarity with the Universitys history is a key asset but it would also be useful to have basic database and word processing skills although advice and supervision would be provided.
If you are interested please contact either
Dorothy Sheridan
tel. 01273 877831
or
Fiona Courage
Tel 01273 877911
ALUMNI HOST SCHEME
Would you host an international student?
The Alumni Host Scheme is a joint venture between the Development and Alumni Relations Office and the International and Study Abroad Office. The scheme, launched in 2004, brings together international students and members of the local alumni community in order to help the former become more immersed in British life, promote cultural exchange and enable friendships to develop.
The scheme has proven so successful among both students and alumni that we are now welcoming current and former members of staff, as well as alumni from the London area, to take part in it.
To find out more information about the Alumni Host Scheme or to sign up to become a host, please visit: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/alumni/pages/host_scheme_info.html
THE SUSS-EX CLUB 2006-7
Please indicate your likely interest in any of the activities suggested below.
NAME
ACTIVITIES:
|
|
Theatre trips |
|
|
Gym |
|
|
Gordon Conway and similar talks |
|
|
Christmas Party |
|
|
Dinners with speakers |
|
|
Stately home/garden visits |
|
|
Historical/wildlife/architectural walks |
|
|
Pub Quizzes |
|
|
Greyhound racing |
|
|
Horse racing |
Any other suggestions? Offers of organisational help?
If you know of anyone who you believe has not yet been contacted about the Suss-Ex Club and who qualifies, please ask them also to complete this form, also giving their name and address below.
NAME
ADDRESS .
.
Email .
Telephone
Role/dates (approx) at University .
Please return this form to the Development & Alumni Relations Office, University of Sussex, Bramber House, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QU or email r.e.walkinton@sussex.ac.uk
Theatre trip?
Alan Bennetts Habeas Corpus (actionpacked comedy set in Brighton ) is on at the Theatre Royal in the week starting Sept. 18; would you be interested in joining a Suss Ex party to see it? We can get a group reduction on the price of tickets for Monday to Thursday if at least ten people want to go. With the reduction, goodish seats would cost £19 each for evening (£14 for matinee), and those are suggested because the next cheapest are only £2 less and start at the rear of the second circle.
A booking will need to be made very soon to ensure that tickets are available; your money then has to be sent in time for the total bill to be paid by Aug. 18th. If interested, please let me know at once (by e mail to j.platt@sussex.ac.uk), using the table below: just delete OK for any days when you would not be free, number those when you are free in order of preference, and put in the number of tickets wanted.
|
|
Mon Sep 18 |
Tues Sep 19 |
Weds Sep 20 |
Thurs 2.30 matinee |
Thurs 7.45 |
|
|
OK |
OK |
OK |
OK |
OK |
|
Preference? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
How many? |
|
|
|
|
|
Name
Address .
Email and telephone ..
On the basis of replies received by July 12, I will make a booking for the time most preferred, ask those who are coming to send me a cheque, and give you details of the practical arrangements. I will also notify any whose times could not be covered. Of course if it does not work out so that any booking can be made I will inform everyone.
Please indicate if you would also be interested to have a pre-theatre meal, possibly at the Strand restaurant next door to the theatre YES / NO
Jennifer Platt.
Keep fit, look good? Gym possibilities
Two possible activities have been tentatively arranged with SussexSport for this autumn:
To attend the induction class, you have to have signed up for a years membership, which costs us £18.50; that then entitles you to use the Fitness Room at a charge of £2.20 per session. The exercise class would probably cost £3.50 per session.
Those rates are the ones for retired staff; in order to receive them, you need to have a university ID card. If you do not have one, Personnel tell me that you can get one by asking for it at the Reprographic unit in the Hastings Building, which is open 9.30-1 and 2-4.30; if you have an old card, ring Keith Hunt on x 3278 to ask about using that.
If you are interested in either of these activities, please fill in the slip below, ticking the appropriate box(es), and return it as soon as possible to j.platt@sussex.ac.uk. (If you have any comments or constraints, please note those.) I will let those interested in the exercise class know the outcome as soon as I can; the induction can wait until September.
|
I would like to attend a Fitness Room induction class in September
|
|
|
I would like to attend an exercise class in the autumn term.
|
|
Name..........................................................................................................................................
Address......................................................................................................................................
Jennifer Platt