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Lincoln’s Battles and Dynasties Exhibition
By Dr Andrew Jackson, Historian, Bishop Grosseteste University In a room in The Collection in Lincoln is to be found a quite extraordinary set of historical documents and artefacts. It is a collection of a status and importance that very few of us will have the fortune to encounter in our lifetimes. The leading ‘curtain opener’ to the exhibition is the story of the Battle of Lincoln of 1217. Much has been said over the last few months about that bloody fight, which took place between the walls of the castle and cathedral on 20 May, 800 years ago. The tale of the conflict in that year is a complex one, but easily and compellingly followed through The Collection’s displays and artefacts. The story of Lincoln in 1217 features its heroes and heroines, including the ‘man of the hour’, William Marshall, and the ‘woman of the hour’, Nichola de la Haye, Constable of Lincoln Castle. It is an episode that has passed quietly into history, just one of those many events, if a slightly more fraught one, that are a part of the chronicle of the life of the nation. The Battle of Lincoln, for political significance, was the most important military encounter after the Battle of Hastings, two hundred years earlier. If the French and their English allies had won in 1217, then that year would undoubtedly have found equal place in our popular historical memory alongside 1066. Few contests rival its importance and impact in later times: Bosworth and Naseby perhaps; the Boyne or Culloden; and then, of course, the combat that took place in the skies above our heads through the long and critical summer of 1940. After the account of the Battle of Lincoln, the exhibition charts the stories of Royal and aristocratic dynasties, and how they intertwine along with battles and other celebrated or notorious events through our history. Some of the documents are especially poignant. There is Henry VIII’s letter to the people of Lincolnshire in 1536, describing them as ‘rude’, and the county as the ‘most brute and beestelie of the hole realme’. There are the documents that, respectively, condemned Catherine Howard and Mary Queen of Scots to the executioner’s block. There is a letter to Charles II on ‘that monster Cromwell’, who ‘everie night…drinks himself drunke to sleep and forgets his fears’. The twentieth century is arrived at finally; and, from that time, can be read one of the most shock-reverberating announcements in our past: ‘After long and anxious consideration, I have determined to renounce the throne to which I succeeded on the death of My father, and I am now communicating this, My final and irrevocable decision’. So concluded Edward VIII, in his letter of abdication of 10 December 1936. Whatever your historical interests, it is a collection that will leave you rather weak at the knees. Faced by such documents, even the most sceptical will find it hard not to feel moved, and share some sense of wonder at the marvellous, if often messy, history that is Britain’s. If what is to be encountered at The Collection is not high enough in significance, then at the Castle there are also to be viewed the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest, alongside the Domesday Book. Across city museums are at present some of the most precious and exceptional documents in our history. Each one you may have the opportunity to view just once in your life. To see them here together in small groups, and even more so as a whole gathering, is an experience that will never happen again in our lifetimes. >Bishop Grosseteste University is a sponsor of the Battles and Dynasties Exhibition. The exhibition lasts until 3 September 2017. Dr Andrew Jackson admiring a miniature portrait of Queen Elizabeth I from the Portland Collection -
Talking Trans on the agenda as BGU lecturer speaks at Literary Festival
Lyndsay Muir, Senior Lecturer in Drama Education at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln, will be speaking at two events over the next week. On Wednesday 18 October Lyndsay is taking part in ‘Beyond the Binary: Stories from Trans and non-binary people’ at the University of Dundee’s Literary Festival. Lyndsay is a member of the National Theatre of Scotland’s Adam World Choir; a digital community of transgender and non-binary people around the globe. Together with the Mental Health Foundation and Freight Books, they are creating a new book of first-person accounts by transgender and non-binary people worldwide. The book, which aims to increase understanding and acceptance, and empower others to share their own stories, will be discussed at the event. As well as reading an extract from her own autobiographical contribution to the book, Lyndsay will help to facilitate informal conversations with people at the festival. Lyndsay is also taking part in ‘Interdisciplinarity as Resistance: A seminar and roundtable with Elisabeth Lebovici’ at Manchester University on Friday 13 October. Elisabeth Lebovici is a French art historian who is visiting Manchester for a two-day event. Lyndsay will be part of the panel of four experts at the roundtable discussion. Lyndsay said, “It's a great privilege to have been selected as a panel member for the round table discussion with Elizabeth Lebovici, whose work crosses boundaries between academic scholarship, artistic practices and politics.” -
Celebrating Frankenstein’s anniversary at The Venue
The Venue and Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln are working in partnership to celebrate the bicentenary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The Venue, BGU’s on-campus cinema, will be hosting two special events in 2018 to mark 200 years since the novel was first published in January 1818. The first event, ‘Frankenstein for Adults’, takes place on Wednesday 31 January and features a back-to-back screening of two classic movies with a panel discussion. John Whale’s 1931 feature film Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff will be shown in The Venue before Kenneth Branagh’s 1994 adaptation Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The panel discussion to conclude the evening will feature Sibylle Erle, Reader in English Literature at BGU, Marc Hanheide, Reader in Computer Science at the University of Lincoln and John Rimmer, Senior Lecturer in PGCE Secondary, Art and Design at BGU. The discussion will explore the differences between the films and the text and attempt to understand how the representation of ‘the Monstrous’ has changed over time. Frankenstein wanted to create a new species but could never imagine the consequences. The panel will also explore how science and technology have improved our lives. The second event, ‘Frankenstein for Children’, takes place on Saturday 3 February 2018. This event combines a showing of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie with a craft workshop. The workshop will invite children to explore the humorous side of Frankenstein while having fun making monsters. The workshop will be run by Andrew Dickenson, Senior Lecturer, Leader of New Technologies and Computing, horror fan and genre researcher at BGU, and Sibylle Erle, Reader in English Literature at BGU. Booking is now open for both events on The Venue’s website. -
Royal Geographical Society Teaching Scholarships Open To New Applicants
Are you an aspiring geography teacher looking to bring your subject to life for the next generation of students? To help them to travel and learn about the world around them, all without leaving the classroom? If so, be sure to get your application in for the prestigious Royal Geographical Society Geography Teacher Training Scholarships. In addition to £28,000 tax-free funding the scholarships offer successful candidates: Free training events on key subjects and residential fieldwork Access to the Royal Geographical Society Library and teaching resources Networking opportunities and other support to complement your teacher training course Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society. Two current Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) PGCE students, Harriet Lee and Joel Stockton, were successfully awarded scholarships last year and said they would recommend them to anyone considering applying: “The application and interview process is intense, but the training and resources available to you once you pass make it completely worthwhile”. To be eligible you must have secured an ITT training place allocated by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), which leads to qualified teacher status (QTS) by September 2019 and they must have a 2:1 (or predicted) degree. Candidates with a 2:2 (or predicted) may be considered if they can demonstrate significant subject knowledge. If you are still considering your PGCE options, look no further than BGU. With over 150 years of teaching training experience and high quality courses, there are few institutions better suited to prepare you for a career in teaching. You can find out more about our PGCE courses here. Once you have your PGCE place confirmed you can submit your scholarship application through the Royal Geographical Society. The deadline for completed applications is 1 July 2018. For any questions on the scholarships or our PGCE courses contact Steve Puttick (Head of Programmes: Secondary, FE, and Research Education at BGU). -
Historian Tracy Borman Joins BGU for an Evening of Elizabethan Exploration
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are delighted to welcome Tracy Borman (www.tracyborman.co.uk), renowned historian, Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust and Joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, back to Lincoln on Thursday 31 May 2018 for an evening delving deep into the riveting politics of Elizabeth I and her court. ‘Elizabeth’s Women: The hidden story of the Virgin Queen’ will explore the fascinating relationships that Elizabeth I had with the women who influenced her most. From her scandalous mother, Anne Boleyn, to her greatest rival, Mary Queen of Scots, and the ‘flouting wenches’ who served her at court, they all show Elizabeth in a surprising new light. Born and raised just outside of Lincoln, Tracey Borman is widely recognised as an expert on Tudor history with a collection of best-selling books and celebrated TV series. Her knowledge of Elizabethan England will undoubtedly ensure a compelling discussion on one of England’s most captivating monarchs. The event will start at 7.30pm and tickets for this unmissable evening are £7.50, for further details please contact the University Events Office on 01522 585635 or email events@bishopg.ac.uk. All funds raised at this event will go to the BGU Foundation Fund – enhancing the student experience and making a difference to other people’s lives. -
A Raucous Evening of Living History at BGU
Following the success of the sell-out ‘Sex and the Tudors’ event, the world renowned Lesley Smith (curator of Tutbury Castle) returns to The Venue at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) on Thursday 12 April to bring another of history’s risqué characters to life; the always indomitable and often scandalous Nell Gwynne. For many people all Nell Gwynne is known for is being the mistress of Charles II (as well as a successful orange seller). Lesley’s show aims to shed a new light on the real Nell Gwynne, a courageous victory for English womanhood who prevailed against all the odds to become a star of the London stage and beloved of the King of England. ‘An Evening with Mistress Nell Gwynne’ will not only give you the chance to meet the pretty, witty Nell in fantastic costume but also to laugh and cry with her as she shares her fascinating and titillating life with you. The evening will start at 7.30pm with tickets at £7.50. For further information contact Daisy Wedge on 01522 585635 or email events@bishopg.ac.uk. This event is strictly for over 16’s only as any who know something of Nell Gwynne’s history will understand! To book tickets please click here. All funds raised at this event will go to the BGU Foundation Fund – enhancing the student experience and making a difference to other people’s lives. -
BG Futures Football Networking
Staff from BG Futures, BG Futures tenants, Teenage Market traders, and students from BGU's Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course came together to watch Lincoln City Football Club v Cheltenham at Sincil Bank last month. The event on 13 February 2018, which was made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Lincolnshire based firm Pilgrim Foodservice and the commercial team at Lincoln City, saw over 50 individuals brave the cold for some informal business networking! The BG Futures team holds regular networking events for both BG Futures tenants and students and we would love to see some new faces at our future events. If you would like to come and join us then please email cassie.rainey@bishopg.ac.uk and we will add you to our mailing list. -
BGU Students Forge International Connections in Finland
A delegation of Business (Team Entrepreneurship) students from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) travelled to Finland last month to meet with fellow entrepreneurs from across the globe. Members of Kinetic BGU Ltd., the company run by BGU students as part of their course, began their visit with a two day workshop in Tampere with Proakatemia, a local Team Academy. In addition to presenting their projects to each other the two teams shared business advice and solutions before examining the potential for joint ventures in the future. As a result one such venture has already been put in motion and BGU student Max Bouer will begin working alongside members of Proakatemia to organise international events for students in the coming months. Following the workshop the trip culminated in a ‘Team 4 Learning’ event, which celebrated 25 year of the Team Academy Initiative. Held in the city of Jyvaskyla, the birth place of the Team Academy Initiative, the event offered an opportunity for international networking with team academies from across the globe in attendance. Beth Tidswell, Director of Kinetic BGU, heralded the trip as an immense success: “Our time in Finland was an amazing experience that is already having a positive impact on our work here at BGU. Not only did we get to surround ourselves with new ideas and information, we’ve also been asked to consult with teams in Germany who are looking to set up their own programmes like ours.” Since becoming a part of the BGU degree portfolio, the Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course has become well regarded and BGU are delighted to have been asked to host the next international Team 4 Learning meeting in 2019. You can find out more about our Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
BGU Students Recognised at BG Futures Employability Awards
Hardworking students were celebrated at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) on Thursday at the annual BG Futures Employability Awards. Designed to encourage students to branch out and widen their skill sets and experiences ahead of joining the work force; the Employability Award is given to those involved in extra-curricular activities while undertaking courses at BGU. Students can accrue points that decide their award level based on: Volunteering activities Attending business networking events Taking part in Employability workshops Creating a piece of written work reflecting on techniques to improve employability 12 students received the award this year; Emma Stanbridge, a final year English Literature student who passed with distinction, explained why she felt working towards the award was so important: “I felt it was really important to engage with every opportunity BGU had to offer. Working towards the Employability Award has not only helped me to articulate my employability skills, it has also given me a chance to apply them in professional contexts which is incredibly beneficial as I head to the end of my degree” Presenting the awards, Dr Rob Boast, Executive Dean Learning, Teaching & Student Engagement (blog.bishopg.ac.uk/blog/new-executive-dean), was keen to impress both his own and the University’s understanding of the hard work carried out by the students: “This award recognises a level of dedication and commitment above and beyond what is expected at degree level. It is an honour to be part of this event celebrating an inspirational group of students”. For more information on the exciting range of opportunities on offer at BGU, visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team. Bishop Grosseteste University is committed to supporting business and enterprise both within the institution and in the wider community. The BG Futures building is a 15 unit business and enterprise hub with 3 state-of-the-art conference rooms created to house emerging and start-up businesses. If being your own boss and owner of a company is something that you are seriously interested in or are looking for facilities for your existing enterprise, the Business Development Office is available to provide support. -
BGU Sports Students Run Tag Rugby ‘Megafest’ Alongside the RFU
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) students worked alongside the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and a number of Lincolnshire schools to put on a Tag Rugby ‘Megafest’ for 200 primary school pupils from across the county. Run by BGU Sport, Coaching & Physical Education students with organisational support from Jenny Elsom (Priory City of Lincoln Academy & BGU graduate) and Michelle Mamby (Pembroke Priory - School Games Organiser with the Youth Sport Trust) the all-day event offered skills workshops in the morning followed by competitive games in the afternoon. Both sessions were designed to not only get children active and engaged in sport, but also to build wider skills in including team work and communication. Seb Adams, a 2nd year Sport, Coaching & Physical Education student currently on a Sport Promotion & Leadership placement with the RFU, explained why offering such events for children was an important aspect of their course: “Children can lose opportunities to experience new sports as they reach secondary school. To be able to offer them a chance to take part and have fun with rugby surrounded by expert coaches is fantastic for both their mental and physical development.” BGU works alongside a number of sporting organisations as a part of the Sport, Coaching and Physical Education course including the RFU who are directly involved in the practical delivery of the rugby coaching modules. David Cotton-Betteridge, Community Rugby Coach for England Rugby, has been working with the BGU sports students as part of the Young Ambassador Programme which targets potential coaches. He was pleased to see the students bringing the sport to a new generation of players: “It’s been great to work on this event with the student coaches here at BGU. The Megafest is a fantastic opportunity for children to experience and most importantly enjoy rugby, the day was a great success and we’re already looking forward to next year”. If you are interested in pursuing a future in sports education and coaching you can find more information about Sport courses at BGU on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team.
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