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Break from study
We know there are times when you may need to take a break in study due to changing personal circumstances. This can be for a variety of reasons and can be a worrying time. However, we are here to support you. If you are thinking about taking some time out, we hope the information below will answer some of your queries. Need more help? Please email thehub@bishopg.ac.uk and we will triage your query to the appropriate team. -
Petition to reinstate Kate Greenaway's name on award gathers pace
A petition to reinstate Kate Greenaway's name in the literary award which bore her name for decades is gathering pace. Created by BGU Librarian and History Lecturer Rose Roberto and illustrator and bookseller Tamsin Rosewell, it has received backing from a range of illustrators and writers including Patrick Ness, Candy Gourlay, Philip Pullman, and Frank Cottrell-Boyce. According to the organisers: "The Kate Greenaway Medal is the oldest British literary award focused on illustration. It remains one of very few that highlights the contribution of illustrators and actively promotes the importance of their work. Kate Greenaway’s own work is a hugely important part of the heritage of the British Book Industry; she remains an influence on illustrators today and should also be recognised as one of Britain’s great female artists. In an age when illustrators' names are still very often left off promotion and reviews for books, we feel it is vital to retain her name in association with this award." In 2023, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) which runs the awards renamed The Greenaway Medal as The Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration. The organisers describe this as "branding expediency" and argue that "The name of an accomplished woman, whose work is directly relevant to the award, has been removed and replaced with that of a male industrialist and a sponsoring corporation. This feels hugely insensitive, and ironically inappropriate when it awards a profession that still battles to be recognised." The petition calls on CILIP to reinstate Kate Greenaway’s name on the award before the 2024 nominations are made. The petition has now garnered more than 2700 signatures. Click here to add your signature to this cause. Below, Rose Roberto shares more about the petition... 'The Kate Greenaway Medal rebrand is misguided, and thousands are calling for her name to be restored. After signing our petition, award-winning author Patrick Ness, tweeted: "I know the librarians who run the medals do their absolute damnedest to make them the best awards in the world (which they are), but I too would love to see the Kate Greenaway name return. It’s such a specific honour on its own and honours a foundational female illustrator." A Monster Calls, written by Ness, was illustrated by Jim Kay. Jim Kay won the 2011 Kate Greenaway medal for illustrating A Monster Calls. Named awards have meaning. Individuals who have awards named after them should embody the values of the organisation they represent and/or the spirit for which an award was given. Many illustrators not only relate to Kate Greenaway's work and feel inspired by it — she, as a person, represents real struggles with whom illustrators today can relate. As a woman living a century ago, she lacked many opportunities, especially educational ones, that men were given more readily. This petition reflects the fact that writers and illustrators of all genders want this award to be named after a woman. It also shows that they want it to be named after a fellow illustrator. The Kate Greenaway Medal has always been a privilege for librarians to give to illustrators, recognising their talent and their specific work in a particular year. CILIP’s argument that librarians now somehow need to make literature awards about libraries is self-aggrandising and utterly bizarre. Greenaway’s name has been a constant and consistent example for many aspiring illustrators and writers in the English speaking world. Canadian Duncan Weller writes: "I have heard of the Kate Greenaway Medal, probably as early as my teenage years when I first thought of becoming a writer and illustrator of children’s picture[s]. It is a great mistake to change this name. Female illustrators need more recognition and especially those as qualified as Kate Greenaway." Oxford-based Helen Cooper posts: "I write and illustrate. They are entirely different. And for some reason one is often seen as more important than the other. I wonder if giving both the awards the same name was a misguided attempt to adjust that? I think it will have the opposite effect so am signing the petition. The Kate Greenaway award is so important for illustrators as a standalone award. We don’t want it to be the lesser of the Carnegie’s — which it almost certainly will become." London-based Phil Bradley wrote: "This is an absolute disgrace and very disappointing the CILIP has made this decision. It is wholly inappropriate and completely out of step with how members and wider society feel." It is troubling is that the CILIP’s rebranding campaign was launched in September 2022, with little fanfare, and little consultation. There were many surprised librarians who contacted both Rosewell and I personally complaining of a lack of transparency in this decision. Had any sort of proper research been conducted before the name change (ironically, the kind of research that librarians excel at), launching a campaign to remove the Greenaway name would not have occurred. This year, I ran a CILIP Shadowing Awards scheme at the Bishop Grosseteste University Library (BGU). BGU houses one of the largest children’s literature collections in a UK university and has been collecting two copies of Greenaway and Carnegie Medal winning books since the 1950s. During the shadowing scheme process, I first became aware that Kate Greenaway’s name had been removed from the medal. When I sent CILIP an email querying this decision, requesting that the decision be reversed back to the 2022 award name which was "Yoto Kate Greenaway", I heard nothing back from CILIP for weeks. While waiting for a response, Rosewell and I decided to launch our petition. We were honoured that the first signatory was Jackie Morris, who won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2019. James Mayhew eloquently explains why we undertook this campaign and why so many have signed the petition. "Kate Greenaway was a pioneering woman," he said. "It is right and proper that she is remembered, celebrated, and has her name attached to this important prize. Losing this link with an actual illustrator greatly lessens the significance of such an award." If you sign, you’ll be joining others such as Philip Pullman, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Jackie Morris, Dapo Adeola, Rob Biddulph, Lydia Monks, Thomas Taylor, Candy Gorlay and Patrick Ness.' This story was first published by The Bookseller. Hear Rose and Tamsin speak on The Illustration Department podcast here. -
Sandford Awards recognise 43 educational heritage sites
43 heritage sites have been recognised for their outstanding educational provision at this year's Sandford Awards. The presentation ceremony took place on Monday 6th November at Hampton Court Palace, one of this year’s recipients. Among the winners were the Museum of Lincolnshire Life, Ulster Folk Museum, Newcastle University Library, International Bomber Command Centre, and National Civil War Centre in Newark. A full list of awardees can be found here. The awards were presented by Dr Tracy Borman, Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University and Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust. Dr Tracy Borman said: "It is a huge pleasure and privilege to be presenting this year's Sandford Awards. Yet again, the winners represent a diverse range of historic sites across the British Isles and some really innovative learning programmes. "It is an extra treat to be staging our first in-person ceremony since the pandemic and in such magnificent surroundings as Hampton Court Palace." The Sandford Awards focus on formal, curriculum-aligned, heritage learning programmes that take place in the historic setting or natural environment and use the history and collections or natural resources to engage, inform and inspire visitors. Recognition is also given to informal learning such as family programmes and self-guided provision. Over 500 heritage sites and services across the British Isles have received the Sandford Award since the first awards were made in 1978. Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) manages the Sandford Award in partnership with Heritage Education Trust. BGU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Fleming said: "We at BGU are delighted to continue our support for the Sandford Award and heritage education across Britain. Once again, the recipients of the awards are outstanding sector-leaders and we offer huge congratulations to them all.” Entries for the 2024 Sandford Awards open on Monday 4 December. To register your interest in applying, please contact at sandford@bishopg.ac.uk -
Dr Tim Galsworthy
Lecturer in History & Military History Dr Tim Galsworthy joined Bishop Grosseteste University in September 2023 having previously taught at the University of South Wales, University of Gloucestershire, and University of Sussex. Tim’s research focuses on the interplay between memory, politics, and race in the modern United States. In particular, he is interested in the relationships between the Republican Party and memories of the American Civil War. Tim has won grants and fellowships from numerous bodies to support his research. These include the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress, the British Association for American Studies, Mississippi Political Collections, Pennsylvania State University Special Collections, the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies, and the South Caroliniana Library. Tim has served on various academic committees including Pubs and Publications, Historians of the Twentieth Century United States, and the Southern Historical Association Graduate Council. He has a background in public outreach and knowledge exchange involving radio, podcasts, published opinion pieces, and public events. Tim was awarded his PhD in History from the University of Sussex in 2023, where he was funded by the CHASE Doctoral Training Partnership. He also holds an MPhil in American History from Selwyn College, Cambridge and a BA in History from the University of Bristol. Tim teaches a range of History and Military History modules covering the modern and early modern periods, with a particular focus on the United States, Europe, and Britain/the British Empire. -
Black History Month 2023
The month of October is designated Black History Month in the UK, and is an opportunity for education, exploration, and entertainment regarding the achievements of Black people from all walks of life. It gives us an opportunity to share our collections and spaces across the university, to critique our curricula and to celebrate the diverse achievements of the African diaspora both locally and nationally. In this article, Dr Sheine Peart who leads on BHM for the university, shares some highlights from this year’s celebrations and reflects on the relevance for our community of this annual festival. -
Accessibility: Studying with a disability, impairment, medical or mental health condition
This page is to help you navigate the support and accessibility needs you may require as a student at Bishop Grosseteste University. Use the drop-down boxes below to locate the relevant information in regards to Student Advice & Wellbeing, including useful links to the Gov.UK website. -
Dr Ros Gammie
Dr Ros Gammie is a lecturer Theology specialising in medieval theology and philosophy. She received her PhD in medieval memory and confession in 2022 from the University of Leicester and has been lecturing at BGU since 2018/19. Her publications and foci of interest include medieval epistemology (2019), memories of the Crusades (2023) and the medieval folk-story of the Green Children of Woolpit (2024). Her current research focus is on manifestations of memory and trauma in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, particularly with regards to works of autobiography, and the relationship between history, memory, and space. She is also interested in the way the medieval world is treated in popular media, particularly in video games and film, and the intersectionality of medieval studies. Dr Gammie currently teaches across a number of Undergraduate and Postgraduate modules in Theology including a History of Christianity, Women and Faith, and Religion, War, and Terrorism. Her goal is to make the medieval world accessible to students, who often encounter it for the first time as Undergraduates. She has a BA in American Studies with History from the University of Nottingham (2012) and an MA in Medieval History from the University of York (2014). Potential supervision topics: Medievalism in popular media/culture; medieval philosophy and theology broadly defined; collective/collected memories; memory and recollection; confession and the internal senses. -
BGU thanked for “gorgeous review”
Canadian writer Jordan Scott, winner of awards across Germany, Japan, China, Holland and Italy, has contacted BGU to thank us for a review of his book that appeared in the March edition of our library newsletter, The Four Corners. The review is by our PGCE English subject lead Dr Clare Lawrence and highlights the way his book I talk like a river addresses the issue of dysfluency, especially for pupils. “I’m a huge fan of classroom talk”, Clare confirms. “I stress to my PGCE students how discussions, debates, even disagreements are powerful elements of active learning. However, we must also be sensitive to the fact that for some pupils, speaking is not the most accessible form of communication”. Associate Professor Clare Lawrence has a strong research interest in ’giving voice’ to those who are underheard or underrepresented. “It isn’t those who shout the loudest who always have the most to say”, she suggests. “Jordan Scott articulates so powerfully in his book the experience of living with a stutter. Ultimately, his communication is both stronger and richer for having to overcome a barrier”. Jordan emailed the university to share his appreciation for what he described as a “gorgeous review”, adding, “I ever get around to visiting the UK I'll make sure to let you know”. You can read Clare’s article on page 16 of Volume 5 Issue 1 of Four Corners, which can be accessed here. -
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Accessibility Information
Here at BGU we recognise that you may require additional assistance to fully engage with your studies due to your access needs. The Student Advice & Wellbeing Team play a key role in co-ordinating services available to BGU’s students with access needs. In order to assess the level of support you may require, we use the legal definition of disability, which is wide ranging but includes: Neurodevelopmental conditions, such as Autism, ADHD and DyslexiaPhysical mobility difficulties Sensory impairments, such as those affecting hearing or sightPersons requiring personal care Mental health Conditions Medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or asthma (Please note that this is not an exhaustive list – you may have access needs that are not listed above.) We are happy to explore available opportunities to address your needs, and we will seek to ensure those needs are met and remain sensitive to your perspective of your circumstances. A wide range of reasonable adjustments exist which seek to address the issues that arise from the above list of conditions. Before you come to university You will have the opportunity to indicate whether you have access needs on your UCAS application and through the BGU Admissions process. We can arrange for you to have an orientation session, where you will get the opportunity to meet members of the Student Advice & Wellbeing Team, discuss about your support, familiarise yourself with the campus and meet key staff members in advance of you starting your course. You can also approach us for support after you have registered on your course, but we recommend doing this as early as possible in order to ensure support is in place at the beginning of your studies.
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