Graduates Enjoy Their Day In The Sun

Words & Videos By Neil Harrison

Photographs By Jason Cooke & Bethan Grant

Manchester's latest graduates celebrated in the sunshine - following their end of year ceremony at a packed Bridgewater Hall.

In spite of the heat, humanities students from Manchester Metropolitan University wore caps and gowns to receive their accolades in front of proud family and friends, before heading back to MMU's Business School for a well-deserved champagne reception and prize-giving ceremony.

Video: James Draper, of MMU's English Department, congratulates recent Humanities graduates and explains the importance of the work done by the faculty.

Dr. Aidan Arrowsmith, also of the university's English department, addressed the successful graduates in attendance directly, adding,

“I wanted to say how hugely impressed myself and my colleagues are with how hard you have all worked to get to where you are today. Some of you have put in super-human efforts, it's really quite inspiring for us.”

The day also saw veteran journalist and T.V. Presenter, Dame Joan Bakewell, return to her home town to receive an honorary Doctorate of Letters from MMU. She said,

“I have great memories of catching the bus into Manchester form Stockport to visit the Central Library or the Free Trade Hall. To see, today, one of the great cities of 19th Century Europe flourishing once again is wonderful.”

Video: Photographs from MMU's Humanities Class of 2013 Graduation

For more information visit mmu.ac.uk

Neil Harrison is studying Social History at Manchester Metropolitan University. He is an aspiring journalist and a terrible guitar player. Read his blog LooseRiver and follow him on Twitter @LooseRiver

Hats Off To The Kids On Campus

Words by Neil Harrison, photographs by Sophie Bannister

CHILDREN FROM THREE LOCAL NURSERIES don caps and gowns to celebrate their graduation from pre-school - at a real university.

As part of a ‘fantastic day’, youngsters from Didsbury Pre-school, Macintosh and St. Mary's Day Nurseries received their diplomas from staff and students at Manchester Metropolitan University, before throwing their mortarboards aloft in celebration.

Unanimous in praising the event, over 200 proud parents and nursery staff were in attendance to cheer on their little graduates. Manager of Macintosh Day Nursery, Sarah Wildon said,

“The children have absolutely loved it. We have been coming here for the end of term graduation for three years now and every year we get great feedback from the parents. We'll definitely be coming back next year.”

St. Mary's manager, Lyndsey Walkden, concurred, adding:

“All the children have been really excited all day, every five minutes they were asking 'can we go yet?' It's just so great for the kids to end their experience of pre-school with an event like this. It's nice having the links with the university and being able to put on such a special day at the end of the year.”

One of the organisers, MMU's James Draper, explained why it is so important for the university to reach out and engage with the local community,

“Kids Unlimited, the company which runs the three nurseries here today, are a sponsor of MMU's Children's Book Festival. Events like today show that the relationship between the university and its sponsors needn't be simply a financial one. Integrated into that relationship is a genuine community outreach programme, one which benefits everyone, but most of all the kids here today—what a great way to make young people comfortable within a university environment at an early age.”

One of the beaming parents, Natalie Goodair, herself an MMU graduate, certainly agreed, saying,

“The ceremony is such a wonderful way to get children interested in university life. My daughter is three years old and she's here today, running around and having a fantastic time. She has decided she wants to be an artist.”

“Days like this are something that they will remember fondly and they will always associate with university—it’s like planting a seed.”


Neil Harrison is studying Social History at Manchester Metropolitan University. He is an aspiring journalist and a terrible guitar player. Read his blog LooseRiver and follow him on Twitter @LooseRiver