Over 120 alumni, former staff and friends of the University were welcomed into the Firth Hall for arrival drinks, before being formally greeted by David Meadows, Philanthropy Manager, and Ceris Morris, Director of Fundraising. They addressed all those in attendance, including graduates spanning from 1952 to 2022!
Professor John Flint, Deputy Vice-President for Research, extended his personal thanks to the guests for their continued support and gave an update on the impact the generous gifts the University receives have on both students and research.
After a delicious lunch had been enjoyed and many of our guests had caught up and reminisced, guests were treated to a series of talks that showcased the extraordinary work the University has done.
The first speaker, Dr Megan Blake from the Department of Geography, presented her very topical research on food insecurity and Food Ladders framework. Megan, an expert in food security and food justice, explained how she is redefining food support in the UK by addressing the wider effects that food insecurity has on health, wellbeing and communities. She also explained her Food Ladders framework as a structure of understanding of food-based interventions and how it can help to build community resilience in the face of food insecurity.
The next talk was from Professor Renee Timmers, the Head of the Department of Music. She provided an update on the interesting developments from the Department of Music, including her recent project ‘Together in Music’. Renee explained how this research examines ensemble performance in music, specifically looking at the organisational, psychological and social processes at play in group performance.
Finally, Professor Heather Mortiboys and Professor Oliver Bandmann from the Department of Neuroscience, spoke on their cutting-edge work in The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN). They updated the guests on the progress they have made into their research into Parkinson’s disease. They outlined how their team is making progress into understanding how the disease progresses, how they are improving the effectiveness of clinical trials and how personalised treatments could slow - or even stop - how quickly the disease takes hold.
Following the talks, guests were thanked and given the opportunity to talk to the speakers over refreshments.
If you would like more information on leaving a gift to the University in your Will, please contact Senior Philanthropy Manager, David Meadows, on 0114 222 1073 or d.meadows@sheffield.ac.uk or see our Legacy web pages.