Latest news with #KeeleUniversity
Leader Live
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham: Tributes paid to 'chess king' David Bennion
On Friday, May 30, David Andrew Bennion sadly passed away, aged 64. A beloved son to the late Mary and Denis, he was known to his nearest and dearest as 'the chess king', and he spent most of his life living in Ruabon, Wrexham. David completed one-year at Keele University where he played bass and drums in an amateur punk rock band, which was honoured at his funeral by The Clash and Eddie & The Hot Rods. A floral tribute of a Knight at David's funeral by Regent House of Flowers (July 16). (Image: UGC) In his later life, his musical taste broadened to include popular and classic sounds from all eras. David was also interested in a wide variety of topics, including current affairs and politics, but his main passion in life was always chess. David was a proud member of the Wrexham Chess Club in the 1980s, with the early 2000s being the best years of his career. Graham Ives (Captain), Charles Higgie, Brian Whyte, Dave Bennion and Richard Bryant (Image: Oswestry Chess Team) He represented his country and played in tournaments across the globe, regularly contesting the Welsh Championship, including Hensol Park 2006 where he shared fifth place. He contested it again in Hensol in 2007 and later in Cardiff in 2009. But his greatest triumph was not in Britain, but the USA. The highest rated player he ever beat was Hungarian Grandmaster Emil Anka in June 2004 in the National Open, Las Vegas. Friend Charles Higgie, who remembers their time playing the game together fondly, said: "His modesty was such that I only learned of these achievements after his death. David playing chess (Image: Holmes Chapel Chess Club) "As a chess player Dave had a very interesting style. He would frequently sacrifice material for an attack. When it came off it was most impressive. "I used to joke with another chess player, Peter Lovatt, that Dave was the Mikhail Tal of the team and we gave up trying to predict the outcome of one of Dave's games while he was still playing." It was when Covid struck that Dave gave up team chess. Unlike most other players, he didn't get into playing the game online, nor did he return to it once the pandemic ended. But, more than anything, David was a much-loved family man. His niece, Tamsin George, describes her uncle as extremely kind with a dry sense of humour. She said: "We are very proud of our uncle, and happy that he found success in something he enjoyed. "He managed to travel the world for chess tournaments, against the odds. "He had a keen interest in current events, politics and so on, as well as football - he was a Wrexham supporter and used to take my grandmother to football matches, until it got a bit much for her." David also hugely influenced her love of music, as that was another great passion of his, and would often come out with obscure trivia about a band he's seen or heard in documentaries. Read more Tamsin added: "He was funny, had quite a dry sense of humour and was quite stoical about things most of the time. "He was very kind to us nieces, always asked if we were ok and liked to hear about what we had been doing." A funeral was held for David on Wednesday, July 16. His nieces wore a pendant in the shape of a King, and there was a beautiful floral tribute by Regent House of Flowers in the shape of a Knight to honour his love of chess. David is survived by his sister Fiona. He was a much-loved uncle of Tamsin, Mhairi, Ailsa and Alex, and a dear great-uncle to Rohan and Eben.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Actor Toby Jones awarded honorary doctorate by Keele University
Bafta award-winning actor Toby Jones has collected an honorary doctorate from a university in University awarded him the honour in recognition of his contribution to drama and is known for his roles in The Detectorists and Mr Bates vs The Post Office, as well as for playing local man Neil Baldwin in the BBC drama Thursday, he was reunited with Mr Baldwin, better known as "Nello", during a ceremony at the university campus. "We're delighted to award an honorary degree to acclaimed actor Toby Jones, in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to drama and acting and a career that has led to him being widely regarded as one of the UK's most brilliantly versatile actors," a university spokesperson is more than a decade since Marvellous first aired, with a subsequent theatre version taking to the stage in pair's reunion was described as "an emotional and joyful moment for everyone who remembers the magic" of the upcoming projects include ITV's The Hack with David Tennant, a second series of Apple's Hijack, Duke Johnson's The Actor, and Bharat Nalluri's 58-year-old is also due to return to the stage this October in Othello at Theatre Royal Haymarket in London. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Leaders
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Meet Noof Alotaishan: Saudi Trailblazer Steps into Historic UNGA Role
Noof Alotaishan has achieved a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia's diplomatic representation by becoming the first Saudi female diplomat to be seconded to the Office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly. New Diplomatic Breakthrough Alotaishan, an alumna of Keele University in the United Kingdom, has made a real difference in the Saudi diplomatic landscape and shed light on the evolving role of Saudi women in international representation. Her groundbreaking appointment has received widespread acclaim on social media by pioneering regional and international figures. In a message shared on social media, Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, congratulated Alotaishan on her 'amazing' accomplishment. The princess also noted that Alotaishan's presence in this role represents a diplomatic breakthrough for Saudi women unleashing new horizons for their representation in diplomatic spheres all over the world. Noof Alotaishan is the first Saudi woman diplomat to work in the office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly 79th Session. Amazing! @ksamissionun 🇸🇦✨@UN — Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) October 10, 2024 'When I was told that I was the first Saudi female diplomat to be seconded to the President's Office, it felt quite surreal. The Saudi Ambassador to the United States congratulated me and told me they wanted to celebrate the news, and it was a very proud moment when she posted a photo of me on her social media channels, which all of my family saw,' she said. Ray of Hope for Saudi Women Noof Alotaishan Currently, Alotaishan is representing Saudi Arabia at the 79th session of the General Assembly, taking place at the UN Headquarters in New York. She expressed hope that her position will serve as a source of inspiration for Saudi women seeking to secure careers in diplomacy and international affairs. 'Hopefully my experience can help other women in Saudi Arabia believe in themselves and think 'I can do it, too'. There is an idea that is a male dominated world, and females won't be supported but I have been supported by my Ambassador H.E. Abdulaziz Alwasil as well as my male colleagues, so it is a mentality more than facts,' Alotaishan added. Professional Career Path In her current position, Alotaishan serves as an advisor to the Political, Peace, and Security Affairs team at the United Nations, with a particular focus on the Middle East issues, including Gaza and Palestine. Interestingly, she has recently achieved a notable career milestone when her contributions were reflected in remarks delivered by H.E. Philemon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, during his address on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. 'It makes me happy when I can give an opinion based on my experience, knowledge and background and you see it making a difference. For example, sometimes I'll look at something as a person from the Middle East and I'll be able to adjust the wording to be more relevant to the community, and you see people listen and change it,' she said. Prior to joining the UN team, Alotaishan served for more than two years as a diplomat at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Furthermore, she enriched her career portfolio through a year‑long lectureship in public law at Al‑Asala Colleges along with earlier work as a legal researcher. Enriching Academic Journey Noof Alotaishan Alotaishan obtained a Bachelor's degree in Law from Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University in Khobar. In 2019, she got a Master's degree in International Law and Politics from Keele University. Reflecting on her time at Keele, she said: 'When I came to Keele in 2018 it was my first time living alone, which was quite a big experience for me. I was lucky that I had and still have a supportive family especially my dad, he was supportive of me studying abroad, knowing it will play a huge role in my growth and future career.' Alotaishan described Keele university as 'perfect' and labeled its courses as 'highly rated'. 'I always tell people now that Keele is one of the best options in the UK because it has a beautiful campus, but it can also be quiet, so you can focus on your education,' she added. Noof Alotaishan's academic journey Moreover, she has earned numerous licenses and certifications and completed various courses, particularly in business, international relations, and political economy from The London School of Economics and Political Science. Saudi Arabia's Transformation toward Inclusive Diplomacy Noof Alotaishan's secondment comes amid a revolutionized transformation within Saudi Arabia's diplomatic scene, which has witnessed a notable surge in the appointment of women to senior foreign service positions in recent years. This advanced approach mirrors the Kingdom's dedication to empowering women and fostering their representation across key sectors in line with the Saud Vision 2030. To support Saudi women representation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also made bold strides to appoint female ambassadors, consuls, as well as envoys to prominent international posts. All these efforts and initiatives represent a decisive move toward inclusive diplomacy in Saudi Arabia. Related Topics: Abeer Bint Shrgi Al-Anazi: Trailblazer for Saudi Women in Clean Energy, Academic Excellence Saudi Women Participation in Workforce Hits 36.2% INTERVIEW: Vision 2030 Has Unleashed Saudi Women's Potential: Princess Noura Al Saud Short link : Post Views: 8
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Herefordshire student's success helped by love of aerial dance
A woman who worked tirelessly to overcome her mental health challenges as a student, helped by her passion for aerial dance, is graduating from university with a first-class honours degree and starting a Pearson, from Colwall, Herefordshire, has been named Student of the Year at Keele University in 28-year-old said: "If I could have told myself when I was 16 and 17 that all is going to turn out well for you, and that you're going to be happy and succeed, I don't think younger me would have believed it."She told the BBC how discovering aerial dance, a blend of dance and acrobatics, changed her life. Ms Pearson had achieved four A*, three A and two B grades in her GCSEs, but in sixth form, her attendance declined and she sat one A-Level. But she went on to excel and graduate with a computer science and mathematics degree. Describing how she had wanted to be a doctor when she was studying for her A-Levels and had her whole life planned out, she said: "I was very strict with the plans, and I knew what was going to happen, and in what order."But she hated hospital work experience and when two GCSE grades were lower than expected, she started to ask "what if everything else in my plan isn't going to work".She became depressed, developed an eating disorder and was later diagnosed as autistic. 'Happy tears' Ms Pearson later completed a physics A-Level in her own time, but aerial dance changed said: "It very much changed my mindset from this is how I want my body to look, I'm trying to restrict how much I eat and all of that, to fit this particular image I had."It changed it from that to being much more of a 'look at what my body can' do if I look after myself."At Keele, she also set up an extra-curricular aerial dance society that now has more than 100 said after she won the Student of the Year award, she "cried a lot of happy tears".She is now looking forward to starting her PhD on dyslexia in computer interaction design. Ms Pearson, who has dyslexia, wants to help others with the condition. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Seeds from Hiroshima ‘survivor trees' growing at Keele University
Seeds from two trees that survived the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima at the end of World War Two are being grown at a Staffordshire seeds were collected from an oriental plane tree in the grounds of the Tenma Elementary School, which was destroyed by the bombing, and a 200-year-old ginkgo tree growing in Shukkeien Garden. Both trees were situated less than a mile from the bomb site on 6 August 1945 and miraculously survived the will now be cared for by experts at Keele University until they become tall and sturdy enough to be planted in the ground. The university says it is part of an international project to promote peace and hope. The seeds were sent to Keele through the Green Legacy Hiroshima initiative, which aims to distribute seeds and saplings from 'survivor trees' Sarah Taylor, a lecturer in ecology at Keele, said: "It is a great honour to have the opportunity to nurture seeds from trees that survived the Hiroshima bombing."Now that we have the seeds, we can begin quite a long painstaking process of propagation and nurturing. The seeds will be sown onto compost and kept in heated plant propagators until signs of germination appear." She added: "The seedlings will need to be nurtured for several years before they are large enough to plant on the university campus, where we hope they will be a source of reflection and inspiration for a long time."Although they are tiny right now, they are still very powerful symbols of peace and hope and have so much history connected to them. It's going to be exciting to see the first green shoots rise from the earth."Keele is the 19th UK partner of the Green Legacy Hiroshima initiative. The project was brought to the attention of the University's arboretum committee by Franco Castro Escobar, following his postgraduate research trip to Hiroshima in the summer of Escobar said: "Keele has a special connection with Japan through the collection of cherry trees that we have on our campus, and this project will build on that relationship." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
