May 2018 | issue 47
MAGDALENE MATTERS the newsletter of Magdalene College Cambridge from the MAGDALENE MAT TERS COMMENT Development Director CONTENTS SPRING / SUMMER ISSUE 47 Dear Members, Outreach Update 3 Some fifteen months ago we launched the College’s Fellows’ News 4–5 Capital Campaign, Future Foundations, with a number of parties in London, Hong Kong and New Coincidence in Calais 6 York. After a whirlwind of activity and the warmest possible response from all of you, we have raised an Coming to Terms 6 astonishing 70% of our target. Please turn to page 10 for an overview of the first year of the Campaign. From ‘Data Drought’ to ‘Data Deluge’ 7–9 We look forward to the relative calm of Easter Future Foundations Campaign Update 10 Term after this year’s Telephone Campaign which Seven Varsity Rugby Matches 11 is running as I write this in the Easter vacation. Our students are the most marvellous ambassadors Magdalene Boat Club Update 12 and best placed to remind you of the rhythms of College life. They are dedicated, hard working The Mallory Club 13 and fun loving, making the most of their time here and by taking part in the annual telethon and talking Middle Combination Room Update 14 to you they hopefully evoked happy memories of your Magdalene years. Many of you are kind enough Junior Combination Room Update 15 to write to say how much you enjoy speaking to the students and many more choose to support Magdalene KeepCups 15 the Campaign by making a gift. We have been Forthcoming Events & Reunions 16 looking to the whole Magdalene community to help us realise our goal of raising £25 million and you have responded to the College’s clarion call in
Magdalene Matters is published by the Alumni & Development Office, droves; thank you so much. Those of you who twice yearly, in Michaelmas and Easter terms. For further information or wish to learn more or indeed donate can find if you would like to submit content for future issues please contact the regular updates on the College website Communications Officer, Matthew Moon, or the Editor. www.magd.cam.ac.uk/support. The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of Magdalene College Cambridge. A visit from the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Education The student callers (pictured on the left) raised Photo on the front cover ‘Snowdrops in the Fellows Garden’ courtesy of £184,623 during just ten days’ of calling and over Matthew Moon. 70% of those contacted chose to make a gift to the Campaign. It is because of your exceptional generosity that we are looking forward to breaking ground for the new Library, beginning to formulate strategies for the new Art Gallery and Archives Centre, and working to formulate detailed plans for the restoration and reconfiguration of the ground floor space in the Pepys Building. There is still a long way to go to reach our total but what a marvellous start!
MRS CORINNE LLOYD EDITOR AND DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
2018 Telephone Campaign Student Callers.
2 MAGDALENE MATTERS OUTREACH UPDATE by mr sandy mill
2017 was a remarkably successful year in terms of Magdalene College’s Outreach work in Merseyside and North Wales.
In total we ran or were involved in a record 110 events, Schools Liaison Officer, reaching over 11,000 students and 1,800 teachers drawn Sandy Mill, prominently mostly from our link areas. featured in a Seren promotional video, Our biennial Outreach event at Goodison Park in March alongside two successful 2017 was a resounding success. We had over 400 students applicants from our link and teachers join us to find out more about university life area in Gwynedd and at Cambridge from a number of our current students and Anglesey. This was used Fellows and attend academic sessions in Medicine and Law. to inspire the incoming Open Day Student Ambassadors. The annual Easter residential is ever growing in popularity Seren group of the level and once again saw over 50 potential students engage in a of success they can achieve. A link to the video can be found variety of academic sessions, a formal dinner at St John’s at www.magd.cam.ac.uk/seren2017. Figures show that this College and a punting trip along the Cam. regional work in Wales is having a significant effect, with Welsh applications rising 15.8% over the last two years. We have seen particular success with our work with the Seren Network in North Wales – a Welsh Government initiative In terms of overall Magdalene applications, a record 17 of designed to help the brightest students from across the our applicants came from Merseyside and North/West Wales, country achieve places at prestigious universities. Magdalene making up over 6% of our applications despite our link areas engaged with students through Seren at 27 events in Wales, covering only 3.8% of the total national population. This and over 1,600 students attended these sessions. We also fully demonstrates that our Outreach programme is having represented the University of Cambridge at the annual an important effect raising aspirations for many students, Seren Conference in Newtown. Magdalene College, and our and the intake to College and the University as a whole.
A visit from the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Education
Kirsty Williams AM, the Welsh Williams and Magdalene Schools Cabinet Secretary for Education, Liaison Officer, Sandy Mill, whom Mrs visited Magdalene in April to celebrate Williams personally thanked for all his Welsh success at Cambridge and to hard work making Cambridge more congratulate and thank the Magdalene accessible and welcoming to students and Churchill Admissions Offices for from across Wales. their ongoing work supporting Wales’s brightest young academics with the Following the presentation there was Welsh Government’s Seren Network. a reception and conversation with current Welsh students to help inform The event featured an address from the our ongoing work aimed at helping Master Dr Rowan Williams (himself, future Welsh students achieve success at of course, a Welshman) followed Cambridge, both in terms of making a by presentations on the impact of successful application, and supporting our Outreach activities from Kirsty students when they arrive.
3 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE FELLOWS’ NEWS
DR CECILIA BRASSETT (2009), has been involved in the organisation of and gave the pre-dinner talk at the annual conference of the Junior Trainees Group of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Cripps Court from 6–7 January 2018. The Chair of the JTG is Mr Shadi Basyuni, who supervised the College’s second-year medics in Head and Neck Anatomy last year.
Dr Brassett was elected to the Council of the British Association of Clinical PROFESSOR SIR JOHN GURDON (2003), former Master and Honorary Anatomists and appointed an MRCS Fellow since 2002, was awarded the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Examiner for the Royal College of Achievement in October last year. He has also received a Lifetime Achievement Surgeons of England last December. Award at the 51st Annual Miami Winter Symposium in January this year.
PROFESSOR TONY Dr Allègre Hadida (2003), Wins Pilkington COCKERILL (2008), as part Prize for Excellence in Teaching of the Economics Faculty’s DR ALLÈGRE recognising individuals who have contribution to HADIDA, made an outstanding contribution to the University’s annual ‘Festival of Fellow of teaching and learning. Ideas’ last Michaelmas Term, once Magdalene again offered a digital simulation College and Allègre pioneered teaching and game based on ‘Running the British University research in Cultural, Arts and Media Economy’. Designed as a schools’ Senior Lecturer Management and on Creativity in outreach event for students in in Strategy at Cambridge Judge Business at the Cambridge Judge Years 12 and 13 and set within the Business School, was named by the and on the Cambridge MBA. During Festival’s general theme of ‘Truth’, the University of Cambridge as one of her three years as Director of the simulation this year was set around 12 winners of the 2018 Pilkington University of Cambridge MPhil in ‘Economic Models: Fact or Fake?’ Prize for excellence in teaching. Management (2013–16), Allègre More than 50 students took part, with restructured the programme their staff members in support, from Allègre is the first female faculty and developed it into a flagship schools in the East of England, London member at the Cambridge Judge course. She is the recipient of two and the South East. Each team of Business School to be recognised Cambridge Judge Faculty Teaching four to five students ran the economy for the prestigious teaching awards Prizes and four Cambridge MBA for ten ‘years’, taking a sequence of since they were inaugurated in 1994. Professor of the Year Awards for decisions about government spending, The prizes, awarded annually by the her innovative MBA Strategy core tax rates and monetary policy. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of course, which was also ranked prize for the winning team, in line with Cambridge, aim to raise the profile second worldwide by the Financial the policies applied and justified, was a of teaching within the University by Times in 2017. box of fudge.
4 MAGDALENE MATTERS Dr Hannah Critchlow (2003), Outreach Fellow
DR HANNAH In November Hannah took part in a Finally Hannah is very excited that CRITCHLOW, fantastic outreach event organised by her own book (her first!) will be Outreach Fellow the pharmaceutical company Roche, published in June. It’s a clear, simple at Magdalene held at their site in Welwyn Garden and entertaining introduction to one College has City. GenerationeXt 2017 was a day of life’s most interesting questions: been busy this crammed with scientific activities what does it mean to be conscious? academic year aimed to inspire students aged 16–18 Published by Penguin as part of their working on some very interesting about careers in science, technology, Ladybird Expert series, Consciousness and eclectic projects. engineering and maths. Hundreds takes readers on a voyage to discover of students from surrounding what allows the grey matter in our She has been co-presenting the new schools were bused onto the site skulls to produce such complex series of Tomorrow’s World Live, as for the day. Hannah delivered emotions, personality traits, thoughts part of the BBC’s dedicated science the opening lecture and helped and memories. Hannah will be season. The third episode in the series organise scientific workshops with launching the book at the Hay was filmed at Glasgow Science Centre fellow Cambridge neuroscientists. Literary Festival in Wales. She will on a topic close to her heart – Future be discussing consciousness from of the Mind – where she was joined by Over Christmas and the New Year a neuroscientific and theological a panel of experts to explore how we Hannah has been busy reading a perspective with the Master Dr Rowan will care for, treat and use our minds lot of books as one of the judges Williams on Saturday 26 May 2018, over the coming decades. The series for the Wellcome Trust Book Prize. 5.30pm. Public tickets have sold out was broadcast live on YouTube and This prestigious award celebrates for this event, but a limited number Facebook and an edited version also the many ways in which literature are available for Magdalene Members appeared on BBC iPlayer. Previous can illuminate the breadth and via the Alumni and Development episodes in the series have garnered lots depth of our relationship with Office, so do get in touch if you would of interest, interaction and enthusiasm, health, medicine and illness. like to join us! There will also be a with over 200,000 views for the first The winner was announced on Magdalene College wine reception show alone. Monday 30 April. after the talk.
Thinking Through Style – Dr Marcus Waithe (2010)
DR MARCUS WAITHE has co-edited a new collection of through. Rather than figure thought as primary and pre-verbal, essays with Dr Michael Hurley (St Catharine’s), entitled and language as a secondary delivery system, style is conceived Thinking through Style, which looks at Non-Fiction Prose of here as having the capacity to clarify or generate thinking. the Long Nineteenth Century. Leading scholars survey twenty authors to show where Style has often been treated as writers who have gained reputations as either ‘stylists’ or as something merely linguistic, ‘thinkers’ exploit the interplay between ‘the what’ and ‘the independent of thought, how’ of their prose. The study demonstrates how celebrated ornamental; stylishness for its stylists might, after all, have thoughts worth attending own sake. Or else it has been to, and that distinguished thinkers might be enriched for said to subserve thought, by us if we paid more due to their style. More than reversing mimicking, delineating, or the conventional categories, this innovative volume shows heightening ideas that are already how ‘style’ and ‘thinking’ can be approached as a shared expressed in the words. This concern. At a moment when, especially in nineteenth century ambitious and timely study studies, interest in style is re-emerging, this book revaluates explores a third, more radical some of the most influential figures of that age, re-imagining possibility in which style operates the possible alliances, interplays, and generative tensions as a verbal mode of thinking between thinking, thinkers, style, and stylists.
5 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE COINCIDENCE IN CALAIS – Mr Mike Hollow (1971)
MIKE HOLLOW and ADRIAN CRISP who joined the Territorial Army as (1968) did not quite overlap at war approached. Mike’s research for Magdalene, but when Mike read about an appropriate London-based unit Adrian’s book Colonel Belchamp’s led him to place Lewis in the Queen Battlefield Tour in the November 2017 Victoria’s Rifles, a TA motorcycle issue of Magdalene Matters he made a battalion, and in the story Lewis surprising discovery. is sent with the battalion to help defend Calais against the advancing Six months earlier Mike had delivered German forces in May 1940. to his publisher Firing Line, the fourth of his Blitz Detective crime novels set Hence Mike’s surprise: this was the in the autumn of 1940 at the height of very battalion in which Adrian’s the Luftwaffe’s attacks on London. The main character James Butland was Firing Line was published by Lion story starts with a young woman found serving, and they were fighting in the Fiction on 23 March 2018, and strangled in a flat during an air raid, same action at Calais. Mike got into a couple of weeks earlier the two and as Detective Inspector John Jago of contact with Adrian via the Magdalene authors met for dinner at Magdalene the Metropolitan Police investigates, he Alumni Office, speculating that the to compare notes on the art of novel- encounters family jealousies, violence, two fictional soldiers might have writing – preceded, of course, by a robbery, and the underworld of known each other, and the authors toast to the Queen Victoria’s Rifles at political terrorism. read each other’s books. Nor did the Pickerel. the coincidences end there, as Mike One of the book’s characters is discovered that the fictional Butland For more information about Mike’s Richard Lewis, a keen motorcyclist shared his father’s birthday. books, see www.blitzdetective.com
Firing Line (The Blitz Detective) • Publisher: Lion Fiction • ISBN: 978-1782642572
COMING TO TERMS – Dr Charles Moseley (1981)
Cambridge has a way of getting under The author companionably shows the skin of anyone who spends time you the place he loves and brings here – whether as a student, a long- present, past and future startlingly term resident, or even as a passing and wittily together. The book ranges tourist. CHARLES MOSELEY’S new from the visits of Elizabeth I, Samuel book, Coming to Terms: Cambridge Pepys and Daniel Defoe – and many In and Out is a personal and quirky others – to the author’s arrival from account of the Cambridge he has Lancashire as a nervous student; it known for the past half century. It is ranges from University ceremonies, a delightful, serendipitous, collection the author’s academic and personal of anecdote, history, and memory. life, to vignettes of the changing His story also draws on the changing countryside, farming and wildlife, and life of Cambridge’s countryside how to grow good onions. Dip into where he has lived and worked and it, read at length, and share it with sometimes successfully grown things. friends, Town, Gown or neither.
Charles Moseley has also written Latitude North (2015), Between the Tides: A Lancashire Youth (2014) and Out of Reach (2010), all of which were highly praised.
Coming to Terms • Publisher: IndieBooks • ISBN: 978-1908041487
6 MAGDALENE MATTERS FROM ‘DATA DROUGHT’ TO ‘DATA DELUGE’ BIG DATA AND INTENSIVE CARE by dr ari ercole (2014)
Data in healthcare There can be few areas of modern life that have not been profoundly influenced by information technology and the rapid and easy availability of data: it is hard to imagine a world without internet banking, online shopping or email. In contrast to other areas of our lives, the world of healthcare has, due to a vast legacy of notes, an inherent complexity of services, regulatory difficulties, legitimate privacy concerns and perhaps a degree of professional conservatism, been slower to adapt to the information revolution. As a result, most medical data remains machine-unreadable. Hidden away and unstructured in paper notes and Medical data is now increasingly are some of the most profoundly incompatible systems. This is a lost available in electronic form. A sizeable sick in healthcare and they can, and opportunity. First of all for the patient. proportion of US healthcare providers do, deteriorate in a life-threatening For a treatment decision to be sound, now use electronic systems. The ill- way even over a matter of minutes it must take holistic account of the fated NHS’s National Programme for (sometimes even seconds). As a result, totality of the patient’s history and Information Technology was rather they are more extensively monitored not just a snapshot from the clinic: less effective in promoting change, but and investigated than any other impossible if records are ‘siloed’. the UK is now finally catching up and group in the hope of detecting and Secondly, for society. Increasingly we electronic healthcare is here to stay.1 intervening in a timely way to prevent realise just how heterogeneous both harm or even death. Continuous individuals, disease and the interaction measurement of heart function, blood of the two are. If healthcare data, Big data and intensive care pressures and life-support information with all its inherent complexity, were Of all the areas of medicine, critically generates gigabytes of data per day. more accessible and amenable to ill patients who have the misfortune This poses its own problem: it is automated analysis then perhaps to need the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) impossible for a clinician to spot hitherto unappreciated patterns with provide us with examples of by far the potentially complex inter-relationships prognostic and treatment importance most data-dense episodes of patient between different parameters over might emerge. care imaginable. Patients on the ICU time. As a result, we use very little ...continued
7 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE may in fact be futile and the just allocation of limited resources are always in balance. At the same time, I have no doubt that to deny someone such treatments on the assumption of futility without Artificial Intelligence and further assessment is self-fulfilling. Machine Learning techniques However, we do not know where that will become commonplace balance is. How long should we treat before we can predict with sufficient in medicine... confidence what the outcome may be so that the patient (or clinician, in partnership with the relatives of those patients who lack the capacity to speak for themselves) may make a of the data that we collect. This is an who were stepped down to the ward decision about what is an acceptable example of what has become known as are important: a number of studies balance of outcome and burden? ‘Big Data’: data that is so voluminous have linked unexpected readmission or otherwise complex that humans to increases in hospital length of stay Tools have been developed to aid struggle to make sense of it. and even mortality. Since the doctors prognostication in the intensive care making the decision to discharge setting. However, the most widely Humans are good at making the patient were in full possession of used tools have major drawbacks. complex (and even satisfactory life the plethora of recent and historical For example, they typically use only or death) decisions based on limited results, presumably such events are information collected on admission; or imperfect information, weighing simply an unpredictable matter of definitive prognostic decisions are this up with judgements and chance? Not so, it turns out. By often made after several days however. understanding regarding individual applying contemporary machine Chris’s work aims to tackle this. Does preferences and wishes. Few would learning algorithms to a set of 76 it make sense to keep patients for seriously suggest that computers will parameters, we were able to credibly several days on a precious intensive take this away. On the other hand, predict many such readmissions and care bed before making a definitive computers are able to process large indeed we not only outperformed the decision? Does each new day add volumes of data searching for patterns. human clinicians, but also simple new information which significantly Algorithms to search for, and make scoring systems which have been improves prognostic ability? We inferences from, complex associations described previously.2 are using both traditional statistical in Big Data have been developed, methods and machine learning primarily in other fields such as Big Data approaches allow us to algorithms to build the best predictive commerce and engineering and are understand things that we could models we can for each progressive day becoming increasingly sophisticated. not before. Dr Chris Meiring (2010), in intensive care, based on objective, These techniques, which fall who previously studied Medicine, is observable parameters. Comparing under the umbrella of ‘Artificial currently undertaking an MPhil at these will show us whether days Intelligence’, include a variety Magdalene using Machine Learning to two and three add important new of so-called ‘Machine Learning’ look at the logical framework behind information for prognostication. If strategies that allow computers the ethics of ICU admission decision- they do, then a new predictive model to ‘learn’ associations in data. making. The best medical decisions which takes them into account could are made when the physician has the substantially improve on the current This, of course, assumes that such most accurate information. This is tools. If not, then a question is raised associations exist and are missed particularly the case with ethically about whether definitive prognostic by humans. But there is evidence challenging decisions; clear, accurate decisions should be made earlier. that they do and are. Recently, we information provides the proper used anonymous routine data to context. The ICU is an environment in The project has required Chris to look for features that might predict which ethical principles become real engage with new challenges including unexpected readmission to ICU. decisions every day; the duty of care to complex statistical modelling, Such readmissions, which result each patient in terms of not inflicting parallel processing and management from subsequent unexpected life- necessarily painful, degrading and of computing resources, and the threatening deterioration in patients burdensome treatments when they clear graphical representation of
8 MAGDALENE MATTERS complicated results. He has been Medical data is inherently potentially stretched in expanding the limits sensitive and precious to us and of his computing and statistical this must be respected, particularly knowledge whilst confronting when we step beyond the individual difficult ethical questions. and look to the population. There is nothing new about using potentially However, the closer we look at data, sensitive medical data to understand the more we find. There is hidden population health. However, of information, folded unseen within particular public concern is the the many waveforms and traces that involvement of industry, in many are continuously recorded in ICU. ways pioneers of Big Data technology. DR ARI ERCOLE is a Fellow in Dr Stephen Eglen (2017), Official The recent high-profile DeepMind Clinical Medicine at Magdalene. Fellow in Mathematics at Magdalene case shows how rapidly public Dr Ercole directs studies for and Reader in Computational faith can be eroded when data is Part II of the Medical Tripos Neuroscience, and I are working not properly governed, despite and he is an Honorary Senior together on an innovative project good intentions.4 Online banking Research Associate in the Division under the auspices of the Cantab demonstrates that it is possible to of Anaesthesia. In addition to Capital Institute for the Mathematics keep large volumes of highly sensitive his role at Magdalene, Dr Ercole of Information to examine the data secure, even in the hands of is a consultant in neurosciences information content and structure industry. However it is for researchers and trauma intensive care at in data from patients with severe to convince society of the benefits Cambridge University Hospitals neurotrauma in the hope of identifying for patients of Big Data research NHS Foundation Trust. His new, hitherto unrecognised signatures in medicine and demonstrate our clinical interests focus on the of disease within the signals recorded ongoing trustworthiness. physiological measurement, from the body and the brain. support and resuscitation of Finally, we need to ensure that our critically ill patients, in particular doctors and healthcare professionals patients that have sustained life Where now? of the future are equipped for a threatening severe trauma. I have no doubt that Artificial potential paradigm-shift in medical Intelligence and Machine Learning research. We should not aspire techniques will become commonplace to replace the doctor. Treatment References in medicine and UK academics are decisions at the individual level 1 Wachter RM. Making IT Work: Harnessing well placed to be at the vanguard of are deeply personal and ultimately the Power of Health Information Technology such developments. To study Big Data require the intangible qualities to Improve Care in England. Department we need large amounts of data. To that allow humans to understand of Health and Social Care: Report of the National Advisory Group on Health date, the largest research repository each other’s personal and cultural Information Technology in England; 2016. for ICU data is MIMIC III in the US. perspectives. No matter how clever 2 Desautels T, Das R, Calvert J, Trivedi M, Cambridge has played its part as we algorithms become, uncertainty will Summers C, Wales DJ, et al. Prediction have helped to establish the Critical always remain and only humans of early unplanned intensive care unit readmission in a UK tertiary care hospital: a Care Health Informatics Collaborative can deal with this in a societally cross-sectional machine learning approach. (CCHIC).3 This database continues and individually acceptable way. BMJ Open. 2017;7(9):e017199. to grow and now rivals the US Nevertheless, I think it is likely 3 Harris S, Shi S, Brealey D, MacCallum NS, counterpart in the number of patients that data-driven techniques will Denaxas S, Perez-Suarez D, et al. Critical Care Health Informatics Collaborative included, but also has the advantage become increasingly important (CCHIC): Data, tools and methods for of being multi-centre and linkable in medicine. Such approaches are reproducible research: A multi-centre UK allowing us to address questions about fundamentally transdisciplinary and intensive care database. Int J Med Inform. 2018;112:82–89. the long term impact of intensive require a confluence of expertise from 4 Shah H. The DeepMind debacle care on survivors once they go home, both medicine but also computing, demands dialogue on data. Nature. a hugely important area that has mathematics and data science. Our 2017;547(7663):259. nevertheless achieved little attention. healthcare professionals need to be The CCHIC dataset is still relatively equipped for this Tower of Babel, new but it underpins Chris’s work, and at very least, with the appropriate we hope that it will begin to rapidly languages to make informed bear scientific fruit. decisions based on new evidence.
9 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE One Year On
The warm response from the wider Magdalene community gave us the courage to believe we could raise £25 million in five years.
Avid readers of the College’s publications will be aware that The gifts, the pledges, the warm response and the offers we launched a very ambitious fundraising campaign in March of help from the wider Magdalene community gave us 2017. Our stated aim at the time is as true now as it was then, the courage to believe we could raise such a huge sum – to ensure that our students have the best possible facilities and £25 million – in five years. support here at Magdalene to enable them to succeed. Our commitment to academic excellence includes the provision of We were right! The College has received £18,426,733 financial support, the best possible teaching and pastoral care (to 30 April 2018) for the Campaign in gifts and pledges, and a new library building. It will offer spacious work areas of which £13,690,355 is for the new Library. This truly with excellent IT facilities, a dedicated archive centre, an art fantastic result allows us to break ground for the new library gallery and a social hub for students, Fellows and visitors this September and to look forward to the opening the new alike. The need for this additional building is particularly Library building in two years’ time ready for Michaelmas apparent this term when every available room throughout the 2020. We have been most fortunate and are immensely College is used for extra study space for the students. We also grateful to have received a number of very large benefactions remain determined to conserve and enhance our historic estate but are equally humbled by the generosity of the entire and, once the new, state-of–the-art library has been built, we Magdalene community, as 1,505 Members have already will be focussing on restoring the splendid Pepys Building. contributed to the Campaign so far.
We announced our target of £25 million a year ago knowing Looking at the chart below, I hope you will agree that every we had secured gifts and pledges worth £10 million in the gift, large and small, makes a very real difference to our period running up to the ‘public phase’ of the Campaign. success. Thank you!
Campaign Funds Raised to date We invite you to take part in this remarkable endeavour TARGET £13,690.355 £1,309,645 – a gift of £17.78 per month £15,000,000 (with Gift Aid) over the New Library Building remaining 45 months of the of the Campaign will add up £992,738 £1,507,262 to £1,000 and ensure that £2,500,000 your name will be added Undergraduate Bursaries and Scholarships to the Wall of Benefactors in the main central reading £802,709 £1,697,291 room on the first floor £2,500,000 of the new building, the Graduate Student Support Magdalene Members’ Reading Room. £58,919 £1,941,081 £2,000,000 More information Phase II: Restoration and Reconfiguration of the Pepys Building can be found at www.magd.cam.ac.uk/ £2,882,012 future-foundations Raised Remaining General Purposes and Other
10 MAGDALENE MATTERS SEVEN VARSITY RUGBY MATCHES – A UNIVERSITY RECORD! by mr will briggs (2009) CURUFC
As my penultimate academic term draws to a close, I’ve had an opportunity to reflect on life at Magdalene and University sport, two pillars of my time at Cambridge.
I have been immensely privileged to represent the University Will Briggs leading out the Cambridge Blues Squad at in seven Rugby Union Varsity Matches, a record which Twickenham for the Varsity Match. would not have been possible without the support of people in College. invested and forgone come to nothing, five losses really start to add up. I certainly came close to quitting on more When I arrived at Magdalene (in 2009!), intent on playing than one occasion and probably would have, were it not for rugby, I was told that colleges generally frown upon fierce friendships forged on the rugby pitch. If I had quit, I’d extracurricular activities, particularly in the sporting domain. have missed the fairy-tale ending and I’m now able to leave I found the attitude at Magdalene to be anything but. Be it Cambridge happy, having won the last two Varsity Matches Bob, the College Marshal and biggest Northampton Saints and finally thrown the monkey (gorilla!) off my back. fan I’ve ever met, my medical Directors of Study, my Tutors, or my PhD Supervisor, every single one of them went out Truth be told, the Rugby Club was not in a position to of their way to help me achieve my academic and sporting compete with Oxford for the first few years of my time in goals. I have found this attitude reflected in the actions of the Cambridge. However, more recently, the Club has taken huge alumni too. When I lost my third Varsity Match, as Captain strides forward to close the gap. This was best illustrated in 2013, it was a kind letter from Ian Peck (1976), a former in December, when both the Men’s and Women’s Blues Magdalene student and CURUFC Captain, that helped me won their respective Varsity Matches, making it a Light gain perspective. When the cost of playing rugby became Blue double victory at Twickenham! This highlights the prohibitive, it was an award donated by Sarah Springman other great shift at CURUFC during my time, the coming (1988), a former Magdalene student and GB Triathlete, that together of men’s and women’s rugby as a single club and sustained me. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the spotlighting of the women’s game in its relocation to them all and extend this thanks to other members of the Twickenham. For context, even England Women rarely play Magdalene community who have been so helpful. It is for at Twickenham and it’s been fantastic to see the CURUFC your actions and this community spirit that Magdalene will ladies leading the charge for gender equality. forever hold such a special place in my heart. All this being said, there is still work to do, both in terms The Varsity Matches themselves have been a great lesson of promoting gender equality in rugby and securing the in resilience. I’ve had the dubious honour of playing in five sustainability of CURUFC. The Club is looking to do just successive defeats, as part of the longest losing-streak in this as it builds towards its 150th anniversary in 2021. Varsity Match history. When your season revolves around a To anybody who supports these ambitions, please take the single season-defining match, and you see all that you have time to find out more atwww.redlion 150.curufc.com. CURUFC MAGDALENE BOAT CLUB UPDATE
Magdalene Boat Club (MBC) rowers have had great success this year at University level.
M2 braving the snow during Lent Bumps.
It is indeed a very special year with the Cambridge crews 33rd out of 47. The Fairbairn Cup took place the following winning their races against Oxford, a fantastic achievement, day, with the Senior Women entering a solid VIII and nicely and Magdalene were well represented across the Blue boats. finishing in18 th place. The Senior Men had a fantastic row and the first four won the event, finishing0 .6 seconds ahead Nicholas Rice (2013) and Catriona Bourne (2017) represented of Pembroke. Our second four were the fastest second boat Cambridge in the Men’s Lightweight Reserves Race against and placed 6th out of all College fours. Oxford (at 2 and as cox respectively), smashing them by ½ a length. Olivia Hamilton (2015), who learned to row at During Lent term, the Men’s First Crew (M1) entered Magdalene, raced in the Women’s Lightweight Boat, also the Winter Head to Head, finishing 5th overall. The First beating Oxford by ½ a length. Daphne Martschenko (2015), Women’s Crew (W1), Second Men’s Crew (M2) and Third CUWBC President and MBC Member, rowed in Blondie, Men’s Crew (M3) raced the Newnham Short Course, and M1 defeating Oxford. Patrick Elwood (2012), MBC Men’s and W1 then both entered Bedford Eights and Fours Head, Captain 2013–14, rowed in the two seat in the Cambridge with M1 finishing3 rd out of 209 crews. Pembroke Regatta Men’s Blue Boat, beating Oxford and finishing off a perfect followed, where W1 conquered Wolfson before being knocked day. Huge congratulations to everyone involved in rowing this out by Lucy Cavendish and M1 defeated St Edmund’s, LMBC year: the hard work, early starts and dedication all paid off! and Trinity before losing to Caius in the final.
MBC’s racing kick-started in October with the Senior Men Three crews entered Lent Bumps, and despite cancellations competing in the Huntingdon Head of the River Race, where due to chilly conditions, a great experience was had by all. the first four won and set a new record. The second four W1 were bumped three times, M2 rowed over twice, and M1 finished third. Three weeks later, both fours raced in the bumped twice. Cantabs Winter Head; the first four came joint-first with Pembroke and the second four finished second in their event. Both W1 and M1 then took to the Tideway to race in the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race and the Head of the Emma Sprints provided our novices with their first taste of River Race. W1 finished180 /300, jumping up 41 places from racing. There were some fantastic costumes: Vikings with huge the previous year, and M1 finished140 /300, rising 122 places beards, Jurassic Park keepers and a T-Rex cox. MBC entered – a fantastic result for both crews. two men’s and two women’s boats; the highlight of the day being the Novice Women’s Second Crew (NW2), who came In mid-April, MBC members kicked off preparations for third in their division and sped ahead of Lucy Cavendish, the May Bumps by heading to Lake Bled in Slovenia for a Darwin and Emmanuel. The Novice Men’s First Crew (NM1), week-long training camp at the International Rowing Centre. Novice Men’s Second Crew (NM2) and Novice Women’s First A wonderful time was had by all and some serious training Crew (NW1) all achieved one win and one loss. took place – May Bumps here we come!
In Novice Fairbairns, NM1 and NM2 finished14 th and MR JAMES RICHARDSON (2015) 38th out of 56 crews, and NW1 and NW2 finished24 th and MAGDALENE BOAT CLUB CAPTAIN
12 MAGDALENE MATTERS REUNION OF MBC CAPTAINS News about AND PRESIDENTS Regulatory Changes
DATA PROTECTION Members may be aware that the law relating to Data Protection has changed: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force this month. Together with the other Colleges, Magdalene has been working closely with the University of Cambridge to ensure that we comply fully with the new law. All Captains and Presidents since 1950 were contacted and invited to an MBC Part of this process has been Reunion last November. Forty-seven were able to attend and a very convivial to update our Data Protection evening was spent exchanging happy reminiscences. MBC is indebted to the Statement (available online Nationwide Building Society who generously hosted the evening at their main at www.magd.cam.ac.uk/ London office. alumni-data-protection), which transparently explains how we look after your data and the THE MALLORY CLUB legal basis upon which we do so.
The Friends of MBC have FUNDRAISING metamorphosed into the Mallory Club. REGULATOR The core aim remains to give financial and other support to MBC but with a The College has also developing interactive social network recently registered with of alumni who want present and the Fundraising Regulator, future Members of Magdalene to a new independent body benefit from every opportunity the which sets standards for Boat Club has to offer. charitable fundraising. As part of this process Alumni have already begun racing we have published a under the Mallory Club name and ‘Fundraising Promise’ colours; indeed they were class winners online at www.magd.cam. first time out in a coxed IV in the ac.uk/fundraising-promise, although it should be Fairbairn races in December 2017. For more information please visit noted that Magdalene the Magdalene Boat Club website has held itself to these The Mallory Club invites alumni to www.magdaleneboatclub.co.uk standards for years. the Mays Marquee on the Long Reach or write to [email protected]. on the afternoon of Saturday 16th Friends of MBC who have not June and also to apply for places at received details of the Mallory the Mays Boat Club Dinner on the Club are particularly requested to same evening. Reunion crews are make contact. particularly encouraged.
MR PERRAN ZAIR (1968), MBC ROWING COACH
13 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE MIDDLE COMBINATION ROOM UPDATE
Magdalene’s MCR reflects on a good year as the Committee approaches handover. Lafeyette
MCR Christmas Banquet.
It’s been a busy year here at Magdalene The Freshers were quick to get to know We also saw the start of our MPhil for the MCR Committee. We started their fellow matriculands, making the Parlour Talks, a great opportunity our term of office with the opportunity most of all that Freshers’ Week had for the MPhil students to present to transform the traditional Summer to offer and even taking the initiative their research to the rest of the MCR. Banquet into something more to organise a few of their own events, As well as the continued success of accessible and more affordable to such as a board games night during the MCR subsidised yoga, as part the wider MCR community. Ticket Term. During Michaelmas Term we of our welfare initiative, and our prices took more than a 50% cut took the chance to test out a few new infamous formal hall swaps. and the traditional banquet was events, starting with an Open Mic accompanied by prosecco and some Night. This was an evening enjoyed The end of Lent Term saw the light jazz in Second Court beforehand by all and a fantastic opportunity to MCR Executive Committee elections. and afterwards a superb DJ set in a showcase some of Magdalene’s hidden I’m very pleased to report that the transformed dimly lit Benson Hall. The talents. Michaelmas Term concluded MCR is being passed into the very Committee were very quick to make with our annual Christmas Banquet capable hands of Roxine Staats, Mike their mark on the MCR social calendar which was enjoyed thoroughly by all. Lewis and Petros Chatzimpaloglou, with this very enjoyable conclusion to Singing carols over mince pies and a as President, Secretary and Treasurer the academic year. few glasses of port was a wonderful respectively for 2018/19. I wish them way to end the year. all the best of luck for their year After a summer packed with lab work, in office. research trips and writing, Freshers’ Lent Term was a busy one, with BA Week quickly arrived, welcoming 97 Formal tickets selling out every week ROWENA DOWNIE (2015) fresh faces to the MCR community. within a few hours of going on sale. MCR PRESIDENT 2017/18
14 MAGDALENE MATTERS JUNIOR COMBINATION ROOM UPDATE
The new JCR Committee has worked hard to follow on from the great achievements of the last committee.
In January, over 130 students travelled Freshers’ College marriages and raise wonderful Halfway Hall for the second to Oxford for the third annual money for next year’s Freshers’ Week. years. Domestic and Academic Officer Magdalene-Magdalen Sports Day, Prosecco, decorations in Hall and a Hannah’s careful organisation ensured competing in over ten sports from rugby photographer made this a highlight of the that the Room Ballot ran without a and football to lacrosse and darts. The Term, and we hope it is something that hitch and IT Officer, Edwin, organised day was a great success and a lot of fun will be repeated for many more years. a Room Ballot website with 360 degree was had by everyone. We look forward room photos. LGBT+ Officers, Nathan to hosting Oxford next year. As Exam Term slowly approaches, and Laura, organised a series of events Welfare Officers, Alex and Sarah, have including an LGBT+ Superhall, whilst Kit, the Green and Charities Officer, worked hard to relieve students’ stress. our Access Officer, Lucy, has overseen organised a fantastic Green and Donut and coffee events in the bar, a number of access events. Charities Formal to raise money for our individual drop in sessions and sexual charities, Leonard Cheshire Disability health clinics have all been instrumental Overall, the JCR Committee has and the Against Malaria Foundation. in this. achieved a great deal as a team, and we are grateful for the continued Our Ents Officer, Giri, organised two The Women’s Officer, Rachel, put on a support of the students and staff. fantastic bops, with themes including fantastic celebration for International ‘Memes’ and ‘UV’. We hosted the first Women’s Day and Services, Bar and SAM ASHBRIDGE (2016) ever Wedding Formal to celebrate the Buttery Officer, Harry, organised a JCR PRESIDENT
Magdalene KeepCups by heather rigby (2015)
The recent ‘David Attenborough Effect’ As JCR Green and Charities Officer, has led to a surge in interest in cutting I saw this as an opportunity to down on plastics. This has led to single introduce Magdalene-branded use plastics and disposable items such KeepCups. In collaboration with the as coffee cups coming under scrutiny. Development Office, we worked to Within the University, steps are being design three different KeepCups in two taken to reduce waste including sizes. Their success was immediate, a University-wide initiative to cut as students rushed to order them. down on single use cups. In 2015, the University’s Environment and Energy Once used 15 times, you reach the Section reported that the University had offering discounts on hot and cold breakeven point of the KeepCup’s stopped 382kg of waste from being sent drinks. Disposable cup use decreased life cycle. Every time you use it after to landfill, saved28 ,617MJ of energy, dramatically and, during the 2014/15 that, it’s a bonus for the planet. This and preserved 11 mature trees’ worth academic year, 27,280 disposable cups illustrates the significant impact of carbon. This, all due to introducing were saved due to the scheme. That’s reusing your Magdalene KeepCup can sustainably made reusable ‘KeepCups’. almost one saved for every student and have on the planet. In a world where staff member at the University! ocean pollution, climate change and This was all thanks to a scheme run by biodiversity loss are looming large, the University Catering Service team This initiative spread quickly to a small steps such as cutting down on to reduce waste and carbon emissions, number of different colleges who plastic waste as individuals and as a by selling refillable travel cups and started to sell their own KeepCups. College can make a big difference.
If you are interested in buying a Magdalene KeepCup, go to: www.magd.cam.ac.uk/keepcup Forthcoming EVENTS
26 MAY 2018 Magdalene Event at the Hay Festival 2 JUNE 2018 FAMILY DAY Buckingham Society Luncheon We are looking forward to welcoming Members and their families to the 16 JUNE 2018 annual Family Day celebrations in the Fellows’ Garden on Sunday 1 July, May Bumps Marquee from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. In addition to the traditional family BBQ there will be a range of entertainments for adults and children, including a 21 JUNE 2018 band, face painting, games and much more. Boston Dinner 22 JUNE 2018 Chapel Choir Tour, Concord MA Non-Resident Members’ Guest Nights 2018–2019 24 JUNE 2018 Chapel Choir Tour, Darien CT 13 October 2018 These evenings are hosted by a group of 16 November 2018 Fellows and include pre-dinner drinks. 25 JUNE 2018 26 January 2019 They offer Members the opportunity of Cape Cod Dinner and Choir Performance 9 March 2019 bringing one guest to dine at High Table. 27 JUNE 2018 27 April 2019 Please note that numbers of NRMs are Graduands’ Garden Party 25 May 2019 limited to a maximum of ten at any one 19 October 2019 night. Please book via the Alumni & 1 JULY 2018 15 November 2019 Development Office. Family Day 4 JULY 2018 Magdalene in the City Summer Drinks Party 7 SEPTEMBER 2018 REUNIONS Magdalene Dinner in Hong Kong 8 SEPTEMBER 2018 Reunions in 2018 SATURDAY 4 MAY Magdalene Dinner in Singapore FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER Lunch for those who matriculated up to 1959 12 OCTOBER 2018 Dinner for those who Magdalene Dinner at the Oxford & matriculated in 1995–1997 FRIDAY 20 SEPTEMBER Cambridge Club FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER Dinner for those who matriculated in 2004–2006 27 OCTOBER 2018 Dinner for those who Triennial Alumni Choir Association Dinner matriculated in 1998–2000 FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER Dinner for those who 8 NOVEMBER 2018 Reunions in 2019 matriculated in 2007–09 Magdalene Dinner in Washington DC FRIDAY 12 APRIL 9 NOVEMBER 2018 Dinner for those who Magdalene Dinner in New York matriculated in 2001–2003 10 NOVEMBER 2018 Reunion invitations will be sent out three months in advance. Magdalene Dinner in Toronto The programme usually begins at 4.30pm with tea and coffee in 24 NOVEMBER 2018 the Senior Combination Room. Pre-dinner drinks will be served in 50 years of the Magdalene Law Society – the Cripps Gallery or Pepys’ Cloisters at 7.15pm, with dinner being Law Dinner served in Hall from 8pm. There will be an opportunity to visit the Pepys Library before dinner and to attend Evensong in Chapel. 3 DECEMBER 2018 Annual Carol Concert Those who matriculated in 2012 will be invited to take their MA in person or in absentia in 2019.
Additional events may be added; please check www.magd.cam.ac.uk/events and look out for updated listings in Magdalene eMatters. Please email [email protected] to register your The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent interest in any of the above events. the views of Magdalene College, Cambridge