News

Linda switches on spectacular Southend lights

Linda Jones, of the University's Southend Centre, recently appeared alongside children's television celebrities the Chuckle Brothers and the Mayor of Southend to turn on the town's Christmas lights.

The University sponsored Southend's Christmas spectacular, and Linda played a key role throughout the day. The 2003 Southend Christmas Spectacular was the biggest to date and included not only the switching on of the Christmas lights, but also choirs, brass bands, a children's fairground, Father Christmas, and competitions.

The entertainment lasted all afternoon and climaxed when the Chuckle Brothers, who are starring in the Cliffs Pavilion pantomime, and Linda switched on the lights. After teasing the crowds with two aborted countdowns, the trio finally counted down to zero and the High Street was lit up with vivid blue and white festive lights. Simultaneously, white sparks fired up from the stage as a snowman and the words Merry Christmas appeared above.

As well as turning on the lights, Linda also dyed her hair in the corporate red and purple, and judged a children's fancy dress competition and a best dressed shop window competition.

Linda said: 'The University of Essex Business Development Centre is situated in the High Street, as will be our new campus, to be built on the old Odeon site, so we feel a particular affinity for this part of the town. I was delighted to be able to participate in the town's Christmas celebrations.'

She added: 'The University has made and will continue to make a major investment in the redevelopment of the area and is really looking forward to the time when Southend is truly a university town.'

Linda on stage with the Chuckle Brothers

New look for Student Support

Having undergone a number of dramatic changes during the last year, the Student Support Office recently hosted a Relaunch Week to introduce its new look to staff and students.

The Student Support Office opened its doors to University staff for a special open day, allowing them to have a look around, see how the office works, and meet members of the team. The day allowed the Student Support team to show off their refurbished office suites and new interview rooms. This was a great success and has received positive feedback with several visitors suggesting that their own departments could do a similar meet-and-greet exercise!

A Tuesday Taster session, in conjunction with the Staff Development Office, provided an overview of all Student Support services and was also well attended and well received.

However, one of the main events of the week was the relaunch of the Student Support web pages, which has been transformed into a valuable resource for students and staff in an easy to use format. The pages include information and advice on a number of student issues including dyslexia and disability support, finance, international issues and counselling. Director of Student Support, Rachel Fletcher, explained: 'Our aim is to provide all students at the University with relevant and accurate advice, information and support on a range of issues. The new web pages contain a wealth of information about support services as well as answers to all kinds of student queries.'

The student population also recently received their first Student Support Newsletter via e-mail. This will be a regular publication ensuring that all students have up-to-date information about available services.

For more information about the Student Support Office please refer to its website: www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup.

The Student Support Office staff

Proud to be pink

Students and staff from across the University donned pink clothes, pink wigs, painted their faces pink, and even released pink balloons to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness recently.

One particularly successful group of fundraisers were staff from the Department of Biological Sciences who raised an astonishing total of £1,150.68. The team collected 'fines' from people who had chosen to wear pink items of clothing which ranged from fetching pink ties to a pink head band. However, dressing like a blancmange was not compulsory and donations were also made in return for pink ribbons, pink cakes, pink drinks, and pink sweets. Alternatively those wanting to donate money could write messages on pink balloons which were then released.

The fundraisers would like to thank all those who were generous enough to make donations to this worthwhile cause.

Also in the printed December edition of Wyvern:

• Around Essex
• Essex Professor to give Colchester Lecture
• Staff volunteering opportunities