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This year's Honourary GraduatesSir Peter BlakeBorn: 25 June 1932 (Dartford, Kent)

Who: An English pop artist, best known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles album Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. During the late 1950s, Blake became one of the best known British pop artists. His paintings from this time included imagery from advertisements, music hall entertainment, and wrestlers, often including collaged elements. Blake was included in group exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and had his first solo exhibition in 1960.

Blake won the (1961) John Moores junior award for his work Self Portrait with Badges. He first came to wider public attention when, along with Pauline Boty, Derek Boshier and Peter Phillips, he was featured in Ken Russells film on pop art, Pop Goes the Easel, which was broadcast on BBCtelevision in 1962. From 1963 Blake was represented by Robert Fraser which placed him at the centre of swinging London and brought him into contact with leading figures of popular culture.

Peter PrestonBorn: 23rd May 1938(Leicestershire)

Who: a British journalist and author. He was educated at Loughborough Grammar School and St Johns College, Oxford, where he edited the student paper Cherwell. He joined The Guardian in 1963 and was editor for twenty years, from 1975 to 1995. He continues as a prolific columnist addressing a wide range of political and social issues, also contributing a weekly column devoted mainly to news about newspapers, their readers and (generally) diminishing circulations in The Observers business and media section.

He was a member of the Scott Trust from 1979 to 2003, Chairman of the International Press Institute from 1995 to 1997, and Chairman of the Association of British Press Editors. He has also received honorary degrees from the City University, London and the University of Leicester (2003).

Meena PatelWho: Meenaxi (Meena) Patel is a Caseworker and Manager at Southall Black Sisters (SBS), a leading black womens organisation with a national reputation for expertise on violence against black and minority ethnic (BME) women, especially South Asian women experiencing domestic violence and harmful cultural practices such as forced marriage.

Meena joined SBS as a volunteer in 1987 and went on to become a full-time Caseworker and, eventually, a Joint Coordinator and then Senior Manager. She has also helped the organisation move to new premises twice and undertaken developmental work essential to maintaining the centre and its finances.

Meena has organised numerous campaigns within SBS, including that of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, an Asian woman who was released from life imprisonment in 1992 when her conviction for murder was reduced to manslaughter. This case helped to change the law on provocation and

propelled the issue of domestic violence within the South Asian community onto the national agenda.

After completing a part-time BSc (Hons) joint degree course in Psychology and Sociology, Meena gained a postgraduate diploma in Guidance and Counselling Skills. She is now completing her British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy certificate in order to qualify as a psychotherapist.

Meena has played an important role in helping women to overcome ethnic, religious and cultural boundaries in order to help and support each other. Many survivors and members of SBS regard her as a true sister.

Mark MorrisBorn: 29th August 1956 (Seattle, USA)

Who: an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humour, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments. Morris is popular among dance aficionados, the music world, as well as mainstream audiences. On November 28, 1980, he got together a group of his friends and put on a concert of his own choreography and called them the Mark Morris Dance Group.

He is much in demand as a ballet choreographer, most notably with San Francisco Ballet, for which he has created seven works. He has also received commissions from such companies as American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and the Paris Opera Ballet. He has worked extensively in opera, directing and choreographing productions for the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, English National Opera, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, among others. He directed and choreographed King Arthur for English National Operain June 2006, and in May 2007 he directed and choreographed Orfeo ed Euridice for the Metropolitan Opera. He is the recipient of nine honorary doctorates.

Lawrence DallaglioBorn: 10th August 1972 (Shepherds Bush, London)

Who: a retired English rugby union player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker or number eight for London Wasps and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager. He was capped in all three positions in the back row, and captained England until a newspaper scandal forced his resignation from that role.

Lawrence Dallaglio was a key member of the England team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was re-appointed as captain after Martin Johnson retired. In August 2004, Dallaglio announced his retirement from the national team due to the brutal demands of international rugby but after being selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand he changed his mind and made himself available for international selection again. He was a member of Englands squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup and made a late appearance as a substitute in the final, winning his 85th cap. On 3 January 2008, Dallaglio announced that he was retiring from international rugby with immediate effect and from domestic rugby at the end of the current season; he also stated that he would like to take up coaching in the future.

In a fairy-tale end to his career, Wasps won the 2008 Guinness Premiership Final on 31st May 2008 in front of a capacity crowd of 81,600 at Twickenham, then a world Rugby Union record attendance for a club match and still an English and British record.

Fresh Newspaper

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RSU's Outstanding Contribution to the Student Experience Award

R SU are delighted to be awarding the inaugural Outstanding Contribution to the Student Experience Award to Jo Granger, the recently retired Student Welfare Officer of Digby Stuart College.The criteria for this award requires a member of staff who has shown an extraordinary commitment and dedication to improving the life of students at Roehampton University and Jo Granger most certainly meets that.

In her role as Student Welfare Officer, Jo has worked tirelessly in supporting a vast variety of student needs and concerns, ranging from the administration of Access to Learning Funds through to inter-residence conflicts and even attempted suicide. Jo has also been a devoted member of the Digby Stuart College community and has consistently supported both student and staff events and campaigns to keep the ethos and community spirit of the College prevalent through both the student community and the University as a whole. She has also acted as the driving force behind the colleges flagship annual event, Digby Stuart Association Day, which re-unites students past and present to share memories about the college, going above and beyond what he role calls of her.

RSU in particular would like to thank Jo for her fantastic support over the years, her loyalty and experience have proved invaluable in supporting the sabbatical team and staff, our Deputy Presidents and many of our part time officers.

We would like to wish Jo a long, happy and thoroughly well deserved retirement.

Gary Coates, On behalf of the Students Union

I can think of no one better deserving of this award than Jo. Her contribution to the welfare and well-being of Digby Stuart College students, both as Principals Secretary and more recently as Student Welfare Officer, has been outstanding. And the secret of her success? First,a genuine and non-judgemental interest in students. Secondly, a clear set of faith-based values ensuring consistency of approach and fairness of treatment. Thirdly, a firm conviction that support works best when people take a personal responsibility for seeking solutions to problems. Fourthly, a healthy scepticism in respect of ideologies and bureaucratic excesses.

Finally, an irrepressible sense of humour! Its a formula worth marketing!

Paul Hodges Principal of Digby Stuart College

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