Trinity Hall - Academic Year 2019/20 - University of Cambridge
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A year in the life of the Trinity Hall community
Trinity Hall
2019/20
Academic Year 2019/20
Trinity Hall
2
2019/20
It’s been another busy year here in the
Reports from
Alumni & Development Office. It has, of
course, been different from usual, and
our Officers
we’ve missed seeing many of you in
person at events and in College. But it
has been great fun interacting with more
of you online, and we’re excited about our
plans for 2021. Your stories have reached
us from all around the world, and you can
read exciting news from the community,
both personal and professional, in the
‘Alumni News’ section of the Review.
Your generous support meant that we were
able to swiftly and effectively assist those
students who were immediately affected
by the pandemic, and to continue that
support into the new academic year.
Throughout the Review you’ll read many
messages of thanks for your continued
and unwavering support. On behalf of the
Alumni & Development Team, I would like
to add our voices to theirs: thank you.
Kathryn Martin-Chambers
Alumni Communications Officer
32
The photos used in this publication were taken
at various points during the 2019/20 academic
year, both before and during different stages of
coronavirus restrictions.
Stay in touch with the College network:
@TrinityHallCamb
Alumni
News
inside
Reports from our Officers 2
The Acting Vice-Master 2
The Bursar 4
The Senior Tutor 6
The Postgraduate Tutor 7
The Admissions Tutor 8
The Development Director 10
The Dean of Chapel 12
The Junior Bursar 13
The Head of Conference
and Catering Services 14
The Librarian 15
The Director of Music 16
College News 18
The JCR President’s Report 20
The MCR President’s Report 21
18
Student Reports 22
News of Fellows and Staff 26
Seminars and Lectures 28
Fundraising 30
Alumni News 32
College News THA Secretary’s Report 34
Alumni News 36
In Memoriam 38
2019/20 Information 40
List of Fellows 42
College Statistics 46
List of Donors 50
40
Get Involved 60
2019/20 Thank you to all who have contributed to this
edition of the Trinity Hall Review.
Information Cover picture: 2020 graduate with bicycle in Front Court
2 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
Caption
We
The Acting
Vice-
have truly
Master’s witnessed the best of
Report Trinity Hall at this time
A
s the coronavirus pandemic Sharp, for working so effectively and
spread across the globe, determinedly in managing the College’s
2020 became a turbulent year response to the pandemic. Heads of
for many, and the College departments have been indefatigable in
has been facing up to challenges, implementing new measures, both to
too. The 17th-century lyric poet and reopen the College after the lockdown
Trinity Hall alumnus, Robert Herrick and in preparation for a new academic
(1616) wrote ‘God gives to none so year taking place under stringent public
absolute an ease | As not to know or health requirements. Throughout the
feel some grievances’. His couplet College, staff have been adaptable and
reminds us that comfort and disruption assiduous, and we have truly witnessed
are inseparable in ordinary experience. the best of Trinity Hall at this time.
Despite the disruptions that the College
In February, a media article raised
has faced, though, this has been a year
Dr Daniel Tyler concerns about the College’s handling
in which resilience, resourcefulness and
Acting Vice-Master of certain disciplinary matters. We
achievement have been found here in
launched an independent, external
abundance.
Inquiry, led by Gemma White QC, into
Towards the end of March, as a these concerns and have sought to
“This has been national lockdown was imposed,
the majority of students who were
proceed rigorously and transparently.
We await the Inquiry’s report and we
a year in which able to go home did so. The College
accommodated those who could not,
stand ready to respond to its findings.
The academic life of the College
resilience, and provided for the small number
who were ill or isolating as a result of
continues. In recognition of his multiple
breakthroughs in diverse areas of
resourcefulness the coronavirus. Students were absent
in Easter term, so that teaching and
algebraic number theory, Professor
and achievement assessment were conducted remotely.
This called upon an ability to adapt on
Jack Thorne (2004) was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society, becoming
have been the part of students and supervisors
alike, and to very good effect, as was
its youngest present member. Across
the College, in all disciplines, pioneering
found here in shown by the excellent results our
research and world-class scholarship
are being carried out.
students achieved this year. May Week
abundance.” was cancelled and so was General Our medical Fellows have been at
Admission. The College hosted its first the vanguard of the fight against
Virtual Graduation, complete with drone coronavirus. Professor John Bradley
footage of the College and recorded is Director of the National Institute
speeches. Although no substitute of Health Research (NIHR) at the
for the real thing, we hope it marked Cambridge Biomedical Research
fittingly the substantial achievements of Centre. The NIHR provides the gateway
our graduating students. for approving coronavirus research and
has been at the forefront of the national
In March we bade farewell to our
effort. The tremendous research
Bursar of over 15 years, Paul ffolkes
capabilities of the NIHR have been
Davis. His contribution to the College
harnessed to respond to the pandemic
has been remarkable and will be
so that the virus can be better
long remembered. I owe particular
understood and more successfully
thanks to his successor, Tim Harvey-
managed through innovative
Samuel, to the Senior Tutor, Clare
approaches to testing and treatment.
Jackson, and to the Junior Bursar, Glen
3
Professor Ian Wilkinson is Director
of the Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit
and chairs a committee that reviews
proposals for clinical trials related
to coronavirus. The Unit mobilised
extremely quickly in the face of the
pandemic, and is supporting research
into drugs to aid in the treatment of
coronavirus and in the search for a
vaccine. Dr Rona Smith is a Senior
Clinical Trials Fellow and Expert Advisor
to the Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit.
John, Ian and Rona are also physicians
who work on the coronavirus wards at
Addenbrooke’s. Equally, we are grateful
to all the Trinity Hall medics from years
past who are now playing their part in
combating coronavirus, including the
seven who graduated early this year in
order to help with the NHS effort.
The 2020/21 academic year sees
the arrival of three new Research
Fellows and I am pleased to say that
we are determined to continue our
commitment to providing opportunities
to the best young scholars by again
recruiting Research Fellows for 2021,
despite the financial pressures that we
and other colleges are facing.
So, despite the difficulties that have
beset us this year, we retain our
commitment to excellence in research
and teaching, magnificently supported
by our staff who have worked tirelessly
as we have responded to the pandemic
and the public health implications.
Another Trinity Hall writer, the novelist,
playwright and critic, J B Priestley
(1919) said at an earlier time of national
emergency, ‘Kindness, humour
and courage are mightily sustaining
qualities’. It is tempting to think he
learned that truth during his time as
an undergraduate, because kindness,
humour and courage are among the
many virtues that have been on display
Front Court
in College this year.
4 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The
Bursar’s
Report
I have been deeply touched by
the warmth of the welcome
T
his has been an extraordinary unrestricted deficit of £389k and a total
and challenging year for the deficit of £1,337k) is a demonstration of
College as for society as a considerable resilience. However there
whole. Within that demanding are some significant revenue losses and
context it has certainly been an extra costs which affect our financial
accelerated induction into the role of condition for 2019/20 and 2020/21:
Bursar and I have been deeply touched
• Loss of rental income for Easter term
by the warmth of the welcome from all
2020 (c.£640k) and the summer
parts of our community.
vacation which will impact the
The resilience, goodwill and flexibility 2020/21 financial year
displayed as we adapted to the
• Complete loss of conference and
profound educational, operational
event income of over £1m for the
and financial challenges posed by the
summer of 2020 and in all likelihood
coronavirus pandemic was inspiring.
for the forthcoming financial year.
My new colleagues responded to every Tim Harvey-Samuel This is particularly distressing given
new constraint and change in guidance Bursar
the outstanding growth this business
with professionalism, pragmatism
has shown in recent years. However,
and calm. The evidence of this across
the team has a strong backlog of
the community is clear: Fellows and
bookings for summer 2021 which
graduating medics at the forefront of
meeting the clinical challenges and “The speed we fervently hope to be able to
fulfil, although the timing of the
running critical trials; outstanding exam
results; effective, safe and practical with which such recovery is currently unknowable.
This is testament to the strength
operational planning to move many
students out and then back in for support was of the business the team has built in
recent years.
Michaelmas; excellent care for those
who stayed in College, and a resilient provided as the • Investments in IT equipment (both
endowment to underpin our resources
despite the unprecedented gyrations
consequences hardware and software) to optimise
the student experience and prepare
in markets.
of the pandemic for supervisions while households
may be isolating. While costly, this
Coronavirus challenges
A Collegiate University relies extensively began to emerge is positive as it accelerates our
integration of technology to improve
on the benefits of association and
proximity to fulfil its educational
was as impressive the unique educational experience
of a Cambridge College and also
mission. A highly infectious pandemic
with asymptomatic transmission is
as it was has a wide range of other uses
from admissions to alumni and
amongst the most disruptive events
such an institution can face. In these
heartwarming.” conferencing events.
circumstances the Hall’s financial
performance during 2019/20 (an
5
Total income Total expenditure
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
£ million
£ million
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
0 0
Fees ACC* Endowment Gifts Other Education ACC* Other Cambridge University
Contribution
FY1920 FY1819 *Accommodation, conference and catering FY1920 FY1819 *Accommodation, conference and catering
• Significant disbursements from showed a small year-on-year decline. the environment will continue to be
restricted funds to support students In the circumstances this is a sign of deeply challenging, the performance
returning home in March, as was right relative resilience. It is also a great of the bank has so far been (that word
and proper. tribute to the work of my predecessor, again) resilient.
Paul ffolkes Davis, whose achievement
• Certain extra costs for the With horrendous timing, both the
over many years in growing and
forthcoming academic year, notably defined benefit pension schemes
diversifying the portfolio, in partnership
extra subscriptions and e-book to which the College contributes
with the Investment Committee, will
provision as well as the hiring (the sector wide USS and CCFPS,
be of great sustenance to current and
of marquees to provide socially the federated Colleges’ scheme)
future generations of beneficiaries.
distanced outdoor space during have valuation dates at 31 March
Michaelmas term. The equity portfolios, having shown 2020 – almost the nadir of pandemic
strong appreciation until the full – inducing market mayhem. These
We are extremely grateful for the
force of the pandemic hit markets exercises will unfold over the coming
generous support from our alumni
in March, suffered from the relative year; ever lower real interest will make
and other donors throughout the
underperformance of UK markets in them painful and costly for all.
year, particularly in respect of student
the recovery phase. Calm heads were
support. The speed with which The College faces internal and
kept in the eye of the storm and some
such support was provided as the external challenges, and the coming
investments were made which we
consequences
8 of the pandemic began year will be demanding, spiritually
hope will show strong future returns.
to emerge was as impressive as it was and financially (and I haven’t even
7 There were a number of sites in our
heartwarming. mentioned Brexit). Yet we are admitting
6 property portfolios where planning
a large and diverse community of
Our relatively good control over fixed gains became considerably more likely
5 undergraduates and postgraduates
costs, which were flat year on year, over the year and it became necessary
this year, we have adapted in the face
£ million
the4help provided by the government’s to account for these changes in the
of great adversity to deliver very strong
furlough scheme and the benefit of year end valuations. As and when these
3 exam results and our Fellows are at
recent years’ endowment growth have are crystallised I will report. In turbulent
2 us breathing space to manage the cutting edge of research in many
given markets what you don’t own can be
fields, including clinical trials relating to
tolerably
1 well so far. However, prolonged as important as what you do; our
coronavirus treatment. We will deploy
repetition of these effects over a number exposure to retail property is relatively
0 all our resources, human, financial and
of years will have adverse effects on the small which afforded some shelter.
Education ACC* Other Cambridge
Cambridge University operational, with purposefulness to
College’s finances. & Counties Bank faced
Contribution support this wonderful community, to
the shutdown of the economy during
InvestmentFY1920performance FY1819 *Accommodation, conference and catering manage through these challenges and
lockdown with enormous competence
The endowment’s balance at 30 June to ensure we continue to thrive.
and professionalism. The loan book
was £289.9m (after deducting 3% of has so far held up relatively well; the
the rolling seven year average balance bank is exceptionally well capitalised;
to support our activities as per our and certain opportunities to transact
Spending Rule). Overall investments profitable business have emerged as
lost 2.2% over the year, as our property competitors focus exclusively on
holdings appreciated and equities their distressed assets. Thus, while
6 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The
Senior
Tutor’s
Report
Spirit of cross-College
practical collaboration, imagination
and generosity
G
iven that Trinity Hall has assessments; all other undergraduates
(c) Ian Farrell
been in existence for 670 sat modified assessments that were not
years, claiming that a single formally classed. Aside from academic
academic year has been endeavours, an MCR member, Philipp
wholly unprecedented seems a rash Verpoort (2016) received the Vice-
assertion – especially for a Senior Tutor Chancellor’s Social Impact Award for
who is also a historian. But 2019-20 was having envisaged and realised the
like no other year in the College’s history. ‘Greater Cambridge Citizens’ Assembly’
As video-messaging, drone footage and as a means of empowering local citizens
online discounts from local wine retailers to contribute to discussions regarding the
became necessary substitutes for future of Cambridge’s transport system.
celebrating General Admission in person
At the time of writing, the external
in June, Trinity Hall’s graduands of 2020
independent inquiry being undertaken
secured a special place in the College’s
by Gemma White QC continues its
long history as a cohort that graduated
Dr Clare Jackson investigations into media allegations
amid uniquely different, and often
Senior Tutor concerning Trinity Hall that appeared
difficult, circumstances. In the College’s
earlier this year. Receiving, reflecting upon
first ‘Virtual Graduation’, stunning aerial
and, where appropriate, taking action in
images of Latham Court, the gardens
at Wychfield and other College sites “I would like to thank relation to Ms White’s inquiry will be an
essential means of rebuilding trust with
appeared on screen to a harpsichord
accompaniment. Yet because it was
all the students for their the College’s students, staff, Fellows and
alumni, many of whom were negatively
filmed during lockdown, the footage flexibility, co-operation affected by the press coverage.
lacked the vital Trinity Hall ingredient:
its people. and kindness to one Looking ahead, it is impossible to
College life changed quickly and another during the predict what ‘the new normal’ will feel
like in Trinity Hall in the coming year, as
suddenly with the imposition of a national
lockdown in March. As Senior Tutor, significant disruption that everyone adapts to the many challenges
continually posed by coronavirus. I am
I would like to thank all the students arose on account of the deeply grateful for the huge amount
for their flexibility, co-operation and
kindness to one another during the coronavirus pandemic.” of practical support and helpful advice
offered to all members of College by the
significant disruption that arose on
replaced by online assessments. In JCR and MCR communities, the Acting
account of the coronavirus pandemic.
mid-April, seven of Trinity Hall’s final-year Vice-Master, Bursar, Junior Bursar,
Having been advised to return home
medical students graduated from the Tutorial Office staff, Mental Health &
where it was safe and possible to do
University’s School of Clinical Medicine Wellbeing team, College Nurse, Alumni
so, students made travel and other
ahead of schedule, enabling them to & Development Office staff and so
plans at very short notice, often incurring
seek early registration with the General many others. I am confident that the
worrying additional expenditure as well
Medical Council to assist in tackling the same spirit of cross-College practical
as navigating international quarantine
public health crisis by entering the NHS collaboration, imagination and generosity
requirements and other complications.
workforce before their usual start date that facilitated its sudden lockdown, and
Thereafter, the cancellation of all
in August. During the main examination has sustained us all in the intervening
in-person teaching required students
season, only final-year undergraduates months, will continue infusing Trinity
to study remotely, while colleagues
and postgraduate students studying Hall’s activities in the coming weeks
transferred their teaching online and
taught Master’s degrees took classed and months.
conventional Tripos examinations were
7
The Postgraduate
Tutor’
Report
s
Reflect on the strength of the
postgraduate community
I
t has been an extraordinary year in to many students who experienced
Trinity Hall and in the world, but the financial difficulties due to the
MCR and Trinity Hall’s postgraduate pandemic; we remain very grateful to
community have survived, and even our alumni for their continued support.
thrived, in the face of the difficulties
Our MCR President this year, Will
that this year has thrown at us. It is
Lloyd-Regan has done a stellar job
wonderful to pause at this moment
in challenging times. We remain
and reflect on the strength of the
profoundly grateful for his willingness
postgraduate community in weathering
to communicate both with us as well
the challenges. I returned from my
as with his community as we have
sabbatical leave recently and would Dr Sasha Turchyn adjusted to the new normal. Our
like to express my profound thanks Postgraduate Tutor postdoctoral community has been led
to the interim Graduate Tutor,
by PDRAs Dr Masha Dvoriashyna from
Dr Tamsin O’Connell, who along
with the Deputy Postgraduate Tutor, “Our MCR President Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics,
and Dr Will Coulton from the Institute
Dr Ramji Venkataraman, steered an
excellent year for the MCR in my
this year, Will Lloyd- of Astronomy.
absence. As of August 2020, the Regan, has done Day-to-day, Clare Kerr in her role as
Graduate Tutor is now called the the Postgraduate Administrator, has
Postgraduate Tutor. a stellar job in been a steady and helpful presence for
The MCR currently has 247 members, challenging times.” the postgraduate community. This has
been a particularly challenging year with
with 90 new students joining the College
disruption this has had on the academic ever-changing guidance and constantly
for the 2019/20 academic year. In
year and on the MCR community. In adjusting protocols, requiring constant
addition, the MCR has 32 Postdoctoral
the face of lockdown at the end of Lent communication. Clare has handled this
Research Associates (PDRAs),
term, the College followed the lead of with aplomb and we are profoundly
scholars who are at the beginning of
other colleges and the University in grateful. We are also grateful for the
their academic careers, and who offer
requesting that members of the MCR, help of Rosie Ince (Tutorial Registrar),
mentorship and support for postgraduate
insofar as they could, return home. Saskia Burton (Tutorial Administrator)
students. Our offer-to-acceptance rate
This allowed us to reduce the numbers and Julie Powley (Tutorial Office
was 53.5% (excluding clinical students),
living in College accommodation so that Manager). The Admissions team this
compared to a University average of
we could focus our support on those year welcomed the Admissions Tutor,
58.4%. Typically, the reason for the
for whom returning home was not a Dr Marcus Tomalin, who, together with
low offer-to-acceptance is because a
possibility. The period of lockdown was the Admissions Officer, Vicky Mills, has
student, having received their offer, is
challenging for many, and the MCR made the process of postgraduate
unable to find funding for the course.
was the largest community remaining admissions far smoother than it
Trinity Hall remains indebted to its alumni
in College accommodation during this otherwise would have been. We are
community, through whose donations we
time. We have profound gratitude for the fortunate to be able to rely on such
are able to offer far more postgraduate
MCR Committee who organised online an effective and friendly Tutorial team.
studentships and other financial help than
gatherings so that people could connect We also express our sincere thanks to
the vast majority of other colleges.
with one another. This was particularly the College’s exceptional Welfare team
Of courses, it feels that this article important for those who were shielding who provide key ongoing support for
should almost begin with the largest in College accommodation. Trinity the postgraduate community.
event of the year, coronavirus, and the Hall was able to offer financial support
8 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The Admissions
Tutor’s
Report
The most urgent task was to
ensure that we remained in close
contact with our offer-holders and
potential applicants
W
hen I started at Trinity Some things were fairly easy to
Hall in September 2019, adapt. The Admissions Team had
I was not intending been meeting regularly since I
to change very much started at Trinity Hall, so we kept
during my first year. If I first observed the same pattern, simply shifting our
how the College already handled the conversations to video calls. Other
various stages of the Admissions things were rather more challenging,
Round, I would then be in a strong though. We had planned to produce
position (I thought) to suggest useful a series of videos for social media
modifications. in the spring, aimed at potential
applicants for both undergraduate
And everything went well, initially. We
and postgraduate courses. Despite
saw a 20 per cent increase in the
the constraints of lockdown, we still
number of undergraduate applications;
managed to make progress with
we assessed them all carefully; the
this. One sunny April afternoon,
interviews took place in December;
for instance, I made use of my
and we made 145 new offers. We
government-approved daily-exercise
also participated in the University’s
Dr Marcus Tomalin allowance and walked through the
Postgraduate Open Day; we assessed
Director of Admissions almost-deserted streets of Cambridge,
the many applications we received
filming the route from Central Site
for postgraduate courses; and we
to WYNG Gardens. This footage
awarded our postgraduate research
soon appeared on YouTube (search
studentships. “This combined TrinityHallCamb), in time-lapse and
So far so good. In early March, our approach of virtual with a jaunty soundtrack.
Schools Liaison Officer, Izzy Sanders,
and I travelled to Somerset and Bristol and physical events The most urgent task, though,
was to ensure that we remained in
to speak to potential applicants in
numerous schools. We participated
will enable us to close contact with our offer-holders,
and with potential applicants, even
in HE+ events, and ran additional connect more though meeting anyone in person
sessions for Year 10 students and
parents. The feedback was extremely effectively with an was impossible. Consequently, we
rapidly organised several online events
positive. On the train back, Izzy
and I made plans for an ambitious
even larger number of including an Offer Holder Open Day, a
programme of Widening Participation potential applicants.” BME Open Day, and sessions aimed
at the students participating in the
(WP) events.
Bristol and Somerset HE+ schemes. I
And that was when everything our remaining ‘physical’ Access/WP also represented the College in various
changed. Within a few weeks of our events had to be cancelled. So began Q&A sessions during the University’s
return, the UK was in lockdown and all the era of ‘Virtual Admissions’. Virtual Open Days on 2 and 3 July.9
These events were all extremely well
attended, which was encouraging.
And then, of course, in August we had
to deal with the huge complexities
created by the UK government’s U-turn
in the grading of school examinations.
This was a stressful time for everyone
involved – our offer-holders, their
families and teachers, and the many
people involved with Admissions across
the University. Thankfully, in the end,
at Trinity Hall we were able to honour
our offers to all those who ultimately
obtained the required grades (ie, after
their marks were revised), and we
did not need to ask anyone to defer
against their wishes. This means that
we welcomed our largest ever group of
freshers to the College in Michaelmas
2020, and 73% of them came from
schools and colleges in the maintained
sector. This percentage is proportionate
to the 74% we saw for that sector
when we received the applications
last October.
So, although my brilliant plan to
observe a typical Admissions Round at
Trinity Hall was thoroughly scuppered,
we have all learnt many things since
March – and learning is usually
beneficial. It is now absolutely clear
that we must continue to offer a robust
programme of ‘virtual’ Access/WP
events to supplement our numerous
well-established ‘physical’ events.
This combined approach will enable
us to connect more effectively with
an even larger number of potential
applicants – especially those from
under-represented groups. It is
always satisfying to make a virtue of
necessity, and hopefully this particularly
distressing year has caused us to
transform our schedule of Access/WP
events in ways that will continue to be
beneficial long after the coronavirus
pandemic has become a dim memory.
TrinityHall_SLO
trinhall_outreach Jerwood Library at night10 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The
Development
Director’s
Report
first of a series of alumni in academia
“A hybrid webinars. Our online events programme
programme of will continue into the new academic year
and we look forward to bringing a varied
online events range of events to a wide audience. As
and more digital a result of our online offering, 32 alumni
came to their first Trinity Hall event and
communications event attendees donated £2,700 in lieu of
a ticket price. Thank you for your support.
is here to stay.”
At the start of the academic year, our
events included the Milestone Lecture
by John Collier Fellow, Dr Rachel
Clement Tolley, titled Reforming the
criminal law for users of mobility aids
and we held a lecture in London thanks
Dr Rachelle Stretch to Emeritus Fellow Dr John Pollard
Development Director (1963). We held our usual gathering at
the Varsity rugby match in Twickenham
Alumni Relations Report and travelled to Paris for a dinner
This time last year I did not imagine with alumni. Last autumn we travelled
that we would be planning an online to Liverpool for a THA event at the
event series. However, I would have Merseyside Maritime Museum and just
been delighted if you had said that before lockdown we were delighted
we would have all constituents of the to see 35 guests at our first dinner in
College – alumni, students, postdocs, Belfast, at the Titanic Museum. Sadly
staff, Fellows and parents – at an event, all subsequent travel was cancelled.
including alumni from seven different
We have also taken this time to
decades and seven different countries.
focus on our online community
The Oxbridge alumni experience has LinkHall: www.linkhall.org. We
traditionally been focused on returning expanded it to include a business
to College for dinners. I will not take directory where alumni can advertise
this for granted again! Unfortunately the their business for free and there are
restrictions due to the pandemic meant offers specifically for Trinity Hall alumni.
that we had to postpone eight reunions The careers network has increased
and six other events. I am so very sorry functionality allowing you to specify
that we have missed the opportunity how you can help advise a student and
to see alumni back in College this year also to say you would like to act as a
and we will reschedule these events. mentor. We are delighted that 54% of
those who have signed up are willing
“It is through the Online events have enabled us to reach
a wider audience. During lockdown
to help. The community also enables
alumni to set up groups – whether
generosity of alumni we worked with Big Smoke Events to this is by subject, interest or region.
offer three online quizzes that proved
that our student hugely popular with all members of
We established a group for our 2020
graduands and were able to use the
support funds the College. We also arranged one platform to host a virtual graduation
especially for families. In total, 164 for them in July, opening with drone
were able to assist households attended our quizzes. footage of the College.
students who were We were delighted to invite alumnus We produced a new email,
Dr Blake Sherwin (2004) from DAMTP
immediately affected to give our first webinar, Seeing the
TH TogeTHer, designed to provide
good news stories and interactive
by the pandemic.” Beginning, and we hope this will be the content. We are grateful to everyone11
who shared their stories and musical Income received: Income received:
performances. The videos we created for different purposes source of donation
can be found on our YouTube channel
– search TrinityHallCamb.
Many people talk about pivoting to a
new digital world at this time; however
this term may suggest you pivot right
back to how things were. I think a
hybrid programme of online events and
more digital communications is here to
stay – these strange times have been
an opportunity for us to try something
new and reach alumni around the
world. We would welcome your
feedback and suggestions. But don’t
worry – we will reinstate alumni dinners
as soon as we can! New buildings £1,194.662 Trusts and foundations £1,400,975
Development Report Unrestricted £963.018 Alumni £801,082
I must start by saying a huge thank Student support £506.097 Legacies from alumni £758,272
you to everyone who has ever made a Refurbishment £326,456 Corporate/Organisations £102,176
donation to the College. With our other
income streams reduced as a result of Societies £64.329 Staff and Fellows £20,184
the pandemic, philanthropy has been Teaching £41.886 Parents and friends £13.758
even more important.
It is through the generosity of alumni,
not only last year but in previous years We had to cancel our usual Telephone The Trinity Hall Fund received
and throughout our history, that we Campaign, which was scheduled for donations totalling £3,001,640,
were able to continue our academic the Easter Vacation. Donations from which will enable us to:
provision and pastoral care during the Telephone Campaign each year • provide bursaries for more
these times. Our student support typically boost our student support undergraduates from lower-income
funds were able to assist students funds. Instead, we reached out by households, to help with living costs
who were immediately affected by the email in May to ask for support.
• fund studentships for five Masters
pandemic, and we expect the impact We are so grateful for the positive
students starting in October 2020
to be felt in the year, if not years, to response we received. From May to
come. There are students who will have September following the email appeal, • support the work of the mental
faced changes in household income; alumni donated £115,000 specifically health team
postgraduates who have funding to help students affected by the • digitise manuscripts in the Old
concerns; students with unexpected pandemic. On behalf of the student Library so they can be accessed by
travel costs; and those who need help community – thank you. a wider audience
to work remotely. • refurbish student rooms
In August we were able to hold a small
We recognise this is a very unusual Telephone Campaign, with five callers • improve our digital presence
year and we are immensely grateful to working remotely to speak to alumni. and expand our remote teaching
everyone who has been able to support We reached 200 alumni and £44,000 resources
us in whatever way possible. Overall, was pledged. This was a wonderful • help provide extra resources for
£3,096,444 was received in total in opportunity for students and alumni College sport including cricket,
2019-20 and £1,960,387 was raised. to share lockdown experiences and tennis and the boat club.
strengthen the Trinity Hall community.
Contact us
Development Director Events Officer Alumni Communications Officer E: alumnioffice@trinhall.cam.ac.uk
Dr Rachelle Stretch Emma Grieveson Kathryn Martin-Chambers T: +44 (0)1223 332550
Development Officer Alumni Officer Database & Gifts Officer W: www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk
James Adamcheski-Halson Liz Pentlow Andrew Thompson W: www.linkhall.org
Alumni & Donor Relations Officer Alumni & Development Assistant
Oleno Netto Jacqueline Boyle TrinityHallCamb12 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The
Dean of
Chapel’s
Report
Scattered around the world,
each quietly praying together
E
ach term, the Director of Music the chapel, ‘Dora Jejey (2019) gave the
and I produce a chapel card final address of term.
with details of services. Filling in
Between the two terms I visited the
details of readings and music is
work of the Delhi Brotherhood, an
a fiddly job, but I always enjoy choosing
Anglican religious order with strong
an image for the front. Usually, I choose
historic links to the University of
a picture linked with the liturgical
Cambridge. A number of Brothers
season we are entering – Advent, Lent
serve parishes in Delhi’s poorest areas,
or Easter. But what image will suit this
and the Brotherhood is responsible
strangest of new academic years?
for some truly remarkable charitable
This one seemed obvious; a chalice, a
work, including supporting women
paten with a communion wafer, and a
experiencing domestic abuse and
hand gel dispenser – posed against the
running Delhi’s equivalent of Childline
Greek text inlaid onto the panel behind
– a 24/7 number with a dedicated
the altar: ‘… do this in remembrance of
team of social workers able to provide
me’ (1 Corinthians 11:24).
emergency support for children at risk.
2019-20 was the most challenging
Revd Dr Stephen Plant Following government guidance, the
year I have experienced since I arrived
Dean and Runcie Fellow chapel was closed in the Easter term.
as Dean of Chapel. No reader of the
Two services a week, a morning service
Trinity Hall Review needs reminding
and a weekly compline (night prayer)
that during the year the College faced
intense scrutiny both internally, and from “In any circumstance service were conducted on Zoom. This
format was no one’s plan A, but both
the media. The impact on students,
Fellows and staff was profound. In any
in which relationships services were valuable and there was
circumstance in which relationships come under stress, something quite powerful in closing
the day on Thursdays with College
come under stress, the importance
of keeping conversation going is the importance members scattered not only around the
country, but also in other parts of the
heightened, and that is something that is of keeping world, each quietly praying together,
quintessentially part of a chaplain’s work.
The chapel’s year began with visits by
conversation going is many of us in candlelit or lamplit rooms.
The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop heightened, and that The coming year will be unlike any
other in the life of both the College and
of Ely, and by the Rt Revd Helen-Ann
Hartley, Bishop of Ripon. The preacher is something that is its chapel. No chapel in the University
can seat fewer people safely, and so
at Remembrance Day was the Principal quintessentially part equipment is being installed to make
of Ridley Hall, the Revd Dr Michael
Volland, a former Army chaplain. During of a chaplain’s work.” recording and live streaming of services
possible. I will interview some visiting
Lent, sermons focused on the Book
preachers in chapel, others online.
of Psalms, described by the German delivered by Dr Nathan MacDonald,
Chaplaincy too must adapt to social
theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer as ‘the Reader in the Interpretation of the Old
distancing and face coverings. However,
prayer book of the Bible’. The choice of Testament in the Faculty of Divinity. The
perhaps the challenges will bring new
anthem at evensong was (as always!) Archdeacon of Birmingham, the Ven
opportunities, not least, for alumni to
carefully chosen to dovetail with the Jenny Tomlinson (1979) preached at
share remotely in services they would
psalm that was used as a basis for the Commemoration of Benefactors’
not otherwise be able to attend.
each sermon. The first sermon was service. Our ordinand on attachment to13
The
Junior Bursar’s
Report
A dedicated staff team who have
gone above and beyond
T
his has clearly been the most as further secure measures were put
unusual and challenging 12 in place to enable a cautious return.
months since I joined the As it became clearer when students
College in 2007. At the last would be returning, the Catering
time of reporting, the unrest and teams came back into College to start
uncertainty of Brexit now feels like a preparing for a very different form of
lifetime ago despite still facing these service and provision. In September,
challenges over the next six months. we were pleased to receive the Meeting
It has been a very testing period, Industry Association AIM Covid Secure
cascading from one complicated accreditation, and Visit Britain awarded
situation straight into another. the College ‘We’re Good to Go’ status.
At the end of March, when College staff The most important factor throughout
were instructed by the government not Glen Sharp 2020 so far has been communication
to come into work, we were already a Junior Bursar and keeping as many people engaged
fair way towards closing. Our students and up-to-date as possible. I am
had either been supported in returning very grateful to be working with such
home or moved to our Wychfield site “The most a dedicated staff team who have
for the immediate to medium term gone above and beyond to make the
future. Staff who were required to shield
important factor students’ return and residency with
had been supported in working from throughout 2020 us as good as it can be given the very
home and office-based staff were being different and constrained experience
set up with equipment to enable them so far has been they are all facing. The JCR and MCR
to continue to operate.
communication Committees have been extremely
adaptable to enable Freshers’ Week
We took the opportunity to furlough
those of our staff who could not carry and keeping as to proceed under coronavirus secure
measures. The Senior Officers of the
out their work from home, including many people College, including our new Bursar who
housekeepers, maintenance and
catering teams. It soon became engaged and up to joined as the College was shutting
down, have been working tirelessly to
apparent one of the difficulties was
going to be how we all still remained
date as possible.” ensure Trinity Hall was open again to
students in the most secure way it could
connected at a time when we were not
reasons. Our Maintenance and be, to give confidence to staff, Fellows
physically together. The development
Housekeeping teams were the next and students to return to College.
upgrades to Microsoft Teams and
Zoom enabled Heads of Department to return, preparing the College for, at Our WongAvery Music Gallery
to orchestrate operational matters, but that time, a hopeful return of students programme has suffered through this
in addition to this over the course of in October. The Maintenance team period, including a seven week site
the spring and summer months, I sent took the opportunity of a very quiet shutdown during March and April
out regular updates, blind copying all College to carry out long-awaited followed by supply issues whilst the
staff to keep them up to date with what repairs and upgrades to areas that industry built itself back up. We are
was happening and how College was were very difficult to schedule during now looking at a completion date of
preparing to get back up and running. term or conference periods. Next early 2021.
were the Gardening team, who had
Our Porters were heroic throughout, a few individuals that had stayed on There is still uncertainty going forward
securing the College and providing throughout to keep the landscaping but the last six months has proven how
much needed support to the students under control. Our office-based staff versatile, adaptable and supportive the
who remained in residence for various then started to come back into College Trinity Hall community is.14 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The
Head of Conference
and Catering Services’
Report
Working together to ensure that
everyone feels safe and welcome
I
am certain that I’m not the first to say It was with sadness that we had to
that it has been an extraordinary year postpone a number of private events
of two distinct halves. The academic booked by alumni including weddings,
year started with the traditional birthdays and anniversary events, as
welcome to freshers and returning well as your guest bedroom bookings.
students. This came after a busy We would like to thank you all for your
summer of events when we enjoyed patience and understanding and we
arranging many alumni weddings and are pleased that we have been able
celebrations, which included hosting a to reschedule so many of your events
new week-long residential conference to 2021.
for the 1960 Yale alumni reunion
programme. A Trinity Hall postgraduate As well as the challenges, the
alumnus was delighted to show his pandemic has given us the opportunity
Yale classmates around Cambridge for to build on our existing relationships
a complete programme of academic with local food and catering suppliers
talks, visits and tours, which the Alumni as well as the Cambridge Sustainable
& Development Office and Conference Food Bank. When it became clear that
Office created and managed together. we would not be re-opening for the
All being well, we hope to repeat this in summer, we donated our dry-goods
the future. stock that was nearing best-before
dates to the Food Bank, which helped
With the return of the students, our them provide community meals and
chefs were challenged with developing items for the community food hubs.
more creative menus for the range
of themed Superhalls. This included As we look forward with optimism to
a surprisingly delicious hedgerow- Fiona Simon reopening for conferences and events
nettle soup starter as part of a charity Head of Conference in 2021, we would like to thank you
dinner, with proceeds being donated and Catering Services for your continued support and well-
to WILDAID, which supports efforts wishes. We want you to feel just as
to save wildlife. Among the last of our excited and confident as we are about
Superhalls was a romantic Valentine’s “...a surprisingly returning to Trinity Hall and please rest
assured that your safety and wellbeing
Dinner; little did we know at the time
that it would be the last of such events delicious are at the forefront of everything that
we do. We look forward to welcoming
for many months. hedgerow-nettle you back soon.
From March, with the onset of the
pandemic in the UK, the Catering team
soup starter as part E: events@trinhall.cam.ac.uk
adapted quickly to the new challenges of a charity dinner.” T: 01223 764444
W: conferences.trinhall.cam.ac.uk
we faced to ensure the safety and
wellbeing of our students, Fellows and continues to change. I would like to
@TrinHallEvents
staff. We quickly put in place a range thank all members of the Conference
of social distancing and safeguarding and Catering department for adapting trinityhallevents
measures, which helped us re-open to the new processes and procedures
Trinity Hall Events
the College catering facilities for the and working together to ensure that
new academic year and address the everyone feels safe and welcome in the @trinhallevents
new government guidelines effectively. cafeteria and coffee shop. As a result,
These measures will be under constant we’ve grown stronger and even more
review and development as the situation effective as a team.15
The
Librarian’s
Report
The wonderful community of
librarians across the University
The Jerwood Library them busy for around two years, and is
Although much of this year was a important for the conservation and care
very strange and challenging time due of our early printed books.
to the coronavirus crisis, it has also Thanks to the generosity of alumni,
prompted innovation. Physical libraries several more of our medieval
everywhere closed, but library staff manuscripts were digitised on the
continued to work from home, providing Cambridge Digital Library. With the
remote services to students and other closure of libraries due to the pandemic,
members of the College community. these digital copies have allowed
Support was provided through online researchers around the world to
enquiry services, postal book loans and continue to access and research some
Jenni Lecky-Thompson
emailing scanned book chapters. We of our important items.
Director of Library Services
also kept in touch in a more informal
way via blogs and social media. A bequest has also allowed us to
purchase some new books for our
With students studying remotely, the “We are planning collection: a handsome set of Gibbon’s
provision of electronic resources,
and the assistance to access and to deliver a range of classic work, History of the Decline and
Fall of the Roman Empire, and an
to effectively use these, was of vital new services to help 18th-century travel book, Dixon’s
importance. Many publishers generously
provided free access to their online support our users… Voyage Round the World (1789).
content during the crisis, and there were Trinity Hall also took part in the annual
numerous requests for e-books to be
including ‘zero contact’ Colour Our Collections initiative for the
purchased. The wonderful community services, virtual library first time this year. This initiative — first
of librarians across the University launched in 2016 — invites people
worked together to support alternative tours and online to download and colour thousands
of black-and-white images from
ways of studying and teaching, and to
support each other at weekly Zoom
induction and training cultural collections around the world.
meetings. I found myself on the rota for materials for new The colouring sheets from the Trinity
a new library chat service answering Hall collection were available in the
many and varied questions about students.” Jerwood Library so students could
Cambridge’s libraries and resources. colour and share their artwork. We
increasingly more digital and service- were delighted that one of the images
During Easter term, the library plays a minded. The Jerwood is no exception. from our collection was featured in the
pastoral role in providing support for We are planning to deliver a range of Smithsonian Magazine.
students revising for exams. Students new services to help support our users
were not, of course, able to attend during this difficult time and beyond. I would like to thank everyone who has
the usual squash and biscuits breaks, This will include ‘zero contact’ services, made these projects possible through
but instead they could enjoy the virtual library tours and online induction supporting Trinity Hall’s libraries.
Library’s posts on Instagram and links and training materials for new students.
www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/library
to wellbeing tips and activities on our
Facebook page. The Old Library www.jerwoodlibrarytrinityhall.wordpress.com
In January we welcomed a group of JerwoodLibraryTrinHall
The pandemic has led to a move away volunteers from The Arts Society Cantab
from a focus on the physical collections to begin a project to clean the books @jerwoodlibrary
towards developing services that are in the Old Library. This project will keep16 R E PORTS F ROM OU R OF F IC E R S
The Director of
Music’s
Report
It has been enormously
gratifying to work with this next
generation of students
H
aving been on sabbatical of the choir’s CD recording of Dieterich
leave this time last year it is Buxtehude’s Passiontide cantata-
good now to cast the mind cycle Membra Jesu nostri, performed
back and to reflect upon the alongside the players and vocal soloists
many wonderful achievements of the of the College’s professional Ensemble
Trinity Hall Chapel Choir over the past in Residence, Orpheus Britannicus.
two academic years. In identifying a We are delighted that this disc has
necessarily small sample of highlights since been met with such widespread
for this report, I nonetheless feel it critical acclaim in the musical press
important to note the magnificent and also that it was singled out on
commitment that our choir members BBC Radio 3’s Record Review as one
make to the musical life of the college
Andrew Arthur of three favourite Eastertide releases.
Director of Music
throughout each year; their annual Hot on the heels of this success,
routine typically entails some 70 the choir recorded a further disc in
or so rehearsals toward nearly 50
performances including those within
“We are delighted August 2019, this time of Jacobean
repertoire, focusing upon the works of
services of Evensong, Compline, that this disc has Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Weelkes
Eucharist, Remembrance, Advent and and Thomas Tomkins. Once again, the
Christmas Carols and Commemoration, since been met with choir sang wonderfully well for these
as well as for numerous other important such widespread sessions and they thoroughly enjoyed
events such as College Feasts, the opportunity to work alongside the
concerts and recordings. critical acclaim in the professional consort, Newe Vialles.
Alongside their Cambridge-based musical press.” The end of the 2018/19 academic
musical endeavours, the choir always year saw an unusually large proportion
relishes the chance to sing further The conclusion of the Lent term of THCC’s membership reach the
afield and last year we were thrilled to 2019 was marked by two especially end of their time in Cambridge, and
accept invitations to sing evensong in noteworthy achievements – firstly, the so at the conclusion of the afore-
the Cathedrals of Ely and Peterborough choir’s unforgettable performance of mentioned recording project we waved
– occasions which offered equally Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem. Joined a sad but fond farewell to nearly two
rewarding but greatly contrasting for this occasion by alumni Sebastian thirds of our singers, as well as to
musical opportunities. The experience Gillot (2012) on the organ and Tom our Graduate Organ Scholar, James
of performing Tudor repertoire in the Wraith (2008) on the cello as well as Grimwood (2015). Accordingly, the
unmatched acoustic of Ely’s Lady the vocal soloists, Helen Charlston 2019/20 academic year was destined
Chapel was, as always, a moment and Reuben Thomas, this was the first to be a period of re-building and it
to cherish, and the choir’s superb ever performance of this iconic and was wonderful to welcome a new
renditions of Walmisley’s tuneful Evening challenging work at Trinity Hall and thus cohort of singers in the Michaelmas
Service in D minor and Mendelssohn’s represented a landmark manifestation term together with our new Junior
dramatic Epiphany anthem There shall of the tremendous progress which has Organ Scholar, Erin Cox (2019). It has
a star from Jacob come forth from the been made by the choir in recent years. been enormously gratifying to work
oratorio Christus were truly memorable. That same month also saw the release with this next generation of students17
and to nurture the admirable progress
that they have already made during
these early stages of their choral
development. Particular highlights of
the last twelve months have included a
fine Service of Nine Lessons & Carols,
incorporating repertoire spanning from
Michael Praetorius to the late South
African composer, John Joubert, and
a specially curated service of Music
and Readings for the final service of
the Lent term, featuring Felice Anerio’s
expressive setting of the Maundy
Thursday Gradual Christus factus est
pro nobis, William Byrd’s affecting
Civitas sancti tui and John Sanders’
evocative setting of The Reproaches.
Little did we know at the time that the
choir’s moving performances of these
lamentations would prove to be the very
final notes they would sing together this
academic year. Indeed, it is poignant
to note that at the time of writing, the
choir would have been just a few weeks
away from setting off on its planned
concert tour of Prague. The loss of this
wonderful opportunity, together with
that of a whole term’s choral singing in
the wake of the coronavirus pandemic
has been deeply felt by our community.
Particularly affected are those members
of the choir who were finalist students
and who have also been denied so
many other ‘rites of passage’ that
ordinarily gild the end of a Cambridge
student career. We owe them all a great
debt of gratitude for the dedication they
have shown and for the skill which they
have shared during their time at Trinity
Hall. We shall miss them greatly and we
wish them all the very best with the next
chapter of their lives. It may be some
time yet before choral activities can
return to any recognisable semblance
of normality here in College, but when
it is safe to do so we shall look forward
to organising a reunion of this past
year’s chapel choir cohort in order to
celebrate their achievements and to
give appropriate thanks to them for all
that they have given to the musical life
of the College.
For further information, visit:
www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/about/chapel-music
Purchase CD recordings of the
Choir and Chapel Organ:
www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/about/gift-shop
@TrinHallCC Pianist in the Music Room1
(c) Sophie Clarke
2 3
The photos used in this publication were taken at various points during the 2019/20 academic year, both before and during different stages of coronavirus restrictions.You can also read
