Alumni reunion weekend celebrates lifelong friendships and lasting University of Chester connections

The event welcomed graduates from the 1960s through to recent alumni, bringing together generations of former students to share experiences, reflect on their time in Chester and discover how the University has evolved since their studies. 

The Alumni Reunion Weekend highlighted the enduring bonds formed at the University of Chester and celebrated the achievements of graduates whose careers and lives have been shaped by their time at the institution. 

The University of Chester was founded in 1839 as Chester Diocesan Training College, making it one of the oldest higher education institutions in the country. As a university, it now occupies campus sites in and around Chester, one in Warrington, and a University Centre in Birkenhead.  

It offers a range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research. 

Among those attending were Derek and Angela Pattinson, whose relationship began at Chester College. Derek studied for four years until 1970 before moving to Humberside, where he built a distinguished career in education, becoming the headteacher of two schools before working as an Ofsted inspector and later a lead inspector across the country. 

Reflecting on his return, Derek said: "I can look back at Chester College with great fondness. I am very grateful to come back here today." 

Angela, who graduated in 1969, enjoyed a successful career in education, teaching pupils aged nine to 13 before working with infants and becoming a curriculum support adviser for Humberside. 

She said: "Chester College could not have been a better choice." 

The reunion also welcomed recent graduate Erica Wiseman, who completed her Modern Languages degree in 2023. Since graduating, Erica has embraced opportunities around the world, including placements in Germany and Spain during her studies, a volunteering project in Costa Rica working with sloths and turtles, seasonal work in Lapland and travels across South Africa. 

Carole Sellars (née Headon), who graduated in 1977 after studying Biology Teacher Training, returned to reconnect with lifelong friends made during her time at Chester. 

Following a varied career, Carole worked with children with special educational needs, including supporting young people with autism in Ellesmere Port. 

She said: "I made lots of friends, and I am still in touch with them. Since retiring, I still meet up with them once or twice a year." 

Carole's late husband, Keith Sellars, who left Chester College in 1973, had previously attended the institution's 40th anniversary reunion. 

For David and Sue Carmichael, the weekend rekindled memories of student life in the 1960s. David, who graduated in 1966 and went on to become a headteacher, recalled a simpler era when a single public telephone connected the whole campus. 

He said: "When it rang, you answered it, irrespective of whether you were expecting a call or not. Everyone knew everyone else." As the first female president, former Students' Union President Lynne Dorman shared how she successfully campaigned on accommodation issues before embarking on a career in education, becoming a deputy headteacher and later working with children with additional needs and behavioural challenges as well as within local government services. 

Meanwhile, Astrid Thomson (née Murphy), who graduated in French in 1976, travelled from Northern Ireland for the reunion. She fondly recalled her years in Astbury Hall, including the strict 11pm curfew and the friendships she formed with fellow students from Northern Ireland that have endured for decades. 

The weekend featured organised activities led by the Alumni Team, alongside opportunities for graduates to explore campus and the city at their leisure, creating a relaxed atmosphere for reconnecting and reminiscing. They also heard about the current University of Chester from Vice Chancellor Professor Eunice Simmons during an address and explored the University archive of historic objects and memorabilia. 

Louise Wood, Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Development at the University of Chester, said: "It was wonderful to welcome so many alumni back to Chester and to see the strength of the connections they continue to have with the University and with one another. The reunion brought together graduates from across the decades, each with their own inspiring stories and memories, yet all united by their Chester experience. 

"Hearing about the remarkable paths our alumni have taken since graduation and the friendships and relationships that began here and continue to this day, reminds us of the lasting impact of university life. The success of the weekend reflects the affection our graduates hold for Chester and we look forward to welcoming even more alumni back in the years ahead."