There have been some significant changes since I last posted a message although I’m still working for UCATT as a Health and Safety Researcher and I’ve settled in my flat in Croydon. I’ve recently been selected as a Labour candidate in the Croydon Council elections in May 2006 so I’m sure life will get a lot busier. The other change is that Kris and I split up last year. For those of you who were on my mailing list of former Ruskin students, I’ve had a problem with my computer and can’t access my address book so if you’d like to be added back in then please get in touch and let me have your current email address. I still try to organise the occasional meet up in London although time pressures have made these less frequent of late. It would be good to hear from anyone who remembers me and that I’ve lost touch with.

An update
Sender: Carole Bonner
Date: 1998-1999
There have been some significant changes since I last posted a message although I’m still working for UCATT as a Health and Safety Researcher and I’ve settled in my flat in Croydon. I’ve recently been selected as a Labour candidate in the Croydon Council elections in May 2006 so I’m sure life will get a lot busier. The other change is that Kris and I split up last year. For those of you who were on my mailing list of former Ruskin students, I’ve had a problem with my computer and can’t access my address book so if you’d like to be added back in then please get in touch and let me have your current email address. I still try to organise the occasional meet up in London although time pressures have made these less frequent of late. It would be good to hear from anyone who remembers me and that I’ve lost touch with.

Hi My name is John Goddard, I attended Ruskin between 1990-1992. I took the Diploma in Social Studies. Since then I took a BA at Sussex as well as an MA and doctorate in Social and Political Thought. I decided to enter teaching a few years ago and went to Greenwich to complete a PGCE. Since 2002 I have worked as a Teacher of Sociology at a sixth form college in Hampshire. It has always been my dream to return to Ruskin and teach, but as we know people very rarely leave and I can understand this it being such a wonderful place. I went through a serious illness whilst at Ruskin but have been well since then.
John Goddard

At the recent AGM of the Ruskin Fellowship I was fortunate enough to be elected to the post of President.  I hope, during my year of office, to show a commitment to the Fellowship which will result in enhancing the Fellowship’s already good standing with past and present students. Joining the Fellowship will not only keep you in touch with friends but give you an opportunity to support a College which has provided so many of us with such a wonderful stepping stone in life.

Application forms are available from the College or via the website. I look forward to hearing from both current, new and prospective members of the Fellowship during the course of the year.

Jan Smith
President

Fellowship Secretary:  Julie Batten (1981/83)

I was at Ruskin (down at the Headington site) from 97-98 and i’ve got to say in retrospect it is the best thing i have ever done, it has been a catalyst for great change and improvement in my life. I have now (eventually) just finnished a 4 year MA (Hon) in Mental Philosophy at Edinburgh University and gained a 2:1 and am hoping at some point to carry on with an Mlitt or Phd. My time at Ruskin taught me the value of education and of social understanding and responsibility and has given me something which one day i hope to give back. Plus, i had a great time! My thanks to all the staff who were there at the time. If anyone remembers me from those days i would love to hear from you and find out how your getting on, just drop me an e-mail.

Dear Comrades If any one knows the whereabouts of Ian Mac. 1994/ 1995 history student, could they let me know. I have not seen him since 1997, when I was living in Cardiff, and would love to catch up with him again.

Is there anyone out there ? Fellow survivors of 1974 -76? I have posted messages on the board in the past but I guess my years never became computer savvy! I still live in Oxford.. After Ruskin I read Antropology and Sociology at Brookes and then lectured and taught in local FE colleges and other educational establisments. I got married again to a Spanish lady and had another two kids .

There are people i would like to be in contact with.,

Reg Andrew ,Dick Mahr, et al

If you have the time and the inclination drop me an email.

fraternal greetings to all.

Ken Thompson

I have been told some people have had problems contacting me. here is email address

ruskin9596@hotmail.co.uk

The fellowship has invited students from 1995-96 to its get together in September.(See previous messages above)

This would be a 10th anniversary reunion.

I believe this is an opportunity toget together and pay tribute to Graham Playle, a History student, who died in Oxford last year.

Any interest?

Hi to everyone from Ruskin 1990-1992. You may remember me and my partner at Ruskin, Steve Lewin. Unfortunately Steve died of leukemia in 1993, and as I met him on my second day at Ruskin, the place and the people have a special meaning for me.

Following my time at Ruskin I went to Sussex University with many Ruskin friends, and took my degree in Intellectual History. Many thanks are due to Bob Purdie for showing me that I was quite good at this subject!

Many years on I am now happily married to Bruce, with 2 stepdaughters.We still live in Hastings, where we help to organise the Robert Tressell Festival every year, together with Dee Daly, another ex-Ruskin student, who I am sure you will remember too.
I would welcome contact from my old Ruskin friends, and if you want to know more about the Robert Tressell Festival, or Robert Tressell and his famous novel “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists”, which was written in Hastings please look at our website www.1066.net/tressell