As part of our 60th anniversary celebrations, we have been looking back at highlights from the last 60 years at Shirley Park.
Thirty years ago, in the Spring Term of 1996, a new programme of external speaker events formally commenced. Speakers Corner was borne out of “a chance meeting with Private Eye Editor Ian Hislop in an Oxford college, the enthusiasm of my new colleague Andrew Halls and the innovative outlook of Barnaby Lenon as a new Head,” according to Edward Wild, Teacher of Religious Studies at the time.
The first speakers were impressive, with Sir Bernard Ingham, former Chief Press Secretary at Downing Street with Margaret Thatcher scheduled at lunch on 29 January followed by the popular Private Eye editor and Have I Got News For You panellist Ian Hislop. From then on, Speakers Corner welcomed several politicians ranging from Chris Mullin to Ann Widdecombe, writers and journalists including historian Lord Blake, Viz editor Chris Donald, BBC presenter James Naughtie and Kate Adie; and then Times journalist Michael Gove. It prompted journalist, and later Downing Street Director of Communications, Jack Doyle CBE to refer to the Trinity programme as “PR Corner”!
Thirty years on, we still recognise the value of exposing students to the big ideas and opinions of external speakers through our current programme: the Mitre Lecture series. Launched in 2024, we have welcomed speakers Sultana Tafadar KC who tackled counter-terrorism Empireland author Sathnam Sanghera, Laura Bates on Everyday Sexism, historian Helen Carr, Dr Julia Ebbner on online radicalisation, and the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt on saving the NHS. Students are inspired by the opportunity to not only listen to these leaders in their field, but also to engage through a Q&A and we have seen students ask increasingly well-researched and thoughtful questions.
Coming up in March, we look forward to welcoming Professor Amy Dickman who is speaking to students about human-wildlife conflict. Professor Dickman will be drawing on decades of experience researching and working to save lions, leopards, and other large carnivores from extinction. Her work considers the ways in which big cats can co-exist with traditional communities, exploring the cross-section between Biology, Geography, Sociology, and Anthropology.
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An article from Trinity Magazine published in the summer of 1996 has been shared here on TrinityGives.org.uk
To celebrate 60 years at Shirley Park, and our wonderfully diverse community, we have committed to raising £60,000 for the Trinity Bursary Fund to ensure access to a Trinity education is open to talented young people regardless of income. Find out more here.
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