University of Chester Alumni Network

🌱 We're delighted to share that two University of Chester sustainability initiatives have been shortlisted for the Green Gown Awards 2026.

🏗️ Build Back Together: Reaching the Last Mile has been recognised in the Creating Impact category for its work with the Aston Ingham community, helping to improve flood resilience through community-led action and academic collaboration.

🍵 Transforming Campus Catering Through Sustainability, Inclusion and Student Partnership has been shortlisted in the Campus Health, Food and Drink category. The initiative has reduced food waste by 25%, strengthened sustainable practices and helped create a more inclusive dining experience for students throughout the University.

👏 A huge congratulations to all those involved in these initiatives! ♻️

📅 The winners of the Green Gown Awards 2026 will be announced on 16th November.

To find out more about the projects and why they were shortlisted, please visit https://www.chester.ac.uk/about/news/articles/university-of-chester-initiatives-shortlisted-for-two-prestigious-green-gown-awards-2026-/

📚 Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous Alumnus, three University of Chester students have gained valuable paid work experience while helping to preserve our University Archive.

Through the Unijob scheme, Joshua, Melissa and William were employed to catalogue a collection of books, reports, journal articles and ephemera relating to arts education.

⭐ Alongside making a significant contribution to the Archive, the project helped them develop skills in research, cataloguing, attention to detail and time management.

We're incredibly grateful for Alumni support that helps create opportunities like this for current students. To find out more about supporting future Archive projects, please contact [email protected]

🚨 Calling all Alumni employers!

Do you have any paid part-time opportunities available within your organisation?

We're inviting employers to exhibit at the University of Chester's Part-time Jobs Fair, taking place during Welcome Week.

📅 Friday 2nd October
⏰ 11am - 1.30pm
📍 Exton Park

Hosted by our Careers and Employability team, the fair gives employers the opportunity to promote paid, part-time vacancies directly to students looking for flexible work alongside their studies.

Exhibition space is free of charge, making it a great opportunity to advertise your vacancies, connect with students and strengthen your links with the University.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

To register your interest or find out more, please email [email protected] by Friday 14th August.

☀️ Our Graduation Gallery from our sunny May 2026 ceremonies is now live! 📸

Take a look at some of our favourite moments from the day and see if you can spot yourself by visiting https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCZQhC to browse the gallery.

Happy photo hunting!

👏 Congratulations to all our final year students who received their results last week. We hope you got the results you were hoping for!

We can't wait to celebrate with you all at graduation later this year and officially welcome you into the University of Chester Alumni community. 🎓

🎤📊 Congratulations to all our Alumni who were selected to pitch their business ideas at this year's University of Chester Venture Pitch event.

This year's competition was split up into two categories: Pre-launch and the Accelerator.

The Accelerator programme, introduced this year, saw five previous pitchers who have gone on to launch their businesses compete for a range of cash and support prizes.

👏 Congratulations to Helle, Alex and Shima, who were awarded prizes in the Accelerator programme.

🎮 A further congratulations to Pre-Launch winners Sam and Thomas, who are currently working towards the release of their first RPG (role-playing game), SunTide.

To find out more about the entrepreneurs and their prizes, please visit https://www.chester.ac.uk/about/news/articles/students-and-graduates-win-share-of-more-than-20000-plus-prizes-in-venture-pitch-competition/

Earlier this month, as part of the award-winning Festival of Ideas programme, our Alumni Archive team, alongside current History students from the Curious Chester module, hosted an exhibition showcasing 15 key objects from the history of the University and its predecessor institutions.

The exhibition explored how these objects relate to our history and reflect our longstanding role as an educational leader in the North West.

We loved hearing from Jonathan and Rosie-Jo (pictured above), who presented their research into their chosen objects. Jonathan explored James Slade's Sermon Preached and Susan Hector's teaching notes, while Rosie-Jo researched the history of Padgate Training College, later known as the Warrington Campus of the University.

It was also wonderful to see so many members of our Alumni community at the event as we reflected on the University's rich history.

Less than one month to go until bookings close for our Alumni Reunion Weekend 2026!

📅 Friday 11th September – Sunday 13th September 2026

📍 Exton Park, University of Chester

Booking deadline: 11th August 2026

To find out more and book your place before bookings close, please visit https://www.chester.ac.uk/about/alumni/alumni-reunion/

We hope to see you there!

✂️ The University of Chester has officially reopened the Binks building following a major refurbishment, marking another exciting milestone in the ongoing enhancement of our Exton Park campus.

To celebrate the reopening, the University was delighted to welcome members of the Binks family, guests and civic dignitaries for a special ceremony (pictured above).

🖼️ As part of the refurbishment, a portrait of Reverend Canon Dr Edmund Vardy Binks, affectionately known as Ned, has been installed in the building’s foyer in recognition of his lasting contribution to the institution.

Ned served as Principal of Chester College from 1987 to 1998 and played a pivotal role in shaping the foundations of what would become the University of Chester. Following his passing earlier this year, he is remembered with great respect, gratitude and affection by colleagues, students and all who knew him.

To find out more about the reopening ceremony, please visit https://www.chester.ac.uk/about/news/articles/binks-building-officially-re-opened-following-major-refurbishment-project-/

Last month, the Alumni team had the pleasure of welcoming Peggy and her friend Sharon, one of our alumna, for a tour of the Anna Sutton Building (formerly Beswick) at our Exton Park site.

Peggy’s father attended the building when it was known as the ‘Practising School’ in the early 1900s. During their visit, Peggy and Sharon were able to step into some of the original rooms where he would have been taught, including the space pictured here, which we believe was once a gymnasium before later becoming a lecture hall.

They also shared lovely memories of their time living in the local area, and reflected on how Chester will always feel like home to them 🏠

Do you have any historical information about the Practising School? We’d love to hear from you. Please email [email protected]