Humanities and Social Sciences Cornwall, University of Exeter

17/07/2026

HaSS Cornwall was delighted to welcome Prof Leith Davis, SFU Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, to our campus in Cornwall and some local heritage partners. Dr Jim Kelly and Prof Joanie Willett discussed a range of exciting possibilities for research and teaching collaborations around the theme of Celtic identity. Prof Davis also visited the Cornish archive at Kresen Kernow to look at some of the rich and fascinating historical documents held there. A visit to the beautiful and historically resonant Trebah Gardens was also included. The visit, supported by HASS Cornwall Head of Department Prof Harry Pitts and HASS APVC for Research Prof Catriona Pennell, allowed for in-depth discussion of concrete plans to bring forward exciting projects based around landscape, memory, heritage, and Celtic identity in the modern world.

13/07/2026

On Saturday morning we gathered at Trebah Garden to celebrate the winners of the inaugural Tony Hibbert Prize, an initiative established by Prof. Catriona Pennell and the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Cornwall, University of Exeter in partnership with the Hibbert family and Trebah Garden

It was a wonderful occasion, bringing together prize winners, their families, and teachers from schools across Cornwall to recognise some truly outstanding work on this year's theme: ‘Cornwall At War.’

The creativity, insight, and passion for history shown in the entries were inspiring and a powerful reminder of why history and the humanities matter. Through writing, art, and digital storytelling, these young people demonstrated the curiosity, critical thinking, and communication skills our society needs now more than ever.

Our thanks go to Chris Hibbert for sharing stories of his father, Tony Hibbert, and presenting prizes; Professor Martin Siegert for helping us celebrate our winners; Zoe Curnow, James Lewis, and the team at Trebah Garden for their warm hospitality; and the members of our Advisory Board and Judging Panel for making the prize such a success.

Most importantly, congratulations to all our entrants and winners. You should be enormously proud of your achievements.

University of Exeter Cornwall
University of Exeter Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

19/03/2026

🌟 Cornwall students! Your creativity could win you the 2026 Tony Hibbert Prize! 🌟

Are you in Years 7–13 and interested in history? The Tony Hibbert Prize invites you to create an original response to this year’s theme:
🕊️ “Cornwall at war”

Explore how the history of modern conflict connects to the world we live in today through creative writing, journalism, art, filmmaking, or digital storytelling.

The competition celebrates the values that mattered most to Tony Hibbert — courage, resistance, tolerance, and a deep appreciation of history.

✨ Deadline for submissions: 24 April 2026

📍 Open to all pupils attending school in Cornwall in Key Stages 3–5. Winners will be celebrated at Trebah Garden this summer — don’t miss your chance to take part in this inspiring county wide challenge! 🌿

👉 Find out more and start your entry:
https://hass-cornwall.exeter.ac.uk/tony-hibbert-prize/

26/02/2026

📍 Falmouth Rugby Club | 🗓 Friday 6 March | ⏰ 7–10pm
Join us for Afro-Kernow, a vibrant evening of film, art, conversation, and community celebrating African and diaspora voices in Cornwall.

This special event is led by students from the HaSS Cornwall UGY3 module Gender and Politics of Africa and sponsored by the Decolonising Knowledges Collective, a research cluster in HaSS Cornwall at the University of Exeter. It showcases student-led public engagement while creating space for dialogue between university and community.

Taking place at Falmouth Rugby Club and coinciding with Ghana’s Independence Day, the evening invites reflection on histories of liberation, identity, and belonging across Africa and its global diasporas.

The programme features a screening of Small Gods, a powerful film about the displacement of the Batwa people in Uganda, followed by a panel discussion exploring diaspora, African student experiences, and Black presence in Cornwall. The event will also include artwork, poetry, music, and space for informal conversation — fostering connection, reflection, and celebration.

Whether you come for the film, the discussion, or the community atmosphere, Afro-Kernow offers a unique opportunity to engage with culture, politics, and creativity in one shared evening.
✨ Everyone is welcome — come to watch, listen, share, and celebrate.

🎟️ Book your place here: https://Afro-Kernow.eventbrite.co.uk

26/02/2026

Join us on Tuesday, 03 March at 3pm (Old Chapel lecture theatre, Penryn campus) where Dr Vindhya Buthpitiya (University of St Andrews) will deliver a lecture on 'Carto/Graphic Violence: Primetime Atrocity Amid the Sri Lankan Civil War' hosted by the Exeter South Asia Centre and HaSS Cornwall.

10/12/2025

The UK aims to channel £1bn a year into nature recovery, but new research from Exeter and Oxford warns this won’t work without stronger rules and independent oversight. Without clear standards and verification, nature credits risk greenwashing rather than real ecological gains.

The study calls for a central regulator, science-based metrics, and mandatory biodiversity reporting to ensure investments truly restore nature.

The effectiveness of ambitious efforts to attract over £1 billion annually into nature recovery by 2030 could be undermined without stronger governance and regulatory oversight, according to new analysis from the University of Exeter. Market-based

05/11/2025

We’re excited to launch the Tony Hibbert Prize! Honouring WWII veteran Tony Hibbert, the prize invites students in Years 7–13 to respond creatively to the theme “Cornwall at War.” Entries can include writing, art, film or digital storytelling. Three winners will each receive £100 in book tokens and be celebrated at Trebah Garden this summer.

New history prize launched for secondary school pupils in Cornwall.

The Tony Hibbert Prize, established in memory of the decorated Second World War veteran, will invite students in key stages 3-5, year groups 7-13, to creatively respond to a particular theme each year, through a range of different media.

The children will be able to write creatively or in a journalistic style, use art, make a film, or create a piece of digital storytelling that captures the qualities most important to Tony, namely courage, resistance, tolerance and an appreciation of history as a discipline.

The competition is now open, with a theme for this inaugural prize of ‘Cornwall at war’.

Three winners will each receive £100 of book tokens and will be hosted at a prize-giving at Trebah Garden in the summer.

Visit https://brnw.ch/21wXbMl or email the prize organisers at [email protected].

Full story at https://brnw.ch/21wXbMk

📷 Major Tony Hibbert being awarded the Great Seal of Kiel in 2010. Photo courtesy of the Hibbert family and Trebah Garden.

Humanities and Social Sciences Cornwall, University of Exeter
Institute of Cornish Studies
Falmouth School
Penryn Town Council
Penryn College Cornwall
Redruth School
Falmouth Town Council, UK
Richard Lander School
Penair School
Truro and Penwith College
Cornwall College

24/10/2025

11/10/2025