The Queen has been giving Anniversary Prizes for higher and further education achievments to mark her diamond jubilee. At an investiture at Buckingham Palace she made awards to 21 academic insitutions (chosen from 140 applicants) for projects which have shown innovation and excellence and which have made a significant difference in their field. The Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering at Leeds University was one of the intstitutions recognized. Here, academics have worked to improve the quality of the second half of life by developing longer-lasting hip joints, improving joints and techniques in surgery for knee reconstruction and pioneering a 'biological scaffold' that allows a patient's own cells to grow into a heart valve implant ensuring that the valve will last longer than the 10-15 years currently attainable. This technique, which does not provoke a response from the patient's own immune system, makes the use of such heart valves particularly suitable in children.
The Joint Director of the Institute, Professor John Fisher, is an engineer who came to medical research after another career designing parts for the motor industry and he works jointly with his wife, Professor Eileen Ingham, who specialises in immunology. The work of the Institute has attracted recognition because of its wide-reaching contribution to the care of tens of thousands of patients around the world. Research carried out in Leeds has enabled many to have medical interventions that have lasted considerably longer than they would have in the past. Professor Fisher said, 'The goal of 50 active years after the age of 50 is within reach' and, of course, the more active people can stay, the more that reduces the incidence of many serious diseases.
Congratulations to all the staff at the Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering in Leeds! Professor Fisher is also Deputy Vice Chancellor of Leeds University.
Showing posts with label diamond jubilee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diamond jubilee. Show all posts
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Sunday, 5 February 2012
60 Years of Faithful Service
Today and tomorrow, we mark the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne. Like the majority of her subjects, I cannot remember a time when she was not our Queen. Her reign began five years before I was born; I recall stories my parents told about how they heard of her unexpected accession on the BBC while living and working in Koforidua in Ghana and then followed the preparations for her coronation through BBC radio broadcasts and magazines sent to them by relatives and friends in the UK. It felt like the dawn of a new era with so much promise. Today, we give thanks for Her Majesty's example of faithfulness in carrying out the role to which she is called both as monarch and as Governor of the Church of England. In a speech during the millennium year, she said,
'To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.'
.jpg)
God of time and eternity,
whose Son reigns as servant, not master;
we give you thanks and praise
that you have blessed this nation, the realms and territories
with Elizabeth our beloved and glorious Queen.
In this year of Jubilee,
grant her your gifts of love and peace
as she continues in faithful obedience to you, her Lord and God,
and in devoted service to her lands and peoples and those of the Commonwealth
now and all the days of her life,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Published alongside other new prayers for adults and children, and liturgical resources for use in the Church of England during Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee year, the new prayer is available online on the Church of England's Diamond Jubilee web pages where you can find more information about how the Church of England is encouraging parishes and communities to join in with the celebrations through the Big Lunch and Big Thank You initiatives.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
To Beacon or Not to Beacon?
Some of you may have read the suggestion that, to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, beacons should be lit on church towers on June 4th 2012.
There is information about the plan for the beacons and their history on
As this website points out, there is a long tradition of lighting beacons around the country to mark Jubilees - it was done in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's 60 years on the throne and I can remember the beacons lit to mark our present Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. We spent a very wet day in a punt on the River Cam with some umbrellas, a wind-up gramophone and a picnic and then went to a very wet barbeque on the Magog Hills where an enormous beacon was lit as part of a chain of beacons across Britain. The beacons symbolized the unity of the Queen's realm. It was a day I shall never forget. Many of you will recall other national occasions such as the 400th anniversary of the sighting of the Spanish Armada in 1988, Beacon Europe (to mark the opening of the single European Market - possibly less memorable!) in 1992, the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day in 1995, the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, and the bicentenary of the battle of Trafalgar in 2005.
All great fun and the stuff of forging a common national identity. Being a huge fan of the Queen and the monarchy myself, I certainly think we should all do something really notable to celebrate such a remarkable reign and a wonderful monarch. However, I am somewhat dismayed at the suggestion that beacons should be lit on church towers! In the past, most of the beacons have been lit on the ground. Of course, a beacon needs to be conspicious - that is what makes it a beacon! However, the notion of churches carrying heavy(40kg) cylinders of liquified petroleum gas up narrow spiral staircases and setting light to it in sometimes very confined spaces is worrying. The gas is extremely flamable and combines with air to form an explosive mix. Locating the beacon on a tower will bring the flames into very close proximity with the building and with flag poles. The emergency services will already be stretched that day and, should an accident occur, it will not be easy for them to gain speedy access to anyone injured at the top of a mediaeval tower and to get them to hospital quickly.
OK, I'm sounding very archdeacon-like and unusually risk averse, but I really can't see the problem with celebrating her Majesty's Jubilee by ringing a peal of bells and having a party, with beacon or bonfire, on the nearest piece of open high ground; this has been the tradition for hundreds of years. Ecclesiatical have issued some guidelines which begin by stating that a beacon does not need to be located on a tower and there are significant hazards in doing so. They strongly recommend that the beacon is situated at ground level, away from any buildings; I have to say that I agree. If your PCC is determined to go ahead with a beacon on the tower, Ecclesiatical set out some useful, indeed vital actions that you need to take, including ensuring that the LPG is safely stored before the event, informing the emergency services of your plans and removing all combustible and heat vulnerable substances and possible ignition sources from your tower. You really do need expert advice if you are going to go ahead with a tower-top beacon and you can begin by visiting
http://www.ecclesiastical.com/ChurchMatters/Images/Risk%20Management%20Guidance%20Church%20Tower%20Beacon%2016%20September%202011.pdf
You will also need the permission of your archdeacon and insurance company and our Chancellor will be issuing some guidelines for this diocese in the near future. My plea is that you find something memorable to do with fire (or even without it), in safety, on the ground!!
There is information about the plan for the beacons and their history on
As this website points out, there is a long tradition of lighting beacons around the country to mark Jubilees - it was done in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's 60 years on the throne and I can remember the beacons lit to mark our present Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. We spent a very wet day in a punt on the River Cam with some umbrellas, a wind-up gramophone and a picnic and then went to a very wet barbeque on the Magog Hills where an enormous beacon was lit as part of a chain of beacons across Britain. The beacons symbolized the unity of the Queen's realm. It was a day I shall never forget. Many of you will recall other national occasions such as the 400th anniversary of the sighting of the Spanish Armada in 1988, Beacon Europe (to mark the opening of the single European Market - possibly less memorable!) in 1992, the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day in 1995, the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, and the bicentenary of the battle of Trafalgar in 2005.
All great fun and the stuff of forging a common national identity. Being a huge fan of the Queen and the monarchy myself, I certainly think we should all do something really notable to celebrate such a remarkable reign and a wonderful monarch. However, I am somewhat dismayed at the suggestion that beacons should be lit on church towers! In the past, most of the beacons have been lit on the ground. Of course, a beacon needs to be conspicious - that is what makes it a beacon! However, the notion of churches carrying heavy(40kg) cylinders of liquified petroleum gas up narrow spiral staircases and setting light to it in sometimes very confined spaces is worrying. The gas is extremely flamable and combines with air to form an explosive mix. Locating the beacon on a tower will bring the flames into very close proximity with the building and with flag poles. The emergency services will already be stretched that day and, should an accident occur, it will not be easy for them to gain speedy access to anyone injured at the top of a mediaeval tower and to get them to hospital quickly.
OK, I'm sounding very archdeacon-like and unusually risk averse, but I really can't see the problem with celebrating her Majesty's Jubilee by ringing a peal of bells and having a party, with beacon or bonfire, on the nearest piece of open high ground; this has been the tradition for hundreds of years. Ecclesiatical have issued some guidelines which begin by stating that a beacon does not need to be located on a tower and there are significant hazards in doing so. They strongly recommend that the beacon is situated at ground level, away from any buildings; I have to say that I agree. If your PCC is determined to go ahead with a beacon on the tower, Ecclesiatical set out some useful, indeed vital actions that you need to take, including ensuring that the LPG is safely stored before the event, informing the emergency services of your plans and removing all combustible and heat vulnerable substances and possible ignition sources from your tower. You really do need expert advice if you are going to go ahead with a tower-top beacon and you can begin by visiting
http://www.ecclesiastical.com/ChurchMatters/Images/Risk%20Management%20Guidance%20Church%20Tower%20Beacon%2016%20September%202011.pdf
You will also need the permission of your archdeacon and insurance company and our Chancellor will be issuing some guidelines for this diocese in the near future. My plea is that you find something memorable to do with fire (or even without it), in safety, on the ground!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)