69��ý

In June 2025, alumnus and 69��ý Honorary Degree recipient Trefor Owen (Forestry, 1985) arranged a reunion for his class to mark their 40th anniversary since graduation. 

Trefor said, “We gathered in the Thoday Building’s F1 room, on a glorious Friday afternoon, for tea, cake and lots of chat! We were thrilled that some retired staff from our time at 69��ý also joined us, with one of our group still seeking an extension for an unfinished essay!

After checking in at the University’s Management Centre, we dined on fish and chips, accompanied by plenty of ‘Purple Moose’ beer at Tafarn y Garth on Friday evening. Some of the group walked along the Wales Coastal Path from 69��ý to Abergwyngregyn on Saturday morning, before meeting up with the others for a very enjoyable tour, tasting and light lunch at the Aber Falls Distillery. This was followed by an afternoon ‘forestry’ walk in nearby Coedydd Aber. 

We concluded the programme with a lovely dinner at the Management Centre on Saturday evening, in the company of Professor John Healey and Dr Christine Cahalan. John kindly brought us to date with the work of the thriving Forestry Department and suggested different ways alumni can support him and the team.”

On 18 November 2024, 69��ý returned to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the annual alumni reunion. The event was once again held on the terrace of the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) headquarters in beautiful Bahrain Bay.

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the validated programme between 69��ý and BIBF, where students start their studies at BIBF and complete their degrees here in 69��ý. The reunion was a great opportunity to celebrate the ongoing partnership which continues to go from strength to strength.

Over 70 alumni, guests and BIBF colleagues attended the event with drinks, canapes, and music where they were addressed by Professor Andrew Edwards, 69��ý’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, and senior staff from BIBF.

The reunion also saw the presentation of the 2024 69��ý / BIBF Alumnus of the Year award to Duaa AlMasqati (Banking and Finance, 2009), Senior Strategic Execution Manager and Team Lead at the London Stock Exchange Group.

Thank you to all of our alumni who attended and our good friends at BIBF for a great evening.

The 13th and 14th of September 2024 saw over 140 alumni return to 69��ý to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the University. The programme for this special reunion started with a pub quiz in the Ffriddoedd site’s student bar, Bar Uno, with alumni teams battling it out over four rounds of General knowledge, History of the University, Name the alumnus / honorary fellow and Places in 69��ý. Congratulations to ‘SABE all your kisses for me’ on their victory!

Saturday began with a welcome from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Edmund Burke, before alumni heard about the exciting new North Wales Medical School from Prof. Mike Larvin and the current activities of the Students’ Union from their President, Nida Ambreen.

Alumni were then invited to the University’s magnificent Council Chamber to attend the unveiling ceremony of the double portrait of botanists Prof. David Thoday and Gladys Thoday, who both had a great impact on 69��ý, by artist Meinir Mathias.

Alumni then had the opportunity to meet staff from Schools and Departments around the University, exploring their facilities and hearing about the research taking place by staff and students. Many alumni also joined a visit to Treborth Botanic Gardens to learn about the great work there and explore the gardens and greenhouses.

The afternoon saw a fascinating presentation on the formative years of the University by alumnus and local historian Gari Wyn where he spoke about some of the key-players in the establishment and history of the University. The day’s programme was rounded off by a presentation on alumni engagement in the 69��ý Innovation and Leadership Training (BUILT) award project by Dr Andy Goodman and alumnus Kailesh Karavadra. They spoke about the success and future of the programme designed to boost students’ employability and how alumni have supported this fantastic opportunity offered to 69��ý students.

The evening commenced with a drinks reception, accompanied by a string quartet, after which alumni enjoyed a fabulous meal in either Prichard-Jones Hall or the library’s Shankland Reading Room, depending on which venue they had chosen. The Shankland Reading Room became a dining venue for the first time in the University’s history and its unique, intimate atmosphere provided a wonderful dining experience for former students who used to study in those very alcoves! Whether they dined in the library or in Prichard-Jones Hall, alumni spent the evening enjoying each other’s company, whether they had known each other as students or had just met.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special occasion. The Development and Alumni Relations Office loved welcoming everyone back to their alma mater. 69��ý really do have the best alumni!

A reunion for School of Ocean Sciences alumni was held at the University on 24 – 26th May 2024. The reunion marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the School of Ocean Sciences Alumni Association (SOSA), founded by Sinclair Buchan and George Floodgate. 

The weekend started with an exclusive Prosecco evening at Anglesey Sea Zoo. Guests were treated to a special behind-the-scenes guided tour by Frankie Hobro, alumna and Director and Owner of Anglesey Sea Zoo, and her team. They then enjoyed a buffet and a glass or two of fizz!

On the Saturday, alumni could join tours of the RV Prince Madog, experience a Ribride down the Menai Strait and meet current staff for afternoon refreshments in the Marine Centre Wales.

The main reunion dinner was held in Neuadd Reichel in 69��ý on the Saturday evening. After welcome drinks, where alumni had the opportunity to share their photos from their time at the University, guests heard from from Mick Cook, Chair of SOSA, Professor Edmund Burke, 69��ý’s Vice Chancellor and Prof. John Turner, Head of School. It was great to welcome graduates from across the decades and to hear everyone's stories of their time at the School of Ocean Sciences and what they have gone on to do since graduation.

The weather was kind on the Sunday morning when the reunion was wrapped up with a geological walk to Llanddwyn, led by Dr. Dei Huws and Prof. Colin Jago.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the reunion.  We hope to welcome you back again soon!

As part of the University’s 140th celebrations, the School of Arts, Culture and Language hosted a concert by the 69��ý Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (cond. Joe Cooper) in April featuring the world premiere of a work by Dr Guto Pryderi Puw (Reader in Composition at 69��ý), the Harp Concerto by William Mathias (former Professor of Music at 69��ý), and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

69��ý Symphony Orchestra and Chorus are comprised of current and former staff and students of the University, as well as members of the community. The concert celebrated the essential role that music and the arts have played, and continue to play, in the cultural life of the University and in the wider region.

The Development and Alumni Relations Office were delighted to welcome alumni and guests to a special drinks’ reception in the Council Chamber where they were greeted by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Edmund Burke, prior to the concert.

Developed by 69��ý staff and alumni, the BUILT programme brings together students to form cross-disciplinary teams to work on creating a solution to a sustainability and food-based challenge. Initiated by alumnus Kailesh Karavadra and led by Dr Andy Goodman, the final of this year’s programme saw 34 undergraduate and postgraduate students present their proposals. Each of these teams were mentored by an alumnus of the University who helped them develop their ideas and were on-hand to advise and guide them. Alumni were also part of the judging panel and others led subject 'deep-dives' to help the students' projects.

The BUILT programme culminated on 2nd May 2024 with each student team presenting their ideas to an independent judging panel. The teams then displayed posters explaining their work, with the five judges having the opportunity to ask questions before choosing their winners. The 2024 winners were Team Tatws with their product ‘Grad Chef’, an app which directs students to local products and businesses with a recipe feature which will prevent food waste. The team received the top prize of £10,000 to develop their business further. The £10,000 “Mabel Evans Award for Innovation” was made possible due to a kind donation by alumnus Jonathan Wright (1999, Social Policy/Criminology & Criminal Justice) in memory of his great-grandmother, who also studied at 69��ý, and a further £5,000 was awarded to the runners-up from alumni donations to the 69��ý Fund. The evening was sponsored by Succession Wealth and WeSpeak.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

See more photos from the final here.

69��ý’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Edwards, Emma Marshall, Head of Development and Alumni Relations and Dr Lindsay Jones, Head of TNE Operations at the International Education Centre returned to the Kingdom of Bahrain on 28 November 2023 to host the annual 69��ý Alumni Reunion at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) headquarters in Bahrain Bay.

Celebrating the ongoing partnership between 69��ý and BIBF and the continuing success of the 69��ý validated programme in Bahrain, 70 alumni attended the event where they were addressed by Professor Andrew Edwards. Drinks and canapes were served as alumni caught-up with their former classmates on the beautiful BIBF terrace and took part in some fun activities! The event also saw the presentation of the 2023 69��ý / BIBF Alumnus of the Year award to Hasan Sater (Banking and Finance, 2012), Director of Financing Operations Directorate at the Ministry of Finance and National Economy.

A full-capacity event was held for 180 alumni, honorary fellows, friends of the University and guests in the beautiful Cholmondeley Room and terrace of the House of Lords, London on Tuesday, 12 September 2023.

Guests were welcomed by Lord Dafydd Wigley and addressed by our Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Edmund Burke, and 69��ý’s Chair of Council, Marian Wyn Jones. They were also treated to a performance by three students from the Department of Music and heard from 69��ý alumnus Harry Riley (Master of Biology, 2019), Head of Planning and Governance in Online Harms in the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Our alumni caught up with one another and chatted to staff from across the University whilst enjoying drinks, canapes and the splendid views of London across the Thames from the Terrace.

In August, the Development and Alumni Relations Office once again held their annual reunion for alumni as part of 69��ý’s activities at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Boduan.

Around 200 alumni and former staff joined us on the stand, where they were welcomed by Professor Andrew Edwards who shared an update of developments at the University. They then heard about the successes of the Students’ Union from UMCB President Celt John, who finished by leading the crowd in a sing-song!

Emma Marshall, Head of Development and Alumni Relations, said “It was a great pleasure to be able to hold our annual reunion at the National Eisteddfod of Wales again this year. This is a highlight in the DARO calendar and it was lovely to see some familiar faces as well as meeting some new alumni.”

69��ý was pleased to be able to return to the Kingdom of Bahrain on 8 November 2022 and to hold our seventh 69��ý Alumni Reunion at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) headquarters in Bahrain Bay.

Over 90 alumni caught up with each other and developments at 69��ý over drinks and canapes. Hosted by Professor Andrew Edwards, 69��ý's Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of Dean of College of Arts, Humanities and Business, guests were also addressed by His Excellency Rasheed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain and Professor Bruce Vanstone, Head of 69��ý Business School.

Also during the evening, Zahra Al Shamma (Banking and Finance, 2013) was announced as the recipient of the 2022 69��ý / BIBF Alumnus of the Year award. 

We were pleased to have the opportunity to meet alumni in Pontio prior to the performance of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. 40 alumni and their guests met Vice-Chancellor Prof. Edmund Burke, Chair of University Council Marian Wyn Jones and the Development and Alumni Relations team over drinks and canapes before attending the sell-out concert.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and 69��ý have a relationship that goes back many years with several students receiving instrument lessons from the Orchestra and taking part in KTP projects which gave research students the opportunity to work with the RLPO in Liverpool. 

Thank you to all of you who joined us!

A group of over 40 former students from the 1960s and 1970s returned to 69��ý 2-3 September for a reunion organised by alumni Roger Thwaites (Zoology, 1971) and Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971).

The reunion was kicked off with a celebratory game of table tennis to christen the new permanent table tennis tables recently installed outside Bar Uno on the Ffriddoedd site. The University was able to purchase these after the group clubbed together to raise £5,000 to mark their time in 69��ý.

The group met on Saturday morning to hear talks from Lewis Thompson, Students’ Union VP for Sports, and Dr Andy Cooke, Director of 69��ý’s Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance and the reunion was rounded off with a buffet dinner and drinks in Bar Uno.

Prior to the reunion, the group clubbed together to raise £5,000 to buy two permanent table tennis tables which have been installed outside Bar Uno on the University's Ffriddoedd site. The alumni kicked off the reunion weekend with a celebratory game to christen the tables. !

Here are some other highlights:

• An older member of the rugby side came to 69��ý early on Friday to indulge in his passion of hill climbing and walking. He was on Tryfan and unfortunately fell. He got help and was airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd where he had eight stitches put in his leg. Heroically, he made the rest of the weekend (and is ok now)!
• Roger and Ann Doig showed true dedication and travelled up to 69��ý just for the Friday night as they had a family party on Saturday. What dedication!
• The group enjoyed excellent food in Bar Uno on the Saturday night. A special mention to the brilliant staff who were very helpful. They even joined in the singing!
• A period of silence was marked for departed friends.
• Brian Charnley entertained the group with his sports poems and writings, as did Stan Moore with his guitar and singing and Twm Jones singing 'Myfanwy'
• John Northridge shared a story of Albert Ross (permanent loan from Swansea University) and his election and subsequent resignation from the student committee
• Celia Wolfe brought along her memorabilia from the ladies hockey club, including fixture lists
• Jane Smith and Jill Nicholson led the singing of some of the songs from the old union bar on a Saturday night. The words had not been forgotten!

Read the report from John Young (Modern Languages, 1970)

Read the report by Brian Charnley (English and Drama, 1970)

If you are interested in organising a reunion for your cohort, please contact Bethan Perkins, Alumni Relations Officer, at b.w.perkins@bangor.ac.uk