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www.intra.mdx.ac.uk MARCH 2009 Editor: Sarah Birdsall s.birdsall@mdx.ac.uk ext 5802

Our science students Around 25 youngsters spent the

day at the Hendon campus,
taking part in the competition
are getting younger! which pitted schools against
each other to find the most
talented young Scientist or
Junior scientists and engineers turned up at Middlesex a few Engineer. Academics Mehmet
years early on Saturday 7 March. A group of 10 and 11 year Karamanoglu and Serengul
olds from Barnet primary schools were taking part in the Smith along with a large group
University’s Young Scientist and Engineer competition which of very enthusiastic volunteer
was held to celebrate National Science and Engineering students helped the children
week. The event was organised by Marta Torpornicka and her through workshops and judged
outreach team from BIRO. them on their performance 
 Hendon campus, to an audience of
Work-Life Balance – there’s more
to it than you thought
Professor Suzan Lewis was inspired
to research work-life balance and
its impact on employees after she
found a letter sent to her late father
from his employer. It was the late
1930s and Suzan’s dad had
decided he wanted to get his
young family out of London in
case of war. So he wrote to ask
his employer for a transfer to
another branch. The reply,
which was the letter that
Suzan came across, agreed to
the transfer but noted that ‘you
put your wife and child before
the firm’.
As a new Professor of
Organisational Psychology at
Middlesex, Suzan delivered her
inaugural lecture on 16 March at the
her colleagues and family. Entitled

Anna Kyprianou, Suzan
‘Will work-life balance survive the Lewis and Waqar Ahmad

PAGE 6 PAGE 8 PAGE 10 PAGE 12

How long will older Leading sci-fi author EIS students use their Grow your own
Mehmet Karamanoglu lines up with the young Scientists and workers fare better? heads up a literary feast skills to help others drugs
Engineers and some robots in the Cafe Storm workshop

...science students
at games design, sports science
including flexibility testing,
robotics and building their own
computer. They worked in
groups through these different
workshops, which were run in
both in College Building and
Hatchcroft.
As well as the workshops, the
Outreach team, along with
Middlesex students and
Teaching Resources, organised
demonstrations such rocket
launching, the missiles for which
occasionally put the Quad’s
glazed roof in danger!
The winners – 10 year-old
Ibraheem Chugtai and 11 year-
old Henry Lee – both attend All
Saints School in Cricklewood.
They won robot making kits and
a £100 voucher for their school
to spend in the Middlesex
Teaching Resources shop. The
children were delighted to win
and ran up to receive their
prizes and a round of applause.
Marta Torpornicka commented:
“Our Young Scientist and
Engineer competition this year
was an outstanding success. We
run the competition every year
to encourage children to get
interested in these subjects and
consider them when they are
deciding on further study”.
National Science and
Engineering Week is a ten-day
celebration of science,
engineering and technology
which this year ran from 6 to 15
March. It is coordinated by the
British Science Association and
the Government’s Department
for Innovation, Universities and
Skills.
MIDDLESEX WORLD
Joe Victor, Regional Director for South Asia
The Delhi Office was set up in
1999 to create a ‘one-stop
shop’ for prospective students
wanting to study at Middlesex.
There are now seven offices
in South Asia in total.
Counselling offices were first
established in Chennai
(previously known as Madras)
and Mumbai, with
Ahmedabad and Hyderabad
being the most recent
additions. In both Kolkata and
Colombo, an agent’s office is
used as a Representative
Office. All the offices provide
information and advice on
studying in the UK,
application procedures and
qualifications – the Delhi,
New Scholarships
to mark 10 year
anniversary of the
India Regional Office
Middlesex was one of the first UK
universities to set up offices overseas.
Across the globe Middlesex now has
15 Regional Offices, and this year the
Delhi Office, one of the longest-
established, will celebrate its
10 year anniversary. We spoke to
Joe Victor, Regional Director for
South Asia, to find out more
about Middlesex’s work in India
and South Asia.
Chennai and Mumbai offices hours to process, so the
can also make admission longest a student might wait to
offers. During 2009-2010, get a reply from us is three
Middlesex hopes to expand the days, and that's just if they
number of offices in India to apply by post and we have to
ten, including the post our reply back”.
representative offices.
The Regional Office in Delhi
Joe Victor believes Middlesex’s runs a very active marketing
reputation in South East Asia is programme, which has helped
excellent. He thinks this is to build Middlesex’s profile as
largely due to the range of a major recruiter of students
services the offices provide. He from India and South East
said: “We are famous! It is Asia. Joe explained: “We
because of our network of attend almost every education
offices as well as a well- fair in the country, those run
established network of agents. by the British Council and
Our staff respond very those in local areas, which
efficiently to applications. Once means lots of travelling. We
we have received an fan out to other cities to cover

application, it takes just three every significant higher
MARCH 2009

...work-life balance
recession’, Suzan started
with a brief review of research
undertaken on work-life
balance, making the point that
in the 1970s this focussed very
much on working mothers and
the possible effects of their
work on their children. Mention
of a 1979 research study into
whether women’s employment
will cause stress for their
husbands generated much
amusement among the
audience. Moving on in time,
and to address the skills
shortage, many companies
introduced family friendly
policies in the 1980s, but these
fell away to a large extent in the
early 1990s as recession hit the
UK. Suzan would not be drawn
on whether she believes this
will happen again in the current
recession.
She did, however, outline two
possible scenarios that could
now play out. Firstly, those
people who have held on to
their jobs in the recession work
longer hours and work much
harder, while their colleagues
who have been laid off have a
different imbalance in terms of
too much personal life. The
second scenario is a wide
spread reassessment of what
makes the ‘ideal’ worker. This
would mean a critical
reappraisal of work-life balance
approaches and assumptions.
Suzan went on to dispel those
assumptions, or myths. There
are four of these. Firstly that
work-life balance is just about
regulation and human resource
management policies. Suzan
says that many organisations,
and indeed human resource
managers believe it’s just about
putting these policies in place.
She disagrees and says what is
important is how these policies
are applied in the workplace.
The second myth is that work-
life balance is just about
women. Suzan dismissed this
idea, pointing out that this is a
‘male’ model of work and
assumes that men do not have
caring responsibilities.
According to Suzan it is vital
that we change these
expectations. Thirdly that
getting your work-life balance
right is about making the right
choices for you. Nonsense,
says Suzan, choices are always
socially embedded, and she
gave the example of a Parisian
perfume company she studied
that gave workers the
opportunity to work a four day
week at a reduced salary but
still expected the five day
workload to be delivered. Lastly
Suzan put paid to the myth that
work-life balance is about time.
She talked about visible and
invisible time, for example
people who start work early but
leave work early are often not
as valued as those that start
later but can be seen to be
working late into the evening.
Suzan concluded her lecture by
telling the audience that in the
current economic crisis, both in
the UK and around the world,
the time is now right for
employers and employees to
ask and seek answers to
important questions about how
we can reorganise work, why
we work and what we are trying
to achieve.
PAGE 2

IWBL puts Mayor of London
under the spotlight at London
Chamber of Commerce forum
Mayor of London Boris Johnson answered
questions on London’s economy from over
200 London Chamber of Commerce
members, at a unique forum supported by
Middlesex’s Institute of Work Based Learning
and O2 in February. The event, held at the
London Chamber of Commerce’s city
headquarters, attracted Chamber members
from organisations across the corporate,
SME and charity sectors and was also
featured on the BBC’s daily news bulletin
News at Ten.
Questions and debate focused on issues that
members felt were important in sustaining
London’s economy, including environmental
For further information about Work Based Learning contact business@mdx.ac.uk or ext. 6172 www.mdx.ac.uk/wbl
MIDDLESEX WORLD
topics, measures to help
London businesses through the
recession, the role of the
Olympics and Olympics-related
contracts open to SMEs, and
ways of attracting more tourists,
and therefore more spending,
to London.
Jonathan Garnett, Director of
the Institute for Work Based
Learning, commented: “This
event has been a good
opportunity to hear the Mayor's
opinions in these difficult
economic times. Middlesex
Left to right: Mike Cobb (IWBL), David Williams, Boris Johnson (Mayor
of London), Professor Jonathan Garnett and Alex Mortimer (IWBL)
University wants to support
businesses and individuals in
developing skills that can help
organisations recover from the
economic downturn”.
David Williams, Head of
Business Development for the
Institute for Work Based
Learning, commented that the
forum had enabled the
University to raise awareness
amongst London’s business
community of what Work Based
Learning is and how it can
contribute to business
successes. The event also gave
the IWBL team the opportunity
to build links with new
businesses and make them
aware of the range of study
options that Middlesex and its
MODNet network partners is
able to facilitiate.
MARCH 2009


...India office in India, including over 20
years with the British Council.
For events
listings
education fair too. We also
run training programmes for
agents”.
I’ve also worked as an
independent consultant
helping British universities to
click on
the
Joe explained how the offices
work with agents. “Agents
set up academic partnerships
and through this role, a chance intranet
meeting with Terry Butland led at...
source potential students for
to me hear about the role of
us from across the country
Regional Director, which I was
and the region. We train the
subsequently offered in 2006.
agencies’ counsellors and visit
When I took over the role, the
their offices to recruit
www.intra.mdx.ac.uk/mdxworld/index.html
number of Indian students
students. Our turnaround
studying at Middlesex's
time in dealing with
London campuses was around
applications has encouraged
300. I’ve already seen a growth
agents to work with us”. Joe
in student numbers joining
added that during the 10 year
Middlesex from India to more
anniversary, the Regional
than 1,000 this year (2008-
Office planned to bring a
09)”. Joe also hopes to build
group of key agents on a
more links with employers in
‘familiarisation’ visit to
India, with a view to
Middlesex. “We are very
broadening recruitment
agent-friendly!” he said.
options for students returning
To mark its 10 year to India once they have
anniversary, this year the finished their studies.
India office will offer 10
With recent increases in
Scholarships, each worth
attendance at education fairs
£3,000, in subjects across all
throughout India’s many
Middlesex’s Schools. Vice-
regions, it looks as though
Chancellor Michael Driscoll
Joe’s team and their agent
and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
colleagues will be kept very
International Terry Butland
busy over the next few months.
will announce the
Middlesex has a long history of
Scholarships when they visit
recruiting Indian students,
India next month. The
particularly at postgraduate
Regional Office also hopes to
and Doctorate level. Between
identify ten Middlesex alumni
them, the Regional Office,
to be ‘ambassadors’ across
Counselling and
the country. A 10 year
Representative Offices offer
‘Anniversary Booklet’ is
coverage from India to
planned for the autumn.
Bangladesh, Nepal to Sri
Joe feels the best bit of his Lanka and the Maldives.
role is interacting with his Through their work, the trend
team of 20 staff and working at Middlesex for welcoming
with the agents. He said: “I've students from across the whole
had 30 years of involvement South East Asia looks set to
with British higher education continue.
PAGE 3
 Complementary
therapies
for staff
The Sports Department is pleased
to announce that it has organised
some Complementary Therapy
days at Hendon for staff
members.
25 minute sessions of either
Reflexology or Indian Head Massage
treatments will be available to staff at
£10 per session (payable to the
therapist on the day). The sessions
will take place all day on Friday 3
April in Room FRG16 (Rehab Training
Room by the Fitness Pod).
Reflexology and Indian Head
Massage can help to restore the
body’s natural balance and so, in a
relaxed state, it can cope with the
everyday stresses and strains of life
much more effectively.
Reflexology – it’s all in the feet
MIDDLESEX WORLD
For
classified
Helping even more students Rise Up
ads click
on the
intranet
Middlesex is committed to
making its programmes
accessible for and attractive
at...
to students from all social
and economic backgrounds.
The University understands
Reflexology works by gentle pressure on
reflex points on the soles of the feet that a barrier for many
which correspond to every single organ students wanting to enter
and system of the body. Indian Head higher education is the
Massage works on the muscles of the question of money, which is
upper back, shoulders, arms, neck why Middlesex spends more
head and face. This is done without oils.
than £1.5 million every year
helping students to pursue
www.intra.mdx.ac.uk/mdxworld/index.html
Both therapies at their most basic level higher education with
increase circulation, release tension and scholarships and bursaries.
boost the immune system.
In keeping with its socially
Those interested should call the Sports inclusive approach, Middlesex
Department Reception on ext. 6343 in is pleased to be launching the
advance, to book their treatment. ‘Rise Up’ Scholarship in 2009.
This new £1,000 scholarship is
A further date has also been planned for
specifically aimed at helping
Friday 1 May.
students who have had a
Staff are asked to seek permission from disadvantaged educational
their line manager/supervisor prior to background but who show great
making an appointment. potential, and will be awarded to
20 Undergraduate students
starting their first year in 2009.
This year the University is also
launching three Work Based
Learning Scholarships for
students applying to study for
an Undergraduate, Masters or
Doctorate degree through Work
Based Learning. Valued at
£2,000 each, the scholarships
are aimed at UK applicants
working in the voluntary and
community sector in either a
paid or unpaid capacity who
demonstrate real potential to
excel in their chosen degree
programme.
In addition to these new
scholarships, the University
MARCH 2009
already offers a range of
scholarships that recognise
particular areas of excellence.
As part of the University’s
commitment to the London
2012 Olympic Games, every
year Middlesex offers its highly
sought after Future Gold
scholarships to new students
who demonstrate real potential
to compete for Team GB in the
2012 Olympics. Each Future
Gold scholarship is worth
£30,000 over three years,
effectively giving the students a
free higher education and
ensuring that they are able to
put paid work aside so that they
can concentrate on their goals:
gaining a degree and getting to
the Olympics in 2012.
Chancellor’s Scholarships are
awarded to students whose
achievements – be they
academic, cultural or sporting –
truly make them stand out from
the crowd. Up to 50
Chancellor’s Scholarships,
valued at £2,000 each, are
awarded to new and continuing
students each year. Chancellor’s
Scholarships for Academic
Achievement recognise
outstanding academic results,
Chancellor’s Scholarships for
Cultural Achievement are
awarded for nationally
recognised achievements to an
established cultural field and
national or international
contributions to voluntary or
charitable activity, and
Chancellor’s Scholarships for
Sporting Achievement recognise
sporting achievement at
national level together with
participation in coaching and
other support activities.
Middlesex recognises
academic achievement by
annually awarding £1,000
Academic Excellence
Scholarships to 20 new
Undergraduate students while
the Academic Alumni
scholarship offers a 20% fee
reduction to high
achieving progressing
students nominated by their
tutors.
Like the Rise Up
Scholarships, the Conygar
Opportunity Scholarship is
aimed at students from
disadvantaged educational
backgrounds. This
scholarship is available to
first-year UK/EU
undergraduate Business
School students who are the
first in their family to go to
University and who show real
potential to excel on their
degree programme. Two
scholarships worth £3,000
each are awarded each year,
generously funded by the
Conygar Investment
Company, which was co-
founded by a Middlesex
alumnus.
Middlesex also offers a
number of sponsored
scholarships for current
students, International Merit
Awards for foreign students
and an Alumni Bursary for
students who have completed
a first degree at the University.
PAGE 4
Increased research middlesexpeople
funding following RAE
At the beginning of March the higher education funding
Laura Cornell
body, HEFCE, informed universities around the country of
how much allocation for research they would receive. This This month we ask Laura Cornell, Sports
news followed the results of the Research Assessment Duty Officer at the Fitness Pod, about her
Exercise (RAE) in December 2008. For Middlesex, it was life at work and at play.
excellent news as we will receive £3.4 million in the
2009/10 academic year. Decisions on funding for
subsequent years have yet to be made by HEFCE.
We know your job title, but How long have you been graduate study next year while In an alternate world, what
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Driscoll commented: “The what does that find you at Middlesex? still working in the Fitness Pod. job would you do?
increase in our funding linked to research quality exceeded doing, day to day? I was a student at Enfield I’d be working in the USA as
expectations. It will enhance our opportunities to further What is the best part
Every day is different in the between 2003-2007 and of your job? an athletic trainer for a
strengthen our research. Congratulations to all involved in the studied Sport Rehabilitation. I professional sports team. I
Fitness Pod. As Sports Duty I get to meet and talk to
huge project to submit information to the RAE”. have been working in the have always loved America
Officer, I am a line manager for different people. The team I
the fitness instructors in the Fitness Pod since January 2009 and did a placement in
work with are great and I’m
gym but am mainly based in but previously worked in Philadelphia while at
slowly starting to attend the
Pauline the sports office where I deal Colinhurst since August 2008. University. It is my dream to
gym more frequently. I also
McCalla and with memberships and one day move over there and
What was you job before? enjoy the shifts. I either work
her Hendon- general enquiries. I spend have a career in the sports
I was previously the business early (which is 6.45am to
based some time in the gym as well, rehabilitation and
colleagues support officer for PRO-ACTIVE 2.45pm) or late (which is 2.15
ensuring that equipment is performance enhancement
raised over North London in the Colinhurst to 10.15pm). It’s convenient
clean and safe and that field.
£400 for building, Hendon. Although I for me because it enables me
Comic Relief everything is running to continue my sports injury How do you spend your
smoothly. I also produce a quite enjoyed this job I felt a
earlier this clinic around my job. It’s also non-working hours?
month, selling newsletter for the gym to little confined. I also have my
cakes with a own sports injury clinic which I really flexible as there are Working! When not at
keep members informed of three sports duty officers. If
red nose notices and to offer tips and fit in around my full time work Middlesex, I’m working in my
theme. Hot which has been in operation one of us needs a clinic or for Watford Girls
favourite was
advice to gym users. morning/afternoon off it’s
since I graduated in 2007. Centre of Excellence as
the outsider, What campus are you usually pretty easy to swap assistant physio. Occasionally I
though – the What attracted you with someone.
green ‘Mohito
based on? eat and sleep. I love cooking
to Middlesex?
Muffin’! I am based at the Hendon And what is the worst part and make a mean spaghetti
campus in the Forum. The The new facilities (including Bolognese but rock cakes are
the superb big breakfast they of your job?
Fitness Pod is on the lower my speciality. Yum yum!
do in the canteen) Also, the Fighting the temptation to get
level beneath the food court. a big breakfast every day! Also Who would you invite to your
It’s great because while you flexibility they provide and the
opportunities offered by way the membership system that dream dinner party?
sweat to work off those extra takes me 10 minutes to load
pounds from your big of continued professional Michael Jackson, then I’d ask
development. I am currently and then likes to crash on me him for (in return for my
breakfast you can smell the as soon as I need it.
tempting aroma of chocolate looking into doing post- exquisite cooking) VIP tickets
croissants. to the 02 in July.

If you would like to be featured in Middlesex People or know any staff member who may
like to share their life at the University with us please email staffcomms@mdx.ac.uk

MIDDLESEX WORLD MARCH 2009 PAGE 5

 NEWS AND EVENTS
MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

Older workers in the UK fare better, but for how long? such as the social security
system and state-financed early
retirement options. For
concerned the role of line
managers in effectively
implementing age management
In February, Professor Michael Muller-Camen, Dr Matt Flynn Both existing literature and the and enrichment. The overall aim instance, in Germany, where the policies in their organisations
and Heike Schroeder presented the preliminary findings of expert interviews suggest that a of age-positive HRM is to adapt state pension still accounts for and teams – although age
an 18-month Economic and Social Research Council-funded youth-centric Human Resource working conditions so that the 85% of the income of a management may be on an
research project entitled Age diversity at the workplace: A Management (HRM) model is performance potential of each pensioner and the social organisation’s strategic agenda,
comparative study on the influence of national institutions on prevalent in both Britain and employee can be fully utilised security system provides it may still not be properly
employers´ age management practices. The study explored Germany. This can be seen in throughout their life course. incentives for early retirement, implemented by line
differences and similarities in how organisations in Britain widespread discrimination in 2007 59.4% of men and management.
against older employees with A number of factors across 43.4% of women aged 55 to 64
and Germany deal with the challenge of an ageing workforce. Europe are exerting pressures on were in employment; whilst in These findings indicate that until
regard to recruitment, training now older workers in the UK
The project sought to answer • To what extent are and development, in the fact that governments, employers and the UK, where the state pension
have fared better than their
experience tends to be trade unions to move from a accounts for less than 40% of
four main research questions: approaches to age youth-centric HRM approach German counterparts, with a
considered less important than the income of a pensioner and
management in Germany toward an age-positive HRM higher real retirement age,
• How are employers, the state knowledge acquired in where the variety of pension
and Britain driven by approach. These factors include schemes impacts on retirement direct forms of discrimination
and other stakeholders education, and that many
international influence such as age restrictions
responding to the ‘age
factors or by national European countries have a strong the rapid ageing of the routes, in 2007 66.1% of men
eliminated and some scope to
challenge’? culture of early retirement. population, legislation that holds and 49% of women aged 55 to
institutional characteristics? age as a dimension in anti- work beyond 65. However, this
• How are age management 64 were in employment.
The alternative to youth-centric discrimination regulation and has been because UK
policies implemented in They conducted a series of HRM recommended by the increasing problems with social Another important finding was businesses have had labour
organisations, what role does expert interviews in Britain and research is called age-positive security systems no longer being that the levels of influence of needs that employers have been
line management play in Germany, and this was followed HRM. This holistic approach able to sustain early retirement. social partners such as trade able to fill by using older
implementing these policies by in-depth case studies of involves lifelong learning, active unions in negotiating age workers as contingent workers.
and do actual practices eight comparable organisations health and safety management, The project found that the management policies in The question is, will the
reflect the policies? in the chemical sector, the steel flexible working hours, age solutions to the ‘age challenge’ Germany and Britain differ recession see UK employers
• How do older workers industry, the public sector diverse work teams and opted for in the management of enormously, with influence in using that flexibility to get rid of
perceive the effectiveness of (secondary schools) and retail systematic changes in position older workers are strongly Britain significantly lower than in older workers faster than their
these policies and practices? in Britain and Germany. through job rotation, enlargement affected by national influences Germany. A further key finding German counterparts?

MIDDLESEX WORLD MARCH 2009 PAGE 6

 NEWS AND EVENTS
MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

Inaugural For daily

news click
Law Department to train (Kazakhstan) and Bishkek
(Kyrgyzstan) will take place,
where the project team will
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office has agreed to fund our
project proposal. We believe
human rights lawyers in coach attendees on human that it is through stronger

Lectures on the
intranet
at... central Asia
rights law. Modules will be
based on course content from
Middlesex’s newly-revalidated
cooperation between these
countries that many human
rights problems in the region
LLM. Attendees will be offered could be resolved. It is
in April and May Lecturers from the Department of Law have just begun a

www.intra.mdx.ac.uk/mdxworld/index.html
one-year pilot project, developing the knowledge and skills of the chance to enrol on the LLM particularly heartening to see
human rights advocates in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and programmes at either that the Foreign and
Kyrgyzstan. The project is funded by the Foreign and Middlesex or London Commonwealth Office agrees
Commonwealth Office, and aims to enhance human rights Metropolitan University for six with this analysis. Through the
practitioners’ skills, working towards ‘best practice’ in months, researching towards a commitment of the attendees
dealing with human rights issues. Middlesex lecturers will dissertation. Attendees are and the experience of our team
deliver training on-site and will coach and mentor attendees, likely to be human rights in coaching and mentoring, we
On Thursday 23 April, Professor Fergus lawyers, defenders and hope to make a significant
Lyon, Professor of Enterprise and together with colleagues from the Human Rights and Social
Justice Institute at London Metropolitan University. influencers, selected with the contribution towards the
Organisations and Director of the Social assistance of British Embassies emergence of effective
Enterprise Research Capacity Building The project stemmed from stronger voice for civil society in in the region. networks of human rights
Cluster, will present his inaugural work which Professor Joshua the region. defenders across central Asia”.
lecture, Trading with a social purpose: Castellino, Head of Middlesex’s Middlesex staff will coach
Over the next year, experts from attendees in strategies
Social enterprises and their relationships Law Department, did in
Middlesex, who have for addressing a range of
with the state and markets at 5pm in Kyrgyzstan in 2008, where he
experience in countries such as human rights issues.
C114 in the College Building at coached a group of human
Russia and Chechnya, will Middlesex’s role will
Hendon. Fergus’ lecture will examine rights defenders in how human
deliver the project. Two week- focus on moderating and
how social enterprises draw on models rights laws operate, and in how
long sessions in Almaty facilitating, helping to
of private business, public business and to deal with human rights
civil society and grow by building issues at international level. build attendees’
relationships with organisations in these WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS THROUGH knowledge and
sectors, as well as exploring some of the The 2009 pilot project will confidence. In the
STRONGER COOPERATION
key issues currently facing social involve groups from future, the project may
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and BETWEEN THESE COUNTRIES be reproduced in other
enterprises.
Kyrgyzstan. As well as creating THAT MANY HUMAN RIGHTS areas where human
Another inaugural lecture date to diarise information and resource PROBLEMS IN THE REGION COULD rights and social justice
is Tuesday 19 May, when Professor networks in their own issues sometimes
Joshua Castellino, Professor of Law, will BE RESOLVED. IT IS PARTICULARLY
countries, attendees will be conflict with legislative
present his inaugural lecture, The End of able to develop regional HEARTENING TO SEE THAT THE
practice.
the Liberal State and the First Terrorist: networks to share information, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
The Challenge for Human Rights Law in a issues and strategies with Professor Joshua
OFFICE AGREES WITH THIS Professor Joshua Castellino, Head of
Time of Uncertainty. colleagues in neighbouring Castellino said: “We’re
ANALYSIS. delighted that the Middlesex’s Law Department
countries. This could lead to a

MIDDLESEX WORLD MARCH 2009 PAGE 7


[SCHOOL OF] ARTS AND EDUCATION
Introducing school-based
learning for Barnet’s teachers
Ever mindful of its role in the
local community, Middlesex is
working with local authorities,
schools and other educational
agencies to offer professional
development programmes to
teachers.
Early in 2009, the MIDWHEB
partnership saw 27 teachers at
Hendon School and Mill Hill
County High School beginning
their studies toward their MA in
Education. What sets these
teachers apart from other MA
Education students is that they also home to a number of
will be conducting their studies teachers working toward their
at their schools.
At Hendon School on Golders
Rise, Assistant Headteacher,
Rebecca Poole will be leading 17 Practice’ in January 2009, and
teachers across
a range of
Kevin Morris (left) with teachers from Mill Hill County High School
MIDDLESEX WORLD
departments towards an MA in
Education that will be delivered
in the school and supported by
staff from Middlesex’s School of
Arts and Education. As part of
their studies, the teachers will
have the opportunity to develop
a research project around their
needs, interests and aspirations
and this will be amalgamated
into the school’s Development
Plan.
Mill Hill County High School on
Worcester Crescent in Barnet is
MA in Education. Ten teachers
at the school started the first
module of their degree,
‘Developing Professional
will each select the focus for
their MA
work based on their role at the
school and on the school’s
needs.
According to Paul Gray, Deputy
Head of Mill Hill County High
School: “We have made a very
good start to the course as the
sessions are lively and
intellectually engaging. The
research topics are varied and
will have a direct impact on the
culture of the school, which is
high achieving and popular with
parents”.
Kevin Morris, Deputy Director of
Professional Development in
Education at Middlesex says: “I
am really excited to be working
with Rebecca and the teachers
at Hendon School, and with Paul
and the teachers at Mill Hill
County High School. We want to
retain the MA’s academic quality
and also make the degree as
useful and contextualised as
possible, something that I
believe we are achieving
at both schools. This is a
really exciting extension to
our school based MA
work and we look
forward to
building on our
outstanding
reputation and
growing this
across Barnet
and other local
schools”.
MARCH 2009
NEWS AND EVENTS
Leading
sci-fi author
heads up a
literary feast
Later this month, Trent Park campus
will host the 14th Annual Middlesex
Literary Festival, where novelists Iain
Banks and Tim Lott, and poet Kathryn
Simmonds are just some of the key
literary figures who will appear. The
two-day Festival also includes
readings, panel sessions, talks and
workshops, and promises to be an
event to remember, whatever your
literary interests.
Author Iain Banks is the headline
speaker at the Literary Festival
Renowned author Iain Banks, literature), and poets Kathryn on 1 April. Professional
whose impressive track record Simmonds (shortlisted for the translators will lead a workshop
in both science fiction and 2008 Costa Poetry Award), Abe examining the process of
contemporary literature is the Gibson and Brian Whittingham, translating poetry into English,
envy of many, is the Festival’s whilst Tim Lott and Linda Blair and featuring readings by poets
headline speaker. He will speak will discuss non-fiction writing. Dr Maggie Butt (Head of Media
on Wednesday 1 April. Anne-Marie Fyfe, Chair of the at Middlesex), Katherine
Poetry Society, will read from her Gallagher and Rik Wilkinson. TV
The Festival also celebrates and radio drama writer
work and children’s author Karen
some of the UK’s foremost Katharine Way will run a
McCombie will also speak.
modern novelists and poets and workshop on TV drama and
their chosen literary genres. Two workshops, offering scriptwriting, outlining the
Panel sessions include Sophie inspiration and guidance to process of working on shows
Parkin and Amanda Brookfield anyone interested in developing

such as Doctors, Casualty
(women’s contemporary their writing style, are scheduled
PAGE 8

[SCHOOL OF] ARTS AND EDUCATION
Middlesex University
invention shines!
Peter Johns of Middlesex’s
School of Arts and
Education began research
into silver alloys in the
1990s. Little did he know
then that his work would
lead to the creation of
Argentium Silver, a new
quality silver, which is now
in use world-wide.
Argentium has been used
to solve some unusual
problems – for musicians,
allergy sufferers and many
others!
So how did it all start? Peter
Johns was researching ways
to solve a 5,000 year old
problem called fire scale,
which occurs when silver is
heated during manufacturing.
He found that by adding a
small quantity of the element
germanium to sterling silver,
he could create a new higher
purity silver alloy, which would
For more information on argentium, go to
www.argentiumsilver.com
MIDDLESEX WORLD
eliminate fire scale and give
high tarnish resistance.
Argentium also has unique
hardening properties, making it
stronger and more durable for
the customer.
Argentium was originally
launched through Middlesex
University Ventures, the
University’s business
development unit. Interest in
Argentium grew rapidly,
especially amongst US-based
craft and jewellery professionals
and eventually the company
was sold to a team of UK
investors. A new company,
Argentium International, was
formed to promote the metal
and research other uses for it.
Middlesex University retains a
financial interest in the new
company.
Peter Johns is now Argentium
International’s Director of
To view other articles on argentium, go to
http://tinyurl.com/5tzfcc or http://tinyurl.com/cppu6k
Research and Development,
working mainly from our Cat Hill
campus. He is currently
exploring new applications for
Argentium in various
manufacturing sectors,
including its use for rapid
manufacturing in conjunction
with Wolverhampton University.
An unexpected advantage has
been demonstrated by Christine
Bouchemal, receptionist at Cat
Hill campus, who had never
been able to wear sterling silver,
as it causes a skin allergy. She
tried a piece of Argentium
jewellery, found it to have no ill
effects, and she’s been wearing
it ever since! Christine said:
“Silver jewellery has always
been off limits for me, but I can
wear the Argentium products
with no problems at all!” Allergy
sufferers won’t have to go to the
US to get their hands on
Argentium Silver jewellery as
MARCH 2009
high street retailer Ernest Jones
recently launched ‘Eternal
Silver’, a designer collection
made from Argentium, which is
available in many of their stores.
In the early days, Peter had to
work hard to get the concept of
Argentium taken seriously –
convincing people that
Argentium is of an equal or
higher quality than traditional
sterling silver proved to be quite
a challenge. Some people even
said they missed polishing their
silverware! Peter said of the
venture’s success: “Argentium
is very big in the US, we’re now
working with one of the biggest
bullion manufacturers in the
world…we’ve become one of
NEWS AND EVENTS
the really big players”. He
added: “Argentium has
terrific possibilities…it’s a
front runner”.
The Argentium project formed
a major part of the
University's 2008 UK
Research Assessment
Exercise submission,
demonstrating significant
invention, research
development and knowledge
transfer at the highest
international levels. And with
representation throughout
Europe, the US, the Far East
and Australia, Argentium has
made a great journey from
the Middlesex workshops to
the world stage!

...Sci-fi author
and EastEnders, many of
which she has written for.
The Literary Festival is
organised by students
following the BA degree in
Creative and Media Writing at
Middlesex and will also feature
readings of students’ own
work. Lecturer James Martin
Charlton, who leads the BA
programme, said: “We're
thrilled that we've been able to
attract such big names in the
literary world…It shows the
University is acquiring an
excellent reputation when it
comes to staging high-calibre
events…It's wonderful for
students on our creative
writing programmes to learn at
first hand from successful
authors about the real life of
being a writer”.
Attendance at panel sessions
and readings is free –
workshops cost £5 per person
and must be booked in
advance by email:
mdxlitfest@googlemail.com
Go to
www.freewebs.com/mdxlitfest/
programme.htm to view the
full Festival programme.
PAGE 9
 NEWS AND EVENTS
[SCHOOL OF] ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES

A wireless device to help people with motor impairments

EIS Following a first degree in Electronics and
Communications Engineering, and valuable

students technical experience gained at HCL

Infosystems, one of India's leading ICT
companies, Ganesh Kumar Muthia enrolled on
a postgraduate course in Computer and

use their Network Security at Middlesex.

Ganesh wanted to use his knowledge of networking
and mobile communication to help people facing

skills to physical challenges caused by wasting diseases

such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a type
of motor neurone disease. In his research project

help he designed a device which would help people with

these conditions to control machinery around them.
His project, Improved Wireless Sensor Aid:

others Environmental Control Device for Patients with

This month Middlesex World
reports on how EIS students
are using their skills and
expertise to give something
back to the community in
which they live and learn.
Motor Impairments involved designing a compact
and easily accessible device that would allow
people with motor impairments to control
electronic devices. Ganesh's control device is a
multi-use switch. It was designed so that it could
be used by people at all stages of motor diseases.
The user taps the device with their finger and this
sends an electronic signal to the equipment or
machine the user wants to activate. Ganesh used
Zigbee technology when designing and
programming the device, to ensure it could be
used wirelessly. Acceleration sensors were also a
major component of the design, to ensure that
users could control the level at which equipment or
machinery worked.
Dr Gill Whitney and module leader Dr Aboubaker
Lasebai worked with Ganesh on his research
project. Ganesh Kumar Muthia

MIDDLESEX WORLD MARCH 2009 PAGE 10


[SCHOOL OF] ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES
Fun and games in the Hatchcroft labs
Students studying
Fundamentals of Multimedia
and Scripting at Middlesex
are designing computer
games specially tailored for
individual autistic children
who attend schools in the
University’s local community
in north London.
The module, which is carried
out by first year students
studying BSc Multimedia
Computing, BSc Information
Technology and BSc Interactive
System Design, aims to provide
students with a solid foundation
in scripting in a multimedia
environment.
Programme Leader of the BSc
Honours Information
Technology and Networking,
Elizabeth Stokes, who is the
Module Leader of
Fundamentals for Multimedia
and Scripting says: “Each
student receives a case study
of a real autistic child in a local
school. The case study is
based on profiles completed by
teachers, parents and other
professionals about children on
the autistic spectrum and tells
the student about their
allocated child’s age, likes,
dislikes, educational needs and
MIDDLESEX WORLD
learning difficulties. The
student then designs a
personalised educational game
tailored so that the child will
have their needs met while
having fun. At the end of the
project, once the games are
“EACH STUDENT RECEIVES A CASE STUDY OF A REAL AUTISTIC CHILD IN A
LOCAL SCHOOL.. ONCE THE GAMES ARE COMPLETED, WE PASS THEM ON
TO THE SCHOOL SO THAT THE CHILDREN CAN PLAY THEM AND THE
SCHOOL THEN EVALUATES THEM AND GIVES US FEEDBACK”.
completed, we pass them on to
the school so that the children
can play them and the school
then evaluates them and gives
us feedback”.
23-year-old Hassan Mwathethe
from Kenya is working on a
game that involves matching
objects, mathematics and
puzzles for an 11-year-old
autistic boy who has difficulties
with fine and gross motor
coordination. His game starts
with a welcome from Thomas
the Tank Engine because,
according to Hassan, the little
boy is a big fan of Thomas. The
matching part of the game,
which is at the most advanced
stage of development, requires
the player to match shapes,
fruit and different objects. If the
player chooses to match
shapes, for example, a shape
appears on the screen and
then a group of different
shapes in various colours and
sizes dance onto the screen
before standing still so that the
player can choose the one that
matches. If he gets it right, the
computer congratulates him.
As part of their project, the
students group themselves into
mock businesses, which are
responsible for ‘selling’ their
games, and soon they’ll be
showcasing their work at
Middlesex.
21-year-old Dipesh Damani
from Kingsbury says that his
group have decided to call their
mock business Educational
Amusement because their
games are designed to help
children with educational
difficulties to learn and have
fun at the same time. He goes
on to explain his game for a 9-
MARCH 2009
NEWS AND EVENTS
year-old autistic boy, which he
describes as two games in one.
One part of the game uses
Disney characters in puzzle
activities of differing difficulty
levels, while the other is a
maths game which not only has
different difficulty levels, but
also always gives the player
different number combinations
in sums so that they cannot
learn the answers or become
bored.
Hassan Mwathethe, first year BSc Business
More and more, computer Information Technology student
users expect dynamic,
interactive and media rich
experiences, and Elizabeth
says that this module is
allowing students to develop
the skills to produce these:
“The students are all,
justifiably, quite proud of their
games. They’re designing their
games using storyboards and
then putting them together to
include images, sound and
anything else that they think
will make the end user’s
experience more enjoyable”.
Look out Atari and EA, because
Middlesex’s students are
finding out that developing
games is even more fun than
playing them! Dipesh Damani, first year BSc Business
Information Technology student
PAGE 11

[SCHOOL OF] HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Exploding the
myths surrounding
dyslexia
Dyslexia is a complex
condition – it is thought to
affect between 5 to15% of
English speakers, with
around 4% of this group
likely to be severely
dyslexic. The statistics are
similar amongst speakers
of other European and
alphabet-based languages
too. Dr Nicola Brunswick,
Senior Lecturer in
Psychology at Middlesex’s
School of Health and
Social Sciences, has just
published A Beginner’s
Guide to Dyslexia, a new
book that helps to explain
key characteristics of
dyslexia and explodes
many myths and
misconceptions about the
condition.
Does dyslexia really exist?
Definitely, says Nicola. She
also explores other issues in
her book, including the
MIDDLESEX WORLD
causes and symptoms of
dyslexia, and the importance of
sound and vision to reading,
drawing on new thinking and
cutting-edge research in
psychology and education.
Dyslexia is often perceived as
‘an excuse’ for poor
schoolwork, or is interpreted as
an indication of low
intelligence. Yet Winston
Churchill, Andy Warhol, Walt
Disney, Tom Cruise, Agatha
Christie, Pablo Picasso and
many other famous figures
have enjoyed great success in
their chosen professions
despite being dyslexic. Some of
them are even considered to be
‘a genius’, disproving the myth
that dyslexic people are not
intelligent. In fact, dyslexic
people have average, or above
average, intelligence.
People with dyslexia, and those
trying to help them, will
probably gain hope from
another common
misconception. Many people
think that with enough
practice, dyslexic people will
eventually learn to read
‘properly’. This is a myth –
dyslexia is a lifelong condition,
but it has been proved that
compensatory strategies can
help dyslexics to read and
deal with other problems
caused by dyslexia. Nicola’s
book also looks at the
assessment and management
of dyslexia in children and
adults, and offers practical
guidance on tackling some of
the problems dyslexia can
cause, including details of
resources such as support
associations, websites, and
assistive technology.
Nicola said: “In writing the
book, I aimed to offer clear
information, explanations,
realistic advice and
suggestions on dealing with
dyslexia. I hope this book will
be of real benefit to people
with dyslexia, and their
families and friends, as well as
to classroom teachers and
special educational needs
coordinators”.
A Beginner’s Guide to
Dyslexia was published by
Oneworld on Sunday 1 March.
MARCH 2009
NEWS AND EVENTS
For events Archway Clinic of Herbal
listings
click on Medicine contributes to
the
intranet Grow Your Own Drugs
at... For people all over Britain who’ve Technician of Middlesex University’s
always thought that herbs are for Medicinal Herb Garden, contributed
cooking, flowers are purely many of the photographs”.
www.intra.mdx.ac.uk/mdxworld/index.html
ornamental and fruit is just to be She continues: “The book offers all
eaten, the new BBC2 series Grow
manner of delights including ice lollies
Your Own Drugs is changing made from the herb Echinacea, a plaster
perceptions.
of hot chillies, a lavender bath bomb and
The six-part series, which launched on a cup of special hot chocolate to reduce
Monday 2 March, demonstrates how to anxiety”.
transform familiar plants into simple
Recipes from the book are featured
natural remedies and pampering beauty throughout the series, so look out for the
treatments.
Archway Clinic of Herbal Medicine’s
A number of members of staff at recipes on BBC2 on Mondays at 8.30pm.
theArchway Clinic of Herbal Medicine
have contributed recipes and
photographs to the book Grow Your
Own Drugs that accompanies the
series.
According to Kathryn Lwin Brooks,
Director of the Clinic: “All of the staff
who contributed recipes for the book
Grow Your Own Drugs are medical
herbalists. Richard Adams and Hananja
Brice Ytsma are practitioners at the
Clinic and members of NIMH (National
Institute of Medical Herbalists); Nathalie
Chidley works here as a dispenser. Liz
Williamson, who tested the recipes
along with Nathalie Chidley, is one of
the examiners on the BSc in Herbal
Medicine. Peter Jarrett, Head
PAGE 12

[SCHOOL OF] HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Hendon’s Whodunnit
A horrific scene greeted a
group of A-level science
students from Finchley
Catholic High School this
month when they arrived at
the Hendon campus to see
the new facilities at the
Hatchcroft Building.
Dr Stephen Butler, Senior
Lecturer in Biomedical
Science, opened the door to
a small storeroom, revealing a
bloodied corpse sprawled on
the floor. Blood from a 6-inch
gash to the victim’s ribs was
still dripping through his
clothes and onto the floor,
suggesting that this shocking
murder had taken place very
recently. Steve challenged the
students to solve the crime
using facilities and
equipment at Hatchcroft. The
killer could be any one of the
five celebrity suspects who
had been spotted around
campus earlier that day,
Steve told the group.
The students stepped warily
over the victim and examined
the scene more closely,
MIDDLESEX WORLD
taking care not to touch the
body or the blood, to avoid
disturbing or contaminating the
scene. Steve shone an ultra-
violet light onto shelving next to
the corpse, revealing two sets
of fingerprints. From this, the
students concluded that some
kind of violent struggle had
taken place between victim
and murderer, the victim had
probably clawed at his
attacker, so there was a
chance there might be skin
fragments on his hands and
under his fingernails. The
students took swab samples
from under the victim’s nails,
to analyse and compare with
DNA samples from the
suspects. The samples from
the victim were put into a
‘buffer’ solution, in a test tube,
to keep them in a sterile
environment, free from
contamination by air or
chemicals. A sample of hair
was also taken from the victim.
“The whole human genome is
here,” Dr Butler explained,
“hair samples are unique, even
in identical twins”.
NEWS AND EVENTS
science is expensive!” The Suzanne Docherty said: “It’s a hard-going, which can be a
sample mixtures were great way to make science common misconception”.
incubated for 45 minutes and more accessible and to show
Much to the relief of his
the students then analysed the the students the DNA
colleagues in HSSC, volunteer
results. technology we use here at
victim Drupad Trivedi has
Middlesex in a real life
Angela Cunningham, science made a remarkable recovery.
Dr Suzanne Docherty, Senior situation…at this event, the
teacher at Finchley Catholic Drupad has now returned to
Lecturer and Teaching Fellow, students used the same
High School, said: “It’s a great his PhD work in mass
then briefed the group on equipment and skills which
chance for our students to learn spectrometry, but the
procedures for professional lab biomedical scientists use at
more about the practical side of perpetrator of the crime, actor
work and the students were undergraduate and
science…it’s giving them a taste Hugh Grant, remains at large.
issued with lab coats, postgraduate levels. It’s also
of what their next step in Staff and students are warned
protective rubber or nitrile been a real opportunity to show
science might be, and they’ll not to approach this
gloves, and goggles for use them that science can be really
gain the confidence to consider dangerous individual, who
when working with liquids. The exciting, it’s not difficult or
studying science at university”. may still be armed…
budding forensic scientists
then started on their detective
work. An enzyme solution was
added to the suspects’ DNA
samples which broke these
samples down into fragments.
The fragments were then
separated out by
electrophoresis – a process
where an electric current is run
through the solution. After this,
the patterns made by each set
of fragments could be matched
up with the murderer’s DNA
samples taken from the crime
scene.
The students worked in pairs,
using a large pipette to add the
enzyme to each DNA sample.
“These pipettes are worth £200
each”, Steve Butler explained,
“this is life science… and
The killer strikes
MARCH 2009 PAGE 13

SERVICES
CCSS pull out the stops for
work experience student
Roger Fox and the CCSS
team had extra help in
February when work
experience student Matthew
Kayne joined them to do
some ‘file fighting’.
Matthew is currently following a
Foundation degree, including
AS Applied ICT Studies, at
Southgate College, and was
struggling to find a suitable
work experience placement.
Matthew suffers from
significant physical disabilities
and has been receiving support
from the Aimhigher London
North Partnership's ‘This-Ability
Programme’. Southgate College
approached Christine Hough,
Middlesex’s Aimhigher
Disability Development Officer,
to see if Middlesex could offer
Matthew some relevant work
experience.
Christine spoke to Roger Fox,
Operations Group Manager for
CCSS, who was able to devise a
varied programme for Matthew,
giving him the chance to put
his IT knowledge into practice.
Matthew worked on a project to
identify and reduce the number
MIDDLESEX WORLD
of ‘inactive’ files and folders on
the network system, which will
contribute to more effective use
of the University’s network
space. Roger commented:
“Matthew picked up very
quickly on what was required
and demonstrated a clear
understanding of the
issues…we only ever needed to
explain technical issues to him
once, which was a great help
when tasks were being
assigned”.
The CCSS team arranged the
office space so that Matthew
was sitting alongside Helpdesk
staff. Matthew used a specialist
keyboard, which was
connected to the Helpdesk
machine he was using,
enabling him to work effectively
and communicate with service
users by email. Before
Matthew’s work experience
started, EFMS (Estate and
Facilities Management Service)
assessed the workspace and
provided a specialist EVAC
chair, designed to assist people
with disabilities if the building
had to be evacuated.
Matthew said of his placement:
“I had a lot of enjoyment and I
gained a lot of new skills. I
learnt how to create and set up
new users on the university
network using a programme
called 'Touchpaper'... The best
thing about the work placement
MARCH 2009
was working in a real office
environment…The people I
was working with were really
nice and helpful, supportive
and accommodating to my
needs, especially Roger, Sam
and Marva”.
Christine Haugh said:
“Matthew and Southgate
College have been raving
about Middlesex…Matthew
learned a lot from his time
with CCSS…he is incredibly
motivated to continue his
Issam Siman, Roger Fox, Roselyn Marshall
and Marva Gabbidon from CCSS
NEWS AND EVENTS
studies”. She added:
“Roger and the CCSS team
went far beyond just
Matthew plans to follow a
degree at Middlesex’s Hendon
campus in September. He
making reasonable
adjustments to the office
environment, they put a
said: “Working up at Hendon
gave me an insight into the
campus I hope to study at next
load of work into Matthew year. At the moment I'm
being able to enjoy a really completing my Foundation
good work experience with Degree in IT Networks at
the team. He had a Southgate College and in
tremendously positive September I plan to follow this
experience at Middlesex, through to a full honours
which is totally due to the degree in Computing and
efforts of Roger and the Networks at the Hendon
team”. campus”.
Work experience student Matthew Kayne
was based with the CCSS Team in February
PAGE 14
 NEWS AND EVENTS
SERVICES

Clear! For
classified Fun Run and Health Walk 2009 –
The Sports Department recently obtained a defibrillator, which is located in
the Forum building. On 12 and 17 March, interested staff attended a
ads click
on the
make sure it’s in your diary!
training session to learn how to use the defibrillator.
intranet
In the right, trained hands, a defibrillator can save lives. The device is used in at...
conjunction with CPR, on patients who have no pulse, sending an electric shock
to the heart and enabling the heart to re-establish a normal rhythm.

www.intra.mdx.ac.uk/mdxworld/index.html
And for those staff members who’re not all that clued up on First Aid, a
defibrillator is that gadget that George Clooney uses in ER to give people shocks
when they’re in cardiac arrest.
Wednesday 6 May is the date,
Trent Park is the venue and
5.30pm is your start time!
The annual Fun Run and
Health Walk is always a
highlight in Middlesex’s sporting
calendar. Why not take part
with friends and colleagues and
make a social event out of it
too. Each finisher receives a
fantastic goody bag, which
includes a limited edition T-
shirt. After the presentations,
participants are invited to join
the sports team in the Trent
Park campus bar for a post
event drink. The bar will be
open until 11pm.
The 5km (3 mile) run is over
the traditional course on fields
and footpaths in Trent Park.
The Health Walk follows a 3km
route and will be led by a
trained walk leader. It’s called a
Dean Pyle, Space Manager (left) and Danny Digweed, Sports Duty Officer (right)
‘Fun Run’, and fun is the order
of the day for both runners and
walkers – prizes are awarded
for the most imaginative fancy
dress entrant. Last year
celebrity actress and former
EastEnders star Michelle
Collins started the race which
was held in aid of local charity
TreeHouse.
This year funds raised will go to
the Mayor of Barnet’s charity
appeal. These charities are:
The Princess Royal Trust
Barnet Carers’ Centre and Chai
Cancer Care.
The Princess Royal Trust
Barnet Carers Centre offers
advice, information, and
support for all informal carers
who live or work in the London
Borough of Barnet.
The Chai Cancer Support
Centre offers care services and
support to the Jewish
community in Hendon. All
members of the Jewish
community can make use of
the Centre’s services,
regardless of their age, type of
cancer, stage of the disease or
financial means. Services can
be offered at home for those
who are unable to come to the
Centre.
All participants are encouraged
to raise sponsorship for these
charities, or to make a donation
along with their entry fee.
For further information
and entry forms
(including a beginner’s
sample training
programme) please
contact the Sports
Office on ext. 4727 or
email
d.cook@mdx.ac.uk

MIDDLESEX WORLD MARCH 2009 PAGE 15