My professional life has been spent in the wide field of education, initially as a teacher in secondary education teaching history and politics, then through a different professional route of education administration involving community education, school workforce planning, life long learning initiatives and application of Ofsted criteria. 

I have always been involved in adult and continuing education through the Universities of Durham, Newcastle and Sunderland , the WEA and now with the JCLLC.

After retirement in 2007 from a career as a consultant in haematology and transfusion medicine, I

was keen to pick up my long neglected interests in humanities. I completed a BA(Hons) in History

with the OU and became a regular attender at the Centre for Lifelong Learning. When university

funding for the programme came to an end in 2013 I was delighted and relieved that Joseph Cowen

Lifelong Learning Centre came into being to continue Explore. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to

the small and determined group of people who made that happen.

I have been involved in supporting the administrative aspects of Explore for 10 years and counting

and am proud to have played a part in its survival.

Life moves on, and I now have caring responsibilities for my husband which limit my ability to attend

face to face classes. But the availability of sessions delivered online, hastily implemented during the

pandemic and thankfully developed and continued thereafter, has been a lifeline for me, as for many

others, for which I’m hugely grateful.

I am a recently retired academic who has worked at both Northumbria and Newcastle Universities. After a degree in History, I trained as a Chartered Accountant and in 1980 came to Newcastle to work as  Finance Officer for Northern Arts, responsible for making grants to arts organisations across the North of England. Later as an academic I taught accounting and finance, but spent my last 14 years at Newcastle University in managerial roles, with 12 years as Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the last two years working on special projects.

I am particularly interested in history and archaeology, sing in a choir, enjoy going to Sage Gateshead for a range of music, visiting art galleries and making trips to the theatre, as well of course as attending the wonderful range of sessions offered by Explore. 

I am a retired physics teacher who has been a member of Explore and its predecessors for more than ten years.  It has enabled me, a scientist, to develop my interests in literature and the humanities by providing diverse courses which are both interesting and challenging.  During this time I have been an Ambassador, helping to promote membership, an office volunteer during the first year of Explore and recently a member of an outreach group. 

I was and remain happy to get involved because I want Explore to continue and thrive.  To do this it will need to maintain the spirit of innovation which has characterised its first two years and made it such a pleasure to be part of.  To achieve this we will have to increase membership numbers and in my mind this must continue to be one of our primary objectives.  I would hope to bring a logical and rational approach to the Board as well as the experience of being a critical friend and promote science and technology in the content of Explore.  

I have been an Explore member since 2012.  I mainly attend literature and art history in Explore but drop into a variety of topics from time to time.  I attend Alan Beale’s Latin class at the Lit & Phil as well as art group in Felton and ballet at Dance City.  I am also a consultant in emergency medicine.

I am an occasional Explore tutor and specialise in local history. I have written six books and also  accompanying text for Alan Godfrey Old Ordnance Survey maps. 

I am an adult education tutor and have been involved with Explore since its inception.

After retiring from a stressful private sector Information Technology (IT)  job, relating to NHS payroll & finance systems, I was at a loss until I discovered the North East Centre for Lifelong Learning as it then was.  Since then Explore has played a major part in my life.  

Having practised as an architect in my early twenties, I gave up work to have a family.  When I was ready to start working, I owed a lot to the adult education opportunities offered by the local universities in the 1980s that allowed me to gain qualifications and to pursue a career in IT.  

To give other women similar opportunities, I initially taught computer skills at a basic level in an EU funded project which I found very satisfying.  Moving on, I finally got the opportunity to work for the NHS - my lifelong ambition before being swallowed up by the private sector when IT services were outsourced!

I am a Chartered Surveyor by profession and during my career I worked in both the private and public sector.  Whilst working I completed a part time degree course in law at what was then Newcastle Polytechnic and which is now The University of Northumbria at Newcastle

When I retired I  volunteered at the vaccination clinics and I am now involved in other volunteer projects in North Tyneside.

I am a relatively new member of Explore having joined only some four years ago. I enjoy modern history and being a member of Explore has enabled me to pursue this interest, it has also given me the opportunity to learn about a variety of other topics. I also enjoy walking and playing badminton and I am a member of a badminton club in North Tyneside.

I became a trustee of Explore as I wanted to support the organisaion to continue and flourish as it provides people with the opportunity to socialise and carry on learning both of which are important for people's wellbeing.

In my twenties I worked variously as a bus driver and community worker. I studied for my law degree(s) in my early thirties.

A 30-year career as a legal academic followed at Lancaster University, the University of Central Lancashire, the University of Leicester and De Montfort University. In the mid 1990’s I was seconded for three years as the national legal adviser to the Social Fund Commissioner. My teaching, research interests and publications were in the fields of social security law, constitutional law, administrative law, family law and international child law. I served as a member of the national Research Excellence Framework Law sub-panel in 2014. I retired as an Emeritus Professor in Socio-Legal Studies seven years ago, and moved with my wife Barbara from Leicester to Newcastle in 2019 and we were delighted to find Explore.

We have enjoyed immensely a range of courses and talks, and we were especially appreciative of the Zoom sessions offered during the pandemic lockdown.

I have four sons and four granddaughters. I enjoy drawing, watching films, learning Spanish

and being a volunteer steward at vaccination sites. I am also a keen member of the Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club.

After getting two Physics degrees from Imperial College, I’ve had a career in software development and data analysis, working the majority of my time in pipeline inspection for the oil and gas industry.  

Along the way, I have represented staff in pay negotiations, organised an industrial strike and, subsequently, set up and was trustee of a workplace pension scheme for over 300 workers.  I’ve taught and mentored staff in 6 sigma, reliability engineering and change acceleration.  I've managed software development, data analysis and IT teams across the world, as well as providing consultancy services to businesses in the EU and US.

Now I’m retired I’m spending more time on my hobbies and interests; trading on the UK and US stock markets, doing art, reading, walking, yoga and going to the gym, and now Explore.