Spirit of the Hall

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Jessica Milligan who came up to the Hall in 2023 to read Geography.  Jess is Teddy Hall's current Environment and Ethics Officer and feels that students really do care about the College’s green agenda being led so effectively by the Principal and her Senior Leadership Team.  Jess also plays a vital role in College offering other students peer support when needed.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Alice Hart-Davis who came up to the Hall in 1982 to read Modern History.  Today, Alice is the Founder of the Tweakments Guide, a remarkable source of knowledge about beauty tweakments and great practitioners to go to.  In an evolving and often overwhelming world of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, laser skin treatments, dermal fillers, botox and wrinkle relaxing injections, this guide is all you need to know!  

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation wit Senator Larry Pressler who came up to the Hall in 1964 as a Rhodes Scholar where he was awarded his Diploma in Social and Public Administration.   Senator Pressler loved his time at the Hall and after was sent to Vietnam in 1966 to fight in the war there.  He then entered American politics and describes himself as a “RINO”, a Republican in name only.  A pivotal moment in his career was when he turned down a bribe to let what he could “pretenders” come into the States. 

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Bob Gaffey, the Association’s North American Representative.  Bob speaks to Olly about her time at Oxford when she came up to the Hall in 1999 to read Geography.   She talks about how her Gap year and Geography dissertation all led to what she does today - Shivia, the charity she founded to help very poor families in India create livelihoods and earn with dignity.  Olly loved Teddy Hall and is always grateful for the opportunities that it gave her hence wanting to give back to the College today in any way she can.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with David Picksley who came up to the Hall in 1953 to read French and Russian.   David’s first memories go back to the 1930s where he recalls historic events such as George V’s Silver Jubilee and George V1's Coronation!  David was a school boy during World War 11 and tells us of the moment when he heard that the country was at war and then also what it was like when it ended.   Years later, on his 50th birthday, David decided to take up serious running and in April 2023, he gained celebrity status for being the oldest participant in the London marathon at the age of 90!

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Anna Botting who came up to the Hall in 1987 to read Geography.   Whilst at Oxford Anna threw herself into all sports alongside her degree and was part of the first women’s rugby team who despite winning a Varsity match never actually gained a blue!  Anna has been at Sky News since 1995 and has covered an extraordinary array of events including war zones, humanitarian disasters, politics, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and historic ones too such as the funeral of the Queen and the Coronation.  Despite unusual working hours, being away from home a lot and often little or no warning of trips into the unknown, Anna would recommend her career as a journalist to anyone.   

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Jo Ensor who came up to the Hall in 1988 to read Geography.   Since then Jo has dedicated her life to the non profit sector, initially working for leading organisations such as EveryChild and AMREF where she lived amongst the communities she served, all over the world.  When Jo had her two boys she dedicated her time instead to advising philanthropists on their giving strategies and in 2019, she went on to found her own organisation Philanthropy Insight.  Jo’s deep sense of social purpose is inspiring and an example to us all!

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Clio Georgiadis who came up to the Hall in 1990 to read Psychology and Philosophy.   Since Teddy Hall, Clio has done all sorts of jobs in what she describes as a zig-zagging career but she has ended up in the world of hospitality.  Clio wrote to the owner of the famous restaurant Estiatorio Milos saying London needed a Milos.  Before she knew it she was on a plane to Canada to go and meet him and today runs the show!  

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In the first episode of Series Four hear Olly Belcher, Immediate Past President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with former Principal Professor Michael Mingos.    Whereas Mike has spent most of his life in the UK, he arrived in 1950 when he was just six from Iraq by cargo boat.  He tells us of his fascinating family background, what brought him to the UK and then his journey to become Principal in 1999 until 2009.   Mike reflects on his time as Principal of Teddy Hall including the major building works and improvements that took place under his stewardship. 

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In the final episode of series three, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Professor Rob Whittaker, Teddy Hall’s Vice Principal and Geography tutor.   Rob was appointed as Vice Principal in 2019 and has been at Teddy Hall for 32 years where he has also been the College Dean and witnessed many changes including an expanding MCR and the increasing need to house all our students.  Alongside the roles of Vice Principal and teaching Geography, Rob is a Professor of Biogeography and has spent much time researching island biodiversity. Rob sadly retires from Teddy Hall this year and his dream would be to see the Geography Fellowship endowed.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Catriona Ward who came up to the Hall in 1999 to read English.  After her A-levels, Cat wrote to several Oxford Colleges explaining that her results weren’t that good but she was commended for her English exam.  It was the warmth of Teddy Hall’s reply that made her apply.  After Teddy Hall, Cat hoped to be an actress and went to drama in New York.  She has since become a well known horror novelist writing five novels and receiving numerous awards.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Clement Hutton-Mills who came up to the Hall in 2001 to read Modern Languages.  After Teddy Hall, Clem joined the world of banking and is currently a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, sitting on various committees to increase diversity within the workplace.  Aside from his career, Clem is a Lay Canon at St Paul’s Cathedral and had the honour of attending the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving in June.  Clem is originally from Ghana and now that Covid is hopefully “over”, he hopes to take his two small children there to see their heritage.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Robbie McRobbie who came up to the Hall in 1989 from Scotland when he was just in 17 to read Modern History. Robbie became the JCR Social Secretary in his second year and managed to get Kylie Minogue to become an honorary member due to the students’ love at the time for the soap opera “Neighbours”.  After the Hall, Robbie moved to Hong Kong and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force where his brother of all people trained him!  After 11 years and one arrest, Robbie left the police force and joined the Hong Kong Rugby Union where he is now the CEO, busily preparing for the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens which will take place for the first time in November after two years.  Recently Robbie was awarded his MBE for services to charity in both the UK and Hong Kong.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Eloise Smith who came up to the Hall in 1996 to read English Literature and Language.  Eloise managed to combined her degree with her fencing career during which time she became the Commonwealth Fencing Champion in the Individual Women’s Foil in 1998.  Shortly after Eloise left Teddy Hall, she competed in the women’s individual foil event at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Despite all her fencing, Eloise had a career in advertising and marketing and has recently returned to her love of English by writing and publishing her first book, Sister to a Star.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Sir Mark Sedwill who came up to the Hall in 1987 to undertake an MPhil in Economics.  After the Hall, Mark joined the Foreign Office and embarked on an exciting career all over the Middle East and South Asia where he ended up as Ambassador to Afghanistan.  He then became NATO’s Civilian Representative in Afghanistan followd by Permanent Secretary at the Home Office.  Mark then acted as Cabinet Secretary to Prime Ministers Teresa May and Boris Johnson at the same time as he was National Security Adviser.  Finally in 2020, Mark stepped down from the government altogether and today has a portfolio of activities as a Peer in the House of Lords, the commercial and charity worlds.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Richard Luddington who came up to the Hall in 1978 to read History and then did his MPhil in Management Studies.  Richard was the only Aularian to receive a first class honors as well as blues in three different sports and we hear how he balanced his academic and sporting careers.  Richard was at Teddy Hall at a time of change: women were accepted for the first time in 1979 and he also enjoyed three Principals during his five years.  Richard is a great supporter of the Hall and tells us why the current Hallmarks Campaign is so important for the future of the College.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Paisley Kadison, a one year visiting student to Teddy Hall from the States in 2005.  Paisley came to Teddy Hall when she was just seventeen and tells us her journey to get there as well as what it was like visiting for just one year.  Today, she is General Counsel at Accel-KKR and involved with the St Edmund Hall Association in the States.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

Our first guest in Series Three is former Principal Keith Gull whose great affection for Teddy Hall is apparent. Keith became Principal in 2009 and handed over the reigns to Professor Kathy Willis in 2018.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

Coming Soon is Series 3 of Spirit of the Hall.

On the 12th April, our first guest in Series Three is former Principal Keith Gull whose great affection for Teddy Hall is apparent. Keith became Principal in 2009 and handed over the reigns to Professor Kathy Willis in 2018.    We will also hear, amongst others, from Paisley Kadison, a visiting student from the States who came over when she was just 17, the British fencer Eloise Smith who competed in the Women’s individual foil event at the 2000 Summer Olympics, Richard Luddington who not only gained a first but THREE blues in his five years, Lord Mark Sedwill who served as Cabinet Secretary to Teresa May and Boris Johnson, Stuart Barnes who played rugby for both Oxford and England and Vice Principal Robert Whittaker whose retirement is looming after 32 years at Teddy Hall!

Make sure you subscribe to never miss an episode.

In the final episode of Series Two, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Reverend Dr Zachary Guiliano, Teddy Hall’s Chaplain and Career Development and Research Fellow.  Several of our podcast guests have cited Teddy Hall’s Chapel as their favourite place in College.  Zach was born in the American Mid-West and reflects on his journey from his childhood in Illinois to ending up in Oxford and Teddy Hall.  He tells us a little about the history of Teddy Hall’s Chapel as well as its importance to College members regardless of their religion or faith.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with former JCR President Julien Kress who came up to the Hall from France in 2019 to read History and is currently in his final year.  After only two terms at Teddy Hall, the Covid pandemic struck, the country went into lock-down the day before Hilary Term ended and Julien returned to France where he was to stay until Michaelmas term of his second year.  As JCR President, Julien led the JCR body through much of the Pandemic but assures us that the Spirit of the Hall is still very much alive!

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Choral Scholar Fred Tyrrell who came up to the Hall in 2019 to read Mathematics.  At the end of Fred’s second term at Oxford, the first Covid lock-down was announced and so he has experienced life as a student going into lock down and then coming out of it again.  On top of this, Fred was diagnosed with autism at the beginning of his second year and talks about how he has navigated the challenges of neurodiversity as well as drawn on support from his tutors and the College.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Reverend Canon Tim Bryan who came up to the Hall in 1975 to read Geography.    During Tim’s time at Oxford he played in three rugby Varsity matches and led Oxford to victory over Cambridge when he captained the team.  Apart from rugby, Tim became a Christian in his second term which really shaped his time at Oxford.  After Oxford, Tim joined the Met Police where he stayed for 27 years.  He was ordained a Deacon in 1996 and then became a priest in 1997 where he moved into Prison Chaplaincy at Wandsworth Prison.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Manisha Tank who came up to the Hall in 1994 to read PPE.  During Manisha’s time at Teddy Hall she had premonitions and deja vus which made her feel that she really was meant to be there.  After the Hall, Manisha joined the competitive world of broadcasting and has worked all over the world for the likes of Reuters Television, the BBC and CNN.  She took a break and went to volunteer for an orphanage in the Dominican Republic which changed her perspective on life forever.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Mike Shaw who came up to the Hall in 1959 to read History.   After the Hall, Mike found himself in the literary world and rose to the top as Managing Director of Curtis Brown.  Despite the new digital world we all find ourselves in today, Mike believes there is always a role for a proper book!

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Dr Tom Crawford, Teddy Hall’s Early Career Teaching and Outreach Fellow in Mathematics, also known as the Naked Mathmetician.  Tom believes anyone can study maths, you just need to learn in a way that suits you.  His maths tattoos and body piercings also prove that there is room in the SCR for everyone!

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Dr Bill Cogar who came up to the Hall in 1976 from the States to read Modern History.  Bill loved the friendly nature of Teddy Hall and became the Junior Dean in 1979, the year after the College accepted women for the first time.  After the Hall, Bill became a Professor at the US Naval Academy in Maryland and later on Director at the Mariner’s Museum.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Maggie Carver CBE who came up to the Hall in 1982 to read Biochemistry.  Maggie threw herself into everything at Oxford :  her subject, sport, music, the Oxford Union and her social life.  Since then she has risen to the top of many companies and been a wonderful mentor to many women dealing with life’s juggle.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

In the first episode of Series Two, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Emeritus Fellow and quondam Principal Justin Gosling who has touched the hearts and minds of many Aularians over the years.  Justin reflects on his years at Teddy Hall since he joined the College in 1960; he was the Senior Tutor for PPE and became the Principal in 1982. Justin offers incredible insights into life at the Hall over a sixty year period as well as changing attitudes during that time.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

Spirit of the Hall will return on the 12th October with our first episode of Season 2, bringing you conversations with some of Teddy Hall’s most fascinating alumni, fellows and staff.  We will hear through this series how Teddy Hall’s unique spirit has shaped us all whether in politics, academia, business, entertainment, technology or through friendships, family and fun.  Our first guest in Series two is former Principal Justin Gosling who has touched the hearts and minds of many Aularians over the years.  Justin reflects on memories of Teddy Hall since he came to the College in 1960.  We will also hear, amongst others, from Maggie Carver who recently got a CBE for her services to sport and the media sector, Dr Bill Cogar the Junior Dean in 1979, Mike Shaw the former Managing Director of the publishing agency Curtis Brown, the Broadcaster Manisha Tank and Dr Tom Crawford, Teddy Hall’s Early Career Teaching and outreach fellow in maths, often known as the Naked Mathematician! Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss an episode, and happy listening!

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

In the last episode of Series One, hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with James Howarth, Teddy Hall’s brilliant librarian.   James studied at Oxford himself and joined the Hall in 2018 having been librarian at Lambeth Palace Library, the International Institute of Strategic Studies, the Taylorian Library and Balliol College.  James speaks about the history and traditions behind the Old Library and the importance of our main library to College members today, especially during the Covid pandemic when since September 2020, it has been open for 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with David Gauke who came up to the Hall in 1990 to read Law and graduated into legal practice in 1995 before he became South West Hertfordshire’s Member of Parliament in 2005.  Since then David has held many positions in Government including Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Secretary of State for Justice and Various roles at the Treasury.   In September 2019, David and 20 other rebel Conservative MPs who opposed a no deal Brexit lost the Conservative Whip and so David had to stand in the December General Election as an independent candidate.  Since then, David has gone full circle and rejoined the law firm Macfarlanes as Head of Policy.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Association, in conversation with Bidisha who started her journalist career at 14.  Bidisha came up to the Hall in 1996 to read English Language and Literature and during her first year, she published her first book, Seahorse.  Since then she has journeyed through the worlds of journalism, radio, writing and film.  Bidisha started filming her Aurora series when the Covid pandemic began and so has had to embrace the world of remote filming over the past year.   She has dedicated much of herself to working with London-based asylum seekers and refugees although this too has been affected by the Covid pandemic.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

This episode is with Ronny Tong who came up to the Hall from Hong Kong in 1972 to read Law.   His determination to get to Oxford in the first place is inspiring.  After Oxford, Ronny set up his own law practice in Hong Kong and later became Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association.   Ronny ventured into politics and founded the Civic Party in 2006; he was later appointed to the Executive Council of Hong Kong.   Ronny has lived through many of Hong Kong’s crises but describes the recent anti-extradition protests as heart-breaking.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

This episode is with Akaash Maharaj who came up to the Hall from Canada in 1990 to read PPE. In his second year, he was elected as JCR President which remains one of the warmest experiences of his life. After Teddy Hall, having NEVER been on a horse before, Akaash decided to get on a saddle and went onto become an Equestrian star representing Canada at the World Championships. Akaash then set up the Mosaaic Institute focusing on Conflict Resolution. He works with diaspora communities and local communities to try and find common ground rather than differences. Akaash has been decorated twice in Canada’s national honours for his work to bring peace in the Middle East.  

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Alumni Association, in conversation with one of CNN’s main sport anchors, Amanda Davies.

Amanda came up to the Hall in 1998 to read Geography.  She played tennis for the University and rowed in Teddy Hall’s first boat.  Hear how she missed being at the 1999 Champions League finals to watch her beloved team Manchester United in their greatest ever football game to instead represent Teddy Hall in the Summer 8s where they got bumped in the first fifteen seconds!  Amanda was always determined to be a sports journalist and took any opportunity to get some work experience throughout her school and university careers.   After the Hall, she joined Sky Sports as a runner, then the BBC and then CNN 9 years ago where she has covered, amongst many amazing events, the 2012 London Olympics.  Amanda has managed to juggle her busy work schedule with motherhood and has spent the last year appearing on television with home-schooling going on in the background.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

This episode features Aularian contemporaries and friends Richard Kilgarriff and Stuart Ford. Richard is a former executive for Time Warner and founder of Bookomi, which brings insights from the world’s most brilliant minds via events, email and audio blog. Stuart is a Los Angeles based film producer and Chairman of AGC Studios, one of Hollywood’s leading independent film and TV production companies. He has worked with directors including Mel Gibson and Tom Ford and acting stars such as Julia Roberts, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Depp and Tom Hardy.

Hear how , upon arriving at the Hall in 1988, Stuart fell in love with the beauty of the place and the eclectic mix of people he met there and how he believes the Spirit of Teddy Hall helped shape the person he is today.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

In this episode hear Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Alumni Association, in conversation with former Adjutant-General of the British Army General Sir Michael Rose.

Sir Michael was born in 1940 in Quetta, former British India. In 1964, having graduated from Teddy Hall with a degree in PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics), he was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards. He subsequently served with the Special Air Service Regiment in the Middle and Far East. He commanded the Regiment during the Falkland Islands conflict and the 39 Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland. In the early 90s, Sir Michael was Commander of the UK Field Army, and Inspector General Territorial Army, leading the UN Protection Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In January 1995, he was appointed Adjutant General to the Army Board and he served as 28th Colonel of the Coldstream Guards on his retirement from 1999 – 2009. Since leaving the Army, Sir Michael has written and lectured extensively on peacekeeping and leadership.

In this podcast, you will hear why Sir Michael believes his degree in PPE helped him to make some of the hardest decisions of his career, and how, now in his early eighties, the Hall spirit still plays a big part in his life as he keeps up with his Teddy Hall friends and stays fit by walking miles every day.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

Welcome to “Spirit of the Hall”, a podcast series brought to you by the alumni of St Edmund Hall, one of the University of Oxford’s oldest colleges. In this episode Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Alumni Association, talks to US Congressman James Himes.

Born in Lima, Peru, Congressman Himes spent his early childhood in Lima and in Bogota, Colombia. Upon graduating from Harvard, Himes came to Teddy Hall as a Rhodes Scholar, leaving with an MPhil in 1990. After a short career in banking, Himes moved into the non-profit sector. He first took office as Congressman for Connecticut’s 4th District in 2009. He was the first Democrat to hold the seat since 1969.

Hear Congressman Himes talk about the transition from the Trump Presidency to Biden and what it was like to find himself trapped in the Capitol building when it was stormed by Trump supporters. He also describes the stark contrast between Biden’s inauguration on 20th January this year with Obama’s first inauguration 12 years ago.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

Welcome to “Spirit of the Hall”, a podcast series brought to you by the alumni of St Edmund Hall, one of the University of Oxford’s oldest colleges. In this episode, Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Alumni Association, talks to the Hall’s first female Principal, Professor Kathy Willis CBE.

Professor Willis is a biologist, specialising in the relationship between long-term ecosystem dynamics and environmental change. She is Professor of Biodiversity at the University’s Department of Zoology and heads the Oxford Long-term Ecology Group. She is also a member of the UK Government’s Natural Capital Committee, advising on the 25 Year Environmental Plan. Prior to her election as Principal of The Hall, she was Director of Science at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Hear Professor Willis talk about her research career, her thoughts on an ecologically-sustainable future for the University, and the unique challenge of steering an Oxford college through a pandemic.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

“Spirit of the Hall” features engaging conversations with some of St Edmund Hall’s most fascinating alumni, fellows and staff. Hosted by Olly Belcher (nee Donnelly), President of the SEH Association for alumni, this podcast provides a special opportunity for current and past members of Teddy Hall to share how that unique spirit has shaped their insights and experiences in politics, academia, business, entertainment, technology and more. Join us as we lead the way and shine a light on some of those who make Teddy Hall - and other Oxford Colleges - the great institutions that they are.

Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians.  The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford