Alumni News
Click here to read David Hatton's web pages of Recruitment Advice
SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILED NEWS ON LEEDS MET TOURISM ALUMNI
The introductory photos are a new addition and more are very welcome! - of ex-Tourism students' life, work and travels since leaving Leeds. Send a JPEG or other format file to me using the email address at the foot of this page.
DID YOU COMPLETE YOUR HND OR DEGREE COURSE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT AT LEEDS MET AFTER JULY 2009?
As that was my retirement year I may not have heard of your success - or even know you. If you would like to be added to this page send me your name and completion year along with some details about your work and travels since then and anything else appropriate - see the kind of entry below. Each month several hundred people look at this page - both alumni and prospective Leeds students wanting to know of the careers open to them after a Tourism Management course.
At the last count 329 [10.01.12] alumni are now mentioned on this page. Where are you? Email me to add your latest news!
I can't use detailed information or photos from social networking web sites without permission. I sometimes might add "We understand that" or "We hear that" etc in passing on news from third parties.
Photos by permission of the Alumni shown, who own the copyright to the use of them.
Last updates: 10 January 2012
-oOo-
Lots of marriages on here: what about civil partnerships? There must be some....
REDUNDANCY - CHANGING JOBS?
I am hearing of new redundancies as the economic situation bites. Both the commercial and the public sectors are being hit. As someone who has been through it more than once I have every sympathy but am willing to bet that it often leads to fresh new opportunities. It's a judgement on the state of the economy and sometimes on plain bad management - not you.
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Click here to send me your news, a photo etc
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Diana Queiroz in Indonesia - see her news in her posting below.
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Suzanne Williams became Suzanne Sowerby on 29 December 2011. News from Suzanne about her wedding and change of career is posted in her entry listed in the alphabetic sequence below.
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David Hatton, now working in Human Resource Management - see his posting below.
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Anne-Marie Rhodes and her husband Sovandeth Chin who married in a traditional ceremony in Cambodia in January 2012. More details in Anne-Marie's entry below.
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Natalie Burke (now Graham) gave birth to a son, Josh, in Australia on 23 December 2011. She is married to Stuart Graham and they live in Langwarrin, Victoria. Both doing well as can be seen (and so is Stu).
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Ian Hunter - about to enter Sandhurst for Officer Training
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Jacqui Lowe in Ghana with a child that had been suffering from malnutrition
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Leanne Oppenheimer
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Kirsty Thorpe (now Kirsty Morgan) with children Carys and Owen
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Lucas Montes de Oca and his wife Samantha
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Daniel Thompson
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Rory Greenfield with Jacob
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Becky Lee
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Stuart Moss with his wife Linda on their wedding day.
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Click here for Lorna's pub web site
Lorna Polley - now running a North Yorkshire pub
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Jenny Andrews - now Jenny Wallis, with her husband Daniel.
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Jemma Erickson and husband Mark Pownall.
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Lina Miliute-Miliauskaite
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Charlotte Mendoza and Erin Walsh aboard a Carnival Cruiser at Dover. Erin is now Head of Marketing for Carnival Cruise Lines, UK & Ireland, and Charlotte Assistant Marketing Executive.
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Rebecca Wolf is a recent graduate and a new Alumna on this page - see her news in the alphabetical listing below.
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Ringo Cheung and Jo Birdsall
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Alex Carr with his wife Zoe. See the new entry for Alex in the list below.
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Vicki Hinchliffe (now Vicki Camfield) with husband James. More details in her entry below under her previous name.
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Heidi Mitton
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Adam Swift - updated posting in the alphabetic listing below.
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James Levy has moved within Australia to work in the resort of Cairns on the Queensland coast.
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Lisa Youde - moving on with her company down to Surrey - see her entry in the alphabetic listings below.
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Kari Wiggen - back in Leeds after working abroad.
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Suzanne Goves is a professional model, seen here in a SportsDirect.com catalogue.
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Chris Brockwell works as a Bail Officer at HM Prison, Hull.
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Sue Hayton at her marriage to Paul Fleming.
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Zara Goodwin and partner Tom Farms Harvey. Zara is moving on ... (with Tom). See her entry below in the alpha listings.
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Phil Ruddy with partner Haylee Caddick. They live in Perth, Australia.
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Jonathan Pierce, who is currently working in Leeds.
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Erin Walsh married Richard Johnson on 5 March 2011 in Heron's Ghyll, East Sussex. She will be known as Erin Walsh Johnson.
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Mark Leonard has launched his career as a professional photographer.
Click here for Mark's web page
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Lisa Pearson with husband James Oldfield and their daughters - Jorja and new arrival Helena.
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Martin Tattersall with partner Sunni and their baby Abigail. Martin's updated news can be read in the listing below.
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Ricardo Goncalves has written from Oxford - see his entry below.
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Tracy Commons, who has updated her entry below - see the alphabetic listings.
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Laura Stark is to marry Craig Wilson on 6 September 2011 in Greece. The Brighton Argus carried this story about them [Feb 2011].
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Ian Hunter (centre) with Jon Venters (left) and Oliver Ludlam Raine (right) when they climbed the Three Sisters in Yorkshire some time back. Ian has sent an update - see his entry below in the listing section.
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Tara Kirkby and husband Abhi Solomon. Her latest news in included in her entry below.
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Clare Stokes spent time in Sydney then made a one-week trip to New Zealand. Clare was on North Island so thankfully missed the effects of the recent earthquake in Christchurch. Now (24 Feb) she is back in Oz. She is travelling until early March and then takes up a managerial post with Thomson in Frejus, France.
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Carol Cavanagh left these shores in February and is travelling in India.
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Clarine Kalogeraki with husband Dimitris Kouvelas and their son Stylios enjoying snow on Mount Parnasos in the home country, Greece: 2011.
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Ash Dorling and his girlfriend Claire travelled in the Dominican Republic last year. Ash is still a student at Leeds Met studying French with Tourism Management. He graduates this summer - 2011 and will be added to the entries below then. Having spent a language placement in Poitiers, France, in his third year he shows the opportunities for travel open to students.
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Elina Vikmane.
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Carl Horigan writes about travelling in South East Asia with Dean Garrison:
Dean and I began our travels in Bangkok, where we witnessed some of the largest and most impressive temples in Thailand. We then travelled North to Chiang Mai, where we took part in the elephant riding and bamboo rafting. We then travelled through Laos, which puts into perspective what being in a less developed country really is like. For me personally, the next part of the trip was special as we spent two weeks travelling through Cambodia, which was the case study I chose for the Tourism in Less Developed Countries module. It was great to finally see the places and develop my knowledge from my studies at Leeds Met.
We met up with fellow alumni Michael Derbyshire for our duration here, who with previous experience travelling, made sure we had the best stay possible (Thank you to Mike, a friend for life, who is still enjoying his travels with partner Sophie in South East Asia). Visiting the killing fields at Choeung Ek was my favourite, but at the same time, a sad moment of my time in Cambodia. An unbelievable experience.
After Phnom Penh, our next stop was Siem Reap and the opportunity to visit the awe-inspiring Angkor temples, phenomenal!
After a lot of traveling on the road, we decided to relax in Sihanoukville, home to Cambodia's beautiful beaches. Our next stop was back into Thailand to spend time in Koh Chang and Koh Phangan, where we went to the Phaeng Waterfall National Park with some of the most spectacular views in Thailand and Ko Phangnan's highest mountain peak of 630m. Our final stop in Thailand was to let our hair down at the famous Full Moon Party.
Our last stop in South East Asia was a trip to impressive Singapore, where we spent Christmas Day in Little India, Chinatown and at the Marina Bay venue, home to Singapore's Formula 1 circuit. Our flight to the next chapter of our journey, Sydney, Australia departed on the the 27th December 2010.
I will write soon with stories of chapter 2 (Sydney & Melbourne) and the not yet experienced chapter 3 (New Zealand) of our travels.
** We did hear that Carl - now back in Leeds - and Dean Garrison left Christchurch the day before the earthquake
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Liz Elliott, with her parents, at the award of her Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors certificate as being a fully qualified practitioner.
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Julie Somers visited Laos among a number of countries out east.
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Michael Martin with his fiancee Kelly Baker at a friend's wedding
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Tom and Sarah Wadsworth (Sarah Bowie when they both studied Tourism Management at Leeds Met). They lived and worked in Japan until shortly after the recent earthquake and tsunami. After much consideration of the problems that were arising they reluctantly decided to return to Britain in March 2011. Before they left they were able to help to channel many donations from friends in Britain towards the relief programme.
Tom and Sarah have now returned to Japan (March '11) to continue working there and helping where they can to support people in the damaged areas. See Sarah's account of their visit to Sendai in the area affected by the disaster on a page in the list to the left.
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Jane Crossley (now Jane McRae) with husband Paul and twins Rory and Maizy.
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Simon and Amy Sweet
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Unn and Peter Werdenhoff
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Arjeta Morina Harris and her husband Alex
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Karen Draper (1998) married Aaron Webster in New Zealand on 7 January 2011.
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Jude Pigg is no longer. Don't panic - she has just been upgraded to Judith Hutchinson. She married Mark in Skala, Kefalonia early in June 2010.
Jude writes "To update from Alpharooms I now run my own marketing consultancy called Accessible Marketing. I set it up in Jan 2008 (website is currently being updated - www.accessiblemarketing.co.uk)."
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Liz Elliott and Dan, in Corfu
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Nikki Straw - now Nikki Whittaker - with her husband Adi at daughter Annabelle's christening in 2009.
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From Michael Derbyshire (2010)
That's my girlfriend Sophia in the photo and we are both currently on a year's trip around South East Asia. We head to Vietnam and Laos next to hopefully see some of the community-based tourism projects in the area. We met Carl Horigan and Dean Garrison (above, with Mike on the bike)in Cambodia for a few weeks but they are in Australia now. I hope all is well and you're not frozen in after all the snow!!!
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Rajiv Maher, who is now completing his PhD on Social Concern in the Mining Industry, at Cranfield University.
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Lisa Davies (upper left) (now Lisa Pierce) sent this photo of the Summer Ball 2007. Included here are also Hayley Baldacchino, Chloe Adamson, Hannah Viall, Sarah Thompson, Kate Fletcher, Hannah Walker, Sophie Moss, Emmie Ginn, Kim Wilson, Beth Chafik and Charlotte Mendoza (most, not all, Leeds Met ex-Tourism students)
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Kathryn Spink works as Cabin Crew member with BA and has flown to many destinations overseas.
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Luke Downing (2005) took over Dough Bistro in Headingley two years after graduating. The Leeds Guide gave him this excellent review:
Click here to read the review
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Photo of Anne-Marie Rhodes - third from left - taken in Luang Nam, north Laos. See Anne-Marie's posting in her entry below.
Click here for more of Anne-Marie's story
Click here to contact me
Click here to read Alan Machin's web pages
Click here to visit Richard Bryan's company web site
Click here to visit Adonis Kekidakis' website
Click here to visit Nicola Riches' company web site
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Amin Abdullah (1996) has been General Manager for tour operator Executive Travel and Tours in Johor Baru, Malaysia. Amin is married to Lily and they have a little boy, Ashar, who was born in 2004. "Things are pretty much the same for me in year 2008. Been busy with three major projects to deliver and managed to do them well with success" writes Amin (Dec '08).
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James Anderson (2006) joined Leeds City Council Tourism Unit after completing his MA in Tourism at Leeds Met.
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Jenny Andrews (2003) moved to New Zealand and is now Jenny Wallis. She and her husband Daniel live in Auckland where she is Product Manager at Flight Centre New Zealand. Jenny reports she loves every moment of her new life out there.
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Adele Anyon (2002)(now Adele Sabin) works as a Property Manager in Rotherham. She married James Sabin.
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Helen Apps Villa (1996) is a Solution Manager for SAP, the world's largest business software company. She moved to Germany in 1998, after working for Thomas Cook. She is married and has a little boy.
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Kim Ashby (2005) is the Outreach Communications Officer at Lancaster University Management School,
Lancaster, United Kingdom.
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Andrew Ashcroft (2003) joined a journalism course at Liverpool John Moores in September 2005. He writes (Dec '08): "I cut my teeth working on newspapers in Southport and Formby...though news stories ranged from kidnappings to the local squirrel population. But now I have made a move to become communications officer for the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (based in Manchester)".
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Mark Ashton (2006) writes "Since graduation I travelled for 11 months in South and Central America, spent last winter working in a bar (desperate times - desperate measures) and have just returned home to rainy England (boo!) after three and a half months in Spain and Morocco.
Needless to say, a job is in order so hopefully will have something to add to this page soon".
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Charlotte Atkinson (2000): last heard of working in reception at the Jarvis North Leeds hotel.
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Jane Austick (1998) lives in Leeds. She is working as an admin and resources assistant for the local Anglican deanery children’s worker.
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Sue Bannister(1996)(now Sue Hyams) has been running a successful wedding stationery business for several years (www.cardsbysue.co.uk) in her home town of Burgess Hill. Married Simon Hyams.
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Jenny Banyatsi (2006)(now uses her first name, Lefa) is working as a member of airline cabin crew with Emirates and is based in Dubai. She loves it being hot out there after time in Britain and away from her home in Botswana though the work can be challenging and the city's culture is very different.
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Francesca Barella (1998) was Assistant t Conference & Banqueting Administration Manager at Royal Lancaster Hotel, London - maybe still is!
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Sarah Barge (2000) went to Durham after completing her course. She works as a radio researcher and is now married.
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Lucy Barnard (2000)(now Lucy Barnard Carew) is married to James and they have two children, Harvey and Lily. They live in Hull.
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Kelly Barnes (2008) is believed to be working in West Yorkshire.
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Natasha Barnes (2002) travelled in America for three months and did repping abroad, including Ibiza and Zante. She met Brett Gill, they got engaged and have now returned to cooler climes in Britain.
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Nina Bateman (2006) returned to her home area on Teeside to start a sales development job with Sapphire Technologies. The company produces specialist software which supports the security of large-scale computer systems. Nina said she was excited by the prospect of working with Sapphire as it has many public sector and blue-chip company clients. "One day I make a move towards the tourism industry again, but this new job has been a great opportunity for me".
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Andy Beedle (2005) is a Hotel and Restaurant Manager in Hoole, Cheshire.
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Hayley Beer (2004) is Tourism Services Manager with West Oxfordshire District Council.
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Kelda Belcham (2006) took up a job for a publishing and training company in London (Euromoney Institutional Investor) as an Event Coordinator organising the logistics for training events and conferences in Europe, the Middle East & Africa. "Although the subject of these events (Auditing and Information Security) are not in tourism it is a way for me to get some events experience" said Kelda.
Working there I had had three different people (delegates and speakers at our events) asking if I went to Leeds Met! Very strange and I thought they were all very clever until they admitted that when my name is Googled on the internet your website pops up which made me laugh. Your website is now internationally visited, congratulations!
I went to Zanzibar as I had a conference over there and had to run it which was amazing. Unfortunately it rained a heck of a lot so not ideal but I did get to see most of the island and swim with wild dolphins in the open sea which was fantastic. I met the former Minister for Zanzibar Tourism as she is now the Minister of Finance for Tanzania and so came to open our conference. She spoke a little about her background and how she really got tourism started in Zanzibar which was interesting. Unfortunately the rest of her talk was on finance which wasn't so appealing to me! She installed the attitude in the Zanzibar locals of preserving the natural beauty and attractions to prolong tourism on the island which has definitely worked as it is gorgeous, thoroughly recommend it if you get the chance although the poverty I found rather upsetting at times. She also mentioned pro-poor tourism briefly which took me back to my university days". Kelda spent a holiday in Beijing and Shanghai and travelled on business to Hungary and Ghana.
More news - January 2011 - "I am still working for The Economist but have moved departments and I am now an Event Manager for Economist Conferences. My main focus is on the logistical management of Government conferences/roundtables across Europe, Middle East and Africa. I'm loving the travel and variety of people I am meeting, although working with different Governments in each country can be a challenge at times!".
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Kathryn Bennett (1999) is now Kathryn Storey and works for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. She writes (Feb '10) "I’ve been working at the National Park Authority for nearly ten years now – started part-time in the National Park Centres and then took up this role nearly seven years ago. I’m married and have a two year old daughter, Hannah. Done a few things in between – nothing earth shattering – but I’m enjoying life! If you are in contact with others from the course – say Hi from me!". Kathryn has had new dealings with the Tourism Management course since this year ('09-'10)the final year students have had the National Park as client for group project work.
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Helen Blake (2005) has been in touch. She worked for Malmaison & Hotel du Vin in Human Resource Management but in 2008 took up a job with Tarmac Ltd..
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Tina Bodalikar (1996) became a member of cabin crews with BA.
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Caroline Bone (2000) was last heard of as a Trainee Manager with Lunn Poly, Leeds, where she won awards for her approach to her work.
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Heard that Ruth Bond (2000) was out in Cyprus for two years before returning to the UK.
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Sarah Bowie (2006) brings us news (Nov '08): "Lots to update! As you've probably read Tom Wadsworth and I got married last October and then went travelling for our honeymoon, we loved Asia (especially Thailand) so we did a teaching qualification (CELTA course) in England and came back out in June. We are teaching English to Thai children, mostly aged between 12 and 15 but I have a very cute baby class of 4 year olds as well. We are loving life very much, we still think of our days in Leeds though with very fond memories we had a great time at Leeds Met!
Please send our love to all the teachers at Leeds Met - are Trish, Greg, Annemarie, Steve and Graham still there?" [Yes! - AM]
Sarah sent further news from Japan in January 2011: "Tom and I are both loving Japan, we moved here in August and are planning to be here for two years. We are learning Japanese and slowly but surely making progress! I'm still working as an English teacher, I teach many different students ranging from 3 to 60 year olds, conversation to business English in companies such as Fuji, Subaru and Shin-Etsu. It's very interesting and a lot of fun!
Tom is working for a Japanese company in the technical marketing department, they produce and develop batteries. He does all the 'English' side of things!! They have many foreign clients which is where Tom comes in. He's enjoying the new experience anyway! We live in the countryside, surrounded by mountains and lakes so we have taken up hiking lately! Tom's latest hobby is Taiko which is Japanese drumming and I'm learning how to make Japanese cuisine, it's all about the presentation! We are not totally sure of our plans for the future but for now we are enjoying Japan and its unique and very special culture."
When the earthquakes struck early in 2011 Sarah and Tom were some distance off but their district still felt the tremors. Through their church group they helped to channel donations towards relief work to the damaged areas. They returned to the UK for a two-week period but then went back to Japan. They have continued their work there but also spent time organising further church-group help. Recently (April '11) they travelled into Sendai to the north of the Fukushima nuclear power plant damaged by the 'quake and tsunami. Sarah reports that while roads are being cleared the conditions in the Sendai area are indescribably bad. They are both committed to doing whatever they can to help through their community in Japan.
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Kelly Bowker (2005) wrote "I am just up the road working at the University of Leeds in Human Resources. I have been here for about 3 years now. I am also back at Leeds Met doing a postgraduate diploma in personnel management. It is a 2 1/2 year course and I have day release from work one day a week. The University of Leeds is also paying for 75% of it which helps! I have just finished my first year, but I have found it hard work studying while working full time - it was a lot easier the first time round.
I got married in October '08 (one of the reasons I stayed in Leeds).
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Rumour was that Nicola Boyce (1996) lives in New South Wales.
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Sally-Anne Bramham (1999) is married and has two children.
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David Brigham (2001) believed to be in London, working for Expedia.co.uk.
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Chris Brockwell (2008) works as a Bail Officer at HM Prison, Hull. He says his job is to interview prisoners and process their bail applications, and loves the job.
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Peter Brooke (2003) worked in events and meetings management until January 2007. He then became a training co-ordinator and referee for the Rugby League.
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Daniel Brookes (2004) works for the Thistle Hotel in Leeds.
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Denise Brotheridge (1998) became Denise Greene in 2003. She and her husband had their first baby in March 2006. Denise was an Accounts Director for ITG Marketing, providing sales and marketing services for hotels and inter-island airlines in the Caribbean, Thailand and Canada. She later became the Director of Sales and Marketing for the company.
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Charlie Brown (2002) was a familiar figure serving in the University bookshop for some time before she moved on to temping for the Yorkshire Bank. She then joined Leeds City Planning Department, Development Section, Planning and Economic Policy. She then became part of the Town Planning team at Calderdale Metropolitan Borough. Now (03.09.09) she writes:
"I am currently working as a Project Officer for re'new in Leeds. re'new is a regeneration charity encompasing community, housing and regeneration and we are currently working on projects involving older Irish people in Leeds and housing, getting young and unemployed people back into work and housing strategies across Leeds. re'new's objective is to get the community working in partnership rather than working in isolation and thus leading to more successful regeneration initiatives. I am also about to begin my final year in Masters Town & Regional Planning which should hopefully lead to me becoming a fully accredited Royal Town Planning Institute member!"
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Laura Brown (2009) writes (July 2011) "I will be working at Leeds Met in the placement office for the Health & Social Sciences faculty from mid-August".
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Richard Bryan (2001) is now the Managing Director of QA Research in York. He is in charge of well over a hundred people serving research, sale and marketing campaigns. Besides Tourism Richard says he has had to expand his knowledge to understand a variety of public sector initiatives including health, children and young people, housing, community engagement, and education. His company web site is at www.qaresearch.co.uk. Richard lives in Leeds with his partner, Hazel.
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Andree Buchner (2003) worked back home in Germany and then in the UK for some years. He set out (September '10) travelling round the world including Tonga and Australia, and arrived back in the UK in January 2011. In 2008 he became a Senior Data Analyst for TUI.
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Vicky Bull (1998) moved to the United States after graduation. She was one of a group of students who spent their placement year in Minnesota, partly in the Twin Cities - Minneapolis/St Paul, and partly in summertime resorts in the Lakes areas. Vicky returned to Minneapolis and worked for some years in retail there. She recently moved to south west Florida however..
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Tracy Burgin (1997) is a Human Resources adviser in customer services management in Leeds.
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Natalie Burke (2006) (now Natalie Graham) got married in August ’07 having moved out to Australia, her husband’s home country. She and Stuart, seen above on the great day, lived in Melbourne but more recently moved to Kadina, South Australia, when Stuart got promotion.
Update [late June '11]: Natalie tells me that she and Stuart are expecting their first baby early next January. They are also about to move back to Melbourne.
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Vibeke Burke (2001) worked for the British Council for some years but has now moved out to Australia.
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Cathy Buxton (2001) manages a gym on the University of Sydney campus in Australia, where she lives with her partner.
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Rachel Bywater (1996) emailed (April '09): “A few years after the course I did a Post Grad Diploma in Careers Guidance and worked for about 7 years in secondary schools as a Careers Adviser. I’ve now come full circle and am now back working at Leeds Met for the Careers Service!!
I live in Horsforth with my “other half” Paul and two daughters Francesca (6yrs) and Katie (3yrs). I have just discovered the tourism alumni website – a few familiar names from 1996 – sadly I’m not in touch with any of them now but would love to hear from them.
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Amanda Cairns (2001)(now Amanda Cairns Dalgleish) wrote “I was Contracts Manager for Gold Crest Holidays in Ilkley from February ‘01 – March ’06, responsible for contracting and allocating accommodation for coach tours operating in the UK and Northern Europe. I got married in July ’03 to John who also works in travel, and am still living in Leeds but with dreams of emigrating somewhere hot!”. Amanda and John now have two boys, Connor and Finn.
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Maria Canale (2001)(now Maria Galeon) left the course when she moved to California, marrying Danomar, originally from Hawaii, shortly afterwards. Maria now works in the San Francisco area. She and her husband were last heard of having had a baby a while ago.
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Alex Carr (2003) lives in Calgary, Alberta, and works in Banff. He is married to Zoe, from Okotoks, Alberta. He writes (August 2001) "I currently work for a company called Sysco in food services. My roll is a marketing associate, in essence, I'm in sales, a great job that got me out of long kitchen shifts. Zoe and I got married in Thailand, which was awesome. After uni I moved to St Ives in Cornwall to chef, surf and have fun, after that I was assistant manager of a small boutique hotel, originally starting there as a chef. Then I worked as a sous chef in a well established gastro pub in the Cheshire countryside. We moved to Canada after securing a permanent visa in ten months, and here I am, really believe studying and being in a tourism course helped me on that mission, and was loads of fun. 9am lectures then seemed hard though!".
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Phil Carr (2007)updates us: "Since leaving uni two years ago now I worked for British Airways in Sales in the Newcastle Contact Centre for eight months which was OK (and I learned a lot about the airline industry) but I decided to go travelling last August to South East Asia and Australia where I spent six months. It was a good experience and glad that I've seen more of the world although there is so much more to see! Ive been back a month now and looking at all my options although the recession doesn't help the job hunt but I'll keep trying!"
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Lyndsey Cassidy (2003) emailed an update: “Since leaving Uni I worked in Sales for RS Components, then in 2005 I got my job as an Event Planner at Rockingham Motor Speedway … I always did love those event modules! My role involves planning and delivering lots of different events … corporate, track hire, OEM (launches etc), conferencing and some press events including filming for various TV programmes. I love the variety of my role, and having worked here for a few years now I am building up strong relationships with clients who return to Rockingham every year”. We hear that Lyndsey is now engaged to John Houghton.
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Carole Cavanagh (1998) was with Cunard in Southampton for some years, but then moved to join Online Marketing in Bournemouth. Cunard has been one of her clients, and Carole tells me (Dec ’07) she spent twelve nights on board the new Queen Victoria cruise liner, helping Cunard prepare the virtual tour of the ship which went live on the Cunard web site a few days later.
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Beth Chafik (2007) sent news: “I’m working in an accounts department fulltime and juggling a part-time Certificate in Personnel Practice course. I enjoyed Human Resource Management at Uni so thought it would be an exciting career path to go down. The course came to an end and I’m already getting itchy feet so I’m planning a TEFL course, hoping to go somewhere in Europe – Italy or Spain would be my ideal choice, but I just want to get away!” Latest news - June '09 - is that we hear Beth completed her studies and is now teaching English in Italy.
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Harpreet Chana (2004) to a PGCE course at Leicester University before starting work teaching in a primary school.
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Mary Cheeseman (2002) spent a year in Korea teaching English before returning to her home town of Cheltenham.
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Ringo Cheung (2001) is manager of Austravel in Leeds. His big news (May 2011) is that he and Jo Birdsall have married. Pictures above!
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Stephanie Clay (2004) has moved to work in Higher Education in York organising conferences and meetings.
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Lis Clucas (1996) is Senior Picture Publicist at Channel 4 Television, based in London.
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Beverley Coleman (1997) has been working for BA.
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Lucy Collier (2003) went to work as cabin crew with Virgin Airlines after graduating. In late 2006 she took on a new post with Emirates Airline as a recruiting officer, in which role she took part in a Leeds Met Tourism Future Careers day.
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Tracy Commons (2003) has sent a message: "Since leaving Leeds Metropolitan University with a BA Hons in Tourism Management, I have held several positions from Marketing Manager at the National Coal Mining Museum for England to Senior Tourism Development Officer for Kirklees Council. I currently hold the position of Head of Business Development & Partnerships reporting directly to the Chief Executive at Welcome to Yorkshire. My role requires strategic management and leadership of the Business Development, Partnerships and Sales functions to support the growth of the business and visitor economy in Yorkshire".
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Helen Compton (2003) worked in Leeds with Hayes Recruitment, dealing with job vacancies in construction and property. Helen said it’s a busy job but rewarding and came after some time travelling, followed by temporary jobs. We hear that she has now moved with the company into the Southampton area.
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Joey Connor (2000) travelled in South America, then returned to the Republic of Ireland and now works in local government near Dublin. He recently (September '10) announced his engagement to Lisa Kearns.
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Amy Coombes (2004)(now Amy Longmore) writes “I now work in HRM at Alliance and Leicester’s head office – I’m a recruitment specialist. Not so tourism related but I get to see a lot of the country ;-) and actually have taken a lot on board from Annemarie’s lectures since starting in HR. Really enjoying it and have begun my CIPD! I got married in December ’05 to my long-term boyfriend – we have just bought our first house, in Leicestershire, so exciting times at the moment! I keep in touch with Hayley Beer, Nick Paul and Claire Pestell”.
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Becka Cordingley (2004) sends the following news: "After leaving Leeds I went to Fuerteventura as a mainline rep for First Choice until the winter season came round, had the best (but most exhausting) summer of my life! I made some friends for life during this time!
After arriving back in cold old Blighty I took some temping jobs to tide me over the Christmas period, then discovered I was nearly 6 months pregnant in the February of 05. What a surprise (especially as children were never in my life plan!)
I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy in June 05 and named him Reece Elliott Cordingley. I decided that my travelling didn't have to stop so I took him to Ireland to stay with some bar owner friends I made whilst I was repping.
I am extremely lucky as my parents have been wonderfully supportive and I still live at home (and I can't complain about the on site babysitting service they have to offer!) I went on a week's girls’ holiday to Zante (not what I would call a cultural visit, and doubt I would return there again, but it was nice to be me again!)
I started to work for the Book People Ltd as an Account Manager for the new division of Book Events (we basically held corporate book sales in large businesses), and during this time I had been on several conferences and mingled with the stars. It's a job I loved, the pay was fantastic and it wa five minutes away from my house- everything I could want really!
However I got made redundant from that lovely job I had at the Book People two years ago in January and went to work for a horrendous company in sales again selling cosmetics and beauty products. I thought it would be my dream job, however it turned out to be a nightmare- they were rather good at sending me on rather long road trips and not wanting to remburse my expenses (sometimes of up to £1500!!!) So I thought I would make the best of a bad situation and I left to go and top up my HND to a degree, which I did through St Helens College with Huddersfield Uni. The best thing I ever did!! I'm now STILL in education on a Business PGCE spending many hours lesson planning for my students and doling out the sweets to them but I love it (as knackered as I am...roll on the Christmas holidays!!)
I'm still travelling as much as I can and off to Paris for New year's eve and can't wait- sneaking a trip in to Disneyland Paris again....it's got to be done!! ha ha!!
Reece is now four and is at school- the primary I went to, he loves it!!"
[That's young Reece in the picture above]
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Sophie Couch (2000) returned from Spain, where she had been teaching English in Huelva, to work as Volunteer Manager with Greenforce: Global Conservation Expeditions. At the beginning of May ('07) she moved to the London School of English as Academic Relations Manager. Sophie worked in her placement year for the Spanish Tourist Office in London and after graduation for Educational Travel Services, also in the capital.
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Emily Cox (2003) (above, with Carl Turner) writes: "Since graduating I have been working for Thomson and Crystal holidays repping in the summer and working the ski season in France in the winter. I started off as a chalet host, was then a chalet staff trainer for two winters and am now going to be a chalet manager this winter. I worked with Carl Turner last year in Val Thorens and the year before, and we never met each other at uni, so it is a very small world! Just thought I'd email you some pictures of us enjoying some drunken nights out last winter!"
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Joanne Crapper (2001) works for the University of Leeds as a Research Support Officer.
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Jane Crossley (now Jane McRae)(1999) worked in tourism for a while but decided it wasn't for her, so she returned to Leeds Met and completed a degree in civil engineering. Jane now works as a Project Engineer in Asset Management, but has new assets of her own - a husband, Paul McRae and twins, Maizy and Rory, - born 2007. She now lives in the Calderdale area.
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Alex Dalton (2001) went to manage the Front of House at the Grand Theatre in Leeds, and then moved to a job at the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds. He has now become Drama and Workshops Manager at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
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Anand Dattani (2003) sent this news: "When i left Leeds I had managed to get a job a with Dial-a-Flight, as a sales agent. Boring as it maybe I am still there and enjoying it very much. I have know been promoted to a sale manager. I have managed to get a nice portfolio of corporate client for whom I am their sole agent. This at least makes what is at the end of the day a commission based job more stable".
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Lisa Davies (2007) (now Lisa Pierce) has been in touch: "I can't believe it'll be four years this year since I graduated - time has gone so fast and I've done so much. I'm not sure when I last updated you but it was probably a few years ago when I started at Cosmos working as a product exec for their bed bank Somewhere2stay. I left there in Nov 07 and did a short stint at a small company called Veenus (who book hotels for coach trip providers) then I swiftly moved on to Hotels4u.com where I still am nearly three years on. I started off as a product exec and have more recently moved into the Ecommerce department overseeing the management of CRM and Social Media. It's a very exciting role and I thoroughly enjoy it.
AND even more exciting news - I got married in June last year to Steve who I met back in Marco Island, Florida while I was on my placement year. We got married back in my hometown of Telford and had perfect weather on the day. We then honeymooned in Mexico and had a fantastic time. We live in Bracknell, Berkshire and have two cats - Chuck and Wilf!
I still catch up with some of the girls from the course - Polly Simpson, Becca McLarty, Sarah Thomson, Kate Fletcher and Kim Wilson so feel free to pick some pictures from my profile of us all if needed". [Thanks Lisa - see the top of this page, folks]
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Nick Davis (2004) is believed to be in the sales department of Marriott in London.
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Rachel Davis (2008) is leaving for Brisbane, Australia, soon, after a farewell party in Sheffield in mid-August '08. She plans to be out there for at least two years.
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Jane Dawes (2000) is Marketing Manager for Goodform Ltd, based in Leamington Spa, who provide sales, marketing and training services for sporting organisations. She can be found on www.goodform-info. Jane topped up from an HND course at Leeds Met and achieved a first class honours degree.
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Nicola Dawson (1999)(now Nicola Farrer) married Rob and moved to Vail, Colorado where she has been working in the ski resort. They now have three children, Julian, Jasmine an d Oliver.
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Charles Debenham (2002) left Haymarket Publishing at the end of January '06 and undertook some further studies before flying out to Barcelona for six months teaching English. Immediately after graduating Charlie had been to Korea teaching, then returned to work at Haymarket. Now talk and chalk (or felt-tip pen at least) have called him back and he is now teaching at Culford Prep School in Cambridgeshire.
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Sally Dent (2000) is said to be working in HR in the north east.
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Michael Derbyshire (2010) sent news: My girlfriend Sophia in the photo and we are both currently [January 2011] on a year's trip around South East Asia. We head to Vietnam and Laos next to hopefully see some of the community-based tourism projects in the area. We met Carl Horigan and Dean Garrison (above, with Mike on the bike)in Cambodia for a few weeks but they are in Australia now. I hope all is well and you're not frozen in after all the snow!!!
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Signe Detlie (1998) Kristin joined us from Norway for some final-year modules and then did a post-graduate degree in business studies in Australia. Last time we heard she was in Oslo with a finance company.
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Claire Devine (2000) brings us up to date: "After leaving Leeds Met I worked for a year and then decided I wanted to teach tourism and so did a PGCE in Post Compulsory Education at Huddersfield University. After graduating in 2002 I got my first job and moved to the Wirral, after working for Wirral Metropolitan College for 18 months I decided I wanted to move back to Yorkshire and I got a job at Huddersfield Technical College- I have now been at the college for 3 years and really enjoy my work. I teach travel and tourism to a variety of different abilities and find it very rewarding. Many of our students successfully complete and go on to Leeds Met."
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James Devon (2001) works in customer liaison for a mobile phone business.
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Laura Diver (2005) was (June '07) travelling in South America, visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. After that Laura worked for educational tours company EF in London, but (April '09) is thinking of doing some more travelling herself.
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Gary Dixon (2008) tried out work for a recruitment company but decided it wasn't for him. At the moment (Oct '08) he is working for Leeds Met as a Resources Monitoring Officer.
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We did hear that Victoria Dixon (2002) was married in 2007 and lives in Edinburgh where she is Account Director for a marketing and print company.
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Alison Dobbie (2000) spent time travelling the world before settling in Addlestone, Surrey. "Travelling was great, started in America, through New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and then South Africa an amazing experiance that I would repeat again in a heatbeat if I had a chance!" Alison says she is now the Training Manager, UK and Ireland, for a company called CHEP and has been with the company for four years. The business is one handling a vast supply chain of pallets and containers around the world which serves the flow of industrial goods. CHEP is part of the Australian company, Brambles.
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Ash Dorling (2011) successfully completed his course in French and Tourism Management in summer 2011. He has moved back home to Grantham and is currently job hunting for that elusive extra-special opportunity using his education to the full. He also spent time in Poitiers with Claire during the summer including visiting her gran in Paris, so they did all the touristy bits.
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Claire Dorrell (1998) is, we hear, now Claire Zacher, having married in September ’05.
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Helen Dover (2000) is, we are told, working in publishing in London.
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Teresa Downes (2003) recently travelled through Los Angeles and spent time in Fiji before moving (late January ’06) to New Zealand and then to Australia: "My friend and I travelled for three weeks up the east coast (just a flying visit as we had friends with us). Then we moved in to a lovely house in Sydney and I got a job working for a company called Goway Travel, who are an inbound tour operator (Canadian owned) and I knew about them from working at Austravel. Worked for them for four brilliant months.
Once we had finished in Sydney my friend and I hired a car and drove all the way up to Cairns, stopping at some spectacular places, - the Whitsundays, Eungella National Park and Undarra to name but a few! Then we flew to Melbourne and drove to Adelaide, stopping along the Great Ocean Road, which was also amazing, drove up to the Flinders Ranges in the outback and stayed at Wilpena Pound, which was again brilliant and excellent for walking. Then we flew to Perth, staying with my dad, who had taken a temporary contract out there. We worked for a temp agency in the Hospitality Industry, so spent time in hotels, the casino and concert halls and had a fab time.
Having returned to Britain I now work for a company called Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Leeds. It is a business travel firm, so I have made the transition from retail, as most do. I work in the Fares team. So I have to know most of the contracts and all the different variables on routes and carriers. My job at the moment is not customer focused, which suits me just fine for the minute".
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Luke Downing (2005) now owns and runs the Dough Bistro in West Park, just out from Headingley. It's hard work, says Luke, but he does get an hour or two off occasionally for football.
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Rachel Doyle (2008) has found a job she loves with Care Management Services. Rachel is a Trainee Field Assistant and currently looks after a client who has spinal muscular atrophy. She will also be trained in how to care for a range of clients with other problems.
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We hear that Jo Drake (1998) is now Jo Gallery. She and her husband Ian now have a little boy, Jake.
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Rachael Drake (now Rachael Carter) (2003) Rachael worked for a compnay called Grontmij, an engineering company where she was a senior administrative officer, working mainly on project management software called Navision. Rachael has sent this update [January 2011] "My husband and I are currently expecting our third child, due in April. We have two boys (approx 35 & 14 month)
I made a choice to resign my employment after our current youngest, as I wanted to care for our children and also the cost of childcare made part-time work in the day-time unprofitable. However as we are expecting our third I am currently not working until I am a little more employable.
Sadly I was approached with work whilst on Maternity leave with my youngest and again recently but couldn't take the offer up. But this does at least give me hope for the future!"
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Karen Draper (1998) moved permanently to New Zealand, and loves it. After graduating Karen earned money in the UK, then spent more than a year travelling through Asia, Australia and New Zealand with Beccie Donoghue. She returned to England and was employed for some time with Travelcare in Manchester. While out in New Zealand she was visited by former class mate Jo Drake and they toured the country, including a call in to 'Hobbiton', the set created in North Island for scenes in The Lord of the Rings.
After a spell with STA Travel at itss office at the University of Auckland,Karen moved to work as Operations Manager at Railplus (www.railplus.co.nz) before (almost) moving out of the tourism industry. She is travel coordinator for Bay Audiology in Auckland, a large New Zealand company dealing with hearing problems.
She and her partner Aaron Webster spent time in the UK in the summer of 2009 where they caught up with other Leeds Met tourism alumni.
Karen and Aaron were married in New Zealand on 7 January 2011. "The wedding was at Markovina Vineyard Estate, in Kumeu, Auckland. I am now Mrs Webster!!!!" says Karen.
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Bilbo Baggins might have
worried about appearances
and the lack of garden,
but Karen Draper and Jo Drake
were clearly delighted to be
in Hobbiton - New Zealand,
not the Shires, that is
Shailini Duhn (2004) is a Maintenance, Repair and Oprations Executive with AJW Aviation, who maintain and overhaul aircraft.
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Shaun Duff (2002) wrote: "I graduated in 2002 in International Tourism Management. I worked for Thomson when I left University in 2002 and became Product Manager for Eastern Long Haul and Florida. The Eastern division included Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Goa and Thailand". Shaun has now moved from Thomson (TUI) and taken up the post of Market Manager with lastminute.con, handling hotels in England. He's glad to be in London again, having cut out long commuter travelling.
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Katie Duffin (2007) arrived in Perth, Westrern Oz, where she ran into Andy Kirkman from her year group. She was trekking around the great continent and through Andy, at the company he was working for, booked a ten-day trip up the Western Australian coast.
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Kylie Dunn (2005) is working for a company called Roomzzz in Leeds which runs serviced apartments. She is a guest service assistant and loves it!
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Claire Eldridge (2007) writes (June '08) "I was in Sri Lanka working on a project with Janet Cochrane. It was such an amazing experience, I came back in March. It was the most amazing five months I have ever had. I have been to Sri Lanka before doing some volunteering work after the tsunami. This year I was researching the affect of the tsunami and war on tourism. It was such a fulfilling time and I have met some amazing people there and met some friends that will be in my life forever. I love the country. I feel so at home there.
Unfortunately while I am back in England I have not managed to find a job which relates with what I did at university, however I'm still looking. So I am currently working at CIS insurance, to bring some money in. They have a huge sustainability and environmental cooperative department which I would love to work within, so I am looking at developing into that area. I have a great interest in CSR.
Also my boyfriend lives in Sri Lanka and we have a few plans in the pipeline, to build a home there and I think also for the future when tourism increases we would like to have a small business there, maybe a guest house or something similar.
So my plans are forever changing at the moment, first pay off a few debts, and save some hard earned money while I daydream of the future, hee hee...."
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Ellie Elliott (2003) now works in the Leeds Met Human Resources Management office.
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Liz Elliott (now Liz Gresham) (2001) writes [09.01.11] "After graduating, I continued my campsite repping with Holidaybreak and Canvas Holidays, and after a brief stint in sales, I ended up working in local government and successfully applied to get sponsored to become a Chartered Surveyor. After undertaking a two year post grad course and another two years' experience, I passed my final interview last autumn. The international recognition of my qualification gives the possibility to practice as a surveyor in many locations, and there are many cross-overs with tourism, ie sustainability, planning etc so the learning gained on my degree has been put to use and one day I hope to find a role with greater involvement in tourism and making use of my French which I improved to fluency as part of the degree.
I am currently living in East London with my fiance Dan who I met on the sandwich year of the course. He was on the team that I was supervising on a French campsite and he obviously thought that charming his boss would make life easier. Little did he know... So 10 years on, we will finally be getting married on June 11th 2011!" And our Facebook Correspondent reports that they did!
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Mark Elliott (2001) worked for Le Meridien Hotels at their HQ in London until being made redundant, so went travelling to SE Asia(Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia) for a few months before working as Market Analyst with Deloitte & Touche in early October 2006.
Mark has now moved on. He writes: "I’ve recently started as Editor of Travel Daily Asia online magazine, based in Bangkok. This followed the year working, and writing for Deloitte & Touche LLP, in their HotelBenchmark department. Has all been a bit of a whirlwind, coming straight out here after the WTM, but all good so far. Weather’s great, food excellent and people are lovely – plus my apartment has a fantastic swimming pool, which is slightly more than I was getting while living in North London! Keep up the excellent website!"
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Mathias Elverfeldt (2005) returned to his post in Frankfurt with Singapore Airlines Cargo PLC after receiving his MA in November '05. He also received the Course Prize for contributions to the course. Mathias works in the Regional Marketing Executive, Europe, of the Airline. We have heard recently that he's off to Brussels for a spell before returning to base.
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Jemma Erickson (2008) has married Mark Pownall, also a Leeds Met graduate in Sport and Leisure Management. Jemma works for MTS Ltd.
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Camilla Fairclough (2007) is working as a candidate manager for City Catering. "I worked for them in my final year as a waitress/ supervisor and was offered my current job on the back of that. I'm currently working on attracting candidates for Christmas and how to keep them working afterwards. Its great fun, but a challenge, lots of pressure but very satisfying when you get a new client or get 20 new members". A quick call to Camilla at the company's office could get you employment, people.
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Rebecca Farr (2006) is Guest Services Team Manager at Stansted Airport. She lives with partner Tom in Hertford.
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Joanne Farthing (1998)(now Joanne Bartlett): "I have been married two years now to Steve, who I met in Thailand when we were both travelling. I worked for Virgin Airlines as a member of the cabin crew before I moved into the world of financial advice. In February '06 we had a baby boy who we named Lewis. He's fab! He's absolutely gorgeous!
I am now working for Barclays Bank as a personal banker and living in Southend on Sea. I married an Essex boy!"
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Ishmael Fearing (2002) was in sales at the Hollywood Bowl Leisure Centre in Bradford.
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Catherine Ferris (2003) is a Product Manager with lastminute.com, dealing with hotels.
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Mark Fisher (1996) spent sometime in North Carolina before returning home. He is now a financial adviser in York, married, and has a daughter, Evelyn, born in 2005.
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Kate Fletcher (2007) is in Australia and our radar set has picked her up heading west towards Perth.
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Jo Forrest (2009) writes [June '10]: "Working my last three weeks as a receptionist at Ramside Hall Hotel where I did my placement, moving to another hotel reception, Close House Hotel. I am also a member of the police force - I have been accepted as a Special Constable and I am just coming to the end of my training. Will be going out on the beat in the next week or so and so far I am loving it!"
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Lorna Foster (2005) is a Product Executive with Travelpack.
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Joanne Fox (2000)(now Joanne Enlander) writes: "Straight after finishing uni in 2000, I spent the summer doing bar work in Kos with Julie Makin, and then moved to London in Jan 2001. Until April 2007, I worked for two incoming tour operators, handling and operating touring groups of Americans around the UK. I now work for an incoming tour operator software company as a support and training consultant.
I married Colin in October 2006 and we live in Borehamwood". Colin and Joanne are seen below on a visit to Rome.
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Simon Frank (1998) is now a production manager in industry. He married Karen in 2000 and they have a little boy named Daniel (in the photo above). Simon and Karen also run two optician's practices near where they live in east Cheshire. He has lost touch with several of his year group, though hears from Mike Bowers and Mick Caulfield, so the news on these pages was very welcome.
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Tom Frith (2009) sent news [June '10] "I've been working for Jet2holidays since graduating last summer. It's been quite a good year and I had a promotion after a few months. It's been a good time to be with the company as it expands and moves away from using bed banks/suppliers to directly contracting hotels etc."
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Sean Fuller (2005) writes "After uni I worked at a golf club as a bar superviser for just under a year. Tt was fun and the free golf and gym was too much to resist. After about 10 months I relised I was failing to live up to the legendary potential I thought I had, so set out on my quest to find a career path suitable for me. I have now joined up Enterprise Rent-a-Car as a trainee manager. This is a graduate role and to be fair to it the potential is pretty good, money and promotion. I hope to be an assistant manager fairly soon".
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Chris Furness (2006) is, we hear, working for security company ICTS with American Airlines at Manchester Airport.
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Paula Gallaher (2006)(above) is an Assistant Purser working for Princess Cruise Lines. Leeds Met Retail Services Professor Claudio Vignali met up with her by chance while on a cruise with his family in January ('08) and passed on this photo of her. Paula was more recently (early '09) on a cruise to Australia that called in to Sydney and Cairns. This Easter she is back in the UK for a while and hopes to join one of the company's grand cruise ships for her next assignment.
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Becky Gammon (2006) moved to Cosford in the midlands recently with her family. Last news was that she was settling in and seeking a new professional position.
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Ina Gamst (2005) is Corporate Sales Manager for SNO!zone at Xscape in Castleford, West Yorkshire. Ina and her team recently ('08) won a major tourism prize for their developments and successes in the Business Tourism Awards dinner at the Royal Armouries. She is seen above (third from right) with her team.
Ina married in August 2008 and is now Ina Gamst Walters.
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Dean Garrison (2010) - January 2011 - travelling in South East Asia and Australia with Carl Horigan. They met up with Michael Derbyshire in Cambodia.
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Angela Gaunt (2003) works as a Business Travel Consultant in Leeds.
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Nicole Gibbs (1996) writes [April 2010] "I'm currently on maternity leave after 2
second daughter (now 7 months) and thinking that I really need to get back to the adult world! I've been teaching back in Devon for 6 years now after doing my usual seasons abroad/working in London/not really knowing what I wanted to do. I do 11-16 year olds German and French ... my partner, ironically, is the one teaching Tourism and Leisure (and he's an ICT teacher!)
Just enjoying this extended period of sunshine in my garden after what has seemed like an incredibly lengthy winter. More of the same weather please.
I'm now going to spend the remainder of my leave brushing up on the Spanish so I can try to move schools, but jobs in this part of the world are few and far between so I must prepare myself!"
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Raine Gibson (2007) writes (June '08) "I thought I would just say hello, as I bumped into Andrew Eaglan in Uni recently but missed you! I have been working as a Sales Manager for a Leisure/ Entertainment group, I found it very difficult to get into travel after graduation plus found there was very little financial incentive to go directly into travel. I have gained some fab sales experience and now looking to get into recruitment..But only for a few months as I have booked my flight one way to Australia. I will have two months touring Laos, as the sustainable tourism module inspired me to see the beautiful country. Then on to Perth where I have a twelve month working visa. I hope to start a new life for myself, as I don't believe this country could (based on my political opinions and the terrible weather). I believe Des and Andy Kirkman are also in Perth, so we will start a small uni group, hee hee". Raine arrives in Perth in november '08.
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Pippa Gilligan (now Pippa Timson)(1996) married Marcus and has two children, Daisy aged 5 and Kiki aged three months (July '08). They're seen in the photo above (minus Marcus - we're hoping for a picture with him in as well before long).
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Anna Gilmour (2006) was, we hear, working for Online Travel in Leeds until the business there closed.
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Louise (Lou) Gollins (1996) is an Account Manager with BT. She is now Louise Mungur.
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Ricardo Goncalves (2009) wrote to us [Feb 2011]: "I am working for Nando's in Oxford as a Manager since March of last year. I decided after all that going to Oxfordshire would be the best thing for me. Also I passed my driving test and now I get to drive to work, rather then getting public transport which was a pain for me for several months. Other then that everything seems ok not time for much but working really hard. I dont think i'll stay for long time working as a restaurant manager I would like to work within the Human Resouces area which is something I always loved, maybe within Nando's - who knows."
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Zara Goodwin (2006) was the Marketing Co-ordinator for an interior design company based in Pudsey. Zara had joined the firm as part of a Business Link recruitment scheme which provides opportuities for marketing graduates. She then moved to Malmaison. In March '11 she sent this update: "I started my Mal Life in November 2008 as Sales Exec and was promoted to the Business Development Manager role shortly afterwards. After living in Leeds for over 9 years, I recently got a promotion so I will be leaving Leeds on April 28th. However, I am staying with the Malmaison family as I am transferring to Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin as Regional Business Development Manager from 3rd May 2011". Zara's partner Tom Farms Harvey will move at the same time.
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Suzanne Goves (2003) has worked as a professional model for a range of commercial work since graduating.
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Francesca Greca (2007) graduated as the top student in MA International Tourism Management. Mariafrancsca is from Calabria, Southern Italy. She is currently (June '08) working for General Electric in Leeds while considering doing a further research degree.
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Dominique Green (now Dominique Caunt)(2000) writes (May '08): "I have been teaching Health & Social care at Grange in Wibsey, Bradford - we just got an outstanding inspection! I have been here just over two years now and am loving every minute of it. I got married nearly a year ago now and my husband Nick is from the lakes so we spend a lot of weekends walking etc over there. Moving to Bingley in a few months as we have just bought a new house, so its non stop! I cannot believe its over 10 years since we were at Uni, its very scary!".
Baby arrived in January 2009.
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Sarah Green (HND 2002 - topped up to BA Service Sector Management in 2003) writes [Jan 2011] "These days I work for a real estate website and media company in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. I have access to probably one of the world's most fascinating upcoming tourist destinations with a Guggenheim and Louvre planned for Abu Dhabi and the world's tallest skyscraper up the road in Dubai!".
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Rory Greenfield (2006) sends the following update: "I married Laura Greenfield (previously Winstanley) last March and had Jacob in January this year. She also studied at Leeds Met doing a Hospitality Management degree, from 2002 - 2006.
Since university I took a year out to travel, visiting South East Asia, Australasia and South America extensively.
I've since worked for Journey Latin America and STA Travel, both retail travel companies, and now work for Diversity Travel. Diversity are a business travel company who specialise in organising trips for charities (aid, health, humanitarian etc) to all corners of the earth including counties such as South Sudan and Afghanistan. My role is as a travel consultant, it's extremely busy and challenging but very worthwhile".
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Sally Gregory (1999) has work at Sportsworld in Abingdon organising events and visits alongside fellow alumna Sue Leadbetter. She has written with this news (15.11.11): "A lot has happened over the past few years. I was made redundant from Sportsworld in October 2009 - they were bought by TUI and did a lot of re-organising. I walked straight into a nine month contract working on the World Cup for an agency in Beaconsfield and then had six months as a lady of leisure which I have to say was lovely! Chris and I had just bought a house together so there was plenty to keep me occupied - he was happy to give me my decorating instructions before leaving for work!! I was then asked to go back to Sportsworld on a freelance basis (very handy as it was only a two minute walk from home!) and eight months later I am still there and have a contract until after the Olympics!"
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Simon Grimwood (1996) moved to San Francisco where he works for an IT company.
Andy Grundy (2003) married Patricia Ramos from Brazil. They met on placement in the USA and married in Chicago that same year. Now back in England Andy and Pat have two children, their first child, Eliana, born in 2005 and son Liam arrived in Fenruary 2007 (pictured above). Andy writes (June '08) "I am now a self-employed Independent Mortgage Adviser, working with my Dad in a partnership. And I should say I intend to be a self-employed Independent Financial Adviser by September on completion of the last two of seven exams to be taken".
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Stephanie Guy (2008) set off on some globe-trotting travels in September '08. She hired a car in Chicago and drove across the great plains and Rockies to see the Grand Canyon before hitting LA and then Santa Monica (10 Oct). After a short stay she crossed the Pacific to New Zealand and Wellington - late October '08.
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Ben Haigh (1997) writes (01.08.10) "Melissa and I got married in Feb this year while on a three month tour of SE Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) - decided it was time after being together almost 8 years. No kids at the mo.
I'm working as an Accountant for the NHS (Divisional Finance Manager for the North to be exact, which sounds posher than it is) so moved out of tourism.
Living in Normanton, between Leeds and Wakefield".
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Kerrie Haigh (2008) has been travelling to New York and Mexico with Liz Cam (2008).
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Randolph Hamilton (1999) became Sports Tourism Manager for the Ministry of Tourism Information, Commerce & Consumer Affairs, St Kitts and Nevis. We heard he was doing a further course in tourism from there.
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Hannah Harding (now Hannah Sedgman)(2004) is living and working in Japan with her husband, Lance, having been in her native China for some time. She tells me (July 07) that a move to Australia is likely very soon.
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Jenny Harrop (2000) was a Marketing Executive with the Yorkshire Tourist Board, where she worked with our alumna Lisa Losardo. More recently we heard she had moved south.
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Jo Hart (2003) worked with Lincolnshire Tourism until June 2005. She had been working on a European funded project but unfortunately the funding ended and the company didn't have the money to keep her on. She moved to the Tourism and Marketing Department in the City of Lincoln Council, where she spent her placement year, working on a variety of different projects, again on a short-term contract. When the contract ended in late May ('06) she joined the Economic Regeneration Department of Lincolnshire County Council. Jo says she enjoyed the opportunity to broaden her horizons beyond tourism, although tourism does play a major role in economic regeneration and so the knowledge she has built up should be put to some use!
Jo had planned to take a PGCSE course, but re-thought her future and (May '09) emailed as follows: "I'm working for the NHS! My role is to lead the Social Marketing initiatives for NHS Lincolnshire, initatilly on work for the Change4Life campaign. It's a big challenge (getting people to eat healthily and excercise more!) but one that I am really enjoying!"
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Vicky Hart (2005) has been in Mexico. After graduation she worked as a recycling promoter for a time before joining the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers where she led projects undertaken by a diverse range of people. Vicky has been helping with a project that studies the impact of tourism on the Yucatan Peninsula. She emailed from her base 'down the end of a dirt track with only one way out' and was about to catch a bus to Merida, the nearest large town. Her longer term aim involves a postgraduate qualification followed by further work in the voluntary sector abroad.
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Laura Hassall (2002) dropped us a line: "I keep in touch with Philippa Barker a bit. I am currently working for Bourne Leisure, as a Holiday Sales Manager at a Haven Holiday Park in Clacton".
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Lauren Hattersley (2008) is working in a Leeds call centre and planning to develop her career in Human Resource Management. "I loved Annemarie Piso's lectures and was really inspired to go into that work as a career", Lauren told me on popping in to Leeds Met recently.
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David Hatton (2011) sent his news: "My love of Human Resources gained from the modules within the tourism course at Leeds Met made me want to focus on a career in this field. I began working in the human resources department as temporary staff for Sainsbury's in Manchester, mainly completing administrative tasks. After two months I was promoted and made permanent and now I am responsible for the entire recruitment for Sainsbury's convenience stores across the country for both management and staff. I find out what vacancies are needed, create and advertise vacancies, sift cv's, interview staff, complete job offers, review references and provide HR support to stores across the UK.
My knowledge and love of recruitment has urged me to create www.hatrex.com providing free advice to graduates and job seekers on finding work and creating CVs, passing interviews etc. In September I am continuing my studies as I take up a combined Masters and CIPD qualification in HR to further my knowledge and career.
In my own time I live with my partner, Angus, in Manchester and we're currently saving up to buy our first home! I still love to travel and see the world and I am still in touch with many friends from Leeds Metropolitan Tourism alumni of 2011!
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Karla Hawke (2005)(pictures above) sends us this report: “After finishing my final university exams, and before starting my first job, I left the UK to teach and volunteer in a centre for street children in Ghana, West Africa. I spent a month teaching English in the centre and also going out onto the city streets with staff to teach on the street or to bring children back to the centre and show how the centre could help them. The centre offers to teach skills in woodwork, candle making, embroidery so that they learn that they can make a living for themselves.
One of my most memorable moments was teaching a group of 7 year old boys how to budget their money. It was both wonderful and heartbreaking. Ghana has many opportunities for tourism. It has numerous national parks and Cape Coast Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Talking to a guide in Kakum National Park, he said ‘Ghana’s tourism industry is slowly picking up’ so the future looks bright.
My job in Japan was not only to teach English but to create cross-cultural understanding. Japan is a very self contained country and generally speaking many students are unaware of what is happening outside their own country. I tried to incorporate current affairs and teach them English that they can really use. It was interesting to watch them flick through a copy of OK! Magazine and shriek at the bare shoulders on display (a cultural no-no in Japan), something that goes virtually unnoticed in Britain.
Teaching in Japan gave me the opportunity to travel. During Christmas 2005, I spent time teaching in an orphanage in Cambodia. I am very interested in Aid work and volunteering and I think that the tourism industry has the capacity to help lift people out of poverty if it is done in the right way. I hope to work in a career that will allow me to use tourism as an instrument for community development.
Karla is back in England, still engaged in work with Africa. On 10 June 2007 she and her boyfriend Mike ran the Two Castles 10km race from Warwick to Kenilworth. They have so far raised nearly £400 through the race.
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Rumour has it that Abby Hayes (2000) is out in Auckland, New Zealand, working for Mitchell Corp, who operate hotel chains.
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Russell Hay (2003) left Malmaison in Leeds in September 2006 and helped open Malmaison Liverpool in January 2007. He then moved to the company's Birmingham hotel.
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Susan Hayton (2009) married Paul Fleming on 26 March 2011. She had been working as a Market Intelligence Research Assistant for 'Welcome to Yorkshire'. Susan says "I now work for North Yorkshire Police as a HR Service Delivery Officer through Adecco recruitment agency. I joined them on 01 February 2010".
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Claire Heap (2002) joined the Tourism Unit at Leeds City Council after graduating, then spent a few years with Hull City Tourism. Now she is back, working as a business executive with Conference Leeds. Claire married in 2010.
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Sam (Samantha) Henderson (2000) teaches in a primary school near Hull. She is now married.
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Keirran Herring ( ) tells me "I Am deputy manager of a high needs supported living home for Mencap in Twickenham. It's a really good and rewading job".
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Gemma Herz (2007) has become engaged to David Hirshman.
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Vicki Hinchliffe (now Vicki Camfield) (2009) works at Leeds/Bradford Airport. Vicki comments that the Tourism Management course with its variety and marketing modules have given her many options for her future career. And says "If you work hard you can get the opportunities".
Vicki has been in touch with more details of her job (May 2011): “My job is in website management – content, maintenance and assistance with redesign of new areas. Then I look after the interactions through social media. I also have a role in the co-ordination of artwork and creative activity with third-parties – print, promotional and design companies – as well as working with Business-to-Business and Business-to-Customer organisations. The marketing people have promotional events and conferences so I give offline support to those. We have business partners across all media and another role is to discuss and offer marketing opportunities for them. For the PR Department I provide media escorts and support as necessary. Finally I compile and maintain airport timetables and quick guides online and offline.”
Vicki is married to James Camfield.
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Claire Hitch (2003) works for Soccerex in London. They describe themselves on their website as 'the leading event providers for the global football industry', organising amongst other things a major conference this year at the venue for the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa. Claire says "I am really enjoying my job and getting paid well, which is great as you need to be to live in London. I rent my own flat and am looking to buy next year - waiting for house prices to fall".
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We heard that Steve Hogger (1998) is teaching in south London. He is married to Rachel and they have a two year old and another child on the way (news in Feb '09).
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Nat Holt (2006) works in administration in the Faculty of Business and Law at Leeds Met.
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Carl Horigan (2010) - January 2011: is travelling in South East Asia and Australasia with Dean Garrison. They met up with Michael Derbyshire in Cambodia. See Carl's account of the first part of their travels at the top of this page.
2011: Carl has been studying for a PGCE at Liverpool John Moores University.
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Rachael Howard (1999) went to work for GNER in customer services, then spent time with Arriva before becoming part of the team at Northern Rail. After a spell in York she is now a Station Supervisor at Leeds looking after passengers using the company's trains.
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Kathleen Hughes (2002)(now Kathleen Thornton) is Market Intelligence Executive for Customermaze Ltd, based in York. The company does research in the tourism field. Kath tells me (July '07) she will be on maternity leave shortly.
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Steven Hull (2003) sent the following (01.09.09): "Just a quick update on what I’ve been up to … after working for tour operators for nine years, I decided to go it alone and set up my own booking agency. I had a successful first winter, and since grew the company from one resort to five resorts across Andorra, and now run Travel Booker Limited along with my fiancée, and we’re looking forward to what this winter brings for us! We’re selling lift passes, lessons, discounted ski rental, and airport transfers, plus we’re starting to get involved in accommodation too. Our umbrella website is www.andorra-resorts.com for any alumni who are thinking of going to skiing or snowboarding to Andorra!"
Steve's other big news is that he and his fiancee will be married in October ('09).
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Ian Hunter (2008) writes (Feb 2011) "I am back in Scotland now after a couple of years in Australia. I was doing a bit of everything, but mostly jackarooing on a couple of farms in Queensland as well as working on the grain harvest.
Latest news - Ian has been accepted to enter Sandhurst for Army Officer Training - probably starting in January 2012.
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Eve Jackson (2005) has written: "Quite a lot has happened since the uni days, although I do miss them. I did the whole travelling thing and worked for the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in Oz, followed by Japan and China for a little etc sight seeing and travelling. I now live down in London, actually just managed to take my first step on to the property ladder with my partner Andy - we moved in in March 2010!! Still living in boxes...I work for a Financial Recruitment company and I deal with all of their Internal Recruitment and Training, including Graduate fairs. Very long hours and busy, but it allows me to go on holiday and buy a flat - happy times - I think I'm now a grown up, scary times!!
How is everything in Leeds? I come up quite a bit as I am still good frinds with Jenny Carter, Jenny Moir and Stacey Rose".
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Jo Jarvis (2007) writes: "I'm working full-time for a pharmaceutical company, working in Product Strategy, far from tourism and the Cold War Bunker haha! Sometimes wish I could go back to uni though!". Jo's mention of a cold War Bunker refers to one of the final year Industrial Hosted Projects on the English Heritage-preserved nuclear war monitoring centre in York.
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Alice Jenkins (2002) is believed to have been working for Accor and is now married.
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Nicola Jerzyszek (2001) sends the following (July '08): "Following a move from Ernst & Young HR in Birmingham, I’ve been working at KPMG for the past 3½ years as an HR Manager in Transaction Services (all those people that deal with mergers and acquisitions). It’s a brilliant firm to work for and I’ve been able to really carve out what I want from my own career – including a very recent move back to Leeds. It’s not tourism related, but believe it or not, some of the HR challenges are incredibly similar!"
Nik is now married to Neil McMillan.
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Ralli Jivkova (2000)(now Ralli Norman) worked for First Choice after graduation, then in 2004 moved with Ollie to Mallorca - at first for a year. She says "we thought we'd make a decision then about what we're going to do more long-term, but we are still here and loving it". Ralli is a Call Centre manager for an incoming agency which besides selling accommodation on the web, provides support to visitors on a day-to-day basis. She also organises events such as weddings and conferences, which she loves as it gets her out and about the island. While she enjoys the job, it is also nice to be on the island in the off-season when it's quieter and they feel they have the place more to themselves. Recently she and Ollie spent time in Windsor, which took some re-adjustment to the crowds and busy traffic. In Mallorca they have an apartment facing the Mediterranean only ten minutes' walk across the beach from her workplace, and her desk at work has a direct view of the sea. Oliver is a golf professional. The photo was taken on a recent trip back to Ralli's home country of Bulgaria.
On 14 February 2010 Ralli gave birth to twins. Max and Ellie are doing well - 'a pair of rascals' says their mum.
Ralli works for Jumbo Tours in Mallorca which provides services to tour operators taking visitors to the island.
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Sophie Johnson (2003) is Business Development Manager for Ariel Extreme in Bedale, North Yorkshire.
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Tilly Johnston (2000)sends this update (Oct 07). She worked in the Persian Gulf region after graduation, then moved to Uganda. "I guess my last news was that I was working for a Tour Operator in Uganda, I did that for about a year and a half then moved up to manage a lodge with my man Craig on the River Nile in Murchison Falls National Park, we left about a year ago when I got a consultancy contract with the Commonwealth with a rainforest centre in Guyana! (www.iwokrama.org) I have now moved to Morocco where Craig has just got a teaching job and trying to find work here, although there really doesnt seem to be much until I improve my French and Arabic!!!!"
Tilly recently did an MSc in Ecotourism.
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Sandra Jubb (2003) moved out to Oz and now lives in Sydney. She manages an IT recruitment team. Says she lives "right on the beach and wakes up listening to the sound of the waves!"
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Ida Kahar (2002) sent this information: "I have completed my Masters of Marketing in University of Western Australia in 2010. Now back in Brunei and I miss the place. Early this year in February, I got to present my first paper in a conference in Lugano, Switzerland. It was a tourism conference, and I really enjoyed it! ENTER 2010 was in Universita della Svizzera Italiana - I got to travel in Europe again after a long time leaving England. And an adventure where I missed my flight in London on my way back to Brunei, and had to stay overnight - best free one night stay! Good to be back and walk around London - although I hope to be in Leeds one day and walk down the memory lane. :)
So, now, I am back to teaching Marketing units recently - Services Marketing - and next semester - Selling and Sales Management in my university - Institute of Technology Brunei. I hope to start again writing papers (its tough to get the ball rolling again!) and aim to submit for a tourism conference in Kuala Lumpur by Dec 2010."
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Clarine Kalogeraki (2000) returned to her home in Athens after graduation. She completed four years as Sales and Marketing Manager for a company organising the International Franchise Exhibition of Greece. For them Clarine travelled abroad ten to fifteen times a year persuading businesses to invest and expand in Greece. She then spent time with a corporate training company, JMK, before joining the UK's "Economist" staff in Athens working with their agency Hazlis and Rivas Ltd as International Development Manager. Some people may know her sister Michelle, who also completed her degree in Leeds Met and now practises as an architect in Athens.
Clarine married her fiance, Dimitris, on 28 June 2008 in Varkiza, near Athens. Clarine wrote to us (03.09.09) "My son Stylio Kouvelas was born on Friday May 22, 2009. He looks just like his father and as he grows it’s even more evident. When the three of us are out for a stroll we have people stop us just to tell me how much my son looks like his father .
My son enjoys eating (he is 5.5 kg and is three months old) and driving me crazy. He likes to be held constantly and when I try to put him down he has a fit lol. Nevertheless the sensation of being a mom is wonderful. I love being with my son 24/7 and can’t imagine life without him. What am I going to do when I go back to work I really don’t know!"
Amandip (Amz) Kandola (2006) is Sales Manager for Travelex - foreign exchange services - at Leeds/Bradford Airport. She is keen to develop further in a marketing career.
Adonis Kekidakis (1999) returned to Greece to complete his two years' military service after graduating. He then joined Sportius Hospitality, a major sports tour operator, as a manager working on activities leading up to the Athens Olympics. Adonis came back to the UK and in London completed a photography course at the London School of Printing (now the London School of Communication). He next set up as a commercial photographer in his home town of Alexandroupolis in north-eastern Greece, though he has done work all over the country. Above are some of his photographs, including, on the right, a self-portrait. Adonis is now married and has a family.
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Cath Kelly (2000) is now a police officer.
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Louise Kendall (2004) writes: "I have worked for TUI UK in Coventry since graduating in 2004. I work in the New Media team and have recently been promoted to E-CRM Manager. I basically look after all e-mail communication pre and post purchase for most of the TUI brands including Thomson, Thomsonfly and Portland. Not sure what the future will bring over the next few months as we merge with First Choice - but I'm looking forward to the opportunities that will hopefully arise within the new TUI Travel".
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Rachael King (2004), according to rumour, is thought to be working at Stanstead for Radisson SAS.
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Tara Kirby (2005) married Abhi Solomon. She writes: "I'm now living in New Zealand working for a charity called Christians Against Poverty as their Centre Development Manager. I've just enjoyed my first year of marriage and made some amazing trips around this beautiful country.
We are coming to Europe in June, it's my husband's first time as he is from India. We are going to England first, then getting the train from London to Paris, Paris to Geneva, Geneva to Venice, Venice to Verona (to see the opera), then Verona to Rome. Really can't wait."
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Andy Kirkman (2007) flew out to Indonesia the day after receiving his degree award. He joined Kim Wilson and Kelvin Shewry in undertaking voluntary work organised by tutor Dr Janet Cochrane. Andy has now sent this update from down under:
"After my Indonesia stint with Janet last year - which seems an age away - I set off to Oz to do some travelling, heading up the East Coast from Sydney after spending Xmas and New Year with Pete Smith, Polly Simpson and Claire Oxenham in Melbourne! A few weeks of travelling and arriving in Cairns I then became a certified scuba diver on the Great Barrier Reef and ran out of things to do (and of money to be fair!) so I flew over to Perth where Des Shanks had just arrived as well! Managed to coincidentally land myself a job with a three-month delayed start date - perfect as I was heading out into the desert to work on a 3 million acre sheep farm for three months. After that eye-opening experience of JACKAROOING, basically mustering sheep in the heart of the outback on a motorbike chasing a small plane across the bush, I headed back to Perth and walked straight into my waiting job!
Well, I don’t know if you knew already but I’m working for an Adventure Travel company in Perth called Peterpans which arranges travel for people all across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. Its a great job which has GREATLY enhanced my product knowledge of...well...everything you can do right across this HUGE continent!!
With the job I have recently earned myself sponsorship, allowing me to work with them now for up to another four years! I think after three (???) years in the country I can apply for residency to stay here, which is my current plan, so it looks like I’m not going to be back in the UK for a while!!! Dammit!!! Its such a hard life with these 40 degree summers, clear blue skies, working a great job then heading down to the beach for beers at sunset! The job is amazing and I get to travel across the country with it - just over a month ago I was sent on a familiarisation visit to New Zealand for 11 days then next month I am heading on another 10-day trip up the West Coast of Oz with...of all people...Katie Duffin!!! All of which is (and will continue to be) documented photographically on Facebook!) I booked her onto this trip when she arrived in Perth a while ago. She's currently trekking around Oz. Also mid-Nov Raine Gibson arrives too to settle in Perth, AND Des is also right here - best mates from Uni and we both end up in the same place in Oz! He too is on sponsorship and is working for the Hilton hotel as Asst Manager of the Adelphi restaurant - he's doing really well for himself with his girlfriend who came over on a scholarship to study Forensic science at uni.
The majority of ITM is over here – I’ve already seen Polly Simpson, Claire Oxenham, Jane Coleman and Pete Smith. Then travelling around at the moment heading my way are Becca McLarty and Kate Fletcher."
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Marianna Kornilaki (2003) is now doing her PhD in Leeds Met, hoping to complete it by the end of 2007. In parallel she is working on different consultancy projects undertaken by the university. She is in contact with Dimitra (Mimi) Tsagkaraki (2003) who is now working for a hotel chain in Crete in the Marketing department. Latest news: Marianna has been appointed a lecturer on the Events Maagement course at Leeds Met (Sept 07).
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Kia Knudsen (2007) is, we hear, working as a merchandiser in the fashion industry.
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Gaby Laifer (1998) is now Product Development Director for a Marketing agency in London, responsible for sourcing travel and leisure offers for blue chip brands. More details of the company are at www.tlcmarketing.com. Gaby is now married to Sharon and they have a little girl of 18 months named Evie.
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Kerk Lawley (2001) was President of the Leeds Met Students Union during her time in the University. On graduating she went to PGL Adventure Holidays in the position of Manager of Seasonal Personnel. In late 2004 Kerk moved to World Challenge Expeditions, again to work in Human Resource Management but later moved to work for TUI Travel where she is now HR Manager for the Activity Sector.
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Katarzyna (Kate) Lazinska (completed degree 2009, ceremony of 2010) is a member of the cabin crews for Etihad Airways. She now lives in Abu Dhabi.
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Sue Leadbetter (1999) has been working for Sportsworld in Abingdon, at first travelling the world helping organise group visits and events. She then became the HR Manager for the company. She is married and has three children, Harry, Daisy and Connie.
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Angela Lee (2000) has been travelling in south-east Asia (September '09) where she caught up with friends from her year in Leeds Met.
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Becky Lee (2010) sent this news (September 2011): "I graduated in June 2010 and moved straight down to London as I got accepted onto the Radisson Edwardian Graduate Scheme. I completed this in June 2011 and am now Business Development Executive for the company and based at Marble Arch".
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Lucy Lee (2005) has taken up the events role with Tom's Companies, working at their five star Seaham Hall and Serenity Spa. Lucy, originally from Lincolnshire, says she fell in love with the North East after a year-out placement while studying at Leeds Met. After graduating she worked as a receptionist and sales coordinator at Slaley Hall before reaching her ambition of working in events.
Her new role at Seaham Hall includes organising wedding parties, private dinners and corporate and private events on any scale. Lucy also co-ordinates all required needs sourced both in-house and out and ensures that all goes smoothly for the client and party guests. Lucy said: "I saw it as a great opportunity to develop my ambition and skills. To do this somewhere with as fantastic a reputation as Seaham Hall's, is even better. I love the North East and am really happy that I was able to come back and start to develop my career here".
Lucy got married in September 2011.
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Claudia Le Grand (2000) emails: "I am still in the West Yorkshire area, teaching at a primary school in Bradford believe it or not- I love it". Claudia recently got engaged.
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Mark Leonard (1999) worked in IT, and "slowly worked my way round Europe". Mark has more recently qualified as a professional photographer and tells me he has just completed an assignment photographing Princes William and Harry at a charity polo match.
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Elaine Leung (2003) writes (July '08): "I moved to London a year and a half ago and started in recruitment. I recruit IT contractors for investment banks, so anything ranging from developers, testers, business analysts, project managers etc, the full spectrum really. I started with a headhunting company where I really developed my researching skills on 'how to find the right people and how to market-map' i.e. try to recreate organisation charts of specific departments in the major banks and then headhunt people out of them! Then I moved to Hayes for more personal development and training and to workk with a broader base of clients. I was promoted and managed the Barclays Capital account. And one month ago I joined Royal Bank of Scotland and work for them directly as opposed to working for an agency which is much nicer. I am building up my part of the business as the direct recruitment piece is a new idea and I have free reign to do as I please, as long as I make the company lots of money of course!"
James Levy (2007) (on right, above) was working for Marriott in Washington DC. He then went to work in the Mayflower Hotel, as a trainee manager.
Early Feb '08 James wrote: "After completing the first four months of my training here at the Mayflower Hotel, I was offered a special position in the Sales team, working as a Sales & Events Coordinator, responsible for following up all initial sales leads and ensuring that the guests have everything they need for their functions, be it rooms, food, special linen or even flowers from our hotel florist. It came with a pay rise and my own office!!".
James returned to Leeds and a post with the Park Plaza hotel. Then after a year or so he moved out to Australia. He finished working with Park Plaza in Leeds and went to Melbourne Australia to a job in the Belgian Beer Cafe & Hotel Company.
April '11 he was in touch again: "I'm currently in Cairns, Australia, where I've been since march 10th doing my best to help clean up the after effects of Cyclone Yasi, which devastated this region. That job has now finished, and I'm now the night manager at the Woodduck Hostel in Cairns city. Dry season and a growing number of backpackers are upon us, so it's starting to get busy!!
Also, for anyone worried about coming to Oz, everything is back to normal now, and is running smoothly, so pack your bags and head down under!"
More news: James is now in reception management at Coffee Club Backpackers in Melbourne, Australia.
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Danny Lister (2003) still works for an Security/ID company. Danny married Nina Frizell and they have a little boy, Sam, born in November '09.
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Nic Lloyd (2000) sends greetings from Sydney: "I am now working for one of the largest advertising agencies in Australia called Publicis Mojo (part of the worldwide Publicis Group) based in 'The Rocks' area of Sydney (just by the Harbour Bridge). I am a Senior Account Manager working on brands including Toyota, Lion Nathan, Cadbury and Xbox360. I organised a publicity event to celebrate the launch of Xbox360 over here in Australia. This event basically comprised of a requirement to break the Guinness world record for the worlds largest water balloon fight. We succeeded with nearly 3000 participants and over 50,000 water balloons thrown on Coogee beach here in Sydney. A TV ad of the event can be seen at http://www.waterballoonchallenge.com/. Below is the main publicity shot that we got from the event. It then went all over the world.
Life is busy but really good, Sydney is a great place to live, hot summers and beautiful winters, I thoroughly recommend it and I don't see myself coming back in any great hurry. Any of those thinking of coming over here should definitely give it a go, I'm sure it's not for everyone, but there is no harm in trying it!"
Nic will make a short visit to Leeds: he writes (02.08.10) "I'm heading back to the uk for a bit later on in the month. I'm hoping to swing by Leeds at some point, it'll be great to see how the place has come along since I last visited...must be five years or so now."
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Rebecca Lockwood (2005)(above) has written (July '08): "I work for P&G Professional Care (Wella UK) as an account manager up in Newcastle upon Tyne. Was rather bizarre getting the job as I was working for Superbreak in York but really wanted to get into sales account management within the tourism industry. I applied for what felt like hundreds of jobs and couldn’t even get an interview, saw a graduate sales role for Wella UK and thought hey I like hair products, applied and after the longest interview process in the world (it was like being on the apprentice) got the job and I have not looked back since! They are an amazing organisation to work for and really look after you. I am having a great time I look after about 200 salons in and around Newcastle upon Tyne dealing with sales and training on the Wella brands I love it. My interest in Tourism has not gone away though and I still love my holidays as many as possible a year. Also recently completed a beginners course in Spanish. So that’s me really! Bought a house in Newcastle upon Tyne (fabulous city) and have a long term boyfriend Mark who lives in Liverpool it’s a fair trek to see him but he’s worth it and because of the distance we never argue its great! Hoping to progress with the company and would like to move closer to home as I do miss my family in Sheffield".
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Amy Longmore (2004) works in HR/Recruitment with the Alliance and Leicester.
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Lisa Losardo (2003) sends this update: "Since graduating in 2003, I worked for one year at Leeds Met in a courses office assisting with the co-ordination of school events including open days and graduation ceremonies. I then spent a year travelling, visiting South America (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile), New Zealand, Australia, Bali and Thailand.
We (my partner and I) lived and worked in Sydney for six months in Bondi and whilst in Thailand we joined a volunteer group for a month helping to rebuild the island after the tsunami devastation.
I'm now living back in Leeds and work for the Yorkshire Tourist Board in York as an Assistant Marketing Campaigns Executive which I love! I primarily work on Business Tourism which involves promoting Yorkshire as the perfect conference destination, working exhibitions (domestic and overseas), assisting with the publications and updating websites with content, producing copy for media campaigns and e-newsletters etc...
I've been in my current role for 6 months now and hope to further my career in tourism marketing sometime in the future".
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Jacqui Lowe (2006) sent this update on 6.11.11: "After graduating from Leeds Met in 2006 I was struggling to decide what career path to take. After a short stint working in marketing for a software company, I decided to try something completely different and head to Ghana to volunteer. I spent three months in Kumasi living with a Ghanaian family, and working for a children's charity which primarily supported children living with, and affected by, HIV. I absolutely loved Ghana, and the work was incredibly rewarding; the charity supported a group of children living with HIV, and we conducted home visits and held regular meetings, offering emotional and financial support to the families. We also visited schools to give presentations which intended to give children and young people the tools to make decisions in their lives, and also tackled issues of stigma around HIV.
After returning to the UK I knew my heart lay in charity work, with a particular interest in international issues, I fortunately got a job working at Comic Relief and moved to London. Initially working in corporate fundraising on a temporary contract, and then finance. After one year I had made my way around to the International Grants team, where I have now been working for over two years. I am currently working on four of our grant making programmes; People Affected by HIV, Sport for Change, Women and Girls, and Health. I'm lucky to have travelled to Uganda this year on a project monitoring trip visiting three projects, and to South Africa to a workshop bringing together grantees who work in Conflict Affected areas.
I have a real personal interest in health and development, and I'm hoping to pursue a post-graduate qualification in a related area in the future, but for the moment I'm still learning so much from the incredibly experienced team members I work with. My job is very busy all year round, but varied and interesting, and I'm very happy living in Vauxhall (a short walk down the river from Westminster), with my boyfriend and two guinea pigs!"
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Oliver Ludlam-Raine (2008) is setting up his own Landscaping business near Leeds and will supply futher info in due course.
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Agata Maccarone-Eaglen (2001 & 2004) took both her first degree and Master's qualification in Tourism Management at Leeds Met. She now teaches tourism in the University of Salford. Agata is married to Leeds tutor Andrew Eaglen and both travelled to China when Andrew delivered a conference paper in late 2005.
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Faye Mackay (2006) was employed by World Events, based in Cleckheaton. She now works for Logistik, a Leeds-based Comms and Events company.
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Magnus Mackay (2009) sent this update (September 2011): "Towards the end of my BSc International Tourism Management degree in Leeds, I decided to start applying to various universities in the UK to do a Masters degree. Leeds Met have some great tourism degrees, but I wanted to strengthen my competencies in certain areas and appeal to a greater number of employers, also outside of t&t. I got accepted to a number of universities, but eventually decided to do an MSc in International Business at Aston Business School (Aston Uni) in Birmingham.
I loved my time in Birmingham, just as I did in Leeds. I made new friends and I got to learn more about business, which I felt we only touched on in Leeds. Despite doing a general business degree, I did decide to specialise in tourism again for my thesis. I wrote my masters dissertation in collaboration with Innovation Norway (IN) and Norway Convention Bureau (NCB), which are responsible for developing and marketing Norway as a destination. My thesis was doing a critical analysis of the competitive position of Norway in the international MICE industry, and make strategic recommendations for future development. It was a real hands-on task where I got to interview industry leaders and government officials in Norway and it was a great networking opportunity for me. It was hard work but I loved it.
After graduation from Aston last year I was able to secure a job with one of the companies I worked with on my thesis, Stavanger Forum (www.stavanger-forum.no). SF is a conference and exhibition centre located in my hometown Stavanger. We host exhibitions, conferences, meetings and events from 10-50,000 delegates at a time, and we are one of few in Norway to be certified as a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO). My job as Sales Manager is all about filling the calendar with as many events as possible. It is target driven, requires customer care skills, strategic insight, business acumen and communication competencies - all of which I am thankful to have gained through my education in Leeds and Birmingham.
I have been with SF for over a year now, and have begun contemplating my next move, so if anybody has any interesting project they are working on or come across a job you think might interest me - let me know. I am flexible with regards to location, and would prefer to work with strategy, marketing, branding, communications or similar.
Outside of the office I spend as much time as I can travelling, snowboarding, climbing, going to gigs and listening to music and such. Being back in Norway allows me to enjoy the great nature we have here, and I cannot wait for winter. Next on my list for travelling is surfing in Marocco and hopefully going to Cuba before Castro hangs up his hat.
I hope you guys are all doing well, and let me know if you're in Norway anytime soon".
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Jules Mackin (2000) worked in recruitment in Sydney, one of the very many who have been out there for a visit or settled permanently in either Oz or NZ. Jules writes (September '09): "I left HR and corporate last year and I am now a personal trainer running my own little business. I live and work in Sydney, I have been liviong there for 6 years and am now a citizen!!".
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News arrived that Natalia Magalhaes (2008) was working for Hayes Recruitment before returning to her home in Rio de Janiero Has been back in Leeds but (3 Oct '09) reported from Rio about the massive party on Copacabana Beach celebrating the choice of the city for the 2016 Olympic Games.
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Above: Jules Mackin in Australia
Below: Rajiv Maher in Sewell, Chile
Rajiv Maher (1999) was working in Chile for some years. He emailed us: "I was in Santiago, Chile finishing off my Master's Thesis in Corporate Social Responsibility - looking at voluntary self regulation codes and certification in large Chilean companies.
I also had a two month work assignment at Chile's largest Winery called Concha y Toro - you may have heard of it if you're into your wines. I worked alone there on a customer (marketing and logistics) satisfaction audit and produced a report and presentation at the end.
The couple of photos I sent [see above] are of a small town in the Andes mountains close to Santiago about 3,000m up called Sewell. It was and still works as a copper mine but before housed hundreds of families whose head of houseold worked in the mine. It has now been turned into a cultural heritage tourist destination where one can walk around the old housing residencies and enter the mine with a guided tour from somebody who grew up in that village. Sewell had applied for UNESCO World Heritage status".
(April '09) Rajiv emailed this update: "I'm now working in Brazil at IFC, the World Bank's private sector investment bank in the area of corporate social responsibility, we also work with sustainable tourism which I'm hoping to get into later". Rajiv says that he hopes to get back to the UK before long and pop in to Leeds once more.
News in January 2011: "I am back to Northampton for a good 6 months at least as I'm now well into my PhD at Cranfield University. I'll be researching into Corporate Responsibility from the Mining sector towards local communities. I completed the first year in Management Research Methods in August which enables me to move onto the PhD. Planning to research in South America from August."
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Michael Martin (2003) writes (January 2011): "Living and working in Norwich as Teacher of Business/Travel and Tourism which is still enjoyable despite the pressure to get bone idol kids good grades. Getting married in April to Kelly at Carrow Road then a honeymoon in Vegas and LA. Still in touch with friends off the course - very fond memories and memory losses."
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Paul McCann (1996) is now running a ski and snowboarding agency called SnowXscape which is based in Batley. Paul is one of the original class of tourism management students and will be remembered fondly under his nickname Paddy by many of you. There's a web link on the home page to contact him and see more of the business.
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Jane McDiarmid (2005) is, we hear, working in the HR Department of Hill Dickinson, the leading legal services firm.
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Kate McGee (2006) works at Leeds Met in course administration.
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Becca McLarty (2007) sends news: "We've been in Australia since July started in Darwin and worked are way down the East Coast to Sydney. We plan to live here for a good few months. I've just got a job working as a travel consultant for Peterpans (backpackers travel). It's going well, loads to learn, - bit of a shock to the system after three months of partying ha ha. If your zimmer frames on wheels tour takes you to Oz give us a shout. Take care mate keep in touch :) [Just 'cos I have a 4WD Zimmer ready for retirement - watch out, world! - Alan M]
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Charlotte Mendoza (2007) has been appointed Assistant Marketing Executive with Carnival Cruising. She joins Erin Walsh Johnson, also a Leeds Met Tourism Alumna.
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Mark Meredith (2000) writes: After my course I joined First Choice Holidays as a Graduate Trainee. Since then I assumed various roles within the group, all within a commercial/ product capacity. I worked as Senior Product Manager for short haul, responsible for the group's land product in Balearics, Mainland Spain, Italy and the wonderful Lapland!
Mark now works for Virgin Holidays.
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Hazel Miles (2008) will be globetrotting for a while, then moving to Brisbane where her friend Rachel Davis (2008) will be living - and they would love to persuade Kelly Barnes (also graduated in '08) to finish her travelling by landing in the city. Will Brisbane ever be the same again?
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Lina Miliute-Miliauskaite (2008) completed her Tourism degree at Leeds Met and then moved south. She writes (July 2011) "I just completed my Masters in International Relations and European Studies at Portsmouth University. Recently I have been working as a Research Assistant in The Henry Jackson Society, which is a British Foreign Policy Think Tank - I was given an acknowledgement in their most recent publication, on terrorism, for my help with the research."
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Heidi Mitton (2008) moved from Leeds Met to a degree course the Open University after completing her HND in '08. She writes [May 2011] "I graduated with the OU last December and was struggling to find any work at home so I decided to come back to Finland again. As you know I did the Erasmus exchange at Laurea back in 2008 and I fell in love with Finland.
So in January I returned! I'm currently living with a family helping their children with the English language. I am also studying Finnish at night class so I'm hoping that if I can improve my language skills enough I might be able to search for more job opportunities out here. This year Turku is the European capital of culture so a lot is happening in this region at the moment.
If you've never visited Turku you should definitely try to one day - the transformation between winter and spring/summer is amazing - it becomes a totally different city".
Leeann Montecalvo (at right,
with friends) sent this photo
from Australia.
Jennie Moir (2005) is a Team Manager with Boots Chemists at their main Leeds store.
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Leeann Montecalvo (2005) completed her degree course and headed for Bali and Australia. She has so far jet-skiied on the Sunshine Coast, driven the sand dunes on Fraser Island, sailed off the Whit Sundays, flown the Barrier Reef and surfed in Byron Bay. At the moment (Dec ’05) Leeann is working for a marketing agency in Sydney and says she’s loving every minute of it. In the New Year she will cross the Pacific via Fiji and the Cook Islands to LA. Keep reporting, Leeann!
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Lucas Montes de Oca (1999)sent this news on 29.10.11: " after years working on advertising /marketing I finally came back home (Peru) and opened this biz on tourism/gastronomy. www.limaculinarytour.com which is going quite well. I am putting all the things I learnt into practice!" Lucas is now married - his wife is called Samantha.
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Arjeta Morina (Now Arjeta Morina Harris)(2008) married Alex Harris. She writes "We have been travelling since June 2010 and just got back now, we have been to almost all the countries in South East Asia, then went to Australia, New Zealand, US, and Central America. Before travelling and since Uni I have been working at the Hilton Hotel in Leeds as a Groups and Conference/Events co-ordinator".
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Mike Moss (2002) sends this news: "Since leaving University with my Tourism Management degree under one arm I've worked at quite a few places. I lived in Sydney, Australia for a year from 2004- 2005 and on my return moved back to Leeds and started working for a direct marketing agency in Headingley.
This year I went part time to launch and work on my first business venture. I have set up www.teamgopher.co.uk as a trading style of Michael James Advertising Ltd. Let your friends, family and students know about it and get them to sign up that would be fantastic. Details of what it is all about are on the site.
Things are going well so far, I got a £1000 grant from Leeds Met Uni to help set it up. Looking to turn Team Gopher into a national brand in the next couple of years, very early days, start small think big but watch this space as there is plenty more to come".
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Stuart Moss (2001) sent news: "I've been teaching at Leeds Met ever since I graduated - firstly in Tourism, and then in e-Business for another faculty, and I am now a Senior Lecturer and course leader for the new 'Entertainment Management' degree (although I haven't bought my red coat yet). I'm also a Teacher Fellow which means that I have a few additional opportunities to write conference papers and carry out research. My first book was published last year which I co-authored with David Hind on 'Employability Skills', and I'm currently working on my second one. When I'm not teaching, writing, or doing other academic work, I enjoy cycling around the Dales and Pennines (although I do wish they were a bit flatter) and inventing disgusting-sounding culinary delights such as 'The English Breakfast Curry'. This was show cased on Channel 4's 'Come Dine With Me' in February 2005".
Latest news: Stuart married his fiancee Linda Pickford on 4 September 2011. Besides the wedding cake there was a three-tier pork pie lettered in neat pastry with their names and the wedding date.
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Lucy Mullins (2004) is a travel rep for My Travel in Lanzarote.
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Leanne Murphy (2007)(photo at top of this page) writes (March '09): under the heading "My Travels":
Since graduating in summer ’07, I have been on some exciting adventures around the working world and the real one!! Here is a little taste of what I’ve been up to. I look forward to reading more about everyone else’s escapade soon too!
As some of you may know, I decided to write my dissertation on the new airport scheduled to be built on the main land of a tiny group of islands in the Caribbean called St. Vincent and the Grenadines. You may have heard of some of the Islands due to the famous people residing there, for example Tommy Hilfiger, Mick Jagger, Princess Margaret and Viscount David all have luxury villas in Mustique. So you can imagine, one of the key reasons for choosing this subject matter was because a field trip over there would have been amazing!! ... But at the time of writing my dissertation, crime was rife in St Vinvent and so I missed out on my luxury holiday... Until, that is, my parents took the family out there as a graduation present to me and my brother (who graduated on the same day!) That’s where my story begins.
I spent a month in the Caribbean visiting family on lots of the Islands. I went to the beach where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, went to watch the Caribbean version of Pop Idol, walked to the top of the Volcano (that was hard work!) and saw where the some of the Cricket World Cup had been played! My cousin showed me round his eco-tourist resort! It was only accessible by taking a boat around a huge rock face and then back inland again. Everything was outside, baths, sinks and absolutely everything!! It was so cool! Most of the tourists who went were honeymoon couples looking for absolute seclusion... and that is definitely what they got!
After this great experience I spent the next six months organising environmental waste permits for the Environment Agency... I needed more excitement than my office job was giving me, so I decided to do something I’ve always thought about doing. I applied online to be a Holiday Rep with Thomson Holidays (Tui) and I got an interview. I got the job and went to a three day training course and two days after that I was in Cyprus!! It was all so quick! I got my first choice country! I chose Cyprus because I used to live there as a little child and I wanted to go back and see it as an adult. Cypriots are the nicest people you could ever meet! Their motto in life is ‘Eat too much, drink too much and talk too much!’ that is the perfect life style for me! I was away for six months and had the best time ever. The first week was filled with going on all of the trips that Thomson offers, it was amazing! I then had to write a sale for each trip and put together a welcome meeting. I got placed in a 5 star hotel in Paphos with the highest guest arrivals in the resort. I was so scared the first time I did my welcome meeting but I loved it! I am so happy to have now acquired the skill of public speaking! The role of a overseas travel adviser was not all sun, sea and sand though... I was a busy bee working six days a week doing welcome meetings, airport transfers, hotel duties and clinic duties. I also had the chance to do Wedding Coordinating!! I cried the whole way through my first wedding, but I absolutely loved every minute of it!
I’m back in the UK now and I’m thinking about going into teaching as a career. I have been doing work experience in two different Primary Schools and I have loved every minute of it! I’m really excited about what the future will hold!"
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Rosanna Murphy (2008) writes: "Just to update you for your alumni page that after graduating from Leeds Met in July after gaining my degree in International Tourism Management I am now working for Visit Manchester as a marketing assistant. My role as marketing assistant is to assist with the planning, co-ordination and delivery of leisure and business marketing activity as part of the Leisure Tourism Team. However I have also been given a side ‘groups campaign’ in which I have to promote Manchester as a destination to appeal to groups. I am responsible at all stages of planning and production for the delivery of campaign print including publishing a 'Manchester Groups Guide 2009' (20,000 to be printed) where I will issue articles, interviews, adverts etc to appeal to Groups. I love the job, although it’s hard work I knew what I was getting in to through experience from the ‘marketing practice’ module. I keep an eye on the alumni page all the time ... so keep up the good work".
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Amanda (Mandy) Musson (2001) married Tom Price.
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Celia Muyinga (2003)(now Celia Muyinga Beno) is a lecturer in tourism in her native Tanzania and is currently (Sept '10) studying for a PhD at Zhejiang University in China. Celia explains that it was not possible to study at that level in tourism in Tanzania. She is married to Beno Narcis Mbuya and they have a son named Brandon Ang anyi Beno who was born in 2008.
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Louise Neville (2000) is now Louise Rodwell. After graduation she worked for Meon Travel in Hampshire, then moved to become Tourist Officer for Portsmouth City Council. Her husband is Paul Rodwell.
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Cath Newton (1996) is a Senior Buyer for Fenwicks Department Stores in Newcastle-on-Tyne.
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Debbie Norris (2006) writes [March '10] "Nice to see what everyone is up to. Thought I would send a quick send an email to let you know what I've been doing since graduation. I started working for Gold Medal Travel in Preston selling holidays to Australia. I then made the move over to the commercial department where I was in charge of competitor analysis. Now I work on the product department as a Product Executive for Indian Ocean and Middle East. We have just been taken over by Thomas Cook so who knows what opportunities that will bring. Off to Mauritius next week on a fam trip with the Mauritian Tourism Authority (how lucky)".
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Beate Novak (2004) works in Spain, arranging travel for a company called Andalucian Dream Homes.
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Libby Odell (now Leroux)(2002) emails: I am still working at Butterfield & Robinson in Beaune, Burgundy, France. I am now Trip Manager and in charge of all our trips that run in France, Spain & Holland. You can check out what we do on www.butterfield.com - "Biking and Hiking since 1966".
I am loving life in France and living over here. It’s been three and a half years now that I have been living permantly in Beaune. Ben (my husband, we married 2 years ago in July) and I have just finished renovating an old farmhouse in a village just outside of Beaune and moved in just before Easter. We are loving it! After two long years of hard manual labour it is great to now being living in the house that ‘we’ renovated!
I still find time to make regular visits back home and see a lot of Gemma Vigor and Kathleen (Hughes) Thornton. In fact I was in London with them only two weeks ago (May 06) and they are coming over here to stay in July. So life is good and very busy! Libby and Ben celebrated the birth of their first baby in July '07.
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Kofi Ohene-Djan (1999) worked for some years at Boots (Chemists) in Nottingham. He is now with the YHA in the city and writes "The YHA is very interesting at the moment - we are introducing a few changes. The picture of me [top of this page] was taken on the Rain Forest Walk at Kakum National Park in Ghana. I was there visiting family in November '08".
Sam O’Keefe (2003) has written with the following news (that's him above in the photo):
"Since I left University I’ve spent my winters in St. Anton-Am-Arlberg in Austria skiing by day and then making pizzas by night, in one of the busiest restaurants I’ve ever seen. On average we make about 435 meals a night in an 80-cover restaurant in only four hours of service. So by my reckoning by the end of this season I will have made about 54,810 pizzas; never thought I would have done that in my life!
The skiing is going well. I managed to get a sponsorship from a ski-touring binding company. I know that won’t mean much to some people, but skiers will understand what I’m talking about. This year I’m working closely with a photographer in order to get some good shots and a better portfolio so that maybe I can take my skiing to another level and maybe get a bit more out of this sport, other than tired legs and a beaten body and spirit by the end of the season.
In the summers I’ve been travelling round Europe a lot paragliding and surfing. It seems that everything I do has to involve some sort of sport otherwise I wouldn’t be happy. I’ve spent a summer here in St. Anton, doing some labouring work, but mainly doing a lot of paragliding, climbing, mountain biking and travelling up to North Germany to go windsurfing. That was a good
time in my life, really relaxing and just getting away from everything, no stress; life isn’t too hard in the mountains you know! I think I may just have to stay here.
At one time I spent almost two months trying to get work on luxury boats in the south of France, but wasn’t successful. When I returned to England I looked on the Internet for indoor climbing centres, and low and behold since I had left Guildford a huge indoor centre had been built on an Industrial Park and they had jobs going in the café, so I thought it would be perfect, climbing and work contained in one place. Well I got the job and within two days I was made the Manager as it seems they didn’t have one and never told me about it. Didn’t bother me, I like a challenge and this was going to be a big one. I had a lot of fun doing the job over the summer, employing, training, creating menus, developing evenings/ activities, redesigning the kitchen etc.
It was great and I definitely learnt a lot from that job which will help me a great deal in the future. I then headed off to France in search of work in a place called La Clusaz, but again things didn’t quite work out as planned; we got jobs but the hours were terrible. Basically I would have only been able to ski for about two days a week. I don’t live this kind of lifestyle for the money, I do it because I love skiing and I want to do as much of it as possible before an injury or old war wound stops me from skiing anymore.
So I’m back in St. Anton making pizzas for another year and I’ve kind of accepted that this is going to be my home for the next few years if not more than that. This year I’m planning to go to South Africa and Australia for weddings so I think I may be able to get another season down in the mountains of Argentina, yippee!"
RECENT ADDITION: (Dec 07) "I started in a new kitchen last year, cooking more traditional Austrian cuisine, and grill food, like steaks and fish, amongst other delights and now I'm kind of the sous-chef which is pretty good. Still skiing every day and having fun all the other times, spent the summer in Canada for a month and then two months in Mexico."
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Leanne Oppenheimer (2001) trained as an infant school teacher and is now Deputy Head of a school in Whetstone, North London.
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Natasha Osborne (1998) (now Natasha Ure): "I live in Edinburgh now and have done so for 6 years and very settled. I married my husband, Cameron, who I met on a train going to Edinburgh. Now I work for Napier University in the conference and lettings team, marketing the facilities for external hire and previously worked in events for Edinburgh university - strange how I have ended working in a University". Latest news however - Natasha will shortly be going on maternity leave!
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Claire Oxenham (2007) celebrated Christmas 2007 in Sydney with others of her year group.
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Jason Palmer (2006) is a team leader for a legal firm in Leeds. He says he's glad to be free of all those course deadlines!
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Prashant Pandya (2006) took an MSc in Tourism Management and is now a leading member of the team running Hansa's Heritage Tours to destinations in India, including Gujarat, Kerala and the Himalayas. The business is based in Leeds.
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We did hear that Hannah Parry (2002) is now married and has a baby boy. Congrats, Hannah!
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Nicole Patchett (2000) is now married to Jonathan Long of the big haulage company Longs of Leeds, and she is working for the company.
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Ami Patel (2007) travelled in California for a while but is now returned home to Bradford. She then worked as a supervisor for Abbey.
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Giulio Pattanaro (2006) completed his MSc in Tourism Management and returned to Italy where he worked for a while for a magazine until it closed.
In June '08 Giulio made a return trip to Leeds where he met up with Andrew Eaglen, Alan Machin and other friends from Portugal and Italy. "But I really came back for the fish and chips and Cornish pasties" admitted Giulio. Apart from catching up on each other's news over a meal at Brio in The Light, there was an interesting discussion about the collecting of visitor statistics in destinations and attractions. After stories of faked attendance figures and occupancy-rate reporting that strayed well away from reality the group began to conclude that no statistics could be trusted. Now there's a topic for class discussion.
January '10, further news: "Since October I am concentrated on my PhD dissertation which is to hand-in in November 2010. In the end, I decided to do it on collaborative destination marketing (public-private partnerships for tourism promotion at regional level) and I am comparing an experience in a region in Italy with an experience in the region of Brussels. For this reason, I am for two weeks a month a 'visiting student' at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. I am really enjoying my topic (actually, I am searching for the success factors of these kinds of initiatives) and I am happy that I have a scholarship which allows me to concentrate on it till the end of this year. After that, we will see But I have time to think about it!"
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Nick Paul (2004) works in Leeds, for IC Blue Ltd as a purchasing manager. Nick says the company is "a distributor and stock broker of electronic components .. don't worry, nobody else understands what I do either!".
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Lisa Pearson (2001)(now Oldfield) lives in Ontario with her husband James and their two daughters. She says "I live in Canada and I managed to keep my career in Tourism. I work as a Passport Officer for the Canadian Government. I love it. This was the best move I ever made after University and have to say, it was my year out here from uni that made it all happen."
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Clare Pestell (2004) is teaching geography and tourism.
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David Pickering (2005) writes: I’m currently working in the student liaison office of Innovation North at Leeds Met where I’m trying to give guidance to lost students! I’ve been here six months now (I spent last summer in Barcelona, mostly on the beach) and my roles include dealing with student problems, which range from difficulties with deadlines to more personal problems that may be affecting their work and general life. I also put on events for the university, monitor and co-ordinate open days, and keep a general track of all the students within the faculty. I’m really enjoying my position at the moment but I’ve only got a couple of months left before I go back to Spain for the summer. I’ve been saving up so that I can take the time off and travel up and down the coast of Spain and then across to Italy for a month. I’m craving being able to use my Spanish again, eat fresh fish and meat, drink extremely cheap wine, visit places that I’ve been wanting to see for a ages and generally take as many books as I can with me and turn myself into an intellectual genius!
Apart from that I’m still saving to go away to South America, it’s just taking longer than I had imagined but hopefully I’ll make it there in the very near future.
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Hayley Picton (2009) worked in a winter sports resort in the Alps for some months but has now joined BA. She works in the Airmiles Sales Department. Hayley is looking forward to a European break over Christmas (2009) and in the New Year a trip to New Zealand to see family.
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Jonathan Pierce (2010) says [March 2011] "I am part of the managerial team at the Lloyds No.1 bar, The Hedley Verity opposite Morrison's in town. It's giving me experience in the F&B industry and then I may move over into Wetherlodges, which are a hotel chain, to get experience in that area then the bigger picture extends to Southern Africa within 5 years I hope".
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Judith Pigg (now Judith Hutchinson)(2000). Judith worked in Sheffield as the Trade Relations Manager for www.vacenza.com and www.alpharooms.com.
She married Mark Hutchinson in Skala, Kefalonia early in June 2010.
Jude writes "I've been running my own marketing consultancy since Jan 2008. I work with clients from a variety of sectors but particularly like to work with tourism related organisations see www.accessiblemarketing.co.uk. 2011 has been an extra busy year as my daughter, Lily Summer, was born in July"
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Lucy Pitt (2000) moved away from tourism and used her management training from Leeds Met to enter a software company. After a few years there she worked as Brand Manager for Elizabeth Shaw, premium chocolate manufacturers, based in Bristol. Lucy more recently became Marketing Manager at CloserStill Media which is based in the Midlands. She works in B2B PR connected with conferences and exhibitions.
Lucy was declared Exhibition News Trade Marketing Manager of the Year 2011.
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Tom Pleass (2008) sent an update - January 2011: "I am no longer training/working as a teacher. I now work in Marketing for Tata Steel (Formerly Corus Colors) in the UK/Ireland market as well as International Marketing - having to learn Russian and various other languages.
I taught Primary School (unqualified) for a year gaining experience to do a PGCE in 14-19 Leisure & Tourism. I left before completeting the course I wasn't enjoying it - as I had wanted to teach primary, which I may train to do in a few years...."
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Lorna Polley (2009) writes (31.08.11) "My partner David Hobson and I have invested in a country pub called the Crathorne Arms in the North Yorkshire village of Crathorne close to where we grew up. We have been there six months now and while we both work 60/70 hour weeks it is very rewarding! Before taking over the pub was operating at a massive loss for the previous financial year but with overwhelming support we have been able to turn this around! To keep money within the business all back of house work is done between us including marketing, payroll, VAT returns etc! Our concept is simple, modern British food including lots of game direct from the village game keeper! We also do a large number of events and outside catering including weddings and Christenings. Here is a link to the website: www.Crathorne-arms.co.uk. And David and I plan to get married in 2012".
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Steph Pomerleau (was Steph Hallford)(1998). After graduating, I back-packed around the world with my then boyfriend, Bart. We started in Europe, then flew off to Mauritius to get married. As a honeymoon we travelled through India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, before ending up in Minneapolis, where's he's from. We've settled here...for the past 10 years...wow, time flies! We now have 2 beautiful kids, Ryder (3 1/2) and Kate (10 mos.), and hopefully more to come before I get too old!
I'm now working as an event manager for a golf management company out of San Diego (Gibson Golf Management). We plan and execute golf events and corporate entertainment for major corporations, and also manage corporate promotions. Currently I'm working on a test drive promotion for Cadillac. Fun but demanding!
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Amanda Presland (2005) is moving to Florida soon and getting married: will be settling in the States permanently.
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Diana Queiroz (2009) returned home to Portugal after graduating but has then travelled to Asia. She sent this message in mid-January 2012: "I thought you would like to know that I did a very interesting internship for 20 days in November in a village in East Java, Indonesia thanks to help from Janet Cochrane at Leeds Met.
I was very fortunate to be honest. Fortunate that Janet put me in contact with a person she has worked with before and that he did his best to find me an internship where I would be specifically working in community-based tourism; fortunate that he was extremely professional and helpful at all times (he was one of only two English-speaking people in the village…); and fortunate to have had the experience to work side-by-side with local people and even to stay in their home. Not all travellers have the chance to have such an experience.
The work was very interesting. The village had a Mangrove Park, it is their only tourism product so far, and so I visited it and gave some suggestions on how they could improve the visitors’ experience. I translated some of their promotional material to English and registered them in some websites where they could be promoted for free.
I also visited several other sites and activities that they were considering for a package tour. I gave them my opinion on what could be included or what would probably not work, and some suggestions for how a 2 or 3 day package tour could be planned out.
I finished the internship with two PowerPoint presentations, one showcasing the findings and suggestions mentioned above, and the other in a lecture-format providing a general overview of the ecotourism market, product development and pricing strategies, taking some material from Janet’s slides, and some from yours also. Thank you!
In my opinion, the second presentation did not go very well. I realised that one thing is having some notions on tourism, and another completely different thing is to know how to pass on that knowledge especially to a crowd that has no knowledge whatsoever on the subject. So realising this made me respect and appreciate my former tourism lecturers and their work a lot more. (And now I even have a better notion of how it feels to be giving a presentation and to have people coming and going the whole time – Indonesians are very informal!)"
Diana is now back in Portugal planning her next move.
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Sofy Ramzan (2003) works for the National Health Service.
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Edd Randall (2001) was a dealer with J P Morgan in London but recently moved to a similar post with Deustchesbank.
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Ritesh Raval (1999) writes: "I am back in Leicester after my wonderful year at Leeds Met. Recently started my own Recruitment Agency where we specialise in Nurses - you have to have a niche market! And me and the wife have a Luxury Ice Cream Bar with which we travel around for the summer to various festivals". Ritesh is married to Sheena Raval.
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Juliet Ray (2010) writes [Jan 2011] "I'm now working at Thomas Cook and have been promoted, three months after working here. The job's not the best but I'm enjoying it for the time being. Buying a house in leeds soon and got to rent two of the rooms out. And I've lost four stone!"
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Lynsey Rearden (2001) is now Lynsey Wilson. She lives and works in Dublin. She is expecting her second child in June 2010.
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Emma Redfern (2006) is Assistant Manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car at Dublin Airport.
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We hear that Julie Reynolds (2000) works for Stena Line, is married now and has a baby.
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Anne-Marie Rhodes (2007) wrote [July 2010] "I am living in Phnom Penh. I have been here for 11 months now teaching in the mornings and (originally) volunteering with a project called 'Funky Junk Recycled' in the afternoons. The volunteering after nine months ended up turning paid as the lady I was working with, (Maria who was completing her Masters at Leeds Met in Responsible Tourism) left and so I took her position and also helped out on the travel side with an organisation called Carpe Diem.
I ended up volunteering with Funky Junk because of keeping in touch with Geoff Cox who a group of us did an assignment with about a social enterprise hotel during my degree. It will be my first time home at the end of this month [July 2010] for six weeks after two and half years of travelling and teaching in Vietnam, Cambodia and China and also backpacking up through South America so I am really excited to see my friends and family again.
I will be returning back to Cambodia for another year to carry on teaching after my holiday at home and then hope to go on to India".
Latest news from Anne-Marie - she got married in January 2012 and sends this update: "My husbands name is Sovandeth Chin. We had a traditional Khmer wedding on the 6th January at his family's home in Kandal Province. This was a 6.30am start and involved a procession of people carrying fruit through his village, four changes of clothes for us both, blessings from the monks and from friends and family. The ceremony lasted four hours and was finished off with rice and chicken. On Saturday 7th January we held a party in the city - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - which was attended by 170 people, mainly my husband' family and friends and 30 of my friends and my mum and dad. Both were amazing days and we are both very happy. The legal side of it all was the hardest part as getting anything done always meant paying some one in the government some money. But after a lot of money and stress we made it through the legal part. Currently I am still teaching English here in Phnom Penh and my husband works as a DJ using the name DJ Brown. He will be taking his first trip on a plane this August as we have planned to come back to the UK for two weeks so that my family can meet him. Then we return to Cambodia and I will carry on teaching and start saving for the future".
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Nicola Riches (2006) has been in touch (Sept '09) from Austria: "After graduating in Tourism Management 2006 I came to Austria to become a holiday rep for 1 winter ski season, nearly 3 years later and I am still here! Nice climate and stunning scenery is quite hard to leave, especially at current times! I am living in a town called Schladming (great ski resort, but quite unknown to Brits, they’re hosting the 2013 FIS ski championships) I have repped for the last three winters for Equity/Rocket Ski which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I also stayed here during the summer seasons, which I think I prefer - great climate, mountain hiking, etc. This summer I have been doing photography for the local White Water Rafting Company which has been fun. I'm off to S.E Asia in a few weeks before returning for yet another Winter season, although this time as a snowboarding instructor (hopefully!), as the company I’ve been repping for are not returning anymore.
My partner and I have also set up our own holiday company called Action Austria this year. We aim to provide multi-activity holidays to people from Britain coming over to Austria, check out www.actionaustria.com. Hopefully all will go well with this, and then I can envisage myself staying on here longer. I’ll keep you informed!"
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Phil Rimmer (2004) has been in touch: "It was really good to look back at our graduation and Malta 2002 pics [on your web site], but it makes me wish I was still at Uni.
Following graduation in July 2004 I secured employment the following month working for First Choice Holidays. My role was working as a Customer Services Executive and involved me studying videos and photos in relation to customers concerns following their holiday. I was then required to make a decision as to whether or not to offer compensation and inform the customer in writing. After six months I was awarded a promotion and was given the responsibility of checking work colleagues' payments and letters prior to posting. I was also asked to train and mentor new employees on a regular basis. During my employment I was sent on a week long resort visit to Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, to inspect new build hotels. This was an excellent experience, which gave me a great insight into a third world country being developed. In July 2006 I made the decision to relocate back to Leeds. This was a combination of wanting to return to the City that served me so well during my University days and at the same time looking to pursue a career within HR.
Since returning to Leeds I have been covering maternity leave within the Leeds Met HR Dept. This has been a great opportunity for me to gain experience. I have now been accepted onto the course at The University of Central Lancashire to study for the Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management (CIPD). I will commence this on Thursday 25th January '07 for two years".
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Heard that Sabrina Roberts (2006) now lives in New York.
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Dan Robinson (1996) is married and living in Washington DC. After graduation he worked for Legoland, first in Windsor and then in Washington. He is now Food and Beverage Operations Area Manager for Kings Dominion in the USA.
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Gini Rodgers (now Gini Wilde) (2003) is Senior Account Manager for Bonner and Hindley Communications in Leeds. The company handles marketing and communications campaigns for many tourism organisations including visitor attractions, hotels, transport providers, local government, consortia and specific events. Gini’s first tourism post was as Assistant Tourism Officer with Leeds City Council where she worked for two years. Her role within the Tourism Team included hosting press visits, writing and implementing marketing campaigns for short breaks, business tourism and travel trade markets. After that she became Marketing Manager for Magna Science Centre in Rotherham and implemented campaigns for the three brands of the business – consumer, education and corporate. Gini still looks after all the marketing and PR for Magna as well as now working on a wide range of other clients but specialise in business tourism and media consultancy. Gini supervised two Industrial Hosted Projects for final year Leeds Met tourism students for Magna and Leeds Hotels Association. A recent emails says "still working at Bonner and Hindley and loving it. I’m specialising in business tourism as well as still looking after marketing and PR for Magna. My business tourism clients include ( both marketing and PR) Yorkshire South ( new ATP for South Yorkshire), Doncaster Racecourse, Yorkshire’s Magnificent Venues and The Spa in Bridlington. I’m going to be developing this side of the business from now on".
Gini married Richard Wild in August 2007. "Claire [Heap] was chief bridesmaid at the wedding and did a fabulous job – she organised the hen party to Marbella for 16 of us" writes Gini.
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Chloe Ross (2004) (above) sent this message: "After leaving Leeds Met I moved back to London and went on a Graduate Scheme with FirstGroup. I ended up as an HR manager and after three years I left to work for KPMG in their HR department in central London. I live with my boyfriend in Borough, SE1, and have enjoyed it very much." September '10 - Chloe is moving on from KP{MG in London.
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Claire Roughley (2003) works now for Reef and Rainforest Tours in Devon, arranging tailor-made visits to those kinds of places. Claire says she did her placement with them and on completion they offered her a permanent job.
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Phil Ruddy (2005) sends this message: "I have been travelling and I am currently living in Perth, Australia and have been for over a year. So far I have enjoyed my time here, so much so that my partner and I are looking to stay here for the forseeable future". Phil works for the Assured Ascot Quays Hotel.
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Louise Sams (2003) is moving to a new post. she writes "My new role will be Product Development Executive for the County of durham Partnership. The partnership is a relatively new organisation set up in June 2006 which is responsible for leading tourism within the county".
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Alexandra Sanig (2004) has been working in the Leeds area.
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Clare Sayes (2005) is currently working at Ruth Halliday Associates, a recruitment company in Manchester City centre, but tells me she is planning to study law and become a solicitor. She's really missing the life in Leeds and everyone from the International Tourism Management course, and hopes that everyone is doing well.
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Hannah Schumann (2006) wass Acting Marketing and Events Manager in the Leeds Met Faculty of Health. Hannah says she has beenpursuing appropriate professional qualifications. Latest news - August 2011 - Hannah writes "I’m going back to my tourism roots and have got a job as Business Development Manager at the Thackray Medical Museum". Starts w/c 22 August 2011.
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Bjorn Sekkelsten (2003) sends an update (2 Nov '08): I am doing good and so is Andrea. In fact starting a new job tomorrow just outside Oslo, so I’m excited for her. Kind of the first proper job she will have here in Norway. Must say she has learned a lot of Norwegian since moving here with me. But that was a must anyway, right?? :-)
Since graduating I have lived here, there and everywhere I think. And worked with all but Tourism! After a brief spell in Norway after Uni I went to work for IBM as business support for Norway in Greenock, Scotland. After just over a year there, I moved to Manchester in December ‘04 where I got a job with ExxonMobil working as customer support for the Norwegian fuel market. Since ExxonMobil moved their business to Eastern Europe, I signed up for Living in Prague for five months to start up the offices there. By the way, Prague is a very nice city, even in the winter! After just over two years with Exxon, I finally moved back to Norway in the spring of 2007 where I now live with my wife Andrea (Johnson). We got married in Jamaica that same spring of 2007 :-) And if you are wondering what I have been working with since moving here, I am still not in tourism. I am now with Bosch Rexroth, working as a service assistant, for repairs done to Industrial Hydraulic motors, pumps and valves. Far cry from tourism right?
But if it had not been for Leeds Met, I would not have had my internship in Baltimore, USA, where I met my wife Andrea, and not travelled half as much as I have done. So thank you Alan, Andrew and all of my past lecturers for these opportunities! It's been a real pleasure!!"
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Jennifer Shewring (2004) is now Jennifer Davidson, having married Neil in 2008. Latest news is that Jen and Neil are expecting an addition to the family at the end of March 2010.
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Kelvin Shewry (2007) flew to Indonesia, after graduation, with Andy Kirkman and Kim Wilson to take part in voluntary work orgaised by tutor Dr Janet Cochrane. After some time out there he travelled a bit more then came back to the UK, bought a motorbike and explored more of Britain. In the summer of 2009 he joined an expedition to northern Bolivia under the world-famous explorer Sir John Blashford-Snell. His task was to carry out a tourism feasibility study in a lakeland area where new and important archaeological discoveries had been made. From there Kelvin has crossed into northern Chile and (late October '09) has been working in San Pedro de Atacama, in one of the driest desert regions in the world.
More recently (21 April 2010) Kevin has written: "I thought you might be interested to hear about what I got up to this last March.
My aunt’s brother-in-law is what’s known out here as a ‘practico’ and he works in all the ports in Argentine Patagonia. Accompanying Jorge for this month up and down the east side of Argentina visiting nearly every port meant we covered a fair few kilometres, and at one point I tallied up that we had clocked 7,000km in nine days!
If you have a look at Google maps at the east side of Patagonia you’ll see that there is one road that takes you the whole way, La Ruta 3, from its start in Buenos Aires till the end of the road in Lapataia National Park, Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. I feel proud to say that I have covered every inch of that road, and I even bought a T-shirt! The funny thing about buying the T-shirt was that I found that it was easier to pick up a Ruta 40 (the estranged sister of Ruta 3) T-shirt than an R3 T-shirt, despite the fact that I was in Puerto Madryn (on R3) and R40 is on the opposite side of the country! This is no doubt because the R40 is the better looking of the sisters (as it is running along the base of the Andes) and is known to be a far more enjoyable ride.
Whereas R40 has gorgeous Andean mountain scenery (though I am yet to see it), R3 has Patagonian desert, and although it isn’t the classic beauty of the Andes, it certainly has a solitary beauty of its own that really can’t be ignored. In fact, I was reading Buzz Aldrin’s book Magnificent Desolation (a copy Jorge received from Buzz after meeting him on one of his jobs in Ushuaia!), and although the title doesn’t quite encapsulate Patagonia, for me, it’s close.
I’d like to tell you about what Jorge does, as it is really interesting! Every barge, tanker, frigate, boat of some sort over 130 metres long, needs to be brought in and taken out of port by a qualified pilot. This pilot needs a lot of experience before becoming a practico, and needs to take specific exams to be qualified for each port. Jorge has been a practico for the past 25 years and so is well known in Patagonia as a very good pilot. (This also helps a lot in bypassing the security issues that arise when an English chappy wants to enter the port, especially with the recent flare up over the Falklands – though by the way I didn’t have or hear a single spot of trouble). So, I was lucky enough to accompany him on some of the boats, which included a load of industrial fishing vessels (whilst he certified magnetic compasses and I cleaned them), a couple of the frigates that were in Ushuaia port for the bicentennial festival (have a look at this video of the festival*) as well as the cruise ship that was in port. The festival was fantastic, and the frigates, very impressive!
Whilst the cruise ship was in port, Jorge asked his friend to take us (including the cruise ship pilot) for a helicopter ride around the port to get some aerial views of all the frigates and cruise ship. During that flight I received the all clear to join Jorge on the cruise ship while they piloted it out of port that night. Having never been on a cruise ship before (or a helicopter!) it really was fantastic to be able to have a look around, and especially to get up to the bridge and watch all the technical equipment being used during the departure. It wasn’t all technical though; there still exists a chap on the lookout with binoculars! The brief time on the cruise ship did make me think back to classes we took about the cruise industry, and how it was far from responsible. I received a feed from Harold Goodwin’s blog yesterday about the cruise industry, and like the Patagonian desert I spent hours passing through. It looks like things haven’t changed that much!"
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Helen Smith (1996) is back in Preston after a time working for KLM in Amsetrdam and an epic trip from there overland to South Africa. More recently she completed a degree in sociology at Salford University.
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Julie Somers (2003) worked for Leeds Met in the Conference and Events Department and for a while helped out as a Senior Residential Officer at Sugarwell. After a spell in Customer Services with Schneider Electric she moved to her present post. This is as a Sales and Business Consultant with Kinetic Solutions. She says "it's funny how in just a few years since graduation we're doing so many different jobs". Julie spent some time travelling in South East Asia and Australia before taking up the new post. Julie met these children in Laos. She says some were caring for tiny babies (the girl at the back is carrying one in a sling). Julie found it almost heartbreaking to meet the poverty face-to-face, but the children were gleeful at meeting a stranger.
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Kathryn Spink (2007) sends news: "I work for British Airways so recently flew to Cape Town and had a few days off whilst there. Visited Boulders Beach, Cape Point and Table Mountain. The life of a trolly dolly he, he!"
Kathryn added a note in January 2011: "I'm still working for British Aiways but moving bases from Heathrow to Gatwick".
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Laura Stark (2007) works for Coral Racing, responsible for marketing across its two greyhound stadiums. She is engaged to Craig Wilson and they plan to marry in Lindos, Greece on 6 September 2011. See also the Brighton Argus report at the top of this page.
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Clare Stokes (2009) just arrived in Sydney. She is travelling until early March and then takes up a managerial post with Thomson in Frejus, France.
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Nikki Straw (1997)(now Nikki Whittaker) worked in tourism in the East Midlands for a while, but then trained for social work managing special hostel accommodation.
Update - January 2011 - from Nikki: "My husband was posted to RAF Cranwell Officer Training College last year so we moved house and we are now back living in Nottinghamshire. I now work as a project co-ordinator and therapist for a service which provides therapy and support for survivors of childhood abuse. This service provides personal development courses, creative therapy and support groups. I am also a mummy to a very talkative and funny 2 year old girl called Annabella".
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Simon Sweet (1999) worked for Reebok and then Explore Worldwide after graduating.
"Had a party at my house the other night, and it turned out that two of the guys there started at Leeds Met a year before Russ (Winterbotham) and I graduated, though not in Tourism, and they lived a street over from us. It really is a small world".
Simon is now married to Au (Amy) who is from Thailand. They have two sons, James and Andrew.
January 2011: "I am living in Bangkok now with my wife and two boys (JR who is 3 years old and AJ who is one.) Working for a company called ICS Travel Group as their Director of Operations. They are one of the top 3 destination management companies in South East Asia, and I am responsible for all ooperations in the company, taking care of over 80,000 visitors to the region. I spend about 50% of my time travelling between Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Bali, and the rest of the time based in the office in Bangkok. Its fun, but pretty tiring and I am clocking up airmiles like a maniac. Last year took over 60 flights, the novelty has most definately worn off. Havent been back to the UK for a couple of years now, but hope to make it back for Christmas 2011. See Russ (Winterbotham) on a weekly basis, he lives just around the corner from me here and is like a second Dad to my boys. He is doing really well in his line of work, so all is good here in the Land of Smiles. If anyone should be coming over this way, let me know so I can take you on a personal tour of the city".
More from Simon - August 20-11 - as he moves into a new job: "My new job title is 'Director of Business Development' for Asia World Enterprise and I am basically responsible for setting up viable operations for this large Thai based company throughout the rest of Asia. Phase one focusses on Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Burma and Vietnam, and phase two will include Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Phillipines and Korea. Its pretty full on work, and I spend a lot of my time in the air and staying in hotels, but nothing new there. Its a real challenge as I am going in a breaking new ground for the company, so meetings with lawyers, local governments, accountants, recruiting staff, cash flow forecasting, finding office premises and furniture, contracting local suppliers, it all basically falls on me to get sorted. Loving every minute of it, and was thinking that it would be a great experience for an placement year, as it pretty much covers all the aspects you taught us on the course."
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Adam Swift (2005) joined Online Travel in Leeds and became its Administration Manager. However the company closed its Leeds office in September 2008. After working for Alpharooms in Sheffield Adam made a new move, as he writes [April 2011] "I am now General Manager for World Travellers UK, part of the Freedom Travel Group which is within the Cooperative Travel Trading Group. I also do various product and contracting roles at Bedbank.com". Adam has travelled to the USA and the Canary Islands this year with his partner, Myfanwy.
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Becky Swinburne (2005) writes (18.11.08)"After finishing up in 2005 I stayed in Leeds for a couple of years to find my feet.
Now I am living in Sydney and working in the Education department for an International Aid & Development Charity called Caritas Australia, which is one of the world’s largest and most effective emergency response networks, I love my job and I am lucky enough to work alongside some amazing and inspirational people also there is the added bonus of living in Sydney as well! J
Should you want to check out the website it is www.caritas.org.au
I have attached a picture of one of the recent work events we arranged called ‘Stand up’ which is in support of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign. (I am holding the letter B!) [The photo is on the home page - AM]
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Martin Tattersall (2003) moved from Australia to Norway with his partner, Sunni. He recently (Feb '10) updated us: "After I picked up my First I ended up working as a duty manager at Oulton hall in Leeds - a De Vere 5 star hotel, and saved up enough money to pay off my uni debts and to go travelling around the world for over a year with Ben Lincoln from hospitality at Leeds Met. It was one of the best years of my life.
When I got back I started work again on IT projects eventually becoming director of a limited company offering project management and IT support working on some big contracts includng the cooperative bank and the NHS. Eventually I decided to move to Norway to be with my partner who I met a few years earlier in Sydney. We bought a house in Telemark with a nice sea view and I started work as an IT consultant working with Statoil on a large project developing a platform offshore. I am currently based in the projects head offices in Oslo. Our baby, Abigail, was born just recently".
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Abbie Taylor (2001) brings us up to date: "I am now a primary school teacher. I qualified in 2004. After teaching year 3 (7 and 8 year-olds) I moved to teach years 5/6 children, the oldest in primary school. Scary!! I will also be a mentor for a trainee teacher on a SCITT course. That's even scarier!" LATEST: Abbie recently married Lee Walker.
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Rachel Thomas (2005) works as a fitness/personal trainer at a JJB gym in Cheshire and "is loving every minute of it".
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Kirsty Thorpe (now Kirsty Morgan (2000) sent this update (30.10.11): "I'm now a Chartered Accountant and work as a Senior Finance Officer for Connect Housing Association. I married Tom Morgan (we met at LMU in '98) in 2004 and we had a baby girl (Carys) in 2005, and a baby boy (Owen) in 2007. Family life is amazing, and I'm is lucky enough to have a fantastic employer who has provided all the flexibility a working mum could ask for! We live in Guiseley, Leeds".
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Elena Tooulia (now Elena Tooulia-Efstathiou)(1996) returned to her natice cyrpus after graduation. She is the Public Relations Executive for the Damon Hotel and the Kefalos Beach Resort, both of them being in Paphos. Elena and her husband have two young children, Despina and Sawina. She has been supporting the Tourism courses in Leeds by arranging to take placement students in their properties.
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Dimitra Tsageraki (2003) is in Crete working in the marketing departyment of a hotel chain. Dimitra called in to the City Campus of Leeds Met (Dec '07) to say hello when she was in Leeds for the gtraduation ceremony of her sister at the University of Leeds.
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Katie Tucker-Peake (2005)(now Katie D'Amico Tucker-Peake) got married in the USA in February '07 to Justin D'Amico (photo below). They lived at first about an hour north of San Francisco but moved into the city in June '07. Justin works for a power utility: Katie was awaiting her work permit so that she could put those Leeds Met-acquired skills to use!
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Carl Turner (2003) writes: "It’s been years now since I graduated and have done lots since. For the last couple of winters I’ve been working for Thomson Ski and Crystal Ski (TUI) as a chalet manager which I absolutely loved. For the summer I’m working in overseas recruitment, based in Kingston, London recruiting all new ski staff for the forthcoming winter season." Carl is on the look out for both graduates and placement students.
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Kathryn Turner (2001)(now Kathryn Whitnall) is a Media and Promotions Executive with the Global Travel Group. She is now married to Leigh Whitnall and their son Nicholas Richard was born on 18 September 2010.
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We hear that Stuart Turpin (2000)is a buyer for Tesco and spends much time travelling in Asia.
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Elina Vikmane (2009) has been taking an MSc course at the University of York. She recently (January 2011) achieved her MSc.
Elina writes: "I have just graduated (again). I really enjoyed the very intensive MSc degree in Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental Management. Now I have entered the job market, but I find it very tough to get a job related to one of my degrees. I am still unsure whether it's tourism or environmetal management which interests me more. However, I have just been offered a position back home in Latvia in a travel agency. So I will probably choose tourism... :-). I have been trying to find a job in the UK, but the competition between graduates is very high here, so I am considering going back home".
But hold on - more news [May '11): "I had a change of mind, and decided not to go to Latvia in the end. Instead I got accepted for an internship position in a German university. I am based in Heide - a small town near Hamburg. And the internship is actually tourism related- it is a research assistant's position in a Chinese outbound tourism research centre. The job seems to be really interesting, and I am glad I made this choice in the end. I am staying here till September, and after that would like to stay in Germany for a little bit longer, but time will show. All the best! Elina from Germany".
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Tomy Wadsworth (2006) is now married to Sarah Bowie (2006). Tommy and Sarah emailed as follows: "We are teaching in Thailand for a year, we finish in October and then we might go somewhere like South Korea or Japan, who knows????".
Tom and Sarah moved to Japan where Tom obtained a job with a company not far from Tokyo. When the earthquakes struck they moved back to Britain for a short while but are now back in Japan.
For further news please go to Sarah's postings under the heading 'Sarah Bowie'.
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Rebecca Walker (2002) works in training administration with the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust.
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Andreas Walmsley has completed his PhD. In December 2006 staff and students joined with him in a farewell party at the German Christmas Market in Millennium Square, Leeds. Andreas has moved to a lectureship in tourism at the College of St John in York. Andreas has successfully defended his PhD and will soon receive the formal award.
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Anica Wainwright (2006) travelled for a year. She then joined the Avance Group in Leeds and works in services producrement.
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Wang Yu (known also as Molly) was awarded the 2005 Best Student Doctoral Thesis prize at the annual China Tourism Conference. An inscribed plaque was given to her by the CEO of the Pacific Asia Tourism Association and professors from two Chinese universities at the Conference in Guangzhou in December '05.
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Joe Walker (2004) works on behalf of a travel company, Albatros, in Kent.
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Erin Walsh (2001) is now married to Richard Johnson who she met in the travel industry. He is now working for the Daily Telegraph. The wedding took place on March 5th, 2011, in East Sussex.
"Really pleased, honoured and excited to announce that I am now Head of Marketing for Carnival Cruise Lines, UK & Ireland!"
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We hear that Amy Ward (2003) is now married and busy developing a new audio-studio business with her husband in West Yorkshire. Hope to add more details soon.
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Ian Ward (2003) worked as a member of airline cabin crew, enjoying some long-haul flights to exotic locations. After working for Flyjet he joined Luton-based Silverjet in November '07, but left in June '08 when the company suspended operations.
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Vicky Wardle (2003) is Business Development Executive for the Chester and Cheshire Conference Bureau, based on Chester. The office is actually in the old Chester Railway Station.
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Rebecca Warsalee (2001) is a Client Account Manager at the Nottingham Arena. Bex had a little boy, Zach, in late October '08.
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Unn Werdenhoff (2001) sent this message [12.01.11]: "Stockholm calling in some news!
Since leaving uni I have been working at the Radisson Blu Royal Park Hotel as Director of Sales.
Just over a month ago I started working for Radisson Blu Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre as a project manager for the Congress Centre. We are opening on th 20 January, so hectic days at the moment:)
I got married just over three years ago and have two girls, Wera, aged four and Leah, five and a half years old."
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Katherine Whitbourne-Hammond (2004) has emailed (August '08): " I have been living in Cardiff for two years now - my long term boyfriend (12 years) decided that he wanted to go back to Uni so is studying for an undergraduate masters in Chiropractice - there are only two Uni's in the UK that offer the course, so we decided to move here.
I am working at the University of Glamorgan as a Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator for their conference office - they have a dedicated year round conference venue and then out of the academic term we utilise the teaching spaces for larger conferences. I am currently managing the centre, covering maternity leave, an opportunity that I am really enjoying. I am also studying my Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma, this is paid for by work and they give me time off to go to college and pay for books etc - they are excellent when it comes to personal development. I am very settled here and have made some great friends - I live near Llandaff so it takes about 15 minutes to drive to work and about a five minute drive to Cardiff. Its a great place to live with lots of developments taking place. Andrew has two years left on the course and then no doubt we will up sticks and see some more of the world - I think we both fancy Australia!!"
Catherine White (now Catherine Stubbs)(2003) is working for airline Jet2 based at Leeds/Bradford airport. Catherine is a Route Analyst responsible for monitoring and managing demand on a number of the airline's European services. She also gets involved with setting up new destinations, travelling abroad to liaise with overseas operational partners. And - she has recently got married (2010) to Jonathan Stubbs.
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Julia Whittle (2004) works as a Contracts and Products Assistant. No other details as to who for as yet.
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Kari Wiggen (2007) is back in Leeds after working in Europe. She writes [April '11] "The photo [above] was taken when I worked for a guesthouse in Maria Alm, Austria, a small place near Zell am See. At the moment I am enjoying working for Anthony's Restaurant here in Leeds, I am aiming to go back to Central Europe and manage a fine restaurant there!"
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Chloe Williams (2008) has been appointed a member of the Marriott Hotels HR team and begines work with them in August '08.
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Suzanne Williams (2003) was in touch (June 07): "When I left Uni in 2003 I went to work with BMI Airlines as Cabin Crew, Flying longhaul to lovely places in America and the Caribbean, after which I worked at Camelot Theme Park as their Corporate Sales Co-ordinator (you see I stayed in the tourism industry for a few years after Uni! Ha ha) While I was working in the Sales and Marketing Department at Camelot I decided to change my direction and trained to be a driving instructor, I have been doing this now for nearly a year and am setting up my own School in the next few weeks......Scarey stuff!!!"
January 2012: more news from Suzanne
"I have just been having a look at the alumni website!!! Wow, I can not believe how all the people that started off at leeds met are now all over the world!!!
I thought that I would catch you up on what is happening in my world almost eight years after leaving University!! Has it really been that long!!
After running my own business as a driving instructor for five years I decided to apply to become a driving examiner, which I now am in the Lancashire and Cumbria area. Even though I loved being self-employed I have to admite that being employeed and working with other peple is a lot of fun!! Not to mention I can now take guilt free holidays without worrying about how the blls will be paid!!
I also recently got married (29th December 2011) at the Langdale Chase in Windermere, it was amazing and I never really believed it when people said it was the best day of their life but it really was. Pete and I got engaged just over two and a half years ago at the top of the Empire State Building in New York!!! Magical. We will be going to Las Vegas at the end of the month for our honeymoon.
Some of the ladies from the Tourism course where at the Wedding as well, We stay in touch and try to meet up about twice a year to reminisce about the best times ever that we had at Leeds Met!!"
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Suzer Williams (2006) writes "I now live in South Australia and work for the tourism commission here. The degree was useful in the end!"
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Daniel Wilson (2008) has been in touch (21.07.10) to say he has successfully topped up his Leeds Met HND to get a 2:1 BSc (Hons) Tourism Management degree from Sunderland University.
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Ian Wilson (1996) ran a sub post office/shop near Barnsley for some years. He was last heard of working in the Calderdale area.
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Kimberley Wilson (2007) joined Andy Kirkman and Kelvin Shewry in Indonesia. She was took part in voluntary work organised by tutor Dr Janet Cochrane and it was extremely successful. Kim worked at the Department Of Health as a policy and project assistant for a spell then in May 2009 went off to Australia to travel.
Kimberley has now (March 2011) secured a new job as a project analyst with Lloyds Bank in Halifax.
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Mark Wilson (1998) left the course to work in a skiing resort in the French Alps. We have to record with great sadness that Mark died in an avalanche while snowboarding in January 1999. His funeral in Bingley was attended by a very large congregation which included many of his classmates and his tutors. He was a popular student who had only joined us part way through the course and is much missed.
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Russell Winterbottom (1999) emailed in August '08: "I am business development manager for asia for a growing localization company based in Bangkok. Well, technically Singapore, but that's just for tax reasons and because Thailand is beauracracy gone mad!! I'm over there fairly regularly to see customers and do the obligatory "visa run". At least now I'm in the corporate world those trips are paid for and I get to go somewhere nice. When I was teaching [in Bangkok] it used to be midnight runs to "Poipet" on the border with Cambodia, a god-forsaken place almost seemingly at the end of the world. Thankfully, I'm now done with that trip forever.
The job is going well. I think when I last wrote I had just started and was yet to sign up any clients. Its taken time, basically because I'm learning about a new industry. Localization, if youve never heard of it before, is the altering of products/services for use in different global markets. Most of the time it's just translation, but we also do a lot of voice-over work, flash animation and desktop publishing for brochures etc. I was actually used in a voice-over for one of our projects for the BBC which you may have seen. The BBC produced a documnetary about the troubles in Burma, shown from different perspectives of people living there. I was the voice of a Sikh businessman call U Pan Cha. I'm sure my mum will be re-playing that whenever I'm home!!
A lot of our work is for e-learning companies as they require most of our services. I've signed a few up this year along with some software companies and the biggest money spinner of all, "oil companies". They're translation mad, mainly due to HSE requirements, but they need all documentation to be in every language for all employees. Plus they have bottomless pockets, so money isn't an issue, thankfully. I'm targeting these companies mainly,just so I can get some cash in the bank.
Life's still pretty good out here. I see Simon Sweet every week".
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Carina Wirth (2009; ceremony 2010) returned home to Germany and is working for a theatre project aimed at unemployed people. Carina has been a ballet dancer since the age of five and earlier in July (2010) played the principal role of Prince Citron in 'Cipollino'. The ballet is based on a story by the Italian Gianni Rodari, music by the Russian Karen Khachaturian. It was first staged in Russia in 1973. There were two performances given in the Stadthalle of her home town, Aalen.
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Rebecca Wolf (2011) is excited to have landed a job with Emirates Airline. She will follow in the footsteps - sorry, flight path - of Lucy Collier and Jenny Banyatsi.
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Leigh Worthing (2002) writes: "I am still working as a Market Analyst in London with US market intelligence consultancy IDC. The company supplies services to the IT sector and I deal with organisations such as Hewlett Packard, IBM, Canon and Xerox to name but just a few. The big news, though is that I have also recently become a father to a little girl - we called her Martha". [See the top of this page].
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Mathew Wright (2005) has sent this update (30.10.2011)"I left Whitbread in September 2010 and moved to Telford to live with my partner. Nicola is a Maths teacher at Thomas Telford School whilst I am a Holding GM for Punch Taverns/ Spirit Pub Company. Whilst on our last holiday in Las Vegas I proposed to Nicola whilst we were driving around the Grand Canyon and instead of waiting decided to get married out there. We married on 19th April 2011 in Las Vegas and Elvis was no where to be seen!"
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Lisa Youde (2006) joined Hayes Recruitment Services in Leeds after graduating and then moved to work for an oil-industry firm near to Leeds. In an update [March '11] Lisa says "I'm working at Cameron where I have been for four and a half years. I've been ofered a promotion to work down in Surrey as an HR Specialist at the start of May so will be relocating".
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