Two Liverpool Hope Professors swapped their academic gowns for aprons today, as they went head to head in a Ready, Steady, Cook battle as part of Fairtrade Fortnight's 'The Big Swap'.

Professor Bill Chambers, Pro Vice-chancellor (Widening Participation and External Relations), right, and Professor Bart McGettrick, Dean of Hope's Education Faculty, left, took up the challenge to cook tasty meals made from Fairtrade reasonably priced ingredients that are easy to put together and quick to serve. Fairtrade goods went on sale while the cooking carried on and at the end an excited crowd of staff and students where invited to vote for their preferred menu.

Professor Bill Chambers said:  "I'm excellent at washing up and cleaning dishes.  I'm committed to Fairtrade and have always been committed to developing communities in poorer nations since the age of 18.  I have lectured in Geography so I know about bananas from Ecuador and coffee from Columbia. I'm always concerned they should ger a fair price for their resources."

Professor Bart McGettrick added:  "I was hoping it was haggis!  Its important to think ethically about eating.  It's always right to be reminded of the ethics of eating."

Stephen Pratt, Professor of Music at Liverpool Hope, was interviewed on Radio 4 programme Soul Music on Tuesday 2nd March.

Stephen talked about the relationship between his Violin Concerto and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.  The show is repeated on Saturday 6th March at 3.30pm  or you can listen online HERE. 

Hope's Centre for Christian Education welcomed over 150 PGCE students on Saturday 27th February, for a conference on Teaching in Christian Schools. 

During the day, students and lecturers discussed such questions as 'Why do we have faith schools?' and 'Why do we have Christian schools?' and explored the nature of spirituality and how it can best be supported.

The day's events, including an address by Director of the Centre for Christian Education Andrew Morris (pictured), took place in the Conference Centre on the University's Hope Park campus.

Hope's Centre for Christian Education is a Christian Consultancy for Teachers & Administrators Working in Schools, Colleges & Local Authorities based at the Education Deanery of Liverpool Hope University. The Centre aims:

• To help Christian educators become more familiar with and confident in communicating the permanent truths and practices within the Christian tradition and to enhance their capacity to relate these to constantly changing and challenging contexts, mentalities and opportunities.
• To support Christian educators and schools in their task of providing an education that is distinctive (in promoting discipleship), effective and inclusive.
• To enhance the provision of advanced continuing professional development for teachers in integrating Christian faith with teaching and leadership in schools.
• To develop and to disseminate fresh thinking about the critical appreciation and creative appropriation of Christian tradition that illuminates, inspires, guides and supports educational practice.
• To provide opportunities for personal renewal of teachers (and other adults) working in and for church schools, enhancing their sense of vocation, deepening their motivation, facilitating their mutual support.

Twenty three aspiring Sports Studies students came to Hope Park on 22nd February to take part in a Sports Studies Shadowing Day. The lower sixth pupils, from local schools, met current Sports Studies undergraduates, toured the University's facilities and attended a lecture.

Among those attending were baseball player Rob Vondy and Great Britain Synchronised Trampoline champion Sophie Singleton. Rob (pictured, left), who plays for the British Youth Team, said 'It's been great to meet the students and see round the facilities. I train every day and go to Oxford every two weeks for British Team training. We’re going on a tour of Germany in the future and the European qualifiers are coming up later this year.'

Sophie said: 'My aim is to compete in the Rio Olympics in 2016. I’m also hoping to go to the 2012 London Olympics .