College News: Alumni Reunion 17-19 April 2026

Please see link below for the latest list of attendees for our reunion weekend.

200326 list of alumni attendees for reunion weekend 2026

Epiphany Term News

It's been another busy term for Grey, and we thought we would bring you a brief round up of what we have been up to. 

Professor Sonia Virdee, Principal

LinkedIn

Our college careers mentoring LinkedIn group has been going from strength to strength and now has over 400 members. The group connects students to alumni in relevant careers sectors with the aim of facilitating mentoring interactions. It is also a location for relevant careers opportunities and tips to be posted. A particular highlight of this term has been the careers focus fortnights which have aimed to centre discussions around a particular sector per fortnight.
Our Careers and Alumni Officer also ran a training session in LinkedIn for students to encourage them to join the group and give them some tips on perfecting their profiles. We are very grateful for all our alumni members for mentoring students and offering advice. If you wish to become a member, click here. We welcome all alumni, particularly 2000s-2020s graduates where we have a gap.

Fashion Show

The annual charity fashion show returned to college with the theme of ‘prismatic, a spectrum of light’. The show aimed to explore the human experience through its many emotional colours through a series of walks. The evening proved to be ever popular with tickets selling out and excellent reviews from students.
It has been particularly successful from a fundraising angle with over £10,000 being raised so far for Young Lives vs Cancer. This has been raised through model fundraisers ranging from walking to Seaham to a 12-hour dodgeball challenge. There was also a charity auction of everything from dates to running coaching on the night.

Sports News

Greys long tradition of sporting success has continued strong this term with Men’s and Women’s Hockey winning their Premiership League title. The men’s final was particularly nail biting with a last-minute goal securing the win.
Men’s football managed to finish their season in the Floodlit Final for the first time since 2017. Mixed lacrosse is also through to their Floodlit Final and we wish them the best of
luck for their game on Wednesday. Women’s football is also through to the Floodlit Plate Final.

Choir

Grey choir returned to the Cathedral this term to sing the Shrove Tuesday evensong. It is always an honour for the choir to take part in such a uniquely British tradition. It is particularly special for the choir to sing in the cathedral as it shows that they maintain a high standard of singing while remaining Durham’s largest auditioned choir. The anthem Greene’s Thou Visitest the Earth was particularly beautifully sung, and the choir enjoyed plenty of pancakes after the service.

Grey Goes Green

The Grey Goes Green program has continued this term. This is a program which aims to rewild Grey’s surroundings. The program this term has included bulb planting around the newly built pond and an introduction talk on the program.
We now have two student interns working to support the program and have big plans ahead. These include rebuilding a greenhouse and reestablishing an allotment. Thank you very much to the donors who made this possible.

End of Term Message from the Principal

Please see below for the end of term message sent to all students from the Principal, at the conclusion of Epiphany Term.

Dear Greylings

Whether you live in College or live out, are an undergraduate or a postgraduate, are a mature student, commute from home or are staying in annex accommodation I sincerely hope Grey College and being part of our community has enriched your experience this term. We know we can do more for some students and are always keen to hear from you by email, in person and through our end of year survey next term.

Apologies for the long email, read on if you want to know what College has been doing- all in collaboration with you, our students.  

We have been busy in College and here are some highlights:

• College has made more than 40 funding awards for students to participate in college life (sports, music, events etc) and for students to take up opportunities and experiences that otherwise would be unaffordable. Our alumni fund these bursaries and College works hard to cultivate and communicate with these loyal supporters so students can continue to rely on their generosity in the future.
• Our Opportunities programme has included a package of skills and career facing workshops, often drawing on the input and experience of our alumni who have talked about career routes, run CV workshops and who give direct access to their expertise via our LinkedIn Careers Connections network.
• We have employed talented student interns in our Library, on our Opportunities Programme, in Alumni Engagement and on our Biodiversity Project, helping these students develop skills and shape College initiatives. 
• In keeping with our commitment to sustainability, we have created a new wildlife garden, complete with pond, meadow and native shrub planting, together with bird and hedgehog boxes. Look out for opportunities to get involved, view images from our bird box cameras and learn how to grow your own veg in our new greenhouse!
• College runs the bar, and it has been a great term with events such as the amazing Barfest, made possible our fantastic bar team. We have used the bar to run networking events, student leaders sessions, quizzes and other community events.
• Community dining has been very popular this term, as a chance to celebrate different events and cultures and enjoy an evening of college tradition. Students enjoyed Valentines, Spring Festival and our Sportsperson’s Formal, and it was great to have students on High Table.
• The Student Support team continue to offer welfare events, including crafting, dog walks and relaxation sessions, as well as provide individual support and advice. Don’t miss Cakefest tomorrow at 1pm; eat cake, say hello, perhaps meet some new people!
• We have worked with our students on the Grey College Environment and Sustainability Committee and our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee to hear your views, and to co-create activities and events to turn your ideas into reality.
• Our parthership with the University of Macau has reached a very exciting stage, with exchange students visiting Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College next week for a student-led cultural programme; we are looking forward to hosting the return visit in June.  
• Finally, College has helped to build the MCR, providing an important focus for our postgraduate students, fourth years, and older undergraduates, including those living in annex accommodation at Ernest Place.

In addition, it has been a pleasure to support the fantastic array of events, college sports and socs and other activities run by the JCR, including the fabulous PGN and Fashion Show. I have to mention how chuffed I am at our sporting success in finals week! Grey College sport is thriving, both in participation and achievement. It was great to see so much passion and commitment from teams and spectators alike!

All this would not happen without the dedication of the College team, and our Operations colleagues in food service, housekeeping, kitchen, portering and reception – we are all here to make Grey College a place you can belong and achieve your best.

We will have more next term – look out for the Welcome Back formal and events to help you get through the exam season.

Wishing you all a lovely Easter break!

Sonia