Honorary Fellows 2001

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson OBE

Is Britain’s best-known Paralympic athlete, having preformed at world-class level for the past thirteen years in distances ranging from 100m to the marathon. Tanni’s career has taken her around the world to every major international event. Her thirteen Paralympic medals, eight medal placings in the London Marathon and her comprehensive set of British and World Records make her achievements second to none in the disability sport arena.

Professor Gordon McGregor

Was Principal of the University from 1980 to his retirement in 1995. He served as Education Officer in the RAF and then moved to the post of Resident Master at Worcester College for the blind for two years. He has retained an active interest in the education of blind people and others with special needs. A significant part of Professor McGregor’s life has been spent in Africa, which remains his great passion. He taught in Uganda and Zambia and returned many times to advise on educational matters, even after his retirement. He was vociferous opponent of apartheid and supporter of the ANC.

Catherine Roberts

Is Head of Music at St Aidan’s School, Harrogate. She was a national winner in the Teaching Awards 2000. As a result of her enthusiasm for her subject about a third of the school’s 1600 pupils are involved in the ten ensembles that practise every week. The school’s chamber choir regularly signs for the Daily Service on Radio 4, and played in the finals of the National Festival of Music for Youth.

Ken Ridley

Was a student of York St John in the late 1950s and began his teaching career in York. His subsequent career straddled primary headships and teaching education. He returned to St John’s in 1968 for six years as a Tutor in Primary Education and then again to the University in 1988 as Head of Professional Studies becoming Director of Teacher Education in 1991 and finally Dean of the Faculty of Teaching Professional and Management Studies in 1994. He retired in 1996.