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We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievements of John Galloway, co-founder of Speed of Sight, who recently received an Honorary Degree from the University of Salford in July 2024. This recognition is a testament to John’s relentless dedication to empowering individuals with disabilities, allowing them to experience the thrill of driving, through the charity he founded with Mike Newman in 2012. 

Speed of Sight, inspired by Mike’s journey as a blind racing driver, has become a beacon of hope and joy for countless individuals who, due to medical reasons, will never be able to drive legally on public roads. With seven specially designed vehicles, including four racing cars and three all-terrain buggies, Speed of Sight offers exhilarating driving experiences nationwide, making a real difference in the lives of those they support. 

“The University of Salford has been a great supporter helping with placements, volunteers, fundraising, and projects,” John said in his graduation speech, acknowledging the role the university has played in the charity’s success. This support, coupled with the dedication of numerous volunteers and corporate partners, has been instrumental in enabling Speed of Sight to continue its mission. 

On the 12th of August, Speed of Sight hosted a track day at the Three Sisters Circuit, one of the UK’s most versatile race circuits. The event, sponsored by Simple Life, part of the Sigma Capital Group, saw participants, volunteers, and supporters come together to create an atmosphere of excitement, and joy.  

A particular highlight was the incredible achievement of young fundraiser Hannah Bevan, who, with support from ESG Director Niamh Waldron, raised over £1,000 through a sponsored blindfold walk—far exceeding her initial target of £400. The day also featured fun activities organized by the fantastic charity Whizz Kidz, adding even more joy to the event 

As John Galloway reflected, these experiences are about more than just driving; they are about accessing outdoor activities, promoting social interaction, and inclusion. This sentiment was echoed throughout the day, as repeat participants and new faces alike shared in the joy and excitement that Speed of Sight provides. 

As we celebrate John’s well-deserved honorary degree, we also celebrate the impact of Speed of Sight—a charity that continues to change lives, one exciting drive at a time! 

The University of Salford and the Salford School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology are once again indebted to the Haworth Trust for providing the funding to host The Haworth Life Drawing Series and exhibition in this academic year. The Life Class is organised and administered by the BA (Hons) Fine Art programme.  It is now in its ninth year. Founded by Jeremy Haworth in 1990, the Haworth Trust gives financial support to deserving young people with exceptional talent who are determined to make a career in the arts, especially in painting and music.

The Haworth Trust enables the school to host a Life Class for 20 weeks per academic year on Wednesday afternoons and a further 10 specialists ‘Masterclasses’ which take place on alternate weeks on Wednesday mornings.

The Fine Art team have observed a resurgence of interest in traditional techniques of painting and drawing in the last five years. Artists and students alike are reverting to their own bodies as a way of exploring their place in the world. This year approximately 110 students from 10 programmes throughout the school took part in the life drawing sessions.

The Haworth Trust Life Drawing Prize offers students a great incentive to participate in the sessions and a wonderful opportunity to study work, first-hand, in a major European museum/gallery.

The winners and other selected works chosen by the Fine Art team and Greg Fenwick are currently on show in an exhibition at the New Adelphi building.

The exhibition in April was a celebration of the year’s work and awarding of prizes. Historically, the exhibition has been in the old Old Fire Station, but this year, it moved to the New Adelphi building and it was overwhelmingly popular and perpetuated a significant increase in attendance. Feedback from students and academics throughout the building has been resoundingly positive.

 ‘The classes have made a significant difference to the observation skills of the foundation students that attended.  Confidence in mark making gestural and dynamic lines has been much improved. Irrespective of degree the disciple the fundamental fluency of hand eye coordination has revealed itself as key.’ Matthew Morriss, Programme Leader Foundation

Prize Winners 2024

1st Prize Mia Cinus

Mia Cinus 2024

Oil pastel on paper

2^nd Prize Maria Scott

Untitled 2024

Acrylic on found cardboard

Maria Scott

3^rd Prize Okechukwu Ikeme

Untitled 2024

Acrylic on canvas board

Okechukwu Ikeme

Highly Commended

Rebecca Riley

Harry Mfum

Robert McLeod

Elizabeth Hearfield

Kristen Lai

Ruby 2024

Acrylic on canvas

Kristen Lai

‘We are delighted with the level of engagement and the quality of the work produced by our students, and we are looking forward to their ongoing development in the coming years.’

Dr Angela Tait, Academic Fellow, BA (Hons) Fine Art

We are delighted to share the success of Mia Willemsen, the recipient of the newly instated Mark Gardner Award for Journalism, funded by AJ Bell. Mia, a third-year BA Hons Broadcast Journalism student, was honoured with this award for her outstanding writing skills. The AJ Bell Journalism Award, established in memory of a valued colleague, aims to recognise and support aspiring journalists. Mia’s achievement not only highlights her talent but also reflects the dedication and hard work she has put into her studies.

Mia’s winning article, which you can read more about here, impressed the judges with its unique voice, insightful perspective, and engaging style. Her writing not only demonstrated a deep understanding of the subject matter but also showcased her ability to connect with audiences on a personal level. Daniel Coatsworth, Editor at AJ Bell, described her writing as, ‘honest and instantly full of personality.’  Daniel also went onto say, ‘The AJ Bell Mark Gardner Journalism Award was designed to recognise emerging talent at university level and to give the winner a step up by publishing their article in Shares magazine and by providing a financial contribution as they head towards graduation and put their studies and experience to work in a professional environment.

We were very impressed with Mia’s article. It was well-written, informative, and interesting. Mia has clearly thought about how money has shaped her life so far and how it will continue to do so. She referenced the importance of saving for the future while also engaging the reader with an honest and personal account on ADHD and the impact this can have on someone’s life. 

It was an honour to award Mia the AJ Bell Mark Gardner Journalism Award, and we wish her the best of luck with the rest of her university course and starting a career in journalism.’

The award ceremony was held on Friday 16 February at the Media City campus and was marked by speeches from university faculty and AJ Bell representatives. Paul Duckworth, one of Mias lecturer, who presented Mia with her award said, ‘This is great opportunity for Mia to not only get her work published in AJ Bell’s Shares magazine but also to be financially rewarded for her insightful and thoughtful words. Partnerships with our colleagues in industry are central to the work we do in Journalism through work placement and through fantastic schemes like this. Mia’s work will stand as a tribute to Mark Gardner and hopefully kick her start her career.’

This event not only celebrated Mia’s achievement but also highlighted the strong partnership between AJ Bell and the university. It underscored AJ Bell’s commitment to supporting education and fostering talent within the journalism field.

As Mia embarks on her journey as a budding journalist, we are confident that she will make significant contributions to the industry. We extend our congratulations to Mia Willemsen on this well-deserved prize, and express our gratitude to AJ Bell for their ongoing support and commitment to empowering the next generation of journalists.

As we continue to nurture and support our students, we look forward to witnessing more success stories like Mia’s in the future.

To find out more about the ways you can support our students at the University of Salford, visit Giving To Salford.