Meet our 2026 London Marathon runners raising money for Healthy Minds

Posted on by Francesca Mahon

In April 2026, a dedicated team of alumni will take on the iconic London Marathon in support of the University’s Healthy Minds Programme. 

Healthy Minds empowers students to take meaningful steps towards improving their mental and physical wellbeing through a wide range of inclusive, community-focused physical activities. To date, the programme has supported more than 700 students in boosting their confidence, resilience, and overall wellbeing. 

Each of our runners has committed to raising at least £2,500 to help Healthy Minds continue its life-changing work — and you can show your support through their JustGiving pages below.  (more…)

Bristol Voices: Building connections across generations

Posted on by Francesca Mahon
Bristol Voices student and volunteer pair Ruby and Sally sitting at a table in the Wills Memorial Building Reception Room. They are smiling and in conversation with each another.
Image by Bhagesh Sachania.

Since its launch, the Bristol Voices programme has been creating meaningful connections between University of Bristol international students and alumni volunteers. Designed to bring together members of the Bristol community for one-to-one conversations, the programme offers students the chance to hear first-hand about life in Bristol, while alumni can give back in a personal and rewarding way.  (more…)

‘I want to engage fellow alumni in ways that are meaningful to them’: Dee Brecker (BSc 1989), new Chair of the Alumni Association

Posted on by Grace

Dee Brecker (BSc 1989) is a Director at Ten Years’ Time, a philanthropy consultancy that create learning experiences for donors and organisations to interrogate their wealth, unlearn harmful practices and develop holistic and reparative approaches to philanthropy. She’s also a leadership coach and is passionate about supporting people of colour and women at all stages of their professional journeys.

A Zoology student at Bristol in the late 1980s, Dee worked for nature and conservation projects before moving into high-value philanthropy and communications. She’s worked in higher education, the charity sector, government and the arts, leading teams at King’s College London, London School of Economics (LSE), the Cherie Blair Foundation and Carers UK, among others. She is former Chair of Blind Aid and former Trustee at CASE Europe and brings a wealth of expertise to her new role as Chair of the University of Bristol’s Alumni Association. As she looks ahead to her new role, Dee reflects on her time at university and what inspires her work.

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‘Keep your eyes open to every opportunity’: Luke Ellis on sharing wisdom

Posted on by Nura Alyah

Luke Ellis looking directly at the camera, wearing a blue suit

Luke Ellis (BSc 1985) received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol in recognition of his distinguished and impactful career in the City of London and his steadfast charitable work. He sat down to chat with us about his career, his time at Bristol and the advice he would give to future professionals.

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‘Never doubt that you can make a difference’: Luke Gamble on being a vet

Posted on by Kathryn Pintus
Luke is wearing surgical gloves and his Worldwide Veterinary Service shirt, and is operating on a brown and white cat outdoors. The hills and mountains of Nepal are in the background, and Luke is smiling at the camera.
Luke operating on a cat in Nepal.

Luke Gamble (BVSc 1999) is a mixed practice vet and Founder and CEO of the international animal charities Worldwide Veterinary Service and Mission Rabies. He is an entrepreneur, author, adventurer and more, and has featured on Sky One’s Vet Adventures as well as on Animal Planet and National Geographic. This year, he is receiving an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree from the University of Bristol in recognition of the incredible impact of his work in the UK and across the globe. Hear from Luke about his life and career below.

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‘Be bold and don’t be afraid to try something new’: Dr Mike Gunton on his career in wildlife filmmaking

Posted on by Kathryn Pintus
Mike Gunton is standing in the Sonoran Desert in North America, wearing dark trousers, a khaki long-sleeved shirt and a blue cap. He is looking up at the camera, which is high up in a tall cactus, pointing down at Mike. Mike is smiling.
Mike on location in the Sonoran Desert of North America. Credit: BBC Studios/Paul Williams

Dr Michael Gunton (BSc 1979) is a television producer and senior executive at the BBC Natural History Unit. He has worked as an executive producer on a range of award-winning BBC series including Dynasties, Planet Earth II, Galapagos and Green Planet. Mike’s career has seen him travel the globe – often with legendary presenter Sir David Attenborough – and push creative boundaries to further natural history education. We caught up with Mike to learn more about his time at the University of Bristol and his fascinating career.

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Charter Day – Celebrating our Legators

Posted on by Clare

Guests in the grounds of Goldney House at University of Bristol Charter Day 2025

If you have pledged to leave a gift to the University of Bristol in your Will, or have expressed an interest in doing so, you may well be familiar with the annual celebration we hold at the end of May in Bristol, known as Charter Day. We use this auspicious date in the calendar for our flagship celebration of our alumni and friends who are keen to ensure Bristol’s brilliance lives on after they’ve gone.

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Bristol in Conversation: Stories from the Stage

Posted on by Francesca Mahon

This spring, we were honoured to host our third annual Bristol in Conversation event – Stories from the Stage. Held in the heart of Bristol, the evening brought together alumni, staff, students, and friends to reconnect, reflect, and be inspired by the creative journeys of three outstanding alumni working at the forefront of contemporary theatre. (more…)

Bristol alumni and staff recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list 2025

Posted on by Nura Alyah

Buckingham Palace under a bright blue sky

 

We are thrilled to announce that eighteen members of the University of Bristol community have been recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list. 

Each year, the King’s Birthday Honours mark extraordinary contributions made by individuals across the UK. We are immensely proud of the contributions made by members of the University of Bristol community and are delighted to see this recognition of their continued impact.   (more…)

Community Connections 2025: an evening to celebrate our volunteers

Posted on by Francesca Mahon

 

Earlier this year, we welcomed alumni volunteers, students, and staff to the Wills Memorial Reception Room for our annual Community Connections event – an evening dedicated to recognising and celebrating the remarkable contributions of Bristol’s alumni volunteers.

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