Staff Development Festival: INN Faculty Day

Today was the faculty day of Innovation North. It was opened by our Dean and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Cath Orange, followed by a keynote speach by Joe Lydon. Joe is a Rugby player, and in his motivational presentation he pointed out how sports can be an inspiration for achieving one's goals. We then had a session of workshops: I attended the workshop by Harriet Wood who gave some insight into the workings and future of our Leeds Met email system. Following this, I attended Victoria Wright's workshop on budgeting proposals and preparing the costing resp. the pricing.



After lunch, Julie Hanson from the marketing firm Brahm Ltd. presented some of the campaigns of that company had developed. This was quite relevant to some of our students for whom this company could be a future employer.

The highlight of the day was the performance by author and poet Ian McMillan. I first was wondering, how a poet would make a presentation. He began without waiting for the introduction, and introduced the introducer himself - who then followed him and introduced him. And then the show started: describing events and what happened to him on various occasions, an avalanche of words poured down onto the audience, in Yorkshire dialect. I got most of it. Very funny indeed!



At the end of his one-hour stand-up show, he composed a poem, about Innovation North, from some line fragments that were shouted to him from the audience. Here is the newly created work:

Innovation North, Innovation North, Innovation North
oh yes!
Pioneering
forward thinking
we're endearing
often drinking
never boring
always thinking
ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
working hard
partner thinking
Fish!
Fish?
Fish!!!


Ian McMillan performing the "Innovation North Poem". (This is my first video bupload ever to YouTube.)

Afterwards, some of his books were on sale at a a stand, and he was present there to sign them.