Tuesday 31st October 2017

Veronica and I were invited to attend lunch in the University followed by the Presentation of Degrees and Awards in Chester Cathedral, and were kindly looked after by Professor Anna Sutton, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University Centre, Shrewsbury. The lunch was hosted by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Timothy Wheeler, who spoke to introduce Lord (David) Willetts, who had received an Honorary Degree during the ceremony in the morning, to which the Chancellor Gyles Brandreth replied. After lunch we walked to the Cathedral and together with the lord Mayor of Chester, we followed an extremely impressive procession of senior academics to a seat by the side of the dais on which the degrees were to be conferred. After the main ceremony during which over 500 degrees were conferred, the Public Orator, Mr Ian Ramussen, made a presentation in respect of each of the two honorary degrees to be conferred on The Very Reverend Professor Gordon McPhate and The Right Reverend Michael Baughen.