Honorary Fellows 2025
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Welcome
Welcome to the 2025 Honorary Fellows Ceremony.
It is always a wonderful occasion to see so many of Royal Holloway's friends gathered together as students, colleagues, Honorary awardees and advocates to welcome our new Honorary Fellows, a reminder of the supportive community we have and the many different ways in which this University has reached out and touched people's lives.
We are joined today by the Mayor of Runnymede, Councillor Margaret Harnden, and the High Sheriff of Surrey, Peter Cluff. These civic partners reflect the importance we place on our contribution to Runnymede, Surrey and the communities of which we are a part.
We are also grateful to be joined today by Madelaine Gray, Vice-President (Education) of the Students' Union. Our Students' Union is such a vital part of the life and growth of the University.
And inspiring too to see so many remarkable Honorary Fellows and colleagues.
Today we celebrate four new Honorary Fellows; Sarah Jane Chimbwandira, Father John Dickson, Nicholas Perryman and Kehinde Ojo.
Please enjoy the ceremony and do join us for the reception and buffet supper afterwards. We look forward to speaking to many of you tonight and in the future.
The Rt Hon The Baroness Hodge of Barking DBE PC
Chair of Council
Professor Julie Sanders
Vice-Chancellor and Principal -
The order of procession
- Bedels
- Chaplains
- University Secretary
- Heads of Academic Departments
- Executive Deans
- Executive Directors
- Pro Vice-Chanellors
- Honorary Fellows
- Honorary Fellows elect and Orators
- Mayor of Runnymede
- High Sheriff of Surrey
- Vice-President of the Students’ Union
- Mace Bearer
- Vice-Chancellor and Principal
- Chair of Council
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The ceremonial mace
The ceremonial mace was created by Elizabeth Matthews, a local goldsmith. The design symbolises the Victorian heritage of Royal Holloway College and Bedford College and represents the University’s commitment to excellence in all its areas of activity.
It is based on the Octagon in the centre of the Founder’s Building. The head of the mace, knobs and handholds are in gold-plated silver and the shaft is made of rosewood; this represents the contrast of the red brick, characteristic of the Founder’s Building, with the Portland stone of the Octagon. The University crest has been embossed in enamel onto the floor of the replica of the Octagon.
A university mace serves as a representation of the authority of the University. It is most notably used at graduation ceremonies and other official occasions, such as the Honorary Fellows ceremony.
Today's Mace Bearer (blue and orange gown) is Dr Nigel Rata, Director of Information Technology. The Mace Bearer is assisted in the procession by two Bedels. Today's Bedels (purple and silver gown) are Tana Randle, Graduation Events Coordinator, and Sarah Tridgell, Graduation Events Manager.
During the procession look out also for the large brooch worn by the Vice-President (Education) of the Students' Union. This brooch was worn by the President of the Bedford College Union Society during their year of office, a tradition which continues today at all Royal Holloway graduations and Honorary Fellows ceremonies. -
Opening remarks, welcome and presentation of the new Honorary Fellows elect
Procession
Welcome
Presentation of Honorary Fellows
Sarah Jane Chimbwandira
by Dr Sarah Papworth
Department of Biological Sciences
Father John Dickson
by Helen Groenendaal
Director of Student Life
Music from the Choir of Royal Holloway
Nicholas Perryman
by Professor Tracy Bhamra
Provost and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global)
Kehinde Ojo
by Professor Klaus Dodds
Executive Dean, School of Life Sciences and the Environment
Response on behalf of the Honorary Fellows by Kehinde Ojo
Closing remarks
Please join us for the reception and buffet supper in the Picture Gallery after the ceremony. -
The Choir of Royal Holloway
The Choir of Royal Holloway is considered one of the finest mixed-voice collegiate choirs in the country. The 20 choral scholars that constitute the University's Chapel Choir undertake a busy schedule of services, concerts, tours and recordings.
Procession
I was glad
Sir Hubert Parry (1848-1918)
Muscial interlude
All creatures now
Sir John Stainer (1840-1901)
Flora’s Queen
John Bennet (1575-1614)
Recession
Allegro maestoso, from Sonata V
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Luke Cherry, Senior Organ Scholar
Rupert Gough, Director of Choral Music -
Sarah Jane Chimbwandira
Sarah has always been fascinated by science and nature, and this was reinforced by her time as a Zoology undergraduate at Royal Holloway. After graduating, her career path was varied and included time spent as a riding instructor and science teacher at a secondary school in Malawi, before returning to the UK to complete an MSc in Environmental Management. Her 26 years at Surrey Wildlife Trust culminated in her becoming CEO in February 2019.
At SWT, her focus has been on impactful partnerships and innovative projects, co-authoring the ‘Natural Capital Investment Plan for Surrey’ and more recently chairing Nature South-East to support landscape scale recovery. She leads SWTs mission to create a connected landscape of hedgerows, rivers, and green spaces and is particularly interested in the intersection of nature, economy and technology, exemplified by the £1.5M Space4Nature project, as well as in the emerging area of nature investment markets. -
Father John Dickson SDB
Father John was born in Iran of Scots parents. He was brought up in Ireland and the West of Scotland, which he considers his home. He has degrees in Modern History and Economics from Oxford, and Theology from Durham, and completed his PhD in Ecclesiastical History on the history of the Salesians in England. His professional qualifications include Pastoral Care and Counselling, and in school leadership, the NPQH and NLG.
Father John has taught in schools and universities since his ordination and came as Catholic Chaplain to Royal Holloway in 2012, which he describes as ‘the best job I ever had’. Working as part of an Ecumenical and Multi-faith Chaplaincy Team offered him the opportunity to reach out to students and staff, right across the campus and he especially loved Royal Holloway’s rich choral tradition and working in Insanity Radio, the student radio station. -
Nicholas Perryman
Nick’s connection to Royal Holloway began in 1994 as an undergraduate reading Psychology. After a fulfilling time here, he started a career in investment and wealth management at a small firm in Mayfair and completed professional qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.
In 2002, he joined the world’s largest wealth management firm, UBS, initially as a client advisor. He rose through the ranks, becoming their youngest managing director globally in 2010 and head of international wealth management in London in 2014, the same year that he became a member of the University Council. During this period, he completed an MBA and MSc in Organizational Psychology both from the University of London.
In 2020, he became CEO of a global non-profit, but his passion for investing remained and he joined a growing global wealth management business as vice chairman at the start of 2025 based back in Mayfair where his career started. -
Kehinde Ojo
Graduating from Royal Holloway in 2021, Kehinde joined the Freedom Fund in July 2023 as a research assistant and in April 2024, started a new role as Program Officer, working within the Movement Building portfolio as part of the Survivor Leadership Fund and Corporate Accountability teams. Kehinde is passionate about amplifying survivor voices and ensuring that lived experience is incorporated in the anti-slavery sector. She is a member of the Survivor Alliance advisory board where she actively contributes to ongoing research. She is also a member of The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET) and co-chaired the organisation’s conference aimed at raising awareness of negative experiences in government funded safe houses.
Kehinde is particularly interested in advocating for better access to education for survivors and helps individuals with information and support to participate in education. Kehinde also mentors children and young adults, a role she has held for over 15 years. -
Honorary Fellowships
Honorary Fellowships of Royal Holloway, University of London are awarded to people who have shown loyalty and commitment to the University.
Taken from the colours of Bedford College, the purple and green are a reminder to everyone present of the pioneering history of both Bedford and Royal Holloway Colleges, two of the first colleges in the world providing higher education to women.
All members of the University community including students, staff, alumni, Council members and honorary awardees, are invited to submit nominations for these awards. To see a full list of the University’s Honorary Fellows and Honorary Graduates, and to find out more about nominations visit royalholloway.ac.uk/honoraryawards -
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We invite our Honorary Fellows and Honorary Doctors to join us each year for this ceremony, as well as a number of other occasions throughout the year.
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