This episode features Martine Croxall (Geography 1990), who as a BBC news presenter has broken major stories to the world. She recalls her student life of home perms and nights out, saying “they would lift a hatch up out of the floor and you would walk down these steps” to a club under the Merrion Centre (28:50).

We check in with a Leeds doctoral fellow, who explains how low-carbon heat pumps could be an affordable way for us all to support a net zero future (12:30).

The bestselling author and historian Helen Rappaport (Russian and Slavonic Studies 1970) tells us about student life in the swinging 60s and how Leeds kindled her passion for Victorian and Russian history (4:15).

You’ll find out why the University chose to name a new building after an inspirational woman who graduated in 1924. Esther Simpson changed the face of UK higher education by devoting her life to rescuing thousands of scholars from Nazi Germany and later fascist regimes (22:07).

And finally, it’s worth listening just to hear the delight in the voices of our alumni who returned to campus this spring to celebrate graduating during lockdown (36:43).

FOREVER LEEDS is a podcast by the University of Leeds Advancement team. Tell is what you think by tweeting @LeedsAlumni and find out more at leeds.ac.uk/alumni

* Presented by Rich Williams and Alba Goskova. Music composed and produced by Japjisingh Valecha. Esther Simpson and graduation conversations by Tom Davy. Audio production by Alex Rees. Produced by Andrew Harrison

Forever Leeds is a Podmasters Production