29^th August 2006

UNIVERSITY HONOUR FOR EDUCATION PIONEER

The founder of the Children’s University in Hull is to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Lincoln in recognition of his services to education.

The name of John Buttrick is synonymous with education throughout the city thanks to the sterling work he has done to raise the educational aspirations of Hull schoolchildren.

The Children’s University, which was launched in 1997, has helped thousands of Hull schoolchildren to improve their literacy and numeracy skills through out-of-school mentoring.

The scheme was launched in the Gipsyville area of Hull and aims to stimulate children and encourage them to love learning through sport, music, theatre, photography, drama, television, radio and opera.

Initially John supported the Children’s University part-time but he was appointed full-time project manager in 1998.

His organisation has worked with closely with the University of Lincoln and the University of Hull to raise educational aspirations in the city. In 2004 he received the Sieff Award for Community Excellence from the Prince of Wales at the Royal Albert Hall.

He was a member of the steering group which supported the Government in the creation of the very first Children’s Parliament at the House of Commons in Westminster in 2000.

So far the Children’s University has involved 35 schools, 7,000 Hull children, 2,000 mentors, 70 businesses and 120 teachers and has generated over 20 million extra hours of unpaid work to raise the aspirations of Hull’s children.

John Buttrick will receive an honorary Doctorate of Arts during an undergraduate awards ceremony at the Kingston Communications Stadium at 2.30pm on Wednesday 6^th September.

For more information contact:

Jez Ashberry, Press and Media Relations Manager

01522 886042 07843 658943 jashberry@lincoln.ac.uk

Visit our news web pages: www.lincoln.ac.uk/news/latestnews.htm