Season’s greetings from Green Templeton!
Wishing happy holidays to everyone!
Our artist-in-residence Weimin He has produced this beautiful image of our iconic Radcliffe Observatory, entitled ‘The Tower of Hope’, to mark the end of Michaelmas 2020.
‘Tower of Hope’. Weimin He, 2020
It has been an unusual year for everyone and we wish a peaceful, happy holiday to all members of our community and a wonderful New Year.
We appreciate this year may be especially difficult for those unable to visit family and friends. We are also mindful the challenges that COVID-19 brings will not take a break over the holidays, so the college is providing full welfare support across the vacation. Find out more about welfare support at Green Templeton over Christmas.
All the latest updates from Green Templeton on COVID-19 can be found here.
As we wind down to the end of the year, you may be interested to look back on our news archive for 2020 and revisit college highlights such as our Giving Day, the Photography Competition 2020, and the launch of our #DIFFERENTEQUAL campaign to promote inclusivity and raise awareness about racism.
The college also welcomed a new Principal earlier this year. Sir Michael Dixon, former Director of the Natural History Museum, joined the college in September. Read our first interview with Sir Michael on his early thoughts on joining Green Templeton.
Of course, much of this year has been dominated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Our college community has contributed to the coronavirus challenge in a variety of ways. More about Green Templeton Fellows’ work around COVID-19 is available here, while our Alumni CoVoices pages detail how alumni have been aiding with the pandemic and how their lives have changed.
Finally, if you have some free time over the holidays why not try out a recipe from the Green Templeton kitchen? Our Head Chef Chris Lyford has recommended some delicious and simple recipes to whip up at home!
We look forward to seeing you all in Hilary!
Update 23 December
From Saturday 26 December at 00:01 Oxfordshire will be in Tier 4 (Stay at Home) of the UK Government local restrictions. All indoor facilities will be closed at from that point until further notice.
✨ Come behind the scaffolding with us.
We were given rare access to the Radcliffe Observatory restoration project, climbing onto the roof to see the incredible conservation work taking place behind the scenes.
From spectacular views across Oxford to the Observatory`s intricate zodiac carvings, we discovered details that are normally hidden from view.
Join us as we explore one of Oxford`s most iconic landmarks!
Earlier this summer, we were delighted to welcome audiences to our inaugural Garden Play, with a series of sold-out performances of Shakespeare`s `As You Like It` set in our beautiful college grounds.
Our gardens became the Forest of Arden as students, staff, alumni and the wider Oxford community came together to enjoy open-air theatre in a truly unique setting. Even better, the production has received fantastic reviews from Oxford`s student press.
A huge thank you to everyone who performed in and supported this wonderful initiative.
These peaceful moments around college were captured by work experience student Izzie.
They celebrate the beauty of the college gardens and the simple joy of taking a closer look!
Thank you Izzie for sharing your perspective with us 🌸
Many congratulations to this year`s Nautilus Award winners! 🎉
These annual awards celebrate the exceptional contributions our students make to the Green Templeton College community.
Read all about the winners in our bio! ✨
As conservation work continues on the Radcliffe Observatory, we were delighted to climb to the very top of the impressive scaffold and enjoy a unique perspective on this iconic landmark.
Along the way, we uncovered some fascinating details—and a few cheeky surprises—carved into parts of the stonework. ✨
These hidden marks offer a glimpse into the stories, craftsmanship, and personalities that have become part of the building’s rich history. Stay tuned as we continue to share more behind-the-scenes moments from this remarkable conservation project.
