We are delighted to welcome back to campus Coventry's Paralympian and History student, Kare Adenegan, as we host the official homecoming celebration ceremony at the Sports and Wellness Hub after Kare won two silver medals at the postponed Tokyo Paralympics 2020 in the T34 wheelchair 100m and 800m events.

Pupils from Bablake and King Henry VIII School were invited to attend the celebratory event as this is where Kare went to school previously. She delivered an inspiring speech followed by taking part in a Q&A session, allowing the children to ask her some questions about her life leading up to becoming a professional athlete, her inspiring story behind why she wanted to become an athlete and to even discuss the innovation behind her wheelchair used for racing.

It was while working on a COVID-19 ward in early 2020 that the idea of a photography project documenting the NHS workers labouring during the pandemic came to Warwick Medical School student Matthew Thompson.

Mya Krishna-Kumar, a first year Maths student at the University of Warwick, was inspired by the weekly clap for carers. She wanted to find a way to connect people with NHS staff, to give a more personal touch. A couple of weeks ago, Mya set up 'Letters for the NHS' – a pairing system where anyone can write to a hard-working healthcare worker.

Major Gary Bilsbarrow, a Senior Lecturer at WMG, University of Warwick in Supply Chain and Logistics Management, has been mobilised as an Army Reservist to Edinburgh to use his expertise to support the Scottish Government and NHS in their fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are many ways in which universities can actively assist in the response to the pandemic.

Many of our staff and students have not just been asking how they can help but they have simply got on and done so. Here are just five of things those colleagues and students are doing now, some of whom are named below.

University of Warwick researchers have shared their knowledge in the development of a new play showing at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. Like There's No Tomorrow has been conceived, written and performed by The Belgrade’s Young Company, and commissioned by the National Theatre Connections programme. Academics from the University of Warwick spent time with the cast and writers of the new production to help feed in and break down scientific facts about climate change and environmental issues. Warwick academics will also join in a panel discussion after the performance.

A new tool to help carers manage the daily challenges of life when caring for a friend or loved one has been presented to the Minister of State for Care at Westminster.

Professor Jeremy Dale of the University of Warwick has met with Caroline Dinenage MP from the Department of Health and Social Care to demonstrate Care Companion, a new online support tool developed by Warwick Medical School to support people with caring responsibilities across Warwickshire and Coventry.

A very special graduation took place in December thanks to the partnership between the University of Warwick and national education charity, IntoUniversity.

The graduation ceremony, for Y6 pupils from Frederick Bird School in Coventry, marked the end of FOCUS week, a five-day programme designed to introduce the youngsters to university-style learning and give them a taste of what higher education is all about.

Working for the University of Warwick is a lot more than teaching and research.

With more than 490 acres across campus to look after it takes a dedicated Estates team to support and maintain our spaces.- and we're recruiting!

Come along to our jobs evening on Wednesday 23 January between 4 and 7pm to find out more about many exciting opportunities in our Estates Department including waste services, post and portering, gardening, grounds maintenance and cleaning services.

You’ll have the opportunity to meet with our recruitment managers, find out more about the university and the role you’re interested in. We will also be holding interviews on the evening for some roles so bring along your CV for the chance to be interviewed.

Find out more about the roles here.

Over the next 5 years, the University is embarking on its next phase of building works, which includes nine development projects.

These include:

• A new Faculty of Arts on the central campus
• A new Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building (IBRB) at Gibbet Hill
• Residences for up to 1,000 students

As these combined projects will give rise to new floorspace and new parking requirements which are not reflected in the 2009 Masterplan, a fresh planning permission is required.

The University is preparing a single hybrid planning application (with some projects submitted for detailed approval and others for outline permission) to cover all nine projects and enable their combined impacts to be considered together. The application will be submitted to Coventry City Council as all projects lie within Coventry’s administrative boundary.

The public science festival, Pint of Science, is coming to Coventry for the first time this year, with experts from the Universities of Warwick and Coventry talking about their research work in a selection of pubs and venues around the city.

● Head down to your local pub to hear talks on everything from making sunscreen to levitating diamonds
● More than 30 scientists to appear in city watering holes, as the world's largest festival of public science talks arrives in Coventry
● Coventry to join nearly 300 cities around the world taking part in this global festival from the 14 – 16 May
● Tickets on sale now at pintofscience.co.uk/events/coventry

Gordon Harris from Solihull has worked in engineering for almost thirty years, and has just gained long-wished-for academic qualifications – boosting his career – after graduating with the first cohort from the Applied Engineering Programme (AEP) at WMG, University of Warwick.

Ashley Pickard from Redditch – who also graduated this week - joined JLR as a structural test fitter in 2012. When the opportunity arose to be sponsored by the company to study for a WMG degree whilst still being able to work, he jumped at it.

Setting crisps on fire, making spinach glow, and detonating hundreds of ping pong balls were just some of the experiments the children attending Warwick’s Christmas lectures were treated to this year.

Mind boggling optical illusions, giant glow sticks, drill-powered umbrellas, and hundreds of bubbles also featured in the interactive shows.

Students from the University of Warwick were among the volunteers working with the Inland Waterways Association and the Canal and River Trust to clear a stretch of the Grand UnionCanal in Leamington Spa at the weekend.

In addition to tyres, fishing line and plastic bags, the team pulled three motorbikes, 28 bicycles and 40 shopping trolleys from the watery depths, as well as several pushchairs, a pram, a complete ‘Pay and Display’ sign on a pole and the street sign for Llewellyn Road.

The Kenilworth Arts Festival will return this month bringing a host of award-winning musicians, best-selling authors and outstanding emerging talent to the town.

The new look festival, now in its second year, is the brainchild of Warwick post-graduate students Lewis Smith and Charlotte Thomas. It runs from 17 – 23 September with events taking place in a range of exciting and intimate venues around Kenilworth.