Political figures swap Westminster for Hallam
22nd December 2015
Two of the biggest names from politics will be swapping London for the north in January to mark two important milestones for Sheffield Hallam University.
Baroness Helena Kennedy will return to the University on Monday 11 January to celebrate the first anniversary of the pioneering centre for social justice and human rights that bears her name. She will be in conversation with Sital Dhillon, director of the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at the University's Heart Of The Campus from 2pm to 4pm. The event is free but tickets must be ordered in advance at the website www.shu.ac.uk/dlc Baroness Kennedy is an expert in human rights law, civil liberties and constitutional issues and received an honorary doctorate from the University last year. A former chair of the British Council, Baroness Kennedy has acted in many of the most prominent British criminal cases of the last 30 years, including the Brighton bombing attack on the then government, the Guildford Four Appeal and the Michael Bettany espionage case. On opening the centre last January, she said the University had a crucial role to play in developing the young lawyers and criminologists of the future, particularly with the new centre's commitment to human rights and social justice. Sital said: "We are delighted to welcome Baroness Helena Kennedy back to the University to cap a remarkable year for our new centre. "We have produced the first substantive research for law and criminology with our Life In Recovery survey, launched an MA in applied human rights and held our first social justice week. "Furthermore, we've brought some of the biggest names in human rights such as Trevor Phillips and Shami Chakrabarti to the University where they have outlined their visions for a fairer world in a time of much worldwide unrest and conflict." Two days later, on Wednesday 13 January, Norman Baker, former home office minister for crime prevention, will launch a new seminar series hosted by the University's Hallam Centre for Community Justice. Baker has now left the corridors of power, written his account of life within the coalition government Against The Grain, and devoted more time to his rock band The Reform Club. The seminar series aims to put a spotlight on criminal justice policy and tickets can be booked at hccj@shu.ac.uk For press information: Laurie Harvey in the Sheffield Hallam University press office on 0114 225 2811 or email pressoffice@shu.ac.uk