The University of Huddersfield was pleased to welcome Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to its Queensgate Campus as part of their visit to West Yorkshire.
The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan (far right), welcomes Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to the campus.
The University was invited to host the Civic Lunch, which welcomed Her Majesty to the town. During her visit, the Queen unveiled a foundation stone for the institution’s new Creative Arts Building.
“We are very proud that the University was chosen as the venue for the Civic Lunch,” said the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan. “As part of her visit, Her Majesty kindly agreed to unveil the Foundation Stone for our new flagship building for the creative arts, which represents an overall investment of £14 million. The new structure, at the entrance to the campus, demonstrates the University’s commitment to provide excellent student facilities, and the institution's important role in the future of Huddersfield as a creative town.”
The Queen is escorted to the Civic Lunch by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan.
Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived at the campus shortly after 12.15pm accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire, Dr Ingrid Roscoe.
On their arrival, the Royal Party were introduced to Mr John Brennan, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, and Mrs Claire Brennan, Mr Rob Vincent, Chief Executive of Kirklees Council, and Mrs Heather Vincent, Cllr Jean Calvert, Mayor of Kirklees, and her consort, Mr Shane Eastwood, and Professor Bob Cryan, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, and Mrs Kathleen Cryan.
The Queen was escorted to the Civic Lunch by the Vice-Chancellor, who in an opening address welcomed Her Majesty to the University. Approximately 70 guests attended the lunch which include leading figures from the town and the University. The Grace was said by the Bishop of Wakefield, The Rt Revd Stephen Platten, who is a member of the University's Governing Council.
The meal for the Civic Lunch - held in the University's Castle Hill Suite beautifully decorated with flowers - was provided by Asian food specialists, the Mumtaz group of companies of Bradford. The Mumtaz specialise in traditional Kashmiri cooking and their chefs, led by Mumtaz Director Mr Rab Nawaz, started early in the University's kitchens preparing a three-course meal 'fit for a queen'.
As well as traditional Kashmiri starters and desert, the Royal Party and guests enjoyed a selection of main-course dishes which included a dish of Lamb and Spinach, Karahi Okra, Paneer Shahi, and Karahi Murgh Makhani. The latter is already referred to as 'The Royal Curry' and is one of the Mumtaz Restaurant's best-selling dishes. The lunch concluded with a short speech from the Mayor of Kirklees, Cllr Jean Calvert. On leaving the luncheon, Her Majesty was introduced to the Mumtaz chefs who had prepared the meal.
Her Majesty is introduced to the Mumtaz chefs who prepared the Civic Lunch.
Before the leaving the University, The Queen unveiled the Foundation Stone for the University's new Creative Arts Building - a £14 million project that will adorn the entrance of the University's Queensgate Campus. Before unveiling the stone, The Queen was introduced to the University's Mr Chris Brown (Chair of the University's Governing Council), Dr Tim Thornton (Dean of the School of Music, Humanities & Media), Ms Emma Hunt (Dean of the School of Art, Design & Architecture), Mr Colin Blair (Director of Estates & Facilities) and Professor John Tarrant, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. Professor Tarrant retired in December last year, but through his foresight and hard work the £14 million venture is now becoming a reality.
Her Majesty unveiled the Foundation Stone to applause from an assembled crowd of University staff and students, who had gathered early and waited patiently for their moment to cheer The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen unveils the Foundation Stone for the University's new Creative Arts Building applauded by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan.
Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh started their visit to West Yorkshire in Bradford by visiting the new Bradford Hindu Temple. As well as touring the building, the Royal Party met fundraisers and community leaders and the designers of the building.
The Royal Party then travelled to the city’s new police headquarters in Trafalgar House, where they toured the building meeting operational staff. They saw a demonstration from the Police Dog Section and unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the building.
Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh went onto Centenary Square for a briefing on the Bradford Regeneration Programme, which will include a short ‘walk-about’. The Queen was given a posy by Lydia Beshenivsky, daughter of Sharon Beshenivsky, the policewoman killed in Bradford in the line of duty last year.
The Royal Party then travelled to Huddersfield and to the University for the Civic Lunch, after which Her Majesty unveiled the Foundation Stone for the University's new Creative Arts Building.
The Queen left the University to visit the ‘Media Centre’, a new facility for start-up businesses in Huddersfield and unveiled a plaque to mark her visit. At the same time, The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Primrose Hill area of the town and toured of one of the eco-houses as well as meeting local residents.
The Royal Party came together again at St George’s Square, Huddersfield, to watch an outdoor concert by Opera North and the Huddersfield Choral Society.
Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh arrive at the University's Queensgate Campus.
Courses at the University of Huddersfield