Dame Kelly Holmes Goes Back To Uni

By Amy Woodfield, 10th November 2011, 17:42

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Double gold Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes has opened the University of Bedfordshire’s new Campus Centre and student accommodation in Luton.

Dame Kelly unveiled special plaques in the £34m Campus Centre and nearby £40m Fitzroy Court.

The University was the first University in the UK to become an associate sponsor of Dame Kelly’s charity, DKH Legacy Trust last year and is continuing its support for a second year.

Dame Kelly, who visited the Bedford campus in the summer to lead a special community event for young athletes and their families, said: “The University is passionate about giving students every opportunity to be the best they can be and has been so supportive of my charity the DKH Legacy Trust."

Vice Chancellor Professor Les Ebdon CBE DL said: “We are excited and delighted that Dame Kelly officially opened our Campus Centre and neighbouring Fitzroy Court.  It is an honour to welcome such a special guest and I am thrilled. I am also delighted that the University is continuing to support Dame Kelly’s charity.”

 As part of the sponsorship the University will host a second, special community event next year for young athletes and their families where they will have the opportunity to be coached by a team of world-class athletes.

The £34m Campus Centre and £40m Fitzroy Court are part of the University's £180m investment in new facilities. The Campus Centre, which opened its doors last October, boasts a state-of-the-art, 240-seat lecture theatre with smaller seminar and group study rooms as well as social space.

Fitzroy Court, which welcomed its first students at the end of September, includes extensive communal areas for residents, which shows the University’s and its accommodation partner Campus Living Villages’ commitment to student experience and study success.