Dunelm Society

Dunelm Society (formerly DUSada - Durham University Society Association for Durham Alumni) is the main association for former Durham students in the UK. It has no college or departmental bias, and all are welcome to come along to its events and activities. The Association is partly supported by the Alumni Office at the University, thereby removing the need for membership fees. This means that all alumni are automatically members and encouraged to get involved.

Dunelm Society helps to organise Convocation, which is a forum to represent the views of the alumni community to the University authorities, to create opportunities for alumni to meet and connect with each other in the UK, and to support the University's development goals. Dunelm Society also aims to raise the profile of Durham and celebrate its successes.

Convocation and the associated Annual Dinner have historically been held in Durham. But with so many of our graduates finding jobs in London, relocating this event to the capital has helped us to ensure we have a quorum of alumni.

History

Durham University Society was formed in 1866 to create a consensus of opinion across the graduate community and to represent those views to the University authorities. Its name was changed to Durham University Society in 1921 after a lull in activity during the First World War. Largely based in London at the time, it expanded nationally during the 1950s.

After much lobbying, it was agreed that there should be more involvement of former students in the governance of the University. This led to the Chair of the Society being invited to sit on Council with Howard Phelps being the first to fulfil this role in the mid-1980s.

In 2009, DUSADA became Dunelm Society to part of a global renaming strategy for all volunteer networks. In future, all alumni who have banded together around the globe will be formalised into country chapters, as in Dunelm Society China, Dunelm Society Australia, Dunelm Society Argentina and so on.

Officers

Sir Thomas Allen - Patron 
Chancellor of Durham University

Chris Moore - Chairman
Email chris@schrodingerconsulting.co.uk
Mob 078 3838 0495

Philip Barnes - Treasurer
Email philip.barnes3@baesystems.com
Mobile 07808 928 989

Graham Barker - Chairman of Social Committee
Email graham.barker50@btinternet.com

Stephen Gardner - Former DUSada Chairman