Meet the Durham graduate who first broke the Post Office accounting story 
Many of you will have watched ITV's gripping drama 'Mr Bates vs the Post Office', the story of the postmasters who were wrongfully accused of being responsible for alleged shortfalls in their Post Office accounts. What you may not know is that Rebecca Thomson, who attended St Mary's College, was the first to expose the miscarriage of justice, 15 years ago. Find out more about her time at Durham and her work here.

Update on development of Boldon House
Our work to refurbish Boldon House in Pity Me has now started. We hope to have all work completed on the building, which was formerly Northumbrian Water's headquarters, by December. Once completed, it will provide an office space for a range of our professional services. Read more about the plans here.

Our commitment to sustainability and protecting the future of the planet
We have made great strides to become even more sustainable, but want to do even more to ensure we hit key targets we have set for the coming years. We want to work with residents to ensure County Durham remains the very special place we all know it to be. Read more about our plans in an article from our Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen O'Brien here.

Get involved with our Durham Global Week
Our Durham Global Week will take place from 24 February to 3 March, with a diverse range of events available to enjoy. Highlights of the week will include the Lunar New Year celebration at the Oriental Museum and the WorldFest at Durham Students' Union. We will also have guest speakers, film screenings, concerts, workshops and more. Find out more here.

Nominate your employees and colleagues
Our Student Employee of the Year Awards will return once again later this year, recognising and celebrating the achievements of our students who combine their studies with part-time work. If you have an employee or a colleague you think deserves this recognition, please do get in touch as there are a host of categories to choose from. Likewise, we also look to honour employers who provide valuable work experience opportunities for our students so please do get in touch. Find out more here

Regenerating County Durham through arts, science and culture
We are working with Durham County Council and the Culture Durham Partnership to help put culture at the heart of regeneration in the county. The partnership has secured £1.25million 'Place Partnership' award, which will go towards the 'Into the Light' programme which will see a host of world-class events and community-lead activities held in the county in 2025. Find out more here 

• Our students will be putting on a number of globally inspired performances throughout February. Returning to the bright lights of the Gala Theatre on 6 February, don’t miss your chance to see reigning national a cappella champions, Northern Lights. You can also be treated to the musical, ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ musical, brought to you by student-led Tone Deaf Theatre Company at the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre from 22 - 24 February. See the full schedule here.
• You're invited to our high-profile 7 February panel discussion entitled: 'Culture and Knowledge: Growing opportunities'. The event will explore the role of culture in the regeneration of the North of England, chaired by the Financial Times' Northern Correspondent Jen Williams and with a panel featuring our Vice-Chancellor and UK leaders in culture, higher education, government and innovation. The event is free and will take place at our Teaching and Learning Centre with the doors opening at 6pm. Find out more here. 
• Please be aware that Durham will be busier than usual on 14 February as we are holding the first of three Post-offer visit days we have planned over the next few months. The first of these will take place on 14 February from 9.30am until 4.30pm. These events attract people from far and wide and give those with an offer from our University the opportunity to come and explore our facilities and the city to see if we are the perfect fit for them. Find out more here.
• Team Durham Holiday Camps is a fun-filled, active school holiday scheme for children from the ages of 5 to 16. Camps are held at our Sports and Wellbeing Park with the next one taking place in the February half-term from 19-23 February. Dance is full but there are limited places available on the multi-sports. Visit the Team Durham Holiday Camps Facebook page for booking information.
• Our Oriental Museum will play host to this year's Lunar New Year Lantern Festival on 24 February from 6pm-8pm. With it being the Year of the Dragon, there will be a number of special dragon-themed crafts and trails as well as a chance to enjoy some traditional dragon dancing.
• Remember you can find details about all of our visitor attractions and their opening times here.