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World-renowned children\'s author receives honorary degree from BG
The first major celebration event to mark the 150th anniversary of Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln takes place on Monday 26 September. An invited audience of Civic, county, University College staff and guests will see the Bishop of Grimsby bless the creation of a new library extension for the University College before an honorary degree is conferred on world-renowned children’s author Morris Gleitzman.
BG was founded in January 1862 as an Anglican women’s teacher training college and will be celebrating its 150th anniversary throughout the 2011/12 academic year. Teaching children to read and inspiring a love of books has been at the heart of BG’s work throughout its history so it is particularly fitting that the anniversary year begins with a focus on the library and on a children’s author.
Work is already underway on an extension which will double the capacity of BG’s library. A blessing on the project will be conferred by the Right Revd David Rossdale, Bishop of Grimsby.
The celebrations will continue with the award of an honorary degree to Morris Gleitzman, author of well-loved and thought-provoking books for older children.
Morris was born in Sleaford, Lincolnshire in 1953. He moved to London when he was two, and emigrated to Australia when he was sixteen. Before realising his literary dreams, Morris worked as a paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, department store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee. Morris began his writing career as a screenwriter, becoming well known for his work in TV comedy. He wrote live stage material for people such as Rolf Harris, Pamela Stephenson and the Governor General of Australia, and for more than a decade contributed a regular semi-autobiographical column to the Melbourne Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.
But Morris is best known for his hugely popular children's books including Two Weeks With The Queen, Grace, Doubting Thomas, Bumface, Give Peas A Chance, Too Small To Fail, Once, Then, and Now. His work is known internationally for exploring serious and sometimes confronting subjects in humorous and unexpected ways. He lives in Melbourne and his books are published in more than twenty countries.
Children from Christ’s Hospital School will join the festivities to meet Morris and hear him read from some of his work. English teacher Tom Cranfield said “We are very pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to one of our top set Year 8 English classes. The group are thrilled with the prospect of meeting Morris Gleitzman and keen to get some tips for their own writing”.
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