How Sunderland shaped this Pharmacy graduate 50 years later

Published on 30, September, 2024

In 1974, Colin Ranshaw and his fellow classmates graduated from the Sunderland School of Pharmacy to become pillars in their communities across the country. Now that very class is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year.

Pharmacy has been taught in Sunderland for just over a century and has welcomed thousands of students through its doors.

One of those students from the class of ’74 was Colin, who arrived in Sunderland just in time for the School’s 50^th anniversary back in 1971.

Colin said: “Following a train journey, I arrived at the Galen Building where we registered and met staff.

“The whole building had the palpable aura of so much history about it, you could sense the immense privilege of being a part of this institution. Mr Fred Oliver (Head of School) and Mr Alfie Firth (Deputy Head) were the two stand-out people who welcomed and greeted us.

“We were also shown around the Galen Building by some of the current students through the Sunderland Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (SPSA) and we were invited to join them.”

Colin added: “I will always remember my very first lecture in Pharmacology with Mr Atkinson who welcomed us to the School and his lecture with the following:

“You are here to study Pharmacy, which is a privilege and a greater privilege being at Sunderland.

“We were not there just to do an academic degree but to gain the experience and confidence in leadership as we would become leaders in our communities, whether in the profession of Pharmacy, in local and/or national politics and within the local community as school governors for example.

“I’ll never forget that responsibility that I was given that day.”

Life in Sunderland looked very different for students in 1971. The School of Pharmacy was based in the Galen building where it had been since it had been set up by Hope Winch in 1921 as part of the Sunderland Technical College.

In 1969, the Technical College was incorporated into Sunderland Polytechnic, one of the first of its kind in the UK. Pharmacy students could now access the Polytechnic’s campus, including the halls of residence.

Sunderland Polytechnic, that hosted the School of Pharmacy, later became what we now know as the University of Sunderland in 1992. Now the School of Pharmacy has found its home in the John Dawson Science Complex on the University’s City Campus.

Colin said: “I was a resident in Wearmouth Hall. The Warden was a great man, Mr Peter Hale who also was responsible for moulding us into what we were to become.

“We had a formal evening meal every weekday when we had to dress for dinner with a shirt and tie at our tables and before the official top table walked in, we had to stand. This formality helped me to realise just what a privileged position I was now in, and I was determined not to waste it.”

Colin added: “I was proud to be at one of the best Schools of Pharmacy in the country which excelled not only in the academic field but also in the professional aspect of pharmacy.

“Most of our lecturers who were nationally renowned were registered pharmacists and instilled into me that we were dealing with people, the patients and the care of the patient was paramount whether in the laboratory formulation, a medicine or in the dispensary supplying the medicine.”

In his final year, Colin became the President of the SPSA and then a part of the British PSA, which was recognised as the student body of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) which all Pharmacists had to be a part of to practice Pharmacy.

Colin and the rest of his class graduated in 1974 and went on to have a long career in Pharmacy.

Colin said: “I became Chairman of the Welsh Executive of the RPS and saw Wales through Devolution in 1999. My professional body, the RPS awarded me with a Fellowship and the RPS Charter Silver Medal for my work with them.

“Sunderland instilled into me the wider aspect and responsibility of entering the profession and I was involved with the professional ‘bodies’ throughout my career meeting along the way many Sunderland graduates.

“I spent most of my career in Wales and due to the influence of our lecturers in pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmaceutics, I specialised after 5 years in quality control moving into an All Wales Specialist Principal Pharmacist post 5 years later.

“The work I was involved with was exciting and I was lucky to have a job that I absolutely loved doing. In Wales I kept in touch with many of my contemporaries and became involved with the Hope Winch Society who supported me with arranging a 25th Anniversary for our Class of 74, then it was a 30th, then a 40th and now a 50^th.”

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The Hope Winch Society organises an annual lecture and dinner, which were set up in honour of the founder of the School of Pharmacy Hope Winch and celebrates the long history of Pharmacy in Sunderland.

Paul Carter, Chair of the Hope Winch Society and Senior Lecturer at the University, said: “It’s great that the Hope Winch Society provides the catalyst for our graduates and staff to reconnect and share experiences from their fabulous careers in pharmacy.

“Of course, I’m sure Colin will agree it’s hard to believe that 50 years has passed since he qualified but never really left our wonderful Pharmacy School at Sunderland.

“The good times, laughter, challenges and friendships that we all experienced in our studies have in some way shaped us into who we are today.

“And it continues into the exciting future for our new undergraduates who have just started on their journey. They will not be disappointed.”

Colin will be celebrating his class’ 50^th anniversary, reuniting with his fellow classmates, which they have done again and again over the last 50 years.

Colin added: “My life has been formed and guided by those valuable three years which moulded me for my career, my profession and to my voluntary involvement with my community.

“The friendships made then still exist today, we were a very special year. Of course, I would say that wouldn’t I, as I am sure every year before and since have and do.”

If you are interested in the Hope Winch Lecture and Dinner, find out more here.

And if you are interested in studying Pharmacy at the University of Sunderland, find out more here.