Jack Morris OBE receives honorary degree
29 Nov 2006
30 November 2007 ---- At a graduation ceremony held yesterday at Southwark Cathedral, Business Design Centre Group Chairman Jack Morris OBE was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from City University London.
Jack received the honorary doctorate, for services to education in Islington. He is Chair of Governors of City & Islington College.
Jack comments,
“I am absolutely delighted to be receiving this award and warmly thank City University London for awarding me this honour. I particularly appreciate the further recognition it has brought to City & Islington College by acknowledging the marvellous work they do in delivering world-class education and training to students from Islington and beyond. My whole family are also delighted for me, particularly my mother-in-law who always hoped her daughter would marry a doctor!”
This prestigious distinction follows Jack’s dedication to further education previously being recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2005 when he was made an OBE.
Jack is Chairman of the Business Design Centre which prides itself on playing a vital role in the local community. The Centre, hosts over 80 exhibitions and 250 conferences every year, is home to over 100 different businesses, and sees over half a million people pass through its doors each year.
Jack’s passion for the community and his promotion of education has seen him made an Honorary Freeperson of the London Borough of Islington, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and has led him to get involved in many voluntary and charitable activities.
In 1992 he became a Governor of City & Islington College and its Chair of Governors four years later. Using his business expertise, City & Islington College’s education facilities have been transformed by a £65m building programme – the largest undertaken in the history of further education in the UK. In 2004 City & Islington College became London’s first general further education college to be judged “outstanding” by Ofsted, and is now ranked within the top ten in the UK. In December 2005 the college was also awarded national Learning and Skills Beacon status.
Jack is also a member of the Ministerial Standing Group on Further Education, and the Mayor of London’s Skills & Employment Board, a body established by the Mayor to tackle the challenges of skills shortages and worklessness in the capital.
He has been closely involved with such charities as the Anne Frank Trust UK, of which he was Chairman from 1999 to 2003. Inspired by the diary and life of Anne Frank, the trust educates people – particularly young people – to reject prejudice and social injustice. He is also Chairman of the Morris Charitable Trust, a charity funded by the Business Design Centre Group. The trust supports local community projects and numerous other charities.
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Note to editors:
Business Design Centre Group & Morris Charitable Trust:
The Business Design Centre Group (BDC Group), was founded in 1954. Today it is still a majority-owned family business, chaired by Jack Morris.
The Group's activities include operation of the Business Design Centre (BDC), event organising (Upper Street Events) and property investment (citycentral estates and City North Islington).
The BDC, formerly The Royal Agricultural Hall, was rescued from demolition in 1981 by the Morris Family and was fully restored and re-opened as the Business Design Centre in 1986 as the UK’s first integrated trade, exhibition and conference centre, hosting over 80 major trade and consumer exhibitions, 250 conferences and attracting over 500,000 visitors annually. The venue is also the permanent home of over 100 design-led showrooms and offices.
Upper Street Events (formerly BDC Events), was developed to create a portfolio of events to compliment the array of showrooms residing in the BDC and to drive greater numbers of visitors to the venue. Today Upper Street Events operates as an independent organiser running a number of events in several venues in the UK.
citycentral estates owns and manages an investment portfolio comprising of offices, retail, light industrial and car parks. Its sister company, City North Islington also owns a 2 and a half acre business park adjacent to Finsbury Park underground and rail network.
The Morris Charitable Trust was established in 1989 to provide support for charitable causes. It was founded by the Morris Family owners of the BDC Group. The Group contributes a proportion of its annual profits to facilitate the Trust's charitable activities. The Trust is run by a board of Trustees who provide their services on a voluntary basis.
For further Information please contact:
Carly Melzack
Communications Manager
Business Design Centre
Tel: 020 7288 6547
Fax: 020 7288 6444
Email: carlym@businessdesigncentre.co.uk
Web: http://www.businessdesigncentregroup.co.uk/
Web: http://www.morrischaritabletrust.com/
City University London:
City University London was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute and was awarded full university status in 1966. Today the University is renowned for its international focus, the employability of its graduates (5th in The Times Good University Guide 2008 for graduate prospects tables) and its links with business and professions.
The University is made up of seven schools based in and around the City of London: School of Arts, School of Informatics, School of Social Sciences, School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Cass Business School, The City Law School and City Community & Health Sciences.
For further information please contact:
Helena Clay
Assistant Press Officer
City University London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7040 8788
Fax: +44 (0)20 7040 5555
Email: Helena.Clay.1@city.ac.uk
Web: http://www.city.ac.uk/
City & Islington College:
City & Islington College's teaching and learning has been rated as outstanding by Ofsted and has been awarded Beacon status by the Learning and Skills Council for its excellent leadership and management.
Over 14,500 students are welcomed to City & Islington College from a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities and age groups. Some are working towards university, while others are improving basic skills. There are adults gaining qualifications to support their career development and a growing number of students are involved in foundation degrees and work based training.
For further information please contact:
Ben Cowley
Marketing Communications Officer
City and Islington College
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7700 8640
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7700 8626
Email: ben.cowley@candi.ac.uk
Web: http://www.candi.ac.uk/
The Anne Frank Trust:
The Anne Frank Trust draws on the power of Anne Frank’s life and diary to challenge prejudice and reduce hatred, encouraging people to embrace positive attitudes, responsibility and respect for others. This is done through exhibitions and workshops in multi-ethnic inner London schools, communities throughout the UK and prisons. The Trust also recognises young people who have made a positive difference to those around them with the Anne Frank Awards.
For more information please contact:
Gillian Walnes
Executive Director
Anne Frank Trust
Tel: 020 7284 5858
Fax: 020 7428 2601
E-mail: gillian@annefrank.org.uk
Web: http://www.annefrank.org.uk/
Images available on request
