Clare College

24/06/2026

Happy Birthday Forbes Mellon Library! 🎉

Last Friday, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Clare's Forbes Mellon Library.

The event began with an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday sung by students, followed by guests enjoying beautifully decorated book‑themed cakes. The one pictured is inspired by materials held in our Fellows' Library, which feature in our Library Blog series here: https://stories.clare.cam.ac.uk/library-dictionarium-morale/index.html 🔗

The Library and Archives team curated a special display exploring the history of the library, and several Fellows who remembered its construction in 1986 were among those who joined the celebration. Attendees also picked up some custom library souvenirs to take home.

Thank you to everyone who came along and helped mark this special library milestone!

23/06/2026

📖 Have you seen the latest issue of Clare News?

Issue 44 of our annual magazine is now out — a special 700th‑anniversary edition filled with stories, insights, and reflections on the celebrations so far, along with a look back at Clare’s remarkable seven‑century history.

Inside this issue, you’ll find:

🔹Highlights from our 70 for 700 exhibition
🔹A feature on how Clare’s gardens have evolved over time
🔹Insights from Fellows Ruth Watson and Fellows Librarian Timothy Chesters
🔹Postgraduate students discussing their current research
🔹Interviews with some of Clare’s longest‑serving staff members
..plus many more stories and updates from across our community!

🔗You can read the digital magazine here: https://stories.clare.cam.ac.uk/ClareNews2026-Homepage/index.html

22/06/2026

Monday Moment 🌼

Clare’s river beds in full bloom — a stunning explosion of colour!

📸 Alyson Tapp, former Fellow and Gardener

20/06/2026

Clare students produce the podcast The Feminist Files, a podcast dedicated to broadening access to activism, policy, and scholarship🎙️

A recent episode features an interview with Dr Isabelle Higgins, Director of Studies at Clare and newly promoted Senior Teaching Associate (Grade 8). The episode, 'The Sociology of the Internet', discusses her PhD research on race and online representation, as well as her developing research interests.

The podcast is hosted by a team that includes current Clare undergrads Asha, Rosie, and Sophie. They were also recently awarded Student Podcast of the Year 2026 in February at the iNHouse Communications Political Podcast Awards.

🔗You can listen to their recent episode with Dr Higgins here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3annN6AKDnDLSQ7tchbpsl?si=54716a33bd1845b1.

19/06/2026

As You Like It 🌙 — Clare Sunken Gardens

The annual May Week play, ran by Clare Actors, Clare's student theatre society, returns to Clare’s Sunken Gardens next week on the 23, 24, and 25 June. This year’s production reimagines Shakespeare’s 'As You Like It' and is open to all Clare members.

'Be transported into the magical, metatheatrical world of As You Like It as Rosalind, our female theatrical director and writer, escapes to Arden, the forest of the arts, after her Uncle Frederick usurps her father's position as Artistic Director in their theatre. In this non-conforming theatrical space, you, our audience are welcomed into Rosalind's creative fantasy as she claims her place as a theatre-maker and centres her own experiences as director against the backdrop of the narratives and characters of her vision. She shapes and directs her own love story with wannabe actor Orlando, but also acts as the puppet master behind all of our characters as they remain lost in love.'

🔗You can find information and tickets on asyoulikeit_clare2026 on Instagram.

Poster design: Laura Brink

18/06/2026

🎉Congratulation to two Clare alumni who have been recognised in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours

Julia Pyke (1986) has received a CBE for services to the UK nuclear energy industry and other clean energy technologies. Julia is Joint Managing Director of Sizewell C Ltd. Before this, she was the Head of Power and Renewables for the UK, US, and Europe at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, where she led a team advising on power projects, focusing on defence, nuclear decommissioning, and transport sectors. She is a Fellow of the Energy Institute and an Honorary Fellow of the Nuclear Institute. You can about Julia's work at Sizewell C in an interview with Clare News: https://stories.clare.cam.ac.uk/ClareNews2025-julia-pyke/index.html 🔗

Professor Mark Poznansky (1986) has received an OBE for services to UK–US biomedical research and collaboration. Mark is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. Professor Poznansky established the MGH/Harvard Internship, through which Clare students undertake a 12-week summer placement at these leading international institutions. The programme has now been running for more than 20 years.

📸Mira Lakhani (Clare Undergrad)

17/06/2026

70 for 700 – June Features

The latest instalment of 70 for 700 highlights another seven individuals who have played a part in Clare’s history.

This month's entries include Agnes Lewis Smith, the second of the Castle Brae sisters; the Protestant reformer Hugh Latimer, who was burned at the stake; and Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sir Tim Hunt.

🔗You can discover our June collection via the link here: https://stories.clare.cam.ac.uk/70-for-700/index.html. New stories are added each month as the exhibition unfolds.

16/06/2026

Jess, a fifth‑year Medicine student at Clare, is one of the student volunteers working with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 🚑

As part of the University of Cambridge First Responder Society, these student responders are often the very first on scene during emergencies — providing vital initial care to people. They regularly give up their time to assist the region’s ambulance service with emergency calls.

Jess states "I have absolutely loved volunteering with the Student CFR scheme so far. I have learnt so much from all the ambulance staff that I have met and I’m really proud of the confidence that I have gained. It is a real privilege to be involved in providing care for patients in the community and helping people when they need it most.”

🔗 You can read the full story from the University of Cambridge: https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/the-students-helping-save-lives

You can also find out more about and how to support the First Responder Society here: https://camresponders.co.uk/

15/06/2026

This Wednesday, Choral Evensong will be broadcasted live on BBC3, live from the Clare College Chapel with music by John Rutter, Howells, Nico Muhly and Hovland. 🎶

🔗 Tune in on BBC Radio 3 at 3pm: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002xfgz

📻 Next week on we broadcast Choral Evensong live from , with ‘A Ukrainian Prayer’ by former Director of Music .composer, Responses by Clare alumnus .pacey, the Westminster Service by Herbert Howells (who was commissioned in 1976 for the College’s then 650th anniversary), and the first broadcast of ‘Reaching Farther’ by commissioned for the College’s 700th anniversary this year. With Organ Scholars and .costard24, directed by .

BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong
Wednesday 17 June, 3pm
Broadcast live from the Chapel of Clare College, Cambridge

15/06/2026

Monday Moment ☀️

A punt’s‑eye view of Clare and King’s College on the River Cam.

📸Harry Chevassut (Clare Undergrad)