Alumni & Friends 1968–71 Network
Welcome back, pioneers of Birmingham Newman University!
If you were part of the original cohort who joined Birmingham Newman in 1968, this is your space. The Birmingham Newman Alumni & Friends (NAF!) 1968–71 Network was founded in 2010 by Terry Murphy and Graham McFarlane to reconnect classmates and support Newman’s journey to university status. That milestone was proudly achieved in 2013 – thanks in part to your encouragement and belief.
Since then, NAF! has grown into a vibrant community that celebrates shared memories and creates new ones. From termly meetups in Birmingham to gatherings across the UK – Bedford, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Oxford, and York – our alumni continue to stay connected through cultural and social events.
Whether you’re a regular at our mingles or haven’t joined us yet, we’d love to welcome you back.
Upcoming alumni events and updates
Welcome to the latest alumni updates. Here’s a roundup of upcoming reunions, social gatherings and University events, along with news about future additions to the alumni network page.
We hope to see many of you at one of the upcoming events.
1. NAF68-71 Liverpool Mingle (D’Pool Do)
- Location: Liverpool
- Date: Thursday 8 October 2026
Schedule
- 12:00pm to 12:45pm
- The Vines (The Big House)
A short walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station. Exit the station onto Lime Street and walk towards the Adelphi Hotel.
- 1:00pm to 4:00pm
- The Philharmonic Pub
Approximately a 10-minute walk up Renshaw Street from The Vines.
Many thanks to Will for arranging the food booking at The Philharmonic. If you are planning to eat, please let him know in advance at whardwick50@yahoo.co.uk.
2. Save-on-Stamps Christmas Mingle (Christmas Alumni Mingle)
- Location: Birmingham
- Date: Wednesday 9 December 2026
Schedule
- 12:15pm to 1pm
- Birmingham Christmas Market, New Street
- Join us for a festive glass of Glühwein.
- 1pm to 3:30pm
- The Cosy Club, New Street
Please note: the venue may change to The Bell, Harborne.
3. Birmingham Newman University Honorary B.Ed Award Ceremony
- Location: Birmingham Newman University, Bartley Green
- Date: Monday 20 July 2027
- Time: To be confirmed
Alumni wishing to attend the ceremony should contact:
- Lysandre de la Haye
- Email: l.de-la-haye@newman.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0121 476 1181
Other updates
Poetry Competition 2026
The 2026 Dr Graham McFarlane and T E Murphy Prize for Poetry continued a tradition first established in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of Birmingham Newman.
The prize takes its name from Graham McFarlane and Terry Murphy, the first Editor and Deputy Editor of Newman’s original Poetry Magazine during the 1968-69 academic year. The 2026 competition was dedicated to the memory of Graham, who sadly passed away on 14 July 2025.
2026 winner and runners-up
Winner
- Between Tides by Terryleigh Mann
Runners-up
- Lent by Chris Porter
- Muted Karaoke by Anna Aceso
- Daddy Tree by James Adie
The competition was judged by Professor Peter Childs, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Modern and Contemporary Literature at Birmingham Newman University, and Richard Goode, Senior Lecturer in Theology and winner of the 2018 Poetry Competition. The winner received £150, with prizes of £50 for the runners-up.
Work is also continuing on the proposed Photo Archive project. Further details will be shared when the archive is ready to be added to the Alumni Network page.
Please note: NAF! is independently run by alumni from the 1968–71 cohort. Please note that personal details shared with the group are held separately from the official Newman Alumni Association database.
The NAF events and activities are developed and managed by the original Birmingham Newman Alumni group – the students who first joined Birmingham Newman in 1968. Any personal information shared with the NAF Group is not part of the regulated Birmingham Newman University Alumni Association database, and is held on an independent NAF mailing list which is not part of the Birmingham Newman Alumni Association database.
All activities and events delivered by NAF! are not official Birmingham Newman Alumni Association activities.