Our graduate and now UK Government minister Lord (James) Timpson has spoken of his love of Durham during a return visit.
About Lord Timpson
Lord Timpson studied Geography at Hatfield College and met his future wife, Roisin, while at Durham.
He was Chief Executive of the family business, the Timpson retail group, for more than 20 years and served as Chair of the Prison Reform Trust until being appointed Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending in July 2024. Just days before his Government appointment, we had awarded him an honorary degree.
Hatfield College's Timpson Gym is named in honour of his father, Sir John Timpson, a generous supporter of the College; and his daughter has also studied with us.
Prison, Punishment and Hope
Lord Timpson returned to Durham to deliver the Annual Hatfield Lecture, with the title: Prison, Punishment and Hope. The Hatfield College Chapel was full to hear the address.
He spoke of his determination to reform the criminal justice system, saying it had been "running way too hot for too long" and the Probation Service workload was "far too high".
Emphasising the importance of good leadership, culture, and training, and acknowledging the size of the challenge, he invited his audience to judge him on whether reoffending rates fell over a five- to ten-year period.
Message to students
Lord Timpson also spoke of his "enormous pleasure" in returning to Durham, saying it is a "very special place" for him and "always feels like coming home".
Addressing the many students in the audience, he encouraged them to not be deterred by mistakes or setbacks, but rather set their sights on the future.
Durham has one of the UK's best criminology courses and is part of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Programme, which teaches courses inside prison including university and incarcerated students. Our Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen O'Brien, who attended Lord Timpson's lecture, recently became Honorary President of the criminal justice and social care charity Nepacs.
