Boat Race vindication – 152 years on

For many of us, the only Boat Race souvenir we take home each year is soggy shoes and a hangover, but back in 1872 spectators could head back with a medal memento. This week, a pair of mudlarks found such a souvenir at the bottom of the Thames, while searching the riverbed for historical treasures. The medal, which shows interlocking Oxford and Cambridge crests, had been trapped in the river for over a century, since the “cheerless” race of that year. Nicola White, who found the medal, told the BBC its owner likely let it slip into the Thames during an unusually cold race. The winners in ’72 were, of course, Cambridge – making the medal well worth dragging up.

The Don is Gone

The longstanding dispute over the 4-metre-tall Cambridge Don statue is finally over. The statue was removed from outside of an office block on Hills Road following a failed appeal over planning permission for the statue. Unex, the owners of the office block, had previously claimed that the £150,000 three-tonne bronze figure had simply been “placed” in front of the building, and did not require planning permission. The piece previously caused controversy over its authorship, with the alleged artist of the work claiming that crediting him for the statue was “an abuse”.

Leaky lawn

Jesus green is in need of “essential” riverbank repairs following damage caused by a faulty lock. Cambridge council found that significant damage to a 105 metre section of the riverbank required £800,000 of funding to repair. The green is often frequented by Cambridge Students on C-Sunday, with some critics speculating as to whether spilled cans of £2 Sainsbury’s cider had caused some erosion to the ancient riverbank.

Deborah Prentice celebrates Cambridge’s economic contributions

Vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice highlighted Cambridge University’s important place in the national economy at her annual address this year. Marking the official start to the academic year, Prentice’s speech highlighted Cambridge’s “extraordinary significance” not only in the UK, but globally. The VC also called the University’s student support programmes a “thrilling achievement” – something she put down to generous donations. As we enter a new year, it remains to be seen just how thrilling our student support will be.