60th Hope Winch Lecture celebrates pharmacy leadership and legacy

Published on 24, October, 2025

The University of Sunderland hosted the 60th Hope Winch Annual Memorial Lecture on Friday 24 October 2025, welcoming more than 70 attendees, including students, staff, alumni, and members of the pharmacy community.

This year’s speaker was Helen Milford, a proud Sunderland Pharmacy alumna (BSc Pharmacy, 1988), member of the University’s Board of Governors, and Non-Executive Director for Hays Travel. Helen delivered an inspiring lecture titled “From the Dispensary to the Boardroom: Leading with Purpose, Passion and Possibility.”

Drawing on her 35 years of experience across major retail organisations – including Boots, Asda, Argos, Sainsbury’s, and Marks & Spencer – Helen spoke about leadership, purpose, and the importance of values-driven decision-making. She began her career as a pharmacist after graduating from Sunderland in 1988 and went on to hold executive-level positions with some of the UK’s leading retail brands. Most recently, she was Retail Director at Marks & Spencer until September 2023.

Throughout her lecture, Helen reflected on her career championing inclusion and diversity. She shared her belief that leadership is about presence, it’s about creating a sense of safety, belief and possibility for the people around you, especially when the pressure is high and the path ahead is uncertain.

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The evening opened with a warm welcome from Mark Burdon, Chair of the Board of Governors. Mark, who graduated from the University in 1999, has built a successful chain of community pharmacies in the north-east and has been active in pharmacy governance both nationally and internationally. He introduced Becki Waton, also a Pharmacy alumna from the Class of 2015, as the newly appointed Chair of the Hope Winch Society.

Becki, a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy at the University, spoke about her enthusiasm for her new role and her vision for the future of the Society. In her address, Becki expressed her gratitude to Dr Paul Carter (BSc Pharmacy 1988) for his 19 years of dedicated leadership as outgoing Chair.

“As I take on this role, my goal is to bring the Hope Winch Society into the 21st century,” Becki said.

“We want to reconnect with alumni, modernise how we communicate, and strengthen collaboration between students and graduates. I’m passionate about creating opportunities for mentoring, networking, and shared learning and continuing the legacy of support through the Hope Winch Benevolence Fund.”

Becki also encouraged alumni to engage with the Society and consider supporting the Hope Winch Benevolence Fund, which provides vital assistance to pharmacy students facing financial hardship. During the event, a cheque was presented by the Sunderland Pharmacy Students’ Association (SPSA) to the Fund, accepted by Becki on behalf of the Society.

The event also featured a special presentation to Dr Paul Carter, honouring his exceptional service to the School of Pharmacy, its students, and the wider alumni community.

The evening proved the continued strength of the Hope Winch Society, the University’s largest and longest-running alumni society, and its vital role in keeping pharmacy graduates connected across generations.

The event also celebrated the continued success of the School of Pharmacy, which has once again been recognised for excellence. The University of Sunderland’s Pharmacy degree has been ranked number one in the UK for pharmacy and pharmacology by The Guardian University Guide 2026 marking the second consecutive year the University has achieved the top spot.

For more information on studying Pharmacy at the University, click here.