New legal year marked at Catz

The St Catharine’s community was closely involved in the annual Justice Service for His Majesty’s Judiciary, the official celebration marking the start of the new legal year. This year’s service was held on 13 October at Great St Mary’s, the University church, with a congregation of around 200 guests and members of the public. 

Alumnus David Way (1971, Law) was installed as the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire in April 2024, and is The King’s personal representative for all matters relating to justice and the maintenance of law and order in the county. One of the High Sheriff’s duties is organising the Justice Service, which is attended by invited guests directly involved in the maintenance of law and order, the administration of justice and related voluntary organisations across Cambridgeshire as well as visiting justices. 

The service began with a formal procession starting from St Catharine’s, including judges, civic leaders and mayors, heads of the Cambridge Colleges, representatives of the University of Cambridge, and former and visiting current High Sheriffs from across the country. The processions continued along Trumpington Street to Great St Mary’s.

Representatives from St Catharine’s walked in the procession at the High Sheriff’s invitation, including:

• Professor Sir John Baker KC (1971; Honorary Fellow 2012) as an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn
• Sir John Benger (1979, English) as Master of St Catharine’s
• The Very Reverend Mark Bonney DL (1975, Music), the Dean of Ely Cathedral, as Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire
• Professor Donald Broom (1961, Veterinary Medicine; Fellow 1987, Emeritus Fellow 2009)
• Professor Dame Jean Thomas (Master 2007–2016, Honorary Fellow 2016) as an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple

Among the guests attending the Justice Service were alumni from St Catharine’s who were contemporaries of David Way:

• Dr Simon Dobson (1971, Natural Sciences), now a paediatric infectious disease specialist and Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the British Colombia Children's Hospital
• Roger Lowe (1971, Law), now a solicitor
• His Honour Nicolas John Madge (1971, Law), formerly a circuit judge (civil and crime), now a senior judicial trainer

The Revd Ally Barrett, formerly Dean of Chapel and Fellow of St Catharine’s until September 2024, led the prayers at the service in her new role of Associate Vicar at Great St Mary’s.

Following the service, the High Sheriff hosted refreshments for his guests in the McGrath Centre at St Catharine’s.