First cohort alumni reminisce on transformative Trinity and All Saints experience

The couple were part of the first cohort of students in 1966 to study at Trinity College and All Saints College – the teacher training colleges from which the modern-day Leeds Trinity University originated.  

It was there they met for the first time, leading to a lifetime together and the opportunity to join the University that means so much to them in celebrating a very special anniversary. 

Like Mike and Bridget, Leeds Trinity University is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026, offering an opportunity for the institution to acknowledge its past with pride, look forward to the future with ambition, and showcase its strengths, successes, and impact. 

As part of that, we are reflecting on the experiences of some of those who have passed through the institution over the past six decades.  

Mike and Bridget were drawn to the colleges by their reputation as modern and forward-thinking places to study. With a huge demand for teachers during the 1960s, Trinity and All Saints wanted to offer a different approach to other teacher training colleges, so provided students with much more experience in schools – an approach to career-led learning that is still used across all programmes at Leeds Trinity today. 

“The college was aimed at fostering self-expression and creative learning, together with a wide variety of subject specialisms and extra curriculum opportunities,” Mike recalled.  

“Unlike many other colleges at that time, it was able to offer courses leading to Honours degrees,” Bridget added. 

Despite being on different courses – Mike studying Sociology and Education while Bridget was on the Secondary Education with English programme – their paths crossed early on in their time at college and a romance quickly blossomed. Together, they successfully progressed through their studies and then, shortly after completing their courses, got married in August 1969. That meant they would remain side-by-side as they set out to take the knowledge and skills developed at Trinity and All Saints into what would be successful and influential careers. 

While Bridget chose to stay at college for an additional year to complete a Bachelor in Education, Mike soon found a job as a teacher. 

He would go on to secure senior positions including deputy head and headteacher in schools across Yorkshire and Lancashire and later became the head of a teacher training school where he championed the value of recruiting specialised teaching assistants to assist the national educational agenda. 

He also contributed to a government project aiming to foster international understanding and awareness of educational practices in European Union member countries. And, with information technology (IT) quickly developing as a useful resource, he became part of a team of primary school headteachers who introduced computer administration into over 600 Lancashire primary schools – a key development supporting the delivery of classroom-based teaching and learning. 

After securing her Bachelor in Education, Bridget enjoyed a 21-year teaching career, spending seven years each in three different schools. But it was at her first school where she developed a strong interest in supporting children with special educational needs (SEN), particularly in identifying their needs and implementing support plans. She deepened this focus in her following roles, becoming manager of a secondary school’s provision for pupils with additional educational needs, and later a Learning Support Manager at a large comprehensive school. 

While in this post, the publication of the Warnock Report and the 1981 Education Act introduced new legal requirements for SEN provision, placing increased demands on local authorities. Bridget then left teaching for a role as a Senior Education Officer at Lancashire City Council, playing a vital role in ensuring children with SEN received consistent, coordinated support across services by working closely with parents, health and social care teams, and educators across mainstream and specialist settings to help children with SEN progress and thrive. 

Both now happily retired, Mike and Bridget believe their time at Trinity and All Saints prepared them for their careers and shaped them as professionals.  

“My time at Trinity equipped me well for what was to follow,” Mike said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my three years studying there and I firmly believe that had I not attended Trinity and All Saints, I would not have been confident and motivated to engage so fully with the educational establishment beyond and alongside the school environment.  

“Being the place where I met my future wife, Leeds Trinity will always hold a very special place in my heart and I hope it continues to equip all its students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders in their own chosen career path for many years to come.” 

Bridget said: “Not only did the college prepare me for a worthwhile and rewarding career, but it was also there that I met my dear husband, Michael. I also made many good friends, some of whom are still close friends today. Thank you for everything, TASC.” 

For more information about the history of Leeds Trinity, visit the University website.