Connections: Alan Toft

What’s your standout memory of Warwick?

Being away from home, for the first time, in such a pleasant and supportive environment. Some of the lecturers were superb – they didn’t just churn out their subject - they helped you work out solutions rather than gave them to you – they made it fun.

I single out Dr Cox, my organic chemistry lecturer. In his tutorials four of us would be grilled mercilessly – we were terrified! But, as soon as you were brave enough to volunteer a suggestion, he beamed, gave you a piece of chalk, and had you stand up in front of the group. And the whole atmosphere changed. He demanded that the other three be totally constructive and supportive. He gave us confidence in ourselves and in the value of teamwork. That helped me so much running teams in my career in IT. I owe him a lot.

How would you sum up Warwick in the time that you were there and your generation of students?

It was a lovely greenfield site but there seemed to be plenty going on – I knew no different, of course, but it was a pleasant place to be – everything was so new. I felt so free!

In my first year I was in digs in Tile Hill, hence the photo at the level crossing en route to lectures! The second photo shows that, here in Vancouver, nothing has changed!

What was the student culture like at Warwick, and were there any annual traditions, societies, sports clubs, or events that you remember?

I volunteer, every year, at the Edmonton & Vancouver Folk Music Festivals. This love was seeded by many nights at the Folk Club in the lounge at Rootes Hall with a pint of Worthington Best Bitter (9p a pint in old money!) in my hand. I saw artists like Al Stewart, Roy Harper, and The Young Tradition - it started a passion that will never die.

And kayaking down the River Avon is a lovely memory! Studying science was almost a full-time job - if anything, I wish I’d played harder!

Finish the sentence: Warwick influenced who I am today, because…

It gave me confidence to be totally independent, and I needed that at the time. So many good times, sitting in rooms in the Halls of Residence and listening to the music of the day - Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road, Cream, Free, Jethro Tull etc. Still love them all!

Alan Toft

BSc Molecular Sciences, 1970