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One of first Warwick graduates donates £10,000 for physiotherapy suites

One of Warwick’s earliest Economics graduates has donated £10,000 to the University’s new Indoor Tennis Centre for physiotherapy facilities.

Stephen Riley studied Economics at Warwick and graduated in 1969. His donation has been used to buy equipment for two physiotherapy rooms at the Westwood Indoor Tennis Centre, based on the University’s Westwood campus.

Stephen now lives in Mexico with his wife and 13-year-old son and has recently retired as President of the Latin American arm of leading US producers of Bicarbonate of Soda, Church & Dwight.

He was not the only member of his family to study at Warwick. His brother David graduated from Warwick in 1979 with a degree in French Studies, and David’s wife Honour was a fellow student at the University. Continuing the tradition, David and Honour’s son Jonathan is currently an Engineering undergraduate at Warwick.

Stephen recently travelled back to the UK to attend the official opening of the University of Warwick Indoor Tennis Centre and visit the new physiotherapy suites with his brother David and his nephew Jonathan.

Stephen said: “Athletics was the rock which kept me steady during my undergraduate years and tennis is close to my heart. My 13-year-old son lives and breathes tennis.

“Of course, the Economics course and general education has been the source of the economic success which has allowed me to make the donation.”

The University’s £2.5 million Indoor Tennis Centre opened in summer 2008 and is the first of its kind in Coventry and Warwickshire to offer access to the public without having to take up membership.

The Centre has four indoor courts and was officially opened on 12 November by Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe MP. The building has also recently become the first in Coventry and the first leisure centre in the UK to achieve a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) award.

Notes to editors

A picture of Stephen, David and Jonathan at the Tennis Centre is below. For more information, contact Kelly Parkes-Harrison, Communications Officer, University of Warwick, 02476 150483, k.e.parkes@warwick.ac.uk

Caption: 2) Andrew Holbrook from Tudor Physiotherapy, Jonathan Riley, David Riley and Stephen Riley

 

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