PRESS RELEASE
July 22, 2014
For immediate release:
LEEDS METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
Museum chief Leigh-Anne Stradeski awarded honorary degree by Leeds Met
Leigh-Anne Stradeski, the Chief Executive of the UK’s National Children’s Museum Eureka!, has been
awarded an honorary degree from Leeds Metropolitan University.
With a wealth of experience in the children’s museum sector in North America, coupled with more
than 10 years at the helm of Eureka! - based in Halifax - Leigh-Anne is a highly respected voice on the
issues regarding museum development, informal play-based learning and wider issues regarding the
importance of play within child development.
Leigh-Anne was awarded her Honorary Doctorate in Education at a ceremony held on July 22 for her
contribution to education and to the region. She commented: “Receiving this award today means an
awful lot to me because we’ve had a partnership with this University for many years, and the award
recognises the role that Eureka! has in the region helping children learn about themselves.
“The best thing about being at the helm of Eureka! is really the opportunity to see so any children –
over six million so far – come through our doors, learn, grow up and move on to do wonderful
things.”
Also a trustee at Eureka! since 2003, Leigh-Anne’s proactive roles with both the Association of
Science & Discovery Centres and the Association of Children’s Museums give her a broad perspective
on developments within the children’s museum sector.
Leigh-Anne was awarded Voluntary Sector Director of the Year for Yorkshire and Humber by the
Institute of Directors in 2006 and, in 2010, received an Inspiration Award from Calderdale
Community College. A great believer in the importance and power of community, Leigh-Anne is
Immediate Past Chairman of the Community Foundation for Calderdale and a current trustee of the
Next Step Trust.
Leeds Metropolitan University Vice Chancellor, Professor Susan Price, said: “Thanks to Leigh-Anne’s
commitment and vision to making the museum experience as accessible as possible, every year
thousands of children continue to have their minds opened and learning experience enhanced when
they visit Eureka!. Leigh-Anne’s dedication to the museum’s evolvement is in fact so strong that she
and her family embarked on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, raising more than £1,800 towards
the redevelopment of the venue’s most iconic gallery. We look forward to seeing Leigh-Anne’s
continued innovation come to life at Eureka!.”
Others receiving honorary degrees from Leeds Metropolitan include: mosque leader Qari Asim, who
has worked tirelessly to build bridges between communities in Leeds since the 7/7 terror attacks;
Managing Director at the helm of the Wakefield-based organisation Group Rhodes, Mark Ridgway
OBE, DL, who oversees the group’s seven engineering companies; award-winning artist and Leeds
Metropolitan graduate, Charlotte Harris, whose work is featured in the collection of London’s
National Portrait Gallery; Hanif Malik, founder and Chief Executive of the Hamara Healthy Living
Centre - the largest ethnic minority organisation in the voluntary and community sector in Leeds;
chart-toppers and Leeds Met graduates Piers Aggett and Kesi Dryden, who make up half of the
award-winning group Rudimental; Coronation Street boss, Stuart Blackburn; former professional
road racing cyclist and national champion, Sid Barras and Mark Herman, the director of criticallyacclaimed films, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Brassed Off.
Leeds Metropolitan University Vice Chancellor, Professor Susan Price, said: “Thanks to Leigh-Anne’s
commitment and vision to making the museum experience as accessible as possible, every year
thousands of children continue to have their minds opened and learning experience enhanced when
they visit Eureka!. Leigh-Anne’s dedication to the museum’s evolvement is in fact so strong that she
and her family embarked on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, raising more than £1,800 towards
the redevelopment of the venue’s most iconic gallery. We look forward to seeing Leigh-Anne’s
continued innovation come to life at Eureka!.”
Ends
For further details please contact Julia Williams in the Communications team at Leeds Met on 0113 812 5978 or
email j.t.williams@leedsmet.ac.uk
Notes for editors:
About Leeds Metropolitan University:

From 22 September 2014 Leeds Metropolitan University will become Leeds Beckett University.

Leeds Metropolitan University has over 28,000 students and just over 3,000 staff.

The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Professor Susan Price.Susan is responsible for
the overall strategy of the University, leads the Vice Chancellor’s Group and Corporate Management
Team, and chairs the Academic Board.

The Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Sir Bob Murray. As Chancellor his role is to be an
ambassador and ceremonial figurehead for the University.

Leeds Metropolitan’s four faculties are: Arts, Environment and Technology, Business & Law, Health &
Social Sciences, and Carnegie.

Leeds Metropolitan University is the only university in the UK to have achieved the Customer Service
Excellence standard, Investors in People Gold and the RoSPA Gold medal.

The Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE) showed that the proportion of Leeds
Metropolitan 2012/13 graduates in work, further study or both, six months after leaving university, was
93.7%.
About Eureka! The National Children’s Museum

Eureka! is designed especially for children aged 0-11, with over 400 hands-on exhibits
inspiring them to learn about themselves and the world around them through imagination,
play and discovery. For visitor information call 01422 330069, visit www.eureka.org.uk,
become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.