Roseanne Bostock (BA English 1986-88) has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for outstanding service to the community in the King's 2025 Birthday Honours list. The award recognises her role as founder of OxClean, a volunteer group dedicated to keeping Oxford clean and tidy for those who live in, work in, and visit the city.
Roseanne Richardson (as she was then known) also played a hugely important role in the development of the College whilst she was still a student.
In the late 1980s the-then Manchester College was struggling financially and looking for its niche within the wider Oxford university. Roseanne came up with the idea of the College focusing on mature students. She took this idea to various people including John Patten, then the local MP, the Senior Proctor Malcolm Deas, and Lord Bullock (who had been Vice-Chancellor of the university from 1969-1973). All were enthusiastic and supportive of this idea, and in 1988 the focus of admissions became students aged 25 or over, which was reduced to 21 and over in 1996.
According to Frances Walsh, who was then the College's History Tutor, and later a Founding Fellow and Emeritus Fellow of Harris Manchester College: "Roseanne had the right idea, at the right time and had done the ground work. She had enlisted powerful supporters and her case was all the stronger because it had come from a mature student."
Sir Hugo Brunner, who was then an Honorary Governor of the college and later served as Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, recalls: “Whilst she was still a student at Manchester College, Roseanne set the college on the path to focusing on mature students. I am delighted that our alumna has received recognition for her impact on the city of Oxford."
Professor Beth Breeze, our Principal, adds: “The entire college community congratulates Roseanne on being awarded this honour. We will always be grateful for her far-sighted idea and initiative in advocating for the importance of mature students having a collegiate home in Oxford.”
Roseanne is pictured above with the Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Marjorie Glasgow, after receiving her medal (Image: Roseanne Bostock/The Oxfordshire Lieutenancy). You can read a longer profile of Roseanne and her work with OxClean in the Oxford Mail.
