WATCH: UK-Med founder delivers this year's Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture

17 May 2023

Professor Tony Redmond OBE, who has spent 35 years responding to wars and major disasters around the world, gave this year’s Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture on Tuesday, 16 May

Professor Tony Redmond OBE recently stood down as Chair of UK-Med after 29 years in the role. Tony, who originally studied medicine at our University, founded the organisation in 1994 which subsequently became one of the world’s leading disaster response charities. From an initial register of 100 volunteer clinicians, the charity - which is based in our Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI), now has more than 1,000 highly-trained doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals on its books, aided by a central team of over 40. It has responded to emergencies in 21 countries over the past two years alone including Ukraine, Lebanon, Myanmar and Yemen. 

Professor Redmond is also the author of Frontline: Stories of Care and Courage in Emergency Medicine, which Channel 4's Jon Snow called ‘a brilliant insight into the forgotten heroes at the sharp end of humanitarian emergencies.’

In his inspirational talk, he reflected upon the years he has spent responding to wars and major disasters and the lessons the world has – and has not – learnt.

The event was chaired by President and Vice Chancellor Professor Nancy Rothwell and was followed by an audience Q&A.

The Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture is the flagship annual event for alumni and friends of our University. Previous Cockcroft Rutherford lecturers include former Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Dame Sally Davies, Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel 4 Television Dorothy Byrne, former Greater Manchester Chief Constable Professor Sir Peter Fahy and astrophysicist and TV presenter Professor Brian Cox OBE.