Achievement, ambition and success celebrated at University of Chester graduations

Across 12 ceremonies taking place from November 3 to 6 at Chester Cathedral, students from across the University, including University Centre Warrington and University Centre Reaseheath, will be recognised for their hard work, dedication and academic success.

Graduates from the University's Faculties of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health, Medicine and Society, Science and Business and Enterprise will cross the stage to receive their awards and mark a significant milestone in their personal and professional journeys.

The ceremonies will bring together students, their loved ones, University staff and distinguished guests in a celebration of achievement, resilience and ambition.

As the newest members of the University's global alumni community, graduates will leave Chester equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make a positive difference in their careers, communities and wider society.

The celebrations will also include the conferring of honorary degrees on three individuals whose achievements and contributions have made a significant impact in their respective fields.

Tim Angel CBE will be awarded a Doctor of Letters in recognition of his outstanding contribution to theatre, film, television and the arts. Entrepreneur Rob Law MBE will receive a Doctor of Business Administration for his outstanding contribution to business and enterprise, while Callum Edge will be awarded a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to food, farming and local business.

Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester, said: "Graduation is a special and especially joyful time of the year. It is a true honour to help each and every graduate mark this special occasion and to recognise the significance of the skills and knowledge they have acquired at the University of Chester.

"These are not just tools for employment; they are instruments for change, for progress, and for making a positive impact on societies across the world.

"To all of our recent graduates I would like to say: the future is yours. Own it well."

• Rob Law MBE biography

Rob Law is a seasoned entrepreneur best known for turning rejection into impact. After being turned down on BBC Dragons’ Den in 2006, he went on to create Trunki, the iconic ride-on suitcase that redefined family travel. Manufactured in the UK from 2012, Trunki sold over 5 million units across more than 100 countries, won 120 plus awards and became one of the UK’s most recognisable children’s brands before being acquired by Heroes Technology Ltd in 2023.

Today, Rob is focused on building what comes next. Alongside his brother, he co-founded Zeepy, a modern children’s sleep brand designed for families living in a noisy, always-on world. Zeepy is building a lovable content and device ecosystem that turns calm, repeatable bedtime routines into a daily family habit, blending sleep science, design, storytelling and technology to help children (and parents) sleep better. The brand combines physical products, audio content and digital tools, with a strong emphasis on simplicity, trust and long-term behaviour change.

Alongside his business journey, Rob lives with cystic fibrosis, a life-limiting genetic condition. His personal experience of managing chronic illness, alongside the loss of his sister to CF, has profoundly shaped his perspective on resilience, long-term thinking and what truly matters. These experiences are explored in his autobiography, 65 Roses and a Trunki: Defying the Odds in Life and Business, which connects personal adversity with professional perseverance.

Rob was awarded an MBE for services to business and entrepreneurship and holds two honorary doctorates. He is passionate about helping individuals and organisations navigate change, overcome rejection, and build ideas that last.

He said: “It is a tremendous honour to receive an honorary degree from the University of Chester. My own career has taught me that success rarely follows a straight line. It takes curiosity, courage and the willingness to keep going when things do not go to plan. I am delighted to celebrate alongside graduates whose hard work and resilience have brought them to this moment, and I hope they carry that same determination into whatever comes next.”

• Tim Angel CBE biography

Tim Angel CBE is Chairman of Angels Costumes, the internationally renowned costume house founded by his family in 1840. A leading figure in the British creative industries, he has overseen the company's growth into one of the world's foremost suppliers of costumes for film, television, theatre, and events. Tim has served as Chairman of BAFTA and as a Governor of the British Film Institute. In 2019, he was awarded a CBE for services to theatre, film, television, and the arts, recognising a career dedicated to supporting creativity, preserving costume heritage, encouraging young people into industry and advancing the UK's cultural sector.

He said: “I’m delighted and deeply grateful to receive this honorary Doctor of Letters from the University. It means a great deal to me and has made me reflect on how fortunate I've been in the opportunities I've had and the people I've met along the way. My heartfelt thanks to the University for this very special honour.”

• Callum Edge biography

Born in 1963, Callum Edge is a fifth-generation butcher and former proprietor of Edge & Son, a family business established in 1844 and based in New Ferry, Wirral.

Introduced to livestock farming and cattle markets by his father, John Edge, from a young age, Callum joined the family business full-time in 1979. He retired from full-time work in 2024 when he sold the business to the current owners of Edge & Son after over 50 years. He retains a close relationship as a consultant.