Emmanuelle was woken with a start this Wednesday morning to the clamour of the press as BBC Radio Oxford turned up on her doorstep!
The local radio station’s roving reporter, Lilley Mitchell, came to visit Emmanuelle on the quad as part of the Breakfast Show to talk to the College Charities Coordinator, Lily Johnson, about Emmanuelle and, in particular, about arrangements for her 100th Birthday Party which is due to take place this Saturday, 9th May.
Although half asleep, Emmanuelle was impeccably behaved, and even posed for photos and a video before eventually getting bored mid-interview and retiring back to bed. 8am is, after all, far too early to be awake!
The party, which will take place on Saturday, 9th March from 1pm until 6pm, is an annual fixture of College life at Regent’s, and aims to raise money for the charity Meningitis Now in memory of former student, Antonia Bruch, who died of the disease in 2009. For one afternoon, the quad will be taken over by a bouncy castle, various games and stalls, and countless celebrating students. In addition to this, there will be a Bake Off which anyone can enter, and which will be judged by OUSU President Louis Trup, who will dress as a tortoise for the occasion. As well as Regent’s students, family, friends and alumni, the party will be attended by six of Emmanuelle’s tortoise friends from across the University.
Entrance to the party is £4, and tickets are available on the door.
Click here to listen to the full BBC Radio Oxford interview. (Emmanuelle’s segment begins at the 1 hour 28 minutes mark, and is repeated at 1 hour 58 minutes)