Grumpy old womanreceives Uni honour

Hastings resident and star of BBC2’s Grumpy Old Women Kathryn Flett has been honoured by the University of Brighton.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Aug 2015, 11:17 BST

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Kathryn Flett SUS-150730-085508001Kathryn Flett SUS-150730-085508001
Kathryn Flett SUS-150730-085508001

Kathryn, a former Guardian journalist, who has developed media and journalism courses at the Hastings campus, was awarded a Master of Letters this week.

The award was presented for her major contribution to journalism and broadcasting, and her commitment to developing higher education in the Hastings area.

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Kathryn moved to St Leonards in 2005, where she lives with her partner and four sons.

She is now a director of the Hastings Pier Charity and has recently set up a website focussing on the issues faced by professional women once they reach ‘a certain age.

Sam Davies, Director of Philanthropy ＆ Alumni Engagement at Brighton University, said: ““Kate has developed our media and journalism offerings at Hastings and will be involved in the launch of the new digital, creative and journalism hub in the autumn.

“Thanks to Kate, our students have had work experience with the likes of Graham Norton and Krishnan Guru-Murthy.”

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Kate took part in BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee for Children in Need and despite the pressures she said “It turned out that not having done it for 30 years, I can sew” and the programme became an “extraordinary life-affirming experience”.

Kate urged graduates to “feel the fear and do it anyway” and admitted that, at 51, she was now more of a risk taker than ever. “Even if you fail the good news is that you are learning about failure and learning about failure is absolutely intrinsic to appreciating success.

“I hate to break it to you, the newly graduated, desperate to get out there into the world and embrace your futures, but the fact, is all of life is school.”

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