Our Catz cohort came together with their fellow Oxford campuses for The Great Debate on Sunday, a chance to put their academic skills to the test. The event was not only a great chance to sharpen their academic minds, but they also had an amazing talk from Sir Ranulph Fiennes!

The debate was held in the incredible Sheldonian Theatre, an iconic Oxford landmark, and the inspiring surroundings struck the students as soon as they encountered the building. There was a buzz in the air as everyone filed in and took their seats ahead of the hotly-anticipated debate.

Sir Ranulph opened proceedings with a speech about his remarkable life, including time spent in the British special forces and exploring the globe! He also spoke about motivation, and his words certainly moved the students, as they seemed spurred on by the speaker.

The motion of the debate was “This house believes the most dangerous place to stay is in your own comfort zone”, and Catz were on the proposing team, along with Queen’s, looking to make the case that this statement was true. After a series of brilliant contributions, they came out on top and were in high spirits as a result.

There were prizes handed out to some of the brave individuals who had represented their campus in speaking, a testament to their nerve and skill. In truth, the whole group had worked very hard on the preparation, and the win was made all the sweeter for it!