DecAid Xander Rawlins concert
DecAid, a national appeal set up by present or former members of the University Officer Training Corps, has lined up Christmas No.1 hopeful Xander Rawlins for a Christmas concert in Exeter on Thursday (please see Events). Captain Rawlins has served in Afghanistan where he wrote the song ‘1,000 Miles Apart’. DecAid was set up to mark 10 years in Afghanistan for the British Armed Forces and aims to raise £350,000 for services’ charities over the coming months.

Christmas on Campus
In Exeter, most facilities and services will be open as normal until lunchtime on Friday 24 December, and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday 4 January. Between these times, there will be limited opening hours. Leaflets with further details will be available around campus this week and an email is also being sent out. Students in Cornwall are also receiving information via email about opening times at Tremough. We hope that if you are in or around Exeter you will come to the University’s Christmas Buffet or join some of the festive celebrations in the city and local area. For further details, please see: www.exeter.gov.uk/christmas

Smokers needed; earn £20
Researchers at the School of Sport & Health Science are looking for smokers aged 18 to 50 to participate in a physical activity, mood and concentration study. Volunteers should have smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day for two or more years. The ongoing study involves three visits to St Luke's, where participants will be asked to complete simple processing and brief physical activity tasks after three hours of abstinence. Participants will receive £20 each. For further information, please contact: Marcela Haasova, PhD researcher, 0791 333 739.

Library
From today, Library staff will clear the top floor of the Main Library at Streatham, as part of the refurbishment project. A refurbished first floor will be open by the start of Spring Term, providing a first taste of the transformation of our Main Library as part of the Forum project. For more information, please see the Library News website.

D Bus changes
From Mon 10 January, there will be revisions to the D and H bus services, following community consultation. New route maps and a frequency guide can be found on the Stagecoach Bus website. Please check in the New Year for the new timetable.

Exeter Community Guide online
The Community Guide, which you may have received through your post box in October, is now online. It includes advice on keeping your residence safe over the holidays and about refuse disposal at the end of term. It also provides guidelines on end-of-term parties and how to be a good neighbour.

Great West Run 2011
The University is looking for enthusiastic runners to take part in the 2011 Great West Run. The event, now entering its 27th year, is the South West’s largest and most popular running event. You may wish to take part in fancy dress, enter as a group of friends/colleagues, raise funds for others, or put your own performance to the test and nothing else. If you are considering running for charity, did you know that the University is an exempt charity (Ref X9538)? Entry costs are discounted for those selecting the University as their chosen charity. For more information, please visit the events section on the Sport website or contact Andrew Fry at a.g.fry@exeter.ac.uk. Already entered? Great. Please let us know.

TATA top-seller
Morgen Witzel’s book ‘TATA: The Evolution of a Corporate Brand’ has chalked up more than three months as one of India’s top ten best-selling non-fiction books. The book, published by Penguin, was ranked number 7 in India Today's November list. The first edition sold out within three weeks and has been reprinted. Morgen Witzel is an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Business School.

Last chance
A final exhibition of photographs, film and interviews, collected from the year long project, ‘Family, Farming and Tradition,’ is on show at the Engine Room, Exchange, Penzance, until 16 December. A joint Cornish Audio Visual Archive and University project, the exhibition focuses on the dramatic shifts in the industry, lifestyle and culture of farming that have occurred in Cornwall since the late 19th century. The project is backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more information, please email Sarah Chapman at cornwallfarming@exeter.ac.uk.

Smallholding success
Ann Pollard, wife of Professor Mick Dumper (not to be confused with Ann Pollard in communications), was runner-up in the annual Smallholder of the Year awards. Ann Pollard works full-time as a smallholder, managing the family’s eight acre Mid-Devon farm. She concentrates on a herd of 22 goats and makes an award-winning cheese. Professor Dumper, of the Politics department, combines working full-time with growing the vegetables. Both are helped by their two sons.

Sculpture in the making
British artist Nigel Ross last month created a sculpture from a lime tree felled to make way for the Forum. He worked behind the Queen’s Building and hopes people will enjoy the seat and table that emerged from the tree trunk.

Thurs 16 December, 7.30pm-8.30pm
Carol service: DecAid service with Captain Xander Rawlins to commemorate the 10th Christmas in Afghanistan. Followed by mulled wine and mince pies. Suggested donation: £2
Location: Exeter Castle courtyard, off High St

Fri, 17 December, 7pm for 7.30pm
Candlelit Christmas concert: ‘O Holy Night’, traditional and contemporary music from local chamber choir composed mainly of staff, students and alumni. Tickets: £5 to include mulled wine and mince pies. Proceeds to church appeal. www.Ad-Hoc-Choir.org
Location: St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Mt Dinham, Exeter.

Sat 25 December, 1pm-5pm
Christmas Day buffet lunch: £5 per person. Deadline for tickets Thursday 16 December. Further information from isa@exeter.ac.uk.
Location: Hope Hall

Tues 11 January, 5pm
Seminar: Professor John Bessant on ‘Managing knowledge spaghetti – learning to work with open collective innovation’.
Location: G18, PMS Building, St Luke’s.

Northcott Theatre

Tues 14 December to Sun 2 January
Room on the Broom
Schools: (14–16 Dec) 10.30am & 1.30pm
Family: (18 Dec–2 Jan) 11am & 2pm
A few tickets still available for magical show for all ages 3yrs+, based on the best-selling book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. www.exeternorthcott.co.uk