We continue our series of interviews with members of the UNeECC Board to learn more about their everyday life and work, and their contributions to the UNECC. We interviewed Professor Dr William Chambers, Vice-President of UNeECC. Learn more about his interests, daily routine, hobbies and favourite menu, and what ECoC means to him.
- Name
Professor Emeritus Dr William John Chambers
- Informal name
Bill Chambers
- Family
Wife Fiona, 3 children (William, Anastasia, Christopher) and 6 grandchildren (Joe & Harry; Aria & Xanthe; Emilia & Arthur)
- University
Liverpool Hope University
- Country
England
- Role in university
Retired, formerly Pro Vice Chancellor External Relations and Widening Participation, Dean, Head of Department.
- Academic background/subject
A Geographer with interest in geomorphology, hydrology and urbanisation in Lima, Peru. Also initial teacher training and the socio- economic history of Liverpool.
- Research
Longitudinal studies of squatter settlements (barriadas) in Lima, Peru since 1965.
- Key publication
Chambers, B. (2005) The Barriadas of Lima, Peru: Slums of hope or despair? Problems of solutions? Geography, 90(3), pp 200-224
- Hobbies
Football (Season ticket holder Everton FC), all music especially classical music (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra), travel especially in Latin America, grandchildren, gardening, walking, chair of various charities (eg Asylum Link Merseyside; The Brain Charity; Catholic Association for Racial Justice; Liverpool County Football Association Inclusion Advisory Group; Volunteer Mission Movement).
- Typical day
Wake 05.30, (swam before Covid) get up 06.30, breakfast, read Times newspaper, emails, meetings (online and face to face), exhibitions, concerts.
- Last holiday before COVID
May 2019: Driving holiday in Chile along Carretera Occidental: glaciers, mountains, fjords, islands, lakes, Santiago, Valparaiso. Turkey tour September 2019.
During Covid, driving in the Scottish uplands along Route 50 and ferry hopping the islands, Orkneys, Arran, Islay, Iona, Mull
- Best holiday
All! Probably Chile, Bolivia and Peru; any safari in South Africa, Namibia. But my heart is in Peru.
- Favourite author and book (fiction)
Hate fiction!! Fall asleep too easily!
- Favourite author and book (non-fiction)
Yuval Noah Harari – Sapiens and Homo Deus; Bill Bryson – All books travel, linguistics and recent; Matthew Syed who writes weekly sports column for The Times and a comment column for The Sunday Times – Rebel Ideas and Bounce.
- Favourite composer
Chopin
- Favourite pop group/singer
When young Cliff Richard (!!!), Beatles, Lionel Richie
- Favourite song
Twist and Shout (Beatles)
- Favourite artist
LS Lowry
- Favourite art work
Any 17th century Dutch landscapes; primitives
- Sport
All (except rugby); Basketball (schoolboy international), played hockey until aged 70, athletics (pre drug era), football
- Perfect day
Kippers for breakfast, am gardening (in sun!), pm watching Everton FC win - rare!!), preconcert dinner, Liverpool Philharmonic concert (Chopin, Elgar Tchaikovsky), postconcert drinks with friends, Match of the Day, bed
- Three people to invite to dinner
Matthew Syed, Fiona, Bill Bryson
- Favourite menu (starter, main course, sweet)
Scallops, Beef Wellington, crème brulee
- What does ECoC mean to You?
Fun, international friends, opportunities to see beautiful cities of Europe.
- Memory of your year when your city was ECoC
2008: The excitement and sense of pride and community.
- Best event of year
Loved every event especially the small ones. The Big Hope (Liverpool Hope University’s week long world youth congress attended by over 800 delegates from 63 countries – but I’m biased.
- Value of being a member of UNeECC
Contact with committed and loyal friends with shared interests
- How would you describe yourself?
Enthusiastic and happy. I’ve been lucky!