The ceremony took place on Monday 15 July 2019 and was attended by Dr Sally Arrey (Head of Department), Senior Lecturer Dan Redfearn and Senior lecturer Sheena Miller amongst other members of the University of Huddersfield’s learning disability department.
Also in attendance were Michael’s friends from Luv2MeetU, Renait Southernwood, Liz Davies, Paul Howarth and Stephen Bland.
The plaque will be permanently displayed in the Harold Wilson building at University as part of Michael’s legacy. It will be seen by students and visitors on a daily basis and act as a lasting reminder of the contribution he made over the years, including supporting student nurses in teaching situations, interviewing prospective students, making several films and being part of a group of people shortlisted for the Student Nursing Times Awards in 2016. Michael’s image will continue to be used in marketing and promotional material for the university. Discussions are also currently underway to develop a post graduate module in sensory wellbeing in recognition of Michael’s work and in order to continue to develop opportunities for health practitioners to engage with people who don’t rely on spoken language as their primary means of communication.
The inscription on the plaque reads –
Michael Ludlum
1963 – 2019
Valued friend and colleague of the Nursing and Midwifery Department
As a man with both learning and physical disabilities, Michael worked with the University for a number of years and was instrumental in portraying the service user experience to our nursing students. Michael was an inspirational person who left a lasting impression on all he met. He worked on many projects and his contributions are his legacy which will continue to influence the lives of others for years to come.
Gerard Wainwright
Registered Manager, Heatherstones