Chaplain

Sarah Heslop

Revd Sarah is the chaplain at St John’s College, and it is her privilege to be available to all connected with the College, of all faith backgrounds, to offer a listening ear and a non-judgmental space to explore questions of life. She facilitates College worship and spaces where our community can come together, whether they be undergraduates, postgraduates, here for ministerial training, staff, or connected with the college in some other way.

Alongside her work as chaplain here, Sarah is undertaking doctoral research into the relationships between churches and non-church schools, a subject which she cares passionately about.

Sarah studied History at the University of Oxford before working as a teacher in London, Leipzig (Germany), and Cambridge. She has been closely involved in church and community life in and around Durham for many years and, after ordination, worked in a group of churches near Durham before moving to St John’s.

Our Staff

John Dorward

Chef Manager

John leads the Catering team at St John’s, overseeing the day-to-day delivery of food and drink across the College for students, staff, alumni and visitors. Working closely with the chefs and front-of-house team, he helps create a welcoming dining experience, from everyday meals in Haughton Dining

Colin Clifford

Assistant Chef Manager

Colin plays a key role in the day-to-day running of the College kitchens, helping to ensure the smooth delivery of catering for students, staff, conference guests and special events throughout the year. He joined St John’s in 2020 following a long career across the food service industry, including

George Weston

Resident Tutor

George is a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Biosciences researching prediction models for carbon dioxide binding proteins. Previously he completed his undergraduate studies at St John’s and he’s been involved in many different sports teams, societies and events over the years.�

Eleanor Sanderson

Council member

Eleanor is Bishop of Hull in the Diocese of York and was previously the Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Wellington, New Zealand. She serves on the Anglican Communion Commission for Discipleship and Evangelism and has a passion for the renewal of God’s church through multiplying missional discip

Karen Taylor

Cranmer Common Room President

Karen is an Anglican ordinand in training at Cranmer Hall. As CCR President, her role is to represent the students of Cranmer Hall to college, sharing their concerns and representing them at meetings. She then feedbacks pertinent information to the students.

Magdalena Stanilova

Resident Tutor

As a resident tutor, Magdalena helps foster a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment in St John’s College, working alongside an exceptional team of friendly, kind and empathetic people. One of the aspects she enjoys most about the role is organising the College’s Christmas decoration events,

Felipe Zarate

Resident Tutor

As a Resident Tutor at St John’s College, Felipe supports students in their academic progress and wider collegiate experience, while helping to foster a friendly and inclusive college community. Felipe also contributes to student life as a PGR Rep in the Philosophy Department. As a PhD student in

Aurelia Eburne

Resident Tutor

Aurelia’s role as Resident Tutor involves supporting wellbeing, safety, and enrichment within the College community, as first-responder to out-of-hours incidents and by actively contributing to College life through student events and outreach. Aurelia is currently completing a PhD in Garden Histor

Pei Jun Quek

Resident Tutor

As Resident Tutor, Pei Jun works closely with the College Student Support & Enrichment Team to respond to out-of-hours calls, incidents, and emergencies within the College, while also leading a variety of extracurricular activities for the student community. Pei Jun is currently completing her P

Sarah Strand

Dean of Anglican Formation

As Dean of Anglican Formation, Sarah has responsibility for the formation of Church of England ordinands and a brief to develop the range and modes of training that Cranmer offers. Working closely with the Chaplain, students and colleagues Sarah oversees the worshipping and community life of Cranme