Lorna Allen

The Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO) – the leading global organisation for security professionals in Higher and Further Education – has celebrated the outstanding achievements of its members with the announcement of the winners of its prestigious 2025 Annual Awards. This year marked a record-breaking number of submissions across all award categories, highlighting the exceptional work being carried out on university campuses both in the UK and around the world.

Macmillan Cancer Support has reported that almost 3.5 millon people are living with cancer in the UK (Seymour, 2025) and this is set to increase rapidly. By 2030, four million people in the UK will be living with the long-term consequences of cancer (Laurence, 2019). It is currently difficult to see how this increased number of people, many of whom may be older people, some with comorbidities, can be supported and given the help and care they deserve.

BY LORNA ALLEN The Lakota people called them “mako sica,” or “bad lands.” French trappers and traders had the same opinion and called them “les mauvaises terres à traverser” — “bad lands to cross.” Since then, the term “badlands” has stuck. Unusual landforms, extreme temperatures, and a lack of water are typical of the areas where they are found, and contribute to the “badness” of this rugged landscape. However, these marvellously bleak landscapes are beautiful to my eye. What Makes Badlands Bad?