MEMBER NEWS
Honorary degree for creative industries champion
A creative producer who has spent more than 25 years widening access to the film and television industry has received an honorary degree from the University of Reading.
Dominique Unsworth, founder of the Slough-based social enterprise Resource Productions CIC, received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters in a ceremony on Tuesday 28 July.
Unsworth founded Resource Productions in 1999 to create social change through art and film. Since then the organisation has supported thousands of under-represented artists and filmmakers across Berkshire with training, work and access to peer networks.
Through Resource Productions, Unsworth helped establish YES: Youth Engagement Slough, offering free weekly activities for young people aged 11 to 25, and the Berkshire Film Office, which connects local councils, residents and businesses to commercial filming opportunities.
In 2023, Resource Productions became a National Portfolio Organisation, receiving regular, multi-year funding from Arts Council England in recognition of its work enabling social change through the arts. Also since 2023, Unsworth has led Screen Berkshire, a British Film Institute( BFI)-funded skills cluster established in partnership with the University of Reading’ s
Dominique Unsworth Department of Film, Theatre & Television. Screen Berkshire is one of just seven BFI skills clusters in the UK and brings together industry, government, community and education to strengthen routes into the creative industries.
Unsworth has given oral evidence to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’ s Select Committee on British film and highend television, and chairs the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce’ s Screen Sector Workforce Development Partnership. She is the SME Apprenticeship Ambassador for the Department for Education and a member of
BAFTA, the British Screen Forum and an RSA Fellow.
As a producer, Unsworth has made more than 100 short films and co-produced the feature film Little English in 2023, made in Berkshire by more than 200 local people. The production also consolidated a new skills training model with support from Rothschild foundation and DWP kickstart and is now known as Create and Credit in Screen Berkshire, which develops the professional experience of talent working on a production.
Unsworth was awarded an MBE for services to skills and a BEM for services to arts, young people and the community.
Dr Shweta Ghosh, from the Department of Film, Theatre & Television at the University of Reading, said:“ Dom’ s inspiring leadership and in-depth screen sector knowledge has fostered collaborations across a wide range of stakeholders, delivering significant economic and social benefit across Berkshire and beyond.
“ Her unwavering commitment to diverse communities in Slough and Berkshire has inspired and supported an entire generation of talent to enter the screen industries. With this honorary degree, we are highlighting and celebrating her invaluable social, cultural and creative contributions.
Blake Morgan advises Worcester College on acquisition of Jericho Wharf
Law firm Blake Morgan’ s Oxford team has supported Worcester College with their completion of the purchase of the Jericho Wharf development site.
The acquisition marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for an important historic site that has remained largely unused for almost two decades. The College is committed to bringing the site back into productive use through a carefully considered redevelopment that respects its heritage and contributes positively to the local area.
Blake Morgan offered multidisciplinary advice to Worcester College from the early stages of discussion with the owners, the council and other stakeholders, helping to manage the complexities of dealing with both international and local parties keen to secure the future of this important asset for the city. The team included partners
Richard Wade( from Blake Morgan’ s construction practice), Michael Ward( real estate), Sara Hanrahan( planning) Rajiv Joshi( employment) and Liz Bell( commercial), with support from trainee Georgia Bevan.
Worcester College recognises the strong interest that local residents and other stakeholders have shown in the future of the site. Over the coming months, the college will be engaging with the community and other interested parties as they develop proposals that seek to meet both the College’ s longstanding needs and the aspirations of the wider neighbourhood. Further details will be shared once these discussions have taken place.
Michael Ward, Partner at Blake Morgan, said:“ With tight timescales and a lot at stake, given the importance of this underused brownfield site to the city, it was essential to offer a full suite of advice and support on this transaction to Worcester College – derisking the complexities and helping the process run smoothly. The owner / investor was based in Hong Kong, adding an international dimension alongside the high-profile nature of the site, and it’ s a credit to the strength and breadth of experience here in the Oxford team that a bright and productive future for this historic site is now ensured.”
Lord Isaac CBE, Provost of Worcester College, said:“ Worcester College and its predecessors have been custodians of land in this part of Oxford for more than 700 years. We are pleased to have secured this important site and are now committed to ensuring that its future development is of the highest quality, making a positive contribution to Jericho and to Oxford.”
16 Autumn 2026