I GRADUATED from Bristol University in 1982 with a joint honours degree in English and Drama.

I hardly noticed the occasion let alone celebrated it.

I felt disconnected from the institution which had awarded the degree, I felt disconnected from my peers and to be honest at 22 years old I felt a bit disconnected in general.

I have just recently been awarded a doctorate.

At the ceremony for my graduation at Colchester Town Hall I felt the mirror opposite from my original graduation.

I felt genuinely humbled and hugely privileged to accept the honour from the Colchester Institute.

I felt connected with the college, I felt connected with my peer group, I felt connected with the creative community of Colchester and I felt proud and happy and grateful.

So I did it properly this time, I had my mum, my wife and little boy in the front row.

I had all the clobber on - the hat, the gown, the full kit. I did all the ceremonial doffing, bowing and curtsying. I did my little speech.

I really wouldn’t have wanted this from anyone else than Colchester Institute.

Not that there was a queue of people offering, you understand, but to me it feels special to be connected with my community and my neighbours and it makes the doctorate far more relevant to my work, my home and my family to receive it from Colchester Institute rather than some distant academic palace.

Such is the pride I feel now, I will have to physically restrain myself should the cry ever go up: “Is there a Doctor in the house?”

The temptation to elbow people aside and rush forward to declare there is indeed a doctor in the house may not be treated with such glee when the poor patient, desperately in need of medical care or even resuscitation, finds out the only thing this particular doctor is able to offer is a community arts workshop.

ANTHONY ROBERTS

  •  Tickets for The Doctor Will See You Now, a new show by Anthony Roberts, go on sale this afternoon.

For details call the box office on 01206 500900.