Kay Glendinning MBE

It is with great sadness that the College reports the death of Kay Glendinning MBE, Honorary Fellow at Univ, who died on 8 December 2025.

Kay was a huge supporter of the College, particularly in her role as the Chair of the Vivensa Foundation, formerly known as the Dunhill Medical Trust. Her generous benefactions to the College included the creation of the Mary Dunhill Fellowship in Physiology, a post which was held for many years by Dr Keith Dorrington. In March 1989, Kay was elected to an Honorary Fellowship at University College.

Kay Glendinning was a central figure at the Vivensa Foundation for over 30 years, taking on key roles as a Trustee, Administrator and a Director. Her commitment and creative, timely and judicious provision of critical funding, particularly at the start-up of new enterprises, led to the creation of numerous endeavours in the field of medical research and care for the elderly and disadvantaged.

During her lifetime, Kay served as a Governor, Director, Trustee, Chairman and non-Executive Director of a wide range of trusts, hospitals and research institutes – including serving as a Member of the Council at King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, a Non-Executive Director of the Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust, a Director of Northwick Park Institute for Medical Research and a Trustee of Breakthrough (Breast Cancer) Research Charity. Kay was also an Honorary Fellow of both UMDS Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital and the RMPS Hammersmith Hospital. Kay was awarded an MBE in 1993 for charitable services.

Kay’s son, Timothy Sanderson (1976, History) was an undergraduate at Univ and is also a Foundation Fellow. We send our deepest condolences to Timothy and the rest of Kay’s family.

Published: 21 January 2026