Sunderland | Sunderland A.F.C. | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Sunderland, Tyne and Wear | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Short Sunderland | Polytechnic University of the Philippines | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Polytechnic University of Catalonia | City of Sunderland | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Polytechnic University of Valencia | Long Beach Polytechnic High School | California Polytechnic State University | Polytechnic University of Turin | polytechnic (Portugal) | Ngee Ann Polytechnic | Kwantlen Polytechnic University | University of Sunderland | Sunderland | Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland | polytechnic | Marche Polytechnic University | Fulwell, Sunderland | Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland | The Polytechnic of Western Australia | Sunderland Empire Theatre | Sunderland Echo | Sunderland A.F.C | Southern Polytechnic State University |
Fairbairns has worked as a freelance journalist and a creative writing tutor; she has also held appointments as Writer in Residence at Bromley Schools (1981-3 and 1985-9), Deakin University, Geelong, Australia (1983), Sunderland Polytechnic (1983-5) and Surrey County Council (1989).
He received a Ph.D. from the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) and Sunderland Polytechnic (now Sunderland University) in 1982 for a thesis on new patterns of Ministry in the Northeast of England; his advisor was David E. Jenkins.