The magazine for alumni and friendsof Queen Margaret

ISSUE 63, JULY 2006

‘RECIPE FOR LIFE’ HELPS OLDER PEOPLE TO EAT BETTER

CHALLENGES FACING LOCAL GOVERNMENT TODAY

AWARDS SCHEME IS ‘FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE’

Note from the Principal

Welcome to the summer 2006edition of QM News, our magazinefor the alumni and friends of Queen Margaret.

This edition of QM News has a newlayout which brings together thenews and alumni sections of themagazine. Now you will find alumninews interspersed with news aboutour current work. We know thatstories about our current students,research and expertise are asinteresting and relevant to ourgraduates as alumni news. And weare keen to share with our graduatesthe expert knowledge that continuesto be developed at Queen Margaret,through our ground-breakingresearch projects.

At Queen Margaret, we focus onproviding expertise which informsand contributes to knowledge, policyand practice in areas which touchpeople’s lives and experience. Findout how the study of healthpsychology uses the principles ofpsychology to understand the majorhealth related challenges facingsociety today (page 6 and 7).

Scholarships and awards schemes atQueen Margaret offer students thebest possible start to their career.Find out more about these schemeson page 10.

RE:LOCATE, Queen Margaret’s moveto our new campus at Craighall, EastLothian, is well underway. DeputyFirst Minister and Minister forEnterprise & Lifelong Learning, NicolStephen MSP, marked the start ofthe development by planting the firsttree on the site recently (page 18).

I hope you enjoy this issue.

Professor Anthony Cohen FRSEPrincipal and Vice-Patron

Edited, Designed and Produced by:Marketing and Communications OfficeQueen Margaret University College

Photography: Dougie Barnett

Printer: Pillans & Waddies

Contact:Marketing and Communications OfficeQueen Margaret University CollegeCorstorphine Campus Edinburgh, EH12 8TSTel. 0131 317 3000 Email. marketing@qmuc.ac.uk

CONTENTS

06-0702-03

1208-09

01 News

02 - 03 Addressing the challenges facing local government

04 - 05 Investors in Students award

06 - 07 Understanding the link between psychology and health

08 - 09 ‘Recipe for Life’ - addressing older people’s nutritional needs

10 Student Scholarships – a helping hand on the road to success

11 Research news

12 Postcard from Pakistan

13 QMGA Newsletter

14 - 15 Queen Margaret students make their mark

16 - 17 Classnotes / Reunions

18 RE:LOCATE update

NEWS - PAGE 01

QUEEN MARGARET RESEARCHPROFESSOR RECEIVES SCIENTIFIC HONOUR

Professor Bill Hardcastle, Director ofQueen Margaret’s Speech ScienceResearch Centre, has received aprestigious award for his work withtechnology to aid speech disorders.

Each year, the Foundation for Scienceand Technology gives the Lord Lloyd ofKilgerran Award to an individual who hasmade a positive contribution to society.Previous recipients include Tim Berner-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Weband Ian Wilmut, leader of the team thatcreated Dolly the sheep.

Professor Hardcastle is responsible forinternationally renowned work in thedevelopment of electropalatography(EPG), a technique which recordscontact of the tongue with the roof ofthe mouth during speech.

“I’m delighted and honoured to receivethis award in recognition of our workwith EPG,” said Professor Hardcastle.“The award and associated lecturewhich I have been invited to give to theRoyal Society will do much to raise theprofile of our work among senior policymakers and other importantstakeholders. I’m very much lookingforward to this unique opportunity.”

ENDOWMENT HELPS STUDENTSADDRESS SPEECH DIFFICULTY OFUNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN

A former member of staff at QueenMargaret has created a generousendowment which will allow students tostudy speech and language therapy forunderprivileged children.

Carol Spragge, a former member of thespeech and languages department, hasgifted a very generous endowment tosupport the work of the department.This will be used to pay for an ongoingoptional lecture series for fourth yearspeech and language therapy studentswhich concentrates on therapy forunderprivileged children in areas of highsocial deprivation and social exclusion.

Professor Fiona Gibbon, Head ofSpeech and Hearing Sciences at QueenMargaret, said: “This is a very generousgift that will improve our students'knowledge about the most effectiveinterventions for underprivileged children.”

SCOTTISH BOOK CULTURE STUDYGETS FINANCIAL BOOST

Professor David Finkelstein, ResearchProfessor of Media and Print Culture atQueen Margaret, has been awarded aresearch leave grant of £27,000 from theArts and Humanities Research Council(AHRC) to edit and complete writing onan authoritative guide to the past 120year history of Scotland’s book culture.

The Edinburgh History of the Book inScotland, 1880-2000 is the 4th volumein a series being published next year byEdinburgh University Press, co-edited byProfessor Finkelstein and ProfessorAlistair McCleery of Napier University.Professor Finkelstein will begin final workon the project in September 2006, withthe results published in December 2007.

“This is a major coup for QueenMargaret,” said Professor Finkelstein. “Itis the first AHRC grant of its kind everawarded to the institution. I am veryexcited by this opportunity to completework on what is an important and untoldstory of twentieth-century Scottishculture and history.”

When published, the volume will covertopics as diverse as Scottish readersand reading habits, the Gaelic book,publishing infrastructures, Scottish bookdesign and illustration, Scottish literarypublishing and new media.

CARERS’ QUALIFICATION GETSBACKING FROM SCOTTISH SOCIALSERVICES COUNCIL

The Higher Education Certificate in Carerun by Queen Margaret has beenrecognised by the Scottish SocialServices Council as a means for carersand support workers throughoutScotland to become registered.

Those involved in providing or deliveringsocial care services require to beregistered within the next few years andcompletion of the course is one way inwhich individuals working as carers, oremployed in a caring capacity, canbecome eligible for registration.

The course has been designed to meetthe educational needs of carers andsupport workers employed in a variety ofhealth and social care settings. It wasdeveloped as a result of demand fromthe health and social care professionsfor a formal programme of education forthose who wished to be better informedabout their caring role.

Martina Balaam, joint course leader,said: “Scotland depends heavily oncarers to provide for the vulnerable insociety and qualifications like this willenhance the status and value of thissignificant workforce. Registration forthis group will allow a demonstration ofthe close and important relationshipbetween practice and theoreticalknowledge which will improve the qualityof care in line with the national carestandards.”

Carol Spragge and Professor Fiona Gibbon

Professor Bill Hardcastle demonstrates EPGtechnology to a young patient.

Local government has been in thenews a lot recently, particularly withregards to a major dispute about thelevel of taxation that’s appropriate tosupport local authorities. There hasalso been substantial coverage ofdisagreements between the ScottishExecutive and local councils overhow much support they’ve had fromgovernment, and how this impacts onthe tax bills that all of us pay throughcouncil tax.

“I believe there is a much deeperproblem than just the level of taxation,”says Professor Richard Kerley, Dean ofthe Faculty of Business and Arts atQueen Margaret, and an expert on localgovernment. “In terms of the cashamount, the dispute has really beenabout relatively small amounts of money.

“Our experience here at Queen Margaretin working and researching in a variety ofdifferent public service settings suggeststhat we, as a society, are moving into aposition where we are yearning for easysolutions and there just aren’t any available.”

Professor Kerley argues that localgovernment is facing what has beentermed by American academics as‘wicked problems’ - that is, scenarioswhere the very act of tackling complexissues throws up other problems thatare themselves complex to deal with.

He explains: “In local government terms,we are trying to tackle socially desirableactivities like the recycling of waste,

which means that in my house, forexample, I have four different ways ofputting out different bits of myhousehold refuse: I have a green bin anda brown bin and a blue box and a redbox. What used to be a relatively simpletask - put the bin bag out on a Thursdaymorning before 7 o’clock - is nowsomething that has to have notices allover the kitchen wall and so on, and aconstant ‘Help! What day is this? Whatshould I be doing today and at what time?!’”

So, he argues, in trying to tackleimportant issues like the environment,more complex challenges are createdand increasing costs are built into publicservices. It is also clear that in makingsuch changes there is the potential todisrupt and annoy some people, ashighlighted by recent research carriedout at Queen Margaret into residents’reactions to the introduction of ‘wheeliebins’ in the city.

The new Queen Margaret ExecutiveMasters Degree in Public ServiceManagement is designed to enablestudents to engage with a range ofcontemporary issues and debates suchas these. The course will also makestudents aware of the social tensionssometimes related to public serviceprovision. A classic example is that,although citizens regularly state insurveys that they would like to see localgovernment providing more and betterservices, few want to pay much more intax, if anything.

Professor Kerley gives an example. “Ithas been suggested that levels oftaxation in the Scottish Borders could bereduced if the council shut a number ofprimary schools. A substantial number ofprimary schools in the Scottish Bordersare operating under capacity so merginga couple of schools in a given areawould be an obvious efficiency andwould perhaps improve some aspects ofchildren’s educational experience.However, since the primary school isoften at the heart of the village - it is theplace where after school events andpublic meetings take place - a slice oflife would disappear from the communityif it was closed down.

“Part of what councils everywhere aretrying to do is to find ways of copingwith these types of paradox and thedilemmas that people present to them.”

Starting in September 2006, the newExecutive Masters Degree in PublicService Management is being introducedprecisely because councils are having toface up to such tensions in serviceprovision. It will equip people with agreater understanding of the dilemmasof public management and enable themto do their own research into thesekinds of activities. Students will be ableto gain a sense of how society ischanging and how local government isdealing with this.

The course explores the nature andcontext of public services and examinesa range of management issues.Students will explore important themes

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES FACING LOCAL GOVERNMENT

PAGE 02

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in contemporary public management,such as consumerism, financialmanagement, quality and performancemanagement and the changing nature ofthe public policy agendas that drivepublic management.

Research into certain local governmentissues is also being developed at QueenMargaret. One area of research is theprovision of services for older peopleand how the financial arrangements oflocal government affect this group. Mostlocal authorities provide – where there isa charge – a concessionary arrangementfor people over a certain age topurchase services, such as entry topublic swimming pools, theatre tickets,or the cost of renting an allotment. Theresearch will aim to itemise these typesof arrangements - something which hasnever been done before.

“If local authorities offer a discount on anallotment rental, that’s absolutely no useto the millions of older people who don’trent an allotment,” suggests ProfessorKerley. “Part of the question we havenever really addressed is whether thiswhole raft of concessions might beswept away and a higher actual incomepaid to older people for them to spendas they choose. Understanding this is animportant part of the debate about whatarrangements society makes for olderpeople. There are some very interestingdevelopments to be made in this area.”

“Part of what councilseverywhere are trying to dois to find ways of copingwith the dilemmas thatpeople present to them.”

Main picture: One of Edinburgh’s recycling plantsInset picture: Professor Richard Kerley

Louise Gillam, a second year dieteticsstudent, was one of the luckyrecipients of an Investors in StudentsAward in 2005, which enabled her toembark on an educational trip toJordan. Here is Louise’s account ofher experience.

Alongside my degree course in dietetics,I have been learning French and Arabicat evening classes, as I hope in the longterm to work overseas in the field ofnutrition with a non-governmentalorganisation or aid agency.

Whilst the French was ticking over nicely,having studied this to ‘O’ Level standardat school, I was aware that, with adifferent alphabet, Arabic would be a bit trickier and I set about looking for an established course in an Arabic-speaking country where I could kick start the learning process.

With the backing of my Head ofDepartment, Dr Isobel Davidson, Iapplied successfully to the Investors inStudents Committee for funding to coverthe course fee for the summer semesterof ‘Arabic for Speakers of AnotherLanguage (Level 1)’ at the University ofJordan, Amman. The project exceededmy expectations in many ways.

The university, with in excess of 30,000students, has a beautiful campus, theteaching staff taking particular pride overthe Language Centre, which, whilstestablished in 1979, was in a brand newbuilding only opened this summer.

The quality of the teaching was nothingshort of excellent, as were the lessonstructures and course materials,published by the teaching staff in the university.

Lessons totalled four hours every dayand were very fast-paced, requiring atleast the same amount of hours in homestudy to keep up. Over the course of theeight weeks, we learned to communicatepredominantly in classical Arabic, butwith some colloquial phrases to be ableto understand local differences. By theend of the course, our reading, writingand communication skills were classedas fluent at an intermediate level. Wewere able to read and write lengthyparagraphs and conjugate verbs in thepast, present and future tense and hada vocabulary in excess of 1000 words in the end.

The students came from all over theworld. Our class included students fromNorth Korea, Japan, Brazil, Ukraine,America, Denmark and Germany. Eachstudent had their own interesting tale asto why they were learning Arabic. Inaddition to a French journalist there wereseveral students who had one parentfrom an Arabic country who had beenforced to leave many years ago forpolitical reasons. Hearing the mix ofstudents tell their stories during my timethere was both fascinating and, at times,very sad.

In addition to making many new friendsfrom all over the world, I made local

friends and visited their family homeswhich gave me quite an insight into thedifferent culture we were living in. I learntabout the differences between the ArabMuslim culture and my own, in additionto eating local food, smoking thetraditional flavoured tobacco in a giantpipe and gaining fantastic help with myhomework and revision! I found theJordanian people to be the mostwelcoming people I have ever had thepleasure to meet.

Whilst in Amman I stayed in a women’shostel for students, just outside thenorth gate of the university, which had a10pm curfew - a little different fromstudent halls back home but deemedvery liberal in comparison to the on-campus hostels which had a 7.30pmcurfew! I could not quite decide if I wasdeemed to be in danger or deemed tobe the danger!

The Language Centre ran trips forstudents every weekend to varioustourist spots which included overnightstays in Petra, a festival in Jerash,floating in the Dead Sea and stayingovernight in Bedouin tents in the WadiRum desert. The trips were all great funand a fantastic opportunity to see theteachers chilled outside of the classroomand to meet other students.

As for highlights of the project, the listgoes on and on - gaining 95 percent inmy final exam, meeting so manyinteresting people and having so manyfun times - but one highlight I did not

PAGE 04

INVESTORS IN STUDENTSAWARD SCHEME GIVES LOUISE A TASTE OF MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURE

PAGE 05

expect was to receive my first job offeras a dietician in Karak, Jordan!

I took the opportunity to return to asmall town where I had undertakensome voluntary work the year before,assisting the midwives in a hospital runby Italian missionary nuns. Sr Doloreswas delighted to hear about my courseat Queen Margaret and my Arabiccourse and had me earmarked to returnas the hospital’s first-ever dietician. Shewas not at all put off by the fact I hadthree years to go until qualifying and wasdetermined it was meant to be! Watchthis space…

Since returning, I have spoken with thecourse organiser of Arabic eveningclasses at the University of Edinburghand have enrolled at Year 3 level. I onlyhope I can keep up!

Many thanks are due to the Investors inStudents Committee for supporting mein this project. It is a summer I will never forget.

“The quality of theteaching was nothingshort of excellent, as werethe lesson structures andcourse materials.”

Main picture: Language Centre, University of JordanInset picture: Louise Gillam

PAGE 06

Academics at Queen Margaret areusing the principles of psychology tounderstand the major health relatedchallenges facing society today.

Health psychology examines the factorswhich influence health behaviour byapplying psychology to theunderstanding of health, illness and healthcare.

The principles can be used to explainsome of the unhealthy behavioursexhibited by today’s society, such assmoking, binge drinking, bad diets andlack of exercise, and why many peoplechoose to ignore advice from healthprofessionals. But as well as helping usunderstand why some people take riskswith their own health, psychology canalso be used to explain why peoplebecome ill, how individuals behave whendiagnosed with an illness and how theyadapt to and recover from it.

Michele Hipwell is a lecturer in HealthPsychology at Queen Margaret. “Theway people think and behave affectstheir health but an individual’s health willalso affect the way they think andbehave,” explains Michele. “Healthpsychology examines how health andbehaviour are linked. It examines whypeople adopt behaviours and continueto act in a way that they know will have a negative impact on their health,such as smoking. But it also focuses on improving the experiences and wellbeing of people with chronic illness, and examines the ways in

which people cope with diabetes orcancer, for instance.”

Health Psychology at Queen Margaret isrun at undergraduate, postgraduate anddoctorate level and all courses areaccredited by the British PsychologicalSociety. Training to be a CharteredHealth Psychologists is a rigorous andextensive process, taking seven years inScotland or six in England.Charteredship is gained throughcompletion of a Masters degree,followed by the presentation of aportfolio illustrating a range ofcompetencies gained through workexperience or a PhD, supervised by achartered health psychologist. Charteredstatus can also be gained through thetaught doctoral route while working inareas related to health psychology.

Queen Margaret has run the MSc for thepast five years, in which time over 80students have successfully completedthe programme, and is the first highereducation institute in the country to runthe taught doctoral programme, whichstarted in 2005, with 12 studentscurrently enrolled on the course. TheBSc in Health Psychology continues tobe the only one of its kind in Scotland.

Health psychology touches on manyareas connected to health. Theprinciples can be applied to publichealth, health promotion and policymaking, in addition to activity concernedwith specific health-related matters,including cardiovascular disease, pain

management, cancer management,HIV/AIDS and diabetes. And theprinciples can also be applied to thestudy of other behaviours which couldhave a negative impact on people’swellbeing, such as bullying, domesticabuse, phobias, stress and body image.

Current Queen Margaret HealthPsychology student, Paul Millar, is aclinical hypnotherapist and uses theprinciples of health psychology everyday in dealing with clients who haveissues with weight, smoking, phobias,anxiety and depression.

“Health Psychology at Queen Margarethas given me much more of an insightinto the bases of these conditions,” saysPaul. “It teaches models of healthbehaviour that people adopt to deal withproblems and knowing how thesemodels work has substantially improvedthe quality of my practice.

“What’s more, health psychology seesthe client as a whole human beingwhose body and mind are fullyintegrated in dealing with issues ofhealth. This is a very modern approachto health issues that recognises thatclients are active participants in theirown healing. My clients much prefer tohave their own hard work recognised; tobe seen, not as passive victims, but astaking active measures on their ownbehalf. This lies at the core of healthpsychology and is a very appealinghealing approach for my clients.”

UNDERSTANDING THE LINK BETWEENPSYCHOLOGY AND HEALTH

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Queen Margaret has been involved inresearch which deals with the widerange of issues connected to health,wellbeing and the promotion of healthylifestyles. These include the effects ofsugar on eating behaviour and mood,developing risk assessments andevaluating stress managementinterventions, and examining the effectof meditation on stress levels andpositive attitudes in Buddhists andpeople who practice meditation.Students have addressed core healthpriorities in their dissertations includingsexual health, HIV/AIDS and strokes.

“Our PhD students are currently involvedin some interesting work,” says Michele.“One has just been involved in the

development of a ‘heart manual’ forpeople with heart failure in conjunctionwith York University. This manual hasbeen designed to help people with heartproblems manage their illness moreeffectively by looking at their lifestyle andmental health and helping them developand maintain a better lifestyle.

“Another student has been working atAstley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh tohelp identify the training needs of themedical staff and other healthprofessionals working in cardiactreatment and rehabilitation. And anotheris working with a mental health charity inthe Borders which provides art coursesfor people with mental health problems.

“All these students are using theprinciples associated with healthpsychology in very different ways butwhat all these research projects have incommon is that they all focus on waysof improving people’s quality of life inrelation to their health,” says Michele.

To date, Health Psychology graduateshave secured employment across adiverse range of health-related contextsincluding the NHS, occupational settingsand other institutions in the highereducation sector. It is envisaged thatthere will be more demand for healthpsychologists in healthcare settings inthe future, as the wide range of skillsand services applicable to healthpsychology continues to increase.

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A study into the food and nutritionneeds of older people has highlightedthe role which service providers andolder people themselves can play inensuring this age group eats well.

Researchers at Queen Margaret’s RoyalBank of Scotland Centre for the OlderPerson’s Agenda (RBS COPA), alongwith the University of Stirling and AgeConcern Scotland, examined the variousbarriers to eating well faced by olderpeople who live alone and have difficultyleaving the house, and how this affectstheir physical and social wellbeing.

Researchers obtained information fromten older people on their food and drinkintake and examined the factors thatsupport or hinder good nutrition. Theyalso sought views on older people’sexpectations of the people providingservices relating to food and nutrition,and explored the problems facingorganisations and front-line staff whenproviding these services.

“As we get older, a number of thingscan lead to us not eating well,” explainsBelinda Dewar, project manager of theresearch. “An illness or disability maymake it difficult for us to get to theshops or to cook and enjoy food. Also,someone who lives alone may feel it isnot worth cooking a meal for one.”

Home care workers play an importantrole in encouraging older people to eatwell by building trusting relationships,suggesting new recipes and providing

opportunities for social eating. However,it is important that a system of assessmentis in place to ensure careful matching ofclients and workers to build a positiverelationship and to identify older peoplewhose situation requires monitoring orreferral to a specialist dietician.

“Very frail older people can experiencesensory, physical and cognitiveimpairment, as well as long-termmedical conditions which can impact ontheir ability to eat well,” explains Belinda.“The complexity of the needs of olderpeople means that a complexassessment process and range ofsolutions is needed to identify and meet their needs.

“Workers must have specific knowledgeof the nutrition needs of frail olderpeople and the skills to elicit the socialand psychological meaning of food intheir lives. Proper assessment willprovide some structure to anyinvestigation of nutrition-relatedproblems and ensure the needs of theindividual are met.”

An initiative has been developed inconjunction with South LanarkshireCouncil to develop a training resourcepack for home care workers that willraise awareness of the specificnutritional needs of frail older people.There is a need for home care workersto gain more knowledge and skills in thearea of food and nutrition, andestablishing an induction programmeand specialist courses would help them

to identify risk factors and helpfulinterventions if necessary. A bookletcontaining good practice guidance forhome care workers is being piloted in aseparate initiative.

Many older people have a bland andunexciting diet due to a lack of appetiteor to changes in their tastes anddigestion, which have led them toreduce the range of foods that they caneat. The effects of the ageing processon appetite are well known as is theneed to provide nutritionally-balancedmeals. However, while services may bewell set up to provide for people’s basicneeds for food and cooking, they areless well equipped to address some of the social and psychologicalcomponents that contribute to olderpeople’s ability to eat well and to quality of life, such as cooking or eating with others.

The research found that there may be arole for older people to contribute tosome food-related training or to teachyounger home care workers abouttraditional meals.

An intergenerational project in whicholder people share skills and knowledgeabout cooking and food with pupils at alocal high school is currently underway.

“A key finding from our research is thatthere is a need to ‘reconnect’ olderpeople with food,” explains CarolineDonaldson, Research Assistant at RBSCOPA, who is leading the initiative.

‘RECIPE FOR LIFE’ - ADDRESSING THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE

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“Some older people who live alone orhave difficulty leaving home have littleopportunity to take part in food relatedactivities such as shopping, cooking,preparing meals and talking about food.This can impact on their interest in foodwhich, in turn, impacts on appetite andmotivation to eat.”

A booklet containing recipes andcooking tips will be produced based ontheir findings which is hoped will proveuseful to older people and home careworkers as a way of involving olderpeople with food through conversationaround food and cooking.

“Workers must have specificknowledge of the nutrition needs ofolder people and the skills to elicit the social and psychological meaningof food in their lives.”

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We often hear about how studentssouth of the border have a muchmore difficult time than their northerncousins. Headlines in the educationsupplements about “fee refugees” atScottish institutions are increasinglycommon and the articles, oftenwritten with some journalistic license,bring to mind images of herds ofstudents stampeding towardsScotland in the rush for places!

In fact, the reality of being a student inScotland is slightly different. In mostcases even Scottish students have tocontribute to the cost of their education.They do not pay fees. However, oncethey have graduated and are earning areasonable income, they do have toacknowledge the benefit of their higher education by paying the graduate endowment.

As Sarah Latham, Queen Margaret’sstudent president, indicates, “By the endof a four year degree course, a £14,000student debt is not uncommon.”

Many industries and employers realisethat students are coming underincreasing financial pressure and arehappy to help out by providingscholarships and bursaries to ensurethat the best students are not impededin their studies by financial worries.

Queen Margaret is lucky enough to havescholarship opportunities for itsstudents, funded by employers, indisciplines relevant to their businesses.

Apex Hotels is one such employer.Norman Springford, Chairman of Apex,has long been a supporter of QueenMargaret and believes that incontributing to the success of ourstudents, Apex is contributing to thesuccess of the hospitality industry inScotland. Not only does Apex fund twoscholarships (with a third coming onboard this year) but students are alsooffered a paid work placement whichenables them to learn practical skills in areal environment, whilst relieving some ofthe financial burden students now face.

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) alsosupports students at Queen Margaretthrough its scholarship programme.Louise Welsh, Senior CommunicationsManager at QMS says: “Support for

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS - A HELPINGHAND ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

students in a relevant discipline ensuresthat we are attracting the best quality ofnew recruits into the Scottish red meatindustry. In addition, the workplacements give students a real insightinto the sharp end of the business.”

Fortunately, Queen Margaret studentsdon’t have to worry too much aboutfinding a job when they graduate, so atleast they will have the opportunity topay off those student debts. With a highgraduate employment rate (at 93percent) and one of the lowest studentdrop-out rates, Queen Margaret isproducing exactly what employers arelooking for in new graduates. Indeed,Apex in Edinburgh now employs more than half a dozen Queen Margaret Graduates.

From left to right: Shona McColl, Carolyn Borthwick, Jill Houston and Alana Bathgate

RESEARCH NEWS

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ALCOHOL ABUSE - DO YOU KNOWYOUR LIMITS?

There has been considerable mediacoverage recently of the social andhealth-related costs of alcohol abuse inthe UK. In light of this, two lecturersfrom Queen Margaret have carried out astudy to challenge the appropriatenessof alcohol health education messages in the UK.

Dr Jan Gill and Fiona O’May carried outa survey of 263 shoppers in Edinburgh,to investigate the perceived value ofdaily sensible drinking guidelines.Several initiatives related to theseguidelines are currently underconsideration by the UK government,one being the labelling of alcoholic drinkcontainers - a practice whichmanufacturers were encouraged toadopt by December 2005.

“Scotmid (where the research wascarried out) has been particularlyproactive in developing a relativelycomprehensive label on wine sourcedfrom their supplier,” explains Jan. “Eachbottle displays the actual unit contentand the daily guidelines for both menand women. We wanted to monitorreaction to this labelling system amongthe supermarket’s customers.”

Although most people surveyed coulddefine what constitutes a unit of alcohol,less than a fifth of men and just aquarter of women used the informationto monitor how much they drank. Veryfew were aware of the currentguidelines, which outline sensible dailydrinking levels.

”Most participants said they were infavour of alcohol labelling but we foundthat price offers influenced buying morethan label information did,” said Jan.”There seems to be considerableconfusion about sensible drinkingmessages in the UK.”

DEVELOPING BEST PRACTICE INSPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY

Queen Margaret has been awarded agrant from the City of Edinburgh Councilto develop speech and language therapy‘best practice’ guides for use in schools.

The CIRCLE project (Child InclusionResearch into Curriculum, Learning andEducation) is being carried out incollaboration with NHS Lothian, with theaim of supporting 5-11 year olds ineveryday school life and learning.

The Additional Support for Learning(Scotland) Act 2004 created a newsystem to address the needs of childrenin Scotland who require additionalsupport with their learning. Under theact, NHS Scotland is obliged to supporteducation authorities by providingassessments and therapeuticinterventions based on a child’s specificneeds. The CIRCLE collaboration willsupport the Act specifically in terms ofoccupational therapy and speech andlanguage therapy interventions within Edinburgh.

Dr Kirsty Forsyth, Senior Lecturer inOccupational Therapy, who is leading theproject said: “The first stage is to reviewresearch evidence related to children inneed of occupational or speech andlanguage therapy. We can then combinethis with policy and expert opinion toidentify best practice leading to the bestpossible outcomes for children.”

The final stage of the project will beconsultation with parents, teachers andchildren on the format and content ofthe documentation to ensure thedocument is useful and understandable.

“These opinions, experiences andperceptions are valuable and importantsources of information and will allow usto develop documentation which can beeasily understood by all,” saidDr Forsyth.

REVERSING THE ‘BRAIN DRAIN’ INLOW-INCOME COUNTRIES

Paying a better salary to nurses, couldresolve the ‘brain drain’ of healthworkers from low-income to high-income countries, according to researchat Queen Margaret.

Increasing migration of health staff tosome high-income countries is causing ashortage in poorer countries. In highincome countries, ageing populations arefeeding the demand for health services.Also, feminisation of the health workforceand a rising preference for leisure timehas reduced the supply of healthservices in some high-income countries.

While these explanations partly explainthe increase in migration, the researchfound that government policies in high-income countries have driven a growingdemand for health staff and contributedto the ‘brain drain’ in low-incomecountries. They argue that policymeasures are equally capable ofreversing the trend.

Professor Barbara McPake, Director ofthe Institute for International Health andDevelopment at Queen Margaret, and DrBob Pond, of the World HealthOrganisation, analysed key trends in theproduction, remuneration and retentionof health professionals in the UK, USA,France and Germany to gain an insightinto how policy affects the globaldistribution of human resources. In2003-04, more than 40 percent ofnurses who joined the British registerwere from overseas.

“In the UK, increasing nursing pay wouldseem to make the largest contribution toresolving the labour market imbalancethat is draining poor countries of theirhealth staff,” explains Professor McPake.“Better salaries would entice morepeople in Britain to become nurses and those who have left the professionto return.”

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POSTCARD FROM PAKISTAN

Janet Raymond, a graduate fromQueen Margaret’s Institute forInternational Health andDevelopment, has been working inPakistan for Médecins SansFrontières (MSF), an internationalhumanitarian aid organisation,following the earthquake in October2005. Janet contacted us at the endof November to tell us her story.

Q: Where are you based?

A: Immediately after arriving in AzadKashmir I was whisked away byhelicopter to the small village of Saidpur,north of Muzafarrabad (the epicentre ofthe earthquake), with instructions to stayfour days and I’ve been here ever since!

Q: Can you set the scene for us?

A: For the first 20 minutes of thehelicopter journey I could see nothingbut steep-sided mountains droppingdown into river valleys, the snow-capped mountains of India on one sideand the barren, stark mountains ofAfghanistan on the other. Soon thescene changed and I started to see whyI was there. The houses starteddisappearing into piles of rubble withwhite tents adjacent. As we got closerto the city, huge landslides were evidentwhere massive parts of mountains hadfallen, taking houses and even villageswith it. Muzaffarabad looked like a bombsite. Wooden or mud houses werecompletely destroyed; hospitals, schoolsand universities gone. This was twoweeks after the earthquake.

Q: What type of injuries have you hadto deal with?

A: I’ve seen traumatic amputations,spinal injuries, huge scalp lacerationsand fractures of every bone. In ourmobile clinic, initially, we wereperforming amputations in a room of apartially destroyed house! Theaftershocks were still quite strong and

each time this happened we had to runout of the building, so we relocated the‘operating theatre’ to a tent.

After the initial emergency phase it wasdecided that a team would stay andhave a base in this village, and anotherwould walk to the other villages withvaccines. The latter is mainly my roleand I spend many hours walking thesteep-sided mountains with avaccination team and a small dressing kit.

Q: How have you been affected bythe scenes that you have witnessed?

A: It brings the reality of the loss closerwhen you pass by a row of freshly-duggraves, sometimes up to 10 or 11 of thesame family. The other day I passed bytwo women who were sitting at the endof the graves of their small babies. Theylooked completely bewildered.

Q: How long will you stay in the area?

A: Once we have finished thevaccination and finished evacuating the‘stragglers’ from the earthquake, wehave to decide whether or not to stay forthe winter. Our living facilities at presentare not enough to support a cold winterso we would need to invest in woodstoves and better buildings. MSF isgoing to pilot new ‘flat packed’ igloo-type constructions called ‘pods’ in someareas, so that may be an option. It willdepend also on the number ofconsultations at the clinic which, at themoment, is around 70 per day. Theproblem for the whole area is that all theschools and health facilities have beendestroyed, as well as health workers andteachers killed, so people have littleaccess to any type of heathcare.

Q: How are people able to rebuildtheir lives and communities?

A: All the villages where I am workinghave received a donation from the Red

Cross of plastic sheeting for shelter, fiveblankets per family and food for twomonths. MSF is now in the process ofgiving out hygiene kits, pots and pans,blankets, more tents and tool kits. ThePakistani Army has done a great job onthe roads. The road to our location maybe open in a couple of days which willmake the situation a whole lot easier foreveryone: so far, people are walking sixhours to get their shopping.

Q: How have the Pakistani peopleresponded to you?

A: I cannot describe the hospitality ofthe Pakistani people, especially in theremote areas. Everyone is so happyabout our presence and make us feeltruly welcome. Even when walkingaround the mountains, tea is offered atevery home, sometimes on top of theirtumbled down house! We are givenfood, with tables and chairs and bestchina, in the most remote and beautifullocations, with the most fantastic views!We are often invited to the chief of thevillage’s home for evening meal - bettercurry than any restaurant!

Photos courtesy of Ton Koene/MSF

PAGE 13

President’s Report

I attended the Autumn Graduation andin February took part with other GAmembers in a film about college life,from Atholl Crescent to the new campus.

Work has started at the new Craighallsite and I enjoyed attending the treeplanting ceremony in March, indicative ofthe site’s environmentally friendly future.On the day, the temperature washovering around zero degrees and areviving lunch at Musselburgh was much appreciated!

Social Programme

A ‘Fragrance Evening’ in November withAlison MacColl of Complement YourHealth took us through the history ofperfume and advised us on how toselect our own unique fragrance. InMarch we enjoyed a stunning tour of theSurgeons’ Hall and Museum led byWilma Steedman. Networking lunchescontinued at Howies (Waterloo Place)and out of town. After a very successfulOctober lunch at Parklands Hotel inPerth, organised by Dorothy

McLauchlan, we visited Mackenzie’s inColinton in March and Bon Appetit,Dundee, in April.

Details of regular social events are sentby e-mail, with a monthly news update.To join the e-mailing list, please contactmembership secretary Mary Cursiter.

Madras Lodge

For current availability, and to book shortor long breaks at the lodge, contactMargaret Wyatt, Bookings Secretary. Amodest release to the terms of MissWhite’s will means that, with yourgenerous donations, we can continueup-grading.

The Joy of Silk

The ‘Joy of Life’ interpretation of theglass artwork, donated to QueenMargaret by the G.A., is available as ahand painted silk scarf, direct fromHeather Butlin Silks. The cost is £35(regular) and £45 (large). Emailheather.butlin@btopenworld.com

Thank you to Queen Margaret formailing out this QM News. Pleasecontinue to send in your news items. Iwould also like to appeal for a volunteerfor the Committee. We meet every twomonths - usually on a Monday evening -and enjoy planning forthcoming events.Phone or e-mail for more details.

Best wishes for an enjoyable summer.

QMUCGA DIARY DATES & CONTACTS

Networking lunches Last Saturday of the monthSeptember 2006 to April 2007(not December) Contact:Mary CursiterE: m.cursiter@btinternet.com

To help on the Committee please contact:Pat Denzler, President10 Abercromby PlaceEdinburgh EH3 6LBT: 0131 558 1378E: denzler@fsbdial.co.uk

QMUC Graduates' Association(Queen Margaret GA)All graduates, as well as present andformer staff of Queen Margaret, areeligible for ‘life’ membership of 40 years.Cost:£25 in graduation year, £30 for othersContact:Membership SecretaryMary Cursiter14 William StreetEdinburgh EH3 7NHT: 0131 226 3534E: m.cursiter@btinternet.comW: www.qmucga.org.uk

Madras Lodge Contact:Bookings SecretaryMargaret Wyatt11 Langton View, East Calder, Livingston, West Lothian EH52 0LET: 01506 494 483E: margaret10@blueyonder.co.uk

by Graduates’ Association President, Pat Denzler

Anne Scagell, Ilona Forsyth and Mary Graham on filming day

QMUCGA NEWSLETTER

The film team join the GA members for a break

Networking at Howies in 2006

PAGE 14

QUEEN MARGARET STUDENT WINSHOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AWARD

MBA student, Michael Lennon, haswon the prestigious Ambassador’sAward at the Springboard Awards forExcellence, held in London.

The Ambassador’s Award, sponsored byPeople Tree, is given in recognition ofoutstanding achievement and innovationin the hospitality industry by a registeredSpringboard Ambassador, whoseactivities have proven success inchanging the perceptions towards, andraising the profile of, a career inhospitality, leisure, travel and tourism.

Michael won the award for developingthe concept of an interactive boardgame called ‘Who wants to be aHotelier?’. Michael’s idea was to giveteachers and young people a taste ofthe excitement of working in the tourismand hospitality industries and to helpthem realise the diverse careeropportunities available.

The board game was developed byMichael in conjunction with Springboardand launched by the Scottish TourismMinister, Patricia Ferguson, in May 2005.It has since been distributed to everyhigh school in Edinburgh, Glasgow,Perth and Inverness, and to many otherschools throughout Scotland. The Perthand Inverness Hoteliers’ Associationsare currently using it as part of theirschools programme.

“Michael has shown creativity andtenacity in seeing a project through fromstart to finish,” said the judges. “Hisinitiative has really engaged the target group.”

The Springboard Awards for Excellenceprovide companies and individuals withthe opportunity to showcaseoutstanding practice in addressing oneof the industry’s most significant issues –attracting and retaining people. To win,each entry must have a clear strategy,address the specific need of theinitiative, have clear aims and outcomesand show proof of innovation,achievement, evaluation and use of partnerships.

YOUNG THEATRE TALENT LIGHTSUP DRAMA FESTIVAL

A Theatre Production student atQueen Margaret has picked up anaward at the National Student DramaFestival.

Matthew Thompson, who has justcompleted his fourth year at QueenMargaret, was awarded first place in theStage Electrical Awards for hiscontribution to lighting at the festivalwhich was held in Bournemouth in April.

As part of his award, which wassponsored by Martin Professional,Matthew will go on an all expenses paidtrip to Martin Professional’s head officein Denmark to take a tour of Europe’smost advanced intelligent lightingmanufacturing centre.

George Tarbuck, subject leader inlighting and sound at Queen Margaret,said: "We are delighted for Matthew.During his time at Queen Margaret hehas become a familiar face on theEdinburgh lighting scene having workedon numerous professional shows andevents. This award is well-deservedrecognition of Matthew’s emergence asa creative lighting practitioner and wewish him well for the future.”

Martin leaves us to take up a positionwith Simon Kennedy Lighting, anEdinburgh-based company specialising inlighting for the corporate events industry.

QUEEN MARGARET STUDENTS MAKE THEIR MARK

Michael Lennon presented with the award fromAnne Pierce, Chief Executive of Springboard.

PAGE 15

GRADUATE SHORTLISTED FOR FILM MAKING PRIZE

Former Media Production student,Steven Braxton, who graduated in2005, was recently shortlisted for anaward by Scottish Screen, theorganisation which promotesScotland as a production centre forworld movie making.

The film, entitled ‘Fast’, was shortlistedwith two others in the Music Videocategory of the Scottish Students onScreen Awards 2006, held in Glasgowin March. Steven’s film was shown alongwith entries from students of GlasgowSchool of Art and the Royal ScottishAcademy of Music and Drama (the winner).

“The event was a fantastic platform forme to showcase what I learned atQueen Margaret,” said Steven. “‘Fast’was the first film where I took charge ofevery stage - directing, editing andproducing - so I was really pleased tohave been in the top three. It was agood learning curve for me.”

BRYAN LOWE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Since graduating in 2005, formeracting student, Bryan Lowe, hasgraced our television screens in somewell known dramas and has alsostarred alongside some big names inthe business.

Bryan has had small parts on television’s‘Sea of Souls’, ‘Waking the Dead’ withTrevor Eve, ‘Rebus’ with Ken Stott andrecently appeared in ‘See No Evil’, thestory about the moors murders. He alsoused his Fife roots - while trying not tolet Fifers become typecast - to play aFife-born murderer with Brian Cox inMcLevy, the Radio 4 historical detectiveseries. However, Bryan’s latest role is taking him back to his first love - the stage.

“I’ve been extremely lucky to havebagged a good few cracking jobs andhave had the opportunity to work withsome amazing people,” said Bryan.“However, it was the stage that initiallygot me into acting and it’s been great toget back to it.”

Bryan played the younger boyfriend ofLynn Ferguson in Melody, a new play byDouglas Maxwell which was shown atthe Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.Melody also starred Una McLean, anhonorary graduate of Queen Margaret. “I loved every single minute of being onthe Traverse and Tron stages in Melody

with the irrepressible Una Maclean andLynn Ferguson, who were quite simplylegends and comedy geniuses.”

Discussing his Queen Margaret days,Bryan said: “One of the biggest andbest experiences of my college dayswas in 2004 when I was involved in theQueen Margaret co-production of a newwork, ‘Beach’, with Boilerhouse, theaward-winning Scottish touring theatrecompany.

“I am quite a big lad and have alwayshad a bit of a thing about doing physicaltheatre and that sort of movement work.Working with Boilerhouse really helpedme get rid of that. I lost a lot of my inhibitions.”

QM Graduate, Steven Braxton

QM Graduate, Bryan Lowe

Rosamund Mary Berry (nee Gregory),Diploma I, Teacher Training 1936. In 1940 Isailed to Africa to teach at the Girl’s School &Teacher Training Centre of Church of ScotlandMission, Blantyre, Nyasaland – a reserveoccupation – as men were away with the King’sAfrica Rifles. I returned to the UK in 1945 onold Mauritania, then a troop ship. In 1952 Ireturned to Kenya to the Teacher TrainingCentre to do an upgrading course in HomeEconomics for teachers. I wrote a handbook,‘The Teaching of Home Craft’, for Africanteachers. I returned to Nyasaland to marry andworked for the Social Development Departmentrunning Homecraft classes for women. I alsocompiled a cookery book of local foods entitled‘Good Cooking’. I retired to Scotland and taughtin a Special School for four years and wrote ‘MyCook Book’ for slow learners. When I becamewidowed I moved south. I remarried in 1989and moved to Poole, Dorset. Now widowed andstill living in Poole. I am 91 and a half years old. Iwrote the books because there were no otherbooks of their kind.

Norah Janet Callam (nee Green), InstitutionalManagement, Tea and Cake Shop Management1938. All of my diplomas were destroyed duringthe London Blitz when I was running canteensfor the Ministry of Supply at an armamentfactory. I also graduated in First ClassCookery/Cordon Bleu and we wore chef’s hats!I am now 87.

Ann Glenys John (nee Rees), Diploma I,Cookery, Needlework, Housewifery 1949. I amnow living in Porthcawl, having retired aftermany teaching posts. I will always remember thevery happy days spent in Atholl Crescent. I amin touch with three girls – Rachel Swimerton,Joan Cuad and Margaret Booth.

Margaret C. R. Booth (nee Shearer), DiplomaIII, Cookery, Laundry, Tailoring 1950. Celebratedour Golden Wedding with retired Howe o’ theMearns farmer, John. We have four daughters:Katherine graduated from QM College in the1980s. Keep up with Audrey (Hinchcliffe) Perryin USA, Audrey (Newman) Cameron and MaryHodgson, my room mates in Atholl Crescent.All T in T and hale and hearty. I would like tohear of former teachers of the 1946 – 1950 era.Any more reunions?

Noreen Green (nee Prince), Diploma I, AthollCrescent, 1951. I taught Domestic Science fortwo years then went into hospital teaching formentally and physically handicapped children.Boarded in Guthrie Wright (Miss Strachan) andmarried Ron (my sweetheart since we were boththree years old). Now celebrating 52 years of

marriage. We have two sons and one daughter.I am part-time organist at our local church. Wehave six grandchildren. I keep in touch with fivecolleagues.

Dorothy Goldthorpe (nee Brown), Diploma inHome Economics 1979. Hi to all those whograduated in 1979 with Diploma in HomeEconomics. We will have to try a reunion for ourthirty years!! I am a KS4 Manager in an all boysmulticultural school. I have two boys myself,David, 15 and Taylor, 6. Regards to all from thatyear and many others from other years andcourses that I knew.

Lorna Aitken (nee MacDonald), BA HomeEconomics 1987. Following my marriage toChris Aitken in 1988 and my PGCE at MorayHouse, I have been teaching at Brighouse HighSchool in West Yorkshire. I am now WorkRelated Learning Co-ordinator and have twochildren, Hollie, 11 and Mark, 8.

Dawn Gauntlett (nee Kilpatrick), BA Nursing1988. Would love to say hello to the class of1984. Hope you are all well and enjoying life. Iwant to wish you all well and hope you are stillenjoying nursing.

Andy Roehr, Diploma in Podiatry 1991. Afterspending too long in England working in boththe public and private sectors, I have finallymanaged to get back to Scotland to continuewith my career in ‘God’s Own Country’! I wouldlove to hear from old friends and classmates.

Denise Smedley (nee English), HND Hotel,Catering and Institutional Management 1991. Iam no longer in Tourism, and am about toembark on an HNC course in Social Care atElgin College (fingers crossed!)

Genevieve O’Halloran, BSc OccupationalTherapy 1994. I've recently bought a house inthe country with my boyfriend of seven years.I'm working as a Community OT Manager inRoscommon and loving it. Lots of greatmemories of my time at QMC - hello to all.

Wendy Parkinson (nee Armstrong), BA (Hons)Communication Studies 1994. Have a lovelylittle girl, Alice and due another one inDecember 2005. Hello to everyone who sharedcollege life, which seems like a long time ago now.

Alison Bruce (nee Fraser), BA (Hons) NursingStudies 1994. I trained as an ophthalmic nursein 1998 and now work part-time in Edinburghjuggling family life! I married Ian in 2000 and wehave two young children, Emma, 2 and Jamie, 1.

Rebecca Hunter, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy1995. I've spent the last 3 years working as aphysiotherapist in orthopaedics andrheumatology in central Manchester PrimaryCare Trust. I'm moving back to Edinburgh to setup a private practice in the Grange area. I'd loveto from any of my fellow graduates!

Jacqueline MacPhail (nee Smith), BA (Hons)Retail Business Studies 1996. After graduating,I moved to Glasgow and began working withInternacionale/Au Naturale on their graduatetraining programme. I stayed there for six yearsas a merchandiser. I finally decided to leave theheady work of retail behind and re-train as apsychiatric nurse - almost finished my BSc. I gotmarried to George in Las Vegas last year, whichwas fantastic and moved back to sunny Ayr.

Jo Wilson (nee Craig), BSc (Hons) Dietetics1997. I worked for two years in MRI Manchesterand then moved to Dublin where I got a job inNutricia Ireland. I am still working for Nutriciaand got married a year ago to my husbandPaul. I’m still great friends with Rachel Coode.

Lisa Green (nee Noble), BSc (Hons) Dietetics1997. I work as a gastroenterology dietician inHalifax and really enjoy it. Living back in sunnyHuddersfield with my lovely husband Richard.Still in touch with Sally Wilby, Anna McClean(nee Probert), Wendy Johnson and many of myseven flatmates from Balgreen.

Keith Sutherland, BA Communication Studies1999. After finishing my degree at QM I travelleda little bit before hearing the call of the sea andsigning up for the Merchant Navy. This includedsitting an HND in Nautical Science and earninga Certificate of Competency to become DeckOfficer. I passed my exams in early 2004 andsince then have been working for a Norwegiancompany. I am now a Second Officer and haverecently moved back to a flat in Edinburgh.

Leanne Wells, BA (Hons) Hospitality andTourism Management 1999. I worked for thelocal authority sports development team inLincolnshire before moving west to North Wales.I work at NEWI and enjoy the challenge ofworking with the students and trying to make adifference to their future careers. I am happilymarried and looking forward to starting a family.

Alasdair Satchel, BA (Hons) Drama andTheatre Arts 2000. Studied Physical theatre atEcole Jacques Lecoq, Paris 2000-2002. I waspart of the five star show 'One Man Rant' at theEdinburgh Fringe in 2002 and 2003. I haveworked for Benchfours Theatre Sans Frontieresin the UK and for Naxos Theatre in Chartres,France. I was also part of a new show 'TwoMan Rumble' at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004

PAGE 16

40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 00sCLASSNOTES

1930's

30s

1940's

1950's

1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

PAGE 17

Hussain Nasser (nee Naser), MScPhysiotherapy 2000. I worked for the HealthMinistry (Bahrain) for seven years. After that Ishifted to Bahrain Petroleum Company as aSenior Physiotherapist. I did a PG Dip inBusiness Administration at Bahrain University(2003). Currently, I’m doing a DPT program inAugustine University and expect to graduate inDecember 2006. I was the Head of ScientificCommittee of the Bahrain Physical TherapyAssociation (BPTA) for two years and am nowthe President of BPTA.

Elaine Tewnion, BA (Hons) Marketing withSociology 2000. Relocated to Northamptonshireto work for Weetabix after graduating. Currentlystill working for the company as Senior BrandManager of Weets, Ready Brek and Seriously Oaty.

Mark Healy, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2000.Completed degree in 2000 and was selected forpilot training by Aer Lingus. After turbulentyears post September 11th, returned to physioworking in Dublin and for a while in NewZealand before returning to flying with City Jet.Based currently out of Paris.

Nasly Hernandez, MSc Physiotherapy 2001. Iam a member of the paediatric gastroenterologyand nutrition research group. I am undertaking aresearch project on child malnutrition and motordevelopment. As a member of the NationalAssociation of Physiotherapy I’m working on thedesign of a project on physiotherapy research inLatin America. I’ve also been invited toparticipate in the scientific committee of the XIILatin American Congress of Physiotherapy in 2006.

Karen (Kay) Sey, MSc International Health2001. Now working with counsellors in TheGambia. Have just finished developing anAIDS/HIV Counselling Training Manual.

Emily Platt, BA (Hons) Consumer Studies 2001.I worked in Nepal for two years as aRecruitment Officer for a charity. Now that Ihave returned I am about to start a new job inLondon, working in personnel. I will also beworking in Singapore for part of the year.

Shirley Morris, BSc (Hons) in Psychology,Sociology & Social Policy 2002. I am employedas a Befriender Co-ordinator by the Ark Trust inwhich I recruit volunteers to train and match tothose who are claiming asylum, refugee and theright to remain.

Lyndsey Reid, BSc Occupational Therapy2002. I have been working within thecommunity and have been involved in newdevelopments such as ‘mobile working’ whichinvolved a pilot study using laptops so thatforms/assessment documents could be faxed,e-mailed or stored from a remote location (e.g.the car, clients home). I work with a rapid

response team so mobile working is veryimportant as we are often out of the officeworking with cases that need urgent action.

Helen Clarkson, BA Stage Management andTheatre Production 2002. After doing two yearsat Pitlochry Festival Theatre as Assistant StageManager I am now thrilled to have just startedmy dream job as ASM/Book Cover on MissSaigon UK Tour Production.

Vicky Alcaro, BSc (Hons) Psychology 2003.After leaving QM I worked for Edinburgh SecureServices working with serious and persistentyoung offenders on short and long termremand. My current post is with the YouthJustice Services conducting behaviouralassessments on serious and persistent youngoffenders. Next year I aim to undertake an MScin Forensic Psychology.

Martina McDermott, BA (Hons) TourismManagement 2003. I have recently moved backto Fermanagh after working in Edinburgh since Igraduated in 2003. I am fortunate to haveaccomplished work at Fermanagh Tourist Office.I achieved my HND in Travel and TourismManagement at Fermanagh College andcontinued at Degree Hons level at QueenMargaret.

Heather Jackson (nee Dacre), BSc Podiatry,2004. Enjoyed a year working as a SeniorPodiatrist in Bristol for Scholl. However, about toembark on a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursingin Newcastle. Married Mark in December 2005.Very happy.

Abhrajyoti Basak, BA Hospitality and TourismManagement 2004. At present I am working atTrident Hilton (Bhubaneswar). I love the coolsummers of Kolkata. I hope in the future tocomplete an MBA at Queen Margaret. My mottois "Enjoy life at its fullest".

Prashant Gupta, BA International HospitalityManagement 2004. I have opened a newenterprise at Gangtok which is for tourists onthe border of Indo-Tibet. Many thanks to QueenMargaret where I have gained a firm knowledgein hospitality management. In a very shortperiod of time I have started my own businessin the hotel trade and am doing very well.

John Spies, MBA Golf and Country ClubManagement 2004. Laura and I have twochildren, Madison and Aidan. I have completedthe requirements for the designation of CertifiedClub Manager (CCM) via The Club ManagersAssociation of America. Currently working onthe Certified Hotel Administrator designation viathe American Hotel and Lodging Association.

REUNIONSCALLING ALL DOMESTIC SCIENCE GRADUATES FROM 1967-1970/71Would you like to meet your fellowstudents of long ago? We are planning areunion in Edinburgh to take place inJune 2007, forty years since we startedour training in Atholl Crescent. We havelots of names but are finding it difficult toget addresses for you all. If you wouldlike to come to our reunion pleasecontact me or Joyce.

Anne E Kean (Martin) Tel: 01738 629958 Email: neilkean@btinternet.com

Joyce Beveridge (Macfarlane) Tel: 0131 445 4934Email: bjbeveridge@btinternet.com

REUNION FOR ATHOLL CRESCENT INTAKE OF 1966This is the 40th year of my starting atAtholl Crescent on a four-year teachertraining course. I keep up with some ofthe gals, and Lynn Irvine and I thought itwould be great to celebrate with a lunchreunion. We have set a date forSaturday, 16th September 2006 (venueTBA). Lynn is phoning around andasking everyone to try to contactsomeone else, but there are many whowill not be on our list.

We are looking for any students whocame to Atholl Crescent in the academicyear of September 1966, and werestaying in halls.

Alison Ross (nee Cameron) - attendedAtholl Crescent 1966-1970Email: rosstourconsult@hotmail.comMobile: 07791 144421

REUNION FOR TEACHING CLASS OF 1960A reunion is being planned in April 2007for the class of 1957-1960 Diploma 1 inTeaching to celebrate fifty years sincetheir arrival at Queen Margaret.

Sandra Murdoch (nee Bateman) Tel: 0131 445 4111 Email: sgmurdoch@blueyonder.co.uk

Frances Sharps (nee Ward) Tel: 01925 730426 Email: sharps@waitrose.com

CONTACT:Marketing and Communications OfficeQueen Margaret University CollegeCorstorphine Campus Edinburgh, EH12 8TSTel: 0131 317 3648 Fax: 0131 317 3795Email: marketing@qmuc.ac.uk

RE:LOCATE UPDATE

Deputy First Minister and Ministerfor Enterprise & Lifelong Learning,Nicol Stephen MSP, marked the startof the development of sustainableparkland at our new campus inCraighall, East Lothian, recently, byplanting the first tree on the site.

Attended by Queen Margaret staff,MSPs and representatives from localschools, the ceremony marked thefirst step in transforming the 35 acresof low grade farmland into the perfectenvironment for all sorts of wildlife tothrive, through the creation of wetland,woodland, hedgerow and meadow

habitats, and the provision of roostingboxes for indigenous wildlife.

The design of the new building itselfexceeds current environmentalstandards and sets a new benchmarkin sustainable design. It willincorporate leading green technologiesto ensure the campus' impact on theenvironment is minimised and hasalready become the first HE campus inthe UK to be awarded an 'excellent'rating for building design by theBuilding Research Establishment'sEnvironmental Assessment Method.

Mr Stephen said: “Queen MargaretUniversity College should becongratulated not only for its

Development and Alumni OfficeQueen Margaret University CollegeCorstorphine Campus Edinburgh, EH12 8TSTel: 0131 317 3359 Fax: 0131 317 3380Email: alumni@qmuc.ac.uk

ambitious plans to build this state-of-the-art campus but for incorporatingsustainability in every aspect. This willbe a lifelong learning hub for itsstudents and the local community.”

Local residents and pupils atMusselburgh Grammar Schoolattended a Queen Margaretroadshow in the lead up to ourrelocation in autumn 2007.

“This roadshow offered a tremendouschance for pupils, parents and anyonewho wants to continue their personalor professional development to findout from our existing students what

university life is like,” said VicePrincipal, Rosalyn Marshall.

Mr Ronnie Summers, Headmaster ofMusselburgh Grammar School, said:“In 2007, Musselburgh will boast astriking, distinctive and sustainableacademic village that will beaccessible and welcoming to everyonein the area. Our second and third yearpupils will be among the first to enrolat the new campus and, just asQueen Margaret has worked to involveand support the local community, I amsure our young people and local

residents will support and enjoy themany facilities and courses that QueenMargaret will offer.”

Offering fresh angles on topics ofrelevance to a wide audience, our recent series of professoriallectures has been very wellreceived.

Jo Clifford, Professor of Theatre andCreative Writing, Richard Kerley, Deanof Business and Arts, and BarbaraMcPake, Director of the Institute for

International Health and Development,gave public lectures on theatre, localgovernment and health systemsresearch.

“These lectures are comparable to the‘Inaugural Lecture’ tradition of theancient universities, in whichprofessors introduce themselves andtheir specialist interests to their

THE QUEEN MARGARET PROFESSORIAL LECTURES 2006

colleagues,” said Professor AnthonyCohen, Principal of Queen Margaret.

“But more importantly, they expressthe defining characteristics of QueenMargaret: to engage with people andsociety, and to use our expertise toinform and contribute to knowledge,policy and practice in areas whichtouch people’s lives and experience.”

MINISTER VISITS SITE OF NEW CAMPUS

LOCAL PUPILS ANDRESIDENTS ENJOY A TASTE OF THE FUTURE

Professor Anthony Cohen with Nicol Stephen, MSP

Local residents view a model of the new campus

This publication is printed on Revive Silk (a recycled paper containing a minimum of 75% post consumer collected waste).