QM News 63 (pdf 752KB) - Queen Margaret University

The magazine for alumni and friends
of 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’

CONTENTS
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
02-03
06-07
Note from the Principal
Welcome to the summer 2006
edition of QM News, our magazine
for the alumni and friends of
Queen Margaret.
This edition of QM News has a new
layout which brings together the
news and alumni sections of the
magazine. Now you will find alumni
news interspersed with news about
our current work. We know that
stories about our current students,
research and expertise are as
interesting and relevant to our
graduates as alumni news. And we
are keen to share with our graduates
the expert knowledge that continues
to be developed at Queen Margaret,
through our ground-breaking
research projects.
At Queen Margaret, we focus on
providing expertise which informs
and contributes to knowledge, policy
and practice in areas which touch
people’s lives and experience. Find
out how the study of health
psychology uses the principles of
psychology to understand the major
health related challenges facing
society today (page 6 and 7).
Scholarships and awards schemes at
Queen Margaret offer students the
best possible start to their career.
Find out more about these schemes
on page 10.
RE:LOCATE, Queen Margaret’s move
to our new campus at Craighall, East
Lothian, is well underway. Deputy
First Minister and Minister for
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning, Nicol
Stephen MSP, marked the start of
the development by planting the first
tree on the site recently (page 18).
08-09
12
I hope you enjoy this issue.
Professor Anthony Cohen FRSE
Principal and Vice-Patron
Edited, Designed and Produced by:
Marketing and Communications Office
Queen Margaret University College
Photography: Dougie Barnett
Printer: Pillans & Waddies
Contact:
Marketing and Communications Office
Queen Margaret University College
Corstorphine Campus
Edinburgh, EH12 8TS
Tel. 0131 317 3000
Email. marketing@qmuc.ac.uk

NEWS - PAGE 01
QUEEN MARGARET RESEARCH
PROFESSOR RECEIVES
SCIENTIFIC HONOUR
Professor Bill Hardcastle, Director of
Queen Margaret’s Speech Science
Research Centre, has received a
prestigious award for his work with
technology to aid speech disorders.
Each year, the Foundation for Science
and Technology gives the Lord Lloyd of
Kilgerran Award to an individual who has
made a positive contribution to society.
Previous recipients include Tim Berner-
Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web
and Ian Wilmut, leader of the team that
created Dolly the sheep.
Professor Hardcastle is responsible for
internationally renowned work in the
development of electropalatography
(EPG), a technique which records
contact of the tongue with the roof of
the mouth during speech.
“I’m delighted and honoured to receive
this award in recognition of our work
with EPG,” said Professor Hardcastle.
“The award and associated lecture
which I have been invited to give to the
Royal Society will do much to raise the
profile of our work among senior policy
makers and other important
stakeholders. I’m very much looking
forward to this unique opportunity.”
Professor Bill Hardcastle demonstrates EPG
technology to a young patient.
ENDOWMENT HELPS STUDENTS
ADDRESS SPEECH DIFFICULTY OF
UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN
A former member of staff at Queen
Margaret has created a generous
endowment which will allow students to
study speech and language therapy for
underprivileged children.
Carol Spragge, a former member of the
speech and languages department, has
gifted a very generous endowment to
support the work of the department.
This will be used to pay for an ongoing
optional lecture series for fourth year
speech and language therapy students
which concentrates on therapy for
underprivileged children in areas of high
social deprivation and social exclusion.
Professor Fiona Gibbon, Head of
Speech and Hearing Sciences at Queen
Margaret, said: “This is a very generous
gift that will improve our students'
knowledge about the most effective
interventions for underprivileged children.”
Carol Spragge and Professor Fiona Gibbon
SCOTTISH BOOK CULTURE STUDY
GETS FINANCIAL BOOST
Professor David Finkelstein, Research
Professor of Media and Print Culture at
Queen Margaret, has been awarded a
research leave grant of £27,000 from the
Arts and Humanities Research Council
(AHRC) to edit and complete writing on
an authoritative guide to the past 120
year history of Scotland’s book culture.
The Edinburgh History of the Book in
Scotland, 1880-2000 is the 4th volume
in a series being published next year by
Edinburgh University Press, co-edited by
Professor Finkelstein and Professor
Alistair McCleery of Napier University.
Professor Finkelstein will begin final work
on the project in September 2006, with
the results published in December 2007.
“This is a major coup for Queen
Margaret,” said Professor Finkelstein. “It
is the first AHRC grant of its kind ever
awarded to the institution. I am very
excited by this opportunity to complete
work on what is an important and untold
story of twentieth-century Scottish
culture and history.”
When published, the volume will cover
topics as diverse as Scottish readers
and reading habits, the Gaelic book,
publishing infrastructures, Scottish book
design and illustration, Scottish literary
publishing and new media.
CARERS’ QUALIFICATION GETS
BACKING FROM SCOTTISH SOCIAL
SERVICES COUNCIL
The Higher Education Certificate in Care
run by Queen Margaret has been
recognised by the Scottish Social
Services Council as a means for carers
and support workers throughout
Scotland to become registered.
Those involved in providing or delivering
social care services require to be
registered within the next few years and
completion of the course is one way in
which individuals working as carers, or
employed in a caring capacity, can
become eligible for registration.
The course has been designed to meet
the educational needs of carers and
support workers employed in a variety of
health and social care settings. It was
developed as a result of demand from
the health and social care professions
for a formal programme of education for
those who wished to be better informed
about their caring role.
Martina Balaam, joint course leader,
said: “Scotland depends heavily on
carers to provide for the vulnerable in
society and qualifications like this will
enhance the status and value of this
significant workforce. Registration for
this group will allow a demonstration of
the close and important relationship
between practice and theoretical
knowledge which will improve the quality
of care in line with the national care
standards.”

PAGE 02
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES
FACING LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Local government has been in the
news a lot recently, particularly with
regards to a major dispute about the
level of taxation that’s appropriate to
support local authorities. There has
also been substantial coverage of
disagreements between the Scottish
Executive and local councils over
how much support they’ve had from
government, and how this impacts on
the tax bills that all of us pay through
council tax.
“I believe there is a much deeper
problem than just the level of taxation,”
says Professor Richard Kerley, Dean of
the Faculty of Business and Arts at
Queen Margaret, and an expert on local
government. “In terms of the cash
amount, the dispute has really been
about relatively small amounts of money.
“Our experience here at Queen Margaret
in working and researching in a variety of
different public service settings suggests
that we, as a society, are moving into a
position where we are yearning for easy
solutions and there just aren’t
any available.”
Professor Kerley argues that local
government is facing what has been
termed by American academics as
‘wicked problems’ - that is, scenarios
where the very act of tackling complex
issues throws up other problems that
are themselves complex to deal with.
He explains: “In local government terms,
we are trying to tackle socially desirable
activities like the recycling of waste,
which means that in my house, for
example, I have four different ways of
putting out different bits of my
household refuse: I have a green bin and
a brown bin and a blue box and a red
box. What used to be a relatively simple
task - put the bin bag out on a Thursday
morning before 7 o’clock - is now
something that has to have notices all
over the kitchen wall and so on, and a
constant ‘Help! What day is this? What
should I be doing today and at
what time?!’”
So, he argues, in trying to tackle
important issues like the environment,
more complex challenges are created
and increasing costs are built into public
services. It is also clear that in making
such changes there is the potential to
disrupt and annoy some people, as
highlighted by recent research carried
out at Queen Margaret into residents’
reactions to the introduction of ‘wheelie
bins’ in the city.
The new Queen Margaret Executive
Masters Degree in Public Service
Management is designed to enable
students to engage with a range of
contemporary issues and debates such
as these. The course will also make
students aware of the social tensions
sometimes related to public service
provision. A classic example is that,
although citizens regularly state in
surveys that they would like to see local
government providing more and better
services, few want to pay much more in
tax, if anything.
Professor Kerley gives an example. “It
has been suggested that levels of
taxation in the Scottish Borders could be
reduced if the council shut a number of
primary schools. A substantial number of
primary schools in the Scottish Borders
are operating under capacity so merging
a couple of schools in a given area
would be an obvious efficiency and
would perhaps improve some aspects of
children’s educational experience.
However, since the primary school is
often at the heart of the village - it is the
place where after school events and
public meetings take place - a slice of
life would disappear from the community
if it was closed down.
“Part of what councils everywhere are
trying to do is to find ways of coping
with these types of paradox and the
dilemmas that people present to them.”
Starting in September 2006, the new
Executive Masters Degree in Public
Service Management is being introduced
precisely because councils are having to
face up to such tensions in service
provision. It will equip people with a
greater understanding of the dilemmas
of public management and enable them
to do their own research into these
kinds of activities. Students will be able
to gain a sense of how society is
changing and how local government is
dealing with this.
The course explores the nature and
context of public services and examines
a range of management issues.
Students will explore important themes

PAGE 03
in contemporary public management,
such as consumerism, financial
management, quality and performance
management and the changing nature of
the public policy agendas that drive
public management.
Research into certain local government
issues is also being developed at Queen
Margaret. One area of research is the
provision of services for older people
and how the financial arrangements of
local government affect this group. Most
local authorities provide – where there is
a charge – a concessionary arrangement
for people over a certain age to
purchase services, such as entry to
public swimming pools, theatre tickets,
or the cost of renting an allotment. The
research will aim to itemise these types
of arrangements - something which has
never been done before.
“If local authorities offer a discount on an
allotment rental, that’s absolutely no use
to the millions of older people who don’t
rent an allotment,” suggests Professor
Kerley. “Part of the question we have
never really addressed is whether this
whole raft of concessions might be
swept away and a higher actual income
paid to older people for them to spend
as they choose. Understanding this is an
important part of the debate about what
arrangements society makes for older
people. There are some very interesting
developments to be made in this area.”
“Part of what councils
everywhere are trying to do
is to find ways of coping
with the dilemmas that
people present to them.”
Main picture: One of Edinburgh’s recycling plants
Inset picture: Professor Richard Kerley

PAGE 04
INVESTORS IN STUDENTS
AWARD SCHEME GIVES LOUISE A TASTE
OF MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURE
Louise Gillam, a second year dietetics
student, was one of the lucky
recipients of an Investors in Students
Award in 2005, which enabled her to
embark on an educational trip to
Jordan. Here is Louise’s account of
her experience.
Alongside my degree course in dietetics,
I have been learning French and Arabic
at evening classes, as I hope in the long
term to work overseas in the field of
nutrition with a non-governmental
organisation or aid agency.
Whilst the French was ticking over nicely,
having studied this to ‘O’ Level standard
at school, I was aware that, with a
different 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 of
Department, Dr Isobel Davidson, I
applied successfully to the Investors in
Students Committee for funding to cover
the course fee for the summer semester
of ‘Arabic for Speakers of Another
Language (Level 1)’ at the University of
Jordan, Amman. The project exceeded
my expectations in many ways.
The university, with in excess of 30,000
students, has a beautiful campus, the
teaching staff taking particular pride over
the Language Centre, which, whilst
established in 1979, was in a brand new
building only opened this summer.
The quality of the teaching was nothing
short of excellent, as were the lesson
structures and course materials,
published by the teaching staff in
the university.
Lessons totalled four hours every day
and were very fast-paced, requiring at
least the same amount of hours in home
study to keep up. Over the course of the
eight weeks, we learned to communicate
predominantly in classical Arabic, but
with some colloquial phrases to be able
to understand local differences. By the
end of the course, our reading, writing
and communication skills were classed
as fluent at an intermediate level. We
were able to read and write lengthy
paragraphs and conjugate verbs in the
past, present and future tense and had
a vocabulary in excess of 1000 words
in the end.
The students came from all over the
world. Our class included students from
North Korea, Japan, Brazil, Ukraine,
America, Denmark and Germany. Each
student had their own interesting tale as
to why they were learning Arabic. In
addition to a French journalist there were
several students who had one parent
from an Arabic country who had been
forced to leave many years ago for
political reasons. Hearing the mix of
students tell their stories during my time
there was both fascinating and, at times,
very sad.
In addition to making many new friends
from all over the world, I made local
friends and visited their family homes
which gave me quite an insight into the
different culture we were living in. I learnt
about the differences between the Arab
Muslim culture and my own, in addition
to eating local food, smoking the
traditional flavoured tobacco in a giant
pipe and gaining fantastic help with my
homework and revision! I found the
Jordanian people to be the most
welcoming people I have ever had the
pleasure to meet.
Whilst in Amman I stayed in a women’s
hostel for students, just outside the
north gate of the university, which had a
10pm curfew - a little different from
student halls back home but deemed
very liberal in comparison to the oncampus
hostels which had a 7.30pm
curfew! I could not quite decide if I was
deemed to be in danger or deemed to
be the danger!
The Language Centre ran trips for
students every weekend to various
tourist spots which included overnight
stays in Petra, a festival in Jerash,
floating in the Dead Sea and staying
overnight in Bedouin tents in the Wadi
Rum desert. The trips were all great fun
and a fantastic opportunity to see the
teachers chilled outside of the classroom
and to meet other students.
As for highlights of the project, the list
goes on and on - gaining 95 percent in
my final exam, meeting so many
interesting people and having so many
fun times - but one highlight I did not

PAGE 05
expect was to receive my first job offer
as a dietician in Karak, Jordan!
I took the opportunity to return to a
small town where I had undertaken
some voluntary work the year before,
assisting the midwives in a hospital run
by Italian missionary nuns. Sr Dolores
was delighted to hear about my course
at Queen Margaret and my Arabic
course and had me earmarked to return
as the hospital’s first-ever dietician. She
was not at all put off by the fact I had
three years to go until qualifying and was
determined it was meant to be! Watch
this space…
Since returning, I have spoken with the
course organiser of Arabic evening
classes at the University of Edinburgh
and have enrolled at Year 3 level. I only
hope I can keep up!
Many thanks are due to the Investors in
Students Committee for supporting me
in this project. It is a summer I will
never forget.
“The quality of the
teaching was nothing
short of excellent, as were
the lesson structures and
course materials.”
Main picture: Language Centre, University of Jordan
Inset picture: Louise Gillam

PAGE 06
UNDERSTANDING THE LINK BETWEEN
PSYCHOLOGY AND HEALTH
Academics at Queen Margaret are
using the principles of psychology to
understand the major health related
challenges facing society today.
Health psychology examines the factors
which influence health behaviour by
applying psychology to the
understanding of health, illness
and healthcare.
The principles can be used to explain
some of the unhealthy behaviours
exhibited by today’s society, such as
smoking, binge drinking, bad diets and
lack of exercise, and why many people
choose to ignore advice from health
professionals. But as well as helping us
understand why some people take risks
with their own health, psychology can
also be used to explain why people
become ill, how individuals behave when
diagnosed with an illness and how they
adapt to and recover from it.
Michele Hipwell is a lecturer in Health
Psychology at Queen Margaret. “The
way people think and behave affects
their health but an individual’s health will
also affect the way they think and
behave,” explains Michele. “Health
psychology examines how health and
behaviour are linked. It examines why
people adopt behaviours and continue
to 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 or
cancer, for instance.”
Health Psychology at Queen Margaret is
run at undergraduate, postgraduate and
doctorate level and all courses are
accredited by the British Psychological
Society. Training to be a Chartered
Health Psychologists is a rigorous and
extensive process, taking seven years in
Scotland or six in England.
Charteredship is gained through
completion of a Masters degree,
followed by the presentation of a
portfolio illustrating a range of
competencies gained through work
experience or a PhD, supervised by a
chartered health psychologist. Chartered
status can also be gained through the
taught doctoral route while working in
areas related to health psychology.
Queen Margaret has run the MSc for the
past five years, in which time over 80
students have successfully completed
the programme, and is the first higher
education institute in the country to run
the taught doctoral programme, which
started in 2005, with 12 students
currently enrolled on the course. The
BSc in Health Psychology continues to
be the only one of its kind in Scotland.
Health psychology touches on many
areas connected to health. The
principles can be applied to public
health, health promotion and policy
making, in addition to activity concerned
with specific health-related matters,
including cardiovascular disease, pain
management, cancer management,
HIV/AIDS and diabetes. And the
principles can also be applied to the
study of other behaviours which could
have a negative impact on people’s
wellbeing, such as bullying, domestic
abuse, phobias, stress and body image.
Current Queen Margaret Health
Psychology student, Paul Millar, is a
clinical hypnotherapist and uses the
principles of health psychology every
day in dealing with clients who have
issues with weight, smoking, phobias,
anxiety and depression.
“Health Psychology at Queen Margaret
has given me much more of an insight
into the bases of these conditions,” says
Paul. “It teaches models of health
behaviour that people adopt to deal with
problems and knowing how these
models work has substantially improved
the quality of my practice.
“What’s more, health psychology sees
the client as a whole human being
whose body and mind are fully
integrated in dealing with issues of
health. This is a very modern approach
to health issues that recognises that
clients are active participants in their
own healing. My clients much prefer to
have their own hard work recognised; to
be seen, not as passive victims, but as
taking active measures on their own
behalf. This lies at the core of health
psychology and is a very appealing
healing approach for my clients.”

PAGE 07
Queen Margaret has been involved in
research which deals with the wide
range of issues connected to health,
wellbeing and the promotion of healthy
lifestyles. These include the effects of
sugar on eating behaviour and mood,
developing risk assessments and
evaluating stress management
interventions, and examining the effect
of meditation on stress levels and
positive attitudes in Buddhists and
people who practice meditation.
Students have addressed core health
priorities in their dissertations including
sexual health, HIV/AIDS and strokes.
“Our PhD students are currently involved
in some interesting work,” says Michele.
“One has just been involved in the
development of a ‘heart manual’ for
people with heart failure in conjunction
with York University. This manual has
been designed to help people with heart
problems manage their illness more
effectively by looking at their lifestyle and
mental health and helping them develop
and maintain a better lifestyle.
“Another student has been working at
Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh to
help identify the training needs of the
medical staff and other health
professionals working in cardiac
treatment and rehabilitation. And another
is working with a mental health charity in
the Borders which provides art courses
for people with mental health problems.
“All these students are using the
principles associated with health
psychology in very different ways but
what all these research projects have in
common is that they all focus on ways
of improving people’s quality of life in
relation to their health,” says Michele.
To date, Health Psychology graduates
have secured employment across a
diverse range of health-related contexts
including the NHS, occupational settings
and other institutions in the higher
education sector. It is envisaged that
there will be more demand for health
psychologists in healthcare settings in
the future, as the wide range of skills
and services applicable to health
psychology continues to increase.

PAGE 08
‘RECIPE FOR LIFE’ - ADDRESSING THE
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE
A study into the food and nutrition
needs of older people has highlighted
the role which service providers and
older people themselves can play in
ensuring this age group eats well.
Researchers at Queen Margaret’s Royal
Bank of Scotland Centre for the Older
Person’s Agenda (RBS COPA), along
with the University of Stirling and Age
Concern Scotland, examined the various
barriers to eating well faced by older
people who live alone and have difficulty
leaving the house, and how this affects
their physical and social wellbeing.
Researchers obtained information from
ten older people on their food and drink
intake and examined the factors that
support or hinder good nutrition. They
also sought views on older people’s
expectations of the people providing
services relating to food and nutrition,
and explored the problems facing
organisations and front-line staff when
providing these services.
“As we get older, a number of things
can lead to us not eating well,” explains
Belinda Dewar, project manager of the
research. “An illness or disability may
make it difficult for us to get to the
shops or to cook and enjoy food. Also,
someone who lives alone may feel it is
not worth cooking a meal for one.”
Home care workers play an important
role in encouraging older people to eat
well by building trusting relationships,
suggesting new recipes and providing
opportunities for social eating. However,
it is important that a system of assessment
is in place to ensure careful matching of
clients and workers to build a positive
relationship and to identify older people
whose situation requires monitoring or
referral to a specialist dietician.
“Very frail older people can experience
sensory, physical and cognitive
impairment, as well as long-term
medical conditions which can impact on
their ability to eat well,” explains Belinda.
“The complexity of the needs of older
people means that a complex
assessment process and range of
solutions is needed to identify and
meet their needs.
“Workers must have specific knowledge
of the nutrition needs of frail older
people and the skills to elicit the social
and psychological meaning of food in
their lives. Proper assessment will
provide some structure to any
investigation of nutrition-related
problems and ensure the needs of the
individual are met.”
An initiative has been developed in
conjunction with South Lanarkshire
Council to develop a training resource
pack for home care workers that will
raise awareness of the specific
nutritional needs of frail older people.
There is a need for home care workers
to gain more knowledge and skills in the
area of food and nutrition, and
establishing an induction programme
and specialist courses would help them
to identify risk factors and helpful
interventions if necessary. A booklet
containing good practice guidance for
home care workers is being piloted in a
separate initiative.
Many older people have a bland and
unexciting diet due to a lack of appetite
or to changes in their tastes and
digestion, which have led them to
reduce the range of foods that they can
eat. The effects of the ageing process
on appetite are well known as is the
need to provide nutritionally-balanced
meals. However, while services may be
well set up to provide for people’s basic
needs for food and cooking, they are
less well equipped to address some
of the social and psychological
components that contribute to older
people’s ability to eat well and to
quality of life, such as cooking or
eating with others.
The research found that there may be a
role for older people to contribute to
some food-related training or to teach
younger home care workers about
traditional meals.
An intergenerational project in which
older people share skills and knowledge
about cooking and food with pupils at a
local high school is currently underway.
“A key finding from our research is that
there is a need to ‘reconnect’ older
people with food,” explains Caroline
Donaldson, Research Assistant at RBS
COPA, who is leading the initiative.

PAGE 09
“Some older people who live alone or
have difficulty leaving home have little
opportunity to take part in food related
activities such as shopping, cooking,
preparing meals and talking about food.
This can impact on their interest in food
which, in turn, impacts on appetite and
motivation to eat.”
A booklet containing recipes and
cooking tips will be produced based on
their findings which is hoped will prove
useful to older people and home care
workers as a way of involving older
people with food through conversation
around food and cooking.
“Workers must have specific
knowledge of the nutrition needs of
older people and the skills to elicit
the social and psychological meaning
of food in their lives.”

PAGE 10
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS - A HELPING
HAND ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
We often hear about how students
south of the border have a much
more difficult time than their northern
cousins. Headlines in the education
supplements about “fee refugees” at
Scottish institutions are increasingly
common and the articles, often
written with some journalistic license,
bring to mind images of herds of
students stampeding towards
Scotland in the rush for places!
In fact, the reality of being a student in
Scotland is slightly different. In most
cases even Scottish students have to
contribute to the cost of their education.
They do not pay fees. However, once
they have graduated and are earning a
reasonable income, they do have to
acknowledge the benefit of their
higher education by paying the
graduate endowment.
Apex Hotels is one such employer.
Norman Springford, Chairman of Apex,
has long been a supporter of Queen
Margaret and believes that in
contributing to the success of our
students, Apex is contributing to the
success of the hospitality industry in
Scotland. Not only does Apex fund two
scholarships (with a third coming on
board this year) but students are also
offered a paid work placement which
enables them to learn practical skills in a
real environment, whilst relieving some of
the financial burden students now face.
Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) also
supports students at Queen Margaret
through its scholarship programme.
Louise Welsh, Senior Communications
Manager at QMS says: “Support for
students in a relevant discipline ensures
that we are attracting the best quality of
new recruits into the Scottish red meat
industry. In addition, the work
placements give students a real insight
into the sharp end of the business.”
Fortunately, Queen Margaret students
don’t have to worry too much about
finding a job when they graduate, so at
least they will have the opportunity to
pay off those student debts. With a high
graduate employment rate (at 93
percent) and one of the lowest student
drop-out rates, Queen Margaret is
producing exactly what employers are
looking 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
As Sarah Latham, Queen Margaret’s
student president, indicates, “By the end
of a four year degree course, a £14,000
student debt is not uncommon.”
Many industries and employers realise
that students are coming under
increasing financial pressure and are
happy to help out by providing
scholarships and bursaries to ensure
that the best students are not impeded
in their studies by financial worries.
Queen Margaret is lucky enough to have
scholarship opportunities for its
students, funded by employers, in
disciplines relevant to their businesses.

PAGE 11
RESEARCH NEWS
ALCOHOL ABUSE - DO YOU KNOW
YOUR LIMITS?
There has been considerable media
coverage recently of the social and
health-related costs of alcohol abuse in
the UK. In light of this, two lecturers
from Queen Margaret have carried out a
study to challenge the appropriateness
of alcohol health education messages
in the UK.
Dr Jan Gill and Fiona O’May carried out
a survey of 263 shoppers in Edinburgh,
to investigate the perceived value of
daily sensible drinking guidelines.
Several initiatives related to these
guidelines are currently under
consideration by the UK government,
one being the labelling of alcoholic drink
containers - a practice which
manufacturers were encouraged to
adopt by December 2005.
“Scotmid (where the research was
carried out) has been particularly
proactive in developing a relatively
comprehensive label on wine sourced
from their supplier,” explains Jan. “Each
bottle displays the actual unit content
and the daily guidelines for both men
and women. We wanted to monitor
reaction to this labelling system among
the supermarket’s customers.”
Although most people surveyed could
define what constitutes a unit of alcohol,
less than a fifth of men and just a
quarter of women used the information
to monitor how much they drank. Very
few were aware of the current
guidelines, which outline sensible daily
drinking levels.
”Most participants said they were in
favour of alcohol labelling but we found
that price offers influenced buying more
than label information did,” said Jan.
”There seems to be considerable
confusion about sensible drinking
messages in the UK.”
DEVELOPING BEST PRACTICE IN
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY
Queen Margaret has been awarded a
grant from the City of Edinburgh Council
to develop speech and language therapy
‘best practice’ guides for use in schools.
The CIRCLE project (Child Inclusion
Research into Curriculum, Learning and
Education) is being carried out in
collaboration with NHS Lothian, with the
aim of supporting 5-11 year olds in
everyday school life and learning.
The Additional Support for Learning
(Scotland) Act 2004 created a new
system to address the needs of children
in Scotland who require additional
support with their learning. Under the
act, NHS Scotland is obliged to support
education authorities by providing
assessments and therapeutic
interventions based on a child’s specific
needs. The CIRCLE collaboration will
support the Act specifically in terms of
occupational therapy and speech and
language therapy interventions
within Edinburgh.
Dr Kirsty Forsyth, Senior Lecturer in
Occupational Therapy, who is leading the
project said: “The first stage is to review
research evidence related to children in
need of occupational or speech and
language therapy. We can then combine
this with policy and expert opinion to
identify best practice leading to the best
possible outcomes for children.”
The final stage of the project will be
consultation with parents, teachers and
children on the format and content of
the documentation to ensure the
document is useful and understandable.
“These opinions, experiences and
perceptions are valuable and important
sources of information and will allow us
to develop documentation which can be
easily understood by all,” said
Dr Forsyth.
REVERSING THE ‘BRAIN DRAIN’ IN
LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES
Paying a better salary to nurses, could
resolve the ‘brain drain’ of health
workers from low-income to highincome
countries, according to research
at Queen Margaret.
Increasing migration of health staff to
some high-income countries is causing a
shortage in poorer countries. In high
income countries, ageing populations are
feeding the demand for health services.
Also, feminisation of the health workforce
and a rising preference for leisure time
has reduced the supply of health
services in some high-income countries.
While these explanations partly explain
the increase in migration, the research
found that government policies in highincome
countries have driven a growing
demand for health staff and contributed
to the ‘brain drain’ in low-income
countries. They argue that policy
measures are equally capable of
reversing the trend.
Professor Barbara McPake, Director of
the Institute for International Health and
Development at Queen Margaret, and Dr
Bob Pond, of the World Health
Organisation, analysed key trends in the
production, remuneration and retention
of health professionals in the UK, USA,
France and Germany to gain an insight
into how policy affects the global
distribution of human resources. In
2003-04, more than 40 percent of
nurses who joined the British register
were from overseas.
“In the UK, increasing nursing pay would
seem to make the largest contribution to
resolving the labour market imbalance
that is draining poor countries of their
health staff,” explains Professor McPake.
“Better salaries would entice more
people in Britain to become nurses
and those who have left the profession
to return.”

PAGE 12
POSTCARD FROM PAKISTAN
Janet Raymond, a graduate from
Queen Margaret’s Institute for
International Health and
Development, has been working in
Pakistan for Médecins Sans
Frontières (MSF), an international
humanitarian aid organisation,
following the earthquake in October
2005. Janet contacted us at the end
of November to tell us her story.
Q: Where are you based?
A: Immediately after arriving in Azad
Kashmir I was whisked away by
helicopter to the small village of Saidpur,
north of Muzafarrabad (the epicentre of
the earthquake), with instructions to stay
four days and I’ve been here ever since!
Q: Can you set the scene for us?
A: For the first 20 minutes of the
helicopter journey I could see nothing
but steep-sided mountains dropping
down into river valleys, the snowcapped
mountains of India on one side
and the barren, stark mountains of
Afghanistan on the other. Soon the
scene changed and I started to see why
I was there. The houses started
disappearing into piles of rubble with
white tents adjacent. As we got closer
to the city, huge landslides were evident
where massive parts of mountains had
fallen, taking houses and even villages
with it. Muzaffarabad looked like a bomb
site. Wooden or mud houses were
completely destroyed; hospitals, schools
and universities gone. This was two
weeks after the earthquake.
Q: What type of injuries have you had
to deal with?
A: I’ve seen traumatic amputations,
spinal injuries, huge scalp lacerations
and fractures of every bone. In our
mobile clinic, initially, we were
performing amputations in a room of a
partially destroyed house! The
aftershocks were still quite strong and
each time this happened we had to run
out of the building, so we relocated the
‘operating theatre’ to a tent.
After the initial emergency phase it was
decided that a team would stay and
have a base in this village, and another
would walk to the other villages with
vaccines. The latter is mainly my role
and I spend many hours walking the
steep-sided mountains with a
vaccination team and a small
dressing kit.
Q: How have you been affected by
the scenes that you have witnessed?
A: It brings the reality of the loss closer
when you pass by a row of freshly-dug
graves, sometimes up to 10 or 11 of the
same family. The other day I passed by
two women who were sitting at the end
of the graves of their small babies. They
looked completely bewildered.
Q: How long will you stay in the area?
A: Once we have finished the
vaccination and finished evacuating the
‘stragglers’ from the earthquake, we
have to decide whether or not to stay for
the winter. Our living facilities at present
are not enough to support a cold winter
so we would need to invest in wood
stoves and better buildings. MSF is
going to pilot new ‘flat packed’ iglootype
constructions called ‘pods’ in some
areas, so that may be an option. It will
depend also on the number of
consultations at the clinic which, at the
moment, is around 70 per day. The
problem for the whole area is that all the
schools and health facilities have been
destroyed, as well as health workers and
teachers killed, so people have little
access to any type of heathcare.
Q: How are people able to rebuild
their lives and communities?
A: All the villages where I am working
have received a donation from the Red
Cross of plastic sheeting for shelter, five
blankets per family and food for two
months. MSF is now in the process of
giving out hygiene kits, pots and pans,
blankets, more tents and tool kits. The
Pakistani Army has done a great job on
the roads. The road to our location may
be open in a couple of days which will
make the situation a whole lot easier for
everyone: so far, people are walking six
hours to get their shopping.
Q: How have the Pakistani people
responded to you?
A: I cannot describe the hospitality of
the Pakistani people, especially in the
remote areas. Everyone is so happy
about our presence and make us feel
truly welcome. Even when walking
around the mountains, tea is offered at
every home, sometimes on top of their
tumbled down house! We are given
food, with tables and chairs and best
china, in the most remote and beautiful
locations, with the most fantastic views!
We are often invited to the chief of the
village’s home for evening meal - better
curry than any restaurant!
Photos courtesy of Ton Koene/MSF

PAGE 13
QMUCGA NEWSLETTER
by Graduates’ Association President, Pat Denzler
President’s Report
I attended the Autumn Graduation and
in February took part with other GA
members in a film about college life,
from Atholl Crescent to the new campus.
Work has started at the new Craighall
site and I enjoyed attending the tree
planting ceremony in March, indicative of
the site’s environmentally friendly future.
On the day, the temperature was
hovering around zero degrees and a
reviving lunch at Musselburgh was
much appreciated!
McLauchlan, we visited Mackenzie’s in
Colinton in March and Bon Appetit,
Dundee, in April.
Details of regular social events are sent
by e-mail, with a monthly news update.
To join the e-mailing list, please contact
membership secretary Mary Cursiter.
Networking at Howies in 2006
QMUCGA DIARY
DATES & CONTACTS
Networking lunches
Last Saturday of the month
September 2006 to April 2007
(not December)
Contact:
Mary Cursiter
E: m.cursiter@btinternet.com
To help on the Committee
please contact:
Pat Denzler, President
10 Abercromby Place
Edinburgh EH3 6LB
T: 0131 558 1378
E: denzler@fsbdial.co.uk
Anne Scagell, Ilona Forsyth and
Mary Graham on filming day
The film team join the GA members for a break
Social Programme
A ‘Fragrance Evening’ in November with
Alison MacColl of Complement Your
Health took us through the history of
perfume and advised us on how to
select our own unique fragrance. In
March we enjoyed a stunning tour of the
Surgeons’ Hall and Museum led by
Wilma Steedman. Networking lunches
continued at Howies (Waterloo Place)
and out of town. After a very successful
October lunch at Parklands Hotel in
Perth, organised by Dorothy
Madras Lodge
For current availability, and to book short
or long breaks at the lodge, contact
Margaret Wyatt, Bookings Secretary. A
modest release to the terms of Miss
White’s will means that, with your
generous donations, we can continue
up-grading.
The Joy of Silk
The ‘Joy of Life’ interpretation of the
glass artwork, donated to Queen
Margaret by the G.A., is available as a
hand painted silk scarf, direct from
Heather Butlin Silks. The cost is £35
(regular) and £45 (large). Email
heather.butlin@btopenworld.com
Thank you to Queen Margaret for
mailing out this QM News. Please
continue to send in your news items. I
would also like to appeal for a volunteer
for the Committee. We meet every two
months - usually on a Monday evening -
and enjoy planning forthcoming events.
Phone or e-mail for more details.
Best wishes for an enjoyable summer.
QMUC Graduates' Association
(Queen Margaret GA)
All graduates, as well as present and
former staff of Queen Margaret, are
eligible for ‘life’ membership of 40 years.
Cost:
£25 in graduation year, £30 for others
Contact:
Membership Secretary
Mary Cursiter
14 William Street
Edinburgh EH3 7NH
T: 0131 226 3534
E: m.cursiter@btinternet.com
W: www.qmucga.org.uk
Madras Lodge
Contact:
Bookings Secretary
Margaret Wyatt
11 Langton View, East Calder,
Livingston, West Lothian EH52 0LE
T: 01506 494 483
E: margaret10@blueyonder.co.uk

PAGE 14
QUEEN MARGARET STUDENTS
MAKE THEIR MARK
QUEEN MARGARET STUDENT WINS
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AWARD
MBA student, Michael Lennon, has
won the prestigious Ambassador’s
Award at the Springboard Awards for
Excellence, held in London.
The Ambassador’s Award, sponsored by
People Tree, is given in recognition of
outstanding achievement and innovation
in the hospitality industry by a registered
Springboard Ambassador, whose
activities have proven success in
changing the perceptions towards, and
raising the profile of, a career in
hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism.
Michael won the award for developing
the concept of an interactive board
game called ‘Who wants to be a
Hotelier?’. Michael’s idea was to give
teachers and young people a taste of
the excitement of working in the tourism
and hospitality industries and to help
them realise the diverse career
opportunities available.
The board game was developed by
Michael in conjunction with Springboard
and launched by the Scottish Tourism
Minister, Patricia Ferguson, in May 2005.
It has since been distributed to every
high school in Edinburgh, Glasgow,
Perth and Inverness, and to many other
schools throughout Scotland. The Perth
and Inverness Hoteliers’ Associations
are currently using it as part of their
schools programme.
“Michael has shown creativity and
tenacity in seeing a project through from
start to finish,” said the judges. “His
initiative has really engaged the
target group.”
The Springboard Awards for Excellence
provide companies and individuals with
the opportunity to showcase
outstanding practice in addressing one
of the industry’s most significant issues –
attracting and retaining people. To win,
each entry must have a clear strategy,
address the specific need of the
initiative, have clear aims and outcomes
and show proof of innovation,
achievement, evaluation and use
of partnerships.
Michael Lennon presented with the award from
Anne Pierce, Chief Executive of Springboard.
YOUNG THEATRE TALENT LIGHTS
UP DRAMA FESTIVAL
A Theatre Production student at
Queen Margaret has picked up an
award at the National Student Drama
Festival.
Matthew Thompson, who has just
completed his fourth year at Queen
Margaret, was awarded first place in the
Stage Electrical Awards for his
contribution to lighting at the festival
which was held in Bournemouth in April.
As part of his award, which was
sponsored by Martin Professional,
Matthew will go on an all expenses paid
trip to Martin Professional’s head office
in Denmark to take a tour of Europe’s
most advanced intelligent lighting
manufacturing centre.
George Tarbuck, subject leader in
lighting and sound at Queen Margaret,
said: "We are delighted for Matthew.
During his time at Queen Margaret he
has become a familiar face on the
Edinburgh lighting scene having worked
on numerous professional shows and
events. This award is well-deserved
recognition of Matthew’s emergence as
a creative lighting practitioner and we
wish him well for the future.”
Martin leaves us to take up a position
with Simon Kennedy Lighting, an
Edinburgh-based company specialising in
lighting for the corporate events industry.

PAGE 15
GRADUATE SHORTLISTED
FOR FILM MAKING PRIZE
Former Media Production student,
Steven Braxton, who graduated in
2005, was recently shortlisted for an
award by Scottish Screen, the
organisation which promotes
Scotland as a production centre for
world movie making.
The film, entitled ‘Fast’, was shortlisted
with two others in the Music Video
category of the Scottish Students on
Screen Awards 2006, held in Glasgow
in March. Steven’s film was shown along
with entries from students of Glasgow
School of Art and the Royal Scottish
Academy of Music and Drama
(the winner).
“The event was a fantastic platform for
me to showcase what I learned at
Queen Margaret,” said Steven. “‘Fast’
was the first film where I took charge of
every stage - directing, editing and
producing - so I was really pleased to
have been in the top three. It was a
good learning curve for me.”
BRYAN LOWE
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Since graduating in 2005, former
acting student, Bryan Lowe, has
graced our television screens in some
well known dramas and has also
starred alongside some big names in
the business.
Bryan has had small parts on television’s
‘Sea of Souls’, ‘Waking the Dead’ with
Trevor Eve, ‘Rebus’ with Ken Stott and
recently appeared in ‘See No Evil’, the
story about the moors murders. He also
used his Fife roots - while trying not to
let Fifers become typecast - to play a
Fife-born murderer with Brian Cox in
McLevy, the Radio 4 historical detective
series. However, Bryan’s latest role
is taking him back to his first love -
the stage.
“I’ve been extremely lucky to have
bagged a good few cracking jobs and
have had the opportunity to work with
some amazing people,” said Bryan.
“However, it was the stage that initially
got me into acting and it’s been great to
get back to it.”
with the irrepressible Una Maclean and
Lynn Ferguson, who were quite simply
legends and comedy geniuses.”
Discussing his Queen Margaret days,
Bryan said: “One of the biggest and
best experiences of my college days
was in 2004 when I was involved in the
Queen Margaret co-production of a new
work, ‘Beach’, with Boilerhouse, the
award-winning Scottish touring theatre
company.
“I am quite a big lad and have always
had a bit of a thing about doing physical
theatre and that sort of movement work.
Working with Boilerhouse really helped
me get rid of that. I lost a lot of
my inhibitions.”
QM Graduate, Bryan Lowe
QM Graduate, Steven Braxton
Bryan played the younger boyfriend of
Lynn Ferguson in Melody, a new play by
Douglas Maxwell which was shown at
the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
Melody also starred Una McLean, an
honorary graduate of Queen Margaret.
“I loved every single minute of being on
the Traverse and Tron stages in Melody

PAGE 16
CLASSNOTES
30s
40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s
1930's
Rosamund Mary Berry (nee Gregory),
Diploma I, Teacher Training 1936. In 1940 I
sailed to Africa to teach at the Girl’s School &
Teacher Training Centre of Church of Scotland
Mission, Blantyre, Nyasaland – a reserve
occupation – as men were away with the King’s
Africa Rifles. I returned to the UK in 1945 on
old Mauritania, then a troop ship. In 1952 I
returned to Kenya to the Teacher Training
Centre to do an upgrading course in Home
Economics for teachers. I wrote a handbook,
‘The Teaching of Home Craft’, for African
teachers. I returned to Nyasaland to marry and
worked for the Social Development Department
running Homecraft classes for women. I also
compiled a cookery book of local foods entitled
‘Good Cooking’. I retired to Scotland and taught
in a Special School for four years and wrote ‘My
Cook Book’ for slow learners. When I became
widowed I moved south. I remarried in 1989
and moved to Poole, Dorset. Now widowed and
still living in Poole. I am 91 and a half years old. I
wrote the books because there were no other
books of their kind.
Norah Janet Callam (nee Green), Institutional
Management, Tea and Cake Shop Management
1938. All of my diplomas were destroyed during
the London Blitz when I was running canteens
for the Ministry of Supply at an armament
factory. I also graduated in First Class
Cookery/Cordon Bleu and we wore chef’s hats!
I am now 87.
1940's
Ann Glenys John (nee Rees), Diploma I,
Cookery, Needlework, Housewifery 1949. I am
now living in Porthcawl, having retired after
many teaching posts. I will always remember the
very happy days spent in Atholl Crescent. I am
in touch with three girls – Rachel Swimerton,
Joan Cuad and Margaret Booth.
1950's
Margaret C. R. Booth (nee Shearer), Diploma
III, Cookery, Laundry, Tailoring 1950. Celebrated
our Golden Wedding with retired Howe o’ the
Mearns farmer, John. We have four daughters:
Katherine graduated from QM College in the
1980s. Keep up with Audrey (Hinchcliffe) Perry
in USA, Audrey (Newman) Cameron and Mary
Hodgson, my room mates in Atholl Crescent.
All T in T and hale and hearty. I would like to
hear of former teachers of the 1946 – 1950 era.
Any more reunions?
Noreen Green (nee Prince), Diploma I, Atholl
Crescent, 1951. I taught Domestic Science for
two years then went into hospital teaching for
mentally and physically handicapped children.
Boarded in Guthrie Wright (Miss Strachan) and
married Ron (my sweetheart since we were both
three years old). Now celebrating 52 years of
marriage. We have two sons and one daughter.
I am part-time organist at our local church. We
have six grandchildren. I keep in touch with five
colleagues.
1970's
Dorothy Goldthorpe (nee Brown), Diploma in
Home Economics 1979. Hi to all those who
graduated in 1979 with Diploma in Home
Economics. We will have to try a reunion for our
thirty years!! I am a KS4 Manager in an all boys
multicultural school. I have two boys myself,
David, 15 and Taylor, 6. Regards to all from that
year and many others from other years and
courses that I knew.
1980's
Lorna Aitken (nee MacDonald), BA Home
Economics 1987. Following my marriage to
Chris Aitken in 1988 and my PGCE at Moray
House, I have been teaching at Brighouse High
School in West Yorkshire. I am now Work
Related Learning Co-ordinator and have two
children, Hollie, 11 and Mark, 8.
Dawn Gauntlett (nee Kilpatrick), BA Nursing
1988. Would love to say hello to the class of
1984. Hope you are all well and enjoying life. I
want to wish you all well and hope you are still
enjoying nursing.
1990's
Andy Roehr, Diploma in Podiatry 1991. After
spending too long in England working in both
the public and private sectors, I have finally
managed to get back to Scotland to continue
with my career in ‘God’s Own Country’! I would
love to hear from old friends and classmates.
Denise Smedley (nee English), HND Hotel,
Catering and Institutional Management 1991. I
am no longer in Tourism, and am about to
embark on an HNC course in Social Care at
Elgin College (fingers crossed!)
Genevieve O’Halloran, BSc Occupational
Therapy 1994. I've recently bought a house in
the country with my boyfriend of seven years.
I'm working as a Community OT Manager in
Roscommon and loving it. Lots of great
memories of my time at QMC - hello to all.
Wendy Parkinson (nee Armstrong), BA (Hons)
Communication Studies 1994. Have a lovely
little girl, Alice and due another one in
December 2005. Hello to everyone who shared
college life, which seems like a long time
ago now.
Alison Bruce (nee Fraser), BA (Hons) Nursing
Studies 1994. I trained as an ophthalmic nurse
in 1998 and now work part-time in Edinburgh
juggling family life! I married Ian in 2000 and we
have two young children, Emma, 2 and Jamie, 1.
Rebecca Hunter, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
1995. I've spent the last 3 years working as a
physiotherapist in orthopaedics and
rheumatology in central Manchester Primary
Care Trust. I'm moving back to Edinburgh to set
up a private practice in the Grange area. I'd love
to 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 with
Internacionale/Au Naturale on their graduate
training programme. I stayed there for six years
as a merchandiser. I finally decided to leave the
heady work of retail behind and re-train as a
psychiatric nurse - almost finished my BSc. I got
married to George in Las Vegas last year, which
was fantastic and moved back to sunny Ayr.
Jo Wilson (nee Craig), BSc (Hons) Dietetics
1997. I worked for two years in MRI Manchester
and then moved to Dublin where I got a job in
Nutricia Ireland. I am still working for Nutricia
and got married a year ago to my husband
Paul. I’m still great friends with Rachel Coode.
Lisa Green (nee Noble), BSc (Hons) Dietetics
1997. I work as a gastroenterology dietician in
Halifax and really enjoy it. Living back in sunny
Huddersfield with my lovely husband Richard.
Still in touch with Sally Wilby, Anna McClean
(nee Probert), Wendy Johnson and many of my
seven flatmates from Balgreen.
Keith Sutherland, BA Communication Studies
1999. After finishing my degree at QM I travelled
a little bit before hearing the call of the sea and
signing up for the Merchant Navy. This included
sitting an HND in Nautical Science and earning
a Certificate of Competency to become Deck
Officer. I passed my exams in early 2004 and
since then have been working for a Norwegian
company. I am now a Second Officer and have
recently moved back to a flat in Edinburgh.
Leanne Wells, BA (Hons) Hospitality and
Tourism Management 1999. I worked for the
local authority sports development team in
Lincolnshire before moving west to North Wales.
I work at NEWI and enjoy the challenge of
working with the students and trying to make a
difference to their future careers. I am happily
married and looking forward to starting a family.
2000's
Alasdair Satchel, BA (Hons) Drama and
Theatre Arts 2000. Studied Physical theatre at
Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris 2000-2002. I was
part of the five star show 'One Man Rant' at the
Edinburgh Fringe in 2002 and 2003. I have
worked for Benchfours Theatre Sans Frontieres
in the UK and for Naxos Theatre in Chartres,
France. I was also part of a new show 'Two
Man Rumble' at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004

PAGE 17
Hussain Nasser (nee Naser), MSc
Physiotherapy 2000. I worked for the Health
Ministry (Bahrain) for seven years. After that I
shifted to Bahrain Petroleum Company as a
Senior Physiotherapist. I did a PG Dip in
Business Administration at Bahrain University
(2003). Currently, I’m doing a DPT program in
Augustine University and expect to graduate in
December 2006. I was the Head of Scientific
Committee of the Bahrain Physical Therapy
Association (BPTA) for two years and am now
the President of BPTA.
Elaine Tewnion, BA (Hons) Marketing with
Sociology 2000. Relocated to Northamptonshire
to work for Weetabix after graduating. Currently
still working for the company as Senior Brand
Manager of Weets, Ready Brek and
Seriously Oaty.
Mark Healy, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2000.
Completed degree in 2000 and was selected for
pilot training by Aer Lingus. After turbulent
years post September 11th, returned to physio
working in Dublin and for a while in New
Zealand before returning to flying with City Jet.
Based currently out of Paris.
Nasly Hernandez, MSc Physiotherapy 2001. I
am a member of the paediatric gastroenterology
and nutrition research group. I am undertaking a
research project on child malnutrition and motor
development. As a member of the National
Association of Physiotherapy I’m working on the
design of a project on physiotherapy research in
Latin America. I’ve also been invited to
participate in the scientific committee of the XII
Latin American Congress of Physiotherapy
in 2006.
Karen (Kay) Sey, MSc International Health
2001. Now working with counsellors in The
Gambia. Have just finished developing an
AIDS/HIV Counselling Training Manual.
Emily Platt, BA (Hons) Consumer Studies 2001.
I worked in Nepal for two years as a
Recruitment Officer for a charity. Now that I
have returned I am about to start a new job in
London, working in personnel. I will also be
working in Singapore for part of the year.
Shirley Morris, BSc (Hons) in Psychology,
Sociology & Social Policy 2002. I am employed
as a Befriender Co-ordinator by the Ark Trust in
which I recruit volunteers to train and match to
those who are claiming asylum, refugee and the
right to remain.
Lyndsey Reid, BSc Occupational Therapy
2002. I have been working within the
community and have been involved in new
developments such as ‘mobile working’ which
involved a pilot study using laptops so that
forms/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 very
important as we are often out of the office
working with cases that need urgent action.
Helen Clarkson, BA Stage Management and
Theatre Production 2002. After doing two years
at Pitlochry Festival Theatre as Assistant Stage
Manager I am now thrilled to have just started
my dream job as ASM/Book Cover on Miss
Saigon UK Tour Production.
Vicky Alcaro, BSc (Hons) Psychology 2003.
After leaving QM I worked for Edinburgh Secure
Services working with serious and persistent
young offenders on short and long term
remand. My current post is with the Youth
Justice Services conducting behavioural
assessments on serious and persistent young
offenders. Next year I aim to undertake an MSc
in Forensic Psychology.
Martina McDermott, BA (Hons) Tourism
Management 2003. I have recently moved back
to Fermanagh after working in Edinburgh since I
graduated in 2003. I am fortunate to have
accomplished work at Fermanagh Tourist Office.
I achieved my HND in Travel and Tourism
Management at Fermanagh College and
continued at Degree Hons level at Queen
Margaret.
Heather Jackson (nee Dacre), BSc Podiatry,
2004. Enjoyed a year working as a Senior
Podiatrist in Bristol for Scholl. However, about to
embark on a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing
in Newcastle. Married Mark in December 2005.
Very happy.
Abhrajyoti Basak, BA Hospitality and Tourism
Management 2004. At present I am working at
Trident Hilton (Bhubaneswar). I love the cool
summers of Kolkata. I hope in the future to
complete an MBA at Queen Margaret. My motto
is "Enjoy life at its fullest".
Prashant Gupta, BA International Hospitality
Management 2004. I have opened a new
enterprise at Gangtok which is for tourists on
the border of Indo-Tibet. Many thanks to Queen
Margaret where I have gained a firm knowledge
in hospitality management. In a very short
period of time I have started my own business
in the hotel trade and am doing very well.
John Spies, MBA Golf and Country Club
Management 2004. Laura and I have two
children, Madison and Aidan. I have completed
the requirements for the designation of Certified
Club Manager (CCM) via The Club Managers
Association of America. Currently working on
the Certified Hotel Administrator designation via
the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
REUNIONS
CALLING ALL DOMESTIC SCIENCE
GRADUATES FROM 1967-1970/71
Would you like to meet your fellow
students of long ago? We are planning a
reunion in Edinburgh to take place in
June 2007, forty years since we started
our training in Atholl Crescent. We have
lots of names but are finding it difficult to
get addresses for you all. If you would
like to come to our reunion please
contact me or Joyce.
Anne E Kean (Martin)
Tel: 01738 629958
Email: neilkean@btinternet.com
Joyce Beveridge (Macfarlane)
Tel: 0131 445 4934
Email: bjbeveridge@btinternet.com
REUNION FOR ATHOLL
CRESCENT INTAKE OF 1966
This is the 40th year of my starting at
Atholl Crescent on a four-year teacher
training course. I keep up with some of
the gals, and Lynn Irvine and I thought it
would be great to celebrate with a lunch
reunion. We have set a date for
Saturday, 16th September 2006 (venue
TBA). Lynn is phoning around and
asking everyone to try to contact
someone else, but there are many who
will not be on our list.
We are looking for any students who
came to Atholl Crescent in the academic
year of September 1966, and were
staying in halls.
Alison Ross (nee Cameron) - attended
Atholl Crescent 1966-1970
Email: rosstourconsult@hotmail.com
Mobile: 07791 144421
REUNION FOR TEACHING
CLASS OF 1960
A reunion is being planned in April 2007
for the class of 1957-1960 Diploma 1 in
Teaching to celebrate fifty years since
their 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

RE:LOCATE UPDATE
MINISTER VISITS SITE
OF NEW CAMPUS
Deputy First Minister and Minister
for Enterprise & Lifelong Learning,
Nicol Stephen MSP, marked the start
of the development of sustainable
parkland at our new campus in
Craighall, East Lothian, recently, by
planting the first tree on the site.
Attended by Queen Margaret staff,
MSPs and representatives from local
schools, the ceremony marked the
first step in transforming the 35 acres
of low grade farmland into the perfect
environment for all sorts of wildlife to
thrive, through the creation of wetland,
woodland, hedgerow and meadow
habitats, and the provision of roosting
boxes for indigenous wildlife.
The design of the new building itself
exceeds current environmental
standards and sets a new benchmark
in sustainable design. It will
incorporate leading green technologies
to ensure the campus' impact on the
environment is minimised and has
already become the first HE campus in
the UK to be awarded an 'excellent'
rating for building design by the
Building Research Establishment's
Environmental Assessment Method.
Mr Stephen said: “Queen Margaret
University College should be
congratulated not only for its
ambitious plans to build this state-ofthe-art
campus but for incorporating
sustainability in every aspect. This will
be a lifelong learning hub for its
students and the local community.”
Professor Anthony Cohen with Nicol Stephen, MSP
LOCAL PUPILS AND
RESIDENTS ENJOY A
TASTE OF THE FUTURE
Local residents and pupils at
Musselburgh Grammar School
attended a Queen Margaret
roadshow in the lead up to our
relocation in autumn 2007.
“This roadshow offered a tremendous
chance for pupils, parents and anyone
who wants to continue their personal
or professional development to find
out from our existing students what
university life is like,” said Vice
Principal, Rosalyn Marshall.
Mr Ronnie Summers, Headmaster of
Musselburgh Grammar School, said:
“In 2007, Musselburgh will boast a
striking, distinctive and sustainable
academic village that will be
accessible and welcoming to everyone
in the area. Our second and third year
pupils will be among the first to enrol
at the new campus and, just as
Queen Margaret has worked to involve
and support the local community, I am
sure our young people and local
residents will support and enjoy the
many facilities and courses that Queen
Margaret will offer.”
Local residents view a model of the new campus
THE QUEEN MARGARET PROFESSORIAL LECTURES 2006
Offering fresh angles on topics of
relevance to a wide audience,
our recent series of professorial
lectures has been very well
received.
Jo Clifford, Professor of Theatre and
Creative Writing, Richard Kerley, Dean
of Business and Arts, and Barbara
McPake, Director of the Institute for
International Health and Development,
gave public lectures on theatre, local
government and health systems
research.
“These lectures are comparable to the
‘Inaugural Lecture’ tradition of the
ancient universities, in which
professors introduce themselves and
their specialist interests to their
colleagues,” said Professor Anthony
Cohen, Principal of Queen Margaret.
“But more importantly, they express
the defining characteristics of Queen
Margaret: to engage with people and
society, and to use our expertise to
inform and contribute to knowledge,
policy and practice in areas which
touch people’s lives and experience.”
CONTACT:
Marketing and Communications Office
Queen Margaret University College
Corstorphine Campus
Edinburgh, EH12 8TS
Tel: 0131 317 3648 Fax: 0131 317 3795
Email: marketing@qmuc.ac.uk
Development and Alumni Office
Queen Margaret University College
Corstorphine Campus
Edinburgh, EH12 8TS
Tel: 0131 317 3359 Fax: 0131 317 3380
Email: alumni@qmuc.ac.uk
This publication is printed on Revive Silk (a recycled paper containing a minimum of 75% post consumer collected waste).