Day: July 9, 2025

Honorary degrees for actress, food entrepreneur and cultural leader at QMU graduation

Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh has awarded honorary degrees to an acclaimed Scottish actress, a food innovator and an Edinburgh Fringe leader at its 2025 graduation ceremonies.  

Scottish actress and narrator, Ashley Jensen; entrepreneur and Director of Genius Foods, Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne; and the former Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Fringe Society, Shona McCarthy; were honoured at a ceremony in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall yesterday.

The three inspirational women joined the newly installed Chancellor of QMU, Patrick Grant – designer,  entrepreneur and judge on BBC’s ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ – to celebrate the achievements of hundreds of new QMU graduates.  

Ashley Jensen, most recently known for her leading detective role in BBC’s much loved crime drama ‘Shetland’ was awarded Doctor of the University for her contributions to the arts. Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, the visionary founder of Genius Foods, a UK-based company specialising in gluten-free bakery, received a Doctor of Business Administration for her contribution to food development and innovation.

Shona McCarthy, former Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Fringe Society, was honoured with a Doctor of the University for her visionary leadership in the arts and her profound impact on Scotland’s cultural landscape.  

Ashley Jensen 

Ashley, best known for her leading role as DI Ruth Calder in the hit TV drama, ‘Shetland’ and her time playing Maggie Jacobs alongside Ricky Gervais in the comedy series ‘Extras’ was brought up in Annan, Dumfriesshire. Her time studying drama at what was then Queen Margaret College (now Queen Margaret University) laid the foundation for a career marked by versatility, emotional depth, and authenticity. 

Her success in TV’s Extras, for which she earned two British Comedy Awards and a BAFTA nomination, introduced her to a global audience. She went on to star in the American hit TV show ‘Ugly Betty’, where producers embraced her Scottish identity, rewriting her character to match her accent. 

Her work spans stage and screen, from early theatre roles with Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre and Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre, to leading roles in Sky One’s ‘Agatha Raisin’ and Shetland. In her recent starring role in Shetland, she brought a fresh perspective and emotional nuance to a beloved series, reaffirming her ability to lead and evolve. 

Ashley’s voice has also become a familiar presence in animated films like ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, as well as in documentaries such as Channel 4’s ‘Embarrassing Bodies’ BBC 2’s ‘Designing the Hebrides’, and national campaigns. 

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne 

Lucinda, the visionary founder of Genius Foods, trained as a chef at the Leith School of Food and Wine, a prestigious cook school founded by QMU’s former Chancellor, Dame Prue Leith. But when her son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies and a severe intolerance to gluten, Lucinda embarked on a challenge to create gluten-free bread that would not only meet the dietary needs of her family, but also satisfy the taste buds of consumers everywhere.  

In 2009, she founded Genius Foods, which quickly became a global leader in gluten-free products. Her relentless innovation and commitment to quality have improved the lives of millions living with coeliac disease and other dietary restrictions. 

Lucinda’s influence extends beyond product development. She is a published author, educator, and advocate for food allergy awareness. Her books, including ‘How to Cook for Food Allergies’, have empowered home cooks and professionals alike. Lucinda’s recent appointment as Executive Chair of the New Town Cookery School in Edinburgh, will see her help shape the future of culinary education.  

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and founding member of the Gluten Free Industry Association, Lucinda is also an Innovate UK ambassador. Her leadership has driven progress in food science and industry standards. 

Shona McCarthy 

The University also recognised the exceptional leadership and transformative impact that Shona McCarthy has had on the arts. 

For nine years, Shona led the world’s largest arts festival with vision, resilience, and a deep commitment to inclusivity. Under her leadership, the Fringe thrived through economic shifts and the pandemic, whilst becoming more accessible and representative. She championed emerging artists, expanded international collaborations, and introduced initiatives such as performer bursaries and relaxed performances, ensuring the Fringe remained a vibrant, welcoming space for all. 

Shona’s influence extends far beyond Edinburgh. As Chief Executive of the Culture Company, she led Derry-Londonderry’s landmark year as the first UK City of Culture in 2013. She has also held senior roles with the British Council Northern Ireland, Imagine Belfast, and the Northern Ireland Film Council, and led youth-focused film festivals including Cinemagic and the Foyle Film Festival. 

Her contributions to the arts have been recognised with a NESTA Cultural Leadership Award and an Eisenhower Fellowship, connecting her to a global network of changemakers. She has also served as Chair of ‘Walk the Plank’ and Belfast’s ‘Oh Yeah Music Centre’. 

Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “In the year that Queen Margaret University celebrates its 150th anniversary, we are delighted to recognise the contribution of these three inspirational women.

“From the arts to food innovation, we are proud to honour the mark they each have made on the world and their work striving to be a force for good.” 

Discussing Ashley Jensen, Sir Paul explained: “Aside from Ashley’s impressive artistic achievements, she has remained a passionate advocate for the arts in Scotland.

“She has used her platform to support emerging talent, promote diversity in casting, and champion mental health awareness within the creative industries. Her commitment to these causes reflects  values we cherish at Queen Margaret University – compassion, courage, and community – and she is a shining example of what our graduates can achieve when they combine talent with tenacity, and creativity with integrity.” 

Sir Paul continued: “Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne’s dedication to quality and innovation has set a new standard in the gluten-free market, making Genius Foods a household name and a trusted choice for consumers around the world.

“Her work has brought joy and dignity to those with special dietary needs and inspired a new generation of food entrepreneurs. We recognise the significant contribution that she has made to innovation in the food industry and the entrepreneurial landscape in Scotland.” 

Discussing Shona McCarthy’s exceptional contribution to the arts, Sir Paul concluded: “Shona embodies QMU’s values of creativity, social responsibility, and community impact.

“Her career is testament to the power of the arts to inspire, connect, and transform lives. As our graduates begin their own journeys, Shona stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved through passion, purpose, and fearless leadership.” 

Post Office Scandal: Chair calls for swift action to deliver ‘full and fair’ compensation in urgent report

POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY

Sir Wyn Williams published the first volume of his final report yesterday (08/07/25), calling for urgent action to be taken to ensure full and fair compensation is delivered to sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal. 

Laid before Parliament on Tuesday, Sir Wyn makes 19 urgent recommendations to resolve issues that are hindering full and fair redress, including that:

  • The Government and the Post Office should agree on a definition of ‘full and fair’ compensation, and this should be followed when deciding the level of compensation to offer.
  • Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants should receive legal advice, funded by the Government.
  • Close family members of people affected by the Horizon scandal should receive compensation.
  • The Government should create a standing public body which will create, administer, and deliver schemes for giving financial redress to people who have been wronged by public bodies.
  • Fujitsu, Post Office and the Government should publish a report by 31 October 2025, outlining a programme for restorative justice (or the actions they’ve taken so far to produce this programme).

Sir Wyn says he expects the Government (and where appropriate Post Office and Fujitsu) to provide a written response to his recommendations by 10 October 2025. 

Human Impact of the scandal

In the 162-page report, the Chair also details the scale of the suffering endured by those affected by the Horizon scandal. 

Through 17 carefully chosen illustrations, Sir Wyn recounts how some people became seriously ill, struggled with mental health problems including alcohol addiction, and faced financial impacts such as bankruptcy. 

He details how some people experienced reputational impacts or sadly passed away before receiving compensation. Elsewhere, he also highlights how some sub-postmasters were held liable for small amounts of money allegedly lost to the Post Office, while others were wrongly imprisoned. 

Sir Wyn’s findings in the report are based on hearings and evidence submitted up until 6 June 2025. This spans around 225 days of hearings, 298 witnesses, with around 274,600 documents disclosed to Core Participants. 

“Full, fair and prompt” redress 

Sir Wyn writes that, despite the Government and Post Office appearing to show a genuine desire to provide redress which is full and fair, and delivered promptly, there have been “formidable difficulties in the way of achieving those aims”. 

Considering each of the four redress schemes in turn, Sir Wyn finds that claimants to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme did not receive full and fair redress. 

Sir Wyn writes: “I am persuaded that in the difficult and substantial claims, on too many occasions, the Post Office and its advisors have adopted an unnecessarily adversarial attitude towards making initial offers which have had the effect of depressing the level at which settlements have been achieved.”

He also discusses how a ‘fear factor’ has been removed from the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process. This is because every claimant who chooses to have a claim assessed may appeal the offer made “safe in the knowledge that there is no risk of losing a prior better offer.”

Considering this, he questions why this ‘fear factor’ has not been removed for sub-postmasters who must choose whether to take the fixed term offer or have a compensation assessment. 

He writes: “Why is it appropriate to remove the fear factor from the HSSA but rigidly retain it in relation to the choice made by claimants between the Fixed Sum Offer and assessment? Try as I might, I cannot see the justification for these different approaches.”

For this reason, Sir Wyn recommends that anyone applying for a compensation scheme who has chosen to have their claim assessed should be allowed to take the fixed sum offer instead up to three months after receiving their first assessed offer. 

He also recommends that the Government should publish a document explaining the ‘best offer principle’ in practice. 

Legal Advice

Sir Wyn criticises the lack of legal advice available to Horizon Shortfall Scheme applicants. 

He writes: “I regard it as unconscionable and wholly unfair that claimants in HSS are unable to obtain legal advice, paid for by the Department, about whether they should opt for the Fixed Sum Offer or assessment of their claims. Yet the Department continues to resist this as if its life depended upon it.”

Considering this, he writes that anyone claiming compensation through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) should be entitled to legal advice, funded by the Department of Business and Trade. 

This would help them choose whether to accept the Fixed Sum Offer or to seek financial address which is assessed. 

Compensation for family members

Through first-hand accounts, Sir Wyn concludes that there are likely a number of close family members of those who have been affected by the Horizon scandal who have “endured and may still endure considerable suffering”.

For this reason, he recommends “that such family members should be able to obtain financial redress which recognises their own suffering.” He writes that the Department should draw up plans for providing this redress. 

Reforms to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme

Sir Wyn also urged for meaningful reforms to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme.

For instance, he proposes that:

  • A senior lawyer should be appointed to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme who can take actions to make sure compensation offers are made and assessed as soon as possible.
  • That the appointed senior lawyer should be given powers to help them ensure that offers are assessed as soon as practicable.
  • The Post Office and Department of Business and Trade should be required to make compensation offers that are equal or higher than the amount recommended by the independent advisory panel.
  • The ‘Best Offer Principle’ should apply for those applying for compensation through the Group Litigation Scheme. This means that if a sub-postmaster appeals their compensation offer and the appeal is successful, they will receive whichever offer is higher.
  • Anyone applying for a compensation scheme who has chosen to have their claim assessed may decide to take the fixed sum offer instead up to three months after receiving their first assessed offer.

Restorative justice 

Restorative justice is the process of bringing together people who have caused harm and those affected by it, so they can discuss the impact, take responsibility, and work collaboratively on making amends. 

Sir Wyn urges that Fujitsu, Post Office and the Government should either together, or separately, publish a report by October 2025, outlining an agreed programme of restorative justice or any actions they have taken to produce this programme. 

Government response 

Understanding the need for swift action, Sir Wyn has decided to publish the first volume of his final report as soon as possible. 

On timings for a government response to these findings, Sir Wyn writes: 

“No purpose would be served by HM Government or the Department delaying consideration of my recommendations until the remainder of my Report is delivered.

“The whole reason for delivering this volume of my report in advance of the remaining volume is that appropriate action in relation to the schemes for redress can be taken as soon as reasonably possible.”

Please note the report contains contents which some may find distressing, including mentions of suicide and self-harm.

The Business and Trade Secretary and the Post Office Minister have issued statements in response to the publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s report.

Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said: “The publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s report today by Sir Wyn and his team marks an important milestone for subpostmasters and their families.

“I welcome the publication today and am committed to ensuring wronged subpostmasters are given full, fair and prompt redress.

“The recommendations contained in Sir Wyn’s report require careful reflection, including on further action to complete the redress schemes. Government will promptly respond to the recommendations in full in Parliament.”

Post Office Minister, Gareth Thomas, said: “I welcome the Inquiry’s publication today and pay tribute to Sir Wyn and his team for their comprehensive and penetrating work.

“We must never lose sight of the Horizon Scandal’s human impact on postmasters and their families, which the Inquiry has highlighted so well.

“Sir Wyn’s report highlights a series of failings by the Post Office and various governments. His recommendations are immensely helpful as a guide for what is needed to finish the job and we will respond in full to Parliament after carefully considering them.”

Initial Government actions in response to the Inquiry:

In his oral statement to Parliament, Post Office Minister, Gareth Thomas confirmed that that the Government has accepted Sir Wyn’s recommendation that claimants should be able to bank the best offer they get from the GLO process and should not put it at risk if they choose to go to the independent Panel.

The Minister also confirmed that the Government will provide redress for close family members of those postmasters most adversely affected by the scandal.