Queen Margaret University – Page 2 – The NEN

‘An inspiration and a true local hero’

Master’s is child’s play for hero who holps orphans in Ukraine

Gavin Menzies, a 38-year-old from Carrick Knowe, has graduated with a Master’s degree in Play Therapy from Queen Margaret University. His journey to this achievement is remarkable, as he put his career and studies on hold to help people in Ukraine during the war.

Within weeks of the full-scale Russian invasion, Gavin travelled to Kyiv to support children who had lost their families and to provide end-of-life care to the elderly. Despite the risks, he was determined to alleviate the suffering of those caught in the conflict.

Before his involvement in Ukraine, Gavin ran support businesses for children in Edinburgh. The pandemic highlighted the complex challenges faced by the children he worked with, prompting him to study the MSc Play Therapy at Queen Margaret University.

This course, run in collaboration with the specialist play therapy organisation With Kids, equipped him with the skills to better support young people. Due to his volunteering in Ukraine and his local commitments, he studied the course part-time over three years.

Since the full-scale invasion, Gavin has made several trips to Ukraine to provide vital supplies. During his time there, he supplied clothing, supplies and Christmas presents to over 600 orphans in Odessa.

Once home in Edinburgh, Gavin continued to provide vital support to the orphaned group of children by maintaining their extraordinary connection online. His volunteering also allowed him to apply the knowledge gained from his course to enhance his ability to serve children with complex needs in his local community.

As a former player with the Pleasance Basketball Club, Gavin uses sport to give children a head start in life. His High Flyers Basketball Academy has grown to provide coaching to 300 kids across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Gavin opted to use the last year to focus on his Master’s course to ensure that he was better qualified to support his groups of children.

This July, he graduated from Queen Margaret University with a MA Play Therapy with merit. However, the ongoing plight of the Ukrainian people weighed heavily on his mind.

Now with his Master’s degree firmly under his belt, he has returned to Ukraine and is currently working to rebuild and revamp the orphanage in Odessa and volunteer in Kharkiv, where Russian forces have made gains these last few months.

He has just delivered supplies to a medical representative at an outpost in Kharkiv, and in the last few days, he has also been supporting orphans in Kyiv while drone attacks and bombing takes place all around them.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “Gavin’s selfless dedication to supporting the next generation through sport is what ultimately motivated him to come to QMU and study the MSc Play Therapy.

“Gavin’s drive and determination to make a positive impact on people’s lives epitomises the values of QMU. He is an inspiration and a true local hero.”

Gavin received his Master’s award at a graduation ceremony attended by QMU’s Chancellor, Dame Prue Leith CBE.

He has now secured a position as a play therapist with the charity With Kids, and continues to blend this work with his holiday camps and basketball clubs, while still volunteering in Ukraine.

Queen Margaret Uni transforms its teaching and learning spaces

Queen Margaret University’s attractive modern campus, which was built in Musselburgh in 2007, is undergoing a significant transformation which will see the development of exciting new teaching and learning spaces.

The Future Spaces project involves the revitalisation of some of the University’s most important learning and teaching spaces to help ensure QMU meets the changing needs of students and staff.

The work also aims to support QMU’s ambitions to refresh, enhance and modernise the campus so that it continues to attract prospective students and supports the growth of the university.

With an investment of £2.1 million, students and staff can expect to see a dramatic change to the Learning Resource Centre and some ground floor classroom areas, which will ultimately expand capacity for self-directed and collaborative student learning and informal teaching activity.

The enhancement and repurposing of spaces will also provide more flexible use of key areas of the building and a wider choice of more comfortable, vibrant, and sociable study space options. Some of the changes will also provide increased capacity for larger practical group work, which will provide greater flexibility with timetabling and support the delivery of high demand courses.

Bruce Laing, Director of Campus Services, explained: “Queen Margaret University already has an attractive, bright, modern campus development, but it’s important that we continue investing in our buildings to ensure they reflect changes in the way students work and developments in the way we teach.

“Essentially, we want to create welcoming and comfortable study and teaching spaces where students want to be, and which will support and enhance their learning. Aside from supporting current students studying at the University, the investment will help us to remain competitive in our ability to attract prospective students.”

A range of stakeholder engagement took place across the university through workshops, surveys and feedback sessions to help shape the plans and deliver attractive, flexible spaces which would inspire, motivate and support students to fully engage in a diverse range of learning opportunities.

The renovation work involves the transformation of the Learning Resource Centre to create spaces which support social learning through collaborative and peer-group projects, and flexible spaces which support a diversity of informal teaching and supervision activity.

Bruce Laing continued: “We are delighted to be working with Morris & Spottiswood in the transformation of the building spaces, and it is hoped that the full first phase of the project will be completed by mid-September, allowing our students to take full advantage of the new spaces in their first semester.

“We are also excited about showcasing our new interior spaces to hundreds of prospective students and their families at our September and October open days this year. More importantly, we are confident that the current transformation of learning and teaching spaces will help us enhance the student experience so that students are well equipped to go out into the world and make a difference.”

David Thorn, Operations Director at Morris & Spottiswood said: “Our aim is to create places where people can thrive, and this project really seeks to deliver such spaces, so we are thrilled to be involved.

“All stakeholders are committed to successful delivery, and we have experienced true commitment to partnership working across our team, Designers ADP Architecture, Project Managers HD Property Consultants and the wider project delivery team.”

Professor David Stevenson, Dean of the School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management and Project Sponsor, concluded: “This is an exciting, creative project for the University which, after two years of work, will now revitalise and improve our learning environment.

“We are pleased that our partner Morris & Spottiswood is providing the excellent support that we need to deliver our vision and that they share our commitment to ensuring the QMU environment is a happy, productive and enjoyable place to be.”

QMU graduate is Employer Apprentice of the Year

Lisa Walsh, a student who graduated from Queen Margaret University (QMU) in July, has been awarded the Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) Apprentice of the Year Award.

Lisa received the accolade after four years on QMU’s Graduate Apprenticeship BA (Hons) Business Management course, which she completed while continuing to accelerate her career.

As a result of participating in the programme, Lisa was able to enhance her business skills and in-depth knowledge and apply them in her workplace, which in turn, helped her thrive at SSE, where she continued to improve and climb the corporate ladder.

She also received this year’s Dean’s List prize for her high course achievements within the Business, Enterprise and Management division at QMU.

Lisa said: “The Graduate Apprenticeship has been a genuinely life changing opportunity for me. As an adult learner I had been out of formal education for nearly 20 years, and it was quite daunting to take the step back into learning.

“However, the experience I have had at QMU has been amazing. Although challenging, having an employer who believed in me and the fantastic support from QMU, has made this an experience I will never forget – for all the right reasons. My confidence has grown, and I am grateful for the career opportunities this has given me. Thank you QMU and SSE!”

Fitting into work commitments, QMU’s Graduate Apprenticeship degree provides a practical and integrated way to develop expertise with a current employer, who will benefit from having a more highly skilled employee.

The programme helps apprentices learn the higher-level management skills that companies will need, and consolidates that knowledge with real-life work experience.

Now in a major role as Learning Systems and Services Manager at the multinational energy company, Lisa’s award highlights her ambition and motivation to continue her studies alongside her full-time employment.

On the day of Lisa’s graduation from QMU, she celebrated with her family and classmates at an impressive ceremony held in Edinburgh’s beautiful Usher Hall, attended by QMU’s Chancellor and TV presenter Dame Prue Leith CBE. Lisa was one of 1300 students who graduated in person from Queen Margaret University across three ceremonies in July.

Dr Lynn Waterston, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship, said: “Lisa is an outstanding student, and the award is testament to the hard work and dedication that she has shown throughout the course, as well as her employer and the teaching team who work to ensure the success of the graduates on the programme.”

The SSE Apprentice of the Year Award is presented to apprentices at Modern and Graduate levels during Scottish Apprenticeship Week each year. Lisa was awarded with her accolade in March 2024 at a formal, online event.

Judy Preece, Apprenticeship Performance & Quality Manager for SSE, said “Lisa thoroughly deserved to win the Apprentice of the Year Award. The award not only recognised her dedication and commitment to her studies, but also how her career has developed as a result of Lisa’s continued desire to succeed.

“As a large employer, we are proud to support the Graduate Apprenticeship pathway – it is one of our key learning pathways used to develop our future workforce to support our journey to net zero.”

Nursing graduate recognised with palliative care award from St Columba’s Hospice

A new nursing graduate from Queen Margaret University (QMU) has gained recognition for her sensitive and compassionate care of people near end of life with an award from St Columba’s Hospice Care.

Ailsa Timoney, who graduated with Master of Nursing from QMU in July this year, was presented with the St Columba’s Hospice Care Palliative Care Nursing Award.

Twenty-six-year-old Ailsa from Edinburgh undertook a 10-week placement at St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh, as part of her QMU degree course.

She was surprised how much she enjoyed the placement at the hospice, as she anticipated that it would be a really sad experience. However, she found the work really rewarding, so much so that she would consider moving into a palliative care position at some point during her career.

Ailsa said: “Working at St Columba’s wasn’t what I had expected. It was really fulfilling to be able to provide a good level of person centred care to each individual patient, and I know this really helped the individual, as well as their families, in the journey towards end of life.”

Discussing her university experience, she said: “I really enjoyed being a student at QMU – everyone is so supportive and friendly, and it’s such a welcoming community. The four-year undergraduate master’s course was both challenging and very worthwhile, and the academics and the degree prepared me well for entering the nursing workforce. I received great support from staff. There was always someone available to help and guide me through the course.

“I’m thrilled to have received the award from St Columba’s Hospice Care – it’s such a special place and I learned so much on my placement with the team there. I’m now excited to be coming into the nursing profession and starting my role as a community nurse.”

Georgios Tsigkas, Programme Leader for the Master of Nursing course at Queen Margaret University, said: “This award recognises the dedication, commitment, enthusiasm and professionalism that Ailsa demonstrated throughout the full four years on the course.

“She is a great ambassador for our nursing programme, and through her work and attitude she epitomises the values of QMU in wanting to make a difference to the lives of others.”

Ruth Magowan, Head of The Division of Nursing at QMU, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with St Columba’s Hospice Care, which is the first University Hospice in the east of Scotland.

“Our partnership aims to enhance the delivery of person-centred palliative care through integrated research, teaching and clinical practice, and we are delighted that Ailsa has been able to benefit from her time with Hospice, and proud that her attitude and hard work have been recognised by the team there.

“Ailsa has proved to be an exceptional student and we know that she will go out into the nursing workforce and make a very positive contribution to person-centred care. The Hospice award is the icing on the cake for Ailsa, and gets her career off to a flying start!”

QMU Graduate launches West Lothian Film Festival

Christopher McPhillips, a BA (Hons) Film and Media student who graduated from Queen Margaret University (QMU) in July, has received an award of £2,250 to launch the annual West Lothian Film Festival, which will be making its debut this weekend.

Made possible by an extended partnership between QMU and Santander Universities, the inaugural festival will take place on the 20th and 21st July 2024 at the Vue cinema in Livingston, with many of the films produced by QMU students and graduates, or filmed at the University itself.

This festival, which was born from the dreams of its film enthusiast founder with a passion to transform his idea into a tangible reality, aims to embody Christopher’s commitment to bridging the gap between aspiring filmmakers and the enthusiastic audiences who welcome a new cultural experience.

Thirty-nine-year-old Christopher said: “The West Lothian Film Festival will offer a cinematic experience to be remembered, bringing drama, creativity, and local connections together. It serves as a rallying point for filmmakers and residents alike – a celebration of the power of silver screen storytelling.

“Being from Bathgate myself, I know the significantly positive impact events like these will have on West Lothian and its residents, and this honestly wouldn’t have been made possible without the support I received from Queen Margaret University and the extra stability that was invested in me by Santander Universities.

“The fund allowed me to organise the venue, source the judging panel and other volunteers, initiate the marketing, and so much more. I’m proud that our festival can now be the platform that has been yearned for in West Lothian for so long.”

Each year since 2007, Santander has donated funds accumulating to more than £1.5 million to its inaugural partner, Queen Margaret University, to help with student success and progression.

The main aim of the partnership is to provide support for students who are most likely to face challenges when attending higher education. Santander’s support focuses on education, employability and entrepreneurship – helping to fund student start-ups, scholarships, internships and international educational experiences.

Not having the necessary grades to apply for university while at school, Christopher decided to return to education in 2021, driven by his new-found love of film production, encouragement from his wife (who was also a QMU graduate), and the desire to inspire his newborn daughter.

He decided to study Marketing Communications at West Lothian College, which then allowed him to directly transfer into the second year of the BA (Hons) Film and Media course at Queen Margaret University – providing him with new skills and a renewed drive to progress his dreams.

It was there that he cultivated the idea for a festival in his local area that would celebrate the world of film.

When one of his University lecturers informed him of the possible support available from the Santander Universities’ Fund, he could visualise his dreams turning into reality. His application was successful, and after a lot of hard work, Christopher’s plans for the first West Lothian Film festival began to take shape.

Thomas Kelly, Head of Development and Alumni at Queen Margaret University, said: “Our partnership with Santander Universities is key to enhancing the opportunities our students receive whilst at QMU.

“This support will not only help Christopher to achieve one of his ambitions but will also allow the people of West Lothian to enjoy a new cultural festival within their area. I’d like to thank Santander Universities for their continued support, and I wish the best of luck to Christopher – we are looking forward to seeing what you go on to achieve.”

On the day of Christopher’s graduation from QMU, he celebrated with his family and classmates at an impressive ceremony held in Edinburgh’s beautiful Usher Hall, attended by QMU’s Chancellor and TV presenter Dame Prue Leith CBE. Christopher was one of 1300 students who graduated in person from Queen Margaret University across three ceremonies in July.

Matt Farnham, a lecturer at West Lothian College who Christopher has asked to be a judge at the event, said: “For years, I have wanted to offer West Lothian the opportunity to showcase its creativity to the world.

“As an educator, you want nothing more than to inspire your students; I just didn’t realise how inspired Christopher would be. To be invited to judge the competition is an absolute honour, and I cannot wait to see entries from across the globe.

“I know that every film entry has had thousands of hours of love poured into it, and I cannot wait to get started.”

Find out more about the West Lothian Film Festival, visit:

https://westlothianfilmfestival.scot/

Dame Prue Leith visits Edinburgh Innovation Hub

Last week, Dame Prue Leith, TV judge, entrepreneur and Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, took a tour of the construction site where the Edinburgh Innovation Hub is being developed on the land around the University campus.

A joint venture between East Lothian Council and Queen Margaret University (QMU) and funded by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, the new Hub will be made up of flexible laboratory, office and fully equipped meeting and conference spaces for rent.

The facilities and close proximity to the University aims to help attract high growth, small and medium sized enterprises, which may benefit from support from and collaboration opportunities with Queen Margaret University.

Dame Prue Leith, who was in Edinburgh for Queen Margaret University’s graduation ceremonies, was on site to see how the ambitious partnership project was developing, and to learn more about how the Innovation Hub, supported by £28.6 million from the UK Government, £1.4 million from the Scottish Government and £10 million from East Lothian Council through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, is bolstering enterprise and economic development.

The Deal is supported with £300 million funding from the UK Government and £300 million funding from the Scottish Government.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, explained: “We are very excited to see the Edinburgh Innovation Hub starting to take shape in the ground around the University, and to give our Chancellor, Prue Leith, a glimpse into the future.

“Essentially, the 7,200 sqm Hub will bring together research, industry and academia under one roof. The focus is to support businesses that are driven by innovation, knowledge exchange and technology, so that Hub is perfect for attracting businesses which want to grow, and which will generate employment opportunities for others.”

“Along with driving economic development locally and nationally, the Hub will act as a gateway into QMU for businesses, increase opportunities at the University for industry-relevant research and knowledge exchange, promote an entrepreneurial culture, and increase the vibrancy of the area around the campus.

“The Hub is not just a new building, it will be a new business.”

Dame Prue Leith said: “Seeing the site under construction gives you a real appreciation for the thought, imagination, planning, skills, and ambition which is required to create an innovation hub, drawing on the very best practice around.

“As I know from experience, it’s not easy to start and grow a business from scratch. So, I am delighted to see that the Hub will offer more than just physical facilities – it will provide the help, advice and support, and the like-minded business community that start-up and small enterprises need to flourish. I am convinced that in years to come many entrepreneurs will have the Hub to thank for their success.”

The Edinburgh Innovation Hub is supported by £28.6 million from the UK Government, £1.4 million from the Scottish Government and £10 million from East Lothian Council as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal (ESES City Region Deal).

Outdoor learning trailblazer Juliet Robertson awarded honorary degree by Queen Margaret University

Juliet Robertson, one of Scotland’s leading educators specialising in outdoor learning and play, has been awarded an honorary degree by Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh in a special ceremony at the University’s new outdoor learning hub.

Juliet, who is known throughout the education profession as a trailblazer for outdoor learning and play for children and young people, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Education in recognition of her significant contribution to learning.

The recently opened Outdoor Learning Hub and Discovery Trail, at which the honorary award was conferred in a special ceremony, is located in the grounds of the University. An oration celebrating Juliet’s achievements, along with a video recorded response from her, was delivered at one of QMU’s graduation ceremonies held in the Usher Hall on 2nd July, and so heard by hundreds of new graduates, including future teachers.

Juliet’s passion for nature has been lifelong. Throughout her career, she has worked to ensure that all children, and the adults who work with them, have positive and enjoyable outdoor experiences, regardless of their location. Her work enables schools, play organisations, and early years settings to offer quality outdoor learning and play opportunities – which have now become an essential part of the Scottish education curriculum.

As a primary school teacher, Juliet consistently integrated outdoor activities into her teaching, taking children on weekly visits to local woods and spearheading school grounds development projects. Her leadership as head teacher from 1998 to 2007 saw her managing three different schools, significantly influencing the educational experiences of hundreds of young people.

In 2007, Juliet founded Creative Star, an independent company dedicated to providing training for educators and diverse outdoor learning opportunities for children across Scotland and beyond. Her influential books, ‘Dirty Teaching’ and ‘Messy Maths,’ have become essential resources for educators, and are core texts in undergraduate courses at QMU.

Juliet’s pioneering efforts include the development of the Forest Kindergarten qualification, a benchmark in outdoor learning provision for Early Years in Scotland.

Her expertise has significantly shaped national outdoor education initiatives, including advising government officials and ministers to promote outdoor learning, even in urban environments. Notably, she played a pivotal role in the creation of the ‘Loose Parts Play’ toolkit, a cornerstone of good practice in outdoor education.

Her influence extends beyond Scotland and the UK, having worked in Canada, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Australia and Hong Kong. In 2004, she won a Developing Effective International Education research award for her report into Sustainable Development Education in the Czech Republic.

And in 2008, she was the recipient of a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to study technologies outdoors. Juliet provided the initial training for the first outdoor nurseries in Lithuania, and worked with universities and schools in Spain and Belgium.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, said: “Throughout her distinguished career, Juliet Robertson has demonstrated an unwavering passion for nature and education. Her inspirational vision and ideas have significantly impacted the higher education sector, with the concept of outdoor learning expected to continue growing in significance.

“Throughout Scotland, wherever there are educators working in nature with children, the principles and methodologies championed by Juliet Robertson are being implemented, leaving a lasting legacy that will benefit future generations.”

Sir Paul concluded: “We were delighted to recognise Juliet’s accomplishments with an honorary degree, while also enjoying the outdoors and showcasing our newly opened Outdoor Learning Hub, which is now part of our campus grounds – essentially the Hub is a physical manifestation of QMU’s commitment to the important concept of outdoor learning.

“As a facility for all, it will support activity, wellbeing, and teaching locally, as well as upskilling teachers across the UK in outdoor learning. Juliet’s work has been an important influence on QMU’s drive to incorporate outdoor learning, not only in our teacher education courses, but across our wider course portfolio, so even more people can benefit from learning in nature.”

TV star Sally Gray awarded honorary degree by Queen Margaret University

TODAY (1st July), Sally Gray, TV presenter, media trainer, business leader and charity worker, was awarded an honorary degree by Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Sally, a QMU graduate who has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the UK media and runs a highly successful media training business, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa in recognition of her significant contribution to culture and the creative arts.

Sally celebrated her success with Dame Prue Leith CBE, Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, and hundreds of new graduates and their families at the first of the QMU’s graduation ceremonies to be held in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall this year.

Sally studied communications and media studies at Queen Margaret College in the 1980s, and it was her dissertation work about children’s television that led her into the BBC’s Blue Peter offices.

She landed her first ‘proper’ job as a BBC secretary, which brought her into contact with many highly experienced broadcasters, such as David Dimbleby, who was on the first programme she worked on, and she played a part in bringing the TV politics programme ‘Question Time’ to Scotland for the first time.

Sally’s presenting career kicked off on a BBC Scotland children’s education programme ‘Go45,’ which she co-hosted with Grant Stott.

This programme was a fresh take on educational broadcasting and attracted an average audience of up to five million people per episode. Her TV credits range from fronting lifestyle shows such as ITV’s ‘Moving Day’ and ‘Our House’, BBC’s ‘Real Rooms’ and the ‘Really Useful Show’ to ‘live’ roving reporting on GMTV.

She has also hosted fun CBBC entertainment shows, as well as presenting ‘Record Breakers’, ‘50/50’ and numerous other children’s programmes. 

Nowadays, she focuses her energy on nurturing talent, with a particular interest in helping young people build their confidence and find opportunities in the media. She worked with the London Academy of Film and TV as their Head of Production, training young people up as TV presenters and mentoring new talent.

She then set up her own media training company, Presenters Inc, where she has helped people with a story – including Olympic champions, Strictly Come Dancing professionals and human rights lawyers – to find their voice and engage with audiences.

In 2003, Sally received an MBE for services to young people through her work as an ambassador for the Millennium Volunteers. This was a youth volunteering award scheme, now re-badged in Scotland as the Saltire Awards.

Similarly, through her role as an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, she has supported young people facing disadvantage and adversity to create a better future.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, said: “Sally has created an incredibly successful, exciting and varied media career.

“She has travelled the world in search of the kookiest inventions, chased after wild alligators, flown a fighter plane, gone head-to-head with Hollywood heavyweights, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pierce Brosnan, and sung a duet with actor and comedian Sir Norman Wisdom.

“But, Sally has not only entertained us – she has used her wealth of expertise to give voice to others, helping many fulfil their potential. In that, she personifies Queen Margaret University’s values of making the world a better place and allowing individuals to thrive.”

Sir Paul concluded: “Sally Gray is a true inspiration to our creative industry students and the whole of the QMU community, and we are delighted to recognise her impressive achievements with an honorary degree.”

Dame Prue Leith to step down as Chancellor of Queen Margaret University

Dame Prue Leith CBE, TV personality, writer, restaurateur and cookery expert, is to step down from her position as Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (QMU).

Prue, who has been the University’s Chancellor since her installation in July 2017, will preside over her last graduation ceremonies, in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, on 1st and 2nd of July, before officially concluding her term as Chancellor of QMU at the end of this calendar year.

Best known for her appearances as a judge in the hit Channel 4 TV series, ‘The Great British Bake-off’ and BBC 2 culinary show ‘Great British Menu’, Prue Leith has become a household name in recent years, with numerous appearances on foodie programmes and other TV shows.

Her most recent TV success, ‘Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen’ on ITV, has seen her open the doors of her own kitchen where she, and husband John Playfair, celebrate food, friendship and fun with easy-to-cook recipes for every occasion.

Aside from her wealth of experience as a TV presenter and contributor, it was Prue’s impressive track record as an entrepreneur, restauranteur, cook and writer, which made her an excellent fit for Queen Margaret University.

In her position as Chancellor, she has not only taken part in graduation ceremonies and many other events, she has been a passionate supporter of QMU students.

She has always taken time to meet and talk to students, often providing them with a great insight into her career successes and challenges, and encouraging and advising them on their own career paths.

She has been particularly active in supporting the University’s entrepreneurial opportunities for students. More widely, she always takes a keen interest in QMU’s work in cultivating entrepreneurialism on campus, and in its ambitions to support businesses and economic development through the creation of the Edinburgh Innovation Hub, which is currently being constructed on land around the campus.

With a proud history in food and nutrition dating back to 1875, Queen Margaret University continues to have a strong focus on food education and commercialisation.

Prue’s wealth of experience as a food entrepreneur ensured her knowledge and experience was of great benefit to students and the University. Having successfully built a business from scratch in the 1960s which grew to become Leith’s Good Food, the party and event caterer,

Prue opened Leith’s, her famous Michelin starred restaurant, in 1969. In 1975, she founded Leith’s School of Food and Wine, which trains professional chefs and amateur cooks. The group, employing 500 people, reached a turnover of £15m in 1993. She went on to sell her empire in the mid 1990’s.

She has also held numerous public appointments, and was appointed an OBE in 1989, CBE in 2010, and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2021 for her services to food, broadcasting and charity.

Prue has always spoken up for the issues that she believes in, and she doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. She is a campaigner for assisted dying, having witnessed her brother’s unnecessary suffering in hospital at the end of his life.

She believes that more work needs to be done to improve end of life care and to provide choice for those who are dying. She shone a light on this sensitive topic in 2023 when she and her son,

Conservative MP Danny Kruger, explored the issue in a Channel 4 TV programme ‘Prue and Danny’s Death Road Trip’. The investigation and conversation involved a trip across Canada, where assisted dying is legal. Both Danny, who has opposing views to his mother and is against assisted dying, and Prue spoke to doctors and others affected by the service. Once the one-hour special was aired, Prue was praised for her sensitive handling of this important and often divisive subject.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, said: “It has been a great privilege to have Dame Prue Leith as our Chancellor.

“She had a hard act to follow, taking over the role from our Founding Chancellor, Sir Tom Farmer in 2017, and she has been a true asset to the University. She has shown incredible dedication to our students, always making herself available to meet and discuss developments with staff and students, and supporting University events.

“Prue’s career and background resonates deeply with the values and ethos of Queen Margaret University, as well as with our specialist areas in health and rehabilitation; the creative and cultural industries; education; and sustainable business.

“She has been particularly supportive of our recent and significant developments in teacher education – always keen to learn about our work in developing the next generation of teachers in home economics, primary education, religious studies and business. And her insights and experience into business development have been invaluable, and have helped support our culture of entrepreneurship.”

Sir Paul concluded: “However, it is Prue’s high energy, positive attitude and zest for life which have really inspired our students and staff.

“She sets a great example to the QMU community – bringing positivity to everything she does, making the most of every opportunity, speaking out to make a difference to people’s lives, and always developing and learning in order to be the best version of herself.

“Her boundless energy is infectious, and she has a star quality and magic about her which makes people believe that anything is possible. What more could you ask of a university chancellor?”

Dame Prue Leith will continue her role as Chancellor of the University until December 2024.

Queen Margaret University launches free disability resources for schools

QUEEN Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, has developed a series of resources for use in educational settings to help enhance disability literacy.

The University will launch its new Toy Box Diversity Lab website of resources on 9th May 2024, which will help guide discussions between educators and their primary school learners about disability equality and representation in the school curriculum, as well as encouraging them to think about accessibility in their own environments.

Funded by the QMU Innovation Fellowship, the educational assets include an activities pack, instructional videos and a directory of other resources to encourage positive discussions in schools.

The University will also be launching an online short course on Disability Confidence for Educational Practitioners, running from September 2024.

Dr Clare Uytman and Dr Siân Jones, senior lecturers in the Division of Psychology, Sociology and Education at QMU, have led the three-year long project, establishing their own research group to do so.

The lecturers have tested their resources with almost 550 children in England and Scotland, as well as running focus groups to create the final products in collaboration with teachers, disabled adults and parents of disabled children.

Dr. Uytman, said: “Positive understanding, representation and discussion around disability is so important for achieving a more inclusive learning environment through imagination and play, which will help children understand the importance of these topics from an early age.

“It is so rewarding to see three years of hard work and thorough research come together with the creation of these highly beneficial resources which we hope will be of real value to the teaching profession and enhance disability literacy.”

As well as the website, the QMU lecturers have also been working in collaboration with activist not-for-profit organisation, ToyLikeMe, to ensure better representation of disabilities in children’s media, including toys, books and television programmes.

Dr. Jones, said: “There is growing evidence that toys representing disability give non-disabled children windows into the worlds of disabled children.

“We are building on this evidence base, using images of adapted toy prototypes, such as Barbie with a missing limb, or Olaf the snowman from Disney’s Frozen with a cochlear implant, and showcasing these to children through pop-up exhibitions and activities we have been trialing at schools to help them think and speak positively about disability.”

Scottish primary school teacher, Mhairi Ritchie, welcomed one of these pop-up exhibitions so that she, and her pupils, could sample the resources. She said: “Involvement in the project was a fantastic way to explore disability. The children learned new vocabulary and developed a new perspective around what it means to be disabled.

“The accompanying resources were highly engaging and thoughtfully designed, enabling an interdisciplinary approach to the learning. The great thing is that we can use the resources again in the future and we look forward to doing so!”

An event will be taking place both online and in the Halle Lecture Theatre on campus at QMU to coincide with the official launch of the website on 9th May.

The launch event will take place between 4pm and 5.30pm at which attendees can learn more about the evidence-based research that has been conducted for this project, as well as more details on the resources on offer.

Find out more about QMU’s online short course on Disability Confidence for Educational Practitioners here –

https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/short-courses/short-courses/disability-confidence-for-educational-practitioners/