Tag: University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh Youth Work study reveals significant impact on mental wellbeing

New research published today shows youth work makes a significant impact on young people’s skills, confidence, wellbeing and access to opportunities. 

The Impact of Community-Based Universal Youth Work in Edinburgh study worked with youth groups from across Edinburgh to identify the key elements of youth work which helped young people achieve positive changes in their lives. 

A research partnership between YouthLink Scotland, Edinburgh University, Northern Star and Lothian Association of Youth Clubs, collected ‘significant change stories’ from almost 100 young people from nine voluntary youth work organisations working with Edinburgh youngsters. 

The research showed that young people who had engaged with youth work services learnt new skills and behaviours, became more confident, made new friends, developed positive and supportive relationships with their youth workers, and significantly improved their wellbeing. 

Almost three-quarters of the young people taking part in the research said that youth work had given them skills for life, while 80% benefited from improved confidence. Just under a third of participants also reported feeling better equipped to vocalise thoughts and emotions they were experiencing, all of which feed into an improved sense of mental and physical wellbeing among young people.

The research analysed testimonies from both the 96 young people and the youth workers they engaged with, giving a context for how each participant had developed over a number of years. 

One participant, aged 17, said: “When I started here, I was at CAMHS every day for my anxiety and depression. I didn’t really have any friends or anything that I enjoyed doing.

“I was very suicidal but coming here has made me decide to keep going when I’m at my lowest … I know I wouldn’t have the strength I do today if I had never started coming along.” 

Dr Amy Calder, YouthLink Scotland’s Senior Policy and Research Officer and part of the research team, said: “Youth work has an important role in increasing young people’s skills and confidence, by providing opportunities and, building and maintaining positive, respectful relationships. 

“Youth workers in Edinburgh provide a key and crucial service for local young people. It offers them a safe and welcoming space where they are encouraged to have fun and challenge themselves.” 

Dr Ian Fyfe of the University of Edinburgh commented: “The experiences and behaviour of young people has been front and centre in media coverage of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’ve witnessed outpourings of genuine public and political concern for the impact of the current situation on young people’s education, employment prospects and above all their wellbeing.

“A consistent picture has emerged from this data, and our other two Scottish studies, confirming the key role youth work plays in building young people’s confidence and supporting them to develop essential life skills.

“The consistent findings of the research also point to the importance of youth work as an informal educational practice setting that offers a safe place for young people to meet and reflect on issues important in their lives.”

Laurene Edgar, Lothian Association of Youth Clubs added: “This research not only reinforces to voluntary youth work organisations in Edinburgh the impact of services provided for young people, but it will be used with a variety of stakeholders to demonstrate why community-based youth work needs continued investment for prevention and early intervention.”

Michelin-starred chefs create meal ideas for students to savour

Two of Scotland’s finest chefs have created mouthwatering vegan recipes for students staying in University of Edinburgh accommodation.

The nutritious meal suggestions – devised by Michelin-starred Martin Wishart and Tom Kitchin – are part of a range of recipe cards to be included in food packages for students if they are self-isolating in halls.

The Edinburgh-born chefs have developed their recipes with student kitchens in mind. Each uses a variety of high-quality, fresh vegetables and herbs, and take less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

Tom Kitchin – chef and owner of award-winning restaurant The Kitchin, The Scran & Scallie, Southside Scran and The Bonnie Badger – launched the project by creating a fragrant tofu and noodle broth.

Martin Wishart (above), proprietor of the award-winning Restaurant Martin Wishart, has prepared a colourful vegan box with stir-fried vegetables and chilli noodles.

Much-loved local eateries Bross Bagels and Civerinos Slice have also created vibrant meal suggestions for students to enjoy.

The recipe cards are the latest addition to the package of support students receive if they are required to self-isolate in University accommodation due to Covid-19 restrictions. University chefs have also created recipes, which include jackfruit casserole, chilli bean ragu and smoked mackerel fillets with potatoes.

University staff are working 24-hours a day to ensure that students receive a balanced diet, with self-isolation packs consisting of three meals a day to students in catered halls as well as up to 800 grocery boxes per week for those in self-catered. Essential items are also being delivered on request.

Staff have been delivering up to 2,400 packed meals per day to students in catered halls and more than 800 grocery boxes per week to those in self-catered across 48 different locations.

Round-the-clock care is also on hand to ensure that students can speak with staff either on the phone or in person if they have any worries or concerns. As well as counselling and online support services, the University has almost 200 Residence Assistants and Wardens on site to help students.

From Friday, the University is asking students to share their kitchen creations on social media to win a three-course meal from The Scran & Scallie or Civerinos Slice for their household.

Chef Tom Kitchin said: “This is a really brilliant initiative by University of Edinburgh and I am delighted to support it. We all know that eating well and planning a good meal start with the use of good ingredients.

“With a little bit of imagination and some cooking tips along the way, some students might discover a love for cooking. Times are challenging for many so it’s more important than ever that we stick together and support the community, especially the young generation in all this. I’m excited to see what dishes the students will come up with and what new ideas are coming our way.”

Carina Svensen, Director of Accommodation, Catering and Events at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are thrilled to provide students with these fantastic recipe ideas and work with local businesses.

“Tom and Martin are renowned for championing fresh Scottish produce, and Bross Bagels and Civerinos Slice are really popular, so we are sure this will be a hit with our students.

“This year has been tough on all of us, but I hope that this will give our students a boost and encourage them to showcase their creative flair. We are keen to continue this initiative and work with other Edinburgh businesses to create more exciting opportunities for our students.”

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This an excellent initiative from celebrity Michelin-starred chef’s Martin Wishart and Tom Kitchin.

“Students starting university this year have faced far more challenges than a usual student intake and this is friendly gesture which acknowledges these challenges.

“Since the start of this year, looking out for each other and sticking together has been hugely important and this is another example of the kindness on show in local communities.”

Watch Tom Kitchin create his recipe for University of Edinburgh students here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP2BOnUkHbs&feature=youtu.be

Rugby has vital role to play boosting global health, study finds

Playing rugby union can significantly improve health and wellbeing, despite the risks associated with the game, a study suggests.

Possible benefits include a reduced risk of type-2 diabetes, some cancers, stroke, heart disease and depression, according to the paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Improved muscle function, bone health and balance are other potential health gains listed in the study, which coincides with the final weekend of the Six Nations Championship.

Enhanced cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic function are further possible health dividends highlighted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh.

Players of touch, tag and wheelchair rugby appear to benefit most. Evidence of positive health outcomes among those playing contact forms of rugby union such as 15-a-side and sevens is less clear.

The study concludes that further research is needed on the physical impact of contact rugby, given the high incidence of injury and concussion compared with other sports, especially at professional level.

Researchers also highlight the positive impact that rugby union – especially in wheelchair rugby and amateur settings – has on mental health and wellbeing. Further study is needed to quantify the mental health benefits of contact rugby, they said.

The team reviewed nearly 200 rugby-related studies from six continents to build a comprehensive picture of the sport’s relationship with health, and to identify gaps in research.

This review is long overdue, the team says. Despite global participation in rugby union, there has been no overarching review of the relationship between rugby union and health and well-being. Scientific analysis has, until now, focused mainly on the relationship between rugby union participation and injury.

The study, funded by the Rugby Football Union, and in collaboration with the Scottish Rugby Union, seeks to provide a more balanced perspective on the benefits and risks.

With eight million players in 120 countries, rugby union plays a vital role in helping the global population meet the World Health Organisation’s physical activity goals, the study states.

Researchers say the review can make players, and those thinking of taking up the game, more aware of potential health gains as well as the hazards.

It will also enable parents and teachers to make informed decisions about schools rugby and help policymakers better understand how they might promote rugby union as a health enhancing activity.

Lead author Dr Steffan Griffin, of the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh, said: “There is strong evidence to suggest that all forms of rugby union provide moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that can be linked to a wide range of health and well-being benefits.”

The study (doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102085) can be accessed at: https://bit.ly/3kBXvSL.

Does science have a plastic problem?

Microbiologists take steps to reducing plastic waste

 “Everyone can make a difference!” urge microbiologists after developing a new approach that could reduce their laboratory’s plastic waste by over 500kg a year.  

The group, based at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, developed an approach to reduce plastic waste produced by their lab. They have shared their approach in the journal Access Microbiology, with the hope that other labs will follow suit.

Led by Dr Amy Pickering (no relation – Ed.), the lab replaced single-use plastics with re-useable equipment. Where alternatives were not available, the group decontaminated and re-used plastic equipment which would have usually been thrown away after one use.

“We knew that we were using plastic daily in our research, but it wasn’t until we took the time to quantify the waste that the volumes being used really hit home. That really emphasized the need for us to introduce plastic reducing measures,” said Dr Pickering.

The lab developed a new scheme which focused on sustainability, moving away from the use of single-use plastics wherever possible. In some cases, the research group would use reusable wooden or metal items instead of plastic.

If there were no alternatives, the group focused on reusing plastic equipment by chemically decontaminating the plastic tubes before a second level of decontamination under heat and pressure – known as autoclaving. 

To determine the success of the scheme, the lab of seven researchers spent four weeks documenting the plastic waste produced in regular conditions. They then measured the amount of waste produced over the next seven weeks with new processes to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic. 

Dr. Pickering said: “Once the measures were in place it was quickly clear that large impacts were being seen. The most surprising thing for us was how resilient some plastics are to being autoclaved and therefore how many times they can be re-used. This means that we were able to save more plastic than we originally anticipated.”

In implementing these replace and reuse practises, 1670 tubes and 1300 loops were saved during a four-week period. This led to a 43-kilogram reduction in waste. 

The typical microbiology laboratory uses mostly disposable plastic, which is often not recycled due to biological contamination. In 2014, 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste were generated in research laboratories worldwide. The Edinburgh lab works with dangerous disease-causing bacteria, due to the dangers of contamination, their waste must be autoclaved and incinerated at a high environmental and monetary cost.

Practices to reduce plastic waste in research labs is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, with researchers from the University of York decontaminating and re-using plastic flasks and researchers from a chemistry lab in Edinburgh recycling 1 million plastic gloves in 2019.

“It’s important to take some time identifying what plastic items you are using the most. This will allow you to identify both the easy wins, such as replacing plastic inoculation loops for re-useable metal ones, as well as the bigger tasks, such as re-using plastic tubes. That will help you to bring others on board and build momentum,” added Dr Pickering.  

The new protocols not only prevent plastic waste, but also save money according to Dr Pickering: “Over a 3-month period of implementing the protocols we will have saved over £400 of plastic tubes, inoculation loops, and cuvettes” she said. 

The full details of the lab’s new waste-reducing protocols are free to read in Access Microbiology.

Visit Edinburgh University this Doors Open Days weekend (virtually, of course!)

The University of Edinburgh is proud to be part of Edinburgh and East Lothian Doors Open Days, organised by the Cockburn Association. 

This year, due to the ongoing need for physical distancing, Doors Open Days will be online. We hope you enjoy learning about our buildings from the comfort of your home. 

Available virtual and video tours

Edinburgh Futures Institute – tour 

The King’s Buildings – website and tour

McEwan Hall – video

MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine – behind the scenes tour

St Cecilia’s Hall – website and video

Talbot Rice Gallery – video 

The Anatomical Museum – video

The Bayes Centre – website and videos

School of Informatics – website and video tour

Easter Bush Campus – website and video tours

Edinburgh College of Art – virtual tour 

Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Centre for Regenerative Medicine – virtual tour 

George Square and Holyrood Campus – virtual tours of eleven buildings

The Edinburgh Doors Open Day 2020 gives you the chance to discover some of Edinburgh’s most unique and interesting buildings, which are normally closed to the public.

Across the weekend you can discover some fantastic sites across the city, completely free of charge and from the warmth of your own home – as this year’s event  goes digital!

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year,  this is  your chance to explore some of Edinburgh’s most important buildings virtually. Many venues will offer behind the scenes tours, talks or exhibitions to bring the history of these monumental buildings to life.

Read about all of these places and more on the Doors Open Days website. 

Praise for team tasked with overseeing wellbeing of Europe’s largest lockdown student population

MORE than 4,500 students housed in university-managed accommodation have been able to access vital support throughout the pandemic, thanks to a dedicated team comprised of staff and students.

“Residence Life” at the University of Edinburgh has been responsible for the welfare of what is thought to be Europe’s largest population of “locked-down” students, as thousands of predominantly international students remained in the City as the pandemic hit. 

The innovative group, founded in 2014 on an evidenced based model popular in large campuses in the United States has worked throughout lockdown, moving digitally and increasing its programme of community-building events.

Its team consists of student welfare professionals, wardens living on-site and 200 Resident Assistants (RAs) – returning students who are appointed to welcome and support first year students while running a busy events calendar.


Christopher Tucker, Director of Residence Life, (above) said: “It’s well documented that adapting to the first year of university life can be extremely challenging for many, even in normal times.

“For lots of students living away from home, the lockdown will have really taken its toll, making them feel isolated, uncertain and a long way from family.

“The response from our team has been nothing short of remarkable. We have supported the University’s Community Support team with delivering food outside the door of anyone self-isolating or shielding, along with basic cleaning supplies.

“We have also been calling these students daily to check in and monitor their recovery, while encouraging physical distancing in the accommodations. Furthermore, the team has been incredibly creative and organised virtual social events that have proven far-reaching and popular, we have had over 10,000 in attendance to all of our events since we started our program.”

“We have also developed new and creative ways to provide a mixed model of 24-hour digital and in person welfare support to all of our residents.  Throughout the pandemic Residential Life has been supporting our community using these developing practices.”  

The University has praised the Residence Life team for stepping up to the challenge at such a challenging time.

Carina Svensen, Director of Accommodation, Catering and Events at The University of Edinburgh, said: “We have nothing but admiration for the way in which our Residence Life, its wardens and its student team has stepped up to the challenge of looking out for the wellbeing of this large, often vulnerable population.

“It just demonstrates that Residence Life is a huge selling point for the University’s accommodation. We hope it gives students joining in the weeks ahead a lot of confidence and reassurance.”

Events created by RAs have ranged from online cook-alongs, life drawing, wine and cheese nights and academics have been invited to host webinars on a range of topics.

Christopher added: “It’s been vital that while we’re so detached physically, we still foster a real community spirit. Nobody living in our accommodation should feel alone.

“We’ve noticed some really interesting trends too, which we hope we can take forward with us. 

“It’s been fascinating to see how quickly students have moved back to Facebook for its community, a platform most young people now associate with their parents! Like most of the country, students are loving learning simple pleasure skills, such as baking and drawing.

“Going forward into the new academic year we’d naturally love to be able to host more in-person events, but if there is one good thing that can come out of the pandemic, it has shown just how quickly we can come together online.”

The University of Edinburgh has one of the largest accommodation offers of any university in the UK, with the capacity to house more than 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. It typically witnesses significant excess demand for spaces.

Operated by its Accommodation, Catering and Events team, this group has developed and provides a range of new approaches to keep student residents safe, including providing support for those required to self isolate in their rooms, including meal deliveries.

Physical distancing measures are being introduced in all public areas, which will be subject to increased cleaning and disinfecting measures.

Tourism receives hi-tech boost

A new organisation has launched to help Scotland’s beleaguered tourism sector make a sustained recovery driven by technological innovation.

Traveltech for Scotland will build a support network for travel technology pioneers whose ingenuity could help turn the sector around following the devastating impacts of Covid-19.

The venture will create opportunities for businesses, including digital tour operators, online booking providers and companies developing robotic devices that improve the hotel experience.

Traveltech for Scotland will foster an online community of entrepreneurs, promote industry events and create a digital marketplace to encourage growth in the sector.

It builds on the country’s traveltech leadership, demonstrated by pioneers such as flight-booking giant Skyscanner, hotel guest app provider Criton and trip-planning company Whereverly.

The £342,000 initiative – led by the University of Edinburgh and funded via the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise – will tap into Scotland’s research excellence and seek to nurture the country’s tech graduate talent.

Traveltech for Scotland involves two strands of the University of Edinburgh – its commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, and the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which has a particular focus on harnessing big data and digitisation to promote social good.

Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Fergus Ewing, said: “The tourism and hospitality sector has been hit hard by this pandemic and we do not underestimate the crisis this has created.

“Protecting jobs and businesses is a key focus of the Scottish Government’s efforts to respond to the pandemic.

“As we start to see more and more of the sector re-opening, the launch of Traveltech for Scotland will support the sector further in its road to recovery. I welcome this innovative approach and look forward to seeing how the community is strengthened as a result.”

The Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, Steve Dunlop, is confident Traveltech can support economic recovery in communities that rely on tourism and help the sector to ‘build back better’ by developing sustainability and resilience.

Mr Dunlop said: “By bringing together our digital and visitor economies, there’s a real opportunity for the Scottish technology sector to lead the way in creating innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the tourism industry on a global scale.”

The newly appointed Director of Traveltech for Scotland, Joshua Ryan-Saha, of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, believes it is in moments of great crisis that new ideas are born.

He said: “The travel industry faces unprecedented challenges and we need to invest now in Traveltech to build a better, more resilient and sustainable future for Scotland’s travel industry.”

COVID-19 has impacted heavily on the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors, forcing redundancies and reduced operations for airlines, hotels, bars, restaurants and tech businesses, and leading to the cancellation of Scotland’s major events and festivals in 2020.

In 2018 Scotland’s tech industry was valued at £4.9 billion, with over 100,000 people employed in the sector. Demand for tech recruits continues to grow rapidly: it is estimated that Scotland needs around 13,000 new people to work in tech every year.

The CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), Marc Crothall, said the launch marks a vital step forward in providing Scotland’s tourism businesses access to new technology solutions, which can build customers’ trust around virus control and safety.

He said: “It will offer reassurance that challenges can be overcome to aid a sustainable recovery for the industry and, I hope, put Scotland on the map as a leading destination for travel technology.”

Traveltech for Scotland is initially a three-year project funded under Scottish Enterprise’s Cluster Builder programme – supported by the 2014-20 European Structural and Investment Fund through a programme of jointly funded projects with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and managed by the Scottish Government.

A total of up to £342,000 has been allocated towards creating a Cluster Builder for traveltech in Scotland over three years. The ERDF contribution is up to £171,000.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has welcomed the boost. He said: “The creation of Traveltech is a positive move for Edinburgh’s tourist industry, which has been hit so hard by Covid-19 and lockdown.

“Social distancing has created many challenges for tourist businesses and the development of technology to allow companies to make a profit and keep people safe is welcome.”

Tonight: Edinburgh Culture Conversations

Join us for Edinburgh Culture Conversations, a 10-week series of live, online events that will debate the future role of arts and culture, and examine how the arts and creative sectors can help society recover from the effects of Covid-19.

The events will bring together members of the public, artists, academics and cultural leaders to discuss how culture contributes to our lives and what it could do in the future.

The online debates, staged in conjunction with the Edinburgh Futures Institute, begin tonight with the first conversation considering the question “How can we keep the Festival spirit of internationalism and interculturalism alive?”

Janet Archer, the University of Edinburgh’s Director of Festivals, Cultural and City Events, will host the weekly conversations which will debate the value of creativity, not only to the arts, but also to society and the wider economy.

Over the course of the series a distinguished panel of guests is set to include Scots Makar Jackie Kay, CEO and Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival Fergus Linehan, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Shona McCarthy, singer-songwriter Karine Polwart and British Art Show 9 artist Hanna Tuulikki.

Reserve your free place now!Register
The conversations have been organised by the University of Edinburgh Festivals Office and are being staged in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh’s new centre for interdisciplinary learning and research, the Edinburgh Futures Institute.

Scottish dementia researchers head back into lab

Some dementia researchers funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK have been given special access to head back into the lab at the University of Edinburgh, while ensuring they comply with the strict government guidelines on social distancing.

While resourceful scientists funded by the UK’s leading dementia research charity were still managing to do some work in innovative ways wherever possible from home, this return marks a change in pace with scientists physically allowed back in the lab to resume their pioneering research.

Almost one million people in the UK are living with dementia, and over half of us know someone affected – in Scotland alone, 90,000, people live with the condition.

People with dementia experience memory loss, confusion, personality changes and gradually lose the ability to manage daily life. And sadly, it has become clear that people with dementia are more at risk of experiencing severe effects of COVID-19.

Dr Katie Askew from the University of Edinburgh is still predominantly working from home, but has now been given special dispensation to resume experimental work.

Research will not return to 100% capacity for some time, but this return will allow Dr Askew to set up new experiments and complete time-critical work after being unable to access the lab for three months. 

With only limited treatment options available for people who develop dementia, Dr Askew’s work funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK aims to examine the relationship between reduced blood flow and inflammatory changes in the brain.

It will also look for the effect these changes have on memory and thinking in Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

As there is considerable overlap in the symptoms caused by the two different forms of dementia, tests that can distinguish between these different underlying diseases could be very valuable.

Not only would this allow people with memory problems to receive a more accurate diagnosis, it would also help make sure the right people are being given potential future treatments at the right time.

Speaking about yesterday’s return to the lab, Dr Katie Askew from the University of Edinburgh, said: “Just as research is vital in the fight against COVID-19, we know that research will help us to overcome dementia.

“We are looking forward to resuming experiments that were postponed due to lockdown. I am able to return to the lab, albeit in a much-reduced capacity, to set up complete experiments and set up new long-term studies due to special dispensation from the University as my research project has significant time constraints.

“Dementia research has been hit hard and while we won’t be at full strength for a while, our lab is looking to start new experiments to complete our projects when it is safe for us to do so. We will ensure we are working safely to help avoid vital work like this stalling again as COVID-19 is still out there and remains a significant threat to our communities as well as our research.”

Any wider return to labs across Scotland will be based on Scottish Government guidance and approval from the host university.

Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Dementia affects 90,000 people in Scotland, and nearly one million people across the UK. Research carried out by dementia experts like Dr Askew is the only way we will create a world free of the fear, harm and heartbreak of the condition. 

“Alzheimer’s Research UK estimates it could be facing a potential drop in income due to COVID-19 of up to 45%, and dementia research has been hit hard by the pandemic. While all researchers will still have challenges to face, this physical return to work gives them and everyone affected by dementia hope that we will see progress in dementia research continue.

“Our funding for research like this would not be possible without donations from our fantastic supporters. Now more than ever, dementia research needs our backing. Anyone can donate to help dementia research regain momentum at alzres.uk/make-donation or by calling call 0300 111 5555.”

New Zealand women complete the Dundee Virtual Kilt Walk while UK sleeps

While Scotland slept on Thursday night, two women finished the virtual Dundee Kiltwalk almost as far from the city as it is possible to get.

Jane Ludemann and her mother Elspeth walked up Signal Hill in Dunedin, New Zealand, three times. They began at 9:30am on Friday the 3rd of July New Zealand time, which is 10:30pm on Thursday GMT.

Signal Hill is 393 metres (1289 feet) high.

They chose this  hill because the monument at its summit is hewn from the rock on which Edinburgh Castle stands and they completed the Kiltwalk to raise money for research into low grade serous ovarian carcinoma at the University of Edinburgh.

When Jane was diagnosed with this rare form of cancer at the age of 32, three years ago, she discovered that there was very little research on the disease and no way to fund research into it anywhere in the world.

That spurred her to establish Cure Our Ovarian Cancer, a charitable trust dedicated to increasing awareness of LGSOC, supporting women with the disease and raising funds for research into better treatments and an eventual cure.

The University of Edinburgh is their UK charity partner. Cure Our Ovarian Cancer hopes to part fund a researcher at the University of Edinburgh to develop better laboratory models of the cancer to help find new treatments.

Since 2019 they’ve raised over £10,000 of their £25,000 target.

“University of Edinburgh’s Professor Charlie Gourley has provided national leadership of low-grade serous clinical trials in the UK.  Furthermore the work of his research team is world renowned,” Jane said.

“Historically low-grade serous ovarian cancer has been overlooked. It disproportionately affects young women and the overall survival rates are really poor. It’s really confronting to stare death in the face at such a young age. If I don’t survive, the thing I want most in the world is to know this won’t happen to someone else. Knowing that Professor Gourley is on the other side of the world, working hard to improve survival, makes life that bit easier”, says Jane. 

Elspeth said that when Jane was diagnosed she and her husband Grant said they would do anything they could to help her: “I didn’t think that would entail climbing a steep hill three times, but thankfully the Kiltwalk is about distance not speed.”

The rock at the top of the hill isn’t the only link between the Ludemann’s Kiltwalk and Scotland. Elspeth’s father, Charles Sime, was born in Dundee and lived there until he immigrated to New Zealand in his 20s.

“Although Dad ended up living in New Zealand longer than he lived in Scotland, he retained his accent and took great pride in wearing his kilt,” Elspeth said.

“He would be very sad that his granddaughter has cancer but so proud of what she is doing to raise awareness and funds. He loved tramping and would be tickled pink that we are doing the Kiltwalk with its link to him home town.”

Six hours and 30 000 steps later the pair finished their walk. Jane said: “I don’t think we’ll win any prizes for speed but we put in a lot of effort. I’m looking forward to an early night.

“I’m thrilled that we have been able to support the University of Edinburgh’s cancer research today, from the other side of the world.”

To make a donation to Jane’s efforts go to: https://dundeekiltwalk2020.everydayhero.com/uk/jane-3