QMYOU Alumni Magazine Issue 77 | Page 28

Trees of Life
Trees of Life
Dobbies Garden World Melville is the presenting sponsor for the exciting new QMU ‘ Trees of Life ’ programme on our campus .
150 trees will be planted by 2025 to celebrate the achievements of our graduates , remember loved ones and honour others . In 2025 , QMU will celebrate its 150th anniversary and these living trees will further symbolise our historic roots in the community . Each tree is accompanied by a beautiful plaque with the name of the donor . The donation required for each tree is £ 150 . All funds directly benefit students and are disbursed by the QMU Student Parliament .
Our thanks go to the following donors who have already supported the ‘ Trees of Life ’ project :
• Kathryn Dewar • Kathryn Hutchinson
• Thankem Okereh • Amudat Bolanle Osumeru • Barbara Prater • James Robertson • D . Oldman-Ensa Rogers
• Professor Joe Goldblatt and Nancy Lynner
To order your tree , please contact Professor Joe Goldblatt , Development Officer at E : jgoldblatt @ qmu . ac . uk or T : 0131 474 0000 .

Student successes

First years , Fiona Rees and Dearbhaile Hayes , alongside final year postgraduate students Rosanna Heeney and Caoilfhionn Deeney , went on to play against a combined Dunedin Connollys / Wolfe Tones team at a match held in Edinburgh . ❒

Anne-Marie Casey , Vice Captain of QMU Ladies ’ Gaelic football team , explained : “ An All-Star is the highest award given by the Gaelic Athletics Association . This is the first time a member of the QMU team has won the award so having four team members winning All Stars is a big deal , as the team is selected and voted for by all of the Gaelic football teams throughout Britain .” ❒ things you might not know about QMU

• has attracted funding to offer 27 additional fully funded postgraduate places on two new Masters programmes ; an MSc in Gastronomy and an MA in Culture and Creative Enterprise .
• has won £ 4.6m to establish new academies to help improve educational and career opportunities for senior school pupils and fill a skills gap . Aside from the Hospitality and Tourism Academy , new academies now exist in Creative Industries , Health & Social Care and Food Science & Nutrition .
• provides a range of academic and business expertise to assist small and medium sized food and drink producers with business development .
• can offer product development , scientific testing and information about business funding streams to assist SMEs with business growth .
Pedal power sees Trevor complete Tour de Force
In June , one of QMU ’ s senior staff geared up for the biggest challenge of his life . Trevor Laffin , Head of the University ’ s Division of Business , Enterprise and Management , undertook a gruelling training regime in preparation for cycling the route of the ‘ Tour de France ’. Trevor ’ s cycle challenge , the ‘ Tour de Force ’, saw him complete the full 3,300 kilometre route one week before the professional riders took part in the ‘ Tour de Force ’. Before kicking off his ‘ Tour de Force ’ route in Corsica , Trevor undertook numerous organised cycle rides across the UK to prepare for the big event . This included 200 miles in the Peak District , ‘ Tour of the Borders ’ ( 70 miles ), ‘ Tour of Lauder ’
Barbara Prater - ' Trees of Life ' supporter
• has a graduate employment rate of 93.8 % - that puts QMU in joint 5th place out of 17 Higher Education institutions in Scotland .
• is the first UK university to have a Business Gateway located on campus . Run by East Lothian Council it provides assistance , start-up advice and free workshops and seminars to a variety of businesses including graduate start-ups .
• can offer a base for new business start-ups as part of QMU ’ s Business Innovation Zone
• provides an events and conferencing service and can offer meeting space for both small community events or larger scale celebrations or seminars .
• holds various events each year including professorial lectures , The Edinburgh Lecture Series , Costume Showcase and postgraduate open evenings , which are open to the general public .
• has refurbishing its fitness suite and weights room this summer for the benefit of staff , students and the local community . ❒
( 86miles ), ‘ Borders Cyclista Sportive ’ ( 76 miles ), ‘ Dunfermline Sportive ’ ( 90 miles ) as well as a cycling to Skye and throughout Ireland . The ‘ Tour de Force ’ journey took Trevor through The Pyrenees and The Alps before finally finishing in Paris on Bastille Day on the 14 July . Trevor ’ s epic adventure raised money for the William Wates Memorial Trust . He is very grateful for the support he received from QMU staff and the University ’ s hotelier and culinary friends including Martin Wishart ( from Restaurant Martin Wishart ), Andrew Fairlie ( Gleneagles ), Albert Roux OBE , Apex Hotels , Edinburgh New Town Cookery School and Timberyard . ❒

DATES for your diary

Event : When :
Time : Where :
Undergraduate Open Days Thursday 5th September and Saturday 5th October 2013 11am – 4pm QMU
Event :
Postgraduate Open Evening
When :
27th November 2013
Time :
5.30pm to 7.30pm
Where :
QMU

28 QMYOU / Latest News