ISSUE 58 JANUARY 2004

QMUC LAUNCHES ESTATESMASTERPLAN

£1.5M PACKAGE HELPS OLDER PEOPLE

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IMPROVE YOUR CAREERPROSPECTS

Find out about our exciting range of postgraduate coursesand research opportunities in the areas of:

• health care, health sciences and international health

• food and nutrition and complementary medicine• psychology and sociology• drama, theatre and cultural management• media and communication• information management• business and management• hospitality and tourism

QMUC offers a range of MPhil/PhD research degrees.

Call 0131 317 3247 for a copy of our postgraduateprospectus or email admissions@qmuc.ac.uk for furtherinformation about our courses.

www.qmuc.ac.uk

MAKING THE BEST START

Queen Margaret University College can help you make thebest start in life. We can offer you the opportunity to study inScotland’s beautiful capital city, a friendly atmosphere and asmall but lively environment, as well as providing asupportive and secure learning experience.

Choose from our excellent range of undergraduate coursesin the areas of:

• Health Care - Physiotherapy, Radiography, Podiatry, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Health Promotion, Biological and Health Sciences

• Consumer, Business, Retail Studies and Marketing• Food, Dietetics and Nutrition• Hospitality and Tourism• Media and Communication• Psychology and Sociology• Drama and Theatre Arts• Joint Degrees - create your own degree

Call 0131 317 3247 for a prospectus or check out our website www.qmuc.ac.uk for further details.

Note from the Editor

It has been an exciting few monthsfor Queen Margaret UniversityCollege. In August we were delightedto have a visit from Her RoyalHighness, The Duchess ofGloucester, daughter-in-law to ourpatron, Princess Alice.

The purpose of the visit was tointroduce the Duchess to theUniversity College’s work in the areaof complementary medicine. Whiletouring the institution the Duchess,along with Professor Jan de Vries,was introduced to the research workundertaken by a PhD student into theeffects of the herb ‘Devil’s Claw’. TheDuchess also saw demonstrations inreflexology and aromatherapy andhad the chance to talk with studentsand lecturers involved in the MScComplementary Medicine.

The University College was alsodelighted to announce the news of a£2.3m funding package from theRoyal Bank of Scotland. This will helpto establish the new RBS Centre forthe Older Person’s Agenda, the firstof its kind in Scotland, as well as aCentre for Community Arts Researchand Practice.

In the last few months there havebeen major advances in theRE:LOCATE project. This will seeQMUC move to the first all-purposebuilt campus development inScotland for a generation. QMUClaunched the masterplan for the newcampus at an extremely successfulreception attended by over 150people. You can view the plans forthe new campus on page 03.

EDITOR:Lynne Russell, Marketing & Communications OfficeQMUC

DESIGN & PRODUCTION:Marketing & Communications Office,QMUC

PHOTOGRAPHY:Dougie Barnett

PRINTER:Allander

CONTACT:Marketing and Communication OfficeQueen Margaret University CollegeCorstorphine Campus, Edinburgh, EH12 8TSTel. 0131 317 3000 Fax. 0131 317 3256 Email. marketing@qmuc.ac.uk

CONTENTS02 - 03 Plans unveiled for Scotland’s first new university campus

of the 21st Century

04 - 05 New centre offers older people a say in their futureLocal communities get a new gateway to the artsSpeech academics top the bill once againQueen hosts reception for pioneers

06 - 07 Widening participation project recognised by national newspaper awardsSAPPHIRE celebrates its fifth birthday as a project based on partnership

08 Research identifies lack of training on chronic pain

09 Networking lunch is a big success for studentsHonorary degree for former principal

10 International postcard - Thoughts from the SudanA slim new you for 2004

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The Duchess of Gloucester visits QMUC Launch of the Masterplan

In October QMUC unveiled its plansfor Scotland’s first purpose builtuniversity campus of the 21st centuryat an exhibition at the Brunton Hallsin Musselburgh.

The masterplan for the new campus, tobe built on a 35 acre site at Craighall,has been submitted to East Lothianplanning authorities for approval. If theapplication gets the go ahead thenMusselburgh will become home toQMUC when over 4000 staff andstudents relocate from existingcampuses at Corstorphine and Leith in2007.

According to the Fraser of AllanderInstitute the economic impact of QMUCis estimated at £32 million to the localcommunity alone, and £90 million to theScottish economy as a whole.Employment attributable to QMUC,including direct employment, is around1200 and there will be around 500 jobson site during the construction phase.

QMUC’s existing premises are near theend of their useful life and requiresubstantial and prohibitively expensiveremodelling. The decision to relocate toMusselburgh was announced inNovember 2002 after QMUC hadcompleted a rigorous evaluation of manypossible sites around Edinburgh and theLothians and as far afield as Fife.

QMUC Principal, Professor AnthonyCohen, said: “I hope and expect that wewill have a vital role in the localcommunity both through our links withbusinesses and healthcare providers,and through the access to employmentand education opportunities we willprovide. We want to be an essential partof the community, rather than just beingsituated in it. Craighall is an excellentlocation for a university campus and our

relocation from our existing sites inCorstorphine and Leith will mark thecoming of age of a dynamic institutionand one which both historically andtoday occupies a distinctive niche inScottish higher education. Themasterplan presents an accessible, asympathetic, striking and sustainabledevelopment which will enhance thearea, provide a stimulating environmentand first class resources for students,staff and the community.”

The Masterplan envisages a vibrant new21st century academic village with stateof the art buildings placed around aseries of high quality landscapedparkland spaces incorporating a newand diverse range of habitats.

The masterplan architects’ aim ofacademic place creation and sustainabledevelopment is brought into focus withthe design of a major landscaped socialspace at the hub of the campus.Academic buildings linked by a modernday cloister which includes internetcafes, exhibition space, food court andretail outlet forms one perimeter whilst a1500 unit residential village with hotel,sports facilities and student union formsthe other. QMUC`s new LearningResource Centre, a symbol of itsaccessible learning strategy, forms thegateway to the new campus.

Members of the local community will beencouraged to use the facilities on offerat QMUC, including the high techlearning resource centre that will formthe entrance to the site. Access to thenew campus from the A1 will be along anewly created tree lined avenue.

Commenting on the decision to move toMusselburgh project leader and QMUCVice Principal, Rosalyn Marshall, said:“We made the decision to bring our two

campuses together almost five yearsago and this location was an attractiveproposition partly because of the rangeof local amenities on offer inMusselburgh and East Edinburgh. Wealso took into account the closeproximity of the new Royal Infirmary atLittle France, an important healthcarepartner for QMUC. The site at Craighallprovides excellent transport links toEdinburgh city centre and around theLothians and we will adopt a greentravel policy to encourage use of publictransport instead of private cars. We aretaking great care to ensure our plansincorporate the very latest thinking insustainable development.”

Leader of East Lothian Council, NormanMurray, said: “This is a very excitingdevelopment that will bring a big boostto the East Lothian economy andprovide top amenities to the localcommunity. The brand new campus willhouse some of the best academicfacilities in the UK and will undoubtedlyattract interest and visitors from acrossEurope and further afield. I am sure thisdevelopment will act as a catalyst tofurther economic stimulation in EastLothian.”

PLANS UNVEILED FOR SCOTLAND’S FIRST NEWUNIVERSITY CAMPUS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

PAGE 02 - RE:LOCATE UPDATE

Principal, Professor Anthony Cohen andVice Principal, Rosalyn Marshall perusethe new plans with Lord Provost, PatO'Brien and Leader of East LothianCouncil, Norman Murray.

RE:LOCATE UPDATE - PAGE 03

QM BUILDINGS

1. Learning Resource Centre (LRC)2. Academic Pavilions3. Lecture Theatre4. Food Court / Exhibition / Internet

Cafes5. Academic Cloister6. Sports / Student Union7. Student Residential Village8. Training Hotel9. Plant

QM INFRASTRUCTURE

A. Queen Margaret DriveB. Campus Vehicular EntranceC. Drop-offD. Car ParkingE. University WalkF. PondsG. University GardensH. BioDiversity GardenI. Public Transport TerminusJ. Musselburgh StationK. New Junction from A1L. Service Vehicle Access

student residential village university gardens approach from Queen Margaret Drive

THE MASTERPLAN

A major initiative to help older peopletake a more active part in shapingsociety has been launched by QMUC.The £1.5 million programme has beenmade possible as part of an overallfunding package of £2.3million fromThe Royal Bank of Scotland Group.

The new Royal Bank of Scotland Centrefor the Older Person’s Agenda is the firstof its kind in Scotland. QMUC willestablish a new professorship in this fieldto take into account the impact ofdemographic changes on, and theopportunities and challenges faced bymodern society as the proportion ofolder people in our population increases.

The new centre’s activities at QMUC’scampuses at Corstorphine, Leith andthe Gateway Theatre will also help oldercitizens to improve their owncircumstances and quality of life bybecoming involved in research into, forexample, economic issues and serviceevaluation and in practice developmentand education. QMUC has a strongrecord of involving older people in a

meaningful way that enables them tocontribute directly to the policydevelopment and delivery of serviceswhich affect them, and staff at thecentre will build on this.

Professor Anthony Cohen, Principal ofQueen Margaret University College, said:“We are delighted that The Royal Bankof Scotland Group is supporting such acrucial area of our work. Corporateinvestment of this type - and at this level- is what our universities need to ensurethat their expertise translates into realsolutions to the challenges facing societyand has practical value in thecommunity.’”

Jeremy Peat, Chief Economist with TheRoyal Bank of Scotland, said: "Alongwith most European countries ourpopulation is getting older. Theproportion of Scots in the 55+ agegroup is projected to rise from about 27per cent at present to 37 per cent overthe next 25 years. This is a hugedemographic shift and must havemassive implications for various aspects

of our economy. Already there arearound 75,000 people in Scotlandworking beyond state retirement ageand almost a quarter of the Scottishworkforce is in the 50+ category.Despite the major implications of thispopulation ageing phenomenon, and theextent to which it applies across Europe,there is still too little understanding oflikely impacts and the requiredresponses. Consequently, this initiativemarks a very welcome addition to theeconomic, and wider, research agenda -and we must also welcome the directinvolvement of older people in itsoperations."

Local communities get a newgateway to the arts

In addition to the new centre for olderpeople The School of Drama andCreative Industries has also receivednearly £785,000 support from The RoyalBank of Scotland, for its Centre forCommunity Arts Research and Practice.The funding will give local communitygroups the chance to take part in arts

PAGE 04 - ACHIEVEMENTS & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

NEW CENTRE OFFERS OLDER PEOPLE A SAY

IN THEIR FUTURE

ACHIEVEMENTS & DEVELOPMENT NEWS - PAGE 05

This autumn senior academics fromthe University College were awardedfellowships of the Royal College ofSpeech and Language Therapists fortheir outstanding contributions tospeech and language therapy.

Dr Fiona Gibbon, Head of Speech andLanguage Sciences, was awarded afellowship of the Royal College ofSpeech and Language Therapists. DrGibbon, who is highly regarded bycolleagues for her ability to integratespeech science into clinical practice innovel and innovative ways, washonoured for her longstanding anddistinguished service to the profession inthe context of research and teaching.

Professor John Laver, Deputy Principal,and Professor Bill Hardcastle, Dean ofResearch, both received honoraryfellowships. The award recognisedProfessor Laver as an outstandingphonetician, whose skills in teaching,research and administration have had ahuge impact on the development andapplication of speech science in the UKand abroad. Bill Hardcastle, alsoProfessor of Speech Sciences atQMUC, was honoured for hisoutstanding thirty-year contribution tothe profession, especially in hispioneering development of the techniqueof electropalatography.

All three academics travelled to Cardiffon October 30th to the Royal College ofSpeech and Language Therapists’annual general meeting to receive theirawards.

A leading researcher from QMUC metthe Queen and The Duke ofEdinburgh at a reception to mark thecontribution which pioneers havemade to the UK.

The reception, held at BuckinghamPalace, marked the contribution ofpioneers to the life of the nation. Theinvitation from Her Majesty’s Master ofthe Household defined ‘pioneers’ asground-breaking individuals who havechanged or contributed somethingunique to the way we live, or set newexamples for others to follow.

Professor Bill Hardcastle, Dean ofResearch, attended the reception inrecognition of his pioneering researchwork in the area of speech science.

QMUC was presented last year with aQueen’s Anniversary Prize for itsgroundbreaking research into speech.One of the projects which helped theUniversity College win the prize, themost distinguished award that can bemade to any UK higher or furthereducation institution, was thedevelopment of the technique,electropalatography (EPG). This waspioneered by Professor Hardcastle andfurther developed by researchers inspeech and language sciences at theUniversity College. The technique helpschildren and adults who are unable topronounce certain sounds, by recordingcontacts of the tongue with the roof ofthe mouth during speech.

Professor Hardcastle attended thereception at Buckingham Palace thatbrought together researchers andinventors from all over the UK.

practice and training at a new centrebeing set up by QMUC’s renowneddrama school.

In recent years the school has carriedout groundbreaking work in communityand social development through thearts. It is the only major drama school inScotland with this expertise andspecialist interest, and its new centre willextend and promote the use of dramaand performance to social policy anddevelopment related work in Europe.Modelled on work pioneered at QMUC’sGateway Theatre campus with olderpeople and with ethnic minority groups,the new centre will help people todevelop the skills they need to takemore control of both their owncircumstances and of policydevelopments relating to their specificneeds. The funding will be used toappoint new staff and to upgradefacilities at the Gateway Theatre for localcommunity groups working with the newcentre.

QUEEN HOSTSRECEPTION FORPIONEERS

SPEECH ACADEMICSTOP THE BILL ONCEAGAIN

WIDENING PARTICIPATION PROJECT RECOGNISED

BY NATIONAL NEWSPAPER AWARDS

One of QMUC’s successful wideningparticipation projects, the HigherEducation Certificate inEnvironmental Justice, wasrecognised recently at the Guardiancharity awards in London.

Former jockey and Grand NationalWinner, Bob Champion, who presentedthe Guardian's charity awards inOctober, paid tribute to five awardwinning projects, including ‘Agents forEnvironmental Justice’, a collaborativeventure run by Friends of the EarthScotland and QMUC.

The awards recognise smaller charitiesfor their innovative, pioneering work, andthe outstanding contribution they maketo social welfare in the community.

The award winning project includes at itscentre, an 18 month course, which actsas a finishing school in environmentalactivism. Its aim is to equip communityactivists with the campaigning skillsnecessary to help them becomeeffective ‘agents for environmentaljustice’.

Mark Wilkinson, from QMUC, explained:“This collaborative venture has allowedus to take the academic expertise ofQMUC’s lecturers out into communitieswhere we have been able to helpordinary people tackle environmentalissues and ultimately improve theirquality of life.

“In partnership with Friends of the EarthScotland, QMUC has pioneered a newapproach to widening participation tohigher education. We were aware thatmany of the students embarking uponthis course had not been in full-timeeducation for many years and hadconcerns about taking on a universitylevel course. However, when wedesigned the programme we made

PAGE 06 - COLLABORATIONS

great efforts to recognise the skills andexperience that these campaignersalready had. In addition to validatingtheir existing specialist knowledge, thecourse has equipped the students withskills in, for example, fundraising,handling the media, environmentalscience and sustainable development.”

Ann Coleman’s story is typical of thestudents who have recently completedthe course. She has been at theforefront of the campaign against thelandfill sites and open-cast coal minessurrounding Greengairs village, outsideGlasgow.

Following the course, Ann, a 53 year oldgrandmother, has been able to give herlocal campaign a much needed boostnow that she understands officialdocuments and legal issues involvedwith planning. This has given her theconfidence to tackle the planningauthorities and the Scottish Executive.

She said: I’ve now got much morecredibility because I learned to speaktheir language and am able to argue myposition more effectively than in thepast.”

Initially concerned about embarking onthe course, Ann said: “The course hasbeen really accessible and I’ve enjoyedevery minute of it.”

Mark Wilkinson concluded: “This pilotcourse has brought a great detail ofpositive publicity to QMUC and is aexcellent example of an innovativeapproach to widening participation. TheUniversity College hopes to continue thispartnership and is currently developingthe course for distance learning, thusmaking it more accessible for a widerrange of people.”

Subject to validation the HigherEducation Certificate in EnvironmentalJustice (distance learning) will beavailable from January 2004.

For further details please contact:Mark Wilkinson, Queen Margaret University College, Tel: 0131 317 3163Email: mwilkinson@qmuc.ac.ukTara o’ Leary or Eurig Scandrett, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Tel: 0131 554 9977

COLLABORATIONS - PAGE 07

SAPPHIRE (the Scottish Archive ofPrint and Publishing History Records),now five years old, demonstrates thatlasting collaboration between highereducation institutions can work.

SAPPHIRE is a joint initiative betweenNapier University and QMUC dedicatedto recording the social, economic andcultural history of the people whoworked in the Scottish publishing andprinting industry in the twentieth century.Its advisory panel also includesrepresentatives from AberdeenUniversity, Edinburgh University andStrathclyde University.

The project began as the brainchild ofProfessors Alistair McCleery from Napierand Professor David Finkelstein ofQMUC.

“We realised that a key area of Scottishindustrial and social history had beenneglected and its primary sources – thepeople who worked in the booktradeand its ancillary activities – weredisappearing”, Professor McCleerystated.

Initial funding came from NapierUniversity and the Carnegie Trust for theUniversities of Scotland. “We were oneof the first beneficiaries of its largergrants scheme and Carnegie placesgreat emphasis upon outcomes whichenrich all the universities,” recallsProfessor Finkelstein.

SAPPHIRE also received a GlenfiddichLiving Scotland Award in its first year ofoperation for its initiative in preservingand promoting Scotland’s culturalheritage. In addition, its work on theEdinburgh publishing firm of ThomasNelson and Sons, in collaboration withthe City of Edinburgh’s Museums andGalleries, resulted not only in a wealth ofarchival material but also a book of

reminiscences and a major exhibitionthat toured the UK.

A current project on the PapermakingMills of the Water of Leith has involvednot only another book and exhibition butalso the creation of learning materialsspecifically focussed on the needs of the5-14 curriculum in Scotland and ofStandard Grade and Higher History.

The SAPPHIRE model has beensuccessfully exported and a number ofother similar projects are now underwayacross the world.

“We plan to be around in another fiveyears”, adds Alistair McCleery. “There isstill a great deal of material about thiskey area of the economic and culturalpast to be uncovered and madeaccessible.”

SAPPHIRE CELEBRATES ITS FIFTH BIRTHDAY AS

A PROJECT BASED ON PARTNERSHIP

Researchers at the Pain ResearchCentre at QMUC have revealed that a third of health professionals havereceived no teaching about chronic pain.

A survey of 241 UK health professionalsby Derek Jones, Lecturer inOccupational Therapy at QMUC, foundthat one in three health professionalshad no education at all in chronic pain.The study, which was funded by a£173,880 grant from the CommunityFund, was carried out by QMUC andPain Association Scotland. The resultshave led academics at the Centre to callfor education into pain to become a coresubject in the training of healthcareprofessionals.

The Pain Research Centre at QMUClooks at the needs of people withchronic pain and ways of reducing theimpact of pain. Director, Dr Denis Martin,said: "Because everyone will experiencepain of some sort, everyone thinks theyknow what it is. There is an assumptionthat it can be dealt with easily throughdrugs, which, unfortunately, is not thecase.

"There is plenty of scientific informationabout pain, but there is a general lack ofunderstanding about the impact it canhave. One of the main problems is thatpain is seen by health professionals as aspecialist subject. While there is apressing need for more specialists inpain management it is also necessarythat all professionals have a thoroughunderstanding of pain. Thus, we firmlybelieve that pain management should bea core subject in the training andeducation of health professionals.

“At QMUC, given our close workingrelationships across the healthcarecourses, there is an opportunity to take

the lead in the development of coreundergraduate interdisciplinaryeducation and training about pain"concluded Dr Martin.

In 2000, the University College took thelead by running an MSc in Pain forhealth professionals including GPs,physiotherapists, occupational therapistsand nurses. In addition, the Centre hasbeen working with health professionals,patient groups, The Scottish Executiveand Parliament to promoteunderstanding of the impact of pain.

Promoting Awareness

The Cross Party Parliamentary Group forChronic Pain had its first meeting of thenew session in November 2003. Thepurpose of this group is to promoteawareness among decision-makers andthe public about the problem of chronicpain in Scotland. QMUC was wellrepresented by Dr Denis Martin, DerekJones and two PhD students (OrlaCrummey, SuperintendentPhysiotherapist at St Johns Hospital andJanette Barrie, Clinical Specialist Nurseat Wishaw General Hospital). Inresponse to lobbying by this group, theScottish Executive commissioned asurvey of services in Scotland for peoplewith chronic pain. The results of thissurvey will be available to the group inearly 2004.

New Research Helps People GetBack to Work

The Centre has just launched a pilotproject aimed at helping people withchronic pain get back to work. Thisstudy is funded by £63K from theDepartment of Work and Pensions andis being carried out in partnership with

the University of Leicester.Dr Denis Martin explained: “We knowthat the longer a person is out of work,the more difficult it becomes to findemployment. We also know that manypeople want to return to work but donot know the type of work they can door where they can get the right help.

“This particular programme is uniquebecause it brings together expert clinicalstaff from the NHS with specialists in jobtraining to offer a combined service thatis otherwise not available.”

The University College is currentlyrecruiting people for the project who areunemployed and on benefit because ofchronic pain. The project will providethem with clinical support from PainConsultancy as well as vocationaltraining from IntoWork to help them getback into the workplace.

PAGE 08 - RESEARCH & INNOVATION

RESEARCH IDENTIFIES LACK OF TRAINING ON CHRONIC PAIN

HONORARY DEGREE FOR QMUCFORMER PRINCIPAL, PROFESSORDONALD LEACH

GRADUATION AND COURSES - PAGE 09

Students on the Communicationscourse at QMUC held the seventhannual Networking Lunch thatbrought together an impressive list ofmarketing, advertising and publicrelations professionals fromthroughout Scotland.

Emma Wood, Lecturer in PublicRelations said: “The lunch givesstudents the opportunity to meetprofessionals from the industry and findout about the realities of public relationspractice. It also gives them the chanceto learn how to network, an essentialskill in the modern workplace.”

John Brown, Head of Public Relationsand Marketing, Glasgow City Counciland Vice Chair of the Institute of PublicRelations (Scotland) gave the welcomeaddress. He reinforced the importanceof learning how to network and praisedQMUC for this innovative approach todeveloping students’ understanding ofthe realities of professional practice.

The lunch forms part of the PublicRelations module and all the studentswho attended the lunch are taking themodule this year or studied it last year.

QMUC was delighted to award aformer principal of the UniversityCollege with an honorary degree atthe November graduation ceremonyheld at the Festival Theatre.

Professor Donald Leach, Principal ofQueen Margaret College from 1985 –1996, was awarded a Degree of Doctorof Education for his services toeducation.

Professor Leach began his academiccareer as a lecturer at Napier Collegeand was later Head of Mathematics andComputing. He was Dean of the Facultyof Science, and Assistant Principal atNapier for eleven years until 1985, whenhe took up his position as Principal ofQueen Margaret College.

There is no doubt that he was one ofthe great formative influences on theinstitution. Under his leadership theCollege doubled in size to nearly 3,000students; it was given powers to awardits own degrees; the managementstructure was transformed; the

academic process was redesigned; theLeith Campus was acquired andcorporate financial health was ruthlesslypursued.

In addition to his work in developingQueen Margaret College, ProfessorLeach has also made a extensivecontribution to public life through hisinvolvement and interest in the highereducation sector, business andhumanitarian organisations. Hiscontributions have been honoured by hisFellowships of the Institute ofMathematics and of the Society ofChiropodists and Podiatrists. In 1996,the Queen honoured his careerachievements with the award of a CBEfor services to education.

NETWORKING LUNCHIS A BIG SUCCESSFOR STUDENTS

Professor Donald Leach, former Principal, celebrates hishonorary degree with Professor John Laver, Deputy Principal.

CONTACT:

Marketing and Communication OfficeQueen Margaret University CollegeCorstorphine Campus, Edinburgh, EH12 8TSTel. 0131 317 3000 Fax. 0131 317 3256 Email. marketing@qmuc.ac.uk www.qmuc.ac.uk

INTERNATIONAL POSTCARD

In each edition of the QM News wehope to bring you internationalnews from our students who arenow putting their skills andknowledge into practice abroad.This time our International Postcardcomes from Lindsay Spainhour whois currently working in South Sudan.Lindsay studied a number ofcourses in International Health atour Centre for International HealthStudies.

Hello everyone,

I'm working in the village of Lankien inSouthern Sudan for 'Medecins SansFrontieres' which translated is"Doctors without Borders". This is anon-profit, non-governmentalorganisation dedicated to working inareas of the world to serve theneediest populations. They choose towork in the places that no-one elsewill go, because often these peopleare the most vulnerable. Hence, I'mworking in the middle of a war torncountry.

There is a war going on between theNorth and the South of the country

and there are sporadic clan clashes inEastern Upper Nile where our team islocated. Peace plans are in themaking but the every day reality weface are men toting guns. Fortunately,there is no true threat towards us asan agency. However, we do see localclan clashes and this is what weare on alert for. I do hear gun shotsbecause the guns are so plentiful -men shoot them off for any reasonwhatsoever. But, I can now identify ahappy gun shot (one shot in the air forcelebration) from hostile fire.

The constant instability means thatalmost no humanitarian agenciesare willing to come to this area toprovide the population with healthcare.Therefore, children and adults dieevery day from common ailments,such as diarrhoea. There are manytropical diseases and a particular onecalled 'kala azar' is epidemic in thisregion. I work in a 'kala azar' clinicand in an additional clinic for patientswho require 24 hour care. Half mytime is spent determining, withoutmany diagnostic tools, the diseasespeople may have, and the other half isspent training local people to help run

clinics. The training aspect of the jobis very important as most of the localpeople are not educated. This makesthe work very challenging, but I cansee tangible results from my work andtraining sessions everyday.

There are no permanent buildingstructures and no paved roads, butI'm now the proud resident of a mudhut, which is a step up from my tent!

I work with an international team ofabout 10 people, all from differentparts of the world. We're all fromcompletely different backgrounds, butare all committed to helping thepopulation of South Sudan andlearning from them as well.

MSF as an organisation wants peopleto feel as if they have not beenforgotten. Even though our mission ismedically orientated, living with themas part of their community andreminding them that they are notforgotten is often the most importantgoal. It does make a difference.

Lindsay

THOUGHTS FROM THE SUDAN

A SLIM NEW YOU FOR 2004

The subject area of Dietetics,Nutrition and Biological Sciences isnow recruiting women for a new dietstudy to begin in January.

The institution is looking to attractwomen between 30 and 50 years of ageto assist them in their research into anew weight loss programme.

Lesley Kirkwood, Research Assistant for

the project, explained: “We are half waythrough a very exciting diet trials projectand we must now recruit another 60women to complete the study.

“There are currently 60 women involvedin the study, many of whom are alreadyexperiencing successful weight loss. Thestudy involves one specific diet which ishigh in carbohydrates, looks atincreasing activity levels and overallemphasises safe and maintainableweight loss.”

The trial will take place over 12 weeksand will encourage participants to makehealthy changes to their diet andlifestyle. Participants will be closelymonitored, with regular weigh ins andcholesterol checks.

To register you interest please callLesley Kirkwood on tel: 0131 317 3525 or email lkirkwood@qmuc.ac.uk