Staff Magazine / Issue 3 / March 2011

At a glance…Page 4 - 5 Laughter is best medicine

Page 6 - 7 From City with love

Page 8 - 9 Food for thought

Page 10 - 11 Around the college

Page 12 Competitions and offers

Welcome to the third issue of . It has certainly been a busy time around the College with guest visits, international trips and competition wins!

Our Food and Hospitality teams were without doubt inspired by the visit of Albert Roux OBE and went on to scoop gold at the Future Talent Restaurant at the recent ScotHot event in the SECC. A fantastic achievement, with full information and a great range of images on page 8.

Meanwhile, Design staff and students have been strengthening our international links with education visits to Italy, India, Botswana, Poland and China.

Don’t forget to answer our fantastic competition for a chance to win tickets to a stand-up show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, which runs until April 10 – check page 4 for full information and get in the comedy mood as we grill lecturer Charlie MacKenzie, aka stand-up comic Charlie Ross.

Happy reading and remember to keep your articles

and ideas coming.

Principal’s Column

is now already on its third issue and continues to provide great updates on the range of activities taking place across our College. I hope you are all finding this beneficial and enjoyable to read.

Of course this wouldn’t be possible without your participation and that’s why a big thank you must go to everyone who has contributed to the magazine. Keep up the good work and please, if you have not already done so, get in touch with the

team and update them on activities in your department or let them know how your magazine can be improved.

I am also looking forward to the forthcoming issues which will be highlighting more and more of the benefits that you as a City of Glasgow College employee can enjoy.

Principal Paul Little

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Since the turn of the New Year, over 90 staff have been presented with Long Service Awards equating to a truly remarkable 2382 years of combined service! Awards ceremonies have taken place across six of our campuses recognising the dedication and loyalty of all our staff. This tradition is set to continue and the College looks forward to recognising more staff over the months and years ahead.

Clerical assistant Maureen Hogg, from our Cathedral Street campus, was recognised for 21 years of service.

Maureen, who enjoyed 17 of those years in our North Hanover Street campus, said: “I’ve loved my time at the College and have been fortunate enough to work with some great people. I just can’t believe it has been that long.

I’m a people person and luckily my job allows me to interact with staff and students.

Over the years I’ve worked in quite a few departments such as student services, finance, student records and the students’ union.”

Think you have what it takes to sit in the famous black leather chair and compete for the most prestigious quiz title on TV?

The Mastermind production team are coming to Glasgow to find contestants for the latest series of the 38-year-old show.

You don’t have to be an expert or an academic to apply, just a passion about your subject and a good level of general knowledge.

Auditions are on March 31 and involve a quick general knowledge test and an informal chat about potential specialist subjects. There is no need for any revision before-hand.

To attend, call Laura White on 0161 244 3981 or email her at laura.whyte@bbc.co.uk. Those who cannot make it will be auditioned over the phone.

LONG SERVICE AWARDS

AND YOUR SPECIALIST SUBJECT IS…

THREE AT LASTStaff members Peter Paterson, Craig Bryce and Jonny Sweeney are off to pastures new after bidding farewell to colleagues and students.

Gas Lecturer Peter and Assistant Principal Craig, from the School of Food, Hospitality, Sport and Tourism, brought

the curtain down on over 30 years of college life each with well-earned retirements.

Elsewhere, Administrative Assistant Jonny will walk a new beat, literally, after achieving his ambition to become a police officer. We wish them all the best for the future.

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Get involvedWe have a brand new email address so if you have an article, image, comment or suggestion for the magazine you can contact us at citylife@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk.

Our next issue will be out on Wednesday April 27 so get your articles and pictures over by Wednesday April 6.

Remember we are also happy to help you out. So if you require any assistance with writing an article or taking shots be sure to get in touch as early as possible.

Remember additional hard copies of are available and situated at each of our campuses.

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Glasgow is the place to be as the Magners International Comedy Festival gets into full swing.

The festival kicked off on March 17 and runs until April 10 at 50 venues across the city.

With over 400 stand-up gigs and a variety of sketch, film, cabaret, music and theatre shows, there’s something for everyone.

The current crop of TV comics like John Bishop, Stephen K Amos, Ed Byrne and Tim Vine are proving that comedy is always better live. Others with a point to make include Glasgow’s own king of controversy, Jerry Sadowitz, and seasoned campaigner Mark Thomas.

Festival organiser Tommy Sheppard, director of the Scottish Comedy Agency, said: The calibre of acts is fantastic.

“This one of the most anticipated events on Scotland’s cultural calendar.”Full details of all the shows in this year’s programme are available at www.Glasgowcomedyfestival.com. The ticketSOUP.com festival ticket hotline is 0844 395 4005.

COMEDYFESTIVAL

GIG TIME CHARLIE!Charlie Mackenzie knows a thing or two about making people’s sides hurt – after all, he’s a part-time lecturer in Stand-up Comedy and Sports.

He’ll be performing during the Glasgow Comedy Festival with a gig at Brel in Ashton Lane on Saturday April 2 at 8pm. You can buy tickets online at at ticketSOUP.com

Charlie began teaching at Central College of Commerce in the mid-90s as a young lecturer in Sport, Fitness and Health before taking up stand-up comedy in 2000.

He moved to London in 2002 to establish himself before returning part-time, in 2005, to the former Central College, claiming: “The excesses of London bled me dry.”

We caught up with Charlie recently, in between passing on his wisdom and considerable experience to students.

Name?Stage name is Charlie Ross, real name Charlie MacKenzie.Age?There’s a showbiz one and an actual one, let’s keep both quiet for now.Where are you from?Glasgow, but spent my high school years in Portree on the Isle of Skye.

Job title?Stand-up comedian, writer and part-time lecturer in Sports and an evening class in Introduction to Stand-up Comedy.What do you enjoy most about teaching stand-up?The comedy is a buzz and I get paid for it. Writing can be a chore as I’m a people person, which is why I’m still delighted to teach part time. I enjoy the energy I get from the students; they never fail to fascinate and keep me on my toes, and are a great source of dialogue for comedy and scripts.How did you get into comedy?I’d always had the performance bug; in fact my choice after high school was to study for a degree in Physical Education or a Drama diploma at the RSAMD. I opted for the “safer” option but the desire to get on a stage never left me so two bands, many amateur stage shows and much procrastination later I gave it a go at the State Bar in Glasgow. It went well, I was asked back and it went from there. I got my first paid gig six months later and wrote and performed my first Edinburgh Fringe show in 2001.What were your best and worst moments as a comedian?Performing at London’s Comedy Store, which has been the home to just about all the greats of the past 30 years. The worst was driving down to Carlisle to do a birthday party (never a good idea) for someone and playing to the kind of silence you’d expect in the heart of the Sahara!Which comedian has inspired you?Predictably it has to be Billy Connolly. When I was a kid the only time we all shut up as a family and stopped arguing was when his new video came out!What is your greatest fear?For a comedian it’s pretty much the same across the board – not getting booked! Getting booked is at the whim of promoters and club owners so you’re at their mercy.Which living comedian do you most admire and why? I’ve said Connolly but another huge influence is Eddie Izzard. A lot of current comedians – and I like a lot of them – are trend-followers; funny but not really doing anything brand new. Izzard was a trend-setter. The first time I watched his “Definite Article” show was the last time I laughed loud, long and hard. At the same time I was humbled by his performance.What would your super power be? Most comedians want to be loved so I suppose to make people love me. Other than that, to fly! What is your favourite word?I’m dying to swear but best not....erm... TARDIS!What would you most like to wear to a costume party?I’ve done my first choice – a new movie Batman outfit. Never again, though, way too hot.... next on the list would be anything that Frankenfurter wears in Rocky Horror.What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you? You’re no very funny son!What or who is the greatest love of your life?Supergeek here... Doctor Who! How do you relax? Play football, read or watch old black and white movies.What is the most important lesson life has taught you?Take your job seriously but never take yourself too seriously.

What’s the best heckle you’ve heard?A guy was dying on stage in the Comedy Store when a voice emerged from the darkness: “I’m blind and even I can see you’re crap.”

After an awkward silence the same voice shouted: “Is he gone yet?”WIN COMEDY SHOW TICKETS - PAGE 12

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OUR MAN IN MILANFurniture Design lecturer Boyd Wilmot is hoping to take an Italian exhibition by storm next month.Boyd, who is based at our Dornoch Street campus, will showcase his talents by creating a piece of furniture for the Designersblock event in Milan.

The exhibition in the city’s Ventura Lambrate district showcases all areas of design including furniture, lighting, ceramics, illustration, fashion, textiles, conceptual and products. Furniture students from our Dornoch St campus will also attend the event.

It runs from April 12-17 and will be attended by individual designers, studios, educational institutions, cultural institutions, manufacturers and creative agencies.

Boyd said: “I’ll be exhibiting along with Caledonian University with the aim of forging closer links with other educational establishments and the higher education sector.

“The piece I’ve designed, which I’m in the process of building, makes the transition from traditional handmade furniture into a digital interpretation that reflects how manufacturing has changed and how we are increasingly being pushed towards a digital world.”

A KRAK-ING TIME

INTOAFRICAInterior Design Lecturer Joyce Fleming visited a new college in southern Africa to help write an Interior Design course.

Joyce travelled to Oodi, a village north of Gaborone in Botswana, to improve the education of staff and students there.

The trip was organised by the Ministry of Education and the Scottish Qualification Authority.

Joyce said: “The new college, is actually a Scottish-designed building. It’s ready for students but many courses have still to be written and it was great to be involved.

“The country and the people were friendly and we were treated to wonderful African music. One of the highlights was opening my hotel room window to see a troupe of monkeys careering through the trees. The weather was very nice for February – nothing like here.”

“I also visited Mabeo furniture – an international award-winning company that makes sustainable design-led pieces of furniture. It employs 36 local craftspeople using traditional skills in a new contemporary way. It was inspiring and I was tempted to buy one of their beautiful stools but they cost around £600.

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Cathy Govan (front) and Fiona Ferguson with a group of Indian students

INDIA and BACK

Design Crafts Lecturers Cathy Govan and Fiona Ferguson passed on

their expertise to Indian students during two weeks

at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad,

where they delivered a project called Visualising Personal

Design Identities.

NID is one of India’s top institutions and delivers training in ceramics, textiles

and art glass, as well as interior, exhibition and product design. There are also courses in graphics, photography and new media arts.The project was part of an annual programme that

sees lecturers from across the world pass on their knowledge to Indian students.

Cathy and Fiona were also joined by lecturers from prestigious UK institutions including Glasgow School of Art, the Royal College of Art and Central St Martin’s in London.

Fiona said: “We had never visited India so were both on a steep learning curve. But the trip was fascinating. There were many highlights, from fantastic discussions with the students about India and the concept of an Indian design identity to getting out and about in Ahmedabad and beyond to see some of its rich craft traditions.

“The students at NID face a tough application process so the standard was high. It was also interesting to see the benefit of inter-disciplinary teaching facilities including purpose-built workshops.”

FROM CITYWITH LOVELecturers have been putting Cityof Glasgow College on the mapthanks to a series of international visits.

VISIT TOCHINAE d d i e C a r r t ra v e l l e d t o China to deliver a s e r i e s o f s e m i n a r s about Design courses at City of Glasgow College. Eddie, who is head of 3D Design at our North Hanover Street campus, met staff and students at Hubei University of Technology and Hubei University of Economics in Wuhan – one of China’s largest cities with a population of 14 million people.

The aim of the trip was to discuss curriculum content and teaching styles, and develop partnerships with the universities for staff and student exchange.

Eddie is now set to return to Wuhan in April to finalise the partnership.He said: “A delegation of

Chinese universities visited City of Glasgow College last year and were so impressed with the School of Design that they wanted to continue the exchange.“My trip to China was extremely

productive and I even managed to have a day off from the busy schedule to visit the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was a fantastic experience.”

From Europe to Africa our hard-working members of staff have been demonstrating their talents in almost every continent - so we’re delighted to let you know what they have been up to.

Exciting new opportunities in India, Hong Kong, Romania, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Brazil and Ghana are also being explored, taking City of Glasgow College, quite literally, around the world!

Our extensive relationship with Sonagol Shipping in Angola has also strengthened after signing a contract to operationally manage a Maritime Training Centre in Angola which is due to open in August 2012.

We look forward to detailing each of these exciting new developments in future issues.

Lecturer Gordon Kydd led a group of students on a four-day trip to Poland.

Gordon and his HND 3D Design: Model Making class travelled to Krakow, where they visited the former Auschwitz concentration camp and other local landmarks.

They also took a coach trip to Zakopane, a town in the Tatra mountains famous for its wooden architecture and winter sports.

Gordon said: “We managed to cram a lot into the trip.After two busy days out of town we

had a more relaxing day in Krakow, with a walk down to the Wawel Castle and a visit to the Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, famous as the site of the Schindler factory.

“We all had a great time and the group enjoyed a traditional Polish meal together on the last night.”

The visit was primarily a cultural experience for the students and with many Polish students and workers in Scotland it provided an insight into a more recent aspect of Scottish multi-culturalism.

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MethodChocolate Pudding

Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl above a pan of barely simmering water.

Remove from the heat once fully melted and whisk until the mixture is shiny and smooth.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together and fold into the chocolate mixture.

Sift the flour in bit at a time, folding to achieve a smooth mixture.

Brush your metal pudding moulds with melted butter and coat each one with cocoa powder. Place the pudding mixture into the mould, which can then be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.

Place into the hot oven for 8-10 minutes. The puddings should be slightly runny in the centre.

Chocolate Sauce

Mix the dry cocoa and sugar together until the sugar is coated , place in a pot with the water and bring to simmer for four minutes. Add the butter and whisk until melted and shiny. Boil again and serve with the puddings and a good quality ice cream.

IngredientsChocolate Pudding160g good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)200g unsalted butter3 eggs3 egg yolks30g caster sugar30g plain flourKnob of butter and 1 tsp of cocoa powder for dusting

Chocolate Sauce65g cocoa powder180g sugar250ml water25g unsalted butter

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

ROUX BEAUTY

CITY STUDENTS

SCOOP GOLD

Michelin-star chef Albert Roux OBE praises staff and students after helping them raise £500 for the Hospitality Industry Trust (Scotland).

The French-born food guru mentored a group of Higher Professional Cookery and Hospitality students to deliver a mouth-watering rustic French lunch at Scholars’ – our popular college training restaurant on Cathedral Street.

Featuring top quality Scottish produce, and inspired by the style of food Albert’s mother would have cooked for Sunday lunch, students worked with him and consultant chef Glen Watson to produce a menu of organic cured salmon, braised

ox cheek and Albert’s signature dessert – caramelised tart with fruit coulis.

Albert said: “It was gratifying to see the enthusiasm of the students. They are determined and I have high hopes for them – they are the chefs of the future.”

The fundraising event was attended by top chefs, hoteliers and restaurateurs, and a group from HIT, who recently conquered Mount Kilimanjaro to host the world’s highest group Burns supper.

Gordon McIntyre, Head of Hospitality at City said: “It was an honour to have such an icon of the hospitality industry with us, not only for lunch, but also for our students who got to work alongside a true legend.”

Student chef Katy Dickson said: “Albert is one of the world’s best known chefs and has mentored so many top names including Gordon Ramsay and Andrew Fairlie. To think we could follow in their footsteps is really exciting.”

Our Food and hospitality students got a taste for success after scooping double gold for their food and service at ScotHot’s Future Talent restaurant in the SECC.

Sponsored by BISTO, and organised by the federation of Master Chefs Scotland, the custom-built restaurant saw students from six colleges go head to head during the three-day trade event.

Six of our Professional Cookery students prepared a delicious meal of lemon sole, venison and warm apple tart while five front-of-house colleagues served some of the best-known figures in Scottish hospitality.

With Adam Smith College the only other double gold winner, our students will have to wait until a special award ceremony at Glasgow’s Hilton hotel to find out which college has been crowned Future Talent champions.

The winning team will have the privilege of working with the highly respected food and beverage team at Gleneagles Hotel for a hands-on day to remember.

Willie McCurrach, Head of Food, said: “Gary Maclean the Chef Lecturer created a superb Scottish menu using the finest Scottish seasonal ingredients. He then tutored his students to produce food which would not have looked out of place in any Michelin starred restaurant. A gold medal has been a superb reward. I am really proud of everyone for their achievements. ”

Anna Higham, HNC Professional Cookery student, mentored by Kenneth Hett, also achieved a silver medal and first in class for the cold plated dessert competition in which she created four fabulous desserts.

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Sweet treat will melt your heartWarm chocolate pudding with rich chocolate sauce (makes six).

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STUDENTS GET A

TICKET TO RIDE

Supported learning students took a trip back in time with a unique play about Glasgow’s history.

‘Come Oan Get Aff’ was inspired by a city bus tour the second-year class enjoyed as part of their course.

They used research and improvisation techniques to create the show, which took its name from the old Scots phrase often used by bus conductors – or clippies as they were nicknamed.

The end result was a combination of acting, dancing, singing and live music.

To cap the successful evening, students handed over £150 to Oxfam after raising the cash through an art project.

CHARITY FUNDRAISING

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TALK THIS WAY

Congratulations to ESOL lecturers Rosie Quin, Bryony Russell and Alexis Stark from the Charles Oakley Campus who recently successfully gained the Licentiate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

The Licentiate Diploma is an advanced qualification that is recognised by the British Council.

Margaret Aitken, Head of School of Languages and International Studies, said: “This is a prestigious diploma so well done to Rosie, Bryony and Alexis for completing the course while working full time. Our ESOL students will benefit greatly as well.”

BESIDE THE

SEASIDEHND Product Design students

escaped the grey of Glasgow for a trip to the seaside.

A second-year class visited Largs where they enjoyed ‘99s’ at the world-famous Nardini’s cafe.

But before you accuse them of skiving, it was all part of their course.

The trip was part of a project to design and produce a bicycle-towed ice cream cart. Students met new Nardini’s owner David Equi and gave them a guided tour of the cafe, which was recently restored to its former glory.

Later they met with engineer Nick Lobnitz, who spoke about his ‘paper bicycle’, before using another of his products, the CarryFreedom trailer, as a chassis for their cart.

Finally, the students visited Formold in Livingston to see the manufacturing process that would produce the main body of the cart.

Lecturer Bill Chalmers said: “We wanted to broaden the students’ learning experience by looking beyond the insularity of the internet and the college to meet the kind of people who might play an important role in their professional life.”

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Cafe Fusion boss Theresa Shankland has scooped top honours after being nominated by City staff.

Theresa, who has managed the Cathedral Street campus eatery for eight years, was recognised for Outstanding Leadership at Cordia’s Staff Awards.

The married mum of one picked up her prize at the event in Glasgow’s City Chambers and immediately paid tribute to her hard-working team for making her job so enjoyable.

She said: “The girls are fantastic to work with and I wouldn’t swap them for the world.

“I love working here and enjoy getting to know the students and staff .

“This is the first time I’ve ever won an award. I was runner-up at last year’s ceremony so to go one better is brilliant.”

Cordia provides a range of services such as cleaning, catering, janitorial and security services. It has over 8,000 workers and its hospitality and events division is one of the most successful in Scotland.

PUPILS WORK IT OUTPupils from secondary schools across

Glasgow visited the Charles Oakley campus to participate in a series of interactive workshops.

Over 130 youngsters took part in the event to help them complete their Skills for Work qualification, which is run in partnership with Skills Development Scotland and Glasgow

City Council Education Department.

Skills for Work qualifications are available to young people in secondary schools and colleges and cover a range of vocational areas such as beauty, construction and engineering.

The interactive workshops were delivered by young actors from “Theatre&” company who used TV

shows like How to Look Good Naked, the X-factor and Glee to get the message across.

Patricia Beattie, Head of Access and Community at City, said, “The pupils felt the workshops were relevant and enjoyable, and helped them focus on their next steps for a positive destination.

CYCLING HERO

VISITS CITYSuper cyclist Mark Beaumont enjoyed a break from the saddle to meet school kids taking part in a pioneering project at City of Glasgow College.

The fearless Scot, who broke the record for pedalling around the globe in 2008, was grilled by fifth-year pupils attending college as part of the Soccer Success project.

Youngsters heard how the 28-year-old endured extreme conditions to complete over 18,000 miles in just 194 days and 17 hours – smashing the Guinness World Record by 81 days. Mark inspired the teens, recounting the physical and mental challenges he faced cycling through the world’s toughest terrain.

The Soccer Success project is run in partnership with Glasgow City Council and Celtic and Rangers. It is designed to help teenagers find work by boosting their communication, leadership and social skills.

Mark said: “It was great to come back to Glasgow, where I used to live, and talk with such enthusiastic young people about my expedition and their plans for the future.”

Lecturer Robert Johnstone said: “The pupils were hugely inspired by Mark’s visit. They have been raising money for Mark’s charity, Orkidstudio, and continue to do so with the aim of a £300 donation to thank him for his time and efforts.”

Pupil, Dean Hinde, 17, from Springburn, said: “Hearing from Mark how he conquered so many challenges to cycle the world was amazing. His main message was never give up on your dreams.”

A BBC1 series called ‘The Man who Cycled the World’ documented Mark’s world record journey. His book, by the same name, was published in May 2009 and became a sports bestseller.

Not content with that, Mark cycled 15,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina between June 2009 and February 2010. His trip was one of the longest unbroken land journeys on earth and saw him climb the highest peaks in North and South America – Mount McKinley and Aconcagua.

Communication and Media students have been taking part in a variety of activities to raise cash for charity.

An NC Computing: Technical Support class raised almost £400 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation by producing and selling a music CD featuring local bands, staging a ‘Bring a Quid’ day and selling hoodies with various designs.

And NC Digital Media Computing students collected £550 for the Yorkhill Foundation by producing and selling a cocktail ingredients book, and hosting a student cake-bake and video games tournament.

More activities will be taking place over the coming months, including a concert featuring local bands on April 14 at the Apollo 23 club in Glasgow. Tickets cost £5 and all profits will go to the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland.

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Why not treat your family and friends to a day of pampering at our beauty clinic in the Riverside campus.

There’s an amazing 30 per cent off all available treatments on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday between 4.30-6.30pm; and Monday between 6.45-7.45pm

The clinic also offers a variety of treatments throughout the week between 9am-4pm, starting from as little as £2.50.

And you can even make an appointment on a Saturday morning between 9am-12noon. Face and body treatments start from £5.00.

There’s also a sports injuries and massage clinic that runs on Monday between 4-6pm and Friday between 3-5pm. Prices start from £6.50.

The next issue of City Life will be published on Wednesday April 27, with an article deadline of Wednesday April 6.

LET CITY TAKETHE STRESS OUTOF LIFE

To celebrate the Glasgow International Comedy Festival we’ve teamed up with event sponsors Magners to offer our staff the chance to win a pair of tickets, worth £15 each, to see veteran funnyman Sean Hughes at the Citizens Theatre.

Competition

All available treatments open to staff, students, family and friends

His dark, explosive style of audience banter has made him a household name appearing in countless TV shows. But Hughes has returned to his first love, stand-up, and is back at his absolute best.

The 45-year-old spent most of the last year on the road, perfecting his show ‘Ducks and Other Mistakes I’ve Made’. Now, at its absolute peak, he brings it to Glasgow for one night only on Friday April 8.

To be in with a chance of winning, send an email to citylife@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk with Glasgow Comedy Festival in the subject line.

Tickets for ‘Sean Hughes: Ducks and Other Mistakes I’ve Made’ are available from ticketSOUP.com.

Closing date for entries is Monday April 4, with the winner announced in the next issue. The winners of last month’s competition to win cinema tickets for the Glasgow Film Theatre were Audrey Waugh, Cathedral Street campus, and Jason Graham, Allan Glen’s campus.