Edinburgh College Development Trust has appointed four new trustees to support its mission to provide new opportunities for students of Edinburgh College.

The new trustees have connections to many areas of public life, with experience in education, charity, law, retail, and social enterprise. They will sit on the board of the trust, an independent charity that supports Edinburgh College students by providing enhanced opportunities and experiences,

Edinburgh College Development Trust provides new opportunities for students, including offering grant funding for projects that will give them additional experiences to enhance their time at college. These include international and domestic education trips, and collaborative events involving students from across the college’s curriculum areas.

The appointments bring membership of the Edinburgh College Development Trust Board to nine.

Dr Allan Colquhoun, chair of the Edinburgh College Development Trust, said: “It is fantastic to welcome four new trustees to the Development Trust.  The wide range of experience that they bring compliments that of the existing trustees.”

The new trustees are:

Colin Flinn

Colin is chief executive of Royal Caledonian Education Trust, which supports the educational and wellbeing needs of the children of Scots who are serving, or who have served, in the Armed Forces. Prior to this he was the head of fundraising for Poppyscotland, and previously he held senior roles with NCH Scotland and Barnardo’s.

Eluned McHardy

Eluned is a qualified lawyer who has practised in multi-national and local Edinburgh law firms. She is an experienced senior lecturer, having worked for more than 11 years in further and higher education in Glasgow. She also worked in the third sector in a management role for Crisis Skylight Edinburgh.

Fiona Gray

Fiona worked for John Lewis Partnership for more than 25 years, with a wide range of experience in commercial operations and human resources, latterly as HR business partner to a national function supporting two directorates. Volunteering roles have included work with Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust.

Kate Darrah 

Kate Darrah is the founder and MD of The Ridge in Dunbar, a training social enterprise helping people overcome barriers to fulfilling their potential. She is also MD of The Ridge Foundations, a construction training company.  Previously, she worked for East Lothian Inclusion Service. She is a member of Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership Committee.