Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, has become a Cycle Friendly Campus, gaining the Cycle Friendly Award, with distinction, from Cycling Scotland.

Staff and students at QMU are celebrating receiving the top Cycle Friendly Campus Award, with distinction from Cycling Scotland in recognition of their commitment to getting more staff and students cycling.

The award, which is delivered with funding from Transport Scotland, recognises the efforts of Scotland’s colleges and universities that promote cycling as an accessible and convenient travel choice, was presented to Tom Kemsley, Sustainability Support Officer at QMU, by Cycling Scotland’s Paul Wright, in recognition of the outstanding level of commitment the University has shown to encourage cycling to, from and around it’s Musselburgh campus.

The University implemented a range of measures including reinvesting income from campus parking charges to support active travel. Other measures include secure cycle parking, cycle maintenance areas, changing facilities, term-time bike hire, cycle training and led cycle rides. The current rate of cycling is 8%.

Commenting on the Cycle Friendly Campus Award for QMU, Tom Kemsley, Sustainability Support Officer, said: “We’re really proud to have been recognised for this award, with distinction, by Cycling Scotland for our ongoing commitment to encouraging more and more staff and students to cycle to, from and around the QMU campus.

“We’ve made great progress continuing to expand the bike hire scheme at QMU over the past year and engaging with the cycling community through regular campus events, as well as via our dedicated Cycle Connections social media channels on Facebook and Twitter. Our long-standing cycling community at QMU have also made a big contribution to helping us recruit new members and creating a self-sufficient cycling community on campus.

“Located on the National Cycle Route, travelling by bike is an easy way to travel to QMU, whilst keeping fit at the same time. The University regularly arranges ‘Dr Bike’ mobile mechanic sessions to service bikes cycled in on the day, including minor on the spot repairs minor and a bike MOT, which are proving very popular amongst students and staff.”

The Cycle Friendly Campus Award is run by Cycling Scotland with funding from Transport Scotland and recognises exemplar projects from Scotland’s college and university campuses where cycling is a real and accessible part of campus life. Campuses can register to become a Cycle Friendly Campus online at www.cycling.scot

An Edinburgh-based food company has its sights set on healthy growth after extending its research and development capability via a partnership with a Scottish university.

Gluten-free food specialist, Genius Foods, has entered into a partnership with the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation at Queen Margaret University (QMU), where its team is now operating from a specialist new food science laboratory.

With a strong research background in supporting the development of Scotland’s food and drink businesses, Genius Foods identified QMU as the academic partner with the most suitable facilities for developing its own recipes and product range.

Food scientists at QMU have provided expert training to the Genius Foods team on ways to measure the texture, colour and flow properties of its products using specialist equipment.

Genius Foods will also have access to the Centre’s fully-equipped sensory suite facility, which allows experts to measure people’s perceptions of food and drink products’ attributes, including appearance, aroma, texture, flavour and after taste.

QMU’s team of food innovation experts regularly provide its clients with consumer focus groups, taste panels, nutritional analysis and shelf-life testing.

Dr Julien Lonchamp from QMU’s Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, said: “We’re very pleased to be providing specialist research and development facilities and training for Genius Foods. The specific combination of sensory and analytical facilities that we offer at QMU was previously unavailable elsewhere in Scotland, so research work was often sent to England or Northern Ireland instead.

“Through practical innovation support and creative business solutions, QMU is continuing to help leading food and drink businesses, like Genius Foods, with new and innovative product development.”

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, Founder of Genius, added: “The partnership with Queen Margaret University demonstrates our ongoing commitment to producing market-leading gluten free bakery products. While an element of our R&D will remain in-house, we are working in partnership with the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, which will enable us to have an even deeper understanding of the behaviour of our core ingredients. We look forward to working with QMU to take our recipes and product range to the next level.”

The Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation is enhancing Scotland’s position as a leader in food and drink innovation in Europe and supporting access to the global market for healthy and functional food. Facilities include a dedicated chemistry laboratory and a technology room for industry to test new technology.

For more information about the Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation and how it can benefit your business, contact Miriam Smith, Business Development Manager at QMU on 0131 474 0000 or email MSmith3@qmu.ac.uk or visit
www.qmu.ac.uk/research_knowledge/scottish-centre-for-food-development-and-innovation.aspx

For more information on Genius Foods, visit www.geniusglutenfree.com