13 September 2008 - Open Doors Day

Newbattle Abbey College is participating in the Midlothian Doors Open Day programme on Saturday 13 September.  Visitors are invited from 10.00am – 4pm.  Short guided tours are available at 11am;12 noon; 1pm; 2pm and 2.45pm with refreshments being served in the Dining Room. 

Forestry Commission Scotland will also be leading ranger-led walks into Lord Ancrum’s Wood at 10.30am and 2.30pm. These must be booked in advance. 

Please contact Rae McGhee on 0131 663 1921; raem@newbattleabbeycollege.ac.uk to book a tour or for more information.

also happening on Open Doors Day:

'Wilderness Survival Skills!’ at 11.30 am & 1.30 pm

“Hone those outdoor survival skills along the banks of the River Esk at Newbattle Abbey!  Aimed at ages 5 to 12.  All under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Bring:  outdoor clothes and footwear, waterproofs and wellies if possible. 
Booking essential:  e-mail:  Elaine.richardson@midlothian.gov.uk.

WORLD WAR 2 ATS REMEMBRANCE APPEAL 

During World War 2, Scotland’s Life Changing College was appropriated by the Government and used as a training base for the Auxiliary Territorial Service.  This was a branch of the Army open to women during the war.   Thousands of women received a very rigorous training at Newbattle Abbey in sometimes very harsh conditions.

Elva Wilmot Allan (nee Smith) was one of the women who spent her days doing drills, attending lectures, mending clothes, learning about the Army and the King’s regulations in the winter of 1942.  Following her training at Newbattle Abbey, Elva was sent to various locations throughout the UK, including an artillery camp in Wales and an RAF station in Yorkshire.  Elva commented that the best thing about her time at Newbattle was that she met so many different women from all walks of life.  She still keeps in touch with one lady who went to India after the war and another who was a shepherdess at the Abbey.

The women of the ATS lived in purpose built ‘huts’ which were very cold, basic and impersonal.  These buildings now form part of the Newbattle Abbey Business Park.  If you look closely enough, echoes of the past are still apparent above some of the door lintels to give a clue as to which purpose they served during the war.

Elva would like to call upon former ATS members and their families to commemorate the efforts of the ATS and to donate towards a memorial stone and plaque.  This will be placed in a prominent area of the College grounds.

Please contact Rae McGhee on 0131 663 1921; raem@newbattleabbeycollege.ac.uk for further information.

18 June 2008 - Maureen Watt MSP visits Newbattle

Newbattle Abbey College welcomed Minister for Schools and Skills, Maureen Watt MSP, on a visit to the college.

During her visit, the Minister met College Principal Ann Southwood and Deputy Principal Norah Fitzcharles to discuss the unique learning opportunities available at the college and its plans for the future. The Minister received a tour of the college, spoke to students and also learned more about the college’s ‘Coaching for Excellence’ project: a partnership with St David’s High School to create the first online English for Speaker’s of other Languages (ESOL) for members of the local Polish community. The Minister also met pupils from St David’s High School who are receiving training at the college to coach ESOL students in the use of IT.

Principal of Newbattle Abbey College, Ann Southwood, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Minister to the college, providing an insight into the life-changing learning opportunities available at Newbattle, as well as demonstrating our strong ties with the local community, which were highlighted recently when we celebrated the college’s 70^th anniversary.

“As Scotland’s only adult education residential college, we are committed to providing life-changing learning opportunities for students looking to gain qualifications and move into further study or employment.”

Maureen Watt MSP said: “The collaborative project between Newbattle Abbey and St David's High School is a good example of joined up working and family learning that the Scottish Government is keen to promote.”

Pictured (left to right): Depute Principal of Newbattle Abbey College, Norah Fitzcharles; Minister for Schools and Skills, Maureen Watt MSP; and Principal of Newbattle Abbey College, Ann Southwood.

17 May 2008 - Midlothian History Fair

The Heritage Group hosted a stand at the Midlothian History Fair on Saturday 17 May at the Scottish Mining Museum.  Local people had the opportunity to step back in time and discover the history of the area in which they live.  John, Carol, Norman and Rae answered lots of questions on the history of Newbattle Abbey and what the College has to offer adult learners.

The Newbattle Abbey stand looked very professional with some of the interpretation panels clearly displayed and a DVD on the history of Newbattle Abbey College playing on a loop. 

April 16 2008 ESOL Polish / Scottish Evening Mass

Newbattle Abbey College hosted an evening to remember on 16 April.  Visitors came from Scotland and Poland to celebrate the launch of Scotland’s first online English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) course.  Guests were piped in by both Scottish and Polish pipers.  Cardinal Keith O’Brien celebrated mass in the College chapel with music being provided by Philip Thorne, Brian McNally and Rebecca Weatherhead from St David’s RC High School.  The course was officially launched in the Drawing Room with speeches from Ann Southwood, Principal, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning  and Marian Docherty, Headteacher at St David’s High School. 

Fiona Hyslop MSP was among the guests

Guests then sampled a buffet of Scottish and Polish culinary delights prepared by St David’s High School pupils.  Everyone then danced the night away to the sound of a Scottish ceilidh band and Polish bagpipes.  Joe Callaghan, a College student, took the floor for a few songs and Polish families sang the Polish national anthem.  The evening was rounded off with ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

The ten-week ESOL course started on Tuesday 22 April.  This has been developed by Newbattle Abbey College in association with online college The New Curiosity Shop, is to help cater for the language needs of the parents of the growing number of Polish pupils at St David’s High School. The project has been funded by a grant from the Scottish Funding Council.  Ian Tullis, a tutor from the Midlothian Adult Literacy and Numeracy Initiative (MALANI), is now available to provide face to face ESOL tuition on a weekly basis

Learners are now studying the SQA-accredited ESOL course online, improving their competency in English and potentially increasing their chances of employment.

	Left: Cardinal Keith O'Brien takes Mass Right: Singing in the Crypt Click on photos for larger image

Midlothian Advertiser ESOLPress coverage (pdf)

01 March 2008 - OPEN WEEKEND MARKS END OF 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

In 2007, Newbattle Abbey College celebrated 70 years of providing life changing educational opportunities for adults in Scotland by creating a multi-media exhibition and oral history project for the local community. The exhibition tracks the social, economic and cultural journey of staff and students since opening in 1937 and was unveiled in December 2007 as part of the college’s official anniversary celebrations. Rae McGhee, Heritage Officer, said that the exhibition is allowing local people to get involved and learn about the college’s rich history, as well as demonstrating the unique educational opportunities available there. Volunteers have been recruited from local groups to undertake a variety of roles such as oral history interviewers, tour guides and environmentalists.

The College threw its doors open to visitors on 1 & 2 March. More than 400 people came from far and wide to see the exhibitions and to appreciate this unique piece of heritage. Visitors ranged from local people to ex-students who travelled from as far as Aberdeenshire and Paisley. On 2 March, Forestry Commission Scotland conducted ranger-led walks into Lord Ancrum’s Wood and visitors learned about the grounds and ancient trees.

Artists in the Field, a community group of artists, visited the grounds and house for initial sketches. A few other visits took place and Hilary Buchanan mentored the artists to provide a series of outstanding paintings which were exhibited during the Open Weekend. Visitors only listened to a series of oral history interviews which were carried out in November 2007 when students and staff from the past and present told of their experiences at the College. Former students expressed their thanks to the College for changing their lives and helping them change direction for a more fulfilling career. Rae McGhee interviewed former ATS members who had trained at Newbattle Abbey during World War 2 and their experiences there during wartime can also be seen.

Group bookings for tours and other events are now being taken – call Rae on 0131 663 1921 raem@newbattleabbeycollege.ac.uk for more details.

Open Week Team	Oliver the Monk	Exhibition Boards

Click on the images to see larger photo's.

16 - 24 February 2008 - STUDENTS GO GREEN

STUDENTS ON SONG WITH BOTANIC GARDENS PROJECT

Newbattle Abbey College has teamed up with the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh to give students the chance to take part in a project which highlights the importance of Scotland’s Wych elm trees.

As part of the Wych Elm project, local craftspeople have made a selection of furniture, art and sculpture from a Wych elm tree, which was felled in the Botanic Gardens in 2003 after it became a danger to the public. The work is to be exhibited at the Botanic Gardens next year and Newbattle Abbey College students are working with professional harpist Savourna Stevenson and Edinburgh poet Valerie Giles to create a piece of music to be played on a harp, which will then be recorded and integrated into the exhibition.

Stephanie Walker, Ecology Tutor at Newbattle Abbey College, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this project which is an excellent way to raise awareness of the importance of Scotland’s woodland, and elm trees in particular. The students are taking inspiration from the woodland surrounding the college and the combined creative talents of Savourna and Valerie to create a song to accompany what is sure to be a fantastic exhibition.”

This isn’t the first time Newbattle Abbey students have contributed to the Wych Elm project. In 2006, students worked with forest wardens to build a yurt, a traditional Mongolian nomadic tent made from wood from the college’s forest, as well as sheepskin, which is now on display at the Botanic Gardens.

The Yurt building project - click to see larger images

Elm trees are on a rapid decline due to Dutch elm disease and the project aims to highlight the unique value of this tree and the timber it provides. Wych elm, also known as Scotch elm, is particularly valuable as the only elm native to Britain and one of only 20 trees native to Scotland.

14 December 2007 - 70th Anniversary Reception Celebration.
This was a great success. A project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund featured a multimedia exhibition and public speakers. The website which made up part of the exhibition can be viewed by clicking here.

26 April 2007 - George Mackay Brown evening.