Textile lecturers racing to fundraise for students

Published On Fri 20 May 2016 by Dominic Younger

Teaching staff from the University of Dundee are aiming for a personal best when they enter the Edinburgh half-marathon at the end of this month, in an effort to raise money for graduating Textile Design students to attend the prestigious New Designers exhibition later this year.

Lecturers Sara Robertson and Jane Keith of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design are aiming to complete the half-marathon in less than two hours. Dr Robertson, Course Director for Textile Design, explained, “We are running to give our Textile Design graduates an extra boost to launch their careers at New Designers in London. Even with all their hard work fundraising and finalising their final degree show work there is always the need for extra support."

As a pivotal launch pad for student careers, New Designers in London allows graduates from across the UK to showcase their skills to industry professionals. With almost all of last year’s graduates being scouted by industry leaders or selling their work as independent businesses, it is a major event for young designers. Student Abbie Neave said, “New Designers is a huge opportunity for us. It’s our chance to get noticed and I think everyone is both shocked and thrilled our lecturers are helping out in this way. They don’t have to and so it’s so good of them to do it.”

With less than two weeks to go until the half marathon, the team have begun running daily to make sure they break their PB. Jane Keith, Lecturer of the soon-to-be graduating class, added, “We aren’t runners at all. We started this purely to give support to our students. At first it seemed unachievable but the more we run the more we realise that we can do it!”

Training with Sara and Jane, Frances Stevenson, Programme Leader for Design and Craft, running to raise funds for her daughter’s World Challenge expedition to Rajasthan, is one of many academics across the University running for various causes.

“Even though we run for different reasons we have created such a positive upbeat attitude in the office,” explained Frances. “We are now working closer than ever on projects and whilst we always got on, we have begun to see a different side to work and life in the city.”

The Textile Design graduates will be exhibiting at the Art, Design and Architecture Degree Show 2016 at the end of the month.

The exhibition is open to the public from Saturday, 21^st May until Sunday, 29^th May. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from 10am until 8pm (Monday – Friday) and 10am to 4pm (Saturday – Sunday)

The lecturers will be running the Edinburgh half marathon on Sunday, 29th May. 

To show your support for the students and the staff donate through: https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/sara-robertson

For media enquiries contact:
Dominic Glasgow
Media Relations Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 385131
Email: d.w.glasgow@dundee.ac.uk