Hope Heroes
Our Alumni
Generous Aberdeen Alumni Dig Deep to Help New Students
Alumni and friends across the world have been giving to the Covid-19 525 Bursary Fund set up by the university. The scholarship supports students facing severe hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Having beat its initial £100,000 goal, the campaign has raised over £190,000 and aims to reach £250,000 by its end.
Alumni who would like to donate to the University of Aberdeen Covid-19 525 Bursary Fund, can do so through the following links:
http://justgiving.com/campaign/abdncovid19fund
For donors in the United States:
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/giving/usa
Graduate launches private careline for older people to help combat loneliness
University graduate, Andrew Fyfe, set up a careline earlier this month to offer over 55s a helping hand with everyday challenges or a friendly voice if they are feeling isolated.
Andrew, together with his business partner, set up the subscription-based service to compliment the services already available through charities.
He said: “There are call lines available through charities, but these rely on volunteers, so we really wanted to take that concept and put it into the private sector.
“Essentially, we want to be a PA service for older people who perhaps aren’t as technologically competent as younger people. There’s two parts of the business – firstly we help older people locate services that they might need to use. The second aspect is if you’re lonely and just want to talk with someone, we’re there for that as well.”
Mr Fyfe, who co-founded the service with a fellow Aberdeen University graduate, said he was inspired to create the careline by his work at university.
He continued: “I did a real estate masters, and my thesis was on the lack of provision for senior-specific housing in Scotland. It led me to do a lot of research on the ageing population. The statistics all point towards the number of over 65s increasing quite dramatically in the coming years because people are living longer. That led me down the path towards helping older people.
“Part of my thesis flagged that some of the biggest problems for older people are feelings of isolation and loneliness, which has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus.”
Aberdeen graduate volunteers
to reach some of society's most vulnerable people
'We check on people who are shielding to ensure they are ok and if they need any support.'
Volunteering for the Red Cross is an important part of Aberdeen graduate Katie Winstanley’s life – even more so since the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis earlier this year.
Katie has been part of an emergency response team working with the local authority and other agencies to carry out welfare checks on some of society’s most vulnerable people in the Grampian region.
A corporate communications lead with Police Scotland, Katie was aware of the great work being done by the charity with the local community and so became involved on a voluntary basis just over a year ago.
She explains: “It has been important to me to be involved in hands-on support and be out there in the community during this unprecedented situation.
“We check on people who are shielding to ensure they are ok and if they need any support. We have also been providing emergency food parcels throughout the region. It has been really rewarding being able to speak to people in the community, seeing that they are safe but also highlighting that help is out there for those who need it.
“Joining an organisation like the Red Cross has also been a great opportunity for me to learn new skills and meet new people.”
Originally from near Grantham in Lincolnshire, Katie chose to study history at the University of Aberdeen because she liked the variety of the course, as well as the look of the city itself.
“I really enjoyed my time in Aberdeen. It’s a great city to live in with plenty of variety between the outdoors and more urban attractions, and the four years passed so quickly,” she said.
Graduate helps to deploy anti-epidemic robots in Rwanda
University of Aberdeen Graduate, Benjamin Karenzi is now CEO of Zorabots, a robotics company that has joined forces with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Africa and Ministry of ICT and Innovation to deploy five smart anti-epidemic robots for use in Covid-19 treatment centres and the Kigali International Airport. The robots will support detection of COVID-19 cases in Rwanda
The initiative, a first of its kind for the UNDP, is a risk mitigation measure to support the national COVID-19 response efforts, especially at a time when there is an increased number of COVID-19 positive patients, and a stretched health system. Designed with various advanced features, the robots will support doctors and nurses at the designated treatment centers and, in the future, at border points and other screening sites in Kigali and other provinces.
The robots have the capacity to screen between 50 to 150 people per minute, deliver food and medication to patient rooms, capture data (video & audio), and notify officers on duty about detected abnormalities. Such features are expected to increase timeliness and efficiency in the fight against COVID-19 and reduce exposure of health workers to possible Covid-19 infection.
Experience has shown that a few countries, notably in Asia, have used similar technologies to help flatten the Covid-19 curve. Initial simulations carried out during training of technicians, nurses and doctors that will use the robots also showed tremendous potential for the technology.
For the Love of Scrubs:
Sewing for the NHS
Carley Williams, from the University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute, is part of a team of Grampian-based machinists who answered the call of the For the Love of Scrubs campaign.
Carley said: “I am a keen sewer in my spare time – my first University accreditation is in Historic Costuming – and when I saw NHS workers were struggling to get hold of scrubs I wanted to help.”
She was supported in her effort by the University’s Media Services Medical Illustration team which printed 10 copies of A0 sized patterns to allow the volunteers to work more efficiently.
Graduate and Honorary Lecturer Dr Fiona MacKenzie coordinates Covid testing across NHS Scotland
Aberdeen graduate and honorary lecturer Dr Fiona MacKenzie works for NHS Scotland as the Scottish Microbiology & Virology Network Scientific Manager. She is currently responsible for coordinating the rollout and continued provision of COVID-19 testing within hospitals across all health boards within NHS Scotland, a position of huge responsibility at this time.
Since early March 2020, Fiona has worked full time on the COVID-19 pandemic response and is responsible for coordinating the rollout and continued provision of COVID-19 testing within hospitals across all NHS Scotland Health Boards - a service provided in addition to the routine services provided by NHS laboratories. COVID-19 testing was initially introduced into NHS Scotland in February with all Scottish Health Boards offering a testing service by the end of April. Since then, NHS laboratory testing capacity has steadily increased as the pandemic has developed and demand for testing has intensified.
In addition to working closely with NHS Scotland laboratories, Fiona’s role involves partnership working with a number of agencies including Scottish Government, Health Protection Scotland, the National Laboratories Programme, NHS National Procurement, the large number of companies that provide testing capability as well as NHS England and UK Government.
Double graduate co-ordinates network of over 130 volunteers to help those self-isolating
Rev Dr Kay Gauld, a double graduate of the University and Minister of Insch, Leslie, Premnay, Oyne Parish Church, is currently co-ordinating a group of over 130 volunteers in the Insch area helping people who are self-isolating during the current crisis.
The group of community volunteers are offering a range of services to help those who cannot leave their homes due to Covid-19. From shopping, delivering food and medicine, dog walking and working at the food bank the group are able to provide much needed services to those in the local community, they are also on hand to have a friendly chat over the phone. As well as co-ordinating the volunteer's Dr Kay is also conducting live services on the Church's Facebook page every Sunday at 10am.
Keeping the music going: Supporting choirs and pupils through YouTube
Morag Simpson is retired graduate and member of 7 choirs. When the Covid-19 lockdown hit Morag’s usual week full of choir practice was suddenly very quiet, so she decided to set up a YouTube channel to keep the music going.
Among the many choirs Morag is a member of are a Rotary choir and a choir for the residents of Thorngrove House, a local care home. Morag was keen to make sure that these groups continued to enjoy the community element of the choirs so set up her YouTube channel providing songs for her choirs and pupils to practice remotely. The channel has been a huge success and has helped Morag’s groups beat the lockdown blues by indulging in their passion of singing. Morag has also written a song dedicated to the country's COVID-19 heroes which you can listen to here:
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