TWO Musselburgh residents feature in a new online digital art exhibition which captures the lives of staff, students and the local community at Queen Margaret University during the first Covid-19 lockdown last year.

Gran Olivia Begbie – whose image ‘Hands On Windows – Grandmother and Granddaughter’ (see below) features in the ‘Stories of Covid’ exhibition – ended up celebrating her 76th birthday on campus with a bacon roll at Maggie’s, the Students’ Union cafe.

East Lothian Courier: Musselburgh resident Jackie Begbie and her five-year-old daughter Eve, now aged six, say 'hello' outside the window of the home of Jackie's mum Olivia, also in Musselburgh, during the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Jim McRobert, who, along with his partner, is “an invaluable member and supporter of the QMU allotment community”, wrote a poem about lockdown which is also part of the exhibition.

Olivia said: “The memories of my birthday breakfast at Maggie’s will always stay with me, because the staff made it extra special.

“There were balloons on the table and a card. Then they came, with their masks on, and sang Happy Birthday, before presenting me with a chocolate cake.

“If I had been at The Ritz in London I couldn’t have had a better birthday celebration than I did that day.”

Jim got involved with the university allotment last spring, when Scottish Government guidance was clear about allotment spaces following Covid-19 restrictions.

He explained: “I am one of the many regulars that walk the grounds of the university as I live approximately 15 minutes away. ”

He added: “Not many weeks into the Covid crisis, I was walking past the allotment and asked the two lecturers if I could be of assistance. They were hoping to box in the vegetable plots and I was delighted to be able to help.

“Regular involvement in this project probably did wonders for my mental health during the almost continual lockdowns.”

Amidst the pandemic, Queen Margaret University was still catering for students living on campus but its catering outlet, run by BaxterStorey, also became the “go-to” place for the local community.

Dr Kath MacDonald, honorary lecturer in nursing and director of ListenUpStorytelling, led the latest project, and Courtney Bates and Jasmin Geissen, who are studying for an MA in arts, festival and cultural management, created the online exhibition.

Dr MacDonald explained: “As people’s normal routines were disrupted, they began exploring different options.

“One local Musselburgh resident was encouraged to get involved in the university allotment.

“Another went on to enjoy an alternative birthday celebration at a sun-drenched picnic table in University Square – marking her birthday with a bacon roll in the company of staff from the university and BaxterStorey.

“It is stories like this that are part of the exhibition and it is heartening to see how good things can often come out of bad situations.”

Principal Sir Paul Grice said: “It has been a privilege to be part of this project’s steering group, which essentially acts as an archive collection, documenting one of the most challenging years in the university’s history.

“It tells a collective story of the university, made up of individual moments and tales which will resonate with many.”

The exhibition can be accessed at artsteps.com/view/6022d811d15c2317e4bdf264