Court Office

Corporate Volunteering at National Trust for Scotland

A team from the College of Arts & Humanities Administration, whose proposal for a Corporate Volunteering Day with National Trust for Scotland was accepted by the Ferguson Bequest Committee, visited Greenbank Gardens (Glasgow) and planted 22,000 daffodils! There was also time for a picnic, a cuppa, some biccies and a chance to see the walled gardens. 

Corporate Volunteering at Edinburgh Zoo

A team from the School of Social & Poltical Sciences spent the day at Edinburgh Zoo after their proposal for a Corporate Volunteering day at the Zoo was accepted by the Ferguson Bequest Committee.

Our first activity involved dissecting some impressive animal lanterns, a part of the derigging process from the lantern festival that took place over the winter. We took some free time to explore the zoo at our own pace, soaking in the sights and going to see our favourite animals. One of the highlights of the afternoon was engaging in animal enrichment exercises. We wrapped up our day with a meet and greet featuring some fascinating creatures, including a giant snail, a stick insect, a milk snake, and our personal favourite, Danilo the armadillo, who scuttled about at our feet.

 It was great to be a part of this initiative. The day was full of teamwork, new experiences and of course, animals! A worthwhile experience for anyone who gets the opportunity.

Winners of the Staff Group Ticket Draw to the Pavilion Pantomime 2025!

As a newly formed team, I thought this would be a fun teambuilding activity, so I entered a ticket draw to win Pantomime Tickets for the team – and that turned out to be a very good decision! The event was packed with laughter and gave us the perfect chance to get to know each other better. The team agreed that it was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon out of the office.  They left saying how much fun they had and suggesting we do it again next year! It’s wonderful to have such benefits available to UofG staff members; we’re very grateful to the Ferguson Bequest for the opportunity to take part.

"It was such a nice surprise to win tickets to Bard in the Botanics, via the Ferguson Bequest. The performance was wonderful and it was amazing to see live theatre in the Botanics. The Ferguson Bequest is a great service for UofG employees and I would definitely enter again!"

Lauren Crilly

It was a very enjoyable evening at the Glasgow Clan Ice Hockey. Many thanks for facilitating these staff benefits; they are a really nice way to engage with local events and feel appreciated by the Uni!

I finally made my visit to the Tall Ship. Quite an impressive vessel, and a very rich history to boot! This was the second of my Ferguson Bequest awards since joining the University back in June and both have been appreciably high quality, and memorable. It does feel a warm welcome to Glasgow. Many thanks for these opportunities. Very much appreciated. 

Tendai Makuwatsine

I was delighted to win two tickets through the Ferguson Bequest Staff Wellbeing raffle to see Alan Cumming in The High Life. It was an absolutely fantastic show; my wife and I loved every minute of it.

It’s not something we would normally have considered going to see, so the opportunity to attend made it all the more special. With two young children at home, it can be difficult to find the time (and budget) for a night out, so winning the tickets gave us a much-needed chance to relax, unwind, and enjoy an evening together at the theatre.

It was a memorable experience and a real treat for us both. A big thank you to the Bequest for supporting staff wellbeing in such a thoughtful and meaningful way. I’m very grateful for the opportunity and for the much-needed R&R.

Dr Colin McDowall
Lifelong Learning Tutor - War/Military History

Gabriella won tickets to the Marriage of Figaro, performed by Scottish Opera and took her daughter. 

"being in the top sits and treated like a VIP made her feel a princess"

"I loved the music and to be treated with so much care and respect"