College celebrates 65th birthday with trip down memory lane

Former students of a college in the south of Scotland are being invited to mark its 65th birthday and share their memories.

A special event at the Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries will be held on Tuesday to celebrate Dumfries and Galloway College reaching the significant landmark.

Founded as the Dumfries Technical College in 1961 - known locally as the Tech - it had sites at George Street in Dumfries and Heathhall before moving to new purpose-built premises on the Crichton Campus in 2008.

A special heritage trail is being launched to coincide with the anniversary celebrations.

The trail tells the story of the college via a set of 10 markers with QR codes placed around the college so listeners can enjoy "self-guided exploration".

Each marker has audio contributions from past and current staff, students and partners of the college.

It can be updated in future to ensure it remains a "living, evolving legacy".

The college has occupied several sites over the years, before moving to its current site at the Crichton Campus.

Between 1961 and 1973 it was located in George Street which reopened as a school of art and design between 1994 and 2008.

Its Heathhall Campus operated from 1973 to 2008, while it also had a presence at Maxwell House at the Crichton between 1998 and 2008, before moving to its current site.

In the meantime, the college's Stranraer Campus opened in 1990 to serve the west of the region.

Thousands of students have passed through its doors over the years and they are being invited to share their memories.

Among their number was Jeanette McCreadie - one of the first students to attend the college when it first opened.

"I attended the first commercial course in the old George Street school," she said.

"I went on to work there in the office and met my husband there who was attending a mechanical engineering course.

"We've now been married 60 years this year - oh the wonder of education.

"The college certainly had a big impact on our life."

College principal Douglas Dickson said the site had delivered opportunities for local people to "realise their ambitions".

"When I look back over the years, what stands out most is not just the projects that have been completed or the qualifications delivered," he said.

"It's the the people, the communities, and the sense of purpose at the heart of what we do.

"Our heritage trail tells the story of rural education and its role in delivering innovation, opportunity and economic impact over the years and my thanks go to everyone who has helped bring it to life."

He said the role of the college had changed over the years but its key goal had remained the same.

"Throughout our 65 years, our focus has been supporting learners, responding to regional need, and ensuring the college continues to play a central role in the future of the region," he said.