After a year of campaigns, hard work and many achievements, we are saying goodbye to our 2018/2019 Presidents. The team have worked to represent the views of the UWE Bristol student community to all levels of the University. Each President has made their mark during their time, and we are delighted to share a selection of this year’s successes.
After a year of campaigns, hard work and many achievements, we are saying goodbye to our 2018/2019 Presidents. The team have worked to represent the views of the UWE Bristol student community to all levels of the University. Each President has made their mark during their time, and we are delighted to share a selection of this year’s successes.
We wish the 2018/2019 team the very best of luck for their future endeavours and would like to thank them for leading The Students’ Union through the last academic year.
A year ago, Giang became the first international female President of The Students’ Union. Giang’s greatest achievements include running two business competitions which promoted the development of innovative and creativity. The competitions offered students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills and meet other like-minded people.
Another achievement of the year was the creation of the first ever Multicultural Week, which aimed to raise awareness about the cultural and ethnic diversity at UWE Bristol. The week celebrated and educated students about diversity, spreading tolerance and respecting different beliefs and traditions. It was also an opportunity for students to experience different cultures. The week featured a range of activities including UWE Bristol’s Football Tournament, an international edition of Bring Your Own Bowl, a Burrito Challenge, UWE Bristol’s Got Talent and a Bubbleology Fruit Tea stall.
A few other highlights of the year have included Giang’s work on the Scholarship Scheme, Emergency Accommodation, the Language Café, Grand Challenge, PAL for postgraduates, and attending the Bristol Forum and NUS National Conference.
One of Ayrden’s greatest achievements this year was his council tax win. It was brought to Ayrden’s attention, that third year students were paying council tax from the date of their last exam at UWE Bristol, which for some students was as early as April.
After lobbying the University, Ayrden was able to announce that study dates for students had been set to the end of the academic year, meaning that third year students would no longer be expected to pay council tax until the end of June.
Augusta’s greatest achievement was organising and hosting the first UWE Bristol’s Got Talent, which saw her hand out cash prizes worth £850. More than 250 people were in attendance to support and cheer on those performing.
A highlight of Augusta’s year has been, having mental health campaigner, author and producer, Jonny Benjamin, deliver a keynote speech at this year’s Welfare Awards. The Welfare Awards recognise the hard work and dedication that both students and staff have put into supporting welfare and wellbeing at UWE Bristol. Attendees were truly inspired when hearing about Jonny's journey and all of the work he has been involved in across the UK.
Freddie’s greatest achievement this year was running the Movember campaign, which raised shy of £4,000 and engaged with a huge number of students. The campaign ran throughout November and included numerous events which ranged from healthcare talks on male cancers and mental health awareness to general fundraising events. The campaign sparked new conversations and worked to improve the general student wellbeing at UWE Bristol.
A highlight of Freddie’s year has been getting to know the staff at The Students’ Union, who he commented have helped to make his year.
The Sports Awards was Jade’s greatest achievement this year. It was the first event of its kind to sell out and had over 450 people attend. £2,000 was secured in sponsorship for the awards, which allowed Jade to organise an evening full of food and entertainment.
A particular highlight for Jade during her time as VP Sports and Health was last year’s Sports Does Strictly event. The evening saw eight members of the Dance Club acting as the ‘professional dancers’, paired with eight individuals from different sports clubs acting as the ‘novice dancers’. The couples had two weeks to learn a routine before they competed at the event. The evening raised £750 for United Through Sport and was a great opportunity for different sports clubs to come together and try something new.
