Olivia Hughes
As current officers’ time in their positions draws to a close, Impact’s Olivia Hughes reflects on the highlights of their achievements and looks to what has really been done in the SU over the past year.
Current full-time officers include Joe Paternoster as Activities Officer (he/him), Daisy Forster as Community Officer (she/her), River Butterworth as Education Officer (they/them), Ife Oyedeji as Liberation Officer (she/they), Sean Nolan as Sports Officer (he/him), and Sultan Chaudhury as Union Development Officer (he/him).
It was clear from the August Newsletter that the officers all had clear goals for the year. Some involved the immediate planning of the welcome week which saw over 300 societies trying to recruit freshers in September. Additionally to this, Freshers could visit ‘Notts Fest’ where they could watch as society and sports groups showcased their talents. Welcome Week, as always, was a raging success with 14,109 students in attendance overall and, off the back of COVID-19, which saw freshers fair cancelled or limited in previous years, this freshers fair certainly went all out.
Ife also planned key events in relation to Black History Month such as the BHM Carnival
Ife focussed on the planning and creation of the liberation hub in Portland Building. The liberation hub is a ‘multipurpose community space which can be used for socialising, relaxing, and accessing support resources’. The hub launched on Tuesday the 31st of January with a variety of music and refreshments and a ‘Diversity of Queerness’ student art exhibition and has since displayed a portfolio of information and art relating to the Holocaust in relation to Holocaust memorial day.
Ife also planned key events in relation to Black History Month such as the BHM Carnival which had stalls on Black heritage, food and good music, as well as a panel discussion on self and community and Ife also supported the Black Heritage Society in hosting their own events. Additionally, Ife planned key events in Sexual Health and Guidance (SHAG) week and LBGT+ history month such as organising trans collective poetry workshops and organising community cabinets in Portland building containing sanitary and sexual health products for free to all students.
Daisy organised both a cost of living fair and cost of living Q&A where local politicians and university staff were there to answer questions relating to the crisis both of which took place in October. Daisy also wrote an open letter to the university about the cost of living crisis and followed up with meetings with local MP Darren Henry to discuss cost of living effects on students. In addition to this Daisy created Oasis Breakfast club which opened a community kitchen and provides free cold breakfast for all students which is open Monday to Friday 8am-10am in A29 Portland Building.
Daisy took over the UoNSU TikTok which provides accessible information on the SU
Joe was incredibly busy creating events for students across campus, most importantly he created ‘Mooch Live’ which has seen over 40 students perform in Mooch on Thursday every week throughout term, with hundred of students in attendance. He also engaged with over 200 student leaders in the inaugural Activities’ ball and developed the night-time safety module which is embedded into the committee training cycle now.
In addition to this Joe has been incredibly active on social media reaching over 5000 accounts on Instagram and appearing weekly on URN to advertise upcoming activities on campus. Additionally Daisy took over the UoNSU TikTok which provides accessible information on the SU to students.
Sean started his time in office by getting all UoN staff to wear name and pronoun badges which is still being enforced now. Alongside Daisy, Sean met with Nottinghamshire refugee forum and started the active for asylum seekers project which encourages sports societies to come up with their own challenges around the number ‘22’ and Sean set up a ‘Just Giving’ page for the charity.
River campaigned for the demilitarisation of UoN, organising an alternative and ethical careers fair
Sean was instrumental in the success of Movember this year; he organised social media campaigns such as UoN Sport’s ‘turning off the colour’ initiative. He joined the NTSU President on a 24-hour bike ride. Joe organised the Big Movember 5k run, Mooch’s Movember special and a charity football match between Media Zone’s society members (Ocean’s 7) and UoNSU staff, which Ocean’s 7 narrowly won. Overall, £60,000 was raised for Movember across all societies and was a raging success partly due to the organisation from UoNSU officers.
River campaigned for the demilitarisation of UoN, organising an alternative and ethical careers fair talking about the infiltration of current unethical companies at current careers fairs (such as those dealing in arms trade) and organised course representatives recruitment. Furthermore, River also attended a UCU rally in London, and led talk on UCU strikes talk within the university.
more could have been done in terms of creating their own individual legacy
Sully successfully called for a successful referendum on the unions position on the UCU industrial action, meaning that UoNSU fully supports the strikers. As well as this Sully successfully lobbied the university on the increasing the stipend for PhD students.
Overall this year has undoubtedly been a success for the current UoNSU officers with highlights across the year that the officers can be proud of. Perhaps more could have been done in terms of creating their own individual legacy instead of carrying on projects from previous years or established projects such as Movember or SU social media presence, however the group have achieved a lot in this academic year, and one thing is for certain no one will forget Daisy in a condom costume during SHAG week anytime soon!
Olivia Hughes
Featured image courtesy of Lottie Murray. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
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