The Bucks Student: Edition 116

Ciao from Lorenzo!

Returning to BNU as an employee rather than a student seemed very surreal. As a graduate from the BA (Hons) Graphic Design Degree, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to put to use the skills and expertise that I learnt here into my new position at Bucks Students’ Union. I’ve been sitting at my desk for less than a month and feel that I am settling into the role and getting to grips to the tasks assigned. You’re certainly keeping me busy!

We encourage you to get involved and get in touch with us if you have any feedback or ideas for future editions and articles. So drop an email to editor@thebucksstudent.com or any of the Elected Officers and we’ll take it from there. There’s space for content both big and small, all you have to do is suggest it and get in contact.

For all advertising and media enquiries please contact the Students’ Union Communications and Marketing department. Simon McDowell

in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of Bucks Students’ Union but are that of the specific author. View this edition online

Page 8 – Take an exclusive look at this year’s FestiBall lineup!

ELECTED OFFICER EDITORS

Thank you all for a fabulous year!

As our term as sabbatical officers comes to an end, we just wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the love and support you’ve shown us this year. Your unwavering support has been a huge help in us growing into our roles and achieving our goals. We couldn’t have accomplished everything we did without your help. Your support in each campaign, event, and activity has enabled us to achieve our best results.

It’s been an absolute pleasure working for you and alongside you to serve our BNU family. We’re truly

happy and proud to see all of your achievements, including bringing the Varsity trophy back home and participating in all of our events like Strive, RepCon and recreational activities. We know that balancing your studies and working towards success is not always easy, but we believe you’re all amazing and did an excellent job last year. We just want to say again how proud we are of you.

We’ve seen some incredible moments this year, and it has motivated us to continue the good work that we are doing and follow

the legacy of the previous sabbatical teams. Although it’s emotional for us to say goodbye, we’re also happy and excited to welcome and hand over to the next Sabbatical team. We can’t wait to see Amy to be our next President. We are the leaving Sabbs and are proud of her that she’s gonna be an absolute star next term.

We’re confident that they’ll be the best and continue with the great achievements SU does as always.

Thank you for a fantastic year, you’ve made it all worthwhile.

Sruthi K. Subhash VPEW (HW)

Brandon Tester President

Jess Bradbury VPAB

Amy Pile VPEW (Uxb and Ayls)

Hey everyone!

Time to say Bye

I hope you’re all doing well, even though it’s probably the busiest time of the year with tight deadlines and exams. I just wanted to remind you that you got this, and to keep calm and composed because these challenging times shall pass. For those of you who have just started the term, I had the pleasure of meeting and greeting you all. And for those who are closer to finishing the term, you are all closer to my heart. I’ve enjoyed working with you and for you, and I’ve had some of my best times ever in this role.

Throughout my time as a course rep, employability ambassador (student development ambassador), and executive officer for international students, I’ve experienced so much and enjoyed every bit of it. It’s hard to believe that I only have two more months left in this role, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on my journey so far.

From being an international student to being involved in various roles and finally becoming a Sabbatical officer, it’s been more than an achievement for me. The journey itself has been an amazing experience and will forever be close to my heart. I’m proud of leading campaigns like the International Students Support Office and seeing the dream project Management Fest coming to life. It’s been an honour to advocate for various student concerns in committees and work together with the university. And attending prestigious events like Union awards and AU Dinner and

By Sruthi K. Subhash

graduating along with fellow students has been more than a dream come true moment for me.

I couldn’t have done any of this without your trust and support throughout my journey. This role has shaped me both personally and professionally, and I owe it all to our wonderful SU team. I can’t also wait to see our amazing sabbatical officer team to continue and create the roles even more amazing and I’m sure that they are gonna be great as always. As the letter concludes

I want to thank each and every one of you who helped me grow in my role and made my home away from home...

By Liv Ross

Officer updates

Women students’ officer

Hi everyone!

Its Liv here, your Women’s Executive Officer.

As the year comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my time as your Women’s Officer.

First and foremost, during the last year, I aimed to raise and discuss issues that women face on a daily basis. I’ve been asking important questions about what we currently do and what we could do more to how we can support and help women. One of my main aims this year was to promote the University’s report and support system and other resources available to students. It’s been my mission to spread the word of how important it is to report, and the change reporting can make.

We also had two successful Self Defence seminars hosted by ACT, where women had the opportunity to learn valuable skills to better protect themselves. I hope these seminars continue in the upcoming years, as they can truly be lifesaving.

Additionally, I hosted a tea and chat session where I connected with many incredible women. We discussed important topics and had a good old chat. We also made sanitary bags, handed out inspirational quotes, and pledged against gender-based violence by putting our handprints on the wall.

Lastly, we had a super fun International Women’s Day! We organized a Women in Business and Law conference, enjoyed some exciting activities in Beeches, handed out flowers, and received free goodies from the police to help keep ourselves safe on nights out.

Representing women this past year has been an absolute pleasure, and I will continue to do so in my everyday life. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey - Jess, Tash, Imo, the SU and University staff, as well as my friends and family. I couldn’t have done it without you!

Liv Ross Women Students’ Executive Officer

As another academic year starts to come to an end, we’re undergoing preparations to host our annual Union Awards night. We are very excited to welcome you back for an exciting evening of recognition on Thursday 16 May.

Today we can announce the shortlist for Union Awards and the Excellence in Learning and Teaching (ELT) Awards. We received some wonderful nominations this year, so a huge congratulations to those shortlisted.

Excellence and Innovation in Student Learning Support

Christina Ebanks

Jill Austen

Mario Santos

Rosie Williams

Demonstrating Excellence in Academic Leadership

Carla Avery

Melanie Haywood

Sri-Kartini Leet

Teresa Cox

Excellence and Innovation in Learning and Teaching Practice

Andrew Imrie

Diana Downer

Dominic White

Ina Stan

Ambassador of the Year

Dee Whyte

Om Dhadwal

Ratu Nailatikau

Wren Sell

RAG Charity Fundraiser of the Year

Bethany Jackson

Isabel Waugh

Marissa Leyden

Reece Newey

Volunteer of the Year - sponsored and supported by Specsavers

Bethany Jackson

Lauren Milne

Marissa Leyden

Sundhair Thevar

Media Contributor of the Year

LGBTQIA+ Society

Lucy Holmes

Olly Ross & Leo Spinks

Pablo Padina

Society Committee Member of the Year - sponsored and supported by 4Front Security

Bethany Jackson (Musical Theatre Society & Psychology Society)

Ellie Lynn (LGBTQIA+ Society)

Isabel Waugh (Blades HEMA and Boxing Society)

Marissa Leyden (Musical Theatre Society)

Academic Staff Partner of the Year - sponsored and supported by Buckinghamshire New University

Alan Hockley

Paul Fields

Paula Han

Suzanne Doria

Professional Service Employee Partner of the Year - sponsored and supported by Buckinghamshire New University

Andy Davies

Dan Dean

Imam Haseeb Jahangir

Nicola Norminton

Campaigner of the Year - sponsored and supported by Nexgen Group

Ellie Lynn

Grace Paisley & Marissa Leyden

Liv Ross

Lucy Holmes

Student Rep of the Year - sponsored and supported by Bromarpeak

Claire Pressman

Luca Annibale

Marissa Leyden

Ritamary Benny

Society of the Year - sponsored and supported by Gather & Gather

Blades HEMA

Bucks Tabletop and Gaming

LGBTQIA+

Musical Theatre

Membership Services Student Staff Member of the Year

Chloe Hayes

Ellie Lee

Om Dhadwal

Raffy Pantaleon

Commercial Services Student Staff Member of the Year - sponsored and supported by RockBox

Ashleigh Jones

Carolina Isidoro

Dennis Smith

Jean Marc Amagoua

Student Leadership Award - sponsored and supported by Redline

Bethany Jackson

Chloe Hayes

Dennis Smith

Peter Ashiagbor

We hope you’re as proud as we are of all the hard work you’ve put in over the past year and we can’t wait to celebrate with you on the night.

HEADPHONE SILENT DISCO TENT, HEADLINE ACTS, TRANSFORMED VENUE, COCKTAIL BAR, FOOD STALLS, LIGHT UP DANCE FLOOR, FAIRGROUND GAMES, DRINKS DEALS AND MORE!

BNU STUDENTS GET FREE ENTRY, PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE NOW FESTIBALL 2024 TICKETS, FRIDAY 3 MAY 2024 AT 21:00

FESTIBALL IS BACK AND BIGGER THAN EVER!

Are you ready to step into our enchanted forest? Prepare yourself for an unrivalled 3-night experience at the Venue like you’ve never seen it before. From our famous Silent Disco and outside themed areas, cocktail bars and delicious food stalls we’ve got everything you need to kick off the Festival season and end the year in style.

Convinced? Check out our star-studded line-up to really get your blood pumping. With the hottest acts and guest appearances across 2 stages we promise you some of the best University memories.

As always, Bucks Students gain FREE ENTRY thanks to The Big Deal. Alumni/Graduates and non-students still have the opportunity to buy a ticket, and these are on sale NOW!

Details of when and where Students can now collect their wristbands will be released soon! So keep your eyes peeled...

Follow our Instagram @buckstsudentsunion and @thevenuebucks to be the first to see all the gossip.

ALUMNI & GRADUATE TICKETS:

» This year, we would like to welcome back all Bucks Alumni for the special discounted price of £20 (much less than a normal ticket!). This will give you access to every night of the weekend, and all you need is your old Bucks ID card and a photographic form of ID. Tickets are available now via our Eventbrite!

» Alumni can collect wristbands on the door with production of an alumni ticket, valid photo ID and their old student ID.

» Tickets will also be available for Alumni on the individual nights at an increased price, on a first come, first served basis.

» If you cannot find your old Bucks ID, this is not a problem! You can apply for an alumni ticket through http://www.bucksstudentsunion. org/AlumniCard

BUCKS STUDENTS:

» Bucks Students get FREE entry to the whole weekend - Thanks to The Big Deal!

» You will require a wristband for entry – Writstband collection details are on the following page.

» Wristbands only guarantee entry for those arriving at The Venue by 11pm.

» The event is open to the public, so students do not need to sign in guests. They will require a valid ticket.

NON BUCKS STUDENT TICKETS:

» Non-student tickets can be purchased from bucksstudentsunion.org/festiball

» Non-student tickets are limited.

» Tickets are £30 in advance for the entire weekend or £20 in advance for each day

» Non-students can collect wristbands on the door with production of a valid ticket & valid photo ID.

» Tickets will also be available for non-students on the individual nights at an increased price, on a first come, first served basis.

FESTIBALL is an 18+ event. There will be no refunds for incorrectly purchased tickets. Booking fees cannot be refunded. Line-up is subject to change.

The Venue and The Lounge at Bucks Students’ Union are open seven nights a week. If you don’t see an event listed below, check online nearer the time; bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson

It’s the week of Festiball 2024 and we couldn’t be more excited if we tried. You have the full line-up, dress codes and wristband collection information so you are all set for an unforgettable three days.

Fesitball is way more than just your average event. This is our biggest celebration of the entire year so we go full out for you. From cocktail bars and food vendors to fairground games and silent discos, this promises to be the best end-of-year celebration yet!

The Venue will be transformed into an enchanted forest that will take you away from reality. We have some of the biggest acts headlining the three days to provide hours of entertainment.

This year we have some very special guests headlining the main room. Everyone’s favourite Down to Funk boys are back, alongside DJ Hotshot our resident Wxved artist, and Inovate Collective know how to throw a Bass party.

Throughout this week, you have the opportunity to collect your Festiball wristband in the SU Foyer from 10 am – 4 pm. This wristband guarantees you entry to the hottest festival in Bucks! If you are a student in Uxbridge, don’t worry we’ve got you covered!

We will be at the Uxbridge campus on Wednesday 1st of May and Thursday 2nd of May. Aylesbury students of course we haven’t forgotten about you!

If you would like to attend, please message us on Instagram (@thevenuebucks) and we will arrange a wristband collection for you.

calendar | Monday 6 – Sunday 12 May

Have an idea for an event, want to arrange a takeover, or feedback for our events team? You can get in contact with the team by dropping an email to; events@bnu.ac.uk

As always, students get FREE entry to our unmissable Festiball and for all our Festiball content, make sure you follow us on Instagram, so you don’t miss a thing!

By Sarah Jackson

Want to join our award-winning team?

Working for your Students’ Union will be no ordinary part-time job. As a member of the team you will be expected to be an ambassador for the Students’ Union as we aim to make life better for students at Bucks and you will be representing our mission and values on each shift you work.

Our roles provide enjoyable and rewarding opportunities, working in a sociable environment and with exceptional support and development opportunities. We expect a high level of commitment and a real passion to be part of a dedicated working team and you will need to be hardworking, fun and always ready to work with a smile on your face.

With many awards and accreditations, including being a ‘Real Living Wage’ Employer and a Mindful Employer, your role with us will provide you with valuable work experience and flexible hours around your studies.

You will get:

• A minimum of £13.46 per hour (including annual leave allowance)

• Extensive development opportunities including formal training and qualifications

• The opportunity to join the Students’ Union Leadership Academy

• Flexible working hours

• Essential knowledge and experience to further your career

• Key transferable skills

• The opportunity to work as part of an award-winning team

• A chance to provide feedback on how the Students’ Union manages its employees

• Access to the student staff referral scheme

• Access to the guaranteed interview scheme for students of colour and students with disabilities

Applications are now open!

What we need from you:

• A synergy with the Union’s values of being dynamic, tenacious and inspiring

• To be flexible and outgoing in your approach to our work

• To act in a polite, courteous and helpful manner. At all times you will be concerned with ensuring that customers are satisfied with the service received

• A commitment to our environmental initiatives

• To abide by all policies and procedures

• To present yourself for work in a clean and tidy fashion, where necessary wearing the stipulated uniform or themed dress, which will be clean and ironed

Head to the ‘Union Jobs’ page at www.bucksstudentsunion.org for more information and to complete an application form. You will then be invited to attend a recruitment session on Friday 10th May with the possibility of securing your job for next year so you can relax over summer!

If you have any questions or need more information, contact sujobs@bnu.ac.uk

Roles that will be available include:

• Freshers Helper

• Head Helper

• Bar Staff

• Bar Team Leader

• Event Technician

• Event Security

By Imogen Sanders

Spring Break Fun & Future Events

Over the Easter break we provided some fun activities for students who were staying around. We sent some students to Kew Gardens in London to see all the beautiful flowers and grounds. There was a fun games day in the Winter Garden, where we saw Monopoly, Puzzles, Guess Who and a range of other board games. The students had a blast watching Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theatre in London, it is a classic place to visit in London. We also had an exciting opportunity for some students to visit UK Parliament in Westminster.

We have a lot of activities upcoming through the Spring until the end of term. We know that students love theatre shows, so we have booked The Woman in Black (The Swan Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Theatre), and Much Ado About Nothing (Globe Theatre). Comic Con is around the corner in May, and we are providing students with the opportunity to go and enjoy the convention. Students can come in their cosplay and meet their favourite characters. The Bournemouth Beach Clean is back this year with a variety of different activities to do after the beach clean. We have the Sea Life centre, Surfing Lessons and Mini Golf. To embrace the Spring, we are going to Tulleys Farm to have a look at Tulip fest, where you can walk around all the tulip fields and try the Dutch street food. We also have activities for students with families, such as Flip Out in Aylesbury and The Hounslow Urban Farm.

We would love to have input from students about what you would like to see, if you have any ideas, please email us: surecactivities@bucks.ac.uk

By Lucy Holmes

Green InitiativesWe’ve been busy bees!

As the year comes to an end, we would like to reflect on what we have done this year towards all the green initiatives that have run and making the campus more sustainable.

This includes going out at the start of the year and getting students opinions in the green survey, which helped shape some of the work that we focused on. Part of this was upgrading as many of our green spaces around the university as possible by adding more biodiversity with Bug and Bee houses, that a number of our students got involved with making. We also made lots of flower bombs throughout the year which were thrown at the Uxbridge Campus and High Wycombe campus.

For everyone that filled out the green survey there is a positive end to this story the University have agreed to fund a project of creating some green spaces at Hughenden and enhancing the ones we have at Brook Street Halls. With summer approaching I’m sure everyone will be really pleased with the progress this has made.

Recently we held a project preloved week as a great way to encourage mending rather than discarding. Within this week we held a repair cafe where we encouraged students and staff to bring in items from toasters to clothes in hopes to repair and give these items a new lease of life. 22 items were repaired throughout the day, saving them from landfill and being put back to use. Jay Blades sat down with Jess Bradbury the Vice President of Achievement and Belonging to discuss the importance of repairing items and how he became such an ambassador for the movement.

One last task we ask from students is that before you move out at the end of term is to have a look if there’s anything you no longer need and consider donating them to Bucks New Usage.

Bucks New Usage has been heavily used this year and it is running low on a number of items. We accept many kitchen items such as crockery, cutlery, bread boards, saucepans, toasters and more, although please don’t drop off any clothes. Just drop them into the Students Union Office or Student Hub. If you can’t get to either of those, bin liners will be at Hughenden and Brook Street reception for you to put to things in, and leave when you move out, they will then be picked up and put in Bucks New Usage.

We hope that next year sustainability becomes more central to everyone’s thinking, be that when you purchase items or get involved in what next year’s Green Ambassadors put on. It’s been great working so closely with the Students Union this year and we would recommend it to anyone.

If you are interested in becoming the Green Ambassador / Bucks New Usage / RAG / Volunteer / Food Sustainability next year, then please scan the QR code.

By Kelly Wiles

Project Preloved

Project preloved was a roaring success, with a visit to Wycombe Environmental Centre’s Refresh Shop to see who they reuse items for hobbyists and crafts. We hosted a repair café coming to the winter garden and repairing all the items we would normally send to landfill repairing 22 items, and just to add some creativity to the kind of things we can all do we made sanitary bags from the left-over varsity t shirts. By making something from an item that would be sent to landfill will make a small change in the amount of waste sent to landfill and helping protect our planet.

Chancellor Jay Blades sat with our VPAB and discussed all things repair shop, preloved, and how we bring all thing sustainable to the university, you can find the interview on the Bucks Students’ Union Instagram Reels.

Green ambassador Lucy and VPAB Jess sat together and discussed the sustainable efforts of the university with Bucks New Usage and Project Preloved.

By Kelly Wiles

Volunteering Roundup

Volunteering is part of the student life as much as the night events. Volunteering allows you to gain experience in the real world, giving you the skills to take into your future careers. We try to give you as much opportunity as possible to give you the best experience possible, from volunteering with the RAG Charity Stokenchurch Dogs Rescue, planting trees, and cleaning rivers. All this seems to be small in comparison to what we think we should be doing, making a big splash always seems the way to make change, however in my experience this just makes a mess and water will always settle in the same place, by each person doing tiny amounts this will create a wave allowing a following wave and so on. All those tiny waves create movement under the surface. You should all be immensely proud of all the work you have been part of.

As this is the last newspaper for the year here are all the volunteer award winners across the year.

Bronze Volunteering Award:

Chloe Saunders-Wood

Daniel Wallace

Lena Ricci-Hodgson

Emily Pennell

Emilia Page

Eleya Austin

Connor Martin

Evie Mehrtens

Grace Paisley

Priscilla Joseph

Benjamin Meers

Joao Pires

Rita Ekokotu-Odigie

Lauren Somerville

Sophie Shaw

Esther Stephenson

Lucy Byne

Jamie Hobbs

Will Johnson

Tasha Noble

Sophie Lloyd-Rossi

Lucy Holmes

Reece Newey

Camille Da Fonseca

Teixeira

Jack Spencer

Lauren Milne

Alfie Vince

Jake Ambridge-Wood

Gene Tipping

Vik Mairet

Harriet Kozlowski

Seyi Solola

Desmond Hadi

Harriet Kozlowski

Georgia Haynes

Wisdom Amadasun

Mitch Chandler

Leo Spinks

Ethan Hutcheson

Stacey Baxter

Isabel Waugh

Keisha Ruff

Rishabh Jindal

Harry Copeland

Emily Thomas

Rosie Farney

Rob Freeman

James Upson

Dan Heal

Michael Simpson

Shriya Bhudia

Silver Volunteering Award:

Phoenix Broxton

Patricia Glassborow

Bethany Jackson

Abi Hix

Daniel Wallace

Jorja Fulford

Tyler Smith

Jessica Leach

Sam Shepherd

Benjamin Meers

Trinity Baker

Grace Paisley

John Heatley

Lucy Byne

Katie Schollar

Sophie Lloyd-Rossi

Reece Newey

Lena Ricci-Hodgson

Evie Mehrtens

Olly Ross

Charlotte Callaway

Eleya Austin

Joao Pires

Wisdom Amadasun

Mitch Chandler

Will Johnson

Vik Mairet

Lauren Milne

Esther Stephenson

Francesca Rogers

Emily Pennell

Isabel Waugh

Alfie Vince

Harry Copeland

Pip Williams

Camille Da Fonseca

Teixeira

Jack Donoghue

Gene Tipping

Gold Volunteering Award:

Renato Sebastiao Martins

Wren Sell

Eva Dzyubenko

Ana Silva Timoteo

Bethany Jackson

Matthew Christie

Tricia Glassborow

Daniel Wallace

Paige Hamilton

Amber Ogles

Jessica Leach

Rafael Pantaleon

Abigail Hix

Grace Paisley

Christopher Ntoni

Tyler Smith

Reece Newey

Jorja Fulford

Lucy Byne

Madhav Jayalal

Platinum Volunteering Award:

Marissa Leyden

Renato Sebastiao Martins

Dee Whyte

Peter Ashiagbor

Ellie Lynn

Chloe Hayes

Patrick Fillingham

Wren Sell

Amber Ogles

Tom Byfield

Liv Ross

Jean Amagoua

Bethany Jackson

3.99 2.99

By Jess Hughes

Applications for the 2024-25 Leadership Academy Cohort are now open!

The Leadership Academy is available to all students and entirely bespoke to the individual.

We will create a development programme based on your goals for the year and beyond. Whether you are in your first or third year we can create a programme for you.

We will offer you training courses specific to your needs, funding for recognised, certified qualifications and networking opportunities to give you the best possible chance for success - all free of charge courtesy of The Big Deal.

The Leadership Academy helped me to “keep on track” with both my studies and my future endeavours, by finding opportunities which I wouldn’t/ couldn’t have found on my own

Visit the ‘Leadership Academy’ page under ‘Jobs and Skills’ on the student’s union website for more information and the application form!

If you have any questions or queries, contact sutraining@bucks.ac.uk

By Jess Hughes

Calling for Student Development Ambassadors!

We are excited to be recruiting for next year’s rewarded Student Development Ambassadors!

We have 7 positions available with one covering each school, your role will be to improve employability prospects for the students within your school by:

• Suggesting relevant training courses and trips

• With the support of the Training and Development team, arranging relevant courses and trips

• Promoting relevant training courses and trips

• Assisting in the planning and delivery of Strive 2025!

And this will not just look great on your CV and improve your own prospects, you will also be rewarded with:

• A FREE Hoodie

• Automatic entry to the Leadership Academy

• Invitation to the Union Awards

• A points-based reward scheme, where for each relevant activity undertaken you will receive points and if you earn 300 points across the year you will receive up to a £300 reward!

22 A Remarkable Journey

By Jess Bradbury

A Remarkable Journey

As the academic year draws to a close, it’s a time for reflection, celebration, and looking ahead. For me, serving as Vice President of Achievement and Belonging has been a remarkable journey, filled with challenges, triumphs, and invaluable experiences. Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege to lead and contribute to various initiatives aimed at creating a community where all students feel safe and be themselves.

Over the last year, I have gotten involved in many different campaigns and initiatives one of which was continuing to expand and maintain our period poverty campaign. We’ve made significant strides in ensuring access to menstrual hygiene products for all students across campus and in halls. In addition to tackling period poverty, embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles across the union has been a top priority. By promoting a culture of inclusivity and respect, we’ve created a more welcoming environment where every student feels valued and supported. Through targeted initiatives and proactive measures, EDI has become an integral part of our organisational ethos, driving positive change and promoting a sense of belonging.

Furthermore, the launch of Bucks SU Celebrates has provided students with a safe space to honour and celebrate their diverse cultures and identities. This inclusive platform not only celebrates our differences but also fosters understanding and unity within our community. By championing cultural diversity, we’ve enriched the student experience and introduced students to different cultures and celebrations. Another significant achievement has been the success of the Big Deal International initiative, which has enabled us to engage with nearly 100% of our international student population. By providing tailored support and resources, we’ve ensured that international students feel welcomed and integrated into campus life, making sure that all students get to experience BNU and the Students’ Union to the fullest. On the environmental front, efforts to rejuvenate the venue garden and increase biodiversity on-site have produced a greener space on campus. Securing funding for the installation of planters in halls has not only created more green spaces but also

directly addressed students’ concerns regarding sustainability. By promoting eco-conscious practices, we’re collectively working towards a greener, more sustainable future.

In terms of student engagement and community building, the creation of 15 new societies and the active participation of over 800 students across all societies are testament to how important co-curricular activities are. Despite challenges faced by the Athletic Union (AU), the determined Bucks spirit shone through, culminating in a triumphant victory at Varsity, where we reclaimed the coveted Roebuck Trophy. I was given the opportunity to join in with the planning and execution of Strive 2024—our employability festival aimed at equipping students with valuable skills and insights for their post-university journey. With 360 students benefiting from this initiative, it was the biggest one to date and is only going to get bigger. Raise and Give (RAG) has been a resounding success, raising over £17,300 for various charitable causes, including Stokenchurch Dog Rescue. We have seen lots of different events this year in aid of raising money, from 24hour a-thons, to soaking a staff member it has been a fantastic year of fundraising!

Finally, collaborating with the bar and events team to help out with events such as Festiball has been a highlight of my year. It has given me a chance to experience and get involved in an area of the Students’ Union I wouldn’t normally but has become something I’m actually very interested in!

As I look back on the past year, I am filled with such a huge sense of gratitude for the opportunity to be your Vice President of Achievement and Belonging. While the journey has been challenging at times, the collective achievements and impact we’ve made as a union are proof of the dedication, resilience, and passion of our student body and staff. Next year will see a new sabbatical officer team take to the office and I am so excited to see what they all achieve along with the rest of the Union. It has been a pleasure to be your Vice President for the last two years and I am going to miss all of it so much!

By Ana Timóteo

BNU Dance Club

Hey everyone!!!

BNU Dance Club had four incredible dance competitions this year.

We kicked off with Southampton Comp on February 10th, where our amazing Roly Poly Robots (Tap team) placed 2nd place and we won the first Varsity point of 2024!

The second dance competition took place at Queen Mary Comp on February 17th, where wereceived five amazing awards. Novice Contemporary was awarded 1st place and won Best Intermediate Choreography of the all Intermediate choreographies that entered the competition. Advanced Contemporary was awarded 3rd place. Novice Tap and Novice Street brought the high energy and both got 2nd place.

Our third dance competition was at Kingston Comp on February 24th, where we brought home six amazing awards. Novice and Advanced Contemporary got 3rd place, Novice Tap was awarded with 1st place and Lyrical was also awarded with 3rd place. Novice Contemporary also won Best Overall Choreography of the entire competition. And of course, we did everything to get the awardfor the Best Team Spirit, and in the end it was ours, DA DA DA DA!!!

On Bucks Comp we had the most amazing out come of the year, where ALL our teams were winners, giving BNU Dance Club eight amazing awards! Starting off with 3rd place for Novice Tap, 1st place for Novice Contemporary, 2nd place for Advanced Contemporary and Advanced Jazz. Novice Street once again brought the energy and won 1st place! Lyrical placed in 2nd and our duo“Dynamite” got 3rd place. And of course, Best Team Spirit award went to us, DA DA DA DA!!

We couldn’t be any happier with all our teams results of this year’s competition season. We also would like to give an huge shout out to all choreographers for their amazing work this Comp Season for our club!!

Competitive season is over and we all really miss it! It was a mixture of emotions, new experiences, fun times and friends and LOTS of dancing!!

Position open: Represent BNU students on the University Council

Find out how to apply

The University Council is the University’s governing body, responsible for the educational character and mission of BNU as well as overseeing the rules and procedures that underpin how we are governed. The University Council is made up of individuals with experience and skills across a broad range of professions, business and industry, and is chaired by the University’s Pro Chancellor Maggie Galliers. Members are both external to the University and BNU employees elected to sit on BNU’s Council.

Each year a current student is also appointed to sit on Council alongside the President of the Students’ Union. This is an exciting opportunity for a student to gain experience of governance and to ensure the student experience is central to the University Council’s thinking.

The co-opted student member’s term runs from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025. The experience and skills desired for the role include:

• A broad understanding of the whole University community and demonstrable support for the ethos and mission of the University

• A strong interest in the BNU student experience and more generally in the education sector and the role education plays in transforming lives

• Good interpersonal skills – being confident to express views on behalf of the student body in a concise, fair and measured way

• Committed to working as part of a team with other Council members and senior staff of the University

• Able to think strategically, understand and engage with issues quickly, debate and contribute to discussions pro-actively and challenge rigorously

• Able to devote time to preparing for and attending Council and sub-committee meetings – normally 10 meetings per year of approximately three hours plus one Away Day with an overnight stay. Additional hours may be required for pre-reading Council papers.

• Act as Ambassadors for the University

Full support, training and guidance to support this role will be provided by the University Secretary’s Office. You can find more information about Council on the Council webpages (Please scan the QR code below). If you have any questions, please email council@bucks.ac.uk.

To express interest in the role, please complete this form by 10 May. All forms will be kept private and confidential to the shortlisting and interview panel. The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) and Dean of Students will shortlist candidates and short selection interviews will be held later in May.

The University and Council encourage, support and value diversity and welcome expressions of interest from any currently registered student studying directly with the University. Applications from part-time, post-graduate, mature or BAME students would be particularly welcome.

Before expressing your interest, please be aware that this role does not involve working with or for the Students’ Union. It does not involve resolving issues that individual students, or your course, may be experiencing. It does, however, offer an opportunity to learn more about university governance and ensure the student experience is central to the University’s thinking.

Bucks Students’ Union Advice Centre

To make an appointment, email suadvice@bnu.ac.uk, appointments can be:

By telephone - we will phone you, or online through Teams - we will organise this.

Telephone and online appointments are preferable during this current situation and will ususally available within 24 to 48 hours of a request during the normal working week from 10am to 4pm Mon to Thurs and 3pm on Fri. Appointments outside these times are possible but may take longer to arrange.

bucksstudentsunion.org/advice suadvice@bnu.ac.uk

Lastly, Mind also have a network of around 125 local Minds across the UK that offer specialised support and care based on the needs of the communities they support. For over 100 years, Buckinghamshire Mind has been a trusted charity and work to support and represent people with mental health problems living in Bucks. They have branches in High Wycombe and Aylesbury, as well as Hillingdon Mind for Uxbridge students.

Buckinghamshire Mind

Phone: 01296 437328

Email: info@bucksmind.org.uk

Hillingdon Mind

Phone: 01895 271559

Email: mind@hillingdonmind.org. uk

Puzzles

Anagrams

Using only the letters in the word wheel, how many 4 letter or above words can you find?

(You must always use the middle letter too!)