er
c
in g
r
ic
d v
c t
io n
es
R
y
t
y
ib
t
d
em
Ev
t
in g
g
w h it er a y S a a a r y s S S o e s s B m d e d l k n R c s in l io s Re pa il ep t Se T V S i S A e L d s r p o pr ls k C t w e ss r R ig W o i a lu a n il ie a N es a t C e r a i i n g o d t n e ls ib s d se o n t W r en s w e e i r i s t n a u d r r o n k el M B ee sp g ta n ll s in sh ta V W s i e c V n fa a h r a g N r t i i e e d W T l r o p in in pe c ew io n lf R r in r si ps h o u g g A a E e a r n a F g t a v e r c d s e n r y n en pa k a s io S T M s e Fr T O d t R o M sh d po r er r t u i p R f i u c e e a b s s El n fi er ep o st m r N ie e ips a r c in c c c p e y t e l h t r y il C i w s e h c l C ie n a e o r T a t A a g s n P S s s s t r u S i F w n e R Fe po pa m r o d o ee n i r n d a ps in is n pa a T c c st es V ta is pe r r d s r r e i i o t l e in t io h e ib i a d i t r g l t s n A er C g n s u io C a ie n ee g w Fe C n sp a l s s s T N V n a t l r W a st m T r ew en o m Sk e in r r p i V S B o e r i p O p R d a es a b a u g r il t r s a s ff a s ind a ig in e e i r k s n l i d l s g i i s T in A sh g n in Pr o l c it W io R El n r w s er n g g u s y o a o W in ec R s T a st p in s r V N r r a t el r T V s R t a k y e sh a C i d i d r a n n io ep w r fa sh o in io s Vo a g r g F ip s u S n s r r n s i i o r lu n t r pa s it es es W sp e oc A ps S T y g N s n y k c n r e h e o e i p o C et t s n a c So il w a er er r R a r T ee t il d R n l k e i t r t s a c e s B s em ep sp pr r s p er a s t ie u h a T i Fe So n P i n se o Se W t y es o r o in pe r sp r B g r i st i p n s c e s i p g i e e t r n n s s si o Sp ie n lf s ib t d T A r t o O t in a Ev o r a in Pr Fr B a T t d ie A n f es a r r i l r t g v fi g w s n s en l e in e t i i i en ic n ps d o c sh s a t in t i C S er n B M e R ta n E r i k s er in n l g g a V e d s ou A il e g r t L O e d s d s c C w ea ls c io V n io ff in T M t V o h o u a S W r i S n o g er u d i o a e k lu e r c a n W lu er o s n n N i d e n c l c si n O r R d s M r e s e l w s h s i t w ff o k u is s lf s po er h a ee a st l s C n e i W s i n a p h c c r a s V Fe W r pa r d y r o o e d h t o t A in C is st e r el ps e r C pe l c a s s g s an e r So u o a f i m P i S b r n W d a u n r d V o pa c a V C Fr t T i g r r i e a s o c n i o l a e r m T s e e e r ig l er ie es t r lu es m t a r y si E i k t i ll i i n h E v e C i ps n n t ie sh n le g s Ra e e a i S t y B g
r ip
T
BUCKS STUDENTS’ UNION IS MORE THAN A BAR BECAUSE...
February 2021 - Edition 93
2 The Bucks Student
Welcome In this edition: Sabb update . . . . . . . . . . 3 Still here to support you!
Editor’s update . . . . . . . 4 Some thoughts on donating blood from Jessy
BUCKS
BUCKS
Offered free meals in November for two weeks for students and staff
Supported students with the Bucks emergency allowance
WINS!
WINS!
Give to Refresh. . . . . . . . 5 Donations are still open
Page 6 - Bucks Wins! Peek behind the scenes of what the sabbs are doing
Bucks Wins . . . . . . . . . . . 6 We share our biggest wins of the year so far
Tamsin vs. the menstrual cup . . . . . . . . 8 Tamsin gives us the low down as part of our #BloodyGoodBucks period poverty campaign
Working together . . . 10 An exclusive interview between Tamsin and Rachel Cragg
Events calendar . . . . . 12
So 2021 still feels a little like 2020, but we’re already through the first month, so how hard can it be? I think I’m finally starting to feel grateful in some way for these ‘lockdowns’ amidst the cold weather - as having an excuse to stay in the warm isn’t looking so bad right now! If you’re not like me and can’t wait to get back to the Venue, Frat and your regularly scheduled activities - the end does seem in sight. It’s been a long and difficult road of lockdowns and guidelines but I hope that you’ve all made it through, enjoyed the downtime where you could and are coming out of lockdown happy and ready to go. Either way, it’s always good to talk about these things. So what have you got to say? We’re more than happy to publish your story or thoughts - just let us know if you have any content, articles, images, interviews or achievements you’re proud of, drop an email to editor@thebucksstudent.com to get started. For all advertising and media enquiries please contact the Students’ Union Communications and Marketing department.
Rusty recommends . . 14 Finance help . . . . . . . . . 16
Simon McDowell simon.mcdowell@bucks.ac.uk
Tim and Tash explain bursaries and loans
Oli Gunson oli.gunson@bucks.ac.uk
Wellbeing week. . . . . . 18
Nellie Hughes nellie.hughes@bucks.ac.uk
Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Veganuary. . . . . . . . . . . 21 Are you up to the challenge next year?
Page 8 - Catch up with our period poverty campaign
Articles in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of Bucks Students’ Union but are that of the specific author. View this edition online at bucksstudentsunion.org/media/ newspaperarchive. © 2020 Bucks Students’ Union
3
Sabb update
January edition 93 By Tamsin Grainger, Tom Featherstone, Tash Neal
Hello and welcome to another edition of The Bucks Student,
Tamsin Grainger - President
Firstly we hope everyone is ok. It feels like at the start of every one of these we start it the same in these times that we are living in. But we can’t stress enough during these uncertain times that it is more important than ever to make sure yourself, your family and friends are ok and keeping well. We have a lot coming up...
Tom Featherstone – VPSI
Tash Neal – VPEW
Firstly the We Stand by You campaign is in full flight. If you haven’t already seen the video that has been produced around the open letter, then go over the Bucks Student TV YouTube channel and take a look. As previously mentioned, the open letter is currently in the process of being sent out to the relevant MP’s and we are waiting for a response. And if you haven’t yet, please share all of the We Stand By You content all over your social media platforms, the more we speak about and share it the more likely some action is going to come off it at the other side. We are also proud to announce that our Period Poverty campaign has launched. We have placed some bags containing some free period products in bathrooms over our Wycombe and Uxbridge campuses. Here at Bucks Students’ Union we are committed to talking period poverty in a safe space on our website with the aim of ending the taboo surrounding menstruation and supporting our students. We feel like this is the first step in breaking the stigma. There will also be an evening coming up where you will get the opportunity to create reusable pads that you can keep or donate to women in need.
Thank you to everyone who bought tickets for the Brew Monday Raffle or got involved with our sessions. We raised a fantastic £84 from the raffle which will be going directly to the Samaritans. We will confirm next week the grand total that has been raised from the raffle and the collaboration with The Little Box of Happy’s motivational quote cards! Congratulations to Amy, Josie and Zoe who won one of our Amazon Voucher prizes as well. Don’t forget that the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day and you can call them anytime for free at 116 123. We are also excited to announce our first Wellbeing Week of 2021! Come along and join some of our exciting and developmental training sessions such Managing Difficult Emotions (hosted by Bucks Mind), Challenging Behaviour Awareness or Achieving your best. We also have an opportunity to come and have an open and honest chat with our Executive Officers as well as Thursday 11 February being dedicated to signposting our nursing students to different support resources across our social media platforms. Have a look on page 18 for more information on all of our opportunities across the week. We understand that this is a very distressing and uncomfortable time for all. We just want to say that our channels of contact are open if you feel like you need support.
4
Editor’s update
The Bucks Student By Jessy Clark
Editor’s update Hi all, Jessy here! For this edition I wanted to talk about my recent experience at a blood donation centre! I believe that whenever you’re given the chance to make a difference and do something good, you should absolutely take it! That’s why when I last checked Facebook and found that donor clinics were in dire need of blood, I booked the next available appointment. Giving blood isn’t for everyone It isn’t as adventurous as a beach clean-up or volunteering at an animal rescue shelter, but it fills you with pride having potentially saved someone’s life by taking less than an hour of your own. When I logged into Facebook, I noticed the menu on the icon bar had a suggestion for blood donations. This takes you to a listing of the nearest centres near you that need support. Selecting my nearest option, I redirected to the website where I registered, filled in my details, and selected an appointment time! It was that simple. Of course, I’m not fond of needles, injections, or the possibility of fainting, but I decided I wouldn’t let that stop me if I was perfectly eligible to become a donor. Let me start by saying that the practitioners and nurses were immensely kind and understanding of my worries considering I was a first-timer, as soon as I was sat in the chair I felt my nerves settle significantly and the nurse ensured I was comfortable and happy to continue every step of the way. Oddly enough, the most comforting part about the whole process is that there’s absolutely no pressure to go ahead with your donation and you can opt out at any point you feel the need to. You can even walk out the door while waiting in reception if you change your mind.
Why give blood? Everyday the NHS needs at least 5000 donations to meet the needs of patients across England. Knowing I was one of those people is so rewarding and also equally as encouraging! Giving blood saves lives and the donation you give is a lifeline in an emergency situation and for people who need long-term treatments. However, even though the NHS are looking for anyone to lend a hand, they also require particular donors the most, including male donors, black donors, and O negative donors.
If you would like to get involved with the Newspaper and writer’s newsgroup, you can always drop an email to us at editor@thebucksstudent.com or j_essyclark@hotmail.com.
5
Give to Refresh
January edition 93 By Jade Collis
Received an unwanted smelly set this Christmas? Instead of it ending up in landfill, why not donate it to Give to Refresh and give your unwanted gift a new loving home! Last academic year Bucks Students’ Union collaborated with the University and together created “Give to refresh”. This green initiative was created as both organisations believe that being clean is a basic human right, not a luxury or privilege and no one should have to live in hygiene poverty. Give To Refresh is in association with the Beauty Banks charity, who link donations of personal care and hygiene products for men and women to local registered charities (including food banks, homeless centres, refugees and secondary schools). Whatever is donated locally, stays local. Since the launch of this campaign there have been 889 donations. Last week these donations were given to one of our community charity partners, One Can Trust. Two student volunteers packed up the mini bus and donated a range of items from personal hygiene, baby bits and skin care. One Can Trust will now give these items in parcels to people in need.
We are always looking for donations for Give to Refresh and we hope other local charity partners will sign up for this initiative so donations can be spread amongst each organisation. If you received any personal hygiene products for Christmas that you don’t think you will use, why not drop them off at one of our Beauty Bank drop off points based at all 3 campuses. You can find these at both Students’ Union offices in High Wycombe and Uxbridge, main gateway reception and in the basin cafe in Aylesbury. What can be donated? Any unused and unopened beauty or hygiene products can be donated. For a full list see the below poster. Prevent your unwanted items from going to landfill and donate to Give to Refresh so they can be given a new home.
6
Introducing: Bucks Wins
The Bucks Student By Tamsin Grainger, Tash Neal, Tom Featherstone Here at Bucks, we get so much done, that sometimes it can be hard to keep up with! So we are introducing ‘Bucks Wins’ to keep you up to date with all our successes in how we’ve made life better for students at Bucks recently. So keep an eye on the paper to see all the things we’ve been up to!
BUCKS Tackled period poverty by offering period products inclusively across all our campuses
WINS!
BUCKS Ran a Virtual Freshers’ (and Refreshers’) Fair
BUCKS Successfully campaigned for the Uxbridge library to stay open over Christmas for students to study (for the first time ever!)
WINS!
WINS!
BUCKS Provided continued support over the Christmas break
WINS!
BUCKS Reinstated the No Detriment Policy reinstated for all of 2021
WINS!
BUCKS Invested in Student Minds Mental Health Framework
WINS!
7
Introducing: Bucks Wins
January edition 93
BUCKS BUCKS Encouraged the University to pay for COVID tests for students who are travelling home over the holidays
Offered free meals in November for two weeks for students and staff
WINS!
WINS!
BUCKS Established a hidden course costs working group
BUCKS Provided Christmas and holiday support packages for students in halls
WINS!
WINS!
BUCKS Supported students with the Bucks emergency allowance
WINS!
BUCKS Provided clear face masks to promote inclusivity for all
WINS!
BUCKS Reinstated the Equality and Diversity Committee
WINS!
8
Tamsin vs. the menstrual cup
The Bucks Student By Tamsin Grainger
Tamsin vs. the menstrual cup... Tamsin tries the cup as part of our #BloodyGoodBucks period poverty campaign! The idea of using a menstrual cup has always made me squeal a little bit and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. However, in an effort to try and be more sustainable, I thought I would give it a go and share my experience and hopefully encourage others to try it. Now I’d just like to say that as I am on the pill, and have been for a while now, my period tends to be extremely short and only every 3 months. Depending on what pill you go on, your Doctor may tell you that you don’t need a break between each month. I thought this would be important as it does affect my period and may affect yours too, but we’ll all experience this slightly differently.
The slightly cheaper ‘MaxMedix’ cup
Okay now that’s out the way let’s crack on. If you are anything like me money can sometimes be really tight so spending around £15 on period products each month can be a real pain… I mean £15 is a few bottles of wine or takeaway for one. So, for a one-off payment to last me ten years, moving on to a cup seemed like a wise choice. When I first set eyes on the £20 price tag I was taken aback, for this experiment I wanted to try the averaged priced cup and then a cheaper cup that was only £8.90 to see if there was a difference. For the cups themselves, the difference was quite obvious; The more expensive Mooncup (pictured below right) is a thicker silicone and has measurements on the side and a sturdy lip, all in a very cute cotton bag to keep it in with the added bonus of eco-friendly packaging. The cheaper MaxMedix (pictured below left) one was a noticeably thinner silicone and had no measurements or sturdy lip but I was surprised to see that it is slightly curved to help with the removal process. The packaging was mostly recyclable and although the bag was cute, it was definitely not a washable cotton.
Another difference right out of the box is the information that you get. The Mooncup has a huge amount of information in a leaflet that talks you through what to do when things go wrong, things to keep an eye out for and multiple options for cleaning and sterilising. Whereas the MaxMedix cup covered the basics of how to sterilise in boiling water and to insert and remove. The most confusing part for me was that MaxMedix said you could leave it in for 12 hours and only boil for 3-4 mins and Mooncup say to only leave it in for a maximum of 8 hours and boil for 5-15 mins. I went with the more extensive instructions just to be safe.
The more expensive ‘Mooncup’ cup
9
Tamsin vs. the menstrual cup
January edition 93
“I started my period pretty young and I will never forget this moment most of the other girls I was friends with hadn’t got their period yet. I was in a Year 7 geography lesson where were getting up and doing something active. I sat on a table to listen to the next instructions and when I got up I realised that the blood had literally gone through my trousers and on to the table. Everyone was asking how it got there and who was sat there and I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life?? Now I look back I just find it funny and wish I’d just owned the fact it was my period and that I’d had a leak as it happens to so many people, so often!” – a student experience Now onto the prep and basically cook the cups in boiling water before I use them. For me, this was probably the worst bit of the whole process. Due to lockdown I am at home, personal space is limited and with an 18-year-old brother in the house, well, the idea of boiling my period products and him spotting me was a daunting one. But you only need to do this for 5-12 mins, and I managed to do it on the sly. First question now it’s out of the box, how in the hell is that going to fit up there? Both cups came with detailed instructions that I found easy to follow and I had a little practice with how to fold the cup. Once I’d got the folding down, I found the most important thing is
to relax and not get too stressed out about it as that makes it more difficult. I would also give it a go before you start your period so that when it comes to needing it to go up there, you’ll know what to do with no worries. Throughout the time I was using it I felt no discomfort, whether this is because I am used to using tampons or I was just way too busy to think about it, I don’t know. One of the biggest perks is that I didn’t have to take it out or change it anywhere near as often as my regular tampons, which for me is a big plus. As I mentioned earlier, I’m fortunate enough to have a rather light and short period so I didn’t have any leaks with the cup. Now the bit where we dread turning our bathrooms into a murder scene, the removal. I did find this a tad awkward and I reckon it does take a little time and practice. I eventually got the hang of it but the first couple of times, it was a little uncomfortable. I would also say because I was in the safe space of my own home, I knew I could take my time and use all the space I needed which I think is super important when you’re making a big swap like this you don’t want to be rushed or disturbed. The cup was easy to rinse out between uses, just tip the contents down the loo and then a quick rinse under the cold tap before popping it back in. In a public setting I would possibly struggle a little especially with the cleaning but again this
would just take some time and getting used to. So, my overall verdict? I’m sold. I’m all for saving a few pennies but I would highly recommend splashing the cash on a more expensive cup. The quality and the amount of helpful information you get is so important. I also found that the more expensive was more comfortable and easier to put in. I would highly recommend giving it a go, not only will you save a huge amount of money throughout the year, but you are also massively helping the environment. I was nervous at first but now feel really comfortable making the change.
“I am unfortunate enough to have really heavy and painful periods and I always have ever since I got them, despite being on the pill! I bought menstrual cups a while back, trying to be a bit more green... 3 years on I still haven’t dared to try them. I just can’t understand how ‘that’ will fit up ‘there’. I always feel like I’ve been slightly shamed for using pads, with all girls saying they use tampons but they’ve just never worked for me! I’m so glad this campaign is up and running so that girls will be able to see that whatever their bad/funny experiences with leaking, flow, pain levels and what they used throughout their period is all completely normal! – another student experience!
10
Working together
The Bucks Student By Tamsin Grainger, Rachel Cragg
Working together Bucks New University’s recently appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Digital, Professor Rachel Cragg, and our own SU President, Tamsin Grainger, talk about the No Detriment Policy and other measures in place to ensure you still succeed in your studies during this pandemic. The pandemic has affected so many aspects of the student experience, what are the University’s and SU’s top priorities during this time? Rachel Cragg: Our key priority at this time is to ensure that you are able to continue in and complete your studies. We want you to be able to receive your education, for it to remain of quality, and for you to be able to progress to the next chapter of your career with confidence. This means that we want to keep students, staff and our communities safe. We want to mitigate the impact of restriction on social contact and opening of facilities to the best of our ability within government guidelines. And we want to support you in achieving the best possible outcomes. Tamsin Grainger: As a Students’ Union we value every part of the student experience, but obviously at times like these this looks very different than normal. We are working hard to try and create opportunities for students to stay connected with their communities and friendship groups, whether that’s your course cohort, club or society, as well as enabling our members to access the recreational and developmental sessions you
are used to through the Big Deal while supporting those most affected by these trying circumstances through our advice and representation teams. It’s not been easy but we’ve generated a wide programme of virtual events, activities and support structures as well as planning to deliver all the things you love best about your Union experience as restrictions ease in the coming months. On top of this our main priority has been to ensure that all students are heard and that your concerns are considered right at the very top of the University. Every day we are advocating for Bucks Students and lobbying on your behalf, we are in challenging times but it’s as important as it ever was that every individual at Bucks gets the best experience possible. Do we have a No-Detriment Policy (NDP) and what does it actually mean in simple terms? RC: Yes, we do. We put a NDP in place last year to ensure the pandemic doesn’t negatively affect your outcomes. Simply put; we have adopted emergency regulations to ensure that our assessment processes acknowledge the impact of
the pandemic on you whilst maintaining the value and quality of your academic award. This policy is in place to provide for additional measures to support you at times when circumstances beyond the University’s control may impact on your studies and your academic performance. The NDP will be in place for the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year. These emergency regulations acknowledge you have faced disruption in your personal and academic life and cover Mitigating Circumstances and Extensions, late submission of coursework, and reassessment opportunities, and consider detrimental impact at award stage. We have a detailed section of FAQs about the No Detriment policy on our website. TG: No student’s academic success should be adversely affected by the pandemic and it’s incredibly important that the university puts measures in place to ensure against this. We were pleased when the institution agreed to roll out their NDP for the rest of the year and hope that it gives students the assurance they need. If you have any concerns or if there’s more you think needs doing, then we want to hear about it.
11
Working together
January edition 93 By Tamsin Grainger, Rachel Cragg
Like a lot of people, some students are having financial problems. What are you doing to help? TG: We’ve been in constant talks with the university about financial support and again, we were really pleased to see the Bucks Emergency Allowance extended. Our Advice Centre our working really hard with many, many student inquiries about finances and money concerns and we are helping wherever we can. We don’t believe that students should be paying for halls when they can’t access campusbased facilities, and for most, their learning experience has changed so radically so its right that the University honoured their guarantee not to charge students in such a situation. I know this has been a huge relief to many and we thank the University for dealing with it quickly. However, many students don’t live in University run accommodation and we support the VC’s move to write an open letter to landlords asking them to consider helping their student tenants and we are hosting a template letter that the University created on our website for students to use if they want to contact their landlord directly. (bucksstudentsunion. org/support/advice/ accommodationproblems)
We have also written to ministers and MPs urging them to support Universities so that they have the finances to do right by students in these unprecedented times. RC: We realise that this may be a tough time for many of you; particularly those who rely on part time work to support their studies, those with caring responsibilities, or those affected by COVID-19. To date, more than 1,500 students have received grants totalling in excess of £245,000 through the University’s Bucks Emergency Allowance, which was set up last year to help students facing financial hardship. We’ve also given rent rebates to students in our halls from the last week of December until the end of February, saving them between £600 and £1000 each. You can find out about other ways we can help you financially, on our website. The situation is changing all the time and we are keeping the need for financial support under review. I’m not studying a future critical worker course so am not having any face-to-face teaching at the moment, can I still access facilities on campus? RC: Good question. Sadly, the latest lockdown and government rules means that we are not able to open all of our facilities or
deliver face-to-face for many of our courses. We will do all we can to get students back on campus and benefiting from our on-campus study facilities as soon as we are allowed, and it is safe to do so. Our campuses are open for those who will benefit from access and live close by. We have an at-aglance guide to what facilities are open and when on our website. This includes the library at High Wycombe and quiet spaces to study, or just somewhere to access wifi and keep warm. If you are going to come to campus we encourage you to take an asymptomatic test. The team are very friendly and ready to welcome you for twice weekly testing between Monday and Friday, 9am-5pm, at the West Wing building on the High Wycombe Campus. You can either book for appointments, or walk in. But please remember to bring your ID cards! TG: The easiest way to check what is open and our most up to date opening times is on our website; bucksstudentsunion. org/news/article/6013/Keychanges-to-our-services. You can also check out the events we have on at bucksstudentsunion.org/ whatson!
That’s all we have time for in this edition, but you can read the rest on our website; bucksstudentsunion.org/news
12
Events calendar | 1 Feb - 14 Feb
The Bucks Student
We may be in lockdown, but we’re still providing you with all the events to help pass the time! If you don’t see an event listed below, check online nearer the time; bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson
Monday 1
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 3
Thursday 4
PE with Joe Wicks
Virtual tours: Metropolitan Museum of Art
PE with Joe Wicks Refresher’s Fair
Virtual tours: National Women’s History Museum
10am - 3pm What’s on page
All day - What’s on page
9am - YouTube
Virtual tours: The National Aquarium
All day - What’s on page
All day - What’s on page
9am - YouTube
Friday 5
Saturday 6
Sunday 7
Monday 8
PE with Joe Wicks
Look out for something big to be announced for your Saturdays soon...
Kahoot Quiz: GLEE
PE with Joe Wicks
9am - YouTube
Virtual tours: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
8pm - Kahoot
9am - YouTube
Virtual tours: Camp Nou, FC Barcelona
All day - What’s on page
All day - What’s on page
Tuesday 9
Wednesday 10
Thursday 11
Friday 12
Virtual tours: National Museum of the United States Air Force
PE with Joe Wicks
To be announced...
PE with Joe Wicks
All day - What’s on page
9am - YouTube
9am - YouTube
Virtual tours: MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
All day - What’s on page
Saturday 13
Sunday 14
Frankenstein: A New Musical
Kahoot Quiz: General Knowledge
8pm - What’s on page
8pm - Kahoot
Have a burning idea for an event, or need to get in touch with our events team? Drop an email to suevents@bucks.ac.uk. We’re always on the look out for new activities, and are happy to listen to whatever you fancy doing. Or, maybe you’d like to have a go at hosting a virtual event? We can do that too so let us know!
n g
a r ti a o Sk a po b r y d sp m ie O ig a d n a pe Fe k es A in f pa s n T il o e s l n r s w f So g r st s ie m r l h Ev r l t s i p i c ip B a s s g y o t C c ib o e i en Bin r s R M n T n a p V i P r r a et g d W r a s B d s t a er r Sp Pr d s t t l s in i e A i d i r i p i n s el l n n r es o c w Fr io V in Ev si s d V g t P g i W h r a f n o in t a C r i t R e a a e t n r y A u o in lu o in sh r a B n g M s g N r g M n s w st r d u i d t g i e e t e d n n e t e E k n R s s w io r a in V r i y d r M t y v S s c e s c c r So en k in s ee e Sk g sp pr en er h i C h h d l il So o g N s o a u c a a s Re c il Se C ls ps rin ew es Sk e ts u ie n n p F h c p a l C s n e e d M e W d t g a s r i m s i n s et c a r R i ie ll sp is er C es n io W t F t o p i t u o l W e d s r i ie a T a s a e r e b s n c el T u is es r r ta t n t ig s F k pe el h r n C B io a in e al y fa ta s W s h a i e c n in a t p f r in l h B st g er C n n i s a io e s r m t C i l o S o d i n l r e i n ib o a pa s R T o n fa u is d V Ev e ps O A g ic c r m a Fe a n r in a e w El f i i i r S d p s g ll er en p e O f s r S e g e Fr es a T io t a e s ic t n o O s s C r s ff i ig t ib r si it s c es a f er e a E s R M ic d A f ie o sh a n y m le B n V a ic s er V s er n s Ne ll t u pa w el sp o C d e a B c i s e se w a R es r c o io lu in W s t r r fa V V o i e r s h u g i s s s R o a C p d o r o d n pa a it n r n V a r lu o r in t n B r c N Se n e te s s o y V d e d s u i s k p i e g d n s n o it v lu l io er ss r w er W P s e is d El t V ic l s R y h n C r i n i e a i e e s M o F o e n o n a t i e e e s p t n e p r N r g er c n a g r T ps n a R ee st r t si C ew te k t s t in r t ep pe B i es c a r io t i r n s i i s Lea M o T u g b p h h y m i g i r r sp Fr n r n se n a s en er n a o d es pa g C g a s ll a n ta T ps e s er R o c S en T i A e sh r d O pe n ig ep k h r n u C w Ev ti T sh a i in f A u i a s i n t R e n a r l r p f r F i e a o e d a c r g n a ls en s ic ip t s r a e v r n t il s i e d se es in n T er C ic d io R r t A io V T A r g n a s u h a s i i W S O c a e r n n ip n w s F t e st e m r a e f g a r g s e a L r s R T W a C si st fi N pa d si lf n ea y t s O r u r ew sit t c e s o o i T E i s a A f a d o ig y m po er d io y t v r r n Se So ba w n r s fic n y er y sp en k n a s s n e s l r s a R s p c s n R e l s W s a t ep t O h o Sp ie r S ep sp C i h P E V O p o s o o ff s r o o le ip r t r R o er o n r o Pr c ps t r ie u in s ff es a i l C e s r c r i c V k r A ic u et s d se in o t t t t e e o s c P s n A i T i s io n er r u C es Fr o h i n t r a l t w B r e t n s o u o i t P i e n d s i i s n n a c es V n u ps n a a er r ps s em N m g t t il B en V d r t t in h B e i io V pa rd u i o s i e i n n w e i n y o C t o u e s e n Sk A g lu s r g n Fr F g a i s r n e ig lu d n s w e s t i p S n il g in st n es b W n Sk er po n a O a B Tr R M t O g ls a Se s g u t h i r p f u e o e f b i ll S i se fi ee a er r er er d n st ll r ss f r a k V T t i g i s c c k W s n r c ll i r a i i s s y s l e n h o sh in in er R a r ls r el T g W n Ev A po a si in W g Se g s an V r S o s s R f d d o o i e t e i d a p a s p e T r v io W n n r y V si lf Tr T s is s ci V r C r d t ic g u k o r e o e o o e a i e e a sh o e lf lu a in t a R Fr A lu u n N in Pr r T ie n i w r E s ew ep t C a o n R e n r i es Le n sp le s N se n in a in r in u ps t r a a t e g C h e m a e c o e E g s s r n t ee g w B e o s e l p t d p r i d s r en r n ec a u r io So a t sp T Fr er po t s ind B in g T r pe in s Sk r ig u ta s n a r e s s c a g i r se g W Pr il n s r sh h es n a pe Se ie C Sk n t t g i ls s s n o o sp p t io in ss T er r C T sp T il r ie u r Pr A B a r ti V o r io M n k n l s s a u o W a t a T i d r s c e n
t
ie
It’s been a bit of a different year for Bucks Students’ Union, but we’re still more than a bar!
1.
2.
Get involved on Twitter, post a story to Instagram or reply to a Facebook post with #BucksSUMoreThanABar.
For every hashtag, story, comment, or reply we count, 10p will be put into a pot.
3.
4.
Then, a hashtagged entry will be picked at random...
The winner will get the entire sum of money!
@bucksstudentsunion
14
Rusty recommends
The Bucks Student
Rusty recommends E T A N I M O N U YO YOURSELF! Nope, not your usual event offering, but Rusty is taking the time this week to tell you why you should nominate yourself for the upcoming elections! It’s obviously been a tough and strange year, full of a whole lot of uncertainty and discord, where a lot of people may have been unhappy with how students have been treated at some point. And I’m sure at some point you’ve had ideas about how you would want to fix it. These upcoming elections offer the perfect opportunity for you to throw your hat into the ring and be involved with top level decision making to make life better for students at Bucks. Now you can obviously nominate yourself for the big three sabbatical officer roles of President, VPEW and VPSI – but there are a whole host of other elections going on that might catch your eye too.
As well as the sabbatical roles, we have eight Executive Officer positions. These are voluntary roles and each officer is responsible for a specific student group, helping the Union to gain a better understanding of their experience here at Bucks, as well as to better reperesent them where possible. The Executive Officer roles are split into two groups of four. The first group is based on how an individual self-defines and you’re only eligible to stand for one of these positions if you define to the roles available.
These are; BAME Students’ Officer, Women’s Officer, LGBT Students’ Officer, Disabled Students’ Officer. The second group of four is based on your entry into the University and you can only stand for one of these positions if you met the criteria when joining the institution. These are; Mature Students’ Officer, International Students’ Officer, Postgraduate Students’ Officer, Part-time Student’s Officer. So what are you waiting for? Head to bucksstudentsunion.org/ elections to find out more and nominate yourself so you can start helping make life better for students at Bucks.
Download the FREE app Discounts Legal ID Campus Life
Join today
TOTUM.COM @WEARETOTUM
16
Finance help
The Bucks Student By Tash Neal, Tim Dixon
Financial Support, Bursaries, Scholarships, Bucks Hardship Fund, Grants, Short Term Loan, & Benefits This isn’t going to be the most glamorous article, but we sincerely hope it can help. There are more details for all of the bursaries on the website on their Financial Support, Bursaries and Scholarships page or through this link, where there is more detail on the terms and conditions for each bursary and support available at Bucks. If you have any questions please email thestudentcentre@bucks.ac.uk Bursaries Gypsy Roma, Traveller, Showmen and Boater (GRTSB) Bursary This bursary is for students from the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showmen and Boater (GRTSB) communities. The university are offering £1,000 each year to support you during your studies (pro rata for those studying part time). In addition, they will offer you accommodation all year round. To apply for this bursary, visit the university at the Student Information Centre or by emailing bursary@bucks.ac.uk Care Leaver Bursary If you’re a Care Leaver, the university will offer you £1,000 each year to help you during your studies (pro rata for those studying part time). In addition, they will offer you accommodation all year round. If you have entered your Care leaver status on your UCAS application the university will be in touch. Alternatively, you can email bursary@bucks.ac.uk or visit the Student Centre. Estranged Student Bursary If you’re an estranged student, the University will offer you £1000 each year to support you during your studies (pro rata for those studying part time). In addition, they will offer you accommodation all year round. To apply for this bursary, visit the university at the Student Information Centre or by emailing bursary@bucks.ac.uk Bucks Students Success Bursary If you are a UK student from a low-income family, high deprivation area or an area where very few students go to University, you may be eligible for a bursary of up to £1000 per year of study to support living and study costs. If you want to apply for this bursary, please contact bursary@bucks.ac.uk for more information.
Social Work Bursary If you are enrolled on a course leading to registration as a social worker, you can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost in year one. You may also be eligible to receive support in the form of a NHS bursary. There are specific details for the BSc (Hons) Social Work tuition fees, MSc Social Work tuition fees. Please check out the University website for more detailed information. Bucks Future Success This is available to first year full-time undergraduate home and EU students at entry level (Level 4 and foundation year) for September 2020, January 2021 and February 2021 entry. This package gives you £150 credit which does not need to be paid back to buy specific goods for your study such as specialist equipment, module related books and recommended resources at a discounted rate from the John Smiths student store. This is available to all students from the criteria above with no application process.
17 January edition 93
Grants
Loans
Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Learning Support Fund; Training Grant, Parental Support
Short Term Loan
If you are enrolled on a Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health course you may be eligible for a government grant of at least £5000 a year to help with living costs, that will you not need to pay back. Parental support allowance is for students with childcare for one or more children. You will receive £2000 if you have at least one child under 15 years of age, or 17 for a child registered with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
These loans are for fully enrolled United Kingdom students who have no debt to the University and are in temporary financial crisis due to a delay in payment of their student funding. These loans are a maximum of £50 to £100 dependant on circumstance, are interest fee and are expected to be paid back within one month. If you are in need of one of these loans please contact suadvice@bucks.ac.uk who can support you in the first instance.
Applicants for any of the NHS LSF allowances must be eligible for tuition fee and maintenance loan support from the Student Loans Company (SLC). For more information visit nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund Scholarships
Benefits
Academic Achievement Scholarship
Disability Assistance
The University will automatically contact you if you qualify for this scholarship and you have met all the conditions.
This support is in place to assist students to make sure you get the most from your experience in an inclusive learning environment. The Disability Assistance team can assist with applications for Disabled Students’ Allowances and provide dyslexia screenings. By registering with the University, they can put reasonable adjustments in place to support with your studies for long term disabilities and temporary ones. The team can help with registration and disclosure, as well as reasonable adjustments for placements as well to make sure that the most appropriate placements are given.
Vice Chancellor’s International Student Scholarship If you are a self-funded International Students paying overseas fees, who are on a full-time degree programme starting in either January 2021 or September 2021 you may qualify for a scholarship of £1,500. Bucks Hardship Fund This fund is in place to support full and part-time enrolled home students who are in receipt of their maximum financial statutory support and are in need of financial assistance to help access and remain at university EU students can also apply to the Bucks Hardship Fund, but they must be able to demonstrate that they have made adequate provision to fund their Tuition Fees and living costs. In the first instance please contact suadvice@bucks.ac.uk for more information.
Welfare benefits You may be able to claim universal credit as a full-time student if any of the following applies to you; you’re responsible for a child, you live with your partner and they’re eligible for Universal Credit, you’re disabled and have limited capability for work and are getting: Personal Independence Payment/Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance/Armed Forces Independence Payment. To apply for Universal Credit, visit the website at gov.uk/universal-credit
18
Wellbeing week
The Bucks Student By Emily West
Wellbeing Week
Monday 8 – Friday 12 February
We know times are tough right now and we wanted to provide you with something that would both support your mental health as well as creating some new and exciting opportunities. So we are excited to bring to you our very first Wellbeing Week of 2021! Come and have a taster of any of our sessions including Honest Hours with our Executive Officers, all available to book through our What’s On page. We will also be dedicating a day to signposting support for our Nursing Students, so you know what is available to you now whilst you are a Student Nurse as well as once a fully registered Nurse. (On Thursday 11 February) In the current circumstances, protecting your own mental health and wellbeing has never been so important and with this in mind, we have a packed schedule of wellbeing workshops, takeovers, fitness classes and more to help you cope with everything that may seem out of your control at the moment.
We have plenty of workshops throughout the week including: Achieve your Academic Best Monday 8 February Nathan Ghann will be joining us to share his personal story and deliver a masterclass on how you can achieve your academic best in the current ‘normal’. This session will really help you plan your work, understand how to prioritise, and improve memory recall in preparation for exams. Personal Resilience and Wellbeing Wednesday 10 February In a fast-paced world facing challenges, it’s crucial to have skills to deal with change. Having a high level of resilience skills enables you to thrive in the face of stressful conditions in life. In this workshop you will learn techniques to increase resilience and develop different ways to respond to change.
Managing Difficult Emotions Friday 12 February Delivered by Bucks Mind, this course is designed to promote an understanding of emotional intelligence, the role of emotions and strategies to control difficult emotions. We also have Albey Brookes doing a takeover to answer all your questions on the performing arts industry and another takeover from Keiran from Middle Men available to give tips and advice on male mental health. Fitness classes are running all week and are available to book online via the Gateway gym page. All workshops and events are absolutely FREE, and no deposits will be required when booking these sessions. We are all hoping that the year will get better from here, but in the meantime, we hope that this week will help give you some time to focus on yourself, your mental health, and your personal wellbeing.
19
Challenging Behaviour Awareness 10am - noon Achieve Your Academic Best noon - 1.30pm
Tuesday 9 February Mental Health Awareness 10am - noon Honest Hour – International students 5 - 6pm
Wednesday 10 February Personal Wellbeing and Resilience 10am - noon Honest Hour – Women students noon - 1pm Goal Setting 2 - 4pm Albey Brookes Instagram Takeover 1 - 4pm (for dance and performing arts students)
Thursday 11 February Mindful Self-care 10am - noon (for nursing students - keep an eye on socials!)
Friday 12 February Managing Difficult Emotions 2 - 4pm Honest Hour – part-time students noon - 1pm
All Week Fitness Classes with the Gateway Gym Check our What’s On page
January edition 93
Monday 8 February
20 The Bucks Student
Activities update
By Emily West Welcome back to all our returning members and welcome to all our new members! We understand that you may be busy with exams and assignments, but once these have finished, we want you to take
full advantage of all the amazing opportunities offered by your award winning Students’ Union, all FREE courtesy of the Big Deal! We have a packed schedule to help you through February, as
well as our sessions dedicated to your wellbeing running through wellbeing week from Monday 8 February, we also have the following opportunities coming up to give your CV a boost….
Maybe you have something different in mind? If you have an activity or skills session that you would like to take part in, please do not hesitate to get in touch! We love hearing your ideas and providing opportunities that you want! Contact us at surecactivities@bucks.ac.uk and we will do our best to help. Disabilities Awareness
Public Speaking
Challenging Conversations
This FREE course will help you understand how to create a working environment of equality and fairness in compliance with The Equality Act (2010). Developing an understanding of conditions will help ensure that you can overcome any uncertainty relating to disability.
Make sure you’re always ready to speak in front of an audience! Attending this FREE workshop will provide you with practical tips and advice on public speaking and presenting. This session will help to develop confidence, address nerves and deliver engaging speeches in a friendly environment that will enable you to try out techniques and develop your own personal style. Whether you will be speaking in front of a lecture theatre, as an election candidate, or you are an experienced public speaker looking to refresh your skills, this session is a must.
Especially booked in for our nursing students and those on other health and social care courses, join this FREE workshop and learn how to hold difficult conversations with patients, clients and their families.
Guitar Lessons
If you need any support to enhance your academic experience, while we can’t welcome you to our office as we usually would, we are still here to support you and we will be more than happy to help wherever we can. Please drop an email to sutraining@bucks.ac.uk.
Presenting Yourself Online As communication is now shared globally through technology, it is important for you to gain the skills, knowledge and best practises for presenting yourself professionally online. Join this FREE course to learn how to identify your strengths and weaknesses as a communicator, as well as the chance to practice these skills and gain valuable feedback on your performance.
Have you ever wanted to learn guitar? Whether you are just starting out or looking to improve your technique, we have a professional guitar tutor available for one to one FREE sessions all available online from the comfort of your own home!
We have a diverse and varied programme arranged for you and you can attend as many sessions as you like. Also coming up soon, we have: Time Management, Challenging Behaviour Awareness, Diabetes Awareness, Online Escape Rooms (coming soon!) and much, much more!
You can book onto any activity through our website so be sure to keep an eye out on bucksstudentsunion.org ‘What’s On’ page – don’t miss out by not reserving your place early on!
21
Veganuary reflections
January edition 93 By Sydney Owen
It’s the first of January, you’re very hungover from the New Year festivities and on top of that, you’ve eaten half of your body weight in mostly chocolate for breakfast and a lot of alcohol for the past week. A great way to start the year is by trying a plant-based diet. This year Veganuary had a record number of people sign up. I have been vegan for almost two years now, and every other person I have met has asked many questions on why I do it and proceeded to tell me why they just simply couldn’t give up their current diet. I’m not here to give my opinion on veganism, I just want to give the answers to the questions I’m asked most and hopefully make it seem like a much easier choice.
Firstly, why vegan? Everyone has their reasons. Some people change their diet simply because they love animals, to give up more processed foods or for environmental reasons. Mine was actually none of these, although it was part of what persuaded me. I learnt I was lactose intolerant and discovered how easily I could give up dairy and I was already considering giving up meat, so naturally it just made sense to plunge into a vegan diet. However, I recommend if you’re transitioning to slowly make swaps because making drastic changes can be very harmful to your body. Do I have a favourite vegan dish? My favourite vegan dishes don’t differ much from my previous favourites. However, my favourite dishes are probably spaghetti bolognese and bangers and mash with Linda McCartney rosemary sausages! Is it healthier to become vegan? I’m not sure if I would describe myself as ‘healthier’ since becoming vegan, however, I have noticed weight loss. The main thing now is that I’m much more conscious of what I’m putting into my body and just how much processed food is about. I find it much easier to insert more fruit and veg into my diet now and that does make me feel healthier.
Vegan product launches from big name brands can be really exciting and can be a great way to make other swaps in and out of your diet. The way British supermarkets have embraced Veganuary this year has been truly game changing – I have so many options now. They are not using it as a marketing opportunity but instead are promoting the benefits of plant-based eating and encouraging people to try it. The same can be said for takeaways, I have been tasting many more now that restaurants and outlets are offering vegan options. For example, the Greggs vegan roll is now a guilty pleasure of mine. Other places include KFC’s vegan chicken burger, Subway’s ‘Taste like chicken’ sub and Costa’s Cheeze and Quorn ham toastie or BBQ jackfruit wrap. They also have a wide selection of vegan cakes. Wanting to try veganism or even give Veganuary a try next year? Just do it! Even if it means just swapping out the meat in one meal for the meat substitute or trying No-Meat Monday. Also, cooking at home can make it easier to see how different but easy the swaps can be.
% 50 off pizza when you spend £30 or more online
use CODE: STUDY£30 24/26 Castle Street High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 6RG
01494 539539
DELIVERY UNTIL 3AM THUR, FRI & SAT
opening hours: 11am - 1AM SUN - Wed 11am - 3AM Thu, FRI & SAT closed for collection: 12am mon-sun
/DominosPizza
@Dominos_UK
StudentsOfDominos
Click
Tap the app
Available on delivery or collection. Deal valid online only. 50% valid on pizza only, all other items will be charged at full menu price. Full terms and conditions see menu or online. Offer can be withdrawn or amended without notice on all please. Offer can be withdrawn or amended without notice. Offer can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Expires 31/5/2021