IN THIS EDITION
Do YOU look
PAUL CH UC KLE DJ SET and MEEt & grEEt
THE CLASSIEST VENUE PHOTOS
NOMINATIONS
like a leader? PLUS LOTS MORE!
January 2019 - Edition 78
A NIGHT NOT TO BE MISSED
THE OFFICIAL FOOD OF
BUCKS STUDENT LIFE
EVERY SINGLE DAY VALID ON MEDIUM OR LARGE PIZZA ONLY
TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE…ONE CODE, TWO PIZZAS
DON’T FORGET THE CODE!
JUST USE CODE: 24/26 CASTLE STREET, HIGH WYCOMBE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, HP13 6RG
01494 539539 /DominosPizza
@Dominos_UK
PIZZA241
AT THE CHECKOUT OPENING HOURS: 11AM - 1AM MON - SUN CLOSE FOR COLLECTION: 12AM MON-SUN
DELIVERY UNTIL 1AM
StudentsOfDominos
Click
Tap the app
*Buy one get one free on medium & large pizza only. Valid online only. Free pizza must be equal or lesser value than the first. Not valid with any other offer. Offer can be withdrawn without notice. Available in participating stores only. Student ID required. EXP 31-5-19
3
A Word from the Editor.
EDITOR'S INTRO The #BucksSUMoreThanABar competition is back! Previous prize pools have gone as high as £200 and beyond!. Find out how you can enter on page 5.
Contributors Eliza Gent • Lauren O'Shea • Georgia Nosal • Charlie Cotton Mark Sweeney • Kath Dunn • Rhona Noel • Sarah Jackson Claudia Waghorne • Kat Frei • Ellie Freeman • Laura Bailey • Athena Pickering • Megan Staples • George Sleeth Lewis Boyling • Brittani Oldham • Ali Mao Mahad Giulio Magliano • Claire Barrett • Jade Clifford • Paul Morgan Samuel Broad • Owen Jones • Holly Wheeler Stuart Eastwood • Alex Ditchburn • Oli Gunson • Greg Pike Want to see your name in the list above? Want to have your writing or artwork on show to thousands of people? Get involved. Email editor@thebucksstudent.com
Advertising For all advertising and media enquiries please contact the Students’ Union Communications and Marketing department. Simon McDowell - simon.mcdowell@bucks.ac.uk 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/communications. © 2019 Bucks Students’ Union
If required, this document can be made available in different formats. Please contact Bucks Students' Union for more information.
Hello and welcome back to what’s going to
campaigns and of course, Varsity. Be sure to
be an incredible term, I hope you all had a
keep an eye out for these events so that you
fantastic winter break! 2019 will be a year full
can get involved and make the most out of what
of opportunity, adventure and some incredible
Bucks has to offer.
journeys but what will this year mean to you?
If you are keen to try something new this year,
For me 2019 is going to be the year I (hopefully) graduate, (definitely) adopt a bunch more cats and (maybe) figure out what I want to do with my life. Who am I kidding, I don’t know what I want for tea tonight let alone what I want to do with my life.
then why not write for us? We are always looking for new and exciting articles and if you think you would like to give this a go then send me an email (editor@thebucksstudent.com). I would love to have a chat with you and talk about whatever your
In 2019 I am very excited to see all the incredible
passion may be. Make sure that 2019 is the year
things the students at Bucks are going to
that you take a step out of your comfort zone and
achieve and you could play a massive role
make the most out of your university experience.
in this. Throughout the year you will be given
Whether that’s writing for the Bucks Student,
many opportunities to get involved in amazing
volunteering with your fellow students or joining a
and rewarding activities such as volunteering,
society, make 2019 the year you do it.
January Issue
By Eliza Gent
4 January Issue
Sabbatical Officers.
By Lauren O'Shea, Georgia Nosal & Charlie Cotton
AN UPDATE FROM YOUR SABBS CHARLIE COTTON LAUREN O'SHEA VICE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
GEORGIA NOSAL VICE PRESIDENT EDUCATION & WELFARE
What a busy first term we have had, with students getting involved in lots of different activities. All student based councils have been busy, discussing matters such as mental health, bystander intervention, and sexual harassment.
Welcome back! I hope everyone is feeling refreshed after the break and ready for the new term! People always used to tell me that time flies at University but I think as a Sabb the days and weeks just disappear.
I hope you all had a relaxing break and are refreshed ready for semester 2! We have got so much to look forward to with RepCon (Wednesday 20 February), It Starts With You and #BucksSUMoreThanABar!
I’ve got a couple of exciting things to share with you all! The car parking trial that we rolled out last term has been approved to continue! This means for those of you who had permits last term will need to pop into the office to collect a new one. These new permits will last until Easter and the scheme will be reviewed by the University again then.
#BucksSUMoreThanABar is such a lovely campaign because it gives you the chance to tell us how you’ve been involved during your time at Bucks. I got involved by working behind the bar and from that I learned lots about what else the Union offers. I then got elected as a student rep, RAG ambassador and now VPEW!
My second exciting point is regarding the National Student Survey which is filled out by undergrads at the end of their three years! The University has agreed to donate money to our RAG charities if 80% participation is reached across the different course areas. If all areas hit the 80% participation target over £2,000 will be donated from the University to RAG! I’m so eager to see what this term has to bring and of course I’m excited for ELECTIONS to see who the new student leaders will be!
If you guys have any idea big or small on how we (The Union) or the University could improve or change, don’t forget about Student Ideas. This is a forum for you to propose new ideas with the support of a Seconder, which will be bought to Union Council and discussed whether we (Sabbs) should take it forward.
The second term will also be filled with great opportunities for students to get involved in, the biggest of these events being Varsity. Varsity is the single biggest event that is run by the Students’ Union selling over 500 tickets. This year we travel to face Roehampton in their own back yard, with both Universities battling to win the prestigious Roebuck trophy. Last year Varsity ended in a draw, with Roehampton retaining the trophy as a result of their 2017 victory. Varsity is a great day to be a part of, whether you are a player or spectator, make sure you buy your tickets from the Bucks Students’ Union website as soon as you can, you don’t want to miss this event.
Get in touch: Charlie: charlie.cotton@bucks.ac.uk Lauren: lauren.oshea@bucks.ac.uk Georgia: georgia.nosal@bucks.ac.uk
Bucks Vpsi
@BucksSUVPSI
Bucks SU Pres
@BucksSUPres
Bucks Vpew
@BucksSUVPEW
5 January Issue
2.
1.
10p For every card and hashtag we count, 10p will
Post on Twitter or Instagram by filling out a comment card.
3.
10 February comment card or online entry will be drawn at random.
4.
The winner will
6 January Issue
Nominations.
By Mark Sweeney
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN
Do YOU look like a leader? #BSUElections It’s hard to believe that we’re at this stage of the year already but Elections Time is Coming and nominations for the 2019/20 elections are now open! There’s so many different student leadership positions on offer so this could be your chance to get involved and make a real change.
Mature (starting your course at the age of 21 or above), Part-time and Postgraduate Executive Officers, are all based on your point of entry to the University. The Executive Officer roles are all voluntary positions and are performed alongside your studies.
Do you look like a leader? Think you’ve got what it takes to lead the Students’ Union? Then why not stand for one of our three sabbatical officer roles - President, Vice President Education and Welfare and Vice President Student Involvement. All of these roles offer an individual the opportunity to direct the work of the Students’ Union during their time in office meaning you can make the changes you want to see. It’s set to be a hotly contested election this year so make sure you get your nominations in early in order not to miss out.
There are three Student Trustee positions available as three of our current Student Trustees are final year students and will be vacating their posts at the end of this academic year. The position of Student Trustee is a unique opportunity to part of the team driving the strategic direction of the Union. The Student Trustee roles are part time volunteers who fulfil the roles alongside their studies.
Whilst our Sabbatical Officer roles are probably the most high profile during the elections period there are some other very important positions within the Students’ Union that are also up for election.
Each year, the National Union of Students hold their annual conference and three representatives from Bucks are sent to be your voice. The delegation leader is the Union’s current President but the other two NUS Delegates are elected. One of the three roles is reserved for a woman and as our delegation leader defines a woman, the two elected positions will be open to all of our members to stand.
We have eight Executive Officer positions up for election. These roles are filled by students who represent those ‘harder to reach’ groups and make sure that they benefit equally from the services of the Students’ Union. Four of the roles are selfdefining. Only you can say if you should be running or voting in those elections on the basis that you are self-defining as a woman, a student with a disability, as BME or LGBT+. The other four roles, International (paying international student fees),
Finally, we also have our student rep positions up for election. Student reps are the Union’s eyes and ear at a course level. They act as the figurehead for their class or group and help us to get an understanding of the student experience as well as identifying if any changes need to be made or good practice needs to be highlighted. Want to help make the changes you and your peers want to see on your course? Nominate yourself to be a student rep now!
7
Nominations.
January Issue
Frequently Asked Questions 2. How do I go about standing in the elections?
We know that the elections process can be confusing and so to help with this, we’ve put together some Frequently Asked Questions from our annual elections and you can find these below. If you have a question that’s not included below and would like to know more, do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the team at surepresentation@bucks.ac.uk.
In order to stand in the Union’s annual elections, you first need to nominate yourself. You can do this by visiting bucksstudentsunion.org/elections and selecting which election you would like to take part in. For our Sabbatical Officer and Executive Officer Elections, you will need two proposers to put you forward for the role and these should be two people who believe you are the right candidate for the role you are standing for
1. Why would I want to run in the Students’ Union elections? All of our student leadership positions offer an individual the chance to improve the student experience across the university and this means every individual will have a different set of skills they can bring to each role. So whether it’s ensuring we have 24-hour library access, improving services on campus or removing hidden course costs, being a student leader gives you the opportunity to make the changes you want to see. All of our student leadership positions also help to boost your employability prospects and with the competition for jobs becoming even tougher once you’ve graduated, standing in one of these roles can set you apart from the rest.
3. What if someone I know is already running? It absolutely does not matter. Do not let someone that you know is running be a deterrent from you standing. Our sabbatical officer positions are once in a lifetime opportunities and you do not want to look back regretting that you didn’t stand because someone you knew was also standing. 4. Do I need any experience to run in elections? No. When standing for one of our student leadership positions, we’ll provide you with all of the necessary information and resources in order to make sure
Key Dates 5pm Thursday 31 January
Running the Union info session
5pm Tuesday 5 February
Running the Union info session
5pm Thursday 7 February
Running the Union info session
Noon Friday 15 February
Nominations close
10am Monday 5 March
All Ballots open
Noon Friday 9 March
All Ballots close
From 9pm Friday 9th March
Elections night including results announcement
ELECTIONS ARE COMING 4-8 MARCH
you’ve got everything you need to have the best possible chance of success. If you’ve got any questions throughout the nominations and elections periods, you can always touch base with someone from the representation team and they will be more than happy to help. The representation team will also be in regular contact with you throughout these periods and will regularly provide you with key information meaning you’re constantly up to date. 5. Who can I speak to if I’m interested in running in the elections? Just pop into the Students’ Union offices at either our High Wycombe or Uxbridge campus and ask to speak to someone from the Representation team. Alternatively, you can email surepresentation@bucks.ac.uk or visit bucksstudentsunion.org/elections to find out more information about any of the roles available, how to nominate yourself or any general queries. Here, you’ll also find some more of our FAQs.
8 January Issue
Give it a Go 2.0.
GIVE IT A GO 2.0 Sunday 10 February sees the launch of
By The Student Activities Team
our second Give it a Go week of the year.
The first Give it a Go week was held earlier this academic year, in October. It was
There are currently 30 active societies at Bucks Students' Union, all are open to
seen as a great way of getting students involved in extracurricular activity, and
every member, and you can join as many as you like. During Give it a Go Week
carrying on the Freshers' feel. Give it a Go week is a great way to try new things,
you can try out as many societies as you can make it to without any commitment.
meet new people, and have a good time with no extra cost! So whether you want
You will meet new people, learn about new things and have lots of fun. Should you
to take part in a competitive or non-competitive sports team, society, or take part
enjoy the session, don’t forget to join in future weeks and join their social media
in volunteering projects… Give it a Go week is here to break down the barriers to
pages, all this info can be found via bucksstudentsunion.org/societies. If there
participation and help you join in.
is not a specific society which suits you, why not create your very own, email
The first Give it a Go week was a great success for volunteering, with lots of new
susocieties@bucks.ac.uk for further information.
students getting involved and trying something new. We have since been working
Our competitive sport programme runs throughout the three terms at Bucks.
hard to plan lots of new and exciting opportunities for you for Give it a Go 2.0. This
We offer training sessions each week and most sports compete weekly on a
includes; working with animals at the farm, visiting the residents at Rye View Manor
Wednesday, some on a Sunday, and some such as Dance and Cheer, have their
and our annual Smile Campaign! We will also have handmade unique Valentine’s
comp season in the second term. Come give any of our many sports a go FOR
Day cards sold throughout the week to raise money for our RAG charities. We hope
FREE during our second Give it a Go week. Even if you haven’t gone to any sport
to offer an opportunity to suit everyone and give you the chance to have fun, meet
training sessions previously, it doesn’t matter, we are always looking for more
new people, while giving back to the community!
players! All abilities are welcome, even if you’ve never tried the sport before,
You don't have to commit as the Sport for Fun programme runs all year and gives every student the chance to try out new activities. So take a look at the programme, see what
anyone can come and play. We offer many different sports from Volleyball to Karate, or Badminton to Dance so there’s something for everyone!
you want to try and Give it a Go! Some of our activities during this time involve signing
Check out the timetable on the opposite page for a full breakdown of all the events
up for in advance so be sure to do so at bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson.
available throughout the course of the week!
10 January Issue
Accommodation.
By Georgia Nosal
TIME’S A TICKING Georgia gets the low down on halls with accommodation...
Have you thought about next year’s accommodation yet? It might be scary, but it's good to tackle it early! First of all, don’t panic! Time’s really not ticking. A lot of students worry they won’t be able to find accommodation but due to changes in the market in High Wycombe, there is now more accommodation than students, so you have plenty of time and even more choice. Also, the university now offers halls rooms to 2nd and 3rd year students! Looking for accommodation can be a scary prospect when you’re trying to focus on your studies. Don’t forget that the Advice Centre and the Accommodation Service are here to help you! I loved living in halls but I also loved living in private accommodation, sometimes. When I moved into my second year house, it was dingy, expensive and I never felt that safe there. I never experienced those feelings when I was in halls! Don’t forget that everyone’s experiences are different. Pick a choice you’re really happy with! If there was any advice I could give to you because I’ve been through it all - Don’t let landlords or lettings agents take advantage just because you’re students! (By choosing to live in halls, you’d never have to deal with this as accommodation take care of it!) We asked the Accommodation Service your questions, here’s what they had to say: Georgia: Can I live in halls next year? Accommodation: Yes! The Accommodation Service will be advertising rooms in the halls in February.
G: If I want halls, do I have to pay anything now?
G: What if I don’t want halls?
A: Yes, you will need to pay a £300 prepayment. It isn’t held as a deposit and will be turned into rent and used to reduce your final invoice in 2019/20.
A: If you do decide to look for housing in the private sector, you will be asked to sign a contract. The Accommodation Service have trained staff that can look over your contract and identify any potential issues which might end up saving you later.
G: But what if I want to live with friends? A: That’s OK! We can place you in groups in the halls, so you can still choose to live with your friends. If you don’t have enough people to fill a whole flat, we’ll put other people in with you to fill the flat. G: I don’t want to live with first years! A: That’s OK, too. There can always be exceptions, but we try to place 2nd and 3rd year residents in different flats to 1st years. G: But the rent is higher in halls, isn’t it? A: Well, it’s a common misconception that it is more expensive, however it can look that way sometimes: • The halls contract is for 42 weeks, many private houses run for 51 or 52 weeks, so you could end up paying for rent over summer when you’re not living there. • The halls includes all the bills – electricity, gas, water, contents insurance and Wi-Fi, in many houses, this would be an additional cost. • In halls there is cleaning in communal areas, you normally wouldn’t get that in other accommodation. • In the private sector you can be asked to pay a refundable deposit, which can be as high as £600 or £700.
G: Is there anything else I should think about when looking at student housing? A: Yes…. • The University and Students' Union have a good relationship and work closely when we need to in order to try and ensure the best outcomes for our students – private landlords don’t have to do this! • You’re better off with the University if you have financial issues. The university can be flexible with you if your loan is late; private landlords don’t have to do this and you will often need to • If somebody drops out of your group then the University won’t hold the remaining residents responsible for the rent, a private landlord can, because most of the houses are rented on joint contracts. • We don’t ask your parents to be guarantors, many private landlords/agents do. • If you stop being a student, the University will release you from your contract, private landlords do not have to. So I hope this has helped you stopped panicking and shown you some options for next year! Feel free to come and have a chat with any of us! Or email: georgia.nosal@bucks.ac.uk, suadvice@bucks.ac.uk or accommodation@bucks.ac.uk.
Your unique offer, and how to match it to recruiter needs Students at Bucks are diverse – you have unique skills and passions, and also a unique set of characteristics. This may include coming from a black or minority ethnic background, having a disability (which could include autism/aspergers or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia). You may identify as LGBTQI. In some sectors there is still not a balance in gender representation. So can these create barriers to getting a graduate level role?
For individuals the CIPD says that “the moral case for building fairer and more inclusive labour markets is indisputable”. The CIPD also looks at the commercial benefits of ensuring diversity in the workplace; “everyone stands to benefit when we embrace and value the diversity of thoughts, ideas and ways of working that people from different backgrounds, experiences and identities bring to an organisation”.
Do words make a difference to recruiters’ actions? Organisations may sign up to specific initiatives such as “Disability Confident” or “Stonewall Global Diversity Champions”. Behind the scenes these employers will be undertaking monitoring and taking accountability for improving the diversity of hires. Some larger employers are now anonymising applications before Recently some students suggested to me that sometimes they reach hiring managers. With this approach it feels that this kind of positive action is merely paying personal information such as name, residence, lip service to the issue. What is the truth? Should we take university and sometimes even grades are removed companies’ diversity and inclusion efforts seriously? before they reach decision makers, meaning that your How can you identify recruiters who will take you personal statement becomes your most persuasive tool. seriously, for your skills and talents? Employers in sectors where there is acknowledged There are two angles to the discussion; both of which underrepresentation may engage in specific the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development campaigns, and there are even recruitment agencies (CIPD) highlights. specifically focused on niche markets. There are laws in place to ensure everyone is guaranteed a fair chance when applying for jobs, regardless of personal characteristics. In addition some companies go further in trying to ensure fair access, and promote their opportunities with some kind of “diversity” tagline.
Actions for you! • Look out for logos on websites and job
adverts that signal employers’ commitment to hiring diverse talent • Make your experiences count – don’t forget
to promote your USP (unique selling point) in applications • Explore initiatives that might give you
an edge (e.g. Change 100, CharityWorks, EmployAbility, Creative Access) Don’t forget to check out the MyBucksCareers newsroom for great articles related to this topic mybuckscareer.careercentre.me/ resources/newsroom/newsroom.aspx and book a chat with one of our careers consultants at careers@bucks.ac.uk to find out about more opportunities, and how to apply.
January Issue
CAREERS By Kath Dunn
11
University update.
12 January Issue
Student Activities.
By Rhona Noel, Sarah Jackson & Charlie Cotton
STUDENT ACTIVITIES Welcome back to all of our Buck’s Students, we hope that you had an amazing break and are ready to take 2019 by the horns and have an extremely successful year. We’d like to take this time to also wish everyone taking part in January exams Good Luck, you have got this!
A brief look into what’s in store for term 2:
West End Musicals and Theatre Productions – You asked, and of course we delivered! This term will Term 2. This is the term where you as students begin continue to see more trips to West End Theatres as to realise that the end of the academic year is fast approaching, this term tends to fly by! Have you made the well as our local Wycombe Swan theatre to see some most of your student experience during your time here? amazing productions! How many FREE developmental and recreational activities have you taken part in?
Two that we already have in store for you include:
Do you have something different in mind? If you have an activity or skills training sessions that you would like to take part in, please do not hesitate to get in touch! We love hearing Student’s ideas and providing opportunities that you want! Contact your activities team via email: surecactivities@bucks.ac.uk or pop down and see us in the Students' Union offices!
Jamie is going to be a sensation. Supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight.
Training sessions! This term is jam-packed with Certified Skills Training Sessions. It cannot be stressed enough just how important these extra skills are for your future employability. For more information please visit the Bucks Students' Union website. Coming up:
• British Sign Language • Emergency First Aid • Paediatric First Aid • Interview Skills • Assertiveness • Resilience • CV Writing • Public Speaking • Customer Service and Office Etiquette
Caroline, or Change – Tuesday 29 January – Following How many FREE Certified Skills training sessions have it’s sold-out runs in Chichester and at the Hampstead Theatre, this beautiful Musical has made its way onto you taken advantage of to boost your employability the West End stage! Based loosely on a true story and add to your transferable skills set? Caroline, or Change is set in Louisiana in the 1960s It’s not too late to change and to that number! where the character Noah is struggling with the death Bucks Student’s Union is here to make you the best that of his mother, and his father’s remarriage to her best friend. He spends his time with their maid, Caroline, you possibly can be, by providing opportunities to you, who works in the family’s basement. Caroline, who has for FREE. a family dependant on her, faces a moral dilemma when We look forward to seeing you all on as many courses This term already has some amazing sessions booked a novel opportunity to fund her family presents itself. as possible this term! in and there are more to come! Everybody’s talking about Jamie – Wednesday 13 #BucksSUMoreThanABar Please see below for a list of some of the upcoming Skills February - Inspired by a true story, Everybody’s Training Sessions and Developmental Activities that we Talking About Jamie is the new hit musical for today. have coming up. Be sure to keep an eye out on the Bucks Jamie New is sixteen and lives on a council estate in SU ‘What’s On’ page to keep up with our regular weekly Sheffield. Jamie doesn’t quite fit in. Jamie is terrified about the future. updates. bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson.
Need to let off some steam after all of that revision? We’re providing you with a trip to Rush Trampoline Park, transport included on Friday 1 February!
SIGN UP TO THESE FREE TRAINING COURSES! CV WRITING COURSE
EMERGENCY FIRST AID
BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE
PUBLIC SPEAKING
TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY
WEDNESDAY 6 FEBRUARY
THURSDAY 7 FEBRUARY
MONDAY 11 FEBRUARY
visit our website: bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson
RAISE AND GIVE
January Issue
By Claudia Waghorne
13
Raise and Give.
Raise and Give (RAG) is a way that we raise money for charities throughout the year. As you hopefully know by now, our two RAG charities this year are: Wycombe Homeless Connections and Hillingdon Samaritans.
So far, we have done amazingly for RAG this year and I thought I would take this chance to give a little review of what we have succeeded and a little more about my role as RAG Ambassador. I’d like to start off by thanking all the students who have got involved and have committed their own time to help these charities, as well as many other charities throughout the year. During our freshers’ fortnight we have had over 300 votes, which is brilliant. However, we want to encourage as many students to get involved as possible.
In March, the recruitment will start to find a new RAG Ambassador and I fully encourage anyone to take on the role. There are so many skills and attributes that come with the role, such as confidence. Finally, I want to say a big thank you to Kat Frei for everything she has done since I stated my role and for being a huge support system throughout the events we have organised.
So, a little more about my role. As RAG Ambassador I have had the opportunity to get involved with so many fun and exciting events that not only we have planned but students have come to us in cooperation with RAG. Our RAG week was a great example of this, and it was so successful that we are planning another one very soon, so keep a look out! My role is to raise awareness, help students with their fundraising ideas and liaison between them and the Students' Union. When I ran for RAG Ambassador last year, I never thought I would win, I even considered dropping out of the election. However, I stuck to it and here I am. Since then, it has been non-stop, but in a good way! I don’t just like my role as RAG Ambassador - I love my role and I am so happy that I stuck to it. I get to socialise and plan so many interesting events with so many different students, which has made my university experience so much more worthwhile and exciting. Being an events student, the role has given me a chance to develop and gain skills, which I can put on my CV and will help me excel in my career in the future. I can now take on a leadership role, as well as have better control of time management and a better understanding of how events are and should be run. I have also gained more friends and enjoy seeing more familiar faces around uni that I can have a quick catch up with. RAG has also thrown me more into a volunteering role and I have now given up my own time to volunteer for charities, such as One Can Food Bank.
WE ARE SENDING 10 BUCKS STUDENTS ON A LEADERSHIP AND RESILIENCE TRAINING EXPEDITION. THREE DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS. CAMPING EQUIPMENT PROVIDED. INTERESTED? EMAIL: CHARLIE.COTTON@BUCKS.AC.UK
X
14 January Issue
Volunteering.
By Kat Frei
VOLUNTEERING Nominations are open for RAG, Green and Fairtrade Ambassadors 2019-20! Every year we have students leading on Students' Union projects; raising awareness of key social issues, lobbying the University to improve student lives, and empowering other students to get involved. These students gain vital employability skills; from time management, public speaking and networking. We have several opportunities available which would suit students with different interests and passions; RAG Ambassador This role would suit any student who is passionate about charitable fundraising, who has creative ideas and enjoys working in a team. One of the biggest benefits is you have the opportunity to attend the annual RAG conference. At the 3 day conference you will get to choose from a variety of workshops and seminars, exploring different aspects of fundraising and hearing from inspiring speakers. You also get to learn about how other Universities run their RAG fundraisers and get students involved. The conference ends with an awards ceremony with a three course meal, where you get to celebrate the achievements of student fundraisers across the UK. The role involves supporting our two RAG charities (voted for by our students), coordinating fundraising events on campus and spreading awareness to students and staff. How you want to do this and how much time you want to give to RAG is really up to you, we just ask that you are committed to the role and delegate to volunteers when possible. Our current RAG Ambassador, Claudia Waghorne, ran our first ever RAG week, raising over £700! She encouraged some of our sport’s clubs to run events that week, talked about our charities at the events and got students to volunteer to help out throughout the week. She was also part of team that run the successful Christmas lunch for the residents of Rye View Manor, turning our Venue into a beautiful festive scene! She has done incredibly well and would be happy to talk to any students looking to apply for next year. Check out her own article in this month’s edition!
Green Ambassador This role would be suitable for any student who is passionate about sustainability. Whether that be caring strongly about climate change, deforestation, over use of fossil fuels or animal extinction! The student would work closely with the Activities Coordinator (Volunteering & Fundraising), supporting their completion of the NUS Green Impact accreditation which aims to make the Union more sustainable and educates students on how to do this. The student in this role will be given the opportunity to attend meetings to hear from University and Union staff about how they are tackling sustainability issues on campus. You will get the chance to put forward your ideas for change and gain support in putting these into action. The current Green Ambassador, Darren Hannay, is working on a campaign to reduce paper use at University which has already had an impact on the Union who are aiming to go paper free in future meetings. Fairtrade Ambassador This role would suit any student who is passionate about Fairtrade and would like to be involved in spreading awareness. This could be through running campaigns, putting on events or inviting in guest speakers. In the past the student in this role would get involved by running activities throughout Fairtrade fortnight or choosing to spread events across the year. This year’s Ambassador, Emily Dixie, is planning on running the Smile Campaign. This is an annual event which spreads the message of Fairtrade to local commuters, whilst also spreading smiles throughout the town! In all of these roles there will be an opportunity to access funds for campaigns and students will receive close support from the Activities Coordinator (Volunteering & Fundraising). For more information on any of these roles or to nominate yourself, please visit our website; bucksstudentsunion.org/elections. Any questions please email volunteering@bucks.ac.uk.
15
Film Review.
January Issue
16
28 Jan - 1 Feb
BUCKS STUDENTS' UNION IS OPEN SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK. IF YOU DO NOT SEE AN EVENT LISTED BELOW, CHECK ONLINE NEARER THE TIME!
2 - 9 Feb
RE
fRE WE
January Issue
Monday 28 Saturday 2
MIZ CRACKER: I
Sunday 3
Tuesday 29
Wednesday 30
Wednesday 14
Monday 4
EVERY WEDNESDAY 10pm 'til late
m
d Wednesday 6
e
y
s
A
Thursday 31
o
s
n
b
u
s
j
o
i
A
n
e
f o
PAUL CH UC KLE
i
s
o
f
MAIN RooM:
CLUBNIGHT RooM 2:
A
e
Friday 1
PEAKYBLINDERS y
Friday 8
Wed 6 FEB 10PM 'Til 3aM THE VENuE Free for Bucks students, £5 for guests
f
DJ SET and MEEt & grEEt
playing the freshest hip hop, trap, dancehall, afrobeats
PARTY
, ESHERS EEK!
Cosplay&CraftSocietypresents...
Goldenglobetrotters:
Monday 11
January Issue
Foodfromthefilms Serving...
IT'S TIME TOUR Sunday 3 Sunday 10
BUTTERBEER...
ONION RINGS...
SWEETS...
AND MUCH MORE... Mon 11 Feb, 6PM, The lounge, free entry
own r ec ll t
s. . . S ma ve
music l
i
EVERY WEDNESDAY
. . . wh
DnB night
Wednesday 14
Thursday 14
s or d
Tuesday 5
e er
Wednesday 13
Friday 15 Thursday 7
Q&A WITH
MARTYN WARE PLUS LIVE STUDENT PERFORMANCES THURSDAY 7 FEBRUARY, 7PM, THE VENUE FREE FOR STUDENTS, £3 FOR NON-STUDENTS
Saturday 16
RAG
Sunday 17
AFTERPARTY Saturday 9
PLUS
17
10 - 17 Feb
VISIT BUCKSSTUDENTSUNION.ORG/WHATSON OR SEARCH: BUCKS STUDENTS' UNION ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION.
January Issue
18
19
Rusty recommends.
January Issue
The venue is open seven days a week and sometimes it is difficult to decide which nights to go to - you may end up missing out on something amazing! Here are my recommendations for the next few weeks for those of you who like to experience something a bit different!
PARTY
Q&A WITH
MARTYN WARE PAU L CHU CKLE DJ SET and MEEt & grEEt
PLUS LIVE STUDENT PERFORMANCES
DnB night
PEAKY BLINDERS
CLUB NIGHT
, fRESHERS Saturday 2 Saturday 9 February WEEK!
RE
Refreshers’ Week comprises of nine extra-special events which happen over eight days, to give new students a big welcome, and returning students a treat. Starting on Sat 2 Feb, Miz Cracker will be coming to Bucks for the monthly LGBTQ+ night, Glitterbomb as part of her It’s Time Tour! She came in the top five of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season Ten), so you can expect a fantastic night! On Sun 3 Feb, the theme for the weekly quiz is Friends, so expect this to be a popular one! How well do you know the show? Remember there are cash prizes for both the winning team and the team who comes second, as well as pizza and drinks vouchers for the winners of the Mastermind-style rounds. Sunday doesn’t finish here, as from 10.30pm the Main Room will open its doors for Super Bowl 53. This event is hosted by BNU Buccaneers, who will be providing hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and some very tasty drinks
deals on Corona, Jäger, soft drinks and more. The biggest American Football event of the year will be streamed on the projector and other screens, so you will have a great view! Mon 4 Feb brings the karaoke and game night. Brighten up the week with a chilled evening in The Lounge and see how many games you can win. After many requests, there will be a Drum & Bass night on Tue 5 Feb! The weekly two-roomed Frat House on Wed 6 Feb will have resident DJs OneF (commercial, chart) and Hotshot (hip-hop, trap, dancehall) as well as a special guest... DJing at Frat House for one week only, is Paul Chuckle! You can meet him too! On Thurs 7 Feb, Martyn Ware from The Human League and Heaven 17 will be doing a Q&A session. This is a great opportunity (particularly for those of you on Music Management courses), so get thinking of what you want to know about his music journey! After the
Q&A, you can have your fix of live music from some very talented student performers. Peaky Blinders is coming to The Venue on Fri 8 Feb! This club night will have a themed photobooth, free popcorn, and the opportunity to win a Netflix subscription voucher - so get dressed up like it’s the 20s! To end this fantastic week, Bucks’ biggest alternative night, Crash will have a performance from My Chemical Romance tribute band, The Black Charade. Relive their classics, and enjoy the likes of Foo Fighters, Fall Out Boy, Slipknot, Korn, Enter Shikari, Jimmy Eat World, A Day To Remember, Bring Me The Horizon, AC/DC, Blink 182 and many more at the club night following their performance! Keep up-to-date with these events and more. Follow us: Facebook - @bucksstudentsunion Twitter - @buckssu Instagram - @bucksstudentsunion
20 January Issue
Mental Health.
By Ellie Freeman & Laura Bailey
TIME TO TALK Hello, our names are Ellie Freeman and Laura Bailey. We are students currently working for the Students' Union as School Officers for Art, Design and Performance (EF) and Aviation and Security (LB). We want to spend our last year at University ensuring Bucks is a safe and supportive environment for all students, sharing our knowledge and passion for positive mental wellbeing. Did you know, one in four students struggle with their mental health whilst at University? This can make day to day tasks difficult and we want everyone’s experience at Bucks to be the best it can be. The stigma of mental illness is something the Student’s Union, and University as a whole, are trying to fight. On World Mental Health Day, the “Break the Stigma” campaign took place in the link bridge. Additionally, this week the ninth #BucksStudentWins was announced – “We have trained 29 mental health advocates to support members of clubs and societies”. We want to encourage students to talk about mental health, without fear, in a safe space. During RepCon, we will be running a session called “The Elephant in the Room”, covering the most common mental health struggles amongst students and tips on how to support yourself, peers or anyone that may be struggling. It’s an interactive workshop, with a chance to get to know your fellow reps better and learn together how to best deal with the pressures of University positively. We will be discussing shocking statistics, top tips and motivational messages to help start the conversation. There will also be a leaflet to takeaway with information on how to get support for any mental health struggles, both on and off campus (there’s also a chance to win a prize!). It’s time to talk about mental health. We want Bucks to be a place where everyone has someone to talk to, whether that’s a friend, course leader or the counselling services. This year, the University is taking part in a campaign by Time to Change, a growing social movement working to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems. This campaign is “Time to Talk Day” on Thursday 7 February - The University and Students' Union are teaming up to run an event in the Study Lounge, with the idea being to get the conversation started at Bucks about mental health. This will run from 10am-1pm, with free tea, coffee and biscuits to have, or takeaway to share with your friends and start a conversation. By speaking about mental health issues, we are helping to break the stereotypes, improve student life and end the stigma of something that affects so many of us. You don’t have to be an expert to talk about mental health and there are many ways to start the conversation. Whether you come to support the campaign on campus, share a post on social media or just ask a friend how they are, make sure you have a conversation about mental health this Time to Talk Day.
VEGANUARY Don’t worry I’m not going to talk about the sausage roll thing because we all know just how upset people got over it but in case you were wondering it was great.
I have been a vegetarian for about three maybe four years now and it’s for sure the best decision I’ve ever made. During this time, I have tried being vegan many times, but I have always been completely useless at it. The longest I ever went vegan for was a couple of weeks at most which is just embarrassing as I’ve got a sister who has been vegan for years and she’s always been so committed to it! Vegan January was fast approaching, and I decided that this time I was going to do things properly. As a vegetarian I’ve always felt super hypocritical about cutting out meat yet still eating dairy products and as someone who is a vegetarian for moral reasons, I felt it was time to commit fully to something I care very much about. I knew for a while that I wanted to do Veganuary so I made sure that before January came, I had used up all the dairy products in my fridge so that nothing would go to waste. This time round I felt different because I truly wanted to try a vegan diet and because of that I had all the motivation I needed that I didn’t particularly have the times before. To ensure I would be successful in completing Veganuary, I bought vegan alternatives and a bunch of healthy foods whereas before I just relied on salad bowls which wasn’t a balanced way of living and is definitely part of why I’ve been
unsuccessful in the past. A big part of Veganuary for me was making sure I prepared healthy and nutritious meals that both me and my boyfriend would enjoy which would also give us plenty of energy to go to work. Some of our favourite meals which we prepared together were chilli, chickpea curry and mac ‘n’ cheese which can all be found on bbc goodfood if you fancied having a go at making it yourselves. The only slight negative I found whilst doing Veganuary was having to constantly check the ingredients section on every product that I bought which was also annoying when I forgot to take my glasses shopping with me. However, I quickly got used to doing this and it became a part of my shopping routine in no time at all, even my boyfriend got used to having to check products for me just in case I missed anything. Veganuary gave me the opportunity to try out being a vegan alongside many other people all over the world which was exciting as we could all follow each other’s journeys. After going vegan for January, I have decided that it is something I want to do on a permanent basis therefore I am going to try to be vegan indefinitely and I am really looking forward to continuing my vegan diet and enjoying all the benefits that come with it. Congratulations to everyone who was successful in completely Veganuary and good luck to those who will also be carrying it on.
January Issue
By Eliza Gent
21
Veganuary.
January Issue
22
Want to watch something a bit different? A film you wouldn’t normally watch? Then this could be for you! The Favourite is set in the 18th Century and tells the story of Queen Anne who developed gout and is depressed through previous events in her life and lets her close friend Lady Sarah govern the country. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives at the palace she charms the ill Queen which threatens Sarah's place at the royal court. The Director Yorgos Lanthimos is known for making boundary-pushing, unique films and The Favourite lives up to this expectation. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone star as the main characters in this film; all trying to gain power during the War of Spanish Succession. Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) has a close relationship with Sarah (Rachel Weisz), they even have pet names for each other; Sarah was "Mrs Freeman" and Queen Anne was "Mrs Morley". A lot of this film is accurate, and some is fictional; Queen Anne in the film had 17 rabbits which stood in for all her children she lost, really this didn’t happen but this showed a more emotional side to this character and why the Queen she is the way she is. The relationship between the Queen and Sarah was all true as Sarah was very blunt when she spoke to the Queen and was in charge of some of the Queen's duties. It is believed the Sarah used her relationship with the Queen for personal gain. Parts of this film are like watching an episode of Blackadder with its
comedy. Unusual camera shots are used which makes this film unusual to watch as you are watching all the action unfold from a corner of a room instead of close up to the action; however, at the heart of this film is a love triangle. Colman initially is a comedic character. With her unusual characteristics and behaviour she comes across as childlike. As the film goes on and we learn more about the Queen, the reason behind having 17 rabbits makes Colman’s performance special. As a result, this must have been a difficult character to understand and portray but Colman does it really well; it's no surprise she's already winning awards for this role. Weisz's portrayal of Sarah is very blunt and head-strong and the opposite of the Queen which is great to watch as Sarah is in control of the relationship, even though the Queen has more power, she’s just too ill to know how to use it. Abigail starts off as a character you enjoy watching and you feel bad for her as she is trying to survive but once she becomes the Queen’s favourite, the character completely changes as she gets what she wants which is power. This film is a struggle for power and keeping the power the gain, but it shows how easily power can get taken away. All three actresses are great and perform at the highest level. This film is emotional one minute and humorous the next. It doesn’t have the ending you would expect but it is interesting to watch as there are political mind games, secret affairs, duck racing and lots of rabbits - what's not to enjoy? This film might be different to what you usually watch but definitely worth a watch.
January Issue
By Athena Pickering
23
Film review.
24 January Issue
Cosplay Society.
COSPLAY
By Megan Staples, George Sleeth & Lewis Boyling
Cosplay and Craft Society is a friendly society where we meet on a regular basis to do Cosplay related activities like costuming and skills workshops, and small little craft projects like Hama beads and resin jewellery, all while chilling eating sweets! (Trust us, the sweets eating part is VERY important to the session… honestly…). This post will give you a little insight of the who, what, when, where, and why of the society so you know what you need before you join! What?
Who? Who is Cosplay and Craft Soc? The society is made up of a mix bunch of students that come from all different backgrounds and courses that meet up have fun. The committee of the society is composed of three members:
Chair: George Sleeth George is a second year Games Development student. He is the guy in charge. He’s the one that helps finalize decisions on what the society want to do. He runs it and makes sure everything is going well. Fun Fact: He used to play wheelchair basketball for his home county team.
Secretary: Lewis Boyling Lewis is also currently a second year Games Development student. Along side George, Lewis makes sure that is everything is running well. He’s his second in command. Lewis looks after all the paperwork and registers and makes sure all the admin is taken care of. Fun Fact: He is fluent in Sign Language.
Treasurer: Megan Staples (Me!)
Okay, so what do we have coming up in Cosplay and Craft society? Well, what I am an illustration student and I am we are planning to do workshops to in my second year of the course. I originally assisted with getting things cover as many skills as we can so that we can cater to everyone’s needs! Some started with the society as well and workshops will included wig styling, advertising it around when it first Hama Beads, and sewing tutorials. started. Once everything was off Along with these, there’s so many the ground, I took the role of society Treasurer and have held that position more! If there’s something you want to try or there’s something you’ve always for two years. I take care of the wondered about cosplay or crafts, finances of the society, meaning that come chat to us and we’ll happily see I make sure that the money that the society receives benefits them as much what we can do! as possible. We’ve also got our Takeover coming Fun Fact: I love dogs so much that I’ve up! We chose to do a night at the movies with food inspired by different paid £13 for a subscription service to films and having a little sofa and bean walk other people’s dogs. bag area where you can chill out and The three of us keep the society eat (something we really enjoy doing!) running and make sure that everyone so save the date: Mon 11 Feb! Get some in the society is happy and feel free food and hang out, it’ll be great! welcomed, and so far, no complaints! Where? Where do we meet? We meet every week in N3.09 and N3.10. However in the odd chance that things change, we'll let you all know!
When? Every Wednesday, 5-7pm. Why? We do it because we love it! We felt like everyone who was interested in costume making or crafting deserved to get a definite couple of hours a week to relax, costume, craft, or even just to chill out! We wanted to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere for students to hang out and have some fun. As a society, we love new members! We’re always welcoming fresh faces into our group as we love getting a new look on what we love! We’re always taking ideas for sessions, we’re always welcome to suggestions, this society is for you and interests! Just let us know! You can find out more about us as a society and any information that you may want via our Union page or if you want to come and try it out you can come visit us during Give it a Go 2.0 on Wed 13 Feb!
EQUESTRIAN SOCIETY It has been a busy year for everyone with the BNU Equestrian society! Once again, we have had the opportunity to take different students each fortnight for an hour lesson at The Grove Riding School. The horses have taken amazing care of our riders and in turn our riders have excelled greatly. We had one rider move up from the beginner group last year to the advanced group this year! Despite the lessons only being every two weeks, I am glad everyone has had fun learning about these gentle beasts! As the semester continues, we are hoping to make a trip up to The Horse Trust, in Princes Risborough, to see the retired service horses and donkeys. THIS TRIP IS FREE! The Trust is only open from 2-4pm every Thursday, Friday and on weekends. Keep an eye on Facebook to have a say in what day we go! For more information, please go to our Facebook page @BNUHORSERIDING and give us a follow! This trip will be on a first come first serve basis due to having to organise travel. If you would like to sign up for our riding lessons, or have any ideas for trips, socials and events then please email either me at brittanijennifer@gmail.com or Beth Trevis (Our Sport for Fun ambassador) through our Facebook page. We would like to thank everyone for their support over the three years we have ran this society, and hope that this support will continue once Beth and I graduate. We wish all of the students here at Bucks New University a Happy New Year, and best wishes in their exams, coursework and dissertations!
Everyone has had fun learning about these gentle beasts!
January Issue
By Brittani Oldham
25
Equestrian Society.
26 January Issue
Want to help future students make a choice about which university to attend?
Help Bucks New University climb in the WhatUni Student Rankings, and be in with a chance of winning a £200 food shop by completing a WhatUni review. Submit a review for Bucks online at whatuni.com/review. The categories cover every aspect of student life, from accommodation, facilities and your course, to lecturers, student support and your Students’ Union.
FRIDAY 10 | SATURDAY 11 | SUNDAY 12
MAY FREE FOR BUCKS STUDENTS Alumni and guest Early Bird tickets now available: bucksstudentsunion.org/festiball
HANDBALL XXX
Isn't that just Football with your hands? Well, if that's what you are thinking you are kind of right! on the time of year and the country but usually, you are playing inside with seven on each team (a goalie, Handball is the lively and competitive game, you did not two wings, a centre a pivot and two backs). Just like know but always needed. Basketball you can dribble, but not in your Kyrie Irving First things first, Handball is the perfect blend of classic or Steph Curry type of eye-catching, ankle-breaking sports like Football, Basketball, Water Polo, Netball and dribbling. It is just a simple dribble that looks more like Ice Hockey. Yes, you read correct, Water Polo and Ice a pat of the ball than it does pounding the ball into the Hockey. The European game was first brought to British ground, just like basketball, you aren't allowed to dribble, (even though Britain is in Europe) viewers during the hold the ball with one or two hands and start dribbling 2012 Olympics Games in London, where Team GB had again (that is double dribble) and like Basketball and a rule awakening to how other countries play the game Netball, you have a designated amount of steps before and it did not end too well, but since then Handball has you will be called for travel. In Handball it is three steps. steadily made its way around the country, and with that The aim of the game is to throw the ball into the goal in knowledge and participation has risen. order to score against the oppositions goalkeeper. Just The court layout is quite similar to a Futsal pitch with the before the goal, there is a "goalkeeper's area" or as it is goal looking like a Futsal goal. Handball is usually played called in Handball, "the D", which only the goalkeeper is allowed in. This means that all shots have to be taken inside but can be played outside usually depending
from outside the D or you can use your three steps to take off from outside the D but as long as the ball is released before you land inside the D, it is not a foul, making the game dynamic and entertaining, as well as a good workout and great for the social aspect of sports, which no doubt most of us love. There is so much to this wildly popular sport that, like for all awesome sports you would have to read a dissertation in that to fully understand it, but why not pop down and see for yourself? Every Tuesday from 7pm, we play in the Events Hall (The one you take those "lovely" exams), some of us play for Cardio, some for the social aspect and others to win, what will you play for? Come find out, and after, we often go for food/drinks and to chill, that is if we are not attending one of our creative socials. Truly something for everyone... See you there!
January Issue
By Ali Mao Mahad
27
Handball Society.
28 January Issue
Boxing.
By Giulio Magliano
THE GLOVES ARE ON! Have you ever thought of becoming physically and mentally stronger and making a better version of yourself? Then come and join our Boxing society. This is a sport that is out of the ordinary, you learn different fighting techniques and ways to defend yourself at any point in time. We also go through an intense exercise that will tire you, make you sweat and want you to quit, but at the end of the session, you will feel like you are on top of the world!!! On top of that, you will feel like you belong to a community and will not be marginalised by other members, everyone is treated equally! We have a professional trainer that trains us once a week and has worked with amateur champions and professionals as well. We will also work with the Students' Union to do some volunteering work like community services or whether we help the Uni itself. Don't worry, we will go out and learn more about the members, that can consist of partying at the Students' Union, going to a local boxing event, or watching a title bout at a pub. Anyone is allowed to join, there are no barriers set. All we want from our members is to have a good time, get in shape and take in the boxing atmosphere. Sessions are every Thursday from 6-7 pm at High Wycombe Warriors Boxing Club, Unit 3 Fryers Works, Abercrombie Avenue, High Wycombe. Occasionally we have a Minibus available but on foot, it's 15 mins to arrive. The first session is free and after that, it's ÂŁ2.50 a session.
WE ARE RECRUITING BUDDIES TO SUPPORT OUR APPLICANTS FROM WHEN THEY APPLY AND THROUGHOUT THEIR FIRST TERM AT BUCKS. This is a discrete service conducted via email, so you will be set up with a Bucks Buddy email address. We are looking for students that fall in to the following categories so we can best provide assistance and advice to our broad range of members. Mature student
A Further Education level student (ie Foundation)
Student with family responsibilities
Student from overseas
Post Graduate student
Student who commutes
Part time student
Under Graduate student
Student who hails from the local area
Any queries email: katie.smith@bucks.ac.uk For more information and to apply, please visit bucksstudentsunion.org/jobs
of the year is back with a bang! Just like that, the time has almost come for us to host our biggest event of the year – Bucks Comp! Once again, universities from across the country are coming down to compete on a Novice and Advanced level. Our categories include Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Street, and the all-time favourite … Wildcard! We pride ourselves in hosting a competition with a supportive and lively atmosphere, where all dance styles and talent is appreciated through healthy competition. With the biggest turnout ever recorded, a record total of 400 dancers, we are happy to be welcoming some familiar faces, aswell as new ones. This year, our visiting universities include; Royal Veterinary College, Southampton, Surrey, Brighton, Middlesex and Canterbury Christ Church. Given that every year the talent across the spectrum continues to improve at an amazing rate, our Chair and Captain have gone through numerous applications to ensure this years’ judging panel is made up of high-level industry professionals, with amazing dance knowledge and experience. With such an amazing level of expertise sitting on the panel this year, we decided that it was only fair for this to be showcased and inspire both spectators and competitors alike. For the first time, our very own Bucks Alumni and former two years running Advanced Street choreographer, Georgia Globe, will be hosting our event alongside a very Rusty guest. Once the famous Freestyle Battle has come to an end with a worthy winner, the Awards Ceremony will proceed with two new titles, Best Costume and Best Overall Performance. As it is tradition, half of
Bucks Comp 2018
the money raised from the event will go to our two RAG charities, Wycombe Homeless Connection and Hillingdon Samaritans. In addition, third year Dance and Performance student led company ‘We Think Blue’, will be running a raffle throughout the day. The money raised on the day will go towards their charity Gala, ‘a Night on Cloud Nine’, which will be held on the Saturday 18 May, where all proceeds will go towards Buckinghamshire Mind. All nine of our BNU Dance competition teams have been working tirelessly on their routines since October and are very proud of every piece created – so, it would be amazing to have as many Bucks students and staff to support us on our home turf! Bucks Comp however would not be the same without the exceptional help from all the Volunteers, so if you would like to be a part of this amazing experience, please apply via the Students' Union website. We can’t wait to see you on Saturday 23 February 2019 in the Events Hall and be sure to look out for updates on all of our social media pages! BUCKS NEW UNI DA DA DA DA!
January Issue
BNU DANCE Bucks Comp 2019 – the event By Claire Barrett & Jade Clifford
29
BNU Dance.
30 January Issue
Swimming.
By Paul Morgan
SWIMMING Photography by Sean Wright
Bucks makes a splash as a national Swimming Performance Centre Last July, Bucks New University was selected by Swim England, the sport’s national governing body, as one of five national Swimming Performance Centres.
Bucks Senior Swim Squad reached several finals and are already ranked in the top 22 universities in the UK at the first attempt.
Working in partnership with Wycombe District Swimming Club (WDSC), Bucks Students’ Union, and Bucks New University, the Swim England Performance Centre gives talented young swimmers the opportunity to stay in the sport while continuing their education. Five centres have been set up across the country, with Swim England Talent providing support with coaching and sports science services.
The squad of six achieved some notable results. Jamie O’Connor (studying Music and Live Events Management) is a top 20 GB-ranked swimmer and his success in Sheffield (7th place in the final) ranked him as 11th fastest in the UK in 2018 for the 200m freestyle.
Within weeks of our selection, three new student athletes joined the University and more are expected to join in September 2019. Early signs of success are encouraging. At the recent British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) Short Course Championships at Sheffield, the
Joe Dobb (studying Accounting and Finance) is another top 20 GB swimmer and he finished 4th in Sheffield in the 800m free. James Baxter (also studying Accounting and Finance) swam well to come 23rd out of 170 swimmers in the 100 and 200m butterfly. The three Performance Centre Squad swimmers were joined by Bucks Senior Squad member Stuart Eastwood (studying Sports Therapy) to finish in 10th
place out of 90 teams in the 4x50m Free Relay, a remarkable achievement. Jamie Baxter and Jamie O’Connor were also both selected for the England South East Team to race at the Flanders Swimming Cup (19-20 January 2019) Paul Morgan, Head of School: Human and Social Sciences, said: To be selected by Swim England as one of the five new Performance Centres was a significant achievement. “To see such early success is excellent. Out of the five new Performance Centres, we were ranked third, ahead of two more established university programmes. “The partnership with the Bucks Students’ Union is an integral part of the future success of the programme and it’s brilliant to work closely together with the team."
By Samuel Broad, Owen Jones, Holly Wheeler & Stuart Eastwood
NEW ERA FOR BNU SWIM TEAM! This year BNU Swim have started off one of the best years that the team has ever seen and we plan to continue this into next term and Varsity! The team competed at the BUCS National Short-Course Championships in Sheffield in early November and produced a fantastic set of results by achieving our highest finishing position ever of 22nd out of 50 university teams. Considering the size of our team that’s a fantastic performance. The team saw exceptional performances from Captain Stuart Eastwood, Jamie O’Connor, James Baxter, Joe Dobb and Fiona Gladding. Individual finals were
made by Jamie O’Connor in 400m Freestyle and James Baxter in the 200m Butterfly who represented the University to the highest standard while Stuart Eastwood gained PBs in 50m Freestyle and Butterfly. A special shout-out for the Men’s 4x50m Freestyle Relay who made the B final and were against fierce competition from likes of Olympian Duncan Scott. The team finished 10th in the B final and overall 20th out of 90 teams.
After taking such a positive result from this competition the team plan on starting 2019 by building on our success and what better way to start this than by moving into a new training facility. This term we have moved away from our
pool at the Royal Grammar School to Wycombe Leisure Centre on a Tuesday night. The new pool is the training facility for Wycombe District Swimming Club which has become a performance centre for Swim England. Hopefully the change in environment will encourage more people to turn up to the sessions as they see the new facilities are on offer. Even though our training session has changed our socials have not and will continue to run for the rest of the term. During February the team will be competing at BUCS National LongCourse Championships in Sheffield where we hope for an even better result as we head towards varsity! If anyone
is interested in coming to training with the team be that for fitness, improving technique or competing feel free to come along. Our training sessions are Tuesday evenings from 9-10pm. If you have any other queries, please contact a member of the Committee: Samuel Broad – Chair sbroad247@gmail.com Owen Jones – Secretary owenjones.1@hotmail.co.uk Holly Wheeler – Treasurer roseholly56@gmail.com Stuart Eastwood – Captain eastwoodstuart98@gmail.com
Bucks FC this year and the run up to Varsity Bucks FC is the largest club here at BNU with five different teams over five leagues. So far this season our 1st team top their league (South Eastern 4A) by two points (12 points from six games), led by Jan Greenslade and in the words of the midfield maestro himself “the 1st team train just keeps on rolling”. Keeping that train on this line will be the focus for the remainder of the season. The 2nd team (South Eastern 5A) have had a tough 1st half of the season. Joe Hampton has had to battle through injuries. The same can be said for Luke Robertson’s 3rd team (South eastern 6A), they started with a fine 2-1 home win at the beginning of the season but have struggled to pick up points since. Something they are both fully confident will turn around.
one, only for the game to be abandoned early due to an injury and the referee’s discretion. As a club we know we can go the full distance with five wins from five this year. Already this year against Roehampton, Bucks FC 4’s put in a 1-0 away win with a combination of a solid backline and a wonderfully taken goal by Sam Mendham. Our dominance as a club over Roehampton continued with Bucks Futsal crushing Roehampton 11-3 including an audacious Rabona finish from Joe Hampton. Flair, team cohesion and ability being the key to our win. That being said Varsity is no walkover and we feel that with the preparation and more to come during the run up to the big day on Wednesday 27 March that the confidence and belief in each other will keep on growing, not just as a club but throughout the University.
Our 4th team (South Eastern 4A) have picked up two wins in the opening half of the season. A notable win against Roehampton being one of them with Travis Hoey The experience throughout our committee is something that cannot be at the helm. He’ll be hoping for some more wins which are sure to come their way. overlooked, Club Chairman Riadh Bouzhida (fourth Varsity), Club Secretary Regan Cook (third Varsity), Club Treasurer and Futsal Captain Alex Ditchburn Futsal has been impressive only losing their first game in the league, after that (second Varsity), 1st Team Captain Jan Greenslade (third Varsity), 2nd Team they have won every game bar from a cup game. A president Captain Alex Captain Joe Hampton (second Varsity), 3rd Team Captain Luke Robertson (third Ditchburn is confident will continue. Complacency being the only obstacle. Varsity) and 4th Team Captain Travis Hoey (second Varsity). With almost 20 Varsity appearances between all, we will ensure that the importance of this day is As we prepare for Varsity the confidence is certainly there. Coming off the back heard throughout the club. of last year where we suffered only one loss, gained three wins (points) and drew
January Issue
BUCKS FC By Alex Ditchburn
31
Football.
WHAT’S YOUR PASSION? The Bucks Student newspaper is looking for current students to write articles - if you’re passionate about a subject, we’d love to hear from you. Can’t think of what to write? No problem! Join us at a Newsgroup meeting and we’ll give you a topic to write about. Our meetings are in the Study Lounge (at the back of Beats), email editor@thebucksstudent.com to find out when the next one is! Not only will you get your views and opinions out there, but being able to say your work has been published will look fantastic on your CV. For more information email the student editor, Eliza, on editor@thebucksstudent.com.