NUSSL Convention -> We Won Most Improved Bar!

I was having a right sulk after not getting a Silver or Gold Sound Impact Award. That is until they began announcing the Best Bar None Awards...

...because we won the Award for Most Improved Student Union Bar in the UK! Woo!

This is an awesome achievement for our Venues department and our entire Guild. It also meant that me, Adam & Philippa got to go on stage and have our photo taken for NUSSL magazine!

It was one good-looking Award and we took many, many photos of it throughout the rest of the night. Here is a picture of me and Achike Ofodile, President of Kent Students' Union who won the Award for Best Overall Bar, looking elated with our Awards (see left)!

So next time you head into Joe's for a coffee or a pint, just remember - you are drinking in an Award-winning bar. Happy days!

NUSSL Convention -> The Sound Impact Awards!

The Sound Impact Awards were announced first and... we got ourselves a Bronze Award!

This is awesome news and reflects the Guild's progression on environmental issues over the past year - last year we only recieved a Working Towards accreditation.

If we continue to reduce our carbon footprint and increase our E&E work then next year we might make it into the top eight Student Unions in the country and receive a Silver or Gold Award. And it's looking likely, what with the Building Redevelopment moving forward and enthusiastic Officers having just been elected! Plus, we were only 16 points off a Silver this time round!

Nevertheless, Bronze is a fantastic achievement for our 100-year old Guild building and I hope to shout a bit about this success next Semester.

As for the Sound Impact Award scheme itself, it has become bigger and better since it was first run last year. In Year One, 51 Unions took part. This year, 67 Unions took part! Moreover, the average Workbook score has increased from 187 points to 233 points! Congratulations to Jamie Agombar and Catherine Dishington on the NUSSL Staff Team who lead the Sound Impact Awards - nice one guys!

Every Student Union appeared to have upped their game this year: Loughborough have purchased an LED lighting rig, Reading have started using rainwater harvesting and Leeds are the first Union to have solar panelled heating for some of their water pipes!

Overall, Loughborough took the first place prize for the second year running and it was well-deserved. We have a lot of work to do to even come close to those planet-savers but the Building Redevelopment will provide a great environmental opportunity so let's hope we are holding the Gold in two years time!

NUSSL Convention -> Annual Dinner

The Annual Dinner occurs on the final night of NUSSL Convention and it is a chance for all Sabbas and Staff to put on their finest gear, help themselves to free alcohol and eat cold chicken.

Most importantly however, the results are announced for the Sound Impact Awards (NUSSL's environmental accreditation scheme) and the Best Bar None Awards (NUSSL's venue acceditation scheme).

Our performance in each award is revealed in the above posts but first - here is a picture of me, Philippa Calver (EEO Elect) and Adam Craig (Venues Manager) looking sharp at the Dinner :)

NUSSL Convention -> Sight-Seeing!

"Time you enjoyed wasting, was not time wasted." - John Lennon

Don't let our tired faces fool you. Life as a Sabbatical is not all stress, hassle and politics. Every month or so we get an afternoon off and what better place to chill out for an hour or two than Liverpool: the birthplace of the mighty Beatles!

Myself, Jonny Cox (Cardiff), Jay Patel (Brunel) and various other Sabbs decided to explore the Mersey, which involved taking lots of photos, getting lost and popping into The Cavern - the famous pub where the Beatles used to headline back in the sixties!

I've discovered that pretty much everything in Liverpool is in some way related to The Beatles, including fancy dress shops, memorial statues and even the odd bit of furniture (look right and check out me & Jay on a musical bench)!

However, our escape from the Adelphi was only brief and we were back within hours for the NUSSL Annual Dinner...

NUSSL Convention -> AGM

NUSSL AGM (Annual General Meeting) took place on the second morning of the Convention. This is where the minutes & accounts are approved, the EGM decision was ratified, motions are discussed and students are elected onto the NUSSL Committees.

There were two motions this year, both of an Ethical & Environmental nature. They are as follows:-

1) "Despite current equal pricing options, less than 1% of Students' Unions purchased recycled A4 paper pads last year." - Stephen Dowson, Chair of the E&E Committee (pictured left). This surprising statistic was the basis for the first motion, which believes that NUSSL should continue its work ensuring that Students' Unions solely use recycled paper. The motion resolves to introduce a strategy which makes recycled paper the preferred choice of Unions by 2010.

2) The second motion came from the Union of East Anglia and was concerned that NUSSL 'Ethical Choice' branding of ethical products was unclear. UEA suggested that NUSSL implement a traffic-light system which rates a product on whether it has been grown organically, how far it has travelled and whether it was produced in a fair-trade environment.

Both motions passed and NUSSL's exceptional environmental progression continues.

The Elections followed the motions and seats for all of the Committees were healthily-contested. Congratulations to Graham (Leicester), Jay (Brunel) Andrew (UEA) and the rest!

My favourite candidate question was for the Business & Enterprise Committee candidates: "Who would win in a fight between Sir Alan Sugar and Donald Trump?"

And my favourite candidate answer came from Andrew (UEA)...

Question: "Do you have any party affiliations?"

Answer: "I'm still quite affiliated to the party last night."

Legend!

NUSSL Convention -> EGM

On the first morning of NUSSL Convention, an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) was called because the NUSSL Board hoped to implement some changes to its Committees. Therefore, all shareholders were required to approve or disapprove these changes by voting at the EGM.

The EGM was Chaired by Aaron Porter (pictured right) and speaking in favour of the changes was Dave Lewis.

The proposed changes were:-

• NUSSL believes that a second external Director should be added to the Board to add outside knowledge from the business world and inform decision-making.
• NUSSL would like to remove the License Trade Committee and the Retail Trade Committee, as both are highly operational and could be carried out by staff who are trained in this field.
• NUSSL would like to add a Purchasing Scrutiny Committee who will meet when lare contracts are to be negotiated eg. Coca-Cola or Divine Chocolate.
• NUSSL would also like to add a Business & Enterprise Committee who will meet to discuss new, creative and innovative ways in which to develop NUSSL and aid Students' Unions

Andy Parsons, General Manager of Loughborough, spoke against the changes.

However, the proposals were approved by an indicative majority and, similar to our Referendum, the shareholders voted to form a better-led and more productive organisation.

Nice Chairing, Mr Porter!

NUSSL Convention 2008!

"Networking is one letter away from not-working." - Dave Lewis, National Treasurer and NUSSL Company Chair.

The Annual NUSSL Convention took place last week in the Adelphi Hotel (pictured right), Liverpool. The VPDR is the Guild's NUSSL liaison so I strapped on my finance hat and caught a train up to the birthplace of the Beatles.

For those of you who don't know, NUSSL (NUS Services Limited) is the commercial side of the NUS. It focuses on finance, business, purchasing and the environment - therefore the politics are left at the door!

Much took place at NUSSL Convention this year, including:

• an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) to propose changes to the structure of NUSSL's primary Committees.
• an AGM (Annual General Meeting) where accounts are approved and motions are discussed.
• the usual plenary sessions, ranging from debates to sharing best practise.
• NUSSL Annual Dinner.
• NUSSL Annual Awards, where Students' Unions around the UK find out the recipients of the Sound Impact Awards and the Best Bar None Awards.
• a vast array of freebies and extra-curricular activities, including cocktailing flaring, Fairtrade chocolate fountains and a charity bar.

A lot happened in three days so I'll break it all down for you in handy blog-sized portions...

Guild Council -> March

A couple of hours after the sponging, March Guild Council took place.

Almost incredibly, it was over by 7.30pm (in time for Coronation Street!)

The meeting was also memorable for a variety of other reasons, including:-

1) Lizzy Ralph was commended for her work ensuring funding for the development of the Guild Media Groups.

2) Will Bastin (pictured left) was commended for ensuring a pay-as-you-go rate for a variety of activities in the Munrow Sports Centre.

3) Guild Council voted to support the NUS Reform as NUS Conference next week.

4) And we were visited by Sophie Kettell from Staff Students' Union because our Guild Council is so absolutely amazing and she wanted to see how we do things Brumside!

Lastly, apologies for the lack of food this time round. I was too busy getting drenched for charity to nip out to Aldi - but the food will make a return next time!

A Ruddy Good Sponging!

"I act as a sponge - I soak it up and squeeze it out in ink every two weeks." - Janet Flanner

This quote pretty much summarises how I've been blogging recently.

On Thursday 13th, a handful of Exec members, both old and new, were convinced by Burn FM to get wet-sponged for charity in the Mermaid Fountain. And it was bloody freezing!

The line-up of unusual suspects were:-

• Myself - VPDR
• Naush Khan - VPHC
• Lizzy Ralph - VPSAD
• Will Bastin - VPS
• James Ogden - VPHC Elect
• Domeneque Di Ciacca - WO Elect

And a big hats-off to the last two who shouldn't even have to suffer this sort of activity until the 1st August!

Nicely done everyone and thank you to those who showed up and threw sponges - although Frank mate, I think you enjoyed it a little too much! And Matt, please don't put ice cubes in the buckets next year!

The Guild Awards! O Frabjous Day!

"O Frabjous Day! Callooh! Callay!" - Lewis Carroll

Yes, that's right - the Guild Awards are back and bigger than ever!

Hosted in the Great Hall for the first time ever, the Guild Awards is a night of celebration and recognition for our most innovative, engaging and exciting student groups and members!

We are currently busy judging the mountains of nomination forms in preparation for the evening but you don't need to worry about that...

All you have to do is go buy your ticket and get your finest 'Rainbow Formal' dresswear ready!

One week to go!

Sound Impact -> We Got a Bronze Minimum!

Whoop!

We were contacted by NUSSL last week who confirmed that all of our 21 Essential Criteria have been approved and therefore we have a achieved a minimum of a Bronze Award!

We won't find out if that will get bumped up to a Silver or a Gold until NUSSL Convention (next Tuesday!) but fingers are crossed throughout the organisation!

Our total criteria count of 307 out of 466 is a very good final score (and would have earnt us a Gold last year) but obviously everyone has upped their game.

But the other good news is that we could gain between 1 and 10 bonus points based on miscellaneous criteria that we submitted. Bonus points won't be assessed until NUSSL Convention also so the waiting game continues...

But to reiterate: whoop! We're guaranteed a Bronze!

Blog to the Future!

I thought I should share Shaz Greene's blog graph (previously seen at February Guild Council) with everyone by blogging it!

As you can see, more and more of the Officers are becoming familiar with their blogs and using them to talk about their plans and activities.

At the end of this year, the Independent Chairs will need to decide whether to permanently exchange the Guild Council reports for the blogs, as the original motion stated.

I guess we will have to see how this graph progresses over the next few months.

What are you thoughts?

Exec Elections -> The Results!

Amidst much applause, screams, cheesy walk-up songs and cleverly edited YouTube videos, the results of the Exec Election were slowly revealed.

And here are the results:-

President - Jennifer Larbie
VPDR - Hannah Lazell
VPEA - Tom Marley
VPS - Mark Smith
VPSAD - Rich Walker
VPW - Hollie Jones
VPHC - James Ogden

EEO - Philippa Calver
ARAFO - Suzy Railly
CAO - Laura Sterling
HSO - Siobhan Dunne
SSO - Chris Nash
LGBTQ - Emma O’Dwyer
BMEO - Yasmin Patel
WO - Domeneque Di Ciacca

Congratulations to all of the Elects! You have a very rewarding and very exhausting year ahead - but each of you will make a very real difference to students' lives across campus and of that you should be very proud.

Roll on the 1st of August!

Exec Elections -> Results Night Awards!

Results Night was the usual mix of nerves and excitement last Saturday!

The evening began with a very formal opening from myself:

"Welcome to the Executive Elections 2008 Results Night.

This is an evening to celebrate and thank all of you, both candidates and campaign teams, for your hard work and enthusiasm on behalf of the Guild. Over the past two weeks, you have been out there engaging with students, speaking about your plans for next year and no doubt wearing some ridiculous fancy dress – and all with the same aim: to make life better for our students.

Regardless of the outcome of tonight’s results, each candidate has achieved what few students can lay claim to – they have all led a campaign across campus. This is no small feat, especially in the rain. We are all extremely proud to have such active students representing us and you should be equally proud of yourselves. Therefore, before we go nay further, please give yourselves an epic round of applause."

This was followed by thanks to Josh & Burn FM, Elections Committee and our invaluable staff team who all helped the Exec Elections happen.

I then presented awards to candidates for their creativity, innovation and sportsmanship. The winners of the awards are listed below:-

• Best Gimmick - Hollie Jones for the Well-Fairy campaign.
• Best Fancy Dress - James Ogden for his Incredibles costume.
• Best Banner - Lizzy Bell.
• Best YouTube Video - Harry Britten.
• Innovation - Steven Johnson for his 'Steve for Sport' arrows and Rich Walker for his jacket made of crisp packets.
• Sportsmanship - Rob Schilling and Mark Smith for shaking hands and swapping shirts after the ballots closed.

Creme Eggs went to all of the above (you lucky people)!

And after this, I handed over to Geoff Pringle, the nominee of our Returning Officer, who read out the results...

Exec Elections -> The Dreaded Exit Polls...

The relief didn't last for long because for the second year running, Josh Bloom of Burn FM fame, hosted the dreaded exit polls - this time live from Joe's!

Following a short Richard & Judy-style interview between myself and Josh, the exit polls were revealed one-by-one and led to much speculation and gossip over the next 24-hours.

A big thank you to Josh and Burn FM for their efforts during the week!

Exec Elections -> When the Ballots Close!

Last Friday, the online ballots closed at noon after a long, hard week of voting & campaigning.

As is Guild tradition, all of the candidates gathered on the library steps with their campaign teams and wearing their best fancy dress for the final election photo - just look at the relief!

And I very nearly missed it again!

But I pegged it across campus and somehow managed to slide into the photo frame at 12.01pm.

Phew!

Contratulations everyone! The photo captures what every campaign should be: colourful, engaging and enjoyable.

Hope to see you all on those steps next year :)