It's that bittersweet time of year where we wave farewell to your 2021-22 Sabbatical Officers and open the doors for your new Sabbatical Team.
Each of your officers have achieved so much over the past year and have been an inspiration to our members as they've dived head first into all of our events and lead the way on campaigns, skills programmes, and supporting student mental health. So, without further ado, let's hear from Natasha, Honor, and Tom.
"It has been the highlight of my university experience being elected as your President 2021-2022. Having the opportunity to represent all our members in all sorts of different rooms from the university’s governing body to a more national stage at the NUS conference. It has truly been the best experience.
This year we have ensured that your personal safety is a top priority. Through our personal safety box initiative to the remapping of the sshh bus, we fully understand the importance of your personal safety. We have also been working closely with the university to ensure there is a sufficient private accommodation support package. These are just two of the many amazing wins that we have achieved at Bucks Students’ Union this year.
I would like to thank everyone that has supported me through my presidency. I would like to especially thank my fellow sabbs Tom and Natasha.
Bucks Students Union will always have a special place in my heart and I wish the new sabbatical team all the best. " - Honor Fletcher, Students' Union President 2021-22
"It hasn't been any easy two years since starting as your VPEW during the pandemic but we've all worked so hard within the Union team over the past two years to support students during the worst times in the pandemic. We’ve tried to keep you motivated and stable as we worked through the pandemic and came out the other end. Supporting students with anxieties around socialising after being secluded at home for so long, as well as so many of our students still working on the front line in hospitals whilst the rest of the country began to celebrate the freedom of lockdown being lifted, was a challenged we welcomed.
I'm really proud to have achieved bringing in the Union’s first ever Commitment to Mental Health and Wellbeing and to push the University to complete the University Mental Health Charter. To have also successfully campaigned for the first ever Sabbatical Officer based at Uxbridge to heighten the profile of students voices at Uxbridge and Aylesbury is something we are all so proud of as a team.
A massive thank you to everyone in the Union and University who has supported me these past few years. In particular I'd like to say a special thanks to Honor and Tom for being so patient with me throughout this year. I won’t be going very far as I move to the Students’ Union Representation team to support both of the VPEW’s in the coming year.
Best of luck to everybody completing their studies soon, I'm sure you will all smash it." - Natasha Neal, Vice President Education and Welfare 2020-2022
"Today marks my last day in office as your VPSI. What a roller coaster of a time it's been, from taking over in the middle of the pandemic where we weren't allowed in the office and having to sit in 8-hour Teams calls to coming out the other end with retaining the Roebuck trophy after a successful in-person Varsity.
Nothing will ever prepare you for what sort of an experience you're in for when taking on a Sabbatical Officer role, but I honestly can say I wouldn't change any of it. Having the opportunity to run out at Varsity, have a final Festiball, and even sitting on a coach for 36 hours for Tour. It truly has provided me with so many memories.
Working with the Students’ Union is something I would say everyone has to do in life. I couldn't have asked for a more supportive, enthusiastic, and sometimes funny, organisation to work for.
It has been my greatest honor being able to represent you in all the work that we do, so I would like to thank everyone, students and staff for your support. A special thank you to Tash and Honor who both have made my time in office so enjoyable. I would like to wish Jess the best of luck for the year ahead as she enters the VPSI role.
All of you who are moving on from Bucks this year, I would like to wish you the best of luck for your future. This definitely isn't the end but for now... goodbye and I’ll see you on tour." - Tom Featherstone, Vice Presdient Student Involvement 2020-2022