Dear Students,
As my term as Vice President Education and Welfare Officer for Uxbridge and Aylesbury comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on our journey together and express my heartfelt gratitude. It has been an incredible privilege to represent you and work alongside such a dedicated and vibrant community.
Together, we have accomplished so much, and I am proud of what we have and continue to achieve.
One of our significant successes has been campaigning for the reinstatement of free breakfasts and lunches at Uxbridge and Aylesbury twice a week. This initiative has provided over 800 students with access to free food, especially during these challenging times with the rising cost of living. I hope this has brought some comfort and relief to those who have benefited from it.
We also established a more visible Students' Union at the Aylesbury campus, offering a help-yourself bookshelf, an ultimate campus cinema where students can borrow DVDs, and importantly, creating safe spaces for students to talk. Utilising the Community Wellbeing Hub's confidential pods has made a significant difference. Celebrating International Nurses and Midwifery Day with cake and chats, handing out charms, and ensuring a safe and welcoming environment has been incredibly rewarding.
Additionally, we wrote a Travel Placement Paper that will be presented in the upcoming academic year to a committee within the university. This was a major project, and I hope it will support students in the future. During its development, the campus link was extended for Aylesbury on a trial basis. Although the service has now stopped due to limited numbers, I believe that with the travel paper and ongoing discussions, we are now looking at the bigger picture and making changes that will hopefully support students.
We supported Apprenticeship Week and attended their first awards ceremony, highlighting the importance of vocational education and celebrating the achievements of our apprentices. I also attended and had a stall at all three Community Wellbeing Fairs, handing out mindfulness bags to promote mental well-being. These bags included items such as notebook, wellbeing exercises, and relaxation guides to help students practice mindfulness and manage stress.
I participated in many meetings where I represented students' views and concerns, attended open days to welcome prospective students, and underwent training to better serve our community. These meetings have been instrumental in bringing about changes, some of which are now in the works. I am excited to see these initiatives come to fruition and make a lasting impact on our student experience.
Throughout the year, there have been numerous little wins, hard-fought battles, and some we haven’t won but that is ok, Rome was not built in a day, and we continue to advocate, support, and represent all students I’m sure for many more years to come. Every effort has been beneficial, and I have been grateful for the opportunity.
Thank you for your support, engagement, and trust throughout my time. It has been an honour to represent and support you. I am thrilled to be handing over this role to Bethany Jackson, who I know will continue to advocate for your needs and make a positive impact. I look forward to seeing the continued growth and success of our community under Bethany's leadership as I now take on the role of President for 24-25.
Lastly, I want to say a huge good luck to Sruthi, Brandon, and Jess, it has been a pleasure and I hope you have many more new and exciting adventures throughout your career or careers.
Best wishes
Amy x