Student Council Proposals – February 2022
The Leicester Student Union Student Council meeting was held on Tuesday, February 1st. LSU officers led discussions regarding upcoming events on campus, campaigns, feedback, and NUS student striking.
This article gives a brief overview of some of the discussed topics. More information can be found on the LSU website.
The Big Sleep
The Big Sleep event is back! Students and staff can raise awareness and money for homelessness by voluntarily sleeping outside from 8pm on Tuesday 22nd March until 8am on Wednesday 23rd March.
The Big Sleep event is taking place on campus in Centenary Square for the first time since 2019. Due to the pandemic, the 2020 event was cancelled. Previous years have seen university students raise between £9,000 – £16,000 for local homeless charities such as Bridge and Homelessness to Hope. This year, the university aims to help raise vital funds for these partnered charities and offer students the unique opportunity to address wider community needs and make a difference.
Register your interest here: le.ac.uk/big-sleep
Events & Campaigns on Campus
LGBTQ+ Month
February 1st marked the first day of LGBTQ+ month. A range of exciting campaigns, run by Liberation Officer, Nic Farmer, will be taking place in conjunction with this. One of these campaigns being the ‘I AM’ project. This campaign will run throughout the whole of February. It will highlight the incredible identities of QTIPOC at the university, both online and on-campus.
There will also be many other events, such as the ‘LGBTQ+ History and Art + Activism’ online event on February 9th and a discussion with Ben Pechy, ‘In conversation with Ben Pechy,’ about their upcoming book publication on February 16th, also online. Plus, many more activities!
Find out more: @leicliberation https://www.leicesterunion.com/whatson/
GO GREEN!
As part of the Go Green Week, one of the key events was the Litter Pick that took place on February 8th: an excellent opportunity to help the environment and give back to the community.
Find out more: @leicspresident https://www.leicesterunion.com/whatson/
Fundraising Week
In addition to the various other events happening in February, the Students’ Union will be running a fundraising week (from 7th – 13th February) which will allow students to raise money for a chosen charity. The SU will offer support and advice on raising money and promoting your chosen charity.
Not only this, but there will also be a RAG (Raise and Give) LetsDisko Bingo event on February 9th. Some of the proceeds will be going to After18, a charity helping Leicester’s young refugees rebuild their lives.
Find out more: www.after18.org.uk/ https://www.leicesterunion.com/whatson/
Health & Well-Being, Sports and More
There will also be projects taking place to aid the health and well-being of students on campus, with creative activities such as a well-being tree. There will also be a stall on campus promoting sustainable period products offering some free giveaways.
Across February, there will be a chance for students to get involved in sports societies by joining existing or new societies.
Find out more from our Students’ Union full time officers’ social media accounts:
@leicesterunion @leicsedu @leicswellbeing @leicssports @leicspresident @leicliberation @leicsactivities
Feedback
The Student Council Meeting importantly highlighted some updates on reported issues and concerns at the university. Below are some of the feedback loops:
• Implementation of better lighting at Victoria Park – the SU President highlighted that the student union has been in several talks with the Leicester council about making the park safer to walk through. This has led to the increase of CCTV and potential planning for better lighting in surrounding areas.
• Bagels are back! – bagels are now back in the SU cafeteria after high demand.
• Library opening times – our SU Education Officer announced that after a tough battle with the university, library hours will indeed be extended… further announcements to come in the following week, so watch this space!
• Food prices – one of the most recent issues raised is the price of food. The SU is looking to compare food prices with fellow university DMU and surrounding businesses to see what can be done. However, one issue raised within the meeting was the expensiveness of vegan and vegetarian options compared to meat-based dishes.
If you want to share your opinion or raise an issue, there is a ‘Here to Hear’ form on the SU website.
Feature Image: Ellie Fleury
Chloe Kite, a Postgraduate Digital Media & Society student from Dudley, West-Midlands. Avid veggie and loves all things, Marvel. Foodie, animal lover and big music fan. Find her on Instagram: chlo_kite
Avid veggie looking to gain some experience in blogging and writing to enhance my work prospects and share my opinions!
