We held the Student Led Teaching Awards in conjunction (for the first time), with the TIRI Teaching Awards in the SLZ.   During the course of the evening, students and staff celebrated as the winners were presented with their awards and quotes from students stating why they chose the winner were read out.  The evening was once again hailed as a great success.  Thank you to everyone who nominated.

To help everyone get through the very stressful month of May, we held our essential Mind your Mate Week.  Activities to help you through exam week included ‘Look after your Mate’ workshop, led by our CEC’s who have been trained by Student Minds – the UK’s student mental health charity, we relieved some tension by creating stress balls and gave out lavender bags and got you to join in with some adult colouring, play doh and table games.

We made fruit mocktails – just the thing after an exam - and gave relaxing massages to some of you which you really enjoyed.   Students and staff had a great time in the fun photo booth, and we (and you) have the photos to prove it!  We looked after your physical health by hula hooping and giving out free fruit and water – the fruit was kindly donated by Bolton Market.  We also visited Queens’ Campus and along with hula hooping, making mocktails and stressballs, we hid our pots of joy which contained messages of motivation and encouragement.   

You asked if we could get the baby farm animals on campus again as you really enjoyed their company last year, so once again we arranged for a visit from Smithills Open Farm.  We all got to cuddle and pet their lovely baby animals.  A great stress reliever for everyone!  The week ended with a workshop led by the fabulous Bollywood dancers from RiRi’s Dance Academy in the SLZ.

In the run up to the general election the CECs were out in the Chancellor’s Mall every day tirelessly registering and encouraging students to register to vote so their voices can be heard in the General Election on 8^th June.  We are pleased to report that we registered lots of you to vote ‘on the spot’ and lots of you said that after speaking to the CECs you would go away and register.  The latest report from NUS is that the campaign nationwide was a great success and that over two million millennials registered to vote!

We held the first ever Future Leaders Residential at the Anderton Centre, in Chorley.  It was a fantastic opportunity for those students who attended to increase their confidence and develop key leadership skills that will make a difference to them during their time at University and when they enter the workplace.   Students learned about their strengths and how to challenge and push themselves to achieve more.  Activities included various workshops, archery, sailing on rafts and even a fire walk. 

Students once again dressed up in their finest attire to attend the SU’s Annual Summer Ball.  Held at the Holiday Inn in Bolton, students came together to celebrate the end of their time at University and the start of their new careers.  Good food, good company and dancing to a live band ensured the evening was once again a great success.

May is the month that we bid bon voyage to our fantastic CEC’s Eilidh and Melissa.    We are very sad to see you go and the impact you have made at the SU, at the Uni and on students is amazing.  Students, SU and Uni staff are going to miss you.  It’s been great working with you, good luck in your future endeavours!  Danielle our third CEC is continuing her employment with the SU as ‘lead’ CEC.  The new CEC’s will benefit from Danielle’s experience and direction to make your student experience a fantastic one. 

Win: Students told us that they really needed an additional printer at Queens Campus.  We asked the University to install one and we are pleased to report that another MFD has been installed at Queen’s outside of the Student Services Office on the ground floor.