Cambridge Community Volunteer of the Month

Alex Fryer

During the summer Alex has been voluntarily working on a project to film and produce a promotional video for Cambridge Triathlon Club for use on their website. During Alex’s time on the project he has met with the clubs committee to discuss their vision, scout and set up filming locations and attended the clubs training sessions and events. Alex also organised to interview club members for his piece. This experience has not only improved his filming and editing skills, it has also taught Alex how to project manage, liaise with a client and to communicate to people efficiently and effectively. Helen Davis, a club member, comments:

“We first met Alex back in mid-summer when he offered to make a film for our club to go on our website.  From the first meeting Alex was very professional and met with us to discuss what we were wanting from our film.”

“A few weeks ago, it was with anticipation that we got together to view the first draft of the video- it was fabulous!  We were so impressed at what he has achieved, he captured what we wanted perfectly.  We are truly grateful for the hours of preparation, footage and time he has spent managing this project.”

Congratulations Alex on all your efforts during this project, keep up the great work!

Chelmsford Community Volunteer of the Month

Alice Siegwart

Alice joined the Union’s “People’s Patch” volunteering project in the spring of 2016 and has been a driving force in the development and maintenance of the project ever since. The People’s Patch project grows produce on the Union’s allotment alongside some of the service users at the local homeless charity, Sanctus. All produce that is grown is then used to help feed the service users at the charity.

Emma Hughes, our Chelmsford Volunteer Coordinator and founder of the People’s Patch project comments:

“Alice has provided advice, inspiration and even bought in plants and equipment which she has donated [to the project], alongside a lot of her time. She has tended, grown, picked and tidied regardless of the weather. Alice has flourished this year, as has our allotment!”

Without the help of volunteers such as Alice, this project would not be able to be sustained. If you are interested in volunteering at the People’s Patch, please click here.

Congratulations Alice on everything you have achieved this year!

Cambridge Committee Member of the Month

Hannah Belcher

Hannah, President of the Disabled Society, has demonstrated a consistently high standard of leadership since the start of the academic year. On top of coordinating the society leading into and during this academic year, she has also organised and run the fantastic “Art of Mental Health” Exhibition in the university last month to raise awareness around the issue of mental health.

On top of this, she is consistently in contact with the Students’ Union to let us know what her society is up to, planning new events and logging her Volunteering Hours on the website.

Hannah is very keen to gain accreditation for her society by gaining a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award and to be recognised as a leading society within our Union and to be recognised as providing a quality student experience for all her members.

Keep up the great work Hannah!

Chelmsford Committee Member of the Month

Ashley Chea

Ashley, a previous Business and Finance undergraduate and now MSc Project Management student, is President of the International Society and has been working hard to get the society off the ground alongside her studies, at the start of this academic year.

As well as leading the society, Ashleyhas been creating events such as Culture Speed-dating at Pride of Black History Month, creating joint society events with the Education Society, created and designed the society’s logo and social media pages as well as attending 3 Students’ Union training sessions. Ashley comments:

“[I enjoy] communicating with and learning from [all our members], understanding each other’s cultures, expanding our own social networks and building our confidence.”

As President of the society Ashleyhas been able to utilise and build upon the project management skills that she has learnt during her course. Ashleigh has also learnt skills in communication, delegation, IT, self-management and cultural sensitivity, all key skills which will help her to gain her dream job as a data analyst within the media and marketing industry once she graduates.

“[My] whole [student] journey has been amazing and the SU team has been the most helpful team ever. [As] a person that [was] pretty scared to [be] exposed to the world, [I have] finally [been able to] blend myself into the world and be more sociable.”

Congratulations Ashleyon all your success so far! Ashley leaves us with a final inspirational thought:

“Academics are important, but it doesn’t have to mean giving up on your social life. When you get active [and] involved in different activities, you know you [can balance both your social life] and your academics. I’m lucky that I realised this before I graduated. University is a good platform for everyone to start connecting before going to face the reality of the world. Stand up, and be active. You are the best you can be.”