REFRESHERS' FAIR

Refreshers' Fair took place in the SU Venue on Monday 4th February between 11am and 5pm.

25 Societies and 6 Commercial Companies attended and the day was a success!
The societies were all able to promote themselves and many of them signed up more members and filled places on society trips.

There was predictably a rush at lunchtime when Dominos brought out the free pizza but there was a steady stream of students throughout the day!

Thank you so much to those of you who helped set up and those who took part during the day!!

Union Council Report - January 08

To ensure the provision of financial support for those sports teams which do not currently receive support from the Sports Centre and to lobby on their behalf throughout the year.

The Centre for Sport will be attending Refreshers’ Fair to give information about the sports teams and promote their services, without any commercial activity of signing up members. By promoting their services they can encourage students to go over to the Centre itself to sign up to the gym and classes. The more money brought in to the Sports Centre, the more money that can be spread around the sports teams in the future.

To arrange a RAG week either in Semester 1 or Semester 2 involving not less than 100 students as active participants and to increase the amount of money raised for charities compared to previous years.

The RAG raffle for the voucher at the Living Room was small scale as it was only aimed at staff. We managed to make £30 which doesn’t sound like much but when added to money raised from the RAG pots at the shops and RAG events in the future this will help!

I am yet to meet with the student organising a Brookes “Jailbreak” to discuss how we can make it a RAG event.

Within the year arrange a showcase trip in another European country for performance societies.

Due to lack of interest in this trip and other demands on time I am currently reviewing this objective.

To provide monthly publicity of the aims and objectives of STAX

I attended a meeting on 23^rd January which Clive Robertson from the University attended. We discussed events that STAX get involved in and how they promote their services for these. It was suggested that we work closer with the local colleges in our volunteering projects as many of their students will move on to Brookes after their A-levels. STAX will have a stall at Refreshers Fair on 4^th February to promote their projects.

Open Executive Committee Report - 16th January

To ensure the provision of financial support for those sports teams which do not currently receive support from the Sports Centre and to lobby on their behalf throughout the year.

I have recently been in contact with the Director of Sport about gaining funding for individual students who are high achievers in their field and are likely to train and compete at a National level. However, it was insisted that funding would only go to students competing in Oxford Brookes’ Sports of Excellence. I was advised to speak to the University about the Scholarship and Bursary scheme to see if any funding could be provided for those students not falling within the Sports of Excellence. I am waiting on a reply.

To arrange a RAG week either in Semester 1 or Semester 2 involving not less than 100 students as active participants and to increase the amount of money raised for charities compared to previous years.

The Administration and Personnel Manager has very kindly offered a £40 voucher for The Living Room as a raffle prize for RAG. The voucher is valid until 31^st January so the raffle will of course not coincide with RAG week. I will be selling raffle tickets this week to staff of the Students’ Union and the University. I will be selling tickets for £1 a strip so hopefully there will be enough interest to raise money for RAG!

A student has contacted me about holding a “Brookes Jailbreak” where students try to get as far away from the Union as possible in 24 hours whilst raising money along the way! We are arranging a meeting to talk about making this a RAG event with the Union supporting and publicising the event.

I will soon be publicising RAG week itself with the plan to start on Monday 10^th March if there are no objections.

Within the year arrange a showcase trip in another European country for performance societies.

Due to lack of interest in this trip and other demands on time I am currently reviewing this objective.

To provide monthly publicity of the aims and objectives of STAX

I recently met with the Student Advice and Activities Manager about the Investing in Volunteers project. He will be the project manager and I will be the political manager. This project is still in its early stages but the plan is to assess the inner workings of STAX by following the 10 indicators supplied by the project. If these 10 indicators are met then our volunteer service has achieved the Investing in Volunteers Standard and the report will go to the UK Quality Assurance Panel for verification. The ultimate goal is to achieve the Investing in Volunteers Award and then we will be able to use the Investing in Volunteers logo with our volunteering service. There will be a reassessment after three years.

This gives you a general overview of the plan but it is looking far in to the future!

Sabbatical Officer Report from Mared Evans

VP: Activities and Development

24/10/07

To ensure the provision of financial support for those sports teams which do not currently receive support from the Sports Centre and to lobby on their behalf throughout the year.

Successfully affiliated a sports team as a sports appreciation society which enables them to receive funding matching their membership fee. More affiliations to follow.

- To arrange a RAG week either in Semester 1 or Semester 2 involving not less than 100 students as active participants and to increase the amount of money raised for charities compared to previous years.

Elections for this year’s RAG charities were held in the AGM and the results were as follows:

Local: Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
National: Cancer Research UK
International: Water Aid

Still planning the official RAG week for second semester. Potential for including student’s idea for “BrooXes Factor” in the RAG week but further discussions with Commercial Services Manager needed.

In negotiations with other Unions to hold a joint RAG event such as an “Old School Sports Day”.

- Within the year arrange a showcase trip in another European country for performance societies.

Currently waiting on quotes from various companies for a few different locations such as Prague, Croatia, Barcelona etc. Through consultation with societies it has been agreed that the suggested time after summer exams and after the summer ball would be best. Luckily this is still before the school summer holiday so costs can still be kept down.

- To provide monthly publicity of the aims and objectives of STAX.

Attended the STAX Welcome Party. Spoke with some students about the aims of STAX and the benefits to themselves. Made a short speech about STAX from the SU’s perspective. Highlighted the Investors in Volunteers scheme which allows STAX to nominate students for national awards.

BUNGEE JUMP!!!!!

ATTENTION ALL THRILL SEEKERS!!

Oxford Brookes is teaming up with Oxford University who have arranged a charity Bungee Jump with all proceeds going to both OUSU RAG and OBSU RAG.
The Oxford Brookes Charities were voted in at the AGM and so we will be giving any money raised to:
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
Cancer Research UK
Water Aid

Introduction to Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping is a thrilling activity and we hope that you will take part in it on our next jump on 27^th October in the meadow by the ice rink, which will be an exhilarating day out for all involved and will raise lots of money for charity. The jump is carried out by The Oxford Stunt Factory, which is currently the only club that meets the full BERSA Certification safety standards for public bungee jumping in the UK.

The Charity Part

The event will be hosted by Oxford University Student Union RAG and joint with Oxford Brookes University RAG. RAG raises money for local, national and international charities and in the past we have raised thousands of pounds from the sponsorship money that participants have collected from their friends and family. Providing you raise the minimum sponsorship of £100 you can jump for free and most of the money you raised will go to charity.

The Jumping Part

The bungee jump will be carried out by The Oxford Stunt Factory (OSF), which is the oldest bungee jumping club in the world and will be responsible for the safety of this event. OSF founded the British Elastic Rope Sports Association (BERSA), the national governing and regulatory body of the sport in the UK, so rest assured everything will run smoothly throughout the day – we are the experts! We have an impeccable safety standard in this sport and have pioneered much of the development of the sport itself. We hold a fully comprehensive insurance policy covering all legal liability. We have participated in many shows and displays as an International Bungee display team and have done much work for film and TV – we are particularly proud to have successfully engineered the opening stunt – the famous 700-ft bungee jump – in the James Bond film, ‘GoldenEye’.

How to arrange your jump

If you want to jump then you will need the following forms, which are available from Mared in the Activities Office and at the SU Reception.

l A Standard Application, Indemnity & Declaration of Fitness Form

l A Sponsorship form

Please read the application form carefully and send it, along with a deposit cheque for £30 payable to OBSU RAG, to:

Mared Evans
Helena Kennedy Student Centre
Headington Hill Hall Campus
Headington
Oxford
OX3 0BT

Please note that the cheque will only be cashed should you fail to turn up.

Once you’ve sent back this form you are registered for the jump. Places are limited so register soon! Then you need to collect sponsorship money. When you turn up to the jump bring a cheque for the total amount that you have raised, post dated for two weeks after the event so that you have plenty of time to collect in the money. Please note that you need to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship pledges in order to jump for free! You can issue us with a post-dated cheque on the day of the jump for the sum of the money you’ve raised, and we’ll then give you back your deposit.

As extra motivation, this year, we are offering the following incentives:
l A free first jump to anyone who organises, in advance, a group of 10 others to
jump with them. Just send in their forms and cheques with your own to claim the free jump.

l A free second jump to anyone who organises in advance a group of 6 jumpers

We aim to start jumping soon after 10am, and will continue until the late afternoon. If you have a preference for a jump time, please include this with your returned form and deposit. The jump will be taking place at the ice rink, which is a short walk from both the train and coach stations and has ample car parking spaces. From the site, there are fantastic aerial views of this beautiful city at 180 ft and all jumpers receive a Certificate of Achievement as a memento of their courage on the day.

We hope we have answered any questions you may have about the event. If there is any other information you need, please do not hesitate to get in touch with either Ding Boston on enquiries@oxfordstuntfactory.com or Mared Evans on obsu.activities@brookes.ac.uk

A huge thank you to all of you who attended this year's AGM on Thursday. We had a really good turn out, reaching and surpassing the quorate of 150 with 179 students in attendance.
All the motions were passed ... the most important of which was the adoption of a new Constitution.
52 pages down to 12 - definititely a change for the better!

So thanks to all and well done!

:o)

AGM!!!

VERY IMPORTANT!

This Thursday 11th October at 5.30 is the Annual General Meeting, held in the Main Hall.

AGM happens once a year and forms an IMMENSELY important part of the SU calendar, as this is where YOU, Brookes students, get to decide how the union is run.

If you want to make things happen, and see progress, make sure you are at the AGM!

Arrival time:5:15pm
Start: 5:30pm

All students are very welcome to attend and take an active part in the meeting.

We'll be discussing how the Students' Union spends it's money, choosing the RAG charities and so on.

This year we'll have guest speakers as well:

- Diversity? @ Brookes by the ACS society President!
- Islamofobia by the Islamic Society

Evening refreshments provided: Pizza & Ethical Water*

The Agenda will be published on Thu 4th Oct

* The water supports building water pumping systems overseas which will improve people’s lives by providing free, clean water.