Exams are over, deadlines are done and the sun is out (at least a little more often!). It must be time to celebrate! Here at your Students' Union, we've decided to get a bit fruity with our celebrations. On top of the fruit-themed fun at last week's Hallam Nation X Smirnoff Summer Party, we wanted to take the chance to let you know what the Students' Union has been feeling peachy about, who our top-bananas are, and the achievements which have really put the cherry on top of your Student's Union this year.

The Numbers (A couple of these are Berry impressive…)

850+: The record number of voluntary hours which students achieved during Student Volunteering Week.

76: The number of students who have taken part in Mental Health First Aid sessions.

90: The number of different activities students took part in through the Students' Union, including 7 Societies trips.

56: The record number of Student Rep of the Month nominations.

182,615: The amount of money (£) that the Advice Centre has helped students gain in benefits, student funding entitlements, hardship funds and complaints compensation. 

503: The number of hours students have danced themselves fit at free Zumba classes put on by the Students' Union's Wellbeing team.

3272: The number of voters in the spring Students' Union elections. This election was contested by 59 candidates!

1028: The number of bags donated to Pack for Good by Sheffield Hallam. This added up to a whopping 14.7 tonnes, and the overall value of the items donated was estimated at £25,690! 

2000+: The number of students who attended a trip or took part in an activity at the Students' Union.

New Events and Projects (More innovation than Apple!):

Thanks to our student members, this year saw an even more diverse and exciting range of events, campaigns and student-led projects than ever. A massive thank you goes out to all societies, training schemes and voluntary projects who have worked so hard throughout the year at the Students' Union to achieve new heights with their innovative ideas. Here are a few our favourite events and projects which took off in 2018/19.     

Be Inspired:

This new campaign aimed to highlight inspiring stories from students, Hallam alumni and successful individuals from many different sectors. It encouraged students to engage with skills and training courses, while seeking out new opportunities for themselves. As well as holding a successful conference, one of Be Inspired best ideas was creating a podcast series. Each episode featured students and people of interest sharing inspiring stories to help students find their way in life. Guest included your elected Officers, Coach and Connector Sarah Stanley and the Apprentice's Kayode Damali. All 8 episodes can be found here. Check it out, it's great!

The HUBIS Awards:

The inaugural Hallam Union BAME and International Student Awards (or the HUBIS as we like to call it) was an awards night celebrating the achievements of BAME and International students and staff. Three of your elected Officers, Sheriff, Nabeela and Abdullah, hosted the evening, awarding the 12 worthy winners with their trophies. Building upon over 40 nominations received this year, the HUBIS will return next year to continue its celebration of the diversity and excellence within the Sheffield Hallam University community.

Beyond the Body:

One of the most successful student-led voluntary projects to begin in the last year, Beyond the Body takes student volunteers into schools to deliver workshops around body confidence and self-esteem. As well as having an incredibly positive impact on teenage students, Beyond the Body offers their volunteers the opportunity to develop valuable skills to take forward into their working lives. After reaching over 100 students this year, we know Beyond the Body will continue to grow and spread its positive message over the coming years.  

Your Reps (They're Grape!):

Student Reps contribute so much to making sure the Students' Union is your Students' Union. There have been loads of fantastic events and projects initiated by your Reps this year, and every one of them has donated so much time alongside their studies to achieving great things in the interests of Hallam students. Here are a few we wanted to highlight for their efforts this year.

Kathy Davies:

Kathy has run a number of events raising the profile of postgraduate students across campus. The success of her events, in particular the welcome event in Coffee Union with over 70 students in attendance, has strengthened the postgraduate community. In turn, Kathy has created a support network valued by both her peers and the Students' Union.

Goodluck Odili Oguzie:

One Race was the highlight of Goodluck's excellent contribution to the Students' Union as International Students' Rep. This evening of cultural celebration brought together students from over ten countries to learn about each other's cultures and showcase cultural performances. The continued growth of this event should be credited to Goodluck's hard work. 

Gabby Willis:

 

As your Women's Officer, Gabby ran many successful campaigns throughout the year. She collaborated with the University of Sheffield to organise a city wide march, Reclaim the Night. This march brought together all self-defining women to campaign for better street lighting, improved support for survivors of sexual assault and zero tolerance on sexual harassment. In addition, Gabby curated a month of diverse and engaging events for the Students' Union's Women's History Month celebrations.

Shama Abdulla:

Shama brought together students from both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam for a one-off Black History Debate Night. The inclusive nature of the event allowed attendees to open up about their experience and sparked honest debates about important social issues. There is no doubt that Shama's work on this event, and on many others as your BME Students Rep this year, will inspire further thought provoking and progressive events of this kind at the Students' Union. 

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