So many stories...

It's been a while since I last blogged and I have so much to report on! I will try to keep it brief:

Hall Committees
We finally have a Hall Committee in each hall! Congratulations to all those nominated and a big thank you to all the voters and helper in the elections. I can report that we have help the first training session for the Committee members and the budgets have been finalised. So for all those people in halls, contact you you President to find out what they are doing for you. If you are not sure who your Hall President is then you can find out on thesu.com under the elections section.

Chlamydia Chlamydia
We held the second screening day on Nov 27th which was another success! Students were tested and picked up their free bag of treats-condoms and sweets!

International Students Forum
Orla, our beautiful international students officer organised the first international students forum on 21st Nov and it was a pleasure to attend. She did a fantastic job of setting it up, including providing international food for us all to snack on. Students came to discuss what their issues were as international students. I look forward to the next one!

Danger on the Safety Bus
I have taken my test and can now drive the safety bus! Anyone who knows my driving ability will find this hilarious but don't worry, I've mainly been co-driving. I've been out twice now with two of your lovely bar staff- the gorgeous Toby and Will and it's really good fun. I personally enjoy singing very loudly with alcohol-fuelled students at 2am. If anyone is interested in being a driver or co-driver then let me know.

Speed Dating
When I first heard that I was going to speed date the Vice Chancellor Janet Beer I though Antoinette had been on her herbal tea again but in fact the occasion went really well! On 28th Nov the SU officers and the University's senior management team got together and speed dated each other for a couple of hours. The exercise was designed so we could get to now each other on an informal basis and it certainly worked! This year, the Exec team are determined to make every effort to build upon our relationship with the University so we can work together for the benefit of students- it sounds incredibly wet and soppy but it's true!

Santa Baby
On 27th Nov I also attended the SU Christmas Fair. I was asked if I'd like to dress up for the occasion and not one to disappoint I donned by Mrs Santa outfit. I must admit if felt a bit weird in Nov, especially when decorating the Christmas tree we has in there! It was a great fair and I fully regret eating so much chocolate!

I've probably forgotten loads of other stuff but that serves me right for not blogging more regularly.


Bye for now. xx

Breast Aware

I'd just like to thank everyone who took part and supported the Breast Cancer awareness campaign. As most of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and so OBSU urged everyone to check their pleasuredomes! Not only did we raise awareness but we raised £54.15 from selling the glow braclets at our pink Pleasuredome!

The campaign was to raise awareness of breast cancer and from speaking with people last week and at the Dome on Friday, I think we certainly made the campaign visible, in particular the Exec girls' posters! Many of the leaflets and flyers giving stats on breast cancer and how to check oneself were taken which can be a good indicator that people were listening to the 'be breast aware message'!

It will be interesting to see how we go about creating a poster campaign for the forthcoming Testicular Cancer Awareness campaign! Any male models interested?!

xxx

The First SHAG Event: Chlamydia Screening

So we had the first Chlamydia screening day yesterday and it was really successful! In total we did 83 screens: 46 female, 38 male! Those who were tested picked up some free condoms and sweets and will receive their results in 7-10 days. I’d like to say a big thank you to Liz from the Churchill Hospital help making it all possible.

We will keep you informed for all the next coming SHAG events including when the next screening will take place. Don’t forget, the medical centre (Dem Building) and Advice Centre (Helena Kennedy Building) provide free condoms for you to pick up. If you want any other sexual health check-ups contact the Harrison clinic or Alex Turnbull Clinic:

The Harrison Clinic/GU medicine clinic Churchill Hospital
Old Road
Headington
OX3 7LJ
Telephone number 01865 231231

Alec Turnbull Family Planning
Raglan House
Between Towns Road
Cowley
Oxford OX4 3JH Times; Monday - Thursday 09.30-19.00 Friday 09.30-16.00 Saturday 10.30-13.30 Tel no 01865-456666

Chlamydia Testing Tuesday Week 2-SHAG Campaign

On Tuesday 2nd October 2007 you will be able to pick up a testing pack to test yourself for Chlamydia. Between 10am-3pm at Gipsy Lane reception the tests will be available for students, organised as part of the SHAG campaign (sexual health and guidance) by the Students' Union working with the National Chlamydia Screening Project.


The self-tests are designed to be used discreetly so you can check yourself with no need for intimate medical contact: for boys the method is to pee in a pot and for girls it is a self swab. Tests results are revealed one week later by text message.

It is the first time we have managed to secure sexual health checks on campus and if this service is used then we are hoping to extend it's provision so tests will be available all year round and at all campuses.

If we are wanting to secure a continued sexual health service at Brookes, students need to come to the stall (Gipsy Lane reception) and use the self tests because if you don't we will have to assume that there is no demand for it which if you look at the statistics (1 in 10 under 25years are suggested to be infected) suggest otherwise.

Tell all your friends!

Freshers Week

So freshers week is finally over! I had a really good week meeting loads of new students and saying hello to some of my friends who were returning. To be honest, I think some of you were getting fed up of seeing our faces because you kept bumping into us! The other officers and I spent the week doing hall talks, wondering around Freshers Fair where we also had a stall and attending the club nights.

I was asked what my highlights have been and I have to say meeting all the excitable new freshers! I really enjoyed going back to my old halls Cotuit and painting peoples faces at Pleasuredome. What I didn't enjoy how ever was speaking to the two guys outside Morrells where one proceeded to urine on the other!

It was tiring working 13 hour days but still fun! Now it's back to the office where I am sorting out Hall elections, Pee in the pot day (Chlamydia testing on campus Tuesday week 2) and Breast cancer awareness for next month.

If you are interested helping out drop me an email or pop in to see me.

Much love

Lou

p.s. thank you to my housemates for all the cake and 'banter'

Mental Health Day 7th September 2007 (Manchester)

Last Friday I woke up really early (5.30am!!) and took the train to Manchester for Mental Health Day. Mental health is considered to be one of the highest rated concerns for students in the UK. I thought it was very important for me to attend this day to learn more about how to approach the issues around mental health because it is such a varying and sensitive subject for many people. Mental health is involved in the student movement from the academic to social scene, expanding far beyond the scope of the usual identified welfare remit.

This year I will be addressing mental health through my Healthy Living campaign, focusing mainly on Eating Disorders and Stress. I will also be working with Oxfordshire’s Early Intervention Service, a service which helps those with psychosis. For more information on any of these issues please keep an eye on my blogs and website page at www.thesu.com.

If you do have any particular questions or concerns then email me or come see me.

The workshops which I attended were:

• Students and Suicide Workshop
• Eating Disorders Workshop
• Students and Debt Workshop

NUS: “The sheer numbers of students with poor mental health demonstrates the need for student officers to be informed, trained and updated on the issues involved.”

Campaign Convention 4th September 2007

I attended the NUS Campaigns Convention in Canary Wharf. All other student officers from around the Country came to find out what National campaigns their students could be involved with and learnt how to run an effective campaign.

The day started with the news that NUS, just days before, had secured victory against HSBC who implemented a policy to charge graduates interest on their overdrafts from the moment the left their course. Following enormous pressure from thousands of students and graduates from across the country, HSBC made the welcome decision to reverse its decision to charge full interest on graduate overdrafts.

The campaigns which I am running this year are: SHAG (sexual health and guidance), Drug and Alcohol Awareness, Healthy Living and Cancer Awareness. But I don’t what to make all the decisions- if any students wants a campaign over a certain issue or they too want to run a separate campaign then get in touch!

Also, look out for the Welfairy… adding that sparkle to those issues which can sometimes be neglected.