Hi guys! Just thought I’d write a blog post about what I’ve been getting up to recently, what stuff I’ve been trying to change and how much progress I’ve managed to make on these things. As always, if you are interested in any of the projects mentioned then do feel free to get in touch and I will do my best to get back to you.

Student Safety:

• Worked with UEA security to keep the ‘Orwell Gate’ open until 10pm, instead of 6pm. This gate is opposite the Bluebell Road bus stop (the metal one that’s always locked) and is often shut when students are trying to leave campus. This will no longer be the case!
• Set up a Violence Against Women and Girls Working Group for members of our student community can raise concerns in a safe environment. (I don’t sit in these meetings, but I get a report on suggested actions, and I will do my best to implement them)
• Night Bus launch! Went with Luke on the inaugural service. Have been receiving reports on student usage and am pleasantly surprised! Will now begin phase two of rollout, marketing it to local businesses and community centres to boost the numbers.
• Transport Day: Worked with the UEA transport team to host all different types of transportation on our campus – both bus providers came as well as other community partners like UEA Sport and our local community police team.
• Norwich Bus Safe Space project – I’m now working with the security team to replicate a scheme in Cambridge between Stagecoach and the Council. The scheme is designed to increase the safety of women, girls and vulnerable people on public transit. Watch this space!
• Worked a lot with the security team recently, particularly on their SafeZone app – it is such a great tool to keep students safe. If you don’t have it, get it!!! We had the head of UEA security come and join us at the SU and deliver a presentation to our staff about how to use it and how to keep themselves and students safe.
• Raised safety concerns about the lack of stripes on zebra crossing. This has now been fixed!

Community Building:

• Black History Month went really well, and we had some great events on campus. Held a BHM Cultural Showcase at the Waterfront, providing a platform for new black artists from our university and our city! The concert caught the attention of BBC introducing and led to the artists’ songs being played on the radio. 
• Disability History Month is just round the corner, and I’ve got a plan for increasing the accessibility of our campus venues and Union House as a whole. Updates soon…
• I’ve been working on a new project with our LGBTQ+ part time officers that is designed to help trans and non-binary students during their time at UEA. Can’t say much more about it at this point! I have been helping to name the LGBTQ+ bar upstairs (only with shortlisting) too.
• Community Pantry: Work is well underway on getting the community pantry set up for students – this was a big manifesto commitment of mine, and I am going to make sure that it is completed!
• Changing campus culture: Working a lot with UEA on cultural change work – particularly on campus and community safety. This is a huge piece of work with lots of interchanging pieces. We are currently working towards two accreditations – RE:SET (this is the changing the culture one) and the SOS UK Drug and Alcohol Impact Accreditation (We started this a few years back, but we never finished – I am determined to get this done!!). We are planning on revitalising our NEVER OK campaign as it is the 10 year anniversary very soon. I am looking to update it and include more pressing student concerns, such as spiking.
• Pharmacy: Been working with Anand, the new pharmacist, on the run up to the pharmacy opening! I’ve been doing my best to help make it as quick of a process as possible (I even offered to paint the pharmacy inside for him hahaha). A few logistical bumps but I am hopeful that we will have it open very very soon.
• EastSU’s: Set up a network for sabbatical officers in the East of England to communicate and share projects and knowledge. Planning an officer meetup very soon!
• Elected to be our regional representative for the National Union of Students. Very excited to work with the team!
• Working with the uni to plan White Ribbon Day in November (it's also known as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women).

Everything else:

• Chaired our trustee board (I am interim chair until we elect a full-time chair)
• Attended university council and input the student experience to the board. Wrote a paper with Rebekah highlighting key concerns facing students at UEA at the moment.
• Been meeting with university and union stakeholders to build stronger union relationships.
• Completed my UEA gold award – highly recommend you take this opportunity up too!
• Planning a Bob Ross paint along – get tickets now!
• Setting up a volunteer student events team to help run some exciting projects and help students get event planning experience along the way.

This isn't an exhaustive list but just a rough roundup of the past month and a half. Hope you've found it interesting! If there's anything you think I'm not doing that I should be, please reach out to me and I will do my best to incorporate it into my current work.

Thanks!!! Nathan x