AU Dinner

Now only a week away, and I am getting nervous. Just about everything is in place or being completed, table plans being finalised, programmes being collected this week along with the awards. S cross-fingers everything will be ready for a fabulous evening!!!!

I have also been meeting with sports societies to discuss the possibility of them being recognised as a UBS club. I have tried finding ways of leveling the playing field between the UBS sports clubs and the Guild sports this year and this is a possible breakthrough, where societies can access many of the oppotunities that are open to the UBS sports clubs. However, this does not include financial help....it is more about the fitness services and marketing oppotunities that UBS can offer!!!

updates updates updates

So as the week draws to a close I thought I would update to where I have got to this week. With regards to the AU Dinner, the Programme has been designed and is ready to be sent off, and the trophies have been ordered, with correct specifications and names. Hopefully they will all be ready for collection well in advance of the dinner. I am also meeting the digital media group this afternoon to see how the au dinner video is coming along. cross-fingers, its going to be awesome!!!!!

In other news, I have also been chosen onto the BUCS West Midlands Executive Group which essentially means I will be helping to direct the current board group. Katie will take this role over as I finish, with the proper preperation of course. What also came out of that meeting significantly is that the BUCS competitions group will now meet as an East and West Midlands party, not seperately, which, if you want more explanation why please email me, is necessary.

Have a great Bank Holiday Weekend!!!!

UPDATE

Hope everyone had a great weekend......Thankyou to many clubs who managed to get footage in for the AU Dinner video, very much appreciated. Weve got a big week this week of course with the great debate, and if you are reading this please make sure you come and attend as it should be a fantastic evening. On the same day I will also be part of the Sports development away day. The VPS elect will also be joining me and I hope she gets a lot out of it as it is looking a lot into planning for the future with a view to whats coming up at the start of next year!!!

Othere than that, the AU Dinner is of course the massive project on my plate

AU Dinner

So, as already promised, the AU Dinner is taking up a massive amount of time. This weeks mini-projects include the programme, where we have design meetings and also talk about the content, and also the AU dinner film. Currently I am trying to collect as many photos and as much game film as possible so we can compile the best film possible. Tickets for the Dinner also go on general sale as of the 29th of April, so get in contact with me if you are interseted.

Guild football is now also a regular feature on Thursday evenings as part of our healthy living and team play attitude, so come watch if you fancy some laughs and supporting......and if you want to play, again, come and see me

Back to work!!

Well, after some well earned time off.....where I am delighted to say I was part of the Birmingham Lions team that won the National Championship, I am back and refreshed ready for work. The AU Dinner however looms large on the horizon and will be taking up a fair old amount of my time from now on..the joys of being VPS. I hope everyone had a great Easter break, and is ready for the 3rd term

Working in Beorma - FAB FAB FAB

Due to an 11th hour emergency, and a shortage of staff, I am delighted to say I stepped in and worked on Beorma bar last Friday night. The first thing I have got to say is I really enjoyed myself, despite the sweat pouring off my brow lol. It was actually really fun being the other side of the bar, and seeing what people are like in FAB, and of course imagining what I am usually like. It is great chance to people watch also (when the bar is not busy of course, which between 11-1 it was mad)!!!

I would also like to thank the bar staff who helped me with a few bits on the night, they were fabulous and a credit to the venues team.....

I hope everyone has a great Easter break.

Kukri Fashion Show

Just wanted to say congratulations to all the models and particularly Will Hemming that works for Kukri and in our very own Kukri store on campus. The show was really well set up and proved just how far Kukri have come in the last few years, and that the quality of the kit they are now producing really is top of the range. The University of Birmingham is regularly commented on as being the best dressed University for Sport.......long may it continue

I am now off to help lend a hand in looking at the AU Budgets for next year, hope all is well!!!

Sport Summit

So guys as promised, an overview of the sport summit. Obviously this is an issue quite close to my heart and something I have been working towards for a long time. The senior University staff that attended this summit were all very positive about sport, the need to support it and invest in it. What I hadnt realised, but something we need to think about is a more joined up approach to sport, meaning we involve the academic side of the University a lot more. We have the best sport ex department in the country and the 2nd best psychology department, we would be stupid not to use their expertise when thinking about what we must invest in......

From the meeting, there is no guarantee of new sport facilities yet, bit if we were to invest, a phased approach looks most likely....meaning it will be done in stages, not all in one go due to the capital demand!!!

I will not go into great detail now, but please email me if you are interested in what I have said and would like to chat. As I said, this issue of investing in Sport is very important to me, and any willing supporters of the cause are most appreciated!!

GC Report

Recent Activities
Guild Council, I write this report in the believe that I am about to experience the maddest week on campus; and with Guild council a week further on, congratulations to all those elected. In the past couple of weeks I have been busy. The student sports forum has again taken place, we had some fantastic discussion, particularly around the sport summit, and the role sport plays in giving students the best possible University experience. Incidentally, the summit takes place a couple of hour’s after I write this report, so to keep you all informed I will blog about it.
The freight train that is the AU Dinner continues to role, but I can now confirm that as off the first week back from Easter, sporting or recreational sport societies within the Guild can now be part of the AU Dinner and purchase tickets. Please get in touch with me if you are interested.
The BUCs Championships are taking place this week, and we have many teams in final’s, to name a few: Women’s Hockey, Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s Volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee. We also have a number of teams still to play their semi-final fixtures, so our performance in sport looks good at the moment.
I also attended the Work-Life Balance awards last week and I am pleased to say the Guild of Students was once again a finalist, and so we have now achieved that for 2 years running which is fantastic. I have also attended two AU management Team meetings, and been part of both the finance and election committee’s. I am now off GOATING, so I hope I see you all out and about!!!

UPDATE

Currently I have a couple of main projects that I am working on. The main one being the AU Dinner and as we get closer and closer to the Dinner I imagine it will consume more and more of my time. But currently I feel we are well under way and planning is progressing nicely.
I have also sorted out a weekend for the RAs to continue their team bonding and work ethic by taking them to Lake Coniston and the Raymond Priestly Centre. That happens on the 6th March
And lastly, obv the sport summit is on the horizon and so preperation for that is taking place with lots of reading up to do before the meeting

Hope everyone is well, please pop by too see me anytime with questions!!

HEALTHY LIVING WEEK

Healthy Lifestyles Week
Monday 26th January – Friday 31st January 2009
Have your overindulged yourself over the Christmas break? Is it taking you a while to get back into the swing of things?...
Then come and get involved in our Healthy Lifestyles week…

Schedule of events:
Monday – The Fruit and Vegetable market is coming to Mermaid Square!

Tuesday – Health Trainers – encouraging you to live healthier and happier lifestyles… want to lose weight? Eat healthier? Be more active? Stop smoking? Reduce your alcohol intake? Or just feel better about yourself?
Come along to Mermaid Square/Spar area and book up to 6 free sessions with your own Health Trainer.

Wednesday – FUN RUN from University Campus (Start at Munrow Centre) via The Vale. Come and join in for free. In association with the British Heart Foundation, do your part and make a donation. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes on offer too!!

Thursday – free exercise classes here at the Guild. Fancy a spot of afternoon aerobics or general keep-fit? To come along to the class on Thursday afternoon between 2:00pm and 3:00pm, please sign up by emailing vps@guild.bham.ac.uk

Friday – Wii Challenge – Do you fancy yourself as Wii Sports Master? Come and show us your skills and bag yourself a prize in our Wii Challenge. In Joe’s Bar from 11:00am till 3:00pm.

RA Training

Firstly I would like to say Happy New year to one and all. Just a quick post to say I hope all the new RA's enjoyed the training just before Christmas. I think everyone enjoyed themselves, there was some fantastic team bonding and I hope everyone got a lot out of it....

A quick message to all the sports officers. The presentations have been sent out to you, if you have not recieved them please let me know via email, vps@guild.bham.ac.uk; or contact Rachel Shepherd in the AU who can also help you with any questions you may have over the coming year, especially to do with intraleague.

I hope everyone is healthy and refreshed for the second term, and don't forget your New Years Resolution......