Tag Archives: SUBU

Student wardens to bridge gap with community in Winton

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A new scheme will aim to bridge the gap between residents and the large student population in Winton.

The student community warden scheme has been set up by Bournemouth University and Bournemouth Borough Council to improve relations in the local community and ensure newcomers know essential information about living in the area.

Teams of student wardens will regularly visit roads with a large student population, knocking on doors to chat with both permanent residents and students.

They will give advice and guidance on everything from when to put bins out to dealing with noisy neighbours, and support students with moving into private housing for the first time.

David Stock, advice manager for the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU), is overseeing the scheme.

He said: “The aim is to try and bridge the gap between the students and the permanent residents and try to make each of the groups aware of the benefits that the others bring.

“It’s about signposting services in a lot of instances, making sure people have the right information and contact details.”

There are currently two pairs of student wardens – with one team covering Cardigan Road and the surrounding area, and the other focusing on the streets around Frederica Road.

James Wilde, a fourth year Business and Marketing student, is one of the wardens.

He said he wanted to get involved to help improve the image of students in the area.

“A lot of residents have a negative perception as soon as they hear students are going to be moving in, so I wanted to help change that,” he said.

“We’ve had a really positive response so far, a lot of residents have said they are really happy we are doing it.”

Two student wardens from the Arts University Bournemouth are also being recruited for the year-long pilot scheme.

Pat Oakley, chairman of Winton Community Forum, said the forum had helped work on a number of initiatives in the area, including the student community warden scheme.

“There can be a clash between lifestyles of students and those living here permanently – being at university is meant to be fun, but students can have fun and at the same time be considerate to their neighbours,” he said.

“Something like leaving the bin on the pavements is not a big deal in itself, but if you are a young mum pushing a double buggy along, it can cause issues.

“We’ve recognised that there is a problem, but we are all working in collaboration to help solve it.”

Councillor David Smith, cabinet member for planning and environment for Bournemouth Borough Council, said the wardens were there to help and listen to the concerns of all local residents.

He added: “The introduction of student wardens in roads with high concentrations of student houses is very encouraging.

“It presents the council and the universities with the chance to deliver the right messages to young people who have just moved into a residential area for the first time and help with the transition.

“Relationships with neighbours will be helped and any problems with management of the rented houses can also be reported through these enthusiastic individuals.”

The student community warden team can also be contacted through emailing communitywardens@bournemouth.ac.uk and students and residents can report any concerns through the Winton Community Line on 01202 451491.

Student volunteers collect 1.5 tons of food for local foodbanks

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Student volunteers from Bournemouth University collected 1.5 tons of food and hundreds of pounds for local foodbanks during a day-long charity event.

The Big Feed was organised by the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU) to collect much needed donations for foodbanks in the area.

Around 50 students split into teams and spent the day at seven supermarkets across Bournemouth and Poole, competing to collect the most food donations.

They managed to collect over 1.5 tons of food – including 324 cartons of UHT milk, a food staple particularly needed by foodbanks – along with more than £1,113 in cash donations.

Sandy Williams, coordinator of the community food bank in Kinson, said: “It’s amazing. They have done brilliantly and it means an awful lot.

“Our supplies were running so low that we couldn’t make up a single complete pack. We specifically asked for UHT milk as a priority so it is really exciting seeing all of the milk they’ve collected.”

Food banks in the Bournemouth and Poole area have seen a huge rise in demand this year, helping more than 2,000 people since January – a 36 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Mark Elling, events manager for the Trussell Trust charity which runs the foodbanks, said the students’ contribution would make a big difference.

“The food that’s been collected will make a massive difference to help people who are currently in crisis,” he said.

“The day has been absolutely brilliant – it has been extraordinary being out and about seeing students engaging with members of the public and customers being very generous.”

A celebratory ceremony was held in the evening, with prizes and awards for the students who took part.

The team of students who collected the most food won £100 in Waitrose vouchers, a food hamper and a night at BU nightclub The Old Fire Station.

Second year Multi-Media Journalism student Alys Penfold was part of a team who collected at the Alder Road Sainsbury’s supermarket in Poole.

“I was really surprised by how generous people were – we managed to fill four trollies and people were giving us two or three bags of food,” said Alys, 19, who lives in Winton.

“It was exciting to be part of something that was going on for the whole day and we had a laugh trying to think of creative ways to get people to donate.

“It makes you feel good because you know it is going towards something really important.”

To find out more about SUBU volunteering opportunities visit The Hub website.

Construction of BU’s state-of-the-art Student Centre is now underway

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Professor John Vinney, University Vice-Chancellor, and Sue Sutherland OBE, University Board Chair, were joined by key people from construction firm Willmott Dixon to ceremonially break the ground that will become home to the six-storey, glass-fronted centre.

The £10.5 million facility will provide significant additional learning space and become the new home to the Students’ Union at BU (SUBU).

Professor Vinney said: “We are committed to providing world-class facilities for our students and this building will provide just that.”

“Students expect modern, fit-for-purpose facilities that promote learning and generate a rich experience and this fantastic new building will meet their aspirations.”

The new Student Centre will include learning and leisure facilities, offices for SUBU, social learning spaces, radio and media studios, a student advice centre, meeting space, accessible open-plan areas for student-focused services and a café.

The new centre will give SUBU much more opportunity to increase engagement and involvement in its activities.

Louise Bryant, SUBU President, said: “This is fantastic news for the Students’ Union and all students who will come to study here.

“SUBU offers advice, representation, and a whole range of extracurricular activities for students including clubs, societies and volunteering.

“This new centre will not only make it easier for students to access all of these services but it will also provide them with more space to learn, study and socialise.”

The Student Centre is expected to be fully operational by spring 2015.

Computer-generated image of what the new Student Centre will look like when it is fully operational in spring 2015

Computer-generated image of what the new Student Centre will look like

 

BU’s new Student Centre given go–ahead

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The centre will provide significant additional social learning space and will be a new home for SUBU (the Students’ Union at BU) and some student services.

SUBU President, Louise Bryant said: “This is fantastic news for all students who will come to study here. SUBU offers advice, representation, and a whole range of extracurricular activities for students including clubs and societies and volunteering. This new centre will not only make it easier for students to access all of these services but it will also provide them with more space to learn, study and socialise.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor John Vinney, said: “Bournemouth University is committed to providing world-class facilities and this building will provide just that. Students expect modern, fit-for-purpose facilities that promote learning and generate a rich experience and this fantastic new building will meet their aspirations.”

The low-carbon building will include learning and leisure facilities, social learning spaces, radio and media studios, a student advice centre, meeting space, accessible open-plan areas for student-focused services and a café. A glazed walkway on the third floor will provide access to the library.