Last week, Freya, your elected Activities and Opportunities Officer, and Henry, Sports Development Co-ordinator, travelled to Durham University to attend the annual BUCS Conference.
The three-day event brought together staff from across the university sports sector, representing many of the 158 BUCS member institutions. It was an excellent opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, and develop new initiatives to bring back to UoGSU, helping us continue to deliver the best possible sporting experience for our students.
Freya and Henry were fortunate to hear from a number of inspiring keynote speakers, including Montell Douglas, the first British woman to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, representing Team GB in athletics and bobsleigh. Montell also competed Strictly Come Dancing and is now a Gladiator on the BBC series. They also heard from Olympic rower Kath Bishop, who delivered a powerful message about embracing new challenges and continually pushing beyond your comfort zone. Both speakers highlighted the positive impact university sport had on their own journeys, serving as a great reminder of the lasting value of student sport.
The conference also featured a wide range of breakout sessions covering key topics across the sector. This included varsity strategy, delivered by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, The launch of the BUCS Anti-Racist Charter and Toolkit, Engaging senior leaders in university sport with Amanda Broderick, Vice-Chancellor of the University of East London and Chair of the BUCS Board, increasing participation in disability sport and strategies for building greater fan engagement at sporting events. These were just a handful of the fantastic sessions available, leaving both Freya and Henry with plenty of new ideas and inspiration for the year ahead.
During the conference, BUCS also held its annual elections for one Student Director position and three Supporting Officer roles. Freya stood for election as Student Director alongside four other candidates and, following a 24-hour voting period, was successfully elected by the BUCS membership to serve a two-year term on the BUCS Board. In her new, additional role, Freya will represent the student voice at board level, chair and support the Student Officer Network, continue to sit on the Advisory Board, and help shape the future of university sport and physical activity nationally through BUCS' strategic priorities.
As well as learning from the conference sessions, Freya and Henry enjoyed plenty of opportunities to network with colleagues from across the sector. This included a sports-themed social evening and quiz, where the Southwest region proudly took home the win against more than 30 teams!
