Thursday 23-06-2022 - 09:00

Edge Hill Students’ Union outgoing elected voluntary and part-time officers will complete their year in office on 30 June. 

 

Our voluntary officers, who joined the team in October 2021 after winning cross-campus elections. Elsewhere, our part-time Education and Health, Social Care and Medicine officers joined the team in January 2022 after their counterpart full-time positions were left vacant earlier in the academic year. 

 

The elected officer team took the lead on campaigns, representation, and leading events for students covered by their remit. Edge Hill Students’ Union would like to thank each of our officers for the amazing work they’ve done this year. We can’t wait to see what you do next!

 

Disabled Students’ Officer 2021-2022: Kir Turner

As Disabled Students’ Officer, Kir Turner established themselves as a fierce campaigner and advocate for the disabled student community. Alongside fellow students, Kir established Edge Hill Students’ Union’s Neurodiverse Society - a place for neurodivergent students to come together and socialise away from the classroom. Elsewhere, Kir got vocal about the accessible toilets on campus, launching a campaign for the University to audit the accessibility of toilets and ensure emergency red cords are left untangled and unobstructed. Kir also attended the National Union of Students (NUS) Conference 2022 in Liverpool as a delegate for Edge Hill Students’ Union. 

 

Women’s Officer 2021-2022: Orna Murphy-Horton

In her year as Women’s Officer, Orna Murphy-Horton was a great asset to the Edge Hill Students’ Union team. Orna developed her persuasive writing skills contributing various articles to our EHSU Blogs site, covering topics such as women’s mental health and body image. During Women’s Week, Orna hosted a series of events focussed on women’s wellbeing, including a Tea and Talk stall and a vigil for victims and survivors of violence against women. She also became the face of our local elections campaign, encouraging fellow students to cast their ballot for local leaders. 

 

Orna said: “The highlight from my time as Women's Officer is the Tea and Talk stand I hosted during Women's Week. It was great to see so many old and new faces come over from all over campus to celebrate not only the women of Edge Hill but women all over the world!

“As a voluntary officer, I have learned to seize the day and every opportunity given to you. There's so much I have done this year that has been really out of my comfort zone such as writing blog posts and getting open on social media, and I don't regret it for a second. You often find things you enjoy in the most unlikely of places!”

 

Mature & Part-Time Students’ Officer 2021-2022: Emma France

Mature & Part-Time Students’ Officer Emma France proved to be a powerful voice for her fellow students. In the campaigns department, Emma sought to raise awareness of hybrid learning and gain clarity on this policy for Business and English students. Meanwhile, Emma established a strong social media following, increasing awareness of Edge Hill Students’ Union services and the support available for mature and part-time students.

 

Emma said: “My time in office was eye opening. I spoke to many students I may not have met if not for the position. It’s really important to reach out if you need help, and being an officer allowed me to be there for mature and part-time students who needed support. 

 

“My highlight of the year has to be developing my social media presence to make students aware of the position. I hope the next officer can continue building their presence to make mature and part-time students feel heard and appreciated!”

 

Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Students’ Officer 2021-2022: Annanya Bhakshar 

 

As our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Students’ Officer, Annanya took an interest in investigating library materials and the presence of colonial trauma in children’s literature following national rallies to diversify the curriculum. As a voice for the Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic student communities on campus, Annanya engaged with our consultation reviewing the BAME acronym usage within the Union. A tremendous representative, Annanya also attended the NUS Conference as an Edge Hill Students’ Union delegate, networking with other students and elected officers from universities and unions across the country. 

 

Annanya said: “Interacting with other Students' Union members has been very helpful. I have learnt that bringing about change isn't always simple - it is hard to convey concerns to academia and influence academia from the SU perspective. I still believe there needs to be more awareness about the University's Hate Crime Policy, and hope to see this actioned very soon.”

 

Trans & Non-Binary Officer 2021-2022: Kai Lambert

Trans & Non-Binary Officer Kai Lambert spearheaded numerous events and projects, standing out as a strong advocate for Edge Hill’s queer community. During EHSU Pride Week, Kai launched the innovative #ShowYourPride campaign, which saw students and staff share photos with Pride flags to establish campus as a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and aspec people. In May 2022, Kai hosted Edge Hill Students’ Union first ever Queer Prom. More than 100 students came together for a high school prom ‘do-over’ as their true authentic selves. The event was featured in the Liverpool Echo and received widespread acclaim from University and Union staff. 

 

In March 2022, Kai was re-elected as Trans & Non-Binary Officer. Kai will continue his work with Edge Hill Students’ Union into the next academic year, finishing post in summer 2023. 

 

Faculty of Education Part-Time Officer 2021-2022: Jessica Prior

As one of our part-time Education Officers, Jessica Prior joined the team with a vision to improve inclusion services for students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLDs) within the Faculty of Education. She ran surveys to gather valuable student feedback, delivering data to key figures across the Education departments. As a result of Jessica’s influence, the Faculty of Education is evaluating its support services, with a view to provide better signposting for students with SpLDs. 

 

“My highlight this year is attending panels and conducting research into the University. One thing I have learned is how there is so much support within the university that some people aren't aware of.”

 

Faculty of Education Part-Time Officer 2021-2022: Amy Fox

Amy Fox joined the Students’ Union team in January 2022 as our part-time Education Officer. During her tenure, Amy hosted multiple digital drop-ins through the @edgehillsu Instagram page, and ran a successful campaign mapping support services available to students within the Faculty of Education. Now, Amy is employed full-time at the Students’ Union as an advisor within our independent Advice Team.

 

Amy said: “One highlight of my year was interacting with lots of different students. I especially enjoyed running the focus groups to gain insight into the support services available at the University. It was eye-opening to hear different experiences, and also humbling to feel my campaigns made a difference to student life. 

 

“I feel privileged to have had this opportunity to work with such amazing people. This job has really helped me find what I enjoy and taught me about how far being passionate about something can take you.”

 

Faculty of Health, Social Care & Medicine Part-Time Officer 2021-2022: Sean Domingo

During short tenure as our part-time Health, Social Care & Medicine Officer, Sean completed some remarkable work. Working in collaboration with Union staff and Manchester St. James Campus staff, Sean helped establish the presence of Edge Hill Students’ Union at the Health, Social Care & Medicine satellite campus. 

In March 2022, Sean was elected as our Manchester Campus President. He will continue to be a liaison between Edge Hill Students’ Union and the Manchester St. James Campus into the next academic year.