It’s been a whirlwind of a year, and your Officer Team has worked incredibly hard to support you and improve your student experience here at Leeds Beckett University! 

As the current Officer Team wraps up their term and we get ready to welcome in a new team, we wanted to reflect on and share some of the many achievements of the 2022/23 Officer Team.  

Harsh, Activities and Events Officer  

• Worked with students and helped them to setup the first Indian Subcontinent Society 

• Arranged a successful Garba Night for international students with free pizza 

• Represented the student voice on several boards including as a trustee of both the Students’ Union and Unipol  

• Organised the first ever International Welcome Party at Space with over 400 students attending 

• Arranged a Diwali event at Headingley and City Campus for international students with free food (including samosas, pakode, allo tilki and gulab jamun)

• Coordinated with Japreet Kaur to come and be a guest speaker at the University to raise awareness about how strong women are at the Brown Girl Like Me event  

• Helped organise the first ever Bollywood Night along with Celebrity Arjun fir at Warehouse where over 500 international students turned up 

• Invited Carl Austin-Behan (former Lord Mayor of Manchester) to provide a guest lecture about his work and the LGBT+ Community during LGBT+ History Month 

• Worked with the University Accommodation Team to support students with a monthly installation option for rent payments at Kirkstall Brewery Halls 

• Continued work with Chai and Chit Chat, a get together talking event for students, to provide food as well as homemade masala tea 

• Put on a Society Mixer for societies and students to increase awareness of societies and let students know about how to create and join societies 

• Helped organise our first Beckett International Bash for students, the first ever club party at Leeds Beckett since covid, and 1000 students attended 

• Worked with Beaverworks, our ticketing partner, on a Holi Event where 2500 students turned up from all over Leeds. 

• Working with guarantor services for students to help them have good access to them and a good experience 

• Created a university family for students throughout the year which we can see through the engagement of international students in our events 

You can read more about Harsh's achievements throughout the year here. 

Ashleigh, Interim President and Welfare Officer  

• Worked on the Leeds Beckett Black Liberation Campaign hosting a movie night and a Stephen Lawrence Day painting day workshop for the 30th anniversary 

• Visited student accommodation for plant giveaways and work for Being Safe in Leeds 

• Chaired the Members Meeting at the Have Your Say Forum  

• Held Student focus groups for the EDI Objectives Consultation and led the strategic direction for EDI in the SU 

• Created the Well-being Hub on our SU website 

• Maintained and created stakeholder relationships while leading and improving the organisation through a difficult period and financial uncertainty 

• Sat on and contributed to several boards and committees across the SU, University and beyond including: 

• The Leeds Beckett University Board of Governors, Governance and Nominations Sub-Committee, EDI Committee, Race Equality Charter and University Mental Health Charter 

• The LBSU Board of Trustees and Governance and Nominations Committee  

• Unipol Housing Project Board and Leeds and Bradford Service Group 

• Took part in lots of development and training opportunities including media training, antisemitism training, training on responding to disclosures of sexual violence, attending the Advance HE Conference on governance and attending the Lessons from Auschwitz trip 

• Contributed to the Cost-of-Living Roundtable with the Office for Students 

• Attended the NUS Conference as the lead delegate from LBSU 

• Helped hire student leaders through interviews for SARAs and Community Organisers 

• Attended the WhatUni Awards on behalf of LBSU and hosted the LBSU Staff Awards 

• Contributed to the Racial Harassment Evaluation by UUK  

You can read more about Ashleigh's achievements throughout the year here. 

Meg, Academic Experience Officer  

• Worked with the University to ensure that graduation is as accessible as possible for students  

• Worked on a project to enhance student belonging including a Belonging at Beckett Exhibition and event in May 

• Delivered a session for Course Rep Development Week on public speaking 

• Worked on a project to encourage more disabled leaders to be a part of the Students’ Unions 

• I have been the student lead on the TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework) Student Submission   

• Set the tone for further work on sense of belonging both in the SU and University   

• Supported Course Reps, SARA’s and Community Leaders in their roles throughout the year 

• Successfully lobbied the University to supply the hidden disability sunflower lanyards    

• Represented the student voice and had a tremendous impact on a variety of boards and committees 

• Helped with the overall planning for the Leadership Elections in March 2023  

• Wrote various articles to support you as students  

You can read more about Meg's achievements here.