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SU Student Opportunities Awards 2020
Hello and welcome to our third annual Student Opportunities Awards. These awards recognise the activities and achievements of exceptional students of the University of Exeter Cornwall Campuses and Falmouth University. This is our chance to show our appreciation of the pro-active and hardworking students who go the extra mile and do so much outside of their studies to shape the student experience at The Students’ Union. This is one of the highlights of the year, so thanks to everyone who has submitted a nomination, well done to all the shortlisted nominees, and a huge thank you to all that have worked endlessly to make this event possible. We look forward to hosting you all (online!) in May, to celebrate and recognise all the great things that you have done this year for Student Opportunities. Here is to a good night! Best wishes and good luck.
Callie Edwards
Joe Rigby
Allie Guy
Sarah Redman
SU P RE S ID E NT FA LM O U T H
SU P R E SIDE NT E X E TE R
SU P R E S I D E N T WE L FAR E & I N CLUS I V I T Y
SU P R E S I D E N T STUD E N T E X P E R I E N CE
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Shortlisted nominee text in this booklet has been taken from student and staff nominations.
Award winners are chosen by an external panel of judges.
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Fundraising Awards
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Fundraising Activity of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
RAD’S Take Me Out Based on the popular TV show, this year RAD brought Take Me Out to Penryn Campus. It was an amazing evening of laughs and matchmaking which raised over £700 for Rays of Sunshine, a charity that grants wishes for terminally ill children across the UK.
CSM Rugby’s haircuts CSM Rugby have a gift for great fundraising events which usually involve hair; removing it, trimming it, dying it, no matter how much money they raise, they’re still going to look interesting afterwards. All proceeds support men’s mental health charities.
Videogame Society’s LAN Party Each term, Videogame Society hosts a Local Area Network (LAN) Party, which take a great deal of time and effort to organise and have attracted great alumni involvement. All funds raised go towards the charity Special Effect.
Fal Surf’s Shave A few of this salty lot have ‘braved the shave’ and so far have raised over £1,300 for Surfers Against Sewage, a local charity which works to take pollution issues to the highest level and protect the ocean.
6 Fundraising Awards
Most Significant Contribution to Fundraising The shortlisted nominees are:
CSM Rugby A Team whose skills don’t stop at chasing eggs! Over two events this year, their total is almost £8,000 and still rising. They are currently trying to row the distance around the UK (via a rowing machine). All proceeds support men’s mental health charities.
Katie Hemmings As RAD Chair, Katie eats, sleeps, and breathes charity, and what a great year she has had! She has organised six challenges, two hitch events, calendars, countless socials, and new events for this year in the form of Take Me Out and Strictly Come Dancing. Her personal fundraising endeavours saw her run a marathon and sign up for a Skydive, raising a total of £1,800. By the end of her Presidency of RAD, Katie would have played a huge part in raising around £60,000 for charity.
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Green Awards
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Sustainable Activity of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
The Beach Clean Project Continually running multiple community activities throughout the year, The Beach Clean Project have the environment at the heart of all their activities. Working with local groups such as Falmouth Marine Conservation, Falmouth Council, Falmouth Civic Society, and the SU Wardens, the group has brought together The SU and the local community with a common green-based goal.
Penryn Produce By bringing fresh local vegetables and produce to campus, and providing it in a reusable bag, Penryn Produce has encouraged people to become more sustainable, reduce food miles, and support the local economy.
Sustainability Week After much behind the scenes hard work and plotting, this year saw the introduction of Sustainability Week. Thanks to Sarah Redman and Ellen Monaghan, the student community enjoyed a wonderful week dedicated to sustainability.
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Outstanding Contribution to the Environment The shortlisted nominees are:
Ellen Monaghan She’s the Co-President of Penryn Produce, Green Councillor, Environment and Ethics Officer, Lobby-ist of Exeter to Divest, a Climate Strike leader... between all of these, Ellen found time to co-write the Climate and Emergency Working Group White Paper to encourage the universities to be more sustainable and declare a Climate Emergency.
Eilish Calnan The Food Officer on the Green Council, Eilish campaigns for more sustainable options on campus. Plus she’s a founding member of Sostena, a sustainable theatre company that puts on productions without the wasteful practices seen in normal theatre. Eilish is also the Communications Officer for Reclaim Society, which aims to reuse and repurpose second-hand clothes.
Charlie Emsden While in Ethiopia, Charlie undertook a research project on period poverty, uncovering the social stigmas, rates of school drop-out, and further complications associated with menstruation in young females. On her return to the UK, she set up The Menstrual Project, which aims to send reusable sanitary pads and underwear to the girls in this town. So far, Charlie has made over 500 packs of pads and underwear, and will be sending out a few thousand pairs of underwear too.
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Volunteering Awards
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Green Volunteer of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Charlie Emsden Charlotte Emsden runs workshops in making reusable sanitary products and has volunteered time to run workshops on all three campuses. Through her passion and giving of time to teach and inspire others how to be more sustainable, she has made an incredible contribution to the green agenda.
Emily Gilford Emily has donated so much of her time to lead multiple events this year for The Beach Clean Project, with the sustainability of the campus and local area in mind. In her spare time she has worked alongside local groups such as Falmouth Marine Conservation, Falmouth Council, Falmouth Civic Society and the SU Wardens, and has brought together the SU and the local community with a common green-based goal.
Eilish Calnan Eilish has done a huge amount to promote campus sustainability, from working on the Meat Free Mondays trial, to supporting ‘stuff’ swaps, to co-hosting a lecture to Humanities students on sustainability. A founding member of the sustainable theatre company Sostena, and the Communications Officer for Reclaim, Eilish volunteers so much of her time for green causes.
14 Volunteering Awards
The Andy Hocking Award
(Community Volunteer of the Year)
The shortlisted nominees are:
Frank Gough An RNLI volunteer since the age of 16, Frank now has many additional voluntary roles with the charity, promoting lifesaving in the community. He is a member of the community water safety team, promotes the Don’t Drink and Drown campaign to our campus community, and delivers water safety sessions to SU water-based activity groups like Sailing, Kayaking and Marine Watch. Away from University, Frank also teaches water safety to young people in Polzeath.
Emily Gilford Emily runs The Beach Clean Project, working within the community and in partnership with Falmouth Marine Conservation to clean up Cornwall’s beaches. As well as her passion for keeping beaches clean, Emily has given her time to hedgehog research, wildlife in Kenya, Science in the Square, street cleans, and stream cleans.
Ellie Brown Ellie spends her Sundays at St Gluvias Hall in Penryn, rejuvenating the community garden, a space used by many throughout the week. A key figure in Falmouth Feasts, Ellie works as part of a team to deliver sociable and affordable hot meals. Ellie is incredibly positive and goes above and beyond to help the more isolated members of the community.
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Legend of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Katie Hemmings As RAD Chair, Katie works selflessly to motivate and enable others to support great causes. This year so far Katie has given over 300 volunteering hours to organising a variety of events that appeal to all. Six ‘challenges’, two hitch events, calendars, countless socials, and new events: Take Me Out and Strictly Come Dancing. Recruiting others on the way to volunteer their time for both local and national charities. She supports the committee and makes time for any fundraiser who is struggling or needs advice, and offers to do this without hesitation - she just always wants to help in any way she can to make a positive difference.
Sophie Gray Clocking up a whopping 621 volunteering hours this year through her Scouts work, Sophie holds an international role as a media representative for the European Jamboree held in Poland. She is a scout leader and runs sessions every week. She is the Under 25 representative on the executive committees for the county and districts for the Scouts. This year she volunteered as the staging, scenery and publicity manager for the local pantomime in St Austell and even made an appearance on stage as an Octopus! Her commitment to her volunteering in the local community is absolutely outstanding.
Emily Gilford Emily has done an absolutely incredible amount of volunteering with the SU. She runs the Beach Clean Project that works in the local community in partnership with Falmouth Marine Conservation cleaning up Cornwall’s beaches. She has grown the society from strength to strength. She has also worked on hedgehog research projects, volunteered for Science in the Square, and completed volunteering in Kenya for local wildlife. Emily is a wonderful advocate for volunteering and her love for her voluntary work is absolutely infectious.
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Will Forbes Will has volunteered across a variety of areas, from Kayaking to fundraising for the homeless. He has dedicated much of his spare time to volunteering with the Community Rock Pool Project, leading family rock pooling sessions across Cornwall, advertising events and developing online content. He educates and inspires the next generation of volunteers and encourages others to take care of the environment. When he’s not paddling in pools he is paddling on top of the water leading friendly kayak sessions!
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Sports Awards
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Most Improved Sports Club of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Sailing Fal Sail had little wind in its sails in 2018. An active 2019 committee has taken a different tact and shifted the focus to dinghy sailing (more accessible) and moved location to a venue that is safer and allows for growth, with more sailing and racing. Whilst not the biggest club, Fal Sail are working hard to continue to introduce new people to sailing and make sure it is in safe hands looking ahead to next year.
Cheerleading Across the board, all members of Fusion have shown improvement this year. Building on last year’s success, Fusion has grown in number, confidence and ability, entering three competitions compared to one last year. Coached and run entirely by students, Fusion has fundraised to support members with uniform and competition costs.
Horseriding Doubling their membership and increasing the number of fun rides, Horseriding has come on leaps and bounds in the past year. Additional skills lessons have been introduced and a good variety of events such as gymkanas, beach rides, hacks, and jumping are regularly available to all abilities. With lots of non-riding socials, building a friendly, horsey community has been at the heart of the society’s aims this year.
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Outstanding Contribution to Sport The shortlisted nominees are:
Lucy Mason Lucy has led the showcase of sports across The SU this year. A member of the Sports Committee, she has been dedicated in capturing every sporting event, from the Dance Showcase to Bottle Match; always behind the lens and promoting everyone’s great work.
Yasmin Spencer Coach and Captain of Fusion Cheer, Yasmin continually goes above and beyond. Membership is at an all-time high and many members are brand new to the sport. Leading by example, her hard work ethic and enthusiasm rubs off on the whole team.
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Most Outstanding Sports Club Committee Member The shortlisted nominees are:
Yamin Spencer (Cheerleading) A member since her first year, she put together routines and led the team to their first performance at the showcase. In her second year, they performed at a national competition, and now, in her third year, they have entered three national competitions. She ensures no-one is left behind, creating one big Fusion family.
Katie Taylor As President of Ballet, Katie has tirelessly dedicated her time and energy to ensure it is a positive and inclusive environment for everyone. Organised and driven, she is someone to rely on for support and encouragement. Her passion is infectious, and she continually inspires others with her commitment and vision. Ballet has run smoothly all year, feedback is always listened to, and Katie works well with other groups to collaborate and bring together the Showcase.
Olivia Gibbons The Vice President of the Volleyball Club and captain of the Women’s Volleyball club. Very organised, the club now attends Plymouth weekly to play Marjon and has introduced a 2nd team and friendly tournaments. Her incredible baking has raised funds for charity and she is always approachable and willing to help players of all abilities.
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Sports Club of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Cheerleading Fusion have grown in number and ambition this year, tripling their number of competitions. Led by well organised and friendly coaches, members feel well supported and challenged. Attendance is consistently high, communications throughout are great, and Fusion is like one big family.
Netball It has been a very successful year for CSM Netball. All three teams are in the top half of their division and the firsts are aiming for promotion. They are participating in a brand new varsity in Bath - hopefully the opponents will put up more of a fight than in the Bottle Match, where they came away with a 109-2 goal win! Attendance and membership have gone from strength to strength, with a strong focus on social netball and bringing all teams together in events where off-court friendships can be made. An inclusive, diverse, and welcoming club, open to all members of the universities community.
CSM Rugby It has been an exceptional year for CSM Rugby’s fundraising. Losing their clothes in November for RAD’s naked calendar, losing facial hair for Movember, and creative Bottle Match haircuts in February have all contributed to their whopping total. Aiming to raise £10,000 for men’s mental health by the end of the year, Rugby is building a supportive and open culture for all its members. Currently now attempting to row around the UK on a rowing machine, this lot don’t stop. Their rugby isn’t doing too badly either; they’re are top of the cup and league tables, revived the Bob Kennedy Memorial match, and brought home the Bottle!
Athletics Organised and well run, Athletics welcomes new members of any ability. A great variety of weekly sessions are always on offer and they have a physio service to support any injured members. A really friendly and inclusive committee, the club had a successful trip away to Edinburgh this year for BUCS Cross Country.
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Society Awards
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Most Outstanding Society Event of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
MathSoc’s Fibonacci Day This year, MathSoc hosted Fibonacci Day, where there was a world record attempt for the largest Fibonacci Spiral (currently awaiting approval). The event spanned all year groups, from first years to postgraduates, teaching and nonteaching staff, and the local community. MathSoc collaborated with EcoSoc and BeeSoc to host a treasure hunt, a pub quiz was held in The Stannary in the evening, along with bake sales to raise money for charitable causes.
Pokémon’s London trip A joint adventure between Pokémon and Video Game Society saw them take a team trip to London before Christmas. A group of students with common interests boarded the bus, and a group of friends disembarked. The trip resulted in members gaining confidence, making new friendships, and returning to campus with bigger and better ideas for the future.
Politics Society’s Elections Hustings An event not without challenges; short notice of a General Election being called, aligning political candidates’ schedules, meeting their requirements, and then repeating it all a day later in another location! Two events in quick succession maximised representation of the student population and the local community. The planning and delivery attracted much praise from the universities and community.
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Most Improved Society of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Math Soc A slow start to the year with low participation numbers, it now boasts members from all year groups. It has run many successful events, attempted a world record, and is making a name for itself as a well-respected academic society.
History Society A shaky start to the year saw History Society almost fold. Through hard work from the committee to organise an excellent Freshers programme, collaborations with other societies, socials, a plethora of guest speakers, charitable events, national campaigns and community work, history is on the up. History Society not only gives students a platform to present their research but also attracts members from both universities - and is already planning big things for the year ahead.
Tabletop Gaming In previous years the society had a good membership base, but few that regularly met up. This year there is a broader range of activities on offer and improved social media presence. The overall membership is up and the average turnout has quadrupled! There is a big focus now on the social element and the committee works hard to create a friendly atmosphere to make new members feel welcome.
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Most Outstanding Society Committee Member The shortlisted nominees are:
Matthew Slack (Flicka) New to the committee this year, Matt has been ‘the most positive and proactive member we could have asked for’. A bright and bubbly face to new volunteers, he has supported the committee and kept Flicka afloat. Taking on lots of responsibility, he now trains volunteers and has kept everyone going during the endless winter of storms. He has shown excellent leadership skills and has helped find new committe members for while he is abroad next year.
Rosie Buckley (Generation Wild) The co-leader of Generation Wild, Rosie has been with the society for her entire time at university. A great organiser, she arranges outreach sessions which are fun for everyone. An inspiration to volunteers and local children alike and always smiling - nothing is too much trouble.
Robyn Hickman (EcoSoc) President of one of the largest societies, Robyn juggles fourth year MSci with EcoSoc amazingly. She manages a large committee in a supportive and understanding way. Great organisation has integrated the whole society with the committee, balancing workloads and ongoing training for future committee members. There have been creative events, and collaboration with AIM led to Natural Wellbeing Week. Her dedication and enthusiasm for the society is wonderful.
Charlotte Norridge (MathSoc) MathSoc President, Charlotte set up the society from scratch and built it up to 80 members. Present at all events, she makes time to talk to every single member present. A good listener, she takes on board all ideas from the committee, which has contributed to great events. She has also had a profound positive effect on members’ wellbeing. Her enthusiasm has inspired 20 people to run for committee positions next year and she has created a legacy in a solid academic society.
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Society of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
EcoSoc EcoSoc also provides many links and opportunities with external organisations so students can gain experience and network with potential employers. Consistently organising a wide variety of social and educational activities and trips that enable people to make friends and share knowledge, EcoSoc balances the social with the academic.
MathSoc New to The SU in 2019, MathSoc has expanded beyond even the committees’ expectations! So far this year, they have collaborated with eight societies (and counting), attempted a world record, built a strong relationship with the Maths department, hosted guest speakers, fundraised - to name but a few. They are inclusive of anyone with an interest in Maths and a positive experience is at the heart of all they do.
History Society Hard work from the committee to organise an excellent fresher’s programme, collaborating with other societies, socials, a plethora of guest speakers, charitable events, national campaigns and community work, saved History Society from almost folding. History Society not only gives students a platform to present their research but also attracts members from both universities; and is already planning big things for the year ahead.
Flicka Now in its fifth year, The Flicka Project volunteers are now essential to the running of the Donkey Sanctuary. Having built a robust relationship with the sanctuary, lead student volunteers are trusted to train new volunteers and work unsupervised. This year, alongside volunteering there has been ongoing fundraising, and more donkey days on campus.
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Student Opportunities Awards
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Newcomer of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Sostena Sostena is a sustainable theatre company which aims to put on productions without the wasteful practices seen in mainstream theatre companies. They have already held two taster sessions, participated in Sustainability Week and Refreshers, and are innovative in their sustainable approach to theatre.
Reclaim Raising awareness of the fast-fashion industry, Reclaim encourages students to engage in more sustainable practices. Visible on social media and in attendance at many SU events, Reclaim is gathering speed and is already having a noticeable effect.
MathSoc Established in the summer of 2019, MathSoc has gone from strength to strength. Currently there are 80 members, over double the aim for this year. They have hosted games nights, paintballing, guest lectures, and events for the universities community to enjoy – and they created a mathematical community across all years. Even the Maths lecturers have signed up!
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Collaboration of the Year The shortlisted nominees are:
Performing Arts Showcase (Ballet Society, Ballroom and Latin Society, Fusion Cheerleading, Heels Dance, Hip Hop Society, Jazz and Lyrical Dance Society, Orchestra, Sostena Theatre Society, Tap Jam, The Chorus, Tremough Follies Musical Theatre, and Viva Voce) A huge collaboration of 11 societies, The SU Performing Arts Showcase involved over 150 students and raised over £350 for Dance Aid. A not-for-profit event, it provides a great opportunity for groups to perform and this year included a finale routine with all participants. A really fun event that unites all performers.
Charity Week (Islamic Society & SU Helps Refugees, Mary’s Meals, TableTop Gaming Society, Film Society, ACS, MedSoc, History Society and Flamank Law Society.) A week-long series of events including karaoke, film screenings, bake sales, a football tournament, pub quiz, plus more. In excess of eight student groups across all campuses came together to assist in raising nearly £500 for Islamic Relief UK.
Charity Quiz (Flicka, Ghanaian Book Connection, Amnesty) To celebrate The Flicka Project’s fifth birthday, a charity quiz night was held in collaboration with Ghanaian Book Connection and Amnesty International. Over 60 people attended and raised almost £100 for charity.
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Helping Hand Award The shortlisted nominees are:
The panel could not award based on nominations but would like to use the opportunity to thank those that have supported the groups. Can you ask Dave/ Ceri and anyone else in the team to help pull this together i.e. Ivor for Radio, Neil Tunstall, Athletics. For anyone that is not a student that they believe has been paramount in supporting and contributing to the group to develop/operate.
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Unsung Hero Award The shortlisted nominees are:
Lucy Mason A member of the Sports Committee, she has dedicated to capturing every sporting event, from Performing Arts to Bottle Match. She’s always behind the lens, promoting everyone’s great work and has led the showcase of sports across the SU this year.
Nicola Cowper Currently the SU Fundraising Officer, Nicola is full of energy and happily gives so much of her time to improving student experience across the board, from Refreshers and the Volunteering Fayre to Elections and charity fun runs. All behind the scenes, Nicola is a crucial part of improving the experience for all.
Zoe Burden Over the past three years, Zoe has focused the majority of her spare time on tackling the accessibility issues of university life. She has contributed to the regeneration of ILPs, helped address the physical access of campus, and enabled students with disabilities to feel a sense of belonging at university, with events for Disability Week and regular contact with students with disabilities with information that might benefit their university lives. Zoe is passionate about helping others, always with a smile on her face, and never letting her own disability affect her drive to help others.
Frank Gough From holding a role on Societies Council, to being a committee member of Politics Society, to being a Student Community Warden, he has consistently gone above and beyond in the work he does. Passionate about student voice and student opportunities, he can be relied on for support.
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Overall Contribution to SU Activities The shortlisted nominees are:
Nicola Cowper Nicola is in some way involved in every aspect of The SU and Student Opportunities. Brimming with positivity and very approachable, in her role as Fundraising Officer, Nicola has been a driving force in encouraging campuswide fundraising participation amongst student groups and individuals. Alongside fundraising responsibilities, she has supported ReFreshers, the Volunteering Fayre, arranged music scores for the showcase, and is a member of Penryn Produce and the Ballroom & Latin Society. Over the past three years, Nicola has been a member of Follies, Orchestra, Viva Voce, Geog Soc, RAD, contributed to Voices, and is a founding member of Ghanaian book connection. Nicola sits on the Elections and Democracy Committee (and lived in the SU office during Elections!) and is the CGES Subject Chair. She gives her time gladly to better the experience of other students.
Ellen Monaghan Ellen is a wonderful member of the universities community. This year alone, she has been Co-Leader of both The Flicka Project and Penryn Produce, as well as being Environment and Ethics Chair on the Student Council. Attending numerous meetings with both Universities, FX Plus and The SU, Ellen has promoted the sustainability agenda and has led on many sustainability campaigns, including the first SU Climate Strike on Penryn Campus, she worked with Falmouth University on Carbon offsetting, and embedding sustainability into the curriculum. A credited author of the University of Exeter Climate Emergency White Paper, she constantly inspires others to make the world a better place, and to support students in having the best experience at university possible.
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The shortlisted nominees are:
Albert Duker Albert has made a real name for himself this year by getting involved in all aspects of SU life. He sits on the Student Council as Societies Officer, is Managing Editor of Voices, ran for NUS Delegate and succeeded, is on the committee for ACS, was part of the Elections and Democracy Committee for the Elections, and frequently partakes in videos and other projects for The SU. Albert is always willing to go the extra mile for these activities and, when asked if he’s like to partake in any projects, if he hasn’t already signed up, always says yes with the biggest smile on his face.
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Falmouth & Exeter Students’ Union is a registered charity in England and Wales No.1145405
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Join in with the celebrations! We look forward to seeing you at the SU Student Opportunities Awards Friday 1 May 2020, 6:30pm Online We will be live streaming the event and will be sharing the link soon on our website.
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