JCR UPDATE

by Mr Rory Gavin (2021), JCR President

As fireworks went off all across the nation and the world bid farewell to 2022, in Magdalene the start of 2023 heralded the transition between an outgoing and incoming JCR Committee.

From January, my committee of Entertainment Extraordinaires, Welfare Warriors, Green Gurus and IT Intellectuals have been hard at work for the undergraduate body. We have met fortnightly, and are quietly satisfied with the progress made during Lent Term.

The JCR has been devoid of its own College space for over two years but, thanks to the work Nikhil (VP) and I have put in, renovations are occurring to the Parcel Room which will give our students the JCR room they deserve.

Equally, the JCR have worked closely with the Catering Team to get our beleaguered Bar out of its Covid rut. Charity pub quizzes, crafted by Ceri and Lewis (Green and Charities Officers), as well as some new events have breathed new life into our social hub. The JCR is hoping to concoct more of these events and ensure that College has both a Bar and JCR Room, as wonderful as the rest of it.

Oscar and Aine (Welfare Officers) have been overseeing weekly events at the library, designed to give stressed students a much-needed break from their work. Their upcoming ‘Puppy Therapy Session’ has caused quite the excitement and has cast doubters who claimed “they were barking up the wrong tree” into the shade. Oli (Secretary) has also been delivering on his weekly newsletter and, although renaming it to ‘Magdazine’ was not without heated discussion, the periodical has never been so successful.

Under the supervision of Rikki (Catering Officer), the JCR has also set about establishing themed formals. A bagpiper serenaded our Burns Night Formal, multi-coloured decorations adorned Tom’s (LGBT Officer) Rainbow Formal, and Pico (Women’s Officer) masterminded the International Women’s Day Formal. Each have been met with a warm reception and it is brilliant to see Magdalene continuing to push the boundaries in a tasteful and innovative manner.

It has been such a thrill to be the President over these past few months. I am in a privileged position to be able to see all the creativity, talent and generosity this College has to offer. I hope to keep helping showcase our College’s attributes during the rest of my tenure, and I look forward to doing so.