Faculty Championships event next week aims to unite DMU campus

January 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment

By Barbara Uzoigwe

The De Montfort University Students’ Union is hoping it has finally had a breakthrough.

After years of brainstorming, it has devised a fun and exciting way to bring everyone on campus together.

The Faculty Championships, which is heading your way next week, is a competition between the four faculties at DMU, including partner colleges and the university staff.

It will take place on Thursday, February 1, at the DMU Venue starting at 6.30pm.

Derrick Mensah, who is Vice President of Student Activities at the Students’ Union, said:  “We aim to bring everyone under one roof, having loads of fun and competing, and just enjoying each other’s company.”

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Derrick Mensah viewing the Challenge information.

The challenge will be a game show style event which will be hosted by Derrick.

The faculties involved in the challenge are; Health and Life Sciences, Business and Law, Technology, and Art, Design and Humanities.

It is expected there will be more than 1,000 students attending on the night, and they will be expecting to witness 10 games being played on the night.

Students can take part and join their faculty team by buying a T-shirt on the Students’ Union website for £1.

Tickets and entry to the events is also £1 from the website.

 

Filed Under: First Year, Latest

The bluest day of the year just got brighter

January 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment

By Rosie Vacciana-Browne

It was the most miserable day of the year.

 

Monday, January 15, 2018 had officially been declared the gloomiest day on the calendar, but students at De Montfort University weren’t going to let that hold them back.

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In an attempt to help students fight the winter blues, the university put on a host of activities throughout the day.

Multiple events took place across the campus with a Tai-Chi masterclass, free fruit and smoothies, sports activities, mocktails, music and a host of other events put on to bring joy to the masses.

DMU came alive as students took the time out from their busy days for some much-needed TLC.

Vice President Student Activities Derrick Mensah said: “It was a positive message that the university cares about its students.”

DMU put on a series of events to relax students and get them thinking about their physical and mental health.

With the day being the official gloomiest day of the year, titled ‘Blue Monday’, it seemed the perfect day for such an event.

The weather had clearly got the miserable memo, as Derrick noted: “It was a dull day.”

But the depressing weather wasn’t enough to stop students embracing the new year and getting their smiles on.

If you are feeling low and would like to speak to someone you can call the Samaritans on 116 123.

Filed Under: First Year, Latest Tagged With: , ,

Adrenaline junkie parties on despite skiing injury

January 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment

By Beth Surridge

A DMU Snowsports Society member had to have six stitches after falling over at its training session but didn’t let that stop him partying hours later at its social night.

Bevan Wedgwood, 19, was at Stoke Ski Centre for DMU’s recent freestyle ski training  when the adrenaline junky decided to go over the biggest jump and unfortunately didn’t make it.

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Bevan Wedgwood, the adrenaline junkie.

He said: “I realised as I was going down the run, that one of my skis just wasn’t on my foot.

“I proceeded to go up the jump but didn’t make it over, I noticed a bit of blood on my leg so checked it out and noticed there was a hole in my knee.”

Bevan returned from training and then went to Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he received six stitches.

He said: “I double checked with the doctor to make sure I could still drink alcohol, he said it was fine so I made my way back and got ready for the social night.”

Although he was late, the young party-boy made it to the society’s social night and stumbled back to his flat at 3am.

He said: “My knee was throbbing a little bit, but I got pretty drunk, people were offering me piggy-backs and I also got a few free drinks, so really it was a good night.”

The Snowspnorts Society’s next training session was only a week after he received stitches but Bevan was planning still to try out snowboarding for the first time.

He added that he would “most definitely” be going out on the society’s next social night after he has a go at snowboarding.

Filed Under: First Year, Latest, societies

Volunteers urged to join stem cell drive to help save lives

January 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment

By Alexandra Smith

An appeal to recruit students to see if they can save cancer patients’ lives has been launched.

A stem cell drive is being held at De Montfort University on Tuesday next week (Jan 30) and Students’ Union president Ahtesham Mahmood is urging people to go along to register as potential blood stem cell or bone marrow donors.

Anthony Nolan is a charity that carries out incredible work helping those affected by blood cancer.

It recruits individuals who are willing to donate their blood stem cells or bone marrow if they are matched to people with blood cancer or blood disorders who are in need of life-saving transplants.

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Ahtesham Mahmood, the President of the DMU Students’ Union

The charity, which started in 1974, is now working with students from De Montfort, Leicester and Loughborough universities in a project called Leicestershire UNItes to find volunteers willing to join its register of potential donors.

Ahtesham, who works full time at the Students’ Union after gaining his Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Quality By Design following an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Science, is working with the #DMUlocal team and the Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign to organise next week’s stem cell drive.

It will be held at the Students’ Union building between 10am and 6pm on Tuesday where volunteers will be asked to have a cheek swab taken and fill out a form which will register them onto the charity’s database.

If there is a compatibility biodata match between the donor and anyone needing a blood stem cell or bone marrow transplant, the individual will be contacted by the hospital for further follow up tests to see if they could potentially save the patient’s life.

The event on Tuesday is not only open to students at DMU but also people from the wider  community.

The University of Leicester and Loughborough University have already carried out their own donor drives.

 

Filed Under: DMU News, First Year, Latest, Local, Today's Top Story