Thank you to our JMSU Officers 2024/25 🎓💙
As another academic year comes to a close, we say a heartfelt thank you to your JMSU Officer Team 2024/25. Brenin, Alex, Lottie, and Seren have each worked tirelessly to support, represent, and enhance the student experience at LJMU. Let’s take a moment to celebrate their achievements and the impact they have made.
Alexandria Jones: VP Community and Wellbeing 💚
🛡️ Improving Student Safety on and off campus: Alex has made student safety a top priority this year. She led anti-spiking and anti-sexual violence training so student leaders can be effective allies and host safe events. She also took the lead on powerful campaigns like the Reclaim the Night march and the Elimination of Violence Against Women & Girls.
🚌 Decreased transport costs for students: Alex worked closely with travel companies to push for better student discounts and advocated for expanded night bus services so students can get home safely. She also collaborated with LJMU to make commuting more affordable for students.
💸 Helped tackle rising food and energy costs: With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to hit students hard, Alexandria stepped up. She partnered with Liverpool Student Homes to promote trusted accommodation providers, campaigned for student rights through the Know Your Rights initiative and lobbied MPs on the Renters’ Rights Bill. On campus, she worked with LJMU to improve cost of living support, including access to food and energy essentials.
Lottie Tudge: VP Activities 💃🎉
📣 Boosted events and campaign visibility: Lottie launched exclusive sports and society nights and created buzz with creative campus-wide campaigns like Movember, Blood Cancer Awareness, and SHAG (Sexual Health & Guidance).
🏆 Supported committees: Lottie enhanced the committee training programme to offer more qualifications and recognition, while also working with event companies to bring in new perks for societies. From The Big Society Meet to the Sports Committees and Colours Awards, she made sure everyone felt supported, included, and celebrated.
🔥 Made it all bigger and better: Whether it was increasing the range and sizing of Surridge kit or streamlining Varsity to make it more exciting and efficient, Lottie always had her eyes on growth and improvement. She also hosted open forums to hear directly from students and used their feedback to shape better activities.
Seren Hutchinson: VP Education 📚🌍
🌟 Supported international & exchange students: Seren has made a real impact in helping international and exchange students feel at home at LJMU. From welcoming induction events and the Buddy Scheme to the Home from Home project and festive socials, she focused on building community. She also launched a new study support webpage packed with revision tips and resources to help students during exam season.
🎓 Pushed for a more inclusive academic experience: Seren has continued pushing for the Decolonise Education campaign and championed the importance of lecture recordings to make learning more accessible for everyone.
✍️ Improved academic resources and support: In addition to the new online study support hub, Seren ran initiatives during assessment periods to ease the pressure - like handing out free stationery and sharing helpful academic advice on social media.
💰 Helped students through the cost-of-living crisis: Seren also organised pop-up events across campus offering free meals, household items, and revision supplies to make sure no student was left behind.
Brenin Firsht: JMSU President 🌱🗣️
🌎 Support for International Students: Brenin worked to help international students feel welcome at LJMU by improving induction activities and introducing a new speed-friending event. They also streamlined internal processes like request forms and support for academic referrals.
💳 Tackling the Cost of Living: Brenin spent the year highlighting student struggles with the cost of living - especially transport. Dressed as a bus, they brought attention to public transport costs, sparking a conversation with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram about future student-focused transport plans.
🤝 Advocated drug and alcohol support: Brenin and colleagues developed a comprehensive paper on the need for better drugs and alcohol support at LJMU. This included calls for a dedicated policy and updated online information. The university has responded positively and is working with JMSU to promote a harm reduction approach.
♻️ Put sustainability on the agenda: Sustainability has been a key focus for Brenin, who helped create a new sustainability policy and revitalised the student sustainability council. New sustainability ambassadors have also been introduced to lead eco-friendly change on campus – and will continue driving eco-friendly change on campus next year.
👂 Listening to Student Feedback: Brenin pushed for practical campus improvements based on student input - from installing self-turning taps to creating new green spaces. Every bit of feedback was taken seriously.
🚦 Lobbying for a Safer Crossing: To raise awareness about safety between SLB and Lime Street, Brenin dressed as a lollipop person and interviewed students. LJMU has since funded the design of a puffin crossing. To keep momentum, art student Jonathan Brown has been commissioned to visualise the crossing and collect further student experiences.
🎉 To Brenin, Alex, Lottie, and Seren - thank you for everything. You’ve left a legacy of progress, passion, and student-first change. We can’t wait to see where you go next. 💙
Your JMSU Officers 2024/25: Over and out. 🚀
