Term three has now begun and, for those of you who are back on campus, there is lateral flow testing available to make sure you are keeping yourselves and those around you safe.
It is recommended that you get tested twice in a seven-day period and excitingly there are some new rewards for you and a variety of areas you can donate money to, every single time you get a test!
Something that I’m really excited to shout about is that you have the opportunity to donate to the Student Group Access Fund every time you take a test. Set up by the Students’ Union, this new fund will be available from the start of the next academic year to support students in getting involved with student groups. Specifically, it will support those who may have additional financial needs by covering the cost of things like membership, kit, or essential travel expenses.
The Access Fund will aim to help level the playing field for students wanting to access student group activity, removing the financial barrier sometimes faced and therefore enabling all students from all backgrounds to get involved in student group activity of their choice.
Simply take one of the barcodes you are given when you walk into the testing centre and drop it into the Student Group Access Fund bucket as you leave. For every barcode in the bucket, the university will donate 50p to the Access Fund - it really is that easy! And, not only will you be keeping yourself and your peers safe on campus, but you will be providing opportunities for students in the future to access student groups where they would usually be unable to. There are also two other options to support in person – the Community Garden and volunteering initiatives. You can find out more about these here.
And the giving doesn’t stop here. You can also select a student group to support, who will then receive 50p per test – up to £1 per week. Simply fill in this form before 11 June and the College will donate 50p for every test you have taken (up to £1 per week) to your nominated Club or Society at the end of term three. Just make sure to scan your College Card at the test centre each time for this donation to be made. And the best part is, you don’t even have to be a member of the group to ask for money to be donated to them!
As we move forward into this ‘new normal’ and lateral flow testing becomes the norm, hopefully you will take the opportunity to, not only keep yourself and your peers safe, but have a positive impact on yourselves and other students in the future. Find out more about the testing rewards and how to book your lateral flow tests on the student intranet.
Lucy Brown
VP Societies and Sport