Students see rent at Liberty Quays rise by 27%

Medway students have seen accommodation costs rise by a staggering 27% between 2009 and 2012, a new report by Kent Union has revealed.

Students from across UK elect NUS representatives

Students across the UK have elected new representatives for the National Union of Students.

The NUS, the union for students in the UK, held its annual National Conference this week in Sheffield, where 1,000 students voted in their new NUS representatives.

Joining the delegates, Kieran Watkins and Nick Duffy from the Medwire were present along with Kent Union and University of Kent delegates as representatives from universities and colleges voted in Toni Pearce as their new National President.

Currently Vice President for Further Education, Toni will take over the reins from outgoing President Liam Burns later this year. She was elected on 424 votes, nearly double that of her nearest rival Vicki Baars.

Toni, who said in her manifesto that she wanted to link college and university students’ unions together and campaign for a single central admissions system, said about being elected: “I’m really proud to have been given the opportunity to build the student movement around a vision for public education, and to be leading NUS as we build towards the next general election.”

In other results, Kent Union’s very own Colum McGuire was voted in as VP Welfare. Colum won with a landslide victory, gaining 545 votes.

Speaking about his victory, Colum said: “In my first year at University I joined a society committee to help organise a couple of events. I never imagined where that would take me.

“I cannot believe I have just elected as Vice President (Welfare) of the National Union of Students. What an honour to take office in July and start working and fighting for the 7 million students across the UK.”

Other results include: Rachel Wenstone (VP Higher Education), Joe Vinson (VP Further Education), Raechel Mattey (VP Union Development) and Dom Anderson (VP Society and Citizenship). Results for the Board of 15, Democratic Procedures Committee and the Trustee Board will be announced in the next week.

With voting for their new NUS representatives aside, students also decided on new policy for the NUS. Three days of motions saw controversial subjects including gender balancing, votes at 16 and trustee boards decided on.

Commenting on his first experience of the NUS and the national conference, Kieran Watkins says: “NUS opened my eyes to the importance of the national student movement in the UK.

“Before I arrived here, I like a lot of people just viewed the NUS as the student card that gives you a free cheeseburger at McDonalds.

“In reality, the NUS is much more than that. All the students that attended conference are all active campaigners for real change; change to the problems and issues that affect their students back on campus.

“Conference opened up my eyes to the real significance of the NUS, and I for one can’t wait to make a greater impact campaigning in Medway.”

For more information on the NUS, the new representatives and the policies passed, check their website here.

Allergic reaction at club leads to investigation

Management at Canterbury’s Venue nightclub have launched an investigation after alleged delays in getting an ambulance when a student suffered a “severe” allergic reaction.

Liam Hewitt, who made the claims on Facebook, raised concerns when his friend, Jack, fell ill at the club’s SOAP St. Patrick’s Day event on Saturday, March 16.

He claimed his friend experienced “facial swelling and an increasing inability to breathe” after drinking part of a friend’s drink who had eaten nuts earlier that day.

Though Liam praised the door staff as “compassionate” and “understanding of the situation”, he claimed staff at Venue “failed to understand the severity of the incident”.

Although Liam admits him and his friend were “inebriated” at the time, he says that staff should have been quicker to react.

Liam said: “I feel it could have had much more serious consequences had Jack consumed higher amounts of nuts.”

Liam did however praise the help of security staff at the nightclub, who assisted the boys with skipping the queue at Essentials, the campus shop, and giving the boys money to pay for antihistamine tablets.

“The bouncer staff handled the situation impeccably”, Liam said. “They were faultless.”

Colum McGuire, vice president for welfare at Kent Union, said: “We take all complaints seriously and following an incident in the Venue on Saturday night, our Licensed Trade senior management are currently investigating the complaint.

“It is therefore inappropriate to comment until these investigations have concluded.”

Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire