Dearest Reader,
Welcome back, one last time, to my blogs.
As this academic year draws to a close, so does my journey as your Vice President.
Dearest Reader,
Welcome back, one last time, to my blogs.
As this academic year draws to a close, so does my journey as your Vice President. This has been the first year we have worked under the Priority 8 approach, and it feels fitting that this final blog is one of reflection. First and foremost, it has been an absolute honour to serve as your Vice President Wellbeing & Diversity. It has been a privilege I wouldn't trade for anything.
One of my very first projects was creating Mind the Gap – Moving to the UK & Uni 101, an onboarding guide designed for international students and anyone starting their journey at Royal Holloway. Seeing it become part of the Students' Union's welcome resources throughout the year has been incredibly rewarding, and I'm delighted that it will continue to be updated and used by future students.
Throughout the year, I had the pleasure of contributing to a range of RHSU campaigns, including Wobble Week, Mention It, Stressbusters, Love Yourself, Budget to Bite, and Estranged Students Solidarity Week. One of my proudest achievements was building the Budget to Bite campaign from the ground up, raising awareness of affordable food support and practical budgeting for students. I was also fortunate to support a student in launching the first Estranged Students Solidarity Week campaign at RHUL.
Alongside this, I actively contributed to liberation history months, including Black History Month, Disability History Month, LGBTQ+ History Month and Women's History Month. I also represented students on a number of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion groups across the University. Alongside this, I was proud to serve as an Officer Trustee on the Students' Union Trustee Board, helping to provide strategic oversight and ensure students remained at the heart of decision-making. I was also a member of the Finance and Risk Committee, contributing to discussions around the Union's financial sustainability, governance and long-term strategic direction.
Beyond Royal Holloway, I worked alongside staff and students from LSE, SOAS, Surrey and RHUL, in partnership with Neighbourly Lab, to tackle student loneliness and build stronger communities. It has been inspiring to share this work with colleagues across the University and beyond.
More Affordable Food on Campus
This priority has truly been a labour of love.
At the start of the year, the Students' Union introduced cheaper coffee in the SU Shop, which went on to influence other outlets across campus to reduce their hot drink prices by around 20%, a fantastic early win.
Later in the year, after working closely with teams across the SU, I took the proposal for a joint loyalty scheme to the University's Senior Leadership Team, who agreed to support the idea. In the background, discussions continued between the University and the SU, but I also wanted to tackle affordability from another angle.
And so, Budget to Bite was born.
The campaign focused on budgeting, cooking as an essential life skill, and raising awareness of food poverty and financial hardship. We hosted a range of events throughout the week, including an alcohol-free Nibble & Paint session, a Grub Crawl, a Coffee Morning, and a community potluck in collaboration with the Ramadan campaign. Free meal planners and seasoning sachets were handed out, proving that sometimes the little things really do make a difference.
Eventually, the conversations around the loyalty scheme came to fruition, and together the commercial teams at the SU and University launched a pilot during Term 3 using a paper stamp card across the SU Shop and Social Bite Café.
There's still plenty to do. Hopefully, years from now, the scheme will be expanded across more outlets and become fully digital. Work is already being explored around the RHSU Order App while longer-term developments continue. Like any worthwhile project, there were highs, lows and moments where things paused. But the support I received throughout was incredible, and it fills me with pride knowing that this legacy began here.
Cheaper and More Frequent Local Transport
If affordable food was a labour of love, transport was a masterclass in patience.
This priority involved countless conversations, internal and external stakeholders, and a fair amount of trial and error. Unlike some projects, this wasn't about implementing immediate change, it was about lobbying, advocating and pushing for improvements that students deserve.
As the year progressed, the goals evolved. Some ideas proved unfeasible (as much as we all wished one bus could align with eight trains an hour), and new opportunities emerged.
I launched a survey-style petition, which received over 630 responses. We analysed the findings and shared them with key stakeholders across the University, the Estates Department, and even the Chairman of Surrey County Council. The data was also shared with a member of the Surrey Youth Cabinet, who will continue presenting these concerns through relevant channels.
I was invited by the Estates Department to sit on the procurement panel for the RHU Bus Invitation to Tender process, which was both productive and incredibly insightful. Following the survey findings, I continued lobbying for timetable changes to better fill the gap between services. I'm pleased that the University has committed to doing its best to make these improvements happen from the upcoming academic year - so fingers crossed.
Considering all of this happened within a single year, I couldn't be prouder of the progress made. More importantly, the work is being recognised and carried forward. A permanent member of staff will continue overseeing the project after I leave, ensuring that momentum is not lost.
Looking Back
Both of my priorities were, quite frankly, absolute rollercoasters. But there are no two priorities I would rather have worked on. They were the issues I campaigned on, the things I cared deeply about, and the promises I wanted to fight for.
As my time at the Students' Union comes to an end and I slowly place one foot out the door, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I hope I have done justice to those who voted for me, to the wider student body, and to everyone who trusted me with this opportunity. I hope I've made you proud.
Thank you for letting me serve, for holding me accountable, for sharing your ideas, and occasionally for stopping me in the corridor to tell me about a bus timetable.
It's been one heck of a year.
This is Vaishnavi Vajja,
Over and out.