THE ANNUAL YUSU awards season has seen students and groups from across the University recognised for their achievements and commitment. The evening of 5 June saw groups and individuals involved in student activities societies, media, fundraising, and volunteering groups - recognised across 26 categories at the Activities Awards, hosted by Activities Officer Rohan Ashar and William King of University Radio York (URY).
The evening started with recognition for societies, with Freedom from Torture Society being named New Society of the Year after raising over £1000 for their cause in their first year post ratification. The committee of Norman Rea Gallery were named Society Committee of the Year and Roller Disco Society was given the title of Most Improved Society following strong post-pandemic re-growth.
The University’s United Nations Association were awarded Society Event of the Year for their highly successful Mega Mini Model United Nations. The society theme continued with a performance from Central Hall Musical Society, showcasing a section of their Summer Showcase with songs from Shrek and Ride the Cyclone.
A range of student volunteers were then showcased, with accessible online magazine Viva Voce se-curing the award for Volunteering Project Committee of the Year and Pantomime Society and All Should Eat rewarded for their collaboration on St Nick’s Santamine with the title for Best Volunteering Project Event. The event raised a total of £589 to support food poverty.
Student Minds York was named the Most Improved Volunteering Project of the Year before Volunteering Project of the Year was awarded to Kathleen’s Legacy, which provides blankets for palliative and End of Life patients across York and the UK. Successful evenings then continued for Freedom from Torture and All Should Eat winning their second awards for Fundraiser of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to Charity respectively.
Awards were then given to societies that were considered to be the best in their respective categories this year, with Catholic Society, Norman Rea Gallery, Japanese Society, York Labour Club, York Horntails, Archaeological Society, Brass Band Society and Crafts Society all being hailed as shining examples of their respective niche.
This was followed by the individual awards, highlighting students who on their own have made outstanding contributions to activities at the University. Luke Siever received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Volunteering Projects and Eloise Hatten was recognised for her Outstanding Contribution to Societies.
The next round of awards focused on groups’ commitment to the environment, access and inclusion. Dungeons and Dragons Society were presented with the Sustainability Award whilst the Accessibility Award went to the York Law Society, whose equal opportunities officer visited over 50 venues to assess accessibility. The Inclusivity and Diversity Award was then presented to York Vision.
The final categories for the Activity Awards then followed with a range of societies, media groups, volunteering groups and the PTOs Anushka Swannell and Ellen Rintoul being presented with the award for Best Collaboration of the Year for the Refashion Event in Autumn Term. Enactus York were announced as the winners of the highly competitive Community Impact Award for the second year running before Dance Society were announced as the recipients of the most anticipated award of the evening: Activities Group of the Year. The Love York Awards followed on from this on 11 June.
