UCB Guild Student Impact Archive – UCB Guild of Students

The Guild Archive exists to celebrate our past and present student leaders. These wins have been pulled from the Guild’s comms channels and internal records – but this is the first time we have looked to formally archive the wins of our UCB change makers and our milestones as a Student Union.

If you are a current UCB student wanting to see your win in our hall of fame, head to https://ucbguild.co.uk/submit-your-win/, log in with your student sign-in and tell us about the impact you would like in the archive – whether that is yours or of your peers.

If you are an alumni student with knowledge of UCB student leadership that we may be missing, please email guildinfo@ucb.ac.uk labelled “Impact Archive” with details about the example and the year it happened, and any names of students, and a member of the team will follow up for more details.

If you have any imagery of historic Guild/UCB SU related events, we would also love to see them!

^{[Last Updated: 27/10/2025]}

2025

UCB Guild secure a consistent program of events at The Maltings
Dominika (Kika) Wilczynska (Education Officer) and Laiyba Zahir (Women’s Liberation Rep) co-ordinate a month long program of events for International Women’s Day to raise awareness and build community
UCB Guild, alongside SU’s in the West Midlands, come first in the NUS Money Monday campaign
UCB Guild launch the “Where’s Your Head @?” campaign, a survey to include student consultation to recommendations as part of UCB’s commitment to the Student Minds University Mental Health Charter
The Guild secure funding for an additional staff member, growing the permanent staff team to 6, as well as to hire for additional student staff hours
Soham Chougale is elected as Education Officer (full-time)
Kunal Chavan is re-elected as Equalities & Wellbeing Officer (full-time), launching the adjusted role title
Saroj Kamtee is re-elected as Societies & Activities Officer (full-time)
The Guild elected 2 part time officer positions for each full-time remit, makingf an executive committee of 9 officers
As part of The Guild’s commitment to a better future for students, The Guild (lead by Education Officer Dominika Wilczynska) joined the Sustainable Student Unions Charter, as part of a wider Guild Sustainability strategy proposed by Dominika to The Guild Board of Trustees
Lauren Crossan and Khushi (surname withheld) are elected as Education Officers (part-time)
Harley White and Dhruv Rajpara are elected as Equality & Wellbeing Officers (part-time)
Bishal Regmi and Sagar Bohara are elected as Societies & Activities Offciers (part-time)
The Guild recruits two FE students to paid placement roles, to assist with The Guilds communications strategy and social media presence
Dominika Wilczynska, in recognition of her long list of accolades and achievements in her time at UCB, was awarded by the Board of Trustees with the first Honorary Lifetime Guild Membership

2024

UCB Drama Society put on two performances of ‘Bright. Young. Things.’ at The Crescent Theatre
The Guild return to Uni Varsity for UCB x BCU x Uni of Wolverhampton Varsity 2024
Dominika (Kika) Wilczynska is re-elected for a second term as Education officer
Kunal Chavan is elected as Equalities Officer
Saroj Kamtee is elected as Societies & Activities Officer
Charles Tighter (Disability Liberation Rep) launches the Disability Item Fund, a bursary funded by The Guild to help offset the additional costs that students
Natasha Fernandes (Equalities Officer) organised The Guild’s second Reclaim The Night march, in collaboration with BCU
Natasha Fernandes (Equalities Officer) joins the campaign launched by UCLAN Students Union to support the total outlawing and ban of abusive conversion therapy practices targeting LGBTQ+ people.
UCB Guild begin a collaboration with People + Planet, launching a petition to begin to lobby UCB to divest from the fossil fuel industry
UCB are awarded recognition the Quality Students Union accreditation
Mercury Belcher is elected Trans & Non-Binary Liberation Rep
Lauren Crossan is elected Disability & Wellbeing Liberation Rep
Alex Kai Day is elected LGBT+ Liberation Rep
Harley White is elected Widening Participation Liberation Rep
Mohammad Imran Samir is elected International Students Liberation Rep
Asad Ullah Khan is elected Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicity (BAME) Liberation Rep
Laiyba Zahir is election Women’s Liberation Officer
Mercury Belcher launches the Gender Affirming Item Fund, a bursary funded by The Guild to help offset the cost of transition trans and non-binary students face as part of living authentically
UCB Guild provided a free Eid-Al-Fitr card service, allowing students to write their loved ones a Guild card wishing them a happy Eid, which was then posted to be delivered by The Guild
Dominika (Kika) Wilczynska (Education Officer) relaunches the Guild Course Representative program, and successfully secures Course Reps a position to provide feedback at university Validation & Accreditation Panels, ensuring student voice is consulted in the approval or re-approval of courses at UCB
The Guild Officers collaborate with People + Planet to host a workshop on the climate crisis and the role student leaders can play to combat this

2023

The Guild successfully lobby UCB to let students request to the mandatory limit on Kickstart campus spending, allowing students for the first time to spend their Kickstart funds where it matters to them, whether that’s Society Fees, or food on campus
Jay Henri (Executive Officer) organised a collaboration event with BCU LGBT+ Society and The Loft Bar for Trans Day of Visibility, involving a book and clothes swap, drag performances from an all trans & non-binary cast, and evening entertainment following at The Village Inn
The Guild saw a restructure in their permanent staff, including hiring a new Director, and the total team growing from 3 to 5 staff members, as well as a restructure a non-hierarchical set of officer roles, adding a third full-time sabbatical officers
Dominika (Kika) Wilczynska is elected as Education Officer, the first of this role
Natasha Fernandes is elected as Equalities Officer, the first of this role
Thomas Hillen is re-elected for a second term, now as Societies & Activities Officer, the first of this role
The Guild supported The National union of Students in their “My Present, Our Future” Campaign
The Guild launches their Liberation Assembly
The Guild Elects Charles Tighter as the first Disability Liberation Rep
Dominika (Kika) Wilczynska (Education Officer) successfully advocated for a better process for students experiencing bereavement, allowing for students more compassionate support in both their studies and from wellbeing services at UCB
The Guild launch their monthly Pulse Survey, allowing us to have a month-to-month insight into student life at UCB
As part of a program of events for Black History Month, The Guild arranged a day of free hair services for black students
Thomas Hillen (Societies & Activities Officer) successfully advocates for the return of student bar services led by The Guild at The Maltings

2022

Alice Young (Guild President) organised a cross-university Reclaim The Night march which took place on 10th May, to protest and raise awareness of violence against women and girls, and the realities of gender-based violence and the intersections of sexism with racism, ablism, transphobia/queerphobia
UCB Queersoc, in collaboration with BCU LGBT+ Society and Newman SU host Queer Prom, with performances from local LGBT drag artists and DJs
Leilani Courtney is voted Guild President
Thomas Hillen is voted Guild Vice-President
Jay Henri, Lisa Cham, and Shriram Kaneri are voted Guild Executive Officers
Indian Society win Guild Best New Society Award
UCB QueerSoc win Guild Collaboration Award
UCB Cheerleading win Society of the Year Award
Jay Henri wins Guild Liberation Award
Guild Officers launch a “Guild Month of Black Excellence” to celebrate black student and staff leaders at UCB
The Guild hire their first cohort of Guild Assistants, aimed to help support merchandise sales and signposting for students to relevant support
The Guild Officers, with support of Guild Assistant Dominika (Kika) Wilczynska, launch a Student Essentials donation drive, aiming to provide judgement-free access to long life foods, sanitary and hygiene products and other essentials to combat student deprivation
The Guild launches “Poor, Actually!”, a Cost of Living Crisis parody of ‘Love, Actually’ to lobby the Mayor of West Midlands to support students, and ask for free student bus travel for Christmas

2021

Guild Officers advocate for students in UCB arranging a conditional rent pause for students unable to return to The Maltings, and a COVID Hardship Fund to cover the way in which students were financially impacted
Guild Officers host “Coffee Drop-Ins”
Guild Officers start a Run Club for all staff and students through STRAVA
Alice Young is voted Guild President
Blessing Osasogie is voted Guild Vice President
Caprice Nikita is voted Guild Student Communities Officer
Leilani Courtney is voted Guild Diversity Officer
The UCB Disability Society were awarded the NVSA Award for Committee Excellence for their work supporting the student community through the return to study in 2020 and 2021 through the COVID-19 pandemic
Jay Henri (UCB Queer Soc President) hosts a CPD training session for UCB staff on what the day-to-day issues LGBTQ+ students face at UCB and how staff can be active allies
UCB secure a discount code with NCP Parking to help students afford the cost of commute

2020

The Guild opens a Pop-Up Shop in The Pod in Summer Row
Guild President signs a Joint pledge of commitment letter with other Birmingham SUs to promise to back and support students in the global COVID-19 pandemic
Guild Officers secure the ability for students to exit their contracts at The Maltings
Alpha Jallow is voted Guild President
Alice Young is voted Guild Vice President
Esther Clissett is voted Guild Student Communities Officer
Ellis Andrew Muirhead is voted Guild Diversity Officer
Lisa Panchal is voted Guild College Officer

2019

UCB Guild moves to their Office and Shop in Moss House
UCB Guild host The Guild Sports & Societies Awards
Ross Loveitt is voted Guild President for a second term
Alpha Jallow is voted Guild Vice President
Ashlea Mallett is voted Student Communities Officer
Paula Couto is voted Diversity Officer
Wictoria Mucha is voted FE Officer
UCB Guild host their End of Year Celebration (formerly Summer Ball)
UCB Guild march in Birmingham Pride
UCB students arrange a student Iftar with support from The Guild
UCB Guild arranges a freshers trip to IKEA
UCB Guild launch Course Based Societies

2018

Students host the Insta-Friends event at Refreshers to tackle student loneliness
UCB Guild join a Cross-SU initiative for UCB Students to join UOB societies
Guild Officers host a Hidden Disability Awareness campaign, installing “not every disability is visible” signs by Disabled Washrooms on campus
UCB Guild officially launches the Student Council for the first time
Students successfully lobbied for faulty laptops provided by IT to be replaced
Students successfully lobbied for the prices of soy milk to be reduced on campus
Ross Loveitt is voted Guild President
Zara Saddiq is voted Vice President for Activities & Development
Joe Wassell is Voted Vice President for Welfare & Communities
Fatima Rose Unica is voted International Students’ Officer
Emma-Jane Burness is voted LGBT+ Officer
UCB Guild of Students officially receives charity status, allowing it to operate as an independent organisation
Guild President Ross meets Lord Mayor of Birmingham to talk about student issues
Guild International Society host a food mingle social
Guild Officers successfully lobby the university to install Gender-Neutral Changing Rooms

2017

UCB Guild moves their office from the basement of Summer Row, to McIntyre House
UCB Guild Officer take part in a Student Money Week campaign
UCB Guild works with UCB to host a Student Housing Fayre
UCB vs Uni of Wolverhampton Varsity 2017
UCB Guild support students to raise money for the Sock It To Eating Disorders campaign
Charlotte Gates is voted Guild President
Shelley Harvey is voted Guild Vice President for Activities & Development
Sian Atkinson is voted Guild Vice President for Education & Representation
Lucy Webb is voted Vice President for Welfare & Communities
Amee Plimmer is voted Further Education Officer
UCB Guild hosts it’s second Summer Ball
Guild Officers take part in the One City coalition of Student Unions
Guild Officer Shelley hosts a Society Fayre, featuring the Vegan Soc, LGBT Soc, Entrepreneurship & Management Soc, Walking Soc, Purity Soc, Arts Soc, Christian Soc, and Mature Students Soc
UCB Students raise money for the Jeans For Genes initiative
Shelby Welsh joins the Guild team as Events & Entertainment Officer
UCB Guild Debuts the GuildSpace in The Maltings (which is now The Hideaway)
Guild Officers run a fundraising project for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Culinary Arts Management & Hospitality students and Events Management students collaborate with the Guild to promote a First Class dining experience held on a train
UCB Guild launch a Student Voice survey to help students guide the work of the SU
Students run a Festive Feast at The Maltings

2016

UCB Guild launches their first range of UCB merchandise
UCB Guild Student Safety Week, which hosted free self defence classes
UCB vs Uni of Wolverhampton Varsity 2016
UCB Guild Summer Ball
Sarah Bishton wins Guild Student of the Year Award
Rebecca Hoy wins Guild Community Award
Kevin Khan wins Guild International Student of the Year Award
Becci Williams wins Guild Sports Personality of the Year Award
Sean Smith (FE Officer) wins Guild Exec of the Year Award
Sabrina Crook, Captain of Dance Society, wins Guild Club Captain of the Year Award
Cheerleading Society wins Guild Society of the Year Award
Rugby wins Guild Team of the Year Award
UCB Guild supports students to exercise their right to vote in the EU Referendum
UCB Guild becomes the first Student Union to launch a info project on air pollution in collaboration with Our Clean Space
UCB Guild hosts their first training session for Course Reps
UCB Guild collaborates with Umbrella to provide sexual health & wellbeing packs for students