SU Sport Officer Update

Protecting the future of sport - An Update

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:03:23 Z

Elections are over, but before I even think about getting started on my manifesto for president, I have a lot of sport related things to wrap up.

To start, I want to give you all an update on a big project that I have been working on over the last few months: the national campaign to protect the right to accessible sports.

This is something I care deeply about, and this piece of work has resonated with many of you here in Bath, but also across the national student community. Therefore, this blog aims to serve an update on this piece of work. If you have not read my original blog on the subject, you can do so here.

A reminder of the issue at hand

In March 2025, the Government proposed a reform of the national planning policy framework (NPPF) and the system of statutory consultees.

In short, the NPPF serves as the rulebook for all planning applications and development of urban areas. The statutory consultee system, on the other hand, refers to the national bodies whose role is to review planning applications relating to their specific area of interest. Among these is Sport England, the national body responsible for safeguarding green spaces and playing fields.

The aim of this reform is to streamline the planning process, which can absolutely be beneficial, however one key element of the proposal has caused deep concern across the sporting, education, and community sectors: the removal of key statutory consultees, including the aforementioned Sport England.

Removing Sport England’s statutory role represents a major shift, and one that could have unintended consequences for generations to come, by removing a key safeguard for playing fields: spaces that are not simply plots of land, but foundations of community wellbeing, grassroots sports development, and student activity.

Put simply: the risk is that expertise will be removed from decisions that directly affect the future of community sport.

Our actions

This issue was brought to my attention in light of developments (or lack thereof) at the Sulis Club; however, it was apparent that this was something far bigger than just our community here at Bath. I knew I had to act, so I launched a campaign to protest this decision and protect the future of sport and our right to play.

In my own words, I outlined the need to maintain robust protections for green spaces and playing fields, and highlighted the severe risk associated with the planned reform. This letter, titled “Protecting the Right to Accessible Sport”, was circulated to student unions and universities across the country.

In total representatives from 35 students’ union and 19 universities co-signed the letter, representing just under 1 million students. On the 9^th of January, the letter was sent to key decision makers:

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning
Paul Morrison, Chief Executive, Planning Inspectorate
Joanna Key, Director General for Regeneration, Housing and Planning

Following this, we submitted an official consultation response on behalf of the letter on the 13^th of January.

Our message was clear: If Sport England’s statutory role is removed, there must be robust and legally enforceable protections in place to safeguard playing fields and community sports facilities.

The Response

I am pleased to share that our collective voice has already made an impact.

We received a reply from Baroness Taylor, Undersecretary of State for Housing and Local Government, which gave us several reassurances and wins:

Securing Continued Engagement of Sport England in Planning Decisions
As a result of this campaign, the Government confirmed that Sport England will remain engaged in the planning system through consultation processes and targeted notifications relating to developments affecting playing fields and sports infrastructure.
Initiating Policy Reform on the Protection of Sports and Recreational Spaces
Our campaign helped initiate national policy discussions on the protection of sports facilities and recreational spaces within the planning system, ensuring their importance was formally recognised within the Government’s consultation process.
Establishing a New Notification Process for Changes to Sports and Recreational Spaces
The Government has proposed introducing a new notification requirement to ensure that relevant authorities are informed when planning applications would result in the substantial loss of playing fields or recreational land, strengthening oversight and protection of these spaces.
Influencing National Planning Policy Framework Reforms
The campaign contributed to wider Government planning reforms, including proposals to strengthen planning policy protections for sport, play, and recreation facilities and to encourage clearer local standards for outdoor recreational land.
Commitment to Updated Planning Guidance for Sports and Recreational Infrastructure
The Government has committed to updating planning guidance to ensure that developments properly consider the impact on existing sports facilities and recreational spaces.

This breakdown of the response, including the specific commitments and areas of influence, has been shared with all signatories. Importantly, it demonstrates that our intervention is being taken seriously at the highest levels. This is a significant step forward for students, universities, and the protection of community sport.

You can read the full letter here!

What Happens Next

For now, we need to wait for the results of the government consultation. We have also sent in consultation for changes to the NPPF more broadly, and again, await the result.

Once we do have a response, we will ensure we share it with you and prepare any follow-up actions if protections appear insufficient.

There is likely to be further opportunity for you to get involved and help shape the next phase of this reform, so watch this space.

I would like to thank all the students, Universities and Students’ Unions who have engaged with this work so far and have come together to make change happen.

Protecting the right to accessible sport

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:11:03 Z

"Once you lose a playing field or pitch, it's gone forever”

- Tim Hollingsworth

On March 10^th, Matthew Pennycook, Minister for Housing and Planning, released a statement; “Reform of the Statutory Consultee System”.

In summary, the Government are making a bid to cut delays of planning applications, which includes the process of cutting statutory consultees. Sport England, the body whose statutory role is to protect green spaces and playing fields, is one of the consultees to be removed.

This decision removes a key safeguard for the protection of green spaces and playing fields, that are fundamental to the existence of community and grassroots sports programs. The removal of statutory protection makes these facilities more vulnerable to loss due to well-meaning developments. Quite simply, local planners will no longer be required to be consult the experts or even consider the impact of facility loss.

Sport England have since released a response; "Chief executive's letter to Select Committee"

What does this mean for students?

The benefits of integrated physical activity as part of an educational program are limitless.

It can be core to personal development; improve physical and mental health; help young people build relationships and teach students valuable life skills in leadership, communication and resilience.

Now imagine if you couldn’t experience that, if those sports programs ceased to exist.

If schools, colleges and universities lose access to playing fields, their physical activity programs will suffer. Maybe not today, but what about 2, 5 or 10 years down the line? While many of us may have left education by then, we cannot ignore the impact it will have on those that follow us.

What does this mean for the public?

Where there is significant loss of green space and playing fields, physical activity programs will shut down and, where the increasing costs of privatised sports programs are too high, communities will be left without affordable sport.

As communities struggle to stay active, increased obesity-related illnesses will put further pressure on the NHS and the wealth gap will manifest as a health gap.

What can we do about it?

Very simply, we must use our collective voice to oppose this change.

As a representative of the student body, I have written a letter to the Prime Minister ("Protecting the right to accessible sport"), which addresses these concerns. This letter is being signed by representatives from students’ unions, educational institutions and organisations across the country.

In your own capacity, I ask that you do two things:

Firstly, sign the petition to not remove Sport England’s statutory role, without an equally robust replacement policy.

Then, raise awareness. This issue is by technicality a “Housing and Planning” proposal and it has slipped by unnoticed.

I cannot stress how important it is that we act on this decision, before it can cause any long-term damage. This campaign is about protecting the right to accessible sport, especially for students. The Government must have a statutory policy in place to protect green space and playing fields. They must do more to protect the communities and grassroots sports programs, especially those at educational institutions.

We are the future of this country and this will shape it.

The Goose is Loose

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 16:21:38 +0100

Here we goooooooo!

Are you ready for the best year of sport we’ve ever had?!? Well, get ready because it’s about to be!!

I’ve just finished my handover with Olivia and now the Goose is officially loose. Can’t lie, the information overload was real; my brain felt like scrambled eggs; but I did learn a lot. It’s been great getting to know the various stakeholders of the SU and University, and now my focus is on the most important one; the students!!

So, the real question is: What can you expect this year?

HOME VARSITY BABYYYYYYY. That is right… Varsity is here… In Bath… and we got a trophy to win back. I am already working with the Sports, Arts and Societies teams to ensure that this is the biggest and best varsity ever!

Matchday experiences are about to get a whole lot bigger! I want to eradicate the “clique” feel that exists around our sports teams. We all represent Bath, so let’s show it. Whether it’s a Wednesday, weekend game or any other sporting fixture, I want to ensure that student have the opportunities to engage in the amazing sporting experience we offer.

And let’s not forget the socials! A key area that needs work in my mind. Not only do I want to ensure that existing club nights and events continue to thrive, but I will be supporting clubs in the creation of new socials and experiences that do not necessarily rely on alcohol. It could be bowling, painting, a Bath skyline walk… there is so much potential!

Behind the scenes I am working to tackle some of the key logistical issues experienced by SU sports clubs; namely finances and storage. These issues are experienced fundamentally at committee level however the trickle-down effects are felt by all participants of sport. I mean, the basketball wheelchairs are stored up a flight of steps!?! ??

There are of course many other small projects and tasks that will crop up, but this about summarises the main ones.

Beyond that, I will be integrating myself into the community: watching games, running workshops, engaging directly with the student body. So, if you see me around, feel free to come say ‘Hi’!

Now, I must get back to my near-infinite to-do list, but once term starts, I’ll see you all pitch side.

Enjoy your summer!

Angus

My view on the current climate of being trans

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:25:23 +0100

Trigger Warning: Transphobia

I want to be clear: everything I’m about to say is my own opinion — not the SU’s. This is me.

My name is Olivia. I’m a trans woman. I’ve been living my truth, out and unapologetic, for over three years now. And let me tell you: it saved my life. It wasn’t a choice - it was acceptance. It was finally the ability to be free after years of feeling like I had been locked in the wrong body.

Almost a year ago, I was fortunate enough to be elected to the role of SU Officer. Other than to improve our sporting offer, I didn’t just do it for a title or recognition — I did it because I wanted to make this university better for people like me. People who have to fight just to be seen as human. I played a pivotal role in eliminate deadnaming from university systems. And we did it. That project will always be one of the proudest things I’ve been part of — because I got to help make it easier for trans students to just exist without being constantly reminded of a name that doesn’t belong to them anymore.

Seeing trans students thrive here? That’s been one of the brightest lights in my life.

And now this.

The Supreme Court ruling? It’s disgusting. Malicious. It’s not just a policy — it’s a direct attack on our lives. Strip everything away and it comes down to this: trans people want to exist. That’s it. Just exist. And somehow, that’s considered “too much” for society. We’re not treated like people — we’re treated like a talking point. A “debate.” A threat.

These people making these rulings? They don’t know what it’s like to walk down the street and feel fear for simply being. They don’t know what it’s like to be dehumanized daily — online, in person, in whispers, in headlines. They don’t know what it’s like to have your very identity questioned more than your qualifications, your character, your contributions. They don’t care. All they seem to care about is what’s in your pants. It’s sick. There are no rights gained from rulings like this. Only rights ripped away.

We’re a minority. And they’re using us — using me — as a punching bag for their bigotry and political theatre. It’s always us. Always the same scapegoat.

This ruling made me cry. And I’m not ashamed of that. It broke something in me — left me angry, exhausted, but worst of all- empty. However, I keep plodding along and what keeps me going is this: I am not alone.

When this happened, my friend drove all the way from Kent to Bath just to make sure I was okay. Just to show me I mattered. That I was loved. That I was seen. And that means everything.

There are people — many people — who are glad you're alive. Who are glad I’m alive. Who are proud of us. Who celebrate us. And no law, no policy, no courtroom of these robed strangers will change that.

As for the people celebrating this ruling — who cheer for our pain, who laugh while we cry — I have nothing polite to say to you. You live in ignorance and you feed off hatred. You use fear like a weapon. And to be honest?

Fuck you.

Trans women are women. I need not say anymore.

No judge, no policy, no headline can erase that truth. You can rewrite definitions all you want — but you can’t rewrite who we are. We are here. We are real. And we are not going anywhere.

BUCS Nationals: What a weekend in Sheffield!

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 12:24:23 Z

Hello!

Another week, another blog – it must be Christmas!! I have had the privilege of attending BUCS Nationals this weekend, getting to see over 100 of our student athletes in action. After a somewhat stressful coach journey up to the wet weather of Sheffield last Friday, I settled into a lovely little apartment, which was only a short bus journey away from Ponds Forge – where I started my support for our teams. Armed with a photographer and two sport execs by my side, our mission was to get as much content as possible and try to highlight the excellence of our students.

Our first stop was to view our magnificent swimmers, a sport which I found to be very therapeutic, I found you can spend hours watching heats of different swimming styles in the heat of the poolside. After seeing a good amount of Bath people make their way through their heats successfully, we stepped over to Karate- a sport I had never seen before in person, and it was a spectacle. I was not sure on what to expect, but I found that Karate was full of true artistry, and with someone well timed shocking chants, the sport was also a very enjoyable watch.

Next stop was the English Institute, where we managed to view badminton and athletics, yet again watching Bath athletes show their performative excellence. There is something so warming and joyful watching your university compete, and every time I saw a bath athlete on the court, track, or pitch – I get an overwhelming sense of pride to belong at the same university, and in the same SU.

Over to the fencing- and what a busy venue! Bouts of fencing were happening everywhere, wherever you looked there would always be an intense match on! I have started really enjoying over the year and having been involved in promoting the inclusion of the sport with the arrival of the SwordSeat, I was very happy to go over and see their chair, Connor win his first Sabre match 15-14 in spectacular fashion. We also saw a medallist in fencing, our very own Ezgi Kocer with a bronze in Women’s Sabre – it was a very heavily contested tournament, so this is a remarkable achievement.

Our last stop on Saturday was the Climbing Works- which was all the way on the other side of Sheffield! Bouldering is a hobby of mine, so seeing people that are very clearly much better than me traverse these difficult climbs also proved to be very enjoyable. Remarkable feats of strength and endurance!

Of course, I could not end the day off without seeing some finals! A gold for Josh Gammon in the 50m Butterfly was well deserved, and with many more silvers and bronzes- especially in the Swimming- Bath were beginning to show their true blue and gold! I especially enjoyed the bronzes in both the men’s and women’s 400m team freestyles- teamwork is truly a magical thing.

The Sunday was also just as magical, watching all the sports yet again, making my way through the rainy weather of Sheffield to support all our students. Another gold medal for Josh Gammon? Obviously. He then proceeded to get one more along with Matthew Ward, William Godsell and Callum Baker in the 400m team medley, well done- I am very proud of all of you. Other special mentions go to Hendrick Van Der Leest for his silvers in 200m Backstroke and Butterfly, Jack Skerry for his silver in the 100m Backstroke, Niamh Ward for her silver in 50m Backstroke and Cam Brooker for his silver in 50m backstroke. Congratulations from everyone here at the SU.

Across the city in the English Institute, I had the pleasure of watching Luke Ball- a man who I am now convinced can jump over anything, no matter how high! Winning BUCS gold in the high jump with a height of 2.14m – having never seen high jump in person- this seemed absurd to me, so a massive congratulations! There was also so many other bronzes and silvers, including an incredible 800m bronze from Basil Rock, so well done to all these athletes- I hope you are as proud of yourselves as I am of you.

The mascot race on Sunday was also a highlight. Seeing our Duck Norris run down the track against a dragon, a cow and a lion seems like a fever dream, but after the struggles of getting Duck Norris to Sheffield (he may have missed his coach), it was all worth it in the end. He came 4th in his heat out of 5 so definitely needs some training for Varsity but he was best dressed.

I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all the students who attended the nationals- you have all represented Bath so well and I cannot wait to see how we do next year.

The SwordSeat has arrived!

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:24:17 Z

Hello everyone!

I hope we are all doing well. It has been a hectic few weeks for me here at the SU, but I would like to go over one of the main highlights for me, the introduction of the SwordSeat here at our university, and how our fencing club are now the first club to own a SwordSeat

I would very much recommend googling the SwordSeat if you have not heard of it, but to give some context and background, it is a set of wooden seats designed for a cheaper, more accessible and beginner friendly approach to wheelchair fencing.

And that is all it is- each seat consists of 6 easy-to-put-together slabs of wood and a cushion. Simple, really? Yet, it is completely genius. The best bit about it is that it was designed right here at the University of Bath and by Dr Ed Elias and his students. But what makes this seat so special?

I went to the launch of the Swordseat back in January. I had already confirmed that I would be obtaining a set for our fencing club, to continue and promote inclusivity. It was a very fascinating event- with talks from British Fencing and Ed, and some amazing demonstrations of the seat in action. For something so simple, it allowed a perfect in to wheelchair fencing, and its affordability means that people of any age all across the country can pick up the sport.

Wheelchair fencing is an expensive sport. To buy all the necessary equipment and set up, you would be setting yourself back around £10,000. In comparison, the SwordSeat Is roughly 95% cheaper, so the hope is that fencing clubs will pick up this initiative and wheelchair fencing can grow and grow and grow.

Being at the University of Bath was very handy in acquiring a set. Ed was very friendly and had me one made not long after the launch, and as mentioned, it is the first of its kind to be used by a club. After BUCS Nationals, the fencing club will launch sessions with the seat, and hopefully they will be able to get many more sets over the next few years as wheelchair fencing grows here. Bath is the home of wheelchair fencing after all- it seems only fair that this includes the students!

My favourite thing about the seat is that it illustrates that accessible sport does not need to be so expensive and difficult to enter. That anyone can get involved, and that the limits of physicality do not limit the amount of sport. I would like to applaud Ed and his students for the incredible design, and thank them for giving us here at the SU an opportunity to extend our ever growing inclusive offer to our students.

A Sporty Xmas Round Up!

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:05:08 Z

Merry Christmas one and all! I hope we have all had a wonderful semester and are looking forward to a Christmas break, even if it may just be a stressful revision period for many of us. It has been an amazing semester for sport, with over 6000 of you buying sport memberships, which is a new record for the end of semester 1! All of our 53 clubs have seen plenty of engagement, representing our university both at home and around the country. I want to use this blog to recognise some of the excellence that our sport clubs have produced this semester.

Like every year, Movember has been a massive success for many of our sports. Leading the way again was the Rugby Union club, raising a whooping £17,509 alongside a length 60-hour cycle and the glorious victory in the Battle for Bath. Their efforts will never not go unnoticed, and I am sure they will continue this fabulous work on next year. Rugby was not the only club however, and we have to give special shout outs to Cricket, who raised over £4000, and Athletics, who raised just shy of £3000, as they have both rocketed into our top 5 most raised this year. Alongside the magnificent work of Hockey and BUBC, who complete our top five most raised- and every other single club, every single team and every single individual, we raised over £50,000 for Movember, and I could not be any prouder of the sporting community we have here at Bath. For more on our Movember success, see Movember Round-Up.

Let’s talk about those clubs which have gone above and beyond. The first shoutout will go to the Golf club, who have crushed their membership target this year, and are well on their way to becoming one of our biggest clubs here at Bath. They have provided countless hours of coaching and training to all their members and have expanded their offer to ensure all of them get an amazing experience.

Hockey have launched their own disability accessible sessions alongside DAG, allowing for a wider and more inclusive sporting community, giving more people the opportunity deserved to get involved in sport. Thank you to everyone who got involved with the set up of these sessions- they really do go a long way.

Badminton have kindly picked up running sessions for postgraduates again, so a big thank you to them- it is very appreciated within the PG community. Thank you to Football for also running postgraduate sessions as well, we hope that these initiatives will continue to grow and expand in the future as we are always improving the Bath Active calendar.

I would also like to give a few mentions to the chairs of clubs that have really excelled this semester- Calla Spires of Rowing, Louisa Jones of Lacrosse, Charlotte Gregory of Golf, Christian Moody of Hockey and (of course) John Taylor of Rugby. You have all been incredible, valuable assets to your clubs, and working alongside you has made my job so much easier.

The previous message extends to all chairs, all committees and all clubs- the SU wouldn’t be able to run without you guys. I have loved every second of this role and cannot wait to see what semester 2 has in store for us.

Olivia, over and out x

How to win a BUCS event in a thousand words or less

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:10:02 +0100

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening!

As a sports officer, I can definitely be considered as a relatively ‘competitive’ person. Competing to me is fun in every strand of life, and the only thing better… winning. I think a good introduction blog for me would be to go over one of my competitive (and in this case shining) moments, the BUCS 8 Ball Championship 2024.

This was my first time in attendance of the tournament, captaining a team of four. Getting the team to the tournament was an achievement from the start, Bath have not had a women’s team at BUCS 8 ball for nearly five years, when we won the team championships in 2019. At the start of the year, the team was just me, but some heavy prospect and talent came through- and come February we were driving up to Stoke to take part, have fun and obviously- win.

My expectation of myself was high in both the team and individual tournaments. This blog will cover my run in the individual championships. My first match was in the last 64 and disaster struck immediately; I could not pot a ball, and I was watching my opponent sink the first black and take the first frame. Was it nerves? Almost definitely. If you go into something expecting to win, it can easily consume your concentration and leave you with a shell of your full potential. However, reassurance from other Bath players relaxed me and I won the match by winning the next three frames in succession.

Everything then began to start clicking and my form picked up dramatically. 3-0 in the last 32. Up against the second seed in the last 16, another 3-0 dispatched in 15 minutes, the fastest victory of the tournament. I was on a high, jumping from one victory to another. I was beginning to truly feel like the tournament was mine to win.

Taking things for granted can definitely take a turn on you. Brimming with quiet confidence, I started my Quarter Final match against a high-profile player from Keele. 10 minutes in, and I’m 2-0 down. What was happening? For the first time since the first match, my nerves were back. A lucky steal in the third and a reverse dish in the 4th saw me level the scores, but she took the 5th to go 3-2 up. At this point, I was on the brink of defeat. Any mistake made could very well easily be my last. I had to turn it on, or I was going home. 10 minutes. 2 frames. A 4-3 victory. I was in the semi-finals.

The semi finals took place the next day. The break in between matches gave me lots to think about, time to stabilize the endless amounts of pressure I was laying on myself. In my mind, winning that quarter finals had propelled me into a strong place in the tournament, I had been pushed to perform at my best, and I managed to reach it, so here we go. Two more matches for victory, and all the glory (and bragging rights to bath cue sports) with it. A breezy 4-1 victory sealed my spot in the final, and by this point, I was not nervous- I was purely excited.

The wait before the final seemed to take forever. In reality, it was no more than 30 minutes, but I just wanted to get out there- I wanted to play, and I wanted to win. I could feel the eyes of the onlooking Bath audience and I wanted to make them all proud. Before the match, I made an executive decision and asked them to not cheer me on, as I was always scared that it would elevate the pressure on me. In match that was first to 5, I did not start well, losing the first 2 without threatening my opponent in the slightest. On the brink of losing the third, I remember the unfortunate mistake she made, as it allowed me back into the frame, and potting that black seemed like a massive relief. I then decided to go against my decision and asked Bath to cheer me on again, as much as I thought I knew what I wanted, the sense of community a sport can bring can be seen as the greatest weapon of them all. I had my first frame, the pressure of getting whitewashed is gone. The cheers from Bath started fueling me, as I quickly won the next two frames. Looking good. Losing the 6th was a setback, but my determination was unfaltered, taking the 7th and with a few deep breaths, I potted the black in the 8th, securing myself my first ever BUCS Championship gold.

That moment will always be one that I will remember, not just for winning, but being able to celebrate with my friends and have a warming pay off to all the practice I had put in going into the tournament. It would probably have been the best moment of my sporting life at Bath, had it not have been for the team championship gold the next day, winning alone is something but getting to win with other people? That truly is unbeatable.

Joining a sports club here at Bath was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Whoever you are, whatever your aspirations may be- reach for them. You may just end up surprising yourself.

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