The Simmie: Big Wins and What’s Next This November:
The Simmie Newsletter 👋
November 2026 | Your Students’ Union
Here’s your November newsletter: the big wins so far, updates from Matilda and Jasmine, and what our societies have been up to.
Big wins Matilda’s update Jasmine’s update Society news What’s on
Matilda, your Student Life President, and Jasmine, your Education President.
Big wins from your Student Voice and Sabbs
society-led events since September
active societies
student group sponsorships through The 1850
off food in the Refectory for non-resident students
Improving food options and affordability on campus
- Meal points now accepted in Naylor Café. We’ve successfully expanded where catered students can use their meal points.
- 10% student discount introduced in the Refectory. Non-resident students can now benefit from a 10% discount on food.
Improving safety on and off campus
- Increased awareness of student safety services. We successfully delivered Simmie Safety Week, including informative videos highlighting campus safety resources, advice from the Metropolitan Police, and engagement with the Safer Neighbourhood Board and UniSafe.
New sensory room now open
Our new sensory room is now open, at the back of the Library. Come and see it for yourself!
Improving nightlife in The 1850
- Increased opening times at The 1850. We successfully advocated for increased opening times, with additional opportunities for society and sports club events.
- Five student group sponsorships secured. We’ve successfully provided five sponsorships to student groups through The 1850.
- More society-led events. We’ve supported the delivery of over 80 society-led events since September, with 31 active societies.
Increasing support for societies and inclusive activities
- Give It a Go activities successfully delivered. We’ve introduced and supported a variety of inclusive activities, including Sip & Paint, Halls Stars and pottery painting.
Improving communication and accountability
- Monthly SU newsletter introduced. We’ve launched a monthly newsletter with updates on petitions, initiatives, manifesto progress, campaigns and general SU news. You’re reading it!
- Regular SU progress updates. You now get updates on the Union’s work and progress through the newsletter.
- Stronger communication with student leaders. We’ve created dedicated group chats with Senior Residents, societies and the Sport Committee to improve communication and collaboration.
- More collaboration with university services. We’ve worked alongside university departments to deliver joint initiatives and events, including Wobble Week.
Student Life President update
It’s been a busy start to the academic year, and I’ve been working hard to make progress on my manifesto commitments!
What’s in the making?
- Food and affordability: continuing discussions around expanding meal point usage to DV Café, introducing more snack options on points and providing grab-and-go food options outside Refectory hours.
- The 1850: planning more competitive games nights, including a pool tournament, and exploring the options for sports showings in The 1850.
- Societies and sport: working towards introducing protected society status, organising more society drop-ins and following up with Sport St Mary’s about its reimbursement policy.
- SU accessibility: looking to increase our presence across university sites, particularly at Naylor and Teddington Lock, to make SU activities and support more accessible.
Simmie Safety Week
In October, I delivered my first campaign, Simmie Safety Week! Throughout the week, we shared important safety information, worked alongside the Metropolitan Police and Richmond Safer Neighbourhood Board, provided free protective safety resources and hosted self-defence sessions. A huge thank you to everyone who got involved!
We also posted several safety videos, including one on the safety services around campus and a Q&A with the Met Police. Student safety remains one of my biggest priorities, and I’ll continue working to make campus and nights out safer for everyone.
Keep an eye out for more updates as I continue working towards my manifesto commitments. As always, if you have any ideas, feedback or concerns, please get in touch!
Education President update: October and November
October: celebrating Black History Month
October has been such a busy month, and it’s been amazing to see so many people get involved with my Black History Month campaign!
From our ACS Takeover Night and Rose and Raven Society events to Paint Your Canvas, it’s been a month full of opportunities to celebrate Black history, culture and creativity.
A massive shout-out to our Journalism Society for their Black History Month article, now featured on our website. Humanities and Liberal Arts did an amazing job with Bingo for this campaign. Thank you to all the societies and students who have supported the campaign and helped make it happen!
What’s happening in November?
Next up is Smart Study Day on 23rd November!
We all know university can sometimes feel like a lot, whether it’s juggling deadlines, figuring out referencing, knowing how to use AI in your assignments or just trying to keep up with everything.
That’s why Smart Study Day is all about giving you useful tips and helping you feel more confident in your studies. We’ll also be looking at how to manage academic burnout, because your wellbeing is just as important as your grades.
The aim is to help you find ways to work smarter, feel more confident and make university life a little less stressful.
Keep an eye out for more details, and I hope to see lots of you there!
Have any more ideas for November?
I’d love to hear from you. This is your university experience, and I want to help make it the best it can be.
Smart Study Day
Monday 23 November
- Juggling deadlines
- Referencing
- Using AI in your assignments
- Managing academic burnout
More details coming soon.
Society news
Following a fantastic September, which saw society membership grow, our societies have kept the momentum going, hosting over 40 events throughout October.
From murder mystery nights and pub quizzes to fundraisers, there’s been something for everyone to get involved in. We love seeing our societies bringing students together and creating opportunities to connect, have fun and try something new.
Societies have hosted plenty of 1850 takeovers, with karaoke proving a particular favourite! These events have been a fantastic opportunity for societies to showcase what they offer and connect with more students.
New societies this year
It has been really exciting to see students taking the initiative to start new societies this year. We can’t wait to see what new societies such as the Poker Society and Catalyst Society put on over the coming months.
Check out the societies page to see all our new and existing societies.
Law and Business Society website launch
Friday 6 November, 5:30pm, The 1850
We have some exciting news from the Law and Business Society, who are launching their first-ever website! Join them at The 1850 to celebrate this exciting milestone and check out their new website.
Well done, Debating Society!
We sat down with the Debating Society ahead of their competition at King’s College London for KCL IV 2026. Well done to our team for representing St Mary’s on a national level. We’re so proud of you!
Want to find out more? Watch our interview to hear all about it.
What’s on and staying connected
What’s on?
Looking for something to do? From society events and campaigns to socials and activities at The 1850, there’s plenty happening throughout the year.
Your voice. Your Union.
Have a great November, Simmies. We’ll see you around campus.
Your Students’ Union
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