This year whilst on the NEC I have also been a NUSSL board member. One of the reasons why I applied for the NUSSL board responsibility is that we should be using the benefits that we have through NUSSL to allow for the bulk buying of campaigning material, making a difference to the smaller unions particularly. NUSSL is moving from the organization that is all about beer and flapjacks and is moving to supply a wider range of materials and products and this year I have helped to steer that change.

There are many small HE Unions and FE Colleges that buy their products from nearby larger Unions because they cannot afford and or they don’t meet the bulk buying quota which is sometimes 2-3 times the amount of students that they have at the University or college.

Coming from a medium sized union myself, who didn’t have much funds to spend on welfare products for campaigns it was quite difficult to spend time phoning round to find cheap prices and the right quantity.

I put a survey out late last year which was sent to welfare officers, there was a good response and from this I took this information to NUSSL board meeting which was agreed and work started on it straight away.

After researching the best suppliers and liaising with other smaller buying consortiums around the country such as the scheme that I used as a welfare officer provided by West Midlands police we decided on Dubins who distribute to most NHS sites and carry an extensive range of products that would be good for welfare officers.

I have listed what we have managed to achieve along with the condoms that Veronica King managed to win two years ago.

This list will be available to order soon once central billing has been set up at NUSSL with the Dubins and I shall be in contact with welfare officers as to when they can start purchasing the products.

I have to say a massive thank you to Jo Forrest at NUSSL who spent a lot of time helping me get this to manifest.

Let me know what you think, and any ideas that you have in terms of extending the range of welfare products on offer.

Ama xx

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