I’m writing this BLOG on my last day as Vice President (Further Education) so I’ll probably have left before it goes up! It’s been a very busy few months since annual conference and I’m pleased to say I’ve not taken the opportunity to slack off work in the run up to leaving!

I wanted to take a final opportunity to thank everyone that has supported and encouraged me in my three years in the student movement. I particularly want to mention Veronica King and Richard ‘Bubble’ Budden- my two best friends on the NEC and two of the most talented people I’ve had the privilege of knowing.

I could go on for pages about NUS and further education and students’ unions and a bit more about further education but I’ve already done that (punctuated by lots of crying!) in my leaving speech at NUS conference.

But I do want to say this- NUS is an incredible organisation. Thanks to the people I’ve met and the opportunities I’ve had I am a completely different and better person than I was when I walked through the doors of NUS HQ two years ago and I think that any organisation that has the power to do that is one to be very proud of. It’s also an organisation that we should all be striving to make even better, which is why I want to pay particular tribute to the work that Gemma Tummelty, your National President is doing. The more I have worked with Gemma the more I have realised how completely committed she is to this union and how hard she has worked to make it more effective, strategic and democratic. I don’t know what the governance review is going to come up with, and I can guarantee that no one else in NUS does either. But I do know that Gemma is the person to lead you all through this time of change in a clear, honest and credible way. I’m not saying this because she’s paid me or because we are in the same faction (which we’re not) I’m saying it because I think you should recognise passion, dedication and strong leadership when you see it.

And talking of passionate people I’m delighted that I’m going to be handing over to Beth Walker; you’ll all quickly get to know how talented she is and I’ve no doubt she is going to be absolutely fantastic!

The first thing I’m going to do when I leave NUS is join Friends of NUS so I can keep showing my support for NUS in the future and watch it go from strength to strength. After spending the summer back-packing round Australia I’m starting University in September at Leeds to study Politics and Parliamentary Studies. Thanks to NUS there’ll be another empowered student activist on the ground in September!

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