Hello! It’s Maddie, back again for another year with the Student Green Office!

Firstly, I’d like to say welcome back to returning students and a hi, hello, welcome, to all the newbies here! It’s lovely to have you here with us and we hope you enjoy your time at CCCU as much as we have.

So, who am I? My name is Madeline (but everyone calls me Maddie 😊) and I am in my final year here studying Events Management. It is pretty scary to think that I graduate in less than a year! My time at university has been a journey to say the least, but I am so grateful to have had the Student Green Office by my side, and I am so excited to give the SGO everything I have got for one final year.

I never considered myself much of an environmentalist or activist before applying to the SGO for the first time last summer, but as I filled out my application I got thinking. From spending a big portion of my secondary education working alongside Thames Water on a water conservation initiative, working with the local mayor on combatting the issue of loneliness amongst the elderly in our borough, and even bake sales to fundraise for charities that are close to me – it has been there all along. I have always had a passion for social justice, protecting our future and wanting to make a difference no matter how big or small. In my final blog from last year (here!), I spoke about my experience with Imposter Syndrome and how my time on the SGO helped me tackle this and allow myself to grow and realise that yes, I am an activist and that is something I am so proud of.

I grew up in Southeast London and never saw myself coming to university or doing the work I do today, but things changed as I entered adulthood. My entry into Events Management started with my love of music, you will always catch me with my headphones! From light-hearted Taylor Swift songs to the more alternative and metal like Sleep Token and Spiritbox, I adore music so much. I can vividly remember watching the Brit Awards one year and thinking “I would love to be the one who plans this one day”. Mixing my adoration of music and meticulous organisational behaviour, here I am today an almost qualified event manager.  

Continuing from last year, I am very excited to get started on work and get creating for you all! As a disabled person myself, you can expect lots around accessibility and raising awareness, but also events getting the CCCU community involved with sustainability, and there may even be a recipe book in the works ready for you all to get cooking (stay tuned!).

Needless to say, it is so lovely to be back and spending another year working with some incredible people. Make sure to read about Emilia, Huiwen, and Felicity and be sure to let us know what you would like to see from us this year 😊

P.S. In case you missed us at Welcome Fayre, here are some amazing opportunities you can get involved with this year to help us build a sustainable future:

• Carbon Literacy Training – Email: carbonliteracytraining@canterbury.ac.uk
• Weekly Potter and Prune in the Johnson Wellbeing Garden – Every Wednesday 2-4pm
• Wilder Campus Tour – Wilder Campus Map
• Refillable Van – Available outside Verena Holmes on the last Thursday of every month
• Newsletter – Email: sustainability@canterbury.ac.uk to sign up

By Maddie Polston, SGO Project Officer