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Freshers ’ Fairs back in business
Sheffield University
BSAC ’ S UNIVERSITY CLUBS ARE BACK IN business with this year ’ s freshers ’ season .
The annual Freshers Fairs are a big new member recruitment opportunity for university clubs , but last year ’ s didn ’ t happen due to the Covid pandemic . Although many clubs had online freshers ’ events as a substitute , they didn ’ t produce the same results .
Fast-forward to autumn 2021 , and a very different picture has emerged . With freshers ’ events still taking place , BSAC has already received some encouraging feedback on new member numbers from clubs that have had their fairs .
Bristol University SAC ’ s Diving Officer Ollie Velasco has been amazed by the interest shown in his club .
“ We had 243 students sign up to our mailing list , and we ’ re hoping to get back to or increase on our pre-Covid levels of taking on about 40 new trainees . Plus , we ’ re looking at recruiting around 20 already trained divers .”
Southampton University Sub-Aqua Club had a similar story . James Mudge , the club ’ s
Campaign breakthrough on sewage pollution
THE GOVERNMENT IS TO LEGALLY OBLIGE water companies to act on sewage discharge in the UK ’ s waterways , following a landslide vote in the House of Lords .
The move to strengthen the Government ’ s Environment Bill and enshrine the duty on water companies in law comes after sustained campaigning by environment and water user groups , including Surfers Against Sewage , with their End Sewage Pollution campaign . It is also being seen as a U-turn on the Government ’ s previous stance on the issue .
A sewage amendment to the Environment Bill – which looked to ‘ secure a progressive reduction ’ in sewage discharge - had been previously voted down in the Commons on 20 October , prompting widespread outcry . The House of Lords has since voted to approve a strengthened version of the original amendment , meaning water companies will now be legally obliged to act against pumping sewage into the environment .
According to the Environment Agency , raw sewage was spilt into the UK ’ s rivers and seas over 400,000 times in 2020 alone . The impact of this discharge on the marine environment is significant , damaging precious ecosystems and contaminating our waterways .
With the full details of the amendment
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