The Firebird Volume 3 (2017-18) | Page 6

Reports MCR MCR Lily Hulatt looks back on a successful year Hello everyone! My name is Lily Hulatt and I've been the MCR President for Grey College for the past year. As a community whose members include Postgradu- ates, Fourth Years, and Mature Students, we aim to have many events for our students to social- ise and experience a safe space with tea, coffee, and biscuits around their own packed sched- ules in Durham University. Our MCR Fresher's week kicked Michaelmas Term off to a great start with fresh faces joining our proud community for an In- ter-MCR Boat Party, Ceilidh danc- ing, and a Day Trip to Newcastle. Successful events during the year include the Thanksgiving and Chi- nese New Year's potluck, where we encouraged everyone to make and bring their own home com- fort food, baking, or anything they want to share with fellow members while sitting at the Dining Hall's High Table. Informal Ball and Christmas Formal tied off the end of the first term. While it is run and hosted by the Junior Common Room, MCR members are welcome to these events. The MCR also interacts with Senior Common Room members and have been invited to multiple SCR Guest Nights through the year. A trip to Beamish Hall was organ- ised and several movie nights in the Phoenix room were held, especially around Christmas and other holiday events as some members find themselves a long way away from home in these times. Epiphany Term showed no slow- ing down of enthusiasm from our members what with St Patrick's Day Celebrations, a Bowling Trip to Newcastle, Eurovision Night, and an Arts and Crafts day to supply the MCR with new cush- ions. Our Easter term was similarly packed with events as the end of exams saw members celebrating Grey Day and Phoenix Ball. There was also Grey's own Inter-MCR Formal - A Midsummer's Night Dream. To maintain the reputa- tion of the College amongst other MCR Communities in Durham, we invited 150 people to a for- mal run and hosted by the MCR Exec, where we had a fantastic menu and a wonderful night that included opening Grey's newly renovated Fountain's Hall. My MCR President Guest's Night was celebrated before Undergraduate Graduations, and around pizza and croquet I awarded my MCR Exec the Phoe- nix Awards for their contribution and hard work towards the MCR. This included: Marcus Lancashire, Matthew Kirk, Hannah Daglish, Daniel Kinch, Jeffrey Gougis Jr, Ellen Taylor, Rhiannon Gittins, Beth Brewer. They helped drive the MCR events into the suc- cesses they were around their own studies and commitments to other clubs. A non-Exec award was given to Laura Gledhill, who best exhibited the heart and spirit which has sustained the MCR community with every new intake. I also awarded an Honorary Life Membership award to Matthew Kirk, a long-standing member of the MCR with 3 years as Website Editor and preceded me as MCR President. This MCR community really shone throughout the year with their commitment, willingness to experience other cultures (since we have a number of internation- al members), and formed very strong bonds with each other. Their year with us will hopefully help them progress onto what- ever they choose to pursue in 6 their careers and lives outside of Durham - for which we are very excited to hear about. Lily Hulatt (MCR President)