Now that Welcome Week is upon us, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the many societies that Exeter has to offer. No matter what hobby you have (or would love to try!), chances are there’s a community of people who feel exactly the same. Societies truly provide a safe and fun space away from academia to make some brilliant memories, encourage personal development and allow you to refine a skill that you may have never heard of prior!
Here at Exeter, we have an amazing array of societies which dedicate themselves to social causes – to help better the local, national and even international community. We know how important student engagement in global issues is, and sometimes it only takes one small idea to grow into an influential movement. Student groups are one impactful way of showing solidarity with others, promoting well-being and acting to make a long-term difference.
We know how important student engagement in global issues is, and sometimes it only takes one small idea to grow into an influential movement.
Enter Be The Change, Exeter’s only sustainability society. For the last few years Be The Change has been the hub of student environmental conversations here at Exeter. We run a rich array of socials – ranging from coffee meet-ups, our popular charity shop crawls, speaker events, picnics, wellbeing walks and the brilliant Sustainable Sunday’s event. Taking place twice per month at our new venue, The Sunset Society on Old Tiverton Road, we discuss and curate digital resources on a chosen topic. We pride ourselves on being member-led, so encourage anyone with an idea or a passion to reach out so we can all continue to learn about climate and environmentalism via these events.
Each year we continue to campaign for an improvement in sustainability within the University itself, creating our successful Five Demands Campaign, and our Microplastics Let’s End the Cycle campaign last year. Our efforts led to us winning the Sustainability Award at the Exeter Guild Awards last year – a very proud moment for us all!
Our society is very lucky to have the support of Exeter’s wonderful Sustainability Team, and we have been incredibly fortunate to access exciting events in the past. Just last year a few of our team got to attend the SOS: Students Organising for Sustainability Conference at Lancaster University. Be The Change memberships are only £5 for the year, and I may be biased but I could not think of a society more kind, caring and passionate to be a part of. We strive to make our society as accessible and supportive as possible, and always welcome ideas or suggestions on how to continue to do so.
I may be biassed but I could not think of a society more kind, caring and passionate to be a part of.
Please do check out our Instagram at @bethechange.exeter and our blog Be The Change Exeter. Over Welcome Week we are running a Charity Shop Crawl on Saturday 21st September and our popular Sustainable Sunday event on Sunday 22nd at The Sunset Society from 11-1pm. We truly cannot wait to meet so many lovely new faces and continue to make genuine change for people and planet.
