Hi! I’m FRITHA HEAVEN and I am seeking to become the next Welfare & Community Officer because I passionately believe that student-led actions are central to bringing positive changes to everyone at the university, and I am determined to ensure such campaigning will be properly represented in future to guarantee its success!

As a student I have fervently engaged with many diverse campaigns, including being a member of the People & Planet Society where I worked tirelessly on their Fossil Free Campaign, which achieved both full divestment and decarbonisation of the unis investment portfolio.

I am also a co-founder of the Manchester Climate Network which regularly brings students and staff together to have engaging discussions on how to collectively bring about positive changes for the climate movement on campus.

This year I have firmly supported the work of the UoM Rent Strike by participating in the Owens Park Tower Occupation which was pivotal in the successful negotiation of a 30% rent reduction for semester one, for students living in campus halls.

Currently I am engaged in launching the new Undoing Borders Campaign that looks to end the Hostile Environment on university campuses.

As Welfare and Community Officer, I will:

SUPPORT & EMPOWER STUDENTS.

With the covid crisis dominating much of university life, many students have expressed an even greater need for the university to provide better mental, physical, and financial support. I will strive to meet this need by:

• driving the University’s Senior Leadership Team to take direct and lasting actions in response to student demands. 
• working with student support staff to make help with mental and physical wellbeing more open and accessible to all.
• create clearer advice on gaining financial support and bursaries, and tips on improving spending habits.

create a SAFER LIVING SPACE ON CAMPUS.

Increasing numbers of protests by students have been calling for an end to the poor living conditions and indelicate covid responses the university have forced many to put up with. I will respond to these calls by:

• campaigning for better maintenance of university accommodation to be upheld.
• supporting campaign groups such as SAFER and UoM Rent Strike to ensure improved responses from the university during times of covid restrictions, or any other emergencies.
• using social media and online workshops to inform students on their rights when dealing with police and security on campus, as well as private landlords and letting agencies.

promote SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Following the rise of the BLM movement in the past year, and continuing cases of discrimination towards BAME and international students on campus, I will work to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards any such hate crimes by:

• working with societies like People & Planet to end the Hostile Environment on campus.
• supporting student campaigns like Decolonise UoM Campaign and BDS.
• hosting teach-outs around times such as Black History Month to promote student solidarity.

encourage CLIMATE JUSTICE.

With global carbon emissions still increasing I firmly believe the university can do more to help limit the impacts of a climate crisis. I will continue the work of previous SU officers in:

• building the ‘Retrofit the Curriculum Campaign’.
• pushing for decarbonisation and greening of the campus.
• ensuring the Senior Management Team maintains their commitments to remove all university investments from the fossil fuel industry by 2022.

Vote View All Candidates