I have been set the task of summing up a very busy year here at Pompey, so here goes!

In October, we had, of course, Fresher’s Fayre and all the hilarity, and free stuff that that it brought, culminating with the Freshers’ Ball (and resulting in Freshers’ Flu).

Freshers Fayre 2007 Photo by Tom Worman

October was also the launch of dear old Pugwash News - how far we’ve come - as well as Black History Month and the Rugby World Cup. Meanwhile, Portsmouth University was awarded status as a sports centre of excellence.

November saw the start of the top up fees debate, and the photo shoots for the AU Naked Calender. The first issue of Pugwash Magazine was released, RAG began their fund raising with the RAG Ramble, and banter returned to Purple Wednesdays with the resurrection of Gotchas and the rest.

A Portsmouth student discovered a new kind of dinosaur - all sorts of things went on!

December came in with a bang: VIP won a national award (and hosted two events for children and the elderly) and The Enemy played a gig at the Union.

The Enemy playing in the Union - Photo by Tom Worman

Then we all scapered off home for the holidays and not much else happened!

January saw the first ever “long distance” issue of Pugwash News being produced, with one of the articles sparking a chain of comment on the National Student Survey.

UoP Boxers became the first ever English University Boxing Champions, Sailing made it to the Nationals and the first ever Pure FM Sports show hit the airwaves. Later in the month, we announced the launch of the new JobShop website.

We also introduced the Portsmouth Phoenix (and it was around this time that Harry Law residents decided that the fire alarms were no longer funny...).

February brought deadlines, exams and stress, as well as shock as we Freshers realised that we’d done one entire semester! We consoled ourselves by heading to the Re-Freshers’ Fayre, and joining societies we had missed the first time around.

Pugwash put out their first 16 page issue amidst a bit of a legal debacle - you may have seen us handing out a paper without a front page. A group of students went to Southampton to lobby MP John Denham on tuition fees, while the Societies flocked to the Union for the aptly-named Societies’ Takeover night, which was a huge success.

Societies Takeover Photo by Tom Worman

RAG got more money for charity when the Pure FM team put out a special 24 hour broadcast, while a hockey Fresher was “kidnapped” and taken to Birmingham.

In March our Library won an award from Portsmouth City Society, and The One World Fashion show took place in the Union. VIP held their Valentine’s Day old folks dinner, while PUD raised £400 for RAG with their Divathon. 

Saint Patrick’s day was moved, and I spent an entire weekend having happiness fits because Crufts had arrived at last!

The final days before the Easter holidays saw the culmination of the Sabb elections events, with campaigning week resulting in sofas, large birds and oversized cake boxes popping up around campus! The results of the election were finally announced late on the 14th March.

April raised more money for RAG with the highly successful skydiving event. Lots of messy stuff happened on Tour 2008; check Facebook for details!

Hindu Society Holi Event  Photo by Luke Simmonds

The Hindu society held its Holi event in Ravelin Park, and Sheila Hancock was installed as the University Chancellor in a grand ceremony. 

The annual Intra-Mural dodgeball event took place, UPEL won six awards at the Best Bar None awards, and the UoP Boxing team took on the Metropolitan Police. Not everyone on Tour got mumps though, so that’s ok...