The Students' Association supports all safe activities and events that you as a society wants to hold provided they are properly risk assessed. Risk Assessments identify hazards so that you can address, mitigate and prevent them, to ensure the smooth running of your event and safety of those attending.
As a society you are able to hold events as long as they are safe and risk assessed where appropriate. In order to hold an event, you must email or fill out a form. This must be done 2 weeks in advance of the event happening. To simplify things, events have been split into different categories.
For training slides and information, see Manage society.
For accident or incident reporting, use this form.
Event Locations
You can hold in-person events in a number of different types of locations. Be aware of the different restrictions for each, as well as information in the societies accessibility guide
Private Residences
Be aware of limits to the number of people allowed in a residence as laid out in your lease. Many flats have accessibility issues, please be aware of this when planning events.
University Property
Events held in University property usually require the space to be booked out. Make sure you have permission to use the space.
Public (Indoors)
Public indoor spaces such as cafes and pubs are an ideal safe space for enjoying food or drink as a society. For large groups you should phone up in advance, as booking may be required.
Public (Outdoors)
Public outdoor spaces may not have access to bins, so make sure you have a plan for collecting litter. For bonfires, wooden pallets should not be used due to the nails that are left behind.
Consumption of alcohol (or the possession of open drinks containers) is illegal in public (excluding the beaches)
Union building
See Book a space.
Risk Assessments
Risk assessments are vital to the running of your society, and form an essential part of your affiliation to the Students' Association.
General Risk Assessments
As part of your society's affiliation to the Union, you are required to submit a General Risk Assessment (GRA) each year.
A GRA must include:
- Details and hazards of weekly events and activities (anything from meetings and rehearsals, to cooking classes and hikes). These are events that you know that your society will hold on a regular basis.
- Details and hazards of recurring semesterly or annual events e.g. balls or theatrical performances.
Please use the template provided below for your society's General Risk Assessment.
Once your Risk Assessment is complete, please email it to unionra@ .
Blank General Risk Assessment
Typical Hazards in most events
Supplemental Risk Assessments
If you decide to host an event not included in your GRA, you can add it and submit an updated GRA, or submit an SRA.
Even if it's included in your GRA, you should submit an SRA for events over 100 people, or a trip outside of the UK 14 days in advance of the event.
Blank Supplemental Risk Assessment
Example bonfire SRA
Trips outside of the UK
If your Society intends to organise a trip outside of the UK, you must submit a travel checklist as well as a SRA, and email dosda@ with the location of the trip (including travel details such as flight number, coach company, accommodation information etc), dates of the trip, and an excel sheet with the participants first and last name, matriculation number, and mobile phone number. This information will also be shared with the Director of Student Services.
Balls and Major events
If your society is holding a Ball, or other large event with >100 people, you must also submit a major events checklist