College campaign success

Socialist Students at Peter Symonds Sixth Form College, Winchester, have been busy over the past few months since starting up our group.

Nich Brook-Hart

At one of our first meetings we decided to start a campaign against high prices in the college canteen. We said that if the private catering company refused to lower prices then the college should bring the service in-house, with student input in its management. Shortly after, when the campaign was up and running, with a well-attended launch meeting, we met with a member of the college management.

We were informed that the board of governors was thinking of taking the canteen into college hands anyway, but we had to put the campaign on hold while they made their minds up, in case it looked like a group of students was pressuring them into doing so!

Following the success of our campaign for a college-run canteen, we turned our attention to the college student union elections. We fielded three candidates who stood out from their opponents, not only in the fact that they had been involved in the canteen campaign, but that they actually went round and canvassed for votes, a novel tactic in college elections it seems!

Our candidate for president, Toby North, was successful, while the other two lost out this time. However, they retain their previous posts as communications and equality and diversity officer, giving us a good starting point for more campaigning work after exams and the summer.