BCU Women’s Society is committed to creating a collaborative, educational and social environment for its members, while campaigning for a safer campus, where we embrace our differences as much as our similarities.  

This year the society has focussed on building community, not just in within our society, but across BCU. When we asked our members what they want from the society, in December, the answer was overwhelmingly: a sense of community. 

We set out to achieve this by organising: 

• Safety stalls
• Social meetings
• Game nights
• Movie nights
• Guest lectures on feminist topics
• Confidence building sessions

We wanted to establish Women’s History Month as a significant event across BCU, bringing students together in shared experience and shine a light on talented women that too often don’t get the recognition they deserve. With this collaborative spirit, we have teamed-up with other BCUSU Societies, such as: Herspace, Crafty Bitches and Put the Kettle On, all of which were enlightening, fun experiences where students studying different subjects can bond.  

Boosting confidence during our Craft Roundtable 

Image description: Careers Advisor Paulina Krawiec and Careers Project Officer Cassandra Boadu at the Confidence Roundtable

One session that was particularly successful and that I am especially proud of is our collaboration with Herspace: ‘Crafting Confidence’. 

In this event I led a roundtable with the members of our societies to help build confidence and career skills. We were inspired to create this event as many students at BCU are the first in their immediate family to go to university, which can cause an inequality in resources and advice, so we wanted to help rectify the imbalance.  

Although I had never led anything like a roundtable previously, I knew i wanted to keep the questions balanced between what we were confident with and worried about in careers so students could remember their skills whilst receiving advice. This approach worked well as it was clear the more we shared, the easier it became.  

Everyone shared experiences and feelings, some common themes were concerns on AI effecting the workplace and our aspired careers, creating an affective LinkedIn profile and what someone should ‘act’ like in the workplace to be perceived as confident. We all agreed there is no exact method to act confident, we just need to be ourselves and do the best work we can to earn our place anywhere we want to be. The support and honesty of all participants was refreshing and honestly a heartwarming experience. Often, we aren’t given the opportunity to tell someone they are doing a good job or just being themselves is acceptable; I think this roundtable gave students an excuse to bind together.  

We were privileged to have Paulina and Cassandra Boadu at the roundtable to advise on careers. They were a massive help and gave friendly guidance on how to approach interviews, LinkedIn and our path into careers. Paulina also sent out careers resources after the event to give further support to students.   

After the Roundtable we collaborated in a craft task, each of us wrote affirmations and arranged them in a heart collage, giving us the opportunity to wind down and chat casually.  

Image description: Handmade heart of positive affermations

"I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own" - Audre Lorde

About me

I'm [Francesca] an English Literature student and have been President of the Women’s Society for nearly two years. Since starting the role the committee and I have focussed on gaining membership and community, with online engagement growing steadily over this time, allowing our society to expand their yearly campaigns and grow the celebration of Women’s History Month at BCU.  

Image description: Women's Society Committee 2025/26. [Left] Emily Purnell, [Middle] Mariyah Kausar, [Right] Francesca Banno