Page 3 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • May 2004 3
Local boy done good Charles Lucas
-----.
Alex Ogle from Peatmoor describes fear and loathing on the campaign (Established over 10 nears P R t VAT E & Marshall
trail as a former Westlea and Greendown School pupil is elected
President of UK's largest student union with help from Swindon mates.
'WE COME TO YOU ' • •
Steve is in his last year at the Uni- Due to the block votes of groups
AT HOME OR WORK'
versity of Manchester studying that have dominated the union for
English and American Studies, and years, Steve's campaign began on * FREE
will take up the reins of the union a worryingly steep slope, however collection & delivery We're on
when he finishes his three year he managed to cultivate grass roots * Servicing & repairs
degree in June. support from all corners of the cam-
Through exhausting canvassing pus electorate. BIKE WE ALSO SELL
of the city campus, George ran a Two other friends from Swin- DOCTOR ,t- New cycles side
successful apolitical campaign to don joined his campaign team, Rob * Parts & accessories
attract the popular vote. The Bartlett and Tom Spooner. Whilst
former Swindon College student other candidates sullenly handed For experienced, practical help call
won by a narrow margin of 40 out leaflets, the Steve-O camp Swindon 517055
votes in the largest turnout in the pumped up the volume with reg-
union's history. gae on the stereo and lollipops for
Of all the sabbatical positions on all. Every bit helped, as the narrow
the ballot, Steve was the only can- victory showed. LIGHTING BUG
didate to beat the
block vote of the FACTORY WAREHOUSE
left wing groups IN WEST SWINDON
and huge Islamic Units 16/17 Westmead Industrial Estate, Westlea, Swindon
Society by mobi-
lising students Probably the widest selection
from all back- of affordable lighting in Wiltshire
grounds.
Having known Open: Locate the Lighting Bug
Steve since our Mon to Sat t
a
years at Green- 9.30am to 5.30pm r^
down, I made the ^'"5g3
trip to Manchester Bank Holidays
to help his cam- 10am to 4pm s^.
paign. By the time , Great •
Steven George it itll ho West Sn'illdon campaign sidekicks,
I arrived, Steve Rob Bartlett, left, and Alex Ogle www.lightingbug.co.uk
had milked his
many contacts in the city to galva- Steve's success can easily be at-
nise support. Posters demanding tributed to his unprecedented com-
'Steve-O as President' plastered mitment and hard work. C'
shops and bars throughout stu- But his enthusiasm is definitely ` PARTNERS
dent areas. all Swindon. In a brief moment of IIII
He had put in twenty hour days reflection, before knocking on an- IIII _HAIR & BEAUTY-
in the previous month, doing lec- other door, Steve said, "I would
ture talks, pitching himself to thou- have found it harder to do this if I
sands of students in halls of resi- hadn't worked at Suits You in the Partners Hair & Beauty would like to welcome back
dence and talking to different Outlet Centre. I learnt how to talk Frank Mazzotta as our creative director
groups and societies in the union. to people, how to sell a guy some after a year training in London
It was well known that barely suits worth a thousand pounds
six per cent of the 60,000 student when all he wanted was socks."
population took an active part in Every candidate congratulated I^
their union. His campaign strat- Steve on his unique victory. It ap-
egy was to tap this goldmine of peared that even those in oppos-
disinterest, to motivate those who ing coalitions fell for the Steve-O
couldn't care less about politics or brand and wanted him to win.
how their union could improve After years of leftist groups with
their university life. idealist visions and incompetent
actions holding the presidency,
Save Coate Steve now has to deliver what he
A public meeting calling on the promised during the election week.
University of Bath not to build a But he has other priorities over I
35 hectare campus, alongside the next few weeks, "I'm finding it
1,800 houses, between Coate hard not to think about the win
Water Country Park and the Great because there is such huge expec-
Western Hospital takes place on tation up in Manchester but I just
Tuesday 11 May, 7.30pm at the have to concentrate on completing The Partners Creative Team
Broadgreen Community Centre, my degree."
Salisbury Street. As head of one of Europe's big- West Swindon District Centre
Groups like Friends of the Earth gest student unions with an an-
and Greenpeace want to protect nual turnover of £6 million, sitting Adjacent to Car Park A
the rich wildlife from development. on the board of directors of a pres- Tel: 01793 870462
For details call Jean Saunders tigious university, plus a tidy an-
on 783040. nual salary, this 21 year old done Open: Mon: 9am - 6pm; Tues: 9am - 8pm; Wed to Fri: 10am - 8pm;
www.savecoate.org.uk good indeed. Sat: 8am - 4pm