Congratulations to the University of Plymouth Swimming & Waterpolo Club committee, who have been awarded their Icons Award for their efforts through an extremely difficult year.
The UPSU Icons Awards celebrate our Sports Clubs and Societies that have gone above and beyond throughout this year. There are certain criteria each group has to complete to win their award which is then approved by the UPSU Sports and Societies Teams. This year we have seen so many amazing things happen throughout our student community, including the efforts of UPSWPC.
Who are the Swimming & Waterpolo Club: 
"Our club is all about bringing sports together, whether you are a competitive swimmer, recreational swimmer or a water polo player, this is the club for you.
Our club takes part in many competitions throughout the academic year including BUCS, Varsity and club fun galas. However, due to Covid-19 and the closure of the life centre, this year we're doing things differently than before!
To keep up-to-date on what we are doing, as well as information on training sessions and how to book onto them, we recommend joining our facebook page!"
- University of Plymouth Swimming & Waterpolo Club
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Committee Members behind the Club -
- Chair - Ciara Barcock & Lisa Du Toit
- Treasurer - Christopher Corcoran & Toby Danielson
- Safety Officer - Montgomery Jackson & Emily Jennings
- Secretary - Stella Cookson & Tamsin Edge
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Swimming & Waterpolo Successes:
The University of Plymouth Swimming and Waterpolo Club has taken this year by storm and smashed the criteria needed to be awarded their Icons Award.
They have reviewed, completed and signed off all relevant documentation required by the Sports Department at UPSU, updated their SU websites page and attended each Sports Forum throughout the year. The club held a successful Annual General Meeting (AGM), voting in the next committee members while complying with all of UPSU’s policies and procedures and keeping in touch with the relevant Activities Coordinators within the Students’ Union.
All core committee members have completed their compulsory committee training and have registered all trips, tours and events with the SU alongside demonstrating effective financial management of their budgets and funding through the year.
UPSWC has had consistent engagement with the students’ union throughout the year via email and implemented a family system within their club in which two committee members and two or three members were randomly allocated to allow their newer members to get to know people in an easier environment rather than huge Zoom meetings with all their members, which meant that members had more opportunities to socialise and meet other people in their student community.
The club has produced successful social media campaigns including a ‘Meet the Committee’ campaign on their Instagram followed by a welcome Zoom call hosted by the committee to give their members the chance to get to know them. All alongside hosting fundraising events such as their ‘Move for Movember’ challenge month to raise money for the Movember charity along with a week-long fundraising event for Plymouth Marrows Hero Week, with the development of their Club Yearbook, as they were unable to take the usual team photos, which invited members to donate a small fee for charity to be featured as well as designing stickers to sell and donate any profit to charity. The Swimming and Waterpolo Club actively encouraged their members to be a part of the UPSU Elections through their social media, the most important event of the year for the student body, to vote in who they want to represent them at all levels within the university, thank you for your support.
As well as completing all of the above, the club has managed to upskill some of their club members by partaking in becoming a Well-being Advocate, in turn teaching them about well-being and how they can help those who need it. They have also run a ‘Clean our Pitch’ initiative, encouraging members to safely go out and collect rubbish within their local area to help reduce discarded waste contributing to a cleaner environment and they intend to continue to do so.
And finally, UPSWC hosted a joint charity event with Plymouth Marrow to help raise money and awareness for those with blood cancer. We can't tell you how proud we are of the committee for the University of Plymouth Swimming and Waterpolo Club and its members for not only getting through the difficult year that it's been but also coming out the other side even stronger, you absolutely deserve this award.
Congratulations from all of us here at UPSU!
The University of Plymouth Women's Rugby Football Club has been awarded their Icons for all the amazing work they have done over this year voluntarily and on top of their own studies, this couldn't be more deserved and we can wait to see what you bring to the Students' Union next year!
Stay tuned and keep an eye on our social media channels over the coming weeks to read a profile of each student group that has achieved Icons this year.
You’ll be able to find out more about what they did to receive this award and how you can get involved in September.
Want to find out what Sports and Societies are out there? Click here