University College London Union, founded in 1893, has a credible claim to be England's oldest students' union. It was formed with the following objectives: "the promotion of social intercourse and of the means of recreation, physical and mental, of the students of University College, and the financial successes of students' clubs". UCL Union was the first of its kind as it was formed for both athletics clubs and social activities alike.

Since its formation, the Union has taken on responsibility for many aspects of student life. Events for example were seen as a key element hence the establishment of an Ents Committee. The student magazine Pi (then known as the Gazette) was formed a few years later and the Somers Town sports venue was also acquired.

UCL Union is affilliated to the National Union of Students and the National Postgraduate Committee.

UCL Union Today

Student Development is at the heart of the work the Union does today. UCL Union runs over 140 clubs and societies for its members. It runs commercial services including ten bars, cafés and two shops, a fitness centre. The Union is able to put on some shows and events in the Bloomsbury Theatre.

It provides support through Workstation and the Rights & Advice Centre.

As well as magazine Pi, the Union's media output includes the radio station Rare FM, the Film Society, Bloomsbury Television, and the "alternative" magazine The Cheese Grater.

UCL Union Events

UCL Union's has, in the past, hosted regular events with cheap drinks and music to cater for a broad range of tastes. Famous amongst London Students who have attended the Union bars are: "99s" on Monday nights, "Postgrad Nite" on Tuesdays, "Sports Nite" on Wednesdays, notorious for drunken sports player antics and the London-famous Office after-party (not an official Union night, but well, if not almost exclusively, attended by the Sports Nite crowd), Cocktails on Thursdays and Fives fortnightly on Saturdays (where drinks were even cheaper than usual).

In the past couple of years, the Union has made redundant, or otherwise lost, most of the full time staff responsible for creating those entertainments. When the Union updated its entertainments license for its (primary) Gordon St site in 2005, the management applied for only half the capacity that they had applied for in the past. Increasing abandonment by students meant that the most popular nights were dropped by the Union as being unprofitable and now the Gordon St. bar is mostly a repository for University staff taking advantage of a cheap drink, and a few students who meet in the afternoons and evenings before heading out into London.

The Union also holds an annual Cultural Carnival, supported by the Mayor of London, consisting of a number of events on the theme of cultural diversity.

Current Union Sabbatical Officers

Past Union Sabbatical Officers

External links

• UCL Union web site

English students' unions | University College London