❓ Transcript
Richard: Good evening - it's good to be here and to see you all. Let me say straightaway
that, as students of the university, you are entitled to join, free of charge over a
hundred societies on the official list. OK, let's begin.
I'd be prepared to bet that whatever your interests, you're almost sure to find a club or
society here for you. Not surprisingly, there are the long-established clubs that you can
find at any university, like the Football Club or the Drama Society, along with a whole
range of less usual clubs, for example the Rock Society. We do have a Rock Climbing
Club here, but the Rock Society has nothing to do with outdoor activities - it's a music
club. That takes me neatly on to the Mountaineering Club. Now it might surprise you
that a university in one of the flattest parts of the country has a thriving group of
mountaineers. They meet twice a week: on Tuesdays from five in the afternoon until ten
o'clock in the evening, and on Thursday afternoons from one o'clock until five. At their
regular meetings they use the climbing wall, but they also organize trips to real
mountains both here and abroad during the vacation.
Another rather out-of-the-ordinary society you might like to try is the Dance Club. They
meet regularly every Friday. This term they're running salsa classes, next term it's tango
and in the summer it'll be Scottish dancing - quite a selection. They also put on special
events twice a term -either performances by visiting groups, or actual dances. Their
next event is next Saturday when they're putting on a Latin evening. Go along and try
out your samba. At the moment the Dance Club is trying to attract new members who
may have new ideas for future classes and events.
If you're an overseas student you may find there's a society for students from your
country putting on events that'll make you feel more at home. The Mexican Society, for
example is putting on a special Christmas celebration with traditional Mexican food and
drink. And every four weeks, the Hellenic Society has a film evening. There are also
national societies for Malaysian, Turkish and Chinese students. And don't forget these
societies are open to everyone - whether you're from that country or not.
Richard: Finally, I'd like to say something about the flourishing arts scene here. This is
centred mainly on the Lakeside Theatre and includes a full programme of music, theatre
and visual arts. As far as visual arts are concerned, the University Gallery has exhibitions
throughout the year. The work of local, national, and international artists is regularly on
display as well as exhibitions featuring contemporary architects and designers. The
University also has a permanent collection of Modern Eastern European art on display.
As well as the conventional theatre productions, put on by visiting professional
companies and student groups, there is a Workshop Studio which stages more
experimental drama.
And finally music. Concerts catering or a variety of musical tastes include performances
by visiting groups as well as home-grown talent: the university
has its own jazz band and choir. As with the other groups I referred to earlier, you are
eligible to join these, but of course you will be required to go for an audition. So there
you have it. Obviously, I haven't covered everything in this short introduction, but I hope
I've given you a flavour of what's on offer here.
