Why it was needed

Here at UEL we have a society up and running called Save our Sound System. The mission of this society and its supporters is to raise money for a new sound system in our student bar, as the one in place at present is very temperamental and consequently spoils a lot of nights that students have put a great amount of effort into organising.

In terms of the social side of university life this is a significant shame, as many students are discouraged and disheartened by the facilities and don’t want to head to the bar and socialise. This is a terrible thing, particularly because East London is such a diverse area, and there are many different nationalities of students from around the world.

What's being done

Our plan is to hold a night of entertainment at The University of East London’s underground bar, showcasing the music of UEL students involving as many cultures as we can get our hands on. The night will not only be for the enjoyment of everyone attending, but it will be a symbol of what is to come and to encourage students to take advantage of the new facilities available to them. If the night goes well we wish to continue to hold similar events on a possible monthly basis.

We are planning to hold a raffle with some sparkly prizes, and all the money we raise will go to the Youth Music Organisation; a nationwide group who work with children from disadvantaged backgrounds across the UK; enabling them the chance to not only express themselves through music, but also to gain the confidence to begin integrating themselves into society. Youth Music work with children in and out of schools, as well as providing funding for community music leaders and projects. They also encourage debate about music education and how it features in the curriculum, recieving funding from The Arts Council England and the National Lottery.

How it started

This night has already been backed by the Barking Bateria, the impressive Samba band who have agreed to do the gig for free, as its for a worthy cause (they usually charge at least £300 per gig.) There will be a number of other DJs and live acts at the event, all performing free of charge.

I believe that money invested in a new sound system will enable our students to bring the plethora of cultures at UEL together through the medium of music. Music plays a large part in the expression of culture, and in the most extreme sense it bridges gaps between people such as language barriers etc. Music is a powerful thing and I hope this event will provide something for everyone to enjoy.

The proposed date for this event is yet to be confirmed, however we are looking at late February, early March.

More

I have been involved with planning and holding nights at the student bar for a while now. It's just frustrating to see wasted effort. People genuinely trying to put on a good night for our students and being let down by the facilities. We at SOSS think its about time something was done.