Accessibility Network Chair at Kent Union, University of Kent, Canterbury (2025)

30/05/2025

Last Week, our president .rolls and newsletter editor .berry.ice.cream attended the Activities Awards 2025 as the Network was nominated for the Student EDI Champions and Gabby was nominated for the Lasting Impact Award

While the network didn’t win in the Student EDi Champion category, we are delighted to share that Gabby WON the Lasting Impact Award for her work as president. We are immensely proud to have won and been nominated by the students as we are privileged to represent you.

Though Gabby is leaving as she graduates in July, we hope this is a sign of good things to come for the network, and an indication of the impact of our work.

With love and gratitude,
Gabby and Keryn x 💚

04/04/2025

We are delighted to be hosting our final coffee morning of the term TODAY .kent !

We wanted this to be an opportunity to have a catch up before we head off on Easter break and to have a check in on how you are feeling in light of recent benefit changes. We are here for you and can’t wait for a natter.

Join us for great tea and coffee and good vibes .kent from 11-1 🥳

Poster design credits .berry.ice.cream 🔥

📸 Image Description 📸

pink and white background with coffee like splashes in each corner and the accessibility network logo in the bottom left corner. Black text reads “Join us for coffee @“ and Woodys is written in yellow

19/03/2025

We are delighted to be holding a Wear a Onesie event in collaboration with the Mature and Part Time Student Network to raise awareness of hidden disabilities!

Please visit our stall between 10-4 in the plaza to check out our wonderful onesies, show off your own and learn about hidden disabilities!

📸 Poster credits .berry.ice.cream 📸

12/03/2025

We are thrilled to be hosting another coffee morning this Friday, 14th March, from 11-1 at the brilliant .kent !

This will be a great way to kickstart your Friday, grab a coffee, catch up with like minded people and let us know any ideas or concerns you have. We’re here for you and can’t wait to have a chat on friday!

See you there ☕️

13/02/2025

Exciting news!!

We are thrilled to say we will be hosting 3 coffee mornings this term at the lovely .kent

Each event is a chance to meet new people, and open to everyone, especially our disabled student community and allies. It’s also an opportunity to feedback to the network about any accessibility ideas or concerns you have.

All our events are from 11-1, and our first meeting is tomorrow! We’re particularly keen to hear your ideas on transport/getting around campus as we’re meeting with the transport team soon.

Hope to see lots of you there 💚

Poster design credits .berry.ice.cream 🔥

📸 Image Description 📸

Image 1: a pink and white background with coffee like splashes in each corner and the accessibility network logo in the bottom left corner. Black text reads “Join us for coffee @“ and Woodys is written in yellow

Image 2: the same background design as image one. Woodys is written in yellow text, and below it black text reads “Coffee Mornings from 11:00-13:00 on the 14th February, 14th March, 11th April”

Image 3: the same design as image one with a coffee cup graphic in the bottom right corner, and black text which reads “Reminder. Woodys coffee mornings. Friday 14th February. From 11:00-13:00” Woodys is typed in yellow.

27/11/2024

TODAY!

We are so excited to be hosting an Accessibility in the Workplace speaker panel as part of Disability History Month in Kennedy Seminar Room 1 from 2:30-4:30.

The panel will be hosted by our Network chair .rolls and feature three wonderful Kent staff who will share their experiences of managing their disabilities with their career. The first 45 minutes will be structured questions, and the last hour will be a chance for you to ask questions!

We can’t wait to see you there!

📸 Image credits 📸 - 🔥

📸Image description 📸 - a poster with a black and yellow background featuring graphics of people with disabilities. In the centre is a beige panel with text that reads: “Access in the Workplace Speaker Panel. Jackie Ferraro. Joanna Scamp. Lisa Huerta. Wed 27th Nov. 2:30-4:30PM” and has the Accessibility Network, University of Kent and Kent Students Union logos.

25/11/2024

The events just keep coming!

We can’t wait to host our community capture event on Tuesday 3rd December from 1-3 in Nexus as part of Cultural Celebration week 🥳

This event gives you a chance to come together and celebrate our diverse community, the successes of your first term and your aspirations for 2025, plus there’s free cookies and hot drinks, so what’s not to like?

We can’t wait to catch up with you all soon.

Image credits 📸 .berry.ice.cream 🔥

📸 Image Description 📸

A poster with a yellow background. In the top left corner is the REMP Network logo, next to it is a cartoon fair banner. Underneath the banner there is black lettering with a white outline that reads “Cultural Celebration Week” Below this is purple lettering which reads “Community Capture. Tuesday 3rd December. 1-3PM. Nexus, Templeman library.” In the bottom left corner is the Kent Students Union logo, and the Cultural Celebration Week logo is in the bottom right corner. In between the two logos are cartoon tea and cookie images.

20/11/2024

The moment you have been waiting for!

Your votes mean we will be watching the amazing Sound of Metal (2019) on the 27th November from 5-7PM in Darwin Lecture Theatre 1 🥳

This screening is in collaboration with as part of Cultural Celebration Week. After the brilliant film, stay for a discussion about the film’s themes and disability representation in the media. Best of all? This event is totally free, along with hot/cold food, snacks and drinks provided - what’s not to love?!

See you there 🍿🎬📽️🎞️🎥

dhm

📸 Poster credits: .berry.ice.cream 🔥

📸 Image Descriptions 📸

Slide 1: Poster with a yellow background with the UKC REMP logo in the top left corner, Kent Students Union logo in the bottom left corner, and the Cultural Celebration Week logo in the bottom right corner. In the bottom middle are graphics of popcorn, film board and tickets and there is a celebration banner at the top of the poster. A range of black and white and purple text reads: “Cultural Celebration Week. Movie Night!! The Sound of Metal (2019) Wednesday 27th Nov. 5-7PM. Darwin Lecture Theatre (DLT1)”

15/11/2024

Help us decide a film to screen!

We are so excited to be hosting a film screening as part of Cultural Celebration Week (and continuing to celebrate DHM!) in partnership with 🥳

Please check out the movie descriptions and vote for your favourite via the poll on our story - the results will be announced next Friday along with a final confirmation of date, time and location.

After the screening, stay for a thought provoking discussion on the film’s themes, stories, and broader disability representation in the media.

Come for the film, stay for the conversation! Let’s celebrate diverse narratives, raise awareness and engage in meaningful dialogue. Everyone is welcome, happy voting!

📸 Poster credits: .berry.ice.cream 🔥

📸 Image Descriptions 📸

Slide 1: Poster with a yellow background with the UKC REMP logo in the top left corner, Kent Students Union logo in the bottom left corner, and the Cultural Celebration Week logo in the bottom right corner. In the bottom middle are graphics of popcorn, film board and tickets and there is a celebration banner at the top of the poster. A range of black and white and purple text reads: “Cultural Celebration Week. Movie Night!! Help us decide! Wednesday 27th Nov. 5-7PM”

Slide 2: poster on a yellow background with the Cultural Celebration Week logo in the top left corner. Next to this, Purple text reads “ #1: Deej (2017)” beneath black text with a white outline reads: “Director: Robert Rooy” below this is a white box, featuring the movie poster on the right and the film description on the left. The film description reads: “DJ’s Journey: A non-speaking autistic man finds his voice through a text-to-speech synthesiser after growing up in foster care. Themes: explores inclusion, sensory experiences, and DJ’s dream of going to college.” (Continued in comments)

14/11/2024

HAPPY DISABILITY HISTORY MONTH!!

The Accessibility Network are so excited to celebrate with you all!

We have so many exciting events to share with you coming up, including everything from movie screenings and guest talks to coffee mornings and webinars! Please keep an eye on our page for details.

This month is a month to celebrate our disabilities but also recognise that we still have a long way to go, so please get in touch with us now more than ever if you have accessibility concerns or ideas of how to make your experience better.

If you are an ally, use this month to speak up in a similar way, or use this month to educate yourself, especially on this year’s theme: disabled employment. Learn inclusive practices to support colleagues and learn about the disabled pay gap.

Remember we’re here for you, and our work is year round, not just this month!

With love,
Gabby and the Accessibility Network committee

📸 Image credits .berry.ice.cream 🔥

📸Image Description 📸- A poster with a pink and white background, with pink and white text that reads “Happy Disability History Month from the UKC accessibility network” at the bottom of the poster are cartoon people with a range of disabilities, a wheelchair user, a blind person with their cane, a person with a prosthetic right leg, a person with a prosthetic left arm and a person with a leg amputation walking on crutches

08/11/2024

🚨Exciting opportunity alert! 🚨

We have so many exciting things planned for (watch this space for more updates coming soon!) including this awesome opportunity.

We are proud to announce that we are launching an online disabled student market to allow you to showcase your small businesses and side hustles all throughout the month (and beyond as they will go in a highlight on our profile!).

This project is in honour of this year’s theme being Disability Livelihood and Employment.

Swipe to slide 3 to see how to get involved, we can’t wait to see your products and get a head start on our Christmas shopping…

📸 Image Description 📸

Slide 1: A bright vibrant poster with a light blue background, featuring the network logo in the top left corner, and graphics of people shopping at the bottom. Text on a variety of purple and Yellow backgrounds read: DHM. Disabled Student Market. 14th November - 20th December. Feature Your Small Business.

Slide 2: The same poster design with text that reads: DHM. Disabled Student Market. Want your chance to have your business featured on our socials? Now you can! The UKC Accessibility Network want to offer you the opportunity to showcase your talents and business with our online student market event. See next slide for details.

Slide 3: The same poster design and background with text on a yellow background that reads: if you are interested please contact atlk@kent.ac.uk, provide us with product photos, a small blurb about your business and any shop links - I.e website links or social media handles

30/09/2024

Autumn elections!

Kent Union have a range of leadership positions for you to put yourself forward for - swipe through to check it out - if interested please nominate yourself by Oct 3rd.

In addition, the Accessibility Network are still recruiting for a Social Media Manager, Campaigns Manager and Wellbeing Officer, as well as general team members - if you are interested please send us a DM or email accessibilitynetwork@ksu.co.uk

Good luck with your applications!

Accessibility Network Chair at Kent Union