Do you love performing on-stage? Can you play an instrument? Have you ever wanted to try life drawing? Well look no further than Mildert's arts society: Van MildARTS! Encompassing Theatre, Music, and Visual Arts, Van MildARTS organises some of the biggest and best events in college, including a musical which was nominated for nine D'Oscars last year, a Variety evening of singing and dancing, choir performances, Shakepeare productions, mug-decorating sessions, and much more! All of our events are produced and run by students, so you could direct a play, conduct a band, or design set and costumes, as well as perform and take part in productions. We are always looking for new people to get involved, irregardless of prior experience, so if you enjoy all things artsy then this is the society for you!

Ball Committee are responsible for the running of the two balls Mildert has during the year. Their duties range from having the creative vision of the best themed events ever to booking chart-topping headline acts and organising world-beating entertainment. In amongst this, there are decorations to be done, sponsorship to be gained, entertainment to be booked and menus to be finalised.

The Michaelmas Ball is run in college and is an opportunity at the end of the year to enjoy a high-end evening in college, often with a festive theme. The main event is, however, the Summer Ball. Artists who have performed at previous balls include Hadouken!, B*Witched, 911, Scott Mills, Chesney Hawkes, The Freemasons, King Charles, The Unexpected Items (of Gap Yah fame) and many more. Themes in the past have ranged from the classic Masquerade through to �The FireBall�. There's even been a fill circus on Tees Lawn for the Circus Ball!

The bar is managed by our sabbatical Bar Steward, Bar Committee, and Team Bar, who are all the people you'll see pulling your pints for you. The Committee looks after the logistics of the bar, from making sure it's well stocked, to putting on events such as the Cider Festival. Look out for bar applications soon after you arrive as it is a great social team and also earns you a little extra money (that you'll probably spend back in the bar!).

Van Mildert Big Band is the college's house band, regularly playing at events in the college and also around Durham. From intricate jazz orchestra arrangements to some really gritty James Brown funk, the Band plays music from a range of genres and is always happy to welcome new players of any level of experience.

We rehearse in college every wednesday evening (pre-Lloyds, don't worry), if you're interested in coming along or just have any questions - drop us an email: [email protected]

For more information or to get involved why not join our Facebook page.

VMBC is the perfect club to join, whether you are an experienced rower or cox or have never tried either before. Rowing is unique in the combination of helping you get ridiculously fit from doing one of the hardest sports out there, allowing you to compete in not just college but national and international competitions, while also still being a fun and inclusive club which welcomes all abilities. And now is the perfect time to sign up: in the past year we have had great successes, with the women's squad dominating the winter long distance races and sending a boat to Henley Women's regatta in summer, both men's and women's squads getting to the final of their divisions at Durham regatta, and our two top novice boats being undefeated!

The Van Mildert Cheerleading Team have previously been the reigning champions of the Intercollegiate Cheerleading Competition for 7 years running and in 2018 we won the Open Allstar Level 2 division at Leeds Beckett University! Cheerleading involves stunts, dance, jumps, tumbles and of course lots of smiles and sass! Look out for us competing at the Durham Intercollegiate Cheerleading Competition, performing at Mildert Day and cheering on the sidelines of matches!

The Van Mildert Cheerleaders are a dedicated and hardworking team. The team is made up of 3 squads: a main squad who perform all aspects of cheerleading, a girls stunt group and a coed stunt group, so there are lots of opportunities for males and females to sign up.
Mildert Cheer has seen beginner cheerleaders through to world class cheerleaders so don't worry, no previous experience is necessary! The majority of our team had never cheered before coming to Mildert!

Please look out for us at the freshers fair where you can sign up for our taster session which will be held at the beginning of the Michaelmas term, giving you the opportunity to become a part of VM Cheer.

HEY, we're a group of students who meet each Friday evening to chill & chat, read the bible & pray. Whether you're a Christian, or just interested in hanging out, we'd love to get to know you. VMCU is a branch of the wider Durham inter-collegiate Christian Union (DICCU). We love students & do our best to support everyone at Van Mildert, particularly through our college events which take place 2-3 times a term! We believe the message of Jesus is exciting & life-changing stuff, so we try to share about who Jesus is to students across Van Mildert and beyond. So no matter what you think of this Jesus guy, we'd love to get to know you, and we can't wait wait to meet you on Freshers week! P.s look out for our Freshers event that we'll hosting in the first week!

There are two major events in college that dance soc perform at, the first is VM Variety in Michaelmas term, and the college Fashion Show in Epiphany term. Dance Soc is very laid back, with members picking their own level of involvement. Whether you want to choreograph, just be in the once dance, or be in eight, it's completely up to you. Rehearsal time is limited so we do work hard when we have to, but with socials every term we always manage to fit in a good laugh. Any experience level is welcome and it's a great chance to maintain your skills or try out new styles. Check out some of our previous performances at VM DanceSoc on YouTube.

If you fancy getting involved in events organisation, are a talented (or not so talented) artist, or feel like you'd enjoy listening to Beyonc� whilst doing a bit of painting, VM Decoration Society is the society for you. Under the leadership of the fabulous Alex Woolhouse, DecSoc has really grown over the last year, and I hope as the new head to make this continue! If our fabulous naked calendar paint fight photoshoot isn't enough to encourage you to join, the decorations you see around college at formals and bops are made by DecSoc. If you want to get involved in college but don't have enough time to commit to a weekly society, then we may be the society for you! Sessions are run very informally in the run up to events; just come along and have a paint (or have a chat while holding a paintbrush). It's a fun and chilled way to get involved in Mildert and meet new people.

DUCK (Durham University Charities Kommittee) is an organisation within the university which organises numerous amazing events throughout the year in order to raise money for charity. From Jailbreak, where students have 24 hours to hitchhike as far away from Durham as possible, to bungee jumping off the Cathedral or going on expeditions all over the world, there's always something going on to raise money for local, national and global charities.

Van Mildert DUCK essentially has two purposes: to promote university wide events to VM students and to host awesome events in college throughout the year. Our most popular events include the infamous Mr & Mrs Mildert and the Valentine's Day Formal, as well as loads of other things going on throughout the year. Please come along and support all of DUCK's events as they are great fun and the profits generated make a huge difference to people in need!

If you have any questions, please email the DUCKtator at [email protected]!

Mildert's Environment Committee (Green Comm) helps to ensure that Mildert is as environmentally friendly as possible. Our tasks involve introducing initiatives to encourage students and staff to reduce waste and recycle more, as well as cutting-back on unnecessary energy consumption and promoting Fairtrade goodies in college. We also help to promote biodiversity in college and support campaigns running on a University level.

As a committee we have also helped to run some of Mildert's most loved events including the Christmas Bop and St Patrick's Day formal.

We're an open committee so if you are interested in joining we'd love to hear from you. So just send an email to [email protected]

The Executive Committee, or Exec, consists of 13 people. 11 of these people are current students elected by you, while two are ex-students who stay on for a year; the President is elected to manage the JCR, whilst the Bar Steward is chosen by college staff to run the bar! Each member is responsible for a specific area of college life, managing all the fantastic projects we run. However as a committee, Exec represent you! They advise the President on issues relating to college and the university, providing a student voice to policy making, while on a JCR level they oversee all events budgets and use JCR meetings as a chance to speak to you about any views you have. Towing a fine line between day to day management and strategic planning, the committee works hard to make student life the best it can be.

If you want to, running for an Exec election is great experience and performing an Exec role is as fun as it is rewarding. Below is a list of the positions of Exec, but why not find out more about each by talking to them!

President: The JCR President is a sabbatical role and they are the head of the Executive Committee.

Vice President: The Vice President's job involves deputising for the President where necessary as well as taking care of all career related events and activities. They also work with the College on issues such as college food and the awarding of travel bursaries to JCR members.

JCR Treasurer: The JCR Treasurer works with the JCR President and his committee of Treasurers to perform all of the financial functions within the JCR. This job is the most demanding after the two sabbatical positions and requires a high level of competency.

Events Officer: The Events Officer exists to facilitate the running of any events in college such as social events and arts events. These range from the large, like our Fashion Show and Balls to the small scale Open Mich Nights.

Chair: The JCR Chair serves two primary functions, first and foremost the JCR Chair is there to work with the President to ensure that the JCR operates in a fair and transparent manner. The Chair's seccond role is to have a working knowledge of the constitution and keep it up to date.

Communications Officer: The Communications Officer's role involves minuting all of the Executive Committee meetings and JCR Meetings, Keeping the website up-to-date and generally assisting with the administration of the JCR.

Services Manager: The Services Manager is responsible for running the JCR Shop, Snooker Room and Gym.

Senior Freshers' Representative: The Senior Frep must run freshers' week and both the Residential and Pre Application Open Days. They are also responsible for tours and visits to the college throughout their term of office.

Senior SU Representative: The Senior SU Rep is the link between the JCR and the Students Union (SU). They are required to represent Van Mildert JCR's views to the SU as well as advertise and promote any upcoming elections and campaigns at the SU.

Livers Out Officer: The Livers Out Officer is responsible for the Livers Out Committee who look after all of the Mildertians that do not live within the college itself.

Welfare Officer: The Welfare Officer is a student that is responsible for running various campaigns and activities throught the year to support student welfare.

Outreach Officer: The Outreach Officer oversees Mildert's five amazing Outreach projects. They make sure they are all running along the same lines and helps fundraise.

Bar Steward: The Bar Steward is a sabbatical member of the Executive Committee. Their primary responsibility is running the bar, managing the staff and making money for the JCR to spend.

External Events are run throughout the year and this committee organises trips and events outside of college, including beach trips, Alton Towers and Bar Crawls. One of the best nights of the year is the Newcastle night which they organise in the summer term after exams! If you want to further your skills in anything from publicity to negotiating discounts then this would be a very rewarding committee to join.

This committee is in charge of the huge task of organising and running the charity fashion show which is always one of the biggest events of the year. Clothes from very well known fashion brands are acquired and modelled by our own students on our very own catwalk! Why not get involved in producing it or even modelling in it?!

Finance Committee are responsible for handling all things to do with the JCR's money - from committee and sports finances to the annual budget and turnover of the JCR. Having such a committee allows for more representatives of the JCR rather than just the Treasurer to voice opinions about the way the finances are distributed. This works by holding open sessions and closed discussions amongst the members.

Finance Committee is made up of the JCR Treasurer and their Treasurer Committee, other members of Exec and other succesful itnerviewees from within the JCR. As well as deciding where money is spent, they help the JCR Treasurer to do their job effectively.

As the name suggests, Freshers Committee are in charge of organizing and running an action packed Freshers' Week and making the transition into University life as smooth as possible! They do everything from moving people into their rooms when they arrive, to organising nights out in Newcastle.

Each Freshers' rep is responsible for a corridor of freshers throughout their first two weeks in Durham - and usually beyond! They wear bright yellow polos throughout Freshers' week so you're sure to see them around.

Governance committee is a closed committee (i.e interviewed), that was introduced in 2013 to help streamline the JCR and make it more effective. Its major roles include looking after the Standing Orders (our constitution), keeping the Exec accountable, running and monitoring election, helping other societies with their administration, and to discuss ways to further help the JCR function better- this last role involves trips out to other colleges to see how they do things. There are three positions available in the interviews, with the rest of the committee made up of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Communications Officer, President and Vice-President. It might sound all a bit formal, but this is a great way to get involved with the running of college and student politics in general.

Gym Committee is in charge of making the necessary changes required in order to make it accessible and fully functional all year round for their fellow JCR members! Gym Comm also looks to invest in any new equipment that is either needed or wanted by you when at all possible. Get involved if you want to have a greater say in where all your gym membership fees go.

Jam Soc is Van Mildert's live music society. The biggest thing we do? That'd be JAM BY THE LAKE � we run Mildert's very own music festival, held once a year out on Tees Lawn, with the best bands from across Durham and beyond. But there's a lot more than that: JCR band nights, open mic nights in the bar, and socials. We're basically a group for anyone who likes music, both musicians and non-musicians alike . . . and who doesn't like music?! SO JOIN US!

Library committee are in charge of opening and operating Mildert's very own library. Members have the opportunity to sign up for a regular shift where they're in charge of checking books and DVDs in and out, and can even catch up on their own coursework while on duty! We also organise special events for World Book Day, and members are invited to a Christmas Party at Michaelmas, and a Gala Dinner during the Epiphany term.

For more information, or to get involved, please email [email protected]

What we do

Living out in a house or flat with your friends is an important part of one's university experience. For the majority of students, it's the first time they will live in their own house and presents a huge responsibility with bills and rent to pay. The Livers' Out Committee aims to make this experience as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. This is achieved by a number of means, notably:

* Providing year-round support for anyone who may have issues either finding a house or living in their current one.
* Distributing �Livers' Out Packs' early in Michaelmas term to help students adjust to living out of college.
* Organising find-a-housemate events both in college and in conjunction with the DSU.
* Organising Livers' Out socials in and around Durham.

In addition to the above, the Livers' Out Officer also represents those living out at both a College and University level; to Exec, the JCR and the DSU, ensuring that Van Mildert and the University are providing adequate services and support for students wherever they choose to live.

The Committee

The Livers' Out Committee is currently an open committee, which means that anyone is free to join and have an input. This year however area reps will be elected within the committee to ensure that livers out have a contact close by for any immediate concerns.

Mildert Day Comm organises the last big event of the year, Mildert Day!

With stuff going on all day from the official finalists photo to the Carrot Awards (ask your college parent), live bands and inflatables, there is much to organise and you can be a part of this. Mildert Day Comm is a open committee meaning anyone can get involved.

What better way to see out the end of the year and say goodbye to your finalist friends than a chilled out day on Tees Lawn enjoying the cream of college entertaiment and stitching up your mates in the Carrot Awards!

Hey! I'm Ross Norman, a second year Music student and this year's Head of Music! Van Mildert offers a thriving musical community and artistic environment that even the most hardened rugby player will find difficult to resist! Annual events include the VM Variety Show, the Christmas Carol Service, the Epiphany Term Musical and the widely acclaimed VM 48 Hour Musical! Whether it be singing in the VM College Choir, performing solo on stage or playing in pit bands for the college Musicals, VM's Music musical life is certainly something to explore!

Very similar to Freshers Committee, this committee organises and runs the Open Days to wow applicants and show them that Mildert really is the best college in Durham. They run and organise an action packed few days over the Easter Holidays which includes organising nights out, tours, movie sittings and activities on site. By the end you'll be sure to have caught their infectious lively bug! They wear bright yellow polos throughout so you're sure to see them around.

Photography Comm is an open committee for anyone in college with an interest in taking photos, editing photos, finances, events, technology, socials or just getting involved! Set up last year, Photo Comm has already provided the official photography for every Mildert event since its conception, and will continue to do so this year. Photographers usually get free entry into events in exchange for their hard work, so although voluntary, the job comes with perks!

This committee is perfect for anyone with a lot of other time commitments as there are no weekly meetings, and each member can participate in as few or as many events as they wish. You do not have to already be a keen photographer to join, and there will be a short beginner's photography course running in October for anyone wishing to brush up on their photography skills.

For a better idea of what we do please visit our Facebook page HERE.

Mildert's College Shop aims to fulfil all your snacking needs and is located right next to the bar. We sell a variety of confectionary, crisps and drinks as well as useful household goods like milk and stationary. The shop is run by the JCR Services Committee which is comprised of 14 JCR members and interviews are held twice each year in October and June. Members work a weekly two hour shift and a fortnightly four hour shift as well as holding a voluntary role such as treasurer, ordering stock and filling the vending machines. During the evening the shop becomes a toastie bar which serves a variety of toasted sandwiches and panini. These are made by Team Toastie, a committee which recruits 14 members each October.

The shop opening hours are as follows:

Monday � Friday: 12:30 � 2:15, 5:30 � 11:00
Saturday � Sunday: 3:30 � 11:00

If you have any questions about the shop or any requests then please feel free to email [email protected]

Technical Productions Committee (Tech Comm) are the members of the JCR responsible for the upkeep and use of the college technical equipment (which is a lot!), and we are found at every event within the JCR, on top of some external events. We get involved with every aspect of events, from the feasibility stages with the other committees, to hiring extra equipment, to overseeing set-up, and of course, running the event on the night.

We handle staging, and the lighting and audio for the major events, such as Fashion Show, the musicals and the Balls.

We are an open committee, which means anyone with enthusiasm (whether you're an experienced technician, or have never gone near a cable in your life) can turn up to one of the events, lend a helping hand, and then can find some aspect of the committee that interests them, be it, lighting, hire managing, communications or treasurer.

Want to join?

Look for anyone near a sounddesk at an event, or anyone with �TECH' on the back of our black polos.

Want to hire our equipment?

See our website for more details, or contact the Head of Tech ([email protected]).

VMTV is a brand new committee starting in 2014 which will showcase the very best of Milderts amateur filmmakers and the fabulous events we have in college.

They cover everything from weekly comedy sketches, big brother booths at BOPS, news updates, informational videos, beautiful short films and anything else that YOU want to do. Have an idea for a film or sketch? Just get in touch with the committee and we can make it happen!

Positions that will be open include assistant head, secretary, head of promotions, and individual positions about the technical aspects of filmmaking. Meetings will be short and sweet and really depends on what we have to shoot, so there is no schedule, VMTV is a flexible committee for everyone. We will also run regular training days so you can get hands on experience in shooting, editing, presenting and performing. VMTV will represent all the best bits of college and everybody is more than welcome to be a part of it!

Look at their YouTube channel to see all the amazing work they actually do!

Perhaps the most important committee in college, Welfare has two branches to make sure that everyone has the best possible time at Durham.

Firstly there's Team Welfare. They man daily drop-ins throughout the year and looks after the Welfare Mobile, to support and listen to anyone who wants to talk.

Then there's Welfare Committee. These are the people committed to running the best Awareness Campaigns in awareness campaigns history. Expect to come away from our events with free sweets, condoms, pens, badges, bags, vitamins and leaflets, as well as an improved knowledge about the issues facing Durham students today. In the past, there have been campaigns about Alcohol Awareness, Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (including the infamous SHAG Bop), Mental Health and Wealth, and much much more.

VM Debate Soc is one of Mildert's newest societies! In our first year, we combined the college traditions of sassy argument and the Mildert bar in honour of Brexit, banned private schools in our Freshers' Debate and introduced feisty inter-college debating with our hexagonal neighbours, Trevs. If you've got a game-changing point of view you want the world to hear, you need your fill of competitive debate-y banter after a hard week of lectures, or you just want to watch some of college's finest battle it out with a drink from the bar then we are for you!!!! Our relaxed attitude means we welcome both first-time and more experienced speakers to put on our amazing range of debates � all you need is a feisty argument and lots of enthusiasm and quality debating awaits! Any questions, queries, or if you just want a debate-themed chat feel free to email Izzy Ardron [email protected]

One of the few good things to come out of the patriarchy is the Van Mildert College Feminist Society. This friendly, relaxed, yet dedicated group seeks to advance the aims of feminism throughout the university and beyond. Tough task? Yes, it is. But worthwhile and needed! So if you think equality and rights are really quite nice, come along to our weekly meeting and join the cause. Protect your sisters! VMFemSoc.

Here at VM Film Soc, we believe a chilled Sunday isn't complete without an evening film and a bag of pick n' mix! Often themed, films can range from chick flicks (Valentine's Day) to terrifying horrors (Halloween) and are also open to your vote with regular polls being posted on the Facebook page - so keep your eyes peeled for those! Expect a film fortnightly on Sundays at 9pm in the Ustinov Room and make sure to head to the VM Shop before to grab some snacks!

If you have any questions regarding the Film Society, please do not hesitate to contact me via the Facebook page/on twitter @mildertfilm - or come and speak to me when I am in college! xx

�Did someone say THEATRE?!' Despite being only a year old, Feather Theatre Company has one of the busiest schedules in the Mildert calendar. We do it all - a production in 48 hours, a summer Shakespeare, a panto, a musical and more. Have you ever fancied a moment in the spotlight? Is it time your rendition of �I dreamed a dream' was heard by the masses? Or do you want to get involved in producing or orchestrating the magic behind the scenes? Then get involved! We are a society that everyone and anyone can join whether you're a frequent stage-strutter or you'd never heard of Shakespeare before you read this. Dramatic love, FTC xoxo

If you love the Arts you have come to the right college! We're hoping this year for Visual Arts to have it's own team to coordinate events and work with theatre on set design! We will be running life-drawing classes at least twice a term and stress relief craft workshops for you to escape when the work is piling on! Last year mug decorating proved extremely popular mid exams. With enough interest we are also keen to run an Arts trip to Edinburgh! If you're a keen artist there are loads for you at Mildert to get involved in ! Visual Arts looks forward to meeting you!

'Why suffer for those abs alone when you can suffer together?

If you're a girl that enjoys (or hates) fitness, or maybe you just want to burn off all those Mildert potatoes, join us for VM Fit (add time and place here), a society that aims to make getting fit fun and sociable!'

Alright guys, I'm Patrick your joint head of Van Mildert Snow and Palatinalps representative for the second year running. My role is to encourage all you freshers to get onboard the University wide ski trip, which is the biggest single university ski trip in the whole country! It is arguably one of the best weeks in your University lives, we've had acts such as Chase and Status, Eton Messy and Matrix & Futurebound come down before so get involved! You wouldn't want to miss what would be a great week of snow, spirits and suspicious roommates. Let me (or also the legendary Hugo) know if you have any questions.

VM Yoga is a society for anyone looking for a relaxing hour once a week to do some yoga! No experience necessary and open to everyone. Look out for VM Yoga at the freshers fair and sign up to de-stress, work on your fitness and make your soul happy!