Goodbye My Wonderful Society

Hey guys,

Seeing as it’s taken up such a huge amount of my university life I can’t help but feel that I can’t just let my time with DinoSoc pass by without saying something meaningful, and why not use the website to do it?

First up are undoubtedly some much deserved thank yous. DinoSoc wouldn’t be nearly the society it is if not for my right hand man of Suresh Singh, the one and only Director General. Without him the society wouldn’t be nearly as stylish as he is the one who designed the logo, the website and almost all our merchandise. Always pitching in ideas, some wildly ambitious, but without that ambition DinoSoc wouldn’t be nearly as successful as it has been.

Field Marshal Fiann Smithwick, also with us for two years. Without him we may never have made it further than the pub. Fiann’s knowledge of good locations, trusty car Vic and seemingly disgusting amounts of luck allowed DinoSoc to have all the incredible fossil hunting trips that make us so unique amongst societies and meant that everyone who went on a trip came back with some fossils and excellent memories.

Our Treasurer for the past two years, Gareth Coleman, kept up with his job’s increasing responsibilities as the funds grew and grew. Always willing to help and true to his word. So to my Geological child I say, good work son.

Our first secretary Holly Betts who was always so eager and enthusiastic in taking notes for our meetings and pitching in ideas for things that DinoSoc could do to make sure our members got the most out of the society. Her support through those early days of foundation cannot be denied and she made sure that DinoSoc always stayed true and never went under.

Starting off with nothing more than a promise of tea and coffee on field trips, our next secretary Jess Crumpton became an absolutely invaluable member of the team. Her incredible organizational skills and keenness for every project she was involved with really showed with how smoothly everything went. I can’t help but feel that without her keeping all in check there would still be some members lost in the field somewhere. I'd say Jess’ crowning glory was the residential trip, which she spearheaded and commanded beautifully, both in preparation and during the trip itself. I think I speak for everyone there when I say I’m glad Jess was in control of those fires (literal and metaphorical)! She would have made a fine President.

Our first Social Secs, Kayleigh Varnam and Tiff Drake were always there to bounce ideas around and inject some fun into proceedings. The life and soul of every social occasion they were involved in they made sure that every night out with DinoSoc was a good one, whether it be just hanging out in the pub or getting the whole society queue jump for a long Lounge night.

With that to top our next Social Sec, the experienced Richie Jalili had some big shoes to fill, and he did not disappoint. Pretty much instantly landing DinoSoc it’s biggest ever sponsorship deal he just kept knocking out every challenge we threw at him. The man really gets things done, even when the event isn’t taking place until after he steps down as Social Sec he still gives it his all. I can tell you he is one of the most vocal on our Committee Facebook chat and he’s always coming up with great ideas for the society.

The biggest help from outside the committee came from the fantastic Sarah Kernoghan, whose help and support through the founding days of the society will not be forgotten. Without her there’s no doubt the society never would have come into being so really you have her to thank for all of it. And without her we wouldn’t even have a name, coming up with “DinoSoc” almost instantly during a random coffee chat. Despite never being committee she was absolutely essential in those first days.

We have been lucky to work closely with some other societies most notably BUGGS and Fusion. Big thanks have to go to Charlotte Ellis for letting myself and the society in general play such a notable role in her baby, the Joint Sciences Ball. I hope these connections will keep strong for many years to come.

Best of luck to the next and all future committees. Ellen, Tim, Claire, Oliver, and James, this is my baby and I love her. Look after her.

I am immensely proud of this society and I really want to thank every single person who came to any event during these years running. Despite only being "union official" for two years I was planning it, doing admin, and running it in Beta for it a year before it started, so it has been a large part of my life 3/4 years of university and I truly can’t imagine life without it. As an overly optimistic dreamer of plans like this to have one actually happen and be this successful is absolutely incredible. At a time when the majority of societies are losing money to have started from nothing and gotten to over £700 in two years is a big deal. To get over 200 people sign up in Freshers Week is a big deal. To be invited to host events for the whole university for which 350 people attended for one afternoon and 750 one evening is a big deal. To have Mary Benton herself come up to me and ask me why BUGGS can’t be more like DinoSoc, is a bloody big deal.

A friend of mine once said, we are the little society with one hell of a loud roar.

And so after 3 years, 22 fossiling trips, 6 museum day events, 6 lectures, 1 camping trip, 2 pub quizzes, 4 sponsorship deals, 9 bar crawls, 2 Joint Sciences Balls, 1 selfie with David Attenborough and 45 pub trips my time as President of the Society comes to an end.

DinoSoc, it’s been an honour.

Your “Signing off now but sure to see again in future” Founder & First President,

Rhys Charles