Students' Union mini fairs
There will be a series of mini fairs in Stratford and Docklands. Each student group will have a stall one fair in Stratford and one in Docklands. The fairs will run from 12:00 to 14:00.
Stratford: Wednesday 27 (cultural groups) and Thursday 28 November (all other groups), Arthur Edwards Building
Docklands: Tuesday 03 (cultural groups) and Wednesday 04 December (all other groups), East Building
Cultural means student groups based on countries, nations, nationalities, regions, etc. All other groups means academic-/subject-based, faith, hobbies and everything else.
Each group can have up to three committee members working on their stall. Committee members must stay at the stall for the full event and must not leave the stall unattended at any point.
Each group will have a budget of £30 for their stall.
You must have completed the student group setup process before you can take part. You can read more about that process, and registering for the compulsory training, here. Committee members are only required to do the training once; you don't have to do it again if you did it in the last two months.
All groups must register to attend the fairs by completing this form.
Setting up
You should arrive at 11:30 with all your items for the stall. You will not be permitted to set up earlier than this.
Tables will already be set out for you (approxiomately 1800mm x 600mm). This includes a plain black tablecloth, a sign with your group’s name, and a QR code for students to scan to sign up to your group.
Any printing requested by the dealdine will be available for you (more details below).
Chairs will not be provided unless requested in advance for accessibility reasons.
What to include on your stall
Make your stalls as interactive and engaging as possible, using things like games and activities. For example, during the Near and Far festival last year, Nepalese Society offered a traditional kids’ chungi game competition. Whatever you do at your stall must relate to the purpose of your group.
You should not give out freebies, food or drink for the sake of it. We request that no general sweets, chocolate or similar items are given out.
If food is an integral part of what you are showcasing - for example, Coffee Appreciation Society - there are a few health and safety rules that you need to be keep in mind. You can't serve hot food or drinks. There are no fridge, freezer or hot plate facilities. Any food or drink must be able to be consumed safely at room temperature. You will only be allowed to hand out pre-packaged and individually wrapped snacks. A list of ingredients and allergens should always be displayed, even if you get your items from a specialist shop or market. Keep the original packaging.
Printing and purchases
We will print images and information for you to have at your stall. Printing requests must be sent to students.union@uel.ac.uk by 09:00 on Tuesday 26 November.
For anything else, each group has a budget of £30. We will use Amazon to buy items for you. Ensure there is sufficient time for delivery. If you need something that can only be bought from a specialist shop, you’ll need to pay for this yourself and we will reimburse you. You must have a receipt as proof of purchase. (A credit card receipt is not a receipt.)
If you have an 'out there' idea for your stall, ask us about it before you do it. While we try to support all ideas, some may not be feasible in the space and time.
Examples of stalls
Below are some recommendations for your stalls depending on the category your group falls into:
Cultural
- Traditional clothing items on display or for trying on/handling.
- Provide tasters of pre-packaged traditional/typical food in individual packets. Hand these to students who interact with your stall, however you've decided to do it (for example, to those who try on the clothing).
- Small wireless Bluetooth speaker for playing traditional music.
- Decorate the stall with national or regional flags.
Faith
- Small wireless Bluetooth speaker for playing religious music and readings
- Traditional religious clothing items on display or for trying on / handling.
- Examples of traditional texts and symbols to decorate your stall and for handling.
Academic
- Links to events, conferences and talks by important people within your sector.
- Showing clips of relevant experiments/performances/documentaries from the field.
- Showcase tools required for your area of study (for example, musical instruments for a music course) for decoration and handling.
- Dress up in professional clothing from relevant career paths (for example, ballet shoes and tutu for a performing arts course).
Interests and hobbies, pop culture, gaming
- This really depends on what your interest group is about. You could have any of the above plus TV shows, films, books, games, or anything else of relevance.
Promoting your stall before the fair
We (Students' Union) will promote the fairs on our website, social media accounts, screens and email newsletter. We will also work with the University's communications team.
To promote your stall on social media, use the official graphics which you can download here [link to follow on Monday]. Please don't create your own graphics. Use our branded items will make it clearer for students that it's all the same event.
Highlight the days your group will be present but encourage students to attend all days.
Keep your tone friendly and encouraging. Students may be nervous about joining a student group later in the term, so aim to make them feel comfortable and welcome.
You might also highlight what you will have or do at your stall.
Promoting your group during the fair
At the event, you should be able to describe what your student group is and does in three sentences. This will enable you to communicate during what is likely to be a quick interaction.
Use simple language. Think about the benefits the group might have to students and the most fun or meaningful activities your group has done or is planning for this year. If you're a big group, emphasise this. If you're a small group just starting out, highlight the opportunity to help lead the group as part of the committee, or to shape its activity as an early member.
Be professional but authentic, and let your group's personality shine through. Have fun!