List of social activities at Durham University


This is a List of social activities at the University of Durham, including details of clubs, societies and other common leisure activities associated with Durham University. Approximately 130 student clubs and organizations run on Durham's campus.

Sports

General

Student Unions

Durham has a central students's Union as well as junior common rooms in each college.
The Durham Union Society, commonly referred to as the Durham Union, is a debating society. The largest and oldest society in the university, the Union hosts regular debates, addresses by high-profile speakers, debate training, and members socials.

History

The Union was founded in 1842. It was the last student debating union founded along the lines of those that had been established at Cambridge in 1815 and at Oxford in 1822. Intended both as clubs and debating societies, they provided additional comforts like reading rooms, dining facilities, billiards, and libraries. The first debates were held in the reading rooms of Hatfield Hall and University College. In 1872 the Society moved to what is now the Palace Green library, where the University's first purpose-built debating chamber was established. The Union predates the 1899 founding of the Students' Representatives Council. Consequently, there exists in Durham, like that of Oxford and Cambridge, the anomaly of both a union society and a students' union.
Because Durham University did not enjoy the wealth or the influence of the alumni of its southern counterparts, its Union Society did not flourish in the same way as the Union Societies of Oxford and Cambridge. So poor were the facilities of the Durham Union that by Easter 1896 no debates could be held. That same year the University offered the Union a financial lifeline, by which the latter would be reconstituted as a centrally funded students' union like those being established at the newer Red brick universities. This was rejected by the members however, who opted to stick with the Cambridge model and embarked on a 'precarious path of independence' that has often led it to be 'marginalised' within the wider priorities of Durham University. The university authorities pressed on with the formation of a SRC regardless, and ignored calls from the Union to be given additional facilities, which would not be received until 1936. Independence ensured a state of relative poverty that did not work to the advantage of the DUS. Bertie Dockerill, an academic who has written on the history of student debating societies, emphasies that continued use of Union facilities:
In the final years of the nineteenth century debates often revolved around ecclesiastical matters, a reflection not just of the student intake but Durham's traditional curriculum of the university and the 'stranglehold' that the Dean and Chapter of Durham exercised over the university – with the few political debates tending to concern the then contentious issue of Irish Home Rule. The turn of the century saw more political debates, with society members almost invariably siding with the positions of the Conservative Party, while those of the Liberals were roundly rejected by majorities in excess of 70% at each of three debates in 1905, 1907, and 1911. The third administration of Lord Salisbury attained a vote of confidence in excess of 90%. Opinions on immigration were not consistent. While members applauded the hostile views of Hatfield student and future Bishop of Bangor D.E. Davies, who suggested immigrants were predominantly 'disease-ridden criminals' that would 'have to be supported by public money', they rejected in the following term the motion that ‘the introduction of yellow and black races into western lands removes white man’s comforts’ by a ratio of around five to one.
To get around the limitations of its premises, the society traded its ownership of 44 North Bailey opposite Hatfield College for the old site of St Aidan's Society at 24 North Bailey, which allowed the creation of a social club. This contains a bar which is open to all Durham Union members; a snooker room; a reading room that the Durham Union uses for functions, such as post debate entertaining, and an en-suite guest room that can be hired out by members. Student members also have the opportunity to rent bedrooms as student accommodation.
The Union has had a taste for controversy in the past. In 1856, for example, members endorsed slavery; while in 1914 they pushed for women's suffrage fourteen years before the 1928 Equal Franchise Act. In 1977 the Union was obliged to move across Palace Green to a purpose-built debating chamber in the Pemberton Buildings, which sit in the shadow of Durham Cathedral.

The Union today

The Durham Union still maintains its offices and debating chamber on the Palace Green World Heritage Site, as well as 24 North Bailey. It hosts weekly debates featuring prominent external speakers, as well as inviting address speakers and holding social events.
The Union also excels at competitive debating, having won the European Universities Debating Championship in 2005, and more recently having teams reaching the final of the European Championship, Oxford IV, Cambridge IV and John Smith Memorial Mace and the quarter-final of the World Universities Debating Championship. It also hosts the prestigious competition, the Durham Open and Durham Schools; the world's largest residential school's debating competition.
The social highlight of the year is the annual Ball held in Michaelmas term. The programme for the evening varies, but usually consists of a champagne reception, dinner, music, and after dinner dancing. The Union also holds members only socials, with recent events including a 'Halloween Social', 'American Election Social', 'Chinese New Year Social' and 'Valentines Social'.
Lord Adonis has cited his and Anna Soubry's 105-82 victory at a Durham Union Brexit debate as evidence that students are turning against Britain's decision to leave the European Union. Upon winning a debate at the Durham Union, Spectator columnist James Delingpole wrote that "For a real Oxbridge education, you now have to go to Durham"

NUS incident

In 2010, the Union was forced to cancel a debate on multiculturalism on safety grounds, after the National Union of Students' Black Students Officer Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy and LGBT Officer Daf Adley sent a letter to the Union, Durham University and Durham Students Union. The letter opposed the invitation of then BNP MEP Andrew Brons, and warned of a “colossal demonstration” if the debate went ahead. It went on to say “If any students are hurt in and around this event, responsibility will lie with you.”
The cancellation of the debate by Union President Anna Birley on safety grounds was met with fierce backlash. NUS President Wes Streeting was prompted to personally appear before the Durham Union to apologise for the actions of the officers concerned, though outrage among Durham students was sufficient that a significant number protested outside the debating chamber at the time. An anti-censorship protest group on Facebook quickly amassed over 2,500 members. An official petition was lodged with Durham Students' Union to call for a referendum on disaffiliation from NUS. On 12 March 2010, the referendum concluded with a majority of voting students choosing to disaffiliate. In 2011 the Durham Students' Union held a further referendum, whereby students taking part in the referendum voted to reaffiliate with the NUS.

Chinese Embassy incident

In 2017, the Chinese Embassy attempted to block the invitation of supermodel and activist Anastasia Lin from speaking in a debate. An official at the embassy warned the Union that the debate, which also featured former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind, could damage relations between the UK and China. Union President Tom Harwood insisted that "Everyone has been very polite," and the debate went ahead as planned.

Tommy Robinson incident

In 2015, the Union cancelled a speech from Tommy Robinson, reportedly after pressure from the University.

Reciprocal relations

The Union's members enjoy reciprocal relations with, and use of facilities at, the Oxford Union, Cambridge Union, The Hist & The Phil, both of Trinity College Dublin.

Notable members

Durham Student Theatre

is a student-run organisation responsible for theatre at Durham University, with performances put on every week of term at the Assembly Rooms Theatre.
DST acts as an umbrella organisation for the many theatre companies based at the university, such as Durham University Light Opera Group. There are also numerous college based theatre groups, run by the Junior Common Room of the individual colleges, some of which are college members only, with others being open to all.

Durham Revue

The Durham Revue is an established sketch comedy group. In 1974, four students founded 'DUST', which initially produced comedy revue shows exclusively for Durham student audiences. However, in 1977, under the presidency of Arthur Bostrom, DUST took their first show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This inaugural Fringe show included John Inge and Jennie Campbell. The group changed its name to the 'Durham Revue' in 1988.
Its members write and perform all material themselves and shows are put on annually at the Assembly Rooms Theatre, and the professional Gala Theatre where they perform alongside the Cambridge Footlights and the Oxford Revue. The Durham Revue also travels yearly to Cambridge, Oxford, and the Edinburgh Fringe where they perform for the full run of the festival.
The Durham Revue membership generally consists of six writers and performers. Membership is based upon audition and interview, and these take place just once a year during Michaelmas Term. Former members include Jeremy Vine, Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble, and Alex Macqueen.

Miscellaneous societies