A is for Amnesty International

So it is now like a military operation.

7.01 pm In my office I hear of the Amnesty Night
7.02 pm I decide to go
7.03 pm I am already in the catholic chaplains office warming the Chaplaincy laminator
(the red power light is lit)
7.14 pm The chaplaincy laminator begins to approach warm
7.15 pm I return to my office to print and sign a 'Big Tick' Certificate.
7.25 pm The laminator green light comes on to indicate it is now hot enough to laminate
7.26 pm I laminate the certificate.

And I'm out the door.

I've got to the point now when I just want to get the tick. It's not pretty. It's down and dirty. In and out as quick as possible. Tick, tick, tick. Just back to bone.

Tonight it's a party. I arrive in the room and clock the Society president. I make my way towards him simultaneously removing the laminated certificate from my bag as I do. I hand him the certificate and request a photo. He summons the troops. Photo taken certificate delivered, and we're done.

It was then I noticed it was a party.

I thought to myself...hey this is a party.

They had thrown on some fine entertainment. African dancing they had a display of their work, everyone seemed to be having fun. So I stayed. Green Action also had a display about what they were doing. Bit of live music, yeah pretty good night.

Of course this wasn't your standard student party. This was thrown to raise awareness of need for greater women's rights and particularly focusing on the rights of women in Zimbabwe and there was a fantastic turn out they filled the bar.



Once again just when I had accepted student apathy as a fact someone came along and challenged it. Some students are just in for the cheap beer and a job at the end, others actually want to do something bigger than that. Student Amnesty are just such a group.



I stayed and enjoyed myself. I really wanted to be part of the society but as the evening came to a close my job was done and like The Littest Hobo at the end of the episode it was time for me to go. This, after all, is not a journey anyone can join me on. My path is a lonely one. I didn't know where it was heading, but I knew where ever I went next there were probably going to be students.

I pulled my coat tight around me and headed off into the night...

...alone.



Amnesty: Unchained Tick

Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni Amnesty International