January 27, 2020, by Charli

Top Five Things to Do at Sutton Bonington

Ah, Sutton Bonington campus. Approximately 10 miles south of University Park and Jubilee Campuses, it’s a place mostly unheard of by the majority of University of Nottingham students. But to me? It’s my home. I (of course) think it’s worth visiting all year round, but just in case you need more convincing, here are 5 fantastic reasons to make the effort to visit UoN’s home of Biosciences and Veterinary Science!

1 – SB Fest

SB Fest is exactly what it says on the colourful posters that adorn the campus for months before the event itself: ‘A celebration of all things SB’. An all-day event that spans the length and breadth of SB campus, it attracts people from miles around. There’s food, drinks, games, science activities (for kids and adults alike), a dog show, community-driven projects, a beer festival, a concert put on by the SB music society, and live music going on well into the night. And the best thing: all the money raised goes to charity. It’s unlike anything you’d find on University Park, and well worth the visit.

2 – Bar Parties

The wonderful thing about the small size of Sutton Bonington is that we can run events for the entire campus. A great example are the bar parties that take place about once a month. The most recent, for example, being a Silent Disco – three DJs playing all at the same time, each vying for you to switch your headset over to their channel! It’s a great way to let loose after a week of lectures and catch up with friends from all courses, year groups, and societies.

3 – The Farmers’ Market

The Farmer’s Market is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon of the first Wednesday of every month. It brings together local vendors, craftsmen, innovators, and (you guessed it) farmers from the local area. Organised by the incredibly hard-working Farmers’ Market society, a selection of wonderful stalls adorn the walkways through campus. You can’t ignore the incredible smell of hot food being cooked from 9am onwards! Better empty out your piggy bank: you’ll want to buy everything there!

4 – The countryside walks

SB is surrounded by miles and miles of countryside – perfect for long walks. You can head down into Sutton Bonington village and follow the canal all the way to Kegworth, explore the campus arboretum, or simply wander around the wide open fields in any direction. Though it’s beautiful in the winter, I love the summertime on SB. There are brick BBQs free for students to use, plenty of sunny spots to picnic, and so many trails and walks nearby you could never get bored. I’m getting excited for summer already!

5 – The SB Xmas panto

The theatre society on SB (of which I am a proud member) puts on a stellar pantomime every single December. Ranging from classics like Cinderella, to unusual takes on the panto theme such as Alice in Wonderland, to local legends such as Robin Hood, we’ve tried it all! There’s not many other places nearby you could go to see a student-run panto, chock-full of in-jokes about university life, for only £5 with free transport each way (thanks to the hopper bus!). Our ‘student night’ performance sells out, packed to the brim, every single year. Definitely worth seeing at least once!

I love SB so much and I love introducing new people to it – it has its own atmosphere and community that I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else! See you on the 901 hopper bus soon?

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