November 8th, 2009
Our second PORT AND CHEESE event will be held next weekend.
Saturday 14th November – 8pm – Green Room (Caius)
Lots of delicious cheese and as much port as you need to wash it down with.
£6 for members (else £8). Black Tie.
Please email the chairman to book a place or pop a cheque in Caroline’s pigeonhole at Newnham.
Posted in General by Callum Wood | No Comments »
November 2nd, 2009
An update on what’s happening in CUCA this week.
Andrew Lansley – 2nd November The Shadow Secretary of State for Health will speak to members of CUCA and the Union: “Healthcare reform – how wide is the atlantic?”. Union building, 7pm.
Campaigns Officer: The role of Campaigns Officer is up for grabs this term. Get in touch with Callum Wood (the incumbent) for more information. Nominations close on Monday 9th, with an interview on the 14th.
Thursday Debate – 5th November Two debates that any self-respecting CUCA member should turn up to: Firstly, see Caroline and Gavin attack George Owers (et al.) in the annual CUCA vs CULC debate; immediately following that, Michael Howard, James Sharpe and Stephen Parkinson will oppose the motion This House has No Confidence in Her Majesty’s Opposition. This will no doubt be heated, riveting and packed-out, so arrive early to get a seat in the Chamber.
Free Spirits – **postponed** New date will be found soon – Come and campaign for individual and civil liberties with our friends in The Freedom Association, followed by free drinks in the Union afterwards.
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS: the story of Sir Thomas More’s rise to greatness, fall from favour and subsequent martyrdom, featuring a more than a couple of people from the CUCA committee, plays in Peterhouse Theatre on Friday Saturday Sunday (6th 7th 8th). Tickets from www.adcticketing.com .
Posted in Event news, General by Callum Wood | No Comments »
October 17th, 2009
The first of our notorious Port and Cheese events – delicious cheese and copious amounts of port (as well as brilliant company) for only £6.
Green Room, Caius College – 8pm on Saturday 24th.
Please send a cheque to Caroline Cummins at Newnham, payable to “Cambridge University Conservative Association”. Book ASAP because places are limited.
(£8 for non-members: but you can sign-up there and then).
Dress code: Black Tie
(See our Bright Blue Freshers’ Guide for James’s guide to formalwear)
Posted in Event news, General by Callum Wood | No Comments »
October 10th, 2009
A termcard can be found in the last few pages of the bright blue freshers’ guide.
Freshers’ [Free] Gin and Tonic Squash
9th October – 8pm – Jason Batman Room (Caius)
Sponsored by Politeia
Annual
[Free] Barbecue
10th October – 2pm – Jesus Green
Tasty burgers and succulent sausages with a drink or two. Sponsored by the Adam Smith Institute
Andrew Rosindell
11th October – 7pm – Bowett Room (Queens’)
Our first speaker of the term is the new Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, and has extensive experience motivating young Conservatives.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Event news, General by Callum Wood | No Comments »
October 9th, 2009
The Bright Blue Freshers Guide can be found by clicking here.
When I e-mailed George Owers, President of Cambridge Universities Labour Club, this summer to ask if he would contribute to our Freshers’ Guide, I explained my purposes in including plugs for rival political societies to him. Student politics suffers from a reputation for cattiness, partisanship, nitpicking and two-way snobbery. One of my aims in editing the “Bright Blue Freshers’ Guide”, was to attempt to break down this stereotype by showing that in reality rival student political groups are more interested in mature debate than tribal mudslinging. It appears that Mr Owers has a rather different agenda.
Another purpose of the Guide was, quite simply, to provide useful information in an entertaining manner. The official freshers’ guide is excellent but rather dry. In direct opposition to Mr Owers’ charges of exclusive ‘elitism’, if he had read the formal wear and money-saving tips he ought to have noticed that the point of these sections was to make traditional, mythological aspects of Cambridge life more accessible to students of all backgrounds.
Cultural attacks are a silly distraction from debate about policy and ideology. Dressing up is fun. Eating and drinking nice things is also fun. So when Mr Owers criticises CUCA for recommending these activities, I wonder whether it’s because he disapproves of students having fun whatsoever, or because he disapproves of their doing things he happens not to enjoy himself.
Students are learners. We do not know very much about the world yet. That’s why I believe “student politics” should be about listening, not shouting – hence CUCA’s many socials. Mr Owers’ unjustified vehemence does great damage to the outside appearance of student politics, and deters more students from getting involved in any political societies, including the Labour club.
It saddens me that CUCA has begun the term with an attempt to break down barriers while the Labour Club President seems determined to re-imagine them as quickly and forcefully as possible. What is worse, I should imagine that Mr Owers’ objections had not even occurred to most of the BBFG’s readership, but that now they will look again for traces of supposed exclusivity, and a bad taste will be left in their mouth. Well, they can wash it out with some free Gin and Tonic at Caius’ Bateman Room at 8pm on Friday the 9th, or very cheaply at our Port and Cheese parties with some yummy tawny.
Posted in General by Hugh Burling | 6 Comments »
October 1st, 2009
Welcome back to CUCA, and a warm welcome to all freshers and new members.
Two very important dates for your diary:
Freshers’ G&T Squash:
Come celebrate the start of term at the only party in Cambridge giving away FREE GIN AND TONIC. This is a great chance to meet CUCA members and learn more about what we do.
8pm Friday 9th October, Jason Bateman Room @ Caius College (map)
RSVP via facebook
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Annual BBQ
If you can get up early enough following the G&T squash, come eat, drink and be merry with CUCA’s annual FREE
barbecue. This is another good opportunity to get to meet CUCA members old and new. If the weather’s good, we might even get out a few lawn games.
2pm Saturday 10th October, Jesus Green (map)
RSVP via Facebook
If you decide to join, please fill in this membership form and send to Fergus McGhee at Trinity along with the relevant fee (You’ll also be able to sign up and pay at CUCA events throughout the term). Alternatively, join online using the “buy now” button to the right.
Posted in General by Callum Wood | No Comments »
June 12th, 2009
Following the Elections and TGM of 12th June, the following members are elected to serve as the Executive and Committee for Michaelmas 2009
Officers
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Chairman
Caroline Cummins, Newnham College
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Vice-Chairman
Gavin Rice, Queens’ College
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Junior Treasurer
Fergus McGhee, Trinity College
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Campaigns Officer
Callum Wood, Queens’ College |
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Secretary
Charles Read, Christ’s College |
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Registrar
John Oxley, Gonville and Caius College |
Committee
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Daniel Benedyk Christ’s College
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Miss Dominique Iste
Homerton
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Alex Kung
Magdalene College
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Alex Cakir St John’s College
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Miss Emma Kirby Sidney Sussex College
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Christopher G Poel Queens’ College
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Hugh Burling [Chairman Easter '09]
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Ben Slingo Peterhouse
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Posted in General, Photographs by Callum Wood | No Comments »
June 10th, 2009

Please click here to see our new facebook page, which you can become a fan of. This is an awkward transition from the traditional CUCA group on facebook, but the specific page offers a much more interactive and useful way of communicating with members.
If I’ve been very clever and got it to work, posts (like this one) should automatically appear as notes of the facebook page, meaning that you can follow almost everything that happens in one place… hopefully.
Callum
(wearing the webmaster hat)
Posted in General by Callum Wood | No Comments »
June 5th, 2009
PLEASE PAY FOR THE GARDEN PARTY IN ADVANCE
I know this is awkward and inconvenient for many, but SJC outlaws on-the-door payment. Please try to get payment to Hugh Burling of St Johns College (hdpb2) ASAP.
Apologies.
Posted in Event news, General by Hugh Burling | No Comments »
May 22nd, 2009
A few deadlines for you all (sorry!)
ABSOLUTE FINAL DEADLINE for the Chairman’s Dinner (click here for details) is the 4th June.
£35 for members, else £40
The deadline for Garden Party bookings will be the 12th June. If you can’t manage to send me a cheque or cash before then (£10 members, £15 else), reply to this e-mail to reserve a place and I can take payment on the day.
All cheques payable to “Cambridge Uni. Conservative Association” and sent to Hugh Burling of St John’s College
CUCA elections for Michaelmas 2009:
Nominations for Committee Members, a Registrar, a Secretary and a Vice Chairman open on the 29th May at 1opm, running until the 5th June at 10pm. The election(s) (if any) will be held on the 12th June.
Completed nomiation forms should be sent along with a photocopy of your Party Membership Card at to Callum Wood atQueens’ College.
Note that you must have attended 3 events this term in order to stand; those running for Secretary/Registar/VC must have been to 2 campaigns sessions. Chapter Five of the Constitution deals with eligibility. Please email the RO for more information.
Nomination forms can be found here.

Posted in General by Callum Wood | No Comments »