Today we host the first of our 90th Anniversary celebrations, a reception in Parliament for old Friends of NUS - including all the presidents from the last 25 years.

NUS for me, has always been about positive change. What we within the student movement, do is try to change things for the better. We campaign to make our members experiences better and to make sure those not lucky enough to be in education can still have that option as a possibility.

Education is force for good and so are we. Across the country I see students’ unions that are working hard to make their union better, to make the lives of students better. There are individuals who have only managed to complete their degree due to their students’ union. There are organisations that we have made better by putting them under pressure. The recent victory against Wonga is but one in a long line, in 2006 HSBC reversed their decision to start charging interest on graduate accounts and famously the boycott or Barclay’s for their activities during apartheid in South Africa.

The future however holds a lot for us to be proud of. The Green Impact scheme is being franchised to other organisations; NUS is leading the way in carbon reduction. The recent general election and those in the nations were met with robust savvy campaigns from students challenging our elected representatives to be better and deliver more. This year as a movement we have invested more than ever before in Students. Invested in inspiring them to be ‘the change’, motivating them to participate in social enterprises, and encouraging them to get accreditation for the skills, experiences and contributions they make during their time in education.

NUS may be 90 years old but many of us are just getting started on our quest to be a force for positive change.