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. Over 200 student clubs and organisations run within Durham Students' Union.^[1]

Sports

General

College Varsity, a sporting competition between college teams from Durham University and the University of York held alternately at York and Durham in the Lent term since 2014.^[2]
Doxbridge Tournament, an unofficial sporting competition held annually since 1999 at the start of the Easter holiday between college teams from Durham University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and (since 2011) the University of York.^[3]^[4]
Durham University Athletic Union, a student-run organisation responsible for sport at Durham University. In 2006, the Athletic Union was rebranded "Team Durham" to signify a more modern approach to sport at Durham. In contrast to most British universities, it is a separate organisation with the status of a students' union, rather than a part of Durham Students' Union, the primary student representative body at Durham University.
There are many college sports teams which allow for participation in sport at a less intense level than the university sports teams. There are leagues or tournaments between colleges in most major sports, with many colleges having multiple teams covering a wide range of ability levels. This is a contributing factor to the high participation in sport at the university.

Clubs

Association football:
- DUAFC
Rugby union:
- Durham University Rugby Football Club, previous members have included England captains Phil de Glanville and Will Carling.
Quidditch:
- Durhamstrang^[5]

Rowing

Durham University Boat Club
Boat Race of the North
Durham Regatta
Novice Cup^[6] This was known as the Hatfield cup until 2003 when Durham College Rowing took over the organising of the event.^[7]
Senate Cup^[8]
Pennant Series^[9]
Admirals Regatta^[10]

College boat clubs

Blade	Club
	Collingwood College Boat Club
	Grey College Boat Club
	Hatfield College Boat Club
	Hild Bede Boat Club
	Josephine Butler College Boat Club
	St Aidan's College Boat Club
	St Chad's College Boat Club
	St Cuthbert's Society Boat Club
	St John's College Boat Club
	St Mary's College Boat Club
	Trevelyan College Boat Club
	University College Boat Club
	Ustinov Boat Club
	Van Mildert Boat Club
	George Stephenson College Boat Club
	John Snow College Boat Club

Student unions

Durham has a central students' union as well as junior common rooms (or equivalent) in each college.

Durham Students' Union, the Durham-wide federal union

Durham Union Society

The Durham Union Society (DUS), commonly referred to as the Durham Union, is a debating society, founded in 1842, by the students of the University of Durham, which then comprised only Hatfield Hall and University College. Commonly referred to as the Union, or the DUS, it is the University's largest society, with over 3,000 members in residence, and 24,000 worldwide. Until 1899, when the Durham Students' Union's ancestor was founded, the society acted as the University's students' union.

Academic societies

Arthur Holmes Geological Society
Durham Astronomical Society
Durham Spaceflight
Durham University Accounting and Finance Society
Durham University Anthropology Society
Durham University Archaeology Society
Durham University Biological Society
Durham University Business Society
Durham University Business Psychology Society
Durham University Chemistry Society
Durham University Classics Society
Durham University Combined Honours Social Society
Durham University Computing Society
Durham University Economics Society
Durham University Education Society
Durham University Engineering Society
Durham University English Literature Society
Durham University Finance Society
Durham University French Society
Durham University Geographical Society
Durham University German Language and Cultures Society
Durham University History Society
Durham University Law Society
Durham University Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) Society
Durham University Marketing Society
Durham University Mathematical Society
Durham University Medical Society
Durham University Natural Science Society
Durham University Women in STEM
Durham University Philosophy Society
Durham University Psychology Society
Durham University Palaeontological Society
Durham Physics Society
Durham University Politics and International Relations Society
Durham ELSA
Durham University Society of Applied Social Science
Durham University Sustainable Finance Society
Durham University Theology Society
Durham University Chemical Society^[11]
Geology for Global Development (Durham Group)

Drama societies

Durham Student Theatre

Durham Student Theatre (DST, formerly Durham University Student Theatre, DUST) is a student-run organisation responsible for theatre at Durham University, with performances put on every week of term at the Assembly Rooms Theatre.^[12]

DST acts as an umbrella organisation for the many theatre companies based at the university, such as Durham University Light Opera Group (DULOG).^[13] 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.^[13]

Durham Revue

The Durham Revue is an established sketch comedy group. In 1974, four students founded 'DUST' (Durham University Sensible Thespians), which initially produced comedy revue shows exclusively for Durham student audiences.^[14] However, in 1977, under the presidency of Arthur Bostrom, DUST took their first show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.^[14] This inaugural Fringe show included John Inge (Bishop of Worcester) and Jennie Campbell (former BBC comedy producer).^[14] The group changed its name to the 'Durham Revue' in 1988.^[14]

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.^[15] The Durham Revue also travels yearly to Cambridge, Oxford, and the Edinburgh Fringe where they perform for the full run of the festival.^[15]

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.^[16]

Music Durham

Music Durham (formerly Durham University Music Society, DUMS) is a student-run organisation responsible for the majority of student music activities at Durham University. Performances take place in university venues such as the Great Hall of Durham Castle, the Mark Hillery Arts Centre in Collingwood College and the Margot Fonteyn ballroom in Durham Students' Union, as well as external venues such as Durham Cathedral, Durham Town Hall, the Gala Theatre and Sage Gateshead.

Music Durham is an umbrella organisation for the many ensembles based at the university. It currently consists of 28 university ensembles, including the Orchestral Society (DUOS), Palatinate Orchestra (DUPO), Choral Society, Big Band, Chamber Choir, concert band, brass band and gamelan.^[17] There are also many college music groups, including chapel choirs, chamber ensembles and function bands which perform at college events.

Miscellaneous societies

Purple Radio, the student radio station
Palatinate, Durham's independent student-run fortnightly newspaper, has been continually published since 1948
Mostly Harmless, student satirical publication
The Grove, student literary publication
Durham Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, the university's most prominent student Christian organisation, founded in 1931
Durham University Conservative and Unionist Association (DUCUA), the university's Conservative society

Leisure activities

Formal Hall, a formal dinner in a college

Notes

References

^ "Societies at Durham University". Durham University. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ Sears, Maddy (30 January 2014). "York College Varsity Announced". Palatinate. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
^ "Doxbridge". Sports Party. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
^ "Cambridge Companion To: Doxbridge". The Tab. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
^ Hannah Graham (11 April 2016). "Meet Durhamstrang – the university quidditch team hoping to become European champs". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
^ Durham College Rowing. "Novice Cup Regatta". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
^ HEADS OF HOUSE COMMITTEE. "Minutes AoB (d)(i)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
^ Durham College Rowing. "Senate Cup". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
^ Durham College Rowing. "Pennant Series". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
^ Durham College Rowing. "Admirals Regatta". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
^ "Durham University Chemical Society". Retrieved 13 February 2016.
^ "What's On : Theatre Performance". Durham University. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Durham Student Theatre". Our Theatre Companies. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Spotlight on the Durham Revue". Durham First (34): 25. 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
^ ^a ^b "The Durham Revue". Durham Student Theatre. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
^ Percival, Becky (18 February 2018). "In conversation with: The Durham Revue (Part One)". The Bubble. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
^ "Music Durham Ensembles". Retrieved 4 July 2021.

External links

[1] "Societies at Durham University". Durham University. Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[2] Sears, Maddy (30 January 2014). "York College Varsity Announced". Palatinate. Retrieved 7 October 2015.

[Doxbridge-3] "Doxbridge". Sports Party. Retrieved 7 October 2015.

[4] "Cambridge Companion To: Doxbridge". The Tab. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2015.

[5] Hannah Graham (11 April 2016). "Meet Durhamstrang – the university quidditch team hoping to become European champs". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

[6] Durham College Rowing. "Novice Cup Regatta". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.

[7] HEADS OF HOUSE COMMITTEE. "Minutes AoB (d)(i)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2009.

[8] Durham College Rowing. "Senate Cup". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.

[9] Durham College Rowing. "Pennant Series". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.

[10] Durham College Rowing. "Admirals Regatta". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.

[11] "Durham University Chemical Society". Retrieved 13 February 2016.

[12] "What's On : Theatre Performance". Durham University. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

[theatre-13] "Durham Student Theatre". Our Theatre Companies. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

[dfirst-14] "Spotlight on the Durham Revue". Durham First (34): 25. 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

[dst-15] "The Durham Revue". Durham Student Theatre. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

[16] Percival, Becky (18 February 2018). "In conversation with: The Durham Revue (Part One)". The Bubble. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

[17] "Music Durham Ensembles". Retrieved 4 July 2021.

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