Andrew Bevans, next year’s President of the Sheffield Hallam University Harry Potter and Quidditch Society, talks about his zany club and what he hopes to achieve in the coming year.
"I see no reason why we can’t carry on.”
More and more universities across the country have started up Harry Potter societies. Some of the members dress up as Harry Potter characters, and in fact Andrew said one of the things he wants to do as President is to bulk buy robes for current and future members.
The society has only been running for three months, but it already has about 40 members, and Andrew thinks the society has the legs to endure for the long term. “We managed to get a committee for next year, so that says that there are people willing to run it. I see no reason why we can’t carry on.”
Next year, in addition to free robes for all, he wants to increase membership and hold more socials. So far there has been a welcome feast, tea reading, and quiz nights about the Harry Potter world. “I hope next year to organise more socials outside of the HUBS (the Hallam student union building), like theme nights in pubs.”
He is aware of the naysayers who think it’s too niche or too trivial to be a sanctioned university society, but he disagrees completely. “There’s 37,000 students at Hallam, lots of them who like Harry Potter, why not?”
Despite this, he does admit that there are challenges in getting new members. “I’m more worried about getting current members getting to know each other so they keep coming.”
To do this he wants to focus on icebreakers for members, so that they can get to know each other better and more people feel comfortable coming along. “I’d also like to collaborate with other Harry Potter societies at other universities and other societies at Hallam.”