Hiking Club: President

MORE HIKES * MORE SOCIALS = FUN^FUN

Hey everyone, I'm Declan Loo and I am running for President. I’m sure that you've seen me in a handful of weekend and residential hikes as your Walk Leader, such as Seven Sisters, Surrey Three Peaks and the recent Pembrokeshire Residential (where I got best navigator award!), and socials.

I’ve truly enjoyed every hike, social, and residential I’ve attended and led, gaining valuable life and soft skills along the way. This experience has motivated me to give back to the club and to spearhead its future - because HIKING = FUN!

If I am elected as President. I aim to:

• Continue the amazing initiatives done by the current amazing committee and make them better!
• Midweek hikes to explore trails around London
• Joint hikes/socials with other UCL societies and London uni's hiking clubs
• Participate in challenge walks/hikes in both inside and outside London and create our own ones
• Periodic surveys - to gather feedback from club members to improve engagement with members
• Hiking workshops - where we can cover essential hiking skills
• Create a public route database that we have hiked for both weekend and residentials, where we share our experiences and route maps in .gpx for club members to refer to, for improved accessibility

I'm excited to contribute more to the London’s best university hiking club. If you have any questions,  reach out via email at declan.loo.23@ucl.ac.uk or Instagram (@declanloo).

Vote for me as your next President!! :). 

My name is Valentino and I’m putting myself forward for the President role for our Hiking Club!!

So far this year, I have been busy leading hikes, organising socials, announcing events, and even baking on residentials!! I would love to continue the incredible work of our committee by running UCL Hiking Club as President next year!! I hope to bring forward my experience and energy from being Social Secretary, and channel this into making our club an inspiring, welcoming, and quite simply awesome place to be!!

3 Admin Contributions I’ve Made This Year:

• NEW shared UCL Hiking Club Members’ Calendar!!
• NEW Announcement Summary Sheets with quick links!!
• Summer 2025 Europe residential planning and coordinating!!

5 Fun Events I’ve Done So Far:

• Lots of board/card game nights!! Including on residentials!!
• Lots of pub socials!!
• Baking on residentials!!
• 4 incredible Murder Mystery Nights!! (Hiking-themed version in development!!)
• Walk Leaders' Xmas Dinner +  MarioKart/SmashBros night!!

7 Creative Ideas I’ve Got In Mind For Next Year:

• Hiking Bingo!! - Explore, spot, and snap your way to bingo!
• Mid-week exploring London walks!!
• Protein/snack bar brand partnerships for free hiking snacks!!
• Informal dinners and lunches for walk-leaders and alumni!!
• Overnight trips during term!! (idea credit to others, but I want this too)
• Multiple Summer Residentials!! Mountains, forests, lakes, beaches!!
• Members get to pitch their dream residential destinations!!

If any of that sounds awesome, please take 2 minutes to vote!!

Hi All! I’m running to be next year’s President, helping to keep the club running smoothly, making sure we have enough hikes, socials and – most importantly – residentials for the year ahead! Hard-core Hiker? Or just looking to spend a day with nature, outside of London? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure there are always events for you to look forward to!

Missed out on a Residential? Interested in camping but lack the equipment?

I’ll have you covered – the club currently has a stockpile of unused equipment including tents. If elected, I’ll create ‘Mini-Residentials:’ an extended version of our weekend hikes where you can borrow the club’s tents, even during term time!

As the current club Secretary, I’ve launched the First Ever Inter-University Team Hiking Competition (to be held in June annually) which will bring together all the things that I’m passionate about: orienteering, camping and most importantly hiking! As President, I’ll make sure that this event continues to grow and becomes one of the highlights of our Hiking Calendar!

I’m also eager to introduce Themed Hikes, periodically partnering with cultural societies so that we can explore and learn even more of the world on our hikes! Home to a number of great photographers, bird and plane spotting enthusiasts there’s a chance to work with relevant societies as well!

I’ve outlined just a few ideas about how I hope to improve the club, and with your support I hope to share and implement them with the next committee!

WHO I AM

This is Emery, an avid hiker and winter mountaineering enthusiast who enjoys landscape photography. My Mountain Outdoor Instructor certification (Chinese Mountaineering Association) and experience leading commercial hiking groups in China enable me to offer safe and rewarding experiences for participants at all levels.
 

Roadmap for the Year:

• SKILL-BUILDING

To welcome more people from diverse backgrounds into hiking, I will introduce a structured series of workshops, focus on foundational skills such as navigation, gear selection, and outdoor safety—ensuring newcomers quickly gain confidence. Over time, participants may also explore more advanced skills, including winter mountaineering, once they feel ready to take on new challenges.

•   TRIPS DIVERSIFYING

Weekend day hikes (non-residential) will be divided into Leisure, Competitive, and Photography subgroups, while multi-day (residential) trips will add backpacking and camping options, allowing each member to find their suitable pace and interest.

• ENRICHING OUR SOCIALS

In addition to pub socials,  non-alcoholic events will be organized—hotpot nights, gear swaps, and film screenings—creating inclusive spaces for hikers of various backgrounds to connect and share ideas.

• BROADENING  OUTREACH

By extending beyond Instagram to platforms such as Xiaohongshu, we can engage a wider audience and show the magic of hiking.

Please use  your valuable vote to support my candidacy, and let’s elevate the UCL Hiking Club together!