On September 19 the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was held at Westminster Abbey. Due to the National Bank Holiday for this funeral, Monday’s Freshers Fair was cancelled to the dismay of many students.
Traditionally, Freshers events are held between the Monday and Thursday of Freshers Week but this year, the period was shortened to Tuesday to Thursday due to the Queen’s funeral.
University of Manchester Sports typically hosts Monday’s Freshers event in the Manchester Academy, but this year it was re-scheduled for Tuesday. The fair took place in the Armitage Sports Centre, occurring simultaneously with the Freshers Freebie event, located in Academy One.
In a statement posted on the Student News page the University said that “unfortunately, we will have to rearrange or cancel Welcome events due to take place on that day”. It also stated plans to show the state funeral in various places around the University campus.
Teal Woodall, a first year student studying , described the cancellation of the event as “a bit of a joke”, arguing students shouldn’t be “forced to mourn for a person who’s part of an institution .. that has no place in a modern democracy”.
Despite saying that her week “wasn’t ruined”, she argued that it felt like her “life had been put on hold” due to the death of the Queen.
The Government website states that “there is no expectation” for institutions, like The University of Manchester, to observe the state of mourning or national holiday.
Stall holders meant to be at Monday’s Freshers Fair also voiced their frustration at the University’s move to cancel the event. Reuben, a second year Geography student, told The Mancunion “it was slightly displeasing that the fair had to be put on hold [because] it caused some issues in regards to scheduling and logistics”.
