What is Keele SU (Keele University Students' Union)?

Keele SU is the Students' Union for Keele University, based at keelesu.com and operating under the tagline "Putting Students First." It is the body that runs clubs and societies, sport, volunteering, advice and support services, shops and venues, and a year-round programme of events and gigs. It serves Keele University students directly, while some events and venues — such as public events and gigs — are open to everyone.

What Keele SU does

The union's work falls into a few broad areas, each with its own entry point on the site:

• Clubs and societies — a route into joining student groups, meeting people, and picking up new skills.
• Sport — organised through the same get-involved structure as clubs.
• Volunteering — listed alongside societies and sport under "Get Involved."
• Advice and Support (ASK) — a dedicated service covering academic complaints, discipline, employment, family, graduate guidance, housing, international students, legal, money, and wellbeing.
• Student Voice — campaigns, elections, "Have Your Say," student networks, union delegates, voice reps, and elected officers.
• Shops and services — including the Booking Hub, Keele Print House, minibus bookings, an online shop, and student discounts.
• Venues and outlets — food, drink, and social spaces such as The Clubhouse and Dirty Dipz.
• Events and gigs — a mix of public events open to everyone and student-focused programming.

Who it is for

Keele SU is primarily for Keele University students. That covers the advice services, the elected officer structure, societies, sport, and volunteering. Alongside that, the union runs Public Events & Gigs that are explicitly open to everyone, and its venues and outlets serve a wider audience. So if you are not a student, the events and venue side is the relevant part; if you are a student, the full range applies.

Advice and support

The ASK service is the union's advice arm, and its topic list is unusually broad for a students' union. It covers:

If you have a problem in any of these areas, ASK is the starting point rather than trying to resolve it alone.

Student voice and representation

Keele SU runs a representation structure rather than a single feedback box. It includes campaigns, elections, "Have Your Say — Your Ideas," student networks, union delegates, voice reps, and your current elected officers. The officers are described as working across the academic year to make sure your time at the university is the best it can be. If you want something changed, the elections and "Have Your Say" routes are how students feed into that.

Events, venues, and shops

The events calendar is active and specific. Examples from the listing include:

• Black History Month — an annual observance running across October.
• Keele Community Market — a weekly market every Tuesday at Keele SU and the Forest of Lights.
• Postgraduate Coffee Morning — in the Tawney Student Lounge.
• Clubhouse Curry Club — weekly at The Clubhouse, with options and pints.
• The Big Pub Quiz & Karaoke — a recurring social night.
• Live music — including Indie Tunes and tribute-style gigs in the Fanpark.

On the everyday side, The Clubhouse is positioned as a space for food, a relaxed atmosphere, and catching up with friends. Dirty Dipz focuses on student-friendly meal deals — crispy tenders, loaded fries, thick shakes, and dips. Your SU CO-OP covers everyday essentials, quick meals, bakery treats, and hot drinks. Practical services include the Booking Hub, Keele Print House, and minibus bookings.

How to get involved

1. Join a club or society — the "Get Involved" section is the entry point for societies, sport, and volunteering. This is the main way to meet people and build skills outside your course.
2. Use ASK if you need help — check the advice topic list first so you go to the right area.
3. Check the events calendar — events are listed with dates, times, and venues, and public events are marked as open to everyone.
4. Have your say — use campaigns, elections, or "Have Your Say" if you want to influence how the union works.
5. Use the shops and services — the online shop, print house, and booking hub handle the practical side of student life.

Why it matters

Keele SU's own impact figures give a sense of scale: 4,000+, £20,000, and 1,250+ appear as headline numbers on the site. Whatever those figures attach to specifically, the point is that the union is a large, active part of student life rather than a passive office. For a new or prospective student, the practical takeaway is that Keele SU is where you go for friends, skills, representation, advice, food, and things to do — and much of it starts with a single click into the "Get Involved" or events sections.