Lauder Fellow Matty Fisher Honoured with Outstanding Contribution to LUU Award

Lauder Fellow Matty Fisher Honoured with Outstanding Contribution to Leeds University Union Award On May 1st, Lauder Fellow Matty Fisher was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to LUU award at Leeds University Union’s annual Riley Awards. This prestigious award recognises Matty’s enduring impact on student life during his four years at the University of Leeds, where he has served as a dynamic student leader - championing Jewish student advocacy both locally and nationally, and transforming student media at the university. This year, Matty was elected to the Student Union Activities Executive, serving as Media Rep. Under his leadership, the media societies were brought closer together through collaborative events and projects, including the revival of the Media Ball after a three-year hiatus. His efforts fostered a stronger sense of community and inclusivity across all media groups. He also successfully lobbied for a permanent media showcase and represented student voices at a national level, engaging with policymakers such as Alex Sobel MP. As a member of the Activities Executive, Matty played a vital role in grant allocation, helping to secure thousands of pounds in funding for Jewish Society Friday Night Dinners and ensuring Jewish students remained a key part of campus-wide discussions and decision-making. His dedication to Jewish student life has been evident throughout his time at Leeds. Whether serving as Publicity Officer for the Jewish Society, or more recently as a UJS Sabbatical Officer in the wake of October 7th, Matty has been a consistent advocate for Jewish student life, ensuring it doesn’t just continue, but thrive. As Head of Live Broadcasting at Leeds Student Television, Matty used media as a platform for inclusion and education. In addition to leading regular broadcasts, he ensured issues affecting Jewish students were covered, including a sit-down interview with a Rabbi about Rosh Hashanah. He also helped ensure that the annual ‘Winter Holiday Live Show’ covered Chanukkah traditions alongside the usual Christmas content. Throughout his time at University, Matty has been a kind and dependable presence within the student community whose time and energy has been dedicated to making Leeds a more inclusive, vibrant, and representative place for Jewish students and the wider student body alike.