We know we are a big UNION spread across all of our sites and not everyone can put names to faces, so hopefully we can help with this handy ‘Meet your exec’ page so you can get to know us a little better! More profiles to come, so check back soon…
Tamsila Tauqir, Branch Chair and H&S rep for CATE Frenchay
I’m the Chair after having been the Vice-Chair for UWE UNISON for a few years and formerly held elected posts as Health & Safety Officer, Black Members Officer and LGBT+ Officer. I also hold roles as the local President of Bristol Trade Unions Council and regionally on the South West UNISON Women’s Committee as the Higher Education representative. My day job is as UWE materials Science & Engineering Technical Specialist & Educator.
Outside of trade unions I’m Secretary of Bristol Stop the War, involved in community and neighbourhood organising and a volunteer as part of a Forest School. Family, faith and community are very important to me and is where else my time goes.
Christian Scott, Branch Secretary
Before getting active in UNISON, I was Disabled Members representative on the National Union of Students LGBT committee. I’ve been campaigning for LGBT and Disability rights for many years; it started when I was a volunteer helpliner for a Lesbian and Gay switchboard. Since joining the branch as a workplace Steward in 2007, I’ve been an elected member of your branch executive for over 19 years holding the roles of Equality Coordinator, Assistant Branch Secretary to Lorna Patient, and since her retirement I’ve been lucky enough to be elected as Branch Secretary. I worked for the Students’ Union before joining the university in 2008 as a Student Adviser and Disability Coordinator in the Faculty of Creative Arts at Bower Ashton and St Matthias campuses. I’m currently a Business Change Manager working on different strategic projects as part of Transformation & Improvement Services
Rob Prince, Treasurer and Steward for CHSS
I’m a science technician in physiology and pharmacology, and I’ve been the branch treasurer since 2005. I’m also a father, an occasional actor, and I like to program computers for fun—yes, I’m that kind of geek. I’ve always been part of a union because it just makes sense. Work should be fair, safe, and rewarding—but employers naturally aim to cut costs and boost output, so our interests don’t always align. That’s why we need to stand together: to protect our rights, secure a fair deal, and defend what matters. I also have a deal with myself—if I’ve truly done what I can, I don’t beat myself up about what I haven’t.
Owen Chambers, Vice-Chair
I have been part of UWE UNISON’s Branch Executive since 2022. I was first elected LGBT+ Members Officer before also taking on the role of Equalities Co-Ordinator about a year later. Outside of my fighting for equalities issues within the university I also do Steward work and have led picket lines when the union has taken industrial action.
In my day job I work in SPS in Nursing and Midwifery and am often between Frenchay and Glenside. Outside of UWE I am involved in the Pro-Palestine community campaign; Bristol Apartheid Free Zone and am an experimental artist and musician.
Stewards
Geoff Solomon-Sims, CATE Frenchay
I’ve been a modelshop technician at UWE for over ten years, working out of the R Block workshops. Prior to joining UWE I worked as a prop and modelmaker for theatre, tv and film, something I still do occasionally to keep my hand in. I’m also a volunteer faith representative (Christian, non-denominational) on the chaplaincy team. Outside of UWE I design games and hand-sculpt miniature figurines for fantasy games company Oakbound Studio.
Tom (Thomas) Finn, Estates
I’m UWE UNISON’s Estates Steward. I originally got involved as a Steward in LCI back in 2019, before standing as Chair in 2023. My prior experience in local politics includes running the 2021 local election campaign for Labour in Ashley ward and holding a number of positions at branch and constituency level.
Health & Safety Representatives
James Ashwell, CATE Bower Ashton
I’m a senior Technical Instructor in the fabrication department of Bower Ashton Campus (city campus). I work in Metal and the Tech Lab teaching metal fabrication, welding, forging, and electronics, coding, and kinetic artwork. Outside of UWE I’m a historical clay pipe maker with the Heritage Crafts association, and a freelance technologist for artists making interactive artwork.