The University of Leeds’s Student Union has become the first in Britain to achieve a gold standard by the Student Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI).

The SUEI, an organisation that helps to improve the activities and services student unions have to offer, launched the awards this year and were not expecting to hand out any gold awards.

The Leeds University Union not only achieved a gold standard, but also scored “A” grades in all categories including services and impact.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Arthur, said: “We are incredibly proud of our students and their union and it is fantastic that the achievements of LUU have been recognised nationally with this award.”

The award was handed out in the House of Commons by David Lammy MP, the Minister of State for Higher Education, on Wednesday.