Sarah Selby

Sarah Leese started at the University of York in October 2004. She already had friends who were involved with Cinematography (now Film Making Soc), and had intended to join their society and produce films. However, by chance as she was walking through the Physics building and was handed a YSTV flyer by Pete Nichols. She attended the Welcome Meeting where the magic began! She took part in the Bodge, attended the Workshop and even starred in Stereotypes (produced by Kate Rushworth and Pete Nichols) the following weekend.

Sarah was invited to join YSTV's key members at that time for dinner and drinks in Heslington after the first day of filming Stereotypes, where she was then invited to a house party hosted by a friend of Anthony Laverty's. From this point on, Sarah wasn't just any Fresher. Very quickly she had stood for an officership, started crewing shows on a weekly basis, and from January 2005 members of YSTV were convincing her to become Station Director. From the very first time someone suggested she stand for SD, Sarah had it in mind to do so. She stood, uncontested, at the AGM in May 2005.

It was also in May 2005 that Sarah met Rick Selby. Probably from going on about YSTV so much, he joined Sarah at the society in October 2005. Like all true SDs, Sarah let YSTV take over her life. She suffered from a chest infection in the Autumn term that was brought on by a bout of Freshers flu and not enough rest because she spent too much time in YSTV. In fact, she spent most of her second year at university in YSTV rather than in the library or at home doing work. YSTV was partly to blame for her poor second year marks! Toffs nightclub was also to blame.

While Station Director, Sarah had the fun of trying to put together the YUM constitution. It a very boring process, which frankly was a complete waste of time considering that YUM did nothing useful for any of the societies involved while Sarah was still a member of YSTV. Hopefully the situation has improved and the current members of YSTV are reaping some sort of benefit from YUM.

In March 2006, Sarah discovered she was pregnant. Fortunately for the baby, Sarah found this out before she attended NaSTA 2006, where she would have drunk a lot if she hadn't known there was a bun in the oven. She quit her degree in the April of that year, and informed her friends of this news at the After AGM Meal in May. It should be noted that Ian Martindale cried at this news, and one half of the table just said 'That's nice' ;-)

On the 16th June 2007, Sarah and Rick married. Due to Sarah's sister finishing her final year at Cambridge, they could not marry until the Cambridge summer term had finished. So that university friends would not have to make a special visit for the event, Sarah and Rick were then left with 2 dates on which to marry before York's summer term ended, 16th and 23rd June. As Woodstock was scheduled for the 23rd, they picked the 16th so that YSTV members would not have to chose between attending their wedding or crewing the outside broadcast.

Even though she was pregnant and even after Charlie Selby had been born, Sarah was still involved with YSTV. In June 2006 she co-created the FLOPPYs with Matthew Tole. In October 2006, she edited the Freshers Events VTs and helped with some aspects of Limited Edition. She also co-produced LipSync with Rick Selby, and in 2007/2008 she co-produced and co-presented Your Answer's Rubbish with Mark Friend.

Sarah finally left YSTV in June 2008. With Charlie getting older, and with so many of her original YSTV friends gone, Sarah started to feel like an Old Fart. Having been no-confidenced from her position as Social Secretary (at her request), Sarah left YSTV having done everything that could possibly be done at YSTV (even kissing Greg Dyke when she met him in May 2005). The last YSTV event she attended was the FLOPPYs 2008, where she received the Lifetime Achievement Award on a VCR.

Sarah has held the following positions in her time at YSTV:

• Advertising Manager November 2004
• Commercial Director November 2004 - May 2005
• Station Director 2005-06
• Production Director May 2006 - February 2007
• Social Secretary May 2007 - May 2008

Sarah has many great YSTV friends, including Jonathan Bufton, who she made a shrine for, and Kev Larkin, who dubbed her with the nickname 'Sleese'. She is a member of YSTV London, running their York branch, and regularly attends their social events in London.