The university includes eight national research centres: The National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit from where all UK national pollen forecasts originate, and testing of new hay fever and anti-allergen devices is conducted. The Centre for Rural Research, which examined the psychological effects of the mass flooding in the UK in recent years. The International Centre for Children's Literature, Literacy and Creativity is, with University of Cambridge and Roehampton University, one of the three UK university centres to employ full-time children's literature professors. The Motion Performance Centre which looks at sports injuries, and rehabilitation techniques using motion capture technology. The Human Performance Laboratories work alongside to provide data on exercise and how it affects the body. The Centre for People @ Work The Centre for Applied Health Research The Association for Dementia Studies was launched at the university in February 2010. Student life Worcester Students' Union is the representative body for students studying at the University of Worcester, and a member of the National Union of Students. It is based in a building on the St Johns Campus. It provides a number of services and facilities. The union is led by a team of elected officers the president, a vice-president (education), a vice-president (student activities), and 7 non-sabbatical officers with varying portfolio responsibilities. The official Students' Union newspaper for the university is called The Voice. Sports activities The university is home to the Worcester Wolves basketball team, the league winning Worcester Allstars Football team and the Worcester Royals, an American Football team. The university has England Blind Footballers as some of its students. The university also have a multi-year partnership with local Premier 15s side Worcester Warriors Women who have been renamed 'University of Worcester Warriors' as part of the deal. Notable alumni Waqar Azmi OBE, diplomat and former chief adviser to the prime minister, Cabinet Office Pat Brown, cricketer Alan Dickens, rugby player Fawzia Gilani-Williams, author and scholar Judith Hamer, paralympian Matthew Hudson-Smith, olympic athlete Daryl Mitchell, cricketer Kyle Pryor, actor Matthew Raggett, educationalist Y. S. Avinash Reddy, Indian MP Swaroop Sampat, actress and Femina Miss India 1979 John Shimmin, politician Jacqui Smith, politician Rosie Spaughton, YouTuber Rob Taylor, footballer Imogen Thomas, model Adam Willis, footballer Fatbardhe Hetemaj, politician and author See also Armorial of UK universities College of Education List of universities in the UK References External links Worcester Students' Union University of Worcester 1946 establishments in England