Epigram issue 367

Future careers: is a degree in arts and humanities a waste?

CAZ Catastrophe?

to declare a climate emergency.

When Epigram asked if the CAZ is ambitious enough to tackle Bristol’s breaches of the annual objective for NO2, Denyer pointed out that the multiple delays and false starts (it was originally meant to start at the 'lateest' in April 2021) to the proposed scheme have had real-life consequences.

CD: ‘The main problem with Bristol’s CAZ is the enormous delay in its implementation.’

be implemented given the delays experienced and alterations made to the scheme.

‘As in many other cities, the Clean Air Zone being introduced in Bristol is required to address Nitrogen Dioxide targets set by the government. But there are problems with this. There is no safe level of NO2. The CAZ aims to get NO2 pollution down to legal levels, which is not the same as safe levels.’

'For example, blue badge holders are only exempt from the Clean Air Zone charges for the rst few months.

'While some disabled people can use public transport - more could if accessibility was improved - others will always need to use a specially adapted car, so it is unfair to charge them for this.’

Bristol Men's first XV win 'Battle of the Bridge'

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) - which opened on Monday the 28th of November - will introduce daily charges for older, more polluting vehicles driven in the city centre and harbourside area. It is being introduced to improve air quality in Bristol - speci cally to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels - after it was found that Bristol was in breach of the annual objective limit for NO2, set at 40µg/m3.

Epigram reached out to Carla Denyer, who was elected as the co-leader for the Green party in 2021, to hear her thoughts on the Clean Air Zone. She has been a Bristol city councillor since 2015 for Clifton Down and is credited with putting forward the motion that made Bristol the rst city in the UK

‘Nobody would accept six years of failure to act if polluted tap water was leading to hundreds of deaths per year.

'It has terrible, real-life consequences. Estimates are that 300 lives are lost every year in Bristol due to the toxic air quality.'

Whilst Carla spoke in support of a Clean Air Zone, she suggested it is not comprehensive enough to tackle the high air pollution levels. What is needed is ‘A major upgrade of Bristol’s transport’.

This would theoretically help the reduction of pollution levels.

CD: ‘The Labour Mayor has claimed clean air will be at legal levels by 2023.

'Despite this target not changing, it does seem unlikely that this can

‘To bring down the deaths and disease caused by air pollution we need to tackle both NO2 and particulates.

'This is why the Green Party have previously called for a stronger and more comprehensive CAZ in Bristol, one that goes beyond a short term x to improve health and quality of life for the whole city.’

Disability campaigners united outside City Hall on the 18th of October to highlight how current plans for Bristol’s clean air zone will detrimentally impact disabled communities

CD: ‘BCC is not ensuring that the Clean Air Zone is inclusive enough.

Carla Denyer was also keen to elaborate on what the Green Party is doing nationally.

are

CD: ‘The Green Party is calling for local councils and the national government to go much further to protect our health. The Greens have tabled the 'Clean Air Bill', known as Ella’s Law, which if passed 'could protect thousands of unnecessary early deaths from air pollution every year.’

‘Ella’s Law would force the Government to act to bring air quality in every community up to minimum World Health Organization (WHO) standards of human right, meaning people no longer have to breathe air that seriously damages their health.’

'Estimates

that 300 lives are lost every year in Bristol due to toxic air quality'

Epigram speaks to Carla Denyer, CoLeader of the Green Party, about Bristol's new 'Clean Air Zone' and the consequences of its delay.

Rosie Neville Economics and Politics, Third Year

Credit: Epigram

Students come together to celebrate Hanukkah

• Communal celebration of Hanukkah at the Global Lounge starts the festive season in style

and the beginning of December, with celebrations held for eight days. This year’s Hanukkah will be observed between 18th December and 26th December.

Milan Perera News Reporter

University of Bristol Jewish Society (JSoc) joined forces with the Student Inclusion Team, Multi-Faith Chaplaincy and Global Lounge to host a spectacular celebration of Hanukkah that included a brief history lesson, trivia, games, sing-song and a mouth-watering spread of festive favourites.

Hanukkah changes dates every year, since the holiday follows the Jewish lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. It normally falls between the end of November

The festival's origins go back to the second century BCE, when a group of Jewish warriors called the Maccabees defeated the mighty Seleucid armies as detailed in the Apocrypha. It also comemmorates the Miracle of Hanukkah, where a quantity of oil that was supposed to last for one day lasted eight days, thus inspiring the holiday's duration.

One of the most visible symbols of Hanukkah is the adapted nine branched menorah known as a hanukkiah, consisting of eight peripheral candle holders - one for each night, plus the shammash or helper candle. Yoseph Citron, the Jewish Chaplain at the University explained the significance of the hanukkiah with an on-the-spot demonstration.

Shiri Kleinberg, the President of JSoc, gave the welcome address for the evening’s proceedings through a

brisk history lesson on the significance of Hanukkah in the Jewish year. Her address was followed by a quick masterclass on a traditional Jewish song, which went down a treat with attendees of diverse religious persuasions.

The communal celebration of Hanukkah was fuelled by an array of festive favourites, such as bagels, wraps, various salads, jam doughnuts and potato latkes. The latter has a symbolic importance due to its oily texture, which references the Miracle of Hanukkah.

The evening also included trivia and the popular Hanukkah pastime of dreidel. A dreidel is a spinning top, with four sides, each marked with a different Hebrew character (nun, gimmel, hey and shin). The game comes from a legend that, during the time of the Maccabees, when it was prohibited for Jewish children to study the Torah, they would do it anyway and pretend to be playing with the spinning-tops if they got caught. The letters on the dreidel are

the first letters in a Hebrew phrase that means 'A Great Miracle Happened There'.

Shiri Kleinberg stated that: 'The Hanukkah event at the Global Lounge on the 5th of December was a really great way for Jewish students to share with others how we celebrate the festival. It was so lovely to see how many people were eager to come along and learn about it and partake in the traditions with us.'

'Hanukkah isn’t until the 18th of December this year, so when it comes around, more people will

now understand what the festival means to us and how we celebrate it. The atmosphere in the room was really joyous and enthusiastic, and I’m so pleased that we were able to allow that to happen.'

'On Hanukkah we commemorate reclaiming our temple in the 2nd BCE after it was taken from us, and we were forced to abandon our faith in god and practice religion by our oppressors. A small group of Jews formed an army and were victorious over a much larger and stronger army.'

LGBTQ+ Society holds Transgender Remembrance Day Vigil

• A commemorative event was organised at the Royal Fort Gardens to honour transgender people who lost their lives over the past year.

Milan Perera News Reporter

The University of Bristol LGBTQ+ Society organised a commemorative event at the Royal Fort Gardens to honour transgender people who lost their lives over the past year.

Trans Awareness Week, which began last week and ended with Transgender Remembrance Day on November 20th, is a moment to celebrate trans and non-binary individuals, while raising awareness of transphobia prevalent in wider society.

The poignancy of the vigil was

further heightened by the recent mass shooting at Club Q, a LGBTQ+ venue in Colorado Springs, which killed five people and left 17 others injured on 19th November.

According to Pink News, at least 375 trans, non-binary or gender non-conforming people were killed around the world last year alone. The actual figures would be much higher than the reported cases, as many assaults against trans and non-binary citizens go unnoticed and unreported.

Participants gathered at the Royal Fort Gardens with floral tributes and candles. The piercingly cold evening was illuminated by the flickering light of the myriad of candles that were placed on the Transgender Pride Flag with blue, pink and white stripes. Alongside the flag were a group of banners that read 'Trans Rights Now.'

Silent reflection was coupled with the reading out of the names of the trans and non-binary members who passed on or were assaulted in transphobic attacks and acts of bigotry.

Trans Remembrance Day is a sobering reminder of much society

needs to change its perceptions of transgender and non-binary people. It is not just physical assaults, but also the dissemination of misconceptions in the media, which play a significant role in the proliferation of renewed attacks on trans and non-binary people.

Speaking to Epigram, LGBTQ+ Society pointed out that:

'Trans Day of Remembrance remains important to the trans community as it is a day that brings us together. we remember those we have lost to transphobia; we mourn them as a community, we share in our grief, but we also come away from community events with a renewed energy to fight for those still living.

'It is much a day of grief and sadness as it is also a day of hope and looking to the future, to a future that we are all working to create. we cannot fight alone and trans day of remembrance reminds us we are not alone, despite how it feels at times.'

Charlie Gadd from Socialist Worker Student Society who was also present at the vigil pointed out that: 'Trans Day of Remembrance is a

day to remember all those who have been killed as a result of transphobia that's prevalent in the society. It's also a reminder of the devastating consequences of the attacks on trans rights. The government is attempting to remove legal protection for trans people from the Equality Act and have already scrapped plans to reform the GRA.'

'More often than not trans and non-binary people are being used as scapegoats in the 'War on Woke'. We must remember the dead and fight for the living.'

Transgender and non-binary individuals and allies took to Bristol city centre on the 26th of November, in solidarity with Trans Pride South West's week of activities to celebrate the diversity of transgender, non-binary, intersex & gender non-conforming communities.

The protest march began at the College Green and made its way to the Station on Silver Street. Some of those who attended the rally believe that its strength was a promising sign of the increased awareness and camaraderie between trans and non-binary community with its allies.

Persian Society protests the killings of young Iranians

• Students protested the killing of young Iranians speaking out against repressive laws in the country

• Persian Society were joined by other University groups outside of the Victoria Rooms to raise awareness of Iranians' plight

Nadia Ferraris News Reporter

Protests in Iran were triggered by the death of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, at the hands at the ‘Morality Police’ for incorrectly wearing a Hijab. It has since then escalated into protests that have engulfed the entire

country; illustrating general dissatisfaction with the theocratic regime’s unfair compulsions and repression.

Currently, the Iranian government has temporarily suspended the morality police, however, it has not retracted compulsory hijab-wearing. The protests have continued and on the 7th of December, protests extended worldwide with many universities in the US and the UK participating.

At the University of Bristol, Persian Society was joined by other students in front of the Victoria Rooms while raising awareness.

Speaking exclusively to Epigram, one of the protesters said:

'We are here today because it's National Students day in Iran and we are bringing attention to students detained, killed, and tortured in the past few months over just wanting to have the freedom of choice'

Around 600 students fighting for

their freedom have been jailed in the last three months, it is estimated. The families of the imprisoned students have claimed that their sons and daughters are being subjected to physical abuse, such as being beaten with cables, and psychological trauma.

The Iranian government is trying to clamp down on demonstrations, with the president, Ebrahim Raisi, giving speeches to small groups of pre-selected students and pinning the protests on false 'Israeli conspiracies'.

It is important that the government does not succeed in covering up their misdemeanour and the stories of students fighting for their rights must not go untold.

'We are here to hold up their pictures and give them a voice', said one of the protestors outside the Victoria Rooms.

By holding up their pictures, their

faces cannot be ignored and passers can't avoid taking in the image. This powerful protest has been replicated around the world and outside Iranian universities.

This is the story of students who

are fighting for liberty and the ability to live life on their own terms. Let us not forget them and show our support by listening to their stories.

Ferris

Epigram/Nadia

Zamaneh Media/Modares University

Sanderson Lily Farrant Tamara Letts

‘I'm dreaming of a green Christmas'

Za Byng Second Year Law

As the festivities roll in, it is your time to consider making more sustainable choices. Christmas is a fun and laughter-filled time, but as the climate crisis becomes more urgent, it’s a great time of year to make the celebrations more environmentally-friendly.

Recent reports indicated that 227,000 miles of wrapping paper are wasted every year. Switching

out single use paper for newspaper or reusable patterned fabrics is a cheap and easy choice to make Christmas greener. Recycled paper is another easy swap, and avoid buying non-recyclable wrapping paper with foil and glitter. To ensure your

paper can be recycled, make sure all tape and stickers are removed before doing so.

Look out for FSC-certified (Forest

Stewardship Council certified) gift cards and wrapping paper. Saving ribbon from previous gifts is an easy way to recycle, or string is also an excellent replacement that can be used over and over again.

When it comes to buying gifts, it can seem easier to take the shortcut and make your last minute orders on Amazon. But why not have a look at some of the excellent charity shops and independent shops around Bristol, from Gloucester Road to Cotham Hill? Some of Epigram’s favourites include PRIOR, the non-profit eco lifestyle store, located near Cabot Circus, that showcases independent designers committed to conscious shopping. Or for a gift that gives back to the planet, drop by Mila Plants.

Shopping sustainably does not have to be a costly option. With a wide variety of clothes, homeware and trinkets, charity shops are the best place to secure a gift and hit that £5 secret Santa budget.

Christmas would not be the same without a festive feast. As food production is currently the biggest cause of tropical deforestation, avoiding food waste is an easy

and essential step. As studies have revealed that the UK wastes 5 million Christmas puddings, 2 million turkeys, and 74 million mince pies each year, it is worth planning ahead to estimate how much food will be eaten: BBC Good Food provides a handy at-a-glance portion planner to help you calculate your Christmas dinner quantities.

If you find yourself with more ingredients to hand than necessary, consider donating any non-perishables to your local food bank. You could also get creative with leftovers, for example throwing together a home comfort like a leftover pie, stew or Boxing Day bubble-and-squeak (and swap that cling film for reusable Tupperware or wax covers!).

Potatoes, sprouts, carrots, leeks and parsnips are all in season during winter, and opting for seasonal food options helps support British farms that support diverse wildlife and healthy, living soils.

Meanwhile, each UK Christmas dinner creates the equivalent of 20

kg of carbon dioxide emissions, 60 per cent of which is related to the life cycle of the turkey. A 2018 study revealed that the production of a plant-based Christmas dinner results in half the greenhouse gas emissions than a turkey one. So why not swap to a nut roast this Christmas?

Finally, would Christmas be complete without a tree? There is nothing like a wholesome afternoon picking the perfect tree and decorating it with your family or friends, but should you be purchasing a plastic or a real tree? When buying a plastic tree, studies indicate that using it for 12 years pays off the environmental cost of using plastic to make it.

If you’re looking to buy a real tree this December, look for a sustainable forest – the FSC certification is a good indicator. Sending a Christmas tree to landfill produces approximately 16kg of carbon dioxide, while disposing of it with a woodchipper or burning it on a bonfire only produces 3.5kg.

There are so many more sustainable alternatives, which require little effort but can have a huge impact on the urgent climate crisis; this Christmas, dream Green.

‘On the first day of Christmas my true love said to me, temperatures have risen by 1.5 degrees’

Lauren

Aidan Szabo-Hall Marine Saint Daniel Hutton

Investigations Editor Columnist Subeditor

‘Sending a Christmas tree to landfill produces approximately 16kg of carbon dioxide'

Epigram

/

Lauren Sanderson

‘[O]pting for seasonal food options helps support British farms that support diverse wildlife and healthy, living soils.’

Flickr / Angel Ganev

'As food production is currently the biggest cause of tropical deforestation, avoiding food waste is an easy and essential step'

Nel Roden

Broadening your horizons at university

area in North Wales, I encountered a more diverse range of political views in my first term at Bristol than I ever had done before. As a state-educated, first-generation student, coming to Bristol and discovering the range of educational backgrounds was, to say the least, startling.

Starting university propels you into meeting a countless number of new people from a multitude of backgrounds, and with this comes encounters with a variety of different—and oftentimes alien— worldviews. In the UK’s current social and political climate, contentious discourse among peers is inevitable, making university a pivotal moment where your worldviews may be challenged.

Despite being generally aware of these different views it was nonetheless a shock to experience them firsthand—something which still occasionally catches me off guard, even after a year of attending Bristol.

'I just accepted that his views were massively influenced from a position of priveledge that I wouldn't ever be able to understand'

Our experiences are what shape us as people, giving us the ability to relate, empathise and adapt to situations. So entering a new world at university where you feel as though people are not able to identify with your experiences can be difficult. This may feel particularly pertinent for widening participation students—who often experience varying degrees of challenges when applying to and attending university.

It seems that my experience is far from unique. Speaking to Epigram, a third-year student recalled their first encounter with a student with a vastly different educational background: ‘I remember during one of my first meetings with one of my flatmates in freshers’ week, he asked me what my parents' jobs were and told me that both of his parents work in investment banking.’

'[I]n the latest academic intake, 24.5 per cent of the student body consisted of privately educated pupils'

‘The whole thing struck me as really weird because my parents are both teachers, so they just have normal jobs—when I’m back home that’s just not the sort of thing you’d usually ask someone or care about.

from a position of privilege that I wouldn’t ever be able to understand'.

Having come from a small, rural

‘We ended up clashing a lot about politics, and it caused a lot of arguments in the flat. In the end, partly to keep the peace, I just accepted that his views were massively influenced

It is often projected in the media that students tend to lean to the left politically. When discussed by right-wing commentators, this is often attributed to the idea that universities liberalise their students, suggesting institutions are largely producing a left-leaning cohort. Katie Hopkins has previously put forth the notion that it is not students’ intelligence that is linked to liberalism, but ‘Is simply the result of having their heads shoved in a liberal echo-chamber listening to the sound of left-wing propaganda.

However, an extensive study researching the connection between higher education and liberal values,

left-wing/liberal views in earlier stages of their lives ‘Disproportionately enrol in universities’, dispelling the myth that higher education establishments are responsible for liberal indoctrination and encapsulating what the Guardian has described as ‘a degree of chicken and egg.’

However, the University of Bristol reported to Epigram that, in the latest academic intake, 24.5 per cent of the student body consisted of privately educated pupils—whereas private school pupils make up just seven per cent of the UK’s secondary school students.

the influence of fee-paying

on social attitudes and concluded that ‘private schools […] tend to produce Conservative partisans.’ Conflict between the two poles of political opinion is likely to be experienced by students at university and for students with minimal previous exposure to right-leaning perspectives, encountering these views for the first time may be challenging.

'Ranked the fourth most expensive student city in the UK, Bristol University has a disproportionate intake of fee-paying students'

Researching the links between higher education and social class, The Institute for Employment Studies found that institutions are chosen by lower social class students mainly for reasons relating to cost. Given that Bristol has recently been ranked the fourth most expensive student city in the UK, perhaps one contributing explanation for the University’s disproportionate intake of fee-paying students is a prohibitive cost of living for lower-income students.

It is uncontroversial to suggest that obtaining a fee-paying education over a state education has an influence on your worldview, much of which centres around politics.

Reflecting on those initial experiences in their first year, a student spoke of the positive outcomes: ‘Although I found it really frustrating and quite isolating at the time, I think I learnt a lot from living with someone so different to me. Those arguments definitely taught me to pick my battles and navigate debates without conflict in a way I’d never needed to before'.

Though it can be a shock to encounter people with experiences unlike your own, it is a crucial part of your assimilation into and navigation of the wider world. Beyond university, in different workplaces and career paths, we will continue to be exposed to people from all walks of life. While it can feel like you are coming from different starting points, listening to the people around you will give you access to an understanding of the world in a broader sense.

Understanding differing beliefs is a difficult but necessary part of expanding our world view while at university.

Epigram

/ Nicole Zhang

NatCen's study explored

education

' Those arguments definitely taught me to [...] navigate debates without conflict in a way I'd never needed to before'

Second Year English

Bristol Old Vic Theatre

Instagram: epigramarts_

The best book shops in Bristol

Rachel Bronnert discusses which of Bristol's book shops are best for Christmas presents this December.

Rachel Bronnert Second Year English

Bristol is a bustling city and full to the brim with great shops which cater to all sorts of different quirks and needs. Although arguably, something Bristol does particularly well is book shops. Whether that’s a chain or independent store, fiction, or non-fiction, second hand

or new, there’s something for everyone. As it is advent season, this article will round up and recommend some of Bristol’s best book shops which could be perfect to browse in for some Christmas gifts to treat yourself or your loved ones before heading home for the holidays.

All over the city there are plenty of amazing charity shops which sell second hand pre-loved books. If you have a lot of people to buy for or you’re on the verge of entering your overdraft, these places help to keep things budget friendly. The first place to consider is slightly out of city centre and cosied away to the left of Victoria Square. On Clifton Road, Clifton Community bookshop has a great range of cheap books and a small in-

timate feel to it. It is within two minutes walking distance of the Student’s Union and near to Clifton Village, so if you’re in the area it’s definitely worth a stop. It’s open from 1-5pm (not on Mondays) and its entirely run by volunteers who want to provide a space for their community.

'a chain or independent store, fiction or non-fiction, second hand or new, there's something for everyone'

Following along on this theme of pre-loved books, the Oxfam shops in Clifton, Cotham and on Queen’s Road all have a range of second-hand items for reasonable prices as well. So, if you’re shopping on a budget before Christmas, these are all great options too. Along White ladies’ road there is British heart foundation books and music, another great option to support. Whilst in Bishopston there is the Amnesty Bookshop who support Amnesty International, who also sell CDs, DVDs and vinyl. There are many more great charity shops not listed here, these are just a few places to start if the range of options feels slightly overwhelming!

It would truly be a crime not to give The Last Bookshop a shout out. Situated about halfway down Park Street and open daily from nine-thirty till six-thirty, brand new books

here are only four pounds each. They sell a range of interesting stock that differs from the usual selection in your bog-standard Waterstones. If the person you’re buying for is interested in classic literature they have a big range here, as well as a reasonable non-fiction section and some different fiction pieces too. There is also a selection of vintage posters if you’re looking for room decorations alongside some new reading material.

Moving on to chain bookshops there are a couple of Waterstones located around Bristol depending on where you are based.

'Bristol is a bustling city full to the brim with great shops which cater to all sorts of different quirks and needs'

In Clifton village there is a smaller store on Regent Street, whilst in The Galleries there is a bigger one with a

café, multiple floors and more range of genres. So if you have some specific or more niche books in mind, this is one of the biggest bookshops in the area and potentially your best bet. Although, Foyles is another good option in Cabot Circus.

This is by no means an expansive list, but hopefully it has given you some inspiration to check out some new places no matter where you are living or what budget you have.

Art spotlight: 'Work Boots'

Yazmin Sadik spotlights her poem 'Work Boots' and explains its inspiration.

Yazmin Sadik Second Year English

Ioften draw upon other poems or art pieces when writing and Paula Rego’s painting ‘The Policeman’s Daughter’ has always resonated with

me.

The image of a girl cleaning her father’s boot is inherently domestic, yet the threatening dominance of her action in the painting is what Rego chose to foreground. I wanted to translate this solitary female figure to communicate my own conflicts with sexual difference through my poem.

Like Paula Rego

I thrust a foot deep

In black work boots, both hands Gripping rubber sides.

I bite my tongue hard to taste what it’s like

To only bleed from self-infliction.

Notice: hair-filled legs set wide, Manspread.

And in imitating the imitator, In choosing to lose hair from my head, In these fruitless black boots of hard frictionI uproot it all.

Rianna Houghton Melissa Braine Phoebe Caine Milan Perera Ella Fraser

Rachel Bronnert / Epigram

Future careers: Is a degree in Arts and Humanities a waste?

data to restauranteurs to get them excited about what data could do for their restaurants.'

Milan Perera Arts Critic Columnist

In an instalment of Desert Island Discs, the comedian and writer David Baddiel spoke of the absence of his father at his graduation from Cambridge with a Double First in English and Politics. Seeing the incredulity of the presenter Kirsty Young, Baddiel apologetically added that his father thought that arts and humanities are a 'waste of a brain'.

The above sentiments and the strength with which they are expressed are not uncommon in today’s climate, with some universities folding many arts and humanities degree courses in favour of those perceived as hot favourites among top employers. For example, She eld Hallam University has decided to withdraw its standalone English Literature degree, a year after University of Cumbria took a similar action, much to the dismay of writers such as Philip Pull-

man and James Graham.

Michelle Donelan, in her short stint as the Minister of State for Higher and Further Education, said that the government recognised all subjects, including Arts and Humanities, can lead to positive student outcomes. But she went onto add that 'Courses that do not lead students on to work or further study fail both the students who pour their time and e ort in, and the taxpayer, who picks up a substantial portion of the cost.'

According to the latest statistics, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) acceptances for English studies, including English literature, plummeted from 9,480 in 2012 to 6,435 in 2021.

So, is a degree in Arts and Humanities nothing but a waste of time and energy that seems far removed from the existential challenges of the current zeitgeist?

The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist George Anders points out that there is a huge shift even at the hubs of science and technology, such as Silicon Valley, towards Arts and Humanities degrees: 'Uber was picking up psychology majors to deal with unhappy riders and drivers. Opentable was hiring English majors to bring

He further points out that 'I realised that the ability to communicate and get along with people, and understand what’s on other people’s minds, and do full-strength critical thinking –all of these things were valued and appreciated by everyone as important job skills, except the media.'

'UCAS acceptances for English studies, including English literature, plummeted from 9,480 in 2012 to 6,435 in 2021'

The above realisation led him to pen the critically acclaimed book 'You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education'.

The key skills one learns through Arts and Humanities degrees: curiosity, creativity, and empathy are not unruly and anachronistic nonsense that must be reined in, but qualities vital to every facet of our lives, including future employment opportunities.

For example, as a graduate in English, one can thrive in sectors such as administration or sales. You can segue from anthropology into the booming new eld of user research; from Classics into management consulting, and from philosophy into high-stakes investing. Many playmakers in tech industry are looking for a humanist’s grace to be applied to rapidly evolving high-tech future.

The best-selling author Philip Pullman points out that: 'Without literature, without music and art and dance and drama, people young and old alike will perish of mental and emotional and imaginative starvation. We really do have a government of barbarians.'

To treat Arts and Humanities degree courses as 'interesting' or 'cool' reduces them to the reserve of a certain social strata; it should not be a luxury for a wealthy minority and privileged aesthetes.

Epigram had the opportunity of interviewing the esteemed art valuer and auctioneer Nick Bowkett regarding the renewed interest in the sector to recruit more Arts and Humanities

graduates to bring some much-needed vibrancy and vitality to an industry which is considered the reserve of “White old men from privileged families”.

Mr Bowkett pointed out that: 'The auction business is unusual as it embraces, even celebrates age, generally speaking, the older you are, the more knowledge you accumulate. One of my favourite sayings is “the more you learn the more you earn”. Simply put, your career is likely to have longevity, be exible, nancially rewarding and be less susceptible to AI than many other professions.'

A specialist knowledge in history or history of arts come in extremely useful in the antiques and auctions sector. He further elaborated that:

'The list of categories you can specialise in is endless, traditional areas to name a few include, coins, jewellery, medals/militaria, classic cars, stamps, ceramics, Asian Art. Other areas could include modern collectibles such as Star Wars, comics, Pokémon cards etc.

Specialising is ne but aging auc-

the more e ort you put in, the more rewarding it becomes, it is possible to arrive from University to work for us on a basic starting Salary, show promise, initiative and enthusiasm and achieve multiple pay rises very quickly.

'Let’s imagine someone comes to work for us, they could specialise in anything, coins, vinyl records, cameras, toys etc, they proactively seek consignments with innovative advertising strategies, join online groups, engage with relevant collecting communities, visit trade fairs, generally work really hard.'

When we asked about the incentive for Arts and Humanities in antiques trade, Mr Bowkett is of the opinion that: 'If you can grow your particular section from say £100k per specialist sale to £200k over a few years you suddenly become a very valuable employee, you would be rewarded with higher pay, increased advertising budget, your job starts to become easier, sales increase further. I have made it sound easy and in reality, the number of people who go the extra mile to achieve that type of success are about one in ve.'

tioneers like myself nd it di cult to recruit young people willing to become general valuers who are often the rst point of contact when visiting customers, I have to have a very good general knowledge of value for virtually everything in someone’s house! At Stroud Auctions we have multiple experts we can call on for specialist sections but being able to value generally is a very sought-after skill.

'We are also lucky to have a good range of young and old, I love the dynamics of the young people learning from the more experienced members of sta , who are often delighted to pass on decades of experience.

'You often nd auctioneers specialising in areas they collect in or have a passion for themselves. Like all jobs,

Mr Bowkett rmly believes that all of us in our respective occupations and vocations should 'do their bit' to save the planet from an existential threat. For him the sector of antiques and valuables has the least carbon footprint: 'Auctioneering and valuing can be very rewarding as, unlike dealing you are trying your level best to get people the most money for their items, also, done properly, it’s also one of the greenest professions, virtually everything we sell is second hand! The carbon footprint of a Victorian chest of drawers is zero, it’s probably had eight owners!'

At this encouraging pronouncement it seems that a degree in Arts and Humanities is not a waste of money, time and e ort, but a sector that will continue to thrive in the light of developing technology and climate change.

Milan Perera considers where a degree in Arts and Humanities can lead students in life.

Nick Bowkett / Stroud Auctions

Film & TV

Evelyn Heis Jake Tickle Amelia Jacob Kalila Smith Claire Meakins

Editor's Picks: The Film & TV Team will sleigh your Christmas with these film recommendations

This December, the Film & TV team have put together a list of classic Christmas lms that they recommend. If all you want for Christmas is good lms, then your wishes have been granted!

Evelyn Heis, Film & TV Editor

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Until a few years ago, I considered myself an avid Christmas hater. The overplayed Christmas songs, the crowds of people panic-buying presents, the incessant posts on social media of people’s extremely lavis family outings... I hated Christmas so much that throughout the whole month of December, I truly resembled the Grinch.

one of them are serving. Not to mention, the Grinch is the biggest icon amongst them all, with the scene of him going, ‘Ooh! Aah! Mmmm! That’s it, I’m not going.’ when he tries on clothes, living rent-free in my mind.

I think this is truly one of the best Christmas lms of all time, as it’s the perfect mix of comedy and wholesomeness. If the Grinch and I can learn to love Christmas, I can guarantee that you can too.

Last Christmas (2019)

what isn't there to love?

I always recommend this lm to anyone looking for something to get emotionally invested in over Christmas.

Love Actually (2003)

My December lm pick is not so much a recommendation as a love letter to a lm that is – in my humble, hopeless-romantic opinion – Richard Curtis’ magnum opus, the crème de la crème of bumbling British romance: Love Actually.

and even writing these words has convinced me to re-watch it...

Kalila

Elf (2003)

This pick is for all my fellow “cotton-headed ninny muggins” for ‘tis the season to whip out the remote and click onto the lm banner poster of Will Ferrell in yellow spandex and unnervingly pointed black boots.

and a brief feature of Peter Dinklage rightfully pummelling Ferrell to the ground.

If you do not watch this lm annually, then you are doing Christmas wrong… so watch it!

The Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)

The Grinch has to be one of Jim Carrey’s best performances of all time and one of the best anti-Christmas lms- though it eventually transitions into a heartfelt Christmas lm- ever made. It is hilarious, relatable, and wholesome enough to make my icy Christmas-hating heart melt. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, The Grinch follows this green, u y and smelly, Christmas-hating creature who lives at the top of Whoville’s mountain and plans to sabotage Christmas for the Whos every year. That is, until Cindy Lou Who (played by Taylor Momsen) attempts to befriend him and teach him the true value of Christmas.

Admittedly, this lm feels like a fever dream, but the best kind. The pompous Christmas decorations in Whoville, their amboyant costumes, their crazy hairstyles and makeup are the epitome of camp. Every character in Whoville is giving. From the Mayor’s wife in her sexy Santa dress to Cindy Lou Who’s iconic twisted braids, each and every

you’ve seen this lm, then you know

Last Christmas (2019) is a dark horse out of what we’d consider ‘Christmassy’ lms. But this lm has everything! For starters, Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding (everyone wins), as well as humour perfectly balanced with a heartbreaking twist. Needless to say, I sobbed, and if you’ve seen this lm, then you know exactly what I mean.

If you haven’t watched it, then all I have to say is grab a box of tissues… Sad ending aside, Emilia Clarke plays Kate, who works as an elf at a Christmas shop (her boss, by the way, is literally called Santa, played by Michelle Yeoh), who seems bent on making awful life decisions. That is until she meets Tom, played by Henry Golding.

Just in case you need reminding, give you a brief plot low down – various love stories, be it platonic or romantic, intersect in this Christmas classic, which begins ve weeks before the big day and encompasses everything from an ageing pop star trying to secure a Christmas hit, to a holiday romance between an unlucky in love writer and the young housekeeper working at the property he retreats to.

Elf (2003) involves a fully-grown man with concerningly intense ‘daddy issues’ and a lack of social cues; oh, and he so happens to be a human elf from the North Pole named Buddy (Will Ferrell). On a quest to nd his biological father, Buddy leaves the North Pole for New York, which he immediately becomes entranced by, including a café with “the world’s best cup of co ee” - I doubt the concept of consumerism was taught in the North Pole.

Ferrell, for 90 minutes, becomes the physical embodiment of the childish innocence and borderline exhausting excitement that accompanies Christmas. The lm can also become invaluable rest time from eating at Christmas with Buddy consuming cotton balls at an unsettling speed, and a nauseating scene where

Growing up, Christmas lms weren’t a staple of my festive experience, so many of the ‘classics’ I have either not watched or watched slightly too late in life for them to give me the nostalgia hit that many others enjoy. However, there is one exception to this rule, and that is The Muppets’

Christmas Carol (1992).

For some reason, its slot on TV always coincided with the annual present-wrapping bonanza so every year, I planted myself rmly on the sofa, pretending to help with the Sellotape but mentally being in the strange Muppet- lled world on screen.

This lm has the perfect light-hearted comedy with an actual good plot that makes rom-coms great, and Michelle Yeoh's character had me in stitches. A fantastic cast, the BEST soundtrack (‘Last Christmas’ is the best Christmas song ever) and a great plot...

Actually discourse – was Kiera’s

I am very committed to the Love Actually discourse – was Kiera’s Knightley’s Juliet inappropriate by kissing her husband’s best mate? Absolutely. Would Colin’s Firth’s Jamie and the beautiful Aurélia have made it in real life? Probably not.

But Richard Curtis is the king of making lms that suspend ordinary cynicism and prioritise the small loving gestures we show to each other every single day.

Watching it feels like a warm hug,

he devours, by choice, multiple pieces of chewing gum from the hygienic streets of New York.

This is a comedy classic with James Caan as the self-centred, begrudging father, Zooey Deschanel as the sweet-singing love interest,

Merry Christmas from the Film&TV Team! We hope you write for us in the New Year...

Starring Michael Caine as Scrooge, The Muppets’ Christmas Carol follows Dickens’ iconic Christmassy story, but with a twist, aside from Scrooge, all the characters are Muppets. Amongst the lm’s slapstick quirkiness, Caine plays the role straight, creating a human-Muppet dynamic that is both ridiculous and heart-warming.

Maybe it’s not the most sophisticated or technically brilliant Christmas lm (or even the ‘best’ Christmas Carol adaptation), but something about the classic muppet dynamics, an oddly sensitive Kermit (Steve Whitmire), and a classic tale mixed with anarchic joy always brings the magic of Christmas into my cold, grinch-like heart.

Tickle, Deputy Film & TV Editor

Smith, Film & TV Investigations Editor

Meakins, Subeditor and Film & TV Critic

The BEST Films and TV series of 2022

2022 was a year that truly outdid itself, producing brilliant and showstopping lms and tv shows all year around. Read on to see how many of these gems you've already watched!

Ryan Grant-Khailani Third Year, History

The entertainment industry is one of those industries by which quality is not measured equally amongst their consumers. I love horror movies, for example, and this year has been great for horror movies. I love fantasy television, and this year has been a great year for fantasy television.

You may not like either of those, and that is equally valid, but I must acknowledge that I would not know how your favourite genres of media have performed this year. What I can tell you is that 2022 has produced some of my favourite lms and tv series of all time, and below are a list of my top contenders.

X (Dir. Ti West)

This lm is the rst instalment of a slasher trilogy directed and written by Ti West. There are few words which could do justice to the extent of praise that Mia Goth deserves for her performance and contribution to the trilogy, being noted as a co-writer for Pearl, part two of the X-traordinary story.

The movie is produced by A24, and the company’s unique selling point is the subversion of traditional horror movie formulas. In X, this manifests as the nal girl and the villain being performed by the same actor: Mia Goth, who portrays both the protagonist and the antagonist.

The wider commentary behind the trilogy is about the frustration between an understanding that youth and beauty are a currency in our societies but not one which lasts the test of time. The movie was also a visual masterpiece. The settings are seductive and terrifying simultaneously, picturesque scenes which are frightening.

This movie is legendary and denitely a contender for my favourite viewing experience of the year.

Courtesyof

Perhaps the most epic movie of 2022. Matt Reeves needed to stand out from the shadow of the Nolan trilogy, and he has done just that. Zoe Kravitz is captivating with her embodiment of a damaged heroine; her performance is perhaps stronger than that of Robert Pattinson. The costume design and set dress of the movie are outstanding, worthy of a Saturn award for Best Film Costume.

The lm champions a neo-noir take on a detective-styled Batman movie. The Batman cinematic universe has a legacy of stellar pictures and regrettable productions, but this grunge without cringe style stands out amongst the more favourable iterations.

(Dir. Alex Garland)

As the title may suggest, this movie is a horror movie. Written and directed by Alex Garland, this lm its between unnerving symbolism and gratuitously visceral violence. Falling under the folk horror genre, the setting of the British countryside and its quiet landscapes juxtapose the grotesque horror.

Using serenity purely as a sinister device. Men uses multirole in the case of Rory Kinnear, being a brilliant visual metaphor for the ease at which patriarchal violence is reproduced. This commentary and symbolism for the rebirthing of power culminate in a truly disturbing nal 10 minutes.

Never again will I look at the face of Rory Kinnear the same. Jessie Buckley deserves acknowledgement for carrying the movie with her striking performance, playing the victim of projections of masculine insecurity with nuance.

House of the Dragon (2022-)

Being a spin-o of Game of Thrones ensured that House of Dragon had two goals: the rst, being an incredible fantasy drama, and the second, replacing the collective memory of GOT’s eight seasons. Both of these goals were achieved.

The storytelling is brilliant, but all the actors had their jobs cut out for them; practically every character suffers some torment in every episode for our entertainment.

At times, the chronology of events moves a touch too quickly, and the coherency of which characters are related, or pregnant, or dead begins to slip away. This can be forgiven since the show ful ls its promise of a detail-rich fantasy world.

House of Dragon will sit amongst the strongest television shows to come in 2022.

do-psychedelic cinema experience has enormous potential. Admittedly, the show su ered from the excellence of the previous season.

The legacy of the rst season creates such a high standard for storytelling which did not materialise this season. At the same time, some of the moments are so wonderful that I will revisit them for a much longer time. The theatre and drama of Lexi’s play alone are enough to warrant some heartache for the nosediving potential of some characters.

BD

Euphoria S2 (2019-)

This is a di cult review to write. On the one hand, the second season of Euphoria was a technical marvel, outstanding in production with an incredible team. The sets, the out ts, the cinematic parallels – this pseu-

The disappointment among the cult following of Euphoria, otherwise known as their fandom, led to much speculation about o -screen drama translating as terrible plot points. This withstanding, it remains one of the most important television moments of the year.

Other honourable mentions include:

- Wednesday (Dir. Tim Burton)

- NOPE (Dir. Jordan Peele)

- Stranger Things S4 (Dir. Du er Brothers)

- Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (Dir. Halina Reijin)

[ To read more of Ryan's detailed reviews, head over to our website: epigram.org.uk/tag/ lm-tv ]

The Ultimate Christmas Movie Guide

Sat around trying to decide what Christmas lm to put on? Look no further, Annie has got you covered with this list of classic Christmas lms for all tastes for the indecisive amongst us!

Annie McNamee, First Year, Film and English

Christmas is a special time. Like any other holiday it comes with its own quirky traditions: decorating a tree, buying matching jumpers for you and your dog, and my personal favourite, arguing with your family about which Christmas movie you’ll try out tonight until you’re all in a bad mood and end up agreeing to ‘just stick on Elf’ again. Someone will make a comment about how overplayed it is, and your hot chocolate is

cold before you even press play.

Christmas lms are a staple of the season- but which should we leave in the past, and which retain their status as classics year after year?

Love Actually (2004)

Once you get past that always slightly shocking 9/11 reference in the rst ve minutes that you denitely forgot about, Love Actually is everything you could want from a Christmas lm. The lm stays fresh with every rewatch, thanks to its multiple interwoven stories, which are brought together at the end with just the right degree of magical unbelievability.

Die Hard (1988)

Is it even Christmas if no one is debating whether Die Hard is even

a Christmas lm? Bruce Willis being held hostage by terrorists is not what most of us would consider the image of holiday joy, but at least it adds variety to the season. Die Hard also completes the ‘Alan Rickman being Evil at Christmas’ cinematic universe, but unlike his sleazy a air in Love Actually, Hans Gruber is a timeless villain, so charismatic you almost forget to root for John McLean (Bruce Willis).

Elf (2003)

My experience with Elf has been mixed. On one hand, it’s a cosy classic which I watch every year with my family- even my dog takes it as a queue to start decorating the tree. However, at some point it became every teacher and TV channel’s way to ll up time in December; Bud-

dy (Will Ferrell) started to feel like an unsettlingly zealous friend who wouldn’t leave you alone. Which is, I suppose, ironically apt. Does this mean I won’t watch it every single time? Absolutely not.

Nativity! (2009) Debbie Issit, Nativity!’s writer and director, hit a stroke of genius with this lm. Basing a Christmas lm on Martin Freeman being a failed actor turned sad primary teacher in Coventry? Truly inspired. To then cast local children and encourage them to play up to the cameras? Instant classic.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Often cited as the de nitive Christmas lm, It’s a Wonderful Life has outlasted all of its contemporaries, and is still loved almost eighty years

after its initial release. If you want to remember that there is good left in the world, this is the lm for you.

Home Alone (1990)

Home Alone is, statistically, in my completely subjective opinion, the most common answer to ‘what’s your go-to Christmas lm?’ This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s de nitely a great watch and as a very forgetful person it does make me feel very seen.

There’s something about all Christmas movies that makes them feel a bit magical. So this year when you’re getting out the mulled wine- don’t argue over what to put on.

[To read the full in-depth reviews, head over to our website]

The Batman (Dir. Matt Reeves)

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Oscar Ross Josh Templeman Jake Paterson Sam Cox Hannah ompson

Gig Review: Holly Humberstone @ O2 Academy

'It was f***ing terrifying' laughed Humberstone, as she softly played piano and sang 'I’ve been smoking and staying up to late, but I’ve got good intentions babe'.

Oscar Ross Music Editor

Screams erupted as the stage lights dimmed, rumbling static and distorted vocals swirled around the O2 and Holly Humberstone's band readied on stage.

The intro seamlessly faded into the backing vocals of 'The Walls Are Way Too Thin'. This strong opener had heads bopping and the crowd singing along straight from the outset. Humberstone's signature mix of synth work and backing vocals still worked live, with her backing track providing a great backdrop to the raw, driving sound of her band and her guitar, staying true to her sound while also giving her live set a new, grittier edge.

'Vanilla' showed o the rocky edge of Humberstone's live performance. While the record is a catchy, indie pop

type tune (still a great track btw), the gritty live drums and driving guitar elevated the song above and beyond. It was the breaks in the songs that really worked well. Those moments between verses and choruses where the drums would disappear to leave Humberstone's pitch perfect vocals alone on stage, just as the band dove into a full blown driven rocky sound, backed by atmospheric, reverb washed synths and vocals.

'Its so beautiful here” smiled Humberstone as she thanked everyone for coming to her rst

headline show here in Bristol, also admitting how nervous she was on stage, to the absolute anarchy of her crowd that cheered her on with glee. While Humberstone didn't seem nervous in her performance at all, her intimacy and honesty with the crowd drew out the emotion in her songs, creating a greater sense of belonging in the usually dark and cramped O2.

Humberstone explained the nerve racking story behind 'London is Lonely', describing how she moved away from home into a random Facebook marketplace at share.

This sums up the themes of teenage infatuation and youth that are woven into Humberstone's songwriting, themes that became more and more focused on as the set progressed.

I do have to confess, it was very sweet to see so many members of the audience being brought to tears by some of Humberstone's intimate piano songs.

However I did nd it hard not to laugh as I stood alone, looking to my left and right to nd that I was completely surrounded by weeping teenage girls.

I don't know why it was funny, the songs are great and Humberstone's performance of them was moving. It was just that moment of realisation, seeing I was blocked in at all sides by tearful audience members as I tried to make notes on my phone. Must have looked a right idiot, but hey, that's the gig.

'Haunted House' showed

Humberstone opening up about where she grew up with her sisters, saying how: 'It was really special place, I had the sickest time as a kids there with my sisters, but now its all just sca olding'.

Humberstone explained how the song was written out of her desire to say goodbye to the place she grew up, and come to terms with how that meant she had to grow up herself. It brilliant, intimate performance followed.

Overall, Holly Humberstone opened some of with her best tunes, snatching the attention of the audience so that when it slowed to her more intimate songs, she still had them in the palm of her hand.

It was a true command of the audience despite her self proclaimed nerves, also matched by a brilliant live set that brought her records to life with a rockier, punchier sound. Look out for what's next for this talented young singer/songwriter and be sure to catch tickets early next time she's in town, don't miss out.

Photography by Mark Leighton

The darker side of ‘White Christmas’

Personally, I’m dreaming of a blackout Christmas, but here’s Francesca with a sad backstory to the Christmas classic.

Francesca Steventon First Year, English

Played in every supermarket, Urban Out tters, John Lewis and Christmas party, the classic Christmas song, 'White Christmas' isn't just a Christmas song, it is the Christmas song.

Written by American composer Irving Berlin in 1940 and recorded by Bing Crosby in 1942, ‘White Christmas’ is, as all good music nerds should know, the bestselling single of all time. While the track holds this title due to its pre-digital age and its lengthy run as an overplayed Christmas classic (I’m looking at you Mariah), it is a beautifully crafted piece of songwriting if you take it apart and look closely.

The song has been covered by some of the greats, ranging from Otis Reading to Michael Bublé, Mariah Carey to Darlene Love, and the reason for this is the beautiful imagery and poignant nostalgia woven into the song. While on the surface it may seem like a whimsical

wish for a snowy Christmas, the lyrics actually refer to a Christmas like the ones Berlin 'used to know'.

The song is about longing for the Christmas one once had, the rose-golden tint of a Christmas tree’s lights reflected in the eyes of an older, less lighthearted Christmas lover. However, the real heartbreaker in the song is 'where treetops glisten and children listen. To hear sleigh bells in the snow'. There are two things to ruin your Christmas here:

First, Berlin spent most of his time in sunny L.A around the time he wrote the song, away from his snowy New York home. So there would be no tree tops glistening around him as he wrote this, meaning it is really about what Berlin missed about Christmas.

Second, and far more upsetting is the loss and grief that Christmas signified for Irving Berlin. The songwriter’s life had been laced with the loss of loved ones, losing his father at 13 and his wife at the age of 24.

However, the significance of this line, imagining children innocently waiting and listening attentively for sleigh bells in the snow is a moving reflection of Berlin’s loss of his infant son, Irving Jr., who had died in his crib on Christmas morning in 1928.

While this may be the sad reality behind a whimsivcal and enjoyable Christmas song, the origin of this famous tune teaches us all something, and do stop reading if you're not a Christmassy person, becuase I'm about to get real festive.

'White Christmas' shows us Irving Berlin's Christmas wishes. He doesn't want a big record deal (which he ended up with), or expensive presents, he wants the Christmases he 'used to know'.

Berlin wanted to be with the

a time where family and friends come together.

Irving Berlin knew what it was to lose his loved ones, and his song stikes a chord with many for whom Christmas is a time of rememberance , a time to think of those with whom we've had our last Christmas. 'White Christmas' recalls the Christmasses and the loved ones that we all 'used to know', and with any luck, will never forget.

An intimate, rocking night as the young rising indie star kicked o her tour with a bang

people

Irving Berlin at the piano

'Cynicism is Lazy': Q&A with Emily Breeze

Milan and Bristol based singer-songwriter Emily Breeze exchange ideas on her powerful music

Milan Perera Critic Columnist

Emily Breeze is an artist extraordinaire. The Sunday Times dubbed her 'The love child of P.J Harvey and Johnny Cash”' It is a rich tapestry of myriad of music genres from post punk, glam pop, country to indie rock. Her journey as an artist is nothing short of extraordinary.

Emily Breeze was born in London but has made Bristol her home for the last 20 years. As an adopted Bristolian with her Patti Smith/Chrissy Hinds persona, her music strikes a chord with Bristol’s own progressive and iconoclastic brand of music which produced the likes of Massive Attack. Despite her frantic schedule, Epigram managed to catch up with her on her latest album, Ordinary Life due in January 2023.

*Congratulations on your new single. Your third album won't be due until next January. Is this a taster of the things to come?

"It probably should be as this is the song that seems to have struck a chord and it certainly occupies the same world as our last single 'Confessions of an Ageing Party Girl' although we have still retained much of the cosmic torch song energy of our last album Rituals. There are more high energy songs though such as

Electro hymn 'Dance with Rats' and New Wave rocker 'The Bell'. I have described the album as a collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate amboyant failure, excess and acceptance. It occurred to me that this is an interesting phase of life which gets overlooked in the narrative of popular music. It was also just what was happening in my own life at the time so it was an obvious source of inspiration. By the way kids, I am 42 and having the time of my f****g life. Fear nothing!”

*'Ordinary Life' is a beautiful Introspective track. Could you tell us about how you come about it? Was there a Damascene moment as such? Is it a re ective autobiographical track?

“ The rst two verses are about the early 2000’s when you could survive on the dole and listen out for speakers in Montpelier to nd house parties, it was a di erent world back then with a much more robust economy and no one had the internet jangling furiously in their pockets. We thought that success would just happen to us without really understanding what it takes to get there and how bad the odds are even if you have your shit together (which none of us did). There was a sort of wild, sad vitality to those years. The last verse is set in the present at a “ friend's 40th birthday party wondering how the days turned into decades and if anyone still does drugs' which is exactly what happened. It is quite an innocent and optimistic song for an old cynic like me but I still get my claws out for a few lines. Besides, cynicism is lazy.”

*As a performer you are simply outstanding. Can't help but draw parallels with artists such as Chrissie Hinds, Annie Lennox and Amanda Palmer. How do you approach live performances. How important is it for you to connect with audiences at an intimate level?

“That's very kind of you, thanks. I don’t think about performance very much, I just get up there and do it. Delivering the songs is the intention (and trying not to fuck up). If you can lose yourself in it, the audience can too. At best it is a kind of outer body experience which is why it’s so addictive. I still get waves of stage fright before gigs but the band are amazing, Rob Norbury (lead guitar) Andy Sutor (drums) Helen Stanley (keys/synth) and George Caveney (bass) are quite the engine to stand in front of which allows me to tart, crawl, slither and stagger all over the stage with con dence.”

*How did the pandemic a ect your creative output? Did it serve as a blessing in disguise at any point where you could focus for a longer period of time to write and record without the strains of touring?

“I remember all my muso mates saying “I just miss performing and rehearsing so much” and I thought well I bloody don’t, I was ne with having a break from dragging my bones into rehearsal after work and organising things and worrying about gigs. Don’t get me wrong, I do love being a musician. Well, I kind of love it but I hate it too. Any sane person would but I don't really

have any choice. It's just what I do and I get weird when I try to quit. Anyway, back to the pandemic, I was very lucky not to lose my income as many of my friends in the events and entertainment industry did but I also wasn't lucky enough to be furloughed and bake banana bread. Instead I taught songwriting and performance over zoom for the university I work for."

*You are a proud Bristolian. Tell us about your journey.

I really do love Bristol, I have been here for 22 years. Before that I lived in Bath and was born in Peckham in London which is where my parents are from. My mum is an Irish ddle player

so there was always music in the house alongside my parents records. In terms of an epiphany I remember when I was about 16 watching a Nu Metal band called (believe it or not) Fat Mans Tracksuit, they were in our circle of friends and I thought they were soooooo cool and something clicked where instead of wanting to be the girlfriend of someone in a band I realised I wanted to be in a band myself but it took me years to get the con dence to do anything about it. I am not a technically accomplished singer and my guitar playing is ne but unremarkable, so it was through those anti heroes with their inky black silhouettes that I found something I could shine in.”

Editors' Picks: least favourite Christmas songs

Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande

Oscar Ross Music Editor

I'm a fan of christmas music myself, however this track treally gets on my nerves. No further explanation needed.

All I Want For Christmas Is You

by Mariah Carey

Josh Templeman Co-Deputy Editor

Overplayed, overhpyed, headache inducing. All of the above. Just turn it o At this point I feel like we need a new song to hate.

Step into Christmas Elton John

2000 Miles The Pretenders Jake Paterson

Co-Deputy Editor

God this one is annoying. Granted theres that one Gavin and Stacy joke but come on, we all know this shouldn't be on your xmas playlist.

Cox Digital Editor

I just don't think itrs that good. Come at me, what your favourite, Michael Buble? Exaclty, shush.

Drug Store Romeos

Sam

Editor Deputy Editor Digital Editor Investigations Editor

Emily Barrett Dhristi Agarwal Carla Rosario Tiberiu Toca Instagram: @epigramscitech

Why do we lose motivation in winter?

the amacrine neurons in the retina receive a stimulant from the sun, or artificial light. As the days get shorter and sunlight becomes scarcer, serotonin levels can become imbalanced in the body, resulting in depressive moods.

It’s December: fairy lights are twinkling; woollen socks have long replaced sandals; and everyone is wondering when it will snow. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or is it? For many students winter brings on harder challenges than assigning who’s bringing what for the roast dinner. Tiredness, loss of motivation, and feelings of sadness are common symptoms that arise as the temperature drops and the days become shorter. These ‘winter blues’ can affect concentration levels and productivity, which can have longer

lasting consequences for students who may be swamped with assignments and exams. Scientists have been looking into why this phenomenon occurs to find solutions to alleviate some or all of the symptoms.

The sun plays a vital role in generating the hormone serotonin, which regulates our happiness levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a signalling molecule that stimulates a cell from a different part of the brain when released by a neuron. The chemical is formed when tryptophan hydroxylase, an enzyme, and tryptophan, an amino acid used to make proteins, merge together. Our brains are told to produce serotonin when

Serotonin is also essential for producing melatonin; the hormone that makes you feel tired and regulates your sleep cycle. The pineal gland, located in the epithalamus of the brain, transforms serotonin into the melatonin hormone. This conversion naturally happens as the day gets darker, preparing you for sleep at night. Melatonin production is also higher in autumn and winter, than spring and summer, which can also contribute to a seasonal reduction in motivation. When melatonin production is disrupted your sleep schedule can become irregular, which can also lead to reduced energy levels.

mon condition that affects around 4-6 per cent of the population, with another 10-20 per cent experiencing mild symptoms of it. As students tend to have irregular sleeping patterns from socialising or working late into the night, many of them will miss the key hours of the day that the sun is out. In doing so, they reduce their chances of producing normal serotonin levels, which can result in difficulty focusing, having trouble getting out of bed in the morning (even after sleeping enough hours), and feelings of burnout.

experts.

While the best method to prevent serotonin deficiency is to be directly in the sun, vitamin D in the form of tablets or from your diet can also provide some relief as they encourage the production of serotonin. Artificial lights can also trigger the building of the hormone, however at night they can also alter melatonin levels, making it more difficult to establish a sleep routine. It is advised to stop using blue-light technology an hour before bed to prevent this.

As the days get shorter and sunlight becomes scarcer, serotonin levels can become unbalanced

EpigramSciTech investigates

Tiberiu Toca SciTech Investgations Editor

Asuperapp has numerous tools that each serve a specific function; the only difference is that only new tools (mini-apps) can be added or removed as needed by the user. Users of superapps can design customised user experiences (UXs) by choosing and installing specific mini-apps (focused on performing a single task). Super-apps are 'apps on steroids', which offer a variety of seemingly unrelated services in a single mobile interface. Think of a place where you could access Uber, Grubhub, WhatsApp, your bank, Amazon, and more.

Super apps do everything, eliminating the need to open multiple apps for various tasks and wasting storage space or battery life. But for an app to become truly exceptional, more than a few mini-programs are required. A social platform, eCom-

merce services, transportation services, financial services (like digital wallets), food delivery, bill and utility payment options, and health and insurance programs are just a few of the mini-programs that super apps must include.

Emerging markets like South America, Southeast Asia, and India all have a booming Super App industry. They offer a chance for businesses founded in the digital age to prosper. In these markets, there is no antiquated infrastructure to overcome; everything can be constructed and customised for a new generation of internet users. Super apps have already dominated most of Asia, despite their relative obscurity in Western nations. The eastern hemisphere is dominated by a few super apps, including WeChat, Baidu, and Alipay.

With just one app, you can find a date, call a cab, and even file for divorce. Super apps are very likely to shape our future, probably for the better, in a time when convenience is valued more highly than money. They have the advantage of being your one-stop shop for all online needs.

Amazon and Facebook (now

All of this can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a form of depression that is more or only apparent during winter. SAD is a comknown as Meta) have both jumped on board in the race to develop the best super app. Meta’s ecosystem may be more expansive than any super app, offering a network of interoperable virtual worlds where users can engage in activities like virtual concerts and transactions. Amazon wants to develop a super app that can be voice-activated from anywhere using Alexa. You could even request a ride to the airport from your vehicle.

Burnout is a period of exhaustion caused by work-related stress. For students, it is particularly common at this time of year due to assignment deadlines and exams coming up. It is regular in those who blur the lines between work and relaxation times, as the working day never seems to start or end. Onset of burnout has been linked to SAD by

The Super-App Highway

future offer a much bigger reward. A small portion of all transactions occurring on a super app is enormous when compared to advertising dollars. This is already appreciated by Apple and Google. They have therefore made every effort to block access to their mobile OS platforms by all-in-one apps. If such a super app gained popularity, it would deprive them of sizable transaction fee income.

If you, or someone you know, is affected by SAD, there are many avenues to reach out for support such as the University’s Student Wellbeing Service or contacting your GP. These can provide guidance on how to best manage any symptoms you may be experiencing and work through them with you.

Featured image: Flickr / Udaios

The odds are still stacked against the continued growth of global super apps. Because of various antitrust issues, it is unlikely that regulators and policymakers in North America, Europe, or even South Korea, Japan, or Australia will ever permit a dominant super app to flourish in their regions. If an American tech giant were to somehow transform into a super app, European regulators would be ready to pounce on them over data privacy.

The majority of currently available mobile applications make money through subscription services and/or advertisements. But when financial services are added, super apps of the

There could be major changes in the future because transaction revenues will be the super apps' main draw. The most well-known all-in-one apps may be developed on platforms other than Facebook, Apple, or Google. Particularly, fintech firms like PayPal and Square may be in a better position to succeed. Super apps that make it simple and secure for users to make payments for services across all mini-apps on a platform will have an advantage. Because of this, Google and Apple both introduced Google Pay. When it comes to all-in-one apps, transaction fees are where the the big money is to be made. So don't

be shocked if the first super app from the United States isn't based on financial services.

This brings us back to the more important question of whether super apps will endure in China and Southeast Asia. Everything will ultimately depend on what regional regulators decide to do. How much information will they permit super apps to gather? How will the collection of data be regulated? Super apps are essentially tools for collecting personal data. Private utilities like electric power producers exist throughout Asia, including China, but they are subject to strict regulations. Perhaps a rational take would be that WeChat will be a much more regulated and less lucrative player than it is right now in five or ten years.

Although it is unlikely that super apps will disappear anytime soon, they do have a place in the region's digital economy. However, anyone betting that super apps will be the next money-making tools need look no further than the venerable Swiss army knife. Even the largest manufacturer of Swiss army knives in the world is still a niche player and not a powerhouse.

It’s no coincidence that many students lose motivation in winter.

Epigram explains how serotonin plays a key role in our day-to-day lives and how it affects our mental health

Lila Horne Second year, Biology

Are 'super-apps' the future of technology?

Super apps are very likely to shape our future

Bristol scientists begin £1.6 million river quality research project

The Natural Environment Research Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recently awarded £8.4 million to the Understanding changes in quality of UK freshwaters programme to address these issues.

Alice Bullard Third Year, Biology

The 2021 Troubled Waters report revealed that waterways in the UK are damaged by pollution from sewage, abandoned mines and agricultural waste. Pollution in freshwater depletes quality resulting in a loss of aquatic invertebrates and fish, changes in food chain dynamics and water becoming unsuitable for bathing and drinking.

One of the five projects involved in the programme is a £1.6 million Bristol-based research project looking into the effects of agricultural pollution on UK river quality.

The overarching programme aims to investigate how an array of pollutants enter, transform and interact with our freshwater habitats and ecosystems. The Bristol project looks into the effects of agricultural pollution specifically and aims to develop cutting edge approaches to make the UK's waterways more resilient to future climate and land-use change.

Livestock farming is the most popular farming type in the UK, 57 per cent of all agricultural land is home to 9.65 million cattle and 32.7 million sheep. This presents a major source of organic matter pollution to freshwaters.

ecological quality and function. This material contains inorganic nutrient contaminants typically included in routine water quality monitoring programmes across the UK, but also contains many other compounds which are not monitoring.

These include nutrient-rich organic matter, pathogens, pharmaceuticals and hormones likely to drive significant damage to freshwater ecosystems, and presenting a persistent problem for recreational water use, fisheries and shellfisheries and drinking water abstracted from livestock farming catchments.’

whelmed by increased rainfall resulting from climate change, causing livestock waste to enter nearby water bodies.

Field sites of the programme include Bristol Avon, Conwy and 50 other livestock farming areas around the UK.

The maintenance of UK waterways and the ecosystems they support has social as well as biological benefits. Research shows that exposure to 'blue spaces' such as lakes and rivers can boost our mental and physical health in similar ways to 'green spaces'.

Professor Penny Johnes of the University of Bristol is leading the project. She said, ‘When livestock excreta are flushed to waters it drives changes in their physical, chemical and

Climate change exacerbates these agricultural pollution pressures on UK freshwater quality due to temperature increase and alterations in flow regime. Additionally, on-farm waste storage capacities can be over-

The Understanding changes in quality of UK freshwaters programme runs from 2022 to 2026 and indicates a step in the right direction for our waterways.

Featured image: Unsplash / Isaac Burke

Psilocybin - the 'magic' cure for our mental health crisis?

Weronika Stelmach Fourth year, Chemistry

Mushrooms are the umbrella shaped body of some fungi. They can be edible, as well as poisonous and sometimes psychoactive. Humans have been consuming mushrooms for all of history - including the psychedelic ones. Consuming magic mushrooms leads to perceptual change and distorted images; could this be used to treat mental illness?

In 1958, the Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman isolated psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms. A new research path lit up. Studies into possible treatments for illness such as alcoholism, other addictions and schizophrenia were soon underway. During this period of research Nixon declared a war on drugs, ‘public enemy number one’. Psilocybin became a schedule 1 (class A) drug, and in 1970 all research was forced to stop.

The potentials for this drug were not forgotten, and a renaissance developed underground. Thirty years

later, the first new study into psilocybin as a treatment for depression associated with terminal cancer now begins in Switzerland. This research could be more important than ever, offering the opportunity to see the full potential of what other benefits can be brought from psilocybin. We are in a mental health epidemic. An increasing number of people suffer from mental illness, and many are not getting better. When two or more treatments fail, a patient is described as treatment resistant; often left to live with their traumas, some of which they are completely ignorant to. The mind is complicated and clever and protects you from memories which could be too painful. These memories can then creep up and affect you unexpectedly. Psilocybin treatment aims to help unlock these traumatic memories, allowing patients to process and coexist with their past.

‘More than 700,000 people die due to suicide every year.’ This statistic feels incredibly raw at Bristol University, with the many losses felt in recent years. We have seen an increased visibility and conversation about wellbeing as a result. However, personally, it feels like there’s a wall. We’re all standing behind it, looking at each other desperately. Why are we unwell? We go to the gym and eat balanced meals. We follow the advice. I want to unpick whether Psilocybin could be re-explored as a means of treating mental illness. We have got to explore new ways of treating mental illness as we are currently not making enough progress. So how does it work? Psilocybin causes a change in perception, with objects taking different forms and distorted images, hallucinations. This is coupled with an increase in creativity and intensification of feeling. These changes in state may not seem like an obvious solution to mental illness, more a promotion of chaos, however these effects can be exploited. Many mental illnesses arise from a rigid and repeating cycle of brain activity. This cycle needs to be broken to get better. Psyche -

delics (meaning mind-manifesting in Greek) allow your neurons to have a new conversation.

When ingested, psilocybin loses its phosphorus group to become psilocin, a structurally similar compound to serotonin, the happiness neurotransmitter.

This means that Psilocin will interact with the serotonin receptors in your brain. Most notably the 5-HT2A receptor (closely studied in psychedelic research), however several other receptors are also triggered. This allows for a loosening of neuron pathways, with new connections. This is described as a pharmacophysiological interaction, and this occurs following the effects of the drug.

The research into this has so far taken the form of a patient taking a pill of psilocybin in a controlled medical setting. The room is often decorated to be calm with music to ensure a peaceful environment. The patient is then guided through a session with a psychologist, where they can discuss and unpack the thoughts and feelings that arise.

After the initial session, measures of illness are taken at intervals directly after, and then continuously, to deduce long term effects. One of the less traditional measures is the mystical experience. The mystical experience is described as an increased feeling of dissolution of self, paired

with an increased connectivity. This effect could be key to the drug's success. It provides the opportunity to step away from your problems and feel more deeply connected to your existence. One study found that 72 percent of participants had a ‘complete mystical experience’ and 67 per cent stated it was one of most meaningful experiences in their lives. This could be why psilocybin has been labelled a break-through treatment by the FDA.

One of the many benefits of this treatment is the low toxicity and lack of addictiveness of psilocybin making it very safe for consumption (in a medical environment). There are always dangers with taking a substance which changes your brain functions; your experience will be deeply personal based on your past. But ultimately, this is the drugs’ biggest advantage.

The future of the field is exciting. The build-up of positive studies opens doors for more funding and loosening of restrictions. The discussion about mental health is being normalised, and with it a greater appreciation of the need for a more holistic approach into looking after our wellbeing. Could psychedelics be the sledgehammer?

Featured image: Unsplash / Mathew Schwartz

£1.6 million has been awarded to a Bristolled research project investigating the impact of livestock farming on UK river quality

Research suggests that psychedelic compounds can help to treat mental illness

Inside the Boat Club's 24-hour 'Ergathon'

Year, Civil Engineering

As part of our Movember fundraising campaign, the University of Bristol Boat Club (UBBC) completed a 24-hour Ergathon from midnight to midnight on the 20th of November outside the SEH. I’m sure a few of you walked past thinking what are those lot doing? Well here’s your explanation! The goal was to keep two ergs (rowing machines) running non-stop across the day, with members of the club coming down for two-hour slots to row and support each other in an attempt to put our collective tness to the test.

their own personal experiences or know loved ones who have struggled with mental health issues. We have grown up in a society and culture that sustains a certain stigma surrounding men’s mental health, which has meant the issue has received a lack of attention and focus over the past few decades. And often leads to young men feeling unable to speak out on the issues and emotions which are troubling them.

Movember is a great chance to raise awareness of how common mental health struggles are

The driving force behind the campaign: for me personally and for many others at the Boat Club, the issue of men’s mental health is an emotional topic. Many young men our age have

With growing pressure on men from a young age from both education and sports, we are growing up in an environment of high expectations, placed on them not only by themselves but also by those surrounding them. These pressures unsurprisingly cause lots of stress which if not spoken about or shared can build into bigger issues. And with suicides and mental illness amongst young men on the rise, there is a societal need to actively address this issue and make a change. So, we see Movember as a great chance to change this, openly say and

UBAFC go Green

UoB footballers recent visit to League One's eco-friendly Forest Green

Nicola

Harrison

SU Head of Marketing & Comms

This November, members of the University of Bristol Association Football Club (UBAFC), Bristol SU Sport and Student Development O cer Lucy Matthews, and Bristol SU’s Sustainability Coordinator took a trip to the rst carbon neutral football club in the world: Forest Green Rovers FC.

Located in the quiet village of Nailsworth, the Forest Green Rovers football club was forever changed after Dale Vince took over as club chairman in 2010.

Being the owner of Ecotricity, the world’s rst green energy company, Vince ensured that sustainability became the top priority for the club by introducing a vegan menu for players and fans as well as sustainably made clothing and buildings powered solely by renewables.

UBAFC were given the opportunity to learn more about the clubs’ sustainable practices during an eco-tour just before the match.

They were toured around the Piss to Pitch stalls which are toilet blocks that convert toilet waste into fertiliser for the pitch.

They were also shown the new kits made from co ee grounds and recycled plastics and the lanyards made from bamboo.

Finally, they learnt about the inten-

sive work that goes into maintaining a great quality organic pitch, free from chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

Following the eco-tour, the group grabbed some vegan food just in time to watch Forest Green Rovers face o against Wycombe Wanderers.

Unfortunately, the match ended in Forest Green Rovers losing 2-0 to Wycombe.

However, as one of the members said, 'Despite a disappointing result it was a really enjoyable and eye-opening day'.

UBAFC have been working towards improving their sustainability as a club this year. Having created a fourpoint sustainability plan last year, they wanted to take their actions further in 2022/23.

This trip was just one step they are taking to increase the awareness of their club members to the importance of sustainability and the simple ways it can be achieved.

Moving forward UBAFC have plans to assess how they acquire their kit, how they travel to and from training and matches and how they can spread the message of sustainability to a wider audience.

Taking steps to minimise a group’s environmental impact or collectively do something positive for the environment is one of the criteria for Bristol SU Group Accreditation. Groups can apply for a Sustainability Grant of up to £500 for activities focused on sustainability and/or combatting the Climate Emergency.

For advice on running your student group sustainably you can contact bristolsu-sustainability@bristol.ac.uk

promote that it is ok to speak out and share these issues with friends and loved ones, and to raise awareness of how common these struggles are. So, don’t be afraid to reach out to close friends and family and check up on them, and turn this into a regular and important conversation. Overall, it was a great atmosphere and a wonderful experience. During the night shift, we had many visitors as people stumbled home from their Saturday nights out. People were happy to get involved or just join for a cheeky boogie as we had some top tunes on. Everyone was lovely and incredibly supportive of what we were doing, which was lovely to see, and I hope this raised awareness in the process. By the end of the day, everyone was very tired, with some of us running on a limited amount of sleep and very sore legs. But as we got towards the last hour of the challenge emotions were running high, and there was a great sense of achievement as the clock ticked past midnight. We had managed to raise a Movember fundraising record of £1,200. So, a massive well done to everyone involved and we’ll be back next year!

UBWFC 1s celebrate BUCS Premiership South success

Several dominant wins clinch silverware for the expanding UBWFC

Joe Green Sports Editor

The World Cup may be taking the global footballing spotlight this winter, but students have a success story much closer to home to cheer on, after University of Bristol Women's Football Club (UBWFC) 1st XI's league-winning campaign this term.

Just one defeat out of nine games and several high-scoring performances meant the side beat out close competition from Cardi Metropolitan 1st XI to claim the BUCS Premiership South title.

October saw the 1s get o to a ying start with a 6-0 thrashing of the University of South Wales and a 5-0 win over Portsmouth setting the tone for the season to come.

After this dominant start, UBWFC were forced to nd a di erent way to win when trailing rivals Bath 2-0 at

The number of UBWFC players has risen from 80 to 130 in the past year

half time in early November, rallying in the second half to keep their unbeaten run alive and win 3-2 after a late winner from Anna Williams.

However, a 1-0 away loss to Essex set up a Wednesday Night Lights six-pointer with joint-top Cardi Met, with the result likely to determine the league winners.

Bristol lived up to the occasion to beat joint-top Cardi 5-1 and win the league

club players rising from 80 last year to 130 for the 22/23 season. This has enabled the University to put out 5 BUCS teams, creating a space for everyone to participate no matter their prior experience.

Having beaten the same opposition in Cardi earlier in the term, Bristol’s players lived up to the occasion and beat their title rivals 5-1 at Coombe Dingle, with Eve Rhind scoring twice to help secure the win and earn herself the Player of the Match award in the process. A 4-0 win over Portsmouth 1s the following week capped o an excellent 2022 for the team.

A great deal of UBWFC’s success can be put down to their preparation, with the club training up to six times a week as well as playing weekly. The 1s’ 4-3-3 formation involves a high pressing game that has allowed striker Marita Clarke to thrive, with the Medicine student registering multiple hat-tricks this season.

UBWFC have also been aided by an uptake in interest in women’s football at the University, with the number of

As well as their performances on the eld, the team have had great chemistry o the pitch regularly watching football or having team socials, with club captain Lizzie Moisan saying ‘last year saw a lot of structural changes in the club, this year we are more bonded than ever and that’s really helped our performance’.

‘We had a massive new cohort of players this year. The Euros helped, but women’s football has just been boosted all over the country over the past few years, and we’re now starting to see that at University level’.

To any students thinking of getting involved, Lizzie says ‘Give it a go! There’s no harm in trying a new sport – and especially football, because everyone is just going to be so lovely and so inclusive.’

The new year will bring a new challenge for UBWFC 1s, as the 22/23 BUCS cup competition begins.

UBBC members take on team endurance challenge for Movember Luke Syrett Fourth

Luke Syrett

Twitter: @EpigramSport

Bristol men's 1st XV win 'Battle of the Bridge'

On a bitterly cold Wednesday night that would see a spate of heaters going on across the student population, a rugby game was taking place. In spite of the temperature, the men’s 1st XV took to the Coombe Dingle elds for the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ against Cardi ’s 2nd team.

After getting over the shock of paying for entry to the 4G pitch, the Coombe Dingle faithful were treated to a ne showing by the home team. They dispatched the visitors from across the Bristol channel with a strong attacking performance over the course of 80 minutes.

The referee’s whistle characterised much of the opening exchanges, with both teams conceding penalties and Cardi even losing one of their

wingers to the sin bin for a deliberate knock on.

Bristol’s numerical advantage soon showed as the forwards got a strong shove on to put their captain Sam Hill-Cousins over and open the scoring.

Bristol then put themselves under pressure by attempting to run it back from the kick o , only to lose the ball and concede in the corner. Fortunately, the conversion was missed, leaving the home side a slender two-point lead.

The lead didn’t last long. Straight from the next kick o , a high tackle put Bristol under pressure once again and allowed Cardi the territory they needed to cross the whitewash for a second time.

Just like the rst try, however, the conversion was missed and the Maroons found themselves a mere three points behind.

score in the corner. Bristol’s kicking was considerably better than Cardi ’s and the converted try helped them to restore a four-point margin.

Instead of attempting to run it back from this kick o , they cleared long before gaining territory through some marauding forward’s play. This set up the platform for a sublime pass by y half Finlay Campbell to put Jonny Haynes in to score the team’s third try.

With Bristol starting to gain the ascendancy, the referee’s whistle reared its head once again to sti e their dominance. A succession of Cardi penalties eventually led to them converting from the tee and closing the score to 19-13.

The second half saw the Maroons put in some incredible defensive sets to shut the visitors out

Going behind seemed to wake the home side up and they made excellent use of their dominant pack to

This proved to be the last time the visiting side were to get this close. The Maroons began to cut loose and went into the changing rooms 13 points to the good thanks to a converted Cameron Kinross try.

There was an attempt at a half time

rendition of ‘Silent Night’ by supporting members, but the real noise came as the team took to the pitch for the second half. Roared on by the tunnel of sports eeces, Bristol returned to the now freezing pitch with a level of intent that characterised much of their second half.

Despite conceding from a clever lineout move, Bristol showed their class with a strong reaction, particularly from the forwards, as Joe Paden crossed the line in response.

It sounds cliché, but the home side really had to earn the right to go wide in this game after a couple of setbacks. With the forwards starting to break tackle after tackle and the backs beginning to purr in attack, it was the team’s defence that truly turned the tide of the game.

The tit for tat try scoring was put to an end when the Maroons put in some incredible defensive sets on their own line and completely shut the visitors out. They then followed

that up with what was arguably the try of the game. A gorgeous grubber from Campbell set o a race to the whitewash which was won by Charlie Beckett to put the home side 20 points in front of their rivals.

Inevitably, Cardi managed to get one back, but Bristol nished with a ourish. A fantastic line by their captain combined with a well-timed pass from Henry Bedson to put Kinross over for his second of the game.

This dominant performance earned Bristol a 45-23 victory and sees them bounce back from defeat at Hartpury the week before. When they return to action on the 14th January, the Maroons face a trip to take on Oxford 1s in the 1876 game.

They will have four league games to nish the season strongly after a mixed bag so far, with another home xture against Exeter 3rd team on the 25th January. They will surely be hoping for a big post-exam crowd to cheer them on at home.

Bristol come out on top in high-scoring contest with local rivals Cardi 's 2nd XV

Eddie McAteer Investigations Editor

Editor Deputy Editor Digital Editor Investigations Editor

Joe

Green Jojo Lewis Louis Edward Eddie McAteer

Bristol dispatched Cardi with a strong attacking performance throughout

Epigram

/ EddieMcAteer