Epigram #278

My time in Ukraine page 14

Ella Eyre Interview page 46

Mental health special page 9-11

Issue 278 Issue 278 Monday 27th Monday 27th October 2014 October 2014 www.epigram.org.uk www.epigram.org.uk

Wardens feel ‘too uncomfortable’ to address issues surrounding sexual consent during Freshers’ Week welcome talks, instead leaving topic unaddressed

Hall Wardens ‘undermine’ Union

Sarah Newey News Editor Ivana Scatola Deputy News Editor Issy May Bull Deputy News Editor

flirckr: roga muffin

Hall Wardens have not complied with the University and University of Bristol Union’s desires to address the issue of rape consent during Freshers’ Week, Epigram has learned.

Wardens were asked to include a single presentation slide which briefly highlighted issues of consent in their welcome talks.

The slide was designed by Alice Phillips, the Students’ Union’s Equality, Liberation and Access Officer, and approved by Director of University Student Services Mark Ames This was another measure to attempt to combat the rape culture which 46% of students believe still exists at Bristol University (Epigram, 13/10), and which the Union have been actively campaigning against for over a year.

However, just one week before Freshers’ Week, the Hall Warden’s Committee opted to make this slide optional rather than compulsory. Consequently, Epigram is aware of only 3 halls at Bristol using the slide and addressed the issue during Freshers’ Week.

Alice Phillips, the Equality, Liberation and Access Officer, expressed her dissatisfaction with the outcome to Epigram, ‘[Dr] Martin Crossley Evans [the Head Warden] did not tell me that the committee had decided the slide was optional, I found out from a senior resident on Friday 19 September that this decision had been made. This was very disappointing because by this point there was very little I could do, and I had been under the impression that since the slide had been sent to them by the University it would be included.’

She went on to suggest that its inclusion ‘Would have shown progress on the University’s part and would have been a good platform to build on for the Union’s work on consent awareness in the future.’

Epigram was told that the Warden’s Committee made the consent slide optional because they did not feel that wardens were qualified

Bristol’s take contrasts with universities like Oxbridge, where there are compulsory workshops enough to discuss the issue. It has also been suggested that it was felt that consent did not fit in with the general theme of welcome talks.

David Alder, Bristol University’s Director of Communications & Marketing, commented that ‘The Hall Wardens had discussed this matter in

advance and made it clear they did not wish to undermine the need for guidance and advice on this important issue, but felt it needed to be delivered in a different format by people with experience of making presentations on this challenging issue.’

When asked about the issue, Dr

Crossley Evans was guarded, adding, ‘The Wardens individually and collectively are very happy to have the Union introduce consent training and workshops in the halls for those in University residences during the autumn term.’ continued on page 3

Inside Epigram - Mental Health Special: What can we do to help? page 9-11

27.10.14

News Editorial

Editor: Zaki Dogliani

Deputy Editor Anna Fleck

Deputy Editor: Tori Halman

editor@epigram.org.uk

anna.fleck@epigram.org.uk

tori.halman@epigram.org.uk

A note from the editor

Inside Epigram Features 9 OCD, depression and the road to recovery Students suffering from mental health issues share their experiences

Comment 13 Big Debate

Anyone can experience a mental health problem at any time. Around 20 per cent of students go through mental health issues at some point during their time at university, while 13 per cent experience suicidal thoughts.

Mental health is something that, if not ourselves, will almost certainly affect a friend or family member at some stage, and something that is not always easily understood. We hope that the extensive coverage in our Features section can inform those in need about the range or services available in and around Bristol University, and also inform other readers about some of the most common myths and stigma.

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The lack of visible symptoms can mean that intervention is not made until late on, sometimes tragically so

Jo Wassell and Charlie Rowe discuss whether online campaigning works

One of the many troubling elements of mental health issues can be its invisibility. The lack of visible symptoms can mean that intervention is not made until late on, sometimes tragically so.

For something not always easily noticed, it is imperative that the stigma around mental health issues is tackled so that we create an environment in which sufferers feel comfortable to tell people and seek help and time off work and education if necessary.

Style 31 Fairytale Creations

Writers’ meetings

People don’t always understand the severity of mental illness: depression is not just a question of cheering up.

The notion that ‘stigma around mental illness does not exist’, as some columnists in national newspapers have worryingly argued, is a complete myth.

Stigma and discrimination have not been completely rooted out. If they had been, why would so many sufferers feel the need to call in to work to say that they have the flu or have to take their grandfather in to hospital rather than tell their employer that they have depression? Many fear that if they don’t come into work one week because of mental health issues, their boss won’t understand like they would if they had broken a leg or had to go into hospital for an operation. They feel safe that their boss will understand that rather than question a story about a broken limb or an ill grandparent. Well-known depression sufferer Alastair Campbell has given the example of a nurse who ‘Felt compelled to “hide” six months of her life from her CV when she had been off with chronic post natal depression’ because she was going for promotion and worried that it would hurt her chances.

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Epigram

Many sufferers fear that if they don’t come into work one week, their employer wouldn’t understand

It is important that such stigma can be tackled here at Bristol, and I am confident that the overwhelming majority of staff members in and around the University already understand and will increasingly understand students feeling the need to take time off their studies as a result of mental health difficulties as awareness rises.

While similar numbers of men and women suffer from mental health issues, men are less likely to seek help or feel that they can admit to what may seem like weakness. This is down to the old-fashioned gender expectations which still pervade society. Even the use of language which reinforces them, and seemingly innocuous phrases and throwaway remarks like ‘Man up’, are an issue. They hardly help change the fact that men are more unlikely to open up about mental health problems.

It is vitally important, therefore, that as well as informing those suffering from mental health issues about where they can go to get help, this issue also informs those who may know someone suffering from symptoms about how they can look out for them. If it does either of those things, even to a small extent, it will have been a success.

This is not an issue that only a minority of readers should be concerned about. It is a fundamental topic which all of us should do our bit to educate ourselves about, spread awareness about the barriers which sufferers face and be ready to help anyone who needs it.

Zaki Dogliani

Every fortnight, our section editors hold meetings for anyone who wants to write for Epigram. If you’d like to get involved, or simply want to find out more information, come along to any one of the following meetings or contact the relevant editor via their email address below. It’s never too late to get involved - we look forward to meeting you!

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Epigram

27.10.2014

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Sexual consent discussions left out of Freshers’ Week Ivana Scatola Deputy News Editor Issy May Bull Deputy News Editor

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‘Not talking about the importance of consent is contributing to rape happening.’

The ‘non-transparent’ and ‘undemocratic’ nature of the Hall Warden’s Committee is another issue raised by these events. It suggests that Wardens do not prioritise the campaign to end Rape Culture as much as the Union does, and it also demonstrates a lack of respect regarding University and Union decisions.

The Committee decision goes against the desires of many students for increased publicity about the issues surrounding sex - so much so that the Union has told Epigram that they think there should be student representatives on the committee. This would prevent similar changes of policy in the future.

Hattie Stamp, President of Bristol University Feminist Society, expressed her outrage at the decision to Epigram, ‘These are clearly a group of individuals completely removed from the experiences, fears and vulnerabilities of the average student, in particular women and other vulnerable persons (I’m sure they’ve never walked home holding

their keys between their hands as a potential weapon in case that guy walking behind them tries anything). In our minds, the Hall Warden’s Committee’s decision reflects at best an ignorant attitude, and at worse a dismissive one, towards one of the most pervasive problems facing students at this university.’

Rape and consent at university is a national issue; with many newspapers regularly reporting on rape culture attitudes from various universities across the UK. Yet some institutions are doing more than Bristol to draw attention to the issue.

Oxbridge have this year launched compulsory workshops in over half of their colleges. The workshops’ aim is to start a discussion about consent, and debunk many of the myths which exist surrounding rape.

The initiative follows a survey of Cambridge students which suggested that more than 100 had experienced ‘attempted serious sexual assault’ during their time at university. Oxford also saw scandal earlier this year when the President of the Union was accused of rape; although police later dropped the charges. In this case, workshops were enforced to address the disaster.

Yet whatever the cause, the introduction of workshops has been widely heralded as positive.

After attending one workshop, Natalie Wright wrote a blog about her experience, ‘So, I learnt things. And I could see other people around me widen their eyes in surprise at a statistic, or stop to re-evaluate certain notions they held about consent.’

‘These are clearly a group of individuals completely removed from the experiences, fears and vulnerabilities of the average student’ Other universities are also taking steps to address the issue during Freshers’ Week - one Newcastle University student told Epigram that

flickr: Penn State

continued from the front page Dr Crossley Evans suggesed that there had been a misunderstanding.

‘At no time was I informed that the workshops involving speakers on sexual consent could not take place. This is a matter which will obviously concern my colleagues and one which I will report on in due course.’ Yet Epigram have been told by the Union that in their discussions with the University, these autumn term workshops were never advocated as a solution. Wardens’ welcome talks were seen as the best place to address consent as they are compulsory and gain high attendance.

This contrasts with the alternative of Unionorganised workshops, which could only ever be optional and therefore would not reach those they needed to reach most. It is likely that only people interested in the topic would attend, rather than those unfamiliar with the concept.

Compulsory workshops can only be organised by the University via timetabling, which Alice Phillips hopes to achieve by next year.

It is likely that the University will work with the Union to achieve this, as it is clear that Bristol’s senior management is aware the issue deserves more attention. Professor Judith Squires, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education and Students said, ‘There is absolutely no place for sexual harassment, either at university or more generally. We are very supportive of initiatives to provide consent training to our students and are working with UBU to introduce appropriate schemes at Bristol.’

However, the Union have highlighted the importance of targeting freshers in this campaign, which would have been achieved in addressing students in Welcome Week talks. Sex Education

at secondary school and sixth form often fails to inform students properly about consent, and for many students, university marks the first time they are properly confronted with sex and the issues surrounding it. Megan Armstrong, the Women’s Officer at UBU, has said, ‘I’m completely exasperated and confused as to why the wardens made this decision. Perhaps they thought it too uncomfortable, or too difficult to talk about. Whatever the reason, it went against the Union’s initiative to end rape culture, and, ultimately, not talking about the importance of consent is contributing to rape happening. It is frustrating that the decision seems to have been made in an undemocratic and non-transparent manner; it does not seem to have students’ best interests at heart.’

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Sarah Newey News Editor

There has been a significant increase in the numbers of campaigns emphaisisng the issue in recent years

policemen addressed the issue of consent during induction talks, and a 24/7 helpline has been set up for concerned or victimised students.

Yet Bristol University is not the only established institution failing to emphasis the importance of consent. Epigram has been told that Kings College London, ‘had absolutely no talk about rape or anything on those sort of topics,’ during Freshers’, while one UCL first year said ‘I don’t remember having any rape-specific talks during Freshers’, but we had a general safety in London talk during one of our induction lectures.’

Clearly, rape culture and consent needs to be better addressed within most Universities in Britain. Alice Phillips’ plans to introduce compulsory workshops by next September are in full swing, and similar initiatives are likely to be emulated across other institutions. In the meantime, Women’s Officer Megan Armstrong is working on another campaign, ‘Stop Pause Go,’ with Avon and Somerset police, and the Union are organising events like ‘Reclaim the Night’ to help empower vulnerable people.

Nonetheless, it is unfortunate that more was not achieved to fully support and catapult the Union’s policies further into student consciousness.

flickr: Wolfram Burner

Epigram

27..10.2014

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League Table performances ambiguous Ben Brooks News Reporter The latest university rankings have recently been released. How well has Bristol really done?

More importantly, how much should current and prospective students rely on these league tables,. and to what extent should employers take note of these rankings?

While many will take the view that Bristol is an traditional and respectable institution and therefore will always be deemed a good university, others may be looking more closely at league table results, such as the Complete University Guide, and deciding to invest their education elsewhere.

This is a potentially dangerous view. League tables are incredibly difficult to understand; why has Bristol been ranked 29th in the world by QuacquarelliSymonds, yet 74th in the world by The Times? The more that is understood of the varying methodology of each league table, the more one realises that they are not fully representative of the performance of

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good universities. That is not to say that prospective students should ignore them, but there is so much of what makes a good university that cannot be quantified.

Should the University worry that they have dropped from 66th place in 2011-12 to 74th place in 2014-15 in The Times Higher Education table?

Why has Bristol been ranked 29th in the world by QS, yet 74th in the world by The Times?

Not to mention the fact that the Complete University Guide has continually revised Bristol’s

ranking downwards from 7th in 2008 to 18th in 2014? Certainly. But these figures do not mean that Bristol is a worse university than it was 5 years ago.

Employers certainly do not think so. In The Times, Bristol is ranked 10th for graduate starting salaries, and a report by High Fliers put Bristol 5th mosttargeted UK university for graduate recruitment.

The Guardian has ranked Bristol 34th in the UK, revised from 23rd last year. Despite this, there were more Bristol graduates with a job after 6 months than Oxford, London School of Economics, Warwick and Lancaster, who all appear in the top 10 overall.

More people were satisfied with their course in Bristol than they were at the London School of Economics, Warwick and Imperial College London, who all heavily out-ranked Bristol.

Yet it is difficult to assess what, in the eyes of these league tables, makes a good university. This is partly done specifically to ensure that their methodology is not stolen but also because the data they receive or have the ability to interpret is so opaque. In the UK, student satisfaction is measured by the National Student Survey. The complete University Guide has

interpreted this data so that, ranked by student satisfaction, no university in the top 88 received a score of less than 4 out of 5. The top was Buckingham University, which received 4.34. Overall, Buckingham is ranked 61st with no data available for research and 43.1% of students receiving at least a 2.1, compared with Bristol’s 83.1% receiving at least a 2.1.

So what does the University think of the league tables? Whilst the University recognises the importance of performing well in them, Judith Squires, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Students, says that Bristol’s ranking in league tables ‘is not what drives our strategy’. It is impossible to appease them all while also pursuing their own ‘strategic performance indicators’ set out by frequent staff-student meetings. Who is better placed to judge and improve Bristol than the staff and students who live and work here?

So should prospective and current Bristol students be worried about Bristol’s apparent decline?

Absolutely not. The league tables are a tricky thing to understand. Gospel when you’re at the top, and hazy when you’re at the bottom.

Shortage of space to house Students: urinate in Bristol Erasmus students shower to save water Alfie Smith Deputy Science Editor

in advance of arriving in Bristol, since they are not aware of the shortages of available properties. It is apparent that the International Office alone cannot deal sufficiently with these problems.

There is a danger that these issues may tarnish the University’s reputation abroad as a partner in the Erasmus scheme.

Speaking to a German Erasmus student who was sleeping in a Bristol student’s living room due to a lack of alternative accommodation, the resilience and positive outlook was inspiring. Uncertain whether he would find a home soon, he praised the people of Bristol for being so accommodating, ‘The people are great, it’s almost easy to not have a home.’

Demand stress on the market has pushed the price of a single bunk bed, for one night, up to £59.

The Admissions Office shoulders the majority of the blame for this fiasco.

It is apparent that if fewer students had been accepted, this problem would not be as serious for Bristol’s own undergraduates or its Erasmus students, who are new to this country and, in the supposed care of the University, living in hostels and on couches. in many cases With constant planning in place for future students, the University’s current students’ difficulties need to be addressed too.

Judge_mental Some students had to sleep in cars whilst looking for accommodation

tamahaji

It is common knowledge that the University was oversubscribed this year and without sufficient accommodation for all. This problem extends to incoming Erasmus students who move to Bristol and find themselves in a foreign country, unable to find accommodation and hemorrhaging money.

The four departments directly involved in remedying this situation are the Accommodation Office, the International Office, the Admissions Office and University of Bristol Union (UBU). It is not the Accommodation Office’s responsibility to house Erasmus students, and the expectation is that they find private rentals. In past years, the availability of houses on the private market has been relatively low, but this year has seen both a massive increase in the number of incoming undergraduates, taking up any spare housing in halls, as well as a sizeable increase in the number of Erasmus students needing emergency accommodation.

Tom Phipps, UBU’s Student Living Officer, described how UBU has been working with the Accommodation Office to contact staff members, asking them

to offer their homes for long-term or temporary shelters. Yet advertising for more landlords to convert their homes into student properties is a long-term solution and unlikely to help many of the current Erasmus students.

The International Office’s role comprises advising the international students on a daily basis. However, they have no previous experience in this role and strictly speaking, cannot help them find a house directly but only help point students in the right direction. These students often lack the English speaking skills required and are unfamiliar with the country’s housing system. The office seems overwhelmed with the number of Erasmus students struggling to find accommodation. A representative at the office recalled incidents of meeting students sleeping in cars, homeless shelters, couch surfing in Bath alone, as well as some being scammed.

Private letting agencies are more secure than bulletin board sites. Yet, these sites are thin on new offers and many students have had to turn to less secure options, like Gumtree, to find a room. The University is clear in its accommodation policy but it has not been persistently checking with its European partner institutions that all their students understand the need to find accommodation months

Bristol Water have already urged people to conserve water this winter

Kati Taylor News Reporter In the face of increasing bill prices and an urgency surrounding environmental awareness; students are becoming more and more concerned with saving water and energy within their homes. Bristol as a university city is far from unaware of our conservation needs with environmentally oriented societies attracting hundreds of signups at the volunteer fair. Our very own UBU Get Green initiative champions the ‘Student Switch Off’ campaign and pop-up shops have been set up across the University to encourage people to trade in their old clothes.

With environmental concerns like recycling and switching off electrical appliances becoming part of our routine, water and energy usage figures suggest there is still a long way to go. In light of this, a group of UEA students have come up with a controversial way to save money on the water bill. They are claiming that urinating in the shower could save not only on price, but also on national water supplies. With this news accompanying a recent call by Bristol

Water that people conserve water usage in their homes, could this be a unique solution?

The students behind the campaign have claimed that if everyone in the UK were to partake in the initiative, approximately 720 million litres of water would be saved in a year. Bristol Water, in their recent appeal to the public to conserve water usage, noted that by 2035 the population of Bristol is expected to increase by 30% and that, despite the miserable weather conditions we endure, water is not an unlimited commodity.

With this in mind, the figures offered by the UEA initiative are attractive but the campaign is certainly not without its criticisms. The head of Bristol Sustainability, Martin Wiles, declined to comment on the movement while student reactions have ranged from bemusement to outright disgust. With opinions polarised, it is difficult to know whether this is a movement that will find any place amongst Bristol students or indeed the wider public. While it would no doubt save on our collective usage, students must decide if they are willing to take such drastic steps.

Epigram

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Mayor signs FGM Stokes Croft development plans campaign charter

It is the amazing young women and girls in this city who are the real champions here.

The horrific practice of FGM is strictly illegal in this country, however the practice still continues and the laws that have been set in place sadly do not ensure the protection of girls from practising cultures. The work that the Girl Summit Charter and campaign work that Integrate and Mohamed are a part of are integral to the process of ending this traumatic and harmful practice once and for all.

Westmoreland House and the Carriageworks. Not two names even the most avid resident of Stokes Croft would recognize but two buildings that each and every one would recognize on sight.

These two buildings are, for some, a weak link in the economic and cultural value of the area. Both parties agree that they have remained empty and uninhabited for far too long. The Bristol Post has described the site as ‘Bristol’s worst eyesore’ and a ‘blot on the skyline’.

The site’s current use appears to be both a canvas for street artists and a potential home for squatters.

The site, positioned halfway down Stokes Croft, has stood empty since the 1980s and is a valuable piece of real estate in an area that has undergone urban regeneration since the early 2000s, hugely increasing its market value. Built in 1862, the building was originally used as a workshop for carriages in a precombustion Bristol.

Luckily, there is almost no chance that the exterior of the building will change.

Its façade has been graded as type II listed and developers are prohibited from interfering with its Victorian style and architecture.

In 2011, the newly established Carriageworks Action Group admitted that ‘Development of the site is still some years away’. They were not wrong.

A developer, Knightstone Housing, was only named last year. Issues have dogged the development of The Carriageworks since the inception of such plans. In 1989 planning permission was granted to create 63 affordable flats, a series of offices and underground parking. This was never acted upon and another attempt to produce a similar development was

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After his speech, Sir David had a tour of the new building

The site’s current use appears to be both a canvas for street artists and potential home for squatters.

refused by the Government Planning Inspector. At a recent meeting, 60 residents turned up to show support in favour of redeveloping the site.

It is clear that local support for the project is great. However there is worry among residents that if the plans proposed are not in line with local residents’ visions,

Richard Assheton

Recent weeks have witnessed much support for the campaign against Female Genital Mutilation; from Bristol City Council signing a new charter, to the recognition of Bristolian teenage activist Fahma Mohamed’s incredible campaign work.

Bristol’s Mayor, George Ferguson, has continued his support for the campaign to eradicate the barbaric practice of FGM, by becoming a signatory to the Girl Summit Charter, who are just about to launch their new campaign The Girl Generation: Together to End FGM. This is a global campaign that works with young people in London, the Gambia and Kenya with a unifying theme: to be the generation that ends FGM once and for all. The launch celebrates the successful campaigning work and effort that has been achieved already, especially in relation to the Department for International Development’s (DFID) work in Africa, but will also address the future.

Panels have been set up that include MPs, members of the DFID, the founder of WOW (Women of the World Festival), journalists and Education Councillors that will discuss the next steps forward and the work that will go into ending FGM within one generation.

When talking to Epigram, assistant mayor, Gus Hoyt, emphasised that ‘Though the Mayor and I prioritise work addressing issues around FGM, we will both agree that it is the amazing young women and girls in this city who are the real champions here.’

It is champions like Fahma Mohamed,

who has been awarded the Outstanding Young Campaigner of the Year award by Good Housekeeping Women of the Year.

Mohamed has been campaigning from a young age to raise awareness from the young age of 14 by volunteering at Integrate Bristol, an incredible charity that campaigns against all forms of abuse against women and girls. At only 16, she was named trustee of the charity, and launched a petition that gained momentous support for the safeguarding of girls in education. The awarding body highlighted her ‘passion, drive and overwhelming determination’ to protect girls from this subjugation.

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Polly Hember News Reporter

Nick Smith/University of

Alex Green News Reporter

The site has stood empty since the 1980s.

they will be forced into accepting the proposals for lack of a better investment option. Students who live around the site have shown strong views on the matter.

One remarked that ‘the building fits in well with the area’s look and feel [and] that any modern-looking development in its place would be an awful addition’.

Other viable alternatives include a space for community events, more shops or a gallery space. One Bristol student remarked that to convert the space into a street art gallery would not be difficult; it seems to already be being used for that purpose. The city council was criticized for being neither robust nor assertive enough in their dealings with regards to planning permissions. The scheme’s viability test has been put on hold until London-based Fifth capital submits a formal planning application. They are currently awaiting a response.

Glasgow divests from fossil fuel industry Richard Assheton News Reporter

Kim Seng

Bristol University is under pressure to divest from the fossil fuel industry following the University of Glasgow’s breakthrough decision to become the first European educational institution to do so.

Glasgow University Climate Action Society led a year-long campaign calling for an end to the Scottish university’s £129 million endowment from the industry.

‘We are delighted that the University of Glasgow has decided to take a committed stance against climate change and cut its financial ties with the fossil fuel industry. This is a huge step for the Fossil Free campaign in the UK and we hope that our university will serve as a role model for other universities,’ said Sophie Baumert of Glasgow University Climate Action Society.

As of 19 September, 13 US universities, along with over 800 other parties including religious organisations, NGOs, healthcare providers, local governments and the Rockefeller Brothers foundation have pledged to divest.

This is as a result of the startling success of the fossil fuel divestment movement that began in 2011 across just six US colleges. In a study published last year, Oxford University found that the movement had grown faster than any other divestment campaign in history, including those related to tobacco, armaments and apartheid.

The University of Glasgow’s move reflects the growing momentum of the movement amongst UK students. Collectively UK universities invest £5.2 billion in fossil fuels, but the People and Planet network have in the past year launched more than fifty Fossil Fuel Free campaigns across the country, involving over 15,000 students.

‘Divestment now has a firm foothold in the UK. Student and academic pressure to get out of fossil fuels is building across the sector. It’s time to stop profiting from wrecking the climate, whether you’re an institution with lots of money like Oxford or Edinburgh, or a world leader in climate research such as the University of East Anglia. Glasgow has helped make the moral case crystal clear and we expect more universities to very soon put their money where their research is,’ said Andrew Taylor of People and Planet.

With SOAS freezing new fossil fuel investments over the summer and decisions over divestment also imminent from a number of other UK universities such as Oxford University and the University of Edinburgh - who are conducting student and staff surveys - scrutiny will now turn to others such as the University of Bristol who have yet to commit.

Director of Communications David Alder defended the University, claiming that it is not directly involved in investment strategy: ‘The University invests primarily in a pooled fund managed by Sarasin and Partners and does not invest directly in individual stocks or investments for the purpose of endowments.

‘The Sarasin fund is structured specifically for charitable endowments and the fund operates to high levels of governance and ethical standards and the University is satisfied with the approach adopted.

‘Although investments held by the Sarasin fund do include companies with fossil fuel interests, environmental concerns are high on Sarasin’s agenda and they monitor the fossil fuel debate closely.’

University of Bristol Union (UBU) says it has been approached by a number of students interested in running a divestment campaign. Some are submitting a motion to Student Council which will determine UBU’s position on the matter.

Will Bristol follow suit and divest from fossil fuels too?

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Epigram

27.10.2014

37

Owen Jones tells Epigram young people must stand up to the Establishment Issy May Bull Deputy News Editor Ivana Scatola Deputy News Editor

“

Amelia Butler

Issy May Bull

The young and maverick sensation that is Owen Jones ventured to Bristol on Friday 17 October to give a talk at The Bristol Festival of Ideas. In an exclusive interview with Epigram he called on young people to take arms and fight to make their voices heard.

Jones, who has just written a new book titled The Establishment and how they get away with it, was passionate The brandin new, £1.2 million describing theboathouse Establishment’s grip over the country.

He joked how he ‘never wanted to be a writer’. In fact, he regards his book as ‘only a prompt to encourage people to organise against the Establishment’.

He passionately emphasised that young people’s voices must be heard stressing how these voices are often unrepresented and ignored.

‘For me we need young people to speak out and … make themselves heard full stop. Because the voices of young people haven’t been heard properly. Young people, particularly those working class and many middle class backgrounds often bear the brunt of what is happening with Owen Jones spoke to Epigram at Bristol Festival of Ideas austerity. Whether it be talking about

the trebling of fees or it be the abolishing of EMA or it be cutting of youth services, the army of zerohour contract workers,’ he stated.

However, Jones insisted that young people, including students, have to go further to achieve this.

‘You’ve got to force yourself to be heard, because otherwise they will take away your rights, they will attack you, and the louder you express yourself the less likely that will happen and that includes voting. It also includes taking to the streets. It also includes writing. It also includes social media,’ he averred.

‘You’ve got to force yourself to be heard, otherwise they will take away your rights’ One way in which he believes young voices can be made louder is through granting 16 and 17 year olds the vote, something that Ed Miliband recently announced would be in Labour’s manifesto. He believes that the lack of a right to vote for people of this age is unfounded considering other rights

they are granted, such as legally joining the army, getting married (with parental consent) and paying tax.

Another medium through which young voices can also be accentuated is social and student media. These are two forms of media which allow the truth to prevail according to Jones. Exemplifying the killing of Ian Tomlinson by the police in 2010, Jones highlighted the absolute importance and impact of social media in particular.

In terms of the general election next year, Jones also highlighted voting as an avenue for young people and students to express their political thoughts and feelings: young people must vote to have a say. It is the chance to scrutinise and confront those at the top, which he encourages in his book. For him, young people must ‘drag them kicking, screaming,’ and force the Establishment to represent real people.

He attributes the disinterest of young people and students when it comes to voting to the far too common affiliation of politics with being attacked, which ‘has spread into a widespread disillusionment amongst young people,’ he says.

The clearest example of this is, unsurprisingly, the promise of politicians to abolish tuition fees and then later trebling them.

He also expressed concern about the direction of UK universities and marketisation.

‘It is turning education from what it should be, a social good, into a consumer good. The trebling of tuition fees is also a big obstacle to people simply wanting to educate themselves, especially those who grow up in poverty’.

Shami Chakrabarti: we should not rush terror legislation because of Bristol schoolgirl who is allegedly in Syria

‘Sometimes this legislation is counterproductive and actually makes things worse.

Either because it’s very broad and rushed and it has unintended consequences, or because it is shutting down the very freedoms that we say the terrorists are trying to shut down’ she said.

Such legislation has recently been proposed by Theresa May. In the last couple of months May has projected policy ideas such as the ‘snoopers ‘charters’, something Liberty has been intensely campaigning against, the right for police to confiscate passports and anti-social behaviour orders for extremists.

When discussing May’s proposals, Chakrabrati

was candid, perhaps surprisingly giving praise when praise was due.

‘Theresa May, on the one hand, says we believe in freedom, we believe in the rule of war, we believe in human rights.

And I applaud her for that.

‘But then she says … we’re going to have “Snoopers’ Charters” so that the whole population is subject to blanket surveillance of their internet use. And we’re going to give the Police powers to grab passports at the borders.

‘These powers don’t belong in an open, liberal democracy’

‘And these are powers that don’t belong in an open, liberal democracy, they are actually more reminiscent of the countries from which the terrorists come’, she asserted.

Issy May Bull

Issy May Bull

Bristol Festival of Ideas

“

‘Talk is cheap and legislation is almost as cheap’

“

As part of Bristol Festival of Ideas, Shami Chakrabarti, director of the Human Rights group ‘Liberty’, visited Bristol to give a talk on Friday 17 October. She used her platform to not only discuss her new book, On Liberty which shares its name with John Stuart Mill’s 1859 classic, but also to give an insight into Liberty’s work and campaigns.

Epigram also got to exclusively chat with her, and she shared her views on the Bristol schoolgirl who reportedly has gone to Syria after being radicalised.

Chakrabarti started her position at Liberty the day before 9/11, which is somewhat ironic since she has spent her whole career since then being critical of the West’s anti-terror tactics used in response.

For now though she is sceptical about rushed legislation prompted by stand alone and infrequent events, such as Yusra Hussein’s alleged journey to Syria, saying that ‘talk is cheap, and legislation is almost as cheap’.

Amelia Butler

Issy May Bull Deputy News Editor

Chakrabarti also agreed to be interviewed by Epigram

Epigram

27.10.2014

Features

@epigramfeatures

Editor: Holly Jones features@epigram.org.uk

Deputy Editor: Emily McMullin Online Editor: Laura Davidson emcmullin@epigram.org.uk

ldavidson@epigram.org.uk

Mental health special: This section contains frank discussion of issues affecting students’ mental health Madeleine Lewis Features Writer It is a sad truth that social stigma concerning mental illness is just as pandemic as mental illnesses themselves. This taboo derives from wider society and more troublingly, the internal prejudice of those afflicted.

According to a recent NUS study, 20 per cent of students are affected by mental illness, yet more than a quarter do not seek help from university support services. This leads to one of the most crippling elements of mental illness: its invisibility.

From the outside, the cultural fixation with university being a time of hedonism seems to be confirmed, an image compounded by the smoke and mirrors of social media. But the reality is that mental illness is highly prevalent among students, and in order to deal with it, it should be accepted as part of everyday life.

Considering the abundance of mental illnesses, it would be too crude to say that university is the cause. However,

“

‘20 per cent of students are affected by mental illness, yet more than a quarter do not seek help from university support services’

many common elements of university life, such as homesickness, exam stress, alienation at university accommodation, social pressures, and drinking to excess exacerbate symptoms. University is evidently a fragile time for mental health.

It could be argued that some of the misconceptions surrounding mental illness derive from the lack of visible symptoms. Whilst the common cold proves itself with sniffs and sneezes, debilitating mental conditions such as anxiety and depression, which equally cannot be helped, can go by unnoticed and are heavily stigmatised.

Common accusations are that these conditions are ‘made up’, ‘attentionseeking’, ‘just a phase’ and ‘fake’. This disputation over the ‘realness’ of mental illness as opposed to more tangible physical illnesses can lead to guilt in the individual concerned. This forms a self-devouring snake of guilt, blame and shame, which feeds into an already self-destructive mindset.

Rethink Mental Illness, a charity established in 1972 and recently endorsed

by Nick Clegg, seeks to de-stigmatise mental illness in Britain. It argues that in terms of both government funding and public perception, mental illness is treated as secondary to physical illness.

Clegg’s liberal plan aims to redress this balance by means of the redistribution of £120 million of funding, and adjusting waiting time targets for those afflicted in order to enact change by 2015.

“

10 Tips for Maintaining Health at University

‘An image [of hedonism] is compounded by the smoke and mirrors of social media’

It is yet to be seen whether these measures will take effect, but it is promising that a party leader is addressing this complex issue so directly at a party conference, setting thetoneforapublicdebatetochallenge mental health preconceptions.

One of the best ways to deal with your own perception of mental illness is to ask yourself a few questions.

Would you criticise someone for taking medication for arthritis?

Would you suggest to someone that they should ‘get over’ their cancer?

Is seeking treatment for a broken leg self-indulgent and attentionseeking? Mental illnesses are lifecrippling and sometimes fatal, and the onus for recovery should not rest on the sufferer’s shoulders alone.

Overcomingmentalillnesswillnever be as simple as a change of mindset or ‘thinking more positively’ for the individual. However, encouraging society at large to be more open to the reality of mental illness is a step towards making talking about mental illnesses easier for those affected.

1. Have healthy stress: Manageable amounts of stress can spur us on, but too much can increase vulnerability to clinical problems like depression. If you feel stressed, consider, ‘What do I perceive is demanded of me here?’ And, ‘what resources do I perceive I have to take this on?’

2. Wake up to the importance of sleep: Humans require between 7-10 hours of sleep a night for optimum functioning. Try keeping your bedroom for sleeping rather than studying in order to condition your mind to switch off when you are there.

3. Alcohol & drugs: Alcohol, whilst the most abundant social drug, is a depressant. Try to maintain at least 3-4 days a week where you don’t drink.

Drugs such as cocaine which are stimulants can have the opposite effects and are linked to anxiety problems – and are all best steered clear of.

4. Be value driven: You have particular values. Once you have a list of broad ideas (eg. to be a good friend to others) think about specific daily behaviours that make that particular value a reality.

5. Stay connected: Isolation can cause problems for some people and increase opportunities for symptoms of depression. Take a look at people, places

and groups that link to your values above and adopt them into your life.

6. Look after your body: Getting your diet right makes a big difference to emotional wellbeing, as does getting the right amount of exercise. As simple as it sounds, research has consistently shown exercise reduces symptoms of depression for some people.

7. Be aware: Keep focused on tasks you are doing by bringing awareness to your moment by moment experiences in a non-judgemental and objective way, known as ‘Mindfulness’.

8. Have quality time: We’re often good at spending our time in extremes, either really busy or completely stopping through burnout. Monitor your time and aim for a consistently sustainable ‘middle ground’ in which you can achieve things you need to in a paced way that includes time for quality relaxation.

9. Check yourself out: If you are concerned about emotional problems take a look at our simple Depression and Anxiety Symptom Checkers. They’re the same ones used by your GP. 10. Get Help: If you are concerned about your mental health, then make an appointment to see your GP or other Health Professional, such as a Therapist or Psychologist as soon as possible.

About the author: Alex Hedger is Clinical Director of Dynamic You: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, an independent Psychology Clinic in London and the West Country.

Eating Disorders: Student Minds

Photo credit: flickr/cabinetoffice

Student Minds is a student led volunteer charity which deals specifically with student related mental health issues. In Bristol we focus solely on eating disorders. The charity is based all around the UK in many different universities all focusing on a range of different mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Here at Bristol we run fortnightly sessions in the Student Union building.

Our role as group facilitators is to supervise a group of students that can openly talk about their struggles with eating disorders. Eating disorders can be triggered by nearly anything: moving away from home and a new life change may be a few of them.

As group facilitators we are bound strictly by rules of confidentiality and are not trained to give advice. We will, however, dedicate our time in the

sessions to making students feel as supported as possible. We aim to provide a friendly, supportive and confidential environment that allows students to voice their worries, make friends and enjoy being understood!

We also have links to external organisations that help provide support to students with mental health issues.

There is a huge range of support above and beyond the university but the great thing about Student Minds is that as students ourselves, we understand the struggles of university life and as group facilitators, we are sure that our members will meet other people in the same position as them!

Holly Lloyd, Student Minds facebook.com/studentmindsbristol

studentminds.org.uk/bristol-student-minds.html

Epigram

27.10.2014

9

what can we do to help?

If you are easily affected or triggered please read on to the next section or talk to your GP or counsellor Sam’s story: OCD, depression and the road to recovery

“

still present during my first year and as a consequence I narrowly failed and was asked to re-sit the year, which I passed.

I hit another low when my father passed away at the beginning of second year, and a combination of shock and anger brought another depressive period. I continued into the year nonetheless, eventually re-sitting and passing my exams in the summer term with help from my whole year group, who were fantastic. At the beginning of third year, my grandmother passed away and the two consecutive deaths made it very difficult to focus on university or anything else that mattered. However, I progressed through the whole year well, until my final two exams in the last week of term, which I narrowly failed and as a result caused the dental school to force me to withdraw from their programme. This was due to me having fallen apart as my 15 year old cousin had committed suicide in June after an emotional breakdown, and that combined with the previous two deaths, my OCD, depression and a personal break up at the time all pushed me over the edge.

That was the lowest point of my life.

I was mentally run down, feeling as though there was no point in carrying

Sam studied in the School of Dentistry but now wants to be a clinical psychologist

Photo credit: flickr/johntwohig

I am a 24 year old student at Bristol and have suffered from OCD since I was about 12 years old. It began due to my questioning of my sexuality at that young age, which caused me to have great anxiety about being gay due to societal pressures.

I battled with it on my own till I was about 16, which is when it was at its worst. I was very low and had suicidal thoughts, as I felt there was no point in carrying on if my mind wasn’t ‘there’.

My best friend told my Head of Year at school about my self-harming at the time. This was the best thing he could ever have done for me and was the first step to recovery.

As a result of this, I was referred by my GP to a NHS counselling scheme for adolescents, which changed my life. For about a year I was able to combat my OCD and get control of it, doing well in my AS year and applying for Dentistry at university. Everything was going better than it had done in years until a bout of depression hit during my A2 year, and I was taken off the adolescent scheme immediately and put on a six month waiting list for the adult scheme.

It got to the point where I wasn’t able to even get out of bed in the morning for school, and as a result I missed my offer by a grade for university.

on - why bother if my mind is making everything so much more difficult than it has to be?

‘I feel I am a completely different person now due to asking for help and not having a stigma on mental health or therapy or medication.’

Resources available to you

Student Health Service GP surgery: 0117 330 2720 Counselling service, Student Health: 0117 954 6655 or drop in to see a counsellor for 20 mins on Wednesday 2.45-3.45pm Samaritans: 0117 983 1000 Nightline: nightline.ac.uk / 01179 266 266 SARSAS (formerly Bristol Rape Crisis): 0808 801 0456

Photo credit: flickr/jar0d

During a forced gap year I became extremely depressed due to my grandfather passing away and it being unlikely that I would get another offer for Dentistry. I underwent Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to little avail. However, I was offered a place at Bristol and managed to get the grades needed. My OCD and depression was

This is when I went to see my GP in Bristol and we finally agreed that medication was the way forward, as I had only had counselling and CBT up to this point with the university. That summer everything changed for the better. My depression was uplifted and my OCD became a lot more tolerable, and due to the medication alleviating the symptoms, I am able to focus on the root of my problem with regards to the depression and OCD. I was also able to focus a lot more on my future and hence transferred course onto neuroscience which I thoroughly enjoy and have passed into final year without a single re-sit or hindrance.

I also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in July 2014 for MIND, having raised over £3300 in memory of my father and grandmother, and I currently volunteer in the dementia ward at the BRI to give something back to those who need it.

As a result of this, I am currently applying to Master programmes for psychology as it is my goal to become a clinical psychologist in order to help those with psychiatric and psychological problems to gain a better quality of life.

My saying is that if I am able to save one life in my career span then it has all been worth it.

I had been tormented for about 10 years of my life from OCD and depression and I feel I am a completely different person now, due to asking for help and not having a stigma on mental health or therapy or medication. I felt trapped in my own mind as though I was my own worst enemy, however, that is mostly in the past now. I still suffer from OCD now, however, I would say it is now mild rather than severe, and the depression has gone altogether. No matter how you feel right now, there is always a way out, just ask for help.

More stories and National Association for People Abused in Childhood information will (NAPAC): 0800 085 3330 be going up online National Self Harm Network: throughout the next 0800 622 6000 or www.nshn.co.uk fortnight. Go to epigram.

Sexuality: llgs.org.uk / 0300 330 0630 org.uk/features for a Obsessive compulsive disorder: thecalmzone.net/help/get-help/obsessions-compulsions more comprehensive list of resources.

Cruse (grief counselling): cruse.org.uk/ 08444779400

Epigram

27.10.2014

10

Mental health special: how can we help?

“I wouldn’t say I’m an alcoholic...but I definitely abuse it.’

Jennifer sometimes self-harms. If you ever feel the urge to do the same, talk to some of the resources from the previous page

Photo credit: tim-rt-photography

“The substance is basically impossible to avoid during university life, and for me it provided a way to become, in my mind, instantly more confident, attractive, and witty: a 2.0 version of myself.”

I am a reasonably intelligent, not particularly unattractive female, from a loving and stable family – and yet from time to time, I will take a razor and slash my wrists.

Looking back, I’m pretty sure my depression started from the beginning of secondary school, but no one, including myself, had any idea at the time. I did not like school and so blamed my consistent low mood on that – and then proceeded to suffer with it in silence. Having seen my elder siblings go to university and have a fantastic time, I was convinced that once I got there life would turn around for the better. With that in mind, I endured the majority of my teenage years by telling myself that the holy grail of university was in sight.

After a year of university, surrounded by people who, in my opinion,were far cleverer and prettier than me, my self-esteem had taken a complete battering.

I felt that as university was supposed to be a magical place

of fun, friends, and freedom, it was I who must somehow be flawed for not having achieved this. In order to overcome these mounting anxieties, I joined new societies, but they in turn came with added complications: alcohol.

I would not say I’m an alcoholic at all, but I definitely abuse it. The substance is basically impossible to avoid during university life, and for me it provided a way to become, in my mind, instantly more confident, attractive, and witty: a 2.0 version of myself. Of course this is ridiculous; for one thing, alcohol is a depressant. If the evening had not gone well and these ideals of myself came crashing down around my head, I would suddenly find myself in the bathroom clutching a razor.

I have experienced counselling at the Student Counselling Service, and while it provided a short term solution (it was a relief to talk to someone who did not know me and who would not judge me) it came

to a natural end, and here I am now, still with the problem. The University does have means of supporting its students but I have yet to find one that is right for me. A particular problem is that assistance, especially related to my degree, mainly relies on official GP documents – who I cannot discuss my problem with as this would affect my future career choice.

Why do I self-harm? I don’t think even I know the answer to that, but it offers a means of expressing what I feel on the inside. Having spent nearly 10 years of my life hiding my emotions,I’ve become extremely good at it, but when drunk it is sometimes impossible to keep a hold of the mask. Some people, whom I have slipped in front of, cannot see past the mental illness, but others whom I never expected have supported me completely. It is these friends who are getting me through my university life time – three years that are supposedly the time of my life.

“I used to say having bipolar disorder is actually quite fun.

Half the time.” with their help. The Student Health Service has had constant sincerity and care, and the student counselling and disability services have repeatedly provided any and every avenue of support possible.

The feeling that I’d somehow be “letting down” everyone who had helped me was the only sense of trepidation I had towards dropping out, but by the June of my second attempt of second year, I’d gone through 15 medications, my dog and grandfather died within a month, and I found myself having a mixed episode in a bunkhouse in Wales. It seemed apparent that I needed to focus on my health for now.

But honestly, the ups and downs are only part of who I am. A friend of mine has epilepsy. She’s never shied away from explaining it or what to do during fits. Nor has she ever felt I was seeking attention for explaining the realities of my condition or what to do when I’m unwell. All she needs is people’s awareness - not to be pitied, treated as if she’s always fitting, or as if she’s always about to. Most of the time I’m okay. I take medication, avoid stressful situations, and visit the doctors - much like she does.

Despite that brief hospitalisation, nowadays I

spend my time as a mental health speaker, and it was my involvement with the Bristol Improv and stand-up scene that gave me the confidence to stand alone in front of people. Despite the condition’s worsening, I still

consider those three years the best of my life so far. I love what I do, and I do it at whatever rate I need to. I don’t regret dropping out of university nor do I regret starting in the first place. It’s made me able to do what I do

now: I get to demystify bipolar disorder and encourage others to seek help when they need it or avoid making a choice much

worse than dropping out. I get to tell people things do get better. ‘Someday’ will come.

Depression can affect anyone - ostensibly successful actor Robin Williams took his life earlier this year after suffering from biopolar disorder for many years. The fact that someone lives comfortably or has a loving family does not mean their depression is not as ‘real’ as that of a person who has money problems or personal trauma.

Photo credit: flickr/smartie_birdie

I used to say having bipolar disorder is actually quite fun.

Half the time.

And whilst that joke is hilarious (obviously…), I no longer feel that way. Mania does have a certain element of fun – euphoria, giddiness and higher sociability are pleasant, but ‘fun’ doesn’t quite capture the extreme agitation, delusions of grandeur, or psychotic hallucinations that come too.

It probably goes without saying that depression isn’t fun either. There’s a misconception that it’s simply a strong sense of melancholy, but to me it’s always felt like a prevailing sense of numbness and futility. I don’t cry; I lay down for 17 hours a day without washing or eating.

That level of depression is where I’m at my worst: having only the hope that it will all just go away ‘someday’ whilst having no way to alleviate those feelings.

Watching a good movie doesn’t negate a chemical imbalance.

Unfortunately, university’s constant deadlines and examinations mean that months of depression or weeks of mania are inconvenient at best. That being said, the University has always been supportive. Every time I’ve missed a tutorial or examination, I’ve been met with consistent grace, and my two tutors have never failed to surpass my expectations

Epigram

27.10.2014

119 Rose Cutts Features Writer

their entire lives. In protest, the mothers occupied a group of flats in Carpenters Estate, which the council had earmarked to be knocked down and redeveloped, on 21 September 2014.

After the mothers were told to evacuate the flats by 7 October, they saw an upsurge in public support with protesters campaigning outside the Carpenters Estate.

Comedian turned actor turned A-list celebrity husband turned anarchist revolutionary Russell Brand had provided vocal public support for E15. In an interview with the Newham Recorder, Brand states ‘I disagree with people being cleared off Carpenters Estate so they can gentrify the area. What’s happening here is an indication of a much broader story and that’s what I’m interested in.’

The young mothers have used their case to highlight and protest the lack of affordable social housing in the capital, calling for ‘social housing not social cleansing,’ and pointing out that ‘affordable housing is in no way affordable’ for the average person in London.

The continued process of gentrification across London has seen previously neglected

Photo credit: flickr/hackofalltrades

As the annual student rush for four bed houses in Clifton commences, you may feel that trying to find a decent house in Bristol is an impossible task.

However, in reality, the real housing crisis is happening far beyond the student bubble.

In recent years, homelessness has been on the increase in the UK; housing charity Shelter reports 81,770 households were regarded as homeless in 2012/13, due to factors including an increase in house prices, rent, unemployment and housing shortages. Choosing shelter over the street, thousands have settled with squatting.

Squatting is not a new phenomenon, but has recently come under the spotlight due to celebrity-endorsed protests in East London. A group of young and expecting mothers were told they had to vacate the Focus E15 young-people’s hostel in Newham, which has since been turned into luxury, profitable flats.

Newham council offered to rehouse the mothers, telling them that their relocation could place them as far away as Birmingham and Manchester - a far cry from Newham, where many had lived

Is squatting just a political statement?

and impoverished areas, such as Newham, become highly desirable. However, this has left 22,279 households regarded as homeless in London for 2013/12, according to the housing charity shelter, an increase of 19% since the previous year.

Homelessness and lack of affordable housing is by no means a problem restricted

Anonymous As a member of a men’s sports team at Bristol, I was not surprised to see the London School of Economics (LSE) rugby scandal gain national media coverage this week.

University rugby and hockey clubs around the country have generated more than their fair share of press in recent years - but it is the all-boys drinking clubs at elite universities which seem to be the worst.

The obvious connection between all these clubs is that the members are predominantly, if not exclusively, privately educated white men.

It is easy to generalise and say that all rugby players are meatheads, but this is not the case: they are not stupid. They got into this university because,

Photo credit: flickr / steinsky

Westmoreland House has been desolate for 30 years.

Plans for regeneration have recently stalled

to the capital, with 5,004 households - families, couples or individuals living alone - deemed as homeless in the South West. In Bristol, many people facing homelessness have taken the same decision as the E15 mothers and are squatting in empty homes and buildings. Since 2012, the UK made squatting in a residential building a criminal offense, punishable with up to 6 months in prison and/or a £5,000 fine.

However, with 65,641 houses sitting empty in the South West of the UK alone, squatting may appear to be the obvious solution for people facing homelessness. However, a local homeless man I spoke to on the Triangle told me he’d never even considered squatting, raising the question of why squatting has received such a bad image over the years. In popular culture, squatting is seen to be an alternative lifestyle choice fuelled by anti-establishment sentiment rather than a viable, and sensible, option for those facing life on the streets.

The Bristol Housing Action Movement, founded in 1984, is a

collective of squatters and their supporters offering advice and support for homeless people.

The group campaigns against the privatisation of land and highlights the links between squatters in the city and politically left leaning groups who see squatting as a form of political action. A representative from the group told me they were ‘hugely concerned by the number of houses sitting empty in the city whilst homeless people sleep outside them.’

One of the starkest examples of buildings being left empty and derelict is Westmoreland House and the adjoining

for people to make use of their properties, private landlords and developers can leave properties empty for years, and squatters face a prison term if they occupy them.

However, with the average house price in Bristol now more than five times the average national salary, homelessness squatting is becoming a real possibility for people in the city. A huge oversubscription to social housing, with 13,590 households awaiting allocation to only around 2,000 vacancies a year, further limits options for those who cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market.

With the housing situation

“” The council offered to rehouse the mothers...as far away as Birmingham and Manchester Carriageworks in Stokes Croft, which have been sat empty for twenty years while plans for its redevelopment have been continuously stalled. Without any governmental pressure

in this state, criminalising those who take matters into their own hands by squatting seems outrageous and counterintuitive. Perhaps it’s time to stand up for the squatters.

A Bristol sportsman speaks out: making strides against misogyny

in general, they are intelligent.

From my own experience of being part of a team, and having many friends who are privatelyeducated and play sports, it is also pretty obvious that the extreme misogyny which makes headlines is not their true belief.

However, Wednesday night socials are a different story.

One thing I have noticed about socials is that by being more boisterous and more in line with the group mentality will earn you instant kudos.

This group mentality is one that thinks of extreme drinking as a symbol of status, and one that uses misogyny and cruelty to freshers as a source of amusement.

Misogyny on sport socials

is something that I have experienced first-hand and have found very difficult to stand up to. For me, the sports clubs are most damaging because they do not encourage a society based on equality: the older boys are at the top of the chain and are the ones running the club. Below them are the freshers, who have little say in what they can do and are expected to obey commands without question.

And lastly, there are women.

This is shown most obviously by the LSE leaflet, which made it quite clear to freshers that it is expected for them to look down upon the ‘beast-like women’ who play sport, as if they only play sport to be like the men’s teams.

Breaking down the hierarchy

is an impossible task especially when considering how recently similar systems were in place at private schools – ‘fagging’, where younger boys serve older ones, was probably still happening at top private schools these men went to, and it took some concerted efforts by the teachers to end the practice.

LSE were completely right to ban the rugby club for the year, but I don’t think there is much the university can do to genuinely change the attitudes of players. As proven in the last few years at Bristol, the university trying to stop rowdy and humiliating initiations has not addressed the root cause of the issue, but instead made it more secretive and uncontrollable.

If anything is going to actually be achieved it is going to have to come from within the clubs - but that is so much easier said than done.

Change does not have to be too drastic. I have really enjoyed my time playing sport at Bristol, and would highly recommend it to any freshers who are thinking about signing up, but it is time that we start recognising that our actions as a team do have an effect on people other than ourselves. Sports teams are the face of the university when they are travelling on away games and they need to act as such.

Moreover, the chants that are sung and the attitudes towards

women and minority groups do have a harmful effect on the people they are directed at. Privileged men have never felt what it is like to be on the receiving end of abuse and will not ever understand how it feels to be in an oppressed position.

I’m not saying that we should stop the players from drinking and having fun. But I think players need to recognise that their actions do have consequences, and that we need to change the way we act on a Wednesday night. But initiations, chanting, misogynistic games etc. are all unnecessary, harmful games that can be easily stopped.

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The Big Debate: Yes Jo Wassell Comment Writer

‘Online campaigning’ is a simple concept. The internet is used for a variety of purposes, some good and some bad. We can shop, bank, connect, and communicate online. We can even take courses and obtain qualifications. Most professional companies have a Facebook page or a Twitter account. It is therefore hardly surprising that charities and campaigns would cash in on what is probably the most accessible form of advertising today.

An online presence shows us that giving to charity does not always require anything particularly ‘noble’. For someone who doesn’t believe that they could ever run a half marathon, or climb a mountain, or do a sponsored cycle... for people who genuinely believe that fundraising is hard and strenuous (and yes, it really can be!), online campaigns provide a way for more people to get involved. It takes the issues to people who might not normally participate or even have any idea about half of what goes on beyond their front

Charlie Rowe Comment Writer I am going to begin with a confession. I did not do the ice-bucket challenge and neither am I likely to participate in Unicef’s new campaign, #WakeUpCall. Now, before you summon up that warmth of smug self-satisfaction that so many have thrived upon through their own ice-bucket challenge, please swallow your condescension and just hear what I have to say.

In these past few years we have seen a phenomenal explosion in online campaigning that has led to, in 2011, the government introducing an ‘e-petition’ website and appeals such as the viral KONY 2012 video. On the face of things, this all seems fantastic. Accessibility to government appears wider than ever and charities have, in the internet, found an inexpensive and effective soapbox from which to inform, educate and enlist the

Epigram asks... Does online campaigning really work?

doorstep. Only this week I read about a campaign against child marriage, started in Norway. A (later revealed to be fictional) blog was created to detail the journey of a 12-year-old bride in the run up to her wedding day. It sparked international outrage as people contacted the police in Norway and voiced concern via Twitter. The Huffington Post reports that it actually started a national petition in Norway, and provides supporters the opportunity to sponsor a girl at risk of becoming a child bride.

People are rallying. People are speaking out - and all because online forums provide them with a way to do so in a world that can otherwise seem only suited to the political, the outgoing, and the brilliant.

I’ve heard many people argue that those who sign online petitions, or partake in a social trend, tend to think that they’re ‘doing their bit’ whilst actually making very little difference. Of course there will be people who participate in online social trends and do not give - but this is true of anything. There are surely many people who like to attend charity balls or fundraising events and still donate very little to the original cause. Online or not, campaigns will naturally attract people who actually do not care, who just wish to be ‘seen’ to be part of something but are not prepared to let it cost them. But this does not render the entire

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commentonline@epigram.org.uk

help of the general public.

However, in these last few months, this digital revolution of campaigning seems to have mutated and been usurped by something rather more sinister. Something small, ubiquitous, and of which I have developed a distinct wariness: I am of course referring to the hashtag.

browsing Facebook with your right hand, ‘liking’ pages with a bold indiscrimination ALS and the devastating conflict in Syria are just two of the most recent issues to have had a hashtag slapped on them (#IceBucketChallenge and #WakeUpCall). However, though these social media campaigns are admittedly helpful in introducing people to an issue, that is all they do.

”

thing ineffective. When the opportunity presents itself - which, nowadays, is best done online - they are the first to click ‘donate’, the first to ‘retweet’, and the first to get behind the movement.

When the Ice Bucket Challenge first appeared, I will admit that I was pretty cynical: what good was it going to do, and was it not slightly self-elevating to use a charitable cause to show how generous I could be? But again, it was hard to deny its success when I saw how many people were getting behind the cause, and how many were donating. And it

certainly seemed to unite what can appear to be a divided online society.

Only this week, a new #WakeUpCall was launched.

This asks people to post photos of themselves first thing in the morning and then donate to help Syrian children. It might be annoying to see the faces of celebrities and friends splashed across the internet in yet another selfie blast. But it is effective. I’m not denying that many people will be driven by purely egotistical motives. But I am saying that it works; it raises money and, most importantly, it raises awareness so that money can be donated in the future.

People give money to sponsor a marathon.

Some give money to watch their teacher shave his legs. And some donate because they posted, to Facebook, a picture of themselves with no make up. Sound illogical? Welcome to the world of charity fundraising. It is not really about what is done. At the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that people do like to support campaigns and give to charity. It is not for me to criticise the feat that people will pay to see. Instead I should celebrate the fact that people will readily give money at the craziest prompt. Online campaigns ask the campaigner to give - to give attention, to give time, or to give money. And so far - yes, I’d say it really does work.

They acquaint people with an issue but do not follow through with the necessary information or relevance it has in the world today. As such, many of these campaigns do not promote long-term meaningful participation amongst the general public.

Rather they promote what is coming to be known as ‘slacktivism’. This is the practice of sprawling on the sofa, your laptop open on your knees, reaching for the family-size bag of Doritos with your left-hand and browsing Facebook with your right-hand, ‘liking’ pages with a bold indiscrimination. Indeed, this apathy is beginning to be felt by charities, as this year the percentage of Britons reporting volunteering, at the very least once, in the past year fell by 3% from 44%.

In short, social media campaigns have facilitated a trend by which an issue can be too easily generalised, too easily forgotten, as well as encouraging a move away from meaningful, active participation. Indeed, Unicef’s Swedish branch last year launched a laudable campaign entitled ‘Likes Don’t Save Lives’, in an attempt to highlight the real insignificance in liking a charitable organisation

on Facebook compared to actively participating or donating money. And whilst the more recent digital campaigns have built a greater emphasis on the donating element of the campaign, they continue to be hijacked by celebrities who did not even mention the recommended donation during their Ice Bucket Challenges.

All this being said, the Ice Bucket Challenge has to date raised over $100 million and I really cannot argue with the obvious benefits that ALS will reap from this money. That is truly spectacular.

However, I cannot believe that the sole aim of online campaigning is to whip the public cash cow. It should simultaneously educate, stimulate debate, and stir people to roll up their sleeves and volunteer.

It would appear that online campaigning is here to stay, whether it really works or not. It has captured the public’s insatiable desire for ondemand satisfaction. You just have to click. So, I say to those of you in need of an ego bump from your own supreme generosity and enlightened morality, welcome to the age of pop charity; you’re going to have a blast.

I am saying that it works; it raises money, and most importantly, it raises awareness

Flickr; Anthony Quintano

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27.10.2014

Epigram

27.10.2014

14

My time in Ukraine: beyond the rhetoric Sam Watts attempts to understand the personal and political motivations behind the civil war

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People may align themselves with one side or the other, yet many are not willing to die for this distinction want the war to end. Many younger Ukrainians follow the war through amateur journalists; forward thinking Ukrainians who document the events of the war and publish it online. The

quality and prejudices of this reporting varies, but it often provides a valuable insight into what is going on.

The overwhelming impression was one of mainly ordinary people, crudely categorised into two opposing factions to reflect the political divisions behind the civil war.

This makes for a neat distinction, but fails to properly describe the individual Ukrainian who may find himself thrust into the war zone. People may align themselves with one side or the other, yet many are not willing to die for this distinction.

Olek, whose wife and son are still trapped in Donetsk, was kind enough to speak to me. His story is tragically common. Deciding to take his parents to safety, he left Donetsk with only the clothes on his back; their car was stopped at the edge of the city and Olek, at gunpoint, was interrogated as to why he was not staying to fight for the DNR. If his mother had not insisted that he was medically unsuitable to fight, then he would have been given a Kalashnikov and forced to fight, and potentially die, for the Separatists. By his own admission, he is pro-Russian

Flickr/streetwrk

At the end of September, I travelled to central Eastern Ukraine. I wanted to get past the political rhetoric that seemed to dominate news coverage of the conflict, to try and hear the stories and opinions of real Ukrainians living in a state of civil war; ordinary people, with experiences that may be eclipsed in the grander scheme of geopolitical commentating.

Without going into too much detail, open hostilities began in April 2014 when pro-Russian separatists began to seize buildings and arms in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Described as terrorists by many of the people I spoke too, these separatists have since established the Lugansk Peoples Republic (LPR) and the Donetsk National Republics (DNR) as self-proclaimed states in opposition to the current Ukrainian government.

In the months since, fighting has escalated into a bloody civil war between Ukrainian troops and Separatist forces.

On my trip, I had hoped to take advantage of the well reported ceasefire that had begun on 5 September, yet the fighting had mostly carried on unaffected. Aleksandra, a 24-year-old from Lugansk Oblast, was exceptionally shocked that I had thought there ever was one in force. She told me how her parents live between Ukrainian and Separatist positions, with both sides shooting artillery directly over their

A culture of propaganda exists on both sides of the conflict, encouraging the polarisation of opinion for one side or the other. This does not seem extraordinary given the circumstances, however it is at odds with the attitudes of many Ukrainians, who simply

Flickr/Sasha Makysymenko

Sam G. Watts Comment Writer

house. Situations like this are not uncommon, with indiscriminate shelling forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Recent statistics published by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry state that at least 51 civilians have been killed since 5th September, and recent negotiations on the ceasefire between President Poroshenko and Putin were inconclusive; it would seem that the current truce is fragile at best, a total failure at worst.

The state of the ceasefire is one example of just how vague many aspects of the civil war are, for both the people living through it, and the rest of the world. Another significant example concerns the events surrounding the Ukrainian defeat at Ilovaisk in August. According to Valeriy Heletey, the then Defence Minister, 107 soldiers were reported as killed. However, more recent reports seem to substantiate the rumours that at least 150 were killed, potentially many more. People were quick to blame the Separatists, believing that a column of Ukrainian troops had been fired upon after agreeing to retreat from their positions. While it may seem understandable that this sort of confusion exists in a warzone, it cannot be denied that it makes a bad situation irrevocably worse.

Through talking to people, I found there is a universal suspicion of official news reports; many people feel that there is a significant difference between the information being broadcasted, and the actual events on the ground. In particular, Russian news reporting is seen as a farce, with mainstream Russian broadcasters seeking to justify the already dubious Russian presence in support of the Separatists.

and sympathises with the Separatists, yet he is not radical enough to wage war on their behalf.

Similarly, formal conscription exists for the Ukrainian armed forces, despite a lack of basic equipment and ammunition. I was told of several husbands and fathers who, after hearing of their conscription, have spent their life savings on basic body armour, telescopic sights and other equipment, just to increase their chances of survival.

That is not to say that people have not volunteered to fight; much has been said about the “cyborgs” defending Donetsk Airport, many of whom are members of volunteer battalions composed of Ukrainians willing to fight as auxiliaries alongside the army. The point is not that most Ukrainians do not wish to fight; rather, it is the fact that many of those fighting are not necessarily doing so for the ideological reasons that are described.

On my first day in Ukraine, I found myself in a crowd of several thousand people chanting “Slava Ukraini!

Heroyam slava!” This means, literally, “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes”.

This phrase was popular during the Euromaidan protests earlier this year, which demanded closer integration with the EU; yet it can be traced back to the original war of independence in 1917. At first I thought it reflected the popular resolve to be closer to Europe, but I now think it may mean more than that.

For many, the revolution and civil war have little to do with a particular geopolitical alignment towards either Europe or Russia. For them, it is a struggle for self-determination, and the ability to freely decide the future of an independent Ukraine.

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27.10.2014

13 13 15

How we should remember the Great War

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The First World War should be considered as a lot more than a military conflict, especially as an allied victory. What of the communities that were decimated, the scars left behind as a result of the debacle that were pals battalions? What of the results

Adam Becket Deputy Comment Editor Nobody won the First World War. Everybody lost, and Germany lost the most. More than 16 million soldiers and civilians died across the world over the four years; it was the first truly global conflict, and industrial war. This year marks the 100th anniversary of its beginning, as I am sure you are aware. Obviously, it should be remembered. My problem lies with the way that the war is presented, especially in this country one hundred years on.

For the majority of hundreds of thousands of private soldiers that perished in The Great War, the war wasn’t a fight for freedom and democracy across Europe.

The British Government have set aside £50 million in order to propagate that view that the First World War was won by forces operating on the side of liberal democracy. This view conveniently ignores Imperial Russia being on the Allied side; and that swathes of the British population hadn’t received the vote yet, most notably women.

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The First World War should be considered as a lot more than a military conflict

Flickr/Donald Judge

In January, the former Education Secretary Michael Gove caused a stir when he wrote an article for the Daily Mail arguing that the First World War was a ‘just war’ in order to combat German aggression. Further he said that the war had been presented by the left as a ‘misbegotten shambles’.

I see this as an offensive portrayal of the deaths of millions of people, not what a member of the cabinet should be writing in a national newspaper.

The centenary of the First World War should not be an occasion for jingoism, but instead one for respect and understanding for all parties involved.

When visiting a war cemetery, one shouldn’t just think ‘thank you for your sacrifice’ or ‘we will remember them’, but ‘never again.’ This should be the driving motive behind commemorating the Great War.

a warning to the future about the dangers of nationalism of the war upon universal suffrage and growing discontent about industrial capitalism? Lenin thought that the First World War was capitalism collapsing in on itself. Rowan Atkinson’s Captain Blackadder says in the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth that the war happened simply because ‘it was too much effort not to have a war’.

In the past 90 days there have been 3,400 books published about the First World War, according to Amazon. There have been countless television programmes with every historian from Dan Snow to the more dubious Jeremy Paxman jumping at the chance to have airtime on the subject, whilst newspapers have published countless supplements about it. There are a few things that stand out: Christopher Clark’s ‘The Sleepwalkers’ on how Europe abandoned peace and went to war, and Our World War, BBC3’s brilliant adaptation of ordinary soldier’s diaries from the war.

Next year we find the six hundred year anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt and the two hundred year anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

Will they cause a great gnashing of teeth and wailing about lessons to be learned? Probably not.

The centenary of the Battles of the Somme and Verdun loom large on the horizon, with cause for more rememberance. We haven’t even got through the first year of the centenary of World War One, so I’m not particularly looking forward to the events on 11 November 2018.

We should take a leaf out of Germany’s book and treat the war as a warning to the future about the dangers of nationalism. And yet when our leaders stand around the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, they’ll be remembering more the heroic nature and sacrificial nature of our fallen, not the horrific circumstances in which their deaths occurred.

The First World War should be remembered for what it was, a catastrophe for the 20th century: ‘the war to end all wars’. We should draw lessons from it, and prevent further war. As tensions grow in Eastern Ukraine and the Middle East, we should remember what a horrific effect the Great War had on the world, and vow not to repeat it.

Speakers’ Corner: Bristol a bastion of elitism Becky Morton vents about tuition fees, accommodation costs, and Bristol’s elitist status quo

Becky Morton Comment Writer Only 59.4 per cent of first year students who joined Bristol University for the 2012/13 academic year were from state schools. This elitism which is prevalent in the UK’s top universities is simply inevitable given the huge costs involved.

This is not just due to the recent increase of tuition fees to £9,000 but also other associated living costs. After a three year degree course, students can expect to leave university with debts of up to £27,000 for fees, on top of any maintenance loan they received. This could add up to another £15,000. With the prospect of shouldering such a debt after university, it is no wonder students from less well-off families are deterred from attending.

The government claims that the rise in tuition fees will not put people off university as graduates only have to pay back loans once they are earning over £21,000 a year. However, this completely ignores the fact that for students from low-income families, the idea of building up such a debt is unthinkable.

This means that many young people with the potential to continue into Higher Education find the prospect of immediately entering into a job with a steady income much more attractive.

Despite government pressures on top institutions to widen access to their courses, little progress has been made. In 2013, 23 out of 131 universities across Britain, including Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Durham and Exeter, were reported to be falling well below government targets for the number of state school entrants.

And it is not just tuition fees that put young people off university; other associated living costs

are an additional burden for students. Maintenance loans and means tested grants of up to £3,387 are available, but these often barely cover the basic costs of living. The cost of Bristol Halls, for instance, has spiralled out of control. Hiatt Baker rooms have risen from £5,460 in 2012 to £6,207 in 2014. Wills Hall can cost more than £7,000 for a room.

If parents are unable to offer financial support during university, Higher Education becomes an increasingly unrealistic option. For many students the only option is to live at home or work part-time alongside their studies.

In Bristol, for example, even the cheapest (shared) university accommodation will set students back in the region of £3,000 per year. Add on to this essentials such as food and textbooks, and grants are quickly eaten up. This is without even considering luxuries like nights out, trips away, and sports.

Bristol is notoriously expensive for students in this respect. To join a competitive sports team is beyond the limits of many students, often costing over £400, including the compulsory sports pass, membership fees of up to £80 and kit which generally comes to around £100. Even if they choose to attend university, students from less wealthy backgrounds often miss out on some of the most enriching activities that make it worthwhile.

If the government and university management is serious about making university more accessible to a greater proportion of the population, it must be made affordable for the poorest students.

Tuition fees aside, university accommodation and activities should be subsidised further for students from low-income families, and grants should reflect actual living costs. Otherwise, top universities like Bristol will remain elitist institutions dominated by those from privileged backgrounds.

Epigram

27.10.2014

Letters

Editor: Olivia Petter

@EpigramLetters

letters@epigram.org.uk

Students Write Essays...Right?

Sat here as a fresh faced Bristol Fresher, I am yet to be given my first essay of the year. The prospect of many nights sat swinging wildly between states of being caffeinated and comatose as I work to hit that elusive word count looms ominously on the horizon. However, moan all you like, we all have to tackle essays at some point. Or, do we?…

Indeed, universities across the nation are under threat from the growing industry of bespoke essay writing for students. Described as ‘model’ essays, written by shady Renaissance men with expertise in everything from Middle English to Medicine, and designed to help students by guiding them towards a better idea of what it means to write a good piece of extended prose.

It is, however, all too easy to see how the danger of essays being passed off as students’ own work can grow. Despite universities employing complicated and thorough plagiarism checks to detect when another student’s work has been copied, it seems that no amount of technology could root out an essay that is bespoke.

A quick Google search throws out dozens of these miracle websites, all promising to save our degrees with tailor made essays. Prices range from £65, to well in excess of £100, and fees can be adjusted based on whether one would like a 2:2 or 2:1 standard piece.

All sounds very suspect, I know…

This growing trend in online essay writing has been the subject of much research by Professor Robert Clarke, of the Birmingham City University, who calls it ‘contract cheating.’ It

seems it is not only academics who are concerned with the practice.

Folkstone and Hyde MP Damien Collins has deemed contract cheating an ‘extremely disturbing’ phenomenon.

Putting the moral implications and concerns aside for a moment, it does seem to be ludicrous to be paying £9000 a year in university fees, and then stumping up hundreds of pounds more to have essays written for you.

With most of us surviving on a diet of microwave noodles and ketchup, washed down with own-brand vodka, it begs belief that there is demand for these essays at all - carrying, as they do, pretty hefty price tags!

Being given the opportunity to engage academically and critically with an often complicated topic, through essay writing, is one of the benefits of a university education. If a student has such a strong dislike of their field, surely it raises the question of what they are doing at university in the first place!

Whether this trend among university students continues to grow, or whether crackdowns on plagiarism or simply undergraduates realising that an essay written by a stranger is probably not worth a months food money cause its decline, remains to be seen. There is, however, no doubt that I (and I hope the rest of my University of Bristol cohort) will keep struggling through my essays the old fashioned way…However painful!…

Ed Grimble

New iPhone...

Do iCare?

One of the questions that everyone is asking themselves at the moment is ‘Should I buy the new iPhone 6?’ and the answer to that question is a slightly annoying ‘maybe’ (unless you are an intrepid Apple enthusiast who has to have the newest model at all times).

Apple’s latest offering is not only thinner and faster but comes in two larger screen sizes (4.7 and 5.5 inches) which both dwarf their predecessors enormously. Having just upgraded my sad, old iPhone 4S for the sleeker iPhone 6 I feel, with its seamless edges and overall curved design, it fits much more snugly in the palm of your hand than any of the previous models and therefore doesn’t actually feel overly bulky to use on a daily basis. Whereas, the iPhone 6 Plus (with its extra 0.8 inches) seems cumbersome and frustrating to use with just one hand.

However, another improvement on its previous models is the move away from a glass back to polished aluminum,

which is more sophisticated and userfriendly (especially for those of you who have a habit of dropping your iPhones on a night out). So, despite being unreservedly satisfied with my upgrade, I’m not fully sure that everyone will be.

If, for example, you already own an iPhone 5S, it would be worth thinking about whether you want to shell out another £539 for the iPhone 6 or £619 for the iPhone Plus model, or if you are willing to pay the astronomical contract tariffs in excess of £50 per month for a new but extremely similar piece of technology. Even though Apple have overhauled the design, the newest models do not offer anything much different from their ancestors in terms of apps or interface. Although I would say, if you are like me and have anything older than the iPhone 5, make the change and you won’t be disappointed.

Tom Herbert

Image by Alan McAlpine

University study spaces: whilst Habitat is all well and good, Bristol’s recent ‘best UK coffee chain’ winner would better suit the ‘student’ demographic.

Tweets of the fortnight: Alex @sowimbledon

Didn’t realise how much I disliked posh people until I came to Bristol uni

Jenny Burton @jenburty

Feeling keen, logged on 10 minutes early to book the Bristol ski trip, am already 820th in the queue... !!

Theo Webb @webbtheo

Best overheard student quote ever... “I don’t like chicken goujons dipped in humous” #bristolUni

A Grump of All Hallows

Why do we celebrate Halloween?

Some may exclaim ‘it’s fun!’ whilst others might talk about trick or treating, dressing up, eating their weight in sugar, and watching scary movies. But when reminded of the original question, the answer will almost certainly be a sure statement of how fun it is.

And it is fun, is it not? When you’re a kid and you get invited to your best mates trick-or-treating party, you spend the week planning a ‘super awesome’ scary costume, find a big enough bag to hold all the thousands of sweets you anticipate you’ll get and spend all day asking your dad if its 5pm yet and time to give you a lift there. Of course your costume ends up being mediocre next to the other kids and a coin purse could have been big enough to hold all the sweets you get, but you still enjoy yourself.

But just like celebrations such as Christmas and Easter (putting aside the argument that these celebrations have a more solid meaning behind them) the celebrations don’t end as you get older, they just change in style. You move on to parties, and suddenly it becomes a thing to dress up on Halloween and get drunk at a party or nightclub instead of go trick or treating. Why? Because Western society has made such a big deal out of a day otherwise known as the October 31st.

We’ve created an entire market for Halloween products. Expensive products, at that. That means ticket prices are up (i.e. club nights for students), decorations come out in

shops, Sainsbury’s brings in crates of carving pumpkins to sell, and I’m willing to bet even sweet prices go up in price.

If I want to buy a superwoman costume online I have to fork out 30 quid at least nowadays, wear it for one night and probably never see it again – you can’t wear the same costume 2 years running!

That brings me to my next point.

Since when did the focus shift from dressing up as scary characters, to dressing up as absolutely anything? I’ve seen Disney princesses flitting around the streets, followed by Batman and a girl dressed up in a highly revealing cat outfit. This year, I have a friend turning herself into a minion from Despicable Me. Are we getting carried away and forgetting what Halloween is all about?

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Are we getting carried away and forgetting what Halloween is all about?

It’s about the living merging with the deceased. No, literally. Hallows’ Eve can be traced back to an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which took place at the end of the harvest season. On October 31st, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead would merge, and the dead would come back to cause havoc: like sickness in time for the start of the cold weather; or damage the winter supply of crops.

Masks and costumes were worn in an

attempt to mimic the evil spirits. Later, its thought that Christianity influenced Halloween to be considered as a remembrance of the dead, especially martyrs and saints. A bit further on in time, Halloween became a celebration of a different kind of dead – the gory, scary, horror kind of dead. Now I have to open my front door to Cinderella on the last day of the month. Apparently this is what Halloween is now.

So is Halloween overrated? Should we just get rid of it? People often seem to feel like they have to do something on Halloween, and may even feel boring or unpopular if they don’t have anything to do. It’s a very Americanized thing, and most kids don’t have that Wisteria Lane to trick-or-treat on. A few of years ago, my parents even actually forgot it was Halloween on the day. So if people don’t seem to care whether we do or don’t celebrate it anymore, what’s the point?

It’s fun. Okay so it’s expensive, and a little stupid, and if I want to watch the Orphan any day that isn’t October 31st, I will. And maybe my friend won’t be scary dressed up as a yellow minion, but if there’s one thing I know for sure is that she’ll be having a lot more fun than a grump sitting indoors moaning such a “silly holiday”. So I just needed a little moan now, so that I’m not that grump on the big day. You will still find me at that party getting involved on the silliest, strangest yet funniest night of the year (I’ll just be drinking Basics vodka and wearing a white binbag for a costume).

Helena Elliott

Epigram

27.10.2014

17 13

Puzzles Crossword Clues Across 1) Cameron’s deputy 2) Arty dog all over bristol 6) Biggest name in the university 8) Sasquatch 10) Origin of ebola outbreak 2013 12)Bristol football club 13) You’ll need this on a cold day 16) Blackthorn gin 17) desrever (anag) 18) Atomic element (He) 20) Mascot is an english sheepdog 21) First host city of the FIFA World Cup in 1930

Down 1) Shut 3) Capital of Georgia 4) L’Hiver en anglais 5) Reside 7)Surprised or alarmed 9) Garden storage hut - loads of these in Bristol 11) A rag man 14) Desired result 15) To pass one’s fortune down to a relative 19) Princess of Arendelle

Fortnightly quiz 1. Which former Epigram Editor and BBC Breakfast presenter moved to ITV in May 2014?

2. Which series of teen drama Skins starts off with Freddie skateboarding down Park Street?

3. The elder son of which Labour Prime Minister lived in Goldney Hall during his time at Bristol in the early 2000s?

4. Which music venue on Frogmore Street was previously called The Locarno?

5. Which train station on the Severn Beach line is between Clifton Down and Shirehampton?

Brought to you by Craig Horner

Answers at epigram.org.uk

WIN Hungry House vouchers!

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UBU NEWS

News and opinion from the University of Bristol Students' Union www.ubu.org.uk

BEST DAY OF THE WEEK

HIGHLIGHTS IN NOVEMBER

WHAT'S ON

Mondays at the Union

Liberation Events

Upcoming events

Oct 2014

WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE?

by Alex Rees, Chair of Student Council

Want to see how change is made?

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to the Democratic Standards Committee. Any

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student can run and will be given the chance to

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This is an open forum where any elected

ubu-council@bristol.ac.uk Getting involved now is a great way to engage with what the union has to offer and be a force for

representatives (course reps, senate reps, club

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captains, society presidents, execs, JCR presidents and

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Oct 2014

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Mon 10 Nov

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Mon 8 Dec

If you would like to enter please contact tom.stephens@bristol.ac.uk. *Check www.ubu.org.uk/events for any changes

DO YOU KNOW A STUDENT WHO DESERVES £500?

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On Friday 7 November 2014, hundreds of Bristol residents will gather on Queen

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CULTURE

Illustration by Ned Darlington

Epigram

27.10.2014

Arts

Editor: Millie Morris

Deputy Editor: Sam Abreo

Online Editor: Jude A’Bear

arts@epigram.org.uk

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@EpigramArts

Jamaica’s first ever poet laureate graces the great hall of Wills Memorial In light of Black History Month, the Bristol Poetry Institute welcomed Professor Mervyn Morris to read his poetry to students and Bristol residents alike. Ellie Taylor reports

“

the highlight of the evening; it dealt with the well-known religious subject in a refreshingly unique manner. To any poetry fan looking for something brilliant to read, look these poems up.

s a r c a s t i c , emotional, witty and always intelligent

Going to a poetry reading by Jamaica’s first poet laureate since its independence in 1962 was no slight experience, and one has to thank the Bristol Poetry Institute and English tutor Dr Madhu Krishnan for making it possible.

The evening was an affirmation of a simple but significant mantra of the institute: poetry is important. Hopefully, the evening marked the beginning of a long relationship between Mervyn Morris and the Bristol poetry scene.

Bristol-based Bellow: new theatre company on the rise ‘As a writer, it’s more efficient to put things on yourself rather than sitting around and hoping you’re going to

“

Professor Mervin Morris

‘each new show is like an addiction’

be picked up by the National Theatre,’ Tabitha tells me.

The pair work individually and collectively as ‘writers and theatre makers’, as Maureen puts it: skills they developed thanks to the vibrant student theatre scene at Bristol.

The city of Bristol now acts as an energetic and receptive audience for Bellow Theatre. As a hub of infectious creativity, the city’s artistic network is a fostering environment for a young, up-and-coming company.

When I ask what the company’s ultimate vision is, Tabitha brightly replies with ‘Extreme success… the National Theatre will be coming to us!’

Tabitha Mortiboy

Bellow Theatre is an exciting new Bristolbased theatre company, co-founded by recent graduates of the university, Maureen Lennon and Tabitha Mortiboy. Their new show Billy through the Window was written by Tabitha and directed and produced by the pair. The two-man play follows the story of young boys in a residential home, and was performed from 20 October for a week-long run at The Wardrobe Theatre by current Bristol students Sidharth Saqar and Joe O’Toole.

Tabitha and Maureen discovered their mutual passion for the theatre during their Freshers’ week at Bristol, and have since taken the initiative to start the company, accelerating the process of seeing their theatrical vision on stage.

Jon Craig

Ever since the Bristol Poetry Institute was launched in 2012, Wills Memorial Building has proceeded to host a succession of renowned poets. Opened by Carol Ann Duffy and followed by Sir Andrew Motion in 2013, this year saw a continuation of these high standards with a reading from Jamaica’s newly appointed poet laureate Mervyn Morris.

Not one to turn down free poetry, I entered Wills Memorial Building unsure of what to expect from the evening. The venue was quickly filled with university students and lecturers as well as members of the general public, all willing to brave the unsurprisingly rainy Bristol weather for this singular opportunity. Morris quickly established himself to be down to earth and humble, and the audience were put at their ease despite being in the presence of such an important figure in West Indian literature.

Having not previously encountered Morris’ poetry, I, like many, now realise that this was an error on my part. At times sarcastic, emotional, witty and always intelligent, the variety he presented the audience with provided something for everyone. Morris’ sequence of poems entitled On Holy Week was, for me,

The premise for Billy through the Window was developed by Tabitha over a year on a writing scheme with the Bristol Old Vic, where she worked one-on-one with a Literary Manager. ‘You go with a little germ of an idea,’ says Tabitha. ‘I knew I wanted it to be a comedy with more serious undertones.

I wanted two young boys in order to explore that adolescent, adventure-seeking moment in life.’

The company are looking forward to more shows soon to be performed in Bristol, as well as a potential performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival next year. A Christmas party with a theatrical twist is another upcoming treat: Maureen tells me how ‘each new show is like an addiction’ and that she loves the thrill of ‘obsessing over a show and then almost giving birth to it and letting it go to the public.’ I am sure that we can expect great things from this fledgling company as it spreads its wings over our beloved city.

For more information about the company and upcoming plays, visit bellowtheatre.wordpress.com or @bellowtheatre on Twitter.

Maureen Lennon and Tabitha Mortiboy

WHO

WHAT

(1937 present) Flickr: MEDEF

Born in 1937 on the French island of Guadeloupe, Maryse Condé is one of the boldest writers of our time. She stands out on the literary scene for her hard-hitting subject matter and intriguing use of mixing French and Creole (English translations are available!), whilst simultaneously maintaining a respected academic career in the minefield of colonial and gender studies, notably as Professor Emerita of French at Columbia University.

Maryse Condé

Catherine Choate

This colourful variety is mirrored in her work; Condé’s novels span continents, eras and social classes in their unflinching and refreshingly honest exploration of racial, gender and cultural issues. In a telling comment on her literary ambitions, she once said ‘I could not write anything unless it has a certain political significance. I have nothing left to offer’.

Epigram

27.10.2014

39

Arts Introducing: Tatchiana Deer

First year Archaeology student

‘I specialise in portraiture and semi-realist illustration with a slightly abstract influence, mostly working in watercolours, oils or digital media and usually built around one or more central figures. I am inspired by the human form and the style of religious imagery often featured in more classical art, and I also love experimenting with lighting and mixed media in my work.’

To contact Tatchiana for commissions, please email tatchi-ana@hotmail.com

Allan Monkhouse’s Conquering Hero * * * War, despite its destruction, must be credited for its creative legacy. If one thinks of the First World War, the names of its most forthright poets, Sassoon and Owen, are just as likely to come to mind as Somme and Ypres, the names of its most lethal battles. The literature of the trenches disturbed the public’s conscience to the extent that ‘Dulce et decorum est...’ is reviled as sick propaganda rather than a universal truth.

The Conquering Hero, the narrative of a subversive poet’s resistance to the First World War, would seemingly be included within the canon of anti-war literature. Unfortunately Allan Monkhouse’s 1923 play, put on jointly by Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory and the University at Wills Memorial, falls short of this.

Of course, the untold damage inflicted across Europe and beyond marks a conflict which was far from just. Nonetheless, the play suffers from the same didacticism it rails against.

‘You think you’re too good to be shot’ Margaret (Saskia Portway) reprimands Christopher Rokeby (Piers Wehner) in the first act. Rokeby, as an aristocratic, self-proclaimed ‘poet’ is more of a symbol than a human being. Much like his colonel father (Roland Oliver) who has never actually seen action, Christopher never seems to do much writing throughout the play, though makes up for this in sermonising to his family. A lethal combination of vanity and self-

righteousness makes his character difficult to invest in. Certainly, his journey in The Conquering Hero from egomaniacal dissident at the war’s outbreak through to self-absorbed rebel at the end is underwhelming to say the least. Piers Wehner ultimately gives a solid performance in a role for which he is simply too good.

More intriguing was Christopher’s brother, Stephen (Edmund Digby-Jones), a parson who struggles to reconcile his Christian pacifism with his involvement in the war, albeit as an ambulance driver. Unfortunately, Stephen’s part is insignificant and is not explored any further than the first half. The rest of the cast do well in a collective personification of the war’s hysteria. However, an individual whose opinion and character remains as constant as the bolshy tone with which his story is told is not profound. The protagonist supposedly suffers shell-shock, though is not emotionally wrecked enough that he cannot muster another tirade against the war in the play’s final scene.

Admittedly, it requires skill to apply nuance to a drama about one of the most catastrophic events of the twentieth century. However, every protestation from Christopher that ‘I don’t know exactly what I think about the war’ felt redundant when the playwright had his mind made up already.

The Conquering Hero is a satisfying political tract; as an artistic endeavour, it is a disappointment.

Liam Marchant

WHERE

WHEN Flickr: bmeabroad

It was not until the release of her third novel, ‘Segu’, in 1984 that Condé was propelled to the forefront of contemporary Caribbean literature. Set at the end of the 19th century, her now most famous novel traces four royal sons from what is now Mali to Brazil and the Caribbean; just a glimpse of the ambitious historical scope of her work.

Flag of Guadeloupe

Caught between the legacies of the African diaspora, French colonialism, and now globalisation, Guadeloupe, Condé’s birthplace, is a melting pot of histories, cultures and traditions. Although Condé left her homeland at only 16 for the bright lights of Paris, and has since lived in West Africa, the UK and America, the theme of conflicted national identity forms the skeleton of many of her literary works.

WHY What brings this skeleton to life is the politically charged question of whether embracing the African legacy is relevant in the modern Caribbean citizen’s search for identity. Across her novels, she teases out what really forms personal identity from the tangled web of historical, political and literary stereotypes; the result is a collection of powerful and uniquely challenging works.

Rachel Hindmarsh

Epigram | 27.10.2014

40

Tom Gellatly argues that literature degrees require just as much effort and time dedication as non-Arts based courses do Returning from a busy summer to life as an English student can take some adjustment, to put it lightly. After travelling, work, festivals and the myriad of other activities that take up the few warm months of the average British year, adapting to a more sedentary lifestyle again can be quite a shock to the system and, perhaps more noticeably, to fellow students whose everyday work looks more like exactly that – work. The average English student, reading away in solitude for hours at a time, is guaranteed to face the ire and scorn of their counterparts in more ‘practical’ degrees.

However, this is, I think, unfair. The main criticism from my peers levelled at my degree and how my work outside of contact hours functions is that ‘reading is not work’. I believe that this is just plain wrong.

I’m sure performing pages’ worth of calculations, painstakingly revising economic models, conjugating irregular verbs and committing to heart various aspects of the human anatomy is, indeed, exactly as challenging as it all sounds, but the daily workload of an English student is no pushover either. Sure, it might look comparatively blissful to see someone perched in Boston Tea Party with a stack of books to work through, but the mental exertion and balancing acts required to compartmentalise dozens of different works from dozens of different authors, eras and centuries each week is a whole lot harder, and requires a lot more mental faculties, than the simple term of ‘reading’ could possibly encompass.

Yet the scorn is still there. Maybe it is the

The Grand Antiquiant In the tall maze of memory it had not been uncommon for travellers, worn by a day on the road, to stop at the inn in the town of Holton. The inn had at one time been synonymous in the district with cheer, a warm bed and a good pint of ale - all made better by the price, especially during times when coins did not swap hands gladly. When pushed, the proprietor, Anthony Sobal, was judged by his locals to be: ‘A jovial fellow, the decent sort,’ and after a few more moments they would add his epithet: ‘poured a good pint, cheap too.’ He was small, welcoming and generous with his years of experience learned from travellers. He swapped and circulated stories of the road in abundance. Indeed, his inn truly was the place to pass an evening with your feet on the fender and a mug of ale in hand, satisfying the good of your soul. Standing some three storeys high it was an imposing building of the Elizabethan style. Great oak beams that intersected the vast white washed walls expressed a grandeur that the cramped and low ceilinged rooms within could not match. Towering over both the church and the village green it was the station through which all the traffic of the town passed.

passive nature of the English student’s degree, merely soaking up all of this information while making the occasional note, which so incurs the wrath of those whose subjects require a more active approach. Maybe it is the paucity of contact hours compared to the medics’ and the dentists’ rigid nine-to-five schedules; I don’t know. But what I do know is that, from experience, a day spent reading, carefully noting and organising the various novels, essays, poems and plays which comprise an average week’s reading feels like a far cry from the serenity that sitting in a coffee shop with a book outwardly evokes.

“

However, as the years stumbled to crash together, Sobal now a much aged man, had shrunk into a bitter recess of himself. With spite in his tongue and a blind arrogance glazing his eyes he cursed what he perceived to be the ever-present banalities and pains of life. ‘Listen to me!’ He would implore his patrons. ‘You satisfy yourselves now but tomorrow your heads will ache. You, George, you drink too much. It would not surprise me if you fall from your ladder tomorrow.

When I was young I was foolhardy. Wasting my rewards and enduring my punishments. I thought life was about luck. Do not trick yourselves, luck has nothing to do with it. It is hard, you hear. Eh, you hear me George! You have to work at life, we…’(here, he would beat his chest, bulging with an enviable pride and devotion to his words) ‘...are entitled to nothing.’ This and more Sobal would say with many a sigh and much shaking of his head, talking more, it seemed, to himself than those around him. Night on night, the same anguished cycle was played out until Sobal, panting with excitement, quietened and descended slowly into a murmured agitation that threatened to smother the jollity of his company like the flame of a candle flanked by two twitching fingers.

the daily workload of an English student is no pushover

My plea, then, is to consider the fact that reading all day, almost every day, is not the ‘doss’ which many people seem to deem it to be. Sure, come exam time, English students do have the last laugh, with their scant revision allowing time for, yes, more reading. But during the teaching blocks, they have just as much work as you do; even if it might not quite look like it when you see them reclining with their umpteenth coffee, and their umpteenth book that week.

Short story by Charlie Rowe - head to epigram.org.uk/arts for the full piece!

West Bristol Arts Trail Over the weekend of 18 and 19 October, local artists opened up their doors to the public for the West of England Arts Trail. I eagerly thought that I’d take some time out of my

Pip Wright traverses Cotham, Clifton and Redland in search of Bristol’s hidden artistic talents

drew inspiration from meticulous studies of texture, female nudity and architecture in conceptualising her work. Occupying the artist’s studio, I felt like I was studying her in her entirety.

The Drawing School at RWA was worth a trip, and a highlight here was Harriet Cox, whose beautiful impressionist paintings gave an emotional response to the landscapes of West England; rewarding for anyone who loves the greener side of the city. Julian Cox’s work will be familiar with anyone frequenting the Boston Tea Party on Park Street, and his clinical

study of perfect lines and natural symmetry was satisfying for any order-obsessives.

Furthermore, walking in to an artist’s house or gallery itself was a piece of performance art in itself. As a slightly damp student with soggy trainers, at times one felt a bit out of place. However, if nothing else, the weekend did uncover a concealed world of artists living in close proximity that would otherwise have remained Bristol’s best kept underground secret.

Photo: Millie Morris

Photo: Millie Morris

busy Politics degree and set off with Google Maps and an appetite for enlightenment.

My first visit was All Saints Church for ‘Art in the Atrium’, which sounded promising, with some interesting handmade pottery and the odd painting.

The art scene here was more celebratory of a shared experience of Bristol, the Suspension Bridge popping up in various mediums as something of a motif throughout the whole weekend.

I soon struck gold, having made the pilgrimage all the way up to Stoke Bishop to see Sally Wetherall’s works. Walking into an artist’s house and pawing through their sketches in their studio at first feels quite intrusive. However, being the only person there for half an hour, I got to chat about her work.

Wetherall reflected on her ceramic works, which took an array of contorted positions, varying in size and colour: some early works took on strained forms, with browns accentuating aspects of their tense and defiant postures. Others (which I were informed were her later pieces) had passive and serene postures, all in white. Wetherall suggested the juxtaposition might offer an interesting insight into the passage of her life as an artist. Her sketchbooks in particular were a joy to flip through, and it was quite inspiring to see how she carefully

CREATIVE

Marion Roach’s ‘Magenta nude’ exhibited at the RWA

CORNER

In defence of English students: reading IS work

Local artist David Brown showcases his painting at ‘Art in the Atrium’

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Epigram

27.10.2014

Film & TV

@epigramfilm Editor: Matthew Floyd

Deputy Editor: Hannah Price

Online Editor: Manvir Basi

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Epigram goes to the 58th BFI London Film Festival We were among the 163,300 to attend the 12 day event, which took place across the capital and screened a total of 248 films from 70 countries

The Imitation Game Hannah Price Deputy Film & TV Editor Maybe you’ve heard of Alan Turing. Maybe you haven’t. But one thing is for sure, you should have. So what better way to open this year’s London Film Festival than honouring a British war hero, whilst showcasing British talent, scenery and history?

The biopic begins in the winter of 1952 with Detective Robert Nock (Rory Kinnear) arriving at Alan Turing’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) flat after a reported burglary, however, Nock can’t shake the feeling that the mathematician is hiding something. However, it turns out his inital suspicions couldn’t have been more wrong. The film then jumps back to 1939 Bletchley Park. From Turing’s first encounter, upon arriving at the secret Government Code and Cypher School, it is apparent that he does not conform to the normal social platitudes. This is much to Commandeer Alastair Denniston’s (Charles Dance) dismay, and our amusement. But before Denniston can show him the door, Turing mentions the supposedly top secret and unbreakable German military code, Enigma; gaining himself the chance to attempt to break the unbreakable.

It’s safe to say Turing’s ‘odd duck’ nature and uncompromising attitude don’t sit well with the other codebreakers. Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode), the charismatic ladies’ man, cannot comprehend Turing’s incapacity to grasp jokes and work together with the team. The U-boat sinkings become increasingly dire day by day; making the breaking of the German code even more imperative to the war effort.

Mark Strong thrives as the sarcastic head of MI6, always lurking in the background, serving as a constant reminder of the lives being lost because of Enigma.

The arrival of crossword extraordinaire Joan Clark (Keira

Knightley) results in the forming of a remarkable relationship between Joan and Alan, in the least conventional but ever so delightful way. Their friendship not only begins to break through Turing’s social isolation, but also enriches his genius ideas, leading to the creation of Britain’s very own Enigma breaking machine. Knightley’s admiration for Joan Clark’s ability to break boundaries in her own right only adds to the overall charm of her performance.

Alongside the wartime storyline, the Director, Morten Tyldum, uses flashbacks to portray Alan’s school years. It is here we see young Alan Turing escape bullying through his growing friendship with a boy named Christopher. It quickly becomes clear that Turing himself holds many secrets, including that of his homosexuality.

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‘it’s part of a momentum to give Alan Turing the recognition he deserves’ Benedict Cumberbatch illuminates the screen throughout the entire film, with his astonishing portrayal of the unconventional unsung hero, whose astounding work led to the shortening of World War Two by at least two years and in turn, the saving of thousands of lives. The intrigue and complexity that Cumberbatch brings to the character is remarkable, and easily his best role yet, which deservedly has caused quite the Oscar buzz. But if you’re expecting to see similarities to BBC’s Sherlock on the big screen, Cumberbatch himself prepares you to be wrong, emphasising that strong characters have strong traits but are nevertheless different, ‘I didn’t read the script and think Sherlock in tweed’.

This film, named after Turing’s post-war paper on machines’

ability to imitate human intelligence, doesn’t set out to show that we won the war, or even to show how. It is an in depth character study, of a wholly significant individual, and how he impacted history as we know it. At London Film Festival press conference, the screenwriter Graham Moore expressed his emphasis on celebrating our world’s outsiders within The Imiation Game. ‘Sometimes it’s the people that no one flickr/craigboney imagines anything of that do the things no one can imagine.’

This is the inspiring message he has embedded throughout the movie, and the essence behind one of the greatest code breakers the world has seen.

However, history doesn’t hold a happy ending for Turing, therefore neither does this film. The discovery by the police of his homosexuality resulted in his prosecution in March 1952, which in turn led to medical castration and the breaking of Alan Turing. The persecution by the very government he fought to protect is harrowingly depicted by Cumberbatch, when in a scene with Knightley he convincingly exposes the medications effect on the mathematician’s mind.

60 years ago, Turing took his own life; and this is where the film ends. Cumberbatch highlights the significance behind The Imitation Game, ‘it’s part of a momentum to give him the recognition he deserves as a scientist, the father of the modern computer age, a war hero, and a man who lived an uncompromising life in a time of disgusting discrimination.’

Where would we be today without Turing’s contributions to these fields? How would the world have been different if Turing was still with us?

If nothing else, this film spotlights a hero that deserves to be remembered, and raises questions that deserve to be raised.

The Imitation Game will be on general release from Friday 14 November.

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Fury

Matthew Floyd Film & TV Editor Earlier this year David Ayer (End of Watch, Training Day) presented audiences with Sabotage, an Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle widely regarded as a steaming pile of miscalculated dross. At the opposite end of the spectrum, he now brings us Fury, an intense and immersive World War 2 drama with an all-star cast headed up by Brad Pitt (Inglorious Basterds) alongside Shia Labeouf (Transformers), Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) and Ayer-alumni Michael Peña (End of Watch).

Already opened and storming the box office in America, Fury had the weighty responsibility of closing this year’s London Film Festival, a task previously entrusted to the likes of Raging Bull, American Beauty and Slumdog Millionaire. Thankfully, Ayer has reupped his game since Sabotage to create a film which can sit comfortably in the upper echelons of modern war films. In spite of the big names, to all intents and purposes Fury is the story of the titular Sherman tank as it pushes through Germany in April 1945.

It holds a crew of five, each known by their nicknames with the exception of rookie soldier Norman (Lerman), from whose perspective the audience witnesses the horrors of war unfold and how it impacts

The Duke of Burgundy Flickr/NOO

In Cinemas from 8 October With his third feature The Duke of Burgundy, UK born director Peter Strickland (Katalin Varga, Berberian Sound Studio) offers an intriguing, blackly comic, butterfly-on-the-wall study of one of the more obscure couples to have graced the big screen. Set in an undisclosed European location at an ambiguous time, traces of modern technology are noticeably absent, and the film follows the deeply in love Cynthia (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and Evelyn (Chiara D’Anna) as their relationship unfolds steadily from the middle.

At the beginning, they both appear more than content to manifest their infatuation in scripted sado-masochism, with the older Cynthia cast as dominatrix over Evelyn’s submissive ‘housemaid’, dealing out daily repetitive punishments to the apparent pleasure of both. However, as the film progresses, the nature of their relationship shifts as roles are reversed and the ritual role-play cannot continue to satisfy Cynthia, who comes to yearn for a more conventional relationship.

Strickland is known for his striking visual style and does not disappoint with The Duke of Burgundy, whose glossy production looks that of a higher budget film. Indeed, the opening credits name the source of both the lingerie and the perfume used, indicating that style has been considered very seriously.

Somewhat unexpected, though, is the

those involved. Pitt plays the hardened sergeant ‘Wardaddy’, whose respect from his men, ‘Bible’ (Labeouf), ‘Coon-Ass’ (Bernthal), and ‘Gordo’ (Peña), has been earned through experience.

Plot is thin but spectacle and immersion Fury has in spades, with phenomenal performances from each of the five leads providing rich characters beyond the stereotypes often found in war movies.

Fury is at its strongest, however, during its frequent and thrilling battle sequences, which exhilarate and engross in equal measure to offer an enthralling sense of the terror and tragedy of conflict on this scale. Be warned, this movie pulls no punches in its depiction of violence – a number of images will not soon be forgotten, including the filling of a mass grave or the suicide of a dying soldier.

Not all is successful, however, as some scenes of character development don’t quite come off and the third act notably exchanges its admirable realism for cinematic drama.

Also of concern is a sequence where the band of allies occupy a German town, leading to an encounter with local women which appears to present a moment of sweetness as sexual consent, in spite of the powerful sense of fear and pressure no doubt being felt by the young woman concerned. Nevertheless, Fury is overwhelmingly successful in its exhibition and condemnation of war, anchored by an emotive family-style relationship between the five men whose home and work is the tank, each of whom declaring with varying meaning, ‘best job I ever had’. degree of humour running through the film after the premise is established, with Strickland able to recognise that the obscure nature of the pair’s love is indeed amusing when played with such masterfully straight faces by the leads. The bizarreness is heightened further by the duo’s occasional excursions into the local entirely female community, whose population’s only pursuit seems to be the in depth study of butterflies – entomology -, images of which are dispersed throughout the running time though supply no metaphor or symbolism.

The Duke of Burgundy is doubtless a fascinating and amusing study of love, teasing out important themes of how we are influenced by others’ perceptions of who we are in private. Unfortunately, the film is hampered by a very slow pace which makes it feel longer than its 104 minutes, a result of over-emphasizing certain emotional points and the repetition of their routine.

Nevertheless, The Duke of Burgundy is well worth watching for the performances, originality and not least for a memorable discussion of plans for Evelyn’s impending birthday – the key phrase being ‘human toilet’.

A Little Chaos

Fury is on general UK release from Wednesday 22 October.

Far From Men is on general release from Saturday 18 October adaptation of The Winter Guest starring Winslet unexpectedly harmonising in the Emma Thompson. Despite the large time solitude of a private garden. As a director, gap between the two, with A Little Chaos Rickman paints scenes beautifully with Rickman continues to offer mature, attractive the camera to showcase the landscapes of entertainment with enough depth to linger Versailles and deftly creates a film which can longer in the mind than your average family be enjoyed across generations. friendly flick.

As with his debut, the film finds a strong female lead in the form of Kate Winslet, with whom Rickman has been pals since working together on Sense and Sensibility. Far From Men is David Oelhoffen’s (In Your She stars as Madame Sabine De Barra, a Wake) adaption of Albert Camus’ short landscape architect who becomes involved story The Guest, realised as a moral Western in the ongoing works in the gardens of the set in the desert landscape of the rocky Palace of Versailles by way of her originality North African highlands. Viggo Mortensen and vibrancy, which captures the attention (A History of Violence) is excellent as Daru, of the renowned architect in charge of the a reclusive teacher content to live apart plans André Le Nôtre (Matthias Schoenaerts) from any community with only his pupils in 1682 Paris. Through this employment she for company. His comfortable routine is finds herself elevated to mingle with the shattered by the delivery and entrustment highest of society in the court of King Louis to him of Mohamed (Reda Kateb), a villager XIV (Alan Rickman), where she encounters accused of murder whom Daru is ordered to the intricacies of its relationships and escort to the nearest prison – a full day’s walk through the desolate mountains pursued by etiquette.

The film is essentially harmless, though Arab horsemen seeking vengeful justice.

Their situation is exacerbated further by draws the viewer in through a delicate layering of character, a wonderfully realised the backdrop of 1954 Algeria, at the outbreak period setting and enjoyable performances of the war for independence from the French. from its accomplished cast, with Rickman on Both leads are spot on believable in their top dry form, Winslet crackling as a woman roles, subtly drawing out their characters to out of place with the norm of the time and build an emotive bond with one another as Stanley Tucci positively lighting the screen up they navigate the harsh environment and as the King’s flamboyant brother ‘Monsieur’ its ruthless populace. Oelhoffen skilfully Philippe. With surprising emotional depth creates a thrilling and genuine sense of peril revealed at a measured pace and a multitude during these encounters, whilst carefully of delicious lines, A Little Chaos is at its best allowing Daru and Mohamed to develop a when it brings together its big names, with satisfying depth to justify their actions. Also a standout scene featuring Rickman and notable is the original score, which comes courtesy of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis to

Far From Men

A Little Chaos will be released 17 April 2015

A Little Chaos is the second directorial feature from beloved British thespian Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Harry Potter), following his 1997

Epigram 27.10.2014

perfectcly underpin the narrative without ever being intrusive, gradually and subtly building in melody as the film progresses.

Far From Men is a morally provocative and well realised exploration of humanity in dire circumstances.

Son of a Gun

Son of a Gun is the feature debut of the acclaimed short film director Julius Avery, best known for Jerrycan which scooped him the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2008 among other awards. An Australian production, Ewan McGregor is the name heading the bill of this enjoyable but ludicrous crime thriller.

With an appealing magnetism, McGregor shines as Brendan Lynch, a career criminal who meets the annoyingly naïve lead character JR inside a West Australian prison, taking him under his wing to use as a pawn in his wrongdoings on the outside, whilst JR becomes enamoured with the luxuries his new lifestyle affords him. In spite of a fast moving narrative, glossy production and some effective action sequences, Son of a Gun is little more than an amusing caper, as under the smallest amount of scrutiny

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almost every plot point collapses under the weight of its absurdity. The impression given is that Avery has shot for gritty, mob realism but hit way wide of the mark.

It certainly doesn’t help that the lead character JR is never more than an annoyance, meanwhile the entire half of the narrative

Flickr/canburak

M c G r e g o r ’ s performance is far and away the film’s greatest draw revolving around his outlandish romance with the ‘off limits’ Tasha (Alicia Vikander) serves only to exasperate. Ewan McGregor’s fantastically enjoyable performance is far and away the film’s greatest draw, as he chews scenery while delivering lines like ‘bring me a f***ing hammer or something’ during an inappropriately funny torture scene. Son of a Gun is certainly an entertaining ride, but scratch below its thin surface and you’ll only find a mess of screenwriting.

relish will be released in the UK from 30 January 2015 Flickr/screen Son of a Gun

Fox Catcher is released in the Uk from 9 January 2015 the prosthetic nose). His performance allows the audience to pity his character, while still hinting at the volatile traits lurking beneath his surface. The drug fuelled lifestyle soon Hannah Price begins to threaten Mark’s success, along Deputy Film & TV Editor with du Pont’s obsession with Mark’s older brother Dave. Du Pont struggles to grasp the If I were to tell you that Channing Tatum, concept that ‘You can’t buy Dave’, but in the Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo star together end the millionaire’s power triumphs when in a chilling drama, with performances of Dave finally joins them at the estate. It is their careers, how long would it take you from this moment that the three character’s to believe me? Let’s hope about the time it fates become entwined. takes you to read this. Foxcatcher, based on Mark becomes enraged by jealousy when true events, tells the dark menacing story it appears his father figure prefers his of a multimillionaire and two wrestling brother, while Dave doesn’t display the same champions. gratitude towards his host that Mark showed.

Olympic Gold Medal winning Mark Schultz All the while du Pont becomes more and (Channing Tatum) lives and breathes more distressed, as the pair place a distance wrestling, with an inner desire to step out of between themselves and him, similar to that the shadow of his charismatic brother Dave enforced by his disapproving mother. Cracks Schultz (Mark Ruffalo). A chance offered to begin to show fast and frequently, and the him on a shiny silver platter by John du Pont nail-biting tension climaxes with a shocking (Steve Carell), who invites Mark to train for disaster. the 1988 Seoul Olympics on his magnificent Director Bennett Miller, contrasts the estate. It doesn’t take long for Mark to perception of harmless character flaws, with idolise his host, and become dependent the violence and stratagem of wrestling, on his approval. Du Pont views this as a allowing him to challenge what we think we chance to “coach” wrestlers, and ends up know. Without a doubt, the heart and body of funding America’s national wrestling team, the movie is the outstanding performances however his idea of coaching epitomises his by the unlikely trio, grabbing you from the disillusioned perspective. onset and not letting go until the tragic end.

Steve Carell, widely known for his comedic Who’d have thought that Evan Almighty, roles, is unrecognisable as the alienated Magic Mike, and The Hulk would produce a child-like du Pont (and not just because of poignant, gripping, Oscar contender?

Foxcatcher

Editors’ Picks

Our personal choices of what to watch over the next two weeks Matthew Editor

Hannah Deputy Editor

Manvir Online Editor

Horns Wednesday 29 October

Glue Series finale Monday 3 November Channel 4

Mr Turner Friday 31 October

Daniel Radcliffe stars in his most obtuse post-Potter role to date as Ig Perrish, who discovers devil-style horns sprouting from his forehead following the mysterious death of his girlfriend.

Did someone say Halloween?

The Newsroom - Season 3 Sky Atlantic, sometime in November Aaron Sorkin continues his winning streak following The West Wing, The Social Network and Moneyball with this excellent drama set in - you guessed it - a US newsroom. With an excellent ensemble cast, I’ll be sorry to see it go as this will be its final season, freeing Sorkin up to pen a Steve Jobs biopic with Christian Bale rumoured to star.

Channel 4’s teen answer to Broadchurch.

Plenty of secrets, lies, sex and drugs...

Everything you’d expect from the writer of Skins really. If you’ve missed our on this gripping murder mystery there’s plenty of time to catch up on 4OD before the much anticipated conclusion.

Serena Friday 24 October There’s definitely a reason Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawerence are back together again, come on have we actually not liked anything they’ve done together? Only this duo could make a timber business glamourous.

Starring Timothy Spall in a role of a lifetime, the film follows the life of famous landscape artist J.M.W Turner.

Mr Turner has already received critical acclaim at every film festival including Cannes and with Mike Leigh’s brilliant directing it will be a big hit.

Two And A Half Men - Season 12 Starts 31st October Yes I still watch this despite Charlie Sheen being axed from the show. With Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher) and the hilarious Alan Harper, it’s still better than most comedy shows out there!

Epigram

27.10.2014

Music

@epigrammusic

Editor: Guy Barlow

Deputy Editor: Gunseli Yalcinkaya

Online Editor: Jonny Hunter

music@epigram.org.uk

gyalcinkaya@epigram.org.uk

musiconline@epigram.org.uk

Rita Ora, Touring and Greggs; Guy Barlow hears her roar

Gunseli Yalcinkaya gets some valuable life lessons in relationships, feminism and internet trolls

An Interview with Ella Eyre: a Big Future and Even Bigger Hair 20 year-old Ella Eyre comes across as a very confident, likeable woman as she bounces across the stage at the O2 Academy in a full-body leopard leotard with her massive hair in a seemingly perpetual state of movement. Her rise has been described as meteoric after she arrived on the scene with ‘Waiting All Night’ as a collaboration with Rudimental two years ago and she is finally releasing her first solo album next year after her tour this autumn. Although she undoubtedly has talent and a fabulous voice, she is entering an industry with many like herself who fit the three categories: young, female and an enormous voice. I was undeniably very impressed by her voice but not over-awed by her repertoire; they were all very similar. Indeed, one of the highlights of the gig was her cover of Jermaine Stewart’s‘We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off’ which was a very welcome change from the 4-to-the-floor dance tracks, since it gave her an opportunity to show off her remarkable vocal range and tone quality.

I have visited Bristol when I went to that warehouse and stayed in student halls which was horrible

Anyway, enough reviewing. A few days before the show I spoke to Eyre on the phone about her tour, Rita Ora and what she’d be doing if she wasn’t a singer.

Firstly I asked what knowledge of Bristol she has with the reply being ‘quite limited.’ Good start then.

Although, she has been to a ‘warehouse party thing in the middle of nowhere which was really fun.’ Motion perhaps? Maybe not.

I’ve just been building and developing as an artist.’

Additionally and not surprisingly, as she is just 20, she has many friends who are students, ‘I’ve got loads of friends living the student life! I’ve got plenty in Newcastle, Manchester and loads in Bristol so my guest list is full [for my tour]. I have visited Bristol when I went to that warehouse and stayed in student halls which was horrible.’ Well yes, I imagine it is slightly different to ‘glamping’ at Bestival.

Previously in interviews, Eyre has seemingly shunned away from the comparison between herself and Rita Ora and I inquired as to why this was: ‘Ermm I mean I don’t think we look the same! It’s an amazing comparison to have because we’re both very young girls and both do pop music, so yeah, there are certain similarities in terms of what we do but as people I think we’re very different. For a start I write my songs, and I’m very aware of my situation and the people that work for me; I like to be captain of my ship and I guess, I don’t know too much about Rita but I guess she’s got a lot more people telling her what to do than I do.’ Shots fired! That seems like quite a backhanded comment, and Eyre seems very proud that she writes her own songs. Certainly, pride is a quality Eyre has said she has in the past; another comparison she hears a lot, this time mainly

self-proclaimed, is that she is like a lion, ‘I like to relate myself to a lion in some ways, obviously my hair being one of the reasons. Also I like to think that the attributes of a lion can be quite similar to me: I’m quite proud, I’m loyal and f*cking angry sometimes.’

Moreover, in a time of over-sexualised female artists I asked what her opinions were. ‘When it comes to over-sexualising yourself, it’s a choice. I wear the clothes that I wear because I find them comfortable. I’m not interested in wearing clothes that appeal to other people for the sake of selling a record. It’s important to remain strong-willed in the message that you’re sending out to people and a lot of people look up to me. I don’t think it’s in my interests to be wearing short skirts.’

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I don’t know too much about Rita but I guess she’s got a lot more people telling her what to do than I do

I then wondered how Eyre got into singing in the first place; she went to The Brit School whose alumni of course include Amy Winehouse, Adele et al. so I asked how she got to where she is from there. ‘I went to study musical theatre and came out doing something completely different. I initially started out as a writer as a way of counselling myself. I feel like I can relate to people my age and people younger and older. It was just a case of writing sh*t that meant something to me and other people and over the last couple of years

F*ck knows. Literally f*ck knows... I guess I’d be like manager of Greggs or something

However, some artists would possibly argue that in such a fiercely competitive industry one has to stand out somehow. I put this thought of how one can stand out in such a ruthless industry to Eyre,

‘At the moment I’m just really enjoying touring and branching out and getting people to know me like expanding my brand I guess. It’s one of those things that will take a while because there’s a lot of people to compete against but I’m just enjoying touring and learning and developing as an artist.’

In terms of the celebrity lifestyle, I asked Eyre how she was finding it.

‘I’m definitely still getting used to it [the celebrity lifestyle] because I still consider myself very normal. I still can’t be arsed to put make-up on in the morning and because of the people I surround myself with I don’t want to lose myself to the celebrity world. I’m enjoying it, don’t get me wrong, and its flattering when I’m on the street and someone recognises me and its really nice to actually meet fans. But I’m still like “What? Me?!”’

Finally I asked what Eyre would be doing now if she wasn’t a singer:,‘F*ck knows. Literally f*ck knows. [Laughs] I wouldn’t be at uni. I got to that point where I didn’t feel like education was gonna help me anymore. Because I’m a creative mind I like to do things on my own I like to organise sh*t; I dunno, I’m a boss. I guess I’d be like manager of Greggs or something [Maybe not that high up, I interrupt]. A supervisor then.’

Guy Barlow, Second year, Music

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An Interview With: Maverick Sabre Will Merry chats to Irish singer after a two year hiatus Maverick Sabre is finally back making music. The 24 yearold Anglo-Irish soul singer has released two singles already from his upcoming album, and his tour included a Bristol date at the Bierkeller on 24 October. He’s also had a very busy few months collaborating, working on the Brit Award-nominated album produced by Idris Elba, Mi Mandela, as well as a couple of tracks from Gorgon City’s new album, Sirens.

Seeing his set at Lovebox this year made it clear that he has come a long way since the ‘Wonderwall’ cover that got people talking back in 2011; I was really excited to get the chance to chat to him before it all kicks off with the album release. He immediately came across as a relaxed, honest and genuine guy who isn’t shy about giving his opinion and talking about personal experiences. He also called me ‘brother’ a lot, which made me feel a lot cooler than it probably should have. flickr: Chris Boland

Hi, Maverick! It’s hard to resist the temptation to ask you to call me Ice Man, like off Top Gun [He (thankfully) laughs while I cringe and tell myself to play it cool. Pleasantries ensue]. Your most recent singles, ‘Breathe’ and ‘Emotion’ feature a lot of gospel and rap, is this what we can expect from your upcoming album?

For me this record is a lot more vulnerable because it is the result of me being the most honest that I have ever been to myself, and yeah, there is a lot of gospel in it. I’ve drawn a lot of influence from before I got into soul music when I was really into hip-hop at the age of 14 or 15, so the production is a bit harder in this record.

To me, it’s a tough but vulnerable soul record.

You say your latest album is a more vulnerable record, is it based on personal experiences you’ve had over your two year break from music?

Well it’s a mixture of everything, you know, I try not to focus just on myself in my music but there is definitely a large element of looking into myself and understanding myself within this record.

The last two years that I’ve been away have been the biggest change I’ve had in my life, and I’ve learnt and grown the most in those two years than I ever have. This is all reflected in the music.

Your tour starts very soon. Are you excited? How do you take life on the road as opposed to life in the studio?

Well, for me touring is the life and soul of music really; I’ve always been brought up with a pure love for the live performance element of music. That’s the key - that’s where you really connect with people, and where your musicianship and passion has the chance to come out. It’s the chance for anyone who comes to the show to really connect and move past whatever they may have seen on TV, YouTube or read in an interview and understand the songs from my perspective, in a way that they might not have thought about before.

Even if there are a thousand people in a room or two people in a room, for me, all the shows will always be exactly the same. I want my audience to come away from the show feeling connected as a unit, or as ‘one’. There is no buzz in the world like performing live; I’m really excited.

How do you find Bristol when your tour visits there?

It’s one of those cities where there is a real appreciation and un-

derstanding of music and it has a great musical history. The hiphop scene in Bristol is also way ahead; it’s always one of the top 5 gigs in the country for me.

It’s clear how important making music is to you; what would you be doing if you didn’t go into the music business?

I’m not really sure, to be honest; music was always my main passion from when I was about eight years old. I’m a bit of a wildcard, so it could have gone down any route. I’m not sure it would have gone down a great route, to be honest, but I’m blessed to have been able to be as guided by music as I have been.

Well I’ve seen a video of you scoring a blinder on Soccer AM, so you could have gone for football!

[He laughs]. Yeah that was my only skill; I went back on Soccer AM a couple of months later and missed, so I should have just stuck to the one opportunity and you never know. I could have got a trial for Arsenal just to be brought on for penalties with that kick!

The music industry has been changing a lot over the last decade; CDs are dying and vinyl is on the rise, digital has dominated the scene. How do you feel about services like iTunes and Spotify? I know a lot of artists have issues with the way these companies work.

I’m very happy to see vinyl on the rise but you have to be open to changes in the times. With things like Spotify I suppose you have to understand that that is part of people’s lives now. You can’t take that away - kids rely on that to listen to music, they can’t afford to go out and buy records. At the end of the day if the music is real and the artists are real, it will always come back full circle.

However I don’t agree with it when the artists get a very small percentage and it all goes into big companies. I’ve seen some facts and figures with some companies and there must be more equality in the music industry. My priority is getting my music out to as many people as possible, and if people listen to my

music online and maybe then come to one of my shows, I have no problem.

Talking about getting your music out, what do you think about U2’s new album being automatically downloaded for free onto everyone’s phones? I guess a comparison to that would be Thom Yorke’s new album being released on BitTorrent where people can get it free and choose to pay for some of it. Where do you think the future is?

Yeah it was a bit weird waking up one morning and having a U2 album on my phone, I thought someone had robbed my phone and downloaded it for me! I don’t like the idea of suddenly having someone’s album on my phone; I don’t care whose album it is, it’s an invasion. I’m not blaming that on U2, but I don’t think it was a good idea. It’s an infringement on people’s rights, to be honest with you. Even from a musical perspective it’s not a good route to go down, because people will automatically be wary of the record as it’s been thrown at them, basically.

Thom Yorke’s idea is better; him and Radiohead have always had good ideas with sharing music and moving with the times.

At the end of the day it’s the fans that will decide where it will go, no matter what musicians say.

Your upcoming collaboration with Idris Elba on his album, Mi Mandela, sounds exciting, but very different from your usual tracks. Was it a hard change of genre?

It wasn’t a huge change in genre for me to be honest; for me my genre is my voice. I try to vary my music a lot - like when Gorgon City recently asked me to collaborate with them on a house track. Idris Elba allowed me to create a traditional African sound mixed with soul and loads of other different energies. I don’t like to restrict myself; whatever I’m asked to do I will always try to give a piece of myself and I guess there is always an element of soul that comes with me.

Will Merry, Second year, Law

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27.10.2014

An Interview with: The Horrors Sam MasonJones talks all things weird and wonderful with Horrors frontman Faris Badwan

I understand that with each record made

by The Horrors you have aimed to nuance your sound and identity- that certainly came across on Luminous. Has your time since the record’s release, either working on new material or otherwise, illuminated a new direction for the band?

No! As a band we find it impossible to plan anything or make conscious decisions to make certain types of music ahead of time. We listen to a lot of music while we are on tour - which is where we have been since Luminous came out - but we never really discuss ways to work those records into our own. After a prolonged absence, we’re usually excited enough to be in the studio that we don’t require any outside inspiration.

Your upcoming soundtrack for The Duke of Burgundy as Cat’s Eyes is to predominantly feature Rachel’s singing. Has taking less of a vocal role in the project provided different challenges/rewards? How does this record differ from the first?

The songs were written with Peter Strickland’s vision in mind rather than our own so in that sense the process was liberating. To be honest I find singing with Cat’s Eyes easy as I sing in my natural register, whereas with The Horrors I sing quite high which is sometimes difficult. What I really enjoyed about doing the soundtrack was watching simple themes grow into whole pieces; my favourite piece was one that I had very little involvement in - ‘The Requiem’ - and I saw Rachel write that out of nothing in a couple of days.

My friend Rob was really chuffed with the drawing you did for him at Start the Bus, and I appreciate that your art is something that you take very seriously.

Has drawing and painting always been something you’ve enjoyed? Which artists have informed your visual work? Do any of the others in The Horrors draw?

It’s something I enjoy mainly and have done since before kindergarten. Nothing brings someone to tears like a vicious caricature. I like drawing because it draws your attention to things you might have missed otherwise.

Paul Klee said ‘it’s the job of art to make the invisible, visible’ which is a more poetic way of saying the same thing. I like his paintings a lot, especially the colour theory ones, and also Emil Nolde. When I start drawing though I’m not thinking about other artists or paintings I’ve seen, I guess it ends up being more subconscious than that. Rhys has his own drawing style that you can always recognise.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Josh draw anything other than circuits.

Who are some of your favourite poets and authors, and how they have influenced your own lyrics?

I feel like every musician is into the beat poets but I love all the Burroughs, Camus and John Fante books; also JP Donleavy, Stephen King, Jean Cocteau… I read an amazing book recently called The Devil in the Flesh by Raymond Radiguet… and then a lot of poetry like Goethe, William Blake, James Joyce. I don’t read with any aim or in any sequence… I read because I start a book and like it usually. I have a list of things that have sounded interesting in the past and have made me want to check them out. I like feeding paragraphs I’ve written into language translators and going back and forwards between different languages - it can throw up descriptive and slightly warped results which are cool or lead somewhere else.

There’s a great deal of despair amid certain musical and journalistic circles for the Future Of Music. Is this something you share in?

No, not really. There have always been and will always be great bands around. I guess I could despair for the future of the pop charts, but I have more interesting things to think about.

Ed Miliband recently used your song ‘I See You’ at the Labour Party Conference.

Is there anyone you would hate more to affiliate themselves with your music than Mr. Miliband?

Sam Mason-Jones, Second year, English

Flikr: Redheadwalking

David Cameron probably. I’ve seen some good caricatures of him and sometimes I wonder if any of them have ever brought him to tears.

Epigram 27.10.2014

25 49

Crack Magazine’s 5th Anniversary Hipsters, e-cigs and neon lights; by the sounds of it, Jonny Hunter had a cracking night...

Alex Green

To let the cynicist in me get the first word in: Crack Magazine’s five year anniversary party was a bit of a honey trap.

With free entry for everyone, a line-up including well respected but partially underground artists like Erol Alkan, and décor to make the Old Crown Courts look like a cross between a trendy hairdressers and the opening scene of Blade, the night hit all the right buttons to bring Bristol’s hippest out of the woodwork. As a man put it at the bar:,‘it is literally just cool students and graphic designers, isn’t it?’

The reason for this all becomes quite obvious when you realise the night doubled as a promotional tour for Blu e-cigs. It became even more obvious when I was handed a free e-cigarette on entry. Brand association and all that.

Not being one to turn my nose at the prospect of free – well – anything, and still flattered to have been included in a demographic deemed vaguely desirable to marketers, it was surprisingly easy to put cynicism aside and admit the night was actually incredibly enjoyable. Rarely is so much effort put into a relatively small one-off event and while a couple of the

New York Transit Authority and DJ Zinc on the Pulse Stage

Mysteries New Age Music is Here Felte October 27 2014

Mysteries. Not even their record label know who they are or what they look like. This perhaps adds to the shroud thrown over their debut album New Age Music Is Here, and their visual accompaniments appear nothing more than a gimmick, further focusing your senses on their sound. This is not new-age ambience; but it’s hardly raucous. In an interesting mix of timbre, harmonies and haunting vocal melodies, the album explores many states of mind. There are plenty of interesting percussion developments and styles employed - a distinctly jazzy one in ‘Stateless Wonder’.

The mood is distinctly sombre, and the lyrics cast a forlorn shadow from this mysterious lyricist. If you’re not a fan of deep angular synth melodies and eerie ethereal ambiance, you won’t be convinced, but the album is certainly very easy to listen to.

It is an interesting exploration, but sometimes could be accused of trying to add too much to a song, or simply just taking too long developing a melody, but these complaints are hardly grating. Overall a pleasant listen, even for someone who is not a huge fan of new-wave synth.

Joe Shaw, Second year, History

Jessie J Sweet Talker Lava Republic October 13 2014

more experimental sets in the second room teetered on the edge of taste, the safer 4/4 palette in the main court managed to hit the spot nicely.

Pardon My French set the night off to a good start with what’s fast becoming a classic-Bristol mix of bass-heavy house and disco. Erol Alkan saw off the night’s peak by bringing all his usual magic to steal the show: fitting into the foggy courtroom so easily it’s a surprise he doesn’t perform in repurposed judicial buildings more often.

“ It’s literally just cool students and graphic designers, isn’t it?

A welcome result of free e-cigs, and probably the whole point of Blu getting involved in this scene in the first place, was a lack of toand-fro’ing from the dancefloor to outside and back again. When there’s a party in the Old Crown Courts, which there are at a rate of maybe once a century, it is a shame not to stay in and appreciate the

Phillip Selway Weatherhouse Bella Union October 7 2014

fact people were probably handed life-sentences in the exact spot you’re attempting to dance in.

So cynicism aside, partying with the lightly bearded, denimdonning mass of Crack Magazine’s target audience under the iridescent wash of blue lighting was not too bad at all. With great music and a great venue it’s easy to forgive branding. Happy Birthday Crack, I owe you a beer in a pub slightly cheaper than yours.

Jonny Hunter, Philosophy

Second

year,

WANT TO READ MORE? Check out all the great stuff we have online: - REVIEW: Catfish and the Bottlemen - Teachings in Dub @ The Trinity Centre - Glass Animals @ Thekla - PLAYLIST: ‘Night Is Drawing In’

Iceage Plowing Into the Field of Love Matador October 6 2014

Discerning listeners who recall Jessie J commanding one to ‘do it like a brother’ will probably want to despair like a brother whilst listening to her latest album. Sweet Talker, or Jessica Ellen Cornish’s latest effort, is aptly named – it will no doubt talk sweet to America, the primary focus of the album, where its easy pop tunes will be appreciated. However, despite Cornish’s ability to write smart pop music, she fails to have much credibility here, as much of the album is produced by other big names such as Diplo and Max Martin. Her attempts to employ choice ‘rapping’, à la Miley Cyrus, just sound like she is literally spitting out words. Excess saliva aside, it is impossible to deny Cornish’s ability to purely sing. Her voice cracks an impressive punch, especially on the closing track, ‘Get Away’. What a shame it is wasted on these feeble songs – even for basic pop, the album takes the boring biscuit. Jessie J may well break America, but perhaps her next album should focus more on doing what she does best – intelligent pop music with a bit more soul.

Much of Radiohead’s later, more experimental output was often thought to have come directly from the near-genius of Thom Yorke. Philip Selway’s first album gave us a hint that maybe the atmospheric quality of that respected work was more in debt to the band’s percussionist, via his motoric drumming and ethereal vocals.

Weatherhouse confirms this. Yorke isn’t the only one in the band with a taste for the krautrockesque. Rhythm is something you would expect from a drummer, but the surprise here is the melody on show: the strings and melodies climb and fall in sophisticated patterns.

The drum rhythms are tight and propulsive, often becoming tribal in their use of the tomtoms. Previous album Familial was an enjoyable affair that lacked cohesion and began to drag towards its final tracks. Weatherhouse hits the notes that Familial missed. The distinctions between each track may be blurred but where they succeed is in their moody, emotional quality.

Never mind the bollocks, here’s to the most sophisticated of punk bands. Nowadays, punk’s not exactly mainstream and we only have to look at MTV to know maturity also seems sparse. So for Copenhagen’s Iceage to return, combining the two is, in itself, no mean feat.

Plowing Into The Field of Love is emotionally turbulent; a grown up sort of punk-rock.

The lengthy nature of songs and wide instrumentation of trumpets, pianos and even mandolins suggest the Danish boys have, with a little heartache, finally grown up.

On the other hand, this album is about the most angsty you could ever imagine a Dane.

Like the Nordic equivalent of ‘Fairytale of New York’, for the other 11 months of the calendar, influences of The Jam and The Clash are audible too. So it seems punk’s not dead, just reignited with class.

Caitlin Butler, First year, English

Alex Green, Second year, Philosophy

Annie Slin, First year, Physiology

Epigram

50

27.10.2014

FKA TWIGS @ Trinity Centre - 09.10.14 The mothership’s landed, and it’s none other than alien sex goddess, FKA Twigs Following the release of her Mercury Prize nominated debut album LP1, it is unsurprising that FKA Twigs’ date at the Trinity Centre was a sold out show.

The 26-year-old from Gloucestershire permeated the music scene shrouded in mystery and appropriately strutted onto the stage veiled by smoke to the throbbing bass and angelic vocals of ‘Preface’, before launching into the rattling percussion driven ‘Hide’. Twigs vogues across the stage, her jerky movements matching the sparse beats and beefy bass lines emanating from her three piece band illuminated by giant light bulbs.

Musically, Twigs is a unique exercise in auditory minimalism, with desolate drums and oscillating synths spawning an other-worldly sound, and yet each track is laden with hooks driven by vocals ranging from fluttery coos to airy whispers. On the sexually charged ‘Lights On’, she culminates in an urgent, chanting climax of ‘When I trust you we can do it with the lights on’, while on ‘Pendulum’ and ‘Kicks’, soft, pure sighs reveal a genuine and raw vulnerability.

Visually, Twigs’ dancing is mesmerising, her clockwork shudders to the creaking percussion on ‘Water Me’ hypnotic.

Between songs, the singer demurely tells the crowd that Bristol is the closest

show she’s played to home, her shyness belying her monster stage presence.

The relatively short set of 13 songs lasts for just over an hour, but captivates the audience with a mix of tracks from previous EPs and new offerings from LP1, with the penultimate song being ‘Two Weeks’, the lead single from the album and easily Twigs’ strongest work so far. Unapologetically filthy, she seductively coos ‘My thighs are apart for when you’re ready to breathe in’ to synths that climb to a pinnacle of sonic sensuality, before descending to finish with the downtempo ‘How’s That’.

Twigs puts on a controlled, intense performance that is well suited to the dusky, intimate atmosphere of the Trinity Centre and as the lights go up in the old church, you can only hope that she translates well to bigger venues, because that is where she is certainly headed.

Sam Gregory-Manning, Third year, Zoology flickr: Rene Passet

27.10.2014

Science & Tech

Editor: Ben Parr scienceandtech@epigram.org.uk

@EpigramSciTech Deputy Editor: Alfie Smith

“

Epigram

deputyscienceandtech@epigram.org.uk

Smart technology: a change for good?

From our phones to the Internet of Things, is smart technology the answer to all of our problems?

Alex Lowther Science Writer I am sure that most people have heard the word ‘smart’ being thrown around, referring to technology more and more in today’s society.

Most people own a smartphone, and most people have probably heard about the smart grid. However, is smart technology really the answer to all our problems? And are today’s technologies changing the world around us for better or worse?

So what actually is smart technology? A technology that takes an input, processes it, and then takes some actions based upon that input is deemed to be smart. Most technologies, such as phones, already do this. However, something can be said to be smart when it is doing more than it is normally expected to. This can be seen in the difference between mobile phones of the past, where you could only call and text people, and mobile phones of the present; today you can use your phone to access the Internet, use Snapchat and Facebook, process Word and PDF documents, and much more. This utilises internet connectivity, advanced processing techniques and components, in comparison to previous models.

This is only a stepping stone for the smart revolution

reroute that power back into the smart grid using a smart meter. The smart grid is simply an upgraded, less centralised version of the National Grid, which would be able to hand these small reroutings of energy back into the Grid.

The smart meter is a device that relays information about energy usage from a customer back to an Energy Provider’s centralised database for more accurate billing, and less wastage.

Certainly, smart technologies are, and will continue to influence our lives in many important and diverse ways, whether it is making daily tasks easier, or being better for the environment by wasting less power. However, that does not mean that there are no drawbacks.

There are arguments for privacy concerns, for there will be many devices collecting information about you. Could this mean that your home would no longer be private in any way?

All information relayed by appliances, just like our smartphones, would need to be encrypted, making appliances much more costly, and making the smart grid more difficult to implement.

Furthermore, the actual transition from the current National Grid to a smart grid would require potentially a large amount of money and time. A gradual change over would be needed as a result.

““ is smart technology really the answer to all our problems?

Flickr: 27147

Smart technologies are becoming increasingly more popular in our society, with the introduction of technologies such as smart watches and smart bands showing the diversity available. The introduction of the Apple iWatch will probably make the branch of technology known as ‘wearables’ more fashionable, like the iPhone made smartphones more popular. But, this is only a stepping stone for the smart revolution, as it aims to eventually make all appliances and technology, where possible, smart, creating the ‘Internet of Things’.

The Internet of Things simply refers to a proposed development for the internet in which everyday objects – e.g. kettles, toasters, microwaves, TVs, and more - all have internet connectivity. The connectivity would allow them to relay information to various companies or your home broadband network about how they have been used and various other pieces of information, which could be invaluable when you are trying to save on energy bills. Furthermore, smart appliances would be able to tell if they were in an ‘off’ state; still receiving power from the mains, they would

smart technology has revolutionised

how

we communicate

Smart technologies have benefited us over the past few years. The smartphone is just one example of how smart technology has revolutionised how we communicate. There are drawbacks, such as privacy concerns and the actual implementation of further developments of the technology. Whilst there are positive and negative points to smart technology, it is being slowly implemented whether we wish it to be or not, but we do have the opportunity to choose how it is implemented. The benefits to a secure system of smart technology and the Internet of Things could be limitless for consumers if it is implemented correctly, and it is our duty, as the next in line for the work place, to do so.

Epigram

27.10.2014

52

‘Neuromyths’ influence our education

The gap between neuroscience and education has been laid bare in a paper recently published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience. The paper claims that myths about the brain, dubbed ‘neuromyths’, seem to be responsible for ineffective and irrational teaching in schools.

Neuromyths are unscientific ideas which seem to have crept into our education system and are still widely believed despite contrary evidence.

These myths range from the assertion that we only use 10 percent of our brain, to the idea that our brain will shrink if we drink under six to eight glasses of water a day. For neuroscientists, these ideas are ludicrous. However, research shows that many teachers not only believe these and other neuromyths, but they sometimes incorporate them into their teaching.

The paper, written by Dr Paul Howard-Jones, a reader in neuroscience and education at the University of Bristol, argued that these unscientific approaches to teaching can be dangerous to a child’s education.

Many of the neuromyths Dr HowardJones identifies have their scientific roots. However, the conclusions that the neuromyths come to are worlds away from what the evidence and research shows. For an example, studies have shown that dehydration does hinder learning; the claim that 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is necessary is not, therefore, without reason. That

“ people learn differently

depending upon which

side of their brain is dominant

said, there is simply no evidence to suggest that there is a link between this and children under performing in school. However, being able to trace this neuromyth back to its scientific origin makes it easier to understand why more than a quarter of UK teachers believe that the brains of those who fail to drink six to eight glasses of water a day will shrink.

The paper also talks of the cultural differences in the terminology and language widening the gap between neuroscience and teaching. It argues that the reason neuromyths continue is partly due to the difficulty to access and understand neuroscience journals, which are where the counter evidence to these neuromyths are located.

Mistaken beliefs caused by an inability to fully understand neuroscience is particularly apparent in the ‘leftbrain right-brain theory’. This theory claims that people learn differently depending upon which side of their brain is dominant i.e. a ‘left-brainer’ is more logical and objective, whilst a ‘right-brainer’ is more intuitive and subjective. The theory is often argued

on the basis of research showing that some types of cognitive processes are lateralized, as well as neuroimaging showing particular distributions of brain activity. However, it is through uninformed misinterpretations of this type of evidence that leads to the neuromyth. What is perhaps a cause for concern is that many educational texts encourage teachers to find out whether their students are ‘leftbrainers’ or ‘right-brainers’ so that they can tailor their teaching methods to complement this.

Dr Howard-Jones told Epigram Science that it is not the case these neuromyths persist because teachers are stupid. He insisted that the real

“

Science Editor

Flickr: ch.weidinger

Ben Parr

The problem is

acquiring advice which is both scientifically valid and relevant

reason is ‘because their training does not prepare them to think critically about ideas to do with the brain, and its often difficult for them to find accessible information about it’. His solution to this problem is to include some sort of neuroscience education into teacher training: something which the Royal Society also recommends,

particularly when it comes to the neurobiological underpinnings of learning difficulties such as ADHD and dyslexia. Bristol University seems to be taking these types of recommendations on board as they launched one of the first MSc courses in Neuroscience and Education just last year.

The UK government is recognising the importance of neuroscience to educational policy. The problem, Dr Howard-Jones argues, is acquiring advice which is both scientifically valid and relevant. That is, opening a dialogue between the field of education and neuroscience in which they both contribute. He does not believe that the UK is any worse than other countries in this respect though, and he suggests that it is largely down to culture: it could be the success of water companies that teachers believe we need to drink six to eight glasses of water a day, but if they were in another country, such as Greece, they would be more likely to consider the mind as a product of the soul.

As much as Neuromyths are still believed, they seem to be possible to do away with. What is needed, Dr HowardJones argues, is a new field which links neuroscience and education in an informed way with a carefully constructed message. This is something transforming teacher training, and a generally more scientific educational policy could help to achieve it.

Common Neuromyths

We only use 10 percent of our brain

Everyone is a ‘left brainer’ or a ‘right brainer’

People will learn better if they are taught in their preferred learning style

Children are not as attentive after eating sugary snacks

‘Enriched environmments’ enhance the brains learning capacity

Epigram

Sport

27.10.2014

53

Location, Location, Location The anatomy of a football transfer James O’Hara Sport Features Writer @JamesOHara14

Flickr:Ronnie Macdonald

An oft-quoted stereotype of footballers is that they are all mercenaries, offering their services to the highest bidder.

Pointing to Yaya Toure’s disappointing birthday and Wayne Rooney’s transfer request U-turn in 2011 upon being offered a sparkly new contract, the implication is that all footballers want is money.

Nevertheless, the role of location is seldom taken into account. Perhaps Yaya Toure thinks Manchester is too rainy and cold. Cristiano Ronaldo certainly did. In his autobiography Gary Neville claimed that Ronaldo ‘would talk openly in the dressing room about Madrid. He wanted to play in the warmth.’ Why would you want to play in rainy, cold Manchester when for the same exorbitant salary you could play for an equally successful club in Spain?

Examples of the role of location in transfers are endless. This summer, Alexis Sanchez notably chose to sign for Arsenal over Liverpool. Why? Liverpool had automatically qualified for the Champions League, came agonisingly close to winning the title last year and, at least in offensive areas, seem to possess a more frightening front line. Arsenal, in comparison, were out of the title race by March last year. Admittedly, Liverpool were in the process of selling their star player Luis Suarez at the time, but the lure of London almost certainly played a part in Alexis’ admiration for Arsenal.

Going further back, in both Jürgen Klinsmann’s transfer to Tottenham and Dennis Bergkamp’s to Arsenal, London’s location was also highly influential. Sir Alan Sugar has claimed that Klinsmann joined Spurs because he wanted to live in the fashionable London area near Regents Park. Indeed, Klinsmann himself admits he chose Spurs over more successful clubs at the

time like Manchester United because he wanted to live in London: ‘I know nothing about the English lifestyle so I said to myself, let’s go there.’

For Bergkamp, however, the proximity of London to his native Netherlands was crucial. He admits he didn’t want to go to ‘somewhere like Newcastle or Liverpool because of the travelling time from Holland’, and had wanted to go to England in any case. Manchester United weren’t interested, while Bergkamp considered Arsenal ‘to be a bit above Spurs.’

Arsenal was the obvious fit – and its location had played a crucial factor.

For a player from far more tropical climates than England, the balmy continental climate of Paris, Madrid or Barcelona would seem far more attractive than Manchester, Liverpool or London. The historically high proportion of South American players in Spain’s La Liga and the Portuguese SuperLiga is not only down to historic ties between the two regions; the warm Iberian climate is also a factor.

For other players, it is the opposite to the lure of places abroad – they want to stay as close to home as possible. Jesus Navas’ prospective move to Chelsea in 2006 from his native Seville fell apart because it became obvious he wouldn’t settle. Only in 2013 did he pluck up the courage to leave, this time to Manchester City.

Ian Rush has also claimed he was homesick in his short spell at Juventus (famously claiming, ‘it was like playing in a foreign country’), while Jose Antonio Reyes was tricked into admitting he wanted to return to Madrid in a prank radio call, despite his father and brother moving with him to Arsenal from Atlético Madrid. Needless to say, both Rush and Reyes returned home, to Liverpool and Real Madrid respectively.

Clearly, location has a huge role to play in transfers. There are a plethora of examples to prove this. Footballers, like everyone else, have the right to live in places they want to.

Fresh Faces: Sport’s best youngsters Marcus Price Sport Features Writer @marcusprice106

The Olympics is another fantastic arena for young athletes to showcase their talents; at London 2012 there were no fewer than 25 athletes aged 18 or under taking part. While merely competing in an Olympic Games is an incomparable feat in itself, many of these extraordinary teenagers took it one step further, winning

Flickr: milkyway2014

Growing up with the likes of Michael Owen and Jonny Wilkinson gracing my 19-inch colossus of a television, my future profession was indubitable; I was going to be a sports star. And surely it wouldn’t take that long. Michael Owen, for instance, scored that most memorable of goals in the World Cup at the tender age of 18.

My early teenage years brought with them the discovery of girls, MTV and the ability to communicate in fewer guttural sounds than Martin Jol. Alas, I was not yet a sporting phenomenon. But I still had time. Surely. A few more years flew by and now I sit before you with the unadulterated realisation that the winds of time have not blown in my favour. For there are those of a significantly younger age than myself or, indeed, the vast majority of you reading this, who have achieved unparalleled feats of sporting prowess. Max Verstappen, for example, turned

shoulders of the young man of 17, with all eyes focused squarely on his performances next season as he steps up to race for Toro Rosso. But he is not alone.

The beautiful game, despite currently being dominated by money, is still able to produce incredible talents at an incredibly young age. Raheem Sterling, for instance, born and raised in the same school year as me, could pay off my entire student debt with a week’s wages. Despite earning a small fortune every time he steps onto the pitch, his ability to compete on some of the greatest stages in the world of football is unprecedented, as demonstrated by his shining beacons of performances in the World Cup amongst the dull fog of the England team. However, there is one performance in a World Cup that stands out from the rest; that of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known more

Flickr:Rene Kooijman

Flickr:LFCVN News

17 on 30 September 2014. While his peers may have been looking forward to their first driving experiences in a 1.2 litre Nissan Micra, Verstappen was preparing to make history as the youngest Formula One driver in history, surpassing speeds of over 300kph.

Already dubbed a potential ‘superstar’ by three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, Verstappen finished 12th fastest in the Suzuka free practice, attaining a fastest lap time within half a second of F1 greats, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel. As such, there are profuse amounts of pressure being heaped on the

familiarly as Pele. He exploded on to the World Cup scene in 1958, scoring six goals in four games, including a hat-trick in the semi-final, on his way to winning the competition with Brazil. In their 5-2 victory in the final over Sweden, Pele scored twice, the latter of his goals resulting in Swedish player Sigvard Parling later commenting, ‘when Pele scored that fifth goal in that final, I have to be honest and say I felt like applauding.’ The world could not seem to comprehend how such a young man could terrorise defenders or score goals in the manner he did.

medals and even setting world records. Women’s swimming, for instance, was dominated by Ye Shiwen and Kathleen Ledecky, who were aged 16 and 15 respectively at the time. Two years on and Ledecky is now the world record holder in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events.

If we add our very own Tom Daley to the mix who, in 2009, became the world diving champion in the 10m platform event at the age of 15, it appears that younger athletes are not only catching up with their more senior counterparts but are overtaking them. And so, while my personal aspirations for sporting greatness may have dissipated with those oh so cruel winds of time, my utter astonishment and admiration for these sporting youngsters will never cease.

@epigramsport

Epigram

27.10.2014

54

Bristol rowers in record Atlantic attempt (which will be needed during the race!). He loves spending his free time fixing things, from friends’ bikes, to our Atlantic rowing boat!

Daniel Thacker Sport Editor

Waterbabies Jay Olenicz and Callum Gathercole are a rather special pair. The duo, who met at the University of Bristol rowing club, are planning to row the Atlantic in under two months and in the process become the youngest pair ever to achieve such a feat. Jay found some space in his packed schedule to tell Epigram Sport about their aims…

1. How much time are you aiming to complete the race in?

We are planning to row across in fewer than 54 days. We have set this target because the pair who currently hold the record for the youngest pair to row the Atlantic in tandem completed it in 54 days, so the aim is to better them.

2. How many other competitors will there be?

There are currently 41 competitive teams entered into the 2015 Talisker Whiskey Atlantic challenge. Within our pairs’ category, there are 19 other teams.

3. How long has the race been around?

The race was founded by Sir Chay Blyth and first held in 1997.

There have been subsequent races roughly every two years since then.

4. How much do you hope to raise for charity?

We are aiming to raise £280,000, which will be split between our three charities.

Princess Alice Hospice Callum’s father died of a brain tumour two years ago so this charity is very important to

Jay Olenicz and Callum Gathercole, ready to take on the Atlantic

us. His family received a lot of support from the hospice so we would like to be able to give something back.

BRACE - A small Bristolbased charity, which undertakes research into Alzheimer’s disease. One of my grandparents suffers from this disease so, again, it is a cause very close to our hearts.

Brain Tumour Research - This area of research is incredibly underfunded so we would really like to make a difference as well as raise awareness of how important it is.

5. What will you do when you reach the other side?

We finish in the English harbour in Antigua, so the plan after the race is to enjoy a welldeserved holiday with family and friends! Once back in the UK I’m planning on getting an

internship in the financial sector to gain some work experience before heading back to Bristol in September.

6. How did you and Callum meet and why did you decide to embark on this ‘voyage’?

Callum and I met at Bristol University Rowing Club. We became close friends very quickly and one day in the gym we began speaking about the race. After researching it a bit more we realised that if we entered the 2015 race we would be eligible to become the youngest pair to row across any ocean. This was a challenge we couldn’t resist!

7. What gets you through the training?

The thought of breaking a world record motivates me greatly. I enjoy exercising and

pushing myself anyway, but with something like this to work towards to it is easier to find the motivation to push myself to my limits. My greatest inspiration is Michael Phelps. Although he’s not a rower, his attitude towards training and his will to win is incredibly powerful. His success motivates me to be successful at whatever I do.

8. Who are your main sponsors so far?

We are still looking for a named sponsor, who will get to rename the expedition and boat.

BCD Travel is our first platinum sponsor, our highest level of sponsor at the moment.

9. How do you train each week and how dedicated are you to nutrition, early nights, etc.?

We are currently training

twice a day, six days a week. Our training consists of a range of rowing, swimming and weight training. We are also learning about the boat and training ourselves up on it, so we can deal effectively with any problems that may occur. As a student early nights and a completely healthy diet are relatively difficult to achieve. However, we are trying our best and our friends are helping us as much as they can!

10. How would you describe yourselves?

I would describe myself as a people’s person. I am confident and outgoing, and like spending time with my friends. I am sporty, and enjoy swimming, rowing, and anything water based really.

Callum is a great guy with an excellent sense of humour and always has plenty of jokes to tell

11. Tell us about the support from your families.

My parents have always encouraged me to try new things and challenge myself. Their ongoing support has allowed me to try many new things and given me many opportunities.

As for the row, my parents are incredibly encouraging but understandably slightly worried!

I hope they will be proud of me once I’ve completed it, I couldn’t do it without them. My girlfriend is currently training for the Bath half marathon, which she will run in March and is aiming to raise money for our charities.

Callum also has an excellent support network. His mum, Wendy, has been invaluable in getting us going and keeping us focussed! His girlfriend is also raising money for our charities by swimming 3,000 lengths of a 25m pool, the number of miles we will be rowing! We are both very lucky and grateful for all of the support we have had so far.

12. What are your plans for after the race?

I would love to travel the world and experience all the amazing sights and cultures it has to offer. I really enjoy city life and would love a job which enables me to work in that kind of environment. I have a strong interest in the financial sector, so would like to explore that and see where it takes me.

We are trying to gain as many followers as possible so it looks good for potential sponsors.

Take a look at our website. www. thewaterbabies.co.uk and search for us on Facebook!

Bristol ladies lead the way in opening round of BUCS Edward Henderson-Howat Online Sport Editor

Bristol enjoyed mixed success after the first full round of BUCS (British University and Colleges Sport) on Wednesday 15 October. The Women’s Rugby Team won their opening match 14-0 against Swansea with tries being scored by Rai-Lee Pham and Hannah Wilson. There was a brilliant start to the year for the Ladies’ 1st Tennis Team who

beat Cambridge. The Ladies’ 1st Netball Team performed exceptionally well as they closed out a tight contest against Cardiff Met to win 48-46. And the Women’s 1st Badminton Team, captained by Lauren Ashley, did well to come out on top with a 6-2 victory over Cardiff Met. There was a strong win for the Men’s 1st Lacrosse Team who beat Cardiff Met 10-6. However, the Ladies’ Lacrosse Team

University of Bristol Women’s Rugby Club (UBWRFC) beat Swansea 14-0

couldn’t repeat this success as they narrowly lost 8-6 to Cambridge. The Men’s Rugby Team continued their tough start to the season losing 18-11 to Cardiff Met. On the hockey front, the men lost 4-1 to Cardiff Met in a hard fought match and the Ladies’ Team suffered a 4-2 defeat to Cardiff. In Women’s Football, the 1st team were beaten 4-2 by Southampton Solent and the Men’s Football team also lost

3-0 to Cardiff Met. The Men’s Tennis team were beaten by Bath whilst the Men’s Badminton side failed to emulate their female counterparts as they were downed 8-0 by Cardiff.

The Women’s Basketball team also fell to their Welsh rivals as they were defeated 8062 whilst the Men’s Basketball team suffered a narrow 67-52 defeat to Southampton Solent.

Finally, Bristol’s Mixed Golf Team suffered a 5-1 loss to Exeter while the Men’s Squash Team were downed 4-1 by Southampton.

All in all, it wasn’t a perfect start to BUCS but there were some strong performances and Bristol are sure to bounce back in the coming weeks. Every Wednesday Epigram Sport will be delivering live results on the day, and detailed match reports can be found on our website.

1st TEAM BUCS FIXTURES: WEDNESDAY 29th OCT HOME Women’s Badminton v Bath Men’s Basketball v UWE Women’s Football v UWE Men’s Rugby v Swansea Men’s Rugby League v Exeter Men’s Squash v UWE Women’s Tennis v Bath Men’s Water Polo v Cardiff Women’s Water Polo v Cardiff AWAY Men’s Badminton v Imperial Women’sBasketballvWinchester Men’sFootball v Gloucestershire Men’s Hockey v Oxford Brookes Women’s Hockey v Brookes Men’s Lacrosse v Portsmouth Women’s Lacrosse v Oxford Women’s Rugby v Swansea Men’s Tennis v Cardiff Met Women’s Tennis v Bath Women’s Volleyball v Swansea Fixtures taken from BUCS website

WEDNESDAY 5th NOV HOME Women’s Basketball v Exeter Men’s Lacrosse v Bath Women’s Lacrosse v Bath Women’s Rugby v Bath Men’s Rugby League v UWE Men’s Tennis v Swansea Women’s Tennis v Bath Men’s Volleyball v Exeter Women’s Volleyball v S. Wales Women’s Water Polo v Oxford AWAY Men’s Badminton v Bath Women’s Badminton v Glouc.

Men’sBasketballv Bournmouth Men’s Football v Hartpury Women’s Football v Exeter Mixed Golf v Plymouth Men’s Hockey v Bath Women’s Hockey v Bath Women’s Netball v Bath Men’s Rugby v Hartpury Men’s Squash v Exeter Men’s Water Polo v Cambridge

Epigram

27.10.2014

55

Does KP belong in the England side?

YES Edward Henderson-Howat Online Sport Editor @edward_hh94

Kevin Pietersen is arrogant and brash. He has fallen out with enough teams and coaches over the years to suggest that he is not the sort of person you want to share a dressing room with.

His recent autobiography revealed a turbulent world within the England team. A state of flux to which he will certainly have contributed. But what matters most is what was least mentioned in his book, the game of cricket.

He is the finest batsman England has seen this century.

In a third of the Test series he played, he was the leading run scorer. No other player has scored more runs in an England shirt. Ever.

His batting genius can turn games in a single session from his historic 158 at the Oval in 2005 to the majestic 186 in Mumbai in 2012. These innings didn’t just win (or draw) games, they secured series victories

“ To drop your best batsman is unwise. To drop the best batsman in a generation is madness

that England hadn’t achieved in decades.

To use him as a scapegoat for failure is ridiculous. After losing 5-0 you do not blame your leading run scorer in the series.

In looking back at the glory days of 2005 some may argue he was passed his prime. However, some of his best innings have come in recent years. Aged 33, he was in the prime of his career.

To drop your best batsman is unwise. To drop the best batsman in a generation is madness.

Yes, he was a maverick. He didn’t always fit in with the team spirit or conform to the status quo but it was precisely because he was a maverick that he did so well. He struck such fear into the opposition because he was willing to do what no other player would.

I remember witnessing those two switch-hit sixes of Scott Styris at Chester-le-Street in 2008. They were a part of an imperious 110* which left the Kiwis clueless. To this day Pietersen still regards

them as his best shots.

Alastair Cook and Ian Bell are remarkable batsmen but would they risk the wrath of their teammates and management for such an audacious shot? I hardly think so.

As a captain, the one thing you want from an opposition batsman is predictability. You want to know where you can place the fielders and where you can constrain him. Pietersen’s unique style of play tore this certainty apart.

It is certain that every captain in world cricket is happy they will never have the headache of Pietersen at the crease for England again.

Equally, some of the England team are probably grateful they will never have the headache of Pietersen in the dressing room again.

Ultimately, he wasn’t a team man. More interested in his own brand and sponsorship deals he may well have given off the impression that he thought himself better than the rest.

I was there at the defining moment of English cricket in recent years when they beat India 4-0 at the Oval in 2011.

Crowned number one Test team in the world there was great joy as they eventually left the ground and posed for photos with a few anoraks (my 16-yearold self included) in the car park.

One by one the team came past. Andrew Strauss, Cook and Graeme Swann all stopped by us posing for photos and signing autographs. But Pietersen?

Nowhere to be seen. To be absent after such a defining victory reflects badly on the man. This could have been a one-off but I find that hard to believe.

However, what really matters is that he scored a brutal 175 in that game which tore India apart. He may have been absent when the players left the ground but he was present where it mattered. On the pitch.

Cricket is a team game and simultaneously one of the most individual of sports. When you are out in the middle the game is entirely in your hands.

Regardless of how ‘good a bloke’ you are, if you don’t score runs you should be dropped, if you win games for your country you should be picked.

England struggled through a mixed summer. With no Kevin Pietersen, the road ahead will be hard. He may have burnt his bridges after publishing his autobiography, but a batsman of his genius should still be playing for England.

NO Patrick Jones Sport Features Writer @JonesJones2929

You either love him or loath him. But with Kevin Pietersen, where do you start? Well, just in case you’re not aware his autobiography was recently released after days of ferocious, brutal and quite frankly honest promotional campaigning.

Rightly labelled a maverick by many, there is no denying the individual brilliance of Pietersen as a batsman. He could demoralise fielders and trigger bowling changes at frighteningly free will.

However, cricket is a team game.

Pietersen is not in the slightest a team player. From publicly questioning other players to isolating himself from his own team, Pietersen was impossible to manage.

Furthermore, cricket is as much a mental test as it is physical. Publishing a disparaging autobiography whilst several fellow‘team-mates’ still compete at the highest level is ludicrously disrespectful.

It must be said that there are no definitive answers. The row which has erupted is rather like a perpetual philosophical debate about the meaning of truth. In decades to come this will be a reference point for the next inevitable dressing room fall-out which turns ugly in the public eye. Four words in particular summarise the whole saga. ‘Glances. Whispers. Politics.

Agendas.’ This was the insightful writing of Andy Bull, of The Guardian. The whole fall-out mirrors political espionage.

Pietersen had agreed a confidentiality clause with the ECB which has now expired.

Rather like the Cabinet’s Collective Responsibility convention, where members must support one another when a decision has been made, Pietersen should be prohibited from expressing any negative opinion upon players who still represent their country today.

As was seen with Jonathan Trott, cricket can become a breeding ground for mental depression.

This terminated the careers of Trott and others including Marcus Trescothick. Pietersen has demonstrated a lack of empathy and reverence towards his fellow peers. Amusingly, he still harbours the hope of returning to the national side.

The terms doomed and forlorn come to mind for a man who has burnt more bridges than any other cricket player in the modern game.

Throughout the year Pietersen has been plying his trade in Twenty20 tournaments around the world; from England and India to Australia and the West Indies. Perhaps proving the point that cricket is as much a mental game as it is physical, Pietersen has endured limited success. Concentration is lost when you’re trawling through memories of failure instead of proving a point out in the middle. In May 2012 he retired from the one-day format and this season he has not played a single four-day game for his ‘home’ county of Surrey. Instead, he has allowed himself to be commercially driven via the Hollywood lights.

However, in the true nature of the phrase ‘it takes two to tango’ there is more than meets the eye. Fellow players, captains and coaches also played their sorrowful part. The England dressing room clearly became a cauldron of boiling animosity. Andy Flower, former England head coach, reportedly conditioned an environment where players feared failing to the detriment of expressing their true potential. Graeme Swann and Matt Prior are other bellicose characters. Swann left his country mid-way through the Ashes series of last year before becoming an outspoken critic in the media. In fairness to Pietersen he never abandoned his country; his actions have caused his country to leave him.

It is imperative that the whole team is held accountable.

One should have no ill-feeling towards Pietersen’s capabilities and abilities. He was one of the finest batsman of the 21st century. However, a team environment simply was not right for him. There needs to be collective responsibility from Pietersen, the players, the coaches and ultimately the ECB. Perhaps an American dream, but the one thing which needs to occur as a result of his autobiography is reform.

Reform of the team, reform of the leadership structure and reform of the ECB. Ultimately he placed himself in an untenable position.

Isolating himself, ridiculing coaches and sending derogatory text messages about his captain to opposition players is but a modest sample of Pietersen’s sinful locker. No player should be subjected to criticism of fellow players whilst representing the one thing which is most important to a cricket player and enthusiast alike: his country. For that alone, Mr. Pietersen, I for one loathe you.

Kevin Pietersen, a damaging, commercially driven individual?

Flickr:Paul Henderson

Kevin Pietersen, undoubtedly the most divisive man in English cricket

Flickr:Andrew Sutherland

Flickr:Nic Redhead

Kevin Pietersen, England’s greatest batsman in recent years?

He is the most talked about man in English cricket.

The most gifted player of his generation or a damaging force in the dressing room?

After the publication of his recent autobiography, Epigram Sport weighs up the case for Kevin Pietersen’s place in the England team.

Epigram

27.10.2014

Sport

Editor: Daniel Thacker Deputy Editor: Benj Cunningham Online Editor: Edward Henderson-Howat sport@epigram.org.uk @danieljthacker

deputysport@epigram.org.uk @BenjCunningham1

sportonline@epigram.org.uk @edward_hh94

@epigramsport

Daniel Thacker Sport Editor @danieljthacker

opponent, while rugby usually necessitates a hard physical hit to regain possession.

Boxing for example, involves punching your opponent’s head in order to knock him out.

It seems, however, that, as Hayward points out, the white line of the sports pitch provides some sort of protection or j u s t i f i cat i o n for behaviour which, in any other walk of life, would be criminally prosecuted. Luis Suárez, for example, has bitten an opposition player on the football pitch on three separate occasions, each resulting in lengthy bans from the game, but has never faced criminal proceedings. A bite on a direct competitor in any other walk of life would be reported immediately to the police.

It isn’t just physical violence, either, which seems exempt from criminality.

Flickr:Actusport

‘I’d waited long enough. I f**king hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***. And don’t ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries.’ So wrote Roy Keane so eloquently in his first autobiography, Keane, about his infamous tackle which ended Alf-Inge Haaland’s career in 2001. Despite admitting his intention to injure an opposition player, Keane only belatedly received a five-match ban and a £150,000 fine. Indeed, the second-half of Keane’s autobiography, recently released, claims that ‘he’s not one of the things I regret in my life.’

That release came in the same week that in Rugby League’s Super League Grand Final, Ben Flower not only knocked out Lance Hohaia with a vindictive punch, but proceeded to follow his first hit up with a straight right onto his prone opponent’s face. Flower rightly received a ban for six months and expressed his contrition.

Writing in The Telegraph,

however, Paul Hayward asks, ‘Why do the police and courts stop at the white lines of a sports pitch and allow for a zone beyond the law?’ Were

such an assault to take place in the queue for a stadium or a nightclub, then there would justifiably be severe criminal consequences.

There is the argument that since sports which entail physicality, such as football, rugby and numerous others do, then it can be hard to separate accepted on-field actions from what strays beyond the law. Football does require, in some cases, potentially dangerous tackles to win the ball from an

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UEFA, European football’s governing body, have a long and sullied history of ineffective responses to racism, or none at all. The FA, for their part, are no better.

After John Terry was taken to court for uttering the words ‘f**king black c***’ at Anton Ferdinand and found not guilty, the FA decided there would be no footballing repercussions. Despite Suárez having received a lengthy ban for a similar, but more confusing, issue just months earlier (and not being prosecuted).

The examples of criminal activity in sport are endless, but examples of the courts responding to such blatant flouting of the law are very few. Police and prosecutors usually seem happy to wash their hands of the matter, content to let the relevant authorities deal with it as an internal issue. It is not in those authorities’ interests, however, to deprive themselves of their unique selling points. For all their personal flaws, Keane, Suárez and Terry are (or were) excellent footballers. Of what interest is it to the authorities

to police their own sports effectively?

Someone must then guard the guards themselves. The governing bodies’ success in selling their product, be it the Premier League, the Super League, or MayweatherMaidana (let’s not forget, Mayweather was convicted of domestic violence in 2011), means that they need their biggest stars showcasing their talents on a regular basis. By building these sportsmen into such stars, in the process, they place them above the law. The very act of making them role models for so many, means that they will rarely, if ever, be subject to any judicial scrutiny.

That their abilities distance them from us once they cross the white line is unquestionable. That their abilities on the other side of the white line mean that they are impervious to the same punishment the rest of us would face seems absurd.

We’ve waited long enough, it’s time for a new precedent to be set.

Flickr: dilip_bagdi2005

Where do we draw the line?

Contents: Page 53 Who are the best youngsters in world sport?

Page 53 With more money than ever sloshing around in the beautiful game, how big a role does location play in a football transfer? Epigram Sport investigates.

Page 54 Epigram Sport catches up with two Bristol students who are aiming to become the youngest-ever duo to row the Atlantic.

Page 55 Epigram Sport dives into the Kevin Pietersen debate.

Should the controversial batsman play for England again?

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10/16/2014 11:43:03 AM