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Shark evolution page 51
page 39 Jesse Armstrong interview Issue 265 Monday 14th October 2013 www.epigram.org.uk
Cracking job, Gromit!
Flickr: FDWRMaddie Flickr:FDWR
Bristol University bids £20,000 for Gromit statue, helping raise £2.3 million for Bristol Children’s Hospice
US shutdown: Bristol student reports from Washington D.C. Last Monday at midnight the US government officially went into federal shutdown for the first time for 17 years. The last time this happened, Bill Clinton was the President. The shutdown is the result of a dispute between hardline conservative Republicans and the President over the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHA), nicknamed ‘Obamacare’, which went into effect on Tuesday morning. continued on page 3
Union building works delayed by ‘last minute complications’ Building works in the Students’ Union have been delayed until the 14th October. Works on the North Side of the Union were halted to prioritise the completion of the Anson rooms. However, the Anson Rooms are still yet to be finished. As a result of the delay, plans to hold the Freshers’ Fair in the Union had to be altered due to a lack of space and the building works. The Fair was moved to the Harbourside where societies had to set up their stalls in a number of tents. continued on page 3
Spencer Turner News Reporter The University of Bristol won its very own Gromit, known as ‘Bark at Ee’, at the extremely popular Gromit Unleashed auction. A total of 80 Gromit statues were auctioned, raising a staggering 2.3 million pounds for the Bristol Children’s Hospice at the Mall’s outdoor pavilion, which was transformed into an auction room for the evening with 500 Bristolbased guests invited to the event. Over the summer ‘Bark at Ee’ was the red and white Gromit located on Queen Square. Photographed by thousands of Gromit spotters, it will be put back on display for students, staff and members of the public to enjoy once more, although the location of ‘Bark at Ee’ is yet to be decided. The 5ft Gromit was designed by Leigh Flurry, who is a designer and illustrator based in Bristol. The close association that Leigh has to the city meant that this Gromit was top of Bristol University’s most wanted list at the auction. Professor David Clarke, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University, commented, ‘we had our eye on “Bark at Ee” before the auction due to his local connections and we feel he should remain in the city’. The auction of the Gromits was viewed by a 17,000 strong online audience as it was streamed live online. The University of Bristol successfully secured the ‘Bark at Ee’ statue for a price of £20,000. Various bidders from around the world purchased the Gromits at the auction, which was presided over by Tim Wannacott of Bargain Hunt fame. The auction fetched over double the anticipated amount of money, which will be of huge benefit to the local children’s hospital here in Bristol. Whilst Bristol University spent £20,000 on their Gromit, ‘Bark at Ee’ was not the most expensive one at the auction. That accolade went to GromitLightyear, designed by Pixar Studios which fetched £65,000 at auction. ‘Bark at Ee’ will accompany Bristol’s ‘Going Going Gone’ gorilla which was purchased in 2011 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Bristol Zoo and is currently located in the ASS library.
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