Epigram Issue 383 by Epigram

Who are enough. and why are they on our campus?

Annie McNamee & Livy Naylor Co-Editor-In-Chief & President TW: Mentions of rape and sexual violence.

Enough have come to Bristol to 'end rape', but their introduction to campus has come with confusion. Here's what we know about the company and their controversial self-swab kits.

From #MeToo in 2017, to the tri-

al of Gisele Pelicot’s mass rape last summer, survivors of sexual abuse are ﬁnally being heard. Still, there is more to do. And now a new organisation - enough – says they want to help survivors win that ﬁght; but their introduction to campus has come with confusion and controversy.

You will have seen them making a

bright orange splash on grey January campus with their paddling pool of ‘self-testing kits’, and they might have even o ered you a bit of chocolate. This is enough, who come with a simple mission: end rape.

Who are enough?

According to their website, enough’s primary goal is to ‘support survivors and deter perpetrators’, of

Valentine's Blatant Consumerism?

> Continue reading on page 10

sexual violence through providing an ‘easy way to report’. Enough piloted in October 2024 in Bristol, with an initial focus of supporting the University community in curbing sexual violence. To learn more, Epigram sat down with Katie White, who co-founded enough alongside entrepreneur Tom Allchurch.

Turn to page 12 to see the continuation of our campaign and read: Bibi's mould horror story

Our ten successes so far

From top to bottom.

Photos courtesy of:Livy Naylor, UBTV

Editorial

Annie McNamee Co-Editor-in-Chief

As I write this, it is reading week. I’m currently in a hotel in Dublin (yes, that surname you can see is Irish, and no I won’t stop being annoying about it) about to go out for dinner and relax for the ﬁrst time in six weeks.

We’ve had a busy, busy term so far at Epigram. Last month we launched our ﬁrst ever housing campaign ‘Break the Mould’ – you might’ve seen us ﬂogging papers and collecting signatures outside of Senate House.

In case you missed it, we’re asking the SU to help us set up ‘Rent Review’, a student house rating system; think TripAdvisor but for mouldy houses. We were quite literally sick of paying hundreds of pounds for houses that haven’t been updated since before our parents were born, and we think that ‘Rent Review’ will allow students like you and I to make more informed decisions about which properties we want to live in. We also think this system would hold landlords accountable, forcing them to respect their tenants, and rewarding those who do. We have also set up a hub on our website where you can learn everything there is to know about mould: what it is, how to avoid or treat it, and what you can actually ask your landlord to do about it.

This campaign is the result of months of hard work from a very dedicated team; I feel like the proud mum of a very big, socially conscious family. What’s even more exciting than seeing our plans become a reality, though, is your reactions.

Annie McNamee and Amaan Ali Co-Editors-in-Chief

The response to ‘Break the Mould’ both on campus and beyond has been overwhelming in the best way. First, local media was interested. Then national media. Then I was being asked to go onto Radio 5 Live to talk about mould (sadly I had a seminar during the allotted time, and I am nothing if not married to my degree), then renters’ rights groups were reaching out to us, looking to get involved. Real, actual pressure groups, emailing us, a lowly group of students, excited about our ideas. I was worried I’d look down and realise my glass slippers were turning back into battered Air Maxes.

But there’s no fairy godmothers or pumpkin carriages here, only na landlords and mushrooms on windowsills. And then, most importantly, there was you – the students. I am not exaggerating when I say we have had unanimously positive feedback from anyone who let us yap at them about what we’re trying to achieve. In fact, the number one response we’ve gotten is ‘I can’t believe no one did this sooner!’

If you’ve already signed our petition, thank you! If you haven’t, don’t worry. You’ve got time. This isn’t summative – signing won’t boost your grades, but we can’t promise it won’t be considered by St Peter when your time eventually comes. But I digress.

Mould isn’t the only thing that’s been keeping us busy this month.

Epigram’s wonderful business team have also been working tirelessly to secure some big names for our upcoming talk series and Women in Media event, all of which will be invaluable for anyone interested in a career in journalism.

Just because we love you, our Women in Media event is getting much bigger this year. Like, four times as big. Across the month of March we’ll be welcoming talented women from across print, broadcast, and beyond to talk about their careers and give insider tips over co ee and biscuits. You can buy tickets, which start at £3 but get cheaper if you attend multiple weeks, on the SU’s website. Look out for the lineup which is coming very, very soon.

As if that wasn’t enough, our talk series, where we get journalists in to run workshops and career talks for free, began in February with Sarah Gordon of the Financial Times, and will continue throughout the term. You can’t say we aren’t good to you.

So here I am, one very hectic month after launching, in a dry hotel room in Dublin, almost looking forward to the end of my holiday so that I can get my teeth back into demoulding Bristol. Not right now, though. For now I’m going to go and enjoy a pint of Guinness and explain to my English boyfriend why it’s his fault personally that I don’t speak Irish.

Whether it’s at a careers event or a Break the Mould rally, I hope to see you soon.

Co-Editors-in-Chief: Annie McNamee & Amaan Ali

Deputy Editors: Soﬁa Webster & Will Standring

Chief Subeditor for this issue: James Lewis News

Co-Editors: Josie Hodgson & Maud Humphries

Co-Deputy Editors: Rhiannon Jenkins & Beatrice Learmouth

Investigations Editor: Will White & Soﬁa Lambis Subeditors: Otto Proctor & Cerys Larsen

Opinion

Editor: Karen Mends

Co-Deputy Editors: Alex Creighton & Hannah Moser Subeditors: Ellen Jones & Riana McConochie

Editor: Nel Roden

Co-Deputy Editors: Jessica Cohen & Daisy Yates

Investigative Correspondent: Benedict Chester Subeditors: Reuben Kerbes & Ilona Ho man

Arts

Editor: Bruno Bridger

Co-Deputy Editors: Elizabeth Abbott & Ella Heathcote Culture Editors: Anushka Dongare & Natalia Dewhurst Correspondents: Patrick Chandler & Julia Anna Masluszczak Subeditors: Eve Davies & Bobbi Carsley

Film & TV

Editor: Max Bradley-Cole

Co-Deputy Editors: Meadow Wattret & Chien Wen Sow Subeditors: Nadiya Jackson & Marianne Chatburn Music

Editor: Benji Chapman

Co-Deputy Editors: Aditi Hrisheekesh & Megan Foulk Subeditors: Amelie Peters & Sophie Scannell

Sci-Tech & Gaming

Editor: Corin Hadley

Deputy Editors: Miles Gilroy & James Lewis

Subeditor: Ellie Barnes Head Researcher: Harrison Phillips

Sport

Editor: Faniki Deche

Deputy Editors: Sean Lawrenson & Adam Mountain Subeditor: Mihai Rosca

Design

Lead Designer: Julia Mullins

Deputy Designer: Alexandra Hill

Resident Designers: Will White, Miles Gilroy, Corin Hadley & James Lewis

Head Photographer: Harriet Sanderson

Business

Managing Director (President): Livy Naylor

Deputy Director (Vice-President): Angelica Singh

Finance Director (Treasurer): Ella Mason

Marketing Director (Social Secretary): Claudia Tipper

Ads & Sales Director: Anika Sharma

Media Ethics & EDI O cer: Lily Wheeler

Head of Technology: Dhillon Thurairatnam

Photo courtesy of: UBTV

EPIGRAM X OVERHEARD AT UOB

We've teamed up with Overhead at UoB to give you exclusive quotes across campus and beyond.

Follow them on Instagram: @overheardatu0b

‘I do want kids, but unfortunately I'm either going to be having girls or abortions’

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‘Guys, objectively he is my ﬁttest cousin - that doesn't mean I would go to bed with him’

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NEWS

A 19-year-old man reported an incident of needle spiking after visiting student nightclub Daisy's on Wednesday 22nd of January, Avon and Somerset police have conﬁrmed.

Beatrice Learmouth Deputy News Editor

A19-year-old man report-

ed an incident of needle spiking after visiting student nightclub Daisy's on Wednesday 22nd of January, Avon and Somerset police have conﬁrmed.

Whilst on a night out with friends, he reported feeling more intoxicated than usual at Daisy's after visiting several venues on the night.

He woke the next morning to ﬁnd a bruise on his arm and went

to hospital where it was conﬁrmed as a needle injection site.

The incident was registered by the police as 'administering poison with intent to injure or annoy', but there are currently no further lines of enquiry into the matter.

In a statement, Daisy's conﬁrmed they were aware of an ‘alleged spiking’ at the club and ‘are working closely with the police and have had a meeting with the SU to ﬁnd out more information.’

‘We reached out to the police and offered assistance in the investigation but have since received information that the case has been closed and no further investigation will be taking place,’ the statement continued.

Daisy's said they would be ‘taking extra measures on top of what we already do to increase safety at the venue.’

Fishies, the student event company who run Wednesday sports nights in Bristol and across the country, have updated their security measures following the incedent.

These new measures include: a requirement to show student ID upon entry, carrying out extra bag and body searches across venues, making stop tops available at all bars, and having welfare o cers on duty across venues.

Epigram contacted Bristol SU for a statement on the incident.

Bristol SU conﬁrmed that whilst they don’t work directly with Daisy’s, they recently met with the Venue Manager to ensure appropriate measures were being put into place.

‘We are aware of some recent reports of students experiencing spiking in the city,’ the SU said.

‘We condemn spiking and the perpetrators who carry out these dangerous and life-threatening acts’

‘Any student who believes they have been a victim of spiking should report the incident to the police and to the venue. They are also able to access wellbeing support through the University wellbeing team’, the statement continued.

The SU said that as far as they are aware, ‘spiking cases related to HIV are just rumours.’

‘The risk of anyone contracting HIV from any kind of needle injury is extremely rare and there have been no conﬁrmed cases of HIV infections from needle stick injuries in the UK since 1999', said the SU.

There were several reports of needle spiking in Bristol in 2021, which led to some societies boy-

cotting clubs for their lack of action over the issue, and an increased push to raise awareness about spiking in nightclubs.

Avon and Somerset Police are encouraging anyone with any knowledge about the incident which occurred to call 101 and give the reference 5225021408.

If you or anyone you know is a victim of drink and drugs spiking, you can report it online at:

avonandsomerset.police. uk/report/drink-and-drugspiking/

More advice and information about drink and drug spiking can be found here: avonandsomerset.police.uk/ victims-witnesses-and-offenders/drink-drug-spikingguidance/

All motions passed at Students' Union Annual Members Meeting Bristol student spiked with needle after night out at Daisy's on the Triangle

Will White News Investigations Editor

The Bristol Students' Union hosted their Annual Members meeting on Tuesday, February 4, where course and school representatives, alongside concerned students, passed all motions presented to them with little to no resistance

Voting took place on motions including - among others - the renewal of Fossil Free Careers, blocking SU a liation with fossil fuel industries, the implementation of an in-house guarantor scheme for low income and vulnerable renters, and the implementation of recycling resources for soft and ﬂexible plastics across campus spaces.

Student Council Chair, Louis Anscombe, called it the 'largest democratic event of the Student Union.'

The hot-button issue of the night came near the end of proceedings, when student Agnes Sales,

Bristol co-ordinator for international group‘'Plant Based Universities’ proposed a motion to ‘transition to sustainable and a ordable catering as a student's union by expanding plant based options.’

PBU's motion was the only policy that was debated all evening, with several students moving to argue against the motion and several more moving to defend it, under a new system of debate put in place by Anscombe.

In a confusing turn, one voter moved to delay the motion until the motion was further understood by the voting body. The motion was ultimately passed by eye, with only a handful voting against. Many PBU supporters had shown up to the event.

‘I'm really glad that this has passed,’ said Sales. ‘A lot of us have really committed the last month to prepare for this motion.’

Speaking on criticism from those against the motion, Sales that she

understood people's concerns.

‘I think that people are very often afraid of the ideas that we are presenting,’ said Sales. ‘We are always open to talk to people. We want to work with people. I think it's valid that people have concerns and we want to address them.’

PBU celebrated the victory in a press release on their website, which drew some concern from the Student's Union for the suggestion that it marked a move to a 100 percent plant based menu.

In a statement released to Epigram, the SU said: ‘At our Annual Members Meeting (AMM) on Tuesday students voted for the motion for ‘Bristol SU to support the transition to sustainable and a ordable catering by expanding plant-based options’. This is not a move to a 100 percent plant-based university, but the SU is committed to lobbying and actioning the steps outlined in the motion such as improving plant-based pre-pack-

aged food in Source Cafes.’

'This has been a long-standing issue for students,' they continued. ‘Bristol SU is pleased to support this campaign as part of our commitment to sustainability and tack ling the climate crisis.’

Despite a slow start, Anscombe said that he was happy with how the event and his new system were received.

‘It went very well in my opinion,’ said Anscombe. ‘The whole sta are so supportive and they're so behind you. They helped me change these things [...] I think it went very well considering it's the ﬁrst time we made all of this happen.’

Anscombe said he would encourage more students to get involved in student council.

‘I want to facilitate the debate culture within the university,’ said Anscombe. ‘I think if you start at the student union, when you

grow up, you will realise that there is common ground everywhere.’

A full list of the motions for the 2025 AMM can be found on the SU website.

The next major event for the SU will take place later this month, with the end of SU O cer nominations on 20th February.

Photo courtesy of: Bristol SU

Co-Editors

A meal for all: Langar connects students at the University of Bristol

What is Langar? Why is it important? And how is it creating community at the University of Bristol?

Georgia Zhang Second Year, Psychology and Neuroscience

On Thursday, Feb. 6, over 700 Students and faculty gathered in the Students' Union’s Anson rooms for a free vegetarian meal that served to connect individuals. A union that transcended their cultural and religious di erences. A practice referred to as Langar Langar, meaning ‘free kitchen’, is where individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender or socioeconomic status come together to enjoy a free vegetarian meal. The event was hosted by the university’s Sikh society and is a tradition that embodies selﬂess service, Vand Chakna, and honest living, Kirat Karni, two of the three pillars that uphold Sikh philosophy.

An important aspect of the meal shared is the level at which the meal is enjoyed. All who take part in Langar are seated on the ﬂoor in rows facing opposite one another. This aspect physically brings individuals to the same level and is symbolic for the equality of the individual’s that are connected over the meal.

‘It is easy to say we’re all equal, but Langar puts that into action,’ explained Kuwae, a volunteer for the event.

Many others present seemed to share Kuwae's sentiment.

‘It feels good that people from all backgrounds can eat together. The person opposite you could be rich or poor,’ said Pratik, a masters student in attendance.

Both statements are a testament to the e ectiveness of Langar in forging new, meaningful bonds between individuals who perceive themselves to be divided in the world: divides that may still continue to be felt on campus.

A 2022 report on “Belonging, Connection and Community” details these divides by highlighting that ‘mainstream culture’ at the University of Bristol was often perceived by students as ‘upper/-middle class’ - a perception that emphasises the importance of hosting inclusive extracurricular events, a method many students claim they use to ﬁnd community.

For some, sharing Langar with

the broader university community was an opportunity to challenge the bounds of this ‘mainstream culture’ by rewriting the misinformed narratives about the Sikh community.

Epigram spoke to a volunteer for the event, who shared her optimism for Langar’s role in starting important conversations at university. ‘It’s about awareness,‘ she said. ‘A lot of people are misinformed about who we are.’

These important conversations seemed to be in action throughout the event. ‘I’ve been answering a lot of questions and talking to lots of people about religion’ said Ricky, an international student attending.

By many accounts ‘welcoming’, ‘safe’ and ‘really friendly.’

For previous attendees of Langar, the meal was ‘a piece of home’ and a tribute to the vast network of cultures that assemble to 'maintain the diverse cultural environment in Bristol' as it was described by one international student, a part of Sikh society.

Across the board, the key products of the space were new opportunities to discuss and learn from each other.

A free meal was promised, but much more was delivered: new friends, new beginnings and immense support for the multicultural environment enjoyed at the University of Bristol. An open, safe space that continues to grow and is worth protecting.

Bristol Revolutionary Communist Party outside of Bristol Indoor Sports Centre

Mihai Ro sca, Second Year, Politics and Philosophy

Between 12:30 and 2pm on Friday Jan. 24, the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) stood near the entrance of the University gym giving out Communist material.

Maud Humphries & Josie Hodgson

Bea Learmouth & Rhiannon Jenkins

Will White & Soﬁa Lambis

Otto Proctor & Cerys Larsen

Lunar New Year at Bristol Art Gallery and Museum

Lunar New Year comes to Bristol's Art Gallery and Museum. Epigram's Joanna Stopford went along to join the festivities.

Joanna Stopford, Second Year, History and English

Sunday, Feb. 9 - a bustling queue snaked (no pun intended) along Park Street, out of Bristol Art Gallery and Museum where a celebration of the Lunar New Year took place. According to Chinese mythology, the Year of the Snake symbolises mystery, intelligence, and renewal.

Those born in the spring and summer of the year of the snake are said to be powerful and positive, whereas those born in the winter are submissive. Look to your 2001 friends to see if this lines up. The hall of the museum was adorned with Chinese lanterns and glittering dragons surrounding a stage in the center of the ﬂoor.

Bristol Model United Nations Conference 2025

Epigram News Team

Epigram cover the Bristol MUN's 2025 conference, where delegates from around the country have come to debate a range of political issues.

I took my spot on the balcony and watched Sidcot school perform a traditional song and dance in mandarin. Next was the UWE K-POP dance troupe whose brilliant and energetic choreography captivated the rowdy crowd, then a controlled and impressive Tai Chi performance from Wutan Chinese Martial Arts. Bristol-based Kala Chng soundtracked Everybody Dance Now from Filwood Community Center with impressive vocals and feel-good songs.

My favourite part from this performance was when a little girl from the audience decided that she wanted to get involved with the dancing and ran underneath the long dragon puppet, where she was accepted wholeheartedly and danced with them for the rest of the show. Following this, Wutan Chinese Martial Arts returned to the stage to show a Kung Fu display with butterﬂy knives, broadswords, and fans. To end the extravaganza the University of Bristol Traditional Lion Dance group delivered a majestic and joyous performance with cymbals and drums accompanying the characterful dragon puppets.

They were bold and brilliant, and kicked o the lunar new year (slightly belatedly) with vibrancy. The event was family friendly with crafts and games and was a hit with local families, shown by the young children running on the stage between acts and practicing the worm (or snake) until getting kicked o by the K-pop dance troop or Kung fu demonstrators. Overall, it was a joyous event with a beautiful set up and entertaining acts.

To read more go to epigram.org.uk

Photo courtesy of: Mihai Rosca

Photo courtesy of: Georgia Zhang

Photo courtesy of: Joanna Stopford

A master’s student’s reﬂection: UoB social mobility

Editor's Choice:

Tallulah Brennan, Environmental Humanities

A Master’s degree is supposed to be a ticket to a better future, but for many, it’s just a pricey detour to precarious work. The so-called ‘graduate premium’ is shrinking, and whether you have a degree or not, young people are stuck in the same cycle of low wages and rising costs. Instead of competing, it’s time for graduates and non-graduates alike to stand together and demand change.

No one’s experience of a Master’s degree is easy, but my life in Bristol is not the same as my coursemates. Working 24 hours a week and studying full time meant every day I woke up to a heavy feeling on my chest. Each place in the city was marked by transaction - the university, to which I have paid £12,450, the job I hate but need in trade for minimum wage to make extortionate rent.

My experience of the University of Bristol was entirely shaped by class - when explaining the pressure of working whilst trying to complete essays, one lecturer simply repeats the university line at me - ‘They would tell you, you should have chosen to study part time’. The same lecturer led a seminar on the inequalities that permeate the university (she explains, she only usually teaches a very speciﬁc kind of young person - often privately educated, white, southern), but when confronted with real struggle, seemed reluctant to have the conversation. When my laptop gives in 15 days before the dissertation deadline, I type out emails to my supervisor in tears, wanting to pour my heart out: my mental health has never been worse, my bank account is on its last legs,

and last night I cried for an hour over the way a customer spoke to me. I stop myself from ever sending them, because nothing about our interactions reassures me that sympathy will penetrate the borders between our two worlds.

After graduating, these feelings are not diminishing. ‘Graduates without a future’ are what Dan Evans refers to as ‘downwardly mobile’ Gen

many others who are overqualiﬁed for a job which is emotionally draining and physically tiring.

'I look at lecturers and fellow students alike as co-conspirators in a game that has been rigged against people like me'

Z students, who leave university with plenty of hopes to establish themselves within the middle-class, only to quickly realise that the myth that university will transform your chances is exactly that. Whilst ﬁnance, law and STEM are the exception (indeed, the University of Bristol can boast that men taking economics get the biggest increase in earnings from going to university), across the UK, the so-called ‘graduate premium’ is in decline. Behind the statistics, though, are the visceral feelings of alienation and disempowerment. I have a First-Class degree, and a Master’s too, but I still serve brunch as a day job, alongside

One study found that young people see ‘the new normal’ of their precarious work as ‘part and parcel’ of the economic system in which they will live out their lives. Unfortunately, it also found that this acknowledgment has not led to greater trade union involvement, and instead a focus on improving one’s individual chances.

In his book, A Nation of Shopkeepers, Dan Evans writes, ‘After all, people are not inclined to smash a system they think they can get to the top of.’ He goes on to say that it was educational divides which ensured graduates ‘had a class beneath them to look down on and deﬁne themselves against.’ The numbness of your hands from working in a cold warehouse, the burns on your arms from hot oil in a hospitality kitchen, the fuzzy vision and boredom from long days at call centres do not discriminate as to who has a degree certiﬁcate, and who does not. When was the last time you heard a politician speak to what downwardly socially mobile graduates have in common with the young people who never applied to university, but are su ering much the same from the housing and cost of living crises? This is a case for joining the ‘graduate without a future’ in radical solidarity with those who have been expected to accept stagnation, to never dream of security and stability. The potential of white-collar and blue-collar workers standing together, instead of competing, could be huge.

'graduates were concerned more with their career ambitions being unmet, and non-graduates more concerned by a general degradtion of economic circumstances'

Young people on average earn less than older generations did at the same age, but with higher ed-

ucation and housing costs, hence there are record numbers of 20-34 year olds returning to their family homes. Of people between the ages of 15 and 24, nine in ten count having enough money to cover basic needs as an aspiration in life, thanks to the cost of living crisis. An article in Time magazine exhibits how everything from cuts to schools and housing beneﬁts, has led to Gen Z being deﬁned as ‘the austerity generation’ - leading to half of those su ering with mental health problems to attribute it to the cost of living crisis. They call

this the ‘young person premium’.

This is a political opportunity which must be taken out of the hands of the right. Politicians are not going to do the work of connecting the dots between young people’s struggles, whether graduates or non-graduates, so we must start to connect ourselves, whether this is through trade union membership, or simply talking to your colleagues, to ask why it is young people, from all kinds of backgrounds, have had dreaming of a better future crushed out of them. Graduate or not, we have had our ability to imagine a good life stolen from us, only when we work together can we take that back.

Photo courtesy of: Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash

Photo by Vasily Koloda on Unsplash

Editor Deputy Editor

Deputy Editor

Subeditor

Mends

Creighton

Moser

McConochie

Jones

Valentine’s Galore: Are we participating in blatant consumerism?

Is Valentine's Day more about spreading love or spening money? And how has our approach to the holiday shifted over the years?

Tailor Second Year, English

While January is deﬁned by its bleakness in the aftermath of Christmas, February, at least the ﬁrst half of the month, is characterised by the anticipation leading up to Valentine’s Day. A day dedicated to showing your love and appreciation for your romantic partner, it ignites a range of emotions in people, from excitement, nerves and sometimes hatred. Wherever you stand on the Valentine’s

Day discourse, there is no denying how inescapable it is in society.

As you walk the aisles of supermarkets, you are bound to be met with an array of reds and pinks, plastered on cards, mugs and balloons. From florists to restaurants, businesses will be pulling out all the stops in the form of unmissable deals to capitalise on this day of love. In this age, Valentine’s Day has become dominated by consumerism and the expectation to spend money. Love has become quantifiable and sold in the form of a gift shaped as a heart. The feelings and emotions associated with love must warrant a financial benefit to be worthwhile; anything other than this feels like you’ve failed your duty as a partner.

The culture surrounding Valentine’s hasn’t always been like this. In fact, the origins of this day stem from the Catholic Church and the stories surrounding priest Valentine. One story tells of Valentine performing marriages for young lovers in secret in a time where it was outlawed. Another story suggests that Valentine was imprisoned by the Romans for being a Christian, and sent

the ﬁrst ‘valentine’ to his captor’s daughter when she visited him. It is here that the phrase ‘from your valentine’ was supposedly coined.

By the middle of the 18th century, it was common for lovers and even friends to exchange small tokens of a ection or handwritten notes. Love was not commodiﬁed for the masses; these displays of love were intimate, personal and ﬂexible. When we compare past and present Valentine’s celebrations, it’s easy to see how consumerist tendencies overshadow this day of love.

'The historical celebrations of this day are rooted in genuine displays of love and a ection'

According to a survey carried out by YouGov, only 49 percent of Brits partook in Valentine’s Day celebrations in 2024, a somewhat surprising revelation for such a commercialised day, with cards, ﬂowers and chocolates being the most popular gift choices. Furthermore, 19 percent spent more on Valentine’s Day in 2024 compared to the previous year. Whether this is due to the cost-of-living crisis, or an example of businesses hiking their prices to get maximum proﬁt out of the day, is up for debate.

Valentine’s Day has always traditionally been of interest for many couples, but the extent to which supermarkets and big businesses have capitalised on this interest is overwhelming. We feel inclined to buy into tactics, as if spending money and gift giving is the only way to show our appreciation for our partners. Would we be buying ﬂowers, chocolates and gifts of that calibre if February 14th was a regular day?

Money Wellness found that 60 percent of people wanted to spend less on Valentine’s Day in 2024, due to the pressure it puts on their ﬁnances; there seems to be a desire to push back against the consumerism that Valentine’s has become associated with. The public’s shifting spending habits suggest we’re beginning to move further away from a commercialised version of this day, and reverting to more personal ways of showing our a ection other. It will be interesting to see how this trend continues in 2025.

Clear, uniform and precise: Is it time to change the Bristol Law school marking criteria?

Law students learn the value of clear rules, yet their own grading lacks consistency. Shouldn’t the law school practice what it preaches?

Nathaniel Crawford Second Year, Law

Voltaire once argued, “let all laws be clear, uniform and precise, for interpreting laws is almost always to corrupt them”. Upon entering the University of Bristol's law School, budding young lawyers are taught the value of these principles in ensuring the predictability of the rule of law. Despite this, law students are forced to contend with a marking criteria absent of uniformity, clarity and precision. This begs the question; is it time to change the law school marking criteria?

Academics continuously expound the virtue of “critical analysis” yet fail to incorporate a clear deﬁnition of this technique into the marking criteria. To achieve ﬁrst class marks, law students are required to engage “fully and critically with material, providing excellent evaluation & critique”. Despite this, students are continuously left feedback consisting of the line, ‘could use more critical analysis.’ Whilst this would undoubtedly result in a more exciting essay, this is likely an unachievable benchmark for undergraduate students constrained by such a limited wordcount. In addition to this, these vague comments provide students no clear explanation of what the marker expects them to do.

'Instead of evaluating students use of critical analysis, examiners commonly instruct students to include a greater use of critique'

Students report an equal absence of examiners uniform application

of the marking criteria. In response to a recent survey, one law student stated, ‘it seems marking is an act of instinct and not based on a clear, robust system. When engaging in mock marking exercises in seminars, such as in Jurisprudence and Trusts, I have witnessed how students are asked by teachers to assign a mark to an essay and students are consistently assigning grades to an essay that are remarkably higher or lower than the teacher’s marks. Clearly, students do not know precisely what teachers want. I have seen this in my own work with a huge ﬂuctuation in my grades which don’t correspond to other factors such as how much I enjoyed the module or how I performed in the formative. Furthermore, critical analysis is a nebulous term that students struggle with.’ Ambiguous cri-

teria such as the requirement that students display ‘strong awareness of relevant connections between issues & signiﬁcance of these’ are open to wide interpretation by examiners. Whilst the subject of law is predicated on argument, which is itself highly subjective, the adoption of this non-uniform approach in marking is dangerous and leaves

students without a measure from which they can analyse why certain techniques worked in one assessment and failed in another.

To reach its full potential, the school may look to adopt a di erent marking criterion or reform the existing model to aid students. attempts to improve their work.

Maya

Photo courtesy of: Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash

Photo courtesy of: Harriet Sanderson

Features

Murder of the dance ﬂoor: Is clubbing dead?

Editor's Choice:

Ilona Ho mann Features Subeditor

For February’s Editor’s Choice, I’ve selected one of our section’s resident subeditors, Ilona Ho mann’s, piece investigating the reasons behind Gen Z's declining interest in clubbing culture. As somebody who’s never been the biggest fan of clubbing, this is music to my ears! It’s about time we acknowledge how unbelievably expensive clubbing can be and how interesting it is that there has been a tangible shift among Gen Z regarding club nights. I chose this piece because it has a great balance between research and anecdotal information from interviews — Ilona really gets into the weeds of the topic. So, read and ask yourself: ‘Is clubbing dead?’

Gen Z isn’t clubbing like previous generations. What is to blame for the end of the boogie? It’s not just about the cost of living crisis - though skyrocketing drink prices, expensive entry fees and insu cient student loans don’t help. Students prefer more intimate settings to chat with friends, valuing curated experiences over sweaty dance ﬂoors. The rise of wellness culture, sober curiosity and controlled social settings means that, more often than not, the traditional club scene isn't the go-to anymore.

Currently, Gen Z is battling soaring inﬂation with a 2.5 per cent rise in UK prices in the last 12 months causing disproportionately higher prices, housing costs and student loan balances than the millennials who came before them. The Na-

tional Union of Students claimed that the 2.8 per cent increase in maintenance loans for 2023/2024 was woefully inadequate, making it di cult for students to cover their housing let alone a couple of pints. Six in ten UK customers are cutting back on non-essential purchases and unfortunately, clubbing is the ﬁrst to go.

With the increase of online inﬂuencers who make wellness their brand, Gen Z is becoming inspired to make healthier choices than the generations before them. For Gen Z, health is holistic and they instinctively integrate health and wellness into their everyday lives, naturally causing a cut in their alcohol consumption. The largest recent

For full article, go to: epigram.org.uk ‘37 per cent of UK clubs to close down over the last four years’

UK study of drinking behaviours showed that in 2019, 16-25-yearolds were the most likely to be teetotal, with 26 per cent not drinking. Elle, a fourth-year pharmacology student, told Epigram that ‘a night out isn't worth the disruption to [her] schedule the next day’, where she would most likely sleep in and miss going to the gym because of drinking. This new rewriting of your 20s is prioritising a more health-conscious and sober lifestyle. Not that clubbing needs to involve drinking, however, this means clubs aren't making enough money to stay open...

Spotlight | Bristol Suspensions: More than just music

Ed Wallace explores the University of Bristol’s A Cappella Society: The Bristol Suspensions

Ed Wallace

First Year, Politics and Social Policy

Nestled within the vibrant student community at the University of Bristol, the A Cappella Society is more than just a collection of singers – it’s a symphony of musical energy, bound together by harmonies, friendships, and an unshakable passion for performance. With eight groups o ering everything from high-stakes competitions to laid-back, feel-good singing, this society thrives on the joy of making music, and even more so, on sharing it with the world.

In Epigram’s conversation with Lydia O’Boyle, the president of

the A Cappella Society, she shared insight into the society’s dynamic growth and infectious enthusiasm. Whether you dream of dazzling audiences or simply want to belt out tunes with friends, there’s a place for everyone. The society is home to three auditioned, competitive groups – Pitch Fight, Academy, and The Bristol Suspensions – who battle it out in the prestigious International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), the very competition that inspired Pitch Perfect. For those looking for something a little less intense but just as rewarding, an auditioned non-competitive group and four non-auditioned groups, including the beatboxing powerhouse, Brizzlebox, welcome singers of all abilities.The result? A melting pot of talent and enthusiasm, where no voice goes unheard.

The performance calendar is nothing short of thrilling. The annual Best of the South West (BOSW) showcase is a crescendo of sound

and showmanship, featuring Bristol’s ﬁnest, alongside groups from Exeter, Cardi , Royal Welsh, and Bath. With pyrotechnics, a fullscale production, and an audience that grows year after year (last year’s event sold 339 tickets), BOSW is fast becoming a legendary student-led spectacle. Lydia described it as ‘an incredible show to be a part of’, and it’s clear that each year it reaches new heights.

Beyond that, the society’s Christmas concert at the Victoria Methodist Church brings festive cheer to the masses, while the end-of-year showcase is a celebration of the group’s hard work. But it doesn’t stop there. The competitive groups are constantly on the move, and on February 16th, they’re hitting the high notes in Exeter to prove their vocal prowess at the ICCA UK uarterﬁnals. The Bristol Suspensions have already claimed international glory, winning ﬁrst place at Italy’s Solevoci compe-

tition, while Academy and Pitch Fight have consistently shone in ICCA quarter-ﬁnals. With achievements like these, Bristol’s A Cappella scene is anything but amateur.

Looking ahead, the A Cappella Society has its sights set on even bigger and better things. More performances, new collaborations with societies and external organisations, and the continued

expansion of its already thriving community – there’s no limit to where these voices can go. And for anyone considering joining, Lydia has one simple message: ‘Just do it!’

With passion, ambition, and a whole lot of harmony, this isn’t just a student group – it’s a chance to create lifelong friendships and unforgettable melodies. The only question is, are you ready to sing along?

Photo courtesy of: Ilona Ho mann

Reuben Kerbes examines the highs and lows of taking a year abroad

Reuben Kerbes

Features Subeditor

Three years can often feel like a regrettably short time at university, and many students will be considering the decision to take a year abroad across the globe. This can serve as a pivotal milestone in a student’s life journey and can lead many to make more expansive, adventurous decisions about their future.

But is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Is the time, energy, and change worth the experience? Epigram spoke to students who are currently undergoing or have ﬁnished their time away - to

‘We

Editor

Deputy Editor

Subeditor

Researcher

Nel Roden

Jess Cohen

Daisy Yates

Ilona Ho mann

Reuben Kerbes

Should I stay or should I go?

further investigate their experiences of the fabled year abroad.

Some students felt a notable separation from their home life, a feeling that may seem obvious but can stick with you throughout the year. In conversation with Ilona, a fourth-year Liberal Arts student who studied in Seattle for her third year, she told Epigram that there ‘were always moments when you miss friends and family.’ Abbie, a third-year Politics student found that ‘taking a step out

‘Personal

tutors can be a crucial source of information and support’

of “normal” university life gives so much perspective.’ With academic validation and pressure surrounding grades being such an integral part of university, having a break is ‘so important.’

When asked about a key piece of

advice for those thinking about or preparing to go on a year abroad, the resounding line was: say yes to everything, don't isolate yourself, and make the most of it. Lottie agreed, but she also holds one more piece of great advice, ‘It can be easy to want to do everything in the city straight away, but take your time, you have the whole year.’

In terms of destinations, you can’t really go wrong, everywhere will have something for someone, however a key thing to remember is to choose a location that interests you. For Ilona, it was the American sports patriotism that enamored her, but for Lottie, it was the ease of returning from Copenhagen for holidays that won her over.

Studying abroad is a popular option for many students and for good reason. If you’re considering spending a period of your studies in another country, this process can be a little

daunting, but it’s not impossible if you’ve already enrolled in a course that does not o er study abroad. The University of Bristol Study Abroad web page o ers lots of useful information depending on your speciﬁc situation. Personal tutors can be a crucial source of information and support if you’re looking to get out of the country, so if there’s a

speciﬁc question you have that’s not answered on the Bristol University page, they’re your best bet.

Wherever you go, it’ll be a success, it all just depends on what your priorities and interests are. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to do new things, and above all else - enjoy it!

were sort of stuck in a limbo’: Navigating the Bristol house hunt while studying abroad

Bristol is a notoriously expensive city, ranking in recent years as one of the steepest cities (in more ways than one) for university students — often coming only after London, Brighton, and Oxford in tables measuring expenses such as rent, utilities, and transport.

Home to both the University of Bristol and the University of West

England, Bristol is a vibrant but infamously crowded city. As student populations and average monthly rents for accommodation continue to rise, the availability of good-quality and a ordable student housing increasingly fails to meet the growing demand.

It’s a problem that has made the search for student housing — beginning for many as early as a month into the new academic year — a particularly stressful and expensive burden for students to shoulder alongside their studies. House-hunting seasons of previous years have seen images of long, anxious lines of students queueing outside the Bristol SU Lettings o ce in the height of winter, well before its doors had opened for the day.

To further investigate this issue, Epigram spoke to two students about their experiences, and what advice they might have to those in a similar position.

Sophie, a third-year Business and Spanish student, described familiar problems with Bristol house-hunting. While in Spain, she started searching for fourth-year housing as early as September: ‘Initially, I

felt we were quite prepared, but I don’t think any of us realised how many di culties we would face… every day we would be scanning Rightmove and calling up landlords, only to ﬁnd that either a group had already reserved the property, [or] the slots for viewings had ﬁlled up.’

Ilona, a fourth-year Liberal Arts student who completed her third year in America, also described a ‘di cult’ house search: ‘Imagine you’re applying for houses in Bristol like normal, then add a time di erence for communication, a reduced circle of people to contact about living with, and the uncertainty of the housing condition, as you couldn’t go and view it yourself.

Bristol Student Accommodation are another useful place to look.

‘Preempt the housing situation. If you know you’re going away, ask around.’

When asked what advice she had for students looking for university accommodation while abroad, Sophie recalled her group ‘messaging literally everyone we knew who was still in Bristol, to see if they would be moving out, and then contacting the landlord directly before the property even went up on [rental] sites,’ adding, ‘even then the landlord was apprehensive, and it took some persuading, but the best thing is to be ﬁrst in the queue.’ Ilona recommended: ‘Preempt the housing situation. If you know you’re going away, ask around to see who will still be there for fourth year, and see if you can join in on their plans.’

Both Sophie and Ilona managed to secure housing for their fourth year — though having contacts in Bristol did make a di erence. But there is no shortage of options for those who may not have contacts in Bristol to come back to; sites such as SpareRoom often have listings for student houses trying to ﬁll an empty room, and Facebook groups like

‘It isn’t the easiest process,’ she continued, ‘but don’t let that stop you going abroad! I promise once you’ve moved away for the year to a new country on your own, any issues that arise when you’re back will be a piece of cake!’

Ellen Jones

Third year, Politics and International Relations

Ellen Jones details the challenges faced by students navigating the housing market from afar

Photo courtesy of: Daisy Yates

Photo courtesy of: Ilona Ho mann

Continued from front page...

Bright, welcoming, and clearly passionate about the topic, Katie explained to us that: ‘[enough is] a way of validating [survivors]. You are taking a simple step, it’s intentional,’ adding,‘at the moment people just sit and spiral in shame’. The stats back her up: according to a 2021 report from the Ministry of Justice, there is a 1.6 percent conviction rate from rape cases in the UK, and that’s of the only 20 percent of survivors who actually report their assault to the police.

Who are Enough and why are they on our campus?

In September of last year, the Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine, a charity made up of doctors and forensic experts, released a statement declaring that, based on their research, they ‘do not advocate the use of ‘self-swabbing’ kits.’

‘If [students] want it to be, this could be the start of the end of sexual violence, but it has to involve everyone,’ Katie continued. She envisages a future where ‘the default is to be on the side of the survivor’, and she sees enough as having a key part to play in shifting the culture.

So how are they making this change happen? Twofold: by providing selfhelp recovery and ally support tools on their website, and disseminating self-testing kits, which supposedly o er a simple, discreet way for survivors to collect DNA evidence of their assault from their body in its immediate aftermath. These can currently be bought on the company’s website for £20, accessed for free at ‘safe spaces’ across Bristol.

Self-Swab Kits: Should you use one?

From discussions with White it is clear that she has positive intentions, but some government backed healthcare and legal experts have voiced doubts that the self-swab kits are the best way to support survivors.

They state that the kits ‘[do] not necessarily provide reliable independent evidence, may not enable survivors to choose whether to report to the police later and therefore does not prevent perpetrators from acting against others.’

A joint statement, published on December 22nd 2024, cosigned by expert bodies including, amongst others, the NHS, Avon & Somerset police and crime commissioner, and the Bridge, Bristol’s sexual assault referral centre (SARC), corroborated this view, saying: ‘It is recommended that you do not take a swab yourself.’

'If

Here’s what we know:

agreed procedures, the value of capturing any DNA sample may be compromised… We know that there is still a long way to go to improve conﬁdence in victim-survivors reporting to the police… Our specialist sexual o ences investigation team, Operation Bluestone, launched in 2021 to transform the way we investigate these extremely serious crimes.’

Some students have also voiced to Epigram that they didn’t realise the kits may not be legally viable, with one saying that she found this problematic and ‘misleading vulnerable people about the e cacy of the evidence the test can give’.

[students] want it to be, this could be the start of the end of sexual violence, but it has to involve everyone' –Katie White, co-founder

The Somerset and Avon police department echoed this position.

‘We understand that victim-survivors of sexual o ences may wish to provide samples in surroundings that are familiar to them, but we remain concerned that self-swabbing kits may introduce evidential challenges,’ Detective Chief Inspector Rich Marsh told Epigram.

He added: ‘Without following

She’s not the only one who feels misled by the group – an ex-student ambassador for enough reached out to Epigram and said that she, along with others, ‘left after the NHS alert’ adding that, in her experience, ‘we deﬁnitely weren’t – and I don’t know if current ambassadors are – fully informed on all the legal implications of [the kits].’ She added that she did like the concept, but that she believed it was ‘incredibly poorly executed’.

When we reached out to enough for comment on these students' comments, they said: ‘We encourage anyone who is considering reporting o cially to do that ﬁrst.

Katie White also told us that it is her belief that forensic evidence collected by the enough self-testing kits, like all forensic evidence, may or may not be valid as evidence in court. ‘They [those against the kits] can’t say for certain that it won’t be admissible, because there’s no precedent,’ she argues.

In short, enough view their tests as a ‘symbol of a world without sexual violence’, rather than a sureﬁre route to conviction.

Why are enough on campus?

Although enough have become a deﬁnite presence at the University of Bristol, the University of the West of England (UWE) Students’ Union has declined to let enough representatives onto their campus, citing concerns with the self-testing kits. In December 2024 this triggered White to launch a petition which asserted: ‘Students want Enough at UWE’. That petition currently sits at 445 signatures, but the organisation is yet to be allowed into UWE’s grounds.

'It is recommended that you do not take a swab yourself' – the NHS, the Bridge, and more.'

Epigram asked University of Bristol students if they thought the university or SU were a liated with the organisation and 17 percent responded ‘Yes’. Izzy, a master’s student, said ‘It’s not clear… I kind of assumed that anything that’s on campus has at least been passed by the SU to be there’.

‘Enough is an alternative to inaction, not to Criminal Justice. Self-collected evidence will of course be scrutinised in court, more so than if collected by the police. But given that only 6% of survivors report soon enough to have a forensic examination, Enough can provide frozen DNA and a time-stamped testimony that can only be of support to a case. Survivors rarely even see the results of their examination if they report to the police, Enough provides conﬁrmation in 48h’.

The Crown Prosecution Service guidance states that, ‘the admissibility of evidence (whether or not it complies with the FSR Code) is a matter for the courts to determine on a case-by-case basis’. As such,

This is not the case; neither the SU or University are associated with the organisation. When approached for comment, the SU said:

‘We are not currently promoting or endorsing the Private limited Company known as Enough due to concerns about self-swab tests which have been raised by the NHS, police, and local support services.

‘The University of Bristol have a team of male and female Sexual Violence Liaison O cers (SVLOs) who have had specialist training… We're currently working with partners across the city on a campaign to raise awareness of the critical work of SARCs.’

The University has also said: ‘There is no relationship or a liation be-

tween the University and [enough]. ‘We care deeply about all our students and are committed to providing an environment where everyone feels safe and respected.’

What do students think?

When asked on an Epigram story poll 84 percent of respondents answered they had heard of enough, of which 49 percent trust them as an organisation. A further 19 percent reported ‘Yes, but I have doubts’ and 20 percent were ‘Unsure’, when asked if they like/trust them.

To get a more nuanced understanding of how students feel about enough, Epigram spoke to them across campus.

Though everyone agreed with enough’s main objectives, multiple people raised concerns about some of their methods, which they viewed as tactless. One person pointed out: ‘victims of sexual assault don’t want to be bombarded and reminded of it by random people.’

This sentiment was echoed by several students that we spoke to. Katy, an undergraduate at Bristol, speciﬁed that she found the ‘together we can end rape’ posters, which have been put inside toilets, ‘inappropriate.’

Millie, a fourth year student, also said she felt ‘shocked and upset’ by the way an ambassador approached her on the way to an exam, which she described as ‘very intense and insensitive given the subject matter’.

Not everyone may be a fan of how they go about achieving it, but if enough’s goal is to get people talking, it seems like they’ve been successful. Postgraduate Izzy told Epigram that ‘it has started a good conversation around uni… I have talked about [sexual violence] with all of my friends’.

Everyone is on the same side; just not on the same page. Across campus and beyond, we all want to improve the lives of survivors and live in a world without sexual violence – there’s just some disagreement about how we get there.

For a list of resources available to anyone who has been a ected by sexual violence, visit: epigram.org.uk/who-areenough-bristol/ has

Photo courtesy of: Livy Naylor

Editor's Note:

When Epigram met with cheery and unguarded student, Bibi Millett, her polished appearance struggled to convey the housing nightmare that she’s fought while keeping up with the already demanding pressures of university.

By James Lewis, SciTech Deputy Editor

Bibiwas about to begin her second year at UWE and, following a well-spent ﬁrst year, she was excited to move into her new student house which had been ‘advertised as a very nice property.’ She had expected the property to ‘be well maintained’, especially since she had already broken the budget to secure it –an excusable naivete that most students have experienced upon delving into the renters’ market.

It was the ﬁrst time that she went into her room when she thought ‘It clearly smells like damp’, to which her landlord reassured her that it was paint drying. Bibi was suspicious, not least of all because no one else’s room smelt; ‘so have you just painted my room?’ she wondered.

It was when she began to rearrange her bedroom in the hopes of impressing her stamp on her new space that she realised the true cause of the smell. ‘When I pulled it [the desk] back there was black mould all over the skirting board behind it.’

Tenants are expected to ‘alert [their] landlord straight away.’ So, Bibi did.She sent photos to her landlord and Bibi bought mould spray to wipe it o .

The mould returned shortly after she had first wiped it o and her landlord o ered to provide a dehumidifier, despite Bibi’s insisting that the air was dry and that it was coming from rising damp: ‘It doesn’t take an expert – my room was very dry. We have a washer-dryer so we weren’t drying clothes on a rack and my room was well-ventilated.’ The mould is being caused by what Bibi suspects is a fault with the boiler that is fitted near her room – she noticed a ‘big black

When we were planning ‘Break the Mould’ over the Christmas holiday, none of us knew how it would be received. We thought that students would be behind us, but we deﬁnitely did not expect it to be as much of an immediate success as it has been.

In the past month, we’ve had national media attention, an endorsement from SU housing o cer Lucy Pears, over 500 signatures on our petition, and so much support from the student community. And we’ve got no plans to stop anytime soon.

This month, we’ll continue petitioning the SU, and begin working with Lucy to make ‘Rent Review’ a reality. Need a refresher on what we want to do? It’s all on these pages, along with Bibi’s mould horror story, which is well worth your time.

line’ running up the exterior of the house where the boiler room is.

Despite her landlord graciously o ering to provide a dehumidiﬁer, the machine didn’t materialise until October 24 – nine weeks after the mould was ﬁrst discovered.

In October, Bibi was getting ready to go out for a friend’s birthday. The woes of space in a well-occupied house of seven forced Bibi to store her ‘extensive coat collection’ under her bed and on the October 8, in need of a jacket, Bibi thought, ‘Oh my god what is that smell’ and soon realised how damp her jackets had become. ‘Luckily they weren’t mouldy’, but Bibi, alarmed – who told me she would be ‘devastated’ were her coats to be ruined – searched the rest of her room where she discovered a thriving mess of mould underneath her bed that had even started to make its way onto her mattress.

Among the casualties was ‘a large painting from [her] course that had been removed from the frame.’

If ‘acted upon sooner, damage to my property and my health could’ve been prevented.’

Bibi had already listed the painting to sell on Facebook; ‘That’s one of my jobs. I do commissions and I sell my work’ to cover the high cost of living in Bristol. The landlord o ered her a £30 voucher as compensation, a smack in the face when Bibi explained that she’d been expecting to sell the painting for £300 at the very least – she didn’t accept.

It was ‘very damp, very gross’ Bibi told Epigram. It was only after she discovered damage to her personal property that her landlord took notice of the problem at hand, despite being well aware from day dot. In an email to her landlord on October 24, Bibi made the point that if this were ‘acted upon sooner, damage to my property and my health could’ve been prevented.’

An asthmatic and IBS su erer, Bibi described a life of ‘very poor health’, where she was ‘in and out of hospital [...] four or ﬁve times a

year.’ Through a committed lifestyle shift and a diet change where she cut out sugar and alcohol, she had started to ‘feel like a di erent person.’ Her exposure to mould has set her back. After completely losing a reliance on her inhaler she is back to using it daily. She even suspects the mould has triggered waves of brain fog, impacting her work.

The landlord responded on the same day where she assured Bibi that a contractor would be visiting soon. It was the 30th of October when the contractor turned up at the property, but again Bibi felt let down. She asked the contractor whether he was a mould specialist – he wasn’t, despite her dad getting involved the day before expressing their desire for a mould specialist to inspect the property. While a mould specialist is not necessarily required by law, a landlord is required tokeep their properties ‘safe and free from health hazards.’ By law, then, Bibi’s landlord is expected to do everything in their power to protect their tenants’ health. When building works were ﬁnally done on November 1 ‘they just scrubbed everything and left.’

Annie McNamee, Editor in Chief

‘Defeated... very defeated’: One student’s mould nightmare

ment’s private renting page. Bibi’s home is not safe for her and as an asthma su erer, the NHS’s advice would encourage her to ‘stay away from damp and mould as much as possible’, yet she goes on su ering at the whim of her landlord.

‘I feel quite defeated... very defeated’ Bibi noted as we started to say our goodbyes. Bibi’s experience has left her with a mistrust of landlords

and a hole in her pocket with little to show for it. A story that encapsulates a lot of what is wrong with Bristol’s student housing market – too little for too much.

If you also feel 'defeated' by your housing situation, we want to hear from you. Tell us your story at epigram.editor@gmail.com, and sign our petition here in favour of better quality student housing.

Predictably, it wasn’t long until the mould returned. Bibi once again emailed her landlord, on the December 12, who replied ‘instantly’, assuring she would visit the property soon and provide a solution. Bibi is still waiting for her landlord to show up and is now faced with her phone calls being ignored with no explanation as to why. Bibi told Epigram that just last week, she phoned her landlord, was ignored and later received this text: ‘Apologies, I’ve been at work. What was your call regarding?’

Bibi’s story might be exceptional in its severity, but this kind of behaviour from landlords is echoed by students across Bristol. In a 2015 survey by the SU, 90% of students reported having ‘accommodation problems.’ Too many landlords aren’t taking students’ complaints seriously, even though people have the right to ‘live in a property that’s safe and in a good state of repair’, as stated on the govern-

Photos courtesy of: Bibbi Millett

Our top ten successes so far

After months of hard work, Epigram’s ‘Break the Mould’ campaign ﬁnally launched this month! We are incredibly proud of this campaign and the momentum it has gained so far, have a read of our top 10 successes from the past few weeks:

Launch day! We launched the campaign on Monday 3rd of February after months of hard work from our Epigram team

On launch day we handed out over 800 papers on campus! We hope you got your hands on a copy - if not, there are still a few around campus at our usual distribution spots

Our petition hit 500 signatures! We thank you so much for your support, if you haven’t signed the petition yet, the link can be found in our ‘Break the Mould’ story highlight on Instagram

Local press coverage: Our campaign garnered fantastic exposure, being featured by BBC News and other prominent publications

Our Co-Editor in Chief, Annie, appeared on Greatest Hits Radio to talk about our campaign!

Our campaign poster received high praise on LinkedIn from Nick Mitchell, Head of Communications for Change.org. He described our poster as bold, shareable, and authentic - thank you, Nick!

The campaign was highlighted in the SU newsletter! We’re so excited to be working alongside Lucy to implement our ‘Rent Review’ system

Further press coverage, with The Big Issue dedicating an article to our campaign, helping amplify our impact and reach an even wider audience

Our Proposal

Nathan Flanders, Policy Lead

Overwhelming support and positive feedback from our student peers. We are incredibly gratetful for this. First and foremost, this is a campaign by students for students. Thank you so much for being part of this journey so far; this is just the beginning!

The campaign gained the support of the SU Student Living O cer, Lucy Pears

She commented ‘I'm very happy to support the work that Epigram is doing with the Break the Mould campaign and I'm looking forward to working with them moving forwards. A Bristol SU survey found that 75% of students have problems with mould - and this ﬁnding is from 10 years ago! The situation is terrible, and it hasn't been getting any better, so I'm pleased to see the ‘Break the Mould’ campaign tackling this head-on. I'm eager to point students in your direction and to see some change!'

Epigram is launching ‘Break the Mould’ to improve the conditions of student housing in Bristol and beyond, with a particular focus on tackling mould. We are lobbying the Bristol SU to extend their ‘My Rent, My Rights’ campaign by introducing ‘Rent Review’, a student property review system where renters can review their house or ﬂat, for example its condition, any issues that arise, and the speed and e ectiveness of the landlord’s responses. This would work together with an SU-run accreditation system, where good landlords are approved by the SU. Both the rating and the accreditation would be visible to all students. This would incentivise landlords to focus on the quality of service they are providing to tenants, and help students to avoid poor housing.

As Epigram, we will also create a dedicated page on our website containing information about mould, its consequences, and best practices to prevent and ﬁx it. This, we propose, would be linked to on the ‘My Rent,

My Rights’ campaign page to give students an accessible bank of information that they can use.

Photos courtesy of: UBTV

Bristol Slapstick Film Festival: Mel Brooks' Silent Movie Packs a Punch

Editor's Choice:

Last month, I reached out to the wonderful people at Bristol Slapstick Festival to see if we could check out some of their amazing events and screenings in exchange for a review. As you are currently reading one of those reviews, it is safe to say they said yes! Without further ado, here is Felix's take on on Mel Brook's 1976 knee-slapper, Silent Movie.

As part of the Bristol Slapstick Festival celebrating its 20th anniversary this week, Epigram was graciously invited by the festival and Watershed to watch Mel Brooks' 1976 classic Silent Movie, opened with an insightful talk by festival director Chris Daniels and comedy legend Robin Ince.

As I arrived into the lobby of Watershed, there was already a great buzz in the air. Bristol locals, students, and comedy fans eagerly ﬁlled into the cosy cinema screen, preparing to step back into a vintage Hollywood age and, poignantly for many, embrace themselves in the comedy memories of their childhood. As Daniels and Ince introduced the

ﬁlm, you could really feel the love and appreciation they hold for slapstick comedy, placing Brooks' Silent Movie as a revelatory ﬁlm of its age.

Ince describes a 'preciousness' that colours Silent Movie, as 'you don't find many films likes this'. Their talk clearly laid down some high expectations for the film, but best of all it really primed my viewing experience. I was more than ready for an unexpected cameo here and outlandish punch to the gut there.

So, as Daniels and Ince left the front of the theatre in silent suspense, the lights of the cinema began to dim, the classic film number sequence counted down, and most profoundly of all – the film opened in complete silence. Well of course, true to its name. I must say, at first I was slightly worried with the prospect of soundless dialogue for 90 minutes, but all these fears were quickly abandoned after the iconic introductory scene. We see Mel Funn (Mel Brooks) with his absurdist double act of Marty Eggs (Marty Feldman) and Dom Bell (Dom DeLuise) driving haphazardly down Sunset Boulevard as chirpy music plunges the audience into this exaggerated Hollywood world. I was properly prepared for a wacky time.

The ﬁlm revolves around Brooks' protagonist, a once great director

who, after his recovery from alcoholism, is desperate to create the first major silent movie in Hollywood for several decades. As Ince brilliantly pointed out in his talk, what makes this film a true slapstick masterclass is Brooks' dealings with mad characters, recruiting famous Hollywood faces (for which he promises he can get to the studio chief) and an archetypal nutty villain in the form of the studio boss of Lunatic and Devour. This is a fitting criticism by Brooks about the domineering studio executives of the 1970s which are taking a chokehold of all films, actors and the Hollywood space.

The audience becomes such an integral part of this wonderful viewing experience: great laughs, roars and, at the funniest of parts, the occasional applause. Mel Brooks had got this Bristol audience in stitches. Rightfully so this ﬁlm really captures the very best of that foolish Chaplin style of physical comedy. There were so many comic highlights from the ﬁlm: a caravan teetering from side to side as our lardy Dom DeLuise aims to convince 1970s legendary actor Burt Reynolds to join Funn's creative endeavour. Then, the Hollywood homeless celebrating around Mel's enormous bottle of whisky.

And Eggs and Bell playing the 1972 game Pong on an ECG attached to the studio chief in the hospital.

The real comic beauty of Silent Movie is that the film's plot is literally the plot of silent movie itself, with subject mimicking form. We have just watched a star studded cast create the first major silent movie in forty years, something that Brooks' seemingly alter-ego character 'Mel Funn' aimed to do during the whole film.

This 'meta' feel of this ﬁlm left me feeling deeply satisﬁed and cements, for me at least, Brooks' place in Hollywood as one of its greatest. Watching everything play out in a

larger-than-life way was a welcome break to the era of ﬁlms concentrated on heightened horror and emerging tacky special e ects. Brooks created a ridiculous comedy with so much passion and heart, really taking me by surprise at just how much I enjoyed it as I was leaving.

In reflection, Ince and Daniel's description of 'a collegiate spirit in the film' was firmly alive. Brooks cultivated an environment for physical absurdity – all the more impressive as not a word was uttered by the cast. Everyone in the film all felt like one big stage ensemble, bouncing around these Hollywood sets and acting with great vigour. The energy was high and constant, making for an all-round brilliant watch.

Once again, Epigram is so grateful to the Watershed and Bristol Slapstick Festival, who even in the early hours of the day, cultivated a brilliantly engaging event sharing their love for slapstick comedy. I really felt immersed in an audience caught in hysterics and there was a sweetness to the scene with the older generation laughing in nostalgia, and I was there for it.

Check out the rest of our Bristol Slapstick Festival coverage here: Epigram.org.uk

Felix Glanville Second Year, History

Photo courtesy of: IMDb

Photos courtesy of Felix Glanvillle

Editor

Deputy Editor

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Wattret

Wen Siow

Chatburn

Jackson

Memoir of a Snail: A Claymation Masterpiece Full of Heart

Animation is often considered a medium solely for children. Memoir of a Snail, is here to prove that wrong.

Thanks to the lovely people over at Watershed, I was able to catch an advanced viewing of Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot, 2024) before it comes out in the UK this Valentine’s Day. I went into this ﬁlm not knowing anything about it and expecting a sweet Claymation tale of a snail’s life cycle. However, I left the cinema with pu y eyes and salty glasses, and a whole lot of thought-pro-

Flick Picks: Women's History Month

Richard LaGravenese

The story follows a dedicated teacher, Erin Gruwell, working in a Los Angeles school where the students are divided and aggressive towards one another as a result of their rival gangs. Rather than giving up, Erin inspires her students to take their future into their own hands and not let it be dictated by their hostile surroundings.

voking quotes stuck in my head. I was not at all expecting to be so moved by this ﬁlm, but it turned out to be one of the best animated ﬁlms I have seen in a long time.

Memoir of a Snail is in fact not about what the title suggests. It follows the life of the melancholic hoarder Grace, an orphan separated from her twin brother Gilbert at a young age, and whilst not a snail herself, she is incredibly obsessed with them. Animated in a style dubbed by Director Adam Elliot as ‘clayography’, this autobiographical narrative follows Grace as she talks to her favourite snail, Sylvia, as she crawls across the vegetable patch of Pinky, Grace’s eccentric elderly friend. From that description I’m sure some people will be ducking away from what is potentially a tragic and bleak ﬁlm, but I assure you that this is a tragedy worth enduring, as you will come out the other end with a new outlook on life, and with undoubtedly satiated eyeballs as the meticulous production design of this ﬁlm is a feast for them to behold. It also made me genuinely laugh out loud, with the light absurdity and charming Aussie accents creating moments of hilarity amidst the sadness.

Every aspect of this ﬁlm is so full of soul, dedication and e ort, as is usually the way with the arduous process of stop motion. However,

Emma Coleman First Year, English

Sarah Spillane

My next recommendation is a more recent ﬁlm that follows the journey of a determined Australian teenager, Jessica Watson (played by Teagan Croft) as she chases her dreams to become the youngest solo sailor to travel around the world. Her journey is not smooth-sailing (sorry for the pun) and she risks her life to pursue her passion.

the particular style of Elliot’s Claymation - with all its bumps, imperfections, and eccentricities - gives so much heart to every frame, and matches the themes of his characters. Each still is so carefully thought out and detailed and is made even more interesting by a quote that has significantly stuck with me: ‘Life can only be understood backwards, but we must live it forwards.’ There are several objects and moments in the film (particularly during the opening credits and scene) that can only be understood fully once the narrative has been completely explored, and there’s something really beautiful in that and the way this mimics our own lives. The visual aesthetic of this film teeters on an interesting barrier between beauty and disgust; the detail of the production

Nigel Cole

Made in Dagenham is a more light-hearted option to celebrate IWD and, whilst dealing with the very serious issue of the pay gap, it takes the form of a comedic drama. Take a dive into the past, speciﬁcally 1968, and revel in the glory of women who helped shape the world modern women enjoy today.

design and meticulous world building is awe inspiring to say the least, though there is something slightly unsettling about some of the character design and action. However, this only corroborates with the bleak subject material and complex characterisation, further creating a thoroughly captivating diegesis.

Another feature of this film which makes it so deeply touching is the unique yet relatable characters, and their relationships with each other. Though every character is flawed in some way or another (reflected in their warped clay flesh) they remain likeable and engaging. Apart from Ruth. Ruth is public enemy number one.

Find the rest of this review at: Epigram.org,uk

George C. Wolfe

This ﬁlm follows the true story of Deborah Lacks (played by Oprah Winfrey) attempting to uncover the legacy of her mother, Henrietta - whose cancerous cells were unknowingly taken after her death and allowed doctors to create the oldest immortalised cell line. This led to outstanding scientiﬁc advancements, including treatments of Parkinson's and leukaemia.

Jasmine Mack First Year, Film and English

Photo courtesy of: IMDb

Freedom Writers True Spirit Made in Dagenham The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Arts

The design of space behind the drum and bass: club design in Bristol

Ella Heathcote takes a look at the history of nightclub design and answers the question: what makes a good club?

As I sit on the loo at The Love Inn, head spinning, working my way through various profound statements scribbled on the the vibrating door (truly Twitter’s predecessor), one leg up to the door as pure animal strength replaces the need for any sort of functioning lock, I’m not thinking about architecture. As I bounce about next to enormous sound systems, in a careless Russian roulette for indeﬁnite loss of hearing, I’m not thinking about the design and use of club space. And yet it forms every aspect of my experience.

From the slightly disorienting fog that ﬁlls the room at The Love Inn, creating a theatrical silhou-

ette-scape, to the eternally confusing and apparently endless maze that is Lakota, Bristol has a frankly awe-inspiring range of club spaces. In Bristol, every clubber’s need is catered for.

The design of nightclubs is unique; it has to allow for the movement of sound, light, and bodies in a way that no other space would. So, what makes a club well-designed? And where did the nightclub come from?

'The modern club evolved from the nightclubs of the 1840s and ‘50s in New York'

titution and liquor sales. Prohibition in 1920s America led to the birth of the speakeasy, and in occupied France, jazz and bebop music and various dances were banned by the Nazi regime for their ‘American inﬂuences’, which created a basement discothèque culture we often see in today’s clubs.

The real predecessor of the nightclub is the ballroom. Designs focused on space for choreographed movement – not quite the sardined experience you get at the Brass Pig on a Wednesday – and spaces were usually ornamented and polished to match the dancing.

The modern club as we know it evolved from the nightclubs of the 1840s and ‘50s in New York like McGlory’s and the Haymarket, hiding spots for illegal gambling, pros-

The nightclub was born out of resistance to political oppression. Look at the radical clubs in 1960s Italy, often created in response to the growing social and political unrest, such as the divide between the north and south and anti-Vietnam war protests. The Piper Club, opened in 1965 in Rome, was a space where pop art, music and performance intertwined. Other Italian clubs hosted radical theatre performances, underground music and even included vegetable gardens (see Gruppo 999 below).

The club has its roots (quite literally) in subversion: politically and socially – it’s OK to get o with four di erent people in one night right next to your friends, or to throw up in the smoking area. Under cover of darkness and smoke machines, we all become silhouettes, moving in unison. There’s an undeniable freedom in this invisibility.

'A friend once excitedly exclaimed to me that we were in 'the pancreas of The Crown''

Many of Bristol’s best clubs are repurposed spaces: Motion is a reused Victorian factory building, Loco Klub was once a railway workers’ club, Lakota a brewery. The makeshift architecture of the club is central to its appeal – even if it’s an established club, there’s a sense of excitement when you’re partying somewhere you’re not meant to be.

If the nightclub is an escape from reality, the smoking area is an escape from the escape. Some of my most treasured memories are set against a backdrop of cigarette smoke, people vomiting, k-holing, drunkenly sloppy kissing. There is something so freeing about being outside, winter air biting at your skin, ﬁnally being able to hold audible (but maybe not the most coherent) conversations.

Restricted smoking areas, those with bouncers telling you to stay

back, waiting for you to get to the end of a cigarette so they can verbally shove you back inside (as in the late Mbargo and Brass Pig) lose the central meaning of the smoking area. This is thankfully not the case in smoking areas at The Crown (literally just a street), Lakota (massive), and even Cosies (ﬁttingly cosy with its candle-lit wooden benches under dingy vaults).

The smoking area is an inbetween space which allows us a moment of meditation before re-entering the magical realm of dark rooms and pounding D&B – and one that every good club has to get right.

A friend once excitedly exclaimed to me that we were in ‘the pancreas of The Crown’ when we moved to the second smaller room underground. This statement returns to me now as quite profound: the club is like a body in ways – it can gain a sort of sentience. The sense that we are in a living, breathing organism connects us with the space. The club promises to look after us and we promise to get hammered (deﬁnitely a good deal).

Cabbage on the Danceﬂoor: Gruppo 9999's vegetable patch. Photo courtesy of: 'Radical Landscapes'

The bar at OMG. Photo courtesy of: Harriett Sanderson

Ella Heathcote Co-Deputy Arts Editor

Editor

Co-Deputy Editor

Subeditor

Arts Commisoner

Arts Correspondent ..............Bruno Bridger ..............Ella Heathcote ............Elizabeth Abbot ..............Bobbi Carsley ...........Patrik Chandler .........Julia Masluszczak

Sonny Angel, Smiski and Sylvanian Families: the rise of the trinket toy

in 1985. For companies that have been around for years or even decades, the timeless appeal of their toys has been proven once again by their most recent return to popularity in the last few months.

It’s notable that the companies behind this craze are both Japanese toy manufacturers, a fact that seems unsurprising when the reve-

There’s been an ever-increasing rise of new faces on campus. Peering over phone cases and attached onto bags through keychains, I am constantly being introduced to my friends' new companions. Despite most of them standing no more than a few inches high, the impact they’ve made on me is staggering. I am of course talking about the phenomenon of adorably cute and compact collectible figurines. Smiski, Sonny Angel, and Sylvanian Families. What's interesting is that these collectables aren't new and have been around for varying lengths of time. Dream Inc is the company creator to both Smiski, which made their debut in 2009, as well as Sonny Angel, who came out a few years earlier in 2005, while the first Sylvanian Families doll was a pioneer in the toy industry when they first launched in Japan

nue for the Toys and Games industry in Japan has been valued at $6 billion US dowwllars in 2025. Japan has long been a front runner in its inﬂuence over the world of arts collectibles and culture through the manga and anime scene - a position that is perfectly tailored to support the creation of other imaginative characters and ﬁgurines.

'My Smiski has also been a surprisingly popular talking point since his arrival into my care. I didn't realise the secret club I was walking into when I bought one'

But, questions still remain as to why there is now a surge in popularity for these toys which have been around for years and years. Why are Sonny Angel, Smiski, and Sylvanian Families reeiving the bulk of interest? And, why have these characters struck a chord in particular with students and younger adults? Sat down in a café close to campus Epigram spoke with a friend of mine, Evie Collins, about our shared love for these little toy friends. Evie can stake a claim to being a bigger fan than most, with

an incredible tattoo of a black cat Sonny Angel on her upper arm.

'I guess in first year I dressed kind of plainly because I didn’t really know who I was and hadn’t really established much of a style yet. When I got this, it was me moving towards something di erent that’s more me. If I wore a plain outfit and that was visible, it was me committing to that fun, kitschy side.' It's hard to deny that the appeal of these figurines literally stares you in the face when looking at one. They're fun. They provide a friendly pop of colour and reassurance in a university environment that is sadly sometimes lacking in both these things. Being the proud owner of my own Smiski 'hipper', a style of figurine that conveniently attaches to the back of your phone, I love having a small, portable marker of my interests. The peek of a little green, glowin-the-dark face over my screen is also a peek into my personality. My Smiski has also been a surprisingly popular talking point since his arrival into my care. I didn't realise the secret club I was walking into when I bought one. Evie agrees on the similar overwhelmingly positive interactions that

have been sparked by her tattoo, 'After I got it, I started dressing more fun, dressing more ﬂamboyantly. People would see it and ask, "is that a Sonny Angel?" And we’d have this moment of connection because they’d see something they also identify with.'

'It’s a convenient way to access silliness. It’s a convenient way to express something that adulthood doesn’t leave much time for'

Sonny Angel, Smiski and Sylvanian all o ering figurines in a 'blind box' format provides another aspect of novelty and whimsy which is sometimes lacking in the young adult experience. You can choose what collection or series of figurine you want to buy. But the variety within a series means the exact figurine is left a mystery. This luckydip surprise makes the buying and unboxing an integral part of the toy’s experience and overall appeal. Evie believes, 'It’s a convenient way to access silliness. It’s a convenient way to express something that adulthood doesn’t leave much time for.' The transitional stage of university leaves students often prematurely having to decide where they sit between the binaries of childhood and adulthood. The popularity of these toys could voice students and young adults' desire to hold onto and embrace the silliness of their teen years and

Arts Recommends

childhood. 'All these "acceptable" ways in which we interact with childhood and silliness maybe allude to the fact that we want to do that more than we currently are.' Maybe it's that universal desire to maintain a part of your childhood memories and love for quirky treasures and trinkets that has brought these Japanese toys over to the UK and Bristol's university campuses. Whatever the reason, I know that the smallest and most unlikely person I would have thought has gifted my life with an unexpected amount of joy.

Bobbi Carsley Arts Subeditor Bobbi Carsley analyses the recent surge in popularity of trinket toys among university students

Photo courtesy of Friends NYC

Photo courtesy of Evie Collins

Review: Dean and Guthrie at Spike Island

Emotional Cowboy: one night only with Leo Hincks

Max Bradley-Cole reviews Leo Hincks' one-man show 'Emotional Cowboy' at the Alma tavern

Max Bradley-Cole, Film and TV editor Eden Chambers reviews two

exhibitions at Spike Island

'They all get a say in the shape of the night':

The two co-founders reﬂect on the journey the company's founding has taken them on.

Lost Track of Time is a Bristol-based events company specialising in hosting club nights that spotlight up-and-coming talent within student circles. Co-founded by University of Bristol graduates Tommy Pollock and Toby Ingham Thomas, the two began their business throwing house parties in Hiatt Baker during their ﬁrst year before booking DJs of their own for nights out on Park Street.

Behind Lost Track of Time events

already made a sizable impact on the local nightlife scene even before they had a chance to put more energy into the project with two ﬁrst-class diplomas under its belt.

Speaking to Epigram, Tommy opened by saying, ‘What I love about Lost Track of Time is that we've stayed with a university community. It's all about the student creatives.’ While both founders shared the surreal feeling of booking such impressive lineups at massive venues, they equally made clear that the focus is still on promoting student talent.

'What I love about Lost Track of Time is that we've stayed with a university community. It's all about the student creatives.'

With the duo graduating in 2025, contrary to the name's suggestion, no time was wasted for either half of the company's senior management team when they were presented with the opportunity to go full-time early that year. Following shows that boasted lineups with the likes of Ross From Friends, Maribou State, and Kilimanjaro on the headline, the company had

Employing student DJs, graphic designers, marketing strategists, and dancers, the group have made it their primary purpose to o er an immersive nightlife experience that intersects various popular genres without excluding one type of listener or party-goer. ‘Our mission statement is students and up-and-coming creatives, giving them our ﬁrst step into the industry,’ said Toby.

You see a lot of brands that start with a niche sound, and then you see them stop after uni', Toby continued, before Tommy added that ‘it started in the

heart of the student community.’

Sharing recollections of decks and hi-ﬁs placed on kitchen tables, the duo described how they began by almost exclusively playing drum and bass during its peak of popularity. While drum and bass was the starting point, both founders pivoted to di erent and more diverse genres like house and disco when they were invited to hold a residency DJ'ing at Rum Bar on Park Street. Within four weeks, and with events consistently selling out, the managers of the venue began to allow them to book their own events.

Following the creation of a logo that came together over only two days, their ﬁrst shows were a rotating basis of genres from drum and bass, garage, and lastly house and disco, which are now the company's staple two genres.

Disco and house were spotted as favourites because they were the genres which turned away the fewest faces. In an e ort to ﬁnd a style of dance music that was as 'least pretentious as possible', they chose house and disco as the 'more fun' side of genres associated with the local nightlife scene, o ering new free events that were soon ﬁlled by 20:00 every night.

‘We try and cater to an unserved segment of students,’ said Toby, who emphasised the need for a renewed

focus on the gender imbalance in the nightlife industry by saying, ‘We try and create as safe a space as possible for women, and on average 75% of our entrees are women.’ By frequently collaborating with the prestigious women and non-binary lead DJ collective Bad Bitch Dubz, the company o ers a take on a classic student night out with more diversity, safety, and student-friendly prices than their competitors. Observing trends in student spending post-COVID, Tommy observed that 'people are going to fewer events, but when they go out, they want to get more bang for their buck.'

It seems there's an ever-increasing pressure placed on the nightlife industry post-COVID: less cashflow from consumers while venues themselves are struggling to finance their leases and alcohol licenses amid increased costs. As well as this, both founders commented that in tandem with market influences, ‘Students are also working a lot harder on their degrees’ amid a more competitive graduate job market, which means fewer students are willing to go out as much.

With the addition of two innovation awards allowing the increased funding, the group progressed to Four Quarters before they were offered a monthly slot on Wednesday at Thekla, where they began to target new student societies from previous promoters in an e ort to pursue a new niche market on a night dominated by sports societies. Within four months of the group's ﬁrst staple ‘Lost Jungle’ event, laden with signature jungle foliage, the group took on a new behemoth with Motion.

'We try and create as safe a space as possible for women, and on average 75% of our entrees are women.'

Hosting an event that hosted stellar national notoriety alongside a room full of beanbags and arcade machines, the scene was typical of an events company that had found success but maintained its friendly, welcoming, and student-focused atmosphere. Reﬂecting on their progress so far, following a sold-out Lakota and expansion into Bath and London, the two joked, 'We do have to pinch ourselves every now and then. When we hit sell-out, we were absolutely blown away.'

Despite pressures in the industry though, the group persevered and began to be booked at larger venues.

Despite their growth, however, all events continue to be crucially booked, run, advertised, and sold as nights for students and emerging creatives.

Photo courtesy of: Benji Chapman

Benji Chapman Music Editor

Photo courtesy of: Benji Chapman

Editor

Co-Deputy Editor

Subeditor

..Benji Chapman

Aditi Hrisheekesh

Megan Foulk

Amelie Peters

Sophie Scannell

Success at UniBrass despite pressures

Bristol University Brass Band achieve success at UniBrass but student music threatened

Megan Foulk

Co-Deputy Music Editor

For those involved in the brass banding community, UniBrass is the biggest event in the student music calendar. Welcoming over 800 students to a host university, university brass bands from across England and Wales compete within two competitive sections for a chance to win the UniBrass trophy. A charity dedicated to ensuring brass banding continues at university level, The UniBrass Foundation is a cornerstone in maintaining music opportunities for students. Dedicated to supporting the growth of brass band communities at a time when young musicians are most likely to stop performing, the inter-university brass band contest is essential in encouraging brass players and percussionists to come together and keep playing.

This year, UniBrass was hosted on the 15th of February at Cardi University. Less than three weeks prior to the event, Cardi University announced plans to close their music department due to cuts in funding. Operating in a deﬁcit of £31.2 million in 2023/24, as reported by The

Guardian, Cardi University plan to cut 400 sta , axing music, modern languages, theology, religion, ancient history and nursing degrees, in attempt to save money. The result of a number of contributing factors, including changes to UK visa rules reducing international student intake, and a lack of government support for arts funding - instead favouring STEM subjects - the threat to music in higher education is not isolated to Cardi .

The University of Huddersﬁeld Brass Band - who have consistently achieved success at the UniBrass contest, placing second in the Trophy section this year - are also ﬁghting cuts to their budget, with support being retracted by the university's music department.

Speaking with Epigram, Vice President of Huddersﬁeld Music Society Fin Coupe said: ‘Over the summer the university music department informed us they would no longer be subsidising our travel costs and conductor's wages. As a result, we created a separate Huddersﬁeld Brass Band Society, endorsed by the student union, and started fundraising via concerts and carolling so that we could continue to compete at UniBrass.’

Impossible to ignore despite the success and enjoyment of the weekend, support in ﬁghting Cardi University's decision was of-

fered by a number of spokespersons across the contest, including: Adjudicator Mark Wilson, Principal Cornet of Foden's Brass Band, Cardi SU President Madison Hutchinson, UniBrass Trustee Chair Thomas Hicken and Gala Concert performers Llareggub Brass Band, who hail from North Wales. Collecting their audience favourite award in the Shield section, Cardi University Brass Band's representative paused to shout down the microphone ‘Save our music department!’, with the university's Welsh dragon mascot proudly in hand.

A hugely successful contest for the University of Bristol Brass Band, the non-auditioned Bristol University Music Society (BUMS) ensemble placed 3rd in the Shield section and took home two additional awards. Firstly for Most Innovative Programme and secondly for Best Student Conductor, which was awarded to Jake Wingﬁeld, a Second Year Music student. Whilst always an enjoyable and entertaining weekend, this year the undertone of the contest's fragile setting couldn't help but be felt by participating students.

Moving location every two years, having been hosted at Warwick University in 2023 and 2024, it was impossible not to contemplate if Cardi would continue to host UniBrass in 2026.

Valentine's Day Picks

Hooky's ambling bassline on New Order's 1986 hit 'Bizzare Love Triangle' ﬂoats in the song's atmosphere among the pounding drum machine and synthesisers, much like the distracted thoughts of someone in love. The titular bizzareness of this love, we realise soon, is in the 'confusion' of its own source.

Written by Robert Plant for Maureen Wilson, his future wife, is what I believe to be one of the most romantic songs of all time. It features lyrics so terribly devout, exquisite in their beauty; at its core the song is a musical ode to the person Plant loved so deeply.

Warming up for performances in the rehearsal spaces of Cardi University’s Music Department, there felt a certain irony that the very buildings might soon cease to exist. Out of the twenty-six student musicians that performed for Bristol on Saturday, just two study Music at the university. Yet, the band rehearse in the Victoria Rooms, the university's music department, and are parented by Bristol University Music Society (BUMS), who are equally endorsed by the university department. Closing university music departments doesn't just limit opportunities for prospective students studying music at higher education level, it inhibits opportunities for music across the entire student body.

As the University of Bristol prepare to implement new course programme rules for the 2026 undergraduate intake, whereby modules of less than twelve en-

This song is a straight-up love letter. The bass pulses and the guitar line are, of course, haunting, leaning into their well-oiled gothic edge – yet Robert Smith’s voice is vulnerable and intoxicating, making each ‘however far away, I will always love you’ feel like a gut punch (whether positive or not).

rolled students can no longer run, the arts continue to be squeezed until they risk existence at all.

With just eighteen ﬁrst years currently enrolled in UoB's undergraduate music degree, the introduction of a fully compulsory degree with no variation in module options will now become a reality. A decision that will trickle down, dissuading prospective students from applying for undergraduate arts degrees at Bristol and ultimately phasing degree programmes out of existence, cuts like those experienced by Cardi University are not so very far from Bristol's own reach.

As student music continues to be threatened nationwide, events like UniBrass highlight the importance of music in fostering community, and the necessity in protecting and supporting music at a student level.

Not diving into relationship territory this Valentine's Day because you're still 'chronically a ected by ﬂashbacks'? Maltese's newest release lingers on the inescapable memories of past lovers, hanging onto every last sensory relic of a physical intertwinement that is no longer.

Photo courtesy of: Leonie Bottomley

Photo courtesy of: Warner Music UK Limited

Photo courtesy of: Swan Song Inc. Photo courtesy of: Fiction/Elektra Records

Photo courtesy of: Tonight Matthew

SciTech

The hidden costs of convenience: heavy metals in sanitary products

In a collaboration with Bristol’s intersectional feminism society (IFemSoc), SciTech sat down to discuss the possible dangers hiding in sanitary products and the wider landscape of health and gender.

Jenine Alathari reﬂects on the conversation.

By Jenine Alathari, Second year, Chemistry

In conversation with:

Tess Rayner, Second year, Biochemistry

Sonia Jordan, Third year, IFemSoc VP

Corin Hadley, SciTech Editor

Menstrual products are a necessity for millions, yet very few are aware of their hidden risk: exposure to harmful heavy metals. Marketed as essential for hygiene and comfort, these products are widely assumed to be safe, but research suggests they may pose an overlooked health concern.

Wanting to understand this issue further, I sat with Corin, Tess, and Sonia to discuss what we knew –and more importantly, what we didn’t.

It soon became

clear that this wasn’t just a gap in personal knowledge - we uncovered an alarming lack of transparency preventing us from making informed decisions regarding our health.

Whilst heavy metals might seem out of place in menstrual products, we found many studies conﬁrmed trace levels of substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium in various product lines. Our ﬁrst question was then: where are they coming from?

intentionally added, but may be present due to raw material sourcing, or contamination during the manufacturing process. Cotton plants are one of the most pesticide intensive-crops, and chemical residue can linger in the ﬁnal product. Beyond these less avoidable introductions, the presence of heavy metals can also be linked to the use of dyes and fragrances.

Typically, these heavy metals are not

These additives are not essential to the core function of sanitary products, but they continue to be widely used, raising concerns about unnecessary exposure. Ultimately, it appears that convenience and cost-e ciency are prioritised over more cautious methods of product design and manufacturing.

Despite the conﬁrmed presence of heavy metals, we found that there has been little investigation into their long-term health e ects. This is particularly concerning given the intimate nature of these products, and the high absorbency of vaginal tissue. Whilst the concentrations may be small,

How the University of Bristol created the ‘diamond battery’

Mihai interviews two professors involved in creating UoB's famous diamond battery

By Mihai Rosca, Second year, Politics and Philosophy

Iwas scrolling Instagram when I was surprised to see the popular page ‘Pubity’ posting something about our University. Their post had over 339K likes and was

referring to some kind of ‘nuclear-powered diamond battery’.

I was pleased to see that last month’s ‘From the desk of:' featured the University of Bristol’s team of scientists who developed this 'diamond battery.' The team worked with researchers from the UK Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA) to make a battery made from a radioactive material known as Carbon-14 encased in a thin layer of diamond. The Carbon gives out a comparatively small amount of energy that is much less than even a double-A battery. The upside is that these batteries can keep churning out the en-

ergy for tens of thousands of years.

The new invention has caused a stir for its simplicity, and its durability means it will be useful in a number of applications including at work in extreme environments, like space and underwater.

Recently, Epigram had the opportunity to speak to the researchers here in Bristol to clear up some misconceptions and shed more light on their buzz generating invention.

Neil Fox and Tom Scott originally came up with the idea of the device while working on a research

the repeated and prolonged use of these products highlights the risk of cumulative exposure. Over time, this could contribute to hormonal imbalances and fertility complications. A key concern was raised during our discussion: if the risks aren’t fully understood, shouldn’t the burden be on companies to prove their products are safe, rather than on consumers to ﬁgure out if they are harmful?

'safety and transparency are often second to proﬁt'

Our conversation then shifted to how language shapes attitudes to-

ward menstruation. Sonia pointed out how the term “sanitary products” implies that menstruation is unclean — a stigma that has been deeply ingrained and commercially exploited. Companies capitalise on this through branding that emphasises their products are ‘fresh’, ‘clean’, and ‘discreet’- encouraging a reliance on these disposable products. With little education on safer, reusable alternatives, such as menstrual cups, we are geared

project from the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The research council gave them ‘a grant to look at semiotic energy conversion’ where they were speciﬁcally tasked with considering whether they ‘could do this bootstrapping of performance by using Carbon-14.’

Right o the bat I’m corrected for referring to the device as a ‘battery’; ‘technically, if you talk to engineers they’ll say that it’s a harvesting device,’ Nick explains.

Photo courtesy of: Tiia Monto

Photo courtesy of: Neil Fox

toward the overconsumption of these disposable sanitary products which create recurring proﬁts.

This highlighted to us a troubling reality that safety and transparency are often second to proﬁt. Menstrual cups also come with a higher upfront cost which forces many to choose between longterm health and a ordability - a decision that shouldn't have to be made for a basic necessity.

‘This form of institutionalised ignorance keeps menstruators from making informed decisions about their health’

This led us to a broader discussion about how menstrual health is not just overlooked- it is actively commodiﬁed and exploited. Adding insult to injury, sanitary products have historically been subject to the ‘pink tax,’ – a phenomenon where products marketed to women are priced higher than comparable ones for men. Sonia highlighted a notorious example: ‘Nurofen Express for Period Pain’, which was once priced higher than standard Nurofen, despite containing the same active ingredients.

Whilst many countries have now abolished the “pink tax”, prices of sanitary products remain particularly expensive, disproportionately impacting those in lower-income brackets. The ﬁnancial strain of menstruation continues to be a barrier to proper healthcare, forcing menstruators to ration products, resort to less safe alternatives, or go without.

The lack of regulation and transparency in the sanitary product industry reﬂects a larger issue: the systemic neglect of women’s health. Historically, women’s health con-

‘This is a solid state device, whereas most batteries are chemical devices.’ James suggests that their device has become known as a battery because it’s easier for a layman to understand it as a battery - a familiar concept - rather than a harvester which the writer would have to explain. They didn’t seem to be aware of

Miles Gilroy

James Lewis

Ellie Barnes Harrison Phillips

cerns have been under-researched and underfunded, often dismissed as less urgent than those a ecting men. For example, conditions like endometriosis and PCOS, which a ect millions of people worldwide, often require frequent and prolonged use of sanitary products. This increases exposure to potentially harmful chemicals which may worsen inﬂammation and disrupt the endocrine system, further amplifying the symptoms of these conditions. This harmful cycle persists due to the lack of research in alternative treatments- leaving these conditions poorly understood and inadequately addressed.

At this point of the conversation, our curiosity about the topic had settled into something heavier - a total feel-

ing of violation. The realisation that we’d been using these products so intimately, without any knowledge of their potential risks, was deeply unsettling. The lack of transparency had left us feeling uninformed, powerless and left us asking: how had this been allowed to happen?

Sonia then introduced us to a concept at the heart of the issue: epistemologies of ignorance - the deliberate suppression of knowledge to maintain existing power structures. In the context of women's health, this manifests through underfunded research, weak regulation, and the dismissal of health concerns that predominantly a ect women. This form of institutionalised ignorance keeps menstruators from making informed decisions about their health, while serving economic interests by ensuring reliance on proﬁt-driven menstrual product industries.

the virality of their research, nor were they very much bothered by it. They told Epigram their goal was, and always will be, to do ‘good science’ and ‘get the material made’.

I kept reading online that their device might be used in pacemakers so they wouldn't have to be changed so often. They said that while it was a consideration it wasn’t ‘a near-turn application’, because ‘certiﬁcation for that sort of technology, you’re looking at almost a decade to get that into place.’ Instead, they’ve chosen to focus on immediate application. The durability of the harvester means it can be used to tag things in space to say whether the object is junk, useful, or something else entirely.

The Women’s Health Movement of the 1960’s is a powerful example of feminist epistemology in action. Activists encouraged women to educate themselves about their bodies, question medical establishments, and demand transparency. Yet, decades later, this ﬁght is far from over. Even today, menstrual health information remains limited, and alarmingly, manufacturers are not legally required to disclose the full list of ingredients in menstrual products. This deliberate lack of transparency prevents individuals form making informed decisions about their own health, keeping menstrual safety a hidden crisis rather than public priority.

frustration brought a sense of urgency - if awareness is the ﬁrst step toward change, then transparent conversations like this are essential.

‘Menstruation is not a luxury, nor should it be considered a ﬁnancial or health burden’

Menstruation is not a luxury, nor should it be considered a ﬁnancial or health burden. Consumers deserve full transparency regarding the products they rely on for their health and wellbeing. By advocating for ingredient disclosure, safer formulations and increased access to reusable alternatives, we can drive meaningful change and challenge the outdated systems that continue to overlook menstrual health.

Reﬂecting on our conversation, I was struck by how blindly I had trusted the safety of products so intimately connected to my health. I had naively assumed that our health was prioritised over proﬁt. How many other aspects of healthcare had I accepted without question? This

The persistent gaps in research and policy reﬂect a deeper pattern of the systemic neglect of women’s health. By addressing these gaps, we can dismantle the barriers that perpetuate inequality, and we can empower individuals to make informed, autonomous decisions about their health.

They tell me it was a ‘team e ort’ to get the device made. For example, some PhD students tested out concepts in the reactors. The work for the battery took 5 years (2019 to April 2024) to yield the desired result so I can only assume that all the help was gladly appreciated!

It’s deﬁnitely interesting to hear how Covid inﬂuenced the research process and student lives. ‘I think we would have had a lot more students getting involved if we didn’t have lockdowns’

But I’m once again impressed, the scientists managed to make the best out of a bad situation: ‘We were always talking on Zoom or Teams, and we’d have conversations about what we need to achieve and come up with various di erent designs and work through them. In some ways, we were for-

Editor's Note:

Congratulations to everyone for making it through the bleak and depressing hellscape that is the months of January and February (especially to those of you single pringles out there). It's only up from here!

As the sun becomes a more familiar sight, and our heating bills go from god awful to just awful, I would like to urge you all to take a second to think about what you are grateful for. Reading Mihai's article reminded me that I go to a fantastic university, and that I am incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to study here. I hope you're also able to ﬁnd something that keeps you going.

Take care :) -- Miles

tunate it happened during lockdown, because it gave us time to think’. Neil adds that most of the problems that arose were practical, rather than theoretical. Possibly because they had already worked through the ideas thouroughly.

The team’s next plans are to contin-

ue the project with a tritium element, instead of carbon. They think that it could have even more applications than the carbon because it has an output 50 times larger, it is signiﬁcantly cheaper (Carbon-14 is £40,000 a gram), and because devices sold with tritium should have fewer restrictions placed on them.

Photo courtesy of: Fred Murphy

Photo courtesy of: Miles Gilroy

Photo courtesy of: Neil Fox

Behind the success of Will Watson and UoB Boxing

Editor's Choice:

Mihai Rosca Sports Subeditor

A player proﬁle of one of UBWFC's players during their friendly match against Oxford University's Development team. A summary of their day as they prepare for the 2 matches they had on Saturday 11th January as they re-settle back into life at Bristol before the start of TB2.

In preparation for Boxing Society's ﬁght night on March 1st, Epigram dissects the mind of a successful athlete (7-0) and ﬁnds out how the Boxing Society and its big brother Downend Boxing Club are working together to shape young talent.

Standing at 6”1 and ﬁghting with 71kg of lean muscle, with an impressive resume of seven amateur wins and no losses, six of which have been fought in the last 8 weeks, with 4 of his wins having come by way of Unanimous Decision, and one by Technical Knockout it's safe to say that Will Watson is a beast! He has quickly become one of the club's most decorated ﬁghters having represented Bristol multiple times, most recently in Dublin and at the National University BUCS Championship (Portsmouth) where he brought home the gold. I recommend that you don't miss out

when he ﬁghts again on March 1st during the Boxing Society's ofﬁcial Amateur Fight Night- search for the event on the SU website!

'I love the balance of technique, mentality, and brutality … [in the ring] you get into a really weird place and just want to hurt whoever’s coming at you.'

Reﬂecting on our interview, I realise that Will's success is the result of three key factors. A natural talent, discipline and his team. Before boxing, Will played Rugby for 10 years. Will told me that as early as Year three, his teacher had jokingly written in his report card that ‘Rugby suits William's violent tendencies.’ Due to Will's desire for physical conﬂict he was always going to join a combat sport while at Uni, it just so happened that the Boxing trials challenged him the most leading to him sticking with boxing. Throughout our conversation I could feel Will's passion for boxing. His eyes would sparkle and he would smile from ear to ear when explaining what

goes on in his mind when ﬁghting:

If he was anyone else I'd write this o as him trying to act 'ard but I believe Will is sincere. Watching him talk, it's as if he's reliving the experiences. He reminisces on his most recent fights- how one opponent giving him a submissive nod only spurred him to go even harder, the smile plastered over his face as he trades blows throughout the fight, the coaches psyching him up for the final round. No, it's clear that Will enjoys the sport for what it is.

But this talent would be nothing without hard work. As a 4th year student of Philosophy and French, he embraces a way of life that stresses the importance of

freedom and individual responsibility. He names Sartre, Montaigne, Stoicism and Goggins as his biggest sources of inspiration.

Will honestly enjoys training, although he admits having had problems balancing boxing with the other areas of his life: ‘I box four days a week and I'm in the gym for three. In second year I trained six days a week two to three hours each day... I remember missing most of my best friend’s birthday because I refused to ﬁnish a random training session early.’

He takes the same mindset into the ring: ‘Saying it out loud sounds masochistic, but I enjoy being in

the grit and pain and working as hard as possible … I get satisfaction from wearing them down in the ring.’

Several times in the interview he expresses his lack of concern about not yet having a loss on his record. ‘Amateur boxing is all about having as much experience as possible... I wouldn't mind losing because it just means that I got to ﬁght an even better boxerit’s just an opportunity to get better.’ - it really seems like you can't put this guy down.

Watson is currently training to secure a knockout at the ocial Amateur Boxing Fight Night on the 1st of March (Anson Rooms 18:30-22:00), where UoB boxers will be facing o against boxers from other universities to determine whose uni is the best!

out the help of the University's Boxing Society and their umbrella club Downend Boxing Club Will would have never reached such heights. Downend, a registered charity in Fishponds, is made up of volunteers that love the sport and who help the local community.

The head coach at Downend is ex-police o cer Craig and his wife Jo is a lawyer and senior England Boxing o cial

'when I first joined the club we held a fight night and 8 out of our 9 fighters got absolutely battered.'

Regardless of how far he's come or how far he'll go, it's clear that with-

The dedication of the Boxing Society's leadership also can't be ignored. Without the passion of the people involved, the club would not have come back from ruins to boast over 150 members and become one of the most popular societies at Bristol Uni. Boxing is a tough sport and so is anyone doing it. But don't be put o by that if you're interested in joining. Give it a go, the people you will meet will help you reach your goals.

Editor

Co-Deputy Editor

Subeditor

Faniki Deche Adam Mountain Sean Lawrenson Mihai Rosca

The rise of sports betting at UoB

With the growth of online sports betting, what does this mean for the ﬁnances of UK university students?

Emma Gri ths Second Year, English Literature

Stories of that friend-of-afriend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend winning - and losing - obscene amounts of money at the races have swirled through universities for years, but with the rise of online casinos taking betting to a whole new level, what does this mean for the pockets of students? It's a common sight - an overly in-

vested ﬁgure sunk over their pint in the corner of the pub, despondently checking their phone again as the clock nears 90 minutes and their ‘almost guaranteed’ £300 win vanishes - again. Betting has existed for years, both in casinos and matchside betting booths, and is a key part of the experience and revenue of watching sport. However, with the explosion of instantly accessible betting websites such as Betfred or Unibet, there has been a marked increase in gambling amongst young people, which begs the question: is a whole generation becoming addicted in £5 pledge increments?

Sports betting, especially online, has enjoyed a recent boom in access and popularity in recent years, ballooning to an estimated expected annual growth equivalent to $7.38 billion by 2029 according to Statista. Whilst this is a phenomenon that a ects the whole UK population, with 48 percent of adults engaging in some form of gambling, young people are disproportionately a ected, with 60 percent of students betting in 2023.

The role of betting whilst watching sports has become a key part of the social experience, as more and more people become invested in the results due to their pledges. ‘It's fun’ explains Ted, a ﬁrst year student. ‘It gives me a reason to watch and sup-

port matches outside of just who's playing. It's just more exciting.’

This change, which Dr Darragh McGee has dubbed the ‘gamblification’ of sport, means that the ageold activity of going to get a pint and watch the game has taken on a whole new significance - of getting that increased dopamine hit from putting your wallet on the line. This dopamine cycle of gambling, already addictive with the excitement that studies describe as a ‘euphoric feeling comparable to those experienced by drug users,’ is perpetuated by peer enticement. 34 percent of students who gamble are influenced by friends - in part through peer pressure, but also in the normalisation of the activity. ‘Everyone does it - it's just part of watching sport with the boys now,’ continues Ted.

'Everyone does it - it's just part of watching sport with the boys now.'

The new narrative of online gambling that it's ‘just a ﬁver’ is everywhere, from conversations between mates to bet365's promotions and bonus codes, and means that this incremental but cumulative expense is often overlooked by students, despite averaging a mind-blowing £32.25 a week - more than the price of many people's weekly food shop. As well as the sums lost, there is an-

other hidden cost: ‘It has definitely changed how I watch sport - every time something happens, someone scores a goal, I'm itching to place a last-minute bet’ Toby admits. And the list of subconscious e ects that gambling has is far longer. Almost half of gambling students bet more than they can a ord - a figure that is admittedly a pretty small margin for the majority of university students. However, this risk is symptomatic of the harms that regular gambling can have later in life - including on finances, relationships and both mental and physical health, as found by the Government's 2023 review. It is in this trajectory that the darker side of regular sports betting at a young age comes to light - creating a culture of betting and gambling as a normal, everyday experience from the dawn of adulthood.

Almost half of gambling students bet more than they can a ord. However, that is not to say that sports betting is a purely negative experience. Emily, a third year student, ﬁnds that ‘It's fun to do every so often - the stress does add something to the experience,’ and everyone seems to know someone who has managed to win big and beat the odds. Read more on the website.

Why aren't we talking about women in F1?

F1 hasn't kept up with 21st Century needs for equality and diversity. Let's see what di erent initiatives are doing to change this.

Olivia Howard Geography Third Year

The new F1 season begins on March 16th in Albert Park, Melbourne. Chatter about Hamilton racing in red, and the fact it has been ﬁve years since the ﬁrst race of the season has been held in Australia is everywhere. What is no one talking about? Women.

F1 is the height of motorsport, where engineering genius meets driving talent, it is a community obsessed with ‘pushing the limits.’ Yet breaking these in the form of gender seems of no importance in this almost comi-

cally male-dominated world.

As F1 ACADEMY, a behind-thescenes access to the all-women driving category, is about to grace our screen globally; many news outlets have found themselves asking why it is we still haven’t seen a woman win points in the F1 since Lella Lombardi 50 years ago. The answer — it’s a structural failure.

Some blame biology, pointing out that men have higher VO2 max scores. Others cite the sport’s demands, as if women aren’t competing at the highest levels in other physically demanding disciplines like tennis, cycling, football, or any other sport for that matter. Max Verstappen has suggested that if a woman is talented and works hard enough, she’ll get there—completely ignoring the fact of access.

F1 is dependent on money. Sponsorships and ﬁnancial backing matter as much as lap times or race

strategy. Thus, with our capitalist society driven by the prospect of economic success, and with women making up less than 10 percent of those in motorsport, this leaves sponsors hesitant to take a chance on them. For example, The W Series, a foundation which sought to give women a stepping stone to F1, collapsed in 2022 due to lack of funding. A lack of funding thus means fewer opportunities, which means fewer female drivers breaking through the ranks because of such access issues. F1 is expensive, and can not be funded the same as football or tennis, a good racquet or pair of boots doing the job.

To a potentially naïve business mind, this to me seems like a missed business opportunity from rich investors. More female drivers means new fans, a new market, new sponsors and fresh narratives - a brand new proﬁtable commercial ﬁeld.

These concerns of course come

alongside the self-perpetuating cycle of a lack of representation - girls don’t see themselves within this sport. For years the accepted discourse has been that this is simply not a world in which women should exist. With Jess Edgar and Abbi Pulling being some of the trailblazers today, young, bold women

are starting to break the mould. Despite this, Susie Wol says it will still be ten years before women will enter the major F1 championships.

Find out more about women in F1 and why we should care about their exclusivity on our Epigram website under the Sports section.

Photo courtesy of: Unsplash

EPI-GAMES

OXY'S CRYPTIC FOR MORONS

win a £20 Pizza on the Park voucher!

MINI CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Garden victim slowly goes South by hammer victim along pg. 17. (5)

3. According to Emma Grifﬁths a greek character with no acceleration is a sports accompanier. (3)

4. All European Public Affairs Consultancies' Association members ﬂip out for music without instruments. (8)

6. Mr. Gaines gobbled lent for plans on the 14th. (10)

7. Will Watson's sport package. (3)

8. Instead of being so loud, how about heading to the WC? (4)

10. Shy sounding ﬁsh. (3)

11. Doughy character who specialises in joints. (5)

12. Female deer ﬁnds inner peace with one rapper. (7)

HOW TO CRYPTIC

Designed to look like normal sentences, cryptics have a secret meaning hidden inside.

The deﬁnition of the word will either be at the start or end of the clue. The rest is about wordplay. Take this example:

Short, witty piece about pig in ﬂipping disaster

Deﬁnition: short, witty piece Wordplay: about pig in ﬂipping disaster

Here, the wordplay tells us to "ﬂip" or reverse a word for disaster and put "pig" in it. Another word for disaster is "mare", so putting pig inside mare reversed, "eram", gives us Epigram!

commondation. (9)

13. Drunk at the bra or brewery. (5)

15. Yer Da's work is a Bristol ﬂower. (4)

16. Crow collective might appear on the danceﬂoor, so says pg. 8. (6)

18. As a buried paliolith, I umpire, in my element. (7)

21. Weird American mother stuffed into empty house by French guy. (5)

22. Best album for a bovine male carrying device to an American hospital. (12)

23. Berlioz stop in 1940, it's a massive fruit! (3)

DOWN

1. Hairdo for mashed up gash. (4)

2. Skimpy swimwear losing rare blood with momentum. (5)

3. Degree at the port of trading ac-

CAPTION CONTEST by Isla Downie

4. Park street stop centre ﬂips to exit nature. (5)

5. Where Jeffrey ﬁnds an ear initially, Bristol lager usually excites very edgy lads, vexing every time! (4-9)

8. Title for starting later and down yesterday. (4)

9. A tool for rubbing is cranial David Lynch piece. (10)

11. Outdated body weight indicator with the capital of Maine University. (4)

14. A bear, an otter, or a kiwi? (6)

17. Season is one to do addition. (6) 18. Sounds like solitude for a borrow. (7)

19. Some keﬁr on ﬂattener. (4)

20. Pocketed gizmo by the start of Melville's work. (4)

How it works: Every month we commission an original cartoon in need of a caption! Anyone can submit a caption for each month's contest - the wittier the better. Do you have what it takes?

Please submit your entries to editor.epigram@gmail.com before the 20th of the month.

The lucky winner of this month’s Caption Contest will receive a £20 voucher to Pizza on the Park!

Here at Pizza on the Park we're passionate about pizza. We serve a healthier, Roman style, thin and crispy pizza, beautiful salads and delectable dips. Alongside this we offer local beers & ciders, organic wines and perfectly made cocktails. With a soulful soundtrack and back drop of local art and a giant 8 player table football, you can expect to have a great time!

by Cali Stott

CLUES

Carol catcalls confused lamb with no tail

2. Cold hearts of Zoe and Alan in public relations

3. Good person burnt remains in hiding spot

4. Scream 'quiet!' before revealing sexuality

5. Walk a meter, then curve

SIMPLE SUDOKU by Alice Guskov

Curated by James Lewis & Alexandra Hill