EPIGRAM 305

Fortnightly 31st October 2016 Issue 305

University of Bristol’s Award Winning Independent Student Newspaper

www.epigram.org.uk

Epigram/ Mairead Finlay

Digs: ‘we’re not interested’ in ethical lettings Full story on page 3

News Epigram News takes a look at the highlights of Black History Month

Facebook.com/EpigramPaper

Student housing horror stories give Epigram Living a fright

Living @EpigramPaper

Music Alastair Shuttleworth writes a eulogy to Start The Bus Highly Commended for Best Publication and Best Use of Digital Media 2016

Sport Rory McNair looks at American Football in Bristol

Epigram

31.10.2016

Editorial Inside Epigram Comment Page 12 - Jessica Cripps: ‘Stop walking so slowly!’

Food Page 24 - Imogen Birkett talks you through winter warming foods.

Science and Tech Page 15 - In the beginning there was... STEM. Lots more puzzles on page 45!

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Deputies: Caitlin Butler; Stefan Rollnick

Online Deputies: Sophie Hunter; Phoebe Jordan

A note from the editor...

As you might know, we recently had a story on our website about a husky making friends with some Bristol students. It was a heartwarming tale, with lots of pictures of the dog and plenty of canine puns.

It’s not uncommon these days that journalists will work incredibly hard on a story, uncovering huge problems in society or in institutions; real life changing stuff. Yet more people will click on an article with a cute animal, or a quiz entitled ‘what your personality type says about your shoes’, or even a ‘listicle’ about cheese.

So, this week I’m going with the attitude that maybe I should have a crack at this ‘listicle’ thing to jazz up my editorial a bit and make myself seem that much more ‘down with the kids’ for my CV. If your attention span has allowed you to get this far, here is my listicle on changes I would make that I think would make my life slightly better.

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Steak sandwiches should still be sold in the Balloon Bar, like they once were. The burgers are fine, but I still have dreams about those steak sandwiches.

2.

Syndicate being called Syndicate and Bunker called Bunker. Don’t get me wrong, I always hated them both, but I can’t keep up with the name changing.

3. It actually snowing in winter. Seriously, it hasn’t snowed properly since I’ve been in Bristol…

4.

Social media all being one app. Like, why can’t there be just one, rather than a separate Twitter and Facebook and Instachat and Snapgram or whatever they all are.

5.

The SU having a cat. Because I like cats.

6.

Listicle not being a word. I find it outrageous I’m allowed to type it and spell checker isn’t having a fit.

7.

Myself not making the attempt to write listicles. This has clearly been a massive mistake.

Ben Parr, Editor in Chief

Write for Epigram: join our writers Facebook groups or email editor@epigram.org.uk Ben Parr, Editor in Chief

Student news in brief...

King’s fresher’s room burns down A first-year student at King’s College London came back to find his room had ‘burnt down’ after he placed a faulty hairdryer on his clothes and left the room.

The fire resulted in an evacuation of the 700 students living in and around the residence. 21 firefighters and four fire engines took an hour to tackle the blaze. Roar News, KCL

‘Killer clown’ chases UEA student

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Editor: Ben Parr: editor@epigram.org.uk Online Editor: Hannah Price: hannah.price@epigram.org.uk

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A UEA student has reported being chased by a man dressed as a ‘killer clown’, who has now been arrested. The female student, who wishes to remain anonymous, was chased whilst out running in Eaton Park.

The police were later able to confirm that a 30 year old man had been arrested in connection to the incident. Concrete, UEA

Epigram/Max Driver

Quick Crossword

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Exeter aims to avert ‘Bananageddon’

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A lecturer from Exeter Uni is leading a study intended to save the world from ‘Bananageddon.’

Dr. Dan Bebber and his team hope to investigate how banana plants resist fungal infection, in order to prevent them disappearing from supermarket shelves. Exepose, Exeter

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Heard about the Bristol students taking in Max the dog? Check out our website for the full story (and lots of photos!)

The NUS referendum results: ‘The high turn out is a testament to the hard work of both campaign teams.’

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Remain affiliated Disaffiliate 10% 5%

Didn’t vote* 85% Note: Percentages rounded to nearest per cent. *Based on total students found in most recent publicly available data.

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DOWN 1. Craze 2. Rumba 3. Mar 4. Demeans 6. Arabia 8. Vile 9. Cock Webmaster Josh Jones Chief Proofreader Lowri Daniels Sub-editors Anna Lezard, Zuzanna Needham Jess Cselko, Lucy Thompson Sarah Roller, Elly Brett, Samuel Wong, Daisy Dowding, Megan Frost Managing Director James O’Hara Director of Communications Issy Bull Head of Finance Alfie Smith Business Team Calli Keane Amelia McWhirter Ellie Elstub Aravin Skantha Lucy Ellis-Keeler Megan Aldridge Helen Salter Joe Jones Lucy Roe

From the archives... ‘The Nazi insult’

Students were thrown out of the 1999 AGM for making fascist gestures and shouting ‘Seig Heil’ at a Jewish speaker, Epigram reported ‘After shouting “Seig Heil” and directing Nazi salutes at a speaker, two students were ejected from the AGM’.

If you’ve been to an Annual Members Meeting (AMM) at the Student’s Union you might have seen the odd heated debate, but the AGM of 1999 was something else altogether.

The incident began when the speaker, Joe Goldberg, made comments against the sacking of Police Commissioner Paul Gordon over the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

According to Epigram’s report, the two drunk students, unaware Goldberg was Jewish, were ‘mocking what they perceived as the right-wing attitudes of the speaker’ and ‘were not fascists’.

‘We were very very drunk and we just wanted to express our belief that the police were racist’ Goldberg was arguing against a motion recognising that the police are institutionally racist.

The 1999 Union President Naz Sarkar told Epigram at the time that ‘we came to the conclusion that it was beyond reasonable doubt that the actions taken were in no way racially motivated’.

One of the students who made the Nazi salutes told Epigram that ‘we were very, very drunk and we just wanted to express our

Epigram/ Ben Parr

Printed by: CN Newsprint Cumbrian Newsprint, Newspaper House, Dalston Road, Carlisle CA2 5UA

ACROSS 1. Caramel 5. Arms race 7. Evacuate 10. Election

belief that the police were racist.

‘We had no idea that the speaker was Jewish and that came as a real bombshell. I already regretted what we did but when I heard that I felt even worse.’

Perhaps this is why nowadays it is more common for the SU to provides free pizza at their AMMs and not alcohol...

Original story first published in Epigram on 12th March 1999

Epigram 31.10.2016

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News

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@epigramnews

News Editor: Emily Faint news@epigram.org.uk Online News Editor: Malik Ouiza newsonline@epigram.org.uk Deputy News Editors: Mairead Finlay; Noa Leach; Ellen Jones; Amy Finch

Digging themselves a hole: Digs refuse ethical lettings charter Ben Parr Editor in Chief The student letting agents Digs have refused to sign up to an ‘Ethical Lettings Charter’, despite having one of the worst satisfaction rates amongst students of all letting agents in Bristol.

The Ethical Lettings Charter, promoted by the housing campaign group ACORN, is a statement of intent that landlords and letting agents can sign up to, declaring that they will comply with certain levels of standards, either rated Bronze, Silver or Gold commitments.

Bristol ACORN Students sent Digs multiple emails requesting a meeting, with the intent of getting the company to agree to at least the Bronze pledge of ACORN’s Ethical Lettings Charter.

Digs Bristol Lettings Manager replied more than a week after the initial email thanking them for their message, but stating ‘we are not interested in your services at this time. Please remove Digs details from your system’.

based purely on their experiences of privately rented accommodation. This contrasts 80 per cent of UBU Lettings (now Bristol SU Lettings) tenants who said they would.

Bristol SU lettings have already signed up to the Silver commitments of the Ethical Lettings Charter, only stopping short of Gold because of insufficient energy ratings in some of the older Clifton properties, due to old windows and ‘listed’ statuses.

One of the people involved in the ACORN student campaign group is Bristol SU Living Officer Stephen Le Fanu.

‘I met with a couple of students last summer who wanted to set up a student ACORN group and campaign for better quality student housing. This group has since turned into “Bristol Cut the Rent”, taking a similar name to the other ‘cut the rent’ campaigns, like UCL’s’, Le Fanu said.

Le Fanu has also hit national headlines recently, after he refused to judge Property Week’s ‘Student Experience’ category at their Student Accommodation Awards. This was in protest of all of the entrant’s extortionate rent prices.

Facebook / Yes to NUS

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maybe I’m just being difficult.’

Another student said: ‘Their communication is shambolic. In one of our first weeks at the property the Wi-Fi crashed completely. We phoned up Digs and reported the issue. The lady who answered was rude and dismissive, telling us that Wi-Fi had never been included with the property... We went down to the office and spoke to them and a different staff member admitted that Wi-Fi was supposed to be included.

‘We’re now five weeks on and although we have Wi-Fi it is ludicrously slow, particularly in the evening when everyone is at home. We’ve reported the issue many times but not only been told that they can’t do anything but also that we can’t set up our own separate Wi-Fi because the whole block is under the same system’.

In an SU survey of 854 students last summer, less than a quarter of student tenants claimed they would recommend Digs.

One student eloquently concluded to Epigram, ‘[Digs] are a bunch of pricks’.

Of Digs tenants more than 40 per cent said they would not recommend the University of Bristol

‘I can’t say I dig Digs.’

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Bronze commitments are the minimum duties of the Ethical Lettings Charter, and include such things as complying with the legal requirements of a lettings agent and not letting out properties that do not meet the recommendations of the Electrical Safety Council and Gas Safe Register.

Commenting on their experience with Digs, one student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘I can’t say I dig Digs. I guess it might be something to do with the fact our rotting bathroom window has come apart, meaning any shower or toilet activity is now made public for all and sundry. But

The sink and drains of one student upon moving into their Digs property.

The publication Property Week had asked the panel to select the winner but instead they issued an open letter stating that ‘none of the entrants could demonstrate that they are meeting the urgent need of students to live in accommodation that will not force them into poverty’.

Providers were also accused of showing disregard for the safety of disabled students.

The letter also claimed that most of the nominated providers charged well beyond the national average of £146 per week for even their cheapest rooms, with some charging as much as £300.

Providers were also accused of showing disregard for the safety of disabled students and exploiting poorer students who could not provide a guarantor. The letter also blamed high fees for ‘driving the social cleansing of education’.

A spokesperson for the Student Accommodation Awards told the Guardian: ‘Our student judges have sent a clear message that the industry needs to do better. In light of this, we have taken the decision to remove this category for this, our inaugural event, and review it for 2017’.

Bristol SU are hosting a ‘Don’t rent yet’ campaign event on the 3rd November where they will be encouraging students to take their time looking and signing for properties and giving out information about rights and what to look for.

Recently, private provider UNITE came under criticism after allegations of overcharging students at its Orchard Heights residence and problems during Freshers’ Week at UNITE House.

Epigram contacted Digs for comment, but had not received a reply at time of going to print.

A diverse, inclusive and challenging Black History Month Amy Finch and Noa Leach Deputy News Editors SU officers, societies and students joined together this Black History Month with the aim of producing the biggest at the university yet. The events, including panel discussions, film screenings and a sold-out event by rapper and activist Akala, attracted a large and diverse crowd.

Black History Month was established in 1926 as a celebration of black history, arts and culture in the USA, Canada and the UK. Nationally, it is growing.

Over 6000 annual events now take place throughout Britain, with the aim of increasing awareness and appreciation of black contributions to our society.

NUS President Malia Bouattia told Epigram: ‘the significance of Black History Month is that it’s a reminder of what we should be doing all year round.

We should be critical of the contents of our studies, the buildings we study in - the physical relics of empire - and we should be engaging in initiatives to liberate and decolonise them in any way we can.’

Black & Minority Ethnic Students’ Officer Seun Matiluko commented: ‘we’re trying to achieve proper recognition of Black History Month in Bristol because a lot of us feel that black people weren’t really celebrated last year and the year before - it just wasn’t really a big deal. Hopefully, more people will take an interest in black history - not just black students, but all students.’

The headlining event, which sold out in the Anson Rooms on the 20th October, saw the black history specialist Akala comment on the history of black people in the UK, with an aim of countering the ‘reinforced dominant narrative’ which centres entirely on the Transatlantic slave trade.

Entering the stage drinking a cup of tea, the speaker went on to deliver a comprehensive who’swho of significant black people in Britain, ranging back as far as the Roman conquest. Examples like the ‘Ivory Bangle Lady’, a 4th Century York noblewoman recently discovered to have African heritage, challenged the preconceptions of historians and the public alike.

Epigram Epigram/ / Noa Anna Leach Lewis

Sold-out: at the Akala speaker event Most of the crowd respondents believed that all work should be paid the living wage.

England has a multinational history, he pointed out, but ‘black history was removed from the English core by colonialist academia.’

‘It’s tremendously important that our understanding of Britain’s past helps to shape our view of the future’, he said. We have a ‘racialised’ view of history that must be ‘corrected and understood if we are to make progress.’

‘Not just black students, but all students.’

The event was particularly topical in light of the NUS campaign ‘Why is my curriculum white?’, which aims to challenge a colonial university education which prioritises white and Eurocentric thinkers.

Protesters believe such pervasive intellectual whiteness also compromises the education of BME students - who are 20% less likely to achieve a first or 2:1 degree despite arriving with the same grades.

Bouattia, who also spoke at the event, told Epigram that what Akala ‘articulates so brilliantly’ is the notion that this campaign for liberation is for the benefit of everyone, not just communities of the Global South – and these benefits facilitate the ‘ability to flourish as human beings.’

This campaign for awareness and liberation, shouldn’t, however ‘stop on the 31st of October,’ Bouattia continued. ‘It should be a year-long endeavour, and a collaborative initiative alongside staff members within every institution.’

Responding to a student’s question about social whitewashing, Akala urged minority students to be ‘unapologetically yourself’ rather than being socialised into fitting with stereotypes of race. He pointed to the example of his 15-year-old brother, who he sees mixing in ever less diverse circles and pressured to conform to notions of ‘black masculinity’.

Students who attended the event admired Akala’s powerful and eloquent delivery. Sarah, a second year student, observed that ‘every answer he gave was like an essay,’ with her friend Amir adding that ‘he was the perfect mix of humble and confident.’

The event was presented by UWE and the University of Bristol students collaboratively. First year UWE student Saharla commented that it was ‘nice that he managed to handle such a serious topic with humour - it’s usually hard to joke about.’

Following the talk by Akala, the final event for Black History Month took place on the 29th of October in the form of a showcase: ‘a creative arts spectacular including music, dance, spoken word performances, and theatre by Bristol University’s finest student talent in tribute to Black Artists worldwide.’

Beyond the University, Bristol as a city has extended its efforts for Black History Month this year. Mayor Marvin Rees opened the council advertising booklet with a statement that the ‘diverse programme captures the essence of Black History Month where we acknowledge the rich contribution made by members of the Black African Caribbean communities here in Bristol past, present and future. It’s an opportunity for everyone regardless of who you are to get involved and help shape the future of our city.’

Epigram 31.10.2016

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Huge turnout as Bristol says Yes to NUS Malik Ouzia Online News Editor The University of Bristol will remain affiliated to the NUS after 67 per cent of the voting turnout supported the ‘Yes to NUS’ campaign.

Over 3,500 students voted in the fourday referendum, which began on 17th October and closed at 10pm on 20th October.

Whilst the university boasts around 22,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, the official turnout of 3595 makes the vote one of the largest events of its kind in the University’s history.

Traditionally an NUS referendum is held every three years as part of the Bristol SU AMM. In the last one, there were just 476 votes cast, whilst the last time Bristol voted to disaffiliate (2004) the number was even lower, at 372.

How it happened: a timeline of the NUS Referendum April 2016 - Anti-NUS sentiments rise after the election of Bouattia, who allegedly described the University of Birmingham ‘something of a Zionist outpost’ as President.

May 2016 - The University of Lincoln’s Student Union became the first to disaffiliate from the NUS since Bouattia’s election.

June 2016 - The Yes to NUS and BONUS (Bristol out of NUS) campaigns elect leaders: James Heale heads the disaffiliation campaign and Noha Abou El Magd the remain faction.

September - October 2016- The three week campaigning period officially opens. Both sides launch extensive vote-gathering drives, both on social media and around campus.

There is a live debate. Key issues include the fate of Wednesday afternoons, NUS cards and the £51,000 per year that the union pays in affiliation fees.

7th October 2016 - 10 days before voting opens in Bristol, the University of Lincoln votes to re-affiliate.

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21st October 2016 - Results announced. Bristol remains in the NUS.

The University’s largest democratic event in recent years saw 5,700 individual voters cast over 36,000 votes between them at March’s SU elections.

‘Students have recognised the power of the collective voice

Should I stay or should I go? The results of NUS affiliation referendums so far.

a vote and congratulated the Yes campaign.

James Heale, leader of the BONUS campaign, said, ‘congratulations to the Yes campaign.

Their leaf lets claimed the NUS is ‘willing to reform’. Let’s see if that’s the case.’

Some students have held long-standing concerns regarding how representative the NUS really is amidst the absence of a ‘one student-one vote’ system. Others have questioned the NUS for its capacity to tackle the biggest student issues.

Heale also said that he felt the Yes campaign had used ‘comparisons with Brexit to their advantage’, and argued that ‘if we’d had the referendum in May when it was triggered, a lot of the associations with Brexit would not have been evoked.’

In a joint statement on the Bristol SU website, the full time officer team said that they were ‘pleased’ with the result, but insisted that they are aware of ‘the concerns that have been raised throughout this referendum’.

‘We want to assure all Bristol students that we will be working with the NUS, and you, to reform their democratic processes and address other student issues.’

In a statement on the NUS website, Malia Bouattia, President of the NUS, said, ‘It’s great news that students at the University of Bristol have recognized the importance of a collective voice and voted for their students’ union to remain affiliated with NUS. Students are facing incredibly challenging times, with a cost of living crisis, rising tuition fees and education reforms, but NUS will keep fighting for a better future.”

In a statement on their Facebook page the BONUS campaign said they were ‘naturally disappointed’ but thanked the SU for holding

Mixed results? Many students voted leave

Student donor hero urges others to help save lives

‘We weren’t going to take no for an answer’

However, Naresh had a rare blood type which made it incredibly unlikely that they would find an appropriate cadaver donation.

Deraj and his older brother Jared took tests and found out that they were both compatible.

‘After that we didn’t give him any choice – we weren’t going to take no for an answer’, Deraj said.

After something of a stand-off between the brothers, they agreed that Jared would go ahead with the donation.

However, following months of preparation, it was found that 66 per cent of his liver would be needed to save his Dad. Despite being a regenerative organ, this proportion of liver donation was classed as high risk to Jared’s life.

Due to the size of Deraj’s liver, the operation would be significantly safer for him.

‘Jared felt deflated when the plans suddenly changed, and even a little guilty – he apologised to me for passing on the responsibility, which was ridiculous’, Deraj said.

Jared ‘s Blog/ Jared WA

A Bristol student who saved his father’s life by donating part of his liver, Deraj Wilson-Aggerwal, is now urging students to join the organ donor register.

Deraj’s dad, Naresh, first broke the news to his family that he was suffering from hepatic cancer in November 2014.

Being a doctor, Naresh was aware of the the operation required to save his life, but found it hard to accept the offer of a liver donation from his own children.

University of Bristol

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Ben Parr and Amy Finch Editor and Deputy News Editor

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‘We were quietly both afraid this might be the last time we saw one another’

Deraj and Dad Naresh, who now has 56% of An anonymous admirer has told Epigram: his liver ‘I’m going to need a heart transplant soon because Deraj has stolen mine’

The appeal:

By numbers:

Deraj says: ‘I know it sounds clichéd, but I had the opportunity to help a loved one who was suffering from cancer so it was an easy decision. Other relatives do not have that option, which is why it’s so important to get as many people as possible on the organ donor register’.

6500: people on the national organ waiting list 1000: deaths a year because of organ shortages 62%: donation consent rate – one of the lowest in Europe

The UK has an opt-in system, which means that you have to give your consent in some way before your death.

Once Deraj knew that it fell to him to donate he immediately stopped drinking in preparation for the operation.

‘Being a student, it was obviously a bit of a change, but it’s also led me to focus more on my studies and other things apart from my life revolving around the student lifestyle of drinking. It has actually made me healthier overall’, Deraj said.

The operation took place in June 2015 at the Royal Free Hospital London, when the Biology student was just 21.

‘We were quietly both afraid this might be the last time we saw one another’, Deraj said.

Over the course of 12 hours, 56 per cent of Deraj’s liver was successfully transplanted into his father.

The easiest way to sign up is to join the NHS Organ Donation Register.

Go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk to find out more or register now.

Despite his fears, Deraj made a quick recovery - leaving hospital withing a week.

Naresh’s has been slower, but the family hopes the donation will extend his life by several years and also its quality.

The UK has one of lowest organ donor consent levels last year, but it is increasing. In Wales, the law changed in 2015 when an ‘opt-out’ system was introduced for organ donations.

Since its implementation, over half the organs donated from cadavers came from people who would have been excluded under the old system.

The UK has an opt-in system which requires express consent from the individual or family.

Doctors and campaigners are lobbying for a change to the Welsh model, which they hope could save hundreds of lives a year.

Epigram 31.10.2016

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The fares on the bus go up and up Ellen Jones Deputy News Editor This month, Bristol’s largest bus company announced plans to increase cash bus fares by up to a third with immediate effect.

First Bristol, the provider of popular student services connecting Redland, Clifton, the city centre and Temple Meads station, have previously been a popular company with students due to the availability of discounted student fares.

However, solo journeys remain an issue for Bristol’s student community, for which local buses are often very convenient. ‘Bristol does have transport problems’ Zoe says. ‘At the moment, I have to think a lot more about I’m going to get around than I do at home in London’.

First bus fare increases will come into effect on 30 th October.

‘Uber is already often the alternative’

First year Mathematics student Giles Moss expects that the rise in Fist bus fares will have minimal effect on those in his year group.

‘The 16 bus is a Godsend’, he told Epigram .

However, he said that night-time transport can be difficult. ‘Queue times for the 16 are so unreliable, so Uber is often the alternative on a night out’.

Second year Zoe Thompson also raises concern over transport options at night-time.

‘Going on certain nights out to places like Motion can be really quite tricky. If you want

Flikr/Charlie

Whilst students will continue to receive a third ticket price concession, the palatable £1 fare which took students on any First Bristol journey up to 3 miles long will now rise to £1.20. For many students, this now means that the commonly used services between areas such as Stoke Bishop, Redland and Clifton to further afield destinations such as Broadmead, Temple Meads and Bristol

to leave at a different time to your friends, there are no safe student buses like the 16. I end up forking out for a taxi’.

Bristol University’s Student Ambassador for Uber, Vincent Onegbu, tells Epigram that the taxi-firm rival is an ideal service for students.

‘The price and service that Uber provide is unparalleled…four people in one Uber, for example, is almost negligible as a cost’.

Flickr/ Phillip_MN

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‘Bus travel just isn’t cost effective’

Parkway are costlier to use.

Second year Languages student Hugo Lebus told Epigram: ‘Increased fares just make it harder for us to get around. I felt like, this year, without a bus pass for the university-run 16 bus, the most sensible option was to buy a bike. For someone who takes lots of journeys, bus travel just isnt cost effective’.

The First bus company believe higher costs should mean higher prices

A Night in America: Politics Society to screen US election live in SU Marco Barbato News Reporter

‘This is not just about the US’

The American people will finally decide whether to entrust Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump with one of the most powerful positions on earth, after a controversy-ridden election campaign.

‘These are elections like we’ve never seen before: a political outsider versus an establishment stalwart. The two primary candidates could not be more opposed,’ said Ilana Melka, president of the Politics Society and one of the key organisers of the event commented: ‘This is not simply about the US. The implications of this election will be internationally momentous. Either way the result will be a landmark in political history which we should all be witness to.’

The event is expected to be held at the Balloon Bar in the Students Union, but keep checking the societies’ Facebook pages and the Facebook event for any possible last minute changes.

Flikr/Donkeyhotey

Politics fanatics willing to stay up all night to watch what some are calling the most momentous election in American history unfold need look no further.

On Tuesday 8th November, the Politics Society is joining forces with the Model United Nations, International Affairs, Social Policy and Sociology societies to host a US Election all-nighter party.

The evening will entail full live coverage of the election results, state by state, as they are announced. This will be accompanied by live music, comedy acts and refreshments. Most importantly, there will be quality company

to watch the event with and to share some world-class politics banter.

Where there’s smoke, there’s probably fire; it’s Bristol Sam Pontypandy News Reporter

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Test [your] smoke alarm because they can only save lives if they actually work

Epigram/ Ben Parr

AF&RS Group Manager for Risk Reduction, Matt Peskett, said: ‘Smoke alarms really are unsung heroes, activating at the first sign of fire and giving occupants time to escape, especially at night.

‘The alarms should be tested regularly to check the batteries are working. It takes just a few seconds but could save the lives of you and your family in a house fire.’

It is a legal requirement for student houses to be fitted with working smoke alarms.

The devastating fire at 33 Colston Street in 2015

Epigram: Ciara Lally

Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) is supporting the national Fire Kills campaign to encourage people to test their smoke alarm this October.

The Bristol firefighters are reminding people to test their smoke alarm because they can only save lives if they actually work.

University of Bristol students have seen multiple fires over the last year, with a fire at 33 Colston Street halls of residence last year affecting more than 100 students.

Smoke alarms provide a warning that fire has broken out and could give occupants of a house vital extra minutes to escape, especially at night.

Just two or three breaths of toxic smoke from a fire can cause a person to lose consciousness or even die.

Between April 2015 and March 2016 AF&RS attended 539 house fires. There was no smoke alarm fitted in 185 of these, however this has

improved by 7 per cent compared with last year where 41 per cent of homes had no smoke alarm.

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Have a top-up meter?

You can still switch.

Want to save around £200* per year and help the community?

Switch your gas and electricity quickly and easily at bristol-energy.co.uk/BristolStudents Call us free on 0808 281 2222 or pop into our Hub on the Harbourside.

#SwitchForBristol

*We’re saving our customers around £200 per year on their energy bills. This is Bristol Energy’s projected average saving per dual fuel customer, based on average annual consumption of 3,100kWh for electricity and 12,500kWh for gas as defined by Ofgem.

10643783 Bristol Energy_Bristol UNI_368.5 x 285mm_AW1 R.indd 1

20/10/2016 16:50

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Epigram 31.10.2016

‘Start the Bus’ stops the bus Noa Leach Deputy News Editor A music venue and restaurant in the city centre has announced its temporary closure for ‘refurbishment’.

When the building reopens, Start The Bus will no longer exist.

Start The Bus is known for hosting touring bands and serving delicious food. Rumours among fans suggest that the former will no longer be a feature of the venue, which will become more of a gastronomic destination.

The venue, which has a 4.1 star rating on Google Reviews, is much loved by students.

Anna Wyn, editor of Epigram’s What’s On section, was particularly saddened by the news: ‘Venues like Start The Bus are what makes

Another heart-breaking venue rebrand: Start the Bus looks to be closing

Bee careful out there: Asian hornet sightings near Bristol

Flickr/ Phillip_MN

WANTED: the invasive Asian hornet preys on the declining honey bee

Noa Leach News Editor

The Telegraph that ‘it is too early to say the threat that they could have to biodiversity. Their key threat is to the honey bee.’

Neil Green, the Avon Invasive Weeds Project Officer at Bristol Zoo, emphasised the zoo’s

Flickr / Philip Cohen

(Relatively) friendly local: European hornet Wikiemdia Commons / Charles J Shap

Bristol Zoo has released a statement asking people to ‘Bee Aware’ of Asian hornets, which have been sighted in the Mendip Hills of Somerset.

The zoo is encouraging people to both be careful of hornet stings and report sightings of the species, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) wants to eradicate in England.

This is the second recording of Asian hornet sightings in the UK this year, after the species was accidentally introduced to Europe in 2004 on a ship from China.

The Asian hornet is non-native and highly invasive. It is a vicious predator and its prey is the honey bee, whose population has fallen by a third since 2007.

The arrival of the hornets is not just a menace to humans on the individual scale, but, more importantly, a huge threat to the native honey bee. Honey bees are integral to ecological systems and are seen by conservationists as the foundations of food production. The Asian insects could ‘devastate bee colonies’.

A spokesman for the National Bee Unit told

the closure, though their Instagram account posted a ‘goodbye’ photo and their Twitter account has retweeted the many RIP tweets from fans and followers.

The future of the bar remains ambiguous.

The future of the bar remains ambiguous

‘Seeing a venue like start the bus go is tragic’

Bristol’s music scene so individual. Regardless of the circumstances of Start The Bus’s closure, it feels damaging to the music scene to see such a staple disappear in a general. I’m just

up-and-coming bands to the music scene, and Brighton based band ‘She Crazy’ appealed to fans to ‘support your local venues’.

‘It was “Bristol” to its core,’ said Wyn, ‘from its vibrant and varied line-up to their amazing cheesy chips.’

There has been no public statement about

Flickr/ Davud NcJelvey

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scared to see others like it go.’

Fans and previous performers have taken to social media to mourn the venue. For many it has become a familiar place, and for some it was even an entry point into Bristol nightlife.

Start The Bus was famous for introducing

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Invader and (honeybee) killer: Asian hornet

awareness of this, saying that the insects could ‘devastate bee colonies’. ‘The hornets seem to be to the north and south of us so it’s vital the Bristol community are extra vigilant’, he said.

Asian hornets are roughly 2.5cm, and their queens grow to up to 3cm. They are black and ‘velvety’ all over, except for a yellow band at the bottom.

While their stings are unpleasant, they are no more harmful than a regular bee.

Defra’s Deputy Director for Plant and Bee Health, Nicola Spence, said that they ‘have been anticipating the arrival of the Asian hornet for some years and have a well-established protocol in place to eradicate them and control any potential spread.

‘It is important to remember they pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, though we recognise the damage they cause to honey bee colonies. That is why we are taking swift and robust action to identify and destroy any nests.’

Green added that it is everyone’s responsibility to help all the organisations ‘who are working tirelessly to respond to any reported sightings and help manage the issue on the ground.’

Epigram News Guide Spot the Difference: There’s a few easy ways to identify an Asian hornet.

Abdomen: almost entirely dark, apart from the telling yellow 4th segment Legs: bright yellow tips Thorax: almost entirely brown or black, whereas the native is more orange Nests: makes unusually large nests Please report any sightings to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk, but remember - Bee Careful.

Their website also remains largely up and running, except that the ‘Events’ page is empty. That said, the next scheduled event according to Headfirst is on the 20th of November, with ‘The Wave Pictures’. Whether this is no longer happening or Start The Bus are, in fact, keeping touring bands is unclear, though it is very much possible to buy the tickets on Headfirst.

The future of the bar remains ambiguous.

A sign on door reads ‘Due to closing for refurbishment tomorrow we have no draught products on tap. And limited food and drinks available. Sorry for any inconvenience.’

The most recent Instagram post (at the time of writing) from the bar mysteriously promises: ‘See you in three weeks’.

Drugs, sex and the cost of living at university Mike Sampson News Reporter One in ten undergraduates knows someone who has turned to drug dealing and one in 20 knows someone who has turned to escort work, research commissioned by Debut, a student and graduate employment specialist, found.

The research, which was based on a survey of 1,003 students in September 2016, found that British students are turning sex work and drug dealing in order to fund their cost of living at university.

According to the survey, students in Wales and the South West, which includes the University of Bristol, were most likely to know a fellow student working as a drug dealer with 15 per cent of respondents claiming this.

“ 16 per cent claim to know a fellow student who has undertaken escort work

Those in London, where the cost of living is the highest, had 16 per cent of students claiming to know a fellow student who has undertaken escort work - the highest proportion of anywhere in the UK. The cost of living is not a new problem at Bristol. In fact, an Epigram survey conducted last year found that the majority of students on maintenance grants still had to rely on their parents and extra work to afford their cost of living.

The University of Bristol was criticised last summer when they raised the price of their halls of residents for incoming students.

Debut’s research also revealed that while more than four out of five students use a Student Loan to fund their studies, nearly half also receive financial support from their parents.

Epigram

31.10.2016

Features

@epigramfeatures

Editor: Amy Stewart

Deputy Editor: Bea Gentilli

Online Editor: Adele Momoko Fraser

features@epigram.org.uk

bea.genitilli@epigram.org.uk

adelemfraser@epigram.org.uk

Bristol’s rooftop bees: ‘We don’t buzz, we tweet’ It’s a given that bees are crucial to the pollination of our worldwide crops so the promotion of their welfare and more research into their working days is clearly an important issue. According to Greenpeace, the humble honey bee performs nearly 80 per cent of the world’s pollination.

While some of our most important grain crops are pollinated by the wind, 70 out of the top 100 human food crops are pollinated by bees – this includes foods like apples, strawberries and tomatoes.

“

Earth, 97 per cent of their essential grassland habitat has been lost over the past 60 years.

If bee species were to become fully extinct, the agricultural world would become a very different place – one where our crops would have to be hand pollinated. Friends of the Earth have estimated to hand pollinate essential UK crops it would cost over £1.8 billion per year.

Bristol, as a city renowned in wildlife research, is no exception to the study of bees and their their future. In July 2015 the AtBristol science centre set up a rooftop urban beehive complete with equipment to monitor the colony, weather and air quality. The staff working with the bees have been specially trained by BeeBristol to look after and monitor the colony.

The University of Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences has joined forces with the science centre and BeeBristol this year to create ‘Live from the Hive’. As well as monitoring the urban beehive, a country hive has been set up fourteen miles south of the city in Langford with the same equipment and live cameras allow the public to watch the bees’ progress on a daily basis. Each colony has a Twitter account (@citybeehive and @countrybeehive) which is updated daily in character about the hive’s current activity in accordance with the data collected from each colony. It is predicted that the air pollution from Monday to Friday traffic will have an effect on the urban hive living on At-Bristol’s roof.

In an attempt to create bee-friendly spaces across the whole of the country, especially in the hustle and bustle of the city, Friends of the Earth have started sending free wildflower seeds out so that no matter how small your garden is you can still contribute to creating a bee-friendly environments where you live.

Another way to make your student city garden more bee-friendly is to drill holes in any tree trunks or logs; non-swarming bees use these holes as nesting sites.

It is predicted that the air pollution from Monday to Friday traffic will have an effect on the urban hive living on At-Bristol’s roof.

Flickr / Pamala Wilson

The statistics surrounding pollination become incredibly worrying when we start to consider the extinction rate of bee populations worldwide presently: Friends of the Earth state that 20 bee species have become extinct and a quarter of those left are on the threatened species list.

Greenpeace states the two leading causes for the extinction of our bees comes down to pesticide usage in agriculture as well as significant habitat loss. For British bees, according to Friends of the

In excitement about the possibilities of this interactive scheme, Dr Dominic Clarke, a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Sensory Biophysics in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Bristol, said: ‘This is an exciting opportunity for us to share science with the public as it happens. Maybe someone out there will spot something interesting in our data before we do.’

“

Amy Stewart Features Editor

‘Knowledge is an international business’

Bristol West Labour MP, Thangam Debbonaire speaks to Bristol Labour students about Brexit’s impact on university research and racism.

Flickr / United Soybean Board

Lucy Moor Features Writer Four months down since the EU referendum, you’d be forgiven for wishing people would just stop banging on about Brexit. But as the government’s plans for a country outside of Europe are beginning to take shape, Bristol West MP, Thangam Debbonaire speaks to Bristol Labour Students in the backroom of Alteregos to give a parliamentarian’s perspective on why we should still care.

Branding the impact of Brexit potentially ‘devastating’ for universities, Debbonaire

bemoans Theresa May’s recently announced crackdown on student visas. Reducing the amount of students, she claims, ‘is like telling a car factory they shouldn’t sell as many cars.’ International students contribute greatly to our economy, and their money amounts to ‘exports’ because it comes from outside the UK, not to mention the cultural benefits.

She also emphasises the risk posed to research funding, specifically regarding Horizon 2020 – a research programme that makes nearly €80 billion available to EU member states. While the government has pledged to underwrite Horizon 2020 projects beyond Britain’s exit from the EU, an audience member highlights the very real and

imminent risk the Leave vote poses to research, as her partner’s funding for a project on European film has already fallen through. ‘Knowledge is an international business’, Debbonaire states – ‘the best academic journals have an international cohort of writers. You are in one of the UK’s best industries – university’. However, Brexit plans are threatening to undermine that.

With questions from the audience, we then move onto the broader issue of Brexit.

Debbonaire salutes the passion with which some Conservative MPs, particularly Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry, have defended the value of internationalism and freedom of movement to their Eurosceptic colleagues. Soubry has noted that Nottingham University is now struggling to recruit international academics because they no longer feel welcome – another example of the problems facing higher education in light of the Leave vote. Debbonaire is keen to extend her broadest welcome to any international students in the room, however – ‘to me and Marvin [Mayor of Bristol], you are very welcome.’

When asked about how post-referendum racism should be tackled, Debbonaire is keen to distinguish between genuine anxiety about immigration and actual racism. We can’t ignore the stress immigration puts on public services, she claims, and voters shouldn’t be vilified for worrying about this. At the same time, she also emphasises the need to ‘call out racism when it’s racism, and call out hate crime when it’s hate crime’ and ‘not be so British about holding back criticism’. However, she applauds that ‘for every

act of hate, there are hundreds of acts of love’, referring to an outpour of support after a tenyear-old boy was racially attacked in Bristol last month.

Lobby the University, lobby the SU ... on what ‘Brexit’ means to us and how to make the best of it.

Despite clearly being a staunch Remainer, ultimately Debbonaire doesn’t blame Leave voters for the result – she blames the Leavecampaigning experts who she thinks were secretly ‘crossing their fingers behind their backs’. Indeed, she regrets that a referendum was ever held – the amount of paperwork she has to sift through as an MP ‘just to do [her] job properly’ makes her appreciate the value of a representative democracy, where complex decisions are left in the hands of experts.

In a room full of Remainers – bar one solitary hand raised for Leave – the outlook is never going to be good. But Debbonaire encourages us to participate: lobby the University, lobby the SU, lobby her, on what ‘Brexit’ means to us and how to make the best of it. rian Scottow

Epigram

31.10.2016

9

Cannabis: Are students making a hash of their mental health?

Jamie Curran Features Writer

Flickr / Daniel jyu

For some students, smoking cannabis comes as naturally as sleeping, or eating … ironically. It is half the reason it is said you are never 200 feet from a Subway at any one time in Bristol. However, with recent developments, especially in North America the arguments and rhetoric surrounding cannabis usage is becoming far more developed.

With four states already allowing the recreational use and sale of cannabis, five on the ballot for November, three after and the whole of Canada aiming to legalise marijuana by spring next year it is an unavoidable subject. If the US truly wants to stay weed-free, Trump ought to move that wall a bit further north.

Epigram / Jamie Curran

“ I have also had older, veteran users tell me that weed is today is ‘much stronger’.

At the tender age of nineteen I have had a plethora of friends quitting the drug citing reasons from simple lethargy to symptoms of psychosis.

I have also had older, veteran users tell me that weed today is ‘much stronger’.

Last year, Channel 4 aired a live debate about cannabis: ‘Drugs Live: Cannabis on Trial’. What was significant about this debate is the comparison they drew between skunk and hash. In the last fifteen years skunk has taken over a majority of the illegal cannabis market as it offers a more intense high and favoured by dealers everywhere.

There are two psychoactive ingredients in

cannabis, THC and CBD. In short, THC turns off brain receptors and creates a strong haze in the mind and body and CBD turns them back and can prevent many of the psychological risks involved with getting high.

“

At the forefront of the cannabis debate is the effect it can have on the brain. While every user’s experience is different it is important not to outrightly dismiss or promote these claims. We need to impartially look at the facts on a statistical level and explore the reality on a personal level.

In an interview with Jane Baker, a member of the Bristol student health service, some interesting light was shed on issues students have had with weed over the years.

Skunk, unlike hash and less potent more natural strains of weed, contains hardly any CBD and very high doses of THC. This allows the user to get higher than my student overdraft. But, it also comes with certain risks as more modern scientific studies are beginning to show.

The adverse effects of cannabis range from ‘paranoia, depression, a lack of motivation, concentration and energy and increasingly, dependence.’ What was interesting, and is backed up by a range of scientific studies, is that more people seem to be coming forward with issues relating to cannabis.

When we think about the history of stoner culture, whether it is Bob Marley, the Beatles or Cheech and Chong, they were smoking primarily hash or bush weed. Today’s potent bud is a relatively modern form of cannabis. Essentially the warm and the somewhat harm-free essence of pot culture was built on a different kind of drug.

There has also been a growth in the amount of funding and expansion of organisationstrying to reach peoplewith these problems

Although Baker acknowledges the fact more students are seeking help, she admits it is difficult to tell whether or not the situation is ‘getting worse or if there are simply more coming forward.’

Something she would like to stress is that all interactions with the student counselling service are ‘strictly confidential’, and that no student should worry about legal or any other kind of punishment or penalisation if they seek guidance in relation to cannabis or any other substance.

In hoping to find more answers, Epigram spoke to Kaythrn Talboy, who works with Bristol ROADS - a programme set up to help those suffering with drug problems in Bristol.

Flickr / Spot us

‘The main problems are some form of dependency which can lead to a gradual degradation of life. When people are high for too long, other aspects of their life can fall into decline’, she says. She also recognizes that more people are coming forward with issues relating to cannabis but claims ‘there has also been a growth in the amount of funding and expansion of organisations trying to reach people with these problems. We do recognise that cannabis has generally grown in strength and so this most likely is another reason

for the increase in people being seen for help.’

One main concern many people have with weed is the potential it can lead to other, harder drug use.

Talboy claims that ‘[at ROADS] we don’t really use the term “gateway drug” anymore. We recognize that everybody is on their own personal journey and will use whatever substance for whatever reason in that time and place for a person’s life.’

In attempting to read scientific studies, is difficult as you often find contradictions between papers and studies. Some say cannabis has a causal link to schizophrenia, others don’t. Some say cannabis is linked to depression, others don’t.

It can all be confusing. The legal status of cannabis undoubtedly causes complications in its study.

One paper however, from the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales, Australia, which draws upon evidence of an incredibly wide range of peer reviewed studies concluded that ‘the public health burden of cannabis use is probably modest compared with that of alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs.’

Some consensus has been reached however that the highly potent skunk strains can have a greater psychological impact than less potent strains and hash; this essentially was the crux of the Channel 4 debate. Some consensus has been reached that the chronic use (consumption four to five times a day for a period over three years) can lead to an average five times risk of psychosis. None such risk was found with hash.

For most students, cannabis may be a small if not irrelevant part of their university experience and future life. But for many and millions of Britons it forms a very influential part of their reality. A greater understanding of this reality will lead eventually to a fundamentally more responsible society.

Most importantly, if you feel as if cannabis is becoming an issue for your mental well-being, the student health service is always at your disposal.

Contact the Student Health Service on 0117 954 6655 for more information about cannabis and its effects on mental health.

Epigram

31.10.2016

10

‘A British bomb will be detonated on the trading industry’ Politics.co.uk editor Ian Dunt tells Bristol EFM about the dire impact of a ‘hard’ Brexit Adele Momoko Fraser Online Features Editor Last week, Bristol’s Economic, Finance and Management department hosted Ian Dunt, editor of politics.co.uk for a talk on the political implications of Brexit. Anyone who has ever seen Dunt’s twitter account will be aware that he is not afraid to dissect and destroy his political opponents with gusto and precision. This speech was no exception, and he was quick to jump into a fast paced and well-informed denunciation of the ‘post-truth’ Brexiteers. In his speech named ‘The Politics of Brexit,’ Dunt chronicled what he believes to be the political story which led to the possibility of a Brexit at all.

He told the packed room ‘due to the BBC’s need to satisfy ‘balance’ it has ‘relinquished its objectivity.’ He expanded on this by saying that the public are ‘lost in a deluge of ‘facts’ where nobody will inform them of what is true from false.’ It was clear at this point that Ian Dunt is a very eloquent speaker, and is also a master at the emphatic sound bite. However, the authenticity of his anger and frustration was an engaging thing to behold indeed.

Flickr / Ed Everett

He began with the mainstream media, and how he is outraged by the way they ‘see politics as a football match.’ He described how the media ‘have no principles,’ as they pander to the mood of today’s society rather than reporting objective truth. As an example of this, he referred to a recent BBC debate concerning the issue of climate change. Through allowing an equal platform to individuals who questioned the existence of climate change, Dunt believes that the BBC showed that they “no longer believe that there is ‘objective fact,’ even though there is empirical fact.”

“” “

Facebook only provides you with opinions you agree with and outlets that you have subscribed to.

He continued from the media, to the impact of the 2008 financial crash. Dunt informed us that he believed that the UK’s financial issues were a direct result of a long-standing economic trend where ‘wage growth has not been equal to productivity.’

He stated that there is a ‘fundamental disconnect between the economic narrative and personal experience’ which has led to scapegoating and the creation of ‘the immigrant’ as the ‘other’ towards which we must direct our discontent. According to Dunt, the right wing establishment will never blame themselves for any political or economic disasters and will therefore rely on devices, such societal discord, to shift the blame.

The impact of technology was a subject on which he expressed even more exasperation. He told us that although people watching TV shows of the idealised west abroad, may have caused an influx of immigrants, this is a small issue with little relevance to wider political culture. It seems the larger problem, is that new modes of technology now allow for people to ‘cocoon themselves in information they agree with.’

Dunt related this to social media sites such as Facebook having algorithms which filter content.

This leads to the censorship of opposing ideas, as unlike newspapers, Facebook only provides you with opinions you agree with and outlets that you have subscribed to. He believes that this has led to the development of ‘an angry political culture,

which isn’t used to debate or dissent’and is another direct cause of the ‘post-fact’ campaigning which occurred during the referendum campaign.

The journalist’s final bastion of failure was Westminster itself. ‘You do well in Westminster by following the party line,’ he said as he explained to us how the political culture of Westminster has created an environment where ‘political dwarves are suddenly elevated due to their loyalty.’ Here he cited the case of Brexit secretary, David Davis. After the referendum result, David Davis announced that the UK will begin negotiating bilateral trade agreements with independent member states of the EU.

He told us that the UK is now considered to be ‘politically hysterical,’ and no longer the ‘moderate’ country it once was.

Dunt told us however, that this policy is in fact ‘illegal’, and impossible due to the need for EU member states to negotiate as a single bloc.

He also mentioned that without a ratification of the UK’s new relationship with the WTO, it would be highly unlikely that any country would agree to a trade agreement with us. Nevertheless, he said, people believe these lies because they don’t know the facts, and this combined with the echo chamber of the media and the Internet has led this to become an established policy. Dunt sighed as he stated, ‘politicians are advised to back David Davis, as they will otherwise be shown the door.’

This obviously has major implications regarding scrutiny and the quality of government policy.

And so with that, Dunt was done telling us about why Brexit happened. He then swiftly moved on to damage control. As succinctly as he could, Dunt laid out a strategy, which he believed would save the UK from a ‘British bomb being detonated on the trading industry.’ He told us that we must reverse the damaging post-fact values which have become the status quo and that ‘we

must deal with objective fact and reality.’ He says we must negotiate a trade deal with the EU, and whilst doing so; also extend the time proposed to ratify the deal and trigger article 50. He identified this as a crucial point. Dunt stated that, looking at the uncertainty the EU is feeling towards the UK, we must take time to negotiate the deal, and join other institutions such as the EEA and the EFA to reassure business of our stability.

The most direct attack of the speech was seen here, at what he saw as a missed opportunity by Theresa May to salvage what he considers to be a total ‘economic catastrophe.’ He railed against May’s decision to negotiate a trade deal after the triggering of article 50, claiming that May is being unnecessarily aggressive considering the fact that the UK has absolutely no leverage against the EU.

Dunt gave a damning prediction, stating that he believes there will be ‘10-15 per cent reduction of the capacity of the city.’

He elucidated various key areas in which lack of an effective trade deal would have direct economic consequences. The issue of ‘Passporting,’ a policy that allows UK businesses to provide financial services to anywhere in the EU, whilst being based in the UK and regulated by UK law, was cited as being crucial. As the financial sector is one of the main sources of income for the UK, this is of serious value. Dunt predicts that UK businesses would not wait until the 2-year negotiation goes ahead and will pre-emptively move to the EU due to the high likelihood of the negotiations failing. Here he also lamented the tragic irony of Theresa May’s decision to have such a short

negotiation period. When the UK loses the banks to the continent, it is the administrative and ‘lower income’ staff that will lose their jobs, not the big bankers. Dunt gave a final damning prediction regarding the financial sector, stating that he believes there will be ‘10-15 per cent reduction of the capacity of the city.’

Dunt closed his speech on a more ideological note, revealing the reputational damage the UK has suffered due to the management of Brexit so far. He told us that the UK is now considered to be ‘politically hysterical,’ and no longer the ‘moderate’ country it once was. Despite the sombre tone of the lecture, Dunt made it clear that there is still hope. His emphasis was on making sure that the management of this Brexit is fair and carefully considered and that Theresa May does not make rash decisions based on a falsely constructed right wing narrative. His incisive analysis was both informative and thought provoking, and there was no doubt of his passion to ensure a safe transition from the EU.

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Are gay men making it harder?

Tom Philips argues that the stereotypes associated with gay men diminishes their individuality.

EPISLAM BREAKING NEWS: Apparently there was an NUS referndum

Tom Philips Comment writer

Epigram

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Epigram Flickr / Mairead / Roger Finlay Blackwell Flickr / Richard Harrison

For a young, innocent, former-Catholic boy of cherubim visage and extremely limited experience, university hails is the perfect opportunity to learn what it really means to be ‘a gay man’.

After years’ waiting to enter the mysterious and magnetic kingdom of campus life, every budding 18-year-old queer guy must have grand expectations of a sea of politically active intellectual men, rich in their variety and their depth; I certainly did.

How disappointing, then, that the reality is not, in fact, a Mediterranean mezze of beauty and charm but instead an indistinguishable herd of bootyshaking, body-shaving, sass-giving, men-who-havesex-with-men.

Don’t get me wrong, there are many interesting, beautiful, highly gifted and enviable gay men at Bristol University. In fact, I’m sure that every one of them has an incredible story to tell.

Flickr: torbakhopper

What I find so degoutant is the expectation that so many gay men place on themselves...to conform to their perverted catechism of poorly written musicals

What I find so dégoutant is the expectation that so many gay men place on themselves and their contemporaries to conform to their perverted catechism of poorly-written musicals and shabbily sequined blazers.

I was recently referred to as an ‘anti-dame’ for daring to find pantomime humour cheap or in the least bit tacky. I’ve also been met with incredulity by other gay men for failing to recognise or to properly understand the term ‘hunty’.

So many interactions between gay men revolve around Ru Paul’s Drag Race and supposedly impressive battles of sass. Surely gay men are worth more than this? And yet this, in a sentence, appears to be the meat-and-vegetables of gay culture. It leaves people like me with an unshakeable sense of

Epislam weekly*

discomfort and alienation. The very place I thought would herald a choir of angelic men engaging in fascinating conversation, political activism and artistic adventure is really just a bog standard cocktail bar with the same-old repetitive and unending question: ‘Are you a Beyonce kinda girl or do you channel Gaga’s vibes?’.

Where are the Oscar Wildes? Where are the Ian McKellens?

Let’s not forget the other side of social interaction either, which is an important part of any (young) person’s life: sex. I suppose digital rendezvous are a society-wide trend but if you feel that you can’t engage with your peers on a meaningful level, the lure of NSA sex, particularly with older guys who aren’t so desperate to pass the gay test, becomes more potent. What’s the result? Impressionable

gay students following the path towards Grindr in search of some male company because at university they sense among other queer men a social exclusivity conditional upon meeting the stereotypical criteria.

The tragedy is not the decision that so many students have made to conform to this unfortunate stereotype - we’re all individuals with the capacity to express ourselves however we wish - it is simply horrifying to think that young men, unsure of everything other than an appreciation that they are ‘different’ will lose sight of their own unique identity . We are worth so much more than that, we have so much more to offer and it’s time to stop pretending that ‘to be a gay man’ means anything other than having the courage to be completely ourselves.

This news has come as a surprise to most students, as they didn’t realise the NUS was even a country.

Ida Givazchit, a bewildered Bristol student, told Epislam ‘I had no idea NUS was a country, let alone a part of the EU’.

Whilst it doesn’t appear that this referendum has directly impacted most students, some members of the Leave campaign see it as the end of the world as we know it.

One Leave campaigner told Epislam, ‘Freedom of speech is basically dead after this result.

How am I going to be able to troll all the liberal Remoaners if I’m not allowed to use hate speech?!’

The atmosphere in the Remain campaign is much more upbeat however, with plans to bring down the global Zionist conspiracy already well underway. *Epislam is a fictional publication

Caption competition: Thereafter and potential departures Defiant, foiled and imminent departures find refuge in this week’s edition of Epigram.

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Epigram

31.10.2016

12

Debate over Israel must favour balance before polemic Talia Goldman and Lara Glanz argue that Tony Greenstein’s talk last week was full of inconsistencies

Disclaimer: We have no intention on demystifying the truth behind the Israel-Palestine conflict, nor the true nature of the Israeli State, nor to stand behind any political position. We would never pretend to have the answer and, whatever our personal stance on the matter is, we would never be so arrogant as to assume full knowledge or understanding of the issue at hand.

Tony Greenstein is a founding member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, active in Brighton PSC and a member of Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods. He was the first person to be suspended from the Labour Party following accusations of antiSemitism. On the 18th October 2016, Greenstein lead a talk alongside the Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign at Hamilton House entitled ‘is it antiSemitic to criticise Israel’, to discuss why critics of Israel, defenders of Palestinian Human Rights and supporters of the BDS (Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions) are accused of anti-Semitism and to explain the true nature of the Israeli State.

Greenstein is a contentious character. Having grown up in a Jewish Orthodox family he claims to know the ‘beast from the inside’. However, as shall hopefully be addressed in the following article, his Jewish background and holiday visits to Israel do not give him the validity in categorising both the conflict and the nature of anti-Semitism.

There is no doubt that Tony Greenstein is an

What was surprising was his constant use of age-old stereotypes and factual inaccuracies

Greenstein’s most salient point was that Nazi thought and Zionism are equally anti-Semitic and forged in the same furnace. His assertion that opposition to Zionism is opposition to antiSemitism is an uncomfortable statement given the intrinsic connection between Judaism and Zionism in the minds of worldwide Jewry dating back for generations. Zionism existed before the state of Israel with the first wave of aliyah (the emigration of Jews to Israel) in 1882. What was equally troubling was the branding of all Jews as Zionists and the assumption of fitting the white, privileged role of an Ashkenazi Jew. In doing so, he denies the identity

Bristol Psc Flickr / Nils Sautterl

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We would never be so arrogant as to assume full knowledge...of the issue at hand

intelligent individual with a huge bank of knowledge about the history of Israel and the roots of Zionism.

He made many well-founded, well-balanced points about the current mistreatment of Palestinians, something that is undeniable and leaves Israel open to a lot of criticism. Israel is far from innocent.

What was surprising, however, was his constant use of age-old stereotypes and factual inaccuracies that relied on said stereotypes. This is characterised initially in the image for the event. The author of this cartoon came second in the International Holocaust Cartoon Contest run in Iran and equates Israel with the power and wealth of America and the corrupt, capitalist Jew. Whilst this was criticised on the Facebook group prior to the event, this issue was never once addressed. This rhetoric was amplified by claims that the media is run by Jews and that Israel runs the BBC.

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Talia Goldman & Lara Glantz Comment writers

The cartoon (above) was used as a feature image for the event, a decision which was criticised on Facebook

of Mizrahim (Jews from the middle East) and Sephardi Jews (from Spain), and how these groups often undergo social exclusion similar to the plight of the Palestinians. He also conflates Arab Israelis with Palestinians, making the assumption that Arab Israelis go against the Zionist white image that he is propagating rather than having a functioning role in Israeli society.

Perhaps the most aggravating element of Greenstein’s talk were the factual discrepancies and inaccuracies spouted as truth. Whilst highlighting that pro-Palestinian activists in this country deplorably go under fire for being instantly labelled as anti-Semites, essentially claiming that all Jews are forced to go to Israel and that the existence of aliyah is reliant on state funding and coercion is

ludicrous. When confronted on the matter with the rising statistics of the most recent flood of Jewish migration from France, these statistics were met with palpable scoffs and laughter from the rest of the room. The overruling attitude seemed to indicate that the plight of those victims to antiSemitism was incomparable to the plight of the Palestinians and therefore it could not exist.

Hearing the first-hand experiences of a proPalestine solidarity campaigner receiving death and rape threats through being labelled an antiSemite, in conjunction with the animosity towards Zionists and, by extension, Jews, only serves to highlight the vital need to address the issue on both sides in a more balanced and tolerant manner.

Bristol must lead the way in welcoming refugees Maddie Goodfellow argues that Bristol can do more for refugees following the Stand Up to Racism march Maddie Goodfellow Comment writer Protest in Bristol is not uncommon. As such a dynamic and diverse city, its residents are used to letting their opinions be heard. This was reflected in the march held on Friday 14th October, in which around 80 people took to the streets to show their disdain for government plans to restrict access for lone child migrants coming into the UK. Similar events were held in a number of university cities across the UK this weekend, including Glasgow and Oxford. Those who attended the Stand Up to Racism march, many of whom were Bristol University students, could be heard chanting ‘let them in’ and ‘say it loud say it clear, refugees are welcome here’.

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the only reason the government has given any leeway so far on the issue of immigration is due to campaigning and public pressure.

With far right anti-immigration rhetoric becoming increasingly commonplace in politics throughout Britain and mainland Europe, it is easy for students to think that any contribution they make is meaningless. Government measures are becoming increasingly invasive; only this week, compulsory dental checks on child migrants in order to ensure they are not lying about their age have been suggested by one Tory MP. With immigration being a key focus of the Brexit debate and the increasing success of right wing parties like Front Nationale in France and the ADF in Germany, divisive, scapegoat politics could be seen to be becoming the norm. But this should never be the case.

And the university itself is not free from guilt.

Although small steps have been taken to increase access to higher education for people from refugee and asylum seeking communities, including offering five full or partial scholarships through the Bristol University Sanctuary Scholarship Scheme, it is not enough.

Students have had to set up their own groups to hold the university to account.

STAR (Student Action for Refugees) have been applying pressure to the university to change the application status of students who come to the UK as asylum seekers from international students to home students. If asylum seekers have no right to work and are expected to live off just five pounds a day given by the government, then the idea that they could then afford the fees for overseas students is ridiculous. The application process is discriminatory and makes

the idea of university education impossible for asylum seekers.

One member of the organisation commented that ‘although Bristol’s measures are an excellent step towards becoming more inclusive and accepting as a community, it is a limited gesture, and so much more could be done to help’.

Bristol is part of the ‘City of Sanctuary’ network, and promises to create a place of safety and security for refugees and asylum seekers. It is crucial, now more than ever, that we as a city follow through on these promises. With France threatening to close down the ‘jungle’ in Calais within a matter of weeks, it is more important than ever that students take a stand and apply pressure to universities to do more. As Friday’s protesters said, it is only through public action that changes take place, and this is Bristol’s chance to lead the way.

The protest follows a similar event in March on national anti-racism day, and the huge march through Bristol in June against the Brexit vote.

Those taking part commented that they were there to put pressure on the government, as

Bristol STAR facebook

The only reason the government has given any leeway so far on the issue of immigration is due to campaigning

A march against the government’s plans to restict access for lone child migrants coming to the UK was held in Bristol in mid-October.

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Epigram

31.10.2016

13

Late for lectures again? Blame the slow walkers Jessica Cripps vents about pavement rage, an all too familiar experience when walking down Woodland Road

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing seems to be going your way? You sleep through six alarms, your milk was lumpy when you poured it into your coffee, and to top it off, you have five minutes to get to a tutorial and get stuck walking behind someone who could lose a race with a snail.

Moaning about pavement rage is definitely on the rise this year. This is not caused by being inconsiderate to those with reduced mobility, but of simply becoming aware of a growing disengagement between ourselves and the pedestrians around us.

Ask around, and you’ll find that just about everyone has an anecdote of being late due to being stuck behind an oblivious slow walker.

Some have marvelled at how one small person can somehow block a whole pavement. Others have questioned why large, slow walking groups are apparently unaware of the people struggling to get past.

The University of Bristol campus, particularly Woodland Road, University Walk and Tankard’s

Every day we are estimated to spend over eight hours on our phones and laptops

Even so, the environment alone is not to blame.

We’re the ones who choose to walk slowly in the first place – but why?

Not everyone chooses to walk along with their headphones in, but many who do will be slowed by the pace of their music. We humans naturally synchronise our steps to the tempo of our music.

Headphones in general also force us to disengage with any effort people make to talk to us, meaning that anyone who politely asks to get past will be inadvertently ignored.

Technology, more generally, might also be to blame. Every day, we are estimated to spend over eight hours on our phones and laptops. That is eight hours of staring at a screen, choosing to read or watch our friends’ lives rather than simply talking to them. Is all this screen time simply resulting in us shrinking back more and more into our personal bubbles?

Arguably, though, this could just boil down to the age old battle of trying to look cool. No one appreciates someone scuttling past three minutes before a lecture starts, obviously about to be late.

Flickr: Nicolas Nova

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Just about everyone has an acecdote of being late due to being stuck behind an oblivious slow walker

Close, is unfortunate in providing the perfect conditions for pedestrian congestion. Narrow pavements, parked cars and over 22,000 enrolled students all contribute to growing pavement rage.

The SU selling blue badges to alert slow walkers to get out of the way is one suggestion for pavement rage.

Someone strolling along with a friend isn’t going to want to look rude by dashing off as quickly as possible, either.

Maybe a logical solution would be to adopt some of the rules of the road onto the pathways of the pavement. Emergency services get a blue light to rush through areas of congestion when it’s necessary. Surely being ten minutes late for a registered lecture could be deemed just as urgent?

The SU shop could find success in selling discrete, wearable blue badges that alert slow walkers to get

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Jessica Cripps Comment writer

out the way.

Perhaps that’s a bit crazy, especially when all we need to do is be more aware of the people around us.

Everyone on campus is more than likely to have places to be. Take off your headphones, speed up to a more socially acceptable speed at peak times, or at least leave some space around you for people to get past. Who knows, one day it might be you who needs a blue light to get up Woodland Road in time.

It’s time to nurture our passion for nature Daisy Ajderian encourages students that we have the power to change our environment for the better

Daisy Ajderian Comment writer

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If we accept that the environment is valuable not only for human enjoyment...it is clear that we must do something

Whether or not you agree with that level of vehement protest, it still begs the question: have we lost the spark? Have we lost the conviction to ‘set an alarm clock and tie ourselves to a tree’? Have we grown content with watching Attenborough’s documentaries from our sofas, swooning over the sweeping panoramas and slow motion shots of orang-utans lazily sloping through the canopy? Allowing another species to slip through the cracks with no fan fare or fuss?

As a generation we have accumulated a bad reputation for being overly sensitive, pampered, apathetic. We care about the natural world but seem to struggle with summoning the motivation to save it. Is it that we are too comfortable, too detached, that we don’t consider ourselves a

part of that single ecosystem within that little blue ball in the blackness of space?

We care about the natural world but seem to struggle with summoning the motivation to save it

There are things that we can do. As emphasised

by Attenborough and Packham, awareness

through the arts is an important and effective place to start – the Wild Film Soc, for example, has a membership fee of only £5. This awareness then has to lead to action. Friends of the Earth is an amazing charity and has a society set up at the University, and there are loads of ways to volunteer through Get Green. This is to name but a few ways to get involved through university and in the wider community.

It is our responsibility to prove wrong those who doubt our ability to affect change and prove that we want to live with passion and not indifference.

We are a part of this beautiful matrix, and because we have the power to save it – we must.

Link to watch back the talk: http://www.wildscreen. org/festival/attenborough-packham-live/

Flickr: Jeaneeem

Last week, Bristol SU was host to a poignant discussion between two of our country’s bestrenowned naturalists – David Attenborough and Chris Packham. Apart from the 165 lucky students who managed to score tickets to be in the room, hundreds filled the theatres of the SU to watch the live screening, and it was also shown at the Watershed and streamed live online. It was a truly special opportunity and a time for reflection on our role in society and nature.

The two distinguished filmmakers embarked on an in-depth and revealing conversation – among many other things – about the changing nature of conservation. They delved in to the past and reminded us of the humble origins of the conservation movement only 50 or so years ago. Our scientific understanding has grown unimaginably since then, and our appetite for the natural world with it. This lead to campaigns that focused not only on an individual species, but ecosystems as a whole, as we began to understand how precious and delicate each one is. In order to save a majestic whale you have to preoccupy yourself equally with the lives of the plankton that feed it. Attenborough referred to the world as ‘that little blue ball in the blackness of space’, which ‘is one ecosystem. It’s called the world and it’s in our hands.’ His words hung in the empty space above the audience before they began to applaud, and I cannot be the only one who they lingered with long after the room emptied and we all went home.

The question is: what can we do about it?

If we accept that the environment is valuable not only for human enjoyment, but because its biodiversity and beauty deserve to be preserved in their own right, it is clear that we must do something. The two environmentalists bounced ideas around, each ricocheting and returning to

the other without a conclusive answer. Packham harked back somewhat nostalgically to a golden era of eco-warriors in the 1970s. He questioned how far in to the realms of illegality and violence may we venture whilst still operating under the guise of virtue. Attenborough seemed to think not one inch. As an example he spoke of Jane Fossey’s vital conservation work with the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park in Rwanda, which he deemed weakened by her tendency towards violent methods.

‘But in doing so those gorillas are still there’, Packham said. Attenborough nodded, ‘Absolutely so. Absolutely so.’

Attenborough’s talk in the SU sold out in a mere 20 seconds.

Epigram

31.10.2016

Science & Tech

@EpigramSciTech Editor: Matt Davis Deputy Editor: Katie Coates Online Editor: Gina Degtyareva

mdavis@epigram.org.uk katie.coates@epigram.org.uk gina@epigram.org.uk

The Debate: Time for improved prenatal screening

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Emma Isle Science Writer

In a world where genetic screening during pregnancy is becoming more and more accurate, controversy on its ethical implications was bound to arise.

Genetic Screens are now so accurate that 99 per cent of Down’s pregnancies can be detected in the early stages of pregnancy. But since 9 out of 10 women that get a diagnosis of down’s for their child choose to terminate, should people still get screened?

A woman’s right to choose should always be respected, no matter the reason

“ Raising a child with learning difficulties is not easy.

A woman’s right to choose should always be respected, no matter the reason for this choice. The idea that women should only terminate a pregnancy for reasons that other people find acceptable directly contradicts the idea that women have the right to choose, especially since many women decide to terminate a pregnancy due to feeling that they are too young, or not wanting children. We must accept that women have the right to choose no

matter what, and they deserve all the facts when making their decision.

Raising a child with learning difficulties is not easy. It requires a large amount of time, funds and commitment that not every expectant parent can afford. The additional support that young children with down’s arew recommended by the NHS, in order for them to be successful in the future, not only will require the parents to give extra time, but also requires extra financial input, particularly if their child requires a speech and language therapist.

The true battle lies with ensuring that once parents recieve a diagnosis...they’re given all the information

By using the new screening technique parents can be better informed, and prepare for this, as well as deciding if this is a commitment that they want to take on. Parents have the right to all the information that new technologies can provide about the health of their unborn baby, whether or not other people deem it right, especially since the tests no longer provide any risk for the health of the unborn child.

The test costs between £400 and £900 at a private clinic, and most expecting parents would agree that this is a small price to pay for knowledge about the

Flickr/ Trevor Hunt

Put simply, yes. Screening is a positive thing, as it allows expecting parents to gain all the information before they decide how to proceed. For expecting parents, a big fear is that their child will be born unhealthy. This test can provide peace of mind for parents, and allows those that receive a diagnosis to prepare for the future. Screening also poses no harm to the child due to the non-invasive procedure.

Ultimately, the argument for screening can be broken down to two things; the right of the parents to have

all the facts about their unborn child’s health, and the right of the woman to choose.

Sally Phillips’ recent documentary entitled ‘A World Without Down’s Syndrome?’ focused a lot on her fear that increased screening accuracy would mean that all parents would choose to terminate their pregnancy if their unborn child were to be diagnosed with Down’s. Women should not be denied access to these tests purely due to the fear that this would lead to a dramatic increase in termination of unborn children diagnosed with down’s. Parents deserve the right to choose, whatever choice they might make.

health of their child. Especially as it allows parents to go through their pregnancy with all the facts, so that they can prepare for the future, or decide that the child is a commitment that they do not want or are not suited to.

The true battle lies with ensuring that once parents receive a diagnosis of Down’s they are given all the information, both positive and negative, so that they

can make an informed decision about how to proceed. The screening itself is not the problem, it is the stigma behind the diagnosis of Down’s, and doctor’s attitudes towards such a diagnosis, that needs to be addressed.

‘A World Without Down’s Syndrome’ is available on BBC iPlayer until 5th November 2016

The Debate: The right to life is not a fitness test Living in a period of great scientific promise it can be tempting to overlook social implications in favour of exciting scientific progression. However, it must be acknowledged that scientific development never occurs in a vacuum.

Therefore, it is imperative to discuss the ethical questions surrounding prenatal testing for Down’s syndrome.

Prenatal screening for Down’s syndrome began its development in the late 1960s. Today it exists in multiple forms, the newest being ‘Non-invasive prenatal testing’ which analyses the small amount of cell-free fetal DNA carried in the mother’s blood plasma.

More accurate than other tests, NIPT has 98 per cent accuracy in estimating the chance of Down’s syndrome, although an invasive test is then necessary for diagnosis, which does carry a risk of miscarriage. Screening is a useful tool for expecting parents: it helps them to prepare for their baby’s arrival, and gives them knowledge and choice.

Down’s syndrome is not a disease.

People with the condition have one extra chromosome, varying degrees of learning difficulties, and higher risk of having health issues such as dementia, gastrointestinal, thyroid, or auditory problems. But those with the condition are not defined by it; they each have their own individual personalities, talents, and emotional range. Children with Down’s syndrome are in no sense

clones of each other. And of course, they inherit familial characteristics as everyone does. Although those with the condition will face more learning challenges, most will attend mainstream primary school. Some may be surprised to learn that people with Down’s syndrome have a life expectancy of about 60; many live a long life that can include living independently, working and getting married. These are individuals with a myriad of gifts to offer and societal contributions to make.

So it is difficult to comprehend that 90 per cent of prenatal diagnoses result in abortion.

“ Down’s Syndrome is not a disease.

Flickr/ Andreas-photography

To be truly developed we not only need to arm people with knowledge, but use development to be an increasingly progressive and inclusive society.

Understandably, those receiving the news of a diagnosis of Down’s syndrome are often anxious about what could lie ahead. In the 1950s sending children with Down’s syndrome to an ‘institution’ was the norm. Families and individuals with the condition faced a torrent of discrimination and societal rejection of disability. Knowledge of health

problems associated with the syndrome was tenuous. Resultantly, those with Down’s syndrome had a far shorter life expectancy. Medical professionals told families that their child would never accomplish landmarks such as talking or using a toilet. It wasn’t until the Education Acts of 1970 and 1981 that education was opened up to those with the syndrome. The outlook, awash with ignorance, was bleak. Perhaps there are remnants of this obsolete old stigma that still permeate the way Down’s syndrome is perceived today.

The role of medical professionals should be to inform, rather than to guide. However, it seems that in the case of disability medical encounters may be coloured with opinion and assumption, even if ill-founded. Better training would avoid stories of midwives being horrified at the birth of a baby with Down’s syndrome, depriving parents of the joyful moment of meeting their child. Loaded language at consultations and lack of knowledge sharing exploits mothers’ trust in doctors. Medical professionals should only seek to inform, explain and explore any parental concerns.

As a society we have to use our innovation to better quality of life for all. Emphasis on education for special needs children, and hence giving them the opportunity to work and live independently, is fundamental. Our society has come a long way, but there is further yet to go. Being disabled should not bind an individual to lifelong

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Caitlin Prosser Science Writer

financial struggle. It is our responsibility that as scientific advancement occurs, so does advancement of opportunity and living standards for the most vulnerable. Disgracefully, today we still hear media headlines of the UN investigating discriminatory cuts to benefits of the disabled and frightening stories of work capability assessments forcing those into employment they are unfit for. We are obliged to champion the rights of the disabled to live a fulfilling life, rather than undermine them.

It forces us to ask the uncomfortable question: What are the entry requirements for life?

It could be argued that screening erodes the rights of the disabled living in our communities and connotes that they are a burden. It forces us to ask the uncomfortable question: what are the entry requirements for life? The strength of humanity is our diversity.

Once technology is used to define or pursue an ‘ideal being’ we lose focus on utilising our collective skills to better the world as a whole. Progression should never be reserved for furthering personal interests. Ever improving accuracy is good, but we are compelled to parallel this with ever improving services, opportunity, and quality of life for the vulnerable.

Epigram 31.10.2016

15

In the beginning, there was...STEM In a recent survey, YouGov revealed that 67 per cent of the population are against the involvement of religion in public life. Despite this, the University of Bristol will undertake new research on the development interfaith dialogue in RE, alongside the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE).

NATRE is keen to make teaching a more evidence-based practice. By gathering classroom-based knowledge from teachers, researchers hope to develop new methods of building social cohesion in a culturally diverse setting.

An example of these is ‘contact theory’, a fundamental principle of sharing ‘space’ in classrooms in ways that promote inter-religious dialogue.

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A national survey of RE teachers will also be undertaken in order to investigate the potential for religious education to promote good community relations.

67 per cent of the population are against the involvement of religion in public life

However, it should be noted that, according to YouGov, over half of the population believe religion in Britain to be in terminal decline. Despite being the largest religious group, an 11.8 per cent decrease in Christians has been observed between the 2001 and 2011 Censuses for England and Wales, with an accompanying increase of people

identifying as having no religion In The God Delusion, biologist Richard Dawkins asserts that our current understanding of evolution provides strong evidence against the existence of an intelligent creator. He goes on to argue that religion is a divisive force, and that religious teaching of children in faith schools can be equated to a form of mental abuse.

With over three million copies sold worldwide and Dawkins named Author of the Year, these views are widely shared amongst both the scientific and nonscientific community. For such reasons, many would argue that investing in religious education is a fruitless, even dangerous enterprise.

Nevertheless, the recent increase in state-funded faith schools cannot be ignored. Parliamentary research shows that in the past eight years, 14 new

Muslim schools and seven new Sikh schools were opened, with the UK’s first Hindu school opened as recently as 2008.

In contrast to Christianity’s decline, the numbers of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Jews have risen between 2001 and 2011, with the Muslim population showing the largest growth.

These figures may show that the change in British spirituality may not be a singular mass-migration towards atheism, but rather a complex permeation of different faiths.

Such divergence in culture has not been received amicably on all fronts. The Home Office has reported an increase in religiously-motivated hate crime over recent years, with apparent spikes in Islamophobic offences following the murder of Lee Rigby in 2013, and the Charlie Hebdo shooting last year.

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Christina Tran Science Writer

There were apparent spikes in Islamophobic offences following the murder of Lee Rigby in 2013

Flickr/Stabler Department

Discrimination is a rather fashionable topic amongst social psychologists. It is thought to occur when a minority group is identified as different from the standard cultural norms, and becomes linked with negative stereotypes. This causes prejudice: an unjustifiable negative attitude towards this group. A person can act on this prejudice after reinforcement of their beliefs, resulting in a discriminatory action which can have terrible consequences.

It is thought that through a better understanding of different religions, the ignorance that causes division between different cultural groups can be eliminated.

This was the rationale behind the

formation of the UN Alliance of Civilizations: a global initiative that promotes interfaith and intercultural dialogue, with a particular focus on education at the primary and secondary level.

The scheme has already inspired action in UK classrooms. In 2013, OFSTED reported on a London initiative where sixth-form students shared their faith experience with local primary school children. Not only did the children enjoy learning RE in a more relevant manner, but teachers themselves reported gaining “a much more meaningful sense of the importance which faith plays in the lives of people in our community.”

However, such projects are generally limited to their respective neighbourhoods, and their longterm effectiveness has yet to be fully analysed.

By co-funding Bristol’s research, the Economic and Social Research Council aims to develop better tools to measure the influence of RE on society, as well as accelerate the impact of social sciences research. In the long term, working with RE teachers on a national level may allow Bristol University to play a role in establishing effective inter-faith dialogue across all UK classrooms.

Despite the secularisation of our society, RE is still a relevant part of many British children’s lives. Instead of seeking to extinguish this, the university is well-justified in its attempt to harness RE as an opportunity to develop better intercultural relations.

At worst, this project will improve our understanding of the relationship between intercultural awareness and social cohesion. At best, it could be a monumental step towards a more tolerant and peaceful Britain.

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Epigram 31.10.2016

Letters

@EpigramLetters

Editor: Claire Hargreaves letters@epigram.org.uk

An open letter: why is our university still so white?

‘A largely Eurocentric curriculum ... is unlikely to attract a particularly diverse background’

more than just the white, middle-class student. Given the sky-high tuition fees, there surely needs to be more investment on the university’s part in these types of programmes.

It is admittedly not just the university that can, and should act to change the

51 statistic.

Indeed, the influential movement ‘Bristol is the New Black’ is causing people to stop and reflect on the black student experience in Bristol. Its website states it wants to ‘unfold and raise awareness of the black Bristolian

‘It is admittedly not just the university that can, and should act’

Whilst they are very valuable for local disadvantaged students, they are unlikely to target a broader ethnic mix, as Avon and Somerset is made up of just 0.9 per cent African residents and 0.6 per cent Caribbean. The university arguably needs to go further afield in more of its programmes to ensure a wider racial body of students applies to study here. It is necessary to bring the university to them, rather than waiting for them to come here.

The university has a substantial responsibility to promote itself to

Flickr / Charlie Marshall Flickr / Andy Wilkes

culture that exists here.

The University of Bristol might not be so ethnically diverse as the glossy pictures in the prospectus boast that it is.

We therefore do not only need to question why our curriculum so white, but also, what more can the university be doing to encourage a greater racial and ethnic diversity here, so that in the years to come, we can have more than just 51 black home graduates.

The content of the curriculum may well explain the low number of black students at the university. A largely Eurocentric, white curriculum focusing on the efforts and endeavours of those white Europeans is unlikely to attract a particularly diverse background.

For instance, even though History claims to teach about the effects of British colonisation or slavery, it is frequently taught through the perspective of white Europeans.

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In 2015, just 51 black home students graduated from the University of Bristol.

This is not only shocking in itself – given that thousands of students graduated in 2015 – but it is also incredibly revelatory about the university itself and the

This lack of diversity on the curriculum may certainly detract black students to begin with, and it certainly does not discourage current students from the idea that our university is an ethnically representative institution.

It is also worth mentioning the socioeconomic dimensions of the issue.

Afro-Caribbean students have been identified as among the most likely to be from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is not exactly breaking news that Bristol has a low proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within its student body, so this may go some way to explain the 51 black home graduations of 2015.

Although the university does run outreach programmes, many of these only operate on a local basis.

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Simon Marshall Letters Writer

experience’, and to ‘help students and young people learn about, identify with, and aspire to role models in their own community’. This does also suggest that a lack of strong black role models is preventing the university from becoming more diverse; there is hardly an excess of influential black alumni and staff.

The hashtag #IAmBlackBristol, too, seeks to raise the profile of black Bristolians and black students in Bristol, encouraging interactivity and communication when it comes to discussion of our very white university.

The University of Bristol African and Caribbean Association is also an important, student-led body for black students at Bristol, whose profile is ever-increasing. It holds debates, talks and more, to raise awareness of some of the issues facing black students at the university.

As a white student from a predominantly white school, who is now at a largely white university, it is of course difficult for me to truly empathise with the experience of black students at the university, and I do not necessarily try to reflect their opinions and sentiments.

But surely it is for this very reason that we need to put pressure on the university to change the way they encourage students to apply here. The very lack of empathy I feel right now surely suggests that more needs to be done to encourage a greater mix of students at the university.

I would urge the university to set out more plans to make its student body, and curriculum, less predominantly ‘white’. It is only then that we might be able to achieve a more racially diverse student body that Bristol is surely crying out for.

What is hate crime doing to our international students? student who has just started at Bristol, I was told that she was very aware of the rise in hate crime, and this made her slightly nervous to come to university.

Perceiving the British as slightly narrow-minded before she arrived, she indicated that starting university was a daunting experience, particularly being so far from home.

‘Encouraging people to come forward ... is the only way to get rid of hate crime for good’

Talking to her made me realise that being afraid to admit your religion, sexuality and nationality is a very real fear for many new students. She stressed the sadness she felt at Britain being associated with such hate crimes, particularly when traditionally it is considered a safer, more liberal place to live. Currently Bristol prides itself on its diverse and interesting range of students and it would be such a shame to see that begin to disappear.

A recently published article in Epigram made mention of turning Bristol student’s union into a thirdparty hate crime reporting centre. This seems to be a step in the right direction.

Encouraging people to come forward

and making it clear that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable, is the only way to get rid of hate crime for good.

While, fortunately, accounts of hate crime in the university appear very low, it is important to remember that the city itself will be having a big impact on whether people choose to study here.

With the recent rise in hate crime it would perhaps be fitting to place more emphasis on how damaging it can be. This could be done through more talks and workshops provided by the student’s union.

Indeed, having such an interesting range of international students here is a huge asset to our university and one that must not be lost.

Flickr / Leni Tuschen Flickr / European Parliament

Ellie Chesshire Letters Writer In the month following the EU referendum, hate crime in Britain rocketed by 41 per cent.

While the rise in hate crime over the last year cannot be completely attributed to the EU referendum, there can be no doubt that in the months following, the situation worsened.

At Bristol, in a university where more than one in six of our students are international, this is alarming. In July alone, there were four accounts of hate crime on the same street in South Bristol. One of the families involved had three small children. Other Bristolians have reported incidents of a dualheritage mother being spat at, and an Eastern European man being verbally abused while taking the bus through Bristol.

These incidents of violence and racial hatred are likely to at least have some impact on international students studying at the university. Suddenly the city, and the country, might not feel as safe or as welcoming anymore. This is an incredibly tragic situation. Studying in one of the country’s top universities should be something to aspire to but some would suggest that the recent accounts of hate crime are making people wary of making the move.

When speaking to one international

Tweets of the fortnight: @trchdsn

‘My uni is holding an NUS affiliation referendum and the parallels to Brexit are actually hilarious’

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‘all this talk of the nus referendum is giving me painful flashbacks to june’

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‘Bristol vote to remain in the NUS by 2409 votes to 1186. SU commit to address issues of concern, but why not during referendum?’

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25/10/2016 17:00

Epigram is Recruiting!

Do you have what it takes to be a student journalist?

We are looking for a Deputy Style Editor If you think Epigram might be for you, then please send the following to editor@epigram.org.uk:

- Your CV - A cover letter - An ideas sheet - 3 examples of your writing

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Living WellBeing Travel Style Food What’s On

Christy Nunns

Getting chilly

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Online Editor Erin Beesley

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31.10.2016

Saskia Hume

Epigram Living Section 2016/17

Student housing horror stories Living Online Editor, Erin Beesley, gets a fright when she asks around for students’ most chiling tales.

Mouse diplomacy

Landlords and lawyers

There are benefits to living behind a Wetherspoons. Our inherited mouse problem isn’t one of them. For almost a year we lived in blissful student filth without seeing a single mouse.

That changed last summer when dozens of mice descended on our flat; the ensuing war led to 15 deaths from a single trap in just under a month (we kept a tally and made bets).

Since, we have developed a sort of peaceful co-existence with the mice based on a mutual understanding that, as long as we leave out little bits of food for them, they won’t shit in our cornflakes. Some people call it laziness, we call it diplomacy.

Luke Webb

Week’s worth of broken showers, warm fridges, paying for heating that didn’t work (for three months), black mould and ceilings which were on the brink of collapse. The works.

To top it all off, being told at the end of the year that the flat ‘legally shouldn’t have people living in it’ by a disgruntled painter. You know it’s bad when you have to get a lawyer involved as well.

Anna Wyn

Things that go bump in the night...

Sofa scare

Our landlord has a reputation among our house for doing things half-heartedly. However, when we informed him that one of the panels in our sofa had been broken he suprised us by agreeing to bring a new one that day. Just one thing: he had failed to take its measurements. When he arrived with the sofa (which was actually really lush), he couldn’t fit it through our living room door, so left it as this huge obscure object blocking the corridor. Then he decided his job was done and, for reasons unbeknowst to us, he proceeded to leave our old sofa like this: Georgia Marsh

In first year the girl who lived next door to me liked to have her boyfriend round a lot. I mean A LOT. How did I know how often he was round? Because I could hear her screaming at the top of her lungs and banging on the wall that separated our two rooms. It sounded like the sound track to a Saw movie. My flatmates didn’t believe me about how bad it was until they heard her one day as they were walking up the stairs to the flat, they could hear the screams gradually getting louder as they came up from the floor below. It was horrifying.

Anonymous

Fancy a skin infection?

Epigram/Georgia Marsh

Epigram/Luke Webb

My flat was horribly damp last year. A small bit of the wall in my room went green. I didn’t suffer as badly as my flatmates though. One had a room with 80 per cent humidity at one point. Another guy got skin infections from the damp. We also didn’t have hot water in the kitchen for a month despite repeated emails to our letting agent. Safe to say we’ve gone with a differnet letting agent this year.

James O’Hara

Bristol’s spookiest spots Living Writers, Chloë Moloney and Isobel Parker, tell all about Bristol’s five scariest sites.

If you want to give yourself the ultimate scare this Halloween, check out five of the most haunted places in Bristol. From Whiteladies to the suspension bridge, there’s always something spooky lurking around that will give you the chills.

College Green and Bristol Cathedral Here, it is rumoured that the manifestation of an executed soldier drifts around the green in the small hours of the morning. The soldier was reportedly condemned to death and promptly executed for deserting a conflict between England and Scotland. Similarly, a ghostly figure of a grey monk has been said to move between the library and the cathedral.

Since the 1900s, shadows and shapes have been repeatedly spotted on the bridge, who are thought to be people who have jumped off in order to take their own lives. Walkers in the area have also reportedly seen the spirit of the bridge’s designer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, wandering nearby.

9 St James’ Parade During the 1940s, a ghost hunter known as Elliot O’Donnell was hired to investigate the case of a haunting manifestation at 9 St James Parade. The Britton family who were living here at the time reported hearing footsteps and tapping. Mrs Britton stated that she fainted after seeing the face of an old woman move towards her baby’s cot. However, once the family had moved, the hauntings allegedly stopped.

Hallan, Bristol (Next to M49 Bridge, Dead End Lane) First sighted in 1908, a large black dog was seen climbing out of a hedge and then transformed into a donkey, standing on its hind legs.

Nearly 100 years later, in December 2004, a very similar incident took place.

A creature, alike to the one previously described, was seen as it passed through a car, shaking the driver in the process.

In the 1980s it was reported that a poltergeist, a type of ghost which causes physical disturbances, was responsible for a number of electrical breakdowns at the BBC Building in Whiteladies Road.

Geograph/@ST5872

Clifton Suspension Bridge

BBC Building, Whiteladies Rd

31.10.2016

21

Flights of fancy Victoria Dobbie explains why absence makes the heart grow fonder - with five reasons why international dating can work for students.

Whenever I start dating a new guy, my girlfriends don’t ask me what he’s like, they ask me where he’s from.

I’ve only ever dated one English guy and that was when I was 11 years old. I was so scared of him that I hid in the girls’ lavatory for forty minutes while my best friend asked him out for me.

Thenceforth I developed a flavour for tall, dark, mysterious men; oh, you know, the Heathcliff type.

I’ve dated Albania, Brazil and Italy, and had flings with Spain, France, Greece and Mexico; dating the South is evidently part of my DNA. Society is doubtful about long distant relationships. My friends and family are doubtful about my long distant relationships. But I have finally become immune to the ubiquitous phrase: ‘it’s just too hard’.

My love life is far more colourful as a result of my dating habits.

Without a doubt, long distant relationships are exceedingly difficult, but the adverb ‘too’ suggests that the advantages are negligible, advising us not to pursue a relationship which may lead to suffering. Admittedly, some of my experiences have led to great pain and heartbreak, but I maintain that my love life is far more colourful as a result of my dating habits.

Here are five reasons why you SHOULD date beyond the border and why I swear I’ll never go back.

2. You might learn a new language.

4. You learn to communicate better.

As a student of German and Italian, I am slightly biased here, but I nevertheless maintain that this is one of the greatest advantages of dating internationally.

Who doesn’t want to know how to woo somebody in French, rebuke somebody in German and swear at somebody loudly (with grandiose hand gestures) in Italian? Yes, I can do all of those things.

And yes, it feels great.

What does not feel so great is when you learn European Portuguese and then go to Brazil and call a girl a prostitute by mistake because the word ‘rapariga’ means two different things on either side of the Atlantic. Date somebody from a different country so you can feel the pain too!

The times you are apart may well weaken the connection you have, but if you speak regularly then you should experience the contrary. Video communication apps, such as Skype, are the closest technological development we have that are precursors to teleportation, and since the presence of super fast internet hasn’t graced the planet yet, you will be forced to exercise your patience when the connection fails for the gazillionth time and the person you are calling more resembles a Picasso.

Disagreements and miscommunications will have to be resolved through sensitive discussion (but throwing your laptop on the floor is just as effective).

1. You get to travel (on a very low budget!)

When Gap Yah hippies say that all you need is courage and not money to travel, I assure you that for many, their six month trip around south-east Asia was funded by daddy’s credit card. Travelling is expensive. Period. But…you can drastically reduce the costs of travelling if you sleep and eat in the house of your significant other.

I’ve partied under the stars among the endless vineyards of EmiliaRomagna in Italy, hiked for four days through the remote canyons of Brazil’s Vale do Pati and watched the breathtaking firework display from Copacabana beach on New Year’s Eve in Rio… and ALL on a student’s budget.

5. It forces you out of your comfort zone.

3. It makes you more openminded.

On a more serious note I’d like to address the scepticism that society holds of long distant relationships. Most people wouldn’t date somebody from abroad because their fear of the relationship failing blinds them from the wonderful experiences that they may encounter.

There exists an expression in Naples which I learnt some years ago and it says: ‘non facciarsi nella testa prima di cadere’, which more or less translates as: ‘the future is unknown, so don’t envision your problems.’

Dating somebody from a different country will rearrange your world view; it will teach you that news broadcasts are merely a tainted lens through which you previously saw the world. You will become more thoughtful as you learn to see the world from diverse perspectives. It will lead you to evaluate and perhaps criticise your own cultural traditions and to be thankful for others, such as scones and Morris dancing.

Epigram / Victoria Dobbie

Epigram Victoria Dobbiew

The phrase “it’s just too hard” is clearly fear’s advocate. If you hold yourself back from things just because it may lead to suffering, you will never lead a challenging, successful and, arguably, fulfilling life.

31.10.2016

22

Chakra Bleu - the suprising health benefits of yoga!

Living Writer, Olli Walker, sets out just why this daily dose of excercise can change your life.

Improves Concentration Concentration is one thing that always evades students, especially in early lectures, late lectures, lectures in warm rooms or, come to think of it, basically any form of lecture.

So would it not be great if we could do some form of activity that could boost our capacity to concentrate? Well yogic visual concentration - trataka - has been shown to increase selective attention and cognitive flexibility. Staring into space, or more aptly those polystyrene tiles of the chemistry lecture theatres, is now a thing of the past.

Battles Cancer

Diabetes is the 8th most common cause of death worldwide.

A cheery first sentence, I know. But the fact remains that we should all be mindful of our body’s ability to control blood sugar concentrations. So now that I have sufficiently terrified you, I can give some good news; a study investigating the effects of yoga on the health of patients with type II diabetes showed that regular practice improved fasting blood glucose concentrations compared to standard care alone. The study also suggested that the yoga also improved the cholesterol and lipid profiles of the patients; however, more evidence is needed to confirm this.

Reduces Stress Although term has just begun and for most people the stressors of the year are yet to raise their ugly heads, they are there, lurking, waiting for the Christmas holidays and that mountain of revision that you will undoubtedly leave for the last minute.

Therefore my number one benefit of yoga is its ability to reduce stress. A study conducted in June this year showed that a combination of yoga poses and meditation known as cyclic meditation was able to produce very significant reductions in stress levels. Bear this in mind when you see those who are savvy to this information and on the edge of breakdown, doing a headstand in the ASS at some point in January.

Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Continuing with our list of terrifying killer diseases we have arrived at the big cheese: heart disease. The number one killer worldwide. Being students we are some years away from being terrified of every foodstuff considered universally delicious and unwrapping a tub of benecol on your 40th birthday. However, prevention is better than cure and, on this note, yoga has been shown to be important in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease through weight loss, reduction in blood pressure and other cardio-metabolic risk factors.

Decreases Depression There is no way to brighten up depression so let’s get right into the nitty-gritty. Yoga, like any form of exercise, releases endorphins, as the name shortened from endogenous morphines suggests they make us feel pretty good. It goes without saying that endorphin release would be beneficial to anyone suffering from depression and that was the effect observed in a recent trial whereby yoga was performed by 28 women suffering from postpartum depression. Although the control group showed no such change, 78 per cent of women in the yoga group experienced decreased symptoms on a subjective scale; a happy thought indeed.

Andreas Polo

Having the ability to fight cancer is a big claim that is thrown around a lot these days and for good reason; cancer is an awful thing and people are scared enough to buy or do anything that claims to conquer it. So what does yoga have to do with cancer? Acute inflammation can be associated with metastasis - tumour migration - by producing chemicals that free cancerous cells from their environmental surroundings allowing them to migrate throughout the body via the use of the bloodstream. Chronic Inflammation also contributes to the physical decline of cancer patients, e.g. development of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, leading to disability. Yoga has recently been proven to limit increases in inflammatory markers in patients with breast cancer, and thus could show substantial benefits.

Improved Blood Parameters

Epigram / Olli Walker Kelsey Flirkr/Tom

We all know someone who preaches about how they started doing yoga on their gap year, or other equally ‘eye-opening journey of self-discovery’, and has now become nigh-on impossible to be in the same room with. Failing that, you will no doubt associate yoga with packs of spandex-clad yummy mummies babbling on about their pre or post-natal yoga classes on their way to some overpriced coffee outlet. Considering these stereotypes, it is easy to see why even the slightest mention of a sun salutation can make a collective room of eyes roll back in their heads, but are there any real, proven benefits of yoga that can actually improve our lives? The answer is almost unequivocally yes. So, here are my top six reasons yoga can benefit everyone:

Editor Tianna Graham tianna.graham@epigram.org.uk

23

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Need some help?

Student counselling service: 0117 954 6655

Online Editor Flora Doble flora.doble@epigram.org.uk

Epigram Wellbeing

31.10.2016

Coming soon, Peace of Mind weekly columns!

Find them on Facebook and attend their bi-weekly coffee mornings.

Black mental health and winter blues Flora Doble (Wellbeing Online Editor) Emotional dependency, that is, a complete reliance on other(s) for one’s happiness and emotional wellbeing, is an issue that tarnishes many relationships, romantic or otherwise.

This affects an individual’s ability to form healthy relationships as their dependency dominates their interactions with other people.

However, emotional dependency is not always recognised for its toxicity, commonly misconstrued as ‘infatuation’ or ‘passion’. In this article, I address some of the pressures and dangers of such an emotional reliance in hope that you, the reader, can reflect on your own relationships, emotional needs and supportive capabilities.

Ultimately, no one else should be responsible for your happiness or emotional wellbeing, nor should you for anyone else’s. Emotional dependency can be the result of an inner emptiness, one that you expect a partner or friend to fill by making you feel loved and happy.

Yet, to seek and expect happiness in things that surround you is a precarious business. If your emotional state and wellbeing is so dependent on someone else and they become unavailable, it would be as if you are pulling the foundations out from under a house. Also, as the supporter is the only one deemed capable of conferring happiness on the dependent, the dependent party might unfairly blame the supporter for any negative mood they will inevitably feel.

Here, the key is to recognise happiness and mental wellbeing as not something bestowed upon us, nor as something we do or don’t deserve. Your emotions are your own, not always controllable or agreeable, but they are entirely your property.

Of course, people will make you feel good and bad; you cannot isolate yourself form the effects of socialising. However, when a specific someone’s support or validation dictates your mood or you are consumed by someone else’s emotional wellbeing, it is important to recognise the relationship’s toxic dimension.

Moreover, consider the immense pressure on the supporting party, especially if they are aware of their pivotal role in the emotional wellbeing of the dependent. For example, the supporter may feel guilty if they cannot help the dependent and worry that, without their support, their problems will never be resolved.

‘No one else should be responsible for your happiness or emotional wellbeing, nor should you for anyone else’s’

Mental health in BME communities has always been an important and overlooked issue, especially on university campuses where the intersection of race and mental health becomes very apparent.

We already know that, according to the Guardian, black men in Britain are 17 times more likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, black people are disproportionately subject under the Mental Healthact (despite the fact that there is no data to suggest that mental illness is particularly higher among black people in the UK) and we’re less likely to ask for help if we need it, as, according to Time To Change, 80 per cent of ethnic minority people feel unable to speak about their experiences.

‘black men are 17 times more likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric illness’ Even when we do seek help the lack of diversity, racism and ignorance of a lot of mental health professionals makes these encounters redundant and almost pointless. If you’re a person of colour suffering from mental illness, then you can feel isolated and lack the ability to find support. Yes, there is a huge cultural stigma around mental health in many BME communities but coupled with the institutional racism and whitewashing of mental health diagnoses, being able to take care of your mental health as a BME person is incredibly difficult to do.

There is huge pressure of success in ethnic minority first/ second generation kids, as our parents made a huge sacrifice to come here in hope of a better life, and we feel we must honour that by doing well. Dior Vargas, who runs the People of Colour & Mental Illness photo project and White House Champion of Change for Disability Advocacy, describes it perfectly; in an iD magazine interview, she states: ‘people of colour have undergone so many struggles that the concept of going to see a therapist or to admit to having a mental illness is viewed as a weakness and brings shame to an otherwise resilient, survivoridentified community’.

Historically, black women have been the backbone of society, demonstrated throughout slavery and many of the civil rights movements. We’re expected to be on the forefront and maintain the home. We’re expected to give selflessly for the greater good without reward. Black women have suffered horrendously at the hands of everyone and they’re expected to remain intact and unscathed which is wholly wrong.

Black women feel as if they have to be ‘strong’ constantly, and when we try to speak collectively about our struggle, we’re told we don’t have it as bad as black men. As a result, according to the British Journal of Psychiatry, black British girls are the most likely to self-harm but the least likely to receive any help. This is because of the overwhelming belief that mental illness is a sign of weakness and black women must always be strong.

Flickr / Mmm...Bacon!

Indeed, such a feeling of guilt may mean that the supporting party will never abandon their dependent, even if the situation is becoming mentally exhaustive, because they would feel personally responsible for any feelings of isolation or upset the dependent might consequently feel.

In tandem, the dependent may become resentful and spiteful if they are not provided with constant unconditional support and uplift as such has become an expectation, that is, a nonnegotiable part of the relationship. Here, it becomes clear how damaging emotional dependency can be.

However, such is not a simple give-take relationship. Often, the supporting party feels good about providing emotional support as, through this, they feel needed and helpful. Such a dynamic, then, does not have a ‘powerful’ and a ‘powerless’ but, rather, both parties hold a special control over the other, making this unhealthy relationship particularly difficult to disentangle and address.

Indeed, tackling such a relationship is not about identifying a ‘bad guy’ as there isn’t necessarily one. Many don’t realise that they are in an emotionally dependent relationship and few are acting problematically on purpose. Most often, emotional dependency arises out of genuine love, concern and trust for another person. Yet, this is so much so that neither can imagine life without the other and require their continual validation to feel good in themselves.

So, what is the solution? Like most relationship problems, communication is key. Emotional dependency is a two-way street so addressing it needs both parties to make a difference to their behaviour. Crucially, the pair must work together, being open and honest about their respective needs and supportive capabilities. By identifying how and why such a toxic dynamic was able to foster in the first place, the pair can take the necessary steps to make their relationship healthy and successful.

The mental health of black students, according to Chanté Joseph (ACA)

Feeling S.A.D this Winter?

Molly Edwards (Second Year)

As the winter months approach and the weather gets darker and colder, you may find your mood starting to drop.

This is also the time of year when those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) may have their condition aggravated by the weather. Mind.org describe SAD as ‘a form of depression that people experience at a particular time of year or season.’

Students suffering from SAD may find juggling uni work and their mental health especially difficult in this period, and so it’s important to find ways to cope. Some of the strategies mind.org recommend include using a light box and getting as much natural sunlight as possible.

Flickr / CEBImagery

Emotional dependency

What are the symptoms?

In a recent interview with Channel 4 Nicole Krystal, founder of ‘Unmasked Women’ (an exhibition channeling the Black British Female experience through creatives focusing on Black Mental Health), said that when many black women seek help from mental health professionals, they ask ‘is this white man even going to understand me?’ as there is a huge barrier for black women seeking help simply because we cannot see ourselves reflected in the services offered. The fragile state of black women is incredibly normalised by harmful stereotypes such as having a ‘bad attitude’ or being ‘angry’. We’re socialised into believing that our pain and suffering is simply a part of our genetic identity. When black women are vocal about their experiences they’re often gas-lit and made to believe that it doesn’t exist.

My own experience of mental health has been very turbulent.

I too subconsciously subscribe to the notion that black women must be strong, and though experiencing emotional abuse and trauma in my first year of university, I still find it very difficult to give myself the space to grieve. Though my anxiety is rife, and many social situations feel incredibly overwhelming and filled with paranoia, I keep on going. Black women aren’t allowed a day-off - that’s why they say the act of self-care is so revolutionary simply because we’re raised to always give to others before we give to ourselves.

‘As a result, black british girls are the most likely to self-harm but the least likely to receive any help’ Black female students, like myself, take up many roles and responsibilities to embody black excellence, which is both a gift and a curse. Black people are so underrepresented that when we are it is simply because we’re excellent and those are the role models we have to look up to. Black people, particularly black women, are not afforded the privilege of mediocrity and that can be the most frightening thing to experience. Dealing with mental illness is more than the government funded provisions.

It is about dealing with the systematic racism that constantly hinders the wellbeing of BME individuals. It is about seeing ourselves as human, nuanced and deserving of help!

Even if you don’t suffer from SAD, with deadlines looming and the days getting shorter you might start to feel a little gloomier than usual. Here are a few ways you can boost your mood: Personalise your living space – whether you’re in halls or your own place, it’s important to have a living space that you feel happy and comfortable in. Most places have restrictions on sticking things up on walls, so make use of pinboards to personalise your space or hang some LED lights along your shelves. Personalising your room makes it feel homey, which is especially good if you’ve just moved into halls and are still feeling the effects of homesickness. It’s also important to have a living space and not just a work space – keep your textbooks out of sight while you’re relaxing.

Get out and about – leaving the house or your room can help to lift your spirits. A quick walk before the sun sets can give you time to think, relax, and process the day.

Take breaks from work – mind.org lists reducing stress as a way to help manage SAD; deadlines are approaching and stress can make your mood plummet no matter the weather. Even if your break is just chatting to a flatmate for a few minutes in the kitchen while you wait for the kettle to boil, you may find yourself feeling refreshed and better prepared for the task at hand when you get back to work. Working non-stop can cause you to lose perspective, and suddenly the smallest mistake or inconvenience can seem catastrophic. A quick break can help set things to rights and make your assignments seem far more doable than before.

Editor Ellie Donnell

Deputy Editor Hugo Lebus

Online Editor Jane Cowie

edonnell@epigram.org.uk

hlebus@epigram.org.uk

jcowie@epigram.org.uk

Join us at: Epigram Food Section 2016/17

31.10.2016

Follow us at: epigram_eats_out

How to Spend a Healthy Day in Bristol Epigram Food writer and Instagram sensation, Flora Beverley, tells us how to eat, exercise, relax and even indulge in Bristol. And it’s all in the name of health!

‘‘It’s the surrounding areas that are truly breathtaking, and allow you to escape from the hustle and bustle of busy city life’’

‘‘Good coffee, mixed with lovely interior design, makes me happy’’ Bakesmiths is the new kid on the block, offering homemade cakes and sourdough bread, as well as incredible coffee and lunch menu items. I hear their in-house baker is in at 4:30am every morning preparing freshly made sourdough.

The décor is also so nice - if I have a coffee meeting it is likely that I will be in there because good coffee, mixed with lovely interior design, makes me happy.

Fill up on restaurant food There are so many restaurants in Bristol it would be impossible to recommend and review them all here. However, favourites of mine include Wildwood (yay for 50 per cent off for students!), the Mint Rooms (delicious Indian food) and the River Cottage Canteen.

River Cottage’s new winter menu includes a mix of mains (free-range meat, delicious fish and vegetarian options) and side salads, which you can order to compliment your mains.

This is definitely one of my favourite places to go in Bristol, although the dish prices can add up if you are like me and want to try everything! If you are looking for somewhere cheaper but equally delicious, Eat a Pitta is incredible.

There are three in Bristol, and all serve pitta and a range of salads which you can either stuff into your pitta (which is huge) or have in a box on the side.

Kaspas on Park Street is a restaurant purely for sweet sugary desserts. With décor like an American diner, it might not be your traditional British café, but is definitely worth a visit.

Indulging does not have to be all about food. The Lido in Clifton is a spa that allows for a full day of guilt-free relaxation.

Tuck in to some warming food in their restaurant afterwards before braving the real world again.

Bristol, although not as fast paced or forward-thinking as London, is known for being a ‘green’ city, and is excellent when it comes to walking everywhere.

I am in my third year at Bristol and have already found several new places where I now love to eat and drink that I had not discovered before.

Every time you are here there is somewhere new to visit or a beautiful part of the surrounding countryside to explore.

I hope you find this useful, whether you are already a student in Bristol, a visiting Londoner or just fancy checking out what Bristol has to offer (clue: a lot!).

Flora Beverley

‘‘Every time you’re here there’s somewhere new to visit or a beautiful part of the surrounding countryside to explore’’ Indulge Although clean eating is rife on social media, its rival, IIFYM (‘if it fits your macros’) has a following similar to ‘clean eating’.

I am one for balance and love to indulge in totally unhealthy things every now and again, because what is life without indulgence? One of my favourite restaurants in Bristol is Bosco Pizzeria, which does the best pizzas I have ever tried anywhere, including Italy.

Flickr/ duncan c

Relax in a café Bristol is well known for its myriad of independent cafes and café chains. My favourites include Friska, which does healthy hot food and homemade cakes and wraps, and Boston Tea Party, which, although it is a chain, is one of my favourite cafés/ restaurants ever!

They use all free-range eggs and meat and have delicious salads, although my favourite has to be their brunch – the eggs royale and brown rice porridge are both incredible.

Epigram/ Hannah Price

Explore the countryside Despite being one of the largest cities in the UK, in Bristol you are never far away from the countryside. Living in the city is fun, but it is the surrounding areas that are truly breathtaking, and allow you to escape from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.

Ashton Court is my favourite – an easy walk from the city centre, or a quick bus ride away. Walk or run over the Clifton suspension bridge for the spectacular view and you will find yourself in a huge park with deer and other wildlife, and plenty of space for a nice run, walk or bike ride!

If you cannot get to Ashton Court, the Downs is another area of spacious grassland perfect for soaking up that vitamin D and getting those endorphins pumping.

Epigram/ Flora Beverley

Hit the gym There are many gyms in Bristol, some of which have pay as you go classes, which are useful if you are just around Bristol for the weekend or simply want to try something different from your usual gym.

There are numerous chains, including Puregym, Anytime Fitness and The Gym, which offer everything you could possibly need. The university gym is basic but contains most of the equipment you need for a work out.

However, Bristol has no way of competing with London in terms of fitness classes - the real wonders lie outside the gym. So you could…

Flickr: Sales

Epigram/ Flora Beverley

As a student, I know how hard it seems to eat healthily and work out properly when on a budget. However, having spent two years roaming the streets of Bristol as a student, I have found that it is indeed possible, even if it does not have all of the options London has.

In some ways, it is even better – without the London prices, eating healthily does not have to munch into your monthly budget, and with multiple gyms offering student discount memberships and classes, it is possible to keep fit and fuel yourself on the smallest of budgets.

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31.10.2016

Nom, nom, Nomu Despite stumbling across Japanese restaurant, Nomu, on a whim, Amy Henderson explains why this unassuming eatery offers more than meets the eye. Could it even be the new Wagamama?

Whilst the interior and service was of a good standard, the definite highlight was the food.

The menu offered a hugely varied selection of sushi, “small eats,” and main courses, all of which were reasonably priced. Due to the fabulous deal of 3 sushi dishes or small eats for £13, most of which are priced well over £5 each, these are what we went for.

The unanimous favourite was the mouth-watering spicy pepper squid. Not at all greasy or chewy but entirely tasty, the only criticism was that there was not enough to go around!

Also worth mentioning is the Crispy Duck Futomaki, seaweedwrapped sushi filled with shredded duck, cucumber and spring onions. The wonderful contrast between the tastes and textures of the crunchy, salty duck and the soft, subtle rice really made this a dish to remember.

Epigram/ Amy Henderson

Not only that, the ‘miro miso’ sauce that it was served with was a perfect accompaniment. Not as overpoweringly sweet as hoisin, it really complimented the duck whilst keeping it the main focus of the dish.

I am aware that all of the food I have discussed so far contains meat. So what is Nomu like for vegetarians? Well, a friend that accompanied me has only recently adopted a meat free diet and although she was tempted by the delicious looking (and smelling) meat and fish, Nomu’s extensive menu with its variety of vegetarian options enabled her to resist!

She went for the avocado maki which, although completely fresh, lacked any real flavour and my taste of it was admittedly doused in soy sauce. The stand out vegetarian dish, however, was the generous portion of Spicy Tofu Fries.

Marinated with chilli sesame oil, soy sauce, a number of other wonderful herbs and spices, and dusted with shichimi togarashi,

Amy Henderson

Epigram/ Amy Henderson

I ended up at Nomu when friends of mine that were visiting arrived insisting that we ate Japanese food. Immediately eliminating Wagamama due to a craving for sushi, a quick Google search brought me to Nomu.

After walking past it countless times last year, on the all too familiar walk from Stoke Bishop to Uni, it never stood out to me.

The somewhat cheap-looking sign fails to represent the delights that lie beyond it.

Only arriving at past 9pm on a Monday evening with no reservation, I was expecting to be told that food was finished.

Instead though, we were quickly sorted a table in the small but wonderfully authentic, candle-lit dining area.

‘‘Authentic, affordable and absolutely full of flavour, I cannot recommend this Japanese kitchen more!’’

the popular Japanese food tofu - of which I have never been much of a fan - was transformed into a dish that has been on my mind all week and that I will not hesitate to order on my next visit!

The great standard and huge choice of food is matched by the sizeable drinks list. Alongside a good selection of beers, wines and spirits, what most impressed me was the glorious choice of gin, vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, brandy and champagne cocktails (phew!). The classic daiquiris and martinis were there, alongside some less familiar names, of which I chose the Gingerbread Russian, a yummy, albeit slightly sickly, mixture of vodka, Kahlua, gingerbread syrup, creme de cacao and double cream.

Overall, an interesting cocktail but one that I would recommend as an after dinner drink in place of a dessert, and not one to accompany sushi.

I have mentioned the ‘small eats’ deal already, which is available on any day at any time, but there are some other deals well worth noting. If you wanted to try one of the many cocktails, you can get one with a small eat or sushi for just £8! As the majority of cocktails are priced at £7, this is amazing value and worth taking advantage of. If you do not mind eating early then you can get two main courses for just £10 everyday between 5pm and 7pm: a perfect post-uni treat!!

Authentic, affordable and absolutely full of flavour, I cannot recommend this Japanese kitchen more!

The food I could not live with out... Eggs

Each week we’ll be discussing the quintessential foods that we cannot live without, whether it’s nostalgically sentimental, a store cupboard stable or a self obsessed addiction. Flo Williams tells us why eggs are her absolute food must.

Eggs, to my non-vegan friends - this is Bristol, after all - are a student staple. Incredibly versatile and loaded with good fats and vitamin B12, they can be a whole meal on their own, stirred through hot noodles, or cracked into a Victoria sponge for a Sunday afternoon treat.

Coming to university and having to adapt to the various pressures of cooking made me think about how much I rely on them in many different ways.

A primary deciding factor in my egg obsession revolves around the fact that they can be a ridiculously fast meal, that is if you discount anything that comes in a tin or a take-away box from Diamond Kebab, and are very satisfying as a breakfast pick me up after a long night out.

My favourite breakfast eggs are ‘over-easy’: fried in a little bit of garlic oil and flipped halfway through. A sneaky trick here is to get the oil nice and hot before you crack in the egg so that the edges go crispy.

Eggs are fundamentally amazing in that split into their two parts, they can form so many different properties. If you take the white and whisk at speed with some sugar you can create a lowcost, high impact meringue which really requires little effort or

Flickr/ Neil Conway

‘‘Coming to university made me think about how much I rely on them in many different ways’’ washing up. Just bung in the oven for an hour or so, and it is a good arm workout as well!

If you take the yolk alone, it can thicken sauces and make amazing custard if you heat it with cream and sugar.

Einstein once said that his greatest idea was to place his egg in

the same pan as his soup - and in a similar vein my favourite way to enjoy eggs is to crack them into a gently bubbling pan of chilli spiked tomato sauce.

Flo Williams

31.10.2016

27

A welcome to warming winter food

Triple chocolate brownies

Imogen Birkett extols the virtues of winter and tells us why her favourite comfort foods are enough to warm the colder months.

These decadent and entirely unhealthy triple-chocolate brownies are the perfect way to soothe tensions between you and your flatmates, treat yourself after that soul destroying hand-in or if you just want something filled to the brim with chocolate and butter. These are the ultimate comfort food treat!

Ingredients: 185g unsalted butter 185g dark chocolate 85g plain flour 45g cocoa powder 80g white chocolate 50g milk chocolate 3 eggs 270g golden caster sugar ½ tsp vanilla essence Optional: icing sugar or cocoa powder (for dusting) Method: Epigram/ Ellie Donnell

Benjamin Lebus/ Mob Kitchen

1. To begin, cut up the dark chocolate and butter into small pieces and drop them into a mixing bowl. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and set the bowl on the pan’s rim. Gently heat the water until the butter and chocolate have melted together, after which remove it from the heat and leave to cool.

2. Preheat your oven to 160˚C (for fan ovens) or 180˚C (for conventional ovens) and set the shelf in the middle. Also, cut a piece of baking paper big enough to line a shallow 20cm square baking tin.

3. Sift the flour and the cocoa powder together in another bowl.

4. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and pour in the sugar as well as the vanilla essence. Whisk the eggs with an electric mixer on the top speed for a few minutes until it turns pale and swells in volume.

5. Pour the chocolate/butter mixture into the aerated sugar/ egg and then fold them together carefully with a spatula. This can take time but eventually the colour will darken and even out.

6. Sift the flour/cocoa mixture over the wet ingredients and, again gently, fold the two together.

7. Break the milk and white chocolates into decent-sized chunks and fold them into the mix, again careful not to knock out too much air.

8. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and tilt it or use the spatula to spread it into the corners. Then place it in your oven and set your alarm for twenty minutes.

9. Do not leave it unattended. The easiest way to burn your brownie is to leave it for a set time and then take it straight out of the oven. Check it at the twenty minute mark, and then every five minutes after. Keep an eye out for the stiffening of the top, and then try giving the tin a light shake to see if there is any movement. Around thirty minutes after putting it in, using a toothpick, pierce the centre of the brownie and then pull out to see how much liquid mixture is still stuck to it. You still want some clinging to it, but not fully liquid brownie.

10. When it is finished cooking, take it out to cool. If you want to eat it warm, still wait a while for the brownie to firm up and only then extract it from the dish to serve out. Cut into small pieces (they’re rich enough in small doses) and you can dust them with icing sugar or cocoa powder for presentation, and serve them with clotted cream, ice cream (better yet, clotted cream ice cream), or custard.

11. If you don’t eat them all in one sitting (a monumental achievement if you do, even in a group) then they will keep in a sealed container for a fortnight. Enjoy.

I can honestly say that I am someone who prefers winter to summer. When summer approaches, people tend to get excited about getting out in the sun and getting a tan but, to me, summer generally means being uncomfortably hot and gaining a few awkwardly positioned freckles. Anyone that knows me would tell you that in winter, I really come into my own. Give me an oversized jumper, a cosy sofa and some warming, homemade winter food.

From delicious soups to hearty stews, mulled ciders and wines to jellies, jams and chutneys, the cold weather just gives us an excuse to hibernate and indulge ourselves. Autumn and winter bring some of the best produce for rustling up some simple but delicious meals, some of my favourites being butternut squash, celeriac and parsnips.

They are unbelievably versatile. To quote Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings, you can ‘boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew’ and so much more.

I love them roasted with olive oil, seasoning and some tahini to add some nuttiness – it really compliments their earthy

flavour. For those with a sweet tooth, this is the time when apples, pears and plums are at their peak.

Why not make one of the best puddings known to man: the humble crumble. A cheeky homemade dessert will make you feel so much better and believe me, your housemates will love you.

I have just begun working at family-run Mabel’s Greengrocer in Redland and I absolutely love it. I can already feel that my fruit and veg cookery knowledge has been taken to a new level.

Suddenly, I have started to incorporate some very rogue vegetables into my day-to-day meal plans. I have found myself roasting golden beetroot, frying cavolo nero and mashing turnips and can honestly say that I have been pleasantly surprised with the new flavours that I have discovered.

I will admit that sometimes my experimentation does not go to plan; my housemates were not too happy having to sample my parsnip and turnip soup. It was not good.

But if you are feeling like getting adventurous this winter, pop down to 17 Chandos Road where the fruit and veg magic happens – 20 per cent student discount comes in quite handy as well!

Imogen Birkett

Recipe: Honey Roasted Butternut Squash Soup For me, the quintessence of a winter warmer has to be the simple soup. You can never go wrong with it and can chuck in whatever you want. I always make a huge batch and freeze it for when I cannot bring myself to cook. To show you how easy it is, here is a recent recipe of mine; if I may say so myself, it is pretty damn good.

5. Take off the heat and blend until smooth.

6. If you are feeling fancy, serve with a dash of cream and a sprinkling of crispy bacon.

Imogen Birkett

Ingredients: 1 onion, diced 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped 2 carrots, roughly chopped 1 red pepper, roughly chopped 1 tbsp honey thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped 1.5 litres vegetable stock olive oil salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180 Fan/ Gas 6.

2. Line a large roasting tray with baking parchment. Tip in all the prepared veg and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until tender. Drizzle over the honey about 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

4. Place a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add olive oil and fry the ginger for a minute. Add the veg stock and roasted vegetables and bring to the boil. Season.

Flickr/ Matt and Rachel

Epigram/ Thomas Broadley

Method:

Editor Maya Colwell travel@epigram.org.uk

29

@e2travel

Deputy Editor Nia Price nia.price@epigram.org.uk

Online Editor Izzie Fernandes izzie.fernandes@epigram.org.uk

31.10.2016

Epigram Travel Section 2016/17

@epigram_travel

TALES OF TEUFELSBERG: Breaking into Berlin’s ‘Devil Mountain’ Epigram writer Evy Tang describes her experience scaling the heights of forbidden Berlin.

This man-made mountain is made out of rubble from destroyed buildings from WWII and constructed on a former Nazi training camp in south-west Berlin.

If this isn’t a creepy experience, then I don’t know what is. I will never forget how unnerving it was being in the dome itself. Any sounds vertebrated throughout the whole room, echoing like nothing I had experienced before. Suddenly we heard footsteps coming our way and knew we had to get out of there ASAP. Tiptoeing as quickly as we could, with the only source of light from our phone torches, we tried to get out without being caught.

Coming into land in Berlin’s Schönefeld Airport, you can see the iconic white dome on top of the mountain; the spy tower used by the British and Americans in the Cold War. The now abandoned spy tower is surrounded by a triple barbed wire fence and the place is full of squatters who charge tourists to look around. Those who do sneak in, do so at their own peril, with AbandonedBerlin.com rating Teufelsberg as 8/10 for difficulty breaking in.

At the very bottom of the stairwell were several tents dotted around.

We all turned white, palms sweating and dashed upstairs and back to the hole in the fence we had cut earlier.

Epigram /Evy Tang

Once safely out of the premises, we could finally breathe and talk!

It wasn’t until I got back home did I realised just how dangerous it really was. Suffice to say, I didn’t tell my parents about this excursion!

Camilla Gash

Two weeks into my Au-Pair year in Berlin, I got caught up in an Australian and British au-pairs’ antics. Bethany and Jack, who had planned to visit Berlin’s Devil Mountain, invited me along for the experience! On a cold early November morning, we headed out of Berlin equipped with wire cutters, rope and dark clothing.

DISCLAIMER: If you visit Berlin, don’t do this.

It took a good hour of tiptoeing around the premises before deciding on a stretch fence to cut through. Another 40 minutes and we had successfully penetrated the outer fence; however, I ripped my favourite jeggings clambering through.

We had to be extremely vigilant and quiet so as not to get caught by the unfriendly squatters who make a profit from goody-two-shoe tourists who cough up €€€’s to wander around. Well… it’s either pay up or get chased out by very angry German men, shouting something like “VERBOTEN, ES IST VERBOTEN” and threatening ‘punishments’.

”

We all turned white, palms sweating and dashed upstairs and back to the hole in the fence we had cut earlier

Epigram /Evy Tang

Epigram /Evy Tang

We climbed up a very unstable and dodgy-looking ladder, covered in overgrowth, to find floors and floors of abandoned spy offices, now totally derelict and covered in incredible graffiti.

”

An insider’s guide to: Belgium Born and bred Belgian, Editor Maya Wheeler-Colwell gives you an inside scoop on the capitals creepiest spots.

Epigram /Maya Wheeler-Colwell

4. Le Cerceuil: Le Cerceuil (the coffin) is one of Europe’s first horror bars, and has been going since the release of The Exorcist in 1974. An underground bar, with purple lighting and coffins as tables, you don’t get creepier than this spot. With its themed drinks and speed dating service, the novelties and attention to detail are neveending.

5. Ecole Emile Jacqumain in Parc Leopold: This primary school, built in the style of an abandoned mansion, sits in the centre of one of the dodgiest parks in Brussels. It happens to be the scene of a torturous childhood in the Belgian education system, and is well worth a visit for the insight seeing it will provide. Like with everything in Brussels, the silver lining is that a mere five minute walk from THIS creepy castle is the best frites shop in all of Belgium. Chips from Chez Antoine in Place Jourdan are sure to cure you of the shivers!

Epigram / Maya Wheeler-Colwell

2. Café des Spores: A restaurant dedicated to mushrooms (there’s a pun in the name for the Francophones among you), this cafe is a definite go to for all the fun, guys (ha). Mushrooms are not the most obviously creepy food, but there’s definitely a touch of the sinister about them. Café des Spores incorporates mushrooms into every dish, even dessert, with various cherry/mushroom/crème fraiche concoctions on offer.

3. Walibi: Walibi is a theme park to end all theme parks - literally, as the main scare factor is feeling that the safety officers would much rather be in central Brussels eating frites at Chez Antoine than paying any attention to the people getting on their rides. Nevertheless, if you do find yourself in Belgium for Halloween, or any time around it, Walibi is the place to hit up for their slightly ridiculous but endearing Halloween parades, all with a nice pint of cheap Belgian beer.

Epigram / Maya Wheeler-Colwell

1. Musee du Jouet: Brussels’ most inadvertently terrifying museum, The Musée de Jouet, houses children’s toys from across the ages in an almost shrine-like fashion. A popular location for kids’ birthday parties, it is made all the more sinister by the lack of interactivity which you would expect. The whole affair is taken incredibly seriously, with the dates of the toys catalogued with as much care as the art in the National Gallery. The main perk is that the museum is a five minute walk from L’Ogenblick, the world’s cosiest restaurant, which despite its Michelin rating, does a lunch menu in the ten Euro area.

Editor Maya Colwell travel@epigram.org.uk

30 26

@e2travel

Deputy Editor Nia Price nia.price@epigram.org.uk @epigram_travel

Online Editor Izzie Fernandes izzie.fernandes@epigram.org.uk

31.10.2016

Epigram Travel Section 2016/17

A nightmare in Bolivia Noa Leach remembers the huge political unrest surrounding her on her recent trip to Bolivia.

Epigram / Noah Leach

Halloween is scary, but Bolivian protests are scarier.

Bolivia is a breathtakingly beautiful country, with landscapes ranging from the jungles of the northeast to the freezing salt flats of the south.

Crossing into Bolivia from Brazil showed one of the quickest and sharpest contrasts between countries I’ve ever seen. It was amazing how much could change in the space of a few metres: the country, the language, the people – even the food changed. It is the country out of all of those I have visited in South America that has most proudly conserved their traditional culture, with at least half of the population still in the ‘Cholita’ full skirts and bowler hats.

It was pitch black and we weren’t moving, as both the lights and one of the engines had cut out.

Two hours later we (somehow) reached the shores of Peru, though we were told we had to climb the side of another boat – with 20kg of backpack – as there was no established walkway.

However, with the conserved culture clashing with the slowly modernising cities, political tension lingers – and leaving the salt flats for La Paz was when all the trouble started.

“

“

With no air in our lungs due to the 4000m altitude, we somehow lugged ourselves 50m up a hill to reach border control.

Protests were beginning to brew against the government, who have diverted exports of minerals from the country and lost the miners a huge amount of money.

After leaving what seemed like a war zone we breathed a huge sigh of relief when the Peruvian stamp was fixed on our passports.

We happily got on the night bus which sped away through the Andes… only to be woken up by a screaming woman telling everyone to get off the bus. Our driver was drunk, and had apparently almost gone off the cliff multiple times!

This was unknown to us – and to most of the world due to censored media – though French reporters were describing it as a ‘mini-civil war’. We were very aware, however, of the gunshots that sometimes echoed in La Paz.

This news reached us the following day, at this point we were sitting on a boat in the middle of Lake Titicaca (which separates the two countries) as the roads were blocked.

Bolivia is a stunning and (needless to say) exciting part of the world, but it is not for the faint-hearted.

Epigram / Noah Leach

The day that we left Bolivia for Peru, the striking miners kidnapped and beat to death their Deputy Interior Minister and his bodyguard.

It was pitch black and we weren’t moving, as both the lights and one of the engines had cut out.

Epigram / Noah Leach

Epigram / Noah Leach

Two hours later we (somehow) reached the shores of Peru, though we were told we had to climb the side of another boat – with 20kg of backpack – as there was no established walkway.

The plank was less than a foot across, with icy water either side.

31.10.2016

31

Why you should pack your bags for Peru Epigram Travel spoke to Alex Morton about her time as an LAFF volunteer in Peru.

As the new term begins, thousands of students are returning back to Bristol from their years abroad, whilst others will soon be planning their own adventures for next year. Many choose to study or work abroad, but volunteering is becoming an increasingly popular option for those travelling to more far-flung destinations. Epigram spoke to Alex, a University of Bristol languages student who has just returned from four months volunteering in Peru, to hear her about her experiences and tips.

Alex was volunteering as a Fundraising Officer for Latin American Foundation for the Future (LAFF), a small British charity based in Cusco. LAFF supports disadvantaged young people in Peru, with a particular focus on providing educational opportunities. The projects it supports include a home for boys who have been abandoned or abused and a scholarship programme funding further education for talented youths from poor rural communities. The charity does not have its own projects but instead aims to improve the sustainability and capacity of existing projects by providing training and funding to promote future self-sufficiency.

For Alex, this approach was a major draw when choosing a charity to volunteer with. ‘LAFF’s focus on sustainability really appealed to me when I was researching volunteering opportunities in Peru,’ she explained.

‘The aim is that their partner organisations will eventually no longer need our support. For example, LAFF aids projects in setting up and developing social enterprises, the profits of which go back to the project so that they are less reliant on external sources of funding.’

With volunteering you really get out what you put in if you go with an open mind and plenty of enthusiasm.

“

Epigram / Alex Morton

Epigram / Alex Morton

“

E p ig r a m / Alex M orton Epi g r a m / Ale x Mo rton

‘I also wanted to volunteer for an organisation where I felt I could make a worthwhile contribution to their work. LAFF selects volunteers who have the necessary skills, rather than simply using you as a source of income by requiring you to pay for the experience. They want your expertise not your money. I was keen to gain some experience in the international development sector and as a small organisation I knew this would be a great opportunity to have a fair amount of responsibility.’

Working as LAFF’s Fundraising Officer, Alex had a number of roles including communicating with current donors, writing grant applications and researching potential new fundraising opportunities. She also visited LAFF’s local projects to source information and photos to share with donors.

Aside from being invaluable work experience, volunteering for LAFF also provided Alex with the opportunity to live abroad, improve her Spanish and immerse herself in Latin American culture.

‘By living here rather than just travelling for a few weeks you really get a feel for the culture and way of life. As I was in Peru for four

months I was able to explore more of the country, rather than just the main tourist attractions. A highlight for me was visiting Parobamba, a remote Andean community involved in one of our projects. The only way to get there was by riding in the back of a fruit truck which we shared with a herd of animals, who at one point escaped into the area where everyone was sitting!’

‘Cusco was a fantastic city to be based in. As well as doing the famous Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu I also had time to go more off the beaten track, exploring the amazing scenery of the surrounding Sacred Valley and lesser known Inca ruins.’

The highlight of her trip, however, was still her work with LAFF: ‘The young people I met at the projects were amazing. Given the hardships they had faced their energy and enthusiasm was really inspiring. I spent one afternoon helping the kids at Azul Wasi, a home for abandoned and abused boys, reply to pen-pal letters from a school in the UK which fundraises for the project.

The boys also created video clips to send to the British students, thanking them for their support, and it was very touching to hear how much they valued the support Azul Wasi provides for them. It really brought home to me the importance of LAFF’s work.’

‘Once you’re there make sure you take advantage of all the opportunities available. Activities outside of work like language exchanges and local events will help you get the most out of your experience. Don’t worry if it takes a while to settle in – this is normal! You’re not just starting a new job but getting used to a whole new culture, so the best approach is just to embrace the differences, even if these are a lack of heating or reliable running water. With volunteering you really get out what you put in, so if you go with an open mind and plenty of enthusiasm you’re sure to have an amazing experience.’

To find out more about LAFF and how to volunteer with them visit www.laffcharity.org.uk/.

Epigram / Edie Lamornagrace

So what advice would Alex give to students interested in volunteering abroad? ‘Definitely do your research to find a charity you feel that you could make a genuine contribution to. Think about the skills you already have and how they could best be put to use. Also make sure you have planned how you will fund your placement and budgeted carefully. Although living without a salary can be a challenge, in Peru for example it is possible to live on a very low budget if you do the necessary preparation. Rent can be as little as a quarter of Bristol prices and you can get a tasty set menu lunch for not much more than a pound!’

Tag your travel photos with #epitravel to be featured on our account. Each issue we’ll print the photo with the most likes.

31.10.2016

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Editor Online Editor Jessie Onion Alex Boulton style@epigram.org.uk alex.boulton@epigram.org.uk @e2style

@epigramstyle

Our Guide to Bristol’s best independent shops In this issue we introduce you to Bristol’s best independent shops on the Triangle, City Centre, Clifton, Stokes Croft and Park Street e

l g n a i r The T

2. Friska and Rise, 70 Queens Road Downstairs, the open plan café offers tasty lunches of pho noodles and wraps, but upstairs is Rise, a great independent music store. An extensive selection of records, walls of books and a section of vintage clothes for men and women make this a great place to choose a quirky gift for anyone.

1. U Studio

treet

Epigram/Jessie Onion

Instagram/@rise_bristol

Instagram/ @ustudio.design

Epigram/Jessie

Epigram/Jessie Onion

Park S

2.Guild, 68 Park Street This sprawling shop sells a huge array of interesting design pieces, small gifts and on the top floor, interesting biscuits, sweets, chocolates and chutneys. Halfway up Park Street, this is a lovely place to spend half an hour in the afternoon between lectures, looking through the mix of affordable and ‘I wish’ classic design pieces

1. BS8 , 34 Park Street

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Epigram/Jessie Onion

Instagram/ @b_s_8

Instagram/ @b_s_8

A shop combining vintage and high street clothing, BS8 is one of Bristol’s gems and popular with students and locals alike. Their prices are higher than charity shops in the area, but their pieces are well worth investing in. They are especially chosen for their individuality and quality and often feature designer pieces at bargain prices.

Epigram/Jessie Onion

Epigram/Jessie Onion

Epigram/Jessie Onion

This small independent publisher (previously Urban Graphic) sells unique cards and gifts designed in their Bristol based studio. They have a huge selection of cards and a mix of stationary, screenprints, ceramic mugs and pots that are reasonably priced and offer something different to mainstream high street stores.

Epigram/Jessie Onion

3. Chandni Chowk, 66 Park Street Epigram/Jessie Onion

Instagram/ @bristolguild

Epigram/Jessie Onion

Next door to Guild sits this much smaller but equally as unique shop that sells fair-trade textiles handmade in India and Bangladesh.

You could really kit out your whole house in here, as they sell clothes, cushions, bedspreads, washbags, travel holdalls and pretty much everything in between. The clothes are not cheap (between £20-£50) but are good quality cotton and such unusual prints that you won’t find them anywhere else.

31.10.2016

1. Christmas Steps

2. St Nicks

A real-life Diagon Alley, Christmas Steps is arguably one of the most charming and commercially untouched areas of Bristol. The alley consists of a number of specialised shops including a stamp dealer, video shop complete with small cinema, and a great fancy dress shop.

Take a detour down this street on your way to or from the city centre.

e C y t i C

Epigram/Alex Boulton

Epigram/Alex Boulton

Epigram/Alex Boulton

n o t f i l C

3. Papersmiths

2. Clifton Arcade The independent heart of Clifton, the Victorian Arcade houses many shops selling everything from vintage clothing to artwork. It opened in 1878 but fell into disuse and disrepair but is now fully restored to its former glory.

1. Pod

Instagram/ @stnicksmarket

Instagram/ @stnicksmarket

Away from the main hustle and bustle of the main shopping quarter, St Nicholas Market is home to the largest assortment of independent shops in the country. Features of this Georgian Arcade include the permanent Exchange Hall and Glass Arcade, complimented by the weekly Nails Market and the regular night markets.

Come here for great independent clothes and accessories stores, amazing street food and more specialist sellers like fossils and stamps.

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re t n

The quality of the products sold in this stationery shop match the amazing interior, set up as an addition to the owner’s design studio. They sell a huge range of books and over 120 independent magazines, as well as posters, pens and stationery.

First opened in Clifton in 2001 and now with another store in Oxford, Pod is a gift and lifestyle company who sell homeware, stationery, gifts and jewellery. A must see for those who love brands such as Orla Kiely, Happy Jackson and Wild and Wolf.

1. RePsycho

Instagram/ @paper_smiths

3. Fox and Feather

Epigram/Alex Boulton

Sto

Instagram/ @paper_smiths

Epigram/Alex Boulton

Facebook / The Pod Company

ft o r C kes

A quirky boutique that houses some of the most unique brands the UK has to offer. The shop prides itself on non-conformity and not following the high street, a great place for finding something amazing on a budget.

Instagram/ @foxandfeatheruk

Katze is an ethical version of a department store that sells everything from fairtrade clothing to gifts and cards: a must-see for those students looking for cool clothes from responsible sources.

Epigram/Alex Boulton

Facebook / Katze Bristol

Facebook / RePsycho

Epigram/Alex Boulton Epigram/Alex Boulton

2. Katze

Instagram/ @foxandfeatheruk

A cool vintage and retro clothing shop that also rents out costumes, RePsycho comprises three floors and also sells homewares and vinyl. It opened on Gloucester Road in 1995, but before that traded on Portobello Market and a number of University campuses, so the staff really know their stuff when it comes to vintage clothing.

Alex Boulton and Jessie Onion

Epigram 31.10.2016

34

Careers Service Sponsored Content

Meet your future employers We spend on average 47 years of our life at work. In comparison, the average degree course is 3 years. So don’t you think it’s worth investing a little time in yourself today to explore who might be employing you tomorrow?

Career Coach John Lees once said that we spend more time each year planning our annual holiday than we do our career.

Perhaps if we reversed this logic we’d be happier at work and in less need of a vacation. Think it’ll be dull? Think again.

The Careers Service is here to help all Bristol students to leave University feeling confident about their future.

There are endless possibilities for who your future employer could be. This can be overwhelming, so the earlier you get started exploring who is out there the sooner you will find where you fit.

Bristol is the fourth most targeted University by recruiters. Find out who they are by logging into mycareer (https:// careers.bristol.ac.uk/) and viewing our list of organisations and vacancies.

”

“The Careers Service is here to help all Bristol students to leave University feeling confident about their future.”

This term around 300 employers are visiting campus for fairs and events so there are plenty to choose from. As one employer told us “companies come to you and want to hire you. Make good use of that”!

Meeting employers face-to-face is the best way to make an impression. You can pick up industry contacts and get to know the decision-makers. Who you know is often just as important as what you know in the world of work, so it’s best to make the most of every opportunity to meet employers.

The conversations you have may very well be the starting point for your future career. One of the best ways to find out what you want to do and who you want to work for is to talk to the people who are

Google’s office in London features laptops and deckchairs already doing the job. Speak to employers on campus about their day to day work, but don’t forget to use the contacts you already have, family, friends, tutors and us at the Careers Service.

Epigram / Apps for Good

“

“Companies come to you and want to hire you. Make good use of that!”

The Careers Service works with employers on a daily basis so come in and talk to us.

Collect a free copy of the Times Top 100 and The Guardian UK 300 which will help build your knowledge of companies, sectors and job roles.

Your future employer is waiting to meet you. Why delay the adventure? www.bristol.ac.uk/careers Find us at 5 Tyndall Ave, between ASSL and Sports centre

Epigram 31.10.2016

Editor Anna Wyn annawyn.epigram@gmail.com

Facebook: Jimi: All By My Side Event Page

Facebook: The Cinematic Orchestra Event Page

Facebook: Grayson Perry- Man in a Dress Event Page

35

MUSIC

Simple Things presents The Cinematic Orchestra, 7.11

After Simple Things had a weekend like no other (apparently, I didn’t go), they’re finishing the season off with The Cinematic Orchestra. The Cinematic Orchestra have firmly established themselves as one of the most captivating and technically accomplished live groups on the scene. From their fondness to score-composition, they’re a band with musical scope, and it’s bound to be a breathtaking watch.

CULTURE Grayson Perry - Typical Man in a Dress, 2.11

Alongside the release of his new book, ‘The Descent of Man’, join Grayson at Colston Hall for an intelligent evening of laughs and insights into the wonderfully weird world of Grayson Perry. Now it’s an expensive ticket, but listening to this individual is an experience like no other. Expect mullings upon masculinity by one of the most formative figures in the discussion of gender politics and the world of art.

The Grinning Man Bristol Old Vic, 13.1013.11 Based on Victor Hugo’s “The Man who Laughed”, it’s been hailed for its transportative 17th Century set design, breathtaking vocal performances and its wonderfully weird theatricality.

This new musical is a magical and macbre fantasy taking the Bristol Old Vic by storm.

COMEDY The Big Lez Show & Mike Nolan Show Hosted

by Bobby Mair, The Blue Mountain Club, 6.11

If crudely animated comedy is your cup of tea, blag a ticket to this Q&A session with the animators of “The Big Lez Show” and an Aussie B&Q (in November) to boot. Home-grown animation will be screened to preceed the Q&A, but the after-party is bound to be as bonkers as Big Lez himself.

FILM

Black Mirror Night- Part 1 Scott Xylo DJ Set/Visuals Female Trouble, The Arts + Jimi: All is By My Side House, 8.11 The Louisiana, 1.11 Watershed, 25.11 Though it might be hard to coax you If you’re looking to become a bit more out of your bedroom to something other than First Dates, Black Mirror is back! Come to The Louisiana for popcorn and curry, and prove to the naysayers that binge-watching CAN be a social occasion by watching the first three episodes on the big screen.

Watershed, yet again, have organised another killer late-night screening.

Preceeding the showing of this amazing Jimi Hendrix biopic, drop by the Bar before the film from 22:00 for a special Come The Revolution audio/visual treat.

From Hendrix-to-Hip-Hop with a DJ set from Scott Xylo and specially curated visuals.

cine-literate, may I suggest watching John Waters’s “Female Trouble?”. There is no way that one would find this classic on Netflix, but this campy melodrama (starring iconic drag-queen Devine) is an unmissable watch.

Connect with us @ChoosebristolPG bristoluniversity UniversityofBristol UniversityofBristol

POSTGRADUATE OPEN DAY Wednesday 23 November 3 pm – 7 pm Wills Memorial Building

7R ¿QG RXW PRUH DQG WR ERRN \RXU place, please visit bristol.ac.uk/ postgrad-openday

PG Open Day Epigram print full page.indd 1

21/10/2016 12:33:31

Don’t rush in to renting your student home DON'T RENT YET

housing checklist KICKING BALLS

this bristol girl can bristolsu.org.uk

IN PICTURES

Chris packham & david attenborough

housing checklist

Renting houses doesn't have to be stressful. Use our handy checklist to make the process easier!

Location Ō Is the property in an area convenient for your studies and social life? Ō Does it have public transport and local amenities nearby? Ō Would you feel safe walking in the area in the evening?

External features Ō Does the exterior of the property appear well maintained? Look for broken guttering, roof damage, cracked windows panes and solid front and back doors Ō Are all boundary walls in good condition? Ō Are there enough bins for the property, including recycling? Ō Is the garden well maintained and clear of any rubbish? Ō Who is responsible for maintenance of the garden?

Internal features Ō Is there enough communal living space? Ō Are the bedrooms big enough for you all? Ō Does the interior of the property appear well maintained? Ō Are there signs of damp or mould? Ō Are there enough facilities for the number of tenants? Ō ,V WKHUH VXIÀFLHQW KHDWLQJ WKURXJKRXW the property?

Safety features Ō Does the landlord have a current JDV VDIHW\ FHUWLÀFDWH WKDW KDV EHHQ provided by a Safe Gas registered engineer within the past 12 months? Ō Does the property have working smoke alarms? Ō Are plug sockets free from cracks and other damage? Ō Are there enough plug sockets in each room in the property?

Security features Ō Are all windows lockable? Ō Are there suitably strong locks on front and back doors? Ō Your landlord Ō Is the letting agency a member of a redress scheme? Ō Do you have the landlord’s full contact name and address? Ō Have you seen a copy of the HMO OLFHQVH LI SURSHUW\ LV IRU ÀYH SHRSOH RU more)? Ō Have you seen at least three other properties with other landlords and compared rent levels? Ō Has the landlord provided details of which deposit scheme they will use to protect your money?

Contract Ō Have you taken the contract to the $FFRPPRGDWLRQ 2IÀFH IRU FKHFNLQJ" We strongly recommend you do. Ō Are you clear on the dates of the contract? Ō Do you know how much the monthly rent is? Ō Do you need a UK based guarantor? Ō What bills do you need to pay in addition to the rent? Ō Have you got all plans for UHIXUELVKPHQWV FRQÀUPHG LQ ZULWLQJ" Ō Ask about who is responsible for additional shared item costs i.e. locks on bedroom door, extra appliances.

Questions for the current tenants Ō Are they happy with the state of the property? Ō Do they think the landlord is professional and gets repairs done quickly? Ō 'RHV WKH KHDWLQJ ZRUN VXIÀFLHQWO\" Ō Is there a working burglar alarm, and is it easy to use? Ō Do they like living in the property? Ō Why are they leaving?

)RU PRUH KDQG\ KRXVLQJ WLSV DQG WR ÀQG RXW DERXW RXU Don't Rent Yet events, visit: bristolsu.org/dontrentyet

david attenborough and chris packham

This bristol girl can Grace Youell, chair of Bristol SU’s Sports Executive committee, talks about the importance of This Girl Can week, and kicking balls

up, has totalled 37 million views. The FDPSDLJQ¡V RIÀFLDO KDVKWDJ KDV EHHQ tweeted over 660,000 times and the Facebook page has over 325,000 likes.

Think kicking balls. Think boxing. Think swimming. Think rugby. That’s right ladies, we rock at all of them. The Sport England campaign “This Girl Can� helps us to recognise and celebrate this fact together.

Even more impressively, its empowering message and honesty has inspired a staggering 2.8 million of us to do more activity as a result, which is nothing short of fantastic.

The campaign was launched in 2015 to inspire more women to exercise. It is a response to research in the UK that GLVFRYHUHG D VLJQLĂ€FDQW JHQGHU JDS LQ H[HUFLVH OHYHOV $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH RIĂ€FLDO stats, 1.73 million more 14-40-year-old men play sport regularly than women. Further research attributed this to more women being afraid of being judged whilst exercising than men.

This Girl Can is about changing these perceptions and picturing women of all shapes, sizes and abilities exercising, playing sport and most importantly having IXQ GRLQJ LW 7KH SURPRWLRQDO ÀOP ZKLFK pictures an honest portrayal of women without the usual airbrushing or touching

And now it’s time for This Girl Can to come to Bristol SU. On the week of 7 November there will be a huge range of classes, trainings and events for us to enjoy! Forget the classic ‘beach body ready’ chat and unrealistic images of touched up models.

Getting sweaty, red-face and exhausted is way more fun. Come and get involved, post your pictures on social media and hashtag #ThisBristolGirlCan. “I kick balls. Deal with it.� That’s what she said.

This Girl Can week comes to Bristol from 7 - 14 November. To see all of the sports and classes you can get involved in, visit bristolsu.org.uk.

spooky

shoCKTAILS This Halloween try one of our frightfully delicious concoctions

WHAT'S ON FEATURED EVENT Julia holter Coming to Anson Rooms in support of 'Have you in my Wilderness' this is Holter's most sonically intimate album. Her vocals are front and centre in the mix, lifted out of the layers of smeared, hazy effects.

The result is striking: clear and vivid, but disarmingly personal - this is a gig not to be missed!

Buy tickets now: bristolsu.org.uk/bristolsulive

Monday 31 October, 8pm, The Balloon, The Big Fat Bristol SU Pub Quiz.

Our regular monday night quiz gets a spooky twist for Halloween. Expect obscure facts, near-impossible challenges, general hilarity and extremely cheap beer. The best dressed team wins a terrifying prize!

Monday 14 November, 7pm, Pugsley Lecture Theatre, Queens Building.

An Evening with Elizabeth White.

The Wildlife Film Society host an evening with the Planet Earth II producer and Bristol alumus. Hear about White's incredible work in the industry in this exciting event.

Tuesday 1 November, 5.15pm, 5LFKPRQG %XLOGLQJ WK ÁRRU

Don’t Rent Yet: Housing 101 %H FRQÀGHQW ZKHQ KRXVH KXQWLQJ Come along to this 40 minute talk to ÀQG RXW ZKDW \RX QHHG WR FRQVLGHU when looking for accommodation.

Wednesday 2 November, 6pm, &DIp .LQR 8R% DQG 8:( ÀOP QLJKW Engineers without Borders Bristol host a movie night. What will we watch?

You decide. Vote in the poll on the Facebook event - Top Gun and Blood Diamond are currently front runners.

Sunday 6 November, 5pm, Stephenson Room. Get Active Boxercise.

Come along and GET ACTIVE with us, DW WKLV IXQ ER[LQJ ÀWQHVV WUDLQLQJ FODVV A great way to exercise and meet new people, in a friendly environment.

Monday 14 November, 5pm, SEH. Get Active Netball.

Try one of the university's most popular sports and meet other netball players.

All abilities welcome.

Thursday 17 November, 8pm, Balloon Bar. Thursday Night Live.

Free live music from a stellar line-up of local and student bands, cheap beer and tasty food. Pretty much the perfect Thursday night.

For more information on all upcoming events see bristolsu.org.uk/events

Sarah Newey

CULTURE

Epigram

31.10.2016

Film & TV

@epigramfilm Editor: Ella Kemp

Deputy Editor: Josh Spencer

Online Editor: Phoebe Graham

ekemp@epigram.org.uk

josh.spencer@epigram.org.uk

phoebe.graham@epigram.org.uk

@ella_kemp

@_joshjs

@phoebe_elise19

The good, the bad and the ugly: London Film Festival 2016

Another year, another LFF. Our Film & TV Editors share their top picks from the capital’s annual film festival.

Ella Kemp and Josh Spencer Film & TV Editors

and remembers as the audience does too. It is in part the film’s structure that gives this effect, but it is mostly Affleck’s performance which grabs the viewer and holds their gut with no release.

He isn’t the standard troubled hero, who after getting beaten up may go for a run before turning his life around. He is polite, caring and doing the best he can – most of the time. It is so refreshing to see a man on screen who isn’t really the bad guy, or the hardly credible knight in shining armour either.

BFI/LFFPRESS

BFI/LFFPRESS

As another sun sets over festival season for 2016, this year’s BFI London Film Festival truly outdid itself. With 249 feature films and 145 shorts from 74 different countries around the world, we waved goodbye to the cream of the crop in the big smoke until next year. We saw the best, the worst, the funniest and the most upsetting. With journey time coming in at just under three hours, can you say no to a little LFF getaway next year?

comparisons with cinematic royalty Hayao Miyazaki, and while his film is not quite Spirited Away… what is?

We follow the story of a teenage boy and girl who live in different neighbourhoods – one in the city, one in the country – and are transported into each other’s bodies every other night when they go to sleep. This leads them on a journey wherein the fate of their own lives is at stake. Not only is it refreshingly original with an absorbing concept, it is equally a compelling love story - filled with just the right amount of humour.

The animators excel in drawing to life rich and stunning landscapes, with the same high standards as its predecessors in the genre. Smatterings of useless montages and the soundtrack were the only slight drawbacks from a deeply touching feature that takes you all the way along with it – if you let it.

Biggest Disappointment - Snowden

Biggest dissapointment - Snowden

Steve Gleason spent eight years pushing his body to the limit at the highest level in the NFL, then decided to stop and enjoy retirement. A couple of years later he was diagnosed with the muscle-degenerating ALS syndrome and six weeks after his diagnosis, he learnt his wife was pregnant with a baby boy.

Gleason is one of the most emotive pieces of work I have watched in recent memory, as director Clay Tweel does not add a gloss to the situation but fully delivers the reality of it – the highs and the lows.

The purpose of the film is in many ways as a gift for Steve’s young son, who may never be able to hear him talk – so he records a series of video blogs as a legacy for his child.

These are expertly cut with heart-wrenching scenes on the football field, tense moments in the relationship with his wife and the incredible charity work he has undertaken since his diagnosis.

Gleason is in many ways a tragic story, but it is just as uplifting in the attitude Steve takes to life. This is by no means just a film for sports fans – inspiring, real and extremely moving.

BFI/LFFPRESS

In this issue...

Best performance - Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea In Manchester by the Sea, Casey Affleck is the last man standing who picks up the pieces after his brother’s death. Following a number of minor roles and as good a role in Interstellar as he could get - here it truly is his time to shine.

It is difficult to define what Casey Affleck does so well. He manages to take the story of Lee, tragic and tormenting in turn, and visibly tell it while keeping it all in. Lee breaks, stops, pauses

Charlie Gearon on Why we need scary films page 43

Ashley Yonga on Scream page 43

BFI/LFFPRESS BFI/LFFPRESS

Best foreign film - Your Name

Makato Shinkai’s Your Name has blown away box office records in Japan by achieving the monumental task of being the first non-Studio Ghibli animation to make more than 10 billion Yen in a month at the box office. Shinkai has received glowing

The one worth waiting for - Free Fire

BFI/LFFPRESS

Combining one of the most exciting directors, attractive pair of actors and beloved genres around, La La Land ticks a lot of boxes. It’s easy to be cynical when it does all seem too good to be true. Well, believe the hype because we can guarantee you will be dancing and singing out of the cinema once the film ends.

Mia is an aspiring actress who crosses paths with the moody and passionate struggling jazz pianist, Sebastian. What unfolds on screen is their picture-perfect romance which goes through the inevitable ups and downs of yesterday’s love story in today’s everyday L.A. It is cheesy, funny and moving in its loyalty to the genre and accuracy in modern day tropes and reappropriation of a well known on-screen movement.

Damien Chazelle directs a modern day Hollywood musical - not a parody, not a tribute and not a joke, but a real, warm-hearted and truly inspiring musical. La La Land manages to soothe every ache and comply with conventional happy-end traditions while standing out as the first contemporary film of its kind.

BFI/LFFPRESS

Most moving film - Gleason

Best crowdpleaser/ultimate feelgood film - La La Land

The press screening of Snowden was certainly one of the busier ones during London Film Festival and expectations were high.

Oliver Stone has a wealth of experience in biopics with previous work such as W. and JFK, as well as the story of the former NSA worker gone rogue being so intriguing it seems impossible to make work that isn’t entirely captivating.

While the film is not a complete failure – it is a relatively fun ride, for the most part – it fails to make any sort of statement and capture the profundity of Edward Snowden’s actions, as well as the wider implications of his discovery in a powerful way.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a decent performance in the role, but the script is at times too ham-fisted, leaving the film lacking in originality and subtlety. Frankly, it would be a far better use of your time to watch Citizenfour, as there is a sense that this a story so already enthralling that it did not need a Hollywood facelift.

Last year he gave us High Rise and waved a bold hello to a mainstream audience. British director Ben Wheatley packs an even heavier punch with Free Fire, coming out in cinemas next March.

Channelling early Tarantino with a Reservoir Dogs-esque real time shoot out as the film’s centerpiece, Free Fire showcases the cream of the crop and closed this year’s festival in style.

Wheatley’s modernist flair, verging on dystopian, takes a wellknown action template and crafts a fast-paced, highly original and utterly groovy shootout picture. Highlights include a (finally) comfortably Irish Cillian Murphy, a devilishly charming Armie Hammer and a side-splitting well-tailored Sharlto Copley. Save the date, you do not want to miss Free Fire.

Zoe Sadler on Fleabag page 44

“

Epigram 31.10.2016

43 30

drawn into. We walk alongside them as they try to decipher the clues, because ultimately, it’s a matter of life or death.

The killer forces the characters to face not only their fears but their own lies and has you wondering if they are really against Emma, or just trying to help her in the craziest way possible.

Epif lix and Chill: Episode 3

The curiosity of who the killer is will have you clikcing that ‘Next Episode’ button without a moment’s hesitation

Happy Halloween everybody! My favourite time of year has rolled around and what better way to celebrate than to discuss unquestionably the best Halloween franchise of all time: Scream.

If you haven’t already seen the movies, I highly recommend that you do because they are the best that the horror genre has to offer.

From the success of these movies came the birth of this Netflix and MTV original show… and boy was it delightfully terrifying. The show boasts a magnificent two seasons – a third confirmed for next summer – with both similarities and entirely different aspects to its predecessors.

The show takes place in the quintessential small town of Lakewood and follows the story of a teenage girl named Emma Duval, who becomes the unfortunate target of a killer’s rampage.

The town itself is no stranger to a killing spree, with the dark history of one of its teenagers killing some of their classmates two decades before the start of the show. As a result, the initial episodes are filled with the reluctance of each character to accept that history may be repeating itself.

Previous iterations of the franchise took place in the 90s, so of course things have changed significantly since then. This is reflected beautifully on the show with references to popular culture – including a flawless Gone Girl mention – and TV shows like Game of Thrones and Pretty Little Liars, in addition to the big role that the internet and social media play on the show.

Despite this, it maintains the clever selfawareness that made the original films so unique.

The character of Noah keeps his finger on the

Wikimedia

With Halloween upon us, Film & TV Writer Ashley Yonga discusses new Netflix Original Scream, asking whether it does the original films proud - and if is it is the one to watch this fortnight.

pulse of the horror genre’s rules and regulations, especially the ever charming ‘Never say “I’ll be right back”’ - because as we all know, they never really do come back.

The first season focuses on the killer unravelling of what they believe is Emma’s ‘perfect life’, while the second is more of a revenge story. Any horror show can only be as good as its killer and their motives, so are they terrifying enough? Did you guess who it was or was it a surprise? Did you believe, truly believe, that anyone was fair game?

The answer to these questions was all a staggering ‘Yes’.

The killer plays an intricate game with these characters, a game in which one small misstep leads to the death of someone Emma cares about and a game the audience is unwittingly

If you’ve seen the Scream films, and you’re worried that this wouldn’t do them justice, put your qualms to rest, as the show certainly does its predecessors proud. I like to think that Sidney Prescott would be satisfied with the show’s protagonist, who gets put through the ringer constantly. If you wonder how a 6-hour film series can be dragged out into a 22-hour television show then Noah Foster - boy genius, horror movie & murder mystery enthusiast and one of my favourite characters on the show – says it best: ‘You need to figure that it’s [not just] a horror story, that someone might die at every turn. You have to care if the smokin’ hot lit teacher seems a little too interested in his female students. You have to care if the team wins the big game. You have to care if the smart, pretty girl forgives the dumb jock.’

Therein lies the fundamental reason this show is remarkable. You have 22 episodes to like these characters, care about them, so that when they die – and trust me, they do – it breaks your heart.

At the very least, the curiosity of who the killer is and why they’re doing this will have you clicking that ‘Next Episode’ button without a moment’s hesitation.

Got an idea for the next installment of Epiflix and Chill?

Get in touch @EpigramFilm

Halloween is coming: do we need scary films?

As we reach horror film season, Film & TV Writer Charlie Gearon tells us whether this a genre we need, or one to forget.

“

The best horror films are creative in their attempts to unnerve the audience

What should always be remembered, however, is that art isn’t always there to make you feel good.

Indeed, most of the best art does the opposite.

It forces you to confront uncomfortable truths about yourself, or about the society in which you live. This is exactly what the best films in the horror genre do.

It should be admitted that there are a lot of terrible horror films - films that are created to spook viewers using cheap jump scares and a lot of gore. But these aren’t the films that I’m referring to. The best horror films are creative in their attempts to unnerve their audience.

“

Vimeo/Ori Singer

Scary films have always been popular.

Looking back to the start of the 20th Century, expressionist horror films like Nosferatu (1922) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) were hits amongst critics and are still heralded as two of the greatest films (not just in the horror genre) of the silent period.

Jumping forward to present day, the Saw and Paranormal Activity franchises brought in just under $1bn dollars each at the box office, placing them both in the top 100 highest grossing film franchises of all time.

But what is it about these films that’s so appealing? Being scared certainly isn’t pleasant.

And it seems strange that for over a hundred years, people have consistently been paying to see films that are designed entirely for that purpose.

It seems that the only explanation as to why we watch scary films is essentially the same reason we watch any film at all. A good film creates a mood; it generates emotion in its audience. A comedy should make you laugh, a tragedy should make you sad, a horror should make you scared.

Beyond the film industry, all art – be it a piece of theatre, a painting, a song or anything else works in the same way. Its purpose is to elicit a reaction in its audience.

Fear is a fundamental human emotion [...] it gives us a better idea of what is is to be a person

Take a film like The Blair Witch Project (1999).

This was filmed on an absolute shoestring budget, makes no use of special effects and uses no music whatsoever to heighten tension. We never even see the ‘Blair Witch’. Instead, clever use of the found footage style and a fear of the unseen create a sense of dread which pervades the entire film.

This is heightened further still by the method of production. The actors were left in the woods by themselves for eight days with just two cameras while the production team laid traps and snuck up on them in the night to scare them.

The film explores what it means to be afraid in the most human way possible. Viewers feel like voyeurs watching a nightmare unfold in front of three students.

Where The Blair Witch Project uses the unseen, Silence of the Lambs (1991) uses the obvious. The film’s protagonist Clarice meets with psychiatrist turned serial killer Hannibal Lecter early on, who

is then is ever-present throughout the film. The audience is never allowed a moment’s respite from the danger of his particular brand of genius psychopathy. He is an over-bearing presence and dominates the film, even when not physically present in a scene.

Eraserhead (1977) is particularly interesting in its method of creating fear. David Lynch’s first feature-length film makes heavy use of the surreal.

Visually and thematically dark, this film presents its viewers with extended dream-like sequences, littered with sexual and violent imagery. The viewer is left disturbed and unsettled by the images they are presented with, all while being left in a state of confusion as to what exactly it is that the film is portraying.

Fear is a fundamental human emotion. It’s hard-wired into us. When humans were in constant danger from predators, it played an essential part in keeping us safe, but now it lies dormant more often than not. Watching a good scary film, no matter how it achieves its goal of frightening its audience, is a way of tapping into and exploring this emotion. It gives us a better idea of what it is to be a person and lets us explore mindsets which we didn’t know were possible. This is why scary films are invaluable in the cinematic tradition.

Which horror pick will you be watching this Halloween?

Join the discussion @EpigramFilm

Epigram 31.10.2016

44

A voice for soul-searching millenials: A look back at Fleabag Flashback to this summer’s biggest BBC hit, Film & TV Writer Zoe Sadler reminds us why Fleabag will win everyone over.

“

We are beyond the point of looking for unrealistic and unattainable points of reference on our screens [...]

Fleabag is the answer to our calls

Between the awkwardness and the comedy, she battles a self-destructive grief, gradually revealing a dark underlying past.

Fleabag, who describes herself as a ‘depraved, morally bankrupt woman who can’t even call herself a feminist’, definitely isn’t your conventional heroine...

She cheats, lies, steals and is utterly self-centred.

Yet we find ourselves intrinsically drawn to this

Two Brothers Pictures

A woman waits anxiously by her door. She confesses to the camera that she has had to ‘get out of bed, drink half a bottle of wine and shave everything’ after receiving an unexpected booty call. She shares her stream of consciousness as she has sex with her guest, then things take a turn – literally – in the wrong direction.

The morning after, the man thanks her earnestly for allowing him to do what he has never been ‘able’ to do with another woman before. It is parodically poignant.

The scene switches to a café where the woman sits contemplatively.

Suddenly, she turns to the camera and asks, ‘do I have a massive arsehole?’

All of this is the outrageous, pervy, intensely funny gem of a show which is Fleabag.

Fleabag follows the eponymously named protagonist as she attempts to navigate her directionless and often reckless life in London, looking for somebody – anybody – to sleep with her and clinging on desperately to her failing café business. Throughout the six half-hour episodes – a cruelly short stint considering the show’s brilliancy – Fleabag struggles to balance her tenuous love life, her control-freak sister, her sexually inappropriate brother-in-law and her painfully condescending step-mother.

woman, who tries to flirt with her gynaecologist and masturbates to Obama’s speeches, because of her flawed and essentially human qualities.

We are beyond the point of looking for unrealistic and unattainable points of reference on our screens; we now crave fallible characters who reflect our own imperfect and troubled lives.

And Fleabag is the answer to our calls. Writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who also stars as the charming and hilarious title character, developed the series from her 2013 one woman Edinburgh Fringe performance, where it won the Fringe First Award.

It’s easy to see why: Waller-Bridge’s script is full-frontal, scathingly funny and achingly beautiful. It seems to signpost an emergence in British television of a wholly contemporary and confrontational new drama, likable to Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney’s Catastrophe in its open discussion of sex, relationships and everything in between. The series is equally contemporary in its style. Fleabag’s habit of narrating directly to the camera is like Miranda, only funnier

and offers posits of unadulterated and utterly inappropriate comedy (‘mum had a double mastectomy. It was particularly hard because she had amazing boobs’).

A brilliant scene occurs at the start of Episode Two, where Fleabag witnesses a surreal, choreographed sequence where bored tube commuters double over in intense pain to the rhythm of the music, to which she responds ‘I think my period is due’.

Fleabag is full of these quirky elements, which makes it exciting, unpredictable and truly unlike anything else currently on television.

The show boasts an incredibly talented cast with several impressive names, including Olivia Coleman as the nauseating passive aggressive step-mother. Bill Paterson stars as Fleabag’s father, who painfully mumbles and stutters his way through any confrontation with his daughter in a classic awkward dad manner.

The whole show is built upon a fantastic cast who masterfully play out intense uncomfortableness and dark humour.

What’s On?

Between moments of laugh-out-loud comedy, Fleabag will slap you around the face with a suddenly dark confession.

Behind the protagonist’s seemingly nonchalant lifestyle lies a dark reality of grief and guilt, making her a rounded and realistic character.

Waller-Bridge triumphs in achieving a drama which is both hilarious and tragic.

If anything, it would be nice to have a little more insight into the story behind Fleabag’s destitute situation, but Waller-Bridge teases us with just enough to enable us to deeply sympathise with her character.

Fleabag is a truly brilliant new comedy that speaks for a generation of soul-searching millennials. Anybody who has felt lost in the city or in their lives won’t be able to resist becoming hooked.

What did you think of Fleabag?

Get in touch @EpigramFilm

Films to Faces Hillary Clinton

Editors’ Picks

Josh Deputy Editor

Phoebe Online Editor

Nocturnal Animals

I, Daniel Blake

Doctor Strange

At Watershed from November 4th

In cinemas now

In cinemas now

Amy Adams seems to be going from strength to strength and Jake Gyllenhaal can do no wrong. The pair team up in fashion designer Tom Ford’s second feature film, which promises glamour, revenge, and heart-racing action. It went down a storm at London Film Festival and is set to be a hell of a watch. See you there?

Winner of the Palme D’Or this year, Ken Loach has produced a masterpiece which details the struggles of daily life for many in Britain today.

It’s incredibly refreshing to see a film about real people, rather than another star-studded blockbuster, and the sadness of the situation of the protagonists is expertly drummed home.

I wish I could say that I’ve chosen this film because of my excitement for the next Marvel release, but it’s really because I’m a shameless Cumberbitch. The big-name Benedict himself will star in the fourteenth film of the Marvel cinematic universe, Doctor Strange. With a stellar cast to keep him company, this is not one to be missed.

Homeland Season 5

Rick & Morty

Black Mirror

On Amazon Instant Video

On Netflix

On Netflix

Maybe the arrival of a new season will provide the push I need to move on after the tragedy of the season 3 finale of Homeland. Carrie returns and this time she means business. At the time, it was my favourite obsessive binge-watch. Perhaps in final year, when I clearly have so much free time, it’s now time to reminisce and live it all over again...

While the series has been available on other streaming sites for 3 years now, Netflix have finally uploaded the first season to its own library in recent weeks. The show follows a crazy scientist called Rick & his nephew Morty who fills in as his sidekick for tons of adventures of mayhem ridiculous, hilarious & original, it is a must watch.

Season 3 of Charlie Brooker’s satirical anthology series is back. Now on Netflix, it’s time to cast yourself into another six alternative worlds.

With Brooker noting it’s ‘the way we might be living in 10 minutes’ time if we’re clumsy’, Black Mirror never fails to mark some achingly relevant parallels to the modern day.

Wikipedia

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BFI/LFFPRESS

Ella Editor

1. Lara Croft I’ve always been a strong believer in a woman’s power to take control of her own fate and show the world what she’s made of - and no one does this better than Angelina Jolie. Since the split, the film has so much more power to it.

2. Pretty Woman I refuse to believe the stereotype that a woman cannot enjoy a man’s company without being hopelessly attached to him. Also, Roy Orbinson always gets my toes tapping away.

3. Magic Mike I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong.

There is nothing wrong with a bit of TLC from Channing Tatum from time to time.

Who should we interview next for Films to Faces?

Tweet us @EpigramFilm

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TUESD AYS

EVERY TUESDAY Hip Hop, House, Dance, Pop Party and Student Anthems

Epigram

31.10.2016

Arts

@EpigramArts

Editor: Ed Grimble Deputy Editors: Myla Lloyd & Online Editor: Helena Raymond-Hayling Georgia O’Brien deputyarts@epigram.org.uk artsonline@epigram.org.uk arts@epigram.org.uk

School and univeristy literature curricula: too retrospective for today’s young readers?

Georgia O’Brien and Hannah Jane Wakefield debate whether our literature curricula are failing to engage students.

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the Polish student of migrant parents going to relate to the experiences of Jane Eyre? Is the Syrian refugee student going to admire the craft of Wordsworth?

I do not mean for this to read as an attack on the canon, and of course there are exceptions to every rule. Students shouldn’t feel that their culture or ethnicity means that certain literature just isn’t for them – quite the opposite. They do, however, need more representation in the literature they are reading. The canon is a wonderful thing – ever expanding, growing in variety through debate about its whiteness and how to combat this, and increasingly representing female and queer writers. The issue is not with the canon itself, but perhaps how it is taught and the choices that are made on what to include.

Put simply, the new list of texts for young people to study is archaic and dry, certainly from the perspective of a 14-year-old.

I must say that things are improving – a recent cohort of GCSE Literature students studied Lord of the Flies, which is a far more relevant and accessible text for students of 14 and 15. The protagonists are their age – the dilemmas they face are easier to relate back to the experience of a 21st century teenager. Of course today’s teens can’t identify literally with the experiences of murderous savages, but the same mechanisms lie behind the decision-making and emotions and in a leisurely sense. It is important to understand the historical context of a novel, or other works of literature. Our modern lives and society are the sum of our history, both recent and ancient: to fully understand and appreciate what is modern, one must have an understanding of the past.

Often modern works are written with the intention of being reactionary, therefore it is necessary to be aware of what exactly this reaction is against, otherwise the reaction itself becomes redundant.

Other works are more directly inspired by traditional literature. One example of this is Zadie Smith’s 2005 novel On

WHO

Sculptor

President Ulysses S. Grant

Beauty that is arguably a modern adaptation of E. M. Forster’s Howards End. Smith takes Forster’s core themes of family and class and plays them out in the modern world, adding a poignant layer to the novel by viewing them through the lens of race. Separately, both novels are very worthwhile either to study or to read for pleasure, but when compared with each other a whole new deeper level of understanding can be gained by the reader. Both novels, despite the near one hundred years between publishing, are highly accessible and very relevant.

In short, whilst I would never argue that traditional canonical literature should be all that is included in our school and university curricula, without the foundation it provides there is no way that modern or innovative literature can be fully comprehended. Therefore, I am a firm believer that a certain degree of retrospective literature is fundamental in a literary education.

Moreover, what is considered to be part of the canon is ever growing and evolving; therefore, as time passes works that are now considered modern may well become part of the accepted literary canon. I understand that not everyone is passionate about Chaucer, but you never know, having an understanding of The Canterbury Tales may lead to a new insight into your favourite modern novel. Thus traditional literature remains very much relevant in today’s society and reading lists.

Hannah Jane Wakefield

WHAT

Mary Edmonia Lewis

1844- 1907

Should we get rid of the classics or move with the times?

Canonical literature can be fun too, you know!

Flickr/ Thomas Hawk

Mary Edmonia Lewis (1844- 1907) was an American sculptor born to an African-American father and NativeAmerican mother. Despite being exposed to terrible racial attacks as a child and being prevented from finishing her education, she was the first woman of African-American and Native-American descent to receive global acclaim for her work. In 1877, (testament to Lewis’s artistic abilities) US President at the time Ulysses S. Grant commissioned her to do his portrait.

Flickr / Ohio University Libraries

Without learning the fundamentals by studying the canon how can one hope to fully appreciate modern works of literature?

Although it may seem narrow, there is definite value in the traditional, in what Harold Bloom considered to be the canon of western literature. Without learning the fundamentals by studying the canon, how can one hope to fully appreciate modern works of literature? It would be near impossible for a work of literature to be written without being influenced in some way by the canon, whether directly or in an attempt to break from it. The canon acts as a measuring stick with which other works can be measured against, both in an academic

that the characters feel. These are characters that students can enjoy getting into the minds of, and by extension, the mind of the author. This intrigue can become the start of a lifetime love of literature, and the spark that lights an enquiring mind.

Canonical works are an important part of any study of literature, and students should have a good basic knowledge in order to better understand the foundation that contemporary literature sits on. However, the curriculum must be striving, at that crucial period in a young person’s life, to help students explore what literature can offer them.

Georgia O’Brien

Flickr / Cams

NO

There is certainly something to be said on the consensus among fourteen year olds who have been made to read Jane Eyre that it is far too long and entirely irrelevant to them. It very much suggests that some of the literature set in schools is indeed too retrospective. However, this may be more to do with age appropriateness. When introducing younger readers to what are considered to be the classics, maybe it is better to begin with a lighter and more accessible novel, like a Jane Austen, or something shorter and more gripping like The Great Gatsby.

“

YES

Back in 2014, Michael Gove sparked outrage when he axed beloved American classics Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird from the GCSE Literature curriculum. There are the most commonly studied books by young readers across the country, and what did they teach our teens about? Racism, disability, sexual inequality, corruption, humanity, love – the list goes on. In an increasingly multicultural society, we developed an appreciation for international literature and the issues that, a handful of generations later, we still face. It was varied and at times emotional, causing us to think more critically about not just what we were reading, but the society that the text reflected. We challenged accepted ideas.

All such thoughts are now restricted, diverted to the study of literature that is more British, more archaic, more tedious.

GCSE level is a crucial stage not least in the study of literature – fail to hook our young people here, and they miss out on a wonderful appreciation of their language and its history, and at worst they miss out on a lifelong love of reading.

It seems contradictory to me for our society and indeed politicians to bemoan the lack of literacy in our young people, or their lack of interest in the canon, whilst simultaneously locking them out of such an appreciation through inaccessible literature. Put simply, the new list of texts for young people to study is dry - certainly from the perspective of a 14-yearold with little knowledge of what literature can offer them.

In order to develop a passion for literature, students need to see part of themselves in what they are reading. They need to be able to relate it back to their life, their experiences. Is

Lewis is known for marrying themes relating to her NativeAmerican and African heritage with neoclassical style sculptures. As an example, her carved marble work ‘Old Arrow Maker’ depicts the character of Hiawatha and Minnehaha from the same tribe as her mother (Ojibwa). Lewis focused her work on abolitionists and Civil War heroes. Upon meeting Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the commander of Massachusetts’ African American Civil War regiment, she famously created him an honorary bust.

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31.10.2016

47

In discussion with novelist Garth Greenwell Anna Trafford reviews Garth Greenwell’s reading and discussion of his debut novel at Spike Island.

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shame of being mastered by desire’.

Undoubtedly, part of Greenwell’s success lies in his having tapped into such a topical and vibrant issue. This is a narrative that is important in a culture which, in Greenwell’s own words, has made ‘extraordinary’ but ‘often overstated’ progress in the acceptance of queerness. It was therefore important to him that he create a ‘narrative in which queerness does not lead to tragedy’.

Legg prompted discussion of the novel’s other burning issue: the world of sex work. Most interesting in Greenwell’s portrayal of this aspect of Bulgarian culture in the book is his dismantling of its chiefly pejorative common perception.

What is often cast in a sordid and unforgiving light, in Greenwell’s hands, takes on new significance. Greenwell emphasised to the audience his intentions in bringing to the

Desire and shame are at the epicentre of the story. It is a shame, Greenwell explained to us, that both relate to being queer and also to sexual feeling in general

Spike Island/ Max Freeman

Last Sunday evening, Spike Island played host to the poet and novelist Garth Greenwell for an informal discussion and reading of his debut novel, ‘What Belongs To You’. Spike Island’s Director, Helen Legg, guided the 90-minute informal discussion, probing the author for insights that would shed light on his writing.

Since its publication in May, What Belongs to You, has met with the sort of reception of which first-time novelists can usually only dream. Greenwell’s novel has succeeded in turning heads, raking in high praise from some of the literary world’s most prestigious publications. The New York Times Book Review has dubbed the work ‘an instant classic’, whilst BBC Arts has pronounced it ‘the publishing sensation of the year’.

Greenwell’s appearance is one of many happening at the venue

Spike Island

The novel is set in Sofia, Bulgaria, and follows the troubled relationship between the narrator, an American teacher, and Mitko, the male sex worker whom he meets in the public bathroom beneath Sofia’s National Palace of Culture.

Greenwell drew largely from his own experiences, having lived in the Bulgarian capital for 4 years himself and worked in the American College of Sofia, where he was the only openly gay member of staff.

Desire and its adversary, shame, are at the epicentre of the story. It is a shame, Greenwell explained to us, that both relate to being queer and also to sexual feeling in general. It is ‘the

fore the exchange between two human beings, rather than the transactional nature of proceedings.

Greenwell’s readings did these sensitive issues justice. The pared back but deeply expressive language praised by the critics was rendered only more poignant in Greenwell’s own voice.

If the book itself was not evidence enough (which it was), it was clear from the evening in Spike Island that Garth Greenwell is an author whose name I will be hearing again.

Over the hour and a half spent listening to him, the passion with which he spoke promised that the waves made by his debut will reach further than just the literary community.

Greenwell in conversation at Spike Island

Anna Trafford

Spray paint at Paintworks: the art of Cheba

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“

Jess Curry reviews Cheba’s exhibition of space-insipired works in the Bocabar Cafe at Paintworks

Branded a pioneer of the modern poster and sticker culture, Cheba is a Bristol-based street artist who recently unveiled around fifty unique pieces at the Bocabar art café at the Paintworks venue. His striking yet simplistic and innovative art has been plastering the streets of Bristol since the early 2000s, and his original combination of mediums including spray paint, oil, acrylic, ink, and resin gives amazing effects of almost three-dimensional backgrounds with futuristic and expressional shapes. He has perfected his unique visual style over a number of years and his highly distinctive pieces have become instantly recognisable both in Bristol and beyond.

These most recent pieces are heavily inspired by space, specifically Hubble Telescope images, noticeable in pieces such as ‘Infrared Monkey Head Nebula’ which draws in the viewer with amazing depths of light and iridescent galactic patterns. Sometimes done freestyle, but also often based

Epigram / Myla Loloyd

Cheba is undoubtedly at the forefront of his artistic arena...

on actual nebulae, Cheba produces beautiful, free-flowing, tactile pieces that catch the light differently each time you look at them.

A highly successful artist both in and out of Bristol, Cheba’s work has been critically acclaimed and included in publications such as Graffiti World.

The layering techniques create thick paintings that are, in some instances, almost sculptural, and are all incredibly impressive in their combination of sweeping cosmic backgrounds and intricate, shimmering interstellar designs.

The sheer scope of Cheba’s creative talent is reflected in not only the number of incredible pieces but also in the variety within his work. Pastels, glitter, oil, and spray paint are all used in pioneering styles and layers to create a huge array of rare and beautiful pieces. Strong geometric shapes meet intricate galaxy patterns in pieces such as ‘Going Down’, and ‘Nebula Mountain’, a spray paint, oil, acrylic, and layered resin piece that is almost mirror-like in its finish.

The venue, Bocabar, is an amazing place to be; it is a huge open-plan space with exposed brickwork and steel beams which makes it the perfect, comfortable atmosphere in which to enjoy the art, food and drink on offer. Located on Bath Road, the Bocabar is a converted warehouse boasting

Cheba produces beautiful, free-flowing, tactile pieces that catch the light differently each time you look at them.

If you want to find more of Cheba’s work, one of his pieces covers the entire outer wall of the Full Moon on Stokes Croft.

The show is open until the 7th of November, and it is a lovely afternoon or evening out combined with supporting our local Bristol art scene that cannot be recommended highly enough.

WHEN

WHERE

Flickr/ Luc Mercells

Although she was born in Ohio and studied in Boston, a large proportion of her life was spent in Rome where racial tensions were slightly less fraught. Her 1865 passport states that she was ‘a Black girl sent by subscription to Italy having displayed great talents as a sculptor’. Going against the grain, she insisted on enlarging her clay models into marble herself. This shocked Italian male sculptors who were sometimes suspicious of female sculptors, often accusing them of plagiarism.

great value food and drink, with an accompanying restaurant as well.

It is a beautifully relaxing place where you can experience Bristol’s artistic talent in all its glory. A highly successful artist both in and out of Bristol, Cheba’s work has been critically acclaimed and included in publications such as Graffiti World and The Art of Rebellion, both of which have received worldwide distribution. He has showcased his work at numerous exhibitions all over the world, including the ‘Crime of Passion’ show at the Royal West Acadamy of Arts, both solo and jointly with celebrated artists such as Inkie, Nick Walker, and Banksy.

Lewis spent much of her life in Rome...

Despite living through the Civil War, Lewis was the only black woman who had participated in and been recognized to any extent by the American art world. Lewis was interviewed and written about by the most important New England female writers such as Lydia Maria Child and in prestigious abolitionist journals like Broken Fetter. Existing in a time of racial oppression, her success is testament to her exceptional artistic talents.

WHY Lewis was innovative and revolutionary. Not only was she a successful black woman in nineteenth century America, but works like ‘Death of Cleopatra’, worked against typical Victorian artistic depictions, especially of death. As the first black-Native sculptor of either sex to achieve international recognition within a western sculptural tradition, Lewis was a symbolic and social anomaly within a dominantly white bourgeois and aristocratic community.

Zoe Hazan

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48

31.10.2016

Drumroll please! Introducing Bristol’s ‘least cool’ artist: lewdjaw Helena Raymond-Hayling gets to know Bristol-based artist, lewdjaw, at his Stokes Croft studio.

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LJ rises from his chair and retrieves a painfully retro primary-school overhead projector from the corner of the studio. When plugged in, the OHP softly whirs and casts a clip-art image of a drum in a spotlight-type circle from an acetate sheet onto the wall at the back of the room.

‘This work is called Drumroll Please, the idea being that the gallery space in which it was displayed had a double door entrance, and when you walked into the room the image would hit you. I’m really into clipart at the moment and was really interested by the muteness and stillness of the image of the drum. This work gives a drumroll for each individual entering the space, in a really naff way. In addition, the spotlight exaggerates this crass stardom imposed upon each visitor. I was thinking of bringing in a performance element as well, where a drummer would drum roll everyone who comes in to enhance the whole thing further.’

LJ then recalls how he had not anticipated that overhead projectors are not designed to be on all day, and consequently the bulb went in the middle of a show. This catastrophe was quickly resolved by a stealthy trip to Maplin - as it turns out, contemporary artists too are subject to unglamorous logistical blunders.

Between exhibiting his work, teaching an alternative ‘Art School’ course at the university’s own Fine Art Society, and freelance graphic design work, LJ is co-director of East Bristol Contemporary, a relatively young grassroots project based in The Trinity Centre which holds monthly exhibitions.

A book that I discovered as an undergraduate that has stuck with me since…

Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film Carol J. Clover

‘Being an artist is never easy, financially or emotionally. You’re faced with many pressures, be it on your time, finances or confidence’

I want to know more about the man behind the work I had been shown – everything thus far was so intriguing, so I asked more questions about the journey LJ has taken which has produced his unique style, and how it has evolved over his career. LJ speaks of his days as a student with rich fondness; it is clear to me that his experience studying Fine Art at Reading University have really shaped him personally, professionally and artistically.

‘Studying Art changes the way you think and feel about things. At university level, I had the chance to continually thrash out ideas and try different kinds of media in a rigorous studio environment. Some students end up not knowing why they have found themselves on their course, and become frustrated and unsuccessful. In the same way you can take as much from the resources and academics as you like, and end up being incredibly successful. Art at school was far more restricted, which is why I am running the ‘Art School’ course for Fine Art Society, to give students who may have wanted to do a foundation course or Art degree but found themselves on a different path a taste of studying Art at a more advanced level with a broader repertoire of techniques and contemporary influence.

‘Being an artist is never easy: financially or emotionally.

You’re faced with many pressures, be it on your time, finances or confidence, and it can be nearly impossible when working full time without support. Many people who try give up pretty quickly, which is understandable given these factors.’

LJ’s advice for tackling these challenges? ‘Ideally, get a job that pays well but doesn’t take up a lot of time or leave you drained. This can prove difficult, so get married young. That’s the key, I reckon.’ lewdjaw has a captivating repertoire of thought-provoking works which explore ideas integral to every millennial life: coolness, the sharing of culture and the immense power held in decontextualised, contracted speech. I leave LJ’s Stokes Croft studio clutching an A3 print he has given me as a parting gift, in spite of my lack of gumption to take distressing minibeast with me. I unroll it to find ‘play it cool’ printed inside, which to me expresses the essence of lewdjaw’s message: ‘cool’ is little more than a dramatic part to be played, and no matter how much one tries to pander to the apparent pantomime that is ‘coolness’, the role is entirely equivocal.

Helena Raymond-Hayling

Dr. Pete Falconer, the second in our Lectrers on Literature feature

I encountered the first chapter of this book as set reading, back when I was a first-year undergraduate.

I sat down to read the chapter and ended up reading the whole book. I don’t agree with everything Clover says, but what really stuck with me was her willingness to take

horror movies seriously.

A book that inspired me to do what I do today…

Film as Film: Understanding and Judging Movies V. F. Perkins I was fortunate enough to be taught by Victor Perkins when I was an MA student. In Film as Film, he demonstrates an approach to film criticism that is practical and accessible but never banal or simplistic. Victor died earlier this year, but remains an inspiration and role model to many film academics.

A book that I read when I want to unwind…

The Stand Stephen King For a while, I re-read The Stand on average every two years, generally when I was feeling stressed. It’s rather long (over 1400 pages) and King has never been great at writing endings, but immersing myself in its world and spending time with its characters remains a rich and satisfying experience.

Flickr/ Chris Drumm

“

‘Studying Art [...] at university level, I had the chance to continually thrash out ideas and try different kinds of media in a rigorous studio environment’

‘We use the space for the first weekend of each month and often have group shows. The next show is coming up on 5th November, where we have a graphic design duo, which is a little different. We are really looking forward to that; it’s going to be really interesting. The Christmas show is going to be an open call, so artists can apply to have their work shown.

This exhibition is going to have a calendar theme where we have an artist for each month of the year and there will also be a calendar which visitors can get hold of. I was sent some work through from the artists who are interested and they look really beautiful. That show will open on 2nd December, and is one to look out for - it’s going to be something really special. ’

Dr. Pete Falconer, lecturer in Film and Television, gives Myla Lloyd his top reads in our Lecturers on Literature feature.

University of Bristol

Deep in the depths of Stokes Croft’s artistic hidey-holes resides lewdjaw - artist, teacher and co-director of East Bristol Contemporary. As I sit in front of a café waiting patiently for the mysterious LJ to appear, I have a flick through his CV and try to conjure an image of the artist behind the impressive repertoire of graphics, typography and other design work. I am beckoned across the road, and LJ welcomes me warmly into his studio, offers me a cup of tea and asks whether I will remove a beastly spider from the bathroom– to which I suggest we lock the door and move to the far side of the studio, avoiding the creature’s unwanted company. The elusive lewdjaw transpires to be not only a fully-fledged and highly successful artist, but a fellow arachnid loather and tea drinker; I feel instantly at ease.

LJ explains how some of his past works have drawn influence from typography, fashion, furniture design, literature, youth culture, clip-art and football. A true jack-of-all-trades– I spot a poster on the wall printed with a French idiom. It reads ‘Je n’dis pas c’que j’pense mais je n’pense pas c’que j’dis’, and after frantically summoning my limited French and embarrassing myself stabbing a guess at its translation, I listen to LJ’s account of its conception.

‘This work comes from being really interested in typography, foreign script and language, and so I have thought about coolness, both in culture and as linked to otherness and the outside, particularly in the context of fonts and translation.

This phrase means “I don’t say what I think, but I think what I say”, and it’s a quotation from a French rapper called Maître Gims. I really like turns of phrase, and this is almost a nonstatement but it still has a weight to it. It’s like saying nothing at all.’

Lecturers on Literature

The book I most enjoyed writing…

The Afterlife of the Hollywood Western Pete Falconer I’ve not yet written a whole book (I’ve only been a full-time academic for four years) but I’m working on this one at the moment. It’s about the ways in which the Western genre has come to be used in different ways, and understood in different terms, in the past 30 years or so.

If I could only save one book from a burning library it would be…

The Turn of the Screw Henry James

lewdjaw

The artist in his Stokes Croft studio

Since two of my previous four answers have been horrorrelated, I thought I’d stick with the theme (plus, what with it being Halloween season). James’ novella is the scariest work of art I have encountered in any medium, and one of the most intense reading experiences I have undergone. Forget the fancy psychological interpretations – the ghosts in this story are real.

Myla Lloyd

PHD STUDENTSHIPS AT LSE LSE is awarding 100 full scholarships for PhD students in 2017.

64 PhD Studentships 30 ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership Scholarships 6 Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarships

All covering full fees plus an annual stipend of £16,000£18,000.

Apply for a PhD by 11 January 2017 (or 14 December 2016 for Department of Economics) to be considered for these awards.

Search LSE PhD funding to find out more.

Students work in LSE’s new PhD Academy

Epigram

31.10.2016

Music

@epigrammusic Editor: Sam Mason-Jones

Deputy Editor: Ellen Kemp

Online Editor: Georgia Marsh

music@epigram.org.uk

ellen.kemp@epigram.org.uk

musiconline@epigram.org.uk

Simply The Best Epigram’s Music Team provide a comprehensive run-down of Simple Things, the best festival in the world ever.

All pictures / Epigran

Early in the Simple Things schedule the Sportsman played host to She Drew the Gun, an indie-folk four piece from Liverpool, who played to a bustling crowd excited for the shows ahead. Their performance dazzled; lead singer Louisa Roach’s vocals were pristine. But what seemed to astound everyone was the political content of the gig. The set list was interspersed with urgent verse recited between songs and created a tone slightly more serious than would ordinarily be felt at the back of a pub at two in the afternoon. “Poem,” a song fighting stigmas about homelessness, caught attention with the compelling lines “if you could see what I’m seeing you would pick up the fight”, which floated in the atmosphere before being grounded as the band took up the next song.

The festival had plenty of other fantastic acts. Metronomy’s DJ set was particularly enjoyable, as well as the unparalleled musicianship of Warpaint. Their notorious bassist Jenny Lee Lindburg battled on despite a migraine, yet didn’t miss a beat, even for their more challenging tracks. The set list was a great mix of old and new. I also can’t neglect to mention Lakota, which shook with an eclectic line-up. Harvey Sutherland’s restless disco-infused house got going at midnight, followed by the virtuoso mixing of Lena Willikens’s three hour set, which had a grittier techno trajectory. This cleared the way for Ben UFO to take over the decks for his well anticipated (and well executed) headline slot.

My highlight was probably Shame at The Sportsmans. The lights were on, it was circa 5 o’clock in the afternoon, and they had the crowd in the palm of their hand like they were the mainstage headliners. People were moshing like animals from the off, a couple of us got crowdsurfed, beer was flying all over the place, waves of people were falling over each other and it wasn’t even yet dinner-time. Frontman Charlie Steen, beer soaked and shirtless, flew through the crowd before clambering up onto the PA (a good 10-12 feet off the ground). He proceeded to sit on it with the microphone down his jeans, pretending to masturbate to the raucous, visceral post-punk played by his bandmates. They’ve only released one song (‘The Lick’) but exercised a truly formidable presence.

With the bar seriously raised, they were followed by the unbelievable forces of IDLES and Bad Breeding, who by all accounts played the shows of their lives. When I watched Shame, the floor was like Rolf Harris’ wobbleboard; thanks to a combined effort of those three acts, by the end of the night the floor started to physically fall through to the green room below. Excellent.

Alistair Shuttleworth

The strangest thing I noticed about Simple Things was something still rather surprising in this day and age: a distinct lack of female audience.

Yet this feature of the multi-venue jubilation was not for lack of representation: it was – both sadly and happily – one of the most female-centric line-ups of any festival we’ve seen in years. From Cali girls Warpaint to techno legend Nina Kraviz, the genre-bending spectrum stretched far and wide, and took with it almost many women as it did men – a feat especially rare in alternative/DJ scenes.

There was an array of top quality male acts, too. Grime connoisseur Kano brought bars and beats to SWX unlike ever seen before, and the crowd at Chicago rioters Twin Peaks’ set actually broke the floor of The Sportsman.

Late into the night, Stokes Croft was set alight with a host of stellar – and gender balanced! – DJs from Ben UFO to Helena Hauff rolling into the late hours of the next morning.

While the lack of lady attendees is a fact that continues to perplex, Simple Things still succeeded in bringing a meteoric party into Bristol city limits.

Georgia Marsh

Ellen Kemp

Simple Things is the happy product of the marriage between Bristol’s strong musical infrastructure and the arbitration of one its more distinguished tenants, Crack magazine. An authority on all things zeitgeisty, the folks who put together this publication conspire each year to throw a party logistically complex but straightforward in its ethos: to amass a bill of the hippest artists, bands and DJs around.

This year lived up to the reputation which it has steadily and worthily accrued, with highlights coming from acts as disparately picked as Warpaint, LICE and Nina Kraviz, playing in every nook and cranny that the centre of the city could offer. The set played

by Ben UFO, who closed proceedings with a four hour set at Lakota from 3am, seemed to typify Simple Things as a whole: a musician at the head of his field and top of his game making noise, at the austere end of the spectrum, to a room full of people who genuinely care about it. It was, quite simply, as good as it gets.

Sam Mason-Jones

Short queues, female DJs, welcome surprises. Arriving at the Firestation at 18:45, I had missed much of the day’s music, immediately thrusting myself into the weird world of Powell. The only male act I saw, he confronted the crowd with noisy, industrial interludes which broke down into chugging techno. Courtesy picked up where Powell left off, emphasising the techno and omitting the industrial. I stuck around for half an hour of Nina Kraviz’s set before plunging into the smoky depths of Lakota’s Room Two. Helena Hauff and Veronica Vasicka kept people moving with Techno’s throb until my departure at 04:00. It was wonderful to see so many female DJs taking peak slots at the festival’s stages.

Ed Fernyhough

For a band still to release their first album, The Big Moon have a lot going for them. While occasionally held back by run-of-the-mill lyrics (to be expected for a group still finding their feet), their energy and stage-presence was undeniable, in a set tight enough to be the envy of a bigname band. Making the most of a relatively early slot, their infectious cheer drew a large crowd, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go on to much bigger things.

Kanda Bongo Man was one of the real highlights of the festival, with an exhausting hour and a half of joyous, upbeat music. The band drove the pace for the entire set, mixing frenetic dance routines with blistering guitar solos, and the Man himself was in fine form. By the time they ended on the beloved ‘Monie’, the crowd that had gathered all the way up the stairs to the roof of Colston Hall never wanted them to stop.

Harris Ferguson

Epigram

31.10.2016

51

Disembark Here: A Eulogy to Start the Bus As the old adage goes: ‘you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s been turned into another fucking restaurant’. Alastair Shuttleworth considers the implications of the venerable venue’s closure.

“

Owl is one of the most renowned and beloved institutions in Bristol’s music scene, having released the likes of Oliver Wilde (woozy electronic folk) and The Naturals (indescribable).)

Start The Bus is dead; God only knows how many opportunities and life-affirming experiences this venue has been responsible for, and how many of tomorrow’s local bands and DIY labels will lose out from its closure.

Burgeoning artists currently plotting their first UK tours have one less decent, popular small-venue to play Bristol in, and may not come here at all. New promoters and independent labels, for which STB was a rock, will have to look elsewhere to put on their nights; already, Gravytrain Records have had to move their upcoming Meatraffle gig somewhere else. Perhaps most tragically, however, brand-new local artists have one less venue in Bristol that’s likely to give them their first show.

(New Bands: At the last show I saw at Start The Bus, they gave TWO local artists their first ever gig- both got to play to packed rooms and even got some press. I was trying to see the first act, a fantastic solo project by Jesuits’ singer called NE$$; I missed him but decided stick around anyway.

The next act, Scalping, was one of the best bands I’ve seen in years- an experimental instrumental group mixing techno-infused, tribal rock hooks with industrial noise; they played that first show, everyone went mental, then (for reasons I still don’t understand) disbanded, and may never play again. I’m very happy I was at STB that night.)

My band, LICE, got to play STB once, thanks to in-house promoter and beloved pillar of the Bristol scene Nick Meadows. This was as part of Brisfest 2016, which this year included The Karma Repair Kit, Van Zeller and Bristol’s patron saints of tinnitus, noise-rock band Spectres.

(Spectres & STB: After Spectres moved to Bristol from Devon, an argument with a promoter resulted in them being blacklisted from most venues in Bristol; this was a tough blow to the band, two members of which were trying to set up a new labelHowling Owl Records. STB ignored the emails and let Spectres play their venue anyway, also allowing them to use upstairs for Howling Owl’s base, photo shoots and music videos. Today, Spectres are one of Bristol’s greatest exports and Howling

(Token Trip-Hop Act: Due to a combination of complacent, backwards music journalism regarding Bristol’s ‘sound’, and

It’s heartbreaking to think no more bands will get to experience seeing that room like that for them.

some weak-willed promoters that pander to it, Bristol has struggled (despite everyone’s best efforts) to shake off the albatross of trip-hop. On this occasion, as with the BBC 6 Music Festival in Bristol, somebody clearly couldn’t help themselves.)

It looked like we were going to end up playing to an empty room, but we were saved by STB and Nick tirelessly promoting us, even going on radio to tell people to come and see us. The promoters that ran STB genuinely cared about supporting fledgling local artists - as a result of their work, it ended up packed for us, and I think it was one of the most special gigs we’ve played. It’s heartbreaking to think no more bands will get to experience seeing that room like that for them.

It turns out STB is owned by Mitchells and Butlers, who also own Harvester restaurants and Toby Carveries, and they’re turning the venue into a table-service restaurant named ‘Carnival Saloon’. Even by eulogy standards, that’s a fucking harrowingly depressing sentence, isn’t it?

However, let STB’s death serve as a reminder of how important it is to celebrate our local music institutions while we have

New Releases Lady Gaga Joanne

It has been four years in the waiting, but Gameshow was released on the 14th October, and Two Door Cinema Club have tried their best to keep their iconic sound.

The first song on the album, ‘Are We Ready? (Wreck)’, was released as a single in June prior to the release of the album, and set it up to be another Two Door classic.

Yet, it feels as if ‘Gameshow’ should have preceded the first two albums, instead of becoming a – perhaps overly – anticipated follow up. ‘Ja Viens De La’ is very reminiscent of 70’s disco, as is much of the album. Although enjoyable, it occasionally feels slightly under developed and, at points, bland.

It appears that although they managed to avoid the concept of a ‘sophomore slump’ with their second album, Two Door Cinema Club weren’t able to evade it for Gameshow.

Jess Williamson

Two Door Cinema Club

This is not to say that it isn’t worth listening to – it certainly is, but it feels as if people will pick their favourites, rather than the album being a whole masterpiece in itself.

Let STB’s death serve as a reminder of how important it is to celebrate our local music institutions while we have them

them. In that spirit, I charge all of you to listen to ONE song by one of the local artists I’ve mentioned. Bristol’s music scene is staggeringly rich: improvised jazz (Iceman Furniss), grime (Buggsy), punk (Milos Planes), industrial techno (Silver Waves) garage-pop (Lets Kill Janice), psych (Taos Humm) etc. Listen to them, fall in love with them, and go see them in local venues; I promise you’ll be glad you did, and Start The Bus’ ghost, trapped in the purgatory of whatever gravy-stained, fauxvintage, ‘Ruddle’s Best’ shithole it’s become, will thank you for listening.

Alastair Shuttleworth

I n Joanne, we come face to face with another side of pop-provocateur Lady Gaga.

Gone are the gimmicks and the dresses made of raw meat as, at last, a soul that was never lost but always failing to completely bare all is found among the theatrics.

This stripped-back attitude to performance comes following a new trend in pop stardom: minimalism. Back in the heyday of Gaga’s reign on the music world, Katy Perry wore plastic fruit and Nicki Minaj wouldn’t be seen dead without a wacky wig. Now, Gaga is the archetypal figure for change as she now sports simplistic get-ups lifted straight from American Apparel.

Where her global blockbuster The Fame flourished, Artpop – an avant-garde disaster – flopped, and so Gaga has followed her personal style revolution into a change in her third solo album, Joanne. Regressing into a back-to-basics approach, laid-back balladry evident in ‘Million Reasons’ exhibit a raw – and, honestly, a little pedestrian – talent. She’s at her best as the rhinestone wearing, rootin’ tootin’ cowgirl of ‘A-YO’ as she basks in the showgirl glory she was destined for.

Gameshow

The album passes many comments of a political nature, slandering consumer culture and the age of technology in songs like ‘Bad Decisions’ and ‘Are We Ready (Wreck)’. It’s obvious their lyrics do not let them down. It’s not Alex Trimble’s vocals that falter either, but the electricity that underlies their other albums doesn’t appear to be a consistent feature throughout Gameshow.

“

Twitter / Christian Northwod @Norfwud

We were incredibly excited to play STB. Our guitarist saw The Fat White Family there on (I think) their first ever Bristol show, and it also meant we’d be playing before two of Bristol’s best bands, Jesuits (shoegazey psych-pop) and Giant Swan (improvised techno played using old guitar pedals). However, we found out after being booked that STB ran later than most of the other venues and we were going to be on at the same time as the mainstage headliner, Smith & Mighty.

In a supremely self-conscious awareness of her influences, the acoustic ditty that is the wondrous title track establishes her as the rightful descendent of Dolly Parton, yet she doesn’t stray away from her bad girl roots in ‘John Wayne’. An unlikely 80s waltz between Gaga and Florence Welch should become a clash of the titans, however the pensive synths and authentic sisterly comradery make for a delightful duet.

Speaking of collaborations, one would have high hopes upon learning that lead single ‘Perfect Illusion’ was produced by Mark Ronson and Tame Impala’s Kevin Park. Unstoppable, right? Ironically, this song is one of her weakest moments as she crawls back to the dance-pop moments that established her fame. Maybe the problems lie in the monotonously mechanical backing beat, in Gaga’s skin-crawlingly uncomfortable key change, or maybe in the fact that almost everything on else on Joanne has been among the best material she’s released to date.

Georgia Marsh

Epigram

52

31.10.2016

In This Thread: An Exposition on Facebook’s New Music Groups Ed Fernyhough examines the latest developments in collaborative music sharing, with a glimpse of the social media communities which find their roots in the rave culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Peter Powell, former BBC Radio 1 DJ said in the early 1980s that acid house “shouldn’t go any further.” Acid house didn’t listen to Peter Powell.

In the formative years of the genre, illegal raves took place up and down the country in fields and warehouses where the music found its platform. The music itself is characterised by a repetitive 4/4 beat and the archetypal “acid squelch” given its fame by the Roland TB-303 drum machine, a prime example of the sound being Phuture’s aptly titled Acid Tracks. The production and distribution of the drug ecstasy combined with the speed and rhythm of the music appealed to ravers who would dance to it for full weekends.

The illegal raves came up against tough opposition from Thatcher’s government at the time. Public opinion about acid house was influenced by the propagandic distortion of the facts by the press, their views reflected in some hilarious interviews with people whose information came down largely to them from these sources. Despite this attempt to change public opinion about raves, they have never disappeared even if the music played at them today has developed from that of the 1980s.

Knowledge of the music was initially spread by word of mouth; people would get wind of a rave taking place and the information would be spread in a way not dissimilar to a game of Chinese whispers. At the beginning these raves were not promoted officially due to their illegality, illegal as they were both for the abundance of drug-taking and for violating land law. It wasn’t until the mid-late 80s that club managers recognised the potential for profit should they host and promote acid house nights in light of the fact that an underground community had already been unified by the music.

Clubs such as Hacienda, Shoom and Astoria opened their doors in the late 1980s and branded their nights with a strong focus on acid house music. Previously, clubs had been places to get drunk, fight, maybe find a fuck; the music after this point “wasn’t even secondary” electronic dance music and gave clubbers the opportunity to dance in an environment which wasn’t criminal by default. The music was integral to these new clubs, not solely background as it had previously been (with a few exceptions), embedding it within English culture and enabling it to develop.

Acid house, along with house and techno (and later drum & bass, dubstep and grime) established a clubbing attitude which positioned the music as a focal attraction for attendants. Cynics argue that drugs are the more fundamental focal attraction for most clubbers, but many today go without; for others there is overlap, but to suggest that one is predominant over the other is to simplify.

When acid house was emerging, it didn’t have the luxuries of Facebook, Twitter, mobile phones and other convenient communication modernities to spread awareness. It embraced its initial illegality, and the subsequent emergence of clubs devoted to the sound as a response to its proliferation was a success for the genre and essential for the development of other dance music scenes across the country which are still existent today. Hacienda, recognised as the definitive acid house club, has long since closed its doors, but other clubs up and down the country continue to carry the torch.

Fabric opened in 1999, hosting all manner of dance music DJs and live acts spanning genres from house and techno to dubstep and grime, as well as everything in between. Its license was suspended in summer 2016 on the basis of drug-related deaths, although whether this was the real cause is questionable given “Operation Lenor”.

Dance Tunnel has closed. Cable has closed. Plastic People has closed. Shapes has closed. Start the Bus in Bristol has closed. Corsica Studios is imminently threatened by a property development across the road from its premises.

When one club closes, another space opens elsewhere.

These spaces are absolutely fundamental for the continuation of club culture in the UK, and so long as there are

communities keen to bear the torch themselves the culture will continue to thrive. Even though established premises are being closed left right and centre, making it inconvenient for club promoters to secure viable venues, the strength of the community, its creativity, and a raft of new tools makes it appear as though there is sufficient fuel for the torch to still burn.

The cohesion of the community can be explained primarily by a mutual love of the experience, but more pragmatically, by online groups which devote themselves to sharing and discussing music, giving advice about the scene, and presenting possibilities for the establishment of new clubbing opportunities. These groups are the hotbeds, the catalysts, for the recent upsurge and interest in dance music.

I spoke to five DJs and promoters operating in five different cities who use these groups to hear what it is that sparked their interest in the scene and what it is that compels them to personally contribute to clubbing culture.

First I spoke to Natalia Augustinyak and William Mclean, who founded a Facebook group called The ITT (In This Thread) Group, where users post to request song and artist recommendations, and others would reply creating a cohesive thread about a genre. Canvas II is a project they’re bringing to Bristol focussed on creative collaboration and community, enabled by online social networks.

I asked about the ways in which they’ve seen dance music, or the clubbing environment benefit communities – Natalia and William agreed that “the clubbing environment is a place where people can express themselves freely and in different ways.” That said, William emphasised that “there are some horrible undertones and biases at the moment, and I hope that with Canvas II’s booking policy we can level the playing field a little bit.”

This could easily be in reference to the saturation of male DJs dominating listings, but also the casual misogyny that women clubbers unfortunately have to cope with. William grew up in Northern Ireland, divided as it continues to be by conflicting religious and social perspectives, and he stressed the cohesive value clubs can bring; “In underground clubs divisions melt, nobody cares what side of the fence you’re on – people talk and hug strangers in a way that would never happen on the street or in other clubs. People leave thinking ‘why can’t we be like this all the time?’”

I asked what has motivated William and Natalia to invest their time and effort into creating Canvas II – Natalia “wanted to create a ‘no boundaries’ space for individuals to express themselves in any way they like for a long time.” William had spent some time in China and he spoke of the ways in which he observed the effects of the Cultural Revolution on people’s attitude towards art and music. “The scene there is exploding, even though it’s technically illegal to listen to music not approved by the cultural bureau. Although this rule is hardly ever enforced, it does scare off some of the youngsters out there. Our culture is being squashed at the moment and all young people do is sign petitions… nobody is going to fight for us, we need to do it ourselves.”

William and Natalia then spoke about what they intend Canvas II to be, what they hope to bring to Bristol with the project. “We want to make a positive impact on culture and community, to celebrate an underground club culture and let everyone lose and enjoy themselves to the music in a safe, open-minded environment. We want to give people the opportunity to work with us; designers, decorators, DJs, promoters and music enthusiasts, to help us create a comfortable environment for everyone.”

I asked Natalia about the role of the Internet in enabling their project and how important it has been to the scene over the last few years. “The Internet, especially some of the music groups, have been really important to us. This is where we met like-minded people who are also driven by club culture. So far we’ve been overwhelmed with the response from a lot of individuals that we had previously only communicated with via social networks.”

I then spoke to Fred Radley, responsible for Basic Party

and Plantlife in London, to discover what motivates him to contribute to the clubbing community and how he got into electronic music himself. “I think I was about 11 or 12 years old when I began to differentiate dance music as its own umbrella genre. I’d grown up hearing a pretty eclectic range of music on the radio through my parents so I was familiar with dance music that had broken into the charts; Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Justice etc. That said, I think my use of the Internet was vital in discovering and exploring new music. I remember finding a YouTube upload of a Justice DJ set at a Techno festival in Ghent in 2006. The mix contained tracks that I’d been peripherally hearing on the radio or that I’d found on Limewire (remember that?). I think the way this video contextualised the music I’d been listening to, the way in which I could hear the tracks being blended together by the DJs, was seminal in how I would go on to engage with dance music in the future.”

I then asked Fred how he had seen dance music and the clubbing environment benefit communities; he thinks that “when it’s done right, the club environment is a space that brings people of all backgrounds together without the discrimination and boundaries that are so prevalent in daily life…there’s a common goal in the club space that encourages us to be accepting of one another and allowing ourselves to respect people of an almost limitless variety of backgrounds. That said, I think issues of safety, including more disabled access for clubbers, are being recognised a lot more through movements such as the #savefabric campaign, whose championing of best-practice safety measures is integral to its cause.”

“My experiences of the social environments propagated by clubbing have always been positive, as it provides an opportunity to really get to know one another and learn about people from a variety of backgrounds and situations in their most honest, fragile and humorous states. For me, this is an opportunity to form a bond with the people of the community I am a part of, which is something rarely achievable in my day-to-day.”

I then spoke to Kapil Chelvam, founder of Treehouse (London & Bristol), and Inigo Val, co-founder of Glue (Oxford) to see where they stand. Kapil said that he’s seen clubbing “bring a lot of people together, the clubbing community seem to be like-minded, they have a general sense of unity.”

Inigo stresses that club nights and music genres can form friendships and bonds with people “because you have similar interests. These types of friendships tend to be firmer and easy to maintain. Recently also there has been loud, voiced opposition to misogyny within the dance music community and I think this is really great. There is still a long way to go but I think it is going in the right direction.”

The importance of the internet comes up again, with Kapil emphasising its role in introducing him to a diverse range of genres that play in clubs up and down the country. The internet is also important for promotion and awareness.

“Treehouse wouldn’t have spread the way it did without the power of social media. Events spread on Facebook like wildfire. Without the internet it would be much harder to get people to understand what we’re about.”

Clubbing is evidently important to a lot of people. It creates and sustains employment, and offers creative opportunities for DJs, designers, visual artists and music producers.

Clubnights such as those mentioned above aim to create communities with the welfare of their supporters in mind; they have no desire to exploit them. Recently, Treehouse hosted a night raising £1,750 for Calaid; FOMO (Bristol & London) raised £1,501 to the #saveourculture campaign in support of fabriclondon. This money was donated after covering overheads. These nights are run by students and other young people, their events successful even if unknown to swathes of the population up and down the country. Consider what might be achievable if their intentions are understood.

Ed Fernyhough

Epigram

Puzzles

@EpigramPuzzles

Editor: Suzie Brown

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Cryptic crossword ACROSS 1. Brush fire place to renovate (9) 8. Nothing left of writing implements in sports championships (5) 9. After Taka Taka dish, manage to provide stability (9) 11. Reckless, has no right to cinders (3) 12. To stir up while really angry causes annoyance (9) 13. Toy shop initially excites little children (3) 14. Attempt to attract with celebration, by the sound of it (3) 15. Also took without end (3) 18. Egyptian river had nothing before electricity (4) 20. Send crap back to the Spanish in package (6) 22. Weighed down young man with English top (5) 24. Bad smell from street art medium (5) 25. Scatter ashes centrally for ages (4) 26. Prophet in for a clear win (6) 27. Wild dog apparently shy before it heads out to eat (6) DOWN 1. Gear, e.g, mixed up in music genre (6) 2. At a greater distance, Ruth may be muddled up with referee (7) 3. Peru sticks with old-fashioned style (6) 4. Express my actions during wedding vows? (1,2)

PZL Can you find words containing the given letters in order, with each of the required total number of letters? E.g.

HAD -> had (3) head(4), hardy (5), shared (6).

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16. Final right after milky coffee (6) 17. Beautiful science ruined without electricity (6) 19. London to Ely without a companion (6) 21. Organise until first sign of trouble at factory (5) 23. Jumped without the French - it’s fitting. (3)

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ACROSS 1. Peppery root vegetable (6) 4. Eskimo houses (6) 8. Part of atmosphere absorbing UV light (5,5) 9. Sleeping place (3) 10. Description below picture (7) 11. Oval (7) 14. Platform projecting out to sea (4) 17. Expense (4) 18. Admired (8) 20. Make tougher (6) 23. Strip supporting broken bone (6) 24. Diverted (8) 25. Model (4)

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Solutions will be posted online at epigram.org.uk before the next issue is released.

sbrown.epigram@gmail.com

Quick crossword 1

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Epigram

54

31.10.2016

UoB Boat Club set their sights on GB places

Flickr: Alasdair Massle Facebook / UoB Boat Club

Grace Youell Sports Reporter We spot them in their gym kit after their morning training sessions on the way to our 9am lectures. Some of us may watch them at Henley Regatta.

But for the individuals that make up the University of Bristol Boat Club, including the five going to GB trials this weekend (November 5th – 6th), rowing is so much more than the daily training. It is a way of life.

The Stars The boat club is one of the largest and most successful sports clubs at the university. It has four squads and for the first time ever will run a ‘Learn to Row’ course, providing the opportunity for over 100 students to learn to row at university. The club organises a number of successful events throughout the year, including the popular Head Race in December, and has an impressive alumni network.

Alex Heslop, Club Captain and senior open weight rower, explains why the commitment of the members is key for club success. ‘Our members are very committed. We get people who are really keen to make the best out of the club and this means we are very much a committee led group. The committee input is what drives performances and last year our performances peaked. It has been a long time since we had those kind of wins, the senior men won at Reading Regatta and we beat some of the top clubs in the country, and the women also won that day.’

The lovely pair of women’s lightweight rowers, Phoebe Beer and Nicola Haynes, are two clear examples.

They were both promising athletes in their respective sports before coming to Bristol and picked up rowing in their first year. ‘The year before university I was in America on a golf scholarship’, Hayes recalls. ‘I was supposed to do a degree out there but at the end of one year I had had enough of it all, I came back and picked the closest thing to golf – which was apparently rowing!’

Beer, on the other hand, played

football and athletics to regional level.

The duo quickly became star rowers of the boat club and have contributed to the women’s successes.

Joseph Harper, a third year studying Chemistry, picked up rowing only 14 months ago. ‘We spotted Joe at the Welcome Fair last year’, captain Heslop remembers. ‘We did some anthropometric testing, he was pretty good and was keen for it as well which helps.’ Once a national swimmer, Harper took to training with ease. ‘Because I started as a novice, the training was progressive and it started light. It was kind of a shock to me that it wasn’t harder at first but obviously now it’s really hard. That many hours of training was something I missed from swimming, so I wanted to get back into a sport where I was training again properly every day or twice a day. Now I really enjoy it.’

Heslop, himself new to rowing when he came to university, laughs as he recounts his sporting achievements before his time at Bristol. ‘I didn’t do any proper sport before I came to university, I found it quite hard to start off with, I didn’t really enjoy the training and I just kept going because my friends kept going. Then I started to actually enjoy it a bit more as the year progressed and I got fitter.’

Callum Gathercole, senior lightweight rower and a legendary character in the boat club, chuckles as he remembers Alex in his first year. ‘He was so keen. He always asked if there was anything he could do to improve his rowing technique.’ Heslop is quick to respond. ‘Well you were a big deal back then…. Not so much anymore!’

This was said with a smile because everybody knows that Gathercole is still very much a big deal. In February 2016, he became the youngest solo athlete to row the 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

When asked about this immensely impressive and challenging experience, Gathercole is quick to play it down. ‘It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Beforehand I geared myself up for the worst two to three months of my life, but I was pleasantly surprised. The best bit was being in the middle of the ocean with no one else around you. It’s the widest horizon in the world and

it was incredible. I don’t know why I chose to row the Atlantic instead of doing a charity bike ride but I guess I had always done rowing and I had heard about it before and thought yeah why not. Suddenly I had this boat and it was a bit more real and I thought oh, I have to do this now.’

All five of these rowers hope to continue their successes in rowing at GB trials this weekend. Still only in their third year of the sport, Haynes and Beer talk about the trials with a mixture of anticipation and excitement. ‘The difficulty of it is that it’s such an unknown for us and we’ve never done anything quite like this before’, Haynes exclaims. ‘We are not sure where we are pitching’.

‘We have loads of major competitions throughout the year but trials are the biggest thing’, Beer says. ‘A lot of the U23 GB girls have left because they are too old now, so there is potential.

I guess we will see.’ Harper is similarly looking forward to making a splash.

‘I’ve heard that the GB trials are pretty horrible but I’m quite looking forward to it. This year I’ve got nothing to lose so will go there and see what I can do and also have a bit of fun.’

The Training Weekly training for the rowers is made up of weights and cardio sessions in the gym, out on the water and different forms of cross-training including running, biking and swimming. Balancing the intensity of training with competitions, university work and finding time to relax and socialise can take its toll.

‘The hardest part for me is finding time to train, work, eat, everything’, Heslop explains. ‘It gets to the point, like this week, where we have had two weeks of ridiculous training and just need to sleep but we need to keep working and training because we are so close to trials.’

When training is not going to plan, university work can feel even tougher.

‘I actually think that’s the hardest’, Beer says. ‘When training is not going well, uni doesn’t seem to go very well.

If a session goes well it can put you in the best mood ever. If you have a really horrible session, it’s not good at

all, and work can suffer as a result’.

On top of the 11 training sessions a week, sleeping and eating enough of the right foods is another challenge for the rowers. ‘We have to get a lot of sleep, at least eight hours a night’, Heslop explains. ‘Then nutrition is massively important to try and make sure we have enough energy to keep doing every session and refuelling our muscles. Depending on what weight category you are aiming for, the amount of food varies. Joe and I are open weight so we eat between 4000 to 6000 calories a day to ensure we have enough food in.’

Harper agrees that time management is sometimes a challenge. ‘Some days it is hard to fit the time in to eat and sleep that much. You can’t get eight hours of sleep if you are getting up at 5am to eat. Then sometimes you just want to go out but then you can’t be getting absolutely wrecked and get up the next day for training.’

The support network Getting up at 5am and staying motivated for training can only be achieved through the determination of the individuals. But all five athletes are keen to stress the importance of the support network that surrounds them.

Head Coach Cameron Kennedy, Assistant Coach Ed Bloomfield and the Sports Department at the University support the rowers with training schedules, resources and advice. ‘We are pretty lucky to have Cam and the performance sport team to help us out’, Heslop says. ‘I’d not done any elite sport before, I didn’t really know what to do in terms of training and what it actually required so their experiences are incredibly useful for us.’

In the last three years, this support has led to some impressive improvements for the boat club. ‘Three years ago we hit a big slump’, Heslop explains. ‘I think it was a combination of things reaching the end of their potential. We got Cam in this time last year, who had won women’s Henley and the BUCS overall trophy for the Durham’s women’s squad. Then we got a new boathouse two years ago

which was a big investment on our part and huge for the uni as well. We also invested in a couple of new boats and put time into recruitment as well, particularly for our senior squad.’

These positive changes will hopefully pay off this year. ‘I’d like us to be one of the top six universities in the UK. We have every chance of doing this’.

Teammates For Harper, being quite new to rowing, teammates in the boat club are particularly important. ‘It is good we have each other with five of us trialling. It’s useful to talk to other people and we are all going for the same thing.

For Haynes and Beer, who are close friends and housemates, the biggest source of support and motivation comes from each other. ‘I don’t know about you’, Haynes says to Beer. ‘But I think that both of us have been a pretty big driving factor in each other’s development.’ Beer laughs and agrees.

‘It’s an odd relationship. Since novice year, there has been me, Nic and Jess (a third lightweight rower) and we have been the three musketeers and tried to beat each other all the time.’

Experienced rowers in the boat club, including Gathercole, provide the much needed support and advice to those that are newer to the sport.

‘There is a lot of pressure in it and sometimes you need each other’s experiences to say it’s fine, it’s just rowing.’ Gathercole laughs. ‘It is literally what it is. It’s going in a boat backwards.’

Life without rowing?

When asked if there will be a life without rowing, all of the athletes grinned. Captain Heslop is quick to say that there will certainly be life without the daily training. ‘I think because it’s so intense, once I am ready to finish then that’s it. But today is not that day.’ For the Steve Redgrave of Bristol University, Callum Gathercole, there will never be a life without rowing. ‘I will probably carry on to be honest.

Don’t ask me why.’

Good luck to you all at GB Trials!

Epigram

31.10.2016

55

Bristol Barracuda: the touchdown club

BUCS Wednesday Wednesday 19th October (Select Results)

Rory McNair Sports Reporter

Men’s Rugby Union:

Uttering the words ‘American Football’ is almost certain to receive an unfavourable reaction in the rugbyloving culture of the UK. However, looking past any preconceptions about our American counterparts and their obsession for the game, it is an energetic and entertaining sport and its popularity is continuing to soar.

It only takes a basic understanding of the rules of the sport to enjoy being a spectator. Two teams of 11 players battle for possession of the ball, aiming to advance down the field by running or passing. The team in possession has four attempts (known as downs) to progress 10 yards with the ball. These downs repeat until they reach the end zone, resulting in a touchdown (worth six points) or if they fail to gain 10 yards, in which case the ball changes hands. The team with the ball can alternatively decide to kick a field goal, earning them only three points.

Women’s Rugby Union:

Men’s Football: Bristol 1st 0-0 Southampton Solent 1st Women’s Football:

“

well as student football played between universities and colleges.Bristol itself has become a centre of American Football in the UK, with two adult league teams, the Bristol Aztecs and Bristol Apache, in addition to those representing the University of Bristol and UWE. Since its establishment as an independent university team in 2005, the Bristol Barracuda have developed into a popular and successful part of the University of Bristol Sports programme.

During both the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons the Barracuda finished with a seven win, one loss record, allowing them to advance to the university playoffs.

Achieving this in only their forth and fifth seasons in the league is an incredibly impressive feat

and goes to show the effort and commitment put in by both the coaches and players at the University.

It reflects the great community spirit that has come to define sport at the university.

The Barracuda were then named NFL UK University Club of the Year in 2011, giving the university great confidence in its participation in the sport. Since then, the team has enjoyed varying levels of success and continues to aim high, fighting to win its division and make the playoffs in hopes of winning

Bristol 1st 2-3 Exeter 1st Men’s Lacrosse: Bristol 1st 18-5 Oxford 1st Women’s Lacrosse: Twitter / Bristol Barracuda

Despite being seen as a somewhat obscure sport in England, American Football actually has a well-established presence this side of the Atlantic.

Records of the sport being played in England date back to the Second World War, primarily involving American soldiers stationed in the UK. The first league was set up in 1984 and since then the sport has grown tremendously throughout the country. Now governed by the BAFA (British American Football Association), American football is played in multiple leagues ranging from Adult Contact to under-17 flag football (a non-contact version of the sport) as

Bristol 1st 43-0 Oxford 1st

Facebook: UoB Women’s Rugby

“ Bristol itself has become a centre of American Football in the UK

Bristol 1st 34-33 Exeter 2nd

the national championship.

The Bristol Barracuda American Football Team certainly reflects the great community spirit that has come to define sport at the University of Bristol. American Football is accessible to players of all shapes and sizes and being a mixed team, Bristol Barracuda welcomes women just as much as men. Whether you’re just starting to learn the sport or you’re a lifelong fan, getting involved with American Football at the University of Bristol is an opportunity to not only stay fit and healthy, but to also become part of one of the university’s most lively and social communities.

Follow the team @BristolCuda for details of their upcoming season opener on 6th November.

UBRFC boosted by RFU sponsorship Jack Francklin Deputy Sport Editor

Women’s Fencing: Bristol 1st 131-85 Plymouth 1st Wednesday 2nd November (Select Fixtures) Men’s Hockey: Bristol 1st v Oxford Brookes 1st Women’s Badminton: Bristol 1st v Exeter 1st Men’s Rugby Union: UWE 1st v Bristol 1st Men’s Fencing: Bristol 1st v Oxford 1st Men’s Lacrosse: Bath 1st vs Bristol 1st For a complete list of BUCS fixtures and results, head over to www.epigram.org.uk/sport!

Fantasy Football

Facebook: UoB Archery Epigram / Luke Boyd

The University of Bristol Men’s Rugby Club has received a big boost this season after landing a deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) which will see them receive £7,000 as part of a sponsorship deal. Bristol, along with 14 other universities across the country, have been given funds by the RFU, totalling £220,000, in the view that it will bolster development and progress throughout the clubs.

The agreement has been welcome news to head coach Joe Goodman who told the university: ‘we are delighted to have been chosen as a partner with the Rugby Football Union. This partnership is an exciting initiative which will enhance the club’s access to coaching, education, and event management resources. We will use the money to support elite athletes and students who want to give it a go, as well as engaging more widely with the local community in Bristol.’

The University of Bristol has produced

some talented players in the past, such as Tom Mitchell, the captain of Great Britain’s men’s sevens team who won silver in the Rio Olympic Games this summer. Club captain George Carrie was also keen to highlight that ‘the partnership provides an exciting opportunity to improve the quality of rugby from elite to recreational levels, whilst also increasing the participation and enjoyment of our sport’.

The men’s rugby first team have got off to a flying start this season with three wins from three games against the University of South Wales, Cardiff University, and Exeter University’s second team.

The match against Cardiff was particularly impressive, with the team able to rack up five tries at North Bristol RFC’s ground, while a gruelling 34-33 victory away at Exeter ensured they retained top position in their league.

The club will now to look to combine these recent successes and the generous payment they received to continue to establish themselves as a real force. To follow the successes of UBRFC, visit http://www.ubrfc.com/

Bristol 1st 11-11 Cambridge 1st

Epigram Sport is running its very own Barclays Fantasy Premier League. Feel free to join!

Liga de Epigram Code: 808585-362510 Good Luck!

Epigram

31.10.2016

Sport

@epigramsport Editor: Jonathan Harding Deputy Editor: Jack Francklin

Online Editors: Oscar Beardmore-Gray & Dan Reuben

sport@epigram.org.uk

oscar.beardmoregray@epigram.org.uk dan.reuben@epigram.org.uk

jack.francklin@epigram.org.uk

BUCS Star Team: Women’s Fencing cruise past Plymouth to make it two wins out of two

Justine Lambert

Justine Lambert

Dan Reuben Deputy Online Sports Editor Welcome back to BUCS Star Team, our feature that showcases the very best performances from across Bristol’s competitive sports teams.

Every fortnight, we cover the heroics of the winning side, who have all been put forward for the honour by the executive sport committees.

This issue, the winners of the award are the Women’s Fencing

1st team after their comprehensive defeat of Plymouth 1st, winning 131-85 in the Western 1A division clash at Tyndall Avenue.

Having won their first fixture of the year against Southampton, the team succeeded in continuing their great start to the season with victory over a strong Plymouth side.

Bristol dominated from the start against Plymouth, getting points on the board early on and maintained control of the match throughout.

Team captain Justine Lambert led

by example, achieving the highest points total of all of the fencers and supported brilliantly by Ellen Bradley, Emma Dulac and Ellie Taverner.

Lambert was delighted with the team’s efforts and the fighting spirit that they showed: ‘in our first match we started off very shakily but we pulled it together and worked as a team whereas this time, we controlled the match from the beginning with Emma fighting superbly to secure the foil win (one of three disciplines which constitutes

a game) despite sustaining an injury halfway through her match.’

Talking about the secret to their early season success, Lambert continues: ‘the majority of the team are international fencers and so we are all very competitive.

In training, we all fence against each other in order to practice and that means we are able to bring the best out of each other when it matters. We are also all good friends outside of fencing which makes our team spirit that much greater.’

Lambert is optimistic about their chances of promotion to Premier South, saying: ‘We are out there to try and win all of our matches because we think we can push for promotion. Our toughest match will be at rivals Exeter in January and we are preparing already for that match because we know how crucial that game will be’.

With fighting talk off the piste and more impressive performances on it, the team will look to carry on their unbeaten record in their quest for promotion to the top division.

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To apply please send the following to editor@epigram.org.uk: - A covering letter - CV - An ideas sheet - A few examples of your writing