Issue 313

Fortnightly 27th March 2017 Issue 313 University of Bristol’s Award Winning Independent Student Newspaper

Hilary Benn speaks to Epigram - page 6

www.epigram.org.uk

‘Christ he’s tall!’

Epigram’s latest blind date - page 20

Bristol South Labour MP Karin Smyth brought up the Bristol Scholars Scheme in the House of Commons on March 20th in a question to the Conservative Minister for Families and Vulnerable Children Ed Timpson

MP: Uni’s social mobility scheme ‘mockery’ Bristol MP criticises Uni’s presentation of Bristol Scholars scheme following offers for private school students Ben Parr Editor The University’s Bristol Scholars Scheme was branded a ‘mockery’ by a Bristol MP in the House of Commons on Tuesday 20th March.

The University of Bristol’s scheme was billed as a scheme to ‘help ensure local school pupils have an equal opportunity to realise their academic potential, irrespective of their background’.

However, following Epigram revealing in February that a third of the tailored offers that were given out through the scheme had gone to private school pupils, the scheme has been criticised by UoB’s state school society, the 93% Club, as well as in the national press.

In a question to Ed Timpson, a Minister at the Department of Education, the Bristol South MP Karin Smyth claimed that the scheme made a

‘mockery’ of its own stated aim of ‘widening access’ to university for disadvantaged students.

The University have always stated that all Bristol schools and colleges offering post16 qualifications were allowed to nominate students for the scheme, and that the students had to meet a number of widening participation criteria.

Talking to Schools Week on the 20th March, Labour MP Smyth criticised how the University had presented the scheme.

‘I think what was disappointing is that I think this was a good innovative scheme… I think the intent was genuine, because we know that just lowering grades doesn’t work. But it makes a mockery of it because at no stage was it suggested that private schools would be included’, Smyth said.

She continued: ‘If they’d said it includes the

Features Interview with Andrew Wallis OBE - page 8

Facebook.com/EpigramPaper

large number of private schools in Bristol, we would have questioned it. Without being upfront about the inclusion of private schools, they’ve made a mockery of that’.

Smyth admitted that pupils at private schools still have to meet a criteria such as being ‘on FSM or bursaries’, but said that their schools ‘have more resources’ and are more able to ‘take advantage’ of the scheme in a way that disadvantaged schools aren’t.

Lucy Collins, Head of UK Recruitment at the University of Bristol, said: ‘Bristol Scholars from independent schools who have been offered places had to fulfil one or more widening participation criteria in order to be selected.

For example, they may be a young carer, first in family to go to higher education or receive a post 16 bursary’.

‘This is a pilot year and only a subset of schools applied to take part in the scheme. Our

Travel A pocket guide to interrailing - page 20

@EpigramPaper

ambition for the future is that all schools in Bristol will submit applications’.

There are 13 schools taking part in the pilot Bristol Scholars scheme this year: six independent schools and seven state schools. All students receive a tailored offer, guaranteeing them a place at the University.

‘It’s about making it work better. I want the University to do better’, Smyth said following her comments in Parliament.

In a letter in Epigram, Collins wrote: ‘We worked hard to encourage all state schools and colleges to submit nominations and will be redoubling our efforts for the 2018 cohort’.

The Bristol Scholars scheme was launched by the Education Secretary Justine Greening. It was announced at the same time as a national scheme in which pupils can receive offers two grades lower than the standard offer. The latter scheme is only open to state school pupils.

Sport

Clifton hosts Synthetic Biology theatre - page 41

Arts

Your guide to Varsity - page 47

Highly Commended for Best Publication and Best Use of Digital Media 2016

Epigram | 27.03.2017

Editorial Inside Epigram

2 Editor: Ben Parr: editor@epigram.org.uk Online Editor: Hannah Price: hannah.price@epigram.org.uk Deputies: Caitlin Butler; Stefan Rollnick

Online Deputies: Sophie Hunter; Phoebe Jordan

A note from the editor...

Could you be the next George Osborne?

Congratulations to everyone who won in the student elections. I was thinking about how in the next few weeks I’ll need to fire the starting gun to begin the race for my successor. Then again, rather than going through the tedious process of having people sending me applications and interviewing candidates, I could just offer it to one of the SU Officers. The whole offering people in power editorships where their interests will almost definitely conflict is all the rage now and would save me some hassle.

Comment Are clashing deadlines putting mental health at risk? - page 12

One more thing...

I won’t miss the SU Officer elections. Always a bit of a painful time of year when you can’t even walk down Tyndall Avenue without being harassed for your vote. I mean there’s the guy with the cross who tells you you’re going to hell, but then again he really believes that I will go to hell, so it’s sort of nice that he’s trying to help even if it is utter bollocks. Not only that, he’s successfully become something of an icon around Bristol.

Maybe an idea for next year’s candidates could be to carry a

Film & TV A tale as old as time: Beauty & the Beast review- page 36 Music Alexia Kirov chats to Barry Adamson - page 43 Lots more puzzles on page 45!

Quick Crossword

1

2

3

large hot air balloon on their back. It could represent the end of hunger and tiredness: they will find it if they repent and get a full monte and a coffee at the Balloon Bar? And that right there is exactly why I do journalism- telling everyone else why they’re terrible rather than making productive changes and coming up with good campaign ideas is much more my sort of thing.

The end is nigh

As you can probably see if you’ve so much as glanced at an Epigram this year, we’ve changed the look of the front. This was in something of a panic as I realised this will be my penultimate issue and therefore I have limited time to try out all my ideas. If you hate the new look, or love it, then please let me know so I can either revert back in shame for the last issue or do it again.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who made #14Conversations such a success and raised hundreds of pounds for a great charity.

I hope you all have (or had depending on when this is being read) a nice Easter break, and are prepared for a very gushy final editorial from me in *sob* the last Epigram of the year next semester.

Ben Parr, Editor in Chief

Write for Epigram: join our writers Facebook groups or email editor@epigram.org.uk

Student’s Union elections in numbers...

Was it the Tab wot won it?

Endorsements that won

Endorsements that lost

40%

60%

Was it the SU Officers wot won it?

4

Endorsed candidates that won

*

Endorsed candidates that lost

66%

33%

Was it the Epigram Editor wot won it?

5

Candidates Ben voted for that lost

6

100%

7

*From the information we could be bothered to find on Facebook 8

10

9

11 12

13

www.epigram.org.uk For the latest news, features and reviews

facebook.com/epigrampaper twitter.com/epigrampaper issuu.com/epigrampaper

Printed by: CN Newsprint Cumbrian Newsprint, Newspaper House, Dalston Road, Carlisle CA2 5UA Epigram is the independent student newspaper of the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are not those of the University or the Students’ Union.

The design, text and photographs are copyright of Epigram and its individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission.

Advertise with Epigram!

To enquire about advertising, please contact James O’Hara at jo14310@my.bristol.ac.uk

DOWN 1. Bear (5) 2. Deep understanding (7) 3. Afflictions (7) 4. ---- Scotia, Canadian province (4) 6. Filament (6) 9. Precipice (4) 10. Is able to (3) 11. Ingest (3) Webmaster Josh Jones Chief Proofreader Lowri Daniels Sub-editors Zuzanna Needham, Jess Cselko, 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

‘The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) and Girls’ School Association (GSA) last week announced their intention to boycott applications to the University of Bristol in the midst of a media storm and ongoing debate about positive discrimination within student admissions’, Epigram’s front page from 2003 read.

The furore had arisen over the University of Bristol adopting a policy in which they would positively discriminate in order to increase the number of state school students they were accepting to the University. This policy was adopted in response to the then Blair government demanding that Bristol increase their state school intake to 73 per cent.

The HMC and GSA expressed their ‘high degree of concern’ over what they saw as the University’s ‘apparently arbitrary rejection of well-qualified candidates’.

In a joint statement they said: ‘We cannot recommend to our colleagues that they should encourage young people to apply to Bristol until such time as the university can assure us that its procedures are fully documented, fair, objective, transparent and consistently applied’.

Bristol’s then communications and marketing director hit back at the boycott describing their claims as ‘based on fallacy’. He continued: ‘the University does not practice unfair discrimination, it does not operate quotas and it will continue to recruit exceptionally able students from all backgrounds’.

Patricia Broadfoot, the then Pro Vice Chancellor, described Bristol as a small but popular university which therefore ‘makes us the focus of the boycott as we are the most extreme example of a very generic problem’.

She continued: ‘Despite the disappointment of individuals we reject many equally qualified state school students too’.

The boycott announcement came at the same time as a government U-turn on education policy. The Minister for Higher Education had announced plans to close the 30-point divide between the number of upper-middle and working class

Epigram/ Ben Parr

instagram/epigrampaper_ epigramfood epigram_travel epigramstyle epigram_music

ACROSS 1. Debilitating (9) 5. Scoundrel (6) 6. Unhappy (3) 7. Thick dairy product (7) 8. Regret (3) 10. Refers to (5) 12. Pester (3) 13. Snuggled (7)

From the archives... ‘As Easy as ABC...’

Back in 2003 Bristol was being criticised for their policy on state school intake... that is... er... for discriminating against private school students

students going to university.

The following day she made a surprise retraction, dismissing her own previous statement as ‘inappropriate’.

Many students did not see the problem with trying to increase the number of state school students admitted to Bristol.

One first year arts student laughed ‘has anyone actually been to Wills – really!’

First published in Epigram on 17th March 2003

Epigram 27.03.2017

News

3

@EpigramNews

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

CLICENDALES: Medics strip off for charity Noa Leach Deputy News Editor

Epigram/ Noa Leach Epigram/ Noa Leach

The crème de la crème of Bristol medical students performed a soldout strip show at the O2 last night to raise money for the charity CLIC Sargent.

They raised over £20,000 for the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity in 2016, and they had already matched this before the 2017 show had even started.

There were 180 dancers, and the show was fully organised, choreographed and performed by Bristol medics, with only one minor technical glitch.

There were more than 1,500 spectators in the audience, including friends, parents, and people pretending they knew someone in it.

The show was fully sold out and those who missed out on tickets were trying to buy them for well above the original price. The public was encouraged to give the profits of any ticket re-sells to CLIC Sargent.

‘CLIC Sargent is a fantastic charity which supports children and their families fighting cancer throughout their diagnosis, treatment and long term care,’ Abbie Festa, a medic in the opening dance, told Epigram.

‘We want to make more people aware of the great work CLIC Sargent do, and if that means taking our clothes off…’

Auditions took place last November,

with a rumoured success rate of three applicants to one place. The students have since been working hard on both their dances and their bodies!

A spectator was overheard saying they could only recognise their housemate in a line of naked boys from his bottom…

The theme this year was ‘Once Upon A Time’, and the dances covered books, films, and comics, ranging from Bridget Jones to Mulan and Game of Thrones.

The show started off with non-strip dances which became progressively raunchier, with a steamy boys’ full strip inspired by Troy acting as finale.

There were 15 dances in total, separated into categories of all-female, all-male and mixed. There were a couple of unorthodox dances, like Snow White grannies and High School Musical in drag.

Dancer Leo Wood, a second-year medic in the Harry Potter themed mixed full strip, said it was ‘without a doubt the best night of my life’.

The show started at 7pm with opening bands, followed by the dances and an after-party in the O2.

The hosts reminded the audience the show was for charity, and dancers collected further donations at the doors.

The dancers really did take the audience into a fantasy world, as promised. They are still accepting donations on their JustGiving page.

Bristol named top UK city to live in Malik Ouzia Online News Editor The Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide has named Bristol as the UK’s finest city to live in, describing it as ‘cool, classy, and supremely creative’.

The guide, which considers every city in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, cited the city’s ‘extraordinary culture’ as the reason for it being so

‘special’, whilst also praising its ideal location, close to ‘seaside and scenery’ but still well-connected to London and the rest of the country.

It’s not just the plays at the Bristol Old Vic or the Hippodrome, the exhibitions at the Arnolfini or the gigs at Colston Hall that make it stand out,’ the guide said.

‘This is a place where creative individuals seem able to thrive, collaborate and prosper.’

The city’s educational institutions were also mentioned, with its two universities applauded alongside its excellent record of boasting 19 secondary schools with a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ OFSTED classification.

The accolade comes just two months after Rough Guides named Bristol as the fourth best city to visit in the world, behind Paris, Isfahan and Nairobi.

Bristol ranked 3rd in alternative university city rankings Ellen Jones Deputy News Editor

Epigram/ Noa Leach

On 16th March, Digital Marketing Agency digitaloft published the results of the Alternative UK University City League Table, in which Bristol was ranked 3rd overall.

The results of the research were based on a set of alternative criteria to those conventionally used to rank universities, such as student satisfaction and academic performance.

Instead, third party research across five different areas and concerns was

consulted to rank university cities.

These include crime rate, average graduate salary, sustainability, the price of a pint, and LGBTQ friendliness.

Across these 5 areas, Bristol was granted a total of 130 points, placing it in third position as a top university city, behind Exeter and Bradford with 157 and 133 points respectively.

J a m e s Brockbank, Managing Director of digitaloft, claimed he was ‘pleased to see that it’s not your usual university cities who come out on top’.

Epigram 27.03.2017

4

Record turnout as Bristol elects new SU officers Malik Ouzia Online News Editor

John House, although the current Postgraduate Education Officer, Laura Ho, became the new Chair of Student Council.

Postgraduate Education Officer was the other role to be contested by just two candidates, with Shubham Singh beating Trang Tran by just 41 votes.

According to SU figures, of societies

with over 50 eligible voters, PantoSoc achieved the greatest turnout with 92 per cent, closely followed by the Bristol Operatic Society at 88 per cent.

Of study programmes with over 50 eligible voters, BA Music had the highest turnout at 67 per cent, with 58 per cent of Biochemists casting their vote.

The winners Undergraduate Education Officer - Mason Ammar Student Living Officer - Lucky Dube Union Affairs Officer - Stan Ford Equalities, Liberation and Access Officer - Des Ibekwe

Facebook/ Bristol SU

A record breaking 7,400 Bristol students had their say in Bristol SU’s elections – over one and a half thousand more than the previous record.

Over 32,000 votes were cast as Bristol’s student population elected its six full time officers, as well as the various Chairs of Network, student trustees and Faculty Reps, in a turnout of 28.5 per cent of eligible voters.

35.7 per cent of undergraduate students voted, accounting for almost 90 per cent of the total number of votes cast.

Under the Union’s single transferrable vote system, voters may list multiple preferences, with votes being transferred to latter choices should an originally preferred candidate be eliminated at any stage of voting.

Elimination stages continue until a candidate has reached the required quota number of votes, which is

calculated based on turnout.

The race for Equality, Liberation and Access Officer was the closest in that respect, with six candidates gradually whittled down across five additional ‘elimination stages’ before Des Ibekwe triumphed over Amy Finch by just 31 votes.

With the largest field (seven candidates), the role of Undergraduate Education Officer went to four extra rounds before Mason Ammar was elected, the same number of rounds required for Lucky Dube to become Student Living Officer by 40 votes.

Stanford received the greatest number of stage one votes of any fulltime candidate with 1436, and was elected as Union Affairs Officer after two further elimination stages.

John House’s work as Sports and Student Development Officer this year earned him enough votes to emerge victorious by over 600 votes in a twohorse race against James Moulder.

House was the only current full-time officer running for re-election was

Postgraduate Education Officer - Shubham Singh Sports and Student Development Officer - John House

The orange line shows how the number of votes on each day compares to last years’ election, represented by the green line

Candidate launches official complaint over SU Officer endorsements Emily Faint News Editor A candidate from this year’s Bristol SU elections has criticised the actions of incumbent Bristol SU officer’s decisions to publicly endorse individual candidates during the campaigning period.

Martina Beleva, the runner-up candidate for Undergraduate Education

Officer, submitted an official complaint to Bristol SU during the campaigning period after becoming aware of Mason Ammar’s campaign being publicly endorsed by three out of six Bristol SU officers.

Sitting Bristol SU Officers are allowed to make personal endorsements of candidates according to the rules of the election.

Her complaint stated that: ‘The

[full time officers] are the face and the image of the SU… No candidate should appear to have the institutional approval of the SU.’ Beleva also cited ‘the contacts that they have accumulated through their jobs makes it much more likely for the person endorsed by them to win, without him necessarily fighting for every vote the way the rest of us do’ in her email to Bristol SU.

The winners of Bristol SU’s Officer Election take to the stage on Friday 17th March following the announcement of their win

Aidan Mersh NUS, Returning Officer, commented: ‘As full-time officers are also members of Bristol SU, they are permitted to endorse and campaign for candidates just like any other SU member. They are not, however, permitted to use Union resources to campaign for specific candidates, as the Union remains neutral throughout the process.

‘This means that officers have not been campaigning or assisting campaigns in the SU office, have not had access to SU email lists or special access to voting stats, and have not campaigned or endorsed candidates during work time or at work events they have either taken leave or done it during breaks or outside of normal office hours’.

Bristol SU officers did not endorse full candidate slates. Some officers did appear in individual campaign videos with their official titles as SU officers on display and also promoted campaign material through their ‘Bristol SU’ Facebook profiles.

Beleva’s agreed the endorsements were legal, but argued for rule change.

‘I strongly believe that this rule needs to change before the next elections to make them fairer and more democratic. The full-time officers should remain impartial’, she said.

Mason Amaar, the newly elected Undergraduate Education Officer, commented: ‘I learnt from the briefing all candidates received before elections that any student was able to support us and we were encouraged to get in touch with a whole range of people.

‘This year I’ve been involved with loads of campaigning… so a lot of different people got back and offered support. This included some of the fulltime officer team who, after seeing all candidates’ manifestos, believed in my campaign and gave me their backing’.

‘This was overwhelming, and I was so grateful for the response I was getting. Ultimately though, Bristol elections seem to be won by hard work on the ground, which means speaking

to students on campus and connecting with them individually…there are many things I would change to make them more accessible. As a secondyear student who’s had to suspend my studies this year, it was a leap putting myself out there and running’.

Patrick Thomas, a candidate for the Union Affairs position, said: ‘The SU elections team were outstanding throughout the week at looking after us as candidates and ensuring that the election was as fair as possible,’ he said.

‘However, I agree that this is a conversation that needs to be had. An endorsement from those currently in the position does add a greater legitimacy to certain campaigns which may undermine others.’

The winning candidate for Union Affairs officer, Stan Ford, told Epigram that he personally would choose to remain neutral in next year’s elections and opt not to publicly endorse other candidates.

He said, ‘I guess it’s just about having an awareness that your voice can carry far in such a position, or is high profile in that specific event.

One of the candidates for Student Living Officer, Adele Wills, said: ‘Nobody I spoke to even knew that current officers would be endorsing candidates, or that they were allowed to endorse candidates. I only found out when it popped up on my Facebook feed, which was a big shock to be honest.

‘I was in the middle of campaigning and it really knocked my confidence, because it felt like the person who had encouraged me to go for the role didn’t think I could do it.’

Ammar added that he hopes ‘that this focus on officer endorsements doesn’t undermine the huge amounts of work all of us put in behind the scenes, as well as the valid decisions voters made on who to vote for, decisions which I believe were made on more than just who was supporting who on Facebook.’

Epigram | 27.03.2017

55

UoB in top 50 unis in world Ellen Jones Deputy News Editor

University of Bristol

The recently released QS World University Rankings by Subject have confirmed that 29 subjects taught at the University of Bristol are highly rated within the world’s top 100.

The ranking rates 46 courses across universities worldwide. This is based on academic standing, reputation with employers and research impact.

It also considers staff to student ratios and teaching standards. Two subjects taught by the University of Bristol are ranked alongside Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford and Princeton within the top 20 worldwide.

Anatomy and Physiology at Bristol was ranked 15th best in the world, and Earth and Marine Sciences rose one place from last year, to 18th.

In total, nine of Bristol’s subjects have been ranked in the top 50 in the world. This includes Geography, English Language and Literature, Veterinary Science, Dentistry and Education. The University of Bristol was also given an overall position of 41st in the world, out of a total of 1100 universities across 74 countries.

The university’s Vice-Chancellor stated, ‘These rankings demonstrate the strength of research and teaching at Bristol across all disciplines’. Tom Youngman, second year Geography student at the University of Bristol, told Epigram: ‘Another league table confirming the strength of the Geography course at Bristol is really good news’.

The QS subject rankings are based on the opinions of 194,000 employers, 305,000 academics, and analysis of 43 million research papers.

Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon artwork was installed in the Great Hall in Wills Memorial building to mark the installation of the new Chancellor, Sir Paul Nurse

Bristol has ‘no intention’ to impose gendered word ban Ellen Jones Deputy News Editor In recent weeks, Cardiff Metropolitan University issued a report introducing a New Code of Practice on Using Inclusive Language, which discourages the use of gender stereotyped words, including ‘sportsmanship’, ‘mankind’ and ‘right-hand man’. In their place, the University published a list of more ‘inclusive’ and gender neutral alternative words and phrases.

Cardiff Met has announced that both academics and students could

face disciplinary procedures if they fail to respect the new policies. This has invited considerable criticism, with many claiming the ban is a restriction of free speech.

A spokesperson from Cardiff Metropolitan University said, ‘the University is committed unreservedly to the principle of academic freedom’. But, they continued, ‘it is also committed to providing an environment where everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect’.

‘The Code of Practice on Using

Inclusive Language sets out a broad approach to promoting fairness and equality through raising awareness about the effects of potentially discriminatory vocabulary’.

However, the University of Bristol has told Epigram that it has no plans to adopt a similar policy on the use of gendered words.

A spokesperson for Bristol Uni said, ‘As a university we support inclusivity for all our students and staff and aim to ensure appropriate use of language’.

However, they continued: ‘the use of gendered language is not something

that has been raised as a specific concern and we don’t currently have plans to review this’.

Brad Jennings, President of the University of Bristol LGBT+ Society, agreed, telling Epigram: ‘these words should not be banned, but people should be encouraged to think and discuss their use of language and have it can be exclusive and unequal’.

The changes to appropriate language at Cardiff Metropolitan University have been laid out in their Equal Opportunities Policy, for immediate effect.

Universities UK Chair: there aren’t ‘obvious alternatives’ to TEF ranking metrics Amélie Peschanski News Reporter Julia Goodfellow (Vice Chancellor at the University of Kent and chair of Universities UK) spoke out against the metrics used in ranking universities such as Bristol in the TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework) in an interview to the University of Bristol’s Physics Society (Chaos).

She also discussed her experience of being a woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and what comes after Brexit.

On the recent controversial issue of TEF both at the University of Bristol and nationally, Julia said that no university could argue against teaching excellence.

‘It’s not clear to me why they had to introduce the TEF so quickly when we didn’t get a chance to innovate new metrics, but we needed a bill to go through for differentiated fees,’ she said.

‘The argument used by politicians is to empower prospective students and their families to make informed

decisions.’

On the use of the NSS and the DLHE (Destinations of Leavers of Higher Education) to measure teaching excellence, she mentioned that ‘they are the only available metrics’, echoing comments previously made by ProVice Chancellor Judith Squires at the University’s recent TEF forum.

‘The NSS is incredibly useful and important at school and department level because it gets students’ input and we really like to see students as partners in their education.

‘But is it measuring teaching excellence? You could have that debate,’ she said.

‘Do we want to retain students? Do we want them to get jobs? Absolutely.

‘Has that got to do with teaching excellence? Unfortunately, there aren’t obvious alternatives that as a sector we’ve been able to find, so we have reluctantly decided to go with those ones.’

On 6th March, the House of Lords voted to break the link between tuition fees and the TEF, throwing the potential financial gain for universities engaging with TEF into doubt.

Julia said: ‘I’m not even certain the Lords understand what they voted on.

They might do.

‘Even if the Lords’ amendment was accepted by the Commons, which I think is unlikely, they could still increase everybody’s fees to £9500 because of previous measures.’

Goodfellow described the increased fees in line with inflation as ‘the minimum we [as a sector] could ask for and that’s all we’ve done.’

When asked if, as Vice Chancellor of the University of Kent, she would pull Kent out of TEF if the amendment did pass in the Commons, she answered: ‘I think you have to look very carefully at what reputational value you would get from it.’

She concluded by describing the future of UK Higher Education as ‘bright’ and ‘absolutely excellent’.

‘We beat ourselves up, we keep saying that we’re not good enough but we really are.

‘Look at how popular we are internationally on the job market; look at our world records for research. I am not worried at all!’

On sexism faced by women in STEM

areas, Julia Goodfellow commented: ‘What you experience depends so much on where you are in your career.

I have progressed in both research and as a university leader so you could say I haven’t really been faced with sexism.’

In June 2015, Bristol SU published a report on women in STEM and found that 80 per cent of staff had at some point felt uncomfortable in their place of work due to their gender and 64 per cent had experienced sexist comments.

She said, ‘Now that I am here, I’ve turned it around and I’m thinking: what more could I be doing?

‘Over my lifetime things have changed massively and I believe it’s going forward. The problem with the younger generations is that you think it’s still evolving too slowly.

‘But I’m amazed at the change in attitudes from when I was at Bristol compared to now. That doesn’t mean I’m complacent, because I think we all have a job to do.’

On student action for future generations, she said: ‘We’ve always got to adjust within our communities and question ourselves and our biases,

and I think that’s much harder to do when you’re young and you don’t want to risk your career.’

When questioned about the effect of Brexit on UK education, she said, ‘The answer to every Brexit question is: we do not know and we’re not going to know until right near the end so we really have to think ahead.

‘The rhetoric out there is very bad, and we are really trying to work together and put some ideas into government to get a better visa system, because right now we don’t have the infrastructure in the Home Office or in our European consulates to deal with [the 125,000 EU students].

‘It’s unlikely EU students will have access to the loan. We are expecting a decrease in European students as we have already seen a 7 per cent drop this year, and we can understand that because things are uncertain.

Nevertheless, she reassured the audience that: ‘We are extremely popular for international students, so why would that be different with European ones?

There’s no reason it shouldn’t stabilise after the uncertainty is gone.’

Epigram 27.03.2017

6

Hilary Benn on how Labour can change Britain: ‘If we don’t win, then we can’t’

“

The former Shadow Foreign Secretary talks to Epigram about Brexit, why we shouldn’t give up on foreign intervention and the Labour Party Stefan Rollnick Deputy Editor When you meet him, Hilary Benn feels like the definition of comforting Britishness. His round, thin spectacles, his big tweed coat, the slight limp as he strides down the corridor.

As we power-walk behind him on the way to the green room he politely answers questions about the quality of his train journey whilst glossing over my cocky remark about whether he managed to find a seat. He’s clearly not as prepared to mock the leadership, in our company at least.

After giving a generous endorsement to Epigram’s mental health campaign to camera, he shuffles in his chair and adjusts his tie, readying himself for our questions.

We start by quoting an Epigram interview with Nicky Morgan a few weeks ago where she told students to ‘trust’ the PM when it comes to securing rights for international students

and EU residents. Benn clearly had reverence for the complexity of the negotiations but started by declaring that ‘the government should now give a unilateral commitment to the 3 million European citizens’ working and living in the UK, to remain in the UK.

‘We have a big task on our hands if you look at the opinion polls currently’

He also went for the low-hanging fruit, quoting the PM’s ‘no deal will be better than a bad deal’ speech.

These sorts of bullish statements from the government are open-goals for experienced orators like Benn: ‘No deal is a bad deal’.

More specifically with regards to the damage Brexit could do to universities,

Benn says he thinks ‘a lot of people are very anxious’. Whilst touching on the uncertainty of the Erasmus 2020 scheme, he struggled to keep the focus on universities; his focus stuck on the ‘families [and] people who have got children in schools’ and the practical issues they will face.

‘They hate the idea that they are being used as a bargaining chip’ he says, clearly becoming more animated.

‘Can the government please take international students out of the net migration total, because it’s absolutely ridiculous […] and it actually damages Britain’s standing and reputation in the world’.

Moving from the future of the EU to the future of the Labour Party, we ask Benn if he thinks Labour can ‘turn it around’ by 2020, quoting John McDonnell’s previous interview with Epigram.

We begin to see more of the veteran politician as he avoids directly criticising the leadership whilst

presenting his version of the Labour alternative, echoing previous Chukka Ummuna interviews which sound like a prototype for post-Corbyn campaign themes.

His criticisms of the current leadership strategy are thinly-veiled at times, as he cites Clause 1 of the Labour constitution to us: ‘The aim of the Labour Party is to win Labour representation in parliament.

‘We have a big task on our hands if you look at the opinion polls currently’, he admits.

We end the interview by asking him about an issue he is most famous for: foreign intervention. The more he speaks on this issue the clearer it is that Labour will struggle to find a better Shadow Foreign Secretary.

He makes the emotional argument for dealing with the Daesh, putting the question to us: ‘What is our responsibility as human beings […] to stand up for people who are experiencing murder, rape,

decapitation?

‘Has all intervention in the past gone well? No it hasn’t, but the argument that just because you can’t do the right thing everywhere has never struck me as a very good argument for not trying to do the right thing.

‘I think the people […] who should make the judgement are those who are gradually being released from Daesh.

Ask them what it was like’.

The interview stops but the discussion keeps going: one of the cameramen asks him for a photo and questions him further about Iraq. Almost as if he’s forgotten that the cameras are off he turns to the cameraman and throws some of his best arguments at him.

Despite Benn’s almost constant show of enthusiasm, it was the moment that he lost it that was possibly the most telling. Talking about the government’s so-called ‘Bedroom tax’ policy he insisted: ‘I want to do something about it. Every Labour MP does. If we don’t win, we can’t’.

Epigram/ Ben Palit

Hilary Benn struggled to stop the debate even after the cameras stopped rolling, pictured here debating the Iraq war with UBTV cameraman Ben Palit

Epigram

27.03.2017

Features

@epigramfeatures

Editor: Amy Stewart

Deputy Editor: Bea Gentilli

Online Editor: Adele Momoko Fraser

features@epigram.org.uk

bea.gentilli@epigram.org.uk

adelemfraser@epigram.org.uk

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know Alice Oliver looks into the reality of nepotism and graduate recruitment Alice Oliver Features Writer

“ One third of all MPs attended independent schools ... and threequarters of all High Court and Appeals Court judges

privately educated, whereas 40 per cent of trainees at Clifford and Chance went to fee-paying schools. The Sutton Trust’s Leading People 2016 report revealed similar findings. The report found that one third of all MPs attended independent schools, along with one third of FTSE 100 Chief Executives and three-quarters of all High Court and Appeals Court judges. Social Mobility was equally an issue in the arts sector, with two-thirds of all British Oscar winners attending private schools.

Some London firms have even been accused of implementing a ‘poshness test’, with applicants being turned away for having the wrong accent, or for seeming ‘uncomfortable’ in a suit.

This continues even after employment, as studies have shown managers are more likely to promote employees from a similar background in their likeness.

‘Not only do I not have the advantages of family connections, which is how many people do seem to get jobs and internships, but especially due to my accent, I do feel at a disadvantage.

Flickr/ buschap

With one of the highest private school intakes in the country – at roughly 40 per cent – there is no lack of Bristol students with family connections in top professions. However, many Bristol students may feel an acute disparity between the opportunities afforded to them and those open to their more fortunate peers.

Given that only seven per cent of people in the UK are privately educated, their dominance of the professions paints a poor picture of social mobility.

Nepotism presents a crucial problem both in securing internships and in the graduate job market. Those educated at private schools continue to hold an advantage in terms of recruitment and who you know can make all the difference in securing a job.

Professions such as law, journalism, accountancy and medicine remain largely dominated by the privately educated. A recent study by the AllParty Parliamentary Group (APPG) entitled ‘The Class Ceiling’ found that only a small percentage of firms use contextual recruitment – whereby employers evaluate applicant’s achievements in the context of their social background. In a separate study, data collected from thirteen elite law, accountancy and financial services firms revealed that in 2014 70 per cent of job offers went to students educated privately or at selective state schools.

In a study of London’s top fifteen law firms, it was revealed that 50 per cent of partners at Slaughter and May were

” “

By and large, [internships] operate as part of an informal economy in which securing an internship ... often depends on who you know and not what you know

There’s definitely a prejudice against non-Southern accents,’ noted a second year student from Birmingham.

Nepotism poses a problem not only in the graduate job market, but also in securing an internship. The Milburn Report of 2013 noted, ‘by and large, [internships] operate as part of an informal economy in which securing an internship all too often depends on who you know and not what you know’.

The Debrett’s Foundation found in 2012 that privately educated students were twice as likely to get prestigious internships in London, with 72 per cent of applicants admitting to using family connections in order to secure a placement. In a climate in which having a good degree from a prestigious university is no longer enough to guarantee a job following graduation, students with family connections hold a massive advantage. The experience they gain sets them considerably ahead in the job market.

”

A six-month internship in London cost a single person living in the city a minimum of £5,556

However, it is not simply a question of family connections; money is also a key issue. Students from lower income backgrounds are even further disadvantaged as the majority of

internships are unpaid. Indeed, a Sutton Trust report in 2009 found that a six-month internship in London cost a single person living in the city a minimum of £5,556. Thus, only students with families who are able to support them financially seem to be able to take them up.

The current system perpetuates a vicious cycle. Unable to secure or afford internships, students from lower income backgrounds could find themselves at a serious disadvantage in the job market, as they have neither contacts nor relevant experience.

Intern Aware, a national campaign for paid internships, has highlighted the problem of unpaid internships, stating on their website: ‘We believe that unpaid internships are exploitative, exclusive and unfair. By asking people to work without pay, employers exclude those with talent, ambition and drive who cannot afford to work for free.’

‘A lot of graduate jobs require experience – there’s a never ending cycle, it’s really hard. Education isn’t just enough, you need something extra, which is difficult to gain without family connections. It makes sense; you trust people you know to do a better job. It’s so unfair, but obviously if you’re offered an internship, you’re going to take it. I know some people who have incredible advantages – links with city lawyers or connections in the banking industry,’ a second year English Literature student noted.

There have been some advances in this area – in the wake of recent backlash against nepotistic firms,

many employers have begun to implement equal access schemes.

For example, The Law Society runs a Diversity Access Scheme that provides not only financial support for Legal Practice Course fees, but also provides successful applicants with an industry mentor and access to relevant work experience. The NHS similarly runs a Widening Access Scheme.

Equally, the University of Bristol Internship Scheme offers paid work

By asking people to work without pay, employers exclude those with talent, ambition and drive who cannot afford to work for free

experience with SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) in the UK. The internships, open to all students, run for a minimum of four weeks, and are all payed at at least the National Living Wage. They are also open to graduates up to six months after graduation. However, some students still feel there is a lack of information regarding internships: ‘I never considered an internship before university; you just don’t get told about them. I found out through friends more than anything else. You have to be so proactive to go to the careers advisor, nothing is handed to you.’

The recent APPG report has called for the government to do more to

Education isn’t just enough, you need something extra, which is difficult to gain without family connections

increase social mobility and access to the professions. ‘We know that social mobility at the top of UK society is shamefully low. Throughout this inquiry we have heard from profession after profession that significant barriers exist to young people from less advantaged…If the current government is serious about improving access to top jobs for those from less advantaged homes, they need to take a much more strategic approach. This means linking the work of schools, universities and employers to build a real business case and practical plan for improving social mobility,’ stated Justin Madders, MP and Chair of the APPG on social mobility.

We’d like to hear what you have to say, so please fill in our poll in the online version of this article at www.epigram.org.uk to let us know your thoughts on nepotism and whether it affects graduate recruitment.

Epigram

27.03.2017

‘There isn’t a city, town or village that is exempt from it’

8

Josh Spencer spoke to Andrew Wallis OBE from Bristol charity ‘Unseen’ on the fight against modern slavery

Josh Spencer Deputy Film & TV Editor

Andrew Wallis OBE

You had a successful career in business – what motivated you to set up a charity?

Read Theology at the University of Wales Trinity St David.

Awarded an OBE in June 2015 for services to the Eradication of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery.

My background includes business and working for the church and through that I came across trafficking.

We had been working with the social orphan problem in Ukraine and started asking about what happens to kids post-16 when they leave an orphanage. The response we got was either drugs, prostitution or trafficked - the traffickers turn up and the kids are never seen again. It became one of those things where once you’re aware of it, you can’t stop seeing it.

Founder and CEO of Unseen, a charity dedicated to eradicating

“

slavery

public to think: ‘no, we don’t want anything to do with this’?

You mention you’ve worked with the government, how has that been?

Nationally, we’re in a sweet spot at the moment because it’s top of the agenda. But politicians are politicians with one eye on elections… so it won’t always be a priority. I applaud the government for the Modern Slavery Act - it’s not perfect, but no legislation is.

Once you’re aware of it, you can’t stop seeing it

The pivotal stories for me talked about traffickers using regional airports – Bristol was named. I wrote to every member of the council, every MP and the chief constable saying: what can we do to help? That led to a meeting with a senior police officer, in a four hour off the record conversation – the takeaways were it wasn’t a political priority and therefore wasn’t a policing priority.

At the end of that conversation the officer asked me ‘What are you going to do about it?’ and I said ‘What’s needed?’ From his perspective it was safe house accommodation. I agreed on one condition – he agreed to be my first trustee, which he remains today, and Unseen developed from there.

No more or no less than any other city or town. It has good transport links, a large population area, it happens. But you could say the same for anywhere - the interesting thing about modern slavery is that there isn’t a city, town or village that is exempt from it. It can be in industrial units in the countryside as well as the city centre, from homeless people to car washes, to illegal brothels and nail bars. In the 10 years I’ve looked at it, it continues to adapt the entire time.

Are there any incidents you’ve witnessed or things that have stuck with you?

Primarily, that it is hidden in plain sight. It’s much bigger than the country or the government is willing to admit to.

In terms of what’s stuck with me, I think it’s the ability of someone to be controlled by another person, which is a difficult concept to grasp. I constantly get asked ‘why don’t they just walk away?’ It’s the understanding of the psychological controls.

I remember meeting a guy who was

Epigram / Josh Spencer

You mentioned Bristol featuring in news reports – is Bristol a specifically concentrated area?

”

[Modern salvery] should affect the choices you make – where you shop, where you eat, where you work, who you vote for and the questions you ask.

what’s it done?

Then along with that, learning lessons of history. What flipped the transatlantic slave trade was public revulsion – so how do we inspire the ‘That’s what people don’t understand – the level of the invisible shackles people are are held with’

six foot four, built like a brickhouse, yet was controlled by a trafficker and was terrified. Even when he had been removed from exploitation and assured he wasn’t in trouble, his parting words to me were: ‘Are you sure that I’m safe?’

That’s what people don’t understand – the level of the invisible shackles people are held with.

The other thing is the awkward question of what drives this industry.

Fundamentally it’s society’s addiction to cheap – we want cheap goods, cheap services, cheap labour, cheap sex, cheap organs – once that’s driving your industry, it allows for illegal exploitation and profiteering.

What is there to do long term?

The majority of people are held in forced labour – so the major change needs to be changing business. To get business on board you don’t talk to them about human rights. We talk about the economics of doing the right thing, sustainable profitability and the impact of millennials who will say: ‘I don’t want to work for a business that’s enslaving people’ – language they understand. Businesses don’t want to be associated with slavery, and I think with those factors we could hit a cultural shift in how business is done.

” “

The interesting thing about modern slavery is that there isn’t a city, town or village that is exempt from it

What are the challenges you face in dealing with something so hidden?

The first is helping the public understand how they contribute to it – modern slavery is the illicit trade in human beings turned into commodities. That commodity is bought, sold and exploited and generates vast profits with horrendous human rights outcomes.

You’ve had a lot of success – what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the fact that my colleagues on the frontline get someone in freefall, stop that freefall and give them safety, hope and choices for the future with a sense of being safe. They may walk with a limp for the rest of their lives, but if we can help them start walking again that’s great.

Also, having chaired the report that was the instigation of the Modern Slavery Act, and the fact that in 2011 this wasn’t on the political agenda but now is a priority. It doesn’t mean job done, but you don’t often go from writing a report to major legislation in three or four years – that’s what I got the OBE for. I’m honoured to have got that recognition, but I don’t delude myself that we’ve arrived.

Fundamentally it’s society’s addiction to cheap ... once that’s driving your industry, it allows for illegal exploitation and profiteering.

I don’t believe in name and shame – when businesses find it, we should applaud them and make them tell us why it won’t happen again. We’ve been naming and shaming for 30 years and

Locally, I wish Marvin would take a more proactive lead as I think because of Bristol’s historic links to the transatlantic slave trade this is a perfect opportunity. Not in a handwringing, apologising for the past yet again way – I’m done with apologising, we’ve got a problem we have to deal with now.

I’m ambivalent over changing the name of Colston Hall and I’d rather that energy was dealing with the current issue. I see a city constantly tripping over our shoelaces, and it feels like a drag on the city going forward. Bristol isn’t forward thinking or adventurous enough when you look at its potential.

That said, we’ve set up the AntiSlavery Partnership all over the SouthWest and the council won’t do business unless it’s in compliance with the transparency in supply chains act and reporting on www.tiscreport.org.

Finally, if you had a message for Bristol students, what would it be?

Wilberforce roughly said: Once you become aware of the issue, you can no longer say ‘I’m not aware’. You can choose to do nothing, or do something.

Once you’re aware of modern slavery, what are you going to do about it?

We don’t all have to join a charity, but it should affect the choices you make – where you shop, where you eat, where you work, who you vote for and the questions you ask. Your generation have a huge opportunity to force change upwards.

If you see the signs of modern slavery, call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or report on the website www.unseenuk.org.

Epigram

27.03.2017

9

Students and Sugardaddies: the saga continues

“

Caroline Lamb looks into student’s views and involvement with ‘sugardaddies’ Caroline Lamb Features Writer This time last year the BBC announced the rise of students looking to ‘sugar daddies’ as a means of funding their time in university. A quarter of a million students, it was stated, were using sugar

daddies. The claim however, came from dating app ‘Seeking Arrangement’ calling into question its validity, as it is unclear whether the figure is of active users of the site or includes anyone that simply signed up. Nonetheless, ‘Seeking Arrangement’ is an app designed to be the mediator between ‘sugar babies’ and

their prospective sugar daddies; one could more impertinently refer to it as a kind of gold diggers’ Tinder.

The app is not the only one of its kind; other dating websites such as sugardaddy.com offer the same type of services. In fact, one quick Google search will provide you with a wealth in choice

of dating websites and apps designed to help you bag your sugar daddy. So, why the sudden increase in popularity? Aside from the obvious monetary incentives, there may be numerous explanations for this upsurge in popularity. The accretion of rising student fees, mounting debt, a more sexually liberal generation and unfiltered access to the entire world

I had a friend in Australia who was sleeping with a sugar daddy who got obsessive and controlling

Flickr / Cazz Lamb

A quarter of a million students apparently use sugardaddies, a study by the BBC in February 2016 claims

via the Internet makes for a potent cocktail of potential for both the sex and furthermore the sugar daddy industry.

Whether it be to pay their way through university, or to allow for a luxurious lifestyle, students are signing up in droves to find a sugar daddy for themselves. To get a better idea of why this might be happening, I asked several University of Bristol students their opinions or experiences on the issue. ‘I feel sugar daddys are becoming more and more acceptable. I genuinely have a few friends who have signed up for the websites to do it. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, the idea of a pretty young girl giving an older guy some company that he otherwise wouldn’t get is kind of nice. I think maybe there shouldn’t be such a taboo around it, but at the same time I can understand why there is. I had a friend in Australia who got caught up in the whole scene, and was sleeping

with a sugar daddy who got obsessive and controlling and it was pretty scary I think. I have no clue if I’d go on a date myself, I feel like maybe I would but then when it came down to it I’d p*ssy out,’ one student in particular told me.

In fact, this was a very common theme among the students I spoke to. The idea of a sugar daddy or a date or the lifestyle or potential benefits was something they were not all too concerned with; it was however the execution of said relationship they were unsure if, in reality, they could pull it off.

There were, conversely, a few others who were less inclined to concede over the issue. ‘I don’t think I could pull it off or be comfortable with it. The money

“

I found that the majority of students I spoke to were not agressively averse to the idea

would be great, but I would feel morally implicated. I would feel like I was selling myself, I’d feel cheap and degraded,’ one stated. Yet, overall, I found that the majority of students I spoke to were not aggressively averse to the idea. In fact, it was quite the contrary. However, very few admitted to or claimed to have actively tried to use the dating sites themselves.

As it often happens with such choices in life, the idea of it is incredibly appealing.

However, the reality is not - and it is only a certain few who can truly handle it.

As the saying goes, everything has its price.

How can students help the homelesss?

Bea Gentilli investigates the work of the Julian Trust in St Pauls and how students can get involved Bea Gentilli Deputy Features Editor University and student-life, for many, demarcates a period of time defined by hybridity. Weeks of unforgiveable idleness, punctuated by the occasional 10am lecture-scramble, running alongside panicked 2 day caffeine stints desperately grappling at that hallowed ‘3000’ on the word count.

And, quite frankly, no-one is claiming there is anything wrong with that. But is there more that Bristol students can be doing?

Even for the most unobservant; it is seemingly impossible to overlook Bristol’s ever-growing homelessness problem. Most street corners have become a physical reminder of the ever-diminishing social welfare system which should, in effect, be ensuring some form of long-term shelter to such individuals. This is far from a novel problem facing Bristol and since 1986, a remarkable institution has been, quite literally, changing the daily lives of the homeless down a little side street in St. Pauls.

The Julian Trust Night Shelter, tucked away, minutes from the hustle and bustle of Stokes Croft, is open to anyone 6 days a week offering hot meals, hot drinks, beds, a warm welcome, most importantly, to anyone and everyone. It is precisely this which sets the shelter apart from all others

in Bristol. Unlike other governmentfunded night shelters in Bristol, where the guests must, by law, be clean from drugs and alcohol to stay; the Julian Trust is open to anyone, assuming they do not break the Trust rules which are, principally, good behaviour and absolutely no toleration of drugs and alcohol within the premise of the shelter.

“

laundry and offices, with separate facilities for volunteers. It is open plan creating a space which is welcoming and most importantly, emanating a sense of equality between volunteers and guests, where everyone feels at home.

The Night Shelter is open six nights every week throughout the

year. In a normal night, the shelter will serve around 80-100 guests anything from tuna pasta bake with a cheesy crust, to curry or meatballs and pasta. There will always be a soup of the day alongside something sweet and warm for pudding. As many victims of homelessness may not feel comfortable to come and eat indoors

In a normal night the shelter will serve anything from 80-100 guests

And quite frankly, the shelter is entirely correct in this, turning away addicts and alcoholics is fundamentally closing doors on the people that need support the most, be it medical or emotional. When the institution opened in 1986, all that was required was a number of keen volunteers, donations and a location where the Trust could find its feet. And believe it or not, almost 30 years later, on this premise not much has changed.

The Shelter itself, comprises of a large dormitory room, with eighteen emergency beds, a dining area and two bathrooms with toilets and shower facilities. There is also a kitchen, stores,

The Julian Trust provides 18 beds every night except Thursday to the vulnerable

to begin with, the shelter ensures that there are sandwiches and bags of biscuits offered at the back entrance to anyone who desires them. Dinner is served from 9.30pm and 10.30pm with breakfast the following day being served at 6.30am before the shelter closes ready at 7.30am for dinnertime that night. As a volunteer, one usually is required to help the team prepare the food and then serve it afterwards or alternatively greet and chat to the guests.

The Shelter provides a laundry service supplying clean, alternative clothes where needed to the guests, whilst St John Ambulance and St Mungos Outreach workers volunteer weekly to ensure the guests have access to medical support or guidance. Many of the guests have had bad experiences attending local hospitals or are generally terrified of the authorities in general so the St John Ambulance service has become their single form of medical support.

However, this institution cannot run without support and donations. It runs entirely on private donations and costs around £1,500 per week to run (2013), yet crucially needs volunteers t make the magic happen.

It seems it is institutions like these, which perhaps stand as a contributing factor to Bristol being voted the best place to live in 2017. So for even just an evening a week- why not get involved?

Running the greek economy, invading Iraq or having a ‘brain fade’?

Make sure you’ve read your Epigram...

Comment

Epigram 27.03.2017

@epigramcomment Editor: Abbie Scott

Deputy Editor: Ed Fernyhough

Online Editor: Sarah Williams

comment@epigram.org.uk

ed.fernyhough@epigram.org.uk

sarah.williams@epigram.org.uk

Setting deadlines: ‘It is a disgrace’

The Weekly Angry Takedown

This week Cameron Scheijde argues that the University ought to be more sensitive to mental health when setting deadlines - page 12

Over the last few years, Bristol hasn’t fared very well in student satisfaction polls. Are the reasons for this always because the teaching is sub-par? On the basis of conversations with fellow students, I suspect other factors are at work as well. Now bear in mind the White Paper reforms. The government will use student satisfaction results as a factor in determining the quality of university teaching, unrepentantly myopic when our complaints often have nothing to do with the teaching itself.

I Syria-sly love Comment! Here’s what I’ve Benn reading...

Does the University do enough to ensure that we vote?- Page 12 Take a year abroad, you won’t regret it Page 13

Subjects at Bristol University are ‘world class’ - Page 13

What the #editors are saying...

Turns out I have more experience than the Evening Standard editor, can I have a journo grad job now please?

@hannahprice

The model is flawed, but the results it yields will be used by the government to raise tuition fees at the universities scoring best. Woah.

So, the government will raise the cost of university education at institutions already scoring better than others.

What? Would it not make more sense to generate funds for universities scoring poorly, rather than creating more funds for universities already scoring well? Currently, this seems like a surefire way of perpetuating social divisions. This shambles is further exacerbated by the fact that the government is using a broken model to justify these increases.

*Hilary Benn may not have actually read the Comment section this week...

OVERHEARD ON THE 16 BUS “If I put an x at the end of my email do you think my lecturer will think I’m trying to flirt?”

Loving @benjaminjparr ‘s expert analysis of Trump’s plan to build a wall: ‘Why is this happening?’ ‘Why is that a thing?’ @StefanRollnick

“I’ve not done my washing in three months.”

The smattering of applause and wheezing fan-fare upon landing... an agonising reminder that I’m nothing more than a budgetflying prole... @EdGrimble

“Did anyone see the Overhead on the 16 Bus quotes in the last Epigram issue? They’re really funny!”

Epigram

27.03.2017

2017’s SU election turnout should set the standard But Jessica Cripps questions whether the university should do more to increase student engagement

The SU elections have now drawn to a close, and (at the time of writing) we wait – depending on who we are – anxiously or indifferently for the results.

Between Tuesday 14th March and Thursday 16th, the hedges by Senate House were covered with old bed sheets with a rainbow of neatly painted names and pledges on them. No longer an easy spot for a study break, the Refectory, Hawthorns and ASSL café – among many others – became hotspots for hopeful candidates to target students for votes.

Good on them for taking a stand and putting

are all online, and yes, candidates will advertise as much as they can, but it all comes down to chance that voters will have enough information to form opinions about who they are voting for.

So, congrats to all the 2017 candidates. You did a record-breaking job at engaging students. But to the 2018 team – what are you going to do to make it even better?

It is entirely by chance that we find out any information about anyone’s manifestos

are standing for relatively easily.

Bristol SU candidates get between £30 and £50 each to run a campaign, depending on the role they are going for. After printing costs, campaign t-shirts and supplies to make banners, there might not be

Someone

themselves out there. It’s not easy to walk up to a stranger and ask them to engage with something they probably haven’t given two thoughts to before that very moment – particularly someone looking like they’re frazzled on enough coffee to keep them awake for three days, desperately trying to reach a word count before an imminent deadline (not speaking from experience, of course…)

What no one was saying, however, was the real aim of any election: that is, to engage people. This year saw the highest turnout for votes at 28.52% (according to the SU website). 7400 people voted – or roughly 1 in 3 students.

What may seem a low number is actually higher than the NUS average: in 2015, all universities only had an average of 17.83 percent turnout. A larger turnout means that the SU can turn to the University and have them believe that they are talking for all students. In turn, this means change can happen

a lot left in the pot to buy cookies to hand out to potential voters.

However, if there is a budget available for campaigners, couldn’t the SU hold some of that back to host a communal election night, BEFORE votes are cast, as well as the Results night?

At Bristol, it is entirely by chance that we find out any information about anyone’s manifestos. Yes, they

Facebook/ Bristol Jets Cheerleading Squad

“

This year saw the highest turnout for votes as 28.52 percent

faster.

2017 is likely to be praised as a roaring success at engaging students: but if we turn the stats around, that’s still 72 per cent of students who either didn’t engage with the elections, or didn’t know they were happening.

Regardless of where you are, however, SU elections seem to primarily rely on social media. Society pages become littered with manifestos. The more creative candidates may create memes and viral videos, others stick with the more traditional campaignphoto-as-profile-picture: either way, social media is the new way to run an election campaign.

When you compare our campaign tactics to other universities, it’s clear that more can be done to explain how our one small vote can affect change.

The University of Nottingham SU elections regularly sees candidates holding photo opportunities on nights out, with cardboard frames, and using the opportunity to talk to students about their manifestos. The University of Newcastle similarly allows candidates to stand on campus and hand out free food to potential voters. Most likely they will get their ear talked off too, but it all seems worth it for a bite to eat. People can choose to get as involved as they like, and find out what candidates

“

Jessica Cripps Comment writer

Even though this year’s turnout was the highest on record, 71.48 percent of students ‘forgot’ to vote

Clashing deadlines threaten mental health Cameron Scheijde criticises the university for not considering mental health when setting deadlines

Cameron Scheijde Comment writer Even with mental health issues in the spotlight, the University continues to make the avoidable mistake of putting deadlines in the same week. It is a disgrace.

At University you have to stretch yourself. Try new things, excel yourself academically, make lifelong friendships, navigate through a multiplicity of relationships, have fun. The ‘best days of your life’.

Unfortunately, for an increasingly large proportion of students, University is not the nirvana imagined when taking that intrepid first step into the resplendence of the Wills Memorial on a visit day. The simple matter is that it is extremely difficult to balance life at University.

‘Am I popular enough? Am I getting enough exercise? How can I stretch my student loan?

How often must I go out? How much should I be involved in societies?’

‘And how do I balance all this with my work?’

Us Bristol students are incredibly lucky to be studying at an institution ranked in the top 50 in the world; with a number of courses rated

of the mental health problem at Bristol: it has gained national press attention on more than one occasion. Whilst the men-tal health crisis is not an issue exclusive to Bristol, it is inexcusable that the University does not rectify avoidable mistakes such as these.

To clarify, I am in no way arguing that we should be given less work, or that getting assignments is in itself unhealthy. Far from it: attending a top Russell Group University will of course be hard work. However, the shoddy placement of deadlines and reading weeks is ill-judged at best.

It perpetuates the perception that pastoral care and consideration for student issues is not a priority for the university. From my experience of my course, this is an accurate statement. It means

that while your ‘deadline weeks’ are manic, chaotic and almost unmanageable, there are weeks with low contact time and little engagement with your course.

Yes, it is easy for me to moan in a Comment column: but the University should rightly be nervous about the results of the NSS. Student satisfaction has always been Bristol’s shortfall in national league tables. However, it is pleasing to see the emphasis on strengthening mental health provisions in Union election manifestos: hopefully elected union officials and course reps will press the University to reform and change.

Until then, our deadlines will continue to come all at once, and we will have to continue bearing this un-necessary strain on mental health.

Epigram

“

It is a disgrace that such an avoidable problem hasn’t been addressed by the University faculties

‘world class’. However, this means that for the large majority of us the workload is heavy: a plethora of assignments, essays, reports, readings and presentations fill our timetables. When our faculties put all of these due in the same week, it is little wonder mental health is such an enormous issue. It is a disgrace that such an avoidable problem hasn’t been addressed by the University faculties. From personal experience, having all my deadlines in one week placed extreme pressure on me, and having to spend hour after hour in the library, whilst also attending, engaging and reading for seminars was an enormous strain.

Last semester, I had two essays due in consecutive days whilst also performing in a show every evening for those three days, and an exam the day after. This semester, I have had two essays and a report due less than a week apart from each other. Mixed in with social pressures, extracurricular activities, this is an extreme stress. For those who suffer from mental health issues, this can place an almost intolerable stress on already delicate shoulders.

This is not the only example of apparent neglect from the powers that be in Senate House: for Faculty of Arts students, reading week is before the start of teaching in January as opposed to in week 18. Concerns have been raised about this nonsensical place-ment as it leads to a very long 9-week slog to Easter, which again can be detrimental to mental health. Both of these are examples of where the University is demonstrating clear disregard for the mental health of students. There is no doubting the scale

Hampton House offers a counselling service - the clinic is on St Michael’s Hill, BS6 6AU

Epigram

27.03.2017

13

A genuine opportunity for personal development

Linus Smith argues that having a year abroad is an invaluable life experience, not a waste of time Linus Smith Comment writer Coleridge, Byron, Shelley. All the greatest writers of the Romantic era travelled the world. There wasn’t exactly an Erasmus+ programme in motion in the 19th century, but now you too could be following in the steps of Britain’s finest authors. Yes, I’m talking to you, English students.

There has been talk of introducing an optional year abroad programme for English Literature undergraduates; no longer is this student sabbatical cordoned off for the linguists amongst us. However, it begs the question: is a year abroad worth it? Is it necessary, or merely just a year away from the harsh

“

It’s about developing a set of skills, which allow you to indulge in other cultures

to really stretch yourself. Once again though, it’s your prerogative. The excellent part about a year abroad is that there’s no real recipe: you can get as little or as much out of it as you please.

Speaking a language fluently, learnt from scratch in a different country not only puts you in the small number of British bilinguals, but also demonstrates that you are versatile and able to adapt to challenging situations — if that isn’t a model answer to a consultancy cover letter, I don’t know what is. The same goes for house hunting, bank accounts and other bureaucracy. It’s far too easy to declare yourself mature whilst looking for a flat with four other students in Bristol — doing it alone is invaluable experience for the imminent solitude of adulthood.

As I finish my beer I come back to the question in hand: is it worth it? Yes, it’s an invaluable experience that tests you over and again — you may come back to Bristol with a depleted friendship group, but hey, you can be the enigmatic lad or lass swaggering through the library reading Machiavelli in its original form.

In the words of Andrew Marvell: ‘Had we but world enough and time, this coyness, lady, were no crime.’

Beyond campus Nikki Peach rants about matters outside of Bristol...

Emma Watson’s clipped accent, childhood fame and privileged upbringing have more than once brought her feminist status into question; it’s almost as if she could pass for a Bristol student!

In sociological terms, she is of course ill-equipped to speak on behalf of the suffering of women less fortunate than herself. She cannot relate to genital mutilation, child marriage or denied emancipation and it is unlikely that being white has played a part in any sexism she has faced.

But, does being a white feminist mean she should be criticised for promoting gender equality or using her privilege as an attempt to achieve this? As annoying, inexperienced or naïve you may find her, she is using her position to promote equality.

By no means is she suggesting that she is the voice of all women.

Linus Smith

grind of socialising in the ASS? Well, as I write this I am currently drinking a beer on the balcony of my apartment in Madrid (in plus twenty degree weather, may I add), pondering the very same question.

With young students being told to bolster their CVs rather than travel, a year abroad hardly seems auspicious. A more logical step would be applying for internships each summer whilst studying. Indeed, who needs to speak another language? The world is so anglicised at present that other languages will merely be a secondary source of communication, mainly used for bartering Catalonian fishmongers or discussing Germany’s efficient transport system. This may very well be true (I write reluctantly, a student, whose whole degree revolves around language). However, therein lies the paradox: with large companies seeking to globalise, they simultaneously look for young blood with a similar global outlook. This doesn’t mean picking up the latest edition of the Economist and reading about the DAX. It’s much more than that.

It’s about developing a set of skills, which allow you to indulge in other cultures whilst simultaneously contrasting said cultures with that of your own — thus acquiring a global sense of social and economic

proceedings.

Furthermore, living abroad gives you the opportunity to objectively view your own country through the lens of diverse, foreign media outlets, who might not have the same approach to certain subjects as our media. In Germany I was met with bemusement about Brexit with several moustachioed Germans accusatorially asking “vot ver yoo guys sinking?”, forcing me to view my own country in a harsher framework.

The question of language fluency comes up often as well. ‘Can we really avoid English-speaking students?’

If not, ‘how will we ever become fluent?’ I turned to my housemates: John, William and Henry and we all came to the conclusion that it is hard (thanks to social media and a finite choice of universities to choose from). However for an English student, you are able to choose one country for a whole year, either working or studying (I would suggest working, by the way).

This would definitely be enough time to enhance your fluency of a language, enabling you to meet new friends: Juan, Guillermo and Enrique. But, beware of the blight of the English, you will have to go off course

Rather than being a white feminist or a feminist for everyone, maybe she’s just a: feminist.

Nikki Peach

Here is Linus, enjoying the Spanish sun, on this occasion unfortunately without beer in hand

It’s not all doom and gloom...

Subjects at the University of Bristol are world class Ed Southgate celebrates Bristol University’s latest ranking with 20 courses deemed to be ‘world class’ Ed Southgate Comment writer The University of Bristol has many reputations, one of them being its highquality courses. But reputations are one thing.

Reputations can sometimes be misleading, or outdated; can we trust a reputation?

Our university has recently been ranked as delivering over 20 courses deemed to be ‘world class’, which must only prove that our university can live up to its reputation.

A recent feature in Epigram explored ‘is Bristol really as good as we think it is?’ Well, with subjects such as English Language and Literature, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Geography, and Education being ranked amongst the top 50 in the world, and Anatomy and Physiology being ranked 15th best in the world, it is safe to say that Bristol really is as good as we think it is.

The recent ranking of the University of Bristol does not just warrant praise towards the university as a whole. We should appreciate how this reflects the hard work and dedication of each individual lecturer in

not only conducting important new research, but delivering that research in an accessible course for us all.

Of course, there are many different university league tables out there all giving different results – the Guardian, the Times, and the Complete University Guide to name just a few. It is reasonable, therefore, to question ‘why does this league table say anything different from the others? Why should we trust this one?’

The answer to this I believe to be simple: the QS World Rankings use metrics which are more reliable. That reliability of these metrics mean that we can truly believe that our university is ‘world class’.

There are six indicators in which the QS World Rankings reach their results; academic reputation, employer reputation, student-tofaculty ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.

The first, academic reputation, contributes towards 40 per cent of the result, and asks academics across the globe to say where they believe the best research is currently taking place. What does this mean for us? With 74,651 academics contributing, it shows that the

University of Bristol is being recognised by those who really know what to look for.

A recent Epigram Comment piece asked whether student feedback should be taken so seriously when it has every reason to be unreliable; I am inclined to agree with this argument which makes this result, which takes reliable feedback into account even more credible.

Furthermore, citations per faculty contribute towards 20 per cent of the result.

This does what it says on the tin; it looks at how often a university scholar is cited in any piece of research. With Bristol scoring highly in this factor across numerous subjects, we again see how this integral some of the findings from our university have been.

International faculty ratio and International student ratio contribute five per cent each to the result, and looks at whether the university is attracting the best students and scholars from across the globe. In the wake of Brexit, our strong result in this section shows we have a great platform to continue to be an outward-looking university.

Tables such as those produced by the Guardian, on the other hand, focus on student

feedback from the NSS, for example, and the money spent towards each student. I have briefly mentioned my agreement with claims that student feedback is unreliable, and I’d also suggest that it is what the university can deliver which is important, not how much they spend. The QS Rankings prove that Bristol can deliver.

It also focuses on the degree grade received by each student; undeniably this is important, but a degree from one university may have different worth than the same grade from another purely because of the different course and research quality. The QS results allow us to know for sure that our courses, and therefore results, are high quality.

This is not to say we should ignore other league tables. There is no room for complacency and we must strive to better our position in every respect. The metrics used in the QS World Rankings, however, show that we must be doing something right. We must now use this incredibly encouraging news to strengthen our reputation and academic credibility even more, to keep attracting the brightest students.

Epigram

27.03.2017

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

Animal testing - a reluctant necessity Emma Isle Science Writer In a world where science is advancing at an incredible pace, with new discoveries being made all the time, it is a reasonable question to ask, why is animal testing still necessary?

The use of animals as test subjects has always been a controversial topic, and is likely to continue to be so long into the future. Animal rights groups such as People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) argue strongly that such experiments are inhumane and often unnecessary and irrelevant to humans

when compared with non-animal tests.

While they are correct that animal testing still has a problem of transferability to human subjects, due to the action of the Animals Scientific Procedures Act (ASPA) all tests using animals must convince a panel of experts and non-experts alike that the experiment that they are about to undertake is both necessary and all options other than testing on animals have been undertaken.

This principle, known as the three R’s (reduction, refinement and replacement of animals), is a key part of the University of Bristol’s policy on the use of animals,

aimed at ensuring that only the most necessary of animal tests are still undertaken.

The University states: ‘until satisfactory alternatives have been developed, the process of discovery, enquiry and teaching require procedures which involve studies in animals’. This is the crux of the issue: currently there is no suitable alternative for testing on animals. Studies such as behavioural studies and drug trials need to be tested in complete organisms, as until that point we are unable to see how such drugs might affect all areas of the body rather than just the specified target.

Understanding Animal research/ Flickr

In order to develop treatments for disease, we need to first understand the underlying pathologies of said diseases, which for many conditions, particularly those such as neurological disorders, is currently still unknown. Thus we rely on animal models to replicate the disease so that we can attempt to understand the cause and find cures.

Of course animal models are by no means perfect, and often we are unable to fully replicate the human disease due to differing anatomy. However, animal models have gone a long way towards helping us understand and develop theories for the treatment of neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s.

Animal testing has been crucial in the development of organ transplantation, the treatment of heart disease and the development of vaccines. Organ transplantation alone saves the lives of around 3000 people in the UK every year.

Other animal welfare organisations such as the RSPCA have raised concerns about poor quality research being licensed and conducted. ‘Research that is of little value, poorly designed or conducted and badly reported is a waste of animals’ lives, causing suffering that should have been entirely avoidable.’

While poor quality research is certainly an issue that suggests that more careful scrutiny could be applied to applications for research, even they would agree that it is not grounds to campaign against all animal testing.

The Bristol University policy for the

use of animals in tests states that ‘work is ethically reviewed, carefully regulated and kept to a minimum, within the overall objectives of advancing knowledge in the areas of biological, biomedical and veterinary sciences. The University of Bristol only uses animals in research programmes of the highest quality and where there are no alternatives.’ Allowing us to be certain that at least at our own university, all of the research that takes place is of a high quality to ensure that no animal is used in vain.

“ Animal testing has been crucial in the development of organ transplantation

No researcher wants to cause harm to animals and the conditions in which they are kept are as good as possible, with a vet on site for all projects to ensure that no unnecessary suffering takes place.

However most major medical advances have been made with the assistance of animal testing, and hence it is vital, at least for the time being, in order to ensure that everyone will have the best chance of surviving illnesses that would otherwise be a death sentence.

Until a reasonable alternative to animal testing, which allows us to perform tests to the same standard without the use of animals, animal research will be a reluctant necessity.

Does veganism make you live longer?

“ Vegans are often seen as the weirder, gone a little too far, cousin of vegetarianism

Instead, it is found within pastured egg yolks, milk and cheese. And while a B12 deficiency is a problem for many people, in vegans it is particularly evident with 83 per cent of vegans

displaying a B12 deficient, compared to just 5 per cent of omnivores.

Furthermore, Senior Research Fellows of Public Health, at the University of Sydney, crunched some of the data concerning vegans and vegetarians living longer. They found that when comparing the risk of early death for vegetarians and nonvegetarians, while controlling for a range of other factors, there was no statistical difference.

Yet whilst longevity of life may not be aided by a vegan diet exclusively. It was found that a vegetarian/vegan diet consistently is associated with reduced

risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The study found that vegetarians and vegans often were healthier on average due to the health-conscious factor.

Vegetarians and vegans are healthier on average

Simply, if you are vegetarian and vegan you will be more likely to be

Rain Rabbit/ Flickr

There is a running joke that you never have to ask whether someone is vegan, they will just tell you. Vegans are often seen as the weirder, gone-alittle-too-far, cousin of vegetarianism.

However, whilst it is easy to ridicule vegans as hippies who would have us raise carnivores with tofu and ‘positive energy, science may be on their side.

A number of studies have shown that vegetarian and vegan people do live longer and healthier than their meateating counterparts, such as lowering metabolic risk factors (triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, and waist circumference) among men in their sixties. As well as this, vegans are far more likely to reach the recommended 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, have lower rates of obesity and reduced risk of colorectal and prostate cancer.

What about all the essential nutrients that animal products supply us with? Are vegans missing out on both the good taste and goodness of meat? Vegans are indeed missing out (in some ways) but they can cater their diet to ensure they are getting those nutrients. Vegan food may never replicate the taste of a bacon sarnie, but with the right mix of nuts, seeds and vegetables you are not missing out on any vital nutrients.

The irony of the argument from meat eaters, that not eating animal

products will starve vegans of essential nutrients, is that only about one third of the population eat five portions of fruit or veg a day. The nutrient argument also ties in with the idea that not eating meat will make you weaker. Try telling that to Patrik Baboumian, one of Germany’s strongest men and Torre Washington, a vegan bodybuilder.

Have vegans ‘Got Milk?’ though?

Yes, they do; well, a fortified plant milk that claims to have as much calcium as dairy milk and calcium-set tofu.

So, perhaps it is true that vegans do actually live longer, are stronger and generally morally superior to us meat eaters.

Not quite. Veganism is not the cure for all it seems to be. Vegan diets can be deficient in vitamin B12, iron, A and D. Vitamin K2 (which strengthens bones), is not found in plants (apart from Natto, a fermented soybean product, something quite hard to find at your local supermarket).

“

Tom Foster Science Writer

health-conscious. This falls into a lifestyle, external, factor rather than a dietary one. The focus on eating right and exercise sways the data in favour of vegans living longer.

Thus, veganism is not the holy grail for how we should all live, but neither is it a fad. The science is there and the fact it promotes a healthier lifestyle is clear. However, some nutrients need to be gained using supplements.

Ultimately, the same old mantra still holds; strive for a healthy diet and do plenty of exercise, and the results of this can be enjoyed by being either an omnivore or a herbivore.

Epigram 27.03.2017

15

Bees might have smellier feet than you Danny Wallace Science Writer

Flickr/Pimthida

It turns out that the awful smell in your room caused by the accumulation of weeks of dirty laundry is nothing compared with a recently discovered navigation technique of bumblebees, who use their smelly feet to leave footprints marking where they’ve been.

Researchers at the University of Bristol have found that bumblebees leave ‘smelly footprints’ wherever they go, helping them to track where they have visited and preventing them from getting lost. The main advantage appears to be that they can find and keep track of which specific flowers they have visited in the process of pollination.

“ Bumblebees leave ‘smelly footprints’ wherever they go

This newly discovered phenomenon has been proposed to be analogous to us as humans ‘leaving fingerprints on whatever we touch’ according to Richard Pearce from Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences. The substance is completely invisible explaining the reason it has only recently been discovered and it is believed that these so called ‘scent marks’ are not unique to the bee that left them, but instead can be detected by any bumblebee.

A series of experiments involving flowers with scent marks from bees and their relatives showed that bees could discriminate between flowers containing their footprints and those of their nest mates and relatives. This is an admittedly complex technique to assist the bees in remembering the flowers that they have

visited recently.

The study also suggests that bumblebees are not alone in this method of tagging flowers that they have visited with an invisible compound; honeybees, wasps and ants are also believed to take part in this process. The scent-sensing ability of these insects may also be applied when trying to find their way back to their colonies (which give off signature scents) as well as the wax in each colony which also gives off an individual smell.

Even more importantly bees may use these scents when determining who they want to mate with and therefore these scents may have evolved to prevent bees inbreeding.

The scents are made up a mixture of carbon and hydrogen atoms and appear to be generic to all bees and are not altered chemically by each individual.

Scientists have yet to decide whether the scent tags act as a ‘carrot’ or ‘stick’, with there being evidence to support that they

“ “

both repel and attract bees to individual flowers.

Honeybees, wasps and ants are also believed to take part in this process

Despite the informative results of several of the experiments involved in the study, it is currently unknown how important scent marks are to the bumblebees and whether a bumblebee will discount landing on a particular flower purely because it appears to contain that bee’s scent marks. How bumblebees interpret these scent marks is likely to be investigated with further experiments, because one theory is that the bees may choose to move their colonies if many of the flowers that they

come into contact with have been marked by these signature compounds.

Overall these studies might help us to determine how bumblebees make decisions regarding who they mate with, where they make their colonies and which flowers are most attractive to them. These questions are important, as bees are under enormous threat due to the changing landscape of Britain with 97 per cent of flower rich areas being lost in the last 100 years. They are also large contributors to Britain’s economy being worth £400 million per year, in terms of their pollination of commercial crops like tomatoes, peas and apples.

The decline in the diversity of British wildlife has become a trend over the last few decades with an increase in urbanisation and subsequent destrcution of environments leaving animals no choice but to adapt. A prime example of which is the fox which you’re more likely than not to see roaming the streets of

Bristol and other UK cities after dark.

Bees are under enormous threat due to the changing landscape of Britain

With important subjects such as the bee population, our economy and our crops at stake we should welcome this advance in our knowledge about how bumblebees interact with and interpret their surroundings. So while bumblebees are able to mark where they’ve visited just by leaving their scent, with exam season approaching I’d say researchers should next study students who are able to find their way back to their spot in the ASS with just the smell of coffee and an open packet of Dorito’s to guide them!

Under the microscope... Sperm, needleless injections and a new drinking app e T h ming im ul sw f s s n be e c c su rm ca e p s ical f e o themat hm u a iq m n h le c te a simp tes to a rhyt ld. ed by explain e formula rela a magnetic fie h h f T o a . t e a s la re rc th formu akin to y made by a t n e m n the e of mov rtant discover rther light o ity. po s fu fertil The im a shed ation and in s a in h C is in ake ertil group ns of f and what m lop o n e m deve derst pheno can un m, we could and r If we e y fertilt ful sp success f predicting in it. o ing ways s restor perhap

Sam Green... discusses sperm swimming techniques

of Scared you’ll Then ? s exas, le d nee t in T a h t e r a ns hav to he injectio s ses s be glad n le e d p e at dis rst ne h t fi e e ic h v t uman a de USA, than a h r ered by t e s f ll a in m m d ow s pable o been a l’ is ca h a jet fl a it t r g w o in in ‘P k k s s ma d a into the s well a e calle a ic , v is e o t d le d ed he har pore. T cting ne hat are g an inje fluids t in s lectric h u t e o y c r eve ct vis s to an je k in n a o h t t r on anually it easie e them ct to se rough m e h t p x h e s u ld p u We sho 20. motor. in by 20 t e k r a the m

e A r at u g re lar a ant to t w u yo on’t D nigh ? s ks on a spoon in r r s e d h r t e u o W ry erspoon e bar fo e Weth h s for t u t a y a c a e e p and queu her, b t r r e u d f r o o . The ou ok n t lets y rt of your table ct a out? Lo h t p p fo erfe s an a the com eems like a p m o now ha r f s s and st plain d drink st year r is it ju la o , food an e e t n la o on, just art ph nched app lau o a student sm ever your opin he nt to t ? What additio nachos nd lazy u a o l y ia r c e o you ord antis g with not to in e k r u in s r d be while ace!

Berkley WG. Gr mates in

Ellen Powell... reports on a new needleless injections

Katie Coates... chats to us about a new pub app

Flickr/thellr

Epigram

27.03.2017

Letters

@EpigramLetters

Editor: Claire Hargreaves letters@epigram.org.uk

A letter to my 50-year-old self

Flickr / Fredrik Rubensson

This is frightening. Maybe I do not mean frightening, but I am certainly feeling apprehensive. You know a lot more than I do, about me. To be quite honest, I do not really know much about me at nineteen, let alone what I am going to be like thirty-one years from now. Only you know what has happened to Mum and Dad, and whether or not you still bicker with your sister on occasion. I am sure we are intrinsically the same, once our skin is shed. You just have another couple of layers added on top.

I wonder if you have forgotten what nineteen-year-old Chloë was like, or what she did. Well, under a word limit I could not possibly spiel out my autobiography, but I could tell you what I am doing as of right now. It is a Saturday morning and I am sequestered away in my little Durdham room, giggling at having heard of my friend’s escapades the night before. Tonight, I will go for drinks with a friend. Sip rye whisky and listen to Steely Dan. Naturally, I have romanticised about the transgressions of fifty-year-old me.

I am hoping that you are whizzing through the dusty states of the US on an old Harley-Davidson, listening to old rock and kicking back in sooty evenings.

Perhaps you exercise more (you should) and like mushrooms now, or maybe you have even got a scattering of novels under your belt. Exciting stuff.

Remember how Mum used to ask when there would be little sprogs running around, calling her ‘grandma’?

I wonder if her wish has been fulfilled.

A family…do I have one of those? I do not think I want one, not really. I am too selfish for children. A husband…oh, will I have one of those? Do I want one of those? I don’t know - but I guess I do not have to for a while.

I couldn’t care less about how much money you earn, or the size of your house. I would rather keep this sentimental, not lingering on heavyhanded things which really do not matter.

However, I feel obliged to ram some superficial stuff into this. ‘Shape of You’

by Ed Sheeran is number one. Actually, he is holding the top fifteen spots. Good for him, I suppose. I wonder what you are reading. If you still ceremoniously flick through Stephen King each night before bed. Or whether you and him are best buds now. Boy, that would be cool.

You might come to this scrap of writing for a quick leak of 2017. A time capsule, of sorts.

But I implore you not to reminiscence, please. Looking back serves no purpose, at least not much. Let this be merely like locking eyes with a stranger in an alleyway. Let life sweep you away, but be sure to keep your eyes wide open the whole journey.

Anyway, I must not keep you. It has been nice shipping a little portion of young Chloë over your way.

I will let you get back to life.

“

Chloë Moloney Letters Writer

A response to Jessica Cripps: Censorship is not something to be proud of Cameron Scheijde Letters Writer A red light free speech category is not an indication that we are ‘doing everything right’.

To clarify, before I start this article, I agree with the premise of Cripps’ argument: that if promoting awareness on sexual assault, challenging misogyny and cultural insensitivity is ‘censorship’, then surely it cannot be a bad thing.

Seeing ‘Ending Rape Culture at the University of Bristol’ in big red letters as a con is something I find very troubling, along with the amber ‘zero tolerance on sexual assault’. The idea that to win a green light one has to ‘tolerate’ sexual assault, again, is troubling.

traffic-light ranking of university censorship. They define the red ranking as follows: ‘A students’ union, university or institution that is hostile to free speech and free expression, mandating explicit restrictions on speech, including, but not limited to, bans on specific ideologies, political affiliations, beliefs, books, speakers or words’.

“ “ ‘I do agree that the SU... suppresses freedom of speech’

However, this being said, I do agree that the SU, an organisation established to represent the interests of University of Bristol students, suppresses freedom of speech. In fact, Bristol has achieved a red light rating for every year that the magazine Spiked has conducted its

‘It feels like universities are becoming bastions of intolerance and censorship’

To disregard this study as simply tabloid magazine sensationalism would also be grossly misleading: this was a scientific study conducted and overseen by Professor Dennis Hayes (head of educational research at Derby university) and Dr Joanna Williams (senior lecturer in higher education at Kent University). It should therefore be taken seriously as an indication of our union’s attitude to alternative political beliefs.

As an example, the SU launched a campaign recently to no-platform philosopher Roger Scruton from speaking due to his controversial opinions on gay marriage. I believe

he is completely wrong, but to remove his platform to speak, despite his status as a world-renowned academic, is the manifestation of censorship. When stories like this garner national press attention, it feeds the idea that universities are becoming bastions of intolerance and censorship. Whilst we are lucky to live in a country where women’s, LGBTQ+, and minority rights are championed, there are many people who hold contrary opinions: especially those of conservative faith in the United States. How can students hope to challenge these opinions when such a policy of no-platforming

exists? An open mind is crucial, and banning speakers is the very opposite to this.

‘The red light is a thing to be proud of if it is only due to the SU’s policy on sexual harassment and consent classes’

Perhaps Cripps is right: the red light is a thing to be proud of if it is only due to the SU’s policy on sexual

harassment and consent classes.

However, it could be indicative of a move towards further censorship, of speakers, of newspapers or dissenting opinions. Cripps ends the article: ‘In all likelihood, this article will probably be ripped to shreds by censorship tyrants who believe there is no justification for preventing free speech’.

I hope I have not ‘ripped to shreds’ your article, but rather acknowledged the very legitimate points made whilst drawing attention to the dangers of censorship.

We asked, you said...

Following the recent Letter ‘Stop giving honorary degrees, please’ we asked you what you thought Should Bristol award honorary degrees to accomplished alumni?

YES: 40% NO: 60%

Total voters: 119

E2

Living Well Being Travel Style Food What’s On

Christy Nunns

Epi-spring has Epi-sprung

Editor Johnny Thalassites

18

Online Editor Lucy Thompson

Deputy Editor Saskia Hume

living@epigram.org.uk

@e2living

27.03.2017

saskia.hume@epigram.org.uk

Epigram Living Section 2016/17

A fresh perspective Freshers can be stressful if you feel pressured to do certain things, but as this anonymous student reminds us there’s no need to follow the crowd - just embrace what makes you happy Being a fresher is weird. You’re thrown into an environment in which you’re expected to like all the same things as everyone around you. We might be able to distinguish ourselves slightly through whether we like Motion and Stokes Croft, or the Triangle, but ultimately, it’s all much more diverse than that. Motion doesn’t always play the same music, and shockingly enough Blue Mountain doesn’t always play drum and bass.

I always knew that I would make a terrible fresher.

”

Pexels/Unsplash

”

I always knew that I would make a terrible fresher. The idea of going out every night of the week and getting absolutely smashed just never appealed to me much. People are always so shocked when I tell them that I have only been to Bunker once. From a young enough age, I realised that I truly despise clubs that regurgitate remixes of whatever Capital Radio is playing that week, and a little later, I also realised that I really don’t like forcing myself to enjoy music, even if other people say that it’s good. I like listening to stuff that I could enjoy well enough when I’m sober, and if that experience can be enhanced with a little bit of something else that’s fine, too. For me, there’s nothing worse than looking around a club and seeing everyone gurning and skanking to indisputably mind-numbing music.

I also want to say that I’m not judging people who go out and have a great time. In a conversation that I had with some friends recently we concluded that doing drugs was all well and good, if you didn’t talk about doing drugs. As an enhancement, I completely understand taking them. On the other hand, I was at a club a couple of weeks ago and a stranger tapped me on the shoulder to inform me that ‘this floor is really weird on ket.’ I don’t know what the reaction he was expecting was, but I cringed. Undoubtedly, I was glad he was having a good time, I just didn’t understand the need for him to tell me about it.

I’ve also recently been exposed to the idea of rating a club by the quality of its smoking area. I do understand the need for some

Is a scene like this your worst nightmare? If so, don’t worry you’re not alone fresh air every so often, whether the night is good or bad, you are probably going to get a bit sweaty. But, if you look at The Crofters Rights, the smoking area is always empty, which is probably down to the fact that half of the venue is a pub area with seating. This leads me to believe that other people are also craving a conversation. Perhaps, instead of attending a below-average club night in which you spend half of it outside, you could save your money and go to the pub?

There is also this bizarre expectation that everyone needs to be having fun all the time. This means that even if you do end up at an average night and everything’s looking a bit grim, you can cheer yourself up the next morning with all the likes that you get on your

squad pic with the gals. Alternatively, if you do decide to stay in, the fear that you might be missing out is stressed by the knowledge that you’ll be bombarded with Snapchats and your news feeds will be full of photos without you in them. The horror.

I think in general people need to be happier with themselves, and as a fresher you can feel a bit like a small fish in a big pond and that everyone around you is making loads of friends, and that you won’t make any friends unless you go out all the time. It’s not true.

Truthfully, as corny as it sounds, you aren’t going to make any truly good friends unless you feel like you can be yourself. So, if you like clubbing every night then do that, but if you’re more of a pub person, embrace it. There are many more like you out there.

Bristol’s four legged friends

In light of the recent cat cafe opening, Epigram Living has gone on the hunt for more four legged fun in and around the city Bristol Aquarium

But if you’re a not a cat lover, do not fear - there’s a Noah’s Arc of places in the city to get your animal fix. Here’s just a few of them:

Enjoy a pint with a cat at the Bag of Nails Pub

Wikipedia/Adrian Pingstone

Being a fresher is weird. You’re thrown into an environment in which you’re expected to like all the same things as everyone This around is a pretty you. obvious We might choice, be able and undoubtedly to distinguish provides ourselves the slightly best and through most exotic whether wildlifewefixlike in the Motion city. With and Stokes attractions Croft, from or the Triangle, seals to gorillas, but and ultimately, lions to flamingos, it’s all much for a small more zoo diverse this really than has all. It’s also charming, being fifth oldest zoo in theshockworld that.it Motion doesn’t always playthe the same music, and ingly and playing enough a huge Bluerole Mountain in conservation doesn’t efforts. alwaysIfplay you want druma visit and bass. a bit different, they also offer loads of special animal experithat’s ences I always - suchknew as ‘VIP that lionI feeding’ would make and ‘keeper a terrible for the fresher. day.’ The idea of Bristol goingZoo outGardens every night is openofevery the day week from and 9am-5pm, getting with absolutely last ensmashed try at 4pm just never appealed to me much. People are always

Flickr/ Tomas Aleksiejunas

It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! Finally, Bristol’s first ever cat cafe has opened its catflap to visitors. The aptly named You and Meow has up to nine feline residents, all of which have been rescued from unwanted homes or inadequate situations. Most of the cats are permanent residents; however, there are plans to put a couple of them up for adoption at any one time. The cafe serves a range of hot food and drinks, as well as homemade cakes - all to be consumed in an environment that is relaxing for both cats and humans alike.

You and Meow is open weekdays 12pm-7:15pm, weekends 11am6:15pm and closed on Wednesdays

Bristol Zoo Gardens

Watch the penguins being fed at Bristol Zoo Gardens

soOk, shocked so most when of the I tell animals them here that may I have not have onlyfour beenlegs, to bunker or even once.but one, From we athink young it still enough counts. age, With I realised more than that 40 I truly different despise disclubs it’s plays, that theregurgitate only aquarium remixes in the UK of whatever with a giantCapital botanical Radio house, is playing which makes that itweek, prettyand special. a little Exhibits later,range I alsofrom realised sharks that to sting I really and rays don’t if you like arrive forcing at the myself rightto time enjoy you music, can watch even them if other all be people say that it’s good. I like listening to stuff that I could fed. enjoy Bristol well Aquarium enoughiswhen open daily I’m sober, from 10am-5pm and if that experience can be enhanced with a little bit of something else that’s fine, too.

For me, there’s nothing worse than looking around a club and seeing This is everyone another gurning one for and the cat skanking lovers to - and indisputably they’re probably mindnumbing slightly annoyed music. that the cat cafe has stolen their thunder. The Bag I also of Nails want is an to say old fashioned that I’m not pub judging in the Hotwells peoplearea whowhich go out is and have home to 15a cats. great Alltime. of the Incats a conversation were born in the thatpub, I had and with there some was friends once 24 feline recently residents. we concluded The cats have thatproved doing adrugs biggerwas hit than all well the andattracting ale, good, if you people didn’t young talkand about old doing from all drugs. over the As an city.enhancement, The Bag I completely of Nails is open understand Monday-Saturday taking them.

12pm-11pm, On the other and Sunday hand, I was at a club a couple of weeks ago and a stranger tapped me 12pm-10:30pm on the shoulder to inform me that ‘this floor is really weird on ket.’ I don’t know what the reaction he was expecting was, but I cringed.

Last but Undoubtedly, not least, St Werburghs I was glad is an he urban was having farm with a good freetime, entry.I just It is home didn’tto understand sheep, pigs,the goats need and for poultry him to- all tellofme which about you it.can goI’ve and also meet.recently There’s also been a farm exposed cafe and to the a picnic idea area of rating for dining a club in by thesummer those qualitymonths. of its smoking area. I do understand the need forStsome Werburghs freshisair open every dailyso from often, 9am-4pm whether the night is good or bad, you are probably going to get a bit sweaty. But, if you

Bag of Nails Pub

St Werburghs City Farm

27.03.2017

19

The joys of podcasts Living Online Editor, Lucy Thompson, shares with us a few of her favourite podcasts of the moment. Got a spare moment? Give them a listen..

There are podcasts about anything and everything, and they’re wonderful. They are perfect if you are on the walk to uni or need to be preoccupied whilst you’re completing a mundane task. There are infinitely many to choose from and these are a few of my favourites.

Missing Richard Simmons This is the new podcast on the scene. It follows the mysterious disappearance of celebrity fitness guru, Richard Simmons. Don’t worry, you don’t need to know anything about Richard Simmons (before listening I had never heard of him). The host, Dan Taberski, catches listeners up with personal stories and soundbites from his closest friends, providing us with a detailed sense of who he is/was.

The podcast tries to answer the questions his friends have been asking for years - did Richard decide to vanish? Why has he left his devoted supporter? Is his mysterious housekeeper Teresa Reveles keeping him hostage? It’s less a crime podcast (so far) , and more a fascinating study into complex and compelling human being. The finale airs March 22nd.

My Dad Wrote a Porno

Criminal is a story-driven podcast, exploring a unique crime every episode and the people that are caught up in nefarious activity.

From the first episode, ‘Animal Instincts’, which explored whether a woman had been killed by her husband or a bird of prey, I was hooked. Phoebe Judge vividly discusses a plethora of crimes - historical and modern, ranging from blackmarket whisky to stolen books to a prisoner who corrects mistakes in dictionaries. The episodes are short and sweet, and delve not just into the nature of the crimes, but the human beings involved.

Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo are the dynamic duo of film criticism. If you love films, a bit of banter and bickering and compelling interviews with directors/actors - this is right up your street.

Although Kermode’s tastes for films can be a little particular, and Simon has to reign him in from becoming too pretentious, it works.

Kermode has huge expanse of knowledge when it comes to film (particularly horror) and his scathing film rants are hilarious, particularly his dressing-down of Sex in the City 2, Entourage and The Da Vinci Code.

light and the guests enjoy the show. This podcast could have easily been vacuous and cringey, but it discusses the double-standards of sex, with revealing insights from the men they interview. If you want to laugh and don’t mind sexual graphic description - this is the podcast for you.

Serial And finally, it’s an obvious choice, but it wouldn’t be a podcast list without it. Serial is the titan of the podcast world and it began my love affair with the medium. It has been discussed to death , so I will be brief in its description. It’s 12 episodes which conduct an in depth investigation into the murder of Hae Mi Lee and Adnan Syed who was convicted of her killing. It’s as brilliant as everyone says and even surpasses Netflix’s Making a Murderer.

Special Mentions: This American Life , The Good Life Project, Untold-The Daniel Morgan Murder and TED Radio Hour.

Wikipedia/ Casey Fiesler

This podcast is pure comedy gold. Jamie Norton reads and comments on an erotic novel written by his father or ‘Rocky Flintstone’ with his two friends, James and Alice . Throughout the podcast the hosts laugh through chapters of the terribly written ‘Belinda Blinks’ - which follows Belinda who works as an executive at a pots and pans distribution company. The hosts revel in the sheer cringeyness and un-eroticism of the novel - vocalising exactly what you think about the alluring description of Belinda’s breasts that were hanging ‘like pomegranates’. Warning: if you are listening to this in public, your involuntary fits of laughter will garner some stares.

Criminal

Guys we f*cked This is undoubtedly the guilty pleasure of the list. It’s an antislutshaming, sex-positive podcast, presented by comedians Corinne and Krystyna, who interview men they have fucked every episode.

It’s funny, crude and so not politically correct, and you feel like you’re involved in a candid, non-judgemental conversation with friends. The chemistry between the two hosts is great, the tone is

Is Serial really better than Netflix’s Making a Murderer?

In defence of: a post uni break

Living Deputy Editor, Saskia Hume, on why taking a year out after uni is one of the best decisions you can make

ele skia Hume Epigram/Sa Flikr/Emanu

I can’t quite believe I’m saying it, but my time at Bristol has almost come to an end. In less than two months I will have handed in my dissertation and that’s it - no more lectures, no more seminars and (best of all), no more essays. As relieving as this is, it’s also the first time in my life that I’m uncertain of my future plans. At school I was always sure I’d go to university, even if it wasn’t in Bristol. But now there’s no certain path to follow.

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I don’t really know what my post uni intentions are. It’s a feeling that is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. It also elicits notably different reactions depending on whom I tell. My parents, for example, look somewhat concerned, brows furrowed as they ask ‘have you got any plans yet?’. My parents’ friends seem disapproving, commenting that their daughter went straight into an internship at the Times as a postgraduate. My own friends are entirely sympathetic, pleased that they’re not the only ones nervous for the end of their degree.

But personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having no fixed future plans. Of course, I have ideas about what I’d like to do one day (with a career in journalism being the ultimate aim), but how I’m going to get there is another matter.

Sure, some people know they’re going straight into a grad scheme, an internship, or paid job and that’s great. But I think after three years of university and a near lifetime of education before that I could do with a bit of a break. Having not taken a gap year now’s the time to take a year out and do something new - definitely travelling, and perhaps teaching or working abroad.

Of course, I’m lucky enough to do a degree that lends itself to this. As an English graduate, you undoubtedly do not have the post uni pressures of somebody who does law or medicine,

The buzzing metropolis of Singapore has countless opportunities for teaching English and incredible links to all of Asia. for example. There’s no being cattle-herded into a conversion course or placed in an office for the foreseeable future. Sure, if this were the case it would definitely save me a lot of stress, and probably make me a lot more money. But it certainly isn’t what I want to be doing for the next few years.

However, I certainly don’t believe I should be judged negatively for my choices - it’s not down to laziness, in fact quite the opposite. I want the opportunity to do something new, and gain experiences that will hopefully lend themselves to my future career. I also don’t want to rush into something I might later regret, so taking a year out will give me the time to decide what I truly want to do.

If you’re in the same boat as me, here’s a few simple guidelines that I’m trying my best to follow.

First of all, don’t let the opinions of others persuade you.

Undoubtedly, everyone around you has something to say about your plans, but what’s important is what you want to do.

Secondly, don’t let it get you down or bog you down. The most important thing at the moment is to finish off your studies - then you can start thinking and planning.

And last but not least, do something you know you’re going to enjoy. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day, so make the most of them before it’s too late.

27.03.2017

20

A sermon: on elections and exhaustion Your incoming Student Living Officer, Lucky Dube, lifts the lid on campaigning and student democracy in his first piece since election triumph, writing exclusively for Epigram

Flickr/Marco Federmann Epigram/Lucky Dube Epigram/Saskia Hume

Politics amongst our generation, and especially at this university, is something of a touchy subject. Discussion of political matters, unless one is amongst political junkies, as David Starkey would call them, are something to be avoided: they almost always end in some kind of division. They very seldom end with a feeling, on the part of either participant, that they know more about the other person. To hear an opposing view to your own is to be exposed to another way of thinking.

A way of thinking that has come about through a culmination of experiences to which you are unlikely to be accustomed. In a successful discussion of political matters, what results is a coming together of sorts. When you hear an opposing opinion, you think as the other person does, and, more importantly, you feel as they do. The discussion is thus means by which we utilise our faculty for empathy.

Discussions of this kind are quite hard to come by when discussing either national political issues or abstract principles.

This is most likely due to the fact that, as students, being isolated from ordinary society, we have no stake in ‘issues’: we do not work, we don’t rely heavily on services provided by the council, we have, apart from uni work, no serious responsibilities. I did recently achieve the ideal that I’ve described as I spent the best part of a week and a half discussing political matters with students, most of whom I had never met.

I ran for election to a sabbatical position in the Student’s Union: I was successful, but what struck me was the strength and passion with which many students talked about their experiences. What I was taking part in was politics of a different sort as the discussions I had were chiefly concerned with our university. A university, I realised, that forms a society in microcosm. A society in which many, outside of work, deal

Bribery will get you everywhere, Mr Dube with stress, mental illness, trauma, and other things for which our institution if changed could mitigate the effects of.

One imagines that being on the campaign trial involves much physical exertion, constant considerations of policy promises, and issues concerning public relations. I, and my campaign team, did walk more around the campus in a week than we would in several weeks, we spent hours reading reports and talking to people to inform our policies, and we unsurprisingly spent much time discussing the image we wanted to portray to the electorate. That much, and that kind of, work brings with it a kind of exhaustion that I have never experienced.

My faculties for humour, loquacity, charm (believe it or not), exhausted on the campaign trail now exist in a state similar to that of a person with limited training, after running a marathon.

My neutral countenance, muteness, and occasional mumbling will, I trust, soon correct itself. One feels, campaigning for these elections, every emotion with the most ferocious intensity and occasionally pangs for the quiet life that I enjoyed before deciding to run. It is a fulfilling experience, one that I will always remember, and one that I will most likely repeat. It is an experience that I very much recommend to anyone that has the chance to do it.

Love is blind

Epigram Living sent singletons Peter and Harriet to the Lanes this week, but did they bowl each other over - or did the pair strike out on their date?

What were your first impressions?

Peter Macaulay PM: Super chatty, friendly girl with lots of confidence Harriet Harvey H: Christ, he’s tall

Peter says that his perfect partner has to have ‘a sense of humour’; that Harriett’s best physical feature was her ‘really nice eyes’ and that if she was an animal she’d probably be ‘a labrador’.

Harriet’s ideal partner would be someone ‘who can take the piss out of themselves’. The three words she used to describe Peter 3 things you chatted about?

PM: The horrors of Wednesday night sports night, the hilarity of the people singing karaoke in were‘gentlemanly, funny and driven’,and that he’d also be a labrador - it’s a match made in heaven! the next room, and how her friends decided her spirit animal was a rabid squirrel HH: His plans to be a pilot, how we should avoid talking about the six Nations (being Irish I’m hoping England don’t win, sorry!) and how we both want to travel more Were there any awkward/funny moments?

PM: Nothing stands out...I hit my head on the same f*cking lightbulb about five times but that’s about it HH: It was funny when we realised the story I’d heard about some guy who got naked in the middle of Lakota was actually his flatmate!

What did you like most about them?

PM: It was the first time I’d done anything like this, so was pretty nervous, but we chatted easily for like three hours. She made the whole thing quite effortless, which was great HH :Was just really funny, easy to talk to and laugh with Would you see them again?

PM: Yeah hopefully, would be good to have a more active date next time HH: Yeah, planning to see each other again What happened at the end of the date?

PM: We got the bus back together since she doesn’t live too far from me, and I walked her to her door HH: He walked me home and we exchanged numbers Rating out of 10 PM: 8/10 HH: 8/10

These people have been reading their Epigram... have you?

Editor Tianna Graham

23

Online Editor Flora Doble

tianna.graham@epigram.org.uk flora.doble@epigram.org.uk

@EpigramWB

Need some help?

Student counselling service: 0117 954 6655

27.03.2017

Mind Info-line: 0300 123 3393

Epigram Wellbeing

Male Mental Health: Pride and Prejudice Student counselling blog: Let others know

Why did I start the Be ManKind Campaign?

Jackie Head (Head of student counselling)

”

I did also not expect the guys to share as much as they did; there were some men who seemed to jump at the chance to just talk about their problems in an understanding environment and there were times where I was surprised by how a bit of probing into their more private lives opened a gateway for them. It was in these moments I realised this campaign was far more necessary than I had originally thought. Before doing this campaign, I held the view that it was too difficult to get a man to ‘open up’ about their emotions and had therefore turned a blind eye to ever trying.

Yet this experience has taught me that if you just sit, ask and listen, there is a whole dimension of emotion some men are craving to share, if only they were given the chance.

My intention for this campaign was not to raise money, but awareness. This is because I think the main issue we are facing with male mental health is the stigma surrounding it, and that cannot be fixed with donations. There exists in society the strange notion that men constantly need to stay composed, strong and to not shed a tear in their lifetime, but as we all know these are not the traits we find in mankind. In some respects these constraints on men are harboured in university; it is undeniable that a uni environment can encourage men to hide behind a ‘laddish’ facade with so much

Yet this experience has taught me that if you just sit, ask and listen, there is a whole dimension of emotion some men are craving to share, if only they were given the chance.

”

The masculine nature of sports, ‘lads’ and the pressures of university itself are not going anywhere soon, but that does not mean it cannot accept and incorporate a more compassionate and fragile side.

We must ask people the generic ‘how are you?’ in passing conversation multiple times a day, but the extent to which we engage with the reply is of the bare minimum. The purpose of this campaign was to show that when you ask the generic chit chat questions to people such as ‘how are you doing?’ you will more likely than not receive a pleasant response. However, if you take the time to really ask how someone is, this is when the mask falls away and you begin to see another side, which that person does not share publicly often. You can never underestimate the power a simple conversation can have on someone who is suffering. By simply turning a casual ‘how are you?’ to a ‘how are you doing today? Do you need to talk?’ and actually focusing on their response, you could make the world of difference to someone’s outlook on their situation.

Epigram/ Olivia Huxtable

”

The purpose of the Be ManKind Campaign was to show that there tend to be two sides to men; the side they feel comfortable and safe in showing the public in contrast to the side they tend to keep hidden away.

emphasis on sport and drinking.

While this culture is not wrong, as it’s clear many of us enjoy that part about uni life, its existence should not undermine the need for men to feel accepted for being open about any issues or problems they have.

My hope is that men around the university will see my Be ManKind Campaign and realise they are not alone, that it is ok to struggle with mental illness, that it is 100 per cent acceptable to talk about it. The range of men who got involved, from SU officers, sport’s captains, sport’s coaches, and students from first year up to Masters, shows that mental health is not restricted to age or what you do and it can affect anyone at any time in their life.

”

Over Christmas, I saw on social media that two young boys from my hometown had committed suicide, and whilst I didn’t know them personally, social media made it feel far more real than I could have ever imagined. In some ways, I felt like I did know these gentlemen. I remember thinking that I am incredibly fortunate to not have first-hand experience of close male friends or family suffering with mental health problems, but I soon realised for me to assume that no one around me has dealt with or is dealing with mental illness is completely naïve. Sadly, we are living in a time where it is more common than not amongst males, therefore to say I don’t know anyone struggling personally must be wrong. If I think there is not one person around me suffering, I must not be listening and paying attention to the men around me, but more importantly they must not feel ok to talk about these problems with me.

The purpose of the Be ManKind Campaign was to show that there tend to be two sides to men; the side they feel comfortable and safe in showing the public in contrast to the side they tend to keep hidden away. I decided to create the campaign in the form of an album on Facebook, as the power of social media is undeniable. I also think it seems more personal when you are scrolling through your feed to come across someone you recognise taking part in a mental health campaign; you are unlikely to keep scrolling.

Each volunteer came to the studio and I asked them to sit at a desk and have a conversation with me whilst the photographer, Jack Willingham, would capture their reactions. The first part of the conversation I used to get to know the men, asking generic questions. Their body language and facial expressions were very relaxed and animated. I then directed the conversation to a far more intense topic; I gathered that if these men were volunteering to be a part of this campaign there must be a reason as to why they were sat in front of me. Once I had asked what their reasons were for taking part, slowly this relaxed and casual front, that was so strong a few seconds previous, seemed to whittle away. The degree to which the guys wanted to talk about mental health varied, and whilst not every volunteer had a single-hand account of facing mental health issues, each one had a story or experience they shared.

When you look at these photos, you would think the expressions are staged by myself or the photographer, yet I’d say around 95 per cent of the photos I chose to feature are their natural reactions to the two different conversations we shared. I did not expect the contrast in these two ‘sides’ of the volunteers to appear so strongly as they do, and most of the men were surprised by how much their facial expressions and body language changed by a fairly simple transition of conversation.

Flickr/ Kerr Photography

Olivia Huxtable (Second Year Student)

One of the strongest pulls for humans is the desire to make sense of experience within our community.

That could be in our family, our friendship group, our workplace or even within looser networks, like the crowd who experience something unexpected or unusual and look to their neighbours, sharing expressions even if they don’t talk.

As meaning-makers we are rarely off duty, often thinking about things, replaying memories, trying out mental solutions ‘What happened there?’, ‘If only I hadn’t’, ‘What if I had?’ until we get to a more settled state of mind.

Often we need others’ input to really make sense of an experience as our own take is a partial, rather than a 360 degree view. Making sense of something on our own (those personal insight ‘aha’ moments) can give us relief and sometimes joy but very soon comes the urge to share it.

The same is true of peak experiences; where we see as if for the first time, when we drink in something extraordinary…the view from the top of the mountain, the moment when live music is beautifully performed or the time we do a presentation and feel we have the audience in the palm of our hands.

There is a moment where we can personally relish the experience and then we want to let others know.

These days Facebook, Instagram and Twitter give us quick access to a broad audience for our experience and we can then take pleasure in the number of ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ that show our news is spreading.

These reflective mirrors on human experience also allow us to normalise our own feelings and to create a narrative of our lives to build a sense of ourselves over time.

In social media, we can edit experience, repackage it to draw approval and choose to keep things private where we want to, but sometimes this can backfire when all that we see are the shiny happy faces of our Facebook friends, making it look as everyone (apart from ourselves) is having a great time. This in turn can make us feel lonely, different or unlovable.

So, comes the question, how do we share the parts of ourselves that we believe are less attractive, or indeed the behaviours, thoughts or feelings of which we are ashamed?

If we feel we have failed, how can we admit that in a culture that rewards success? Unspoken guilt can gnaw away at us as we tell ourselves we are to blame, we are unforgivable.

In the Student Counselling Service, we often meet people weighed down by a sense of shame that is kept in place by negative selfbeliefs.

When people pluck up the courage to talk about their feelings and experiences, and discover that the listener feels compassion rather than the disgust or hatred they fear, it is a powerful medicine.

Often more powerful still, is the impact of sharing one’s experience in a group context. In a safe space, facilitated by counsellors, students talk to students and even if their course of study, age, ethnicity and gender is different, there is the shared experience of being a student at the university.

When a counsellor in a 1:1 session says they ‘get’ something, it is all too easy for this to be dismissed as ‘well, that’s your job’, but when someone hears compassion and acceptance from their peer group it can completely alter their sense of themselves in the real context of their lives.

Students use our groups as a rehearsal space for sharing with their more natural peers outside the group, or for letting family or friends know how they are feeling and what they need.

It is heartening how often we then hear that they have told someone else and improved a relationship as a result.

Of course there is a time for discretion and choosing to maintain internal boundaries around our own privacy, and sharing with others is always a choice.

Sometimes the very thing we most want to hide is the thing that others most what to see, an apparent ‘weakness’ can be endearing, and holding back on sharing who we are is what prevents others getting close.

It can even be that admitting something to ourselves, by saying it out loud, allows us to let it go and walk a bit more freely, without the burden of shame and guilt.

The Student Counselling Service runs a range of group work interventions. Bookings for Summer Term groups open on our website from 24th March.

24

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

27.03.2017

Follow us at: epigram_eats_out

Motion: The South West Vegan Food Festival Sasha Semple tells us why her experience at Bristol’s Vegan Food Festival gave her plenty of food for thought

”

”

”

It was inspiring to meet stall holders whose passion was apparent in their company ethos. Emily from ‘Bath Farm Girls’ presented her alternative to the typically dry glutenfree f lours that dominate the market – quinoa f lour. She let us into her secret: for those on a gluten free diet, try blending quinoa in a Nutribullet as an alternative to f lour when baking.

The result is an ingredient high in protein that, if the tasters are anything to go by, promises a lavish chocolate brownie.

Similarly, although we questioned his new pursuit of ‘topless tarts’, it was uplifting to hear the background to Clive’s lovingly handmade pies.

Whilst we may still be craving Solkiki’s gourmet chocolate, other stalls left us unconvinced. Unfortunately, ‘Lettices’ cheese and meat alternatives were unsuccessful replacements.

The ‘Smokey Bakon’ spread fell short of the original and ‘Better Fetter’ failed to live up to its name. Our verdict: sacrifice trying to recreate ‘Popperoni’ and focus on the tastes that are unique to a plant based diet.

The common consensus was that the most enjoyable cuisines were those which embraced the ingredients available to a vegan lifestyle in order to forge new and exciting f lavours.

In general, being a meat eater did not hinder my enjoyment of the festival or provoke a negative response from the majority of the stall holders.

We must learn to embrace veganism rather than degrading it to a simple food fad.

However, as with any cause inciting change, it can sometimes seem a little extreme. The questionable ‘make veganism great again’ slogans plastered on caps, as well as the controversial satanic vegan t-shirts, did less to encourage compassion and more to harbour a cult-like atmosphere.

I couldn’t help but question the effectiveness of such shock tactics

”

Whilst it is important not to lose sight of the moral principles behind the kaleidoscope of freshly squeezed juices, the uncensored imagery can be construed as excessive. I could not help but question the effectiveness of such shock tactics.

One innovative stall employed the help of VR to further their cause.

Each headset forced the viewer to be virtually transported into an abattoir full of piglet carcasses. Such short exposure

Epigram: Satellitepr

We must learn to embrace Veganism rather than degrading it to a simple food fad

Epigram/ Sasha Semple

The characteristic scent of sweaty ravers synonymous with Motion was replaced by tantalizing aromas of fragrant chickpea curries and freshly prepared spicy bean burgers at The South West Vegan Festival on Sunday 5th March.

Naively I presumed that each stall would humour the vegan cliché - the ‘quinoa and kale’ stereotype that eclipses Instagram feeds.

Yet the reality was an amalgamation of diverse culinary masterminds, each presenting their own unique answer to those who believe that a restricted diet is boring and bland.

It was refreshing to see so many varied cuisines on offer, ranging from Mexican bean chilli topped with a cashew ‘sour cream’ relish to velvety slices of ‘Cheezecake’.

Whilst the event was categorized as a ‘Vegan’ festival, guaranteed to procure interest from fashionable foodies as well as the predictable backlash from vocal Facebook friends, the fair offered more than just that.

Many of the companies revolved around dietary restrictions.

‘Gluten-free’ may currently be on the rise owing to the advice of social media health gurus, but for those who are Coeliac, not eating f lour often inhibits their enjoyment of baked goods.

to the brutality was deeply disturbing. The film room showing equally distressing videos only strengthened my cynicism.

I am not suggesting that we should shelter ourselves from clips of animal brutality - far from it. I believe the ideological principles are often lost under a barrage of avo-toast and acai bowls. Yet there was an element of self-justification arising from those watching the disturbing clips in an attempt, it seemed, to validate their vegan lifestyle.

Despite leaving weighed down by falafel, our wallets were noticeably lighter. For five struggling students it was difficult to financially justify many of the foods we had tried. Even though ‘Moist’s’ mouth-watering carrot, roasted garlic and smoked paprika hummus did more than satisfy our middle class student cravings, at £3.50 a pot it was unwillingly left behind. That is, until we succumb to temptation at the next Whiteladies Road market.

Regrettably we also left the ‘Hug me I’m Vegan’ t-shirts at the festival, but we did acquire a newfound appreciation for the broad range of recipes that are possible on a plant-based diet.

The festival definitely encouraged us to lose our inhibitions, experiment more in the kitchen and not dismiss the potential of quinoa.

Sasha Semple

Epigram/ Ellie Donnell Epigram/ Sasha Semple

Epigram/ Sasha Semple

Epigram: Satellitepr

Epigram/ Sasha Semple

25

27.03.2017

All Hail Queen BTP It’s the review you have all been waiting for. Ellen Jones guides us through the dos and don’ts when visiting Bristol’s favourite breakfast haunt: Boston Tea Party.

Forget to ask for a stamp

loyalty points.

Go there for a ‘quick drink’ No, no, no. It is all about milking the free internet and using the comfy seats for as long as possible. If you are in there for less than 30 minutes, you are not getting your money’s worth.

Ensure that Julia behind the till knows your name too. She might even give you two stamps for one drink! #winning.

Order a bacon butty I went with a friend the other day, and was horrified to find that my almond milk chai latte arrived with her bacon bap and chips. Why? What’s the point? If you are going to BTP, try and at least pretend to love superfoods so you can come out feeling nourished and virtuous.

My favourite trick is ordering a gluten free delight from the counter. It is inevitably unhealthy, but if it does not sound naughty then it does not count! Seriously though, try the granola bars and carrot cakes. You will not regret it.

DO...

Life’s a game, and we’re the players. The barista will not remind you to collect your stamp, and every time you forget, you are one step further away from your free 10th drink.

Have your card at the ready and earn those well-deserved

Try the soup At £4.25 for the daily special and a generous chunk of bread, it

Epigram/ Ellie Donnell

DO NOT...

Epigram/ Flickr: EllieJbloom Donnell

Epigram/ Ellie Donnell

Boston Tea Party. A rite of passage for all Bristol residents and students in particular. After all, who better than the avocadoadoring, caffeine-fuelled undergraduates which populate most of the mile radius surrounding Whiteladies Road to enjoy the delights that BTP has to offer?

I am completely confident that everyone reading this review has been to Boston Tea Party. In fact, you have probably visited their branches on Park Street, Whiteladies Road, Clifton Village, Stokes Croft and maybe even Gloucester Road.

We all know how delicious their Chai Lattes are, not least owing to the copious choice of milks on offer!

And if you are looking to satisfy your ‘avo on sourdough’ cravings, BTP is the answer. Plus their free Wi-Fi means you can pretend to be productive, whilst getting some Facebook stalking done and nibbling on something inevitably delicious.

I am about to guide you through some of the dos and don’ts of Bristol’s go-to café/surrogate library. This, my friends, is a long overdue ode to the one, the only, Queen BTP.

is a real winner! Don’t worry if you are a regular because the soup option changes every day. My personal favourites are the chorizo and white bean, and the sausage and lentil. It is also one of the fastest meals to come to the table so arriving hungry after an inconveniently timetabled 12-2pm seminar is not an issue.

Mix up your spot The great thing about being in Bristol is that, as the home of BTP, there are so many to choose from. On a sunny day, try Park Street, and make the most of their lovely little garden.

Feeling lazy? Stick to Whiteladies – it is close to Uni and you can do your bi-weekly Sainsbury’s shop in the same outing!

Feeling adventurous? Try Stokes Croft! It might be a little bit of a trek but you can justifiably order lunch AND a cake – you’ve earned it.

Savour the moment BTP, unfortunately, cannot be found everywhere. And, when the majority of Bristol students inevitably migrate back to London at the end of the year, they are going to get withdrawal symptoms.

All we can do is make the most of the reasonably priced and varied menu, the super-friendly staff, and the free board games whilst we can. Cheers to you, BTP, we love you!

Ellen Jones

Flickr/ Elliott Brown Flickr/ Ben Ward

Flickr/ Elliott Brown

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

26

27.03.2017

Online Editor Deputy Editors Anna Lezard & Edie Essex Barrett Izzie Fernandes izzie.fernandes@epigram.org.uk

@e2travel

@epigram_travel

Epigram Travel Section 2016/17

A pocket guide to interrailing Kate Baker shares how to have a cheap and eventful European train adventure Interrailing is an amazing adventure that gives you a real sense of freedom. We are lucky enough to have the whole of Europe on our doorstep and interrailing is an exciting and potentially cost effective way of exploring it. I spent a month interrailing with a friend in the summer of 2013 and below you can find my top tips for the ultimate trip!

Epigram / Kate Baker

The spectacular Colosseum, in the capital city of Italy, Rome

Passes There are two different types of pass: global or country depending on where you want to travel. The global pass includes 30 countries, the country pass is country specific.

Within your pass you have the option to choose a selected number of travel days (five, seven, 10 or 15) or unlimited travel for up to a month. I would personally recommend either the 10 or 15 days selected travel as it is significantly cheaper and with a month being the maximum ticket length you are unlikely to spend more than 15 days travelling.

It is definitely worth getting a map and planning your overall route

”

• I wrote down the length of each train journey we would have to take before we set off which was really useful when planning on the go.

about how long you want to stay in each place. Italy, for example, is very expensive and a hostel costs on average £30 a night. Cities in Eastern Europe like Budapest are a lot cheaper; we paid £5 a night in some amazing hostels in the ruin bar district. In terms of hostels, if you are not planning ahead there is the risk of missing

Epigram / Kate Baker

The crystal clear waters of Lake Bled, Slovenia

Edie in Paris

• A lock for hostel lockers will come in very handy.

Time of year will affect cost

”

only accept a certain number of travellers with an interrail pass.

We didn’t book our train from Amsterdam to Paris in advance and spent two hours waiting at the station to book our tickets, only to find there were no seats left on the fast train and instead we had to get a nine hour train with seven changes!

Time of year will affect cost – so go before the schools let out for minimal costs and minimal crowds!

Anna in Berlin

Nia in Valencia

Tempelhofer Feld: closed in 2008, this airport has been reclaimed by the community and now serves as an enormous public park. The airport buildings and signs are intact so rent a bike and swoop around the runways!

Taberna La Sénia: A small and cosy little tapas bar with a relaxed atmosphere. Make sure to ask for the chef ’s recommendations. We were not disappointed with our serving of cuttlefish noodles, duck paté and strips of tender beef!

Natural History Museum: check out Berlin’s resident T-rex Tristan and an excitingly interactive and informative range of other artifacts. Plus see an enormous room packed with animals pickled in jars!

Ruzafa: A district to put on your must visit list!

The quirky neighbour to the more mainstream Carmen district, this is the place to go for the best bars and restaurant and the most exciting nightclubs.

Epigram / Nia Price

Epigram / Sian Lezard

Epigram / Edie Essex Barrett

Refuges des Foundues: a graffiti coated fondue restaurant in the heart of Montmarte where you drink wine out of glass baby bottles to avoid the Paris drink tax.

• Bring your student card as you will be surprised how many excursions do a student discount!

out on the coolest hostels so it’s best to try and book up to a week beforehand.

Also bear in mind the transport systems in the countries you are hoping to travel to - Croatia, for example, does not have a rail network so the pass isn’t much use there. Also be aware that some of the high speed trains have to be booked up in advance as they

”

Editors’ picks: fave city spots Jardin de la Vallée Suisse: escape the noise of the Arc de Triomphe. Read a book next to the trickling waterfalls in this overgrown, silent paradise away from the bustle of the city.

• The Hostelworld app is also essential for planning on the move.

• The most important item to bring with you is a good book, as there will be a lot of waiting around.

”

Planning Once you have chosen your pass the next step is to think about your route. Some people hail planning and preparation as the key to an amazing interrailing adventure, but I would argue that the spontaneity of interrailing is what makes it so exciting! Some of the best things we did and places we stayed were because fellow backpackers recommended them to us. We often crossed paths with people doing a similar route but in a different direction who had loads of great tips.

Having said this, it is definitely worth getting a map and planning your overall route including the places you most want

Top tips • Interrail.eu have a journey planner and an app which is useful.

”

Some of the best things we did and places we stayed were because fellow backpackers recommended them to us

”

Epigram / Kate Baker

Pont-des-Arts, Paris, most famous for its love locks

to visit. Even in a month there is too much to fit in, so you will have to be fairly specific on your stopping destinations. When planning your route, if you’re on a budget make sure to think

27.03.2017

27

Nu-Forms: An Austrian DnB haven Chloe Narey tells us why you should head to Austria for nu-forms of entertainment Festival season is almost upon us. Marked by the approaching season of summer, there’s no doubt it is my, and many others’, favourite time of year. When planning 2016 summer festivities, a few friends and I decided to explore a little gem called Nu-Forms Festival. In its debut year, situated in a forested valley in Wiesen, Austria, it was a haven of sunshine and drum & bass.

”

”

”

If you’re into your DnB, Nu-Forms will not disappoint. The lineup boasted huge names such as Andy C, Dimension, Noisia and Sub Focus. Splashed across 3 stages, there was an abundant mix of liquid, neurofunk, and dubstep scattered throughout the 3 days of the festival – at €99 a ticket, it was a steal.

Regarding the entry process, it was surprisingly casual. Met with no queue, two guys greeted us, asked if we had any glass, and away we went. This extremely laid-back reception essentially encompasses the entire feel of Nu-Forms.

The camping protocol was also considerably chilled – you could camp in small fields, or in the surrounding forest. We passed numerous

Epigram / Chloe Narey

The line-up boasted huge names such as Andy C, Dimension, Noisia and Sub Focus

Regarding facilities, toilets were situated in well-maintained cabins – they’re not your usual long-drop/compost affair. Food-wise, choice wasn’t abundant, but what was available was delicious. I predominantly lived off chicken satay noodles which I still think about today. NuForms also hosted a drug-testing facility. As such an addition becomes

Enjoying the Austrian sunshine

makeshift campsites where people had connected various tents and tarps together to create interlinked cocoon communities that blasted out jump up DnB throughout the hazy afternoons.

Throughout the weekend people would approach us, realise we were English, and would immediately admire the fact we made the journey to Austria to attend the festival. Every single person we met was keen to chat and swap stories about their background and love of the music. The communal feel of Nu-Forms is unique and one to commend.

”

”

During daylight hours, we would relax by the SunandBass stage, basking in the scorching sun of 30° and above. In the late-afternoon, we’d enter the main arena to chill to the liquid tones of London Elektricity and Keeno. The night-time atmosphere was electric, with music going on until about 6am. Following the evening’s festivities, we’d head to the outskirts of the festival perimeter, surrounded by forests and farmland, to watch the sunrise. It is rare to find a festival situated in such a picturesque environment like Wiesen.

”

more commonplace in UK festivals, it was good to see such openness regarding drug-culture.

On the final night, we had to leave around 6am to catch our flight.

In hindsight we would have booked it for a later time, as it was painful to leave such a beautiful place filled with fantastic music and a strong sense of community.

Nu-Forms returns to Wiesen this year, from 29th June – 1st July. So, if you like DnB, and would be happy to spend a few days surrounded by lush Austrian woodland and a community that embraces the genre like no other, it’s the festival for you.

Epigram / Chloe Narey

Epigram / Chloe Narey

Maduk playing at the Main Stage

It is rare to find a festival situated in such a picturesque environment like Wiesen

It was painful to leave such a beautiful place filled with fantastic music and a strong sense of community

The Main Stage in the daytime featuring Etherwood

See the world through Instragram Joyce Khoh shortlists her favourite travelling Instagram accounts

Being an avid social media user myself, I rely on Instagram quite a bit (or a lot) to fuel my wanderlust- especially when I’m stuck at university or too broke to travel. Personally, I feel that there’s so much one can take away from Instagram - by following these Travel Instagram accounts, you get new insights about places you’ve never even heard of and what they look like, which could help you plan your next trip.

Even though there are thousands of travel Instagram accounts out there, what I look for in deciding which accounts to follow is how interesting and beautiful the pictures are, the photography skill, and how captivating the stories they tell are.

National Geographic Travel (@natgeotravel) This is probably one of the most famous travel instagram accounts out there, due to National Geographic being such an accomplished magazine. It features posts from various photographers and features cultures all over the world, making it extremely diverse and interesting.

Dylan Furst (@fursty) An outdoor, adventure and lifestyle photographer who features mostly landscapes and his road-trips.

Daniel Kordan (@danielkordan) A landscape photographer who photographs mostly nature, featuring places such as Greenland and Antartica, which are less commonly travelled by most.

Jack Harries (@jackharries) A famous youtuber running JacksGap, Jack’s a filmmaker, photographer and environmentalist

who photographs his work and travels all around the world, telling the stories of people he meets.

Tiffany Nguyen (@tiffpenguin) A Dentist and LA-based photographer who photographs amazing views from all around the world.

Craig Howes (@craighowes) A South-African photographer who mostly photographs landscape and occasionally people.

Rough Guides (@roughguides) A travel publisher, Rough Guides features an extensive number of places and provides great tips and recommendations.

John Wingfield and his dog, Millie (@johnwingfield, @ milliethegolden) Similar to Dylan and Mason, John’s a landscape photographer who goes on many road trips with his cute dog, Millie (who has an Instagram account too). For all dog-lovers out there, this is for you! His works are stunning and beautifully capture the great outdoors.

City Best Views (@citybestviews) As its name suggests, it features stunning city views from all around the world. Great for planning for your next Uni break!

Mason Strehl (@masonstrehl) A travel and landscape photographer who documents his travels and road trips, mostly in the United States.

Editor Jessie Onion style@epigram.org.uk

28 28

Online Editor Alex Boulton alex.boulton@epigram.org.uk

@e2style

27.03.2017

Deputy Editor Mary Richardson mary.richardson@epigram.org.uk

@epigramstyle

Spring Jackets 2017

A guide to the best selection of jackets by Ellie Caulfield Denim

Kimono

Admittedly this jacket won’t keep you particularly warm but you are sure to look good. Kimonos are back in full swing, so why not channel your inner Beyoncé? Just perhaps save the overdraft and go for a cheaper option.

The trusty denim jacket is back this season, making an appearance in almost every high-street store. Whether you want to keep it plain and classic or want to vamp it up with some embroidery and studs, you are sure to find the right one for you.

Also, remember to check out the many vintage stores Bristol has to offer to find an authentic bargain!

Topshop £65

Although it may not feel like it on your blustery walk to that 9 am you haven’t prepared for, when you would much rather be in bed nursing that hangover you swore you wouldn’t inflict upon yourself again, Spring is just around the corner. Forget the tilting of the earth’s axis towards the sun, this can only mean one thing: it is time to get a spring jacket. Spring is the awkward in-between when it’s too warm for a coat but too cold to leave it at home and you can guarantee the one time you do decide to go without, storm Doris, Deirdre and Daphne will wreak havoc on the streets of Bristol. So, it’s time to embrace the ‘new season, new me’ attitude and get yourself a jacket which will have you covered for whatever weather Bristol decides to throw at you.

Leather Biker

Instagram/@Monki

The light Spring showers (or in Bristol’s case, the heavy pellets of ice) demand you need a bit of waterproofness in your life. Although a leather biker may not have a hood (that’s what umbrellas are for) the biker jacket is sure to keep you looking cool whilst staying relatively warm, and most importantly- dry.

This season is all about pattern and embellishment so why not make your biker jacket the statement piece of your wardrobe?

From Left to Right: Zara £69.99 and Topshop £69

Cropped

Zara £69.99

Bomber

It’s fair to say that the bomber jacket may never go out of fashion. It’s like the looming deadline that you can’t seem to get off your mind; however, with these exquisite pieces, you won’t want to. Dress it up or down and it is sure to be a killer piece that will transcend time.

The cropped jacket dominated the catwalks of fashion weekfrom Versace to Dolce and Gabbana. You can, though, get your hands on one for a fraction of the price. There is a huge variety out there, from suede numbers to a simple black piece. Finally, the days of your coat swamping your entire outfit are over.

Pull & Bear £39.99 Instagram/ @Topshop Zara £29.99

Topshop£75 Pull & Bear £49.99

Ellie Caulfield Style Writer

Zara £69.99

The deadlines may be building up, the lectures may be making less sense, and the panic may be boiling up inside of you at the thought of those exams. But there’s one thing that can make all of the above better: a new jacket. There are so many affordable pieces available this season so why not treat yourself ?

Just don’t say I didn’t warn you if you get stuck helpless and jacketless on the way to that 9 am.

Nudity and Feminism : what’s the problem?

Is Emma Watson an anti-feminist for her Vanity Fair photoshoot?

‘I really don’t know what my tits have to do with it’ said Emma Watson in response to the furore caused amongst the feminist community after Vanity Fair recently published a photoshoot of the actress. The problem: in one photograph Watson was wearing an open, white crocheted bolero jacket with no shirt or bra underneath. Under the artistic influence of the renowned fashion photographer Tim Walker, the photoshoot aimed to portray Watson as having finally shed her child-star image alongside the release of her new film Beauty and the Beast. Yet after the publication of these images, Watson has been labelled an ‘anti-feminist’ by other feminists for exposing her breasts.

The arguments surrounding Emma Watson’s Vanity Fair article highlight a recurring and very prevalent problem within the modern feminist movement. Can you call yourself a feminist if you expose yourself ? Can you justify a belief in advocating women’s rights if you decide to bare a part of your body to a public audience? According to Watson you can. Having stated that she was ‘thrilled’ by how the photographs were ‘incredibly artistic’, Watson argued that ‘feminism is about giving women choice’. The

photographs embody the ‘freedom’ and ‘liberation’ she cites as core aspects of feminism, and particularly her choice to expose her breasts in this manner. Many commentators have viewed Watson’s decision to publish a photograph of her breasts partially covered as a betrayal of feminist ideals. ‘She [Watson] complains that women are sexualised and then sexualises herself in her own work. Hypocrisy’, said the radio presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer on Twitter recently.

Personally, I take no issue with the said photograph of Emma Watson. It is an extremely tasteful and artistic image: it is neither provocative nor sexualised. When done correctly, images of women of either partial or full nudity can be liberating for a female viewer: it celebrates the female body without being subjected to a sexualised, male gaze. However, a problematic aspect of employing nudity to advocate feminism can be the intent behind it. How can we tell whether nudity has been used to either empower or degrade the woman, or women within a particular image? Has the image been produced purely to sexualise or celebrate femininity?

These, I think, are the key questions at the heart of the problem. In the case of Emma Watson, having been accused by other feminists for critiquing Beyoncé’s 2014 self- titled album for calling its visual film ‘a male voyeuristic experience’, Watson’s actions could be seen as hypocritical. I, however, disagree with these feminists: to take one artist’s opinions of another artist out of context in order to soil their achievements for the modern feminist movement is a reversion of core feminist principles.

Feminism was not created to pit women against one another either in terms of race, nationality, beliefs, or sexual orientation.

The controversy surrounding Emma Watson’s Vanity Fair piece highlights how female nudity is still a contentious issue within modern feminism. To say if female nudity will ever relinquish its sexualised connotations is a mystery. However, what the modern feminist movement can do now is to celebrate female empowerment in whatever form it may take.

Olivia Cooke Style Writer

27.03.2017

29

The make-up edit: Spring/Summer Your go-to make-up guide for the upcoming months The blossoming of Spring calls for a makeup bag rejuvenation.

It is time to swap those old vampy shades for endless shimmer and peachy undertones. Spring is all about a fresh face, embracing colour and a natural glow that will shine if the sun ever appears in Bristol. This breakdown will show you the looks of the season and how you can achieve them.

Lips

Face

The bright lip to the bare lip, Spring covers it all. Perhaps the biggest revelation Spring has brought is that gloss is back, and it’s big. Whether you layer it over a daring red lip or pair it with a minimal eye look for a fresh face it, is bound to look good (and get your hair stuck all over it).

It is the season of the shimmer, glow and popping highlight.

Whether you’re satisfied with a light dosage to the cheeks or you want to cover yourself in glitter, Motion-style, Spring is the time to do it. However, don’t feel you have to break the bank achieving this glow, often a cheaper brand does the job.

A new season doesn’t have to mean extending your overdraft to get an entire new bag full of makeup, although there is probably an old mascara you still use that you should probably throw out.

Whether you want to add a pop of colour to your make-up look or experiment with using a new product there is something out there for everyone. And if you feel like lathering yourself in glitter then who cares? It’s Spring!

This season is about experimenting with different colours and consistencies from glitter to gloss. The catwalks were graced with holographic, peachy lids and rainbow eyes and there’s no reason why the streets of Bristol shouldn’t be either. High-street stores are dominating the makeup scene at the moment with Topshop and Monki providing the products to ensure your eyes pop.

Nails are often the forgotten piece of the make-up look but Spring has not left them behind. Simple, clean-cut shapes are in but metallics and bold colours are certainly making their appearance.

Have no fear if this isn’t your look, pastels and nudes are also trending this season.

Cushnie et Ochs

Eyes

Topshop Unique

Nails

Ellie Caulfield Style Writer

Tome

House of Holland

Spring Ball dress inspiration It’s nearly the end of term, which means only one thing - balls and formals Miss Selfridge £35

River Island £70

Topshop £49

Asos, £45

Alex Boulton Online Style Editor

27.03.2017

30 28

Oakley, £145

Miss Selfridge, £32

Sweaty Betty, £375

Lacroix, £160

Moonboot, £90

Topshop, £50

Abercrombie and Fitch, £24

Style on the slopes We are currently in the midst of ski season, a season notorious for mugs of glühwein, hot chocolates and Wiener schnitzel. But fashion, whether down the mountain or off the slopes for après ski, is still a fundamental part of the trip. I’ve compiled together a range of high-end ski wear styles that may give you a bit of inspiration in how to stay warm whilst simultaneously looking effortlessly chic on the snowy hills.

Abercrombie and Fitch, £58

Henri Dullivard, £499

Falke SKI, £20

Pure Collection, £79

Bognor Leonie, £149

Moonboot, £160

Sweaty Betty, £60

Sweaty Betty, £160

S’No Queen, £325

Hannah Worthington Style Writer

Epigram 27.03.2017

31

Editor Anna Wyn annawyn.epigram@gmail.com

British Sea Power Trinity Centre, 06.04

This sextet from Cumbria are a pretty conceptual indie band, as they incorporate elements of anthemic rock as well as post-rock experimentation into their beautifully loud sound. Each of their albums is unique from one another, and yet you could recognise their sound instantly. These alternative faves are on the road with their newest album and worth a watch. For fans of Elbow and Mogwai.

Facebook: Drag Queen Bingo Bristol Page

Facebook: Ibibio Sound Machine Page

Facebook: Mack and Mabel Event

MUSIC

Ibibio Sound Machine The Lantern, 31.03

Spring has finally sprung and what better way to kick it off with the musical equivelent of sunshine. Fusing West African funk and disco, post-punk, and modern electro, this London-based DJ/live music collective is not to be missed! These 70s and 80s African groove enthusiasts are playing a DJ set at The Lantern, Colston Hall’s cooler baby sister venue. For fans of Caribou and LCD Sound System.

TALKS

Frances Trinity Centre, 09.04

Nominated for the Brits critics’ choice award and BBC Sound of 2016 poll, Frances’s world is a poppy-ethereal haven. Touted by the Guardian for her ‘warm,wistful balladry’, her first studio album, Things I’ve Never Said, evokes a lovely brand of mainstream pop which reduces people to tears in some of her gigs. Let’s hope it’s beacause she’s brilliant, not awful. For fans of Rae Morris and Ellie Goulding.

Festival of Ideas: Irvine Welsh Waterstones - Broadmead, 05.04

Sit down with one of Britain’s best contemporary writers, Irvine Welsh, as he discusses his latest book. The Blade Artist marks the return of one of modern fiction’s most infamous characters – Francis Begbie from Trainspotting. This is an event which is likely to sell out, as this is an unmissable opportunity to hear him discuss his novels, his experience with drug addiction and poverty, as well as the Trainspotting series.

SOCIETIES

MTB Presents: Mack and Mabel The Winston Theatre, 29.0301.04

MTB brings Old Hollywood to life in the Winston Theatre, with their biggest show of the year. Based on the real-life romance between film maker Mack Sennet and his rising star Mabel Normand, this dazzling musical tells the story of Hollywood’s golden age. In a time when the silent screen dominated, together Mack and Mabel make waves throughout Hollywood with their song, dance, glitz and glamour.

FILM

NIGHTS OUT

This screening of Under the Skin will be joined by the London Sinfonietta live, conducted by Bafta nominated Mica Levi, composer of the film’s score. Jonathan Glazer’s 2014 film Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johansson, achieved widespread acclaim for its intoxicating soundtrack, which contributed to the film’s chillingly ethereal power. This is bound to be a stunning experience for any cinephile.

Drag Queens, Drinks and Bingo, OH MY! I’m sure your pretty bored of watching RuPauls Drag Race on repeat, so why not have a drink (or ten) with some real life Drag Queens? The Genderation Game draws inspiration from the most classic and well-missed gameshows, giving you the chance to participate in the shows you’ve always hoped and dreamed of going on. I’ve been to a few of these nights, and the fact that I can barely remember anything is probably a good sign.

Under the Skin: Mica Levi + London Sinfonettia Colston Hall, 14.04

Drag Queen Bingo The PRSC, 08.04

TUESDAY - FIGHT NIGHT WEDNESDAY -VARSITY DAY THURSDAY - RUGBY MEET YOUR NEW ELECTED OFFICERS

ELECTIONS results

JOHN HOUSE'S PICKS

VARSiTY day

bristolsu.org.uk

WE'RE WINNING

boycott the nss

Meet your new officer team for 2017/18 )ROORZLQJ D UHFRUG EUHDNLQJ YRWLQJ SHULRG ZKHUH RI \RX YRWHG RXU QHZ RIĂ€FHU WHDP KDV WKH VWURQJHVW PDQGDWH HYHU WR UHSUHVHQW \RX LQ :H QRZ KDYH RXU VL[ RIĂ€FHUV ZKR ZLOO EH JXLGLQJ WKH GLUHFWLRQ RI WKH 68 RYHU WKH FRXUVH RI WKH QH[W \HDU +HUH V ZKR V EHHQ HOHFWHG IRU HDFK SRVLWLRQ DORQJ ZLWK VRPH PRUH IURP WKH PDQLIHVWRV WKDW WKH\ UDQ RQ

8QLRQ $IIDLUV 2IĂ€FHU 6WDQIRUG 3RVWJUDGXDWH (GXFDWLRQ Stanford says: "My vision: students 2IĂ€FHU 6KXEKDP 6LQJK freely pursuing whatever activities they wish unhindered. I'll achieve this through a Union Mental Health Service, increased student access to rooms and student input on Union change!"

Standford's manifesto also focuses on care, mental wellbeing, inclusion, opportunity and an increased presence for the SU on campus.

8QGHUJUDGXDWH (GXFDWLRQ 2IĂ€FHU 0DVRQ $PPDV

Mason says: "The idea is simple: Every student deserves a supportive, progressive and inclusive education.

From mental health & counselling, assessments, timetabling and careers to campaigns and causes, I will represent you."

0DVRQ DOVR FDPSDLJQHG RQ VSHFLĂ€F reforms to personal tutoring, the counselling service, assessments and timetabling.

Shubham says: "Supporting international students by informing them better about their work opportunities and by providing more English-improving opportunities.

Fighting the rising tuition fees by supporting the Boycott the NSS campaign."

Shubham also picked out language support, contact hours and work contracts as key themes for their campaign.

6WXGHQW /LYLQJ 2IĂ€FHU /XFN\ 'XEH

Lucky says: "Wellbeing is key to a student's experience: that's why I am UXQQLQJ WR EH 6WXGHQW /LYLQJ 2IĂ€FHU My programme will focus on halls, private housing, and mental health."

Lucky highlighted the halls allocation system, cheaper accommodation options and more funding for mental health services as focuses for next year.

(TXDOLW\ /LEHUDWLRQ $FFHVV 2IĂ€FHU 'HV ,EHNZH Des says: “Visibility and proactivity is my stance. I will enact policy and lobby the university on issues regarding discrimination and also create a positive learning environment for liberation identities."

Des wants to call out prejudice and microagressions, increase diversity and be more supportive to minority and liberation identities.

6SRUW 6WXGHQW 'HYHORSPHQW 2IĂ€FHU -RKQ +RXVH John says: "Having made positive changes this year, I want to further increase participation, continue to build a strong sporting community and revitalise development for underrepresented students."

John is looking at lower entry-level FRVWV PRUH Ă H[LEOH SULFLQJ DQG VSRUW club funding to boost participation; as well as focusing on wellbeing and pride through sport at Bristol.

elections results night

john house's varsity day picks 6SRUW 6WXGHQW 'HYHORSPHQW 2IÀFHU -RKQ +RXVH JLYHV XV KLV SLFNV IURP WKLV Wednesday's Varsity Day against UWE. With over 20 sports played on one day across various locations, this day is not to be missed.

1. Bristol beating UWE at Badminton

Kicking the day off at 12pm at the sports centre on Tyndall Avenue

2. UWE losing to Bristol at Tennis

All afternoon down at Fortress Coombe Dingle the tennis team will be causing an absolute racket

3. Bristol trouncing UWE in the pool

From 2pm to 4pm, everyone’s favourite body of water in Bristol that isn’t the harbourside (the SU pool) will host water polo. It promises to be superb.

5. UWE falling out of canoe boats whilst

Bristolians laugh I honestly don’t really know what canoe polo is. I can’t swim so I avoid water. Our canoe team are good though. I know that. They're on from 6pm in the pool.

6. Bristol scoring way more goals than

UWE in hockey Head to see some hockey down at 8:( RQ WKHLU DUWLÀFLDO SLWFKHV 2IWHQ D ÀHUFHO\ FRPSHWLWLYH DIIDLU

4. UWE being beaten at Volleyball

Head down to the sports centre from 6pm onwards to watch people play an overcomplicated version of that childhood favourite game of keeping WKH EDOORRQ RII WKH ÁRRU

Get your tickets at www.varsityseries.com

Boycott the NSS - we're winning!

8QGHUJUDGXDWH (GXFDWLRQ 2IÀFHU =RH %DFNKRXVH EULQJV XV JRRG QHZV IURP RXU campaign to prevent rising fees in higher education.

For the last two months, I’ve been asking you to boycott the National Student Survey and refuse to have your feedback used to raise tuition fees. Hundreds of you have pledged to boycott - and that's materialised into results.

1. We have the most students pledging to boycott out of any University in the

country.

2. We are the only institution in the country where academics have been given WKH ULJKW WR SXEOLFLVH WKH ER\FRWW VSHFLÀFDOO\ DUWLFXODWHG DQG DJUHHG E\ WKH University.

3. The House of Lords voted two weeks ago to cut the link between the Teaching Excellence Framework and tuition fees. They explicitly referenced the NSS boycott as evidence that students do not want this reform.

7KH ÀJKW LV QRW RYHU 03V LQ WKH +RXVH RI &RPPRQV QRZ QHHG WR YRWH OLNH WKH Lords: against the Teaching Excellence Framework and against tuition fees.

What next? You can pledge to boycott or help our campaign at : bristolsu.org.uk/nssboycott.

WHAT'S ON varsity: rugby 7DNLQJ UHVLGHQFH IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH ZLWKLQ WKH ODUJHVW DQG PRVW SUHVWLJLRXV VWDGLXP LQ WKH 6RXWK :HVW 9DUVLW\ 5XJE\ is sure to be the biggest event of the Unite Students 9DUVLW\ VHULHV :LWKLQ WKH FRQÀQHV RI $VKWRQ *DWH KRPH RI %ULVWRO 5XJE\ DQG %ULVWRO &LW\ )& H[SHFW WR VHH FXUUHQW DQG IXWXUH UXJE\ JUHDWV EDWWOH LW RXW RYHU DFWLRQ SDFNHG PLQXWHV Tickets available from: varsityseries.com

Varsity: Fight Night. Tuesday 28 March, 6pm, Anson Rooms, Bristol SU. Bristol and UWE will go head to head LQ D QXPEHU RI ÀJKWLQJ VSRUWV IURP Kickboxing and Muay Thai to MMA and Taekwondo to see who will be crowned WKH UHLJQLQJ PDUWLDO DUWV FKDPSLRQV

Pilates Class Drop-in. Monday 3 April, 5pm. Stephenson Room, Bristol SU. 3LODWHV FODVV IURP SP SP ZLWK $QGUHD FRXUWHV\ RI WKH %ULVWRO 68 3LODWHV VRFLHW\ 0DWV SURYLGHG FRPIRUWDEOH FORWKLQJ UHFRPPHQGHG

How are we Still Alive? Best of Bristol.

Tuesday 28 March, 1pm, Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building.

Every outbreak of a new disease SURPSWV ZDUQLQJV RI D FRPLQJ SDQGHPLF EXW KXPDQLW\ VHHPV WR ULGH RXW HYHU\ FULVLV 'U 7ULVWDQ &RJDQ discusses how in this Best of Bristol OHFWXUH

Vegan 3 Course Meal Workshop.

Wednesday 29 March, 7pm, Multifaith Chaplaincy, Woodland Road.

Learn how to make a delicious vegan FRXUVH PHDO KDYH IXQ FRRNLQJ LW WRJHWKHU DQG WKHQ HQMR\ WKH SOHDVXUH of sitting down to eat! Limited tickets DYDLODEOH ERRN DW bristolsu.org.uk/ events

Mack & Mabel. Wednesday 29 March, 7.30pm, Winston Theatre, Bristol SU. 0XVLF 7KHDWUH %ULVWRO SUHVHQWV 0DFN 0DEHO VHW LQ LFRQLF ·V +ROO\ZRRG A time when movies were silent and FLQHPD ZDV PDJLF $OVR VKRZLQJ 0DUFK $SULO WLFNHWV DYDLODEOH DW bristolsu.org.uk/events

PG Network Quiz Night. Wednesday 29 March, 7pm, AR2, Bristol SU. *HW TXL]]LFDO DQG SXW \RXU NQRZOHGJH WR WKH WHVW LQ WKH EHVW TXL] LQ WRZQ hosted by our amazing Quizmaster 6DP %ULJJV *UHDW SUL]HV XS IRU JUDEV LQFOXGLQJ Â… RI $PD]RQ YRXFKHUV

Jumbanja! Thursday 30 March, 7pm, Bristol SU. -RLQ WKH $IULFDQ &DUULEHDQ $VVRFLDWLRQ $ & $ IRU D QLJKW RI IXQ LQ WKHLU FXOWXUDO VKRZFDVH

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

Epigram

27.03.2017

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

Beauty and the Beast review - truly a tale as old as time Film & TV Writer Ashley Yonga looks at the highly anticipated live action revival of the timeless Disney classic

Getty Images

Ashley Yonga Film & TV Writer There has been all kinds of controversy surrounding this film - but putting all of that to one side for a moment, Beauty and the Beast was fantastic. It feels so grounded and real. For a story about a magical beast who has been cursed by an enchantress and has to find love before the petals of a magical flower fall off, that is an amazing feat. The set, the music, the costumes and the tremendous acting makes the magic feel almost palpable. It does what Disney does best... it mesmerises you.

Emma Watson’s Belle This Belle, much like the original, is fearless, fiercely loyal and remarkably intelligent. Something that felt new was her insecurity. It was so interesting to see how she had internalised all of the years of living in a village that laughs at her intellect instead of nurturing it.

Watson’s Belle is kind, generous and most importantly, unapologetic. She rejects Gaston, she teaches a girl to read, she fights Beast at every turn and she stands up for herself - but deep down she is lonely. Understandably so, given she lost her mother and she lives in a village that looks down on her. Emma Watson plays that complexity so beautifully.

‘Everything I am is because of you’ Belle says this to her father when she says goodbye to him and it means and says so much about her and their relationship. It

Miles Jackson on Get Out Page 37

legacy. Of course, it has everything to do with the fact that the original composer, Alan Menken, worked on the live action’s score as well. The cast is full of strong singers and each one held their own - not just in their solo pieces but also in the ensemble pieces.

The music felt epic; it filled the room and made everything more magnificent. It made it so that when Beast shows up for the first time to take Belle’s father, you are scared. Even though you are 19 and you know it happens, you are legitimately a bit anxious.

In truth, the most surprising thing was how funny the film was.

The dialogue is witty, extremely clever and just plain humorous.

The relationship between Lumière and Cogsworth is one of the greatest bromances of all time and their intense differences – Lumière the spontaneous rule breaker, Cogsworth the consistent rule follower – makes their dynamic so comical. In fact, all of the household objects add so much light to the darkened castle and animate it – pun intended.

This film exceeded my wildest expectations. It took a beloved film and made it so that new generations can be introduced to the magic of this story and previous ones can relish in the nostalgia - and it is defintiely nostalgic, beautifully so. You sit in that cinema and you are transported, just like Belle’s books are a form of escapism for her. In a kind of poetic bleakness of this dystopian tale, the film presents a prominent message: there is always something worth living for, if only for a moment.

Max Langer on Trespass Against Us

Tim Bustin on Logan

Page 37

Page 38

Wikimedia

In this issue...

is the true love story of the film. The chemistry between Kevin Kline, who plays Belle’s father Maurice, and Emma Watson was amazing - so much so that when Belle makes that all too important sacrifice by taking his place as Beast’s prisoner, it truly hurts.

The Love Story When Belle escapes and nearly gets eaten by wolves but gets saved by Beast, that is where it all begins. You see the conflict as Belle tries to decide between getting out of there or saving Beast, who is gravely injured. It is all in Watson’s acting, that inner turmoil between doing what is easy and what is right. In that moment, Belle choose to stay and help him and realises that he saved her at great risk to himself - thus begins their love story.

Dan Stevens manages to convey so much with just his eyes. His Beast is so eerily close to the one of the animation; the anger, the pain and the loneliness - you can feel it all by just staring at those big blue eyes. A big theme in this film that was not thoroughly explored in the original is the loss of innocence that both these characters have suffered through the loss of their mothers. They ground this love story in mutual respect and two lonely people – both outsiders in their own way – finding comfort in each other, so when that iconic Waltz scene happens, it feels so deserved.

The Best Part The best thing about the film, however, was the music. The 1991 Beauty and the Beast has some grand orchestral pieces – its music won numerous awards and the remake transcended that

Epigram 27.03.2017

37 30

Get Out review: Peele isn’t afraid to tackle America head on

American horror has experienced something of a resurgence in the indie scene recently, with filmmakers such as Robert Eggers (The Witch) and Anna Biller (The Love Witch) crafting love letters to the genre that is not afraid to draw from horrors of the past, and is more focused on inducing dread than providing cheap jump scares.

But where Jordan Peele’s Get Out differs from its peers is in its broad zeitgeist appeal, using the tenets, tropes and clichés of modern Hollywood horror and applying them to the most culturally relevant subject of the moment; the black experience in modern day America.

To be sure, Get Out is not a profound feat of visual horror filmmaking in the way that The Witch was. There are ‘cattle-prodding’ jump scares accompanied by sinister piano chords and the climax feels more like an action movie than true horror. It is, at its heart, a popcorn movie. But this broad tone is precisely why Get Out works.

Peele very intentionally co-opts a universally recognised cinematic language and utilises it to explore the racism - both explicit and institutional

- that black people must face on a daily basis. In turn, the universality of this language allows for the message to be as accessible to a mainstream audience as possible.

The film follows a black photographer, Chris, who accompanies his girlfriend to meet her white upper-class family. The parents are amicable, but for a series of mildly offensive blunders that reveal their insularity from the real world. Yet, Chris is disquieted by the creepily stilted black duo that tend to the house and soon finds his childhood traumas exploited in disturbing ways.

Chris is played by British actor Daniel Kaluuya, who has long been an extremely promising talent in previous roles on television shows like Black Mirror and plays such as Blue/Orange. Here, he makes a breakthrough performance. Kaluuya is practically a contortionist when it comes to facial expressions and he perfectly expresses both wideeyed incredulity and fear at his surroundings.

Though Get Out is more The Conjuring than The Shining in terms of the scares it goes for, it is still an accomplished example of filmmaking in

its own right. Peele - nobody’s first choice for a cinematic darling based on his previous (rather funny) sketch work - is a first time director that knows how to construct an image.

He perfectly exploits the pristine, sterile cleanliness of white suburbia; symmetry is constantly employed throughout the film to imbue the parents’ house with an eerie sense of perfection. The recurring image of a spoon swirling through tea is unsettling in itself; it is also the rare film that actually understands how to light black people at nighttime.

Despite the lowbrow nature of its scares, the film still proves Peele as a strikingly confident filmmaker. These images of suburban perfection are perfectly undercut by the film’s sociopolitical commentary on the various forms of racism suffered by black people. Peele expertly draws attention to the myriad myths, assumptions and institutional methods by which black people are objectified, fetishised and abused by even the most ardent of white liberals.

If there are qualms with Get Out, they are minor.

Universal

Film & TV Writer Miles Jackson looks at the acclaimed horror that has ignited fierce debate about race in modern day America

The jump scares work precisely because the thing they represent is so terrifyingly real, being the rare instance of which a usually cheap trick still manages to unsettle.

The finale might be a bit too much like an action movie for a horror purist such as myself, but its tone of cathartic vindication as opposed to dread-inducing desperation is suited to the kind of story Peele is telling.

Get Out succeeds on a number of levels. It is the rare mainstream horror film that succeeds in discomforting its audience, as well as a searing satire of Trump’s America, with a slyly acerbic wit that mirrors films like Scream. It establishes Jordan Peele as a seriously promising talent and hopefully marks the beginning of Daniel Kaluuya’s ascent into stardom. It will likely be one of the best films of the year; a strikingly current and wildly entertaining horror feast.

What did you think of Get Out? Get in touch @EpigramFilm

Trespass Against Us review: Fassbender and Gleeson miss chance at greatness Film & TV Writer Max Langer tells us if the acting titans have triumphed in this father-son drama based in the travelling community Hot off the back of the truly awful Assassin’s Creed, Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson team up once again. Surely, they must do better this time around...

Chad Cutler (Michael Fassbender) is a member of a criminal family of travellers living in a ramshackle community somewhere in the West Country. However, Chad is trying to escape the influence of his father, Colby (Brendan Gleeson), to give his family a safer and less violent life.

Colby is an extremely religious man who rules the family with an iron fist, acting as a leader in both body and spirit. His proclamations of creationism grate with Chad and his wish for his children to be educated, unlike himself. This conflict is what drives most of the plot of Trespass Against Us, with Chad’s son Tyson (Georgie Smith) usually being caught in the middle.

“

The dynamic between Fassbender and Gleeson’s characters is the highpoint of the film by far, with both actors putting in solid performances, even managing to hold their thick accents throughout.

Together they build a believable, if not a slightly frosty, father-son relationship.

Fassbender is possibly the hardest working actor in Hollywood, with eleven credits since his Oscar-nominated role in 12 Years A Slave. So far, he has not disappointed. In Trespass Against Us, he proves once again his range, being able to disappear into any character in blockbusters and independent films alike. Although bringing his characteristic confidence to Chad, he also shows

BFI/LFFPRESS

The film is a suprisingly slow burn for what paints itself to be a crime drama

a softer side to what could otherwise be just another criminal hard man.

Gleeson’s Colby is both caring and sinister as the patriarch of the Cutler family, at one point screaming at a police officer ‘Hell hath no fury like a locked-up super goat.’ He uses his deep religious beliefs to reiterate his role as the head of the family, even convincing them that the Earth is flat.

Despite this, Trespass Against Us is never able to differentiate itself from other films in the genre.

The travelling community is shown as nothing more than a mish mash of different stereotypes

and caricatures. Chad’s family are not given adequate room to develop as charatcers and end up feeling like props, rather than a part of the greater narrative.

The film is also a surprisingly slow burner for what paints itself to be a crime drama. There is only one real scene of action; instead, the film decides to focus on unpicking its characters.

Unfortunately, they are not as interesting as the film thinks they are.

After this slow build, the finale feels out of place, as if it has been plucked from a completely different film. It tries to bring about a neat ending

but ends up leaving the film on an awkwardly upbeat note.

Trespass Against Us tries its best to reconcile all of its ideas into a coherent whole, but unfortunately it comes off as simply passable.

Here’s hoping Fassbender and Gleeson get one more shot at greatness together, because they definitely deserve it.

Is Trespass Against Us worthy of its actors?

Get in touch on Facebook - Epigram Film & TV

Epigram 27.03.2017

Life after Logan: is it fair to call it the best superhero movie of all time?

38

Film & TV Writers Alice Menon and Tim Bustin discuss whether the X-Men franchise will run out of steam after ending on such a high

Youtube

The first instalment of X-Men (2000) was the first significant superhero success and the original spark in the 00s that led to the Marvel/DC comicsdominated movie scene we have today. Logan had a significantly lower budget than some of the newer instalments of the X-Men franchise. Apocalypse raked up $178 million in production costs, while in comparison Logan was on a budget of $97 million yet grossed $300.6 million worldwide.

Its huge reception is down to the die-hard X-Men fans that have stayed with the series for the last 17 years. When Hugh Jackman announced that Logan would be his final film where he played Wolverine, we already knew he had to go out with a bang — fighting the good fight.

This is, undoubtedly, one of the best superhero movies of all time. Logan is a rare movie; stack it against every Superhero flick, Western, penetrating character study film and few are nearly as thematically tight. Every creative decision in Logan drives home the struggles of growing old with a regret-riddled past and carries Logan’s violent journey as he staggers towards some form of inner peace.

Consider the structural choices: with a failing healing factor, the accumulated scars of 200 warring years are opening as old wounds on Logan’s tired body; the barren, Western locations are a constant harshness in the film, a reminder of conflict and that quiet scenes shouldn’t be confused with peace; even in opposing the comic canon and making X-23, Laura, so young is to be reminiscent of the Rogue-Wolverine relationship of the first X-Men movie.

But every single moment along the way is there to sow deeper subtitles into the texture of this complexly-constructed, simple-to-follow film: from the use of iPhone footage for added realism; giving X-23 additional foot claws because that’s biologically accurate for the female of the species; a brief shot of Charles Xavier, the once great mutant, sedated under a bleak imitation of the night sky as he can’t remember his failed dreams.

The list goes on.

Logan is a brutal emotional rollercoaster. Up close violence, un-shielded by special effects or big moments of awe-inducing power displays (shown in Days of Future Past and Apocalypse), perfectly synchronising with the psychological turmoil the characters are experiencing, makes it a ‘grownup’ superhero movie - one that hits just the right emotional chord, while creating a realistic comic book movie DC wishes its films were. The overall consensus of the film was positive and the film received a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This leads to the obvious conclusion that Logan is one of the highest quality movies to come out this year, even compared to the Oscar nominees. Given how the last great, gritty comic book movie got a Best Supporting Actor win, nominations are certainly within reason, especially for Hugh Jackman at the end of a fantastic 17-year run as Wolverine. Logan will have certainly earned the team points, as potentially the best superhero movie ever made.

Logan bucks the trend with no post-credits scene; it’s a film that transcends any ‘superhero’

tag and its independence would be harmed by potential sequels unravelling its character arcs.

All the new instalments with the new younger cast have contained great action sequences with incredible displays of mutant power. However, with the end of Logan and this being Hugh Jackman’s last performance, there should some closure on this side of the series that he was a part of from the beginning, rather than re-hashing the Xavier plotlines to the point where all of the previous films become obsolete. (Apocalypse was a flop, its main actors’ contracts have expired and we’ve frankly seen Magneto and Xavier play chess and quibble over mutant rights more than enough.)

Focus should instead be shifted to new projects, such as Deadpool and Legion, which both make reference to the original films whilst exploring entirely un-navigated characters and storylines.

Deadpool was an entirely different comedic take on the mutant series which created a huge new untapped fan base for the X-Men franchise. Our first hilarious tease of Deadpool 2 was released

What’s On?

in February, and John Wick director David Leitch taking charge is perfect to add some high-quality action to a low-budget movie. By the sounds of it, Fox is already planning on spinning a whole new X-Universe out of it, with potential X-Force, Gambit and New Mutants movies. And we need some new mutants – there are so many X-Men stories written in comics, the richness of which is yet to be explored in film format, or TV format. The newly debuted TV series Legion following the character of David Haller is hopefully going to become the next hit. The show’s five episodes have already achieved an impressive 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, showing that it is capable of rivalling the original X-Men franchise. Fox should let the original X-Men series lie and move onto further spin-offs and promote the new and impressive but not yet widely dispersed Legion, until we find brand new characters that the X-Men fanbase can sink their teeth into. Logan was Wolverine’s one last ride, but the X-Men Universe still has so much more to give.

Films to Faces

Editors’ Picks

Noel Fielding

Josh Deputy Editor

Phoebe Online Editor

Song to Song

Notes on Blindness

Personal Shopper

In cinemas now

On Netflix now

In cinemas now

After the extremely disappointing Knight Of Cups, I feel like Terrence Malick owes us all an apology. The vapid and pretentious feature didn’t have a lot to offer, and scare mongered the death of truly good art cinema. Thankfully, so far, Song to Song has been met with widespread acclaim and has been dubbed “life-changing”. That epithet alongside Fassbender and Gosling as the lead male roles? Sign me up.

I saw this moving documentary at the London Film Festival without any expectations - and it became one of the best pieces of cinema I saw last year. Following the story of ex-NFL player Steve Gleason when he is diagnosed with ALS syndrome, director Clay Tweel expertly combines home camera footage with interviews and news reel to put together a deeply inspiring story.

Love her or hate her, dig or despise the new hairdo, team Edward or team Jacob, Kristen Stewart is back and, for once, not thirsty for blood. Forget glittering vampires: Personal Shopper creates a world where ghosts and gucci collide. Murder mystery and sleek Parisian drama mystically match in the latest melancholy picture from award winning director Olivier Assayas.

Broad City

Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad

Made in Chelsea

On Netflix

Tuesday 28th March on BBC One

On E4

We all want to find the one. That one TV series that you can never get bored of, the one that’s always there for you at any hour of the day to help you procrastinate to your best ability. I feel like Broad City is the one. Upbeat, funny, relevant and so addictive, it’s everything that the entirety of Netflix should be. Take note newcomers, take note.

In May 2015, ex-England and Man United star Rio Ferdinand tragically lost his 34 year old wife to cancer. This new BBC documentary follows his attempts to come to terms with the loss for him and his three children, exploring how they have rebuilt their lives. This is sure to be a difficult but important watch.

Kicking off with its first episode last week, Series 13 (have we really got this far?!) of everybody’s favourite high-life structured reality TV show, Made in Chelsea, is back and burning with new faces and old fires. Can the BAFTA award winning series live up to its name in its most recent installment of ‘lives, loves and awks’?

Pinterest

Watershed

Vimeo

All Star / Studio Canal

Ella Editor

1. Ratatouille Just like this film, I want to make food fun for all the family. I may not be the first person to come to mind for a replacement to Mary Berry, but this is Channel 4 we’re talking about. It’ll be a piece of cake.

2. Eat Pray Love I haven’t even seen this one; I actively hold a burning hatred for both Romcoms and Julia Roberts. But you know what, it’s good to try something new - and that goes for Bake Off too...

3. Chocolat See? I can name at least three films about food - I tell you I’m a worthy choice to host Bake Off! Bon Appétit!

Who should we interview next for Films to Faces?

Tweet us @EpigramFilm

Arts

Epigram

27.03.2017

@EpigramArts

Editor: Ed Grimble

Deputy Editor: Georgia O’Brien

Online Edtor Helena Raymond-Hayling

arts@epigram.org.uk

deputyarts@epigram.org.uk

artsonline@epigram.org.uk

What has Art got to do with Biochemistry?

“

Izzie Prankerd looks at the art of biochemistry—from sculptures of viruses to beautiful textbook illustrations

One of [Span’s] more bizarre pieces is a scarf knit from tiny plastic tubes.

The scarf comes with an IV device

Originally this was used to preserve specimens to allow medical students to learn about anatomy. As the process developed he became able to preserve whole bodies. I remember one of my art teachers vehemently protesting that this cannot be called art, and in some ways I agree with him. Many of the exhibitions are designed to shock rather than to be visually compelling. There are a series of more recent pieces, however, that I believe cross that line and might even persuade my art teacher to reconsider. These later pieces remove all the tissues to leave only the blood vessels and create fascinating, almost lace-like sculptures.

Flickr / ZEISS Microscopy

Arts vs Sciences: the debate rages frustratingly on. As most people have probably realised, it is impossible to live in a world without art or without science. Then, why all the arguing? To make art, to see the beauty in the world around us, is human nature. So too is the curiosity, the burning desire to know why, which underpins science.

Biochemistry is a hard subject to define. It is a little of biology and chemistry, obviously, but it also encompasses medicine, physics, pharmacology, genetics, anatomy and microbiology. It ranges from the subatomic to the level of whole organisms.

It is not surprising, then, that biochemistry has inspired many artists around the world. Here in the University of Bristol’s very own Biomedical Sciences department there is a competition called the Art of Science, which encourages researchers to share incredible images which they have created as part of their experiments.

In exploring this field, it is sensible to start large, and work down in size. Gunther von Hagens, familiar to some I imagine, is the mastermind behind the controversial ‘Bodyworks’ exhibitions.

He developed a process called plastination, which replaces the fluids and fats in a biological specimen with polymers to prevent decomposition.

Chromosomes (blue) lined up for cell division

As time passes and technology becomes increasingly advanced, new types of images can be created. A relatively recent development is fluorescence tagging of specific proteins to see their localisation or migration patterns. This information can provide vital clues as to the function of the protein or the mechanism by which it acts but it also creates some stunning imagery.

This technique is revolutionary because it can even be used in live organisms. Research is currently being done using zebrafish to study the mechanisms of embryogenesis (development from a single celled zygote to an embryo) or disease. Zebrafish embryos are ideal for imaging studies because they are transparent so the fluorescent proteins are easy to track.

“

Izzie Prankerd Arts Writer

Art and biochemistry are both ways of looking at the world and trying to understand what we see

Flickr / Anders Sandberg

Flickr / Nick Webb

Gunther von Hagens, Ballet Dancer

David S. Goodsell is an illustrator for scientific textbooks. He transforms ideas of how cells might look into colourful, vibrant images and proves scientific diagrams do not have to be boring.

Laura Splan designs and creates lace dolls in the shape of viruses in an effort to reconcile the unseen world of microbes with objects from our everyday lives. She makes physical our fear of these viruses and the diseases they cause and places them in a domestic setting.

Her other work also explores the juxtaposition of everyday objects and the more sinister side of nature. She has created X-ray images of household objects such as chairs and tables with bones and organs making up their internal structures. One of her pieces—The Anatomy of Tears—is a handkerchief made out of a facial peel, embroidered with designs inspired by the tear duct. She makes paintings of intricate wallpaper patterns and cells in blood.

One of her more bizarre pieces is a scarf knit from tiny plastic tubes. The scarf comes with an IV device that is inserted into the wearer’s hand; it then fills with the wearer’s blood and so simultaneously keeps them warm and drains their lifeblood away.

Luke Jerram—the mind behind the famous Park Street slide—has recently opened an exhibition in At-Bristol, composed of incredibly detailed glass microorganisms. He has been

crafting the transparent bacteria and viruses since 2004 and they are displayed publicly and privately around the world. Who ever thought bird flu could be beautiful?

Most of this article has been focused on how the science of biochemistry can contribute to art, but let us not forget what art can offer science. The University of Oxford opened a new biochemistry building in 2008—it is not a conventional lab. The aim of the project was to make a new, creative work environment for researchers.

The building is incredibly open and has glass walls with a view to making the research environment more open and allowing ideas to be easily shared. The project also has seven large installation pieces by various artists and numerous smaller works. The artists developed their pieces after spending time with the researchers in their labs. This is the perfect example of the symbiotic nature of art and science that we should be aiming for. Science inspiring art, art inspiring science.

Art and Biochemistry are intrinsically linked.

They are both ways of looking at the world and trying to understand what we see. Any notion of an ‘arts vs sciences’ rivalry is, frankly, a waste of everybody’s time. Both require creativity, both require a methodical approach at times.

So, artists, ask your scientist friends about their lectures today and scientists, ask the artists. Share the knowledge...we’re all here paying enough for the privilege.

Luke Jerram, HIV sculpture

Epigram

27.03.2017

40

Art therapy: ‘be bold and be expressive’ Hannah Gauntlett sheds some light on the fast-growing world of art therapy, explaining how exercising our creativity can be hugely beneficial for our mental health and wellbeing Hannah Gauntlett Arts Writer

“

Art therapy aids individuals of all ages, and because sessions are client-led there is no preferred medium of expression A registered and qualified art psychotherapist is trained in the fields of both psychology and art. They have the appropriate understanding of human development and psychological theories whilst sharing a passion for art and its healing properties; when one is artistically inclined, it often makes sense to use art to cope with the qualms of everyday life. Art therapy aids

Flickr/ Rowan El Shimi

In the hidden depths of Spike Island I am sat in a small, light room amongst a herd of adults, and an art therapist. Having a personal interest in art therapy as a profession, this was one of a few taster sessions I had attended. During this particular session I am handed a sheet of white paper, printed centre bottom with the word ‘sun’, and am given free range with a box of felt-tipped pens. As minds race back to primary school years, brows furrow and silence descends. Even during this short, guided exercise, I experience intense nostalgia and feelings of vulnerability.

I revert back to my five year-old self and draw a well-rehearsed sun. We proudly tack our sheets to the wall, and as a group stand and stare, quietly contemplating the intentions behind our felt-tip strokes.

With the stigma surrounding mental health issues fading somewhat within the United Kingdom, there are more people seeking medical help for their sufferings, and the demand for therapy is high. Anyone who has picked up a paintbrush can understand the therapeutic benefits of creation, and from this art therapy is beginning to find its feet, taking form in multiple ways. Whilst in a clinical environment an art psychotherapist assists the use of creative methods of expression to aid healing, recently, we have seen art therapy seep into the commercial world, and bookshops profit from the stress-

relieving patterns found in ‘mindful colouring books’.

Art can help to express those feelings which are perhaps inexpressible through other media, and it is this communicative essence which art therapy utilises. There are aspects of human existence and interaction with the natural world which simply cannot be articulated through writing or speech. Where some lack the ability to communicate verbally, art can do the talking for them. For others, art may hold their hand as they traverse a traumatic experience too distressing to articulate verbally. It provides the possibility of stepping down into the unconscious mind, and the art psychotherapist’s job is to guide this journey.

An art therapy session in Heisa Island, Aswan, Egypt

individuals of all ages, and because sessions are client-led there is no preferred medium of expression.

In a world full of aesthetically flawless images we are often quick to admire a ‘masterpiece’.

While there is a place for talent in the arts, it causes many people to feel scared to pick up a paintbrush for fear of judgement. Art therapy stresses the importance of the creative process.

This idea stems from psychologist Mihaly

Flickr/ _steph_ Jeppe Hein’s Follow Me in the University’s Royal Fort Gardens. The benefits to a community’s wellbeing from well-made public artworks should not be underestimated

Arts from the Past

Csikszentmihalyi’s notion of ‘flow’, a theory built upon an observation made while watching artists paint. In a similar way to meditation, art-making monopolises all concentration; it frees the mind of external thoughts and concerns of the self. Flow is the feeling one gets when time is irrelevant, when the hours feel like seconds. Validated through psychological research, Csikszentmihalyi found that human beings are happiest when in a state of flow.

However, art therapy does not have to be confined to the walls of the therapist’s office.

Multiple non-profit organisations have partnered with art psychotherapists to bring it to the community in aid of countless causes. From charities such as Art Sisterhood, who empower female creatives through art therapy sessions across the country, to Art Refuge UK who work with individuals and families displaced through natural disaster, famine, war, political persecution, and trafficking.

In addition, it has been shown that the experience of art itself can yield therapeutic benefits, having the capacity to calm and conjure deep-felt emotions. Hospitals are beginning to change the way they decorate, to immerse patients in environments which aid the healing process, rather than prolong it. Sometimes, living in Bristol I feel like I am walking through an open air gallery, free of charge. When one looks around it is almost impossible not to soak up inspiration, and to feel some sense of heightened well-being.

Art therapy is an ever-evolving field, drastically improving the lives of individuals from all backgrounds. However, the fact that our National Health System is overextended is not news to anyone. The lack of funding means that the value of the Art therapist is not appropriately recognised. Open your mind to art, and it will return with armfuls of undiscovered-you, and begin to heal parts you never thought you would, or even could, reach. Be bold and be expressive.

Are you scared? May I suggest you start with a felt-tipped sun.

13th April 1870

30th March 1853

Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night Over the Rhone (1888), oil on canvas

Flickr/ Yoppy

Flickr / Lu Tianyu

Vincent van Gogh is born in the Netherlands. Despite being unsuccessful during his lifetime, Van Gogh found fame after his suicide in 1890 and is one of the most famous and influential artists in history. He is primarily reputed for his portraits, self-portraits, landscapes and still lifes, with his most notable works being Sunflowers (1888) and The Starry Night (1889).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens to the public in New York City. Ten years later, on March 30th, 1880, it would move to its current site on Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. The Met is home to over 5000 years worth of art, from across the globe, including Monet’s The Water Lily Pond and Jacques Louis David’s The Death of Socrates. It is the fourth most-visited art museum in the world, and in 2016 over six and a half million people filed in through its doors. The views from its roof garden are reportedly the best in Manhattan.

‘So we beat on, boats against the current’

Epigram

27.03.2017

41

Synthetic biology, a road to dystopia?

Online Arts Editor Helena Raymond-Hayling wrestles with the ethical problems in modern synthetic biology following the performances of Invincible, an immersive theatre piece by Kilter Theatre and the University of Bristol Helena Raymond-Hayling Online Arts Editor

own past struggles it is evident that her erratic behaviour has seriously affected her relationship with Jasmine. It quickly transpires that this play is set in 2041, where research has developed such that SynBio treatments have wide commercial available.

‘Invincible’ is a fictional implant developed

by Jasmine’s grandmother Lillian (played by Meg Whelan) which automatically responds to imbalances in neurotransmitters that give rise to low mood and depression. Lillian fears that Jasmine’s mental health is at risk of deteriorating as hers and Kate’s has done in the past, and so encouraged Jasmine to undergo the treatment four years previously, when Jasmine was only 12. Lillian is a firm believer in her field, recalling how SynBio has eradicated some diseases and maximised food production. She bashes Kate, claiming she refuses to emerge from the ‘dark ages’, instead believing in the ‘spirit of nature’ and the ‘soul’.

work ‘propaganda’ and patronising Jasmine by saying she too ‘wanted to be counter-cultural’ at her age. Jasmine begins to doubt ‘Invincible’, and confesses that ‘I don’t know how much of the treatment is me’. She leaves, withdrawing to her room to leave her mother and grandmother bickering.

The show continues with the scientists moving us into Jasmine’s bedroom and later the living room, each scene is delimited by the return of the child’s voice asking a pertinent ethical question: Does synthetic biology sound natural? Is it right to intervene in the wild? Does God ever plan experiments? The questions are followed by an audience vote on the point raised.

Jasmine soon realises that ‘Invincible’ has made her just that—invincible. She recounts feeling no sadness when a friend of hers confided in her over an agonising break-up, and questions whether she can really claim responsibility for

The performance ends with a discussion with the cast and the real synthetic biologist who is on hand to answer questions

Lillian asserts that ‘human life has been held back’ and has had the implant herself.

‘Invincible’ has taken care of her mental health by ‘automatically fix[ing] the problem’, whereas Kate occupies herself by practicing mindfulness and yoga, taking walks and prioritising self-care. She is uncomfortable with ‘Invincible’ being a soft option for confronting mental health, declaring ‘I feel alive and not numbed’.

A lot of shots are fired in both directions.

During her journalism career, Kate has set out to ‘raise debate’ over the matter, calling Lillian’s

Suited and Booted

I am sent a location in Clifton in a slightly puzzling email, which appears to be a residential address. Upon arriving, I realise that the performance takes place inside a basement flat; no stage, no lighting, no radical set design— just a flat. I am greeted by a woman in a lab coat who ushers me to stand into the hallway, squeezed between about fifteen others—all just as mystified as I am. Some gentle, hypnotic electronic music is playing and the audience is hushed. I am handed a card with a smiley face on one side and a sad face on the other by one of the three lab coated co-ordinators, who stand taciturn and expressionless.

Through the sound system, a young child narrates this odd scene. The voice asks us to trust the scientists, because they have our best interests at heart—surely. We are asked to vote via the cards on whether they think it is acceptable to mix the DNA of a goat with a spider to make new strong materials for use in medicine. I am rather haunted by the voice—a child discussing complex issues which raise uncomfortable ethical questions makes me somewhat uneasy, the innocence is a foil to the discomfort surrounding this new science.

We are led into the kitchen, and directed to sit in different places by the mute scientists. Jasmine, (played by Grace Courtney) and her mother Kate (Alice Barclay), are in the kitchen—still and silent—whilst the whistling kettle boils frantically.

When we are all seated, Kate unintentionally drops a saucepan on the floor, the clatter abruptly cutting through the stiff silence. It is clear that this is not a happy family. Mental health is a serious concern and as Kate describes her

‘Synthetic biology is a rapidly developing area of research, and scientists are now able to gain unprecedented control over new biological functions by rewriting the genetic code’

“

“

‘Invincible’ is a fictional implant [...] which automatically reponds to imbalances in neurotransmitters that give rise to depression

Suited and Booted

In 2014, the University of Bristol’s Public Engagement team approached Kilter Theatre with funding from the European Union to open up the relatively new field of Synthetic Biology to public scrutiny and debate. Meeting with scientists, bio-ethicists and philosophers, the creative team at Kilter formed a piece of theatre which both informs and promotes dialogue. This is Invincible.

Synthetic biology is a rapidly developing area of research, and scientists are now able to gain unprecedented control in programming new biological functions by rewriting the genetic code.

Whilst this has the potential to help solve major challenges such as health and sustainability, ‘nature’ is able to be reconfigured, and this raises some serious ethical questions as to our role in tampering with the natural world in this potentially unpredictable way.

her own accomplishments. Troubled, Jasmine admits she feels like ‘a half person’, and cannot remember ‘feeling like [she] can’t do anything’, frantically asking her mother: ‘has it changed me?’ and, ‘is this what a life should be?’

The use of the space and the nuanced manipulation of props is artful and slick. As Kate is trying to console a hurt Jasmine, she compassionately straightens her bedcovers and picks up socks from her floor, as a mother would.

Lillian makes a cup of tea which she forgets about in the heat of the argument, and Kate aggressively folds laundry when she and Lillian begin to clash.

Combined with the lack of a boundary between cast and audience, the performance is gripping and distinctly different from other interactive pieces. As the characters move around the space, they sit and walk between the audience members, as though we are not here at all.

These subtleties embellish this unique production with an intimately voyeuristic dimension, and consequently the same surges in adrenaline are induced in me as between the altercating family. The acting is impeccable, the three women convey the tension so well that it permeates through the audience, and we shrink back, uncomfortable to be at point-blank range of such a deeply painful row.

As conflict gets increasingly heated, it transpires Jasmine’s anti-SynBio boyfriend has split up with her upon learning she has ‘Invincible’. Jasmine strains to cry, rubbing her hands over her eyes before exclaiming, ‘I am crying, aren’t I?’ The performance ends with a discussion with the cast and the real synthetic biologist who is on set ready to answer questions, and a slideshow of photographs taken of the audience during each sad face / happy face vote. The debate runs over the end time, and no real conclusion on synthetic biology ultimately emerges—suggesting how conflicting and provocative technologies like the fictitious ‘Invincible’ can be.

I leave utterly thrown, educated and inspired by the future of science. That is not to say that I am not sceptical.

Performance photograph from Invincible; audience members are forced to confront key issues in scientific ethics

31st March 1943

8th April 1973

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is published by Scribner’s. The book sells only 20,000 copies during its first year and, when he dies fifteen years later, Fitzgerald believes that it is a failure—he sought all his life to prove himself a great writer in the eyes of the public. Following the Second World War however, The Great Gatsby would experience a revival and become a huge success, and is considered one of the finest novels of the twentieth century.

Oklahoma! opens on Broadway and goes on to run for 2,212 performances. The story of Curly McLain and Laurey Williams, it epitomises the ‘book musical’ style. Oklahoma! is the first collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who would go on to co-create numerous popular musicals including South Pacific and The Sound of Music. In 1944, Rodgers and Hammerstein would be awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for Oklahoma!.

Pablo Picasso dies of a heart attack at his home near Cannes. During his lifetime, Picasso produced approximately 20,000 paintings, sculptures and drawings. Best known for co-founding the Cubist movement and the co-invention of collage, Picasso found fame as one of the most revolutionary artists of the 20th century. His fame was achieved during his lifetime, as well as in death, leading to a rivalry with Henry Matisse, as the two artists were often compared to each other.

Flickr/ teadrinker

10th April 1925

Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)

Laila Freeman

Epigram

27.03.2017

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

What Hannah Wants: an interview with the UK’s biggest female DJ Theana Gregoriou gets the skinny from Hannah as she embarks on the last leg of her PLAY tour Living in Bristol, we’re lucky enough to be able to see some of the best DJs from around the world in the flesh, and this March, that includes one of the biggest names in UK house. Hannah Wants has been a key player in the electronic music scene for years, mixing up a well-tried blend of house and heavy bass. Currently, she’s touring the UK and Ireland with her new concept PLAY which combines her club favourites and her developing style of dance music.

Bristol is the last stop on her tour before her hometown of Birmingham, so I was curious of what she thought of Bristol’s music scene. ‘It’s special. I don’t think anyone can argue with that.

It’s up there in the top cities to rave in the UK!’ She cites Motion as her favourite venue in the city, explaining ‘the crowd are always great and the line-ups are really diverse. Motion is also an amazing space and during a time where iconic clubbing venues are struggling against councils, the skate park is something for the city to be proud of.’

As PLAY showcases her progression as an artist, I was interested to find out how Hannah defined her music’s style. ‘I’d describe my sound as bass-heavy house music. I started out playing speed garage and UK garage and so my early rave and DJ’s days have definitely developed my love for a nice low-end!’

Being one of the children of the garage generation, it’s no surprise that it played a role in her musical journey, but it wasn’t until Hannah’s first club experience that she realised her intentions of being a DJ: ‘I knew I wanted to be a DJ the second I walked into a club and saw a selector working a dance floor. I dunno what it was, it was just one of those mad fate kinda moments.

At that moment I didn’t know much about the scene, other artists or even the art of DJ’ing as I was an underage new raver, but I’ve always had a huge passion for music.’

Since then, house music has been gaining increasing recognition both in the underground music scene and in mainstream music channels.

Hannah’s own ‘Rhymes’ made the UK top 10 in 2015, the same year she gained her Radio 1 Residency. However, while she’s noticed the increasing popularity of house, Hannah has a refreshing perspective, choosing to not let it take away from her own unique style.

She explains, ‘I’ve obviously noticed the growth in popularity with certain tracks crossing over to more mainstream avenues such as Radio 1 daytime playlists etc., but it’s not something I sit and think about to be honest. It is what it is... everything is always evolving and changing and so I just keep my head focused on what I’m doing.’

After learning about all her experiences as a DJ, I was keen to know what Hannah felt the biggest moment in her career. ‘Getting my residency at Amnesia was definitely a pinch me moment.

I’ve just announced a residency there for the fourth year running and this year is the biggest and best yet! I’ve learned so much over the years.

My first season as resident was the closing set in the mainly drum & bass main room and I learned a lot and very quickly. This year I’m in the terrace which is just a dream to play!’

Now that PLAY is coming to a close, Hannah’s going across the pond to bring her music to the US. ‘I have a pretty hectic year ahead but that’s the way I like it. After my UK and Ireland tour, I will be heading straight to America for 14 gigs across four weeks ending up at Coachella which I’m so excited about!’

If California is too far to travel to get your Hannah Wants fix, don’t worry; she promises that there’s more music in the works, saying, ‘In terms of new material, I’ve been working on lots over the past few months and I’ve been road testing and tweaking stuff through my tour dates. I’m excited to release some new music in 2017 - hold tight!’

Theanna Gregoriou

Epigram 27.03.2017

43

In conversation with Barry Adamson

“

I was having very dark fun

It’s no wonder that every day, for Adamson, is a busy one. ‘There’s quite a lot going on with this EP release; we’re really trying to do a full online promotion, and getting something out every month, and highlighting a track that’s gonna be forthcoming. Then there’s talking to the press,’ he chuckles. I laugh too; sitting in student halls, chatting on the phone to someone who’s made so many records I love, is quite surreal. But any fear I had of becoming star-struck is allayed by Adamson’s natural warmth and amiability, as clear as his enthusiasm for Love Sick Dick.

Our conversation turns to the recent music video for psycho-noir single ‘They Walk Among Us’, which looks at, what Adamson describes as, ‘different psychological states and around the darker side of love and sex.’ Climaxing with the musician literally having his heart torn out by a lover, he calls the video, ‘a homage to the idea that very often when you’re attracted to somebody, what you’re attracted to is a sort of façade they present, and how you have to look underneath the façade to find the real person. I was trying to take that idea to the extreme, where the person you connect with turns out to be a complete

psychopath, or a murderer or something like that. I was having very dark fun.’

No less striking than the image of Adamson’s dripping heart in the video is the artwork of the EP itself – a skeleton clutching a bunch of roses and a letter. ‘He goes with the theme of the record - going after what you can’t get. He’s kind of worn himself to death, and he’s still carrying the flowers and the letter, but we don’t know what’s in the letter. I kind of imagined that that’s almost like me with a bunch of lyrics, almost near death but still wearing shades, and still trying to be cool!

It’s actually a piece of needlework, a tapestry, and it seemed to fit the themes [of the EP] perfectly; that is a portrayal of Love Sick Dick himself.’

I ask him what he’s been listening to during the writing process, and if there has been anything in particular that’s rubbed off on him, as a barometer of what we might expect from the EP. ‘There’s a track called “One Hot Mess” that I’d started work on, but then I heard a song by a band called Justice from France. I thought it was

The Return of Alt-J Will three be a magic number?

Serena Sekhon decodes the trio’s new single ‘3WW’ and considers what it means for Alt-J’s upcoming album.

really cool and I could work some of that in there.

There’s another track that’s a little bit jazzy, and there might be a bit of Nina Simone in there.’ He adds ‘I listen across the board really, I have many different mentors in a way.’

So how did such an accomplished artist start out? ‘I was a strange one really,’ Adamson admits.

Having ‘messed about on guitars and stuff like that,’ he was given a bass with two strings by a friend. ‘I went to buy the other two strings and that’s when I saw the advert [for Magazine], so I signed up, and they said ‘Come down tomorrow.’

I thought “Tomorrow? I’ve only just got the two strings!” - I stayed up all night, and I didn’t have an amplifier. I worked out that if you rested the neck of the bass on the end of the bed, it would

resonate, so I started playing and I just got some rhythms going. What was uncanny was that I got to the audition the next day, and Howard [Devoto, the singer] said “We’ve got this idea for this song – ‘The Light Pours Out of Me’. He played me this riff; all I did was this rhythm thing I’d been learning, an open E string - and it fitted really well! It was very fortunate.’

In our parting words, I get in the fact that the first bass line I ever learnt was Magazine’s ‘A Song from Under the Floorboards’; he wishes me luck with my bass playing, and we hang up.

Alexia Kirov

srsrsrsrsrsrsrsrsrsr

Alt-J’s latest offering, ‘3WW’, is, in the band’s own words, ‘an unconventional piece of music that takes a few listens’.

It is definitely a surreal listen at first. The opening instrumental, which lasts for almost two minutes, quickly sets up a dreamy ambience that later gives way to Gus Unger-Hamilton’s almost eerie, prayer-like vocals.

“

3WW has to be one of the my favourite things Alt-J has put out to date

The meditative nature of the beat amounts to an addictive sound, though; by being at once subdued and enthralling, it can repeat throughout without growing dull. In fact, 3WW has to be one of my favourite things Alt-J has put out to date - the addictive beat has left me listening to it on repeat since I first heard it.

The build and release of tension is more subtle and disorienting than some of the Leeds three-piece’s earlier tracks - but it’s there. The vocals are quietly accompanied by strings and alternate with the Massive Attack-like beat. Then, 3WW’s version of a chorus - a four line musing

about love, explodes onto the scene, or at least the first line does. But by the time of the chorus’ sensitive last line - ‘I just want to love you in my own language’, sung acapella - the vocals are soft, solemn and left to linger.

The disorienting structure of the song is matched by the way in which Alt-J announced it. The song’s release, along with the album announcement for Relaxer, has been accompanied by coded messages from the band - written in binary, hexadecimal, and ASCII.

“

From being ‘Shot by Both Sides’ with postpunk band Magazine, to a stint as a Bad Seed with Nick Cave, you might think that he’s already done it all. But 2017 Barry Adamson remains a prolifically-multidisciplinary artist, dabbling in film, photography, and on the brink of releasing a six track EP Love Sick Dick, a mere 14 months since his last full length solo offering, Know Where to Run.

Photo Courtesy of Sonic PR

Alexia Kirov chats to virtuoso photographer, composer, filmmaker and Bad Seed Barry Adamson ahead of the release of his new EP

Its brilliance definitely does begin to become clearer after a couple of listens

When combined with their choice of footage to pair with the audio (graphics borrowed from the aptly named 1998 computer game, LSD: Dream Emulator), Alt-J are clearly building up a very surreal experience. The album cover also looks to be a screenshot from the game, further hinting at what is shaping up to be the trio’s most abstract work yet.

Lyrically, the song laments the dangers of over-romanticisation. ‘Those three worn words’ the 3WW of the title, are compared to the worn out statue of Juliet in Verona, which has been all but ruined due to the sheer number of tourists rubbing it for luck. This meditation on the potential of overenthusiastic emotions to cause damage is intertwined with a vivid picture of the countryside of the English coast, which emerges throughout the song.

Alongside all of this, though, the song is fairly erotically charged: ‘Well that smell of sex/Good like burning wood/The wayward lad laid claim/To two thirsty girls”’ These sexual undertones, and indeed overtones, are intensified by the backand-forth between Joe Newman’s vocals and those of Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice, culminating in a joint rendition of the chorus.

It’s safe to say that Alt-J made a fair judgement about 3WW. Its brilliance definitely does begin to become clearer after a couple of listens, and it’s an ambient song that certainly rejects conventional structure. It’s a tantalising preview, though, of what looks to be a boundary-pushing and terribly creative album. So I think I speak for many Alt-J fans when I say that, after hearing 3WW, I eagerly await Relaxer’s release.

Serena Sekhon

These people have been reading their Epigram... have you?

Epigram

Puzzles

@EpigramPuzzles

Editor: Suzie Brown

Solutions will be posted online at www.epigram.org.uk before the next issue is released.

puzzles@epigram.org.uk

Quick crossword 1

2

3

0

4

8

10

11

13 14

15 16 18

17

19 20

DOWN 1. Strength in the face of adversity (9) 2. Big-headedness (9) 3. Charged particle (3) 4. Tight, stressed (5) 5. Interestingly varied (8) 6. Climbing plant (3) 8. Equipment for traveling on snow (3) 11. Examined (8) 12. Across the country (8) 13. Completed (4) 17. Not fit for purpose (5) 19. Revolting (4) 21. Tattered piece of cloth (3)

ACROSS 1. Vulnerability (9) 7. Goes over again (6) 9. Belly button (5) 10. Firmly established, entrenched (9) 14. Get rid of (4) 15. Forearm bones (5) 16. Widespread outbreak of disease (8) 18. Having 50:50 odds (5) 20. Substance spread on skin to block UV light (3,5) 22. Facial hair on the chin (5) 23. Illuminates (6)

9

12

0 0 0 0 0 0 Codeword

21

7

19

4

10

4

25

22

14

10

14

15

4

1

3

4

5

14

14

2

4

13

0

0

0

0

0

0

13

25

4

5

13

14

4

20

22 16

5

14

5

1

2

3

14

15

16

16

9

20

19

14

14 14

25

10

A

5

6

G

18

19

26

5 22

14

16 4

17

16

8

18 17 9

21

17

4

15

15

14

10

14

F 20

14

26

6

14 10

4

2

15

17

14

20

16 19

23

4

20

25

20

4

16

26

16

15

24

14 14

4

19

1

14

18

13

21

21 25

20

16

14

11

8

9

10

11

12

13

21

22

23

24

25

26

Find the word which can come before each of the three words given, in each case giving a common two-word phrase. E.g. CAR park, CAR stereo, CAR alarm.

9 10 13

11

1. Bell, Mat, Knob 2. Top, Salt, Tennis 3. Station, Bar, Shuttle

14 15

16

Word grid

17 18

21

19

Word ladder

20

6

LION PINK

7

4

2

9

1 1

6

TINT

PINE

3 LOON 2

TENT

LINE

LOOT

SENT

LIME

SEAT

LAME

FORT

PORT GAME

4

PORT

5

4 1

7

9

5

8

5

9

3

8

LIST TEN BAT SO BEG

1

9

7

DEAR BIT SET GENT DONE

6

2 6

2 1

1 2

D

5

7

9

3

5

8

11 Average 15 Good 19 Very good 22

5

9

8

F

7

7

3

9

FOOT

S

Find the two letters that can suffix the word on the left or prefix the word on the right, in each case giving a real word. E.g. HE-AR-MY.

8

LION

R B A

Word links

room (6) 17. Sounds like time is endless, mixed-up fallacy (4) 19. Being endlessly tired begets anger (3) 20. OAP trades pension for rowing paddle (3)

Sudoku

Can you get from top to bottom, changing only one letter from one rung to the next?

O R U

How many words can you find including the middle letter, with at least four letters per word? There is at least one nine-letter word.

18= Average 24 = Good 30= Excellent

22

6. Organised chaos as deer rode without energy (7) 11. At odd abbey, social security means nothing (5) 13. Ardent, with green head and no back-yard (6) 14. Gentle incline to emergency

GAME FEAT

0

Just a phrase

8

PINK TINY

0

13

20

14

7

12

4

25

16

6

25

25

9

2

15

16

3

Set by Jade ACROSS 1. Voyage was ruse involving confidential informant (6) 4. Forbidden show of disapproval after thanks (5) 7. United Nations CD on over-education is secret (12) 8. Hydrogen infused in the present could be dangerous (6) 9. Neither normal or remarkable, to start with (3) 10. Don’t have right to the French angler’s strange catch (4) 12. Coherent gentleman after company (6) 15. Altered Zen, my energy and catalyst (6) 16. Surrounding atmosphere about hearing without listening first (4) 18. Before first year, advert for visor is recommended (8) 21. Redact initial catalogue number over reverse rose (6) 22. The world is a lost heart (5)

FEAT

10

17

Cryptic crossword

TINY

6

4

23

DOWN 1. Crab shell precedes Adriatic, but not open ocean (10) 2. Having lost sea, unsettled dunes are beneath (5) 3. Keep mark under students union (7) 4. Bar serving tea at avenue entrance right now (6) 5. Endless oboe sound becomes dull (6)

10

10

12 22

0

Each number represents a letter. Decode the grid to find the words.

5 6

7

27.03.2017

3

6

9

8

6

7

5

8

5 6

1

9

1

8

5

2

Epigram

46

27.03.2017

Your guide to the big Varsity showdown

Nicky Withers Sports Reporter

Facebook / John House

Varsity day is fast approaching: on the 29th of March, the Varsity Series will truly take off, with the action unfolding across nine venues and over 1,100 athletes, in 122 teams, competing in 27 sports embracing the rivalry in the name of bragging rights for the city and charity. Epigram correspondents will be stationed around the venues keeping you up to date with the action, from Fortress Dingle all the way to Frenchay.

The University of Bristol Swimming and Water Polo Club will be looking to make a splash, with the gala kicking off at noon. The mighty maroon dominated in the pool last year, winning the swimming 104-86, then continued their success with both the men’s and women’s firsts water polo teams winning 21-13 and 25-2 respectively.

Meanwhile, the men have also had a successful season, finishing in second place in the Premier South.

They narrowly beat UWE in February with a score line of 11-10 and will be fighting to come out on top once again.

Hockey and netball fans will need to head over to UWE Sport Centre at Frenchay, which is also hosting the futsal and cricket. The hockey pushes back at noon on the astro turf, with the netball following up soon after on court one from 1pm onwards. Last year’s Varsity was one to remember for Bristol’s Hockey teams, the men’s thirds winning 5-1 and women’s thirds smashing UWE 8-0.

The women’s firsts then provided a hockey masterclass with a 10-1 win, followed up by the men’s firsts with a

7-1 victory, all on UWE’s own turf. As a result of this demolition derby, Jordan Hussell came away with the star of Varsity award for his four goal part in that win. Since then, the men’s firsts have had a mixed season, with wins against both Reading and Bath in South Division A, but struggled against Birmingham in the Championship Cup. If you would rather stay closer to home, SEH (Sport, Exercise and Health) will be the home of trampolining, badminton, basketball and volleyball from 12, so there will be plenty to sink your teeth into there. The volleyball

teams have good memories at SEH, with both the men and women victorious last year. The men’s firsts have had a superb season. They are top of division Western 1A by six points.

They were crowned BUCS Star Team in February after the extraordinary achievement of a three year streak of victories in the division. No doubt they will be using this confidence and momentum to drive them into the clash with UWE. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the women’s firsts are also having a brilliant season, sitting top of the Western 1A division, a whopping

nine points clear of second place.

Fortress Dingle will be a hub of rivalry and intense sporting contest with football, lacrosse, tennis and more. Last year saw the outdoor events postponed, much to the disappointment of teams and supporters alike. There’s high hopes for the football with the men’s seconds, thirds and fourths all winning their respective leagues, in an unprecedented year for the club. Meanwhile, the women’s seconds are having a steady season, currently sitting in mid-table of the Western 3A division, where UWE find themselves bottom, making the

mighty maroon favourites for the clash.

With so much going on, deciding what to watch is going to be no easy task, but if all the sporting spectacle is too much, you can focus on one sport for the whole day.

All of the squash teams will be competing throughout the day at Redland Lawn Tennis and Squash Club,or walk the course following our golfers at Bristol Golf and Country Club, teeing off at 2pm. There’s something for everyone, so get involved, embrace the rivalry and cheer on the competitors. For more information, head to the Varsity website.

BUCS Star Team - Double delight for Ouzia’s men Dan Reuben Deputy Online Sports Editor Welcome to BUCS Star Team, the feature that showcases the very best performances from across Bristol’s competitive sports teams. Every fortnight, we will cover the heroics of the winning side, who have all been put forward for the honour by the executive sport committees.

Epigram / Malik Ouzia

This time, the award has deservedly gone to the Men’s Football first team after they won the league and cup double in the space of five days. First they travelled to St Johns Pitches to take on the Exeter third team in the Western Conference cup final, having beaten the likes of Bath and UWE on the way to the final. They took a 1-0 lead into half time and were two goals up and cruising with half an hour left to play. However a lapse in concentration allowed Exeter to get back into the game and go 3-2 up. Displaying the heart and determination that Bristol have shown in only losing one game all season, they equalised, before a hectic goalmouth scramble in the last minute of the game saw the ball bundled in by Ollie Woodhouse to make it 4-3 with chaotic scenes ensuing at the final whistle.

The celebrations were, however, put on hold, with the team heading to Southampton Solent knowing that even a point would secure the Western 2A title with a game to spare. Bristol did not travel three hours down the motorway on a rainy Monday evening

to sit back for a draw, however, and they put on a performance worthy of champions, completely outplaying a good Southampton side to win 4-0.

Club captain Malik Ouzia was delighted with his team’s performance, saying, ‘The cup final was a strange game, we were really comfortable and then we switched off and let three in, which is really unlike us because I think we’d only conceded six or seven all year before that. Luckily we had enough quality to come back. But on Monday we showed what we’re really

about. Solent were a really good side and we went toe to toe with them and outplayed them to wrap up the league.’

For Ouzia, the emphasis is now on Varsity and pushing on next season.

‘Varsity is obviously huge now, UWE won their league as well so it is now officially the two best teams in the Western Conference meeting at Ashton Gate. In terms of next year, consolidation is key, the first team got promoted four years ago and came straight back down so staying there is massive.’ The captain credits the club’s

overall success this season to the winning feeling around the club and to the benefits of regularly training on Coombe Dingle’s brand new 3G pitch. ‘Our top four teams have all won their leagues which is just insane and there’s no doubt in my mind that the general winning buzz around the club has boosted everyone. The 3G has been a game changer, 14 games on there, 14 wins and if I’m completely honest I’m not sure we would’ve had as good a season if we were still playing on the old first team grass pitch.’

‘In terms of key players, I think the great thing about this season for the firsts is that so many players have chipped in and done their bit. Our top scorer is only on five or six goals and we’ve probably had eight or nine different man of the matches across the season.

A special mention also has to go to the gaffer Alan Tyers who has been here for 15 years and not only made some really tough tactical decisions this year but is genuinely the nicest bloke around and an absolute pleasure to play for.’

Epigram

27.03.2017

47

Bristol look to continue UWE rugby misery

BUCS Wednesday Fixtures and Results Wednesday 15th March (select results) Men’s Volleyball: Bristol 1st 3-1 FXU 1st Men’s Rugby Union: Bristol 2nd 24-45 Cardiff 2nd Men’s Basketball: Bristol 1st 48-40 Marjons 1st Women’s Basketball: Bristol 1st 74-51 Plymouth 1st

Bristol and UWE will clash at Ashton Gate on the 30th March 2017 in the Varsity Rugby this year, for the twentyfirst meeting between the two sides.

At the 27,000 capacity stadium, Bristol’s men’s 1st XV will look to extend their fourteen game unbeaten run in the varsity series.

However, they face a stubborn UWE side who have got the better of the maroons once already this season.

Despite their loss to UWE back in November, Bristol will go into the game as favourites after putting together a near perfect league campaign which presented them with their first major piece of silverware for 4 years. Bristol handed UWE a 557 drubbing in February, but the fact that their only defeat of the campaign came at the hands of their local rivals only adds spice to the encounter.

In recent years, the gap between the two sides has closed, with a slender

3-0 win for Bristol in 2016 and a 13-13 draw in 2015. By contrast to last year’s varsity match, affairs between the two sides this season have seen 101 points in total, a fair representation of the attacking rugby played by both sides.

Club Captain George Carrie reflected on last year’s varsity, in which he played flanker, saying: ‘I think this year will be a much better game. Both teams have been playing more expansively this season, so hopefully we can give the crowd a few tries this time.’

He also reflected on the rivalry between the two sides, while highlighting the respect they share off off the pitch: ‘there’s definitely a rivalry on the pitch, some big hits go in and there are little scraps sometimes.

We’ve shared pints and meals together off the pitch though, so it shows how pumped up people get for the game.’

Bristol have undoubtedly dominated the fixture in its recent history but most form can be thrown out the window, as we have seen over the past couple of years.

The prospect of playing in front of thousands of their peers at a big stadium, and in this case, the home of Bristol Rugby, brings out the best in both sides. This year is no different – in fact, it’s probably better. Carrie explained: ‘everyone is very excited about playing at Ashton Gate. For many, it will be the biggest stadium and best pitch they’ve played on so it’s definitely special.’

Bristol Women’s Rugby are also flying high after a good first season retaining their place in the Premier South after promotion from the Western 1A league.

However, their recent form in the top league will give UWE a glimmer of hope.

Bristol’s counterparts are 2nd in the Western 2B, a staggering three leagues below the maroons – so it is safe to say Bristol are the favourites in this one.

Bristol come into the game off the back of a 67-5 thrashing at the hands of Exeter in the BUCS championship quarter finals, 47-0 loss away at Gloucester and a 77-0 defeat to Cardiff Met in January. The girls in

Facebook / University Twitter / UBRFC of Bristol Ultimate Frisbee

Jack Harbridge Sports Reporter

maroon will look to stop the rot in front of their peers in arguably the most important game of the season.

After Bristol wins the two previous years, including what was pretty much a walkover in 2016, it looks as though it may be a forgone conclusion.

However, there is something to be said for a team that knows how to win, and Club Captain Ginny Troughton is wary of just that: ‘there is a lot of expectation but we are not getting complacent, we want to put on a show and demonstrate to everyone how far we have come this season. We honestly can’t wait and the fact that it’s at Ashton Gate just adds to the buzz.’

Of course, the gulf in class must be considered, but it’s not uncommon that a team high in confidence can play above their ability. The Bristol girls have shown their resilience all season in retaining their place in the top league while UWE are also pushing for promotion. However, I have no doubt it will be Bristol who take the spoils when the teams meet at Ashton Gate.

New Fight Night format to make history

Women’s Netball: Bristol 3rd 29-28 Cardiff 2nd Men’s Water Polo: Bristol 2nd 12-10 UWE 2nd Men’s Football: Bristol 1st 4-1 Swansea 4th Men’s Hockey: Bristol 3rd 1-2 Swansea 2nd Women’s Netball: Bristol 4th 24-34 Cardiff Met 3rd Varsity Fixtures 29th March - Varsity Day (including 27 different sports) 30th March - Rugby - Ashton Gate 29th April - Football - Ashton Gate Interested in writing for Epigram Sport? Head over to the Epigram Sport Writers 2016/17 group on Facebook for more information!

Fantasy Football

Luke Byrant Sports Reporter

Epigram / stayfocusedphotography

For the first time, the Martial Arts societies of UOB and UWE have collaborated for an unprecedented fighting extravaganza for Varsity 2017.

On the night of the 28th of March, the Anson Rooms in the Bristol Students’ Union will be transformed into a combat arena and supporters from both rival universities are invited to take a seat at ringside and watch the event unfold.

Both teams will be sending their best fighters, both male and female, to take part in a series of intense bouts in kickboxing, taekwondo and Muay Thai.

There is expected to be a roaring crowd as one of the more heated events in the Varsity series will get under way. It will without a doubt be a fascinating contest and one rewarded with cheap drinks at the Balloon Bar which will be open all night! Muay Thai is a sport that makes extensive use of elbows, kicks, punches and knee strikes which means that a player has eight strike points. Kickboxing only allows four contact points, whilst grappling and the use of elbows and knees are also prohibited.

Epigram Sport is running its very own Barclays Fantasy Premier League. Feel free to join!

Liga de Epigram Code: 808585-362510 Good Luck!

A great place to relax

FREE ENTRY

for all students

University Botanic Garden opposite Churchill Hall, Stoke Bishop www.bris.ac.uk/botanic-garden Epigram ad_v4new.indd 1

20/03/2017 14:46