Est. 1988 Est.1988
Bristol marks International Human Rights Day
Bristol SU first in the country to boycott oil, gas, and mining recruitment Billy Stockwell Investigations Editor
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ristol SU has passed a motion explicitly boycotting all oil, gas, and mining industry recruitment, making it the first Students’ Union in the UK to do so. The policy commits the SU to never
allow oil, gas, or mining companies access to SU-organised events, and bans them from any SU-controlled physical or digital spaces. It also commits the SU to supporting People and Planet Society's Fossil Free Careers campaign. This means that Students’ Union’s officers are mandated to actively campaign for the University of Bristol to adopt an
ethical careers policy that excludes oil, gas, and mining companies from all recruitment services offered by the careers department. This latest achievement comes in a long list of success stories at the hands of Bristol University's People and Planet Society, with the group successfully campaigning to get the University to divest from fossil fuel companies in 2018. Continued on page 3
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Editorial
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t ’s (almost) Christmas! And while there is an absence of white snow on the ground and Bristol’s rainy climate is in full swing, we have almost successfully made it through our first term of this academic year – a big well done to us all. Soon, the motorways and train stations will be packed with students making their way back home to (hopefully) eat mince pies and take some well-deserved days off. Even though deadlines are looming, it is imperative that you watch Elf at least once and stick to the order of your advent calendar (even if you really want to binge them all in one go). As we make our way home for Christmas, I can’t help but reflect on the loneliness of last year’s holiday season and the loved ones we did not get to see. I looked back at Epigram’s issue from a year ago and was filled with nostalgia at the state of the world this time last year. The
epigram 14.12.2021
Co-Editor in Chief Co-Editor in Chief Deputy Editor Deputy Digital Editor
To contact the Editors in Chief: editor.epigram@gmail.com
Holly Beaumont Filiz Emily Gurer Joseph Marshall Flora Pick
government’s ‘window’ in which students had to leave university by, the one household limit to festive celebrations and the empty pubs, shops, and restaurants. May we all take the time this year to be grateful for having (mostly) normal life back and hug our friends and relatives tight. In the meantime, if you need a dose of festive content for your train journey home, look no further than this issue of Epigram. Our Sci-Tech section answers your questions about the formation of snowflakes, Film & TV explain what constitutes a Christmas film and give their best festive picks for anyone who is away from home this winter, and our Music editors give their pick for the best Christmas song of all time. So, from all of us here at Epigram, we hope you have a merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all back on campus in 2022!
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In print and online, Epigram is the independent student newspaper of the University of Bristol. We are run for students, by students, and have a combined readership of over 20,000. Our content is not controlled by the University or the Students Union and we remain politically neutral. Views expressed in this publication are not those of the University or Bristol SU. The design, text, and photography are copyright of Epigram and its individual contributors that may not be reproduced without permission. Epigram is printed regularly and can be found around campus, in cafes and student accommodation. We have a large editorial and business team who work hard, alongside their degrees, to create Epigram for both print and online. Printed by: Newsquest Media Group, 4th Floor, Queens House, 55/56 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LJ Issue 360
Clarifications, Corrections and Retractions
As an independent publication, Epigram strives to be as accurate and impartial on student news as possible. However, should you wish to raise any editorial, commercial or legal concerns, please email editor@epigram.org.uk with the problem, addressed to the Editors-in-Chief. Please be sure to include the issue number and article headline if the article was in print, or the URL if the article was online. We endeavour to correct any inaccuracies as soon as they are raised with us.
*Correction to issue 360: The article contained on page 5 of issue 360 wrongly attributed image credits for the lower image on the page to Barry and Sylvia Williamson where the correct credit for the image was in fact William Lindsay-Perez. Epigram apologises for this error.
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Editor Megan Evans Co-Deputy Editor Roya Shahidi Co-Deputy Editor Jess Millson
Got a story for the newsteam? Email newsteam.epigram@gmail.com
Bristol’s UCU December Strike: in photos • Hundreds of members of University staff went on strike on December 1-3. • Union members took industrial action over pensions, pay and working conditions. • This is now being followed up with ‘action short of strike’, with staff working strictly to contract.
Dan Norris, Metro Mayor of the West of England, at the Victoria Rooms | Epigram
Epigram Reporters
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CU members from the University of Bristol went on strike this month over cuts to pensions and the ‘four fights’: pay, workload, equality, and casualised contracts. On December 1, the first day of strike action, hundreds of members of university staff formed picket lines outside university buildings before gathering outside the Victoria Rooms to demonstrate. The crowd consisted largely of university staff, as well as students attending in support of the strikes. A number of speakers addressed
UCU strikers on Park Street | Epigram / Filiz Gurer
the crowd, including Dr Jamie Melrose, President of the Bristol UCU branch; Dan Norris, West of England Metro Mayor; and Cllr Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party. Pickets continued for the duration of the strike, with some staff members hosting ‘teach-outs’ in St Paul’s Church and the Hope and Anchor pub. Industrial action now continues on for five months, as mandated by the UCU.
Tzu Chien Tho conducting a lectute at a ‘teach-out’ | Epigram / Alice Lang
Picketers outside the Department of Social Medicine | Epigram / Flora Pick
Bristol SU explicitly boycotts all fossil fuel industry recruitment • SU officers must actively campaign for the University to adopt an ethical careers policy Billy Stockwell Investigations Editor
Cont’d from front page... homas Southgate, President of People & Planet Society at Bristol University, says: ‘The student council has given its support for the fossil free careers campaign by passing the first SU motion in the country in support of the campaign. ‘This shows that students don’t want the fossil fuel industry on their campus. ‘The University of Bristol has taken a great step by divesting, yet it still promotes these destructive in-
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| Epigram / Patrick Sullivan
dustries to its students. ‘We want to see more positive change and we believe it can happen.’ Fergus Green, who coordinates climate campaigns as part of People & Planet’s national team, recognises the steps that Bristol University has taken in recent years. However, he tells Epigram that the University ‘continues to funnel students into jobs in the industries most responsible for the climate crisis’. He continues: ‘We’re so pleased to see Bristol SU lead the way and join the campaign for Fossil Free Careers, but now it’s time for the university to listen to its students and make a similar commitment’. There are now student campaign groups in 15 universities across the UK, including Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, Sheffield and Brighton, who are involved in the group’s Fossil Free Careers campaign.
4 News
epigram 14.12.2021
Bristol SU announces Refreshers 2022 events
SU Correspondant
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etween the 21- 30 January, Bristol SU is holding Refreshers to kick start the new year. Following the success of Welcome Week earlier this term, all events will be held in-person across campus subject to Covid restrictions.
They will offer students a chance to find out and get involved with a variety of societies, sports and activities they may have missed out on in September. The Refreshers Fair will be taking place in the Anson Rooms on 23 January and will include freebies and discounts, as well as free slices of Domino’s pizza! On the same day, student groups will also be hosting a Give it a Go Takeover Day in the Richmond
Building. This will be a great opportunity for new and returning students to try out different activities before committing to membership, and to meet new people. The Give it a Go Takeover will mark the start of two weeks of Give it a Go events, with plenty of opportunities for students to pick up something new in the New Year. Other events across campus include tie dye workshops, film nights, a vintage kilo sale and the opening
Officer, said of the plans: 'We know that many students feel like they’ve missed out on the full student experience over the past 2 years and events like Refreshers are a key part of this. 'We’re working hard to ensure that new and returning students have the opportunity to get involved next year. 'Refreshers is your chance to meet new people, pick up a new sport or hobby and find your community-
Bristol SU
Alice Clarke
of the brand new SU Living Room extension. Ifrah Farooq , the Union Affairs
which is all so much easier in person!' Students will be required to provide one of the following three items in order to gain access to certain events: proof of double vaccination via the NHS or International app, proof of a negative lateral flow test via result text or e-mail confirmation, or proof of natural immunity shown by a positive PCR test result for COVID-19 lasting for 180 days from the date of the positive test. Bristol SU
• Bristol SU has announced plans for an in-person Refreshers fair in January. • It will feature a Give it a Go Takeover day for clubs and societies, as well as a number of events across campus. • Many events will require proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry.
Bristol student creates charitable network to help end period poverty for refugees • Ella Lambert, a 21-year-old languages student, runs a global network of 1,000 volunteer to help lift refugees out of period poverty. • Ella's work has so far provided sustainable period products for 3,000 refugees. Isobel Turner
News Subeditor
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achamama is a volunteer run organisation that makes and distributes reusable sanitary pads to refugees in a fight against period poverty. It is run by 21-year-old Ella Lambert, a languages student at the
Ella launched the Pachamama project in lockdown when at home in Essex. She learnt how to sew using youtube tutorials, along with her university friend Oliwia Geisler. After suffering for years herself with debilitating period pains, Ella was inspired to help those who suffer similarly with far fewer means. ‘It really struck a nerve and before long we had volunteers all over the world getting involved,' Lambert stated. The volunteers will make the ‘Pacha Pads' using a pattern that has been updated several times over the last year. They then send them on to Ella for distribution. They have so far sent 30,000 reusable pads to refugees in countries such as Greece, Lebanon and Syria. The name, Pachamama, is ‘a goddess of fertility and greatly revered by the indigenous people of
‘I try to remember that you may not be able to save the whole world but you can give one person at a time the power to empower themselves.' University of Bristol, who now has a global network of 1,000 volunteers.
the Andes. A warm and charismatic image of sisterhood and the perfect figure-
Clockwise from top left: Sharbano and Ella at a Pachamama workshop in Lesbos; Ella; special Remembrance Day Pacha Pads | University of Bristol
head for this community project.' Ella soon found herself working on the project full-time, holding down a 9-5 job at an NGO and studying online. She is now back in Bristol studying languages and continues to run Pachamama alongside her mum and an expansive team of volunteers. These volunteers are international, sewing from the UK, US, Italy, France and Germany. ‘Sometimes I have to check myself and realise what we have
achieved - amongst a humanitarian crisis and so much difficulty for the people here it’s hard to see sometimes,' Ella stated. ‘I try to remember that you may not be able to save the whole world but you can give one person at a time the power to empower themselves.' She has since developed a sister project where refugees will sew the pads from donated material and sell them to non-profit organisations. This not only offers a diversion
as they wait to be processed in the camps, but also provides a source of income. Ella is going to continue running Pachamama when she graduates from Bristol University this year. Her future plans include involving school children in the UK in the 'Pacha pad' making process. ‘Period poverty is everywhere but the stigma is ingrained in us. I think it's a fun, creative way of normalising it and feeling more comfortable about the subject.'
News 5
epigram 14.12.2021
News in Brief
Referendum to be held on Bristol's mayoral system
ley, who was behind the motion, believes that the mayoral position 'is not working as hoped'. He lists how 'the loss of nearly £50m on an energy company' and 'Bristol residents being ignored over Cumberland Basin and RPZ’s' exemplify the failings in this leadership model. The future of the role will become clear following the results of a vote on Thursday 5th May 2022.
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Megan Evans
fendants so they can go for a pint.' Jake Skuse, Rhian Graham, Milo Ponsford and Sage Willoughby all deny criminal damage relating to the removal of the statue and face trial at Bristol Crown Court on Monday. T-shirts were limited to one per person, with the sale locations - That Thing in Stokes Croft, Friendly Records in Bedminster, and Rough Trade on Nelson Street - seeing queues of hundreds of people after being announced on local radio station Ujima. Shirts have already begun to appear for resale online, with asking values as high as £9,000.
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crowd of approximately 30 protestors gathered at Bristol College Green on Friday 10 December to protest the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. As part of the groups’ demonstration a vigil was held between 3 to 7pm. Friday’s peace vigil fell on International Human Rights Day. Illuminated by candlelight and the crowds spirit, a variety of speeches and songs were performed in disapproval of the PCSC bill. The PCSC bill is currently in the report stage in Parliament and had its third reading in the House of Lords last week. The bill was the subject of widespread protests earlier this year.
The government has said that the bill ‘‘will allow the police to take a more proactive approach in managing highly disruptive protests causing serious disruption to the public’. Opponents of the bill cite that under the ‘draconian’ plans, police will be handed sweeping new powers. Epigram spoke to the organiser of the protest organisation named the Bristol Peace Vigil, at Friday’s demonstration. The organiser of the event commented that the protest group has met at College Green every Saturday since 1 May 1 2021 to protest the PCSC bill. The organisation said that they had assembled the crowd with the mindset of creating something ‘mag-
Epigram / Louis Chandor
Banksy Colston Statue T-shirts resell for thousands ristol-born street artist Banksy announced on Friday night that limited edition T-shirts would go on sale at various locations within the city. The shirts feature an image of the plinth that formerly held a statue of prominent slave trader Edward Colston, in reference to the Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020. The artist stated that the T-shirts were created to show support for the 'Colston Four,' due to go on trial for pulling down the statue on 7 June 2020. In an Instagram post, Banksy said that all proceeds will go 'to the de-
Louis Chandor
Bibi Lebersorger
Epigram / Joseph Marshall
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public vote will be held in 2022 to decide whether to keep the role of mayor, or replace it with a committee system. Bristol councillors voted nearly 2-to-1 in favour of holding the referendum, which will give residents a say in the future of the role which is currently occupied by Labour’s Martin Rees. Liberal Democrat Cllr Alex Hart-
Bristol marks International Human Rights Day with Peace Vigil on College Green
ical’ to combat feelings of ‘disempowerment’ and ‘bring people together’. This was done through a variety of speakers, most of which were stated to have been performed spontaneously. The goal of the organisation was described as wanting to protest the upcoming PCSC Bill, create an environment where people could speak their mind and to raise awareness to encourage people to help the organisation’s efforts. The organiser of the event stressed that they ‘want to make contact with students studying law’ to help the organisation read through and decipher the PCSC Bill as it is over 300 pages long.
The revolutionary new patent changing the game of goal line technology Deputy SciTech Editor
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niversity of Bristol research engineer – and former Epigram Co-Editor in Chief – Patrick Sullivan has been granted a patent for revolutionary technology that could change the face of current goal line technology. At the moment, goal line technologies like TMO in rugby, VAR in football and Hawk-eye in tennis rely on the use of cameras to track the trajectory and positioning of the ball to determine whether it has crossed the line. But this current method has been shown to be flawed, as seen in mauls in rugby where the ball is hidden from the camera’s views making it difficult to determine whether a try has been scored. However, this new patent developed by Patrick, in partnership with University of Bristol philosopher Dr Mo Abolkheir, could see an end to this confusion. The new technology would make use of electroconduc-
fan of rugby, having been the captain of his school’s rugby team and currently playing for a local Bristol club. It was this love of rugby and the frustration of watching games on TV with uncertain TMO decisions
Patrick, with an international patent pending and on the way and a new company being started with the purpose of developing the technology. Patrick wanted to be an inventor since he was child and is a lifelong
that pushed him to create this new technology. He said “When I was 11 one of my dad’s closest friends told me ‘you can’t be an inventor but you can be an engineer, which is almost the same thing’.
University of Bristoll
James Emery
tive materials such as nickel, silver or graphene and use electromagnetic waves to pinpoint where the ball and players are. This GB patent is the product of two and a half years of work for
“I used to design stuff all the time back then. My first idea for a single item dishwasher was never going to happen, nor was my wind turbine-powered car, but while on my engineering undergraduate at Bristol University I finally hit on one that could work. “This invention could compete with and even replace current technologies used in football, tennis, rugby and more. It will be great to add something to the sports that I’ve spent so many years following.” It was through a meeting with Dr Abolkheir, an honorary philosopher of inventions and patents at the University of Bristol, that the patent really came to life. Dr Abolkheir had also witnessed a questionable TMO decision at the Principality Stadium and was himself mulling over how the issue could be resolved. Dr Abolkheir said: “As a philosopher, it is quite satisfying to see an abstract model being implemented and producing successful practical results. “As a teacher, it is a genuine
pleasure to collaborate with Patrick Sullivan, who exhibited impressive engineering competence even when he was still an undergraduate. “The team is currently working on further technological developments, with more patents to come: watch this space!” Patrick was provided a framework for developing his invention and getting it patented through Dr Abolkheir showing him his Half-Causation Method. Through the combination of Patrick’s idea and this method patent 2588485 was born, a ‘positional detection system’. The pair are also working in collaboration with materials expert Professor Paul Hogg and electronics expert Dr Shyqyri Haxha, both from Royal Holloway, University of London, and Paul Andrews, a successful CEO and director of several companies. Now that he has dealt with this issue, Patrick can hopefully go back to relaxing when watching rugby and not worry about goal line mishaps.
Features
Editor Flossie Palmer Digital Editor Allegra Letts Deputy Editor Alexander Sampson
Bristol Sex Workers Collective sheds light on the local government’s anti-SEV proposals
Hosted by Bristol Young Greens, the Bristol Sex Workers Collective revealed the effects of Bristol's proposed SEV ban. Allegra Letts Digital Features Editor
Instagram / Central Chambers
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of 2019 finding that 66 per cent of local residents were happy with the operation of SEVs in the area, Bristol mayor Marvin Rees has begun the process to close down strip clubs as promised within his 2016 election pledges. Garnering further support from Bristol Labour party members Thangam Debonairre MP, Karin Smyth MP and Debby McCarthy, the nil-cap policy has emerged by way of delivering on promises made in 2016. The nil-cap policy has not just received the support of local Labour MPs. In fact, a number of local feminist groups in Bristol have been t h e
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main sources of g pressure in n o Y the anti-strip l sto Bri club campaign, / k o Facebo including the Bristol Women’s Voice and, most notably, the Bristol Women’s Comu
n light of this year’s recent proposals by Bristol’s local government to reduce the number of sexual entertainment venues (SEVs) in the city from two to zero, Bristol Sex Workers Collective’s own, Amelie and Audrey, speak out about the proposed policy implementations and the Labour Party’s position on sex workers’ rights. The members of the collective presented their case in a talk hosted by the Bristol Young Greens’ Society, educating a small crowd on everything from the different forms of legalisation for sex work across the globe, to their stance on the ‘nil cap’ policy for strip club closures, backed by Bristol Labour party mayor Marvin Rees. rently enforces a number of strict Amelie, who is a stripper at Urrestrictions on the management of ban Tiger (one of the clubs at risk strip clubs; deof closure under manding annual the proposed 66 per cent of local license renewals, policy’s imresidents are happy for plementation) SEVs to operate in the area. no-contact rules between stripdescribed the pers and cusproposal as an tomers, and the insistence that clubs ‘attack on sex workers’ rights from must not be located anywhere near the Labour Party’. The radical policy places of worship, schools, and reseffectively puts Bristol at the frontidential areas. These are just a few line of a number of cities (such as of the many rules SEV clubs must Exeter and Chester) which are using abide by in order to continue legalmunicipal equality laws to crack ised operation in the city, down on the sex trade and stripping, of which neither along with putting it on track to beof the clubs coming one of the densest urban cith a v e ies to ban strip clubs and lap-dancing in the UK. If the policy comes to fruition, strip clubs Urban Tiger and Central Chambers will be unable to renew their license for the next year. During their talk, Amelie and Audrey highlighted the fact that the closure would put over one hundred employees - from dancers to bar staff - out of a job, and, according to Audrey, would likely ‘push stripping underground’. This would effectively leave sex workers unprotected by licensing laws currently implemented by SEV policy today. b r e a c he d Bristol’s current SEV policy was since licenspushed through in 2011, following ing. England’s implementation of ArtiDespite the Bristol cle 27 in 2010 onto the Policing and City Council’s public consultation Crime Act (2009). The policy cur-
‘Avon and Somerset Police’s Cumulative Impact Assessment showed that from 2018-2020 neither venues were a source of concern for sexual assault in or around their premises.’ During their talk, Audrey and Amelie also raised concerns about the credibility of support from the Bristol Women’s Commission, who receives funding from the Bristol City Council. Equally, Audrey made an important case during the BSWC talk, arguing that ‘closing down licenced strip clubs does not mean that the industry will disappear: it only deregulates it and makes the work riskier for those who do it.’ By pushing the sex industry underground, sex workers are left without a legal framework to hold strip club owners, managers, and consumers accountable. And this is only one source of concern for sex workers. Ultimately, Amelie and Audrey highlighted an important point in their talk, stating that ‘strippers should not be blamed for male violence’. According to documentation by mission - founded by Mayor Rees. the Human Rights Watch, criminalAccording to these groups, ‘the isation also creates an environment Council has legal obligations to have where ‘police officers harass sex due regard to the need to eliminate workers, extort bribes, and physicaldiscrimination and harassment of ly and verbally abuse sex workers, or women, and to advance equality of even rape or coerce sex from them’. opportunity for women as well as to Similarly, the foster good reBanning SEVs will ‘push Human Rights lations between stripping underground' Watch also found men and womand leave sex workers evidence that en. Strip clubs suggested that stand in the unprotected. ‘criminalization way of this.’ makes sex workers more vulnerable The Bristol Women’s Commission to violence, including rape, assault, and the Bristol Women’s Voice make and murder, by attackers who see the case in favour of the closure of sex workers as easy targets because SEVs by arguing that men’s use of they are stigmatized and unlikely to sexual entertainment increase the receive help from the police’. likelihood of domestic violence beThe issue of stigmatisation was ing committed against women, relyfurther explored by Amelie and ing on a study by Farley et al, named Audrey in their talk as a potential ‘Comparing Sex Buyers With Men explanation for the anti-SEV policy Who Do Not Buy Sex: New Data on proposals, which they consider to Prostitution and Trafficking’, which transcend the issues of gender-based showed a positive correlation beviolence. Amelie and Audrey stated tween men who solicit prostitution that the social issue of ‘whorephobia’ and the sexual objectification and must receive greater awareness and violence against women. However, education, directing students to read Audrey and Amelie presented com‘Revolting Prostitutes’ as a source of pelling evidence against over-reliillumination on the industry. ance on this singular study. Firstly, Overall, the issue is one of great correlational results do not equate to contention throughout Bristol. With a causation. Secondly, the study had the local government’s avid support multiple self-confessed limitations. for the closure of SEVs, and the proIn an open letter against the angressing resistance of sex workers ti-SEV policy, it was stated that the and their supporters, the issue is case made by the Bristol Women’s likely to gain even further traction. Commission was ‘simply not true.’
Features
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The ultimate guide to Bristol student housing Housing red flags: a guide to finding your next student digs in the Bristol private accomodation market. Robin Ireland Third Year, English
Epigram / Flossie Palmer
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bill. It might be best to bite the bullet of bills included in some cases and not in others. Noise One thing that is often overlooked, especially in the rush to secure a home, is noise. To draw a personal anecdote, my current student flat is next door to a nursery. Pros of this location include a slightly creepy level of silence, after around 6pm. Cons of this include being
awoken at 7am every by children loudly serting that being dropped off is against their human rights. Each area of Bristol will have varying levels of noise at different times, and it’s i m portant to consider your household’s needs. Over time, I’ve evolved to n a p through just about everything, so there really is a silver lining in every upturned tricycle. A t the viewing Arriving at your first house viewing can be a daunting experience, it can feel like you’re invading the current tenants’ space - and their d a
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clutter can mask wonderful potenmay be limiting the amount of peotial. It can be quite the challenge to ple per viewing, so make sure you picture your take a vidperfect batheo and lots room when of photos It is good to enter discussions there’s a stack and viewings with an open mind to send of beer cans to your and a list of priorities. in the shower housestall. mates. These photos will often be a lot more Whilst you’re sizing up the kitchaccurate than the ones displayed en (and counting the on their websites, which is something else to consider when looking through potential houses. It’s easy for agencies to make a property more attractive - don’t get catfished by the wide angle-lens. At the post viewing debrief cupboards and fridges Inevitably, each member of your to avoid any culinary drahousehold will have different needs. ma) and eyeing up your One good way of reaching a compick of the bedrooms, it’s promise is to get each person to good to take a chance t o write down their biggest priorities chat to the current ten- including things that they’d like ants about the agenc y to avoid at all costs. This way, the and property owners. A process of finding a house becomes reliable agency can b e much clearer, and priorities can be a lifesaver, especiall y kept in mind during both the huntin the depths of wint e r. ing and viewing processes. It is good An unreliable agency c a n to enter discussions and viewings result in weeks of living in with an open mind, but to also keep unsafe housing, with your in mind what is important to you. housemates locked into Ultimately, a house is what you an email stalemate over a make of it. An unlikely haven can broken boiler. be found in rooms previously neglected, a dingy kitchen transformed Due to the curr e n t using command strips and strategic restrictions, estate agents curtains. Epigram / Flossie Palmer
t’s that time of year again. Broadmead is full of festive bustle, Park Street is aglow. And you’re … in the dim light of your student flat, frantically scrolling through Rightmove search results. It’s housing season for many students, a series of weeks (or months) that bring most prospective tenants out in cold sweats. So, where to start? Or, how to pull yourself out of the bottomless pit of Bristol estate agents? Assembling your household Before the hunt for the perfect house can begin, there comes an awkward and stressful period of time where you’ll be searching for people to share it with. Sites such as SpareRoom or Facebook groups are a great place to find housemates - people will list their interests and living styles, direction. so it’s easy to gauge whether or not you’d live together well. AlternativeOne thing that is often overlooked, ly, pull from your existing pool of especially in the rush to secure a friends or coursemates. It’s handy home, is noise. Each area of Bristol to have an essay buddy within easy will have varying levels of noise at reach. different It is times, i m p o r - Bristol's notoriously high ceilings and and it’s t a n t stunning bay windows come with the i m p o r to retant to a high cost. member considthat if er your you find that your housemates are household’s needs. My current stumaking you uncomfortable, moving dent flat is next to a nursery. Pros of contracts is possible. Always talk to this location include a slightly creepy your friends or people that you trust level of silence, after around 6pm. about how you’re feeling at home Cons of this include being awoken and remember that there will always at 7am every day by children loudbe other options. ly asserting that being dropped off The Perfect Spot is against their human rights. Over In the current housing climate, lotime, however, I’ve evolved to nap cation may be low down on your list through just about everything, so of priorities. However, it’s still worth there really is a silver lining in every thinking about which area of the upturned tricycle. city will suit you and your houseValue for money? mates. If you’re a fan of a commute As rent continues to rise through(perfect podcast time), then looking out the city, finding a bargain bedaway from traditional student areas room is getting harder. It’s also hard may reveal a trove of local treasto spot a good deal with bills - is all ures. If you would rather stick to the bills included the best way to go? well-trodden areas of Cotham and One way to get an accurate picture Redland, you’ll be a stone’s throw of prices is to ask the current tenfrom campus and much more. There ants, who will have a good idea of is one universal truth, however, in how much it costs to heat a home. that no matter which area of the city Bristol’s notoriously high ceilings you choose, you will inevitably be and stunning bay windows often pushing your bike up a hill in either come with the cost of a high heating
Opinion
Editor Digital Editor Co-Deputy Editor Co-Deputy Editor
Mark Ross Charlie Osborne Katie Sowerby Caitlin Palmer O'Shaughnessy
Twitter: @EpigramOpinion
Not so merry and bright? Will we receive a Society balls and Bristol’s tuition fee refund from Santa? social inclusion problem missing out. Expensive society formals are a glaring problem for a university which is not exactly renowned for its accessibility. Bristol has established a reputation as an exclusive, independent-school-dominated environment and this doesn’t appear to be improving. Consistently ranking near the bottom of the Times’ Higher Education
As Bristol celebrates the festive season, the extortionate prices of some society balls are leaving many feeling alienated Juliet Barshan
Spanish and Politics, First Year
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In the same vein, Bristol’s Psychology Society are offering subsidised financial hardship tickets, in an attempt to accommodate those who can’t afford their staggering £38 standard ticket price. Although we can’t overlook the irony that at £24, the ‘hardship’ ticket still comes in at a pound more than the average student’s weekly grocery shop, it's still a considera-
Courtesy of Bristruths
parkling promotional posters adorn Instagram pages, the buzz of festivity is in the air and countdowns to ticket releases have begun. We've reached, of course, the season of the Christmas ball. Social Inclusion list, the University tion that the vast majority of other After a year of pandemic-induced managed to fall even further in 2021, societies haven’t even entertained. gloom, these coveted events in the reaching a shocking 113th place out Providing all students with a Bristol winter calendar are back with of 116. champagne reception and luxury a bang, promising nights of unmissThe access initiatives that have banquet is obviously not the numable merriment. But while many been implemented are great for widber one priority for access initiatives. count down the minutes to ticket reening particiNevertheless, the unattainable exleases, there pation into the travagance of some of these events are an awUniversity itself, is emblematic of a university-wide ful lot left For many, these lavish but they can’t issue of social inclusion. out in the nights of celebration remain account for the These events are undeniably specold. divide that precial occasions which arguably merit impossibly out of reach Society vails long after cutting a few financial corners, but Christmas the admissions they still need to be made more acformals at Bristol are not easy on the process has been and gone. cessible. The prices being demandpocket. Bristol Law Club’s festive exAs Nasra Ayub, Bristol’s former ed by some of Bristol’s societies lie travaganza clocks in at £45 this year, Undergraduate Education officer beyond forsaking a few post-lecture with a whole host of others from the put it, inclusion issues at Bristol coffees. Kickboxing to the Physiology sociedon’t end when an offer is made, it's Although making formals accesties, exceeding the £30 mark. about ‘The culsible to all won’t And the expense doesn’t end with ture that exists be the world’s the ticket. Black-tie formality neceswithin the instieasiest feat, it’s sitates dressing to impress in elegant Bristol is still tainted with clear that more tution – a culattire, not to mention drinks prices ture that isn’t connotations of exclusivity effort needs to and the all-important after-party. It made for disadand otsentatious privilege be made. all adds up to mean that, for many, vantaged stuBecause with these lavish nights of celebration redents to thrive.’ so many stumain impossibly out of reach. Everyone’s experience is different, dents scrimping and struggling, it’s Of course, these events but the fact remains that Bristol is hard to make claims to accessibility aren’t a necessity. Not attending still tainted with connotations of exwhile their peers are clinking chamthe football Christmas social won’t clusivity and ostentatious privilege, pagne glasses in black tie. hold anyone back academically or which are defi nitely rooted in some get them unceremoniously removed semblance of truth. from the team - but that’s not the But some steps are being taken in point. the right direction. Heavily subsiIt’s these extra missed moments dised by accommodation JCR budgthat can make the university experiets, many first-year halls of resiAre society Christmas Formal ence just that little bit more unweldence have negotiated substantially tickets financially inclusive for coming for those who don't have a more affordable events to ring in the comfortable net of financial security all students? festive season without breaking the to rely on. bank. The little things, like seeing your Offers of wine and a three-course Yes - 17% No - 83%* flatmates drop your weekly food meal for as little as £5 are a welcome budget on a dress without even *Numbers from an Instagram poll that contrast to the ostracising expense thinking about it, all add up. This recieved 212 responses of many societies. We should be can easily turn a time of intended striving to offer similarly cheap and festive cheer into a source of stress, cheerful festivities across the board. alienation and above all, the fear of
What does Bristol think?
example, should not be disadvantaged by industrial action more than other students. If the University complies with these criteria, the only money I will be receiving this Christmas is from my Grandma. Opinion Editor Whether or not the Uni provides these services remains to be seen. niversity staff across the I suspect, however, that they will country are taking industrimanage to do the bare minimum to al action to protest against avoid any liability. pension cuts and work casualisation, After eighteen months of recordamongst other issues. As another ed lectures and online tutorials, the chunk of students’ University exUniversity is well-prepared to offer perience is upended, should we be alternatives to the disrupted in-perdemanding financial compensation son classes. They also have a track from the University this Christmas? record of offering mitigating circumAs much as these strikes will instances, ‘safety nets’ and delayed convenience us, the Uni will most deadlines, such as those offered durlikely do just about ‘enough’ to be ing the last round of industrial acable to avoid paying out. But even if tion and during the pandemic. they do not pay out, they should at They also offer a ‘Student Expensleast pretend to empathise with our es Fund’ to compensate those who misfortune. have lost a disproportionate amount Students will be affected by these of money due to the strikes. strikes. LecturAll of which ers and seminars The Uni will do the bare will leave us feelwill be cancelled, ing slightly bitter. minimum to avoid any submitted work We’ve ended up will take longer liability with a disrupted to mark and reeducation with sponses to our little chance of compensation. questions will be delayed. This is why the University, if only Surely, we should be compensated to claw its way up the student satfor these inconveniences? After all, isfaction rankings, should offer us we are not receiving the education something – anything – in return. A that we are paying for. graduation in an actual University Unfortunately, this is not the case. building, for example, was a good What we think the University owes start. us, and the minimum action it can But it’s not all doom and gloom. legally take, are two very different There will be cases in which the Unithings. versity does not satisfy the above According to the Office for Stucriteria. For example, when learning dents, the independent regulator of outcomes are not satisfied, or stuhigher education in England, univerdents were not given enough notice sities must ‘Continue to offer the serof disruption. vice they have promised to students, An anonymous Master’s student even during periods of industrial in the UK in 2019, for example, was action’. awarded £340 as he/she had already Or, as the Office for the Independleft University when catch-up lesent Adjudicator put it, ‘You might sons were offered. not be entitled to a financial remedy This shows that if you have been if the provider is able to take steps to truly disadvantaged by strikes – not put things right another way’. Their just because you don’t get to pick up website gives examples of what this a free Pret on the way to campus – ambiguous phrase means. then it is worth appealing. Universities must make up for lost This applies to a small number teaching in other ways, for example, of students, but I suspect that for through extra classes later in the the majority of us, the University year, or offering the content virtualwill tick the required boxes when ly following the strikes. it comes to providing alternative This must be enough to teach the teaching arrangements. Let’s hope ‘learning outcomes’ that we paid to they have the decency to at least learn. pretend that they feel any shred of As well as this, they are obligated remorse about their students having to ensure that all students are imto spend another week in Blackboard pacted equally. Those from certain break-out rooms. socio-economic backgrounds, for
Compensation for lost teaching would be a Christmas miracle Mark Ross
U
epigram 14.12.2021
Opinion 9
Shouting about SHAG week is It is OK for your not enough to fight Bristol's year abroad not lack of sexual education to be perfect To tackle sexual misconduct and STI transmission, events like SHAG week should be mandatory Ryan Grant-Khailani History, Second Year
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rom the 2nd-9th December, the Bristol Student Union is running Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance week, which ‘Aims to promote healthy relationships and sex, alongside educating on key issues such as consent and safety’. It is astounding that these workshops are optional and barely advertised. Given UK universities’ recent experience with sexual misconduct
from students’ education. And it is causing serious problems. The SU’s events this week range from HIV testing stalls to ‘Bystander Intervention Training’. The former seems like a sure-fire way to tackle the clearly widespread ignorance of STI’s on campus. The latter – held on 9th December – aimed to teach students appropriate and effective techniques to manage inappropriate behaviours. These are incredible opportunities to tackle an enabler of sexual misconduct — a lack of education. It is incumbent upon students to educate themselves about this. The sad fact is that the optional nature of these classes mean that many will miss out. But surely, with the UK’s school sex education programme, Bristol students should already know all
SHAG week comprises many different events | Courtesy of Bristol SU
that SHAG week has to offer? – such as the recent Girls Night In Well, the short answer is no. Not movement - these classes should be every student has the same experimandatory. ence with sexual health education, A recent survey from the Univerfor a number of reasons. sity of Kent revealed that 63 of 554 Regional differences mean that UK male students have committed some students received a more thorsome kind of ‘Aggressive and forough education cible’ sexual act. than others. For There is a glaring There is a glaring need example, between need for students for students to be 2018 and 2020, to be educated. educated Scottish students Also shocking were offered lesis a Times Higher sons involving LBGTQ+ issues, Education Survey that revealed only whereas their English counterparts 51 per cent of students felt safe the were not. first time they had sex at universiInternational disparities are even ty. It also showed that ‘over half’ of more pronounced. In some countries, sexually active students have never such as Poland, sex education is not had an STI test. A 2020 study found even mandatory in schools. that over one in ten of UK students Students from around the country, had contracted an STI during their and the world, have not benefitted studies. from the same system of education There is clearly a chunk missing
that you may have had. The story of the birds and the bees is not as common as we would have thought. It is therefore up to universities to take responsibility for creating a safer environment on campus. And this starts with education and awareness – sexual health classes should be mandatory for freshers. Otherwise, the inequality of access to sexual education on campus will continue to manifest itself in the form of sexual violence, misconduct and ignorance of the types that we have become accustomed to in Bristol. And it is important to remember that this is not just a university problem, or even a student union problem: it is a public health problem. Arming students with the knowledge required to have safe and happy sexual encounters will therefore benefit them for life, not just while they are attending university. SHAG week – as progressive and well intentioned as it is – is an example of how the University is not engaging enough with students to fulfil its obligation to educate students. Workshops have not been advertised on the SU’s Instagram account, arguably where they would get the most of their engagement. The only reason I know SHAG week exists is because I am in a private Facebook group chat for opinion writers of a humanities magazine. Not quite prime advertising real estate. This does not take away from the great work that the SU has aimed for, but it should serve to recognise that this is simply not doing enough. Unequal access to sexual education is endemic and problematic. The University needs to combat this by making participation in workshops – like SHAG week – mandatory. A compulsory social and cultural skills workshop for freshers would also make a marked improvement from the current model. English civility and the attempt to protect ‘traditional’ moral values are no longer valid excuses for sweeping this conversation under the carpet. The University has an obligation to educate.
It is not always like the movies, but that is the point Julie Hengen
French and Spanish, Third Year
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othing is more alluring than the thought of spending a year abroad in a beautiful, exotic country. But when your long-awaited time overseas doesn’t match your expectations, you’re bound to feel down – and you’re not the only one. From instantly finding new best friends, to having the adventure of a lifetime (every weekend), it seems that stigma and pressure surround the oh-so amazing year abroad almost as much as they do Freshers'
counter are plentiful: maybe your apartment is grim or perhaps your flatmates make you feel more lonely than lucky. It might even be that you can’t quite put your finger on it because on paper, everything is ideal, except for the fact that you’re feeling blue instead of blissful. Whether there are a million reasons for your sorrow or none, overcoming these kinds of difficulties on your year abroad – or even just enduring them – will make you come home all the wiser and more resilient, too. While you’re there, you might as well try your best to make your year abroad as enjoyable as it is educational. Try to get to know the city you live in; wander the streets like a tourist, decorate your room, or treat yourself to a little brunch and you’ll be sure
Erasmus itself can be guilty of over romanticising foreign study | Courtesy of @erasmuslife
week. The bar is set unattainably high with life supposedly resembling a sappy teenage movie as soon as you step foot into a new country. But these expectations can quickly turn into dreadful disappointments if they don’t come true. From culture shock to loneliness – there is more than one reason why you might be struggling more than succeeding. But that doesn’t mean you’re not growing. Whether it’s finding out that you’re not made for big city life or realising that not every country you visit magically becomes your new favourite place in the whole world, even a bad experience is a good lesson learned. Especially this year, post-Brexit and amidst a global pandemic, with new visa requirements and travel restrictions, the reality of studying or working overseas is far from breezy. The challenges you might en-
to discover that there’s a beautiful side to every place in the world, even if you have to squint to see it. Don’t feel pressured if everyone constantly seems to be out and about with friends – take time for yourself whenever you need to. And if you ever feel particularly homesick, remember that your friends and family are just a phone call away. Regardless of the perfect social media pictures of sunny beaches, late nights-out and weekend trips that every student overseas competitively posts, believe it or not, there’s nothing shameful about not feeling at home when that’s exactly what you are – not at home. Keep in mind that your time away is about personal growth and development more than about curating the image of a happy holiday. Whether it’s a positive or a negative experience, it certainly is a transformative one that you won’t regret, even if it ends up being far from perfect.
SciTech
Editor Sarah Dalton Digital Editor Bethany Winget Deputy Editor James Emery
Twitter: @EpigramSciTech
Second incubator opens in Bristol to support new tech entrepreneurs Epigram/University of Bristol
Science Creates opens a new incubator in Bristol to support local science and tech start ups. We explore the impact that Science Creates has had on the local community. James Emery
SciTech Deputy Editor
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cience Creates, a Bristol-based deep tech ecosystem which helps to nurture new science and engineering startups, has opened a brand new second incubator within the city. It is hoped that this new incubator will help to solve pressing world issues such as cancer, vaccine development and climate change through supporting the new generation of scientists-turned-entrepreneurs. The opening of this new incubator, located in Old Market, has been due to the success of the first incubator in St Philips which is currently at full capacity and has put Bristol on the map as a hub of science and engineering innovation. Science Creates is already home to some of the most successful deep tech companies in the UK who in 2021 alone amassed £18.4 million. The new incubator, as part of a partnership with the University of Bristol and Research England, will provide an extra 30,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art laboratories and office space for use by deep tech start-
ups. With the addition of the new incubator, this brings the physical footprint of Science Creates in Bristol to 45,000 sq ft, housing around 100 companies and providing 450 potential jobs. Some of the companies supported by Science Creates include: Cytoseek- a company which uses artificial membrane binding protein technology to deliver the potential of the next generation of cell therapies, with a focus on treating solid tumours. It has been able to raise £4 million with the help of Science Creates. KETS Quantum Securitytheir goal is to help protect data from a new generation of cyber attacks by quantum computer through the production of chip-based solutions. One of its original companies was Ziylo, a biotech company working to develop one of the first smart in-
million. The founder of Science Creates, Dr Harry Destecroix, said ‘The city is home to creative, innovative trendsetters and it has world-class
'Bristol continues to grow as a hub for helping scientists take their discoveries off the shelf and into the real world' sulins to help people suffering from diabetes. In 2018, it was purchased by pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk in a deal potentially worth $800
research universities and a strong sense of community. But we are only just getting started. Bristol continues to grow as a hub for
helping scientists take their discoveries off the shelf and into the real world. Our strength lies in deep tech – an area that is growing more than twice as fast as any other tech sector. ‘This is where Science Creates comes in. We have two purpose-built incubators, a venture capital firm funding early-stage start-ups, and a network of mentors and advisors with specific, relevant experience – all of which is vital for business development and innovation.' Science Creates also launched a dedicated venture capital fund, in 2020, called Science Creates Ventures which, in partnership with the incubators, has promoted ambition in companies and allowed them to raise the capital they need. This has
You asked and we answered: Christmas Edition!
'How is each snowflake unique?' Every snowflake that you see if structurally different, because its shape is formed and built as it falls through the air. As it falls, each snowflake will be blown through slightly different levels of water vapour and humidity and so will always be unique. Lower humidity tends to result in flatter flakes and higher humidity means more development on edges and corners. Each flake can have as many as a quintillion molecules and there are so many arrangements that some scientists have estimated there to be twice as many combinations as atoms in the universe. How do ice skates not slip on the ice?' When you are skating, it is not actually hard ice itself that you are skating on. A skate can glide over the ice because there is a layer of loose molecules on the surface that are not bound as tightly as the molecules of the ice beneath. This thin layer allows the sharp blades to dig into it which creates the friction needed to not fall. Without this sharp blade in regular shoes, walking on these loose molecules is like dancing on a floor of rolling marbles.
contributed to Bristol quickly becoming a leader in deep tech innovation, rivalling many of its European counterparts like Barcelona and Oslo. In 2020, Bristol had an estimated venture capital of over £400 million with the majority of it being reinvested into the companies. This is expected to continue into 2021 – as shown by data from Tech Nation – with it attracting the second highest VC in the UK. It is hoped that this incubator initiative will allow Bristol to become famous as a world-class ecosystem that supports scientists and engineers in commercialising ground-breaking technology innovations.
SciTech 11
epigram 14.12.2021
‘COVID-19 on campus' study looking for participants
Rio
pe lle
launched a survey in June 2020 to investigate interaction patterns, COVID-19-like symptoms and changes of behaviour. The survey immediately had a good response from staff and following a Comms campaign in October 2020, began to receive a good response from students as well. The study looks at temporal changes in these factors over
a new recruitment push and is looking for more participants to fill-out the survey so that they can continue the collection of
Epigram/Sarah Dalton
time and participants receive follow-up emails to fill out the survey as a reminder to update their experience. Data from the survey has already been used in t h r e e public a tions and has been covered by the Times Higher Education Supplement. Throughout the rest of the 2020/2021 academic year, the survey continued to receive a reasonably high response rate, however, from April 2021 onwards, the uptake has decreased. Going into this new academic year, CON-QUEST would like to have
CON-QUEST launched the survey in June 2020 to investigate interaction patterns, COVID-19 symptoms and changes of
lia
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ocial bubbles have not for long been a thing of the past on university campuses, but why must Covid still be researched in a university environment? The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic for a student is wildly different to that of the general population, yet this area of behavioural research has hardly been tapped into. The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute at the University of Bristol has funded CON-QUEST, a longitudinal research study looking at contact patterns of behaviour between staff and students during the pandemic.
have quite different social interactions to the general population’. Researchers for CON-QUEST
igr am / Ju
SciTech Subeditor
Dr Emily Nixon, an infectious disease modeller, established this study alongside a team of researchers in the summer of 2020; the resulting data has s i n c e b e e n used to inform government policy concerned with the safety of higher education during the pandemic. Lead researcher Dr Nixon stated that the aim of the study is to ‘help policy makers develop the most effective control strategies for infectious diseases like COVID-19. However, individuals in the academic community can
Ep
Following the launch of their survey in 2020, researchers from CON-QUEST are looking for more participants to help continue their study of COVID-19 on campus Isabella Ferguson
this important data. The survey is open on the University of Bristol CON-QUEST web page.
Scientists capture earliest emergence of humour in humans
directed at them at just one month of age, with 50 per cent of babies appreciating humour by two months. It wasn’t until 11 months that 50 per cent of children were able to actually produce humour back, however once they reached this landmark, children seemed to latch on and produce humour often. From the results of the study, reSciTech Editor searchers were also able to identify ristol's new study, which 21 different types of humour present uses the data of 671 chil- in a child's development. Children under one year were redren worldwide from birth to age four, has been able to identify ported to appreciate physical, visual the earliest age that humour emerg- and auditory humour. This included es and how the skill develops in the familiar childhood games such as peekaboo, tickling, funny facial exearly stages of life. pressions, Researchers voices and from the School Researchers were able to noises and of Education identify 21 different types of m i s u s i n g created a 20 question Early humour present in a child's o b j e c t s (such as Humour Survey development putting (EHS) and asked a cup on the parents of 671 children aged 0 – 47 months to com- your head). Not such tough crowd to please. plete the survey. After the age of one however, chilThe results found that some children were able to appreciate humour dren showed a shift to appreciating
In a novel study led by the University of Bristol, researchers have mapped out the age at which humans develop humour Sarah Dalton
B
humour that involved getting a reaction from others, becoming more socially aware. This could include teasing, taboo topics (toilet humour never loses its novelty for some people) and acting like certain animals. By the age of two, humour begins to reflect the language development happening rapidly at this age. Children in this age group found humour in nonsense words, mislabelling, making fun of others. It isn’t until aged three that most children begin to play with social rules and begin to understand the tricks and puns that we associate most with humour. Dr Elena Hoicka, Associate Professor in Bristol’s School of Education and the study’s lead author, explained that: ‘Our results highlight that humour is a complex, developing process in the first four years of life.
‘Given its universality and importance in so many aspects of children’s and adults’ lives, it is important that we understand not only the emergence of humour itself, but how humour may help young children function cognitively, socially, and in terms of mental health.’ She added: ‘The Early Humour
Survey addresses an important gap of when different types of humour develop. It has the potential, with more research, to be used as a diagnostic tool in early development in terms of developmental differences, and to help inform early years educators and the UK’s national curriculum for 0-5 years.’
Unsplash/Daniil Silantev
Music
Editor Theo Kent Co -Deputy Editor Mia Smith Co -Deputy Editor Emma Pope Digital Editor Josh Templeman
Twitter: @EpigramCulture
Epigram Music: albums of the year
I
could write this entire review as an enormous, wideranging list of adjectives: sprawling, ambitious, diverse, bizarre, gorgeous, sinister - and it still wouldn't do justice to For the First Time. When trying to describe an album, it is often done with the context of music that has come before, but Black Country, New Road's debut album is too original and genrewarping for this - it has to be heard to be believed. Having released very few, but well-recieved, singles since 2019, the seven-piece debuted this album with only six tracks, two of which
honest poetry which is as much shouted as it is sung. The lyrics on this album join light self-mockery in references to a ‘nutri-bullet' in the track ‘Sunglasses' with existential dread in comments like ‘I am sorry. I have always been a liar' from the dizzying 'Science Fair'. The penultimate track titled ‘Track X' is their most played on Spotify, and it's easy to see why. A gorgeously hypnotic indie guitar line is sensitively decorated with obscure violin and sax backing, and it's perfectly complemented with the more tender side of Wood's vocals. You get the feeling that despite the brilliance of Black Country, New Road's first album, they are at the very beginning of a long and successful musical experiment.
Wolf Alice, Blue Weekend Isobel Turner, News Subeditor
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Dirty Hit
ollowing their highly successful, 2017 album Visions of a Life, Wolf Alice’s latest album had big expectations and they did not disappoint! Blue Weekend was released in June and gave Wolf Alice their first U.K number one album: an album which covers a variety of genres including Rock, Pop, Shoegaze and Indie, just to name a few. The album has a cyclical nature. The introuctory song ‘The Beach’ is a slow indie ballad that gradually builds layers throughout which is then mirrored by the outro song, ‘The Beach II’, which is constructed similarly and uses the same concepts in the lyrics. However, ‘The Beach II’ comes
Madlib, Sound Ancestors
Josh Templeman, Digital Music Editor
F
ew artists can claim to have had the impact on their genre than Madlib has had on hip-hop. One of the most celebrated producers, his discography is extensive, spanning over two decades, and including some of the most acclaimed albums of all time, such as his iconic collaboration with the late MF DOOM: Madvillainy. Madlib is the ultimate cratedigger. Everything he does revolves around finding that perfect sample – the more obscure the better. He teams up with iconic electronic producer Kieran Hedben, AKA Four Tet, who after being sent hundreds
of tracks by Madlib, arranged and edited the 16 cuts that came to form Sound Ancestors. Collaborations can be messy; artists are visionaries, and collaboration can obscure one’s creative process, stretching a project in opposing directions. However, Sound Ancestors is a triumph on this front, synthesising the genius of Madlib with the flair of Four Tet – few collaborations can lay claim to being just this perfect. Sound Ancestors is as experimental as it is celebratory of hip-hop’s roots. The project is a skilful demonstration that genre isn’t one-dimensional and that the perfect sample can come from the least expected of sources; ‘Dirtknock’ samples Welsh rock band Young Marble Giants whilst ‘One for Quartabê / Right Now’
layers a snippet from an interview between legendary journalist Nardwuar and Busta Rhymes over its funky instrumental. Perhaps most impressive is the lead single ‘Road of the Lonely Ones’. The track is gorgeous and is by far my most listened to track of the year. Sampling Philadelphia-based soul group The Ethics, the track is sincere, simultaneously evoking emotions of nostalgia and hope as the group’s smooth falsettos glide elegantly over the instrumental. Madlib might already be one of the most admired producers out there, with a glowing discography that seemingly never ends. However, in creating the masterpiece of Sound Ancestors, Madlib has proved that he is only just getting started.
Ninja Tune
Theo Kent, Music Editor
had previously been released before as seperate singles. For most other new bands, this is a pretty audacious move, but in this case it really paidoff. The album begins with a track simply titled ‘Instrumental', which is arguably a highlight of the album (can every track of an album be called a highlight?) and it introduces the impressively disparate sounds that Black Country, New Road have mastered in what could perhaps be described as klezmer-punk-jazz. The seven-piece band consists of a mix of classically trained and home-taught instrumentalists, and resembles a convential rock-group format with the unusual, albeit brilliant addition of a saxophonist and violinist. The vocalist, Isaac Wood, adorns the album with richly
across more optimistically with lyrics such as ‘happily ever after’ and ‘it’s okay’, creating a resolute ending for the album in comparison with lyrics in ‘The Beach’ such as ‘lost in my mind’ and ‘we’re both shouting’ which open up ideas for what is to come - an album with emotional and relatable lyrics about life and relationships. The combination of newer styles such as indie melodies and the use of synthesisers alongside classic ideas from the 80s and 90s gives Blue Weekend a refreshing but familiar sound, making its popularity unsurprising. The vocal diversity of Ellie Roswell’s voice is truly captured in Blue Weekend. Her singing style contrasts from an almost operatic ballad in ‘Safe From Heartbreak
(if you never fall in love)’ to rock shouting and screaming techniques in ‘Play the Greatest Hits.’ This blend of styles and rock ideas forming with indie tracks is becoming ever more popular and is particularly refreshing due to many women dominating a genre that was traditionally male-orientated. This can be seen with the likes of artists such as Bebadoobee. If you are looking for a band that combines the stylistic techniques of Nirvana, Paramore, The 1975 and even Abba then this is the album for you. Blue Weekend is not only made up of singularly catchy and unique songs, but is also a masterpiece as a whole, clearly securing it a place as one of the best albums from 2021.
Madlib Invazion
Black Country, New Road, For the First Time
Music
epigram 14.12.2021
13
The future of Bristol's nightclubs
Strange Brew Bristol
Whatever your stance on Christmas music, Epigram have some suggesttions for you. So, give these festive tunes a go, or not - it's totally up to you. John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band, War is Over (Happy Xmas) Theo Kent, Editor Before I discuss my festive pick, it’s worth mentioning that I find Christmas music appalling for the most part (and I think you secretly do, too). Like mince pies, Brussels sprouts, and chestnuts, we actively choose to avoid it at literally all other times of the year, and there’s good reason for this: like mince pies, Christmas music is rubbish. However, I must reluctantly choose my least detested seasonal tune, which is ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ by Lennon and Ono. The first verse shows promise with a classic early-70s Lennon sound, and it’s fine until the sleigh bells and children’s choir begin, and then I feel like vomming. Sorry John. FEET - Vegetarian Christmas Mia Smith, Co-Deputy Editor Most recent Christmas songs are bad, but FEET’s effort is genuinely
Festive Editors' Picks
magnificent. Vegetarian Christmas is a joyous celebration of ‘sprouts, and gravy, Linda McCartney too’, with the perfect mix of jingling bells and jangly guitars. The lyrics are funny, but also profound: ‘Nah, FEET don’t eat meat’ leads into ‘nothing’s a tradition ‘til it starts’. The song is perhaps just an excuse to yell VEGETARIAN! – but it works. Utterly wholesome, FEET have cracked the code for the perfect Christmas song – ideal to put on while you whack your nut roast in the oven or while you explain to your grandparents what a vegetarian eats. (Another honourable mention goes to The Darkness’ ‘Christmas Time, (Don’t Let the Bells End)’, just because they wanted to put bellend in a song).
Aphex Twin, XMAS_EVET10 Josh Templeman, Digital Editor
Justin Bieber, Mistletoe Emma Pope, Co-Deputy Editor What better way to celebrate the most beautiful time of the year than listening to this pop hit? As I’m sure most of us agree, my festive season is incomplete without the classic voices of Bublé and Mariah, but personally, I can’t start December without listening to the Biebs. The jingling sleigh bells, the wholesome imagery of gathering around the fire, the fact that the word “shawty” is in a Christmas song; it all comes together to make the perfect vibe for a Merry Merry Christmas.
A little disclaimer – I despise Christmas songs. Call me a Scrooge, call me the Grinch – I don’t care. With that in mind, what could possibly be more Christmassy than Aphex Twin? ‘XMAS_EVET10’ is arguably as much of a Christmas song as Die Hard is a Christmas film, but I’m going with it. From the legendary producer’s 2014 project Syro, the track provides over 10 minutes of gorgeously layered synths, experimental drumbeats and techno-influenced basslines – perfect to get you in that festive mood. Perhaps you’ll listen to Wham! this Christmas, or maybe Bublé is more up your street – personally, I think I’ll stick to Aphex Twin (trust me, I’m also laughing at how snobby and pretentious this is).
same noise levels and protects them from noise complaints. Despite these measures being taken however, the club is still in the firing-line of residents who have moved to the local area with the full knowledge that a long-serving club is close by. Leigh acknowledges that 'although the agent of change exists in planning, the council are promoting as much 'city centre' residential development as possible without earmarking places for noisy uses like music venues to be protected'. Huge investment finds its way into Bristol by means of the development of residential areas, which often leads to the less profitable cultural spaces being left behind. It's a gloomy contradiction that the more Bristol becomes a desirable place to live, the more likely it is that cultural community spaces are priced-out and threatened. Despite the challenges faced by clubs like Strange Brew, it remains clear that Bristol's nightlife is something special, and something which should be cherished. Leigh notes this when he suggests to ‘make yourself a part of the community, both inside and out of uni circles.’ Adding ‘you never know what opportunities will come your way.’ Students at Bristol have a valuable part to play in the city's nightlife, and we must support the cultural spaces which make this town great.
Lady Gaga, White Christmas Chezelle Bingham, Subeditor Gaga’s take on the festive classic is, as always, nothing less than A Very Gaga Holiday / Interscope
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ristol’s nightclubs have long been considered some of the best in the country: it goes without saying that the nightlife of this city has attracted innumerable students and professionals alike. Beyond the infamous triangle, there are countless independent clubs and venues that enrich the cultural legacy of Bristol. However, running a club can be a precarious enterprise; redevelopment in an everexpanding city has meant that clubs face increasing pressure. Notably, Blue Mountain announced its closure in the summer of 2020, and has left a considerable void in Bristol’s night scene. Lakota’s future has also been uncertain since it announced that planning permission to turn the building into residential flats had been secured in April last year. With this in mind, we got in touch with Leigh Dennis, co-runner of Strange Brew (and student at Bristol from 2005) to discuss the challenges facing clubs new and old.
experimental music that isn't often profitable, our main threat is flats being built nearby and us getting noise complaints’. This scenario is not an unusual one; in October, Motion issued a call for support on Instagram after receiving noise complaints. It seems apparent that, despite clubs functioning as businesses often for many years, there is very little that can be done if residents move to the area and complain about noise levels. The complaints at Motion came despite the club securing a deed of easement with local developers. A deed of easement is a very rare legal agreement which allows clubs to continue functioning with the
Syro / WARP Records
Music Editor
clubbing industry, it is reassuring to see smaller, independent businesses like Strange Brew entering the scene. However, Leigh is aware of the challenges facing Bristol venues, stating that the closure of clubs like Blue Mountain is inevitable until ‘people stop voting for the same type of capitalism and private property rights we have and the council start recognising clubs as community spaces whose use class should be protected in planning policy’. Redevelopment in the areas surrounding clubs poses a considerable threat to nightlife. This is noted by Leigh, commenting that ‘besides the financial challenges of promoting underground/
Mistletoe / Island Records
Theo Kent
While still a student, Dennis joined the DJ society before he 'set up a night called Headrush at [the now defunct] Timbuk2' alongside Hodge of the Bristol-based Livity Sound techno label. Leigh added 'from there I moved onto promoting another night, Dirtytalk, with some other friends, which then grew into Strange Brew'. First announced in 2019, this cafe, gig venue, and club was unable to host non-socially-distanced events until the so-called 'freedom day' in July of this year. Clearly, it's still in its early days and is beginning to establish its reputation in Bristol. Given what we know about the sometimes turbulent nature of the
FEET / Clapped Records
Epigram discuss Bristol's nightlife with Leigh Dennis of Strange Brew
marvellous. On the track, Gaga lends her serene sultry singing voice to a jazzy chorus of piano and trumpets to create a song akin to her recent projects with Tony Bennet that is perfect for decorating your Christmas tree. Gaga even goes on to invent a third verse for the song, believing the original to be “such a beautiful Christmas song” but “just too short”. What’s better than a classic Christmas song performed by one of your favourite artists? Nothing, in my opinion.
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epigram 14.12.2021
Art Spotlight: Daria Izworska's The Best Possible I
Daria Izworska
Daria Izworska is a visual artist, born in Poland. Mainly works in the field of documentary and conceptual photography, with her interests focused on topics related to personal experiences, family relationships and mental health.
t has the highest chance of recovery and the lowest risk of death. Breast cancer is the best possible one that could happen to my mum, they said. This is our family, three girls. We laugh together but try not to cry so as not to worry the other two.
Because after all, we can do it, we just need to be strong and everything will be fine. Definetely. Project realised as part of student program at ITF Opava and Sputnik Photos. All phtoagraphs are courtesy of Daria Izworksa.
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Board Games have had a post-pandemic resurgence, here’s what to play over Christmas Arts Deputy Editor
TICKET TO RIDE: EUROPE The European map of the massive Ticket to Ride series, this fun game
has you and your fellow players become moguls of the railways. Pick up cards and place down trains to com-
We all know what it’s like to play scrabble or monopoly with Mum for the millionth time, so here are some fun board games to play over the holidays.
Epigram / Oscar Hunter
CATAN Catan has been around for years and is definitely not an indie game by any measure, but it has a sort of indie charm to it. The players take on the role of settlers on the island of Catan, and your job is to get the most points by collecting resources, settling cities, and collecting special cards like soldiers and universities. Catan is a game that can yield complex strategies, if you are more competitively inclined, but can also just be chilled fun for a drunken Christmas Eve!
plete journeys across Europe and win the most points. This game is another ‘light’ strategy game, easy to pick up and learn in an hour, but the better you and your family/friends get, the more complex the strategies become to expand your railway empire HERD MENTALITY This game is a more light-hearted, fun for all the family kind of game. The idea is to answer questions, like “would you rather…” and “what’s the best Disney film?” but the twist is that you don’t want to be unique, or impress any judges, like in similar games, you have to be in the majority opinion. If you are part of the herd, you get points; the first to 7, wins. But beware, for if you are the only person to put an answer, you get the dreaded pink cow, which means you cannot win the game until you pass it on! This game really can get everybody involved and can lead to some hilarious debates with relatives about horse sized ducks vs duck sized horses. SECRET HITLER
I promise this one won’t get political (however, if you have fascist family members, maybe stick to Herd Mentality!) Secret Hitler is a mafia/ werewolf style game where members of the German Reichstag are secretly fascists, with a Hitler leading them all. The remaining liberals are trying to kill Hitler and the fascists, while Hitler is trying to seize control. This one is perfect if you want to yell “Nan is a fascist” without getting told off! But in all seriousness, Secret Hitler is a game that’s simple to pick up and play, and can lead to some really fun sleuthing and psychological warfare.
Epigram / Oscar Hunter
Oscar Hunter
Our festive art picks: chosen by your Editors
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Devotions Mary Oliver
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or me, winter is a frenzy of a season. Among its manic present shopping lists, rowdy Christmas parties and cards that shed glitter like over-zealous pixies, a moment of peace is what I look for the most. Pulitzer prize winner Mary Oliver’s 2017 poetry collection ‘Devotions’ is a good place to start searching. While her work, heavy in natural imagery, covers a lot of thematic ground, the winter poems depict quiet scenes that highlight both the loneliness and the possibility of the colder months.
Katie Chalk Arts Editor
Oscar Hunter Co-Deputy Arts Editor
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
A Muppets Christmas Carol
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his is THE Christmas film! It's whimsical, fun, funny amd it has a heart-warming message! I don't fully get into the festive mood if I haven't watched this at least five times! And (don't let any of my lecturers hear me say this) it's much better than the orginal 'A Chritmas Carol!’.
f you fancy revisiting an old classic this Christmas, ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott has everything from sisterly love, to the spirit of giving and some sad moments too. The recent blockbuster film starring Saoirse Ronan and Emma Watson is fabulous but there is nothing quite like curling up with the original book around the winter months!’.
Greg Evans Digital Editor
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Epigram / Oscar Hunter
Kate Bowie Co-Deputy Arts Editor
f you’re looking for the perfect seasonal afternoon date, Grayson’s Art Club at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is the ideal shout. Spread across three floors, the exhibition features eclectic art handpicked by Grayson during his smash TV series of the same name. Works were submitted from members of the public, as well as established artists and celebrities alike. Strung with a fairy lights, the cafe is a great place to grab a mince pie and a coffee afterwards!
Film&TV
Editor Ben Carpenter Digital Editor Madeleine Ellis Deputy Editor Isha Vibhakar
Twitter: @Epigramculture
What makes a ‘Christmas film'? Is there a specific recipe that makes a Christmas film? Or must our characters simply be cold?
Chezelle Bingham
Film & Television Subeditor
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he lead-up to Christmas: full of carols, mistletoe and, unless you have a little Scrooge in you, Christmas movies. Over the last few years, a crucial debate has arisen over what makes a Christmas movie: for if Die Hard (1988) is set on Christmas Eve, is it not just as festive as Love Actually (2003), and if Regina, Cady, Gretchen and Karen all dance the Jingle Bell Rock in Mean Girls (2004) then what separates it from the glitz and glam of the musical White Christmas (1954)? Right now, you may be reading this thinking ‘What are you talking about; obviously all a Christmas movie needs is to be set around Christmas’, but does it? What about Frozen (2013), which is broadcast almost constantly around the Christmas season, but which actually takes place in the Norwegian summer. If Frozen is not a Christmas movie,
why does my television want me to believe it is? Is it only the appearance of material considered ‘festive’ that make a film a Christmas film, or is it the snow that Elsa can magically conjure? Maybe what really makes a Christmas film is the celebration of family
tire Christmas period and forced to fend off dangerous criminals? That doesn’t sound very Christmassy to me - and surely if
Kevin’s family left him for summer break, the plot of the movie would barely differ. How, therefore, do we decide if Christmas movies are really Christmas movies or just Christmas-oriented movies?
My Christmas viewing always includes my personal favourite The Family Stone (2005), a film that perfectly encapsulates the ‘Christmas movie’ genre. Following the festive celebrations of the mischievous members of the Stone family (including Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel McAdams in leading roles) The Family Stone is not only inclusive in its diversity but is also an enjoyably festive movie with poignant moments of heartache and romance. The movie combines family fun, comedy, and yuletide joy to generate a picture that wonderfully evokes the Christmas spirit. No matter which one is your favourite, all movies considered ‘Christmassy’ generate a meaningful warmth for us that brings us all together. Though there is likely no true answer to the question of ‘what makes a Christmas movie?’, perhaps it's this mystery that makes us adore the genre and keeps us returning to these movies every December.
and friends, but then what about H o m e A l o n e (1990)? Is 8-year-old Kevin not accidentally abandoned by his family for the enEpigram / Madeleine Ellis
Away from home this Christmas? We have you covered
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f I’m away from home this Christmas (which I am), there’s no way in hell I’m watching The Holiday (2006) or Love Actually (2003). Seriously, why would you voluntarily want to make yourself miserable when you’re already likely to be in emotional overdrive during the holidays? So let me warn you, if you came here looking for some sappy romedies, my list is overtly brash and overbearing because if one more person asks me if I’m going to be okay, I’m going to lose it!
1. “December 25, weight 140 pounds plus 42 mince pies. Alcohol units, oh, thou-
With all your flatmates back at home, there’s no reason why you can’t spruce up some holiday food in the kitchen you have all to yourself unless you’re strapped for a couple of quid like Bridget and have to resort to the age-old bran. Still, you can make it through with some other handy essentials like…alcohol. Lots. Just be careful to pick your moments from the film; don’t even bother with Celine Dion's cover of ‘All By Myself’, what you want is Chaka Khan’s ‘I’m Every Woman’ and you’re all set.
2. “Here’s SANTA!” Well not really, but one can only hope for him if they’re in a foul mood over the holidays like our dear Jack Torrance and make the bold choice of watching The Shining (1980). Maybe you could have some *RED RUM* (pun intended) to accompany a couple of those jump scares or the literal frozen to death shot of Jack Nicholson. Although I do understand it’s cold outside, I’d suggest you get out of the house and visit St. Nick’s market for a change of vibe and place because as we all know ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.
3. “Please don’t cry no tears now, it’s Christmas, baby!” For lack of a thematic title, I'd resort to Sia’s ‘Snowman’, but I’m actually referring to the 1982 British animation The Snowman here. Ignore the sudden emotional turnaround, but I’d rather cry happy tears than the much-dreaded homesickness ones. Also, I believe this is a far better choice than the creepy animated characters of The Polarr Express (2004)
If anything, let this film restore your belief in magic through its simple and innocent narrative and song. Whilst these films can help you get through the holidays, you could always enjoy the festive spirit by decorating the Christmas tree or, if you are worried about the trees going into the chipper like Phoebe from Friends (God forbid!), you’re better off protecting your principles by feeding the hungry like Barney from How I Met Your Mother. Either way, it’s a win-win. However, the one piece of advice I’d give to all the single Bridgets decking up the tree would be to probably lose the mistletoe. For now.
Credit to IMDB
Film & Television Deputy Editor
YES, YES AND YES! Absolute legend Bridget Jones made it on her own during Christmas by yelling at carolers to *sod off* and by judging men who wore hideous looking reindeer jumpers. Bridget Jones Diary (2001) is definitely my number one go-to and recommendation this holiday season.
Trust me, you’d really not want to risk your sanity by staying in and only working on those January deadlines you have ahead of you.
Credit to IMDB
Isha Vibhakar
sands. BUGGER OFF!”
Credit to IMDB
Looking to avoid the sentimental Christmas classics? Look no further
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Amelia Jacob
First Year, English Literature
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dearingly innocent to cold-hearted and power-hungry is as brilliant as expected, but Patrizia is a marvel of barely controlled mania, taking clear ownership of the best lines, and possessing a glint of insanity in her eyes that had me unsettled from the very beginning. I’m interested to see the forthcoming reaction to her performance. A new habit of admiration for morally reprehensible women
has sprung up in online discourse for many female-driven films of this ilk. Yet Gaga’s Patrizia has next to no redeeming qualities other than a passionate ambition which sustains, and then sputters, before metamorphosing into abject hatred visible in even the smallest mannerism. With Gaga providing a truly powerhouse performance, I urge you to see the film to witness her performance alone.
Credit to UPI Media
here is a scene about half way through House of Gucci, in which Adam Driver’s Maurizio gazes wistfully at a framed photo from his youthful wedding to the scheming Patrizia. It is a measured, silent moment of reflection, lasting less than a minute. The audience understands that this marriage has shifted, and that Patrizia has changed irrevocably. More unfortunately perhaps, so has Maurizio. with deadly consequences. Ridley Scott’s lengthy, star-stud-
Credit to UPI Media
It's far from perfect, but Gaga shines bright in Ridley Scott's highly anticipated crime drama
ded feature has been much antic- more role. Driven by money and ambition ipated since the first trailer was released earlier in the year, including (but mostly money) her initial machthe irreverent slogan: “Father, Son inations of courtship to Maurizio set and House of Gucci”, which has been the tone for a relationship marred by oft-quoted to a weary-looking Lady manipulation and attempted domiGaga in recent press interviews. This nation. The dissolution of their marphrase epitomises the eccentricity and riage seems inevitable, and when the glamour which runs through the en- tables are turned by Maurizio, and tire film, a spectacle of jewel colour- Patrizia finds herself in a position of weakness for the ed velvet and A spectacle of jewel first time, she realabaster snow, sorts to measures framed against coloured velvet and which will alter garish shoulder alabaster snow the Gucci legacy pads and gyrating dance floors soundtracked by permanently. The length of the film somewhat synthy eighties classics. Based on true events, the film takes away from the tension elicited charts the Gucci family’s shifting by these events; it could have easily power dynamics as they vie for crea- been cut to under two hours without tive and monetary control over their losing key aspects of the plot. Howcorporate name-sake, largely from ever, the vivid aestheticism illustratthe perspective of outsider Patrizia ed by Scott ultimately saves ‘House Reggiani, played to a passionate in- of Gucci’ from its less seemly aspects, tensity by Lady Gaga in her sopho- including Salma Hayek’s confusingly prevalent role as Patrizia’s psychic/ best friend/partner in crime. Appropriately, in real life Hayek is married to the chairman of the conglomerate that owns Gucci, yet her place in the film seems jarringly gratuitous and irrelevant. In addition, Paolo, the pathetic cousin suitably hammed up by Jared Leto, appears underdeveloped, a sort of slapstick clown whose prosthetic bald patch is almost as terrible as Jeremy Irons’ Italian accent. Despite these issues, Lady Gaga truly steals the show. Adam Driver’s journey as Maurizio from en-
Credit to UPI Media
Gaga rules the runway in House of Gucci
Hawkeye is a cozy Christmas treat, even if it does miss the bullseye
James Magee
First Year, Politics & Spanish
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isney+ caps off its first year of Marvel mini-series with some festive fun in the form of Hawkeye, a Christmas tale centred around everyone’s – let’s face it – least favourite Avenger. Lamented by many comic-book fans, super-archer Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) is characterised by his distinct lack of superpowers, making it harder for people to idolise him, especially since he lines up next to the likes of Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. One person who is fixated with the bowman, however, is Haillee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. She’s juggling all the challenges of student life and returns to New York City for the
winter break and finds herself trying to uncover the truth surrounding her stepfather’s dodgy dealings. Her dreams come true when she crosses paths with her hero, as Clint’s shady pre-Endgame (2019) shenanigans catch up with him. It’s these shenanigans that lead him to become re-embroiled in the criminal underworld with Kate. Being the hero he is, he makes it his mission to protect the youngster from the group of mobsters hunting
them down, all in time for him to fly home for a family Christmas. It’s clear from the start that Marvel are well aware of Barton’s weak appeal; ‘Your problem is branding’, his admirer-turned-protégé tells him as she explains why he’s not as popular as the other Avengers. Fans' boredom is alleviated by the strong focus on the newcomer in the opening two episodes. 24-year-old Steinfeld – who’s been on our screens for over a decade, being nominated for
Credit to Marvel Studdios
The new series should provide some comfortable viewing for Marvel fanatics
an Oscar aged just 14 – brings valuable experience to a complex role. While Kate’s privilege and recklessness should make her unlikeable to audiences, the actress offers an irresistible charisma – not unlike what Robert Downey Jr. brought to Tony Stark/Iron Man – that makes you warm to her character. At the same time, it’s precisely Clint’s humanity that keeps the show grounded. The plot is rather basic, utilising action tropes like Eastern-European gangsters and jewellery heists. Moreover, it stands on the shoulders of Die Hard (1988) and Home Alone (1990) to nail the Christmas formula. Yet, in the midst of the expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) where recent entries like Eternals (2021) and Loki (2021) deal with apocalyptic stakes, you might find a smaller-scale cat-andmouse drama set across New York refreshing. Although it’s easy to follow, the
simplicity of the plot might make those with no emotional investment in the MCU want to switch off. It’s already been confirmed that other faces from the wider universe will show up at some point in the series and while this will please the Marvel faithful, it likely won’t interest new viewers, underlining the tough balancing act that established franchises must follow when creating new content. As such, if you’re not a MCU enthusiast, then this probably won’t be the series that draws you in and convinces you to binge the studios’ mammoth back catalogue. However, if you’re waiting to tuck into your Spider-Man advent calendar or hang your Infinity Stone ornaments on the tree, this could be the content you need to put you in a merry mood.
Hawkeye is available on Disney+, with new episodes available weekly.
Sport
Editor Deputy Editor Digital Editor Investigations Editor
Twitter: @EpigramSport
Nischal Schwager-Patel Lexi Bothamley-Dakin Artemis Denton Charlie Wilbraham
Sky Sports;Nischal Schwager-Patel/Epigram
Bring back the noise! The absence and joyous return of fans in 2021
This year in sport was defined by the fans and a reminder of just how invaluable they are Charlie Wilbraham Investigations Editor
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t the start of the year, I wrote a piece for Epigram about the ways in which people have adapted to experiencing sporting events exclusively via a screen. As the year draws to a close, we’ve seen massive changes around the world as fans finally return to stadia of all kinds. It must be recognised that much of the less developed world remains beholden to the powerful few who hoard vaccines for themselves, meaning that for many nations, the scenes projected onto their screens of full Premier League crowds must seem like a glimpse into a longedfor future. In the Western world, however, the return of fans to sporting arenas has been a real sign of progress after almost two years of hollow competition characterised by echoing shouts and smattering applause through our screens. What does the return of fans mean to the sporting entertainment experience? Why is it so important to the athletes themselves? In an age of hypercommercialisation, attempts by
elites to take ownership of the sports we love and swirling pools of hate which attempt to divide us, sport reminds us of what unites us and the universal nature of pride, joy, and competition. A full house in New York witnessing an 18-year-old Emma Raducanu storm to a flawless US Open title. Beer-soaked football fans gathering in front of big screens and in stadia around Europe to watch a historic and breathtaking EURO 2020. Families reuniting across the country to watch a rare meeting between India and Pakistan at the Cricket World Cup (with an even rarer Pakistan win). Scenes that, like to the less fortunate people still badly suffering from the ongoing pandemic, seemed unimaginable just
that we recently departed from. Nowhere else, perhaps, has this been more obvious in football, our nation’s favourite weekly pastime. Whilst a welcome distraction from the monotony of lockdown, there is no denying the fact that watching denying the fact that watching usually feverous matches play out in front of coaching staff and a few cameras was a profoundly depressing experience. Being one of the lucky few inside the stadium was an even more extraordinary ordeal: empty streets and seats adorned by often tasteless sponsor-adorned tarpaulin. The almost deafening voices of those on and off the pitch, ringing around the ground. But nothing was more soulless than a goal, greeted by
Watching usually feverous matches play out in front of coaching staff and a few cameras was a profoundly depressing experience months ago. Aside from the spectacle of these events and the passion of the participants, seeing real people in the stands reacting to them has been just as powerful. Euphoria and heartbreak are what add human stakes to corporatised competition, and for the athletes to see these reactions in real time as they toil and sweat has added a ferocity to the way they compete that seemed to be lacking in the stale, silent arenas
silence and the odd faint cheer from the bench. Simply put, it just wasn’t the same. The economic impact of COVID was evident in the beautiful game, as lower-league clubs around the world folded under economic pressure as the richest attempted to break away into a European Super League. As the fans defeated the Super League in dramatic fashion, they have also burned away the cold mist
of dreariness that had descended over league football as smaller clubs finally received the lifejackets of
be, even when juxtaposed with the blinding tackiness of ‘The Hundred’. For many students, of course,
Sport shows us the very best of what we can do now we’re back together gate receipts to keep them afloat, whilst bigger ones are reminded of who the most important people in their organisations are. Matchday rituals return, the smell of Bovril fills concourse air once again and businesses surrounding stadia take more custom in a weekend than they have in a year. In all sporting arenas, crowds returning has allowed many people to return to their jobs whilst providing respite and routine for workers who have tirelessly continued throughout the pandemic with no end in sight, and without the weekly relief of seeing friends and watching live sport. In Bristol, Ashton Gate and the Memorial Ground are once again alive with swarms of match-goers being treated to rugby and football of wildly varying quality, whilst a small army of students scurry about to keep the beer flowing. Retired couples in beige suits have been shuffling back into the Brightside Ground alongside drunken businessmen to watch a resurgent Gloucestershire Cricket side, whilst on a bigger scale, the England vs India series reminded us how exciting the test format can
monetary and work constraints mean it is difficult to see regular live sport outside of Coombe Dingle. What is most striking to me, however, is the way that the return of fans has impacted the entertainment factor of sport in general. No amount of production trickery can replicate the pre-eruption gasp of a crowd as they watch a shot fly into the top corner, or drunk men dressed as seagulls chasing their mate who’s dressed as a bag of chips. Even the most vulnerable people, still forced to isolate, and those who cannot afford to see their favourite team benefit from crowds, seeing themselves reflected in the reactions which provide almost as much entertainment as the competition itself, especially when we know how quickly that can be taken away. So, despite this year and the obstacles that continue to be thrown in our way, sport shows us the very best of what we can do now we’re back together. Fans are there to remind us of who our sports belong to, who they are for, and how some of the most joyous parts of our lives should never be taken for granted.
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Bristol at the wheel: the Bristol Uni alumni who run Manchester United Despite being 150km apart, the top dogs at Old Trafford are proud products of Tyndall Avenue James Magee
First Year, Politics and Spanish
Strettynews
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y the time Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked by Manchester United in November, the writing had been on the wall for some time, leaving few with any doubt over his long-term future at the club. What was less clear to the footballing world though, was the strategy going forward. Many may argue that even the board were unsure what they would do, with Ralf Rangnick’s appointment as interim manager until the end of the season seeming to have little planning behind it. Yet at the heart of this decision, and any others made as United map out their blueprint going into next season, are a set of University of Bristol alumni: Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward, Managing Director Richard Arnold and Chief Negotiator Matt Judge (also Head of Commercial Development). Woodward is the most highprofile of the trio, having headed up operations at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson and then-CEO David Gill retired in 2013. Yet his career roots lie in the HH Wills lab, where he began studying as an undergraduate in 1993. His then-classmate, now professor at the University, Stephen Dugdale, recalled what Woodward was like as a student in an interview with MEN Sport: ‘I was
in the same undergraduate year as Woodward and I do remember him as a conscientious student … One tends to remember one’s own circle of friends and also the big characters the ones who asked lots of questions in lectures or whose escapades in labs, or elsewhere, made you laugh. But he was not in this category and neither was I.’ the University, Stephen Dugdale recalled what Woodward was like as a student in an interview with MEN Sport. He said: ‘I was in the same undergraduate year as Woodward and I do remember him as a conscientious student … One tends to remember one’s own circle of friends and also the big characters - the ones who asked lots of questions in lectures or whose escapades in labs, or elsewhere, made you laugh. But he
was not in this category and neither was I.’ To look for his friends, you don’t have to look much further than the 50-year-old’s current colleagues. While Judge read Finance and Economics – a degree more closely aligned with his current field of work – Arnold was a science student like Woodward, studying Biology for three years. With Judge going on to work in investment banking for 13 years, his two peers both qualified as chartered accountants after leaving Bristol. Professor Dugdale praises Woodward for the huge steps he’s taken in his career. ‘Physics is not an easy subject,' he said, 'And the Bristol course was, and still is, considered one of the more challenging. I’m really pleased at what he’s gone on
to achieve - a great example of where a physics degree can get you.’ Both he and Arnold began working at Old Trafford in 2007, working alongside each other while being promoted working alongside each other while being promoted to increasingly senior directorial roles. Judge was hired in 2012, a year before Woodward’s big break following a restructuring as the club entered a phase of transition, instigated by the departures of Ferguson and Gill. During his time in charge, the Red Devils’ fortunes have certainly taken a hit on the field. Meanwhile, United have seen their title as the world’s most valuable football club reclaimed by Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. Fan backlash against the ViceChairman has simmered for years.
Tensions even escalated to the point that a group of supporters rioted outside his house in Cheshire last year, as well as storming Old Trafford during a behind-closed-doors game in May. It’s been the host of global sponsorship deals brokered largely by Arnold that have increased the club’s revenues and allowed them to spend over £1bn on transfers in the post-Ferguson era. The issue may lie with Judge, who has acted as United’s chief negotiator in player transfers since 2016, including the £89m deal for Paul Pogba, one of many players who have failed to live up to their potential. Matters reached breaking point this year though, after Woodward played an instrumental role in the so-called ‘top-six’ English clubs’ attempts to break away from the Premier League to form a European ‘Super League’. When the proposal was met with widespread disgust, he announced plans to step-down from his position at the end of 2021. Arnold was recently confirmed as his replacement, although it’s widely reported that he may stay on to oversee the search for a permanent first-team coach to be in place for next season after failing to immediately secure their numberone target, Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino. With his close friend taking over, it’s uncertain how much Woodward’s exit will actually change operations around Old Trafford, nor is it clear whether the team’s fortunes will be turned. Yet, one thing for sure is that the Bristol alumni will be at the wheel of the biggest club in the world for some time to come.