Issue 9

Inside Culture: 15

The Big Feature Stan Lee BBC Introducing: 18 Remembered: 21

The Sad Tale of the modern Cocktail: 27

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19th November 2018 / Issue 9

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Stagecoach branded ‘unacceptable’

147 criticised for overcrowding and rude staff

Josh Sandiford News Reporter T h e U n ive rs it y o f M a n c h e s t e r S t u d e n t s ’ U n i o n h a s t a ke n a i m at b u s p rov i d e r S t a ge co a c h , a cc u s i n g o n e o f i t s ke y s e r v i ce s o f d e c l i n i n g t o ‘ u n a cce p t a b l e s t a n d a rd s ’ .

C o n ce r n s h ave b e e n ra i s e d s u r ro u n d i n g t h e p o p u l a r 14 7 b u s ro u t e wh i c h i s r u n by S t a ge co a c h a n d p a r t ly s u b s i d e d by t h e U n ive r s it y o f M a n c h e s t e r.

T h e re h ave a l s o b e e n a cc u s a t i o n s l e ve l l e d a g a i n s t s o m e o f t h e d r ive r s wo rk i n g o n t h e 14 7 b u s ro u t e re g a rd i n g c u s t o m e r s e r v i ce wh e n d e a l i n g w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e nt s . Ad d it i o n a l ly, ove rc rowd i n g o n t h e 14 7 b u s d u r i n g p e a k h o u r s i s s a i d t o c a u s e p a r t i c u l a r p ro b l e m s fo r t h o s e w it h a cce s s i b i l it y a n d m o b i l i t y issues.

O l iv i a M e i s l , U n ive rs it y o f M a n c h e s t e r S t u d e n t s ’ U n i o n E d u c at i o n O f f i ce r, h a s b e e n i n d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h S t a ge co a c h a n d i s s e t t o m e e t t h e m e ve r y s i x we e k s “ u nt i l t h e s e r v i ce i m p rove s ” .

D u r i n g h e r Nove m b e r re p o r t t o S e n a t e , t h e h i g h e s t d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g b o dy at t h e S t u d e n t s U n i o n , s h e s a i d t h at t h e 14 7 s e r v i ce h a d “d e c l i n e d t o u n a cce p t a b l e

Also In This Issue

s t a n d a rd s ” a n d t h at re q u e s t s h a d b e e n m a d e fo r d r ive r s t o “ u n d e rgo c u s t o m e r c a re t ra i n i n g p a r t i c u l a rly co n ce r n i n g i n t e r n at i o n a l s t u d e n t s . ” O l iv i a t o l d T h e M a n c u n i o n : “ S t u d e n t s a n d s t a f f i n c l u d i n g mys e l f [ h ave ] n o t e d s e ve ra l i n c i d e n t s wh e re d r ive r s h a d b e e n r u d e i n re l at i o n t o i nt e r n at i o n a l students. “ Now t h at S t a ge co a c h h a s t h e ro u t e , t h e d r ive r s a re re g u l a rly s wa p p e d a n d d o n o t [ s t ay] o n t h e s a m e ro u t e , t h i s l e s s e n s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o b u i l d ra p p o r t o r b u i l d o n k n owl e d ge o f h ow b e s t t o i n t e ra c t w it h t h e m a ny i n t e r n at i o n a l s t u d e nt s t h at u s e t h e 14 7 s e r v i ce . ” O l iv i a s a i d t h at s h e co u l d n’ t co m m e n t o n t h e s t a n d a rd o f o t h e r S t a ge co a c h b u s e s a s t h e 14 7 i s t h e o n ly o n e p a r t ly- f u n d e d by t h e U n ive r s i t y a n d t h e o n ly o n e t h at t h e S t u d e nt s ’ U n i o n h ave re ce ive d d i re c t co m p l a i n t s a b o u t .

T h e 14 7 b u s ro u t e c a m e u n d e r t h e co n t ro l o f S t a ge co a c h i n S e p t e m b e r a n d i s f re e fo r s t a f f a n d s t u d e nt s f ro m t h e U n ive r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r t rave l l i n g b e t we e n S o u t h C a m p u s a n d No r t h C a m p u s .

S t a ge co a c h i s o n e o f t h e l a rge s t b u s o p e rat o r s i n M a n c h e s t e r a n d t h e i r b l u e a n d ye l l ow ‘ M a g i c B u s e s ’ a re i n s t a n t ly re co g n i s a b l e t o m o s t s t u d e n t s i n t h e c i t y.

Woman raped by masked men on Fallowfield Loop

Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor

Police have confirmed that a woman was raped on the Fallowfield Loop on Wednesday morning.

The incident took place near the Sherwood Street area of the Loop, where police received reports of a concern for the welfare of a woman at approximately 4:50am.

The woman, who is in her late teens, was said to be in a parked car with a male friend when they were threatened by two men wearing masks. One of them was believed to be carrying a gun.

The woman ran from the car and hid at the entrance to the Fallowfield Loop, where she was raped by another man wearing a mask.

Stories continue on page 2...

SU Gen Sec tells UoM well-being New UoM students to “step up software for the week begins ‘at risk’ and talk” Page 3

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New crossword!

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Continued from page 1...

Inside Issue 9

T h e re h ave a l s o b e e n co m p l a i nt s o f b u s e s n o t p i c k i n g p e o p l e u p, p ot e nt i a l ly d u e t o t h e m b e i n g at cap a c it y, b u t s o m e s t u d e nt s h ave a rg u e d t h at t h e n ew 14 7 s e r v i ce r u n

by S t a ge co a c h i s a rg u a b ly b e t t e r t h a n it s p re d e ce s s o r, O x fo rd L i n k , wh i c h l a rge ly ra n s i n g l e - d e c ke r b u s e s .

O n e s t u d e nt t o l d T h e M a n c u n i o n t h at t h ey e x p e r i e n ce d r u d e n e s s wh e n a s k i n g why t h ey we re n o t m o re b u s e s , w it h o n e m e m b e r o f S t a ge co a c h s t a f f eve n re f u s i n g t o l e t h e r o n . “ I a s ke d a m a n wo rk i n g t h e re why t h ey d o n’ t l ay o n m o re 14 7 ’s wh e n fo u r 14 2 ’s [ a n o t h e r b u s ro u t e ] co m e at o n ce . “ H e s a i d ‘ it ’s t h e way it i s ’ a n d t h e re ’s n o d e m a n d fo r m o re b u s e s . T h ey t h e n ch a n ge d a 14 2 t o a 14 7 b u t h e s m u g ly wa l ke d u p t o m e a n d s t o o d i n t h e way w it h h i s a r m s o u t s ay i n g eve r yo n e c a n ge t o n a p a r t f ro m m e . I t h o u g ht it wa s re a l ly r u d e , I wa s l it e ra l ly j u s t a s k i n g why t h e re we re n’ t m o re b u s e s . ” S o m e s t u d e nt s h ave co m p l a i n e d a b o u t t h e 14 7 s e r v i ce co n s t a nt ly r u n n i n g l at e . O n e s t u d e nt s a i d : “ I t n eve r co m e s o n t i m e a n d s o m e t i m e s it j u s t d o e s n’ t co m e at a l l . S i n ce we a re

“Step up and talk, because only you can do that” Interview: Fatima Abid Features, page 9

a l re a dy a l l t h e way i n No r t h ca m p u s a n d d o n’ t e nj oy t h e s a m e fa c i l it i e s a s m a i n c a m p u s s t u d e nt s, we s h o u l d at l e a s t ge t a re l i a b l e l i n k t o t a ke u s a l l t h e way to l e c t u re s . ” S t e i n H a n s , a n E le c t r i ca l a n d E l e c t ro n i c E n g i n e e r i n g st u de nt a l s o s a i d : “ I h ave b e e n u s i n g t h e 14 7 fo r fo u r ye a rs n ow a n d t h i s ye a r h a s by fa r b e e n t h e wo rs t ye a r.

“When the 14 7 ro ute wa s co n s i d e ra b ly s h o r t e r it wa s mu ch m o re re l i a b l e . H av i n g t h e 14 7 go a l l t h e way t o [ Fa l l ow f i e l d ] m ay h ave b e e n a g re at i d e a , b u t it h a s c r ip p le d a s e r v i ce t h at h a s b e e n g re at . ” Re ce nt ly, S t a ge co a c h a d de d 2 m o re b u s e s t o t h e 14 7 ro u t e, i n cl u d i n g o n e at peak time.

E m m a G a rd n e r, t h e Un ive rs it y o f M a n c h e s t e r ’s H e a d o f E nv i ro n m e nt a l S u s t a i n a b i l it y s a i d : “ T h e Un ive rs it y a n d t h e S t u d e nt s ’ U n i o n h ave m e t w it h S t a ge co a c h t o ra i s e i s s u e s re l at i n g t o f re q u e n c y, c a p a c it y, de l ays a n d at t it u d e s o f d r ive rs . “ S t a ge co a ch co n f i r m e d a nu m b e r of i m m e d i at e s t e p s, i n cl u d i n g a n a d d it i o n a l t wo b u s e s t o h e l p

a d d re s s cap a c it y a n d de l ays, a n d f u r t h e r c u s t o m e r s e r v i ce t ra i n i n g w it h d r ive rs . We lo o k fo r wa rd t o s e e i n g i mp rove m e nt s a s a m at t e r o f u rge n c y, a n d h ave a g re e d t o m e e t w it h S t a ge co a ch t o rev i ew. ” A s p o ke s p e rs o n fo r S t a ge co a ch M a n ch e s t e r s a id : “ T h e 14 7 n ow st a r t s e a rl i e r a n d r u n s l at e r t h a n it h a d p rev i o u s ly a n d we ’ve e x t e n de d t h e ro ut e t o p rov ide i mp rove d l i n k s fo r o u r c u s t o m e rs . “ We we lco m e t h e fe e d b a ck f ro m the Un ive rs it y of M a n ch e s te r ’s S t u de nt Un i o n . We h ave m e t w it h t h e m re ce nt ly t o d i s c u s s t h e i r co n ce r n s a n d a dv i s e d t h at we h ave a l re a dy a d de d t wo a d d it i o n a l b u s e s i nt o t h e s e r v i ce t o h e l p m e e t t h e de m a n d a n d t h at we w i l l m a ke f u r t h e r ch a n ge s t o t h e t i m e t a b le i n Ja nu a r y. “ We a re a l s o a d d re s s i n g t h e fe e d b a ck a b o ut c u s t o m e r s e r v i ce, wh i ch i s n o t re p re s e nt at ive o f t h e t ra i n i n g o r st a n d a rd s we e x p e c t f ro m o u r d r ive rs. We w i l l co nt i nu e t o wo rk w it h t h e S t u de nt Un i o n t o e n s u re we p rov ide t h e b e st s e r v i ce fo r o u r c u s t o m e rs . ”

Woman raped by masked men on Fallowfield Loop

The incident took place at approximately 4:50am last Wednesday morning, and police are appealing for witnesses

Tuition Fees

Is it time to reduce them down from £9,250?

Opinion, pages 11

One of them was believed to be carrying a gun.

The woman ran from the car and hid at the entrance to the Fa l low f ie ld L o op, whe re s he wa s raped by another man wearing a mask.

Detective Inspector Chris Potter s a id : “ T h i s i nve st igat ion i s st i l l at a very early stage. While there is a scene in place and officers remain in the area, we need people who w it ne s s e d a ny t h i ng to ge t i n cont ac t w i t h u s u r g e n t l y. ” He appealed to members of the public for information but said that

at this stage the attack was thought to be an “isolated incident”, adding that he “would like to reassure the public that additional officers will be patrolling the area, whilst detectives are working extremely hard to understand what has happened”.

T he Fa l low f ie ld L o op i s a f u l ly pedestrianised path that leads from Chorlton-cum-Hardy in the west to Fa i r f ie ld i n t he e a st , p a s s i ng t h roug h Fa l low f ie ld , L eve n s hu l me, and G orton. It is a popular cycle route for students, connecting them t o F a l l o w f i e l d a n d t h e U n i v e r s i t y.

Cyclists recently held a protest attended by approximately 350 people over the number of muggings on t he route, wh ich h ave b e e n a cause for concern.

The lack of police presence on t he st re e t s of Fa l low f ie ld i s a continued cause for concern for students, who in October last year petitioned the police and politicians to take action over violent crime in the area. The petition reached over 6,0 0 0 s i g n at u re s a n d wa s b ro u g ht to M ayor A ndy Bu r n h a m .

“Uncomfortable” learning “essential”, says higher education regulator Speaking at Wonkfest higher education conference, Sir Michael Barber told listeners that “uncomfortable” learning was an essential part of the pursuit of knowledge Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor

Student mental health Should parents be told of student crises?

Lifestyle, page 29

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The head of the Office for S t u d e n t s ( O f S ) , S i r M i c h a e l B a r b e r, has said that “feeling uncomfortable is an essential ingredient of learning and the pursuit of truth”, and confirmed that the OfS will be an “unashamed champion of free speech”.

S p e a k i n g a t t h e Wo n k f e s t h i g h e r education conference in London, Sir Michael Barber told universities to be “ bold” when inviting speakers.

His speech follows years of intense debate at universities Features Editor: Liv Clarke features@mancunion.com Opinion Editor: Sophie Marriott Deputy Editor: Cachella Smith opinion@mancunion.com Societies Editor: Chloe Hatton societies@mancunion.com Music Editor: Olivia White Deputy Editor: Jake Oliver music@mancunion.com

around the world regarding freedom of speech on university campuses.

In 2015, the University of Manchester Students’ Union came under criticism for banning radical feminist Julie Bindel and rightw i ng ac t iv i st M i lo Yi a n nop ou los from speaking at an event over fears that she would “incite hatred” because of her previous comments regarding transgender people.

UoM is not the only university in the UK where this debate has intensified; also in 2015, Cardiff University students backed a petition calling on the University

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to ban radical feminist Germaine G r e e r.

Sir Barber a rg ue d that in lectures and seminars there exists “a tendency currently to suggest that students should be protected from ideas that may make them feel uncomfortable”.

“Free speech is one of the most precious freedoms ever established and universities above all should be placed where it is cherished.”

The OfS is the new main regulator o f t h e h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n s e c t o r, replacing the Higher Education Funding Council for England last J a n u a r y.

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News

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

3

UoM lecturer develops new software to identify ‘at risk’ students

Physics lecturer, Dr Andrew Markwick, creates StudentCRT software to improve student wellbeing at The University of Manchester Shivani Kaura Deputy News Editor Dr Andrew Markwick, a lecturer in the S chool of Physics and Astronomy a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r, h a s developed a new programme which is able to identify ‘at risk’ students. The programme will allows lecturers and student support officers view data which relates to students’ wellbeing.

T h e n e w s y s t e m , S t u d e n t C R T, tracks students’ everyday move s at university - recording attendance, grades and whether they keep up t o d a t e w i t h d e a d l i n e s . Fo r e a c h student, the programme maintains a numerical score. A drop in this score could suggest that a student is ‘at risk’, and should be reported to

student support services.

D r.

Markwick came up with the idea after acknowledging “the increase in suicide rates” over the r e c e n t y e a r s a t t h e u n i v e r s i t y. H e said: “My area of expertis e isn’t in mental health or wellbeing but I felt I could help in other ways us e my own skillset.

“S o, I decided to look at the way we use student data and figure out a better way to utilis e it s o we can identify at-risk individuals before things escalate. “ We w a n t e d t o b e s u r e w e w e r e doing the best we could to protect our students using the information w e c o l l e c t a b o u t t h e m a n y w a y. ” It was reported earlier this week t h a t i n G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r, t r e a t m e n t

services are struggling to keep up with the ongoing demand for mental health services, primarily due to the lack of funding and governmental support.

Speaking to Manchester Evening News, Elizabeth Simpson, director at mental health charity Manchester Mind, said: “NHS mental health s ervice s have been underfunded for decades. There is also a huge economic cost to poor mental health a n d i n G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r, t h i s i s expected to reach £3.5bn by 2021.”

Last week Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the latest Budget, promising an extra £2 billion to improve mental health services.

Although s ome f laws have been outlined with the S t u d e n t C RT

software - such as difficulty to combine scores when students are members of various departments, and not being able to have an insight with personal problems student face and isolation across several different classes - the system is still able to give an overall picture of where the individual is struggling academically which correlates to being ‘at risk’.

The product has been successfully trialed by the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil E ngineering ( M AC E ) a n d c o u l d b e ava i l a b l e t o other universities very soon. It has also reached the final of Pitch@ Place competition, founded by the D u k e o f Yo r k , t o r e c o g n i s e y o u n g e n t r e p r e n e u r s l i k e D r. M a r k w i c k .

Gen Sec tells students to “step up and talk” if they want to change the SU In an interview with The Mancunion, Fatima Abid discussed transport, accommodation and student politics Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor The General Secretary at the Students’ Union says students should “step up and talk” if they have concerns over the direction the SU is going in.

Fa t i m a A b i d ’s c o m m e n t s c a m e i n a wide-ranging interview with The Mancunion, where she believed that student senate, which in September p a s s e d t h e s o - ca l le d ‘cl ap p i n g b a n’ , is falling short of its potential because “students don’t engage” with t h e d e c i s i o n m a k i n g b o d y.

Senate takes place six times per a c a d e m i c y e a r, a n d s e r v e s t o m a k e decisions about what the Students’ Union should take action on. All students can attend senate and vote on motions.

Abid conceded that Senate was not as well publicised as it should be, but told us she was working on promoting the event in the library and in halls.

When asked about students’ concerns regarding senate pursuing a “narrow agenda”, she said: “The union should be a place for e ve r yo n e . . . i f t h e y d o t h i n k t h a t ’s

happening you need to step up and talk.” She added that “senate is not as powerful as it could be”, and called for students from all backgrounds to get involved.

In the i n t e r v i e w, Abid also outlined her plans for a new ‘Greater Manchester Student Assembly’ (GMSA), which would be an elected body featuring students from the major Greater Manchester universities. Its goal would be to lobby the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) on student issues, such as transport, h o u s i n g , a n d s a f e t y.

Abid believes that student issues a re u n iq ue, a nd a rg ue s t he a s s e m bly would allow a single Manchesterwide student voice to be created, which create a more powerful and u n i f i e d s t u d e n t b o d y.

“The whole point of GMSA is that I think students have unique issues. They are different from other r e s i d e n t s i n M a n c h e s t e r, t h e y a r e different from people who decide to work here or come and live here.

“I’m hoping that because we’re such a powerful force of Manchester t h a t ’s s o u n d e r u t i l i s e d , t h i s wo u l d unite all of us. They are unique issues but they are issues that we

share with Salford students, that we share with MMU students, and that could be made better if we could feed into policies that go into GMCA.” One issue Abid says the GMSA could t a rge t is transportation. “ M a nche ste r h a s e a s i ly 1 0 0,0 0 0 students, without students Manchester would not be as great as i t i s . I t ’s e a s y t o fo rge t t h a t we h ave students living in Salford, students living at home, students who have to drive because they can’t rely on the b u s e s . I t ’s n o t t h a t t h e b u s e s a re n’ t there, its that they’re not reliable.”

“If we mobilise students we can address the problem with the bus system. If we don’t address the problem with our voice, which is incredibly loud, with MMU and Salford too, the problem will not go a w a y. ” She expressed interest in creating a bus system similar to the one in place in London for students, but acknowledged that this may not be realistic.

Another issue is accommodation.

T h i s y e a r, T h e M a n c u n i o n u n e a r t h e d an Owens Park f lat riddled with cockroaches, and student homes with phalluses on the front doors.

Rent in some parts of student

accommodation is nearly £150 per week. Abid told us that she hopes to tackle issues such as these in the GMSA. “Issues like crazy landlords and penises on doors require a bigger voice, and they would go up to t h i s b o d y, b e c a u s e w e a r e s t r o n g e r t o g e t h e r, a n d s o i f w e c a n c o m b i n e forces we could do something about it.”

Abid also discussed her manifesto pledge to improve awareness around mental health, acknowledging that awareness does not necessarily address the problems surrounding m e n t a l h e a l t h a t u n i v e r s i t y, s u c h a s lack of funding.

She told The Mancunion that she had planned to lobby the University for more funding, but that their a n n o u n c e m e n t l a s t m o n t h o f a n e w, fast-track mental health service on Oxford Road had “so much potential t o m a k e c o u n s e l l i n g b e t t e r. ” If you are experiencing problems with any of the issues mentioned in this article, contact the Advice service at 0161 2 75 2952 (advice.su@manche ster.ac.uk) or the University of Manchester counselling service at 0161 275 2864.

4 News

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

UoM Wellbeing Week arrives to help students destress The annual event will be held for one week at the Students’ Union from 19th November

Rona McCann Sub-Editor The University of Manchester’s Wellbeing Week, taking place this week in the Students’ Union (SU), will feature a series of free events that have been chosen to ease the stress of academic and other pressures.

Manchester Dogs’ Home will be bringing its rescues to the SU as students will be able to spend time engaging with the therapy dogs in Room 2.5 on the building’s second floor between 11am and 3pm on both Monday and Friday.

Also in Room 2.5 will be a workshop from the PGR Well Bee-ing Project.

The Project aims to improve the provision of mental health support and resources for the University of Manchester’s postgraduate community with hopes of easing the feelings of isolation, financial stress and academic pressures that come with pursuing doctoral research. The workshop will take place on Wednesday at 12pm.

There are also events that will be taking place on the ground floor of the SU building. A plant sale will be held all day on Tuesday, whilst a pop-up beautician will be available to cater to students’ pampering needs on Wednesday from 11am.

Wellbeing Week will also consist

of a range of physical activities for students who prefer to destress this way. On Thursday at 1:30pm, a one-off yoga class will take place in Room LG.1.

The final day of the event, Monday, 26th November, sees guest speaker Lola Olufemi lead an emotional labour workshop, with the goal to actively help students to deal with overwhelming emotions related to sensitive topics. She will talk about recognising emotional labour, in particular within the context of the day-to-day life of marginalised people and liberation activism.

Whilst working as the women’s officer at Cambridge University, Olufemi gained prominence last year when she sent the English department, at which she was a student, an open letter criticising the lack of black and ethnic minority authors on her reading list.

Olufemi will present her views to attendees in Room 2.5 at 2pm.

Wellbeing Week arrives in the wake of the news that a third of freshers are experiencing a mental health disorder and financial struggles are affecting the mental health of the wider student population to an equally worrying level.

To find out more about Wellbeing Week, visit the Students’ Union’s website.

Photo: The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union

Andy Burnham issues warning over UK’s Asylum Policy The Mayor’s intervention comes as the policy continues to have serious effects in the North of England Sam Honey Deputy News Editor G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r M a y o r, A n d y B u r n h a m , h a s wa d e d i n t o t h e U K ’s migration debate, warning that Northern communities are struggling to deal with the pressure of asylum applications.

Burnham has warned that asylum s eekers may not be hous ed in Greater Manchester unless the government conduc t s a n u rge nt rev iew i nto arrangements for refugees.

With 2 5% of UK asylum seekers h o u s e d i n t h e N o r t h We s t , a n astounding 70% of that figure are p l a c e d i n M a n c h e s t e r.

Burnham expressed his concerns i n a l e t t e r t o H o m e S e c r e t a r y, S a j i d Javid.

Joint letters have als o been submitted by leaders of 14 councils a c r o s s Yo r k s h i r e a n d t h e N o r t h E a s t .

The 48-year-old claimed that the city has seen a 102% increase in asylum applications since 2003.

An inquiry into asylum arrangements in the UK was

conducted by the home affairs select c o m m i t t e e e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r.

The dispersal framework used often results in concentrations of asylum seekers in poorer areas, as cheaper accommodation is more widely available.

Te c h n i c a l l y, M a n c h e s t e r ’s participation in the system is v o l u n t a r y, a n d B u r n h a m w a s k e e n to stress that, as the region is increasingly affected by the issue.

Sir Steve Houghton, the leader of Barnsley Council, called upon the government to get to grips with tackling the situation, saying t h a t , “ We h o p e t h e h o m e s e c r e t a r y will pause and listen to these real concerns of local areas in the north. “ T h e c l o c k ’s t i c k i n g d ow n , b u t we remain hopeful that in the next two weeks the government will commit to a fairer distribution of asylum s e e k e r s a r o u n d t h e c o u n t r y, p r o p e r partnerships between national and local government and funding for us to support people placed in our local communities.”

Late University of Manchester professor’s essay flagged by counterterrorism scheme Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor An academic e ssay by a former University of Manchester professor has been f lagged as “sensitive” u n d e r t h e gove r n m e n t ’s ‘ P re ve n t ’ counter-terrorism programme at the University of Reading.

The e ssay by the late P rofe ss or Norman Geras, titled Our Morals: The Ethics of Revolution, examined the ethics of socialist revolution. It wa s l i s t e d a s “e s s e nt i a l ” re a d i n g fo r a third-year politics module at the U n i v e r s i t y. I t r e j e c t e d t e r r o r i s m b u t suggested that violence could be necessary in some cases of social injustice.

Students were advised to only read the content in a secure setting, and to not leave it where it might be found “inadvertently or otherwise, by those who are not prepared to view it.”

P re ve n t i s t h e gove r n m e n t ’s a n t i radicalisation scheme that aims to f lag and divert individuals from terrorism before they are radicalised.

The scheme has previously been described as “ineffective and counterproductive” in a report led b y D r Wa q a s T u f a i l o f L e e d s B e c k e t t U n i v e r s i t y.

D r. T u f a i l c a l l e d t h e c a s e a t the University of Reading “hugely concerning”, tweeting that “Prevent is promoting self-censorship and

harming academic freedom”.

S econd-year History and Politics student Sam Honey asked: “Censorship of articles that clearly do not endorse or provoke terrorist a c t iv i t y s h ow s t h a t t h e gove r n m e n t ’s anti-terrorism strategy is becoming increasingly intrusive - would this approach not mean Marxist texts also b e i n g p l a s t e r e d w i t h w a r n i n g s ; Fo r giving a narrative of violent uprising against the state?”

A Politics and Modern History student who chos e to stay anonymous told us: “Whilst I disagree with G e ra s ’s p o l i t i c s , u n ive r s i t y s h o u l d be an environment where you can air a variety of different viewpoints regardless of where you land on the political spectrum. “ Ta rge t i ng p e ople b e cau s e of t he i r non-traditional views is dangerous and highlights some of the already k n o w n i s s u e s o f P r e v e n t . H o w e v e r, i t is important to stress the importance and need of a counter-terrorism strategy and the government is doing the best it can.”

Professor G eras was a political theorist and Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Manchester from 1967 until his retirement in 2003.

He wrote prominently on Marxist political thought and was on the editorial board of the Socialist Register from 1995 to 2003. He died of cancer in 2013.

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Photo: The Tutor Trust

University students tutoring disadvantaged school pupils proves a success

Students from the University of Manchester are among those involved in a scheme to help pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds progress Rona McCann Sub-Editor A report has found that a scheme which sees university students provide extra tuition to disadvantaged school pupils has been successful in its aim of improving pupils’ academic progress.

The scheme is run by The Tutor Trust, a charity that trains university students and recent graduates to act as academic tutors for small groups of pupils. 80% of tutors teaching in Manchester are students from the U n i v e r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r.

The report was based on a randomised control trial conducted by the Education Endowment Fo u n d a t i o n . T h e t r i a l i nvo l ve d 1 , 2 9 0 pupils from 105 primary schools

across Greater Manchester and Leeds and examined the impact of maths t u i t i o n o n t h o s e i n Ye a r 6 .

The study found that the pupils who were selected to receive 12 hours of extra tuition as part of The Tutor T r u s t ’s s c h e m e e n d e d u p m a k i n g t h e equivalent of three months’ more progress than their classmates.

Stephanie Lee, Head of Widening Participation at the University of M a n c h e s t e r, s a i d t h a t T h e T u t o r T r u s t aims to “reduce the gaps in outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing the type of academic support that is often unobtainable for families from lowincome backgrounds.”

T h r o u g h o u t t h e 2 0 1 7/ 1 8 a c a d e m i c y e a r, 3 0 0 t u t o r s p r o v i d e d 1 7, 0 0 0 s e s s ion s to 3,0 0 0 d i s adva nt age d

young people from schools in Greater M a n c h e s t e r, L e e d s , a n d L i v e r p o o l . A t t h e s t a r t o f t h e a c a d e m i c y e a r, o n l y 23% of these pupils were working at a level expected for their age. By the end of their time with The Tutor Trust, this figure had risen to 7 7 %.

The report also showed that the work of The Tutor Trust has also had a positive impact on the progress o f G C S E - l e v e l p u p i l s . 74 % o f p u p i l s provided with additional maths tuition with the scheme achieved a GCSE grade of at least 4 – equal to the o l d g ra d i n g s ys t e m’s C g ra d e .

Stephanie Lee, Head of Widening Participation at the University o f M a n c h e s t e r, h a s s a i d t h a t T h e Tutor Trust aims to “reduce the gaps in outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds

by providing the type of academic support that is often unobtainable for families from low-income backgrounds.”

Co-founders of Tutor Trust, Nick B ent and Abigail Shapiro have added: “ We a r e t r a n s f o r m i n g t u i t i o n s o t h a t the attainment and aspirations of the young people we serve can be transformed.

“A s a c h a r i t y, w e a r e u n i q u e i n Britain in offering a tuition service t o s c h o o l s t h a t i s h i g h q u a l i t y, h i g h impact, and yet low cost.”

Additional tuition to go alongside school studies is usually only an affordance of pupils from more affluent backgrounds, with the average hour-long s e ssion costing £ 2 7.

Manchester Marrow charity to hold Hero Week to raise awareness for blood cancer

The campaign will run from the 19th to the 24th November, raising awareness about the importance of the stem cell register Ayazoea Tallah News Reporter Manchester M a r r o w, a group of students from the U n i v e r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r, a r e running a campaign to increase the number of individuals on the stem cell r e g i s t e r.

H e r o We e k w i l l r u n f r o m t h e 1 9 t h t o 2 4 t h N o v e m b e r, a n d t h e charity hopes that they will be able to provide the relevant help to those suffering with b l o o d c a n c e r. Wo r k i n g w i t h t h e orga n i s at ion A nt hony Nol a n , a variety of different events will t a k e p l a c e a l l o v e r M a n c h e s t e r.

E v e r y y e a r, a r o u n d 2 0 0 0 people diagnosed with blood cancer require stem cell transplants. With blood cancer being the third most lethal type o f c a n c e r, c h a r i t y M a n c h e s t e r Marrow is hoping to raise

awarene ss of ways to help t h r o u g h t h e i r H e r o We e k e v e n t .

One of the members of the Manchester Marrow team, Max Tami, was diagnosed with blood cancer when he was just nine years old. He stressed just how important the stem cell register is, explaining how one d o n o r c h a n g e d h i s l i f e f o r e v e r.

He said, “Being told a match had been found for me was as if someone had breathed new life into me, reigniting my will to continue my fight. It provided hope in a hopeless situation and without that hope, I would not b e h e r e t o d a y. I a m c o m p l e t e l y i n d e b t e d t o my d o n o r ’s d e c i s i o n t o b e c o m e a l i f e s a v e r. W i t h o u t them, I would not have even had the chance to survive.”

Manchester Marrow copresident, Matt Smith, hopes that H e r o We e k w i l l b e s u c c e s s f u l

in helping others like Max. “ T h i s H e r o We e k w e a r e h o p i n g to recruit more potential l i f e s a v e r s t h a n e v e r. We w a n t every person with blood cancer to find their life saving match and you could be that hero for someone,” Smith said.

The group hopes to achieve this by holding multiple e v e n t s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c i t y.

T a m i s a i d , “A t o u r e v e n t s , students will have the chance to join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register there and then.

We ’ l l g i v e s t u d e n t s c h e e k s w a b s and ask them to fill out a quick form. On the day our lovely volunteers will be able to answer any que stions you may have.”

To d i s c o v e r a H e r o We e k event near you, you can follow Manchester Marrow on Facebook or sign the register on A n t o ny N o l a n’s we b s i t e .

Photo: NolanAnthony@Wikimedia Commons

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Debt crisis on the horizon for UK higher education The Guardian’s Phillip Inman warned that UK Universities are in serious debt Photo: David Dixon @ Geograph

Sam Honey Deputy News Editor Recent data suggests that UK Higher Education could be heading towards a debt crisis, with Brexit just one of many financial strains. UK universitie s have borrowed nearly £12bn since the financial crash, with a majority of sources reported t o b e A m e r i c a n l e n d e r s . L a s t y e a r, the University of Oxford borrowed £ 750m over 100 years from private inve stors; Cardiff University s old a £300m bond in 2016.

The total debt in the sector could rise to £1 trillion over the next 2 5

years, in a grim economic prediction.

Cost-cutting measure s have already been implemented at a number of institutions across the UK, including handing academic staff shortterm contracts. Debt is especially important to deal with considering the vitality of universities to regional economies.

A spokesperson from the University of Manchester re-assured students that the university are taking necessary steps to ensure they remain financially stable, saying “the need for universities to take on debt was a direct – and understood – consequence of the change in funding of Higher Education when government

capital funding was removed. The Higher Education sector is facing an u n p r e c e d e n t e d l e v e l o f u n c e r t a i n t y, but our university continues to deliver on its financial sustainability a m b i t i o n s . T h e 2 0 1 7/ 1 8 A n n u a l R e p o r t and Accounts will be published in e a r l y D e c e m b e r. ” The Economics Editor for The Guardian, Phillip Inman, identified two key issues contributing to the financial problem — a reform of fees and re-examination of the international students’ policy by the H o m e O f f i c e . S i r M i c h a e l B a r b e r, h e a d of the higher education regulator the Office for Students, has recently warned that institutions in serious

d e b t c o u l d b e l e f t t o “go t o t h e wa l l ” .

Brexit has further accelerated these concerns. The threat to UK research and the financial revenue of international students is a major u n c e r t a i n t y.

The first act of government intervention in the issue has been to consider a review into changing fees to create a higher band for sciences, compared to a reduction in ch a rge s for t he a r t s. T he prop os a l s h a v e p r o v e d c o n t r o v e r s i a l , h o w e v e r, with some suggesting they merely re-arrange costs as the total income from fees is likely to be similar to the amount raised without alterations.

GMP to keep a ‘watchful eye’ over Manchester Christmas markets

Police have announced a range of measures to protect the safety of shoppers this Christmas Josh Sandiford News Reporter Manchester Christmas markets have opened in the city centre, with the police promising to keep a ‘watchful eye’ to ensure the safety of visitors. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Manchester City Council will be working to make sure measures are in place to keep shoppers safe during the festive period.

Armed police will be making an appearance throughout the city during Christmas events, with the s ig ht now com monpl ace at l a rge e v e n t s i n t h e c i t y.

Councillor Pat K a r n e y, M a n c h e s t e r ’s Christmas spokesperson, said: “ We expect millions of people to visit Manchester during Christmas and we owe a huge t h a n k you to ou r e me rge ncy s e r v ice s who will be visible throughout the season. Their presence is welcome

a s we a l l e n j oy t h e fe s t iv i t i e s a n d i t ’s i m p o r t a n t t o re m e m b e r t h a t i t ’s t h e i r dedication that keeps us safe year round.”

Barriers will be in place at Albert Square, where the markets are located. Police have told visitors to remain cautious during the Christmas p e r io d a nd u rge d t he m to re p or t anything suspicious to s ecurity and p o l i c e o f f i c e r s i m m e d i a t e l y.

Cherie Buttle, Chief Inspector for Manchester City Centre said: “Security plans are in place for the Christmas markets and visitors can expect to see high visibility policing across the city centre in the run-up to Christmas.

“The safety and security of all thos e attending and involved in the markets is a priority for us over the coming weeks and I want to reassure the public that Manchester is a safe place to come and enjoy the festivities.”

Photo: Rachel Docherty @Flickr

56% of female survivors of sexual violence in Greater Manchester are not able to access support Josh Sandiford News Reporter A new report has revealed that over half of all women that have survived sexual violence in Greater Manche ster have not been able to access the support services they need.

T h e Vo i c e s o f S u r v i v o r s : H e a r i n g Wo m e n f o r C h a n g e r e p o r t , p r o d u c e d b y t h e Vo i c e s o f S u r v i v o r s ( V O S ) Partnership, is made up of MASH (Manchester Action on Street Health), Manchester Rape Crisis, Trafford Rape Crisis, and Manchester M e t r o p o l i t a n U n i v e r s i t y.

The new report states that 56% of female survivors of sexual violence in Greater Manchester are not able to access support. It also found that the main barriers facing women in accessing support include where t h e y l ive , wo m e n’s p e rc e p t i o n s o f their experience and inconsistent support.

Some women claimed that their reasons for not speaking out are due to fear of being judged, and some said they were not able to access support in their area.

The report found that where women live is particularly important when assessing the likelihood of

receiving the aid they require, with those from Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside less likely to be able to find help.

According to the report, specialist charities are the most helpful source of support for thos e that might have experienced sexual violence.

VO S are calling for longterm change, bought about by t h e “e s t a b l i s h m e nt o f a G re at e rManchester wide network of su r v ivors, t h i rd s e c tor orga n i s at ion s and statutory partners”.

Cate Allison, CEO of MASH, said: “In this report we hear the voices of hundreds of brave women in our

area who have experienced s exual violence. “ Throughout this research it has been shocking to hear that s o many have been unable to acce ss the help they need. “ T h e VO S P a r t n e r s h i p s e e s t h i s important research as the beginning of a step forward for the better in Greater Manchester which will mean female survivors don’t face the s e barriers to accessing vital support.”

The research, compiled from responses of almost 400 women, g a i n e d c o m m i s s i o n b y t h e VO S Partnership and has recently received f u n d i n g b y L l o y d s B a n k Fo u n d a t i o n .

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Pollution, Crime, Homelessness: the State of the City Investigations editor, Felix Hanif-Banks takes a look at the crime figures posted in Manchester City Council’s latest ‘State of the City Report’.

Felix Hanif-Banks Investigations Editor M a nche ster City Cou nc il’s a n nu a l ‘ State of the C ity’ report h as detailed critica l pollution leve ls in s ome of t he city’s key areas, wh ile home le s s ne s s fig u re s s o ar, a nd crime reache s previou s ly u n s e e n leve ls.

The rep ort s eeks to g ive M a nche ste r re s ide nt s a detailed in sight into a ll a spe c ts of life in t he city, covering 5 broad a im s : su sta in a bility, hig h ski l l s, progre ssivene s s a nd e q u ita bility, liva bil ity (envi ron mental issue s) , a nd fin a lly m a k ing M a nche ste r ‘a connected city’ .

M a nche ster City Cou nc il h a s pu blis he d the re p or t e ach year since 2016 a s pa rt of its long-te r m pla n to “ b e i n the top f light of world-cla s s c itie s by 202 5. ” The ‘ P rogre ssive and E q u ita ble’ ch apte r of the re p or t t ackle s homele ssne ss a nd roug h s le e ping . T he rate of rough sleep ers come s to 0.4 2 pe r 10 0 0 hou s e hold s, over twice the average for m aj or c itie s, plac ing s e cond only beh ind Bristol. The re port h ig h lig hts T he L ong ford Centre, op ened in Janu a ry 20 18, wh ich h a s he lpe d 1 08 previou sly homele ss pe ople find inde pe nde nt, s e c u re accom modation.

Homele ssne ss pre s e nts its e lf inc re d ibly vis ibly i n M a nche ster with roug h s le e ping be ing ve r y prom inent across the city, but othe r for m s of home le s s ne s s are a l s o ri fe in Manche ster. T he u s e of te mpora ry hou si ng ha s ri s en 319% from 20 10 a s the nu m be r of fa m il ie s w it hout a fixed re sidence now s its at 1,483.

Wh ile the cou ncil “[a ntic ipate s ] th at 7 5 0 hou s e hold s w i l l be rehou s ed ove r the next fin a nc ia l ye a r, ” it i s unclear how they aim to ach ieve th is. Ove r the la st year, t he cou ncil “ h as com m itte d to buying 15 prope rt ie s

for l arge r fam i l ie s, ” and a f u r t he r 1 00 home s h ave b e e n m ade avai l able for home le s s fam i l ie s f rom wh at are re fe r re d to as “Reg i ste re d P rov ide rs, ” but t he re are no f u r t he r de t ai l s g ive n i n t he re p or t .

Pol lut ion re m ai n s an i s sue ac ros s t he c ity, most ly af fe c t i ng t hos e i n le s s af f lue nt are as, as we l l as st ude nt s. As far b ack as 2 01 0 (and most l i ke ly Photo: Mark Andrew @WikimediaCommons longe r as t he s e we re t he e arl ie st pu bl i s he d st at i st ics) , Ox ford Ro ad h as b e en s ig n i f icant ly ove r t he l i m it for NO 2 ai r conte nt of 4 0 g / m 3, and wh i le s low prog re s s s e e m s to h ave b e e n m ade s i nce 2 01 5, NO 2 leve l s st i l l s it at 65 g /m 3.

A lte r n at ive mo de s of t ran sp or t app e ar to b e s lowly r i s i ng i n p opu l ar ity, p os s i bly prov id i ng an ex pl an at ion for t he e q u al ly s m al l fal l i n p ol lut ant s. Me t rol i n k, rai l , and wal k i ng h ave al l s e e n s l ig ht i nc re as e s a s com mut i ng opt ion s, wh i le bu s and car u s e rs are down by 2 % and 3 % re sp e c t ive ly.

M any Fal low f ie ld re s ide nt s w i l l b e ple as e d by t he cou nc i l’s ack nowle dge me nt t h at “a q u ar te r of our ro ad s are i n p o or or ve r y p o or cond it ion , ” and pl an ned i nve st me nt w i l l i nc re as e t he nu m b e r of ro ad s rated “go o d /ve r y go o d” to 64 % by 2 02 2 . ( Aut hor ’s note : I w i l l pu bl i s h an ar t icle i n 2 02 2 t h at i s ju st a pic t u re of G ranv i l le Ro ad i f it st ays i n it s c u r re nt me d ieval st ate.)

Cr i me h as r i s e n ac ros s M anche ste r by e s s e nt i al ly eve r y me t r ic avai l able. Ove ral l , v ic t i m- b as e d c r i me h as s e e n a 17 % i nc re as e f rom 2 016/17, w it h t he more

not a ble increa s e s b eing w it h rap e of fence s (which have more t ha n doubled) a nd “Ro b b ery of p ers ona l prop erty.”

The council cla im s t hat m a ny of t he increa s e s s een in t he la st yea r come a s a re sult of cha nge s to how G MP record crime s, but t he steady increa s e in m a ny crime f igure s would sugge st t hat t his isn’t a lways t he ca s e.

C rime s recorded a s “Violence w it hout inj ury” have ris en by a lmost 10,0 0 0 to nea rly 17, 50 0 f rom 20 15/16.

The rep ort fo cus e s on G MP s cheme s to stop knife crime, highlight ing s cheme s for of f icers engaged in fo ot p at rols to s ea rch for “weap ons a nd knive s hidden in shrub b ery a nd st reet f urnit ure.”

There ha s b een a m a rked increa s e in t he num b er of hate crime s across Ma nche ster, w it h f igure s rising 57 % f rom 20 15/16. Most s ignif ica nt a mong t he s e a re hate crime s mot ivated by religion, w it h incident s of Isla mopho bia account ing for 318 of rep ort s in 20 17/18 .

However, a n increa s e in rep ort s is considered to b e not ent irely negat ive by G MP, a s it indicate s a w illingne ss f rom v ict im s of hate crime to come forwa rd.

HMRC warns of tax scams targeting university students

HMRC advises students on how to avoid a new influx of email scams.

Felix Hanif-Banks Investigations Editor University students are being targeted by scammers with fake tax refunds in an effort to steal money and personal details, warns HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The scammers are using seemingly legitimate university email addresses (for example ‘@uc.ac.uk’) in order to avoid detection.

This is the largest direct attack HMRC has seen on students with thousands of fraud attempts being reported in just a few weeks across the UK. Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mel Stride MP, said: “HMRC will never inform you about tax refunds by email, text or voicemail. If you receive one of these messages it is a scam. Do not click on any links in these messages, and forward them to HMRC’s phishing email address.

“Although HMRC is cracking down hard on internet scams, criminals will stop at nothing to steal personal information. I’d encourage all students to become phishing aware - it could save you a lot of money.”

Director of Action Fraud, Pauline Smith, said: “Devious fraudsters will try every trick in the book to convince victims to hand over their personal

Photo: Nick Youngson

information, often with devastating consequences. It is vital that students spot the signs of fraudulent emails to avoid falling victim by following HMRC’s advice.

“Together with HMRC, we work tirelessly to stop fraudsters in their tracks and to prevent unsuspecting members of the public from falling victim to fraud.”

HMRC is working with and encouraging all universities to raise awareness of scams and many have already begun taking action to warn their students of the risks.

Often HMRC related email scams spoof the branding of GOV.UK and well known credit cards in attempt to look authentic. The recipient’s name and email address may be included several times within the email itself.

Fraudulent emails and texts will regularly include links which take students to websites where their information can be stolen. Between April and September this year, HMRC requested that 7,500 of these phishing sites be deactivated. This compares to around 5,200 requests during the same period in 2017.

1. Tax scams are targeting students at hundreds of universities. We are encouraging all students to be aware of the potential tax scams and specifically encourage those at the following universities, where we have seen large numbers of scams reported, to be on their guard: Aberdeen, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Imperial College London, King’s College London, Manchester Metropolitan, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth,

Queen Mary (London), Queen’s (Belfast), Southampton, Sussex, University College London, Warwick.

2. HMRC phishing advice: Recognise the signs - genuine organisations like banks and HMRC will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your PIN, password or bank details.

Stay safe - do not give out private information, reply to text messages, download attachments or click on links in emails you weren’t expecting Take action - forward suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and texts to 60599 If you suffer financial loss, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool Check GOV.UK for information on how to avoid and report scams and recognise genuine HMRC contact 3. HMRC has brought in cutting edge technology to tackle cyber-crime and target fraudsters including: Blocking half a billion phishing emails since 2016 through the introduction of DMARC (Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) controls across our estate, reducing reports of spoof HMRC-related texts by 90% through an innovative pilot.

4. HMRC is working with the National Cyber Security Centre to further its work and extend the benefits beyond HMRC customers.

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Our relationship with antibiotics: cure and concern Tom Allen looks at antibiotics, and if it is time to reform the way in which we use them

Tom Allen Contributor Our reliance on prescription medication today is undeniable.

Nearly half of all adults in the UK take prescription medication weekly, while figures in the US are not dissimilar. Although life expectancy has increased substantially since the industrialisation of pharmaceutical production, there are rising concerns with the readiness at which GPs are writing scripts for certain drugs, in particular antibiotics.

Used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections, antibiotics are one of the most popular and ubiquitous medicines prescribed across the world. These drugs work by taking advantage of bacterial properties that are lacking in humans. For example, the presence of cell walls. Beta-lactam antibiotics inhibit the production of cell walls in bacteria, causing them to burst due to an increase in internal pressure — a process known as lysis.

New research conducted by the University of Manchester has found that antibiotics are an avoidable trigger for bowel disease. A range of different antibiotics were administered to mice, monitoring results on the concentration of microbe communities present in their gastrointestinal tracts. Following one week of treatment, a harmful immune response was seen in the mice lasting for around two months, the equivalent of several years if extrapolated to humans.

Administration of the antibiotics caused a significant depletion of microbial environments in the mice, a requirement for the production of short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids have been shown to prevent the harmful immune response observed.

Antibiotic side effects are not just limited to those involving the gut. A systematic review of research conducted by the Universities of Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield has linked

Photo: Taki Steve @ Flickr

antibiotic administration to the onset of harmful side effects in the lungs. In part funded by the European Union, the €24 million venture investigated drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DILD) through the development of new innovative imaging techniques.

Symptoms of DILD can include breathing difficulties, fibrosis, and inflammation of lung tissue. These can often remain unnoticed for a number of years following use of the drugs, a particular concern considering the mortality statistics for DILD patients.

25% of those involved in the study eventually died as a result of lung implications. Perhaps a more concerning result of over-

prescription and misuse of antibiotics is the potential for bacteria to become immune to the effects of these drugs. Due to random variations in genetics between generations, bacteria can develop resistance to the mechanisms utilised by the medication to exert their effect. Often coined as ‘superbugs’, these new resistant bacterial strains have been suggested to have the potential to kill 1.3 million people in Europe by 2050.

There are a whole host of factors contributing to the acceleration of antibiotic resistance. Patient-level misunderstanding, however, is the foundation on which this issue lies. Many patients visit GP surgeries with conditions not entirely suitable to antibiotic treatment. Although not in the best interest of either party, prescriptions are all too often still written.

A staggering nine out of ten GPs admit to being pressured into writing scripts for ‘pushy’ patients, with 44% conceding that they had written scripts solely to get patients to leave their surgery.

This is particularly prevalent in cases of viral infections, where antibiotic treatment is completely useless.

A more deep-rooted issue is that of how we conceptualise disease. Many common illnesses occur in combination with others — take high blood pressure and heart disease, for example.

Despite this, drug trials conducted on animals don’t consider disease combinations. This is extended to human trials too. 69% of patients with multi-morbidities are not included in clinical trials due to worries of intensifying their symptoms. Clearly, effective medications for specific disease pairings could be missed here entirely, leading to the overuse of ineffective drugs.

As it stands, momentum is growing in academia to reform our drug testing models to account for the intricate, intertwined nature of disease. With it becoming increasingly evident that overprescription is fuelling side effects and resistance rather than remedies, it is clear a new approach is necessary.

A Scientific Take:

Is there a place for military funding in scientific research?

Anish Gulati and Jacklin Kwan discuss the effects of military funding in science research, and whether it should have a place in STEM. Jacklin Kwan Third Year Physics Student , Science Editor The line between purely civilian and purely military research is very thin. The majority of science funding in most states comes from government bodies. The difference in how this money is allocated by different federal agencies is smaller than you may think.It’s simplistic to believe that scientists who are funded by the Department of Defence spend 100% of their time engineering new ways to conduct warfare. In reality, military R&D has been at the forefront of cutting-edge and blue skies research for a long time.

For example, DARPA (the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) in the US has funded everything from robotics (cf. BigDog and Boston Dynamics) to prosthetics and quantum computing. Though you can see how a lot of this research could have military applications, the same goes for a lot of other scientific research that is not part of the national defence budget. Once any type of research is conducted, it builds on the foundational scientific knowledge everyone has access to, and that knowledge

can be co-opted for any means, no matter who originally discovered it (as long as it doesn’t break property rights or breaches pre-existing legality). The real factors that determine whether scientific research is used ethically are lawmakers and voters. By setting legal boundaries and pressuring governments to uphold humanitarian principles, theresearchconductedbyanyandallstateagencieswouldbe used to benefit standards of living as well as national interest.

When there just isn’t enough money to go around, especially for research with no immediate ‘real-world’ applications, removing all military funding would severely worsen the problem.

Defence continues to be one of the largest sectors of government spending – voters prioritise spending in matters of national security. Disallowing science from tapping into that large expenditure pool would mean there would be less research, and it would be a lot more competitive - meaning exciting blue skies research would be cut. This is research that could have military aspects, but could have numerous civilian ones as well. We should remember that the military research conducted in WW2 paved the way for the bulk of modern telecommunication systems, computing, and alternative energy sources.

For.

Anish Gulati Advanced Chemical Engineering, PGT Ever since the advent of modern warfare, science and technology has been an inseparable part of the military activities.

Governments devote a high percentage of their personnel and financial resources in order to ensure that their security is not compromised at any level and they are ready to take on the peace disrupters, if and when the need arises.

But due to a high degree of military funding for science and the authority of military on the direction of technical innovation, all scientific research is prone to be oriented to military interest. An example of this can be cited in the field of nuclear research. Nuclear physics was primarily pursued to harvest an extraordinary source of energy in order to satisfy the growing global energy demands. But with the military

indulgence, the term ‘nuclear energy’ is now most frequently associated with the destructive potential of these resources.

Thus, an innocent innovation for the welfare of humanity, apparently, went rogue on being subjected to military utilisation. And this holds true for many fields of scientific research.

Genetic engineering was dubbed as one of the most significant steps in the medical field. It didn’t take too long for its potential to be recognised as a mode of developing biological weapons that had a mirror effect to the one intended. So, as a consequence of involvement of military in science, or vice versa, it has come to a point where all research needs to be monitored and evaluated for their destructive potential. At the same time, this causes an increased number of blockades for the genuine research to flourish. This considerably dampens the pace of our technological growth.

Against.

Features 9

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

“Step up and talk, because only you can do that.”

The Mancunion speaks to Fatima Abid

Fatima Abid talks all things student politics, buses, and how you can change the world around you Ethan Davies Editor-in-Chief It’s 9am, and it’s very early to be interviewing one of the most powerful figures within the University of Manchester Students’ Union (SU), and arguably, the University as a whole. Yet, here I am, faceto-face with Fatima Abid, the General Secretary (Gen Sec) of the SU. It’s far from the first time we’ve met, but this is the first time it’s a proper, sitdown grilling, of sorts. I sense Fatima is understandably more cautious with her words as she knows the tape is running.

The reason I’m interviewing her is because Fatima is on tour. She’s already held a surgery in the Main Library, and on the 22nd November, she’ll be heading to North Campus, followed by an Ali G surgery on December 6th.

So what’s the purpose of holding these surgeries on campus? “[It’s] basically to make myself available to students, so they can ask questions or even have a chat about anything “I plan to do it every two weeks until the end of the year.”

Indeed, the North Campus surgery is part of an effort to re-engage North Campus in the rest of university life in Manchester, as Fatima sees it.

Having established that these surgeries are not to be a passing fancy, I was keen to press the Gen Sec on her original manifesto which saw her win the Exec election despite being an “outsider” to the SU, as she puts it.

One vital pledge was to imbe done to improve the services? prove podcast provision for Fatima recognises this, but students, with the seralso reminds me that “a vice still being optlot of cities don’t have in for lecturers. As this many students, Fatima explained, Manchester has the University easily 100,000 cannot force students livlecturers to ing here”. put their And among material on those, thouthe podcast sands live website, as o u t s i d e they have the Oford“ a c a d e m Wilmslow ic freedom” Road bubble. in such a Their commute d e c i s n . “ isn’t 256, Owens Right now, Park, Curry Mile, it’s about then the Whito p e n i n g worth. It’s Leigh, communications with Pendleton, Salford, lecturers who opt-out of then John Dalton Street. podcasts and students who “Students are having to drive Photo: the Mancunion want in. I think the biggest problem because they can’t rely on buses. would be in the humanities.

It’s not that the buses aren’t there, it’s rely“Next term, I want to host a discussion… ing on them [which is the problem]. between lecturers who opt-in, lecturers who ”She says she wants to improve “safety, opt-out, and the students who prefer it and reliability, and consistency” for students students that don’t really care.” across Greater Manchester.

Buses feature heavily in Fatima’s It’s at this point that Fatima gives us manifesto, which in itself is puzzling the first glimpse of her vision for student to me. Having come from a small city action in Manchester – a new elected body in which buses don’t usually run past which can campaign on behalf of all the ma11pm, the cornucopia of services in jor universities in Greater Manchester with Manchester was a revelation when I arrived one voice. She wants to call it the Greater as a fresh-faced-18-year-old. Oxford Road Manchester Student Assembly (GMSA).The is supposedly the ‘ busiest bus route in GMSA would be tasked with lobby ‘Europe’, and fares start at £1.50. What can ing the Greater Manchester Combined

Authority (GMCA) on issues such as the aforementioned mental health, and transport.

“The whole point of GMSA is I think students have unique issues. They are different from people who are residents in Manchester, they are different from people who decide to work here.

“I’m hoping that because we’re such a powerful force in Manchester, that’s so underutilised, we can unite all of us – MMU, Salford, RNCM, Bolton [through GMSA]”.

Although unwilling to sketch out the details for me, it was clear that Fatima was passionate about the project. However, it’s not as if students are short of opportunities to belong an elected body representing student interest. SU Senate has had a history of poor attendance, and Exec turnout remained below 20% in 2018.

Fatima recognises that “Senate is not as powerful as it could be”, because “students don’t engage.”

Why would it be any different for the GMSA?“I’m hoping people will be inspired by issues they’ve gone through, conditions they’ve lived in to inspire them to sit on the body.

Fatima also recognises that the GMSA could fail, but she also seriously believes that something must be done about the lack of a unified voice for students in this city.

“If students think [they can’t change things], then they should get involved and change it.“Step up and talk, because only you can do that.”

“Spice and Other Street Drugs” A Manchester-led solution for a UK problem Grace Revill reviews a talk about the role of Spice within the Manchester community and the positive steps that are being taken to combat the problem Grace Revill Contributor In recent years, the synthetic cannabinoid ‘Spice’ has received a lot of attention as a particularly prominent street drug used within Manchester’s homeless communities. But beyond the horrifying photos capturing vulnerable members of our society collapsed on the street and the dehumanising headlines labelling users as ‘zombies’, very little of the media is actually informing us about the work that is tackling the issue.

In October I attended a talk led by PC Andy Costello, a Greater Manchester Police officer, and Dr Oliver Sutcliffe, a psychopharmaceutical chemist at Manchester Metropolitan University, to hear about their novel strategy for reducing the harm caused by street drugs in Manchester.

Spice is not actually a single drug but a range of laboratory-made chemicals that mimic the effect of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis. Both THC and the chemicals in Spice bind to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, but Spice can be up to 800 times more potent, leading to very severe and long-term mental and physical side effects.

Furthermore, the contents between each batch of Spice vary and are often contaminated with toxic substances, putting users at risk and leading to the hospitalisation of many vulnerable individuals across Greater Manchester. At the event, PC Costello even described the Spice withdrawal symptoms he had witnessed as being “nothing like that of cannabis but akin to that of heroin.”

PC Costello began looking at the Spice selling for upwards of £200 and numerous problem in Manchester in 2013 and said “it prisons in the North-West estimating that was the biggest issue I’ve 200-300 letters had to face in my workcontaining ing career. It certainly A4 sheets are has the biggest impact on smuggled in on a drug users and people on daily basis, users the street I’ve seen,” and will most likely recounted meeting usaccumulate ers ranging from 12 to 70 huge debts years old. to dealers and Spice was a ‘legal high’ gangs which and sold in head shops jeopardises their before it was made illegal rehabilitation. on the 26th of May 2016.

Recognition of The new law saw the clothis growing sure of these shops and problem led to put a stop to ‘Spice tourCostello partnerists’ coming to Manchesing up with Dr ter as recreational users.

Oliver However it also led to the establishment of street Sutcliffe, supply and entrenched the director itself in rough sleeping of MANchesand young offending ter DRug Analypopulations who often sis and Knowluse drugs as a coping edge Exchange Photo: Jo Neill (Left: Oliver Sutcliffe, Right: Andy Costello mechanism.

(MANDRAKE).

Although several police Based at Manchesoperations have led to drug seizures, the ter Metropolitan University, MANDRAKE huge supply and demand of synthetic canis the first and only permanent city-centre nabinoids coupled with the fact that police testing facility in the UK, and works in partbudgets have been squeezed, means that nership with stakeholders to facilitate the problem doesn’t show any sign of recost-effective drug analysis for harm relenting. duction and intelligence.

And it is not just a problem seen on the Their most recent project has been street — it is estimated that 90% of the male working on the chemical analysis of Spice prison population use synthetic cannabifrom homeless communities and developnoids nationwide. Spice solution is embeding techniques to detect Spice solutions ded into paper and enters prisons in letentering prisons. If an individual is hospiters. With a credit card sized piece of paper talised due to a harmful street drug sam-

ple, MANDRAKE can analyse the chemicals in as little as 60 minutes and can then relay the information to emergency services so that effective treatment can be given. This also ensures that front-line responders can be warned about the presence of harmful samples, which can help to safeguard communities.

As well as scientists working on this project, MANDRAKE have also trained members of law enforcement, security and prison staff to use the machines and analyse the data, making it a unique collaboration. The information they collect can then be shared to monitor local, national and international drug trends within vulnerable populations and also serves to inform the public.

A common misconception is that Spice is a problem exclusively in Manchester, when in fact many other counties ranging from Lincolnshire to Cambridge are reporting similar issues, as well as countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia. Manchester is setting a leading example for others through the MANDRAKE safeguarding initiative. Dr Sutcliffe said: “This is not a Manchester centric issue, but it is a Manchester-led response”.

Jo Neill, a professor of psychopharmacology at The University of Manchester and organiser of the event said “It was a real privilege to host Andy & Oliver to learn more about the MANDRAKE project. This unique collaboration between the police & academia is working to reduce harm on the streets of Manchester & in prisons. The Government should fund more projects like this in city centres across the country.”

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

10 Opinion

De-politcise the P ppy Photo: Btb.jo @ Wikimedia Commons, Moriori @Wikimedia Commons

George Walker discusses the politics surrounding the poppy and suggests we need to reconsider and re-evaluate the true meaning of this symbol

George Walker Contributor At 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month, millions of people from across the country come together to commemorate one hundred years since the end of the First World War. The idea of a future of peace allows a sense of national solidarity to prevail during a time of hurt for many people.

The true meaning of the poppy is to be open and honest about war; to reflect upon the hurt and destruction that war brings. It is also a chance to think about our post-war relationships and how we prevent further wars; the very essence of ‘lest we forget’.

Last weekend, 10,000 people, including veterans and relatives of WWI soldiers, marched past the cenotaph in London.

In the evening, a beacon was lit at Westminster Abbey, followed by more than 1,000 others across the UK. These remembrance ceremonies are heavily symbolic; lights intended to show the end of the darkness that a war brings, and of

course, the ubiquitous red poppy has a long story behind it. Yet none of these symbols have remained as apolitical as they were first intended.

The poppy tradition, for example, began in the aftermath of WWI, it was originally inspired by the famous poem, ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae. From then on it became intertwined with the charitable works and support for ex-servicemen carried out by the Royal British Legion.

Although noble, this was an inherently political way of remembering those who died; this symbol of remembrance became linked to the particular view of British ex-servicemen of the war.

As time has passed, a number of the connotations imposed on the poppy by the Royal British Legion have become outdated. With the passing of time and the changing nature of warfare, the implications of remembrance have changed. Our remembrance no longer exists in this politically specific and immediate post-war vacuum, and yet there remains politics behind the red petals.

Much of the modern-day rhetoric of the Remembrance remains political, with certain authoritarian, social de-

mands for those remembering war.

In the lead up to Remembrance Sunday the purchase of a poppy becomes almost obligatory. We could consider, for example, the abuse given to Irish footballer James McClean on his refusal to wear a poppy, and to Sheffield’s Lord Mayor Magid Magid for wearing a white and not red poppy.

A refusal to wear a poppy is inherently political and sparks deeply emotive debate. Yet at the end of the day, because war literally threatens people’s lives, wearing a poppy is as personal as it is political. It should be a choice just as much as any other political statement.

This culture of obligation does not actually allow us to remember those who died. Surely the whole point of this tradition is ‘never again’? Therefore, the goal is to have a discussion about war, prevention, and impact, not the censorship of rational political thought.

It is an incredibly sensitive matter, but we cannot place boundaries on how we talk about something as destructive and divisive as war. We need to reconsider how we remember those who gave their lives in order to give true credence to our efforts to make sure it never happens again.

#itsOKnottobeOK can’t just be a passing fad

Oliver Storey sees raising awareness of mental health problems on social media is just the first step in tackling such a pervasive issue

Photo: OpenClipart-Vectors

Oliver Storey Contributor

In the last two years, society and culture have made progress in the fight against the world’s mental health epidemic. A previously relatively unrecognised type of illness, which affects 1 in 4 people in the UK, has had its social stigma shaken by people with a desire for change. Talking about and educating people on mental health are positive steps towards the solution. However, if you are serious about contributing to the solution, sharing a Facebook post isn’t enough.

Back in October of this year, It’s OK not to be OK campaign was launched to tackle workplace mental health problems.

In Manchester, this materialised in the form of Mental Health Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day. The outcome was a much heightened sense of awareness of mental illness.

As someone who had never heard of mental health, until I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety some two years ago, breaking the stigma around the subject is so important. A greater awareness of causes and symptoms can help you catch your own or someone else’s illness early, reducing months of painful recovery.

And so it was satisfying, to begin with, when the selfies appeared on my Facebook feed in October, accompanied by serious stats on the pervasiveness of the issue, as well as offers of support and understanding. All those posts had the potential to prompt someone into seeking help or information for an issue of theirs.

Unfortunately, my optimism quickly dampened, as I wondered how many of those people were actually doing something proactive beyond that post? Were they going to identify a friend’s illness or make life less daunting for someone suffering?

And yet, how can I expect them to be more proactive?

Arguably, an awareness of an issue doesn’t mean a complete understanding.

How could you, unless you’ve experienced it?

However, too many people are still ignorant of the signs of mental illness and how to help those suffering. I’m not suggesting everyone must become a psychologist. But you owe it to your friends, families, and colleagues to be more informed, for their sake.

Now for a quick science lesson. Our brain is controlled by chemicals and hormones which control your responses and

emotions, for example, your fight-or-flight mode. Since we have evolved, our rational brain runs most of our life now, however, we still retain those primal instincts in threatening situations. Mental illness, such as anxiety and depression, are caused by an upset in your brain’s chemical balance. Our irrational, fight-or-flight, brain becomes more dominant, which can range from uncomfortable to totally disrupting your life.

And so to be proactive in helping, it is perhaps best to just beunderstanding. People cannot ask sufferers of mental illness to engage ‘normally’ with life — their brain is literally telling them not to. Day-to-day activities can become heated, harsh and draining arguments within their own head. Instead, maybe take them out for lunch or a coffee? Remember that alcohol is a depressant, so check on your friends who are drinking too much too often, something which is difficult to confront at university. In short, be there for your friends, make sure they aren’t withdrawing from life, staying in bed all day or not eating enough.

By all means contribute your voice to the social media campaigns to raise awareness around mental health, but be aware this is not the end of your responsibility.

Opinion 11

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Get up, stand up –

your tuition fees are outrageous

As a dutch student studying in the UK, Rose Uijtewaal is shocked at how accepted the comparatively expensive tuition fees are here

Photo: BillyH @ Wikimedia Commons, Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Rosa Uijtewaal Contributor

To study in Manchester for a semester as a Dutch student is great. I can enjoy the friendliness of Northerners, the incredible music scene, and feeling like I am attending Hogwarts whenever I pass Whitworth Hall. What helps me enjoy this city, however, is that by joining the Erasmus scheme, I continue to pay my home universities tuition fees.

In short, paying four years of tuition fees at a Dutch university equals just one year of fees in the UK! These fees don’t even include the cost of living or additional costs for books and bus passes. Not only that but semesters here are shorter, by more than a month and a half, and you have far fewer contact hours. You are literally paying more for less.

High tuition fees are problematic and unfair for various, obvious reasons. If we compare UK tuition fees with other European countries, the UK definitely comes off the worst. Students in the

United Kingdom pay up to £9000 a year for undergraduate studies.

In Austria and Scandinavia, EU students pay no tuition fees whatsoever. In Germany costs amount to a maximum of €400, and in France, the top rate is €1300.

Some justify the high fees because the quality of education in the UK is generally higher, and it is true that some of the best universities of Europe are based in the UK. But not all of us are going to Oxford or Cambridge, and so a number of UK students are being left with massively higher debts than other European students. This sets them behind in their further life when trying to borrow money, buy houses, or travel.

Whilst it is a very good thing that more and more people are going to higher education, arguably it is devaluing a single honours degree. Therefore adding pressure onto students to do an extra masters to stand out and ultimately get caught in even more debt.

Students accrue ever more debt under the neo-liberal banner of ‘investing in yourself’, but this affects some courses of study more than others.

Students of science, medicine, or law usually find a job easily and are generally well paid, whereas those in the humanities or social sciences are less certain of such a financially stable future. High tuition thus discourages, especially for poorer students, choosing humanities or social science study because of the less certain financial turnover. This could lead to anxiety about paying off student debts. However, we need more than just lawyers, doctors and managers. We also need teachers, writers, and philosophers to contextualize and help us understand the world we live in.

The UK is, of course, not alone in its fight for affordable and quality education. Recently, the Dutch government announced huge budget cuts on education. This is highly problematic due to already burned out teachers and oversubscribed classes.

We have a right to follow good quality courses with personal attention that allow us to engage with topics deeper. From all that can amaze me about the English in my time here, I am most surprised by the lack of outrage about your tuition fees. My message to you would be to not take your education for granted and stand up against unreasonably high fees.

David Attenborough has let us down - but we can still rise up Sophie Marriott argues that we shouldn’t be so reliant on celebrities making political statements to guide our social consciousness Sophie Marriott Opinion Editor David Attenborough has recently come under fire for not making a more radical statement about climate change during his new show Dynasties. Attenborough has been reluctant to add his voice to those criticising the reliance on individual actions to combat climate change. This does not negate the fact that his shows contain important lessons.

We should not be blindly following his, or anyone else’s opinions to ensure we do the right thing by our planet. In our fight to save all animals, lets not just be sheep.

We have evidently become too reliant on celebrity culture if we insist on waiting for David Attenborough’s say so before we respect our environment. While disheartening to know that such a respected celebrity is not prepared to use his publicity to make a statement on such an important topic, there are plenty of incredible people speaking publicly about the need to challenge the current status quo in order to protect the environment.

The power of Attenborough’s ground-breaking documentaries has always shone through the stunning footage;

their ability to bring us intimately close with nature whilst simultaneously reminding us of its vastness. The very nature- pun intended- of these shows themselves should be enough to inspire a push for a more sustainable planet.

When celebrities fail to be paradigms of virtue there is a collective sense of betrayal, be it the soothing grandfather figure of David Attenborough, or even someone less sombre like Kanye West (someone continually in the spotlight for his antics). Rarely, however, do the media ever cover the motivations or the story behind a questionable action or behaviour. We only care because they did something controversial in the public spotlight; ignoring everything else they might have done in the privacy of their own homes.

They are role models and should constantly be aware of their audience. This is a fair point, but one that takes away the agency from the general public. We should not be reliant on celebrity culture to inform social consciousness.

Whether we are taking moral cues from Attenborough or Kanye, nobody’s word is gospel, and nobody is the one person with all the right opinions. These men are celebrated for their art and their intellect, and rightly so, but in putting

Photo: Johann Edwin Heupel @Pixabay ick

themselves in the public spotlight neither of them bears the burden of having to guide a globalised sense of right and wrong.

‘When celebrities fail to be paradigms of virtue there is a collective sense of betrayal’ The movement for climate action does not need a messiah. We are all capable of knowing what the right thing is, and we should all be aware that the right thing definitely is not burying our heads in the sand listening only to the commands of TV personalities. Morality is inside all of us and should not have to be reinforced by celebrity role models.

Why are we all lying dormant waiting for someone else to tell us what to do? There might be no perfect celebrity but do not let that tarnish your own conscience.

12 Societies

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

They’re behind you!

Meet The Pantomime Society What can you expect from the Pantomime Society? Chloe Hatton talks to its co-chairs to find out Chloe Hatton Societies Editor As far as societies go, the Pantomime Society might not be the first one that springs to mind. I sat down with the chairs, Adam and Alyx, to see what they’re all about. The way they define panto, they say, is as a very, very British combination of musical and comedy. However – and this is very important – the Pantomime Society definitely do not mirror the usual Christmas performances of Cinderella and Aladdin.

“Expect all your childhood memories to be ruined. Our performances are definitely not for the fainthearted. Expect a lot of explicit content and rude jokes – if you’re a fan of that, then our performances are definitely for you.”

Adam first got involved in the Pantomime Society in first year, entirely by chance. He was originally going to join one of the university’s other performance societies, but missed auditions. He panicked, and saw that the auditions for that year’s panto were the next day, and the rest is history.

Alyx had a totally different approach, “I knew the chair, and had been toying with the idea of joining for a while, until half way through second year I thought ‘sod it, go for it’”.

For Adam, one of the best things about joining the society has been the confidence boost he’s got from performing. When he first came to university, he was much more shy. He didn’t have a lot of confidence, until he was made to do a set scene in his first show.

“I learned to take everything a lot less seriously”.

The Pantomime Society has also connected them with a whole host of new friends. They’re a really close-knit group, where everyone knows everyone. When they’re not rehearsing for their next performance, they spend lots of time together at socials, or just hanging out. What they love about the group is that there’s such a range of people, from a mixture of courses, ages, and nationalities.

“The great thing about panto is that it’s so inclusive. We don’t care what experience or talent you’ve got, if you want to give it a

go then just turn up! Everyone that auditions for one of our shows gets a part, whether you want to be the leading light or just have one line in a scene. We will literally take anyone.”

If you don’t just want to act, there are loads of other opportunities available. All the pantomimes put on by the society are written and directed by members from scratch.

“Writing is a really great experience, and not actually as scary as I’d imagined,” Adam says. “You find that all these ideas tend to weirdly converge – I’ll get Alyx to finish a scene that I’ve started and I’ll be like, wow, that’s actually exactly the way I wanted that scene to go!

“Writing our own pantos also allows us to repeat themes and jokes, so that audience members that come to see our shows regularly will be able to pick up on things, and this really gives it a sense of community.”

The Pantomime Society’s next show, Jack and the Beakerstalk, is showing on the 26th and 27th of November in Academy 2 of the SU. For those of us who love a bit of childhood nostalgia, this

“We don’t care what experience or talent you’ve got, if you want to give it a go then just turn up!” production combines the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk with the infamous characters of Tracy Beaker.

“We originally wanted to do a Jack and the Beanstalk panto, but found that the idea was a bit thin, so then looked at the idea of doing a Tracy Beaker panto, and again found it was a bit thin. Then we were like ‘why don’t we combine the two?’ Somehow, it weirdly seemed to work.

“We’ve got a really brilliant cast this semester. Expect a lot of ridiculousness and sexual humour. Oh, and prepare for all your childhood nostalgia to be dumped on.”

If that’s not enough to convince you, all the proceeds from

Fuse FM X Comsoc: A CALM Time Chloe Hatton reviews Fuse FM’s latest event, a CALM time, which was organised in collaboration with the Comedy Society in order to raise money for the Campaign Against Living Miserably Chloe Hatton Societies Editor On a cold, rainy Manchester autumn night, where better to be than the cosy basement of Solomon’s, watching a comedy show? The latest collaboration between Fuse FM and the Comedy Society, the show on the 12th of November was all about having a great time whilst raising money for a great cause.

An eclectic mix of formats and personalities, A CALM Time, had something for everyone. The Comedy Society provided a mix of sketches and stand ups, and was a great chance for performers to showcase their talent before their big show later on this semester. Highlights included an angsty Scottish magician, a ‘whine tasting’ sketch, and some excellent stand up from one of the organisers, Annabelle Devey.

Fuse FM presenters also joined in the fun, with a raucous and, quite frankly, bizarre performance from the hosts of Clown Syndrome.

Martha Bolton, Fuse FM’s Head of Events, said “this has been really fun. We’ve never done anything with the Comedy Society before, but we’ve made such good friends and we’re definitely looking to collaborate with more societies in the future!”

A brief interlude in the spoken comedy came from the Student Union’s very own Mathew Kerry, playing an intimate, acoustic set for us. His songs are not just about your typical boy-meets-girl subject matter, no. Highlights of his set included one song about a failed one night stand with a lesbian (from Bolton), a song about eczema, and even one featuring Manchester’s crowning glory – the Magic Bus. Amongst all this, there were some wonderfully poignant moments that really added an extra dimension to his songs.

However, the night wasn’t just all about having fun. The £275 raised from the performance is being donated to CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably. CALM are a charity that focus on preventing male suicide, the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK. The cause is one that is very close to the Comedy Society’s heart, and one they feel very strongly about.

“When you know someone that will be personally affected by the work that the charity you’re raising money for

does, it really helps motivate you to help as much as possible.

These issues are more prevalent than people realise,” Devey says.

“University teaches you so much socially as well as academically, and I believe we really do have a duty to be socially conscious.”

“We, as students, are in such a good position,” adds ComSoc chair, Jordan Vincent. “We’re given so much support from the university and the Students’ Union, funding, and rehearsal space. It’s the least we can do to give some of that back to a good cause.

“As for the performance, it was a roaring success. We had such a good turnout, and to see the audience laughing and to see the performances that everyone has worked on so hard for so many months – all our work has paid off.”

Coming up, Fuse FM are looking to release podcasts of Fuse Live events, as well as collaborating with MCFS, a new student-run charity fashion show, giving hands-on aid to the homeless in Manchester. The Comedy Society are focusing on their winter showcase and, even further ahead, their run at the Edinburgh Fringe.

If you want to get involved with either Fuse FM or the Comedy Society, check out their Facebook pages for upcoming events, or tune in to Fuse FM on their website.

Photo: ComSoc

Photo: The Pantomime Society

the performances will be going to charity. Some societies feed the money raised back into their societies. However, all the money from each panto goes to a charity chosen by the members each year. This year, the money is going to the Manchester Central Foodbank. This means that the production budget is much smaller, but Adam and Alyx say that it’s definitely a good thing.

“It’s a lot more special putting on the production because you know the proceeds are going to a good cause. It’s great for the audience too, because if you come along and know you’re having a great time and doing something good for charity, you don’t have to feel guilty about laughing at all the sex jokes,” they laugh.

As soon as one panto finishes, the next one is already in the works. Following on from what will surely be the success of Jack and the Beakerstalk, the Pantomime Society will be doing a Narnia-themed panto next semester, The Lion, The Witch, and The Panto. Performances will take place just before the Easter holidays. If you’re interested in joining their cast, auditions will be held just after January exams. For more information on socials and auditions, like their Facebook page.

They’d absolutely love people to join in, particularly as each panto and each semester are all separate entities. Panto is a great way to unwind. Also it’s great if you’re looking for a place to forget about all your impending deadlines.

“It’s a brilliant place to just relax and do ridiculous stuff. We have as much fun making and rehearsing each panto as we do actually performing it.

“Please come and see the show! It’ll definitely be a night to remember – or forget, if you buy enough drinks!”

Shout out: public speaking skills in business

Juliette Flach gives you an insider’s tips on how to improve your public speaking ability

Juliette Flach Contributor On Thursday 8th November, students from the University of Manchester rocked up to the Manchester Technology Centre ready for an evening targeted at improving individuals public speaking skills in business. The event was part of Manchester Entrepreneurs’ skills programme with the evening’s workshops and competition facilitated by the UoM Public Speaking Society.

Rather than make you jealous of all the lucky people who made it to the event, I’ll give you a treat instead. Here come three top public speaking skills you can relate to any of your business needs. Firstly, know your stuff. Secondly, master your style. Finally, think of the audience.

So how do these work in practice?

When you’re using any form of public speaking in business, it is so essential to know your stuff. You need to know your product, business, or personal skills inside out.

Not only will this allow you to walk into a pitch, interview, or meeting feeling personally prepared, but this confidence will also come across to those in front of you. As a result, your speech will appear naturally full of passion and based on knowledge rather than blagging!

It is essential to develop your own style. Whether you opt for a professional or informal approach, own it! A good technique is to record yourself giving a speech and watch it back. Take note of your stance, body language, and use of the space. Alternatively, come along to the Public Speaking Society, where we carry out workshops to help you master your vocal and visual speaking style.

My number one piece of advice is to remember you’re speaking to humans. This may seem like a bizarre statement rather than a top tip, but trust me, it can be a key to public speaking. When you remember you’re speaking to humans, you can tailor the information you give them, to ensure key unique selling points or sales statistics are covered.

But this advice also benefits your style. When you’re feeling nervous, just remember you are speaking to humans, no more or less important than you or I. Yet another piece of great news is the fact that you can hear more tips of the trade and put these words into practice. Feel free to come along to the weekly UoM Public Speaking Society sessions every Tuesday 6pm at University Place 2.220 (information can be found on Facebook). You can also develop more business skills through Manchester Entrepreneurs‘ regular events – for up and coming events, keep an eye on their Facebook page.

PUT YOURSELF FIRST This Wellbeing Week, try to forget about assignment deadlines and reading lists.

Put yourself first (for once) with pop-up events and activities at the Students’ Union.

Line-up: Rescue puppy visit . Meditation . Massages Nail painting . Workshops . Yoga . & more...

19th NOVEMBER to 24th NOVEMBER

Scan the QR code to apply for and check out the latest vacancies on our website

Mancunion Crossword #1 Solution Revealed Next Week!

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Student area where phallus drawings were found on front doors Student organisation in financial difficulty Which square houses Manchester Town Hall?

The tallest tower in Manchester Mayor of Greater Manchester Campaign in Greater Manchester to make this a hate crime First UK city to make misogyny a hate crime

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First name of UoM SU Gen Sec New location of Channel 4’s Head Office What cause did protestors block Oxford Road for?

Rail company on strike until 2019 Colloquial name for Alan Gilbert Learning Commons Surname of South African Anti-apartheid activist, SU building is name after him What do you call someone from Manchester?

Number of students at UoM, in thousands

Stan Lee Repeal the 8th Action Man: MACFest Sad Tale of Inside BBC Introducing: 18 Obituary:21 review: 23 Launch: 25 Cocktails: 27 24 Culture

CULTURE Photo: Altoscroll @ Wikimedia Commons

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

Hinds

Hinds Issy Bolitho

9/10

Spanish indie rock band Hinds deliver a euphoric, energetic and personal set at Academy 3 writes contributor Issy Bolitho

Live Reviews.

From the moment Hinds walked on stage at Academy 3, the audience knew they were in for a night of unadulterated fun. With the promise of “we’re here to rock your little bodies,” the band launched straight in with their loud fuzzy riffs and infectious energy. It was safe to say they were here to keep their word.

The all-girl four-piece, hailing from Madrid, are well known for their energetic, ramshackle gigs and manage to deliver a feeling of intimacy despite selling out venues of ever-increasing capacities. Frontwomen Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perotte bare it all through personal lyrics sung with raw emotion and passion. Nothing is held back; their lyrics are often brutally honest and not particularly subtle with “should I’ve known before you were also banging her” being yelled throughout song ‘Tester.’ The pair manage to seamlessly switch between screaming their vocals and moving softly through their lyrics, the rasp of Cosials’ voice adding to the unpolished feel of the band.

With Ade Martin on bass and Amber Grimbergen on drums completing the quartet, the chemistry they have with each other is undeniable. Never letting a drum beat or a lick of the guitar fall out of its messy yet coordinated place, the band are synchronised down to their every move.

Fan favourites from debut album Leave Me Alone, such as ‘Bamboo’ and ‘Garden’, seem to have their own mini routines, with Co-

Sigrid Jake Oliver

sials, Perotte and Martin moving in unison.

It’s a contrast to the band’s scruffi er, DIY, surf rock sound but it conveys such exuberance and genuine joy to be performing live as friends. First and foremost, that’s what the group are, friends. The

the crowd, shouting lyrics such as “stay close to me or know I’ll die” as she leans into the sea of singing faces below her.

They follow this boost of intimacy with new single ‘British Minds’ which Martin jokes they wrote for us.

Despite the band’s constant enthusiasm and intensity, the crowd wasn’t always as responsive as the group deserved. During the fi rst few songs, the high energy being thrown at us was not equally matched. Perotte answered this by declaring “it may be a Tuesday night but at least it’s not Monday” before asking the audience to dance with them for ‘Easy’. Following this, the crowd came alive, even maintaining their passion as both singers drawled through velvety sounding ‘Linda’ from second album I Don’t Run. “Do any of you know The Clash?” is one phrase certain to ignite excitement in a room of already charged rock fans. Their rendition of ‘Spanish Bombs’ was authentically Hinds, bringing their own bouncing take to the punk classic which left fans shouting for more.

With the band dancing off stage to Monty Python’s ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ it was hard to not feel a sense of delight Photo: The Mancunion at what I had just witnessed. fun they have playing together is contaFeel-good, passionate and authentic, gious and has the audience laughing along Hinds are queens of having a bloody good with their jokes as well as singing and time. If anyone sees them live and doesn’t dancing until the very end. manage to have fun, it says a lot more During ‘San Diego’, Cosials sheds her about them than it does about the band. guitar and makes her way to the front of

Sigrid

8/10

Sigrid, the Scandinavian superstar in the making, shows everyone why she’s a force to be reckoned with, writes Deputy Editor, Jake Oliver Pop sensation Sigrid kicks off her two night residency at Manchester’s Albert Hall in a way that demonstrates just why she has amassed legions of fans in such rapid succession. Bursting on to the stage to a packed out venue, the 22-year-old brings with her an indisputable sense of joy and infectious energy.

The Norwegian has had a meteoric rise in the last 12 months, managing to snatch the coveted BBC Music’s Sound of 2018 award earlier this year and embarking on a vast tour across Europe and the UK. Selling out not one, but two consecutive nights in Manchester is no mean feat for such a young artist, but Sigrid’s performance shows just why she is quickly becoming pop royalty.

Launching straight in to latest release ‘Sucker Punch’, a song with some of Sigrid’s best production value to date, borrowing small bits and pieces from this style of new wave pop music (à la Charli XCX) that is sweeping the scene at the moment. In the midst of the fuzzy, distorted beats, Sigrid swaggers around stage with confi dence that refl ects that of a seasoned performer – and it is truly invigorating to watch.

The biggest moments of the night come courtesy of Sigrid’s quintessential Don’t Kill My Vibe EP, released last year.

‘Plot Twist’, a triumphant in-your-face anthem about realising your own self-worth sends audiences in to a collective riot, who recite the iconic chorus verbatim, arms waving and fi ngers pointing. ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ is received and performed with equally as much passion, with Sigrid’s vocals being drowned out by the sheer volume of her fans

all chanting the lyrics back.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this jubilant pop aesthetic might lack substance and weight, but Sigrid demonstrates a surprising level of depth and wise-beyond-her-

someone, going home together to forget we’re alone.”

The night carries some surprises as well and gives us a look in to the future of Sigrid. Unreleased song, ‘Credit’, from her upcoming album, is a darker, grittier style than anything released previously. ‘Go To War’ strays away from the sweet, bubblegum synths for a piano and drum focused single.

Credit is due to Sigrid’s powerhouse of a band, who maintain the same level of buzz as their front-woman throughout the entire set. Unlike other solo artists with their supporting band, the members here feel like truly integrated parts of the Sigrid movement. Particular praise is needed for the guitarist, who unleashes a phenomenal guitar solo during ‘Fake Friends’ to huge cheers from the crowd. Other standout musical moments go to Sigrid herself, for her fl awless and hauntingly beautiful encore performance of ‘Focus’ – a moment where her vocal range and ability left me speechless.

Sigrid is an essential artist for this generation. Her ability to write perfectly constructed pop Photo: The Mancunion songs with lyrical poise and meanyears observations within her lyricisms. ing whilst still ensuring a good time is had Hidden behind this brightness is a sense is a talent that audiences crave and rightof vulnerability and refreshing honesty fully deserve. If her consistently brilliant that marks Sigrid as a truly talented art- releases and joyous performances are anyist.

‘Strangers’, which closes the night, thing to go by, then global domination is is a bittersweet, pulsing pop song with the not far off. refrain, “I don’t want you, all you want is

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

Album Review: Lil Peep Come Over When You’re Sober Pt.2

Late rapper Lil Peep’s posthumous release - Come Over When You’re Sober Come Over When You’re Pt 2 - is a bittersweet, emotionally charged continuation of his legacy, Sober Pt. 2 Jake Oliver writes Jake Oliver Almost a year after his untimely passing, Lil Peep’s second full length record, Come Over When You’re Sober Pt.2 (COWYS Pt.2) is finally with us. Produced with care and respect by long-time collaborator Smokeasac, it is a perfect and logical elaboration of Peep’s legacy and style. It is also a record dripping with pathos and tragic foreshadowing.

Before he died, Peep was on the very precipice of stardom, and this release only reaffirms his potential for worldwide glory. The candidness in which Peep addressed his insecurities, mental health and drug addiction was exactly what his fans gravitated towards. But make no mistake, these notions were never glorified.

Instead, Peep shone a necessary but glaring light on the reality that many face but few unfortunately discuss, acting as a voice for the unspoken, unsung masses.

Writing this review was always going to be a bittersweet affair.

What is evident much throughout COWYS Pt.2 is a significant shift in production and vocals. Whilst still retaining the trap beats, 808s, and sampling that made Peep’s sound so idiosyncratically distinct, there is a heavier use of real instrumentation. The use of guitars here are more pronounced, reflecting Peep’s ties to the emo scene from which he blossomed.

Tracks ‘16 Lines’ and ‘Sex with My Ex’ carry this rawer sound whilst still being seamlessly woven in to the classic ‘SoundCloud rapper’ soundscape.

There is lyrical development to be found too. ‘Life is Beautiful’, the last single to be released, strays away from tropes of playboy debauchery to adopt a global, even philosophical stance. Juggling between the depressive, brutal reality of life whilst still identifying those silver linings is a level of poignancy previously unseen.

Peppered throughout COWYS Pt.2 (and

‘Peep shone a necessary but glaring light on the reality that many face but few unfortunately discuss, acting as a voice for the unspoken, unsung masses’ indeed most of Peep’s discography) are lines that even today carry a macabre weight to them. “I’m not gonna last long” (‘Fingers’) and “I think I’ma die alone inside my room” (‘Life is Beautiful’) are stark reminders of the tragedy that was to come. The opening track - ‘Broken Smile (My All)’ – however, offers a sombre but much needed sense of closure for listeners as Peep murmurs “I gotta go right

17 9/10

now, that’s all” over a sparse instrumental.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though.

Despite Peep’s overall depressive aesthetic, there are moments of triumph and wryness embedded in the tracks. Lead single ‘Cry Alone’ captures the resentment towards small-minded peers in small-minded towns in a single line – “I hate everybody in my home town, I wanna burn my old high school in to the ground”. It’s this rage and no-fucks-given delivery that makes Peep a cultural zeitgeist for those made to feel inferior. Elsewhere, ‘Sex with My Ex’ masks feelings of guilt and regret behind an infectious melody and chorus, enabling it to stand out as one of the more (ironically) uplifting tracks.

COWYS Pt.2 ultimately presents shifts both lyrically and sonically that would have undoubtedly propelled Lil Peep to the forefront of the global music scene. It’s a harrowing, but appropriate conclusion to a year of uncertainty and anguish experienced by both friends and fans alike. With the promise of future releases and even a documentary, Come Over When You’re Sober Pt.2 is not the end, but rather, a promising and hopeful new beginning.

Record Reappraisal: Spice Girls Spiceworld Jasmine Bennett returns to one of the best pop records of the 1990s in light of their reunion in a record reappraisal of Spiceworld When the Spice Girls released second album Spiceworld back in 1997, it was subject to immediate commercial success. The number one record was shipped 1.4 million times in its first week of sales, and has become synonymous with the late 90s. Now, twenty-one years later and in light of a recently announced reunion (minus Posh) it seems only right to revisit the nation’s beloved pop queens.

Spiceworld is something of a standing testament to Britain’s ability to produce good pop music. Classically 90s in its joyful dance tracks and catchy rhythms, it’s impossible not to enjoy the 10-song album. It isn’t hard to understand why the band were – and are – acclaimed as the epitome of girl power. Leading single ‘Spice Up Your Life’ plunges the listener immediately into a hectic cacophony of samba-influenced instruments before Mel B’s famous recall of “colours of the world, spice up your life.” Relentlessly energetic and bursting with fun, the song is unbelievably catchy and makes you want to dance. In the space of one song, it’s really not hard to see why the band are the bestselling girl group of all time.

The joyfulness only continues with school disco delight ‘Stop’, that played on repeat in teenage bedrooms everywhere. Underneath the bright, buzzing catchiness of “stop right now, thank you very much’, there’s something refreshingly relatable about the Spice Girls’ classic bops. Every teenager has known the particular, precise emotion involved in “it’s

cool but you don’t even know me”. While obviously the aim is sheer pop happiness, the band still provided an intense relatability for teenage girls all over the world. One of the only bands to have done so, the Spice Girls marketed themselves not only to young women, but for them also.

One of the remarkable things about the Spice Girls is the way they broke into the music industry. Prior to their debut (Spiceworld’s predecessor, Spice– originality in names wasn’t exactly their niche)British music in the 1990s had been deeply dominated by and associated with men. Bands such as Oasis, Blur and Pulp were leading the new wave of Britpop with a more alternative trend in music. The Spice Girls dismantled this trend singlehandedly, stomping on it in platforms and bringing bright, undeniable pop to the charts. People are quick to judge the group in comparison to this earlier phase, dismissing the band as manufactured and cheesy, just another example of people being willing to swallow anything labelled as pop. However, you can’t help but wonder if this is less to do with the quality of the music and more to do with the constant patronisation of women in the music industry.

It is more likely that the reason the Spice Girls were so astonishingly successful is because they were best in the game. Not only did they appeal to a gap in the market, the bright danceability of hits like ‘Never Give Up On The Good Times’ provided a refreshing contrast

Photo:EricMutrie @ WikimediaCommons

to the music scene of the time. Even twenty-one years later, people furiously underestimate the power of good pop.

The album is phenomenally catchy, with even slower songs like ‘Saturday Night Divas’ and the classic fourth single ‘Viva Forever’ being unforgettable. Soft strings play out over the latter, creating a certain ambience in the music that allows the echoing and melodic chorus to shine. The Spice Girls were masters of their genre, and knew exactly what would sell.

They epitomised girl power, and that shines most on the final track of the album, ‘The Lady Is A Vamp’. The formidable lyrics of “she’s a power girl in a nineties world” tell you of the Spice Girls’ fierce independence. When Geri Halliwell croons “Jackie O, we loved her so”, a smile can’t help but cross your lips.

These were girls who were fresh, feminist and free not only musically but in themselves.

They each had their own identity – Posh, Baby, Sporty, Ginger and Scary – and while you had one you wanted to be most (I was always a lover of Scary Spice), you could find yourself in all of them. They were simultaneously the girls you wanted to be your best friends and the girls you wanted to be. Just as they did in the nineties, they still spice up our lives.

Spiceworld Jasmine Bennett

10/10

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

The Big Feature: BBC Introducing Live’s Guide to the Music Industry

Olivia White had the pleasure of attending BBC Introducing's event at Tobacco Dock aimed to inspire and guide those wishing to pursue the unrelenting music industry

Kate Tempest

Photo: Jenny McCambridge @ Flickr

BBC Introducing Live is an annual event held to support, inspire and, in many ways, acts as a kick up the backside for current and aspiring musicians as well as music business professionals.

BBC hosts such as Radio 1, 1Xtra, 6 Music, Radio 3 and Radio 2 provide platforms for upcoming artists to showcase their talent, receive feedback and network with like-minded individuals. Across this jampacked 3-day event, a variety of panels, each taking a different focus and composed of leading industry professionals give advice, share experiences and offer the chance to ask questions. For musicians, panels included ‘Getting your music on the Radio’, ‘Get the show on the road, playing live and getting gigs’ and ‘How to earn a living from your music.’

But, the BBC Introducing Live team certainly did not abandon those aspiring music businessmen and women. Talks like ‘How to get a job in the music business’ and ‘Music Business Worldwide in conversation with Columbia Records’ really emphasised the importance of networking, gathering as much experience as possible and establishing yourself within your local scene.

As someone who is desperate to break through on the business side, my experience at BBC’s Introducing weekend was tailored towards getting my foot in the door at label companies, CV advice and connecting myself with a wider group of contacts. Although there was nothing particularly mind-blowing that was said by the speakers, I did leave feeling more inspired and motivated to continue in my efforts. However, I also left feeling a little bit startled- I had an overwhelming sense that no matter what position you are in and no matter what experience you have currently acquired, it’s probably not enough.

This is not to say I’ve had a crisis, but instead within a day of returning back to Manchester, I had reached out to more people, sent off those emails I had been previously hesitant to send and began planning far more intently on my future.

The overarching message that BBC Introducing Live conveyed was, you can absolutely do this. Yes, it’s a brutal industry, yes, you will undoubtedly be knocked down and confronted with ‘Nos’, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consistently push for those yeses. Because “all it takes is that one yes” and your wholehearted input to embrace wherever you are the opportunities it has to offer for you to flourish. This isn’t just applicable

for individuals with aspirations in Photo: The Mancunion the music business side but also musicians themselves.

Tobacco Dock was a cool and modern backdrop providing an overwhelming sense of community. A safe haven for freedom of expression was constructed and embraced by ticket-holders because there was an underlining understanding that everyone was there for the same reason. Everyone wanted to learn, mentor and assist people in pursuing their dreams and for that reason alone, BBC Introducing was worth paying a last-minute train ticket down to London.

BBC Introducing also demonstrated their efforts towards the importance of empowering women who want to pursue the industry in any capacity.

Panels such as ‘How to Get a Job in the Music Business’, ‘Music Managers Masterclass’, ‘Jobs in Live Music’ and ‘Women in Ctrl presents: Women Running the Music Industry’ hosted some of the most inspirational and empowering female figures that the current industry has to offer. Professionals such as Nadia Kahn, founder of Women in Ctrl, Dom Frazer, founder of the Boileroom, Jane Beese, Head of Music at The Roundhouse and Stefania Pavlou, communications and media relations manager for PRS, openly shared their journey’s and challenges faced whilst in the industry.

Such opportunities to listen to and chat to these admirable women was an open recognition from the BBC that the industry is very much in the motions towards a more equal industry free of discrimination. Even though there is undoubtedly more work to do, things are certainly changing. And what an exciting time to get involved!

Scattered throughout the day were live sets from upcoming musicians who were given the opportunity to showcase their talent on bandstands to passers-by as they traveled to and from panels. Artists such as Roman Lewis performed during the day and in the evening, people could buy separate tickets to see the likes of Ben Howard, DeadMau5 and DJ Target headline.

Before the week of its presentation, I had not heard of BBC Introducing Live offering such invaluable opportunities and I would say it’s a must for anyone wanting to conquer the industry.

Get Inspired. Get Experience. Get Socialising and Get to BBC Introducing Live 2019.

stretching the boundaries of spoken word, writing, and rap Kate Tempest is a brutally honest depiction of society and she’s only improving, writes Winona Newman Kate Tempest, the 32 year old South Londoner, is a master storyteller. Her work, which stretches the boundaries of spoken word, writing, and rap, is an ode to humanity; it’s a brutally honest yet humane depiction of her world.

Her 2014 album Everybody Down marked the start of her career as a touring music artist.

Before this, her work had been predominantly within the domains of spoken and written word.

The album tells the story of a couple - a modern day romance which, throughout most songs, cuts much of the romance in favour of real and tangible depictions of life. It touches on themes of family, drug dealing, dysfunctional relationships, and sex work.

Her latest single released October of this year; ‘Bubble Muzzle’ is a live performance and the musical version of an existential crisis.

The mundane nature and hardship of everyday life and becoming numbed to the world around you are certainly subjects Kate’s explored before, and she does so again with the same precision and gentle wit. For this single, Kate’s voice alone creates the rhythm with repeated refrains, moments of frantic speech and seconds of calm, like the days of long commutes and office jobs her words describe.

Tempest is the first under 40 recipient of the Ted Hughes Award and with two mercury-nominated albums in 2015 and 2016, she also was nominated for best female solo performer at the Brit Awards this year, she is someone to keep your eye on; someone to listen to when you want to escape from your reality to one of someone nearby or just want your ears to be warmed by pure talent - Kate Tempest is raw, relatable and real.

For fans of: The Streets, Young Fathers, IDLES, This Is The Kit, Jamie T and Loyle Carner

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Games

Jeremy Bijl gives his lowdown on the newest

Football Manager Football Manager is back, and it’s business as usual for the series. Whilst the game, having been subject to decades of polish, remains largely the same at its core, there’s some major improvements in FM19 which make it a worthy installment in the stellar series. Whilst some familiars issues have remained unaddressed, there’s enough here to provide a meaty update to the iconic series, even if it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel.

A lack of major innovation probably means that this iteration is not an essential upgrade for anyone who isn’t a hardcore player, but it’s definitely another step forward this year, even if there was room for one more.

The most welcome change (after the fact that, mercifully, the awful menu music of FM18 has gone) is the tactical changes.

It’s not quite an overhaul, but it’s certainly a big change. In FM19, tactical instructions are split into three distinct panels: in possession, out of possession, and in transition. The latter

photo:SportsInteractive

two of these, in particular, have received some much needed attention, and, overall, the new tactics system allows, for the first time, to manage all phases of play rather than treating the match plan as homogeneous.

Once you’ve finished tinkering and make your way onto the pitch, you’ll also find some decent tweaks to the match engine. Gone are the janky animations, the bizarre pass backs (mostly), the dawdling ‘stand on spot and turn in cir-

Football Manager Jeremy Bijl

19

Review: Football Manager

cles’ thing, and the fluorescent green pitch, and the match engine feels sharper, more responsive to tactical tweaks, and more attuned to representing football as the beautiful game, rather than the rather ugly affair that was last year. Adding noticeable curve to the ball physics is a nice touch, whilst a greater variety of goal types immerse you more in the experience than ever before.

As most footballers (I imagine) will tell you, the training pitch is just as important as the match pitch. Accordingly, training has finally received some attention, and this time it is an overhaul. Previously so minimal, SI have gone to the other end of the spectrum with a wave of new training features so zealous its almost overwhelming. Whilst this does result in the screen being unusually cluttered for a Football Manager game, this goes a long way to paying attention to the gaps between matches, which previously felt as long as your average international break.

This, along with a slightly enhanced player interaction system, meant my desire to holiday between games is the lowest it’s ever been.

Unfortunately, as I alluded to in my introduction, there are a couple of features that remain criminally under-developed, and have now been points of frustration for several years.

I am talking primarily, of course, about press conferences.

Press conferences: the bain of every manager’s existence. If you’ve played a Football Manager game for any length of time, you’ll know how dull, monotonous and unrewarding it is to wade through the in-game press’ array of recycled questions (sometimes they ask over fifteen) in order to progress to the match.

What really doesn’t help is that the questions are so middle of the road to begin with. SI has always struggled with recreating the drama of football by way of its press, and it really struggles here. Fortunately, the game’s relentless stat-tracking and the strength of the overall product means you’ll always thrive by creating your own narrative for your team, but much work is needed here if FM is to get to that next level.

Set pieces are another area that remains ignored, which is a shame considering how important they now are in the modern game - just look at England’s World Cup exploits. It’s started to make the game feel a little lopsided; ridiculous detail often sitting right next to over-simplicity. Perhaps SI

photo:SportsInteractive

want to leave themselves some major work to do on FM20.

FM’s biggest strength remains its insanely large and detailed database, which remains dutifully updated once again. This maintenance is vital, making the often number-based in game universe feel alive and diverse. From Barcelona’s first team to Harrogate Town AFC’s backroom staff, not a single corner has been cut in FM19.

Overall, this is another great edition of FM. Whilst it might not be a landmark installment in the series, it definitely throws down some markers and represents a significant improvement in the series, even if more could have been done to push forward some of its more archaic features. Whether it represents £37.99 of improvement is certainly up for debate, and whether this game is for you probably depends on what you want out of FM. If you are looking for an ultra-detailed installment with a rigorous focus on tactics and training, look no further. If you are waiting for the long-vaunted additions of improved man management, press interaction and enhanced personality, you may be best off waiting another year.

3/5 1 in 5 Brits don’t know

when WWI began, and Bandai Namco plan to address

Bandai Namco release 11-11: Memories Retold to commemorate the First World War, as the conflict’s centenery passes

Photo: BandaiNamco

that Bandai Namco, developers of titles such as Dragon Ball-Z, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Dark Souls Remastered and SoulCalibur, have published the results of a study conducted about the knowledge and awareness of the British public regarding the First World War. The research of 2,000 people revealed that a fifth (20%) of people do not know which year the war begun or the year in which it ended (20%).

Additionally, over a quarter (28%) of people can’t name the Battle of the Somme as a key event during the global conflict.

They also found that just under half (49%) of people know that the assassination of Archduke

Franz Ferdinand was one of the major causes of WWI. It also revealed that nearly a third (30%) don’t know that the poppy symbol from John McCrae’s famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ — was inspired by poppies growing across battle-scarred fields.

In response to the results, Bandai Namco have released a new game called 11-11: Memories Retold, which is intended to, “commemorate the centenary of the First World War and educate a whole new generation about the atrocities that occurred and the heartbreak experienced.”

Bandai Namco’s Lee Kirton also said that, “We hope through the power of the game we can help a new generation

discover more about the history and the importance of WWI.” Coming in at £19.99, 1111: Memories Retold’s profits will be donated to War Child UK, a charity aims to “protect, educate, and stand up for the rights of children caught up in war.”

11 bit studio have also partnered with War Child to release a a DLC for This War of Mine by the same name.

11-11 does not feature any combat, instead focusing on creating a mimetic experience to encourage remembrance and compassion.

Featuring a unique, pastel-coloured art style, the game will be available on the PS4, Xbox One and PC.

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Film

Wildlife Madeleine Peden reviews Wildlife, Paul Dano’s film adaptation of Richard Ford’s novel depicts the breakdown of the Brinson family

Reviews.

Madeleine Peden Contributor

4/5

Photo:John McColgan @Wikimedia , Tree branches: ARLOUK @ PixaBay

Where to watch: HOME Cinema, Vue Printworks

Wildlife is set in a small town in 1960s Montana, Paul Dano’s film adaptation of Richard Ford’s novel, depicts the breakdown of the Brinson family.

The narrative is primarily experienced through the eyes of Jeanette and Jerry’s 14-year-old son, Joe. The story follows the family fallout after Jerry loses his job and subsequently leaves the family unit to tackle the forest fires ravaging the Canadian border.

The story takes place over the course of one week. The drama that unfolds during this time is hinged on believable characters. This was most exemplary in Carey Mulligan’s portrayal of Jeanette. This character has the most dramatic arc as she shifts from domesticated housewife to unsatisfied woman in the midst of an existential crisis within the space of a couple of days. The true skill of Mulligan’s performance was realised in my internal struggle in response to Jeanette, regularly flipping between sympathy and frustration.

The compelling nature of the film was rooted in the shift in what viewers should consider the focal relationship. There are pivotal moments between each pairing that are thought-provoking and prompted sincere challenges to the archetypal relationships within the American nuclear family.

The film included some captivating shots and beautiful cinematography of the Montana countryside and surrounding wild fire that both contrasted and enhanced the emotional drama. Film ad-

A cohesive and well-paced ‘Nazi zombies’ movie, Overlord is a solid genre-mash up with impressive action sequences, and gruesome body-horror, writes Alfie Clark Directed by Julius Avery and produced

by J.J.Abrams, Overlord is set during the Second World War, and tells the story of Private Boyce, played by Jovan Adepo.

Private Boyce is a soldier reluctant to engage in violence and committed to saving the lives of his brothers-in-arms, no matter the risk. He is joined by Corporal Ford, played by Wyatt Russell, a far more pragmatic soldier, as they discover a secret laboratory run by the Nazis, in which humans are turned into zombie-like creatures with superhuman strength.

Both of these actors are serviceable in their roles, but the stand-out performance in the film for me was Pilou Asbaek as the main antagonist, SS Officer Wafner. If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, you’ll recognise Asbaek from playing the over-the-top villain Euron Greyjoy, and he brings the same hammy villainy to this role. Whilst the other performances are nothing special, I did like the characters and enjoyed their chemistry on-screen.

I would not go so far as to say that I loved this film, however I was incredibly impressed by its structure, which handled the two potentially clashing genres very well. The first 45 minutes feel like a normal war film, and yet somehow when the zombies were introduced into the plot, this did not feel jarring or comical. Though the plot of this second half was ludicrous, the film and the characters within it took it just as serious-

ly as before. In an era for film where we have franchises such as Deadpool, in which fourth-wall breaking jokes address the film’s silliness, I found it refreshing to see this film fully commit to the world it had created, no matter how ridiculous.

Additionally, the script remained tight and focused throughout, with no irrelevant sub-plots to distract from the action.

The action sequences of this film are where it really shined. The opening scene in which the protagonists come under fire in an aeroplane was a brutal and intense prologue that would fit just as well in any other WWII film. And, let’s be honest, the action is always more satisfying when Nazis are on the receiving end of it, and the film often gets creative with the kills, which was very satisfying for a fan of violent movies such as myself.

If you’re expecting a complex view of the soldiers who fought in the war – don’t. In this film, Americans are the heroic good guys, Germans are the reprehensible bad guys. Perhaps outdated, but it works for this film which could have just as easily been released in the ‘80s or ‘90s.

Overlord is not an ambitious, ground-breaking film, but it is largely successful at what it is trying to achieve. I believe that in the future it will become a cult-classic, and it deserves that status.

aptations of novels can risk diluting the impact of certain imagery through overt visualizations, but Wildlife made use of these effectively without relying too heavily on them.

Long shots of Joe’s face and the use of off camera conversations were effective in reminding us we are experiencing the story through Joe’s perspective. It was necessary to interpret, and think about what was not said or seen on-screen, relying on the audience to interpret what is shown and is exemplary of great storytelling. There were some moments that would have benefitted more from the use of the unseen and unheard, specifically Joe’s discovery of his mother’s infidelity. Generally, however, the cinematography is pretty flawless.

The film is also marketed as a realist drama which I felt to be brilliantly challenged by the consistent yet subtle reminders that we are watching this through a 14-year old’s eyes. This indicated that many of the moments are open to a more illusory interpretation. An interpretation that prompts questions including were the Brinson family as happy as Joe believed them to be before his father’s departure?

Overall, Wildlife tells a realistic and highly captivating story. A story with nuances and details that only fully revealed themselves in the days after I left the cinema, a response which is certainly an indicator of effective film making and powerful story telling.

Overlord Alfie Clark Contributor

3.5/5

Photo: Joi Itto@flickr

Where to watch: All major cinemas

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

KinoFilm Festival: In conversation

Film Our highlights 26th November 8:30pm We Love Manchester 1st December 4:00pm Middle Eastern Collection

with Paul Allen

Pick of the week:

Spotlights

2nd December 12:00pm Animation - Family kid’s corner

Deputy film editor Aisha Al-Janabi talks with Paul Allen, the festival manager of KinoFilm Festival

Board: OpenClipart-Vectors @ PixaBay Reel: Pixaline @ Pixabay

KinoFilm Festival is a nine-day international short film festival showcasing 300 short films in several beautiful locations across Manchester.

Having spoken to Paul Allen, the festival manager, it’s clear that the locations of the film screenings are just as important as the films themselves. The festival hub will be at the N.I.A.M.O.S. which is “back in the hands of the community and is an artist led space”. One of the ambitions of the KinoFilm Festival is to bring cinema back to the heart of the community; there are four venues used during the festival which together will “galvanise all the different communities in Manchester”.

There is an abundance of films on show throughout the nine days. Festival director John Wojowski and the team have split the programme into “big over-arching sections like British new wave, and then within that we’ve got British comedy”. One film Paul Allen recommended is Brexicuted by Chris Shepard, a satirical animation about Brexit which is “hilarious… and is one to watch”, which will be shown on the 30th of November at 4pm as part of Animation 1: Special Selections.

Now enjoying it’s 15th edition, the festival

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continues to be supported by volunteers and highlights the significance of the community within the festival. In addition to the 50-volunteers assisting the day-to-day running of the festival, an additional “team of [ten] volunteers come in when they can and do what they can” prior to the launch and the beginning of the festival.

This festival provides the opportunity and platform for voices that often get lost – short films don’t get the recognition they deserve and I’m glad that Manchester has an entire festival devoted to the celebration of these, especially one that is so international. There are a multitude of screenings collecting films from different countries, including O!PLA to promote the works of Polish animators, and a retrospective of Slovak Animations amongst countless others.

The festival runs from the 24th November until the 2nd December, with student tickets costing only £4.

For more details about the festival itself and the full programme of film screenings, take a look at the KinoFilm Festival’s website and scroll through the selections on offer.

Manchester Media Group’s very own Fuse TV team have started an ambitious project: Spotlights.

“The series that says what NEEDS to be said” puts students in the spotlight for two minutes and allows them to speak about any topic which matters to them.

This week, The Mancunion’s very own Deputy Opinion Editor Cachella Smith speaks her mind. Find out what she has to say at ‘Fuse TV Manchester’ on Facebook.

Spotlights premiered on Tuesday 13th of November.

Scan me to watch!

Obituary: Stan Lee

Photo: FuseTV

The revolutionary writer, editor, publisher, and producer Stan Lee passed away on the 12th November 2018, created many fictional worlds for all to enjoy, writes Ella Broadbent

Photo: Gage Skidmore @wikimedia commons

The revolutionary writer, editor, publisher, and producer Stan Lee has died at the age of 95, on the 12th November 2018. His death is a loss that will be felt by many; as editor-in-chief, then publisher, and chairman of Marvel Comics, his work has been a huge part of the entertainment industry, and his stories and characters have touched the lives of millions.

His characters are renowned for their humanity – their flaws allow their stories to reach out across generations, inspiring and entertaining their fans. His works include Spider-Man, The Hulk, and Daredevil – all of which continue to be huge successes. He also created the ground-breaking Black Panther, containing the first black superhero in a mainstream US comic. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a world which has gripped audiences since it began.

Appearing in cameos at unexpected moments in Marvel films, the writer and producer has already filmed clips for the new Avengers 4, prior to his death. It is also rumoured that he may have already filmed clips for other upcoming Marvel projects, such as Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, as well as the new X-Men films Dark Phoenix and New Mutants. Even after his death, we may be seeing more of him in the

future.

Stan Lee’s life was filled with achievements. He won countless awards for his work, such as The Life Career Award, National Medal of Arts, and the Harvey Award – The Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement. He became editor of Martin Goodman’s Timely Comics, a comic magazine, at 18. He then went on to lead the same company, which had become Marvel Comics, from a small business and publishing house to one of the largest multimedia corporations in the world. The top grossing superhero film of all time, Avengers: Infinity War, featured his characters and was set in the Marvel Universe that he created. Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger stated “A superhero in his own right to Marvel fans around the world, Stan had the power to inspire, to entertain and to connect. The scale of his imagination was only exceeded by the size of his heart.”

Despite all of his achievements and successes, Stan Lee’s biggest legacy will always be the the inspiration he gave to so many Marvel fans. The fictional world that he created gave people an escape from reality, and many fans will say that his stories and characters were a big part of their lives growing up.

He is a man that will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. As he often said, excelsior!

Christmas Menu Book Now 2 Courses £18.00 / 3 courses £20.00 To book your party please email bars.su@manchester.ac.uk to enquire about availability ALL PRICES AND OFFERS APPLICABLE TO NUS CARD HOLDERS ONLY

@TheStudentFOMO

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review: ‘Repeal the 8th’ The Manchester Literature Festival hosted a discussion on the historic repeal of the Eight Amendment that happened in May last year.

Ireland had been the only democracy in the world to have a constitutional ban on abortion, and the landmark change marked a crucial shift in attitudes towards women in Ireland. The talk was led by the Irish academic Caroline Magennis, who welcomed journalist and writer Una Mullally, broadcaster, and author Sinead Gleeson; and actor, comedian, and author Tara Flynn.

The three Irish women were all published in the bestselling Repeal the 8th Anthology. Published this summer, the book features stories, essays, poetry and photography inspired by the Reproductive Rights Movement and debates surrounding it in Ireland. It is a carefully complied snapshot of a historic, creative and progressive moment in Ireland that continues to evolve in the name of women’s rights.

The evening began with Magennis’ emphasising Manchester’s heritage and interlocking history with Ireland. Between 2010 and 2015, 30% of women travelling from Ireland for an abortion came to Manchester, and much of the audience was made up of various different Manchester Reproductive rights groups members.

Mullally set the tone for the evening with a reading of her poem, The Us’s. It is a rousing piece that she wrote on the day of the Constitutional Citizens Assembly to repeal the amendment. The poem emotively narrates an Ireland united in empathy.

Sinead Gleeson read from the anthology next, reading a day-by-day short story of a doomed teenage love affair. Tara Flynn’s

Books

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Daisy Lester reviews the Repeal the 8th reading at the Manchester Literature Festival and the anthology that celebrates the historic change.

contribution to the book is arguably the most sentimental; her short story details an Irish woman’s journey to Britain for an abortion (Flynn herself went to the Netherlands). The particularly affecting last line read “This is awful. I am so glad I’m here”.

The women, who were all central figures and speakers in the movement in Ireland before and during the referendum, defined the cultural moment as the result of “empathy and conversation”. Flynn argued that the repeal was catalysed by people finally telling their stories, an end to “’shunning’ and the rise of honest, nuanced conversation”, with personal, and often tragic, testimony proving to be greater than any parliamentary politics.

Mullally contested that Brexit and its aftermath was demonstrative of the deficient but very necessary role of conversation in politics. The emotional drain of the movement in Ireland was evident in the women’s respective testimonies of their campaigning; Flynn recalled how she was “balling 24 hours a day”.

They stressed the importance of the grassroots aspect of the campaign, and its intersectionality across gender and race while acknowledging the role of its precursor the Marriage Referendum. Despite the edifying nature of the repeal amendment, the women all highlighted the need for the historic event to not be rewritten merely as warm; there is also an element of sorrow in the country’s years of silence and inaction.

An audience question took the discussion to the controversial field of Northern Ireland and the continued struggle for Reproductive Rights. All three women, obviously impassioned, implored that they will not let down those fighting in Northern Ireland, stressing that progression is inevitable.

They critiqued the ‘crippling’ limbo in north of the border as a result of a lack of functioning assembly and the DUP’s impotence in Westminster. Mullally called the DUP a “Stockholm syndrome beast”, aiding Westminster in ruining the country.

In Northern Ireland, it is illegal to buy and supply abortion tablets, and Gleeson highlighted a recent story of a mother facing up to ten years in prison after buying her fifteen-year-old daughter an abortion pill online. The writers also discussed controversial American issues, from Kavanaugh’s confirmation to Trump and Roe Vs Wade. Gleeson argued that the existing extremity, and liberal regression in America is due to the lack of belief in, and inability to listen to women’s stories.

Mullally, the anthology’s editor, concluded the night claiming that she has never been more proud to be Irish. She said that the book is now an artefact and snapshot of a moment in history that Ireland and women everywhere will never forget. The book is testament to the creativity and passion of the grassroots activism, a record of the social justice and newfound body autonomy that sadly so many women were deprived of.

Photo: Shane Conneely @ Flickr

Review: ‘Sea Prayer’ by Khaled Hosseini Taibah Malik reviews Khaled Hosseini’s newest book, ‘Sea Prayer’, a short work about the Syrian Refugee Crisis accompanied by watercolour illustrations.

Photo: ALA American Library Association @ Flickr

Since his debut novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini has crafted a beloved style of writing in books which are deeply rooted in the heartbreak and turmoil of a war-torn Afghanistan.

Loyal readers like myself will know Hosseini’s story-telling to be powerful, his characters to be compelling, and know that their experiences will be felt long after the final pages. Alongside The Kite Runner another two of Hosseini’s best-sellers, And the Mountains Echoed, and A Thousand Splendid Suns, have sold over 50 million copies worldwide.

After five years, Hosseini indulges his readers with a fourth book, Sea Prayer, which was released this August. Sea Prayer completely sets itself apart from the author’s previous novels. In under 50 pages, with more emphasis on the British artist Dan Williams’ striking illustrations, the book can be easily read in about five minutes. And yet, at its core, it is still charged with the same compassion and poignancy that we have seen in the author’s novels.

Sea Prayer is the monologue of a father who, on a moonlit beach, confides in his sleeping son the nostalgic remembrance of

their city Homs, Syria, before the devastation and displacement wreaked by war. As they wait for their boat to arrive, the father illustrates his own vibrant childhood in his grandmother’s home.

But we can feel his hope ebbing and his fear growing as the morning comes. The title of the book perfectly encapsulates the plight of this parent on the eve of a terrifying journey, a journey which comes without a choice, a journey away from home.

Hosseini’s inspiration for Sea Prayer came from the haunting viral image of three-yearold Alan Kurdi, a Syrian refugee who drowned crossing the Mediterranean Sea, while trying to reach safety in September 2015.

Hosseini writes, “In the year after Alan’s death 4,176 others died or went missing attempting similar journeys. This book is dedicated to the thousands of refugees who have perished at sea fleeing war and persecution”.

The image of Alan Kurdi “bludgeoned” Hosseini; as a political refugee, he has expressed his own connection with the circumstances of displaced people. And as a parent, he could only imagine what it would be like to be Alan’s father. In Sea Prayer, the author invites readers of all ages to imagine

the despairing conditions that could force a parent to embark on such a perilous journey with their child.

Hosseini succeeds at depicting victims of the refugee crisis with humanity and interiority, in a climate where headlines aren’t always friendly. While short, the length of the book certainly does not compromise on the message.

Where Hosseini’s words verbalise humanity, Dan Williams’ outstanding artworks perfectly illustrate it. The water colours spill onto the page in arresting colours, painting a bustling bazaar, or monochrome strokes to show a murdered city. The pictures complement and enhance the author’s voice, elevating Sea Prayer to something much more than just a story-book. This is a small book, with a big message and a big heart.

Hosseini will donate all author proceeds from this book to the UN Refugee Agency to fund indispensable services for refugees around the world, as well as The Khaled Hosseini Foundation to support humanitarian relief for families in Afghanistan. The publisher, Bloomsbury will also donate £1 of profit from each sold copy to UNHCR.

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ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Theatre

Review: ‘Cinderella’ Emily Cushlow reviews ‘Cinderella’, the pantomime at the Oldham Coliseum

Photos: ArtsyBee, OpenClipart-Vectors, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Darren Robinson Photography

‘Cinderella’ was a perfect fit for the welcoming and cosy atmosphere of the Oldham Coliseum. Clearly a family friendly venue, the audience was filled with people of all ages and groups: families, work outings, and friends. At a time when pantomime could be considered a dying art and with a very varied audience to entertain, director and writer Kevin Shaw worked hard to pair the traditional slapstick and improvisation of the pantomime with more current references, by no means an easy task.

However, the pairing worked well for the most part, the cast transitioning easily from a rendition of YouTube hit ‘Baby Shark’ to a good old-fashioned round of “He’s behind you!” There were moments perhaps too crude for much of the older audience (and in all honesty, too crude for me), thanks to the Ugly Squeezepocket Sisters. But for the most part the fine line between humour and crudeness was balanced well. The sisters (played by Simeon Truby and Fine Time Fontayne) were a dynamic duo, and played off each other very well – anything that slipped over the line of crudeness only further delighted the younger audience members!

Such a varied script could only be carried off by a strong cast, and Shaw presented a diverse cast that clearly relished working with one another. Shorelle Hepkin played a vibrant and energetic Cinderel-

Photos: OpenClipart-Vectors, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Sam Whitehouse

la, with a radiant smile rivaled by nobody else on stage. Her Prince Charming, Chante Faucher, provided a strong performance, made even more impressive in the pin-thin high heeled boots she flitted across the stage in with ease.

The stand out performance of the night came from Sue Devaney, a veteran of the Coliseum, who carried out a brilliant performance of the wicked stepmother Vyella. Devaney played to the crowd’s response well and fuelled her performance further with humoured interactions. Her vocals added further to her performance, a step above what might usually be called for in a pantomime.

Devaney also featured in arguably the best scene of the night, even if it was accidentally so; a seeming lapse in memory amongst the stepmother and sisters created a moment of improvisation that led the audience to laugh out loud, myself included. Pantomime lends itself well to moments like these, and credit should be given to how well this scene was carried out.

Further mentions should be given to the beautiful scenery, and to the back-up dancers who performed with energy and elegance throughout the show, displaying a level of professionalism above their age. Overall, a light-hearted and fun night for anyone looking for a laugh, and a way to ease into the festive spirit. Definitely worth the trip over to Oldham!

Review: Plaster Cast Theatre’s ‘Action Man’

Rosa Uijtewaal reviews the return of Plaster Cast Theatre’s ‘Action Man’ ‘Action Man’ is a captivating play written by Lizzie Morris, returning to Manchester, this time at the 53two. This play tells the story of an army veteran whose life is ruined

by PTSD after his eight years of service.

His mental health issues ultimately leave him alone and homeless, cut off from his family and friends. The political engagement oozes out of this play and its relevance is impossible to miss, particularly the recent NHS budget cuts. An impressive debut play by Plaster Cast Theatre, made of University of Manchester students and alumni.

The audience followed Corporal Drury (Mike Moulton) in his training days in the army, as a soldier in Iraq, until at last he is forced to live on the streets. The play was fragmented and cut up by many flashbacks and hallucinations. The portrayal of living with PTSD was cleverly achieved by energetic, robust intervals of physical theatre and dance. A see-through screen at the back of the stage was used to depict Drury’s mind and memories with powerful silhouettes formed by other cast members. The fervently sung soldiers’ songs were a reoccurring theme throughout the play. While at first they fit nicely in with the enthusiasm of the young soldiers, further into the play the cheery songs became increasingly grim and chilling to hear.

It was striking to witness how the enthusiasm for warfare

and the army slowly declined into fear. At first, Corporal Drury was a strong presence; loudly bragging and joking with his fellow trainees. In the end, he was completely alone and helpless. Living on the streets where he could only differentiate between being awake and asleep, by the cold contrasting with the fire of his nightmares.

The strongest aspect of this play is its link with reality.

In a powerful scene Corporal Drury in vain tried to explain to the social workers of the NHS; in the army the one rule is ‘never leave a man behind’. In the endless circle of Kafkaesque bureaucracy he is neither heard nor helped. Clearly former soldiers are being shuttled from pillar to post.

The change Drury went through in the play was also beautifully portrayed in this relationship with two women. Mandy (Lolly Isaacs), the mother of his children who eventually kicks him out of the house, and his former girlfriend Ella (Ellie Klouda). The cheerful boyfriend turned into an aggressive man without control over his emotions. In a whirlwind of flashbacks and emotions, the three characters engaged in a dance that alternated between love and frustration. Both women eventually cut ties with Drury until he gets better. If, of course, he does ever does.

‘Action Man’ was stimulating, emotional and its message urgent; it deserves to be experienced by many more audiences!

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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A R T E F A C T

Art and escapism: the positive mental impacts of creativity

the week

Photos: Altoscroll @ Wikimedia Commons, Stephen Richards

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Photos: Fons Heijnsbroek @ Flickr, Bella Jewell

Bella Jewell considers the important role that the arts play in mental health and wellbeing.

In this edition of Artefact of the Week, Ellis Coopey looks at the curious links between vinyl players and Japanese sword making

Last week, 33 Oldham Street opened as the Northern Quarter’s newest multi-story listening bar. With it paying “homage to the intimate jazz cafés and vinyl bars found in Tokyo since the 1950s”, I wanted to delve deeper into the ephemera of this audiophile sub-culture.

There’s a lot to be discovered! In fact, 33 Oldham Street has a page solely dedicated to the sound system – soon to become a Mancunian celebrity. I can imagine the scene of people lining up to take selfies against these colossal speakers. However, it is not only these speakers that have caught my attention. I got talking to some experts at the 33 Oldham Street opening party and stumbled upon a legend of the audiophile world.

If you’re like me and have no idea about this kind of thing, you should know that each vinyl player has an arm and at the end where it touches the vinyl there is a cartridge. The cartridge is the little box from which the needle protrudes. Among aficionados, the mythical holy grail of cartridges is the Koetsu cartridge. These tiny things have a truly fascinating history.

Named in honour of the Japanese medieval artist Honomani Koetsu, the company was started in Japan by Yoshiaki Sugano. Born in 1907, Sugano was brought up in the tradition of crafting swords. As a young man he spent some time boxing, before going onto to have a very successful career at Toyota.

He’s said to have been true Renaissance man and when he retired at 60, due to his love of western classical music, he set upon improving the musicality of common phono cartridges. Bringing his metalwork as a sword maker and his experience in engineering, he pioneered the use of high purity materials such as 6-nines copper, 5-nines iron and rare platinum iron magnets. Combining these materials with natural elements like wood and stone, and on certain models applying traditional Japanese “Urushi” lacquers, Sugano changed the world of music reproduction.

Read the rest online at mancunion.com

Arts

The Arts Council has released new research suggesting that the arts and culture play a crucial role in improving one’s mental health and well-being. As a result, various projects have been launched, all aimed at harnessing the positive power of art.

The award-winning initiative, ‘Hospital Rooms’, decorates mental health wards with art, playing on the way in which art can alleviate the atmosphere of otherwise sterile environments. The project has gained attention following the recent visit of Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to the Garnet Ward — one of the many venues that collaborates with the ‘Hospital Rooms’ project.

However, as well as playing a therapeutic role in hospital wards, involvement in creativity can also provide an outlet for the personal relief of stress.

In an increasingly fastpaced society, catalysed by the relentless and invasive nature of technology and social media, often we do not make time for a moment of creative escapism.

In 2007, the Department of Health’s Review of Arts

A vibrant launch party for MACFest Aisha Al-Janabi and Bella Jewell reflect on the vibrant and celebratory launch event of MACFEST 2018 Photo: Bella Jewell

and Health Working Group found that art is integral to personal well-being. This research was backed up by a 2011 paper by the British Medical Association, which cited the reasons for this finding to be based on how creative activity can reduce boredom, therefore acting as an escape from daily life.

As a dual-honours student, I often found the stress of student living somewhat intense and claustrophobic.

Having attended several life-drawing classes in the Northern Quarter, however, I found these precious moments of creativity to be endlessly valuable in my attempts to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Escaping my social groups and switching off my phone for two hours allowed me to clear my mind, and instead focus intensely on something creative. In this way, creative activities can also redirect you to a different form of thinking; you’re producing something entirely different from the academic and strictly-structured work that university requires.

As universities and schools face increasing pressure to improve the

Walking into the opening gala was like being welcomed into a friend’s home; we were immediately hit with the intense fragrances of cumin, saffron, and garlic. By the entrance there was a generous spread of food, next to which people of all ages gathered.

We gleefully ate baklava, the likes of which we enjoyed with our own families during celebrations. This launch event was perfectly suited to the intentions of the Muslim Arts and Cultures Festival; bringing together different communities and sharing diverse cultures and traditions.

This event was held on the 11th of November – Remembrance Sunday – and gave the perfect opportunity to bring awareness to the foreign soldiers who fought for Britain during World War I. Despite WWI being taught as early as primary school, we are often too nation-centred and insular in our teaching. We overlook the contributions of those we relied on, Colonial subjects, Muslims included, who gave their lives for our future.

The audience was presented with a short film created by The British Muslim Heritage Centre. It recounted the input of Muslim soldiers, acknowledging that 400,000 Muslims from different countries fought for Britain during the Great War. This Sunday, they were finally given the respect of a minute’s silence and commemoration that we regularly provide to British Soldiers.

well-being of their students in light of a mental health crisis, it is clear that space needs to be made for creativity. The lack of Arts-based subjects at The University of Manchester means that there is a gap in this regard.

Groups like ‘Art on the Sly’ and the newly established ‘UoM Arts and Culture society’, however, seek to change this reality.

Through arranging accessible and interactive events for students, such as collage sessions and painting workshops, these student-led groups are providing a much-needed creative outlet in the student community.

The act of being creative, however successfully it is executed, is an important contributor to well-being.

Whilst the government is cutting funding from the arts, often labelling them ‘soft subjects’, the evidence is clear: art and health go hand-in-hand.

If you are interested in trying out something creative, check out the following groups on Facebook: Art on the Sly, UoM Arts and Culture Society, Studio Bee Life Drawing.

What followed was a variety of speeches, including a spine-tingling address by Qaisra Shahraz – the festival’s driving force, and “trailblazer” as described by Rusholme MP and Director of the Festival, Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar. Akbar praised her rejection of social expectations regarding gender; she threw off the stereotype of women being a housewife, instead pursuing writing and activism.

Qaisra called out the media for scapegoating the Islam following recent terror attacks, claiming: “I am fed up of reminding people that we have extremists and nutters of all faiths.” She went on to describe the need to acknowledge the beauty of Islamic cultures, saying, “enough is enough. I want to celebrate being a Muslim.”

The performances that made up the afternoon – from Sufi singing to Palestinian dance – gave a insight into the rich jampacked schedule of MACFest. The festival will support and give a platform to artists of different nationalities, ages, and backgrounds, bridging the gaps between the internal communities of the Islamic Faith.

MACFest is putting Islamic culture at the centre of discussions, shedding a positive light on a community which is often villainized. As Qaisra Shahraz summarised, the festival will “use the arts to bring communities together.”

MACFest’s schedule can be found on their website.

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Fashion & Beauty

Sparkle Incoming!

Hailey Baldwin X PrettyLittleThing is here!

The Mancunian fast-fashion giant is set to bring affordable glamour this festive season, unveiling its next celebrity collaboration with Hailey Baldwin, writes Jennifer Knowles PrettyLittleThing is the global fast to choose from and each equally as perfect fashion powerhouse that has put Manchester for this party season”. The range doesn’t go well and truly on the map. It has also easy on the sparkle, and provides head-tojust released its much-anticipated party toe glitz and glamour. It offers a collection collection with Hailey Baldwin. Grossing of shoes and accessories, loose elegant co£168.6 million in 6 months – March to ords, mini-dresses and bralets, as well August this year – it’s clear CEO Umar Kamani knows his target market. This collection doesn’t disappoint. Former celebrity collections have included Kourtney Kardashian, Ashley Graham, and Maya Jama. Similarly to the rest, Baldwin’s collaboration is set to be a sell out success, which launched on 6th November.

The 21-year-old model has walked for fashion giants like Tommy Hilfiger, Moschino, Philipp Plein, and Dolce & Gabanna. She has also graced the covers of Vogue, creating a respectable name for herself in the fashion world. Not to mention making headlines tying the knot with a little-known, Justin Bieber.

The collaboration makes sense for PLT who are trying evermore to boost their business growth in the US since their Photo: Christian Caron @Flickr. initial launch party with Kylie Jenner back in 2016.

Talking to Bustle, Baldwin said “I’m so dazzling ball gowns. excited to be announced as the latest face There are many bargains within the of PrettyLittleThing. I love their holiday collection, like the ‘Silver Glitter Mesh collection! There’s so many different looks Long Sleeve Shirt’, retailing at a reasonable

£25. This chic garment is ready to wear and has that ‘something I just threw on’ charm.

However, the sparkles give it something a bit more special. Worn loosely with a few buttons undone, half tucked into a pair of black trousers and some strappy stilettos would make this the perfect party outfit.

The ‘Silver Sequined Oversized Blazer Dress’ is one of the pricier items at £60, but is undeniably a statement piece.

It combines the structure of a tailored coat, a silhouette that continues to be on-trend, with the signature glittery silver fabric featured throughout the collection.

Yet its not just been the clothes of this collection that has got fans talking. The campaign imagery stars a variety of models cast alongside Baldwin. Also on the website each style is pictured with both regular and plus size models showing how they have made each and every item to fit all shapes, ranging from a size 6 to a size 26.

This is a refreshing change in contrast to the standard conduct that online retailers have generally. Carrying on from their tagline with Ashley Graham’s body inclusivity range ‘every BODY in PLT’ it’s clear the fashion giants are similarly promoting body confidence and providing the sparkle for all this festive season.

My Essentials for the ultimate winter wardrobe From animal print to chunky biker boots, Isobella Rae examines the high street to find the best value, staple pieces every wardrobe needs this winter!

Photo: Isobella Rae

From the snakeskin print dress to the on-trend biker boots, here is a sneak peak into my winter wardrobe. I will highlight the top three items I couldn’t possibly live without. Whilst also giving you a quick insight into how to style these super essential yet on-trend products.

Let’s talk animal print, your winter wardrobe is lost without it. From zebra stripes to snakeskin prints, animal print is without a doubt this season’s hottest trend. Priced at just £29.99, ZARA’s Snakeskin Print Dress is a must-have. This is one of the most fashionable yet affordable items in my wardrobe right now. The dress can not only be dressed up at night with a clutch bag and metallic heels, but it is also super stylish in the day with a pair of biker boots and a cross-body bag.

Effortlessly cool and unquestionably on-trend, biker boots will be your

go-to footwear for Autumn/Winter 18.

Whether you’re looking to soften their appearance with a tea dress or to channel the biker chick style with a leather jacket, Kurt Geiger’s ‘Sting Leather Lace Up Biker Boots’ are the perfect choice. Whilst they might be an investment at £189, it must be noted that these boots provide both style and comfort. These attributes unfortunately do not always go hand-in-hand when it comes to footwear.

Always a favourite in my wardrobe, the winter coat. A cheetah print coat may seem wild but it’s a simple way to add an on-trend touch to a basic outfi t.

Priced at just £35.99, New Look’s ‘Animal Print Coat’ is a serious style steal, not to be missed. It can be worn with a turtleneck jumper, skinny jeans and trainers in the day, or in the evening over your favourite little black dress.

This coat is more versatile than you would think.

Food & Drink 27

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Two for One deals on a watered down cocktail? Helena Young has had enough - it is time for the glass to shatter.

Perhaps it’s the influence of shows like Sex

xabay

mages @ Pi

ree-I r-Vector-F Photo: Clke

The sad tale of the modern cocktail

ally 100ml of juice and enough ice to take down the Titanic.

This problem is particularly apparent when you’re living in a student area. Wetherspoons,

and the City, but the suggestion of ‘going for

for example, offers an £8 pitcher of Long Island

cocktails’ has always seemed to evoke an im-

Iced Tea, the ultimate saver deal. That is un-

age of fine dining. It’s presented as a ‘classi-

til you take the first sip, which in my personal

er’ alternative to the English pub, where women

opinion feels like you’re drinking watered down

wear impractically lengthy gloves, and smartly

syrup with added lemon juice.

Of course, you get what you pay for, and no

dressed bartenders twirl exotic looking instru-

one really expects to get drunk from a £6 Moji-

ments.

Of course, this is an extremely idealised

to. But it’s time we stopped defiling the cock-

image and via more down-market places like The

tail name with, what is essentially, a glorified

Font, or Turtle Bay, cocktail bars have thank-

smoothie. Time we, at long last, banned menus

fully become associated with a more ‘jeans and

advertising ‘Mocktails’, which essentially boast

t-shirt’ style of establishment. Unfortunately,

the same meagre percentage as their supposedly

along with this new budget aesthetic, has ar-

alcoholic counterparts.

The madness cannot continue. Let’s return to

rived an increasingly sub-standard product.

It is time for the glass to shatter — cock-

the days where we choked down our Daiquiris with

tails are no longer our friends. They have

a wince, a time when two cubes of ice were a

become overpriced, fake alcohol; hidden behind

step too far, and an Aperol Spritz was more Ap-

mint leaves, pun-filled names, and novelty coast-

erol than Spritz. Let’s rid the cocktail indus-

ers. They entice us with the promise of cheap

try of its sour taste, and give it a much-needed

spirits, mis-sold in a 2 for 1 deal that’s re-

top up.

Comptoir Libanais: Lebanese Food Heaven

Elena Bradley reviews Spinningfield’s Lebanese food haunt, Comptoir Libanais.

From hommos to pink pickles, Is it hype-worthy?

The London franchise of Comptoir Libanais has

ans (and vegans) the same enjoyment that those

cheese samboussek (a pastry filled with halloumi

in recent years forged itself enough success to

pesky non-veggies usually have. The majority of

and feta) was delicious enough to make me ques-

expand into multiple locations; the most local

the menu being (unintentionally) veggie – a clear

tion my relationship. So, the mezze platter was

being Spinningfields in Manchester. Amid Neigh-

plus.

a resounding success. The pomegranate molasses

borhood, Australasia and Iberica, the area is

To start, we ordered the mezze platter for one

chicken wings were charred, glazed with sweetness

both upmarket and a classy date-night staple for

and the pomegranate molasses-marinated chicken

either ‘cocktails with the girls’ or an inti-

wings. The mezze platter for one was more than

mate dinner for couples. Regardless of the ‘nice

enough for both of us and alone, made me recom-

spiced lamb kofta with a tahini yoghurt sauce,

top and heels’ status of the latter restaurants,

mend this place to all my friends.

crispy onions and sumac-toasted flat breads. The

and zingy with fresh lemon: fit, basically.

For my main I ordered the ‘lamb kofta fattet’;

Comptoir Libanais has a more laid back

questions about my relationship that the

feel. The decor is beautiful; an Ins-

cheese pastry forced me to confront were

tagram-worthy, Souk-styled amalgamation

melted away by the combination of spiced

of colour, tiles and terracotta terrine

lamb and yoghurt that just forces anyone

dishes. Also, the drinks menu is one of

to fall in love all over again (so good).

the most appealing I’ve seen; twists on

In its immense tastiness this dish was

classic cocktails such as their pomegran-

also doubly satisfying to look at; served

ate and goji Cosmopolitan, The Comptoir

in its authentic terracotta tagine pot.

G&T (Haymans, Pink Grapefruit and Rose

This notion of rustic, authentic food

Syrup) and non-alcoholic Lebanese staples

really does contrast the Spinningfields’

such as fresh rose and mint tea and fresh

surroundings in a way that is relaxing and

lemonades with orange blossom, apple, mint

also indulgent, as the food is both beau-

and ginger.

tiful and unlikely to be something you’ve

Contributing to their middle eastern,

had before.

Souk style is the open kitchen allows you to see (and smell) the dishes being pre-

Overall, I’m singing Comptoir Libanais’ Photo: PxHere @Pixabay

pared. This in itself is something I have

praises daily. It isn’t often that I have such a memorable meal that was both something new

a lot of respect for, as this immersive dining

On one plate you get the most authentic, smooth

and absolutely delicious. Also it wasn’t over-in-

style allows you to trust the kitchen’s evident

hummus of your life along with hummus’ sexy cous-

dulgent to the point where I needed a stretcher

experience and also salivate at the smells of

in, ‘baba ghanuj’ (smokey aubergines blended with

to carry me out in gluttonous style. My advice

grilling koftas and roasting aubergines. Comptoir

tahini) and beetroot labne (tsatsiki’s pink cous-

would be that portions are big, so be wary of

Libanais’ website describes their food as ‘fresh,

in). Falafel at it’s ultimate best; light, crisp

over-ordering but ultimately, drop everything and

healthy, honest and affordable’. With this in

and galaxies away from the dense balls of grain-

go - you won’t be disappointed.

mind, their Lebanese cuisine affords vegetari-

iness you find in the supermarkets. Moreover, the

Lifestyle 29

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Should parents be informed about student mental health crises?

A recent proposal put forward by Higher Education Minister, Sam Gyimah seeks to enforce that universities inform parents if their children are facing mental health crises Victoria Evans Contributor In an interview with BBC Radio 4, Mr Gyimah stated that one in four students are currently accessing or waiting to access counselling services. “It would be irresponsible for any institution to turn its back on a student in need and further steps need to be taken to tackle the problem”.

Reactions towards the proposal have been mixed. Many believe that students need to act like independent adults, removing the need for parental involvement. For other students, life at university provides an escape from difficult family circumstances. Therefore, contacting parents could worsen domestic relationships, should student mental health problems stem from family difficulties.

Another argument is that it would be near impossible to enforce such measures in universities across the nation. Mr Gyimah made no comment on how he proposed to ensure the service is rolled-out nationwide.

To what extent should universities act in loco parentis? As institutions, universities provide educational certificates; their role does not involve filling the place of a parent. However, Mr

Photo: Policy Exchange @ Flickr

Gyimah stated that the transition period of ten weeks from school to university is too short for an individual to progress into adulthood.

He added that students were expected to deal with the responsibilities and pressures of independent study and living, while not receiving the same level of pastoral care readily available in school.

A question also remains about young people of the same age in employment; is it up to their employers to contact their parents should they face a mental health crisis? The latest governmental figures from July 2017 show 95 students committed suicide in that year. Suicide in the student population is not more prevalent than in the general population. Mr Gyimah still believes more steps can be taken in order to prevent or minimise this problem.

An investigation by Think Tank, IPPR, outlined a growing number of students who suffer from depression and anxiety.

They found the increase was largely caused by increasing financial and academic pressures. The number of students with mental health problems at universities has risen to its highest level.

Last year 15,395 students disclosed their mental health problems in their first year – a fivefold increase in a decade. Uni-

Dating Apps:

If you ask me...

do they contribute to the culture of anonymity?

Coming to terms with failure is a scary part of adulthood Ciska Howarth Contributor

Photo: Ron Bennetts @ Flickr

Do dating apps encourage a disingenuous approach to relationships, depsite the fact some have found love?

Emma Price Contributor Dating apps — such as Tinder, Bumble and a whole other array of sites — have changed the realm of romance. Whether you’re on the hunt for a short fling, a bit of company, or the love of your life, swiping right has never been easier. And as the negative stigma surrounding dating apps has decreased in recent years, so has the rise in users. These apps have become less taboo and are now a standard practice of single life.

With over 1.6 billion swipes a day worldwide, Tinder is the biggest dating app on the current market. But the act of ‘swiping’ is fairly void of emotion and is well known for being entirely based on initial attraction. The app offers you the chance to reveal or conceal as much about you as you wish. But this semi-anonymity emboldens people to behave in ways they wouldn’t in person.

Browsing online is attractive because it is far less intimidating than meeting people in social contexts and navigating awkward situations. However, it can completely detach you from the personal connections and feelings that the more traditional dating methods provide. This means many users spend time cultivating the perfect reply, removing any sense of spontaneity. Dating apps can add another layer of complexity to the already-loaded guide on dating etiquette.

The spaces created by these apps can offer a haven for

versities are ‘overwhelmed’ by the number of students seeking help. Some suggest that an increased awareness of mental health issues as contributing to the rise in mental health disclosures.

Following the May 2018 suicide of Ben Murray, a Bristol University student, Ben’s father began calling for the rules to be relaxed around data protection. He wants parents to be told if students are struggling. The University is working with Mr Murray to establish an ‘opt-in’ contract to contact parents, similar to the scheme Mr Gyimah is proposing.

Is the University of Manchester doing enough to help students with mental health problems? It is clear that this is a very sensitive issue, that has created divided opinion regarding solutions among the student population. The question of contacting parents might lie in the grey area, but what is most definitely not in the grey area: universities could always do more to protect their students.

The University of Manchester states that it “will promote awareness of, and a positive and proactive approach to, mental health difficulties”.

Contacts for the counselling service, advice, and support in times of a crisis are all available on My Manchester. The Students’ Union also has an advice service, open during the week.

false-identities, catfishing, and odd interactions — becoming a superficial enabler of the semi-anonymous hook-up culture. Users have the opportunity to act in any way they want because they are not tied to feeling the consequences. You can shut the app and pretend like nothing happened. Ego one hundred percent satisfied.

From personal experience (because, yes, I have dipped my toe into the water), I found I became very picky. Although it was a nice compliment to get a match, I found the whole idea of talking to strangers — the thing we are told not to do as a child — very, well, strange. I could drop conversations when I was bored and delete people who I was uninterested in. A completely dehumanising approach to potentially finding ‘the one’.

Alas, I wanted to find a dating app success story. Second year nursing student, Laura, enlightened me on her Tinder experience and the result at the end: “I downloaded Tinder after a bad experience with a boy — as a laugh at first, and just to get myself out there! I liked how it was anonymous and how they didn’t know anything about me” she said. “It allowed me to become more confident dating and more confident in myself.”

Laura met her boyfriend on Tinder earlier this year, and they are still together. Her experience testifies that it can be a great platform for introverts or generally shy people. As long as you have your wits about you and are true to yourself, dating apps can allow you to branch out in a way that you feel comfortable doing.

Coming to terms with failure is a scary part of adulthood. Sometimes, things aren’t going to go how you think they will. And, when that happens, you have to deal with the practical and emotional repercussions. Sometimes I miss being in primary school, where the biggest failure was not doing well on my spelling test.

Disappointment can crop up all too often at university. Maybe the jump from school to university has knocked your confidence, and the pressure of essays and exams has got the better of you. Maybe you’re graduating soon and you’ve been unsuccessful in a few job applications.

Whatever it is, there are times when failure can make the best of us feel lost and out of control.

My life got better when I accepted that sometimes things aren’t going to go as planned. I am not always going to get the grade or get the job.

I am not always going to be on top of things or feel like I am doing my best. You cannot fall apart every time things go sideways – you might wallow for a bit and have a cry, but at some point you need to pull yourself back together and just keep going.

This is easier said than done, especially when it’s something you really care about. But, things not working out does not mean that your life is going terribly. It does not mean you are not good enough, and it definitely does not mean that you are a failure. Mostly, it means that you can learn something valuable and that it was not meant to be at this time, and that is okay.

30 Sport

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Bellew bows out in Manchester

Tony Bellew has retired from Boxing after being well beaten in his pursuit of Usyk’s titles

5 draws in 5 games for Carlsen and Caruana in Chess World Championships Carlsen looks to defend his title in the first world championship between the top two players for 28 years James Gill Sports Editor

Photo: Updates News - YouTube @ Wikimedia Commons

Harry Deacon Sports Contributor Tony B ellew h as re tire d from b oxing after h is 8th round stopp age de fe at to U kra i nian f ighter Ole ks a nd r Usyk at the Manche ste r A re a .

B e l lew made it h ard work for t he Ukrain ian favour ite in t he fi rst few rou nds but the undi sputed cru is e r we ig ht cha mpion s oon took control of t he fight.

I n the pre ss confe re nce fol lowing the loss B e llew conceded th at he h a s lost to “potentially the g re ate st crui s erweight th at’s eve r l ived.”

Usyk retained his fou rbelt division monop oly with t he v ictory. B ellew sta rte d hi s career in the lig hthe avyweight div ision , but it wasn’ t u ntil he e nte re d t he ri ng as a cru is e rwe ig ht fighter th at h is ca re e r rea l ly took off, win ning a nd reta i ning both the W B O I nte rnation al and WBC crui s erweight title s.

The Liver pud lia n is known for h is two

he avywe ig ht s e ll out f ig ht s aga in st David H aye. T he two TKO vic torie s for B e l lew al s o racke d u p a n impre s s ive com bine d 1,6 6 5,0 00 p aype r-views, expla in ing why he cou ld s ay he h ad “ won i n l i fe” in the post-fig ht inte r v iew.

The fig ht th at to ok pl ace on Satu rd ay n ig ht was B e llew’s fin a l blow- out and re tu r n to the c r u is e r we ig ht division, but the WBA (Super), W B C , I B F, W B O, The R i ng , and line a l c r u is e r we ig ht t it le s e nde d the n ig ht be long i ng to Usyk .

B e llew’s ca re e r h as not on ly be e n con fine d to t he ring . H is role a s ‘ P ret ty’ R icky C on la n in 20 15’s h it f i l m C re e d s aw h is fa me re ach a much wide r leve l.

A fte r g rowing i nto an impre s s ive ca re e r that e nde d with a re cord 30 -1-3, B e l lew state d h is inte ntion s for a q u ie t re tire me nt in h i s f i n al inte rview a s a profe s s ion al boxe r: “ Now I j u st want to be nor m a l, s o ple a s e le ave me a lone. ” Pe rh aps t h i s w i l l be the la st we s e e of Tony B e llew in the pu blic eye.

Rowing Club kicks off the BUCS competition season

World nu m b e r one and two, M ag nu s Carl s e n a nd Fabi ano Car u an a, pl aye d t he i r f i f t h d raw i n as ma ny game s i n L ondon for t he world ch ampion s h ip s erie s.

T he 1 2-game m atch , organ i s e d by t he World C he ss Fe de rat ion ( F IDE ) , i s b e i ng pl aye d b e twe e n 9 and 28 Nove m b e r 2 01 8 and h as a pr i ze f u nd of one m illion e u ros.

Carl s e n s aid t h at “t he re i s s e r iou s ro om for i mprove me nt at t h i s p o i nt ” af te r t he cl i m ax of t he f i f t h game on T hu rs d ay wh ich s aw t he s core rem a in t ie d at 2 . 5 -2 . 5. T he t h re e -and-a- q u ar te r hou r m atch st ar te d br ig ht ly but u lt i m ate ly f i n i s he d i n a draw af te r 3 4 move s.

H i s opp one nt , Car u an a, op e ne d wh ich a highly ag g re s s ive p aw n s ac r i f ice e arly on wh ich prompted gasp s f rom t he c rowd . H i s i nte nt ion was to create pre s su re on Carl s e n and t r y to con f u s e h i m , forcing e r rors and le ad i ng to a h ig he r ch ance of v ic tor y.

“We l l , t h i s l i ne i s re al ly i nte re st i ng and i f bl ack is co op e rat ive it can ge t ve r y exc it i ng , ” s aid Car ua na .

“But M ag nu s one t he l i ne q u ite we l l and I think pl aye d i n a ve r y log ical way. ” Carl s e n , on t he ot he r h and , was u n faze d by his opp one nt s p e c u l i ar op e n i ng st rateg y. “ To b e hone st I was pre t ty h appy ab out t he op e n i ng . I fe lt as t hough af te r it cal me d dow n , on t he bl ack cou ld eve r rea lly b e b e t te r. But I cou ld n’ t f i nd a way to pu s h it . ” It was w ide ly b e l ieve d t h at Car u an a was under much more pre s su re t h an Carl s e n to ge t a w i n on T hu rs d ay w it h t he wh ite pie ce s. Unde r t he rule s of t he 1 2 game s e r ie s, t he colou r of t he piece s mu st b e reve rs e d at t he h al f way p o i nt . T h i s leads to an i nte re st i ng p ai r i ng of game s, s i x and s even, whe re b ot h pl aye rs u s e t he s ame colou rs for two con s e c ut ive game s.

Carl s e n , who won t he i n it i al d raw n , chos e to pl ay G ame 1 as bl ack . T h i s me an s t h at he w i l l play a s wh ite i n G ame 6 and G ame 7 on F r id ay and S u nday.

“O f cou rs e dou ble bl ack i s com i ng u p and t h i s is a q u ite a s e r iou s ch al le nge, but t h i s was always go ing to h app e n , ” s aid Car u an a. “A nd whe t he r I w i n or draw (on T hu rs d ay) , t h i s was st i l l go i ng to h app e n . S o I was n’ t appro ach i ng t h i s game d i f fe re nt ly t h an a ny ot he r. ” “I can on ly pl ay for a w i n i f I ge t s ome t h i ng a nd I can on ly re al ly b e d i s app o i nte d t h at I m i s s ed a ch ance i f I ge t s ome s or t of ch ance i n t he game. And i f a game i s l i ke t h i s whe re we b ot h pl ay more or le s s cor re c t ly and ne it he r of u s m ake s a s e r iou s m i st ake, I don’ t t h i n k t h at I can re al ly b e d i s app o i nte d .”

Manchester University comes away with two medals in a very successful event for the club.

Mia Gair Sub-Editor On Satu rd ay 1 0th November Manche ste r University B oat Clu b ( M U B C ) to ok part in the first BUC S event of the year – BUC S I ndoors.

The d ay kicked off with t he S en ior Men rac ing in O pe nweight Men’ categor y over a d istance of 20 0 0 m .

Fe l i x Ru mmel put in a g re at performance, win n ing ye t a nother medal for the clu b i n a t ime of 6: 17. 3, me a n ing he to ok home bronze. The re wa s a ls o a top ten f inis h for t he S en ior men’s capta in , F ra ncis Heylen .

The next event th at featured an MUBC ath le te s wa s the Lightweight Me n’s category, where we ca me away with a 4thplace from B e rt ie Gregory, and fou r top ten fin ishe s. The la st of the s en ior race s wa s the Women’s Op enweight whe re Rosa Thomp s on came away w it h 4th place.

After the lu nch bre a k it wa s time for the b eg in ne r rowe rs to comp ete acros s the

s hor te r d ista nce of 1 000m .

Th is ye a r, M U B C has s e e n a wave of beg in ne r rowe rs j oin the clu b. M a k i ng t h i s ye a rs BUC S I ndoors t he b e st tu r nout M U B C h a s s e e n .

The Novice me n’s category h ad ne arly 1 00 e ntr ie s, with M U B C m ak i ng u p ove r a q u a r te r of t he m .

Tom B obrows k i prove d to be the fa ste st M a nche ste r Novice m a n of the lot ; w it h h i s time plac ing h im in 7 t hpl ace.

The fin a l ind ividu a l race was the Novice Wome n , whe re M U B C ’s top plac ing wom an ca me 5 th ove ra ll.

The d ay e nde d w it h the most exc iti ng and compe titive race : t he re lays. T he S e n ior me n’s first te a m he ld the i r ow n in a compe titive f ie ld and ca me away with 3 rd pl ace.

With the s e n ior wome n n a r rowly m is s ing out on the pod iu m with 5 t h pl ace.

Ove ra ll it wa s a n inc re d i bly succe s s fu l we e kend , and a g re at platform of f wh ich the clu b ca n bu ild . T he next compe tition ta ke s t he clu b back ove r the Pe a ks to York , k ick ing off the he ad rac i ng s e a s on .

Photo: Barnos @Wikimedia Commons

World C ha mpion C a rls en s eem s to b e excited for his double-header a s white. “It ’s like a ny round-ro bin tourna ment ,” C a rls en s a id. “If you have a double black or a double white, you kind of s ingle t hat out when t he tourna ment st a rt s. That is eit her your opp ort unity to st rike or when you’re at your most v ulnera ble. I a m lo oking forwa rd to it , o bv iously, a nd we’ ll s ee what happ ens.

“But most of a ll I’m j ust more or le s s happy w it h t he way t hings a re go ing w it h black a s it ’s clea r to t he na ked eye t here is s erious ro om for improvement at t his p o int .”

While t he on-b o a rd act ion ha s b een most ly w it hout dra m a , t here ha s b een m aj or of f-b o a rd cont roversy. E a rly on Tue sday morning, a two m inute clip wa s uplo aded to t he Sa int L ouis C he s s C lub’s Yout ub e cha nnel b e fore q uickly get t ing t a ken dow n. The v ideo cont a ined det a ils of C a rua na’s s ecret prep a rat ions for t he tourna ment .

In t he brie f p erio d of t ime t he v ideo wa s online for s creens hot s were t a ken a nd w idely sha red online where che s s fa ns dis s ected what t hey saw. The v ideo included s hot s of a laptop which cont a ined op enings supp os edly b eing re s ea rched by C a rua na for his up com ing s erie s w it h C a rls en.

There wa s a ls o t he na me s of t hree gra ndm a sters cont a ined w it hin t he v ideo – L einier D om ínguez, Alej a ndro Ra m írez a nd Io a n-C rist ia n C hirila – who could b e working w it h C a rua na a s s econd’s in his ca mp to help t he America n pract ice.

When told a b out t he fo ot age in a n interv iew C a rls en s a id w it h a sm ile “well, I’ ll have a lo ok a nd t he v ideo a nd t hen m a ke up my m ind.” C a rls en’s m a nager, E sp en Agde stein did not com ment on t he v ideo up on it s init ia l relea s e but later adm it ted t hat he t hought it wa s a m ist a ke by C a rua na’s ca mp.

Ta lking to Norwegia n che s s j ourna list Ta rj ei Svens en Agdenstein s a id “I t hink t his is rea l. It ca n happ en by m ist a ke, a nd we’ve b een clos e to m a king t he s a me m ist a ke. It ’s more likely t hat it wa s a m ist a ke t ha n t hat it wa s st aged.”

The v ideo re sulted in sp eculat ion of t his b eing a delib erate at tempt to spread m is inform at ion to C a rls en, prompt ing him to wa ste his energy prep a ring for op enings t hat C a rua na ha s no intent ion of play ing.

This ha s b een deemed unlikely by a ll fa m ilia r w it h C a rua na or high-level che s s in genera l a s s ome of t he op enings s how n in t he v ideo have a lready feat ured in t he f irst few ga me s.

B ot h C a rls en a nd C a rua na w ill b e hoping to brea k t he deadlo ck over t he weekend a nd enter next week in a leading p os it ion. The 12-ga me s erie s w ill b e played unt il Novem b er 28 t h, a nd is s how n for f ree on t he F IDE web s ite.

ISSUE 9 / 19th November 2018 WWW. MANCUNION.COM

Sport 31

Spectacular City underline Manchester hierachy with Derby day dominance

Man City 3:1 Man United Sam Honey Deputy Sports Editor M anche ster City re -a s s e rte d the ir dom in a nce i n the city with a dom in a nt de r by de fe at of ne ighbou rs Manche ste r Un ite d .

The citizen s’ now s it two points cle a r at the top of the P remier L e ag ue a nd re m a in u n be ate n i n dome stic comp etition th is s e a s on . The re is now a n 8-p oint gap be twe e n the su m m it a nd 5 thpl ace d Ars en al, as the m a in title ch a lle nge rs beg in to pul l away, with nea rly a th ird of the ca mpa ig n havi ng p ass ed .

The two side s he ade d into the ga me with contrasting form shee ts, with Pe p Gu a rd iola’s te a m havi ng won their p ast s ix m atche s, conce d ing j u st once, stretch ing back to a 0 -0 d raw with L ive rpool at t he start of Octob er.

United meanwh ile h ad strug g le d to ke e p pace w it h t heir rivals in the le ag ue but h ad produce d a n i mpre ssive p erfor m a nce in m idwe e k to s core two l ate goals to pick u p a ll th re e points in t he i r Ch ampion s L eag ue Grou p Stage cla s h with Juve ntu s.

City started the ga me with a sta r ting 11 th at ha s become almost a staple, with R iyad M a h re z keepi ng h is place in the s ide a he ad of L e roy Sa né.

The Algerian h as overcome h is pe n a lty m is s at Anfield and h it a f ine ve in of for m .

The Red D evils controve rsy ove r te a m s election continued a s Pau l Pog ba wa s not i ncluded in the matchd ay s q u ad , appa re ntly due to i nj u ry, wh ile Romelu Lu ka k u wa s be nche d a s hi s dry sp ell continue s.

Mou rin ho began the ga me without a re cog n is e d ce nt re-forward , with M a rc u s Ra s h ford playing dow n the midd le of the front th re e, a long s ide Je sss e Lingard and Anthony M a rtia l.

Ash ley You ng als o continue d for Un ite d at R ight-Back, a que stion a ble choice con s ide r ing the pace of Raheem Sterli ng a nd R iyad M a h re z .

The away side b ega n the m atch on the back front , as the h igh-pre s s ing c ity dom in ate d the openi ng exch ange s.

The sky blue s were a he ad a fte r j u st 14 m inute s,

David Silva 12’, Sergio Aguero 48’, Ilkay Gundogan 86’, Anthony Martial 58’ (P)

w it h Dav id S i lva bu nd l i ng away af te r Un ite d fai le d to cle ar. City h ad al most al l of t he b al l i n t he op e n i ng exch ange s, and t he le ad was de s e r ve d .

Un ite d got b ack i nto t he conte st as t he f i rst h al f cont i nue, and we nt i nto h al f- t i me on leve l te r m s. T he de f ic it was dou ble d ju st a few m i nute s i nto t he s e cond h al f whe n S e rg io Ag üe ro f i n i s he d br i l l i ant ly ac ros s Dav id D e G e a af te r a bre at ht ak i ng move f rom t he home s ide, c u l m i n at i ng i n a one two b e twe e n Ag üe ro and M ah re z .

S e n s i ng t he ne e d to ch ange t h i ng s, Mou r i n ho lo oke d for a su p e r su b i n Lu kak u , swappi ng t he B e lg i an st r i ke r for L i ngard , who h ad e ndu re d a toug h de r by.

Lu kak u’s i mp ac t was i n st ant . P ut t h roug h on go al , t he 2 5 -ye ar old’s cleve r touch to ok t he b al l away f rom t he oncom i ng E de rs on , whos e m i s judge d re ach s aw City g ive away a p e n alty.

A nt hony M ar t i al ste pp e d u p and co oly conve r te d to h al f c ity’s de f ic it .

T he Re d D ev i l s broug ht on Ju an M at a and A lex i s S anche z i n t he hu nt for an e q u al i s e r, but City s lowly re - e st abl i s he d t he i r dom i n ance and lo oke d com for t able at 2-1 .

Wit h ju st fou r m i nute s le f t , t he re su lt was s e c u re whe n G u ndogan was le f t i n ac re s of sp ace i n t he m idd le of t he b ox , to cont rol t he b al l and s lot home.

D e spite lo ok i ng l i ke t hey cou ld pro duce a come b ack at one p o i nt , Un ite d’s los s was a m i s e rable re al ity che ck of t he i r st at u s i n re l at ion to t he i r r ival s, h av i ng s e c u re d con s e c ut ive away w i n s i n t he i r p ast two game s.

Re al i st ical ly, t he re was l it t le ch ance of Mou r i n ho’s me n ste al i ng a w i n f rom t h i s f i xt u re, regard le s s of for m , but t he i r i n abi l ity to re al ly pre s s t he i r opp one nt s for a s e cond go al af te r t he p e n alty w i l l conce r n fan s.

T he re w i l l al s o b e f u r t he r f r u st rat ion w it h Mou r i n ho af te r t he i nex pl icable exclu s ion of Lu kak u and F re d , su re ly two key pl aye rs for a game of t h i s m ag n it ude.

Now 1 2 p o i nt s of f City, It lo oks as of f t he wait for a t it le at Old Traf ford w i l l exte nd to s i x ye ars t h i s s e as on .

Photo: Lineup Builder @ Chosen 11

Photo: Lineup Builder @ Chosen 11

Photo: Higor Douglas @ Wikimedia Commons

Brexit: The Threat to the Transfer Market and Competitive Balance of the Premier League Sam McGonigle takes a look at how Brexit could cause massive changes to the Premier League Sam McGonigle Sports Contributor As Britain heads towa rd s a n exit from the Eu rop e an Union ( EU) in March , we’ re still none the wis e r a bout t he possi ble f utu re for the Un ite d K ingdom . T he P re m ie r L e ague is clearly wary of the pote ntia l impac t of B rex it , w ith the fear th at toug h , new reg u lation s on s ig ni ng pl aye rs f rom the EU cou ld lim it the ta le nt th at clu bs can acce ss.

I n the cu rrent syste m , clu bs a re fre e to s ig n a ny playe r from a cou ntry re sid ing in the Eu rope a n E conom ic A re a (EEA) as p art of the of fre e dom-of-move me nt laws, ye t there are strict ru le s gove rn ing the playe rs they a re able to sign from outside the EEA .

Ess entially, to sig n a non-EU n ation a l, they mu st appea r regu larly for a cou ntr y in the top 6 0 of the world ra nki ngs, or command a tra n s fe r fe e or wage s exce e di ng the med ian p aid by P re m ie r L e ag ue clu bs the previou s yea r, to sugge st they a re a n exce ption a l ta le nt.

The P remier L eague’s g re ate st conce r n is th at the s e rule s cou ld now b e exte nde d to a ll Eu rope a n playe rs, obst ructing clu bs’ abi lity to re c r u it from the contine nt .

For t he clu b s outside the big s ix, who a re much more l i ke ly to sign players who do not othe r wis e me e t t he work p ermit criteria, they will u ndou bte d ly su ffe r.

The s e regu lation s wou ld ca ll into q ue stion t he competitive balance of the P re m ie r L e ag ue a nd in st i l the a l ready e stablishe d e lite, m a k ing the like lihoo d of a not her L eice ster title m iracle a lmost impos s ible.

The Totten h am m a n age r M au ric io Poche ttino h as crit ici s ed the decision to le ave the Eu rope a n Union .

The Argentine compa re d B r ita in’s withd rawa l from the Europ ean Un ion to a ca r c ra s h a nd s ays th at t he unce rtainty shou ld prompt the G ove r n me nt to con side r pausi ng March’s s chedu le d exit.

In t h i s su m me r ’s t ran s fe r w i ndow, Tot te n h am b e came t he f i rst P re m ie r L e ag ue clu b not to buy a s i ng le pl aye r s i nce t he w i ndow’s i nt ro duc t ion i n 2 003.

Po che t t i no b e l ieve s t he pr ice of de l ive r i ng t he new W h ite H ar t L ane, wh ich h as i nc re as e d ow i ng to t he fa ll i n t he value of t he p ou nd , i s one of t he fac tors t h at h ave stopp e d h i m add i ng to h i s s q u ad .

Tal k i ng ab out t he c u r re nt i nve st me nt s, Po che t t i no st ate d “W h at t he clu b i s do i ng is so brave… bu i ld i ng a new t rai n i ng g rou nd was a m as s ive investment, t he st ad iu m i s ne arly £ 1 bn .

A nd t he n w it h B rex it it i s wors e b e cau s e t he cost i s 3 0% more.

T h at i s a d ram a to o. I fe e l s or r y for t he E ng l i s h pe ople.”

However, t he M anche ste r City co ach Pe p G u ard iol a h as h ad l it t le to s ay ab out t he consequences of le av i ng t he EU and rat he r chos e to cong rat u l ate t he

United Kingdom , say ing “ The t hing t hat I adm ire most a b out E ngla nd is t hat … you have a ll b een a ble to vote,”. The former Ba rcelona co ach is s eem ingly approv ing of t he Brit ish demo crat ic system . G ua rdiola is know n for his p ers ona l v iews on C at a lonia a nd ha s a lways rem a ined a vo ca l prop onent of supp ort for t he impris oned act iv ist s a nd p olit icia ns ca mp a igning for C at a la n Indep endence.

Photo: Flickr @Duncan Hull

Photo: Flickr @Lewis Royden

Learning to skate with the University of Manchester Skate Club

Sports Editor James Gill talks to UMSC President Finn Vautier about how the society tries to build confidence in new skaters James Gill Sports Editor L earn ing to skate m ay s e e m d au nting . At t he skatep ark, everyone s e e m s fa r be tte r th a n you a nd it fe e l s l ike all eye s are on you whe n you tr y a s imple tr ick .

The Un iversity of Manche ste r Skate boa rd C lu b ( U M S C) i s tryi ng to tackle th is by m a k ing the sport inclu s ive for eve ryone, regard le ss of ge nde r or a bility.

F i n n Vautier, P re s ide nt of the s oc ie ty, invite d me to one of their b egin ne r s kate boa rd s e s s ion s. He ld eve ry Wedne sd ay, the s e s s ion s la st for five hou rs and a re a i med at p eople of a ll s k ill leve ls. T he U M SC te am a re t here to teach eve ryth ing , from ba s ic move me nt on t he b oard to more complex tr icks. I nclude d in t he five-pou nd price too is a ll the e q u ipme nt you’d ne ed s o there’s no need to buy you r own .

“We’ re try ing to foste r a n atmosphe re of inclu s ion and confidence,” Vautier s a id . “As a n ac tivity s kate boa rdi ng ca n often app ear intim id ating a nd u n approach a ble for begi nners. We’ re try ing to introduce s kate boa rd ing to a l l students and to cre ate a d ive rs e me m be r ba s e. It ’s a ma ss ive s ocial too, a s ca n be s e e n by the succe s s of our s e s sion s and s ocials, with the s kate pa rk be ing a s afe s o ci a l sp ace f u ll of activity a nd life. ” Pa rt of wh at make s the s e s e s s ion s s o g re at for thos e that attend is the venue, P roj e kts MC R Skate pa rk . T he l a rge and varied skate pa rk is off the m a in road s o you don’t have to worry a bout pe ople con sta ntly wa lk i ng

p ast . Not on ly t h at but it ’s u nde r ne at h t he M anc u n i a n Way ne ar t he c ity ce nt re, s o no m at te r t he we at he r, you can h ave a g re at t i me.

In add it ion to t h i s, al l t he co ache s who r u n t he s e s s ion s are i nc re d i bly f r ie nd ly and su pp or t ive, i nte re ste d i n m ak i ng su re eve r yone h as a g re at t i me.

O ne of t he t h i ng s t hey fe e l proude st of i s t he p e ople who come one we e k to t r y t he sp or t out for t he f i rst t i me a nd come b ack t he next we e k w it h t he i r ow n b o ard .

Vaut ie r and t he te am h ave worke d ve r y h ard to c re ate a value - for- money eve nt for st ude nt s. T hey to ok ove r f rom a te am l ast ye ar who d id not organ i s e m any eve nt s and b e cau s e of t h i s, t he re was no f u nd i ng f rom t he u n ive rs ity t h i s ye ar. As a re su lt , t hey h ave h ad to re bu i ld t he s o c ie ty al most f rom s c ratch . “ T he s o c ie ty was non- ex i ste nt l ast ye ar, t here was on ly a face b o ok g rou p, ” he s aid . “ T he re we re no fou nd at ion s whe n t he new com m it te e to ok ove r. T h i s is to s ay we h ad to bu i ld a re l at ion s h ip w it h t he s kate p a rk i n orde r to r u n ou r eve nt s.”

A long s ide t he for-al l co ach i ng eve nt s, UM S C al s o works w it h t he s kate p ark on wome n- on ly s kat i ng eve nt s on T hu rs d ay n ig ht s. T he s e s s ion s are for al l age s and abi l it ie s and most ly s e r ve as b eg i n ne rs le s s on s. Again al l e q u ipme nt i s prov ide d s o t he s e eve nt s are p e r fe c t to t r y s kate b o ard i ng for t he f i rst t i me.

L e ar n i ng how to s kate can b e an e sp e c i al ly d au nt i ng as a g i rl , w it h s kate p arks dom i n ate d by me n . Con nie G as coy ne, who r u n s t he s e eve nt s, s aid t hey are ai me d at

p eople who ‘a re to o nervous to come to t he skatep a rk on t heir ow n’. B ot h weekly s e s sions a re a imed at building conf idence a nd bringing t he sp ort to p eople t hat lacked t he conf idence to lea rn on t heir ow n.

Away f rom t he skatep a rk, UMSC ha s run a num b er of s o cia ls including a skate tour at t he st a rt of t he yea r of s kate shop s a nd sp ot s. There wa s n’t a lot of intere st in t he event online s o t he orga nis ers were a bit worried t hat no one would b e intere sted. When t hey a rrived at t he st a rt sp ot t hey were blow n away to s ee over 50 p eople w it h s kateb o a rds, longb o a rds a nd bike s, a ll wa nt ing to have f un a nd meet ing new p eople.

Mov ing forwa rds, Vaut ier s ee s t he s o ciety ex p a nding fa r b eyond where it current ly is. “In t he f ut ure, we hop e t hat t he s o ciety ca n colla b orate a nd form st rong links w it h ot her s o ciet ie s. We’re in t he pro ce s s of orga nising a few sp ons ors hip s. We’re a ls o hoping to run our ow n s kate j a m s in t he f ut ure where we w ill donate t he pro ceeds to cha rit ie s like s katep a l, who build skatep a rks in Pa le st ine. Anot her idea we’re lo oking into is hav ing our ow n app a rel.”

The s o ciety is lo oking forwa rd to t he op ening of a m a s sive new skatep a rk in Sa lford t his D ecem b er.

G raystone Act ion Sp ort s Ma nche ster w ill b o a st a venue much la rger t ha n t heir current one a nd w ill b e a de st inat ion for event s in t he new yea r.

For more inform at ion a b out t he s o ciety a nd t heir event s s ea rch “UMSC - Univers ity of Ma nche ster Skateb o a rd C lub” on Faceb o ok.

Inside Sport: James Gill wins best Editor! Sam wins deputy! Sports win best section too!