Hollycross Success Issue Number 2 : October 8th 2007 Naz KUSU President
It has been a long time coming, but students have finally prevailed in their fight against the University. The Independent Advice Unit and I have negotiated a deal with the University to compensate £150.00 to each student who lodged a formal complaint to the University over the Holly Cross showers situation. It was way back in May 2007 that it was brought to the attention of the Students’ Union that not all was well with the showers in Holly Cross. Although the University had been trying to resolve the problem since November 2006, the showers continued to cause students problems. The situation with the showers
found many students playing ‘Russian Roulette’ to see what they got, hot or cold water and many extreme variations in temperature within the space of a minute. The students of Holly Cross who were effected took action by signing a petition and complaining directly to the University. This issue was taken up by my predecessor who wanted to resolve the situation. After continuous negotiations over the summer by myself, and the hard work of the Independent Advice Unit, we managed to negotiate a deal for the aggrieved students. The total compensation is in the region of £17,000 and has resulted in the Holly Cross showers being fixed. It is good to know student activism is still alive and
kicking. For those who feel that they should have received compensation but have not done so can pop into the Independent Advice Unit to discuss the issue. It is the willingness of the University to safeguard student welfare that has allowed us to achieve such a good deal for students. We will continue in the same vein, working very closely with the University on a wide range of student issues. The Students’ Union will continue to fight for student concerns and issues, so if you do have any problems please feel free to contact myself or any of the other sabbatical officers. president@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Keeleopoly
Matt Alexander Vice- President Democracy & Communications
In Concourse Issue 2 Meet the Members of Union Committee > Page 2
Those of you out there who are on Facebook (thats probably a good 99% of you!) will have no doubt have noticed a few months ago, a huge petition to get Keele on the new UK-wide Monopoly board. While this petition once again highlighted the huge strength of Facebook, it also highlighted how patriotic Keele students are about their University and the willingness for them to shout about it. So after thousands of votes were cast I am pleased to announce that Keele has finally made it onto the new board beating cities such as London, Manchester and Cardiff! This is a great
Donʼt get burnt! With our fire safety guide > Page 3
success for Keele and will quite literally place us on the UK map! Hopefully in the coming months you will all have a little less explaining to do to your friends back home when they ask ‘where’s Keele?’ You will find Keele in place of where you would normally see ‘Fleet Street’ (that’s the red squares near the free parking). The square comes accompanied with a nice sunny picture of Keele Hall and will set you back £2.2 million if you wish to purchase it (and then rob your mates for staying at it!). Hopefully Keele can make an appearance in other such board games, or maybe there is even possibility for a Keele themed ‘Cluedo’ (how about it was Janet Finch, in the Clock House with the candle stick!). The ‘Monopoly Here & Now Limited Edition’ is available now and comes with a £19.99 (ish) price tag.
Getting ready for Safety Week > Page 4
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8th October 2007
Meet your Union Committee!
The Students’ Union is run by members of Union Committee. Union Committee is made up of the 4 Sabbatical Officers (you met those in the last issue) and 15 part-time officers. These officers are unpaid and work hard to ensure KUSU provides the best student experience and representation of you! You can find more information about the part-time officers on this page and if you have an issue or question then feel free to contact them.
Manni Purewal Athletics Union President sta55@keele.ac.uk
Jonny Craig Non-Portfolio Officer sta57@keele.ac.uk
Ben Powell Male Gender Officer sta52@keele.ac.uk
Crystal Richardson
Hey! My nameís Nikki, and I represent Disabled Students. I’m a Hi, firstly I would like to say hope you have all had a second year student studying Media Communication and Culture, great summer and looking forward to another great and International Relations. I decided to run for this role because year at Keele. To tell you a bit about myself, I am a I am extremely passionate about achieving a society where disthird year in Criminology and International Relations abled people are given equal opportunity in everything they do. which I will be completing alongside representing Disabilities are extremely diverse and varying in nature, and I do students as Athletic Union president. As the presinot pretend to understand (or even know of) all disabilities. This dent of the Athletic Union, it is my responsibility with is why I encourage disabled students to contact me and let me the help of the Athletic Union committee help the know how the University and KUSU can meet their needs. This year I aim to: members of associated clubs enjoy sport, and on a * Develop KUDOS - Keele University Disability Organisation for wider scale brings forward any issues regarding Students sport at Keele. Some of our many aims this year are This is a support society for disabled and non-disabled students. to make improve the image of the Athletic Union, and If you are interested in joining please email kudos.kusu@googleimproving communication between the committee mail.com and Athletic Union Clubs. If you have any questions * Run Awareness Campaigns, in line with national and internaregarding sport at Keele, please drop me and email tional campaigns. To bring attention to the effects of different disor come and see the Athletic Union committee during abilities, their causes, the coping strategies and help available. * Encourage Disability Services at Keele to improve. I have had our office hours. too much negative feedback in my time in office and I would like
Iʼm Jonny Craig, this yearʼs non-portfolio officer in the Keele to recognise the changes that students are asking for. I students union. My position has no set portfolio other hope more students will contact me with feed back on their experience of Disability Services, so I can give a fair account to the than to help the other officers within the union do University of how students feel. there job, this ranges from helping other officers with there campaigns to being a non voting member of the constitutional affairs committee. So feel free to conShakur is in charge of safeguarding KUSU’s policy in tact or see me if you want to talk about something racial diversity, along with providing information and runthat you donʼt think is covered by another officerʼs ning campaigns relating to the issues of ethnic minority portfolio feel free to e-mail or speak to me. students and to provide representation. So what do I want to achieve this year? Well first Iʼm representing you all as students so I want to try and help you get your voices heard, as well as this I have some things planned to do with the welfare of students other users of the university site (be this friends, family future students etc) and some things to do with students with part time jobs during term time. More will be revealed over the coming year. Hello Keele. First let me introduce myself, im Lizzie Leeson your elected Entertainment officer for this year. I’m Ben is responsable for safeguarding KUSU’s policy on here to make sure the KUSU entertainment department gender equality, providing infromation and organising give all you students the best time possible. If you have campaigns on behalf of the male students at Union, any queries or qualms with what the Entertainment Dept University and national levels are providing im the point of contact. If you want to have your say and shape the future of KUSU then come along to the Ents forum every Monday at 1pm in K2. My aim this year is to get as many students involved and excited in the running of the Entertainment Dept and that’s why this year we are introducing the Ents Reps; the new generation of committee members who are the support network for KUSU entertainment department. If you fancy getting involved please come along to our forum on Mondays or drop me an email. I hope this year KUSU Entertainments can provide you with the best student experience you deserve! Crystal is responsable for providing support and a
International Students’ Officer voice for the representation of International Students
sta50@keele.ac.uk
both at KUSU and University level
James is in charge of safeguarding KUSU’s sexuality policies. Responsabilities include organising, providing information and representation
Nikki Cooper Disabled Students Offier sta54@keele.ac.uk
Shakur Ahmed Racial Diversity Officer sta77@keele.ac.uk
Lizzie Leeson Entertainments Officer sta49@keele.ac.uk
James Bonsall LGBT Officer sta58@keele.a.uk
There are still places on Union Committee available for this year. If you’d like to be involved with KUSU and boost your CV then collect a nominations form from Matt Alexander on the top floor of KUSU before the 10th of October.
8th October 2007
Don’t burn! Jack Corrigan VP Education & Welfare
As I walked back from the union last night, I could here the pistons of the fire truck exhaling as it climbed up the embankment near Barnes and left Keele University campus once again. It occurred to me that this exhalation was more out of frustration than necessity as the truck and the hard working men inside had undoubtedly been attending another Keele fire alarm that could have been avoided. Last academic year at Keele there
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were 248 fire call-outs, of which only 4 were genuine fires, and that is stretching the thresholds of the phrase ‘genuine fire’ to the limit. There is no need to lecture on the important role the fire service play in our society, we are all university students, I have no doubt you can comprehend. The harsh reality is however, that if the situation repeats itself this year, the local fire will, justifiably, consider revoking the continuous service up at Keele. And in the simplest possible terms that could cost you your
life. There are a variety of reasons that false fire alarms occur in halls of residence, some ridiculous, some avoidable and some malicious. To address the malicious alarms first, malevolent behaviour includes smashing alarms for no apparent reason and using the fire extinguishers for ‘banter’. Actions of such nature will result in you receiving a hefty fine, being removed from halls or even university. So don’t do it because it isn’t big and it isn’t clever. Plus you will receive no support from
KUSU if you do act in such a manner. The ridiculous call outs come from people not following recipes for their cooking or trying to be romantic and turning their halls room into a romantic boudoir. It’s not that we are trying to say don’t experiment (whether cooking or otherwise) we just ask that you do it sensibly, so that you don’t end up setting off a fire alarm and incur a fine. The avoidable calls tend to come for a variety of reasons; people not cleaning their pans (which re-
ally doesn’t take very long at all and will even make your kitchen smell nicer), people cooking with their fire doors open: They need to be shut for a reason, one good reason being that bit will help you avoid a fine. Lastly attempting to cook when you come in drunk can lead to a fire alarm, we advise that you order a take-away: it might save your life. To summarise, be sensible and relatively mature fire safety and it won’t be a problem, you will even avoid being fined for ridiculous and avoidable events.
Students’ Union Ways that the fire alarm is often activated! Development:New K2 Toilets Steam
Naz KUSU President
Those of you returning to Keele after summer may have noticed many changes in and outside the Students’ Union building. However, the changes don’t stop here. We are hoping that by the middle of November the K2 area of the Students’ Union will be completed. This will include brand new toilets, the newly refurbished KUBE radio station as well a cosy and intimate ‘chill out’ area in place of the old toilets. These developments will be completed in two stages: Firstly, we are looking for the new toilets to be completed by mid October. The second phase, which will see the new ‘chill out’ area com-
pleted, is estimated to be mid November. We were hoping that these developments would have been finished in time for freshers’ week, however, due to an oversight on part of the contractors, the project was delayed. The Students’ Union has invested heavily in the building over summer to make sure we try and meet all your needs for a good night out. Look out for more development at the rear of the building soon. The new ‘chill out’ room still needs a name and in order to make it a bit more personal we hope to have a cross campus poll on what this area should be called. president@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Burnt Food Hair Dryers/Straighteners Smoking Joss Sticks Dust Air Fresheners Wasp Spray Aerosols
Make sure you shut all fire doors when cooking, donʼt break glass alarms for fun and be careful when using aerosols.
Be a Student Representative Councillor!
Martyn Harris CAC Speaker of the House
If you want to get more involved with YOUR student union, I’ve got the perfect opportunity for you. The student representative council (SRC) is made up of reps from all walks of Keele life, elected to ensure the views of students are voiced to a wider audience. This, in particular, includes the KUSU Union Committee; the boys and girls who are elected to make sure us students are getting the best deal from the university and the union itself. SRC is also a forum for making sure that union committee officers are the doing their absolute best to represent us students. If you have a grievance, SRC is the place to air it. In the past few years SRCs have been brilliant for debate over day to day issues as well as the big questions, and this year is going to be no different. Whether itís the ever-present 600K fund, the universityís recycling or electoral reform, SRC is one of the best vehicles for students to improve things here at Keele. The first SRC of this year is on Tuesday 9th October at 7.30pm in the senate room, inside the Walter Moberley Building. If you don’t know where that is, some people will be meeting in the Lounge at 7pm, then walking over. If you want more of a say here in Keele, and get involved as a councillor on SRC, just get in contact with Matt Alexander, VP (Comms) by email at: vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk or pop up to see one of the sabbs up on the top floor of KUSU.
Concourse Editor : Matt Alexander Concourse Issue 2 contained articles from;
Naz, Matt Alexander, Jack Corriagn, Martyn Harris, Becky Taylor, Fay Harris, Peter Bate, Nikki Cooper, Want to write for Concourse? Lindsey Humphries, Jamie Barker, Michael Barnett, You can submit articles and adverts to Matt AlexanThe LGBT Committee, Alex Simpson & Owen der in the VP Comms office on the top floor of the Meredith, Barry Riley, Neil Watkins, Brendan Students’ Union, or at; Rodgers, Rich Hill, Evette Scott vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Next Edition of Concourse: Monday 22nd October
Please submit articles for this edition by 12pm on Sunday the 14th of October to VP Comms
Concourse Black History Month 2007
Evette Scott
Black History Month this October gives us a chance to observe in the present day how values, attitudes and lifestyles have changed over time. And the good news is; we do have a lot to celebrate. Gone are the days of derogatory window signs replaced now with national events such as ‘Love Music Hate Racism’ celebrating Britain’s diversity. Yet I feel there’s still more to discuss especially as I hear the recent cries by politicians and the media that British history is lacking in schools. Having gone through the British schooling system and having siblings currently doing so, I see these claims as contrary to the fact that British history overwhelmingly dominates school history curriculum up to the age of 14. Teaching a ‘one size fits all’ curriculum leaves history breaking one of its most basic rules: to see more than one narrative to a story. I admit that finding a straightforward method of teaching black history is difficult. But I believe that you cannot do it sporadically or talk about subjects such as slavery or black history of the Americas in isolation to others. Take slavery for example, it is a gloomy phenomenon of human history existing from ancient times to this very day, not just from the Slave Trade period. I enjoyed learning about Tudors and Stuarts at school but I could not relate fully until I studied A level history because then I began to realise that the history
of England and of Europe was interwoven with my own. Why, when we were looking at key historical events, such as the two World Wars did I not learn also of the contributions that were made by Black and Asian people? There is more black history such as John Blanke, a black trumpeter at the Tudor court and Sake Dean Mahomed, who established the first Indian restaurant in Britain in 1803 (The National Archives). I mean, just as we should not forget that roughly half the population has always been female, so we should also not forget that the population of Britain has always been diverse, from the Celts and the Picts to the Huguenots, the Jews from Eastern Europe and the Blackmoores in Elizabethan times (the Africans living in England were given this name). These people may not have changed history’s course dramatically, but they were here. They changed society, they influenced values and attitudes, and they contributed to whatever Britishness might mean. Having spent my early childhood in Sierra Leone and grown up in the UK, I too am contributing to this multiple narrative. Let me be clear, I am not advocating an afro-centric history curriculum, but that black history is part of the big picture and not a marginalised subsection. Through black history we glimpse how people persevered through overwhelming hardship. These tough lessons should inform our thinking and motivate us to change and move forward as we witness current issues such as sex trafficking, gang violence and genocide.
8th October 2007
Fun, Sun and Safety
Jack Corrigan (V.P Education & Welfare)
Whilst we cannot promise sun, this years safety week event will definitely be fun. Running from the 22nd October - 28th October Safety Week will be aimed at making safety awareness both interesting and engaging. Working in partnership with the University, the local council and the emergency services, KUSU is aiming to provide a week packed full of events that cover a wide range of student safety issues. The planned calendar for safety week will appear in the 3rd issue of Concourse but the basic outline runs something like this. On the Monday of Safety Week the focus lies on kitchen safety, both cooking hygiene and fire safety with the kitchen. The main feature of the day will be a university led cooking demonstration, so free food for all you attendees. The Tuesday is a day where you can personally win big. With support from the local police force, council and fire service, we have created a day around road safety. In the day the fire service are bringing to the union, a road safety event based around drink driving which basically is going to be the chance to play with remote controlled cars in the ballroom. The Tuesday evening is the time where you can win prizes for demonstrating your knowledge of road safety. With prizes including £100 worth of driving lessons and the opportunity to undertake skid pan training (police training to deal with savage skids) attendance to the Tuesday evening event is a bit of a no brainer. And if that isn’t enough to entice you then surely a free buffet will do the job. (This event will run again on the Sunday)
The Thursday event of safety week is focused on mental health and personal wellbeing. It is an invitation to come to the union and just chill-out and literally ‘beat the stress’. This event will provide you the opportunity to both just relax and enjoy an organic buffet in the creativity corner or to ‘beat the stress’ with gladiator duelling sticks to take out all of that pent frustration on your mates. The Thursday evening event is a Taekwon-Do interactive demonstration so that you can come along and learn a little ass-kicking self defence. To culminate the week the Friday will focus on block safety and comes with the tagline ‘Lock Your Block’. With help from the police we will provide facilities for product branding and the purchase of panic alarm. In addition to this we will be giving away UV pens, great for property protection and for the being psychedelic in the union in the evening which is a 999 fancy dress special. Safety Week 2007 has the potential to be a great event if you the students come and make the most of it. If you like the sound of any of it or want to sign up for the chance to win the prizes or the self-defence lessons do not hesitate to contact me: vp.edwel@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Well it’s been a party-packed 2 weeks and judging by the amount of booze you lot got through, I reckon the sales of hangover remedies have gone through the roof! You’ve done us proud!!!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! We’d like more students to get involved with the Ents Dept this year. In years gone by, there was a lot of involvement and collaboration between Ents and the students which has sadly dropped off over the last few years. With your help we can make things really special once more. We are introducing Ents Reps this year which will head up teams of the following
- DJs (Representing and recruiting student DJs)
- Student and Local Bands (Responsible for organising Keele’s Battle of the Bands)
- Club Decor (The union starts to look a bit ‘samey’ after a while; with your help we can transform the place. The first project for the team is the ‘Rocky Horror meets Hogwarts Halloween Ball’ on the 31st Oct) - Hospitality (Running around after the bands we book. Ideally, you will need to have a car to apply for this position)
- Graphic Design (Responsible for designing flyers and publicity)
- Web Design (Keeping the Ents website up-todate and looking cool!) - Publicity & Promotions (Promoting the nights and events we put on)
- Music/Entertainment Journalists (Reviewing gigs and club nights)
- Photographers (Taking pics of students on nights out and at gigs)
- Genre specific groups (e.g. Indie, R&B hip hop, Dance etc) - Technicians & Crew (Technical experience preferred but not always essential)
If you’re interested in any of the above positions, or just want to get involved with us, then please come along on to the Ents meetings on Monday at 1pm in K2. You can also pick up application form from the Ents office located on the 2nd floor of the SU. All the above positions are voluntary (except technician and crew) but they come with major perks!!!
******************************************************* LATEST GIG NEWS If you don’t know already (as it was probably the worst kept secret EVER) CSS ARE coming to Keele!!! They will be supported by Metronomy and Joe Lean & the JJJ. The gig will be on the 13th Dec and tickets are on sale now from the KUSU Box Office. This completes a great line up of bands for 2007. If you’re lucky we may try and squeeze a few more in before the end of term...so watch this space. Keep your suggestions coming for bands for next year. *******************************************************
BREAKING NEWS!!! I’ve got some great news for those wanting tickets for The Twang and The Pigeon Detectives. 100 production holds have been released by the Record Company for each show. They will be on sale from Wednesday 10th Oct at 9.00am. You will need a valid Keele card and you can only buy 1 ticket per person.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES If you’ve got a birthday coming up then did you know you can book Barista free of charge on Wednesday and Fridays? Bring a birthday cake and get some cocktails from the bar and start your night off in style! Email Fi from Bars for a booking form: f.brown@keele.ac.uk
Well I think thatís all for now If you’d like to submit an article or any photographs for the Ents pages of concourse then email me, j.winstanley@keele.ac.uk, before the 15th October. If we publish your contribution then we’ll put you on the guest list for Reloaded. See you out and about Jayne & Rob
Katie Ryan
What Katie Did...
Once my summer frolics had died down, all I could dream of was coming back to Keele. Of course, the most enticing thing about getting back to uni is commonly not so much the prospect of work but simply just Fresher’s Week! A week of sheer debauched drinking and dancing and some desperate attempt to block out the fact that very soon we will all have to get on with some proper studying. More to the point however, it is a chance for the freshers to make friends and become well accustomed to the union! And for us current students a way to catch up with old faces and spill the summer gossip. So before I knew it, the infamous Fresher’s Icebreaker disco was upon me. I know that for freshers it can be a rather daunting and excitable night, full of drunken conversations that go a bit like ‘Yeh, I’m in Hawthorns’ - ‘No way! I’m in Hawthorns too!!!’ and suddenly you feel like you’ve won the Nobel Peace prize. But the whole mood was actually so upbeat and friendly. The cheap drinks and great music particularly in the
Ballroom with our new D.J were a particular highlight. Aside from the classic queues outside (plus the ladies’ loos) and the lack of decoration inside, the night certainly went down a treat. To my disappointment, I cannot comment on ‘Massive Mondays’ due to those enormous queues I mentioned a second ago. However, for me the piece de resistance is always a Wednesday night and the ‘Rewind welcome party’ was no exception to that rule. I have a tendency to get sucked into K2 and not really get back out again on account of the Indie/Rock music and close proximity to the bar! Ok, so I won’t lie generally speaking, Friday nights; ‘Reloaded’ are just not my cup of tea. I’m not really an RnB or dancing around my handbag kind of girl, however, this particular Friday...that all changed! It started with doubles, then shots, then snakebite and I actually realised Fridays aren’t so bad after all. The music has certainly improved and it also wasnít so jammed packed as it sometimes can be. Again a surprisingly successful night in my opinion. So bravo KUSU Ents for restoring my faith in Friday’s ‘Reloaded’. I definitely had a fabulous Fresher’s Week (minus the hangovers) and look forward to sampling more delights next week!
KRAP
Joe President of KRAP
KRAP (Keele Rock Appreciation Posse) has been really busy during Fresherís week, and the events donít stop there. We have regular socials every Tuesday night, but our next club night (KAOS) is on the 11th of October in K2, from 9pm till 2am. Weíll be playing the dirtiest and the darkest tunes underneath the spectrum of rock genres, including rock, metal, industrial, death metal, thrash, hardcore, metalcore, and everything else thatíd make your granny cry. If thatís not your thing, KERPLUNK is on the 25th October playing ska, punk, indie and emo tunes for you to bounce the night away to. Stay tuned to our website (www.kraprocks.co.uk) for more information on off-campus trips and other events which we aim to fill your busy schedules with.
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Fay Harris Independant Advice Unit
Becky Taylor V Project Leader
What will you do today?
Now that everyone is feeling settled into the new semester, timetables are set, lectures & tutorials are underway & social events are happening at your Studentís Union & across campus! What else is happening?
Around 130 Keele students have signed up to volunteer their time through VE @ Keele in the run up to and during Fresherís week. A further 62 students have signed up to undertake the Volunteering CSP module. These students all recognise the potential in volunteering - for themselves, for Keele and for the local community. By getting involved with VE @ Keele, these students could gain valuable experience and help others as well as experience diversity, integrate into the local community and make a real difference where it counts, for just a few hours a week! Now this might all seem like hard work, but volunteering can also be fun, rewarding & exciting! Volunteering provides opportunities to meet new people and make new friends, whilst knowing you are doing something worthwhile to help others.
Volunteering can also build up your confidence, open up new opportunities and challenges, and is an additional learning experience aside from your degree. In recognition of your learning experience whilst volunteering, VE @ Keele offers a certificate of accreditation at levels; Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum, which in a competitive employment market could ensure that you stand out from the crowd when applying for your dream job! Staff at VE @ Keele constantly source new volunteer placement opportunities and currently work in partnership with around 86 volunteer placement providers. VE @ Keele volunteers will take up placements with organisations such as the Citizenís Advice Bureau, Girl-guiding UK, Samaritans, Nacro, RNIB, Keele Nightline & many more... And if the organisation you want to volunteer with is not on our list of registered providers - no problem! Let us know and we will contact them with our registration details.
So... what will you do today?
To find out more about volunteering with VE @ Keele, contact Becky on: Tel: 01782 583626 Email: volunteering@kusu.keele.ac.uk or come along to our
Volunteer/Jobs Fair on Wednesday 10th October 11am-4pm in the Students’ Union Ballroom to meet one of our volunteer placement providers.
8th October 2007
Well, it’s week three already. Hopefully, by now you will have settled in and got used to the place or got used to being back. But if you are struggling to settle (back) in, you arenít sure you are on the right course, we can help. If you have not yet had a deposit back from a house you rented last year, we can help. Jobs If you haven’t got a part time job yet, and you would like one, come along to the Jobshop and VE Fair on Wednesday (10th October-4) and talk to employers who are coming to offer part time positions both on and off campus. Don’t forget to bring your entry to the free prize draw - competition rules are on the website and will be displayed on the day. If you have applied for a job in the Students’ Union the department you have applied to should be Money If you are rubbish with managing your money, or you are worried about whether you are going to manage or not - you can always come and talk to us. Health Info The following is taken from a handy leaflet all about NHS services in Newcastle Under Lyme - if you would like a copy pleas call into the Unit. They have magnets attached to go on the fridge! To register with a dentist or for advice and urgent treat-
ment call the local NHS Dental Advice Line on 01782 425846 If you want advice on any health matter, call NHS Direct. You will speak to an experienced professional who will give you confidential health advice and information. 0845 4647 If you need urgent medical treatment and your GP surgery is closed, Call: 01782 719100 For advice/treatment of minor illness & injuries. No appointment needed. Haywood Walk-In Centre, High Lane, Burs 516 7AG (7am-lOpm Mon-Fri; 7am-lOpm Sat/Sun/Bank Holidays) Call: 01782 581112 IF SOMEONE’S LIFE IS AT RISK OR THE SITUATION SEEMS CRITICAL. CALL 999 IMMEDIATELY If you collect a HC1 form from the IAU or from the Doctors you can apply for help with health costs e.g. prescriptions and dental treatment Free in the IAU - condoms We are here to support you with your dealings with the University. Thank you to all the students who have been in to thank us for the work we have done re Holly Cross showers, it’s all in a day’s work for us, but your kind words were appreciated!
STUDENT SECURITY ADVICE
Peter Bate
Freshers starting the new term at Keele University are being urged to keep their property safe following two burglaries. A laptop computer belonging to a student was stolen from a ground floor room at the campus on Wednesday (19 Sept) night followed by another on Thursday (20 Sept) night. With thousands of new arrivals due at the university this weekend, police and partners are mounting a high-profile operation to give re-assurance and target offenders. Highvisibility patrols will be offering crime prevention advice while ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras will be used to stop vehi-
cles linked to crime entering the site. Officers who find open windows or doors will leave life-size armshaped crime prevention flyers as a warning. Inspector Steve Thirsk, Newcastle neighbourhood policing unit commander, said: ‘The start of an academic year should be an exciting time as freshers leave home for the first time and meet new people. However, becoming a victim of crime can put a real dampener on things. We are urging students to take sensible precautions - always locking windows and doors, even if just leaving their room for a few moments. Post-coding lap tops, TVs and stereos using a security marking pen is also a good idea. Students should pair up and work in relay when unloading their cars to
thwart opportunist thieves. Officers will be on campus and available to discuss crime prevention issues, giving out leaflets which include security tips.’
‘We are not just targeting the university this weekend. There will be an ongoing police drop-in facility for staff and students and ANPR checks will continue throughout the autumn.’
Anyone with information about this week’s burglaries should ring Newcastle CID on 08453 30 20 10 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
For interviews or to arrange photo opportunities contact Insp Thirsk today (Fri) on 01785 233495.
World Mental Health Day October 10th
Nikki Cooper Disabled Students Officer
Mental health is something that we all have. Mental ill health is not prejudiced and does not care what age, gender, race that you are. 1 in 4 people will experience mental ill health in the course of a year. That is 25% of your students, 25% of your house mates, 25% of your friends. It could even be you.
- Laugh: A good laugh does wonders for the mind and soul. - Cry: It is good to cry. Even though it may feel terrible at the time, a good cry can release pent up feelings, and people often feel better afterwards. - Ask for help when it is needed: The longer you leave a problem, the worse it will get. Ask for help. - Make time for you: Make time for your hobbies and interests. - Keep things in perspective: Nothing is as important as mental health!
Having good mental health is important to everyone. Here are some tips:Types of mental health issues include: - Eat a balanced diet and drink sensibly: Improving diet can protect against feelings of anxiety and depression. Panic Attacks, Schizophrenia, Anxi- Maintain friendships: Just listening and talking to friends Stress, ety, Self Harm, Fears & Phobias, Obsessive Compulwho are feeling down can make a huge difference. Depression, Eating Disorders, - Maintain close relationships: Close relationships affect sive Disorder, Manic Depression how we feel. - Take exercise: The effects of exercise on mood are immediate. Whether it is a workout in the gym or a simple walk Mental Health as a Disability If are mentally ill you have exactly the same rights as you or bike ride, it can be uplifting. - Sleep: Sleep has both physical and mental benefits. Phys- would have if you were physically ill. Mental illness is not ically it is the time when the body can renew its energy store imagined, and should be treated seriously. Your doctor will recognise this, and authorise you to take as much time off but sleep also helps us to rebuild our mental energy. work or studies as you need to recover.
Despite this, in a recent survey of people who had experienced mental illness, 30% of respondents believed they had been discriminated against because of their condition. This ranged from a simple lack of understanding or disbelief to more serious cases, for example being excluded from education or losing a job. Similarly, fear of discrimination prevents many people from explaining their history of mental health problems on job application forms. People with mental ill health are protected under the Disability Discrimination Act. (Information taken from NUS Mental Health Briefing) Useful Websites: Students in Mind www.studentsinmind.org.uk Mind www.mind.org.uk Depression Alliance Awareness www.depressionalliance.org.uk Eating Disorders Association www.edauk.com National Inquiry into Young People & Self Harm www.selfharmuk.org
8th October 2007
60 Second Reviews
Jamie Barker
Hundred Reasons- Quick The Word, Sharp The Action (Album) With, ‘Quick... Sharp...’ Hundred Reasons take a step away from a sound which, while never boring, did ring through rather consistently on their first three full lengths. This time they’ve rediscovered the versatility of keyboards, and barring the intense thrash of ‘The Shredder’, have turned the amps down a few notches for the majority of the album. This is the sound of a more laid back Hundred Reasons, the old-school will embrace the changes and tracks like ‘Opera’ and ‘Lost For Words’ are sure to open the doors, to allow plenty of new fans to stumble in along the way.
Idlewild - Scottish Fiction (Best Of 1997-2007) (Album) For much of their career Idlewild have flown consistently just below the mainstream radar. They briefly dipped their wings into the pool of serious commercial success with tracks like ‘American English’, from their 2002 ‘Remote Part’ album but then returned to the smaller venues and lower chart positions soon after. This compilation celebrates their 10th anniversary by cobbling together all the recent singles and a few token early tracks to form a (somewhat skewed) ‘overview’ of the bands career. Being singles, most of the tracks here are impressive and will be familiar to most. Itís just somewhat disappointing that the label have opted to deliver their more commercial attempts in a shiny box
Jamie Barker
Concourse
rather than allowing newer listeners the chance of a more honest representation of the bands early, much heavier, years.
Jakobinarina - The First Crusade (Album) For the most part Jakobinarina steer fairly clear of the audacious innovation that we’ve seen from other Icelandic exports, such as Bjork and Sigur Ros, over the past few years. But while airy insanity and melody laced post-rock may not be their forte, they’re far from unoriginal and theirs is a sound much more crushing and urgent than that of their arty country mates. ‘The First Crusade’ is packed to bursting with a whole host of guitars, oddly placed keyboards and thick layer of scuzz and while there may be a slight lack of variation throughout this release, the ‘Crusade’ as a whole is a resounding success. With most members aged just 17 you can be sure to hear a lot more from these guys in the future.
The Wombats - Let’s Dance To Joy Division (Single) Occasionally a situation arises where a band you’ve had your eye on for some time, the one that never really made it much further than the speakers in a handful of student bed-sits, pulls a diamond from their collective pocket which is sure to launch them into the big time. With ‘Joy Divison’ The Wombats have exactly that diamond. Hailing from Liverpool, but with little of the scouse-rock lilt which forces other famous exports to sound inescapably similar, these guys are set to break out into the mainstream any day now. Keep an eye out for the forthcoming album ‘The Wombats Proudly Present A Guide To Love, Loss And Desperation’, it’s pop rock nirvana.
Leeds Festival
Several new festivals spring up every year and the British sunshine months are becoming more and more packed with large-scale live events. With more competition in 2007 than ever before and falling, as usual, at the very end of a full-on summer of live music it’s perhaps a shock that Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festivals has once again managed to hold it’s crown of ‘the ultimate British festival’. Jamie Barker takes a look at the bands who made it such a breathtaking affair: 5 Highlights Forward, Russia - Opening proceedings on the Thursday night with their own ‘Dance To The Radio’ curated
Topman stage, they returned to Leeds with a mighty roar and a whole arsenal of brand new tracks. Opening, as usual, with the anthemic ‘Thirteen’ set the bar high for everyone who followed. Kubichek - The most criminally underrated band of the past 12 months didnít manage to draw the biggest of crowds in the newly housed Carling Stage but those who were there saw Newcastleís finest tear through half an hour of true pop-rock gems. The fact that ‘Stutter’ and ‘Nightjoy’ only managed a murmur on the smallest stage when they deserved to be main stage anthems says a lot of the current music scene. Manchester Orchestra - A few weeks shy of releasing their debut album
‘Like A Virgin Losing A Child’, Manchester Orchestra tip-toed their way into the crowds hearts, while simultaneously pounding their heads with raw emotion. Managing to be both euphoric and devastating at the same time, these guys are about to change your life. Brand New - Recent album ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me’ converted a surprisingly large amount of people to the Brand New cause. Those new converts present at Leeds witnessed what will surely go down as one of the most intense performances ever to grace the (usually highly commercialised) NME/Radio Stage. Simply breathtaking.
Linsey Humphries
A compilation of postcards works as a simple but successful format for Frank Warren’s ‘My Secret’. It is the follow - up to the hugely successful ‘Post Secret’; an idea based upon an art project set up by Warren which was formed through people sending him their secrets on a postcard. In the follow - up book however, Warren appreciates the angst of young people, and gives focus to the secret thoughts and emotions of people in their teens and twenties. Those that have read ‘Post Secret’ will understand the emotive feelings that Warren’s book’s allow. ‘My Secret’ however, is truly a reflection of the modern generation, through the world of raw, intimate and open confessions revealed in the book through the exploration of the younger adult. To give an example of the extent covered, the postcards range from fears; “I’m afraid that deep down I am truly unworthy of another person’s love”, to humorous revelations; “I used to think the Sistine Chapel was called the 16th Chapel!”. In reviewing this book, I feel that it is necessary to not just give my own but the many other opinions I received which I feel prove the agreeability of ‘My Secret’ to a wide range of readers. Whilst writing this review (in the Pig and Rat!), the book was picked up by a few friends which soon drew a larger crowd. The reactions of the people turning the pages slowly, taking their time to read each individual postcard, and the conversations sparked from each one, for me, emphasised the provocation of emotion whether sadness, happiness or sheer empathy created by each page. Postcards say only a few words, but a book like ‘My Secret’ emphasises the importance of the moment captured in a postcard and each individual life and the series of events that have been building up to that moment. The postcards of ‘My Secret’ are from complete strangers, but for a book compiled through anonymity, it actual unites young people of this generation. Each postcard and each page is an adventure, a journey for the writer and the reader. And for many of the postcards, you may find that you do not even know which one you are.
Don’t look back in Angers : A year abroad odyssey. Part 1: The French Connection
Michael Barnett
When I first decided I wanted to do a French degree the idea of going to France and studying at a French University was quite appealing. Good food, good drink and good weather were just three of the things I could look forward too (you can probably guess what the others were). However, by May this year when I realised I was actually going in four months time I had changed my mind. For a start I was going to leave all my friends behind, many of whom will have graduated by the time I get back. Secondly I was going to be dumped in a foreign country with only limited understanding of the language and the culture. Thirdly there was a constantly growing mountain of paperwork to wade through. All in all I was one unhappy bunny, nonetheless it was part of my course, I’d signed up for it, it had to be done. So right now I find myself a student of the Universite
Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO) in Angers. As I arrived two weeks before lectures started, I had plenty of time to walk around the town and explore. I was fortunate enough to arrive in time for ‘Les accroche coeurs’ an annual local festival. It is difficult to describe what Les accroche coeurs actually is, to be honest I don’t think anyone really knows, all I can say is it is the best waste of tax payers money I have ever seen. One event involved people wearing mouldy trench coats and sacks on their heads larking about on ladders in the main square before following a gigantic moving heart down Angers busiest road. We, the spectators followed them and pausing only to throw cardboard boxes over our heads proceeded to the local park where the heart was lifted up thirty feet into the air by a crane, at this point I think the heart was meant to burst into flame, however, perhaps inevitably it spectacularly failed to fully ignite, just a few limp tongues of flame flickered fee-
bly off it but the big bang I was expecting failed to materialise. It was a disappointing end to one of the most spectacularly lunatic events Iíve ever had the privilege of witnessing. As I write I’ve only had a week of lectures but that’s enough to tell me that they’re going to be hard. Although I don’t have as many lectures as I thought I might, the ones I do have are long, an hour and a half is normal and one particularly tedious History of Art lecture went on for more than three hours. What’s more they start early and finish late, my earliest lecture starts at, (and Concourse readers of a nervous disposition may want to look away now) 8 am, and I often don’t finish until 7pm. Fortunately my room is quite close to the University, so its easy enough to run home from my lectures so I can eagerly start doing my homework (ahem) under the watchful eye of the Madonna and Child which hangs on my wall. To be precise its
just the child whose watching me, the Madonna just sits demurely with her eyes closed and a benign expression on her face, the divine infant on the other hand fixes you with a stare that seems to say ‘I’ve got your number mate, I know exactly what your up to and I’m going to tell on you to my Daddy’. Creepy tell tale juvenile deities aside, generally my first three weeks in Angers have gone as well as could be expected, it can be lonely, hard work, and there have been a few problems and causes for concern but overall things have gone ok. The people seem friendly, my accommodation is good (and bigger than anything Iíve had in the past two years) and there is a lively international students society and a developing camaraderie between us international students. Its still early days but I’m cautiously optimistic that the year abroad odyssey will be a positive experience. To be continued.......
Concourse Oli Cotterill Vice President (Finance & Activities)
Firstly, may I say a big huge thank you to everybody that made the two society sign up days at this years Freshers Fair such a success. We have had a record number of students through the door and record number of membership for all societies; many soci-
eties far exceeding their previous years total membership. Now things are starting to cool down a bit, societies are now already starting to organise their first meetings and also their first socials; if you have signed up at Freshers Fair you should now, or shortly, be receiving emails from your relevant societies. It has been an extremely hard week for me this week but Iím starting to sort things out now, if anybody has any problems or has not heard from the society they have joined up to please feel free to drop me an email or pop up and see me. I have had a lot of students ask me lately if they are too late to join societies because they did not attend the two society sign up days ——- fear not, you can join up to a society any time you like. The majority of societies do taster sessions where you can go along to their first social/event/meeting, see if you like it and then decide whether you want to join. If you are interested in
Keele @ Conservative Party Conference
Freshers Fair! joining any societies then please feel free to get in touch and Iíll pass on the society contact details. Alternatively, if you log onto www.kusu.net and go onto the Societies section you will see a list of all societies that are currently active this year; in addition to contact emails and names of each executive committee. If you click onto the individual society you will be directed to their website which will give you lots more information. Here at KUSU, we showcase over forty societies that cover a range of different interests. Remember, if you cannot find a society that you are interested in joining then why not start up your own society. There are several steps to creating a society so if you have
Alex Simpson and Owen Meredith
This year, Keele Conservative Future will be sending their strongest ever delegation to the Annual Conservative Party conference, to be held in Blackpool from 29th September - 3rd October. 7 representatives from Keele will be attending the conference, which is themed around the slogan ‘Time for Change’. During the 4 days, the party will be discussing the proposals put forward by the 6 Policy Review Groups, set up by Party Leader David Cameron in 2005. The review groups have recently reported back this summer on a range on issues including security, environment, the economy, competitiveness, third world poverty and tacking global warming. Later in October, CF have planned a ‘Stand Up, Speak Up’ session at Keele (25th Oct) which will give all students the opportunity to have their say on the ideas put forward by the Quality of Life Group, who have suggested radical reforms to make people more socially responsible in a bid to slow down, and ultimately reverse global warming. For more information on this event or about Keele Conservative Future in general please do email us at info@newcastlecf.co.uk or join our facebook group.
Barry Riley Keele Law Society President
Welcome to all new students who have joined Keele University. Whether you are a law student or not, the Law Society aims to provide a diverse programme of activities that may be of interest to you. This year we aim to make more students aware of the processes to becoming a top lawyer in a firm of solicitors. On top of this we aim to provide a greater number of educational events and guest speakers than ever before. We will run workshops for our members, and will be piloting our Mentoring Programme and Pro Bono schemes for the first time, to give our members a chance of gaining that invaluable work experience needed if you are to succeed in applying for the top firms. Even if you don’t study Law at Keele, the events that the Society put on can still be a good insight into legal careers as you don’t even need a qualifying law degree to enter the profession now, with one year conversion courses giving those with other aca-
LGBT Press-Release The Committee
Hello all, this is your LGBT committee here welcom-
demic degrees the chance to enter the legal profession. Our websites this year will be the main portal to everything the Law Society does, providing information on events and socials, aswell as articles that will help in your time at Keele. All the information you need will be on either of our two main websites. Our focus on educational aspects of the Society this year will see more events happening than ever before and more opportunities for our members to gain information from law schools and firms alike, as well as make contacts that may assist them in finding legal work experience or a job at the end of their degree. In addition to the Law Society, as a member of the Law Society, you get access to our own Library Room which is full of useful books and study materials to help you with your course and evidently, the essays you will have to write over the year. See our website for more information on the types of books and materials that are available in this room for Law Society members. If you want to do well with your Law studies, you will need this room.
8th October 2007
found a niche in the society market then please feel free to come up and see me and Iíll tell you what you have to do to set one up. Finally, I hope you all enjoyed Freshers Fair, society sign-up certainly was a fantastic success. Iím sure we are all in for a fantastic year this year. Take it easy and I’m sure I’ll speak to you all really soon!
ing you to Keele whether you are freshers or finalists. We’d like to take this opportunity to explain who we are and where you can find us however you define yourself within the LGBT community at Keele. We’ve done some pretty amazing things this past year, from clubbing in Manchester to a drag ball as part of LGBT Awareness Week and finally to a fundraising slave auction for our summer barbecue. Already this year weíre planning a Rocky Horror fancy dress disco (Thursday 4th October, K2, 9 p.m.) and we’ll keep you posted through our Facebook and official website as to anything else happening throughout the year. We provide a safe haven in Sam’s Bar every Monday night from 7:30 p.m. for all who want to come along. If you feel slightly uncomfortable about going on your own, you can contact any one of the committee members beforehand to meet with you and introduce you to the rest of the society. Our details can be found on the website (www.keelelgbt.org.uk) or through Facebook. That’s roughly it, so come along and enjoy yourselves; we hope to see you either in Sam’s Bar or at the Rocky Horror night.
Our social events and activities will also take on a new lease of life this year, with more social nights out and chances to bond with fellow law students and the committee at one of the events that we put on . . . we look forward to seeing you out with us in the near future. Take a look at our calendar of events to see what we will be bringing to you this semester. Some of the highlights of the Autumn Semester will be the guest speakers on the LPC and BVC, aswell as the chance to take a tour of a top local firm and enjoy a presentation on the process of applying for Training Contracts. We shall also be putting on presentations in other legal areas with firms of Solicitors, Law schools and our varying guest speakers. On a Social side, we will be going paintballing on October 6th in our Law Society vs Bar Society Paintball day. If that wasn’t enough with all the Social events our Social Sec’s have organised this year (see the calendar and noticeboard), we will be going away to Amsterdam in November over the weekend of the 15th-18th for 3 days away from the stresses of University work
and for a chance to get to know each other better, and to network with other law schools who also take part in the trip ñ a trip you most definitely will not want to miss. Go to www.outgoing.co.uk, use the trip code keelelaw and book your place before the 14th October. All this, and that only takes us up to Christmas, there will be plenty more of the same come the second semester also! The end of the year culminates in our annual law ball, our biggest and most renowned night of the year. You won’t want to miss this years event, as it is guaranteed to be the more successful ball we have held to date by far the most successful event held by any society throughout the course of the year We look forward to hearing from you in the near future and seeing you at our events in the forthcoming year. See you all there!
www.kusu.net/keelelawsociety www.myspace.com/keelelawsociety Email - keelelawsociety@hotmail.co.uk
To join the Society over email, please enquire at u5l94@ugl.keele.ac.uk
Concourse
8th October 2007 Neil Watkins
Us and Them
I recently overheard a member of the BNP telling somebody that he wasn’t a racist - instead, he claimed to be a ‘racialist’. Such claims are typical of the BNP’s attempts to sidestep accusations of racism, and they are partially successful because of the fact that most people would probably struggle to define words like ‘racialist’; broadly speaking, the term simply refers to a tendency towards identifying racial and ethnic differences as the primary cause of social problems. Or, if you will, racialism is a prejudice towards blaming ethnic minorities for all our problems. In fact, the only thing which distinguishes ‘racialism’ from ‘racism’ is the length of time required to explain each term, as they both mean the same thing. Crime, housing prices and climate change - to name a few -
When you need more than alcohol to sustain you...
James Appleby, Manpreet Manku and Simi Sehgal
would still be problems if Britain were to be made a ‘whites only’ zone, and so to suggest that immigration and cultural diversity are responsible for the difficulties we face as a society is ludicrous. The BNP promote racist policies. But because they are able to hide behind such convoluted arguments as the claim to be ‘racialist’, they are able to blur the boundaries of legality and democracy - and, most importantly of all, they are able to give ordinary members of the public the impression that to vote BNP is not necessarily to endorse racism. This is exactly what has been happening in our area over the past few years, with the total number of BNP councillors in Stokeon-Trent now standing at seven, not to mention the two UKIP councillors currently in office in Newcastleunder-Lyme, people will continue to vote for political parties which toler-
That’s right, apparently, your stomach has begun to tell you that it craves more than beer, beer and more beer. It starts to ask for strange things, things that probably seem alien to you after only a week away from home. It starts to ask for chips, and garlic bread and maybe even the odd coffee. Well, we’re here to help and over the next few weeks weíll be telling you all the best
Rich Hill AU Deputy President
Hi all. I hope you all enjoyed Fresher’s Week; I certainly did! This article is really just a short account of any information you might need before the season gets underway. I would like to take this opportunity to say good luck to all our clubs in their preparation for the new season. Let’s get off to a winning start and really train hard. All the best, Rich.
ate racism so long as they remain confused about exactly what it is that those parties really stand for. The Keele Labour Students society has been active throughout the past year in the fight against the BNP, and their first campaign day of this academic year saw them carrying on where they left off. On Saturday 29th September, a group of activists from Keele journeyed to Stoke-on-Trent and, joined by Rob Flello (MP for Stoke South), they spent the day talking to residents and delivering thousands of leaflets. Days like this are vital if parties like the BNP are to be held at bay, and if democracy and toleration are to triumph. Of course, the Keele Labour group are not the only students who take issue with the BNP, and similar campaigns will be taking place throughout this year - so get involved!
places to go around campus, NewcastleUnder-Lyme and of course, Hanley. Except right now, you’ve only spent a week here and you don’t feel ready to leave campus just yet. You’ve got too much to do to even think about catching a bus. You know where the bars are, and you didn’t think you needed to know anything else. And now you’re worried, and you’re wondering just what the rest of campus can offer you without breaking your bank account. So, where to? The Kiln (Union) It’s called The Kiln now, but the third years still call it The Diner. Easy way to tell us apart. The Diner... I mean Kiln is a good place to go if you want food quickly without murdering your wallet. With their prices
Success of the A.U. Sports Fair Congratulations to everyone that helped at Sports Fair. Without your time and dedication to your clubs the A.U. wouldn’t be the same. So far, you have collectively taken over £10 000 in membership. That’s an excellent total and one which I am sure will only get better as the year progresses. This money is vital to the smooth running of your clubs and providing the best service to your members.
The A.U. Re-Sports Fair If you’re still yet to purchase your A.U. card, then don’t fear, we are hosting one last opportunity. Re-Sports Fair will be on October 9th 123pm in the ballroom of the Student’s Union. To put it simply, if you don’t yet have one, you won’t be allowed to play for your chosen sports club and no one would like that! Ski and Snowboard Social And just when you thought Fresher’s Week was over, here’s another good excuse to venture out of your
KRAP isn’t Crap
Brendan Rodgers Vice President of KRAP
So, this year KRAP is off to a great start. It seems it may have been impossible to miss us at the Society Sign-Up Fair, as we managed a whopping 406 member’s sign up! Not only that but our first social in Horwood Bar (weekly held 8pm-2pm every Tuesday) was overflowing with freshers, continuing KRAP members, and veterans returning to visit their mates! Not only that, our first club night ‘Antipop’ was also a massive hit- a hectic night for all concerned with brilliant photos! Some of which are already on our website (www.kraprock.co.uk) and others are soon to follow! If you are an alternative student and haven’t joined KRAP - you haven’t missed your chance. We still sign up at every social - just find one of our committee members, or contact our email address kraprock@googlemail.com. We are by no means finished - KAOS is coming up in K2 on the 11th October. The KRAP year is only just starting and already we are rocking harder than ever!
you’re unlikely to starve on campus! Our personal favourite is the chips... You just can’t beat chips at 2am after a night out drinking! They also do a very good breakfast but it’s our advice to get there at 9am or so to get it while its fresh. Comus (Chancellor’s Building) The Comus is also the place to go if you feel like a change of pace, sitting down and eating with real cutlery like in a proper restaurant. The potato wedges and garlic bread are the finest around Newcastle-UnderLyme, in our opinion. It’s relatively cheap and classy and the rest of the menu has something for everyone, including a large selection of vegetarian dishes. The meal plan is a must if you don’t want to cook - it gives you two meals a day, breakfast and
rooms. Ski and Snowboard are hosting another social and this time they are meeting at the Union Square, Friday 12th October at 8pm. You don’t have to be a member as they welcome all, but why not take this opportunity to find out some more about one of our most adrenaline based clubs your A.U. has to offer. Join up or just come for the social and meet some new people. Hopefully see you there!
B.U.S.A SEASON BEINGS: SUPPORT ‘TEAM: KEELE’ The start of the season is upon us! Please make sure you take the time to support your teams and come down and watch. Attendance last year wasnít the best and this yearís committee want to change that. Bring some munchies, a few drinks and make a day of it. See below for a list of the teams playing at home. Keele Home Fixtures October 17th Keele Badminton Men 1st Vs. Manchester 2nd New Sports Hall 2:00 PM
Badminton Women Vs. Salford
New Sports Hall 2:00 PM
dinner - but make sure to get there on time! Le CafÈ (Chancellor’s Building) Pricey and with short hours you might be tempted to give Le CafÈ a miss. Don’t. It’s worth every penny. The food is good and the service friendly. If coffee is your vice then Le CafÈ is the perfect place for you. It’s also perfect for meeting with friends or having an intellectual discussion or reading a good book, with a nice mug of hot chocolate. Union Square (self-explanatory) A drink and a meal, like your pub from home! The food’s good and the drinks are an added bonus! Nice place to meet with friends for lunch and convenient if you have a break between lectures. Although watch out because around lunch it gets busy so you might have to wait for a table!
Basketball Men Vs. Man Met 3rd Old Sports Hall 3:30 PM Basketball Women Vs. Bolton 1st Old Sports Hall 2:00 PM Football Men 1st Vs. Liv Hope Pitches 2:00 PM
Hockey Men 2nd Vs. Bolton 1st Astro 3:30 PM Hockey Women 1st Vs. Cumbria Astro 2:00 PM Rugby Men 1st Vs. UCLAN Pitches 2:00 PM
Rugby Men 2nd Vs. Chester(Warrington) Pitches 4:00 PM
Rugby Women Vs. Liverpool
Pitches 2:00 PM
Squash Men Vs. UCLAN Squash Courts 2:00 PM
Tennis Men 1st Vs. Keele 2nds Tennis Courts (Warrington) 2:00 PM
And as a final note if you have any articles for me then please submit to: au_dep_president@hotmail.co.uk
Concourse
Across: 1. Broad (4) 3. Green alcoholic spirit (8) 8. Unwell (4) 9. Befuddled (8)
11. Having the shape of a planetary orbit (10) 14. British capital (6) 15. Tablet (anag.) (6) 17. One who predicts the future by
observing the stars (10) 20. Apolcalyptic rider (8) 21. Simple (4) 22. Period of 366 days (4,4) 23. Of great height (4)
Down: 1. Wind blowing towards the East (8) 2. Young waterfowl (8) 4. One who takes bets (colloq.) (6)
Spot the Difference?
8th October 2007
5. Blow-up novelty (10) 6. Elephant ivory (4) 7. Swirl (4) 10. Soft furnishing (10) 12. Wounds of Christ (8) 13. Treachery (8)
16. Fleet of ships (6) 18. ___ Mitchell, EastEnders character (4) 19. Zone (4)
Can you spot 5 differences between the two photos of the KUSU VPs?
The views and opinions contained in Concourse do not necessarily represent those of KUSU