Palatinate Thursday 9th February 2017 | No. 792
Nicky Morgan MP The former Education Secretary on schools, censorship, and the NHS
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DDF 2017
Stage takes a look at the biggest festival yet
Al-Qasimi Building named after ruler of UAE emirate accused of human rights abuses
Durham sexual violence culture highlighted in national media reports Emma Pinckard News Editor
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Amal Clooney have all highlighted abuses in Dr Al-Qasimi’s Emirate of Sharjah Eugene Smith Deputy News Editor The academic after whom Durham University’s Al-Qasimi Building is named is the emir of a United Arab Emirates province accused of abusing human rights, Palatinate can report. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, a Durham graduate and author who has ruled the Emirate of Sharjah since 1972, donated £2.25 million to the University for the construction of a new building to house the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (IMEIS) in 1999. The building, which is also home to the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA), is located opposite St Mary’s College and was opened in 2003. Dr Al-Qasimi’s emirate has been condemned by various human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, which claims the regime is responsible for “torture, restrictions on freedoms of expression and association, and violations of women’s rights.” In 2011, the same organisation singled out the Emirate of Sharjah for its conviction of 17 migrant workers for murder in March 2010, “despite evidence their confessions were unreliable and the product of police torture.” An Indian group named Lawyers for Human Rights International (LFHRI) claimed police beat the men
with clubs, subjected them to electric shocks, deprived them of sleep, and forced them to stand on one leg for prolonged periods. Meanwhile, Amnesty International criticised Dr Al-Qasimi’s regime in 2015 for the detention of an Egyptian national by the emirate’s Preventive Security Services. More recently, the high-profile human rights lawyer Amal Clooney visited an April 2016 summit in the emirate’s main city of Sharjah, attended by Dr Al-Qasimi, to declare that regional governments “need to be vocal about human rights.” Human rights groups and international commentators further note the emirate’s draconian social codes. In the Emirate of Sharjah, it is reportedly illegal for unmarried members of the opposite sex “to be alone in public places or in suspicious times or circumstances” according to Gulf News. Additionally, according to a 2001 state pamphlet, women are forbidden to wear “short clothing above the knee,” “tight and transparent clothing that describes the body,” or “clothing that exposes the stomach and back.” Sharjah is also the only emirate in the UAE to prohibit the sale of alcohol, and consumption is solely permissible by a valid Alcohol Licence holder, provided they only drink in their own home. In response to these allegations, the University referred to Dr AlQasimi’s payment as “a large gift of Continued on page 4
Visit of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Al Qasimi (R) Photograph: Paul Sidney
Durham has been the subject of several national newspaper reports, regarding extreme levels of sexual violence and misconduct at the University. The Times has reported that there is a “conspiracy of silence over rape” in Durham, and students who were interviewed “claimed that a cocktail of privilege and alcohol has created a conspiracy of silence at the university, with assaults on female students hushed up to protect the alleged attackers’ reputations.” The article continued to report that students “told how the majority of alleged incidents had been fuelled by drinking.” Further, it drew attention to the fact that in November, “police figures showed that 463 sex attacks had been reported by female university students at 70 leading institutions in the past two years” and that “two of the country’s most well regarded universities – Durham and Oxford – had the largest number of recorded rape and sex assault allegations, with 36 incidents at each.” The report also quoted Professor Graham Towl, the former chairman of the Sexual Violence Task Force (SVTF), who said: “We have been very active with our work in this area,” but continued, “I think there is a problem in society and I know from my former role there’s significant under-reporting and that’s the general problem.” Emphasising this issue, the report quotes a student, who explains that “if I was sexually assaulted I would always think twice about reporting it,” and “everyone knows everyone in Durham and you can’t get away from people.” In addition to this, The Sun reported that “a shocking 48 per cent of female undergrads at Durham claim to have been attacked” and that “in the past 12 months, four students have been to court for sexual assault, with Continued on page 5
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Editorial Does it take national media attention to give sexual violence the attention it deserves? Does it take national media attention for sexual violence to be given the attention it deserves? A week ago, Palatinate was contacted by two leading national newspapers requesting that we spoke to them about what one of the journalists called the “f*ck buddy culture” at Durham University. The other national newspaper, a tabloid, wanted to meet us in person on Wednesday night to discuss student life in Durham - notably nightlife. These requests from national media came as no surprise, as Durham University had been anticipating this negative media attention. It was no surprise because this month another Durham student was charged with sexual assault, marking the 36th sexual assault at this “world leading” University in the past two years. As has been reported by Palatinate News, The Times reported a “conspiracy of silence over rape in Durham” claiming that privilege has a part to play in this conspiracy, whilst The Sun ran the headline “CAMPUS SEX SHAME – We expose vile culture of sexual violence at Durham University, where ‘lads play Fat Girl Rodeo’ and half of women claim to have been attacked.” Whilst I disagree with the dramatised aspects of these articles, notably some tabloid hyperbole deployed by The Sun, you cannot argue with the hard facts about Durham and sexual assault. Durham, along with Oxford University, has the largest number of recorded rape
and sexual assault allegations. Sexual assault is not unique to Durham. It is a national problem at our academic institutions. However, we have a problem with sexual assault and it needs to be given attention. Comment have provided an excellent analysis of the reasons behind this problem in Durham and I would recommend everyone reads it. As a student journalist, it is rewarding to see media coverage prompting positive action. Town hall meetings including University-wide conversations about addressing sexual misconduct in Durham took place this week attended by the Students’ Union President and the Vice-Chancellor. A “sexual consent” module has been added to DUO. Durham seems to have reacted to the rising pressure on the University from the national press. I am not doubting that, in the last two years, this University has made positive steps to tackle sexual violence by appointing the permanent role of Student Support and Training Officer, as well as introducing compulsory consent workshops for all first year students from 2015. However, my concern is that is has taken the threat of a diminishing reputation to provoke further consultation groups to be established. Durham University needs to prove that sexual violence is at the forefront of its agenda, even when the spotlight isn’t shining on it. This edition of Palatinate features the news that this year’s fashion show raised a staggering £75,000 for Syrian refugees following its
showcasing of arguably the most successful student event to date. The combination of organising such a large event and raising money for such an important cause deserves to be congratulated. Durham is a university which excels in the arts and, in this edition, Indigo is previewing the Durham Drama Festival which is just around the corner. Whether you are a budding thespian or just have a free evening, I would encourage you to attend some of the events on offer. Durham’s Student Theatre has put on excellent productions during my time here and I’m sure this year will be no exception. This edition also features an interview with the brains behind the Durham favourite The Empty Shop as well as an interview with local ex-cricketer Scott Boswell by Palatinate Sport. The wide variety of articles in this edition shows why Palatinate is the most vibrant student media outlet Durham has to offer. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it. Charlie Taylor-Kroll
Thursday 9th Feburary 2017 | PALATINATE
Inside 792
Editorial Board
News pages 3-8
Editors-in-Chief Charlie Taylor-Kroll & Ryan Gould editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Ellie Scorah & Anna Tatham deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Emma Pinckard & Hugo Harris news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Ben Sladden news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Sophie Gregory, Eugene Smith & Reece Moore deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editor Mason Boycott-Owen politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editor Kate McIntosh & Joseph Costello Profile Editors Lily Boulter & Jack Reed profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Luke Andrews & Tommy Pallett scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Adam Cunnane comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editor Scarlet Hannington & Tania Chakraborti Sport Editor Nick Friend sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors James Martland, Ollie Godden & Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Chief College Sport Correspondent George Bond Indigo Editor Yongchang Chin indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Olivia Howcroft deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Sophie Paterson feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Matthew Chalmers Food & Drink Editor Divya Shastri food@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Food & Drink Editor Robbie Tominey-Nevado Travel Editor Charis Cheesman & Naoise Murphy travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Victor Schagerlund fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editor Emma Denison Film and Television Editor Simon Fearn film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Alison Gamble Music Editor Beth Madden Creative Writing Editor Anna Gibbs creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Aaron Bell & Tasmin Bracher books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Lolita Gendler visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Visual Arts Editor Lucy Sara-Kelly Chief Sub-Editor Ollie Mair sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Harriet Cunningham, Jack Heeney, Inka Karna, Grace Long, Ciara Murphy, Violet Nicholson, Angelos Sofocleous Web Editor John Morris Photography Editor Max Luan photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editor Dai-Khue Le Duong Illustrations Editor Faye Chua illustration@palatinate.org.uk Digital Coordinators Craig Bateman & Elizabeth Watson
Profile page 9 Comment pages 10-12 Politics pages 13-15 SciTech page 16 Sport pages 17-20
indigo Editorial page 2 Stage page 3-5 Features pages 3-5 Food & Drink page 6 Travel pages 7 Visual Arts page 8-9 Film & TV page 10-11 Fashion page 12-13 Books page 14 Music pages 15 Creative Writing page 14
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NEWS: University Executive Committee propose changes to academic timetable Palatinate News reports on the proposed changes to the duration of the revision weeks and Summer Term
SPORT Payet: mercenary or misunderstood
FOOD AND DRINK: Akarsu: Turkish Restaurant and Grill
FILM & TV: Review: T2 Trainspotting
“Maybe, the stick and attention is a result of a quiet January and people desperately searching for a story. The reality is, all parties will have probably benefited from this saga.” Louis Gibbon argues.
Georgina Oatts looks at one of the new additions to the Durham food scene, Turkish Restaurant and Grill, Akarsu.
Benedict Clark reviews the sequel Danny Boyle’s cult classic Trainspotting
Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham University. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk
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I have heard many say that a ero tolerance approach to sexual violence is too harsh, or difficult to implement, because it’s a cultural problem, or a matter of attitude rather than reality. I do not agree. So do attitudes need to change then? Does Durham have a ‘cultural’ problem as we’ve been reading in recent press? es, I think we do. As we all know and love, Durham is a unique place to study. But too often we accept casual sexual harassment both in words and behaviour, which makes it seem ‘normal’. This is often magnified by the closeknit nature of our college, sporting, academic and social groups, where the fear of judgement or disbelief within these groups makes speaking up - to question or object to behaviour - incredibly uncomfortable. Our Durham community presents an opportunity to question and change this culture. Last week I sent an email with Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge to all students in light of the recent press coverage about sexual violence at Durham, and this Monday I spoke about this further as part of a panel discussion with students. I’d like to thank everyone who attended, brought forward hard questions, told their stories and shared their perspectives. Sexual violence is something that we need to talk about openly, honestly, and between ourselves as well as with our institution. Durham excels at developing leaders, within our Students’ Union, our Colleges, our courses, our student groups and our sports teams. We have the skills and connections to change attitudes and lead by example within our community. We all have the responsibility to do so.
Durham University College Fashion Show
Photograph: Mike Dennison
DUCFS raises record 7 , for Syrian refugees Charlie Taylor-Kroll Durham University College Fashion Show DUCFS have had their biggest and most successful year to date, shattering previous fundraising records in aid of Syrian refugees. The 34th annual fashion show, which is regarded by many as the ‘headline’ event in the Epiphany term calendar, managed to raise £75,000 for the International Rescue Committee in aid of refugees in Syria. The fashion show saw a record breaking attendance of 1,600 students come to watch 60 student models take to the catwalk, making the occasion the largest event staged by Durham University students and one of the largest in the UK. The sum raised at this year’s show comfortably exceeded previous years fundraising amounts with £27,000 and £7,000 being raised in 2016 and 2013 respectively. Part of this year’s success was due to use of the 2,000-seater Rainton Meadow Arena where the fashion show was held, which was significantly bigger than the Town Hall and Mount
Oswald Golf Club which have been venues in previous years. The show, themed ‘Mavericks to Movements,’ included this year’s pioneering brands Sea Dragon swimwear, Ivy Park
At a time of unprecedented displacement across the world it is heartening to see young people engaging on the issue leisurewear, Rose and Williard womenswear and Studio Pia lingerie. As well as its success on the stage, the money raised from the show will prove pivotal to the humanitarian work that the International Rescue Committee IRC provide to refugees in Syria. The IRC aids civilians by providing essential, life-
saving humanitarian supplies to conflict-affected civilian populations inside Syria. Vice President of Fashion Show Executive Committee, Georgia Gogarty said, “We chose the charity because of its outstanding commitment to not only providing humanitarian relief in the worst affected areas of the world, but also to inspire hope and encourage sustainable development to help broken communities rebuild their lives” Vice President and Executive Director at International Rescue Committee Sanj Srikanthan told Palatinate, “The IRC would like to thank the students of Durham University for choosing to raise money for refugees.” “At a time of unprecedented displacement across the world it is heartening to see young people engaging on the issue and taking action to show their solidarity.”“The funds will help the IRC to continue supporting some of the world’s most vulnerable people.” Rowena Soon, President of the Fashion Show Executive Committee praised the achievement of the fashion show in raising the record breaking amount, as well as emphasising the importance of supporting
refugees in the current political climate. She said, “A donation of £75,000 will be the largest amount ever raised in the UK by a student event and knowing it is going to such an incredible cause makes the committee incredibly proud of our student community “In the current political climate, with Trump most recently signing an executive order to allow extreme vetting on all refugees, the need to keep the humanity and dignity of displaced people at the forefront of people’s minds has never been stronger.” Fashion Coordinator Katie Smith reiterated the words of the president, praising the contribution of the student organi ers and models. She told Palatinate, “I’m so immensely proud of what we’ve achieved, £75,000 is the most money ever raised for charity by a student event and we couldn’t have done it without everyone’s hard work and dedication. “Durham students have had a hard time in the press lately and this show has proven what good we can do when we all work together and how much people are willing to do to help others.”
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Durham University groups join Newcastle protest against Trump’s travel ban Sophie Gregory Deputy News Editor Students from Durham joined protestors at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle to march in the anti-Trump demonstrations. A wave of oppositional marches was sparked by the President’s controversial 90-day travel ban that bars citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the United States. The demonstration, organised by Newcastle Unites and backed by groups including Newcastle Stop the War, North East People’s Assembly, Newcastle Palestine Solidarity Campaign and North East Stand up to Racism, drew an estimated 2,000 protesters. Groups such as Durham University’s Amnesty International, Durham for Refugees, Durham Young Greens, and People and Planet attended the protests with approximately fifty students joining the protest. Katie Condon, President of Durham University’s Amnesty International told Palatinate: ”It made me feel good to vent my anger and to see that there are a lot of people who felt the same way.” Alannah Travers of Durham for Refugees also told Palatinate: “I attended the protest on Monday along with members of Durham for Refu-
gees. “It is disgusting enough to ban primarily Muslim citizens from entering the US, but the executive order has also halted America’s refugee system for 120 days and reduced the cap on the total number of refugees allowed to enter in 2017 to just 50,000. “Personally I couldn’t be more ashamed of our Prime Minister’s lack of response to this.” Organiser of the Newcastle protest, Daniel Kebede, said: “There has been a huge turnout to say we organised it in less than 24 hours. “People are here to say we don’t want Donald Trump. We don’t want his hate, racism, Islamophobia, his sexism. “More than that we believe America should be a welcoming country and so should the UK. Refugees are welcome here. “It’s about challenging Prime Minister Theresa May, she should use her powerful position to say no, this is not okay.” He added: “Newcastle has a strong tradition of turning out against the far right. The North East is a welcoming place, Newcastle is a city of sanctuary.” Police and camera crews were present at the protest. Marches have also been organised in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Leeds, York, Liverpool and Manchester.
Durham for Refugees were one of the University groups to attend the march
Photograph: Alannah Travers
Academic enquiry and debate must remain “open, honest” tended by Amal Clooney, Dr Al-Qasimi defended his governance: “Observers of the experience of Sharjah, a small emirate with big experience, know that while we focus on scientific and technological advancement, it is always accompanied by moral and social development.”
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The University is a self-governing institution with charitable purposes operating within the framework of UK law.
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The Al-Qasimi Building houses the School of Government and International Affairs Photograph: Durham University
Continued from front page, col 2 the order published in the public domain.” A spokesperson also told Palatinate: “The University is a self-governing institution with charitable purposes operating within the framework of UK law. That framework guarantees our independence. “We have in place a comprehensive and transparent ethical framework led by the University Ethics Advisory Committee (UEAC), which […] ensures we uphold our purposes and values, including the University’s commitment to human rights. “The University’s policy on gifts is clear that any connection between the giving of a gift and influencing research or educational activity within the University is completely unacceptable and would result in the rejection of the gift. “The University is committed to ensuring that academic enquiry and debate is open, honest and unafraid to engage with controversial issues in both research and education.” Meanwhile, speaking at the aforementioned April 2016 summit at-
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VC: “We recognise there is more to do in this area”
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Our goal is to create a safe learning and living environment where individuals are respected and feel confident that their concerns will be listened to and appropriate action taken
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Continued from front page, col 5 one jailed earlier this month.” The article also drew attention to an “extreme drinking culture fuelled by cheap booze at Northern prices,” claiming that “drinking games, often with an element of sexual aggression, are an essential element of most sports clubs and social societies,” including those named “Fat Girl Rodeo” and “Pull a Pig.” Durham students commented in the article that “consent is a very blurred concept at Durham,” and “men make too much physical contact in the clubs, grabbing at the women. It’s not surprising any more.” Professor Stuart Corbridge, Vice-Chancellor, and Alice Dee, Durham Students’ Union President, addressed this issue in an email which was sent to all students last week. They commented: “As a University community, we value respect and diversity in a supportive and open culture. Durham University is clear that sexual violence and misconduct will not be tolerated in any form. “We recognise this is a matter of widespread concern, within the University and beyond. We are writing to assure you that the University, along with your colleges, Students’ Union, Experience Durham, staff and external partners, is continuing to take steps to tackle this issue. “Our goal is to create a safe learning and living environment where individuals are respected and feel confident that their concerns will be listened to and appropriate action taken.
“We recognise there is more to do in this area and we think it’s important to have an open conversation.” They continued to give information about “meetings in Durham and Stockton next week to discuss sexual violence and misconduct in our University.” The meetings, held on Monday 6th February and Thursday 9th February, were to give students the opportunity to discuss the issue of sexual violence and misconduct at Durham with members of the University senior management team and Students’ Union representatives. It was also outlined that separate meetings will be held for all staff “to make sure we give all of our community the chance to en-
Stuart Corbridge and Alice Dee addressed the reports last week gage.” They highlighted that students may email the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Operations Group, with any “questions or sugges-
Page 12: Comment examine swapping “rape culture” for “consent culture”
tions” at durham.svmog@durham. ac.uk. This comes after the University’s Sexual Violence Task Force (SVTF) produced a guide, outlining how sexual violence may be confronted at University, for staff and other student leaders. The University outlined its intention to “have specialist policies and procedures in place for investigating incidents of sexual violence,” and “enact culture change
Photograph: Durham University
through bystander intervention and consent workshops for all students.” An online DUO module entitled “Consent Matters” has been made available to all students this week. Professor Corbridge highlighted that an online training module on sexual consent will begin this term.
Serial student home burglar jailed for ten years Barry Lowery, 41, was jailed for ten years at Durham Crown Court for stealing thousands of pounds’ worth of computer equipment from a student house in Durham. The burglary was carried out at a house in High Wood View on 24th November 2016. The court heard that he had abandoned an attempt to break in to a different student house a short while earlier, but then proceeded to target the house belonging to four final-year students who were out for the evening. Andrew Finlay, prosecuting, described how Lowery smashed the window in the back door and stole over £5,000 worth of possessions, including laptops and other electronic
devices. However, the serial burglar left blood at the point where he had entered the house, and forensic matches enabled his arrest on 6th December. One of the missing devices was found at his home. Lowery initially denied any involvement with the burglary, giving various explanations for why his blood may have been found at the house. However, he then proceeded to admit burglary. The four students gave victim statements to the court, detailing the loss of dissertations and other important course work. He also targeted the room of an American student, in a hall of residence, in August last year. Her passport was stolen, meaning that she could not travel home to see her family as she had planned, as well as a laptop and jewellery “of a sentimental value.”
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This is what burlgary does to people, Mr Lowery, although I doubt that even hearing of the effect on the victims will prick your conscience to the slightest extent
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Emma Pinckard News Editor
Judge Prince told the defendant: “This is what burglary does to people,
Photograph: Durham Advertiser
Mr Lowery, although I doubt that even hearing of the effect on the victims will prick your conscience to the slightest extent, because I’m sure you’ve heard all this before.” Detective Inspector Aelfwynn Sampson, of Durham City CID, stated following the case, “My hope is the significance of this sentence will allow Barry Lowery time to reflect upon his crimes and will also serve as a warning to those involved in this type of criminality. “We do find that students in Durham can be targeted by burglars. “Durham Police work closely with the university to offer crime prevention support to students and landlords to deter burglars from travelling to the city to commit these types of offences. “These crimes can often be very distressing and disruptive to the lives of their victims and we hope after today’s sentence they feel justice has been served.”
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Despite legislative proposals, Durham letting agents maintain high administrative charges
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It feels like letting agents are taking advantage of tenants who have relatively littl power to object to high prices and additional fees
which letting agent to use.” Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, she added that “in support of our Advice Service, I will
also put pressure on agents in Durham to cease charging admin charges before they are required to do so. We have excellent agents here in urham and am confident many of them will see this as a great opportunity to lead the way in the market.” As of February 2017, there is still scant information as to when the overnment’s proposed ban on letting agent fees will be enforced. It was announced during a House of Lords debate in January by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, that a consultation on the matter will be launched in either March or April; this schedule has led Letting Agent News to believe no ban will be in place until 2018. As This is Money writer Sarah Davidson confirmed, agents are under no obligation to scrap any of letting fees until the outcome of the overnment’s consultation is revealed. illian uy, hief ecutive of the Citizens Advice charity, has said a ban “needs to be enforced sooner rather than later, or letting agents will continue to cash in while they still can.” Letting agents, on the whole, reacted negatively to the news of the ban last year. The Chancellor’s announcement resulted in a 13 per cent drop in the share price of Foxtons, the high-end London estate agency. David Cox, managing director of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), has suggested that “if (letting agent) fees are banned, these costs will be passed on to landlords, who will need to recoup the costs elsewhere, inevitably through higher rents. The banning of fees will end up hurting the very people the overnment intends on helping the most.” The experience of Durham students in regards to letting agent fees might not be as bad as some tenants throughout the rest of the country. A tenant in Bristol told the Debrief that she encountered fees which were as much as “£540 per person.” Nevertheless, eorge tanbury, founder of the Durham for Accessible Education group, called the costs “wholly unnecessary,” noted they contributed to the many unseen expenditures that erect barriers to affordable education: “Students are already facing above-inflation rent increases, diminishing financial aid and the prospect of a lifetime of debt, and so this comes when students need all the support they can get. It is a shame that letting agents who charge students are not concerned by the e tra financial pressure they place on the students they deal with.” He claimed: “Letting agents provide little or no detail about why admin fees are charged and this lack
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Letting agents provide little or no detail about why admin fees are charged and this lack of transparency is a key reason the Government has committed to banning such fees
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Despite a promise in Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Autumn Statement to ban “letting fees to tenants as soon as possible,” many Durham letting agents are still planning on demanding administrative charges of up to £180 (£150 plus VAT) for those moving in 2017-2018. Agents such as Q Student, Robinsons, and JW Wood do not require the payment of any administrative charges, but Harringtons, Bill Free Homes, Hope Estates, Morgan Douglas, and Frampton and Roebuck are all charging significant fees Bill Free Homes’ costs are among the dearest at £180 (£150 plus VAT) per student. The website of Bill Free Homes, who have been providing student accommodation in Durham since 1996 and were named Student Letting Agency of the Year in 2014 and 2015, say that “in order to meet rising demands and more legislation, we feel that the only way to deal with this is to levy a charge, so as to ensure that we have the right amount of highly trained staff in place to deal with the rising expectations of both tenants and the law.” Durham Students’ Union (DSU) launched their “Stop-Think-Sign”
campaign last year on this issue. ommunity fficer, o o er, said at the time “ iven that students are being panicked into early signing and are often completely new to the rental market, it feels like letting agents are taking advantage of tenants who have relatively little power to object to high prices and additional fees, or to make choices about
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Hugo Harris News Editor
of transparency is a key reason the government has committed to banning such fees for tenants. “Finding student accommodation is a tiring process and should not be made more stressful by placing students in financial difficulties through arbitrary charges. Ahead of this ban, we call on Durham’s letting agents to stop charging students in such an unreasonable, unaccountable manner.” o o er earlier highlighted the importance of tackling agency fees in Durham: “With college accommodation fees at an exorbitant level (above £7,000 per year) and tuition fees on the rise, students are being squeezed from all angles. “In addition to the extra costs of the Durham experience (gowns, formals, and extracurricular activities), these growing costs are having an impact on students from less welloff backgrounds and making the University even less accessible”.
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Name of new PBSA accommodation block , “The Clink,” causes controversy Reece Moore Deputy News Editor The name of a new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) building, due for completion in September 2017, has caused controversy. The Clink, as it is currently due to be called, is located on Mayorswell Court where a previous Durham University accommodation building, Kepier Court, used to stand. The new block, managed by Universal Student Living, has already been advertised locally in preparation for the next academic year. According to The Clink’s website, the PBSA will “offer students a range of modern en-suite cluster bedrooms and studios all with double beds, large showers and ample storage space.” En-suite rooms will cost £137 per week over a 51 week contract. However, the local community has taken issue with the name of the accommodation block, calling it inappropriate and insensitive to the area’s history. The phrase ‘the clink’ is often used to refer to a prison. Durham City Councillor David Freeman has designated the name “disgraceful” and has informed Palatinate that it “hardly gives a good impression to the development or the wider area.” Kepier House, which is part of the development, was a nineteenthcentury home for “fallen women” (those that had “lost their way with
Mayorswell Close, next to the Kepier Court site where The Clink accommodation block is situated od or had become “impure , and had prison-like features. Locals feel that “The Clink” name is “out of keeping” with this darker part of the area’s history, a name which Freeman claims also does
not “provide reassurance to nearby residents.” David Freeman has made appeals to both the owner of the PBSA and to the Durham County Council planning department, to show the
local feeling towards the proposed name. The response has been minimal thus far, with the Council planning department stating that they have had no role in the development of
Photograph: Northern Echo
the PBSA, and have very little power regarding the site’s name. With the next academic year swiftly approaching, local residents and councillors have little time to force a change in name.
UEC proposes changes to academic timetable
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I believe it possible to make these changes in a way that will positively impact students experience during exam season.
weeks, a shorter Easter holiday, delaying graduation, and/or shortening the three-week post-examination period to only two weeks. The Students’ Union has released a feedback form in order to gather student opinion on this decision, which has involved thus far no student consultation. Students are not the only ones affected by the proposed changes. udrey llas ycourinou, Faculty Rep for Social Sciences and Health, told Palatinate: “A number of lecturers and researchers have explained that the change in dates would likely push back their already limited time period for gathering field or “ ince research is such a significant part of an academic career, it is crucial that they can gather their data for publications and for increasing their research impact.”
Lisa Whiting, Academic Affairs fficer for urham tudents’ Union, commented: “There is a genuine need to extend the exam timetable from 2018 for a variety of reasons, including the relocation of Queen’s students and the important need to accommodate students with disabilities who require exams to be spread out over a longer period, which is currently becoming unfeasible”. “I believe it is possible to make these changes in a way that will positively impact students’ experience during exam season. However, the University needs to make sure when planning these changes that any possible negative impact on other areas of student experience is minimised”. She added: “Students’ views on this need to be fed into the process as early as possible and
not as a retroactive appeasement. Fortunately, we’ve been given this extra time to gather student views which will be presented prior to any decisions”.
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Students views need to be fed into this process as early as possible and not as retroactive appeasement
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The University is planning to extend the three week summer examination period. With the number of students in Durham City set to increase following the re-purposing of Queen’s Campus in Stockton, it is expected that exam venues will not have the capacity for all students to take their exams during the current three week time period. This news comes amid claims that students are requesting that exams are stretched out over a longer period of time. The change would have a serious impact on other aspects of the summer term. A longer examination period would give
staff more time to mark exams. Some of the other potential consequences include fewer revision
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Sophie Gregory Deputy News Editor
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News Features
Durham residents voice concern over University Estate Masterplan
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Everywhere we looked were student properties, and the houses on offer to us were poor quality
This has led to many areas of the city containing streets exclusively full of student properties, with students making up 79% of the population of the Elvet Ward, according to the 2011 census. Marie Walters, 45, a former resident of Crossgate, told Palatinate that as result of “studenification, “areas of the city that used to have really strong communities have now vanished.” With landlords buying housing
Deputy Mayor of Durham, Bill Moir, (second from left)
Ariel view of the Science Site to convert for the student rental market, the supply of property in central Durham available to local residents and families becomes increasingly scarce. John Ashby, 73, a retired senior council officer, is reported to have raised concerns that extra students will overwhelm the “tiny city.” Mr. Ashby also drew attention to the behaviour of students, with late-night house parties and vomiting on streets being a weekly occurrence. Residents Carrie-Ann Coxon and her partner Antonio Barbaro have reportedly been forced out of the Durham rental market. Ms Coxon said: “Everywhere we looked were student properties, and the houses on offer to us were poor quality or too far outside Durham for work.” In response to residents’ concerns, the University told Palatinate: “The Durham
Photograph: Durham County Council via Facebook
Photograph: Durham University
University Estate Masterplan has completed its first phase of public consultation and we will continue to work closely with local residents, relevant statutory bodies, University staff, and students as the various individual projects are project progressed. “We are keen to work with the community to ensure there is a positive environment for all who live and work in Durham, we welcome open dialogue and we meet with residents’ groups
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With expansion comes opportunity and that opportunity includes employment
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Last year, the University announced long-term plan for expansion in an “Estate Masterplan.” Included in the ten-year programme of investment are plans to create at least two new colleges, including one on Mount Oswald to accommodate students moving from Stockton and a large postgraduate college on the Sheraton Park site in Neville’s Cross. The relocation of students from Queen’s Campus to a new college next to Josephine Butler will add another 5,700 students to Durham City. Additionally, the University will have a maximum of 4,000 additional students by 2026/27. In 2014, the University had approximately 17,500 students on record. In 2011, the population of the City was approximately 50,000. For many at the University, this is positive news. In order for global universities to maintain and grow their reputations, large scale investment is paramount. Furthermore, the plans seek to improve some of the archaic parts of the University, particularly around New Elvet. However, plans to expand the University raise questions about how the city can cope with continued expansion with many local residents fearing that the “town-gown divide” will grow. Deputy Mayor of Durham Dr. Bill Moir said that news of the expansion “would come as a blow” to residents. He told Palatinate that local residents “do express concerns about stretched local services
including visits to the GP, Hospital appointments, and even the collection of waste. “I was born in Durham and in my lifetime the University has grown beyond my expectation. “The face of Durham City is changing and not everyone is going to be delighted by those changes.” Many local residents expressed concerns about the effect of “studentification on the private rental market in Durham. For a collegiate university, Durham has relatively low numbers of students living in college accommodation compared to other collegiate universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.
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Ben Sladden News Features Editor
including Durham University Residents’ Forum (DURF) as well as with Durham County Council and other partners such as the police and local businesses.” Dr Moir told Palatinate: “I grew up in Hallgarth Street in the 1950’s – certainly the Elvet community that was there is gone.” However, Dr Moir did draw attention to the fact that since the 1960s, many close-knit communities have appeared in the suburban areas and villages around Durham He said: “The sense of community and community identity in the city’s suburbs and villages outside the University
bubble remains high.” The University seeks to remedy the situation by aiming to increase the students living in college accommodation to 50-55% by 2027, which would take pressures off the private rental market, as well as working with purposebuilt student accommodation (PBSA) providers. But, for most second-year students, the choice to live out with friends is preferable to staying in college. With accommodation fees in college set at £6,940 for the academic year, many second-year students will also be incentivised to search for cheaper housing in the private rental sector. However, the economic contribution the University makes to the small city is undeniable. The Deputy Mayor spoke about the positive economic role the University plays in the city. He said: “With expansion comes opportunity and that opportunity includes employment and that expansion includes an increased opportunity for local young people to attend a world class University.| Durham University generates £633.6 million gross-value added (GVA) a year to the North-East economy, supporting 10,330 jobs in the North-East. The University also adds £1.1 billion a year to the national economy. The St Nicholas Scholarship offered by the University offers generous financial assistance to students from Newcastle to study at Durham. Simon Henig, head of Durham County Council said last month that “Durham University is a huge asset the county and the wider region.”
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Carlo Vigiliansi and Nick Malyan: the brains behind Empty Shop The exciting expansion of Empty Shop paves the way for Durham’s creative output to flourish
Simon Fearn It’s a rainy Thursday afternoon when Carlo Viglianisi and Nick Malyan lead me into a disused office block at the end of North road. It’s been empty for almost a decade soon Viglianisi and Malyan will turn it into Empty Shop’s second venue, the only contemporary arts studio and gallery space in central Durham. It’s been eight years since the pair founded Empty Shop. Viglianisi, a freelance photographer and graphics designer, was using an empty shop as a studio space hence the name . Viglianisi and Malyan, events managers and independent producers returning to Durham and at a loose end, opened the shop up as an exhibition space. They only envisioned the project lasting three months or so, but they were overwhelmed by the response. Since then, Empty Shop has existed in 22 different venues, but most of us will know them from Empty Shop H , an arts and cultural venue that hosts fringe theatre, spoken word, live music, film screenings and occasional pop-up record stores. In 2015 alone they hosted 168 events. Tucked off Framwellgate Bridge, H seems almost afraid of drawing attention to itself, with a non-descript sign and a doorbell to gain entry. This intimate space plays host to regional talent like Shields, Bridie Jackson and Richard Daw-
The new space
lous Viglianisi. “Things like that shouldn’t happen.” “Every year we’ve had a larger and more diverse program than the year before, and we hope that will always be that case,” Malyan adds. Case in point: as part of the latest Book Festival, Empty Shop hosted “a literary-themed silent disco with a bookshop in the corner” with Forum Books. Malyan’s favourite event, however, was a collaboration with City of Sanctuary aimed at refugees in the North East: a concert from the National Orchestra of Syria who were fresh from a tour with Damon Albarn. They played
Vigiliansi and Malyan Photograph: Dai-Khue
son, along with big international names like Chicago rapper Serengeti. “Musicians will do European tours with three dates in the UK: London, Bristol and Empty Shop,” says an incredu-
to “a packed audience full of people who wouldn’t have been able to experience that kind of orchestra in their own country, but were experiencing it in Durham city, thousands of miles from where
Photograph: Dai-Khue
they grew up.” Impressive as all this is, Empty Shop is much more than just an arts venue. Malyan and Viglianisi realised in the early days that the organisation needed to do more than just provide a platform: “artists needed support in other ways such as advice and time to think. They didn’t just need space where they could hang a picture on a wall. If we can provide a space where people can reflect and think about their creativity and talk to us you can develop a relationship that’s about more than the hire of a room.” The pair’s focus on artistic development and collaboration has certainly fared well for students in the past. Dave Spencer was the first student to utilise the venue for student theatre with Another Soup’s Jungle Book in 2012 he’s gone on to direct and produce theatre on a national level. “People who might not consider themselves as artists might discover that they can be,” says Viglianisi. “People at very early stages of their career see it as a really good testing ground.” Having celebrated the eight year anniversary of their project, the two men feel it’s time to take stock. “It’s time for us to think and reflect,” says Viglianisi. “Talk to people and look at Durham’s cultural ecology as well as our own place within that.” Off the back of this, Empty Shop has unveiled a flurry of innovations – 2017 is looking to be a year of unprecedented growth. These new developments include The Empty Shop Think
Tank TESTT , a research and development tool with ties to the Arts Council, Durham University,
It’s time for us to think and reflect Talk to people and look at Durham’s cultural ecology as well as our own place within that
Durham County Council, Culture Durham, ARC Stockton, and New Writing North and more. It aims to examine Durham’s cultural output generally, with Empty Shop becoming “a natural hub” for various different artistic enterprises. In this context the new visual arts space on North Road becomes much more than just a second venue, but the final piece in a pu le that will cement Viglianisi and Malyan’s dreams of Empty Shop as a community resource for Durham artists and performers. “We want to preserve H as
an ama ing space for performers and audiences, but we also need to make sure we offer something for visual artists as well,” Malyan explains. The new venue dwarfs H , with three large open plan spaces that will most likely become galleries, along with a number of smaller office rooms they hope to turn into studios. Malyan is confident they’ll have half a do en studio spaces up and running within a couple of weeks. One of these rooms they hope to turn, with the support of the Culture Durham the University’s cultural venues, collections and engagement department into a dedicated studio space for Durham students. Not only is studio space incredibly scarce for student artists, but Viglianisi and Malyan – eager as ever to encourage collaboration – stress the advantages for students of being surrounded by local professionals. “ ou can benefit by working in an environment where you can always see other people’s work, and talk to them and seek advice,” says Malyan. Empty Shop has always been about more than just the art and Viglianisi and Malyan are increasingly looking outward. Events at H already have a 60 local, 40 student audience – a rare bridge of the town and gown divide - and the new North Road space looks to form an even tighter-knit artistic community made up of both students and locals. Malyan tells me that a long term ambition is to encourage more students to stay in the area after graduation, an aspired byproduct of them forging stronger ties with local creatives. The future looks bright, and the next few months will be a time of rapid change for Malyan and Viglianisi, hopefully taking them places they haven’t even thought of. “A large part of Empty Shop is being very fluid,” Viglianisi explains. “There’s intentionally been no clear direction because it becomes more fascinating to see where you go.” No doubt they’ll continue to expand, however, looking beyond their own organisation to ensure Durham’s cultural output is as strong as it can be. Empty Shop needs you Carlo and Nick are looking for student volunteers to help make the North Road venue fit for purpose, along with student artists who are interested in becoming part of the studio project. Email thefolks@ emptyshop.org.uk if you’d like to get involved
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Improving intersex representation in Durham sports The University needs to rethink its approach to inclusivity
Photograph: Chilli Head via Flickr and Creative Commons
Ted Lavis Coward
NUS Delegate, LGBT a President
After the string of disaffiliation campaigns nationally, I am certain we are all aware of the faults with the NUS. Amidst the infighting and the factionalism that I have witnessed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to defend the NUS’s politics, but their work on minority liberation still remains ital for so many students. During my first term as LGBT a President it was clear that a lot of LGBT liberation needed refocusing on the struggles of trans and intersex students, and this is not any more apparent than in sporting institutions. Though Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign was successful, it was adopted by many student unions with the tagline of “kicking homophobia out of football” with, once again, very little focus on trans
and intersex students who are often excluded entirely. In many university sports teams nationally, some bound by external policy and others not, trans and intersex students are asked to disclose their legal gender or to present medical information, in-
Demands act as barriers and can make sport inaccessible for trans students
cluding details regarding hormone replacement therapy. These demands act as barriers and can make sport inaccessible for trans students who choose not to medically transition and can alienate and prevent those who are med-
ically transitioning from partaking in sport. Furthermore, intersex students can feel unwelcome in gendered sports teams altogether. As long as universities are demanding such information, sport can never be truly accessible for trans and intersex people. Medical transition isn’t a viable option for many due to health reasons, and hormone replacement therapy can result in the individual becoming sterile, which I’m sure we can all agree is a huge decision for a trans teenager to make. After several meetings last term, not only did Team Durham agree to our new guidelines for trans and intersex students in sport, they expanded these guidelines to incorporate the entirety of Experience Durham. Joanna Gower, the Community Officer for Durham Students’ Union, led the way and wrote a detailed policy which is currently with our legal team here in Durham. These guidelines state that trans and intersex students are able to compete and train in whichever team best fits their gender identity, except in football and rugby, where
the individual is still able to train. The reason some students might be unable to compete in these sports is due to affiliations with external sources and therefore their policies – the FA and the RFU Rugby Football Union in these instances. These policies use inaccurate language and the “RFU Transgen-
Intersex students can feel unwelcome in gendered sports teams
der and Transsexual Policy”, in particular, demands more from our students than the International Olympic Committee demands from world famous athletes.
The policy that I submitted to the NUS National Conference aimed to mimic Durham’s new policy in a set of good practice guidelines, as well as lobbying external sporting institutions, to revise their outdated policies, or to create specific policies more appropriate for Higher Education. It has just recently been passed. I am proud that Durham is leading the way in ridding university sport of its exclusionary demands, but, as much as I delight in the NUS’s support for our good practise guidelines, I am aware that it might be an ongoing challenge to encourage external sporting institutions to rethink their approaches to inclusivity. However, through education and opening a dialogue on “fair play” and the science of trans and intersex athletes, I believe that with the NUS’s continued dedication to minority liberation, this is entirely achievable. ider reading ata Prote tion t ender e ognition t ualit t CS s Transgender Poli The Poli on Trans People in oot all Transgender and Transse ual Poli
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Why I oined the Newcastle anti-Trump march Joe Banfield In this little Durham world, there is not much Trump can do. There is less still that we can do about him. I have never joined a protest before, but on the night of the last Monday of January, I found myself one of over a thousand people demonstrating in Newcastle. Perhaps you believe that a protest halfway around the world from where Trump’s ban on refugees operates is pointless. It may be laughable to think he would genuinely withdraw his ban on refugees or his 7 country immigration suspension because of some angry English crowds, especially since he fired his own attorney general for raising her concerns. I understand that this alone won’t change his mind. What’s more, I also understand that for Theresa May, pragmatism must trump principles. We have declared that we will leave the single market, which will require serious economic realignment.
Where better for her to look than the USA, the newly-confident, biggest economy in the world, and the big partner in our
I will not conform to his morally vacuous influence
so-called ‘special’ relationship? I can almost forgive May for being the first to visit Trump, for walking hand in hand with him, and taking so long to condemn the refugee ban. Making a success out of Brexit must be top of her agenda it is what will determine her legacy. Hence hard Brex-
it
hence a general firmness. Arguably, it is in my personal economic interest to support her in her dealings with Donald. I am a middle-class, privatelyeducated, straight, white male at a top university in one of the world’s wealthiest countries. I will not personally be harmed by Donald Trump, his ban, or, in all probability, any of his other actions. But banning refugees? Banning refugees for ‘national security,’ on the pretext that they might be terrorists? This is unjust, illiberal, foolish, stigmatising, and illegal. It is unjust because refugees are the most desperate, damaged, and deserving people on earth. It is illiberal because it arbitrarily denies people freedom to enter one of the most liberal countries on earth. It is foolish because all the evidence demonstrates no causal link or even correlation between refugees and terror attacks in the US. See The Inde pendent 24th October 2016 . It is stigmatising, because when the most powerful man in the
world bans refugees, his ideas catch on, and an example is set. And it is illegal because it breaks the Geneva Convention.
The Donald Trump uestion is above all a moral one
Above all, a leader has a moral responsibility to the people and sets the tone of popular discourse. In Donald Trump’s case, the tone is set not just for the people of the USA, but for the whole world. I will not conform to his morally vacuous influence, whether it has any personal outcome or
not. I feel compelled to protest the election of a man who not only spews harsh words, but now physically spreads cruelty. He builds walls, boasts in the lewdest terms of sexual assault, removes the rights of women, and bans refugees. It may all seem far off from Durham, but Trump is the socalled Leader of the Free World. Countless times during the election campaign I have been insulted and taken aback, but refrained from active protest. Countless times I have harboured strong feelings – but now that I have seen the man in action, I have found my moral resolve. My feelings have hardened into a voice. I joined the Newcastle protest because the Donald Trump question is above all a moral one. For each human, there is – or at least, I hope there is – a limit to how much moral laxity one can excuse for the sake of expediency. My limit has been reached. There is courage in the fact that tens of thousands across the UK felt the same way – and made their voices heard.
We all need a bit more mindfulness in 2 17 Emily Smith Mindfulness is not only attainable by an elite dedicated few. ou are not required to take up yoga, chant on the top of mountains, nor have sought your true self in a faraway land. Mindfulness is not merely a construction of a superior image on Instagram. The commercialisation of lifestyle choices has largely dominated the popular view of mindfulness, scaring off many a newcomer. The result of these misconceptions are nothing short of tragic. The glamour of Instagram is another world from my idea of mindfulness. I received my first rather rude introduction to the practice whilst in hospital. Mentally unstable to say the least , insecure in my own self and mind, and surrounded by others feeling much the same...unsurprisingly, it was not here in which I could embrace the practice. It
felt alien, false, and even patronising. What I did not know then is that one of the key elements of mindfulness is intention. It is something which cannot be forced upon you. Equally, you cannot force mindfulness upon yourself. If you do not enjoy what you do, it’s incredibly unlikely that you will benefit, nor will you practise regularly. Luckily, there is a multiplicity of approaches to mindfulness – many of which do not involve even closing your eyes, let alone balancing on one leg. Mindfulness, to me, is nothing more than conscious awareness. This sounds simple enough. In fact, one would hope that everyone had conscious awareness at least sometimes though Monday mornings can be forgiven . et, until you attempt to engage with life on this level, you do not realise how much of life we spend on autopilot. It’s quite possible to stumble through a day without truly realising where we have been, and what we are doing. This may make life easy, but does it truly make it enjoyable?
Our mental well-being can be sensitive at the best of times. Especially in times of high stress, it seems desirable to ‘switch off’ – we may subconsciously elect,
Mindfulness is nothing more than conscious awareness
therefore, simply not to think. Unfortunately, this runs the heavy risk of making us feel out of control. In this case, taking time out for mindfulness may seem counter-intuitive. In fact, taking this time out may
allow us to catch back up with reality. By reconnecting with experiences and surroundings, our awareness returns – and with it, a surprisingly empowering sense of control. So, how is this reconnection possible? I find that it is most helpful to integrate such activities into habits which I already have. The benefits of this are twofold: it grants a positive association to an everyday activity, and you don’t have to adjust your lifestyle taking up a new habit, unsurprisingly, is more difficult than adapting an old one . The habit I chose to use for mindfulness was making coffee, for example. It is easy to do such a mundane task on autopilot it is far harder to focus upon every element of the process. et it is worth the effort, because this focus has an incredible grounding power. It is much harder to feel lost when acutely aware of your surroundings. The beauty of mindfulness is that – as it is only conscious awareness – the only thing needed
to achieve it is to make a choice to embrace our own awareness. Momentarily, disregard everything else: focus upon one task, one action, one movement. It need not be complex, or exotic. All it must be is consciously chosen. This is not even a new skill to any of us – as university students, we are more than accustomed to focussing. It will not give you superpowers, nor may it be ‘the answer’ to every problem. It becomes far easier to feel that you have the power to be in control. This power, though gained in these isolated moments, is by no means restricted to them. Therein lies the benefit of mindfulness – the knowledge of your own awareness which remains. In a world which is fastpaced and ever changing, it is far too easy to feel lost amongst the chaos. Mindfulness teaches you how, extending from the simplest tasks, you can claim control of your consciousness. It may not be a superpower, but it’s certainly a comfort.
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Tackling sexual violence at Durham Swapping ‘rape culture’ for ‘consent culture’
Photograph gamal inphotos ia li kr and Creati e Commons
Tania Chakraborti eput Comment ditor This month, Durham University student Samuel Bunyan was jailed for 32 months for sexually assaulting a fellow student as she slept beside him. This shocking event, along with the 36 instances of reported sexual assault at our institution over the past two years, has led the The Telegraph to target the University as a place which engenders ‘rape culture’. The Sun went one step further by claiming that their recent article was ‘ exposing the vile culture of sexual violence at Durham University’. Usually, any outlandish attempts made by such online media to disparage Durham can be skirted over as tabloid sensationalism, hungrily devoured by the gossip-loving public. However, in light of recent events, can anyone really lame the press for commenting in such a way? Do we have a ‘rape culture’ at Durham, and if so, why is this the case? The Sun heavily implied
that the drinking culture here, with university ‘cheap boo e at Northern prices’, has somehow normalised ‘lad culture’. The article then quoted that ‘one third of Durham scholars are from private education,’ a fact which has no statistical link whatsoever to the number of sexual assaults that take place. It is doubtful that the drinking culture at Durham is greater than any other institution in this country there is no tangible evidence for this. Of course, students should aim to drink responsibly and recent ‘scandals’ like the Champagne Society ball have only served to act as weapons that the press can
Do we have a rape culture’ at Durham, and if so, why is this the case?
handily use against us when debating issues that actually matter. Although alcohol is a commonality in most sexual violence cases, taming our collective social lives is not the immediate issue at hand. The issue is not with school educational background either, and to make such an insinuation is ludicrous and a blatant example of tabloid hyperbole. However, the issue is with a certain type of education, specifically, onsent education. The problem is simply about understanding the law with regards to basic human boundaries. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 defines consent as having occurred when a person ‘agrees by choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice’. Alcohol consumption means that this crucial choice is taken away from a woman she simply annot consent. How is the concept of consent so hard to understand? It should be ingrained in our culture there should be no blurred lines. The University has made a string of ‘right moves’ recently being the first notable academic institution in the country to appoint a ‘Student Support and Training Officer Sexual Violence and Misconduct ’, as well as enforcing
compulsory consent lessons for all first year students as of 2015. Perhaps the exemplary welfare system in place, which allows students to feel safe in reporting sexual assault cases, is part of the reason that Durham is known nationally for reporting such a high level of offences. However, this is only the start of what should be an ongoing process to ensure an end to all reported incidents. Should consent classes not be extended to all year groups? A poll conducted by outhSight, as cited in The Telegraph in
How is consent so hard to understand? There should be no blurred lines
2015, found that a shocking 43 of the women who took part from a host of UK universities had decided not to report sexual assault. Clearly, we still need to create an even safer environment for young people to feel comfortable reporting their experiences. This week, in an attempt to firmly tackle this issue, the University, in conjunction with Student Union representatives and students from across both Stockton and Durham campuses, have been meeting to discuss the growing problem of sexual violence and misconduct. 6th February Durham, 9th February ueen’s Campus Events like these are crucial platforms for students to vocalise their concerns about how the University can improve its welfare system and reduce appalling cases like these. Supporting university groups like ‘It Happens Here’, which is ‘dedicated to raising awareness about sexual violence’, is vital to erasing ignorance around consent. We need as many students as possible to engage with eradicating a problem which, in 2017’s supposedly ‘progressive’ society, should quite frankly no longer exist today.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 9th February 2017
Politics
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The Durham Bubble: Politics News in Brief When Theresa met Donald
Article 50 passes first test
Etienne Caswell
Louis Gibbon
t is not the ob of the rime inister to lecture the democratically elected leader of the free world. n this post-referendum period, where our European alliances are wavering, it is foolish to claim that Britain should distance itself from its closest ally. Securing a tradedeal and strengthening ties with the world’s leading power should be of paramount importance rump s affection for Britain and his anti-establishment mandate ideologically unite our two countries in a way not seen since the eagan- hatcher era rs ay was right to look forward to a renewed and closer special relationship.
Unsurprisingly, considering that the is a parliamentary democracy, it has been decided that s will indeed have to vote on the biggest decision the UK has faced in decades he government have said this will not affect plans to trigger it by the end of arch owever, the ruling has already triggered hope among many formerly pro-remain s, who see it as a way to slow down the move towards a “hard-Brexit n reality, ay will be able to get it through parliament with relative ease, with most s fearing the wrath of constituents if voting to bloc to the motion
arriet arman, feminist campaigner and Labour back-bencher, has come forward in her memoir, claiming that a tutor offered her a 2:1 in return for sex when she was at the niversity of or er tutor told her she was a ‘borderline’ student and could achieve a higher grade in return for sex er claims are particularly disturbing in the context in which she brought them arman stated such events are still a battle we have to fight now he former acting Labour leader claims that men in authoritative positions, who abuse their power for sex, are neither extinct nor even uncommon today
France’s Socialist Party has reaffirmed its left supremacy n anuary th, they nominated Benoît amon as their candidate for the upcoming residential election e unexpectedly defeated former rime- inister anuel alls in the race. The two differ substantially, with amon advocating soft secularism and legalising cannabis amon previously held several senior political positions but in resigned from his role as Education inister amon accused President Hollande of discarding the socialist agenda. The result confirms a divide between the hard and liberal-left within the party residential victory is therfore unli ely, but not impossible
It’s been reported by The Sunday imes that, in une , an unarmed trident missile suffered a malfunction during the test-process t deviated from its intended tra ectory and instead veered towards the S he government has sought to explain the deviation as part of an automatic self-destruct se uence ichael allon, the Defence Secretary, has come under fire, after telling the ouse of Commons thrice that the S engeance submarine and its crew were “successfully certified heresa ay refused to say if she new about the misfire before as ing arliament to renew the nuclear deterrent.
Photograph: Elspeth de Montes via Flickr
Photograph: Michael Coghlan via Flickr
Photograph: University of Salford via Flickr
Photograph: Patrick Janicek via Flickr
Photograph: Ethan Lindsey via Flickr
Harman: sex for grade culture
Eloise Carey
Socialists back Benoît Hamon
Trident mishap kept secret
Desiree Birinci
Cecilia Wang
Trump’s travel ban sparks outrage dom of religion in the merican Constitution, one basic foundation of S democracy n this point, rump stated last
Helen Paton
“
The truth is that there is always a headline related to the new President of the S, Donald rump Whether it is about his constant discrimination towards uslims or his non-filtered tweets over a federal judge, there is always drama and a feeling of uncertainty relating to his political approach to international affairs his time we were hit with a rather radical measure an executive order banning people from seven uslim countries ran, Syria, ra , Somalia, emen, Sudan and Libya from
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Mr Trump, the most controversial President, needs to go and read the Constitution.
crossing the US border. In the past couple of days the response towards the ban was felt around the globe, with protests in every big city. aybe rump is not aware that his country has only accepted
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Does he know that the US is a country founded on the hard work of immigrants?
Trump’s executive order caught many US airports by suprise
Photograph: Quinn Norton via Flickr
refugees from Syria after a careful process of selection. Germany in contrast, received a million of them n the other hand, none of the countries banned from the U.S. has been part of the recent terrorist attacks on his territory.
ning a few countries? he travel ban affected thousands of people by cancelling visas to all of those who were from the uslim countries above is action contradicts the irst mendment, which is the right of free-
any uestions arise concerning his extremist views on immigration is he satisfied with his measures Does he now that the S is a country founded on the hard work of immigrants Does he thin he will put a stop to terrorism by ban-
week that the ban had different implications for those who were Christian, even if they were from uslim countries he violation towards people s rights and values within a country of such enormous diversity is a big mista e for rump There is a constant lack of understanding of the values that are the robust pillar that sustains the cultural interaction in the country. He has no respect for religion, women or other cultures that are outside his bubble of the merican dream rump must stop the generalisati ons in his actions and statements especially on his Twitter account which is outrageous r rump, the most controversial resident in the history of the United States, needs to go and read the Constitution first, instead of building more walls in his country.
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Thursday 9th February 2017 | PALATINATE
Politics
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Palatinate Politics interviews Nicky Morgan MP Joseph Costello Deputy Politics Editor On 27th January, Palatinate Politics spoke with Nicky Morgan MP. The former Education Secretary was in Durham to give an address to the Conservative Association. Here is what Nicky had to say. Q: Grammar Schools. Is selection in the state-education system really such a bad thing? NM: What our young people really need is for every school to be good or outstanding. Government departments need to be able to focus on building a strong system. Across the country. Rather than introducing a whole new level of structural reform involving state education. Which is why I have questioned the consultation the government carried out in September. Q: Censorship. Are we raising a generation of snowflakes? NM: I think there’s an opportunity being at university for students to be exposed to different speakers. And to make their own decisions about what they find
Ms Morgan was axed from the role of Education Secretary by the PM in July
agreeable. There are people whose intention is to create division and inflame hatred of others That is something student unions ought to think about when giving people platforms. But we’re
beginning to see a worrying trend in the public sphere where people are only able to read opinions that they agree with. I think it’s good for all of us to have our opinions challenged.
Photograph: Policy Exchange via Flickr
Q: NHS crisis. What is the answer? Cut foreign aid? Charging for GP appointments? NM: There is no single answer but we should not balance our books on the poorest in the
world. We haven’t really thought enough how we’re going to look after our aging population. Where are they going to live? What about the families, what happens if there are no families? The political class has ducked that for the best part of 20 years. There are massive variations in S care Why is it that some hospitals are struggling and others can find staff and provide necessary levels of care? It must be to do with the way those local services are being run, the collaborative nature of those services, the preventive work that is going on. So, thin it is a combination of factors. Q: The Donald. Should Theresa May publicly scold Trump? NM: The relationship with the nited States is more than ust about two people. It’s about history, it’s about assembly relationships. And Theresa May is no push over, if she feels she has something to say to President Trump, she will say it and she has already done that. At the end of the day, I’d much rather it was Theresa May in the White House talking Britain’s interests than Nigel Farage!
Women in university politics “Alternative facts”: Is this a post-truth era?
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There’s something going on in universities which puts women off politics, a prejudice which can last a lifetime
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Where are all the women in university politics? Why are women so underrepresented in political societies and student elections? Yes, we sound a bit like a broken record. But it’s no wonder when the problem is so persistent. We have become accustomed to university politics’ naturalised gender bias and many of us fail to challenge it. The barriers to women’s participation in national politics – experience, connections, family obligations – are less pronounced at university. Unless you’re willing to argue that women are somehow genetically predisposed to apoliticism, you’ve got to admit it: there’s something going on in our universities that puts women off politics, a prejudice which can last a lifetime. Women are not apolitical. If we needed more proof, 4.8 million women marched in protest of Trump’s presidency just last month So, what s stopping us in Durham? A lack of representation might be both the problem and the cause. It might be the case that you can’t be what you can’t see. Moreover, the stigma surrounding political women is almost certainly a con-
tributing factor. After all, both of our two women Prime Ministers
have been branded as cold, unfeeling, and made of iron; men can be bosses but women can only be ‘bossy’. University politics should be the place where these harmful, anachronistic tendencies fall by the wayside. We think that women who are passionate about politics, from across the political spectrum, have a fantastic platform to trial their ideas and build their experience in Durham. The more we can do to open up a dialogue on women’s representation, the better our chances at rebalancing university politics. We’re holding a forum and networking event to hear your views - search ‘Durham Women in Politics on aceboo to find out more It will hopefully be just the start of a wider change in Durham’s political culture.
Anna Myers
Team Trump has never been known for their dedication to truthfulness. But as they settle in to the White House, they seem to have become even bolder. In his first conference, Sean Spicer, the White ouse ress Secretary, brazenly told us that Trump’s inaugural crowd was ‘the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration. Period’. It wasn’t. The New York Times estimated that Trump drew a crowd about a third of the size of Obama’s inauguration in 2009. When questioned on her colleague’s deliberate and provable
Will 2017 become the year of post-truth?
lies in an interview, Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s counsellor, suggested that r Spicer had simply provided ‘alternative facts’. Defending Trump’s so-called Muslim Ban, Ms Conway invented a terrorist attack called the Bowling Green Massacre, lamenting the fact that ‘most people don’t know about that because it didn’t get covered’ - most likely because it didn’t happen. Ms Conway’s statements are almost laughable in their refusal to ac nowledge the truth Some compared her words to the Newspeak employed by the Party in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four, causing sales of the novel to surge She responded to criticism in Trump-like fashion: by throw-
Photograph: Cat Branchman via Flickr
ing out random insults. After Chelsea Clinton tweeted that Ms Conway should not make up facts, the Counsellor responded – in the mature manner you would expect of a politician – ‘I misspoke; you
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The lies of the Trump administration are absurd
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Victoria Lincoln (DUCA) and Kate McIntosh (DULC)
lost the election’. The lies of the Trump administration are absurd, and sometimes amusing. But they point to a serious issue. Many politicians manipulate the truth. But the brazenness of Team Trump, their refusal to accept facts when confronted and their efforts to de-legitimise the media should frighten us. When President Trump calls journalists ‘the most dishonest human beings on earth’ it is heard by millions of Americans. When he claims to have seen Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11, he follows in the footsteps of Vladimir Putin, of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and of countless other authoritarian leaders for whom the truth is of but minor importance. Alternative facts are not facts at all; let us hope the American people remember that.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 9th February 2017
Politics
www.palatinate.org.uk
Labour rebellion as 47 MPs defy Corbyn on Brexit Cameron McIntosh
After seven months of debating and deliberating, it s official he British Government will trigger Article 50 by the 31st March this year, after an overwhelming majority of MPs voted to pass the landmark “Brexit Bill.” This will formally set in motion the process by which the UK can negotiate its exit from the European Union. With much time and money wasted on appealing the High Court judgement, the government respected British parliamentary democracy by consulting the Commons on the 1st of February. Many MPs made clear the difficulty they had in voting for something they fundamentally disagreed with, with one member exclaiming ‘suicide’, as the votes were calculated. There was little to be worried about however, as 498 MPs voted with the government and just 114 votes were cast in opposition. The dissenters were composed largely of members from the S , the Liberal Democrats (2 abstainers , laid Cymru, and Labour
rebels who voted in defiance of Corbyn’s three-line whip. Only former Chancellor, Ken Clarke, did the same in the Conservative ranks. Emotion was high throughout the debate and Clarke’s referral to Enoch Powell, best known for his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, seemed particularly poignant given the anti-immigrant rhetoric that polarised the referendum. Theresa May’s original concern about going to Parliament seems to have been unfounded as it was a comfortable day for her government. Not least because Labour supported the bill. Jeremy Corbyn’s imposition of a three-line whip caused a stir within the Labour party and yet again he will be recruiting for his revolving door shadow cabinet. The irony of compelling MPs loyalty was surely not lost on the former backbench rebel-in-chief, who has defied the Labour whip over 500 times in his 34 years in Parliament. Most embarrassingly for Corbyn, three Labour whips, whose job is to ensure party loyalty (Vicky Foxcroft, Thangam Debonnaire and eff Smith ignored their leaders instructions. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that 44 others
in the party failed to toe the line. Ultimately the Labour votes made little difference to the passing of the bill, but Jeremy Corbyn’s inability to command loyalty from the PLP again exposes
the weaknesses of his leadership. Tom Watson has already suggested that the shadow cabinet dissenters could return within months, and it all serves to highlight the desperate state of the
Diane Abbot MP was “too ill” to turn up and vote alongside Corbyn
opposition. Following the comfortable passing of this Bill, it will go to the committee stage, where it will be scrutinised and amendments will be proposed and debated.
Photograph: Garry Knight via Flickr
Nuttall seeks win in Labour heartland Women stand up to Trump By-elections are undeniably significant, acting as a bell-weather for upcoming general elections and measuring public confidence in government. None more so than the upcoming Sto e-onTrent by-election, triggered by the resignation of Tristram Hunt. For both UKIP and Labour, the vote on the 23rd February is critical in judging their performances since the Brexit vote Sto eon-Trent will decide whether to stand by the divided Labour Party, and condemn Corbyn’s leadership by voting for the dissident areth Snell, or to support the anti-EU Paul Nuttall despite UKIP’s failure to emerge strong in the wake of June’s decision. In such a situation, forecasting is futile. Until recently, Nuttall looked set to win, claiming a point lead over Snell, reflecting widespread disdain with the state of Labour. Nuttall has set himself apart on the landmark issue of Brexit. Having campaigned in favour of the UK leaving the EU, and with Sto e-on- rent voting in favour of Brexit in June, there is certainly potential for a UKIP victory.
Hunt, however, was successfully re-elected in 2015 in spite of his opposition to Brexit, and thus provides a glimmer of hope for the remainer, Snell E ually, Nuttall’s campaign has weakened in the past week, furthering Labour’s chances. Accused of election fraud regarding his residency in the constituency, it remains to see whether Nuttall’s anti-EU rhetoric is enough to overcome this media storm, and claim him victory in Sto e-on- rent A victory for Nuttall will spell major victory for UKIP, and has the potential to set its trajectory on an upward path. With the UK now in the process of leaving the EU, and UKIP’s ultimate goal es-
he fi t
leade to eco e an
sentially achieved, the party requires such a boost to launch it back into Westminster. A defeat for UKIP will only worsen the situation. On becoming leader, Nuttall was tasked with making UKIP relevant in a post-Brexit world. o lose in Sto e-on- rent will reaffirm as obsolete and will render Nuttall a failure.
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A victory for Nuttall will spell major victory for UKIP
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Claudia Mulholland
Photograph: Paul Nuttal MEP via Wikipedia
Eloise Carey
Fewer than half of women believe they have the same opportunities as men, according to a new survey by S n contrast, almost two thirds of the men think there is equality of opportunity among the sexes. Following Trump’s inauguration, this sense of unease has begun spilling into the political arena. At its climax were the Women’s Marches, 4.5 million turning out in over 603 different cities to protest. One of the 100,000 marching in London said she was there “out of solidarity for all the women and other groups marginalised by Trump’s politics.” However, despite the apparent antipathy between Trump and American women, the breakdown of the vote tells of a different reality. The tendency of the media to describe women as if they are a single voting bloc is leading to neglect of differences in race, age, education and political orientation. Trump in fact found support among women, specifically white women without college degrees, 61% of whom voted for him. Commentators have begun to refer to this group of women as “shy Trump voters.”
Interviews with these voters demonstrated diverse reasons for their support; worries about the economy, anger about the Affordable Care ct, protection of Second Amendment rights, fear of immigration and terrorism, and opposition to abortion. These statistics are acting to disprove the commonly held view that people only voted for Trump because they despise Clinton. The Women’s Marches were undoubtedly an incredible show of solidarity among those who oppose Trump’s leadership. But we must be careful not to categorise all women under this heading, because to do so would only fulfil the engendered stereotypes that we are trying to escape. We must not assume ‘solidarity’ to the extent that disagreeing members of our sex are excluded from ‘womanhood’ because of their beliefs. They marched not because all women should oppose the new President, but because all women should have a right to choose.
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Thursday 9th February 2017 | PALATINATE
SciTech
www.palatinate.org.uk
How a soft body part can change your identity
Nicholas Crane addresses students
Lucy Brown
Luke Andrews S iTe h ditor
The classification of the “hyolith” is to change for the first time in 175 years. It will now belong to a new family group, thanks to a discovery involving researchers at the University of Toronto, University of Cambridge, and our very own Dr. Martin Smith here at the University of Durham Recently discovered evidence of a soft tentacle like structure has changed the way we categorise the extinct sea creature, the “hyolith”. A hyolith would have lived in the sea, with a shell shaped like an ice cream cone, but with tentacles where you would have your ice cream. These tentacle like structures can serve different purposes depending on how they develop and seem to be key in the classifying process Tentacles can either be more of a body part, like arms or legs seen on molluscs think squid and octopus , or be part of the mouth and digestive tract like animals in the brachiopods grouping .Scientists thought that these tentacles had developed from a foot like structure, and thus placed them in the mollusc grouping. But the soft tissue found in samples from Utah and British Columbia have actually shown that these tentacles were involved in feeding. This means that the hyolith was not a mollusc, but a brachiopod. Due to the nature of the fossilisation process, it is very rare for soft tissue to make it to the present day intact. This explains why for most, the stereotypical image of fossils are often shells or bones. If we take humans for example, there is very little that can be gleaned from using just our bones that would be able to help us fully understand how we walk, talk or breath. So the task of determining what past species may have looked like and functioned, only from the solid stuff, is very difficult. Classification of species is often based on comparisons of similar aesthetics or functioning, although the fossil record has its limits. Therefore, placing these fossils in a group is an extremely hard task. So, understandably, the discovery of soft tissue can leave scientists and palaeontologists “fan-girling”, as in the case of the hyolith. The hyolith was a common sea creature and key to the functioning of the ecosystem but became extinct in a past mass extinction. As we too are currently undergoing an extinction event with the pressures of climate change, this discovery can give us a greater understanding of how past life recovered and adapted to the loss of key species, and can greater prepare us for the future.
President of the Royal Geographical Society, avid writer, and presenter of many TV shows, including BBC Two’s ‘Coast’, Nick shared his top tips for going from journalist to President of a major geographical organisation with Durham students. Hard work, following your passion, and a keen interest in the world around you were all mentioned. “Work hard, follow your passion, and use your eyes every time you walk out the house,” he says. For ambitious Durham students looking for a career in Geography, maybe even to become President of the Royal Geographical Society, he was clear that there are more routes than becoming an academic. He began the lecture on Tuesday, organised by Durham University Geographical Society, by saying: “I am not an academic.” He became President, in a large part, owing to his previous journalistic career. It was his passion for the subject and interest to keep ‘telling the story’ that got him to where he is today. Being passionate about what you do is essential, he says. By way of showing this, he began to discuss the geography of the room. “Geography is everywhere,” “Like this lecture hall. 12,000 years ago it would have been tundra with reindeer running through.” It was told in such a way that it immediately captured both the attention
From front left to front right Luke Andrews, iaheMax Luan, Sally Ben amin, Nicholas Crane Photograph: iahe Max Luan Watch the interview online at palatinate org uk and the imagination. He also highlighted the diverse routes that geography can take you down. Another famous Geographer that we all know and love or maybe hate is Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Nick’s geographical career began back at his high school, where he was inspired by his geography teacher to do a degree in the subject. He feels forever indebted to his education. He studied at Wymondham College, and left with a 2.1 in Geography. He then took the decision to become a journalist, rather than an academic. “There’s a part of me that wants to be one an academic though,” he said. “I try to make up for it in an amateurish way.” Using his skill for storytelling he be-
came a successful journalist, always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to turn important geographical facts into a story that would capture the public eye. “I have a way of looking at the world and seeing stories that I want to tell,” he said. In his new book, ‘The Making of the British Landscape’, he mentions that only 2 of the U.K. is built-on, whilst 98 remains open habitat. However, this is often very degraded land, and the figure includes places such as green spaces in the middle of roundabouts. Through its publication, he hopes to build a new, shared narrative for the United Kingdom: “I wanted to create a new story, a new narrative for this island we know as Britain.”
Becoming President of the RGS is an elected role. Upon request, he put his name forward for the 3 year position, and won. Nowadays, he describes his life as a juggling act between work, journalism, and presidential duties. These include introducing speakers at RGS events, as well as being a speaker himself. He promotes the Society’s agenda of pushing for more geography to be taught in schools, building links with geography departments nationally and internationally, and encouraging more students to study geography. All this was achieved, he believed, by following his passion to achieve his dreams. He advises Durham students to do the same. “I love it all. I’m very lucky,” he said.
CranetalkstoDUGSonpopulationandclimatechange Sally Ben amin Nicholas Crane, President of the Royal Geographical Society and presenter of much-loved television programmes such as “Coast” on the BBC, graced the stage at one of the biggest DUGS talks in the society’s history. On Tuesday 24th January, nearly one hundred people attended this once in a lifetime event to hear from the man who has been one of geography’s biggest advocates. He talked about his new book, ‘The Making of the British Landscape’, which he wrote to give the United Kingdom a new, shared narrative. A food and drinks reception kickstarted proceedings, with staff and students alike mingling and enjoying the calm and inviting intellectual atmosphere.
A Geography degree, coupled with boundless enthusiasm for the outdoors saw Crane undertake many an adventure in his younger years even once solo walking Cape Finisterre to Istanbul, a journey of 10,000 kilometres. This was followed by the book “Clear Waters Rising: A Mountain Walk Across Europe’.” This won the Thomas Cook Travel Book award for that year and was later turned into a TV documentary. In 2000, he published another book called ‘Two Degrees West’. This recorded his walk from one side of Great Britain to the other, following the meridian line as closely as possible. His efforts created a respected reputation, which led to him being elected to his current position as President of the Royal Geographical Society in 2015. Crane’s new book, “The Making of
the British Landscape: From the Ice Age to the Present,” was the topic of the talk. It charts 12,000 years of history of the British landscape, exploring the powerful and irreversible effect that humans
It was his passion for the sub ect and interest to keep telling the story’ that got him to where he is today
have had on the natural environment. People have been intrinsically connected to the landscape for centuries, evolving in a co-dependent manner. A key argument of the talk was that there are dual forces at play that alter the landscape: population and climate change. This relationship has undulated throughout history and will continue to do so as methods of sustainability are explored. After the talk, a significant crowd gathered around him, keen to garner tips for success in TV and to have the copies of books that they had received for Christmas autographed. The evening was a great success received well by all, from the freshers to the emeritus professors who returned to the University for the event.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 9th February 2017
Sport
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New year, new crumb for Collingwood
George Bond Deputy Sport Editor
Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero
Deputy Sport Editor 2016 ended with Collingwood celebrating their fifth consecutive triumph in the College Sport Competition, and this calendar year began in similar fashion. Unveiling a new pitch is not quite the same as lifting a trophy, but then the Collingwood Crumb has been a long time in the making. A vision of Principal Joe Elliott’s for the past five years, planning permission for the pitch was granted in June.Work began at the start of Michaelmas Term, and was completed at the beginning of last month. Boasting two FA regulation futsal pitches and one 7-a-side football pitch, with 11-a-side goals available, the artificial surface is multipurpose. The pitch also includes full lacrosse and fitness markings as well as two rugby posts.Sports captain Tom Wrigglesworth has no doubt it can help Collingwood continue their dominance. “We are incredibly fortunate
Hartlepool agree Racecourse deal
Photograph: Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero
to have such an incredible facility on our doorstep. “We hope that this will not only help Collingwood cement its place at the top of the College Sport Championship but also increase participation yet further across the college.” The pitch is open to all Collingwood students, with each of the college’s sports teams allocated a slot for weekly training. Although as of yet there has
been no event to inaugurate the pitch, he says there is something in the pipeline. “The first priority for us was to get our sportsmen and women using this state of the art facility at the earliest opportunity, but watch this space”. With 658 points separating Collingwood from their nearest rivals Grey in the college points table, their reign looks set to continue.
Durham University have recently agreed a deal with Hartlepool United Football Club that will bring significant improvements to facilities at both Maiden Castle and the Racecourse. The university have provided Hartlepool with two pitches to train on for the past few years. Instead of the two pitches adjacent to Maiden Castle reception, Hartlepool have now moved to those available at the Racecourse site.All college sport teams will retain access to the Racecourse cricket outfield, home to women s football, as well as the smaller football training areas around the edges of the main pitches.Teams are also able to use the main Maiden Castle grass pitch inside the athletics track, with the first college level matches having ta en place here over the final weekend of January. This pitch will be converted into a rubber crumb facility over the coming summer. It is hoped that this will not only reduce the number of postponed fixtures, but also limit the workload on Maiden Cas-
tle’s grass pitches. First Aid provision for Durham University students will also improve his is down to more fixtures taking place at Maiden Castle, which, unlike the Racecourse, is staffed by trained first aiders at all times.Hartlepool were initially due to move to their new facilities in July, due to concerns over training regularly on an artificial surface. However, new manager Dave Jones, appointed on January 15th, was eager for an immediate switch, resulting in the deal being brought forward by six months. As part of the deal, Hartlepool will also ma e a financial contribution to the university, which will be put towards minor renovations of the Racecourse pavilion and changing facilities. The deal continues a long-standing positive relationship between Durham University and Hartlepool United, whose sports science departments have seen multiple benefits from combined ventures in recent years. Several Durham students have also gone on to play for the artlepool first team, including as recently as last summer, when goalkeeper Ben Dudzinski joined the ranks at Victoria Park.
Ally Pally comes to Durham The “crown jewel” of Durham University sport George Bond Deputy Sport Editor One of the most popular names in the sporting calendar is coming to Durham. Ally Pally Darts, who ran their first student event at Oxford Brookes last year, will be arriving on March 9th, for a night that will sure to be popular with Durham students’ burgeoning passion for darts. This passion has been recognised by Brookes’ premier entertainment providers, Ox Events, who will be visiting Durham as part of a nationwide tour. Other locations will include Oxford, Leeds, York, Exeter, Bristol, Bath and nearby Newcastle, for which tickets are already selling out fast. The exact location for Durham is still as yet unconfirmed, however Ox Events are in discussions with Durham Students’ Union. Tickets to the event will also include entry to an exclusive after party at Loft. It is hoped that as many as a thousand tickets will be on sale, which will be available on the Fixr app in the coming weeks. Prices will start at £8 for the
first group of tickets, rising to £10 for the second release. Durham’s rising college darts participation has not gone unnoticed, with Ox noting this as a key reason for bringing Ally Pally to the city. The university boasts 38 college teams across 3 divisions, with the Premiership currently topped by Josephine Butler’s undefeated Bs. This is alongside the University Darts Club, who currently hold a record of four wins and one loss this season, competing against various other northern university sides. For the night itself, Ox have assembled twelve local professional darts players, whose skills will be tested against sixteen volunteer students, in a best of three format. There are still spaces available for students to sign up to play, which can be done by contacting the event’s Facebook page. The night will feature a range of entertainments, including a brass band and decorations based on an Oktoberfest theme. Fancy dress is also highly encouraged for spectators and participants alike, in order to fully recreate the Ally Pally scenes that will be familiar to regular darts viewers.
Continued from back page One of the key additional facilities at Maiden Castle will be a 12-court indoor hall adjacent to the main reception, which will accommodate the likes of netball, badminton, futsal, volleyball and basketball. This was particularly necessary given the volume of both university and college sport that is currently played away from Durham University facilities or at Queen’s Campus. Sport labs will also be introduced, which will host elements of the academic Sports Degree programme. This will be highly beneficial in terms of the labs’ sports science capabilities, allowing students to interact with professional sports scientists and elite athletes on a regular basis. The labs will feature a 30-metre gate track, used for sprint timing and analysis. There will be a new cricket centre installed on the edge of the existing pitches. This will include facilities for indoor college cricket, which currently take place at Durham School. The centre will also act as the university club’s pavilion for matches at Maiden Castle, which has until now mostly been the team’s second home after the
Racecourse. Similar projects have recently been undertaken at Nottingham and Birmingham, for roughly the same cost. However, these have almost exclusively involved replacing existing facilities, leading to temporary reduced access for students. Team Durham instead plan on constructing the new buildings first, which will allow them to move their operations there for a short time whilst the existing main building undergoes its renovations. Maiden Castle’s rebuild will also of course be focused on increasing the number of facilities and adding to the site, rather than merely renovating what already exists. Converting Maiden Castle into a hub of sporting and community activity was a high priority for the project leaders, which shows in their push to move as many facilities as possible to the site. Team Durham are eager for Maiden Castle to become the UK’s premier university sports park, in turn reducing the need for teams to travel far and wide to find sufficient facilities. In order to ensure that the rebuild specifically meets student’s needs, Team Durham will be run-
ning several consultation days throughout the next month. Students are highly encouraged to put forward their thoughts on how Maiden Castle can best be improved, as well as the kinds of activities offered. This is especially important given the number of new students that will be arriving in Durham. Team Durham are anxious to not be prescriptive in their changes, instead responding to what the student body desires most. Consultation days will cover every sport, and are by no means restricted to those currently involved in university or college sport. Students will also be heavily involved in Maiden Castle’s new branding concept, which will aim to present Durham as both an elite performance university, and one which wants to engage students, staff and members of the local and regional community at all levels. Building work on the project is hoped to commence over the coming summer, continuing into the following academic years. Whilst the project does not yet have a final completion date, the hope is that the facilities will be finished in time for the end of the Queen’s Campus transfer, which is currently set at summer 2019.
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Thursday 9th February 2017 | PALATINATE
Sport Sport
www.palatinate.org.uk
I we n t t h ro u g h a b s o l u te h e l
Si teen ears a ter the ips urtailed his pro essional ri ket areer in the most pu li o humiliations dur seamer tt ell speaks to i ien looking a k on what led to his reakdown its long term im Nick Friend Sport ditor “The noise and the roar just got progressively louder and more raucous every time I bowled a wide. Then, literally, I absolutely fro e.” Scott Boswell’s story is a harrowing one. Boswell himself may not be a household name, but the image that defined – and ended - his professional cricket career most certainly is. Everyone has seen it, whether on blooper reels or as one of the 1.6 million people to have clicked on ouTube’s ‘Worst Over Ever.’ The over lasts fourteen balls. Six of the first eight are wides. To the oblivious viewer, the natural instinct is to be amused, to mock, to ridicule. The reality, however, could scarcely be less funny. The video shows a lifelong dream being destroyed, a career being ended on live terrestrial television, a man losing what, for all his life, had been the most basic and repeatable of skills a disorder better known as the ‘yips.’ “There are different types of yips”, Boswell explains to me. “I got the yips from an occasion. ou can get the gradual yips but the key thing to understand is that it’s all mental. Occasionally, it can be a combination of the mental and technical. My bowling arm got lower and lower, partly because I was trying to swing the ball, and partly because it was late in the season and I was getting tired and we’d just tried to change my action to get me swinging the ball in instead of away. “But, if you’re not mentally tough enough and don’t have a strong enough action, it can happen and you start becoming conscious of your action and what you’re trying to do. As soon as you start thinking about it, you’re a goner – especially in a highpressure situation. My action didn’t hold, mentally I didn’t hold together.” Boswell was opening the bowling for Leicestershire against Somerset in the 2001 C G Trophy Final at Lord’s. He had done so all season, and with tremendous success. He was the top wicket-taker in the Pro40 league and had taken 4-44 in the C G semi-final against Lancashire, dismissing the England quartet of Mike Atherton, Neil Fairbrother, Graham Lloyd and a young Andrew Flintoff. Nobody – not least Boswell himself, could have foreseen what would happen next. “I never had a gradual process or a year where the ball wasn’t coming out well or where it didn’t feel good in the hand. Basically, on that occasion, I fro e because the occasion was just too much for me. And from there, it started to get progressively worse.” Boswell was dropped from the
Boswell in his coaching role at Trent College, where he is Head of Cricket
side for the following game, a Pro40 game against Gloucester, but was recalled for what was, essentially, a title decider against Nottinghamshire. By his own admission, his mind was elsewhere, his confidence wrecked
All I’d think was how I was going to get through the over And then I’d rush it, I’d bowl as fast as I could I’d be physically sick before games, throwing up all over the place
and he was genuinely fearful of releasing the ball. “After Lord’s, I’d literally gone. I openly faked an injury against Notts and came off the field. I didn’t want to play in that game whatsoever. I
think I bowled one over for eighteen with four or five wides. It was the most horrific thing – and I went missing at one stage. I left the ground because I just didn’t want to play the game or even be part of it.” Worse was to follow as, inevitably, he was released from his contract days later, despite having been in discussions regarding a new deal just prior to the final. Though disappointed by the decision, he acknowledges that “even if they had offered me something I wouldn’t have been able to take it with the yips.” The events that led to his yips make for, at best, uncomfortable hearing. et, Boswell, now one of an elite group of ECB Level 4 coaches, is unbelievably candid in reflecting upon the day that would change the course of his life. Even before it had all begun, Boswell had been subject of a lastminute toss-up between him and, former England fast-bowler, Devon Malcolm. Upon receiving the nod, the first piece of advice given to a self-confessed “tense cricketer” by his coach: “I hope you don’t f*ck up tomorrow.” While Boswell makes no excuses for what followed, he confesses that “it wasn’t great preparation going into the biggest game of my career as an average county cricketer.” From then on, Boswell’s account of the day is gut-wrenching an unbelievable insight into the effects of pressure at the highest level - the
Photograph: Scott Boswell
combination of playing at the Home of Cricket in front of 20,000 fans, while running in to bowl at one of England’s most imposing opening batsmen of all time. “It felt wrong from the start of my first over. I didn’t feel nervous, which was unusual for me, but I knew after I’d bowled two balls that something didn’t feel quite right. It just didn’t come out right – whether it was the tension or the nerves. All I could think of was the noise and the atmosphere. “I’d played in front of big crowds a lot but I’d never thought about it, never even considered those external factors. I actually enjoyed performing in front of people. I suppose it can all change around and I think, in my case, that was because I became actively conscious of the crowd and the noise and of something I’d done. From then on, I was no longer thinking about where I was going to put the ball. “I just remember standing at the top of my run-up, looking at Marcus Trescothick, the striking batsman, and thinking about how far away he seemed to be. I was running in, with the Lord’s slope, thinking: ‘Bloody hell, you are so far away.’ And he just looked huge – like an immense statue, and I remember as I was running in, it felt like he was getting further and further away from me. I can see it now, literally almost in the stands, thinking about how I could even reach him, he was that far away.”
Fourteen balls later, his ordeal was over, banished to third man in the hope of respite. However, with Somerset bringing an army of fans in the hope of witnessing a first oneday trophy win for eighteen years, Boswell became a figure of mockery, taunted and derided on the boundary. “Oh my God, it was awful”, he reminisces. “The bloody ball followed me everywhere. I was completely fro en. I had a water bottle three metres away and my mouth was so dry that I couldn’t even get to the bottle. I had to ask David Millns to pick it up and pass it to me as he walked around the ground to do some media work. I just couldn’t physically get myself to the boundary to get to the water. People talk about sportsmen free ing under pressure – I was ice. I was literally gone.” And if this was torturous enough for Boswell, this would only be the start of a decade of struggle as he battled to understand what had gone wrong. For, what is missed by the spectator in professional sport is its human aspect, the fact that these men and women do, in fact, have lives, families, friends and their own vulnerabilities. There is a misconception that the sportsman’s focus is infallible, that his composure is unbreakable, that nothing that happens on the field could ever affect his mental state. I, personally, find Boswell’s ouTube clip unwatchable - it leaves me squirming and almost
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PALATINATE | Thursday 9th February 2017
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l ’ : t h e s to r y o f S c o t t B o s we l l
ring the C Troph inal a haunting episode that has sin e gone iral ormer ei estershire mpa t on his li e and how he has used the trauma o the o asion to ki k start a areer in oa hing nauseous. “I’ll be honest, I went through hell – absolute hell,” he admits. “My wife was ama ing. I drank a lot, isolated myself a lot. I lost a lot of
People talk about free ing I was ice I was literally gone
friends, partly because I made it hard for them by not wanting to talk, but partly because people found it difficult to talk to me because the yips had affected me so much mentally. It would be interesting to know where my mental health was at the time. “The worst thing I did was talk to negative people”, he tells me. “I would go and talk to people who had the yips – former England and Scotland all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, a orkshire fast bowler called Mark Broadhurst. I made the mistake of attaching myself to anyone who’d give me any sympathy whatsoever. I just didn’t want to improve, I didn’t want to get back to bowling. It took me four or five years to realise that I needed to be around positive people in order to find a method of getting back to bowling.” The result was an almost chronic progression of the problem. As abruptly as his body had been able to forget what was virtually a subconscious skill, redeveloping it would prove a far more difficult task. He joined Preston CC after being released, and initially found his rhythm in the pre-season nets. But as Boswell recalls, “once it came to a pressure situation – oh my God I literally just could not let go of the ball. It was just going from hand to keeper, dragging it down, just with no control at all. I’d never felt so tense or nervous.” “My biggest fear was to not complete an over. As soon as one went down and was called a wide, that was it. I was gone. Everybody knew, as soon as the umpire’s hands came out: “Oh no, Scott Boswell – wides.” And from then on, I just couldn’t let go of the ball. Once I’d bowled a wide, that was it. “All I’d think was how I was going to get through the over. And then I’d rush it, I’d bowl as fast as I could. I’d be physically sick before games, throwing up all over the place.” Following that game, Boswell left
Preston after realising that he simply could not deal with the pressure of bowling in match situations. He rejoined Sileby Town, his old club in Leicestershire, captaining and playing at as a batsman. “I’d try every weekend and would think about bowling but I just couldn’t do it. It was just that fear – even in a club game of cricket where there’s nobody watching, I just couldn’t do it. It was horrible. It was awful. “When you’ve been doing something without thinking for ten years – and doing it well, to go from there to not even being able to perform at something you absolutely love and have done all your life, then not being able to do it at all, and then not having a job, was absolute hell.” One day, a friend of his forced him to bowl in a second team match, in a final attempt to conquer the demons that had taken over the mind of a man who could no longer perform the action that had made him his living. “I think it was a 28-ball over. Jesus Christ. There were tears rolling down my eyes and on the last ball, I got one straight and it hit the guy on the pad and was plumb in front. I embarrassingly appealed and the umpire gave it out.” For all of the heartache and utter devastation of the previous decade, there is a real sense of uplift to this distressing tale. “Just to get me bowling in a match situation again and to get through the nerves was huge because, until then, I wouldn’t go anywhere near it. And from then on, after about ten years, I got back bowling.” He lets me in on the technical tip that gave him a “safety valve” while he strived to relearn his craft, explaining that though he bowls over the wicket, when things feel wrong, he reverts to bowling bouncers from round the wicket. “When you’ve got the yips”, he clarifies, “you try and slow things down and try and just put it there. But that doesn’t work. So going round the wicket, hitting the deck as hard I could without trying to think too much, really prevented those negative thoughts from popping into my head.” If that wicket brought Boswell closure, then his return to Lord’s felt like the ultimate redemption for a man who, previously, had vowed to never go back to the setting of what became his own personal horror story. His club side reached a Lord’s final in 2009 and after initially declining the offer, Boswell agreed to play after much persuasion. “It was the most ama ing day. I’ve literally never felt anything like it in my life. I walked into that changing room and I just completely broke down. The tears flowed and I had my
little boy with me and it was so nice to carry him around the ground and talk to him about it all. It was absolutely brilliant. “It was real closure. There was an element of redemption there too – a mix of emotions but it was great to finish it off and close that chapter.” Scott Boswell is a genuinely remarkable human being and, from speaking to him in an unbelievably frank and fascinating interview for the best part of an hour, it is a genuine joy to know that, in his own words, he’s in “a great place now – probably fitter now ever before, both mentally and physically. I’ve been able to put it to bed, which is great. It is what it is now.” That said, he still struggles watching others ‘yip up’, highlighting the example of Simon Kerrigan on his
England debut – like Boswell, defeated by the occasion. “It used to freak me out, I used to get really twitchy. I found watching Kerrigan really uncomfortable.” As the first school teacher in England to gain his ECB Level 4 coaching qualification at Trent College, he is better placed than most to work with young players and understand the difficulties that come with playing the sport, all too aware from that fateful occasion that saying the wrong thing as a coach can have a crippling effect on the player. “That day,” he admits, “has given me so much passion, drive and motivation for coaching. I can empathise with players – not just from a sporting side.” Having experienced the worst of professional sport, would he want to
move into coaching at county level? Not at the moment. “I just think it’s too cutthroat and too brutal. It’s great when it’s going well but it’s really hard when it’s not,” he tells me. And there are few who know that better than Boswell, an honest and hardworking pro who, through no conscious fault of his own, suffered the ultimate ignominy on the biggest stage imaginable. “Three years ago, I’d probably have been frustrated if somebody had brought it up again. But now, if it can help anybody and if someone reads about it, then brilliant.” He is spot on. People should know the story of Scott Boswell a traumatic tale of humiliation, torment, redemption and, finally, pride. As he says, “It just happened, and it can happen to anyone at any level.”
Thursday 9th February 2017| PALATINATE
Sport
Scott Boswell Interview Palatinate speak to former cricketer Scott Boswell about his battle with the yips (p.18)
New Collingwood crumb unveiled Multipurpose surface opens on college grounds (p.17)
Durham Saints go marching on Charlie Neal
The Maiden Castle track pitch is set to be converted into a rubber crumb as part of the deal between Durham and Hartlepool Photograph: Sally Lanora Svenlen
Maiden Castle to undergo major changes George Bond Deputy Sport Editor Maiden Castle will soon undergo a major re-development of its facilities, in a move that will allow the site to grow its reputation as the hub of Durham sporting activity, both as a university centre and for the wider community. The build, which remains subject to planning permission, will allow for the accommodation of 2200 students returning from Queen’s Campus, as well as an increased international student body. Current student sport participation at Durham is 75%, which Team Durham are keen to boost up to 80%. This, combined with an everexpanding student body, generates even greater need for an expansion of Maiden Castle’s facilities, which currently runs at full capacity. Maiden Castle is used by over 2000 community members across more than 20 clubs, such as ParkRun and Durham City Harriers AC. Free coaching from local clubs is
provided to the university’s athletics and fencing clubs, as just two examples of how community partnerships continue to benefit students Also prominent in Team Durham’s mind is the need to ensure performance clubs can compete out of their own facilities. For example, bleacher seating and specific ceiling heights are a necessary requirement for basketball, badminton and volleyball to compete at the highest level. The rebuild comes as one of the first funding moves of Durham niversity’s new 10-year strategy. Speaking to Palatinate, Quentin Sloper, Director of Experience Durham, expressed his immense gratitude that sport had taken a high priority on the university’s strategy, noting the significant benefits this would have for levels of sporting participation and ability for students and locals alike. Contributions and fundraising from Durham’s alumni community will also play an important role in the project. The rebuild includes a vast array
of changes to existing facilities, as well as several new developments. The water-based astroturf will be re-surfaced, whilst the sand-based astroturf will also become waterbased, being shifted closer to the main road. This will allow for a new indoor squash and tennis facility to be added onto the end of the existing main building, which will house 4 courts for each sport. Similarly, the football pitch inside the athletics track will be converted into Maiden Castle’s third rubber crumb astroturf. For more on the track pitch, which has recently been made available for college sport in a deal with artlepool nited, see page 17. The main building at Maiden Castle will also see major changes. The café will be doubled in size, with the extra space allowing for a more private section. It is hoped that this will allow students to work at Maiden Castle in a more conducive academic environment. Also doubling in size will be the car park, which already suffers from
overcrowding and will now be able to deal with the extra traffic from the increased student body. The strength and conditioning facilities will also be expanded. The current fitness suite will become a martial arts dojo and boxing hall, with a desperately-needed 100-station suite being added alongside. he new fitness suite will also include spaces for dance and aerobics, affirming eam Durham s commitment to state of the art health and wellbeing facilities. A climbing wall will also be added, with the existing sports hall becoming the new home of college sport. College sport is indeed one of the key focuses of this project, being described by Mr Sloper as the “crown ewel of Durham niversity sport Continued Page 17
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The Durham Saints, directed by Head Coach Jonathan Rooney, kicked off the niversity varsity against Loughborough with what was an eagerly anticipated day of B CS PremiershipNorth American Football action. Durham have been far superior in the competition this season, including, most notably, a first ever away win at Stirling, subjecting the Scottish side to their first home defeat in B CS history bac in December “That was the moment when we could really see our hard work paying off,” Club President Matt Bell explained. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, we could go somewhere.” Such remarkable victories have been the story of the Durham Saints’ success this season, and the team, formed of talented rookies, sharpened returners and veteran scholars, had not even hit its peak yet. “We say as a team that our aim is to win every play of every series, in practice and in matches We re fighting to improve every week,” Bell said. eading into the varsity fixture, the Saints had the opportunity to ma e it five matches unbeaten, having already achieved victories against newly-promoted , Loughborough, Stirling and Derby. Loughborough, on the other hand, sought to avenge their previous defeat against the Saints last November, when Durham edged out a 22-19 victory. Led by quarterback Dominic Bona, the Durham offense started the game in hungry fashion, tallying the first touchdown during the opening drive of the game. The second came just minutes later. Moreover, the Saints defence held Loughborough to a single touchdown, the other coming from a 70yard kick return. The stellar performance from Durham secured the 50-12 victory in the home side’s favour, and they showed once again why they are serious contenders this year. The Saints look to carry this momentum through to their next game against the Derby Braves on 12th February.