Nottingham Trent Students’ Union’s Official Magazine
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Issue 10: The Christmas Edition
In this issue:
ON CAMPUS
SPORT
CULTURE
Should we be worried about ‘lad culture’?
What do football managers want for Christmas?
A review of this year’s festive adverts
November 2014 Issue 10: The Christmas Edition Cover design by Sayuri Standing
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EDITOR’Slett
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ell Trent Army, you did it, you survived the first term back at NTU! Here at Platform we can’t quite believe our Christmas Issue is already here and our next magazine will be going live in 2015, something about university makes time fly and I hope you have all had an amazing couple of months in Nottingham. Even though it seems the time has flashed before our eyes, a lot has happened during the first term of ‘14/15, make sure you check out all of the latest content on PlatformOnline.net to keep up to date as things happen. In this issue, our Culture section covers probably one of the most anticipated events this season, the John Lewis Christmas advert. They also examine this year’s competition in the form of the Sainsbury’s ad, while Fashion gives you some inspiration with a low down of the hottest makeup trends for the festive season. If cold weather and mince pies isn’t your thing, check out Lifestyle who cover all the best reasons to go travelling, like we needed any persuasion! As you pack up your things and head home for the holidays we hope you take a copy of Platform for your journey, Music have also provided a discussion on Christmas songs if you needed any inspiration for a festive playlist. Have a fantastic Christmas and a Happy New Year and we will see you in 2015! Mel Brooks Editor-in-Chief
PLATFORM COMMITTEE 2014-15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mel Brooks (melkate@outlook.com) DEPUTY EDITOR & HEAD OF DESIGN Sayuri Standing MARKETING MANAGER Lilly Brannan ASSISTANT EDITOR Joe Harby NEWS Editor Ryan Johns Deputy James Bavin & Jacob Van Kelly CULTURE Editor Ellis Whitehouse Deputy Matt Davies LIFESTYLE Editor Kate Parker Deputy Freya Shah GAMING Editor Lauren Greaves Deputy Charlotte Smith FASHION Editor Nikki Brown Deputy Shannon Lawless SPORTS Editor Peter Adams Deputy Alex Clarke MUSIC Editor Harry Hammett Deputy Alex Copley PHOTOGRAPHY, ART & DESIGN Editor Ellie Craven-Todd Deputy Amy Hamilton GRAPHIC DESIGN Sayuri Standing, Freya Shah, Aaron Kelwick, Sophie Ward, Marija Marcinkeviciute, Leon Jay Dominique, Luke Kolbohm & Jennifer Tonndorff ENQUIRIES PlatformOnlineNotts@gmail.com
CON terTENTS platform-online.net @platformonline
/platformmagazine
7 A Letter from the President
NEWS
9 Council Vote to Approve Unisex Toilets Across Campus 10 Robots Used to Help People with Special Educational Needs at NTU Technology Conference 12 After Dapper Laughs, and a Sexual Assault at Trent – Should we be Worried About Lad Culture? 14 Trent Back Student Protests in London Over Tuition Fees
LIFESTYLE
17 The Dutchess Diaries: My First British Christmas 18 Why University Should NOT be Branded ‘a Doss’ 20 There’s NO excuse NOT to See the World 21 Rise Festival
SPORT
23 A Football Manager’s Wishlist 24 2014: A Year of Sport 26 Christmas: A Season of Hope
FASHION & BEAUTY
29 Christmas Make-Up Looks 30 ‘Tis the Season for Christmas Jumpers 31 Bring the Sparkle this Festive Season
MUSIC
37 What Happened to the Classic Christmas Song? 38 The Song that Changed my Life
CULTURE
41 Time and Memory Season at Nottingham Playhouse 42 The Beginning of the Festive Season: The John Lewis Advert 2014 43 The Sainsbury’s Advert: What do you Think? 44 Where to go for your Guilty Panto Pleasure
GAMING & TECH
47 A Christmas Wishlist: The Top Four Hottest Games and Technology on the Market this Christmas
PHOTOGRAPHY, ART & DESIGN
51 Knitting Nottingham: Exhibition Review 54: The Winter Art Guide 2014
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Return Coach Transport – Inc Reps Hotel Accommodation Breakfast & Evening Meals Inc Wine Catamaran - Inc free bar Travel Insurance Festival Wristband Sports Comps And Tournaments Awards And Medals Bar, Club And Party Entry Headline Dj’s In Our Super Clubs Vestival Zone! Secret Pool Parties Day Time Foam Parties Fancy Dress Parties Payment By Instalments not forgetting your very own sportsvest vest!
Go to SportsVest.co.uk and Use the drop down to find your group
A Letter from thePRESIDENT
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in keeping with international campaigns and preparing for the general elections at the start of next year, linking up with our rivals down the road in Beeston to good effect. Paddy has picked up where he left last year, using his experience to solidify sponsorship contracts and reducing the financial risk that clubs take, whilst taking Varsity from a long, drawnout schedule and introducing an exciting Varsity Weekend at the start of Term 3 so that’s definitely one to look forward to. Lizzy has brought the Puppy Day phenomenon forward from last year and held many more Guide Dog related events throughout this first term, raising awareness of the charity and of course raising plenty of money to put our own guide dog ‘Trent’ through puppy school. Last but not least, Jeremiah has used the success of Freshers Week to gage feedback from those of you living in halls through the committee structures, and arranging plenty of opportunities for you as Trent students to have involvement in our events and entertainments which you’ll see the full benefits of early next term. Overall, a really exciting start to the new year!
don’t know about you, but first term has flown by! We’ve been busy with the ‘21st Century University Project’, gathering your feedback on anything and everything you feel Trent should encompass, which is a major step in having your voice and student representation at the heart of everything it does. Already we are hearing that you want NTU to prioritise the online learning environment, increase collaboration between the different schools as well as accelerating peer learning, all of which will feed into the University’s new strategic plan! Please have your say, this is a great opportunity and is not to be missed. Alongside this big project, plans for redeveloping Brack Bar & The Orangery have begun - keep an eye out for the designs so you can give us your feedback. Over at Clifton, the Heart of the Campus project is starting to take shape, and it’s quite exciting to see the frameworks constructed already showing just how big these new facilities are going to be. In the City, we’ve been using your feedback about the past 12 months to make sure the building is offering what you think it should, and operating in a more efficient manner. What about your other Elected Officers? Matthew has been rushed off his poor little feet, training all of your Course and School Reps, while piecing together what is called the QAA Student Written Submission – basically it’s a report where we offer a student perspective on every academic aspect of the University. So while Matt’s been busy with that, Josh has been focusing on accommodation issues (check out the #DontLetYet campaign if you haven’t done so already), encouraging mental health awareness
Marcus Boswell NTSU President
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NEWS
Council Vote to Approve Unisex Toilets Across Campus// Robots Used to Help People with Special Educational Needs//Should we be Worried About Lad Culture?// Trent Back Student Protests in London Over Tuition Fees 8
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Council Vote to Approve Unisex Toilets Across Campus
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female toilets as I don’t identify as female, but I don’t feel comfortable in the men’s toilets either as I would be questioned by people as I don’t look male even if I identify as male.” “Unisex toilets would be a good thing, as then trans people can use the toilets and not be judged by anyone and feel comfortable.” Reaction from across campus has been largely supportive, but many have raised concerns over privacy. A second-year female student studying on City campus, who did not want to be identified, said: “I really wouldn’t mind if there were unisex toilets, however I’d want there to be male and female ones too, as I wouldn’t feel comfortable having to sharing a toilet with other men.” “Sharing a toilet with men would to me, feel unhygienic and would put me off from using the toilets on campus at all – I’d rather go home in the comfort of my own four walls.” When Platform contacted NTU’s Estates and Resources department, we did not receive a response to our questions.
TU’s student council has voted unanimously to introduce gender-neutral toilets across City, Clifton and Brackenhurst campuses - and will now push NTU to open the unisex toilets faster. The vote, which first came to discussion in the LGBT Students Assembly in September, was taken to the student council where all members agreed on the motion. LGBT Students Officer Gavin Jones-Verity told Platform that the student council have now approved the lobbying process to begin. He said: “Right now we’re at the stage where we’re gathering case studies and evidence of gender-neutral toilet provision in other educational establishments, which VP Community can give to NTU as evidence of the successful provision of the toilets in other universities.” Once they have collected enough evidence, they will lobby NTU and the Estates and Resources department, who are responsible for buildings such as toilet facilities. Jay Evans, a first year computer science and maths student who is transgender, said the new toilet provision would make his life more comfortable. He said: “I don’t feel comfortable in the
What do you think? Should unisex toilets be provided to allow everyone to feel comfortable, or would it infringe on personal privacy? Let us know… Ryan Johns
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Robots used to help people with educational needs at NTU techno
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he 2014 Interactive Technologies and Games (ITAG) Conference, held in partnership with GameCity and Nottingham Trent University, aimed to find high-tech solutions to the challenges facing those with special educational needs by gathering together some of the foremost experts in the field. Talks at ITAG aimed to tackle serious issues of educational engagement by discussing both robotic and electronic hardware for the classroom, some of which was on display for visitors at the Council House. Committee Chair David Brown, Professor in Interactive Systems for Social Inclusion at NTU said: “We’re really looking at novel applications in terms of technology and games, lots of the latest stuff in terms of health and education. We’re thinking about things like stroke rehabilitation, people with cerebral palsy, interaction in terms of disability and robotics, and much more.” Experts from across the country and abroad turned up to share their research
papers and to demonstrate their designs, in the hope that some of them might become the classroom staples of the future. As well as discussion talks, the event exhibited some exciting interactive exhibits, like games controlled body movements, and an application to allow children with special educational needs to control the high-tech humanoid Nao robot, telling it to walk around, recite times tables, and even teach dance moves. María Trigo, an NTU graduate and assistant researcher with the university’s Interactive Systems Research Group, demonstrated the robot, explaining: “The idea behind the project was that teachers had difficulty using the robot because they didn’t know how to program, and they have no experience with the software that is required. We had the idea that we could develop an interface and application for mobile devices to let people use the robot in an easy way, and integrate its use within the classroom with the students. After several meetings with students to see what the interface could look like and 10
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special ology conference what activities we should include for the robot, we programmed the robot to do the things that it does right now.” Maria was a student at NTU when creating the application as part her Computer Science masters project. She said: “The beginning was difficult, I hadn’t worked with these kind of children before, so I didn’t know what to expect from them, but it became really rewarding because you see that they really enjoy and learn from it.” The conference also included many other Trent students and staff, with Professor David Brown saying: “NTU has supported the conference from its early years - we’re becoming much a more international conference but we’ll still retain our identity with the university. We have two huge universities in Nottingham and some of the best teaching and research we do is in science and technology, and education and psychology, so we’re combining all these together – I think it’s a great field for students to go into.” Jacob Van Kelly 11
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After Dapper Laughs, and a sexual assa should we be worried about lad culture
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of the sexist lad culture that seems to be so prevalent and be deemed as the norm and accepted.” We were also interested in what students thought about the controversy surrounding Dapper Laughs, a comedian that is known for promoting the ‘lad’ culture. He was recently forced to ‘kill off’ the character after making jokes about rape and homeless people. A total of 50% believed that the character was unacceptable and 42% did not see a problem. One student said: “I don’t think his character was acceptable as he, as a comedian, had a responsibility to not cause offence and his jokes made men think that sexual violence was acceptable and trivial.” Another student that held the opposing view, said: “It should be acceptable to those who wish to view that type of humour.” Another case that has sparked discussion is the Trent criminology student, John Luke Dale, 21, who was jailed for nine months after sexually assaulting a sleeping girl when he slapped his flaccid penis in her face. The incident, which took place at a house party, was filmed on a mobile phone which was then shown to friends – leading to his arrest. Most people said that they did not
fter reports this term surrounding Dapper Laughs, necrophilia chants and sexual assault, we wanted to find out what student’s thought about ‘lad’ culture and whether they thought it was dominating our society. Earlier this year, freshers at The University of Nottingham were encouraged by reps to sing a necrophilia chant that resulted in an investigation by the students’ union. The chant read out: “I wanna be a Cavendish ranger, living life of sex and danger - high flying, 69-ing - these are the girls that I love best, many times I’ve sucked their breasts, f**k her standing, f**k her lying, if she had wings I’d f**k her flying - now she’s dead but not forgotten dig her up and f**k her rotten. You wish, you wish, you wish you were a Cavendish…” The results of our survey showed that 20% of those asked believed that this was a light-hearted joke, 68% thought it was unacceptable, and the remaining were on the fence. One student said: “I think it was definitely meant to be lighthearted and not meant to offend anyone, however, it is somewhat sexist and sexually aggressive and I think indicates a larger problem, particularly at university,
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ault at Trent – e? think that the incident was acceptable in today’s society with only 12% believing otherwise. Despite believing the incident to be offensive, more than three quarters of the students questioned said that his punishment was too severe. One student said: “It wasn’t acceptable but the boy shouldn’t get arrested for assault, but more indecency.” Another said: “Although it was horrible what he had done, there are people who get less for far worse crimes.” Finally, students were asked to what extent they thought that ‘lad’ culture was going too far. Some girls that were asked felt that they couldn’t go out without receiving attention that could be deemed harassment. One male said: “A lot of it goes too far but I also think that the reactions of many people (girls in particular) serve as a catalyst. The lads respond to these reactions by stepping it up.” They added: “However that’s not to say it should be encouraged and society must be a regulatory force.” Some believed that cases such as the sexual assault should be dealt with independently – many suggested that lad culture itself, should not take the full blame. Charlotte Worrall & Adam Surtee
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Trent back student in London over tuit T
housands of disgruntled students took to the streets of London in an organised march against tuition fees on November 18. The protest, which was not supported by the NUS (National Union of Students), centred on Westminster but spilled into other areas of the capital. You may remember that in 2010 the coalition government raised tuition fees for students studying in England to up to £9,000 a year. This was met with backlash from a lot of students and it could be argued that the rise in fees deterred many students from studying in cities like Nottingham. We asked Trent students what they thought of the protest and unsurprisingly many were in favour of the organised demonstration. Adam Thornton, who studies a masters in Sports Law said: “It’s about time parliament felt the strongly held anger of students which have been brought about by the government’s mismanagement and broken promises. It only cost me £3.3k a year but had it been £9000 I don’t think I could have been able to afford uni at all.” Olivia Morgan, a second year
Original photograph by Andy Rain
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protests tion fees broadcast journalism student said: “It’s really good to see students taking action. It’s so unfair that students, eager to better themselves, have to face crippling debts once they leave university. The cost of tuition fees forms more and more inequalities. Students from poorer backgrounds are at a major disadvantage and are being put off from applying. Money shouldn’t have to be a necessity.” David Pike, also a masters student of Sports Law, criticised the media’s portrayal of the protests and addressed the often neglected problem of university funding. He said: “[I] thought the media focused on it in a very negative manner! Sensationalism in regards to the minimal violence that occurred, using terms such as what they [London Evening Standard] perceive to be unfair. I back the protesters only to an extent. My main issue with it is that no real money has been pumped into the universities as a result of the increased fees.” Megan McKeigue, a final year Law student said: “I support the protest because the fees are an absolute rip off
and higher education should be free. I feel it puts people off applying.” The protests, although largely peaceful were overshadowed by violence when missiles were reportedly launched at police officers. As this went to print, the Metropolitan Police had said that 11 students have been arrested as a result of protests. Phillip Chapita, a second year criminology student, believes that, despite the violence, the protest was good for students and that the government should take note. He said: “I support the reasoning of the protest. The violence (despite it being from a minority) however is unwarranted but I can understand the frustration and possible anger that students may be feeling. Students before paid around £6000; adding onto the price is way too big of a step up. I do not fully understand why the government saw the cuts as necessary but that doesn’t matter to me because the reality is monstrous fees to pay.” Plans will now be considered to hold several further protests throughout December across numerous University cities in the UK. James Bavin 15
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LIFESTYLE My First British Christmas//Why University Should Not be Branded as ‘a Doss’//There’s no Excuse not to See the World//Rise Festival
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LIFESTYLE
THE DUTCHESS DIARIES: My First British Christmas As part of the Erasmus exchange programme, I left the Erasmus University Rotterdam (the Netherlands) for one semester to study here at Nottingham Trent University. Having been here for ten weeks now, I think I can say I have adapted to the British student life pretty well: I made great friends during Welcome Week, fell in love with cider and have already discovered many great parts of Notts. Now that Christmas is around the corner, I wanted to share my thoughts on the most wonderful time of year with you!
1. The Brits have so many pretty Christmas lights; the term ‘’Christmas decorations’’ got a whole new meaning to me, after walking on Oxford Street. 2. But we do celebrate Christmas twice so that’s worth something. In the Netherlands, December 25 is ‘’Eerste Kerstdag’’ and December 26 is ‘’Tweede Kerstdag’’. Also, we semi-jokingly call December 27 ‘’Derde Kerstdag’’: a day to eat all left-overs and shamelessly watch yet another load of Christmas movies in your pyjamas. 3. Christmas cards must be a serious matter in the United Kingdom, judging by the wide variety of cards that are sold virtually everywhere. What’s striking too, is the fact that many cards are specifically directed at someone: your
grandmother, grandson, father in law, sister, mother, father... 4. Why aren’t Christmas markets a thing back home? I love the little chalet-like stalls and the glittery decorations they sell. When at home, I have to go to Germany to visit one of the markets they have there. 5. I truly believe whoever comes up with the shop windows for the department stores deserves a medal. Or at least a standing ovation. Some of those shop windows look like scenes from modern fairy tales! 6. One thing that definitely does not deserve a standing ovation, is the phenomenon of Christmas jumpers. They are everywhere, and I am not sure whether to find it endearing or appalling... May- Anne Oltmans 17
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Why University be branded
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LIFESTYLE
should NOT ‘a doss’...
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here’s a large misconception that university students are using taxpayers’ money to lie in until 12pm, attend lectures when and if they feel like it and get drunk... a lot. Of course some students do live up to this bad reputation, but the majority of students actually want to be at university and believe it or not, want to learn. It’s easy to brand university as an easy, laid-back ‘doss’ but it’s really not, especially when you enter the realms of dreaded third year. My advice? Make the most of the carefree nature and lack of responsibility that comes attached to your first and second year. Why? Because in third year, it gets tough. I mean really, really tough. Of course you know 19
it’s going to get more difficult, but there’s nothing that can prepare you for just how much is expected of you as a final year student. Forget spoon feeding and hand holding every step of the way. Everything is quite literally down to yourself and as the cliché goes, you get out what you put in. The first week back itself is an intense, overwhelming and incredibly stressful small period of time which gives you a slight snippet of the rest of the year. So although university allows you to embark upon lots of new exciting opportunities and adventures, it certainly isn’t for any of the ‘dossers’ out there because you know what? If you want a decent degree, you’re going to have to work for it. Nicole Cottrell
There’s NO excuse NOT to see the world
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always make you a stronger and more independent person. 2. It doesn’t matter if you are away from home for a couple of weeks or 10 years, it’s completely normal to get home sickness. But, your friends and family will always be on the other end of the phone and in the long run you’ll benefit from the different experiences offered to you. The chance to see more of the life around you is unmeasurable. 3. At one time or another we’ve all used the ‘I can’t afford it’ excuse to turn down an opportunity. The truth is with most countries all that’s needed is the initial money to fly to the country of choice and then it can be really easy to find a job and work in order to pay for your travels. Victoria Wilson
e’re all jealous of people we know who’ve found reasons (and the time) to go travelling. Although it can be too easy to sit and think of countless reasons why you shouldn’t do it yourself. Sometimes the biggest reasons people choose not to travel are the reasons they should go for it. 1. Often the main reason is that people are scared. But not many realise the greatest thing about travelling is that it helps you overcome fears and ensures you step outside your comfort zone. You end up doing everything from trying the local food to bungee jumping. Every step of your journey is different, and although you may not realise at the time, it will 20
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FESTIVAL
ith only weeks to go until the Christmas holidays, no doubt you’ll be dreaming of warm winter nights at home, presents and your mum’s cooking. But what’s the Christmas holidays without some snow? And maybe some skiing? And potentially a seven day festival in the Alps? For the first year ever, a trio of Europe’s biggest music and party promoters are taking over ski resort Les 2 Alpes for a week long winter wonderland with live music across amazing indoor and outdoor venues. We hope you’ve got the 13th20th December free... There will be a huge Ibiza Rocks Stage in the centre of town, with a Snow Globe Arena and Ice Cube Stage close by – sounds slightly better than being bored
at home doesn’t it? The town is home to the largest skiable glacier in Europe and has attracted music’s success story of the year; Clean Bandit. They will be joined on the slopes by DJ Jackmaster, Garage DK EZ, duo Toyboy & Robin, Radio 1’s B-Traits and rising DJ Hannah Wants. The stunning resort is home to 225km of ski runs, 50 hotels and hostels, bars, restaurants, swimming pool and cinemas and of course piles of guaranteed glistening white snow, and breath-taking blue skies. Standard tickets are £369 and include seven night’s accommodation, a six day full ski pass, coach travel from the UK and a full festival pass to all the parties. Visit: www.risefestival.co.uk/ for more information. Kate Parker
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SPORT
A Football Manager’s Wishlist//2014: A Year of Sport//Christmas: A Season of Hope
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A FOOTBALL MANAGER’S WISHLIST As the Christmas period draws near, bringing with it the January transfer window, Alex Copley has asked the question on everyone’s lips; What do premier league managers want for Christmas?
Arsene Wenger I’ve been very good these last few seasons Santa, particularly with looking after my money. All I ask of you is one thing: please can you get me a defensive midfielder? I really don’t mind who, but it would help if they’re young and French. This season’s looking a bit hairy at the moment and I’d love to make that fourth-placed spot my own.
Mauricio Pochettino Hello señor Christmas. Just do me this one thing and I’ll be forever grateful: please take me back to Southampton. I beg of you. I’ve made a terrible mistake and I promise never to do it again.
Jose Mourinho This Christmas the Special One requires nothing. I’ve already got the league wrapped up and waiting for me under the Christmas tree. Catch you next year Saint Nick.
Brendan Rodgers Hey Nick. Not sure if you’ve heard of him, but there’s terrific Uruguayan player that goes by the name of Luis Suarez. If it’s not too much hassle, could you bring him back to Anfield on Christmas Day? It’s no biggie, but we kind of need the lad.
Louis Van Gaal I need your help Father Christmas. My defenders keep dropping like flies and the side’s leaking more goals than a hungover Paddy Kenny, so what I really need for Christmas is a worldclass centre back. I would ask Mr Woodward, but he’s a complete liability. I’m counting on you big guy.
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2014: A YEAR OF
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SPORT
As the end of 2014 ebbs ever closer, Platform Sport’s own Peter Adams has decided to take a look back at the last 365 days of highs, lows, talking points and moments to forget.
Moyes in Manchester It was supposed to be perfect. David Moyes touched down on Manchester turf in the summer of 2013 and with blue skies and burning sun. Usurping the enigmatic Sir Alex, Moyes embarked upon his tenure at Old Trafford with pride, hope and aspiration. He whacked £60m on Marouane and Mata, and even took home a Community Shield medal! Fast forward to July 2014 and David Moyes has a cardboard box sitting on his desk in Carrington with framed photographs of Leon Osman, Tim Cahill and Tim Howard are all packed up inside. Suarez bites back Oops, he did it again. It would appear that three is the magic number for Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. After committing this cardinal sin in an Ajax and then Liverpool shirt, Barcelona bound Suarez bit into the shoulder of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in his side’s final group game of the 2014 World Cup. He was banned from football for four months, sparking a viral flurry of memes and vines in the process.
Yaya Toure’s birthday cake The ex-Barcelona man sent Citizen fans into frenzy after his agent went public with claims the big Ivorian was unhappy at Premier League champions Manchester City. It later transpired that little Yaya was just sad because the hierarchy at the Etihad had forgotten to prepare a birthday cake to celebrate the midfielder’s 31st birthday.
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England take gold in Glasgow On the old enemies turf, England took home a total of 174 medals at this summer’s Commonwealth Games, piping rivals Australia and Canada to sit pretty at the top of the leader board come August. London 2012 names such as Tom Daley, Greg Rutherford, Nicola Adams, Louis Smith and the Brownlee brothers all graced Glasgow and the BBC’s 1300 hours of coverage.
England were not good at the World Cup. Roy’s boys had barely kicked a ball before they were packing their bags and heading back home. We should have taken Peter Crouch.
Stanton hits the big bucks Giancarlo Stanton became a household name in November as he put pen to paper on an extraordinary £208m deal to bat for the Miami Marlins, smashing the MBL record. The man from California now earns a cool £16m a year, £307,682 per week and £30.53 a minute. But could he do it on a cold, windy night in Stoke?
Froch finished Groves Nottingham man Carl ‘the Cobra’ Froch settled his rivalry with George Groves the second time round in the biggest fight in British boxing history. After a disputed 9th round stoppage in Manchester, Grove played his rematch card and a battle of words and wit ensued. The rematch, in front of 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium was settled by Froch’s right hand in the 8th round.
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Christmas: A Season of Hope The teams propping up the Premier League at the close of the festive period look all but condemned to relegation. Nathan Parker is here with tales of hope to lift your spirits, as we take a look at the Premier Leagues great escapes.
Remember, whether you’re rooted to the bottom of your respective league or not, keep the faith this Christmas, miracles do happen.
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West Bromwich Albion The original great escape: Bottom at the start of the final day of the 2004/05 season and in the midst of a four-way dog fight with Norwich, Southampton and Crystal Palace, West Brom seemed least likely to clinch safety. Defeats for Southampton and Norwich, and Palace scraping just a draw, victory over Portsmouth secured the Baggies Premier League status for another season.
West Ham United A turbulent 2006/07 season for West Ham left them flirting with relegation and staring a point’s deduction over the manner in which Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano joined the club right in the face. Nevertheless, seven wins from their last nine games, including a final day win over Manchester United saw Sheffield United relegated and the Irons live to fight another day.
Gus Poyet took the helm at doomed Sunderland who, having been bottom on Christmas day 2013, managed to steer themselves to an impressive 14th placed finish. The Black Cats had to rely on a late draw with Man City and wins against Man United and Chelsea to ensure Premier League survival at the back end of their campaign. 27
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FASHION &BEAUTY
Christmas Make-Up Looks//Tis the Season for Christmas Jumpers//Bring the Sparkle this Festive Season 28
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CHRISTMAS Make-up Looks C
a few nights of being a judge on the X Factor this year. If you are not a big fan of bold colours on your eyes, try a brighter lip and just some mascara instead. This will help you appear less tired, as well as more focus will appear on your lips. We love designer Tom Ford to Rimmel who have some great offers on
hristmas is the time of year when we can wrap up warm and neglect our beach body looks for a little while. However, our faces will always be out and with plenty of festive photos potentially ready to be uploaded onto social media, we have compiled various make-up looks us girls have to try so we can be extra cute this winter: Our favorite winter colours here at Platform include: plum purples, deep red and, of course, the classic Christmas golds and silvers to sparkle in the light. Urban Decay has a set of glitter liners to add sparkle to your eyes for every occasion, making your eyes glow and match with a suitable outfit. Cheryl Cole has been seen with this look on
prices and a range of deep reds, purples and pale pinks to suit all Christmas outfits. Taylor Swift is a fan of the red lip with only mascara. For more celebrity inspired looks, check out Platform-Online.net to get inspired and to get practicing for the best look to suit you.
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‘Tis the Season for Christmas Jumpers By Charlotte Millichamp
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Primark, New Look and Asda. Some of the best styles and least expensive too! This trend has been expanding year after year, and it would be fair to say that this is going to be the biggest Christmas jumper year yet, so don’t be afraid of a little competition! After all, this is definitely not a season of subtlety. We need to embrace the yule tide spirit completely, throw fashion sense out of the frost-covered window and bear in mind that no jumper can be too packed full of Christmas cheer! P
ith the festive period just around the corner, it’s time to brave the cold weather, hit the high-street and stock up on seasonal sweaters and novelty knits. Just about every clothes store offers rails of Christmas jumpers for men, women, children and even our furry little pets, so you’d have to be a Scrooge to avoid them this year! They range from featuring merry little Santa Clauses, reindeers, gingerbread men, to hundreds of other festive characters. Three shops we would definitely recommend are
Brave Soul Red Snowman Christmas Jumper £19.99 from New Look
Jingle All The Way Christmas Jumper £14.99 from New Look 30
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Bring the Sparkle this Festive Season
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//Dress from Native Rose at Urban Outfitters ///Tights from Primark////Shoes from Vagabond at Office 32
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//Top from Topshop ///Skirt from Pippa Lynn at Urban Outfitters ////Velvet Scrunchie from American Apparel /////Shoes from New Look
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//Dress from Pippa Lynn at Urban Outfitters ///Velvet Scrunchie from American Apparel////Shoes from New Look 34
FASHION & BEAUTY
//Dress from Missguided ///Shoes from Vagabond at Office Modelled by Mariella Cattley and Sophie Matthews Photographs by Nikki Brown Makeup by Lucy Clare Styling and Hair by Sabrina Mebtouche and Shannon Lawless 35
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MUSIC What Happened to the Classic Christmas Song?//The Song that Changed my Life
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What happened to theClassic
Christmas song? T
here’s no question Christmas music is as popular as it ever was. In fact, we play it so much that most people are sick of it by the time Christmas Day eventually rolls around, but is it coincidence that nearly all of the tracks we consider to be Christmas classics were released over 25 years ago, or are there reasons for this? Almost everyone has a favourite Christmas song, and unless you’re a fan of The Darkness, chances are yours was released before 1990. Maybe it’s that recording a Christmas song is perceived to be too much of a gimmick for an artist these days and no one is willing to put their reputation on the line. This was no such fear for the songwriters of decades gone by; there’s nothing trashy about our favourite hits by The Pogues, The Pretenders and a certain couple of the former Beatles. Or maybe it’s just the fact that in today’s extremely commercialised musical climate, popular artists simply aren’t capable of writing an original Christmas song. In fact the last time a Christmas song reached number one in the UK was 2004, and even that was Band Aid 20’s revised version of an already popular hit. Or perhaps Christmas music for modern artists just isn’t that marketable anymore, or maybe that’s just cynicism on my part. As far as this writer is concerned I guess it doesn’t really matter; there’s enough Jona Lewie, Chris Rea and Elton John to last until Santa arrives.
Neil Williams
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MUSIC
The song that changed my life
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MUSIC
L
et me set the scene. October 16th 2004. My eldest sister’s 18th birthday party.The night that is ultimately responsible for changing my outlook on everything. I must apologise Helena but it wasn’t because of how great the party was. I mostly sat awkwardly in the corner drinking J20s (not everything has changed since then), although you seemed to enjoy it. As a fresh faced 10-year-old I was forced to make an effort and wear jeans as opposed to my favoured Adidas tracksuit bottoms, with my short hair wet-look gelled into a tidy mohican. Through the night I’d kept hearing some excited chit-chat about some song I’d never heard of by some band called The Arctic Monkeys. It never even struck me how odd that name is. Later that night there was a joyous roar, the dance floor filled and a mass sing-along started: “I said who’s that girl there…” What struck me was the sheer excitement it seemed to cause amongst my sister’s friends as they recited every word like it was gospel. “I said he’s a scumbag don’t you know?”The song explodes, and everything changes. That riff. Simple but genius. Alex Turner, not quite at his tongue-twisting peak, sneering in a fellow Yorkshire accent. My ears prick up. What the f**k was I listening to before this? (My first CD was Uptown Girl by Westlife). It may have taken a while but from that moment on the trackies were ditched for jeans - the jeans got skinnier, the hair got longer, the footwear got smarter, and I picked up a guitar. It seems strange to think how the last 10 years would have panned out if it wasn’t for that moment. All I know is that I’ve got Turner, Cook, Helders and Nicholson to thank. Oh, and you I guess Helena. Rob Conlon
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CULTURE Time and Memory Season at Nottingham Playhouse//The John Lewis Christmas Advert//The Sainsbury’s Advert// Where to go for your Guilty Panto Pleasure 40
CULTURE
Time and Memory Season at
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE
T
he Playhouse, in their autumn season of this year, carefully crafted a time capsule season in three productions. The season examined ‘nostalgia and regret, how history is constructed and the process of ageing’. It also explored ‘the extent to which we control the future and how much the future is already determined by the past’. The season kicked off with Time and The Conways in September, directed by Fiona Buffini. The play, a not-so-wellknown one by J. B. Priestley, set in 1919 and 1937, touched on issues of family and future fantasies, but finished with the fear of failure and breakdown echoing across the stage. Perhaps a frightening and harsh reality. October gave us Propaganda Swing, a new, jazz-infused play by Peter Arnott. Set during Second World War Berlin,
the show saw a jovial jazz-band being manipulated by the Naz-regime. It ended in the loss of friendships and passion, demonstrating the cruel consequences of Nazi-Gemany.
Finally, Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, directed by Giles Croft, completed the season with as high a standard as any. This play, the time frame being two centuries apart, included intellectual themes and entwined the writing of literature and teaching of algebra with the researching of landscape history and sexual tension: a very intriguing delight. The Playhouse deserved all of the praising reviews each of the three plays received. It was a great achievement for them: capturing history and provoking thought, in this season of witty, peculiar and fabulous theatre. Grace Nelder 41
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T
The Beginning the Festive Season:
JOHN LEWIS ADVERT
2014
he Christmas season is upon us. Gradually people will be venturing out into something resembling The Hunger Games to get the most wanted gifts of 2014. John Lewis has aired its annual Christmas advert, most will say it’s been thrown on us too early, as some may want to relish the last few weeks without the constant sound of Christmas songs and being forced fed endless plates of minced pies just to be ‘sociable’. However, I think every viewer would be lying if they said that after seeing this advert they didn’t get the Christmassy feel and a tear in their eye. The one million pound advert gave us Monty the Penguin - we see him having a heartwarming, inseparable friendship with a young boy, spending all their time together. Sadly, Monty soon becomes lonely
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and wants someone to love, on Christmas day he’s given the gift of Mable the Penguin. They then both revert to being stuffed toys, with the message ‘give someone the Christmas they’ve been dreaming about’. The final touches of Tom O’Dell’s emotional rendition of John Lennon’s Real Love was enough to play on even Scrooge’s heart strings. With over 16 million views on YouTube, and Monty and Mable toys already being a sellout, the advertisement has been a resounding success. They’re using the 7 million pound campaign to raise charity awareness to protect the Antarctic with the WWF, with profits of O’Dell’s single going towards the Adopt a Penguin Programme. I hope you enjoy the advert, odds on you will be seeing it all through December! Beth Clarke
bar featured in the advert is on sale in Sainsbury’s with all profits being donated to the British Legion, marking 100 years since the beginning of the First World War. Having been released a week after the John Lewis’ new Christmas campaign which was hugely successful, and just as well received as the previous two years Christmas features. This year’s Sainsbury’s ad is the first to address the war in such a way, whilst the advert provokes a lot of emotion, does it simply turn something so brutal and horrific into such a heartfelt advert for a massive capitalist company? Is it a fitting tribute to the soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice for their countries? Or does it exploit their plight for the company’s gain? Alexander Robertson
The
T
his year’s Sainsbury’s advert depicts one of the most iconic acts of peace that exists as part of our British history. A large amount of controversy surrounded the ad after it first aired in November, claiming that the short film trivialises and makes light of the atrocities the soldiers experienced and lived through throughout the First World War, and Sainsbury’s are set to use this piece of our world history to make profit this Christmas. The advert follows a British soldier on Christmas day as he decides to go over the trenches into No Man’s Land singing the timeless Christmas carol, Silent Night. The short piece then illustrates the historic football match the British and the Germans played on Christmas day 1914. The chocolate
SAINSBURY’S ADVERT What do you think?
CULTURE
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Where to go for your
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GUILTY PANTO
PLEASURE W
ith Christmas comes the arrival to theatres the classic pantomime! Hurrah! And everyone loves a fun filled night of men in make-up, girls-asboys in tights and a not-so-convincing horse. Right?
So why not seize the opportunity this year, to relish in the booing and hissing and join the drawn out “it’s behind you!” palaver. Here is where to find our top three in Nottingham this holiday (we’ll let you off if you feel a trip to the pub is necessary either side of the viewing experience)! First up, with perhaps slightly pricier tickets: The Theatre Royal! They’re offering the well-known story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! (6th Dec – 11th Jan). If you are after a big, grand performance for these chilly nights, this is the one for you! Secondly, Nottingham Playhouse brings you Sleeping Beauty! (28th Nov – 17th
Jan) This pantomime will be just as exciting. Don’t miss the opportunity to see Prince Charming save the day and wake the sleeping princess with a kiss! Finally, in a smaller venue, Nottingham Arts Theatre may tempt you with Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood. (6th – 21st Dec) As we live in the home Mr. Hood, this seems like a great option to not only have a cracking night of entertainment, but perhaps learn something about our Nottingham. So there you have it! Indulge yourself to a night of traditional, Christmas theatre – we won’t judge if you accompany it with mulled wine! Grace Nelder
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
S
Smirnoff #Classof21
eptember saw the launch of Smirnoff’s first ever student ambassador campaign - The #Classof21 was born. Only 19 universities were lucky enough to be chosen to be a part of the #Classof21 and Nottingham Trent is one of them. The ‘class’ itself is made up of 40 outgoing students, who have been put through a hands on training day at the top secret Smirnoff HQ. Four members of the #Classof21 have been tasked with bringing some Smirnoff love to Nottingham’s students, equipped with Smirnoff’s hottest new product, Smirnoff Gold, a huge branded Land Rover, iPads and a copious amount of desirable stash! You may have seen them at your mate’s house party, on campus spreading some Smirnoff joy or even at the first Trent Army this year. Their mission is simple, give something back to students, they deserve it. Armed with samples, cocktails, glitter cannons, boom boxes, as much merchandise as you can wish for and an insatiable love
for good times with great people, the #Classof21 definitely have something to bring to the party. You can keep track of their movements and musings on Twitter (@SmirnoffNotts). It’s a great place to interact with such a global brand at a local level! This is also the best place to go if you want some Smirnoff treats for you and your mates, and with ridiculously great feedback so far, it’s a pretty good deal. Oh and if you know someone who’s done something great this week, stick a tweet in on their #goldwednesdays to hopefully get your mate a well-deserved treat. We’ve also been given a sneaky heads-up to keep any eye out for any gold envelopes hidden around campus next week for some Smirnoff goodies, but if you find anything – remember who told you!
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GAMING &TECH
A Christmas Wishlist: The Top 4 Hottest Games and Technology on the Market this Christmas 46
GAMING & TECH
A
C HR IST MAS WISH LIST
Our writers’ TOP 4 hottest games and technology on the market this Christmas. 47
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Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones
Nintendo 3DS - November 28th High on my Christmas list this year is the new Pokémon Omega Ruby/ Alpha Sapphire. I don’t think I’m at liberty to choose which one Santa picks. I’ve tried my hardest to keep up to date with Pokémon since Red, Blue and Yellow, yet I shamefully missed the original Ruby and Sapphire games, so I’m pretty excied aboutgetting a second chance to catch ‘em all the Hoenn region. They maybe a nostalgia ride for some but they still have lots of new features such as secret dens for multiplayer fun and new aesthetics of the more recent Pokémon games which really show off the capabilities of the 3DS. £34.99
I can’t help but think my parents would be more likely to buy me an Xbox One than Bose headphones. Nevertheless, Bose Quiet Comfort headphones are what I want the most right now. Forget iPads and ereaders, I love music, and nothing does music better justice than Bose headphones. Noise cancelling and comfortable to fit over your head (even with glasses on), I could enjoy the best quality music whilst on my way to university, screaming at people on Assassins Creed: Unity or just cancelling out the world, for a while. £270 Charlotte Smith
Nicole Solarte-Tobon
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GAMING & TECH
Nvidia GeForce 900 Series Graphics Card
Dragon Age: Inquisition
November 21th Where to start? I suppose I should start with the story. Since Bioware is developing the game, the story is going to be one of the main focuses, and I’m quite the lore whore. From what I’ve seen of the visuals, they are quite impressive, though I would expect more from the Frostbite Engine. Given that I have only played Dragon Age: Origins, I am pleased to hear that the combat is reminiscent of the original, and I very much look forward to exploring the world of Thedas in the open world, something that hasn’t existed in previous iterations. £59.99
As a PC gamer, there is always a way that your rig can be upgraded to increase performance. Recently Nvidia released their latest series of graphics cards, the 900 series, the GeForce 960, 970 and 980 have been extremely popular since their release. The first two to be released sold out within a matter of days. As the 960 would be a pretty hefty upgrade for me at the moment and taking into consideration the price tags on the higher end cards as well as their performance margins (which isn’t massive), I’d love to get one for Christmas! £300+ Alex Robertson
Hayden Timms
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART&DESIGN
Knitting Nottingham: Exhibition Review//The Winter Art Guide 2014
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART & DESIGN
G N I T A R EB
K
L E C
rt &
fA rs o
yea 0 7 1
in n o i at duc ingham E ign Nott s e D
nitting Nottingham is the latest event in the 170 Years of Art and Design series at NTU. The School of Art and Design was established as one of the earliest government schools of design, founded in 1835-36. From showcasing the work of NTU students, the exhibition explores the perceptions of knit as warm, cosy jumpers to nostalgic creative designs.
as a specialism and explores the direction technology has taken in regards to knitting. The question provoked is: how far can we stretch our ideas about knitting? Closely followed by the message: don’t get too comfortable! The exhibition really is about the exciting ways the boundaries of contemporary knit design can be pushed. This really is the case from just wandering around; the pure genius of work really shines through!
The exhibition takes us through the history of knitting in Nottingham 51
KnittingNottingham
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART & DESIGN
The exhibition is a reflection upon the amazing talent our art and design students have; showcasing just a selection of garments including: 3D prints, performance footwear, priceless historical artifacts, working state-of-the-art knitting machinery and even a tea set made from electro-plated knit! On top
of all this, the exhibition is an example of the success alumni students have had over the past couple of years from winning the Gold award at Graduate Fashion Week to having their collections make it into the world of retail. Come take a look, you’ll be inspired.
Knitting Nottingham is showing until the 28th November in Bonington Gallery. Words and Images by Ellie Craven-Todd
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theWINTER ART GUIDE2014
H
airstyles and Headdresses presents the work of Nigerian photographer J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, widely regarded as one of the greatest African photographers of the 20th Century. Ojeikere earned international acclaim through this collection, a series of beautifully composed black and white photographs that capture the elaborately sculpted hair of Ojeikere’s fellow countrywomen.
NEW ART EXCHANGE The Hairstyles series began in 1968 and consists of over 1,000 photographs taken over 40 years, coming to an end after the artist’s death this year. The exhibition showcases this important part of Ojeikere’s culture, with hairstyles shown used for events such as weddings, birthdays, or to denote social status. Hair has become a form of art, celebrating diversity and the rich culture in Nigeria. As part of the exhibition, the space has been designed to look like a traditional barbershop, with large portraits hanging around the room photographed by local artist Ben Harriott. Showing until 11th January 2015 Words and images by Callum Baigrie
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART & DESIGN
NOTTINGHAM CONTEMPORARY
R
aphael Hefti has a unique way of handling and experimenting with materials. His work plays with the boundaries of what’s natural versus the industrial. His beautiful installations are bright, bold and colourful.
My favorite pieces are his amazing photograms. For these he covers photo paper with Lycopodium, which are initially moss spores that come to light when set on fire, exposing them to the photographic paper underneath. The final product is just amazing - such an explosion of colour. They have been described as images of the cosmos! This exhibition is free and well worth a visit and for after there is a wonderful selection of food and drink served in the cafĂŠ. Showing until 4th January 2015 Words by Ellie Craven-Todd Image courtesy of Nottingham Contemporary
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Student Accommodation
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Nottingham 0115 908 2600 Why look anywhere else?
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