Platform Magazine - International Issue 2022

NTU’S AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL EDITION WINTER 2021/22

ISSUE 25 FREE

25 INTERNATIONAL EDITION

WINTER 2021/22

EDITOR IN CHIEF MATT LEE DEPUTY EDITOR KATIE GREEN TREASURER/MARKETING SCARLETT ACRES

DESIGN HEAD OF DESIGN SOPHIE PUFFETT DEPUTY HEAD OF DESIGN KARIMA MORSILI

EDITORS CREATIVE CORNER EDITOR HELEN BARBER SPORT EDITOR ALEX BRINTON FASHION AND BEAUTY EDITOR ELLIE DAGLISH TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR HELEN DUBBER MUSIC EDITOR WILL HUGALL NEWS EDITOR RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR JACK PROVERBS

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THE EFFECTS OF BREXIT ON EU STUDENTS NEWS - PG 14 A ROUGH GUIDE TO PARIS CREATIVE - PG 30 Left Image: Rucsandra Moldoveanu Image Above: Helen Barber (Photos) and Sophie Puffett (Collage)

CONTENTS NEWS

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

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30

FASHION & BEAUTY

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CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

36

MUSIC

20

SPORT

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CREATIVE

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EDITOR’S NOTE

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Hello!

The firework dust from New Years Eve has settled and, after what seemed like an eternity, the leftover nibbles and snacks from Christmas have finally been eaten up; it’s time for a return to university for term two.

For the first time in almost two years we have had a Christmas period as close to normal as possible. Coronavirus has still had an impact with many people forced to isolate themselves either at home or at university homes, but I hope everyone managed to make the most of the time off and enjoyed valuable time with family and friends.

This term’s edition of Platform Magazine takes a focus on all things international. People from Europe and further abroad make up a large chunk of the student community in Nottingham and it is important we remember the excellent things that they add to our lifestyles and culture.

Britain would not be what it is today without foreign influences; whether it be the words we use cafe (France), rucksack (German), plaza (Spanish) and karaoke (Japan) just to name a few - legal principles or various aspects of our entertainment and culture.

In this term’s copy of Platform, we explore just some of the many incredible things that Britain has adopted from international societies.

Our news section explores the long-term effects of Brexit on students studying in the UK from overseas, as well as what it was like for international students who were stuck in Nottingham over Christmas due to lockdowns.

In entertainment and culture we look at some international films we may have missed, why homegrown film and TV consumers are only now acknowledging international productions, as well as comparing shows that have been adapted for broadcast in the UK and USA. Sport speaks to Nottingham Forest fans following the Reds in North America as well as two students who play netball for England and Wales respectively; music focuses on the impact of migration on Nottingham’s music scene and Nottingham’s international stars.

These are just the tip of the iceberg with plenty of hard work being put in by our excellent team of writers and editors to 4 I PLATFORM MAGAZINE I ISSUE 25

produce this brilliant edition, and I hope you enjoy reading it all.

If you’re reading this and think you would like to get involved, do feel free to contact us on Twitter, Instagram, the NTSU website or through our own website - we would love to welcome you to the team!

I hope you have a great second term and wish you the best of luck!

Matt, Editor in Chief

SU PRESIDENT’S NOTE

A NOTE FROM THE SU PRESIDENT Hello! I’m Conor Naughton President of Nottingham Trent Students’ Union or simply NTSU. If you are a returning student or a January starter welcome to the new year and what is sure to be an amazing time for all things related to Nottingham Trent University and Students’ Union!

know you have been, are and will always be welcomed with open arms by NTSU, your Students’ Union. We will always advocate and support you both locally and nationally with members of parliament, relevant groups and the government to give you the experience you deserve.

Before looking forward it would be remiss of me to not take a brief moment to look back at what was a fantastic term one.

It was brilliant to see students return to the full in-person experience NTSU have been advocating for with teaching, extra-curricular activity and everything else we know and love about life at NTSU coming back in style.

With that in mind allow me to let you know about just a few of the opportunities available to every student including international inspired societies, networks and officer support. All of which celebrate, enjoy and improve the international experience.

As the theme for this edition of platform is international I want to take this opportunity to share with you all of the ways your Students’ Union is here to support you. Including sharing and celebrating everything great about our incredible community of international students.

We know how difficult things have been for every student in recent years. Problems that have been heightened even more so for international students who have dealt with travelling during the pandemic and faced the hostility and problems caused by Brexit to name just two.

If you are an international student reading this please

DIVE INTO A SOCIETY At NTSU we have over 140 amazing societies bringing people together to share common interests via varied and inclusive activities. We want every student to be welcomed to the NTSU family and we offer many international based societies including an Irish, Indian, Bangladeshi, Portuguese and Spanish society to name just a few. There are also societies that do great work supporting refugees coming to the UK like NTU Star who volunteer and campaign and provide support.

JOIN OUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NETWORK Our networks are designed to bring together students who are passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion to ISSUE 25 I PLATFORM MAGAZINE I 5

improve the student experience at NTU. This includes our international network chaired by Urte Poznanskyte. The network is free to join via the NTSU website and is the best way to meet students with shared values and experiences like yours.

TALK TO YOUR EXEC OFFICERS Finally, to every student always be confident and ask questions.

If you see your Exec Officers in our bright purple tops, please don’t be shy in saying hello and asking us any questions we are here to help you. By speaking to us we can take your issues and help solve them be it big or small.

Our fantastic free, confidential and independent information and advice service are also on hand to support you with everything during your time at NTU – trentstudents.org/ias On behalf of myself and all the Exec team at NTSU, welcome back we look forward to sharing another amazing term together at your Students’ Union.

Conor Naughton NTSU President

WHAT DO NTU STUDENTS THINK OF THE GLOBAL LOUNGE? NTU’s Global Lounge, located opposite the Newton Building provides a place for international students to meet each other. Megan Lewis finds out what students really think of it.

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ottingham Trent University has two Global Lounges on offer, one based on Goldsmith Street on City Campus, and one in the Mary Ann Evans building on Clifton Campus, which have a range of facilities that are aimed to support students who have come from outside of the UK. They pride themselves in being a place that international students can go to relax and make friends, as well as take part in many activities across both campuses.

The global lounge has a busy weekly events schedule, including Connect Lunch every Tuesday on City Campus and every Thursday on Clifton campus, as well as Language Cafes and a book club.

Many students, including Aina Gil, a second-year International Relations and Global Studies student from Mallorca, Spain, have used the Global Lounge and enjoyed it.

Aina said: “The Global Lounge has helped me discover new cultures and festivals such as Beltane and Diwali as well as

“The Global Lounge is an amazing place as a new international student to meet new people and to interact with.”

Malika Kaur

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meeting friends from all around the world.”

The Global lounge has held many events during term one, including rock painting to help people with their mental health and celebrating Diwali in collaboration with NTU’s Bangara Society and NTU Faith.

Malika Kaur, a thirdyear Sports Science and Management student from Dubai, has found the Global Lounge helpful and has created everlasting memories there.

It especially helped her during her first year, by providing her with a way

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to combat loneliness at university.

Malika said: “The Global Lounge is an amazing place as a new international student to meet new people and to interact with.”

All events are open to NTU, NTIC, and Confetti students and colleagues and the events and lounge can help enhance your CV and broaden your horizons – according to the Global Lounge webpage.

The coronavirus pandemic, and it’s effect meaning that in-person events could not be held for 18 months, left many international students completely unaware of the existence of the Global Lounge and the support they can get from it.

Shahnaaz Iqbal, a third-year Mental Health Psychology student from Singapore, explained: “I haven’t been to the Global Lounge much, only once with my friends to play games.”

She continued: “It hasn’t helped me in the three years that I have been here.”

Angelique Monigold, a thirdyear Psychology and Criminology student from Ohio, USA, said: “I believe that the Global Lounge is a very welcoming and well-liked environment at NTU, however you’re not made entirely aware of its existence or what it is about.”

She added: “Being an international student can be quite lonely and daunting. It can almost feel like there’s no support, as I had to find out about the lounge through other students rather than through the university.”

It is clear that many international students want the support from the Global Lounge but are not aware of it until other students talk about it – this leaves the question, is the Global Lounge actually useful?

The Global Lounge is there to support all students, but is a great

aid when it comes to settling into life at NTU especially for overseas students.

The Global Lounge can be a welcoming environment where students are surrounded by supportive staff and fellow international students, making them feel more at home here at NTU. Malika Kaur added: “I met my best friend at the Global Lounge, and I have taught Hindi lessons there, as well as learnt other languages in first year.

“Although I haven’t been there in my second and final year, I have made some amazing memories there.”

The Global Lounge also supports students hoping to study abroad, as NTU has over 300 partner institutions.

Although COVID-19 has impacted many students’ semesters abroad, the Global Lounge has supported students throughout and helped them make the right decisions in regards to moving abroad for part of their degree.

The Lounge also helps students work towards the Global Employability Award which is another way students can enhance their CV by taking part in activities to develop their international skills.

It is open to all students and can help those who want to work internationally or who want to work with diverse communities in the UK. Global Week was started by the Global Lounge to celebrate all cultures as the University is home to approximately 5,200 EU and international students who are from around 160 countries.

Due to the pandemic, it was celebrated online in 2021 but

the Global Lounge is hoping to hold the next Global Week in person so it can have even more of a positive impact on international students.

The Global Lounge is a success among many international students as well as being slightly disappointing for some as they found it difficult to get involved with.

There are many positive aspects of the Global Lounge which help international students settle into life in Nottingham, as well as encourage all students to meet new people and engage with different cultures from all around the world.

Many overseas students suffer from homesickness, especially if they are leaving home for the first time, so having somewhere comforting and welcoming like the Global Lounge could make things easier for them.

The Global Lounge has impacted many students’ lives, by helping them grow in confidence as they start the new chapters of their lives in Nottingham.

However, many students also struggle to find a way to access it, as the Global Lounge may be a space they are unsure of visiting due to lack of confidence and not being made aware of the events that the lounge runs.

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NEWS

2020 International Freshers - Do We Regret Coming Here?

The last academic year proved itself to be truly challenging for every student from many points of view. Lockdowns, tiers (and tears), confusing restrictions, lateral flow testing, being trapped in a tiny room, online lectures, and getting excited over trips to the local Tesco are just a few not-so-pleasant memories from last year. But, on top of all of that, imagine being an international fresher during that time. Now, that is a real challenge.

While the last academic year may not have been the best for many students, this year seems to be making up for all the time we have wasted (albeit to keep ourselves safe) because of the pandemic.

In-person lectures, clubs, society events, cinema trips, festivals and concerts are all back now, which means that all students who enrolled into university last year can finally say they are getting the full uni experience that we have all been longing for.

accommodation room by myself with nothing to do, no one to meet.

“Having had to self-isolate so many times, either because of someone I knew had Covid or because I had just returned from Portugal, I started being very depressed, very just done with life and I wanted to defer but couldn’t because of Brexit.”

One of the changes that Brexit brought was the fact that students coming from EU countries are now considered international. This means that any EU students who have started university from September 2021 onwards now have to pay the same fees as international students, which can range from £15,000 to £40,000, depending on the chosen course. New EU intakes are also not eligible for a tuition fee loan anymore.

option for me at the time.

“I don’t regret not going there, though, because I always had the mindset that the pandemic is going to end eventually so why would I put myself through another first year and go through being alone in a new country again when I have already gone through that hard part.”

Amélia spent a total of four months in the UK last year due to travel restrictions and has noticed the huge impact that online teaching had on her course.

She said: “I barely had any faceto-face classes. I’m doing Forensic Science, which is a very practical course and even the theoretical lectures are supposed to be held face-to-face because the content we are being shown is sensitive and Because of that, students coming many times we discuss real cases, from EU countries who started and the lecturers couldn’t put all university in September 2020 did not that information online because really have much choice, unless they everything was recorded.”

So, having lived through both had a few spare thousands of pounds Having said that, the Portuguese scenarios, do international students to pay their tuition fees with. student also considers that “there’s wish to have delayed coming to the An alternative that crossed many no way that last year’s experience UK for university?

EU students’ minds was, however, was worth £9,250”. dropping out of their UK universities Amélia Vasconcelos, a second-year and moving to another European “I barely used the university’s Forensic Science student from country. physical resources,” she said. “I went Portugal, moved countries last to the lab about four times the year when she was just 17. It is safe Amélia, who did not want to go back whole year. to say she did not have the best to her home country for her higher experience, as the pandemic made education studies because of the “Everything was online so it doesn’t her first year in the UK a difficult one. lack of forensic science courses, said: make sense that we were paying the She said: “I felt helpless, I was 17, “I very seriously considered going same amount of money for half as fresh out of my family’s house to another country such as the many resources and experience.” in my home country, in a small Notwithstanding last year’s events, Netherlands, it was a very realistic 8 I PLATFORM MAGAZINE I ISSUE 25

NEWS

“IT WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS INTO MY SECOND YEAR THAT I REALISED HOW MUCH I HAD TO MISS OUT ON LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC” the now 19-year old is happy with how teaching has been delivered this year.

“This year has been so much better and useful, I feel like I’m actually learning things now, whilst last year it just felt like I was watching YouTube videos about true crime,” she concluded.

For me, as a Journalism student who wanted to be out and about talking to people all day, it was the lack of socialising that has really made the last academic year a difficult one.

Having just moved to a country I had never been to before, knowing absolutely no one, there was nothing I wanted more than to go out and make friends.

While the start of last year seemed promising, it all crumbled down quickly when the second national lockdown started in November 2020.

At first, we all thought that by the time we returned in January after the Christmas break, things would go back to normal (or at least to the ‘new normal’). But, to our disappointment, things kept going downhill.

Many of my friends could not return to Nottingham because of the

lockdown so I was there all alone trying to focus as much as I could on my exams and deadlines, so that I would not have to think about how lonely I felt too much.

However, shortly after exam season was done at the beginning of February, I started feeling like I could not take it anymore and went back to Romania, where the Covid restrictions were not as strict and where I was definitely not going to be all on my own.

Centre is, worrying about Ocean tickets and Luvyababes queues, meeting countless of new people while on a night out. I finally got my full, chaotic uni experience. A year later, nonetheless, but I am still so grateful to have had such an amazing first term this year.

It was only after a few weeks into my second year that I realised how much I had to miss out on last year because of the pandemic.

Yes, last year was far from what I was expecting in the worst way possible, but the past three months have definitely made up for all the time that was lost last year.

And dreaming about all these amazing things that I got to do during the past few months is what has kept me going last year. Having wanted to move to the UK for uni all It was not too long until I was back my life and having only considered in the UK though, as my course was this country for my higher education going to resume some in-person studies, I can never picture myself teaching from March 8, as part of the dropping out and starting over government’s roadmap to freedom. anywhere else. Had Brexit not been I must admit that terms two and a thing, I would have 100 percent three were not that exciting either, deferred and started university as I only got to be in the newsroom this year, as I am sure anyone in my once and go to a couple of sitposition would have done. But I do down, socially distanced events, but not think I would be as grateful for at least we were not in lockdown everything that I got experience this anymore, right? year had I done so.

Having to be on campus pretty much every day, not having to wear a mask, finally meeting my course mates and lecturers, learning my way around Chaucer, having no idea where the Djanogly International ISSUE 25 I PLATFORM MAGAZINE I 9

Written by Rucsandra Moldenovo Design by Sophie Puffett

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“We haven’t seen our families in a year”: Being an international student in a pandemic The Coronavirus pandemic has proved a struggle for university students, espicially for international students. Liana Homjakova shows what it is really like to be an international student during a pandemic.

Liana and her family.

Image Credit: Liana Homjakova

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housands of flights have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and the numerous lockdowns it has caused around the globe. It’s result is putting a lot of people in a very unpleasant situation for various reasons, starting with leisure travel and ending with reuniting with family. The UK has had several national lockdowns with airports being shut down and domestic travel banned for over a year. From the perspective of an international student, it does feel very scary to think about.

Nearly 500,000 international students

“The hardest part was, and still is, that when I said ‘goodbye’ to my friends and family back in January 2021.”

Liana Homjakova

were in the UK in 2020/2021 and were limited in their lives outside of the country borders. Being one of those international students, I know exactly what it feels like to be unwillingly separated from the ones you love most.

After the pandemic started, everyone had already been shaken up by the feeling of isolation and those who were brave enough to move countries during those times had to face additional difficulties, as well as the stress from university studies and living on their own.

The hardest part was, and still is, that when I said “goodbye” to my friends and family back in January 2021, I did not know it would be the last one for so long and let me tell you life has been pretty difficult not having them by my side when I really needed them to be. And it goes the other way around as well. When they

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needed me, I could not be there in person and it was frustrating to not be able to do anything about it.

Screaming and crying in the pillow did not help much either.

For a lot of people, that kind of unexpected separation resulted in increased feelings of anxiety and other mental health issues. It is so easy to feel isolated and alone around people you barely know. I have experienced major anxiety and even questioned the decision of moving abroad in the first place. I started regretting choosing a university abroad and wanted to leave it all behind and give up.

A really sad mindset if you ask me, but the best way to power through is to stick to a more positive mindset and focus on building new strong bonds and connections with those who are close to you at the moment. At the end of the day, you would have to build

Liana and her friends she met.

Image Credit: Liana Homjakova

those relationships anyway as a part of your new life, so why not focus on that instead of letting yourself drown in dark thoughts?

Any social interaction can be your saving grace. It could be your course mate whom you have met in one of your lectures, or a flatmate you have met on move-in day to your new accommodation you were so excited about. Of course, these people will not replace your family, but we all know there are people who become our family even without sharing the same blood.

Another great way of coping is working on yourself, doing something you enjoy and something that could potentially bring back the warm feeling of home. Surround yourself with things and activities that will make you feel as if you have never even left. It could be as simple as having some photographs in your room or going to places similar to the ones back home.

Try to distract your mind by doing some physical activities, maybe even get a gym membership. It would be great to come home after a long time looking and feeling healthier and more refreshed, right?

Do not forget that modern day technology gave us the great gift

of phones and social media.

Do not hesitate to FaceTime your family when you feel like you miss them too much. It will not replace the face-to-face experience, but it is much better than nothing at all. Those have helped me a lot. Sometimes just seeing your mum’s face on a little screen can make your day so much better.

Thankfully we do not have to send letters like they did many moons ago and wait for weeks to get a reply. And speaking of letters – you can get your relatives to send you a parcel from back home as well. It is always nice to receive little treats, especially from abroad and specifically from home (EXCITING!).

After a break (that was way too long) the world is regaining the luxury known as air travel. We can finally hop on that plane and reunite with people and places that our hearts were longing for for so long. As soon as travel restrictions were eased I made sure to book a flight to Latvia instantly and the joy of

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finally seeing my boarding pass was indescribable.

I finally went home on December 17. A long era of monitoring government websites finally came to an end.

As an international student I did feel very jealous at times watching my British friends hop on the train anytime they wanted to see their families while I was stuck in one place limited to occasional phone calls and text messages.

And no matter how hard I tried, I could not brush off the feeling. At times, it may seem very unfair that some of us do not have the same opportunities as others, but at the end of the day patience is the key.

Since the UK has always been a very popular place for studies among international students, I was very lucky to have some friends from back home scattered around the UK and when things have gotten way too difficult, I could go and see them. That is exactly what I did back in June 2021, when I went to London to visit some Latvian friends.

A friend from back home also came to Nottingham in August which was also great.

Always remember that no matter how far away and for how long you have been gone, your family always stays yours and they will wait for you to come back with their arms wide open. What you should think about is what outfits you will bring with you, what places you will go to and what you will do during your stay. Get that suitcase, fill it up and hang on for a bit more.

It is all mostly over now, keep your head up.

UK Parliament (Pic: Jessica Taylor)

Has the UK now lost it’s global appeal?

A year on from the United Kingdom’s official withdrawal from the European Union, Kieran Burt looks into whether Britain remains an attractive place to study for international students despite Brexit...

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n the aftermath of Brexit, one key concern was the impact in which Brexit would have on the numbers of EU students arriving in the UK to study.

Despite the UK’s exit from the European Union, however, the UK is still a strong place to study for international students. The quality of UK universities has remained the same, and the cities in the UK are still amazing. Support for overseas students is also available, meaning that students will not have to worry about feeling lost during their studies.

One key reason why the UK is still an attractive place to study for international students is because of the Graduate Route work visa. Introduced in July 2021, it provides a route to stay in the UK after an international student has completed their studies. It is open to all students, enabling them to study for up to two years, or three years for doctoral students. There are no boundaries to this scheme, as there are no salary requirements or caps on numbers. This visa is also flexible, allowing students to change their career as they see fit.

“The UK has a higher postgrad job rate than Croatia and Italy.”

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This visa is important to keep the attraction of the UK because of the diverse job market that students are able to access after their graduation. In April 2019, research showed the UK had a graduate employment rate of 86.6 per cent. This is higher than some EU countries, such as Croatia (65.9%), Italy (55.2%) and Greece (52%). However, Malta (94.5%), Germany (90.9%), and the Netherlands (90.4%) all have higher graduate employment rates than the UK. In 2017, the EU had a rate of 80.2 per cent. Overall, it

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is clear that students in the UK are more likely to be employed than those studying overseas after one to three years after graduating.

The UK is still home to great institutions regardless of Brexit.

The quality of degrees has not changed and degrees from UK institutions are very well looked upon. The British Council estimates that 38 per cent of Nobel Laureates who studied abroad did it in the UK, placing international graduates in the company of extremely talented alumni. Oxford and Cambridge are consistently at the top of international rankings, and so are UK cities. According to a piece done by the Guardian in 2021, London remains the best city to study in with Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Manchester also making the top 30.

One major difficulty, however, is the cost. Now that EU students are classed as international students, they must pay much more to study here. It does, however, remain cheaper than other Englishspeaking countries to study in.

International fees in the UK are about £16,000 per year, compared to over £18,000 in the US and over £25,000 in Australia.

LESS DESIRABLE: Kirke Viira, one of NTU’s International students talks about how Brexit has affected her.

(Pic: Kirke Viira)

“Lots of EU students choose to go to another EU country.”

What the UK loses in costs, it perhaps gains in geographical location. The UK is a considerable amount closer than either country, so any trip home is a lot easier to manage - especially with cheap flights from low-cost airlines like Ryanair.

When asked if she thought that the UK had become a less desirable place to study, Irene Bisoni, an NTU MA News Journalism student from Italy, said the cost of education was “way too high”.

Isabel Perojo Arroyo, a third-year NTU Politics and International Relations student from Spain echoed this.

She said: “I think if you managed to get into a university, you haven’t really noticed many changes. For new students, fees have come up.

You cannot get a tuition fee loan anymore and the paperwork for the visa is not fun to do. You are more of an international student, making the UK less attractive. You could more easily go to study in another EU country which offers more facilities.”

Kirke Viira, a third-year NTU Journalism student from Estonia, 21, emphasised the stress that

Brexit has brought for EU students.

She said: “I think the UK has become a less desirable place to study after Brexit. Unless they can apply for the settlement scheme, they’d need to get a student visa to study. They won’t get student finance and the tuition fees are more expensive. If I were applying for university, I don’t think I’d consider studying in the UK anymore. I don’t think I could afford it and the process is much more complicated now. Going to study abroad is already difficult, so you don’t really want any extra stress. I think a lot of EU students just choose to go to another EU country where there are better conditions.”

Vladimir Benlolo, a third-year Politics student from France, disagreed by saying: “As a French citizen, I don’t feel rejected because of Brexit. Moreover, as a student for four years, when I came to the UK to study, they had already left the EU, so there was no change in my perception of the UK as a student. Brexit has not made the UK a less desirable place to study.”

While students are split on the matter, the UK has not become a less desirable place to study, in my opinion. Tuition fees may have risen for EU students, but this does not outweigh the many benefits of studying in the UK, such as taking advantage of the many work opportunities after graduation, the institutions and cities recognised worldwide as being some of the best in the world, and the overall costs still being lower compared to other English-speaking countries.

This is an opinion piece and the author’s views do not necessarily reflect the views of Platform Magazine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the UK’s withdrawal agreement (Pic: Andrew Parsons)

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FEATUREHEAD

(Pic: Rucsandra Moldoveanu)

THE EFFECTS OF BREXIT ON EU STUDENTS After many, many long years of negotiating, the United Kingdom finally exited the European Union in January 2021. Yasmin Turner looks into the impact it has had on education in Great Britain and in Nottingham specifically...

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ive years after 52 per cent of voters originally voted to leave the EU in June 2016, the UK has finally parted ways with their near neighbours.

Three Prime Ministers and three extensions of Article 50 later, freedom of movement between the UK and the EU has been modified as a result of the deal. UK universities have directly been impacted by the decision which caused hopeful EU/ EEA and Switzerland students to miss out on having “home fee status”.

As well as losing the benefits of having the same tuition fees and financial support as British students, students coming from EU countries also have to put up with more

strict visa and immigration programmes.

Additionally, they will no longer be able to participate in higher education exchange programmes through Erasmus.

The positive impacts of having EU students in UK universities is two-fold: on a personal and cultural level, and at a political and economic degree. EU and international students bring a breadth of benefits to their host families, such as increasing the social and cultural diversity of our campuses and wider communities within Nottingham and enriching the research and learning environment.

It was thought that with a decrease in students from abroad, UK universities

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might suffer from a stagnation, especially from the loss of foreign PhD students who bring new research ideas and expertise and strengthen international partnerships.

If you take the US for example, another country with a high international student intake, immigrants have represented 40 per cent of all Nobel Prizes won by Americans in chemistry, medicine, and physics in the years between 2000 and 2016.

On a political level, international students generate huge economic gains. Research published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) and Universities UK International (UUKI) showed the net economic impact

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associated with the 2018/19 cohort of EU students was £4.7 billion.

Dr Gavan Conlon, partner at London Economics and part of compiling the figures for the study, said in an article for Hepi: “Substantial benefits [were] accrued throughout every region of the UK. Every effort should be made by the UK Government to further develop this crucial export market.”

Additionally, the impact of international students on the UK’s soft power influences around the world are often forgotten. Soft power is a country’s ability to persuade others to do something without force or coercion. Students from the EU and beyond play a pivotal role in this as, on their return home. As Hollie Chandler, a Russell Group policy analyst, said in an article for the World University Rankings: “[students] become informal ambassadors for the UK and our universities, strengthening trade, research and diplomatic links. Some international graduates will also remain in the UK to work, many filling professionallevel jobs in high-value sectors, making additional tax and National Insurance contributions and developing the UK’s skilled workforce.”

Brexit is already affecting EU students this year, even though some students are still participating in Erasmus programmes using funding awarded before the end of 2020.

Data that Platform Magazine obtained from NTU, there were only 791 undergraduate students arriving at NTU from EU countries to study this academic year (2021/22). This is a decrease from 2,120 students the previous year (2020/21).

Across the UK, the drop in applicants can also be seen, with figures released by UCAS in October revealing a 20 per cent fall in applications from EU students last year, the first application cycle since the exit from the EU, and a 16 per cent decrease for enrolment in 2022.

Instead, students are applying at universities in countries such as the Netherlands (49 per cent), Germany (36 per cent), and France (19 per cent), amongst others according to a survey by study.eu. The Netherlands are reporting

accommodation shortages and, according to Erudera College News, 78,361 international students have enrolled in Dutch universities this year, accounting for 23 per cent of the total of 340,700 new arrivals.

Director of the University van Amsterdam, Geert ten Dam, said they can “no longer handle” the growth, adding; “There is no longer enough space on the campuses, the workload of employees is unacceptably high, and the quality of our education is also under pressure.”

The increase is a direct result of students who postponed their studies due to the pandemic, but also Brexit.

Oumou, a third-year student from France studying International Relations, was fortunate enough to be in the last cohort of Erasmus applications before the change of rules, otherwise her exchange in the UK would have been left in question.

She said: “I think it will bother a lot of people because the UK is one of the first and most popular destinations in the Erasmus programme. In France university is free for the poorest and around €260 for the upper middle class to the richest.

Thanks to Erasmus I was able to pay my tuition fees in France. If I had to pay English tuition fees, I wouldn’t be able to study in the UK for a university exchange. Tuition fees in the UK are unbelievable. If the UK wasn’t on the Erasmus countries list when I applied, I wouldn’t have applied to the Erasmus programme.”

Luckily, Oumou is only at NTU on an exchange programme for five months, otherwise she now would have had to apply for a student visa (if staying more than six months), meaning even more

costs. To be eligible for a student visa, you need to score 70 points to meet all the requirements. Without even considering tuition and maintenance fees, the charges already stack up.

Laura Coates, NTU’s international officer for Europe, said: “Brexit has had a big impact on the number of students from the EU coming to study in the UK. The combined effect of higher fees and not being able to access UK student loans make studying here far less attractive.

“As part of our commitment to student diversity, we’re offering an EU Excellence Scholarship to help students from the EU study with us.

“As well as this, our Europe team in the International Development Office are there to offer specialist support for applicants, as well as our International Student Support team offering guidance and support to all international students. This includes advice on visas and Settlement Scheme applications as we transition out of the European Union.”

For those enrolling after August 2021, tuition fees for EU students will not be capped at £9250 as it is for UK students, and so fees could be considerably higher, some even between £30,000 and £40,000 per year, depending on the university and course type. Additionally, tuition loans cannot be applied for either.

The status of future EU students will largely be in the hands of universities to offer scholarships and bursaries or lower tuition fees for overseas students. But it is clear Brexit is already having a negative effect on European applicants and the future is unclear.

Universities in Holland are struggling for an influx of EU students (Pic:Fred Romero)

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THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL RELOCATION IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY IT’S NO SECRET THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT FASHION SHOWS TAKE PLACE IN PARIS For an industry worth £62.2 billion in 2021, and one that employs 550,000 people alone in the UK, the fashion industry excels internationally. It boasts New York, Paris, and Milan as the fashion capitals of the world.

Fashion is an innovative, exhilarating, and controversial business to be in. It is one that offers a wide variety of roles to enter across the globe, but why are these roles generally found to be within international cities?

It’s true that Great Britain is great competition, boasting some incredible designers including Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood.

However, there is a plethora of international designers overseas that offer great career opportunities for aspiring starters, as well as a range of positions allowing employees to advance through their workplace. But is this the only reason for the higher rate of relocation for those wanting a career in the fashion industry?

New York City… chic, contemporary, and innovative, all words to describe the city and its place in the industry.

NYC is also home to FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology which has been internationally recognised as the leader in education for a career in fashion and the arts. Graduates from here can be found all over the city, where connections make careers, as well as boasting alumni such as Leslie Blodgett and Fran Boller.

Paris, recognised as the city of haute couture, where fashion has a rich heritage and garments are made with tradition. Being the home to many prime designers, such as Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel, it’s no secret that the most important fashion shows take place in Paris, as more aspiring designers travel here to learn the art of garment making than they do in London, New York, or Milan.

Milan, centred around Fashion Business, Buying, Merchandising, and Marketing, is the business capital of Italian fashion. The city captures luxury, culture, and art making it an easy relocation choice for hopefuls wanting to make it in the industry. Italy has an extensive history with fashion, which started during the Renaissance. Textiles such as velvet, silk and wool were produced.

Finalising what is known as the “Big Four”, London. At only 109 miles away from Nottingham (give or take), London is known for its timeless fashion being able to keep up with current trends. London is a major player in the fashion industry and has rightfully earned its spot in being one of the most iconic cities in the world for achieving a career in fashion. Being the home of icons such as Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, future British designers have very big shoes to fill.

Relocation within the fashion industry, some could say is crucial to success within the field,

connections are vital, lasting a lifetime of partnerships between personal brands and the companies worked for. No matter what part of the industry you aspire to be a part of, the “Big Four” have what you’re looking for, while also offering big city life at the same time.

Written by Ellie Daglish Designed by Karima Morsili

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Top 5 The world of fashion sees the rise and fall of incredible talent, with new faces emerging every season.

Here, we take a look at the top 5 designers from around the globe that definitely need to be on your radar.

Susan Fang Susan Fang - originally from China - spent most of her childhood in Canada and the US, first launched her label in 2017 and has been faced by nothing but immense success since – she was selected in the Forbes “30 Under 30” List in both 2019 and 2020 and has been stocked in stores around the globe such as Selfridges, Machine-A and Browns.

Her work revolves largely around silhouette which produces items each with a distinct originality. There is also a clear focus on combination of textures, as each one is beautifully crafted to combine as much variation and innovation as possible while still retaining an aura of laid back sophistication.

FASHION & BEAUTY

Up and Coming International Designers We Need to Watch Out For

but in the way she perceives the world around her. These two changes can be seen within her more recent pieces, in which she takes what the world would see as mundane pieces and makes them into something truly special.

Serena Uziyel

Meryll Rogge, Crop TwoPiece Cashmere Sweater Set, £502.78

Turkish designer Serena Uziyel is an up and Laura Laurens, Pleated coming name in the accessories industry. She Military Pants, $530 aims to produce a timeless elegance in her Thebe Magugu pieces so they can be treasured for genera- Thebe Magugu of South Africa is evidently tions and this aura is palpable in each of her destined for worldwide exquisitely designed pieces. Having worked renown – both for his with massive brands such as Moschino, Calvin philosophies and designs.

Klein and Donna Karan, high end craftsmanship His work embodies aspects is in her blood but it’s her fascinating ability of life he feels everyone to revive these old practices that makes her needs – cultural honour, work so special. novelty and absolute quality. These ideoloHer standout piece is most definitely her velvet gies are all wrapped up clutch bags which sold out almost instantly at in sleek, contemporary both her flagship boutique in Istanbul and her designs which look to pop-up in Dubai in Autumn 2020. move on from the past without disregarding it and these hits of nostalgia are evident in the youthful joy he weaves into each garment.

Susan Fang, A-Line pink feather embroidered dress, £784

Meryll Rogge Belgian born Meryll Rogge may only have a few seasons to her name, but her raw talent and eye for design is already clear. She aims to combine elements of sweet femininity with harsh masculine lines, Rogge’s collection has a unique androgyny that shapes the label’s identity.

Having only just launched the brand when the pandemic hit, Rogge says this had a massive impact not only on the way she designs

Her most recent collection embodies a sense of timeless fashion, with a raw edge to stray away from the monotony of the staples we all crave.

This creativity and unbelievable depth is only furthered by her collaboration with trans communities whom she works with in order to share their voices and combine some of their crafts into her designs.

Serena Uziyel, Catena Burgundy Two-Sided Bag, £708

Laura Laurens Based in Bogota, Colombia, Laurens is already making a big splash in the fashion world. With a reputation for her unique approach to design, ability to tell a story within each collection and the artisanal processes she works into every piece, she is sure to very quickly become a huge sensation.

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Alongside this, he has an ongoing charity capsule collection, of which 100% of the proceeds Thebe Magugu, are donated to the Matiego Pleated Skirt, €475 nominated charity of the season.

Look out for these designers in the future as they are sure to take the fashion world by storm!

Author: Georgia Flinton Designer: Tara Thomas

FASHION & BEAUTY Korean beauty (also known as K-Beauty) has completely @hkjennylee believes K-Beauty skincare is all about repairing dominated the skincare market worldwide since it blew up the skin’s natural barrier, increased hydration to reduce acne in 2019. This type of skincare became popular from TikTok, and using gentle ingredients to reduce harshness on the skin. where ‘K-Beauty’ videos have a massive 1.5 billion views.

It created the glass skin trend, where the aim is to have Originally from South Korea, a K-Beauty routine aims to skin that glows from within by using clean and hydrating create a canvas of natural beauty for a dewy, luminous skin products. ‘Slugging’ is another new trend where petroleum look. There is a huge focus on moisture and hydration in jelly is applied post night-time skincare routine to lock in many routines to help retain this style. TikTok user products and help retain moisture in the face.

CLEANSER TONER

Toner will help with skin hydration and help balance the skin’s pH levels. Here are some recommendations: Pyunkang Yul - Essence Toner - £9 SOME BY MI - AHA, BHA, PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner - £15 CosRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid - £26

SERUM

There are a lot of serums with fantastic ingredients which can be used to benefit the skin in many ways. Hyaluronic acid can help with hydration and skin water retention, vitamin C helps with the appearance of brightness in the skin and retinol can help with skin cell turnover and skin texture.

Here are some recommendations: TonyMoly Vita Vita 12 Synergy Ampoule - £14 PURITO - Pure Vitamin C Serum - £18 Dr Jart+ Cicapair (Tiger Grass) Sleepair Ampoule-in mask - £31

EYE CREAM

Adding an eye cream to your routine is the best way to introduce intensive hydration to the delicate eye area. This will also help reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark circles, to allow for an even base. Here are some recommendations: PURITO - Cantella Green Level Eye Cream - £14 TONYMOLY The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Eye Cream - £20 Benton - Fermentation Eye Cream - £28 A good moisturiser - whether it’s a mask or a cream - will keep the skin hydrated, supple and soft. It can also help with an anti-aging effect on the skin to keep it nourished. Here’s some recommendations: Dr Jart+ Dermask Rubber Mask Hydration Lover - £10 CosRx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Spa Overnight Mask - £17 LANEIGE - Cream Skin Refiner - £24 Using SPF on a daily basis is one of the most important steps in any skincare routine. It helps protect the skin from sun spots and UV pollution, keeping a fresh and clear base for the skin to obtain a glass skin glow. Here’s some recommendations: Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF42 - £16 TONYMOLY - Intense care gold 24k snail sun cream - £23.40 TOUN 28 - Organic HEV (blue light) UV Protector - £25

Words by Eleanor Lawrence Design by Sophie Puffett

Skincare from South Korea has been an incredible game changer for the beauty scene. It’s fresh and clean ingredients help get the dewy and glossy look which has taken social media by storm. Give this routine a try, with these highly recommended products a try, jump on the trend and see what you think.

Korean Beauty Skincare Dominates the Globe

Cleansing your face will give a clean and prepped base for skincare ingredients to infiltrate the skin further into the routine. Here’s some recommendations: CosRx Low-pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser - £6.50 BANILA CO - Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm - £17.50 KLAVUU - Pure Pearlsation Divine Pearl Cleansing Oil - £30

MOISTURISER

would include cleanser, toner, serums, eye creams, moisturiser and sunscreen to get the glass skin look. Here is a closer look:

SPF

A TYPICAL ROUTINE

FASHION & BEAUTY

2021 AND MY STYLE EVOLUTION

Fashion continues to change and evolve each year, with so many different trends becoming popular. Freya Fowler reveals her 2021 style revolution.

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ashion, an industry that continues to evolve is affected heavily by external influences, now more than ever, the likes and dislikes of its consumers – in other words you and me.

Let’s have a look at my style evolution throughout a particularly peculiar year, 2021. We will take you through the factors that caused my style - and possibly yours - to change and shape how we dress and perceive fashion now.

Lounge wear…. duh!

Controversial opinion, but prior to lockdown, I was completely anti-lounge wear. I hated all things elasticated waist jogger and loop back sweatshirt. However, this was no means to go on when I was spending all my days behind closed doors in a reclined state most of the time.

Prior to the whirlwind that was the pandemic, I would simply relax in activewear: sports bras, lycra crop tops and seamless leggings.

However, lockdown was thrown at the fashion industry and athleisure was the ball they hit back with – and rightly so. This ‘stay at home’ message opened the door for the loungewear market, as we had no tangible reason to be purchasing Living in a pandemic meant loungewear came back into fashion.

Image credit: Unsplash

and wearing anything other than jersey sets and fluffy socks. Casual wear was taken to a whole other level, and of course, I had to join the comfort party.

If the pandemic taught Freya anything, it was to dress for every occassion from now on!

Image credit: Unsplash

forced to close and the lack of catwalk shows, allowed us to choose when to tap in

My personal favourite brands to purchase and browse loungewear from were: •

• • •

Heaven can wait – Definitely more my personal style within loungewear Unnamed – A desirable brand made popular through online influencers Pangaia – A sustainable and biobased approach to loungewear.

Asos – For more stylish silhouettes and a wide variety of styles

Fashion influencers and influences

Like most people, my screen time skyrocketed. Not only did this raise my exposure to streetwear styles and social media influencers, but also encouraged me to research and seek deeper fashion influence from history, subcultures, and music.

In my case this meant finding out more on the fashion of punks, their music taste and how they used to dress when the subculture was booming during the 1960’s.

This has always been a personal interest and possessed a strong influence on my fashion and music taste – but due to the increase in spare time and domino effect it had on screen time during 2021, I was able to research deeper into the roots of the subculture and experiment for myself the DIY heritage that punk was built on.

2021 allowed time for self-expression and exploration. I think fashion retail being

and out of style influence and when to just follow our own desires and take fashion in our own personal direction.

Preparing for the release!

It’s showtime. Everything was a fashion event, a reason to dress up. With an increase in disposable income due to the months of not going out, I was able to feed my yearning for styling outfits and the joy was injected back into fashion. For me and for many the excitement of being able to go out again was reflected in the way we dressed, and the effort put into those coveted clubbing, partying and all-round event outfits. Clothes felt special and I was excited to show the style I had been working on behind closed doors.

However, it must be mentioned that the divide between stay at home and going-out wardrobes grew massively. As I now have a plethora of comfortable options to choose from and feel as though my best must be saved for my best. Meaning my hangover outfits aren’t half as glam.

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FEATUREHEAD

Migration has brought some top artists to the city of Nottingham. Image credit: Pixabay

THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON NOTTINGHAM’S MUSIC SCENE Nottingham’s music expands across the globe. Yasmin Turner looks at how migration has impacted Nottingham’s own music scene.

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ottingham is a highly diverse and multicultural city, as can be seen from its food industry alone.

One aspect of migration that is not always spoken about, though, is the impact that it has had on the area’s music scene.

Recently coming to national prominence, Young T & Bugsey are commonly thought of first when it comes to Nottingham’s success stories. Their 2019 hit ‘Strike a Pose’ even references Nottingham in the lyrics.

However, less attention is given to other artists from Nottingham.

Let’s have a look at all the musicians that have impacted

the scene in our city, with genres ranging from hip-hop to funk, to classical.

But first, let’s start with Young T & Bugsey Now boasting over three million monthly listeners on Spotify and recently nominated for the BRIT Award for ‘Best British Group’, hiphop duo Ra’chard ‘Young T’ Tucker & Doyin ‘Bugsey’ Julius were born and raised in The Meadows and Top Valley areas of Nottingham.

Despite hailing from suburbs not known for breeding famous artists, their perseverance landed them a major record deal with Sony, who took notice of the single ‘Glistenin’’ when the duo were just 19 years old.

The East Midlands duo (Tucker born in London to Jamaican parents, and Julius born in Nigeria) met when they were 15 and began recording music together at their local youth group.

Since then, they have become the first rappers from their region to score a Top 10 Singles Chart hit, and peaked at #25 in the Albums Chart with their 2020 debut ‘Plead the 5th’.

Nao

Nottingham’s very own Nao real name Neo Jessica Joshua – is a singer-songwriter and record producer who was raised between Nottingham and London by her Jamaican mother.

Her sound is characterised as

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MUSIC

‘wonky funk’; a description she herself came up with to describe fusing soul, R&B, funk and electronic music.

Nao studied vocal jazz at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London before becoming a backing singer for artists such as Kwabs and Jarvis Cocker.

Her next venture took her further into the spotlight; performing in an all-girl a cappella group called The Boxettes for six years.

She then released her first EP, ‘So Good’, in 2014. The record went straight to Number 4 on the iTunes Electronic Chart, while the title track made it onto playlists for BBC Radio 1 and BBC 1Xtra.

More recently, Nao’s second album, ‘Saturn’, received nominations for ‘Album of the Year’ at the 2019 Mercury Prize and ‘Best Urban Contemporary Album’ at the 2020 Grammy Awards.

Be sure to check out her new album, ‘And Then Life Was Beautiful’, which was released in September 2021 and recorded during the pandemic. Everyone had to look at life a little differently in order to find beauty during this time, and that is captured beautifully in Nao’s artistry.

The Kanneh-Mason family

The Kanneh-Masons are a dynamic family of seven brothers and sisters who all play either violin, cello or piano.

They range from 11 years old, to 24, and were raised in Nottingham by mother Dr Kadiatu Kanneh (from Sierra Leone) and father Stuart Mason (of Antiguan descent).

They have many prizes and awards in their possession and have also appeared on numerous television shows. These include the 2018 BAFTA Film Awards and the Royal Variety Show in 2019.

Their impressive but unsurprising success appears endless.

In October 2020, they released their first album ‘Carnival’, which received great critical acclaim. In May 2021, they then received the Global Award for ‘Best Classical Artist’.

If you haven’t heard of the KannehMason group, you may be familiar with one member of the family – cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason MBE. In 2016, Sheku became the first black musician to win the BBC Young Musician Award since its launch in 1978. He continued to appear in the public eye when he played at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.

If you want to discover more about this talented and unique family, give their album Carnival a listen and maybe even read their mother Kadiatu’s inspiring memoir, ‘House of Music – Raising the Kanneh-Masons’.

Edwin Starr

Moving from classical influences to the 1970s Northern Soul circuit, many will recognise the iconic Vietnam War protest song ‘War’ (‘War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing’) but may struggle to put Starr’s name to it.

Well, Starr was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1942 and was famous for his Motown singles in the ‘70s.

His move to England occurred in 1983, eventually settling in Chilwell, a Nottingham suburb on the west side of Beeston. Starr died in 2003 and is buried at Wilford Hill Cemetery in Nottingham.

What brought soul-legend Edwin Starr from Detroit to Chilwell? I guess we can’t know, but Notts will forever cherish him as one of their own.

singer who found fame with songs such as ‘Bye Bye Love’ and ‘On The Wings of Love’.

BEKA – with roots from the Caribbean islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines, rising singer-songwriter BEKA is joining Nottingham’s takeover of the charts with a series of successful releases. Her first headline gig was at the charmingly intimate location of Rough Trade Nottingham in October 2021. If you enjoy emotive pop, stunning vocals and poignant lyricism, BEKA could be a new addition to your 2022 playlist.

Bru-C – the Long Eaton-born rapper, a.k.a. Josh Bruce, also has family ties to St Vincent, through his late grandfather Hubert Bruce. In 2020, Bru-C dedicated a Facebook post to his grandfather. The post revealed how, after arriving in Nottingham and working a number of manual labour jobs, Hubert became a primary school teacher and “went from a poor man in a poor condition to a man rich in passion, determination and love.” Bru-C, meanwhile, dropped his latest single ‘Dutty’ in October 2021.

Other Nottingham artists with international roots: Trevor Sparks – born Trevor Chambers to Jamaican parents right on our doorstep in Hyson Green, Sparks was a prominent reggae

Image credit: Pixabay

Nottingham’s Early International Music Stars

Nottingham has had its fair share of artists who gained fame across the globe.

To today’s generation, making these connections is first nature. For our predecessors, it wasn’t so easy, and to illustrate this, here are the stories of some of the city’s original musical trendsetters.

Deep Purple Ian Paice, born in Nottingham, is one of the founding members of the now-infamous rock band Deep Purple. His work has cemented him as one of hard rock’s original great drummers.

The band itself are widely considered to be one of the pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal, often categorised as part of an ‘Unholy Trinity’ alongside Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

Their discography includes tracks such as ‘Hush’ and ‘Smoke On the Water’, with the latter having one of the most recognisable and famous riffs of all time.

Paice originally began by playing the violin before swapping his bow for drumsticks during his teenage years, in which he taught himself to play despite being left-handed.

In an interview with Rhythm Magazine in 1995, he said: “I used to play with a pair of knitting needles on my mother’s sofa, trying to work out what the drummer on the record was doing.”

Having perfected his craft, Paice played in many small local bands.

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If being a member of a band that has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wasn’t enough, Paice also worked with George Harrison from The Beatles before becoming his neighbour. Their musical collaboration resulted in tracks that were used in Harrison’s greatest hits album, ‘Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989’, as well as the single ‘Cheer Down’, which was used in the soundtrack for ‘Lethal Weapon 2’.

Given Paice’s immense contribution towards hard rock and metal with Deep Purple, as well as with other stellar projects and collaborations, he is one of the finest musicians Nottingham has ever produced.

Depeche Mode Andy Fletcher, also known as Fletch from Depeche Mode, similarly has his roots in Nottingham. Despite initially being a keyboard player, Fletcher has also enjoyed being a spokesperson and handling a lot of business on behalf of the group, as they never hired a full-time manager. Strangely, some people have been rather cynical of his musical abilities, but this seems to be a harsh criticism considering the group have sold over 100 million records across a 41-year career.

Depeche Mode were one of the earliest acts to create a sound purely around synthesisers and used this identity to become one of the biggest musical acts in the world throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. Some of their biggest tracks include the immensely catchy and familiar ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ and ‘Enjoy The Silence’, which won the 1990 BRIT Award for ‘Best British Single’.

The band’s undoubted popularity saw them sell out huge shows across America, while they interestingly also cultivated a huge following across Eastern Europe. At the time of the Soviet Union, listening to Western music was forbidden and deemed illegal activity, yet tapes of the band’s music were somehow smuggled in and loved by the populations. The true reason for why the band resonated so heavily is disputed, but either way, the success that Depeche Mode earned with Fletcher at their core was significant.

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden fans also have Nottinghamshire to thank for producing the band’s lead singer, Bruce Dickinson.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time, Worksop-born Dickinson didn’t join the band - also considered one of the most influential heavy metal bands ever - until six years after its formation.

He replaced the previous lead, Paul Di’Anno, who began to struggle with the demands of long tours and the emergence of global success. The decision to make Dickinson the new front of the band was seen as being the final step to make them truly massive. The figures put this into focus.

During a career that has already spanned 44 years, Iron Maiden have scored five UK Number One albums, 17 UK Top 10 singles, a BRIT Award for ‘Best British Live Act’ and a Grammy Award for ‘Best Metal Performance’.

Some of their most memorable hits include ‘The Trooper’, ‘The Number of the Beast’ and ‘Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter’. You would imagine being a part of Iron Maiden is a time-consuming role, yet Dickinson has also found enough of it to dip into plenty of other activities.

Written by Joe James Designed by Vilte Vaisetaite ISSUE 25 I PLATFORM MAGAZINE I 23

Nottingham’s Most Iconic International Performances Led Zeppelin circa 1971 when they played a free gig at Nottingham Boat Club.

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ottingham has developed a fine reputation for music over the years.

For a relatively small city, it has a hugely impressive reputation when it comes to drawing international musicians, whether they’re starting out, bang in their prime or returning as legends.

To celebrate the synergy between these acts and the city, we thought we’d lead you down a trip through the archives, where you may discover a few interesting facts…

The Early Years During its time as a largely industrial city, Nottingham’s best entertainment was to be found at traditional venues, such as cinemas and the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall.

International performers were rare, however, until the late 1960s.

Britain’s working-class cities suddenly became heralded for their authenticity and, in December 1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played a historic set at the Royal Concert Hall.

Hendrix set his guitar alight at the end of his band’s set, thrilling the younger members of the audience and etching himself into musical folklore.

It’s worth mentioning the reputation for live music that the city’s boat clubs had at the time, too.

Nottingham Boat Club, the Britannia Rowing Club (‘the Brit’) and the Nottingham & Union Rowing Club (‘the Union’) all put on memorable club nights, impressively drawing American stars like Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker to play on the banks of the River Trent.

The Dungeon, meanwhile, was the scene for mods.

The cramped space, complete with stuffed animals in cases as wall decorations, welcomed Little Steve Wonder – as he was still known – in 1966, as well as Ben E. King and The Isley Brothers before it closed in 1968.

The Rise of Notts’ Venues While the University of Nottingham and the newly-formed Nottingham Polytechnic (now our very own NTU) played host to some acts on the rise, and the Heart of the Midlands drew some decent 1970s performers, the Notts scene really took off in 1980.

The city’s wait for a dedicated music venue came to an end when the Heart of the Midlands became Rock City.

With gigs by Ireland’s U2 and The Pogues, Germany’s Kraftwerk, and American acts as diverse as Womack & Womack, REM and Guns ‘N’ Roses, the international influx had truly begun.

Right in the middle of this period, Public Enemy’s 1987 performance proved to be one of the most iconic Rock City ever hosted.

During a time when Nottingham was an epicentre for the breakdance subculture, the rap quartet gave a live debut to their single ‘Bring The Noise’, which the crowd certainly did.

The Road to Modernity Rock City remained king in the 1990s; even increasing its reputation with gigs from Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine and Daft Punk, amongst many others.

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The venue was soon to be joined by The Bodega (founded in 1999), Rescue Rooms (2003), and crucially the Nottingham Arena, which was opened in 2000.

Boasting a capacity of 10,000, the Arena – which has been sponsored by Trent FM, Capital FM and now Motorpoint – allowed much larger acts to play in Nottingham.

The likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber have all played there during their careers, albeit generally when they were on the verge of superstardom.

Bieber’s gig, as documented by local reviewer Mike Atkinson, was his first after an infamous 19th birthday celebration and largely consisted of the crowd trying to cheer him up again.

But it wasn’t all pampered popstars.

With Splendour Festival starting in 2008 attracting Blondie, Scissor Sisters and Billy Ocean over the years - the city also developed a strong legacy act reputation.

Today, things couldn’t be more different for Nottingham than in the early 1960s.

International acts are now a foundation of the musical offering in Nottingham.

They appear at every venue, playing every genre, and hail increasingly from all corners of the globe.

From humble beginnings, Nottingham has become a small centre of the world.

There could hardly be a better metaphor for this city.

Author: Will Hugall Designer: Tara Thomas

MUSIC

IS THE MUSIC WE CONSUME BECOMING MORE INTERNATIONAL?

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K and US-based artists still dominate global charts, as they have always done.

However, it is becoming more apparent that those at the top are hailing from far more diverse backgrounds.

Dua Lipa is a London-born, Kosovanraised, Albanian-speaking star. Olivia Rodrigo is a Californian of Filipino extraction. Doja Cat’s father is South African, Camila Cabello is CubanAmerican, and The Weeknd was born in Toronto to Ethiopian immigrants.

If you look at streaming charts all across the world today, it’s rare not to find an artist of at least dual national identity.

also had mixed cultural backgrounds, included Billie Holiday, Selena Gomez, Cuco and Tyla Yaweh.

This marketing technique used by record labels definitely acts as a conscious push by record labels to promote and suggest artists’ music to appropriate audiences.

However, Lipa, arguably one of today’s biggest cross-cultural stars, has doubts about this.

She previously confessed that when she was presented with opportunities by her record label to push her to a larger audience, she turned them down in fear of them not truly representing who she is.

Instead, the key reason why the music we consume is becoming more international may just be as simple as a generational change within our global society.

The discussion, therefore, as to whether this is a conscious push by record labels or a result of our increasingly global society is an interesting one.

According to a study by MIDiA Research, music’s major labels are responsible for more than two-thirds of the global market’s sales.

This is of course powered by their contracts with the biggest names, and those who appeal best in many different markets.

However, to what extent are major record labels attempting to promote and market these artists to a greater expanse than non-cross-cultural artists?

Research carried out by Spotify found that users thought that the platform’s technology did half of the work when seeking a certain kind of content.

Artists among the most discovered by listeners aged between 18-24, and who

Spotify’s research led to many outcomes about Gen Z that support this argument.

In the study, Gen Z proved to be more willing to agree that music was a big factor in increasing cultural diversity.

Company data also showed that 18-24-year-olds listen to a broader selection of artists from different countries than any other age group.

It is no surprise, then, that Gen Z population members are fuelling the K-Pop craze, helping the genre quickly become one of the top 10 moststreamed worldwide.

Furthermore, it is undoubtedly true that TikTok has disrupted the music industry, particularly over the past two years.

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A number of songs by cross-cultural artists, including Doja Cat’s ‘Say So’, ‘Dynamite’ by BTS and ‘Levitating’ from Lipa, all topped the charts during this period, largely due to them going TikTok viral.

This is another example of our global social network impacting the music we are consuming, as it enables our generation to connect and share an array of music.

It is clear to see that the music we are consuming is becoming more international, with many crosscultural artists also becoming our most-streamed.

Although record labels and their marketing techniques to promote these artists definitely play a role, generational change might just be more important.

Above all, it might be the curious nature that Gen Z shows for discovering a new and diverse range of music that really drives change.

Written by: Hannah Adams Designed by: Emily Houghton

MUSIC

Top 10 Most Iconic Foreign Language Songs Of All Time 1

Gasolina – Daddy Yankee (2004) This is by far my favourite non-English song. Ranking 50th in Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ chart, this is one of the most iconic tracks ever, in my opinion. It is a song that keeps being played over and over again, being enjoyed by people of all ages, so dame más gasolina.

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ZITTI E BUONI – Måneskin (2021) This song is what made me start learning Italian. I had been rooting for the track to win Eurovision in 2021 and was over the moon when it actually did, especially as the band are the first-ever Gen Z winners of the contest. They seem to keep making history, having won the ‘Best Rock Act’ award at the MTV EMAs back in November, and it will be interesting to see what other milestones they achieve.

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Lambada - Kaoma (1989) This is one of the songs I grew up with, and a timeless tune overall.

It is a tune that will definitely have you curving your body as soon as it starts playing. Its timelessness was proved through the 2011 hits ‘On the Floor’ by Jennifer Lopez and ‘Taboo’

by Don Omar, both of which included the iconic 1989 accordion hook.

the story of legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The powerful yet repetitive ‘Amadeus, Amadeus’ chorus will definitely make you want to listen to this song again and again.

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The Ketchup Song (Aserejé) – Las Ketchup (2002) Another classic I grew up with. Three sisters and a catchy, repetitive tune were all the early 2000’s needed, and all that was needed to make this song iconic.

The track also has a Spanglish version if you are more of a singer rather than a dancer and don’t really fancy learning a new language, but to me, it just does not hit the same as the original Spanish version.

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La Vie en rose – Édith Piaf (1947) This song is not necessarily my favourite, as it has been overplayed by basic TikTok girls who went to Paris once and now have the French flag emoji in their Instagram bios. One of the most iconic French songs, nonetheless.

Vive la France!

Dragostea Din Tei – O-Zone (2003) I have a deep love/ hate relationship with this song.

I absolutely hate it when I hear it being played in my home country, Romania, and I will literally leave the room as soon as I hear the first ‘Miya Hee’. However, when I hear it being played in the UK, it is a whole Rock Me Amadeus – Falco other story and the Romanian in me (1985) With one of the most suddenly goes crazy, screaming the iconic German-language songs, lyrics at the top of my lungs. A truly Austrian star Falco managed to stun iconic song (and experience). the world in the mid-80s by telling

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Macarena – Los del Río (1993) Although Macarena will be 30 next year, the famous dance that accompanies the song still sends crowds into a complete frenzy, whenever and wherever it is played. Undoubtedly one of the most iconic tunes of all time.

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La Bamba – Los Lobos (1987) Originally released by Ritchie Valens in 1958, Los Lobos recorded their version of the iconic song for the ‘La Bamba’ film released in 1987. Like Macarena, this song is not necessarily about the lyrics, but more about the dancing.

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Zorba’s Dance – Mikis Theodorakis (1964) When you think about Greece, there is a big chance that this song will come to mind. Many initially believe that it is the instrumental to a folklore dance, but in fact, it was composed by Theodorakis for the 1964 film ‘Zorba the Greek’. This song does not have any lyrics, and to be fair, it does not even need any as it is truly THAT iconic.

Written by Rucsandra Moldoveanu Designed by Marina Garcia Salcedo

Word by Helen Barber Design by Sophie Puffett

2022 Travel Bucket List So many of us have missed travelling to some of the worlds most beautiful location. Katie Mortimer tells us her travel bucket list ahead of 2022.

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ooped up in your cold uni house watching the sun set by 5pm? What better time to plan your next adventure! If you’re anything like me, you’re looking far and wide for your next getaway… I’m talking Machu Picchu, Vietnam’s Mã Pí Lèng Pass, Kruger National Park, the full works!

Our bucket lists are bound to be pretty extensive, considering they’ve been accumulating for almost two years now. So, we’ve conjured up a dreamy catalogue for your potential next getaway:

1. Croatia

Boasting one of the longest coastlines in Europe, this gorgeous

Add Croatia to your travel bucket list this year to explore the countrys beauty.

Image credit: Unsplash

legendary isle of Hvar. I’d find myself spending most of my time in the main town scouting out Hula Hula Beach Bar and enjoying the local delicatessen of Dalmatino.

2. Costa Rica Discover Costa Rica. image Credit: Unsplash

country couldn’t be more inviting.

Croatia has the perfect balance of picturesque scenery and thriving nightlife. Its archipelagic nature means you’re never short of sun-soaked days and water sports opportunities (I heard the boat parties aren’t too shabby either).

Find yourself strolling the cobblestone alleys of Dubrovnik old town or living it up in the party capital, Split. Home to beachside bars and Roman palaces turned pubs, Split possesses the most charming of venues. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Imagine you and your mates getting off your cheap as chips Ryan Air flight and being immersed into that Mediterranean climate.

My action-packed minibreak would start off in the likes of Split, with an eventful boating day over to the

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A country whose lifestyle ‘Pura Vida’ translates to “pure life” had to go on my list. Somewhere so rich in flora and fauna, incredible climate crisis consciousness, and one that holds endless possibilities for adventure seekers.

Costa Rica is the perfect choice for those looking to connect with nature – its lush green jungles and extensive wildlife sanctuaries are home to some of the most unique biodiversity in the world.

My ideal venture to this ecological triumph would consist of a mini-tour around the northwest. With both Playa Flamingo and Payagayo Bay displaying such toe-soft sand and crystal-clear waters, they are incredibly appealing! Around the corner, at Playa Tamarindo, I would find myself working up the courage to surf alongside the wave-riding enthusiasts, followed by a spellbound tour of Las Baulas National Park (in the hope of spotting some turtles).

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

Morocco has many wonders to discover.

Image credit: Pixabay

3. Morocco

A country as colourful as it is enticing, I would give my left leg to go there. With miles of sun-kissed mounds situated in the Sahara Desert, charming architecture, and unreal cuisine, I am on the verge of booking my tickets!

With an average weather of 37°C in July, it seems to shape up perfectly with those end of year deadlines. Picture yourself sandboarding amongst the camels or exploring the Caves of Hercules – Morocco really is versatile.

I would start my trip in Marrakech, better known as the Red City, traipsing the bustling souks in hopes of spotting the snake charmers and vibrant spice pyramids. The awe-inspiring Riads exhibit rich cyan ornamentation and a warm aura – the perfect choice for accommodation; most have pools that are highly tempting in those balmy heats.

time dreaming up those sunny days and starry nights. If you’re looking to wander into the Peruvian Amazon, you will find vivid butterflies, striking orchids and darting tree frogs. Or take a tour amid a higher altitude where spectated bears and Andean condors dominate the Machu Picchu ancient civilisations.

Peru possesses an idyllic landscape, captivating traditions, and intriguing dishes (some fancy cocktails to cleanse the palette too!). Find the likes of these in the capital city, Lima.

An energetic city parallel to Costa Verde, a beach and city in one – what more could you want? You can spend your day walking the Costa Verde circuit of beaches followed up by a sampling of some ceviche at one of the most sought-after restaurants in the country, Chez Wong. Sounds divine to me!

5. Vietnam

The ideal time to visit perfectly coincides with that long summer holiday we are granted – in the meanwhile, you can spend your

A gap year must, and one that is making my 2022 bucket list. Given its eclectic mix of biodiversity, beach towns and lively cities, I’d look to carve out at least a couple weeks. No trip halfway across the world is complete without its multidestination journey.

Hanoi, the country’s culturally rich capital, occupies towering French-colonial architecture and fragrant Banh Mi. A short bus and ferry excursion will take you to Cát Bà island, where you will find the gorgeous Lan Ha Bay, a blissful paradise, and the verdant jungle-clad National Park.

Venture down to the south of

Explore Mountains in Peru Image credit: Unsplash

Vietnam.

Image credit: Unsplash

4. Peru

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Vietnam to reach the coastal city of Da Nang, where you will be met with the completely instagrammable Golden Bridge – a gigantic walkway supported by immense stone-like hands offering scenic views over the Bà Nà Hills.

End your trip in Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh, where you can reflect on historical wonders at the War Remnants Museum or as part of a Củ Chi tunnels tour.

6. South Africa

In short, South Africa is gorgeous.

I couldn’t think of a reason NOT to go. If you’re looking for the safari feel, look no further. We’ve all heard of the big five, right? Staying in Kruger National Park gives both opportunities to live it large in a lodge and spot the formidable five.

Perhaps a city is more the vibe?

Cape Town is home to spectacular landscapes, historical masterpieces, and a beach lovers heaven. Absorb it all on the cable car up to Table Mountain, where you’ll spot views like no other. Walk amongst a colony of African Penguins down at Boulders Beach or catch a wave at the thousands of surfing spots.

Enjoy the beautiful surroundings of South Africa. Image credit: Unsplash

I don’t know about you, but I am more than ready for a holiday. Thank God that our loans are dropping soon! And remember, there are loads of tips online for getting the best bargain on those flights. AirBnB can also be a great alternative to some of those pricier hotel options!

Happy holiday hunting x

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

8 THINGS THAT 2021 HAS TAUGHT ME

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. Alone does not mean you are lonely.

Sometimes I find myself in situations where everyone around me has someone (maybe a partner) and they look at me with pity eyes as if being alone is a bad thing. Yes, it’s wonderful these people that we must protect and to be in love and to have someone by As we get closer to the end of 2021, keep in our lives. your side, but even if you don’t at a we start to reflect on how much has particular time, you don’t feel lonely. changed in the world, and in us. It . We have today, we aren’t going You have your friends, family and most was an interesting year - no doubt back to the old normal, and I importantly yourself. And of course, this about that - and I believe in one way or is just an example of such a situation, another, this year has affected everyone. don’t know the new normal.

This was probably the hardest thing to but the conclusion is that loving to As people say “we learn till we die” and accept. The last two years have turned spend time with yourself, getting to new experiences open our eyes to the know the real you and developing it world out there, and teach us about life. our lives upside down. People had to get used to a new way of life and is not equal to being lonely, actually is Here is what I have learned this year — everyone talked in the hope that one day quality time. or re-learned so far this year... everything would be normal again. But what actually is normal? We will never . Make every moment count. . Who you are is the most go back to our previous way of life, but important thing.

If I had to choose the most valuable we have grown so much, each person We live in a world where being liked lesson learnt from 2021, it would be in their own way, and even if we could by everyone is a priority and that is this. I don’t think it’s realistic to wait for impossible to achieve. In trying to reach return everything to its old way, we the perfect moment to do something, will no longer fit in. What I would take this goal, we lose ourselves along the or for the perfect person to show up from 2021 as a lesson is that we should way. On social media, we see on your doorstep. Just act when you not look and compare with the past. influencers whose lives seem like a feel it. The ‘perfect moment’ will never We should not stress too much about fairy tale, but everything is through come, and you can always come up what awaits us in the future, because rose-tinted glasses that blur a person’s with something to slow you down from like everything, the pandemic situation consciousness that imperfect traits are doing what you have been thinking for showed us we do not know how things flaws. In fact, who you really are is the so long. Don’t be one of those people can turn around, so we just have to live greatest wealth you can give people: who live with their regrets that they in the present and enjoy life as it goes. your way of thinking, your values, your didn’t do something earlier, seize every vision and your goals, these make you opportunity that life offers you and . You are your biggest enemy. what you truly are. Learning to embrace enjoy the moments in real-time.

The biggest critic in your life your true self is the first lesson, and maybe one of the most important ones is yourself. We demand a lot from . Love is all we need. ourselves, and sometimes we don’t I have learned.

Spreading positive vibes and love give ourselves enough credit for what is the easiest thing to do. The smallest we have achieved. All the negative . Friends are underrated. gestures are those that count, even a and derogatory thoughts in our heads “It’s not what we have in life, smile is enough to change someone’s prevent us from being spontaneous and entire day. Never underestimate the but who we have in our life that doing what makes us happy. It is up to power of love, and even if some people matters.” Friends are the family we us how we will be set up and how we don’t show it, everyone needs to be choose ourselves. Over the years, this accept the new obstacles in our path. loved. So next time you go shopping, second family is constantly changing smile at the cashier, compliment - sometimes growing and sometimes . Be mindful of how you spend someone on your daily walk, just do shrinking, but there will always be those your time. something small every day to bring a who remain, despite everything. Having In the last year, I began to emphasize little join in someone else’s life. these people in your life is a treasure more on myself and on the things that that people sometimes forget how brought me happiness and satisfaction.

Those were my 10 lessons from this year lucky they are and underestimate the If we spend a few hours in our daily and hopefully, it got you thinking of importance of this little second family. lives on activities that please us such what are yours and what are you going We can’t choose our relatives, but it’s as painting, training, being in nature, to take with you for the upcoming different with our friends - they are by baking, etc., we will feel full and so 2022 year. your side, for better or worse, without every day will bring us a little happiness blood ties, without expecting anything despite our usual tasks the rest of Written by Raya Walczak in return - and it is precisely the time.

Designed by Emily Houghton

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HOW TO ADAPT TO UNIVERSITY LIFE AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

Written by: Kirke Viira Design by: Karima Morsli Starting university abroad is a major transition that is exciting, yet a little daunting.

It is a huge step out of anyone’s comfort zone. It’s common for international students to face language and culture barriers, and experience homesickness during the start of their studies.

Adjusting to university life in a foreign country may be tricky at first, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to make friends from all over the world and gain independence. Here are some stories from fellow NTU students who have experienced the ups and downs of starting their university journey abroad: Michael Pichler, 25, is an MSc International Business student from Austria and he had to face some challenges very early on during his university experience. He received his student visa only a couple of days before he was meant to fly to the UK, and he was also having issues entering the country as he was not aware of how the Covid testing process worked.

Aside from the technical problems, he’s had a great time adapting to the student life in Nottingham. He visits the Global Lounge often to meet new people from different countries, attends two weekly networking events for international students and also does volunteering. As he keeps himself so busy and is always surrounded by people, he doesn’t feel homesick.

“Being at a university is not all about studying, it is about creating a global network and developing new skills and abilities.”

“However, at university everyone already seemed to be in groups and I was scared of being alone and never finding friends."

Fortunately, Marta’s fears turned out to be groundless, as she quickly met some people from her course, who changed her from “a scared fresher to a confident and cheerful girl”.

Raya Walczak, 20, is a Media and Communications student from Bulgaria who had to adapt to uni life in the midst of a pandemic.

Marta still feels homesick sometimes when she is alone and consumed by her own thoughts, but she distracts herself with the people and hobbies that she loves.

She says: “At first, the hardest thing was getting used to the idea that this was the start of a new chapter in my life.

She says: “Challenges are just part of your growth and if you overcome your fears and walk towards them, your life will be so much better as you'll be able to create unique memories and have fulfilling experiences.

“Picture this- you just arrived in a whole new country, you don't know anyone, and it’s pandemic time.

“I was left alone most of the time, which was not easy, but it did build my personality a lot.”

It was very difficult for Raya to meet new people, as everything was online because of the lockdown – classes, freshers’ events etc. Luckily, she was living in shared accommodation and became friends with her roommates. She was occupying herself with studying, new hobbies, talking to her loved ones and spending time in nature.

Raya says: “What I would advise is the same thing I repeat to myself: to be brave and not be afraid of talking to people; to try new things, because if we don't try we will never know if it's worth it or not.”

He says: “I would recommend for international students to participate in as many networking events as possible and join volunteering communities in order to meet new people.

She says: “My first-year housemates were all freshers as well, so we were all in the same boat, trying to find a group and create memories.

Marta Tavares, 20, is a Journalism student from Portugal and the first thing she had to adapt to was the language, as she had to put all her years of learning English into practice, getting used to all the new words and slang.

It was also challenging to get accustomed to the new culture, habits and different weather. Making friends outside of university was easy for her but meeting people from her course was more daunting.

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“And above all, be happy and spontaneous because you are here, you made that decision and what's stopping you from making the most of it?”

Munashe Dziva, 22, is a Psychology and Sociology student from Zimbabwe, who used video calling as a way to avoid feeling homesick. She would Facetime and talk to her family back home almost every day and that took away the loneliness.

Munashe recommends going to the Global Lounge, a hangout place for international students at City campus. It’s the best place to make new friends easily.

She says: “University is such a big place and you shouldn’t try to fit in, because you can get mixed with the wrong crowds.

“You should always stay true to yourself. ‘‘ “If you hold onto your authentic self, similar-minded people who are good for you will show up.”

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

NOTTINGHAM’S BEST INTERNATIONAL RESTUARANTS One of Nottingham’s greatest assets is its multiculturalism it’s home to one of the largest varieties of ethnic groups in the UK and has an increasing number of people from mixed heritage backgrounds. It’s no surprise Nottingham’s food scene is equally as diverse and inclusive.

Since 2006, the market for international cuisine has only increased, with businesses catering for all and boasting local suppliers and producers. Is there any better way to celebrate diversity, than by tasting national dishes? Go around the globe and check out these restaurants before 2021 is over!

Vietnam – Coco Tang The distance from London, UK to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, might be 10224 km, but there are authentic recipes in the city and beyond that you can enjoy Southern Vietnam cuisine, less than 3 miles from your front door.

As well as their intricate main menu, consisting of crispy soft-shell crab, BBQ lemongrass chicken, tofu and Vietnamese spring rolls with rice noodles and many more, Coco Tang is home to the perfect recipe of the Hong Kong egg waffle.

They bake a selection of fresh daily cakes, including some classic well-known recipes and other more unique recipes such as the Japanese Roll Cake and Malaysian Pandan cake.

Sri Lanka – Columbo Street West of Vietnam is Sri Lanka - the former home of owner and chef Pasan Nissanka - who first came to the UK to study aerospace engineering at university. Embarking on a different career path after missing Sri Lankan food, Pasan started

a street food business out of a gazebo at various events in 2018. From a gazebo to a vibrantly decorated truck, to finally owning his own restaurant in Adams Walk, off Fletcher Gate, Pasan’s Sri Lankan restaurant is a truly unique eatery with not a single one to match him (the closest is an Indian with a few Sri Lankan dishes).

In a new culinary experience, you will find one of the most popular dishes, the Kottu roti, a roti stir-fry with vegetables and Sri Lankan curry spices, served with chicken, fish, mutton or jackfruit and homemade coconut chutney and sambal.

Hoppers, crispy paper-thin pancakes shaped like a bowl served with an egg for brunch and curries in the evening, are another popular authentic dish found at the restaurant.

Accompanying the authentic dishes is the electric décor, with colourful pop art designed by Sri Lankan architect Charith Wijesundara and spirited masks covering the walls, as well as a large rattan chandelier suspended from the ceiling. For an authentic bevvy, try the Cosmic Colombo, a cocktail which uses arrack, made from the fermented sap of coconut flowers – unique to Sri Lanka.

India – Chaiiwala Just North of Sri Lanka, is where the founding father of Chaiiwala sold his first cup of Chaii on the streets of Delhi, India in 1927. In 2015, the next generation took on their great grandfather’s recipe and opened the first “Sip of the East” Chaiiwala coffee shop with Indian street food. The UK is now home to 41 franchise Chaiiwala stores.

Their store owner, Ahsan, said: “We chose Nottingham and in particular Hyson Green because it was missing a place where people from all ages and backgrounds can meet and drink Chaii.

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TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

“Chaii was and is a very popular drink amongst many Asians but its appeal is now far and wide.

“Along with Chaii, people can enjoy tasty Indian street food which has been a massive success.”

Iran – Peggy’s Starlight North-West of India lies Iran. Having recently visited Peggy’s Skylight - an independent jazz club with a Middle Eastern-inspired menu - I can confidently assure you that no one will be left disappointed after visiting. Set up by pianist Paul Deats, who played exceptionally on the night of my visit, and singing chef Rachel Foster. I spoke to Rachel, who was inspired by Middle Eastern after being brought up in Iran as a child when her parents had to move there for her father’s work.

She said: “We came back [to the UK] and I trained as a chef when I left school and worked in the industry until music took over my time.

“I’ve always been a foodie and very interested in the cuisine of that vast area that has influenced the Mediterranean and much of what we eat in the UK now.

“The idea of bringing people together with music and food.; nutrition for the body and soul at a time when we were divided as a society, felt like a good thing to do.

“It feels even more relevant post-Covid.”

Turkey – Bosphorus Neighbouring Iran is transcontinental Turkey, straddling the Middle East, South-eastern Europe and Western Asia. Bosphorus Restaurant incorporates Turkey’s traditional cuisine, from homemade soup (paca), doner kebab and kofte, to borek and lahmacun (freshly baked thin pastry with spiced minced lamb – traditional Middle Eastern flatbread). I recommend matching with traditional drinks such as ayram and şalgam; savoury yoghurt and turnip juice.

Owner Ribwar Fatah Ahmed reveals why he chose Nottingham for locating his restaurant: “I live in Nottingham, so I have met many people and know that Nottingham needs it [Turkish restaurants].

“I have also chosen Turkish cuisine because I have the necessary experience in this field.”

With 15% student discount, there’s another reason to try this place out! And make sure to finish with a Turkish coffee.

Spain – Bar Iberico Flying across mainland Europe, you’ll find yourself in the largest country in Southern Europe – Spain! In the heart of Hockley is Bar Iberico, an independent Spanish tapas restaurant that has been in the Michelin Guide since 2018. Marketing Manager Heather explained why tapas is the perfect meal for those living in Nottingham.

The delicately Arabic-themed lighting avoids lurid stereotypes and compliments the Persian and wider Middle Eastern-influenced menu. During the evening we were treated to a section of their Thursday menu of the manakeesh special (Middle Eastern “Pizza”) at £5 each when ordered online before the jazz evening, which consisted of the Lebanon-inspired spiced lamb and tomato topped flatbread and the spicy tomato base topped with Derby cheese, enjoyed alongside the local beer Hockley Helles Lager, brewed in Nottingham.

“It is a great social way of eating, introducing new and different flavours in sharing size dishes, whilst embracing a welcoming and lively atmosphere.”

By enjoying tapas, you are also supporting local businesses, whilst trying authentic Spanish cuisine: she said, “the ingredients are a mixture of local producers and specialist Spanish food suppliers.”

The small business is extremely conscious about using small local independent producers or suppliers.

Rachel commented: “We make our own bread here with biodiverse grain grown in Lincolnshire and milled by wind power in north Notts.

If you’re looking for something closer to home, enjoy freshly prepared French food at this charming and elegant establishment. Winners of the Traveller’s Choice Awards 2021 by Trip Advisor, their recipes are inspired by their travels across France. Whether you enjoy their signature dishes of 26 years, such as Boeuf Bourguignon and Crème Brulée, or classics like chilli and garlic prawns and sticky toffee pudding, there’s a cuisine for every craving.

“This gives us a low gluten sourdough and low food miles for the planet as well as supporting a local business.

France – Bistrot Pierre

“Our Halloumi cheese comes from an independent family business from Syria family, now based in Yorkshire.

“The cheeses for our cheese board are from Melton, Derby and Somerset. Our veg supplier is passionate about supporting local growers and we cook from fresh every day.”

By Yasmin Turner Did you know? Hockley Brew Co. that produces the larger Designed by Sophie Puffett Hockley Helles was launched by former Nottingham Trent University students Al Squires and Will Barratt.

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CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

UK vs US shows – The Comparison There have been many UK shows that our neighbours over the pond have took and put their own spin on them. Some may be seen as a success, and some can be considered a complete slap in the face to some fan favourites. Here is a look at some shows that have both a UK and US version, and how they are really compared…

The Office

The discourse surrounding the differences in UK and US versions of popular TV shows can often boil over into partisan ‘UK vs US’ arguments (which I’m not often one to shun). In the case of The Office however, the differences come down to tonal shifts between the two, rather than a quality deficiency on one part. The Office is easily the most successful example of a well-done adaptation, with both series garnering critical attention and loyal fans.

What makes the two series so successful is using the same formula, with the same overall creative team whilst allowing for stylistic and cultural differences to ultimately decide the direction of the show.

In fact, the reason for the first season of the US adaptation’s lack of popularity compared with ensuing seasons, is largely due t o

being a rewrite of the British version.

Many of the jokes do not land, and the main character, Steve Carrell’s Michael Scott, is extremely unlikeable, modelled too closely on Ricky Gervais’ David Brent.

The stylistic differences between the two styles of humour really clash in the writing of the first US season. Whilst the first few episodes are not terrible, the next season does a lot of the heavy lifting in the show’s early popularity.

The UK version has a clear vision as the original production, so there was uncertainty over whether or not an adaptation would have similar success made for a muddled attempt at recreating the comedy seen across David Brent’s office. It is often highlighted that British humour tends to be more sarcastic and drier than its American counterparts. This is certainly true for The Office.

The first season of the US adaptation tries too hard to mirror the unlikeable, cringeworthy humour of Brent, but it never really works with Steve Carrell’s disposition.

Therefore the shift to make Michael much more likeable, and well-meaning

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from the second season onwards, helped change the whole feel of the show. Entertainingly, whilst the US show goes out of its way to show redeemable Michael moments, it also makes an effort to show him being good at his job.

Reportedly, Ricky Gervais explained to the American creators that, it was simply more believable for such an incompetent man to keep his job for so long in the UK, but much less so in the US. This is why we see examples of Michael actually being pretty good at paper salesmanship. Overall, other less successful reworkings and the first season of The Office, show how loose adaptations work much better, as cultural, and tonal differences will always hamper a direct interpretation of original works across the pond.

Gavin and Stacey - UK

W r i t e r s James Cordon and Ruth Jones gifted the UK with a comedy classic in 2007, w h e r e viewers follow the lives of couple Gavin Shipman and Stacey West. We see them fall in love, and bring their Essex and Welsh families together.

The first series focuses on how the couple meet, and we see how the two quickly become engaged, leading up to their tear-jerker wedding in the series finale.

Series two shifts focus towards the couples best friends Smithy and Nessa, as

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT Nessa reveals she is carrying Smithy’s baby.

The third and final series focuses on two sub plots, as Gavin and Stacey look to conceive a child of their own, as well as Nessa preparing for her wedding to Dave (of Dave Coaches).

The gang came back for a long-awaited Christmas special in 2019, as 18.49 million viewers sat down on Christmas day. This special became the most-viewed showing of the decade.

With so many quotable lines (some I still say to this day), the UK version found its way into the hearts of the nations, with its comedic characters and hilarious, yet touching at times storylines. Whether your favourite character was Nessa or Pam, the UK version of Gavin and Stacey will remain Watching even only five minutes of an one of Britain’s favourite sitcoms of the episode, after knowing the original se21st century. ries so well, hearing my favourite characters with an American accent simply USA isn’t the same.

In 2018, the beloved UK sitWhat hurts even more with the American version is some of our favourite characters are renamed. Smithy is called Archie, and Bryn is called Brian? Apparently an America-friendly name…

Gavin and Stacey is a show that needed to stay British, and didn’t need to be tampered with to produce and American version. com was adapted for US The Inbetweeners - UK audiences, and was reJust like Gavin and Stacey, The named “Us & Them”. Fox Inbetweeners has become one of the originally ordered a thir- UK’s favourite sitcoms, despite being teen-episode series in May more of a crude humour. The series 2013, however this was cut down follows four socially awkward friends to seven episodes in October 2013. who go on daring adventures together.

Despite starring “Gilmore Girls” Alexis They navigate their way through adoBledel as Stacey, the American remake lescence together, with school, girls, does not have the same comedic af- sex and everything else, as well as emfect the UK version has. The jokes that barrassing themselves along the way.

British culture can resonate with and After the series concluded, understand do not have the same af- two films followed as we saw the boys fect with American actors saying them. tackle university. The films focused on

their lads holidays, with the first movie seeing them jet off to Malia, Crete and the second to Australia.

Will McKenzie (Simon Bird), Jay Cartwright (James Buckley), Simon Cooper (Joe Thomas) and Neil Sutherland (Blake Harrison) became the four boys teenage boys of the noughties could relate to.

Like any good sitcom, the quotable lines are now used by anyone and everyone even all these years later.

USA

You may notice a pattern now, but the US adaptations of UK shows never seem to be popular, and as funny as their original counterparts. Developed by Brad Copeland for MTV, this series once again didn’t prove popular with American audiences as it was cancelled after just one series in November 2012, due to poor ratings and reviews.

Despite the characters names not actually being changed this time, it is just that kind of series you watch and you feel offended in a way that this was even made. It is a comedy series, and you find watching it you will not actually laugh. The humour is dry and just seems like they are trying to hard. Then there is the acting. In the UK version, the actors do well to act their age, just like any teenage boy, they are arrogant and think they are gods gift to women.

Once again, hearing these characters Witten by Michael Vince and Katie Green Designed by Beth Trim

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The Future of Series and Films is Foreign Unless you’re from Mexico, you are unlikely to have heard of the series Club de Cuervos. The Mexican comedy drama was the first foreign language original to be produced by Netflix in 2015, beginning the slow-starting global hype for series and films from countries other than your own region.

Now, over six years later, Netflix has declared that another of its foreign language originals, Squid Game, is set to be its most popular series ever with over 142 million views, dethroning former top series Bridgerton at just over 82 million.

The South-Korean dystopian thriller is about a group of people in severe debt, and they play a series of deadly playground games for a chance to win their fortune. This series was top of the Netflix ranking in 90 countries, with around 95% of fans from outside South Korea.

The success of Squid Game isn’t a one-off, but instead an indicator for the growing demand for international shows in our globalised world. A historical barrier for international films and series is language, with many audiences being put off watching something that has subtitles, as South-Korean Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho called it, the “one inch barrier”.

However, new research by a Stagetext survey found that 80% of 18–24-yearolds use subtitles most of the time when watching content on any devices, as opposed to only 23% of those in the 5675 age group. This is despite those in the latter group being around twice as likely to say they are hard of hearing or deaf.

Favouring subtitles means the language barrier is collapsing, and most can watch international films or series using subtitles to understand the plot. The global market which was, to the most part, dominated by American or British shows, is now expanding.

The head of global TV for Netflix, Bela Bajara has declared that in the US alone, 97% of subscribers watched at least one non-English title in the last year. To keep up with the demand for international shows, Netflix production offices are opening globally, for example in Paris, and Netflix is doubling its French language originals after the success of French mystery thriller, Lupin. Following this are new offices and €500 million worth of content investment in Germany, €200 million investment in Italy and $300 million in Mexico, alongside new partnerships with three Japanese animation houses and one from Korea.

Some success ventures are more than just creative, and instead political. It is not a coincidence that so many foreign language TV shows such as Squid Game or Kingdom, as well as countless films, have come from South Korea (something of which I certainly agree, with many of my favourite films being South Korean). The government has invested heavily in its cultural industry in the last decade, with 1% of national spending for subsidies and low interest loans for cultural industries since 1994.

So why not check out a few international titles! Here are some recommendations:

The cultural content, helping to expand Korean TV, music and fashion now has an annual budget of $5.5 billion and spends hundreds of millions of dollars exporting Korean culture abroad. The hope was to create a ‘Hallyu’ (a Korean wave), where demand for its cultural products would skyrocket across the world and give the country a channel to assert soft power globally. The hope was to create a ‘Hallyu’ (a Korean wave), where demand for its cultural products would skyrocket across the world and give the country a channel to assert soft power globally. The Korean wave is huge, with K-pop alone valued at billions of dollars each year and still growing. Other countries are due to follow South Korea, with Spain already announcing earlier this year of its plans to invest $1.9 billion into its film and TV industry.

The Gift (series) – if you want more of an undertaking, this Turkish drama fantasy consists of three seasons. A painter from Istanbul begins a personal journey as she discovers secrets about an Anatolian archaeological site and its connection to her past.

“THE SUCCESS OF SQUID

The Handmaiden (film) – 2016 South-Korean erotic psychological thriller is a gripping progressive film following a Japanese woman who hires a handmaiden that in fact works with a con man in order to cheat her out of her wealth.

GAME ISN’T A ONE-OFF” I spoke to students at NTU who recommended films from their home country: Wafa, a first year Law student from Brunei, suggested Yasmine – a teen drama martial arts film set in Brunei, which tells the story of a schoolgirl who learns the martial art of silat.

It is only the third feature film to be made in Brunei and is, unfortunately, not on Netflix currently. But be sure to watch out for it! If you can speak Indonesian, you can find the fulllength movie on YouTube.

Pavan, a post-graduate Law student from India recommended epic action film Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. This two-part fictional work is directed by S. S. Rajamouli and is inspired by several phases from the history of India.

The series begins with Shivudu/Shiva who helps his love Avanthika rescue the former Queen, Devasena, from being a prisoner under the tyrannical rule of King Bhallaladeva. A Hindu version with English subtitles can be found now on Netflix, as well as an entirely English version.

There are many benefits to watching foreign shows. They are a fun way to explore other cultures in non-English speaking countries, such as viewing how people interact with each other, if they greet with kisses on the cheek, or with “namaste”, or a simple wave etc. You also get to meet fresh faces, outside of Hollywood, and it is a great chance to reinforce, or learn, a new language.

Find these on Netflix: Freud (series) – set in 19th century Vienna, this Austrian-German crime television limited series follows a young Sigmund Freud who joins a physic and an investigator to solve a string of disappearances and murders.

Roma (film) – winner of nine awards, including two Golden Globes, four BAFTAs and three Academy Awards in 2019, Mexican independent film Roma delivers an emotional and vivid portrait of a domestic worker’s journey set against the political turmoil of 1970s Mexico.

The Spy (series) – an English-language French espionage drama about the true story of Israel’s most prominent spy, Eli Cohen (played by Sacha Baren Cohen), who infiltrated the Syrian government in the 1960s.

Find these on Amazon Prime: Parasite (film) – another South-Korean favourite and, in my opinion, one of the best films to ever be made, this black comedy thriller will leave your jaw hanging wide open as you watch a struggling family slowly find a way to all work for the same wealthy Park family and begin living a parasitic life together in a home-from-home.

The Hunt (series) – 2012 Danish drama film evokes many feelings of frustration as a kindergarten teacher (Mads Mikkelsen) finds his whole world collapsed around him after a student who has a crush on him implies that he has committed a sexual act in front of him.

Sardar Udham (film) – 2021 Indian Hindu-language biopic traces the life of revolutionary freedom fighter Sardar Udham Singh as he escapes into the mountains of Afghanistan, scarred by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He reached London in 1933-34 where he spent six years planning and reigniting the revolution, before his assassination of Michael O’Dwyer, the man in charge of affairs in Punjab, April 1919.

Now you know the world of cinema and TV is heading towards the international world, it is time to check these series and films out!

Words by : Yasmin Turner Design by: Karima Morsli

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CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

International Theatre to Discover in Nottingham Author: Katie Green Design by: Jacob Greenwood

Nottingham is known to be a city enriched in culture, especially within theatre. Visitors from far and beyond can enjoy an array of international performances at some of the city’s most popular venues. Here are some international shows to look out for in the up-and-coming months and year.

Nottin

gham T heatre

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CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT Russian State Ballet of Siberia – Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Date: Monday 24 January – Wednesday 26 January 2022 Formed in 1981, the Russian State Ballet of Siberia has become one of Russia’s leading ballet companies.

Audiences of Nottingham can enjoy three classic ballet performances in late January 2022.

On Monday 24 January, the opening ballet will see Cinderella performed. The world-famous rags to riches fairy tale will see Cinderella’s dreams come true in the form of dance, alongside Prokofiev’s score of magical music.

The next day will see the most famous romantic ballet of all time, Swan Lake performed. Audiences will be guided through the story alongside Tchaikovsky’s haunting, yet captivating music. The outstanding costumes and extravagant sets will capture the tragic romance.

The final performance on Wednesday 26 January will see The Nutcracker performed. The world-famous fantasy ballet will take families from the night of Christmas eve, to then be swept away to the fairy tale world where everything is far from normal.

Ticket prices: £19.50 to £43.50

A Concert to Celebrate the Commonwealth – Nottingham Playhouse Date: Monday 28 February 2022 Working in collaboration with the Nottinghamshire Lieutenancy, Inspire and Communities from the Commonwealth Countries across the county and city, the Playhouse brings you a concert to celebrate all inspiring talent from the different countries. It will see a night of dance and music performances from some outstanding performers in the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Commonwealth communities.

Price: £5

Sunday Piano Series with Ke Ma – Theatre Royal Date: Sunday 20 February 2022 Ke Ma - one of China’s most promising young pianists - will perform at the Royal Concert Hall. Audiences will be transported through a world of emotion, as she performs Mozart’s sonata. Then, on to Debussy’s famous Clair de Lune, and followed by one of Prokofiev’s war sonatas, the No.6 showing visitors the horrors of war.

With the admission price, audiences can also enjoy some delicious tea, coffee and cake.

Price: £12

The Legends of America Country Show – Nottingham Arts Theatre Date: Tuesday 25 October 2022 The JMG Music Group presents The Legends of American Country. Audiences can enjoy tribute performances of some of America’s greatest country legends including Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Don William, Patsy Cline and Kenny Rogers.

The show will see four singers accompanied by a live band, providing that authentic western backing track.

Price: £15 - £22.50

Nederlands Dance Theatre – Theatre Royal Date: Friday 25 February 2022 – Saturday 26 February 2022 The Nederlands Dance Theater – one of the world’s leading dance companies – brings their “young, sexy and superlative” dancing to the Royal Concert Hall. In their much-anticipated return to the UK, the NDT 2 will see performances by internationally celebrated choreographers Marco Goecke, Hans van Manen and Johan Inger.

Goecke’s The Big Crying will feature songs by Tori Amos and will see 18 dancers embrace life and celebrate it.

Van Manen’s Simple Things will feature the music of Haydn’s Piano Trio No.28 in E-Major.

Then, the finale of Inger’s IMPASSE will see a burst of energy onto the stage with the accompanying music of French Lebanese jazz trumpeter and composer Ibrahim Maalouf, exploring the togetherness against isolation in the world today.

Price: £17.50 - £34

Opera North – Alcina – Theatre Royal Date: Thursday 17 March 2022 The late great German composer George Frideric Handel’s opera Alcina will be performed for Theatre Royal visitors in March 2022. Alcina is an enchantress, whose island is only a barren wasteland, guarded by her former lovers who have been turned into either animals, rocks or trees.

However, when Ruggiero – a handsome knight appears – Alcina finally experiences true love for the first time.

The three-hour opera will tell Alcina’s story to audiences in this tale of deception and love.

Price: £18.50 - £67.50

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CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

Top Five Underrated International Films In the UK, we are used to seeing advertisements for the latest Hollywood hits in the mainstream cinemas. Whilst international films seem to only be shown in indie cinemas.

However, with the rising popularity of non-English speaking shows on Netflix such as Squid Game and Money Heist, the possibilities of international content are increasing as they become more accessible. Here are the top five international films you may have missed that will open-up your eyes to a new world of cinema.

1)

Head-On (2004)

To start the list with a bang, I’ve chosen one of my personal favourites. Fatih Akin’s Head-On. This film follows Cahit and Sybil, who meet in a rehabilitation centre, each struggling with mental health issues.

In a desperate attempt to free herself from her parent’s plans of arranged marriage, Sybil convinces Cahit to agree to a marriage of convenience,

in which she can secretly pursue her own sexual and social desires without her parent’s suspicions.

Following this unconventional agreement, we see their unstable romance unfold in a comedically dark, marvellous way that’s unlike any romantic film I have seen. The film also explores how the characters navigate life in Germany as Turkish migrants and reveals the complexities of cultural heritage vs international identity in a poignant way.

(Available on Box of Broadcasts)

2)

The Call (2020)

horrific events of the past that are hidden within the house’s walls.

T h e concept of this film is ambitious and delivered in an unexpected w a y that viewers

Fans of Squid Game will be blown away by this intense Korean thriller, directed by Lee Chung-Hyeon.

It’s better to watch this film without knowing much about it, so there are not too many spoilers ahead of this intriguing film. Shortly after moving into a new home, Seo-Yeon receives a mysterious phone call that reveals the might find refreshing for the thriller genre. If you’re looking for a film that’s unique and shock-inducing, I strongly recommend The Call.

(Available on Netflix)

3) The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010) This film is the most ‘bizarre’ addition on this list, but that’s what makes it even more fun to watch.

Directed by famous French filmmaker Luc Besson (creator of Léon: The

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Professional), this world is a perfect blend of historical and fantastical as we delve into 20th Century Paris.

We witness Adèle embark on archaeological travels to find a cure for her sister, who is trapped in a coma. Decorated with gorgeous costumes and set design, the film is like a beautiful piece of art, sprinkled with distinctly French-style elements of absurdist comedy.

(Available on Amazon and B.O.B)

4)

The Beast (2016)

Set in a cultural village in South Africa where black actors are hired to perform a traditional depiction of Zulu culture for white tourists, our main star, Shaka, becomes restless and yearns to be taken seriously in his craft by playing “deep characters… like Shakespeare. He’s the best!

Although this is the only short film on this list with an eighteen-minute runtime, it’s packed full of beautiful cinematography, clever editing and is surprisingly humorous despite its political commentary about race and commercialised culture. Directed by Samantha Nell and Michael Wahrmann, it’s overall thought-provoking, interesting and demands to be watched again and again.

(Available on Kanopy)

5) A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

“Shot in black and white, not only is it absolutely gorgeous to look at, but its distinctive soundtrack, which features post-punk from Ealing alongside rock from Tehran, is worth a listen too.

“Riffing on vampire folklore, the film challenges audience expectations over who is the threat and who is threatened in this ‘Bad City’ and given its examination of walking home alone at night, sadly, remains politically resonant.”

For the final recommendation, I asked NTU’s head lecturer of Film & TV and one of the most knowledgeable film-enthusiasts at the uni.

Francesca Hardy, provides her opinion for one of the most underrated international films, she said: “A film that I recommend to anyone who (Available on B.O.B) asks, and to many who don’t, is Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night.

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Hopefully, both international film experts and those seeking to expand their knowledge of non-English speaking films will find this list useful. The mix of genres provides a glimpse of the huge range of films that international cinema has to offer. As Bong Joon-Ho said in his Oscar acceptance speech: “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

Written by Helen Barber Designed by Beth Trim

FEATUREHEAD

FROM PORTUGAL TO NOTTINGHAM: Rodrigues has settled down well in England (Pic: Notts County FC)

HOW RODRIGUES GOT TIED UP IN NOTTS Alex Brinton met up with Portuguese star Ruben Rodrigues to talk about Notts County, Nando’s and custard tarts...

W

hen you sit in the reception area of Meadow Lane, there is no getting away from the history of Notts County.

Photographs and paintings of some of the Magpies’ great players are all around. Tommy Lawton and Jackie Sewell, two of the very best to call Meadow Lane home, have their records emblazoned on the walls to give the players of today a reminder of where the club historically found itself.

Lawton – signed for a British transfer record of £20,000 in 1947 – scored 103 goals in 166 games, while Sewell managed 97 in 178 matches. Together they formed a terrifying strike force that got Notts promoted to the Second

Division in 1950.

The current players pass these landmarks on their way from the changing rooms to the canteen every day. Now, the Notts fans have a new goal-scoring hero to cheer. It is here that I meet Ruben Rodrigues, a 25-year-old, attacking midfielder who is happy on either wing, in behind the striker or as a false nine. Rodrigues arrived in the summer of 2020, to a country gripped by lockdowns and restrictions. He struggled to settle into Neal Ardley’s team early on, but when Ardley made way for Ian Burchnall and COVID-19 restrictions began to lift, Rodrigues played with more freedom and ended 2020/21 in brilliant form.

“I think I know the league

“The boss knows our abilities and we know how he wants us to play.”

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better and you can see the way I ended last season gave me a lot of confidence,” Rodrigues says.

“We have the same manager, so we know how he wants to play, and he knows our abilities and our specialties.” Up to the end of November, Rodrigues had scored eight goals this term and has been influential in a strong start to the season for the Magpies.

Despite being born in the Portuguese town of Oliveira de Azeméis, located 35 kilometres from Porto and less than 20km from the Atlantic Ocean, Rodrigues spent much of his childhood in the Netherlands. His family moved there when Rodrigues was just four-and-a-half-years-old. The Netherlands, home to Johan

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Cruyff, Dennis Bergkamp and Arjen Robben, is a factory for producing technically brilliant footballers.

“I basically played all my life in the Netherlands – the game is much more technical there,” Rodrigues explains. “The main difference between here and there is that the defenders are way more disciplined in England. There you see quite a lot more goals, maybe this is because the attackers are more technical, but I think it’s because of the defenders.”

Under Burchnall, Notts have adopted a system that isn’t unfamiliar to someone who has grown up overseas. They try to beat the press and play out from the back at every opportunity.

They’re trying to pass their way out of the National League.

Ruben lives in West Bridgford in a house he shares with teammate and mercurial talent Cal Roberts.

His new housemate, brought up in Newcastle, has given his Portuguese housemate an introduction into British culture.

“Cal told me to have a Sunday toast and I thought it was really nice,” he said. “I tried fish and chips

ALL SMILES: Ruben Rodrigues is loving life at Meadow Lane.

(Pic: Notts County FC)

“Every time I have friends coming over, I take them to a Nando’s”

as well – it wasn’t my favourite, but sometimes if we win an away game, we get it, and it is all right.”

Soon after his arrival Roberts took him to Nando’s, Ruben revealed: “This may surprise some people, but even though I am Portuguese I have never been to a Nando’s. They say it is a Portuguese restaurant but whenever I go home, I have never seen one.

“When I first went there it was really nice. The chicken was cooked perfectly and when my parents came, they really loved it as well. So, every time I’ve got friends coming over, I always take them to Nando’s – everybody loves it.”

Recently, Rodrigues’s parents came over to visit him and see the city that their son now calls home.

“They really liked it,” he said. “They got to see how nice everyone here is to me and how nice the place where I live is as well. I hadn’t seen them for long time because of travelling restrictions and the pandemic, so it was really good to spend some time with them.”

It is only recently that Rodrigues has been able to fully feel the love of the Notts fans with their return

to Meadow Lane at the very end of last season. Just a few weeks ago Meadow Lane hosted a National League record 12,843 fans for their home game against Solihull Moors. The Magpies ran out 2-0 winners and boast a strong home record this season.

He said: “You don’t have many clubs in the National League that bring a lot of fans, especially when we had the record attendance – that was really special. Meadow Lane is a brilliant place to play in front of the fans because it is always so busy,” said Rodrigues.

One Notts fan always brings a Portuguese flag to games to give Rodrigues an extra boost.

“I always see them. I don’t know who it is, but I make sure I give them a wave. Last year when we played Chesterfield me and Enzio [Boldewijn] got a photo with him, the Dutch flag and the Portuguese flag.”

Rodrigues is feeling the love of Nottingham and if he can stay fit – along with housemate Roberts – they may be able to come close to matching the feats of Lawton and Sewell – promotion is first on the agenda though.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS WITH RUBEN Pastel de Nata or Bakewell Tart?

What is the second one? Is it an English thing? I have never had it, so definitely Pastel de Nata Coffee or Tea? Tea, I don’t drink coffee to be honest. I do like a cup of tea in the morning.

Boxset or Xbox?

Video console definitely, but I play PlayStation not Xbox. I play a lot of Call of Duty and FIFA. I always used to bring my PlayStation to away games last year when we would stay in hotels. We’d invite a few of the other lads who play and have mini tournaments.

Messi or Ronaldo?

Definitely Ronaldo, he is my and I think every other young Portuguese man’s idol.

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EYES ON PROMOTION: Rodrigues is determined to achieve promotion this season (Pic: Notts County FC)

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BALANCING LIFE AS A STUDENT AND AS AN INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE Zoe Matthewman and Rachel Duckers, two stars from NTU’s netball team, speak to Sophie Avant about how they juggle representing their country and playing university sport at the same time.

Do you have what it takes to become an international athlete? For most young people, representing their own international team in their favourite sport is a distant dream.

Buried under copious deadlines and old knee injuries, most disband their hopes of professional athleticism during their teens; however, for two girls studying at Nottingham Trent University, their commitment and flair for netball has secured them positions at international level.

Zoe Matthewman, 21, and Rachel Duckers, 19, are far from being strangers to success in their netball careers. Aged nine, both girls were introduced to the sport; Zoe began playing for her primary school team whilst Rachel began playing at a local level for Chester. Now, both play for NTU Netball’s first team and are currently competing for promotion to the BUCS premier league.

They not only represent their university, but also represent their own international netball teams too. Zoe, a Legal Practice Masters student, plays for Wales in their 2021 senior squad after promotion from the Under-21s team a few months ago. Rachel, a second-year Sport and Exercise Science student, can be found on the court competing for Northern Ireland in their Under-21s Team.

With dedication, organisation and a level head, the pair demonstrate how to live a balanced and enriching lifestyle as a university student, whilst building a career as international athletes.

To Zoe, representing Wales in netball is a huge honour. “I am extremely grateful to play with the Welsh Feathers on my chest,” she explains.

“It is a huge regard for all the hard work and dedication I have put into training over the years.”

Representing Northern Ireland, meanwhile, is significantly special for Rachel, she told Platform Magazine: “Being able to represent the country of my family heritage is something that means a lot to me. This is also a goal I have wanted to achieve since I started playing netball.”

strangers to it. Rachel reflected on her personal strengths that contribute to her competency as an athlete: “I am always determined to reach my maximum potential, and the resilience I have to face any challenge makes me a good sportswoman”.

Selected to play GA and goal shooter (GS), Zoe’s favourite position is also as an attacker as she feels she has “more control of the game and more opportunities to be creative.”

Discussing her strengths on the court, Zoe explained: “I think On court, Rachel plays goal attack one of my main strengths is (GA) and wing attack (WA), but her communication. I believe that favourite position is the former. She keeping in touch with the team both said: “The pressure when playing this on and off the court is important position is something that I thrive off, and vital in the team’s performance.” it improves my performance”.

Role models can enhance an Performance is of utmost importance athlete’s knowledge, motivation, to athletes, and netballers are no and resilience. Rachel looks for

FACT FILE: ZOE MATTHEWMAN Age: 21 Course: Legal Practise (MA) Nickname: Foghorn; I think sometimes some things I say may come out a bit louder than intended…

1st Year Halls: Trinity Square Favourite Memory at Trent: One of my favourite memories was making it to Big BUCS Wednesday finals, just before COVID-19.

Unfortunately, the final itself was cancelled due to COVID-19 but getting there was amazing.

Favourite Ocean Theme: Definitely Charity Shop!

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“THE SACRIFICES YOU HAVE TO MAKE ARE WORTH IT.” inspiration in Pamela Cookey, an ex-England netball captain who sports a promising collection of 114 caps. Maybe we will see Rachel captaining for Northern Ireland one day; but for now, she is focusing on finishing university.

Managing a heavy workload and a time-consuming training scheme, Zoe believes that her perseverance comes from Welsh netball coach, Sara Moore. She said: “Being an athlete who also studies a demanding course, I take huge inspiration from my coach, Sara; she is also a qualified solicitor and has had huge success in her netballing career.”

With a conscientious mind, Zoe explains how she copes to balance her responsibilities: “it is tough, but I have had lots of help and support in managing my time, and finding a balance between playing netball, university work and socialising is key to performing well in all areas”.

FACT FILE: RACHEL DUCKERS Age: 19 Course: Sports and Exercise Science Nickname: Duckers 1st Year Halls: Peverell Favourite Memory at Trent: With the pandemic limiting socialising, my favourite memory of Trent so far is the first netball social and being able to participate in pre-season training.

Favourite Ocean Theme: Greek Goddesses and Grapes.

Rachel added: “With the support of Rachel Malcolm, I have been able to organise myself as far in advance as possible”. Malcolm is a professional rugby player for Loughborough Lightning and Scotland; she works at Nottingham Trent University as an Academic Associate in sport and physiology coaching.

you get to play for your country it is definitely worth it.”

Focusing on short-term, and long-term goals, is an essential factor for continuing motivation in progression through sporting careers.

Rachel hopes to be successful in the “It is also good to prepare as much upcoming selection process for the as possible in advance”, Rachel Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth continues, demonstrating the clearly Games squad for Northern Ireland. diligent attitude an athlete must For Zoe, she hopes to secure a place have when it comes to managing on Wales 12 for the International their priorities.

Quad series in January, alongside NTU Netball’s first team being Representing your country at successful in their bid for promotion international level in sport should to the BUCS Premier League. not be seen as an unreachable target according to Rachel, with Written by Sophie Avant her stating: “Hard work beats talent Designed by Sophie Puffett when talent doesn’t work hard.”

For Zoe, she explains: “The sacrifices you have to make are worth it.

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FEATUREHEAD

ACROSS THE POND: There are a number of Nottingham Forest fans living in the USA (Pic: NFFCNYC)

Life following the Reds in the USA Nottingham Forest have a global fanbase. Randev Jayasinha spoke to Karl Hudson about what it is like following The Reds from New York.

N

ottingham is a city steeped in football history, where the likes of Andy Cole, Viv Anderson and Jermaine Jenas grew up. More prominently, where legends Brian Clough and Peter Taylor will forever be remembered for their achievements in taking Nottingham Forest to heights not seen before or since.

When Karl Hudson, 45, upped sticks and moved across the Atlantic Ocean he found himself in a foreign land with a desperate need to reconnect with his

roots. Back then there was no Nottingham Forest fan club in New York. However, fuelled by an undying passion for the sport he grew up loving, Karl set up the Nottingham Forest Supporters Club New York City (NFFCNYC).

They are a group of avid and passionate fans who have created for themselves a slice of home, a safe haven, in the melting pot of cultures that is New York.

In the early days, bars that broadcasted the Forest games were few and far between, Karl said. After scouring far and

“The odd random stranger would want to see why I was shouting.”

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wide, he came across a place in Brooklyn, known as Woodwork, that supported and broadcasted games from the lower leagues.

At the time, even though being primarily an Arsenal bar, they agreed to accommodate Karl.

He said: “They gave me a small TV at the back and at the time ESPN would show whatever games that were being broadcasted on Sky Sports.

“At first it was just me, but as I kept coming back, I became a regular face who would sit screaming at the TV. The odd

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random stranger would wander in curious about what I was shouting and bawling about.”

Karl would then “preach the gospel of Sir Brian” and convert the non-believers to football lovers.

After Woodwork closed, Karl moved NFFCNYC to a bar just a few blocks away from the famous Madison Square Garden called Smithfield Hall.

It was here that he met Kiel, Nigel, and Dan and more Notts lads with a love for Forest.

Together they set up a prominent supporter base in New York for fans to meet, share a laugh and a pint, and more importantly to watch and support their team.

“After a few months, fan clubs in other parts of the country would get in touch. We found out that there was a great supporter group similar to ours in Canada known as The Toronto Trickies, run by Jordan.

“He got in touch with us the moment he heard about NFFCNYC and since then we have continued to work with The Trickies and other supporter groups all over North America and it has been a beautiful process.

“It’s just so good to see how helpful and nice people are, and even through a pandemic

“We soon realised that there are more Reds fans across North America.”

people have been so positive and supportive of our efforts.”

Since the success of the NFFCNYC, Karl and his mates have spread out and diversified.

With Kiel moving to Chicago and Nigel to Los Angeles, they have gone on to organise meetups and gatherings by creating a familiar football-culture environment for more enthusiasts and Forest supporters in other parts of the USA. “To stay in touch and to make it easier for newcomers to find fellow Forest supporters, the groups have since joined their clubs and created an over-arching Nottingham Forest supporters club for North America (NFFCNA).

At times, Karl said running the club and organising events felt like a full-time job, but he had an immense feeling of pride as he was able to fly the Forest flag in new territories.

As a graphic designer by trade, the illustration and creation of merchandise such as hats, t-shirts, and beer mats with the NFFCNA logo means Karl and his mates have given the clubs a touch of love and professionality.

For all their hard work and undying passion for the team and the sport, the groups have

GLOBAL FANS: Forest fans can be found supporting the Reds all over the world (Pic: NFFCNYC)

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received support from the likes of Forest players and the management itself.

“The legendary John McGovern met us for a pint with the lads while he was passing through the city,” Karl said.

Additionally, other players have sent personalised messages and posts of appreciation for flying the Forest flag high.

“At times it’s been tough, especially during the pandemic and when the USA was in lockdown,” he said.

“Despite this though it has been an absolute pleasure and a pride to do what we do.”

He added that ‘soccer’ as it’s known in the USA is growing in popularity, and for those who want to get into the sport, Karl encourages them to support local teams as more popular clubs in the big leagues already have their global fan bases.

But with teams such as Nottingham Forest, you are surrounded by a close-knit family and “we try to make it feel like home.”

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Nottingham’s Overseas Sporting Heroes

Nottingham is a city bursting with history; but the city has also become home to many foreign sports stars. Michael Vince discovers who the city’s adopted sons are...

Ice Hockey

Football

Les Strongman and Chick Zamick

Team: Nottingham Panthers, 1947-1960 The Nottingham Panthers are one of the most successful British hockey sides. In 2017 they became the first British side to win a European trophy.

This arguably would not have been possible without the Canadian Les Strongman many years beforehand.

Strongman led a team of 12 Canadians who came to Nottingham after the Second World War, and formed the Nottingham Panthers.

That side contained star forward Chick Zamick who was named Nottingham Sportsman of the Year twice.

Zamick would play nearly 800 times for Nottingham and lead the team to the 1950-51 title as a player and then two titles between 1953 and 1956 as player-coach.

Radojko Avramovi

Nottingham’s overseas cricket stars played at the famous Trent Bridge.

Image credit: Alex Brinton

Cricket

Sir Garry Sobers

Team: Nottinghamshire CCC, 19671975 Sir Garfield Sobers is often regarded as the greatest all-rounder of all time and arrived at Nottinghamshire in 1967. He played from then until his retirement in 1975. Aside from Sobers personal statistics and Nottinghamshire’s success in this time, he is probably most famous for becoming the first player to hit six sixes in a single over, smashing Glamorgan’s Malcolm Nash into various suburbs of Swansea in the process.

Sir Richard Hadlee

Team: Nottinghamshire CCC, 19781987 In 1978 future New Zealand legend and ICC Hall-of-Famer Richard Hadlee joined Notts to help skipper Clive Rice form one of the best duos in County history.

Hadlee took 622 wickets at the scarcely believable average of 14 across his career at the club, later being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame and was also named Nottinghamshire’s greatest ever player by fans of the club.

The Nottingham Panthers are one of the most successful hockey teams in British Hockey.

Image credit: Pixabay

Team: Notts County FC, 1979-1983 Legendary Notts County coach Jimmy Sirrel took advantage of the FA’s lifting their restriction on foreign players by signing goalkeeper Radojko Avramovi from Serbia (then part of Yugoslavia).

Avramovi would go on to make 149 appearances for County, keeping 16 clean sheets in their promotion season to Division One. Manager Sirrel would later go on to name Avramovi as one his best players. As a very early entry to English football’s foreign greats, Avramovi holds a special place in the hearts of County fans.

Roy Keane

Team: Nottingham Forest FC, 1990-93 The midfield enforcer became a consistent starter under legendary manager Brian Clough.

He scored three goals in Forest’s run to the 1991 FA Cup final and returned to Wembley a year later only to lose again, this time to Manchester United in the League Cup Final.

Keane was described by his manager as, “the hottest property in football right now” and when Forest were relegated the following season, Keane left for Manchester United.

Radoslaw Majewski and Eric Lichaj

Team: Nottingham Forest FC, 20102015 and 2013-18 respectively Polish midfielder Radoslaw Majewski arrived in 2010 and was an instant hit with his first goal - against Derby - making him popular. The only overseas player with more appearances in the last ten years than Majewski is USA international Eric Lichaj who will be remembered most fondly for his two goals in a 4-2 victory over Arsenal in the 2017 FA Cup campaign.

50 I PLATFORM MAGAZINE I ISSUE 25

Writers Megan Lewis Rucsandra Moldoveanu Liana Homjakova Kieran Burt Yasmin Turner Ellie Daglish Georgia Flinton Eleanor Lawrence Freya Fowler joe james Will Hugall Hannah Adams Lilia Hadj Said Helen Barber Katie Mortimer Raya Walczak Kirke Viira Michael Vince Katie Green Alex brinton Sophie Avant Randev Jayasinha

Design Emily Houghton Fatema Sohail Holly Sayers Karima Morsili Marina Garcia Salcedo Sophie Puffett Tara Thomas Beth Trim Vilte Vaisietaite Jacob Greenwood Matt Lee Katie Green

With thanks to the pLatform Team