Redbrick Issue 1519, Vol. 87
Friday 29th October 2021
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What happened to Brumfess? page 3
Redbrick The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936
Ellen Knight
Cressida Dick Talk Postponed After Backlash Talk by the Met Police Commissioner will now happen in January after threats of protests Ella Kipling Social Secretary
On Wednesday 27th October, a group of students had planned to gather outside the Bramall Music Building to protest the presence of Cressida Dick on campus, who was scheduled to come to the University of Birmingham to give a lecture as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series. However, a week before the lecture on ‘violence against women’ was scheduled to take place, it was announced that it would be postponed to January. The protest was organised by Strong Survivors Talk, a campaign founded by Iveta Pudilova, and was named ‘Meet, Greet, and F*ck the Met.’ Before the protest was due to take place, Pudilova told Redbrick that they find it ‘tone-deaf, ignorant and disrespectful’ of the University to invite Cressida Dick to the campus, as it ‘diminishes and dismisses the experiences of women, POC, queer, sexual harassment victims and all other marginalised groups.’ Pudilva said: ‘The aim of the protest is to raise awareness about what Cressida Dick has said and done; shine light on the corruption, institutional discrimination, misogyny, and racism within the Met, and most importantly to encourage people to boycott the event.’ Cressida Dick came under fire recently following the murder of Sarah Everard for advising women to flag down a bus or call 999 if they feel they are in danger after being approached by a lone plain-
clothes officer. However, whilst giving evidence to the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee on the safety of women and girls in the capital on October 20th, Dick was questioned on this and admitted that the advice given earlier in the month was ‘not intended.’ She also added that the question would be addressed differently in the future. Concerns for women’s safety, particularly at the hands of the police, have been rising after Sarah Everard was murdered by Wayne Couzens, a member of the Metropolitan Police. Couzens showed a warrant card and used handcuffs as he kidnapped Everard prior to her rape and murder. During the evidence session, Dick said that the Met needs to ‘improve and get better,’ adding that there ‘is no place in the Met for people who display racist, sexist, homophobic behaviour,’ and that violence against women and girls is ‘something everybody has to get involved in tackling.’ Following Cressida Dick’s controversial advice given to women, Pudilova told Redbrick a week before the protest was scheduled to take place that it is ‘ironic that such a person is going to be giving a lecture on “Violence against women.”’ On October 22nd, news broke that the lecture had been postponed to January. Pudilova explained that she was ‘quite pleased’ with this, especially due to the University’s refusal to compromise (such as by turning the lecture into a panel debate.) However, when the event is rescheduled, she will be ‘getting back to work’ as ‘an activist’s job never stops.’ On the Strong Survivors Talk Facebook
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page, Pudilova explained that the event was postponed thanks to the Guild’s involvement and talks with the University as well as the pressure created by the protest. She told Redbrick: ‘At the end of the day postponing shows the work of the Guild and the work I had put in mobilising people had really paid off.’
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INSIDE: Redbrick editors come together to share their heroes this Black History Month
Third-year English and Creative Writing student Cerys Gardner told Redbrick that it is ‘disappointing’ that the event has been postponed by the University rather than cancelled as ‘it feels like they’re hoping the fuss will die down rather than actually understanding people’s issues with her giving a talk on campus.’
Killer Bees and their Feathered Victims
Sci&Tech 35 www.redbrick.me
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Redbrick
Friday 29st October 2021
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A Letter From Committee: Welcome to Redbrick’s first postpandemic print issue: Issue 1519! I hope that you are all as excited as we are to see us back in print. I will be honest, it has not been easy putting this together given that everyone involved in previous prints have all graduated from the university; we are all very new to this process – thank you for bearing with us. Inevitably, the first print in a year and a half was going to be difficult with many things going wrong (including having to find a new printing company), but everyone has worked incredibly hard to solve these problems. Now for a little bit of self-reflection. When I first attended the Welcome Meeting in 2019 (back when Tom Leaman was Editor-inChief) I was in awe; I dreamed of taking on his role but did not imagine that would ever be possible. I am so thankful to be leading such a wonderful society this year with so many lovely people alongside me. I am also testament to the fact that you do not have to be a first year to join Redbrick – I did not actually join until my second year because I let my anxiety get the better of me. The only regret I have now is not joining earlier. Despite what they say about you making all of your university friends in your first year, I have found myself forming close relationships with many in Redbrick,
especially my fellow committee members. Redbrick is a very open and social society; each section holds individual socials throughout the year alongside the society-wide ones. We recently went to Stuesday at Players and Media Ball is fast approaching. Also, do not forget to join us this Friday for Pub ‘n’ Papers. I would encourage anyone who is on the fence about joining to take the leap and do it, I promise you will not regret it. Not only is Redbrick a welcoming and inclusive society, but it is also a great one to join for your CV. Getting your articles published in both a physical and online paper is not only cool but is also great experience for any grad jobs you might apply for. That being said, there are so many other ways of getting involved in Redbrick that do not involve writing. Our Editorial Assistants play such a key role in the paper, going through drafts with a fine-tooth comb; the paper would not be the same without them. You could also join the more creative side as a photographer or an illustrator. What I love most about Redbrick is the range of topics our sections cover. In this edition, you can read articles about the Birmingham ballet, Squid Game, gluten-free Vietnamese, and even learn about the Atlas Moth and
Korfball, among other topics. After a stressful couple of weeks, I would like to say a big thank you to all of our lovely section editors who have designed their pages, and the members of committee that have practically lived in our dungeon-like office this month. We could not have made it happen without you all. We hope that you love this issue as much as we do, and here is to the growth of Redbrick postpandemic.
Chelsie Henshaw Editor-In-Chief
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Friday 29th October 2021
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Feature: Student's Face Declining Mental Health Amid Pandemic Emily Lewis analyses the impact the pandemic had on students' mental health Emily Lewis News Reporter
It has been widely accepted in the UK that young adults have been hugely impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, from job losses in more volatile sectors, to education anxiety, and loneliness from unnatural isolation and the subsequent disconnection from peers. University students have found themselves either beginning a new transition period in unprecedented circumstances, or continuing study during these years of disruption and the unknown. Despite lockdowns ending in early 2021, university students have shown to be struggling mentally more so than in 2020. With crucial evidence from The Mix – the UK’s leading digital youth charity – and an interview with Birmingham Nightline, a mental health society at the University of Birmingham, this feature will explore the developing issue of student mental health. In particular, this article attempts to show the burgeoning demand for support and the need by universities and the wider government to take young adult mental health seriously. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) began to collect statistics on the ‘behaviours, plans, opinion and well-being of higher-education students’ under the Student COVID-19 Insights Survey (SCIS). Under the most recent survey, approximately 3 in 10 students reported engagement with mental health services since the autumn 2020 term. The Mix
UK also provides more evidence for high levels of engagement with mental health services amongst students. As a free and confidential multi-channel service charity for under-25s, they offer support to young adults on challenges they are facing through expert and peer guidance. In their fourth edition of their helpline trends report, the charity showcases some alarming statistics. Assessing two periods in 2021, the report shows that anxiety, feelings, emotions, including suicidal thoughts and educational worries, were often mentioned. For example, 16% of the young people contacting the helpline between April and June 2021 mentioned thoughts of suicide, compared to 13.2% the previous year. Feelings of anger have also increased since 2020, with further body image troubles reaching the highest levels in the last two years; the number of conversations increased from 0.3% in Jan-March of 2020 to 3.8% in Jan-March of 2021. In July 2021, the Office for Students (OfS) alerted their concern for university and young adult college students’ mental wellbeing, arguing more needed to be done. The Universities Minister for England, Michelle Donelan, has reported that universities have access to up to £256m to help look after student welfare, stressing students should be appropriately supported. Redbrick spoke to Birmingham Nightline, a student-run mental health society at the University of
Birmingham, to ascertain their views on this issue on a UK campus. Birmingham Nightline is a ‘confidential, non-judgemental and non-directive listening and information service run by students, for students.’. R: As a student society at the University of Birmingham, how have requests for your help changed, if at all, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic? N: ‘It has been clear to us over the past eighteen months that, overall, student mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Whilst it is difficult to make a direct comparison, as our remote COVID-19 service operates at only 21% of our full service (8pm-1am, Instant Messenger and email only), we seem to have received a noticeable increase in contacts since the pandemic began, suggesting that more students are struggling. Most notably, we have seen feelings of loneliness and isolation increase in our contacts; this has continued even now that ‘normal life’ seems to have resumed, which tells us that the impact on student mental health is one that persists beyond lockdown measures. Also, overall, nightlines across the country have seen an increase in contacts about isolation. We have seen a significant surge in suicidal ideation at the beginning of this academic year. Most of our contacts just want someone to talk to about how they are feeling, or a space to rant or vent, which is exactly what
Nightline is here for, and we are grateful to be able to provide that to anybody who may need it.’ R: Have you felt the society has been valued by the university, in the work it seeks to do for student mental health? N: ‘Sadly, we have not been able to be there for students as much as we had hoped to be over the past eighteen months. It was incredibly difficult to be closed for an extended period of time knowing how much students were struggling, and that we weren’t able to support them through so much of that time. It was challenging to not have the level of support we needed when we were seeing an increased need for support from students, but we are endlessly grateful to the National Nightline Association for their constant support, patience and kindness while we navigate a complicated transition to a new stakeholder. We sincerely hope matters will soon be fully resolved, and that we will be able to begin the process of reopening our full service with the support of our new stakeholder. Most importantly, we were so glad that we were able to reopen in time for welcome week, and the amount of students who have contacted us in the last month has absolutely reinforced the importance of our service. We are so proud of our volunteers for working tirelessly to support the student population, and we hope to continue raising awareness so that any student who needs a listening ear knows where to find
ours.’ It is clear from the statistics and interview shown in this article that mental health is an escalating issue, with more students seeking aid for wellbeing concerns. Yet, student societies have faced questionable support, despite the millions stated by the government side-lined for these types of welfare needs. As the pandemic continues and we slowly move into a world less concerned with the immediate effects of COVID-19 and rather the long-term problems it has caused, the UK as a country has a duty of care for the young adults in our society suffering from the turmoil of the present. Holly Turner, the Campaigns and Communications Manager at The Mix, highlights this very point: ‘At The Mix we have witnessed first-hand just how difficult life has been for students since the start of the pandemic. Coping with the isolation caused by lockdown, as well as the pressures of online learning and the disruption to their education and social lives has meant that many students have struggled with poor mental health. We need to make sure that students are given the support they need to deal with the ongoing change and uncertainty of post-lockdown life and encourage them to reach out for help when they need it.’
Where is Brumfess? Dina Tjelmeland Adeler News Reporter
Brumfess, the infamous anonymous confession page run by students for students at the University of Birmingham, has yet to resume posting since the start of the Autumn semester.
“we do not have a confirmed date for reopening the submissions but it will be soon”
Dan Hunt
On the 5th of August 2021, the admins of Brumfess announced that the page was going to take a break, and no posts have been uploaded since. This is after Brumfess received their final strike warning from Facebook. If Brumfess receives another strike,
the confession page will be shut down, and as a consequence the admins decided therefore to take a break to review the guidelines in order to make sure the page was fully compliant with Facebook's community standards. Brumfess is moderated by students at the University of Birmingham. However, according to the admins, the pandemic brought about fresh challenges for moderating the page. Submissions got more varied, and more posts made it through which violated guidelines, including ‘posts that we used to put up quite frequently,’ according to one Brumfess admin. Redbrick spoke to the admins of Brumfess, who informed us that they have been discussing reopening the confession page. When asked if there is a date for reopening the submissions, the admins said ‘we do not have a confirmed date for reopening the submissions but it will be soon.’
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NEWS
Friday 29th October 2021
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Girls Night In: Club Boycott After Rise in Spikings Chelsie Henshaw Editor-in-Chief
Content Warning: This article contains mentions of spiking Following an increase in the number of reported spikings at clubs and bars, a campaign has been launched across social media to boycott clubs. The campaign, named Girls Night In, was started by students in order to raise awareness around spiking and to push nightclubs to implement more stringent prevention methods. Over the past week, reports have flooded the Internet of women being spiked via injections. Although it might seem like something that is not affecting The University of Birmingham, during the past few days several students have taken to Fab ‘n’ Fresh to report being spiked via in injection.
One UoB student summarised the fear currently felt by women, saying that: ‘clubbing is supposed to be about letting loose with friends, and enjoying being young and carefree. The recent news that students have been spiked by injection is truly terrifying in several respects. Firstly, the fact that these needles are probably unclean and could possibly lead to serious infections, such as HIV.’ The student also discussed their shock at the fact that people are able to bring needles into a club and stated that the news stories surrounding spiking via injection makes them ‘upset and scared that the best part of [their] uni life is potentially a life-threatening experience.’ Students are fighting against this through the boycotts taking place this week. There are several different dates for all of the cities taking part, however, many cities are taking part this Wednesday
(27th October) Birmingham.
including
“cancelling the event undermines the intended impact of the boycott and measures”
Those who attend UoB will know that every Wednesday is Sports Night at Fab ‘n’ Fresh which is extremely popular amongst students. However, many UoB sports teams released statements on Instagram to inform people that their society would not be attending Sports Night on 27th October in solidarity with the campaign. Following a significant number of sports teams deciding to boycott the club night, the Guild of Students
released a statement on 21st October on the Fab ‘n’ Fresh Facebook Group to express their support for the planned boycott and announce that they would be cancelling Sports Night. You can read the full statement on the Fab 'n' Fresh Facebook page. Many students were unimpressed with the Guild’s statement. Third year student Cerys Gardner believes that whilst ‘it is good that the Guild has addressed the issue [...] cancelling the event undermines the intended impact of the boycott and measures.' Cerys also expressed their concern about the Guild , including in their statement that only ‘UoB students and their guests’ can attend Sports Night and Fab ‘as a safety measure given that sexual assaults are committed by students at UoB.’ It is not just current UoB students concerned by the Guild’s statement. One alumnus of UoB critiqued the Guild for their ‘blan-
ket statements’ on the matter and said it appears like ‘they aren’t interested in student safety’ and are only ‘trying to do the bare minimum so it looks like they’re trying.’ The ex-student also argued that ‘offering drink spiking covers but not making them mandatory [...] seems like it’s passing the blame along’ as ‘if someone forgets to ask for one and then gets spiked, someone is just going to say they were offered.’ The Guild also claimed that they ‘have always implement strong measures’ to ensure student safety, including providing antispiking training. However, two staff members working at the Guild contacted Redbrick to state that this is false. One student worker who has worked for the Guild for three years said that they ‘have never received anti spiking training’ and that they have ‘never received anything on what to do about spiking.
Kelsey Chance / Unsplash
Halloween Fundraiser for UoB Action Against Homelessness Dina Tjelmeland Adeler
News Writer
The University of Birmingham’s (UoB) Action Against Homelessness Society is hosting a Halloween fundraiser on 30th October. The society, which fundraises, volunteers, and educates people on issues of homelessness, will hold the event at the Creative Coffee hub between 10am and 2pm. At the event, customers will have the opportunity to buy Halloween-inspired drinks. A pound from every gingerbread latte and hot chocolate bought will be donated to the St Basils charity. St Basils is a Birminghambased youth homelessness charity who we have fundraised for on multiple occasions over the past
few years” Isobel Thornton, chair of UoB Action Against Homelessness said to Redbrick. St Basils works closely with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. St Basils works to find permanent homes for young people and additionally focuses against Homelessness and on building young people’s confidence, developing their skills, and increasing their opportunities. UoB Action Against Homelessness hopes the event will spark a conversation about youth homelessness. ‘Young people experiencing homelessness are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and continue to make up almost half of the people accessing homelessness services,’ Thornton added. The event will also have a seating area if people want to work or come and chat with other like-
minded individuals who are passionate about helping prevent homelessness. If you want more information, here are the charity’s contact details: Email: homeless@guild.bham.ac.uk Instagram: @uobactionagainsthomelessness Facebook: UoB Action Aginst Homelessness
Jon Tyson / Unsplash
NEWS
Friday 29th October 2021
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Medical Students Protest Scoring Protocol Changes Ella Kipling News Reporter
A group of medical students have written an open letter to the UK Foundation Program Office, citing their concerns over the new announced changes to the status of education achievement (EA) points in the UKFPO application scoring process, which are due to come into effect from 2023 onwards. The UKFPO, the body who handles the applications for and allocations to the first job postings of medical students upon graduation, announced a decision to scrap part of the framework used to assess the applications of graduating medical students in December 2020. The group of students behind the letter expressed their concerns that these changes may ‘widen educational inequalities along the lines of income.’ The old UKFPO scoring protocol used to take into account additional educational achievements such as additional degrees or publications, which gave credit for both qualifications gained during a year out of medical education (this is known as an intercalated degree) and qualifications gained before starting medical education (as is the case for postgraduate students.) However, as of 2023, these EA points will no longer be counted. In the letter, the students
explain that while they understand the reasoning behind the proposed changes, they are ‘strongly opposed’ to the proposed EA point revision and its ‘manner of planning and announcement.’ The group claims that the decision was made without any significant student consultation and was announced ‘in a rush,’ in December 2020, despite the decision being ‘apparently’ made in February. This alleged delay in announcing the decision resulted in a cohort of medical students already embarking upon a yearlong intercalated study as the promise of points on the graduate job application is a ‘significant’ motivator to embark on study. Matthew Kalirai told Redbrick: ‘By taking away application points, the UKFPO have made it even less likely that people who are resource disadvantaged would choose intercalated study at all; the nudge away from intercalation will affect those whose decisions were most finely balanced, which would disproportionately be folks who have strong reasons not to intercalate, such as those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.’ After an ‘incredibly difficult year’ due to Covid-19 and several lockdowns, these changes are seen as a ‘serious blow’ to both domestic and international medical students. The letter also explained that the proposed revision is ‘still deemed the optimal solution,’ medical students rec-
ommend that the UKFPO consider pushing back the date of implementation of this change by a few years to affect the cohort applying for medical schools in 2021, ‘in the interest of respecting the sanctity of informed decision making.’
“more inclusive and transparent discussions are needed” Following the widespread response from medical students across the UK, National MedSoc, a group made up of various student bodies, has created a petition to UKFPO urging them to delay implementation to 2028, increase meaningful student consultation, use evidence based methods, commit to Widening Access, and offer a response to the issues raised in the petition. The petition states that it is ‘now evident that more inclusive and transparent discussions are needed to better understand how this decision may impact current and future students as well as whether it is in fact the optimal
way forward.’ National MedSoc is made up of: Anglia Ruskin Medical Students Society, Barts and The London Students’ Association, Birmingham MedSoc, Brighton and Sussex Medical School Medical Society, Bute Medical Society St Andrews, Cambridge MedSoc, Cardiff MedSoc, Edinburgh Medical Students Council, Galenicals University of Bristol Medical Students’ Society, Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’ Medical Students’ Association, Imperial College School of Medicine Students’ Union, Kent and Medway Medical Society, Lancaster University MedSoc, Leicester University Students’ Union Medical Association, Liverpool Medical Students’ Society, Manchester MedSoc, Nottingham MedSoc, Osler House Oxford, Oxford Medical Student Society, Royal Free, University College and Middlesex Medical Students Association (RUMS), St George’s Students Union, Swansea MedSoc, University of Central Lancashire Medical Society, University of Dundee MBChB Student Council, University of East Anglia MedSoc, University of Glasgow Medico-Chirurgical Society, University of Lincoln Medical Society, University of Sheffield MedSoc, University of Southampton MedSoc, University of Warwick MedSoc.
Homophobic attack in the City Centre Charlie O'Keeffe News Reporter
Adam Jones / Unsplash
Content Warning: This article Only weeks before, another contains mentions of homophobia man, Matt Brooks, was punched in the face in an ‘unprovoked At about 5am on the 10th October, assault’ that could have lost him John-Paul Kesseler was holding his eyesight due to a fractured eye hands with another man whilst on socket. his way home from a night in Kesseler and Brooks were reuBirmingham’s Gay Village. nited at an LGBT+ solidarity proKesseler said a man, standing by a test on 14th October outside The car on Holloway Circus shouted Nightingale Club. Redbrick ‘you should not be doing that.’ attended the protest, where both Kesseler only responded by victims spoke. Brooks spoke only asking ‘what me?’ The man then briefly as he was brought to tears, proceeded to assault Kesseler, hit- and Kesseler talked about the ting him with a wine bottle from need for solidarity within the his car which left his eyebrow cut community, calling for action on open. The man also picked up a the part of officials to tackle the pole with which he hit Kesseler, rising hate crimes. just as he was about to call the There were some officials present police. The attacker then drove at the protest, including West away. Midlands Police and Crime Kesseler said he was unsur- Commissioner, Simon Foster. prised by the attack as he knew However, there was some dissent there had been other homophobic amongst protesters who accused attacks in Birmingham recently. the officials present of being perHe even received abuse waiting formative. Foster promised action for the emergency services with on the part of the police force to passers-by commenting ‘you were tackle hate crimes. asking for it’ and ‘we don’t like In an interview with the BBC, that LGBT stuff.’ Kesseler said ‘it doesn’t feel as The culprit has not yet been- safe as it did’ a few years before caught; the police have said they the pandemic. This was a sentiwill review CCTV footage in the ment echoed by many of the area. LGBT+ speakers at the protest.
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Selly Oak Named Most Burgled Area Charlie O'Keeffe News Reporter
The Birmingham Mail recently published an article listing the ten areas of Birmingham where you are most likely to be burgled. Selly Oak placed at the top of the list. West Midlands Police have revealed that over the past five years there have been a total of 114,600 recorded burglaries across Birmingham. Since the start of the year there have been 704 offences recorded in Selly Oak. The Birmingham Mail identified the fact that Selly Oak is a predominantly student area as a key factor. This is because there are a large number of electronic goods available in shared students’ homes. Local community group Love Selly Oak said there are between 50 and 100 incidents of student victims of burglary during the first term. Although burglary has, over the past 5-10 years, generally been falling in the area it remains the case that it is a high-risk area. They also stated that around 85% of burglaries are a result of windows, doors or gates that have been left unlocked. They also said that most burglars gain access through the rear of the property. Laptops are taken in more than 25% of cases. Love Selly Oak also provided a list of advice to help prevent burglary. They reiterated the point that gates, doors and windows should always be locked even whilst you’re at home. In addition, they stressed the importance of being aware of who should and should not be in your building, whether this is getting to know your neighbours or being aware of who is invited to house parties. Love Selly Oak also suggested giving the impression that you are at home through using a timer switch; these are available for free through the Community Wardens or the Wednesday after Police surgeries on campus in Living. They recommended getting a laptop safe, registering your property on the national property database, and tracking and backing up laptop software through lovesellyoak.com.
Max Böhme / Unsplash
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NEWS
Friday 29th October 2021
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Degrees of Abuse: Al Jazeera Investigation Exposes Abuse at Top Institutions
Vadim Sherbakov/Unsplash
Cara-Louise Scott News Reporter
Content Warning: This article discusses sexual harassment, sexual assault and grooming. Al Jazeera has released a sixpart podcast series, ‘Degrees of Abuse’, to show their investigation into some of the UK’s top universities, in relation to their reported failures to protect students from staff members who have a history of sexual harassment and abuse allegations. The research indicates potential flaws in the way that some universities deal with sexual harassment accusations by allowing academic staff members to continue teaching, and therefore maintain their high positions of power, despite multiple complaints about their complaints and over the safety of their students. The podcast series started on October 19th, with two of the podcasts about professors from the University of Oxford, which, as of September 2021, was ranked by THE as the top university in the world for the 6th year in a row. However, students and staff members say that the university is failing to protect them from professors with long histories of sexist, abusive behavior and drunkenness. 2018 was a key year for the #METOO movement which challenged powerful men, but it left the question: how much do powerful professors impact the lives and careers of women? Al Jazeera have been researching this story for two years and have met many women willing to speak out about how their universities have failed to protect them against the abuse of their male professors. It was in this research that they discovered the history of Andy Orchard, whose past record stretches back over three decades and three universities. Professor Orchard is a well-known figure at the University of Oxford and is particularly famed for his work in Anglo-Saxon English. However, it is his actions in the present day that have been widely criticised, such as in the case of Professor Alex Gillespie. She shares her experience of when Andy Orchard, a professor at Toronto University at the time, cornered her on a staircase, then sexualized the situation by saying, ‘I’m going to fire one last shot of testosterone across your bow.’ Gillespie has said she believes Orchard was aggressive towards her because her work in feminist and queer medieval studies threatened his own work in the study of Anglo-Saxon English. She remembers him saying, ‘I am
going to destroy you.’ Professor Ananya Kabir, who was a postgraduate student at Cambridge when Orchard taught there, also describes that she had found him an inspiring figure, but then she began to feel uncomfortable. Orchard would hold meetings in the pub instead of the office and he would often get drunk. Kabir shared a room with another PhD student who had been in a relationship with Orchard, and she was deeply unhappy and scared. It was clear to Kabir that there was a fearful unequal power relationship occurring between the professor and student. Senior academics were told about this and responded with, ‘oh yes, all true, the department and the university saw this as a matter of consenting adults’ and even went as far as saying, ‘the woman had been wearing such a lovely dress, who could blame Andy.’ It is in this statement that it is clear that Professor Orchard was intellectually admired and respected, and because of his powerful position, he had the potential to get his postgraduate students a good job and advance their career it was this branch of intimidation and fear that female students had to speak out against him.
“There was a fearful unequal power relationship occurring between the professor and student” A satirical student publication at the University of Cambridge gave a hint of Orchard’s behavior when it included quotes such as he was ‘buying drinks for half the students. I wonder which half’ and that he ‘puts the “perv” in “supervisor.”’ The latter quote was said to have been made by Orchard himself, which he called ‘a joke that hasn’t stood the test of time.’ Ananya wanted to do something with the information she had and confided in one of those on the hiring committee when Orchard was going up for a higher position. By her speaking out, Orchard did not get the job and he went to Toronto shortly after. Yet, no disgrace was attached to him and she described how ‘he was going from glory to glory.’ Andy Orchard has been pro-
tected by the institutions he works for and no one wanted to speak out against him because of the power he had over them. Orchard created an intense environment for the women he sexually harassed, particularly when in one instance he said he was in love with them and would leave his wife and kids for this PhD student.
“Andy Orchard has been protected by the institutions he works for and no one wanted to speak out against him because of the power he had over them” David Townsend, a staff member at the University of Oxford, was appalled by Andy’s behavior and got in touch with the sexual harassment officer. The matter was dealt with quietly and no guidelines between students and professors were drawn up or circulated. In 2013, the chair of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford said Andy Orchard’s deeds were an open secret and today, Orchard still remains an important figure as a professor at the University of Oxford. In the second podcast, the investigation moves to another professor at the University of Oxford. While Oxford is known for being the top university in the world, some students say that in terms of sexual harassment by staff, Oxford has failed them. A staff member at Oxford has spoken out anonymously about Professor Peter Thompson, and while they regret speaking out anonymously, they feel that they would have action taken against them if they are identified. According to Mia, who was a masters student at the university in 2019, there was a whisper network about Peter Thompson who had a reputation for sexual harassment and was a well-known alcoholic. She warned all new graduate students about being alone with him, and she would miss out on opportunities because she was so scared of him. She describes how it felt dangerous when he was around and tells Al Jazeera of the experience of him leaning close to one of the women in her class to look at their laptop, so close that this other woman had to move because she felt uncomfortable.
Mia goes on to describe her personal experiences with Thompson. He asked her to meet him in an office in the college, and then they went to a pub over the road to have a drink. She said that she put her bag on the chair next to her so he would have to sit opposite her but he took the bag off the seat, moved the chair closer to her and sat down. It has been said that Thompson regularly held meetings in the pub, and because there was a compulsory class beforehand, everyone felt obliged to go to the pub after, even though the class was at 12:30pm. Mia has said that it should not be difficult to see the line, as they have never had another tutor that does not understand where that line is, but Professor Thompson seems to have thought that it was acceptable to clamber over boys in the pub to sit near where the women were sat. Mia confided her worries in another tutor and was horrified to find out that they knew all about Thompson’s behavior and that there had been a complaint in 2017 that went nowhere. The tutor and fellow staff members had coauthored a letter to the university which said that he was not fit to teach, but as far as they knew, the university never responded.
“Postgraduate female students are most at risk of sexual harrassment from professors” In January 2020, Mia, another student, and five staff members, made an official complaint and the university set up a formal investigation panel chaired by an academic from another department. As a result, the complaint was ‘upheld’ and they said that appropriate action would be taken to address the matter, but they also remarked that they ‘cannot provide details of this action due to Thompson’s right to confidentiality.’ They discovered that Professor Thompson’s defence was that he had a mental condition which meant that he didn’t understand his comments were offensive and that he needed to drink to deal with his social anxiety. Mia knows he is still teaching despite these complaints being upheld. Another person has come forward with their experience of Thompson threatening an unwanted sexual act. She gave up a
career opportunity in order to avoid Thompson and stressed that the one verbal assault from him has had long term effects. Large scale studies in both the UK and US show that postgraduate female students are most at risk of sexual harassment from professors, and around 10% of these students will experience this. Professors are being paid, they are older, and they are often respected in their fields which means that they have power. The Podcast brings forward the view that teaching and learning should be prioritised and encouraged the creation of professional boundaries. Colleagues have been told to be quiet in order to uphold their institution’s reputation, yet the University of Oxford has had 14 complaints made to the central administration in the three years prior to Autumn 2019 and none of these complaints lead to anyone being sacked. This does not include complaints to faculty or colleges either. Across UK universities, 240 complaints have been made over three years, and only 12 were sacked and 23 were disciplined in some way. The University of Oxford has said they cannot comment on individual cases but that they take all allegations of sexual harassment seriously and if complaints are upheld, they will take disciplinary action where appropriate, including steps to ensure the wellbeing and safety of staff and students. The next two episodes will move to the University of Glasgow on October 26th where Al Jazeera hears from six women detailing their experiences with one lecturer. The final two episodes, out on November 2nd, will cover the story of how several women around the world discovered they had all had relationships with the same sexually violent student, who has just completed a PhD at Glasgow University. You can find the podcast 'Degrees of Abuse', on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, you can contact NHS services and Guild Advice for guidance and support.
NEWS
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricknews
07
Young People Give More to International COVID-19 Charities
Katt Yukawa/Unsplash
News Reporter Dylan Morgen reports on UoB research into international charity donations from young people Dylan Morgen News Reporter
A collaborative research study by academics at Birmingham, Oxford and Vienna Universities showed younger adults across 67 countries more willing to donate to international COVID charities than their parents and grandparents. Only older adults in China, Spain and the Netherlands bucked this trend and showed greater willingness to donate internationally than their younger citizens. Dr Jo Cutler and Dr Patricia Lockwood from the University of Birmingham School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health said: ‘As countries, including the UK, are announcing cuts to foreign aid budgets, there will be an increasing reliance on global charities. Understanding the giving preferences and inclinations of different age groups could therefore be extremely important in planning campaigns and appeals.’ The Daily Mail also reported that the study had shown: ‘Women in general were found to be kinder than men, while wealth appeared to have a negative effect on philanthropy, with those who perceived themselves as being better off donating less to good causes.’ They added: ‘Increased prosocial behaviour – generosity and distancing – is shown around the world for older adults compared to younger adults. However, whom people are willing to help seems to change as people age. As
the challenges of the 21st century become increasingly global in nature, and rely on people helping others, it is vital we understand how different age groups might respond.’ The Birmingham researchers used information collected from 46,500 people in 67 countries who expressed their donation preferences. Around 200 academics in the open science International Collaboration on the Social & Moral Psychology of COVID-19 organisation enabled the country surveys. The University of Birmingham press release also stated: ‘Importantly, the team found their results remained consistent even after considering other factors like how wealthy each country is, the severity of the pandemic at the time data was collected, and participants’ perceived risk of catching the virus.’
“Women in general were found to be kinder than men, while wealth appeared to have a negative effect on philanthropy”
tested how personality traits differed across the lifespan, and how that might link to the differences we saw in prosocial behaviour. We found that older adults had stronger self-reported preferences for their “in-group” – people in the same country. They were more likely to report identifying with their country and agreed more strongly with statements such as “My country deserves special treatment.”’
“I think we find it easier to have empathy for those in other countries” Em Andress, Trans Officer, commented in a FabNFresh poll on charity giving: ‘younger people have grown up online and spent that time exposed to people from all around the world, so I think we find it easier to have empathy for those in other countries.’ Saskia Hirst, Redbrick Life&Style Editor, prefers to donate to local charities, which ‘allows money to go a longer way.’ She went on to say ‘Smaller and local charities have suffered the worst. International charities tend to be bigger. The children with disabilities play time charity I work for has had to shut many centres.’
Dr Jo Cutler commented further in Nature Portfolio: ‘We also
Round-Up The Redbrick News Team take a look at one light-hearted and two very serious stories from the fortnight's news
The Queen to skip COP26 So far, the group have highlighted after spell in hospital twenty beaches that already have Anastasis Mauriac
a pollution risk warning, with several more areas expected to be affected following the vote.
The Queen claimed she was 'disappointed' to miss the event after Tory MPs have said the only alterbeing ordered by medics to rest. native would be to upgrade the country's entire sewer network at The conference, set to take place a cost of up to £650 billion, money between 31st October and 12th that they say is 'better spent in November, will see world leaders other areas.' from fifteen countries come together in Glasgow to strategise an international response to climate change. Lorry parks in Bristol After a night' stay in hospital last Wednesday, Her Majesty, 95, has since returned to Windsor Castle [Pictured left].
Harbour
Ellen Knight That's right, IN Bristol Harbour. On the morning of Thursday 22nd
House of Commons vote October, an articulated lorry accito allow raw sewage dentally reversed into the water, dump in UK waters leaving the cab perched on the Dan Hunt Tory MPs have voted down an amendment blocking water companies from releasing raw sewage into rivers and the sea. The outcome of the vote has resulted in public fury with several MPs defending their decision on their websites and on social media. Environmental campaigners, Surfers Against Sewers, have raised awareness of the issue after concerns over the pollution risk to swimmers.
Toa Heftiba/Unsplash
dock.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service was called out to the incident at 07:19, and winched the lorry out of the harbour, using nearby trees as ballast. Speaking to Sky News, local resident Dave Hill said he had not seen 'anything like it before.' Alluding to the recent dip the statue of slaver trader Edward Colston took in the harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest last year, Mr Hill joked that he'd 'seen people go into the harbour, even a statue, but never a lorry.'
08
COMMENT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickcomment
Women's Safety: A National Failure
Josie Scott-Taylor looks into catcalling statistics in the UK, talking to UoB students about their own experiences in relation to Boris Johnson's recent comments Josie Scott-Taylor TV Editor
Content Warning: This article contains themes of sexual assault According to a survey conducted by UN Women, over 70% of women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment in public, but shockingly, it appears that little is being done to prevent this statistic from edging closer to 100%. 35% of girls in the UK wearing school uniform have been sexually harassed in public says Plan International, yet women have voiced concerns about being constantly told that it is their responsibility to dress in a way that does not draw male attention. Most disturbingly, over 95% of women do not report incidents of sexual harassment, according to UN Women, out of embarrassment, fear, or a belief that their experiences are not ‘serious enough.’ ‘My friend and I were walking back from uni around lunchtime and in the 20 minutes we were walking we were catcalled seven times,’ said an anonymous student. Catcalling is just one form of public sexual harassment, with indecent exposure, being followed, and unwelcome sexual advances also impacting individuals. Especially given the
tragic murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, we need to work harder to eliminate the threat of violence against women. Boris Johnson, however, claimed that calling misogyny a hate crime would ‘increase the problem’ due to the apparent ‘abundant’ legislation to protect women from violence that already exists. Clearly, this ‘legislation’ is not doing a great job, protecting less than 30% of women from public sexual harassment and giving just 5% of women the appropriate space to report their experiences.
“Women are forced every day to modify their behaviour ” ‘I went to Rosie’s bar with my flatmates, which was scary enough as it was all new, and on the dance floor a man put his hand up my dress and touched me. [...] That was the first and last time I went out in Birmingham,' said another anonymous student. Putting an end to public sexual harassment would relieve women and young girls from the immesaurable fear that they experience every day of their lives. The terror that accompanies the threat of public sexual harassment is difficult to under-
stand if you have not experienced the feeling firsthand, but take the scenario of going to a party that is just a fifteen-minute walk from your house. First, there is the need to plan exactly how you are going to get home, which sometimes requires limiting how much you have to drink in order to have your wits about you. Then, there is the potential for sexual harassment at the party itself, followed by either walking home alone in the dark (which nearly half of women in the UK feel unsafe doing, says ONS) or getting an Uber (a company which received 3,000 sexual harassment complaints in 2018 alone, as reported by The Guardian). These high statistics force women to choose between the lesser of two evils: getting sexually harassed walking home, or in an Uber. You can imagine why many women decide to stay at home. One student stated: ‘Men never have to go through the fear of walking alone at night, or have to budget extra money to afford an Uber home from the pub, and will genuinely never have to worry every day in the same way that we do.' The reality of being a woman is that we are taught from a young age that it is our duty to defend ourselves from potential sexual harassment and assault threats by not wearing revealing outfits, not drinking too much, and not giving men the ‘wrong
idea,’ all of which have led to a damaging culture of internalised misogyny and blame. We are taught that by smiling at a man or wearing a skirt, we are ‘asking for it,’ and that if we were just a bit more careful, perhaps these things would not happen to us. This attitude implies that out there somewhere is a woman who does deserve to be sexually harassed for the way she acts and dresses.
“A damaging culture of internalised misogyny”
An anonymous student told Redbrick: ‘I was catcalled in my school uniform when I was maybe 12 or 13 and a man said to me “smile more you’ve got nice tits”.’ Women are forced every day to modify their behaviour to avoid being groped, catcalled, and followed home. Instead of admitting that the real problem is that men are choosing to sexually harass us in public, our fashion choices, alcohol habits and politeness are scrutinised and policed. ‘It was a short five minute walk, but three cars slowed down, honked their horns, shouted out their windows, one coming up my road as I reached
my house. I held my keys in one hand and my heavy water bottle in the other. I'm not sure how useful either would have been,’ said another anonymous student. Until people start holding the culprits accountable, I believe that it is inevitable the majority of women in the UK will continue to experience sexual harassment. Until women can place more trust in the system and believe that telling someone will actually change things, only 5% of women will carry on feeling safe and confident enough to report their experiences. ‘I’m always on edge whenever I’m somewhere new or unfamiliar because I don’t know where I can leave if I need to,’ said an anonymous student. This is the way things will continue to be unless radical change happens soon.
Katheriene Gu
The Anxiety of Post-Degree Dread
Will Taylor talks about his experience with end-of-degree dread: the overwhelming fear students feel as they approach graduation Will Taylor Comment Writer
Staring blankly out of a bedroom window at Old Joe, fingers poised limply atop a laptop-keyboard; countless students will have been in my position. Many will understand immediately what I mean by end-of-degree dread - that is, the constant and unmitigated anxiety at the thought of finishing university. Regardless of personal reasoning, be it a sentimental, social, or financial issue, it seems that the majority of students feel panicked at the prospect of graduating. Having spent years in education, arguably equipping us with more knowledge than we have ever had before, why is it that students are left feeling so uneasy? Humans are creatures of habit. I would go so far as to say that most people, whether they acknowledge it or not, live life in a fairly routine way, rarely deviating very far from their personal norm. The fact that we spend such time and energy
establishing these routines means it is only natural that big changes would cause a stir. In many cases, the life of a student will completely change once they finish their degree. Days spent in lectures, seminars or labs, living with friends and peers, will be swapped for ones at work or at home, often with the added precariousness of job uncertainty or less-thanideal family situations.
“The constant ... dread at the thought of finishing university” Not long ago, a friend of mine gave me John Fowles’ novel The Magus. Before the end of the second chapter, I found myself confronted with a caricature of the recent grad: drifting without aim, the protagonist comes up against the harsh reality of life outside an institution, unable to form a clear idea of what he should do
next. With any luck, Fowles’ post-university blues will remain as fiction, but a small part of this, namely the protagonist’s displeasure at ‘endless pale grey lists of endless palegrey jobs,’ rings disturbingly true. The matter of work is, as always, a pressing one, and certainly not to be made light of. Of course many students have worked throughout their studies, but the pressure to find one’s niche or to start a career can be crushing for some. Even with UK job vacancies at a 20-year high, graduate unemployment continues to rise, reaching levels not seen since the post-financial crisis austerity. It goes without saying that the situation may be entirely different for international students returning to countless other countries with entirely distinct job markets. This race to find work can be particularly pressing for those doing the less-vocational arts and humanities courses, as it can be difficult to pinpoint a natural route to take after university. On the other end of the spectrum, others may find themselves with a
perfectly-specialised degree they want absolutely nothing to do with. It is safe to say that the prospect of finding work is a daunting one and faced with these types of issues, lot's of graduates will find themselves shoehorned into unfulfilling work out of necessity. Gone will be the days of a hefty bank transfer each term from Student Finance England, soon to be replaced by national insurance deductions and student loan repayment. Another possible issue is that of difficult, unsupportive, or even abusive families or social environments post-study. For some, university provides a welcome anonymity and the freedom to be oneself, for example, among members of the LGBTQIA+ and particularly the trans community. It is easy to imagine that faced with the possibility of returning home longterm, the expression of an identity formed among like-minded people can prove anywhere from uncomfortable to unsafe for certain individuals. Practicalities aside, some may experience this dread in a more emotional, abstract sense.
Some may be caught up in sentimentalities, presenting themselves with questions they will likely never be able to answer: Where did the last three years go? Did I make the most of this experience? These are concerns that remain relevant even outside the context of the pandemic, something which has only exacerbated the challenges we face, completely overhauling how we learn, socialise and network. Regardless of how we feel, it seems clear to me that all we can be expected to do is reflect constructively, although admittedly this is easier said than done. We are well within our rights to worry about the future – after all, these are uncertain and anxiety-inducing times – however, the future will soon be the present. Until then, I will be hanging on for dear life, trusting in a largely unfounded belief that everything will be okay in the end. For those who remain hitherto unconvinced, perhaps a panic masters is the answer.
COMMENT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickcomment
When Healthy Becomes Dangerous Celebrity diet culture is everywhere on social media - but at what cost to their fanbase? Alena Leemann Comment Writer
Content Warning: This article contains themes of diet culture, mental health, and eating disorders Calorie counting, calorie cutting, clean eating, weighing cereal, stepping onto a scale day after day, chasing after a weight goal like it is the only thing that matters - we constantly find ourselves thinking about our weight, about the way we eat, about how to control or to change our bodies. Does it make us happier? Healthier? Take a moment to think about all the people running off yesterday’s caloric surplus, working out to earn their dinner, or saying no to birthday cake. Diet culture has a huge impact on our relationship with both food and exercise, and in some cases it can take a serious toll on not only our mental but also our physical health. While obesity is a serious health issue some ways to cope with it, namely extreme diets, food restriction and excessive exercise, are issues no less serious. The NHS reports obesity rates of 26% for men and 29% for women. Over 60% of adults in the UK are overweight. To counteract the continual rise of these rates, the UK government urges people to ‘get active and eat better.’ In the Western world, fighting obesity has become the number one health concern. As a result, the global diet and weight loss market has grown to be worth USD 2092.5 million in 2021 and is projected to value USD 2992.9 million by 2026. Millions of people are making an effort to lose weight and exercise in order to get healthier. People being increasingly concerned with health, diet and exercise is, generally speaking, a good thing and also necessary to fight obesity and overweight related health issues. There is, however, a downside to it; its name is diet culture. Diets seem to be everywhere - whether that be keto diet, low fat diet, paleo diet, raw food diet, or intermittent fasting. The problem with diets is that in a lot of cases they fail. And in many cases in which they succeed, they result in eating disorders. According to BEAT, an esti-
Vogue / Twitter
mated 1.25 million people in the UK are suffering from an eating disorder as a direct result of diet culture’s influence. Diet culture has become an integral part of our society, and is often promoted by influencers and celebrities. People seem to be obsessed with celebrity diets and exercise routines. We look up to celebrities and we try to be more like them; to look like them, eat like them, exercise like them. Kim Kardashian's dedication to the keto diet, for instance, has led thousands of people to follow her example. Celebrities giving fitness or nutrition advice can be problematic, since they may not be aware of the health impact certain eating and exercise behaviours can have. Most of them are not fitness or health professionals, after all. Even when, in a lot of cases, celebrities do not actively advise others to eat or exercise like them, by opening up about their diet, sharing their gym routine, or making ‘what I eat in a day’ videos, they do influence other people.
“People seem to be obsessed with celebrity diets” Adele, who has undergone massive weight loss in the last couple of years, recently opened up about her health and fitness journey in an interview with British Vogue. She admitted to working out ‘two or three times a day’ and being ‘quite addicted to it.’ Before she started working out regularly, she was experiencing anxiety and emotional distress as a result of her divorce and her father’s death. She started working out to cope with her anxiety: ‘I realized that when I was working out, I didn’t have any anxiety. It was never about losing weight.’ It seems to me that even though Adele merely shared her experience and did not encourage anyone to follow her example, her interview is problematic in a lot of ways. Celebrities have a social responsibility; they should lead by example and be mindful about the lifestyle and behaviour they promote. A lot of the people who look up to them and follow their fitness and health advice are young impressionable girls and women, the most vulnerable demographic for eating disorders or body image issues. Exercise addiction, in the case of Adele, or restrictive eating behaviours, in the case of every celeb-
rity who swears by a diet (and there are a lot of those), should never be a guide for a healthy lifestyle. Overexercising and food restriction can have a serious health impact, in regard to both physical and mental wellbeing. Too much exercise can negatively affect the body’s muscles, joints and immune system and leads to overall distress of the body. Likewise, undereating at any weight has an effect on physical health and may result in an eating disorder. Long story short, excessive exercising and restrictive eating can become dangerous really quickly. Eating and exercising in a healthy way does not mean restricting food and spending hours on end in the gym. A healthy lifestyle should be about eating mindfully, while still enjoying food, and about moving our bodies in a way we enjoy. However, ‘health’ has been commercialised; it has become a beauty trend. One must have the ‘kind of muscle definition that’s visible through leggings,’ to quote how Adele was described in British Vogue. Many people work out in order to look a certain way. Having the ‘perfect’ body has become an equivalent for having a ‘perfect’ life. Too much value is tied to the way we look. Losing weight and building muscle becomes the solution for everything. Both men and women are made to believe that they are not good enough if they do not fit into a certain size or look a certain way. This focus on physical appearance affects people’s self-confidence and potentially results in mental health and body image issues. It can also negatively affect physical health. Defined muscles, visible abs or thigh gaps are often not a sign of health. Bodies are not built to conform with our society’s toxic beauty standards. Our fitness and diet culture is toxic and negatively affects our everyday lives, our health, and our way of thinking. Celebrities promoting these dangerous ideals and behaviours certainly does not help. Health goals should never be about weight or about physical appearance. Health is not a trend; it is a commitment. An eating disorder is not a fashion statement, it is a disease. While mindful eating is important and regular exercise has positive effects on mental and physical health, there is a point where enough is enough and healthy behaviours can turn into unhealthy ones. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article please visit the NHS Eating Disorders page, or BEAT website.
09
Enough is Enough: Drink Spiking
Phoebe Snedker argues news about drink spiking becomes another way to blame victims Phoebe Snedker Comment Editor
Content Warning: This article discusses drink spiking Since the reopening of pubs, clubs, and the general return to ‘normality’ when it comes to nightlife, the already prominent issue of drink spiking cases has soared to new heights. I am sure we have all seen the posts circulating around Instagram at the moment - particularly ‘@ Upsettingpints’ ‘How to recognise a drink that’s been spiked’ slides - encouraging vigilance and the best ways for people to deal with suspected victims of spiking. What really bothers me, though, is that the majority of coverage on this issue is informing people how not to get spiked, rather than addressing the actual perpetrators themselves. Why should it be the general public's responsibility to not be drugged and on a night out? The general victim-blaming narrative surrounding drink spiking has become too normalised. Earlier this week, the University of Durham received backlash after an insensitive post suggested spiking is something students can ‘prevent happening to you and your friends’, in a since deleted tweet. This narrative bears similaritities to other predominantly femalebased issues, such as sexual harassment. For years, women particularly have followed the ‘rules’ - staying in groups, never getting a taxi home alone, keeping an eye on their drinks, the list goes on. If all that needed to change was behaviour and cautiousness - which is an infuriating suggestion anyway - spiking cases would cease to occur as frequently as they do. While it is great to see so many forms of innovative ‘protection’ against drink spiking being produced - such as scrunchies that double up as drink covers, or the anti-spike straw stoppers - this unfortunately is not a substantial way of putting an end to spiking. With it now being ‘more difficult’ to slip things into drinks, it seems date-rape injections are now the new route for spiking. This news is incredibly sinister and frightening to even contemplate - how far are people willing to go to make young people vulnerable and ‘easy targets’? Not only is the injection of date-rape drugs a horrific concept, it is also incredibly dangerous. With the origin of these needles being unclear, victims are being put at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, among other things. How can you possibly advise people to avoid being injected with something? An injected victim told The Mirror "When it hit me I had been spiked, I was so shocked
to realise this had happened to me as I take the safety measures given very seriously. I cover my glasses and I cover my bottles to make sure nothing goes in, but to realise I had been injected is terrifying." Women are actively taking all of the safety precautions advised, being alert on nights out, and doing everything ‘right’ by the book, but they still cannot guarantee their safety. This is not a reality we should grow to accept or normalise. These cases are not just limited to nightclubs and public spaces, either. The BBC has suggested that drink spiking incidents at house parties have become the "biggest concern" for lead police officers tackling the crime in England. If spiking was not sinister enough of a concept, the fact that victims cannot even guarantee their safety in their own homes, or in the homes of people familiar to them, feels incredibly unjust. How can we possibly expect people to have to take precautions in spaces that should be safe to them? What we should really be considering is how are these substances so easily available to the people spiking their victims? Why is there not more being done to crack down on the perpetrators? How much longer can we brush these cases off as people being ‘irresponsible’, and allowing victims to feel shame and responsibility for what has happened to them? It feels as if asking for basic safety precautions for women and young people when it comes to nightlife and club-culture is like playing a broken record. No matter how many times these cases of harassment arise, victims receive little more than insincere social media posts and lectures on how if they had tried ‘[blank]’, perhaps they would have been okay. Why should it be acceptable that so many people feel so much fear towards a night out? It is crucial that more is done to keep these acts of violence at bay. Bars and clubs should recognise their responsibility towards their customers and implement more efficient ways to guarantee their safety. It is evident that levels of security need to be improved significantly; thorough searches and pat downs at the very least should be implemented, as I struggle to believe people could sneak these injections into clubs successfully if they were being searched to an appropriate standard. Until actual, feasible steps are taken to guarantee the safety of young people, nightlife is simply not a safely accessible factor of society for all of us, and this is not a reality we can normalise or accept.
10
COMMENT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickcomment
Rural Poverty and the Effect of Isolation and Austerity Samantha Hicks discuses the hidden impact of poverty on rural communities Samantha Hicks Film Editor
The English countryside is very heavily romanticised - a view that has been magnified among younger generations with the emergence of ‘cottagecore’ style in popular media. It is also hugely stereotyped wealthy, upper-class conservatives living in an entirely separate world from their counterparts in the cities and suburbs. There is no denying that this stereotype rings true for many inhabitants of rural England. However, this stereotype has served to obscure the frankly shocking levels of rural poverty. From the need for food banks to generational and geographical isolation, rural poverty is an issue that not only deserves, but desperately needs, addressing in mainstream media and politics.
“Rural poverty is an issue that not only deserves, but desperately needs, addressing in mainstream media and politics” In September 2020, exPrime Minister David Cameron was photographed volunteering at a food bank in Chipping Norton, West Oxfordshire. This was met with a varied and surprising response online. Some were rightly pointing out that the Conservative government holds a level of responsibility for the increased need for food banks after Cameron’s policies of austerity, with this only worsening because of Covid19. Indeed, the Trussell Trust has reported that the supply of emergency food parcels has dramatically increased in the past decade, with a 47% increase from March to September 2020. The more puzzling response to Cameron’s volunteering, however, was the staggering amount of people questioning the necessity of a food bank in an ‘affluent’ countryside town. For me, this just emphasises the
general ignorance that surrounds rural poverty. From comments on Twitter joking that the Chipping Norton food bank gives out ‘truffles and champagne’, to others claiming that ‘not many’ would need the service in the area, it became increasingly clear that the issue of rural poverty is simply not considered by many, let alone taken seriously. I was also taken aback at how many individuals who claimed to oppose Cameron took this angle - rather than lamenting the requirement for food banks in 2020, they inadvertently contributed to the erasure of those in need in the countryside. As much as they joke, rural poverty is not a minor issue. In 2017, a study from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs reported that 17% of rural households live in relative poverty after housing costs, and 14% live in absolute poverty. Poverty in the countryside does not exist on the same scale as that in urban locations, but the difference between the two is much smaller than many expect. Of the 14% of households in rural England living in absolute poverty, the statistic for their urban counterpart is 19%. So why is rural poverty so under-reported? One of the reasons is the lack of official statistics vis-a-vis the health of individuals living in rural areas, particularly those who have difficulty accessing vital services. This is why it is so important to break down the stereotypes of the countryside’s inhabitants and be aware of the causes and effects of rural poverty. From geographical to generational isolation, rural poverty can be a very alienating experience. This is also what sets rural poverty apart from other forms - of course, no poverty at all should exist in this day and age, but the ways it manifests in different environments creates very different experiences for those liv-
ing in poverty. In terms of age, nearly a quarter of those in the countryside are over the age of 65, compared to 16% in urban areas. Geographically, the physical distance from vital services such as GPs, food banks (and supermarkets), and schools place families living in rural poverty at a disadvantage. Combine this with the already dire state of public transport systems in the countryside, and anyone without a car is going to struggle to access the help available to them. The striking part of this is the fact that better investment in rural public transport services could address many of these issues - instead, rural communities are seeing the opposite happen.
“Better investment in rural public transport services could address many of these issues” Public transport and access to travel is even more vital in areas where travel by foot is simply not an option. With the sheer distance between rural villages and towns, you would think that a robust and affordable public transport system would be in place as a matter of utmost importance, but as evidenced by a report from the Campaign for Better Transport, this is far from the case. Most worryingly, this poorly funded and continuously-cut transport network impacts some of the most vital services, most notably healthcare. Whilst practically no households in
urban areas live more than 4 kilometres away from a GP, one in every five rural households do. A report from Rural England in 2017 also found that access to vital meetings, such as those required for an individual to receive their Universal Credit payments on time, were also significantly impacted by poor public transport services. One interviewee reported having to make a '24 mile round walk’ to their meeting due to the lack of public transport availability no one should have to do this to access the services they cannot live without. Those without access to a car are often left feeling ‘trapped’, and it is clear that the services that are in place to help those in need are unnecessarily difficult to access. When there is one clear aspect of rural infrastructure that could be improved that would consequently make vital services more accessible, I am continuously astonished at the fact that these services are experiencing cuts rather than increased funding and widening of available services. The digital divide is also ever-present in rural spaces, which has been increasingly impactful in the age of Covid19 and remote school and work. In the digital age where internet access is paramount and often taken for granted, not having access to reliable internet connection is detrimental. An Ofcom report found that only 77% of rural premises could access speeds above 30mbps, compared to 95% nationally. Not only this, but the same report found that one in ten rural premises could not reach over 10mbps. The combination of internet costs and sub-par speeds means that educational inequalities have only been exacerbated for those in rural poverty during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rural schools already struggle to break the ‘povertyattainment link’, and when learning has relied on internet access, the youth living in rural poverty are being let down by the government even more. The sidelining of those
in rural poverty just means once again that those in the most need are left behind from a young age, with a worrying lack of resources and funding being allocated to address this. These factors are all a part of the everyday realities of those living in rural poverty, and it is shocking that instead of addressing these issues, misinformation and ignorance remains at the forefront of public discussions. We cannot expect the lives of those living in rural poverty to improve if any discussion about the matter is met with jokes about the ‘affluence’ of these areas, especially when this is simply not the case for so many rural households. The trend of condemning impoverished families who happen to live in Conservative-majority constituencies is also counter-productive - no one deserves to live in poverty, regardless of who they voted for.
“No one deserves to live in poverty, regardless of who they voted for” The straight-out-of-a postcard façade of the English countryside must not stand in the way of a true acknowledgement of rural poverty, and the possibility of legislation that could bring about meaningful change for all living in poverty, irrespective of geographical location. It is increasingly clear that the idyllic image and rich, upper-class stereotypes attributed to the countryside has caused rural poverty to be sidelined to the point where many do not even realise that it exists at all. The sidelining and erasure of rural poverty must be addressed in order to bring about greater support and funding to those in need: an increase in public services funding, improved infrastructure, and a society that actually shows empathy to those in rural poverty.
Nicholas Beel
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Breaking Up the Duopoly
Kit Parsons explores Andrew Yang's bold plan to save America Kit Parsons Comment Writer
The United States of America is broken. The political divide is seemingly intensifying as each and every day passes. The tension is palpable, and with the likelihood of Trump running again in 2024, looking for revenge, and the lack of solutions, it is unlikely that the temperature will decrease anytime soon. But this sense that the US is divided is not anything new. It is something that the establishment media constantly emphasise in a desperate attempt to drive an increase in their drastically diminished ratings (CNN’s viewership has dropped by 68%). The media constantly complain but do not actually do anything to try and solve the problem. When someone does something to try and solve this critical issue, they attack them. Andrew Yang, who ran for President in 2020, and then Mayor of NYC in 2021 has left the Democratic party after being a Democrat for over 25 years. He did this to become an independent candidate and start a new political party - called
the Forward Party - which intends to address some of the issues that the US is facing, and that are emboldened due to their dysfunctional duopoly. When 83% of Congresspeople are in safe seats, and their future is determined by a small number of primary voters, it means that the lives of all Americans are determined by the votes of a proportionately miniscule minority. This is not what a true democracy looks like. But what actually is the Forward Party? What do they stand for? Yang announced that the six ‘key principles’ of his new party will be; ‘Rankedchoice voting and open primaries’, ‘fact-based governance’, ‘human-centered capitalism’, ‘Effective and modern-day government’, ‘universal basic income’ and ‘grace and tolerance’. I know some of these principles do not initially seem important, like why does ‘ranked-choice voting and open primaries’ or ‘grace and tolerance’ really require a new political party? But when you get past the potential initial impression, you can see the desperate need for this new force in American politics. As I stated previously, the future of America
is decided by a small minority of people. Ranked-choice voting would give people the freedom to vote for who they actually want to vote for, and open primaries would allow more people to determine who represents them. This is crucial for a true and honest democracy. Grace and tolerance are crucial to calm the tense waters of the American political system. They are crucial and could well prevent a civil war. Tension can only rise so high. I have spoken before about the need for a universal basic income, so I am fully supportive of the Forward Party and its other key principles. Giving the American people more choice about who they want to vote for, and the opportunity to vote for a party that will try to address fundamental issues that the country faces, can only be a good thing. Despite the positives, after Yang is trying his best to address some of the issues the US is facing, he gets mocked by the media (I wonder why so few people actually try and bring about meaningful change). Now, this is a topic for another time, but I do think it is telling how scared the establishment media appear to be about the
thought of escaping the chains of the status quo. I also think it is telling how they resort to these tactics to defend it. I also think it highlights the critical need for ‘grace and tolerance’ and the Forward Party. By trying to dismiss the idea of the Forward Party, the establishment media have actually emboldened the need for it. I look forward to seeing how this bold experiment goes. Starting this party was a brave and bold move, one which I think Yang deserves credit for. He is using his political capital to try and help people. Most politicians nowadays only use it to help themselves. I hope more political figures take the leap and join the party too. Personally, I would like to see Marianne Williamson join as I think that she is a powerful force for good in American politics. She has also spoken about the need for a third party. To gain a further perspective, I asked Youtuber Tom, from Nerds for Humanity, what he thought about the Forward Party. Nerds for Humanity is a channel which focuses on ‘data, facts, politics, and policy discussions based on logic’, that currently has over 18 thousand
subscribers. As Tom has interviewed Yang, I thought his perspective would be interesting. Tom said he would ‘have preferred the focus to be on open primaries as opposed to a new party per se but am glad Andrew is challenging our thinking and putting in the work. We’re lucky to have him!’ It is encouraging to see that despite the media narratives, some Americans can see past it and acknowledge Yang is trying to bring about positive change. So to conclude, I am glad Yang took the leap of faith. It is refreshing to see someone have the strength of character to try and make a meaningful change to the political system in the US. The problems are apparent, but few other true, meaningful and potentially substantive paths forward have really been offered. Despite what many in the establishment media are saying, this is a fantastic development for the United States and for democracy. I cannot wait to see what Yang and the Forward Party can achieve for the people of the United States of America. Although tension is high, and the Forward Party is new, it makes the future of the US that bit brighter.
The Future of Consent
Molly Day argues the #MeToo movement fails to address issues of consent Molly Day Comment Writer
Content Warning: This article contains themes of sexual assault The ‘Me Too’ (or #MeToo) movement began in late 2017, as a powerful presentation of female solidarity. The movement originated in response to the allegations against director Harvey Weinstein, and eventually expanded to encompass all women who had experienced sexual misconduct in the workplace and beyond. Ultimately, those involved aimed to provide support to sexual assault survivors and create a sense of solidarity which could alleviate the isolation experienced by many of those impacted. By highlighting how many women were survivors of assault, founders of the movement hoped it would encourage more women to come forward and hold their abusers accountable. Alongside raising awareness the ‘Me Too’ movement brought into question the intricacies of consent by tackling high-profile cases of sexual assault. Those assaulted by socially and economically powerful men such as Weinstein raised the issue: when is a ‘yes’ really a ‘yes?’ The accusations of over 201 men in the following months made clear that consent was not only governed by a ‘yes’ or a
‘no’, but by the power of the person asking. The power dynamics between the majority of those accused and their victims rendered the previously black-and-white view of consent redundant. The conversation around consent, already causing public tension with many men in the press labelling the movement a ‘witch-hunt’, was further complicated by allegations published against actor Aziz Ansari. In a column on the (now defunct) online press ‘Babe.net,’ an anonymous source under the alias ‘Grace’ shared, what she called, an ‘unpleasant’ sexual encounter with Ansari. The comedian commented on the article stating: ‘We ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.’ Whether or not Ansari did engage in sexual misconduct has been a focal point in conversation surrounding the movement, especially in the years since its publication. Ansari’s case, appearing amongst the objective horrors of Weinstein, Louis CK and Brett Kavanagh, seemed to completely divide public opinion, even among avid supporters of ‘Me Too’. The main question was this: was Ansari’s continued pursuit of ‘Grace’ after she said ‘no’ sexual assault, or was it simply impolite? ‘Grace,’ in the now deleted article, did not describe any aggressive or violent behaviour
from Ansari, but instead claimed that ‘her verbal and non-verbal cues’ showed she was uncomfortable and wished to leave. When these were ignored, she was left feeling ‘violated.’ In a harrowing account, she claims that during their encounter she expressed a reluctance to have intercourse with Ansari, yet he continuously placed her hand on his crotch and gestured towards his penis. Despite the media debate which questioned the legitimacy of Grace’s claims of sexual assault, the story resonated with many women, and I think allows for a deeper exploration of sexual guidelines and boundaries. ‘Grace’ even confesses in the article: ‘I was debating if this was an awkward sexual experience or sexual assault.’ I would argue that this is a question asked by many women- where is the line between disrespect and violation? Although Ansari was not explicitly aggressive in his actions and never truly acknowledged them as non-consensual- I do believe his behaviour reveals a much deeper difference in how men are socialised to understand sexual interaction. I think the public reaction to this case undermines the fact that social cues and physical discomfort are as equally important as verbal consent. I believe women especially place value upon non-verbal communication because we are taught that any slip in social conduct: getting
too drunk, wearing a short skirt or being too friendly could place us in sexual danger. Arguably, women are socialised to accommodate and accept responsibility for this underlying danger from childhood. For example, strict dress codes implemented in schools to not ‘provoke’ unnecessary male attention (from teachers and students) place blame upon girls for any harassment they may face from an extremely young age. The ‘boys will boys’ sentiment that thrives in British primary and secondary schools works to create a culture of female hyper-vigilance and paranoia. Women do monitor every gesture because they are taught they have to. During a rape trial in Ireland, a member of the defence counsel, Elizabeth O’Connell, told jurors: ‘You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front.’ When women are either facing victimblaming on a judicial level or observing it, they are left with no other choice but to be watchful of all of their interactions, sexual and non-sexual. I would argue it is because women are given so much personal responsibility for their sexual experiences and safety, and men almost none, that a fundamental difference in communication is present during some heterosexual sexual encounters, complicating our own perceptions of consent. Ultimately, I believe the com-
plicated discourse surrounding consent points to an obvious conclusion: true, authentic consent is dynamic. Safe, mutually enjoyable intimacy relies on constant communication between both partners, and this does not refer to only spoken communication. Most importantly, consent for any sexual interaction, however small, can be retracted at any point during a sexual encounter and does not have to be justified. Because of this, I believe whether or not Ansari’s actions were truly assault or merely ‘bad manners’ is irrelevant. ‘Grace’ felt violated, therefore her claims are legitimate. Collectively, we have a responsibility to be active in our respect for each other and when this is absent the result is inevitably harmful whether it was intentional or not.
Michelle Ding
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Celebrating Black History Month Redbrick Editors come together to celebrate Black History month by placing a spotlight on heroes from their section Trevor McDonald Dan Hunt News Editor
Newsreaders on British television have always been synonymous with calmness, clarity, and competence. They are not simply a person in front of a camera reading from an autocue, but instead become the ‘face’ of the news. While a myriad of crises, scandals and disasters occur, newsreaders are the one constant: a reassuring face that tells you so subtly and wordlessly that ‘yes, the world is bad, but everything will be okay.’ Sir Trevor McDonald is a Trinidadian-British journalist best known for presenting the News at Ten and other news shows for ITN. He started his career working as a journalist in Trinidad, before moving to London and joining the BBC. He dedicated 35 years of his life to ITN, first working as a reporter, before presenting the network’s flagship programme from 1992. Since his retirement in 2008, McDonald has presented numerous documentaries covering topics including America’s death row, New York’s mafia, and the murder of James Bulger. McDonald’s prominence in broadcasting has been recognised with a National Television Award and BAFTA Fellowship, in addition to his knighthood for services to journalism in 1999. A staple of British TV since the 1970s, Sir Trevor’s iconic status as the face of news is matched only by his humility, humanity, and genuine passion for his craft.
Stuart Hall Emily Baldwin Comment Editor
It would be hard to acknowledge Black History Month at the University of Birmingham without highlighting the pioneering and influential work of Stuart Hall. Born in Jamaica, Hall moved to the UK and studied English at the University of Oxford, becoming a member of the Windrush Generation. In the UK, he became a prolific figure of left-wing political activism: joining the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, writing for the Universities and Left Review, and co-authoring papers, all while working various jobs as a supply teacher and lecturer. In the 1960s, Hall crossed paths with UoB, influencing the university and the world of cultural studies for decades to come. He was invited by Richard Hoggart to join the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies in 1964 as the first research fellow. Within just four years, he became acting director. Now based in Muirhead Tower, the centre developed the new discipline of Cultural Studies; engaging with interdisciplinary methods of theoretical, political and historical analysis in the face of neoliberalism. Years later, the branch of cultural studies built at UoB became known as the ‘Birmingham School’. His pioneering Marxist insights into youth subculture, class, moral panic, cultural differences and the historical memory have fundamentally influenced
the study of the humanities and social sciences to this day, and his legacy is one that all of us at the University of Birmingham should keep alive.
Bernadine Evaristo Leah Renz
Girl, Woman, Other sets the precedent for a society which endeavours to understand and include people from a much wider range of experiences and identities. It is this promotion of a kinder society which makes Bernadine Evaristo not just a good author, but a great one.
Arlo Parks
Culture Editor
Bernadine Evaristo was catapulted into the limelight when she became the first black woman to win the Booker Prize in 2019. Her winning novel, Girl, Woman, Other, is told in an unconventional form; long sentences flow into one another without punctuation so that the line between poetry and prose, and between the lives of her twelve core characters, becomes frayed and woven together. Evaristo herself calls it 'fusion fiction' to London Review of Books, in terms of both the stories fusing into one another and in terms of the form, which appears, in Evaristo’s own words, as 'poetic patterning on the page'. The significance of Evaristo as an author however goes further than a funky writing style. Girl, Woman, Other hinges upon telling the experiences of a diverse cast of characters – from a nonbinary lecturer to a 93-year-old farmer - and includes people from multiple sexualities and class backgrounds. Not only do her characters slip into each other’s lives, but the reader too is able to slip into the mind of someone who may be completely different from themselves.
Samantha Andrews Music Editor
Arlo Parks is one of the most exciting voices in British music at the moment. With the 2021 Mercury Prize, and nominations for the Best British Female Solo Artist, Best New Artist and Album of the Year at the Brit Awards under her belt, she is absolutely unstoppable. Her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams received critical acclaim, and with its warmth, it is not hard to see why.
“Parks offers a new generation’s voice to such a rich history” Drawing upon sonic influences from funk, hip-hop and jazz to rock, and even sprinkling spoken word poetry throughout, Collapsed in Sunbeams is a brilliant testament to Parks’ artistic versatility. In drawing from these musical genres with such strong black origins, Parks offers a new generation’s voice to such a rich history – a young bisexual woman finding her place in the modern world. Lyrically and poetically, she dives into mental health, queer desire and body image, making her music deeply personal but also deeply relevant. The vulnerable honesty in ‘Eugene’ and self-acceptance in ‘Green Eyes’ stand as testament to this. Parks has emerged as an artist with a message that we all need to hear: softness in the face of struggle and compassion both for the world and yourself.
Steve McQueen Emily Wallace Film Editor
Lancaster Litfest
Best known for directing the Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen is one of the most prominent directors in the modern
Chris Cheung
era. Born in London to a Trinidadian father and Grenadian mother, McQueen’s initial interest lay in art, first focusing on short films and visual art before moving towards directing feature-length films. Most recently, McQueen directed Small Axe, an anthology series consisting of five films, all centred around the lives of West Indian immigrants in London across the 1960s to the 1980s. All the films are inspired by real events, representing a mixture of publicised stories of the time like the Mangrove Nine, and more personal experiences from the lives of McQueen and the other writers involved. Steve McQueen’s dedication within the Small Axe anthology to representing communities that have not often been afforded the platform to share their own stories is one that feels particularly powerful. While the series had been in development for years, its release at the end of 2020 resonates further in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement, as it allows for a reflection on how Black people have historically been treated within the UK, and to what extent things have changed across the last few generations.
Michaela Coel Isobel Radakovic Food&Drink Editor
Content Warning: This section mentions sexual assault Black Britain is slowly beginning to be represented in British TV, with the likes of John Boyega, Letitia Wright and Daniel Kaluuya paving the way for representation. One that stands above the rest, however, is Michaela Coel, whose multitude of talents cements her p
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his signature style. He gave a face to modern Black British fashion, and his label is kept alive by his son and collaborator Charlie. Also an outspoken advocate, he said to i-D in 1994- ‘[w]hen we begin to allow Black people to be free of repressive conditioning, intolerance and self-imposed limitation, when the Black man and woman can act without fear of letting the Black race down, we will begin to see an end to institutional racism.’
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Steve Harlow
as an icon of TV. Raised in Tower Hamlets by Ghanaian parents, Michaela has continued to showcase her skills as a TV writer in her shows Chewing Gum and the recent I May Destroy You. A fictionalised account of her own sexual assault, Coel’s newest TV show portrays the trauma of being a victim and provides an introspective look at the previous times she has been wronged, and the process of coming to terms with it. Coel has made history as the first black woman to be a show’s writer, director, showrunner, and star. She refuses to let her values be compromised, rejecting a million-dollar Netflix deal because they refused to let her keep any of the copyright, according to CNBC. Michaela Coel continues to stun the TV world, and I am excited to see what she does next.
Jay-Ann Lopez Chelsie Henshaw Editor-in-Chief
Let me introduce you all to an inspirational powerhouse of a figure in the gaming industry: JayAnn Lopez. Lopez is the CEO and Founder of Black Girl Gamers, a platform she uses to not only provide a safe community for black women in gaming, but also to amplify the gamers’ voices. Lopez has partnered with organisations such as Facebook to create events raising awareness on the need for more inclusion in the gaming industry and has won several awards, including the Black In Tech Gaming Award for 2020. Consistently striving to create more visibility for black women, Lopez’s initiatives are not just tied in with the gaming industry. As a Co-Founder of the business Curlture (alongside Trina Nicole), Lopez encourages black women to embrace their natural hair. The business has been featured in Elle, Harrods and Vogue, just to name a few. You would think that this already is a substantial amount for one individual to achieve, but Lopez still does not stop there – she has also co-authored a book. The book KINK is a collection of poetry and photography meant to empower black women against discrimination. Lopez is a breath of fresh air in the gaming industry, which is seemingly dominated by white men and is aiding the fight to break down the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding black women.
Lorraine Pascale Sarah Cayless Food&Drink Editor
Lorraine Pascale, now in her forties, has been a presence on British television screens and bookcases for over a decade. Her easy charm and quality recipes quickly made her a popular member of the British culinary scene. However, Pascale’s path to cookery was an intriguing one. At 16 she began a nine-year-long modelling career, having been scouted by Beth Boldt. Upon quitting this industry, she embarked upon an eclectic mix of training courses. These included car mechanics and hypnotism, neither of which kindled any meaningful interest.
“Her vibrant yet practical recipes became an immediate source of comfort and inspiration” It was not until 2005 that Pascale discovered cooking as her vocation, having attended a Prue Leith food and wine course, according to Acorn Limited. This revelation sparked a career which has led to her selling almost a million cooking books in the U.K alone (HarperCollins); her vibrant yet practical recipes became an immediate source of comfort and inspiration. On screen, her charismatic smile has shone in shows in both the United Kingdom and the States. The warmth and excitement which emanates from Pascale as she describes food continues to encourage people to develop a love of home cooking. Additionally, she is the patron of the U.K’s largest fostering and adoption charity – TACT.
Jayonlife Helen Sun Travel Editor
Travel blogger Jayonlife, active on Instagram and other social media platforms, is a Black, disa-
bled traveller living in the UK. Having lived with polio for most of her life, she has travelled the world for ten years and lets nothing stop her from exploring as much as she can. Originally from Nigeria, Jay contracted polio at a very young age and had to learn to live with a permanent disability. She moved to the U.K. at the age of five and went on her first trip abroad to Germany when she was 18. Since then, she has studied abroad in the United States and journeyed to South America, Europe, China, and many other regions. As a solo traveller who ‘travels while crip’, as she calls it, she stresses the importance of venturing beyond your comfort zone-‘there’s so much magic waiting for you, just beyond the place you feel the safest' (JayOnLife.com). While acknowledging the work needed to promote inclusivity and diversity for travellers, she does not let these factors dilute her wanderlust. From saving up little by little for her travels to ziplining in Panama with a disability, Jay demonstrates that travelling can be for everybody if you are passionate about it.
Daniella Southin Print&Features Editor
Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist leading the fight against climate change through her instrumental work for ocean conservation. From being awarded fellowships by organisations such as the National Science Foundation, to winning the National Geographic Solution Search for engineering a trap that reduces bycatch in ocean fishing, Dr Johnson has an exceptionally decorated career.
“As a marine biologist, Dr Johnson is exceptional. As a climate fighter, she is instrumental. As a person, she is inspirational” She is also the co-founder of the Blue Halo Initiative, that led a successful ocean zoning effort in the Caribbean, ensuring the protection of one-third of Barbuda’s
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coastal waters, and co-producer of the Blue New Deal, which outlines how oceans can be protected through climate policies. However, Dr Johnson’s work to conserve our oceans doesn’t end there. Ocean Collective is another initiative founded by Dr Johnson, which is addressing issues stretching from plastic pollution to deteriorating coral reefs. As a marine biologist, Dr Johnson is exceptional. As a climate fighter, she is instrumental. As a person, she is inspirational.
Dina Asher-Smith Oscar Frost Sport Editor
Dina Asher-Smith exploded onto the scene as she brought Britain to a bronze medal in the 4x100 relay at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, and has been a key part of British athletics since. With national records in four events, as well as being the current world champion in the 200m, it is clear that Dina is the most successful black British sprinter of all time. In addition to these incredible results, she has shown unmatched drive and perseverance despite multiple injury setbacks. According to The Guardian, she recently managed to finish 0.04 seconds behind her personal best in the 100m in Zurich just months after failing to make the final at the Olympics this year. Aside from her record-breaking career, she is a hugely important figure in advocating for black agency in the media. In fact, she told the Evening Standard refused to appear in public to talk about racism and Black Lives Matter because she believed that she was only being invited on shows “for an argument.” She did, however, write a column in June 2020 reflecting on the Black Lives Matter protests. This article allowed her to take her influence into the public sphere on her own terms, only adding to her contribution to both British sport and culture.
Joe CaselyHayford Julia Lee Life&Style Editor
Born to an influential Black family, designer Joe Casely-Hayford OBE transformed the fashion world with his innovative twists on traditional tailoring that embody English heritage and British anarchy in equal measure. His works honour the unique textile production and design elements of his native Africa cut in Saville Row silhouettes. He also pioneered upcycling in luxury fashion, his first collection made using army surplus served to propel him into the industry. He subsequently brought his vision of fashion and art to exhibitions across the globe, many museums including the Victoria & Albert and Fashion Institute of Technology housing his designs in their permanent collections. He and the Japanese market took to each other handsomely. CaselyHayford created a number of exclusive collections for it, a notable collaboration combining Japanese dyeing techniques with
filip bossuyt
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Dylan Clarke Station Manager
Amidst the bustle of campus, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was the same as any other year for students and media societies alike. As Burn, Redbrick, Guild TV and The Linguist resume their regular output, you may well get that same impression. However, the return of these societies to normal service has shown the resilience and hard work of the students that engage with them, and has reignited the passion and excitement to be involved with student media. That is not to take away from the
work that was put in to make these societies function virtually last year. Burn FM members produced some incredible radio and podcast content from the comfort of bedrooms, sofas and kitchens. We adapted and made it not just work, but thrive. Burn’s collaboration with Infinity Stage company - our audio play ‘Public Toilet’ - recorded a number one on the Mixcloud student radio chart. Art History podcast ‘Moany Lisa’ was listed in Spotify’s Top 10 Next Wave of podcasts. We may have been practically limited, but the creativity of our members won out. Nevertheless, the freedom to be back in person and back in our studio has been a great collective weight off our shoulders. We kicked off the term with an excellent freshers’ week; we DJed both on campus and at the welcome fair, as well as hosting a live broadcast from the Give it A Go Fair. The most rewarding part for me personally, however, was meeting freshers at the societies fair. Upon being asked whether they were interested in student radio, several freshers responded with 'I didn’t know it was a thing – but I am now!' The fact that the opportunity to be involved in student media was so exciting to so many reaffirmed what makes broadcasting live and in person from our studio so great – it’s such a unique opportunity available to students, and has been bringing joy to UOB alumni for a quarter of a century. So, as Burn FM enters its 25th year, the excitement to be back on air after a years break could not be
greater. From Monday the 25th October, we will be broadcasting live every Monday to Friday, from 9AM to 10pm. We’ve commissioned a whole host of new shows, and we can’t wait for you to hear them. On top of that, we’re aiming to keep up
Redbrick x Writers' Bloc Writers' Bloc
Twatchman/Metmuseum
Breathe Like the loose threads escaping from my blanket, the days are unravelling again. Heaviness nestles back beneath my shoulders, holding me with familiar discomfort. In conversations my ears start chattering, watching letters unfolding from tongues. Yesterday I forgot my eyes amongst the clouds, swallowed whole by the fog, retrieving them from the sky, I reminded my mind to stay still. Like a statue impersonating a person, My thoughts, afraid of gifts, disregard the present. Maybe because my bones are cold and I am lonely, maybe because I have begun harmonising with the rain, maybe that is why this feeling has found me again. It is a greyish purple weight poisoning the air, my lungs gasp, I try – to talk – to walk towards the days, I think – I can – catch them.
Helen Rees Writers' Bloc
Fragments of dreams: You burn me -Sappho of Lesbos Dappled in rippled sunlight ... Give me your love So I may guard it In a locked world of summer forever ilk ... (?), your name is ... honey and torn wings of godhood I wish I loved you like I did myself. ... votive ... Idolator and imitator love, please Love me whole. ... Gilded in eternity Candle glitter and marble cracked Through with the weight of antiquity’s emulation. ... He’s here again Metamorphic being of rock face Mountain and star ... pollen crowned queen ...soft lips...dream Colour of every burning want Need driven beast of burden help me darling, help me please Void girl, darkness in light ... Desire fuelled kiss me.
Lottie Sowerby
Volunteer Tutors Needed
Writers' Bloc
young lad behind every man you know what lies? a scared little boy who was taught to despise his fragility, his ability to function like a fucking human being; and when i look around me you know what i’m seeing? these fucking lads who don’t understand that being sad doesn’t make u less of a man. so talk to ur boys. talk to each other. ‘cause i’ll tell u this: i can’t bury another brother. Eutyches/mETMuseum
Amy Larsen
the momentum with our newest element of Burn FM’s output, podcasting. Burn, and student media, is back; we look forward to narrating, broadcasting and DJing your student experience.
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Learning By Heart is an initiative with two principal goals: to provide children and adults in the UK with educational support, while helping to widen access to education for young people across the world. We provide online classes in a range of subjects, run by volunteer tutors. We need more volunteer tutors, in all subjects. Tutors do not need experience, they just need to be able to demonstrate their ability to tutor their subject (e.g. their degree or A-level qualifications) and their passion for helping young people achieve their potential. Tutors are trained in safeguarding and are fully DBS checked by us, for free. Tutoring with us is a perfect opportunity to help wider society, enhance your CV and can fit alongside your existing commitments (we expect 1-2 hours of volunteering a week). To apply, email: contact@learningbyheart.info or through our website https://www.learningbyheart. info/ Find us on instagram: @learning_ byheart
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Down 2. Current university of Adam Tickell, future UOB vice-chancellor (6) 3. Prime Minister when Redbrick/Guild News was first published (7) 6. MP for Selly Oak (6) 7. Anniversary celebrated by Burn FM this year (6-4) 10. Aneesa _______, our previous editorin-chief
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songs and films. All you have to do is tell us where these Halloween-themed lines come from. 8
‘Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary’ ‘I'd never given much thought to how I would die. But dying in the place of someone I love seems like a good way to go.’
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‘It's close to midnight / Something evil's lurking from the dark’ ‘You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.
Anagrams Can you unscramble the names of these Redbrick team members? (take a look at page 2 for a reminder)
1. HEEL NUNS 2. FLESHLY MONOCLED 3. EBAY WINDMILL 4. HEEHAWS LICHENS
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Usually this space is filled with the previous issue's answers, but we are guessing that after 18 months away you probably don't remember or care. For those of you who are returning, thank you for staying with us after a hard few years, and for those reading for the first time, thank you for joining us. Keep reading for a review of the McPlant, an exploration of misogyny in James Bond, and the story behind why penguins and bees are no longer friends. Get in touch with Redbrick Joe's Jumble by sending all answers, applications and queries to print@redbrick.me
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Food&Drink and Music Collab: Tasty Tunes Food&Drink and Music writers and editors come together to write about their favourite food and drink titled songs Sofia Salazar Studer: BTS - Butter If ‘Dynamite’ was the 2020 summer song, then ‘Butter’ is its 2021 equivalent. After coming out on May 21st, 2021, ‘Butter’ by BTS has racked up over 580 million views on YouTube and held the record number of streams on Spotify in a single day until Adele’s new single ‘Easy on Me’ released on October 15th. Even people who do not listen to KPOP or BTS have heard the song by now, and for good reason; it is so undeniably catchy – forget about not having it stuck in your head after even one listen. Since then, they have released a remix with Megan Thee Stallion; a remix which, although fun to listen to, will never come close to the original. Butter’s dance is fun and easy to learn (something I would recommend, if only for the serotonin) and one listen can lift my spirit like no other – it is a breath of summer air, even now as we slowly start our descent into the cold winter. Finally, I wanted to take a moment of silence for J-Hope, who had to eat way too much butter while keeping a straight (if not happy) face to film the music video’s end scene. Thank you for your service.
Chelsie Henshaw: Mika - Lollipop 'Lollipop' by Mika is definitely up there for me in terms of songs that are reminiscent of my childhood. Growing up we would listen to Life in Cartoon Motion non-stop on car journeys. Myself and my younger sister would choreograph dance routines to 'Lollipop' with an imaginary lollipop as a prop and later showcase them to family members. For me, the song is not just simply nostalgic, but is just generally a feel-good tune. The recurring theme of the lollipop perfectly encapsulates the child-like energy that emanates throughout the song. The lollipop is emblematic of the innocence we have as children, untainted by the world. This is why the song is such a great one to listen to when ‘love’, or life in general, ‘get[s] [you] down’ because it reminds you of a simpler, carefree period in life – especially for those in their 20s who grew up with the song. Overall, Lollipop is a catchy, upbeat song that I still seem to know all of the lyrics to – it is definitely one to dance to in the kitchen or add to a playlist for a long journey.
Samantha Andrews: The Maine - American Candy American Candy by The Maine is one of my favourite albums of all time, and so naturally I had to include the titular track ‘American Candy’ in this delectable list of songs. This was the album that saw The Maine leaning into a more pop filled pop-rock sound, and yet ‘American Candy’ despite its bright title is far from bubblegum-pop. The song acts as a metaphor for excess and addiction, and although sugar-sweet in name, has a paradoxically dark feeling to it. As the chorus loudly bursts open with drums and guitars, the vocal straining of
Samantha Hicks: Cocteau TwinsCherry-Coloured Funk
‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’ encapsulates everything that is great about dream pop: distorted guitar, drawling vocals, and an overall ethereal, other-worldly feel. Being a huge Cocteau Twins fan, it was only natural that their iconic track ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’ was one of the first food-related songs to come to my mind. For the three short minutes of its duration, you are transported to another planet (or even another universe altogether in true dream pop style) - yet it is one of those songs that you can listen to on repeat and never get bored. Living up to its title, ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’ is a sugary-sweet tune that manages to capture a sense of ennui and sadness that cannot quite be placed. Cocteau Twins are famous for their lyrics, or rather their lack thereof, and ‘CherryColoured Funk’ is no exception. There could well be mention of the fruit within the song, but Elizabeth Fraser’s use of glossolalia (the phenomenon of using what seems like a madeup language) leaves everything up to interpre tation. One would think that having almost no clue what words were being sung would hinder the enjoyment of the song, but this could not be further from the case. Fraser’s powerful vocals transcend any sort of language, so whether she is singing audible sentences is somewhat irrelevant to the captivated listener, the emotion is clearly conveyed regardless. Not only this, but the open-ended nature of the song arguably increases your enjoyment of the track - with no set lyrics, the song can mean anything to anyone, and discussions about people’s interpretations make for a rich and lasting impact on the individual. No two lyric websites give the same answer, and that is the beauty of it all. Poetic yet melancholic, ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’ is a fruit-infused masterpiece.
the lyrics ‘Even if you wanted to you couldn’t stop it’s just so sweet / But this American Candy, It’ll rot your teeth’ feels like desperation. The entire song is driven by an intense pounding drumbeat, and moments of vocal echoes throughout feel hauntingly inescapable. This idea of American Candy works brilliantly for its antithetical nature – on an album with such upbeat pop-rock songs, the track takes an unexpected turn. Sweetness turns to sickliness as John concludes the song: ‘I don’t fancy American Candy.’
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Lorcan Drury: Lana Del Rey Cherry Lana Del Rey is no stranger to referencing food and drink in her lyrics: from Pepsi Cola to cinnamon, she has a way of transforming any edible or drinkable substance into something exotic and erotic. ‘Cherry’, one of my favourite tracks from her fourth studio album Lust For Life, is no different. Del Rey is synonymous with cherries: she mentions them throughout her career in other tracks like ‘Carmen’ and ‘Black Beauty’. But why, out of all the fruit, does she refer to cherries so often? Cherries represent luxury and sweetness so they perfectly encapsulate her aesthetic. With the main lyric of the track being a list of opulent food and drink, 'My cherries and wine, rosemary and thyme / And all of my peaches are ruined’, Del Rey suggests that her lover is tainting everything beautiful in her life. In the first verse, she explores how their love gives her an adrenaline rush, however, in the second verse, she begins to question their relationship. Her lyricism is so visceral: 'it’s like smilin’ when the firin’ squad’s against you' suggests she’s reached heightened sense of euphoria, despite her luxuriance deteriorating. It is tragic and a classic Del Rey conundrum. The song’s production enhances the lyrics further. It is sensuous, macabre and thrilling, with her sultry vocals and trembling bass. The bridge is ethereal: the drastic change from the hypnotic and soft cooing to an explosive declaration of love. Overall, the track is an addictive and entrancing experience. ‘Cherry’ really is the cherry on top of Del Rey’s discography.
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Hannah Vernon: The Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches I re-encountered ‘Peaches’ perhaps three years ago, having been raised primarily on Nineties Rock and yet somehow omitting this particular song from memory. In hindsight, I am not altogether sure how. Upon first listening, it sounds like a parody. Considering that it is a full three minutes devoted almost entirely to describing the malleability of peaches, at times almost reverentially, it is not difficult to reach this conclusion. It is not precisely satire – hopefully no peaches were offended post-release – but is certainly amusing. The listener eventually overcomes the obstacle of its odd subject matter and the subjective value of the fruit itself, and finds it a pleasantly cheerful experience. Singing ‘millions of peaches’ after a catching instrumentalbreak always raises a smile.
Euphemistic connotations aside, this song certainly makes for an upbeat seasonal selection. Pumpkins might be all the rage, but perhaps we ought to give their furry orange counterparts a squeeze. Napping beneath a twisted peach tree admittedly sounds like a wholesome autumnal activity. This song may not be a lyrical masterpiece, but its premise is clear and somewhat comforting in its randomness. Peaches may not be my fruit of choice, but The Presidents of the United States of America have here succeeded in convincing me of the merits of this homely orange fruit. Justin Bieber ought to keep his ‘peaches down in Georgia’, for I am rather craving the ripened peaches I can apparently get myself for free!
Aimee Sargeant: Glass Animals - Tangerine Naturally when thinking about what to write for this collaboration, I was drawn towards Glass Animals. Their latest album Dreamland includes multiple songs that are related to food in some sense. However, 'Tangerine' is by far my favourite. Glass Animals create a bubbly, retro and fun track with 'Tangerine.' The electronic nature of this track really reinforces the retroness of Glass Animals, the computerised beat uplifts the song and becomes stuck in your head. It is the perfect track to listen to during summer, it sounds sundrenched - just like a tangerine. The lyrics some times sound like nonsense: 'As cold as an old
Georgia Brooks: Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes This is the song to listen to when you wake up on a rainy Sunday morning with a day of doing nothing ahead of you – it always takes me back to big weekend breakfasts at home. The Instagram poet Atticus’ quote: ‘I want to be with someone, who dreams of doing everything in life, and nothing, on a rainy Sunday afternoon’ perfectly encapsulates the energy
Chloë Hyde: Fickle Friends Sugar My first introduction to Fickle Friends was at Boardmasters Festival in 2017, just before the release of their latest EP at the time titled Glue. Along with ‘Sugar’, the EP included the tracks ‘Glue’ and ‘Vanilla’ (which then prompted lead singer Natti to remark that they would not be the most ideal ingredients for a cake). The sickly sweet, bouncy, and upbeat rhythm to ‘Sugar’ overrides the almost frustrated tone of the lyrics; two people, evidently not on the same page. The contrast of bitterness and sweetness in ‘Sugar’ speaks to both the ups and downs of relationships and the difficulty of trying to find the perfect balance in order for things to work. The stand-out musical element of this track is definitely the funky, exciting bass-line which runs throughout the entirety, helping to keep in tune with the 80s Synth-Pop vibe of Fickle Friends as a band. This song will always transport me back to my first festival, something which was also extremely fun and very far from sour.
ice cream sandwich/ As focused as Mr. Miyagi/ You poke at your phone postin' aerial photos/ Of you and your smoothie.' However, the lyrics have a deeper meaning. Frontman Dave Bayley explains that “[t]he song is about seeing someone get lost in the unimportant things in the world… to the point where they lose what made them unique and incredible.” The contrast that the lyrics have with the quirky and psychedelic-pop backing just shows that not everything is what it seems on the surface. Like a tangerine isn't what it seems on the outside until you peel the skin off. of this song. From Johnson’s 2005 album In Between Dreams, ‘Banana Pancakes’ is the epitome of his laid-back reggae-folk-rock style and in fact Johnson himself said it began as his way of distracting his wife when she got side-tracked by other things and he just wanted to hang out, evolving into a fully formed song through live performances. It’s a reminder to appreciate the small things in your life and slow down once in a while, which resonates especially at the moment with the chaotic return to normality after a year-long hiatus. So my advice is to grab those old bananas sitting on the side and turn them into the perfect relaxed weekend breakfast (just add flour, milk, egg and maybe some cinnamon to make the batter) with the soundtrack to match.
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Cara-Louise Scott: The 1975 - Chocolate If you like chocolate, you’ll love The 1975’s melt-in-you-ears single ‘Chocolate.’ This was one of the first songs they released on their selftitled debut album. The song navigates the tough years of growing up in a small town, and feeling like you’re never going to get out, something I’m sure we can all relate to before we came to university. While the song has a heavy use of euphemisms for anti-social items, the song holds deeper metaphors if you listen to the carefully repetitive lyrics. This song always takes me back to when I first listened to the track on a NOW CD in the car before I rediscovered them years later and became the fan I am today. This is the perfect song to listen to whilst you are driving around or on a train somewhere – the sweetness of the chocolate mentioned makes the song have a soft touch to it, especially with the way Matty articulates the word. I’d recommend listening to ‘Chocolate’ while eating your favourite chocolate and remember: you’ve made it out of that small town.
Twitter/@the1975
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Cocktail and Ballet Review: Romeo and Juliet’s ‘Last Sip’ Chloë Hyde and Sofia Salazar Studer collaborate to review ‘The Last Sip’ Cocktail and Romeo and Juliet at the Birmingham Royal Ballet Chloë Hyde
Food & Drink Editor
In collaboration with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s recent production of Romeo and Juliet, The Pineapple Club have created a limited-edition cocktail named ‘The Last Sip’, running from 1st16th October. We had the opportunity to try out this special cocktail before heading to the performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The Pineapple Club is located in Great Western Arcade, around the corner from Colmore Row, and only a fifteen-minute walk to the Hippodrome. Even though our visit was quite early on a Friday evening, we were excited to see that the restaurant had a lovely atmosphere which was perfect for our pre-show drink. ‘The Last Sip’ was crafted by the Bar Manager of The Pineapple Club, Klára Kopciková, and upon first glance, you can see why this drink has such a magical feel to it thanks to the small details. The tall and thin shape of the glass really replicates the fatal vial which is so famous in the play, and definitely enhances the drama of the drink. In addition, the blue
and purple hue of the drink itself is so wonderful to look at, as we found the colour changed appearance depending on the surrounding light. The blend of floral notes within the cocktail are intensified by the sprig of lavender which is clipped to the rim of the glass. I found that this amplified the lavender taste as I sipped, mingling the sensations of taste and smell. Alongside notes of lavender are violet, raspberry and topped with prosecco. As someone who rarely ventures into the realm of floral cocktails, I was surprised by the uniqueness of the flavour as I had never tried a drink like this before. The floral notes mix with the fruity raspberry to add a layer of sweetness, which is then cut through by the slight tang of the prosecco at the end.
“I was surprised by the uniqueness of the flavour”
The Pineapple Club have captured the dramatic essence of Romeo and Juliet through ‘The Last Sip’, helping you to become part of the action yourself. We had a lovely experience here, and regret that we did not have more time to sample some of the other handcrafted cocktails they had to offer. Thank you to the staff who came to ask us about what we thought of ‘The Last Sip’, I would highly recommend that you come and try this stunning cocktail for yourself before it is gone! After 14 months, the Birmingham Royal Ballet has Man Yee Lee finally been welcomed back at the
Sofia Salazar Studer Culture Editor
Birmingham Hippodrome – their home theatre – for a moving performance of the ballet Romeo and Juliet. The classic ballet, choreographed by Sir Kenneth Macmillan, seems to have been the perfect decision for their homecoming. As one of my – and one of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s brilliant Director, Carlos Acosta’s – favourite ballets, the powerful and dramatic performance was a sure way to my heart. As the live orchestra started playing the first few notes of Sergei Prokofiev’s legendary score, the screen lifted and I immediately felt in awe of what was in front of me. The impressive set is perhaps the most noticeable thing at the beginning of the performance. As the show went on, I counted 5 or 6 main decors, each more detailed and beautiful than the last, with some having add-ons to indicate a different setting. For example, the opening decor of grand stone-like pillars included broken up wooden crates on the ceiling, indicating an outdoor setting. Later on, this set was used for the outside of Juliet’s house, the only difference being the lighting. The smart use of decor completed the visual aspect of the ballet alongside the colourful and intricately made costumes. However, the most important part of the ballet was, of course, the dancers. Beatrice Parma as Juliet has an incredible command of herself and of the stage, and she has made a lasting impression on me. This is only more impres-
sive knowing this was her debut as Juliet. Her clean lines, gorgeous extensions, and strong technique gave her the space to concentrate on her acting – concentration which evidently paid off; her performance as Juliet was wonderful.
Bill Cooper
In the first act, the audience see her as a young girl falling in love for the first time. At the end of the ballet, her portrayal of the pain Juliet feels as her plan falls apart and the man she loves dies had audience members bringing out tissues. Clearly, this was an important role for Parma, as anyone could see the effort and care that was put into characterisation. Mathias Dingman played Romeo’s role perfectly, from the blissful smile when thinking of Juliet after seeing a wedding procession to his agonised scream at seeing his beloved dead. Gus
Payne as Mercutio brought us a flawless performance that certainly marked the audience, hearing the whistles and yells he received during the bows.
“The famous balcony scene captured the attention of all” Gabriel Anderson as Paris was faultless in his execution of his part. He partnered with Parma for a few pas-dedeux, and seeing he is much taller than her – and knowing how difficult it is to dance with someone much taller or shorter than you – I was impressed with their effortless performance. Sure, the corps de ballet could have been a little more together in some parts and there was some fumbling on stage, but overall the Birmingham Royal Ballet delivered an exquisite (and exquisitely tragic) performance. The famous balcony scene captured the attention of all and I would lie if I said I did not tear up. The echoes in the music from Act I, when this is nothing but an innocent love story, to Act III, when the ballet turns into the well-known tragedy, only enhances the heart-rending beauty of the dance. I was certainly not disappointed by the show, and even though I went in with high expectations, I was not let down. Carlos Acosta and the Birmingham Royal Ballet as a whole provided a wonderful performance, and I would recommend it to anyone.
Book Review: If Beale Street Could Talk Samantha Hicks reviews If Beale Street Could Talk, James Baldwin’s heartbreakingly beautiful and important short novel Samantha Hicks Film Editor
James Baldwin is undoubtedly one of the most important and influential authors of the twentieth century, whose life as an author and an activist has had, and continues to have, an unfathomable impact on the world - even over thirty years after his passing. If Beale Street Could Talk is, in my opinion, one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful books out there. Set in 1970s Harlem, If Beale Street Could Talk follows
the story of nineteen-year-old Tish as she recounts her life and relationship with her boyfriend Fonny, who has been falsely incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. It is a difficult read, but the topics covered and the incredible story that unfolds make it a vital read. At under 200 pages, Baldwin packs a truly powerful story into a relatively short number of pages. Baldwin has an unmistakable writing style, immersive and poetic, making Tish’s painful story even more hard-hitting. If Beale Street Could Talk is a love letter to the blues and a tribute to the
beauty of African American culture in New York, but also portrays the issues faced by these communities in striking detail.
“A love letter to the blues and a tribute to the beauty of African American culture” The combination of these elements makes it such an
important read, especially for Black History Month. Baldwin importantly highlights the corruption of the police force in America, and the interconnected inescapability of the prison system, portraying the horrific impact this has to this day on African American populations. A vulnerable insight into systemic racism and African American culture, If Beale Street Could Talk is one of the most beautiful yet painful reads, but it is a book that I would always recommend to absolutely anyone, alongside the rest of Baldwin’s repertoire.
Allan Warren
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Friday 29th October 2021
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My first time... At the Opera
Ella Kipling finds her expectations overturned, praising the modernisation of Madam Butterfly through costumes and set design Ella Kipling Social Secretary
When the curtain rolled up at the Birmingham Hippodrome and I was met with a modern white set and the performers wearing futuristic PVC heeled boots, I was certain I had come to see the wrong show. I had always assumed that operas were filled with old fashioned costumes, grandiose set designs, and lots of wigs. After seeing Madame Butterfly, I realised that I could not have been more wrong. While I was right about some aspects (that however beautiful, the singing does begin to get on your nerves slightly towards the end), Madame Butterfly gracefully brought opera into the modernday and completely changed how I view the genre. The set was incredible: a shiny
white box designed to look like a helped by the costumes. At first, house that turned on the spot to the costumes were timeless and provide the audience with simple, consisting of plain different angles of the suits and white dressstage. Whilst this es, before becomwas a simple set, ing more contemit was designed porary in the cleverly to second act- a enable multichange I felt ple different was symbolsettings ic of the depending amount of on which t i m e side of the Butterfly box was fachad to wait ing the audifor her husence at any band to given time. return. Madame Another Butterfly was first thing I was not Richard Hubert performed in 1904 expecting was the but the Welsh National use of subtitles above Opera managed to make the the stage, something I found story relevant and poignant in a myself very grateful for as the more modern setting, which was opera progressed. While the actors
“Although opera may not be my cup of tea, I was still able to appreciate the incredible talent of the performers” Although opera may not be my cup of tea, I was still able to appreciate the incredible talent of the performers, who were able to memorise over two hours of lyrics in another language, whilst also moving around the stage, acting, and hitting every note perfectly.
Weronika Bialek takes us through three books she could not finish, from Lisa Taddeo’s Animal to Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan Weronika Bialek I would describe myself as a mood reader, and there is nothing that ruins my mood more than when a book that I have high hopes for ends up being so tiresome to read that I need to put it away and hope to move on from it quickly enough to not fall into a reading slump. The following books have brought me this exact displeasure. I was excited to read Animal because it was described as a dark tale of female rage with a morally questionable main character; however, I was disappointed to find that the Amazon UK narrator was not only unlikable, but also uninteresting, and I struggled to get through more than 50 pages.
“I was disappointed to find that the narrator was not only unlikable, but also uninteresting”
The book was made even more tedious by the descriptions and metaphors which seemed to make up 90% of the text. Not only was the amount of metaphorical language overwhelming, especially when it was describing objects which I really did not need help imagining, but it was also confusing. Taddeo tried to make her descriptions of the surroundings and the narrator’s feelings unique and eerie, but I found that most of the time her metaphors simply did not make any sense. Sometimes, I even had to re-read a sentence five times and say it aloud to really imagine what the author was trying to convey, but I could never come up with any feasible way of attaching the picture in my head to the thing being described. I pre-ordered The Beautiful because it was described as a gothic vampire romance novel set in 1800s New Orleans and, h a v i n g watched The Amazon UK Originals a couple of years prior, I was very excited to read it. I got about halfway through the book when I realised that none
of the main characters were vampires or were going to become vampires anytime soon. The romance was also incredibly lacklustre and underdeveloped.
“I got about halfway through the book when I realised that none of the main characters were vampires” The murder mystery aspect of the novel was also basic and not particularly involving. The way in which the main character, Celine, put the clues together seemed like a way to move the story forward rather than creating actual puzzles which the reader could ponder themselves. This was because Celine would randomly associate unassuming clues with very niche information that no one would realistically think of in her place.
“The author evidently did little research” The only thing I enjoyed in this book was the description of the smell of the food, and this was certainly not enough to keep me hooked for 450 pages and the two books that follow.
Recent Reads Sofia
were brilliant at conveying emotion through their voices and movements, I felt as though without following the subtitles, I would have absolutely missed certain intricacies of the plot.
Books You Ghosted: Weronika Bialek’s Graveyard of Unfinished Reads Culture Writer
Editors’ Picks:
Wicked Saints begins with a girl named Nadya who is the embodiment of ‘the chosen one’ trope. The reader is introduced to a handful of Amazon UK characters in the first two chapters and a couple of pages later, the monastery where Nadya is residing is attacked because the ‘bad guys’ found her. Everyone flees from the monastery, many people die, and the main character becomes incredibly soppy because everyone sacrificed themselves so she could live. The problem with this is that we are only 10 pages into the book and no emotional connection has been formed with any of the characters, so it is hard to believe Nadya when she talks about how close these people were to her... because they were only there for two sentences. The book also felt clunky to read because the setting and characters were inspired by Slavic countries, but the author evidently did little research. Even for someone who, like me, understands both Polish and Russian, the names of characters and places were unintelligible.
Amazon UK
She Who Became The Sun The-Song-of-Achilleslevel sad queer retelling of Mulan
Amazon UK
Me, My Dad, and The End of the Rainbow Funny, queer, and adorable middle-grade book!
Leah
Amazon UK
The White Tiger Simultaneously funny amd devastating
Amazon UK
Atomic Habits Perfect for selfimprovement junkies
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@redbrickmusic
Single Review: Adele - Easy on Me Emma Gardner Music Critic
Adele’s recent Vogue cover boasts ‘a new look, a new love, a new sound.’ Undoubtedly, this is a new chapter in the singer’s life, and the subject matter of her upcoming album is ‘divorce babe, divorce.’ This demonstrates to the listener that Adele is back with something rousing and original up her sleeve. Rousing is certainly the best way to describe her latest single, ‘Easy on Me.’ The much-anticipated return of Adele has already culminated in a record-breaking single, which has already become the most streamed song in one single day. It is a raw, realistic, and poignant ballad that reflects Adele’s
maturity as both a songwriter, but also as a woman speaking from the heart, and from experience. She has bravely presented a subject matter of divorce, that is perhaps still somewhat taboo in today’s society. It is easy to say that Adele churns out the same clichéd subjects for her music, whether this be heartbreak or sentimental love songs. However, this song certainly presents a courageous take on a new side of a relationship that is seldom explored in mainstream pop music. Adele’s innate ability to induce goosebumps in the listener is evident as soon as she opens with the line ‘There ain’t no gold, in this river’ there is something comforting about her familiar warble, like meeting an old friend that you have not seen for years.
“there is something comforting about her familiar warble, like meeting an old friend that you have not seen for years” Adele’s sophisticated lyrics are best demonstrated in the line ‘I changed who I was to put you both first, but now I give up.’ This line is certainly the most heartwrenching and thought-provoking in the song, juxtaposed by ‘There ain’t no room for things to change// When we are both so deeply stuck
in our ways.’ The melody itself is a familiar piano ballad, which in my view is the perfect backdrop to accommodate Adele’s soaring vocals and honest lyrics. Perhaps the music itself is quintessentially Adele and somewhat predictable. However, this is what makes it so popular. Adele proves once again that her stripped down piano ballads never fail to touch the listener. Her latest single is a triumph: sentimental, bold but also a strong and sophisticated lyrical endeavour. Facebook: @Adele
Live Review: Becky Hill Tamzin Meyer Digital Editor
Becky Hill took to the stage at the O2 Academy Birmingham (16th October) bringing electric energy that all fans bounced off of with glee. The chart-topping star created an atmosphere that was unmatchable, performing a mixture of club hits and slower, emotional tunes. The gig was especially significant as she noted that her family and friends were all watching her perform in the audience, often paying touching tributes to them throughout the night. Taking it back to the hour before Hill blessed us with her presence, local support act Richard Fairlie certainly gained new supporters instantly through his likeable personality and soothing tone. He immediately made an entrance wearing an Aston Villa shirt and continued to make an impression with the beautiful ‘Fonda on the Roof’ and ‘THE REASON I’M BREATHING’ before entering the crowd to take selfies with fans - a lovely added touch demonstrating how much he values the crowd’s support. After a seemingly very long forty-five minute wait, Becky Hill started her set. She started the show with ‘Heaven on My Mind’ which immediately made the crowd go wild and get ready to party. This was followed by a series of upbeat hits that included ‘Afterglow’ (a personal favourite of mine), ‘False Alarm’ and ‘I Could Get Used to This.’ These being a wise selection of opening tracks to provide a glimpse of the energy that was going to come at the end of the show.
“her relatability and loveable character helped make fans feel appreciated” Taking the tempo down a
notch, Hill was overcome with emotion and highlighted a beautiful side of vulnerability as she dedicated ‘Distance’ to her family after the loss of her grandparents. She then turned to her guitar for a beautiful and personal rendition of ‘Perfect People.’ The audience connected with Hill as she spoke directly to the crowd; her relatability and loveable character helped make fans feel appreciated. Of course, as Hill is renowned for her pop hits, the rave-like atmosphere was not gone for long. With Hill saving an encore for future ‘arena’ shows, fans were able to be fully immersed in the music that just kept getting better. The last seven or so songs were incredible; everyone was having the time of their lives singing and dancing to some of the star’s biggest hits that included ‘My Heart Goes (La Di La),’ ‘Better Off Without You’ and ‘Wish You Well.’ As she took to the microphone to sing one last song, ‘Remember,’ she could leave the stage knowing that she had done everything she needed to, to
Facebook: @Beckyhillofficial
ensure that fans left the doors of the O2 Academy feeling nothing but elated.
Chelsie Henshaw Editor-In-Chief
On Saturday 16th October, I had the amazing opportunity of seeing Becky Hill live at the O2 Academy in Birmingham. For those who know little about the singer, she reached the semi-finals on the debut series of the Voice UK in 2012. After gaining more popularity in recent years, Becky released her first studio album Only Honest on the Weekend earlier this year. At 8:10pm, Becky appeared on stage wearing a lilac ensemble consisting of a leather crop top with puffy sleeves and a matching pair of trousers. Becky launched straight into her hit ‘Heaven on My Mind,’ followed swiftly by ‘Afterglow.’ These two songs ramped up the energy in the audience, as everyone (including myself) half-shouted, half-sang
the lyrics. They were the perfect combination to start off Becky’s set with a bang. In the middle of her set, Becky switched to a couple of slower, emotion-filled songs, one of which was inspired by the difficulty of lockdown and the physical barriers posed by it for couples. This song is aptly named ‘Distance’ and is one that I am sure many in the crowd could relate to. For the song ‘Perfect People,’ Becky went back to her roots and played the guitar herself whilst she sang, rendering the performance more down-to-earth and personal. The slow section of her set was followed by two classic club songs, including the famous ‘Overdrive,’ during which Becky requested the audience put down their phones and just be present in the moment. I have to admit I was guilty of spending a lot of time on my phone during the beginning of the concert, trying desperately to record videos for the ‘memories.’ Yet during those two songs, the energy in the room changed as the majority of people threw themselves into the two songs, not worrying about capturing the moment for Instagram. For her last song, Becky chose to sing ‘Remember,’ one of her most recent chart toppers whose refrain will certainly get stuck in your head once you listen to it. Before I end my review, I have to mention Becky’s interactivity with the crowd, mostly via her storytelling. The singer also took the time to introduce all of the members of her band and even sang an energy-filled duet, ‘Business,’ with her backing singer who has a phenomenal voice. Becky told the story of how she bought her first guitar at the age of 10 from Stourport – this was a really interesting fact to me as my stepdad currently resides in Stourport and my mother spent a significant amount of time there during her childhood. Overall, I had an incredible evening, and it is one that I imagine will be unforgettable.
Editors’ Songs of October: The Music Editors recap their top pick for Song of the Month:
Sammy Andrews: Wet Leg - Chaise Longue Lorcan Drury: Lana Del Rey - Thunder Ellie Harris: Lil Nas X - That’s What I Want Aimee Sargeant: Surjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine - Back To Oz
Upcoming Events: Editors’ Pick: Rina Sawayama, O2 Institute, 15th November Rina
Sawayama
brings
her
‘Sawayama’ tour to Birmingham this November. The rising popstar is guaranteed to put on a show. Best of the Rest: Holly Humberstone, O2 Institute, 3rd November DMA’s,
O2
Academy,
8th
November Glass Animals, O2 Academy, 10th November Frank
Carter
and
the
Rattlesnakes, O2 Academy, 19th November
MUSIC
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickmusic
Redbrick Meets: Marillion Riley Wells
Music Critic
‘Hello, is that Mr Steve Hogarth?’ ‘What’s left of him.’ Marillion frontman Steve ‘H’ Hogarth is a natural storyteller, a trait which has most likely been a blessing in his long and tremendously successful career since joining the band in 1989. After 19 studio albums, Marillion have built up a cult following who are ‘nuts’ but love to be involved with the production process. In 1997, when the band were unable to tour the U.S. due to lack of funds, fans raised more than $60,000 through an online noticeboard; this is widely regarded as the world’s first instance of online crowdfunding. Whilst the band have used this method throughout the twentyfirst century to fund album production, they have now taken a slightly different route by asking fans to ‘insure’ their upcoming tour, ‘The Light at the End of the Tunnel’. Due to COVID-19, ‘nobody is prepared to insure’ artists on tour who may have to
cancel due to a positive test result, and so fans are pledging money to help Marillion cover the costs of crew, lighting, tour buses and other expenses which would normally be covered by concert revenue. If the tour runs smoothly, the fans will receive refunds, but if not, the money will be used to help lessen the unavoidable losses of a cancelled tour.
“Marillion fans are intent on helping their beloved band as much as possible” Regardless of whether the money is used for the tour or not, those who pledge will receive rewards such as a fan’s name in the tour programme, a free download of a concert or even a personal Zoom meeting with the band. Everyone who pledges will also receive a raffle ticket in which they can win a full set of guitar picks, handwritten lyrics of their choice and shoutouts at concerts. As always, Marillion fans are
intent on helping their beloved band as much as possible. In fact, during the production of 2007’s Somewhere Else, the band did not organise a pre-order funding scheme because ‘[they] didn’t need the money’ - but this caused fans to be upset because they felt isolated from the band and the album production process, which is normally very interactive. ‘It’s not just about money, it’s about being involved,’ said Hogarth. Of course, touring during a pandemic is bound to be extremely difficult. The band will be living, in Hogarth’s words, like ‘a bunch of nuns’ in their hotel rooms, because they are taking every possible precaution to avoid cancelling the tour. They will not be seeing friends and family for the duration of tour, are using different tour buses to crew and, on their days off, will be mostly staying inside, although they ‘might go for a walk.’ It sounds incredibly odd to organise a U.K. tour and not see any of the cities included in said tour, but it is a necessary evil that must be overcome in order to return to some sense of normality. In the spirit of COVID-19, the band’s infamous
Marillion Weekend, their annual convention, was renamed as the Couch Convention for 2021. Hogarth described the convention, thought up by manager Lucy Jordache, as a ‘big online party’ to ‘bring everyone closer together.’ The frontman laughed heartily as he recalled ‘one woman who even erected a barrier in front of her television so she could feel like it was the front row.’ While the band are hoping to return to in-person conventions as soon as possible, the Couch Convention was a huge success. The best part was ‘feel-
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ing like it was live, even though I was at home,’ according to Hogarth, ‘[it was] great fun, everybody got into it.’ Marillion’s 19th studio album, An Hour Before It’s Dark, has finished production and will be released in early 2022. Everyone is incredibly proud of it, particularly Hogarth, who believes ‘it’s one of the best we’ve ever done.’ ‘The Light at the End of the Tunnel’ U.K. tour begins on November 14 in Hull and ends with two shows in London on November 26 and 27.
Facebook: @IceCreamGenius
Essential Album: Kendrick Lamar DAMN Aimee Sargeant Music Editor
April 2021 marks four years since DAMN was released. Yet, it still only feels like yesterday. I still recommend this album to my friends and family. If you have ever heard of Kendrick Lamar, then you have probably heard of his fourth album DAMN. Lamar is an icon within the hip-hop industry, taking it to another level with
previous albums. The rapper combines the timeless version of rap with the modern. It received critical acclaim when it was released in 2017, and has been ranked 175th on Rolling Stone’s updated list of the ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time.’ Placed exactly 19 places above Michael Jackson’s iconic album, Bad. A feat for an album that is relatively new. This is an album which sounds aggressive at one point, and then is calming at
another. To add to the achievements of Lamar, DAMN won a Pulitzer Prize for Music, this was a first for a rap album.
“The rapper combines the timeless version of rap with the modern”
But I can understand why it won, it has an iconic state within the music industry for pushing boundaries. The album uses elements of trap, R&B, and pop making it loud and abrasive. The first single from this album ‘HUMBLE,’ which gained Lamar his first number one on the Billboard 100, is definitely more than a ‘humble’ track - the seemingly plain and repetitive nature of the beat is a masterpiece. The textural depth that Lamar creates
allows his lyrics to sit centre stage. It is still one of Lamar’s most popular singles today. DAMN also released notable tracks such as: ‘LOYALTY’ and ‘LOVE’. It is no surprise that Lamar is so popular, he is able to articulate lyrics in a way no other artist can, as well as creating emotionally rich songs for instance ‘FEAR’. DAMN really created a timeless album that is next-level and could never be recreated by any artist, other than Kendrick himself.
Single Review: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - High and Lonesome James West Music Critic
Robert Plant and Allison Krauss seem like an unlikely duo. Plant, once the lead singer of the rock group Led Zeppelin is one of the most famous rock singers of all time, and has enjoyed a highly successful career since 1982. Meanwhile Krauss is one of the most famous Bluegrass singers who was at one point the female artist who had won the most Grammy Awards, both as a solo artist and from her work with her backing group Union Station. Back in 2007 Plant and Krauss released a collaborative album called Raising Sand to critical and commercial acclaim, with the album winning six Grammy Awards. 14 years later they are
preparing to release their long bass line all the way through it. awaited second album, Raise the This beat keeps you listening Roof. This week they have attentively throughout the song, released their second single from although the powerhouse of the the album, ‘High and Lonesome,’ song is in Plant’s vocals. He Method Records the only original track from the sounds emotional and expressive album, written by Plant and pro- repeating the lines ‘I must find my ducer T Bone Burnett. love’ or ‘Will she still be mine?’ building tension in the song with every verse. The choruses in the song are beautiful, Plant is joined by Krauss on backing vocals which adds a richer sound to the music and helps to emphasise the lyrics.
Facebook: @robertplant
‘High and Lonesome’ is underpinned by a steady drum beat and
“The powerhouse of the song is in Plant’s vocals”
Musically there is sparse guitar work all through the song and some great mellotron work in the chorus which makes the song feel more uplifting. After Plant stops singing we get an extended instrumental section which fades out at the end of the song. This section starts off being quite loud with the drums and bass, not too unlike Plant’s solo work, however once the mellotron kicks in the song begins to quieten. This means that over time we get a gradual fade out and a nice dichotomy between the harsh drum sounds and the softer mellotron sounds. This creates a slightly uneven mood to the music, which coupled with the quieter verses and louder choruses, helps keep the listener hooked and gives the sense that they are going on a musical journey as they listen to the song. This
complements Plant’s lyrics very well, as Plant references many different locations in the song, including ‘up on the flood’ and ‘high on the mountain.’ To conclude, I will give this song four stars as it is a great original Plant / Krauss tune which fits in well with the work they have done so far, and definitely makes me excited for the upcoming album. My only qualm with this song is that I would have liked to have heard more of Krauss’s voice in the mix, as it’s a bit quiet and I think the song would have benefited from more of her singing.
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FILM
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickfilm
Actor Rundown: Audrey Hepburn Sammy Andrews runs through four essential Hepburn films Sammy Andrews Music Editor
Audrey Hepburn is a timeless actress. Her films continue to captivate me, and as I delve into and discover more of them, I find myself becoming more and more charmed by each one. Audrey is known widely for her style and elegance, which is certainly a large part of her performance, but I also feel like this does not quite capture her entire scope. Her films display her wit and a physical acting ability that stems from years of ballet training. While there are countless films that I could talk about here from period pieces My Fair Lady and War and Peace, to thriller Charade, I am going to take a look at the four key films that I believe are essential for looking at Audrey Hepburn. Roman Holiday (1953) Audrey Hepburn’s first starring role was as Princess Ann in William Wyler’s Roman Holiday. This is easily one of my favourite films of all time, and it was the first of Audrey Hepburn’s films that I watched. The delightful story of a princess who runs away from her duties and ends up spending a romantic day with a journalist (Gregory Peck) is
easily one of Audrey’s most charming performances. Although Peck was Paramount’s star for the film, Hepburn completely steals the show.
“One of Audrey's most charming performances” The role of fanciful princess plays into her elegant and gracious nature, it is hard to believe her eloquent British accent did not play into the regal casting. But we see Ann truly letting loose and having fun as she cruises chaotically through Rome on a scooter. My favourite scene is when Ann picks up a guitar and smashes it over someone’s head. Audrey Hepburn does not take herself too seriously, and this is what makes her films so much fun to watch. The film concludes with a longing and bitter-sweet parting between the two lovers that Hepburn handles with such a delicacy. Her final smile is by no means overstated, but incredibly powerful. As her first starring role, Hepburn put herself on the map, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress and going on to sign a seven-year contract with
Paramount - it is easy to see why. Sabrina (1954) The first of Audrey’s films under her contract with Paramount, Sabrina is just as much whimsical as it is fun. Billy Wilder’s romantic-comedy tells the story of Sabrina, the chauffer’s daughter, who, after a trip to Paris for culinary school, has the two leading men competing for her affection. Acting alongside screen giants like Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, Audrey absolutely shines. The stellar moment of this film is Audrey’s big white dress as she saunters across the tennis court to drink champagne with Bogart. Her grace and style are on full display in Sabrina, and this is the perfect example of the kind of elegance that is always associated with Audrey Hepburn. Funny Face (1957) This is another personal favourite film of mine and is easily one of my favourite musicals. If Sabrina saw Audrey’s elegance on full display, then Stanley Donen’s Funny Face completely plays with that conception of Audrey’s personality. Hepburn plays Jo, the beatnik bookstore clerk who is discovered by, and then falls in love with fashion
photographer Dick (played by Fred Astaire). I absolutely love a big dress and a romantic dance (both of which Funny Face will offer you) but there is something so charming about the subtlety of Audrey’s humour in this film; it is often overlooked yet central to her performance. Audrey very wittily plays up to the fictionalised philosophy of ‘empathicalism’ that Jo pursues on her trip to Paris. The whole idea of Funny Face is that a bookish girl like Jo is unexpected as a fashion model – she is quite literally a funny face in that world. Yet with the ideas of beauty that surround Hepburn as a cultural figure, this is rendered quite absurd in a way that suits the light-hearted musical comedy brilliantly. Dressed in black cigarette trousers and a black turtleneck, Hepburn appears the pinnacle of cool, and yet her interpretive dance through the underground Parisian club physically appears unconventional and unexpected. I absolutely love the humour and the fun that is held in Funny Face and I think that it will always be a favourite of mine because of this.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The image of Audrey in her sleek black dress, pearl necklace and with her hair pinned back has taken on a massively iconic status beyond the film itself. Yet, the writer of the novella, Truman Capote, did not want Hepburn and instead hoped for Marilyn Monroe. Holly is the archetypal manic pixie dream girl, an extravagant New Yorker with a taste for glamour and money. But I think that Audrey plays this with a balance of sass and charisma that works quite perfectly. Her style and her elegance certainly play into her brilliance within this film, but her wit enables her to elevate the character of Holly Golightly into icon status. These are just four of the wonderful films in Audrey Hepburn’s back catalogue, and I would wholly recommend starting with these. Each gives a perspective on the style, charisma, unexpected wit and ultimate charm of Audrey. Her films are the ultimate comfort films for me, and I will continue to re-watch time and time again, falling more in love with everything that I see.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) Finally, we come to probably Audrey’s most known role – Holly Golightly in Blake Edwards’
Marvel's Representation Problem Ffion Hâf discusses Marvel's lack of diverse leading superheroes Ffion Hâf
Comment Editor
Superhero films will always be a firm favourite in most households. However, what we truly love about them is their ability to bring strength and hope to viewers, almost every time you can rest assured that the hero will save the day. They are meant to inspire audiences, representing a figure that we can strive to be like. What child doesn’t want to look at their favourite hero and think ‘I want to be like that person one day’? However, this presents a flaw within Hollywood, specifically found within Marvel films: the lack of diversity. Filmmakers should be striving to present every individual with a hero that they can see themselves in because if not, that raises the question of
Facebook: @OfficialShangChi
who is worthy enough to be represented when the obvious answer is everyone. No matter your gender, sex, race, or ethnicity, you deserve a superhero film to attach yourself to. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the 25th feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however it marks a historic franchise first: it is the only Marvel film with an Asian lead, and with a predominantly Asian director (Destin Daniel Cretton), writer (Dave Callaham), and cast. Simu Liu is a perfect fit for the role and has taken the responsibility with stride, he mentions on Instagram how 'this film will change the world. [...] Pride where there was shame. Compassion where there was ignorance.' His message encapsulates just how important it is for the Asian community to be represented by such a worthy hero. It is a milestone that has been long overdue, arriving during an shocking period of a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. However, it gives Asian people the positive representation that they deserve, and Shang-Chi contributes to the process of reclaiming their voices. Representation can never be a negative thing, and one of the most important aspects of ShangChi is that many children will see themselves for the first time in a Marvel hero. Furthermore, the representation of Chinese heritage highlights the beauty within cultures that are often forgotten about
or overlooked. For instance, the mesmerising qualities of the martial arts used within combat scenes, giving audiences fight scenes like no other Marvel film. However, a scene that stood out to me was the fight between Wenwu and Shang-Chi's mother Ying Li. Not only was the scenery beautiful, but the mix of combat, natural elements and pure chemistry between the actors was utterly magnificent. Shang-Chi was a breath of fresh air in comparison to the most recent Marvel films, it is honestly like no other and that is down to the talent of the actors and the team behind the scenes.
“Shang-Chi was a breath of fresh air” Despite its attempt for inclusivity, Marvel has a long way to go: in the run-up to Shang-Chi’s launch, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek commented that its theatrical release was "going to be an interesting experiment". When the people behind the productions are insensitive and culturally unaware, it becomes evident that there is more work that needs to be made to enact change. Liu articulated the perfect response, stating that 'we are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year'. These characters are going to change thousands of lives, and they
deserve to be treated with respect. The film has proved to be a major success at the box office as well as receiving praise from both audiences and critics, thus proving the fact that we needed this film long ago, putting any doubts that Hollywood may have on Asianled films to shame. After Black Panther was released in 2018 it earned one billion dollars worldwide and brought Marvel Studios its first Oscar. They soon realised that the impact was greater than the material gains; it sent a message that there was not enough representation for black characters, something that audiences had been anticipating for years. This should have been the first indicator that changes needed to be made for diversity. For both adults and children, this was the first time they had been represented by a hero, combatting both negative stereotypes and issues of racism. Both Rhodey and Sam Wilson had served as background characters for years and although they were much loved by audiences, neither were given more than a supporting role. Therefore, what made Black Panther so important was its dedication to making wellrounded and inspiring characters of colour. Finally, Black characters were given the focus that they deserved. Whilst commenting on the Black Lives Matter movement, Anthony Mackie highlighted the Black crew of Black Panther,
stating: 'If you only can hire the black people for the black movie, are you saying they're not good enough when you have a mostly white cast?' It should not have taken Marvel all those years to represent Black talent. It is undeniably important that these films are produced by those who relate and understand them best. However, you cannot put Black artists and professionals in a box, stating that they are only worthy of working on films that feature their skin colour - they deserve to be represented on all fronts.
“Finally [...] given the focus they deserve” Marvel has a long way to go to make up for the lack of diversity over the years. They may be moving in the right direction when giving different types of heroes their limelight, however there are still serious problems to be addressed. Many diverse groups are still underrepresented within the films, the LGBTQ+ community and women of colour being a few of many. As well as the notion that ethnic minorities or women are only given their standalone films as a singular occurrence to appease unhappy audiences, these are all characters who are just as worthy as their white male counterparts.
FILM
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickfilm
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Review: No Time To Die
No Time To Die is a satisfying conclusion to Daniel Craig's run as James Bond Billie Eilish’s mesmer- story threads after the universal grief-stricken bond of the past Todd Waugh Ambridge Fukunaga. ising theme was released 20 'meh' that was Quantum – the stu- three films. We also get more fun Film Critic No Time To Die is the most anticipated Bond movie ever. After an initial delay following a now-familiar pre-production pattern of scripts being abandoned and directors being replaced – with the worrying citation of 'creative differences' – the film was delayed three times due to the ongoing pandemic. Trainspotting’s Danny Boyle was replaced as director by M a n i a c ’s Cary Joji
“pull quote”
Nicola Dove / MGM Studios
months before the film that opens to it. Amidst all this chaos – and after the relatively lackluster Spectre (2015) – it was hard for the film to find a way past its audience’s worries, and to chime with their anticipation. To my surprise, it did exactly that. When it was announced Daniel Craig would return for one final turn as Bond, there was a lot of excitement and a few raised eyebrows. Craig has been, despite initial concerns, an incredibly popular Bond; an exemplary custodian of the most iconic character in British cinema. His debut saw a more emotional, grounded character dealing with less gadgets and more broken bones. But since then, his films have oscillated between great and mediocre outings. This isn’t due to the choice of director, writers or producers – indeed, they were virtually identical for Skyfall and Spectre. It’s to do with pacing, and the plot. The common thread is that Casino and Skyfall were fun, fast-paced, standalone spy flicks; whereas Quantum and Spectre were plodding, franchise-style sequels more interested in saying 'hey remember this from the last film' than 'look at this cool action scene' (apart from the incredible opening of Spectre). It’s surprising that after the huge success of Skyfall – which abandoned all
dio reintroduced into Spectre all of these awkward story beats to retroactively imply the films had all been a singular story with a single villain. What’s even more surprising is that this film, No Time To Die, was marketed heavily on its links to Craig’s previous outings – only increasing my worries as I took my seat in the cinema. But the biggest surprise of all is that, despite this, this film is remarkable. It’s easy to imagine that Danny Boyle left the film after the studio requested he insert Madeleine Swann, Blofeld and SPECTRE into his standalone Bond adventure. But what Fukunaga has crafted here is a perfect blend of the two styles of Craig films: it’s allowed to be its own thing while incorporating aspects of what’s come before. It works for one simple reason: this is Craig’s final film, so the references to his previous outings are much more welcome, more as a departing tribute to his era than a studio mandate.
“This film is remarkable” Two more reasons for No Time To Die’s success are its cast and their characters. It goes without saying that Daniel Craig knocks the socks out of his final performance in his most famous role – but what we see from him here is something we haven't seen since his debut: him having fun. The more emotional, cheeky Bond is finally back; replacing the gritty,
from the rest of the cast: whether that’s the returning Jeffrey Wright and Ben Whishaw, or the new additions of Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch. De Armas in particular steals the Cuba section of the film; the action-duo chemistry between her and Craig leaving us grateful but wanting so much more. This film has a swing in its step that pervades every action scene, every line of quippy dialogue that we’ve been waiting for from a Bond film. This swing does falter at a few points, however. The plot – something to do with contagious nanobots that instantly kill people but sometimes don’t – makes little sense, and while Rami Malek is decent as new villain Safin, very little is done with him. We hardly understand what his motivations are before Bond and co are gunning down his henchmen to foil a confusing plot about world domination, or ethnic cleansing? Or something? The confused villainy here continues with Christoph Waltz’s reappearance as Blofeld – necessary as Bond’s arch-nemesis, but also a little pointless – and David Dencik’s bizarre turn as mad scientist Obruchev. Presumably a homage to Alan Cumming’s iconic character of Boris Grishenko from GoldenEye, Dencik just feels completely out of place here, and is forgotten about whenever he’s not demanding the audience to listen to him. But these problems are quickly forgotten when one of the best long-take action scenes I’ve ever seen forces itself into the film.
Review: Cinderella
With bullets flying and Bond ducking behind metal doors to avoid grenade explosions, any issues I had with bits of the narrative are gone from my mind. Fukunaga’s experience on the mind-bending, atmospheric Netflix series Maniac is peppered throughout the action scenes of No Time To Die. For example, in the decision for the action to take place in the day, or neon-lit night, and be shot without cutting a million times to make up for a lack of choreography. The tense atmosphere of Bond hiding in long ferns in a fog-laden forest, as jeeps driven by baddies encircle him, is a particular standout. Ultimately, No Time To Die is a peculiar beast. Half the time it’s bringing together plot-threads from four other films to lead us towards some form of conclusion; the other half it’s discarding these same details to deliver us exciting, atmospheric action by the bucketload. But, against all odds – after several delays and far-toomuch anticipation – it somehow sticks this difficult landing. It gives an often-inconsistent but always-charming era of Bond movies to an end with style, and just enough substance. VERDICT: Daniel Craig’s Bond films are brought to a satisfying conclusion with No Time To Die. The villain and narrative may leave you scratching your head for a moment, before the fantastic action and overall charm command you to just enjoy the ride.
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Amazon Prime's adaptation of Cinderella fails to deliver the promised feminist retelling Emily Wallace Film Editor
Amazon Prime’s Cinderella is truly a film for the #GirlBoss era, and unfortunately, not in a good way. There are no words to explain how bizarre the experience of watching Cinderella was. Starring singer Camila Cabello in her debut acting role, the film promised to be a feminist reboot of the classic fairy-tale, in the form of a jukebox musical. Whether it was a success in that is a completely different story.
“Truly a film for the #GirlBoss era” Diverging slightly from the well-known versions of Cinderella, we follow Ella (Cabello), an aspiring dressmaker forced to be no more than a servant to her stepmother (Idina Menzel) and stepsisters. It is Ella’s capitalist dream of running her own business and earning money (rather than passion) that keeps her motivated when treated poorly by her family; it is also pretty much the extent of her characterisation, apart from some rather confusing attempts to
make her witty and sassy which just fell flat. Meanwhile, Prince Robert (Nicolas Galitzine) is decidedly unambitious in contrast, having little interest in marriage or ruling the kingdom, or anything other than being rich, apparently. Somehow, a spark forms between them, although I found myself wondering what connection they actually had beyond their initial attraction to each other. The music in Cinderella mainly included renditions of pop songs both recent and older, with a couple of original songs, but at times it felt as if they were merely singing for the sake of it, rather than to contribute anything to the story, as you might expect from a musical. Sometimes the music choices were just strange, such as the rather baffling mashup of ‘Whatta Man’ by Salt ‘n’ Pepa and ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes in the middle of the ball scene. While there were many talented singers in the cast, some of the songs also sounded unnecessarily auto-tuned. However, one musical highlight was Doc Brown’s Town Crier, who gave all his notices through the medium of rap, which was one of the more enjoyable parts of this film. One of my main issues with
Cinderella was its lack of subtlety. Although it was trying to be a feminist, empowering version of the fairy-tale, its messages failed to go beyond a surface level idea of feminism, which was heavyhanded at best and did not feel as if it was doing anything new or revolutionary with the source material. I know the target audi-
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ence is children, rather than cynical university students like me, yet I think even children would have understood the messages of this film without it being so obvious. Many of the characters were given no depth other than their prescribed role in the story, such as the Prince’s younger sister, whose role was to pop up out of nowhere eager to discuss her welfare reform plans for the country, only to be shot down because she is a woman. For characters like the Stepmother, who they tried to give more nuance to by giving her a backstory, it just became confusing as to whether we should sympathise with her or not, given how she treated Ella. A frustrating element of Cinderella is that it had potential to be good. The cast was lined with stars such as Pierce Brosnan, Minnie Driver, Billy Porter, and British comedians such as James Acaster and Romesh Ranganathan, yet all of them felt criminally underused. Billy Porter’s Fab G could have been a refreshing, gender non-conforming take on the Fairy Godmother and was to an extent, but this character was relegated to one scene, feeling more like a glorified cameo, and given no better lines than the stereotypical ‘Yaass, future queen, yaass’.
Even if these characters are meant to be smaller roles, there was still more that could have been done with them as they shined with what little material they did have. Of course, with this film being a movie-musical, the ubiquitous James Corden could not stay away from it, resulting in a rather horrifying scene within the film with his head stuck on a mouse’s body that will no doubt haunt my nightmares for weeks to come. VERDICT: Although there were certainly some scenes I found entertaining, Cinderella, while having its heart in the right place, was a shallow attempt at making a feminist reboot of this fairy-tale that ended up ranging from tedious to just outright bizarre. If you are looking for a good musical retelling of a classic story, I would not point you in the direction of this film unless you want to spend two hours falling further and further into despair, however going in with low expectations can make this film more enjoyable.
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Friday 29th October 2021
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Terrifying TV: Redbrick's Favourites In the spirit of Spooky Season, Redbrick's writers and editors discuss their favourite Halloween episodes Bob’s Burgers, ‘Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street’ Samantha Hicks Bob’s Burgers is a show that epitomises all-out Halloween fun each and every year - producing hilarious Halloween episodes annually since 2012. From punny Halloween costumes to suitably spooky storylines, Bob’s Burgers pulls out all the stops to ensure a fantastic holiday episode. Whilst it is definitely hard to try to rank the Halloween episodes of Bob’s Burgers, the ‘Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street’ episode of Season Nine is truly iconic. This episode sees the Belcher children trick-or-treating on their street, but the evening turns tense when a candy thief is on the loose. Meanwhile, Bob (H. John Benjamin) and Linda (John Roberts) watch as handyman Teddy (Larry Murphy) adorns the restaurant in increasingly extravagant decorations to compete with the handyman of the shop next door. A wholesome and hilariously spooky instalment to the beloved animation, ‘Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street’ is my favourite Halloween episode by far.
The Office, ‘Costume Contest’ Josie Scott-Taylor I have lost count of how many times I have seen The Office, and even if I did know the figure, I would probably be reluctant to share it. To me, the show is like a warm, fluffy blanket that I can wrap around myself in order to be protected from all of the bad things happening in the world, and the Season Seven Halloween episode ‘Costume Contest’ is no exception to this. Excitement fills the office when Pam (Jenna Fischer) announces that the prize for winning the costume contest is a coupon book (supposedly worth $15,000, although the accuracy behind this claim is questionable), and the characters spend the day going back and forth between the office and home, trying to come up with more and more extravagant costumes in order to win the prize.
“The characters spend the day going back and forth between the office, trying to “Not only is this a come up with more brilliant and more Halloween-themed extravagant episode, but it also costumes” encapsulates The subplot of the episode everything great involves Michael (Steve Carell) being upset with Darryl (Craig about Bob's Robinson) for ‘backstabbing’ him and going over his head, but the Burgers” costumes alone make it worth Not only is this a brilliant Halloween-themed episode, but it also encapsulates everything great about Bob’s Burgers as a whole. From Louise’s (Kristen Schaal) grand plans to uncover the candy-stealing culprit to Linda’s misunderstanding of Tina’s (Dan Mintz) punny Halloween costume - ‘nun of your business’ (a briefcasewielding nun) - this episode is full of everything we know and love about the Belcher family’s classic scrapes. Not only this, but this episode takes the classic Bob’s Burgers use of puns and wordplay to the next level: Gene’s (Eugene Mirman) ‘André 3000 the Giant’ costume, the ‘My Bloody Kaleentine’ burger of the day, and of course the episode title’s reference to Nightmare on Elm Street, among many others. It is difficult to ensure that the constant stream of puns does not become tedious, but Bob’s Burgers pulls it off perfectly. Honestly, a marathon of every Halloween episode of Bob’s Burgers seems like an ideal way to celebrate the spooky season, but ‘Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street’ should definitely be essential viewing.
watching. Gabe (Zach Woods) dressed as Lady Gaga, Angela (Angela Kinsey) as a sexy nurse, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) as the Scranton Strangler and Oscar as a ‘rational consumer’ are simply not to be missed. The episode even ends with a heartwarmingly wholesome moment; Jim (John Krasinski) finally relents after refusing to participate in the couples’ costume when Pam is called ‘dorky’ and returns to the office dressed as Popeye, to the utter delight of Pam. ‘Costume Contest’ is the perfect Halloween watch.
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Friends, ‘The One with the Halloween Party’ - Erin Perry Could I be any more excited for Halloween? Well, yes. Luckily, this is where Friends comes in with its only dose of spooky sitcom fun, aptly titled ‘The One with the Halloween Party’. At risk of stating the obvious (because who has not seen at least one Friends episode?), we follow the six friends as they attend Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler’s (Matthew Perry) party, dressed to the nines in some hit-or-miss Halloween outfits. Ross (David Schwimmer) gets fully into the occasion and dons a clever (to him, at least) SPUDNIK outfit, combining the Russian satellite with a potato. Unfortunately for him, the joke is lost on most. Better luck next time, eh?
“'The One with the Halloween Party' is the perfect place to get into the Halloween spirit this October” Action elsewhere dips us in and out of pregnant Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) struggle bonding with children trick-ortreating and Phoebe’s (Lisa Kudrow) discovery of her twin sister’s dishonesty towards her fiancé. What, however, has to be the highlight of the episode is the culmination of Monica and Joey’s (Matt LeBlanc) debate over who would win in a fight: Ross or Chandler. Cue two grown men arm wrestling for ‘pride’ and ‘dignity’ while dressed as a potato and pink bunny, respectively. So, whether you are a long-time Friends fan or a newbie who wants an episode to test out, ‘The One with the Halloween Party’ is the perfect place to get into the Halloween spirit this October.
On My Block, ‘Chapter Four’ Ella Kipling
Pretty Little Liars, ‘The First Secret’ - Julia Lee
The Halloween episode of On My Block differs somewhat from the usual ghoul and ghost-packed episodes you see in TV shows, and instead deals with the very real fears which the characters face living in the gang-run area of Freeridge, Los Angeles. At the start of the episode, Ruby (Jason Genao) explains to newcomer Olivia (Ronni Hawk) that their friend group no longer go trick-or-treating due to their bad experiences in the neighbourhood over the years. One year the Prophets (a Freeridge gang) rolled up on them, put a gun to their heads and took their candy, and the year after they were caught in a drive-by, which means that the threat level of trick-or-treating in Freeridge ‘is always red.’ When the group eventually decide to go trick-or-treating in Brentwood, the nearby wealthier neighbourhood, they stumble across a house party where the host is dressed up as a stereotypical gang leader. After the group end up in an accidental dispute, they are chased out of the party and attacked with eggs. Cesar (Diego Tinoco) calls his older brother, ‘Spooky,’ (Julio Macias) the leader of the Santos gang, who shows up to the party and confronts the host. In one particularly tense moment, Spooky licks his finger and wipes away the host’s fake teardrop tattoo before doing the same to his own- which of course does not wipe away because it is real.
During its seven-year run, Pretty Little Liars became known for its Halloween episodes that contained some sort of costume party and a reveal within the larger story. The show aired all the way from the early days of the digital age into the peak of social media, influencing everything from damaging depictions of romance and mental illness to mainstream affirmations of queer identity. In my opinion, nothing tops the very first Halloween episode of PLL, ‘The First Secret’. The episode takes place when queen bee Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) still reigned over the small Pennsylvania town and confident newcomer Jenna Marshall (Tammin Sursok) threatened to topple her rule. The episode references spooky recurring motifs like dolls and twins. Though the least elaborate and fantastical of the Halloween episodes, the costumes have an endearing DIY feel, bad wigs and all. Set in the good old days when 'A' was yet to be revealed, with the promise of many more mysteries still to come to a head, and the added nostalgia of the early 2010s, ‘The First Secret’ is perfect to rewatch and reminisce about over Halloween.
“Wearing cultures as costumes” While this scene may seem like one of sweet revenge, Cesar’s internal struggle afterwards highlights why stereotypes and wearing cultures as costumes can be incredibly hurtful. Cesar says: ‘Those kids in Brentwood, they don’t think we’re people, they think we’re costumes.’ By calling Spooky for backup, Cesar feels he only ‘played into the stereotype,’ that all Hispanic people from Freeridge are gang members. Twitter/@Variety
Community, ‘Epidemiology’ Sian Allen My, my - how can you resist Community’s ‘Epidemiology’? The Season Two Halloween episode is a perfect concoction of pure camp and cult horror as tainted taco meat causes a zombie outbreak at Greendale. ‘Epidemiology’ truly has everything: great costumes, great jokes, and playful jabs at all the classic zombie-horror tropes. But the best thing is the soundtrack - an ‘endless loop of ABBA’. If you are somehow not sold on the amazing combination of zombies and ABBA, it is also notable that ‘Epidemiology’ is strangely unique in the Community canon. The ‘outbreak’ is very much a real threat, compared to the hyper-stylised paintball episodes where ‘dying’ just means getting covered in paint. This results in one of my favourite moments in the entire series Troy and Abed’s Han and Leia homage. It’s a testament to how compelling their dynamic is that a silly Star Wars reference manages to make me emotional every time. ‘Epidemiology’ takes full advantage of Community’s incredibly talented ensemble cast, and it’s perhaps the best example of the sitcom’s genre-fluidity. It’s perfect if you need a quick shock of spookiness to the system - or just want to be reminded of ABBA’s greatest hits.
TELEVISION
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricktv
The Real Squid Game Tazmin Meyer Digital Editor
Content Warning: This article contains themes of violence Over 111 million of us tuned in to watch the Korean series, Squid Game, causing it to surpass Bridgerton as the most popular show on Netflix. At first glance it is a dystopian and far-fetched show that rivals The Hunger Games in aspects of it’s format, but below the surface, Squid Game is a frightful yet resonant reflection of the capitalist world we live in, prompting those with power to wake up and realise the part they are playing in the destruction of civilians. The chances are, Squid Game has become so popular because it is so thought-provoking in nature. The bloodshed scares us much more than simply being gory. The show is a psychological journey for viewers, who will question all aspects of themselves and others after finishing the series. Perhaps we have fallen in love with the show because it revealed to us a hidden truth about human nature that we have been cultured to suppress. For those of you who have not yet watched the show, here is a quick run down. Debt-riddled players volunteer to be entered into a competition to play six
games in order to win a gigantic cash prize. All they have to do is win all six games to take home this money. Sounds easy right? Well, little do they know, they are quite literally entering a game of last man standing. Elimination equals death. This prompts the all important question: how far would you go to escape your debts? Is it worth risking your life for?
“If viewers take Squid Game as a metaphor for the way modern society functions... The characters' situation reflects the struggles of living in a capitalist world” The issue amongst the players is that almost all of them are in gigantic debt; their lives back home are unbearable and the Squid Game is their only way out. They have nothing to lose, yet for the viewers watching, the show is so addictive in that it immediately makes
them doubt themselves. At which point does greed get in the way of reason? What would they do if faced with an opportunity like this? Themes like this are developed throughout the course of the season. The game becomes a fight for survival. Whilst players broke off into teams, it was clear that the selfish nature of mankind would prevail. Can we really trust anyone and if so, at which point do we have to sacrifice morality to protect ourselves? Survival, in most cases, teams up with violence. Extreme violence and bloodshed is witnessed in most episodes of Squid Game, whether that be as a result of competing in the games themselves or attempting to eliminate others through physical violence in the dorms. All morality is taken away (with perhaps one or two exceptions) and natural human instinct i s
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determined to strike down everything in its path. Seeing the players rampage like animals was enough to make civilised viewers uneasy; witnessing this violence was so shocking yet the underlying message behind it was even more disturbing. If viewers take Squid Game as a metaphor for the way modern society functions, the show will seem a little less dystopian than first believed to be. The characters' situation reflects the struggles of living in a capitalist world, with the games prompting the political elite to intervene in a society that is experiencing much more violence as a result of poverty. The poor get poorer and will resort to a life of crime just to make ends meet whilst the rich fail to intervene, only focusing on their capitalist goals of financial growth, with all the neglect of an obviously failing welfare system. The popularity of Squid Game has done its message so many favours; people recognising that change needs to happen in their own lives is one step closer to living in a world without class disparity and poverty. So let us continue to share hilarious memes, but also remember that when all the hype of these fictional games are over, aspects of Squid Game remain all too familiar in everyday society.
Review: You - Season Three
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Deyna Grimshaw highlights the chemistry between You's two leads Deyna Grimshaw Television Critic
Content Warning: This article mentions themes of domestic abuse This article contains spoilers Eager fans have waited almost two years for the latest season of Netflix drama You to launch on the streaming platform, and it did not disappoint. Whilst we may expect a series such as this to diminish in quality after the initial plot twists which it is based upon have been revealed, this season manages to maintain almost all of the dark appeal of the previous two. Season Three transports the intensity of the show’s psychopathic protagonist, Joe Goldberg, and his psychotic wife, Love Quinn, to the picturesque suburb of Madre Linda, where they have moved to raise their new-born. Whilst we were led to believe that the couple were expecting a girl, the first plot twist comes just minutes into the first episode, as it turns out that new baby Henry is in fact a boy. This, combined with the fact that Love and her mother both believe Henry to be the reincarnation of Love’s dead twin brother, Forty (who Joe murdered), begins to tip Joe over the edge right from
the start. Whilst the figures for the show will undoubtedly be staggering – Season Two amassed over 40 million viewers within a month of its release – Netflix have sacrificed no quality to maintain the success of the programme. Instead, the starring actors, Penn Badgley and Victoria Pedretti, reinhabit their characters seamlessly, portraying the constant simultaneous chemistry and tension between Joe and Love without fault. The flashFacebook/@ backs to Joe’s time in care as a hawkeyeoffical child are particularly powerful, suggesting that his childhood experience of witnessing domestic abuse has resulted in unresolved trauma, leading to his obsession with women and his need to act as the ‘protector’.
“The starring actors, Penn Badgley and Victoria Pedretti, reinhabit their characters seamlessly” Something this show does brilliantly is to balance the elements of horror, the murders, with the coverups, detective work and stalking. Unlike certain dramas,
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where it feels as though a character is getting killed every three minutes, these murders are mainly spontaneous or unintended (in this season at least), and the characters are aware of the fact that they need to stop their obsessive killing. Both Joe and Love are psychopaths and can see this in each other, however neither of them are able to observe this within themselves. Their murderous tendencies are the result of an addiction. In true You form, Joe finds not one but two separate women to become obsessed with as the series progresses, and both Joe and Love cheat on each other (Love with a 19-year-old boy, no
less). This isn’t a series to throw on before bed if you need something to help you relax, but it is an excellent watch. It is difficult to fill a drama such as this with enough twists in order to keep the watcher engaged whilst ensuring that the plot remains realistic and engaging, but this is something which Netflix has truly mastered with You. And do not worry if you have already finished binging this latest season - Netflix has already announced the renewal of You for a fourth season!
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GAMING
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickgaming
Editors’ Picks: Nostalgic Games Redbrick’s Editorial Team recount the videogames that have kept them occupied throughout childhood (and perhaps adulthood)
“There is no sweeter feeling than [...] running through the floating items of your previously deceased self”
Jackbox Games
I believe that there were some people who actually exercised their intellect and channelled their creative innovation when playing Minecraft, from the assembling of functioning computers to massive replicas of Helms Deep. Not me though. I preferred frolicking through the landscape and attempting to create as many different types of food as possible. This propensity surprisingly came in handy when I joined a Minecraftsimulated Hunger Games on a group server and explored sufficiently enough to find a little island full of mushrooms. I subsisted on shroom soup until everyone bar one of the 24 participants had died, after which I too met my fate at the hand of a fullydiamond-armoured figure. Their sword, in following a noble Minecraft tradition, was probably named such that the message to inform me of my death ran something like: ‘<player> was killed by <your mum>.’ Good times. I would argue that if you were to give any of these games another go, Minecraft is certainly the most Halloweenthemed, with its zombies, skeletons, and explosive bogey-inspired creepers. It also offers the greatest dopamine rush, because, honestly, there is no sweeter feeling than respawning and running through the floating items of your previously deceased self, and listening with deep glee as they tinkle back into your inventory.
Ellie Harris Music Editor
Professor Layton and the Lost Future Over the first lockdown, I rediscovered my old Nintendo DS whilst clearing out my cupboards, which lead to a playthrough of all my old games. My absolute favourite as a nine-year-old, and
Samantha Hicks Film Editor
Harvest Moon DS Before Stardew Valley and the plethora of farming simulation games we know and love today came the underappreciated yet brilliant Harvest Moon series. More specifically, Harvest Moon DS edition - one of the first video games I can remember playing, receiving it on Christmas morning alongside a shiny new Nintendo DS.
“The adorable artwork and magical realism makes for enchanting gameplay” It was revolutionary for my younger self - this pixelated RPG provided perfect escapism as I explored Forget-Me-Not Valley: growing crops, raising animals, and befriending the townspeople. Harvest Moon is wonderfully immersive, feeling so real yet weaving in elements of magic and
Julia Lee
Life&Style Editor
Demigods of Olympus Demigods of Olympus came out around the same time that I got my first smartphone with enough storage to download (and run) mobile games. In 2014, neckdeep in my Rick Riordan phase, I just had to play this game that promised to be an immersive experience into life as a demigod at Camp Half-Blood. Unfortunately for me, it was only available in the United States App Store. Unfortunately for the powers that be, I had a plan. I thought up an Americansounding location (123 Sunset Boulevard because it it sounded so American, and a Chicago postcode because I was also obsessed with the musical back then). Et voila! Success. Only the first story, My Two-Headed Guidance Counselor, was free, and I played it to death. Every time I restarted I had a cool new name, a new godly parent, and new skills. I never got to put those to use in the paid stories, but it was fun while it lasted. The app remains on my phone:
unusable, but occasionally punches me with the priceless memory of bursting out of school to get my hands on the new Heroes of Olympus book.
Jasmine Sandhar Deputy Editor
Monsters, Inc. Before I was able to get my hands on a Nintendo DS, I can distinctly remember gleefully wasting my days away on a clunky little blue Gameboy Advance. Looking back at the old pictures of the device now online, it is difficult for me to understand my previous obsession - a 32-bit handheld game console with around five little plastic buttons is clearly no match to the hightech Playstation and Xbox consoles that children (and adults alike) occupy themselves with today. However, the nostalgia really settles in when I think about my favourite game that I used to play on it: Monsters, Inc. As soon as I finished watching the Pixar-animated film, it became the centre of my life - I ordered every piece of merchandise possible, including this game. It works like a treasure hunt with 8 levels that are based around different locations in the movie, such as the Mailroom and the Himalayas, and there are objects to find in each place - for example, the materials needed for Boo’s costume - whilst also trying to simultaneously avoid getting caught by the CDA (Child Detection Agency). Once you manage to complete all these tasks, five extra bonus levels are unlocked that ask you to collect even more items, which was obviously the best news ever for me as a child! Unfortunately, I have since either lost or sold off my priceless Gameboy, so I have not been able to play Monsters, Inc. any time
recently. I do wonder if I would find it just as good, although I am almost certain it has not aged well at all. Either way, it is definitely a game I will never forget, forever remaining a significant part of my childhood.
Molly Schoenfeld Deputy Editor
Webkinz Life was simpler back in 2008; my primary concerns were not dissertations or weekly shops, but instead whether I had enough KinzCash to buy a dance studio for my pet Chihuahua (Twinkle) or whether I would pass Level 4 of Fashion Class at the Kinzville Academy. Webkinz, a virtual world in which players can adopt pets and play games, governed a significant portion of my childhood leisure time. Set up in 2005, the gaming site became instantly popular amongst children. Indeed, what made Webkinz unique is that for every digital pet you owned, you had a real-life toy version to play with. These stuffed animals cost a small mortgage, but nothing beat the excitement of inputting the toy’s 8-character code into the Webkinz adoption centre and meeting your pet digitally. Every adopted pet had a bedroom, allowing players to dabble with interior design (my favourite was the underwater room for my pet seahorse). Harshlight/Flickr
I should probably be ashamed about the fact Minecraft taught me the basics of material chemistry. For example, heat sand at high enough temperatures and it will in fact become glass. Minecraft also involved a hefty amount of survival skills, including, but not limited to: taming wildcats, collecting watermelon seeds, and hammering down trees with your bare fists.
whimsy that made for hours of fun during my childhood. The adorable artwork and magical realism makes for enchanting gameplay as you navigate the Valley, finding hidden harvest sprites and rejuvenating the local area in the mission to save the Harvest Goddess. There is something so relaxing about living vicariously through a tiny farmer, completing your daily tasks and maintaining a fruitful farm in a world without any major responsibilities. Something that should be tedious and mundane becomes an exciting adventure, and Harvest Moon is the blueprint for the beloved farming simulators that have been developed since. The nostalgia that comes hand-in-hand with my fond memories of Harvest Moon DS means that the series will always have a special place in my heart. Whilst farming simulators have certainly come a long way since 2005, Harvest Moon DS remains one of those games that you wish you could experience again for the first time. Team17
Minecraft
indeed to this day, is Professor Layton and the Lost Future, the third instalment in the Professor Layton series. Following the adventures of titular character Hershel Layton and his apprentice, Luke, the game invites players to solve a wide range of puzzles in order to investigate the overarching mystery. It is very dialogue heavy, with the majority of the game p l a y e d through static scenes, however there are some animated sections of action used to advance the narrative and provide a different storytelling experience. Set in a futuristic London, the 2D art style is beautifully whimsical, with a muted colour palette that matches the timeless nature of the game. With such a large variety of puzzles, the game remains challenging even now, making it an enjoyable play for adults as well as children. I would highly recommend checking it out if you have a DS, as despite being discontinued its popularity means it is relatively easy to find a copy online.
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Culture Editor
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Leah Renz
“[Webkinz] governed a significant portion of my childhood leisure time” Feeding, clothing, and caring for adopted pets is only scratching the surface of what Webkinz had to offer: you could play games at the arcade, attend classes at the Kinzville Academy, find rare gems in the mines at the Curio Shop, go on adventures at the Kinzville Park, explore the Magical Forest, and make wishes at the Wish Factory. The fond memories I have of caring for these adopted pets with my sister for hours at a time make Webkinz an important part of my childhood, and one I might revisit given its 2020 reboot.
Aimeé Sargeant Music Editor
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Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickgaming
Lorcan Drury Music Editor
Pokémon
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For half of my life Pokémon has played a prominent role. I distinctly remember receiving my first Pokémon game, Pokémon HeartGold, for Christmas in 2010, whereas my brother received Pokemon SoulSilver. For anyone unfamiliar, two versions of a Pokémon game come out at the same time. Now, I don’t remember playing the game an awful lot, apart from choosing Cyndaquil as my starter and finding the Elite 4 member Karen, who served as the penultimate boss, unbeatable. But, it was playing with my brother that I remember enjoying the most. So, the trend continued. I got Pokémon X, my brother got Pokémon Y. He got Pokémon Sun, I got Pokémon Moon. We are opposite in every way, so playing the opposing games makes sense. I used to relish sitting on the stairs with him for hours on end over many Christmases playing whichever games had just been released. My brother would always finish the game before me, mainly because he had a better knowledge of how the in-game dynamics worked. For anyone wondering, Pokémon is not as simple as Fire-types beat Grass-types and
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Grass-types beat Water-types. It’s way more complex: there are abilities, status moves, items, stats. I liked to take my time with the game and explore every nook of the region. Our tradition continues as we will both buy different versions of the Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl remakes that are out next month. Pokémon is still my favourite game because so much creativity goes into (most) Pokémon designs and as a word nerd I love the etymology of their names. Pokémon also represents friendship to me, from the rivalry with my brother, to my affection for my favourite Pokémon, to mine and my boyfriend’s current obsession with PokémonGo.
Chelsie Henshaw Editor-in-Chief
Just Dance Can you class a game that you still play now as nostalgic? While many of the games spoken about in this article have likely been long abandoned, one of my favourite childhood games is one that I still happily play from time to time with friends and my siblings. Just Dance kept me occupied for many hours growing up, allowing me to engage in dance battles with my younger sister where there could only be one winner. I would like to say that I am a bit of a pro at Just Dance nowadays although the competition between myself and my sister has always been fierce.
“The competition between myself and my sister has always been fierce” However, I have to admit, due to the age gap between myself and my younger brother, Just Dance could be slightly irritating at times when all he would choose was the Time Warp; playing to the Time Warp five times plus in one hour starts to become slightly tedious. Although the newer Just Dances sold on the Nintendo Switch, PS5 and the Xbox have more recent charttopping hits, there is nothing quite like whipping out the old Wii to play the first versions of the game. If you are struggling for moves
Kitty Grant
Print&Features Editor
Almost two years since its initial launch, Nintendo have announced the release of the final free update for Animal Crossing New Horizons; here are a few of the features coming to the game. in the club, why not practice your skills through Just Dance? You could even bring out the game for pre drinks; Just Dance is fun both sober and drunk, perfect for everyone.
Jennifer Prince Marketing Secretary
Nintendogs Before my parents finally agreed to buy our family dog, the Nintendo DS game Nintendogs was as close as my siblings and I had to a pet. The premise of the game is to buy, name and take care of virtual dogs just like you would any other pet. Despite being animated, the dogs were surprisingly close characteristically to real pets. The responsibilities went beyond basic needs such as feeding, walking and bathing the animals; stretching to playing with them, buying items such as toys, and training them to take part in virtual competitions. Over time, the dogs would become hungry, dirty and restless, especially when returning to the game after a few days. Nintendo definitely knew how to keep people engaged. Perhaps the best feature was the multi-player mode, allowing players to meet up virtually with their dogs – something I enjoyed doing with siblings and friends even when sat in the same room. Now we have a family pet, it’s strange to look back and think of how much time I would spend virtually looking after dogs on my Nintendo DS, but for children in particular, it gave a fun insight into taking care of a pet without any of the real responsibility.
Cerys Gardner Digital Editor
Mario Kart The Nintendo Wii was a staple in my house growing up and my favourite game was Mario Kart. I was never very good at it, often coming in twelfth, but I loved the bizarre array of courses and different power up options - I used Bullet Bill frequently. My favourite level was Coconut Mall, I’m not sure why but I think I loved all the different shortcuts it had and also the idea of turning somewhere so normal into a race track excited me as a child. Also, as one of the easier levels on Mario Kart it was one that I could be better at than Rainbow Road, for example, where I would constantly be falling off. Unfortunately, there is not a similar level on the Switch, although both the Water Park and Sunshine Airport levels remind me of it - coincidentally these are some of my favourite levels.
Twitter @animalcrossing
brings back a lot of nostalgia. Sadly being discontinued in 2017, Club Penguin was one of my favourite games whilst growing up. A game that was based around a virtual world where players could be penguins. They could upgrade igloos, acquire Puffles and host parties for other players. I discovered Club Penguin after it was bought by Disney in 2007. Although the game was free to play, often when going into supermarkets, I would beg my Mum to buy me a Club Penguin gift card so I could be a member. This gave extra special features, such as clothing for your Penguin, decorating your igloo and gaining much more special Puffles. If you don’t know what a Puffle is, they were little furry creatures that would often be adopted by the Penguins. They came in all sorts of colours, including a Rainbow Puffle. The more Puffles you had, the better! I remember at one point, acquiring all the Puffles I was able to until more were released. The game was simple but enjoyable, and still remains a nostalgic favourite for 2000s kids. Since the game has been discontinued, there is a new copied version that has been created online because people missed the original so much. I would highly recommend checking this out if you’re still interested in Club Penguin, it brings back all the memories.
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Brewster The fan-favourite coffee making owl who has appeared in every Animal Crossing game since Wild World, will finally be making an appearance on our islands. The Roost will now be on the first floor of the museum, allowing players to have a coffee with some of their favourite characters. Boom, which means items will be There will also be an amiibo sta- sold at a higher price. tion where players can invite specific characters for a coffee. Construction and Decor More exterior upgrades to playKapp’n & ‘Mysterious Islands’ ers’ houses will now be available. Given New Horizons’ island set- Players will also be able to further ting, many players were surprised expand their storage. The maxiat the absence of Kapp’n, a turtle mum number of bridges and who transports players to special inclines will also be increased to locations. With this new update, ten. With a pro decorating licence, he is back to take players players will be able to add to ‘mysterious ceiling decor and islands’ accent walls which to their may be Twitter @animalcrossing
different homes. seasons New cusor times of tomisable fence day and contain styles are also being unique plants. It appears that play- added ers will use nook miles to pay for these trips. Cooking Players will now be able to cook Harv’s Island foods like mushroom salads and Harv’s Island, which previously veggie sandwiches using DIY functioned as a photo studio will recipes. Players will also be able now be adding a marketplace. to grow new crops including Players will be able to contribute tomatoes and wheat to use as bells to help travelling merchants ingredients. Players will be able set up permanent stalls including to eat the foods they have cooked Kicks and Lief. As well as charac- for energy, or display them around ters who have already made an their islands. appearance in New Horizons, Katerina will be returning from Gyroids previous games to tell players’ Gyroids are finally making an fortunes, as will Tortimer who appearance in New Horizons. If appears to be able to help players players plant and water gyroid move items in and out of storage. fragments, they will grow into Harriet will also be showing up on gyroids which can be displayed Harv’s island to teach players new around the island. The New hairstyles. Horizons gyroids appear to be smaller and so they will be able to Group Stretching be displayed on tables. This appears to be a fun activity which encourages players to be Residents active while playing the game. Residents will now invite players Residents and special characters to their homes and drop into playwill come to the plaza for a work- ers’ homes. Though it was not out, while instructions appear on announced, viewers of the screen for players to follow Nintendo direct also noticed some along. new residents will presumably be able to move onto players’ islands Island Ordinances with the new update. A returning feature from New Leaf, players will now be able to Froggy Chair enact an island ordinance, includ- The most important part of the ing Early Bird, which means resi- update is the return of the froggy dents will wake up earlier. The chair, a chair that looks like a other ordinances are Night Owl, frog. The chair has been a fan-fathe opposite of Early Bird, vourite so it seemed strange that it Beautiful Island, which in New was omitted from New Horizons, Leaf means flowers grew faster but thankfully, the froggy chair and fewer weeds grew, and Bell will be part of the new update.
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FOOD&DRINK
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickfood
Eating Out: Gluten-Free Vietnamese Food&Drink Writer Charlotte Davies reviews the gluten-free options at two Birmingham restaurants Charlotte Davies Food&Drink Writer
Pho (Grand Central) Pho is a restaurant that provides Vietnamese street dishes, specialising in curries, rice, and noodle dishes. It is the fail-safe restaurant for gluten-free dining for both myself and my mum, who does not eat gluten either. Traditional, thick-style vermicelli noodles can be simply rectified with wok-fried rice noodles, without changing the main body of the dishes which also, mostly, happen to be gluten free. The chicken and prawn noodles is my go-to dish, with a likeness to the 'Pad Thai' from Wagamama. However, I find Pho’s take on it more citric and refreshing, which is partly due to the lack of sauce applied. Some might say it is a disadvantage to not be able to experience the dish as it is listed on the menu, but a restricted diet forces you to embrace different qualities of a meal. Fortunately, the menu at Pho was far from restrictive (a pho-nomena, some might say); and I trusted my flatmates to
choose something from it in my absence. They opted for the prawn curry, which to me, superseded the tastiness of the chicken and prawn noodles. King prawns feature in this meal too, scattered amongst mushrooms and tomatoes. The curry sauce was creamy and packed with spices; and thankfully it was only mild in heat, which suited my preference. When both meals come with complimentary prawn crackers, it is safe to say that Pho is no foe, but a friend, to those with a gluten-
Charlotte Davies
Vietnamese Street Kitchen (Bullring) I have been invited to Vietnamese Street Kitchen with friends twice in the past three weeks, and there are certainly reasons to underpin why I accepted, with regards to my food intolerance. Though the contents on it are limited to an A5 page, a dedicated gluten-free menu is a small step towards feeling acknowledged, and not marginalised to a small ‘GF’ sign at the corner of the main menu. At VSK, there were a substantial number of options: ‘Bowl of Rice’, ‘Bowl of Bun [rice noodles]’, ‘Bowl of Salad’ and ‘Bowl of Pho [rice noodles in a broth]’; and the friendly waiting staff showed me how I could combine these with other toppings not listed on the main menu. On both occasions, I ate the ‘Bowl of Bun’: the first visit with tofu and mushroom, and the second with grilled chicken (as seen pictured). Both dishes were lovely for a summer’s day: simple, clean and filling, but still relatively light.
“Vietnamese Street Kitchen and Pho are great places in Birmingham’s city centre” Though there is no chance that they contain gluten, the drinks were also noteworthy. For those who enjoy a sweeter flavour, the Rum Runner is a mouth-watering cocktail choice; and the Saigon Sunset is a deliciously refreshing ‘mocktail’ alternative. C’est la Vie(tamese cuisine). Vietnamese Street Kitchen and Pho are great places in Birmingham’s city centre to dine in or get a takeaway from. The biggest takeaway from this Vietnamese cuisine is that having a gluten-free diet and enjoying a meal out do not have a mutually exclusive relationship. In fact, those who bloat after thick, gluttonous meals might go as far as to say that the relationship is symbiotic.
Charlotte Davies
All in all, I am certainly left with food for thought as I intersect gluten-free and Vietnamese cuisine. Hopefully, more eateries will latch onto the efforts of VSK and Pho to be more inclusive, continuing to make gluten-free, and fuss-free, alternatives for intolerants and coeliacs alike.
Food for Thought: Natasha’s Law
A new food safety law has been passed, Social Secretary Ella Kipling discusses its importance Ella Kipling Social Secretary
In 2016, teenager Natasha EdnanLaperouse died from anaphylaxis after eating a baguette from Pret a Manger containing sesame, which she was allergic to. Five years later new food safety regulations, known as ‘Natasha’s Law’, have gone into effect. They require full ingredient and allergen labelling on all food made on premises and pre-packed for direct sale. On 17th July 2016, Natasha ate an artichoke, olive, and tapenade baguette from Pret A Manger in Heathrow Airport. During her flight, Natasha felt ill and suffered a cardiac arrest. Her father administered two EpiPen injections, but Natasha died the same day. An inquest into Natasha’s death revealed that the baguette contained sesame baked into the dough, but the ingredient was not listed on the packaging. Six allergic reaction cases took place in the year before Natasha died, the inquest heard. However, Pret had still not labelled the baguettes as containing sesame seeds.
The inquest concluded that Pret’s packaging was inadequate. Following Natasha’s death, her parents set up the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. Through this, they campaigned tirelessly for a change in food labelling laws. Mr EdnanLaperouse told BBC Breakfast he and his wife set up a parliamentary petition. The message they aimed to deliver was that young people should not be dying when ‘all it takes is more joined-up thinking to better protect them.’ Natasha’s Law is vital for ensuring that restaurants and hospitality businesses take food allergens seriously. In the same year as Natasha’s death, 15 year-old Megan Lee passed away after having an allergic reaction to an Indian takeaway. Despite stating that she had a peanut allergy, Megan was sent a meal which was found to have the ‘widespread presence’ of peanut protein. On declaring the restaurant owner and manager guilty of manslaughter in the 2018 trial, the judge stated that she hopes the ‘tragic case’ adds to the ‘growing awareness in the food industry of what can happen if allergies are not taken seriously.’ As these two cases show us,
food allergies can be fatal. So, while this law is a welcome piece of legislation, one can only wonder why this has not happened sooner.
“Through this organisation, they campaigned tirelessly for a change in food labelling laws” No one is asking for allergen information because they are being picky or difficult. The people who are asking to see what is inside their meals are doing so to avoid a health crisis. The potentially lifethreatening consequences of inadequate allergen information should be a sufficient reason for companies to comply. But one also wonders how they can see the jail sentences for those responsible and not want to protect themselves. Following the introduction of Natasha’s Law, Redbrick spoke to Amber Coles, founder
of The Social Coeliac blog. Amber suffers from Coeliac disease, a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten. Amber explained that she has not personally had an issue with product labelling on pre-packaged food. For her, the biggest risk is cross-contamination. She told Redbrick that one restaurant she visited stored gluten-free and standard rolls together. This resulted in her eating one which contained gluten, something which was only admitted following an investigation. Just one of the many times something like this has happened. Poor experiences usually lead to Amber
Pret A Manger
avoiding eating out for a while as it affects her trust in other people preparing her food. In turn, this withdrawal from social events can have a huge impact on her mental health. Speaking about Natasha’s Law, Amber stated: ‘the new law coming into effect means that people like me will have access to clear and accurate allergen information and avoid any unnecessary health risks. I would love for the next step to be training for all hospitality and catering staff on the 14 main allergens, and for this to be an essential requirement of their role.’
FOOD&DRINK
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbrickfood
29
Review: McDonald’s McPlant Burger Kitty Grant and Ella Kipling share their opinions on the new McDonald’s Vegan Burger from a non-vegetarian and vegetarian view respectively Ella Kipling Social Secretary
My first thought when tucking into the new ‘McPlant’ burger at McDonald’s was: ‘is this not just a real burger?’ I will admit, I do not eat beef burgers often as I am a bigger fan of chicken, but as far as I could tell, this burger was pretty similar to the real thing and I could barely taste a difference. Going off of texture and look alone, the patty - which was codeveloped with Beyond Meat looked so akin to beef that I had to double check the app to make sure I definitely ordered the ‘McPlant’. I am not a vegetarian and have little experience with meat alternatives, so I was surprised that this ‘faux beef’ felt just like a real burger in my mouth. The taste was somewhat similar to beef, but it was not particularly strong and was overpowered a bit by the ketchup which came in the burger. The ‘McPlant’ is quite small, so if you desire an afternoon snack or
small lunch it is the perfect size for you. I would recommend getting the ‘McPlant’ as a meal with chips because I found that the burger alone is not filling. It is also worth mentioning that the patty is thin compared to a normal beef burger, but is roughly the same size as a normal McDonald’s beef or cheese burger.
“This ‘faux beef’ felt just like a real burger” The lettuce was soggy, but I suppose that this is to be expected at McDonald’s (I do not think I have ever consumed a properly crispy piece of lettuce in my burgers from there). The ‘Vegan Sandwich Sauce’ felt like a pointless addition to the burger. Overall I was very impressed with the ‘McPlant’ and would recommend it to anyone.
work has been put in to replicate the typical McDonald’s burgers. Of course, the ‘McPlant’ is not a gourmet experience, but the pea patty feels like the real thing. Unfortunately, the vegan cheese was missing from our order, so this will also have to be missing from our review, but the other toppings were standard McDonald’s fare which added to the authenticity. For now, the vegan patty is only available in the ‘McPlant’, but hopefully in future McDonald’s will expand their line to place the new patty in a variety of burgers. I know in future the ‘McPlant’ will be top of my list after a night out.
Kitty Grant Print and Features Editor
I have been a vegetarian for almost six years, so there are some foods I am just used to not having anymore. For years, my McDonald’s experience has been relegated to lukewarm cheese bites and disappointing ‘veggie burgers’, if you can even call them that, but no longer. With the announcement of the ‘McPlant’, McDonald’s are finally joining their competitors and releasing a vegan option that offers a similar experience to its meaty counterparts. My expectations for the ‘McPlant’ were pretty high given the standard of other vegan fast food offerings that have been coming out in recent years, so I was really happy to feel like I was getting the authentic McSperience for the first time in McYears. The burger was made in collaboration with Beyond Meat, but it was not the standard Beyond Burger sold at other restaurants. Clearly,
Pxfuel
“The ‘McPlant’ is not a gourmet experience, but the pea patty feels like the real thing”
Comfort Meal: Salmon Risotto Saffi Breakwell shares her recipe for a warming recipe to get you through autumn Saffi Breakwell Food&Drink Writer
This dish is the epitome of comfort eating. With soft, tender salmon, velvety rice, and rich, tangy cheese, this risotto will reminds me of hearty home cooking and winter nights with my family. This is a childhood favourite for me and ignited my love of rich, seasonal foods, delivering on taste and nostalgia in equal measure. Filling and flavoursome, this simple and comforting recipe does not disappoint.
Serves 3 Ingredients: 1 glug of olive oil 225g of arborio rice 1 onion (finely chopped) 1 clove of garlic (crushed) Parmesan cheese (roughly three handfuls, grated) 750ml vegetable stock (made using vegetable OXO and boiling water) Splash of white wine (optional) 2 pieces of salmon (approximately 240g, cut into small chunks) Peas (as many as you want) Salt and pepper to taste
Method: 1. Add the olive oil to a frying pan on a medium heat. Once the oil is heated through, add your chopped onion and crushed garlic and fry until soft and aromatic. 2. Add the arborio rice and gently fry until the edges of the rice are transparent, making sure not to burn the rice on the heat.
5. Once the peas have been stirred through, add the splash of white wine. This is entirely optional but adds a warm richness of flavour to the dish.
3. Gradually pour the vegetable stock into the pan, stirring and adding more once it has been absorbed by the rice.
6. Just before the rice is fully cooked, place the chunks of salmon in the frying pan. The rice should be firm and translucent.
Easy Tomato Gnocchi Chloë Hyde cooks up a storm with this simple mozzarella, tomato and pesto gnocchi Chloë Hyde Food&Drink Editor Chloë Hyde
I was never really a massive fan of gnocchi dishes, since my first time trying it in a restaurant was extremely rich and oily. That meal left a bad taste in my mouth, and a bad taste for gnocchi in general. I decided to create a gnocchi dish using what I had in the fridgewhich was luxurious and warming – a perfect easy meal going into the dark and cold nights. This is my simplified version of a Caprese gnocchi, since I rarely have fresh basil in the house, but I always have a handy jar of pesto.
4. Once all the vegetable stock is fully absorbed, add the peas. The peas add a sweet crunch and compliment the flavour of the salmon.
Ingredients: 1 glug of olive oil 1 tablespoon of tomato purée A dash of lemon juice Half a bag of gnocchi (usually 200250g) Half a ball of mozzarella A few teaspoons of basil pesto ½ a packet of cherry tomatoes (roughly 175g), chopped into quarters 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes Salt and pepper
Method:
Stir the salmon through the rice and peas, until it is opaque and light pink. 7. Add the grated parmesan
Flickr
a salted saucepan and bring to the boil. This should not take very long to cook (3 minutes roughly).
1. Put the olive oil into a frying pan and turn it to a medium heat. Once the olive oil moves 5. Make sure to spoon some of around easily in the pan, add the starchy pasta water bit by bit to your quartered cherry tomatoes, try and create a silky tomato and chopped garlic cloves. sauce. 2. Season with salt, pepper, and chilli flakes, and fry the tomatoes until they begin to soften. I left them for just over five minutes, but you want the liquid to be leaving the tomatoes as this will be an important part of the sauce.
6. Right before the gnocchi is cooked, slice your mozzarella, and put into the pan, waiting for it to melt into the tomato sauce. 7. Drain your gnocchi and keep a little bit of pasta water in the bottom of the pan. Mix the gnocchi with the tomato and garlic until everything is incorporated.
3. Once softened and juicy, add in the tomato purée and mix around in the pan. Also add the 8. Dish up into your favourite dash of lemon juice to add a bit pasta bowl, and dollop as much of acidity. pesto as you would like onto the top of the gnocchi. Finish with a 4. Whilst still cooking the few more slices of mozzarella and tomatoes, place your gnocchi in a little more salt and pepper.
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TRAVEL
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricktravel
Beata Mitrega
One for the Bucket List: South Wales Lucy Ellis-Davies, a born and bred ‘South Walian’, reveals Wales’ unequaled blend of coast and countryside in her recent road-trip and why it is ideal for any budget Lucy Ellis-Davies News Editor
Gower Peninsula, Swansea Muddy hiking boots aside, all seventy miles of the Gower Peninsula pack a profound punch. Designated the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956, it affords around 30 beaches for those in search of some Welsh sun and a huge range of waterand land-based activities for those who prefer the adrenaline-infused variety. Located fewer than 90 minutes from Cardiff Central railway station, on the M4, is Three Cliffs’ Bay, named so after its three limestone cliffs which are roughly 60-feet high. If you can find a comfortable spot on the sand dunes for a picnic and a paperback, it is the idyllic place to while away an afternoon.
“It is the idyllic place to while away an afternoon” Pennard Castle, reputed to have been torn down by the ‘Verry Folk’ in a storm as punishment for the baron’s insolence, overlooks
the Pennard Pill which meanders through the bay. Whether or not you believe in the legends, its sand-steeped ruins hold a haunting allure. A five and a half mile trek, listed on Wikiloc as an easy to moderate trail, will guide you from North Hill Lane onto the beach itself and around the castle whilst hugging the cliffs, extending some spectacular views. As staying on the Gower can become costly, I made the choice of paying for a tent pitch in Carmarthenshire, roughly £23 for the night. If you decide to do the same, the website pitchup.com offers an extensive list of sites with options to fine-tune your results if you want to splash out on add-ons like electrical outlets or hot tubs. If you have never been camping before, the early autumn, around mid-September, is a brilliant time to go. With this in mind, it is also worth comparing prices for small bed and breakfasts in the area for an authentic taste of South Wales hospitality. Aberystwyth, Cardigan Bay As we attempted to navigate our gas cooker the next morning, our freshly-buttered toast was stolen by a wayward neighbouring dog. Whilst it can add some time on, taking the A487 from Aberaeron to Aberystwyth delivers rugged coastal scenery, with small, pebbled beaches one mile and
a hodgepodge of hedgerows and aurelian fields the next. The university town, founded in 1872, presents a lot more than its thriving town centre and 13thcentury castle on the promenade. Its Cliff Railway House sells concessionary single tickets from £3.50 if you show valid student ID, with superb views from on top of Constitution Hill, 778 feet from sea level. The pub and cafe that service sightseers at the top can get quite busy, regardless of what time of year it is, so it is worth taking your own sandwiches. We plodded along to Medina, a Mediterraneanstyle restaurant on the outskirts of the town, determined to make our night count (they give brilliant vegetarian options). For those who desire more student-style grub, Mama Fay’s sells Caribbean twists for reasonable prices.
and accessible all year around and charts the local history of the area, with the information desk providing maps for those who choose to explore the chain of man-made lakes by themselves. We chose to hire two e-bikes, which cost £35 for the day, and set off on the mountain-biking trails, set aside from the road, detailed on our map. Whilst the roads can be hazardous for the most nervous of cyclists, there are no greater thrill than speeding down one at almost 30 miles an hour. ȩ
Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire This border town is an absolute must for those who love books, writing and the lure of a poetic lifestyle. Home to the world’s only cinema in a bookstore, it boasts over twenty independent bookstores and is named the National Book Town of Wales, with the Literary Festival held here annually in the summer. The whole trip cost us £129.50, the cost shared between two people.
Elan Valley, Powys The Elan Valley Visitor Centre is nestled at the foot of a Victorian stone dam and represents the starting point of any pilgrimages to the reservoirs themselves. A daily average of 300 million litres of Birmingham’s drinking water is sourced from the Caban Coch Reservoir in the Elan Valley, leaving behind a protracted history of ownership by the Birmingham Waterworks Company, purchased by Joseph Chamberlain. The centre’s exhibition area is open
Lucy Ellis-Davies
TRAVEL
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricktravel
31
A Fear of Planes - Where Does It Come From and What Can We Do About It? Tamzin Meyer breaks down why we fear planes and suggests ways to control aerophobia Tamzin Meyer Digital Editor
With travel opening up again most people will be excitedly planning their next family getaway or holiday abroad with their friends. However, for those with aerophobia - a fear of flying holidays to Spain, Italy, Australia and America are all out of the question. No matter how much they may wish to explore foreign countries, their options are limited to where they can travel to on a ferry, train or in a car. Being scared of flying is something that most people just deal with, knowing that they have to endure a short flight in order to go on a lovely holiday in the sun. However, those who suffer from extreme flight anxiety may never have yet explored the world as they are unable to see past the danger associated with getting on a plane. Experts have now suggested that we may be able to overcome aerophobia if we understand where it originates from. Taking a step back, it seems rather irrational to fear planes or flying itself, especially if this fear
has not been based on experience. Why are some people so anxious to fly if they have never actually set foot on a plane before? Perhaps, a fear of flying is actually disguising a different fear.
“Perhaps, a fear of flying is actually disguising a different fear” Those who have flown before may have had a bad experience with turbulence whilst those who have never flown may have been traumatised by plane disasters in Hollywood films. This falsely creates a fear of planes in general - a fear of flying, when actually the thing that is actually being feared may be death and disaster or perhaps a fear of not being in control. When those with aerophobia start to break down their fear, they can start being able to tackle it. For example, those with a fear of heights can start to work their way up to flying in
the skies by taking on a series of smaller heights first. This becomes a lot easier than trying to tackle an overwhelming fear of flying without understanding what it is you are specifically afraid of. Doing your research is essential if you wish to overcome or at least deal with your fear. Understanding that turbulence is usually a completely safe and normal part of a plane journey can help you to rationalise your fear. Out of an average 3 billion passengers a year travelling by plane, only 58 passengers are injured by turbulence. Similarly looking at plane crash statistics immediately makes you realise that media coverage has completely distorted your perception of planes. The chances of being in a plane accident are slim. Plane crashes or disasters are extremely rare with planes being the safest mode of transport. There is actually more chance of you dating a millionaire than there is of dying from a plane crash put that into perspective. After rationalising your fear and taking these steps, you may be able to pluck up the courage to take a short journey, perhaps to a
close country (a trip from England to Ireland only takes around one hour.) If you are feeling anxious beforehand, taking a few calming tablets can really help calm your nerves. Alternatively, listening to music or watching a film on the flight can help distract you from
any anxious thoughts. Importantly, it is crucial to remember how far you have come in facing your fear as you get ready to explore the world like never before.
Suhyeon Choi
Knock Before Entering: Hotel Superstitions Helen Sun takes us through a series of do's and don'ts during overnight stays in hotels to ensure a safe and auspicious journey Helen Sun Travel Editor
Hotels have observed the many comings and goings of travellers for years, decades and perhaps even centuries; we usually check into a hotel room without the foggiest idea who the previous occupants were or what has ever happened in it. Which is why, to some, hotels may give off an impression of being creepy and easily haunted, where ghosts, spirits and their past occupants tread the carpet with silent footsteps. As a result, certain cultures, particularly the Chinese, have developed a set of dos and don’ts for staying in a hotel room, so that you will not end up sharing your bed with an unseen friend. The most common form of superstition associated with buildings – not only limited to hotels – is numbers, typically in Asia and often in Hong Kong. Some hotels in these places skip floors containing the number four, especially 14 and sometimes even 13, as ‘four’ sounds like ‘death’ in
both Cantonese and Mandarin. The housing estate I grew up in skips all floors and blocks containing the number four, so the 23rd floor is succeeded by the 25th, and Block 4 is written as Block 3A. Next time you check into a hotel, you might want to be extra cautious about the floor and room number you are assigned, lest it contains an inauspicious number.
“The last room in a corridor is the most prone to being haunted” The position of the hotel room matters in feng shui as well, with some travellers believing that the last room in a corridor is the most prone to being haunted due to a low level of human activity. It is also assumed that hotels distribute rooms to travellers starting from the ones nearest to the central elevators, hence the last rooms are usually the least used. I do agree there is something slightly unset-
tling about the long walk from the room to the safety of the elevators and to escaping, in the event of anything unexpected. Now that you have secured a room and are looking forward to its comfort, are you finally safe? Before you let your guard down, remember this one thing – knock before entering. In case there is ‘someone’ in the room before you whom you should notify of your stay – a long-term resident, perhaps. You would not want to startle your roommate for the next two days or so, after all. Some travellers, after knocking, crack open the room door by a tiny slit, so that the ‘resident’ inside could slip out first. Prior to enjoying a long steaming shower and collapsing in your bed, there are a few things you might want to bear in mind during your stay. For instance, avoid aligning your shoes too neatly after taking them off. Some say that spirits easily step into – and possess – tidily placed shoes. Whereas the version I was told is that spirits tend to follow the direction to which the tips of your shoes point, possibly guiding them to where you are. Also, if
runnyrem
you see a Bible laid open on the table when you first enter your room, it is advisable not to touch it, as it might be left in that state for reasons you do not want to know. Last but not least, beware of beds that face wall mirrors. While it is probable you would be startled by your own sloppy reflection when waking up, your reflection might not be the only terrifying thing seen in the mirror. Too many rules and proce-
dures? While it is completely your choice not to believe in these myths or to instead befriend the uninvited guests, many travellers, I think, would admit that they have stayed in accommodation that gave them inexplicable chills. As the saying from the famous sitcom goes, ‘I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.’ Perhaps it would be best for all of us to be just a little stitious – just in case.
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LIFE&STYLE
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricklifestyle
Virtual Clothing– Manifestation of Late Stage Capitalism?
Weighing the pros and cons of digital fashion, Life&Style Writer Zuleika H remains skeptical of its merits Zuleika H
Life&Style Writer
For most of us, clothes shopping has always been inextricable from the notion of being able to wear our purchases. Its importance is difficult to overstate. The knowledge that we will wear something, and therefore our corresponding preferences for fit, style, colour, and texture, factor into whether we click ‘checkout’ or hand over cash. The rise of the digital clothing industry aims to disrupt this– to fundamentally reconfigure our relationship with dressing ourselves and our buying habits, by proposing virtual clothing as a viable alternative. But is virtual fashion anything more than a glorified extension of Instagram or Snapchat filters, one that can come with extortionate price tags? Or, having been banished to the realm of online dressup games or avatar customisation in video games, is it time for digital clothing to enjoy mainstream attention? Companies like The Fabricant, Carlings, and Abasi Rosborough that have profited from the creation and trade of virtual clothing in the last few years, largely through the release of high-pro-
file limited edition collections and collaborations with video game companies (such as Fortnite, which earns millions per month via the sale of skins), or luxury designers (see the Moschino x The Sims capsule collection), deliver sleek elevator pitches regarding the mass appeal of boundary-transcending and waste-reducing potential of digital garments, but they’re not entirely convincing. Unless the immersion of the context surrounding virtual clothing vastly improves, for example, the acquisition of digital clothing is in some way gamified in a multi-player context, or events of significance in the real world migrate to an accessible virtual reality environment (think sporting events, balls or even conferences) that place the richness and community of human interaction at its centre, it is difficult to see virtual clothing becoming truly mainstream. For a lot of fellow clothing fanatics, the tactility of the experience of trying on clothes, be it feeling the sumptuous smoothness of a velvet blazer, the pleasing coarseness of sequins or the heavenly softness of a cashmere-wool blend scarf, is irreplaceable. Pending such sophisticated developments,
alternative uses of the tool, such as fashion designers digitally testing the fit of prototypes on various body types, or even brick-and-mortar shops incorporating displays of virtual clothing to promote real-life counter-
The Fabricant
parts as part of more sophisticated visual merchandising efforts, seem more plausible. We are surely beyond the point of paying for clothing to be photoshopped on our photos experimentally and calling it an exploration of identity. If online
shopping offers the possibility of browsing for any shape, colour and texture of garment and acquiring it the next day, why restrict yourself to having clothing painted on a photo of you? The democratisation effect of the internet, in terms of affording exposure for independent, avantgarde brands or minority designers, combined with an era where diversity of aesthetic expression is celebrated (see the Youtube channels The Unknown Vlogs and Not So Blonde), further makes the appeal of virtual clothing baffling. Admittedly the cost of unique clothing can be prohibitive, and receptivity to alternative outfits might be higher in fashion-forward hotspots, so perhaps this is where virtual clothing can shine. The ascension of digital clothing has been supported by the rise of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), a technology that allows exclusive digital assets to be monetised and traded, but this only highlights the appeal of virtual clothing to wealthy or niche collectors. This has potentially sinister implications for women, who could become victims to particularly revealing clothes being photoshopped on their bodies without their consent for gratuitous
male consumption. Although blockchain technology somewhat mitigates this risk by only allowing the true owner of the image to post it to social media, this remains a dangerous possibility. As an approach to eco-fashion, virtual clothing is questionable because it does not address the psychology behind overconsumption, the major catalyst to fast fashion. Virtual clothing might be more affordable compared to ethically made clothes (though in some instances it certainly is not, as evident in the case of the £7500 virtual dress), but could an album of photoshopped pictures truly satiate? Virtual clothing, at least in its current form, only fulfils the desire to be seen, rather than providing a meaningful experience of fulfilling them. In short, the pandemic may have made us think twice for a moment, but virtual fashion is largely divorced from tangible clothing, one where technology, advertising, internet culture, and eco-conscious tentatively and blurrily intersect. It has spectacular potential that is yet to be realised, but the present attempts to entice by fashion and technology giants fall flat.
The Name's Misogyny, Rampant Misogyny Tumisu
TV Editor Josie Scott-Taylor considers the role of the 'Bond Girl' in the James Bond franchise, concluding that it is an outdated concept
Josie Scott-Taylor TV Editor
When someone mentions the name ‘James Bond’, I can take a wild guess at the images and associations those two words conjure up. Vodka martinis (shaken, not stirred), expensive suits, high-tech gear, and gorgeous women in revealing dresses. One aspect of the worshipped film franchise that people seem unwilling to focus on, though, is the rampant misogyny that runs throughout each instalment.
“Being as ‘cool’ as Bond is not something to aspire towards” The ‘Bond Girl’ phenomenon has sparked much controversy:
is it sexist, or is the so-called ‘PC Brigade’ taking things too far? I am not here to argue that the entirety of the James Bond franchise is misogynistic, or that you should not watch the films. I am simply here to advocate for consuming media through a critical lens, rather than claiming that the forceful sexism of characters as revered as Bond is acceptable because the difference between fiction and real-life is obvious. Although this separation may be crystal clear to some of us, these step-by-step guides like ‘How To Be James Bond: Science Explains Why He’s Irresistible To Women’ and ‘The essential guide to being as cool as James Bond’, as well as songs like Scouting for Girls' ‘I Wish I Was James Bond’ prove that this distinction is not quite so apparent to some people. A short YouTube video titled ‘Inappropriate Moments in James Bond Movies’ demonstrates that perhaps being as ‘cool’ as Bond is not something to aspire towards. The insistent misogyny that pervades every instalment of the Bond franchise would be easier
to accept if his character was not sold as the embodiment of British charm, and a role model for men. Entertainment Weekly posits that there are three main categories that Bond Girls fall into: the sacrificial lamb, the femme fatale, and the hero. The fact that so many female characters from so many different films are able to fit into just three concise categories highlights the lack of nuance and depth that the roles involve. One of the least sexist examples of a Bond girl is Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), a character who actually moves the plot forward rather than just acting as a plaything for Bond. Her character actually made history as the first Bond girl to have a significant role in more than one instalment of the franchise, and is not sexualised in the same way as many of the others, leading Seydoux to ‘gush’ over her character and the importance of her being seen as a ‘woman not a Bond girl’. Seydoux’s excitement at the idea of not being objectified demonstrates the importance of
writing roles for women that actually do something for the plot and are not filled with scenes that sexualise, rather than celebrate, the character. Just the infantilising nature of the title ‘Bond Girl’ is one that is ignored by too many people. Although the franchise has certainly become more suited for the 21st century, with Bond seemingly developing more of a moral code than he possessed in the earlier films, the ‘Bond Girl’ concept remains an outdated one. Even No Time to Die director Cary Fukunaga admitted that Bond was ‘basically’ a rapist in an older film, referring to a scene in Sean Connery’s 1965 Thunderball where the ‘charming’ spy forcibly kisses a nurse after she has refused his advances, later promising to keep quiet about information that could potentially cost the nurse her job, so long as she sleeps with him. Fukunaga is far from innocent himself, having been recently accused of firing an actress for refusing to shoot a topless
scene. Perhaps the evidence of sexism both on and behind the screen highlights the need to reevaluate what James Bond really represents in the 21st century.
“They are idolising a man who objectifies and mistreats women” When people idolise James Bond and what he stands for, they are idolising a man who objectifies and mistreats women. I am not saying that Bond is a villain whose existence needs to be eliminated from society, but that we should strive to watch films through a more critical lens. Until guides on ‘how to be like James Bond’ stop being written, or Bond stops being a misogynist, justifying the sexism in the films through the apparent distinction between fiction and reality is not an argument that holds up.
LIFE&STYLE
Friday 29th October 2021
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@redbricklifestyle
Make Your Room A Home: Editor's Favourites
Impossible Dreams of Tinseltown: My Experience
Digital Editor Tamzin Meyer deep dives into how American dominance over media has affected her growing up
Julia Lee
Life&Style Editor
Coming to uni (or returning from staying at home last year) is a big change– it might be the first time you have your own room and free reign to decorate it however you like. There are thousands of ways you could organise all the things you brought from home and everything else you will undoubtedly accumulate as the weeks pass. Here are two that you may not have encountered yet!
Fabric Earring Holder I had agonised over finding a way to store and display my evergrowing earring collection so that they are easy to access. When I fished my embroidery kit from one of my moving boxes, I found the perfect solution. Cross-stitch fabric with its stiff structure and grid-like pattern of holes makes the perfect earring holder. The benefits multiply the more you think about it— you can cut it to any size you desire (like a small square to travel with!) and hang it using an embroidery hoop, clipboard, or thumbtacks; you can even stitch fun patterns on the border or arrange the earrings in a way that makes it a fantastic piece of decor.
Tamzin Meyer Digital Editor
Growing up, I, like many other Gen Z kids, was surrounded by a glamorised view of America. I had never been to the USA yet felt like my life revolved around it, from the television shows I watched to the music I listened to; American culture became embedded into me, and even to this day it is hard to revert away from this. The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon were a huge part of my early teenage years — the most impressionable part of my life. Hormones were high and I was desperate to fit into the ‘ideal’ lifestyle that was portrayed on the television. It always seemed like the teenage protagonists portrayed on screen were living their best lives. Take Victorious for example; I dreamed of being a Hollywood Arts student, taken in by the idea of fame and stardom– these students were having the time of their lives. Tori Vega, Cat Valentine and Jade West were talented, looked ‘perfect’ and were having so much fun whilst I was back in the UK struggling to fit in at school, feeling like an outsider. I longed for the fame and fortune that these American teenagers had– I longed to be an actress or a pop sensation. I thought it would solve all of my problems. I just wanted my moment to ‘Make it Shine.’ This created bigger issues, however, for my self-esteem. I was no longer just comparing myself to others at school, I was comparing myself to so-called teenagers who I had never met, who more often than not, were played by adults. I felt I would never be happy unless I could live in Hollywood. America, to me, was a Paradise that I could never reach. The closest I was going to get was playing with my Barbie and Bratz dolls and giving them American accents. Being British was boring; I strived to reject my British identity in hope of creating one that was ‘fake’ and unnatural to me. If only there were more portrayals of ‘regu- lar’ teens on the TV, perhaps my ideas of happiness would have been different. To me, success was to be famous, to be like Hannah Montana living the ‘best of both worlds’. I was brain-washed and unfortunately, these ideas of success are still ingrained into me.
Of course, British TV shows also played a part in my childhood but not to the same extent as their USA counterparts did. The likes of The Story of Tracy Beaker made me realise that not everyone is perfect; Tracy’s life was far from glam, living in a children’s home called ‘The Dumping
“Americanisation made me delusional growing up”
Ground’ in which she always got into fights with Justine Littlewood and got a right telling off from Elaine the Pain. CBBC did well in allowing the show to portray kids as just that, kids. However, even amongst a very British show, American idealism pushed its way through. Tracy Beaker always bragged about her mum. who abandoned her as a child, living a dream life as a Hollywood Film Star. In a show that was supposed to be a reprieve from the usual portrayal of ‘perfect’ lifestyles, once again America is always depicted as some sort of Paradise for the rich and famous. Beaker’s mum could have been a film star anywhere in the world but the fact that she lived in Hollywood stresses the heartbreaking idea that you can only make it big in America. Now, as a twenty-year-old woman, American reality TV is a huge part of my life. I am drawn to it most likely because of the shows I was subjected to as a child. I now know that the America portrayed on television is an idealised one that makes up for such a small percentage of lifestyles. Most of America still struggles with the exact same issues as I do. My younger self was naive
“Being British was boring”
Julia Lee
Sun Catcher It is already incredible to wake up to the sun shining through the blinds— now imagine waking up to rainbows too! Sun catchers had had its fifteen minutes of fame a while ago, but I can assure you that seeing the multicoloured fractals dancing on your ceiling never gets old. You can hang a crystal on a string (securely!) from your curtain rod or stick a prismatic sticker on your window. Make the most of rare sunny days!
to think that mental health issues and struggles with self-image ceased to exist in another country– I now know different but sadly it does not stop me from aiming for the lifestyle I so dreamed of growing up. When I watch shows like Selling Sunset I long for those huge houses in the Hollywood Hills. I long to be a s fashionable as Christine Quinn. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious but it becomes a problem when it completely destroys your sense of selfworth.
Americanisation made me delusional growing up. It made me feel like my life was not good enough. Unfortunately, the glamorised view of the USA shows no signs of disappearing. Whilst Disney Channel no longer exists in the UK
Nickelodeon were only available through certain television packages, Youtube was only for sharing music videos and nobody knew what Instagram was– but now children only have to open their phones up to access a glamorised USA. Teens only have to look at how successful Jojo Siwa is (she literally has a car with her face on it) and witness family vloggers such as Kyler and Madison Fisher go on ‘no budget’ shopping sprees just for the sake of a youtube video to wrongly believe that materialism is the gateway to happiness and America is the place that can provide them just that. This is not to say that these stars have not earned these luxuries but when their lives are placed in the public eye, available for all to access, children start gaining an unrealistic snapshot into the average American life. British children are quickly becoming the step-children of America instead of embracing their own identity, trying desperately to replicate the lifestyle they see on their screen. They will always have unreal-
“Now children only have to open their phones up istic portrayto access a als of mericans glamorised Aforced upon them and USA” will always
(with the exception of Disney+), newer platforms are being used to get into the heads of impressionable young people. With social media and TikTok making it seem like every young person in America has a life like the D’Amelios I fear those younger than myself will face the internal struggles that I myself went through, perhaps, on a much bigger scale. Exposure to the American lifestyle has never been easier; at least in the naughties Disney and
have to struggle in comparing them t o their o w n lives. The sad truth is that there is simply no escape.
Cameron Venti
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SCI&TECH
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricktech
Creature New Infrared Treatment Feature: Atlas Moth for Treating Dementia Emily Adams explains how this new technology could help treat Tamzin Meyer Digital Editor
dementia and other neurological disorders Emily Adams Sci&Tech Writer
A helmet designed to beam infrared light into the brain has been piloted on healthy volunteers, who showed subsequent improvements in memory, motor function and cognitive processing compared to a placebo group. Research published in Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery was led by Dr Paul Chazot from Durham University, and County Durham GP Dr Gordon Dougal. The researchers claim that results show that transcranial photobiomodulation therapy (PBM-T) could have potential applications as a therapy for dementia.
One healthy participant was 56-year-old Tracy Sloan, who described how her daily life improved after using the helmet in the prescribed way. She explained how she noticed benefits to her sleep pattern and ability to relax as well as experiencing higher energy levels. She said: 'I have a bad memory to start with and I think as you get older it gets no better, so I thought I would give the therapy a go. I wasn’t sure it would make a difference, but to be honest I think it did.'
explain the mechanism by which this works. Dr Chazot elaborated that 'We know that infrared light of particular wavelengths can help alleviate nerve cell damage, amyloid load and reduced blood flow in the brain, which are common in people with dementia.' As mentioned, the helmet works by delivering infra-red light into the brain. The light is thought to stimulate mitochondria, the energy producing component of cells, to generate more energy. This energy is in the form of
What does the therapy entail? The therapy was given to 14 healthy participants in this pilot study, and involved wearing the £7,250 helmet, devised by Dr Dougal, for two six-minute sessions every day over the span of four weeks. The helmet emits infrared light at a wavelength of 1068 nanometers from 14 fan-cooled LED arrays through the skull and into the brain. This delivers 1,368J of energy in each six-minute treatment. A control group was given a dummy helmet to act as a placebo. How does it help patients? Results from healthy participants found those receiving PBM-T experienced improvements on several tests performed by scientists. Participants using the PBM-T helmet exhibited significant improvements in motor function (on a finger tapping task), memory (in terms of mathematical processing and working memory), and brain processing speed, when compared to the control group with a dummy helmet. No adverse side effects were reported.
a n organic compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), of which dementia patients have decreased levels. ATP can be used by living cells but also aids the repair of damaged neurons. Additionally, by increasing nitric oxide in the brain PBM-T can enhance blood flow. The therapy can increase the flexibility of blood vessels so that they can open up and allow more Max Pixel
How does the therapy work? What actually happens to the brain when it’s exposed to infrared? County Durham GP Dr Dougal, who devised the helmet, explained that the therapy 'may well help dying brain cells regenerate into functioning units once again,' though he adds that more research needs to be done to
oxygen to reach deeper brain structures, necessary for neuron function. Dr Douglas says: 'Laboratory work exploring the mechanism of action of PBM-T1068, indicates this therapeutic tool may well help dying brain cells regenerate into functioning units once again.' However, 'Much more research is needed to fully understand the mechanism of action.' Previous research and future applications Findings come following a study led by Dr Jason Huang, and worked on by Dr Chazot and Dr Dougal, which was published in Cureus in July this year. This study piloted the use of transcranial near-infrared (tNIR) stimulation (another name for PBM-T1068), on patients suffering from mild to moderate dementia. Similarly, this study found positive effects from the treatment. For example, women in the treatment group showed a 20% improvement on MiniMental State Exams (MMSE) after eight weeks of treatment, with men exhibiting a 19% improvement. This was significantly higher than control groups for both sexes and sex differences were not significant. Participants also reported improved energy, elevated mood, and decreased anxiety. Dr Chazot said, though more research is required, 'there are promising indications that therapy involving infrared light might also be beneficial for people living with dementia and this is worth exploring.' A benefit of this therapy is that dementia patients could use the device quickly and easily in their own homes. Moreover, beyond dementia, people with other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease, traumatic brain injury and motor neuron disease may be benefited by this treatment.
Facebook Announces Metaverse Plans Ella Kipling Social Secretary
Facebook has announced that they will be hiring 10,000 workers from the European Union over the next five years to develop a ‘metaverse.’ In a press release, the company described a ‘metaverse’ as ‘a new phase of interconnected virtual experiences using technologies like virtual and augmented reality.’ It also explained that the metaverse will not be owned and operated by any one company, and its key feature will be its ‘openness and interoperability.’ The ‘metaverse’ essentially is a virtual space where you can create and explore with other people who
are not in the same physical space as you. Facebook explains that you will be able to ‘hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create, and more’ all on the metaverse. The tech giant also stressed that this development is not about spending more time online, but making the time you do spend online ‘more meaningful.’
However, the metaverse won’t be here right away, as users will have to wait 10 to 15 years for the product to be ‘fully realised.’ Facebook pledged to build the metaverse ‘responsibly,’ and key areas in which the company claims to work closely with others to reduce risks are: Economic opportunity, privacy, safety and integrity, equity and inclusion.
A two-year $50 million investment in programs and external research called the ‘XR Programs and Research Fund’ will also be launched to help with building the metaverse. Some of the initial partners are the Organization of American States, Africa No Filter, Electric South, Imisi3D, and Women in Immersive Tech.
“It is not about spending more time online” Marco Verch
Bernard Spragg
Attacus atlas, belonging t o t h e S a t u r n i i d a e f a m i l y, is a species of moth that could be mistaken for a snake if you did not know b e t t e r. T h e m a j o r i t y o f the species live in Southeast Asia's tropical rainforests. They tend to remain here for most of their lives, as the trees there provide the perfect habitat to allow them to breed and sleep. Where the Atlas m o t h ’s n a m e o r i g i n a t e s from is uncertain - some suggest that 'atlas' refers to its resemblance to a paper map, whilst others presume it refers to the Greek God Atlas, who was believed to hold the weight of the sky on his broad shoulders - this is fitting for the moth with the largest wing surface area in the world. The moth is able to warn predators with its distinct wing shape and markings, and clever movement of its wings to mimic that of a serpent. Ty p i c a l l y, t h e i r w i n g s a r e an orange-brown colour with black and white markings, and their wingspan can reach up to 12 inches. Adult atlas moths only live for two weeks - t h e i r l i f e ’s p u r p o s e i s to mate and produce more moths. This mating happens at night as its pheromones are not as easy t o d e t e c t d u r i n g t h e d a y. The caterpillar stage of an atlas’ life is very important; the moths do not have mouths and cannot eat, which means that they rely on their time as caterpillars to gain as much energy as possible to help them survive long enough to mate; they spend most of this period of time consuming food such as cinnamon and citrus fruit. The fat storage only lasts for a couple of weeks to sustain life. Fascinatingly, atlas moths can produce their own silk called fagara which they use to create their cocoon. This brown silk is very sturdy which provides excellent protection with Asians using their silk to make purses due to this valuab l e q u a l i t y.
SCI&TECH
Friday 29th October 2021
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@redbricktech
Inaugural Earthshot Prize Winners Announced Daniella Southin Sci&Tech Editor
The Earthshot Prize, a prize that provides funds and celebrates those working to protect the environment, announced its first ever winners; 5 governments, start ups or individuals who have contributed to preserving the natural world. The awards were attended by Prince William and Sir David Attenbourgh, as well as the 15 finalists, chosen from over 750 nominations, who went through a rigorous selection process overseen by a panel of 10 industry experts. Earthshot chose this Expert Advisory Panel to create a longlist of innovators, the panel including the likes of Melati Wijsen, who at 12 years old founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags and later YOUTHTOPIA, a ‘youth empowerment platform.’ The panel also included Amazon Rainforest expert and Earth System scientist Carlos Nobre and National Geographic explorer Malaika Vaz. Together, this panel chose three finalists for each of the five Earthshot sections, with each winner receiving £1 million to ‘help support and scale [their] innovations.’ Protect and Restore Nature: The Protect and Restore Nature award was won by the Republic of Costa Rica for their environmental work that has doubled the size of Costa Rican rainforests - which had shrunk by half their size in the 1990s due to severe deforestation. They have achieved this monumental milestone through ‘programmes [that] paid citizens to protect forests, plant trees and restore ecosystems.’ Their success could prove vital in reducing global warming and maintaining biodiversity as with their winnings, they hope to
‘share [their] knowledge and practices globally.’
“Their success could prove vital in reducing global warming” The Republic of Costa Rica was up against the Pole Pole Foundation working to reduce the poaching of bushmeat in the Democratic Republic of Congo by simultaneously tackling issues of ‘poverty and hunger,’ which often fuel such killings, as well as deforestation. They were also against Restor, an online platform that has connected ‘over 50,000 restoration sites’ across the globe and is packed with ‘ecological data’ to aid their efforts. Clean Our Air: The three finalists for the Clean Air Prize were Blue Mapp App, Vinisha Umashankar and the prize winner Takchar. Takchar is a social enterprise developed for its ability to reduce smoke emissions on New Delhi farms by 98%. This is through the development of their ‘cheap, small-scale, portable technology’ that creates fertilizer and fuel from crop residue. This technology helps to improve air quality that is negatively impacted by the burning of agricultural waste, and Earthshot predicts that it has the potential to ‘cut a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.’ In a country where life expectancy has decreased by five years as a result of poor air quality, this would not only aid the environ-
ment but also the health and wellbeing of locals. Despite being beaten by Takchar’s technology, Blue Mapp App is another innovative technology that allows its '10 million users’ to track some of China’s environmental issues, such as water and air quality, in real time. By creating ‘micro reports,’ the app has put pressure on China’s factories and companies to change their environmentally destructive practices. Change is also being enticed by Vinisha Umashankar, who has developed a solar powered ironing cart that she thinks could replace the charcoal powered irons that are widely used in India, also improving air quality and reducing deforestation. Revive Our Oceans: Coral Vita took home Earthshot’s Revive Our Oceans Prize for its work to restore the coral reefs of the Bahamas. Developed by Gatar Halpern and Sam Teicher, Coral Vita grows corals on land at a speed ‘50 times faster than traditional methods,’ which are then planted on ocean floors. With the help of their £1 million prize they would like to see the project expand to every area where reefs need protection. Just missing out on the prize are Pristine Seas and the Living Walls project. Pristine Seas was nominated for their extensive ocean preservation and activism worldwide including the establishment of ’24 marine reserves’ and their goal to protect ‘30% of our oceans by 2030.’ The Living Walls project, however, approaches our oceans differently, instead focusing on the lack of biodiversity in our flood defences in the face of rising sea levels. Unlike typical flat sea walls, living sea walls ‘mimic natural for-
mations like rock pools and mangrove roots,’ already seeing ‘36% more marine species’ in just two years.
creates fresh water from waste water at a rate ‘over 50 times more efficient’ than regular treatment plants.
Build A Waste Free World: The first recipient of the Build A Waste Free World prize was the Food Waste Hubs in Milan. With food waste contributing up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, these food hubs are an innovative idea that will help reduce this impact of climate change by saving the equivalent of 260,000 meals a year as well as fighting ‘food insecurity.’ Through the enforcement of a ‘city-wide food waste policy’ the food hubs have the potential to be implemented worldwide, something the Earthshot prize could help to make a reality.
Fix Our Climate: The prize for Earthshot’s Fix Our Climate section went to Enapter’s AEM Electrolyser, a type of hydrogen technology that is already providing renewable energy to ‘cars,’ ‘planes,’ and ‘homes.’ With the possibility of accounting for ‘10% of the world’s hydrogen generation,’ the AEM electrolyser could be vital to cleaning up the 70% of energy that is still produced by non-renewables. Enapter’s AEM Electrolyser beat the other Fix Our Climate Finalists Reddi and SOLbazaar. Reddi is a ‘clean tech startup’ that provides solar powered energy to some of the ‘600 million’ people in Africa who struggle with unreliable electricity, by renting out a lithium battery for just $0.50 a day. Reddi and Enapter were also faced by SOLbazaar’s innovative SOLshare which allows those with extra energy produced by solar panels to sell it to a ‘microgrid network.’ From this network, locals can buy the clean energy and reduce or eliminate their use of wood and coal and therefore, reduce their carbon emissions. For its first year, Earthshot has managed to find an extensive list of worthy winners and finalists worldwide, each of whom are contributing to conservation, climate crisis and environment battle in their own unique way. With each section calling to action the rest of the world, Earthshot are celebrating and rewarding these finalists with the funds to progress their ideas and further contribute to this important work. It is an inspiring prize that could have an inspiring impact.
“Food waste contributing up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions” Up against the City of Milan Food Hubs was Sanergy, which is aiming to tackle the ‘sanitation and waste management crisis unfolding across the developing world.’ This is through their ‘locally built, cost effective dry toilets’ where the collected waste is turned into agricultural inputs such as fertilizer which ‘boosts farming volumes by 30%,’ thus aiding the local community and economy. WOTA also received its status as an Earthshot finalist by tackling the ‘water stress’ crisis that is predicted to affect almost 40% of people worldwide. They are doing so through their WOTA Box, which
Penguins Pummelled by Brutal Bees Ashley Baker explores the mysterious deaths of over 60 penguins in South Africa Ashley Baker Sci&Tech Writer
At least 63 penguins are thought to have died as a result of bee stings following an extremely rare incident in South Africa. The endangered African penguins were found dead on Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town, a suburb of Cape Town. The remains of several Cape honey bees were found near the scene. The incident was reported in a statement released by South Africa’s national parks agency (SANParks) in September. Post-mortem examinations of the penguins were carried out by the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). The postmortems revealed that all of the birds had experienced multiple bee stings and that there were no other apparent signs of disease or injury. African penguins have a distinct patch of bare skin above their eyes which allows them to regulate their body temperature. Many of the stings were identified
to be around the bird’s eyes as well as on their flippers.
“Bees and penguins are normally able to co-exist” SANCCOB stated that its rangers would begin monitoring nests which had belonged to the penguins with the hope of rescuing and hand-rearing any of their unhatched eggs and chicks. A spokesperson from the foundation said that losing more than 60 healthy birds was ‘quite a blow’ for the Boulders Beach colony. The protected colony, which was established in the early 1980s, was recently estimated to be home to around 3,000 African penguins. Cape honey bees, like other types of honey bee, have a barbed stinger – this causes the bee to
die after using its sting. Dr Alison Kock, a marine biologist at SANParks, explained that bees and penguins are normally able to co-exist, and that something would have triggered the bees to become defensive: ‘The bees don't sting unless provoked - we are working on the assumption that a nest or hive in the area was disturbed and caused a mass of bees to flee the nest, swarm and became aggressive.’
“Human activity in the area may have caused the bees to become more hostile” Christian Perk, professor of entomology at the University of Pretoria and an expert in Cape honey bee behaviour, told the
BBC World Service’s Newshour programme that he was surprised by the scale of the incident and suggested that human activity in the area may have caused the bees to become more hostile. African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) are the only penguin species living on the south-western coast of Africa. The birds are mostly found in large colonies along the rocky stretch of coastline between Namibia and Port Elizabeth in South Africa, as well as many of the surrounding small islands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has classified African penguins as an endan-
Bernard Spragg
Andy Blackledge Puxfuel
gered species since 2010. The population of the birds is thought to be declining rapidly, mainly due to increasing competition for food with industrial fisheries. Estimates suggest that the number of African penguins has fallen from around 80,000 breeding pairs in 1978 to only 21,000 breeding pairs today, a decrease of more than 70%.
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SPORT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricksport
Baseball: World Series Preview The World Series will end with the Atlanta Braves defeating the Houston Astros, argues Max Diment Max Diment
ground balls, while relying on his sweeping curve and change-up to punch the opposing hitters out. Due to the format of the series, games three through five will be played on consecutive days in Atlanta. Consequently, if Valdez and Houston’s game two starter fails to deliver, the Astros could be staring down the barrel if they arrive in Atlanta on 29th October with a group of overworked relief pitchers in their bullpen.
Sport Writer
The conclusion of the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) season sees the Atlanta Braves face off against the Houston Astros in the World Series for baseballs’ most coveted prize: the Commissioner’s Trophy. The 2021 World Series starts on 26th October, with the Astros making their third Fall Classic appearance in the last five years, while the Braves make their first since 1999. The Astros, who eliminated the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox on their way to the World Series, will be seeking to dispel the controversy of the sign-stealing scandal which tainted their 2017 championship winning season. The Braves, who eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, will be hunting only their fourth championship in franchise history and their first since 1995. On paper it would seem that the Astros are firm favourites having won 95 games during the regular season compared to the Braves 88. Consequently, Houston has the coveted home field advantage for the best-of-seven series.
Twitter/@MLB The Astros will look to the same core of players, José Altuve, Carlos Correra, Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel, who have delivered four AL West divisional titles in the last five years. However,
“On paper it would seem that the Astros are firm favourites”
the American League Championship Series (ALCS) showcased the frailties of Houston’s starting rotation, who were unable to get even three innings from any of their starting pitchers in the first four games of the ALCS. The tone of the series for the Astros will be set by Framber Valdez, Houston’s game one starter, who threw eight innings of one-run ball in game five of the ALCS against the Red Sox. The southpaw will look to utilise his hard breaking sinker to force
“The American League Championship Series showcased the frailties of Houston's starting rotation” The Braves will counter with Charlie Morton, who will seek to quieten a raucous crowd at Minute Maid Park. The hosts, who will most likely be cheered on by the other 28 fanbases, will look to veteran first base Freddie Freeman,
making his first World Series appearance, to lead them on and off the field. I expect an MVP (MLB Most Valuable Player Award) calibre series from Freeman who, while being an integral part of Atlanta’s October run, was overshadowed by teammate Eddie Rosairo. The 30-yearold left fielder accumulated one of the all-time great playoff series performances in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the dodgers. Rosario, the NLCS MVP, hit for an average of .560 and tied the record for the most hits in a single postseason series in MLB history. The Astros will do well to keep him off the bases. Neither team is without injury problems. The Braves are missing star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who has been out since July with a torn ACL, and Lance McCullers Jr. is absent for the Astros. The Houston side’s key starting pitcher misses out due to a forearm injury. While I expect and hope for a tight series that goes the full seven games, I predict that, with the help of Joc Pederson’s ‘lucky’ pearl necklace, the Braves will triumph in six games.
Cricket: Can England Regain the Ashes? Toby Fenton Sport Writer
Following the T20 World Cup, the next challenge for the English cricket team will be the Ashes series, beginning at the Gabba in Brisbane on the 8th of December. England will be looking to improve on their last two Ashes series: an eventful 2-2 draw at home in 2019, and a heavy 4-0 defeat in Australia in 2017/18. The series’ build-up has been plagued by the threat of tight COVID-19 restrictions being imposed by the Australian government, including strict quarantines where players’ families may not be able to attend. Jos Buttler even suggested in August that he would consider not going if his
young family was not able to come. Fortunately for England, Australia will be loosening restrictions on arrival into the country just in time, and as such, England have been able to pick their strongest squad. The England squad selection has not sprung any major surprises, with all the selected players already capped by England at Test level. For a number of the players, such as Haseeb Hameed, Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence, it will be a first experience of an Ashes tour. Ashes tours have been known to make or break players, as seen in Ben Stokes’ magnificent debut Test hundred in 2013/14, or the withdrawal of Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott on the same tour, so England’s up and coming stars will be tested against a world-
Flickr/Ben Sutherland
class bowling attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in their own backyard.
“Ashes tours have been known to make or break players” However, the England squad over recent months has been depleted by a number of injuries to dependable stars at Test level, such as Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes. Archer has been affected by a recurring elbow injury, which has led to his absence from England duty for a number of months now. Stokes had been on indefinite leave, during which he struggled with a long-term finger injury, as well as his mental health, which was likely related to his father Ged’s passing in the last 18 months. Thankfully, Stokes has recovered well, resulting in the recent news of his selection for the Ashes. His availability also means England can bring in the spin of Jack Leach, as the batting depth and fourth seamer option from Stokes allows for a better balance in England’s side. Fast bowler Olly Stone and all-rounder Sam Curran, who would have been likely selections, are also out due stress fractures. Moeen Ali is a notable absentee
after recently announcing his retirement from Test cricket. Out of form opener, Dom Sibley, was also overlooked for the main squad, but was picked for the England Lions squad instead, which he has since withdrawn from to ‘work on his batting at home’.
“Moeen Ali is a notable absentee” Finally, there a couple of glaring omissions, whom I feel should have been included in the main squad rather than with the Lions. Leg-spinner Matt Parkinson has impressed in red ball cricket and has been around the Test squad without a cap, and in my opinion is a far better option than the inconsistent Dom Bess. The same goes for fellow Lancastrian, and fast bowler Saqib Mahmood, who has impressed for England in white-ball cricket with his ability to bowl in excess of ninety milesper-hour and to move the ball both ways. His pace would have been an asset on flat Australian pitches, and to back up the injuryprone Mark Wood.
My series prediction: England 2 Australia 2
England Ashes Squad 2021/2 Joe Root (C) James Anderson Jonny Bairstow Dom Bess Stuart Broad Rory Burns Jos Buttler (WK) Zak Crawley Haseeb Hameed Dan Lawrence Jack Leach Dawid Malan Craig Overton Ollie Pope Ollie Robinson Ben Stokes (VC) Chris Woakes Mark Wood
SPORT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricksport
Rugby Union: Autumn Internationals Alex Lancaster-Lennox previews England's Three Autumn International Fixtures, beginning on the 6th November Alex Lancaster-Lennox Sport Writer
With what has felt like years since we have heard the chants of ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ booming around Twickenham, international rugby is back with a bang. The Autumn Internationals in the coming weeks promise exciting matches for England on home turf in front of home crowds However, with varying results in recent international tournaments, what can we expect from the England squad this time around? Across the three weeks, England will face strong competition from Tonga, Australia, and South Africa, starting on November 6th. After scraping a fifth place finish in a disappointing run at the 2021 Six Nations, England will be hoping to reassert their dominance on an international stage. In a hope to “regenerate and rejuvenate” the side, Head Coach Eddie Jones has made drastic changes to the squad, choosing a more youthful and less experienced team over some more capped players. Notable player omissions include the Saracens duo Billy and Mako Vunipola despite their excellent performance against Bath only last week in a 71-17 win. Further omissions of George Ford and Jamie George exemplify Jones’ idea of regenerating the squad. Nic Dolly, Mark Atkinson, Tommy Freeman and Raffi Quirke
form the quartet of new kids, with this being Dolly and Freeman’s first call-up to the senior ranks. Sceptics of Jones have argued these inexperienced players demonstrate further his poor decisionmaking, as such drastic changes ahead of international tournaments haven’t worked well for him in the past. Most notably, the pruning of English mainstays like Hartley, Te’o, and Robshaw in the 12 months before the 2019 Japan World Cup which eventually saw England fall at the final hurdle. But after Wales’ performance in the Six Nations, with newbie Louis Rees-Zammit as the shining star of the tournament, perhaps Jones is hoping to recreate a similar formula for success.
“England will face strong competition from Tonga, Australia, and South Africa” On the matter, Eddie Jones told Rugby World: 'This is a young but very good, talented squad who have all earned their places. It is one of the most competitive squads I’ve ever picked.' A competitive squad is exactly what both England and Jones need right now, as after a disappointing Six Nations, another tournament failure would certainly bring his leadership into question. A competitive squad is exactly
Twitter/@EnglandRugby what both England and Jones need right now Hopefully England’s success in the Autumn Nations Cup last year will bring some confidence into play. Although, one player who is not looking to recreate his performance from last year is Captain Owen Farrell, who had a shaky final missing a few too many conversions. Either way, England have some challenging test matches ahead. Firstly, Tonga always promise some physical and strong gameplay, which will test England. In addition, with the Wallabies coming into the internationals from a four-match win streak over the summer, they will put up a good fight against the Home Nation. Finally, one of the most anticipated fixtures, the rematch between England and South Africa, is sure to be an interesting clash. South Africa head to the
Northern Hemisphere as the world’s best side according to World Rugby Rankings and look to recreate their 32-12 victory over England in the World Cup.
“England have some challenging test matches ahead” But with Test matches starting this week, there’s little time until we find out whether Eddie Jones’ new squad will be strong enough to compete against some of the world’s best teams. One thing is for certain: you are not going to want to miss out on the tournament ahead.
Villa Have Potential Without Grealish Tamzin Meyer asseses how Villa have faired so far without their ex-captain Tamzin Meyer Digital Editor
With former captain Jack Grealish making a £100 million move to Manchester City in August, Aston Villa’s new team have been eager to show how well they can play without their superstar. Whilst Villa have only won three games this season, the way the team has adapted to the loss of Grealish has been applaudable although it is clear that there is more to do if they wish to achieve their lofty goals in the Premier League. Grealish’s departure has certainly given individual players their time to shine whilst also allowing them to play well as a team rather than relying on one player to secure them the win. Players are having to adapt to new signings Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings’ playing styles, so far building up their knowledge of each other well and allowing everybody an opportunity to con-
tribute to their success. Taking over the role of captain, Tyrone Mings has demonstrated how deserving of the position he is; his ability to be vocal and strong makes him a reputable leader, providing a shoulder of support for the rest of the team. This season has really emphasised the need for the team Instagram/@AVFCOfficial
to band together, now more than ever. Mings’ contribution as captain has only worked to strengthen the player’s relationships with one another. The efforts of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez have also been of a worthy note, proving himself to be one of Villa’s greatest finds. His contribution to Argentina’s Copa America win highlighted just how skilled he is, with Lionel Messi praising him as ‘one of the best goalkeepers in the world.’ Whilst he may not have been utilised to his full potential at Arsenal, Villa have welcomed him with open arms, allowing him to showcase his talent. Last season he prevented an outstanding total of 7.4 goals from reaching the net; Villa will be crossing their fingers that he can replicate this once more this season. Whilst the team is clearly strengthening it is evident that there are cracks in the surface. Newly signed striker Ings, bought using their newly available funds, has proved to be valuable but this
has unfortunately come at the expense of Watkins who has slightly lost his way, only scoring one goal this season. The pair will need to work together if they wish to be a strong force against the opposition - Watkins needs to refind his capability and not let new additions phase him. Dean Smith may be on edge after Villa’s recent losses prompted him to consider shuffling the starting line up around a little bit. A re-evaluation of the initial XI could be crucial if Smith wants them to score more goals. The team is clearly capable of winning games but needs to be utilised by Smith in a different way; without Grealish to lead them Villa are still discovering how to keep up their legacy. With the season not even at its halfway point, only time will tell as to whether they have what it takes to fly with the greats, especially without their hometown hero.
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Column: Sport that Stuck With Me Joe Liddicot Sport Writer
I cannot remember much of what occurred in my life as a sixyear-old, but there’s one night in May 2008 that I will simply never forget. My team, Manchester United, were part of an all-English Champions League final against Chelsea, a nascent rivalry that appealed strongly to me on account of the fact several of my friends at school supported the blues. Therei is something intensely precious about that era of football for me, the obvious reason for this being Man United’s dominance and the outright greatness of some of the names that pulled on the fabled red shirt during the period. Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Carlos Tevez – the list could go on. United had already secured the Premier League title that season, and were looking to achieve the European Double, getting one over their rivals in the process. The game itself is remembered for John Terry’s (not so) unfortunate slip during the penalty shootout, a miss that kept United in the game and subsequently spurred them on to win the shootout. However, for me, the abiding memory of the game was Cristiano Ronaldo’s elegant header in the first half to put United 1-0 up. As a six-year-old, the sight of my idol rising spectacularly above Michael Essien and placing a header neatly into the bottom corner was enough to fuel my love for football for years to come.
“United were looking to acheive the European Double” Of course, Frank Lampard equalised and the game went to extra time and later penalties meaning events proceeded far past my bedtime. Luckily, I was granted special permission to stay up late by my dad, a fellow United supporter, who understood the significance of the evening. When Ronaldo missed his penalty, the mood in the room quickly descended into despair. It was particularly painful for me to see a player I idolized so much as a young boy fall short when it mattered most. As Chelsea’s penalties continued to fly in, hope seeped from the room. Until John Terry’s infamous penalty miss, which was met with rapturous celebration and immense relief. Had Terry scored, Chelsea would have won the match and he himself would be lifting the trophy for the Blues. But it wasn’t meant to be Edwin Van der Saar’s save from Nicholas Anelka’s penalty minutes later secured the European title for United. And I strolled into school the next day with all the bragging rights in the world, even if I was a little tired.
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SPORT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricksport
T20: Why England Can Win the World Cup Oscar Frost assesses why England have the ability to lift the ICC trophy this year Oscar Frost Sport Editor
The time for warm-ups is over for England as they enter the group stage of the Cricket World Cup. Following the heroics of Carlos Brathwaite in the 2016 World Cup, there was certainly a bitter taste in the mouths of the English fans, but this year the team seems to be stronger than ever. As the current highest ranked T20 side in the world, an overall victory in Oman and the UAE seems very possible, and I believe that they have the capability to achieve this.
top-order firepower. The English have the capability to defeat India in spite of their top-order firepower. The second warm up game, against New Zealand, was more illustrative of how England can defeat one of the best T20 sides in the world. A magnificent knock by Jos Butter (73) put the side on the
These, however, were only warm-up games. Good performances in these were very welcome to the English, but they did not actively help their bid to lift the ICC trophy. That was until they met the West Indies - which was by far their most dominating performance yet. As against New Zealand, England were dominant
“An overall victory in Oman and the UAE seems very possible” The loss to India in the first warm-up match before the competition was not the best start to back up this claim. A fantastic display from Ishan Kishan (70) and KL Rahul (51) illustrated why the Indian side are incredibly dangerous from a batting perspective. Despite this, great knocks from Jonny Bairstow (49) and Moeen Ali (43*) meant that England fell short by just four runs. The closeness of this game only highlights how the English have the capability to defeat India in spite of their
“The depth of fielding skill within the side is a great asset"
Twitter/@crickbuzz right track, but a relatively poor performance from the middle order meant that they could only muster 163 runs. The impressive nature of the side, therefore, came with the fielding. Bowling out the fourth best T20 side in the world is a hugely impressive feat, and one that stamps England’s authority on being perhaps the best fielding side in the world.
Another figure that has not been mentioned yet is Adil Rashid. Rashid had a quiet game against India, but was unplayable against the West Indies, taking four wickets for just two runs. He has long been regarded as one of the best leg-spinners in the world, and his performance in that game only underlined that fact. For me, the greatest aspect of Rashid’s game is that he can come up with a moment of brilliance to dismiss any batsman put in front of him. One only has to think back to his mindboggling delivery to dismiss Virat Kohli back in 2018 to understand how valuable this trait can be. He could well be England’s key to victory in this competition when faced with on-form batsmen.
in the field, but this time they skittled their opponents for just 55 runs. The most impressive aspect of this win, for me, was that there were eight catches made by seven different English players. The depth in fielding skill within the side is a great asset that I think separates England from the other top sides.
With England’s power-hitting, fielding prowess and gamechanging players, it is clear to see why it is not an outlandish claim to predict them to lift the ICC trophy. With players of Babar Azam and Steve Smith’s caliber on the opposing sides, the competition is still wide open, but the overall quality of the English side makes them my pick to win it all.
GROUP 1 P
W
RR
PTS
ENG
1
1
3.97
2
SL
1
1
0.58
2
AUS
1
1
0.3
2
SA
2
1
0.2
2
BAN
1
0
-0.58
0
WI
2
0
-2.55
0
GROUP 2 P
W
RR
PTS
PAK
2
2
0.738
4
AFG
1
1
0.65
2
NAM
0
0
0
0
NZ
1
0
-0.53
0
IND
1
0
-0.97
0
SCO
1
0
-6.5
0
Match report: Birmingham City vs Swansea City Lauren Coffman reports from the press box at St Andrews on Blues' first win since September Lauren Coffman Sport Editor
Birmingham City picked up their first win since September 10th with victory over a jaded Swansea City side at St Andrews. Second half goals from Troy Deeney and substitute Riley McGree secured a long-awaited and hard-earned three points for Blues’, in what was only their Twitter/@BCFC
fourth victory of the season. The visitors had momentum on their side but struggled to replicate last week’s dominant performances against West Brom and Cardiff City. At times they showed their attacking capabilities, stringing together some neat moves, but the Birmingham defence was equal to the task, looking organised and disciplined as they denied their guests a single shot on target in the first 45. Lee Bowyer’s side looked to
put pressure on Swansea from the off, a move that almost paid dividends in the 10th minute when a misjudged pass out from the back gifted Gary Gardener the ball 30 yards from an open net, but his effort drifted just over the bar; a major let off for Swansea. The half hour mark brought another scare for last season’s playoff finalists. This time they were saved by the whistle, after a well-recycled Blues free kick beat Ben Hamer in goal, but couldn’t beat the offside trap. Tahith Chong, who was electric all afternoon, sent a pinpoint cross right onto the head of the onrushing Scott Hogan, but the linesman raised his flag immediately. Picking up right where they left off Birmingham finally managed to find the breakthrough with their first attack of the second half, and there was no chance of this one being ruled out. Chong, unsurprisingly, was at the heart of it, breaking away down the left before cutting it back to Deeney in the box. The former Watford man, named skipper for the afternoon, made no mistake, drilling it across goal into the bottom left corner
as St Andrews erupted. Deeney’s first goal from open play for his hometown club could not have come at a better time.
“Picking up right where they left off Birmingham finally managed to find the breakthrough" Just minutes later Blues missed a stonewall opportunity to double their lead, as Deeney carved the Swansea defence open with a stunning through ball, setting Scott Hogan up for a one-on-one with the keeper. But Hamer stood strong and got a hand to it as the Birmingham number nine tried to round him. Blues continued to pile on the pressure, but totally against the run of play it was Swansea who got the next goal. Ryan Manning’s
stunning ball from deep found the run of substitute Michael Obafemi, who managed to slot it home flanked by two Birmingham defenders. The hosts must have thought they were out of luck, but thanks to their own super sub they were not level for long. In the 81st minute McGree took advantage of Swansea’s uncharacteristically shaky defence once again. Deeney turned provider, chipping the ball into the box, and whilst McGree's first shot was straight at Hamer, he made no mistake at the second attempt. This time Lee Bowyer's men managed to hold on for a memorable and well-deserved victory in front of over 18,000 home fans.
Next Three Fixtures Middlesborough (A) Bristol City (H) Reading (H)
SPORT
Friday 29th October 2021
@redbricksport
BUCS Sports Club of the Fortnight: Tennis Lauren Coffman Sport Editor
Given the challenges the last year has presented, it is not suprising that sports clubs across the University have grabbed the chance to train and play again with both hands. Tennis are a shining example of this. Their recruitment throughout the first few weeks of term has seen a club that was comprised of just 40 members two years ago grow to involve over 400 students. Club President Sapphire Cartledge told Redbrick 'We've had a ridiculous amount of interest, its boomed hugely.' Between UoB's state of the
art tennis courts on Bournbrook and the fact that plenty of people took to playing Tennis outside when little else was possible in the COVID-19 lockdowns, the sport has attracted a massive range of new students. From those looking to play recreationally or improve fitness through sessions such as their new Cardio Tennis program; which runs on Fridays and is open to non-members, to their performance and development squads, there is something for everyone. 'We are a club that caters for all standards, which is pretty unique,' says Saphhire. Their hard work is also paying off on the court, with plenty of success across their six BUCS teams over the first two weeks of
play. Three of those teams remain unbeaten, including the newly formed Womens 3's, who's creation, Sapphire believes, is one of the club's 'biggest wins' of the new year, creating further opportunities for female students looking to play at a high level and continue developing their skills. However, the most important thing about UoB Tennis, Sapphire emphasises, is the 'family feel,' and despite a level of growth they could not have imagined this time last year, this is thriving more than ever.
39
A Note From the Sports Officer: George Christian Sports Officer
Sophie Peck UoB Women's Basketball
Sport is back for good at The University of Birmingham and the Tennis Club has returned in a big way. Coming off last year's limited sporting offerings due to COVID the club has exploded, with over 400 members partaking in a wide range of sessions, from cardio tennis to their 6 BUCS teams and 12 development tennis squads. It could be the impact of Emma Raducanu's stunning US Open victory, or that Tennis has been one of the few sports largely unaffected by social distancing, or maybe even their balloon letters at the Sports Fair. Whatever the reason, Tennis at UoB is thriving, and in the shadow of Old Joe, there’s no better place for it.
xpLosION Returns to UoB Rachel Higgins Sport Editor
After a year of isolation and frequent cancellation, the University of Birmingham’s American Football team (the Birmingham Lions) are set to play the Swansea Titans on Saturday 6th November. This highly awaited game will take place at the Bournbrook 3G pitch with a 5pm kick off. Xplosion marks the beginning of a new season for the Lions and there is considerable pressure riding on the team’s performance this year. The Lions are no stranger to glory having secured five National Championships in the past from 2005-2016. Additionally, as we grow tired of remembering the Covid-19 period in its peak it is important to recognise all sports were affected and the Xplosion event was sorely missed from last
year's campus’ sporting calendar. The annual American Football game is one of university legacy here at Birmingham. I had the pleasure of speaking to club captain Jason Parker to get his perspective ahead of the event. How are you feeling ahead of the event? ‘Excited, really excited. It's been so long since students here have been able to gather for such a large event, so I'm really looking forward to having the crowd there.’ Do you think there’s any extra pressure this year to perform seeing as crowds are back in sports? ‘I wouldn't necessarily say there's extra pressure to be honest. If anything, this is something we can feed off of in game, the noise and the buzz from the crowd I think helps drive the team. Hopefully the crowd is as loud as possible when their offence is in possession to distract them and help
Sophie Peck
energise us.’ After so long without training due to covid, what has been done in preparation for the game? ‘We're fortunate to have an amazing coaching unit here at the Birmingham Lions. They've put in a shift preparing us for the game, including us having a "camp weekend" this weekend, which
will involve a full Saturday of pure football.’ Are the Swansea Titans looking like an appropriate match? ‘ 1 0 0 % they're an appropriate match, we're both teams in the prem so we know to respect all teams that have done so well to get here and remain in this league. It's hard to tell what teams will be like post Covid.’ In his final statement the captain summarised Xplosion for us in saying, ‘you can look forward to one of the best atmospheres University sport has to offer, music and entertainment from our
amazing cheer team. We'll have to see how the game goes, but I'm feeling confident.' Parker advises to ‘keep an eye out’ on the Lion’s socials for more to come. This is shaping up to be an extremely exciting spectacle and the return of crowds to sports events makes this year’s Xplosion even more special. It’s the perfect way to finish off Assessment Support Week so make sure you are there to provide the support the Lions deserve. If you are a seasoned supporter of American Football or entirely new to the sport, Xplosion promises a seriously entertaining evening. There will certainly be fireworks (actual real ones). What? American Football Game Where? Bournbrook 3G Pitch When? November 6th - 5pm
Spotlight: Korfball Sophie Utteridge reports on the successful recruitment efforts of one of UoB's nicher sports Sophie Utteridge Sport Editor
Although considered a niche sport by some, UoB’s Korfball Club has kicked off the new academic year with a bang, recruiting an incredible 105 members to the club with 69 of them being completely new. After last year’s disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this achievement should not be overlooked as many of the university’s sports clubs attempt to recover from the dip in recruitment. For Korfball, they only seem to have taken this in their stride as they head into their BUCS season with four fightingfit teams.
Adam Kayyali, Korfball’s Club President, expressed his excitement for the coming year. Speaking to Redbrick, he had no doubts about his aspirations for the club. 'The Korfball Club has won a medal at BUCS every single year it’s existed,' he told Redbrick. 'So we definitely want to keep that going. The first team will be hoping to be medalling at nationals and all the way through to trophy and plate.' With four BUCS teams, plus a fifth team who play in a local league, there is plenty of opportunity for members to compete at any level they wish. Despite Korfball’s success at BUCS, many of its members have never played the sport before
coming to university. Kayyali himself admitted he had never even heard of the sport before joining the club. 'I wanted to join Ellen Clancy
something a bit more niche, something I hadn’t tried before and I just stuck with it,' he said with a
laugh. 'That’s the case for basically every member really. It’s far more common to have never even heard of it than to have played it.' Aside from the competitive aspect of the club, Korfball is also an incredibly sociable team with some amazing opportunities coming up for its members. Nanon Elliott, the Tour Secretary, told Redbrick of the club’s plans for a korfball tour in Holland. 'We’re hoping to be able to go on tour in April which we haven’t been able to do for the last two years,' she said. 'It will be a trip to Amsterdam where we get to play a tournament against teams from other universities in the UK but also across Europe which is really exciting and will be a good opportunity for
us all.' For those wanting to become members, there is still time to join the club. Both Kayyali and Elliott emphasised the welcoming and friendly environment of the team, encouraging anyone thinking about joining to contact them. 'You can take it to any level you want,' Kayyali said when asked about the benefits of joining Korfball. 'If you feel like you’re good at some sports but not necessarily the traditional ones, then go for it!' Korfball is one of the clubs to watch this year and, with their impressive track record, seem to be in for a successful year.
Twitter/@BarnsleyFC
29.10.2021
SPORT
Why Pitchside Defibrillators Should Be the Top Priority in Football Increased training and resources will improve safety, argues Ben Wooldridge Ben Wooldridge Sport Writer
Content warning: this article discusses cardiac arrest, which may be disturbing for some readers. There are more than 30,000 out-ofhospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year, with an overall survival rate of less than one in 10. Following a cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the rate of survival by around 10%; an extremely worrying statistic when it is estimated that defibrillators are used in less than 10% of cases. Research has also revealed that over 90% of sudden cardiac arrests in young athletes happen either during or immediately after exercise, highlighting the necessity of increasing awareness and preparation for the worst case scenarios. The need for more trained individuals and accessible defibrillators has received global recognition, with Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest in Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland being a major example, as well as the more recent collapse of a fan at St James’ Park during the
Wikimedia Commons/Tanja-Denise Schantz
match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. Key mutual factors in these instances were the availability of a defibrillator and professionally trained individuals who delivered CPR and used the life-saving equipment. But what if these situations had occurred at a lower level, where there is generally a lower standard of care?
“Unfortunately, some sporting venues are unprepared” Unfortunately, some sporting venues are unprepared. This was the case for 19-year-old Kyle Mulholland, who passed away following a cardiac arrest while playing five-a-side football in 2005. His brother, Astley Mulholland, who plays for Trafford FC, has been campaigning for several years to aid the distribution of defibrillators across all levels of sport, setting up a petition which has been supported by over 81,000 people. Speaking to Redbrick, Astley expressed his opinion that ‘defibrillators should be mandatory at all levels of the football pyramid’, as well as the need for ‘teaching people how to perform CPR correctly.’ As well as Astley’s campaign, there are other initiatives with the same desired outcome. The Head of Sports Medicine at Crystal Palace, Dr Zafar Iqbal, composed a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with the subject of defibrillators becoming mandatory at schools and sports clubs. This has been signed by various sportsmen, including Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and ex-footballer Fabrice Muamba, who received two defibrillator shocks before miraculously recovering from a cardiac arrest while playing in
2012. The Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation is also striving for legislative change with the proposition of ‘Justin’s Law’ – the requirement that all health and sports facilities are equipped with defibrillators. The Premier League have instigated a funding project to provide defibrillators at thousands of grassroots football clubs and sports facilities, which is an addition to their annual £100 million investment into community and education programmes. The Premier League will make it compulsory that an individual from each recipient must successfully complete a free online ‘Sudden Cardiac Arrest’ course provided by the Football Association. Currently, there is a possibility that thousands of defibrillators risk being unusable, as they have not been registered, thus meaning that 999 call handlers are unable to locate the nearest defibrillator. In order to combat this, the Premier League will ensure that the distributed devices are registered and recognisable to the emergency services.
“The Premier League have instigated a funding project to provide defibrillators” In light of recent events, the Premier League’s initiatives are encouraging, but clearly more can be done to guarantee the close proximity of a defibrillator to all sports facilities. A collaborative effort is needed between charities, sports’ governing bodies and the Government to deliver legislative change and provide the necessary resources. Ultimately, the statistics and latest cases illustrate that this issue must be at the top of the agenda, which would undoubtedly save many lives.
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