Fresh Newspaper
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Editorial
www.roehamptonstudent.com
R.I.P Pete Brooke by Jon Foley
Unfortunately RSU received some very sad news last week when Pete Brooke tragically passed away after a battle against Leukaemia, aged only 40. Pete had been a long serving legend at Roehampton University after initially running Whitelands Bar at the old Sutherland Grove Campus, through to his 10 year stint working at RSU events. Although many of you may not have met Pete due to his essential work in the background at events, we can ensure you he was a great asset, a great man, a great to friend to myself & many others, and will be sorely missed. Pete also held a fundamental position at RSU Summer Balls over the years, acting as Stage Manager for the Main Stage (see picture), with his tireless work backstage helping to ensure you all receive the best event possible. Although Pete will unfortunately not be with us at this year’s event in person, we are certain he will be in spirit, and as a tribute to a Roehampton hero we will be naming the main stage in his honour – The Pete Brooke Main Stage Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Britt and his two boys Oz and Remy. Rest in peace Pete!!
Steve Molyneaux - Editor in Chief & , VP Communications As many of you will be aware, we have been working hard at redesigning Fresh Newspaper and bringing it up to scratch with the rest of our communication. As a result of holding various focus groups and discussions at SUC and Senate we have decided to make this the last ever edition of Fresh Newspaper...but worry not! As sad as it is to see the newspaper go after 10 years of good service to Roehampton students, the time has come to modernise the publication and therefore we will be producing Fresh as a glossy magazine from now on. There are also going to be fundamental changes to the way the publication is produced. We will be recruiting a team of students that have the time and passion to produce a professional magazine for next year, naturally this opportunity will be well advertised throughout the University so please keep an eye out if you’re interested. The team will be given the responsibility of working on each edition next academic year, from pencilling in the dates of release to finding the very best articles. Please do grab this amazing opportunity if journalism is an interest of yours, it will work wonders on that little bit of paper people keep calling your ‘C.V.’!! Finally, a huge thank you to all those that have ever worked for Fresh, from writers to editors, you have all done an amazing job lets just hope the magazine becomes as successful. Steveo x "The time has come to bid farewell to Fresh Newspaper. It's only fair that a testimony is made in some form to its greatness. Fondly known as my baby, Fresh has been a labour of love for my past two & a half years at Roey. Alongside such cads & characters as Anant Naik, Sam Kirby & Mr Molyneaux many adventures have occurred & memories made & for that I'm eternally grateful. Working Fresh into an inviting, interesting & current piece of print has been the goal of the Comms team each year. To build on the best and to edit out the rubbish. We reduced the amount of uni related clutter & increased editorials & features on topics you wanted to read about. It is precisely that knowledge & content which we will carry over into Fresh Magazine. We have felt for a long time now that a newspaper is a cumbersome & dying format in which to print. Fresh has a better audience & interest potential as a mag. We hope you'll agree! I bid farewell to the grey pages of my baby & welcome the glossy leaves of Fresh Magazine. All Grown up & dressed to impress. If you're reading this keep your eyes open, it'll be strutting its stuff come April time.
Becca Newton, Editor, Student Media Officer
I'll always love ya baby!
Slán! X"
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Fresh Newspaper
BLOGS
RSU President, Alex Murray Hello hello,
Can you believe we’re already almost finished with this term – where the hell has the time gone! A lot of work has been going on over this time to improve Roehampton as much as we can for you guys - hopefully you will have noticed. Few things I want to draw to your attention: RSU Elections are coming up at the start of March, with an array of position up for grabs. In my time here, I have held the College Social Sec, College President and the RSU President role in the Students Union and can honestly say it’s been one of the best things I’ve done. Not only has it been a great experience, a perfect opportunity to host the things I wanted to see around campus and a chance to meet loads of new people, it has massively contributed to the development of my CV. I’ve learnt a lot of new skills working within the RSU that I will be able to take with me to the outside world. If ANY of you are considering running for a position and have any questions about the roles please feel free to get in contact with me The Student-Led Teaching Awards are well underway with over 100 nominations made. The window is coming to a close to submit your nomination for an award – so don’t delay any further and make nomination at: http://tiny.cc/Studentawards As part of the Student Senate initiative – the Vice-Chancellor has allocated a pot of money for students to decide what to spend on! Last year, the funding was allocated to projects like the 24hr library, campus improvements, library resources and improvements to Wired. If you would like to forward any suggestions to Student Senate – drop me an email! (alex.murray@roehampton.ac.uk) At the risk of sounding like a broken record – THIRD YEARS PLEASE FILL OUT THE NSS! I’ll leave it there!
VP Communications & Engagement, Steve Molyneaux Hey Hey, This term is a crazy one for all so I hope you’re managing to find the time to squeeze in all those essay deadlines as well as enjoying University life still! It’s getting to the business end of term now where all deadlines seem to come at once so I wish you all the best of luck with getting everything completed as stress free as possible. Elections are also just around the corner now, I’m sure you’ve all heard so much about elections already, but for added information there is a pull-out guide in this edition of Fresh explaining all there is to know about the three weeks elections take up. This is, sadly, the last EVER edition of Fresh Newspaper, after holding various focus groups, talking to Student Senate and Student Union Council, we have made the decision to try our hand at producing a glossy magazine instead of the traditional and somewhat dated newspaper. We hope to build a really strong team that work on everything from photography, content, design and final edit so you will be seeing plenty of advertisement around campus soon on how to get involved – but any questions for now please give me a shout. Also this term, we have progressed our communication in two other areas, the library and The Union bar. I’m sure most of you have noticed but life size cut outs of each member of the sabbatical team have been put on the RSU wall in the library allowing us to write on them and give short, precise messages to students passing through about what is happening on any given day. In The Union, we have invested in ‘Smart TV’s’, these give us the capability to feed our social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook) to them so students can receive messages from RSU whilst relaxing in the bar. We are also able to create adverts on them such as safe drinking campaigns, safer neighbourhood campaigns etc that can be on show at our events from a welfare point of view.
VP Activities, Baz Barrett Friends of Roehampton, The daffas are out, we can see 5pm without street lights and it doesn’t take a scarf and gloves to walk home at night. Spring is finally here! I hope you’ve all settled down nicely into a second term routine and life is treating you all well. So what’s been happening over the past month or so here at the most picturesque University in England? Earlier this month an eager and bitterly cold set of students embarked on a journey up the north coast of Europe to the fine city of Amsterdam for a 3 day get-away. There were deep concerns as to whether the trip was to go ahead due to the arctic like conditions that the students were faced with but it was the reassurance of our friendly welsh driver Glyn that settled the students and pronounced the trip a go! All in all it was a very cold but successful trip, minus the small dilemma of a student losing her passport and the coach getting stripped at customs! Keep an eye out on more up and coming trips including Newquay, theatre trips and Thorpe Park. Very happy with the activeness of the societies around Roehampton at the moment - The Christian Union had a very successful mission’s week and it was always nice to see them out, come rain or shine dishing out free hot chocolate or pizza. Big high fives for you guys. The Islamic society had their awareness week which also went well and raised lots of money for charity. Keep up the good work guys! Our very own director of music, Gulliver Ralston is working hard to create a musical buzz that has been very much dormant at Roehampton. If you would like to get involved with music, have a hidden talent you want to show or start up a band then please drop either myself or Gulliver a line at Gulliver.ralston@roehampton.ac.uk
Congratulations to all the sports teams that keep on winning. I know the cup is very much still alive in football and I In an attempt to bring back a strong feel of collegiality there has hope various teams can come away with some silverware. Loving the student involvement with all the clubs that sport Anyway – hope you’re all doing well! There’s not much time left been a great amount of work behind the scenes, including the Roehampton are providing. of the year, it will fly by, so make sure you take advantage of every provisional college mascot designs as shown in the last edition opportunity there is here and get involved. of Fresh. Through talking to a wide range of students as well as Donna Jarvis is doing a fantastic job of volunteering opportuat Senate and SUC, we have realised that the provisional designs nities at Roehampton. Please keep an eye out for all the up Alex do not quite capture the feel of each college so we’re continuing and coming volunteering schemes that you could get involved to work with CP’s, the University and aim to get the Head’s of with and help make a difference. College involved to. The overall vision is to provide each college with a clear, distinctive identity, that current students as well VP Welfare & As always, if you are ever interested in anything, want to start as prospective students can connect with and allow them the up a society, or just come and have a chat and a pasty from Community, opportunity to choose what college they want to be associated Brenda’s then my door is always open with regardless of where they study. Claire Fitzsimons Have a good spring term and I look forward to seeing you out Hello! and about. That’s pretty much all from me for now, please get in contact if Election mania is about to overtake you wish to be a part of the new Fresh magazine, drop me an Roey, so be prepared for the Baz out - Peace email and I can talk you through everything. onslaught! In addition to elections, Steveo x
the dissertation deadlines are creeping up & so are essay
deadlines. It’s easy to let word counts consume you and live of a diet of takeaways in order to save precious time in the run up to d-day, but however it’s important for you to not let your health slip whilst studying! So here are my top three study tips… 1) Sleep! It does wonders for you! Sleep allows your brain to digest information and recharges you so that you’re able to use it effectively. It’s tremendously difficult to write a coherent essay whilst your brain is overloaded, so have an early night at least 3 times a week. I promise you’ll defiantly see a difference! 2) Water, water, Water! Your brain is predominately made up with water and therefore needs plentiful amounts of hydration. Being hydrated helps you stay alert & concentrate. Whilst caffeine is great for a boost when you’re flagging, it also is responsible for giving you that drained low energy feeling. When I was cracking out the disso, I stuck to a ‘1 cup of tea/ coffee, 3 glasses of water’ rule! Worked a treat! 3) Ask for help if needed! Personal Tutors, Academic Support Officers, Librarians, all of these people are there to support you. Don’t leave it until 3 days before an essay is due to start it if you’re not 100% clear on the topic, be proactive and ask for direction. Could be as simple as clarifying an argument, checking to see if a resource is appropriate, or double checking you understood the meaning of terminology properly. Trust me, you’ll feel a whole lot better for doing so, and you can concentrate on making your work the best it can be, rather than scrambling to meet the word count! Hope these tips are helpful, and remember my door is always open if you need to vent or have any concerns. So work hard, and keep safe! Love Fitzy xxx
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BLOGS
Digby Stuart CP, Jess Beeken Hello Digby!
It is like I’ve blinked and we’re suddenly in the midst of endof-term deadlines, overdrafts and the termly procrastination marathon, which sees the use of websites such as Youtube, StumbleUpon and Facebook increase dramatically as final deadlines approach! But alas, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, because for most of you this will be the last coursework deadlines for this current university year and for some of you it will be your last ever deadlines as a university student (queue the violins). We on Digby live by the ethos, ‘Work hard, play harder’, well I certainly do anyway, so we have lots of stuff for you all to look forward to this term!
Frigby (just saying the word gets me overly excited), is just a matter of weeks away and when I say it is the best day of the year for Digby students I seriously mean it. For me, the excitement for Frigby is equivalent to the excitement of my Birthday, Christmas, Summer Ball, Chav Bop and Freshers Week combined! The Lions are more pumped up than ever before after being crowned Champions of their league; beating Froebel and Southlands in the process! And to get us all in the mood for Frigby (and on a more serious note, to ensure we have enough funding for the best event of the year to go ahead) we have a couple of Frigby Fundraisers coming up. On Thursday 8th March (tbc) we have the annual Digby Lions Auctions, which promises to be an absolute cracker! The Lads will be auctioned off again to the highest (and luckiest) bidders, so don’t be shy to buy that man you’ve had your eye on since Fresher’s Week. It’s also always a good idea to group up with your mates and buy a Lion, or two, or three, or even the whole team (why not)!? Please please please make sure you come out to support The Lions, Frigby and Digby. The lads and the college really need your support. After Easter there will also be the annual Chant Night organised just before Frigby to get us all hyped up to go eat some zebra, plus it’s a great way to remind or even learn the chants! Also after Easter, is the start of ordering and selling of Frigby T-Shirts, which is always a must have if you’re going to Frigby. (A personal Beeken tip for you: The T-Shirt is not only great memorabilia for the day but is also a handy Pyjama top!) And then of course there will be Frigby itself, which is schedule for SATURDAY 5TH MAY, this is a day seriously not to be missed by any Digby student so please keep it free in your diaries. Lots of blue and yellow love,
Your (extremely excited) Digby CP, Beeken x
Mount Clare Site Rep,
Rachael Hinge
Mount Clare massive, its nearly Summerrr! As many of you are aware, this can only mean one thing. Barbecues. And, Mount Clare being the resourceful place it is, has a barbeque for you to use on the lawn! When the weather gets solidly better there will definitely be some organised, so come along and get some free food! I sent out some questionnaires so make sure you get them back to me if you want me to organise hoodies etc :) You should be able to start applying for Mount Clare now so if you have had a good time here (or you have been reading this blog and have decided this is the place for you) then apply online! Have a good month, work hard, play hard :) Mount Clare love xxx Rach
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Froebel CP, Jon Carter Hello little ones...We find ourselves at this time of year thinking more and more about trying to get all of that work done finally, holding back on our spending a touch more and at the same time trying to enjoy every minute of our first, second or (sadly for some of us) third year of university. It is a time for focus, control and spending time with friends to get some much needed mental rest or perhaps even a little support from people that are in the same boat as you. Election fever is about to engross us here at Roehampton. You will no doubt be inundated with flyers in your face, posters on every available inch of wall space and if you’re lucky, maybe even a free cup cake and lollipop thrown your way. This is an incredible time that really helps to give this second academic term a much needed boost in energy as we come toward the end of the colder months. There are going to be many candidates that need your support and this is a great chance to get involved with some of the election events that you will hear more about soon. On the social side of things, Froebel continues to represent with the party attitude. The Zeebras tied with the evil side of Roehampton (you know who I’m talking about!) A short while back and as I write this they have just won their first cup match so be sure to congratulate the boys with a cheer, a pint or maybe even a cheeky kiss when you see them out next. Frigby plans are in motion and as anyone who has attended before will tell you; it is an unbelievable day and one not to be missed. To keep that Black and White spirit up we will soon host the second ever and hopefully now annual, ‘Frigby Challenge Night’. Last year not only saw 15 of the Zeebras finest match up against the pitiful numbers that Digby brought and battle it out in the strangest of games I have ever been witness to, but also meant that we took the points home that night as well as raising an additional £150 towards the cost of Frigby which helps keep the ticket prices on the day lower for you guys, so make sure you’re around for the night. All that really remains for me to say here is that I hope you are all loving Froebel life as much as I have come to. I often say that in the warmer months Froebel really starts to blossom so get that work done before you get too tempted to have that cheeky pint in the bar at 3 in the afternoon sun rather than going to the library (like you know you should!). There is plenty of time in summer term for us to party hard so I recommend thinking about how much you are paying to get your degree and then decided which comes first! Join ‘Friedrich is my homeboy’ on Facebook to keep up to date with Froebel life in general and know you can came call on me whenever you need. I’m a social butterfly most of the time but I’m your social butterfly so grab me in your net if you can’t get hold of me otherwise. Hugs, kisses and sexy Froebel thoughts…FJ
Whitelands CP Wade Tomlinson
Hello my fellow Whitelanders!! Hope everyone has had a great start to the 2nd term. The casino night at the bar seemed to go down quite well, so another is in mind already, with a new theme of course. The student led teacher award nominations are nearly at a close, so make sure you nominate that lecturer who really makes a difference. The next Shitelands fund-raiser is in development and will be advertised soon, this one really shouldn’t be missed. The RSU elections are coming up,so if you fancy yourself in one of the selected positions, get yourself down to the RSU and get a form to start your campaign. Quite scary to think lectures are basically at an end for some of us...Can’t complain. Hope you all are still enjoying your time here, all the best! Wade Tomlinson, Whitelands CP.
Southlands CP, Rory Kinnaird Hello all, as we are now fully into the second term I expect work is getting pretty busy with the majority of you as deadlines approach us ever rapidly. It is also a time of year that has been busy for Southlands College as we have started the applications for next years flat reps. We had ninety people go for it and are in the process of interviewing and making final decisions. It was great to see so many apply for the role and I wish you all the best for it. For those who won’t be living on campus next year there is an accommodation fair on the 1st of March. Also on Southlands we have finally been able to hold some DVD nights in our social space, and we are hoping that these increase in popularity throughout the term. They will most likely be held on Sunday evenings. It would be great if you could all keep your eyes open about an upcoming fund raiser for Shitelands, that is currently being arranged. These are always good fun and really important for Shitelands to be a successful day. Lastly, just a reminder about Southlands Saturday that will be on Saturday the 24th of March which again I encourage you all to get involved in. Cheers guys and girls.
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Fresh Newspaper
OUR INTERNS FreshAir: The shows and schedules by Richard Williams
Hi folks, I hope you had a good February and the January blues have now well and truly vanished. It’s still full steam ahead for me with Fresh Air. Since my last blog, four new weekly-shows have launched as the station continues to expand and offer more students the chance to get involved. Every Tuesday 5pm-6pm, Kieran & Will bring you ‘Fuzzy Logic’- playing all the latest indie/alternative music, plus compelling discussion and the week’s hottest gigs. On Wednesdays (9pm-10pm) Jamilah, Noon and Krissy front ‘The TakeOver’ - a show dedicated to bringing you the hottest Hip-Hop, Soul, R&B and MOBO. At 5pm on Thursdays, we welcome back an old Roehampton favourite – former VP Welfare Dave Robson – who brings you an ‘An Hour With…’. Each week he invites a different member of staff, or key-student, into the studio to select their favourite music and talk about their careers and campaigns. Last week the legendary Brenda (of Brenda & Tracey fame) dropped in! Following on from ‘Transmission’, on Fridays at 7pm, Josh Patterson & Martyn Lee’s ‘Into the Groove’ gets you further in the mood for The Bop with modern pop and cheesy classics. Mixed with all the latest celebrity gossip and LGBT going-ons too. Remember you can listen live to Fresh Air on your laptop by visiting www.roehamptonstudent.com and clicking on ‘Launch Live Radio Player’. The station runs 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, with the regular studentpresented shows going out between 5pm-7pm every week day. See the website for a full timetable of what’s on when. Finally, thanks to our student photographers who helped capture all of this terms debauchery so far. If you have your own camera, a keen interest in photography and are interested in also helping us out this term (and earning a bit of pocket-money!) then please e-mail richard.williams@roehampton.ac.uk thanks. Keep on, Keeping on! Richard
Grey Matters (Mondays 5pm-6pm)
The TakeOver (Wednesdays 9pm-10pm)
Alistair & Ben bring you some lively debate and social discussion to get your brain ticking!
Jamilah & Noon bring you an hour of pure hip-hop, R&B, MOBO and soul. Combining great new tracks with classic nuggets to get you in the mood for Fez!
Ooh La La (Mondays 6pm-7pm) Vicky & Dani bring you all the latest Roehampton and celebrity gossip, with a host of regular features, and a lively mix of music! Fuzzy Logic (Tuesdays 5pm-6pm) Kieron & Wil mix up all the hottest indie/electro cuts and some forgotten classics too! Prophets of Rock (Tuesdays 6pm-7pm) Cullum & Erica bring you a weekly dose of new, classic, rock, punk and metal! The Hub (Wednesdays 4:30pm-6pm) Kathryn, Merissa & Jake keep you up-to-date with all the latest going-ons, both on and off campus.Plus topical features and lively discussion about music, cinema, theatre and sport.
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The Music Sounds Better with Alex & Becca (Wednesdays 6pm-7pm) The hottest tracks of the week and old-school classics from Alex & Becca. Expect all the latest celebrity gossip and going ons around London too! An Hour with…. (Thursday 5pm-6pm) Former VP of Welfare and Club DJ Dave Robson brings you an hour with a different lecturer, or student of note, each week. They’ll be picking their favourite songs and explaining what they mean to them and why, as well as talking about their careers and role within the University. Expect the hottest new music from Dave thrown in the mix too. Freedom Spark (Thursday 6pm-7pm)
Katie & Oli bring you the latest cutting edge indie and alternative music. As well as the low-down on the all best gigs going on in and around London! Weekend Kick-Off (Friday 5pm-6pm) A round up of all the best sporting action, both nationally and from around the University. Expect regular features, and a full blooded discussion from Dan, Jay & Hal. Transmission (Friday 6pm-7pm) Jack, Steven & Sam getting you ready for Friday night, with an eclectic mix of music and organised chaos! Into the Groove (Friday 7pm) Step into the weekend groove in style with Martyn, Josh & Kelsey playing cheesy greats and pop classics, as well as discussing all things celebrity and LGBT.
www.roehamptonstudent.com
OUR INTERNS Volunteering this March by Donna Jarvis
Volunteering week was a great success –thank you to everyone who got involved on the M.A.D. (Make a Difference) Projects throughout February and everyone who attended the Volunteering Fair. So far we’ve had an amazing response to the ‘RU inspired?’ initiative with over 350 students registered as volunteers! March is set to be another exciting month for volunteers as we take ourselves outdoors! Volunteers will join Thames 21 on the Hammersmith foreshore for the lowest tides of the year in their annual ‘Deep Clean!’ Help tackle the litter that most of us never see, and make a real difference to the Thames in a fun and safe way. We’ll also be taking a team of volunteers to support the charity Missing People at their annual fund raising event which aims to raise thousands of pounds towards their vital work searching for missing children and vulnerable adults. A poignant and uplifting day, volunteers will be supporting this incredible event by becoming Route Marshal’s helping to encourage and cheer on the runners as they pass by! Volunteers will also have the opportunity to celebrate the ‘March equinox’ and get their hands dirty on one of our popular ‘M.A.D. Allotment projects’. Spend some time working together preparing the allotment for planting …and afterwards join us for a veggie BBQ and a few beers! (See below for Dates and Times) Here’s to another great month of volunteering! <3
The Deep Clean Help us deep clean the Thames on the lowest tides of 2012! Date: Saturday, 10th MARCH, 2012 Time: 10am – 1pm (tbc) Location: Hammersmith, Thames Path, Queen Caroline Street, W6 9BX
Missing People Marshals Help us make Miles for Missing People an event to remember for runners, supporters and families of missing people Date: Saturday, 17th MARCH, 2012 Time: 9am – 1pm Location: Regent’s Park, London M.A.D. Equinox Project Reviving the allotment for Spring/Summer +afterparty! Date: Tuesday, 20th MARCH, 2012 Time: tbc Location: Froebel Allotment (behind Davies Building)
Contact: Donna.jarvis@roehampton.ac.uk for all information on how to be involved with RSU Volunteering
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Fresh Newspaper
Paul O’Prey opens UR Programme Rep Conference by Carolyn Gallop
The 21st February saw the first ever Roehampton Programme Rep Conference. The day was run by The Student Union and the Learning & Teaching Enhancement Unit (LTEU). The day was aimed at AS A PLATFORM FOR PROGRAMME Reps to come and talk through their experiences and discuss any issues or ideas, and also for us to develop the role and see how as a Union and University how we can support the Programme Reps in their roles.
The conference was opened by the Vice Chancellor Paul O’Prey who has been a massive advocate of the Programme Reps and the importance of student engagement, his encouraging words gave a great start to the session. We had three workshops that ran in the morning which the reps could choose from to attend. These included How best to gather views and feedback views to programme team – using programme boards effectively hosted by Gemma Kelly. Using the NSS to make change happen hosted by Julie Hall. Enhancing your CV through your programme rep work hosted by Penny Burden and the Employability team. These workshops really gave the reps an opportunity to engage with each other and explore a lot of ideas, help them enhance themselves as employees and provide precious feedback.
The conference was closed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Jane Broadbent who expressed the importance of the role that all student representatives play. Jane praised the work that has been undertaken and noted the importance of continuing to develop the Programme Rep scheme and the opportunities students have to improve the University and the education they receive.
Usman Ali, NUS Vice-President for Higher Education, was the keynote speaker for the day. Usman has been extremely involved with campaigns around improving education standards for student across the HE sector and driving policy change across the country. In particular the “I Am The Change” campaign which focuses on enabling you the students to drive change whether its global politics, social inequality and racism, or even when it comes to comparatively ‘small’ issues such as student housing, bursaries and career guidance. His speech was extremely empowering and motivating and a lot of the Programme Reps who attended felt very positive about what they can do within their roles.
We would like to say an absolute massive thanks you to all the Programme Reps that attended you were all fantastic and we feel we got so much from you all it couldn’t have gone better. We would also like to say thanks you to Julie Hall, Carolyn Gallop, Penny Burden and Marisa Baietto, for all your help in organising and putting on the event. Also thanks to Sarah Hall for coming along and presenting. You were all fab.
University Uncovered: Student Seminar A national student-led seminar, supported and hosted by the HEA-funded project ‘Formations of Gender and Higher Education Pedagogies’ (GaP), was held at the University of Roehampton on 21 February 2012. The seminar was led and facilitated by a group of students participating in the GaP project to explore students’ experiences of teaching in higher education. Students discussed their perceptions of current teaching practices and the ways teaching could be more inclusive and equitable to address the diversity of student communities in contemporary higher education contexts. A keynote lecture was given by the Vice President of the National Union of Student, Usman Ali, encouraging students to exercise their right to a voice in higher education. A key aim of the seminar was to give students a space to voice their perspectives and GaP will draw on the students’ perspectives when formulating their recommendations to policy-makers, senior managers and HE lecturers.
For more information on this project please contact Carolyn Gallop on c.gallop@roehampton.ac.uk
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Fresh Newspaper
POSITIONS
SABBATICAL POSITIONS (OFFICER TRUSTEES) - President - Vice President Communication & Engagement - Vice President Welfare & Community Role: To be an Officer Trustee of the Union, Member of Student Union Council and to carry out your portfolio responsibilities. Hours: Full Time starting on the 2nd July Remuneration: ÂŁ21,500 Duties: The main (portfolio) duties of your position will be outlined in the Bye-Laws of the governing document, in addition to that you will be a member of Student Council and you will be representing students at an individual, institutional, local and national level. Sabbaticals will also be Officer Trustees which comes with significant responsibility and accountability. Other: In order to run for a sabbatical position you must eligible to become a Trustee and you will also be required to sign a Term of Office. PART TIME OFFICERS - All College Presidents (Digby, Froebel, Southlands and Whitelands) - All Social Secretaries (Digby, Froebel, Southlands and Whitelands) - Mount Clare Site Rep - Academic Officer - Campaigns Officer - Cultural Diversity Officer - Disabilities Officer - Environmental Officer - International Officer - LGBT Officer - Mature Students Officer - R.A.G. Officer - Societies president - Student Media Officer - Volunteering officer - Women's Officer Role: To be a part time officer of the Union carrying out your portfolio responsibilities. Hours: Part time to fit in around studies, all roles are important and we encourage students who are enthusiastic, committed and able to carry out their responsibilities. Remuneration: Voluntary Position Duties: The main (portfolio) duties of your position will be outlined in the Bye-Laws of the governing documents, in addition to that you will be a member of Student Council and appropriate zone, and you will be representing students and your membership at an individual, institutional, local and national level. Page 12
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RAG Week 2012 A £2500 Success by Craig Aldridge
So R.A.G Week has been and gone and all I can say it what a fantastic week it was! So much happened during the week and so many people got involved to help raise money for the great charities we are supporting. We had everything from Harry Potter scavenger hunts to Christian poets dancing on tables. From bar twister to some of the hairiest guys on campus getting their chests waxed, not to mention cakes, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, rodeo bull, cakes, Monopoly trek, bucket shaking and songs and dancing - it really was a fun week. We have raised a shade under £2500 so it was a massive success! On the way to raising that some people went above and beyond to help and a big thanks to them; The RSU Sabbatical Officers – Alex, Steve, Baz and Claire bravely got auctioned in the bar and went for a load of money. The new Life Science Society for putting on the Big R.A.G Raffle and Games Night which was one of the most fun nights this year in the Union and was the first thing they have ever done as a society, so well done! RSU Officers Ben Ockham, Adrienne Wadsworth and ‘Farmer’ Jon Carter who really went out of their way to make R.A.G week happen and due to their efforts more money was raised then would have been possible without them, not to mention all the other officers who helped out. And all the students who shook buckets or manned stands, especially Fiona Mutter, Chris Willis, Laura - Liz, Kingsley & Joshua. Most of all thank you to all of you who donated to R.A.G Week the success it has been. All of the money donated will go to the 3 charities we are supporting, who are:
ing every year. 140,000 of them are children. They operate a 24/7 ‘Runaway Help line. Which helps to bring children who have run away from home or from care services to safety. They also search for missing people around the UK through posters, the media and online, helping to reunite families and bring people home, while also supporting and helping those who are left behind when someone does go missing. https://www.missingpeople.org.uk Jubilee Action Jubilee Action is an international charity who work to rescue and protect children facing the most serious injustices, in particular those who are held in prison, subject to trafficking (slavery), recruited as child soldiers or living as street children. They work with and support local partners to not only rescue these children but help educate, support and equip these children to be able to live lives that are not a continuation of the abuse and injustices that they have had to suffer. www.jubileeaction.co.uk The money donated lets them go and make real difference in the lives of people who really need it so on behalf of them also I thank you for your generosity. Look out for more R.A.G events later in the year where we will look to raise even more money for our charities in some other crazy ways because unfortunately the situations they work in are not just going to disappear so let’s keep supporting them and try to make a positive impact in our world while having a good time with each other here. Let me know if you want to get involved or want to do an event for one of these charities, or if you want some help doing some other fund raising event for a charity close to your heart, my email is aldridgc@roehampton.ac.uk. Much love and thanks to you all!
Regenerate
Craig!
Regenerate are a local charity that run multiple projects for young people and their families primarily on the Alton Estate.
ALSO – RSU Elections are coming up so think about running for R.A.G Officer and make next year your time to raise some money!
www.regenerateuk.co.uk
ALSO – Feel free to keep donating to R.A.G if you didn’t already, drop money into the RSU or use the text service, text “RSUU01 £__” to 70070 (put the amount you wish to donate after the pound sign)
Missing People Missing People is a lifeline for the 250,000 people in the UK who go miss-
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A bicycle can represent a substantial investment and although bicycle crime is low at Roehampton it is considered a popular item of theft. Registering your bike helps protect the bike and serves as a deterrent to would-be bike thieves. It also helps the Security Service who can liaise with police in identifying and returning a found or stolen bike to the owner. The University of Roehampton Security Service bicycle registration scheme utilises bicycle registration and provides numbered tag for each participant. Complete the registration form on the security website or complete the form below and cut it out to post/hand in to the Security Gate House at Digby Stuart. You will then have numbered tag affixed to your bicycle by Security Officers. University of Roehampton Security Service â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Safe and Secure University For Allâ&#x20AC;?
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Allotment Society Flourishes
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By Nicholas Dawson
An exciting on campus project is underway which is quite literally a ‘grassroots’ movement; the RU Outdoors? Allotment Society. Both students and staff have united to join the group, working to transform the stretch of grass behind the Davies building (Froebel College) into a gardening haven. More than 30 beds have now been dug, while part of the wooded area beyond the allotments has also been cleared to create a new campfire. The Society was first set up towards the end of 2008; after negotiating with the university management to secure the land, members of the People & Planet Society came down to dig the first beds. The group has been “growing” ever since. As well as providing an opportunity for the green fingered, the society holds annual events such as the ‘Harvest Moon’ festival in October, when members of the Society and others came together to share the year’s produce and continue work on the area. One student that came to the event was Fran Carpenter, who used some potatoes from her lot to make a salad for the festival. She described the allotments as “somewhere to go that has a green space…somewhere a bit different”. The Society helps encourage people to gain transferable skills by organizing the project, with the end goal of creating a shared space for teaching and learning as well as for entertainment and arts events. For more information about how to get involved, the Society has a Student Representative, Rodrigo Calvet, who can be contacted via e-mail: calvetr@roehampton.ac.uk and there is also an ‘RU Outdoors? Allotment Society’ group on Facebook. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you care about all things green and would like to help us make environmental improvements around the university, then get involved with the People and Planet Society. Contact the Society president on: carpentf@roehampton. ac.uk. Or find us on Facebook under ‘Roehampton University People & Planet Society’. Additionally, why not commit to becoming a Part-Time Carnivore? Livestock production is responsible for a huge proportion of our global greenhouse gas emissions. Find out more and sign up here: http://roehampton.parttimecarnivore.org/
Take A Semester Abroad by Josephine Spencer
If you had told me this time last year that I would be in America studying in August the same year, I would probably have laughed and thought it wasn’t even possible. Since the whole year has passed I have been there, done it and yes I have got a t-shirt, a few actually from studying at Otterbein University, Ohio, USA. Now that I am back in England in my second year studying here at Roehampton, it seems like a whirlwind that half a year has passed. What a brilliant experience it was! Ask any of the people who went on a study exchange and we will all have something different to share. It’s all down to you how the experience goes. I got really involved with theatre department there and the university newspaper. Being British and a novelty at the university, it was quite easy to meet new people and everyone was generally really friendly to me and I made so many great friends out there. You have to really be ready to go and commit yourself to a new place, new people and a new way of living. Yes, there were hard times, homesickness is the biggest one but, the good things always preside, homework, a crazy social life, places to go and see, a big favourite, sleep and a whole new experience. These will keep you occupied. It’s been enlightening to have been away living in another country and I encourage anyone looking for an adventure, that this could be a good to take on. Finances are always a worry, but you only have to save for the flight ticket and the visa, you will still receive your student loan and that should be able to cover accommodation and food too, you may be lucky and have parents that will help you out too. For me, I was lucky enough to have that help, but doesn’t make the experience any better or worse. I have made some amazing friends that, so far, I am keeping in touch with, had some really memorable times and really hope to head back there sometime in the future!
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FASHION
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Here Comes The Sun... Almost!
by Kate Griffiths
weeks of er what seemed like Aft y. da r he ot e th are happened d it was positively (d an t ou e Something amazing m ca n su e aking s of my body off, th packed with people m e er freezing various part w r ba e th e id ts e benches ou on my travels. I say it) summery! Th one pair of flip flops an th e or m w sa I dI d er an ing towards Spring an ov m the most of the weath ly w slo e ar e w that have te it seems like stel coloured clothes Without tempting fa pa us eo rg go e th of g some tures. can finally start wearin on for such tempera ati ar ep pr in ks ee w r fo we’re in this been in my wardrobe your wardrobe while to in s el st pa e at or ey really rp A great way to inco me coloured jeans. Th so lf se ur yo t ge to is n be phase o bright too soon, ca to g in transitional weather go t ou ab d rie r. River d, if you’re wor ll technically in winte brighten an outfit an sti re e’ w le hi w s ur le lo rker co selection at reasonab e id w a dressed down with da ve ha ey th as and you to start looking a massive fan of ebay Island is a great place I’m l. el w as e lin on th looking though, it’s prices. It’s always wor g to look. With ebay in ill w e ar u yo if ns ve ai te barg secure that item you’ to g in can get some absolu dd bi ep ke st ju and stick ied away and s in with your budget really easy to get carr fit at th it lim a lf se ur es. Set yo ur watch list been watching for ag rly. Save the item in yo ea o to d bi to t no on your is time is so you can be d to it! Another good tip an te da d en en th ow when and make sure you kn ute. ach it at the last min computer ready to po t some date your look is to ge up to ay w r he ot an theme, mer so get in Sticking with the jean again this Spring/Sum e siv as m e ar s an je t floral al n’t fancy going all ou patterned styles. Flor do u yo If . up d pe ap ey’re all sn style. If you there early before th s that never go out of rn tte pa ic ss cla e as ar dots y a smarter style such tr en then stripes or polka th g in en ev to e from daytim anything want to take this look e colours will go with Th p. ho ps To m fro ) a s (below ith black stilettos and w in the cigarette trouser ed ck tu irt sh m ith a loose crea and will look great w black clutch. ere that d all you ladies out th in m re to ity un rt po premature, take this op Finally, I’d just like to gh this may be slightly ou th al d an g in ch oa ing st appr when you have noth re fo the Summer Ball is fa be y da e th c ni now left in a mild pa eing what’s out there you don’t want to be se t ar St d! ne ar w lly the en officia Also you can spread s. op sh e to wear...You have be th t hi y ul tr ess in s have well and you could buy the dr t, tfi because Summer style ou e tir en an ed assive hit ple, if you ne cost out, so for exam it doesn’t feel like a m so ay M in g ba e th d rd, April an r and just for the reco te la e March, the shoes in m k an th n ca u l in one go. Yo to your credit card al ade and lime! mine’s a vodka, lemon
nd River Isla ns... Floral Jea this spring! ve A must ha
Topshop Es Spotty tr sential ousers!
FRESH MAGAZINE COMING SOON!
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Never Give it up by Jenny Whittaker
Slender figures, long limbs, arabesques, pirouettes…dance has much more to offer than this. “Over the past thirty years…a tradition of being excited by the possibilities offered by different people” has developed in dance, writes Ken Barlett, Creative Director of the Foundation for Community Dance. Challenging stereotypical preconceptions, this inclusive dance practice has revealed many new possibilities. At the age of sixty, Thomas Clark, a full time wheelchair user, gives Jennifer Whittaker an insight into his life as a disabled, integrated dance artist. Growing up in the Rock ‘n’ Roll pop culture of the sixties, dance always played a major part in Clark’s social life. It wasn’t until he became a full time wheelchair user, however, that his interest in dance as an art form was ignited. “Isolated completely from life” without the use of his legs, Clark’s sport and dance passions were suddenly much less readily available. So how did he become the dance artist that he is today? The journey began with Clark’s discovery of the British Wheelchair Boles Association, where his re-union with the sport he loved also revived his social life. No longer “different”, dance came back into his life in the form of a wheelchair dance group at the Greenhill Day Centre in Newham, London. A contact within East London Dance (ELD), a regional dance development agency promoting inclusive and diverse dance within the community, provided Clark with “a gateway” into the dance world. The following years brought many dance opportunities Clark’s way. Work with Adam Benjamin, co-founder of CandoCo, Britain’s first integrated dance company, as well as small projects for ELD gave Clark a wealth of experience and connections, (which he sees as a major part of the industry). His work at Newing Sixth Form College united disabled students from the Greenhill Day Centre with non-disabled B-tech National diploma students, for a dance project entitled “Isolation to Integration”. Yet, despite his experience, Clark found himself disadvantaged. He had no dance qualifications. Courses for disabled artists were few and far between, but after several years of waiting, Clark’s patience paid off. The University of East London were developing a new course, “Performing Arts in the Community”. Clark was to be their “guinea-pig”. Previously a mechanical engineer, and holding no formal dance qualifications, he described this opportunity as “a door that was slightly ajar… opening, not closing”. Clark is certainly making the most of what this new world has to offer. Since graduating, he has mentored community dance artists, worked as a part time lecturer on the late Foundation Course for CandoCo and performed professionally with his dance partner Jill Grote, amongst much else. Despite their success, including well-received performances of dance work “Still / Life” at Sadler’s Wells’ Lilian Baylis Studio and Southbank City Hall for the hand-over of the Paralympic torch, finding work is “still not easy”. With funding ever dwindling for the arts, Clark tells me that they will gladly work for a “cup of tea and a biscuit”. But finance is not the only issue faced by Clark. Every day things so often taken for granted throw up hurdles for Clark and many others in his situation. Take entering a dance class for example. Clark describes a “Demon voice” in his head. “You don’t want to go in there do you? …You have to let people look at you” and “be the one” that’s different. So what makes him open the door? “Determination. If I don’t do it, who will?” Talking with Clark reminded me of the words of Adam Benjamin, writing in An Introduction to Community Dance, who acknowledges that a key challenge is to “understand what different cultures and people can learn from each other”. From speaking to Clark and observing attempts to be inclusive in dance, it seems there is a general fear of trying things out, discussing what works and starting again. Through his work in dance, Clark has shown how difference does not need to be limiting. Indeed, difference encourages creativity and causes innovation.
“Keep an open mind. Accept what’s thrown at you, and then question it in your own mind. Then re-ask those questions. You’re always learning. Nobody knows it all!” Clark hopes to tour professionally in work created by disabled and impaired artists for disabled and impaired artists without the need to “give labels and say disabled”. Clark and Grote are currently in the process of creating a film based on their most recent duet, “Still / Life” in central London, as well as continuing to pave pathways for integrated dance in the community.
For more information on integrated dance and community dance, visit:East London Dance at http://eastlondondance.org/The Foundation for Community Dance at http://www.communitydance.org.uk/
Roehampton Graduates on Professional Stage! Every year The Place is host to “Resolution”, a dance platform giving up-and-coming choreographers an opportunity to showcase their work on a professional stage. Having initiated the careers of the likes of Royal Ballet’s Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor, this prestigious event saw Roehampton graduate Nikki Watson and her company Coda Dance do themselves proud in an engaging, intimate and versatile performance. Now fast and furious, now held in stillness, Coda Dance took to the stage with a raw finesse and energy which had the audience at The Place’s Robin Howard Theatre cheering. Choreographed by Watson for company members Georgia-Leigh Godfrey and Kimberly Collins, the contemporary dance piece, You Remind Me of Someone I once knew explored the “changing relationship of two people learning to cope with debilitating illness”. (Watson, Coda Dance Website). Pain, confusion and struggle were movingly portrayed, a sense of longing for the past and fearing the future woven into this degenerating relationship. But whether or not the dance communicated the choreographer’s intentions fully, the performers’ excellent execution of Watson’s clearly and engagingly structured choreography made for an enjoyable performance. A key factor in the piece’s success was the wide variety of movement used, dynamic contact work contrasted with gentle sequences of every day gestures, fleeting moments of unison juxtaposed with solo passages. Particularly impressive moments of contact included Godfrey’s fearless flip over Collins’ shoulder as she stood slightly bent forwards, Godfrey landing silently with a smooth transition into the next movement. Collins’ explosive sideways leap, flying almost horizontally through the air in a star shape before being caught by Godfrey lying supine, was also a highlight in the seamlessly flowing contact work sections. Unlike the stereotypical “pas de deux” of ballet, the roles of the dancers seemed to continuously change introducing an element of unpredictability which enhanced the viewers’ interest. Although impressive contact work and strong technique were present within the dance, the duet was much more than simply a showcase of the dancers’ skills. Pensive moments such as slow phrases of pedestrian gestures, such as holding hands and embracing, suggested the notion of support for facing up to the challenges of the future. However, the repetition of these sequences with progressive desperation implied a search for someone; the denial, sorrow and dejection of realising they no longer are that person. A credit to this passage was the dancers’ commitment to the emotion behind the choreography, allowing the audience an insight into their world of struggle. The piece was well received by audience members and critics alike. Only time will tell whether this year’s “Resolution” will provide the opportunity for Coda Dance to continue to develop and achieve, but given the professionalism of their work, we can hope to see more from them in the future. Coda Dance currently consists of eight members, all graduates or undergraduates of the BA Dance Studies programme at Roehampton. As well as having performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, they offer educational workshops in contemporary dance for various abilities. For more information go to: http://www.wix.com/nikkicodadance/codadance
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Dance graduates in the spotlight! by Emma Tilley
Jess Sayers, General Manager of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, talks to FRESH about life after graduation, going on tour and just how important it is to have connections in the dance industry... After graduating from University of Roehampton how did you work towards becoming General Manager of such an incredibly successful dance company? Initially I began searching for administration jobs within the arts, although I realised I didn't have a great deal of experience in this area. I applied for an Administrator post at Dance UK the summer after graduating (2007), but was unsuccessful due to lack of experience. However, they were keen to help me out and recommended I arrange to meet with Wayne McGregor | Random Dance who was offering a work experience placement. I began unpaid work experience at WMRD for 2 days a week, sustained by a part-time administration job in a recruitment agency. After 3 months I was offered a paid part-time position as Administrator, which then became a full-time position 4 months later. My role within the company has grown since then and I was appointed Company Manager in April 2010. Did the BA (Hons) Dance Studies course at University of Roehampton prepare you well for the working world? I felt that the Dance Studies course enabled me to gain an insight into many different areas of the dance
sector, with the ability to tailor the course to my own specific areas of interest. As well as providing me with a sound practical education, the course also taught me to view dance in the context of the wider arts scene in the UK and internationally, and to become analytical in my observation of dance in this wider setting. What does your role as Company Manager at Wayne McGregor | Random Dance involve? My role involves engagement in all areas of company activity with a particular focus on the management of national and international tour logistics and scheduling. I am required to liaise with all members of staff to ensure the smooth running of the office and company systems, and work closely with the dancers on monitoring and managing their schedules and overall wellbeing. I also tour nationally and internationally with the company, as required. What have the highlights of your job been so far? The times when I see the dancers working with Wayne in the studio are always a real highlight. I have been on many memorable tours with the company, including a trip to Russia last summer, which was a great experience for me. What are your career goals for the future?
I would like to expand on 'events' management - I have managed a few space based residencies for the company over the last year and really enjoy this aspect of the work. The company has plans to acquire studio space in the near future and I would like to develop my skills in space management, which is not something I have much experience in yet. Is there any advice you would give to current students at University of Roehampton who aspire to gain management positions within a dance company? Get all the experience you can, and talk to as many people who are connected to the dance world as possible - it is connections and experience that get you the work. Even if a job isn't exactly what you want to do, it's always worth applying. If you are invited to interview and are unsuccessful, as I was, they may be able to recommend other positions/openings. I definitely wouldn't have learned about the position at WMRD if I hadn't been unsuccessful in interviewing elsewhere. Being alert, responsive and passionate about dance and its setting within the arts is also key - and being efficient and organised really helps, too! To find out more about Wayne McGregor |Random Dance check out the following websites: http://www.randomdance.org/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/WayneMcGregor-Random-Dance/52730282760 For prospective students wanting to know more about the dance courses available here at University of Roehampton take a look at: http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/dance http://www.facebook.com/ roehamptondance http://twitter.com/#!/roehamptondance Look out for next monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interview with Joanna Bridges who graduated in 2011 and is now the Education and Development Assistant for Tavaziva Dance!
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Wain Reviews Franco Manca
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by Jason Wain “It had better be a flipping good pizza!” I loudly grumbled, stepping once again into the bitterly freezing night air. Another painful twenty minute walk later and we at last arrived at our destination: Franco Manca, Chiswick. Time and money are always in short supply for the busy student, and as a result I hadn’t eaten out in quite a while. After a brief discussion with some friends, we decided it was about time we went out for a good old chomping jaunt again. The question was, where to eat? We had decided we could afford to give up an evening, but the question remained as to where one could indulge in some fine London eating without sacrificing the entirety of one’s student loan in the process. And I wasn’t about to go to a large chain restaurant either. But wait, before you accuse me of snobbery of the highest order, I must mention a reason for this: I have only half a year left living in London, so I want to make the most of living in the restaurant capital of the world whilst I can. The answer to the question presented itself in the form of Franco Manca. This restaurant is widely reputed as serving the best pizza in London, with the Guardian calling it the best in Britain and Time Out giving it five stars. And all for a price that puts the big chains to shame. I had heard enough.
The Experience
Franco Manca’s Italian approach to food shows through in the décor; it is simplistic, bright and clean with white tiled walls, wooden benches and bright lights. Fittingly, it is not a big restaurant, and it has the convivial atmosphere that the consumption of pizzas somehow attracts. Upon entry we were immediately attended to by a petit Italian woman who pointed us to an empty bench. We were consistently served by said woman, and her friendly manner was accompanied by a rapid service. She remained calm and polite throughout her visit despite the fact that they were obviously understaffed. One of the things I liked about Franco Manca was the menu, which doubled as a paper place mat. This might not be revolutionary in itself, but what I enjoyed was the fact that it was littered with little snippets of contextual and background information, such as the source of ingredients and more. Through this I learned that their wood-burning ‘Tuff’ brick oven is ‘made in Naples by a specialised artisan’ and produces staggering temperatures of roughly 500°C . Apparently it was originally developed in the 5th century BC by Greek settlers. Nice touch.
The Food Right, what we’re all here for. There are six pizzas on the menu, plus two or three on the specials board, with the cheapest unbelievably coming in at £4.50. I decided to go for option four, which involved Gloucester Old Spot Ham (home cured), mozzarella, buffalo ricotta and wild mushrooms. All that for only £6.85. Not bad. I also ordered a glass of red wine (Ottavio Rube Rosso 2010) which was reasonable, too, at £3.30 for a glass. Interestingly it was served in an ordinary glass as opposed to a wine glass – a very explicit statement about their unpretentious ‘quality not snobbery’ ethic. In short, the pizza was delicious (for want of a more interesting adjective). Interestingly, it wasn’t tomato based (and unless they mention tomato on the menu, the others aren’t either). This meant that it was mozzarella and buffalo ricotta based instead, which can only be a good thing. There were a few splashes of tomato sauce here and there, a leaf or two of rocket in the centre, a few pieces of the ham and two varieties of wild mushroom (if I recall correctly). One of which was the Trumpet of Death, or black chanterelle. Sadly, I had a rather bunged up nose due to a cold, which at the time of writing has lasted almost two weeks, which meant my sense of taste was a little smothered. As a result I didn’t enjoy the flavour of those precious mushrooms to their full extent. What I could taste, however, was the amazing sourdough base. Beautifully soft and fresh, it had a delightful flavour of charred smokiness resultant from it being cooked in the wood-fired oven. Drizzled with some of the olive oil or chilli oil on the table, and it was elevated to new heights. You know your pizza is good when you almost prefer the flavour of the base to the topping. Anyone who dares throw away any crusts should be tried for treason.
The Value
In terms of value, Franco Manca is nigh-on unbeatable. The best pizza in London, or Britain, even, for well under a tenner? What’s that you say? You can even get change out of a fiver? Unbelievable. To put things in perspective, a 40g packet of dried chanterelles from Sainsbury’s costs £5.99. My pizza was less than a pound more. Overall, my bill for the pizza, a glass of wine (and water) and a cappuccino, plus a tip, came to £13.00. Next time a fast food pizza outlet drops a leaflet through your letter box you will laugh.
The Verdict
Although the interior could perhaps be a little more homely, I have nothing but respect for Franco Manca. Despite offering the finest in pizzas this side of Naples, they haven’t let rave reviews – and simply being in London – go to their heads and have somehow stuck to their guns and kept their prices low, despite the current economic climate. Unpretentious, simplistic, affordable and delicious, Franco Manca deliver the goods that illustrates the true beauty of Italy’s cucina povera – perfect for studenti poveri. Thank you, Giuseppe Mascoli.
Experience: 7/10 Food: 9/10 Value: 10/10
Overall 26/30
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Library 24 hour opening is back by University of Roehampton
Following a very successful 2 weeks of 24 hour opening in December the Library will once again be opening its doors for 24 hour opening in March and April. The success of the 1st pilot pleasantly surprised everyone and feedback from Students was very positive. Overall 99.5% of users said that they would find it useful for the Library to be open for 24 hours again in March and April and there were an average number of 358 people in the Library each night. The busiest night was 13/14 December when there were 572 people in with an incredible 74 people still hard at work at 4am in the morning! 24 hour opening will start again at 8am on Sunday 4th March, for 4 weeks. We’ll then have a 2 week break over Easter and a further 2 week period of 24 hour opening from Sunday 15th April. For more details on 24 hour opening and all things Library follow us on twitter @UR_Library or check the website.
Finding jobs on campus through Roehampton JobShop! The Employability and Entrepreneurship JobShop service is helping Roehampton students to find part-time jobs on campus. Recently, both the University Security team and the Property and Facilities Team have employed current students to take on work at the University of Roehampton.
Five students have been hired on by the Security Service as Receptionists, covering various shifts within the security offices. Head of Security, Paul Markham-Jones, said of the students recruited, ‘they arrived armed with lots of enthusiasm and proved a “breath of fresh air” throughout the service.’ The Property and Facilities team have hired two students to help with the light fitting audit currently being carried out, marking out plans to install lights throughout lecture theatres, teaching spaces, common rooms and offices. This audit is helping the University to reduce the utility bill and carbon emissions. JobShop is free and available to all Roehampton students. Register today to receive email updates with local and national vacancies, volunteering opportunities and positions available on campus. A ‘Top 5’ JobShop vacancies list is published every Friday on the Roehampton Employability and Entrepreneurship facebook page. Register with JobShop today at www.roehampton.ac.uk/employability/jobshop.
Get paid to work the Olympics!!
There are loads of opportunities for students to get involved and work during this Summer at the 2012 Olympic games and you earn while you do it! Many contracts cover at least three months and are steady work. Most are at Olympic venues, either at Stratford or one of the many venues around London being used as well, such as Wimbledon and Lords Cricket Grounds. For a list of opportunities check out the Roehampton Employability website www.roehampton.ac.uk/employability Not to be left out, there are still some great opportunities to get involved as a volunteer as well.
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Fresh Sport
Rubens Bye-rrichello
by Jake Flemming Rubens Barrichello made his Formula One debut before I was even 18 months old, so I won’t even begin to purport knowledge of his career that would make a worthy blog post. However, given he has been ubiquitous during my time as a Formula One fan, it is a saddening sight to see the smiley round-faced Brazilian seemingly forced into retirement. Just this week, it was announced that Bruno Senna would be partnering Pastor Maldonado in the struggling Williams team for 2012. This leaves Barrichello with little option but to call it a day on F1 for good, consigning his name to the annals of the sport’s history. Barrichello’s legacy speaks tremendously loudly for itself. He holds the distinction of having started more races than any other Formula One driver in the sport’s history, with a staggering 322 Grands Prix under what must be his gargantuan belt. He has 11 race victories to his name, including a handful of standout drives that any champion would have been proud of. He stood on the podium 68 times, secured 14 pole positions, finished 2nd in the World Championship twice... Rubens has done a lot. But these are all stats, and stats are cold and impassive. Rubens Barrichello is the very opposite of that. Rubens is an emotional chap who seems like one of the nicest guys in sport. In interviews he comes across as happy, charming and interesting. After meaningful victories, Rubens would make no secret of his emotions and would be visibly very tearful on the podium. He really was a very difficult man to dislike. His story is one of determination and frustration, but of joy and bliss. Having built his career up at the Jordan and Stewart teams, Rubens got his big break in F1 when he transferred to the Ferrari team in 2000 becoming Michael Schumacher’s team-mate. It didn’t take long for Rubens to establish himself as one of the most consistent and reliable number-two drivers in Formula One, perpetually staying close to the front of the pack and capitalising on any race in which Schumacher suffered a misfortune. He earned his first victory at Hockenheim in 2000 after staying firm in wet conditions and ignoring a great deal of chaos on the track (including a disgruntled man breaking onto the circuit). It was an excellent drive, and worthy of making him the first Brazilian Grand Prix winner since Ayrton Senna. As much as this moment and subsequent victories meant to Rubens, there was always an undercurrent of tragedy to his role at Ferrari. Despite being in the best car in F1, Rubens would be at the mercy of Michael Schumacher as the German went on to dominate the sport for five consecutive years. At no point was Rubens ever given an inch in which he could impose himself as a possible candidate for World Champion. Ferrari favoured Schumacher, and this really came to a head in the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix when Rubens Barrichello was ordered to relinquish his lead of the race to Schumacher on the final lap. On the podium, Schumacher pushed Barrichello onto the top step and awarded him the first place trophy, but this would have done little to comfort Rubens,
who from then on was not only aware of his standing in the team, but had become complicit with it. The move was heavily condemned by the world of F1, and ‘team orders’ were banned as a result.
practically unassailable advantage well before the halfway mark. One wonders why Rubens Barrichello wasn’t able to make the same sort of impact and offer a more potent challenge to Button.
Whether or not Rubens Barrichello would’ve been a champion without the obstacle of Schumacher is debatable. Certainly there were flashes of brilliance in his driving. One of his most incredible victories was in the 2003 British Grand Prix. Barrichello pulled off a number of extraordinary overtakes and took control of race rife with bedlam (including another disgruntled man breaking onto the circuit) to drag home a truly classic Grand Prix win. Performances of that kind may have been few and far between for Rubens, but perhaps without the stifling factor of Michael Schumacher in his midst, we could have seen more tremendous drives during Rubens’ time at Ferrari.
Rubens regrettably lambasted the team during the season after a fuel-rig problem led to him being held up by Felipe Massa in the German Grand Prix. Barrichello claimed that the team had ‘made him lose the race’. In retrospect it was a mistake. Barrichello had been given an extraordinary opportunity with a car that was far and away the best in the field, and also had the benefit of being on level terms with his team-mate. It seemed rather unlike him to show a slight lack of gratitude in his comments about the team, but he did later admit he was wrong to say such things.
Barrichello played second fiddle to Schumacher for six seasons, five of which the German brought home the Drivers Championship. At the end of 2005, Rubens announced that he would be leaving Ferrari and joining the Honda team alongside Jenson Button. It was to be another three years of toil and struggle as the car got progressively worse. Ross Brawn joined the team having taken a sabbatical from Formula One and promised that the car would deliver in due course, but with a string of disappointing seasons culminating in an atrocious 2008, it seemed as if hope was becoming lost. Surprisingly, things found a way of getting worse. Honda announced that they were pulling out of F1 for good, and without a drive for 2009 it seemed as though Rubens Barrichello’s time in F1 had also come to a close. However, an 11th hour attempt to save the team from Ross Brawn was successful, and a shoestring team simply known as ‘Brawn GP’ was ready to enter the new season with the old line-up of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello ready to give the sport another shot. Of course, you know this story. It is incredible, but again it will have left a mildly sour taste in the mouth of Rubens Barrichello. Despite the incredible rise from the ashes that somehow made Brawn into the best car on the grid, Barrichello was not able to capitalise on this advantage and give himself the throw at the title he had always deserved. Jenson Button won six of the first seven races, giving him a
Jenson Button eventually won the title, and Barrichello was pushed out to Williams as Brawn secured the signing of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. Though the history and reputation of Williams perhaps offered Barrichello one more audacious shot at success, the team was in a rapid decline and Barrichello suffered another two seasons of mid-field to backmarking obscurity. It’s hard to say if Barrichello wasn’t pulling his weight at the team, but it seems unlikely that the experienced Brazilian would have lost his desire given that he has suffered through multiple horrendous seasons and come out of them stronger for it. In either case Barrichello was considered less worthy than the prospect of Bruno Senna and the money Pastor Maldonado can bring. And with that comes the end of the longest F1 career in the sport’s history. What does Barrichello’s legacy leave behind? Without doubt, a message of perseverance. At any time, Rubens could have seen Schumacher’s dominance, decided he would never be able to beat him and quit. However, Rubens soldiered on and out of nothing, nearly succeeded in his quest for the title. He went through years of playing number two, years of sitting in the background waiting for his shot, years of being in horrendous cars. However, it was all worth it for those moments – those moments where he came so close. And those moments where he proved he could do it.
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Fresh Sport Kean is no chicken
by Kingsley Bates
Steve Kean has faced a nightmare during his reign as Blackburn Rovers boss. Hired by owners who decided he must gain a European spot on a £5 million budget, owners who incidentally know nothing about football ownership, or the feelings of the fans and what it takes to create a successful team. Owners who watch on from their safe houses in India as their team continues to fight a losing battle against relegation and their manager has to fend off the criticism in the press and from the fans. Imagine walking into your workplace with banners posted around the office with your name printed on them with various ways of conveying the message that you aren’t welcome there anymore. Now imagine the success of your job is partially dependant on how your team performs in their duties, and that if the team is not supported enough, they face the possibility of underperforming. Your job is hindered by the people you are working for, thus you are further alienating them, causing your team to become demotivated and continue to under-perform. Then imagine that you wake up in the morning to find your face plastered all over the back pages of every national newspaper highlighting your plight, speculating on your future in your job and piling more pressure on you. Pundits on the television discuss in detail the pressure you are under, news that your local MP is leading a petition to get you sacked. All of these things create a very unsatisfactory working environment for all but the most stoic, dedicated individuals. Enter Steve Kean, who admittedly was given his shot in the Premier League too early, with no experience behind him, and may not have been the correct choice to replace Sam Allardyce in charge of a club lacking in finances and aiming for a Europa League position. Then again there are no managers out there suitable for that job. The responsibility for the appointment of Kean to a job
that does not suit him falls at the feet of the owners, Venky’s, who sought the cheapest possible option for their man to run their club. That was a sign of things to come, surely. Yet Rovers fans, gullible as they are, continued to believe that their new owners would save the club from the bottom half of the division and bring them success. Guess what happened next. Suddenly Kean has to sell Ewood Park favourites if he wants to buy any reinforcements from an already weak squad. Goodbye young and upcoming talented full back Phil Jones. Possible goodbye to defensive stalwart Chris Samba and midfield maestro Junior Hoillet. Hello...David Goodwillie? Mauro Formica?
put them away, which is true. He admits his side are not good enough defensively, which is true, and will not be helped by selling Samba. Yet the next week, his side are back, playing well and grinding out results here and there to keep them in touch with safety. They will make it I believe if they stand by Kean, do not unsettle the players too much and inject something in defence.
I credit Kean for his courage and determination to finish I’ll admit bringing in Yakubu on a the job he set out free was a masterstroke, and the reason to do. In the face of Blackburn might well just have a chance very vocal, aggressive of survival. Whose idea was that? Kean of opposition from his course, looking for any possible method of own fans, bad luck keeping his team in the league. And who during matches, underinstils the belief in his players, causing performing players them to continue to play for him even and un-supportive when they are unsatisfied with the way owners and a transfer their club is run. They put in a shift for budget less than that him and it is testament to how they want of Plymouth Argyle, he to help their boss out, and how Kean gets remains upbeat, looks the best work rate from his players. his opposition in the face, flies to India to He has weathered the storm try and persuade the created by the Blackburn fans who blame owners to help out a him for the mess the club is in. He faced little and inspires his their vulgar, aggressive chanting and team to fight on and banners and remained upbeat through it give themselves a real all. He shows his confidence in his players, chance. Good luck to tells the world they are trying their him. hardest, which is true. He claims they are unlucky, they create chances and do not
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