Spark Newspaper - April 2018

M O N D AY 23 APR 2018

VOL 77 I S S U E N O. 6 FREE

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STUDENT PROTEST

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GET THE MOST OUT OF REVISION

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SUMMER IS ON THE WAY

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R U S U AWA R D S BALL

Vice Chancellor says no to individual compensation Phaidra Robinson News Editor

D

AVID Bell, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading announced on Friday, March 9 that there would be ‘no compensation’ for students for the education time lost during the strike period.

There was an open student meeting of the Vice-Chancellor and the RUSU student officers, during which the hot topic of the university’s reaction to the strike was debated. The meeting itself was moved from Wednesday, March 7 to Friday, as the Wednesday was a strike day and moving the meeting to

the Friday, a non-strike day, ensured that no students were forced to cross the picket line and compromise their position on the strike.

Tristan Spencer, RUSU president, said of students, “A key stake-holder of this

The strikes have been going on for a while now, it’s been fairly disruptive discussion are PhD students, who effectively are teaching staff as well as students.”

Jamie Draper, a sec-

ond-year politics PhD student began the discussion on the strikes by stating, “The strike has been going on for a while now, it’s been fairly disruptive, I think we can all agree.”

Jamie went on to ask, “What it would take for him to join the other Vice-Chancellors who are turning around and reversing their positions?”

David Bell responded by explaining, “We believe we should not increase the contributions made by universities to the pension scheme and nor should we increase the contributions made by members of the pension scheme but we would have

to change the benefits.”

David Bell also commented that, “It’s a complicated situation and I think we all recognise it’s a complicated situation.” He also explained that, “The pensions regula-

We believe we should not increase the contributions made by universitites

tor has got statutory responsibilities to ensure that the pension scheme addresses deficits, and the pensions regulator has set a deadline that this must be addressed by, the 30th of June.” When questioned on potential compensation for students for the strike time, David Bell rejected the idea, stating that one of the major reasons was due to the uneven distribution of the strike action across the university.

He said, “We reckon that 85 percent of modules have been unaffected by the strike action, but of course the 15 percent have been disrupted by the strike action.” (continued on page 02...

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P U P P Y D AY

W O M E N ’ S D AY 2 0 1 8

SNOW HITS CAMPUS

Phaidra reports on RUSU’s puppy day!

Laura reports on the feminist debate and celebration of Women’s Day

Martha reports on the chaos caused by snow

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news Phaidra Robinson News Editor

T

HIS April issue of The Spark is my first issue as News Editor where I have had to work by myself and with the new committee

It’s been an interesting month for News on the University of Reading campus.

and it’s been an interesting month for News on the University of Reading campus.

As the first wave of lecturer strikes came to an end, seemingly still unresolved and with future strikes rumoured, Spring term also came to an end.

This issue covers feminist events on campus, such as

The first wave of lecturer strikes came to an end.

This Girl is Ready and International Women’s Day. The snow hit the country hard, causing a standstill, as well as creating some Instagram-worthy views of campus, while KFC also caused havoc when they ran out of chicken.

We also have an article discussing the ongoing issue of Brexit and, a tad closer to home, the redevelopment of campus buildings.

Our lifestyle editor, Rosie Neville, got up close and personal with the sit-in protest that was staged by stu-

dents during the strikes, after Vice-Chancellor David Bell announced that there are no plans to compensate students financially for the lost teaching time during

I look forward to the next month of news on campus as we head into the exam period

the strikes.

We have also had an international visit from Hiroshima, strengthening the University of Reading’s ties to the global academic community.

I look forward to the next month of news on campus as we head into the exam period, a stressful time for everyone, and I wish you all luck!

If you would like to write for The Spark, please get in contact via our Facebook group or email news.spark@ reading.ac.uk

Vice-Chancellor says no to individual compensation Phaidra Robinson News Editor

...continued from front page) HE said, “We reckon that 85 percent of modules

We reckon that 85 percent of modules have been unaffected

have been unaffected by the strike action, but of course the 15 percent have been disrupted by the strike action.”

He also addressed the statement made by the Minister for Higher Education, Sam Gyimah, who has said he believes students should be compensated for the strikes.

Bell responded with, “With all due respect to the Minister for Higher Education, he is not in a position to be making these decisions for universities,

that is for universities to decide.” He went on to say, “Even when some students have been effected heavily, the university has retained its services.”

Even when some students have been effected heavily, the university has retained its services

The meeting also discussed the potential insurance pay out due to the strikes but in regards to the compensation of students, David Bell stated that, “I believe the same answer would apply.” Since the meeting occured, the Vice-Chancellor has announced, ‘any money deducted from staff taking part in the strike would be ring-fenced and used initially to help meet the costs of mitigating the action.’

He went on to say, ‘Remaining funds would then

be used to directly support the welfare of students and staff.’

To compensate third year students who have been effected by the strikes, David Bell states, ‘We have decided that there should be free gown hire for all grandunds in 2018.’

So, although there would be no individual compensation for students hit the most by the strikes, the university will be investing further into the welfare of current and fututre students.

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S PA R K TEAM PRINT EDITOR GEORGIA COURTNEY-COX E D I T O R . S PA R K @ R E A D I N G . A C . U K

DEPUT Y EDITOR L A U R A S TA E S D E P U T Y E D I T O R @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

NEWS EDITOR PHAIDRA ROBINSON N E W S @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

LIFESTYLE EDITOR ROSIE NEVILLE L I F E S T Y L E @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

SUB EDITORS MARTHA ODYSSEOS E L L I E P E S TA I N A

E N T E R TA I N M E N T EDITOR TA Z U S H E R E N T E R TA I N M E N T @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

O N L I N E E N T E R TA I N M E N T EDITOR S A M M C N U LT Y

SPORTS EDITOR T H O M A S LY O N S S P O R T @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

DESIGN EDITOR EDEN SINCLAIR D E S I G N @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR EUAN CARMICHAEL P H O T O G R A P H Y @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

DESIGN TEAM M AT T H E W C O W L E S ANGIE BACALLAN A M R I TA S H R I L A L CHIA-YI CHU HARRY GROVE

MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION JOSH DUNFORD

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Five day student protest against pension cuts Rosie Neville Lifestyle Editor

O

N Monday, March 12, the Marxist society, who are unaffiliated with Reading University Student’s Union, expressed their solidarity with the lecturers’ union.

They occupied the Whiteknights building for five days in an attempt to demonstrate a peaceful protest against the university’s response to Universities UK (UUK) pension talks.

After talks between the union (UCU) and UUK failed to achieve a solution striking lecturers were

happy with, and it was rumoured that another 14 days of striking may occur, the Marxist society decided to lead a student occupation; this protest resulted in a lack of food and sleep deprivation for the protestors.

Aristidis Shukuroglou, the

They tried using starvation as a method of breaking the protest

Marxist society’s president, said: “They tried using starvation as a method of breaking the protest. Our supplies were running out, and they tried to force us out by refusing to allow us food.”

A University of Reading

The protest started off with thirteen students, and ended with six on the fith day

ARISTIDIS SHUKUROGLOU

ARISTIDIS SHUKUROGLOU

ARISTIDIS SHUKUROGLOU

spokesman, said that: “The Vice-Chancellor agreed to meet with the protesters and discuss their position with

Our movement has just begun, the occupation was just the initial step to gain popularity

them, on the condition that they then agreed to leave the building. This offer was rejected and the protesters remain on site.”

The protest started off with thirteen students, and ended with six on the fifth day as numerous students were denied re-entry into the building.

Shukuroglou told The Spark that “Our movement has just begun, the occupation was just the initial step to gain popularity of what we are doing, I can’t tell you what our next future actions will be, but I can guarantee that this is just the first action of many.”

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Snow blast hits the University of Reading Mar tha Odysseos Sub-Editor

A

LTHOUGH the university managed to remain open throughout the burst of snow, some lectures and seminars were cancelled, adding on to the loss of contact time due to the strikes.

As the snow occurred on non-striking days, these lost lectures were an extra hit on students.

Some roads were not deiced which meant getting out of your own home became difficult.

Laura Staes, 2nd year English Literature, said “I couldn’t leave my house because of the snow, my lectures were cancelled and it was freezing!” While many

students could not physically make it to lectures, there were many who risked the snow to go on a night out at

I couldn’t leave my house because of the snow the RUSU union.

The visit day that was scheduled to take place on March 3, was cancelled due to the weather conditions, with a small scaled welcome being held instead for applicants who had not received

the cancellation message.

The main impact of the snow was in fact the lack of supplies in local shops. The Co-op on campus, along with other shops near campus, had run out of supplies within a few days.

Shopping deliveries were cancelled and it took up to a week for them to be rearranged.

This meant that many students were left with little food, having to find supplies wherever they could. Even weeks later, the Co-op could be seen to be struggling to get their supplies back in stock, with shelves emptying quickly, and there being very few options for their customers.

MARTHA ODYSSEOS

KFC Catastrophe Lauren Collard

2nd Year English Literaure

FOLLOWING the recent disruption to their supply of chicken and other popular food items last month, KFC resumes business as normal.

In reflection of the socalled ‘crisis’, a member of the public, Lisa, describes

I was quite sympathetic towards the workers

Many customers were verbally abusive towards the staff because they couldn’t get what they wanted

her visit to a KFC branch during the shortages: “I was quite sympathetic towards the workers and there were signs up to say there was only a limited menu but many customers were verbally abusive towards the staff because they couldn’t get what they wanted.”

“We were quite happy

Problems happen in life and you have to deal with it. It is best to be dealt with in cooperation. with what we got. Although there were no cold drinks available, they were more

than happy for us to bring in our own drinks.”

She goes on to describe the public response as: “Outrageous. Problems happen in life and you have to deal with it. It is best to be dealt with in cooperation.

People expect too much and the workers try their best they should not expect to get abused when they are just the front face of the company.”

She adds that it has not changed her relationship with the popular fast food restaurant but it has shown her “how dependent others are on it.”

In light of this deprivation of food, we have been shown how we have become comfortable with having whatever our hearts desire, whenever we want it.

It is saddening to think

that some sacrifice their compassion for their love of fried chicken and their expectation that they can have it whenever they want.

Now that normality has returned, perhaps we can all reflect on how much we rely on fast food, and how we treat the minimum wage staff that serve it to us.

It is saddening to think that some sacrifice their compassion for their love of fried chicken

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Puppy Petting Day Phaidra Robinson News Editor

S

TUDENTS got to attend a puppy day hosted

by RUSU in support of the charity, Mind.

The day was organised by RUSU in partnership with University Cribs, who help students find university accommodation easily, across the country.

University Cribs were using the event to raise money for Mind, which support people who struggle with mental health.

L A U R A S TA E S

The puppies themselves were provided by their owner, who is based in Cardiff, and there were three French bulldogs and one English bulldog

Students could sign up to the day by registering their email with University Cribs, and then the slots for the puppy petting were allocated randomly throughout the day.

The puppies themselves were provided by their owner, who is based in Cardiff, and there were three French bulldogs and one English bulldog.

Before the students got to meet the puppies, we were asked to remove our shoes; to be gentle with the puppies; asked not to wake up the puppies if they were

sleeping; asked not to feed the puppies human food and warned the students to be careful around the puppies’ teeth.

L A U R A S TA E S

We usually run the sessions during exam periods to help destress students

University Cribs also set up a hashtag #puppypettingday to let students see the pics of the puppies.

Ashleigh Guttridge, a representative for University Cribs, said, “We usually run the sessions during exam periods to help de-stress students.”

When asked if there could be another puppy petting day, Tristan Spencer, RUSU president stated, “We’ll see, probably next term.”

So even if you missed this puppy petting day, there could be potential puppy petting days in the future.

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L A U R A S TA E S

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

PHAIDRA ROBINSON

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This Girl Is Ready - an inspiring event for all Jasmine Davis

1st Year English Language and Literature

W

OMEN’S History Month saw the launch of This Girl Is Ready, a campaign designed to celebrate and empower women at the university and beyond. An evening of “inspiration, motivation and empowerment” was held at 6.30pm in Edith Morley Van Emden lecture theatre.

A panel of female speakers from a variety of backgrounds talked about their experiences, successes, and challenges of being a wom-

A campaign designed to empower women at the university and beyond an.

Refreshments were shared, and the building buzzed with inspiration and

unity.

First to speak was Dorothy Dix, founder and CEO of Creating Better Futures, a charity based in Reading which supports and sponsors vulnerable children in Zimbabwe.

Find what you love, and pursue it.

Tirelessly.

Dorothy spoke openly about the life-changing education sponsorship she received as a child, allowing her to study in the UK. Rachel, who has served in the police for over thirty years, spoke about the inequalities and sexism she faced at the start of her career, as well as her work to support female colleagues and raise the number of female police officers.

Rebecca, part of the institute of education at Reading, talked about experiences

Sexism is real ... however, my greatest challenge has been self-doubt. and struggles she has faced being a trans-woman.

Senior family worker Jo spoke about the vulnerable people she works with, but also about the sexism women deal with in everyday life.

Rudo, who works with businesses to stimulate economic and social development, shared her experiences of women in the workplace, advising the audience “Find what you love, and pursue it.

Tirelessly.”

Campaigner Rutenda discussed a prototype for a reusable sanitary product, which could allow girls in Zimbabwe to keep going to school as they grow up.

Lina, an attorney and philanthropist from Columbia, spoke about being her own worst enemy: “Sexism

is real… however my greatest challenge has been selfdoubt.”

She discussed leaving home and studying at Stanford University in the US, overcoming self-doubt and “Imposter syndrome,” which affects 70% of successful women.

RUSU Diversity Officer Leen Al-Najjab also shared her journey as a woman, from her childhood in Pal-

I feel honoured and humbled to be part of an incredible panel of strong women estine to the pain of leaving her home to come to the UK. It was inspiring to hear how she overcame obstacles to graduate from the University of Reading and win the RUSU election, and become a successful woman.

Leen later commented on the evening : “‘This Girl is

LEEN AL-NAJJAB LEEN AL-NAJJAB

I feel priviledged to be in a position where I can influence change, empower others and encourage diversity and liberation in all we do.

Ready’ was an inspirational evening and I felt honored and humbled to be part of an incredible panel of strong women. Every day, as Diversity Officer, I feel privileged to be in a position where I can help influence change, empower others and encourage diversity and liberation in all we do.

Most importantly, my message to every young girl is if something is wrong, do not hesitate to speak up and fight for change because we must empower each other in order to be able to move forward individually and collectively.”

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Women’s Day 2018 Laura Staes Deputy Editor

D

R Madeleine Davies, Dr Carol Fuller and a few students got together to celebrate Women’s Day by holding a unique event where students could discuss with one another current issues.

This gave us the opportunity to learn about the inequality women face that we may not have known about.

Dr Madeleine Davies touched upon popular topics in a short presentation such as the ‘Time’s Up’ movement that is taking over Hollywood to raise awareness of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

In addition, she talked about Planned Parenthood, which is becoming a major controversy in America, and

the Pay Gap women still face to this day, showing some of the biggest inequalities between men and women.

Dr Carol Fuller also gave a small PowerPoint presentation which reviewed the everyday sexism against women.

One interesting aspect in the presentation was that, despite women in Saudi Arabia receiving the small freedom of being allowed to drive, they still need permission from men to do so.

This is a great indicator of how far women as whole, but most importantly in Saudi Arabia, still need to go to gain equality.

The tragic aspect is that currently in India we find that the majority of missing children are girls. What makes this common occurrence sadder is the story of

a man who couldn’t afford a photo of his missing daughter, and so no one truly knows who they’re looking for as they don’t accurately know what she looks like.

Dr Carol Fuller expressed that ‘small victories are still victories’ that can get us closer towhere we want to be, which is a beautiful expression in light of the heavy

Small victories are still victories

things that were discussed.

She also addressed the room about her research in exploring the factors of aspiration. She found that wom-

en in higher education have risen from 10.8 to 77.4 and the numbers from poorer backgrounds are rising too.

This shows improvement in higher aspirations.

Despite these good statistics, most who have high aspirations have the drive to get away from home but most still remain in low status jobs, which equals to low aspirations.

She proposed that this could be due to no shift in the mentality of thinking about career women and not being household orientated.

This proves the importance of gendered statuses around the world and how it is such a prominent idea that we cannot shake as a society.

After these presentations, students had the opportunity to talk about issues they face in terms of feminism and

how the term seems to put off individuals, as they believe it

Students had the opportunity to talk about issues they face in terms of feminism sounds like something that means to have women overpower men, but it simply means to want equality.

This student viewpoint session gave the opportunity to open our minds up to issues that we may have never noticed before, and also see different perspectives on feminism and what we can do to improve ourselves and help one another.

Work begins on new campus building James Boag

2nd Year English Literature

I

F you’ve been walking around campus recently, you’ll have noticed that there’s a fair amount of construction work going on, the library springs to mind as an example.

What you may not know is that all this is part of the University’s major capital investment programme ‘2026: TRANSFORM,’ which is aiming to refurbish and update the University’s facilities by the centenary year,

This is part of the University’s major capital investment programme

2026.

The latest stage of this transformation is the building of a new purpose-built facility for the School of Biological Sciences, which promises to include everything from one of the largest teaching labs in the

The latest stage of this transformation is the building of a new purpose-built facility

UK (able to teach groups of 280), to a bio resource unit, and a brand-new café.

This will all be contained within four floors, with two of them dedicated to wet and dry research laboratories.

There will be more than 7,500 square metres of labs

and teaching space, as well as a new home for the Cole Museum of Zoology, all for a total project cost of more than £55 million.

This should be a huge improvement for anyone studying Biological Sciences, as the University is creating a new Life Sciences teaching zone, with this new building at its heart.

In the words of Professor Robert Jackson, Head of the School of Biological Sciences, “This is a very exciting time for Biological Sciences at the University of Read-

ing.” The new building will be built on the old site of the now-demolished Engineering building, and the

There will be more than 7,500 square meters of labs and teaching space JULIAN/FLICKR

early stages of the project are already underway, with the aim to finish the project in winter 2019.

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Hiroshima University thank the Univeristy of Reading Mia Skevington

2nd Year English Literature

I

N 1951, an appeal for new books was sent out by Hiroshima University to replace those lost in the 1945 Hiroshima atomic blast.

Out of the small number of UK Universities to respond to the appeal, the University of Reading was

Out of the small number of UK universites to respond to the appeal, the University of Reading was ... the first.

not only one of them, but also the first. In thanks, Hiroshima University gave 6 pieces of tiles in 2011 which have been used by the Museum of English RuralLife in teaching sessions ever since.

Recently, however the University was gifted more specimens. Mr Kayo and Ms Yamada from Hiroshima University came to visit the University of Reading on Monday, March 19 2018. During this visit they gave the University two brick fragments from the Hiroshima atomic blast and photographs from two of the donated books.

The gifts were presented to the Vice-Chancellor by Reben Kayo, chair of the Association of Hiroshima University for Sending Atomic-bombed Roof Tiles.

The Association that Mr

UNIVERSITY OF READING

UNIVERSITY OF READING

Kayo represents is about spreading awareness of the devastating effects of the Hiroshima, the following Nagasaki bomb, and supporting anti-nuclear weapon movements.

Samuel Peters was one of the third years in the Museum Studies class which designed, curated and dis-

Mr Kayo was gracious enough to tell us about the two tiles, giving back story and personal details about them. played an exhibition called “Belonging.” As part of this exhibition, he explained that the Archaeology build-

ing contained the cases ‘Belonging: Conflict,’ which displayed the 2011 donated tiles.

The exhibition ‘Belonging’ was at the museum of English Rural Life, the Archaeology Building and The Ure Museum up until Wednesday, April 19. As part of Hiroshima University’s visit, Mr Kayo and Ms Yamada looked at the previously gifted tiles displayed within this exhibition.

Samuel Peters explained how ‘At the event Mr Kayo was gracious enough to tell us about two of the tiles, giving back story and personal details about them.’ From this he learnt that one of the tiles showed two different shades.

It was explained that it would of originally of all been the lighter shade but

It darkened due to the light blast from the atomic bomb. it darkened due to the light blast from the atomic bomb.

The surviving lighter shades show where a shadow fell on the tile at the time.

Mr Kayo said that he hoped that displaying the salvaged fragments would continue to tell the story of the Hiroshima bombing on behalf of the victims and survivors.

The most recent donation adds to this previous collection meaning that the students at the University have even more access to actual physical evidence of the devastation caused by the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

UNIVERSITY OF READING

SAMUEL PETERS

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Brexit and Erasmus: what does it say about us?

Gracie Maddison

2nd Year English Literature

I

T is coming up to two years since Brexit (disclaimer: I am a part of the 49% of remainers) and spending the past 3 months conversing largely with continental Europeans has shed an interesting light on

Spending the last three months conversing largely with continental Europeans has shed an interesting ligt on the UK’s decison

the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.

Despite Brexit-related discussion taking a backbench over the past year, the topic has repeatedly crept up since I’ve started my Erasmus exchange in Aarhus.

I have had approximately three memorable discussions about Brexit with students from Denmark, Spain and Italy.

I have hadmany other brief exchanges where people have asked directly “What did you vote for?”

Those I have spoken to about Brexit in more detail beg the question “What’s actually going on with Brexit?” with a genuine sense of interest, but also confusion.

My response has admittedly fluctuated between “I’m just as bewildered as you are - but it’s not good,” to explaining with frustration, reasons as to why people decided to vote out.

My flatmate is even taking

a module titled “What will happen after Brexit?” I have been surprised and encouraged by the sincere curiosity my Erasmus peers have shown towards Brexit, and so I spoke to them to find out just exactly what they think and how they perceive the leave result.

Speaking to Ignacio González-Cotera from Spain, he explained that it was foremost an area of interest because it was simply “the first time an EU member was leaving.”

Whilst the countries of Algeria, Greenland and the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy have left, these departures were due to a

Why don’t you want to be in the group with the rest of us? ... You can’t afford not to, like Norway

new-found independence.

Astrid Okholm Larsen, a native of Denmark, was firstly surprised and wondered “why don’t you want to be in the group with the rest of us?” Astrid also pointed out “you can’t afford not to, like Norway.”

Unlike the UK, Norway is in the top 10 richest countries in the world and is largely self-sufficient with a strong natural resource industry.

But how exactly did they find out about Brexit? Ignacio says that Brexit “was covered in a very shocking and negative way from all kinds of media,” but interestingly, media from Cataluña may have seen this as

“a pretext to develop their independence.”

According to Astrid, Brexit in Denmark was “covered in a ‘US election fashion with correspondents,” similar to the coverage in the UK. Both Astrid and Christine Aandstad Lund explained that because the “dominant political parties in Denmark are pro-EU,” it would not be popular to cover it in a positive way,thus there was more of an emphasis on the potential negative consequences.

What do they think Brexit says about the British peo-

Brexit in Denmark was “covered in a ‘US election fashion with correspondents” similar to the coverage in the UK.

ple? Ignacio thought that “it says fear and unknowing, fear to immigration and the

DUNCAN HULL /FLICKR

false idea of seeing immigration as something negative.”

He also perceived this fear as playing directly into

Britons were shot with false and populist ideas. how “Britons were shot with false and populist ideas,” in order to see leaving the EU “as a good change for the country.” Astrid saw Brexit as emphasising the UK’s reputation as an independent country with strong “resources to take care of itself and the Commonwealth.”

Despite this, she also perceives Brexit as a failure “since the impression has more to do with the English pride in independence than the economic situation.”

Lastly, I wondered whether they could see their home countries following a similar route, could they imagine leaving the EU? Ignacio explained that he could not see Spain leaving the EU, expressing that “he

is a proud EU citizen currently enjoying the movement of freedom that the union has brought to all of us.” He also believes that “Spain offers the EU a lot of products such as the agriculture.” Astrid thought that Denmark would not leave the EU because “as a small country and with the deal we have, the EU is very beneficial to us.”

Although, like UKIP there are also specific “political fractions that would want to see Denmark independent.” However, such parties are currently “more concerned with integration and migration politics at the moment.” She noted that there is also “a good share of farmers that dislike the regulation on their land, but this is not overshadowing the governmental and general public sentiment.”

So, what is the future of Erasmus? Will it continue?

Theresa May has stated that it will continue until at least the end of 2020 but that is as much as we know. All I can say is that it has been an amazing, life-changing opportunity which I hope continues for years to come.

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EXAM SEASON

T R AV E L

MUMS MEALS

Helena gives an explanation of what stress is, and Beth gives some advice on ways to revise.

Sabita and Abby share their traveling experiences in Thailand and California.

The first of our new regular ‘Mums Meals’ series. This month, learn how to make a sweet potato pie.

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lifestyle Reflections from a fortnight offline JACOB COLEMAN 1st year philosophy

O

ffline. A word that was once merely an adjective used to describe the lack of being online but now carries a heavier weight than its literal definition. Today the word has instead become synonymous with being disconnected, out of touch, and - with communication increasingly being at the heart of internet usage today - for some, alone.

The internet is no longer just a way to upload and transfer data, organise business, or process information. It is now a place where people work, learn, are entertained, communicate love even. In essence, the internet has replaced avenues of our lives that were once physical, tactile, real.

So, reflecting on the importance that the internet

has in our lives, one can imagine my feelings of bewilderment when an overly polite British Telecoms representative told me in a thick Scottish accent that our new home would not be “WiFi ready” for two weeks.

Spring holiday just took an interesting turn. When thinking about how an ‘offline’ fortnight might affect my day-to-day life, I quickly realised that almost all of the activities I - along with the millennial generation resort to in free time require some sort of internet connection. It became clear that being online gave me a perceived feeling of being productive when the reality was usually far from that. Online we consume, we watch, read, listen and browse; we are passive.

Consuming content rather than producing it; partaking in the world wide web rather

than the real world. Amidst the array of distractions that take up so much of our time, we are cajoled into an illusion of doing, when in actual fact, for the most part, we are pressing play online and pressing pause on life.

By the second week offline, I reflected on the benefits of being offline.

For a start, I noticed an improvement in my health and wellbeing. Probably due to a combination of a restful mind that wasn’t filled with stress-inducing news or anxiety-inducing social media, and a considerable reduction in the amount of screen time on my eyes meant I felt vitalised. Additionally, the days seemed to carry a new found sense of opportunity. I no longer wondered what videos I might watch or which apps to spend time on. Instead, I thought instead of about that book I was meant

to be writing, those tennis skills I was meant to be acquiring, and all those family days out that are yearned for mid-term. My activities became more meaningful and my purpose became clearer.

By disconnecting from the digital world, I had reconnected to the physical one.

Conclusively, it is important to note that it’s of no doubt to me that the internet is a grand resource amd a tool with infinite capabilities. Today even the most ha dened of new-age mindset gurus would be unlikely to advocate deliberate avoidance of internet usage.

Moreover, as with so many conclusions about the effects of the digital age, the sweet spot for use of the internet is about balance.

Like social media; it in itself is not bad, it is merely our usage that dictates its positive or negative effects.

The internet is undoubtedly here to stay and will most likely have an increased presence in our lives with each coming year. Thus, developing good habits now will not only not only makes us happier now, but in turn put us in good stead for whatever Silicon Valley throws at us next.

JAN TERVOOREN / FLICKR

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Managing Money ROSIE NEVILLE Lifestyle editor

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efore leaving home, I had some emergency money put aside in case I got stranded on a night out, or couldn’t afford proper food.

I was very clearly advised that this money should be saved for serious situations.

This money was all spent in one night at Wednesday Union: the conclusion being decided very early on in the year that having an acceptable bank balance whilst having a fun time at University is hard.

For most students, there comes a time (or perhaps there is constantly a time) where the amount of money you have left in your bank account is an issue. No matter how many spreadsheets or lists I have made in a futile attempt to save money, I regularly find myself doing a food shop, and being annoyed about the fact that I can’t afford to buy a nicer loaf of bread, decent quality meat, or unfrozen fruit and vegetables.

There comes a time where the amount of money you have left in your bank account is an issue.

On a night out however, I will happily spend money on drinks without thinking twice (until checking my balance the next morning), telling myself that, as a student, this is justified.

Thinking about it, I’m not really sure why I have this mindset; perhaps it is because there is the constant pressure when you are young not to miss out on anything (the dreaded ‘FOMO’), or

to make the most out of the time you have where you can enjoy yourself without the added responsibilities of a serious career to worry about, or a family to look after. Whatever the reasons are, I realise that the amount of money I (like many others) spend on a night out is outrageous.

There is the constant pressure when you are young not to miss out on anything.

Although I have a job, since joining University I have not had one time where I’ve checked my bank balance and been happy, or, in all honesty, even moderately content. I find myself feeling outraged when I see other students spending money on luxuries that I cannot afford myself. The truth is though, they are probably just much better at budgeting than I am.

I know that I’m not alone in my overdraft after recklessly spending money on nights out, or buying completely pointless things that I don’t actually need, but when I really think about it; I’m not sure why I have resorted to Asda’s own brand shampoo and dodgy chicken instead of just having less nights out.

I could occupy my spare time doing things which don’t involve money. Alternatively, I could even go on nights out and not spend a ridiculous amount of money on more drinks when I don’t actually need them, yet for some reason (unbeknown to me) I don’t do this.

On a typical night out, the average student spends around £30. If you go out

twice a week, then you will spend around £60 per week.

There are about 42 weeks that you are at University over the course of a year. 60 multiplied by 42 is 2520. I am aware that you may not always spend this much, but remember that sometimes you will go out more than twice a week, and nights out at home over Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays are not even factored into this figure. Money spent purely on nights and alcohol out over the course of one year at University adds up to roughly £2,520.

I apologise in advance to third years, but if you spend £2,520 in one year, remember that whilst studying (as obscene as it is), we are currently getting charged interest on our loan at a rate of 6.1% per annum. Second year students, you are looking at about £2,673.72 (multiplying the amount spent on nights out alongside the interest rate) by the end of two years. However, the worst

MARCO VERCH / FLICKR

part is that by the time we graduate, three years after that very first drink we had in Freshers, the total cost of drinks will have risen a further £430, to a total of around £8,030. This is almost the cost of spending another year on a degree.

After three years, the total cost of drinks will have risen to a total of around £8,030.

As depressing as this is, it doesn’t even stop here, because the average person takes more than ten years to pay off their student loan, and after University the interest rate goes up immensely, so the amount of money we spend over the course of

our three years at University keeps on increasing more and more, until our loan is paid off. When I consider this, I realise there are so many other ways that I could enjoy myself at University. I could do things that I will actually remember the next morning.

Assessing my finances over my first two terms of University, I have realised that getting to the end of my first year and spending around 2.5 grand on drunken nights is probably not the ideal way to spend my finances. Getting to the end of three years of at University and spending £8,030 on drunken nights is completely and definitely not the ideal way to spend my finances. If, like me, you are someone struggling with your finances, then look at what you are spending your money on, and ask yourself whether you really need another Jager bomb, or whether you should prioritise having an acceptable bank balance (now, and ten years down the line).

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What is stress?

HELENA SMAGALA 1st year English Literature

W H AT I S S T R E S S ?

The feeling of stress is your body’s way of responding to a threat or a pressure, setting off its ‘fight-or-flight’ response. When functioning correctly, this response can save our lives, for example, the stress you may feel when at very high heights prevents you from getting too close to the edge and falling. It may also just be enough to provide motivation, like when you feel the pressure to revise for an important exam.

But what is stress, on a chemical level? When in a stressful situation, your adrenal glands release hormones that tell different parts of your body to do things faster than your own voluntary reflexes could do.

The first, and probably the most heard of, is adrenaline.

Adrenaline is responsible for the increased heart rate and tense muscles we feel when stressed, processes which may then lead to the sweating and shaky voice we experience under intense pressure. The next hormone released is called norepinephrine, and is similar to adrenaline in the way that as it works very quickly to arouse heart rate and tense the muscles. Norepinephrine also increases blood flow to the muscles, providing them with enough oxygen to flee a situation, away from less important areas like the skin (this is the process responsible for the idiom ‘you look like you’ve just seen a ghost’).

The final hormone is cortisol, this is released a few minutes after the initial two because it does not address immediate actions needed to solve the stressful situation, but rather deals with the aftereffects of these processes.

Cortisol helps to maintain a

healthy blood flow, so that blood pressure is not too high, and also keeps other regular bodily functions in check such as digestion or cell growth that may have been disrupted during the body’s stressful episode. Too much cortisol, however, can be dangerous for physical and mental health, and can actually do the opposite of its original functions, like increasing blood pressure.

WHEN DOES STRESS BECOME DANGEROUS?

Chronic stress develops as a result of an excess of cortisol, and is very common in our demanding society, where arguments with friends or exam deadlines can feel just as stressful to our body and mind as a life-threatening situation.

Physically, chronic stress can disrupt the immune system, and may even induce aches, pains and nausea.

Cognitively, there may be disruptions to memory and concentration, and sufferers may exhibit more moodiness and irritability.

Stress may also become dangerous not just on a chemical level due to cortisol excess, but also in the ways that sufferers may try to deal with their stress.

Feeling overwhelmed by stresses in life may cause someone to procrastinate and under-perform, causing a vicious cycle that encourages more responses of stress from the body. Chronic stress may also lead somebody into an episode of anxiety or depression, and can encourage unhealthy forms of escapism like alcohol or drug abuse.

If you feel that you or somebody you know is at risk of any of these dangers that may become life-threatening, please contact a GP or someone you know you can trust.

S O, H O W C A N W E PREVENT DANGEROUS LEVELS OF STRESS? The steps that it takes towards preventing stress can be quite easily implemented into a lifestyle, and are things that we have heard time and time and time again. Yet, though it may seem repetitive, this advice could benefit someone’s quality of life for good.

1) EXERCISE: The one that most people find too difficult, but the one that I think is most important. Keeping active throughout the day will help to maintain those unnecessary levels of stress hormones, as enough movement triggers the release of the chemicals such as endorphins, which make you feel positive. Exercise needn’t be a struggle - not all of us are gym rats! Where possible, choose opportunities to get active. Swap out the lift for the stairs, go for a short walk outside in your break from studying, or do some squats while the kettle boils for your tea!

2 ) M A I N TA I N A H E A LT H Y L I F E STYLE: Diet is incredibly important when it comes to keeping a healthy mind, just as long as it doesn’t take over your whole life. Counting calories and weighing yourself on the scale every day is not particularly healthy: it encourages feelings of failure when expectations aren’t met and could actually lead to more stress.

However, drinking plenty of water and replacing sweet treats with fruits and veggies wherever possible will help.

You don’t have to punish yourself for enjoying a slice of cake at a birthday party, or a few pints on a Friday, but keeping these treats to a minimum is important!

3) GET ENOUGH S L E E P, B U T N O T TOO MUCH:

We’ve all heard about the importance of a good night’s rest, but are we all aware of the dangers of sleeping too much? Lying in late and napping during the day can negatively impact your metabolism and your mental

V I A G G I O G R AT I S / F L I C K R

health, so it is important to stay awake and busy until it is actually time for bed.

Avoiding that afternoon nap will also help you to fall asleep better at night!

Getting at least 6-7 hours of sleep at night as an adult helps your body to replenish its muscles and relax its production of adrenaline that keeps us going as a last resort when we are tired.

4) ENGAGE IN YOUR SENSES, AND LEARN TO CALM YOURSELF DOWN: When we feel stressed, it is often difficult to concentrate fully on our surroundings and makes our hard, stressful tasks even harder, encouraging us to give up.

It is important that in these moments of heightened stress we take a few seconds to think, to breathe, and to refocus ourselves.

Listen for the steady ticking of the clock, smell the tea or coffee by your side, count the number of pens on the desk. Try and find anything that works to keep yourself grounded and in the moment.

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Get the most out of your revision BETH SHELPER

1st year English Language

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o, here we are again – Exam season. The time of year everything leads up to and every student dreads.

It’s no coincidence that April is #StressAwarenessMonth.

For students, April is definitely the most stressful time of year, so it’s something we definitely shouldn’t ignore.

As April is now upon us and revision is well underway, here’s a few tips and tricks to ensure you stay organised, stress-free and exam-ready...

S T A R T E A R LY : Preparation is key. Every year my Dad gives me the same advice: “fail to prepare, prepare to fail” and, as annoying as that is, he has a point.

PETER CLARK / FLICKR

My number one piece of advice: as painful as it may be, start as early as you can.

Getting started is definitely the hardest part, so if you break through that mental barrier early on, you open up so much more time for productivity (and allow yourself time for the usual bit of procrastination and an existential crisis... or two).

GET ORGANISED: If all year you’ve shoved your notes in your unorganized folder and left them there or haven’t saved your typed notes into module files: this is a priority. Not only are you making life way more complicated, but if you don’t sort it early, you’re losing precious revision time.

Secondly, one of the most effective techniques I have found and use is to colour code. Pick one colour for

a definition, another for a study, a theory, and so on.

This technique is really flexible for all subjects and having colourful and engaging notes really makes all the difference when trying to stay focused: no one likes to stare at a page full of black writing.

Buying yourself new stationary is a great way to motivate yourself if all else fails, and Blackwell’s on campus has a great selection, so you don’t have to travel far!

TEACHING: This one may sound stupid and you’ll probably feel ridiculous, but it works.

Pretend you’re teaching someone else. Doing this with no notes will really help to pin-point the areas of your subject that need work and solidify your understanding. If you don’t want to do

this, teach a pet or a house mate: challenging yourself is a great way to learn and engage with your subject.

Revision doesn’t always have to be sitting at your desk and making notes!

STUDY GROUPS: If you’re struggling to stay motivated by yourself, gather your course friends up and organise a study group!

Study groups are an amazing way to test each other, find the gaps in your knowledge, and inject a little bit of fun into your revision.

PA S T PA P E R S : Past papers. You can use past papers in two ways: at the beginning of your revision, to pin-point gaps in knowledge and make notes on missing information, and as the last technique, to practice and gain confidence. Ei-

ther way you use them, before, after or both, they are brilliantly useful and I definitely recommend making the most out of them.

If you’re unsure where to find them, email your lecturer for guidance!

TA K E C A R E O F YOURSELF: Finally, one of the most important things to remember during exam season is to take care of yourself. Eat well, take good breaks, get enough sleep and be mindful of your mental well-being.

This #StressAwarenessMonth, remember that the university is full of people that can help with whatever you need, and look out for your friends as well.

GOOD LUCK!

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The truth about veganism SABITA BURKE

1st year English Lang and Lit

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eganism. The thing everyone’s talking about.

The topic of argument in drunk (or indeed sober) conversations. The thing that divides people like nothing else has had the power to do since the debate about pineapple on pizza. But when you start swapping the ham for avocado and the cheese for chickpeas, this leaves the question: “What is it actually like being vegan?”

You may have seen the recent social media influx of pictures of vegan food and videos from popular channels on social media showing the suffering animals go through in meat and dairy factories. This is what has spurred the high number of people adopting vegan diets.

I myself felt like a bit of a crowd-follower when after long consideration and having been vegetarian for almost 10 years, I decided to go on a three-month ‘trial’ of veganism to see what it would be like and whether I had the willpower to do it.

It turns out, I didn’t. I wish I did, and plan to try again.

Boiled down to the tiniest nutshell, it’s true what they say: vegetarianism and veganism are for those who are madly in love with animals.

It is also true that this is only the surface of an overwhelmingly significant ethical issue.

Although nearly all of the world’s societies are used to using animals as integral parts of their lives, many

more are finding it hard to ignore the suffering that animals endure throughout their lives.

Furthermore, plant-based diets are the least harmful to the environment, as well as collectively freeing up morefarming space that would otherwise be used to grow food for livestock, allowing more food production, and the possibility to combat poverty. As a vegetarian, and when I was vegan, one of the questions I was most frequently asked was: “But how do you stay healthy?”

I’ll let you into a secret: I don’t! However, this is not to in the least do with the fact that I don’t eat meat. I enjoy the typical student diet: chips, pies, pasta, and perhaps occasionally with some salad or spinach leaves. If you are thinking of going vegetarian or vegan and worried about how to get all of your nutrients, though, don’t be.

It is easily possible to maintain a balanced diet.

Most people replace the proteins and Vitamin B12 that you would get from meat with sources that are actually much richer, such as walnuts, spinach or nutritional yeast.

The latter may sound dubious, but it is in fact the most deliciously salty and flavoursome topping I can think of, and its versatility makes it perfect for sprinkling over soup, stew, pasta, or to have with any dish that might normally be topped with grated cheese. Even fussy eaters can get a full nutritional balance due to the many supplements read-

ily available in health food stores, such as Holland & Barrett.

A particularly pertinent problem arising for us students alongside these specialist health food shops is: because that they offer foods that are almost impossible to find anywhere else, they have vegans as a captive audience, and manipulate them by pushing up their prices accordingly. If you think the price of the big bars of ‘Dairy Milk’ is over-thetop in the campus Co-Op, a one-portion bar of ‘Moo Free’ can be as much as £5.

If you’re like me and fall in love with avocados on toast as tasty study snacks every day, the number of avocados you’ll be going through will cost several times that of your block of cheese that can last for weeks. It’s not all bad, though: most everyday vegetables and staple foods including beans, rice and Textured Vegetable Protein (meat-free minced “beef ”) are often much cheaper than fresh meat.

The trick is to work out what you like to eat and find a balance between the cheap and the more expensive treats.

During my vegan period, the thing I found most inconvenient was that I often had a craving for something in particular that normally involves dairy - maybe a yummy chocolate cupcake to keep me going whilst pulling an all-nighter the night before an essay deadline, or perhaps some Domino’s pizza after Saturday Union.

As long as you are organized and can use your time

SHARON HOOPER / FLICKR

effectively, though, missing your favourite comfort foods wouldn’t have to be a problem. I cannot stress how easy it is to make your own cakes or pizza, substituting the dairy-based fats with coconut fat, and the cheese for vegan cheese, avocado, or just mountains of tomato sauce with herbs and vegetables.

If you are considering going vegan, even if only hypothetically, I urge you to look beyond the beautiful Instagram shots of plates of quinoa decorated with the orange petals of edible nasturtiums; research further than the perfect lighting level in the background of these pictures and ask yourself

whether you’d truly be able to be happy eating this food.

Despite the enormous benefits, a diet this strict and tricky is not for everyone.

I myself became proof of that when, despite my moral beliefs, I decided to give veganism a short break. With this in mind, I strongly recommend going vegetarian first, or alternatively giving up dairy products, acclimating yourself to that, and then letting meat follow.

Eradicating one aspect of your diet is hard enough!

Whatever you choose to do, there is a plethora of amazing food out there, just waiting for you to discover it.

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Transform your tired skin to a glow from within

A GUIDE ON HOW TO MAKE

Y O U R S K I N L O O K H E A LT H Y W I T H S K I N C A R E AND MAKEUP PRODUCTS

CHARLOT TE HANCE 3rd year English Literature

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s exams and coursework deadlines loom, the humble student is beginning to suffer. All the late nights in the library, early mornings in the library, and running solely on caffeine have taken a toll on everyone. The bags under my eyes are definitely not Chanel at the minute, so here are a few of my favourite skincare and quick makeup tricks to help give your skin an extra boost during these stressful months.

MOISTURISE: Moisturiser should be everyone’s best friend; whether you have oily or dry skin it is essential to keep your skin quenched.

Moisturiser will transform any dull, tired skin.

Some of my favourites are:

L’Oreal Paris Hydra Genius Moisturiser - this comes in a range of finishes depending on your skin type and is perfectly lightweight to give your skin a burst of moisture. It retails for £9.99 at Boots.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser - this is a thicker a nd more heavy-duty moisturiser in comparison to L’Oreal but is packed full of natural ingredients and vitamins to help your skin glow.

It retails for £21.00 at Boots.

FA C E M A S K S : I also love to use face masks when my skin needs some extra TLC; my favourite mask is: The GlamGlow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment.

I like to leave this on my skin overnight to let it entirely sink into my skin, and it smells incredible. It is a little more pricey retailing

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at £42.00 for 50G, but you can buy a small size of 15G for £16.00 or even buy the Thirsty Mud set for £24.00 which features a 30G tube of it plus some other masks.

GlamGlow can be found at Boots or on their UK website.

Alternatively, a more affordable and great mask is the Garnier Moisture Bomb Masks. My favourite type is the ‘Super-Hydrating Glow-Revealing mask’.

My skin always looks so healthy and luminous after this mask. I used this once after having a bad cold, and my skin was no longer dull and grey but looked healthy and radiant.

being the Liz Earle Skin Repair moisturiser, alongside the Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighter drops. Even if I don’t fancy wearing any makeup, I can add some glow to my moisturiser, and my skin looks instantly lifted. You can find the Barry M liquid highlighters at Superdrug.

I also love to use a glowy primer under my makeup to make my skin seem dewy and healthy. My favourites are the Becca Cosmetics Backlight and Priming filters (Space NK) and the L’Oreal Lumi Magique base primer (Boots or Superdrug).

GLOW:

Hiding those Chanel bags can seem like a dutiful task but luckily under eye colour correctors are here to save the day.

I love the Becca cosmetics under eye corrector which

My favourite thing to do is to combine a liquid highlighter into my moisturiser. I do this using a thicker moisturiser, my favourite

CORREC T:

has a slight sheen to it, making your under eyes seem bright and awake.

The NYX colour correctors are also a great buy as they come in multiple shades to suit different skin tones, i.e. light peach or orange.

These help to cancel out the darkness underneath your eyes making you seem less tired and more like you have gotten a full eight hours of sleep.

After colour correcting I like to use full coverage concealers or a light BB or CC cream to make my skin look fresh and revitalised.

Using something lighter like a BB cream or a concealer all over is a quick process which won’t take up too many precious revision hours.

(Be sure to follow Charlotte’s blog at: charlottemhmakeup.wordpress.com).

BARRY M LIQUID CHROME DROPS -

BECCA COSMETICS UNDER EYE

MIXED WITH A MOISTURISER

BRIGHTENER AND NYX COLOUR CORREC TOR

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The ballet industry LYDIA BROADLEY

1st year English Literature

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allet has been around since the 15th and 16th centuries, where it’s origins lay within Italian Renaissance courts.

Everyone recognises what ballet is, however not many people know what goes on behind the scenes, particularly the lengths to which ballerinas can be pressured.

The appearance of a typical ballerina is widely recognised; tall, skinny, beautiful and graceful – it seems effortless, but the reality is far from it. It is estimated that one-in-five ballerinas currently suffer, or have suf-

fered from an eating disorder. This is compared to onein-twenty-five of the general population. The pressure to fit this ‘ideal’ body type is enormous, and sadly it is far from uncommon to hear about dancers losing their jobs or getting fired because they don’t match this look.

In some dance schools, children as young as seven or eight can be discouraged from continuing lessons because they don’t have the correct build. These stresses start from an incredibly young age, which is not only mentally damaging, but also physically. Some schools put children ‘on pointe’ far too young - the recommended

age is no younger that twelve because it can lead to a permanent stunt in growth in their feet. In fact, some people estimate that a ballerina’s pain threshold is three times higher than that of the average person. It is a common sight for the dancer’s foot to be covered in blood when a ‘pointe shoe’ is taken off.

When you consider everything that dancers go through to become professionals, it is easy to see how quickly their training can become an obsession. It is not unheard of for a dancer’s entire life to become overtaken with the desire to be the best of the best, often sacrificing their social lives, and even

their eating and sleeping, to achieve their goals.

In the Royal Ballet, there is a huge amount of pressure to be tremendous even when you already have the part. If a dancer is late, gets injured, makes a small mistake or even becomes ill, they can lose the part that they have worked so hard for, and possibly even dedicated their entire life to.

There are sometimes as many as thousands of people all auditioning for the same thing, so even the top ballerinas are constantly plagued with the knowledge that they aren’t unique, and there will always be someone ready to replace them at the earliest

opportunity.

Furthermore, a ballet dancer’s career is far from stable – companies can fold, they can find someone better, they can fall pregnant – anything could happen at any time.

The average age of retirement for a ballerina is also falling, going from forty in the 1980’s, to twenty-nine in the 1990’s.

Combined with an injury rate of around 80% for professional dancers in the UK, this creates tremendous uncertainty in the industry, and you can certainly ask yourself the question: Does it do more harm than good?

in the fact that some things just become clichés because they’re resoundingly true; and for me, this is one of those things. I did have an amazing time. In the beginning of January I arrived alone on the little island of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. The next morning, I started a month-long course training for a TEFL certificate (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). This was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and simultaneously, the best. I’d never done any teaching before this; the closest experience I’d had was babysitting. Our course leader was the scariest man alive, but we were eventually grateful for all the times he made us stand up in front of everyone else and ordered us to start ‘teaching’ a topic with no warning. I had always struggled with my confidence so when we started teaching, standing up in front of a group of 35 students was daunting. Once

you’ve done it, though, it’s the most rewarding thing you can imagine. It built my confidence massively, but best of all, the Thai children I taught were unbelievably sweet. There is nothing more endearingly touching than watching them shout out answers and laugh in active games, and then rush up to help you clean the board at the end of the lesson.

The type of training course that I did attracts a wide variety of ages, so I found myself making friends with people who were anything from three years older than me, to twice my age.

What surprised me was that we did not feel the slightest difference! Instead, we found common interests and shared our happiest moments together. I remember one moment on a scorching walk home from school, in a brief quest for the cooling air conditioning of 7-Eleven, my vegetarian friend Hajar was trying to use her

newfound Thai skills to ask if a product had meat in, but wasn’t being understood.

Resourcefully, she thus took to flapping her arms like a chicken and making squawking and mooing noises. We thought it was so funny that it made the store girls completely understand her question! Samui itself is known by tourists as an island of beaches and parties, and neither of these disappointed. I have never had quite as lovely a work life as when I watched the sun rise in magnificent invasions of magenta glory above me while lying on my back in the sea, next to the bungalow we all rented. At night, the beaches turned into openair clubs, and we spent several raucous nights drinking piña coladas and dancing under the stars. But the best thing about staying here for three months was that we got the know the island intimately. You could find little treasures in places you

would least expect:; a swing in a tree on a quiet part of the beach, or tiny but creepily-cute statues of greenfaced goddesses in shrines if you walked along the main road. The exotic wildlife made it feel like another world; monkeys jumped around the trees outside our windows, and I once saw a caiman (small crocodile) sunbathing in a river.

Thailand gave me so much more than just a good time.

I can’t pinpoint whether it was soaking up the culture and the infectious positivity of the people, or whether I grew a more mature mindset through enlightening conversations with my friends.

Whatever it was, the way we all embraced letting go, the way we rode motorbikes along the highways with the wind in our hair and the turquoise sea glittering behind us, taught us how to be free of worries, no matter what. It taught us how to be brave.

Teaching & Beaching SABITA BURKE

1st year English Lang and Lit

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ast year, after a gruelling battle with A-Levels, combined with a deep-rooted urge to travel, I took a gap year. I’m just going to say it: this was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Sorry, I know that if you also had a gap year you’ll probably be all too familiar with this idea and don’t need telling it again, and if you didn’t take one, you’ll have been subjected to the insufferability of clouds of drunk girls in Freshers’ squealing on about how amazing theirs were.

Been there done that, and I’m lucky my friends are as nice as they are, because otherwise they’d be telling me to shut up already instead of patiently listening to me starting every sentence with “Well, on my gap year...” and finishing them with “I had the most amazing time!”

The thing is, I’m a believer

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California Dreaming ABBY TUT T - LEPPARD 1st year Psychology

LA, Hollywood, San Francisco, Las Vegas. With a little bit of planning, you can make the most of a dream trip to the US West Coast without breaking the bank.

We started in LA. The Melrose Hostel on North Western Avenue is a great base - clean, convenient and cheap. Los Angeles is vast, but it’s not all like the movies. Hollywood is neither beautiful nor shiny. While you may think it is a must see, the ‘Walk of Fame’ is dirty, busy and polluted.

Beverly Hills is more like

I imagined LA to be. Glitzy, glamorous, spotless. Take a stroll down Rodeo Drive, and window shop in the home of Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada. Feast your eyes on the filthy rich lifestyle.

Our best free sight was Echo Park Lake, a hidden treasure. It’s a secluded paradise surrounded by the LA skyline. Take a paddle boat and watch palm trees form shadows on the lake as the sun bounces across the water.

Next stop - Las Vegas.

The Greyhound coach is by far the cheapest way to get there. I loved Vegas! Not for the nightlife and gambling, but for the crazily creative

architecture of the hotels.

You don’t need to stay in one, just stroll through each one before heading back to your Airbnb to save your cash. You’ll find New York, Venice, Paris and ancient Egypt all in a stones throw of each other.

Don’t miss a walk down the strip and the Bellagio fountains. Vegas provides an unmissable opportunity to take a tour to the Grand Canyon; compare the prices of the numerous tour operators. You should expect to spend three hours at the Grand Canyon on a day trip but note that tours will take you to different rims of the Canyon.

We did a south rim tour

but do your research and decide where you would like to go as each rim offers different views and facilities.

Note: Vegas is HOT! In mid-August it was 45°C, so be prepared.

Our last stop was San Francisco. You’ll need to fly from Vegas to San Fran unless you want to spend 17 hours in a coach. We were warned off the super-cheap fares from Spirit Airlines though – their reviews are terrible.

San Francisco felt more European. Get ready for cooler temperatures and more wind.

Alcatraz Island and its former prison are incredibly moving, but very popular, so

Mum’s Meals

book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Another highlight is the cable car ride to the Golden Gate Bridge, from where you can walk to the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre and Pier 39. Golden Gate Park is a beautiful spot for a picnic, and a meander around its 1000 acres.

The West Coast is a hugely diverse adventure. But not all of it is like we see on TV, and some of the most famous sights may well disappoint. So be selective, do your own research and, if you don’t like something, move on quickly. There is bound to be another fabulous location just around the corner.

H E L E N A’ S M U M ’ S L E E K A N D S W E E T P O TAT O P I E

Hi everyone, ‘Mum’s Meals’ is a new section that I have been excited to introduce.

Helena’s recipe is a great start to this new section, but we need new recipes every month to keep it going. If you have any great recipes that you would like to share, please email them to me at: lifestyle@sparknewspaper.co.uk. Thank you, Rosie (lifestyle editor).

HELENA SMAGALA 1st year English Literature

P O TAT O

(Peeled, and chopped), costs 23p. (Try adding or swapping this out for any other A great comfort dish that is root veg if you’d like). well-loved within my family, and can be made using cheap, easy to find ingredients! A 1 L E E K versatile staple for hungry (Diced finely), costs 63p.

(This pie can be pretty good students... with some peas thrown in...

Only £1.20 for a 1Kg bag).

INGREDIENTS: (Prices according to Sains1 EGG bury’s).

Box of 6 for £1.

1 SHEET SHORTC R U S T PA S T R Y

150ML SOUR (Enough to line your baking C R E A M dish). You can find a box of the ready-rolled stuff for £1.30 (Any leftover pastry goes great in the oven with some jam to make lovely little tarts).

1 LARGE SWEET

Costs 65p.

SPICES Salt, pepper, or any other spices you might want - feel free to go wild!

BAKING BEANS

This is to ‘blind bake’ the pastry, preventing it from rising and going soggy! (I used dry beans - £1.15).

METHOD:

1

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Begin boiling the sweet potato.

Mash once boiled with some salt to taste.

adding any other veg, now is the time to boil or fry that too!

4

Mix the cooked leek with the pot of sour cream and season to taste. Once you are happy with the flavour, beat and add the egg.

5

Onto the pastry base, spread the mashed sweet potato generously, leaving a hollow to pour in the cream mixture on top. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until the egg mixture has set and the dish is hot all the way through the middle.

Serve hot with a salad, or leave to cool for a nice pic-

2

Roll your pastry to fit in your dish, preferably a deep one! Cut a sheet of grease-proof paper to cover the pastry in the dish and fill it with your baking beans.

Bake the pastry for 10 mins with the baking beans, and then another 5 without or until the edges begin to crisp up but the base is still pale.

3

Fry the leek in a little oil, until soft. If you’re

HELENA SMAGALA

#RANDL18

G R E AT E S T S H O W C A S E

TEA TIME

Discover the latest acts to be added to this year’s Reading Festival line-up.

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a member of the Gospel Choir society?

Have a read of Holly’s quirky Alice in Wonderland inspired poem.

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entertainment TAZ USHER

Emtertainment Editor

S

O here it is... my first official issue of The Spark as entertainment editor. Without sounding too excessive, I’m already loving every second of the role which has been shaped by the immense passion and creativity that my writers have committed to their articles this month.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to source a pocket full of local and London based review opportunities which our writers have keenly pursued, and in doing so, helped to strengthen the diversity of the content across the section. These vary from a dynamic review of singer-song writer Tom Grennan’s recent gig, to an intense first-hand report of a zombie horror experience in our very own town (so quite literally, there’s something for everyone!) And, of course, I’ve also got stuck in with writing my own review this issue: so if you’re a musical theatre fanatic or interested in seeing how our contemporary society has begun to shape theatre, you can read my thoughts on West End’s ‘Kinky Boots’- a show I’ve been itching to see for a while now.

This issue you will notice that I’ve given the section a bit of a change-up by choosing to include a showings list for our

very own, fantastic Reading Film Theatre, as well as a new ‘Moody Music’ section which I’d love to get someone onboard with leading in future issues. Additionally, you’ll also find a new societies section which I’ve created to keep the university community informed about all the fantastic things our arts’ societies have been up to this year, and various opportunities to get involved. We hear from the Gospel Choir and Circus Arts’ societies this month.

With exams approaching I’d like to use my editorial this month to gently remind our readers that no matter how soon the dreaded exam dates seem to be, there is always time to relax, catch up on your favourite tv show, listen to your favourite album, or watch a guaranteed feel-good film (My personal favourites include School of Rock and The Holiday). And to add to my advice… taking that little bit of time out in the evening to take your mind of revision is certain to be even more enjoyable with others to laugh along and quote your favourite lines with. Make it your goal this term to keep your flat or group of friends motivated by helping them to know when to take a break- yes, we may be university students, but we’ve still gotta laugh, smile and experience a spark of enjoyment once in a while!

Millie’s Mumblings MILLIE FARQUAH

3rd Year English Literature

R

EADY Player One is now out in cinemas around the world, and if you are even the slightest bit nerdy or have touched a video game then you should go and watch it. It holds a special place in my heart because it was one of the first films that I worked on.

I didn’t have a position of responsibility, I was just a Locations Marshall, running around from place to place stopping pedestrians, cars and ‘normal’ people getting onto set. But every day that I worked there I wondered where the scenes we were shooting would fit into the film. As a marshall we don’t get access to the script, I had never read the book the film is based on and I had no idea how much of the film had been shot already.

But watching the film in the cinema, I couldn’t help myself but smile and internally squeal with delight when I saw the locations and the scenes I worked on.

Something that really left a lasting impression on me was the love and passion that the crew and director (Steven Spielberg) clearly had for the world they were building, the amount of references, subtle hints

and even a few Easter eggs of their own showed me just how much they loved the source material and the materials they used to create the world of the Oasis.

so many people in this world seek fame and stardom because of the fortune that is associated with it It cannot be denied that there is a lot of money in the world of Feature Films, but many people who work within it are there for the love they have of the industry. In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1’s Ali Plumb (Movies that Made Me), when asked about the estimated $8 billion total box office revenue Steven Spielberg has made he said, ‘I am not a numbers person, I make movies and I love making movies and telling stories’, something that really shines through in any of his films. But this quote really got me thinking, so many people in this world seek fame and stardom because of the fortune

that is associated with it.

They lack the passion and drive for the industry they are a part of and ultimately, they do not succeed because of this. Working in films is hard! It takes months to get even a few days on set and then you begin the hunt all over again. Making contacts and getting your foot in the door is incredibly difficult, especially if you have no prior experience or don’t know anyone who does. I have been doing it now for three years and I have only worked on set and on projects for a week in total! 7 days in over 700 is a horrible ratio to be faced with, but I have stuck at it because I enjoy it and have just been given a threemonth internship at a production studio because of it!

When thinking about where to start a career, whether it be in the arts, business, retail etc, it is important not to follow the money but to follow your heart. As cheesy as it sounds, if you enjoy something and enjoy working for something more often than not you will find yourself earning more money anyway and being happier because of it. Good luck this month, to everyone that has exams, be it part 1, 2, 3 or Postgrad I wish the best of luck- and remember to find time to be happy and relax as well.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 3

#RANDL18 TAZ USHER

Emtertainment Editor

READING Festival 2018: latest line-up revealed!

The Spark can finally reveal the next wave of acts to be added to the festival’s line- up this summer.

With headliners Fall Out Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Panic! At the Disco and Kings of Leon already sparking excitement across social media, the newest additions to the list are chart-smashers bound to give festival fanatics across England that final budge to get online and buy their tickets.

Richfield Avenue is set to host one of the festival’s largest varieties of musical talent this August bank holiday weekend (24-26 August), with a range of big names guaranteed to get that festival buzz brewing in fans from all sectors of the music spectrum. Festival goers can expect a choice from some of the most popular names in rock, indie, dance, hip and many more. And if that isn’t enough to convince you that Reading Festival is the place for you, newbie to the line-up, US rap

star Travis Scott will, alongside Hip Hop legend Kendrick Lamar, ensure that fans get a taste of musical excellence from across the globe.

a taste of musical excellence from

R E A D I N G F E S T I VA L P R E S S

across the globe Australian drum and bass b and Pendu lum have a ls o recently announced their spot on the line-up. They tweeted: “See you @Offi-

and ‘Post Break-up Sex’. The Kooks, Milk Teeth and The Wombats are also amongst the other bands who will be taking to the stage: with The Wombats tweeting: “We’re going to be playing @officialRandL” in the Summer!”. cialrandl we’ll be at Reading To the delight of the on Friday 24th August and festival’s regular attend- Leeds on Saturday 25th Auees, there are numer- gust... we’re quite excited!”

For Indie Pop fans, Fickous acts from the festival’s le friends will be making previous line-ups who will an appearance.

It is anticbe making a reappearance ipated that they will perthis year. These names inform songs from their clude punk rock duo Slaves, new album, released this and singer-song writer Kate M a r c h .

M e a n w h i l e ,

for Nash who will both rethose of you into your dance turn to the stage backed by (or simply looka wealth of success from anthems ing to experience a differthis past year.

And just ent flavour of music) artists to make news even better- for those of you out such as Elderbrook, WilkinDanny Howthere who enjoy Rock, Bed- son (Live), ard and KDA will be bringford band, Don Broco, will ing some of the hottest be putting together yet andance records to the festival other festival set in the lead up to the main event this scene alongside DJ and BBC August- with songs from Radio 1’s electronic dance their newest chart-soaring host Annie Mac. And of the 28th of March, album ‘Technology’ due a first look at the festivals to add a refreshing kick line up of comedy acts has to the exhilarating peralso become available. Such formance that they always names include the iconic bring to the stage.

Harry Hill, Lee Nelson, Joel Another popular returnee and rapper and to the event is globally ac- Dommett comedian: Big Shaq. claimed indie rock band The In addition to the two Vaccines who will be perhundred acts that are due forming at the festival for to play at the festival this their third consecutive year summer, fans will also have running. It is assumed that they will treat their au- the opportunity to attend dience to mighty hits in- a range of comedy acts as cluding ‘If You Wanna’ well as enjoying a refresh-

ing drink from some of the festival’s partners including Smirnoff, Pepsi Max and Relentless Energy Drink.

To stay up-to-date with the latest line-up additions you can sign up to the festival newsletter at www.readingfestival.co.uk or via their smartphone app. Tickets are also now on sale at www. readingandleedsfestival. com with prices at £205 + booking fee for a weekend camping ticket and £69.50 +booking fee for a day ticket.

The initial line-up may have received a mixture of responses, but we’re sure that these latest additions to the list will evoke excitement all round!

TA Z U S H E R

Tom Grennan at the O2 Shephard’s Bush to perform was beautiful and ideal for the solo nature of the gig. Tom also perN the 20th of March, formed many of his origis i n g e r - s o n g w r i t e r nals throughout the evening, Tom Grennan gave an in- the majority of which feacredible performance at the ture in his album ‘Lighting O2 Shephard’s Bush Empire Matches’ which is due to be (London) which I was de- released in July this year. lighted to be able to attend.

‘Found What I’ve Been I have known Tom Gren- Looking For’, reaching numnan to be up and coming ber one on Spotify last year for a while, recognising his and making it into the FIFA name and authentic voice 18 soundtrack, was the song from drum and bass band, which brought the audience Chase and Status’ nation- to life. This was closely folwide hit ‘All Goes Wrong’. lowed by ‘Something in the This song made it into his Water’ which was a momenset at the Shephard’s Bush tous and atmospheric mogig, although as an acous- ment for the crowd as they tic version which I hadn’t shone the flashlights from heard before. Nevertheless, their phones, adding to the the version that Tom chose intimacy of the night.

HOLLY FOURNIER

1st year English Lang and Lit

O

For me, ‘Sober’ was the best song performed. There was something about hearing the song live that was unmatched with hearing it on the radio. The degree of pas-

H O L LY F O U R N I E R

sion and effort committed to his performances throughout the night demonstrated the fulfilment that the soldout crowd brought for him.

Additionally, Tom used transitions between songs to emphasise his ambitions for his music career: most notably his focus on continuing to perform to large audiences.

He even stated himself that he was amazed at how far he had come in recent years, progressing from playing in pubs to audiences of less than 200 people, to now 2000 people at venues like this one. My friend who attended the concert with me commented: “he was very enthusiastic which worked well with the crowd and cre-

ated a lively atmosphere”.

he was amazed at how far he had come in recent years The opportunity to meet Tom at the end of the performance was also exciting for us, and some fans were thrilled to get a photograph with him. In person, he was genuinely very friendly and it was clear that he was pleased with the reaction that he had received from his audience.

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The Wasteland horror experience ELLIOT KIM

1st Year English Literature

*

WARNING* - the following review may contain spoilers. If you want to experience the event completely unspoiled, register for Zed Event’s next ‘Wasteland Experience’ on their website.

Does the idea of defending yourself with limited ammunition assault rifles, while being chased down a dimly red-lit, narrow, crowded corridor by a post-apocalyptic, chainsaw-wielding maniac fill you with glee?

If you answered yes, then first of all, consider sitting down for a minute to think about your life choices.

Then, consider signing up for the Wasteland Experience by Zed Events.

In a quiet alley near Reading Station is an unassuming set of doors in the side

of an abandoned building.

Through these, you’re in an unlit hallway leading to a maze of dark rooms and rubble. In one of these rooms, you put down your bags, hydrate, sign a waiver, at which point you’re armed, briefed on the mission (and the rules) – and you’re off.

Like, seriously off. Wasteland Experience’ is a genuinely unique experience, which combines the best elements of laser-tag, role-playing games, and interactive theatre, but first and foremost, the name of the game is ‘total immersion’. From the absolute get go, the entire experience moves at a break-neck pace, giving you zero time to acclimate to the darkness, eerie noises, blood-curdling screams, claustrophobia, sheer adrenaline, and terrifying, cinema-quality visual effects. Set in 250,000 square feet of dark, converted mall,

the terrain is unpredictable and large enough that you never know what’s coming around the next corner, or what you’ll be required to do next. The combat and armaments, like everything else, are crafted for realism – the iCombat training system’s semi-automatic assault rifles are tiringly heavy, and you have to very quickly learn how to aim using iron-sights, and reload a magazine. Ammunition is also alarmingly scarce, meaning first that you’ll very quickly learn to count your shots, and second, that you can’t charge your way through scenarios.

Instead, you resort to guided sequences of tension-ramping stealth, where you’ll occasionally find yourself hiding behind a box while some very dedicated characters hiss insults and threats as they search for you and your comrades. Which isn’t to say

the combat isn’t exhilarating – flash-bang poppers, the realistic recoil of your weapons, and the superb acting of the team, make each fight sequence fully engaging.

In short, you’ll easily forgot what is and isn’t real.

This experience succeeds as an incredible, guided experience of post-apocalyptic survival horror, in which you’ll lose yourself to a truly adrenaline-ramping and physically challenging test

of your ability to stay calm under pressure. I would be remiss in highlighting that this is an intense and physically taxing event that isn’t exactly family friendly, and I’d strongly recommend wearing sturdy foot-wear.

Beyond that, I highly recommend this event to any, and all, enthusiasts of horror-survival, immersion theatre, war-gamers, and those in favor of generally extreme experiences.

ELLIOT KIM

The Shape of Water: A Review ELLIOT KIM

1st Year English Literature

T

HE Shape of Water, first and foremost, is beautiful. Fans of Guillermo Del Toro, the Mexican maestro of monsters and fairy-tales (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devil’s Backbone) will have come to expect his signature dark, fantastic and deeply personal style, and on this front, The Shape of Water does not disappoint.

Watery dreamscapes and the interior of the cavernous, dimly lit laboratory all evoke and sometimes reference his prior films.

From the opening sequence, it looks and feels like a floating hallucination.

The tale is a fancifully odd one. Borrowing from (and inspired by) The Black Lagoon, the film follows Elisa Esposito, a mute-from-birth cleaning woman who services a government laboratory late at night, and her inter-

action with a mysterious, amphibious creature who resembles a very dangerous merman.

looks and feels like a floating hallucination It is worth noting that the prosthetics that create the creature of this tale (played

by Doug Jones, an irrepressible man with an incredible talent for contortionism and acting from within bizarre, full-body VFX), are deeply fascinating and disturbingly beautiful. Amphibious textures, sinuous muscle, nictitating membranes, and deep bioluminescence are all strikingly well-constructed and fancifully detailed. This film is worth watching purely as a master-class in the aesthetics of fantasy, and it is during the drawn out romance that the film is at its

most emotionally engaging.

Beyond this snapshot however, the story is set in a much wider context; namely, during the height of the Cold War and in the middle of America’s brutal Civil Rights Movement. Eliza, whom we do not generally see during the daylight hours, has a confidante in her neighbor, Giles, a pre-Stonewall gay man, and a close friend in Zelda, her black colleague who weathers an exceptionally uncomfortable sequence of comments from the Colonel Strickland.

He is a militaristic and insistently unlikable character – he also happens to live in, as Sheila O’Malley notes in her rogerebert.com review, a suburban home with the requisite 2 children and inconsequentially domestic wife that constitutes ‘a psychotic “Mad Men” set, so yellowy-bright it’s clearly not “the future” but the delusional complacent past’.

The messages of political

otherness, sexism, racism, and social stature are made with an almost deliberate lack of subtlety.

crafted with care and personal feeling Which brings me to this; The Shape of Water is a very interesting film, one clearly crafted with care and personal feeling. Yet, it is very much not flawless.

It is deeply personal to the director; it reflects opinions and makes statements in a way that is clearly timed as an unapologetic indictment of Trump-era political upheavals and the subsequent culture-wars. This film will make no converts of those with opposing (or even nuanced) opinions, and makes no attempts to persuade. Elements of the film work well

- Eliza’s frank, courageous nature, incredible emoting, and refreshingly frank address of sex are all included, for example. But others do not – when the film steps away from the fanciful and strange romance, it very clearly falters, and sometimes feels drawn out. The villains seem single-note almost to the point of caricature. Pieces of the film, themes and construction are unpolished, which were initially a little distracting and difficult to overlook. And yet, those are perhaps part of its charm – this film is very clearly personal, made with elements of great skill, deep passion, and considerable humanity.

During a generation when the release of cinematic productions comprises almost solely of corporate franchises, adaptations, and reboots, The Shape Of Water is still a refreshing film to watch, and for its pure, dream-like visuals, one not to be missed.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 5

The Sex Is In The Heel TAZ USHER

Emtertainment Editor

A

MOGNST the many things that I brought away from this showstopper of a musical, Harvey Fierstein’s fabulously crafted storyline and Cyndi Lauper’s extraordinary music and lyrics were a perfect justification for women, (“men, and those who are yet to decide”) worldwide that every outfit is never truly complete without a pair of heels.

And the kinkier, the better.

With its first appearance being on the big screen in 2005, followed by its transformation to a Broadway and West End production, Kinky Boots is relatively new to the theatre scene at a time when the story couldn’t be more relevant. The musical, inspired by true events, follows the story of its two protagonists, Charlie Price (played by Jordan Fox), and Lola (played by Simon Anthony Rhoden) as they battle between the opportunity for self-discovery, and their fathers’ haunting expectations of them. Charlie Price, son of Mr Price who manages the family shoe manufacturing business Price & Son, is plummeted into his father’s

managerial role following his father’s death. And if filling his father’s shoes isn’t terrifying enough, he must also face the impending issue of the company’s sales’ decline. This is where Lola steps in to help (with absolutely no subtly about it).

The audience were treated to a heart-warming glimpse of Lola as a young boy coming to terms with his sexuality in the opening number of the show ‘The Most Beautiful Thing in the World” in which he features strutting around the stage in a pair of six-inch red stilettos, and what an impressive job he does of it (much better than I, a 19-year-old girl with lots of practice walking in heels could!).

Whilst the start of the production bounces between the soft vocals of young Charlie (Elliott Rose) and his father (Antony Reed) in the opening number, the energy-rich vocals of the chorus, and the country vibes of ‘Take What You Got’, it is Lola’s dazzlingly vibrant arrival to the plot which brings extravagance, glitz and glam to the stage. Charlie and Lola’s first encounter takes place in the street when Lola humorously uses one of her heels to de-

ter a gang of men and, in the process of doing so, damages the shoe. This broken shoe and desperate shoemaker provide a perfectly unusual plot for a musical.

it is Lola’s dazzlingly vibrant arrival to the plot which brings extravangance, glitz and of saving the dark, old fac- conveyor belt as four sepaglam to the stage tory from going bankrupt. rate moving, treadmill-esThe show’s stand-out number for me, which truly championed the pride and uniqueness of the production, was ‘Land of Lola’ which featured Lola (phenomenal vocals) and his six fellow drag queens, The Angels, perform with absolute sass and panache. For Charlie, a drag show is a display which he could never have imagined himself an audience member to, nonetheless it is this triumph of female identity which convinces him, with a gentle nudge from factory worker Lauren (Verity Rushworth), that an explosion of colour and leap towards a completely new consumer market may be the only thing capable

But first… his employees at the factory require a little convincing. When Lola visits the Northampton factory to collect her broken heel, she finds herself faced by the judgement likes of the factory males, most notably Don (Alan Mehdizadeh) whom Lola challenges, and purposefully loses, a boxing match to. This scene was a fabulous display of the company’s collaboration, with the toned leg of one of The Angels and a piece of elastic used to create a very realistic boxing ring. It was at this point in the story that Lola’s renowned number ‘Sex Is In The heel’ also took the spotlight, resulting in a sprinkling of giggles throughout the audience.

A particular theatrical strength of this show was the use of soliloquies and breaking of the fourth wall which the show’s producer used to illustrate some of the character’s internal conflicts. Most memorably, Lauren’s solo ‘The History of Wrong Guys’, which revealed her crush on her boss, Charlie, and Charlie’s own soliloquies displaying his growing desire to save his father’s business at the expense of his deteriorating relationship with his fiancé Nicola, were particularly innovative.

In terms of set and costumes there is very little to fault. The company made a consistently creative use of the production’s set which, at one of the most animated moments in the production for me, featured the use of the factory’s production

que platforms during the final musical number of Act One ‘Everybody Say Yeah’.

Likewise, the costumes, despite appearing quite dull to begin with (as you’d expect the everyday work attires of factory colleagues to be) were an absolute game-changer for the production- with its array of sequins, explosion of colour and quirky designs putting even some of the boldest trends of the eighties to shame. The production’s penultimate scene, which took place on the catwalk of the Milan fashion show, was a triumph of these impressive costume designs, not forgetting the final number of the show ‘Raise You Up’ which witnessed every cast member (the most masculine of the males included) wearing their own, unique pair of knee-length heeled boots (amazing!).

The production was ultimately an ingenious display of not only drag queen culture, but the entire concept of freedom of expression and identity. As Lola puts it herself “one never knows what joy one might find amongst the unwanted”: a moral manifested entirely by the unlikely bonds which blossom between the various characters within the play. Fierstein and Lauper’s production was a necessary reminder that we should welcome individuality and expressiveness with open arms, as you never know what wisdom may lie beneath the cover of some people.

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 7

RUBAL: Around the World SABITA BURKE

1st Year English Lang and Lit

W

ITH not being a dancer, nor knowing a great deal about the art form myself, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I sat down for this mixed-society show run by the Ballet Soc. However, I was not disappointed!

The Ballet Society’s annual show featured an airline theme, cleverly indicated by the innovative design of the programmes which were flight tickets. They invited the audience on a tour across the continents in the form of performances inspired by the cultures of Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

From the moment that the first dance began, a hauntingly white and slowly delicate Scottish-themed routine, I was mesmerised. This was the number of the night for me! There was something magical about the combination of traditional, dreamily-slow movements

with gentle woodwind editions of popular songs and blue lighting, resembling dappled shade. The dancers all showed a grace and poise that appeared to encapsulate the utter beauty of ballet. Admittedly, I was even left in tears at the end of the routine, much to the amusement of my friend.

there was something magical about the combination of traditional, dreamily-slow movements It wasn’t only the choreography that RUBAL excelled at. With each dance representing a new country, the colourful costumes reflected the world’s dynamism, whilst simultaneously providing an extra layer of beauty and seamlessly adding to the authenticity of the acts. They also chose vivid and varied music in the languages of each of the coun-

tries. All of which, alongside the theme of the airplane transporting us to the hearts of these places, brought the journey to life.

The six productions from the Tap and Modern Society provided an element of vitality to the night with their lively dances, creatively choreographed along to songs that we all have that little soft spot for: not least using Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl for a very Irish gig, and Shakira’s This Time to represent South Africa. The Drama Society also featured in the show, glowing with energy and joy in a rendition of the classic American musical Meet Me in St. Louis, one of my childhood favourites.

There were also several outstanding contributions from the university’s other societies including K-Pop, Belly Dance, Tango, Swing, and Ballroom, Latin and Salsa.

The absolute array of dances was touching, and I think the beauty of this is that it really makes you appreciate the enormous di-

RUDS perform Spring Awakening EMILY ROCHE

2nd Year Philiosophy

S

PRING Awakening is a rock musical based in late 19th century Germany that uses the anger and beats of rock to explore the confusion and turmoil of teenage sexuality.

RUDS staging of this equal parts bleak and uplifting story, starring Teddy Turpin, Ben Carter and Lily Ingleton, was for the most part very good. The chorus and their harmonies were genuinely touching, particularly during ‘The Guilty Ones’ where they impressively conveyed the innocence and fragility of youth.

They were expertly choreographed by Jenny Williams and Catherine Lane to great use in many scenes, enhanc-

ing the action but never disrupting it.

botched abortion, admittedly made me cry.

the chorus and their harmonies were genuinely touching

admittedly made me cry

The performance’s sound design hindered the singing at some points in the musical, which was a slight issue with regards to the plot, nonetheless this was solved by a sly google midway through the first act.

The stand out performance of the night to me was Lily Ingleton, whose haunting screams during the scene where she is being dragged off to die in a

Overall, this was a fantastic staging of complicated story, and I can’t wait for what RUDS does next.

ERIN KARN

versity of the world and how vibrant, dazzling and colourful different cultures and faraway places can be. The emotion infusing the celebration of these diverse nations was fitting as the performance was in aid of the Malala Fund, which champions girls’ and women’s rights to education: one of the most important causes today.

I left the show feeling a sense of wonder and amazement towards the dancers, who all proved to be so talented and passionate about their sport. This was a truly

enchanting showcase.

it really makes you appreciate the enormous diversity of the world The Ballet Society offers professional classes at all levels, and you can sign up to them (or to any of the other groups featured in this show) at www.rusu.co.uk.

You can also find their pages on Facebook or Twitter.

TOMEK PHOTOGRAPHY

MOODY MUSIC TOP TEN STUDY TUNES

1. Lost In Japan- Shawn Mendes

2. Nevermind- Dennis Lloyd

3. Everglow- Coldplay

4. Supermarket Flowers- Ed Sheeran

5. In my blood- Shawn Mendes

6. Love lies- Khalid

7. Mirrors- Justin Timberlake

8. Delicate- Taylor Swift

9. Shine- Years & Years

10. Somebody Special- Nina Nesbitt

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 8

Think You Know Gospel?

CLAUDIA HOWICK

2nd Year French and English Lit

U

PON hearing the words ‘join the Gospel Choir!’ certain connotations might spring to mind; people with angelic voices, filling up a Church hall and singing religiously for hours on end.

Yet given the opportunity I implore you to put such stereotypes behind and give it a go, because you will not regret it. I can honestly say that throughout my experience of joining clubs and societies at University, my year at Gospel Choir has been the highlight of my week, every week, and I only wish that I had joined sooner!

One of the best parts about being in Gospel Choir is the welcoming atmosphere and friendly group of people which you are immediately made to feel a part of from the moment you walk in.

Inevitably, one feels appre-

hensive before joining a new society, full of people who probably already know each other, but with Gospel Choir I instantly felt at home.

Whether you have auditioned three times for X-Factor or prefer singing into your shampoo bottle in the shower, Gospel Choir doesn’t discriminate! Choir is split into three singing groups: the “reds” (sopranos), “greens” (low) and “purples” (middle), but your position can change from song to song if you are as indecisive as me and don’t feel like sticking to one.

Needless to say, that the committee members who arranged the songs are filled with immense talent, for the three parts come together, quite literally, in perfect harmony (after much patience listening to us before we finally get it right!). There is also the opportunity to “audition” for solos, though I

use that term loosely, as it is merely a relaxed few lines of a song of your choice, sung in front of some committee members to determine what song would suit your voice best. This is the most stressfree environment that you could ever audition in and is an opportunity not to go amiss! It got me a solo in our ‘Caravan of Love’ rendition and gave me the confidence

performance at the Dance showcase; the carol concert organised by the Christian Union at Christ Church; an afternoon performance followed by Christmas carols for the residents at Lakeside Residential carehome; a lunchtime performance with the Music Society and the main event: our end of year Showcase! The Showcase, our last performance

JACK BROWN

to perform a solo song in our end of year showcase! There are several performances throughout the year, all of which are unique and fun.

This year these included: a

of the year, was truly an unforgettable experience: the performance for which all the year’s preparation of songs comes to fruition. Our diverse variety of soulful

W H AT ’ S O N

RUCAS- Off to a firing start…

Reading University Circus Ar ts Society

T

HIS year has been a fantastic year for our Circus Arts society. To start with, in September, we were part of Reading Town Meal with RAG to entertain and play with the public, as well as firework events for Guy RUCAS

Fawkes weekend. We met new societies by performing at the winter drama society showcase and doing a crossover with the Swing Dance Society; both very successful events. We also went on a little trip to see a circus in town, and most recently, for the first time for most of our members, we got to practice and do some fire spinning in Egham!

It has been an amazing year and the fire night was a wake-up call for us as it has given us direction and motivation to improve our society even more.

Our main objective for next year is to emphasise on the fire component of Circus Arts to expand our society’s expertise and ability.

We know that fire practice is a great way to motivate you, future members, as it will give you something to aim for whilst practising without fire. We are aiming at organising and taking part in fire night events, at least, once a

month.

When there will be circus performances in Reading or around, we will be more involved and go to these events. These are great opportunities to support the art in general and to see what we can learn from the performances and add to our own skills’ repertoire.

We also hope to get more exposure within the university, and to participate in more events where circus skills are required.

So, if you’re thinking you’d look great on fire, don’t burn yourself just yet. Message anyone on the committee to get in touch for sessions and we’ll look forward to meeting you. We are a very social society, quite international, and beginner or already advanced in the Circus Arts, you will be welcome!

songs all with a unique arrangement included Valerie (The Zutons); Want You Back (The Jackson 5); How Will I Know (Whitney Houston); Titanium (Sia); Rumour Has It/Someone Like You mash-up (Adele) and My Girl (The Temptations), along with a range of solos, duets and committee performances.

If you are still looking for a reason to join choir, let this be it! (Did I mention that we had our own pianist, bassist and drummer for this Showcase?) The live music accompaniment is enough to give you goose bumps alone, but mixed with the prevailing feeling of community, harmonies and musical vibrations running through everyone, it provides a wonderful, exciting experience.

So, whatever your year or course of study, make your year better by joining Gospel Choir!

AT R E A D I N G F I L M T H E AT R E

April 24 Lady Bird 26 Dark River May 1 3 8 10 15 17 22

Phantom Thread The Nile Hilton Incident A Fantastic Woman Isle of Dogs 120 BPM I, Tonya Custody

Films are shown in the Palmer Building on the Whightknights campus. Doors open 45 minutes before the advertised start time.

Membership: £10/£5 for under 18s and University of Reading students Tickets in advance: £8 general/£7 concessions/£5 members and U14s students (plus 50p booking service fee) Yours, Tickets on the door: £9 general/£8 concessions/£6 members and The Circus Arts society U14s committee For more information and to book tickets, please visit www. readingfilmtheatre.co.uk or contact rft@reading.ac.uk

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 9

HOROSCOPES F I N D O U T W H AT T H E S TA R S A R E S AY I N G A B O U T YO U T H I S M O N T H WRITTEN BY MEGAN BUDGEN

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 19

TA U R U S

GEMINI

CANCER

A P R I L 2 0 - M AY 2 0

M AY 2 1 - J U N E 2 0

J U N E 2 1 - J U LY 2 2

This month is a month of good tidings for you, Taurus. You may receive a small windfall or be unexpectedly treated by a loved one or even a stranger! You will have a smile on your face as you may have an epiphany that positive thinking is the perfect perception for you to undertake. Much like a rag to a bull, seize the day by its horns and enjoy your life!

True to your astrological sign, Gemini, this month will be one which is both hot and cold.

You may find yourself lucky in matters of love but at the expense of another facet of your life that you may be neglecting- such as work or finances. The key is to take everything in moderation and attempt to find the balance between the different factors of your life.

Your mostly soft and gentile nature may be tested in some way during the month of April, but fear not! The best way to deal with an event or person who is making your life difficult is to consult in your loved ones and approach the situation with the diplomacy and attentiveness that only you can achieve.

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

The birthday month of many of you out there! The month of April brings a whirlwind of emotions to the forefront. The feeling of anger at the l ittlest of things to be expected, so try to

The birthday month of many of you out there!

The month of April brings a whirlwind of emotions to the forefront. The feeling of anger at the littlest of things to be expected, so try to keep that explosive temper on a leash! Focus on yourself and do something spontaneous to occupy your mind and get you through this wave of moodiness that you may be experiencing. It shall soon pass!

LEO J U LY 2 3 - A U G U S T 2 2

AUGUST 23- SEPTEMBER 22

SEPTEMBER 23 - OC TOBER 22

OC TOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21

April is the month of realisations and new beginnings for you, Leo. Time is of the essence to cut the cord and let go of the toxic and negatives parts of your life. It is now time to focus on yourself and your happiness instead of trying to please everyone else at the expense of your own enjoyment in life. It may be difficult but pinpoint these factors in life and try your best to let go.

The month of April is the month to de-clutter your surroundings and tidy up some loose ends. Finish the project/task that you’ve been putting off, tidy up your home or work area to clear your mind. Buy something new for the home or desk, you need some inspiration!

The month of April is a tough one for you, Libra, as you will be swept off of your feet!

Everyone and everything will demand your full attention, and so the task of managing and organising your priorities is desperately needed to avoid a complete burnout!

You may feel quite unsettled this month, Scorpio, as things may not be going as planned! Fear not though, as the proverb says ‘‘when one door closes, another one opens’’ and this mantra is one to be mindful of this April. The things you may really want may, in fact, be taking you down the wrong path.

Therefore, some real soul-searching needs to be done and this reflection will help you through.

S A G G I TA R I U S

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21

DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 19

JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 18

FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20

You will have to shoot your arrows this April, even if you do not know how to achieve the target. You will be taken out of your comfort zone and pushed into tasks that you are not well equipped for. However, you have the necessary skills, but you do need some extra help. Thus, seek out a mentor to enable you to move to the next stage.

You may feel exasperated this month as it feels like no-one is listening to you! It may be time, therefore, to think about the people around you and decide whether you should be so closely affiliated with them. You should try and find a new friend which may better understand you, perhaps join a new class or socialise in different places- you may find some much-needed solace!

This month will be occasionally rocky but mostly smooth-sailing for you, dear Aquarian.

The time is now to embark on something which you have been scared to do, as the odds seem to be in your favour! However, take time to comfort a partner or a friend, as their month may not be going quite as smoothly- put your placid and agreeable nature to good use!

You shall be swimming in new lanes this month, Pisces, as some surroundings may change. You’ll be seeing new faces and it may take some time to get used to your routine changing. This may be a good thing for you Piscean, as you have been stuck in a rut recently!

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 3 1

C R E AT I V E

CORNER

P O E M S F R O M O U R S TA R S T U D E N T W R I T E R S

Niki: ‘The poem is a tribute to my grandparents. My grandmother passed away in 2016, my grandfather followed her in 2017. The piece is a celebration of their love.’

Next Winter NIKI KASPRZYK 1 S T Y E A R E N G L I S H L I T E R AT U R E

Sabita: ‘When I wrote this poem, I was aiming to use naturalistic metaphors to portray the emotions of a relationship falling apart. On looking through it again, I realised that a lot of this imagery also relates to the current state of our world, such as melting ice and having “too much life” or overpopulation. I hope that this might be able to highlight the important issue of global warming.’

Summer and Winter S A B I TA B U R K E 1 S T Y E A R E N G L I S H L A N G U A G E A N D L I T E R AT U R E

I do not think, my love, that if we look Back through our years of petal-studded bliss, And study all the honeyed steps we took, We now would find, bejewelling each day’s kiss,

my love, cannot withstand the thought of Her laugh ripped short by a burning wound, it would get better I thought, the soft silk turned to roughness, but I hold it tight despite the inevitable numbness. she shivers!

Her legs cemented, forgetting the long miles walked, Her eyes purified, as if remembering the snow last year when

That old enchanted sun shared in our eyes, Which now is falling in a rose-shot stain; Those same bewitching smiles we used to prize For now we see them through translucent rain; Enough candescence in our nighttime touch Where once sharp fire sparkled on our skin; Enough warm comfort when life gets too much— Our bond has frozen, and the ice is thin.

So Sweetheart, let us take our lives, and go Our separate ways, before it starts to snow.

Her fingertips white sheets of snow caressed, Her feet tread on the pink petals underneath, in our garden.

my warmth did not suffice, Her lips from a curve to a line compassed, another moment, I beg, my lifetime I’d sacrifice,

Tea Time H O L LY F O U R N I E R 1 S T Y E A R E N G L I S H L A N G U A G E A N D L I T E R AT U R E

why did this summer not peonies awaken?

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Her whisper is a cool breeze on my cheek,

A mysterious character, he is.

the heavy stone dented the pillow,

Riddle after riddle but somehow, we love this.

She says She’ll wait by the willow,

Chasing the unanswered,

Wanting what we cannot have.

next winter,

As mad as the hatter.

in our garden.

How strange it is to be anything at all.

Come and join the tea party!

We’re all mad here.

photography

Spring is here...

EUAN CARMICHAEL Head of Photography

After multiple encounters from the Beast from the East, spring is finally here and campus has never looked prettier!

Flowers are in full bloom and the sun is even starting to poke out from behind the clouds. Time to pull out the shorts from the bottom of your draws and do some revision in the sun.

32

P H O T O G R A P H Y | PA G E 3 3

...and summer is coming

33

R A I L FA R E I N C R E A S E

NEW BAR COMING

MURAL PROTEC TED

Lucy tells us about the recent hike in the cost of train tickets

BrewDog set to open new bar in Reading

A mural celebrating Black History will not be taken down

PA G E 5

PA G E 1 2

PA G E 1 1

sport RUSU Awards Ball THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

I

T’S been a sensational season across all sports at the University of Reading, this year. Topped by victory at Varsity over Oxford Brookes, the knights will be looking to kick on for another active campaign for increasing participation and involvement in a variety of sports in the next academic year, yielding an incentive to continue the success of previous years.

Having the opportunity to host such a prestigious event on March 24, a plethora of teams have done themselves proud by providing us with excitement and pulsating action, shown by the passion of all athletes who competed at Varsity.

With a number of individual and team awards up for grab on Tuesday 17th April, here were a few of the nominees.

SPOR TS CLUB OF THE YEAR 2018:

Mens Football

Rugby League Lacrosse Mixed Hockey Ultimate Athletics Korfball Netball Tennis Sub Aqua Wmns Basketball American Football Polo Canoe Boxing Wmns Rugby

TEAM OF THE YEAR 2018:

Wmns Rugby U Mns Rugby U 1st Mns Football 1st Wms Lax Mens Hockey 3rd Wmns Table Tennis American Football Boat Club Netball 1st Sailing 1st Riding Club A Mixed Lax Netball 2nd

MOST IMPROVED CLUB 2018:

Wmns Rugby Union Athletics Softball Mixed Hockey Lacrosse

Mens Hockey Cheerleading Boxing Canoe Wmns Basketball

MOST IMPROVED TEAM

2018:

Wmns Fencing Sailing Mens Hockey 5th Wmns Rugby U Wmns Basketball Softball Wmns Table Tennis Athletics Riding Club A Wmns Lax 1st

PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR 2018:

George Kollias (Basketball) Connor Maroney (Canoe) Ellie Burn (Cheerleading) Maddie Ross (Netball) Lucy Wright (Athletics) James Hegarty (American Football) Jake Brett (Mixed Hockey) Ed Williams (Football) Emily Ackland (Hockey) Ella Povey (Rugby U) Austin Key (Korfball) Josh Hurst (Boxing) Fergus Jones (Hockey) Rhys Davies (Rugby L) Vidhu Ravinath (Table

Tennis) Gemma Lane (Trampolining) David Farr (Badminton) Tim Stiles (Lacrosse) Henry Conen (Rugby U) Will Laird (Sub Aqua) COMMIT TEE MEMBER OF THE YEAR 2018:

Kathryn Heaton (Fencing) Will Waters (Canoe) Meg Hopkins (Mixed Hockey) Melissa Winder (Archery) Jennifer Stapleton (Netball) Beth (Canoe) Manon Jones (Rugby U) Hayley Burke (Lacrosse) Tom Sage (Tennis) Amy Gower (Trampolining) Victoria Dale (Sailing) Tim Mackenzie (Hockey) Tim Greenbank (Mixed Hockey) Serena Bawden (Riding Club) Niamh Murray (Korfball) Jake Wilson – Crown (American Football) Charlotte Croxford Fokion Kaldis (Basketball) Sophie Baker (Cheerleading) Will Annang (Boxing) Emma Withers (Cheerleading)

George Lindsey (American Football) C A P TA I N O F T H E Y E A R 2018:

Josh Bull (Rugby L) Monty Jefferson (Hockey) Emma Brand (Archery) Yemi Gdabedo (Netball) Dom Whitlock (Korfball) Daniel Patterson (Softball) Lucy Ryan (Boat) Hayley Burke (Lacrosse) Natasha Annis (Basketball) Harry Dobson (Lacrosse) Charles Seamark (Lacrosse) Jemima Clarke (Cheerleading) Megan Watts (Rugby U) Emma Freeman (Riding) Hannah Powesland (Hockey) Kathryn Heaton (Fencing) Cam Jaramillo (Canoe) Rhys Wood (Football) Emma Blanchford (Table Tennis) Tania Spicer (Hockey) Other awards that were contested included the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Year, Most Dedicated Club, Male and Female Sport Personality and Coach of the Year for their respected clubs.

S P O R T | PA G E 3 5

Commonwealth Games Catch-Up THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

E

NGLAND’S Super-Heavyweight star Frazer Clarke continues his pursuit of capturing Commonwealth Gold after a close, split-decision victory over New Zealand’s Patrick Malitata, in what was an entertaining contest from start to finish.

Both amateurs, who had been employed as sparring partners in preparation for Anthony Joshua’s world title unification fight with fellow Kiwi, Joseph Parker, traded leather in the centre of the ring and tested each other’s toughness in providing the public with an explosive en-

counter.

With one point separating the pair on all five judges’ scorecards, you could see the adulation on Clarke’s face as he moved closer to claiming that prized possession of being crowned Commonwealth champion.

The 26-year old had guaranteed himself a bronze medal when he dominated Australia’s Toese Vou Siutu to a unanimous decision but was faced with a more tricky and durable opponent in Malitata who made it tough at times for Clarke.

Following in the footsteps of his training partner Joshua, who joins him at the GB setup in Sheffield, and shared the ring sparring numerous rounds camp by camp, Clarke has made clear his

aspirations to achieve all he can in the amateur game before making the transition to the professional ranks. The No.1 spot has been a long time coming for Clarke with ‘Juggernaut’ Joe Joyce jumping the queue on his quest to Olympic silver at Rio Games in 2016, before turning over and said that winning the gold medal would give him the confidence to target the Tokyo games in 2020 and reap the rewards like Joshua has before becoming world champion.

Going from being a security guard at shows to reaching the pinnacle of the sport would show the hard work that has been put in to get to that point. Meanwhile, team-mate Galal Yafai secured himself at least

a silver medal by stopping Sri Lanka’s Thiwanka Ranasinghe in brutal fashion.

The 25-year old, who is the younger brother to WBA Super-Flyweight champion Kal Yafai delivered another destructive display to reach the light-flyweight final where he’ll fight India’s Amit. With Yafai dishing out punishment and damage being done to Ranasinghe right eye, the referee was forced to stop the contest in the closing stages of the third round.

Another product of the GB programme, and showing bags of potential, the Commonwealth games has certainly catapulted him onto the world stage and still feels fresh ahead of the Gold medal match. The home nations have had a healthy number

of medal hopefuls but the likes of Clarke, Yafai, Sandy Ryan and Peter McGrail will have their eye’s peeled to the top spot on the podium when the tournament is over with. Despite disappointment for 91kg Cheavon Clarke and Luke McMormack who missed out on the Gold Medal bout, bringing back bronze, they will still be rooting for the remaining England representatives to go home with Gold. Speaking to BBC Sport after being awarded the contest, “I’m so happy right now.

This team is still getting better. We have improved from two years ago and we will improve again. I have to keep improving. An Olympic title is the aim and I’ll need to work hard to get there.”

Australia Reach All-Time Record

A U S T R A L I A I N T H E A S C E N D E N C Y T O T O P T H E M E D A L TA B L E A F T E R A L R E A D Y C A P T U R I N G A N A S T O N I S H I N G 1 4 5 A F T E R D AY S E V E N O N T H E G O L D C O A S T !

THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

T

HE Host nation have got off to a flying start at the Commmowealth Games, securing themselves 145 medals in total including a tally of 57 Gold, 43 Silver and 45 Bronze. With a total of 275 Golds at stake before the competition commenced, the Australian athletes have over-achieved at this point, particularly the swimmers who’ve been in scintillating form and shined in both the individual and team medleys, reaching a record milestone in the water. The cyclists have also cruised around the track bagging themselves 21 medals in total whilst Athletics also impressing with 22 medals in the bag.

After disappointment in the 100m freestyle, Kyle Chalmers displayed a dominant performance in the 2x400m relay to relieve him of any dark thoughts in the previous contest. It was Scotland’s Duncan Ross who’d surprisingly snatched the title away from the Aussie, but two hours later, Chalmers was re-charged to claim his third Gold medal of the games and the fifth on the night in the pool for the Australian team. Although the standings suggest the Australians have surpassed England’s tally by miles, the home nation had some success with Adam Peaty settling for silver in the 50m breaststroke final and Ben Proud producing his very best to retain his 50m freestyle crown, restoring some pride despite the deficit in

medals. Another talking point was the decision of Scottish swimmer Dan Wallace to walk away from the water after bringing back two bronze medals. In Diving, England’s Jack Laugher showed his skill on the springboard to take Gold from Australian James Connor, who took second spot on the podium. It wasn’t all smiles for the Australian team as duo Maddison Keeney and Annabelle Smith had a disastrous final attempt placing them in last position on the leaderboard.

In boxing, sensation Sandy Ryan is into the final of the 69kg Women’s bracket where she’ll face Wales’ Rosie Eccles in an eagerly anticipated domestic clash.

Eccles edged out Australia’ s Kaye Scott before Ryan reached her first Common-

wealth final outpointing Canada’s Marie-Jeanne Parent. Meanwhile, the McCormack twins (Pat and Luke) both marched on through their bouts to guarantee at least a bronze with Peter McGrail prolific against Ghana’s Samuel Addo, win-

another duo amazed the Australian crowd, as Brandon Starc smashed his PB in the high jump

ning every round. This is perhaps one sport where the home nations have had a healthy number of medal hopefuls in all weight classes. Finally, in Athletics, another duo amazed the Australian crowd, as Brandon Starc smashed his PB in the high jump and Kathryn Mitchell, jumping for joy in the javelin event, claiming gold in what proved a memorable night for Australian athletics. Mitchell smashed the previous record and made her mark in Australian folklore. With some surprising results, elsewhere, it has been a huge success on the track and field. Under the lights the talented Australian team have thrived with the expectations of being the host country and been rewarded with No.1 spot in the standings.

Madjeski Monthly

S P O R T | PA G E 3 6

BECKY WATSON 2nd year Film & Theatre

MARCH 6TH- READING 1 - 1 B O LT O N W A N D E R E R S - B O T H T E A M S B AT TLE AGAINST RELEGATION

The two teams shared the points at the Madejski and did little to ease their relegation worries. Both teams are now five points above the drop zone.

Jaap Stam made six changes from the side that lost 3-1 at home to Sheffield United a week earlier including a debut for 17-year-old defender, Tom Holmes.

Mo Barrow fired the Royals in front in the 32nd minute, following a brilliant solo run and finish from the left winger.

Barrow’s strike was his ninth goal of the season and he is currently Reading’s top scorer.

Former Reading striker Adam Le Fondre was the one to deny the Royals victory on the stroke of halftime at close range.

Le Fondre, who scored 39 goals in his time at the Madejski Stadium, then went on to almost double his tally with a half-volley that flew wide.

We got something out of it, which is promising, and which is good.

If you look at the game, I think 1-1 was a fair result.

It was a result that neither side wanted in their attempt to secure their Championship status. Stam’s men have only picked up three victories at home this season.

This game was a chance for Reading to take a huge stride towards safety against a Bolton side with the worst away record in the division– but they disappointed again.

There was no lack of effort from the home side and the backing they received from the fans, although from a much smaller crowd, was positive and uplifting.

Reading manager Jaap Stam:"We got something out of it, which is promising, and which is good. If you look at the game, I think 1-1 was a fair result." BBC Berkshire MARCH 10TH – READING 2-2 LEEDS –WINLESS RUN EXTEND TO ONE I N 1 7 F O R R O YA L S I N T H R I L L I N G D R AW

Reading FC claimed a vital point against Leeds United in their fight for survival –but could have had all three after a lively clash at Madejski Stadium.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson reached double figures for the season as Royals shared the points with Leeds United. Stam made three changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Bolton on Tuesday night. Leeds keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell had to make several terrific saves in the first half, notably to deny Dom Barrow and push a George Evans 30-yard-effort on to the crossbar.

But the Leeds keeper was powerless to prevent Bodvarsson reaching double figures in goals scored this season and giving the hosts the lead.

Leeds then scored twice in 13 minutes through Pontus Jansson and Pablo Hernandez either side of the break to cancel out Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s opener.

But Jaap Stam’s men equalised and earned a point when Leandro Bacuna‘s shot deflected off Eunan O’Kane and went in.

There were numerous opportunities to earn all three

points in the final 30 minutes but both sides lacked composure in front of goal.

Reading have now won just eight league games from 36 and drop one place to 19th in the table.

Fans will feel after this game that Reading have more than enough in their locker to stay up this season.

Reading manager Jaap Stam: "It was a deserved point. If you look at how we played in the first half, we were very good at times. We made the right decisions in what to do and when and how to go forward.” BBC Berkshire

PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Liam Moore COMING UP NEXT MONTH: Reading v Preston North End Reading v Sunderland Reading v Ipswich

CLUB NE WS: READING FC SACK MANAGER JAAP S TA M I N H I S S E C O N D SEASON

The 21st March saw Royals boss Jaap Stam sacked from the club sitting 20th in Championship. Stam led the team to the play-off final last season, but, clearly, nothing was going right for Stam this season with a run of just one win in 18 league games.

Fans had been calling for his exit for a while – and they got what they wished for.

Two days later, former Derby and Swansea City boss Paul Clement was named the new Reading manager. The 46- year-old signed a threeyear contract with the Royals sitting three points above the relegation zone and only eight games remaining this season.

MARCH 30TH –READING 1 - 0 Q P R – D R A M AT I C A N D LO N G - AWA I T E D W I N F O R T H E R O YA L S

Vito Mannone saved a stoppage-time penalty as Reading narrowly beat QPR in Paul Clement's first game in charge. Clement made four changes from the side that lost 3-2 at Norwich City last time out in Jaap Stam’s final game in charge. QPR came under early pressure when Aluko’s free-kick hit the wall and Tyler Blackett firing well wide from distance. But Reading’s patience paid off when they took a 13th minute lead thanks to Aluko’s 25-yard screamer into the top corner

G A R E T H D AV I E S

and eased Reading’s Championship relegation worries.

But Clement’s men were forced to defend for large periods and survived the final 10 minutes with 10 men after Yann Kermorgant’s dismissal for two yellow cards.

It only got worse for the Royals after Dave Edwards fouled Pawel Wszolek in the box and gave QPR a penalty in the 91st minute.

Jake Bidwell had the chance to secure a deserved point, but his penalty was saved by Mannone, who also kept out the rebound.

Reading clung on to win for the first time in 10 Championship matches, a result that lifted them to 19th place, six points clear of the bottom three with seven games remaining.

It was only the Royals fourth victory at home this season and Mannone’s heroics gave them their first clean sheet in 13 games.

Fans felt Clement’s side finally showed fight and belief in the game which has been unseen at the Madejski for a

long time. Reading manager Paul Clement told BBC Radio Berkshire:

I think I’m most pleased about the fight and the passion from the players. It was very much a team performance and the players put in a great shift. I’ve only had four days to work on tactics with the players but I thought that they were up for the battle and they’ve got great character.

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Successful Season On the Track With Knights Looking to Kick on in 2018 LUCY WRIGHT 2nd Year English Literature

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N the cross-country league that we have been competing in 6 races over the Winter has paid off: our boys team came 14th out of 21 teams and our girls team came 6th out of 29 teams which are great results, so well done to everyone who competed!

With the XC season over it is time for Athletics to start thinking about preparation for next year. We had our AGM on Wednesday 21st which was a great success!

We now have a wonderful new committee pumped up to take over next term which

is very exciting indeed! We celebrated at Franco Manco and presented awards to the most committed member (Oscar Dickens), MVP (Natalie Plummer), rounded boy (James Lyne), rounded girl (Niamh Bothwell) and clown of the year (Josh Talib). Good luck to our new committee and any questions about Athletics please contact (Oscar Dickens our new President for more info!)

Varsity was once again a massive success and hats off to RUSU who did an amazing job at organising such a massive event! After 3 hours of intense racing on the track and field we beat

Oxford Brookes 64-54, so it was pretty tense! Well done to everyone who took part because each point really did make all the difference!

To end I would just like to mention the Reading Half Marathon which was unfortunately cancelled on Sunday 18 th March. It was a big disappointment for all of those who had been training since September, but there are many more amazing halfs that you can sign up for instead, such as the Bracknell Half, the Windsor Half or Victoria Park Half to name a few. To add, the organizers of the Reading Half did not take the decision lightly to cancel it, and it

was with sincere regret that they made this decision. We will be reimbursed in sports direct vouchers which is fantastic news! Here’s to next year!

Despite it being cancelled there were a few who embraced the ice, the snow and the bitter wind and took to the challenge nonetheless.

Hannah Walters and Natalie Plummer set off at 7:15pm and completed the 13.1 miles by 9:15am, Hannah Croad and myself set off at 10:15pm and completed it by 12:15pm, and Ollie Millin completed it on the treadmill that evening! Massive well done to those who ventured out for the ‘unofficial

half ’ you are true warriors!

On the 25th of March Natalie Plummer and James Lyne took part in the London Students Run at Victoria Park (London), and came out with terrific results! Natalie came 3rd for the girls 10km (41 minutes), and James only went and won the boys 10km, completing it in 32.54 minutes!! On the same day Amy Fuller competed in the 400m (cracking a PB at 65 seconds) and the 800m in 2.40 minutes!

Now we look forward to the Sports Awards coming up in April which will be a great way to round off the year on a high!

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Women’s Rugby Round-Up EMILY CANNON BA Primar y Ed with Ar t

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HE women’s rugby this year have made their name more so than ever. The team ended the year by finishing top of the league andwinning most, if not all of their games. This includes a fantastic win for the University, in their varsity match against Oxford Brookes.

Here we saw our rivals take on our new improved team in a friendly but competitive match. The girls put up an instant fight leading by one try within the first few minutes. Although the Brookes girls did well at an attempt to regain the upper-hand, our team were strong in force and held their lead.

The match finished a close 20-19 to Reading University, but both teams played fantastically and were a credit to the sport. What began a season of fresh faces on the

committee, led by President Ella Povey, saw high levels of effort in organisation and commitment to the squad.

Captain Megan Watts has been present every step of the way, making sure that all members of the squad are constantly learning and enjoying the game. Alongside the vice-captain Laura Hearn, the two have set out to improve the game of both existing players and those who have never played before. The second team captain Gabriella Millard provided fun and intense fitness sessions throughout the year to get the girls in tip top shape for their games. The team coaches, Rachel, Rhys, and Sammy have been supportive throughout the season.

They have provided training sessions for the team on a Monday, where learning and practice have led to a high level of skill development.

Alongside this, they have been there on game day to

coach and observe where the team’s strengths and development points are. The team is grateful for all the work that the coaches have put into the squad. Thus, providing a strong force of players that were unstoppable in matches. The entire committee, have been a credit to what has built a successful team and their legacy will follow on in the future. Next season the squad goes up a league and will face some new tough competition and although the time may have ended for some of the players, the squad is keen to see some new fresh faces for September. The next academic year sees Fifi Bangham taking over as president, Ellie Davidson as captain and Meg Hambly as vice-captain.

We know that these girls will follow on the legacy that this year’s committee has left and we are keen to see what women’s rugby has planned for the next season.

and with Worcester also battling to stay in the top flight for another year, an impressive performance was needed to preserve Irish’s top flight status too.

Rob Baxter’s men visited the Madejski Stadium on the back of a 46-10 battering of Gloucester so it wasn’t going to be easy for Irish to turn them over on home turf.

However, looking to take advantage of Worcesters loss to Wasps on Week 20 of the Aviva Premiership schedule, meant they could close the gap to just five points. The visitors took a healthy 21-0 lead into the half time interval with three successive

tries from Ben Moon and two from Sam Simmonds, converted by fly half Gareth Steenson, before the break.

Failing to register a point, it became an uphill battle for the men in green.

It got from bad to worse for Irish after the break with Simmonds completing his hat trick after some sublime creative work from the forwards and finished off by the 23-year old back row.

Despite a lack-lustre attempt

by Irish to claw themselves back into the game with Cokasigna going over in the corner, the chiefs continued to threaten the back line and scored another try, this

How Quick the Tide Can Turn THOMAS LYONS Print Spor ts Editor

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lthough chances of survival are now slim and a tough run of games coming up soon to finish off the season including Saracens at home, the hosts London Irish hammered Harlequins 35-3 at Twickenham to restore some hope and pride on what has been a disappointing campaign for the club.

Quinn’s captain Chris Robshaw described the loss to Irish as ‘one of the lowest points in the clubs history’

time from Mitch Lees, the Australian lock. Steenson was superb from the kicking tee and finished off another conversion when substitute Jack Yeandle went over to cap off a comfortable Sunday afternoon for the Chiefs.

The 40 point deficit displayed by the league leaders has certainly damaged Irish’s challenge for staying up even further and now seems an almost impossible task in closing a nine point gap at the bottom with two games to spare.

The final two fixtures see Irish host Saracens, who are second behind the Chiefs on sixty-seven points and a trip

to the Recreation Ground to face Bath who have been below par this season but managed to steer themselves to safety with some solid wins.

With two bonus point wins and hoping Worcester lose their final two games, it still remains mathematically possible to catch the Warriors but the reality is that would be a big ask against any side in the Aviva Premiership picture.

Setting their sights on the Championship next season and making fundamental changes to catapult themselves back to the top flight seems the best solution moving forward.

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Things you would only know if you had to overcome adversity THOMAS LYONS Print Spor ts Editor

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OWADAYS, we hear about many backstories of how fighters got into the sport of boxing, from tough upbringings and having to overcome adversity to get themselves into a position to kick-start their career. For Somerset’s Ryan Wheeler, it’s certainly been a rollercoaster ride to the where he is today; fit, healthy and full of ambition. But the first few years of his life have changed his outlook on life and becoming a professional boxer.

Diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, spotted by doctors in his neck, Wheeler had to undergo chemotherapy before making a full recovery and being able to get back to living a normal life. Wheeler has defied the odds from the very moment he was born and now strives to be the best version of himself, letting his fists do the talking in the boxing ring. Nicknamed the ‘Somerset Stallion’, the 24year old opened up about how he got into boxing from an early age and sets his sights on a fruitful career in

After being told I couldn’t join the army I had to rethink my options and decided to take boxing on full time and signed a professional contract. the sport.

Q/A forum with Ryan Wheeler (12-0-1): Growing up must have been tough, having to overcome such a scary period of your life being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Was that ability to fight through adversity with you from an early age and help mould you into the boxer you’re today?

“I often think when training gets tough or I’m aching

S L I C K S O M E R S E T S O U T H PA W W H E E L E R S M E L L S S U C C E S S D E S P I T E C A N C E R S C A R E E A R LY O N I N H I S L I F E from previous training sessions, nothing can be as bad as what I have already been through. If it wasn’t for the cancer my life could have been very different and I may not even be Boxing now.

When I left school I applied to join the British Army as a Paratrooper. I had completed all the fitness tests down at Pirbright Selection centre, but I was then refused entry due to my medical history.

Joining the Army was always my dream, Boxing was just a hobby. After being told I couldn’t join the army I had to rethink my options and decided to take boxing on full time and I signed a professional contract.

When did you start to develop a passion for boxing and what was your sole motivation to become a boxer?

“I originally started boxing after getting into a fight at school. The other guy beat me up pretty bad. After the fight was broken up we were both taken to the head teacher. I had to ask him how he was so good at fighting, he then told me he was a boxer.

We then became good friends and I started going along to the boxing gym with him.

At first, I only wanted to get better than him. The more I trained the more I enjoyed it.

I then went on to compete.”

Have you always had ambitions to reach the pinnacle of the sport, to become a world champion?

“As I mentioned before I never dreamed of even being a professional Boxer. I always wanted to join the Army. I used to watch Ricky Hatton as a kid. When people use to talk about professional boxing I would compare myself to the top world champions such as Ricky Hatton and could never imagine myself being like them, to me they were incredible!”

12-0, made the perfect start to your professional career. Is this now the transition period where you’d like to be stepped up and possi-

bly fight for some big titles this year?

“100% I feel like I’m ready!

I’m currently getting worldclass sparring and starting to get the right backing. I had huge support in my last fight with over 200 fans travelling out to support me.”

How far away do you see yourself fighting for a Commonwealth or British title?

Is it a case of keep winning and when the opportunity presents itself, taking it?

“Recently been talking with my management team we are definitely looking to continue taking steps up. But at the same time I’m only 24 I still

I have learnt to stay composed. It is difficult sometimes when you are fighting a more experienced and higher level fighter to keep relaxed. have time on my side” Being under the tutelage of Chris Sanigar and that stable of elite fighters with the likes of IBF champion Lee Selby, Andrew Selby, former British champion Jazza Dickens etc, how has this helped propel you as a fighter having top class sparring camp by camp?

“I’m very fortunate to have such great fighters around me. I definitely believe sparring with the best will help me improve. Not just watching them train but the advice they give me is very important.”

What have you learnt from sparring Selby, stylistically? How much have you improved mixing it with these elite fighters?

“I have learnt to stay composed it’s difficult sometimes when you are fighting a more experienced and higher level fighter to keep relaxed.”

Someone who has campaigned in your weight division and recognised as one of the pound-for-pound best in Lomachenko steps up to Lightweight to face Linares on May 12. How do you see that fight unfolding? Is this Lomachenko’s breakthrough fight?

“Lomachenko is a Hero!

Superhuman. I watch him most days whilst on the exercise bike in the gym or just sat at home. I’m always trying to learn. In my opinion, he’s the best ever already. Not just at boxing, he is a superior athlete.”

What’s your opinion of Mayweather protégé Gervonta Davis? He makes his return to the ring against Jesus Cuellar next month after a very inactive period in his career and do you believe he’ll live up to the hype?

“If I’m honest I’m not a

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massive boxing fan. I like to watch the big fights and I admire Lomachenko for his effortless talent & his athleticism. I did see Gervonta Davis when he boxed Liam Walsh and thought he looked strong but I haven’t seen much else of him.”

Domestically, the 130lb division is thriving at the moment. Most notably we have Martin J Ward at the top of the pecking order, defending his European title against James Tennyson.

Who wins that fight?

“Again not much of a boxing fan and haven’t actually seen Tennyson but I did spar Martin J Ward back last year.

I thought he was good. Super fit and a nice guy too.”

Wishing Ryan the very best of luck for the future and hopefully see him in the big fights soon!

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Back on Track After Tackling Depression and Aiming to Reclaim his Titles THOMAS LYONS Print Spor ts Editor

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HE moment boxing fans have all been waiting for. The return of the lineal heavyweight champion, on June 9 in his hometown of Manchester, where Tyson Fury will be aiming to reclaim those titles he didn’t lose in the ring. Overcoming many obstacles along the way and personal issues he had to tackle head-on, Fury is fitter and focused on taking back top spot in the thriving division.

There was constant speculation about whether Fury would be able to defeat his demons and defy the odds, making a return to the boxing ring and who’d be able to present him with the opportunity to win back his belts.

Fury has remained loyal to his longtime friend and pro-

A F T E R S I G N I N G A N E W P R O M OT I O N A L D E A L W I T H F R A N K WA R R E N , W I L L T H E F I R E B E B U R N I N G I N S I D E F U R Y ’ S B E L LY T O G E T B A C K T O H I S B E S T ? moter Frank Warren and the pair will carry out their business during this crunch period for heavyweight boxing with so many mega fights, both domestically and internationally, to be made.

Over two and a half years since Fury dethroned Klitschko in Dusseldorf to put an end to his eleven-year reign as champion, the ‘Gypsy-King’ has been inactive ever since that memorable moment in Germany and after getting back his license from the British Boxing Board of Control, he has confirmed his comeback, scheduled for the Manchester Arena, on June 9. By pesisting with his weight loss programme and recovering from recreational drug use, Fury feels he is coming into

the prime of his life and looking forward to the longterm goal.

A lot of potential names have been thrown into the equation with the likes of Shannon Briggs, Manuel Charr, Dominic Breazeale and Carlos Takam, tipped by the bookmakers. Even though the wider public’s eyes will be peeled towards the AJ and Wilder fights for the future, with the war of words between both sides going back and forth on social media and taunting one another, Fury needs to focus on getting himself fighting fit and shaking off any ring rust before stepping back up to the elite level to compete with the big dogs in the division.

Whether Fury is able to

rewind the clocks back to the Klitschko fight and replicate that kind of performance remains to be seen but one thing is for certain, is that the 29-year old has that hunger back in himself to make history once again and silence the critics who cast a dark shadow over his achievements and ridiculed him when he reigned supreme at the top, before relinquishing those belts and opening up the division for all the other contenders.

Now that the biggest barrier in his personal life has been broken, Fury is adamant he’ll come back an even better version of himself than before. The mainstream media have made a lot of what mistakes Fury has made in the past and

failed to focus in the bigger picture, which is his lasting achievements inside the boxing ring.

Fury told Sky Sports:

I’m the fittest I’ve ever been.

Timing, reflexes, everything is better than it’s been. I kid you not.

Grand National Glory for Tiger Roll after a Remarkable Ride by Davy Russell!

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he 10-1 runner, engineered by trainer Gordon Elliott appeared to pull away from the pack, jumping a perfect final hurdle before attacking the homestretch to hold on for victory. Despite being on course for a comfortable win, the persistent Pleasant Company managed to close the distance over the final few furlongs to make it a frantic finish in the end.

The 38-year old had previously guided Tiger Roll to success in the Triumph Hurdle back in 2014 and after losing his mother a few weeks back, the brave Russell recorded his first win in

the famous race at Aintree, adding to his collection of accolades including victory in the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup riding Lord Windermere. Being the smallest horse out of the bunch, Tiger Roll managed to find his burners to take first prize back home to Ireland.

His initial reaction when interviewed by ITV Racing was that he wanted to dedicate the win to Pat Smullen, who had been diagnosed with a tumour last month and that meant a lot to him to win here.

Giving his breakdown to a brilliant ride, He told them “I was afraid he wouldn’t take to it as he’s very economical with his jumping.

They’ve done a marvellous job with this horse’. The ecstatic Elliot added ‘It’s unbelievable. Tiger Roll is a yard favourite. It’s great for the yard, for Gigginstown House Stud (owner), for everyone.’

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster ride for the stable but somehow managed to find the perfect formula to win again. With Michael O’Leary on edge at the line, where he’d witnessed Rule the World win in 2016, it was to the relief of everyone involved when the judges’ decision was announced that Tiger Roll had taken it by a nose, and by no means convincing.

Meanwhile, jockey David Mullins, who will have

to settle for second, was left distraught after mounting a last push but being narrowly edged out by the exceptional Tiger Roll.

Behind those were Bless the Wings and Anibale Fly who both finished strongly to secure places and bring double delight for Elliot who earnt himself a first and third place finish. This also meant that the Irish made it a clean sweep with the first four finishing places on the podium.

Elsewhere in the field, the favourite Total Recall tipped at 7-1 failed to keep on the front-foot, making too many mistakes over the hurdles and hindering his chances of mounting a challenge to

chase the leaders.

The bookmaker’s pick paid a heavy price after taking the first few fences terribly, particularly when he stumbled over the second, falling further behind the front. The course was contested by forty horses and consisted of thirty fences, with twenty eight of the horses either falling or pulling up early. However, it was the 8-year old who held on, joining only twelve finishers in total, to become champion.

The world’s most exciting steeplechase event lived up to expectations and brought to an end an action packed day of horse racing at its finest.