est. 1957
The University of Leicester’s free student newspaper
www.the-ripple.co.uk ripple@le.ac.uk @uolripple www.facebook.com/therippleleicester Issue Three
Semester One
27th October - 9th November
“You are Hot, But I Don’t Date Monkeys”
Are we now too numb to racism?
by Tracey Agyeman
Coming back from my year abroad I was excited to return to University; I was eager to reunite with old faces and get back to my former routine. Upon my return, the question I was repeatedly asked was “What have you learnt?” And I would always reply; “I learnt that across communities, diversity and integration are interpreted and implemented in different ways; my identity is never linear. On the contrary, it is endlessly challenged and often negatively stereotyped”. Despite not being able to break the social mould, it made me reflect upon my personal experiences in Leicester. I came to the conclusion that across my years of study I often overlooked issues of racial and gender prejudices. In fact, what was often considered ‘banter’ was truly hurtful and dehumanising. In order to avoid being labelled ‘too sensitive’ or ‘angry’ I shrugged my shoulders, smiled and failed to speak up. “Where are you from?”, “No, where are you REALLY from?”, “You have a small ass for a black girl”, “You are pretty for a black girl, especially for a dark skinned girl”, “You are not your
average black girl”, “You don’t twerk?”, “Is that a wig, or your real hair? Let me see what’s under there!”, “Here comes Africa!”, “Why won’t you take my number, you fridgit?”, “You are hot, but don’t I date monkeys”.
I once believed that those words were a reflection of how others saw me, but I cannot live my life through stereotypes which wholly contradict my thoughts, views and character for the sole purpose of entertainment and ignorance. I choose not to feel flattered by backhanded compliments because I do not want to be ‘beautiful in spite of ’, but simply beautiful because I am comfortable with who I am. Unfortunately to some people, these remarks are harmless and just a bit of fun. But what may be seen as teasing is in fact undermining the discovery and acceptance of self-worth. Sadly, I have experienced this; I have struggled with low self-esteem because of the constant dehumanising statements regarding my gender and the colour of my skin. Beauty has become subjective and this is simply proven when I go to a department store or supermarket to find that they only provide one shade of ‘dark’
makeup or when I want to buy tights and the colour labelled as ‘nude’ does not match my skin tone but those of a much lighter complexion. I flick through magazines only to see women being sexually exploited and digitally altered to the point where even the models do not recognise themselves.
Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with what is considered ‘beautiful’ and I do not fall under that category. But I no longer want to belong to a system that considers beauty as synonymous. Instead I seek to create my own version of beauty that does not require the approval of society. Social injustices should not be part of everyday reality and remaining silent will not put a stop to society’s prejudices. We cannot be complacent about race, gender, colourism or any other form of social inequality; we must confront these injustices by debating and raising questions.
be taken seriously. For a long time I struggled to understand the difference between humour and insults myself, it was a grey area that confused me as I did not know whether to feel offended or relieved that my identity was being questioned under the pretence of humour. But what I failed to understand was that inequality is not a laughing matter and the more we participate in sniggering at real issues the less likely it is that they will ever be taken seriously.
ers; we have all earned the right to study and socialise in a safe environment and I refuse to feel insecure, marginalized, excluded or looked down on.
We are led to believe that dis-
crimination does not exist on our doorstep, that it is an outdated concept which does not apply in this day and age. Contrastingly, you may have been a witness or a victim of this ‘invisible’ force at the Students’ Union, in student accommodation, at bars in the city or even at the library. I want to turn the invisible into the visible, I want to speak of the unspoken truths and I want to hold my head up high after so many years of hiding in shame and fear. Our student experience should not be compromised by social barri-
Culture
Lifestyle
Sport
I do not want to live in a colour-blind society; we should not pretend that our individuality does not exist; the problem does not lie in acknowledging differences but rather in being ignorant. What distinguishes us does not make us inferior or superior, it makes us diverse.
Image by Flickr user zen whisk
Discrimination fails to become a prominent issue in universities and although there are services to which you can report these matters, many students with whom I have discussed this issue feel that their cases will not
In this issue...
Opinion
Features
What’s On
NEWS
2
Edited by Ross Brown
Zero Tolerance: ‘Have A Word’ by Mark Thompson Fresher’s week is a time when stories of sexism at university often rear their ugly heads. At Cambridge, a halls rep was overheard telling a fresher that they were going to “treat you like a dolphin, segregate you from the group until you give in to me”. LSE’s rugby team was quickly disbanded after circulating a sexist and homophobic leaflet; at Durham a rugby club came under fire for playing a “It’s not rape if…” drinking game; at Edinburgh, the President of the vet’s rugby club had to apologise after three members chanted ‘gang rape’, amongst other things, to female students outside the Students’ Union on a Saturday night. These examples are all from this academic year so far. They may not be examples of obvious sexual harassment but then instances of overt sexual harassment rarely make the
news, in large part because it is rarely reported to authorities. The NUS Hidden Marks study found that 4% of female students told their university about serious instances of sexual assault, with only 10% being reported to the police. Important to note here is that 43% of those who didn’t report such behaviour said they felt they, the victim, would be blamed.
ing Freshers (2013), a number of people who attended his event at the O2 complained of sexist and degrading comments, leading to the Union following up on the issue (more on this can be read online by searching ‘Westwood’ in The Ripple search bar). However, when some students
were asked about the policy, several said that they hadn’t heard of it, and even fewer were aware of the more recent ‘Have a Word’ campaign. Zero tolerance is an overall policy ‘asking you to stand up and say that sexual harassment is not tolerated in our union, or at union events’, according to the Students’ Union website. The newly
Though serious sexual assault may rarely be visible to those who aren’t a victim of it, 68% of respondents to the Hidden Marks survey said that they had experienced some form of sexual harassment during their time at university. Leicester University does, of course, have a Zero Tolerance policy on this matter, introduced in 2011 aiming to ‘tackle sexual harassment and to end the culture of acceptability that leaves such behaviour unchallenged’. This policy was called into action last year when Tim Westwood visited campus dur-
Image from University of Leicester Students’ Union wesbsite
Could The Academic Year Be Restructured? by Yordan Nikolov
know are important to you.
The University of Leicester is considering making changes to the structure of the academic year to improve the student academic experience based on feedback that was received as part of the NSS survey.
• The 3 weeks following summer exams are part of the academic year but most students leave immediately afterwards. This period could be better utilised for personal development in areas of career planning, skills preparation or in other areas like teaching and exams.
• Undergraduate students currently receive formal tuition for 20 to 22 weeks of the 30 week academic year. • The structure of the 2nd semester makes it difficult to deliver modules before exams start (9 teaching weeks followed by a 5 week Easter break and then 2 more teaching weeks before exams) • Semester 2 teaching is often compressed, which can contribute to problems with the timetabling of teaching, laboratories and other facilities which we
• Our students are among the last to finish their academic year and this has a potential impact on their availability for the employment market. One proposed model• Reduces timetabling issues and increases the core teaching time to 24 weeks per year. • Gives a much earlier end to the core teaching year, reducing the time pressure on marking and ensuring students receive their results on time.
• Ensures our students finish their academic year earlier allowing them to enter the employment market at the same time as their peers.
• The proposed model illustrates some of the possible features, but is not fixed. A new type of degree (Flexible Pathways)
• Enables re-sits and any appeals to be held earlier, allowing students whose appeals were successful to return to study at the start of term, rather than two weeks later as is currently the case.
There are plans for the University to introduce Major/Minor degrees and we would like you to have your say on this and find out your attitudes towards subject choice. Future students will have the option of doing a degree in which they choose two different subjects, one of which will make up the larger part of their degree (the Major), and one the smaller part (the Minor). This will allow students to study one subject in depth, whilst also giving their degree greater breadth. Students will also be able to choose their own subject combinations. Have your say at surveymonkey. com/s/acdyrflexpathways
devised ‘Have a Word’ campaign is a method of achieving the Zero Tolerance policy. Rachel Holland, the Union’s Women’s Officer, says: “Our main aim from the ‘Have a Word’ campaign, which is a project of the Zero Tolerance campaign, is to ensure bystanders feel comfortable intervening and know what to look out for in situations of harassment.
‘looking to do more’. There has been some campaigning in the Students’ Union already, with the ‘Have a Word’ campaign getting ‘a really positive response’, according to Holland. Executive officers have also been working to improve the system for students making and dealing with complaints.
Hopefully by changing the way individuals interact with harassers and creating an environment where students will call out harassers, cases will decrease and harassment will no longer be seen as normal or something to be expected.” Despite the policies perhaps not being widely-known, the Union is making more of an effort to publicise them this year. There are posters advertising the Zero Tolerance policy in the O2 and ‘Have a Word’ cards being given out on the door; though Michael Rubin, the Union President, says that they are still
The Zero Tolerance policy protects all students, regardless of sex, gender, or sexuality. If you feel sexually harassed, you can report the incident or text ZERO to 64446 (standard operating charges apply); a senior member of staff will reply to your message as soon as possible and the line is confidential. Alternatively, you can email ‘su-experience@le.ac.uk’. If you see harassment taking place, you can Have a Word yourself, or Have a Word with a member of SU staff and they will deal with it. It’s important to challenge this behaviour so everyone can feel safe in their community.
This issue’s team
Executive Team
Editor and Designer: Megan Cadwaladr mgc15@le.ac.uk
President: Lauren Swain lfls1@le.ac.uk
News Editor: Ross Brown rb372@le.ac.uk
Editor-in-chief: Jess Buckley jbb6@le.ac.uk
Opinion Editor: Alex Mitchell amm68@le.ac.uk
Operations Manager: Anuj Yadav ay59@le.ac.uk
Features Editor: Fjollë Bunjaku fb115@le.ac.uk
Treasurer: Jess Stonestreet js619@le.ac.uk
What’s On Editor: Jessica Ramsdale jr239@le.ac.uk
Secretary: Megan Wright mw277@le.ac.uk
Culture Editor: Dan Jordan dj82@le.ac.uk Lifestyle Editor: Emily Bird erb15@le.ac.uk Sport Editor: Matthew Allen ma581@le.ac.uk
Want to write for News? Contact our News Editor at rb372@student.le.ac.uk
OPINION
3
Edited by Alex Mitchell
Union Casts Out Dedicated Member by Alex Mitchell Last week I was approached by Eden Richardson concerning her recent experience with the Student’s Union Executive team concerning whether she is allowed to continue as a full member of the Union, in spite of temporarily suspending her studies here at Leicester. An instant reaction by other students who haven’t paused their studies would be, “of course she shouldn’t, she’s currently not studying at the university itself ”. This was the decision that the executives decided to make on her behalf, however, I believe this decision was made incorrectly. In the constitution under ‘Membership’ on page 43 it states that; “full membership is given to: All registered students at the University of Leicester.” What I have come to learn from Eden’s circumstances is that she is still a registered student. Further on in 3.3 it states that, “Associate membership is given to: Students whose registration has been suspended.” As it is only her study that has been suspended and not her registration, it is clear that Eden does not come under this declaration at all. Eden does not want this article or its focus to be on her and her circumstances, but I feel it is necessary to make sure that someone as engaged as Eden was last year doesn’t become disenfranchised with the Union because mitigating circumstances have forced them to pause their academic studies. How would you feel if the Union altered your membership from “full” to “association?” It seems to me that nowadays students can find life quite hard to deal with at times. They need all the support they can get, and the decision made in this matter is something which simply does not help. Eden explained how she felt: “I spoke with Sean and Maryna at the end of May regarding my
SU status and was informed that there should be no major issues with my involvement continuing regardless of whether I was suspended or not. I then mentioned to Sean in mid/late June that I will be running for Health & Wellbeing Officer which is when he told me this may not be possible due to my status as a suspended student. I was informed by a member of LUFAS committee around the same time that my position as Member Support will be revoked and a new election held. Although I asked him to give me time to look into it, he went ahead and advertised the position as open. After e-mailing our Student Voice Manager with direct quotes from the constitution and university regulations I asked them to confirm if my position was correct in light of these documents. They initially said no, but then told me they would meet with the Sabb officers to allow them to decide on the issue. They met and their decision was given to me in a meeting between myself and Ian. They decided I would not be allowed full membership and that the decision was made in my best interests. The Sabb officers were keen however, to make sure I was still involved in Union affairs in spite of my status as an associate member. An explanation as to how the decision was reached was not clear, but I was told they considered the spirit and intention of the document. I feel that the decision made was inaccurate based on the constitution and what it states. By choosing to place the intentions of the document above by what it actually states, I have been made to feel excluded from an institution I have poured much of my time and effort into supporting during my first year. I don’t want to accuse the Sabbs of being malicious but wish them to merely recognise how this appears to me, how it has made me feel, and explain (other than saying ‘this is how we’ve always done it’) how the decision was reached. We struggle so much to get students to be engaged in
the Union, so perhaps it would be great to aim to retain those who have already shown a keen interest in the Union and its affairs, rather than relying on what a document “should” say to push them out.
5000 Free Condoms! A Tad Excessive?
The bottom line is, if there is no constitutional support for their decision, then the decision should be overturned, I should be granted full membership and they should admit that they were wrong. Although it is now too late for me to nominate myself for any positions this year, at least the error would be corrected. As a student with full membership, I will then be allowed to attend and speak in meetings and be able to bring a proposal to Council requesting that we make the constitution’s stance on this issue crystal clear so this does not happen to anyone else.” After contacting our Engagement Officer to describe why this decision was made, he responded with this: “After getting advice from Union Staff, who had both gone through the constitution and had given us previous examples, it became clear that unfortunately we would not be able to let Eden run for Union Council based on the fact that she had suspended her studies. People that have suspended their studies are classified as associate members of the union rather than full members of the Union, only full members of the Union are permitted to run for Union Council. As a result of this disappointing outcome for Eden and as a result of a few concerns with Eden’s health and well-being, we went out of our way to find volunteer work in the Student Voice Office over the Summer for her. Eden was keen to get involved and help us and we were able to deliver that for her. I have advised Eden to take this issue to the new ‘Scrutiny’ body that we have introduced this year.” Perhaps Eden’s case could be a call for a closer look into Union membership policies?
by Joseph Stanley The Union announced recently that it has plans to put aside funds to give out five-thousand free condoms to students. This is, in my opinion, a great move for the student body although slightly baffling at the same time. With the recent headlines from up and down the country of the rise of ‘lad-culture’, it is clearly a definite step in the right direction. With a BBC News poll finding that out of 2000 students, a quarter suffered unwelcome sexual advances with a third of females being made to feel uncomfortable over overt sexual advances. It is hard to deny that more has to be done by not only our, but every university to combat this blatant misogyny. In the same report, NUS president Toni Pearce said; “These stats show that harassment is rife on campus, but we... keep hearing from universities that there is no fear, no intimidation, no problem...”. The promotion of safe-sex is necessary to start combatting this, but obviously it does not end there. I am proud that I am at a university that does not seem to stand for such atrocity, but that is not to say that it is not present. I realise that the motivation behind dispensing condoms to students will have been more likely argued for under different terms than to combat ‘lad-culture’. In fact, I would assume that the main reason for the move is purely to promote safe-sex, and that just because it may ‘feel better’ without, it is always better to use than not. We should all know by now how useful they are, not only to stop pregnancy but also to help prevent the transmission of some S.T.I.’s. The university has a duty to make sure it’s promoting good health within its stu-
dent-body, so why should it stop just at healthy eating on campus and the advertisements of a £190 year-long sports facilities membership? But where is the trust in this argument? We are, I hope we can all agree, adults. Our parents have brought us miles from home to live out our new independent lives as we see fit, under the trust that we are not going to do anything stupid. So why after years of PSHE lessons teaching us about safesex, do we have the university diverting some of its funds, no matter how small, into giving away condoms, when we have NHS sexual health clinics that give out free contraceptives themselves? We have a CHOICES service on our own campus, found in the First Aid Room of the Percy Gee Building (as advertised on the NHS sexual health website), that offers this exact service. Should we not be promoting this service more? Of course though, despite my reservations, I do still think this is a cause to be celebrated. Anything that promotes sex as a safe, responsible activity between two (or indeed more) mature adults is not only acceptable but outstanding. If you want to meet someone tonight that wants to spend the night with you as you do with them, all the power to you. That’s the benefit of living in an open, liberal country – we have that right. Just so long as you don’t objectify, don’t seek it where it isn’t warranted or wanted, and don’t force it upon someone. Also, any objections that could come from this move by the university are base and dishonest. Condoms as far as I am concerned do not promote promiscuity; the opposite is in fact true. It shows you are mature. It shows you are adult, and most importantly, responsible. All of which are qualities we should be demonstrating as we
Photo by Flikr user Robertelyov
move towards adulthood. So, should a representative in the Students’ Union offer you one, whether you are single or taken, take one and use it with pride. For one thing, they will be cheaper than Durex. The Ripple got into contact with our elected Women’s Officer in the Students Union, who was the individual driving this policy forward. She stated that “The Union passed a policy way back in 2006 to provide condoms during all evening Union events - something which nobody has prioritised recently, at least since 2011 when I started at university. By implementing this policy not just during evenings at the O2 Academy, but during the day from various points in the Union, we’re aiming to encourage and increase the amount of students practicing consensual, safe sex at all times. Sexual health provisions for students is notoriously poor, and now GPs have stopped offering out free condoms the only option for Leicester students without paying is to head to the sexual health clinic in town – not the most ideal option especially for those living in Oadby and may not want to go into town just to get condoms. That is nowhere near good enough, and while other methods of birth control are available, condoms are reliable, useful and the only method that protects against STIs – our Union needs to be supporting students in all areas, including sexual health, and we believe that providing condoms is the first step to ensuring students are having healthy sex lives.” For more information on local sexual health services, consult the NHS Sexual Health website at www.nhs.uk/livewell/sexualhealth
FEATURES
4
Edited by Fjollë Bunjaku
Can You Help Amnesty in the Struggle for Human rights? creasingly interconnected world not only governments, but corporations, institutions and communities have a responsibility to observe and defend human rights, which should supersede all political, economic and ideological calculations.
by Bashiru Shardow and Edmund Spanner The premise of human rights is that there are basic rights and freedoms that belong to mankind, regardless of any nationality, sex, ethnicity or religion; a concept which has had roots in many civilisations since antiquity. As individuals studying in the United Kingdom, we are fortunate to live within a country that by and large upholds the civil liberties of its citizens and does not practice violence against them. We are free to love whom we wish, to praise any God we desire, to speak out against the government. The practicalities and anomalies of this are debatable but the institutional recognition of these rights is undeniable.
However, it is important to remember that the progression towards an increasingly civilised and humane planet is neither guaranteed nor linear. Governments have a duty to guarantee laws and services that enable their citizens to experience a life in which their fundamental rights are observed. Nevertheless, in reality many people across the globe live in fear of basic human rights violations, whether it is extra-judicial imprisonment, or religious intolerance. Even within our own country, the potential rise of economic discord, extremism and geopolitical strife do not negate the potential for the erosion of rights and civil liberties. As such, we have both a moral and practical obligation to do all within our power to uphold the principle and existence of human rights. Within an in-
Here the assertion that, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”, seems particularly pertinent. Often the most stubborn obstacle facing movement such Amnesty’s is the sentiment that one person cannot make a difference. However, the actions of recent Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, demonstrate the capacity for a single individual to grip the imagination and hearts of many. The incident in 2012 whereupon Yousafzai was shot in the face by local gunmen in Pakistan, for her outspoken championing of her right to education, inspired the ‘I am Malala’ petition, which led to the ratification of Pakistan’s first Right to Education Bill. It is with this understanding that Amnesty’s philosophy is that: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
largest grassroots human rights organisation in the world, independent of any political, social or economic dogma. Their primary intention is to raise awareness on issues that undermine and abuse the principle of human rights across the globe. At the core of Amnesty’s philosophy is the defence of prisoners of conscience: people who have been prevented or imprisonment from expressing any opinion other than violence. Believing in the universality of human rights, Amnesty is unselective in its defence of human rights, for example condemning the very existence and activities of Guantanamo Bay itself, regardless of the guilt of at least of few of its inhabitants. Furthermore, Amnesty does not unilaterally condemn the existence of violence, given the potential for armed opposition to tyranny, but rather supports minimum humane standards that should be respected both by governments and armed opposition groups. As such Amnesty condemns all forms of torture, kidnap, arbitrary killing and capital punishment.
So what exactly is Amnesty International? To put it simply, Amnesty International is the
It is perfectly reasonable to be despondent in the face of widespread human rights abuses,
whether it involves distant oppressive regimes engaging in torture, or deeply ingrained prejudices expressed through violence or legislation against homosexuals. However, Amnesty International’s continuous success record is testament to the effectiveness of widespread solidarity and raising awareness. Peter Benenson, the founder of Amnesty, demonstrated the ability of grassroots pressure to force positive change, through his letter campaign to free two Portuguese students imprisoned for raising a toast to freedom while under a totalitarian regime. Thus Amnesty was born. By 1970 they could declare 2000 prisoners released, and lobbying efforts leading in 1975 to the adoption if the Declaration against Torture by the United Nations. Only this year Russian President Vladimir Putin released high-profile prisoners who had spoken out against his regime, including Greenpeace Arctic 30 and Pussy Riot. By engaging in a critical rhetoric, independent of any political or religious creed, Amnesty aims to raise awareness of human rights abuses to induce political debate. In this sense campaigning and charity can go beyond material aid. By raising awareness of global hu-
man rights abuses, it is possible to force these issues onto the social and political agenda, and subsequently force real change. There are no barriers to playing a role within the organisation, whether it be actively campaigning or simply signing a petition. Every voice and action can make a difference. University presents a unique opportunity to meet a diverse group of people all interested in a common aim. As the university branch of Amnesty International we have a wide array of opportunities for potential members to suit their interests, be it blogging, public speaking, campaigning or simply to use the society as a forum to meet like-minded individuals. This year through collaboration with People and Planet, we are seeking to lead the Sweat Shop Free campaign on campus. The objective of this campaign is to ensure that all clothing and electrical goods on campus have been ethically sourced. The potential success of this campaign is high, and is one that we feel should be inclusive of all our members in ever way possible, if somebody feels that they could make a difference they will be able to do so.
Still Interested in Human Rights Cases? Code of a Killer Comes to Leicester by Lisa Elmore Asylum seekers in the U.K. face the daunting task of proving to immigration officials that the conditions in their home country are so dangerous that they should not be returned home but should instead be allowed to remain in this country. Imagine for a moment being in their position. You may be coming from a famine stricken area where food and water has finally run out, or from a wartorn area where fighting is rife. Often and very suddenly, you are forced to flee your city or village. What do you take with you? If you’re lucky, you will have time to grab only a few cherished possessions. You manage to eventually make your way to the U.K. and begin to put your life back together. And then the authorities here tell you that your life wasn’t really in danger and you should be
deported. You may now have family in the U.K. and you may have found a place to live as well as a job. How do you prove that your well-being was (and remains) truly threatened when you have little or no evidence to back up your claim? Many residents in the Leicestershire area face such a conundrum, and are refused asylum by the Home Office. This is where the Pro Bono Group’s new project, the Asylum Project, aims to help. Working in conjunction with NEST (the New Evidence Search Team) you will have the opportunity to review an individual’s case file and conduct research seeking to find new or supporting evidence to bolster their appeals claim. NEST is a not-for-profit organization, an affiliate of the Leicester City of Sanctuary and receives referrals from the Red Cross; you will need to become a NEST member should you
Student at Leicester with Legal Problems?
by Lisa Elmore
The Legal Advice Clinic is now open for business - and we’ll be opening to the public on a limited basis as of November 19th! We are 2nd and final year law students working under the supervision of a fully qualified so-
licitor. We’ll provide information about your legal rights and will set out any and all options that you may wish to pursue. Appointments may be booked by sending an email to probono@ le.ac.uk.
join the project. The expectation is that as a case analyst you will work closely with the asylum seeker in an ongoing process - this may involve many months of work but may lead to a life-changing opportunity for your client. Surina Sud, Chief Officer of the Pro Bono Group and project founder, says: “I decided to start this project because I truly believe that we have the potential to be the hope that these individuals feel has been lost.” The Asylum Project is open to students from any faculty; applications will be available shortly.
by Jess Buckley
For more information, you can contact Surina directly at ss847@ student.le.ac.uk or check out the Pro Bono page on the Law Society website (www.luls.org.uk) and on the Pro Bono Facebook page.
The Code of a Killer two-part series retells the story of the investigation into the murders of two Leicestershire schoolgirls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth which was solved using Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys’s pioneering DNA fingerprinting technique. Life On Mars’ John Simm will star as Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys whilst David Threlfall will play Detective
On Thursday 30th and Friday 31st October, University of Leicester campus will warmly welcome acclaimed actor John Simm of Doctor Who fame, and David Threlfall commonly known for his part in Channel 4’s Shameless in filming for a new TV drama. The scenes will be filmed on the University’s main campus between the Adrian, Bennett, Physics and Astronomy buildings for the fictional drama based on the discovery of DNA fingerprinting and its first use in a murder enquiry.
David Baker, the Detective who approached Sir Alec in 1984 for help with the case. Using Sir Alec’s DNA identification technique, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, local man Colin Pitchfork was the first person to be convicted of murder using DNA fingerprinting after samples of 5,000 men were collected. Both Sir Alec and David Barker have been involved in the drama which is being directed by Broadchurch’s James Strong, and Dr Ed Hollox from the University’s Department of Genetics is the drama’s scientific advisor. The drama, due to air next Spring, will also star prolific actors Lorcan Cranitch, Robert Glenister and Siobhan Redmond Professor Julian Ketley, Head of the Department of Genetics said: “We are very pleased that the story surrounding Alec’s groundbreaking research is now being dramatised, with the Department of Genetics central
to this story. We are all looking forward to watching the drama on ITV next year, and seeing our workplace in the limelight.” Executive Producer Simon Heath added: “Code of a Killer will be a testament to the pioneering science of Sir Alec and how, with David Baker’s foresight and determination, it brought justice for two grieving families, changing the course of modern criminal investigation forever.” If you have any further questions about the drama, please email codeofakiller@le.ac.uk The University of Leicester will be central to the drama’s storyline and if you see the film crew on campus it is important to respect their space and not interfere with the filming. However, if you’re in the SU and happen to spot John Simm grabbing a Starbucks or, David Threlfall buying a sandwich from Nourish, take a cheeky picture and tweet it to us @UoLRipple.
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WHAT’S ON
5
Edited by Jessica Ramsdale
Big Names on Campus Spooky Socials by Aaron Ramsbottom
Geldof & The Kooks to Make Appearances The Boomtown Rats’ frontman will be coming to campus on the Leicester on 4th November, starting what is set to be a stellar month of musical madness at the o2, which also features The Kooks, Kazabian and Catfish And The Bottlemen. Bob and his band will play to an undoubtedly packed O2 Academy as part of the second part of their reformation tour, the Ratlife, which last year took them across other major UK cities and sees The Rats visiting locations that they couldn’t fit in to last year’s tour. The gig also follows recent performances across the pond this September. Tickets are moderately priced at £28 but visionaries for making a difference may be interested in The Meet & Greet with Bob Geldof package, which includes the chance to, well, meet Bob
Geldof and get your hands on some exclusive signed merchandise. You may even get the chance to save the world (although this is not mentioned on the union website), only after you’ve paid the rather pricey £200 for the pleasure of meeting Sir Bob.
Also playing the O2 Academy this month are Brighton- born band The Kooks. The band are touring the country to promote their new album, ‘Listen’, which was released on 6th September and peaked at Number 16 on the UK Album Chart. It is the band’s fourth studio album and has shown that the band have a longstanding durability with their fan-base. With previous hits including ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’ and ‘Naive’, the band, formed in 2002, are seasoned performers and are well worth the watch. Up-and-coming band Catfish and the Bottlemen, one of 2014s biggest breakthrough acts, will be playing at the O2
Academy on 8th November. So if you want to discover some fresh talent this distinctive group of musicians will satisfy your cravings with their edgy sound.
The O2 Academy is the venue to sample some songs of the superstar variety. Tribute acts are more your thing then you will be delighted to know that Leicester plays host to some of the greatest this week. Following a rapturous homecoming for Leicester band Kasabian this summer, the band voted “Best Tribute”, at Tribfest, Kazabian will entertain crowds on 8th October. Kasabian hit Leicester on 8th November and will undoubtedly bring the house down by playing all of Kasabian’s greatest hits, including ‘Shoot the Runner’ and ‘Fire’. The closest thing both linguistically and audibly to The Smiths, with The Smyths playing the legendary ‘Hatful of Harrow’ album in full, as well as other classic hits promised throughout the evening. Tickets are still available at £13.50. Also at the O2 this fortnight on the 7th November, are legendary 80’s band UB40 (30th October), celebrated most notably for ‘Red, Red Wine’ and the “original punk band” UK Subs.
by Rebecca Alcock
With both Halloween and Bonfire Night on the horizon, its going to be a very busy week on campus! This of course includes some fantastic Halloween themed club nights. Once again Rockstar are offering a Halloween wristband for £10 which will grant you entry to 4 clubbing events. Perhaps the most anticipated event this season will be the Play Haunted House launch party. If you enjoy music with a heavy bass line then you’ll be pleased to hear that ‘Play’ is a new monthly event catering for all lovers of House, Garage and DnB. The opening night of this hordcore event will be unmissable. Alternatively, if freshers memories have already faded there will be a Halloween bar crawl on the 29th of October. You’ll get free entry to all venues on route with your Halloween wristband so don your scariest costume and join in on the fun. For more information on the Halloween wristband head to the Rockstar facebook page.
All tickets are available from The Point and through the O2 Academy website.
If you’re looking for something a little different to do this Halloween why not go for a Halloween hike with the hiking society, which will be heading to Rutland Water for a walk in the dark, along with some spooky games and some traditional apple bobbing. Feel free to dress
by Emma Smith
tastic swing music all for free.
If there comes a time over the next two weeks where you would like to branch out from the brilliant campus events on offer and discover a cultural and vibrant city - you’re certainly in the right place!
You won’t want to miss out on what’s on at the theatre over the next couple of weeks as The Curve show not one but two fantastic productions. To get into the Christmas spirit with a classic, The Curve are showing a live adaptation of Raymond Brigg’s much-loved book ‘The Snowman’ from the 12th November to the 16th.
Image by Flikr user ladytimeless up but warm clothes and boots will be a necessity! In keeping with the seasonal theme, UNICEF are organising a Halloween bake sale in Queen’s Hall on Friday 31st October for some terribly tasty treats. What’s more, fans of The Great British Bake Off will be excited to hear that ex-contestant, Jordan Cox, will be selling some of his own delights in person from 12 till 2. On the 29th October, Leicester University Guides and Scouts are holding a pumpkin carving evening. In honour of Guy
Fawkes night, the Society is holding their own bonfire and BBQ, taking place on the 5th of November. Attendees are meeting at the Charles Wilson steps at 7pm. If you still haven’t had the chance to explore Leicester this term, or simply need a break from pumpkin carving, join the Cycling Society on Sunday 9th November. You can discover Leicester in this comfortable 15-20 mile bike. Afterwards you will head to the Dry Dock for the chance to chat to the other cyclists as well as get some well needed post ride food!
What’s On Offer Off Campus
The music scene is buzzing around the town at this time of year, as New Walk Museum hold host to the brilliant ‘Trio Isimsiz’, a multicultural group performing a Lunchtime Concert in aid of the Young Classical Artist Trust. If classical music is an interest of yours, why not head to the venue only a short walk from campus on the 30th October and witness a stunning combination of violin, cello and piano.
Cartoon designed and created by Ollie Petts
If rock is more to your taste and you’d like a break from the Halloween hype, why not visit The Soundhouse on the 31st October for a night of filthy blues rock with bands such as The Dead Shoot and The Bobcats. In November, The Cookie are playing host to a Swing Social on the 7th where you can attend a dance class along to some fan-
Another treat The Curve have in store is a modern take on Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ from the 28th October to the 1st November, in which the show highlights some of Britain’s issues in the 21st century alongside Shakespeare’s classic play. In the cinemas in the up and coming weeks you’re in for a treat no matter what genre you enjoy. The thrilling new Disney film ‘Big Hero 6’ hits cinemas on the 7th November as the 3D animated superhero comedy inspired by Marvel Comics and is sure set to be Disney’s new hit. If you’d prefer something more shocking be sure to see ‘Jessabelle’, which is also released on the 7th November, a thrilling
horror by the producers of Insidious and The Purge.
Other events include a Masked Ball on the 1st November as a part of Join Together Against Cancer at the Quorn Grange Hotel in Quorn including live music, disco, cocktails and a 3 course meal. For a night in the style of the well-known show “Whose line is it anyway?” why not head down to Embrace Arts on the 1st November for an improvi-
Image by Filkr User: BagoGames
sation showcase and a night of spectacular comedy with Lyndi Smith and those taking part in a comedy workshop. Bonfire night is also on the horizon so why not head on over to Abbey Park’s Bonfire and Firework display - the biggest display in Leicester with other 15,000 visitors and spectacular displays for all to see. As an alternative, you can always check out Glebe Garden Centre’s more family oriented display where the gates open at 6:00pm.
CULTURE
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Edited by Dan Jordan
London Calling To Kill at The Curve Photo by Flickr user snaoshooter46
by Zoe Wolstenholme I come from a Georgian marketplace town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, complete with Norman castle and cobbled highstreet. I miss it’s skyline, the fast flowing river Swale, even the smell of the farms. I would almost be heart-broken at leaving it behind if not for the prospect of being just an hour from central London. Cheap train tickets and the same journey time as it used to take me to get to any half decent shopping centre, Leicester is ideally placed for exploring London on any budget. The slick high speed trains rushing out of Leicester’s red brick station carry you (often direct) to the top end platform at London St Pancreas. Camera and sketchpad under my arm, I have descended down the escalators, past the casual traveller-come-pianist taking advantage of the station’s public piano, and navigated my way across the underground to find a kind of sanctuary in certain gallery spaces across central London. If you’re interested in the arts, London boasts incredible national and contemporary galleries. Personally, I like watching
the street performers around Trafalgar Square before walking between the great pillars that support the facade of The National Gallery and entering the warm foyer. Surrounded by tourists and blanketed babies staring out of prams at the vast ceilings, my heeled boots tap out my route across the mosaic floors. The best thing is, it’s free. You can lounge on one of the many grand leather studded sofas dotted throughout the gallery spaces staring up at a good few “masterpieces”. You can move from Rembrant to Titian to Monet and Cezanne. Immerse yourself in the landscapes and stories of these paintings. Play my favourite (and only slightly nerdy) game of “guess what on earth is going on” in each painting before reading the label and realising you got it completely right or (more likely in my case) wrong. If you like photography, there are fantastic free exhibits at the National Portrait Gallery showing works by Lord Snowdon, entitled “A Life in View”, and Turner prize winner Grayson Perry’s “Who are you?” which explores issues of identity in Britain. Or, if you are in need of a break from the intensity of Oxford Street’s shopping, take respite at The Photographer’s Gallery (literally seconds from the shops) where right now you can see “Primrose: Early Colour Photography in Russia” which charts the history of Russia alongside the nation’s development of photography. The exhibition displays some rare early photographic printing techniques, including some striking examples of hand-tint-
ed photographs, a technique used to enhance colour and detail.
My all-time favourite venue of all the London galleries, however, is the National Art Library. If you are travelling through London alone, or meeting a friend there and have some time to kill, I strongly recommend getting a library card for this amazing place. At the top of a grand staircase in the V&A, the National Art Library houses a vast range of art literature. Here you can pour over dusty old books with colour prints under the hazy desk lights. I always find that I get a lot done in this space; there must be something compelling about studying in the silence of an old fashioned library; the walls lined with books and huge chandelier-esque lamps hanging overhead. It’s free to join and is an inspiring place to sit and read or write. And let’s be honest, anything that inspires us to write must be a good thing! My London wish list for things to see over the next few months includes “Late Turner: Painting Set Free” at the Tate Britain, “Constable: The Making of a Master” at the V&A, “Anselm Kiefer” at the Royal Academy of Arts and “Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age” at the Barbican.
by Rob Jones
I walked into To Kill a Mockingbird knowing three things: One, that the government has considered removing the original book from the GCSE syllabus in favour of more “British” novels; two, it will be faithful to the story, but exclude parts to streamline and suit the needs of the stage; three, that it would be good. Lo and behold, I wasn’t disappointed. The play begins like an adventure to a park that we all went on long ago, with the cast sketching the whole town onto the stage with chalk. Then, in a grandiose “screw you” to government plans, the entire cast produce various and unique copies of the novel and read it aloud to set the stage of various scenes. With an assorted cast from various backgrounds and ages, it helps remind us that the book at its thematic core, goodness and discrimination, can be appreciated by all number of peoples regardless of their origins. Speaking of the cast, Daniel
Betts gives a grand performance with much of the same gravitas as Gregory Peck did in his rendition of Atticus in the 1962 film, providing a sternness and fortitude of character that embodies this guileful hero, but plays it from a lightly vulnerable perspective; he’s freely tearful, compassionate and joyful in much the same way as any good father would be, and there’s an aura about him, as though he always has his children’s best interests at heart. Supporting cast members such as Christopher Saul and Connie Walker give strong performances, as do the rest of the cast. Commendations have to go to all the child actors playing Scout, all of whom are making their professional theatre début with top performances all around.
Unique to this production is the soundtrack, effectively provided by the one-man-band Phil King. His lonely performance enlivens the mundane transitions so that the rush of bodies becomes the thrill of both childhood and, in effect, the moment. The nostalgic twanging of his guitar
summons memories of when we were young and innocent in addition to bringing that authentic Maycomb County atmosphere into the storyline, allowing us to dream ourselves into our younger, more innocent selves that the story tries so hard to appeal to. I did note that, at least on the opening night, what little sound effects were played during the first half seemed a little subdued or quiet. It threw me off quite a bit when Atticus fired his rifle and my ears weren’t bleeding from the sudden shock of a gun. Whatever faults there were in that department were gone by the time the second half rolled on and we had settled into the nitty gritty of the story, the court room. Overall, with stellar performances, excellent set design and quite clearly a concerned conscience on the future of our education, To Kill a Mockingbird is an outstanding production.
So catch a train to London, do some exploring yourselves, and share your favourite spots with us, the Culture team at The Ripple!
Where Rainbows End: From Book to Film
The Ripple’s Karina Maduro reviews the acclaimed novel Where Rainbow’s End in light of its release as a film earlier this month. Do books work as films? Love, Rosie, directed by Christian Ditter, is due to be released in the UK on the 22nd October (last week). Based on the number one bestselling novel Where Rainbows End, written by Cecilia Ahern, it follows the story of two childhood friends as they struggle through the trials and tribulations of life. The reader first meets Rosie and Alex as young children and follows them through their teenage years until reaching a pivotal point: Alex’s move from
Ireland to Boston. The first of many obstacles that lie between them, the novel asks the question of whether two people, no matter how seemingly destined they are to end up together, can maintain their friendship despite distance and the ever-turbulent nature of life. What makes the novel different from all the other romances? It depicts real life and real people. It rejects the fairytale of two individuals instantly falling in love and finding their happy ending.
Instead, Ahern offers a refreshing alternative. She achieves a unique balance between the comedy of teenage blunders, the fear inherent in life-changing events and the poignancy of two people who are simply fumbling their way through life like the rest of us. She creates two protagonists who are incredibly relatable. Throughout the novel, Rosie and Alex encounter numerous challenges to their relationship. Every time Ahern offers a glim-
mer of hope, she throws a curve ball into the mix and keeps you guessing. One thing remains constant throughout this impeccably paced story; you are always rooting for them both. Despite the ups and downs that come with life, you want them to find their way to one another. With the success of the novel, it will be interesting to see if the film adaptation lives up to expectations. One definite alteration is the title, which has been changed from from Where
Rainbows End to Love, Rosie. A nod to the epistolary structure of the novel, the title also suggests a heavier emphasis on the female perspective. However, the most anticipation will stem from the characters themselves.
Claflin capture the complicated yet gripping relationship that Ahern so perfectly created in her novel? Can the two wellloved characters evoke their same chemistry on screen as they did in writing?
Rosie Dunne will be played by Lily Collins, best known for her roles in The Blind Side and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Alongside Collins, Sam Claflin will adopt the role of Alex Stewart. The ultimate question is: can Collins and
And more importantly, will Rosie and Alex find their way to one another despite all odds? I’ll leave that for you to find out for yourselves.
New Walk Museum: German Expressionism by Alexander Statham and Valérie Maxime van Doorn Facts
Alexander: The New Walk Museum is perhaps Leicester’s finest gallery and museum space, providing a unique range of archaeological and artistic gems. With the largest permanent collection of German Expressionist Art in the country, imported by the widow and son of the Jewish shoe merchant Alfred Hess, the New Walk Museum sets to evoke the Gesamtkunstwerk; art constructed from all or many different forms. Currently exhibiting in a tucked away but spacious upper-storey room, the museum is displaying a large portion of their collection which boasts almost 500 works. We will be looking at the ins and outs of the exhibition and discussing why it is important you should be visiting this oeuvre of the politically damned.
History
A: Although a small flicker of interest in Art may provide more of a figurative foot up the backside to visit this collection, the only requirement to enjoy these works is a basic level of human empathy. Whether or not some of the works may appeal aesthetically to the individual due to the sheer volume of works, the chances are there will be a resonant voice in the midst. These works will provide you with a deeply personal insight into the atrocities of the Great War and sequential rejection of, and persecution by, Nazi politics by natives and residents of Germany. Satirical social commentaries by Otto Dix and Georg Grosz mock the tactics deployed by wartime generals and the corruption found throughout the Weimar Republic, respectively. All the while Erich Heckeland and Emil Nolde provide an output of existential crises; where
the everyman stands in the no man’s land of war and extreme social injustice. The collection is not all doom and gloom, with more spiritual and optimistic offerings by Franz Marc, and the earlier impressionist works of Max Liebermann and Lovis Corinth. Valérie Maxime: You don’t have to be German to understand German Expressionism (pronouncing names and movements will be easier though). The exhibition gives an idea of the historical period and its politics in times of chaos and war in Germany. This is depicted by hanging video screens displaying the turbulent images of war, with music and gunshots in the background. The paintings in combination with the wall descriptions and video-screens give you a good sense of the purpose of art in these times and how this instability is represented and reflected in the paintings.
Pros
VM: The dynamic use of space definitely doesn’t give the feeling of an ‘elite’ exhibition. You can tell the museum is trying to engage with us as visitors. The descriptions on the wall are a short and easy-read. It gives you a fair understanding of the paintings and idea behind them without getting bored halfway through the text. A: This collection is completely free to view. The Wlevel of artistic quality as well as the wealth of deeply personal opinions set with in an historical context is extremely important. For those who like to relish every opportunity, this exhibition is definitely not a wasted venture. VM: The exhibition is also very approachable due to its use of interactive modern-technology. With each wall-description comes a touchscreen television to click on to see the paintings
more closely. Also there are two video-screens, one displaying war images and the other showing the paintings, whilst zooming in. A: The visit to the exhibition can be part of a grander day out to the New Walk Museum. There is a wide spectrum of awesome artefacts and pieces on show ranging from ancient Egyptian mummies and relics to a collection of Picasso ceramics. Currently exhibiting are works by the Neo-Expressionist Georg Baselitz, which extends nicely from the permanent collection. There is a café on the ground floor to rest and discuss the great wealth of awe-inspiring objects on show. Cons VM: I would’ve liked to see more information on the artists, rather than just the movement itself. Additionally, there could have been more emphasis on
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the collection in relation to the importance of the time period rather than a chronological order. The gunshot soundtrack was too loud as well. A: My main qualm is that the work seems to be piled on top of one another! I feel that a lot of the impact from some of these works is diminished by its location and spacing, or lack of, on the wall. Final thoughts VM: Besides that it is the biggest collection of German Expressionism in the UK, it truly is an enjoyable collection. You don’t need to know about German Expressionism to visit. There is a variety of prints, paintings and also some sculptures, so there might well be some artworks that will appeal to you. It’s an approachable and accessible exhibition, which is certainly worth visiting, even if you would only pop in to take a glance.
8 Hours In: Borderlands EP: Elevant The Pre-Sequel by Alexander Statham
by Dan Jordan While the general consensus on film sequels is that they decrease in quality the more there are, the opposite is true for AAA games. Without it’s tuned-up, fast paced and innovative sequel, the resonant and mythical Mass Effect series would’ve fizzled into a mediocre curiosity for it’s frustrating, sticky shooting controls and disastrous vehicle combat in its original outing. A vast improvement is also hugely apparent with the Borderlands series. While there’s something to be said for the original games aspirations of infusing the FPS/RPG genre with the MMO sensibility of loot gathering with its huge variety of weaponry and the bold, inky inflections giving a fresh, cartoonish twist to the wastelands of the planet Pandora, most of the game was just dead airtime. Travelling to story missions was an absolute bore, peppered with featureless characters and road blocks. Level grinding to progress was intolerably difficult, often overwhelming and even annoying with piecemeal attempts at humour being completely drowned in the swirling chaos of combat. Borderlands 2 needed only one thing to fix all these problems; his name? Handsome Jack. The psychotically sardonic villain of the sequel brought together the disparate features of the original game as well as giving it what it sorely lacked; a defined and satisfying goal to reach after wading through hordes of enemies, consistent and outstanding
comedy to balance out the bleak violence and additional rewards for side-quests in the shape of his outrage at the player’s Vault Hunter systematically destroying Hyperion, his corporate empire. Taking place after Borderlands and before Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel brings the series’ new found flair for characterisation to bear on how Jack became the lovable monster we know today. While only a small step forward from what made Borderlands 2 great, it’s a giant leap in terms of forward momentum for a series with such humble origins. With the heavily armed Hyperion space station under siege by the paramilitary Lost Legion, a new band of Vault Hunters lead by an indignant Hyperion programmer named Jack are marooned on Elpis, Pandora’s moon. Navigating low gravity and lower oxygen reserves along with throngs of bandits and moon monsters, the player must amass an arsenal as ridiculously powerful as possible to prevent the destruction of Elpis itself. The biggest change between The Pre-Sequel and Borderlands 2 comes from the new location. The blues and greys of Elpis make a nice contrast to the arid deserts of Pandora and start the story off on with a feeling of desperation as you struggle between oxygen pockets to stave off the suffocation that the cold colours warn is always imminent. Even once you’ve gained your OZ kit (Oxygen supply), the tension remains as every bit of joy you get from low gravity gunplay is drained as you run
Photo by Flickr user bagogames out of reserves and hear your avatar gasp and choke. Even the freedom of leaping a hundred yards in a single jump isn’t without hazard, as the well hidden and numerous ravines scarring Elpis can also make for many an unexpected death. This becomes a problem when vehicles are introduced, with your overly sensitive lunar buggy flipping front to back if you turn too suddenly, sending you spiralling into lava or an infinite vacuum of space. The introduction of the more balanced Stingray hovercraft later on solves this problem well enough, though, as well as incorporating the Vault Hunter based gravity slam manoeuvre that both burns and crushes enemies beneath its turbines. Once again, it’s cohesion between character and gameplay that gives The Pre-Sequel its quintessential Borderlands shine. Even with the new Vault Hunters mostly being reconfigurations of class specialties from the previous games, developments in characters from Borderlands 2 bring on re-evaluation and moral quandary, expanding and reaffirming The Pre-Sequel’s premise. I played as Nisha the pistol and sniper
specialist known as the rootin’ tootin’, puppy murdering sheriff. Initial disappointment about this memorable villain’s dry dialogue (‘Huh?’ ‘What?’) vanished during a side-quest to make and put up motivational posters in a war-zone. Having posed for the posters design, your Vault Hunter’s reaction gives insight into their self-image (‘Not scary enough’ ‘I should have more blood on me’). I then found a voice recording made by Nisha telling of the time she was bitten by a dog during a drunken beating by her mother, explaining her murderous loathing of animals. These small bits of information break the surface of an entertaining but reductively evil villain, making for a sympathy and pity I thought only deliverable by the towering masterpiece that is Bioshock. I have no doubt I’ll have many such reactions as I watch Handsome Jack being shaped before my eyes as the game goes on. While some may see Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel as simply ‘more Borderlands’, the small but profound differences to the player’s experience it brings on with its strengths of gameplay and characterization builds its meteoric rise to pre-eminence and sets the series’ place as one among the greatest AAA trilogies yet.
Centered around founding member, Michael Edward, this three-piece psychedelic hardrock grunge band have released their debut effort in to the rejuvenating ‘90s revival’ scene. I was unsure of how I would receive this album when first presented it; the band name and album artwork didn’t seem to represent their PRs description of their sound. Being in a band myself, I am aware that these aspects seem trivial to any musician creating less mainstream sounds, but as an audience these two defining marketing features can make or break the decision of whether or not to give a band that oh-so-important first listen. Thankfully the PR mentioned some of the band’s production and technical inspirations, namely Steve Albini (producer to Nirvana and The Pixies) and Sonic Youth’s use of screwdrivers on guitars. Musically, the band captures the vicarious balance between the expressive freedoms of grunge, be it thrashy and manic or churning drones, and the mathematical qualities of perhaps more technically explorative bands such as The Fall of Troy, Tool and The Mars Volta. Throughout the album, the song writing permeates the listener with familiarity. Countless times have I played this record and heard another rhythm or drum section that reminds me of something I have heard before, yet this is achieved in such a way that it feels fresh and original. My main qualm with the album’s songwriting is that it branches out towards unchartered territories, but is anchored rather heavily to conforming to the hard rock format. Psychedelic and, in my opinion, all
truly alternative music in general needs to break free from the sobriety of atypical song structures, and if Michael Edwardstakes full confidence from his musical brilliance and unflinchingly utilizes this in their next record, it will be a truly exciting release. The vocals on this album are not particularly outstanding, and hark to the previous earlier bands mentioned in this review, but also are fairly reminiscent of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam. The vocal style seems particularly forced at times and the result can occasionally appear contrived. The real stand out moments of Michael Edwards’ singing performance can be found at the points immediately leading up to and including the screaming vocals. The visceral energy of the band comes to its most pivotal moments when Edwards really lets go, much like the musicianship of the songs. If this ardent force were to be utilized throughout the album, especially in the non-screaming vocals, then it would truly be an exceptional record and hold its own amongst the more image aware bands working within the same genre. By observing bands such as The Fall of Troy, Superheaven or Allusondrugs, who granted do not owe their song writing so much to earlier hard rock, excel within the progressive and grunge genres as they are not restricting themselves by strictly returning to the vocal and musical conforms of hard rock. I am aware that there is a thriving fan base for hard rock, however it clashes sonically and aesthetically with that of grunge, therefore it seems Elevant may have to decide which musical path they will continue to travel down.
LIFESTYLE
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Edited by Emily Bird
The Best of Halloween’s Past
For your amusement The Ripple has come together to compile a short list of stories and photos of our favourite and most memorable moments of the spooky season in years gone by. by Megan Cadwaladr With Freshers over, many look to the next big excuse to party; the Halloween Festival. Last year served as a three-day event, this year Rockstar Promotions and the Union have worked together to extend the spook-fest by an extra day. From Tuesday 28th to Friday 31st October we'll be partying it up in costumes designed to scare, fascinate and in some cases just draw attention. If you are lacking a little inspiration this year, or want to know what to avoid, look to The Ripple’s personal attempts at costumes and the stories that accompany them.
man; Bane made an appearance in R-bar a couple of years back.
mends the classic.
Whilst you might not be quite ready for the commitment of a fully-shaved head, the Bane costume can be picked up for a pretty reasonable price online and attracts a lot of attention.
Not necessarily scary, but guaranteed to generate admiring looks and laughs wherever you go. Whether you’re male or female, anyone can pull off the 1996 Super Nintendo characters!
Costumes for Two: Mario and Luigi
Flashback to the 90s: Ginger Spice
The couple’s costume; whether you are romantically involved or want to be dressed to match your friends. The couple’s costume creates problems, that never result in a compromise, every year. The Ripple recom-
As the majority of undergrad students were born in the 90s, nothing represents us better than looking back to our era. Our Editor-in-Chief pulled out the stops and, for one night
Commitment to the Cause: Bane Having shaved his head for charity (raising over £400), our Opinion Editor made the best of his new look. Donning an entire costume and ensuring a friend came with him dressed as Bat-
Curries are universally admired, so I’ve been told, and you attend a university slap-bang in the middle of the curry capital of
Photos by Jaipreet Deo
England, so listen up! Here’s a quick and easy recipe for a flavoursome curry that can also be frozen! The great thing about it is that it uses lentils, so is very filling for the oncoming winter nights, and it’s vegan so you save money on expensive meat. For anyone who’s wondering, this one’s called dhal, an Indian staple made from split pulses. Serves 2 You will need: 1 cup of orange/yellow lentils 1 white onion, finely chopped A thumb’s length of ginger,
Now that is taking the scare factor to an extreme level! Whilst the scorpion may not be to your taste, perhaps this outfit is?
Jake Sparkes as Batman and Alex Mitchell as Bane
peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped Turmericw Salt Ground cumin About 2 thin green chillies,
chopped (this is negotiable but I’d say two is the bare minimum if you’re making more than one portion) ½ red onion, sliced Plain yoghurt 1) Pour the lentils into the sieve and wash them. If you don’t have a sieve, you can soak them in a bowl for ten minutes and then just pour out the water. 2) Pour a splash of oil into the pan, and cook the white onions on a high heat for two minutes. 3) Add the ginger, and cook for another five minutes, or until the onions are just starting to brown slightly.
4) Next, add the lentils, and enough water to cover them. Bring this to the boil and add a teaspoon of each spice, and also the chillies. 5) Once this is all mixed in, cover your curry and let it boil away for about ten minutes. Serve with the yoghurt, to calm down the spice, and the red onion, and rice or naan bread. I prefer to have mine with Tilda Lime and Coriander rice, which is available in all supermarkets, as all it needs in terms of cooking is just popping in the microwave for two minutes. It tastes delicious and requires absolutely minimal effort (at Co-op or Asda, it’s also often on offer for around £1!). Seeing as the Hindu community are now celebrating Diwali, this recipe is also culturally relevant and full of Indian spice – enjoy!
clothes match the season. This year’s Lifestyle Editor spent longer than she would like to admit (around 3 hours) making her own bat-wings out of cardboard only to end up leaving them in a bush in Victoria Park,
for one night, others may be on a budget. In the words of our Deputy Editor; ‘who has time for halloween when cat ears cost a pound’. A pair of cat ears, an eyeliner nose
Back to Black: Fun Vs. Scary Whether you want to dress scarily or not, black is THE colour of Halloween. A large proportion of girls wear makeup daily - use these honed skills to your advantage during this 4-day festival; hollow out your cheeks with eyeshadow, whiten your waterline with eyeliner or get creative with scarlet red lipstick! Makeup can seriously alter the way you look and face paint is one step up from that, though it doesn’t have to be limited to the face. Get creative and paint yourself from head to toe!
Divine Dhal by Jaipreet Deo
only, became one-part of the major-girl band, Spice Girls, whilst eating a scorpion from the bottom of a bottle of vodka.
On the other end of the spectrum, you could make your
Image provided by Emily Bird and Katie Ackers
convinced that she would pick them up on her way home from the O2…somewhere in Vicky Park will be a pile of grey mush and string.
and some whiskers paired with a black outfit and you’re sorted. You can even throw in a pair of coloured contacts for the freaky feline look.
Last-minute Look: Cats
Cats are the go-to outfit for someone in a rush this Halloween.
Girls (and boys) who dress as cats for Halloween get a lot of grief year after year. It must be remembered that whilst some opt to spend £30+ on an outfit
So whatever you choose to do, or wear, this Halloween, have a wicked (literally) night!
Splurge vs Steal: Mascara
by Lottie Watson
Sorry boys – here’s one for the girls! In similar fashion to last issue, Lottie takes you through the highs and lows of must-have make up. Mascara is magical. It can take one’s look from frumpy to fabulous. Whether you wear make up every day, or only for special occasions, we all have to agree that mascara can immediately transform our appearance. The university lifestyle can take its toll on our bank balances, our beauty sleep, and our cosmetics routines. Sleep becomes a priority, and looking flawless and fabulous becomes inconsequential. However, mascara is our saviour. It is quick and easy to apply, which means more time for those dreamy slumbers, and yet the effect is dramatic: who needs false eyelashes? The good news is that mascara does not have to cost a fortune to create those much-desired lashes. The mascaras featured are the best-of-the-best and cater to all budgets! You can thank me later… 1. Makeup Revolution Amazing Lengths Mascara in ‘Ultra Black’- £1.99, Superdrug
STEAL! At just £1.99, this mascara is a beauty bag must-have. The brush is perfect for creating thick, luscious lashes but does admittedly need multiple applications to achieve the desired look. You may find that this mascara is more suitable for a day time look – perhaps a lunch-date or shopping trip. When dancing the night away in the retro room of Republic this mascara will create the dreaded panda eyes… Also, this mascara does dry out quickly if it isn’t air tight, so ensure you tighten it properly. It’s available in four different colours: Black, Ultra Black, Clear, and Brown and the inexpensive price makes it perfect for students! 2. Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara in ‘Black’- £6.99, Boots STEAL! Rimmel have made a mascara that can give you the lashes of Beyoncé, what a find. The voluminous brush adds definition and thickness to eyelashes unlike any other mascara, really helping your eyes to pop. The mascara formula is also an absolute dream - it doesn’t smudge, run or clump! One or two layers are perfect for an understated look but with a couple more strokes you’ll become a sexy, full-lashed siren. Scandal-
eyes mascara is just waiting to transform your lashes… 3. Urban Decay ‘Perversion’ Mascara- £17.00, www.beautybay.com
SPLURGE! Do not let the high end price deter you. For every beauty addict it’s an absolute must have. The creamy formula glides on easily to create a dramatic, eye-defining lash guaranteed to draw attention. Also – it comes with freebies! When you purchase Peversion, Urban Decay also gift you with a smaller mascara named Subversion. Subversion is a white blend which acts as a primer for the lashes to enhance the effects of Perversion and further extend your lashes! This is easily the best mascara, ever. 4. Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara in ‘It-Black’- £22.00, www. boots.com SPLURGE! Willing to fork out that little bit extra for your make up? Look no further than Dior’s latest creation. If you are looking for individually defined lashes with extraordinary length then this is the mascara for you. As you would expect from a powerhouse like Dior, the overriding effect of this mascara is luxurious: long and lengthened
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lashes. You may need to apply another mascara to increase volume but this mascara’s winning feature is its ability to create a perfect fan of eye defining lashes. The mascara goes on like a dream and easily applicable, with excellent durability. Absolutely perfect for wild nights in the O2 and Club Republic! As a student, finding mascara that sympathises with my budget and creates beautifully thick lashes has been a challenge. But through my search for the perfect mascara, I can say that luxury doesn’t always mean quality. The most expensive mascara I tested clumped my eyelashes together, then flaked off, and then smudged, creating the dreaded ‘panda eye’. So whichever mascara you plump for, you can be confident that it will do everything required to create gorgeous lashes to frame your eyes. And that’s important - after all, eyes are the window to the soul.
Images privded by Lottie Wilson
Coeliacs: The Truth Behind Going Gluten Free by Megan Cook As most of us are aware, the past year has seen a celebrity-culture craze in going gluten free. Gwyneth Paltrow came under fire for her, and her children’s, strict gluten free diet, only for it to become a popular sensation months later. Her reasoning was that her family has an intolerance to gluten, but what do we actually mean by that?
certain chocolates. Coeliacs is incurable, so the only treatment is to steer clear of gluten for good. From firsthand experience I can tell you that when you have no choice,
Leicester was the first to gain Coeliac UK accreditation for its efforts to improve the availability of gluten free foods. You can find sandwiches, soups and snacks, all gluten free, in
Many view it as a ‘fad’, as waiters roll their eyes at your specific requests, failing to see how for some, maintaining this diet is essential to their health. This, thankfully, has now improved. Just two years ago, Coeliacs Disease was almost unheard of - and it still remains one of the most mis- and un-diagnosed conditions! Yet, thanks to the recent publicity from celebrities and sports-personalities alike, as well as dedication from the health sector, it is finally getting the recognition it deserves. So what is Coeliacs Disease? It is an autoimmune disorder, which in other words means your body cannot absorb gluten (found in wheat, rye and barley). So you can say goodbye to your staple carbs pasta and bread, and other goodies including pizza, biscuits, cakes and less-suspecting products such as soy sauce and
Photo by Flickr User Luca Nebuloni
it’s harder than you may think. There are a number of different symptoms; you could just be tired a lot more than most, feel bloated and have prolonged headaches, or experience the more severe effects. Either way, it’s something to be taken seriously. If left undiagnosed the consequences are serious for your long term health so whilst it might seem trivial now your future self will definitely appreciate your pro-activity. Thankfully, students and staff who suffer are in the right place. In 2013, the University of
Delic!ous on campus, and gluten-free curry pots in Nourish. Also, the library café has a great Daim chocolate cake - you can’t tell the difference! Everyone can benefit from going gluten free, not just those with Coeliacs. Your immune and digestive system will improve, meaning that you’ll feel fuller for longer. You’ll have more energy as you cut out the foods that often make you feel lethargic and tired, which in turn will improve your mental and physical ability. It’s definitely one way to beat that inevitable cold! It can also help you shed those pounds in a health-
ier way, promoting a better and more balanced lifestyle.
Nachos Night In: Serves 3-4
Gluten free (GF) products are also much easier to get hold of than they were only a few years ago. Supermarkets now have designated aisles with many different brands and selections to choose from. Also, eating out has become a lot more enjoyable now that most restaurants have either separate menus or indicate which of their meals are GF.
Gluten free tortilla chips (available at all large supermarkets) 450g minced beef ½ red onion, chopped 340g cheddar cheese, grated (or as much as you like) Dips of your choice – I’d suggest a combo of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa!
For an Italian, I would recommend the gluten free pizzas at Pizza Express and Prezzo, whilst ASK Italian have a great selection of gluten free pasta dishes. Unfortunately Chinese is a no go unless they have gluten free soy sauce, but on the plus side many Indian recipes are naturally gluten free - so just make sure you ask your waiter. TOP RECOMMENDATION: Barceloneta, a tapas restaurant on Queens Road, Leicester, which serves amazing dishes – most of which are gluten free. They indicate dietary requirements on all meals and have even used GF substitutes where possible. However! Eating gluten free doesn’t mean that you have to resign yourself to a life of celery. Below are two gluten free takes on classic treats:
1) Fry the onions and beef together 2) Pour 1/3 of the tortilla chips into an oven dish, top with cooked onion and beef and grated cheese. Repeat. 3)Grill for approx. 10 minutes 4) Add dips and enjoy. Flourless Chocolate Cake: 120g dark chocolate
Photo by Flickr User Tim Sackton
120g butter 150g caster sugar 50g cocoa powder 3 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1) Preheat the oven to 150c. Grease a tin (approx. 20cm) and dust with cocoa powder 2) Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a bowl over simmer water. Once melted, remove from the heat and mix together with sugar, cocoa powder, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour contents into cake tin. 3) Bake in the preheated oven for approx. 30 minutes. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then cool on a wire rack. Top tip: Add orange zest into the mix for a tangy essence or top with raspberries. Enjoy!
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Edited by Matthew Allen
Leicester Bounce Back With 3 From 3 by Callum Jamieson Leicester 1st XV bounced back from a difficult opening game defeat to beat Nottingham 2nd XV 16-12 on Wednesday. After losing to Loughborough last week the team were determined to get the season up-and-running again in the first Home game of the season. Leicester applied heavy pressure in the opening ten minutes in both attack and defence with the pack especially dominant at scrum time. From one of these scrums Leicester’s backs were given a good ball and Aled Evans was put through before offloading to Jack Arundell who scored in the corner - Callum Jamieson with the conversion to make it 7-0. Leicester maintained the high tempo and Nottingham continued to struggle with Leicester forwards and strong, running from the centre pairing. Soon after, the pressure gave leading to a successful penalty being struck over to make the score 10-0.
After this, Nottingham slowly made their way back into the game but it took an interception try from them to bring their first points and make the game 10-7. Leicester continued to dominate for the remainder of the half and ideally should have put more points on the board, but were not clinical enough in the Nottingham 22. During the last five minutes Nottingham were pinned back on their line, defending set piece after set piece but due to some resolute defence and silly mistakes, Nottingham held out till half-time. The second-half was a much tenser affair as Nottingham came out firing early on. In an end-to-end half Nottingham had a couple of chances to score before they made use of an overlap to touchdown in the corner making the score 12-10 to Nottingham as the conversion was missed.
giving away a lot of penalties. Two of these were successfully aimed making the score 16-12 with about five minutes remaining on the clock. Nottingham then put some serious pressure on the Leicester try-line, but the Home team’s defence held strong to see out the win. The 2nd XV started their season with a five try, 36-5 victory over Northampton 2nd XV, including a George Tunnicliffe hat trick! The 3rd XV also won, beating Bedford Luton 2nd XV 34-31 in an exciting match including some brilliant solo tries and another hat trick from Ed Godfrey. An all around great BUCS Wednesday for Men’s Rugby Union and each team hope to continue this form as the season continues next week with three Away games.
Leicester, however, remained the better side and the forwards’ dominance continued to be shown with Nottingham
History And Headbands by Rasteen Boni
I have been given the privilege of keeping you posted on the victories and (with hope) the few and far between losses of the women’s and men’s Lacrosse teams this year. Be that as it may, with this being one of the most poignant matches in ULLAX history for as long as I’ve been a member, I feel obliged to enlighten you of this particular mixed-team game. Nottingham Away was a game of many firsts. Jason Ho took to the pitch no longer a budding bushy-eyed fresher, but as the club’s mixed captain; one of last years newbie defenders, Katherine Jones effortlessly made an unexpected yet undeniably successful debut as centre player and lastly, a significant number of unseasoned Freshers tried their hand at the game for the very first time. This Sunday morning was not short of a testament to the club’s creed: to stretch and encourage the new, to offer current members equal opportunities to lead and develop and all the while loving the game.
Quality of play, team morale and Headband-Ed’s LAX flow all remained exalted from draw to finish, which most will agree is a rarity even in the best of games. The day commenced with a most encouraging start. Leicester dominated in the first quarter and Nottingham began to make a comeback with one goal per remaining consequent quarter. Last year’s members Colette Smith and Sarah Scott delivered with an unbelievable three goals each while Fresher Headband-Ed, Jason and myself scored the remainder.
Howbeit, let me not mislead you, our win or no win for that matter, was not without its hurdles. We were lacking many of our pre-uni LAX-bred members (including our men’s and women’s captains), we were subject to many fouls on the opposition’s behalf which were neglected by the referee, came armed with only 2 substitutes and the opposition were not deprived of experienced individuals, specifically speaking their attack and centre players. Oh, and due to the defective minibus radio, all had been subject to an hours worth of Ian Rhodes’ (club cap-
Staffs No-Show; Leicester Lick Loughborough by Edward Kaye
They’re back. After a summer of hard pre-season and a brand new coaching team consisting of Leicester Tiger regulars (when not ‘injured’), Anthony Allen and Gonzalo Comacho, the biggest and best sports club in the university are here for a brand new season, with fresh faces and seasoned players alike ready for the new chal-
lenges ahead. Rugby fever has returned. And what a start it’s been. After an early moral victory (but statistical loss) for the 1XV against an overly-keen Loughborough 2nds, the club has gone on to achieve an early season record of five wins in five games. After a solid win for the 2nd, as well as two victories for the 1st and 3rd teams at the Stoughton fortress last week both the 1st and 2nd teams
travelled away to Loughborough and Coventry respectively.
The game at Loughborough saw Leicester concede a soft try and a penalty kick against a strong Loughborough team. These along with a second half penalty however, would be all the points that Leicester would concede. A fine kicking display from fresher Mike Edworthy along with tries from first years
George Tunnacliffe and Josh Finch were a result of a solid team performance in very awkward conditions. The organisation achieved in pre-season was obvious to see, along with the talent that this new pool of freshers have to offer. Watch out second and third years! Final Score: Leicester 1st 21- 13 Loughborough 2nd
The 2nd game was a slightly different story. In much tougher conditions the 2’s were guilty of making sloppy errors against a forward based Coventry side that suited the weather. Despite this, tries from George Murray, fresh from his ‘break’ from club rugby and Henry Hunt along with others helped overcome the 14 points scored by the opposition. Super result for the Super 2’s
tain), mine and Rachel’s (social secretary) less than angelic Taylor Swift and Frozen renditions. Fortunately, our support from the sidelines outnumbered that of Nottingham’s thanks to a couple of parents showing their support suitably equipped with an abundance of homemade cookies and cake. Jason’s performance cannot be overlooked today, not only remaining one of our most consistent players, but as a captain he could not have remained more composed, or offered more directed and constructive advice in between each quarter. He kept the game lighthearted, ensured there was a smile upon our faces for the duration of the day and saw to it we received our well deserved McDonalds fix as any good mixed-captain should. If you have stayed with me till now, the end score was 11-3. A strong beginning for the club, a prime exemplification of the merits of flawless leadership skills from Jason and Ian, and a high but not impossible standard to maintain for the season.
Final Score: Leicester 2nd 27 – 14 Coventry 2nd The 3rd team unfortunately had no game as Staffordshire lost their balls and were therefore unable to play. This gave the team an automatic win meaning another three wins for the best club in the university. Whilst we would have preferred to win by playing, it is nevertheless another great week for rugby.
For all the latest match reports, fixtures and results, and for more expert analysis from our seasoned Sports team, visit www.the-ripple.co.uk/sports
Living The Lacrosse Dream by Fred Larsson It’s been over a month since my last post and since then I’ve been living the lacrosse dream. Customized kit, private gym sessions and help from a nutritionist – it couldn’t be further from twice weekly training sessions in the far slower pace of UK university play. Having experienced the game with both the CSULB college team and the Long Beach post-collegiate team I have found my confidence to have grown. My initial concerns about playing lacrosse on the wrong side of the Atlantic have been put to rest; at least a little. I’m managing to keep up with the American players having won many face-offs and scoring goals whilst playing in pickup games on the weekends! Most importantly I’ve become accustomed to the sweltering heat, making playing lacrosse a lot easier as I can now focus purely on my game and not the fear of passing out! Other than lacrosse, it’s great to be fully settled in college, midterms are keeping me busy but as you’ve probably guessed; my priority is lacrosse, all day and every day.
I’ve learnt a lot in the short time I’ve been playing stateside. Since everyone here is so friendly and willing to help I’ve picked up many tips as to how I can improve my game. For example, the way I shoot has been completely changed. Pointers such as planting my feet and really using my whole body to drive my shot takes the technique to a depth that we never really focused on back at university in England. Similarly I’m starting to adapt to the pace of the game, the idea of a ‘lacrosse IQ’ comes in as I now know where to be and when my matchup allows to me take a dodge down the alley. This past Tuesday I played my first truly competitive game in America, no pressure. Previously it’s just been pick-up games where everyone is just out to have a good time with friends. The first game of the ULAX league put my team, Long Beach, up against the USC Trojans. This turned out to be the actual University of Southern California college team – as far as me and my team mates could tell they were just using the league as part of their fall ball. Our match began informally, there was no real significance
placed on any mental or physical warm up which set the tone for the game. But, the intensity rose as coach told me to take the first faceoff; a lot of weight on my shoulders. Although I lost my first I had a few later wins that I did take during the game, really got my adrenaline flowing! Unfortunately we lost 7-4 but it was the first time we had played together as a team and next time round I’m positive we’ll get a win over USC! The coming weeks will be filled with more of the same I’d imagine. Tryouts to make the final team roster for the CSULB team will take place in two weeks’ time and I’m hoping that I’ll make the cut! Once that’s done we’ll begin to receive our team helmets, gloves etc. – something I’m super excited for! Practice, wall ball and lifting/ conditioning will most likely take up a significant amount of my time as I prepare for the coming lacrosse season. My aims for the moment are to try and improve as much as I can whilst playing in the home of the game. As for my progress, I’ll keep you posted!
Notts This Time by Lottie Boreham
The first Home BUCS match of the season is an important game for any team, but after an undeserved loss the previous week, yesterday’s match was even more crucial for Leicester Ladies 1s. With the Mens 2s preceding the game, and Mens 1s to follow, a sideline of spectators and the pressure of league positioning looming over them, the Ladies overcame the pressure and succeeded in gaining a secure win over Nottingham Ladies 3s. A worthy opposition, the first half of the game was intense, with end to end play throughout. Though the whole Leicester team worked incredibly hard, two Nottingham players in the middle of the pitch confused the defence and allowed marking to slip, giving Nottingham the room to pass the ball around the opposing 25 and succeed in claiming a goal. Reluctant to let their heads drop, Leicester powered through, working the ball around the pitch and managed to scrape a goal back. Continued effort from Leicester resulted in a short corner, well executed but rebounded
off the goalkeeper. An attempted second shot, though on target, unfortunately hit one of Leicester’s own players in the D and the subsequent goal was claimed void. With consecutive goals from both teams to follow, the half finished 2-2 and Leicester Ladies were left with the feeling that they should be winning. A brief rest at halftime and a rousing team talk, and Leicester Ladies were ready to step it up a gear and make the 3 points their own.
Gaining more short corners, Leicester managed to achieve the upper hand via an excellent straight strike from ULLHC legend Lucy Horn, but still Nottingham managed to make the most of this opportunity to infiltrate Leicester’s weaknesses in defence and force them to concede. With excellent team morale Leicester took the ball straight back up to the opposing D and wrought havoc amongst the Nottingham defence, resulting in another goal for Leicester. With the call to ‘remain calm’ from the sideline, Leicester Ladies maintained their composure and prevented Nottingham from achieving anything in the counter attack that was
to follow. Another rapid straight strike from Horn in a short corner left Leicester 5-3 up and with the knowledge that this game was theirs for the taking, if they could just continue to keep Nottingham out of their D. With a settled defence, Leicester attempted to mark closely and shadow players to give away fewer fouls and keep the opposition at bay. Nottingham became frustrated, trying to power through with hasty balls that were effortlessly intercepted by the solid Leicester midfield. With one more, well worked Leicester goal to follow, the ladies were consistently attacking Nottingham’s goal until the final whistle. A fantastic effort from a fairly new team, massive progress from last week, and an extremely well deserved win - well done Ladies! Leicester 6-3 Nottingham
From One Great Week To Another?