The Ripple Issue 3

est. 1957

www.the-ripple.co.uk ripple@le.ac.uk @uolripple www.facebook.com/therippleleicester Issue Three

Semester One

14th October - 20th October

“A vile and cowardly human being sexually assaulted me” Harrowing testimony from victim of alleged sexual assault tells the Ripple of her trauma...

An anonymous contributor has submitted her story to the Ripple, detailing her suffering following an alleged assault last Saturday night. Now, the Ripple demands a full investigation into this incident.

The woman, who will remain anonymous at her own request, is a student at the University of Leicester.

The attack is alleged to have happened in the early hours of last Sunday morning at the hands of a taxi driver on her way home from a popular student nightclub. It is unknown which company this taxi driver belonged to, however the woman in question has possession of

a photograph of his registration plate. The police have stopped investigating the matter despite the photograph and witness statements.

We at the Ripple are shocked to hear of such violence being inflicted upon one of our students. Allegations such as these need to be taken seriously and precautions must be put in place to prevent this happening again.

Turn to page 2 to read the victim’s account of the incident.

In this issue...

News Upcoming Student Elections

Culture Features

A Nightline Timeline

The 1975: “We were having fun for years and then we decided to put a record out”

Lifestyle

Baking Society Publishes Book

Sport

Club Captain Chat

NEWS

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Edited by Sarah O’Rourke

“I was subjected to something that I could only describe as soul-destroying” Continued from page 1 There is only so much you can express how you feel to those around you. To be quite frank, I don’t think I can ever tell anyone exactly how I feel now.

Every so often I feel like I’ll be fine, but then the reality hits me that I’ll never forget what happened to me. I feel like I can’t get his touch off me; I’ve stood in the shower crying and tried to scrub myself clean, but I can’t shake the feeling of being violated. Every noise outside the front door makes my heart beat faster and paralyses me with fear.

I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since it happened. I don’t understand why he did what he did to me. And I will never understand how anyone could hurt someone else the way that I was hurt by him.

Saturday night was one of celebration for me, but that same night, a vile and cowardly human being sexually assaulted me, tainting any good memories I made. The words ‘sexually assaulted’ make me feel dirty and ashamed, but they are the only words that can be used here.

After spending the evening having some drinks for a friend’s

Editor’s note

by Samuel Osborne Editor-In-Chief A serious issue With the end of Freshers’ Fortnight, it feels as though University is really beginning, with timetables starting to become memorised and lecture rooms feeling familiar. In this issue, our front page features an extremely sickening and horrific article, which I certainly found a disturbing read. Elsewhere in the issue, we’ve got many diverse articles, such as a reviews of Lawson’s recent performance at De Montfort Hall and Steve Hughes comedy show.

There’s also an informative feature on Nightline, which provides a vital service to students at this university. We’ve also got a packed What’s On section, with lots of events that I’ve been sure to add to my calendar. In Lifestyle, we’ve covered the recent success of our University’s Baking Society, and there’s an article on Pole Fitness, which very nearly persuaded me to give the sport a try!

Speaking of sport, I’m informed by “those in the know” that, with the upcoming sports matches being played at our University, we’ll be offering a variety of fix-

birthday, myself and some friends made our way to a popular Leicester nightclub. Once I got there, I realised that I was in no fit state to be out. I was helped into a cab, and a friend and I made our way back home.

Throughout the journey the taxi driver was saying things that made no sense, and once we reached the house he offered to help my friend bring me inside.

Before I could even verbalise that I was capable of going into the house myself, the taxi driver had already taken a hold of me.

It was then that I was subjected to something that I could only describe as soul-destroying.

what happened and that she needed to take a picture of his registration and call the police.

He smugly claimed he did nothing wrong, proceeded to sit in his car and even claim that we owed him money. I just don’t understand how he felt no guilt in what he had done.

For the three years that I have spent in Leicester, not once have I ever been subjected to abuse.

Neither has it ever crossed my mind that I may be vulnerable prey for sexual predators.

Some might argue, “Well, you shouldn’t have been so drunk,” but drunk or not, what right does a stranger ever have to touch my body?

It took three hours before the police arrived, despite several urgent phone calls being made to them. Three hours! My family had been notified and managed to drive up from London before the police arrived! In case of an emergency, we are all instructed to call the police for help, yet did they not feel that a twenty year old girl being attacked by a taxi driver warranted immediate action? Does this mean that the taxi driver was allowed to carry on with his night, taking more women back home from their nights out, thinking he had gotten away with it whilst I sat on the floor distraught? I felt the police failed to carry out their duty that night.

After the incident took place, I screamed out to my friend for help. The taxi driver instantly released me. I told my friend

We may be in the 21st century but after that incident, it dawned on me that women are nowhere near close to fighting free from

tures within these pages.

Recruiting Ripplers

Online relaunch

We’re still looking for writers, photographers and designers!

It’s a great time to join The Ripple, with our recent change to a weekly newspaper and the development of our website. Be sure to email ripple@le.ac.uk or the relevant section editor if you are interested in any of the positions we offer!

Over the coming week, we’re hoping to relaunch the online version of The Ripple. Since returning to University, our main aim has been to launch The Ripple as a weekly newspaper, and we feel that our online section may have been slightly neglected. In order to remedy this, we’ve invested in new software, which will operate behind our website. The aesthetics may not change much, but the update allows us to share breaking news as we learn of it, with the capacity for a more in-depth investigation in The Ripple’s print edition. It will also help us to quickly bring you content that appears in the print edition over the week.

Our “best issue yet”?

Emily Gussin, the Deputy Editor for this week’s issue, told me that she hopes this will be our “best issue yet”. Only time will tell...

I hope that no one is ever subjected to what I have been put through during their stay in Leicester. Yet I know this will not be the case. This will happen again, probably many more times. And so I urge students to take precautions on nights out.

I urge you to be cautious of taxi drivers and to be with someone at all times.

As for me? I’m trying not to break down, because I fear I will never be the same again. And right now, I have no idea whether this man will ever get what he deserves.

If you have been affected by issues of this nature then call the Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre, National hotline: 0808 802 9999

Editor-in-Chief: Samuel Osborne so104@le.ac.uk Senior Deputy Editor: Alexander French ajwf1@le.ac.uk Deputy Editor: Emily Gussin eg155@le.ac.uk News & Opinion Editor: Sarah O’Rourke sor3@le.ac.uk Lifestyle: Katie Masters kmm36@le.ac.uk Features: Karina Maduro akm38@le.ac.uk Culture: Emily Boneham eb190@le.ac.uk What’s On: Nikki Skinner ns317@le.ac.uk Sport: Conor Wickham cw274@le.ac.uk

Media savvy We’re also investing more time into social media such as Facebook and Twitter, which are becoming increasingly important in the media, so be sure to follow us online!

the grasp of hungry, selfish and sexually motivated men. Why is it that a woman cannot go on a night out without a man thinking he has a right to subject her to such cruelty? Do we still live in a world where a man thinks he has the right to dominate a woman simply because he is a man?

Operations Team President: Christopher Everett Secretary: Mel Agnew

An Apology Mike Dawkin’s (flickr user dawkeye) photograph ‘Across the Park’ was used on our front page last week without accreditation.

The Ripple would like to take this chance to apologise to Mr Dawkins for this mistake.

Advertising and Marketing: Lauren Swain Print and Distribution: Hollie Brookes Online Development: Vicki Clarke Events: Olivia Milizia

We need more women in Union Council

By Harry Wells Following James Farndon’s Democracy Reform Proposal last year, our beloved and revered Union Parliament became Union Council. This will bring many changes with it. One prominent difference will be the gender balance of Council’s membership. In practice, this means that 50% of Council seats will be reserved for self-defined women.

Last year, roughly a third of Union Parliament seats were taken by women; however, a much smaller proportion than this actually spoke or brought proposals. Three of those women who spoke regularly during meetings were last year’s Executive Officers, not elected Parliamentarians. The new mandate, combined with Council’s reduction in size, with each zone only containing twenty students, and the introduction of a Women’s Officer alongside the Council membership, will facilitate a real chance at fair representation; not a woolly, half-hearted shadow of equality.

As the quota is undoubtedly a radical departure from last year’s structure, it isn’t without problems and opponents. One student spoke out against the introduction of quotas. He argued, “If there are good female candidates, they will be elected by voters; your electorate are presumably free thinking individuals, so really the quotas are just an insult to them. You can’t force equality with with quotas, especially when you want the best candidate for the job. People take liberation groups too far sometimes and it just harms the whole movement.”

The arguments of “getting the best candidates” and “freedom of thought” will continue to surround issues like this as long as there are people who cannot acknowledge their privilege, and understand that those who are not born into advantageous circumstances, such as being male, or white, cannot achieve

“equality” simply by being asked to compete with privilege on a level footing. As Lyndon B. Johnson said: “You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, ‘you are free to compete with all the others,’ and still justly believe that you have been completely fair.”

However, even with these reserved spaces, the Union certainly isn’t being completely fair. This month’s elections will see four new Liberation Officers introduced, with Women’s, LGBT+, BAME and Disabled portfolios. Despite this, the only Liberation category with reserved spaces within Union Council is women.

This is worrying, since according to the Office for National Statistics’ recent Integrated Household Survey, 1.5% of the UK population identify as lesbian, bisexual, or gay. Whilst of course this doesn’t cover trans* students, it could be reasonably assumed that the proportion will not increase by more than double after their inclusion; so a fair guess is that only 3% of Council spaces would have to be reserved for LGBT+ students.

This translates as just four seats within Union Council. Similar logic can be applied to BAME and Disabled demographics: their proportion within the Union is far lower than that of women, so the inclusion of reserved spaces for them (particularly if a BAME woman, queer disabled student etc. were to fill two reserved spaces at once) would not be a huge burden on the dynamics of Council.

Whilst Union Council’s steps toward liberation are certainly a leap forward from past years, with quotas and Liberation Officers being introduced concurrently, a liberation campaign that isn’t intersectional isn’t a liberation campaign at all in my book. Hopefully Council will afford us a chance to make these reserved spaces truly inclusive.

Runnning in council elections?

Advertise your campaign here Special Offer: £10!

Email ripple@le.ac.uk

Elections set to be dominated by ‘Blurred Lines’ – but what else is on the table for this year?

Vice Chancellor joins the Ripple as “comrades in arms” over bus pass price campaign

By Chrisopher Everett

By Samuel Osborne

Union Council is the body that governs the way the Students’ Union is run, from prices at its shops to the availability of pornography. And with the elections for Union Council about to take place, we are set to see an election dominated by song bans, student health and, perhaps most importantly, the money in students’ pockets.

The role of Women’s Officer, whose campaign was previously set to be dominated by the Union’s new Zero Tolerance campaign, regarding its stance to sexual harassment. But after the shock revelation in late September that Robin Thicke’s popular summer hit, ‘Blurred Lines’, would be suspended from play during Freshers’ Fortnight, the Sabbs (students elected to run the Union) have placed the issue at the forefront of campaigning.

Campaigners for ‘Zero Tolerance’ have told the Ripple that they have received a mixed re-

ception, with women generally in favour but men variable in their support of the ban. A poll on the Ripple’s website revealed that nearly 77% of respondents were in favour of banning ‘Blurred Lines’, with a vicious argument then erupting in the comments: one respondent claimed that “the only motive behind the decision was inspired by some nasty generalisations about men”, but with another claiming the songs controversial lyrics are “not an attitude the Union should be promoting”.

Away from the divisive issue of ‘Blurred Lines’, this election looks to be focused on students’ pockets: a popular campaign to bring back the scrapped Safety Bus garnered 300 signatures.

The Vice-Chancellor himself, Sir Robert Burgess, supported the Ripple’s calls for a better deal on student bus passes. In the meantime, students remain increasingly financially conscious. Not surprising considering hidden course costs such as

books and equipment, as well as the substantially larger problem of Postgraduate funding, which all look to be on the agenda this year.

It is unknown how many campaigns will focus on the recent change in funding to student groups, which has seen the removal of STARS grants, and money instead allocated to groups upon application.

The Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Committee (VCAC) have stated that they “unanimously share the concerns” of students over bus pass prices, Dan Flatt (Pres-

This statement comes after Dan Flatt raised the issue of students’ bus pass prices to the VCAC last Monday, following the Ripple’s investigation into Arriva’s bus prices. A meeting has been scheduled between Dan Flatt, Sean Kelly-Walsh (Students’ Union Engagement Officer), and the University’s Director of Estates and Director of RACS (Residential and Commercial Services). They are to discuss how they can get a better deal for students. Furthermore, Dan suggested that they will liaise

Any candidates would be foolish to overlook the Union’s signing of the ‘Time to Change’ pledge this election, which encourages a new approach to tackling mental health issues. A recent NUS survey revealed 20% of students considered themselves to have a mental health problem, making this topic unavoidable for anyone running for a place in the popular ‘Student Life Zone’ of Union Council, and likely putting the issue to the forefront of any successful bid for Disabled Students’ Officer.

The blindside of the campaign is the rumoured announcement regarding an Oadby Students’ Union. This could sink Freshers’ running on the popular ‘Cash Machine for Halls’ in one move, among other platforms.

If you want to run for Union Council this year, nominations close close this Tuesday (15th October), here’s the link... http://leicesterunion.com/ top-navigation/represent/union-council/nominations

ident of the Students’ Union) has revealed. The Vice Chancellor himself expressed his solidarity with students, saying he is “happy to join as comrades in arms” to get a better deal for students. He went on to say that he didn’t think it was right that students should be paying such enormous fees.

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with the University’s Environmental Team, who look at alternative transport options such as cycling and walking.

Dan expressed his enthusiasm for the discussion, saying “it’s absolutely fantastic that the University wants to join the Students’ Union as comrades in arms in order to get a better deal for students. It’s a true testament to the partnership between the institution and the SU.” He went on to say that “it was great to hear The Ripple’s research mentioned in the meeting, which has emphasised the student voice on this issue.”

This space from £20 ripple@le.ac.uk

Students and Union respond to Tim Westwood allegations

By Sarah O’Rourke Tim Westwood’s set at our Union last Saturday has been a talking point – but not for all the right reasons. Students have reported that Westwood sexually harassed members of the audience and made several sexist comments.

The incident took place on Saturday night at the We <3 R&B event, part of the Freshers’ Fortnight.

One student claims that Westwood said, “Everybody in the club, the security guards want me to make an announcement: can the girl at the front in the white t-shirt please wear a sports bra next time you come out?”

Another student, working that night at the Union, tells me

that Westwood also said “Make some noise if your pussy is tight and ready.”

Yet another student reports that Westwood urged girls to “dance with the person you want to f**k, just get down to it.” The same student told me that Westwood’s behaviour was so offensive she went home early as a result.

The Students’ Union has a Zero Tolerance Policy to sexual harassment. The Union stated their aim for the policy was “to tackle sexual harassment and to end the culture of acceptability that leaves such behaviour unchallenged”.

Whilst some students have argued that those who attended the set ought to have anticipated Westwood’s behaviour, others argue that in accordance

with our Zero Tolerance Policy, Westwood ought to have been reprimanded. One student commented, “Had the exact same comments been made by one of our own students, that student would have been kicked out of the Union. So why is it acceptable when an act does it over the speakers to all the women in the room?”

Rachel Holland, president of the Feminist Society, commented, “Regardless of Westwood’s status, popularity or the content of his music, the things he said were not acceptable and made many women in the crowd uncomfortable. We would hope that as a result of this, a ‘safe spaces’ policy gets brought into the Union to ensure that visiting and resident DJs and artists adhere to ensuring that the comments they make as part of their sets are not damaging to any

particular group of people, with consequences for those who choose to not go by this.”

The Union are now looking into these claims. Maryna Danny, officer for experience, tells me: “The University of Leicester Students’ Union and Rockstar Promotions hosted an RnB focused club night on Saturday October 5th featuring a number of genre specific acts, and headlined by popular, long serving BBC Radio 1 DJ, Tim Westwood. Our booking was part of a nationwide University Freshers tour, that has seen Westwood play in a vast number of SU’s around the country over the last month, and has been an annual feature for the best part of 20 years.

“During the main DJ set a small number of people voiced concerns about the content of the act, direct to the promot-

er – Rockstar Promotions. The promoter took appropriate and immediate action and requested that the artist modify his language and actions in respect of the concerns raised. Our understanding was that this request was heeded, indeed there were no further concerns raised on the night. The Students’ Union received a direct complaint the following morning which was followed up in line with the Union’s Zero Tolerance policy. It is unclear as yet, whether this complaint was in relation to the performance prior to the intervention of our promoter to modify the content. DJ Tim Westwood has made appearances in ULSU student events on a number of previous occasions, particularly for genre specific events, feedback from these events has always been positive and no direct complaints have been received. Throughout the

evening an additional room was Image by Flickr user The Radio Academy

open as an alternative option to the main act, playing a much more commercial style of RnB music, led by our resident DJ. “Alongside commercial considerations when selecting acts to appear in Students’ Union events – particularly those for general admission – ULSU will always consider direct feedback from our members, elected officers and where applicable from previous performances, and feedback from this event will form part of that process.”

We also contacted Westwood’s management about these claims. They have as yet declined to respond.

FEATURES

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Edited by Karina Maduro

A Nightline Timeline

By Josh Storey This year, Leicester Nightline celebrated its fortieth anniversary. For four decades, scores of volunteers have been manning the phones, listening to students, helping them through the highs and lows of life at university, and doing their best to improve the welfare of the students who contact them.

Nightline has enjoyed great success both in Leicester and nationwide, and has gained increasing recognition because of its achievements. Despite this, some students are still not aware that Nightline exists, and many of those who do only have a vague idea of what it is Nightline does. As long as this continues, Leicester Nightline will not be able to help all those who need someone to listen to them.

So what is Nightline? Its history begins in 1970 with two men named Geoffrey Hosking, a professor, and Malcolm France, a chaplain, both working at the University of Essex. Their work exposed them to an awful reality: the rate of student suicide was shockingly high, far higher than either was prepared to allow. Even when students were not suicidal, many were stressed, lonely or suffering from depression. The pressures of coping with life on their own and the demands of university, coupled with the fact that their support network was often left miles away at home, meant students were dealing with a multitude of problems they had never dealt with before with no-one to help them through it. The pair decided to change this.

Being a member of the Samaritans, Professor Hosking decided to set up a similar hotline spe-

PRO BONO

Free Legal Advice This week: Faulty Goods HELP! The goods I have recently purchased turn out to be faulty!

By Millie Kesicka Pro Bono Liasion Officer

cifically for students, so no one would be left without someone to talk to, no matter what their problem. With this in mind, he began to recruit student volunteers, as he believed they would be more approachable and less imposing than existing welfare workers. Some students stepped forward and were able to appropriate a dilapidated cabin from which to operate. With this first crop of volunteers, Nightline was born. It began in Essex, but the idea was effective and quickly spread. The next year Imperial College set up its own Nightline, then, two years later, in 1973, Nightline came here to Leicester.

Nightline operates following five key principles: the service is confidential, anonymous, non-judgmental, non-advisory and non-directive, which simply means Nightline will never direct you towards a particular course of action. These last two may seem counter-intuitive, but they are at the heart of what Nightline does. At no point will a Nightline volunteer tell you

what you must do, but rather Nightline volunteers are trained to listen and support callers to help them reach their own decisions. Throughout the night, every night, Nightline will pay attention to whatever it is you have to say. No problem is too small or insignificant: from relationship worries and friend troubles to university stresses, mental illness and depression, Nightline will listen.

By applying these principles, Nightline has become an incredibly effective force in improving student welfare. From its humble beginnings in a tworoomed shack, a nascent Nightline spread across the country.

It now covers an impressive 124 colleges and universities, amounting to a service that caters to over 1.3 million students.

The idea has been so successful that it has been exported, with Nightline associations being set up in Switzerland, Canada and America, amongst other countries.

However, there is still work

to do. Research conducted by Nightline has shown that twothirds of students suffer from stress and nearly half feel alone or unable to cope with their current situation. One third of students are homesick or depressed.

To tackle this, Nightline has been adapting. New forms of media are being trialled across the country and a broader range of services are being delivered. By the end of this year, it is hoped that this new line of expansion will come here, further strengthening an already well-developed support network. These developments, combined with the success of the organisation’s original purpose and values, ensure that Nightline will continue to offer help and comfort to all those who need it for decades to come.

Website: http://leicesterunion. com/groups/nightline--2 Telephone number: 0116 223 1230 Opening hours: 8pm-8am

Buying new equipment is inevitable for students because you can’t make tea or coffee without a kettle and no good student is complete without tea or coffee.

Occasionally though, the item you buy may be broken or faulty and it is important to know that the law protects you in some of these situations.

Firstly, when you realise the product you have purchased is faulty, you should immediately report it to the Trading Standards and stay well away from it.

The trader may have committed a criminal offence.

The law states that when you buy an item from a trader, it must be: of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and match the description it was given (unless the trader has pointed out that the item will be different than stated on the packaging, which limits your rights). So, if you bought a kettle and it stated on the packaging that it should be white when in fact it was blue, you have a couple of options available. You could ask for a repair, replacement, refund, or some money back.

yourself, normal wear and tear or the goods have lasted as long as reasonably expected, then your rights are limited and may become dependent on the trader’s refund and exchange policy.

So, the item is faulty and you want your money back. Taking the previously mentioned kettle, you have the right to a full refund if you have not kept the kettle for long before telling the trader or tried to change it in any way.

Finally, when you deal with private sellers, you are not protected by the law in the same way so you must be careful.

You do not have the right to buy something of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose; thus, you cannot force the private seller to give you a refund. If the kettle you bought was from a car boot sale and you then notice it doesn’t work properly, you cannot force the seller to give you the money back.

As you can see, you certainly have rights regarding faulty goods but they can be limited in a number of ways; therefore, it is important that you assess the goods you are buying and address the issues right away.

Remember these rights only apply if the item is of unsatisfactory quality, not fit for purpose or doesn’t match the description. Therefore, if your reason for returning an item is due to no longer wanting them, having damaged the goods

The Ripple has teamed up with Rockstar Promotions - the guys behind Friday’s biggest night out, Shabang - to help all you students in search of the perfect hangover cure.

All you have to do is send us a picture of your hangover cure, and explain to us what it is.

We’ll then print the winning cure in the Ripple.

The winner will not only get the fame and thanks of every suffering student, but also 2 free tickets to Shabang.

Send in your cures to ripple@le.ac.uk. Please provide a telephone number to contact you on if successful.

Last weeks winner:

“I’m guessing you’re not looking for serious answers but here’s mine: Coconut water.

I hate coconut with a passion but I downed a bottle of it before going to a two hour lecture and I felt fine. Hope this helps someone!”

WHAT’S ON

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Edited by Nikki Skinner

Pick of the Week

Top 10 Places in Leicester for Tea, Cake and Delicious Treats

Monday 14th October to Sunday 20th October

by Rohini Jhally Semester one may be well underway now, but avoid becoming social pariah in these precious deadline-free weeks of term and keep up to date with what’s going on around campus and in town. Here are our picks of the week…

Monday 14th You may think that graduation is three long years away based mainly on heavily intoxicated nights out and partial lecture attendance, but it’s never too early to start thinking about post-university plans. On hand to help you do just that is the Careers Service, who are holding an event solely for Freshers at Stamford Court - Gilbert Murray Main Hall. The event will specialise in three main categories, leadership and management, business and enterprise and volunteering, so it’s a great way to find out about what extra-curricular activities are available to you. 6:30pm; book your place on to the University of Leicester careers website.

By Flckr user stan_was

For all QI and Radio 4 fans out there, comedian, novelist and actress Sandi Toksvig will be performing her stand up show, ‘My Valentine’, at the Curve theatre tonight. Time Out have hailed the performance as ‘wonderfully sharp’. Tickets are £18.50. Fellow QI panellist and occasional guest on Have I Got News For You Bill Bailey will also be performing his show ‘Qualmpeddler’ at De Montfort Hall on both Monday and Tuesday at 8:00pm. Tickets can be bought at the De Montfort Hall website.

The Right Genes: Dr Turi King’s Lecture on Discovering Richard III

By Mona O’Brien Dr Turi King, a lecturer in genetics and archaeology at the University of Leicester, is the Project Geneticist for the team who discovered Richard III. With a diverse background in both genetics and archaeology, Turi was involved in the Rich-

Art buffs, culture-vultures, or those of you fancying something a bit different, why not head down to Two Queens gallery for the opening of their new group exhibition, Sculpturing.

Featuring the work of five artists from across the UK, the exhibition will include a range of mediums including ceramics, video and wall-based works. The exhibition runs from October 11th to 2nd November.

Tuesday 15th For all you trivia experts out there, Firebug are having a pop quiz covering all things, you guessed it, popular culture, starting at 8:15pm. They are charging £1 per player (with a maximum team size of 7 players). With cash and booze prizes up for grabs, it’s everything a student needs!

Wednesday 16th Described as the godfather of alternative comedy, Alexei Sayle will be performing a stand up show at the Curve theatre tonight. Starting at 7:30pm, tickets are £17.50. With the Metro calling it ‘fearlessly funny’ with ‘thrills and surprises at every turn’, it’s definitely one not to miss out on.

Thursday 17th Undeniably the musical highlight of the week, the amazing talent that is Bastille will be coming to the O2 Academy Leicester. With their obscure lyrics and chart-topping radio anthems such as ‘Pompeii’, ‘Flaws’ and their newest release, ‘Things We Lost in The Fire’, they are without a doubt the band to see this week. Doors open at 7:00pm.

and Jason Manford, it’s sure not to disappoint. Doors open at 7:00pm and the show starts at 8:00pm. Alternatively, if you’re a bit more daring and want to try out with an audition, then email the comedy club and give it a go; what’s the worst that could happen?

Saturday 19th

Friday 18th Opening tonight at the Curve (and running until on the 9th November) will be the production of The Beauty Queen Of Leenane. This black comedy follows a 40 year old virgin, her relationship with her manipulative mother and her last chance for love, written by Tony Award winning playwright Martin McDonaghhas and with direction from Paul Kerryson.

Performance times vary and ticket prices start at £10, with discounts available for students.

This weekend starts with Leicester Oxjam music festival 2013 taking place over the cultural quarter of Leicester. Last year, Leicester’s Oxjam was the biggest in the country having had more than 15 stages and over 200 acts and this year is sure to live up to last year’s success! Student wristbands are £8 and all proceeds raised will go to Oxfam.

Medsin is one of the medical school’s biggest societies, and is open to everyone. They’re the local branch of a national and global charity who run many events and interactive activities tackling various aspects of inequality and poor health all over the world. Tonight, they will hold their annual ‘Get to know us’ event in Attenborough Lecture Theatre 3, from 7:00pm - 9:00pm. The event is free but if you like what you see then you can get a £5 lifetime membership for all of their other events... Free pizza is also provided!

By Laura James

And the Best of the Rest…

On Campus (17/10/2013) Black History Month Continues with a Documentary Screening and Discussion with Robert Beckford, award-winning author and broadcaster. ‘The Empire Pays Back’ is about the likely costs of reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. Attenborough Film Lecture Theatre, 6pm (Thurs) ‘Are we alone in the Universe?’ a talk given by UK Space Agency research fellow based at the University about the potential for the existence of alien life. Room E of the Physics and Astronomy Building, 6pm.

At the O2

After an alcohol-fuelled freshers’ fortnight, why not have a bit of a detox (not) and treat yourself to a hard-earned treat at one of our favourite teatime treat stops…

Madison’s (London Road) has taken the dessert world by storm, and is a place every Leicester student should visit at least once. They have even taken cake and made it into a milkshake…now that’s what you call the best of both worlds!

At the Ripple we love their unique Cake Shake and we strongly recommend you try one.

Jones’ (Queen’s Road) is perfectly situated for students to pop in and enjoy a delicious treat. With cakes to take away for only £1 this cute café is ideal for picking up a cheeky treat on the way to university. Our Ripple Favourite is the tasty chocolate meringue filled with creamy chocolate. Yum yum!

Patisserie Valerie (Highcross) This popular patisserie is famous for its delicious range of cakes. Their continental treats can be enjoyed in the café, to take away and now you can even order it online. Our Ripple Favourite is the Mille Feuille, what’s yours?

In Cinemas this Week

Pret a Manger (Gallowtree Gate) Our favourite of the coffee shop chains, the newly-opened Pret is renowned for its authentic and delicious Italian coffee and delectable pastries. This has to be one of our firm favourites; we especially love their mouth-watering chocolate croissants.

Le Weekend (Comedy) The Fifth Estate (Drama) Metallica: Through the Never (Documentary)

The Crumblin’ Cookie (High Street) is a great coffee bar situated across from Highcross, making it ideal for taking break

Babyshambles (Tues, 7pm) Goldie Lookin Chain (Fri, 7pm) Album Releases

from all that window-shopping!

The Cookie has a yummy range of cakes and (of course) cookies on offer, however, our Ripple favourite has to be the Ultimate Crumblin’ Sundae.

Fingerprints (Queens Road) This friendly and welcoming deli offers a wide variety of cakes, biscuits, sandwiches and paninis, and is a wonderful place to grab a bite to eat and catch up with friends. We can’t resist a slice of their classic Victoria Sponge. Also, official sponsor or the Baking Society.

Christopher James (Queens Road) This family run deli is great for students as it offers fantastic deals; you can grab a coffee and a cake for just £3.00.

Christopher James offers a wide range of mouth-watering sweet treats but our favourite has to be their Double Chocolate Biscuit Brownie.

Muffin Break (Highcross) Unsurprisingly, Muffin Break is well known for their scrumptious muffins. Why not enjoy a cake filled break with our favourite treat, a yummy Mars Bar Muffin.

The Exchange (Rutland Street) Branded last year by Grazia as the best coffee in Leicester, this popular bar is the perfect place to enjoy a hot drink and a delicious cake. And with Cream Tea available for just £4 on a Tuesday you know when you will find us in The Exchange!

Tinseltown (Upper Brown Street) means only one thing and one thing only…treats galore, American style! They offer a wide range of appetising and well-proportioned desserts, but if you are feeling extra hungry you might enjoy a meal at this wonderfully authentic American diner. Our Ripple Favourite has to be their delicious Key Lime Pie.

As students we’re all looking for ways to scrimp and save so if you’re looking for a way to entertain yourself and your housemates for FREE, then look no further than the Big Value Comedy Auditions Free Show at Just The Tonic Comedy Club. Boasting the discovery of talents such as Sarah Milican

Tonight Leicester Tigers will be playing Bennetton Treviso at the Tigers’ stadium, Welford Road. Discounted student tickets are available at the Point starting at £8 for standing. Kickoff is at 8:00pm.

John Newman, Tribute Eliza Doolittle, In My Hands

ard III project from very early on when she was on site with the excavation team. After the excavation, Turi conducted the all-important DNA analysis on the remains, and it was her work that helped to confirm that the skeleton really was that of the ‘King in the Car Park’.

nificance of the find but also the variety of techniques it involved. Whether your interest is genetics, history, archaeology, Leicester, or just curiosity, this lecture is really worth attending. 6.30pm, October 15th, The Frank and Katherine May Lecture Theatre, Henry Wellcome Building.

Win a Meal for Two at Turtle Bay

In her lecture on October 15th, Dr King will give an insight into how she analysed the genetics of a king, as well as describing what it was like to work on such an important and world famous project. This lecture gives students and the public the chance to understand not only the sig-

Winter may be on its way, but why not add a bit of heat to your first semester back by entering this week’s competition?

Following our review of newly opened Caribbean restaurant Turtle Bay, the Ripple is excited to offer two lucky readers the opportunity to sample their food which, in their own words, ‘captures the heart and soul of the Caribbean’. From delicious jerk grilled meats and heaped sharing platters to mouth-watering rum cocktails, there is something for everyone to try and love.

If you want to be in with a chance to win, then email theripplecompetitions@hotmail.co.uk with TURTLE BAY written in the subject line. Entries close on Wednesday 23rd October at 12 Noon, and winners will be announced later that week.

CULTURE

6

Edited by Emily Boneham

The Ripple interviews Matt Healy of The 1975 Matthew Allen talks to the frontman of the new band sensation about their long road to fame, fortune and living the dream.

On the tour bus, struggling with an “archaic coffee machine” and a tour manager who won’t “shut up”, Matt Healy of The 1975 takes a couple of minutes out of his frantic touring schedule to talk philosophically about the state of music, and how it feels to have success suddenly thrust upon his band.

I’m scared, I’m a bit of a coward and I think that the good ones will make me feel really good and the bad ones would cut me to pieces. I’ve not really read the reviews, but I like to hear what fans think and that’s the most important thing to me. The number one is cool, it’s amaz-

that inspires you and that’s the thing that your social group orientates around, your interests orientate around, then that starts developing into what you do. It becomes all-encompassing, the only thing. We’re just four mates who make records in my bedroom. The fact that we

Yeah, it does remove a certain element of the pressure because, not that I can shut down and say “oh I don’t care I’m making it for myself”, I’ve got to be real and understand that my music is going out there and people are listening to it, so I think that people get into our band, be-

ing, but like I say I’m just as proud of it as an idea than I am as proud of ourselves. I didn’t need that album to be validated for me to be any more proud of it, I was proud of that album since the second we finished it.

made quite a conceptual pop record that comes from the idea of 80s movies is still an indulgent thing. I mean it’s very easy for people to say “look what they’re trying to do, they’re trying to be pop stars”; we made that record in my room because it was fun, you know.

fore the album we didn’t have to stress. We kind of had the attitude like, “well if you like the singles we can do that, that’s what we do!” We’ve not really had that much pressure because we’ve not really been that hyped band. There’s been a lot of people talk about us and we’ve had a lot of exposure but we’ve

How does it feel to have The 1975 as a number one album?

It’s very strange and I’m still coming to terms with it to be honest with you. That album was kind of born out of no thoughts of being accepted at that level. We didn’t even write the album as an album per se, and to have it be a number one record is amazing. It’s deeply humbling and I think it’s cool that a band like us has been able to get a number one record. It’s quite a rare thing for a band that’s been together for so long.

You were saying that you’ve been together for so long, it says here you were formed in 2002. Do you think it helped you find that “creative zen” and it gave you a better idea of what you wanted to produce?

I suppose so. I think we’ve been together so long that it kind of defines us in a load of different ways, partially due to the fact of how prolific we can be with writing, because we’ve done it for so long. Stylistic and musical vocabularies all merge in to one and the same because you’ve been together for so long, and I think because we started doing this for fun when we were 13 and we’ve always kind of carried that attitude it’s a very indulgent pursuit - it’s very exciting - and I think that when we play our live shows it’s an amazing juxtaposition of being really lethargic yet really fresh at the same time.

Was it ever something that concerned you being together for so long that you weren’t going to break out?

We were never really concerned with breaking out to be honest with you. We were very happy

making music for ourselves, getting recognition from other bands and just touring because touring’s fun. We were 20 and 21 before we started getting The 1975 fully formed, and when you’re 21 and you’re in an ambient band you don’t really think “I’m going to do this”. We were having fun for years and then we decided to put a record out and people started hearing about us.

You’ve had the commercial success, but you’ve had critical acclaim as well. Which of the two is more satisfying?

Well both of them if you want me to be brutally honest. I’m a lot more excited by the idea of rooms full of kids who the record really means something to; that really genuine human reaction. That’s what’s pushing forward now as opposed to... I mean I haven’t read that many reviews of the album – not because I’m too cool [but] because

That’s refreshing to hear. So you feel that when you create an album it shouldn’t be something that is specifically tailored towards people going out and buying it or enjoying it, but it’s more for yourself?

It’s all about making it for yourself, it’s not even more about it.

You’ve got to remember I think with us as well, when you start anything at 13, you’ve not really secured your social identity, you don’t know who you want to be or what you want to be at 13, you’re a kid. When you’re making music with your mates you’re doing it for the same reason you’d be playing a video game or football. If you have that and that’s the main thing

“We’re just four mates who make records in my bedroom” I suppose as well, that alleviates any pressure, you made it for yourself, so does that remove all of that?

I suppose it does. I think one of the things it does is that, it’s made me realise that people are investing in this band properly.

not had a lot of press, we haven’t had any magazines really championing us on front covers. We haven’t had that, so we just thought “fuck it yeah we’re doing exactly what we want to do and all this shit’s happening let’s just keep doing it”.

Would you say to someone starting a band that it’s important for it all to be for them as opposed to worrying about what others think?

People are always going to invest in humanity and honesty and if you’re writing music that’s based around something outside of what you are – if you’re trying to copy other bands or pander to any type of music it’s not going to work because you’re not doing anything that people haven’t seen before. The idea of replicating something is bored. It’s hard to give people advice because I’m just so lucky that everything’s started happening. I’ve had such a blinkered perception of what I was going to do with my life and carried on writing music and I think that there’s no rush either really. We didn’t rush anything. If you just do exactly what you think is right and you don’t live your musical life along with loads of pre-determined ideas of what success is because I’ll tell you now success is not something you feel. If you have a checklist of having a number one record, supporting these people, we’ll do this, we’ll do that – we just realised that with every material acquisition, with every material thing you create or acquire, it takes you a step away from feeling truly resolved. If you’re a person making music from the point of aiding yourself, from the point of it being a creative form of expression to make you feel alright, you think that when this piece of music is validated with a number one that I’m going to feel truly happy, but you don’t, you’re exactly the same person but just with a different statistic.

I think that once people realise that this imaginary ladder of success doesn’t exist, that a salary and statistics are a sole measure of worth, I think that once people rid themselves of this then we’ll be able to make truly creative music that inspires and challenges people’s perceptions.

The 1975’s debut album, The 1975, is now avialable via Dirty Hit / Polydor.

Lawson Play De Montfort Hall

By Steffica Warwick De Montfort Hall goes dark, and the screaming begins. A low rumble of bass starts up whilst flashes of strobe lighting illuminate the vast white sheet obscuring the stage, and just as the anticipation builds to a climax, the sheet falls down to reveal the four Lawson boys posed around the stage, fists in the air: a poster image of pop royalty. They explode in to their newest hit, ‘Juliet’, as they walk around the stage to reach their microphones. Frontman Andy Brown’s voice is as gruff and velvety live as it is recorded, complimented by the excellent acoustics of De Montfort Hall, and the stony-faced singer soulfully croons to the adoring crowd, slamming down on his semi-acoustic.

The crowd, mainly consisting of ecstatic twelve to fifteen year old females, jumps around manically, and I notice several homemade signs floating amongst the sea of girls: “Lawson are so fit!”, “Give us your pick or your stick!” and, bizarrely, “I’m gunna [sic] shit myself!” Undeterred by these overt displays of affection, Lawson plough through their set with a cool and aloof attitude. After playing various

songs from their debut album, Chapman Square, they introduce a new song called ‘Love Locked Out’, to be released in their new album. The song is incredibly catchy and dancy, and the punchy rhythm and powerful brass section induced much hip shaking and hair flicking from the enthusiastic fans.

It seems that Lawson, like Maroon 5, have substituted their instrument-orientated pop rock sound for a synthesised dance track, sure to become popular in the charts. The gig continues with more songs from their first album, only momentarily disrupted by an enthusiastic jump from Andy which split his tight t-shirt wide open, much to the delight of the screaming girls and horror of the modest front man, who turns away from the crowd to hastily button up his

outer-shirt.

Nearing the end of the show, the other band members leave the stage momentarily to allow Andy a touching solo acoustic performance of ‘The Girl I Knew’ which he claims sums up his “entire love life”. Following the intimate tone, the other band members return to all line up at the front and play ‘Stolen’ acoustically. The boys finish with ‘Broken Hearted’, thanking the audience profusely for their support by throwing out picks and even coming down to the standing area to shake hands with some fans before sauntering off stage.

A repackaged version of Lawson’s debut album,Chapman Square Chapter II, will be released on 21st October.

Western viewpoints we take for granted.

One of Steve Hughes’ opening comments to the Leicester audience was; ‘I’m not a conspiracy theorist, I’m a conspiracy realist.’ While this may seem like a rather lofty statement, when confronted with the reality that the US government actually have been listening to every phone call your Nan has made, you might actually start to think Hughes has a point.

The heavy subject matter and near constant swearing do little to detract from the picture of Hughes as an intelligent,

Conspiracy realist is a phrase which comes to epitomise the whole show in many ways.

While you sit and laugh along with Steve Hughes rambling and ranting like a mad, drunk history lecturer, you think on what he’s just said, and realise that all the apparent nonsense and paranoia is actually underpinned by a basic, fundamental common sense. The same common sense that made Bill Hicks such a powerful and perceptive comedian, and which gives Hughes the ability to tear apart the blinkered, bewildered

well informed performer. He tackles issues other comedians wouldn’t touch, such as the differences between the sexes, racial and national differences, and our bizarre relationships with television, the government, medicine and drugs. More im-

This space from £8 ripple@le.ac.uk

By Richard Fallon The rating at the start of Blue Jasmine warns that the film contains ‘moderate references to sex and suicide’, and that really set the tone for the rest of the evening: this is really testing the borders of what can be marketed as a comedy. Woody Allen’s latest critic-pleaser certainly has some very funny moments, but it’s hardly a feelgood romp, or indeed a romp of any kind.

Cate Blanchett plays Jasmine, a socialite who is forced to live with her adoptive sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins) when her husband turns out to be a crook (Alec Baldwin). Jasmine is left penniless but still attempts to live out her pretentious former life in front of Ginger’s slightly simple boyfriend Chili (Bobby Canavale). It’s impossible to avoid focusing on the similarities to Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire – impossible to avoid in the sense that if you’ve seen that play then very little plot development in this film will surprise you. It’s not a remake and Chili

is no Stanley Kowalski, but replace the fall of the Old South with the 2008 financial crisis and use your imagination from there.

The film cuts casually between Jasmine’s former and latter financial state throughout, juxtaposing her indulgence and parties with her struggles to perform a normal job and her lack of any real qualifications.

Ginger on the other hand is fairly happy with her modest lot, although her well-furnished apartment is perhaps less modest than Mr Allen would like us to believe, and the presence of the judgemental Jasmine in the house starts to damage her relationship with Chili.

Blanchett’s performance has rightly been praised as breathtaking: her Jasmine is not a pleasant human being by any stretch but we feel embarrassed for her when we really shouldn’t and we wish the best for her. Woody Allen, however, is not at all interested in giving us what we want. What Woody Allen wants is to tear us down and maybe play some jazz

music. Very few characters survive the film without degrading themselves in some way (Michael Stuhlbarg makes us efficiently cringe as a lovesick dentist) and the yellow streets of San Francisco seem to hold very little escape from the pain.

So why would you put yourself through this movie? Because it’s Woody Allen? Because of the Oscar murmurs? Because there’s not a bad performance in the cast? Because it feels so awfully real? You certainly can’t go in expecting a comedy and as to whether it’s a movie you can enjoy, well, that’s up for debate, but it is a movie you can appreciate as a powerful cross-examination of a human being out of their comfort zone that allows Cate Blanchett to arouse some phenomenal pathos. Woody Allen has been making movies for an awfully long time, covering an awful lot of ground, and now it seems characters are his calling.

Nobody can say that isn’t admirable.

Blue Jasmine is now in cinemas. See it at the Phoenix until 17th October.

Rocky Horror Show at Curve The UK tour of the most sexy, ludicrous and brilliantly bizarre show in town comes to Curve, Leicester. Cue stockings, suspenders and lashings of lipstick galore.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe.

Steve Hughes: While It’s Still Legal Y Theatre, October 4th

By Conor Heslin

‘A Fading Flower in San Francisco’ 7 Blue Jasmine (dir. Woody Allen)

portantly, Hughes tackles these big issues with an easy, likeable manner. He peppers a show which when standing alone may seem slightly on the self-righteous side with anecdotes about touring, sex, and the mundane tasks which plague all of our lives, like the hell of motorway services stations; ‘I can’t have a ploughman’s sandwich…I’m not a ploughman’. It’s these glimpses into Hughes’ own life when he is at his best as a comedian, suggesting he’s the sort of man who’d be funny if you met him at a bus stop, not just on stage.

It’s this easy manner which allows Steve Hughes to use this show as a platform for his more radical opinions without talking his audience to sleep, but it’s the scarily rational thought process with which Hughes reaches these opinions which is what will really stick with you if you go to one of his gigs; maybe we are all doomed, but at least there’s people like Steve Hughes in the world to poke fun at our demise.

By James Wilkinson

For a show that has reached the ripe age of 40 years old, the Rocky Horror Picture Show feels as fresh, funky and risqué as when Tim Curry legendarily strutted around as the infamous Doctor Frank N’ Furter for the first time in 1973. However, with a cult following as powerful as the Rocky Horror fan-base (Beliebers, eat your heart out), the need to get the show right is as important as ever. Happily, the ensemble, directing, costumes and vocals are more than worthy of Richard O’Brien’s praise.

We’ll start things off with the cast. West End veteran Oliver Thornton plays the outrageous Frank N’ Furter, donning some impressive legs clad in fishnet tights (as per). Something that I think is so critical to playing the sex-crazed doctor is an uncanny sense of presence on the stage. You may think this is a given considering how Frank looks, but the way he commands the cast, his body

language in relation to the music and his fantastic voice grab your attention immediately.

Accompany that with the way he interacts and plays with the audience, a key part of being in a Rocky Horror production, and we have a captivating performance. However, if Thornton had interacted with the audience well, our Narrator, played by TV and theatre pro Phillip Franks, played them like an instrument. To every crude, outrageous and hilarious comment he received, he answered just as quick and with even more hilarity. Other cast members include CBBC star and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Dani Harmer, playing poor innocent Janet. She plays the virtuous girl extremely well; bouncing around the stage with the excitement only a pre-pubescent schoolgirl could match.

Brad Majors is perfectly cast with Christos Dante playing the (quite muscular in this case) “adorable loser”, as I’ve heard Brad been described. Dante’s vocals were impressive, his and Harmer’s voices working to-

gether wonderfully in the classics “Damnit, Janet” and “Over At The Frankenstein Place”.

As you’d expect, the costumes were classic Rocky Horror; spangled jackets, top hats, smoking jackets and corsets all around. The demons looked very cool, a mixture of biker leather jackets, Goth jet black hair and thin dark tinted glasses, all carrying a smile almost as evil as Frank N’ Furter’s. I don’t think I’d be doing the review justice if I didn’t mention the audience, who play a huge role in making the Rocky Horror Picture Show so much fun.

The costumes they come in, the rude comments and the dances that they know so well from the many times they’ve seen the show make it a completely unique experience in theatre.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a timeless musical, an absolute gem of British theatre, with an audience as involved in the show as the actors on stage.

It’s fun, it’s sexy and it never fails to entertain.

LIFESTYLE

8

Pole Fitness

Edited by Katie Masters

Misconceptions and why you should give it a try Pole Fitness is a sport that is sweeping both the nation and the world as a fast and enjoyable way to get fit. However, despite its rise in popularity, many have misconceptions of the sport: mainly that Pole Fitness classes and strip clubs are the same thing. Though before you decide becoming a stripper isn’t for you, let me assure you that Pole doesn’t have to be sexualized. In fact, erotic pole dancing only developed in the twentieth century, and pole dancing clubs only became popular from the 1980s onwards.

Due to these misconceptions, it often surprises people to learn that Pole Fitness originated in the orient, and was originally practised for physical benefits or as a form of entertainment.

The Chinese did the latter approximately 900 years ago, when entertainers would use a pole to entertain crowds in elaborate costumes, performing circus style routines. Whilst 800 years ago in India, pole fitness became a method of training for wrestlers, their name for participants in this activity was “Pole

Mallakhamb” of which the literal translation is ‘wrestler of pole’.

Aspects from both of these traditions can still be found in modern Pole, for example the style of dress from India remains largely the same with clothing being warn to increase performance and grip rather than for aesthetic appeal. Tricks developed in China, such as holding yourself at a ninety degree angle from the pole like a flag, remain in use today.

Obviously you can’t ignore that in modern society Pole can be practised as a form of erotic dancing as well as a sport. I have both taught Pole Fitness and attended a Pole Dancing club, and I can testify that there is a huge difference between the two forms. Both create routines, use the same basic moves and both use poles of a similar standard, but the difference is in how they proceed with these basic elements. Routines for Pole Dancing clubs largely focus on the erotic nature of the routine, so the outfits are more aesthetic than functional, and generally they use more basic moves with

the transitional movements being more sensual. Whereas, Pole Fitness classes focus largely on progression, developing skills to advance onto moves that require more expertise such as inverts and making the transitional movements in routines as smooth as possible but not necessarily sexual. It’s a sport that doesn’t automatically degrade the participant and instead offers them a way of experiencing the considerable physical and emotional benefits that come with practising Pole Fitness.

On the physical side of things, Pole is great at strengthening many of your muscle groups.

Many tricks rely on upper arm strength which in turn will strengthen biceps, similar to how pull-ups do. Also, core abdominal muscles and upper back muscles such as the rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and deltoids are worked by holding positions and doing inverts (performing upside-down tricks on the pole). Doing a combination of these two, in a routine, for instance, will provide an upper body work out of

By Imogen Butler

which you can be proud.

Emotional health is also becoming more important, with studies such as ‘Reflections on Body Image’ by the National Children’s Bureau highlighting the dangers of body dissatisfaction, namely that it can undermine self-confidence, contribute to depression, and lead to the onset of a range of physical, emotional and societal problems. Pole is a great way to combat body dissatisfaction by enabling people to gain confidence in their bodies and personal abilities as they progress in complexity.

Deb Roach is a prime example of this. She is a handicapped pole competitor who said herself that as a teenager she loved dancing but believed “that aesthetic and athletic pursuits were not for me, [and] not for my “different” body.” As an adult she discovered Pole Fitness and went on to win the 2012 International Pole Championship title in the disability division.

Her success directly demonstrates that Pole is an exercise

that requires body muscle; therefore it can encourage people to eat healthily to sustain stamina and muscle. Not only that, but most standard fitness poles can carry at least 14 stone of weight with many having a higher limit to accommodate more than one performer at a time: it is not a sport restricted for the skinny.

These are just a few reasons why Pole is both an art form and a sport, and overall it’s on the rise.

The International Pole Dance

Fitness Association has run campaigns to have Pole included in the Olympics to gain its recognition as a sport. Though even without this recognition, it is clear that Pole is consistently challenging stereotypes.

To try Pole Fitness for yourself, look out for The University of Leicester Pole Fitness and Dance Society on Facebook or at www.leicesterunipole.wordpress.com

Baking Society Recipe Book Launch A fun-filled event that proves students can cook

By Jess Buckley Standing in a queue outside Queen’s Hall in our own Students’ Union, it is pretty obvious that the launch of the University of Leicester Baking Society’s new recipe book is a much-anticipated event. As we walk into the hall we are instantly greeted

by Baking Society members in their cooking aprons and there is a feel of baking fun filling the room. Cupcake decorating is one of the first things that you notice, a table full of piping bags already filled and cakes ready to be decorated, and very soon after, eaten. Free samples of some of the recipes from the book are on a table, although they don’t last very long, next to tea and coffee being sold to raise even more funds for LOROS. A raffle is being held next to where the recipe books are being sold and at the end of the room is a rather well known baking enthusiast amongst the rest of us relative amateurs: Ali Imdad, contestant of this year’s Great British Bake Off and part of the

University of Leicester alumni.

Today isn’t only an exciting day for everyone attending the launch, but also for the society members, who pieced together the book, containing over twenty tantalising recipes that range from Eton Mess Cupcakes to Mediterranean Pinwheels to Tea Infused Cookies. And it is clear from the smiles on their faces as people queue to purchase their recipe book, priced at only £3 (which, might I add, possibly makes it the most cost-effective recipe book out there as it includes so many exciting recipes), that they are incredibly proud of what they have produced. Last year’s self-proclaimed ‘token man’ of the Baking Society Committee tells me the whole thing is ‘brilliant!’

He observes just how ‘packed’ Queens Hall is, bustling with people tasting the free samples, signing up to the society and getting their hands on the new Baking Society recipe book.

The atmosphere is fantastic, the whole thing encompassing what baking is all about: fun and bringing people together.

The Baking Society itself has come a long way since it was established three years ago.

Starting off as a notably smaller group of people, last year they had over 230 members, making them one of the largest non-sporting societies at the

university and earning them the title of Best Recreational Society of the year 2012/13. These prestigious recognitions have aided the society in creating such an electric atmosphere at the book launch, all concentrated around the book and the demonstrations given by this year’s Great British Bake Off contestant, Ali Imdad. He inspired a thriving audience by wowing them with his recipe for mini almond macaroons which he filled with raspberry jam and popped on top of his blueberry tarts, and then kindly donated to the raffle prize fund which was drawn at the end of the event. He later demonstrated an equally impressive ginger and plum tray bake. Ali definitely brought Bake Off to Leicester along with some brutal truths as he boldly admitted “I don’t like Paul” - not sure he would have been so bold in the Bake Off tent!

But of course, the Baking Society hasn’t just created this mouth-watering recipe book to delight and fulfil the lives of Leicester students but also, the lives of the wider community and to aid LOROS Hospice.

LOROS provides palliative support and care to anyone in the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland area should they need it. The hospice relies on £7.5 million a year to fully support its patients. Some of this money is provided by the NHS but

£4.5 million is needed to be independently raised. So, the University’s Baking Society’s recipe book will help the cause greatly.

If you wish to purchase one and try your hand at Pizza Swirls or Irish Fruit Cake, they cost only £3 and can be purchased at any of Baking Society’s events: they hold tea parties twice a term and have fortnightly classes.

In addition, LOROS charity shops, Fingerprints Delicafé on Queens Road and the University Bookshop will also be stocking the book for the same price, £3.

We wish the Baking Society every success with their recipe book, but judging by the roaring success of the launch, this recipe book will be flying high for months to come.

Membership costs £3.

Email su-baking@le.ac.uk to find out more.

Chill Out With Meditation Alexander Squire looks at coping with the stresses of uni life...

University can be a stressful time for many students. Whether it’s looming coursework deadlines, upcoming exams or homesickness, once in a while it’s good to take a step back and just chill. Granted, it’s not always easy to be able to switch off and just go with the flow, especially not if it seems you are being buried with tons of work.

However, with some practice, it’s possible to train yourself to better deal with stress. One way to do this is by using mindfulness meditation.

You’ve probably heard of meditation before, and it probably brings to mind images of a Buddhist monk sitting cross-legged on the floor going ‘ommm’.

But this is a misconception.

You don’t have to be a Buddhist to meditate and you definitely don’t have to make any strange noises. Professor Mark Williams of Oxford University explains that mindfulness meditation is: “The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, with compassion, and open-hearted curiosity. Through cultivating mindful awareness, we discover how to live in the present moment rather than brooding about the past or worrying about the future.”

So, mindfulness meditation is about being fully present in the right here and right now. It’s

about learning to stop getting caught up in worries about the future or the past. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk, said “Life can only be found in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.”

improves the immune system; can help people sleep better; can lessen chronic pain; reduces symptoms of stress such as high blood pressure; helps to relieve alcohol or drug dependence; reduces anxiety and depression; improves memory and concentration and can help lessen the impacts of cancer.

So how exactly does someone meditate? Well, basically meditation is focusing your mind on one thing for a period of time.

This is usually the breath, and meditating for 20 to 30 minutes each day has been found to be beneficial. Focusing on the breath can ground you in the present moment as it is happening right now, not in the future or the past. Of course, you can choose to focus on other things such as sounds or feelings in the body. The important thing is to be aware of everything around you and fully alive in the moment.

It has even been possible to physically see the results of meditation on the structure of the brain. Studies using functional MRI machines have observed that when people are happy, an area of the brain called the left prefrontal cortex lights up.

When people are sad, the right prefrontal cortex lights up. After regular meditation of about 20 minutes a day, the “happy” area of the brain becomes much more active, and the longer the period of time spent meditating, the more significant the effects on the wiring of the brain.

Meditation has been practised for thousands of years and many cultures have realised the benefits of remaining in the present moment. Now, thanks to the wonders of modern science, the benefits of meditation can be, and have been, proven.

Scientific studies have found many benefits resulting from regular meditation. Studies have shown that meditation

Charity Shop Chic: a new outfit for under £20!

By Lydia Jones

For all you Freshers out there, knowing how to bag a bargain is going to become second nature to you by the time you reach the end of your degree. As a student, spending as little as possible is an absolute rule (that also happens to be non-optional) that we apply to most of our everyday shopping, so if it’s a little retail therapy every once in a while that you crave, you’ll be glad to hear that there is a way to maintain a great wardrobe without the designer and ahem…

Topshop scale price-tag!

I’m not only just talking about vintage warehouses and retro boutiques, but if you’ve been reading recent newspaper articles on the ‘invasion’ of charity shop streets, you’ll know that there are plenty to go and visit in most towns. The best places for second-hand steals are without a doubt charity shops, and when it comes to savvy saving and making money go a long way, there isn’t an argument for anywhere better. They are incredibly universal shops, and it’s also worth having a look around them for general household items and even bric a brac if you also want to find inexpensive and unique things with which to decorate your room. There’s still an idea bouncing around

that charity shops can be generally stuffy places with out of date clothes, but if you look around often enough you can find top labels and really good quality items for great prices.

So, in endeavouring to prove my point to all of my readers, I set out to find myself an outfit with a limit of £20 that could be worn both generally and for special occasions, given a few tweaks in accessories. Needless to say, I actually managed to do this in the first charity shop that I set foot in! First of all, after walking into my local Save the Children store, I found a navy dress for sale for £5 which looked like it could have retailed a little above my price limit, so a great find there.

Next I added pair of Primark Atmosphere ballet pumps to my pile, also navy with a bow decoration on the toe; I did get them however for £4, so not much difference from the actual store

Also, mindfulness meditation has been shown to prevent relapse in patients suffering from depression by as much as 50%.

In fact, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended mindfulness-based therapy as treatment for patients who have suffered 3 or 4 relapses. These are but a few examples of studies that have investigated meditation and found solid physical benefits as price. What’s worth mentioning though is that a lot of charity shops now only try to sell items that look and could be sold as new, as well as things that are in keeping with the styles you can find at chains in town. So sometimes, ‘new’ in this case does mean paying just little extra. What I’m saying is that second-hand isn’t always necessarily worse for wear, and a lot of charities like Save the Children have recently been changing the image and marketing of their stores to incorporate a more boutique-like feel.

Looking further around the shop, I managed to find a plaited belt for £1, along with a golden leaf necklace from Accessorize and a grey Zara cardigan both for sale at £1 each.

But my real find was a faux leather long handbag from H&M, great for universal use and priced only at £4.50. So in total, I spent £16.50 altogether on this little expedition, and I am sure that this is an absolute fraction of what this outfit

a result of it.

As you can see, meditation does have proven benefits and is well worth trying. Luckily, there are a number of opportunities here in Leicester that you could take advantage of if you are interested.

Firstly, the University runs a meditation group every Tuesday at 1 PM, in the gatehouse chaplaincy building on University road. This is suitable for anyone whether they are beginners or experienced meditators.

There is also the Kadampa Meditation Centre, on Guildhall Lane in Leicester city centre.

This regularly holds introductory courses or workshops on meditation which are suitable for everyone.

Finally, an excellent book to read if you would like to meditate is Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. This book guides you through an eight week course of meditation, which I have tried myself and I thoroughly recommend it.

So, there you have it. Enjoy yourself at Leicester, work hard, but don’t let the stress of it get you down.

would have cost had I bought it at original retail price. What’s most surprising is not only what I bought, but that most of the clothes for sale in the charity shops I visited came from bigger high street chains like Topshop, Zara, New Look and even Jack Wills. Although sometimes the average trip to your local charity shop can be a bit hit and miss, it really is worthwhile going often, and on most occasions it’s possible to find a few great quality items within and below budget.

A while ago I even managed to find a Hollister woollen cardigan for £3 at my local Age UK, I researched the price at home and found it retailed at £70 – you can’t beat that!

So, if my challenge has inspired you go out yourself and look around your local charity shops, my advice is go either on a Monday or Tuesday if you can, as most donations are given over the weekend. And if you’re looking for something specific, the clothing at the front of the shop doesn’t end there! You can ask any shop assistant if they have anything like what you’re looking for at the back of the store, whether it’s that dress for the end of year bash or a new bag! And the best part of all is that you’re not only buying clothes for a bargain, but you’re donating to fantastic causes at the same time.

9

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One Pot Meal: Chili Con Carne

By Jess Buckley You’ve done it! Two weeks of madness, alcohol, hangovers and possibly shameful acts that you aren’t going to live down for the next year (or three). But fear not, no matter how much of a mess you were over the last fortnight, I’ve got a recipe that will put a smile on your face and will convince your flatmates that you could quite possibly be from the same family as Gordon Ramsay.

Now Freshers’ is over, you have the chance to get to know people all over again, but sober this time. And there’s no better way than all sitting down to a big home cooked meal that everyone can enjoy and cook. It’s simple, cheap and taste-bud-tantalising: chili con carne.

Okay, so the ingredients list may seem a bit extensive but once you have it all, it’s only the fresh ingredients that you’ll need to buy next time. Don’t forget to go to ASDA at 3pm on Sundays to find any reduced meats and Leicester market is a great place for cheap fresh fruit and veg. Ingredients such as spices and tins tend to last you at least one year at uni.

What you will need: 1 onion 2 cloves of garlic 1 (or 2) red chilis (de-seeded if you can’t handle the heat!)

2 tsps thyme 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp ground cumin 500g of minced meat 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 beef stock cube 1 tin of kidney beans 1 bay leaf 1 stick of cinnamon or 2 tsps of ground cinnamon Small piece of dark chocolate

Method: Start by peeling and chopping your onion and garlic cloves, slicing them as finely or thickly as you like. If you are de-seeding your chili, do it now. Sweat all these in a pan with a splash of oil and add the thyme, paprika, oregano and cumin.

Whilst you’re doing this, brown the mince in a separate pan.

When you can really smell the spices cooking into the onion and garlic and your mince is brown, drain and then add the mince to the pan with the onion and spices, mixing it through thoroughly.

Add your tin of tomatoes, tomato ketchup, purée and stock, bring to the boil and let it simmer for about five minutes (now would be a good time to get started on the slowly growing pile of washing up you have).

Once everything is starting to thicken, add your bay leaf, cinnamon and chocolate and let everything simmer for another five minutes, finally adding in your kidney beans.

I’d recommend cooking this for an hour or so before you’re all actually going to eat to allow the flavours to really infuse into meat. You can serve with rice or a jacket potato or pita bread and sour cream, the latter if you prefer a milder taste. Of course, the 500g of minced meat can easily be replaced with Quorn mince.

This recipe will make about four large servings or six smaller ones, so it’s great to make for yourself and put in the freezer to eat at a later date. A spicy chilli is also a surprisingly good hangover cure – it really blows away the cobwebs the morning after the night before! Enjoy!

SPORT

10 10

Edited by Conor Wickham

Difficult Start for Super 2s Ben Gittins regime as 2nd XV captain began with a tough home game against Anglia Ruskin 1st XV. With a virtually completely new squad, things were always going to be a bit rusty for Leicester’s second outfit. With Ben Gittins and Ronny Ip being the only regular 2nd XV players from last year still remaining, there were numerous chances for Freshers to impress. A fresher half-back combination was selected in the impressive Henry Hunt and Mike Jones. The pack was boosted by the hard-working Nathan Moses, a 3rd XV regular last season, who impressed as always at Hooker. The backs were boosted by regular 1st XV centre/wing Thomas Barry’s inclusion due to timetabling problems. There were also fortunate enough to have scholarship boy,

Martyn Steel at full-back.

Anglia Ruskin were certainly bigger and more experienced than their Team University of Leicester counterparts but that did not stop Leicester impressing enormously in the first half.

Ben Gittins led from the front with a sterling performance and he was aptly supported by Henry Wallace who completed a number of significant carries.

In the backs there was plenty of space out wide which wingers Adam Woolley and Ronny Ip were able to exploit with their darting runs. Thomas Barry was also able to rampage through the middle and his battle with Anglia Ruskin’s inside centre was the heavyweight duel of the day.

Leicester conceded first through poor defence and a number of notable missed tackles. The response was impressive though from this inexperience outfit.

Gittins’ team talk under the posts certainly did the trick and Leicester began to become the stronger team. Despite being outweighed in the pack, gritty determination from much of the forwards allowed Hunt and the rest of his backs fairly regular ball.

Eventually, after sustained pressure, it was the welsh fly-half who set Adam Woolley over in the corner after a 2-on-1 on the five metre line. Unfortunately, the difficult kick was missed by the talented fresher.

Leicester then took the lead, af-

ter half-time, for the only time in the game. Prop, Linesh Fredrick found some room on the wing and with an impressive turn of pace and excellent hands was able to unlock the Anglia Ruskin defence with remarkable ease. Again, it was Adam Woolley who benefited. The winger used his pace and guile to score in the corner.

Leicester’s lead would not last long though as fitness began to tell. Anglia Ruskin fought back impressively and combined with a number of extremely suspect decisions going against Leicester, the game slipped away from them. Despite the introduction of Alex Jenks and later Conor Wickham to add experience, despite valiant attempts Leicester were not able to fight back.

The game descended into near anarchy in the final 10 minutes.

There was a significant number of head-stamping from some Anglia Ruskin players and a number of scuffles broke out.

Ruskin were certainly keen to waste as much as possible and thus to frustrate Leicester. Newly-appointed 3rd XV coach Cal Howard could only watch on as an eventual 31-10 scoreline certainly flattered Ruskin.

1st XV next week in what will be a must-win encounter if Leicester are going to fight off relegation.

The team will certainly become stronger with the return to full fitness of Alex Jenks, who will certainly be pushing for a 1st XV place in his final year. Conor Mottram and the injured Tom Jeffries and Edd Godfrey with certainly provide more experience across the pitch. Leicester travel to newly promoted Derby

Photos by Keith Tonks

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Club Captain Chat Sebastian Goodhew Mens Rugby Union Club Captain I was lucky enough to be able to catch Men’s rugby Union Club Captain, Seb Goodhew, for a chat to discuss all matters rugby before their BUCS season kicked off.

Seb certainly came across as very calm and calculated, all his answers were articulate and he seems to have his feet firmly on the ground. We discussed the forthcoming year for the club, his ambitions both personal and for the club as well as chatting about varsity and the rugby clubs reputation.

Seb combined humour and seriousness very effectively. I asked him if there were any positives in the 1st XV relegation to which he responded: “it means we can really build a combined squad of ones and twos”. Seb certainly seems to be very enthusiastic about the club and has big plans for the freshers for the upcoming season.

Last year Seb was one of a number of freshers to feature in the big varsity match at Welford Road against DMU. Joking about the experience he said: “you’re under a big crowd. A lot of young ladies watching you.

Yes it’s good fun”.

His ambitions for the forthcoming season are clear. He wants to see the 1st XV promoted and another resounding win on V-day: “And I think in the coaches opinion and the committee’s opinion we should be back up into that Midlands 1A.” Seb was also keen to stress the balance between the playing and social sides of rugby: “I feel we get the balance very well for student life and rugby.” He described the rugby club as a large family on a number of occasions saying: “and it just really sets you up for university. And for friendships you’re probably going to have for the rest of your life.”

Seb had a lot of success in his first year but seems determined to continue to improve: “I want to play a high level of rugby when I finish university so I’d love to obviously press on as I say and develop my game even more” It was an absolute pleasure to talk to Seb and I wish him and all his team the best in the forthcoming season.

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Northampton Succumb to Leicester Skill and Style

by Sebastian Goodhew &

Conor Wickham

The Men’s Rugby Union 1st XV began life in Midlands 2B, fresh from March’s varsity demolition of DMU, with an away match against Northampton 1st XV. This traditional rugby midlands rival game was the first of Sam Pickett’s reign as the new 1st XV captain. With a notable injury list, including club captain Sebastian Goodhew and massive second-row Ollie Tapscott, there were chances for a number of individuals to impress including fit-again George Murray in the back row and Jamie Hall at scrum-half.

Kieran Staunton, who started at outside centre and Dan Ashton, who begain his ULRFC career on the bench, were the only two freshers in the side.

The game started positively for Leicester with varsity star Jack Arundell who again showed his lightning quick feet to setup centre and new vice-captain Aled Evans for a try under the posts. Jack Mutch duly slotted the points with a much-improved boot.

The new look front row of James Longbon, returning from his year-abroad, club treasurer Scott Worley and Harry Mann, helped Leicester dominate against a larger Northampton pack ensuring that the backs had plenty of ball to play with out wide.

The second try was the product of one of George Newnham’s rampaging runs through the centres. He was able to offload to fresher debutant, Kieran Staunton who beat his opposite man to score out wide. Again, Jack Mutch successfully converted to prove that Leicester will not particularly be missing

former captain Jonny Pryce’s boot this season.

Then came the only downside of a hugely positive performance.

Sloppy and lazy defence allowed Northampton to have some small joy and score a try.

Scott Worley was the scorer of the third try with his traditional strong fend off. The muscular hooker who has been unfor-

2nd XV Suffer Defeat

tunate to have had his 1st XV opportunities limited thus far at Leicester took todays chance with open arms. He beat two defenders with one of his trademark carries to score under the posts. This again made life easy for Jack Mutch who slotted his kick to give Leicester a deserved 21-7 lead.

George Newnham. A quick penalty of the five metre line gave Leicester’s other vice-captain a chance to storm over. With a penalty also scored, Leicester eventually ran out 31-7 winners.

There was little debate about the man of the match with Scott Worley being the stand-out performer.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

James Longbon Scott Worley Harry Mann Sam Pickett (c) George Newnham George Murray Tom O’Connor John McGarvey Jamie Hall Jack Mutch

The final try again involved

Club Captain Chat

Fixtures

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

James Matthews Aled Evans Kieran Staunton Joe Coleman Jack Arundell Enrique Page Dan Ashton Kieran Robinson Adam Jones