The University Paper March 2015: Bath by The University Paper

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March 2015

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Outlook festival tickets P23

NEV SCHULMAN: HEARTBREAK SET ME ON THE TRAIL OF ONLINE IMPOSTERS PAGE 11

UNITED IN FAIR WAGES BATTLE

Rally for end to ‘unequal’ uni pay ALEX SIMS

INSPIRED BY SCIENCE: Bath Spa student Ashley Patterson’s designs, based on physics and technology, won her a place at a London Fashion Week show. She mixed wrap-around coats with skin-tight trousers in bold primary colours full story p3

PROTESTERS have demanded that the University of Bath pay all of its staff the living wage. Groups including Bath Students Against Fees And Cuts gathered at Wessex House at the end of last month, chanting slogans and urging the uni to pay its staff wages they can afford to live on. In a Change.org petition calling for action, student Kim Luetchford wrote: ‘We believe the UoB has a responsibility to look after all its staff, be they full- or parttime, temporary or permanent. ‘The university, as a major local

employer and leading academic institution, has a chance to lead the way on ethical employment by guaranteeing the living wage for its staff and giving them stable and secure employment.’ She added that the number of casual workers at the uni – including those on zero-hour and temporary contracts – was rising, meaning fewer staff were entitled to benefits such as holiday pay. The living wage is recognised as the minimum amount needed for someone to maintain a normal standard of living. It is currently £7.85 an hour – £1.35 more than the minimum

wage for workers over 21. Organisers of the protest said the UoB was ‘disgraceful’ in not paying it to hundreds of its staff, ‘the majority of whom are students’. In contrast, they said vice-chancellor Dame Glynis Breakwell recently received an £11,000 pay rise, bringing her annual salary and benefits to £395,000. They calculated that it would take some workers over 30 years to earn her annual salary and called for this ‘inequality’ to stop. A high earners report by Bath University And College Union,

THIS GIRL CAN: WILL THIS SASSY SPORTS CAMPAIGN GET STUDENTS OFF THE SOFA?

turn to p5

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Urban thriller winning big around the world

Drama: Sixteen

JENNY MONAGHAN A FILM made by students and staff at Bath Spa University is sweeping up awards across the world. Sixteen, which follows a former child soldier who moves from Africa to the UK, has picked up plaudits at the Luxor Egyptian and European Film Festivals, as well as the Regards sur le Cinéma du Monde in France. Judges were impressed by the story of Jumah, played by Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, and his new life in London. In the film, his life looks to be taking a turn for the better when a tentative romance blossoms with Chloe. But as his 16th birthday approaches, he witnesses a stabbing, forcing him to confront his violent past. The film was directed by Bath Spa creative media practice lecturer Rob Brown. He travelled to Luxor, in Egypt, where the film picked up best debut feature. He

Brooding: Roger Jean Nsengiyumva as Jumah in a scene from the award-winning Sixteen

FROM PHYSICS TO FASHION A BATH Spa student became one of just 17 student designers to have her physics-inspired mini-collection displayed at London Fashion Week. Ashley Patterson was challenged by Fashion Awareness Direct, a charity supporting young people in the

said: ‘It was a great honour to screen in competition at Luxor and the award was a welcome surprise. This will

industry, to create two outfits that explored the connection between physics and design. Her collection, named Electric Conversation, featured burgundy, kimono-style coats, mustard shirts and skintight trousers slit from the knee. Her designs were

help build momentum.’ He added that the film, which was first screened in London in 2013, would be promoted

inspired by the angles of the Tesla luxury electric car, named after futurist, scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla, and the way Cubism transformed art. Patterson is the third Bath Spa student in three years to be shortlisted in the competition. Alex Sims

in March with the help of the university, before being shown in cinemas again. The film won the public

PICTURES: VIMEO

vote at the Regards sur le Cinéma du Monde awards, a prize it shared with Estonian film Kertu. It was produced by Jake Hume and senior lecturer in creative media practice at Bath Spa, Nic Jeune. They were supported by a crew of film professionals and students from the university, including those studying the feature film-making MA. Students on the course gained film-making experience on the project before working on their own feature projects as part of their degrees.

March 2015

Jamie misses out on No.1 slot A STUDENT DJ has narrowly missed out on becoming the next Kiss FM presenter. Jamie Lee made it to the final five in the Kiss Chosen One competition. The 20-year-old, who studies politics with economics at Bath, joined student station University Radio Bath in 2013 and won an award for his chart show. He presented the Student Radio Chart Show with BBC Radio 1’s Scott Mills in 2014 and has since got involved in children’s radio, taking responsibility for station Fun Kids. Sam Darlaston, 21, a University of Bedfordshire graduate, beat him to the winning spot. Jamie will return to his studies this year. Anthony Gilmour

Small label, big dreams TWERTON’S new record label has been causing a stir since it was founded in December. Rec House Records has signed three bands – funk rockers Saona; Ahbub Mahboubi, who have a thing for kazoos and the folky Pip and the Polar Bears. Boss Andrew Lawrence called it a ‘small label with big plans’. See rechouserecords. wordpress.com. Aaron Lembo

March 2015

Renting in the north is going to cost you... JOHN SHAW

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City by city....are you paying too much for rent?

the average rate. Students in Reading had the best deal, STUDENTS in the north are shelling out 39.15 per cent being hit in the pocket for rent less than the average, accordas they bear the brunt of the ing to the StuRents figures. Co-founder Tom Walker nation’s housing divide. Seven of the top ten worst said: ‘Clearly, value is relative, affected cities were in the so comparing inter-city stunorth, where students pay a dent rental prices purely on premium over the low cost of an absolute basis is perhaps a little one-dimensional.’ other properties in the area. The analysis of 25,572 stu- the ten cities with the highest None of the top ten were in the south, where student dent properties in 51 cities premiums was £63.04 per accommodation is relatively also revealed that the cities person per week, while the cheap compared with other where students paid the high- average for those living in properties. Loughborough est premiums were among areas with the most generous discounts was £143.64. students were worst off, pay- the cheaper places to live in. 125_259x162.5mm_MonopolyOpenTimesStudentOfferFeb_325839.ai 1 26/02/2015 11:47 The average overall price in Bath students were among ing 36.08 per cent more than

City Loughborough Durham Lincoln Huddersfield Middlesbrough Hull Bolton Lancaster Derby York Stafford Nottingham Wolverhampton Bangor Birmingham Plymouth Liverpool Chester Manchester Ipswich Leeds Dundee Newcastle Leicester Preston Luton

Av rent £80.21 £94.17 £84.02 £80.86 £59.77 £70.46 £74.16 £82.86 £69.77 £77.82 £81.96 £77.45 £70.31 £77.95 £75.61 £89.88 £73.01 £90.32 £79.55 £87.89 £83.71 £73.57 £69.25 £69.36 £64.10 £99.82

the biggest winners, paying 30.87 per cent less, with student accommodation costing £86.98 per week, compared with £125.83 per week for a non-student. Elsewhere, Nottingham digs

Premium 36% 32% 28% 27% 23% 21% 21% 19% 13% 10% 7% 5% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% None -1% -3% -3% -5% -6% -6%

City Bristol Stirling Swansea Exeter Norwich Canterbury Cardiff Falmouth Aberdeen Sheffield Coventry Portsmouth Glasgow Leamington Spa Stockton Southampton Cirencester Cambridge Edinburgh Bournemouth Bath Brighton London Oxford Reading

cost 5.09 per cent more than average but in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester they are about par. Those studying in Coventry made a 14.09 per cent saving, while Sheffield students paid 12.8

Av rent Premium £93.33 -8% £79.24 -9% £66.28 -9% £92.31 -10% £71.46 -10% £90.94 -11% £76.34 -11% £80.78 -12% £120.22 -13% £72.20 -13% £82.20 -14% £83.11 -14% £89.46 -15% £85.79 -17% £50.84 -18% £78.49 -18% £88.60 -20% £111.02 -22% £95.28 -23% £82.47 -25% £86.98 -31% £98.17 -31% £202.40 -32% £102.50 -33% £80.78 -39%

per cent less. Scottish students were also found to be living at a discounted rate, with those in Glasgow paying 15.06 per cent less than average and those in Edinburgh paying 23.17 per cent less.

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inBRIEF

Zero-hour contracts ‘are rising’ from p1 released last year, claimed Dame Glynis was the highest-paid university head in the nation for the size of the institution. The UoB responded: ‘The university introduced a pay supplement for all permanent and fixed term staff, which equated their pay as a minimum to the living wage at the time – £7.65 per hour from April 1 2014. ‘It was agreed that this would be reviewed on April 1 2015. ‘We recognise the importance of offering a good employment package and staff receive an excellent benefit package.’

March 2015

Lib Dems ‘sorry’ for emailing uni accounts THE University of Bath is rethinking its policy on sharing email addresses after an unsolicited message from a Liberal Democrat candidate landed in students’ inboxes. The emails, from Steve Bradley, who plans to represent the party at the

general election, were sent to their university accounts. Green Party supporter Sally Williamson wrote on Twitter: ‘Intrigued to know how @bradley_steve managed to get my uni email address and send a targeted Erasmus email address to me.’

Fellow Green Matt Strachan tweeted: ‘@bradley_steve can you please tell me how you got hold of my personal university email account? (And others)... I have NOT subscribed to you.’ UoB said the addresses were provided to the Lib Dems by a student. It said

HENRY EDWARDS

A SCHOLARSHIP scheme offering grants and accounting placements is growing. The Ernst and Young programme will be the largest of its kind at UoB, worth more than £1million pledged over four years. Ten accounting and finance first years will receive £15,000 for their four-year courses, with others eligible for smaller grants. It is the first time the company has offered the scheme to undergraduates.

THE UoB is to become part of a £5.1billion study into a poorly understood disease. Academics will study lupus, which affects about 16,000 people in the UK, mainly women of African, south Asian or Chinese descent. The disease causes the immune system to attack healthy cells, causing inflammation leading to a wide range of health problems. The study will aim to tailor treatments to small groups of patients.

Apology: Mr Bradley

New halls anything but run-of-the-mill

Grant scheme is extended

Disease study to tailor drugs

addresses were available to students and staff via its ‘person finder’, adding it was speaking to the’ union about whether this facility ‘continues to be in the best interests of students’. The Lib Dems have apologised to the university for the emails.

Easing pressure: An artist’s impression of the new halls at Twerton Mill

AN old cloth mill could hold the key to easing pressure on homes in the city, housing authorities hope. The Victorian Twerton Mill, in Lower Bristol Road, is being converted into accommodation for 330 students, including studio apartments, flats and shared town houses. It is hoped the building will be fully converted by August, in time for students to move in at the start of the new academic year. Paul Crossley, leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, said the new halls would allow more non-students to live in the city’s privately rented housing. ‘One of the issues with having two very successful universities in Bath is that it puts pressure on our affordable family housing, particularly to Twerton, Westmoreland and Oldfield,’ he said. ‘For us, the advantage of purpose-built student accommodation like this is that it gives the student better

accommodation and a better landlord experience – but it also takes pressure off our existing housing.’ The rooms provided by the development will add to the 461-bedroom student complex on the site of former care home Green Park House, in Green Park Road, on which work started last year. Alan Hope, chief executive of Twerton Mill developers The Midas Group, vowed the accommodation there would be built to last. ‘The high standard of the development and build will offer an enviably modern accommodation option for students,’ he said. ‘The contemporary design of the new development also manages to pay homage to the rich industrial heritage of the site, with many traditional materials employed.’ In the Victorian era, the mill was home to cloth manufacturing company Wilkin’s, which dominated Bath in the 19th century and made military uniforms during World War I.

Pulling out all the stops for judo dream A MEMBER of Team Bath’s judo squad has become the latest to use crowd-funding to help his Olympic bid. Adam Hall, who is based at the University of Bath, has launched a campaign on the website PledgeSports.org helping him to raise just over £1,500 so far. As he gets no funding from the sport’s governing body or the lottery, the 26-year-old also works as a bouncer most

evenings, coaches judo and puts in the occasional shift as a teaching assistant. ‘The crowd-funding has done really well and I was really quite surprised,’ he said. ‘People I’ve never met and parents of children I’ve coached have donated. A lot of people are surprised we don’t get any funding. ‘They assume because you’re Team GB you get a lot of lottery funding – but it

Body slam: Adam takes out an opponent doesn’t work like that.’ His teammates Tom Reed and Gary Hall – no relation – have

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also used the platform to help cover the costs of their Rio bids. The more success

they have at events, the closer they get to being ranked in the world’s top 22 – the magic number for Olympic qualification. Adam, who is currently touring South America, did two years of a sports performance course at UoB before leaving to concentrate on sport. He hopes to return to studying and eventually become a PE teacher. Jenny Monaghan

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March 2015

focusPOINT

Our monthly in-depth look at the issues on campuses across the country

Well, these girls can Ad aims to shake up views on doing exercise NORA SELMANI IF you’ve turned on the TV lately, you may have noticed a load of sweaty women working out. But rather than airbrushed, toned types with thigh gaps, this lot look pretty normal, wobbly bits and all. That’s because they are part of This Girl Can – a campaign aimed at breaking down the barriers that stop women getting involved in sport and fitness. Adverts and a YouTube video show all sorts of women exercising to the soundtrack of Missy Elliott’s Get Ur Freak On. The film was created by Sport England after it found just eight per cent of women and girls aged 14 to 40 did regular exercise, It said fear of being judged on their appearance, ability and weight was stopping women and girls from getting active. The campaign has been taken up eagerly on campuses across the country. Emily Cole, a secondyear English student at the University of Bristol, is right behind the campaign, saying she hoped it would help stop women feeling unwelcome at uni sports facilities. ‘In a society where I often feel intimidated at the university gym and where Setting the pace: London student Grace, 22, who was filmed climbing a hill on one of her regular bike rides for the video

Aspire to perspire: Victoria, a 29-year-old children’s nurse, appears at a spinning class in a shot aimed at making sweating acceptable the simple exercise of squatting has now become something so sexualised I daren’t do it in front of people, this campaign struck a chord with me,’ she said. ‘When I first saw the campaign advertised before a YouTube video, I had to stop and re-watch it. ‘Finally, after so many “new year, new me” magazine covers and gym wear advertised on incredible models, someone understood that it all comes down to being healthy and most importantly having fun. ‘Many girls I know forget that exercising isn’t just to get a “bikini bod”. I think this is only the beginning of a wider movement to encourage girls

that yes, we can go to the gym, sweat it out, have our wobbly bits on show and embrace the strength and beauty of our bodies. ‘I’m thankful that it’s finally being addressed.’ Sinead O’Grady, who recently graduated with a business management and information systems degree from Swansea University, said she hoped the campaign would build on the work of women’s sports teams. ‘It is essential for bringing the issues that surround women in sports to the forefront of university policies,’ she said. ‘Swansea University has some incredibly talented female

players and teams, so it is not discrediting what they already have but encouraging others to be inspired and get involved.’ But Stuart Wilkinson, a lecturer in sports coaching at the University of Central Lancashire, said it was a problem that many of the women pictured in the campaign were still slim and conventionally attractive. ‘It hasn’t considered how such symbolism might have the opposite effect to what was intended – normalising the slender body, accentuating the desirable and undesirable,’ he added. ‘Unfortunately, while brave and bold, it will for these reasons come under scrutiny.’

what they say ‘This is a brilliant campaign. It sends a message to the nation that defies the assumptions about being feminine. I would love to know how impactful it will be in future.’ Jasmine Pokuaa, vice-president for health and social care, University of Salford

‘Netball is extremely important to girls as it not only helps us physically but both socially and mentally also. It gives me structure in my daily life, helps with my fitness and it’s something I love.’ Sam O’Connor, netballer, Northumbria University

‘This Girl Can is a really inspirational campaign and has used targeted messages that I think other women in sport campaigns have failed to address; it’s not about the way you look when you exercise, it’s about the way you feel.’ Alyx Murray-Jackman, sport development officer, University of Bristol

‘Most girls on our team have never touched a rugby ball before they come to uni, so playing a male-dominated sport is taking girls out of their comfort zone.’ Megan May Stammers, women’s rugby union social secretary, University of Liverpool

‘Being a woman in tennis has never stopped me from being my best. Mixed doubles shows our potential. I love playing against people who challenge me and, at times, it’s the women who do more.’ Sophie Brazell, tennis team captain, Cardiff University

March 2015

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The hunt for the one true hipster JOE EVANS COOL, ladies and gentlemen, is no longer cool. The hipster trend has become something of an epidemic. Now, bespectacled men in cardigans and Zooey Deschanel lookalikes roam our streets. Hating Coldplay but adoring Bob Dylan, loving coffee but scoffing at anything nonorganic, they have conquered whole portions of our cities. Bookshops and vinyl outlets have been colonised. Love or loathe the trend, it appears to be flourishing. But, like punk before it, hipsterism, so to speak, is deeply

Dodging the label: Hipsters PICTURE: STEWART HONEYMAN

flawed. There is nothing a hipster hates more than the label. ‘I’m no hipster,’ they shriek. ‘So what if I love the works of Jack Kerouac and Bret Easton Ellis?’ The individualism that

defines the movement is the thorn in its side. Now let’s take a glimpse into the dystopian future I envisage. Brothers turn against brothers, girlfriends against boyfriends, in the name of finding the one true original hipster. Their hair will get messier and the clothes more and more ill-fitting in the name of becoming the one true individual. The coffee shops will turn to slaughter houses as the fight for non-conformity spirals out of control. Then Shoreditch, Digbeth and the Northern Quarter will fall silent as the hipster trend finally breathes its last.

If you spot an error, we are committed to putting it right. Contact us at corrections@unipaper.co.uk. If you do not wish to receive a copy, then email us with your address at nothanks@unipaper.co.uk. We print 200,000 copies in 16 university cities. The University Paper is published by The UniPaper Ltd, in association with Simian Publishing, 23-24 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RU. Printed by Newsquest, Oxford.

talkingPOINTS TASTY PROSPECT: University students are like caterpillars. After we gobble up GSCEs and A levels, we get an appetite for degrees. We are cocooned for three years until we transform into beautiful butterflies and land graduate jobs. But in an increasingly competitive market, chancellor George Osborne wants to make it easier for us to stay cocooned. He has proposed a new postgrad loan of up to £10,000 to benefit an intended 40,000 students. As someone who worked through both masters degrees, I applaud this idea. It would make the lives of working class students much easier Thomas Dowling

STRIKE A BALANCE: News that size 24, 5ft 5in model Tess Holliday had won a professional contract was met with a mix of triumph and outrage. Holliday’s unapologetic bikini-clad poses have won her a strong Instagram following and she should be commended for challenging the way unhealthy size zero figures are promoted in the modelling industry. However, her success does pose a question: is the promotion of an exceedingly overweight woman the right type of replacement role model? We need a middle ground Ellie Connell

PICTURE: STEWART HONEYMAN

LIT US BE: Dear students of the UK: When you ask us to explain our literature degrees, we prepare for questions that will make us want to blind ourselves with our Biros. Here are just a few examples: ‘So you want to be a teacher?’ Because that’s our only prospect – never mind media, PR or business. ‘It’s a pretty easy degree, right?’ Contrary to the myth that all we do is sip lattes and partake in an unrequited love affair with Mr Darcy, it’s actually a pretty tough subject. Unless you consider being assigned novels, poems and Foucault’s History Of Sexuality in the same week easy. ‘Why not maths or engineering?’ We don’t question your love for equations of a Tolstoy-esque length, so don’t knock our book fetish Ellie Tindsley

UNFAIR STEREOTYPES: As far as the media is concerned, us students should either be fun, carefree and innovative, or sheep following the system. Films like American Pie and Bad Neighbours are fun but show us drinking an excessive amount of alcohol and barely doing what we’re supposed to be doing – studying. Yes, we do like to go out and have fun – who doesn’t? But this distorted perception in film blows it completely out of proportion. We need to be taken more seriously in the media Emma Adams

DIVERSITY LACKING: Because the curriculum is heavily based on white culture, certain students from ethnic backgrounds are at risk of under-achievement. These students learn nothing about the role their culture plays in the world they live in but are taught that civilisation and knowledge are the product of white predecessors. Ensuring education is racially inclusive and gives an unbiased representation of ethnic minorities is not only essential to achieve equality but also quality – the history, culture and literature of non-whites cannot be accurately represented by white people alone. Students from ethnic backgrounds cannot be taught material that only talks about their culture in a direct comparison with Western culture, in a way that shows it to be relatively subordinate. It is imperative that contemporary literature taught to young people reflects the multicultural society we live in Yashi Banymadhub

MATTER OF OPINION: When you have thousands of young, opinionated students on campus, claims of censorship are bound to pop up. Students should, of course, have the right to express all manner of opinions – but perhaps not those that are detrimental to others. The prohibition of material such as that from extremist groups could be perceived as patronising. While the right to express individual opinions is paramount, it is also vital that everyone feels they have the opportunity to do so without being harassed Beth Sexton

PIC: WIKICOMMONS/EVA RINALDI

NO CONFIDENCE: ‘Political apathy’ has been a buzz phrase during the run-up to this year’s election, describing a conscious lack of engagement with democracy, including the decision not to vote. Its most famous proponent, Russell Brand, has called for revolution. With students bearing the brunt of many cuts imposed by the current government, it’s easy to sympathise. But apathy highlights a problem without offering a solution. The revolution Brand describes is an event, not an outcome. Wherever you stand, it’s worth registering to vote before the April 20 deadline. It’s always nice to have the option Lindsey Coombs

You can read fuller versions of these pieces at www.unipaper.co.uk/comment. Then, let us know what you think; email us at comment@unipaper.co.uk

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talkingPOINTS

March 2015

Comment, opinion and the occasional wild rant from our student writers across the country

I regret lecturer sex for cider bet JOSIE WALKER

Grey area: Powerful men, such as Christian in Fifty Shades Of Grey, might seem attractive – but reality might not live up to the mental image

WALKING into my first lecture of my first year, I thought I had hit the jackpot. A young, good-looking guy stood at the front of the hall, wearing a close-fitting suit. All the girls around me excitedly whispered to each other that this gorgeous man would be teaching us for the next 12 weeks. As time progressed, my fascination became stronger and, by reading week, I realised I could not recall a thing that had been said in any of the five lectures. The only notes I had taken was on the first day, where I had written the title and his name, dotting the ‘i’s with hearts like a lovesick primary school pupil. My preparation for lectures

was not completing seminar tasks or preliminary reading but, instead, making sure my hair was perfectly curled, my top enhanced my best assets and my skirt showed just enough leg to be suggestive but not slutty. In lectures, note-taking was shelved in favour of hair-flipping, pen-chewing and short, seductive glances. By this time, my friends had cottoned on and they made me a bet. If I got a snog, they would each buy me a pint of my favourite cider. Getting a snog AND free booze – what girl could refuse? So, in week nine, I made my way to his office in an outfit so tight I worried that if I ate anything I would burst out. Once there, I cut to the chase. Instead of sitting across

from him, I slid my chair next to his so he could ‘explain’ the problem I had brought to him. When in place, I leaned in close, breaking the distance barrier that kept our relationship professional. He noticed – and it didn’t take long for him to give me what I wanted. It was at that moment I realised my mistake. It felt the same as when my dog licks my face. I felt a trickle of something wet run down my chin and recoiled – but he got up to lock the door, and I knew what was about to happen. But, even though I was repulsed by his kiss, morbid curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know what it would be like to go all the way. So I did. He wriggled around on top of me like an excited puppy,

arms flailing and not knowing where to put (or what to do with) his hands. My bum was numb from being squashed on to the solid wood desk and my legs dangled awkwardly off the side. When it was over (which didn’t take long), he rolled off me and sat in his chair, panting, leaving me sitting on the desk completely naked and questioning what I had just done. It felt like the worst mistake of my life, and in that moment I wished I could go back in time and take it back. I felt dirty and guilty, swearing I would never agree to a bet with my friends again. The one perk is that I got very drunk that night. But the worst part? I found out he’s my lecturer next year, too...

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March 2015

theINTERVIEW: Nev Schulman

Being lied to takes its toll but I enjoy it W

HAT started out as a story of modern-day romance turned into a strange and twisted tale of deception and heartbreak. Photographer Nev (pronounced Neev) Schulman fell in love with Megan after talking online. However, after she avoided meeting up, he did some digging and discovered Megan didn’t exist. She was, in fact, the invention of a manipulative housewife called Angela. Nev had been catfished. His story was turned into a documentary – something he is unsure about to this day. ‘If I had been asked at the beginning if I would like to make a documentary about my life that would end up in movie theatres and exposing this embarrassing period in my life, I don’t know what I would have said. I can’t say I would have said yes or no. It happened by accident,’ he says. Then, after it aired, others started to turn to him for help. He explains: ‘People started emailing me saying: “Can you help me? I haven’t talked to anybody about this but I saw your story and now I feel like I’m not crazy and not alone.” ‘Very quickly, it became apparent to us that what we thought was an odd experience was much more common than we would have ever expected. ‘We wanted to continue the conversation – and a TV show

The Catfish host chats to JOSHUA EVANS about being manipulated by strangers, seeing your life turned into a TV show and getting back on the dating scene... was the best way to do that.’ That TV show became Catfish, which sees the 30-year-old weed out other web tricksters. So, which one was the worst? ‘The person I found the hardest to stomach was Kidd Cole, the one who pretended to be a producer and a recording artist,’ Nev says. ‘He was manipulating people for huge monetary purposes without remorse – it was just for fun. ‘He was trying to prove something to the people who never thought he’d amount to anything by taking advantage. When we confronted him, he was so cocky – that was why I threw his phone into the river.’ Nev shares the screen with friend and cameraman Max Joseph and claims it’s their relationship that keeps the show from getting too heavy. ‘He is so straight up with me,’ Nev says. ‘There are very few people who can really say anything to me and be totally honest, and Max is one of them. We give each other advice – he helps me and I help him. When we’re not filming, we’re usually so busy doing other things, we don’t spend a lot of time together.’ The pair are often lied to by the fraudsters in the show. How does that feel? ‘I think people forget Max and I are people,’ Nev adds. ‘We’re

not trying to win people over, we’re just trying to tell good stories and I think people forget that. They just see us as cardboard cut-outs. ‘So, it does take its toll – but I mostly enjoy it.’ And what about the rumours of a UK version of the show? ‘We’ve been talking about it,’ he says. ‘There was a time when we were very close to putting together a pilot. I was very excited – but for now it’s all on hold. I would love to come over as it’s fun to go to places I’ve never been and have people recognise me. Sometimes it’s weird and I don’t like it but it’s mostly fun and pretty wild.’ Now the pair are filming series four, Nev is ready to get back on the dating scene. ‘It’s been a while since I was really dating. I recently broke up with a long-term girlfriend,’ he explains. ‘I’m just starting to reconsider how I want to re-emerge and put myself back into the single world.’ So, any dating advice for us? ‘It’s important to be straight up with people and tell them how you feel even if you are unclear about what you want,’ he says. ‘As soon as you open that door for an honest exchange with someone, it just makes it nicer to be around them.’

NEV SCHULMAN is the face of Rocawear. Visit the website: www.rocawear.com

INSIDE: Fat Boy Slim speaks to us about his life on the road and the people he has met

March 2015

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The ones to watch... Rising talents raise a smile

clubs

MONDAY #MNB, Second Bridge, £4 Open Mic Night, The Nest, free Wow!, Club XL, £4 or after £5 Volume, Zero Zero, from £3 TUESDAY !CRASH!, Po Na Na, £4 or £3 NUS Tuesday Night Live, The Nest, free Cheeky Tuesdays, Weir Lounge, £1.50 WEDNESDAY Discord, Po Na Na, £4 or £3 with an NUS Flex – Strictly UK Garage, The Nest, free Bump & Grind, Zero Zero, from £3 F*#k Me It’s Wednesday, Weir Lounge, £4 or £3 students

HE funniest up-andcoming talents will be on show when Bath Comedy Festival returns. Rising stars including Bec Hill, Archie Maddocks and Sam Carrington will perform alongside seasoned comics such as Richard Herring and Jarred Christmas. More than 100 events will take place between March 27 to April 6 across a number of venues, including two films by Monty Python and patron Terry Jones. Festival director Nick Steel said: ‘I love introducing Bath to new and talented comedy performers, so I can’t wait for everyone to see the full programme for this year’s festival. I have slaved for many hours, sitting in darkened pubs and comedy clubs, beer in hand, just so I could bring this year’s handpicked selection of acts to our great city.’ The festival has also adopted the F-rating, first seen at Bath Film Festival last year, which means events in the core programme will promote and include female comedians. Check out our picks to see which acts are hitting town...

what’sON

THURSDAY The Bomb, Second Bridge, £4 Wannabe, Po Na Na, £4 Playtime, Zero Zero, £3 FRIDAY Forever Fridays, Second Bridge, £6 Propaganda, Po Na Na, £5 or £4 students Kontrol, Zero Zero, from £4 Delight, Club XL, £4 guestlist or £5

Just for laughs: (clockwise from top right) Stephanie Laing, Sam Carrington, Amy Howerska and Archie Maddocks OUR FESTIVAL PICKS

March 27: Opening Night Gala Cabaret starring Jarred Christmas, Bath Cricket Club, £12 – The launch includes an eclectic mix of stand-up, character comedy, magic and music to kick off the festival in style.

March 28: Rob Coleman – Ocean Going Idiot (work in progress), Assembly Inn, free – Rob doesn’t know the first thing about sailing but,

despite two failed attempts, possesses an unquenchable thirst to cross the Atlantic in a small boat. March 29: Bath Spa University Stand Up – Judge and Jury, Bath Brew House, free – BSU students go head-to-head to be crowned the king or queen of comedy. Who wins? You decide. March 30: Stephanie Laing – Nincompoop, Ring O Bells, £3 – Stephanie

realises she is a very silly woman in this show, which includes odd noises, drawings of ducks and a confession about some vomit. March 31: Diane Spencer – Power Tool, Ring O Bells, £5 – Diane and her love are searching for their dream home but, being cash-strapped comedians, are struggling to find a place. Enter Nancy Dell’Olio... April 1: Amy Howerska –

Dog-ged Laura in for big year HOMETOWN girl Laura Doggett is one to watch this year. The Bath singer’s powerful voice has seen her tipped for the top, while her song Old Faces was used in the trailer for ITV hit Broadchurch. And she is determined to make 2015 a year to remember. Speaking to TUP, she said: ‘It’s so exciting at the moment. I have got a nice little base where I’m on people’s radars but I am going to release more music and I want to play more quirky shows. By the end of the

year, I will have my album out and – fingers crossed – I want it to be successful because it is very difficult for new artists breaking through.’ Despite her growing popularity, she still thinks of Bath as her spiritual home. She said: ‘It’s such a different place to be. When you go back there and you go into a pub or something there is always a table of people you know – it’s such a tight community and it’s so special.’ The singer, who now lives

in the capital, has lined up a number of shows this year including a mini south-west tour, stopping off in Exeter, Bristol and The Nest in Bath. She is also asking musicians to send her their Soundcloud tracks to be in with a chance to be her support act. Laura said: ‘I’m just looking for someone unique. Hopefully, if they are local, then can bring lots of people to the gigs as well.’ n Catch Laura when she plays The Nest on March 20.

Sasspot, Ring O Bells, £5 or £4 for concessions – Amy was raised by a pack of wild skydivers in Swansea. Hear her tales of being the boring one in the family.

April 2: Richard Herring – Lord Of The Dance Settee, Komedia, £15 or £25.50 for a meal deal – After covering weighty topics such as death and religion in his last show, Herring is back to talk daftness and whether ‘cool comedian’ is an oxymoron.

New face: Laura Doggett is looking for support

SATURDAY PureBridge Saturdays, Second Bridge, £7 Marrakesh Mash-up, Po Na Na, £6 Etiquette, Weir Lounge, free entry before 11.30pm for women MotorCity, Komedia, £6 or £5 students Circus Saturdays, Zero Zero, from £5 Minted, Club XL, free before 11.30pm or £4 after

What a lovely evening out... CORONATION Street’s Wendi Peters stars in the revival of Oh! What A Lovely War. The actor, known for her portrayal of Cilla Battersby, will be joined by fellow soap star Ian Reddington in the play, which was brought back to commemorate 100 years since the start of World War I. The satirical play features numbers such as Keep The Home Fires Burning and Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag. It runs from March 9 to 14 at the Theatre Royal.

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what’sON

March 2015 Our comprehensive guide to entertainment in Bath. If you have an event you would like included, please email us at whatson@unipaper.co.uk

pick of the month THEATRE CHALLENGE your prejudices with Twelve Angry Men, starring stage great Tom Conti. A jury is deciding the fate of a young delinquent accused of murdering his father. At first, the case seems open-and-shut, and the are jurors eager to get home. That is, until one stands up for what is right and fights for the accused to get a fair trial. What seemed simple at first becomes less than obvious as the evidence is called into question and people start to change their opinions. Twelve Angry Men runs at the Theatre Royal from March 30 to April 4.

FASHION WHETHER you’re a selfconfessed fashionista or just appreciate style from a bygone era, then Bath’s Fashion Museum has the exhibit for you.

including Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door, this production, which has sold an estimated 15million tickets since it was first staged, is a real crowd-pleaser.

Georgians: Dress For Polite Society, which runs until January next year, includes more than 30 original 18th-century outfits from the Fashion Museum collection. Items on show include gowns made of colourful and richly patterned woven silks, as well as embroidered coats and waistcoats. There are also pieces from modern designers, including Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Anna Sui. Tickets start at £7.25. Rebecca Cattell

COMEDY

THEATRE JOSEPH And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat continues its UK tour at Bath’s Theatre Royal from March 24 to 29. X Factor finalist Lloyd Daniels plays the title role in this classic Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical, while Matt Lapinskas – otherwise known as Anthony Moon from EastEnders – takes

In chains: X Factor finalist Lloyd Daniels takes on the role of Joseph at the Theatre Royal on the role of Pharaoh. Favourite son Joseph is sold by his jealous brothers to merchants who take him to Egypt.

ELEven days of festival fun with the biggest ever line-up!

27 MARCH - 6 APRIL 2015 www.bathcomedy.com 30863B Bath Logo 70cmx220cm half size:Layout 1

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There, he is thrown into prison, where he interprets his cellmates’ dreams. His talents are required by the Pharaoh who is

so impressed that he puts Joseph in a key position only for famine to grip Egypt. Packed with big musical numbers,

IF YOU grew up on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, you will know how hilarious improv can be. Some people are naturally funnier than others – but everyone has to work on it. If the comic art is something you want to have a go at, then why not come along to onw of the Improv Theatre Nights at St James Wine Vaults? The venue hosts all levels of talent but most participants are beginners at the moment. The evening consists of games and scenes to help you develop the skill. Every class starts with a warm-up and progress depends on how everyone feels. The next night is on March 11, with each participant contributing £1 for the use of the venue. John Shaw

March 2015

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theBEAT

I’m diving a little deeper... I’m a little darker

Experimental: B.Traits is pushing her musical boundaries

Brianna Price, aka B.Traits, 28, was a regular on Canada’s rave scene at the tender age of 14. She and MORGAN HINTON chat musical influences and the UK’s drug problem

INCE moving to the UK, what have you found to be best and worst about the rave scene? The rave scene here is incredible – unlike anywhere else in the world. Even just the sound of the style of music stands out to me – it’s the main reason why I didn’t move to the US instead. The worst? Probably similar to my documentary How Safe Are My Drugs? I feel like the authorities are

not doing enough to create safer raving environments. Have you found the drug problem in the UK more prominent than Canada? Yes, particularly with legal highs. They scare me most as they are so unpredictable and there’s no history to tell us what the side-effects could be. What is your favourite non-electronic musical act? I listen to a lot of rap, like Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar. But then, I have a massive

love for Alabama Shakes! What can we expect from you musically this year? I’m not exactly sure myself! I’ve gone into the studio with the idea to only create and experiment. It’s been really interesting – for the first time

in my life, I believe I really know what my sound is. What kind of listening experience does your Friday night slot on Radio 1 offer? I represent new talent for the underground dance scene. After Annie Mac and

Pete Tong, my show takes you a little deeper, a little darker. Since coming to the UK, who has had the most impact on your music? Probably Shy FX, as he’s stuck with me since the beginning. I remember the

first time I played him my more experimental stuff, I was convinced he’d hate it. But he didn’t – he loved it and pushed me to dive deeper. B.Traits plays Manchester’s Sankeys on March 21 as part of its 20th anniversary.

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inSTYLE

March 2015

Want to look great and stay up-to-date with the latest trends ... all on a sensible budget? Check out our monthly guide to the best buys for students

How to be chic at a snip

EING a student means learning many new skills – not least the art of budgeting. But despite being able to get by on £10 of food a week, some of us find it harder to rein in the spending when it comes to keeping up with the latest trends. So, how can you be fashionable while sticking to a student budget? Go for investment buys. This does not mean blowing your entire loan on one Michael Kors bag – it’s about being clever with your spending and splurging on key pieces that will last, rather than the buying expensive ‘on-trend’ items that will soon look dated. A good pair of jeans or a quality coat can be investment buys – just keep them simple and classic. Don’t go mad at the sales – just because individual pieces

are cheap does not mean the cost won’t add up. Most shops list sale items online before they appear in store, so make a list of what you want before you go bargain hunting. Embrace recycling. Many people think charity shops are just full of old people’s clothes but among the knitted tank tops and pleated woollen skirts, you can find some real bargains. I recently picked up a Topshop skirt for £4 while it was still being sold new for £26. Many stores offer multibuys on things like socks and underwear which can be great – as long as they actually save you a reasonable amount of money. But beware – anything less than a £1 saving is a bit pointless, unless you really need to stock up. Finally, don’t forget to wave that NUS card. Many high

Wearing very Lidl clothing

Bargain buys: English students Beckey Bulman (left) and Ally Head model charity shop finds PICTURES: DAISY HOLDEN street chains offer a discount of ten per cent or more on full-price items. Daisy Holden

WE all know it does cheap food – but now supermarket chain Lidl is branching out into the world of lingerie too. For £7.98, you can now pick up a matching set of lacy underwear similar to the one pictured while you shop for your groceries. There are bras and knickers for £3.99 and a silky wrap will set you back less than a fiver. The supermarket not only offers a no-frills approach to frilly undies – it has also launched a fashion range. But will it be enough to tear us away from our beloved highstreet brands? Aliya Hussain

March 2015

hiTECH

www.unipaper.co.uk The latest in everything gadgets and gaming

Get screws in a spin to bust out of the prison

ANCY yourself as the next Michael Scofield or Andy Dufresne? Well, with Team17’s The Escapists, you can test yourself against the system without going through all the hassle of committing a crime. The indie puzzle game, released last month on PC and Xbox One, uses the film and TV cliché of breaking out of prison but puts you in control of the story. Developer Chris Davis told the University Paper: ‘I’ve always been a fan of prison films – Prison Break and The Shawshank Redemption – but there have not really been that many games that take place inside. ‘So, I thought maybe this will be good – the big build-up and the suspense.’

The game lets you go through day-to-day prison life – including meals, workout time, roll call and even jobs such as laundry duty – so as not to arouse the guards’ suspicion, all the while coming up with an escape plan. Want to beat a guard to death with a soap bar in a sock? You can do that. Want to dig a tunnel underneath the prison? You can do that, too. There are no instruction manuals or tooltips – how you escape is left entirely up to you. Chris said: ‘The games I grew up with when I was younger, from the 16-bit era – they never had these handholding aspects and I guess that’s what I’m used to. ‘I remember when I used to

Bloodborne, March 24 SEARCH for answers in the creepy streets of Yharnam – an ancient city hit by a gruesome plague. Fight off the violent, deranged mobs and nightmarish creatures that lurk around every corner using weapons such as guns and saw cleavers. Players can also use holy chalices to gain entrance to a network of vast underground ruins filled with traps, beasts and rewards. The game will be coming exclusively to PS4 from Dark Souls developer FromSoftware. Jake Clothier Dark Souls II, April 7

Hell in a cell: The Escapists on PC (£12.99) or Xbox One (£14.99) achieve something in a game back then, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I don’t feel you get these days with games, because everything is sort of way-pointed.’ Alex Jolly

n FOR a chance to win one of three The Escapists goodie bags, email us at win@unipaper.co.uk with your name, age, university, telephone number and address.

THE innovative fantasy series returns, remastered and reimagined, in Dark Souls II: Scholar Of The First Sin. The next-gen and PC re-release comes with a new playable character and enemy placements, which will change the way levels are handled. There are also new items

out soon available, including the ‘agape ring’, which absorbs souls collected from online kills. The developers have also enhanced the graphics and increased the player count in online play. Ben Chuter Mortal Kombat X, April 14 WE all know the format by now – two players fight against each other using an array of attacks, special moves and brutal fatalities. So, what’s different about Mortal Kombat’s latest offering? Well, new ‘living towers’ game mode allows players to fight to the death in everchanging conditions, forcing gamers to adapt their technique. Four new characters have also been added to the roster, while all the old favourites have been brought back, bringing the number of playable characters up to 24. Matt Bullin

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March 2015

onSCREEN

Love a good night at the movies? Or perhaps you need a quiet night in front of the TV? Read on to find out what’s on...

The quick quip comedy It’s war: Shailene Woodley takes the fight to the elite in Insurgent

The Divergent Series: Insurgent THE latest film in the series based on Veronica Roth’s best-selling science fiction trilogy sees Shailene Woodley’s character Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior go to war against the leader of the corrupt elite, Kate Winslet’s Jeanine, while Theo James plays love interest Four. Tris and Four must search for allies and unlock the answers to seemingly impossible questions. The film is set to be released on March 20 and is yet to be rated. Daniel Williams Furious 7 FASTEN your seatbelts for the latest lap of the Fast And Furious circuit. The franchise was rocked last year by the death of Paul Walker, who played Brian O’Conner, in a car crash – but the latest instalment was finished after his brothers Caleb and Cody stepped in to help. In a strange twist, the film sees Ian Shaw, played by Jason Statham, seek revenge for the death of his brother at the hands of a rival crew. The film is due for release on April 10. Zahra Faqir Child 44 ANOTHER Tom Hardy film, another accent.

After sporting a southern drawl in Lawless, going Welsh for Locke and using a somewhat unplaceable tongue as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, the Londoner goes Russian to play Leo Demidov. The secret policeman is troubled by the mysterious deaths of boys in this thriller, based on the 2014 novel. Joel Kinnaman, Noomi Rapace and Gary Oldman also star. Out April 17. Seamus Mcginley-Hughes Avengers: Age Of Ultron IRON Man, Thor, the Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye are back – and this time they’re joined by X-Men twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen. The peacekeeping tool Ultron, created by Tony Stark – aka Ironman – backfires when it decides the human race must be wiped out and the heroes unite to stop it. Out April 23. Zahra Faqir

app. Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman) kills herself after finding someone has posted a drunken video of her online, before one of her ‘friends’ sets out for revenge via Skype and the dead girl’s Facebook account. Due to be released May 1. Antoniya Gerimpapazi The Salt Of The Earth THIS documentary sees Juliano Salgado follow in his famous father Sebastião’s footsteps, as he uses images to tell the photographer’s life story. His father, now in his 70s, has witnessed the major conflicts, mass exoduses and human tragedies of the late 20th century, and this film calls on the viewer to think about what the human race does to the planet. Due for general release on July 3. Antoniya Gerimpapazi

Unfriended A MIX of horror classics Carrie and I Know What You Did Last Summer, this film, directed by Levan Gabriadze, uses social media to make you think twice about opening that Facebook

Going east: Tom Hardy

TAFF Room has trodden the rocky path from disastrous pilot to internet hit. The comedy series is squeezed into eight-minute episodes that follow two teacher friends as they skip classes, nurse hangovers and discuss everything but work. Its co-writer, Ryan McDermott, collected ideas while working in schools and teamed up with old friend Adam Brown to create it. But the pair failed to get funding for their first pilot. ‘Nobody wanted to make it, which is usually a sign not to do it,’ McDermott admitted. ‘So we said, “OK, we’ll make a pilot of this ourselves”.’ They raised just over £1,000 on crowdfunding website Kickstarter. ‘It wasn’t a lot of money but it was enough to get us going,’ said McDermott. ‘But then the pilot was a disaster. My agent

told us we needed to bury it in a time capsule so that nobody would ever find it.’ Determined not to bin the project, McDermott, who started making films when he was given a video camera aged 14, cut a three-minute trailer from the pilot footage, which got 25,000 hits online. It attracted the attention of Comedy Central, which funded the team and now hosts the series on its website. McDermott (pictured second from right with fellow cast members Zoe Lister, Adam Brown and Brian Capron) also stars in the series, filmed in Salford, Manchester. It is aimed at people watching on their mobiles while travelling to and

from work and uni. ‘We had to learn how to be really serious writers,’ said McDermott. ‘We had to deliver these episodes that were really halfan-hour’s worth each and put them into eight minutes – and that was a challenge.’ An added pressure has been filming each episode in a day. ‘Nobody does that,’ said McDermott. ‘It was like a military operation to get it all done but at the same time we were literally having the best time – we became a big family.’ To anyone hoping to film their own comedy series, he said: ‘Know exactly what you are and exactly what you want to be.’ See Staff Room at www. comedycentral. co.uk. Christina Sims

March 2015

yourNIGHT

www.unipaper.co.uk Enjoyed a big night in Bath? We have all the pictures from the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest nightspots... see if you can spot yourself.

March 2015

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foodBREAK

We’ve all got to eat. So whether you fancy preparing something at home or popping out for dinner, we have the recipe for a great meal

The magic of mince...

pepper. Scrunch together well with hands 3. Divide into 24 small balls. Put them on a plate and coat with olive oil 4. Heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add two tbsp olive oil. Stir in the onion until softened and colouring. Then add the other clove of garlic and the chilli. When they colour, add several large basil leaves, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil, season to taste and leave to simmer 5. Heat another large frying pan on a high heat and add two tbsp oil. Cook the meatballs for eight to ten minutes, frequently turning them until golden brown. Check they are cooked by making sure there is no sign of pink inside. Once cooked, add to the tomato sauce and your choice of pasta Jes Needham-Bennet

It is the essential student ingredient – cheap, filling and easy to use. But, if all you can think to do with mince is to rustle up a spag bol, then think again... Chorizo, beef and bean stew

Ingredients: 500g minced beef, 225g chorizo, can of red kidney beans, can of chopped tomatoes, two cups of beef broth, one large onion, four cloves of garlic, one large carrot (chopped), one potato (diced), one tsp smoked paprika, one tsp black pepper, half a lemon, salt to taste Method: 1. Heat the oven to 180C. In an oven-proof pot, heat the chorizo with a little bit of oil so it doesn’t burn. When it starts sizzling, add onions and garlic and fry. Once browned, add the beef

and chopped tomatoes 2. Cook in oven for one-anda-half hours 3. Add the beans, spices, carrot and potato. Continue cooking for one-and-a-half hours 4. Serve with boiled rice and green peas Jit Pal Meatballs

Ingredients: One heaped tbsp rosemary, one heaped tbsp oregano, one heaped tsp thyme, 12 cream crackers (smashed until fine), two tsp Dijon mustard, fresh basil, 500g minced beef or pork, one egg, olive oil, one medium

Tasty and quick: Chorizo, beef and bean stew and, inset, spicy south-west burgers

FANCY

2 5%

Spicy south-west burgers

PICTURE: BLYTHE LEWIS

onion (finely chopped), two large cloves garlic (crushed), half a red chilli (finely sliced), two cans of chopped tomatoes, one tbsp balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

tsp coriander, ground black pepper to taste, two tbsp vegetable oil, two avocados, four burger buns, cheddar cheese (sliced), hot sauce Method: 1. Mix the mince, onion, peppers, chilli pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, and black pepper in a large bowl. Knead with hands until all the vegetables and seasonings are incorporated into the beef 2. Separate the mixtures into four even pieces and roll each into a ball. Put on a plate, pressing on each with palm to flatten. Leave in the fridge for at least 15 minutes 3. Heat two tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan over high heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add patties to the pan. Cook for two to three minutes on each side 4. Remove patties from the heat and place on kitchen roll to remove excess oil. Transfer to buns 5. Halve the avocados and remove pits. Use a fork to crush half of the flesh while still in the skin, then transfer to the burger, using half an avocado for each burger 6. Top with hot sauce and sliced cheese Blythe Lewis

Method: 1. Put crackers and one clove of garlic in a large bowl with oregano, rosemary, thyme, mince and mustard 2. Crack an egg into the mix and season with salt and

Ingredients: 500g minced beef, one onion (diced), three mixed small peppers (diced), one small red chilli pepper (diced), one clove garlic (crushed), one tsp cumin, one

CALLING ALL STUDENTS!

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competitionCORNER n YOU can win one of four Bulldog Skincare For Men kits – jam-packed with enough product to scrub yourself from head to toe. Each kit includes original shower gel, aftershave and moisturiser, all made from natural ingredients and no man-made chemicals

n TO celebrate the DVD release of WWII epic Fury, we are giving away copies of the film, along with a Fury T-shirt, tankard, hip flask and a special Sherman Tank Haynes Manual. Fury is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and for digital download

To enter these competitions, email your name, university and year of study to win@unipaper.co.uk

March 2015

Your chance to win fantastic tickets, trips and treats

tickets to N I W Outlook festival To enter, email your name, university and year of study to win@unipaper.co.uk

In the groove: Outlook festival takes place in a 2,000-year-old Roman fort

ANCY sailing around the Adriatic coastline and partying in a 2,000-year old amphitheatre in Croatia this September? All you need to do is grab your bestie and some cheap flights, and we’ll provide you with two tickets to Outlook festival in Stinjan. The prize includes access to the festival’s camping area – so don’t forget to pack your tent pegs. You’ll also get two tickets to the opening concert and a boat party of your choice. Guests so far include Run The Jewels, Wiley, Boy Better Know, Goldie and Pete Rock. The event runs from Wednesday, September 2, to Sunday, September 6. For all the details, take a peek at www.outlookfestival.com.

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let’sTALK

March 2015 Relationship trouble? Sex worries? Feeling low? We’ve got wise words to set you right

Alice ask

treatment being a syringe to drain blood, I’d suggest you are better off sticking to your guns on this one, Aaron.

Danger: Taking tablets to boost your sex life can be risky

O... Student Finance doesn’t cover the summer. How have I only just found this out and what am I meant to do?! Pia, Bristol Your final instalment will be slightly higher to account for the summer; however, you still have five months to get through between April and September. So, start applying for summer jobs now – and we aren’t talking about shelf-stacking. Go to Glastonbury with DC Site Services or head down under with Get Australia. If you want to stay closer to home, how about becoming a mentor with The Challenge or even staying in halls? Most universities open them up as hotels during the summer and need all the hands they can get.

FTER Easter I have just two months left at university... need I say more. Tom, Preston If there is one thing worse than the dissertation, it is the constant ‘so, what are you going to do when you finish university?’ – and this is before you’ve even got through finals. But, having said that, you need to start looking at graduate schemes and postgraduate bursaries now, or maybe even the possibility of extending your tenancy just a month or two longer to avoid a bout of graduation blues. Graduating can be just as good as freshers was those three short years ago... but only if you have a game plan.

INCE when did Viagra become the one? Even my girlfriend is keen to try it out but I don’t see

the point in either of us taking it. Aaron, Cardiff One in five 18- to 25-year-olds is necking the infamous blue pill but not for the reasons for which it

was originally intended. Much like poppers, Viagra has strayed into the recreational category. However, if you take it without prescription or purchase it online, you are

opening yourself up to a number of life-threatening and long-lasting complications – not to mention priapism. (That’s a persistent erection to you and I).With the

Struggling with your studies, wrestling with a relationship or is your social life at a standstill? If you need advice, email our agony aunt on askalice@unipaper.co.uk

Looking for a date? Try this cheeky app Founder and director of CheekyBoo Ben Mitchell, 30, used to work at Barclays before an idea came to him about simplifying the online dating process. Thus, almost two years ago, the idea for the app was born. AYNSLEIGH HOLLYWOOD asks him whether we are losing the art of meeting Mr or Miss Right in the real world

VERYTHING happens online now. Do you think that enhances or diminishes real-life interactions? It’s just the way of the world. It’s the reason for CheekyBoo and other likeminded apps – people don’t have time to go out and meet people as much as they used to. It’s handy to meet online and it’s only going to increase as technology advances. Do you have any personal online dating experience? I’ve been on dating sites in the past and I think CheekyBoo was born from the fact that I didn’t like what I saw. I wanted to strip out what I considered as gimmicks and simplify the process of online dating.

Where did the idea come from? Just being out and about and thinking about new ways of meeting and interacting with people, rather than having to go through the awkward ice-breaker. What work goes in to making an app of this sort? I had to come up with design images to show how I wanted the app to look. You also have to do what’s called wire frames to design the actual pages themselves and work out how one page feeds into another page. If you were explaining CheekyBoo to someone who hadn’t used it, what would you say to convert them? I’d say the biggest selling

Date night: CheekyBoo and, inset, founder Ben Mitchell (left) point is its simplicity. There is no matching of databases behind CheekyBoo. There is no Facebook account needed so it is a standalone app. With so many other dating apps, how do you stand out?

The fact that it is localised and the radar cannot be restricted or expanded – it is set to ten miles. We match people depending on whether you like their pictures or whether you like their bio. You only upload

nine photos and the bio is 140 characters. Where do you see both the company and yourself in ten years’ time? I would hope CheekyBoo would go global with millions of users worldwide.

Coming out can still be a concern I WOULD never tell you I’m gay unless you asked me. In fact, I’m not even 100 per cent sure – but I can say I’m probably more gay than I am bi. The thing is, you don’t just come out of your teenage years ‘knowing’ –you come out in stages. From there, you could say I’m coming out daily to people who are yet to ‘know’ me. I have to trust someone before I tell them. Safety is always my biggest concern in terms of what could happen if I show my affection to someone of the same gender. You shouldn’t have to care what other people think – but, unfortunately, people resort to extreme measures of showing their disapproval. Bobby Atkinson

March 2015

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yourSPACE

Home or away? It’s up to you

IVING at home while studying certainly has its benefits. But will you be missing out on the full university experience? There’s no right or wrong answer, so check out our pros and cons to help you decide. Advantages of living at home 1. Lower costs – You will probably not be paying for rent, bills, food and other expenditures, so that gives you a little bit more spending money. 2. Good grub – If you aren’t much of a chef, home-cooked

meals are a luxury that you won’t have to give up. It’s much easier to concentrate after a good meal rather than beans on toast. 3. Peace and quiet – Unless your parents are party animals, it is unlikely that you will be woken up at 3am with a fire alarm going off or hearing drunk people in the street when you have a 9am lecture the next day. Disadvantages of living at home 1. Distance learning – Travelling can be a pain and could stop you from going

Be close to those near you

Train in vain: Commuting to uni can make you late thanks to delays to lectures. If a seminar is cancelled or plans are changed at the last minute, it can also be tough to change your schedule. 2. Social cost – It can be hard to maintain friendships. By living at home, you are excluded from the student lifestyle, so trying to meet up with mates

outside of the university day can be a bit tricky – and getting home after a night out can be a total pain. 3. Over-reliance on parents – University is not all about your degree... learning life lessons is just as important. Without having your parents to rely on, you

PICTURE: DAVID ROBINSON

quickly learn how to look after yourself. 4. Missing out – Being on campus is a great way to get involved in other university activities. From pop-up shops to job fairs, the campus has it all and you will probably miss out if you are stuck in the house. Daisy Holden

GOOD neighbours can become good friends. So don’t ruin it by making their lives a misery. Here are a few tips to maintaining a good relationship with those who live next to you. 1. Be considerate – Just because you enjoy singing along to loud music at 4.30am doesn’t mean your sleepy neighbours will. 2. Get to know them – A family with young children is likely to need peace at night, while if you live next to other students they will probably be more understanding. 3. Be friendly – A little kindness goes a long way, so offer to sign for parcels or even invite them round for a barbecue and drinks. Laura Harcombe

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March 2015

yourSPACE

How to find the right place to live, the right people to live with and how to keep your place right

Ratting to ratings... Owen Dixon, who founded website Rate My Roof to identify good and bad student landlords, tells LUCY ROGERS how it all sprang from a run-in with a rodent

OR students across the country, the spring term is dominated by the scramble to secure a home for the following year. But, in the rush to get somewhere with the right number of rooms, in a location that won’t mean an hour-long bus ride to lectures, many end up living in crumby conditions. This is a problem business graduate Owen Dixon is aiming to tackle. The 22-year-old set up Rate My Roof, a website that lets students review private accommodation, after a run-in with a rodent during his time at Durham University. ‘One time my housemate had to hit a rat with an umbrella in the living room,’

he said. ‘I was frustrated at all the bad student houses. I wanted to make the market fairer and put the power back into student hands.’ Tenants can add properties to the website, listing whether utilities such as wifi or bills are included and giving their own comments, as well as a star rating. In the interests of fairness, the site also has a section that allows landlords to respond. And, since setting it up, Owen has heard from students with even worse experiences than his rat battle. One, from the University of Leicester, described how a tree blocked the entrance to his home. He claimed he also had to report the property to environmental health over a

faulty air filtering unit, as well as serious damp and mould issues. But Rate My Roof is more than just a collection of horror stories. One student describes their home in Bristol as a ‘lovely, quirky flat in an ideal location for Clifton Triangle and the

university’, while another writes: ‘Any problems we have had have been sorted straight away with the landlord.’ Despite facing problems with the original web developers when he started the site in 2014, Owen – who deferred his masters for a year to work on it – sees it

going from strength to strength. ‘I aim to have thousands of reviews from students all over the country, so that people are aware of what they are getting for what is one of their largest financial commitments at university,’ he added.

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March 2015

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studentLIFE

The best, the worst and the down-to-earth of being at university

Must-haves to make life a little bit easier For some, it is a well-stocked food cupboard – for others, a comfy bed and their favourite stuffed toy from home... We ask what one item you need to survive life at university

PHONE: ‘It’s my alarm for early lectures – and my distraction when I really don’t want to be in those lectures.’ Jack, first-year history University of Leicester student A memory stick: ‘After losing a memory stick, I realised my life was over. Nothing backed up anywhere. I even contemplated moving out I was so devastated.’ Paul, third-year computer science University of Leicester student Caffeine: ‘If I didn’t have caffeine, I would never finish my deadlines. In the week leading up to a deadline, I can drink a six-pack of energy drinks a day – not that I would recommend it!’ Katie, thirdyear pharmacy student at De Montfort University A microwave: ‘I tell my parents I cook all the time but sometimes I just want a cheap lasagne or something I can cook in under ten minutes.’ Eloise, second-year business management student at De Montfort University A bottle opener. ‘The most annoying thing is taking beer to a house party and not being able to find a bottle opener. I chipped my tooth in first year trying to do it with my teeth – it is a bad idea.’ Amy, second-year mathematics student at De Montfort University A dishwasher: ‘It saves time, effort and keeps the kitchen tidy – no arguments about washing up.’ Alex Jubb, University of Birmingham The clothes horse: ‘Simple, cheap and effective.’ AB Netflix: ‘Great when you have done all your work and

exams are months away.’ AB Local off-licence: ‘Out of alcohol? Pop to the shops – problem solved.’ AB A greasy spoon: ‘Essential to help defeat the dreaded hangover.’ AB A multi-tool: ‘From the emergency bottle opener to the emergency furniture fixer – it has it all.’ James Williams, University of Liverpool A multi-coloured pen: ‘Great for defining different notes and colour-coding your planner.’ JW A voice recorder: ‘Attend a lecture and fall asleep? Now you still have the notes.’ JW A tablet: ‘They’re more portable than laptops and just as handy.’ JW A flask: ‘For the emergency hangover coffee and the get-me-through-this-essay friend.’ JW Tupperware: ‘Leftovers survive better in Tupperware than squeezed onto a plate and badly balanced in the fridge. Take lunch with you into uni – it is so much quicker and cheaper.’ Jes Needham-Bennett, University of Manchester Alarm clock: ‘Get an alarm clock – a loud one. Alarms on phones and watches can be unreliable, so it’s nice to have a back-up.’ JNB Berocca/Lemsip: ‘Berocca to make hangovers in 9am seminars more bearable, Lemsip for freshers flu.’ JNB Blankets: ‘Heating a house through winter is expensive. Throw some cheap blankets on your bed instead.’ JNB Deodorant: ‘When you’ve overslept after a party or from

Indispensable: (clockwise from top right) The stress can be taken out of university life with the help of a clothes horse, an off-licence, Netflix, a flask and a phone workload-induced exhaustion and don’t have time to shower before lectures, invest in industrial-strength deodorant.’ JNB First aid kit: ‘You never know when disaster will strike, so it’s handy to have a first aid kit on hand. Include things like paracetamol and don’t forget the usual bandages and plasters.’ Daniel Williams, Swansea University

Quick-fix food: ‘Good examples are Pot Noodles or instant soups, which can help you when time is of the essence or you just want a break from cooking.’ DW Emergency money: ‘Try to keep some money aside for times of crisis. Even if you keep a fiver stuffed in a longlost part of your wallet or in the back of a drawer, you can always make sure you have

enough for a taxi or some emergency food.’ DW Memories: ‘Bring plenty of photographs of family and friends to keep yourself from becoming too homesick. Maybe even bring your favourite teddy bear from your childhood, or anything that you think will help you get through those long terms without seeing anyone from back home.’ DW

Take a Time Out or Boost your studies over Easter? EASTER’S here and it’s time to relax and indulge in chocolatey goodness – but the break does mean the final deadlines of the semester are looming. With this in mind, it’s natural to assume your

university commitments will have to take some sort of priority over the holiday period. But there is no reason you can’t have a good time and get your work done, too. Spend the first week

chilling and put work to the back of your mind. Let yourself unwind and you’ll feel ready when the time comes to start your studies again. Use the next couple of weeks to knuckle down

but don’t forget to give yourself a break. Limit work time so you don’t stress out and make sure to see your friends – it is your holiday and you deserve it. Kelly Smith

Where do you fit into the uni family?

YOUR housemates are your surrogate family, and although at times they make you want to pull your hair out, you couldn’t survive without them. Everyone has their role in the house – so check out our guide to the university family and see where you and your friends fit in... The mummy: Normally found cooking, gathering mould in her bed and singing Taylor Swift at the top of her voice when the rest of the house is hungover. Quick to disapprove but always there when you need her. The dad: Handy with a tool kit and happy to help out – not great on the dance floor though. The twins: They could have been separated at birth. They are scarily similar and have the same sense of humour. The noise levels shoot up when these two go on a night out. Younger sibling: Wants to be the centre of attention and can annoy the house a lot. Makes a lot of noise when they don’t get their own way. Crazy aunt: Always ready to party and gives good advice when you need it most. Charity case: You’re not too sure where they came from but, after a few nights out in first year, they seem to have stuck around and become a permanent fixture on the sofa. Quiet cousin: The one you’ll find in the uni library at 9am. They are timid and dedicated to their course but can help out when you are struggling with your coursework. The pet: The most demanding of your housemates. Who said it was a good idea to get a pet? They moult, scratch the sofas and climb the curtains. Lauren Knight

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March 2015

theBEAT The ‘people’s tenor’ prefers tennis and his Xbox to plugging in the headphones Love your music? So do we! Tune in here for all the latest interviews, previews and reviews

I love the sound of silence Y

OU’VE had five top ten studio albums and worked with artists from Pavarotti to Shaun Ryder – but what music inspires you? You’ll probably be surprised by this, but when I’m going about my daily business I actually don’t listen to much music. I try to avoid it. I’m already in the industry and music is my life, so when I don’t have to listen to it, it’s like, ‘aww, bliss’. When I do I listen to music, it’s artists like the Black Eyed Peas or James Brown. When I’m touring, I’ll refresh my memory by listening to recordings of the tenor singing repertoire that I do – listen to the different inflections they use. We hear Katherine Jenkins refuses to speak the day before a performance. How do you look after your voice? Well – Jacuzzis, lots of booze… no, I’m just joking – that’s a normal night! Your voice can be a bit of a pain in the a**e sometimes. If you are a guitar player and the strings start to wear out you can simply replace them, whereas it’s not so simple to repair your voice. When I first starting singing as a young chap, I used to go watch Manchester United and if something happened I’d be shouting from the stands, but I can’t do that anymore. What collaborations will stick in your mind for years to come? Of course it has to be my performance with Luciano Pavarotti. He was amazing and totally lived up to his diva reputation. One of the most amazing days I’ve had was when we did a concert in

Tour: Cook PICTURE: FUTURE MUSIC

Singer Russell Watson tells REBECCA THOMAS about his battle with cancer, strange rehearsals with Charlotte Church and Pavarotti and being made to rock by Meat Loaf Hyde Park where I was told I would be performing in front of 75,000 people. Charlotte Church was also performing alongside Pavarotti and we were waiting what felt like forever to rehearse with him. We walked into the rehearsal room, where he was sat on this long arm chair. He put his hands together as if he was going to say a prayer and then took a massive inhalation of air before pointing to Charlotte and saying (cue dodgy Italian accent) ‘When I point to you, you sing’ and looks at me and says the same thing and then goes: ‘End of rehearsal’ – and that was it. That was the rehearsal! We got outside and Charlotte looked at me and went: ‘What the f**k was that all about?’ Another amazing person I performed with had to be Meat Loaf up in New York. I ended up in fact singing Bat Out Of Hell with him, which was incredible. We were in rehearsal once and he asked me: ‘Are you ready to rock?’ and me, being the typical English boy, said: ‘Yes, I am.’ He replied: ‘No, I said… ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?’ and he wouldn’t let us continue until I screamed out ‘Yes!’ It was surreal. You found out your brain tumour had returned while you were recording your 2007 album Outside In. Has anything positive come out of your illness? The first one was bad enough. I had that operated on and thought it was gone but 12 months later it wanted to do a comeback tour. I

basically ended up back in hospital and was very poorly for a long period of time. You can look back at instances like that and think I was very unlucky to get that and ‘why me?’ but these things happen and it’s how you deal with them that is crucial. An illness like that stays with you. Before I was constantly planning, whereas now my philosophy is live for the day. What has been your biggest achievement so far? Overcoming the illness and coming through the other side – being able to sustain my career through it all. My career highlight is definitely performing for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. He passed away not long after. What advice would you give to an aspiring singer? There are four things I feel are important if you want to pursue a career in singing. No.1 is always confidence – it’s is a crucial part of the make-up of a singer. But the biggest factor of all for any new artist starting out in the business is to have a plan, a good business accruement and to have a good team of people who you can trust. On your upcoming tour, you’ll be playing at your birthplace, Salford. Is there anywhere else on the tour you’re particularly fond of? I’m actually a big fan of Wales and so was my gran, she always used to take us on day trips there. As a child, it was the one of the only places I really visited outside of Manchester, as we couldn’t

Tough industry: Watson will wait before making another album

tourDATES

; March 22, The March 10, Brangwyn Hall, Swansea , Leicester; May atre The e Lowry, Salford; May 5-6, Curv rter Theatre, Cha 19, May h; burg Edin , Hall 11, Queen’s ton; June 16, Grand Theatre, amp verh Wol , atre The d Preston; June 4, Gran dule at www.russellwatson.com sche tour full ; Leeds; June 26, The Forum, Bath

afford to go away abroad or anything, so I spent most of my time holidaying in Wales as a child. What do you do to relax between gigs? I like to exercise a lot. My favourite thing to do at the moment is play tennis. I’m

playing about four times a week. I love my physical fitness, including boxing. My biggest form of escapism, though, is my Xbox One – quite sad for a man of my age (48). Do you have plans for a new record soon?

The music industry is tough. It got to the point when I was getting fed up and it almost felt like a factory churning out song after song, so I’m waiting until I’m ready to produce something that I believe in before I release anything else.

A long way from the gutter but dreaming of stars FATBOY SLIM has made some pretty extreme venues his own, from a igloo to the Great Wall of China. Over the past 19 years the DJ, real name Norman Cook, has produced some of the biggest dance anthems to date and sold 8million albums. But with an international tour coming up, he is showing no signs of slowing down. Reflecting on his rise to DJ stardom, he says: ‘I

remember the first time I heard one of my tunes on the John Peel show. It felt like the pinnacle of everything I ever wanted to do. Over the years, all these things ascend, from hearing your music being played on the jukebox at the Queen Vic to ending up at the Olympic Games closing ceremony. Every time you think you have reached a pinnacle, you find another.’ Now 51, Cook

lives with wife Zoe Ball and their two children in East Sussex. He says he would do it all again, but has one regret. ‘I never had my photo taken with Madonna,’ he says. ‘We met the first time she came to England and shared a dressing room. It was the time she had the string vest, you know, classic Madonna.’ But that’s far from his only celebrity run-in. ‘The weirdest thing to

happen to me while DJing was Kevin Spacey coming up to me heavily disguised at Glastonbury. We had a chat right in the middle of a set and nobody else realised. I can’t even remember what we chatted about. It was Glastonbury; everything was a bit of a blur. No-one else will ever know if it really happened.’ Fatboy Slim plays Common People in Southampton on May 23.

March 2015

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sportNEWS

Making a splash: Victorious UWE swimmers, left, and trampoliners Megan Comber, Charlotte Plummer, Maddy Perkin and Lucy Theobald from Bristol PICTURES: TWITTER Top spot: Birmingham’s Imran Rahman wins 60m gold, while Elliot DowsunHurley (Leeds Beckett) gets silver and Daniel Obeng (Loughborough) bronze

Golden moments: (l-r) Sheffield Hallam’s Karla Drew claims gold for 60m women’s hurdles, David King of Bath wins the men’s and Sheffield University graduate Jessica Ennis Hill, who trains in the city, pops in

6,000 sporting stars race for the podium LIAM O’NEILL NEARLY 6,000 of the finest university athletes descended on Sheffield to take part in the BUCS Nationals last month. Students competed on the track, in the pool and even on the climbing wall to win medals for their teams. Loughborough University were crowned overall champions, winning 57 medals over the weekend of February

20 to 22. The first day saw a photo finish in the men’s 60m. University of Birmingham’s Imran Rahman won gold with 6.79secs, while Elliot Dowson-Hurley of Leeds Beckett took silver in 6.82secs. Sheffield Hallam University’s Karla Drew won the 60m hurdles in 8.38secs, while David King, from the University of Bath, won the men’s. On the Saturday, Hallam’s Rebecca Turner edged ahead of Bath’s Anne Bochman to

take the women’s open 200m freestyle, with Hallam’s Ellie Faulkner claiming third place. In the men’s climbing, local rivals Hallam and the University of Sheffield both finished with a team score of 669. Hallam claimed gold by having a higher-placed individual. The final day saw Leeds Beckett taking gold in the men’s 4x200m, with Loughborough winning the women’s. Loughborough were the overall team champions on

the track in both the men’s and women’s events. Cardiff Met came second in both and Birmingham third. But the weekend wasn’t all serious, with the mascots lining up for a mixed 200m race. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Panther Pete from Brighton claimed gold with a time of 30.88secs, while last-placed Klein the Penguin from Durham waddled home in 65.35secs.

Hang tough: University of Sheffield and British climber Michaela Tracy on her way to victory

Family affair: Northumbria triple-jumper Emma Pringle beats sister Hannah, who gets silver

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March 2015

sportNEWS

Team GB’s Dom sets sights on Olympics JOHN SHAW OLYMPIC skeleton slider Dom Parsons is looking towards the 2018 Winter Olympics after representing Great Britain in the World Championships. The University of Bath student, who competed in Winterberg, will feel confident of pushing for a podium place in PyeongChang 2018 after finishing tenth at his first Olympics in Sochi last year. Speaking to TUP, Dom said: ‘Winterberg is the first step on a four year run to the 2018 Winter Olympics, which is my main goal.’ The mechanical engineering student, who used to run the 400m, was first introduced to the sport in 2007 by fellow skeleton athlete Adam Pengilly. Dom said of the sport: ‘The nervousness is always there before a run. It doesn’t go away but I’m not as nervous as I used to be – it’s more of a relaxed excitement. You have your face less than two inches to the ground so it’s not the most natural place to be, lying on a tea tray. ‘It’s a bit of a Marmite sport – you either love it or hate it. When I first got selected they were actually looking for a female athletes, so I was there with eight girls. That helped me make up my mind.’ Dom made a quick rise in the sport, competing for Great Britain in 2008 for the Europa Cup in St Moritz. Since then, he has had two fourth-place finishes at the Junior World Championships in 2009 and 2010. But it hasn’t all been easy. ‘I had a major accident about five years ago,’ he said. ‘It was the first run of the season in Germany with a big 360-degree turn, known as one of the most difficult of the track. I came out safely but managed to flip myself on the next corner. As I went into the next turn my sled hit me, splitting my two front teeth in half. I got bad concussion from that as well – it took me a week or two to get over it.’

DAVID CROWNED KING OF THE TRACK Focused: David King set a new personal best PICTURE: PRH SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

HURDLER David King admitted he was satisfied after ending his indoor season with the BUCS 60m men’s hurdles title and a new personal best. The University of Bath student had a busy schedule over the weekend, competing in the BUCS Nationals in Sheffield on Friday before shooting off to Birmingham for the Indoor Grand Prix the following day. But it paid off as the 20-year-old upgraded his 2014 BUCS 60m hurdles silver with a convincing winning time of 7.86 seconds

on the EIS track first up. He then lowered that time at Saturday’s Indoor Grand Prix, clocking 7.79 to finish sixth in his heat, while training partner Lawrence Clarke was the highest British finisher, with a silver medal in the final. And King believes his performances this weekend show he can deliver when it matters. ‘I do feel as if I’ve put a marker down in winning BUCS. Lawrence could have been here but he was concentrating on Birmingham,’ he said. ‘I was really happy with

my heats. The final went OK – it was nothing special but to win it is amazing and I feel like I’ve proved myself.’ British Universities & Colleges Sport is the governing body for higher education sport in the UK, representing 170 institutions and facilitating 52 sport programmes. BUCS has been shortlisted for governing body of the year at the BT Sports Industry Awards 2015 and is supported by Deloitte. See www.bucs.org.uk.

Ashay’s arrows set new record ARCHER Ashay Alok broke the BUCS record in the experienced gent longbow at the Indoor Championships. The University of Bath student scored 464, with 60 hits and 11 golds on his way to first place. Elizabeth Rees won the lady barebow category with a score of 540, with 60 hits and 14 golds. Alix Snell was not far behind, claiming bronze with a score of 459, hitting 60 with five golds. Bath came sixth in the gents non-compound team competition, scoring 1,671, with 180 hits and 83 golds. Top scorer was Alex Hickson. Alix Snell