The University Paper March 2015: Coventry

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COVENTRY EDITION March 2015

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Sports players to fork out hundreds for new-look gear JOSH PAYNE

WARWICK’S second string hockey side looked relaxed in this team selfie before their varsity match against Coventry University. The twos had every right not to worry, demolishing their opponents 5-0 and helping their university to varsity glory full story p31

Student lets for Coventry and Warwick students

HARD-PRESSED athletes at the University of Warwick are being asked to fork out for new kit as the institution celebrates its 50th year.

But students say they wont be able to afford the new gear as the Russell Group university moves away from its traditional corporate blue colour.

It also plans to change its badge, ultimately meaning many students will have to buy new kit for next season.

Footballer Bobby Zubis said: ‘I get that Warwick wants to do something special for its 50th year – but why do something that affects students so negatively?

‘I don’t think I’m the only person at the university that doesn’t want to pay for an entirely new kit.

‘I also don’t think I’m the only person that dislikes the idea of a new badge. It just breaks the traditions we have

as a university.’ The move put a dampener on celebrations following varsity, when Warwick crushed rivals Coventry.

Warwick sports of�icer Ruby Compton Davies said she lead a consultation in relation to the rebranding project, adding: ‘The marketing department revealed the existing logo of the university is going to change and that Warwick is moving away from its corporate blue colour scheme.

‘In light of the changes the university is undertaking, I am keen to involve sports club members in the process so we can get the best possible outcome for students.

‘I plan on hosting more consultations as I wish to take sports club members every step of the way, and the outcome will be democratically decided in an all-member vote in term three following this consultation process.’

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I’m prepared to take risks after my cancer

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Land a place in Austrian finals...

GET your paper aeroplanes at the ready as Red Bull Paper Wings soars to the University of Warwick.

The world’s top paper plane contest will be held in The Main Hall at the Sports Centre on Friday, March 6, from noon to midnight.

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Henry Hayes

ROBERT SEGER and CATHERINE LYON ENTREPRENEUR Henry Jinman has set up his own business – despite being one of the youngest people in the nation to get bladder cancer.

The University of Warwick graduate received the shocking diagnosis in his �irst year after noticing blood in his urine.

But he has successfully beaten the disease and is now CEO of Crowdfund Campus.

He said: ‘Without getting too X Factor about this, I think the cancer made me more prepared to take risks like starting the business out of uni.

‘There’s less fear of the unexpected when you have had to deal with something as unexpected as that.’

After leaving university, the former politics student teamed up with the university’s Software Incubator, which helped him to develop his crowdfunding idea.

The business works by inviting start-ups from universities to pitch for funding online.

If they successfully raise the full amount, they can use the cash to kickstart their idea.

Businesses can register for free and it costs nothing to launch a campaign.

However, if the drive is successful, then they will be charged �ive per cent commission, plus another 2.4 per cent transaction fee. Anyone can

March 2015

DJ is in Zinc with clubbers Inspiration: Henry Jinman (l) and business partner Alex Bargate with beer mats promoting the Crowdfund Campus website, inset

pitch an idea, as long as they are associated with a university community.

Henry said: ‘What you have with Crowdfund Campus is

the bene�it of the university community around you.

‘This is a university platform for university students. We have connection with the staff

community, the alumni community and, on top of that, we offer a lot of support for creating the project campaign, lots of discounts on video production and renting equipment, as well workshops and guides on getting the most out of your campaign.’

Success stories include the Coffee Club, which successfully raised more than its goal

of £200. It works as a networking club where creative people meet and talk over a hot drink.

Another project to secure funding was Jobless, an investigative documentary into graduate unemployment.

The team behind the �ilm were supported by 42 backers, who donated more than £1,000 between them.

DJ ZINC helped clubbers celebrate the first birthday of one of Leamington Spa’s most popular club nights.

The producer hit the decks at The Leamington Assembly for Switch’s party on February 20.

Krishna Swaminathan, a third-year University of Warwick student, said: ‘Switch is easily the best night I’ve been to in Leamington and the venue wins hands down in terms of size and atmosphere.’

4

March 2015

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

JOHN SHAW STUDENTS in the north are being hit in the pocket for rent as they bear the brunt of the nation’s housing divide.

Seven of the top ten worst affected cities were in the north, where students pay a premium over the low cost of other properties in the area.

None of the top ten were in the south, where student accommodation is relatively cheap compared with other properties.

Loughborough students were worst off, paying 36.08 per cent more than

the average rate. Students in Reading had the best deal, shelling out 39.15 per cent less than the average, according to the StuRents figures.

Co-founder Tom Walker said: ‘Clearly, value is relative, so comparing inter-city student rental prices purely on an absolute basis is perhaps a little one-dimensional.’

The analysis of 25,572 student properties in 51 cities also revealed that the cities where students paid the highest premiums were among the cheaper places to live in.

The average overall price in

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

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

the ten cities with the highest premiums was £63.04 per person per week, while the average for those living in areas with the most generous discounts was £143.64.

Bath students were among

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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‘To let’ signs, messy?

You just want us out JOSH PAYNE and CATHERINE LYON A ROW over ‘to let’ signs being put up outside rented housing is really about shifting a town’s student population, it has been claimed.

The boards, which estate agents use to advertise student homes, came under scrutiny when Warwick District Councillor Jerry Weber said they were making Leamington Spa look messy.

He added: ‘The boards go up on the houses in October and overwhelm the streets and

look awful. Students don’t like it and feel at risk of burglary – they feel more vulnerable with these boards identifying where they are living and making them an open target.’

He said the boards were also unnecessary, as he claimed students found their accommodation online rather than on the street.

But David French, a property manager at estate agent Student Homes, said the council wanted to get students out of Leamington.

‘There are a number of other

estate agents with boards across the town but we have been singled out,’ he added.

‘The only reason I can think of for this is that they object to the word student, which is on our advertising boards.

‘The council told us that local residents don’t want the boards up and that they are a reminder about the “detrimental effect” students have.

‘Another word they used was “studentification”. I’m not even sure that is a word.

‘It is clear that they are just trying to reduce the number

of student houses across the town.’ In response, Cllr Weber said: ‘Everyone is perfectly happy for students to be living in Leamington.

‘There are approximately 5,500 students living here and the vast majority are good residents.

‘Studentification is a term that is simply about identifying the areas where students are living almost exclusively.

‘It would be nice to have a bit more balance between these areas because it is better for the local community.’

Second-year theatre student

Taylor Mee accused councillors of using ‘to let’ signs to get support ahead of elections.

‘I’m not entirely sure that the boards are that bad,’ he said. ‘I haven’t seen that many of them around.

‘I think this is just an over-reaction from the council.

‘They are probably panicking about the upcoming elections and have chosen to side with the few residents who have complained.’

Cllr Weber said he was speaking to the University of Warwick students’ union about the boards.

March 2015

5

inBRIEF

Athletes fund kit?

It’s unjust from p1 However, she claimed students would not be expected to fork out for the new kit.

‘I feel it is unjust to ask members to pay out of their own pocket for something that is out of their control,’ she added.

‘Therefore, I have requested an amount in the five-year sport budget to cover the costs of equipping teams with kit when they represent the university nationally in BUCS and other competitions.

‘A condition of obtaining this money will undoubtedly be that the new kit is in line with the rebrand and new colour scheme.’

No confidence in troubled VC A STUDENTS’ union has passed a vote of ‘no confidence’ on its embattled vicechancellor. Twothirds of voters at the University of Warwick meeting said they had no faith in Sir Nigel Thrift. The motion gave pay inequality, the allegedly violent response of police to a student sit-in over fees in December and the suspension of an academic as reasons for the vote. It got 682 votes, with 289 against and 149 abstentions.

Protest: Students speak to security

Dodgy digs demo at fair

A FLASH mob crashed a housing fair to protest against high rents and sub-standard accommodation.

Coventry Socialist Students unfurled a banner and started chanting, ‘Dodgy landlords, hear us say: rip-off rents?

No way,’ during the fair, organised

by Coventry University. The society’s president, Kristian O’Sullivan, said the demonstration was in response to ‘mass exploitation of students and local residents by dodgy landlords and letting agencies’. The group wants all private landlords in Coventry to be on a mandatory register requiring them to meet certain standards.

Grant money hits £67,000

Accommodation anger: The socialist group unfurl a banner at the housing fair

PICTURES: FACEBOOK

New campus to be built in sunny California UNIVERSITY of Warwick bosses plan to build a new campus 5,000 miles away in the US. They have agreed to team up with the University Development Trust in California to branch out to a city just outside Sacramento, 80 miles northeast of San Francisco, where it hopes

to take on 6,000 students by 2030, starting with a small selection of subjects taught in temporary facilities before expanding.

Warwick’s vice chancellor Sir Nigel Thrift said: ‘The University of Warwick in California will deliver teaching and, ultimately, research of

the highest quality, further extending and accelerating Warwick’s global reach and reputation.’

Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, co-chairman of the UDT, said: ‘It is thrilling that the University of Warwick, one of the premier world universities, has taken the first official step to establish

contactUS EDITOR: JOSHUA PAYNE Email him at coventryeditor@unipaper.co.uk.

a new campus in our region.’ The building will be funded by the trust in California, which has donated 600 acres of land for the campus, as well as enough cash to kick off the project.

The university’s governors, the senate and council will review the plans in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

STUDENTS who have had grants to help their careers gathered at a celebration evening.

The chancellor’s fund at Coventry University, which includes the Ada Lovelace scholarship and the William Lyons Charitable Trust, have given away £67,000 raised by alumni and university benefactors.

The grants have allowed students to take part in internships and training they would not have been able to afford otherwise.

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March 2015

focusPOINT

7

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 �itness. Adverts and a YouTube video show all sorts of women exercising to the soundtrack of Missy Elliott’s Get Ur Freak On. The �ilm 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 �irst 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 �inally 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 of�icer, 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

8

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

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.

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

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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

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

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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

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

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March 2015

talkingPOINTS

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 �irst lecture of my �irst year, I thought I had hit the jackpot. A young, good-looking guy stood at the front of the hall, wearing a close-�itting 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 �ive lectures. The only notes I had taken was on the �irst 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-�lipping, 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 of�ice in an out�it 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 �lailing 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 cat�ished.

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 Cat�ish, 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 �ilming, 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 �ilming 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

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March 2015

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what’sON clubs

It’s up to you: Pianist Fraser Bernstein is at the mercy of the audience when he performs with Music Theatre Warwick for their Improv Musical

What will happen?

The cast don’t know

W

HEN you go to the theatre, you normally expect the cast to know what is going to happen.

But that’s not the case with Music Theatre Warwick’s Improv Musical, where the audience assume the role of director.

From The Wild West-End to Embarrassing Bodies: The Musical, how the night goes is really up to the

imagination of the audience.

Speaking to TUP, the show’s pianist, Fraser Bernstein, said: ‘The Improv Musical is all about the audience choosing what they want to see performed.

‘They pick the name of the play, the name of the first song, the setting and two characters who they want to see implemented into the show.

‘From then on, it is up to the

cast to improvise scenes from scratch, attempting to create funny characters – while at the same time, moving the plot along.

‘At the halfway point in the show, the audience then gets to decide what happens in the next scene – they pick the style of song, and the song name.

‘It’s all very demanding on the cast (and pianist!) – but all in all it’s a hilarious night.’

Look who’s back... 2-Tone revivalists return home THE Selecter are playing a rare gig back where it all began.

Pauline Black and co formed in Coventry in the late ’70s, going on to become one of the seminal acts of the 2-Tone ska revival scene.

The band have now embarked on their 22-city Subculture

tour, stopping off in their home town on the way.

The Too Much Pressure singers will play the Copper Rooms, in the University of Warwick students’ union, on March 28. Tickets cost £17.50.

They will also be supported by all-female band The Tuts.

Robin Kendall, one of the University of Warwick society’s leading actors, said: ‘Stepping on to stage with absolutely no idea of what’s going to go down – that is, all the key structural points of any other play: character, plot, setting, character arc – is both exhilarating and absolutely terrifying.

‘We try to make the performance as fun for the audience as it is for us, the

actors. We urge everyone to buy a ticket and come and have a fantastic evening.’

Fraser added: ‘It’s great fun being involved with the Warwick Improv Musical cast – it’s a fantastic way to meet like-minded people and meet some incredibly talented actors and actresses.’

Catch them in the Warwick Arts Centre Studio on March 9, from 7.45pm.

Josh Payne

Culture vultures: The Selecter hit Coventry for their Subculture tour

MONDAY Bubbleluv, Kasbah Nightclub, students £4 Déjà Vu Urban Nights, JJ’s, £5 TUESDAY I Love Smack, Smack, £5 WEDNESDAY Pop!, Warwick SU, £5 The Shake Up, JJ’s, £4 THURSDAY Jager Nation, Club M, students free Twisted, Smack, £5 (every other week) Fly, Smack, £5 (every other week) Go 4 It Thursdays, Altoria, free FRIDAY Peaches and Cream, Iglu, £5 before 1am Pounded, JJ’s, free SuperBad Moo, Moo Bar, £5 Free Entry Fridays, Rainbows, free Jagermonster, Neon, £5 Kinky, Kasbah Nightclub, students £5 Bootsncats, Zephyr Lounge, £5 BOOM Fridays Just Got Bigger!, JJ’s, students £4.50 SATURDAY The Saturdays Sensation, Iglu, £3 before midnight Your Big Saturday Night Out, Rainbows, students free before 11pm Saturday Rocks, JJ’s, £4.50 Tricky Disco, Kasbah Nightclub, £5 Double Up Saturdays, Altoria, free Saturday Rocks, JJ’s, £3 online, £5 on door SUNDAY Sunday Sessions, JJ’s, £1

Solo: Rag ‘N’ Bone Man

Rum man to go it alone...

RAG ‘N’ Bone Man, aka Rory Graham, is bringing his eclectic mix of hip-hop, soul and blues funk to Kasbah.

His reputation has been growing over the past couple of years, especially as the resident vocalist of rap’s Rum Committee.

His first solo single, Wolves, was released through indie label Best Laid Plans. Catch him when he stops through town on March 23.

www.unipaper.co.uk

what’sON

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

pick of the month MUSIC KING of the mods Paul Weller has released more albums than most bands have had hit singles.

Now on to his 12th solo studio record (not to mention six albums with The Jam and six more with The Style Council), the singer has set out on a 14-date tour this month to promote his latest, Saturns Pattern.

The man who brought That’s Entertainment, Town Called Malice and Going Underground to the world will stop off at Warwick Arts Centre, in Gibbet Hill Road, on March 10.

Tickets cost £39, with Watford-based band The Spitfires providing the support.

COMEDY MOCK The Week host Dara Ó Briain is going back to where it all began for him.

The Irish comic has not been on a live tour in three years – but he’s now

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MUSIC

back on the road with his mammoth 65-date Crowd Tickler tour.

The master of audience interaction set out last month and will stop in November, stopping off at Warwick Arts Centre for three nights on the way.

He’ll be exchanging quick-fire quips with members of the audience and delivering witty and daring anecdotes in WAC’s Butterworth Hall from March 5 to 7. Tickets cost £22.

Josh Payne

CLUBBING YOUTUBE prankster Jack Jones is part of an ever-growing stream of youngsters making a name for themselves online.

His Vines have gone viral all over the world and he has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s most popular tricksters.

His daring videos, which capture the reactions of his unknowing victims, have seen his Facebook

Fighting back: Stiff Little Fingers have been battling against the establishment since the ‘70s page clock up more than 700,000 likes – while his YouTube skits regularly get tens of thousands of hits.

Party and create videos with the Londoner at Kasbah, in Primrose Hill Street, on March 6.

Tickets cost £4 for students and the night runs from 10pm to 5am.

Josh Payne

PUNK rockers Stiff Little Fingers fought against the establishment during the height of The Troubles in Belfast.

Along with bands like The Clash, Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and The Stranglers, they helped to spearhead the punk rock movement of the ‘70s.

Initially writing about their lives growing up in Northern Ireland with songs like Suspect Device and Wasted Life, the band gained fame when BBC DJ John Peel gave their songs air time.

But in the ‘80s, they shifted to a more pop sound, alienating some of their followers.

Now, they plan to strike a balance of old and new songs and will play The Assembly, in Leamington Spa, on March 21.

Frontman Jake Burns said: ‘You have to strike a balance. Obviously, it’d be very easy to go, “Hey, here’s another old one you may remember.” A lot of the old songs the audience greet like old friends.’

Tickets cost £18.50.

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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

S

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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March 2015

15

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 �ive 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 in�lections 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 �irst 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 �irst 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 de�initely 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 con�idence – 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 �itness, 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.

At Specsavers, if you are an easycare direct debit customer you can get an even better deal, including a free pair of glasses, free delivery.

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inSTYLE

March 2015

17

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

B

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 �ind 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 �ind 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

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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

F

ANCY yourself as the next Michael Sco�ield 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 �ilm 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 �ilms – 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

 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

19

Love a good night at the movies? Or perhaps you need a quiet night in front of the TV? Read on to �ind 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

S

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 �irst 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 �ind it.’

Determined not to bin the project, McDermott, who started making �ilms 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, �ilmed 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 �ilming 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 �ilm 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

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

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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

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hungryhouse Cheap Chow Going east: Tom Hardy

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20

March 2015

yourNIGHT

www.unipaper.co.uk Enjoyed a big night in Coventry

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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 �ine), 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

Spicy south-west burgers

PICTURE: BLYTHE LEWIS

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

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

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 �latten. 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 �lesh 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

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competitionCORNER  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

 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

23

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

F

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 �lights, 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.

www.unipaper.co.uk

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

S

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.

A

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.

S

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

E

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.

25

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

26

March 2015

www.unipaper.co.uk

yourSPACE

Home or away?

L

IVING at home while studying has its bene�its.

But will you miss out on the full uni experience?

Check out our pros and cons to help you decide.

Advantages of life at home 1. Lower costs – You will probably not be paying for rent, bills, food and other expenditures, giving you a bit more spending money.

2. Good grub – It’s much easier to concentrate after a good home-cooked meal rather than beans on toast.

3. Peace and quiet – Unless your parents are party

animals, it is unlikely you will be woken up at 3am with a �ire alarm going off when you have lectures the next day.

Disadvantages 1. Distance learning – Travelling can be a pain and could stop you getting to lectures. If a seminar is cancelled, it can 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 tricky.

So close, yet so far

Train in vain: Commuting to uni can make you late thanks to delays 3. Over-reliance on parents – University is not all about your degree... learning life lessons is just as

important. Without parents to rely on, you quickly learn how to look after yourself.

4. Missing out – Being on

PICTURE: DAVID ROBINSON

campus is a great way to get involved in uni activities, from pop-up shops to job fairs.

Daisy Holden

GOOD neighbours can become good friends. So don’t ruin it by making their lives a misery.

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

www.unipaper.co.uk

March 2015

yourSPACE

How to �ind 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

F

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 a place with the right number of rooms, many end up living in crumby conditions.

Step up business graduate Owen Dixon. The 22-year-old set up Rate My Roof, which lets students review private accommodation, after a run-in with a rodent while 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 site, listing whether utilities are included, and giving comments and a star rating. There is also a section for landlords to respond.

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.

But Rate My Roof is more

than just a collection of horror stories. One student describes their home in Bristol as a ‘lovely, quirky �lat 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.’

Calling out bad landlords: Owen Dixon

COVSTUDENTLETS No admin/contract fee!

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Stoke, Earlson, City centre and Canly.

Well kept, fresh and clean properties.

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March 2015

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studentLIFE

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

Student survival kit 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

A

PHONE: ‘It’s my alarm for early lectures – and my distraction when I really don’t want to be in those lectures.’ Jack, �irst-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 �inish 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 �ind a bottle opener. I chipped my tooth in �irst 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 Net�lix: ‘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 �ixer – it has it all.’ James Williams, University of Liverpool A multi-coloured pen: ‘Great for de�ining 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 �lask: ‘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 �lu.’ 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 �irst aid kit on hand. Include things like paracetamol and don’t forget the usual bandages and plasters.’ Daniel Williams, Swansea University

Quick-�ix 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 �iver 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 �inal 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 �irst 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

Meet 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

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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 �inest university athletes descended on Shef�ield 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 �irst day saw a photo �inish 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.

Shef�ield 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 Shef�ield both �inished with a team score of 669. Hallam claimed gold by having a higher-placed individual.

The �inal 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

www.unipaper.co.uk

March 2015

31

sportNEWS

War-ra win in varsity for reigning champs JOHN SHAW THE University of Warwick retained their varsity title with a comfortable victory over Coventry.

The champions got off to a �lyer, with victory in the athletics men’s and women’s competition and a comprehensive 55-14 win in the women’s basketball.

Coventry then picked up their �irst points with a 75-49 win in the men’s basketball.

The demolition continued with Warwick wins in men’s snooker and women’s II tennis.

Coventry rallied with victories on the football pitch, with a 1-0 win in the women’s I and wins in the men’s III, II and I games.

But Warwick took control in the rugby union, with a 27-8 win for the men’s seconds and a 20-5 win for the �irsts.

The women followed suit with a closely fought 26-20 victory.

Their American football team continued the streak with a 60-12 victory over Coventry. In the pool, Warwick

ARCHERS from the University of Warwick secured a cup victory at the BUCS Indoor Archery Championships.

The men’s experienced team posted a score of 1,728, holding off second-placed University of Oxford who scored 1,725.

Warwick’s Tom Hall, who came third in the individual competition, scored 586, with 60 hits and 49 golds. His teammate Luke Rieman scored 573, while Enrik Nako made 569.

The ladies’ team came sixth with a score of 1,593, with top points-scorer Madeleine Meatyard hitting gold 18 times, netting 534 points.

V for victory: Warwick’s hockey team celebrate

dominated, with a 147-69 win for the men and a 67-41 victory for the women.

The only varsity draw came

in the mixed snowsports at Swadlincote Ski Slope and Snowboard Centre.

The rivals scored �ive each,

meaning points were split.

The �inal day of the event saw Warwick exert the control, with wins in the squash men’s

I and II and women’s badminton I. Warwick �inished varsity on 75 points, leaving Coventry lagging on 21.

Barn-storming victory Coventry crushed on the for Warwick over rivals ice after promising start CHRIS BARNETT netted a hat-trick as the University of Warwick men’s hockey I completed a comprehensive victory over Coventry University I in the varsity match.

Striker Barnett opened the scoring when the ball was whipped up the pitch at blistering speed, slotting an easy goal to open his account.

His second, a reverse �lick into the top right-hand corner of the goal, made it 2-0. The ball was once more

in the Coventry goal area when �irst year Matt Jarmo converted a beautiful lifted shot into the top left from the right side of the D. The mauling continued when Barnett completed his hat-trick and made it 4-0, effectively ending the game.

Men’s president Tom Spencer made it �ive with a screamer in the �inal minutes.

Craig Nannestad

Archers on target to claim trophy

WARWICK men’s ice hockey team rounded off varsity in style with a 13-6 win at the Coventry SkyDome Arena.

They started off on the back foot, however, with Coventry going 2-0 up early on.

Warwick called a time-out to halt their opposition’s �low and the two teams ended the �irst period level at 3-3. Warwick dominated

the second, scoring seven and letting in one, �inishing the period 4-10 up.

By the beginning of the third, the contest had lost its earlier bite, as both teams knew the game was up.

The match ended with Warwick scoring another three to see out the game.

Fraser Bernstein

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