WesternEye issue 4

WesternEye w w w. we s te r n eye . n e t

UWE’s Student Voice - Issue No. 4 - December 2012

Including

WESTWORLD

Arts, Culture, Music & Film Supplement

What is the

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New plans revealed for Temple Meads

AGM?

UWESU 2013 EVENT PREVIEW Elections

Make a stand in the annual students’ union elections

Refreshers’ Fair Tuesday 22 January, Red Bar, Frenchay Campus, 11AM2.30PM

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UWE students to row the Atlantic in 2013

Varsity Season UWE and the University of Bristol compete in a series of sporting events across the city

Following the last AGM in P.10 November, Western Eye George Ferguson explains how it works and elected as mayor why it is so important of Bristol

Accomodation Fair Tuesday 5 February 2013, Red Bar, Frenchay Campus, 12-5PM

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

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P.17: CONJURE UP A FESTIVE FEAST WITH LAUREN WINNEY ❄ P.18: FIVE WAYS TO LOOK YOUR BEST THIS SEASON P.19: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GIFT SHOPPING, BOTH ONLINE AND IN-STORE

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News

Western Eye December 2012

News

A revamp for Bristol Temple Meads? > Zoe Hatziantoniou investigates the new plans for Bristol’s busiest train station.

Zoe Hatziantoniou news@westerneye.net

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ransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin visited the Bristol Temple Meads train station on the 12th of November, proudly stating that “we are seeing phenomenal passenger growth in Bristol, where station usage is up 46% over the last 10 years”. This has meant that there are approximately 9 million individuals using the train station each year.

Indeed, Bristol Temple Meads is very successful since railway travel is considered a fast and reliable means of transportation.

The overarching plan for Bristol is to create stronger connections to London by introducing electric trains by 2016. More specifically, once this is completed, there will be a train service running from Bristol to London every 15 minutes. This service is said to take only 75 minutes, in comparison to the existing service which takes approximately 105-120 minutes. Currently, the trains offering this service are scheduled roughly every half an hour. This will have numerous advantages, with one being the creation of stronger links to London and thus raising Bristol’s profile as a city.

In the eyes of students, this can be seen as highly desirable, since the existing services that are offered by the train station already ensure high levels of reliability in the time that they reach various destinations.

More specifically, a first year student studying a degree in the Applied Sciences has mentioned that he uses the train every day from the centre to reach the university, and is very pleased with the level of service

that it offers. The choice of using the train station is a justifiable solution, since the existing public transportation in Bristol has long been viewed as problematic due to congestion, which causes unreliability and frustration.

National Rail has announced that

Picture: Jonathan’s Railway Photography there is availability of £100m to fund the redevelopment at Bristol Temple Meads. The plan involves opening up two unused platforms for the new electric trains. The overarching and ambitious vision that guides this project has been set by Network Rail, and is outlined as promoting

UWE’s Student Voice <<

Assistant Editor Aminah Jagne assistanteditor@westerneye.net News Editor Tiffany Francis news@westerneye.net Sport Editor Matthew Vicker sport@westerneye.net Comment Editor Jack Brown comment@westerneye.net

to the diesel depot site, as well as public realm improvements on Cattle Market Road linking up with the Homes and Communities Agency, who have funded a bridge that provides access to the diesel depot site.

David Warburton, who is the head of the Homes and Communities

ment space for firms that are or want to be based in Bristol. This, however, will only be successful through close collaboration with the Bristol City Council.

There has been desirability to gear investments towards funding rail-

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There is availability of £100m to fund the redevelopment

WesternEye Editor Luke Caddel editor@westerneye.net

the Station as a “world class railway hub with outstanding facilities and train connections”. More specifically, this will be done through various enhancements. One of these is to include bridges in order to improve the quality of walkways and cycle access to the zone. By doing this, there is

Feature Editor Joshua Connolly feature@westerneye.net Life & Style Editor Jessica Lowndes lifeandstyle@westerneye.net Arts & Entertainment Editor Georgia Boss Johnson entertainment@westerneye.net Head of Online Editor Liam Corcoran headofonline@westerneye.net Graphic Designers Monica Giunchi & Myrna D’Ambrosio

emphasis placed on walking and cycling, promoting individuals to adopt more sustainable modes of movement. There will also be junction improvements enabling rapid transit access to Temple Quarter. Furthermore, there are also proposed works to the Wells Road, enabling access

For advertising information please contact

BAM on 0845 1300 667 or hello@ bamuk.com

Agency in Bristol, has stressed how important it is to allow for the full use of Brunel’s Old Station for various reasons. Some of these are in order to promote the plans made by Network Rail Western, relating to improving links or even to promote the availability of high quality employ-

ways. The visit of Patrick McLoughlin was followed by the announcement made by the government in the summer of 2012 about the investment of £9.4billion in the electrification of trains, and a further £4billion in new intercity trains. Bristol is one of the first areas in the country where new electric trains will be introduced.

This is in order to improve passenger journeys across the network and ultimately, to provide a fast and reliable experience.

Patrick McLoughlin has stated that Bristol is a great city, and it is inspiring to gear investments and funds towards maintaining and improving its links and the experience of train users.

Have you got a story?

The team at Western Eye are always looking for enthusiastic and self motivated individuals to help contribute towards the running of the newspaper and it’s online counterpart.

If you have an idea, please forward it to the editor at editor@westerneye.net

Western Eye is published by University of the West of England Students’ Union, 4th Floor F Block, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol. BS16 1QY. Some elements of this newspaper are distributed under a Creative Commons License; please get in contact for more details. WesternEye is printed by Mortons Ltd, Lincolnshire. We believe in making Western Eye as accessible as possible. You can access this publication in PDF format at www.westerneye.net. If you require a different format please get in touch with the Editor.

The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent that of UWESU. We are all human, and sometimes we make mistakes; any problems please contact the Editor at editor@westerneye.net.

News 3

Western Eye December 2012

India’s development efforts officially recognised as WISE > Dr Madhav Chavan receives award for his contribution to education in India.

Holly Snelling news@westerneye.net

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r Madhav Chavan, former chemistry lecturer turned educationist, has recently been awarded the World Innovation Summit for Education prize.

The WISE prize, acknowledged as the equivalent of a Nobel Peace prize, has recognised Dr Chavans’ work in providing literacy and numeracy education for underprivileged children in India.

After returning from America in the late 1980s, Dr Madhav Chavan was concerned by the scale of poverty presented to him in India’s capital Mumbai. Chavan created a project based on the principle that education is the key to India’s development.

Joining forces with both UNICEF and the city government, he produced a simple yet effective formula using government infrastructure, corporate resources and citizen volunteerism.

This low cost strategy was able to create great results, establishing itself as India’s largest non-government organisation in providing education to underprivileged children, and has expanded to 17 of India’s 28 states.

Known as Pratham, it’s ethos of ‘every child in school and learning well’ has stood strong since it origination in 1994. It has then been supported further by independent studies which show children who have intended Pratham programmes are more likely to learn effectively in primary school than other children in

their age group, and perform better than their classmates.

In the closing plenary session of the WISE summit 2012, Dr Madhav Chavan insisted ‘education is too important to be left to the government alone’ and claimed his message as the WISE prize winner is to ‘keep working and don’t give up’.

This clear objective is shown through the eleven varied projects Pratham are currently committed to, which vary from enabling all Indian children to read, to attempting to prevent, rehabilitate, repatriate, rescue and educate vulnerable and working children.

Pratham’s annual status education report involves 250,000 volunteers, whom are trained to visit children at their homes to undertake tests and visit schools to check the basics are being upheld. It has been so successful that it has inspired a version in three east African countries and a similar scheme in Pakistan. Dr Madhav Chavan was awarded with US$500,000 and a gold medal.

In an interview with Euronews on why he thought he won the WISE prize, he explained ‘we have created solutions out of our own soil…there is a message there, that people have to grow things in their own soil. You can get some seeds from outside but you can’t get them to water it.’

WISE, an organisation established by the Qartar foundation in 2009, aims to help and support innovation

Picture: Skoll World Forum in education. WISE argues education is the route to both short and long term solutions when facing global challenges. These challenges include poverty, conflict, unemployment, inequality and environment.

Consequently, this is why they aim to certify the WISE prize by giving it similar prestige as other areas recognised in major international awards, such as science, literature,

peace and economics.

Chairman HE Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani congratulated Dr Madhav Chavan, describing him as an ‘inspiration to all of us’ stating Chavan to have ‘brought light into the lives of many millions of people’.

It is not just WISE that has recognised Pratham’s work. In 2000, Pratham was given the Global Development Network Award supported

by the World Banks and Japanese government, and was named as one of the top three ‘innovative development projects’. Give Well, a non profit organisation that evaluates charities, gave Pratham a ‘stand out’ rating in 2011, claiming they have found no better organisation in developing world education. In addition The Global Journal added it to their top 100 NGOS, rated 22nd place in 2012.

Poorer pupils lack confidence

> Have students lost the confidence to apply for top Universities?

Mike Whiting news@westerneye.net

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report published by the BBC this month suggests that students from poorer backgrounds are lacking the confidence to apply for top universities such as Oxford or Cambridge.

The article by Judith Burns suggests that from a survey of 13,000 sixth form students, 42% of those “from state schools submitted two or more applications to selective universities, compared with 73% from private schools and 53% from grammars”. The results also suggest that the survey results stem from other reasons, including the distance from home and living costs which comes to no surprise to the average student reader.

Since the decision was made to raise tuition fees from the original cost of £3,000 per year to £9,000,

the idea of going to university from any underprivileged background has been made much more difficult. But are prospective students losing the confidence to apply to top universities, or losing the confidence to apply for university at all?

Alasdair Perryman, a third year UWE student, said that he is definitely not surprised at the lack of confidence in younger students applying to university. “University is expensive in itself, not only with living costs but also buying books for your course” he said. “Maybe if I was just finishing A-Levels now, especially with tuition fees being higher, I would also have to think about whether it is actually worth applying for”.

It has also been statistically proven that those having studied at private schools with higher grades are more

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Students from poorer backgrounds are lacking the confidence to apply for top universities

likely to get into top universities, which creates somewhat of a “class divide” between them and bright students from poor backgrounds.

Terri Hammond, Campus Officer of St Matthias Campus, believes that while this divide exists, “universities with larger intakes or more state educated students should start ensuring students are receiving what they are paying for, so as not to further this elite force of students who have essentially been very lucky.”

Terri also stated that social factors should not be the only thing considered in regard to university applications, describing the process in itself as “intimidating”. So how are future students going to be comforted and motivated to be able to apply for university in the future?

Sir Peter Champl, the chairman of Sutton Trust who provided the survey, suggested that students from poorer background deserved extra support and encouragement to apply to higher universities, with “more sustained and intensive support for these high-achieving young people, so that they can gain entry to the selective universities for which they are qualified”.

Director of the Office for Fair Access to Higher Education, Professor Les Ebdon, agreed with Champl, stating that “universities and colleges should look to increase their investment in outreach activities for people from low income and other under-represented groups, to raise their aspirations and to inform their choices about higher education.”

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News

Western Eye December 2012

Undergraduate is flying high with local air ambulance charity

Picture: folkestonejack

Keri Beckingham news@westerneye.net

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local air ambulance charity has decided to offer a permanent part-time position to their University intern, after being impressed with her enthusiasm and dedication to their cause.

Tianna Cowan, a History and International Relations student from University of the West of England (UWE) was taken on by Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) as a Fun-

draising Intern in June 2012 as part of the University’s Undergraduate Internship Scheme. As part of her role, Tianna was involved with helping to organise fundraising events, as well as launching the charity’s ‘Movin on Up’ campaign which is aiming to raise £250,000 in order to fund a new EC135 helicopter. Tianna will now work at the charity part-time, alongside her final year studies.

Merry Xmas from UWESU Hi everyone I hope you are all managing to stay afloat and are not drowning in too much coursework! It’s that time of year when deadlines are looming, its freezing cold outside and everyone is absolutely exhausted. However, make sure you reserve a little energy for our fun Christmas events we have coming up and make the most of this festive season.

At the SU we have been hard at work trying to do our best to fulfil all of your needs.

The demo was a great event, providing an opportunity for students to defend their rights and help to put university fees back on the political agenda. We also had a very interesting AGM on the following day; which was filled with many debates and inspirational speeches. We also have our Re-Freshers’ event at the start of next term on 22nd January in Red Bar, so please come along and get involved!

From all of us here at the SU, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Annabelle Turner

Speaking about her internship, Tianna said: “I have always thought that I would love to work for a charity in the future, and when I saw that GWAAC were advertising for an intern, I just had to apply. I have really enjoyed my time at the charity – it is a small, friendly team, who have made me feel really welcome. I have had the chance to develop my skills and experience and I think that internships offer students a great opportunity to improve their prospects for the future. I am delighted that the charity is willing to offer me a permanent

role, as I want to continue to help to support their worthwhile cause.”

John Christensen, Chief Executive of GWAAC, said: “We were really impressed by Tianna during her internship. She has demonstrated how hardworking and dedicated she is, and her enthusiasm for our cause is wonderful. We have really enjoyed working with UWE in order to offer this internship, because as a charity we really appreciate the value, knowledge and relevant skills that students can bring to our organisation.”

Hannah Newmarch, Head of Em-

ployer Partnership Services at UWE, said: “We are incredibly pleased that Tianna has been offered a permanent part-time opportunity to continue her work supporting the charity whilst continuing with her university degree. This is a fantastic example of a successful internship, as it shows how our Undergraduate Internship Scheme can support a local organisation to employ a talented ambitious individual, whilst giving a student the opportunity to develop valuable employability skills that will help them succeed in the future.”

Debating matters?

Elizabeth Mackie, Jess Williams

news@westerneye.net

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ur vision is to set up a Union that outlives our time as students at UWE giving all members the opportunity to rise through the ranks and take on positions of responsibility within a fairly short time frame. This is a new and exciting opportunity for you to develop and refine your analytical and verbal reasoning skills.

We aim to create one which will provide a forum for all who are interested in joining us in a weekly meeting to thrash motions around, with the occasional glass of wine or alcoholic beverage of your choice.

Some vital skills that you will gain include but are not limited to clear verbal communication and listening, public speaking, critical thinking, researching, team work, and forming

a clear and logical train of thought.

These aspects are all invaluable for future employability and in order to set you apart in what is an ever

increasingly competitive market.

At our regular weekly meeting, people will be able to prepare and research for an intellectual debate on pertinent issues. The subject

will have been prearranged so you have had time to prepare. Following these meetings we will be running a more informal ‘drunken debate’; essentially with the same format but with alcohol and controversial topics thrown into the mix.

A taster workshop was held in RedZone on Wednesday 5th December where we held a couple of drunken debates and played a few games. Following this success we aim to hold our first official meeting in the final week of January.

Please like our Facebook page ‘UWE Debating Union’ or email with any enquiries.

News 5

Western Eye December 2012

Coppa Feel > Boob teams encouraging students to CoppaFeel in the shower this term

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news@westerneye.net

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Sangita Lal

news@westerneye.net

Rachel Gray his Autumn, breast cancer charity CoppaFeel! are taking their ‘CoppaFeel! in the shower’ campaign to 36 universities nationwide. Sponsored by very.co.uk this fun, engaging campaign aims for self-checking to become part of every student’s daily routine.

CoppaFeel’s Founder and C.E.O, Kristin Hallenga explains: ‘When’s the best time to check your boobs?’

Well, in short, any time is good for Boob Time. To keep it simple, we’re reminding students to do it in the shower. No more excuses, you’re already starkers and your boobs need some attention!’

Dedicated student ambassadors known as Uni Boob Team Leaders have been recruited at each of the 36 universities. Their role is to recruit a Boob Team and be a friendly reminder to students on campus of the need to check your breasts regularly, be familiar with what they look and feel like normally and know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

Boob Teams will invite students to sign up to CoppaFeel!’s free SMS reminder service, which sends you a free monthly reminder to check your boobs. It’s easy to join simply text UWE to 70500!

‘Coppafeel in the shower’ was successfully launched at the beginning of the Summer at some of the UK’s biggest music festivals including Bestival, V Festival and Beach Break Live; this was followed by the Uni Boob Team campaign being launched by Fearne Cotton at the annual Boob Team Leader training day held in East London. Boob Teams will be actively promoting the Coppa-

Bristol’s German Christmas market

Feel! message from early September 2012 right up until March 2013.

Kristin Hallenga, Founder of CoppaFeel!, said “By educating the young people of today, we can shape the future of breast cancer survival in times to come. Knowledge is power, this power will in turn save lives. I only wish that someone shared this knowledge with me.”

Boob Teams will be active all over campus and want you to get involved, from playing CoppaFeel! the game to forming a team to play in the ultimate charity Boob Ball match (a.k.a dodgeball with a difference).

Boob Teams have a whole host of activities up their sleeves in order to get you boob aware. So next time you are in the shower think about this article and give your boobs the once over.

Here at UWE Bristol we had a fantastic response to the campaign on CoppaFeel! Day on 26th October and throughout Breast Cancer Awareness month. But we want to keep things going strong for the rest of the year; on Tuesday 20th November we will be celebrating Cake O’Clock at 11am with a Cake Sale on Frenchay campus.

Visit coppafeel.org/uniboobteams to find out how to join a team or find out what your boob team is up to.

If you would like more information about CoppaFeel!, contact Sarah Magee, Uni Boob Teams Manager sarah@coppafeel.org or 0207 566 3456 For more information about the CoppaFeel! in the Shower campaign at UWE Bristol, contact Rachel Gray on 07730 910 949 or rachel3.gray@ live.uwe.ac.uk

Kris and Fearne Notes: CoppaFeel! is a breast cancer awareness charity that educates young people on the importance of checking their boobs regularly and knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

It was founded in October 2009

by Kristin Hallenga who herself was misdiagnosed twice with breast cancer at age 23; and now lives with secondary breast cancer.

CoppaFeel! is the only purely awareness and education breast cancer charity, and the only breast cancer charity that specifically targets young people.

CoppaFeel! aims is to stamp out late detection and misdiagnosis of breast cancer by ensuring that people know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, know what their boobs look and feel like normally, check their boobs regularly throughout their lifetime and have the confidence to seek medical referral when they detect abnormalities. www.coppafeel.org

@coppafeelpeople

inally it’s that time of year again when we’re officially allowed to dip into our pockets and treat ourselves and everyone around us!

Christmas is around the corner and Bristol is ready yet again. The German Christmas market never fails to fulfil all those Christmassy tingles.

It’s the perfect place to get into the Christmas mood and warm the belly with some Gluhvein or indulge in some waffles, chocolates and cakes!

The best bit about the market is, if you’re stuck for gift idea’s, this is the place to be! It’s great for authentic German arts and craft gifts so I suggest you go with your wallets ready.

And if you you want to take some of the market home with you, you can get some decorations for the house from the tempting selection at the market. What’s best is all the decorations are cute, quaint ornaments or little handmade babuls and so much more and that you wouldn’t have seen anywhere else!

The smells are irresistible, as you

walk past the sweet waffle stalls and past Frankfurter central, you won’t be able to avoid the German goodies! And how better than to burn it all off with an ice skating session! This year Bristol is making your Christmas shopping experience perfect.

My only criticism would be that it’s doesn’t tend to be a cheap day or evening out, but we’re all allowed to spend a bit of money once in a while, especially at this time of year. However, when you look at what you get for what you spend, you realise you can’t really put a price on memories and drinks with a few friends.

I highly recommend that you come along and enjoy a glass of mulled wine and a waffle and lose yourself in the heart of Bristol. The market is open everyday from 9th November until 29th December, from 10am until 7pm.

The Bristol Christmas German market will be open every day from 9th November until 29th December, from 10am until 7pm.

Picture: zolaczakl

Giant Gromits?

Amy Haines

news@westerneye.net

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ixty sculptures of popular film character Gromit, from Wallace and Gromit, are to be decorated and placed around Bristol next summer.

The 1.5-metre-tall models are to be painted by national and international artists over the next few months before the big reveal to the public.

‘Gromit Unleashed’ aims to raise money for Wallace and Gromit’s Children’s Foundation, which supports sick children in hospitals and hospices around the UK. The plan follows the ‘Wow! Gorillas’ project last summer, where sixty large, decorated gorillas were distributed around the city in aid of Bristol Zoo’s gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit’s Children’s Foundation.

The gorillas were decorated in a variety of ways, with favourites including the Isambard Kingdom-

Picture: Heart Brunel gorilla and the Elvis gorilla.

The Gromits will raise money for

the charity through sponsorship and an auction after ten weeks in Bristol.

Early sponsors include Wessex Water, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and Rolls Royce.

As well as raising over £400,000 for charity, the success of the ‘Wow! Gorillas’ can be measured by the 75,000 ‘gorilla trail’ maps picked up and the 35,000 maps downloaded online, as well as attracting over 12,000 likes on Facebook. The gorillas were thought to have promoted tourism in the city, being placed at Bristol’s most significant landmarks including Clifton Suspension Bridge, St Mary Redcliffe and Queen’s Square.

Gromit is the loyal dog belonging to Wallace in four successful short films and one feature-length film.

The films have won two Oscars and three BAFTAs for creator Nick Park of Aardman Animations. Aardman, based in Bristol, uses moulded plasticine and stop-motion animation to

capture the pair’s adventures.

Wallace, voiced by Peter Sallis, is a scatterbrained inventor from Wigan who loves Wensleydale cheese and repeatedly finds himself in difficult situations. It is often up to Gromit, a silent yet sensible character, to rescue Wallace. In 2010, Empire Magazine listed Gromit as ‘top dog’ in their list of ‘the 50 best animated movie characters’, stating that whilst ‘Gromit doesn’t ever say a word (...) there has never been a more expressive character (animated or otherwise) to grace our screens.’

The Gromits will be ‘unleashed’ on July 1st 2013. For more information, visit the website, ‘like’ Gromit Unleashed on Facebook or follow on Twitter. gromit-unleashed.org.uk facebook.com/GromitUnleashed twitter.com/GromitUnleashed

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News

Western Eye December 2012

Flooding home for Christmas Christian Öhman news@westerneye.net

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lanning to travel home for Christmas? My fingers and toes remain crossed for you. By the time this reaches publication it is possible that one of a couple things has happened. Either the weather will have become even more atrocious and treacherous across the South West of England, or, things may have died down a little bit and we can all just merrily get on with our end of term preparations.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am by no means trying to be pessimistic about the weather, it’s just, I can’t help but realise that over the past few years, our winters having been on the decline down here. And yes, that includes snow in the decline bit.

So, taking into account the weather situation at the time of writing (flash floods, people dying, blocked roads and cancelled public transport), throwing even colder approaching weather into the mix is likely to not bode well for our transportation.

The roads are saturated and sodden now, and I am making the prediction that we will see extreme

Picture: Mark Readman

ice and snow before long. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Water plus freezing temperature equals snow and ice. Therefore, if travel conditions are horrendous now, what are they going to be like with these further terrors?

We’ve seen the country crawl to a complete stop in winters gone by where other countries have found our circumstances laughable, given how little snow and ice we had in comparison to them.

According to express.co.uk, and little known Exacta Weather, we are going to have ‘the coldest winter for 100 years’. Doesn’t sound like a very merry Christmas to me! They are warning that the South is going to have ‘unusually heavy snowfall’ in December. So, please, take care when travelling and make sure to pay extra consideration to the adverse weather conditions, should they arrive.

When driving through deep water, it is all too easy to flood your engine and find yourself having to abandon your car, which not only results in a potential write-off, but leaves you soaking wet as well. Take it slowly (around 10mph) when going through, making sure that the water does not rise any higher than

your front sill, the bottom of the door line and your exhaust. If it does, I recommend keeping revs higher and

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When driving through deep water, it is all too easy to flood your engine and find yourself having to abandon your car

maybe slipping the clutch slightly to maintain exhaust gases flowing, helping to prevent the engine from

flooding and water from creeping its way back up the exhaust.

In terms of snow and ice, well it’s best to leave your car at home if possible, but if you have to travel in your car, again, please take it slowly. It is all too easy to follow other, more reckless drivers’ actions, but it is better to be safe than sorry. If you find it hard to pull away, try second gear to gain a little more traction. If possible, dig out any snow or ice surrounding your car’s driven wheels to give extra grip. Once moving, try and keep everything smooth and steady, with no sharp, sudden turns or heavy braking, as these will just result in a skid and the wheels locking up on ice, potentially resulting in a collision.

One final point on driving this winter; be vigilant of other drivers and drive defensively. You cannot control them, but you can try to stay out of their way and therefore minimise your involvement in incidents with reckless drivers. Because unfortunately, no matter how many news bulletins or safe driving campaigns, they will always exist. Just don’t take safety from them for granted.

Lastly, I wish you all safe, easy journeys and a fantastic time this Christmas!

For further information and news on the weather where you are, please visit: w w w. ex p r e s s . c o . u k / p o st s / view/358717/Coldest-winter-in100-years-on-way www.bbc.co.uk/news/ www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ Disclaimer: Any advice given is solely the writer’s opinion and own way of doing things. Any advice followed is therefore solely down to the reader’s initiative and decision and I take no fault or responsibility for readers’ actions or any outcomes arising from following my advice.

News 7

Western Eye December 2012

Israel and Palestine 2012 Conflict Philip Mansell news@westerneye.net

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n 14th November, Israel began an aerial military campaign targeting Hamas officials. The first attack was successful in killing the leader of Hamas’ military wing, but also caused a number of Palestinian deaths, including an 11 month old boy. The original aims of Operation Pillar of Cloud (the military name for the assault on Gaza) appeared to be to disable any military ability Hamas had. However, it soon escalated from this, with Israel targeting government and media buildings. The Prime Minister of Hamas’ house came under fire on the 17th November and was completely destroyed.

Israel justified these attacks as a retaliatory measure to defend itself from what they claim has been thousands of missiles fired from Gaza into Southern Israel in the last decade. Israel also attempted to stress that they were doing their utmost to avoid civilian casualties. If this is the truth, then they were not successful. Over 150 Palestinians died during the brief conflict, over half of whom were civilians. The numbers of Israeli casualties were comparatively small, with four people being

killed, including two soldiers. This is primarily because of the far superior military capability that Israel has, in terms of numbers of men, missiles, and infrastructure. One piece of military equipment which Israel employed during the crisis was the Iron Dome, a missile interception system. The Israeli air-force claims that over 420 missiles were intercepted by the system.

A ceasefire was agreed on 21st November after lengthy negotiations between Hamas and Israeli officials in Cairo. These negotiations were overseen by Hilary Clinton, US Secretary of State, and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr. This ceasefire ensured that a ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces was avoided, something which had been speculated as Israel Defence Minister Ehud Barak had reportedly called up 75,000 reservists. Whether the Israeli armed forces were successful in reaching their aims for the Operation or not, they certainly caused an incredible amount of damage to Gaza, whilst themselves remaining relatively unscathed at the end of the crisis. Hamas military forces were badly affected by Israeli at-

tacks, as was much of Gaza’s infrastructure. Despite the high number of deaths, some Palestinians remain glad that the crisis did not escalate the degree that it did in late 2008 and early 2009. During this three week period, Israel pounded Gaza with air and ground assaults, killing over 1,400 Palestinians. The conflict was particularly notable as both sides were accused of using controversial military tactics, such as the use of human civilian shields and the Israeli military forces’ usage of white phosphorus.

Whilst a ceasefire was certainly the desired outcome, what happens next is a worrying question. Tensions between Hamas and Israel will naturally only increase after this, and with Israel’s western backing, it is unlikely Israel will face any punishment. The US is a well-known supporter of Israel, and Barack Obama himself declared that he supported ‘Israel’s right to defend itself’ in a speech whilst on tour in South East Asia. Palestine will continue to be blockaded and so desperately needed help may not be allowed to arrive.

Hamas will also likely be rejuvenated by the conflict. Despite their great losses, its appeal to every day Palestinians may increase, as it could be seen as the only defence of Gaza.

We may have to wait until January to be sure if the Israeli objectives were

Picture: ideastorm met, when their election takes place.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may emerge from this conflict as the clear winner; a man who was willing to ‘defend’ his people from Hamas, but also someone who could negotiate a peace deal with them.

The crisis also came at a time when Palestine was awaiting for UN response to change its status from permanent observer to non-member observer state. As of 29th November, the UN General Assembly did pass the amendment to Palestine’s statehood. The change was naturally opposed by the US and Israel, but Palestine has received important support from France and Spain

(amongst other European states), who declared they are in favour of a Palestinian state by voting in favour.

US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice declared that the change that the ‘unfortunate and counterproductive resolution places further obstacles in the path peace’. No elaboration was made on how this decision would delegitimise the peace process, but it is difficult to see any current signs of a peaceful agreement and two-state solution. Whether the change to Palestine’s status is merely symbolic, represents real change or will actually endanger any prospective peace will be seen over the coming months.

10 Comment

Western Eye December 2012

Comment

is Coming George Ferguson continues to Christmas > And don’t we know it give back to Bristol as Mayor Alice Lloyd

comment@westerneye.net

Jack Brown

comment@westerneye.net

Picture: RLRXE

H

Picture: mayor4bristol

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ocal Architect and Entrepreneur George Ferguson has succeeded in continuing his love affair with Bristol by beating off the competition to become the new Mayor of the city. Having already held the Post of High Sheriff of the city, Ferguson, who elected to separate himself from the Liberal Democrats in order to run independently as mayor, was crowned victor after beating his nearest challenger by over 6,000 votes.

His election marks a new chapter in a long and fruitful relationship between Ferguson, who holds an honorary degree from the University of the West of England, and Bristol, since his graduation from the University of Bristol as an architect. Since then, he has achieved great things in his field of expertise, such as holding the role of president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, but has always endeavoured to give back to the city.

In 1996, he bought the sole remaining building of the Tobacco Factory, and using a bit of entrepreneurial nous, has turned it into a booming multi-purpose building, and has come to symbolise urban regeneration in the city. This is but one example of the incredible contribution he has made to architecture and urban issues within the city, previous to his election. And judging by his initial moves as Mayor, the CBE recipient has no intentions of changing his stance towards Bristol. Within days of being elected, Ferguson had made several changes which made it clear his intentions as Mayor were to focus on the citizens of the city.

Following being sworn in as Mayor, he moved to change the name of the formerly known ‘Council House’ to ‘Bristol City Hall’, a move which he described as having the intention to reflect that the building belongs to the city, and not to the Council.

Alongside this, he moved to abandon Sunday parking charges, that had only been given the go-ahead a week previous, in order to draft a new strategy for dealing with parking in the city. But the clearest indicator that Ferguson is a Mayor for the people, lies in his choice to take his salary in ‘Bristol Pound’, a new currency form designed to help local businesses.

At a time of hardship and austerity, the notion that he is always thinking of local trade, even when taking his own salary, will be a welcome hope for the many small businesses in the city. His rather kooky take on fashion, always electing to wear red trousers, gives him the Boris Johnson-esque personality traits to win over the hearts of the city, and if he carries on giving back to Bristol in the same way that he has for many years, it shouldn’t be too long before his politics win over their minds.

onestly, I love Christmas. I can’t wait to spend a few days relaxing at home, seeing family and friends, eating far more food than is healthy and, for two or three days, not worrying about work, exams or coursework.

But that’s Christmas – not October or November. I’m happy to accept that Christmas isn’t just the 25th of December, but, and call me oldfashioned, isn’t three months out of twelve a little ridiculous?

First comes the harassment from the shops. We’ve all seen it. Come mid-October (I’m being generous in some cases), we’re faced with novelty Christmas chocolate (this I tend to happily accept), Christmas decorations and even the odd tree. Is it too much to ask to first be able to enjoy Halloween and Bonfire Night in autumn?

Next to contend with is the increasingly busy city centres. As much as I love Bristol, I refuse to venture into the city centre once it’s gone Christmas mad (usually sometime early November) unless absolutely necessary. It’s not that I don’t enjoy buying presents for my friends and family, but when I’m about twice my normal size because I’m wearing multiple layers and a coat to keep warm, trying to contend with hundreds of people in shops and on the streets so that I can weigh myself down with bags full of things that aren’t even for me, I think I’d rather stay at home and hope my internet holds out long enough for me to buy something, anything online. At least then I don’t have to suffer at the hands of Mariah Carey, Band Aid and Wizard.

Quite surprisingly I’ve already done all of my Christmas shopping before December’s even begun – purely so I don’t have to think about it until Christmas (the real Christmas) actually arrives. By ‘real’ Christmas, I’m referring to what I’ll call my Three Days of Christmas – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The three days that we can take out of our everyday lives (most of us, anyway), and not worry about impending coursework deadlines or irritating work colleagues. Three days to relax, celebrate and eat and drink until we need to ‘nap it off’ at half past three in the afternoon.

But before that we all have things to get on with, right? Why should I be excited that it’s “only 67 sleeps

‘til Christmas!”? Why don’t we then begin the countdown on Boxing Day, telling anyone who’ll listen that it’s only 364 days to go! 253 days to go... 147 days to go… 100 days to go… It seems to me pretty pointless to be forever looking forward to the ‘most wonderful time of the year’, when it will be coming round every year like clockwork. I genuinely think Christmas is a great time of year, and should be completely enjoyed, but let’s not get carried away. We don’t look forward to Easter half as much, though we get the same Bank Holidays, family get-togethers and inevitable sweet treats.

I’m often mistaken for a bit of a Scrooge, which I think is unfair. The point I’m trying to make is that you can fully appreciate Christmas without making a complete spectacle out of it. It might be my memory failing me, but I don’t remember the grand Christmas lights switch-on being midNovember when I was younger. Yet another overrated Christmas spectacular, where minor celebrities from around the country turn-out in force to turn on a town or city’s efforts of a festive extravaganza – something which I will happily ignore for the night, get on with my life and hear about the next day. This year in Bristol the lights were switched on by Peter Pan. Peter Pan, a fictional character.

This leads me to confirm something about Christmas – it’s for the kids. Who else could be impressed

by Peter Pan’s appearance, or even Peppa Pig turning on the lights in my home city of Worcester (yes, really). Children get the best of it I’d say. The excitement of new toys, the prospect of catching a glimpse of Father Christmas, festive activities at school, and in general enjoying the ‘magic’ of Christmas.

Maybe I’ve done the opposite of our friend Peter Pan and grown up too quickly, but there are other things I enjoy about Christmas, things I think are much better than visiting Santa in his grotto at the shopping the centre. When I go home at the end of term I, like most other students, will have a lot of work to do.

But by Christmas Eve it won’t matter.

I’ll watch Home Alone with my family, go for drinks with my friends and spend Christmas Day completely indulging, and right now, during a time of insane workload and deadlines, I can’t think of anything better.

Comment 11

Western Eye December 2012

Movember > The return of the Mo

Picture: qthrul to encourage more men to check themselves regularly, while sporting rather hairy upper lips. Even the All Blacks rugby team have done a video showing off their mo’s, which is fantastic press for the campaign. You then have campaigns, such as Gillette’s, who would be missing out on a month’s trading during the November period. Instead, they have also got on board with Movember, with

adverts selling razors that can be used to style facial hair, rather than shave it off. Cynics would argue that it feels too much like an opportunity to promote the company, despite the fact that proceeds are going to the charity.

However, the advertising is only building up more awareness for what Movember stand for, which is helping men’s health. But what makes Movember successful is its simplicity and visibility, and that every man is different. The moustache comes in many shapes and sizes. Most often, you’ll see the Handlebar moustache style, curling upwards over the edges of a male’s upper lip towards his nostrils, often used stereotypically for a French waiter. Then there’s the ‘fumanchu’, which has thin facial hair growing from the upper lip and down to the chin. Or perhaps you may have seen the bushy ‘Chevron’, or maybe the ‘Toothbrush’. All these types of moustache have appeared over the years because of this campaign, and because they are on men’s faces, the most visible part of their body, it’s hard not to notice. Already, Movember is a success, because the moustache is so noticeable, that people wonder why so many men

are growing them. It’s spreading the word, with just facial hair. It’s not as physically jarring as climbing Kilimanjaro, or maybe as technical as a cake sale, or as embarrassing as having pies thrown at your face. It’s simple, and something all men can partake in, which is what helps build the funds.

However, I can’t help but think that it occasionally loses the initial aim of raising money for the cause. For example, my two male housemates decided to do Movember and see who could grow the more noticeable moustache (they both have failed dramatically). But, they weren’t doing it for charity; they were just doing it for fun. Some just use it as an excuse for growing moustaches and looking ridiculous. It may be raising awareness of ‘Movember’, and knows what the cause is for, but they are not actively going out of their way to get funds for it.

But it cannot be denied that, for a relatively young charity, it’s incredibly effective. The moustaches have caused a frenzy all over the world, and the word is still spreading. The battle against men’s cancers can only improve, and Movember is certainly leading the way.

job to be a reality. As the report by 1994 Group observes “Many people achieve a better sense of the academic field or career they would like to pursue through work or during their undergraduate degree and then choose a postgraduate course to reflect this new direction”.

Last, but certainly not least postgrads allow for t potentially increased job prospects and earnings, with the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey of 2006/7 reporting that “73.6% of UK domiciled

postgraduates were in managerial or professional occupations after three and a half years” compared to “Only 49.7% of first degree leavers in the same position[s]” and that “Postgraduate students of business and administrative studies had a median salary of £40,000 while those leaving with a degree in education had a median salary of £28,000”.

In addition to benefitting individuals, post-graduate degrees can also assist the UK economy. For example, 1994 Group’s report suggests that a highly skilled British workforce is likely to attract global businesses to set up bases within the UK, providing an essential economic boost.

Socially; “The unique skills of postgraduates are also important to the work of the public and not for profit sectors. The heightened skills and knowledge of postgraduates enhances public services and brings long term societal benefits”.

However, this wide range of advantages is under threat as a result of Postgraduate courses’ major disadvantage: fees and funding. Following the recent increase of undergraduate fees, students may be much less inclined to take on more debt and engage in even further education. Public funding for postgraduate courses is incredibly limited, with over 60% of UK and EU postgrads within England in 2007/8 having been funded privately (e.g. through their own savings or family). Tuition fees are required to be paid upfront and unhelpfully, not only are Professional and Career Development Loan options from banks diminishing, but their interest rates can also be relatively high.

1994 Group highlights the fact that as a result of the lack of funding within the UK, home students are

most likely to be affected, with the number of international postgraduates growing much faster than that of UK students.

They continue to emphasise that “The personal expenditure of international students in 2007/8 alone totalled £2.3 billion, creating £3.3 billion of output and over 27,800 jobs” and “With 55% of international students coming to study in the UK on postgraduate programmes, postgraduate level education has an important role to play in boosting the economy”. As a result 1994 Group urge that “International postgraduate students should be warmly welcomed and encouraged alongside UK students”.

However, the report by HEC highlights that “High numbers of international students cannot compensate for poor take-up of postgraduate education among home-domiciled students and an emphasis is needed on up-skilling of the UK population, ensuring that British students are able to compete in the global labour market”.

HEC indicates that the countries with a highly educated population have an abundant capacity for growth and “The UK risks being left behind by neglecting the importance of UK postgraduate students”.

Despite all of the obvious advantages, for many students a postgraduate degree may not be worth the expenses or are simply just not an option.

However, after contemplating all of the potential advantages that further education provides for the economy, perhaps it is time for the government to step up and take both HEC’s and 1994 Groups suggested Higher Education policies into great consideration.

Sophie Seddon comment@westerneye.net

I

rarely come across men with moustaches. I see them constantly, but mainly because they’ve now become a fashion statement.

They’re on womens t-shirts, and bags in Accessorize, and necklaces, and even sold as stick ons in Urban Outfitters that everyone can join in with if you’re having a Mexicanthemed party. Maybe they are just out of fashion, or just associated with certain nationalities? Maybe the images of older men in the 19th century with big bushy moustaches have put off the younger generation today believing that it is a thing of the past. I have to say, they are not the most ATTRACTIVE look. A friend of mine said she thought moustache’s made men look ‘pedophilic’. Maybe not the response men would be looking for when they embark on the 30 day challenge that now occurs every November.

In many cases, or from what I have heard, November is womenkind’s worst nightmare… or should I say ‘Movember’ instead? It’s been around for several years, and has

effectively brought back the tash.

Since its conception in 2004 in Melbourne, Australia, it has grown (literally) on a global scale, raising £184 million, with an impressive £7.9 million last November alone.

Since 2007, when it first appeared in the UK, Movember has been a monthly event in which awareness and funds are raised for male prostate and testicular cancers, both of which are initially difficult to diagnose any early symptoms, making them relatively dangerous. Considering how many women’s based charities we have now across the globe, such as Breast Cancer Awareness, it’s good to see a charity that is focusing on men’s health within the public sphere.

The charity is built up of appropriately named ‘Mo Bros’, registered men who donate to the charity, and then ‘Mo Sistas’, who are supporting men in their life that are taking part.

Many work offices take part in Movember to raise money, and see who can grow the largest moustache, while some make videos on YouTube

Postgraduate

Picture: scui3asteveo

Aminah Jagne comment@westerneye.net

R

ecent reports by both the Higher Education Commission (HEC - an independent group consisting of universities, businesses and political parties) and 1994 Group (made up of members from 12 different university organisations) have indicated that Postgraduate courses and consequently, the UK economy are likely to suffer.

The necessity of a postgraduate degree is a common topic of discussion, however as both reports indicate, it certainly has its advantages.

For students, a postgrad can serve as a route to particular professions, be it via increased skills that they are able to attain, in-depth and more specific knowledge and the opportunity to gain practical experience within their chosen field. Or simply by establishing connections, becoming familiar with a particular industry and building up a network to enhance their career prospects.

Furthermore, a post-graduate course can allow the prospect of changing a current career path or

12 Comment

Western Eye December 2012

A year after Gaddafi

> Piecing Libya back together Safia Yallaoui

comment@westerneye.net

Picture: America Abroad Media

I

t has been one year since the infamous dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, left Libya in a hell-like state after he was killed by one of his own civilians. The world had no idea what was going to happen to Libya but one thing was for sure, things could only get better.

Finally, after 42 years of Gaddafi’s rule, democratic-style elections took place in Libya. The public were given a choice concerning the future of their country for the first time in decades; freedom was in reach.

Following the voice of the public,

the National Transitional Council of Libya gave control of the country to Abdurrahim El-Keib, 62, who acted as interim Prime Minister from 24th November 2011 to 31st October 2012.

After rejecting El-Keib’s proposed cabinet, due to accusations that some of the people involved had connections to Gaddafi, the General National Congress appointed Ali Zeidan, 62, and after accepting his proposed ministers he took office on 31st October 2012 as Prime Minister.

At first sight Ali Zeidan, much like Abdurrahim El-Keib, seems perfect

for Libya just because of the fact that he is anti-Gaddafi; this is surely the most important trait that the Prime Minister has.

However, it seems that no matter who the Prime Minister is, there will be social unrest for a long time to come.

It appears that the biggest problem that Libya is facing when trying to restore peace to the country, is the town of Bani Walid. Bani Walid is one of the last Gaddafi strongholds and is around 90 miles Southeast of the capital Tripoli.

Tens of thousands of residents have

been driven out of their hometown because of bombings and killings in the town and government militias have been fighting for control of it.

Violence in Bani Walid was triggered by the killing of Omran Shaaban who was credited back in October 2011 of capturing and killing Muammar Gaddafi. Omran Shaaban was kidnapped in July by those described as Gaddafi supporters and kept for 50 days in Bani Walid.

He was tortured and shot and when he was finally released he was taken to France to be treated for

his injuries. Shaaban later died in a hospital in Paris on 24th September 2012 at the age of 22. His body was flown back to Libya to the sight of huge crowds of people in mourning.

It is not surprising that the killing of the man, who I am sure most Libyans would call their saviour, has angered many Libyan people and so continues to keep the country in a state of unrest.

Although pro-government militias have now taken back control of Bani Walid and residents are starting to move back to their homes, even without running water or electricity, there are still other Gaddafi strongholds in Libya. There will always be Gaddafi loyalists; there will always be evil people in the world.

Fighting will never end in Libya, just like in every other country in the world there will always be battles between government and civilians and also civil wars. However, the only way is up, there is no way that the Libyan people can or will ever let the country go back to the state it was in when Gaddafi was in charge.

Now the people have tasted freedom they will never go back to an autocracy; this in itself is an amazing accomplishment.

The new Prime Minister has said that one of his main aims to restore the country to democracy is to replace the army and police forces from the old regime with a newly trained group of security. This is the first step in claiming Libya back from Gaddafi’s clutches.

To reinvent Libya continues to be a humungous task, but I am confident that it is a task that can be accomplished because the people of Libya are willing to work together.

No matter how long it takes to get Libya to a civilised state of freedom and democracy, one day the thought of Gaddafi’s rule will seem like a terrible nightmare that Libyans and the world thankfully woke up from.

Is the media becoming ‘dumbed down’?

Chloe Anderson-Dixon

comment@westerneye.net

I

n the past few years, celebrity status and news has become the forefront of public and consumer interest, leaving important news stories and events to fade into the background.

Tabloid newspapers nowadays not only publish current events going on around the world, but often the likes of Kim Kardashian and David Beckham are gracing the front pages, whilst important news and information such as the UK’s economy and even riots breaking out in different countries are being pushed to page three or four.

The question I want to raise is why is this happening? The term ‘dumbing down’ refers to the simplification of important issues, and issues that appear to have no worth culturally or socially are being brought to the forefront.

In terms of the tabloids, these new ‘news worthy’ stories are appearing

in the forms of magazines such as OK! and Grazia, devoting themselves to the pursuit of celebrity gossip.

These celebrity stories are gaining extensive readership, but at the same time they require very little journalistic research or extensive analysis.

BBC Journalist Michael Bunce supports this, saying: “The essential paradox is that, whilst readers and viewers are better educated than in the past, the media are lowering the IQ of their output.” Even photographers can earn big money for just a photograph of a celebrity without any make up on, and they need not be doing anything more than not looking their best.

Slowly, more and more celebrities are seen appearing in broadsheets around the UK. David Beckham was a regular fixture in summer 2003 as he changed his hair, football club and image several times.

“

“The essential paradox is that, whilst readers and viewers are better educated than in the past, the media are lowering the IQ of their output.”

Michael Bunce

At the same time we were dealing with the crisis of Iraq, however we didn’t see that making the front page in the same issue, it was pushed back to page two or three.

As we can see, more importance is placed upon celebrity news stories and entertainment news than previously seen within the mass media.

However, some of the blame for this change in public interest can be put on journalists. News topics such as politics and the government are a lot harder to report on in an interesting and original way than they were.

Whilst some may seek to slate this obsession with celebrity status and trivial stories, some may choose to embrace it. After all, it obviously must be an enjoyable form of news, as Now’s sales figures came to 570,279 copies on average per week.

Lazy journalism, growing celebrity status and culture and just plain and

simple disinterest from the public have created an age of the consumer as a celebrity and fashion victim, a space to fill with showbiz parties and the latest high street trends. Therefore the media has indeed become ‘dumbed down’, and as Jamie Dowd who writes for the Observer stated: “We may not know much about the Holy Roman Empire. But boy do we know how to accessorise and get the best mortgage”.

Comment 13

Western Eye December 2012

Effects of New Squatting Law

Picture: Stanjourdan

Jordan Short comment@westerneye.net

P

rior to September 2012, squatting was a civil matter where police intervention would only occur if criminality was suspected, but now squatters can face up to six months in jail or a £5000 fine and it is a criminal offence. With unemployment rife, extortionate mortgage rates and the cold winter months looming, what does this mean for squatters in Bristol?

Before the new law came into practice, during the bank holiday weekend in August, residents in Stokes Croft were kept awake for three nights in a row due to a 72 hour party.

Squatters had got into ‘The Free Shop’ and kept residents awake with loud drum and bass music that shook and vibrated their windows.

The police received more than 40 complaints after which they attended to the property and told them to turn the music down, but after they left it continued.

Squatters in Bristol had also moved into empty luxury mansions in Clifton. Ministers believed that the new law would put a stop to squatters abusing people’s property and help protect the hard-working homeowners.

Surely it does not matter whether they are squatting in a luxury mansion or a small flat, as the principle remains the same: they have a roof over their heads, are off the street, trespassing nonetheless.

Squatters are often criticised for leaving properties in a disgusting mess with the remnants of drug abuse and graffiti, which is left to the property owner to clear up and fix damages out of their own pocket. Campaigners have warned that criminalising squatting in residential buildings would have an adverse effect on some of the most vulnerable homeless people, which would result in more sleeping rough. Moreover, if they are caught illegally squatting they will have to pay a fine or go to prison. Many people are outraged that this new law does not consider the underlying reasons as to why people squat in the first place, arguing that if more money and effort went into helping these people find a job and a place to live, then there would be no need to criminalise it.

On the one hand the new laws are protecting the rights of homeowners who work hard for their lifestyle, and deserve to have the justice system on their side, and it gives the police more power to make quicker decisions. However, the new law applies to empty houses that have been abandoned or are derelict and there

are 720,000 that fall into this category in England, of which over 6,000 are in Bristol. The new law criminalises homeless people when they are trying to find places off the streets.

So where does this leave squatters to go if they do not want to be on the streets?

Many laws have loop holes and

“

Now squatters can face up to six months in jail or a £5000 fine and it is a criminal offence

this is no exception. The law states that it is only illegal to squat on residential premises therefore still leaving commercial premises as open options for squatting. Furthermore, many lawyers have complained at

how poorly drafted it is and that unlike the 1977 Act, it does not include squatting in people’s gardens. Thus, a squatter could squat in your garden shed.

Squatters in Bristol have quickly cottoned on to this idea and have made use of it to stay on the right side of the law. At the beginning of October, just over a month after the new laws came into practice, squatters moved into a former bank in Clifton; Lloyds TSB confirmed that it was responsible for the building.

Squatting in a commercial property is a civil matter and therefore the police cannot intervene unless criminality is suspected.

When the police checked the property they claimed that no damage had been caused to the building. The squatters made a statement saying that they were “Enjoying getting one back at the financial system which always seems to get public money thrown at it when they are in trouble.” A few weeks later the squatters were evicted from the building after receiving a notice by Lloyds.

They made a cardboard cut-out key with foil and handed that to the bailiffs to “Physically represent that we were giving the building back…being homeless isn’t much fun in the winter – it’s very much hard work” said Barry Fry, one of the squatters. They had in fact kept the building in the

same condition they found it in, unlike previous squatting stories which suggest that squatters have stolen items and left the premises in squalor with graffiti.

One person has been arrested and put into prison since the new laws have come into action. 21-yearold Alex Haigh who was squatting in a residential house in London, has been put in prison for 12 weeks after pleading guilty to squatting. Residents of the area argue that while the owner had the right to have him removed, it does not seem fair to put him in prison. Others are of the view that he should not have been there in the first place and at least if he is in prison he has a roof over his head and three meals a day.

No one in Bristol has been convicted of breaching the new squatting laws yet. But as the months get colder this leaves the most vulnerable at a greater risk on the streets, or seeking to find refuge in commercial buildings to keep warm. While homeowners should have the right to evict unwanted squatters in their property, could it be that a hefty fine and prison sentence, which will lead to a criminal record, is too harsh a punishment? Or, is this pay-back time for squatters, and their ‘rights’ which they have abused over the years, causing so much havoc, misery and destruction to hard-working people?

14 Feature

Western Eye December 2012

Feature

What is the AGM?

> Following the last AGM in November, Sangita Lal explains how it works and why it is so important

Sangita Lal feature@westerneye.net

W

hat is the AGM? You’ve probably spent your days heading to lectures like the hard working students you are and hopefully you’ve seen our AGM posters around giving you a brief introduction to what the AGM is. Well, here’s a bit more.

The AGM is the Students’ Union’s Annual General Meeting. This basically means it’s an allocated time to get as many people from the university together to discuss issues students have put forward. The meetings are completely student-led, as any student is welcome to come up with an issue they wish to discuss; they then have to simply follow the guidelines online to place their issue, which then makes it a motion.

Once you’ve created a motion you then have three minutes to speak at the AGM, then the Chair of the meeting opens the motion up to the floor for discussion. If people wish to discuss the motion further they are also allocated a balanced time of three minutes to voice a counter argument. The layout is completely balanced and the fundamental principle is for students to be heard and for the outcomes of motions to be productive.

Once motions are passed they become policy, and some policies which have been previously elaborated can Picture: UWE Students’ Union

be seen in anonymous marking with the online submission system, such as the motion to have no Carnage promotion allowed on campus and a suggestion for Halls Reps. All these policies were heard by the Students’ Union when students put them forward. Who better to learn from and listen to than the very people you’re trying to help?

After a motion has been processed as a policy it will remain a contribution and development to the Students’ Union for three years.

However after these three years it is dropped <this isn’t a great explanation the correct phrasing is policies “lapse” after 3 years you could say they expire but they are reviewed before lapsing and officers and any other students can decide to resubmit them so that they are passed again as policies for another 3 years. “Dropped” sounds wrong and doesn’t explain why policies have a fixed life span, which is to keep policies relevant and current, otherwise we’d still have policies about wanting an end to Apartheid in South Africa and the release of Nelson Mandela >. This is a further reason why it is essential for students to attend meetings and gain a better knowledge of the Students’ Union they belong to. If policies are currently in place which you wish to have ongo-

Picture: UWE Students’ Union ing in your years at university, speak up and be heard!

The AGMs are not only there to bring up discussion and debate, but also to increase awareness of the financial aspect of the university. In every AGM, Trustees provide an annual report of their activities. Trustees are members of the university who specifically look to strategies and financial issues. This year the Trustees provided a strategic review of where the priorities of the university lie and where they wish to spend their money, with further information on the new SU building and news on the block grant (the money the university gives to help fund the Union) The AGMs are completely student led, with students making the motions, the same students speak up in the meeting and other students discuss them further. <The meetings also accommodate to the students’ preference on the actual event <<<this doesn’t make sense>. Prior

to the meeting, attendees are given an outline of how the meeting will run. However, if students wish to prioritise aspects of the meeting above others, a vote is taken there and then, and the meeting can go ahead with amendments as they go along.

Every year improvements and adaptations are made but always with the same intention, to be better for students and create more productive outcomes.

This year, a quirky amendment was made to the voting cards. Where usually they are simply a voting card (not to diminish the brilliance of a standard voting card), this year the cards were split in two: half was the voting card, but if flipped upsidedown, it became a ‘Lost Card’. This was specifically for the student who has lost track of the meeting or doesn’t understand something.

Once the ‘Lost Card’ was raised a “knight in shining armour” was summoned to help students on a one-

to-one basis and help people along the way. The ‘Lost Card’ was also for people where things were going a bit wrong. As we all know, technology can sometimes have one of those days where everything isn’t really working out, so if at some point your voting pad had stopped working or a human error had been made, the ‘Lost Card’ could help you out there too!

The AGMs are created and put in place to help the Students’ Union and the students. They are intended to be completely balanced and fair, following a set structure of rules which are not deviated away from.

Votes can only be made with more than one hundred and fifty members in the room, and this year there was a point where there were less than that present and the meeting was stopped, despite the fact that further motions had yet to be heard.

It doesn’t matter to what extent the meeting has progressed, the AGM adheres to the set procedure.

However, at no point are motions ignored. For motions which did not get the chance to be heard at the meeting, a student council will come together on 21st February to discuss them further. This council is slightly different from the AGM, as it consists of ten Student Reps, ten Sports members, ten Communications and Welfare members, ten Societies and Communications members and an executive, and these are the voting members.

The AGM is the highest decision making body in the SU which has a say on the direction the SU takes.

Subsequent meetings to the AGM provide further means to developing policy and leaving out no motion put forward. It’s simply a chance to be heard and hear others.

None of this is secret or kept from students, and if this is the first time you’re hearing about it and you’re interested in these issues and actions, then all you have to do is simply glance through the SU website. All the information is on there of what the SU are doing, and what happened in the AGM in November. www.uwesu.org/representation/ agm

Feature 15

Western Eye December 2012

Acquiring your first graduate role – The Do’s and Don’ts > UK’s leading employers looking to increase their graduate recruitment by 6.4% Dan Hawes feature@westerneye.net

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ore than 300,000 students graduate each year, which at first glance calls for concern, but don’t be put off by this. Organisations are looking to increase their work force through graduates like your selves to push their organisation forward. We are going to take you through the Do’s and Don’ts of acquiring your first graduate job.

The Don’ts Don’t apply for as many jobs as possible as quickly as possible. As tempting as it may be to just click away and avoid the pain of writing a cover letter, it just isn’t an effective way of obtaining employment. Find a graduate job you really like the look of that you have a good chance of obtaining (i.e. your skill sets match the job requirements) and spend a good amount of time on the application.

A good amount of time could range from 90 – 180 minutes depending

on the information they require. Ensure you read the job description thoroughly and understand exactly what they are looking for. Once you have spent the time understanding this you can then write a convincing and effective application.

Don’t apply for different jobs in different sectors. The main gripe of the employers is the wide variety of roles graduates are applying for.

Due to the perception of the current graduate job market students feel they should apply for all different types of roles to increase their chances of obtaining employability. However this is a no-no when looking for your first role. Be sure you know what type of role you are looking for and the sector you want to work in and then focus your applications in this direction. Not only will it ensure you find a role you enjoy but also demonstrate to a future

employer that you have a passion for this sector.

The Do’s Be patient and don’t panic.Patience is the key to your success when finding your first role. We understand that you want to tuck straight into your first role as soon as possible, however don’t expect it to happen overnight. It may take up to 12 months for your ideal role to head your way. The process of continuing to apply and the attendance of interviews and yet not seeing success can be damaging to the most resilient of characters. But the best advice we could give you here at The Graduate Recruitment Bureau is to keep on going.

Apply to SME’s Apply to the roles that are not being advertised on the wider stage, but on the smaller stage where the quantity of applicants is likely to be

much lower. It will also allow you to connect with the owner of the company on a more personal level, whereas in a larger organisation you may find yourself distanced from the owner and without the personal touch. A larger organisation will also start filtering their applicants through the university attended and the course taken rather than on the persons merit. Roles within an SME is also favourable as you will be recognised far more for your efforts and reap the rewards. Think about it when you apply, a glamorous company may not be what it is cracked up to be.

Register with a consultancy Consultants have a bad reputation but for all the wrong reasons. Register yourself with a consultancy who has direct links to jobs and will do all the leg work for you when applying to jobs. Here at The Graduate Recruitment Bureau we will take

you from the first stage all the way through to accepting the job offer.

The priceless insider information we can give is second to none that will put you in a far superior position for the role. The more avenues you open the more chances you will get to obtain your first graduate job.

That’s all for now, remember that there are graduate jobs out there, just stay focused and spend time on sector related roles that take your fancy. Feel you need a little extra helping hand? Then don’t hesitate to get in touch!

This Guest Post has been written

by Dan Hawes, Marketing Director, on behalf of The Graduate Recruitment Bureau (www.grb.uk.com)

16 Life & Style

Western Eye December 2012

Life & Style

Bristol Beats UWE, but Accountants have the last drink

> The latest results from Studentsbeans.com’s University Drinking Leagues Huw Armstrong lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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orget the Sunday Times University Guide, forget the Premier League…the results are in for the most important league table that concerns all students, the Studentbeans.com Drinking League Table 2012.

Studentbeans.com is a website dedicated to all things student, and they have released the results of the eagerly awaited University Drinking League. The website procured information from 4656 students situated around the UK on the subject of drinking and deciphered from the results, which subject drinks the most.

In the most recent Studentbeans. com survey UWE dramatically altered its rankings from 2011, ranking in 44th place in the Drinking League, with each student drinking an average of 18.1 units per week. Bristol University on the other hand, is situated in 21st place in the League with an average of 20.1 units per week.

What is most disappointing about this is the striking drop in rankings from the previous years results; UWE finished in a respectable 22nd place last year with Bristol in 54th.

So, is UWE becoming teetotal? In short; no, it’s not. In 2011, UWE students consumed the same units per week than the more recent results.

Evidently, an increasing amount of

universities are drinking a lot more than they did in 2011. Maybe this is to do with the influx of freshers to other universities, or perhaps that drinks prices in Bristol are too expensive.

A Politics student who wishes to remain anonymous believes that the decrease in the League table derives from the pressures of university work and the stress of achieving a good degree, “I think students are choosing to have the odd night out every few weeks rather than getting smashed every couple of nights.

My friends prefer to get tipsy, rather than absolutely plastered now. People seem to have a better night out when they don’t over-do it on the Vodd Bulls”.

Work may be one reason why students at UWE are not going crazy most weeks. Third year students in particular don’t tend to go crazy for nights out when every deadline means so much.

But when third year Games Technology Student, Tom Charles, talked to the Western Eye about the results, he was slightly shocked; “I find the results surprising. When I go out I usually drink a lot more than 18.1 units – not that I count. The workload is heavy, but you have to go a bit crazy at times when work is getting a bit too much”.

It is surprising that UWE was in such a low place in the league this year – the second lowest university in

Picture: erik jaeger the South West region (Bath Uni was ranked at 59th). The only logical reason that UWE is lower placed this year is that all the other universities have started to drink more than they previously have. It would be interesting to see how many UWE students were actually surveyed for this. But, for the mean time, we can only speculate (or hope) that it wasn’t that many.

Despite the low ranking, UWE has maintained its consistent drinking rate at 18.1 units per week for the past two years, yet it seems that this is not enough to contend with other universities. I can safely say that students at UWE are not social recluses…but Christmas is coming so let’s just say that we’re saving our pennies for the festive season. That’s a justified excuse, I think.

The second part to the Studentbeans.com survey was not nearly as

depressing as the first. This League shows which subjects drink the most.

Accountancy and Finance students were ranked in top place drinking an average of 30.6 units a week.

Economics, engineering, business studies, and chemistry round off the top five.

You would not imagine these subjects to be near the top for they are subjects that are academically very demanding.

When Sam Tripp, a third year Engineering student, was asked why the results put his course near the top of the League, he answered: “Well, we work the hardest therefore play the hardest… Simple logic. We put 100% into everything we do and therefore apply this methodology to drinking”.

A second year Business studies student who asked not to be named, told Western Eye: “Business is a relatively easy degree to be honest – in

its structure and the pure size of it. It makes it easier to go out and you can still manage to pull yourself in for the morning. And its not hard to catch up if you miss a lecture”.

It would appear then, that the demands of certain degrees play a pivotal role in how much you can drink and how often you can go out.

Degrees which require the most amount of reading – History, English, etc. – were not in the top 15. This is hardly surprising. A female history student who also wished to remain anonymous told Western Eye that “I simply cannot afford (academically) to go out and drink loads. The next day would be a write-off and I have too much work and reading that I need to keep on top of. I can’t just sit around hung-over doing nothing all day”.

That’s not to say the degrees that placed at the top of the list are not as difficult – for they are as equally demanding as other subjects. Perhaps it’s a case of working hard and playing equally as hard. If you have more contact hours per week, then allow for a reward in the way of beverage at the weekend or on a Wednesday night.

Are you worried about the amount you drink?

Want advice about drinking safely over the holidays?

See: www.drinkaware.co.uk

Microfinance Does Work! Lendwithcare.org > A charity entrepreneur scheme supported by CARE International Nicol Caplin lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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ften with charity today, you give money to an organisation and it is up to them to decide how and where the money goes. You may be left wondering if your donation really made a difference.

One charity, which invites the public to invest in projects in the developing world, is ensuring clarity when it comes to giving. Lendwithcare.org has been set up with the aim of helping people to help themselves out of poverty and it all started with an idea from a budding entrepreneur.

A small business approaches a local microfinance institution (MFI) with a business plan. MFIs are effectively local banks – they vary in size, but all have long-established working relationships with CARE In-

ternational. An entrepreneur’s business plan could be anything from getting the funds to start a local hardware store in Togo, to expanding budget for crop seeding supplies for farmers in Thailand and promoting biodiversity. MFI acts quickly to move funds into the entrepreneur’s account so they can get their business up and running as quickly as possible.

The MFI then helps the entrepreneur to construct their profile for lendwithcare.org and this is where the public come in. Anyone over 18 can sign up using the easy to use online form. New members can then credit their account with funds (minimum of £15) and begin browsing projects.

Once you have found a vendor that has caught your interest you can choose how much of their project you wish to fund. For example, Nancy, an animal rearer in Ecuador is looking for a loan of £214 to expand her stock and buy animal

feed. She has already raised £124 and you decide to add £20 to her project. Now she has raised £144 and is on her way to hitting her tar-

“

MFI acts quickly to move funds into the entrepreneur’s account so they can get their business up and running as quickly as possible

get. Once she is fully funded by the network of other members she can then begin to pay back her loans.

Over time the money you have invested will also be repaid (a time scale is given on each members webpage) and you are notified by email of incoming payments. The beauty is thus; you can then choose to either withdraw your money, thank you very much! Or better still, recycle your initial donation and pump the funds into a different entrepreneurs project. Any member can choose to donate publicly and see the list of members who have involved themselves on the same projects, or can remain totally anonymous like an invisible angel.

This is a practical and real way of helping people – microfinance works! With the festive season fast approaching and long queues for novelty mugs and socks growing, why not consider crediting a friend or family member with a gift voucher instead?

Details can be found on the website: http://www.lendwithcare.org/ and charity’s official Facebook page. You can even tweet your questions to @lendwithcare.

Life & Style 17

Western Eye December 2012

Conjure Up a Festive Feast > Simple ideas for you student house Christmas meal Lauren Winney lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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nother year has passed and the festive season is upon us, it’s the weeks leading up to that big roast dinner that the whole family has been waiting for that makes your belly rumble. Christmas is the best season for food and being a student away from home can be difficult during this time, especially when the loan is running out, time is being spent at your computer desk and money is being saved for the families Christmas presents.

Experiencing Christmas time with your University friends is a great way to end the first term. So why not bring some cheap festive feast tricks to your student dining table, brighten your flatmates and University friends’ spirits and get everyone in the festive mood.

Decorate your house to create the winter wonderland atmosphere.

Poundland is a great shop for seasonal decorations, and of course is student price friendly. Chip in with your friends and grab a tree and some fairy lights to create that home Christmas feeling. To make it even more festive why not YouTube some Christmas classics and blast them

out while you decorate.

During this season, the supermarkets go crazy on deals for food especially chocolate and snacks, which of course are all festively themed. Having a tub of pringles, twiglets, and a big tin of roses will be something to look forward to while appreciat-

“

Experiencing Christmas time with your University friends is a great way to end the first term

ing your cheap but cheerful indoor Christmas interior extravaganza.

So your house looks like Santa’s grotto, the Christmas tunes are on and deadlines are almost over and done with. The week before everyone is ‘driving home for Christmas’ is a great time to have a cheeky first

roast dinner with your University family. As students, we may be used to living off ready meals, pot noodles and quick and easy oven-cooked food, so cooking a roast may be daunting. However, here we supply you with the best, cheap and easy ways to create a festive feast for your friends that will leave them wanting it again next year!

Starter: Soup is a great way to start a nice festive warm meal.

Asda’s own tomato soup is cheap and very tasty, and is very quick to serve. Just add a bit of salt or pepper to give it that extra little twang.

Get some crusty bread rolls to put on the side plate and let them slurp and dip away.

Main: This might feel like the hardest part of the cooking, however, it can be easier than expected. Any of the big supermarkets and big brands will have roasts potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and all the trimmings already made for you and frozen in a bag ready to cook. Ok, so this might be cheating but you can still find delicious tasting brands that just about match up to your family’s homemade ones. The vegetables will take the longest to prep and cook, but as a team you can get it done it no time.

Have a station set up of peeling, cutting and boiling the veg which will work wonders for timing your meal

Picture: trix_burrell correctly.

For all the meat lovers, the turkey may have to be saved for Christmas day. However, go to any supermarket and you will find ready cooked and seasoned chickens that will just need a warm up in the oven. Vegetarians can enjoy any Quorn product with their Christmas meal, especially the nut roast.

Nothing beats nice thick gravy!

If anyone has the chef abilities of Jamie Oliver and can whip up some

homemade gravy, then what a bonus to your feast. However, any gravy that you add water too can be just as tasty, and you can control how thick you like it.

Desert: Try a classic chocolate log with pouring cream. You can get a chocolate log in any supermarket, they are easy to serve up and everyone will love it! Why not even warm it up in the microwave and pour the cold cream over it to send that rich chocolaty smell across the table.

18 Life & Style

Western Eye December 2012

Anti-LBD Hannah Rankine lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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get a lot of style inspiration and the confidence to experiment from my mum. And my dear mother gets incredibly infuriated when we young’uns constantly wear black.

“You have all the time in the world to wear black when you’re older! For goodness sakes wear some colour while you’re young!” – She constantly exclaims at the sea of 20 something’s in little black dresses. I must agree she has a point. Where is the fun in all black ensembles, especially during the party season that is Christmas?

The truth is black is often too harsh for most complexions but we all rely on it as a fail-safe to fall back on when nothing else seemingly suits. This is even more evident when it comes to evening wear. Not sure what works? Throw on an LBD and you’ll be fine. Well I have decided to prevent this dyer LBD epidemic by suggesting more exciting party wear choices.

The metallic trend has been about for a few winters now but this year has taken a more sophisticated stance. Balance the futuristic finish with a sixties shift shape as seen

Picture: alexander.mussard on Cara Delevingne at the British Fashion Awards this November. For a more elegant take on metallic look wear structured yet sleek silhouettes in the colour of the moment; gold.

It is easy to wear and is eye catching so you needn’t worry about fussy cuts or over the top accessories.

This season’s metallic pieces will do the hard work for you.

Sometimes I wonder if it is a wellkept secret but did you know there are alternatives to wearing dresses altogether at parties? One decidedly more interesting option is the jumpsuit. By which I mean full length trousers, sophisticated cuts and evening-wear inspired detailing. Take note from the James Bond effect and wear a tuxedo inspired piece. If you prefer a more feminine style, look for jumpsuits with interesting necklines

and a sprinkle of sequins. Under no circumstances may these fabulous pieces be worn with flats and accessorize with care. Your jumpsuit will scream “Look at me, I’m fabulous daaahling” so there’s no need to go overboard on the bling too.

I am sure you have all noticed there is a serious trouser trend in our mists. Balmain rocked this look with brocade, leather or even adorned with pearls and beads and all in a sixties skinny cigarette cut. I would like to introduce (what I’ve decided to call) The Cocktail Trousers. Forget a cocktail dress for drinks go for a Cocktail Trouser to score way more fashion points. Zara have done great highstreet versions. Keep your top plain to avoid overly fussy ensembles. A well cut blazer finishes this look off with the right mix of sophistication and rock’n’roll attitude.

So please young ladies make my Mother’s Christmas wishes come true and stand out from the crowd.

The anti-LBD backlash has begun and this winter there are the most divine alternatives. There really are no excuses.

For more fashion advice visit www.hanjanran.com and follow Hannah on twitter @hanjanran

Five ways to make your Christmas look current for 2012 Hannah Rankine

lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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he Christmas season is no longer imminent but upon us! All of our earnings and the last drizzle of our loans will go on presents for mum and dad to say thank you for stocking up the fridge that time and on mulled wine shared with home friends. So how does one also afford an array of new outfits for end of term parties, work parties, catch up parties, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve? I suggest if funds are low to avoid starting with new looks all together but update existing ones.

Here are five easy steps to transforming your look to wow everyone over the Christmas period this year.

1. Embrace the gothic trend by wearing a long sleeved black lace top underneath a little black dress from the back of your wardrobe that you thought you were bored of. The glamorous goth reigned runways for the autumn/winter ’12 shows from Givenchy to McQueen and has trickled down to the high street in the form of Topshop’s long sleeved lace crop top at £26 which is perfect for layering.

2. Deep dark lips and nails will turn a simple outfit sultry and sexy for under the mistletoe moments.

Match the two for major drama in a deep merlot shade. I recommend Rimmel’s 60 seconds nail polish in “Red Carpet” and their Kate Moss

matte lipstick in “Wine” both available at Boots.

3. I’m not promoting bejazzling but if you turn to Lanvin you will see there are sophisticated ways to be bejewelled. Instead of risking death by glue gun add a statement necklace and earring to a dress you already own to emulate the designers’ vision. H&M is my favourite for dramatic and trend specific jewellery at affordable prices. Find an enormous metal and plastic multi-coloured necklace for £12.99 and large drop down earrings for £6.99 that will give you a festive look with some serious sparkle.

4. Find pale silver pieces or better yet a startling white dress that you had confined to summer and style it for a winter wonderland feel. White is by no means on exclusive terms with sunshine. Think of the White Witch from Narnia and style with seductive silver accessories. For intensity contrast against deep red lips and dark outerwear to keep warm.

5. The final gem I have to offer comes in the form of the most prominent hair trend. It may conjure up images of terribly formal events but wearing your hair up in a sophisticated style is the best way to complete your Christmas look. Whether it has a messy nonchalant vibe seen at Derek Lam’s show or slick sleek

buns like at DVF’s show it is a sure way to add instant polish no matter how simple your outfit.

It is easy to look current and feel festively fashionable with minimal costs. The trick is not to discard pieces you were bored of because worn in a new way even your best friend can be tricked into thinking it is a recent purchase. With layering, a lick of makeup and a sprinkle of Christmas cheer there’s no excuse not to look wonderful while celebrating this magical time are year.

For more fashion advice visit www. hanjanran.com and follow Hannah on twitter @hanjanran

Picture: AgathaGarcia

Surviving Your Year Abroad

Picture: Vanessa (EY)

Sangita Lal lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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t’s a truth universally acknowledged that often, at some point in our lives, we become discontented with the life we are living. We tend to reach a stage in life where what surrounds us isn’t enough, perhaps because we’ve been shown the rest of the world and what is has to offer, we’ve grasped the concept of no limitation.

This frequently occurs around the same time that we are liberated from school and therefore, our childhood. Leaving school and the prospect of going to university or just leaving school in general, is a huge thing to get your head round, and I believe this acts as a catalyst to truths we already know; that we want to get out there and see the world. So, we take a year out of our lives to accommodate to this new emotion and start to get excited about the next chapter in our lives.

But how on earth, after all this security, are we supposed to be able to make this leap into the unknown, alone? A new book has your safety net ready and will provide a helping hand to guide you through any troubling days that may happen.

‘Surviving Your Year Abroad’ written by Nicola Beedle, is a book specifically written – not for a type of person – but a particular time in our lives. The phase when we are caught up in the ‘bravado’ of having a year abroad and going travelling, but really your inner twelve-year-old, with a set knowledge of a routine life is actually terrified of this next step. Nicola has written from her own personal experience and that of hundreds of students on how to help you in times of homesickness and just how many opportunities stem from travelling!

It’s not a book that puts a ‘downer’ on the amazing journey you’re about to embark on, but it is a tool to help you prepare for what you’re about to do. We would all get excited at the thought of a pivotal, life changing year in new countries and cities, seeing new cultures and ways

of life. But so many people focus on this and only this and don’t let themselves concentrate on how nervous they’re feeling or how scared they actually are. It’s OK to be scared, it’s actually very normal.

‘Surviving Your Year Abroad’ encompasses the truths of travelling abroad for a year. After speaking with Nicola herself, she reassured me that “There’s always a solution to everything and there’s always a way round a problem”. After interviewing students who had been travelling, Nicola highlights that within her book, “There are first-hand accounts of what students did when things went a bit pear shaped, and what they got from overcoming this difficulty”.

This book can become part of the solutions to difficult problems and also something that keeps you motivated and reminds you why you did this in the first place.

However, I believe that the most fundamental element to travelling is echoed within a section of the book titled ‘Inspiration’. This is where, according to Nicola “There [are] quotes upon quotes of how much students have been able to do after going abroad for a year and how you can do so much because of it”.

Travelling is an amazing opportunity we should all take advantage of.

Why not!? Us humans only live once, and tend not to be able to deal with regret very well, so why live your life like that? Take a leap into the unknown and enjoy what the world has to offer. And now there’s no need to be scared or nervous about going alone. You’ll meet people there, and when you do “They’ll be the most amazing people and you’ll have memories you can’t beat” Nicola claims, speaking based on both personal experience and the experiences of hundreds.

You’re never alone if you have this book with you, so what is there to be scared of really? Read ‘Surviving Your Year Abroad’ and you won’t look back…

Life & Style 19

Western Eye December 2012

The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide

> Tips for shopping both online and in-store Rosa Sherwood lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

minutes away, and Cribbs Causeway is right on your doorstep just in case it’s raining!

As a serious shopper, a crucial

Picture: Tom Saunders

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ecember 25th is less than a month away and the streets are slowly becoming pedestrian traffic jams; Christmas shopping has begun.

In Bristol you really are spoilt for choice with Christmas shopping, and you may not realise just how lucky you are. Cabot Circus for high street and popular designers, Park Street for more quirky and independent shops, beautiful Bath is less than 30

piece of advice is to make that all important ‘Christmas List’. There is nothing worse than being in a packed shop where fellow shoppers are rigorously searching through the rails, their bags are banging into you, and you are floating around the shop thinking ‘What shall I get my Mum?’ Before you set out on a serious shopping trip, have a little think of what shops you are going into, for whom, and what you plan to get. Planning

in advance will save you time and you’re more likely to get exactly what you were looking for.

You may disagree with this precise organisation, but with December deadlines and January exams looming upon us, the last thing you need is to be running around town looking for the perfume your mum wanted on a night where you should be proof-reading your essay.

Online shopping may be more of a convenience for some; you don’t have to put up with the crowds and you can do it in the comfort of your own home – busy shopping days in bad weather are an unpleasant combination. Also, it’s easy to shop around whilst online, as you can easily compare prices to find the cheapest option.

Most people tend to rely on online shopping as a latter thought as they ‘Haven’t had time to go into town’, this is a common error that I have made in previous years. Last year me and my family clubbed together to purchase an iPad for my Dad, we did the ‘shop around’ thing to find the cheapest deal, and clicked ‘confirm order’. However the iPad never arrived and instead an email saying ‘sorry but this item is out of stock’ appeared in my inbox. We expect online shopping to be instantaneous and that we will constantly be kept up to date, however this is not always the case.

Online shopping can be a godsend

if carried out in advance, but online sites receive increasing volumes of traffic and process orders in vast amounts, therefore at times items will be ‘out of stock’. To ensure your order doesn’t bounce back at you leaving you no time to replace it, order in advance. This will give you plenty of time to look elsewhere if you order is not fulfilled.

Presents are always a tricky one, and I think the older you get the more difficult they are.

A safe and always pleasing present for almost anyone is the much forgotten about CD. We all listen to music, but we probably rarely buy much music for ourselves. Despite music being readily available online, you still can’t replace that feeling of holding a new CD, checking out the CD cover, looking through the playlist, opening the case, and popping it into your player. Many shops such as HMV and ASDA will also have offers on such as 2 for £10 or special reduced prices.

Although everyone may seem to hate getting the dreaded toiletries for Christmas; as a student we often don’t have the money for many luxuries. Boots are notorious for their 3 for 2 offers where you can pick up many designer gift sets at reasonable prices. Perfumes and Colognes are a perfect Christmas present; I never buy myself perfume and always rely on birthdays and Christmases to stock me up!

Merry Christmas? > With exams around the corner, is Christmas truly a holiday?

Berlynda Moise lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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o it’s that time of year again; the Coca-Cola adverts are back, the weather is bitterly cold and presents must be bought - it’s officially the Christmas season and as a student I can tell you I can’t wait to have a break from studying and a solid 3 weeks off!

But as university students can we really relax and chill? The festive holiday has been slightly tainted by the looming doom of upcoming January exams and assessments etc. Honestly, you spend the first week doing absolutely nothing just to recoup and take advantage of the freedom and it feels so good. The second week your conscience pricks you and you think to yourself ‘uh-oh, I should really get on with my revision’ but before you know it, bam… its Christmas eve, then Christmas day, Boxing day is spent recovering or shopping in the sales and you’re left with very few days before the New Year arrives.

Again, the first or second day of the New Year is spent recovering or shopping in the sales and you’re left with less than a week before the academic year resumes and the exams are upon us. Then you have

to cram in as much as possible especially if you’ve more than 2 exams impending.

Now those of us that aren’t Freshers understand the utmost importance of what the exams hold and may not carry out the routine as described above. No, we discipline ourselves into following strict schedules of doing ‘x’ amounts of revision

“

Cramming at the last minute is never a good idea, it leaves you stressed and not able to think clearly

almost everyday and feel guilty if we don’t stick to it.

It’s horrible, we should be spending the time catching up with friends,

having a good time with our families and truly enjoying the season playing games, laughing at ridiculous cracker jokes and having some serious downtime. Instead we’re beating ourselves up and get frustrated if we haven’t achieved our goal grade on a practice paper.

Imagine if the exams were to be pushed back by just a couple of weeks. It would guarantee an extra fortnight of time that could be spent on revision. The euphoria of the season’s celebrations would be calming down and your head would be completely back in the game and as a result, it would probably produce better exam results. But enough with dreaming!

Cramming at the last minute is never a good idea, it leaves you stressed and not able to think clearly, trust me I speak from experience.

I suggest the best way to get the best of both worlds is to face reality and to make an astute study plan that you know you’ll stick to but one that also incorporates you having a social life.

As with all things in life, moderation is the key to a happy equilibrium and a healthy lifestyle, so go away and have a well-earned break, pack on the pounds, have fun and good luck with your exams and assignments in the New Year.

Picture: Proto-knowledge

Urban Outfitters is a versatile shop where you can pick up presents for almost everyone, with clothes and shoes for both men and women, if you are looking to spend a bit more

“

Online shopping can be a godsend if carried out in advance

on a special someone. The store has unlimited amounts of cool and quirky gifts for around the house. A varied collection of books ranging in topics from home baking to fashion tips, and a humorous selection of comedy books if you’re looking for a cheeky secret Santa present.

So there you have a few tips of the trade, and a few ideas to get you started on your all-important Christmas shopping.

20 Life & Style

Western Eye December 2012

Relationships at University Huw Armstrong lifeandstyle@westerneye.net

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eing in a relationship at university, you get used to hearing certain things. These could be the friend stating ‘it’s not going to last whilst being at university’, to the stranger asking repeatedly, often drunkenly, ‘WHY are you in a relationship?’

If you’re in a relationship though, these sorts of questions and statements tend not to matter. I would say that nothing matters when you’re in a relationship but that’s would be romantic naiveté...after all, you’ve come to uni for a degree. So, the real question is - how can you juggle a degree and a partner, particularly if your relationship is long-distance?

At the risk of sounding like one of our lecturers, the answer is simple; it’s all about time-management. If you can manage your time efficiently; there is no reason why a relationship cannot be successful whilst you’re studying. It doesn’t matter if this relationship was born from a drunken evening at the SU, or is something that has taken time to develop – relationships and university can mix and are no longer taboo.

University is a crossroad that many of us encounter whilst in a relationship – you can either cut your ties and enter a new and exciting life full of endless possibility, or continue the way you are, ready to take on anything that may come your way. I opted for the latter, because I feel

Picture: Jong Soo (Peter) Lee

the benefits outweigh everything else. Why end something loving and enjoyable?

Companionship throughout university could be a blessing in disguise.

For example, it helps to talk to someone about issues your friends might not understand and also provides you with an escape from the mayhem that student living can become.

The long-distance relationship gets a lot of bad press, often you are warned that it is bound to fail – but if you’re committed then there is no reason why you can’t do well at university and pursue your love life by hopping on a train. For some though, a train journey may be too far.

Nathalie Le Cuirot, a third year Law student, has a boyfriend who was in America for their first year – and saw each other only twice before the summer holiday. She said that “It was difficult; but ultimately if you want it to work, it will”. Asked if it was worth it – “Definitely”.

My girlfriend is in Newcastle; we fly to see each other. That is not us being extravagant or overly romantic, just practical – it is cheaper and more time efficient than the train.

Sometimes in a relationship, all that is needed is practicality. If you can make time for each other and don’t mind spending a few hours travelling then why shouldn’t a relationship succeed.

On the other hand, you have to be

prepared for a relationship to fail; long-distance isn’t the easiest thing.

But don’t equate preparation with expectation, If you expect the relationship to fail, it most likely will.

The main issue with being in a relationship whilst at university is how often you get to see your partner. This can be a problem, whether

“

The main issue with being in a relationship whilst at university is how often you get to see your partner.

it’s long-distance or you’re both at the same university; with work and other commitments you have to ask yourself whether a relationship is the right thing for you.

A lot of students turn their noses

up at even the thought of being in a relationship at Uni. I honestly thought when I first arrived at uni that I would be the only one – but I wasn’t. In fact, the majority of people I met were in relationships.

However; some people argue that they just don’t have the time to commit to somebody; some argue that they just enjoy being single; and some argue that it’s too much of an exciting time to be tied down with somebody else.

These are all valid reasons not to enter into a relationship. The negatives of a relationship may outweigh the positives and there are a lot of students who are content with being single. A second year student (who does not wish to be named) said breaking up with his girlfriend before university was the “Best decision he’s made”. In that case, the distance was too much and university too exciting.

For some, more likely Freshers, a relationship may not be a real option. University is exciting and perhaps you’re too young and reckless to be ‘tied’ down with somebody else? For others, more likely third years, is a relationship going to fit around a hectic lifestyle? Despite what the media implies, most students are hard-working and with university work, societies and sports clubs to join, all whilst maintaining a social life, a relationship can take a back seat. Tom Charles, a third year who began a relationship at the start of term, says “I know third year is going to be tough, but I know the rela-

tionship will be worth it in the end”.

It might not be worth entering a relationship, or continuing in one. This is particularly true if you’re a third year student and everything means so much. Every essay, every presentation and every lecture is important.

Is a relationship a feasible option when you’re at this stage? A final year student who wishes to remain anonymous said that she was glad to break up with her boyfriend because “The work was getting too much and [I] could not give enough time to the relationship; which was unfair”.

It may well be that in the first year of your degree, you don’t want to be tied down with one person whilst being subjected to an endless barrage of meeting various people, having nights out, and getting involved with university life?

What you’re told about the university lifestyle doesn’t really match up with the ethos of a relationship; going out; getting drunk and having a good time; meeting new and exciting people. It sounds amazing, and it is.

University is a time that needs to be embraced. But, is a relationship really a hindrance on all of these?

You may believe that it is, you might not. Ultimately, the decision is down to you. If you’re capable of being in a relationship then there is no reason why you shouldn’t. Yes academic work is important even more so the further you progress through your degree, but if you’re serious then having a partner could be just another dimension to the university lifestyle.

Arts & Entertainment 21

Western Eye December 2012

Arts & Entertainment

The British Independent Film Awards

> Sarah Coates gives us an insight into her thoughts about this years nominations for the British Independent Film awards

damental role in the making of the film. I also predict the film will win for Best Achievement in Production.

Bart Layton’s documentary ‘The Imposter’ about a lie that goes out of control is up for both The Douglas Hickox Award (Directorial Debut) and Best Director. Though I don’t think it will win for either category, I do think it will win Best Documentary for which it is nominated.

“

Sticking my neck on the line a bit, I predict that this will be the only category ‘Sightseers’ will win at the BIFA, despite having 7 nominations across 7 different categories.

Picture: redcarpetnewstv

Sarah Coates entertainment@westerneye.net

T

he British Independent Film Awards focus on independent British films as a whole rather then by genre, making it even harder to compare the diverse range of nominees and, thus, choosing an overall winner out of the five nominees per category.

This year the highest number of nominations went to the drama ‘Broken’ starring Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy, which was shortlisted an impressive nine times across eight categories including Best Actor for Roth. This was followed closely by the black comedy ‘Sightseers’ and the psychological thriller ‘Berberian Sound Studio’, which picked up 7 nominations each including Best Actor for Steve Oram and Toby Jones respectively.

Though Jones is brilliant in the unsettling ‘Berberian Sound Studio’, in which he plays a naïve British sound engineer who loses his grip on reality when he works on an Italian horror film in the ‘70s, I predict Roth to win for his role as Archie, a solicitor, in ‘Broken’.

Another actor I think will win for their role in ‘Broken’ is Cillian Murphy, who plays Archie’s daughter

Skunk’s step father and school teacher at her new school. He is up for Best Supporting Actor, as is his ‘Broken’ co-star Rory Kinnear, who plays Skunk’s neighbour Bob. However, the standout acting

“

There’s a documentary, a black comedy, a light-hearted comedy, a dark thriller and a drama

performer in ‘Broken’ is, in my mind, the remarkable Eloise Laurence who plays Skunk; who witnesses Bob violently assaulting a mentally disabled man, causing a chain of events that will affect all those living in the neighbourhood.

This excellent performance will, I

think, win her the Most Promising Newcomer Award for which she is nominated, and is a young talent we should look out for.

Laurence isn’t, however, – somewhat surprisingly – nominated for Best Actress, though Elle Fanning, another young actress, is; for the coming-of-age teenage drama ‘Ginger and Rosa’. Fanning, an American, plays Ginger, a British teenager caught up in family trauma and the Cuban missile crisis. Another American playing a British person that is nominated for Best Actress is veteran actress Meryl Streep, for her Oscar winning performance as Margaret Thatcher in the drama ‘The Iron Lady’. Streep is shortlisted with Dame Judi Dench, another veteran actress, who is nominated for her role as Evelyn Greenslade in the comedy ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’. Despite these two very popular actresses being nominated, I’ve picked a, arguably, surprise winner with me predicting Andrea Riseborough to win Best Actress for her performance as Colette McVeigh in the thriller ‘Shadow Dancer’.

The category for Best Supporting Actress also sees two veteran actresses competing against each other; with one being Dame Maggie Smith (who won an Emmy this year for Outstanding Supporting Actress

in a Drama Series for her portrayal of the grand Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey) for her role as Muriel Donnelly in ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, and the other being last year’s BIFA Best Supporting Actress winner (for the action-drama ‘Coriolanus’) Vanessa Redgrave for her role as the title character in comedy drama ‘Song For Marion’. This category also sees last year’s BIFA Best Actress winner (for the drama ‘Tyrannosaur’) Olivia Colman nominated for her role as Queen Elizabeth in the historical comedy drama ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’. With such stiff competition, it is too close to call!

Black comedy ‘Sightseers’ written by Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, who also act in the film, is up for Best Screenplay with ‘Song For Marion’, another comedy, and dramas ‘The Iron Lady’, ‘Broken’ and ‘Berberian Sound Studio’. Sticking my neck on the line a bit, I predict that this will be the only category ‘Sightseers’ will win at the BIFA, despite having 7 nominations across 7 different categories.

Peter Strickland’s ‘Berberian Sound Studio’ has two nominations for the Best Technical Achievement Award. It’s up for Cinematographer and Sound Design, and I personally think it will win for Sound Design, which was a part that played a fun-

The Raindance Award honours exceptional achievement for filmmakers working against the odds, often with little or no industry support, and I predict this year’s winner will be for the London-based drama ‘Love Tomorrow’ by Christopher Payne.

Nominees for The Douglas Hickox Award include an urban crime drama about six separate lives all struggling to survive the circles of violence that engulfs them coming together called ‘Ill Manors’ by Ben Drew aka Plan B. However, I predict another, less well known gang drama set in London will win the award called ‘My Brother the Devil’

by Sally El Hosaini.

The nominees for this year’s Best Director and Best British Independent Film include a diverse range of films. There’s a documentary, a black comedy, a light-hearted comedy, a dark thriller and a drama, thus The British Independent Film Awards achieving its aim of showcasing the vast range and breadth of independent filmmaking we have in Britain today.

The winners will be decided by an independent jury of 15 – who comprise of producers, writers, directors, actors, actresses and supervisors from the British film industry – and announced on the 9th December at the Old Billingsgate, with British actors Sir Michael Gambon and Jude Law being honoured with The Variety Award for focusing the international spotlight on the UK.

22 Arts & Entertainment

Western Eye December 2012

JLS light up the Cribbs crowd

Safia Yallaoui

entertainment@westerneye.net

O

n Thursday night, JLS and special guest Alexander Stewart, performed to 10,000 people at The Mall in Cribbs Causeway.

Through the purchasing of tickets for a minimum of £2 each, JLS fans were treated to a show by their idols at a bargain price whilst also raising money for the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal charity.

Although the gates opened half an hour early, this only made the waiting at the foot of the stage seem to go on forever.

When fashion stylist Mark Heyes walked on stage it felt like a wave of relief swept over the crowd, the wait was now over; the show was about to begin.

Heyes introduced opening act Alexander Stewart and the crowd seemed happy to be getting some form of entertainment, even if the band they had come to see were, according to Heyes, still eating their Nandos meal backstage.

If you couldn’t see him you would be forgiven for thinking that Michael Bublé had just arrived. Stewart’s

soulful voice clearly helped to warm the crowd up to the band they were all waiting with baited breath to see and his Christmas song renditions created a jolly atmosphere.

Wallace and Gromit then made a fun appearance to tell us how much money was raised from the sales of the tickets and really hit home how it was going to help sick children in

Picture: thetraffordcentre

Bristol’s children’s hospitals. The money that had been raised from ticket sales was over £20,000.

Finally, at half past six, JLS bounced onto the stage to the roaring screams and cries from the mostly female crowd. The crowd joined in with JLS’s countdown to turning on the Christmas lights, “Five, four, three, two, one!” and The Mall was instantly turned into a winter wonderland.

Although the turning on of the Christmas lights was the main cause of the event, the JLS boys which comprise of Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold and JB Gill, were prepared to give their fans a concert experience.

JLS took the crowd back to their roots with their first number one single Beat Again which was the perfect start to the set. They also followed it with several more of their number one singles including Everybody in Love, Love You More, She Makes Me Wanna and One Shot.

The lads have clearly added a new suave and much more mature look to their dress sense on stage and

as well as this their songs, which is especially evident in their new album Evolution, are raunchier.

Band member Aston Merrygold did not disappoint his dedicated followers as he treated them to two of his signature back flips which resulted in deafening screams.

The boy band surprised everyone with their own rendition of Maroon 5’s song Payphone. This was definitely a good surprise as it suited their falsetto vocals and the fans were happily singing along.

If that wasn’t enough the band delighted the fans with a performance of their new single Hottest Girl in the World, something that I feel topped off the night.

Not only did we get a great show we also got the feeling of knowing that we all helped raise over £20,000 for the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal.

JLS’s vocals were constantly in tune and their dance sequences were electrifying, this is the second time I have seen them perform and I would definitely go a third time.

Kevin Dutton, The Wisdom of Psychopaths

> From Buddhist monks to prolific serial killers, this informative book sheds light on the contentious issue of what it means to be a psychopath.

Nathan Moss-Bezzina entertainment@westerneye.net

T

his book is a densely packed study into exactly what it advocates on the cover: the ‘wisdom’ of a psychopath. It explores, and argues convincingly, as all the theories stated are completely substantiated by scientific study and research, why it can be beneficial to be a psychopath. It shatters all illusions that the word ‘psychopath’ inevitably lead to: rabid, red-eyed animal’s intent on blood and death.

It instead presents a detailed case that denotes that the characteristics that a psychopath exhibits, for everyday life, and if controlled, could benefit us all.

It delves into multiple areas of study that a wide range of readers will find interesting. It discusses evolution, the military, the medical profession, business, rape, serial murder, con-artistry, and a multitude of other areas of employment, intellectual study and criminality. The author travels far and wide to talk to members of most of these professions and criminal groups. Ranging from the cloud scraping Himalayas to coffee houses to prisons, he spares no expense in ensuring that his research is thorough and comprehensive. He is subverting the traditional perception of what it means to be a psychopath, but he is not doing it without first being onehundred percent sure of the validity of his proclamations.

It treats the condition as something to be judged rationally and in a nuanced way. It doesn’t completely discard the notion that psychopaths can be violent criminals to

“

He is subverting the traditional perception of what it means to be a psychopath, but he is not doing it without first being one-hundred percent sure of the validity of his proclamations

be feared; in fact it does quite the opposite and the author visits correctional facilities to talk to some of the most psychopathic people alive (people who score the max of 40 on the ‘PPI’, which is the benchmark test used throughout the book. A ‘normal’ person would score around 8-9). However, it also doesn’t vilify psychopaths as archetypal villains who should be feared and hated.

Through a series of experiments, some of which advocate the link between psychopathic tendencies and utilitarianism, it states that if society and individuals were to emulate some of the traits of a psychopath, for example mindfulness, mental toughness, and fearlessness, it would be more beneficial for their desired goals.

Anyone who is interested in evolution, psychology, criminality, sociology, or simply wants some supplementary reading to enhance their experience when they watch the new series of Dexter, should definitely buy this book. It will also be incredibly useful for anyone who is currently studying psychology, sociology, or criminology at degree level, as it is has a sizable bibliography which it uses to substantiate its arguments (an easy alternative to rooting through the library for that one book that all 200 students are trying to get their hands on).

This is an eye-opening book that will enhance and substantiate any reader’s perception and apprehension of the dark and sometimes bloodied world of the psychopath.

I highly recommend it.

Arts & Entertainment 23

Western Eye December 2012

The Handy Student Event Guide

Lauren Winney

entertainment@westerneye.net

1st DECEMBER Trip to Christmas Market Venue: BATH, 10 am till 3 pm Cost: £7

Being a student at UWE offers you many amazing and fun opportunities academically, culturally and sociably!

Here we have created and supplied an events diary for you to keep up with everything going on with UWE for the next month, especially during the Christmas season. Picking out some of the best events that UWE has to offer; this diary is perfect for student lives with the possibility of making quick and spontaneous decisions to go to different events. Also, with the events being student wallet friendly, they are the perfect way to have some guilt free fun.

Being away from home can be tough, especially during the weeks leading up to Christmas. However, there are lots of things that you can enjoy with your friends bringing that homely Christmas feeling. Bath is a beautiful City and is only located half hour away from Bristol.

The sparkling Christmas Market is one of the finest moments for Baths shopping experience! It is the perfect place to pick up a gift for Nan and enjoy the Christmas entertainment.

Picture: Sam Farr

2nd DECEMBER

3rd - 9th DECEMBER

3rd DECEMBER

The Official UWE Christmas Blowout Venue: THE BUNKER, 10 pm Cost: £3

Sexual Health Awareness Week Venue: UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE AND CENTRE FOR SPORTS, University hours Cost: Free

Drama Society Presents Cabaret Night Venue: ST. MATTHIAS CAMPUS 7pm till 11 pm Cost: Free

Why not let off some steam at the official UWE Christmas night out at The Bunker. After a very long term, and deadlines finally coming to an end, this event is perfect to go out with friends and forget about the stress of the coursework for one night. Expect, mistle toe, candy canes, Santa’s helpers and of course all those cheesy loving Christmas songs to sing you hearts out to.

This week allows students to drop in and learn more about STI’s (Sexual transmitted infections) and even get your own test. It is important to make sure your sexual health is regularly checked. This event, taking place over the week, is a supportive and an anonymous way to talk about anything you are worried about. Take advantage of it and stock up on the condoms.

Go along and support your peers as the drama society perform to you, with a festive show of different acts.

4th DECEMBER

6th DECEMBER

6th DECEMBER

Festive Fun at the Octagon Venue: THE OCTAGON, FRENCHAY CAMPUS Cost: FREE

Krispy Kreme Sale Venue: FRENCHAY CAMPUS, Cost: Buy the official Krispy Kreme donuts on day for cheaper than shops

Christmas Sports Social Venue: SYNDICATE, Cost: £3

If you are staying in Bristol over the Christmas and would like some friends to spend it with, then this event is perfect to get in the festive spirit and make plans with new people for your stay over Christmas. The Global Student Support, Volunteering, and Octagon Wellbeing Teams will be there to help out with any worries and questions.

UWE dance has a great fundraiser coming up! Holding a Krispy Kreme event at Frenchay Campus, and selling them for a much cheaper than the shop! Get deals in boxes or just buy the one to go with your tea.

UWE sports and societies social nights offer everyone and sports clubs and societies to come along and party with friends. So this Christmas themed social is a great way to end the year.

Please find all events on: http://www.uwesu.org/ents/ and http://info.uwe.ac.uk/events/event.aspx?id=13739

24 Arts & Entertainment

Photography: Colour Delights

Picture: Alan Seller montage

Danielle Scregg entertainment@westerneye.net

W

e all know that at the beginning of November fireworks fill our skies and bonfires ruin our fields. With this in mind I would like to introduce a style of photography that takes the explosive month literally.

A variety of people have experimented with capturing things explode and I feel it creates an impressive photograph.

I would have thought that in order to create these photographs you would need an extremely fast shutter speed, I was wrong, you need so much more skill. Photographer Alan Saller actually used a camera (Nikon 40X) which actually has a fairly slow shutter speed.

Therefore, in order to freeze time

like he has done, he made his own high speed flash unit. A normal photographic flash unit gives a flash that lasts around a millisecond. Alan created one that produced a flash of a millionth of a second allowing him to capture something beyond the human eyes possibilities. He also used

Picture: Johnny Lee Montage

an automatic trigger mechanism which triggered the flash as the pellet passed through a laser beam.

The photographs were taken in darkness and while the camera shutter is open, the high speed flash captures the image. This allows a more accurate capture of the pellet moving through the object.

I think his photographs are exciting and dangerous. What I find so interesting is the way in which photographs can freeze a single moment

Western Eye December 2012

in time. In this case the photograph goes one step further and freezes a moment that we should never be able to physically see with our own eyes.

Alan has commented that it is a stressful process as it takes so long to set up and then it is over in less than a second. Can you imagine the mess that this style of photography leaves behind?

It is an elegant and artistic way of simply blowing things.

There have been other photographers that have worked in a similar style. Johnny Lee and Mark Watson capture images of hammers hitting bottles and pelletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s striking through fruit. What makes Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s images stand out are the bright colours and the fascinating textures.

Like Alan, London photographer Edward Horsford uses a range of coloured backgrounds but his subjects are different. He captures the popping of balloons using a similar

Picture: Edward Horsford method to Alan.

The amount of planning, skill and procession that goes into this kind of photography is phenomenal. So much time goes into actually setting up for a single shoot. Even before the shoot begins these photographers have spent time building their own devices that allows them to capture such an unbelievable final image.

I take my hat off to these photographic artists.

Arts & Entertainment 25

Western Eye December 2012

Jessie Ware, Thekla Luke Caddel entertainment@westerneye.net

“

Jessie’s material strikes a welcome balance between indiepop and hauntingly beautiful, soul music

Picture: Luke Caddel

J

essie Ware has had an extraordinary year. Her debut album ‘Devotion’ was released to critical acclaim, establishing Jessie as one of the few breakthrough solo artists of 2012. Devotion was also nominat-

ed for the prestigious Mercury Prize earlier this month, and the album is tipped for further accolade at the Brit Awards next year.

There was an aura of disbelief amongst the crowd at Thekla as we

Ware”, much to the amusement of members of the audience.

Jessie’s material strikes a welcome balance between indie-pop and hauntingly beautiful, soul music.

‘Night Light’ and ‘110%’ provide the hooks to twitch your hips to, whilst ‘No to Love’ and ‘Swan Song’ send unsuspected shivers down your spine. It’s contemporary music at it’s best.

The 28 year old is surprisingly comfortable on stage. The intimate nature of Thekla tends to require acts to build a rapport with the crowd or their performance will often fall flat. Jessie however, has no issue conversing with the audience; dedicating performances to the “crazies in the corner” and generally (over) praising Bristol as she slurps ‘water’ out of a crochet mug.

The evening closes with a performance of ‘Running’, a synth-led, late-night jam that showcases the very best of her vocal range and confidence as a performer. There’s a unanimous applause from the crowd, and Jessie finishes the set (and tour) with a humble bow and a smile.

Jessie Ware will be returning to Bristol on Tuesday, 12 March 2013 to perform at the O2 Academy. Tickets are £15.40, and can be purchased from http://www.seetickets.com/ Event/JESSIE-WARE/O2-AcademyBristol/667790

waited for her to come on stage. This night marks the end of her UK tour, and she couldn’t have picked a more intimate venue. Obstructed by scaffolding, the tour banner sits snug at the back of the stage, reading “essi

The Novel Reviewer

> How a UWE Alumni student is forging a way forward via blogging Jason Vowles entertainment@westerneye.net

B

logging is something of a phenomenon on the internet. It’s taken us by storm, with people blogging about everything from travelling to films and even just their cat. It doesn’t have to be something professional either; it can be your online diary or just a collection of photographs. The best thing about blogging is that it’s public for everyone to see so you get to share your experiences and thoughts with likeminded individuals from all over the world.

I got the idea for writing a blog from Amazon; with e-books gaining such a large market stand against its paper pals, you can easily download books with their respective reviews from the web in just a few clicks. I also noticed that a large portion of book reviews were by large newspaper names such as The Guardian and The Times who gain advantage from giving positive reviews, financially speaking.

I wanted a more personal approach, what an actual reader thinks of the book with a critique that stands apart from the rest.

This, I decided would be the reading point of my blog.

Since the years of the GCSE, I have been an avid reader and writer and this lead to my initial goal of studying English at University, which is where I began at UWE. Uni offered a host of chances for writers to gain

Picture: Jason Vowles

experience via Western Eye as well as workshops in script writing with the Drama Society. Aside from the grammatical practice of churning out several essays a term, it was the perfect hobble to harbour my hobby.

After my 3rd year, I leapt out into the world seeking fame and fortune.

Unfortunately this came in the form of wiping up baby sick from a cafe floor. So I pictured myself as a generic freelance writer, scribbling

nonsense in a battered notebook under the shadow of the evening with a small coffee. This did not happen.

Instead it spurred me on to read more, research further into how someone with nothing can get into the industry. I decided that no matter what I was doing there would always be a place to write; the internet.

It was then that I decided if noone was going to help me, I’d help myself, thus the birth of my blog, ‘The Novel Reviewer’. Every week now I post a book review and use social media such as Facebook and twitter to promote my stories and have even gained recognition from best-selling author Emlyn Rees for my work.

Perseverance and your own initiative are key features which will lead you to success and doing what you love doing…that and not expecting someone to pick you up because you ‘went to uni’. As a result I am now working for a website whereby I edit and publish blogs as well as writing PR. It’s almost exactly where I want to be and will lend me the experience to go further, whether that’s journalism or publishing.

I’d like to mention that I didn’t even graduate. I dropped out in

my 3rd year due to financial and personal choices, as cliché as it sounds. So if a guy like me with half a degree can go on to do exactly what he wanted why can’t we all?

And it all stemmed from just a little blog about books. Who’d have thought?

“

If a guy like me with half a degree can go on to do exactly what he wanted why can’t we all?

26 Sport

Sport

The state of Bristol Football Clubs Chris Hutchinson

sport@westerneye.net

H

eading into the festive period, where we begin to see Football fixtures coming thick and fast, both of the Bristol based clubs are struggling. Bristol City are languishing near the foot of the Championship table, whilst Rovers are alarmingly close to the drop zone in League 2. It hasn’t always been like this. Many will remember Bristol City’s playoff defeat to Hull in 2008; a victory would have seen promotion into the Premier League.

At this time, Rovers were sitting comfortably in League One and were fancied to challenge for promotion each season. With both sides planning to build new stadiums, their form must improve quickly; otherwise there could be severe consequences.

Firstly, we’ll start with Bristol Rovers. Their situation is more precarious than their rivals across the city; they’re two leagues lower and facing a battle to stay in the Football League. Add in the fact that construction on their new 21,700 seater stadium begins in January costing

around £40million, and alarm bells may well be ringing. Getting planning permission to build a new ground is obviously fantastic news and the location on UWE’s Frenchay Campus seems ideal, but what’s the use expanding the stadium capacity when you’re playing non-league football? That’s what will be worrying everyone involved with Rovers, the financial implications could be disastrous upon relegation. However, there is still adequate time for Rovers to avoid that scenario. We’ve seen with other teams how a run of form can completely revive a season, and Mark McGhee will be hoping for a rapid upturn in fortunes. So what should we expect from the rest of the campaign?

With promotion seeming a million miles away, Rovers should be aiming for mid table security. Yes, ever since relegation from League One in 2011, Rovers have been tipped as promotion favourites, but a lot has changed. McGhee’s side have been ravaged with injuries this campaign,

with centre-back Adam Virgo, the latest in a long line of casualties. With more opportunities to bring players into the club before the season concludes, you would fancy Rovers to slowly move away from the relegation zone. They score enough goals; it’s just a case of keeping the defence solid and improving upon a fairly meagre away record. Confidence is pretty low at this point, yet a couple of back-to-back victories can completely alter a team’s attitude.

Will the construction of the new stadium push Rovers forward? Or will it become a hindrance on the horizon? I’d say that Rovers cannot afford to fail, so the chairman will surely provide the support the club needs. If they can get through this season finishing clear of danger, then everyone can regroup for the 2012/13 season and push on. If they find themselves secure for next season, then the future could begin to shine brightly for Rovers.

Moving across the city to Ashton Gate, we find Bristol City struggling to maintain their Championship status.

After struggling over the line in the previous campaign, City find themselves scrapping away once again.

Western Eye December 2012

They also have a similar issue to that which confronts Rovers, that being the spectre of a new stadium. The scenario is ever so slightly different in the sense that a construction date has not yet been agreed. City want to build a new 30,000 seater stadium at Ashton Vale, yet rows have erupted over the cost of construction and a second planning inquiry is due to take place in 2013. You’d imagine relegation to League One might tip the whole stadium project overboard.

Bristol City had a pretty encouraging start to the campaign, winning twice within the first three games - sticking 4 past both Crystal Palace and Cardiff. So what’s proven to be City’s downfall? The answer is plain and simple; their lack of clean sheets. They’ve conceded at least one goal in every single league match this season. That’s a surprising statistic for a side that has some recognisable names at the back, including club favourite, Louis Carey. Heading into the festive period, they’ll need to address that problem quickly otherwise they could get cut adrift at the bottom. With sides such as Birmingham, Bolton and Wolves

starting to creep away from the foot of the table, City can’t allow a massive gap to develop. You do fear for Bristol City this season. Heading towards Christmas, you feel that survival is the best they can realistically hope for. With the quality of opposition in the Championship, it’s going to be a very tough task for City.

Overall, after looking at the two Bristol clubs, you’d have to say neither are currently worthy of new stadiums. If Rovers find themselves in non-league football, the stadium will be a financial catastrophe, whilst City have to improve drastically to persuade people that a new stadium is a great idea. Having at least one state-of-the-art stadium in Bristol is the least that the city deserves. The stadiums that were listed in the unfortunately failed 2018 World Cup bid included Bristol City’s prospective new ground. The city is seen as the focal point for the south west of England, however at the moment, the clubs aren’t delivering on the pitch. It is going to be a tough second half of the 2012/13 campaign for the Bristol clubs; however a rosy future could be waiting if they can begin to turn the corner.

Sport 27

Western Eye December 2012

December and January Fixtures

Luke Caddel

This table shows a selection of home matches featuring teams from UWE. There are some times still to be confirmed and there is a possibility that fixtures will be called off, re-arranged or the venue switched. For a more comprehensive list, please visit www.bucs.org.uk and click on fixtures & results.

sport@westerneye.net

TEAM

DIVISION

LEAGUE/CUP

OPPOSITION

VENUE

POSTCODE

TIME

DATE

Men’s Badminton

1A

L

Southampton Solent

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

14:30

28th November

Men’s Badminton

2A

L

Bath Spa

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

17:00

21st November

Women’s Basketball

1A

L

Gloucestshire

SGS College

BS34 8LP

15:30

21st November

Women’s Basketball

1A

L

Aberystwyth

SGS College

BS34 8LP

TBC

5th December

Men’s Basketball

1A

L

Bristol

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

13:30

5th December

Men’s Cricket (Indoor)

1A

L

Bath

Merchant Academy

BS13 9BL

12:00

17th November

Women’s Fencing

1A

L

Bristol

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

TBC

28th November

Women’s Hockey

2A

L

Bath

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

17:00

21st November

Men’s Hockey

1A

L

Exeter

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

15:30

21st November

Men’s Hockey

4A

L

Plymouth

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

14:00

21st November

Men’s Hockey

4A

L

Bristol

Coombe Dingle

BS9 2BJ

16:15

21st November

Women’s Lacrosse

1A

L

Swansea

St. Matthias

BS16 2JP

14:00

21st November

Women’s Netball

1A

L

Cardiff Metropolitan

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

17:30

21st November

Women’s Netbal

6A

L

Bath Spa

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

15:30

21st November

Men’s Squash

1A

L

Plymouth

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

15:30

21st November

Men’s Squash

1A

L

Cardiff Metropolitan

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

17:30

21st November

Women’s Tennis

2A

L

Exeter

David Lloyd Club

BS10 6AZ

12:30

21st November

Men’s American Football

1A

L

Bath

SGS College

BS34 8LP

13:00

25th November

Women’s Badminton

1A

L

Gloucestershire

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

TBC

23rd January

Women’s Badminton

1A

L

Aberystwyth

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

16:00

25th January

Women’s Basketball

2A

L

Winchester

SGS College

BS34 8LP

15:30

30th January

Men’s Basketball

1A

L

Southampton

Centre for Sport

BS16 1QY

13:30

30th December

Men’s Basketball

1A

L

Bristol

SGS College

BS34 8LP

TBC

30th January

Sport 28

Western Eye December 2012

UWE students Hannah Lawton and Jess Van Beck to row the Atlantic Newsdesk sport@westerneye.net

T

he team is a current UWE student: Hannah Lawton [UWE Boat Club & UWESU Student Staff Member] & a recent UWE graduate: Jess van Beck [UWE Fencing Club]. They met with the University last week & have subsequently heard that UWE will be providing £50,000 of the £100,000 funding required for

the trip. This is the reason why....

In December 2013, the Atlantic Rowing Race starts. Team Inspirational Friends from UWE will be amongst those competing. Conditions on the boat will be stark and they will experience some tough times that will test them to their limits. There is no way to walk around

UWE Comets Official Calendar 2013 Yvette Murrell and Annabelle Turner sport@westerneye.net

C

omets cheerleaders have got another cheeky calendar for you all to indulge in and keep your yearly plans up to date. Pictures include members from our two competitive squads and are a gorgeous example of UWE’s finest athletes. But don’t take our word for it, have a look for yourselves!

Calendars are £5 and will be on sale around campus, and at Last Orders on 7th December.

The perfect stocking filler!

All proceeds go towards our competition costs. We are one of the most successful university squads and came away with countless trophies including 1st place for our level four co-ed team last year, and hope we can do the same this year too! @UWEComets facebook.com/UWEComets uwecomets@hotmail.co.uk

freely and the motion of the boat is constant. They will encounter nature at her best and worst and will become all too familiar with extreme temperature, painful salt sores and blisters, powerful storms, 30 foot waves, wildlife, cargo ships and the playing of their mind. There is a reason it is known as the World’s Tough-

est Rowing Race. Contested over 3,000 miles, the race can take as little as 50 days or over 100. But at the forefront of their challenge lies an impulse, a motivation, an inspiration. On 12th May 2012 they lost an inspirational friend to cervical cancer. Eleanor Rose Ellis was an active member of UWE Boat Club through-

out her time as a student at UWE, her approach to life was not what inspired them, it was her approach to death. She realised only too late that life is short and you never know when your last breath might be. She was stubborn, adamant that she would fit in the things she wanted to do before she lost her battle. She never gave up, she fought every day, every minute and every second to do and see one more thing. She was their inspiration, an inspiration that spurred them on to take part in a brutal challenge of human endurance, a challenge that will change their outlook on life forever. Eleanor had such an impact on so many that the club named their Senior Men’s eight in her memory, a crew she used to cox. Likewise; The Varsity Boat Race Executive have named one of the Varsity Blade Race’s in her memory, a race she competed in.

With the funding from UWE, the Boat can be commissioned & will be completed in time to take pride of place at the Varsity Boat Race 2013 on Saturday 27th April 2013 at the Bristol Harbourside. For more information on the event & how if you would like to, lend your support go to: Website: http://insfriends.org.uk/ Twitter: @insfriends Facebook: facebook.com/inspirationalfriends