The QH Issue 36

NO MORE PAYING FOR PERIODS

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NEW POUND COIN OUT NOW

LSE HIRES JOLIE

WESTMINSTER TWITTER HACKED

STRANGEST WATERING HOLE

ESSENTIAL NIGHTOUT STYLE GUIDE

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PG 8

PG 11

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3 APRIL | ISSUE 36 | FREE

EXCLUSIVE: DRAGONS WIN VARSITY SIXTH YEAR RUNNNING

IMAGE: James Larvin

• MEN’S FOOTBALL 1ST SEAL VICTORY • MEN’S BASKETBALL CLOSES AT 45:44

PLUS: UOW RANKED RED FOR FREE SPEECH

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

TEAM Rituja Rao Editor rituja.rao@smoke.media

Tooba Haq Deputy editor tooba.haq@smoke.media

Joshua Hackett Managing editor

j.hackett@su.westminster.ac.uk

Micaela Kolischer Production editor micaela.kolischer@smoke.media

BY RITUJA RAO

Lauren Waugh News editor lauren.waugh@smoke.media

Nicole El-Helou News editor

nicole.el-helou@smoke.media

Jack Cummings Features editor

jack.cummings@smoke.media

Aylin Paula Karansis Lifestyle editor

aylin.karansis@smoke.media

Damian Burchardt Sports editor

damian.burchardt@smoke.media

Reuben Pinder Delmar Gustav Alex Clement Peony Hirwani Felicity King Kieran Barnshaw Copy editors copyeditors@smoke.media

ABOUT THE QH The QUINTIN HOGG is produced monthly by a team of student volunteer editors and contributors.

All students can get involved. No experience is needed and full training is provided.

The QH published by the University of Westminster Students’ Union, but views presented do not necessarily mirror those of UWSU or the editorial team. If you would like to make a complaint or comment about our journalism, please contact the managing editor, Joshua Hackett, in the first instance.

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IMAGE: Angelina Jolie gives lecture

LSE HIRES JOLIE

BY SISSI YI HU Angelina Jolie gave her first lecture at the London School of Economics on Tuesday 14th March.

The actress and director spoke to the students taking the postgraduate course “Women, Peace and Security,” a new one-term Master’s course at the university of the impact of war on women. Jolie accepted the role of ‘professor in practice’ for the course last May. Despite telling The Evening Standard she was apprehensive about the event, Jolie was praised by the students after delivering her first lecture.

Many snapshots of the actress were uploaded to social media by the students, all with approving messages.

Ms Dhanani said that Jolie will “make an amazing visiting professor. So honoured to hear her inaugural lecture at LSE on sexual violence, rape and working with refugees.”

Professor Christine Chinkin, director of the Centre for Women, Peace and Security, said: “I am delighted that LSE postgraduate students have had the unique opportunity to learn directly from the valuable insights, perspectives and experiences that Angelina Jolie, Visiting Professor in Practice, brought to the class.”

During the lecture, Jolie told the students about her own experiences in the field.

“This is very important to me,” she told the Evening

Standard beforehand. “I am looking forward to teaching and to learning from the students, as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations.”

‘‘THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME’’ The famed actress will be joining former secretary of state William Hague as a Professor in Practice in the course. This is not the first time the pair will work together. In 2012, they co-founded a global initiative to tackle sexual violence in war zones.

“I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women’s rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict,” Jolie told The Evening Standard.

The actress will be helping teach the students about the impact of war on women during the unpaid post. She will also deliver guest lectures to students, participate in public events and workshops, and undertake her own research.

Welcome to our last edition of The QH for 2016. With a heavy heart, we bring you the final edition under the current editorial team, as we pass the baton to our new team. We would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of you for being a keen reader, a rigorous contributor and a determined believer of this institution of student media. You have constantly encouraged us to keep doing what we do time and again.

This is our Varsity special issue where our Sports team

brings you the best from Varsity- the images, the story and the passion. Our sports section is bigger than usual to accommodate all of the UWSU Dragons’ glory.

This issue, we bring you some sunny news among other hard hitting stories.

In news, we have everything you need to know from around you. University of Westminster has been flagged a ‘Red’ in Spiked Magazine’s Free Speech Rankings report and VP Harrow Dan Seamarks has resigned as Chair for the Student Publication Association. UWSU SABBs are campaigning, no paying for periods. On a lighter note, Angelina Jolie has been appointed by LSE. In Lifestyle, we have the ultimate nightlife style guide and the recipe for the perfect picnic.

Signing off, it is hard to believe that I may not be writing this column in the upcoming months. As the last testimonial, I would just like to say: keep making noise.

THE QH BAGS FOUR NOMINATIONS

The Student Publication Association National Conference (SPANC) is coming back in May of 2017 and Smoke Media has been nominated for a handful of awards. The QH has been nominated for Best Sports Coverage, Best Sport Story and Best Design in a newspaper category. Our very own senior sports reporter, Etienne Fermie has been nominated for his interview with Rohan Rickett’s, as he sat down to chat with the globetrotter in our Election special issue.

Smoke Magazine too has

also been nominated for 3 awards, including best new publication, best design in a magazine category and for outstanding commitment.

Amy Avent Editor-in- Chief of Smoke magazine was nominated for her hard work and dedication all year. Smoke Media was also nominated as a whole for best coverage based on the Elections 2017.

The awards will take place in May 2017 in Leeds. The QH won the runner up award for Best Reported at SPANC 2016 in Loughborough. Follow us to be updated about the awards.

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prominent Twitter accounts were also hacked, including International, Amnesty French USA, UNICEF Politician Alain Juppe, and the UK’s Department of Health.

Twitter issued a statement saying, “We removed [Twitter permissions Counter’s] immediately. No additional accounts are impacted.”

WESTMINSTER

RAG TAKES A BIG JUMP

BY LAUREN WAUGH The UWSU Raising And Giving Society (RAG) are bungee jumping in order to raise money for Cancer Research. Society President, Tasmin Lacourte will complete the jump at Imperial University.

On her My donate page, Lacourte said “I’ve basically just signed a death wish, but it’s all cool. Let’s kick cancer’s butt together!”

The jump was to take place in March, but has now been postponed to June in order to extend the jumping period.

WESTMUN GOES TO CANADA

IMAGE: University of Westminster’s twitter account.

WESTMINSTER HACKED

BY NICOLE EL-HELOU On the morning of the 15th March, the University of Westminster’s Twitter account was compromised by a third party application. A tweet in Turkish was sent out that translated to “Nazi Germany, Nazi Holland. Meet you April 16.” The tweet was taken down after almost 40 minutes.

“Our corporate Twitter feed was one of hundreds of accounts hacked this morning

being one of them. The tweet included Turkish flag emojis and swastikas.

Following the incident the University of Westminster Twitter posted “Good morning!

We’re currently having technical difficulties with our website.

We’re working on getting the site running smoothly again.”

The twitter resumed to normal shortly afterwards.

Sky News reported that other high profile and

The tweet comes out on the day of the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands.

There have been increasing clashes between the Dutch during Turks the and President campaigning.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke off diplomatic ties with the Netherlands, describing them as “Nazi remnants”, explaining the tweet.

The date of April 16th will see the Turkish parliamentary referendum, an election to parliamentary the change system to a stronger one.

LORDS BLOCK RISING TUITION FEES

BY LAUREN WAUGH

University’s Model United Nations (MUN) society, WestMUN was in attendance at Harvard World MUN, also known the Olympics of MUN. the 26th edition of the annual WorldMUN was held in the city of Montréal, Canada.

Five delegates from WestMUN society represented the delegation of Zambia in five different UN organs.

The society’s Vice President, Rituja Rao represented Westminster as the Assistant Chair for United Nations Commission on Trade and Development.

A great achievement in her MUN career, she said, “It was a poud moment for me, as being the AC at WorldMUN is the ultimate goal in the MUN world. I’d like to thank the university and WestMUN for their kind support.

through a third party app, Twitter Counter. As soon as the hack was discovered the unauthorized tweet was removed and we have taken steps to increase our online security”, said a spokesperson for the university.

The university uses a third party application called ‘Twitter Counter’ to tweet regularly. ‘Twitter Counter’ was hacked and thus the accounts using it were compromised, the University of Westminster

“WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO INCREASE OUR ONLINE SECURITY”

The House of Lords has blocked plans for the TEF to increase tuition fees in accordance to their score.

This is a huge win for NUS Vice-President Higher Education, Sorona Vieru, who took the facebook to express her excitement. She said “I can’t stop crying, I need help,” after she has campaigned since the green paper’s first release last year, to stop the rising tuition fees.

The amendment made by the House of Lords doesn’t stop the rise in tuitions fees of £250 for incoming students, but rather how rises are decided.

Lord Kerslake said the TEF was “not ready” to calculate teaching quality. He made particular reference to mediocre courses at high performing universities, creating an unfair increase in fees.

Baroness Deech said better universities “will attract those students who can

afford to pay it and who can afford to choose,” meaning smarter students from poorer backgrounds will have to go to cheaper universities.

Social Mobility was a big reason for The House of Lords creating this amendment, as a rise in fees could deter students from lower income families from applying to university.

This follows NUS’ campaign to boycott the National Student Survey (NSS), in order to stop results being used to justify fee increases.

The NSS has now closed and many unions have made this campaign.

While fees will still rise in line with inflation, they will no longer be contected to University TEF scores. UWSU President told The QH “I’m pleased that the impractical metrics of the TEF are no longer associated with the study of teaching excellence.

The Students’ Union have always disapproved the metrics, and are therefore pleased with this decision.”

IMAGE: Flikr.

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DAN SEAMARKS RESIGNS AS SPA CHAIR

MALALA’S CONDITIONAL FOR OXFORD

BY RITUJA RAO

BY SONAKSHI SHARMA

VP Harrow, Dan Seamarks has resigned as the Chair of Student Publication Association (SPA). Dan’s resignation came after the protest against SPA’s conference tickets inflation.

The SPA formally released a statement stating, “due to increasing professional and personal demands our Chair Dan Seamarks has resigned”. However, it does not specify any further deatils. The SPA refused to give any further comments on the subject.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzi has received a conditional offer from Oxford University for her undergraduate degree.

The 19-year-old Pakistani activist who nearly escaped death after a Taliban attack said that she aspires to study at a British university.

At the Association of School and College Leaders annual conference she said, “I have applied to study PPE so for the next three years I will be studying that. But other than that, I want to stay focused on my Malala Fund work.”

If she meets the offer, she is likely to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Lady Margaret Hall.

The college is also known for its notable alumni and Malala’s inspiration – Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistani president.

Yousafzi who is studying for her A-levels, told the conference that she wants to meet the requirements as of now.

“I’m in Year 13, I have my A-level exams coming and I received a conditional offer which is three As. That’s what my focus is right now and I hope to continue my work and also continue my studies,” she told the conference according to BBC.

UNIVERSITIES

IMAGE: Ludovica Siniscalchi.

NO MORE PAYING FOR PERIODS

BY LAUREN WAUGH

TWO YEAR COURSES COMING SOON

BY CHANTELLE PARTRIDGE Two year university courses are being introduced with the hope of reducing the housing and living costs for students.

In a Universities UK Conference this Friday, University Minister, Jo Johnson, is expected to announce the government’s intention to start two-year University courses.

Though the courses would raise the cost of tuition fees to a predicted £13,000 per year, instead of the current £9,000, the government argues that the introduction of such courses will reduce student living costs and cut down the time students spend out of work.

Last week, the sabbatical team launched free sanitary products in all Students’ Union Office as part of their International Women’s Week campaign. These were available alongside vaseline, cotton wool buds and hand cream.

UWSU President, Freya Thompson, said “We’ve provided free sanitary products so we can build a society where women are not seen as the lesser and are not charged thousands of pounds for their biology,” highlighting the 5% tax currently on sanitary products.

While the Students’ Union Offices have provided condoms for many years, this is the first time sanitary products will be freely available. Thompson also said “we are proud to use this to highlight safe sex,” but went on to add “sex is a choice and periods aren’t.”

“SEX IS A CHOICE AND PERIODS AREN’T” The International Women’s Week campaigns also included the MENA Society UOW Successes event bringing in

female students and alumni to inspire other women to follow a similar career path.

The Dragons also released a short video ‘This Girl Can UWSU Dragons’ highlighting their sporting achievements and the challenges they face.

This was done in partnership with Smoke TV. International Women’s Day, held on March 7th, has been a huge event world wide following the Women’s marches this autumn, with events being held across London.

However, International Women’s Week was on Freya’s radar long before the marches, appearing as a prominent point on her last year’s manifesto.

“WE’RE LOOKING TO MAKE THIS A PERMANENT THING” Thompson continues to push these changes beyond International Women’s Day though. She said “We’re looking to make this a permanent thing for the year 17/18, and I’m happy to say we’ve confirmed that SU Shops now sell sanitary products for 0% profit.”

IMAGE: UN Photo/Mark Garten.

In December, she was invited for an interview at Oxford university which she later said was, “the hardest interview of my life. I just get scared when I think of the interview.”

Previously it was speculated that Malala will leave Britain and move to America. She had said she wants to study politics at Stanford University, California.

She also applied to London School of Economics (LSE), Durham and Warwick universities for her degree.

She aims to keep working on her campaign and wants to see every last “child, a girl and a boy, get the opportunity to go school.”

“It is their basic human right, so I will be working on that and I will never stop until I see the last child going to school.”

“And I’m really thankful to you all for your support for encouraging me for my mission.

“That’s what makes me and keeps me so strong so thank you so much for that and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak” she said at the conference.

Alongside her undergraduate degree, she wants to work to keep her campaign going for that is her path to create a global change.

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LONDON

£600,000 FOR ONE BED ROOM

BY CHANTELLE PARTRIDGE The detached house on Britten Street, Chelsea has received an incredible amount of interest since being put on the market, with over 100 viewings in a month and a subsequent 19 offers.

With a floor space of 290 sq ft, this home is nearly three times the price of the average home in England and Wales, working out at a whopping £2,400 per square foot The ground floor offers a reception room, kitchen and shower room, all equalling 166 sq ft, whilst the first floor occupies a bedroom, standing at a mere 124 sq ft, but boasts a superb view of the local park.

After a lot of bidding, Robin Swailes, owner of North Oxford Property Services, bagged the property with the help of his pension fund for £713,000.

HERE COMES THE SUN

BY LAUREN WAUGH London’s tempreture hit 18 degrees this week.

The current sunny weather is placing London’s tempreture 6 degrees above average for this time of year.

The high tempretures are set to continue, encouraging more people to work and study outside.

Tempretures could even soar to 20 degrees, which would make london warmer than Barcalona, in Spain.

Usually tempretures hit 12 degrees around this time of year.

IMAGE: Ahdieh Ashrafi, Flikr.

RED RANKING FOR FREE SPEECH

BY RITUJA RAO

“The University of Westminster and the University of Westminster Students’ Union collectively create a hostile environment for free speech”, says the Spike Magazine 2017 Free Speech

University Rankings.

The report surveyed 115 universities across the UK, assigning a “green”, “amber” and “red” ranking for each university, with green rankings the best and red the worst. The report looks at the policies and actions of the SU

and administration of each university, also referring to its past actions.

The University of Westminster has maintained its Red ranking, three years in a row. Whereas, the Students’ Union (UWSU), has maintained its Amber ranking,

as it requires faith-based societies to be vetted and also restricts ‘intolerant’ language and bahaviour.

The report accuses Westminster of ‘banning any speakers it feels are ‘intolerant’ and also places restrictions on ‘offensive’ speech and behaviour ‘associated with a “blame culture.”’

A spokesperson from the University of Westminster said: “The University of Westminster supports the principle of freedom of speech and expression within the law as one of the fundamental principles upon which a University is founded. The University operates within a Code of Practice which sets out the rights and obligations inherent in supporting the principle of freedom of speech and expression within the law.”

A spokesperson from Students’ Union (UWSU) said, “The students’ union is a student-led organisation with all of its policies determined by student leaders. We are proud to have processes that protect students from behaviour such as sexual assault and discrimination.”

also said “he is an interesting character who is up to date with current issues and how to deal with it”.

The QH reached out to NUS for a statement, however, unfortunately they couldn’t make a comment on individual candidates and their campaigns during the election period.The vote will take place during the NUS National Conference in Brighton on 2527 April.

IMAGE: NUS logo, NUS

HARWOOD: “NUS HAVE DONE SILLY THINGS”

BY NICOL EL-HELOU

On 13th March 2017, Tom Harwood, claimed the NUS was in “crisis” in a video campaign to announce his nomination for the National Union of Students’ Presidential Elections. He will be running as the only student against current President, Malia Bouattia, and current Vice President for Further Education, Shakira Martin.

His election video comesafter his successful campaign to represent Durham as an NUS Delegate, where he satirically promised to defeat ISIS and lower the price of Cadbury Freddos, while expressing his dislike for current President Bouattia.

Now, in his current campaign video for the President’s position, Harwood calls out the NUS for “silly things”, such as abolishing prisons and saying they are

racist and sexist.

The University of Westminster’s NUS Delegates will ultimately be voting for the next NUS President at the conference.

Arooj Amjad said “seeing that a lot of his views reflect a stance that has been building over time regarding the NUS and its representation of students I think his campaign will attract considerable support.”

Furqhan Faisal

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Szumko, who is originally from Poland, has been ordered to pay £200 to each of her victims for the behaviour.

Judge Adrian Turner also said “it horrifies me” also sentencing Szumko to 150 hours of community service.

Szumko said she was “mortified” by her actions and does not remember the attack which happened in December last year. She was charged we three accounts of assaulting a police officer, three charges of racially aggravated public order offences, One charge of assaulting and accredited person and one charge of common assault.

IMAGE: Kaleb Nimz, Unsplash.com

KINGSTON STUDENT’S RACIST ATTACK

BY LAUREN WAUGH A Kingston student has narrowly avoided jail after verbally attacking police officers in Notting Hill. The judge ruled “I am not sending

a lady to prison for this,” ordering 18 year old Karolina Szumko to pay compensation from her April student Loan.

Szumko drank half a bottle of vodka before she said “You f***ing black, you shouldn’t

be standing between us,” to a bouncer who tried to break up her fight with another woman.

She went on to spit in the face of police officers and slap the club owner in the face. She also said to officers “you are

NEW £1 COIN IS OUT NOW CHANTELLE PARTRIDGE Out with the old and in with the new, as a new £1 coin is released into circulation in a bid to deter counterfeit coins.

The new 12 sided coin has hidden security features that are able to be detected through coin-counting and payment machines to ensure the coin’s legitimacy.

Not only does the coin contain this unique identification technique, but it also includes a holographic image and micro-sized lettering on the rim.

With an outer gold coloured ring made from nickelbras and an inner silver ring of nickel-plated alloy, the new coin will be virtually impossible to counterfeit.

Existing £1 coins will eventually be replaced by these new additions, as it is thought that currently nearly 1 in 40 of

the old coins are thought to be fake.

The old coins will be considered legal tender until October 15th of this year, with the new coins already being released into circulation within major banks and post offices around the UK. Over the next few weeks, these coins should start to make a more prominent appearance as more are released into the retail industry.

It is predicted that a total of 1.5 billion of these new coins are set to enter circulation, which equates to about 23 per person.

The old coins, however, will not be wasted; they shall be melted down and recrafted to make new ones.

IMAGE: Images Money, Flikr.

going to f***ing die.”

She was turned away from The Notting Hill Arts Club for being too drunk, which lead to the racial and physical attack.

She was handcuffed and placed in leg restraints.

ALSO SENTENCING SZUMKO TO 150 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. She currently studies a Bachelors degree in Photography at Kingston University.

The attack took place while out with friends and saw Szumko attempt to head towards the Russian Embassy during her drunken outrage.

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INSIDE LONDON’S STRANGEST WATERING HOLE

JACK CUMMINGS EXPLORES LONDONS HIDDEN DRINKING SCENE...

If you want a weird, wonderful drinking experience, don’t go to a bar. Go to a detective agency.

The offices of Evans and Peel are tucked away behind an inconspicuous black door in South Kensington, and the delicious cocktails that lie behind can only be reached by reservation.

Of course, that’s not your typical online booking.

Hopeful visitors are expected to submit a case for the agency to review, and successful clients are invited downstairs to a dimly lit office for a 1920s briefing.

In the world of bland, modern London bars — all identical and all overpriced — the kookiness of this experience can’t be overlooked. All too often, venues ignore the fact that young Londoners want something impressionable, unique and memorable — factors that Evans and Peel has in abundance.

The reality is, most bars in the capital are boring.

They serve drinks, but they don’t serve excitement.

Real excitement. Not fries in a miniature frying basket, or burgers on a wooden board. Young people want a real experience, and molecular cocktails, hidden bars or cosy speakeasies always do the trick.

Still, Evans and Peel is in a league of its own.

Your parties’ own creative case will be thoroughly assessed by the head detective, and upon appraisal, a bookcase will slide open to reveal the basement bar, oozing with prohibition ambience.

‘‘THE DRINKING-DEN FEELS MORE LIKE A DIRECTORIAL VISION THAN A VENUE’’ From the up-cycled 1920s aura, to the clipboard menus and dainty chinaware, Evans and Peel makes an impression. Creatively iconic in a way that perfectly resonates with the young Londoner, it captures the hearts of its clients-turned-customers.

The drinks are predictably well-crafted too. Their take on an old fashioned comeswith a great, sulking globe of ice, turning gently a rich alcohol bath. Meanwhile, unique additions like the ‘tipsy florist’ are radiant tinctures, bursting with lavender and elderflower.

They aren’t cheap, but they aren’t unreasonable either. A cocktail at Evans and Peel will set you back £10. It’s £4 more expensive than a house gin and tonic at Central’s blandest bars, and for an evening that’ll never be forgotten — it’s worth it.

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HEATH ROBINSON MUSEUM

JOIN ON AN ADVENTURE OF AESTHETICS AND CARTOONS..

IMAGE: Heath Robinson Museum

The Heath Robinson museum is a newly opened place dedicated to the British artist Heath Robinson who is a famous illustrator of the 20th century, known for his humorous cartoons and contraptions. This little gem is located in Pinner, just two stations away from Northwick Park station (Harrow campus), at the end of a lovely park and nearby restaurants and coffee shops for relaxation.

Upon first seeing the museum, I was surprised by its visuals. It has great aesthetics from the inside and out. It is very much on trend with its architectural composition. The wooden, concrete and copper elements are mixed well together for a delightfulto-the-eye design and they give off a modern vibe.

Currently there are two exhibition rooms and an activity studio. One of those is permanent and in it are exhibited the more famous paintings by the artist.

Some were printed on the wallpaper and lit with small lights. I thought this was a creative way to show us the art, while still keeping the original pieces in a safe place - because they are watercolour it is not good for them to be out for a long time. In the other room the exhibitions change every three months. This is a good chance for people to learn about other artists as well.

The activity studio is where you can get creative yourself. Originally it is a place for children to keep themselves busy, but I encourage you to let your inner child and start building some Lego constructions, try to copy illustrations by tracing over them on the light box and even do a painting of your own in the provided frame and paper on the wall. It was great to see something like this in a museum, especially because I least expected it, and it helped enhance my experience there.

The staff were friendly and willing to help out. I spent a good hour and a half talking to one of the gallery stewards. She was knowledgeable of the artist’s work and life and was ready to answer all of my questions. Because she gave me a lot of background information on Heath Robinson I was able to enjoy his art and really appreciate his humour.

There were a lot of little creative touches in the museum that made me smile and think that when it was designed and put together, they really wanted people to enjoy their stay to the fullest.

It is a captivating place where you can have a calm afternoon and learn more about British culture. The artist has influenced different fields including architecture, engineering, advertising and especially illustration.

IMAGE: Heath Robinson Museum

MAKING ANIMATION FUN

BY RITUJA RAO

IMAGE: An insight into the animation studios

Walking around Harrow campus on a Saturday, I saw commotion, the good kind, unusual for a lazy Saturday afternoon. Students jumping, falling and awkwardly moving around. Shaun McGlinchey, a Lecturer on BA Animation, caught me confused and asked, “Do you like animation?”

Well, who doesn’t? Even better when you can animate! ‘Saturday Club’ are free animation classes for 14-16 year olds, which is taught weekly

by Shaun. With about 25 students annually, these sessions equip participants with animation, design and communication skills, that they take back and perhaps, apply to their university life in future. They also take with them a portfolio of work they create throughout the year.

Saturday Club is in its second year, run by the Sorrell foundation. Sessions take place at Harrow Campus on Saturday mornings from 10 AM to 1 PM. Shaun told me, “We do various forms of animation, have trips to various galleries and a masterclass, this year’s is with the lead animator on Peppa Pig.” A normal day starts at 10 AM with a little chat in a lecture theatre, outlining the day’s activity and then students spend the rest of their time animating.

These activities range from motion graphics, stop motion, 3D animation, etcetera A university Spokesperson from the outreach

team said, “Part of the work we do in outreach, is to offer pupils from schools the opportunity to experience life as a student here at Westminster.”

Shaun added, “I teach at Saturday Club because I enjoy teaching at Westminster and it is fun doing activities that are not marked or assessed formally.

We are doing animation for fun.”

He further describes Saturday club in one word: ‘inspirational’. It is as he says, ‘inspirational’ to see students create something new and vibrant, without any compulsion for grades.

IMAGE: An insight into the animation studios

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WOLFGANG TILLMANS AT TATE BEN COLLINSON EXPLORES GERMAN ART...

T

he Tate Modern, is currently holding a thought provoking exhibition, by a German fine art photographer, Wolfgang Tillmans, until the 21st May. The artist has arranged the space as a set of installations split into rooms, rather than separate displays of work, meaning none of the pieces have a title or a didactique label displayed. The only description given is in the pamphlet given upon entry. This allows for a complete immersive experience and full self-interpretation of the works, enabling each piece to have a unique impact on the audience member, as Tillmans, removes his identity from his work.

The raw and honest characteristics found in Tillmans’ self absence, is primarily displayed through a mixture of photographs varying in size, however he also cultivates a wider range of media to represent his ideas, using film, publications, slide projections and an audio installation.

Though these he comments socially and politically on various subject matters. The photographs differ contextually, as some images capture the natural world around him, with unposed and natural scenes and with some photographs being preconceived, ranging from abstract sculptural

settings to portraiture shots (including musician, Frank Ocean).

Tillmans’ photographs are strikingly mesmeric. This is partially due to the in-existence of didactic labels, which leaves the viewer undistracted and forces an independent reflection, but mainly due to the scale of the prints. The smaller photographs will pull you in, forcing one to get up close to study the picture, leaving you directly in front of the image.

‘‘YOU ARE SELFISHLY POSITIONED, BLOCKING THE VIEW OF EVERYONE ELSE, STANDING UNINTERRUPTED, LOST IN AN INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION’’ Consequently, making you the sole inspector as you are selfishly positioned, blocking the view of everyone else, standing uninterrupted, lost in an independent examination;

GET YOUR PICNIC ON AMELIA WALKER-HALL DECODES THE PERFECT DAY OUT ....

this constructs a brief moment of intimate solitude, between you and the print. The larger images have quite the opposite effect, they are inclusive of you and anyone who is also spectating.

You are together, swallowed up into a different surrounding, as your entire field of vision is engulfed, placing you into another world.

There is one particular photograph that intrigued me more than the others, entitled ‘The State We’re In’. The giant print measuring in at 1660mm x 2450mm, captures an image of the Atlantic Ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. The composition of the photo is instantly unnerving; the context of the picture is that which creates loneliness, a vast open ocean with no land or any form of focal point, leaving the eyes to wander aimlessly looking for a fixation, which you are mercilessly denied. The colour pallet is cold and the size of the image shrinks the viewer down leaving one to feel insignificant. Everything guides you to feel isolated as an individual, yet there is a subtle calmness I found personally when I stood in front of it; an undisturbed seclusion.

If you are going to see any exhibition this spring, you cannot miss Tillmans’ beautiful perspective of the world.

T

he humble Picnic. A great British past time, come rain or shine.

We envisage eating delectable nibbles, sipping on drinks, sat on a tartan blanket in a meadow dappled in sunlight and surrounded by long grass and flowers.

In reality what we often get is a packet of mini cheddars sat on damp grass in your local park, shivering with cold and shrouded in cloud.

This article intends to help fellow picnic lovers plan and host the picnic that we all imagine.

Rule 1) Check the weather!!

A dry, warm day is best but if you have a set date in mind and the weather is less than ideal then why not bend the rules and put a spin on the traditional picnic? Clear some floor space inside, put a picnic blanket down, put some background music on, replace the overhead lights with candles and fairylights-it will be just as good as eating al fresco.

Rule 2) A picnic isn’t a picnic without food and drinks.

Whether you fancy heating up party food or keeping your spread simple with cold nibbles, any supermarket will have everything you need. To take the pressure off, perhaps ask each of your guests to bring a dish or two of their choice…that way everyone will be happy food wise.

IMAGE: Wikimedia Commons.

Drinks, drinks, drinks. Summery drinks always go down a treat, such as; pimms, woo woos or G&Ts (personal favourite). Cider, beer and wine also go great with picknicky grub. Likewise with the food, there’s no harm in asking your guests to bring drinks to share.

For example, one person can make the woo woos, one the pimms, one bring the beers and so on. You’ll have an abundance of drinks and everyone will be happy with the variety on offer.

If you or any of your guests are tee total then there are plenty of virgin cocktails you could make that are just as delicious as the real deal and hangover free.

Rule 3) Adding that je ne sais quois.

Bunting, tartan blanket, citronella candle (keeps the insects away) background music and fairy lights will create the perfect, picnic atmosphere.

Fairylights can be bought from poundland, a tartan blanket from wilkos/tiger and bunting can be purchased from pretty much anywhere or if you’re feeling all arty and adventurous you could make your own. Pick up cheap pieces of pretty fabric from your local haberdashery or even Dunelm, cut into the desired shape (triangles, stars ETC) and size, staple to a 2m length of thick ribbon and hang up…et voile!

Heads up: national picnic week is 16th-25th June. I dare you to be quintessentially British.

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LIFESTYLE

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NIGHT OUT

AYLIN KARANIS BREAKS DOWN THE ESSENTIALS FOR A NIGHT OUT...

IMAGE: The Kendall J. look

W

hat to wear on a night out?

Well, obviously getting ready for Messy Mondays is not as exciting as getting a dress for an after graduation cocktails or to the SU end of year Boat Party. But, of course you can rock these outfit ideas anywhere you like as long as you don’t mind those “aren’t you a little over dressed?” haters…

SKIN MAKE-UP ROUTINE FOR ALL LOOKS

After doing your skin-care routine (which I hope you have one because it’s vital for your skin’s health!) Firstly I applied my primer and after I put MAC highlighter in all the places where I like to highlight my face (inner corners of my eyes, outer corners of my eyes right above my cheekbones, nose and tip of my nose, cupids bow) after that I put BB Cream from Maybelline which is slightly bronze mixed with a slight drop of NYX liquid illuminator. Later on I used cream contour by Smashbox and MAC bronzer to deepen the contour. I gently set my face using Laure Mercier translucent powder. To get rid of the powdery look I sprayed Benefits hydrating spray over my makeup.

Last but not least, as highlighter I used Clinique’s stick highlighter and as if that was not enough I added a tiny bit of MAC powder highlighter using a fan brush.

IMAGE: The back to black look.

are going or the weather conditions – you can either wear any type of black loafers or boots.

Now, the hair is a make it or break it situation. As the outfit is very simple, your hairstyle must steal the spotlight.

A Kardashian signature look; sleeky hair. Its easy to make and looks as if you spent hours doing it. After straightening your hair gets a hairbrush and brush your hair backwards viciously -no pain no gain. Get some pins and put them so that it holds the side of your hair. (Try to hide them well because you don’t want them to be seen) And the now the holy hair spray. Don’t be greedy and put that baby all over your hair, trust me you will thank me at the end of the night. As for the eyes you can’t go wrong with a subtle smoky eye.

WOMAN IN PINK

This dress speaks for itself. A tight mini dress with a strong pomegranate colour and only has one shoulder.

Perfect for spring and summer. Beige colour heels will go perfectly with this dress, as less is more. As the dress is

KENDALL J.

Well, as you can tell this look is influenced by Kendall Jenner’s casual chic everyday outfit. This is perfect for a night out where dancing is involved, as you will not have to suffer the sweet agony of heels. Low cut shoulders and long sleeves will manage to keep your arms warm and look stylish at the same time – which makes the it outdoor friendly as well. Black jeans are always a safe choice and doubt makes a good combination. Depending on where you

IMAGE: The Kendall J. look.

so bright I believe a subtle “natural” looking makeup with wavy hair parted from one side will make you look like a real life princess. You can achieve this hairstyle by either straightening your hair, make it into lots of braids and whilst it is braided go over it with straightener. Or if you can’t be bothered and don’t mind your hair looking more done, than after straightening your hair and grab a curler, vua la. Dreamy curls.

For the makeup the skin routine I’ve done for all the other looks with neutral eyeshadow with a very thin eyeliner and First Date lashes by Cheryl and done. You look like a movie star ready for a gala.

BOHEMIAN GIRL IN LONDON

This outfit combo is my favorite by far. Going out for a cocktails? Meeting up with friends for a rooftop party? Or even a boat party will work for this style.

And guess what? Very cheap and easy to achieve! The skirt is from Bershka but you can find it from anywhere and the top from the one and only Topshop. As

IMAGE: The woman in pink look.

I am very short - actually I much prefer the word petite, makes me feel, well... not so short. Anyhow, this all black look makes me look and feel much taller. A long tight black skirt and strapless black crop top is like a combination of classy and edgy. A vintage looking style with a modern twist to it. And it is perfect to use a choker to finish off this look.

As for the shoes I chose to wear open heels but depending on your location you can wear anything really- apart from crocks, I cannot stand those but I guess if you must, you must. However my recommendation would be mostly sandals, maybe trainers or loafers. Now hair. I went for a tight bun so that my collarbones are a bit more out there and you can really see my choker, however another hairstyle that suits this is a beach wave. For that all you need to do it after straightening you hair (only if you have really curly hair like me) get a sea water spray from boots and spray it all over your hair. Even though you hair won’t feel super soft and smooth, it will look perfect. Now, as for the makeup the same skin routine as the rest but for the eye makeup i decided to do it a strong cat eye. Makes the whole style more mysterious and enchanting.

Depending on your taste you can add a lacy cardigan like top over your outfit.

I decided that this green top actually worked very well and made it look more like a high fashion dress. But obviously if you find it too much than there is no need for it.

BACK TO BLACK

IMAGE: The bohemian look.

Last but not least. Back To Black look. This is simple yet a classic. And takes almost no time but still looks elegant. Black jumpsuit with a nice back cleavage and open shoes with small heels both from Zara and you are ready to go. As for the hair you can go for up or down. Anything you feel comfortable in is the way to go. For the makeup I preferred another natural looking style with a nude, rosy lipstick.

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RUGBY

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A DRAGONS’ GAME TO FORGET ON A DAY TO REMEMBER

BY KIERAN SOUTTER

T

he final game of Varsity 2017 was the Men’s rugby.

West London were playing for pride as Westminster were going into this game already Varsity champions.

The game finished 32-15 to West London. But, their efforts were void after the earlier triumphs of the Dragons.

West London started the game ferociously with their number eight storming through the Westminster line and opening the score. Whipping the West London supporters into a frenzy.

It wasn’t long before Westminster grew into the game with the score getting equalised within minutes.

With the previous try not being converted, the chance to go 7-5 up wasn’t taken as the Westminster flyhalf also missed his conversion.

More West London pressure left the Westminster defensive line busy.

They eventually breached the line and scored their second of the game.

West London had their tails up for the rest of the first half scoring again towards the end of the 40 minutes, but this time the conversion was completed making the halftime score 17-5.

There was a bit of a touchline

1st men’s

15:32

altercation, but not between any of the players. A few West London spectators ran towards the Westminster cheerleaders and tried to steal their pom-poms, the fracas was quickly resolved, however.

The Dragons, who started the second half with 14 players after a late yellow card in the first half, came out stronger. Countless phases were rewarded as the ball was bundled over the line. Another chance to convert and shorten the score gap wasn’t taken, keeping them seven behind at 17-10.

Just as Westminster were getting back into the game, the Warriors fly-half sold the Dragon’s defence with a swift dummy, calmly passing it down the line to score the fourth.

Westminster were not disheartened, they went on to get one try back but the Warriors responded quickly, with two more tries putting the game to bed right before the final whistle.

It was a game to forget in a memorable Varsity for Westminster.

They may have lost the battle, but at least they won the war.

CHILLY, NAILBITING MATCH ENDS IN VICTORY 1st women’s

BY AKRAM SAID

A

22:17

shley Stanford’s team rose to the occasion on a chilly, grey day to sweep aside their opponents, the University of West London Women’s Rugby team, after a resounding 22-17 win for the Dragons. However, this took place after a nail-biting game in which both sides were evenly matched. Westminster took home a few scrapes and most of the glory. Among the goalscorers were Ashley Stanford, the captain; Georgia Raines, Benedetta Makanju scored two, and Caitlin Valentina

also made an impact on the score.

On the day, the Westminster Dragons seemed faster and better, finding space and carving runs into their opponents’ half. After a dominant fifteen minutes, the Dragons were ahead by 17 points.

West London did come back and soon leveled the scores so that spectators were nervously watching every move with intensity.

However, the Dragons extricated themselves from any potential problems with sheer ease by surging forward and causing West London to panic and fall away at the seams.

Even though, the score was close and the game decided in the last few

IMAGE: Patricia Hilbert

minutes, the Dragons did well to break the stalemate, even after a lull in play where a player went down and medical officials had to walk onto the field. This alarming development did nothing to dull their sharp instincts for movement and attacking prowess.

What started as a reasonably easy match descended into a nail biting finale, but the West London women’s rugby team could do nothing to quell the heat of the Westminster Dragons

as they came alive in the last crucial minutes of the game and swept up all the points for a tidy win. Clearly the dull day did nothing to dampen the spirits or the winning mentality. At the end of the game, Ashley Stanford looked very pleased with herself and her team.

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NETBALL

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NETBALL FIRSTS FALLING SHORT ON A BUSY AFTERNOON FOR FREYA 1st women’s

37:38

BY AMELIA WALKER-HALL After a smooth 37-4 victory in the netball seconds game of the day, many Westminster spectators expected a similar win for their first team. However, with just 20 seconds into the match both Westminster and West London had already scored twice. From that point everyone knew it was going to be a fast-paced game.

UWL upped their defence early, making it difficult for Westminster to get the ball in the D. By the end of the first quarter the score was 6-14 to West London.

That made Freya Thompson, University of Westminster’s students’ union president who teamed up with her old friends again, to take charge and give her team circled around a pep talk. Characteristic and loud “1…2…3…DRAGONS!” followed.

West London centre, to west London wing attack, to west London goal shooter to west London goal attack. She aims. Silence. Ball in the net. West London supporters erupt

into cheers. This pattern went on for the majority of the second quarter.

West London defence was tight making it a very physical game for the Dragons. Twice the Westminster’s goal attack fell over due to the West London goal defence marking too closely.

Tensions were running high. By the end of the 3rd quarter the score was 25-31 to West London. The Westminster Dragons didn’t seem perturbed by this. They got themselves ready for the fourth and final quarter.

The comeback began. Westminster scored making it five away from drawing, six away from winning.

With two minutes left to go Westminster were just four goals away from winning. The Dragons were dominating the court, as the match went on their defence and passes had become tighter and stronger.

With 30 seconds left to go the score was 36-38 to west London. The match could go either way. Relentless Westminster’s goal attack scored making it 37-38. Emotions skyrocketed.

However, the time was against the brave Dragons. The referee blew her whistle. Time up. Game over.

West London won reinforcing the Warriors’ chances in the varsity race.

SECOND NETBALL TEAM BATTERED WEST LONDON

IMAGE: Patricia Hilbert

2nd women’s

46:9

BY ASLLAN GECAJ

T

he Westminster Dragons second netball team humiliated, the so

called ‘West London Army’ with the final score being 46-9.

From the first quarter to the final whistle it was clear that the game was one-sided. Kate Ebdon captain of the Westminster side and a goal

shooter; and fellow teammate Katie Ward, a goal attacker racked up the majority of the goals for the side.

The dominance of the side was shown early on when Westminster was up 14-1 in the first quarter, managing to score four goals in the space of two minutes.

It was only until the 14th minute of the first quarter where West London scored.

The Women’s netball team managed to score nine additional goals in the second quarter, 14 goals in the third quarter and to wrap up the game in the final quarter they added seven more goals to top off an excellent game.

Freya Thompson, the current president of the Student Union, played in goal defence and protected the Dragons hoop like it was a pot of gold, considering throughout all four quarters the side only managed to concede a total of nine goals.

Throughout all four quarters, West

London gave the ball away far too easily centre court, allowing the Dragons to capitalise on simple mistakes.

Half way through the match, it was clear that West London were beginning to lose hope in turning the game around. The players began to fatigue as the Westminster Dragons began to play at a faster pace.

At one point in the match, the huge number of support shown to the West London team, did begin to give some life to the team and there was a short succession of goals in the final quarter.

However, this failed to have any impact on the final score as it was in the last five minutes of the final quarter.

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BASKETBALL

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THIS MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM IS THE ONE TO REMEMBER 1st men’s

BY OMAR SALVI

T

he Westminster Dragons beat the West London Warriors 45-44 at the 2017 Varsity in Osterley. The team has now beaten the Warriors for three consecutive years.

Before the game started, Dragons’ coach Clive Castillo said that the key to win this game was “keep attacking strong and fend off the Warriors defence”. And they did just so.

The Dragons controlled the game well up until the fourth quarter, where the Warriors fought back in transition, scored four times under a minute and nailed a huge Steph-Curry-like three from half court at the buzzer. Still, it wasn’t enough. “It was heart breaking, the guys fought really hard”, said the Warriors coach Rudy.

The West London team, who haven’t won a game this season in the BUCS league, started the first period strong with a good passing game. Overall, their free throw game was consistent throughout and they played very good defence in the paint.

On the other hand, they allowed a large number of shots from beyond the arch, where the Dragons instead

45:44

thrived all game long. That was the deciding factor in the end result.

Vlad Petrea and Atilla Öztuncay were absolute show attacking the basket. Teo Psychidis was excellent down the paint, especially at second chance shots. The whole Dragons squad played at a much faster tempo starting from the second quarter.

The Warriors put a lot of effort to comeback. They never gave up. Yet, Petrea’s steal at the end of the third followed by a score kept Westminster with a lead. In the fourth period the Dragons rebounding game improved and they kept scoring.

After winning five games in a row and ending the year with a positive record for the first in five years in the BUCS league, Westminster’s men basketball team collects another victory and proves to be a much better team this year.

A CLOSE, UNLUCKY GAME TO KICK OFF THE RIVALRY 1st women’s

25:27

BY DAMIAN BURCHARDT

A

heart-breaking loss of the Westminster’s women’s basketball team to West London gave the Warriors an early 1-0 advantage in Varsity 2017.

The game was physical and very close throughout all four quarters, and decided just by two free throws after Dragons’ captain, Mathilde LieNielsen, fouled Silvia Romero Lopez in the last second of the match.

The Dragons did not get a revenge after they lost to their varsity rivals 33-72 last week in the last game of the BUCS season. They finished the

competition with overall 3-7 record, after a wave of injuries plagued the team in December.

The Dragons started the game well, with a 5-0 run being led by Yuka Tada and Jamilla Torres. The Westminster team was the better side for the whole first quarter, showing some good passing game and team spirit.

The second quarter started and remained scoreless for a long time, with the West London team checking in to the game again after a series of turnovers by the Dragons. The Warriors managed to overwhelm Westminster finishing the second period with a comfortable 10-15 lead.

IMAGE: Patricia Hilbert

The Dragons answered with a brilliant four-point play by Yuka Tada at the beginning of the third quarter, and since then the game was on a knife-edge till the very end. The unlucky Dragons’ captain, Lie-Nielsen, brilliant on the defensive side and visibly managing the team from the pitch throughout the game, fouled West London’s playmaker Silvia Lopez just before the match-ending buzzer; and those two three throws were to be the decisive points in this tough game.

“They played amazing until the end.

I never expected this game to finish this way. My heart was going to explode, it was amazing,” said the Warriors’ game changer Silvia Lopez.

“We started off this game very well, but let ourselves down later thinking we are going to get it. I gambled in the last second, we missed some open shots that were the part of our game plan,” said with honesty the Dragons’ captain.

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FOOTBALL

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DRAGONS MEN’S SECONDS BLAZE PAST THE WARRIORS

8:0

BY KIERAN SOUTTER

W

e s t m i n s t e r Dragons second teamdominated West London seconds in a one-sided match that saw them score 8 goals to the good.

Captain, Salah Ismail said after the game that “everything went well, our tactics were good and we played well.”

Liban Wais and Valdermar Martins both scoring hat-tricks.

Wais picked up the ball after 12 minutes in midfield and dribbled his way through. Took it round the onrushing keeper and slotted it calmly into the corner to open the scoring.

Martins caused havoc down the right side, even pulling off a rabona cross which ultimately led to nothing.

Eight minutes later Wais was on the receiving end of a perfect low cross and finished well to double the Dragons lead and get his deserved goal.

The Warriors keeper grew into the game as he made a couple of vital

saves towards the latter end of the half.

However, 33 minutes in, after a strong handball shout for the Dragons, the ball fell to Luke Sheppard who snapped at it with his left foot and it found the back of the net.

The Dragons started the second half as they finished the first. Martins quickly placed the ball firmly into the bottom corner to put them four up.

The crowd started to olé as the Dragons were playing the ball around with style. After some terrific team play, the ball fell to Wais who poked it home for Westminster’s fifth and his hat-trick.

Westminster carried on dominating and soon after the fifth goal, Alex Van Oudgaarden struck an inch-perfect free-kick that bent into the top corner.

Wais picked up the ball in midfield once again and after another beautiful individual run, he scored his third goal, bringing Westminster to seven.

Finally, substitute Alvaro Zubelda got the ball in midfield and from absolutely nothing he fired the ball straight past the outstretched keeper to cap off the eight-goal thriller.

A convincing performance for the second team, with some players really making their case for the jump to the firsts.

NINE PLAYERS ON THE PITCH SURELY DIDN’T MAKE LIFE EASIER

IMAGE: Patricia Hilbert

1st women’s

2:4

BY REUBEN PINDER

I

n the Women’s Football, our Dragons were slayed by the the University of West London Warriors in a 4-2 loss full of

chances, injuries and controversy.

On a drizzly, windy afternoon in Ealing, the Warriors dominated the early stages and raced into a two goal lead before the 23rd minute. The first goal was a looping lob that the Westminster goalkeeper allowed to slip

through her hands. The second, a pin point square ball, slotted home with ease.

The Dragons showed fight, reacting immediately with a goal a minute later.

However, West London controlled the rest of the first half, as number 11 Stefania Quintero stood out as the star player. The Warriors peppered the Westminster goal, but Lilli Zijmers in goal made a sequence of good saves.

A goalmouth scramble threatened the Westminster goal, but somehow it was cleared. Then in the 36th minute, Quintero made it 3-1 to West London.

In the 40th minute, West London were awarded a contentious penalty for handball, although the ball appeared to hit the offending player in the face. The penalty was struck against the bar and the taker couldn’t get the rebounding ball under control and the chance escaped her.

Early in the second half, West London’s standout player, Quintero added a fourth and the game was as good as lost for the Dragons. They managed to pull one more back, ending the game 4-2, a respectable result given the injuries that hindered their second half. Westminster lost two players to ankle injuries in quick succession and due to a lack of available substitutions, finished the match with nine players on the pitch.

Injured captain, Shannon Ince told The QH that she was disappointed with the way the match was handled as well as the result. “The ref hasn’t moved from the centre circle. We’ve also seen three players for West London who didn’t play the last two times we played them.” Her grievances were shared among most of the team, on a day when the Dragons had their wings clipped several instances of bad luck.

16

SPORT

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BY DAMIAN BURCHARDT It couldn’t go the other way.

Westminster Dragons have been crowned champions during last week’s 2017 Varsity for the sixth time in a row.

Blood, sweat and tears; all the Westminster’s teams had to put in tremendous amount of effort but it paid off and the trophy is going home. Again.

The great day for the Westminster sports started in Osterley where both basketball teams, supported by our cheerleaders group, locked horns with West London’s Titans. After a true thriller, the women’s basketball team lost to West London 25-27, with the decisive free throws scored after the buzzer rang. Men’s basketball answered with a 4544 win following another close fight.

At the same time, the second men’s football team drubbed their West London counterparts 8-0. The incessant audience gathered around the pitch at Trailfinders, however, clearly wanted to see their pupils reaching a double-digit score, chanting ‘we want ten!’.

When the action was taken to the netball courts, the Dragons’ second team thrashed West London 46-9. The Westminster led 3-1 at that time in

IMAGE: Patricia Hilbert

HOME OR AWAY, SIMPLY THE BEST the whole event.

Then the time came for the women’s football team to join the fight. Following a heroic battle, the Dragons didn’t manage to recover from a slow start and lost 2-4. The final result of the tournament was still pretty much in doubt and it looked like this years’ varsity could be the closest ever.

West London tied up the

overall score by defeating Dragons’ first netball team 37-38.

The girls fought back passionately in the fourth quarter after trailing significantly for the majority of the game, but eventually fell short at the final whistle.

Westminster, however, made it clear quickly who is going to be champions after nervewrecking games of the men’s

football firsts and women’s rugby. The girls pulled off a 22-17 win after a last-minute try. The footballers’ match was tied at halftime, but Mo Buzaine’s header secured the Dragons’ championship. The spectators euphorically run on to the pitch, jumped on the players; who then were chanting ‘campeones’ loudly in order to celebrate yet another

BY ÉTIENNE FERMIE

IMAGE: Patricia Hilbert

MEN’S FOOTBALL FIRSTS SEAL DRAGONS’ VICTORY

2:1

Westminster Dragons battled to a crucial 2-1 victory over the West London Warriors to clinch the Varsity 2017 title.

Mo Bouzaine’s bullet header proved to be enough after the Warriors had cancelled out Jack Scott’s stunning opener.

Some may have expected a comfortable win for a Dragons side ranked two divisions higher than their Warriors counterparts, but it was to be anything but.

“It didn’t feel real to be fair”, Scott beamed after the final whistle, “it just flew in and suddenly we’re 1-0 up early doors, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

It only took four minutes for the Dragons to snatch the lead as Scott ran onto a bouncing ball to unleash an unstoppable half volley into the back of the net.

Undeterred however, the Warriors grew into the contest and when Ed Dunbar hauled down his man, they were given a lifeline from the penalty spot. Warriors’ number 14 made no mistake and the sides were level.

West London Warriors continued to grow in confidence and had a flurry of attacks down the right hand

varsity win for the Dragons.

In the last game of the day, the men’s rugby team lost to West London 15-32.

“I’m really happy that we retained the title and we can take the cup home,” said the SU president Freya Thompson who also put the Dragons kit on during the day and helped the netball teams’ in their games.

side, with the Dragons doing well to keep the scoreline level, surviving a number of set pieces.

Jack Scott had a strong claim for a penalty when he appeared to be dragged down when through on goal, but the inconsistent referee ignored the urge to even things up by awarding another spot kick.

The Warriors probably went into the break the happier of the two sides, with the Dragons having plenty of work to do to overcome their lowly rivals.

The second half began in a similarly gritty fashion, but the Dragons gradually managed to wrestle control of the midfield, with substitute Isma Konate doing well to break up play in the midfield.

Mike Davies began to drop deeper and along with Marko Banovic and Elliott Poulter, began to cause the Warriors all sorts of problems, up alongside the tireless Jack Scott.

The big moment finally arrived late on when Ed Dunbar’s pinpoint corner was powerfully headed home

by Mo Bouzaine to send the supporters into delirium, and crucially, to clinch a historic sixth Varsity crown in a row for the University of Westminster.