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GOOD NEWS:
STIRLING STUDENT TO REPORT ON WINTER YOUTH OLYMPICS
By Rebecca Crockett
EDITORIAL By Charlotte Sutcliffe EDITOR-IN-CHIEF With the numbers burned into my brain, I present 55 years of Brig! This edition has been the most amazing thing to spearhead as we’ve gone back through our physical archives and the University’s digital archives since 1969. Each page has its twist on the past 55 years from design elements and articles to retrospectives and interviews with past editors. I would like to thank the team for bearing with me after I threw idea after idea at them for their pages. They found the most amazing ways to interpret the good, the bad, and the ugly of ye olde Brig although we opted not to bring back the period when Comic Sans was used. The first-ever editorial column by Paul Martin in 1969 speaks of Tory governments, student loans, a hope for change, and a battle ahead so in a way not a lot has changed for students. Brig is certainly bigger and better than ever 55 years on and the contents of this paper are no different. Read this edition for pieces on university twinning in Gaza, an interview with the president and vice president of quadball, and the untold history of the University's first drama society. Or just pick one up to enjoy the front cover design, thanks to our new Head of Design, Andrew Scott. Keep an eye out for our sister magazine, Braw, as its second edition debuts online this month. The digital magazine is a special edition for the New Year as we celebrate all things body positivity. A final thank you to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe with a complete list of our donors featured on page 14. You have helped Brig continue printing and expanding, hopefully for another 55 years.
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A University of Stirling student, Claudia Gasparino, has been selected to cover the Winter Youth Olympic Games (WYOG) in South Korea as part of a special training scheme. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose 14 aspiring journalists to take part in their young reporters programme in Gangwon. The scheme will combine practical training with mentoring from seasoned Olympic reporters, providing first-hand experience at a major sporting event. Other participants in the programme include eight young journalists from South Korea and two representatives each from future Olympic host nations France, Italy and Senegal. Running from January 19 to February 1, Claudia will be reporting on the events she has been watching since she was a
child. While waiting for her connecting flight to Seoul, Claudia told Brig how she discovered her interest in sport: “I grew up surrounded by sports, my family was always interested in it and I played different sports myself, so it’s kind of always been around. After attending different events in person, I decided I wanted to work in that sector and have real contacts with the athletes and the people who work in sports.” After discovering the scheme on Instagram, Claudia said that WYOG looked like a great opportunity, and also a step in the right direction: “I want to be a sports journalist and cover events as big as the Olympics, so I decided to try this smaller – but not so small – opportunity to get started.” While this may feel new to Claudia, it isn’t her first foray into sports journalism. The fourth-year student previously
Claudia will be going to South Korea. Image credit: University of Stirling
completed a work placement at the European Volleyball Championships this summer. “At the European Volleyball Championship, I experienced for the first time what it means to work in a fast-paced sports environment and to deal with all sorts of inconveniences and changes of plans. I am definitely better at working under pressure and at dealing with unexpected situations, so I’m sure
that will come in useful at the Youth Olympics.” Before boarding her flight, Claudia admitted she was nervous but ultimately looked forward to the experience: “The expectations are high and I’m afraid I might not live up to them…I’m still really excited and deep down I know it’s going to be amazing, but still, that fear is there.”
MUIRHEAD RENOVATION CAUSES CAR PARK CLOSURE
By Ross Collie NEWS EDITOR
The renovation of Muirhead House has resulted in the Geddes car park being closed. The car park, which is in front of Muirhead and beside Airthrey Park Medical Centre (APMC), will be a part of the construction site until work finishes. It comes after students have complained about a lack of car parking spaces on campus, as parking returns to pre-pandemic levels. The closure is most likely to affect students in other nearby accommodations and those attending the medical centre.
APMC released a statement, advising any visiting patients to follow signs directing to overflow parking. They also advised that “campus security will be strictly monitoring parking around the site to ensure minimal disruption.” Students were already having to resort to parking illegally to get to their classes. Others who have parking permits on campus struggled to find a place to park. Speaking to Brig last semester, one student said: "I'm fine paying [for the parking permit], but if I'm going to pay 80 pounds for a permit then I'd like to be able to get a space."
Another student said: "[The car parking situation is] horrendous, and at times it's easier to just move your car every hour." Seeing cars parked on double yellow lines or on the grass is not uncommon. The issue is widespread enough that an Instagram account has been dedicated to highlighting the issue. The University is aware of the car parking problem, but has indicated that it won't be creating any new car parks soon. In a statement on its website, the university says: "The University campus is one of the most beautiful in Europe and its development is very carefully considered to
The car park by Muirhead will be closed until November. Image credit: Emma Christie
ensure that it remains this way. "It is also a designated Historic Garden and Designed Landscape, which aims to ensure that its landscape setting is protected. "Further, all planning authorities are reluctant to allow the creation of additional parking and expect organisations to limit demand by offering alternative means of travel." Muirhead House is now empty due to the renovations, which should mean there are less cars on campus. But the effects that a loss of another car park will have remain to be seen, and will likely be evident when students return for the new semester. A spokesperson for the University of Stirling said: “The University regularly reviews the arrangements for parking to ensure that, as far as practical, the demand for parking and the availability of spaces is optimised. "The Geddes Car Park – opposite Muirhead House – will be temporarily closed for the duration of the works to Muirhead, however, alternative car parking is available nearby at the Golf Pavilion and adjacent to the Gardens and Grounds Maintenance Depot. “To provide an alternative to parking on campus, we also promote sustainable travel options and encourage students and staff to benefit from these where possible.”
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POLITICS COMMENT POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM MUSIC & TV FILM & TV ARTS BRAW 6-7 6-7 8-9 10-11 8-9 10-11 12-13 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19
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STIRLING ALUM SHORTLISTED FOR LABOUR CANDIDACY By Elliot Johnston
The Students' Union Sabbatical Officers. Image credit: Stirling Students' Union / Facebook
SABBS SET PRIORITIES FOR SEMESTER AHEAD
By Julia Benko NEWS EDITOR
With the nominations for the 2024/25 Students’ Union Elections now open, VP Communities, VP Education, the Sports and Union Presidents are stepping into their last six months as Sabbatical Officers. What will they be focusing on? VP Communities, Zoe Crosher, is planning to improve society committee guidelines and resources, as well as to continue pushing for more support for student parents. VP Education, Katie Gethings, said: “I plan to focus on developing Academic Rep support and engagement. I want to build on changes made last semester to make the training more engaging and provide opportunities for development and interaction throughout the semester for all the Reps.” Leen Ali, who is the Union President, has goals which are centred around two main areas: inclusivity and wellbeing.
“I’ll be continuing to support international students and celebrating diversity," she said. The Sports President, Murray Bushell, noted that this semester will see the launch of their new club mark system, known as the StirScale: “This aims to push clubs to continue their development and grow the Sports Union as a whole.” Moreover, the Sports Union will also see the conclusion of BUCS leagues and conference cups. Bushell looks forward to working with the university to promote successful clubs and achievements throughout the year. Together, the Sabbatical Officers “are dedicated to working to celebrate student achievement and engagement through sports, societies, academics and activism.” The voting for the upcoming Spring Elections will run between Tuesday, February 27, and Thursday, February 29. The results will be announced on March 1.
REFRESHER'S EVENTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 23
Societies Fayre (12pm - 4pm @ Campus Central)
Former Stirling student Euan Stainbank has been shortlisted as a Labour candidate for Falkirk in this year's general election. Stainbank is currently a Labour Councillor for Falkirk South after being elected in 2022 as their youngest ever councillor. Stainbank graduated from Stirling University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Law and during his time at the university was president of both the Debating and Law societies, which won him the Best Society President award. Stainbank’s young age has been a point of contention for some, but he has previously said he sees it as a positive, allowing him to bring a new energy to politics. Speaking to Brig about being a
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“How to understand the value of service isn't solely by looking to the party politics of the day - it is in how you work to improve the state of things from listening to those who share the same space as you.” Now that he has been shortlisted, Stainbank must participate in a hustings where Falkirk Labour Party members will vote on their preferred candidates. The winner of this hustings will be selected as the Labour candidate for Falkirk at the general election later this year.
young candidate, Stainbank said: “The accusation I lack real life experience strikes me as odd as I've proven to myself at least that in my comparatively shorter life and career that I have always put in a shift. “Young people’s experiences are an important perspective that must be heard and I believe will be acted on by a progressive Labour government as an essential element of a New Deal for Working People.” Speaking on his time at Stirling, Stainbank spoke of how his time at the university allowed him to become a leader, saying: “As President of Debating, the Law society as well as a candidate for Union President, I learned the value of giving back to the community that had given me so much. Euan Stainbank. Image credit: Falkirk Council
RAAC CONTINUES TO DISRUPT UNI
By Ross Collie NEWS EDITOR
Several locations around the university remain closed due to the discovery of reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) last semester. The recently refurbished Study Zone in the Atrium and the top level of the Students’ Union are among the areas still affected. RAAC is a cheaper alternative material to regular concrete, and was widely used in buildings between the 1950s and 1990s. It is deemed to be dangerous when it is exposed to moisture, as it can allow water to enter the concrete and cause degradation. The Health and Safety Executive says that if the concrete has deteriorated, it can "collapse with little or no notice." The discovery of RAAC at Stirling came after a nationwide panic over the material, causing the closure of several schools and universities across the country.
Before Christmas, the University announced that remedial work had begun on the Study Zone. It acknowledged that noise from the construction work may be disruptive to students, but that noise will be minimised. In a statement, a spokesperson for the University of Stirling said: “Following the updated guidance on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) issued earlier this year, the University conducted a full survey of its estate and temporarily restricted access to localised areas of campus. “Remedial works to affected areas are being prioritised. “The Chaplaincy has recently returned to its normal location, and S corridor has reopened. It is anticipated that the Study Zone will return to full use by spring. “Work in other areas is ongoing and further updates will be shared when available.” Other areas of the campus where RAAC has been identified also remain closed.
These areas include the Squash Courts in the Sports Centre, a part of Scran in the Atrium and the 4W corridor in the Cottrell Building. There is currently no timeframe for reopening these areas. A Students’ Union spokesperson said: "The Union continue to work closely with the University and whilst this work continues, we do not have a current timeframe for re-opening Studio and the top level of the Union building. “Just before the winter break, the Union office including the Sabbatical Officers moved to the former security office in Campus Central to ensure we can provide more space to meet with students and assist with them with advice, help with societies, representation and much more. “We’re looking forward to Venue and Underground re-opening on Monday 22nd January.” Because the regular route to Venue and Underground is closed, it can be accessed via the outside door next to Starbucks.
Image credit: Julia Benko
Image credit: Julia Benko
Pizza and Board Games (5pm - 7pm @ Venue) Karaoke (8pm - 10pm @ Venue) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24 Campus Litterpick (9.30am - 12pm @ Loch Bridge) Sports Bazaar (11am - 3pm @ Campus Central) SUDC Burns Night Ceilidh (7pm @ Venue) Burns supper. Image credit: BBC Good Food
The Union. Image credit: Jonathan Boomer
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25 Vintage Fayre (10am - 5pm @ Atrium) Elle's Bingo (8pm - 10pm @ Venue) FRIDAY, JANUARY 26 Tote Bag Decorating (2pm - 4pm @ Atrium)
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Stirling on a winter's day. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.
LOCALS URGED TO SEEK ADVICE OVER ‘JANUARY BLUES’ By Anya Diggines
Stirling MP Alyn Smith and MSP Evelyn Tweed have been working with the community to reduce the impact of the ‘January Blues’ on residents. At this time of year we see an increase in poor mental health, financial stress and low energy as the excitement of the festive period wears off and winter weather and Christmas debt start to impact mental and financial wellbeing. The Money Charity reported in December that UK credit card debt averaged £2,417 per household and £1,276 per adult, by the end of October 2023. The Office of National Statistics reported that the UK economy
shrank by -0.3 per cent in October, increasing fears of an economic recession. The cost of living crisis continues to squeeze households and businesses across Stirling and the Forth Valley area. Alyn Smith urged anyone with money worries or who may be feeling low to reach out to dedicated helplines and experts who are there to help. He said: “Stirling and Scotland are lucky to have a range of advice services who can provide expert guidance and assistance. “As your Member of Parliament for Westminster, I work extremely closely with your locally elected Councillors and Members of the Scottish Parliament on your
behalf. “If there is anything we can do to assist you in these tough times, please don’t hesitate to reach out. “Stirling has an immense community spirit. Let’s look out for each other this winter, especially during this ongoing cost of living crisis.” Evelyn Tweed is also encouraging Stirling residents to access cost of living support, including checking that they are receiving all benefits they are entitled to, after a roundtable event last month with 16 local organisations. Representatives from organisations including Citizen’s Advice, Start-up Stirling, Stirling Voluntary Enterprise and St Mark’s Raploch came together with Tweed to discuss how support can be maximised for people who are struggling to pay bills and get through the
winter. The meeting identified the financial challenges facing people across Stirling and looked at what lessons can be learnt from last winter. Social Security Scotland identified that barriers to support and benefits are a particular challenge. Local organisations agreed that further collaboration will help increase awareness of the support that is available, and ensure people access all the welfare, financial and employment support that is available to them. Tweed said: “The crisis is still putting immense pressure on households, but by fostering joined-up working through meetings like this one, we can ensure nobody falls through the gaps in this crisis. “We have so many organisations in Stirling doing excellent work to support people and it was great to hear first-hand about their work and the challenges they face. “There are currently a number of benefits that could make a big difference to many lives that remain undersubscribed, with people missing out on benefits such as child benefit, pension credit and free bus travel for under-22s. “As many people across Stirling return to their jobs following the festive break, it’s important to remember that those in part-time and full-time work also qualify for Scottish Government benefits. “In Scotland, around one in three people getting Universal Credit are in work, and Universal Credit is a benefit that qualifies you for several other payments. “Scottish Child Payment is one of Scotland’s five family payments that many working families on lower incomes are eligible for, while young people are entitled to free bus travel as well as the Job Start Payment. “I am hopeful that by working together, local organisations will
be able to support the people of Stirling this winter to get access to every bit of support available.” Tracy Duff, from Stirling Voluntary Enterprise, said: “SVE were delighted to be invited to participate in the roundtable event. “It was interesting to hear from such a diverse group of attendees, listening to success stories and discussing potential upcoming challenges and how these could be addressed. “The enthusiasm from attendees to come together and plan a coordinated and effective approach to winter support is very encouraging and will ensure that everyone is aware of resources available to them in the community. “SVE would be more than happy to be involved and support community groups moving forward.” Barry Hughes, from St Mark’s Church, Raploch, said: “We appreciated the opportunity to sit down with Evelyn to discuss the ongoing challenges of the cost of living crisis. “Working with, and sharing knowledge with, other groups as we did last month with Evelyn is vital for us to carry on offering the services we do.”
Alyn Smith MP. Image credit: Alyn Smith
STIRLING CITY CENTRE IS ON THE UP AFTER INVESTMENT By Charlotte Sutcliffe EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Go Forth Stirling Business Improvement District has received £70,000 from the Stirling Council to help local businesses. The aim is to provide financial support for local business owners' shop fronts and reinvigorate a sense of place. It comes as part of a £445,000 package of funding for community-based projects across the Stirling area through the Place Based Investment programme from the Scottish Government. The Bannockburn and Eastern Village Community Hub has also received £33,000 for car parking and access improvements, with Fallin Community Enterprises also being awarded £13,000 for improvements to its Recycle-A-Bike project. Some businesses in Stirling have already benefitted from investments in their shopfronts such as Café Aina, TJ’s and The Golden Lion.
Danielle McRorie-Smith, Project Director of Go Forth Stirling said: “Our variety of traditional retail units and historic shopfronts adds interest, attracts tourism and is part of what makes our city unique. "We aim to support the regeneration of Stirling’s conservation area through our new ‘supercharged’ shopfront scheme, which will not only help business owners but also provide a better environment and experience for visitors.” Stirling Council leader, Chris Kane, said: “This year marks the 900th anniversary of Stirling becoming a Royal Burgh and investment in our city centre and shop front improvements will help show Stirling in its best light to residents and visitors as we prepare to embark on a programme of exciting events to mark this milestone.
"All the projects identified for funding through the Place Based Investment Programme will make a real difference to our communities and deliver significant regeneration."
“They have been shaped by our communities and, just as importantly, will be delivered by them. This underpins the aims of Stirling’s economic strategy – to enable opportunities for all, to be sustainable and inclusive, and to help local communities and businesses thrive.” However, many residents of Stirling were displeased with what the Council have chosen to spend money on with some calling it a “disgrace”. Stirling Council has received criticism on their financial decisions since they revealed the £13 million budget gap. Despite the Council explaining that the purpose of the allotted money could only be used for capital projects supporting the local area regeneration residents were still displeased. Many of the complaints featured the roadworks and closures, cancellation of the Hogmanay fireworks and the housing in the city. Danielle McCrorie-Smith (L) and Councillor Jen Preston (R). Image credit: Stirling Council.
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NON-RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES LESS LIKELY TO WIN STUDENT PUBLICATION AWARDS
By Ali Rees
Russell Group universities were over five times more likely to win an award at the Student Publication Association (SPA) 2023 awards than non-Russell Group institutions, Brig can reveal. In 2023, 84 per cent of the SPA awards were granted to publications or students attending a Russell Group university. This is a significant increase since 2019, where just 53 per cent of the winners were Russell Group. In the last five years, Russell Group universities have won an average of 72 per cent of awards. The SPA is a registered charity which represents student newspapers, magazines, and websites, and is the largest student media association in the UK. The Russell Group is a collection of 24 of the UK’s most prestigious universities, described as “leading” and “research intensive”. Russell Group universities have a higher proportion of privileged students than non-Russell Group universities generally, as shown by data collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). In 2022, on average 91 per cent of students at a UK university were from a state school, but 22 of the 24 Russell Group universities had fewer than average state school attendees. In addition to inequalities in the results, there are also discrepancies between the people invited to judge the awards. The SPA team puts together shortlists from the pool of entries, and then invites industry professionals to select winners and highly commended from those lists. In 2023, 11 of 28 judges were graduates of Russell Group universities. All 11 of those judges awarded their categories wins to Russell Group universities, and 10 out of 11 also
STIRLING ROADWORKS TO CONTINUE INTO 2024 In line with the ‘Walk, Cycle, Live’ scheme, a project which aims to transform Stirling into a more sustainable and accessible city, more roadworks are to be expected throughout the city. Upper Craigs will be shut from its junction with Port Street to the junction of Cameronian Street, starting January 15 until July 31. Wellgreen, at the junction of the section leading to Goosecroft Road, will be closed from January 8 until July 31. The cycle path construction will also continue on Cowane Street and is expected to last until May. Similarly, the bike lane construction by Wallace High School should be completed early in the year.
gave their Highly Commended to Russell Group universities. Non-Russell Group judges gave 70 per cent of their awards to Russell Group universities. This is significantly worse than 2019, where Russell Group judges gave 57 per cent of wins and 71 per cent of their highly commended to Russell Group universities. As reported by Journalism.co.uk, the most deprived young people are less likely to attend university, and less likely to get into prestigious schools if they do. They are also more likely to drop out. The media industries in the UK have been described as “notoriously difficult to enter” by Prospects. An NCTJ report shows that the number of journalists under the age of 25 has dropped from 9 per cent in 2022 to just 5 per cent in 2023. This means that accolades such as winning a prestigious SPA award is an important boost to students vying for a place in a cutthroat job market. The value of extra-curriculars on a student’s CV is only likely to increase as the UK’s media industry tightens its belt. 2023 saw over 7,900 layoffs, according to Press Gazette, with just 361 new jobs being created. Exploring the data further shows that shortlists are also skewed heavily towards Russell Group universities. The Russell Group was host to 490,735 undergraduate students in 2021-2022, amounting to 24 per cent of the UK’s undergraduate population. While not all UK universities have a student newspaper, magazine, or website, the number of Russell Group universities seeing success at the SPA awards, from shortlist places, highly commended, and wins, is disproportionate. Brig has seen success in the SPA regional awards and has been the Best Newspaper in Scotland for
STIRLING’S ZERO-WASTE SHOP CLOSING In a Facebook post on January 14, The Good Choice, which is located in Bridge of Allan and offers plastic-free groceries, stated: “It is with a heavy heart that we will close our shop on the 3rd of February. “We can’t thank enough our loyal and regular customers for their support. However, rising costs and declining customer demand due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, has meant keeping the shop open is not sustainable. “Over the next weeks, we will be selling off the stock we have left, so sorry if some of the items you are looking for are no longer available.”
three years in a row. However, despite being shortlisted in ten categories in the national awards in 2023, Brig received just one Highly Commended award. The Saint from The University of St Andrews is the only other non-Russell Group university to receive over eight short list places in 2023, coming away with two wins. Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco, Editorin-Chief of The Gaudie at the Univeristy of Aberdeen, said: “We're grateful for the support, advocacy, and networking provided by the SPA. However, it is imperative that all student papers, regardless of the size or prestige of their university, receive equal
DISRUPTION TO CENTRAL BELT TRAINS ScotRail have confirmed there will be a significant interference to trains travelling from Glasgow to Edinburgh between January 29 and February 1. No trains will be running between Bathgate, Linlithgow, Falkirk and Edinburgh for the length of these four days, but services will be resuming on the morning of February 2. Direct services between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh will be unaffected, but are expected to be extremely busy. This disruption is due to Network Rail teams needing to “urgently” prevent a rockfall along the route, near Ratho. Make sure you plan ahead before travelling.
consideration when it comes to awards. “The SPA must explore why these disparities have occurred and how they can be rectified." When reached for comment, the chair of the SPA, Matt WardPerkins, made the following statement: "We absolutely share the concern that some groups are overrepresented in the media industry, and have a long history of doing our part to tackle that inequality. Our free training workshops and materials help all our members receive resources that would otherwise only be available to some, and for the last three years we
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Image credit: Ali Rees
have funded attendance at our annual conference for people from underrepresented backgrounds and run a mentoring scheme for those without connections in the industry. "Our awards are open to all members, and are judged by independent media professionals. We actively encourage awards entries from student journalists from different backgrounds, experiences and institutions. Guidance on how to make entries stand out and online awards coaching is also offered to all members, but there is always more to do and we will continue to do all we can to tackle inequality in our industry."
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THE EVOLUTION OF LABOUR: IS THE PARTY READY FOR GOVERNMENT? By Paul Smith With the 55th anniversary of Brig approaching, it’s important to examine the ways politics has changed in the last 55 years. The most significant change is that of the Labour Party. In 1969 the Labour Party, led by Harold Wilson (1916-1995), had been in power for five years. Unlike previous Labour governments, Wilson's government focused on social reforms, including the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, abolishing capital punishment, liberalising abortion laws, and relaxing divorce laws, which helped to keep the party relevant with the electorate. THE EVOLUTION The Labour Party, now under the leadership of James Callaghan (1912-2005) faced challenges in 1979, including unsuccessful attempts to introduce devolution to Scotland, high inflation, and the impactful 'winter of discontent' marked by widespread strikes across the UK. The election of the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) marked the first female
POLITICS among the party's grassroots supporters, particularly its younger members, but it also faced significant criticism from within the party and the media. Despite the initial excitement, the party experienced a series of electoral defeats to Theresa May (b. 1956) in 2017 and Boris Johnson (b. 1964) in 2019. LABOUR TODAY
Westminster. Image credit: Pexels.com
UK Prime Minister. Despite her unpopular economic policies among the left, the Thatcher government defeated Labour in 1983 and 1987. John Major (b. 1943) continued the Conservative government by winning the 1992 general election and continuing as prime minister until 1997. Under Tony Blair's (b. 1953) leadership, the Labour Party won three consecutive general elections, an unprecedented feat. Blair's focus on centrist policies
and his ability to connect with voters on a personal level brought the party back into power. However, his decision to support the United States in the Iraq War created divisions within the party and eroded public trust. Following Blair's departure in 2007, Gordon Brown (b. 1951) became prime minister until 2010. After Labour's defeat in 2010, the party went through a period of introspection and soul-searching. Ed Miliband (b. 1969) took over as
the leader in 2010 and attempted to move the party towards a more traditional socialist agenda. Miliband's leadership was marred by internal divisions and a failure to connect with the electorate. The party suffered a significant defeat in the 2015 general election. Jeremy Corbyn's (b. 1949) rise to Labour leader in 2015 marked a shift towards a more left-wing agenda within Labour. Corbyn's leadership brought renewed enthusiasm
With Keir Starmer (b. 1962) taking over as Labour leader in 2020, the party is once again at a crossroads. Starmer's leadership style emphasises unity and a return to traditional Labour values while also seeking to address the concerns of the wider electorate. Starmer, like Blair, is also steering the party toward more centrist policies to become more appealing to the electorate. The Labour Party faces internal divisions, ideological conflicts, and a lack of clear direction, hindering its ability to present a coherent alternative to the ruling Conservative Party. To be ready for government, it must unite its members, present a compelling vision for the future, and address the concerns of a diverse range of voters. This includes developing policies that resonate with traditional supporters and those who may have voted for other parties.
THE NORTHERN IRISH LEGACY ACT: IS JUSTICE BEING DONE? Soldiers looking at the rubble of a ruined house. Image credit: BBC
By Rebecca Crockett When the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998, politicians did not have the hindsight to question the ‘legacy’ issue. Today it is one of the most pressing concerns facing Northern Ireland: What do you do about 30 years’ worth of killings? The UK government’s “new approach” was announced in March 2020 by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis. This became The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act, outlining what the government claimed would
be a “victims first” approach to reconciliation. It achieved Royal Assent in September 2023, but with opposition. Under the Act, no new Troublesrelated inquests, criminal or civil cases will be held. A new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) will take on any investigations still not concluded by May 2024. This new commission says it will seek to provide answers for families questioning their loved ones' serious injuries and murders.
Controversially, perpetrators who provide information will be given conditional amnesty and their evidence cannot be used in future prosecutions. The Northern Ireland Veteran’s Movement has been a vocal supporter of the Act. A member, Robin Horsfall, told the BBC they hoped the bill would “offer a way forward for those who served in Northern Ireland". Yet Ian Jeffers, the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors, explained to Brig that the commission had concerns
about the Act. An amendment the commission suggested was to remove inquests, legal inquiries into who, when, where, and how a person has died. They can be vital evidence in criminal trials. This, and the inclusion of conditional amnesty, the commission’s most pressing concerns, fell on deaf ears: “We as a commission tried to engage, and we had fairly receptive approaches. In terms of, yes, they were quite happy to come to meetings whether it was the Secretary
of State or the officials or what have you. But actually, as we've seen through the whole passage of the bill, they might have come up to meetings, but they didn't really listen to what was being said.” Jeffers explained. An inquest carried out in 2021 investigated the 1971 Ballymurphy massacre in which ten people were shot dead during a British army operation. Over 50 years after the deaths were recorded with open verdicts, Mrs Justice Keegan found the victims “entirely innocent”. Under the act, Troubles-related inquests like this will come to an end. Jeffers said that although he isn’t sure how the ICRIR will operate without inquests, he wasn’t hopeful: “Consider it took 50 years to get that inquest, but at last it provided the families with some information. We don't yet know whether the new commission, the ICRIR, will deliver similar results. What appears clear is that it wouldn't then allow for a prosecution. “So, if the inquest said ‘yes, this was clearly murder and X Y Z was the perpetrator’ then there doesn't appear to be any means to actually seek any other form of justice.” Read the full story on our website: brignews.com.
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DID THEY DO IT? BRIG’S ACCOUNTABILITY TRACKER
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DISCLAIMER: This does not claim to be a morality tracker, and just because a leader has a high consistency mark, this does not mean that their actions or beliefs can be praised for their moral soundness.
RISHI SUNAK: Sunak has been under fire recently for his poor attempts at “stopping the boats”, a promise he has repeated in attempts to reassure us of his competence. He claims to have “cleared the legacy backlog”, which refers to a buildup of old asylum claims that were made before June 28, 2022 (just a few weeks after Boris Johnson stepped down). Sunak promised to clear this backlog, and claimed that he had. That’s a lie. Figures released on the same day that Sunak claimed this showed that there were 4,537 cases remaining on the backlog. Overall, the backlog is 98,599 cases, a decrease from earlier this year, but is still far off the goal Sunak claims to achieve. He earns some points because whilst he has lied, his beliefs themselves have stayed consistent. Consistency mark: 2/10 KIER STARMER:
PM Rishi Sunak. Image credit: UK Government
Green New Deal Rising, an anti-climate change campaign group, have criticised Starmer for his commitment (or lack thereof) to fighting climate change, and his promise to dedicate £28 billion per
Labour leader Kier Starmer. Image credit: UK Government
year to investing in clean energy. He claimed that the majority of this plan would be funded by borrowing, and if fiscal rules don’t allow it, the plan wont go ahead. As well as this, Starmer’s ten pledges from campaigning to be Labour leader in 2020 have been deleted from his website. His inconsistency with them was what inspired the accountability tracker in the first place, and if you need an action to sum up the current state of the Labour Party, that’d be it. Starmer
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Other than that, there isn’t much to measure Yousaf on. He promised to make Scotland an “international leader in human rights”, and conversion therapy for transgender people remains legal, the Gender Recognition Reform Bill remains effectively scrapped, and whilst this wasn’t entirely in Yousaf’s hands, he claimed to prioritise “keeping our human rights out of the hands of Westminster for good.” Progress on abortion clinic buffer zones was made, but overall, Yousaf hasn’t delivered what he promised the more progressive SNP members who voted him in. Consistency mark: 5/10.
By Jess Urquhart POLITICS EDITOR
Welcome to Brig’s political accountability tracker, which tracks whether or not the UK’s top leaders have been keeping their promises (which often just turns into an opportunity to slag them all off).
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can erase his pledges, but voters won’t forget them, and the fact that he’s attempting to deny their existence proves that he is feeling the guilt he deserves to feel for abandoning the once left wing policies of Labour. Consistency mark: 0/10 HUMZA YOUSAF: Yousaf is sticking by his criticism of Israel and has pushed the UK government to influence Israel to stop committing actions that he has called "tantamount to ethnic cleansing”. He remains consistent with his solidarity with Palestine.
FM Humza Yousaf. Image credit: Scottish Government
THE GOLDEN AGE OF PROTEST: WILL IT EVER COME BACK? By Niamh Brook POLITICS EDITOR “The students themselves see a political dead end. None of the established parties represent their views – the leadership consists of older men whose rhetoric represents a different age and style, and thus, there is some generational conflict." The above quote could be any 21st century journalist who has opened their laptop and witnessed the tide of discontent. However, it is actually from the Economic and Political Weekly - in 1968. The 1960s are touted as the ‘golden age’ of student protests. The wake of World War II, and the beginning of war in Vietnam, triggered mass anger towards government foreign policy. In 1965, 250 students
Students at the UCU picket in Stirling. Image credit UCU Stirling
protested outside the American embassy in Edinburgh. In 1972, University of Stirling students protested university accommodation rent prices during a royal visit. Clearly, the nostalgia for a ‘bygone era’ of the youth in revolt is alive and kicking. “Students don't take themselves or their causes with the same deadly seriousness as we baby boomers used to,” complains Francis Beckett for The Guardian, in a piece titled 'Student protests of yore: A 60s rebel looks back'. But the hallowed activism of the '60s may not be as shining as it seems. As Jessica Thorne points out in History Workshop, postwar universities were expensive, and overrun with conservatism. Student anger towards politicians profiting from education spread like wildfire, kicking the free-school and anti-war movements into high gear. Student groups banded together to push forwards. However, this change in attitude has largely unaccepted by the general public, and the mass media was quick to paint students as violent and ignorant.Seem familiar? The sentiments motivating the activism of the '60s live on. Anger at aggressive governments is clear as students march
The Scottish Socialist Youth at a rally for Palestine. Image credit: SSY
in solidarity with Palestine, and a protest here on campus as Alistair Campbell delivered a guest lecture last year. An ongoing housing crisis is marked by continuing protests, and housing rallies here on campus. However, Daisy Nash comments in Epigram on the rise of ‘slacktivism’ in our all-too-online world. “It is much easier to like a post advertising a #MeToo march than to follow through with attendance,”
she states. Nash stresses that the decline of in-your-face disobedience is beyond laziness. Conditions imposed over the pandemic and the Police Bill ensuring grave consequences for protesters are shoving activists indoors, with a screen as the only way out. Carola Binney also comments in The Spectator that, with skyrocketing rent, tuition, and corrupt university management, students are too uncertain about their own futures to
worry about others. However, the rallies, the Instagram infographics, the activism groups, and the op-eds all prove that fighting student spirit is still alive. Our online world means students can acquire the knowledge and skills to back it up. The revolutionary class of 2024 must band together, educate each other, and organise. In the twenty-first century, the revolution will be televised, and live.
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IF ACADEMIC PAIRINGS ARE CREATING HOPE FOR UKRAINE, THEN WHERE IS GAZA’S TWIN? By Julie Brinking COMMENT EDITOR Ever heard of university twinning? It was a term that rang familiar bells when browsing through the archives for this 55th anniversary of Brig. In 1983, Stirling University decided in a vote that it should ‘twin’ with Hebron University on the West Bank. Months later in July, there was an attack on the university campus where three students died and more than 40 were wounded. It is unclear how much the twinning, what is essentially a collaboration between universities, amounted to in 1983, but Stirling
was visited by one of Hebron’s academics, Dr Jeremy Jones. He spoke to Brig about the difficult student life on the West Bank, where military harassment and interference were disrupting the education of students and teaching from the staff. The academic freedom was suffering and now students had been attacked. The Student’s Association President at the time, Douglas Campbell hoped that the twinning would help broaden people’s horizons to what was going on outside Scotland. It seems at Stirling that we are very good at giving ourselves to the causes that matter greatly in society. In 2023, the university was
Pro-Palestine protesters demonstarting in Edinburgh. Image credit: Freya Deyell
awarded a sum of money from Universities UK International’s twinning initiative needed to coordinate an academic partnership with Odesa State Environmental University in Ukraine. The research conducted by academics of the twin universities will help improve water quality in the war-torn port city. The twinning between UK and Ukrainian universities is giving hope and keeping the educational sector running in Ukraine while the war continues. The pairings are important in showing that higher education is more than worth preserving. The same wide-scale support for education in war-torn Gaza has not been seen since October 7. Or at least, if there are university twins, the collaborative work has not made the same headlines. It begs the question if the academia here is valued less. Access to education is not a privilege, it is a right. And we should be doing our utmost to preserve and fight for it. It is not only the further education institutions in Gaza that are under deadly hardship. Schools are bombed, not to mention that school-age children and teachers are killed in the violence. Gaza will
A map of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel from Brig in 1983. Image credit: Brig October 1983
need a lot of help if children and adults are to ever return to their education. It may be cliché, but no less truthful, to say that education paves the way forward. It bridges borders, provides stability and equality, reduces poverty, and in cases of
conflict, we need it to understand the past so that at some point we will finally learn to not repeat it. Maybe it’s time to show Gaza’s people that they are supported by academia. Maybe it’s time to find Gaza’s twin.
THE TALK: MY JOURNEY WITH
By Dawson Dallimore As far as I can remember, I worried a lot more than other kids. I didn't know I had OCD till around 2016. I became more anxious to the point where I started having intrusive, lurid thoughts. They turned my stomach and flipped my whole life upside down. I had finally opened up to my loved ones about it and then started my journey to understanding and tackling my obsessive-compulsive disorder. When people think OCD, they think of someone bent over backward, arranging their desk to look perfect, or cleaning spray and cloth in hand, scrubbing things spotless. However, for many
Image credit: Unsplash
people - including me - this is not the case. It started suddenly for me, a fleeting thought, the same kind we get daily, ranging from simple worries that you said something to offend someone, embarrassed yourself, or that you left the straighteners on. But then there's a tabooer side to it, the explicit and wrong. It got worse and worse, I would have thoughts that I was an evil person under the command of my brain misfiring intrusive thoughts that I was going to commit something so immoral and wicked. I started, what many people who struggle with mental health disorders have, CAMHS and medicine. I went to CAMHS for around
three to four years and tried nearly every medicine for OCD and anxiety that was available to no avail. They made me feel like a robot who couldn't feel anything. However, my fantastic cure was just another form of my OCD. I looked for reassurance from people to help me deal with my form of OCD. Sufferers like me do not engage in physical compulsions, no need to flip the light switch five times or make sure all your electronics are switched off, we instead resort to playground 'pinky promises' or the age-old 'swear on my life?'. It affected nearly every part of my life, from my relationships with friends, boyfriends, and family as
well as how well I perform at university. When I have any thoughts, lurid, vulgar, or downright silly, I seek help from the people around me which tires not only them out but contributes to my mental exhaustion too. It's widely misunderstood, passed off as an annoying habit or lack of trust in relationships with people, but it's so very real to people like me. We chronically overthink and we try and help it the best we can. In recent months, I have found that outright distracting myself has helped and offered relief to my obsessions. Going on walks, watching movies, playing games, listening to music, and the oh-so-expensive retail therapy.
This article should stand as an example that people with OCD don't just clean, we don't all say, "I'm such a germaphobe!" Some of us have very cluttered desks and untidy homes, but we still have OCD, I hope this can be read as a teaching moment or make people like me feel heard. I want to thank everyone in my life for helping me with my OCD, for putting up with me, and for always having my back when it feels like the world is falling apart in front of me. I'll end with something I wish someone had said to me, you don't simply ‘overreact’ you do overthink, and that's okay.
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COMMENT MUSIC FILM MUSIC & TV FILM & TV ARTS BRAW 10-11 8-9 10-11 12-13 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19
A DAY IN THE MOVIES: WHAT I LEARNED FROM BEING A FILM EXTRA
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Cartoon from "Letters to the Organ" in early editions of Brig
Image credit: Pexels
By Jack MacGregor Recently I had the opportunity to become an extra on a short film based in the Scottish Highlands. I had no prior experience to this and had no idea what I was getting into, so I thought I’d share some insights behind the scenes of my experience for those who may be considering the same. I had already signed up to a Glasgow based casting company called GBM casting around two years prior to being picked for a role. It was a decision mostly driven by being bored during lockdown that made me sign up to a local casting call on Facebook. I figured it would make my summer a bit more interesting to be part of a ‘big movie’ as the post described it. Plus, it would be paid work – which of course was a major bonus. Word got out quickly that they were filming scenes for Star Wars: The Mandalorian which only added to the buzz around town. I tragically didn’t get to make my Star Wars debut, but my profile
was still with the company for any future work they had for me. When I got an email from them offering me a background role in a short film, I was shocked. It had been years after all, and I had almost forgotten about it. They just happened to be filming in my area and must have felt I would fit right into the ‘remote Scottish Island’ vibe they were going for. For legal reasons, I cannot say what the film is about as it has not been released yet. I did however have the privilege of working alongside a lovely actress who has been in a few well-known TV shows. It was meant to be a short day shoot at around five hours in length. I was a bit nervous when I arrived. I was introduced to some of the crew who were in charge of set and
costume design. They had emailed me to wear outdoorsy clothes, so I brought wellies and an old jumper. They gave me a cap to wear and a large tweed jacket. Anyone would've guessed I was meant to be a farmer! I was sent to a room with other extras, and we ended up waiting for around five hours before it was finally our scene. They did provide us with free food and drinks, however. We got onto the bus which was crammed with the crew, film cameras, and set lighting. The bus drove around the block countless times. I just looked out the window as I had been told that under no circumstances was I to look at the camera – it would ruin the shot. They told me to stand right beside the actors and hold onto the handrail. I looked at the monitor – to my horror my arm was the only thing in the shot! “Oh well,” I thought to myself. “At least I got the 50 quid”.
fees in Scotland. I got lucky - I started my degree in 2020, meaning I haven’t had to pay a penny in tuition fees (as they have been paid by SAAS). As I entered my last year of university, I found myself thinking about my next steps. For me, a postgraduate MA seemed like the next logical step. After a couple of weeks of researching I was stunned by the overwhelming price attached to the courses I have chosen. As a young adult who is only starting her adult life, the tuition fee prices are very much out of my budget. This is the case for many students who end up having thousands of pounds in debt before even having a full-time job. Scottish students graduate with average debts of £15,430, according to the Student Loans Company. This debt
comes from living costs, which the Scottish students do have to pay. For an international student who has completely based her life in Scotland, moving back home is a decision I rather not make. But as a broke student, I don’t have £20,000 to spare on tuition fees alone. Scottish universities seem to be desperate for money, thus, they have a big preference to accept abroad students who must pay extortionate tuition fees. This clashes with the strong education policies that had been put in place by the SNP many years ago. With students coming from many different backgrounds, the price to pay to have an educated future seems to be heading to one only the wealthiest will be able to afford. All for a piece of paper that hopefully will land you the job of your dreams.
THE HIGH PRICE TO PAY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION By Paula León
The increasingly high price of further education is putting students at risk of not being able to afford their degrees. Former SNP First Minister, Alex Salmond, said: “The rocks will melt with the sun before I allow tuition fees to be imposed on Scotland.” Although education is public in Scotland, universities work as private institutions which can increase the price of tuition fees and accommodation as they please. For Scottish students, this means no tuition fees are to be paid as stated in the Scottish education policy. Before Brexit, this was the case for all EU students too. Students who wanted to attend university in Scotland didn’t have to pay tuition fees. Except for English students who have always had to pay tuition
BRIG AND ITS READERS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS By Emma Christie To celebrate Brig’s 55th anniversary, I decided to delve into the archives and explore the student relationship with the paper. Dating back to 1969, there was plenty of material to scour over. I wanted to determine what kind of student issues were published, and if by publishing these problems helped to solve them. Interestingly, after looking over old issues of Brig, many problems and topics that were discussed are still topical today. Among these issues are the topics of sexism, women’s rights, issues at university, budget cuts, education, and political issues. Something that I found particularly interesting was Slagheap – as the name suggests it was dedicated to slagging topics (with language that we probably couldn’t publish today). Slagheap held the university accountable for changes to campus in the fifth issue of Brig in 1979. Protests have also been reported in various editions of Brig, another issue that is still reported today. And the protests are about similar things – pay raises, lack of funding, budget cuts, and other university
issues. The fact that Brig continues to report on such subjects today shows that it has maintained a student focus – reporting on what affects students and what they will find interesting. Looking at the old editions and comparing it to the new, it looks like Brig still has a strong relationship with readers. Students are quite open to being interviewed or giving statements on topics for the publications. So, Brig continues to nurture the relationship with its readers 55 years later. But what has changed? Looking back on Brig, you can see a clear evolution that led it to where it is today. Technology of course has advanced, styles have changed, although issues remain similar. One thing that was charming about the older version of Brig was the comics they included. That, and the overall style, is astoundingly nostalgic to a time when I wasn’t even alive. As with all things, Brig has developed and evolved over time – along with its readers.
Image credit: Unspalsh
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BRIG'S TOP 5 MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS OF 2023 By Becs Gruber
#3 Priscilla
#5 Trolls Band Together From Dreamworks studio and the third in the Trolls series, it's unsurprising the movie's songs became a success. It follows the typical trend of animated feelgood films - upbeat poppy tunes with catchy bridges that get stuck in your head, and you find yourself singing for weeks. However, this is a definite strength of the soundtrack. It's the perfect feelgood music you want while watching a film with the whole family. Trolls Band Together will have you singing Better Place for weeks after you initially watch it. #4 Spiderman: SpiderVerse
Across
action-adventure plot of the film. It allows for the audience to become fully immersed in the story and does an excellent job at grounding viewers, especially when the animation style changes per world, the sounds of the spider verse stay the same. Mona Lisa by Dominc Fike stands out as the highlight of this soundtrack. Image credit A24
Inspired by Priscilla Presly's own memoir, Elvis and Me, Priscilla showcases the relationship of Pricilla Presly from when she first met Elvis at 14 up to their divorce. The film is composed of music from the 1960s up until just a few years ago. This helps perfectly set the tone of the film using both music from the time and later. In a classic taste of director Sofia Coppola, who is known for her time bending musical inclusions, the two meet in
the
1959 tracked by the Ramones 1980s hit Baby I Love You. #2 Barbie Barbie was the movie of the summer with nothing short of a phenomenal sound behind it. With all original music written just for the movie, it perfectly embodied the pop, upbeat energy at the beginning of the movie with tracks like Dance The Night by Dua Lipa and Speed Drive by Charli XCX. However, the movie's peak is undeniably What Was I Made For? by Billie Elish, a contemporary ballad about the identity crisis of growing up - honorary mention to I’m Just Ken for being stuck in everyone's heads for weeks. #1 Saltburn
Composed of original songs, the soundtrack of Across the SpiderVerse showcases its range from upbeat teenage pop to slow and methodical rhythms. Produced by Metro Boomin, the team do a show-stopping job of creating the perfect backing the
The latest film from Emerald Fennell caused a stir with its unique plot line and memorable moments. Despite all going on in Saltburn, its soundtrack is definitely the highlight of the movie. It includes songs from the last two decades,
Image credit A24
most prominently Murder On The Dancefloor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, which is heard in the most memorable scene in the film. Other notable inclusions include Sound Of The Underground by Girls Aloud and Perfect (Exceeder) by Mason and Princess Superstar. The soundtrack plays perfectly into the crazy rich and larger than life persona of the Saltburn estate and those that reside there.
DJ AZYR TALKS POST-PANDEMIC CROWDS AND HIS FAST RISE TO SUCCESS By Carly McKim MUSIC EDITOR
this could be partly due to the increased exposure of sets on social media. Brig asked Azyr what his thoughts were on the new trend: “The scene has completely changed after COVID. Like I said, I was going to the events before then and the crowds were just so much smaller than what they are now. “After COVID, everyone wants to just go out and party. This is the new trend at the minute. So everyone wants to go and do it. Everyone wants to go to these big events.
“The hard techno genre that I play, it's been introduced to the scene and everyone loves it and it's just become the biggest trend at the minute and I don't really know where it's going to go.” “It's exciting, like you've just got to go with the times.” With a fully packed schedule for 2024, including festivals like Creamfields and Terminal V, it doesn't look like Oliver will be slowing down anytime soon. I guess there isn't a party like an AZYR party. Image credit : xjmcvmedia
Image credit : xjmcvmedia
Techno DJ and producer AZYR has had an impressively quick rise in success over the last two years. The 23-year-old has gone on an interesting journey. AZYR, also known as Oliver, has spent four years at Rolls Royce studying an aeronautical engineering apprenticeship. But after experimenting with some decks during COVID, the boy from Blackpool found a new passion. It wasn't until this time last year that he decided to take the leap of faith and do DJing full-time. Oliver is a self-taught DJ and producer with absolutely no previous musical knowledge. After receiving the decks as a gift from his father it all went from there.
He told Brig he learned through YouTube videos and practice during the lockdowns. Oliver told Brig: “If it wasn't for COVID-19 I wouldn’t have done it”. Oliver has always been an avid raver. He is a big fan of things like tech house and people such as Patrick Topping. He says that attending so many festivals has helped fuel the inspiration he holds today. “It sort of just completely changes your music tastes and your perception of the whole scene," he said. "All the inspiration that I had was there just from attending these sorts of events.” Oliver has played some impressive stages since being spotted by
techno event company Teletech, including a set at Manchester Boiler Room which was streamed to millions. After only three shows under his belt, Oliver was signed to the company. With a crowd of 3,000 people at Manchester Boiler Room, it’s quite a leap from his first gig in Blackpool of around 300 people. If you are a fan of techno it will be pretty hard to miss the videos of AZYR’s electrifying sets as he has taken social media by storm. With 81.8K followers on TikTok and more than 100k on Instagram, AZYR has gathered quite the fanbase. In recent years techno and rave culture has become more and more popular among young people,
FILM MUSIC & TV FILM & TV ARTS BRAW 10-11 12-13 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19
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TOP OF THE CHARTS IN THE SEMESTER OF '69 Image credit: Canva
By Carly McKim MUSIC EDITOR 1969 was a pivotal year for music. Some of the industry’s legends were around at the end of this decade including The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, The Beatles and Elvis. This year saw people like David Bowie release Space Oddity and The Beatles' iconic Abbey Road album was born. It's safe to say there was a lot to talk about. Since Brig first published back in 1969, we have reviewed the work of so many iconic musicians. But what was topping the charts 55 years ago when Brig's first edition was sent to print? He ain't heavy, he’s my brother by The Hollies Written by Bobby Scott and Bob
Russell the song tells a story of helping others. It pulls at your heart even more when you know that Russell was dying of lymphoma at the time of recording. It was recorded in June of 1969 and features Elton John playing piano as he was also recording music at the time. A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash The song was originally written by children's author Shel Silverstein and then became famous due to Johnny Cash's performances. The humourist song is about a boy named Sue (what a surprise) and his hunt for revenge on his father for abandoning him and giving him this unfortunate name.
I'm gonna make you mine By Lou Christie Lou Christie’s classic love song made the top ten of charts around the world. The song has no specific meaning behind it, but it's clear from the passion found in the lyrics that it could be from his own personal experiences.
OUT:
SoundCloud remixes
All male festival headliners
Fast, catchy SoundCloud remixes have never really went out of fashion. But Gen Z might be making them more popular than ever, with the TikTok algorithm promoting shorter song-lengths and a general need for fun music at higher BPMs.
Female musicians have dominated mainstream music in the past few years, and 2023 was no exception. However, major festivals like TRNSMT have been criticised for not including any female acts in their headliners. Despite this, it looks like other music festivals are making efforts to diversify their line-ups. For example, the Spanish festival Primavera Sound has billed five female headliners this year.
Older songs making radio comebacks We have seen older songs make their way back into popularity in both 2022 and 2023, with Stranger Things pushing Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill back onto the charts, and again in 2023 with Saltburn and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder on the Dancefloor. It’s safe to say that in 2024, music fans are craving nostalgia, and we are very excited to see what older song might make it big again.
2000s throwback music In 2023, no one proved that Y2K music would be making a comeback much better than PinkPantheress, who shot to fame in 2021 thanks to TikTok. PinkPantheress incorporates early 2000s musical stylings into her sound, such as drum ‘n’ bass, Craig-David-esque 2-step and UK garage, which could see a revival now that new artists are creating a similar sound to PinkPantheress. Other names to look out for within this sound are Yunè Pinku and Kenya Grace.
To top the charts this week it is Bobbie G. Bobbie was an American singer-songwriter who became
The song was originally for Brigitte Bardot in ‘67. This better-known version was recorded in ‘69 and later became the first foreign song to reach number one in the UK. The song was banned in
By Robbie McAvenue
Ellis-Bextor is back in the charts. Image credit: Offical Chart
I'll never fall in love again by Bobbie Gentry
one of the first female artists in America to compose and produce her material all on her own. This track that topped the charts was actually a cover and was originally sung and produced for the musical Promises, Promises by composer Burt Bacharach.
Je t’aime.. Moi non plus by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg
MUSICAL IN AND OUTS FOR 2024 IN:
many countries due to its explicit and sexual nature.
Taylor Swift 2023 was the year that Taylor Swift officially became overexposed and 2024 will be the year that the general public begins to get fed up with her again. With The Eras Tour, the subsequent Eras Tour movie, all of the album re-releases and deluxe editions,
Image credit: Pexels.com
it’s easy to see Taylor falling down a similar trajectory as she did back in 2016, when she rose to a huge level of success thanks to 1989 and eventually plummeted in the eyes of the public.
Only singing in English The language of music will evolve in 2024. We can already see this through the rise in popularity of genres like reggaeton: a style of music that stems from Spain and Latin America and has made artists like Rosalia, Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee famous across the globe. Other global genres like K-Pop and dancehall could see a big rise in popularity too, this year.
Has Tay-Tay had her day? Image credit: IMDB
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Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal In All of Us Strangers. Image credit: Searchlight Pictures
55 YEARS OF BRIG
"Brig made me realise my passion for writing and gave me so many great expereiences that set me up for a future in journalism." -Morven Mackay, Film & TV Editor 2020-2022
FILM & TV
ALL OF US STRANGERS: GOD BLESS THE IRISH By Alex Paterson Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott are two of the most revered names in Irish and world cinema. When it was announced they were to co-star in the intimately sad and romantic All of Us Strangers, film buffs everywhere popped the film on their awards season bingo cards. This was, undoubtedly, a perfect prediction on the quality of the film - any nominations All of Us Strangers receive are more than deserved. All of Us Strangers follows Adam (Andrew Scott), a troubled screenwriter in the grips of depression and isolation. One evening, in the cold, modern, and largely empty London tower block he calls home, Adam has an uncomfortable encounter with his mysterious, younger neighbour, Harry (Paul Mescal). Tentatively, the two grow close. As the relationship deepens, Adam finds himself addressing and revisiting his past - and revisit is literal. Returning to his childhood home, Adam discovers his
home and his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) living exactly as they did 30 years ago. Of course, it was 30 years ago that Adam's parents died... Now, don’t let the supernaturality put you off. As an audience, we are encouraged to find the bizarre as real as the salt in the Earth;
Poster for All of Us Strangers. image credit: Searchlight Pictures
as real as Adam deludes himself into believing. This is achievable through the sheer volume of heart that writer and director Andrew Haigh soaks into the film. An adaption of the novel Strangers, written by Taichi Yamada in the 1980s, Haigh’s film never loses sight of the soul of the original story. He takes the words and creates this visual world of flush blue and purple that will enrapture any reader of the original tale. His direction, and particularly his use of lighting and colour, makes All of Us Strangers angelic throughout. The all-consuming light in the opening and closing scenes bookends the takeaway emotion from this film flawlessly. All of Us Strangers leaves you stuffed with emotion - namely love, grief, nostalgia, and awe. The music selection is wonderfully useful in evoking the extreme sadness of the film. The Pet Shop Boys whisk us away into a ditch of emotion, with Frankie Goes to Hollywood piling the dirt atop so we never escape our sadness. Invaluably helpful in emoting the
This brilliant retelling of an epic tale that many have grown up reading brings the best drama, monsters and heroes from Olympus straight to the small screen. Percy Jackson and the Olympians tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy who finds himself thrown into the world of Greek mythology as the son of an Olympic god. The show is based on a popular book series by Rick Riordan with the same title, and fans have expressed their satisfaction with how little changes the producers implemented compared to the source material.
The TV series is a mostly faithful adaptation. However, there are moments where the show provides some additional perspectives of deuteragonists, which weren’t included in the books. It’s a stellar decision from the showrunners, adding new depths to the iconic characters. The young cast do a remarkable job of making the viewer immediately care about the heroes. Walker Scobell is a phenomenal choice for Percy, balancing between a sarcastic teenager and a child who misses his mother. Similarly, Leah Jeffries as Annabeth shows
incredible potential, having delivered a truly tear-jerking performance in the fifth episode. The show finds harmony between action-packed scenes and emotional moments, boldly slowing down the pace where it needs to deliver a message or focus more on character development. Before you start this show, you must consider the target audience. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is, and always has been, a story dedicated to children, and the series upholds this fact. If you’re expecting romance, betrayals,
audience is the succinct cast of four. The intimacy between Mescal and Scott is unparalleled. The two felt soul-bonded, sharing a connection that was almost too personal to watch; it felt nearly intrusive. Claire Foy and Jamie Bell, who play Adam’s parents, perfectly portray the misery and sentimental kindness of the film. Stuck in their time capsule, they deliver a subjective-objective view of the film’s events with natural delicacy. It is with this delicacy that they break your spirit, leaving you to wallow in a puddle of tears. Whilst it's a common warning for this film, it cannot be stated enough: prepare to have your heart pulverised by All of Us Strangers and relish in your tears. Never once pulling a punch, the film has an unyielding sadness that wallops an irreparable despair-shaped hole in your soul. Its all-encompassing grief, sadness, and love sinks you to levels of utter emotional pain, bewitching you with its enamouring and tragic beauty.
and soap-worthy drama, this might not be the right one for you. But if you’re willing to give a shot to a PG-rated show that goes in-depth about ancient myths while putting them in a modern perspective, you’ll like what the world that Percy Jackson has to offer. The first six episodes are now streaming on Disney+.
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE ADAPTATION By Jules Adamska FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
Poster for Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Image credit: Disney+
Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson. Image credit: Disney+
FILM & TV ARTS BRAW 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19
FILM & TV
GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23
HOW TO SELL SEX: AN INTERVIEW WITH INTIMACY COORDINATOR VANESSA COFFEY
SPORT 28-32 24-28
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Audience at Edinburgh. Image credit: EIFF
RETROSPECTIVE: FILM FESTIVALS, USE IT OR LOSE IT By Rebecca Crockett FILM & TV EDITOR
Vanessa Coffey on set. Image credit: Vanessa Coffey and Ben Chinapen.
By Rebecca Crockett FILM & TV EDITOR If you’ve ever sat through an embarrassingly steamy sex scene with your parents, your thanks should go to Vanessa Coffey. As an intimacy coordinator, she has worked on the likes of Outlander, Wednesday, and House of The Dragon. Yet it's only in the last few years that her role has even appeared in the credits. “We've got stunt coordinators who oversee fight sequences on set and equally an intimacy coordinator will oversee at any moment of intimacy. Everything from kissing, right through to simulated sex and nudity,” Vanessa explained. In some ways, the role of an intimacy coordinator is the most collaborative on set. From organising modesty garments with costuming to discussing the artistic vision with the director. It requires a keen eye for the smaller details, and an ability to read between the lines. Vanessa continued: “[The text] will inform who's on top, who leads, who starts the kiss, what the kiss looks like. If somebody is demonstrating control over someone else, they might actually end up taking
them with both hands by the face and pulling them in tight. “That is going to tell one story versus hands that are very evenly placed on one another's backs or hands that are travelling from one person when the other person's hands are not travelling. All those seemingly small things tell a big story.” Originally a corporate lawyer from Australia, Vanessa moved to Glasgow to retrain as an actor and eventually became a lecturer at the
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Her wide experience allows her to emphasise with what is being asked of the actors when filming intimate scenes. “Half the time it's about saying it and being forced to think about it. Otherwise, you are just in your personal body kissing somebody else because nobody has said, 'Hey, what do we think this kiss is for this character?'. Instead, it's just how are you, Vanessa, going to kiss this other person? Which is not a great
Matt Smith and Milly Alcock as Daemon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon which Coffey worked on. Image Credit: HBO Films Warner Bros.
place to be in,” Vanessa told Brig. This is what makes Vanessa one of the leading practitioners in her field. It's not about the awards, the scale of the production, or the big names she gets to work with. It's about creating an open dialogue that allows safety within artistic expression. Before saying goodbye, Vanessa explained: “I'm really proud of every scene. Sometimes it might be because it's two actors who are fresh out of drama school and who have never kissed anybody on screen before and they really wanted that support. “They're really proud of what they achieved during the scene because of the scaffolding that was put in place around them that allowed that to happen. So, you might have that at one end of the spectrum. “And then for me, some of the scenes I'm really proud of have been multiparty sex scenes where I've got a field, quite literally, of people who are in various states of undress. Several of whom are simulating sex in different tents, and [I am] having to walk through and make sure all of that has been coordinated appropriately. I'll watch both of those scenes and feel proud of them for different reasons.”
There’s no question that cinema has changed in the 55 years since Brig printed its first issue. Back then the dusty dunes seen in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid captured imaginations with its burly leads and gritty violence. But today, a tale of femininity, girlhood, and dolls beat out the competition to become the highest grossing film of last year. Yet throughout Brig’s existence, one thing has remained fixed in the diary. Film festivals are a large part of this section and have been many writers gateway into the film community. Whether they are grand, beach-front affairs tightly packed with industry heavy weights or scattered groups in a tiny screening, Brig writers have been there telling students what to see for 55 years. After the closure of the Edinburgh Filmhouse, the Scottish film community let out collective groan. It’s no secret that arts funds have been slowly chipped away by a rotating door of Tory cabinets, and the Filmhouse’s closure felt like an indirect victim of these persistent cuts. But with Edinburgh International Film Festival making a triumphant, if reduced, return to the circuit last August, and Glasgow Film Festival turning 25 this February, there is still hope. We just need to nurture it, or risk losing it forever. Brig certainly looks forward to supporting Glasgow Film Festival once again this year, we’ll see you there.
THE MOST POPULAR FILMS AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS By Ben Macswan
The Oscars turned 95 last year and Brig is turning 55 this year. Meaning, the Oscars have us beat by 41 years. But which films have been nominated for the most awards in that time? 5. Gone With The Wind (1939) 13 Nominations Victor Fleming had a great year at the 1940 Oscar ceremony with both of his 1939 films; Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of OZ both up for multiple awards. Gone With The Wind ended up winning eight awards, including Best Picture. While both are classics,
many argue that OZ was more deserving of the Best Picture title, as it later became a deeply beloved family musical. 4. Forrest Gump (1994) 13 Nominations One of the most controversial Best Picture winners in recent decades, Forrest Gump managed to rack up six wins at the ceremony - including Best Picture, despite being up against Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption. Pulp Fiction remains a cultural landmark - with devoted fans returning to it 30 years after its release. 3. The Lord of the Rings: The
Fellowship of the Ring (2001) 13 Nominations Nowadays a blockbuster being nominated for 13 Oscars would be a very rare sight, but Lord of The Rings proved that there is room for such mass appeal films. While it didn't take home many of the more prestigious awards, the film did win four out of thirteen. 2. La-La Land (2016) 14 nominations (six wins) La La Land may have taken home less than half of what it was nominated for, but the film remains one of the most talked about Oscar contenders in recent memory.
becoming a film school favourite and stone-cold musical classic. 1. Titanic (1997)/Return of The King (2003) 14 nominations Titanic was a (sorry, not sorry) titanic when it came to awards, with 14 Oscar nominations. The film managed to take home 11 Oscars including Best Picture. And in 2003, Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King gained 11 nominations and won them all, making these two of the most prestigious films of all time at the Academy Awards.
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Image credit: Lionsgate Films
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WORDSEARCH
BRIG 2023/24 EDITORIAL TEAM
Charlotte Sutcliffe
Freya Deyell
Alex Paterson
Julia Benko
Ross Collie
Emanuela Scalia
Nathan Hassett
Niamh Brook
Julie Brinking
POLITICS EDITOR
Jess Urquhart
SPORTS EDITOR
POLITICS EDITOR
COMMENT EDITOR
Rebecca Crockett
Lucie Smith
Jodie Hagan
Rio Kerr
BRAW MAGAZINE EDITOR
ARTS EDITOR
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Deanna Dawn
Carly McKim
Ali Rees
Elliot Johnston
Robbie McAvenue
HEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Chloe Liddell
FOOD EDITOR
Amie Greenhalgh
Jonathan Boomer
Emma Christie
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SPORTS EDITOR
FILM & TV EDITOR
MUSIC EDITOR
Andrew Scott
HEAD OF DESIGN
DEPUTY EDITOR
GAMING EDITOR
HEAD OF DIGITAL
SECRETARY
HEAD OF PHOTOGRAPHY
NEWS EDITOR
CHIEF SUB EDITOR
NEWS EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
HEAD OF PODCASTING
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM & TV 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13
FFF
BRAW MAGAZINE
55 YEARS OF CULTURE: SETTING THE TRENDS AT STIRLING
Image credit: University of Stirling
By Alex Paterson The Beatles and Beyonce sit at different ends of the musical landscape, separated sonically as well as by time. The '60s feel worlds away for some, and a stone's throw for others, but, regardless of subjectivity, it is hard to ignore the fact a lot has changed. The birth (and rise) of Beyonce isn’t the only element of modern-day different to the '60s. The equally popular subject of fashion has been flipped on its head time upon time since the term was coined, and notably so since modern style and pop culture bloomed in the '60s; largely thanks to The Beatles. Stirling was not immune to any of these cultural changeovers. The Beatles’ first-ever Scottish gig was in Alloa, the town just down the road from Stirling, and a later gig took place in Bridge of Allan on the doorstep of the University of Stirling, showing that the area has been a cultural hub in line with trends. What also shows Stirling’s trendiness are some very treasured pictures of students in the thrall of university life, dressed in contemporary fashions. Brig’s 1970 issue saw a fashion run-down article. Angel dresses, floral patterns, and pinafore dresses were all the range; no trousers to be seen in this article, quite countering clothing trends of today. 1971 saw the halls filled with people dressed quite smartly. Boots, trousers, scarves, and long stylish jackets to match the longer hair was the look. The campus now has people in athleisure and skin-fade haircuts or a slick-back ponytail. Not all outfits from way back when are dissimilar to outfits now, however. The death of the skinny jeans in the 2020s has resulted in a shift to wider trouser cuts - including flares. Our '70s alumni wore similar silhouettes, but again with a longer hairstyle that is slowly working its way back into modern popularity. A baggy fit in a jacket was popularised in the 1980s, something that perseveres in the modern day. The oversized jumper, jacket, or even t-shirt is quite common, although it’s not often seen in the colourful '80s palette. With fashion, what goes around comes around. Cuts, colours ,and definitions of creativity are ever changing in the industry, but Stirling has proven and continues to prove it can keep up with the times.
COFFEE AND A CHAT WITH BRAW'S CREATOR, IONA YOUNG By Lucie Smith BRAW EDITOR Braw is the most recent addition to Brig, it has added magazine content that speaks directly to students. Braw discusses topics that concern them, from candid conversations about mental health and smashing taboos to anything from sex and body confidence. For being the baby of Brig, it’s been through quite a transformation. Going from a Halloween-inspired style to producing our first in a long line of digital magazines is an amazing feat. We spoke with the original creator of Braw, Iona Young. She is a past chief editor of Brig and is now a news reporter at the Scottish Daily Record. We sat down to pick her brain on all things Braw.
Why did you create Braw?
Why do you feel magazine journalism is important as a whole and to the student body?
“When I was a part of Brig, I started as a comment editor and began writing features, which I really enjoyed. Because my spell as editor was during lockdown, I was involved in several creative projects and [read] a lot of zines online. One day during a walk up Calton Hill, I decided that it would be brilliant to have a space like that at Brig.”
“I grew up loving magazines and even created my own and sold it to friends in primary school, but when I started doing journalism it didn’t come up often or seem very accessible for graduates starting out in their careers. “I still don’t think there are many opportunities in Scotland for those [who] would love to work in magazine journalism unless you are doing freelance. So, I just hoped that starting Braw might show students that there is a space in journalism for magazines and provide some experience in case they want to go down that route in the future.”
What was your wish for Braw after you graduated? “I’m already so pleased to see how far Braw has come in the years since I left university. The current writers have done a brilliant job, and you can really see it has been a passion project for them which I believe will always bring out the best work. “Hopefully, it will continue to be a passion project for ambitious students, and maybe one day also celebrate its own milestone anniversary.”
How important was student journalism to you? “Without the experiences I gained through Brig, I never would have had the confidence or experience to go straight into my career from university, and I will be forever grateful for that. Student journalism is an invaluable resource for the next generation of journalists, and it needs to be protected at all costs.”
Image credit : Iona Young
BRAW MAGAZINE
ARTS 14-15 18-19
THE YEARS CUM AND GO BUT SAFE WORDS ARE FOREVER
GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23
SPORT 28-32 24-28
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STIRLING’S HALL OF QUEERS: MAGGIE BAIN By Chloe Liddell
By Lucie Smith BRAW EDITOR Sex has and always will make headlines. We as humans have a weird fascination with it, whether that is with the connection, chaos, or controversy it causes. We are strangely drawn to it in nearly every aspect of life, whether that’s political policies that restricts it or ironic scandals that exploit it. It is a part of our relationships, but it also fuels the trivial gossip that we have all indulged in at some point. As a society we can’t escape it.
In recent years, Stirling University has made a great effort to develop an open and inclusive queer community. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Maggie Bain, a non-binary and queer actor who graduated from Stirling University 20 years ago, shares their experience of coming to terms with their identity as a student.
Over 55 years, Brig has covered the ever-changing relationship our society has with sex. In the mid-1980s, the British political and social landscape was overridden with misinformation fuelled by prejudice surrounding the AIDS and HIV epidemic. With the mass media taking the role of fearmongering, the queer community was left having to fight to be heard in a time where their loved ones were dying around them. In this time, Brig took a different approach. Through the late '80s they had multiple articles highlighting the facts from the fiction. In addition, Brig also had interviews from anonymous sources who were directly impacted, sharing their story. Giving them a voice humanised a cause that had been demonised in mainstream media. Now in 2024, AIDS and HIV have not been a been topic in Brig for years, as it didn’t need to be. AIDS is something that is no longer feared with the miraculous medical research and advancements. Over 95 per cent of people who are HIV positive are undetectable, meaning that they cannot transmit the disease. With this advancement, the fear around this conversation has changed to understanding and a willingness for people to educate themselves. Image credit : WBUR.com
Image credit : Jonathan Boomer
However, the same cannot be said for sexual violence. While combing through Brig archives, the sad realisation hit that a common theme that all the issues share is the fear of, and instances of, sexual assault and violence. From the '70s to now it has always been a much-needed conversation that Brig provided. From candid experiences, concerns, safety measures, and honest conservations on how we can educate and prevent these assaults from happening, Brig discussed it all. The harrowing reality is that sexual assault will always be an issue in our current society. The one positive that runs through this is that Brig provides a voice and a place of information for people to educate themselves. Many brave individuals who have spoken about this issue from firsthand experience provided a voice and face between this issue and the real lives that it affects. No tool is more powerful than uplifting the voices of victims to provide real change.
The transitional relationship between sex and our society will always be reflected in Brig. As of 2024, we have a complete section in our sibling magazine, Braw, that is dedicated to uplifting sex-positive narratives and opening a candid conversation surrounding pleasure, relationships, and identity, making students feel seen and heard.
Maggie returned to Stirling for the first time in 20 years to perform on Macrobert’s stage in Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning in September of last year. “Everything felt familiar, yet different, and I was intrigued to see how much the university has changed,” they said. They spent some of their downtime walking around the campus, reminiscing on their time there. “I walked around the loch a lot at the time, feeling very alone and quite frightened because I was gay and I didn’t identify as a woman. I’m non-binary. That language didn’t exist and there wasn’t a lot of encouragement or support, so I just wondered: what was wrong with me? “It’s actually only quite recently in my life that I’ve been able to come out, and it’s quite incredible to be back here 20 years later, looking back and joining the dots between the start of the journey and where I am now,” they said. Maggie’s acting career also began at Stirling University as a part of the drama society, and performing began an integral part of their journey. “I don’t know if I could have come out at all if it hadn’t been for my craft," they added. However, it was a difficult road: “Knowing I was gay and knowing I wanted to be an actor but also knowing I wouldn’t get to do both, I felt like if I could play the role I really wanted to inhabit in my real life maybe that would be enough. “That of course is not enough. You have to be you as much as you can but that was a very difficult choice and I was really proud of myself and the journey that allowed me to get to the point where I can live openly and be out, which definitely didn’t feel possible 20 years ago.” However, they believe that none of this may have been possible if it hadn’t been for their experiences at university and the launch of their acting career. “When I look back where I was at 19 and 20, when I was here, coming out would have made my life very hard. “I’ve done a lot of learning in the past 20 years and I am looking forward to come back and being able to stand in a place where I hadn’t been able to be myself. As myself.” In 2023, Stirling University and the wider community have made great strides in celebrating queerness through events such as the university’s pride week, as well as the first-ever Forth Valley Pride, which will take place later this year.
ESTABLISHED IN 1969 FOR A REASON
These events are monumental for the queer community in Stirling and work towards making Stirling a more welcoming and inclusive place for everyone. Image credit : Maggie Bain
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM & TV 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13
BRAW 16-17
ARTS
MYSTERY UNWRAPPED: ‘THE NATURE OF WINTER’ BY JIM CRUMLEY
Image Credit: Julia Benko
By Julia Benko
Unlike last time, when a lone mystery book teased my curiosity, I lingered in BookNook for a shameless 15 minutes, deciding which description felt just right for a dismal winter’s day. I read all the briefs carefully until my eyes finally glimpsed the words “a personal and poetic meditation on winter.” Bingo. There was nothing that sounded more delightful. At home, I gently unpacked the black wrapping paper and discovered a paperback beauty. It was The Nature of Winter by Jim Crumley. I didn’t know much about it, except that Crumley also wrote a book on autumn which I previously thought about buying. In The Nature of Winter, Crumley presents his firsthand experiences and perspectives on the beautiful, quiet solitude but also the disorder of nature as he observes its turbulency amid climate change. I haven’t read much of nature writing before, but Crumley’s poetic descriptions immediately
immersed me in it. The way he talks about nature, animals, and Scotland is comforting and without a doubt plants a smile on my face. The way I see it, this book is a 200-page love letter to Scotland, its terrains, and its environment. Since Crumley peppers the book with climate change and its irreversible impact on nature, the issue appropriately feels even more immediate and threatening. It’s illuminating, however, and truly makes one realise that we haven’t had a proper winter in years. White Christmas is that of the past. That is a feature I adore about Crumley’s book: amid his reflections, there are lessons. I felt so educated reading it. Especially as someone who doesn’t know as much about Scottish nature as I would like, I was captivated by Crumley’s storytelling. I loved learning about snow buntings and their origins, and about the Covenanter’s Grave (that’s a whole part of Scottish history I had no idea about!). Alongside reading, I also enjoyed
WINTER'S EPILOGUE
researching the various Scottish locations I’ve not heard of before, such as Medwin Water. Chapter three, Sweet Medwin Water, was actually one of my favourites. I couldn’t put the book down; I was so immersed in the story of Crumley’s close friend George and his love of Pentland Hills, and the tale of John Carphin (the occupier of the Covenanter's Grave). Unfortunately, chapter four had lost me a little. Most of it is an extract from Crumley’s fictional book, The Mountain of Light. While it was interesting to add a hint of fiction into an otherwise non-fictional book, I found it hard to concentrate because the writing was suddenly different, and I barely knew the characters so I couldn’t connect with them. One thing I liked about reading this extract, however, is that The Mountain of Light was set in Stirling. There was something about seeing Stirling mentioned in a printed book that made me happy – it felt so close to home.
Towards the end of chapter four, Crumley dives deeper into his adventures in Stirling, and there is one sentence that particularly stands out to me: “That hub was suddenly galvanised by a burst of low sunlight from over my left
shoulder, and a ragged patch of rainbow jived there for all of two minutes.” This description encapsulates Stirling perfectly to me; now whenever I see a rainbow, I will stand still, and enjoy its “hypnotic dance.”
HOW TO READ MORE IN 2024
By JJ Ferguson
By Chloe Liddell
Image Credit: Pexels
Here are five tips for meeting your New Year reading goals! Try different book lengths
Don’t be afraid to DNF
Many of us book lovers have ‘big book fear’. Books with hundreds of pages of dense world-building can be extremely intimidating, and forcing your way through chapter after chapter can lead straight to burnout. So, instead of another 400-page epic fantasy, why not try a short and quick-paced thriller or a light rom-com? Trying shorter stories can speed up reading progress drastically.
If you aren’t enjoying a book, forcing yourself to finish it is a one-way ticket to a reading slump. You aren’t going to love every book so if you don’t vibe with the writing style, the characters, or even the plot itself, it’s perfectly fine to pick up something else.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself
Try different genres Everyone has a go-to genre, but if you are finding your reads stale and predictable, try switching genres. This changeup will introduce you to a whole new world of tropes, conventions, and plotlines. You might feel refreshed and able to re-engage in your favourite genre, or you may find a new favourite instead.
Reading is supposed to be fun. Don’t hold yourself to arbitrary goals if you aren’t enjoying yourself. Read whenever and whatever you like, as long as you are reading you will always be on track.
Keep track of your progress If you have a specific goal, it’s a good idea to track your progress. You could use Good Reads, The StoryGraph, or your Notes app to record your reads with star ratings and reviews. It can be so motivating to look back and see how far you have come with your reading journey.
GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23
ARTS
SPORT 24-28 28-32
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ALUM PAUL LEWIS AND HIS SCANDALOUS UNI DRAMA CLUB By Jodie Hagan ARTS EDITOR
The award-winning financial journalist on the debt-ridden 1970’s ‘Dramus’ club. It’s October 9, 1970. Under the glow of a lava lamp, a student opens today’s edition of Brig and there it is, The End of Dramus, the article announcing the abolishment of the university’s first-ever drama society. Many of us today have never heard of Dramus, and are more familiar with SUDS, the resident drama society which has been an established institution at the University of Stirling for nearly 50 years. Little did we know that in the early years of the university’s opening, before SUDS took the stage, the controversial Dramus society had a (very) short run. The author of the hilariously self-critical article, former student Paul Lewis, was the founder of this club that was banned by the Student’s Association (CSA) after their “cavalier” attitude to money led to repeated debt. With lavish sets and little to no budgeting for equipment in place, “the loss grew with each visit of the postman”. Lewis is better known today as the award-winning financial journalist who gives money tips on radio, TV, and in national news publications.
“My own finances were always a bit of a mess when I was younger, to be honest,” says the now 75-yearold Lewis. “As a club, we were interested in plays, not in money, and I wasn’t interested in money back then.” Lewis remembers Dramus’ downfall not being solely due to finances though, sensing there was a general dislike of the amateur dramatics club at the time: “I think we were seen as a bit of a clique, a bit English, a bit self-selecting, and not terribly talented as far as acting or producing was concerned.” He recalls that in one of their final plays, Luther, he refused to go out for the curtain call, too embarrassed at what his society had become. While the original article is filled with humour, detailing Dramus’ struggles with woeful financial mismanagement, inner-society jealousies, and unconvincing leading men, it is also scathing of the Student’s Association which seemed intent on closing the curtain on Dramus. “This was the 60s and 70s and we were all very outspoken and very anti-establishment,” says Lewis. “Brig was seen at the time as our voice. It was our take on the university and even though it was made with university resources, we were
Image Credit: BBC
quite willing to bite the hand that fed us.” Having forged a very successful journalism career, Lewis credits his time at Brig for making him realise he had a knack for writing, though his style has changed since. “I did write some rude things,” says Lewis, who would publish cheeky acrostics and columns under the pseudonym, McMerde. “The rude columnist McMerde was eventually sacked from the
newspaper after pressure was put on the editor by the university,” he says. “Until this moment I’ve never told anybody it was me except for two of my closest friends.” As for Dramus, another article in the following 1970 issue of Brig, In Defense of Dramus, was published to address misconceptions about the club's supposed carelessness and argued that financial pressures were just too much for an inexperienced club to handle.
It was too late though. After Dramus was shut down, SUDS was formed, and Lewis recalls that the existing members of Dramus were blacklisted from the new club. Luckily, a fed-up Lewis was happy enough to leave the club in the past and now enjoys a life devoid of amateur dramatics… and all of its associated drama. Old editions of Brig can be accessed online in The University of Stirling’s archive collections.
55 YEARS OF BRIG
Emma Halliday - Arts Editor 2020-2022 "My time as Arts Editor was a delight. I was very privileged to work with some extraordinary new writers and form connections with many of the university’s creative societies. Best of luck to every Brig member who is working hard to make this section the best it has ever been!"
Image Credit: Emma Halliday
IS THE WEB ENDANGERING LOCAL ART COMMUNITIES? By Murron Carscadden Art and creativity have been an integral part of Scottish culture for far longer than records could ever show. From Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet, to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the renowned Scottish architect and designer, there has been no shortage of artistic ability in this country. Even those who do not showcase their creative abilities still enjoy art in other ways such as purchasing it or viewing it in galleries. Market stalls, art displays, and workshops have often played a key role in keeping local art and artists' communities alive. Sadly, due to the rise of social media platforms, buying art locally has slowly become less popular due to platforms like Etsy making it easier to find personalised art from places all
over. Smaller artists now struggle to keep an audience for their work due to oversaturation on similar platforms. An artist from Fife who has recently started trying to expand his work and audience, Marcus W Sneddon, believes that traditional stalls and showcases of local art need to have a comeback. He believes that there should be a more reliant and active art community that supports inclusivity for all. He feels that, especially within his local art club, there is not enough flexibility in the clubs' schedule for unretired people like himself. “When I was working certain shifts there wasn’t enough time slots for me to go to the club and I would miss it every few weeks and go back not knowing what we had learned the week before,” he said.
Clubs and workshops are unable to run without interest from the public and part of the problem may be that many now turn to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to learn skills and grow as artists themselves. Online platforms are an important tool for helping artists connect to local creative minds and build networks together to support each other. Although real-life community building is so important to keep local artists thriving, they should not be seeing social media as something to fear but more as an advantage to help them build and connect. Local art is not a dying thing, but if we want to sustain art and culture in areas like Fife and Stirling then tools like social media must be embraced. Image Credit: Pexels
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POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM & TV 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13
BRAW 16-17
ARTS 18-19
GAMING
AN INTERVIEW WITH BRIG'S FIRST GAMING EDITOR
Jack Gupta, Brig's first gaming editor. Image credit: Jack Gupta
By Ali Rees GAMING EDITOR Brig has been gracing the staff and students of Stirling University for 55 years now, but the gaming section is somewhat newer. It was started in 2017 by Editor-in-Chief Ross Brannigan and Brig’s first ever Gaming Editor, Jack Gupta. I reached out to Jack and had a chat about the section’s beginnings in honour of Brig’s 55th birthday. Firstly, I asked Jack about his experience in setting up the section. He said the decision to start a Gaming and Tech section was “driven by the presence of talented writers already contributing gaming and tech articles”. “It was incredibly exciting to lead Brig's inaugural gaming and tech section. Starting from scratch felt like a blank canvas where I could shape its identity. Joining after others had already contributed excellent content before me allowed for a collaborative environment, and learning from fellow editors was invaluable.” Jack’s early aims for the section and his responsibilities were to foster a dedicated space for writers to continue to explore gaming and tech with an angle on students. Over the last few years, the section has developed into a thriving hub of content covering board games and video games alongside their culture and industry, as well as pressing tech issues like AI and
tech privacy. It wouldn’t be possible without the solid groundwork laid by Jack and the other editors at the time. It wasn’t all roses though, and Jack did face some challenges in the launch. He said that “catering to a diverse audience and balancing niche content with general reviews” was the hardest part of the launch. As is often the case, teamwork came to the rescue. “Collaboration with the team was crucial to producing content to appeal to the majority of students,” said Jack. Seeing the section in print as the cumulation of his and others’ hard work was the icing on the cake for Jack. “Seeing the hard work and collaboration come to fruition was rewarding, and learning from co-editors played a key part in my personal and professional development at the time.” Personally, the things I have learned from my co-editors and fellow writers have been the highlight of my time at Brig, and it’s reassuring to know that is a trend over the years. “The experience taught me the importance of collaboration, teamwork, and effective time management. Overcoming the challenges of starting a section from scratch required adaptability to changes in the gaming industry, ensuring that the content remained relevant, up
to date and engaging,” said Jack. I also asked Jack about his experience with Brig in general, and his response was heartwarming. “Brig was a great part of my student experience, providing a platform for creativity, engagement with various topics, and connections with like-minded individuals. I'd recommend it to any student as there is a section for everyone.” He then added “Brig provided hands-on experience in editorial work, leadership, and content creation. These transferable skills were beneficial in my post-university career, particularly in roles involving writing, editing and project management.” Despite his diminished free time, Jack still plays video games when he can, and has kept up with the industry over the years. “Since 2017, gaming has significantly surged into the mainstream, offering increasingly immersive experiences across diverse genres,” he said. Jack also mentioned the rise of E-sports and competitive gaming. “Major tournaments draw large audiences, and professional players are now acknowledged as legitimate athletes, securing lucrative sponsorship deals. Additionally, the introduction of cross-platform play and flourishing social integration on platforms like Twitch and YouTube has not only propelled industry growth but also expanded the user base,” Jack said. With these changes all happening in just the six years that Brig’s Gaming and Tech section has existed, it’s a fascinating thought exercise to imagine the future of gaming. It’s not unreasonable to imagine that competitive gaming could have followings mirroring that of sports. To conclude, I asked Jack about his changing taste in games. What was his favourite game back in 2017 when he was Brig’s first gaming editor, and what is his favourite game today? “In 2017, my favourite game was probably Uncharted 4 or FIFA 18. Currently, I'd recommend God of War Ragnarok, especially after being let down by Assassins Creed Mirage.” As a point of comparison, my favourite game in 2017 was probably Horizon: Zero Dawn, and my favourite game from 2023 was Venba."
The first ever Brig Gaming and Technology section, in September 2017. Image credit: Ali Rees
UPCOMING GAMES YOU MUST NOT MISS By Ali Rees GAMING EDITOR 2024 is a bumper year for game releases. Here are the most exciting ones coming soon that you should be sure to check out.
this survival horror game is due this year. Can you survive the horrors of the island? - Platforms: PC - Release date: February Prince of Persia: The 23
Lost Crown
The latest addition to the classic Prince of Persia series, take control of a brand new protagonist in this epic action adventure. - Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X - Release date: January 18
Tekken 8
Rise of the Ronin
Create your character and battle your way to fame and glory in this action RPG. Set in Edo in the late 19th centaury, this game centres fun movement and epic combat. - Platforms: PS5 - Release date: March 22
An absolute must-buy for all fighting game fans, the newest in the line of Tekken games promises to impress. - Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X - Release date: January 26
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Recover the missing mini Marios in this adorable puzzle platformer that pits Mario against his age-old rival, Donkey Kong. - Platforms: Switch - Release date: February 16
Sons of the Forest
Although it has been in early access since last year, the full release of
Mario vs Donkey Kong. Image credit: Nintendo
LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23
GAMING
SPORT 24-28 28-32
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THREE BOARD GAMES YOU WILL ACTUALLY ENJOY Image credit: Calliope Games, Osprey Games, R&R Games
By Lindis Kipp The holidays are over and once again, families up and down the country have suffered through agonising games of Monopoly or Ludo. Old feuds have reawakened, your uncle's inability to be a fair banker has resurfaced and no one wants to talk to each other anymore. But it does not have to be like this - try one of the games below next time and save Christmas! Tsuro of the Seas Players are sailing ships over the ocean, aiming to explore it in its entirety without perishing. The aim of the game is simple: stay on the board longer than any other player. This is made infinitely harder by the sea monsters that also roam the board, as well as the complicated wake paths the ships must follow. Run into a monster, you sink. Sail off the edge of the board, you sink. While this sounds very straightforward, avoiding these pitfalls becomes increasingly difficult as the game progresses. The more players, the more chaotic the seas become in no time. Tsuro of the Seas encourages strategic thinking and combines it with luck. Players: 2-8 Age: 8+ Game time: 20-40 minutes Price: From £39.50 Odin's Ravens This game is only for two players, but it is my favourite on this list. From the stunning art to the quick set-up and straightforward rules,
Odin's Ravens is truly a game that can be played straight out of the box. Players are Odin's two ravens, engaged in a race around the world. They have movement cards and Loki cards - the latter used to make their own journey easier and that of their opponent harder. The Loki cards are what make this game, giving players the opportunity to thwart their opponent at the last minute or speed themselves along. Odin's Ravens has great replay value, and its small size makes it great for taking on holidays, too. Players: 2 Age: 8+. Game time: 1520 minutes Price: From £16.13
ESCAPE ROOMS: TO DO AT HOME OR NOT?
Hanabi Technically a card game, but Hanabi is still worth including in this list. It is a cooperative game in which players are hapless fireworks engineers who must work together to save the big display. The twist is the fact you cannot see your own cards; they are always held face out. It is up to other players to give you helpful clues about which cards you hold. Your task is to put all fireworks of one colour into the correct order, but at any one point you can only be given information about their colour or their value, never both at once. This game is great for players who love a memory challenge and for occasions where competitive play isn’t a good idea (we all have those relatives). Players: 2-5 Age: 8+ Game time: 30 minutes Price: From £10.99
The Exit Games are a popular range of athome escape game. Image credit: Kosmos
Escape rooms: for many an amazing day out, for some an intimidating prospect. An escape room has players battling to solve various puzzles around the room to allow them to escape in under 60 minutes. Most escape rooms have a theme, or a story woven throughout, transporting you to another world. For some it can be quite stressful and overwhelming; for example, my dad calls them ‘panic rooms’. However, more recently escape rooms have been branching out into at-home experiences. This follows a very different structure
and format which often includes a pack of paper/evidence and sometimes an element on your laptop or computer. Having done both there are pros and cons to each. The at-home ones allow you more flexibility and comfort. Some don’t time you, so you don’t have to do it within the hour; great if you have a variety of ages. They’re also cheaper and require less planning as some you could buy online and download the same day. Escape Hunt do great ones for this. Many small businesses on Etsy put everything in a pack like a casefile which also makes a great gift. A top tip for at-home escape
rooms is to find some ambient music on YouTube that matches the escape room theme to get you in the mood, and maybe even themed snacks or other ways to replicate the immersive experience. You cannot top the thrill and adrenaline of the traditional escape room though. The feeling of being in a movie adventure is so much fun and with many escape rooms being hands-on, using secret rooms or openings, you never know what is coming. This is the more expensive option and often is less accessible as well as being quite intense. To find one that is right for you look at the age rating, and the difficulty. Some provide the success rate also. Even if it’s your first escape room I wouldn’t immediately look at the easiest one, if you get out quickly that can defeat the fun and make it less value for money. Overall, I would recommend visiting an escape room to the thrill seekers who thrive under pressure, and for those who enjoy their puzzles a little more laid back try the at-home ones. Or if you’ve never tried either, start with an at-home pack and see if you like the feel of it without the more expensive commitment! Stirling boasts three escape rooms (Escape Stirling), an impressive feat for the small city. You can choose from the classic bank heist, witchcraft and wizardry, and the cabin, all with great reviews.
By Charlotte Sutcliffe EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9
MUSIC FILM & TV 10-11 12-13
As it is Brig's 55th birthday I didn't want to set a theme so writer's felt they had more freedom with their ideas. However, instead of a monthly theme this month, Lifestyle is doing a little throw back to Lifestyle's Top Tip of The Month which featured in old print editions around the mid 2010s.
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NEW YEAR, NEW ME?
By Emanuela Scalia
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I think there’s a general panic that with the New Year comes a new chance to change who we are. Whether that be our habits, lifestyle or other aspects of our lives. However, this sets most up for failure. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Instead of setting a long list of goals that you won’t stick to, start with a few small goals and add more as the time goes on. Create your top/big goals and add smaller goals that will help you reach it over a period of time. While the New Year can be a perfect time to change who we are and what we do, it isn’t the only time we can do so.
GAMING 20-21
LIFESTYLE
2024: SETTING POSITIVE AND ACHIEVABLE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU CAN HAPPILY STICK TO
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2024 Diary. Image credit: Pexels
So for this edition and this edition only, we are bringing back Brig's Top Tip of the Month!
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BRAW 16-17
A tradition that dates back 4,000 years since the Ancient Babylonians, New Year’s resolutions continue to be goals that people look forward to completing every year starting from January. ‘New Year new me!’ and ‘this is my year!’ people say, unknowing how the 12 months ahead will fold out, but still excited to make resolutions as the clock strikes midnight. According to Forbes, the top three most common resolutions in the UK for 2024 were as follows: 40 per cent of Brits said they want to “exercise more”, followed by 35 per cent aiming for “weight loss”, and 33 per cent aiming to “improve their dietary habits”. But do people tend to stick to these resolutions? Or do many find it difficult to maintain these promises they made for themselves? These statistics highlight the population’s common desire to improve the physical aspects of their life. But some goals such as weight loss, that are meant to be completed in a year, limit a person’s timeframe and create unrealistic expectations for the following years. Setting achievable resolutions that you know can be accomplished throughout the year will motivate you to try new things, create better habits, and most importantly, motivate you to continue to build upon these habits throughout the months rather than giving you reasons to not follow through on them. So what are good ways to keep resolutions going? As someone who, for years, used to create unrealistic resolutions and then disappoint myself constantly when I couldn’t reach them in time (or at all), I would advise you to not run into them right away.
These changes in your life are meant to come gradually or you won’t be able to make a habit out of them. Trying each goal, even just once a week or a month, and prioritising the most important ones will help you create a routine. This will motivate you to eventually do it more often, especially if it’s something that is out of your comfort zone, or you wouldn’t normally do. For example, if your resolution is to cook meals at home more often, but you have a very busy schedule and you usually eat lunch at university or your workplace, your starting point could be to focus on improving your post-work meals and cooking one meal a week to take with you to work the next day. By starting with this, you can then change that to two, three, or even four meals a week towards the end of the year, rewarding yourself with a more positive schedule for your cooking rather than burning out at the end of January due to forcing yourself to stress cook every day. Another way to make resolutions more fun is to make sure you’re positively adding to your daily life, rather than simply taking away. You’d be surprised how much words can affect your response towards something! For example, you could replace ‘eat less junk food’ with ‘eat more healthy foods’, or instead of ‘lose weight’, you could specify it to things like: ‘get stronger in the gym, run for a longer distance or in less time, go to the gym for 15 minutes longer than usual…’– you get the gist. With the changed perspective of adding things into your life, you are more inclined to happily form new habits rather than feeling regret about the many restrictions
you would otherwise have made. And to finally round this all off, I would recommend including mental health and self-love practicing habits in your list this year too. Healthy mind + healthy body = healthy life. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, if not more, and it is so important to also prioritise this aspect of your life. With a positive mindset, with a focus on your well-being, and with a direct focus on how you feel yearround, your resolutions this year will be fun things to look forward to, and back in hindsight to, at the end of the 2024 year. And remember– if you do not complete your resolutions this year, or if you think you still have things to work on, that is completely okay! Setbacks are still proof that you are trying and that is what matters. Resolutions are there for you to better yourself and set fun goals that you’ll enjoy throughout the year – they are not meant to make you feel guilty about not reaching said goals or feel as if you have failed if you don’t. So let’s get to working on our goals together this year: one positive, achievable, and happy resolution at a time.
FEATURES FOOD 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23
LIFESTYLE
European Map. Image credit: Pexels
TRAVELLING ON A STUDENT BUDGET Travelling to new cities has a variety of benefits, including broadening the mind and learning new cultures, all whilst getting a much-deserved break from the stress of deadlines. However, it can be expensive, but you don't need to look too far to find a budget-friendly getaway. Berlin As well as having lots to see and do, Berlin is inexpensive for meals and drinks out, and for flights and accommodation too. A lot of the tourist attractions in Berlin do not require payment to enter.
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‘ROTTING’ AND THE GUILT BEHIND RESTING By Demilee Shand
By Anya Diggines
SPORT 24-28 28-32
you save a lot on public transport costs, however the price for public transport is very reasonable and the ticket covers you across all modes of public transport in Berlin including the bus, the tram, the S-Bahn, and the U-Bahn. Food and drink is a cheap cost in Berlin, whether you are planning to eat every meal out or planning to buy groceries to cook your own meals.
cater to everyone, whether you are looking for historical information on Poland's Communist past, or somewhere to sit with a drink and relax in the early spring sunshine. Everything is within walking distance, and just like Kraków, the food and drink is completely affordable. The Old Town Market Square is
Kraków Kraków is a city bursting at the seams with history and culture. This city is perfect for students due to how inexpensive food and drinks are. Meals can range between 7€ to 18€ per person, or £6 to £17 depending on the restaurant, and prices of drinks equate to just a couple of pounds, making eating out a cheap task. With fewer tourist attractions, you visit Poland to see the astonishing architecture that shines a light on its past.
Old Market Square, Poznań. Image credit: Anya Diggines
A rule of thumb is too much of anything in can lead to major burn out. However, a majorly trending phrase that I have not only come about but use all the time is rotting. Rotting girl winter just passed so I thought this would be a fabulous time to talk about it. Rotting is when you just lay in bed all day and do absolutely nothing. Maybe do some scrolling or watch some videos. Where the term can be used as a bad thing since rotting usually means wasting away, but like some others I also see this activity as a great form of self-care. Sometimes when university gets too much, or you have been leading up to extreme burnout, a rot day is needed. Personally, I have a rot day when I have been too overwhelmed or overstimulated. Rotting, especially when your social battery has died, is a great way to recharge. Just sitting in bed and letting the thoughts drift away is just like a nice reset for the body. I can see how that one day in bed turns into ten or if you are using that rotting to nap the entire day away.
That this trend can then quickly become a bad and anti-productive habit since it can then just be messing up your sleep schedule. I have even asked my best friends who say when they do it, it strengthens the relationship they have with themselves because it is uninterrupted me-time. However, I deeply think that the pressures that social media and society portray that you should be productive 100 per cent of the time are just unrealistic, and that is why I am such an advocate for finding joy in doing nothing. With many different forms of self-discipline tasks that can be helpful trending all over social media, I think breaking that standard to realise that resting is not something that humans should be made to feel guilty for breaks down some of these idealizations. As much as the ‘Clean girl’ and ‘It girl’ trends can be great to support looking after yourself and productivity, I do think there should be a middle ground that gives a glimpse that when it comes to mental health it is okay to have a day in bed and to be kind to yourself when doing so instead of getting consumed by guilt let go and be consumed by some cozy bed sheets. Hot girls do, in fact, rot.
Resting. Image credit: Pexels
the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by as you take in the incredible, colourful building surrounding you, or you could visit the markets on the weekend, where lots of authentic Polish goods are sold. Anywhere you visit in Poland will never have a shortage of museums, which makes it a perfect place to get away from the pressures of studying but still learn something new. Barcelona If university has got you stressed and you just want to bask in the sunshine whilst still having some amazing tourist attractions to see, Barcelona is a must.
Reichstag Building, Berlin. Image credit: Anya Diggines
The Reichstag Building is full of history, and you can learn so much about Germany there. It is free to book online, and you can get a free audio guide when you arrive. From the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate is a two-minute walk, and, as you are unable to enter the monument, it is free for you to look at and take as many photos as you desire. Right next to the Brandenburg Gate is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, this memorial is remarkable and is a mustsee when visiting Berlin. You can walk through the rows of the memorial which can be a very emotional experience as you take in the scale of this tribute. With all the main tourist attractions being in walking distance,
55 YEARS OF BRIG "After one year of being a student journalist at Brig, I was lucky enough to be elected as lifestyle editor in my third year of uni. I was passionate about this section, because I had always been in-
Main Square, Kraków. Image credit: Anya Diggines
terested in the journalism that explored more niche topics, rath-
The main historical site that entices tourists to Poland is Auschwitz Concentration Camp, which is an important place to visit to understand more about this country's darkest hours.
er than chasing up the hard news stories. Lifestyle is a section
Poznań Another Polish city that has so much to discover. Poznań is the perfect place to visit in the spring months as the parks are what make this city special. There are a variety of parks that
Park Güell, Barcelona ́. Image credit: Anya Diggines
With cheap flights out of the UK and no shortage of cheap, yet comfortable, accommodation, it is the perfect place for a long weekend. La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Camp Nou, home of La Lisa side, Barcelona, are all on your doorstep for a small cost, with lots of other hidden gems.
that allows student journalists to be creative and explore different styles of writing. My time at Brig had helped massively with various opportunities and work experience and I look forward to how I can take it forward to in future prospects." -Molly Bishop, Lifestyle Editor 2021/2022
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9
MUSIC FILM & TV 10-11 12-13
BRAW 16-17
ARTS 18-19
GAMING LIFESTYLE 20-21 22-23
FEATURES
55 DOS AND DONT'S OF STIRLING: PAST AND PRESENT By Charlotte Sutcliffe EDITOR-IN-CHIEF With the first 50 things to do before you graduate debuting in Brig in the late '80s, the article was updated in 2019 for the 50th edition. Since then, a 2021 bucket list was also published. Despite being unable to find the original list using the most recent two, Brig presents the ultimate 55 dos and don’ts of Stirling from the good, the bad, and the downright strange.
Five Classics Here are five things that featured on both the 2019 and 2021 versions. 1. Wallace Monument With the best view of the city and being a nice simple walk from campus, this staple is a must, especially with a picnic or some snacks.
The fact that this was once a hot stop is slightly mind-blowing, considering Bridge of Allan is now just coffee shops and restaurants. 2.Seeing Cascada at Freshers So apparently Eurovision’s very own Cascada performed at the Union multiple times with classics such as Evacuate the Dancefloor. Why don’t we get as good Freshers events? 3. Taking poppers in Tingle The closest you can get to doing this is doing poppers in King Cons, which has now taken over that space. I just want to know what the specific correlation between Tingle and poppers is? Was it to ignore how bad it was?
2. Dumyat Dumyat must be done at some point in your uni career - there is no doubt. The only real question is whether you start the journey at the car park - which takes you up half the way - or walk it from the bottom of campus. 3. Stirling pubs Interestingly in the 2019 edition, a pub called Cape is referenced alongside the classic Nicky Tams and Spoons. It transpires that Cape has since shut down with one TripAdvisor review calling it “the bar from hell”. The other two are still going strong, and the 2021 edition also mentions Morrisons, Molly Malones, and City Walls. 4. The castle, Stirling Castle is a great trip for when family comes up to visit, or if you’re sheltering from the rain outside. 5. A Wednesday night in Fubar The Red Card Wednesday is a classic if you can get past the hordes of themed sports socials, VK bottles on the floor, and the same playlist every week.
The Outdated These five were on the 2019 list and to the 2024 crowd seem outdated (or just foreign). 1.Pub crawl in Bridge of Allan.
Image Credit: Fubar
4.Go to Dusk Like Tingle, Dusk failed to open post-pandemic, leaving Fubar as the last nightclub standing. 5.Sex on the golf course The 2019 list also included having sex on the golf course and stealing a pole from the course. Now while you technically can still do these things, I am not sure why you would want to.
Your Current Bucket List 1. Win the Sunday night Nicky Tams pub quiz and spend the £30 bar tab on mystery shots. 2. A day trip to Loch Lomond, it never disappoints. 3. Catch all the seasonal drinks at the Book Nook. 4. Watch something with the £2.50 student cinema tickets at Macroberts. 5. Join Brig (sorry, I had to get it in there). 6. Brave the top floor of the library during assignment
season. 7. An impromptu night out to Fubar that is not a Wednesday, sometimes these can be the best ones. 8. Dance around Molly Malones with a baby Guinness to the live music - no matter who is playing the setlist is phenomenal. 9. Find your favourite brunch spot in Bridge of Allan, will it be Friend of Mine, The Hideaway, or Wee Timorous Beastie Cafe? 10. Attend a Ceilidh. Clubs and societies often hold these as fundraisers so it's very easy to find one and throw your friend around to Strip the Willow. 11. Visit Made in Stirling and wander around looking at all the different local art and gifts. 12. End a night out with a trip to Tastebudz, whilst the cheesy chips are a classic, their naan bread is also a great sobering-up option. 13. Stare at the Jellycats in Contempo, an oddly relaxing way to break up the day. 14. Watch a sporting event at City Walls or Morrisons for the great atmosphere…as long as you’re on the winning side. 15. Go to a ball. Sports Ball, Clubs and Socs Ball, a course ball - just any excuse to dress up fancy and celebrate. 16. Try the Stirling Escape Rooms: Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Bank Heist, or The Cabin; the choice is yours. 17. Pretend to go and have a study day in the Burgh Coffeehouse, but instead, just enjoy the bagels. 18. Get stuck in traffic due to temporary traffic lights. 19. Pop into M&S looking for yellow stickers and a bargain dinner 20. Enjoy Music Bingo and games night at Slanj A Va on a Tuesday night, they even have Mario Kart.
Image Credit: Pexels
21. Submit an assignment to Canvas the minute before it is due, a rite of passage. 22. Pub Golf. A university classic with your club or with friends, get your best outfits on, learn the drinking rules, and pick a route. Highly recommend finishing in Mollys on one of the live music nights. 23. Try a completely new sport. With so many on offer with recreational training, University is the perfect time to give it a go. 24. Drive to the Kelpies and have a hot chocolate. This hits different when you’re hungover, it is unclear why 25. This one is for the girls use the double toilet in Fubar for maximum girlhood vibes. 26. Bowling, another great option for a rainy-day activity and they have fun arcade games. 27. Pet an Alpaca, a firm favourite at Freshers events. 28. Feel boujee going to Meraki for cocktails. 29. Walk around the loch, basic but brilliant as a study break 30. Enjoy Kings Park in the three days it’s sunny in the second semester. Bonus points for a disposable barbecue.
10 things not to do in Stirling 1. Do not rely on the UniLink. Despite getting better in recent months the frequency of the buses is never accurate and there is always a risk of missing your lecture. 2. Do not be caught pulling someone on the Fubar Instagram Stories, your friends will screenshot it and haunt you with it. 3. Similarly, do not follow the Fubar photographer around the club getting every photo you can, you will regret it in the morning when the photos go live. 4. Do not be afraid to ask for help, the student learning services have options for everyone. 5. Do not pay for a Scran Pizza, these used to be a bargain but now they’re overpriced with far too much flour. 6. Do not spend too much at the Calluna plant shop, a very dangerous game. 7. Do not expect to be able to go shopping for decent clothing, the high street is incredibly bare. 8. Do not go in the University Loch nor attempt to take on the terrifying swans: it’s their campus and we’re just lucky they let us be there. 9. Don't be scared of the girls in sports club, it's not like in the movies! 10. Do not think you'll be able to navigate Cottrell the first time round. Image Credit: The Wallace Monument
FOOD 26-27 22-23
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SCOTS PETITION AGAINST FAMILY VISA INCREASE
Lerwick, Shetland/Kirkwall, Orkney. Image Credits: Unsplash
By Emma Christie Last year, the UK Government announced new changes to visa requirements that will be implemented this spring. These requirements are meant to stop as many people moving into the UK since net migration reached a record high in 2022, according to the BBC To gain a skilled workers visa, you must now earn £38,700 or more per year. Before these changes, you had to earn either £26,200 per year, £10.75 per hour, or whatever the hourly pay for your job was – whichever was highest. A family visa – also known as a spouse/partner visa – will increase from £18,600 to £29,000 (and eventually around £38,700 within the next couple of years). Care workers overseas will no longer be allowed to bring their partners or children back to the UK with them. International students have also been impacted by these changes. Plans have been announced to limit the amount of international students who can bring family members with them to the UK, and changes to student visas are expected as the government reviews this route to prevent people “abusing” it. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used the first day of the year to back these plans. He posted on X (formerly Twitter): “From today, the majority of foreign university students cannot bring
family members to the UK. In 2024, we’re already delivering for the British people.” He states that this is for “the British people,” yet many across the UK have signed a petition to stop these visa changes. A map by Unboxed shows that the petition titled ‘Don’t increase the income requirement for family visas to £38,700’ has more than 38,000 signatures. Interestingly, the places with
affected by visa changes. He commented on why he thinks Shetland showed so much support. “I think Orkney and Shetland’s numbers are probably mainly because my family and I have been sharing the petition across all of our networks and the overall sample size is small enough for this to show up on the petition map,” he said. “That said, Orcadians and
the highest percentage of signatures in Scotland are Orkney and Shetland. 0.126 per cent of constituents in Orkney and Shetland have signed this petition. That’s a lot higher than most of central Scotland, with Stirling only clocking in 0.049 per cent of constituents that have signed. Mathew Nicolson is a Shetlander who met his fiancée Deepa whilst at university in Edinburgh. As Deepa is Malaysian, the couple will be
Shetlanders are generally very welcoming and supportive of migrants who make their lives in the islands, and I can believe that the recently announced immigration rule changes would have very little local support.” Brig asked if a lack of awareness of the petition in other areas could be affecting the amount of signatures. Nicolson said: “I think that’s probably the case. Another problem is that a lot of people have assumed the headlines
about a government ‘U-turn’, or ‘climbdown’ means that the policy has been scrapped, which isn’t the case. “The minimum income requirement for a spouse and family visas will still increase to £29,000 in April and the government still claims to be committed to increasing it to £38,700 in 2025. “But there has definitely been a reduction in the number of people signing the petition since the government updated its position, which I think is because many people incorrectly believed the situation has been resolved.” When talking about the impact that the visa change would have on his community, Nicolson talked about how immigration is beneficial to Shetland. “Shetland, like many of Scotland’s island communities, has an ageing population and is Image Credit: Mathew Nicolson (Left) Pexels.com (Below)
at risk of depopulation this century,” he said. “Immigration wouldn’t solely fix this problem (housing is a major problem for instance) but removing the rights of most Shetlanders to live with their families if they happen not to be British citizens, forcing Shetlanders in this position to emigrate to their partners’ countries or, in some cases, deporting people from the islands, will only make this demographic problem worse.” Nicolson recounted how open Shetlanders have been with their support for the petition and how locals are opposing the Government’s decision: “There’s been quite a lot of support, including from councillors in Shetland and our MP. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone in Shetland say they support the government’s changes to family visas.”
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9
MUSIC FILM & TV 10-11 12-13
BRAW 16-17
ARTS 18-19
GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES 20-21 22-23 24-25
STIRLING WEEKLY PUB CALENDAR
FOOD
By Elliot Johnston FOOD EDITOR
LOCAL STIRLING PRODUCERS TO SUPPORT IN 2024
Stirling is home to a wealth of amazing small businesses. As the cost-of-living crisis trundles on, these producers continue to be some of the worst affected. If you have the cash to spare, support them – your tastebuds will thank you.
Port Street greengrocers’ is unmatched (am I officially grown-up now? Or just sad?). The bright colours are a feast for the eyes and the owners are wonderful. Their social media is hilarious too. The quality of the fruit and veg is miles better than what you find in the supermarkets and cheaper than you’d expect. They do great soup kits too – all the fresh vegetables and seasonings you need for a different soup each week.
1. Ginger Roots
2. Hugh Black & Sons
By Freya Deyell
on Port Street. This will probably be a bit pricier than you’re used to, so shopping here will likely be for special occasions. Splurging is worth it though, again because of the quality. Low food miles mean it’s much better for the environment too.
can them grind to your desired size or just leave as whole beans. 4. Milk & Honey
You’ll need to be quick though, as sales go live at midday every Wednesday and they often sell out. Either collect from Riverside or get it delivered straight to your door. Bonus: Stirling Farmers Market
3. Stirling Coffee
Vanilla ice cream. Image credit: Milk & Honey Facebook
Coffee. Image credit: Stirling Coffee
Butcher. Image credit Scottish Craft Butchers Green grocer. Image credit: Ginger Roots Facebook
The joy I get from going into the
Once you’ve picked up your five-aday, you can wander on down to the butcher - also conveniently located
Making my morning coffee at home has become a solid part of my routine at university and only the best will do. I have 100 per cent turned into a coffee snob and I am owning it. I particularly love the refill tins at Stirling Coffee on King Street. They have a wide selection of roasts and
Is ice cream an essential food group? I would argue it definitely is. Be warned, however: once you try this stuff, nothing else will ever compare. This life-changing ice cream is made weekly in Riverside by a family-run business. The texture is incredibly smooth and even the ‘simple’ flavours like vanilla are next level. It’s perfect for a dinner party with friends or treating yourself and enjoying a whole tub.
The market on Port Street. Image credit: Stirling Farmers Market Facebook
And finally, a bonus as this isn’t just a single producer. Port Street is host to a regular farmers market, which showcases a variety of traders. From fish and cheese to pies and candles, there’s plenty to stock up your fridge and your home. Check out their Facebook page, Stirling Farmers Market, for more information on dates and sellers.
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FOOD
SOCIAL MEDIA IS HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE TO LOVE COOKING By Ross Collie
Social media has already taken over the worlds of politics and entertainment, and it’s now scrambling into the culinary realm too. It’s not just that family member taking photos of restaurant food or sharing the odd recipe anymore. Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest are awash with mouth-watering tutorials that make daunting recipes look like a piece of cake. The bitesize videos are pushing the food world into the modern age, just when it needed it most. Research over the past decade has warned that young people’s interest in food was dropping, with the Co-op finding a quarter of young Brits couldn’t make Spaghetti Bolognese. Almost half of those surveyed did not want to learn how to cook. Clearly, there is a confidence problem in the kitchen. To have a chance of reaching young people, the food world needs to follow them to where they are. That’s where social media comes in. There are new burgeoning communities of foodies, such as ‘FoodTok’ and ‘Foodstagram’. They have smashed down the barriers, allowing anyone to launch careers by showing their passion for food.
The social media home-cooks don’t have hefty production budgets like their TV counterparts, forcing them to keep it simple. The artlessness of the snappy videos, often accompanied by a recipe in the description, gives viewers a ‘you can do this too’ feeling. If you’re not convinced, even the traditionally damning Gordon Ramsay praised a video of a student making a Beef Wellington from their dorm room. There are some older foodies who criticise the new social media food frenzy, decrying a loss of traditionalism. But there is nothing about social media that stops someone from explaining a brief history and their love of a recipe, as is normally done in recipe books. Instead, social media is killing the elitism of the food industry and allowing anyone to publish their passed-down family recipes. Long-established methods from around the world can easily be immortalised and shared in a visual form before they fade into history. There are obvious risks with the boom of food content on social media. Many of the upcoming creators are not dieticians or food experts and may unwillingly promote unhealthy eating. But if we are going
Connected cooking. Image credit: Pexels.com
It’s nice to save TikTok videos of trendy restaurants to check out later. But let's be honest, for many of us student loans don’t exactly permit fine-dining experiences. It's much better to romanticise the eateries we can indulge in. In many ways, Tastebudz is the culinary epicentre of Stirling’s (admittedly small) nightlife and is known for having an exclusive guest list. Who hasn’t emerged from the dark sweaty depths of Fubar excited to rid themselves of that throbbing hunger. Only to find the gates of the takeaway closed to them. Those who have witnessed a Tastebudz ‘lock-in’ will attest to the feeling of exclusivity. The triumph of squeezing through the door as it's being shut and peering out at those that weren’t as lucky. When
YER GRAN'S LENTIL SOUP By Elliot Johnston FOOD EDITOR to turn the tide for the ‘can’t cook, won’t cook’ generation, filling a void in their food knowledge is better than nothing. Many young food creators are filling that space already, accompanied by other positive messages the world needs to hear. Food influencers offer a chance for young people to find relatable food content. It is now much easier to build communities for vegans, coeliacs and
Delectable donner meat. Image credit: Tastebudz
it's almost 12:45 am on a Thursday morning, and your options are Tastebudz or sad soggy cheese on toast, you better make sure you’re on the other side of that door. The immersive dining experience presents an open kitchen layout that invites diners into the cooking process. As the chefs carefully assemble your order it almost resembles a traditional Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, where the food is prepared before your eyes. They also have a deconstructed table service set up that allows you to deliver the food to your door, use your own cutlery and create your own entertainment via a carefully selected YouTube video. To start we were offered a selection of pakora paired with pink pigmented jus they called “pakora sauce”. It was light and airy next
BRIG'S BITES
Soup. Image credit: Elliot Johnston
other foodie groups to share their favourite recipes and methods. Social media is not the magic bullet to get young people back into the kitchen. Though just like a recipe, the way we use it will be refined with time. If it can be harnessed to have the same power as in the political and entertainment worlds, it may prove revolutionary for our future with food.
TASTEBUDZ: SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
By Rebecca Crockett
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to the rich batter and each pakora parcel was a mystery waiting to be unwrapped. Juicy chicken strips, beautiful pockets of mushrooms, and various unidentified vegetables. For the main course, we were
Burns Night is coming up and that calls for some proper Scottish food. Fight off the January blues with this super simple staple of every gran in Scotland. Cook time: 4 hours. Portions: 5-6 Ingredients: • •
treated to a British classic. Chips, cheese, and donner meat, doused in garlic and chilli sauce. The blend of sauces created a complicated flavour profile that meant the garlic was forced into fighting for superiority over the chilli. However, the flavours reconciled on the tongue in a grand conclusion. A particular star in this dish was the donner meat. Originally a Turkish delicacy, this slowly rotating delight has taken over late-night menus up and down the country. But Tastebudz has truly reinvented the spinning rotisserie with that hint of spice that creates a lovely undertone throughout the experience. All that is left to say is compliments to the entire Budz family, for a truly priceless meal. The legendary pakora. Image credit: Pexels.com
• • • •
500g Lentils 1 ham hock (Sold in Sainsburys) 1 large carrot (Grated) 1 large potato (Grated) ½ leek (Chopped finely) 4 ham stock cubes
Method: Step one: Boil your ham hock for two hours. Step two: Skim the fat and add veg and lentils. Step three: Simmer for two more hours. Step four: Remove the ham hock. Step five: Add your stock cubes then pepper to taste. Serve hot with crusty bread. Fredrick the food goose's Quick Tips! Make sure to stir a lot when you add in the lentils as they can burn easily. Meat will fall off the hock, this is good and gives loads of extra flavour. You won’t need any salt as the stock cubes have plenty in them.
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9
MUSIC FILM & TV 10-11 12-13
BRAW 16-17
ARTS 18-19
GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES 20-21 22-23 24-25
FOOD 26-27
SPORT
BRIG SPORT: REFLECTING ON 55 YEARS OF SPORTING COVERAGE By Emanuela Scalia and Nathan Hassett SPORTS EDITORS
With a look back to the 55 years of Brig Sport, sport in Stirling has been highlighted since 1969 with incredible changes and developments for our beloved sports teams here at the University of Stirling. Led by previous Director of physical recreation, professor, and now Doctor of the University Ian Thomson, it is no surprise that the University of Stirling is recognised as Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence and won ‘Sports University of the Year' in 2020. In 1970, Doctor Ian Thomson was pushing for three areas of improvement in our university sport: depth, coaching, and wide scale participation (see image). Thanks to these initiatives, over 50 years later, the University offers depth in participation through having multiple skill-leveled teams within sports clubs, with a large development in both male and female teams. Coaching opportunities are now sought for when preparing for training and games, and wide scale participation is achieved through the introduction of social teams for people to participate in at a recreational level. These initiatives have been successful in creating a fun, welcoming, and yet driven and successful sports atmosphere for students.
VOLLEYBALL MARKS THE BEGINNING OF SPORTS REPORTING In 1970, Volleyball was first introduced to the University of Stirling as a fast-moving sport with their competitive plans, and was one of the first sports reported in Brig. Within a ‘semester and a half,’ the club had already entered the Scottish University Championships in St. Andrews in April with regular wins throughout the season including Dundee University and Alloa Academy. In their 2019/2020 season, the club received the ‘Club of the Year’ award after winning their BUCS league and undergoing a fantastic season, with exemplary charity fundraisers and mental health campaigns. Now SUVC still stands strong playing in the Scottish Tier one league for both the men’s and women’s teams.
Excerpt from Brig in September 1970 detailing at-the-time Director of Physical Recreation Ian Thomson's prospects for sport.
MARATHON CHESS CHALLENGE ADDS VARIETY An extract from Brig in 1970 marks the start of sports coverage at the University.
Sports such as rugby, football and swimming receive their fair share of coverage, but Brig has always prided itself on reaching as many sports offered at the University. Shown here in 1982, Brig attended a marathon chess challenge, where mature student Terry Noyce conquered 24 of his 25 challengers in a truly mammoth effort. The chess club still remains at the University and whilst it hasn’t been covered by Brig in recent years, unique sports such as Quadball and Underwater Hockey have all featured in the print edition of the paper!
An extract from Brig in 1982 details a unique univrsity chess competition.
Image credit: University of Stirling
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Want to see your Sports Club featured in Brig? Reach out to us at sport@brignews.com!
BRIG DOESN'T JUST COVER THE 'MAJOR' SPORTS! In 1970, badminton grew to become an increasingly more popular sport within the University. With its growth in interest that year, the club was promised to be numerically one of the largest in the University. To this day, SUBC continues to be a successful club, with both mixed competitive first and second teams, and social members participating in the sport. Whilst the sport may have been seen as 'minor' in the '70s, the badminton club is a great accessible club that many can join this upcoming semester.
An extract from Brig in 1970 advertising the growth of badminton at the University.
SUBC still thriving as a popular club for all students.
SEEDS SOWN FOR BLOOMING FOOTBALL SUCCESS! Whilst Thompson outlined ambitions for increased depth in the sports clubs, the men’s football club had ambitions for success. 1970 marked their first year competing as a member of the Universities League, still known today as the Queen’s Park Shield. Stirling have gone on to win the shield 13 times, but their success has not been limited to the Queen’s Park Shield. The men’s first team are currently on a streak of four BUCS titles in a row and show no sign of slowing down, whilst the women’s team competes in the second tier of Scottish Women’s football. The men have also garnered a reputation as Scottish Cup giant killers, going as far as playing then Premiership club Dundee United in the 2022 competition. Thompson’s six-a-side tournament also thrives to this day in the form of social leagues organised by the University. An extract from Brig in 1970 reporting the Men's Football team joining the Universities league.
Stirling University Men's First Football team celebrate their fourth consecutive BUCS league title.
55 YEARS OF BRIG
Andrew Robson and John Turnbull, Sports Editors 2022/2023
"Tannadice was the clear standout fixture in a fantastic season for the club. covering the match was extremely rewarding and highlighhted the impact student journalism had on my university experience." -Andrew "The Dundee United game was the highlight of my student journalism experience. It was great to take that day in alongside the players and coaches, but working on it was a valuable insight into sports journalism at a professional level." -John
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NEWS 1-5
POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9
MUSIC FILM & TV 10-11 12-13
BRAW 16-17
ARTS 18-19
GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES 20-21 22-23 24-25
FOOD 26-27
SPORT
JAMIE SWINNEY: THE YOUNG CEO OF FALKIRK FC WHO IS GIVING THE CLUB BACK TO THE FANS By Nathan Hassett SPORTS EDITOR
Jamie Swinney, the CEO of Falkirk FC, finds himself in a unique position in football. At only 37, he controls the day-to-day running of a business which is also the passion of thousands of fans. The stakes are constantly high. So what motivates a young professional to accept the burden of these stakes? Swinney explained that it wasn’t part of the plan. “I remember talking to my dad,” he said. “He never went to college, he just came out of school and worked in a chemical plant in Grangemouth. I was sitting there and he was saying, ‘What are you going to do here? You can't just go to uni and do sport’. But that's what I wanted to do, it's a passion.” Whilst studying at the University of Stirling, Swinney briefly found himself in Brig and a potential career in journalism writing sports articles. “I had no idea if they were any good or not!” He said. “At least with sport I knew what I was talking about and I had a good understanding of football so I felt I could write an article.” This understanding of football continues to influence Swinney’s career path, which became clearer when he left university: “I started coaching young players from 10 to 16 and loved it. I absolutely loved coaching and that was just because of my love for football. The CEO role would’ve never crossed my mind if the academy I coached at hadn’t closed.” Swinney’s first foray into the boardroom was at Stenhousemuir, a club which he had previously been involved with on the community coaching team.
WHERE DOES SCOTTISH RUGBY GO NOW? A CHAT WITH RICHIE GRAY By Charlotte Suttcliffe EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Image credit: Scottish Rugby
After three years he was approached by his hometown club, but the transition was far from smooth. “The year I joined turned out to be the worst year the club's ever had in existence," he said. "When I came in in September 2021, it was under a previous board. And within two months of me starting, that whole board resigned. “So you go from being appointed by a group of guys to them all resigning, and the new board coming in.” Finishing in the bottom half of League One in his first season, Swinney found it difficult to remain emotionally disconnected from the on-pitch disappointment. “I found it really, really challenging mentally and at times we all struggled a little bit to cope with it,” he said. “If it was a club that I didn't care about, if it was just employment and that's all I saw it as, then I would be disappointed but I could live with it. Caring about the club makes the hard times harder. A lot harder.” Swinney’s task now is to steer the club clear of these hard times. To keep the club safe and to keep the fans happy. To achieve this, he needs their help. The Falkirk Supporters Society became majority shareholders of the club in May and currently contributes upwards of £100,000 to the budget. However, a statementin May said that the club needs £400,000 to run sustainably and successfully. When asked about the importance of this number, Swinney explained: “It's the closest thing to a guarantee that we’ll never end up This was meant to be Scotland’s Rugby World Cup. The team arrived in Paris with a top five world ranking, a win over the hosts in the summer test series and an impressive Six Nations championship. It wasn’t going to be easy. A draw made three years ago plunged Scotland into the tournament’s “group of death” with world number one Ireland and number two, South Africa. Their
CEO Of Falkirk FC Jamie Swinney is looking to give control of the club back to it's fans. Image credit: Falkirk FC
in the situation we did again, with a full academy, good infrastructure and a squad that puts us where we should be.” Fan ownership is an admirable, yet potentially unreliable model. Recognising this, Swinney has devised a system which, with the help of a richer single shareholder, should prevent potential
disasters. “It’d be a three-legged stool mode,” he said. “They won’t always be equal, but if you’ve got three legs, if one is struggling a bit, the other two can help. You’re not relying on one individual and the fans still own the club. “Motherwell, St Mirren and Hearts are fan-funded. Every
model is slightly different but it shows you that at the highest level, it can work.” It can work, and based purely on the passion with which Swinney talks of his vision for a fan-owned Falkirk FC, it would be hard to bet against him.
performances in the past 10 months moved them up to fifth in the world. Second row forward Richie Gray is no stranger to the highs and lows of Scottish Rugby, having appeared 78 times for his country since 2010, and going into his third World Cup, Gray was the most senior squad member and ready for the challenge. “We certainly went in with a lot of optimism, and rightly so,” he said, speaking last week after training with his club, Glasgow Warriors. “I think we'd been playing well. We believed that we had all the tools to win those games. It's come on from 2011 where you’re going into games hoping rather than believing you can get a result. Everybody was aware of the challenge this group faced, but the rules are the rules and you can't complain. “Going in at halftime it was 3-6. We had got ourselves back in the game and were feeling pretty good about it. Going back out to the second half, we definitely had
moments, we definitely had opportunities, we just couldn’t capitalise on it,” said Gray. The Springboks won 18-3. The next two games were positive but predictable, with a 47-17 win over Tonga and a record-breaking 84-0 win over Romania in which they scored 12 tries, their biggest tournament win since beating Ivory Coast 89-0 in 1995. All eyes looked towards Scotland’s final group game against Ireland, their last shot at qualification for the knock-out stage in which they needed to beat Ireland and score four tries. “We were outclassed,” admitted Gray, his tenth match against Ireland and the seventh on the losing side. “We could have done better, any error we made defensively they were able to capitalise on it with an attack and when we had the ball we weren’t ruthless enough." So, what next for Scotland? Richie Gray is the only survivor from the 2011 World Cup squad
and at 34 is one of the most senior members. His 6ft 10 stature and ability have allowed him to have a lengthy international career, but there is a strong chance 2023 will be his last World Cup. “In the short term we've got to take lessons from the World Cup. There's not much use in just saying it out loud,” he said. “We've got to look at what we can do better. It really is a bottom-up approach, and it can't be top down. I know those discussions have already been happening. I know the national team coaches have been doing a long review of the World Cup, the players have had their input as well just on how we can continue to improve. “We're not ripping up the playbook because we're doing a lot of good things. Certainly, the way we play, the style, our environment, it’s all very positive. It's just fine-tuning certain things that we continue to let us grow.”
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STIRLING UNIVERSITY WATER POLO SWIMMING THROUGH THE SEASON
Image credit: Dumyat Dragons
By Lucie Wiggins
QUADBALL: THE 'HARRY POTTER' SPORT CREATING SPACE FOR LGBT+ PEOPLE By Freya Deyell DEPUTY EDITOR You’ve definitely heard of quidditch, but maybe not quadball – the rebranded name for the sport inspired by Harry Potter. The fictional-turned-real game began to gain popularity on university campuses during the 2000s as the books and movies took the world by storm. Stirling is no exception. The Dumyat Dragons (named after the hill that overlooks the uni) are a small but mighty team of quadball players. Masters student Triskele Corbal is the club’s president and undergrad Hagi Batbayar is their VP: “It is similar, minus the flying part,” Corbal explained to Brig. “We have a broom, we have a pitch with three hoops like in the movies. It used to be more chaotic before. The snitch [an actual person IRL as opposed to a flying golden ball in the HP universe] could run away, take the train, swim somewhere, like really go far away. “They quickly stopped doing that because they realised it was impossible the finish the game, so the snitch stays on the pitch.”
The main objective remains scoring goals. Corbal describes it as a mix of rugby, dodgeball and basketball. On a personal level, the pair spoke about how they got involved with the sport. “I read [Harry Potter] quite late, almost when I was graduating high school,” Batbayar said. “I was just trying to catch up with all the Harry Potter things. I found out that people played quidditch in real life, then started looking for the universities that do… I was like ‘I’m definitely doing this.’” Corbal had a similar experience: “I used to hear about quidditch when I was in France and I always wanted to try, but I got injured and couldn’t do sport… I started in first year [at Stirling]. “I started to play because I like Harry Potter, like a lot of quadball players but it’s not a majority anymore because of JK Rowling.” The evolution of the books’ creator from hugely successful writer to someone who spreads hate speech on Twitter has been disappointing for fans to say the least. Rowling’s views on trans people are one of the reasons why the sport was rebranded and given a new name.
QuadballUK announced in a statement last year: “The name change indicates a firm stance with our trans players and members, as well as giving us more firm legal footing and opening up greater opportunities for funding and external partners.” The sport in its current form is rather unique regarding gender: it is completely mixed and full contact. Corbal had a complicated relationship with highly gendered sports growing up: “When I was younger, I didn’t realise I was genderfluid, but I was seen as a woman and I didn’t really like it. The atmosphere in quadball is really different… even if you’re not really good at it, you still have a space. “I know a lot of queer people who are insecure about their fitness… being in a team where you have the opportunity to do tournaments and there is no pressure [is great].” The Dumyat Dragons train every Wednesday from 1pm outside Airthrey Castle. It costs just £5 to join and a gym membership is not required. Read the full article on our website: brignews.com.
The Stirling University water polo team has made it to the halfway point of the season. With the women’s team currently in third place in the league with two games in hand, and the men’s team in second place, all is still to swim for in the second half of the season as both teams fight for the top spot. The women’s last match was played at the end of November against Edinburgh 2s, coming away with an outstanding win of 43-13. The match was high tempo from the first quarter until the last, with the home support not going unnoticed. The team focused on communication and team play, whilst also bringing into play their defensive work. Brig talked to Sophia Riemer, women’s captain, about the past semester: “A lot of us had not played together before university. We have been figuring out how to work successfully as a team both in and out of the pool. We currently stand at third place in the league but with many games to come, I am hopeful that we can move to the top this semester.” Riemer said. The men’s last league game was also against Edinburgh 2s where they secured yet another 17-10 win with some outstanding goals. With the men’s team struggling for numbers at the start of the season, they have managed to work hard with all new members and have the results to prove it.
SSS TROPHY TRIUMPH FOR MEN'S BASKETBALL By Nathan Hassett SPORTS EDITOR
Image credit: Jonathan Boomer
The University of Stirling men’s basketball team completed their remarkable run in the Scottish Student Sport National Trophy, beating Edinburgh University 8665 in the final. Standout scoring performances from Jack Hencher and William Kemp saw Stirling control the game throughout. Despite the magnitude of the game, Stirling started strong, as
they had in each of the previous rounds. 11 points from Hencher were crucial in building an 18-point lead in the opening quarter. It was Kemp who starred in the second quarter, pressurising the Edinburgh players and claiming several steals. The first he was able to benefit from, scoring from close range. He then turned provider for Hencher to
add a layup and Ammar Ilyas to score from distance. Stirling took a 47-30 lead into the third quarter and never looked in danger of losing their momentum. Edinburgh did show their physicality throughout with a number of offensive rebounds, but poor finishing left them with a 24-point deficit to claw back in the final quarter. It proved too
Image credit: Stirling University Water Polo
Brig also spoke to head coach Hannah Luke, on her take on the first half of the season. She explained: “Both teams have gone from strength to strength this semester. Everyone has been working hard and we have some cracking results to show for it. I have been immensely proud of everyone’s performance and dedication both in and out of the pool.” “They’ve both had a couple close matches that unfortunately did not go our way in the end. However, I know everyone is looking forward to some rematches this term. I am excited to get back to training and I am sure we will see some more outstanding performances in the near future.” Luke added The following half of the season is set to be interesting and upbeat for both teams with more intense games lined up as they battle for the top of the league. The first match back is the women’s team playing at home against Robert Gordon on January whilst the men are away to Aberdeen.
much of a task however as Stirling continued to score freely. Evan Docherty stole the ball and broke clear in the final seconds to score and seal a famous victory for Stirling Basketball.
VOL.54 ISSUE.2
23 JANUARY 2024
YEARS OF SPORTING EXCELLENCE