Brig Newspaper: Volume 53 Issue 3

CATHOLIC SOCIETY SUSPENDED OVER SUPPORTING AN ANTIABORTION PROTEST

HAZARDOUS HOCKEY PITCHES INJURING STUDENTS

LEEN ALI ELECTED AS UNION PRESIDENT

By Charlotte Sutcliffe ELECTIONS EDITOR

Leen Ali has been named this year’s Union President, winning 648 votes from the student body. The African Caribbean society president ran a strong campaign, focusing on the four areas of accessibility, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity and communication.

Campaigning for the past two weeks had been an intense time for all 29 candidates.

“The stress feels all worth it, but I would like to remember the reason

that I ran and the reason why this role is important and the change that I am making,” she said.

Ali had a very interesting look into the student’s needs. Although, of course, wanting to look at the cost of living crisis and other national issues, she also identified the day to day problems students face and the importance of dealing with more localised issues that are often sidelined. These included the booking system, library hours and the Stirling bus system. She is most passionate about communication, saying: “Links need to be addressed as soon as

possible, in every possible way, and in every aspect in order to succeed. From there then, the day to day student issues like buses, food banks they are all really important.”

Ali wants to utilise the screens around the University to promote student-based projects, so students have access to these facilities and events. She wants to encourage a more interactive use of the Macrobert Arts Centre.

When asked what she would like to say to the students of Stirling, she said: “I’m here to hear you guys out.

CLIMATE PROTESTERS CAUSE CARNAGE AT WALLACE MONUMENT

By Rebecca Kerr NEWS EDITOR

Two climate activists have been arrested after smashing the case of William Wallace’s sword in the Wallace Monument on Thursday March 2.

The protesters have been identified as Kat Chan and Xander Cloudsey, both members of campaign group ‘This is Rigged’.

‘This is Rigged’ are calling on the Scottish Government to oppose all new fossil fuel projects in Scotland, stating that they will “continue in civil resistance” until their demands are met.

“I never realised how much this means for so many students and who approached me just wanting to be heard.

“I feel like already I’m starting to help others have a voice, although I don’t currently have a voice.”

Ali is also passionate about better lighting around campus to make sure people feel safe at night.

She wanted to commend the other candidates saying how much she valued being around who she was running against...

FULL STORY ON P16

The pair were filmed spray painting and smashing rocks against the case of the iconic sword, once used by William Wallace in the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.

Protester Kat Chan said: “111 years ago, the suffragettes stood in this spot to fight for their freedoms and rights. 600 years ago, William Wallace defended our freedoms with this sword. Now it’s time for us to do the same and stand up our rights.”

One of the rocks used to smash the glass case was painted to say: ‘Your liberties were won by the sword. Your rights were won by the suffragettes...

The pair were filmed vandalising the case of the iconic sword. Image Credit: This is Rigged

Tash Miller (current Union President), Leen Ali (new Union President), Murray Bushell (Sports President), Katie Gethings (VP Education), Zoe Crosher (new VP Communities) and Jess Reid (current VP Communities), left to right. Image credit: Jonathan Boomer

WALLACE MONUMENT TARGETED IN 'A DEPLORABLE ACT OF VANDALISM' BY CLIMATE PROTESTERS

EDITORIAL

By Isla Glen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

This is my final paper as Editorin-Chief and it’s arrived so fast. When I joined Brig in my first year, I didn’t expect to end up leading the paper.

Somehow, by doing what I enjoyed, I ended up here and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I’m so happy to have contributed all that I can to this amazing newspaper.

Like many, my university experience has been disrupted by the pandemic. There was a point where I wasn’t sure if we’d ever get to produce a paper. I always preferred the digital side of journalism and yet here I am devastated that I’ll never sit in the stress zone of the Media Office again, surrounded by editors furiously typing and perfecting their pages.

My highlight of the year has to be winning Best Scottish Student Publication for the third year in a row at the Regional Student Publication Awards. Not only was it a hat trick, but it was also a testament to the continued hard work and dedication of Brig’s team.

In this issue, we bring you a jampacked elections special. Find out who will be leading your union next year and what they stand for. Enjoy a film festival page, some top-notch sports coverage and Stirling food reviews.

To my team, I want to say a heartfelt thank you for making my time as Editor-in-Chief an unforgettable experience.

It has been an honour to work with such talented and dedicated individuals.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to our readers for their support. Brig has flown off the stands this year and we’ve racked up thousands upon thousands of website views. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Enjoy this edition and make sure you’re following us on social media to keep up to date with the latest.

By Rebecca Kerr NEWS EDITOR

Two climate activists have been arrested after smashing the case of William Wallace’s sword in the Wallace Monument on Thursday March 2.

The protesters have been identified as Kat Chan and Xander Cloudsey, both members of campaign group ‘This is Rigged’.

‘This is Rigged’ are calling on the Scottish Government to oppose all new fossil fuel projects in Scotland,

stating that they will “continue in civil resistance” until their demands are met.

The pair were filmed spray painting and smashing rocks against the case of the iconic sword, once used by William Wallace in the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.

Protester Kat Chan, said: “111 years ago, the suffragettes stood in this spot to fight for their freedoms and rights. 600 years ago, William Wallace defended our freedoms with this sword. Now it’s time for us to do the same and stand up for

our rights.”

One of the rocks used to smash the glass case was painted to say: ‘Your liberties were won by the sword. Your rights were won by the suffragettes. We must once against fight for what is right.’

‘No new oil and gas. Fair transition now’.

Stirling Council has branded this as a “deplorable act of vandalism on one of Scotland’s greatest treasures,” adding:

“Staff responded in line with security protocols and police were

called to deal with the shameful incident. The [Wallace] Monument was closed for a short period of time to make the area safe and has now re-opened.

“We are currently assessing whether there is any damage to the historic Wallace Sword and the cost of repairs.”

Following this “outrageous defacement”, visitors will now be denied access to the sword until further notice.

CATHOLIC SOCIETY SUSPENDED OVER SUPPORTING AN ANTI-ABORTION PROTEST

By Isla Glen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Stirling University’s Union has suspended its Catholic Society for supporting an anti-abortion protest outside a Glasgow hospital. Complaints were made after the society made a social media post in support of the ’40 Days for Life’ campaign and had arranged for a minibus to take them to Glasgow from Stirling for the protest.

The international campaign aims to “end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses”.

Supporters of 40 Days for Life have been protesting at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and plan to every day for the entirety of Lent, which is from February 22 until April 6.

The society also attended 40 Days

for Life protests last year.

The Catholic society’s post read: “40 Days for Life started this Ash Wednesday and it is hoped some students can join.

“There will be a minibus leaving St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Stirling at 3pm to take students and others to pray (for an hour, 4-5pm) for the most vulnerable in our society – the unborn – and to combat the brutality of Abortion through peaceful prayer only.

“We’re usually back around 6pm. This will take place 5-6 Saturdays throughout Lent at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Glasgow.

“If you are interested in attending please either turn up on the day or get in touch for more info. Many thanks to 40 Days for Life and God Bless.”

In a social media statement, Vice President Communities Jess Reid said: “Earlier this morning, we received complaints regarding an

affiliated society’s support of the 40 Days for Life protests and plans for students to attend this protest.

“This goes against our values and policy as a Students’ Union as well as my own. I am extremely angry and disappointed to have taken this action.

“To be part of our Union all societies have agreed that ‘The Club/ Society will adhere to the Students’ Union’s ED&I Policy’. Within this policy it states;

“No one should be denied opportunities or should face any form of discrimination, including harassment and bullying, based on any of the following protected characteristics: Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Race, Religion or Belief, Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Pregnancy and Maternity.’

“In addition to this, in October 2022, with the support of my fellow Officers, I passed a motion that our

Union will campaign in support of the Safe Access (Abortion Services) Scotland Bill. This motion includes that the Union is to ‘actively oppose all anti-choice protests and activities across Scotland’.

“Therefore, the decision has been made to suspend the society while there is an ongoing investigation into these complaints. I will always support any person’s right to access Abortion Services safely and believe wholeheartedly that we have taken the right action.”

Green MSP Gillian Mackay is introducing legislation to create abortion buffer zones outside of medical facilities.

This would introduce safe zones at all medical facilities that provide abortion care.

It would become a criminal offence to contravene the provisions of a safe access zone.

The Stirling Catholic Society has been approached for comment.

Visitors will be denied access to the sword until further notice. Image Credit: This is Rigged

STUDENTS PROTEST ‘WAR CRIMINAL’ ALASTAIR CAMPBELL’S VISIT TO CAMPUS

By Susie Hare

On March 1, students gathered outside the Logie Lecture Theatre where Alastair Campbell’s lecture on ‘Fixing our broken politics: we cannot give up, we have to get involved’ was held.

Alastair Campbell was invited to lecture for this year’s Andrew Williamson Trust Lecture. The honorary lecture was established in memory of the late student Andrew John Williamson, who died in a car accident while studying politics at the university.

Campbell, who is frequently nicknamed ‘Spin Doctor’, was the Press Secretary and spokesperson for former Prime Minister Tony Blair and then later for the Labour Party in the early 2000s.

HAZARDOUS HOCKEY PITCHES INJURING STUDENTS

By Andrew Robson NEWS EDITOR

The hockey pitches at the University of Stirling have been called into question after a series of reports that students have suffered serious injuries on the surface.

Since the new year, many students have complained about the ‘slippiness’ of the sand-based artificial pitch at the sports centre. Third-year psychology student Emma Scott broke her wrist while training on the pitch.

Scott blames the pitch entirely for her injury. She said: “The pitch was really the only reason for my injury, I slipped in one of the corners during training.

“The corners are the most dangerous areas of the pitch as they have the most buildup of dirt and moss.”

Scott, who has played hockey for over 14 years and is currently a member of the ladies 2XI, added: “In most games many people fall without outside influence and this is not the case when we play matches away on different pitches.

“We could just be clumsy but I think that the rate of falls definitely decreases when we play away.”

Scott is not alone. There are reports that there have been a series of serious injuries on the pitch of late, including a sprained ankle and a dislocated knee. Sports President Murray Bushell confirmed that the

Sports Union and Sports Centre are aware of a ‘couple of injuries’ in the last few months.

Scott says she is ‘worried’ that others could be sidelined like her.   Furthermore, there has been speculation that the Sports Centre are aware of the issue, but in efforts to alleviate the slippiness have just been throwing more sand on the pitch. When asked about these claims, the University did not comment.

Sports Union President Murray Bushell said: “The Sports Union and Sports Centre have been made aware that there have been a couple of injuries on the pitch in the last few months and have been supporting those members who sustained injuries.

“The Sports Union were made aware that testing of the Hockey pitch has taken place in recent months and the pitch has been re-certified as compliant with International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey Turf and Field Standards.

“We are not aware of any ongoing conversations to replace the pitch, however, discussions are always ongoing between both ourselves and the Sports Centre to make sure we are always improving and making the sporting experience the best and safest it can be for all our students.

“The Sports Union do not have anything to do with maintenance of pitches but we know the Sports

Centre and groundstaff do a fantastic job in maintaining all of our facilities and look to keep them at the highest possible standard.

“We have full confidence that any complaints or safety issues will be dealt with efficiently and effectively to make sure all members are safe and can get the most fulfilment from playing.”

The University of Stirling was asked if there are any safety issues associated with the pitch, if there are ongoing discussions to replace the pitch, and if the reports that staff have been throwing sand on the pitch to help alleviate slippiness are true.

In response, a spokesperson for the University of Stirling Sport said: “The hockey pitch is subject to a stringent maintenance programme and monitored by our external contractors.

“The pitch was tested in January 2023 and re-certified as compliant with the requirements of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey Turf and Field Standards.

“While we are confident of the pitch’s safety standards, we take any complaints or concerns seriously.

“All our sports facilities are subject to regular review, against recommended lifespan milestones, to ensure they remain the best possible spaces for our students, staff and community users.”

opinion for the British invasion of Iraq.”

While the lecture took place, the protesting students chanted “No justice, no peace. No warmongers on our streets.”

Organiser Josh Parsonage from the SSYS said that the protest was an opportunity for young students to show that they don’t want to be “passed on the baton of British imperialism”.

Students' Union President, Tash Miller, was at the protest supporting students as she believed enough of the student body were protesting and that the invited speaker, Campbell, was someone who did not uphold the University of Stirling’s values.

He worked for the Labour government before and during the Iraq War. Campbell was part of the team that released the ‘September Dossier’ which essentially led to the British invasion of Iraq with the help of the United States.

The Iraq inquiry did not find that said document was altered on the instructions of Campbell to match with what President Bush had stated in a speech. However, strong claims saying that he had been in charge of “sexing up” the document were investigated.

The claim in question was that the Iraqi military had weapons of mass destruction that were threatening both the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. The document claimed that the Iraqi government could deploy those weapons within 45 minutes – this was reported to have been included at the insistence of Alastair Campbell, according to the late weapons expert David Kelly.

When Campbell arrived at the lecture theatre, he was greeted by booing from the gathered students. This did not seem to faze Campbell as he laughed while passing the protesting students who were behind barriers.

Scottish Socialist Youth Stirling (SSYS) organised the protest. Brig spoke to member Morgan LewisWilson on why they were protesting his visit.

He said: “Campbell played a key role in manufacturing public

She questioned why a person who does not uphold those values was invited to speak.

VP Communities, Jess Reid, added that it is the role of the Sabbatical officers to uphold the values of the Student Union. She said: “[I will] always support our students in their fight against discrimination, against imperialism and against people like Alastair Campbell.”

Only one person raised the Iraq War and asked about the impact of his government’s actions at that time. Campbell replied that he had not really considered it and mentioned how the protestors outside see him “as the Devil”. A student at the protest spoke about their experience as the child of someone who suffers trauma from the Iraq War. The speaker emphasised how people like Alastair Campbell are benefiting from the invasion, saying: “Western profits over Middle Eastern lives.”

University Vice-Chancellor Gerry McCormac was asked about the protesters, he said: “I think they have the right to protest… that’s what is important in society… unfortunately if they were to listen to him, they would have a better perspective on what the issues are.”

When Brig reached out to Alastair Campbell, he stated that he was “very pleased to be asked to do the lecture” and that he was “pleased too to see that student protest is alive and well”.

Many students have complained about the 'slippiness' of the pitch. Image Credit: Jonathan Boomer

Scottish Socialist Youth Stirling (SSYS) organised the protest. Image Credit: Simi Borovská

STUDENTS SHOW SUPPORT FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY SYRIA AND TURKEY EARTHQUAKE

SUPERMARKETS HIT BY FRESH FOOD SHORTAGES

By Carly McKim

Students at the University of Stiring are showing support for those affected by the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.

Members of the Middle Eastern and North African society (MENA) and Student Action for Refugees (STAR) hosted a fundraiser and vigil on Thursday February 23.

On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria in the early hours of the morning.

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake then struck the Turkey-Syria border region two weeks after this, causing even more devastation.

More than 46,000 people have died and this number continues to rise.

These are two nations that have endured a great deal of loss, devastation, and misery during the past twenty years.

According to reports, twelve years of war have left Syria with 6.9 million people internally displaced as of 2021.

With more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees living there, Turkey is one of the greatest refugee-hosting nations in the world. Most Syrian refugees in Turkey live outside the refugee camps, limiting their access to essential services.

It is unclear how much this catastrophe has exacerbated these pre-existing difficulties while the search for survivors continues.

The fundraiser and vigil hoped to highlight these issues and the groups say they are “calling on everyone in the Stirling area to please join us at both events and show their support for every single person affected.”

The fundraiser was held on campus with middle eastern snacks and sweets, baked goods and

Arab chai on sale as well as face painting, temporary tattoos and henna available.

An estimated £1,800 has been raised by the societies.

The vigil was held in Stirling town centre at 6pm at the Roundall, allowing members of the public to take part and show their support.

There was music playing and speeches were being given from those who have been directly affected by this, expressing their grief for loved ones who have died from the earthquake.

The vigil provided a space for individuals to pause for a moment of silence and pray or reflect on this terrible loss.

The vigil was a sad yet a beautiful show of support from the people of Stirling.

Brig spoke to Aliyah, a first year student who is currently MENA’s Interim PR manager. They spoke on what they hope to achieve through this fundraising and why this cause means so much to them.

They said: “ The fundraiser was to raise money because there’s a lot of charities and donations that are going around from local people in Stirling. They’ve received a lot of clothes but the thing is, clothes can only do so much.

“Buildings, homes and hospitals have crashed. People have lost lives. So to try and get them back on their feet, the least that we can do is start raising some sort of funds.

“We were thinking we might as well start a massive fundraiser to raise money to help people build their homes back, build their cities back even. Now what hurts us is that Syria has already been impacted by the war and everything.

“Turkey has a thriving economy, it is going to impact them aswell – I would like to believe that this is not the last event or fundraiser that we’ll do.”

Stirling supermarkets are experiencing ‘poor stock’ of fresh fruit and vegetables, amid national shortages.

Major retailers have began rationing produce like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Tesco in Stirling has limited tomatoes to three packs per customer, in an effort to prevent bulk-buying and to ensure that “everyone can get what they need.”

Sainsbury’s in Stirling is also experiencing supply challenges on their fresh and vegetables, with several shelves laying bare of stock. They have apologised to customers but “hope to be back in full supply soon.”

The shortage of fresh fruit and vegetables is said to be due to extreme weather conditions in Spain and Northern Africa, where a significant portion of the produce sold

in UK supermarkets comes from.

However, Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed has voiced concern that this does not paint the full picture.

She said: “Reports of full shelves in Spain make clear that the poor harvest is not the only issue at stake here. Post-Brexit chaos, and the limits on trade that it brings, makes it more difficult to resolve supply chain issues.

“The food and drinks sector in the UK, and by extension the population, continues to bear the brunt of disastrous Conservative policies.

“The Conservative-made cost of living crisis has led to a surge in energy prices, making it extremely difficult for farmers here in the UK to use heated greenhouses to produce certain crops over the winter. As a result, British farmers are struggling to plug the gap.”

Unlike supermarket giants Tesco

and Sainsbury’s, the independent grocer ‘Ginger Roots’ on Port Street is stocked up on sought-after produce, posting to social media that there is “nowt rang with our shelves… just saying”.

Evelyn Tweed has urged people in Stirling to shop for their fresh produce in businesses like Ginger Roots, saying: “Independent local grocers have assured me that they are well stocked and I would encourage constituents to support local businesses and shop local.

“The Scottish Government is monitoring the situation closely and has been assured that there is currently enough stock if everyone buys responsibly. The situation is expected to improve week on week.”

By Rebecca Kerr NEWS EDITOR

KILTED KANGAROO AMONG WINNERS AT STIRLING’S FIRST BUSINESS AWARDS

By Dec Magee

Ten of Stirling’s independent businesses were recognised at an awards ceremony last month.

The Stirling Business Awards, run by Go Forth Stirling BID, were the first business awards to take place in the city.

The awards were presented at an event at the Golden Lion Hotel. The ceremony, presented by DJs from Central FM, featured a performance from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

The winners were decided by the public – who cast more than 16,000 votes in the run-up to the ceremony.

Among the winners were Vera’s Artisan Bakery, who won ‘Café/ Coffee Shop of the Year’. They told Brig that they “are very grateful that the community in Stirling

voted for us.”

Fletcher’s, who won ‘Restaurant of the Year’, told us they “are absolutely delighted to receive the award for Stirling’s Restaurant of the Year especially with the challenges that [their] industry just now.”

They added that winning was a “testament to the hard work of our whole team and we could not be more proud of how far we have come since opening in 2019”.

Kilted Kangaroo took to Facebook to thank everyone that had voted for them, they beat Molly Malones and Meraki to win ‘Pub/Bar of the Year’.

Full list of winners:

Restaurant of the Year – Fletcher’s Pub of the Year – Kilted Kangaroo

Café/ Coffee Shop of the Year –

Vera’s Artisan Bakery

Hair and Beauty Business of the

Year – FrownDocs Skincare Clinic

Unique Retailer of the Year –Tinkerbells Emporium

Retailer of the Year – Joanie’s Music

Visitor Attraction of the Year –Stirling Distillery

Professional Services Business of the Year – Nevermore Tattoo and Piercing Studio

Charity of the Year – Stirling Carers Centre

Outstanding contribution to Stirling – Creative Stirling and Made in Stirling

During the awards ceremony, a raffle was also held raising money for Strathcarron Hospice – raising over £1500.

Go Forth Stirling BID have confirmed that they intend to hold the awards annually, so that they “can continue to highlight and reward the city’s independent businesses.”

An estimated £1,800 has been raised by the societies. Image Credit: Laila Hisham

Tesco and Sainsbury's have began rationing tomatoes and other produce. Image Credit: Rebecca Kerr

WINGS OVER SCOTLAND CALLS STIRLING STUDENT ‘WEE PR*CK’

By Andrew Robson NEWS EDITOR

Controversial political commentator Stuart Campbell labelled Stirling student Alex Swanson a “wee woke SNP Students prick”.

Swanson was speaking on BBC News where he was questioned on the ongoing SNP leadership contest.

However, following his appearance on the show, Campbell was quick to write a post on his blog, feeling particularly aggrieved at the BBC’s coverage of Ash Regan’s leadership campaign, he

questioned Swanson’s airtime.

In the blog post titled ‘The Old Ways’, he said: “Just 90 seconds of the package was given over to an extract of her [Ash Regan’s] speech.

“Most of the remaining five and a half minutes was inexplicably devoted to the opinions of Alexander Swanson, a chubby-faced, Englishaccented inhabitant of – ALERT KLAXON! ALERT KLAXON! –Stirling University.

“Even we’ve never heard of this particular member of the party’s hyperwoke student wing, but for some bewildering reason the BBC decided it was far more important that we find out what he thought

STIRLING RESTAURANT NAMED ‘BEST TAKEAWAY IN SCOTLAND’

Chicken Union has been named ‘Best Takeaway in Scotland’ at the Just Eat Restaurant Awards 2023.

The restaurant, based on Friars Street, specialises in Korean fried chicken and is becoming increasingly popular with locals in town, regularly selling out of their food.

Despite opening in 2021, Chicken Union has only grown since then and has no plans to slow down. Their menu includes various Korean dishes – from fried chicken to gyozas – and they are always introducing new dishes to their menu, ensuring that there is something for everyone.

Brig spoke to Kieran Chan who has worked for Chicken Union since they first opened. He said he is immensely proud to work for “such a hardworking, genuine, down-toearth” business.

“We, as a team, have been nothing but hardworking to build the business to where it is now.

“For Ken (the boss), he has been professional in delivering the service as well as delivering his personality into the food and service too – just always giving a smile, being friendly and genuine.”

By AJ Whyte

SUBMITTED FOR NEW PRIVATE STUDENT ACCOMMODATION IN STIRLING

Plans have been submitted to develop the site of a storage building into new student accommodation in Stirling town centre.

If successful, the development will house 16 students in total.

It is proposed that the existing storage building would be converted into two student flats accommodating eight people – a flat of five and a flat of three. Additionally, adjacent to the current building a new building will be erected in a very ‘similar style’ which will also house eight students.

The proposals are for the land to the south of 21 Dumbarton Road, accessed through Crosbie’s Court.

There is existing student accommodation in the area with Carters

than the actual candidate.

“Regan, in fact, was barely even mentioned in the conversation. Swanson started off by praising Humza Yousaf, spent a fair amount of time attacking Kate Forbes, and then expounded at length on the Gender Recognition Reform bill, the SNP’s coalition with the Greens and the party’s independence strategy, spouting flatly false statements with not the tiniest hint of challenge from the presenter, who served him up a series of softball invitations to share his wholly irrelevant views with the confused audience wondering who the hell this was and what he had to do

with anything.

“Swanson got more than three times as much airtime as Regan, to basically act as an unbilled Humza Yousaf spokesman.”

Swanson is the national organiser of the SNP’s student wing.

In response to the post, Swanson said: “Stuart Campbell’s ridiculous hatred of Stirling University and young people is embarrassing.

“The fact that he’s in his 50s and yet still cannot deal with different opinions on matters relating to trans rights and independence is pathetic.”

CAMPUS CENTRAL WINS TWO PRIZES AT SCOTTISH PROPERTY AWARDS

By Gergő Pap

Campus Central received the Architectural Excellence Award (Public Use) and Refurbishment of the Year Award at the Scottish Property Awards in Edinburgh on February 23.

Judges praised the high-quality work that repurposed the campus in a dramatic transformation of the civic space.

The Scottish Property Awards is an independent annual competition which honours achievements in the real estate sector. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the awards.

Designed by Page\Park Architects, Campus Central was opened in 2021 to offer more space for studying, socialising, and is currently home to the Student Services Hub.

Page\Park described the new extension as offering “a new gateway to the campus, while providing a vibrant learning environment.”

After the refurbishment works the area now includes individual and group study spots, collaborative

Yard Student Accommodation across the road from the potential new site.

Cheryle Cowan, a neighbour who opposes the planning application, commented: “I note that there is no parking provision within the planning application of this multi occupancy development.

“I have concerns this will place significant pressure upon on street parking in the surrounding area where there is already a lack of capacity."

The plans have been submitted by Crawford Holdings Ltd in collaboration with Falkirk based architectural firm Helix Architecture Studio.

The planning application is still currently awaiting a decision.

meeting rooms, a seminar room and a redesigned box office for the Macrobert Arts Centre.

The project involved the pedestrianisation of Queen’s Court which enhanced the natural landscape

setting and opened up more outdoor socialising space.

Campus Central is also featured among 12 other nominees for the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Awards later this year.

LOCH VIEW WELLBEING SUITE OPENS TO STUDENTS

The Wellbeing Suite has officially been announced to students after months of trial.

The suite initially opened its door to students last September through word of mouth to see how the space worked and to get feedback from students themselves.

The Loch View Wellbeing Suite is situated in the Cottrell Building, room 2A1, beside the Queens Court Entrance.

The space is open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for students to come and go as they please. The doors are open to every student.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer, Fiona Glashan, said she

feels like the space is now at a place to be introduced to more students.

“It’s a safe space, it’s a relaxing space and I think that it just ties in with what we know people are looking for.

“There has been a lot of changes […] with the pandemic and with other sort of stressors [such as] the cost-of-living crisis. There is a lot going on and sometimes, you know, the space, it’s free, its open and people can use the resources.”

The suite offers a wide range of resources such as books, games, arts and crafts, weighted blankets and more that students can use as they please.

Alternatively, students can use

the space to study and be productive or just relax.

The space has sensory-sensitive lighting, mindful music along with a diffuser of fragrances added to relax and de-stress students.

With a sensory room which was designed by a group of students from the Student Union with University funding, the suite has considered how they can cover everyone’s needs.

Fiona said that the suite “is still a work in progress” and she is “constantly speaking to students” when she can about the space.

By Rio Kerr

Swanson is the national organiser of the SNP's student wing. Image Credit: Alex Swanson

Chicken Union opened in 2021. Image Credit: Just Eat Restaurant Awards PLANS

Campus Central was designed by Page\ Park. Image Credit: Gergő Pap

Hostile Environment Has Gone Too Far

By Abi McLean and Susie Hare

The rhetoric being spread across the United Kingdom in recent years has become prejudiced and unwelcoming to those arriving here to seek protection.

The ‘hostile environment’ was created by Theresa May, when she was Home Secretary. Famously, she said “the aim is to create, here in Britain, a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants.” There is no such thing as an illegal immigrant. Yet what followed was a series of policies introduced by consecutive Conservative governments that would restrict the rights of those seeking asylum in the UK.

Just over a year ago, Ukraine was invaded by Russia, which caused the displacement of over eight million Ukrainian refugees across Europe. The world quickly reacted with a huge message of support, and it was incredible.

Westminster made provisions to allow Ukrainian refugees to stay in the UK for three years under a settlement scheme. So far, over 269,000 people have used this

scheme to settle in the UK. The media made an overwhelming impact on the treatment of the Ukrainian refugees settling across the UK, in comparison to the language employed by media outlets when they refer to any other asylum seekers seeking protection.

The asylum seekers crossing the channel from France are particularly targeted by the media and politicians. The current government is attempting to criminalise the crossing of the Channel via small boats, claiming it would break down the business model of people smugglers. The United Nations has contradicted this claim and reiterated that the UK would be breaking international law if they begin to criminalise any means of entry by asylum seekers to the country.

Despite this, the government and the media still ostracise those crossing the Channel, and proposals have been made to remove asylum claiming rights for them. This is in spite of fewer refugees’ capabilities to arrive through safe routes, as the numbers made clear even pre-pandemic and the evidence in the Refugee Council’s ‘The Truth about Channel Crossings’ report confirmed. The document

Fossil fuel companies raked in nearly $200 billion in 2022: Make polluters pay NOW

By Ludovico Caminati Engstrom

Five of the biggest fossil fuel companies made $190bn in profits in 2022, while 45% of UK residents struggle to pay their energy bills, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A cost-of-living crisis, soaring energy prices, looming climate change, earthquakes, and war –the world is looking bleak while the executives and shareholders of these polluting companies are busy stacking their massive profits.

BP recently announced a record profit of $28bn, and Shell made $40bn, their highest profits in 115 years. Exxon Mobile and Chevron have also seen their profits soar, with $55bn and $35bn respectively. TotalEnergies announced

record-breaking profits of $36bn, doubling the amount of the previous year.

“This situation is sickening,” tweets Nick Dearden, Director of the UK-based NGO, Global Justice Now, condemning the exorbitant profits made by BP and Shell. “BP is responsible for more global historic emission than most countries on earth, yet has no plans to stop polluting."

Research led by Global Justice Now shows that the five biggest fossil fuel companies (Shell, BP, Exxon Mobile, Chevron, and TotalEnergies) are responsible for four times the amount of historic CO2 emissions of the 150 least emitting countries combined.

“These obscene profits are all the more offensive because they’re enriching the companies most

highlights that at least 60 per cent of those attempting the Channel journey would be recognised as refugees if the UK government processed their asylum application. Instead, the media and politicians have spread a dishonest campaign for legislation which will leave tens of thousands of asylum seekers in an inhumane limbo, with risk of homelessness, poverty, and detention. What these parties additionally fail to mention is that this legislation comes with a considerable financial implication which has an indicative cost of up to £980m per year for the UK taxpayer. Last year, the position of Home Secretary changed a few times during Cabinet reshuffles, but it was primarily held by Priti Patel and Suella Braverman (the current Home Secretary). The former spearheaded the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, which has been criticised as one of the most inhumane pieces of legislation to pass through the House of Commons. Patel also introduced the Rwanda policy. Braverman has continued to pursue the Rwanda policy, stating that it was her “dream” to see the deportation flights take off. The language used has been linked

responsible for the climate crisis,” said David Hillman, spokesperson for the campaign Make Polluters Pay, an alliance of organisations in the UK calling to tax the fossil fuel giants.

Fossil fuel companies have always profited profusely from their climate-wrecking endeavour. However, the increase in profits is due to the war in Ukraine, and the sanctions applied to Russia’s gas which used to be the biggest provider of Europe, resulting in soaring energy prices.

What is worse is that oil and gas companies are now scaling back on their climate targets due to pressure from governments and investors to prevent energy shortages and provide energy security.

The fossil fuel industry is undeniably criminal. They are using the same strategy the tobacco industry was employing 50 years ago: denying, deceiving, business as usual, funnelling money into lobbies and misinformation.

Just like Big Tobacco claiming that cigarettes were healthy, Exxon Mobile knew about the man-made rising CO2 emissions and predicted the consequences in the 1970s. As you can imagine, to protect their profits, not only they said nothing,

to the rise of right-wing anti-refugee sentiment that has led to serious attacks on the hotels and processing centres that house asylum seekers awaiting their claims.

The beginning of February saw a large attack on a hotel in Knowsley, Liverpool, where a police van was lit on fire and peaceful demonstrators trying to support the asylum seekers had been trapped until the area was cleared by the police. This is not an isolated incident. Right-wing group Britain First regularly organises protests outside hotels accommodating asylum seekers. In November 2022, a processing centre in Dover was bombed with a staff member being injured.

These attacks have been spurred on by the increased use of dangerous rhetoric. Misinformation and phrases like “invasion” create a tension between those who are vulnerable and those consuming these kinds of discourse.

This is not the first time the politicalisation of asylum seekers has led to dangerous situations.

In the early 2000s, the Labour government at the time had been using similar dangerous

they started throwing money at anyone that would support their climate denial propaganda, starting with corrupt politicians.

Flash news: governments are not doing anything to condemn it. If movements like Extinction Rebellion, Fridays For Future, and Just Stop Oil exist, it is due to the government's inaction. Thus, we need to take matters in our hands and be actively engaged in pressuring the government to hold these companies accountable and tax them.

We all need to do our part. Join the climate justice movement, pressure politicians, attend protests, inform yourself, take direct action, talk, and raise awareness within your group of friends and your family.

Here is a deed. Extinction Rebellion called rebels and activists to join ‘The Big One’ on April 21 in London. This mass rebellion aims to bring 100,000 people outside the House of Parliament to peacefully

language. An asylum seeker was then murdered on his way home from a night out in Glasgow, and a five-year-old on his way home from school was attacked with a baseball bat. These alarming attacks stemmed directly from the debate on migration escalated by the media targeting asylum policy. This often occurs in times of economic hardships.

Currently, it is not an easy time for anyone and the issues we are facing in our communities are not the result of vulnerable people seeking sanctuary, it is the fault of our government. The drastic income inequalities and cost of living crisis are down to economic policies that this Conservative government has enacted. The people who are being housed across Scotland, England, and Wales have no say in where they go and what they can do. Many wish they could work so they could support themselves. What can we do? How can we as society stand up against this? We must speak out about unfair policies, call on our MPs, and expect better. We must act together and stand in solidarity against racist rhetoric. We must call out casual racism and fight for fair and equal opportunities for all in our communities.

Image Credit: Instagram / @spellingmistakescostlives

demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the UK government’s inaction over the climate emergency and tell them: ‘We can’t afford this anymore’.

Image Credit: Twitter / @premarmanche

*The author is a member of the society Global Justice Stirling.

Who are the UCU?

By Simi Borovska POLITICS EDITOR

History Education Lecturer, Joe Smith

Dr Joe Smith has been a union member all his working life. “It's very easy if you are doing a job to feel alienated, disenchanted, isolated,” said Smith. “What being in a trade union gives you is an opportunity to be with colleagues — people who do the same job — and realise that your experience isn't unique, and because you have that kind of collective sense, it then allows you to resist.”

What worries Smith maybe the most is pensions. Last April, the pension scheme USS made changes to the pension contributions, resulting in a typical staff member losing 35% of their retirement income, according to the UCU.

Smith explained that before last April, he would get £660 in pension a year, so if he worked for 10 years, he’d get £6,600 when he retired. “What happened in April was that changes were made so that the same year’s work would get me £470 instead of £660,” said Smith. “They're asking me to work another six and a half years to get the same pension that I would have done.”

The new rules only apply to pension payments made since April, so they won’t affect people a couple of years away from retirement as much as academics who are just starting. “What this strike is about is not about me or my colleagues’ pension, it's actually about the next generation of researchers — the people who are undergraduates now who aspire to a career in academia,” said Smith.

There are two things Smith says students need to know about the strike: in the immediate term, students will have fewer and fewer qualified lecturers because many will move to the private sector, where they can earn higher salaries, especially with expertise in engineering, medicine, law, and economics.

“The second thing that students need to know is if you have any aspiration to study further to work in a university, this dispute is actually about protecting that career for you.”

Stirling University Research Fellow

Dr Kirsty Anderson* is a Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, where she currently works on a casual fixed term contract. This type of contract runs out after a certain period of time, sometimes only a couple of months; in Anderson’s case it’s after a couple of years.

One of the demands of the UCU is to end all casual contracts on university campuses. They argue that workers on casual contracts

get treated worse than permanent employees, are vulnerable to exploitation, and cannot plan their professional and personal lives.

According to the UCU, “68% of research staff in higher education are on fixed term contracts”, many of whom are PhD and Masters students.

For Anderson, casual work is “really difficult for planning your life, but it also makes us really vulnerable because we never know if we're going to have a job in a few months’ time.” She adds that it’s difficult to ask for fair treatment if that means that your employer might not renew your contract.

“When you're on quite a shortterm contract, always in the back of your mind is ‘Am I still gonna have a job?’ And that can mean an impact on being able to sleep properly and stress levels,” said Anderson. “I know definitely for me, when I was on my shorter term contract, that was always there for me early in the morning — Am I still going to have a job? What am I going to do? How am I going to pay for my accommodation?”

The effect of casualisation will be felt by students too, Anderson says: “The conditions that we work in impact how much we’re able to give to them, right? If we're overworked and stressed out, that impacts on the quality of the education that we can offer.”

And it is the students today who will be working in these conditions tomorrow. “Students will graduate and be looking for jobs and they don't want to graduate into a job which has got staff on strike because conditions are poor.

*Kirsty Anderson is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the researcher and her current job position.

Professional staff member Simon Booth

Simon Booth works in the Information Services department of the University of Stirling, where he makes sure that all online learning systems like Canvas, the University app, and the Portal run smoothly.

For Booth, it seems like the working conditions get worse every year, and your salary never goes as far as previously: “I've been struck by sort of chatting to people on the picket line saying, you know, it's just enough to live on now. Can't save anything in this kind of approach.” The UCU estimates that university staff pay has fallen by 20%, adjusted for inflation since 2009.

What Booth is the angriest about though is the loss of pension since the “dodgy” valuation of the USS pension scheme in March 2020, when global markets were crashing due to the pandemic.

The USS argues that “even before the pandemic, the scheme was facing very challenging conditions”

and they still expect the investments to produce less income than was assumed in the past.

However, the UCU highlights a report from earlier this year which said that the growth in the assets has outstripped the debt, and so the UCU is urging the USS to revoke the cuts made.

Senior Sociology Lecturer Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson has seen her workload increase year after year. A lecturer’s work, she says, should be “40% teaching, 40% research, and 20% admin”. Wilson is the head of her division, and so she has more administrative work than most, however, during the semester she still spends most of her time teaching, leading to her having to do all her research in the summer.

The Covid-19 pandemic only amplified this issue. “None of us knew how to use Teams before.” Wilson and the other lecturers had to come in for training sessions during the summer, when they were supposed to be doing research, and master Canvas and Microsoft Teams.

Many lecturers had to completely redo their courses, figure out how to do live sessions, and come up with interesting activities to do during them. “Luckily, some of us would have recorded lectures to use, but you had to then edit them because you realised if you put this online, you need to take out all the digressions common in live lectures. You need to provide a narrative around recorded lectures so that they make sense to a new group of students,” said Wilson.

On top of it, Wilson has to deal with students’ everyday problems including mental health issues: “Students come to you, you know, and you're not going to push them away.

“I used to think right, I can manage that, I can get my teaching done, I can do that, and then I'll work at weekends, and I’ll work in the evenings, and I'll be able to do the rest,” said Wilson. And that was a sure-fire way to burnout.

“I've realised you can't do that forever. You get ill — I got ill as a result of it. I don't want that to happen to people newer to the profession, and that's not how you produce great knowledge either. You know, people being constantly stressed, with no space to think except in the summer,” said Wilson.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, 1 year on

By Georgia Dalgarno

On 24 February, 2022, Russia launched an attack on neighbouring Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin began by sending in troops through different fronts and firing missiles in several locations around the capital Kyiv, killing thousands, sending millions fleeing, and rocking the global markets.

Putin stated that the “special military operation” was due to

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“demilitarisation” and “denazification” to protect Russians, prevent NATO membership for Ukraine, and to keep the country in Russia’s “sphere of influence”.

Attempts to claim the capital early on were unsuccessful as they were met with fierce resistance from the Ukrainian military and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

But what has occurred over the past year?

Russia claims control of the southern city of Kherson. A strike hits a theatre in the city of Mariupol, killing hundreds of people and making it one of the war’s deadliest attacks.

Russia withdraws hundreds of soldiers from Kyiv and other areas to focus on the eastern front, revealing hundreds of bodies within mass graves and on the streets of Bucha. A missile strike on Kramatorsk train station kills 52 civilians and wounds over 100.

Ukraine is supplied with even more western weapons, including US-supplied rocket launchers.

Russia and Ukraine, with arbitration from Turkey and the United Nations, agree to unblock grain suppliers stuck at Ukraine’s Black Sea port, ending a major threat to global food security.

Ukraine launches a surprise counter attack in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, forcing Russia to quickly pull back from areas they had held for months.

Putin orders the active duty of 300,000 citizens, causing many Russian men to flee to neighbouring countries to avoid recruitment.

An explosion damages the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland.

Russia announces a pullback from the city of Kherson. Zelenskyy travels to the US to meet with President Biden, address Congress, and secure more weapons and missile systems.

The Russian military states that it has captured the settlement of Soledar.

It was announced the US government was preparing to send a $2 billion aid package to Ukraine.

As of February 2022, the Russian military is preparing to make its next major offensive move in the eastern Luhansk region.

Additionally, many major nations are calling for Russia and Belarus to be banned from the 2024 Olympics.

History Education Lecturer Joe Smith. Image Credit: Simi Borovska

Image Credit: Pexels / Photoman

Our leaders should learn from Nicola Sturgeon on how to reflect

By Ross Collie

On February 15, Nicola Sturgeon shocked the political world with a surprise resignation. The speech, clocking in at a lengthy 18 minutes, detailed how she had been clashing on whether to stay or go for some time.

Even from the viewpoint of her resigning due to hardships and poll ratings over the Gender Recognition Act, the speech still showed notable self-awareness. She saw herself as an object to progress and moved out of the way.

The same can’t be said for our most recent Conservative Prime Ministers: Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

The two former premieres have

Mother's Day Mother's Day

and what it means to me

By Anya Diggines

Mother’s Day is celebrated on Sunday, March 19 this year in the UK.

It is the third most celebrated holiday in the world only behind Christmas and Easter.

In my opinion, it is a beautiful day for children to treat their mum to a relaxing day, and to show their appreciation for all the hard work their mothers do for them.

It is celebrated in many different ways around the world, in former Yugoslavia it was tradition to tie your mother up and the only way she could be freed was to pay her children with sweets.

I think it is so nice to see different traditions come together to celebrate one common love.

I can say my mum is my biggest fan, and I hers. She encourages me every day without fail to go after what I want.

I made her take me to so many different classes like dancing, gymnastics, drama, and when

I wanted to quit them she never forced me to stay, she let me choose the next class I wanted to try out and she signed me up and drove me with no hassle.

But this is sadly not the case for everyone.

I know Mother’s Day can be difficult for many children, no matter whether you lost your mum when you were two or 62.

It can be a sad reminder of what you do not have and my heart hurts for the people who have to go through the pain each year.

I am inspired by the millions of people who put on a brave face for Mother’s Day each year because I cannot imagine it is easy.

Equally, I’m inspired by the mothers who are being treated by their children, who want to spoil their own mother, but sadly cannot.

I think Mother’s Day should be a day not to just celebrate the mothers who are here but all mothers, past and present.

resigned themselves to the back seat, but are still grasping for the wheel. Both have made efforts to return to frontline politics, without an idea of where they went wrong.

After Truss’ blink-and-you-missit premiership, Boris Johnson couldn’t help but lurch for the reigns of power again. Hot off the plane from the Caribbean, he was back on the campaign.

His detractors saw what Johnson couldn’t, the return of scandal laden government. He was asking the same MPs who showed him the door only three months prior, to return.

Not far behind him was Liz, penning a 4,000 word essay in the Telegraph blaming her imagined ‘left-wing economic establishment’ for stripping her of a ‘realistic chance’ to govern. I’d hate to see

her try.

While slightly aware that her premiership caused economic catastrophe, she obviously hadn’t considered much else. Her MPs preferred Sunak - of course there would be resistance to her plans. Her ‘mandate’ was born of less than one per cent of the UK electorate. Neither leader has truly reflected on their premierships, and every flail into frontline politics is distracting government when they need it least.

Our leaders of the past, present and future should all look at Nicola Sturgeon, and take a page from her book. For all of her failings, even Sturgeon’s critics should admire her honesty, clarity and reflection. It is politicians like her who have the most staying power, even if they decide enough is enough.

The Talk

By Dec Magee

August 2014. I’ll always remember it. That was when things changed – I’d come out.

I think that, to an extent, every fifteen-year-old is confused in some way. The world is a weird place, and part of growing up is trying to work out what on earth is going on (pun intended).

But it doesn’t help when you throw the whole gay thing into the mix – which is why I think it’s so important to have LGBTQ+ people represented in the media. One of the things that really confused me was that I didn’t really see anyone that reminded me of myself – there wasn’t anyone in film or in television to whom I could really relate to.

us

seems absolutely world-ending and this was no exception. I was convinced before I came out that everyone would hate me.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are probably plenty of reasons to hate me. But I now know that my sexuality isn’t one of them. That being said, I think part of the reason why I was convinced everyone would hate me was because coming out was usually followed by a negative response in film and television.

Fair enough, that probably makes for better viewing, but it doesn’t help young people like me.

The debate around homosexuality was also difficult; we were generally accepted back then but there were always those who had to chime in with some “being gay is unnatural” nonsense.

It also didn’t help that, all too often, gay people weren’t included in debates surrounding their own rights.

Why do I say this now, nearly a decade later? Because we’re doing it again. The trans debate that’s going on right now, all too often, gives a voice to those whose views are outdated and, ultimately, harmful to young people struggling with gender dysphoria.

You probably know roughly who I’m talking about – the terminally online type who have convinced themselves that they can blame all of the world’s woes on trans folk.

And, if there’s not a trans person there to refute those views, that can make life really difficult for young trans people.

Image Credit: Hello Blooms

Image Credit: them.us

Image Credit: Flickr / First Minister of Scotland

Let us take part in debate about

By Julia Benko COMMENT EDITOR

Since the very beginning of humankind, women have been classed as the “inferior” gender. For some reason, women have always been believed to be “weak” or “emotional wrecks” compared to the “superior” and “providing” men. I wish I understood why, but I’m afraid I never will.

Luckily, women have come a very long way since those days, especially in the last century; there are so many amazing

The Reality of Being a 21st Century Woman

women that helped accomplish this revolutionary change.

I’m proud of being a woman in today’s day and age. We are more independent than we used to be; our thoughts and needs are more accepted; we can have our own aspirations and dreams; we can vote; we can hold a place in politics or in government; we have a voice.

But over recent years, there’s been another power that we, as women, haven’t yet conquered: social media. And I think it’s time we finally do.

While I like that modernisation, technology and other

advancements help women become smarter, more appreciated – at work or otherwise – and self-sufficient, I find that some of these developments can also be our downfalls.

It’s common knowledge at this point that social media frequently leads to the comparison of oneself to others. That’s the power social media holds over us. It causes people, mainly women, to love themselves (and at times even each other) less and less. Comparing oneself to someone else has become an automatic response; really, I find we do it

without even realising it. It’s not healthy to determine our worth based on the amount of likes we get on a photo we spent hours curating or to wish we looked prettier or fitter even though we ourselves are beautiful just the way we are.

Honestly, when did we let this become a reflex?

We need to learn how to get on top of this. We know it’s an issue, and it’s been an issue for a long time now. There’s been bigger things that we, women, have accomplished in the past.

While it can be hard to navigate

our thoughts, especially when we’re younger, and it can be difficult to not get sucked into the vortex of “I wish I was as pretty as so-and-so!”, I’d like to remind all women of what Viola Davis once said: “When women support each other, incredible things happen.”

Keep this in mind during this year’s Women’s History Month, and support each other, love each other and care for each other. Watch amazing things happen!

IS THERE ANYWHERE LEFT THAT'S SAFE FOR WOMEN?

made, and still there are no answers from the government about how they will manage, monitor, and prevent the most violent repeat offenders. It is not good enough.”

By Nikita Vance

Don't walk alone at night. Dress conservatively. Don't draw attention to yourself.

This, among other condescending advice, is what is often told to women when they ask what they can do to protect themselves. But why? Why is it that in the 21st century, women are still indirectly blamed for crimes against them? Why do they have to take extra precautions to ensure their safety?

After the murder of Ashling Murphy in February 2021, we all swore 'never again' and 'not one more.' We mourned for her, cried she was just on a run, plastered her face all over social media. Then, like clockwork, we moved on - her name not to be uttered again until a convenient time.

Then, only two months later, Sarah Everard was subjected to the same fate. 'Never again,' 'not one more,' 'she was only walking home.' And, as quickly as it started,

the social media frenzy subsided. These women, and the hundreds of others like them, deserve more than to be a passing fad or cautionary tale for young girls who go out alone.

A 2022 Femicide Census survey found that "during the last decade a woman was killed by a man every three days, while a woman is killed by a former or current partner every four days in the UK."

The statistics show that the UK government's promises to do more to combat the issue of violence against women are empty, as little to no action has been taken.

Speaking to the Independent in 2022, shadow minister for domestic violence, Jess Phillips outlined this lack of action: "In the year since Sarah Everard was killed, more women have been killed at the hands of men than in the year before. We should know all of their names.

“A year on since the public demanded better, we have seen more women killed, rape charging falling, women making it clear that they do not feel safe.

“Too little progress has been

Approximately 230 women (at the time of writing) have been murdered by a man in the UK since the murder of Sarah Everard. But it's not only in public spaces that these vile crimes are occurring.

On December 18, just a week before Christmas, Natalie McNally (32) was in her home in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. She was 15 weeks pregnant with her baby boy, Dean, and most likely looking forward to what opportunities may await her in 2023. However, 2023 would never come.

Natalie was stabbed to death by her boyfriend. Murdered in her own home, the place that was meant to be safest for her.

How can women feel safe knowing that something so despicable could happen in their own home? There's no number of warnings or precautions that can be taken to protect you from a crime like that. Women cannot even rely on their government to take the necessary steps to ensure they're better protected, let alone rely on a few measly 'steps' suggested online that 'may' keep them safe.

So, the question is, is there anywhere left that's safe for women?

Image Credit: Raw Pixel

By Emma Victoria Jenky

Lana Del Ray saves Valentine’s Day with the release of ‘A&W’, the second single from her upcoming album, 'Did you know that there’s a tunnel under ocean Blvd'.

This Valentine’s Day, Lana Del Ray released her single ‘A&W’, and

Single Review: Lana Del Rey’s A&W

it’s not what you would necessarily expect from a Valentine’s Day release.

The single opens with echoing guitar strings and a deep piano melody. This slowly builds into an orchestral sound once Del Rey’s layered vocals build to a peak, in the same way you wind up a

Album Review: DMA'S ‘How Many Dreams?’

By Carly Mckim MUSIC EDITOR

Australian three-piece rock band DMAs are back. Their fourth album titled ‘How Many Dreams?’ will be out on March 31. The Sydney band has already released four singles from the album so far.

Vocalist Tommy O’Dell says they’ve pushed themselves harder than ever before on the fourth outing.

“We’ve made this a bit differently to other records. We’ve been more confident in the production department with our own skills. We also didn’t rush it either.”

This album includes a good mix of their old sound found in album Hill End, mixed with dance-inspired beats that the band say “leans into a heavier sound reminiscent of The Prodigy.”

The album starts off upbeat with ‘How Many Dreams?’ and ‘Olympia’. You're immediately introduced to the sound of synthesised betas and acoustic guitars, creating a summertime melody.

The first two tracks are uplifting, however, one thing is that the lyrics can be a little repetitive.

We are exposed to a different vibe in ‘Everybody Says Thursday Is The New Weekend’. The track is

a little slower than the previous songs, which is quite nice and has that iconic DMA’s feel to it.

However, ‘Dear Future’ is a bit slower and sounds like it's missing something, and again, is a little repetitive lyric-wise.

Tracks ‘I Need To Hide’ and ‘Something We Are Overcoming’ really exposes us to the band's experimentation with other genres. This track really sounds like a mixture of dance music and indie, which is a bit different from DMA’s.

‘Fading Like A Picture’, ‘Get Ravey’ and ‘Jai Alai’ feel like the DMA’s we know and love. With good rhythm and beautiful acoustics, the guitars are soothing to the ears.

‘21 Year Vacancy’ has nice sounds from acoustic guitar and piano, but is a little disappointing with repetitiveness again.

The album closes with the track ‘De Carle’ that really does sound like a Prodigy indie anthem. This song got the balance of dance music and indie right, and is arguably the best song on the album. However, if you're looking for the DMA’s you know and love, this album may not be for you. The experimental vision from the band is clear. How well it has been executed is up for debate.

mountain trail, implementing her well known alternative sound.

With jazz-folk vocals, Lana Del Rey tells an emotional story of growing from girl to woman and the changing of her body - followed by a newfound understanding of her sensual side. Replacing the love she lacks, with a toxic love for herself – ‘it’s not about having someone to love me anymore, this is the

experience of being an American Whore’

‘A&W’ feels like a heartfelt bundle of irony saved by Lana Del Ray just for us. Saved for when it would make the most sense: Valentine’s Day.

It comes at the perfect time for those, who like me, found themselves flying solo this year. Instead of drowning my sorrows, I was hitting repeat, absorbing the energy of the track, and reminding myself that Lana just gets it.

Once again, Lana has given us a chaotic glimpse into her very own mind and the madness behind her genius, while presenting her lyrics in a way which read sincerely poetic – ‘I’m just trying to make it out alive / I’m just staying alive, much less trying to thrive’.

Going into the second half of the song, we are introduced to a new take, on an old vibe.

Reminiscent of her first albums. It’s here that the track goes in a direction which was so unexpected.

The production of ‘A&W’ is one of the most experimental parts. The classic gentle vocals and the

beautifully composed backing track fade halfway through the track - dissolving into a snare base line. Followed by fragmented, synthesised vocals, blended into an electronic build up.

The baseline during the second half of the track allows Del Rey to showcase a new skill set; to put it plainly, spitting bars. Not only does she spit bars, but she manages to carry her angelic, feminine voice throughout.

The themes of production within the first half of the song are mirrored within the second, in the opposite way. The synthetic, orchestral sounding layered vocals are replaced with an actual synth carrying an orchestral sound. Keeping the song seamless, whilst giving it the sound of two different tracks.

The seven-minute track echo’s hints from every era we have seen from Lana Del Rey, while presenting fresh ideas and new sounds we haven’t seen from her before. Its experimental, yet completely authentic. Fresh, yet reminiscent. The true sign of a powerful artist with an individual voice and sound.

Gorillaz have finally released their long-awaited album on Friday, February 24.

The cartoon British band, created by Damon Albarn, have been dropping singles from their new album, Cracker Island, since June 22, 2022.

Cracker Island is jampacked with features including Thundercat, Tame Impala and Beck. This album tells the story of the band as they search for a ‘new world’.

The album starts off strong with the title track, Cracker Island, which features the American bassist Thundercat. It was first released in June 2022 and the lyrics tell the story of the band discovering this new world called Cracker Island.

Album Review: ‘Cracker Island’ by

The lyrics, which are searching for a paradise that has yet to happen, reflect what was happening in the world at the time of recording with the COVID-19 pandemic. Thundercat’s signature thumping bass gives the title track a groovy feel amongst the dark lyrics.

Gorillaz are known for not sticking to one genre, and this album is no different. The Tired Influencer, Baby Queen and Silent Running (feat. Adeleye Omotayo) all have a sleepy, dreamy feel, contrasting to the more upbeat and alt-rock songs on the album such as Oil (feat. Stevie Nicks).

Fans were delighted to see a Tame Impala and Gorillaz crossover with their song New Gold (also feat. Bootie Brown). Instantly you can hear Tame Impala’s signature vocals and Bootie Brown’s

Gorillaz

By Emma Christie

amazing contrasting flow complemented by Gorillaz alt-pop funk beats.

The album closes with Possession Island (feat. Beck). The slow, sleepy vocals accompanied by a melancholy piano track and strings are a huge contrast to the opening track. It is fitting for the narrative of the album; it is telling a story, and this signifies the end of the story and the album. It closes out with a strong instrumental which helps break up the song.

Overall, if you are here for the Gorillaz that you know and love, this album won’t disappoint. No tour has been announced yet for this album as the band toured last year, but Gorillaz will be playing both weekends at Coachella this year, on April 14 and April 21.

Image credit: Roman Jody

Image Credit: @gorillaz on instagram

Image credit: officialcharts.com

By Georgia Dalgarno

Inhaler, a four-piece indie-rock band originating from Dublin, kicked off their Cuts & Bruises tour on February 16.

The tour subsequently follows the release of their sophomore album, Cuts & Bruises, released on February 17.

The band travelled to Newcastle following their first show at Leeds, and because no Scotland date was announced, I naturally had to attend the closest tour date. I have no regrets.

Supporting the band was Nieve Ella, an English indie-pop rising star, with her set leaving you feeling like you were in a teenage dream, and FEET, a band from the new generation of Britpop, whose song ‘English Weather’ rang all too true whilst we waited for the

Image credit: inhaler.band

concert in the pouring rain.

Performing at 9pm, Inhaler began with the fitting ‘These are the Days’ and the cult-classic ‘My Honest Face’, amping the crowd up for the electrifying set that was to follow.

The 80s-feeling ‘Love Will Get You There’ and the fan favourite ‘Totally’ was played next, giving us all a nostalgic feeling of the concerts from the ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ era. However, it was only fitting that the band played some of the new songs from the album, in which they chose to perform ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’ and ‘So Far So Good’.

Despite the fans not knowing the lyrics yet to the new material, it didn't stop them from feeling

completely invigorated.

To keep the fans excited, the band brought the set back to the older songs ‘When It Breaks’ and ‘My King Will Be Kind’.

The new song ‘Valentine’ was played next, leaving Elijah Hewson asking you to be his Valentine on the backdrop of a psychedelic rock ensemble, and then the old, but unreleased until now, ‘Dublin in Ecstasy’, with the pure rock instrumental leaving you in awe of the band once again.

The band closed off with my favourite ‘Who’s Your Money On (Plastic House)’, and then ‘Cheer Up Baby’, which only left the crowd wanting more. However, the boys did return to the stage for a two-song encore, consisting of the new rock and roll heartbreak ballad ‘If Your Gonna Break My Heart’ and the forever classic ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’.

The concert was invigorating, and mesmerising and reminds me why I love the band so much. Whether you love their music already or are still yet to hear it, Inhaler are a band you need to see at least once in your life.

Celebrating 50 years of Pink Floyd’s

Live Review: Inhaler’s Cuts & Bruises Tour The Dark Side of the Moon

By Jodie Marshall

This month, music fans around the world will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest albums of all time, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon.

Featuring one of the most iconic and recognisable album covers of all time, the eighth studio album from Pink Floyd was originally released on March 1, 1973.

The concept album was an immediate success and spent 917 weeks on the Billboard top 200 chart, which amounts to around 17 years, making it the record holder for most weeks on the chart.

So, what makes this album so popular?

Many people would say it is a result of the timeless sound created by using unusual methods like dragging a microphone stand down the guitar fretboard for the futuristic effect we hear in On The Run, and individually recording different clocks in an antique store in London as heard in Time.

Others would say the popularity of The Dark Side of the Moon is due to its subject matter. The album explores the pressures of life through themes of grief,

money, time, conflict, and mental illness, all of which was something the youth of the UK could relate to in some way.

Drummer Nick Mason said that he believes the album is still so popular because the songs were, and will always be, relevant to listeners, with the creative behind the album Roger Waters adding “maybe it’s the simplicity of the ideas that appeal to a generation going through puberty trying to make sense of it all.”

In Rogers’ theory, that means that the album acts as a comfort and is why people keep returning to it.

Still to this day, The Dark Side of the Moon is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.

It is part of the top 10 bestselling albums of all time, and is ranked number 55 on Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums.

An album that has inspired countless artists including Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and the Starman himself David Bowie, deserves to be celebrated. Without it music may not have progressed to the point that it is at today.

So with that, we wish The Dark Side of The Moon a very happy 50th birthday.

Image credit: www.pinkfloyd.com

F E S T I V A L S P E C I A L

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL OPENING GALA REVIEW: GIRL

By Rebecca Crockett FILM & TV EDITOR

Safety is a foreign language in Adura Onashile’s feature debut, Girl, a brilliant exploration into a mother and daughter’s anxiety about life in a new city. As her daughter Ama (Le'Shantey Bonsu) runs towards the future, Grace’s (Déborah Lukumuena) fears rise to the surface and must try not to be dragged back to her past in Glasgow Film Festival’s stunning opening gala.

Girl is bathed in colour. It makes a change from the monochrome slab Glasgow is usually portrayed as on film. Instead, it is a vibrant hub of

activity. Deep reds, regal purples and shining yellows inform Grace and Ama’s environment. It feels purposeful. In their flat they have purple walls and dream of pink kitchens and white cupboards. Everything is within the lines. But through Ama’s binoculars we see the city’s hues bleed together. It’s a terrifying concept for a mother trying keep everything together.

It is hard watching Grace slowly come apart at the seams. Physically building walls by taping up the letter box and blocking out windows. She fears any sign of Ama’s approaching adolescenceso she blacks out the light to hinder

Glasgow Film Festival Highlights

By Ben MacSwan

Glasgow Film Festival 2023 has started off with a bang as Adura Onashile’s highly anticipated debut, Girl , opened the 18th edition of the festival. Screening films from March 1 – March 12, there is still plenty more to see.

As part of Arrow Video’s annual FrightFest horror event, the viral sensation Blood and Honey will make its UK premiere at GFF on March 10.

Warning: this is not a children’s film.

any growth.

But what could have been a story of toxicity and abuse, instead is one of courage. This is in no small part due to Déborah Lukumuena’s performance as Grace. The César Award-winning actress brings sympathy to a role that in the wrong hands could bristle over with hardness. From the stony exterior Lukumuena builds, to the melting intimacy she shares with her brilliant young co-star, Lukumuena is a wonder.

Girl is a beautiful exploration of the fears that dictate our lives and the difficult road you must go down to conquer them. It is a breathless portrayal of how mother’s love can easily choke you with intensity.

HIPPFEST: “IT’S LIKE ALCHEMY AND MAGIC WHEN IT COMES TOGETHER”

By Rachel Swan

Brig sat down with Alison Strauss, Festival Director of HippFest, Scotland’s only silent film festival to talk a little about the history of the creation of the festival, and the delights (and sometimes

challenges) of the role.

HippFest is a much loved, niche little gem that takes place right in the heart of Bo’ness, just outside of Falkirk, in the oldest cinema in the whole of Scotland: The Hippodrome.

Brig: Can you tell our readers a little about the creation of the festival and why silent film became the main focus?

Strauss: “The original initiative was to carve out a place for the Hippodrome within the cultural landscape. We knew we wanted to host a film festival and did wonder briefly about the idea of an archival film festival. But you know when an idea is just right? When it makes sense.

“There isn’t another silent film festival in Scotland, and the heritage of the building opening in 1912, which was right in the thick of the silent era, it just made perfect sense. The heritage of the building combined with the heritage of the medium. It was really the cinema itself that made the idea inevitable!”

Brig: What are your favourite parts of preparing and running- of course within a team of other talented individuals- the festival?

Strauss : “When it comes to the organising, there are so many elements. But of the festival, honestly it’s really just a privilege to be working with the musicians, academics, writers, speakers, and critics who are there. How lucky am I to have a reason to hang around some of these fantastic people!” she says, laughing.

“But during the festival itself, that privilege becomes hanging out and being in the presence of the audience and feeling that cliché of the film being on the screen and the musicians starting and it’s all happening at once, it really is like alchemy. It’s magic. The elements you’ve worked on come together and it never gets old!”

HippFest runs from Wednesday March 22- 26.

During childhood, Christopher Robin befriended the residents of the fantastical Hundred-Acre Woods. But as he grew older, the visits diminished, leaving them hungry and in desperation. When Christopher returns to the forest with his wife to introduce her to his old buddies, things take a dark and twisted turn.

Another FrightFest highlight, Smoking Causes Coughing , is a quirky surreal sci-fi fantasy from director Quentin Dupieux, whose film Rubber caused a stir of acclaim at the festival in 2010. It is the anti-smoking film they never showed you at school.

For the scaredy-cats, we have I Love Movies premiering the March 9. One of the films up for the festival’s Audience Award, about a socially awkward 17-year-old cinephile who lands a job at his local video shop and develops a complicated friendship with his older female manager.

As part of the free retrospective films, this year focused on strong independent woman. Widows will be screening on March 12. The film, starring Viola Davis and directed by Steve McQueen, is the feminist heist film you’ve always wanted. Films in the retrospective strand of the programme are free to the public. But be quick! They are only available the morning of the screening. Visit glasgowfilm.org for more information.

(L-R) Déborah Lukumuena and Le'Shantey Bonsuin Girl. Image Credit: Glasgow Film Festival

GFF promotion. Image Credit: Glasgow Film Festival

Buster Keaton in Sherlock Jr. Image Credit: Park Circus/ The Cohen Film Collection

OSCAR PREDICTIONSWHO DO WE THINK WILL BE TAKING HOME THE GOLDEN STATUE?

By Molly Bishop

It’s Oscar Season! As we gear up towards the most prestigious award show in the entertainment industry there is always a wave of interest to see who will come out of it victorious. It has been a good year for cinema, and there is a lot of tough competition for the 95th Academy Awards.

So here are Brig’s predictions for the 2023 Oscar Winners.

Best Picture

A MASTERCLASS ON SOCIAL SATIRE IN THE WHITE LOTUS

The White Lotus ’ first season was the most-awarded series at the Emmy Awards in 2021. It returned earlier this year and added two Golden Globes to the list. Let’s give it up for Mike White, the mastermind behind the limited HBO series!

The series follows the exploits of wealthy guests in the White Lotus resort. Hoping to escape their everyday lives, the guests soon realise that there are some parts of yourself that you simply cannot hide forever.

But what else makes The White Lotus so worthy of watching? Could it be it’s perfectly pitched social satire?

The rich tourists – even if they have all the money in the world–have their own issues (some more

superficial than others).

They go somewhere beautiful to escape their depressing lives, but this vacation only seems to amplify their problems and personality defects. On the surface everything seems fine, they are all empty inside and so are their relationships.

Most of them seem completely torn off from the rest of the world, like Daphne (Meghann Fahy) and Cameron (Theo James), who admitted that they don’t vote and don’t even watch the news because the world “is not that bad!”

But while The White Lotus is satirical and fun, each season adds an interesting subtext to the plot.

The first season focuses more on imperialism and the ‘upstairs, downstairs’ dynamic that comes with class, which we see play out

between the guests and those that work at the resort, mainly the Native Hawaiians.

In the second season, relationship dynamics and gender roles are the most dominant themes. Explored primarily through the Di Grasso family, three generations of men (played by F. Murray Abraham, F. Murray Abraham and Adam DiMarco) act as the perfect example of how actions are taught and passed through family.

Read

By Julia Benko

All Quiet On The Western Front

Best Actor

Austin Butler in Elvis

Best Actress

Michelle Yeoh in Everything

Everywhere All At Once

Best Supporting Actor

Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Supporting Actress

Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Director

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Cinematography

Mandy Walker for Elvis

Best Animated Feature FilmGuillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

(This one is hard to call as Marcel The Shell could take this one, and we all loved Puss In Boots: The Last Wish)

Best Documentary Feature Film

All The Beauty And The Bloodshed

Best Visual Effects

Avatar: The Way Of Water Film Editing

Top Gun: Maverick

Best Sound

Top Gun: Maverick

Best Adapted Screen Play

Knives Out: Glass Onion

Best Original Screen Play

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Costume Design

Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris

COCAINE BEAR REVIEW: THE CLUE IS IN THE NAME

By Alex Paterson

The creators of Cocaine Bear definitely got the right name for this movie.

It follows a bear who does cocaine and goes on a rampage, and that is what the majority of the film’s runtime is dedicated to.

There was no deceptive advertising at all. In the first ten minutes, we see a bear on cocaine maul someone to death. This happens sporadically, perhaps every fifteen minutes or so, until the film’s culmination, in which the same bear, on more cocaine, mauls someone to death.

However, Cocaine Bear is also truly funny. The gags weren’t just ‘ha-ha drug’ jokes, but hilariously witty gags. They didn’t rely on the concept of a

bear being high on cocaine. They invested time into developing this (loosely) true story into a brilliant comedy.

Not to mention how heartfelt the movie was. There were some mildly emotional moments that genuinely rendered a couple of ‘awwws’ from the audience. Although, those sounds soon died as our favourite coke-addicted bear had another ‘snack’ on screen.

Speaking of which, the gore wasn’t overly intense either. It toed the fine line between bland and traumatising, allowing for some squealing at graphic wounds without causing mass queasiness.

The team behind Cocaine Bear invested their hearts and souls into this. It’s a well-produced comedy that could’ve been tacky. However, Cocaine Bear was shaped and

developed with surprising tenderness, a clear passion project.

The only difficulty when watching was the sheer number of characters. It takes a while to wrap your head around their importance and purpose in the story.

However, the cast was flawlessly picked. Recognising one performance would prompt the urge to recognise them all.

It was their delivery that made the gags funny rather than just ridiculous. They committed to the bit, making their fear of the bear understandable yet comical.

Cocaine Bear is a future cult classic. It’s not only a good laugh but a brilliantly executed story. One can only hope that this is just the beginning of the CCU (Cocaine Cinematic Universe).

The cast of The White Lotus season 2. Image credit: Warner Bros. Television Distribution

This year's Oscar nominees. Image credit: Everett Collection/ Variety

Promotion for Cocaine Bear. Image credit: Universal Pictures

BRIG 2022/23 EDITORIAL TEAM

WORD SEARCH

Samantha McBride HEAD OF ADVERTISING

Simi Borovska POLITICS EDITOR

Lara Cortis ARTS EDITOR

Carlin Braun HEAD OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Isla Glen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Molly Bishop DEPUTY EDITOR

AJ Whyte SECRETARY

Rebecca Kerr NEWS EDITOR

Andrew Robson NEWS & SPORTS EDITOR

John Turnbull SPORTS EDITOR

Rachel Swan POLITICS EDITOR

Julia Benko COMMENT EDITOR

Carly McKim MUSIC EDITOR

Rebecca Crockett FILM & TV EDITOR

Lucie Smith BRAW MAGAZINE EDITOR

Rio Kerr LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Charlotte Sutcliffe FEATURES EDITOR

Freya Deyell FOOD EDITOR

Emma Halliday HEAD OF DESIGN

Ross Collie CHIEF SUB-EDITOR

Robyn Duffy HEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Ali Rees GAMING EDITOR

STIRLING STUDENT UNION ELECTION RESULTS

UNION PRESIDENT

LEEN ALI

VP EDUCATION KATIE GETHINGS

VP COMMUNITIES ZOË CROSHER

SPORTS UNION PRESIDENT MURRAY BUSHELL

"I'M HERE TO HEAR YOU GUYS": LEEN ALI WINS UNION PRESIDENT

By Charlotte Sutcliffe ELECTIONS EDITOR

Leen Ali has been named this year’s Union President winning 648 votes from the student body. The African Caribbean society president ran a strong campaign focusing on the four areas of accessibility, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity and communication.

Campaigning for the past two weeks had been an intense time for all 29 candidates.

“The stress feels all worth it, but I would like to remember the reason that I ran and the reason

why this role is important and the change that I am making,” she said.

Ali had a very interesting look into the student’s needs. Although, of course, wanting to look at the cost of living crisis and other national issues, she also identified the day to day problems students face and the importance of dealing with more localised issues that are often sidelined. These included the booking system, library hours and the Stirling bus system.

She is most passionate about communication, saying: “Links need to be addressed as soon as possible, in every possible way,

and in every aspect in order to succeed. From there then, the day to day student issues like buses, food banks they are all really important.”

Ali wants to utilise the screens around the University to promote student-based projects, so students have access to these facilities and events. She wants to encourage a more interactive use of the Macrobert Arts Centre.

When asked what she would like to say to the students of Stirling, she said: “I’m here to hear you guys out.

“I never realised how much this means for so many students and who approached me just wanting

to be heard.

“I feel like already I’m starting to help others have a voice, although I don’t currently have a voice.”

Ali is also passionate about better lighting around campus to make sure people feel safe at night.

She wanted to commend the other candidates saying how much she valued being around who she was running against.

“I thought that it was going to be a stressful situation because we were all running against each other and all sorts is happening but it was so lovely.

“Andy was such a sweetheart when I first met him and saw me running around and heard my

voice. He offered strepsils and continued to check up every single round.

“Aaron, we bonded over our stress and took little breaks together, having such lovely genuine conversations”

Ali also commended her fellow elected Sabbatical officers for being such a brilliant support throughout.

Zoe Crosher was elected as Vice President Communities, Katie Gethings as Vice President Education and Murray Bushell as Sports Union President.

Leen Ali’s term of Union President starts in June and will run for a full year.

Arts Officer Shani Doudet

Care Experienced Students Officer

Yewande Ekene Salami

Co-Currucular Officer

Rebbecca Cameron-Park

Housing Officer Justine Pedussel

International Officer Khaliun Batbayar Media Officer Arya Hasan

Parents and Carers Officer Nicola Foley

Sports Union Communications Officer Neve Burrows

Sports Union Participation and Engagement Officer Lauren Bullock

Sustainability Officer Anne Marie Hamfeldt

Leen Mohamed Gaffer Ali winning Union President. Image credit: Jonathan Boomer

UNION ELECTIONS RESULTS IN FULL

By Isla Glen & Charlotte Sutcliffe

The results of the Stirling Students’ Union Elections 2023 have been announced.

Four paid full-time Sabbatical roles have been filled and will start their roles on June 1.

Alternative Pathways Officer, Engagement Officer, Health & Wellbeing Officer and Mature Students Officer were not filled.

There were a total of 1496 voters and the highest voting society was Brig Newspaper, with the Student Managed Investment Fund in second and AirTV in third. Women’s Football was the highest voting sports club, followed by Men’s Football and Netball.

Leen Mohamed Gaffer Ali has been elected as Union President with 648 votes, beating Andy Paterson who received 378 votes and Aaron Caulfield who had 141 votes.

Ali plans to focus on accessibility, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity and communication.

Zoe Crosher has been elected as Vice President Communities with 461 votes, compared to 400 votes for competition Eliot Wooding-Sherwin.

Crosher is planning to prioritise clubs and societies, wellbeing, cost of living support, sustainability, international students and transport.

Katie Gethings has been elected as Vice President Education with 538 votes. Dan McPadden received 156 votes and Stewart Gallacher won 135 votes.

Gethings hopes to introduce life skill lessons, protect mental health services, introduce mandatory

consent and harassment awareness courses, maintain and further accessibility, and reconsider the personal tutor system.

Murray Bushell was re-elected as Sports President with 932 votes and no competitors.

Bushell wants to grow a closer connection with sports union alumni, promote the university’s wide range of teams and other success stories, as well as working on club development through coaching and umpiring courses.

Neve Burrows won Sports Union Communication Officer with 714 votes, beating Zilong Guan who received 45 votes.

Burrows plans to increase the Sports Union’s social media presence in order to fully endorse different clubs and promote their achievements.

Lauren Bullock is the new Sports Union Participation and Engagement Officer with 568 votes. Akolad Agbebi obtained 90 votes and Muhammed Raheel Adil won 143 votes.

Bullock wants to improve the inclusiveness of the Sports Union by introducing more sports for disabled students and starting women-only sessions in the gym.

Shani Doudet was re-elected Arts Officer with 732 votes with their manifesto aiming for further art society support and an Arts Ball.

Rebbecca Cameron-Park won Co-Curricular Officer with 447 votes, 111 ahead of Nick LaRue who won 336 votes. Cameron-Park wants to implement a volunteering system for charity work and introduce the Saltire Award to the union.

Justine Pedussel is the new Housing Officer with 796 votes, striving for better, affordable and

more housing.

Khaliun Batbayar won International Officer with 403 votes, while Nurken Begali received 242 votes and Noyal Joji Joseph obtained 134. Batbayar intends to start a Culture Festival for Fresher’s Week, a space dedicated to bringing awareness to social issues faced by international students and Diverse Cultural Celebrations. They will also demand that the Sports Union actively pursues diversity within clubs and consider international students as they integrate to new sporting governance.

Arya Hasan was elected Media Officer, with 487 votes, 240 ahead of Sheraz Nadeem with 247 votes.

Hasan wants to build on the existing collaborations between media societies and help them achieve their goals.

Anne Marie Hamfeldt won Sustainability Officer with 325 votes. Aneke Janentzky had 272 votes and Imogen Robertson had 201 votes. Hamfeldt aims to focus on biodiversity, sustainable housing and tackling food waste.

Yewande Ekene Salami was elected as the Care Experience Students Officer with 792 votes.

Salami aims to ensure that care-experienced students can access the support they are entitled to, run mental health awareness campaigns, have an anonymous experience and storytelling platform, and be responsive to the needs of the student body.

Nicola Foley was elected as Parents and Carers Officer with 642 votes.

Foley hopes to fix issues for student parents and carers, such as bringing back hybrid learning. She wants to find better ways to identify and support parents and carers.

Tash Miller (current Union President), Leen Ali (new Union President), Murray Bushell (Sports President), Katie Gethings (VP Education), Zoe Crosher (new VP Communities) and Jess Reid (current VP Communities), left to right. Image credit: Jonathan Boomer

CELEBRATING FEMALE AUTHORS THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

By Anya Diggines

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 each year. The list of inspirational female authors throughout history is endless. This year I wanted to celebrate the works of female authors by compiling a list of my personal favourite books by female writers.

Magpie by Elizabeth Day

This thriller was a book I could not put down. The plot twist was totally unexpected, which is hard to do in this day in age, when every thriller plot twist has been used. I love a book that is easy to read and this book was just that. So, to find a thriller that has an original plot twist and was so easy to read makes this book so memorable.

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright

This book is brilliantly light-hearted. I read

The Saturdays when I was quite young and the book has had a special place in my heart ever since. As a child I remember it being so magical and it was one of the first books that transported me into a different world. Every now and then I like to go back and experience it again. You are never too old for this book.

Right:

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

As someone who really struggles to read biographies and memoirs, I was hesitant to buy this book. But, as somebody who grew up watching Jennette McCurdy playing Sam on the hit TV show iCarly I decided to give this one a go.

This story had me go through every emotion. I laughed and I cried. Jennette’s ability to tell her story in such a light-hearted way really made me grow to admire her. Before reading her book, I had only seen her as the character she played on TV. I was shocked to discover what was really going on in her personal life. This book really does define the meaning of not knowing what is going on behind closed doors. It is a brave thing to come out so publicly and talk about your trauma, so I really commend Jennette McCurdy.

Left: Elizabeth Enright. Image credit: us.macmillan.com

The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

As a someone who is very interested in history, I have read so many books about the Second World War. But these are the two books that stick out to me the most. It is very hard to write someone’s story who went through so much, and Heather Morris could not have done it more perfectly. To be handed the task of writing a book, or books in this case, of people who survived the unimaginable pain of the Holocaust is a huge pressure. I remember when I finished both of these books I did not know what to do with myself. They had shone a light on something so dark it was hard to believe it was a reality at one point in time. I recommend these books to everyone. It is important we are all educated on these topics.

Left: Magpie by Elizabeth Day. Image credit: waterstones.com Right: Elizabeth Day. Image credit: elizabethday.org

Left: I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. Image credit: waterstones.com Right: Jennette McCurdy. Image credit: jennettemccurdy.com

Left: Heather Morris. Image credit: heathermorrisauthor.com

Right: The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris. Image credit: waterstones.com

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright. Image credit: amazon.com

CREATIVE CORNER

Glasgow Rose

By Demi-lee Shand

My precious Glasgow rose. For the past two years, I have worn you every day, and now you're sitting in front of me. Visions of my past and love flash with glossy eyes. I write directly to tell the tales of my beloved Papa that are engraved into this bracelet. My Papa's passion has always been jewellery, Elvis Presley, and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Whenever we converse, he tells me all his stories of working in the famous Paddy's Market, also known as the Brigget. The market was a place filled with my childhood memories. The only times I have ever taken it off is when you make it shine again, which has happened to be in my darkest times. We have used these times together to dance and sing our way back through time. The bracelet is round, solid, and silver, and the only way to unlock it would be from the clasp with the famous Charles Rennie Mackintosh "Glasgow rose" on it. Whenever I unclasp it, it takes me back to when it found its way to me. I was never a big fan of wearing jewellery, and then I saw how you sparkled when you spoke about it. The day you gave me this, we were looking at the painting I made you as a child in primary school, a Mackintosh piece of this same rose. We have always had a place in our hearts for the "Glasgow rose" because we are both so proud of our heritage. Deep down I think you could secretly even be him reincarnated. Not only because your name is also Charles but because of how much love you put into your pieces and because you are a true artist. If I took a scope through the past, this was worn by a young, beautiful woman who was Charles's biggest fan. Then, like now, she was his biggest fan, with an accent so Scottish no one know would ever be able to understand. A passionate pair attempting to show the world the beauty that art contains. If this gorgeous piece of the past spoke its truths about me, it would say: "You and your papa appreciate every beauty in this life, and he'll continue to always be proud of you." This bracelet has been there for the dark times that my Papa hasn't been able to be there for, and even though his memory is fading, this will continue to keep ours shining.

Photo of the month

Stirling march reaches the Kelpies.

Our photo of the month is open to both members of Brig Newspaper and members of the public.

You can submit your own photography for a chance to be featured in our next print edition!

Simply send your image over tophotography@brignews.com

Good luck!

Reclaim the Night is a campaign aiming to give power to people facing violence and allow them to speak up. This was the start of their 16 days of activism, with talks from local councillors, police, and others in the community, as well as a march to the Kelpies in Falkirk on November 25, 2022.

Reclaim

Image credit: Jonathan Boomer

Player Profile: Mandy Dee

Introducing Player Profiles, a journey through the diversity of gaming.

Mandy Dee is a retired science technician and mother of two, who has kept games part of her life since the very beginning of home gaming.

“I was part of the first generation to have home computers and video games,” said Mandy. “My family had a BBC Micro, and I laboriously typed in the code from BEEBUG magazines to play simple games. We also had a simple games console for the TV which had basic games such as tennis, breakout and the like. It was all very new and exciting.

“15 years or so later when my children were young and playing Pokémon, I’d occasionally manage to play a game when they weren’t using it! Despite being a busy working mother, I still tried to find time to play games whenever I could.

I’ve always loved the challenge.”

Technology insights company GWI released a report that showed the largest growth in gaming audiences between 2018 and 2020 was in the 55-64 age group.

Despite this, there’s still a pervasive stereotype of a “gamer” being a young man. “At 56 I am older than the majority of gamers, and I think that older gamers are mostly male. None of my peers play games apart from phone games to my knowledge. I am, however, intelligent and geeky (or is it nerdy?), so if I was younger, I think I would be a better fit for gaming stereotypes,” laments Mandy, who maybe isn’t quite as unusual as media stereotypes make her feel.

Some progress is being made with representation in games at least. Indie games lead the charge, but

triple-A games are getting there.

Mandy said that this helps her feel less like she doesn’t belong: “I was pleased to see in Pokémon Scarlet that the NPCs were of all ages and body types.

“As a mature female, it makes me feel less out of place when I see main characters that I can relate to. Not just as mothers or teachers, but as trainers and gym leaders.” This kind of depiction of diversity is important to all kinds of minorities. A sense of belonging is something we all need.

is the thing that has challenged her the most. That is a common issue with older people - the perception that gaming is for children and inherently more a waste of leisure time than other similar pursuits.

Despite the growth reported in older gamers, it’s clear that more could be done to introduce the hobby to a wider audience. Mandy says that she often struggles to choose new games and turns to her children for recommendations. She does not feel like she is being wellserved by gaming ads.

“I see very few adverts for video games, and those I do see are mainly for high-powered action games which are not my thing. I feel the advertising is not targeted at me. I think that women my age don’t know that there are pleasant, relaxing, fun, and attractive games out there. However, they all spend hours on Candy Crush and the like.

“I am sure that games are marketed very tactically towards the largest audience. But games such as Animal Crossing, or The Sims, would appeal to older women who haven’t played quality video games before.”

Unfortunately, the hostility of many gamers towards other gamers that don’t look like them is well documented. Sexism is an especially prevalent problem, and it means that a lot of people focus on solo gaming, forgoing the opportunity to connect with others. “I don’t have online access on the Switch, because I don’t have anyone I’d play with,” says Mandy, “I would if I could, if my friends played.”

Luckily, Mandy hasn’t faced these issues herself, most likely due to playing offline. “Persuading my husband that two hours playing a game is no more a waste of time than 2 hours watching a TV show”

What Was the BBC Micro?

Looking to the future, Mandy thinks that using phones as a springboard to gaming console ownership could be one way to encourage people of her generation to investigate gaming further.

“I think that gentle games, maybe including relaxing music, mindfulness opportunities, simple challenges, collections, and opportunities to create, could easily be marketed as being beneficial to mental health and general well-being, particularly to those who are housebound due to age or ill health.

“There are millions of people struggling with ME/CFS like myself, long Covid, other long-term

The BBC Micro, made by Acorn Computers.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

health conditions, or who are physically disabled, who would benefit from time spent in a virtual world where they can relax and enjoy positive experiences.

“As far as my own age group is concerned, they are generally not owners of gaming machines, and often not even computers or laptops. They mainly use phones and tablets. Free taster games on these platforms which could then be used as adverts for the main games on more expensive platforms might encourage more people to invest.”

It wouldn’t be an interview with a gamer without finding out what game occupies the number one spot, and for Mandy, it’s a game that brings together many of the parts of gaming she enjoys.

In the 1980s, home computers were just beginning to gain traction. The BBC saw how important computer literacy was going to become and created a new scheme called The BBC Computer Literacy Project. It consisted of a TV show with BBC presenter Chris Serle called The Computer Programme, and the BBC Micro, a home PC designed by Acorn with education in mind. It has been reported that as many as 80% of British schools in the 80s had a BBC Micro.

When the Micro was released, it was affectionately known as 'The Beeb', and demand far outstripped supply due to its popularity. It was praised as being "no-compromise" and being useful far beyond its original purpose of learning computing. Its popularity was only increased

“I don’t enjoy violent games, and although I have played racing games, the older I get the more I prefer gentler games. Pokémon games have been great favourites. I like collections to complete and enjoy exploring.

“I have played some Final Fantasy games and enjoy the graphics and storyline. Recently I have enjoyed Animal Crossing and was blown away by Breath of the Wild. That is now my all-time favourite, due to the fun of exploring the open world, the stunning graphics, the collecting aspect, and the horses!”

By Ali Rees GAMING EDITOR

by Acorn's decision to make it compatible with multiple programming languages, not just BASIC.

There is a complete archive of the games that the Micro offered at bbcmicro.co.uk and are worth checking out!

Mandy Dee is a keen nature lover, mother, and gamer. Image Credit: Mandy Dee

Vexed, a BBC Micro game. Image credit: BBC Micro

“As a mature female, it makes me feel less out of place when I see main characters that I can relate to. Not just as mothers or teachers, but as trainers and gym leaders.”

What are cosy games?

You might have heard the term “cosy games” being thrown around, but what does it mean?

First and foremost, cosy games are all about the way that they make the player feel, so obviously, this can vary.

Typically, these games are simple and slow-paced, to create a comforting and relaxed atmosphere. They are artistic with calm music. There is rarely a killing or survival aspect. Activities in these games often include cooking, farming, crafting, building, or exploring.

Cosy games are the perfect escape. They remove real-world stresses by letting the player control the environment.

For instance, Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched during the first Coronavirus lockdown and became exactly what players needed. Players could design their own dream getaway or feel a sense of accomplishment by fishing or catching bugs. Your only worry was repaying your debt to a raccoon or making sure your turnips didn’t rot.

Character interaction tends to be at the heart of these games. This is evident in Stardew Valley, where the player is tasked with restoring a rundown farm and engaging with the community. When relationships strengthen, new options, cutscenes and even quests can open up.

Bear and Breakfast is frequently described as cosy based on how it feels. You play as a bear running a bed and breakfast in the forest,

and you need to manage your inn, explore the surroundings, and make new friends. While the game features cosy activities, it’s the cute art style and peaceful music that make it great.

Some games are debatably cosy.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has plenty of risk and combat, but it also has a huge open world to explore and characters to meet along the way. The game has easy tasks and simple puzzles with a backdrop of tranquil piano notes that generate a cosy ambience.

Similarly, Minecraft is plenty perilous, but the game is entirely in the player’s hands. You can cook, farm, craft, build and explore. With each update comes new possibilities and 1.20’s new wood types will fulfil many architectural dreams.

In a world where uncertainty is the norm, it’s no wonder that cosy games have become increasingly popular. Why wouldn’t you want to take a break and enjoy a little slice of virtual tranquillity?

By Isla Glen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE MOVIE WEIRDLY SIMILAR TO THE LAST OF US

By Joe Cromarty

Spoilers ahead for The Last of Us video game (and Ice Age if you really care in 2023)

A few weeks ago, Pedro Pascal starred in a parody mashup of Super Mario and HBO’s The Last of Us (TLOU) for Saturday Night Live. I didn’t find it very funny; not that it matters, but for some reason I wanted to know why. After a bit of thought I realised.

It just didn’t seem like that ridiculous a concept to me.

Firstly. A Mario movie set in a hellish dystopia? It already exists (for reference, look at Bob Hoskins’ filmography).

On top of that, it’s not like there hasn’t been animated films with dark themes before. Heck, there are plenty of cartoon characters with more developed arcs than in many live action dramas.

So, I kept thinking about animated films and characters. Then, a sudden thought dawned on me.

The Last of Us and Ice Age have an eerily similar premise.

The more I thought about it, the more I realised that these films fit perfectly together.

Both take place during extinction events.

Both stories are about delivering a child cross country to a group of survivors. It is even the same country. A quick Google tells me that the mammoth, sloth, and sabre tooth tiger species featured in Ice Age all lived in North America.

And both feature a lonely broken man, forming a bond with the child they swore to protect.

At first, this just made me laugh a bit. But then, I realised that as a pair, each film says a lot about the other.

In particular, Manny says a lot about Joel, and vice versa. They both start their arcs at a similar place. They each lose everything.

In Ice Age, we learn Manny’s family were slaughtered by a human

tribe. In TLOU, Joel’s daughter dies tragically at the beginning of the outbreak.

As a result, both become cold. Focused on survival and nothing else, they cut themselves off from society.

Then, after being entrusted with a child’s safety, the two soften slowly. Their rough shells start to crack, and they start to form relationships and care for those around them.

Manny bonds with the baby, and his new companions. Joel bonds with Ellie. Both slowly learn to love again.

But despite these similarities, they have one major difference. And not just that Manny is a mammoth and Joel is a human, as ChatGPT was so kind to input. I actually noticed that myself.

he needs other people.

It's a simple, straightforward character arc about love and selflessness, perfect for a kid’s film.

Joel’s arc in TLOU on the other hand, subverts these tropes. It is a dark, thought-provoking narrative about the dangers of love.

Joel’s compassion for Ellie leads him to murder anyone who gets in his way. He sacrifices the happiness of everyone else for his own, and ultimately dooms humanity in the process.

It’s in the conclusion to their arcs, that the two reveal their differences.

Manny returns the baby to its tribe. Despite what humans took from him, he doesn’t want anyone to suffer the same fate. He walks away with his new “herd”, realising

What I’m trying to say is that these two characters showcase different sides of love. Where Joel is selfish, Manny is selfless.

Essentially, Manny is a better man than Joel, which is ironic given his species, but then maybe not given his name.

And that is why I think Ice Age and The Last of Us, are the perfect unlikely companion pieces.

A bear from Bear and Breakfast. Image Credit: Gummy Cat/Armour Games

Ellie from The Last of Us. Image Credit Naughty Dog / Sony

A Minecraft Sheep. Image Credit: Mojang

And both feature a lonely broken man, forming a bond with the child they swore to protect.

Stitches (above). Image Credit: Nintendo

TACKLING CAMPUS

Spring Forward Spring Forward

Marie Kondo. Image credit: M.K Sadler/KonMari Media, Inc

SPRING CLEANING WITH JOY

By Rio Kerr

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

The University of Stirling’s Marine Conservation Society is hosting weekly litter picks to tackle waste of campus.

Keeping Stirling’s campus clean is important to keeping the marine life from any harm. Society President Lucy Wilson spoke to Brig about the project.

This new project was started by the society in collaboration with a few others.

“Our main focus is obviously the environment, but we also have the loch, so we want to keep a lot of the rubbish out of the loch so that there is no marine life that’s eating any of this rubbish.

“So far, we have picked up 12kg of rubbish and that has just been from a month of doing these litter picks. It shows there is definitely an issue with the fact there is so much rubbish.

“We have also found there is definitely not enough bins whilst we are doing the litter picks so there is a lot of cigarette butts that are dropped around the campus because there is no cigarette bins in busy places.”

“Cigarette butts is the most common [type of litter found]. There is also a lot of vapes that are left around as well but most of these things are being found around buildings with classrooms and accommodation block especially, they seem to have a lot of cigarette butts.”

“I definitely think that would help out a lot if people were maybe just more aware of where they can bins these things because a lot of bins are just in random little places so not really in busy places. So, I think maybe putting the bins is a more obvious place would help.”

The project was made possible by the Vice Chancellors Fund, Lucy said: “It [the equipment] obviously cost a bit of money. Our society wouldn’t have been able to fund that, so we managed to use the funding to buy all the equipment.”

The equipment is currently stored in the Green and Blue Space where any student can sign out and use it when they want.

Lucy said for the weekly litter picks however that “we are happy for people just to show up. We normally meet on the bridge over the loch at 11 am every Saturday.”

By Ali Rees

There has been a lot of heat on professional organiser Marie Kondo recently, since she said in an interview with the Washington Post that having a third child has made tidying take a “back seat”.

This has sparked an internet out cry of “I told you so” and gleeful vindication. All this shows is that many people never truly under stood Kondo’s message in the first place.

Kondo advocated tidying and or ganising our physical spaces to tidy and organise our minds and inter nal spaces.

One of her core tenets has always been ensuring your home and space work for you, and above all, being intentional.

Being deliberate with your possessions and the space in which you live encourages you to appreciate what you have and take better care of it.

Being surrounded by a space and possessions that spark joy and that help us live our best lives is all she has ever wanted.

Since having a third child, being obsessively tidy is no longer what makes her space work for her and spending that time with her family sparks the most joy. Marie Kondo is still living by her principles; it just looks different now.

Even if tidying her own home has taken a back seat for Marie Kondo, we can still use her rules to lead better lives, and spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Spring Cleaning the Marie Kondo Way:

Assign everything a place.

work trying to figure out how much of something you have, what to keep, and where to store something of an uncertain quantity. Kondo recommends these categories in this order: clothing, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and sentimental items.

Don’t be afraid of letting go.

The point of this process isn’t to get rid of as much stuff as possible. It’s to know that the things you do have bring you some joy and that you have kept them with intention and confidence. When you know how much of something you have, you’re better placed to store it.

This makes keeping up the tidying so much easier and eliminates the mental load of figuring out where stuff goes when you’re doing maintenance tidying. It also means everyone in the house knows where to find things when they need them.

Store things so you can see them.

When you can see what you have, it’s less likely that something is “out of sight out of mind” when shopping.

Having a clean and tidy living space can really do wonders for your mental state. Not being distracted by mess and clutter allows you to focus on the tasks that help you achieve your goals. No more using your messy desk as a reason to procrastinate that assignment.

Litter picks. Image credit: Ciara Tait

TIMEBOXING: THE SUCCESS TO COMPLETING YOUR TO DO LIST

By Samantha McBride

Do you find yourself procrastinating? Or spend too long on one task on your to-do list and leave less time for the others? Struggle with work-life balance? Use the timeboxing technique to keep track of your to-do list while you set priorities and assign periods of time to your tasks!

Why timebox?

Many studies and surveys show timeboxing to be the most effective time management method. So much so that many entrepreneurs, such as Elon Musk and Bill Gates, use this technique to aid their success and productivity.

This management technique prevents procrastination and allows for a comprehensive representation of your progress on your tasks.

Additionally, it helps eliminate multitasking and lets you focus your attention to one task which lets you feel less scattered. Moreover, individuals and teams can use this technique.

What is timeboxing?

So, what is timeboxing?

Essentially, the technique converts your to do list into time blocks which puts a focus on the timeline of the task which allows for the management of many tasks and greatly reduces procrastination.

You can use apps to help you

organise. But ultimately you block out time (minutes, hours, days or months) to tasks.

Figure out what scale works best for the scope of your tasks. However, I would advise you break the bigger tasks into smaller chunks so you can.

How to timebox

Write all of your tasks in an unordered list.

This can serve as a brain dump of which you can refer to and gather your thoughts.

Prioritise your tasks by deadlines, importance, and time and effort.

Estimate the length of tasks and set your timebox length.

Make sure you are not overworking yourself. You can overcome this by apply other time management techniques such as the Pomodoro technique. It is essential you give yourself time for breaks into your day to ensure you do not burnout.

Put your priority tasks into these timeboxes and get started!

Tips and tricks

It is essential you remember to give yourself breaks and reward yourself for completing tasks. This keeps your motivation high.

BEST PLACES TO FURNISH YOUR HOME ON A BUDGET

you will find yourself getting increasingly more motivated. This is due to the release of the reward hormone dopamine.

If you are the type of person who cannot get motivated, you need to use this hormone release to your advantage. This is done by breaking your bigger tasks down into smaller ones.

Make your timeboxes visible and coloured - colour code and define the boxes. Use both physical and digital diary calendars.

Commit to your set timeboxes. Do not change around things after they have been set. It may take you time to adapt to the technique but the more you do it the increasing chances of you mastering the technique will be.

It is essential you are realistic when setting a time goal for the box of your task. You do not want to be rushing and lower the quality of your work. But conversely, you do not want to be taking too long on tasks. The idea is optimality on your time spent on tasks.

By Robyn Duffy

As a postgraduate student, I now live in a two-bed terrace house with more rooms than I’ve ever had to furnish.

In my undergraduate days, a bookshelf, a bed and a desk were all I needed to get along. However, I now live with my partner of two years and our cat, which means the new house required more furniture to store the belongings we collected during the last four or five years. Moving somewhere unfurnished can be daunting, and you may think it will be costly. I will share some of the best places to find preloved and cheap furnishings that will still look great.

Bear in mind that we are living in a place we don’t see ourselves moving from for a while, so we are trying to make it feel like home. We have also allowed ourselves to furnish it over multiple months, so don’t expect it to be perfect as soon as you move in; it takes time and searching.

Facebook Marketplace

I found Facebook Marketplace to be a treasure chest of beautiful furnishings. I bought a vintage-looking mirror for £20 and a fake leather desk chair for £40 (including a £10 delivery fee).

My best tip for Marketplace is to ask the seller if they can deliver; this is especially handy for students like myself, who don’t drive.

You can also get notified for specific searches, and whenever an item matching your search is listed, you’ll get a ping.

Gumtree

We managed to find a massive wooden sleigh bedframe for £60 on Gumtree. It would have cost hundreds had we bought one new.

Since we got our bedframe cheap, we decided to spend more money on a new Ikea mattress.

We also found a tall bookshelf for £20 on Gumtree, which was great for our small library. This, however, did have to be picked up by a family member.

We found dining chairs for £10 each, which paired with a table

donated by my family. Sometimes you can find free items like we did with our glass television stand.

B&M

B&M Bargains have great deals on furniture, and we managed to get a lot of matching furniture, including a tall wooden cabinet for £30 with two doors to use as storage, a small side table for £12, two bedside cupboards for £20 each and a ladder type bookshelf for £15. These were all part of the same decorative range.

Keep an eye on sales and charity shops

Charity shops have been a saviour for us. We had no sofa or seating in our living room when we first moved in.

We found a stunning mustard velvet two-seater for £230 in the British Heart Foundation. Although this was probably our most expensive purchase, we wanted a nice couch for our living room that wasn’t over £300, which is ridiculously hard in today’s economy.

Make sure you keep an eye on sales in big stores, as they sometimes reduce furniture items too. We found a mustard habitat clock in Sainsbury’s for £7, reduced from £15. Asda had also reduced food storage containers down to £1.50 each.

Budget furnishing. Image credit: Robyn Duffy

Timeboxing. Image credit: Getclockwise

THE CREEPY WEE PODCAST: 'A GEN Z TAKE ON SCOTTISH FOLKLORE AND HISTORY'

hard journalism. Obviously, these are amazing shows, but I think indie podcasts like ours have a chance to build community and be personalities.

there will be people out there looking for that exact thing.

culture

and mythology has always been encouraged.”

Rebecca also developed an interest in Scottish history and lore in her early years. She said: “I don’t think a lot of people know Fife to be a really historical and spooky place, but I grew up in a small community where we were always sharing ghost stories and urban legends.

My love of history does come from my nana though. We would drive by Loch Leven when I was wee, and she would tell me about Mary Queen of Scots and how she was imprisoned there; I would be dying to know more so she bought me lots of books about Scottish history.”

Topics discussed on The Creepy Wee Podcast include the lives of several Scottish royals, Kelpies, The Gorbals Vampire, Aleister Crowley and Scottish UFO sightings.

Rebecca told Brig: “If you listen to our show, you’ll know what I’m about to say. Mary Queen of Scots is definitely the most fascinating story I’ve researched and written up.

If you aren’t already listening to the wonders of The Creepy Wee Podcast, you’re in for a treat. Hosts Liam and Rebecca are the driving force behind the podcast, providing entertaining and informative Scottish culture deep-dives every other Wednesday.

From the Loch Ness Monster to the ghosts of Stirling Castle, the podcast covers all manner of topics on Scotland’s dark history and mythology. Each episode is filled with laughter and storytelling, making it the perfect place to start for someone interested in the topic of Scottish lore but unequipped to research it themselves.

When they’re not antagonising the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots, both hosts lead busy lives in different areas of Scotland.

Editor, producer and co-host, Rebecca, is a trained journalist currently working in the marketing industry. From the start, she knew she wanted to run her own podcast. According to their website, Rebecca got tired of waiting for someone else to start a spooky

Scottish history podcast and so she and Liam decided to team up to create their own.

Rebecca told Brig: “Liam is from Inverness and I’m from Fife and we actually met in one of the most embarrassing ways… on Tumblr. We’ve stayed friends ever since and try to forget our past on that website.”

=Liam is a co-host on The Creepy ee Podcast and has both a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology and an MSc in medical bioscience.

When asked how the podcast started, Liam said: “We started this podcast in one of the most insufferable and predictable ways possible.

“We were at a party and were sharing obscure Scottish history facts and loved the sound of our own voices so much that we were like ‘we should start a podcast together’ and we did it. It was inspired by narcissism.

“My granny and mum would take me to Scottish heritage sites at a very young age and I lived right by Loch Ness, so an interest in our

“To see her as a political animal and flawed person instead of the captive queen who had her head chopped off was so eye-opening to me. I think she’ll stick with me for life, I love her story.”

A fascinating discussion of Mary Queen of Scots’ life and her ghost is spread over four episodes, with the most recent covering brand new information about the Queen, uncovered in early February.

Apart from the interesting topics, what makes this podcast special is the chemistry between both hosts, their humour throughout episodes and a clear shared passion. Rebecca and Liam are unapologetic in their opinions and identities.

Liam said: “The shows that larger production companies put out are obligated to produce

“We’re able to be ourselves and we’ve interacted with our listeners from day one and it has really paid off. Both in terms of keeping listeners and also driving us to keep this show going because we know people are involved in the stories we tell.”

Rebecca studied journalism in Fife. She stated: “I remember at my interview they asked me why I should be on the course and I think I banged on about podcasts and wanting one of my own for about ten minutes.

“The podcast Serial by Sarah Koenig was a groundbreaking podcast and really opened my eyes to how exciting journalism and storytelling could be.”

When asked for her advice to budding podcasters, Rebecca told Brig: “My main advice for podcasting is that no idea is too niche. If you and your friend want to do a silly little show about your shared interest,

“I didn’t think so many people would want to listen to a Gen-Z take on Scottish folklore and history but here we are.”

The Creepy Wee Podcast brings with it the hope that, despite our generation's never-ending development of trends and hobbies, traditional Scottish customs will survive. By adapting the age-old stories and myths that Scotland runs on into an engaging and easily digestible podcast, Liam and Rebecca have secured many a culturally significant tale into their listeners’ minds.

The hosts said: “With the podcast, we’re able to show that a lot of our culture came from the working-class telling stories and keeping themselves and their children safe. Scottish history is a lot more nuanced than kilts, ginger hair and bagpipes. It doesn’t just start with the Picts and end with Outlander. There’s so much more to share.”

By Deanna Dawn

Image Credit: The Creepy Wee Podcast

Image Credit : The Creepy Wee Podcast

THE STIRLING PLEDGE AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

While nothing new, gender-based violence (GBV) is a term we’re all becoming increasingly aware of as the news cycle is filled with numerous stories of women being assaulted, beaten and murdered.

The 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines GBV as any act of gender- based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

It is also worth acknowledging that while it can affect individuals of any age, gender, sexual orientation, faith or ethnicity, many organisations agree that GBV is more often perpetuated by men and experienced by women.

According to the University of Stirling’s information webpage about GBV, as many as one in four female students have reported unwanted sexual behaviour while at university around the UK.

“GBV is recognised as a society wide issue, which means that University staff and students will both be victims and perpetrators.

“At the University of Stirling, we are committed to taking all steps in our power to prevent and tackle gender based and sexual violence in all its forms.

“The University takes reports of sexual assault or misconduct very seriously. We will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against any student or member of staff who has been found to engage in these behaviours.”

“Since the launch of the preventing and tackling sexual violence and misconduct strategy in 2016, the University of Stirling and Stirling Student’s Union have run the multi award-winning #IsThisOk awareness raising campaign. The campaign was designed to encourage people to identify inappropriate behaviours in relation to GBV and take action to challenge, report or change those behaviours.

“Following consultation with the University community, including staff, students, and victims/ survivors of GBV, the University and Students’ Union has adopted a new GBV campaign, Erase the Grey.

“Originally created and launched by Glasgow Caledonian University, Erase the Grey has

been adopted by several other higher education institutions across Scotland. The campaign challenges stereotypical attitudes and behaviours and reiterates an unambiguously zero-tolerance approach towards GBV.

The first published strategy became a nationally recognised approach to gender-based violence and the 2021-2024 strategy is no different.

“This strategy covering the period 2021-2024 consolidates and builds on the work of our first strategy. Crucially, it aims to broaden our approach to address the spectrum of GBV in line with the Scottish Government’s Equally Safe definition.

“This explicitly encapsulates not just sexual violence but all forms of GBV, including domestic and intimate partner violence, coercive control, stalking, online abuse, intimate image sharing, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and so called ‘honour-based violence’.”

The strategy is broken down into four different objectives and will measure success through baseline data and trends that will be captured in the supporting monitoring and evaluation

framework. The organisations will also seek to utilise recognised, established sources of data where possible.

Other data sources are likely to include staff pulse surveys/culture surveys, student surveys and qualitative data obtained from engagement with those with lived experiences. There will also be an effort to evaluate the impact of the training programmes and awareness raising work.

“Objective 1: We will foster a culture where gender-based violence is actively challenged, robustly tackled and in which people experiencing GBV are respected, supported and empowered.

“Objective 2: We will respond robustly and effectively to incidents of gender-based misconduct when they occur in our community.

“Objective 3: We will ensure that our staff and students are (i) clear about their options and receive appropriate support if they have experienced gender-based violence; and (ii) are clear about how to appropriately respond to and support those who have experienced gender-based violence.

“Objective 4: We will improve our knowledge and understanding

about the prevalence of and impact of our work to prevent and tackle gender-based violence.”

The University of Stirling and Stirling’s Student Union also wants to raise awareness of the specialist support they have put in place. Sexual Violence and Misconduct Liaison Officers are a group of staff specially trained to help those affected by sexual or gender-based violence.

“They are trained in taking disclosures and supporting people who have been affected by gender based or sexual violence. They will listen empathically to you without judgement and will provide you with information on your options if you have been affected by gender based or sexual violence in any way, even if it wasn't you that was directly affected.”

The World Health Organisation estimates that a third of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. The scale of the problem is so much larger than many realise and it’s too soon to slow down.

By AJ Whyte

Erase the Grey campaign banner. Image credit: Jonathan Boomer

WHICH GROCERY TOO GOOD TO GO BAG IS THE BEST IN STIRLING?

By Isla Glen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the cost-of-living crisis looms, the prospect of saving on your food shop is appealing. Stirling has a thriving Too Good To Go scene, with restaurants, supermarkets and cafes joining the fight against food waste.

If you’re not familiar with the app, the concept is simple; pay a reduced price for a bag of surprise food.

I tried Stirling’s three grocery Too Good To Go bags to find out which was the best. This included Morrisons, Spar and Marks & Spencers.

My aim was to find out if the contents of the bags were worth the reduced price. Would the food be fresh? Could I make meals from it? Would the surprise be worth it? Although no mystery bag is ever the same, I wanted to compare between the supermarkets to find out.

Morrisons charges £3.09 for their Magic Bag and collection is

slices of mature cheddar, asparagus tips, a profiterole dessert, British Rosa on-the-vine tomatoes, six potato farls and four croissants.

The bag is expected to be worth £15 but the items amounted to £24.15 at full price. There was no surprise that it’s achieved a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, one of the highest on the app.

My items were much fresher than Morrisons’ despite all being reduced and close to the use by date. The croissants and potato farls lasted a couple more days and were perfect for breakfast. The vegetables made an excellent side but easily could have become a pie or soup. Plus, the desserts were a nice treat.

Spar at Kildean charges £3.50 for a Magic Bag. It can be collected between 19:00 and 21:00.

The bag contained four large Warburtons rolls, six Warburtons thins, lemon and white chocolate muffins, onion, garlic and herb dip, a vindaloo Grab It chicken stick and a spaghetti Bolognese ready meal.

AN DÁRNA: THE NEWEST DATE NIGHT HOTSPOT IN STIRLING

between 17:00 and 21:00.

My bag contained a red cabbage, Sugardrop tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, four McGhee’s rolls, two chocolate covered apples, one mango, blueberries, wonky carrots, a cantaloupe melon, jumbo salad onions and a bag of satsumas.

The full price of these items is approximately £13.57, which is beyond the £10 price slash.

While much of the produce was fresh, the Brussel sprouts were unusable, and the melon and mango were mushy.

Despite its Too Good To Go rating being 3.3 out of 5 stars, Morrisons had the best value for money.

It was a no-brainer to make a big pot of soup with the cabbage and carrots. There were around five portions that paired with the rolls nicely. The fruit worked as a snack the next day.

In close competition was the Marks & Spencer bag at Stirling Moto. It cost £5 and had to be collected between 20:30 and 22:00.

In my bag, I received one roast chicken and salad sandwich, a strawberry compote trifle, pink lady apples, Boston beans, 10

Too Good To Go offers food past its best at a reduced price. Image Credit: Isla Glen

This bag did not have the best value for money, with £10.16 worth of goods for a £10 expected value. Surprisingly, the bag has an average rating of 4 out 5 stars, which is much higher than Morrisons.

Spar had the least meal-worthy items out of the bags. The spaghetti Bolognese was a decent portion and worth the bag as it has a regular price of £2.99, but every other item was a snack or needed something to go with it. My least favourite item was the dip as its flavour was unbelievably strong. I froze the bread and ready meals to preserve them.

Overall, the M&S bag had the best value for money and variety. Even though it is further to travel and has a higher price, there was enough food for every meal and it was far fresher than Morrisons. I liked being able to freeze my Spar items but preferred having enough food for something substantial. Marks & Spencer had diversity and quality and the others simply lacked.

By Rebecca Kerr

This Valentine's Day, I treated myself (and my boyfriend who was more than happy to comply) to a meal at the newly opened An Dárna on Friars Street.

The restaurant specialises in small plates as part of a fivecourse tasting menu for £35 per person. We also opted for the drinks pairing at an additional £25 each, which might sound steep, but for ten large glasses of wine among two lightweights, we were more than happy - and a tad hungover the next morning.

The wine is recommended to you based on your food order and, although I'm no wine connoisseur by any means, you can taste the sheer amount of thought that goes into pairing each dish with its accompanying wine.

Now onto the food - I'll stop teasing you. The star of the show HAS to be the treacle braised beef cheek which I, devastatingly, didn't order for myself but ended up stealing a bite or four from my boyfriend's plate.

The duck breast with raspberry ketchup, beetroot terrine and pistachio granola was a rogue

savoury-sweet bombshell on the menu - for which I had my doubts at first - but it was absolutely to die for. And of course, my chronic sweet tooth was more than pleased with the dark chocolate delice for dessert.

The menu was diverse to the point that it was borderline impossible to narrow down my choices, even in a restaurant that serves you five dishes, but I guess that gives me a valid excuse to go back. They offer everything from pork belly to seafood, as well as some stunning-looking vegetarian options.

With a menu that switches up every five weeks, there's no risk of flavour fatigue here… although I'll be devastated when the treacle braised beef cheek is no longer available.

I was a tad worried before our visit that a small plates 'tasting menu' would be too pretentious for me. What can I say: I'm a simple girl, I go hard for my Nando's and Pizza Express.

However, the staff were incredibly down-to-earth and happy to answer any daft questions I had about specific dishes, ingredients and what even is a 'cinnamon jus'?

The restaurant is also on the ball when it comes to allergies which was a major green flag for my boyfriend who is allergic to peanuts. The staff kindly assured us that nothing would be off the menu, rather they would just ensure that any satay sauces or peanut garnishes weren't included in our meals.

In my eyes, the only downside is the price which is perhaps too steep and unrealistic for a student budget. However, An Dárna has seemingly read the room and now offers a 'Sunday Countdown Menu' where you still get five courses, just from a reduced list of options. This also comes with three glasses of paired wine and will cost you £44, rather than the £60 per person we forked out during the week.

It's safe to say that An Dárna is now a firm favourite of mine and I'll be making any excuse to visit again; whether it's a birthday, an anniversary or a visit from my parents (and their bank cards). The food was exceptional, the drinks went down an absolute treat and, most importantly, the staff went above and beyond to make sure this was a Valentine's Day to remember.

A new venture from the owners of cocktail bar Meraki. Image Credit: Canva (left), An Dárna (below)

Dark chocolate delice served with pickled cherries and sea salt ice cream.

Image Credit: Rebecca Kerr

Treacle braised beef cheek, crumpet, cauliflower & yeast puree, red wine gel and battered pickle. Image Credit: An Dárna

By Julia Benko

THREE UNDERRATED STIRLING CAFES YOU MUST VISIT THIS SPRING

Spring is just around the corner now! The sun will begin to get warmer, the flowers will begin to bloom and outdoor seating will finally be open again. What better way is there to prepare for spring if not making a list of a few Stirling cafés to visit?

Be prepared to be charmed and allured by a few hidden gems in this list!

1. The Portcullis

This one here, I find, is the most hidden gem of all. Nestled right beneath the Stirling Castle, this café is part of the old pub hotel, the Portcullis. Their beer garden is protected by high stone walls,

which makes for a lovely, cooling escape from the sun’s rays if that’s what you’re needing. You get a lot of birds that come say hello, too, and it feels like you’re fully immersed in nature while also being hidden away from the rest of the world.

I think many people might have passed this place without knowing it’s there or thinking that it’s expensive. Their coffee (I’ve had a café latte – I know, what a classic) is very affordable and tastes amazing. I’d definitely give this place a go in the springtime!

2. The Pend – Cafe, Deli & Bistro

Did you know that this cute little deli can be found on Port Street?

There’s a little passage that takes you to this sweet and romantic-looking place. The courtyard in itself is wonderful. Sitting there, you wouldn’t think that on the other end of the passage finds itself a lively town. Once again, this place allows you to escape for a little while.

The deli has amazing cakes, coffee and meal options – some of which are also gluten-free, and all within the student budget!

3. Cisco’s

A sandwich and coffee bar, Cisco’s is basically on the other side of the street from The Pend.

During spring and summer, when I want to be surrounded by liveliness and energy, I like to sit in the outdoor area and people-watch while I drink my coffee. Cisco’s also does breakfasts, which I’d like to try out some day.

Sitting outside of the café on an early spring morning with a delicious breakfast is definitely on my bucket list this spring.

LOVE AT FIRST BITE: IS COOKING WITH BLOOD THE FUTURE?

By Freya Deyell FOOD EDITOR

BRIG'S BITES

Would

The prospect of adding animal blood to everyday foods would make most people queasy – but not TikTok creator @bloodnbooks.

Scarlett, who recently hit ten thousand followers on TikTok, began using blood in baked goods after being vegetarian for eight years.

The 23-year-old from North Virginia told Brig : “I got into cooking with blood when my friends jokingly passed me a cookbook about it, just over a year ago.

“When I went to read it on the train ride home, however, I was shocked by how fascinating everything about blood in food was to me.”

The book in question was Blood

Credit: @bloodnbooks

with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan, which Scarlett highly recommends to anyone interested in this type of cooking.

After a few months of research, they bought their first batch of blood – not human, like their comment section would have you believe, but pig from H Mart (an Asian supermarket chain).

“I had been experimenting on my own,” they said. “Mostly with replacing eggs in baking recipes before I started a TikTok account to document my journey.”

Eggs are very structurally similar to blood; they can easily be substituted for one another because they cook almost identically. One egg equals approximately 50g of blood.

The reaction on the app to their recipes has been varied, to say the least. Whilst some are genuinely interested, others are ignorant or plain disgusted by Scarlett’s content.

“Ultimately I do it because I find it interesting,” they concluded.

“That being said, there is an element of undoing the white food culture that dominates North American food.

“So much of so many animals go to waste just because the social norm says not to eat it and that’s crazy to me.”

Many cultures already utilise blood in sausages, pancakes and stews. Maybe it’s time more of us gave it a try.

A quick meat-free meal. Image Credit: Rio Kerr

NO CHICKEN FAJITA BOWL

By Rio Kerr

Forget fajita Fridays when you can have them on a Monday instead. Make meat-free Mondays easy with this quick and easy no-chicken fajita bowl.

This recipe is perfect for every student, whether you have a busy schedule or limited cooking skills. This is designed to be as simple as possible and use few ingredients, but a few additions can elevate this meal.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

Skill level: 1/5

Ingredients

• 200g chicken substitute (I used the Quorn chicken-style pieces)

• 1 red pepper

• 1 green pepper

• 1 yellow onion

• 150g White rice

• Fajita seasoning of your choice (can mix your own seasonings or save time by buying packet fajita seasoning)

• Splash of water

• Splash of oil of your choice

Optional:

• Swap chicken substitute for mushrooms

• You can garnish your bowl with cheese, sour cream, salsa or guacamole.

• Add black beans for some extra protein

Method

Step one:

Prepare the peppers and onions by chopping them into cubes or strips and set aside.

Step two:

Add the rice into a pot. Wash and rinse until the water runs clear before putting it on to boil. Once boiling, turn it down and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Step three:

Heat a frying pan, adding a splash of oil before frying the chicken substitute according to the packet’s instructions.

Step four:

After a couple of minutes, add your peppers and onions and fry them along with the chicken substitute, then add in the fajita seasoning. Let the vegetables soften, adding a splash of water if needed.

Step five:

Once everything is cooked and ready, portion the rice into two bowls before adding your no-chicken mix on top along with garnishes of your choice. And there you have a quick and easy fajita bowl in under 30 minutes.

you try food made with blood? Image

The Pend on Port Street. Image

Credit: The Pend Facebook

CLANSMEN RELEGATED BUT REBUILD IS ON THE HORIZON

By Ethan Claridge

Competitors to the end is the most fitting way to describe the Stirling Clansmen 2022/23 team. Wracked with injuries, the players struggled through a season which saw them face a veritable valley of death in the BUCS Northern division.

Ending the season with a combined score of 379-8 secured the team’s demotion from the Premiership level of BUCS American Football down to Division one for 2023/24.

The season started with an away game against Leeds Beckett Carnegie. The contest ended when the teams decided to let the clock run out, resulting in a final score of 52-0.

The Clansmen then welcomed the newly promoted Newcastle Raiders to Stirling in what would be the most competitive game of the year. The Clansmen scored their only points of the season on a run by Finlay Ramsay. The game ended in a final score of 26-8, Newcastle benefiting from many special teams’ mistakes. These mistakes would become a common theme for

the season.

Next, the Clansmen hosted longtime rivals the Durham Saints in a game that ended in controversy. The final score was 52-0 for Durham. This was the only time the teams would play each other during the season.

Then it was the turn of Leeds Beckett to make the trip to Stirling, putting up a score of 69-0. Matt Mariota, brother of NFL QB Marcus Mariota, showed his pedigree as a runner, despite the best efforts of the Clansmen.

The Clansmen travelled down to Newcastle in eager anticipation of another close game and a possible win to avoid relegation. The driving rain and more special teams’ mistakes were the downfalls in this contest. The game ended in a final score of 52-0, ensuring relegation.

Over Christmas, the team lost its Offensive and Defensive Coordinators, resulting in positional coaches Matthew Watt and Morgan Stuart-Bailey being appointed to the vacant roles. The Clansmen relished the new faces calling plays, and morale was high leaving the winter break.

SUDC’S COMPETITION SEASON OFF TO A FLYING START

By Charlotte Sutcliffe

Stirling University Dance Club have had a brilliant start to their competition season last month.

The club has entered into seven categories, ranging from ballet to hip-hop with all pieces choreographed by members of the club.

Unfortunately, the loss of several exchange students affected the already low numbers of the team.

The last two games the Clansmen played were against Nottingham Gold, last years runners-up in BUCS. The bravery shown by the small squad against a team that had easily quadruple the number of available players isn’t reflected in the scores of 68-0 and 61-0. The team ended the last game of their season with only 15 ‘healthy’ players.

Many players showed incredible amounts of courage during the season, with guys playing both ways and never taking a snap off until they were forced to. This fighting spirit is what the Clansmen will aim to bring into Division One next season.

The team is determined to bounce back and build upon the foundation of their small yet skilled group of players. With recruitment at the forefront of their strategy, the Clansmen are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of the best possible talent. Morale is high, and the Clansmen can’t wait to get back out on the field.

Their first competition was hosted at St Andrews’ ‘Take the Stage’, where they took third for advanced ballet and second for advanced jazz, with Mollie Arnott receiving best dancer of the day.

Dance captain Charlie Gardiner choreographed both the contemporary and jazz numbers this year, and was pleased with how the competition season has gone so far.

“SUDC has been doing extremely well this competition season, the standard of which increases every year, with this one being no different. We have been extremely grateful to have placed as we have.”

More recently was ‘Silver City’ in Aberdeen where four of their dances placed.

Advanced jazz placed first, advanced tap in second and advanced contemporary and lyrical in third, with Charlie winning performer of the day, and Mary Maccoll’s Highland solo coming fourth in the wildcard category.

President Emily Lawless, who choreographed tap and lyrical, wanted to emphasise the team’s dedication to making this happen.

“I know first-hand how hard all

the girls work in and out of rehearsals, and they absolutely deserve this recognition.”

The team also won the Spirit of the Silver City award for the best team spirit in the competition, something Emily took great pride in.

“Being a small club, this was a huge achievement and something that reflects the attitude of all of our members.

“We pride ourselves on being friendly and approachable and to be recognised for this is something I am really proud of this year.

“As a whole, the competition season and this year in general has been extremely successful and I can’t thank the club enough for all of their support.”

Their final competition takes place later this month, when they travel down south for their biggest event. They have also recently announced the date and title of their much-anticipated showcase at Macroberts, something president Emily is very excited about.

“I am so excited for everyone to see the end of year show where we will show off the positive attitude of our club and the immense talent that all of our members have.”

Taking place on April 21, ‘One Night Only’ will feature their competition dances as well as performances from the whole club.

AMERICAN FOOTBALLER SET FOR NEXT BIG TEST IN CANADA

By Andrew Robson SPORTS EDITOR

Stirling student Daniel Kane is set to take the next step in his career as he heads out to Canada in April.

Kane is signing for junior college side Okanagan Sun, who are the reigning national champions having won their third Canadian Bowl in 2022.

The former Clansmen has already played professionally in Europe, after spending much of last year in Germany with the NewYorker Lions, the most successful GFL side in history.

However, his season in Germany was cut short after an injury to his shoulder which required surgery.

But despite this setback, it has not halted Kane’s upward trajectory. He said: “The injury was a hard reality at the time but I’ve

just focussed on being back where I need to be, I’ll be even better than before by the time I’m back.

“Going to Germany was an amazing experience and it allowed me to really develop as a player.

“It was special to play in front of crowds of over seven-thousand people, and I can’t thank NewYorker enough for the opportunity they gave me.”

The 21-year-old, originally from Inverness, can’t wait to test himself the other side of the Atlantic. He said: “It’s the next step in my journey, I can’t wait to get out there and play again, I still have a lot to prove to myself and I’m really excited to do that.”

“Going to Canada will be brilliant challenge for me and I’m really looking forward to the experience.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Stirling but now is the right time to take the next step in my career.”

Kane has already played for German side NewYorker Lions. Image credit: NewYorker Lions

Clansmen battled hard but were relegated from BUCS Premier North. Image credit: John Ryan

BOAT CLUB BACK ON THE WATER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS

By Andrew Robson SPORTS EDITOR

In February, the University of Stirling Boat Club made a triumphant return to the water after four long years.

A combination of COVID and mismanagement from previous club members had kept the club stuck on land.

But after clearing many hurdles to reach this point, club president Olivia Coulthard said: “I think it’s great that we’re back on the water and taking one more step to becoming a competitive club.”

Issues first arose for the club when previous members lost the trust of the Stirling Rowing Club in town. As a result, the club were traveling to Glasgow and Perth for training sessions.

Then once COVID restrictions hit, the Boat Club could no longer travel to training and the restrictions prohibited boat use.

This has meant the club had spent over four years without water training, and it had been over seven years since they rowed in Stirling.

But in 2022, previous club president and current Union President Tash Miller began to rebuild the relationship with the club in Stirling,

OLYMPIC STUDENT WINS SECOND BUCS JUDO CHAMPIONSHIP

and after a year of meetings, an agreement was reached with the town club allowing for a return to the River Forth.

However, the struggle wasn’t over yet.

This year the club were told they did not have the relevant coaching qualifications to access the river.

But despite all the setbacks, the Boat Club returned to the River Forth on February 16. The Boat Club said: “Getting back on the water has been tough.

“We have really struggled to get onto the water due to lack of equipment.

“The club owned several boats but the majority of them are severally damaged and too expensive to repair, so right now we are working with one usable boat which can fit 8 crew members and a cox.”

Getting back on the water has required the dedication and hard work of many members past and present. The current committee said they owe a lot to the previous committee for repairing the relationship with the club in town.

Additionally, many current members of the club have never been in a boat before, and this has required further hard work to coach new members and ensure everyone is at the required fitness level.

The club said: “We are now going

through the process of training our members, many of whom have never rowed before.

“But we are just so pleased to have such great members who are willing to learn and are loving the water just as much as the pros in the club!

“We still have a long way to go, for instance, we recently carried a double from campus all the way to the town boat club which required several members and took us two hours which we now have to repair so it is fit for the water.

“But we have just secured some new blades, generously donated to us by Glasgow Rowing Club.”

Additionally, club president Olivia Coulthard said: “We are looking forward to entering BUCS next year and taking on more challenges. However, we’ve still got a long way to go as a club.

“Rowing isn’t a cheap sport, so trying to accumulate money to spend on boats, oars and other equipment is challenging.

“I would like to personally say a massive thank you to all our members and committee and to the 21/22 committee for working so hard to get us to this point.”

For more information and updates follow the University of Stirling Boat Club’s Instagram page.

University of Stirling student

Gabriella Wood has won the BUCS judo championship for a second year in a row, winning all four of her fights to secure gold.

“There was a bit of pressure going in because I knew winning it twice back to back would be big for the university but I kept a level head,” said Wood.

“The plan going in was to do the exact same thing for every match, it’s a setup. I’ve trained more times than I can count, get my strong overhand right grip, walk my opponent to the left and throw with my favourite hip technique for a full

score”

Wood has previously competed on the international stage in both the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and at Tokyo 2020 for Trinidad and Tobago, being the first woman to represent the country in Judo at an Olympics.

However the third year sports studies student is not done yet. She said: “I’ve got the Tbilisi Grand Slam in Georgia to continue my qualification for my second Olympics in Paris 2024.”

By Charlotte Sutcliffe

STUDENTS STRIKE GOLD AND SILVER IN COMBAT SPORTS

By Nathan Hassett

University of Stirling students

Jemma Swinburne and Kirsten Barrett are excelling in combat sports, with both seeing recent success at championship level.

Swinburne, a sports scholar, earned three medals at the recent Wako Kickboxing British National Championships in Nottingham.

Not only did she earn the British title in the 50kg Kick Light category, but also a second place finish in the 50kg Light Contact category and a bronze medal in the Points Fighting.

The achievements are particularly impressive as Swinburne has only been competing in kickboxing for three years.

She said: “I’m really pleased with my results. Some of my fights were very close with experienced kickboxers. The championships have provided me with valuable mat time and quality fights that will set me up nicely for the rest of the year.”

As a result of this performance, the rest of the year will be exciting

for Swinburne. She has now qualified to join the Wako GB team and will fly out to Portugal to compete in the Wako World Championships in November.

Kirsten Barrett has also tasted success in the recent BUCs Taekwondo Winter Championships held in Eastleigh. Barrett narrowly lost out in the final of the 57kg category but still earned herself a silver medal. Speaking about the result she said:

“I’ve only been competing in the WT style for a year and this has been been a big turning point for me. In my second match I won against a high level international competitor so I was pleased with my performances in general. I feel my game is really starting to come along.”

This positive result is the start of a year of exciting competitions for Barrett. The final installation of the BUCs series will be held on March 25-26 which will give her the chance to qualify for the European University Student Games in Zagreb on July 20-23.

It had been over seven years since they had rowed in the River Forth. Image credit: UoS Boat Club

Wood previously competed at Tokyo 2020. Image credit: Gabriella Wood

MENS 1'S INTO SEMI-FINALS AFTER FIRING FOUR PAST NOTTINGHAM TRENT

STIRLING UNI NOTTINGHAM TRENT 4 0

The University of Stirling’s men’s first football team is into the semi-finals of the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Championships, after a 4-0 win over Nottingham Trent University.

Midfielder Jason Jarvis scored either side of strikes from Cameron McKinley and Ciaran McAninch in a first-half goal fest.

Head coach Chris Geddes said: “It was an excellent first half. We were ruthless in front of [the] goal, and the quality of the finishes was good to see.

“We weren’t at our best in the second half, but still had some good chances. It’s always good to win though and get a clean sheet at home.”

The first-half performance was all that mattered, however, as Stirling wasted little time in inflicting a third defeat on the visitors this season.

Geddes’ side had to be patient early on, but after neat hold-up play in the box from Jake Service, the ball was curled in by Jarvis on 21 minutes.

After taking the lead, the BUCS Premier North champions took control and doubled the lead six minutes later.

Ben Maciver-Redwood set Jarvis

UNI FIGHTBACK TWICE TO SHARE SPOILS IN EAST KILBRIDE

played in the Championship this year playing against our young lads.

for a strike at goal and it could only be nudged back into play by Trent’s goalkeeper with McKinley wellplaced to slide home.

Again, the threat was created down the right, as Euan McGill broke into the box and squared the ball for McAninch to fire in a third on 36 minutes.

Nottingham’s journey home was sure to be a long one, as Jarvis booked Stirling’s place in the semi-finals at the stroke of halftime.

Service smashed the ball long towards McAninch, who brought it down superbly and found Jarvis on the other side, and his near-post strike brought up his 15th goal of the season.

Both sides had chances in the second half, first Stirling through Euan McGill before Nottingham’s Rio Molyneux had a low strike well saved by Ben Fry, but the damage was done in the first 45 minutes.

Stirling will host Nottingham University in the last four of the competition on Wednesday, March 8.

University of Stirling: Fry, Burrows, Service (Thompson 45), Lavery, McGill, Berry, Russell, McAninch, Jarvis, MaciverRedwood (Munro 68), McKinley (Rae 78).

By John Turnbull SPORTS EDITOR

Scottish Lowland Football League Table

The University of Stirling had to come back from behind twice but were rewarded with a point following a 2-2 draw with East Kilbride.

Neil McLaughlin’s penalty separated the sides going into the break, but Ben Heal drew the Uni level shortly after the restart.

Two headed goals followed from Reece McGuire and Cameron McKinley before Ben Fry saved McLaughlin’s second penalty at the death to win the Uni a valuable point on the road.

Head coach Chris Geddes said: “For us, the point was probably fair on chances and possession.

“We were a bit disappointed to go in 1-0 down at half-time through a penalty, which we thought was pretty soft.

“We gave them a quiet talking down at half-time because we weren’t doing the basics very well. We didn’t get as many chances second half, but we definitely played a lot better.

“We’ll take a point and move on, but I’ve told the boys, it shows where we’ve come as a squad that we are disappointed to come to East Kilbride and only get a point.

"You look at some of the players they've got there, guys who have

"On another day they could've been two or three nil up, and on another we could've been. Our goalie kept us in it, and their's did the same, so we'll take that and move on."

Seven consecutive wins before travelling to K-Park would give Stirling enough belief to think a win in East Kilbride was a live possibility.

The Uni showed signs of early intent, but the hosts should’ve opened the scoring earlier than they did.

Kyle Connell seemed to have pulled Marcus Lavery back, but play was waved on, and Fry made his first key save from the former Kilmarnock striker.

The opener was eventually hit on 37 minutes, as McLaughlin placed his first penalty of the afternoon into the corner.

Geddes got a response from the Uni though, and on 54 minutes the game was level. After positive wing play from Ciaran McAninch, the ball found Heal, who curled into the far corner.

It proved a game of the sides hitting back at each other, however, as East Kilbride again took the lead, this time on 68 minutes.

A well-worked move, started by captain Ronan Hughes, was headed

in at the back post by McGuire. A rare league defeat for Stirling would’ve felt harsh given the balance of the game, and McKinley fired back.

The Uni had several attempts blocked in the box, but it popped up for McKinley to head in a second goal in as many games – and a tenth in the Lowland League this season. With one minute of the ninety left, East Kilbride had the chance to steal all three points, but an in-form Fry dived low to his right and tipped McLaughlin’s spot-kick around the post.

Geddes praised his shot-stopper after the game: “He’s done that all season, we’ve got two good goalkeepers. He came up trumps for us there, and in the first half – it was a quality penalty save.”

East Kilbride: Currie, MacDonald, Peacock, Morgan, Lithgow, Thomson (McGuire 61), R. Hughes (McDonald 89), McLaughlin, Connell (McHugh 89), B. Hughes (Miller 77), Docherty (Allasan 61) University of Stirling: Fry, Lavery, Service, Burrows, Berry, Russell (Rae 74), Jarvis, Stokes (McAninch 45), Heal, McKinley (Thompson 85), Maciver-Redwood.

By John Turnbull SPORTS EDITOR

Stirling will host Nottingham Uni in the last four on March 8. Image credit: George Vekic

STIRLING HIT SEVEN ON WAY TO QUEENS PARK SHIELD SEMI-FINAL

Debutant Abel Manomey scored his first goal for the Men’s first team on Monday as Stirling ran out 7-1 winners over Edinburgh Napier University.

The Queen’s Park Shield quarter-final tie was swiftly put to bed as the Lowland League side hit seven first-half goals without reply.

The visitors bagged a consolation goal in the second half as Stirling spurned chances to extend the lead, but had done more than enough to reach another semi-final.

Head coach Chris Geddes said:

“To get into another semi-final of a cup competition is excellent. It was our second game in three days, so I’m delighted with the result and the goals we scored.

“We obviously had to make a lot of changes to the starting 11, but the boys that came in did well, and to score seven in the first half shows how good all of our forward players are.

“We had chances to add more goals in the second half, but I can’t complain with that scoreline, and our focus now turns to Clydebank on Saturday.”

It was a new look Uni side that faced Napier in Stirling, as nine

changes were made to the starting lineup from Saturday’s 2-2 draw with East Kilbride.

Buronbek Mirzasalimov was the first to make an impact as he headed in the first of his hat-trick on four minutes from an Archie Munro cross.

Four minutes later Jamie Thompson scored his first goal of the season as the defender finished off a well-worked corner.

Napier’s chances of staying in the game were diminished after 11 minutes when the away goalkeeper saw red for handling the ball outside of his box.

The home lead was then

doubled before the half-hour mark by Ciaran McAninch, as the midfielder snuck the ball in from a tight angle before tucking away a penalty.

Having set up McAninch’s first strike, Manomey volleyed in on his debut to put Stirling 5-0 up.

The first-half rout was complete when Mirzasalimov sealed his hat-trick with goals on 35 and 40 minutes.

Calum Rae picked out the forward excellently for the sixth, with number seven coming from a powerful left-footed finish into the far corner.

The Edinburgh side pulled one

back after an hour as the ball was poked home following tricky wing play from Tommy Penker. Stirling could’ve hit double figures with the chances created after the break, but the result ensured the Uni go unbeaten in February and will face Glasgow Uni in the last four.

University of Stirling: Godik, Lavery (Berry 66), Aslanoglu, Thompson, McAninch (Jarvis 76), Russell (Woloszyn 51), McGill, Munro, Rae, Mirzasalimov (Maciver-Redwood 66), Manomey (Heal 76).

By John Turnbull SPORTS EDITOR

PENALTY SHOOTOUT WIN PUTS FOOTBALL 4’S IN TROPHY FINAL

It took a penalty shootout to separate the men’s fourth team and Strathclyde 4s, but Stirling have booked a place in the final of the Scottish Conference Trophy.

Strathclyde scored twice in the second half to force decisive spot kicks, after Calum Park and Seth Laycock put the hosts two goals up at half time.

Having already won BUCS Scottish 5A, the 4’s now have the

chance to complete a double, with a win in the Trophy final.

Fourth team captain Daniel McKay said: “It’s been a really good season from the boys. There is a great feel around the squad at the moment.

“From winning only one game last year to winning the league and getting to the final is credit to the boys who stayed from last year and those who have come in.

By John Turnbull SPORTS EDITOR

“I’ve spent four years in the 4’s, so it’s really nice to round off my time with the team with a cup final. All the boys are really excited to play in it.”

Stirling looked comfortably on track to reach the final, as the 4’s took a two-nil lead into the break.

The opener came from a Caio Pontes corner, when Calum Park got to the ball first and headed it home.

Seth Laycock then doubled the Stirling lead, as Graeme Cuthbertson’s cross was brought down and curled into the bottom corner.

The visitors took just one minute of the second half to respond, though, before an equaliser was struck with around 20 minutes to play.

The semi-final went straight to penalties, and Stirling took an

early advantage after a miss from Strathclyde.

Four out of four penalties were tucked away by the hosts, before a saved spot kick meant Stirling would take a place in the final with a 4-3 shootout win.

Stirling will face Herriot-Watt 4’s in the final in St. Andrews on Wednesday, March 8.

Thompson scored his first of the season to make it 2-0. Image credit: George Vekic

CLEAN SWEEP FOR CSU AT SCOTTISH SENSATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

By AJ Whyte

For the first time in CSU history, every team representing the University of Stirling’s Cheerleading Club won 1st place at the BCA Cheer and Dance Scottish Sensations Championship.

The four teams that competed this year included Pom, Lyrical, Level 2 All-Girls and Level 1 Co-Ed.

Level 1 Co-Ed also hit a zero on their routine and the Pom team was also awarded phenomenal performance of the day, beating the various other teams competing.

CSU has been attending competitions for the past decade but has never had a result this good.

“It’s unheard of… We’ve had wins

but never more than two teams at a time… We’ve gone from being the worst university for cheer in Scotland to being the best,” says CSU president Rebecca Leiper.

The club isn’t planning to stop there however and are competing at the BCA Cheer and Dance British University Nationals in Derby on March 11 – 13.

This competition is only open to university teams and 90% of the team must be current students at the named University. 10% of the team can be past students if they have graduated from the named University within the past 4 years.

“Going in with our clean sweep, we’re confident, we know what to improve on, but we’d honestly just be happy to place top 5 in

Nationals.”

Rebecca Leiper has been a part of Cheerleading at Stirling University since her first year but had never taken part in the sport before she came to the university in 2019. She said: “The majority of our members did gymnastics or dance before coming to university but joined CSU wanting to try something new.”

CSU has 60 members across the entire club which includes social members. Each team trains at least twice a week but in the lead-up to competitions often train at least three times a week and individual stunt groups train in their own time as well.

“Our members are literally athletes. It’s hard but everyone really helps each other out. They’re all so

passionate, not just about cheerleading, but about the club itself.”

When asked about a response to what people have to say about cheerleading not being a ‘real’ sport, Leiper said: “You should come watch our performances.

“People think that, as the cheerleading club, we go to football games and stand there with pompoms, cheering them on.

“I don’t think people understand the skill, the technique and how much hard work cheer is.

“It can be dangerous as well, so you need to be really careful with what you’re doing to your body. So come watch us, give it a try and you will see how intense it is.”

To find out more follow the CSU Instagram page.

STIRLING UNI NOTTINGHAM TRENT 4 0

By John Turnbull SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Stirling’s men’s first football team is into the semi-finals of the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Championships, after a 4-0 win over Nottingham Trent University.

Midfielder Jason Jarvis scored either side of strikes from Cameron McKinley and Ciaran McAninch in a first-half goal fest.

Head coach Chris Geddes said: “It was an excellent first half. We were ruthless in front of [the] goal, and the quality of the finishes was good to see.

FULL STORY ON P30

STUDENTS STRIKE GOLD AND SILVER IN COMBAT SPORTS

By Nathan Hassett

FULL STORY ON P29

Ben Maciver-Redwood in action. Image Credit: George Vekic

Jemma Swinburne after winning Gold. Image Credit: Jemma Swinburne

All four CSU teams finished first at the event.

Image Credit: CSU