Brig Newspaper Vol56. Issue 3

VOL.56 ISSUE.3

2 MARCH 2026

STIRLING'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL 2026 UNIVERSITY REPLACES COVERAGE: OPENING FILM, IN-HOUSE COUNSELLING INTERVIEWS AND MORE SERVICES WITH EXTERNAL 24/7 HELPLINE PAGE 12 PAGE 5 Malala Yousafza. Image credit: Russell Watkins via Wikimedia Commons

The sabbatical officers. Image credit: Ryan Kellock

Stirling Uni's Malala Mandela Effect?

By Jess Urquhart Secretary

ELLIE HAMMOND ELECTED AS STUDENTS' UNION PRESIDENT

By Delaney Brooks Elections Co-Editor

By Emma Christie Elections Co-Editor

Ellie Hammond has been elected as President of Stirling’s Students’ Union after a landslide victory. She managed to secure 1,386 of 2,106 votes for this position.

After her win, Ellie expressed she was feeling “grateful first and

foremost".

She added: "I’m proud of all my campaign team, proud of all of us, the other candidates as well.”

Founder of the Green Society, Ellie has been involved with many societies and clubs throughout her time at university, including Drama (SUDS), True Crime, Air3 and AirTV. In her manifesto, Ellie mentions that she wants to improve communications between the

university and students, improve accessibility and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) on campus, and tackle gender-based violence in the student community.

Speaking to Brig, Ellie said: “I will do you proud, first and foremost, is what I want to say. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me and believed in me. The hard work starts now. I’m dedicated to sticking by what I’ve pledged and doing

everything for the best interest of students always, and that will never change."

As the former VP Communities, Ellie brought back the Reclaim The Night March in Stirling for the first time since COVID. She also successfully lobbied for the University to stop endorsing the controversial #EraseTheGrey campaign.

FULL STORY ON P16

On February 11, 2026, the university’s official Instagram page (@ universityofstirling) posted about a Q+A event with Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani female education activist, and the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Prize, which she won at 17 years old after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban on the way to her exams.

Hours later, the post was deleted.

The event was posted about the day before it was due to happen, being advertised as “An Evening in Conversation with Malala Yousafzai”, on February 12 in the Main House of the Macrobert Arts Centre. Macrobert Arts Centre said in response to Brig enquiring about the event that they “are a completely separate organisation to the University of Stirling and as such, we don't manage their events or social media presence so are not in a position to comment on this."

Stirling’s Students' Union was also contacted for comment, but claimed not to have “any background information” or a statement on the event. Additionally, the Student Services Hub claimed that they were unable to help with this enquiry, and referred Brig to Communications, Marketing and Recruitment. Brig contacted the email provided on February 18 about the event and has still received no response.

The account’s initial post was posted at 11:27am on February 11...

FULL STORY ON P3

NEWS NEWS

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The counterfeit clothes. Image credit: Stirling Council

Ramadan in Stirling 2026

By Erin Schoolar

EDITORIAL

By Alex Paterson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Students' Union elections are over! However, I am writing this editorial in the throes of voting, interviewing and my final year of university assignments.

I hope this print is not as chaotic and scrambled as my mind currently is.

Our team have, as always, worked so hard with this print edition. Hats off to Delaney and Emma, our election co-editors, for pulling our front page and special content together. I am so grateful for the effort you put into this and could not have done this print with you.

Similarly, thanks goes to everyone at Brig. Yes, for this print, but also for our recent success at the SPA 2026 awards.

Brig won Best Digital in the Scottish region and Emma (our elections co-editor) won Best Photographer. Our efforts with digital this year, spearheaded by our Head of Social Media, Robbie McAvenue, have absolutely paid off so thanks to him and everyone who has helped out. And thanks to Emma for taking those beautiful photos showing her student life on her American semester abroad.

Not to gloat even more, but we have also been shortlisted for nine categories at the National SPAs. Including Best Publication. This makes us one of the top ten best student publications in the UK, out of 260 plus SPA member publications.

I am gobsmacked. This is a huge feat that could not have been possible without the efforts of each and every one of our members. I am so proud of you all. www.brignews.com Now, I hope you enjoy reading this print. We have some great content about the Glasgow Film Festival, the upcoming May /brignewspaper Holyrood elections, and some delicious recipes in our food section which I cannot wait to try.

Find the page, and see what I mean... @brig_newspaper

www.brignews.com /brignewspaper @brig_newspaper @brignewspaper @brignewspaper

FAKE MERCHANDISE VALUED AT £200,000 CONFISCATED IN STIRLING

By Dylan Burt

Gaming and Tech Editor Counterfeit football goods valued at over £200,000 have been seized and are to be destroyed following a Trading Standards investigation in Stirling.

Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils’ Trading Standards Service launched the probe after receiving complaints about the sale of counterfeit football jerseys after complaints about fake products being sold both in a local shop and online.

Expert witnesses instructed by the brand owners found that “the vast majority of the goods being offered for sale by the business,

both in-store and online, were counterfeit.”

The items, which included football shirts, were voluntarily handed over by the trader involved.

The council said the stock will now be destroyed and that the business has been given a written warning to comply with consumer legislation in the future.

Councillor Alasdair Tollemache, convener of Stirling Council’s Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee, which oversees Trading Standards, described the sale of fake goods as “a serious offence and not a victimless crime.”

He said the trade in counterfeit merchandise “destroys jobs,

undermines the hard work of legitimate businesses” and added that such products can be unsafe for consumers.

Tollemache also thanked the enforcement officers involved, saying their work protected “the public and the livelihoods of honest local businesses operating within the law.”

He stated that the operation “sends a clear message to those who engage in illegal trading in Stirling and Clackmannanshire – this will not be tolerated.”

The action follows concerns that counterfeit goods not only mislead buyers but also have links to broader organised criminal activity.

In Stirling this year, there’s been a big effort to make Ramadan something that everyone can learn about and be part of. One of the main things happening is the Stirling Ramadan Programme 2026, which includes weekly community iftars at the University of Stirling.

These iftars happen every Saturday during the month and are completely free and open to anyone whether you’re Muslim or not.​ An iftar is the meal where Muslims break their fast at sunset. It usually starts with dates and water, following tradition, and then everyone shares a meal together. What’s really nice about the Stirling iftars is that they’re not just for people who are fasting. They’re designed to be welcoming and open, so people can come along, ask questions, learn about Ramadan and just experience the atmosphere for themselves.​ The programme has been made possible through collaboration between local community groups, the University and student societies.

Stirling MSP Comments on Killin Diesel Spill

By Amelia Fryer News Editor

Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed has called for continued environmental assessment and support for local businesses after the Killin diesel spill.

River Dochart has become contaminated after a fuel station at Lix Toll led to a diesel spill. There are also concerns that the contamination has spread into Loch Tay, causing larger concerns of potential risks to the River Tay system. In the immediate events following the spillage, there were limitations put in place on Killin’s use of tap water.

This has caused disruption to local residents and businesses.

During Topical Questions at the Scottish Parliament, Evelyn Tweed inquired on what action the Scottish Government had undertaken with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Water concerning the incident and the concerns over the environment.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin, responded to the Stirling MSP and established that ministers were made aware on Friday and

received regular updates throughout the course of the weekend.

The limitations placed on the use of tap water in Killin have been lifted as it has been confirmed as safe to drink. SEPA inspections have shown that the east end of Loch Tay stays clear, and that there have been no impacts shown on the River Tay. Ecological surveys and wider environmental assessments remain ongoing. Despite the progression with the lift of restrictions on tap water, Evelyn Tweed stressed that concerns remain locally about wildlife, long-term environmental monitoring and support for businesses affected by the disruption.

Speaking after the question, Evelyn Tweed said: “I welcome confirmation that water supplies are now safe, and I am grateful to all those who worked so quickly to respond to this incident. The response from Scottish Water and local residents was outstanding.

“However, there are still understandable questions about the environmental impact on the River Dochart, Loch Tay and the wider River Tay system. It is important that investigations are thorough and transparent, and that any

necessary clean-up and mitigation continues.

“This has also been an incredibly difficult and frustrating period for many in Killin. Local businesses, including care homes, dental practices and hospitality providers, experienced real disruption. I will be meeting with SEPA later this week to discuss the ongoing environmental concerns, and will continue to raise the ongoing concerns of constituents with the relevant parties in the weeks ahead.

“If anyone has concerns, please do contact me on evelyn.tweed.msp@ parliament.co.uk and my team and I will do all that we can.”

The Cabinet Secretary confirmed that Scottish Water will continue routine monitoring of drinking water in line with strict public health standards, and that the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland will undertake a formal investigation once the immediate response phase concludes.

Diesel spill distruption. Image credit: Evelyn Tweed's Office

NEWS

POLITICS COMMENT POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM MUSIC & TV ELECTIONS FILM & TV ARTS 6-7 6-7 8-9 10-11 8-9 10-11 12-13 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19

GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23

SPORT 28-32 24-28

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STIRLING UNI STAFF A Malala Mandela Effect: What BACK STRIKE ACTION IN Happened To The University’s Q&A With The Women’s Education Activist? UCU BALLOT

By Jess Urquhart

Malala Yousafza. Image credit: Russell Watkins via Wikimedia Commons

Secretary

On February 11 2026, the university’s official Instagram page (@ universityofstirling) posted about a Q+A event with Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani female education activist, and the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Prize, which she won at 17 years old after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban on the way to her exams.

Hours later, the post was deleted.

The event was posted about the day before it was due to happen, being advertised as “An Evening in Conversation with Malala Yousafzai”, on February 12 in the Main House of the Macrobert Arts Centre. Macrobert Arts Centre said in response to Brig enquiring about the event that they “are a completely separate organisation to the University of Stirling and as such, we don't manage their events or social media presence so are not in a position to comment on this.”

Stirling’s Student Union was also contacted for comment, but claimed not to have “any background information” or a statement on the event. Additionally, the Student Services Hub said they were unable to help with this enquiry, and referred Brig to Communications, Marketing and Recruitment. Brig contacted them on February 18 about the event and has received no response.

The university’s official Instagram page (@universityofstirling) was also contacted for comment and has been unresponsive. The account’s initial post was Posted at 11:27am on February 11, describing the event as “an opportunity to hear directly from Malala about activism, global change, and why education remains one of the most powerful tools for shaping our future.” By 11:45am, Brig had noticed that the post had been deleted. No cancellation was announced.

Despite only being up for 18 minutes, the post had at least 36 likes, before it was deleted.

Students expressed excitement about attending, but were left

confused after the post . “I wanted to go, but couldn’t find a time anywhere and then suddenly the post vanished” says Kristina Wikensten, with Tess Bowen adding: “I’d sent the post to someone, and within the 30 minutes it took for them to open it, the post had been deleted”.

The university responded to emails about the event’s disappearance after we alerted them that we had a screenshot of the original post. In response, the university said: “This post was issued in error. Due to diaries, the event wasn't able to go ahead on this occasion.”

They later added that whilst the event is postponed for now, they “remain hopeful it could take place in the future.”

in Scotland. When children with speech, language and communication needs do not receive the right support, they are significantly more likely to experience underachievement, mental health challenges and behavioural issues.

Evidence from Forth Valley, where a similar change has already been implemented, shows a significant improvement in outcomes for children when speech and language therapy services are delivered in schools.

Speaking as the manifesto was launched, Glenn Carter, head of RCSLT in Scotland, said: “Embedding speech and language therapists in education could transform the outcomes of a generation of children, improve their learning and life chances. Embedding speech and language therapists in education-based teams allows us to support children earlier, prevent harm and build relationships that help us address complex challenges as a team.

“To do this, however, we need to invest in training so more people from all walks of life can enter the SLT profession. Since 2019, the SLT workforce in Scotland has grown by only four percent, compared to an average of 22 percent in the rest

of the UK. We must pledge to rectify this and close the gap.

“The powerful impact of the early intervention of speech and language therapists cannot be underestimated. Our proposal is worthy of welcome from all political parties.”

Elsewhere in its manifesto, the RCSLT is calling for more resources for adult speech and language services. Recent figures show that almost 2,800 adults are waiting to access speech and language therapy services in Scotland.

Alongside proposals to widen access to speech and language therapy training courses and strengthen communication rights through legislation, the RCSLT said the package of measures could make a transformational change to people’s lives.

Carter added: “Scotland’s ageing population poses new challenges for health services. By enabling safe swallowing, which is the largest part of our work with adults, speech and language therapists ensure patients are fed and hydrated, avoid serious medical complications and ultimately prevent them ending up in hospital."

Read the full story online at brignews.com

Proposal Aims to Embed Speech and Language Therapists in Scotland’s Schools

By Courteney Pearson Head of Photography

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) has unveiled a proposal to embed speech and language therapists in nurseries and schools across Scotland every week, removing the need for children to leave their educational setting to receive treatment in health settings.

There are currently more than 1,300 speech and language therapists working across Scotland.

Over 60 per cent of their work is with children, including non-verbal children with severe medical difficulties, children with language disorders who struggle to understand others, and those with speech sound disorders that make it difficult for them to be understood.

The RCSLT said the plan would “transform the outcomes of a generation of children,” according to the organisation’s head in Scotland. The proposal forms part of the body’s manifesto ahead of next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.

Under the proposal, a speech and language therapist would be embedded in every school and nursery

By Alex Paterson Editor-in-Chief

Staff at the University of Stirling have voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute over job cuts and the University’s failure to rule out compulsory redundancies.

The UCU (University and College Union) opened the ballot on January 5, allowing members until today, February 17, to vote.

A majority of 80 per cent of UCU members voted in favour of strike action.

A further 88 per cent also supported actions other than striking, such as a marking and assessment boycott.

Despite the high number of votes in favour, only 66 per cent of the membership voted.

UCU members in the branch will now decide what action they want to take.

The UCU’s ballot was provoked by financial cuts the Union describes as unjustified, given that the University of Stirling’s principal Gerry McCormac is the highest paid higher eduction boss in Scotland.

Last year, the University lost 175 staff in a voluntary severance scheme they said was designed to support long-term financial sustainability.

McCormac, who recently announced his upcoming retirement, makes £428,000 a year including benefits.

The UCU says it is questioning the fairness of the exorbitant pay of senior leaders when job security is seemingly not an institutional priority.

A spokesperson for the Stirling UCU branch, said: "There is no need or justification for more job losses at the university. Before this dispute escalates further we urge Professor McCormac and university senior management to pull back from the brink; revisit their financial strategy and its associated targets, and prioritise the protection of existing jobs at Stirling.

“If the university can afford to pay its principal well over £400,000 a year, then we can absolutely afford to protect the jobs of the staff who deliver the teaching and research essential to the university’s purpose and mission.”

Jo Grady, UCU General Secretary, said: “Professor Sir Gerry McCormac will enjoy his retirement with a healthy pension while the staff at the university who teach students and carry out world leading research face job insecurity and not knowing if they have a future there. It’s time for Professor McCormac to engage with the unions, rule out compulsory redundancies and end this dispute.”

A spokesperson for the University of Stirling said: “The University is disappointed by the outcome of this ballot, which comes as the sector continues to face deep-rooted, structural and sustained external challenges. Our focus continues to be on strengthening the University's long-term financial sustainability.

“We will continue to engage in open and constructive dialogue with the University and College Union, as we prioritise minimising the impact of any potential action on students' learning and teaching.”

UCU protests at the University of Stirling. Image credit: Jonathan Boomer

NEWS NEWS

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LOCH LOMOND FLAMINGO LAND PROJECT CANCELLED

By Isla Barker Lifestyle Editor

Flamingo Land's "Lomond Banks" tourist resort has been cancelled after years of pressure from the public today.

Planning permission was rejected by the Scottish government due to concerns of environmental damage to the Loch Lomond ecosystem.

The £40 million plans that included a hotel, over 100 lodges, a waterpark and a monorail line were proposed for a site in Balloch, West Dunbartonshire.

The plans for the resort were first submitted in 2018 and later rejected in 2019 after opposition. In 2024, all 14 members of the Trossachs Planning Authority board rejected Flamingo Land Ltd's planning permission. The Scottish government's

Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) later granted an appeal, which was rejected after Scottish ministers concluded that the plans did not meet the 49 required conditions they proposed.

Over 150,000 people signed a petition launched by the Scottish Greens.

Environmentalists, the public and the government were concerned with flood risks, "irreversible" loss of woodland and loss of natural beauty.

The Scottish Greens welcomed the decision on their Instagram: "For the last decade, we have fought to save Loch Lomond from Flamingo Land's destructive mega-resort plan. Today, their plans have been rejected!"

Image credit: BBC/Stirling Council

THREE DAY BBC RADIO FESTIVAL COMING TO STIRLING THIS SUMMER

By Alex Paterson Editor-in-Chief

BBC Radio 2 in the Park is coming to City Park in Stirling this August, from Friday 7 to Sunday 9.

The annual festival is the station’s flagship live music event. It brings some of the biggest UK and international artists to small cities across the UK that do not often get the opportunity to host major cultural events.

Across the three-day festival, major musicians and Radio 2’s presenters will perform across three stages City Park, which sits beneath Stirling Castle.

The station – which is the UK’s most listened-to radio station with a weekly audience of 12.7m – will also broadcast the festival on Radio 2, BBC Sounds and iPlayer.

The event follows last year’s Radio 2 in the Park, which was held in Chelmsford, 2024’s event in Preston and 2023’s festival in Leicester.

Radio 2 estimates tens of thousands of music fans will flock to Stirling, promising an

unforgettable music spectacular.

In anticipation of the festival, the Wallace Monument and the Tolbooth live music venue are illuminated in BBC Radio 2's signature orange to celebrate.

Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, says: “Everyone in the Radio 2 presenter family is hugely excited to be heading to Stirling for our Radio 2 in the Park weekend.

"When they all found out together that we were going to Scotland, a cheer rang out across the room!

We’re now busy building a line-up of some of the world’s most loved artists to perform live for tens of thousands of people in the park, as well as for millions of listeners and viewers at home or on the move.”

Scott Mills, who hosts the Breakfast Show, which attracts a weekly audience says: “What an absolute treat for Radio 2 in the Park to land in Scotland this summer!

"Every time I’ve DJed in Scotland, I’ve received the warmest welcome, so I truly cannot wait for what promises to be the most brilliant weekend in August.

"A Scottish crowd is the best crowd. Stirling – we’re coming for you!”

Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Susan McGill, said: “We can’t wait to welcome fans and artists to our amazing city for an unforgettable celebration of world-class live music set against the stunning backdrop of Stirling Castle.

"While Stirling has a proud track record of successfully staging major music events, Radio 2 in the Park will be our biggest one yet – so this is incredibly exciting news and a huge boost for the city and the wider region. We will see you there!”

This is the first major Radio 2 live music event in Scotland since BBC Music’s Biggest Weekend in May 2018 at Scone Castle, Perth.

In 2023, Radio 1’s Big Weekend took place in Camperdown Country Park in Dundee.

Further information about Radio 2 in the Park, including the full artist line-up and ticketing details, will be announced at a later date.

NEWS

POLITICS COMMENT POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM MUSIC & TV ELECTIONS FILM & TV ARTS 6-7 6-7 8-9 10-11 8-9 10-11 12-13 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19

GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23

SPORT 28-32 24-28

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Additional support needs learning facility set to double pupil capacity

By Abigail Mocharnuk Work to double the capacity of a state-of-the-art learning facility for Stirling’s young people with additional support needs is progressing on schedule following completion of its timber frame in January. The expansion at Bluebell House will allow the specialist hub to grow from serving 24 pupils to 48 when it reopens in August 2026.

Bluebell House, located on the grounds of Bannockburn High School, originally opened in August 2025 with bespoke facilities including classrooms, nurture nooks, a sensory room and a general practitioner room, designed to support learners with additional needs as well as staff members.

The extension’s timber frame completion signals that construction remains on schedule ahead of the planned August deadline.

The second phase of the project, which began in September 2025, represents an estimated £4.3 million of investment funded through Stirling Council’s Education core capital programme, bringing the total cost of the Bluebell House project to roughly £9.4 million.

Stirling Council’s Social Work and Education convener, councillor Bob Buchanan, said in a January press release that the expanded facility underscores the council’s commitment to enhancing education infrastructure and better meeting the needs of pupils and families across the region.

“Doubling the capacity of this learning hub will help respond to the needs of pupils and their families,” Buchanan said in the press release, adding that Bluebell House has already proven to be “an excellent facility for young people with additional support needs.”

The project is being overseen

by East Central Scotland Ltd., the development partner managing procurement and design on behalf of Stirling Council. Ogilvie Construction is serving as the main contractor responsible for building the extension.

Grier Edmead, operations director at Ogilvie, said the site team has made “excellent progress” and will now move into the external envelope and interior fit-out phases.

UNIVERSITY REPLACES IN-HOUSE COUNSELLING SERVICES WITH EXTERNAL 24/7 HELPLINE

Rachel Jones, Director of Student Services. Image credit: University of Stirling

By Kristina Wikensten Music Co-Editor

Counselling at the University of Stirling has been taken over by the external provider Spectrum.

Life, now offering students 24/7 support through a free phone helpline.

At the end of January 2026, the University announced that students in need of counselling support should now turn straight to counselling and mental health support provider Spectrum. Life.

This 24/7 service replaces the previously offered one-at-a-time, inhouse counselling provided by the University itself.

Brig sat down for an interview with Rachel Jones, Director of Student Services, to better understand what support the University has to offer.

Rachel has been working at the University of Stirling since August 2024 and has worked in a range of different universities since 2000.

Her role at Stirling entails the management of student services, students' skills and employability and student and faculty operations. In relation to this recent change, she said: “...The basis of our review led us to make the decision that Spectrum.

Life was the best way for us to provide a consistent and standardised counselling support offer to our students... It allows us to respond to shifts in our student community as well.”

Spectrum.Life The University has had a contractual agreement with Spectrum.

Life since 2023. The company is an established digital counselling service provider for a variety of organisations and institutions. Students are offered professional and qualified counselling available 24/7 through the support helpline 0800 031 8227.

Rachel goes on to clarify what this entails.

“Yes, so it's entirely free for a student... It's entirely confidential, and the position of that confidentiality is explained in that confidentiality statement when the caller first calls the number. Literally... a student can ring it as many times as they want.”

While this service is always available to students, it does not offer longer-term counselling support.

When asked about this, Rachel responded: “So that isn't a commitment we would make.” She continues, “What we will guarantee through that offer is that you would speak to a qualified psychotherapist or counsellor every time, but because the service is situational, not based on a longer-term therapeutic relationship, that’s not the model.”

This is however not new as the University shifted towards a more short-term 'one-at-a-time' counselling model back in 2019.

Mental Health Advisers Though in-house counselling is no longer available, there are roles which offer in-person support to students who may require it. Rachel spoke of the Mental Health Advisers at the University, she said: “So, we have Mental Health Advisers who are... both of the mental health advisers we have are mental health nurses by background.”

She goes on to explain that their role is not to diagnose students but rather help them find the most suitable support for them to ultimately succeed in their studies.

Rachel continued by saying, “Their role as mental health advisers is to work with students who are experiencing ongoing mental health issues, so ongoing low mood or really difficult anxiety or stress, and work with a student to try and understand what the root of that is...”

She explains that there is an Urgent Referral Pathway which helps ensure the Mental Health Advisers can help students

who need the support. “...So, any risk associated with mental health is dealt with by mental health advisers.

And that's been the case since 2019.

That Pathway allows any member of the University community who's concerned about a student to raise that with us through the referral pathway.”

The Student Services Hub is available and ready to help with any questions relating to mental health support or getting support from a mental health adviser.

Reviewing Student Counselling Services Rachel goes on to clarify how the counselling model has changed over the years. Previously offering ‘block’ sessions, they moved to a 'one-at-a-time' model in 2019.

This model was implemented to cut waiting times and instead offer a more situational and shortterm approach to counselling.

With the one-at-a-time model, students could come with a certain concern and some weeks later book a follow-up session.

“So, we reviewed our counselling support off the last spring, and we used user data to look at user demand and engagement.”

Amongst results showing a lower engagement in first-year students, Rachel mentions: “This data also revealed that while students' needs were being met, there were some inconsistencies in the way our one-at-a-time model was being applied.”

At the end of 2024, they looked over this information, also noting improved but still long waiting times, with some students having to wait up to three weeks for an appointment.

“Then, the timing of our review converged with some staffing changes that were prompted by various things,” Rachel said.

When asked about the current situation at the University in relation to this decision, Rachel replied: “I would say that we would never make a decision like this

driven for financial reasons only... so I feel confident that the decision we've made provides scalable, consistent standard access to a level of equal specialist, qualified, accredited support.”

Rachel also mentions how this is a response to the number of students who commute.

“So, 40 per cent of our students now live at least 20 km away from the University, and that does impact the number of days that they travel in, particularly those students who are juggling over life commitments like families, caring, part-time job commitments...”

Getting feedback from students Rachel stresses the need for feedback to improve and evaluate the services the University offers.

“Yeah, so my plea on my request to users of this service would be: Please, please give feedback because that enables us to understand how this need is being met or not. And then how we use that information to move the service forward.

“I'm always delighted to speak to students. That's why I'm here.”

Additionally, the Students' Union's 'Ask and Listen' day on March 10 will offer students an opportunity to talk to Rachel and offer feedback on the student support services.

Conclusion In conclusion, Rachel said, “The other thing I would say is that we are in a constant process of reviewing our services to make sure that they support students as best as possible...”

"This is the beginning of a dialogue, and I welcome students talking to me about how we can best support them”.

Rachel ends by saying: “It's a long, long time since I was at University. The pressures are very different and the insight that students can give on their own experience is really, really powerful for us, because we want to be able to support students in the way they need in order to thrive.”

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NEWS 1-5

POLITICS

A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS VOTING IN STIRLING

By Emma Forbes Walker Politics Editor

The Scottish Parliament election will take place on May 7 2026.

Many students have never voted before, but this article will explain how and why they should vote.

Young people in Stirling should make their voices heard at the ballot box.

In Scotland, young people aged 16 and 17 have the right to vote in Scottish Parliament and local council elections. Voting in UK General Elections is open to those aged 18 and over.

Before voting, you must be registered. Registration is free and can be completed online in just a few minutes at the UK government website. You’ll need your National Insurance number and an address, including a term time address if you’re a student.

Once registered, voters in Stirling can choose to vote in three main ways. There's in person at a local polling station. This is usually a nearby school or community centre. Polling stations are usually open for the entire day (7am to 10pm), allowing students to fit voting around work or classes. Or you can vote by post, which can be arranged in advance. Alternatively,

you can arrange a proxy vote, where someone you trust votes on your behalf.

Despite having the vote, young people remain one of the least represented age groups at elections which has consequences.

Political decisions made at Holyrood and Westminster directly affect young people in Stirling.

Tuition fees, student finance, rent prices, transport costs, climate policies and job opportunities are all impacted. When young people don’t vote, their concerns are less likely to be prioritised.

If young people vote in large numbers, parties are more likely to develop policies that reflect their needs.

Voting does not take much time and it shows that you care about your own future. There are lots of YouTube videos that help to explain politics in an accessible and fun way. Students at the University of Stirling are encouraged to read manifestos, follow local debates and question candidates on issues they care about. It’s never too late to care.

Importantly, voting is private. No one can see who you vote for. And you don’t need to tell them. Even if your friends and family are quite vocal about their own political views - that doesn’t mean you have

The Iris Murdoch Building on campus has been used as a polling station in the past.

Image Credit: Alex Paterson

to be. Nobody should influence the way that you vote.

Scotland has already shown what youth political engagement can look like. During the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, 16 and 17 year olds were allowed to vote

for the first time. Turnout among.

Parties such as the Green Party used a lot of campaigning to target the younger population who tend to care more about environmental concerns more than the older generations do. This proves that when

young people vote, parties will attempt to listen to their concerns.

You can find more information on the GOV.UK and Young Scot websites.

GET TO KNOW STIRLING'S CANDIDATES FOR THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTION

Dr Kainde Manji Image Credit: Labour Stirling & Clackmannishire / Dr Kainde Manji Jill Reilly Image Credit: Scottish Liberal Democrats

By Adara Kulug

Scotland is preparing for its seventh general election since the devolved parliament was established in 1999. It is due to be held on May 7, 2026 and will elect 126 members.

Parties are coming out with their regional candidates. For Stirling, candidates have been announced for the SNP, Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats, and one independent, while Reform UK and the Scottish Greens have not announced their candidates at the time of writing.

SNP Candidate, Alyn Smith Smith was previously Stirling's SNP MP between 2019 and 2024.

His main focuses would be Scottish independence and rejoining the EU. His other Image Credit: The SNP focuses for Stirling would be strengthening public services such as education and the NHS by investing in the economy and using the money for public services.

Labour Candidate, Dr Kainde Manji Dr Kainde Manji is the Labour candidate for Stirling.

Her motto is “fight for a better future”, as she feels let down by what she perceives as 18 years of lies by the SNP. Her priorities are protecting the NHS by increasing funding and stopping the rush for appointments.

She also wants further support and resources for young people’s mental health, and to reinvest in education make it better for future generations.

Lastly, she wants improvements to public transport, and an end to the housing crisis.

Scottish Conservative Candidate, Stephen Kerr.

Stephen Kerr is the Conservative Party candidate for Stirling. He represented Stirling as MP between 2017 and 2019, and currently

represents C e n t r a l Scotland as a regional MSP. Kerr’s focus is on conservative principles and scrutinising the Scottish g o v e r n ment on isImage Credit: Chris sues such McAndrew as crime rates, public sector organisation and efficiency, education, and other social issues. Key themes in his campaign on social media include: Taxation. He believes that the SNP, Labour and Reform UK just want our money and he will be able to make us keep more of it to ourselves.

Crime. Kerr believes that the SNP have been too soft on criminals, which is an injustice to the victims.

Anti-Scottish independence. Kerr believes that SNP “has wasted months of parliamentary time” on independence.

Local infrastructure. In particular, Kerr wants to strengthen

broadband and telephone networks in Stirling.

Scottish Liberal Democrat Candidate, Jill Reilly.

Stirling's L i b e r a l Democrat candidate is Jill Reilly, who has worked in both the private and public sector.

The main focuses of the party are a fair society, climate change, and poverty.

Her campaign focuses particularly on public transport and suitability, especially: The importance of public transportation, which she would like to improve by making transportation more accessible between towns and cities. The decarbonisation of public transport to make it more sustainable.

Unfortunately, there is not much information on Matthew Riley who is the candidate running as an independent.

You can register to vote at www. mygov.scot>voting-in-elections-inscotland if you are a British or an Irish citizen and are old enough to vote.

USEFUL RESOURCES! GOV UK REGISTER TO VOTE

YOUNG SCOT: WHY SHOULD I VOTE?

POLITICS

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COUNCIL’S BUDGET CONSULTATION FINDS OPPOSITION TO CUTS

By Edward Jewsbury Politics Editor

Stirling Council has published the findings of its 2026/27 ‘Big Conversation’ consultation with over 2,600 residents, council staff, and local stakeholders.

The consultation asked locals for their opinions on income-raising and cost-saving options for the council, while it navigates a projected £14.3 million budget shortfall for 2026/27.

So how were the different measures received?

Income-raising measures Most broadly supported were changes to housing licensing rules so that landlords pay certain fees rather than the council.

Respondents were clear that any rule-changes must come alongside improved standards and compliance, and any extra costs should not be passed on to lower-income tenants and students.

Meanwhile, increases to parking charges were largely divided as respondents worried about the impact on hospitality, retail, and independent businesses in the city centre. Some suggested that any parking charge increases should accompany improvements to public transport, particularly on evenings and Sundays.

Some respondents supported increased parking charges on environmental grounds, and many

proposed a graded pricing structure, with cheaper-than-current charges for shorter parking periods, to encourage a higher turnover of spaces.

Increases to burial costs and nursery fees for non-statutory childcare were also largely opposed as they would be more impactful for lower-income households, with a low pay-off for the council in the meantime.

A further increase in the garden waste permit from £52 to £60 was overwhelmingly opposed by respondents, who felt it had already risen sharply from £35 in recent years, and constitutes a form of ‘double tax’, as it is charged on top of council tax.

Cost-saving measures Slashing or reforming clothing grants for school uniforms was the most widely accepted cost-saving measure, although only 55 per cent of respondents supported it. Many respondents supported reducing the overall cost uniforms to allow the grants to be removed.

Some comments also recommended reforming the grants to use retailer-specific vouchers, rather than cash, to avoid the money being used for other purposes.

Cuts to bus services, such as the Sunday X10 and Saturday S60 service, were overwhelmingly opposed, due to the disproportionate impact it would have on lower-income, rural, and elderly residents.

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Stirling Council. Image Credit: Brig

Reductions in youth participation, educational psychology services, and extra educational provisions, also saw overwhelming opposition, as respondents sought to avoid exclusionary outcomes.

Boosting the efficiency of existing services Changes to the delivery of existing services to save costs was more palatable to respondents than cuts.

The most widely supported measure was a review of smaller schools and the sharing of headteachers across sites. While this was largely supported in principle, respondents were keen to see that unintended consequences did not harm student outcomes and senior leadership decision-making, particularly in rural areas.

School transport, such as the use of taxis, was a dividing issue.

Respondents accepted that, as covered in the national media, the use of taxis for schoolchildren presents a high cost for local councils across the UK, although respondents were hesitant around a proposal to increase the statutory walking distance from two to three miles for children over eight.

Another divisive measure was the dimming of streetlights. In the wake of Stirling’s Reclaim the Night marches, many respondents cited concerns about the safety of women and girls, the elderly, and those working unsociable hours. On large, though, 67 per cent support of respondents supported it, citing improved efficiency and reduced

light-pollution.

The proposal to outsource school meals for nursery and primary schoolchildren received widespread scepticism, as respondents suggested that profit-motivated private providers would reduce the quality of ingredients, the size of portions, and the variety of menus.

While the council suggested that this could save £500,000, it would come with a loss of 43 jobs, which could increase long-term welfare costs. Respondents were also sceptical of the savings figure, suggesting that adequate meal provision would not be possible for £500,000 cheaper.

See our online coverage of Stirling's Council budget at www. brignews.com

UK VISA CHANGES THREATEN UNIVERSITIES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

By Antanina Papouskaya

Beech Court halls. Image Credit: Brig

The UK government’s new immigration rules, first introduced in July 2025 and then expanded with further restrictions in December, have sparked concern among universities and international students, who argue the changes threaten higher education and the wider economy.

Under the new UK government visa rules, the graduate visa is now reduced to 18 months instead of two years. Additionally, the new Skilled Worker visa requires international students to secure employment at degree level in order to remain in the UK. The government is also considering adding extra financial charges on the universities for enrolling international students, meaning institutions may have to return part of the fees to the state.

For international students, that means less time to find work after graduation, stricter job requirements and potentially higher tuition fees. At the time, when graduate employment is already competitive, many students are

getting more concerned about their future.

A University of Stirling international student told Brig, “I am so scared about the future. I am going to have a debt after my studies here, and with the economic crisis at the moment, I can’t see anyone living comfortably.”

Universities in the UK, which rely on international students who pay on average four times more than domestic students, are already feeling the strain. Scottish universities are particularly overly dependent on international students due to the free tuition for domestic students.

In the 2024/2025 academic year universities in the UK saw a six percent decrease in international enrolments.

The drop in international students has been one of the contributors to several severance schemes that have been launched at the University of Stirling and at a number of universities across the UK. Universities depend on international students financially, yet politically they are increasingly

treated as a problem. nternational students bring economic and cultural benefits, from tuition and living expenses to longterm connections with the UK. Still, many feel like they are treated as revenue rather than valued members of society.

One international student told the BBC, “We are stimulating the economy, so it's a bit sad to hear the anti-immigration rhetoric that we’re coming here to drain your resources, when it’s the exact opposite.”

The UK government says the changes are intended to prevent visa abuse, arguing that some international students arrive legally but overstay their visas, creating a backdoor route to settlement in the UK. However, most international students already face strict monitoring when coming to the country, including visa sponsorship rules, attendance tracking and work restrictions. For them studying in the UK is an expensive commitment aimed at improving future opportunities rather than an attempt to bypass immigration routes.

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NEWS 1-5

POLITICS 6-7

COMMENT

UNCONVENTIONAL: A 'TYPICAL' STUDENT

By Amelia Fryer News Editor

The word unconventional means, in a literally sense, “not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed”, to some extent I think everyone is a bit unconventional in their own way, especially when growing up. All people in university want is to make friends, fit in and get a degree. However in my personal opinion based on my own experiences, I think fitting in is utterly and one hundred per cent impossible, for anyone.

As I sit here writing this piece on my phone, I am waiting on my friends to come down off Meall Ghaordaidh (a munro in the Ben Lawyers area of Scotland). I am currently sat warm and toasty in my friends car with ‘Given Up’ by Linkin Park playing and consuming all of my lunch and my hill snacks (and some of my friend’s

secret snack stash too). I’m not unused to turning around on hills, it happens to everyone and certainly shouldn’t be something to avoid or be ashamed of - if a situation has the potential to become either a miserable day or a mountain rescue call out (which I have also experienced): turn around, the hill isn’t going anywhere.

While mildly frustrated and sad to not be on the hill and bagging another munro with my friends, there was no way I was going to be able to complete it, not happy anyway. With blisters, a bust knee, disgusting weather, intense nausea and dizziness and a lack of mental state that was left in August 2025, I thought turning around to a warm and dry car was probably the best option for all involved.

If I’ve learned anything from mountaineering in the last couple of years, it’s how tenacious I am, and that backing down isn’t a bad thing nine times out of ten. It took

me a long time to get to a point where I could feel satisfied with a decision (any decision, I’m very indecisive). Turning around on Stob Ban twice certainly killed my spirit, but Meall Ghaordaidh today has consolidated the knowledge in my head that doing the right thing for you is okay, and that I don’t need to feel bad for just being slower, or more delicate, or not as fit – because despite all of that, I gain experience every time I go out on the hill, or to a crag, or to a climbing gym, or even on a long flat walk.

Looking back at where I was a year and a half ago, the progress is undeniable. I can navigate in poor conditions, I understand kit and what it does and why I need it, I can look at and understand a weather and avalanche forecast, I can take care of a group on the hill to suit all needs (luckily and just about), I can coordinate to get an injured person off a mountain, I can officially tie one knot and one hitch, I can climb

6A’s (again, just about) and can toprope belay (lead climbing is the next goal).

I suppose the unconventional aspect of my life comes into the majority of it. I think everyone is unconventional and totally normal at the same time, if everyone was the same the world would be incredibly boring – I believe that everyone is the same because they are unconventional. Many of us are anxious, depressed, happy, failing courses, passing courses, have set plans for their life, have absolutely no idea what to do; and I think that’s normal.

We are studying a theory in my Philosophy module this week: the Paradox of Hedonism. This theory applies the thought that by chasing pleasure and trying to make ourselves happy all the time 24/7, we will ultimately fail, and we will be miserable, and I mostly agree with this theory. By constantly chasing my degree, or becoming

an experienced and genuinely good mountaineer/climber, I think I have been failing as I have been aiming for the end goal rather than looking at the steps to take for me to get there. The same way an athlete will strive to win a competition without focusing on the game itself, it will simply not happen if we skip the steps to get to the end goal.

So no, I don’t think mountaineering or climbing, or the way I keep my horses, or the way I organise my kitchen, or my sense of humour or even my way of thinking is “conforming to what is generally done or believed”, but I think that’s what makes me interesting, and therefore what makes everyone else interesting because they are not the same as me, and therefore makes the world interesting.

Image was taken by Amelia near Tundrum on the West Highland Way. Image Credit: Amelia Fryer.

COMMENT

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HOW SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS STUDENT LIFE MORE THAN YOU THINK

By Erin Hamilton

As we all know, frequently scrolling through social media on a daily basis has become an unavoidable trait amongst university students.

However, many people are unaware of how detrimental these excessive habits can be, not only on overall student life and mental wellness, but also on the less focused on areas of academic and social performance. Although picking up your phone consistently can be very tempting, it is important to understand the ways in which this habit can impact you more than you think: Impact on cognitive decline A constant reliance on social media platforms throughout the day can have quite damaging effects on a student’s overall cognitive functioning. This can range from frequent brain fog and a decreased ability to think for yourself without technology, on top of constant distractions from your studies due to the internal and external impacts

from your phone.

The issue of ‘brain rot’ is also an increasing problem, which occurs due to spending too much time online can impact your cognition and working memory throughout university, which can worsen and have a negative impact when you go into a real job after graduating.

Impact on in-person social skills If you socialise with people more through online messaging than in-person, you might not be aware of how this may be silently offsetting your direct social skills.

Getting yourself in the habit of replacing face-to-face communications with chats over social platforms can decrease your ability to interpret emotions and social cues, many experts have found. Not only does the lack of visible social cues impact the way you interpret a message, but the delayed reactions between responses may begin impacting your ability to think quickly in a real conversation if you engage in them less.

Impact on mental health

It is widely known about the negative impacts that social media can have on anyone’s mental health, from increased anxiety and insecurities to more serious issues like depression. However, there are many concerns amidst how your everyday thinking can be impacted in quieter ways also, where many students may face decreases in energy levels or a lack of motivation, which can lead to issues of too much inactivity or isolation which can worsen these mental impacts as well as physically.

If you have noticed that you struggle with these issues and have high social media usage levels, it is important that you consider disciplining yourself through reducing your habits, and finding a balance between your work and personal time to prevent it from putting intense pressures on your student life.

nation needs to confront.

Regardless of whether Wallace was truly as cruel as the English alleged, he was still a medieval commander, someone who is a farcry from what Scotland seeks to represent and whose rebellion was not for Scotland, but for King John Balliol.

Meanwhile England and Ireland honour figures like Winston Churchill or Michael Collins, who while controversial, can at least be argued to have been positive forces.

Scotland sees itself as a progressive country that values tolerance and freedom for all; A modern

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Image is a homepage of a phone with social media apps being shown. Image Credit: Bastian Riccardi via Pexels

OPINION: William Wallace was a War Criminal

By James McIntyre

The most legendary figure in Scottish history and one of our national heroes has a storied and, at times, unclear history.

His (shared) victory at Stirling Bridge was a flashy and daring victory against the English and he became the first Guardian of Scotland as a result, a position he would hold up until his disastrous defeat at the Battle of Falkirk.

But one thing is very clear: when William Wallace was executed in 1305, it was on charges that today are considered to be one of the first examples of war crimes in history.

Even aside from his failings as a military leader, Wallace was an incredibly brutal and rash commander.

Although it is difficult to tell what allegations are true and what is mere English propaganda, there’s no doubt that Wallace’s rebellion would’ve been all the justification King Edward I needed to execute him and so the extra charges against Wallace must surely be based in some fact.

At his trial in London it was said that Wallace’s army ravaged civilians “sparing neither age nor sex, monk nor nun.” In short, attacking civilians and non-combatants and massacring the inhabitants where he raided.

In short, the tall monument that shadows Stirling University was built in honour to the first ever war-criminal and it’s a history our The Wallace Monument. Image Credit: Clément Proust via Pexels

western nation with a rich cultural identity.

Our national symbolism however honours centuries-old medieval kings and fighters and don’t even get me started on famous anti-semite Mel Gibson's influence on why that’s come to be.

If Scotland is to develop its own

national identity after centuries of repression and assimilation, then it cannot resort to glamorising feudal kings and millenia-old battles.

A new identity is needed if anyone is to take our country seriously.

Because we cannot preach progress while being under the banner of a 900-year-old war criminal.

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MUSIC

Europa Music. Image credit: Courteney Pearson

Tips For Building a Strong Physical Music Collection

Charity shops

Whilst they might not be the first place you'd think to look, you'll find some great second-hand, sometimes authentic vintage CD, record and casette players in your local charity shops.

Debra in the Thistles Shopping Centre often have old music players and such, making it a great place to start. You can also find CDs in other places like the British Heart Foundation shop on King St. or the Cancer Research UK shop right next to the bus stop in city centre.

Alongside that, you'll find some big job lots of old album collections for sale. You can get great discounts on certain genres or eras of music when you buy bulk!

Europa Music

Independently owned and long established, Europa music is an iconic second hand music shop right in the centre of Stirling. CD's, Casettes, Vinyl, whatever you decide to collect, you'll find some old gems in Europa Music!

Inside Europa. Image credit: Kristina Wikensten

The Record Hide

Record Player. Image credit: Kristina Wikensten Record Store Day at Europa. Image credit: Kristina Wikensten

By Mia Ford

Music Co-editor

The Record Hide host regular pop-ups for vinyl collectors around Bridge of Allan. You can keep up with the van of records via FaceBook and visit the record specialist to buy some second hand vinyl records!

FaceBook Marketplace , GumTree, and eBay

With streaming plaforms increasing their subscription costs every year, lots of us music fans no longer want to spend their hard earned wages on media they do not even own.

So, Brig has listed several places in Stirling where you can ethically source CDs, records, casette players and albums.

It's a given that you should always be looking at local marketplace apps for great second hand finds. This rings especially true for second hand tech. You're almost guaranteed to find a CD, casette or record player on these apps.

ALYSA LIU

Alex's vinyls. Image credit: Alex Paterson

A figure skater's relationship to the music industry

By Kristina Wikensten Music Co-editor

It has been hard to miss the recent online buzz of 2026 Winter Olympic Champion Alysa Liu. But it isn’t only for her athletic talent that she has been receiving such attention.

The 20-year-old’s personal style, attitude towards her sport and, of course, her taste in music all contribute to her viral recognition. Noticeably, Alysa’s song for her Olympic program has put Donna Summers back on the charts, nearly 50 years after its release, with X reporting it to be on the top 10 on US iTunes. Summers released her disco version of 'MacArthur’s Park' back in 1978, topping the Billboard hot 100 that year.

Last year Alysa also skated at the World Championships to the song 'Promise' by Icelandic jazzpop artist, Laufey. Winning first place, this was only the beginning to Alysa’s stardom.

They both met back in

Scan to access Brig's Spotify

September 2025 at one of Laufey’s concerts. Wearing her dress and gold medal from her ‘Promise’ programme, Laufey crowned Alysa ‘San Francisco’s best dress guest.’

This February, Laufey gave Alysa a shout-out after winning Olympic Gold, at her concert in Zurich. Before playing her next song, she took a break to say: “She has been skating to this song of mine and just brought it such a new life… It’s just so cool when art comes together like that.”

Just when we thought we couldn’t get enough of the popstar on ice, Alysa treated the world to yet another performance.

Most recently the 2026 Olympic Gold Medallists skated at the Olympic Exhibition Gala to 'Stateside' remix by Pinkpanthress with Zara Larsson. This gained widespread attention online and did not bypass Zara, who posted her reaction to it on TikTok. After

Upcoming Concerts at The Tolbooth

Quiet Man, - March 14 Fergus McCreadie - March 24 Metgagama March 26 Ross Couper Band - April 9 Calum MacPhail - April 17 Withered Hand - May 2 Malin Lewis Trio - May 8

Glasgow Welcomes Indie Folk Rock Artist

By Connor Peebles Deputy Editor

only a day the TikTok post had 12.5 million views. The reaction itself was more than positive, with Zara saying, “You know it’s good when even the commentators are quiet.”

Alysa Liu has unsurprisingly been an intercontinental hit

online and the world waits as we look forward to what else she might have in store.

Liu in her 'Promise' programme dress. Image credit: Flowering Dagwood via WikiMedia Commons

Tyler Ramsey, a singer-songwriter from North Carolina is returning to the UK for the first time in two years, with a notable stop off in Glasgow.

The modern folk and indie rock artist will be performing at Glasgow’s St Lukes Friday April 3.

This show is part of a UK tour promoting his recent album Celestun.

Acclaimed for his vast catalogue of folk and rock music, Ramsey’s sound can only be described as monumental. Balancing blues teachings with a finger-picked style that is wholly his own, he made a name for himself by performing as the lead guitarist of Band of Horses for a decade.

Since making music on his own in 2019, he’s released two albums, For The Morning (2019) and New Lost Ages (2024). This year he teamed with Carl Broemel, guitarist of My Morning Jacket, to release Celestun. The duo were friends and tour buddies for ten years and the album stands as an acute example of the unique talent both artists bring to the table.

Celestun is now available to listen.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH BEN LAUDER: GLASGOW’S FAVOURITE GROOM

By Maisie Nisbet

Image credit: @ben_lauder_ via Instagram

Amongst the many rising artists in Glasgow’s music scene is Ben Lauder, a musician and producer who sat down with Brig Newspaper to discuss old gems, fresh starts and his new single.

With seven singles so far, Ben’s music introspectively blends relatable lyrics with catchy pop melodies that are guaranteed to be stuck in your head all day (not complaining).

His recent single, 'Wedding Store' was released February 13, along with a scenic music video filmed around some local spots in Glasgow, and Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.

Your new song, 'Wedding Store' is very upbeat, and with a lot of songs like that it could get easily mistaken for a really happy song, but the lyrics are quite sad. How would you describe the story behind the lyrics?

“So it was based on a true story. Me and my best friend Sarah were on a night out and basically brought two friends back to the flat, I thought one of them was cute, and he ended up liking Sarah so that was that. But it sounds like a sad story on paper, like you would think I was really upset about it but me and Sarah still talk about it all the time as like one of the funniest nights of my life, we just had so much fun. So I think that’s why the song sounds so upbeat because I don’t look back on this as a negative experience. I look back as like, 'Oh my god that’s so hilarious that happened.'”

Did you have any inspirations for the type of sound that you wanted the song to have?

“I’ve really been into Audrey Hobert recently and I love the way that she includes a lot of humour in her writing so that was definitely a massive inspiration when writing 'Wedding Store'. I just think a lot of her songs, they’re so earnest and sincere, but they’re using humour to send a message so that was definitely a big inspiration.”

And because this song was your first music video, how did you find the process of that?

“It was definitely difficult, but the director Tommy was so great. I was very stressed about it but on set, it could not have been an easier process, the three days that we were shooting went so smoothly, we were ahead of schedule. Everyone on set was so great to work with no

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one had a bad attitude, it was just literally perfect. So yeah, a bit of both but I could not have worked with better people for it.”

Leading up to the release of your single, your social media had a bit of a transformation and you deleted your first single off streaming platforms. Was this a decision to celebrate your new era of your music or did you just feel it was time for a clean slate?

“Yeah I think I wanted to start a clean slate. I put out an EP when I was 15 called Inspired. It’s not something that I’m not proud of but I just feel that everything I’ve done since then has been 10 times better and my fear was, I don’t want someone coming into my Spotify, pressing shuffle and that’s the first thing they hear. But yeah, I just decided to take that down and start clean.”

A lot of artists have done the same thing, starting fresh or doing something totally different.

Do you feel this is something you would recommend for younger musicians?

“Honestly yes. I think you want to put your best foot forward and as much as it may be an ego bruise to hear, people don’t care yet, so no one really had an emotional attachment to that first project. So, it wasn’t hurting anyone taking it away and I think you want to put your best foot forward to try and engage new people.”

You mentioned you have been making music since you were 15, so I’m assuming this has always been a passion of yours?

“100%. My parents both played in a brass band, they’ve done very prestigious things. It’s a very musical household. I’ve been singing and dancing for as long as I can remember, so yeah this has always been a massive passion for me.”

Now for a fun last question, if you were to open for any musician, who would it be?

“Oh, that’s a really good question.

I mean Taylor Swift would obviously be awesome, Charli XCX would be great, I’m not as much the partygoer as I once was, but yeah, she’s so awesome.”

Ben’s new single 'Wedding Store' is available across all streaming platforms, and his new music video can be found on YouTube. If you enjoy pop romance ballads, this tune is definitely worth a listen.

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FILM & TV Kenmure Street. Image credit: GFF

What's on at GFF 2026?

SPECIAL

By Erin Schoolar

FESTIVAL

The latest from Glasgow Film Festival

GFF 2026 OPENING FILM

EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET

By Courteney Pearson Head of Photography

When I sat down to watch Everybody to Kenmure Street at the Glasgow Film Festival, despite my prior knowledge of the events of May 13 2021, I could not have anticipated the depth of emotion it would elicit in me, nor the raw power of the city's courage it documents.

What unfolds is not simply a record of protest, but a testament to what can become possible when ordinary people refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice. Director Felipe Bustos Sierra invites us into a moment of collective moral clarity, one that lingers in the mind long after the screen fades to black.

Emma Thompson as the voice of the “van man” is handled with restraint and grace. Her narration lends emotional texture without diminishing the authenticity of the lived testimonies at the film’s core.

This narrative device reframes an anonymous figure into a moral anchor for the story, highlighting how singular acts of courage can alter the trajectory of collective action. Without this heroic intervention, the outcome of that day would have unfolded very differently.

The documentary situates the

viewer within a visual and ideological lineage of resistance, tracing Glasgow’s long history of collective action and successful protest.

It does not treat Kenmure Street as a one-off act of rebellion.

Instead, it shows how passionate residents intervened directly, stopping an immigration enforcement raid and transforming the moment into a powerful expression of community solidarity.

Handheld camerawork draws the viewer into the protest, collapsing the boundary between spectator and participant. It embeds the viewer within the space of the street.

Constructed from crowd sourced footage, the documentary’s method is not merely practical but ethical. By assembling collections of residents' viewpoints into a coherent narrative, it cements collective action as legible without privileging any single vantage point. The documentary’s central protagonist is not an individual but instead the crowd.

Crucially, the documentary resists creating a spectacle from trauma. The voices of lifelong residents ground the story in lived experience, offering intimate testimony that deepens the documentary's

message.

Glasgow’s historical ties with the transatlantic slave trade is importantly acknowledged, presenting the city as inherently paradoxical.

Materially shaped by exploitation, yet striving, often imperfectly, towards progressive and inclusive ideals in the present day.

One of the documentary’s most impactful moments emerges in its depiction of the everyday uncertainty faced by minority communities and the persistent knowledge that belonging can be revoked at any moment, regardless of how long one has called the UK home.

In immortalising a fleeting moment of collective refusal against the establishment, Everybody to Kenmure Street affirms cinema not only as witness to history, but as a mechanism through which communities learn to recognise their own latent power.

The film does not claim that injustice has been forever defeated.

Rather, it offers a reminder of how these injustices can and should be challenged, and of the extraordinary force that emerges when communities refuse to be compliant in the face of cruelty.

Read the full review online at brignews.com

WELCOME TO G-TOWN:

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MCQUAID DIRECTORS

By Ben Macswan

Film and TV Co-Editor Ben and Nathan McQuaid graduated from Stirling in 2025 and under a year later they are prepping for the world premiere of their micro-budget extraterrestrial adventure movie Welcome To G-Town at Glasgow Film Festival. Brig sat down with the brothers to discuss the film.

The project came about at the beginning of their fourth year at Stirling, with independent horror expert Graham Hughes who also graduated from Stirling in 2009.

With the help of Hughes, they navigated the world of independent filmmaking, all while working on their dissertation. “We began

shooting it before graduation”, they said.

“We wanted to study film then found out halfway through it’s more of a media and television course”, they said.

“It’s not the teachers' fault. We have more of a TV industry than a film one in Scotland. Filming tv shows for England. Like The Traitors, who barely even hire Scottish people.”

“Our whole film-making education came from AirTV [the University filmmaking society]. We met a lot of our crew there and the older guys when we joined [fourth years] taught us what it’s like to be on a film set. It was good to be taught how to work a crew. Stirling doesn’t teach drama so AirTV is a place to shoot it without anybody

looking down on what you’re doing.

Drama has its place.”

“Why the horror genre?” Brig asked. Well, the simple answer was that low-budget filmmakers can get away with horror. Horror fans are typically a lot more forgiving – especially with new crew and cast. Their influences include Peter Jackson and Bill Forsyth, as well as their executive producer Graham Hughes who deftly handles intergalactic horror in a Scottish setting.

The brothers self-inserted their own lives in ways. “Something on our minds was “where do we go after graduation?” And admitted that if they had made the film five or thirty years on, it wouldn’t be the same.

Read the full interview online at brignews.com

This year’s Glasgow Film Festival, running February 25 to March 8, feels packed in the best possible way. With 126 films from 44 countries, the programme is wide-ranging but still distinctly Glasgow.

The festival opens with the UK premiere of Everybody to Kenmure Street, a documentary executive produced by Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee and Sense and Sensibility).

Closing night shifts tone completely. California Schemin’ marks the directorial debut of James McAvoy (X-Men and Split) and tells the stranger-than-fiction story of two Scottish men who faked American accents to land a rap record deal. Expect a lively red carpet and a very full house.

Elsewhere, there are high-profile premieres including The Wizard of the Kremlin, starring Jude Law, Paul Dano and Alicia Vikander. There is also Rebuilding, led by Josh O'Connor, and Erupcja, which features Charli XCX in a dramatic role that has already sparked curiosity.

Documentary fans are also well served, with around 15 non-fiction titles covering politics, music, conflict and subcultures.

The festival’s FrightFest strand returns for a three-day run of horror and cult cinema, including world and international premieres that are always best experienced with a late-night crowd.

There is also a free retrospective catalogue titled ‘Truth to Power’, featuring powerful classics such as The Battle of Algiers and other political classics from across the decades. Screenings, Q&As and pop-up events will take place across venues including the much-loved Glasgow Film Theatre, keeping the atmosphere social and informal.

It is a festival where you can plan carefully or take a punt on something you know nothing about. Either way, you will not be short of conversation on the walk home.

GFT. Image Credit: Robbie McAvenue

FILM & TV ARTS ELECTIONS 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19

FILM & TV

GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23

SPORT 28-32 24-28

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Wuthering Heights: What did Emerald REMEMBERING Fennel's Adaptation Cut? CATHERINE O'HARA

(1954-2026)

By Erin Hamilton

Wuthering Heights Poster. Image Credit: Warner Brothers

By Jess Urquhart Secretary

The book Wuthering Heights ends with Heathcliff dying and having the side of Catherine’s coffin closest to his grave removed, along with his own on the other side, so that despite being next to her husband, Cathy and Heathcliff remain somewhat together in death. Fennel robbed us of this for sex scenes that never happened.

Here’s some other differences between book and screen that have gone unaddressed.

Everyone Has A Wain Whilst the film ends with Catherine dying after a miscarriage, in the book, she dies in childbirth. Nelly tells Heathcliff, and he starts banging his head against a tree and howling. When Catherine Jr grows up, Heathcliff locks her in his house and tries to force her to marry his son (her biological cousin), so that Heathcliff can inherit

Catherine Jr’s house. I’d say I want this explored, but I also never want Fennel to touch a book I love ever again.

Missing Pieces Book Catherine has a biological brother called Hindley, who regularly abuses Heathcliff for being a “ruffian”, which is why Heathcliff goes from being a rough-aroundthe-edges but still kind boy, to a resentful bully to everyone around him. Despite this, when Hindley throws his infant son down the stairs, Heathcliff saves him in a flash of humanity. He goes on to raise him as a servant as a way of turning the tables on Hindley.

Heathcliff Is An Abuser Whilst film Heathcliff’s wildest moment is threatening to kill Cathy’s husband as dirty talk, book Heathcliff deserves to get jumped.

Isabella is not some puppy dogeyed girl with a crush on her brother-in-law. Heathcliff threatens to kill her. He throws a knife at her head. He hits her. He kills her dog

Oscars - Brig Predicts the night's biggest winners

By Ben Macswan Film & TV Co-Editor

It's nearly time for the film event of the year.. the Oscar's. Brig predicts this year's biggest winners.

Best Picture One Battle After Another Best Actor Timothée Chalamet Supreme)

(Marty

Best Actress Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) Best Supporting Actor Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)

Best Supporting Actress Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) Best Director Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) Best Cinematography Train Dreams Best Animated Feature Film K-Pop Demon Hunters The 98th Academy Awrds willtake place on March 15. Who do you think will take home the main prizes?

in front of her. And he brags about staying just restrained enough that she can’t leave him without losing everything she has. Hence, reducing this to getting freaky on the kitchen table is worse than silliness, it’s degrading, it’s insensitive, it reduces genuine abuse to something that Isabella “wanted”. I’d go as far as to call it a violently misogynistic interpretation of “choice feminism”.

Effectively, Fennel has cut around everything in the books that makes our mutually obsessed characters terrible people, which they in fact are. In short, this film rewrites a story of resentment and abuse because these themes seem too much for the director to take on. No one’s saying that freaky period dramas are a bad thing, but this was the worst possible novel to base one on.

Jacob Elordi said in a Cineworld interview that your Heathcliff “will find you”. That is a warning. If he ever does, run away as fast as you can.

Known for capturing the hearts of audiences for the last 50 years, the beloved actress Catherine O’Hara died at the age of 71 on January 30 in Los Angeles from a pulmonary embolism after suffering from rectal cancer. The Canadian star leaves behind an extraordinary filmography, a one-of-a-kind spirit and a long-lasting love towards millions.

Born on March 4, 1954 in Toronto, O’Hara originally started her career in improv comedy, making her mark on both Second City Television and Saturday Night Live. After moving away from comedy, she began to take on more serious acting roles, where her spark shined through regardless of her role.

After transitioning from a comedian to an actress, she gifted audiences with a variation of well-acclaimed performances, including

in Beetlejuice (1988), Home Alone (1990), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) among many others.

O’Hara received wide recognition for her role in the series Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe on top of numerous previous accolades. Remaining in television, she gave final performances in shows The Studio and The Last of Us (2025).

She gained further honour as she became an officer of the Order of Canada in 2017, as well as receiving a star on the Canada Walk of Fame in back in 2007.

Her extensive and remarkable onscreen inventory will remain treasured, where her distinctive performances will enlighten screens for the rest of time and her graceful spirit will live on.

Catherine O'Hara in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Image Credit: Warner Brothers

ROBERT ARAMAYO ACCEPTS LEADING ACTOR BAFTA

By Ben Macswan Film & TV Co-Editor

In the 2026 BAFTA ceremony, Robert Aramayo accepted the Leading Actor award for his role in the Scottish film I Swear. This follows his Rising Star win earlier in the night. The Juilliard-trained actor beat the acclaimed Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet, among others, to the award.

I Swear chronicles the life of Tourette’s activist John Davidson,

who hails from Galashiels. The emotional biopic brings to light the trials and tribulations John faced following his diagnosis, and raises awareness surrounding Tourettes Syndrome.

During the speech, he thanks the filmmakers, those the film is based on, as well as the people of Galashiels whom he met while researching for the film.

Robert Aramayo in 'I Swear'. Image credit: Sony Pictures

14 Local Matters

A new voice for

Stirling

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EXPLORE MORE: DAILY STIRLING NEWS, MADE FOR YOU

BRIG 2025/26 EDITORIAL TEAM

15

Alex Paterson

Connor Peebles

Jess Urquhart

Plum McKechnie

Amelia Fryer

Melissa Thomson

Deaglán Murray

Edward Jewsbury

Emma Walker

SPORTS EDITOR

POLITICS EDITOR

POLITICS EDITOR

Rae Archibald

Tess Bowen

Ben Macswan

Mia Ford

Kristina Wikensten

Dylan Burt

MUSIC CO-EDITOR

GAMING AND TECH EDITOR

Sarah De Beer

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SPORTS EDITOR

DEPUTY EDITOR

SECRETARY

NEWS EDITOR

FILM AND TV CO-EDITOR

MUSIC CO-EDITOR

Isla Barker

Kerry Lloyd

Alice Pollard

FOOD EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

BRAW CO-EDITOR

BRAW CO-EDITOR

Elliot Johnston

Delaney Brooks

Emma Christie

Emily Morgan-Hughes

FILM AND TV CO-EDITOR

Spencer Haynes

FEATURES EDITOR

ELECTIONS EDITOR

ELECTIONS EDITOR

CHIEF SUB-EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

ARTS EDITOR

COMMENT EDITOR

16

NEWS 1-5

POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM & TV 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13

ELECTIONS

STIRLING STUDENT UNION ELECTION RESULTS UNION PRESIDENT Ellie Hammond

SPORTS PRESIDENT Harry Sawdon

VP COMMUNITIES

Isadora Barbosa Fernandes

Housing Officer

Sustainability Officer

International Officer

Open Officer

Ben Alker

AC Cooper

Reha Afzal

Will Pein

VP EDUCATION Katie Parker

ELLIE HAMMOND ELECTED AS UNION PRESIDENT

By Delaney Brooks Elections Co-Editor

By Emma Christie Elections Co-Editor

Ellie Hammond has been elected as President of Stirling’s Students’ Union after a landslide victory. She managed to secure 1,386 of 2,106 votes for this position.

After her win, Ellie expressed she was feeling “grateful first and foremost".

She added: "I’m proud of all my campaign team, proud of all of us, the other candidates as well.”

Founder of the Green Society, Ellie has been involved with many societies and clubs throughout her time at university, including Drama (SUDS), True Crime, Air3 and AirTV. In her manifesto, Ellie mentions

that she wants to improve communications between the university and students, improve accessibility and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) on campus, and tackle gender-based violence in the student community.

Speaking to Brig, Ellie said: “I will do you proud, first and foremost, is what I want to say. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me and believed in me. The hard work starts now. I’m dedicated to sticking by what I’ve pledged and doing everything for the best interest of students always, and that will never change."

As the former VP Communities, Ellie brought back the Reclaim The Night March in Stirling for the first time since COVID. She also successfully lobbied for the University to stop endorsing the controversial

#EraseTheGrey campaign and introduced hedgehogs to the community garden.

She also highlighted to the University that societies were overlooked within the campus community, whilst promoting the amazing work she feels they have done.

As well as this, Ellie also supported the rally for Students' Against Staff Cuts.

Ellie told Brig her advice to the new VP Communities was to stay connected with the students: “Believe in yourself. If you ever hit a block, go out and talk to students.

It can be very easy to sit at your desk and disconnect from the student body, and you have to be able to realise when you do that and get back out and talk, reconnect, and remind yourself why you’re doing it."

ELECTION VOTING BREAKDOWN TOTAL OF VOTERS: 2572 TURNOUT: 21% INCREASE FROM 2025: 5%

2026-27 Union President, Ellie Hammond. Image credit: Jess Urquhart

HIGHEST VOTING SOCIETIES

HIGHEST VOTING SPORTS CLUBS

Solidaritee and Labour

Darts

Stitchcraft

Women's Football

Jewish Society

Men's Lacrosse

ELECTIONS

ARTS 18-19

GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23

The sabbatical officers. Image credit: Ryan Kellock

SPORT 24-28 28-32

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New Open Officer position explained

By Alex Paterson Editor-in-Chief

By Jess Urquhart Secretary

STIRLING STUDENTS' UNION 2026 ELECTION RESULTS

By Emma Christie Elections Co-Editor

The results of Stirling Students’ Union Elections 2026 have been announced.

All four full-time paid Sabbatical roles have been filled and will start their new roles on June 1. This was the first time in years that each full-time role has been contested.

A record-breaking 2,572 votes were cast, representing more than 20 per cent of the student body at Stirling.

Campaign Officer (Transport) and three out of four Campaign Officer (Open) positions were left unfilled.

Solidaritee Stirling and Labour tied for the highest voting society. Stitchcraft came second and Jewish Society followed in third.

Darts was the highest voting sports club, with Women’s Football and Men’s Lacrosse following.

Ellie Hammond was voted in as the new Union President with 1,386 votes, winning against Trish Bailey

(370 votes), Nivas Ganesan (201 votes), and Niamh Craig (110 votes).

She aims to better the communication between the University and students, while tackling gender-based violence.

Isadora Barbosa Fernandes won Vice President of Communities with 1,174 votes, beating Tom Mackenzie (358 votes), Sullivan Reid (295 votes), and Vanessa Wilson (209 votes).

Cost of living, mental health, and community and equality are all priorities for Isadora, and she wants to strengthen the relationship between sports clubs and other societies.

Vice President of Education was filled by Katie Parker with 1,207 votes. She was up against Miranda Currier (377 votes) and Martine Brekke Klingberg (360 votes). Katie is pushing for useful and timely feedback on student assessments and wants to strengthen the student voice.

She is also working for clearer AI guidance and employability skills for the students at Stirling.

Harry Sawdon was announced as the new Sports President after securing 1,516 votes. He won against Scott Christie (538 votes) and Patrick Chung (246 votes).

Harry’s campaign focused on strengthening collaboration within the Stirling Sport community by encouraging others to learn about different clubs. He wants to incorporate students’ voices in decision-making and provide support to all.

Ben Alker was successful in winning Campaigns Officer (Housing) with 1,516 votes. This role was uncontested, with 170 votes to reopen nominations.

His goals include fighting for a rent freeze for students while pursuing improvement for the standard of student living, namely issues with mold and pests.

The new Campaigns Officer (International) was secured by Reha Afzal with 1,573 votes. This role was uncontested, with 124 votes to re-open nominations.

Reha’s focus is on giving international students practical

guidance to help them feel supported and confident in their time at Stirling University. She is proposing Navigational Support Programmes, Spotlight Week, and Step Forward Sessions to create a more comfortable atmosphere for international students.

AC Cooper is the new Campaigns Officer (Sustainability), elected with 1,601 votes. This role was uncontested, with 102 votes to reopen nominations.

AC’s goals include building on student-nature relationships and promoting healthier green spaces.

They want to limit the use of harmful pesticides on campus and improve the lack of biodiversity.

Campaigns Officer (Open) has been filled by Will Pein with 1,561 votes. This role was uncontested, with 143 votes to re-open nominations.

Will is using this new role to fight for clearer AI guidance at Stirling University. He wants to bridge the digital inequality gap and ensure students are graduating with skills in AI fit for the workplace.

The Students' Union has introduced four new roles called Campaign Officer (Open) to encourage students to run for and campaign on topics important to them.

In a restructuring voted on in the December General Meeting, the Union removed roles such as the Arts Officer, Engagement Volunteer Officer and Media Officer.

A total of 11 roles were removed.

The new Open positions aim to allow fluidity and flexibility by letting students use their position to work on topics they care about.

This year, one position was filled

by Will Pein.

His campaign advocated for clearer AI guidance within the University by introducing a transparent policy to better inform students.

Speaking to Brig during his campaign, Will said: “In the AI space, there has been a semi-official, semi-unofficial committee set up to look and see what’s changing.

That’s very much policy-based; it’s not very student-focused.

"So, the thing that I would like to change is to make it so that it is student-focused, and look more at how we can prepare the student population to go out into the job market to find jobs.

“With entrepreneurs, I’ve been going to meet-ups in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and talking to employers, talking to recruiters and people with startups, and every single one has said we need AI skills. It’s not just typical, ‘Can you use ChatGPT to type something?’. That’s not the extent of AI, and I want people to see that that is just the chat bot function of AI and AI goes so much deeper."

“Alongside that, I do want to work with artists and support creativity, because I do think that AI is good at image generation, however, I do want to keep human creativity."

The Students' Union hopes that the October by-election will see the other three Campaign Officer roles filled.

Union restructure sees only four unfilled positions post elections

By Emma Christie Elections Co-Editor

Only four positions have been left unfilled after the 2026 Stirling Students’ Union Elections. This is a drastic cut from the nine roles which remained empty after the 2024 elections.

In December last year at the Union’s General Meeting, a democracy review which provided a

change in structure within Union’s roles was passed. This decision has removed various volunteer officer positions from the Union.

The current empty roles are all volunteer based. The Campaign Officer (Transport) is unfilled as well as three out of a potential four Campaign Officers (Open) positions.

After the 2025 elections, there were a contrasting nine positions

unfilled after the 2024 elections saw a full staff elected.

Will Pein has been elected for one of the Campaign Officer (Open) positions, leaving Transport the only role with no elected body.

A spokesperson from Stirling Students’ Union said: “We are really pleased to have had contested elections in all four Full-Time Officer posts for this first time in many years.

"This, along with the third year in a row of record-breaking turnout, shows the strength of the Students' Union.

“This is the first year with the new democratic structure passed by students at General Meeting in December.

"It gives the Part-Time Officer roles much more impact than the previous structure, so we are confident that once students can see

that impact, we will see an increase in candidates for these roles.

“We hold elections in October as well for Post-Graduate officer roles, and hope to see all the roles filled after that election”.

If you are interested in running in the autumn Students' Union Elections you can find out more online on the Students' Union website.

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NEWS 1-5

POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM & TV ELECTIONS 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 16-17

Scottish Gothic Horror Publishing Company Announces Closure

ARTS Martha Steventon, President of Stirling's Photography and Videograohy Society, showing off her skills. Image by Alice Pollard

By Connor Peebles Deputy Editor

Fife-based indie publisher Haunt Publishing is set to close its doors this coming June 1.

Known for publishing a range of dark fiction and gothic horror books, Haunt Publishing has been a staple in the indie publishing scene in Scotland since it was created in 2019.

In speaking to Brig about the upcoming closure, Managing Director of Haunt Publishing, Rebbeca Wojturska, stated that her goal with Haunt was to “spotlight underrepresented writers,” and over the course of their seven years of operation, she said, “we are proud to say we achieved that.”

Haunt successfully debuted novels from five authors and published short stories for a further 90 through their anthology short story collections.

Some of Haunt’s resident authors have been commended for multiple literary awards, including the Shirley Jackson Awards, the Small Spec Book Awards, and the Forward Prize for Poetry, to name a few.

Upon Haunt ceasing operations in June, all rights to the works published through them will revert to the original authors.

The closure of Haunt is a blow to aspiring authors across the UK, but Rebecca and the team are still open to discussions with other publishers to transfer their authors.

STIRLING’S PHOTOGRAPHY SOCIETY ON AI THREATS, COMMUNITY, AND THE FUTURE OF CREATIVITY

By Alice Pollard BRAW Co-editor

“The more I thought about what photographs are, the more complex and suggestive they became” – Susan Sontag, On Photography, 1977 The internet wants to claim that the integrity of photography is dying alongside the rise of artificial intelligence. The line between fabrication and truth is vanishing as technology improves, and everyone from your sevenyear-old niece to your Grandad has a high-quality camera in their pocket at all times. The world has changed. How do modern photographers continue to strive towards creativity in such a drastically different world?

Brig spoke to Stirling University’s resident Photography and Videography Society to seek their outlook on the future of their craft.

Martha Steventon has been president of the society since January

2026, and initially started photography as a distraction during a busy period in her life. The craft afforded her the ability to take her mind off of life’s struggles and focus on the picture and the process.

She explained: “It makes me feel calm and locked in. When I’m shooting, I’m not thinking about anything else. I am just there, focussing on what I’m looking at, in a peaceful way.”

Photography is more than just a way to look at the world, but a gateway to community. This is a joyful element that Martha feels deeply.

She told us how photography “creates a community built on shared experience, critique, and mutual respect for the process.”

“It connects people who value patience, skill, and the slow process and detail that goes into it.”

Yet, does AI actually pose a risk to real photographers, or is the internet once again sensationalising in an pessimistic echo chamber?

“Fully generative AI has no place in real creativity,” claims John. The rest of the club is inclined to agree.

Martha believes that a balance can be found, and is the most likely solution.

“I think (the future of photography) will split between fast, AIdriven imagery and slower, authenticity-focussed work. I believe there will always be value in images created by someone who was truly there, and I don’t want that to be lost in the AI world.”

General member Harry follows Martha’s integrated and balanced approach. He told us that he thinks the future of photography is “very similar to how it is now in terms of creative processes.”

“Some AI might creep into editing studios and be used for touch-ups but I think that’ll be where it ends for the majority of photographers.

I think the only big change to photography might be the specs for cameras improving.”

In the face of all this change, it is reasonable to assume that the photography world will see some major trend-changes in preservation of the art. Film cameras were once deemed outdated and clunky,

but have certainly been experiencing a recent resurrection. We asked Martha if she thought that film would make an AI revenge-based comeback.

“I hope so,” she said. “People may start wanting something tangible and imperfect again.

Film feels deliberate and human in contrast to the instant digital generation.”

“Nostalgia is a powerful drug and already you see companies like Fuji emulating film in a digital format,” John told us. “Film will never die.”

And so the big question remains: what does the future of photography look like?

John said: “Trends come and go, but at the core of photography, it’s someone creative, creatingsomething based on their own creativity.”

But Martha is president for a reason. She summed it all up with one final statement: “Creativity comes from lived experience and personal view. Not algorithms remixing data.”

ARTS

STIRLING UNI DRAMA SOCIETY BRINGS 'MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING' TO MACROBERT

By Rae Archibald Arts Editor

Stirling University’s Drama Society upcoming Y2K adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing will be playing at MacRobert Arts Centre this month. Brig caught up with their co – directors, Summer Holly and Ruby Gilmore, as well as two of their actors, Conor Bishop and Sam Mayes, before their run started to find out what it is that makes this version of Much Ado special.

What is it that makes your adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing stand out?

Ruby: I think it’s a fun play already, there are ridiculous elements, and we have somehow made it even more ridiculous.

We’re setting it in a Y2K setting, and we’ve got lots of references to 2000s films from that time, like Mean Girls, A Cinderella Story, High School Musical, so it’s a bit of a nostalgia trip.

Summer: I think the fun thing with Shakespeare is that Shakespeare’s been performed for over 400 years at this point.

His work does give creators and directors a lot of creative freedom. It is acceptable to add your own twist to it and do what you like. There’s been a lot of gender swapping within Shakespeare throughout a lot of productions.

How did you get the idea to make it 2000s inspired?

Summer: I had originally pitched this show over a year ago where I had come up with the idea of gender swapping one of the main characters to make the main couple queer. I also wanted to set it in the 2000s because I was watching How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and I thought the storylines of 2000s rom-coms really fits the vibe of Much Ado. Why did you choose Much Ado About Nothing?

Summer: We haven’t really done a comedy and also haven’t done Shakespeare in a while, so I thought it’d be fun to do something a bit different.

Ruby: There’s such great characters and so many ways that you can interpret them because of Shakespeare’s writing. It’s so fun for people to play with and come up with their own interpretation.

Why do you think supporting student and local drama is important?

Summer: The cast of this show are so ——- talented. I’ll say that, not just about this show, but every single SUDS show. I feel like people don’t realise how talented local performers can be.

Ruby: Theatre is really important to me as it’s really helped me gain confidence. I really value these opportunities myself, and the arts should be for everyone.

Everyone should have an opportunity to take part.

Conor: I think a lot of theatre can be a bit elitist. You have to go to these huge places and it doesn’t feel as intimate as local or student theatre.

I went to one of the previous SUDS shows, and then right after I knew, I need to try this out. I auditioned for a show, got in, and haven’t looked back.

Ruby: It’s accessible in a way that most of the arts unfortunately isn’t.

Sam: Also, SUDS isn’t making money. The tickets do not go towards us getting a profit from this. It’s just to fund more shows.

So this is stuff is done as a passion project, it very much is just us wanting to do this and to get together and to tell these stories and put on this display of creativity and art.

What would you say to people that are thinking about buying a ticket?

All: Do it!

Conor: Or else…

Summer: I genuinely think it is a show for everyone because it can be for all ages, and I think it’s just a fun, light-hearted show, and also a cute wee romantic comedy after Valentine’s Day, but still around it.

Ruby: Buy a ticket to see the talent that’s on display. The cast is amazing. They’re just so funny.

It’s also the work of people backstage as well. The set has been painted by Leo. It’s made out of cardboard and he has made it look amazing. Casey who’s doing costume has had such a vision for the look of the show.

Conor: Everyone working on the show is putting so much effort in.

I think it will just be a great show and everyone should come … or else.

SUDS production of Much Ado About Nothing played at the MacRoberts Art Centre from February 25 to 27.

SUDS in rehearsals. Image credits: SUDS.

GAMING LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 20-21 16-17 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23

SPORT 24-28 28-32

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POLITICS COMMENT MUSIC FILM & TV ELECTIONS ARTS 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 16-17 18-19

E-Sports Society. image credit: Alexander Kelly

GAMING

ESPORTS AT UNIVERISTY: AN INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT ALEXANDER KELLY

By Connor Peebles Deputy Editor

Esports, the black sheep of the sporting world, is growing in popularity here at Stirling.

The University of Stirling’s own 19-year-old Esports society president, Alexander Kelly, sat with Brig to discuss his place in the society, the growth of Esports in Scotland, and debunk a rumour about the university’s latest sporting society.

Alexander, better known as Zander, came to Stirling three years ago to study politics and religion. At the time, he had no interest in Esports as he “came to university to learn”, but after coming across the newly formed society, he decided that he was willing to give it a shot.

“I started going to the socials that were running at the time, and I honestly just fell in love with it.

I started competing for a couple of other teams, and after that, as well, I started getting more involved with eSports.”

Since becoming more involved with eSports, Zander has competed and engaged in multiple tournaments. His game of choice has changed over the years, starting with Overwatch, but more recently, Valorant has become his go-to game.

His competitive edge came naturally as he stated that since he was young, he was always “a decently competitive person.” Though the team’s Overwatch division recently lost twice earlier this month, the connections they have been forming with other university teams have been invaluable “I'm working with the president of Edinburgh's sports site, running this online tournament for all students for a few games. In this case, we're going to do a squad variety tournament, where it's three

games that the community can vote on, and we will then run a little tournament over a week or so during the year, to then bring a few new games in.”

The popularity of Zander’s society has waned recently from when he first joined, but this hasn’t stopped him from pushing for more competitions between Scottish universities, in particular with the University of Edinburgh.

“I was already friends with the president [of Edinburgh University’s esports team], so it was easy for the most part to contact other society presidents because we were already competing against them…I can say there’s a lot of talent around Scotland when it comes to esports.”

Zander is committed to building the esports society out further, regardless of low membership, their online tournaments still pull a great number of players and going forward, he believes that if you have a competitive mind for video games, you should try your hand at esports.

“Even though we are a small society, you can still grow yourself..

You have to do it for yourself. You have to apply yourself to the opportunities, and if you get involved and enjoy it, it’s always worth it.”

Wrapping up the discussion, Brig asked Zander about the rumour that been haunting the esports society since the beginning of 2026.

The rumour is that the society recreationally drinks blood.

“It's such a crazy allegation. We thought, “No, we got absolutely no idea who's posted”, but we like to play into it now. So we’ll joke and be like, “Oh yeah, no, we totally do that.”

Through the rumours and low turnout, Zander is undefeated in his goals to continue to grow the esports scene in Scotland.

CALL OF DUTY ZOMBIES AND THE LOVE FOR THE ENDLESS ROUNDS

By Dylan Burt

Gaming & Tech Editor Call of Duty Zombies has survived console generations, shifting trends, and countless imitators, yet it remains one of gaming’s most durable side modes.

In an industry where live service experiments come and go, its staying power is striking.

Part of that endurance comes from how Zombies understands its audience better than most

long-running modes.

At its core, Call of Duty Zombies succeeds because it offers depth without demanding mastery.

A new player can jump in, shoot zombies, and survive a few rounds without knowing the lore or mechanics.

At the same time, veteran players can spend years dissecting Easter eggs, optimising strategies, and chasing high round records.

Few modes balance accessibility and obsession so cleanly.

Zombies also thrive on ritual. The

roulette of the mystery box, the building of perks and craftables, and the familiar round-change sound cues all create a sense of comfort.

Each new map feels different but never unfamiliar; this keeps players returning even when the wider Call of Duty ecosystem feels bloated or overwhelming.

Speaking as someone who has only ever played online in Ghosts, yet across consoles I have well over 600 hrs played on BO3.

Another key factor is tone.

Zombies embraces absurdity in a way the main multiplayer and campaign modes cannot.

It leans into horror, science fiction, and dark humour without worrying about realism.

Considering the dark nature of the story and themeing, having that absurd streak creates such a satisfying blend that keeps things from becoming dry.

This freedom allows the mode to experiment creatively while still feeling cohesive, especially under the stewardship of Treyarch, which

has consistently treated Zombies as more than a bonus feature.

Finally, Zombies endures because it is social by design.

It is cooperative, chaotic, and often at its best when plans go wrong.

Stories emerge naturally from failure, whether it is a missed revive or a last-second escape.

In an era obsessed with progression systems and monetisation hooks, Zombies remains popular because it prioritises shared experiences. It is not just a mode players grind. It is one they remember.

GAMING

THIS IS THE SCOTTISH GAMING INDUSTRY'S MOMENT, AND HOLYROOD IS LISTENING.

By Elliot Johnston

Image credit: The Scottish Games Network

Features Editor

Despite being valued at over 1 billion pounds, Scotland’s video game industry has been something of an afterthought for the government, but that might be about to change.

The Scottish Games Network has been working to gain government support and build a supportive network that supports employees and start-ups to keep games jobs in Scotland.

As part of this process, the network has developed an action plan, which was delivered to Holyrood at the beginning of February.

The Scottish Games Action Plan, Level Up Scotland, was developed by the network after two years of consultation, collaboration and research.

The network's website describes the plan as a “bold blueprint for transformational change, designed to move the games sector from an unsupported ‘secret weapon’ to a national priority.

“The goal is to create a unified ‘supercluster’ that bridges the gap between industry, academia,

LIFESTYLE FEATURES FOOD 22-23 18-19 24-25 20-21 26-27 22-23

and government – unlocking the enormous potential of games and games technology to drive innovation, fair work, and sustainable growth across the entire country.”

The plan highlights five key recommendations to support the development and sustainability of the sector, four of which will be included in a two-year pilot programme The recommendations focus on aligning the disjointed games ecosystem, improving education and training in the sector, and promoting sustainable growth.

The plan is sold not as a request for support, but as an opportunity for investment in a proven industry that currently generates more than £150,000 per head in the industry, more than double the average for workers in Scotland.

Strategic inspiration has also been taken from the Australian and Finnish governments' investment and support of the games industry, which has provided massive returns on investment.

By creating an interconnected

TEN YEARS OF PELICAN TOWN – WHAT STARDEW VALLEY STILL MEANS TO ITS FANS

By Ali Rees

and comprehensive ecosystem, shaped by feedback and consultation from the very industry it aims to support, the Level Up Scotland plan strives to transform the sector from a hidden gem to a ‘Golden Thread’ for the future.

Following its presentation to Holyrood, the Games Action Plan has received widespread support from politicians and the wider Scottish gaming industry.

Richard Lockhead, Holyrood’s Minister for Business and Employment, has committed to a “line-by-line” review of the plan, and multiple ministers voiced their support of the plan during its debate in the chamber.

On the industry side, the former director of the Global Games Jam, Kate Edwards, called the plan "one of the strongest and most robust proposals I’ve seen across locales and would help push Scotland to the forefront of the global game development scene.

“It’s already had quite an impact, but this is a definitive statement

that Scotland takes games seriously as a creative art form (the most successful to date) and wants to remain at the forefront of this evolving art form."

While the response to the plan has been overall positive, some concerns have been voiced, including worries that the industry will continue to be massively concentrated in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dundee.

With the delivery of the Scottish Games Action Plan, the release of the Scottish Video Games Industry Manifesto, and the upcoming launch of the colossal Grand Theft Auto 6, Scotland’s video game industry is ready to take centre stage as a key economic player in Scotland’s future.

However, as the Holyrood elections approach, it will be paramount that the industry continues to make its voice heard in the coming months, a challenge the Scottish Games Network seems to be more than ready for.

changed, yknow? I love it a ton and the 10-year anniversary coming up has me inspired to play again!”

“I love Stardew to take a calming break from studies,” said 21-yearold student Ben. “I’ve tried similar games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but none match the atmosphere Stardew has. I like how you’re able to write your own story and explore. And the interactions with villagers makes it really homely. It’s a game where you can play as crazy as you want or as calm as you want and change up any time!”

Self-professed non-gamer Alex, 24, said, “I’m not big on gaming, but Stardew holds a special place in my heart. I love playing it to unwind after a stressful day. It is so simple and quaint and sweet. The game play genuinely makes me feel good, and I feel even better knowing I’m supporting an indie developer”

“Stardew is a game I play when I need some comfort,” said 19-yearold Amelia, a retail assistant at Mountain Warehouse. “Being able to escape to a world of farming, friendships, and building up a rundown farm from scratch is sometimes just what I need after a long day - and the game never gets dull or boring even after 10 years, it's always the same reliable cozy blanket I need it to be.”

Stardew Valley is a game that I’ve enjoyed for many hours over the years. I’ve played it solo and co-op, vanilla and modded. You can play it the same way every time, planting the same crops and romancing the same NPC (Emily, my beloved), or you can take a different approach and spend your time fighting monsters in the mines. However you choose to play, Stardew Valley will be there to welcome you back to Pelican town.

Stardew Valley. Image credit: ConcernedApe

As of February 26, 2026, our lives have been blessed by the presence of Grampa and Pelican Town’s other delightful residents for ten years. Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe released Stardew Valley, his one-man homage to Harvest Moon to immediate acclaim. Despite being a decade old, the game still boasts over 80,000 concurrent players on Steam frequently, and many more on other platforms.

The game still receives frequent free updates, adding more content and expanding on the existing world. This is part of why people keep coming back to it, but there’s more than just novelty. People absolutely love the game.

“I’ve had Stardew Valley since it first came out,” says Arianna Nalbach, a 24 year old journalist and content creator. “Even though I don’t actively play it as much anymore, it’s one of those games I still think about often and find a lot of comfort in it whenever I do decide to play it. One of my first

true friends I made on Twitch, we made a farm together and ended up getting matching tattoos to commemorate. Something about it always just feels so nostalgic and comforting, no matter how long I go without playing it. To me, Stardew Valley is like that longtime friend you can go awhile without talking to, but when you see each other again, it’s like nothing

Stardew Valley tattoos. Image credit: Arianna Nalbach

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WHAT THIS SUMMER LOOKS LIKE FOR THE GAMING SCENE

By Dylan Burt

Gaming & Tech Editor The gaming industry is heading into a busy summer, with major showcases, live events, and release windows converging after a volatile start to the year.

Early June sees the start of the Summer Game Fest, which returns as the industry’s de facto replacement for E3.

Publishers are expected to use the event to outline second-half plans, reveal new projects, and reframe momentum after a period marked by layoffs and cautious investment.

In May Europe's Expo Gamers 2026 returns in Croatia with a blendof B2B talks and indie showcases, signalling strong regional industry movemnet.

Beyond digital showcases, in-person events are playing a growing role. Across Europe and the Middle East major tech expos are positioning themselves as hubs for both business development and public engagement, reflecting the industry’s ongoing shift toward global markets rather than a single dominant region.

In Riyadh The Global Games Show is set for June 29-30, with organisers showcasing what they feel is the most groundbreaking and topical tech, interactive expierances and AR/V Demos. Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation there will also be panels on monetisation strategies and player engagment.

At the same time, competitive gaming will command attention through the Esports World Cup, which runs throughout July and August and continues Saudi Arabia’s push to become a central player in games and esports.

Release schedules are also tightening, with publishers targeting late summer launches, using showcase visibility to build momentum before the crowded autumn window.

For both developers and platform holders, the summer represents a chance to reset. It is a chance to reassert confidence, test audience appetite, and set expectations for the rest of the year in an industry still searching for stability.

After a season full of layoffs I'm hopefull for the year to get going.

Summer releases means an uptake in Indie games being announced, which if the last few years have shown anything, there should be a surprise gem in there somewhere.

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POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9

MUSIC FILM & TV ELECTIONS ARTS 10-11 12-13 16-17 18-19

GAMING 20-21

LIFESTYLE Image credit: Amelia Fryer

Downtime at university: what can you do to relax during the trials of your degree?

By Amelia Fryer News Editor

Having down-time is without a doubt one of the most crucial aspects of university, and I’m not talking about JUST taking a break from coursework, I’m talking about actual you time.

The further I get into my degree, the busier my life becomes, and this definitely takes a huge toll on me mentally - I’m sure I’m not alone in this. From coursework and assignments, to sports clubs, societies, work experience, volunteering, seeing family, hanging out with friends, being in a relationship and part-time jobs,

life can get very hectic very fast.

So here are some ways that I find helpful for my brain to relax, and hopefully they might help/inspire you too.

Walking It’s no secret that I am a big walker.

Being in the mountaineering club has definitely kept me sane since coming to university, but clubs can be socially draining and often feel like another thing to do with weekly meetings and activities.

I walk to university every day, but that couple of kilometres on the way to my tasks for the day isn’t exactly relaxing, so I have started walking after my classes and taking longer ways home. I have

also started taking some nighttime walks with my friend, and these are incredibly de-stressing.

The evening/late night has become my favourite time of day to walk, however being a young woman, I tend to choose not to walk alone at night, this is when a good friend with a calming presence can really make the week feel less heavy while also staying safe.

yourself from negative thoughts but decrease your screen time by handwriting these opinions instead.

Everyone experiences low self-esteem throughout their lives, and trying to boost these levels back up where possible is always important. Even just reminding yourself of your littlest achievements and what you’re proud of is always a good place to start.

Baking/Arts

&

Crafts

Baking is wonderfully relaxing, and something I would personally consider to be a craft. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has seen the videos online joking about how angry you can be when baking – but it truly is a tremendous outlet for stress.

Simply just by popping your favourite playlist on (or my go-to, a heavy metal one) and making some cupcakes, your stress can dissipate quicker than one might think.

I also enjoy painting rocks, do with that what you will. In all seriousness, my friend got me onto rock painting when we were in high school and I love it. You can literally paint anything, I’m not quite up to the artistic standards of my very talented friend, but you could draw a squiggle and it would still be relaxing.

Reading

and

Writing

I understand that sometimes reading for fun when you have millions of articles and book

chapters to read for every module can seem somewhat redundant and like another task on the pile of ones you already have.

However, reading anything can be relaxing; books, websites, blogs, articles or newspapers (yes I know, the irony of self-promotion isn’t lost on me) – but my point is, reading can be fun!

I have tried to read every genre under the sun thinking that I had to enjoy reading them just because it was reading, and not a type of reading. Personally I enjoy adventure, biographies, romance (sometimes) and deep-thinking books. Once you find your niche of what you like to read, it instantly becomes fun.

HOW JOURNALING CAN IMPROVE YOUR MINDSET

By Erin Hamilton

Do you ever feel like your mindset needs cleansing from all of the stress of university? As we all know, being a uni student can feel like you’re carrying a lot of heavy baggage at times. Whether you feel overwhelmed from your assignments or have any external problems that are spinning your head, taking time to unwind and engaging in journaling is very effective for clearing your mind.

Although it may not sound very useful and the idea is quite often overlooked, it really can be beneficial to your mind and self-esteem if you do any kind of journaling frequently. Here are a few ideas of the many things you could begin writing about:

Create

a

weekly

planner:

A great approach to winding yourself down (especially if your stress is assignment related), is to organise your week ahead to structure some balance into your days and to manage your priorities.

We know how tempting it can be to dismiss your workload to go out or sit on your phone, but it is vital that you remain on top of your studies (even if it boring and draining!). This can be by setting boundaries and balancing out your study and personal time, as well as planning nutritious/fun meals to try and scheduling shopping or cafe trips with your friends.

Film, book or music logging: Note your accomplishments: Starting a review log of films/ series that you’ve watched, books you’ve read or music you listen to can always be a fun place to start.

As the apps of Letterboxd and Goodreads have rocketed in popularity recently, making a log diary is a great way to not only distract

If you feel like your self-esteem levels are a little low, try reminding yourself of any and all things that you have achieved recently. This can be from anything big to even small things, such as trying something new or getting yourself through a situation that you dreaded.

Make a future bucket/wish list

Have you thought about what you want to do after university?

Even if it’s only been about places you want to travel? Then make a huge list or lots of mini lists of your future plans or wishes! In my experience, whenever I note down that I want to live my dream of working in New York, it only motivates and encourages me to work harder towards making it happen.

Remember - always dream big!

Even if you only engage with a journal or diary a couple of times a week, you are still cleaning yourself a better mindset.

Write down your thoughts or ideas. Image credit: Ali Rees

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LIFESTYLE

A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO DATING

By Nicola Berry

Let's face it, dating is hard and getting more expensive by the day, especially for students. Whether you're meeting people in classes, nights out or Hinge, you're bound to hit a few bumps on the road. So let me offer some personally learned lessons, tips and tricks to ensure a safe dating life that doesn't drain your pockets.

S t a y i n g S a f e

Here comes the motherly side of me. Though no one wants to hear the safety spiel, it's important to let students know how to date safely, what options they have and what to do during a bad date. It's especially good to be aware of what is available if you're a visiting student.

AskForAngela: Who's Angela?

Well, Angela is the guardian angel for people who are not feeling safe in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and really anywhere with alcohol. If you're in a bad spot with your date, or feeling unsafe, excuse yourself to the bathroom and ask a member of staff for Angela.

Personal information is personal for a reason. Before you know someone, don't give out too many details such as where you're living, studying and so forth. All they need is your first name and the dating app to contact you. Too much information gives people easy access to finding you online. It's also a red flag if someone pressures for more details when you are not ready to give it, leading to my next point.

Red Flags If someone pressures you to drink, meet them somewhere private or get into their car, it's better to leave the situation. Be wary of profiles with little information, vague answers and a reluctance to, again, meet in public or video call.

Boundaries are one of the most important aspects of dating that often get overlooked. Set your boundaries, and if they question, guilt or push them, walk away.

Boundaries are there to show you that this person can be trusted, and how they will respect you long term. They are also there to keep you safe.

Quirky Dates Save the Day!

Dating cliches woo us all - candlelit dinners, cinema and coffee shop dates are our go-tos when dating, and for good reason. It's not always possible for students to splash out, so what do we do? Quirky dates are the way to have a fun, romantic day with your special someone without having the post-date regret of an empty bank account.

Do a puzzle Yes, I am serious. Get a puzzle, bring some homemade snacks, and work together to make a beautiful image come to life.

It's an activity guaranteed a couple of hours of your time, while offering a task to focus on while getting to know someone new. If you don't have a puzzle, charity shops tend to have many for amazing prices, sometimes under £2! You can also switch out for boardgames if you or your date are not the puzzle type.

Cinema at home is one of my

favourites. Mood lighting, a fort, and handmade cinema tickets is one of the best cheap dates you can do! Gather any snacks you both have, wear pjs and get comfy. The perfect date for cuddling.

Society Meetings are an incredible way to do something fun with someone you’ve just met. You’ll be in a public setting with access to fun activities while having society back up if your date flops.

Paint together If you're nearly as chronically online as me, you'll have seen this becoming a bit of a trend in the dating sphere, and for good reason! You can do it anywhere - a cheap cafe, a park, a library. It can be a romantic exchange where you paint portraits of one another or switch every minute to form two unique paintings. It's fun, messy and sure to get a few laughs.

Sightsee One of my favourites personally. If you're under 22 you can get a bus to really anywhere with your youngScots. There's plenty to see, and with the chilly weather right now, it's a good excuse to hold hands. There are historic sights and castles at every corner, a must-see for any student, from Scotland or not.

Go Stargazing I can't stress enough how magical a night under the stars with blankets and hot drinks can be. Now this one is for couples, I don't suggest meeting someone you don't know to go stargazing. Take your car somewhere quiet, cuddle up for warmth and have deep conversations about life.

Study dates can be a good call for students who are too busy to balance dating and their workload. It offers opportunities to learn about each other’s studies, futures, what you’re both interested in, and to quiz each other.

Besides, what’s more romantic than books? So, get cozy, grab a warm drink and have casual con-

versation while getting work done.

Handmade gifts! I can’t tell you how many poems and letters I’ve written my partner. There is something so special about handmade gifts because the time and care that goes into them is the biggest gift of all. Jewellery is nice, but pop-up love notes, handmade bouquets or secret letters in their bag is so much sweeter.

Plus, such a great way to save!

Really with some romantic touches and care anything and anywhere can become a date. Getting wined and dined is lovely but maybe save that for special occasions.

Besides more casual, fun, comfy dating means your date/partner being more wowed by the big gestures, and not fatigued by dinner, brunches, coffee and roses.

Lessons I am a self-diagnosed hopeless romantic who wanted more than anything to be in love. The issue is I had this idea that love cured all and in reality, it doesn’t. Love can heal, can soothe and comfort, but if you seek it only to restore a part of yourself, you’re not in it for the right reasons.

Only when I started working on myself and rerouting my mentality did I meet the love of my life, who I now live and share a cat-daughter with.

Basically, whether you want to date or not, the most important thing to ask yourself before putting yourself out there is are you ready to date?

Are you ready to commit? Are you in it for hookups and fun?

Will you be a good partner?

Are you mentally able to think about the we instead of the me?

And do you have enough time?

You have to consider these things, not only for yourself but for whoever you are meeting to ensure you can set clear what it is you're looking for and whether you're both compatible.

By Isla Barker

proved that spending time near nature and even looking at wooden decor has a calming effect.

There is an arts and crafts area for anyone to write, craft or draw.

The sensory room is serene with a lava lamp, sensory-sensitive toys and weighted blankets to help people ground themselves.

If board games are your way to destress or socialise, games like Scrabble, chess, LEGO and card games are available too.

Keeping up with your studies is essential, but you can't overwork yourself. Taking a break with a weighted blanket surrounded by plants recharges your mind and body for another day.

To summarise, this dimly-lit room in Cottrell welcomes everyone who wants to take a break from student life, or read peacefully on a bean bag.

The suite is open from 09:30am to 16:30 pm Monday to Friday.

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23

Love doesn't have to be roses and jewellery.

Image credit: RDNE Stock via Pexels

Cosy Corner: Inside the Loch View Wellbeing Suite Lifestyle Editor

Welcome back to Cosy Corner where we focus on comfort that is affordable and sustainable.

You may have visited before but if you haven't, I highly recommend visiting the Loch View Wellbeing Suite on campus. It's easy to find and you are not obligated to spend anything to stay there.

When you enter you hear calm music, smell essential oils from a diffuser and feel at peace. The lighting is low to calm your mind and prevent sensory overload. It is the perfect way to get away from it all.

The Wellbeing Suite focuses on being accessible and gentle on the senses, which it does very well and ensures tranquility.

The room is open with private rooms at the side for private study, the Acorn room overlooks the campus' lush greenery and lets in natural light. It has been

The room's natural light creates a cosy atmosphere. Image credit: University of Stirling

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POLITICS COMMENT 6-7 8-9

MUSIC FILM & TV ELECTIONS 10-11 12-13 16-17

These videos are being captured on nights out. Image credit: Shea Gordon via Pexels

Unconsensual videos are being posted online. Image credit: Magnus Mueller via Pexels

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FEATURES

“Nightlife” Pages: The Creepy Content Leaving Women Scared To Walk The Streets A mongst all the hate speech and bullying thousands suffer on social media already, a new form of harassment has arrived.

Across platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram live, accounts that film women outside of nightclubs without their consent then post it online for hundreds of people to tear them apart.

These accounts mask themselves with usernames like “nightlife” or “walking tours”, but the camera angles tell a different story.

The videos focus entirely on women walking out of clubs or walking down the street, filming at a low angle or from behind, and at times revealing intimate body parts.

However, this harrowing material isn’t even the worst part of these posts.

Harmful Comment Sections: As if these victims being preyed on haven’t suffered enough, they are then subjected to the keyboard warriors who take it upon themselves to body shame, sexualise, and spew hatred in the comment section .

“The tattood lady is doable”, “easy meat””, “thick eyes thick thighs” and” big fat cow’s” are just few of the awful hate comments that are left by men under these videos.

Filming women without their consent is seriously dangerous in itself, however, it also encourages misogyny and damaging insults.

After all, these so called “content creators" know what they’re doing by videoing drunk girls anonymously and posting it for everyone to see.

Sharing such content gives people the opportunity to bully, and to no one’s surprise, these perverted pages never put a stop to the damaging insults that are a direct result of these videos.

Through the lens of the victims: Fourth year Stirling University student Lily is one of the hundreds of people who have been filmed on a night out.

However, her situation differs from the typical walking down the street angles, as a nightclub took it upon themselves to film her from over her shoulder, zooming into her private messages.

Lily, first year at the time, was

intoxicated and had lost her friend in the club, messaging him desperately trying to find him.

Seeing this, the nightclub decided to post the video, using captions to make it look like she was searching for her “boyfriend”.

As if starting university isn’t hard enough, this was another weight on her shoulders she had to face; “it was my first-year flatmate who I had known for two months at that point, I was then also getting accused of being his partner, which was not the case too. It was all just so strange.”

While the post itself may have seemed like a harmless joke to the creator, insinuations like this can snowball quickly in the university social setting.

Lily also explained that the sneaky nature of the act that made her feel the most uncomfortable; “it was the fact that I was targeted as an individual that I didn’t like, without my knowledge.

If I had known I was being filmed, I would have said no, or maybe I would have said yeah because I was drunk, but I would have had that choice, and I think it was the fact that the choice was taken away from me in that moment is what makes it creepy.”

The aftermath: Not only do these strange photographers make people feel extremely uncomfortable, but they leave a lasting effect.

Normally, as many do, Lily and her friends would get photos taken with club photographers if offered.

However, now Lily says “I wouldn’t do that at all anymore if me and my friends see someone filming at all.”

Women have been subjected to harassment and attacks for centuries in public for centuries, but it’s the publicity aspect of these pages that could give the victims in these videos heightened paranoia about going out.

Even women coming across these videos will have worries about the possibilities of this happening to them, leading to anxiety around going out especially at nighttime.

The shocker is the fact that these pages have received hundreds of likes, user interaction, and followers.

So why is no one speaking about it more?

The sad truth is that many users of social media aren’t even aware that these pages exist, yet many who do know about them, comment under these posts solely to defend the people behind the camera.

Defenders typically leave comments stating that “it’s a public place” and that there’s “nothing wrong with it”.

Meanwhile, very few comments call the page out and criticise the inappropriate videos.

Justice: While there has been one arrest made on a man behind the camera of some of this content, many others are still making these videos and getting plenty of audience interaction.

In fact, even reporting the accounts or hateful comments do not come to any resolutions.

Yet, the continuation of the accounts leads to the questioning of how far these “content creators” have to go for police and those with power to take action?

While women are still struggling to get these videos taken down, and getting true justice seems nearly impossible, the government's current focus on online safety and misogyny may lead to new legislation that gives women and the police the power to allow platforms to take action.

But this legislation is not guaranteed to come into effect, and even if it does, there is no guarantee that it will even be effective.

So while this content is still being spread all over social media, the best thing viewers can do is report it and move on as despite the tempting thought to voice your disdain in the comments, that would just give the creators the one thing they want above everything else; engagement, because without engagement, they are nothing.

By Maisie Nisbet

FOOD 26-27 22-23

FEATURES

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25

Contraception as a gendered responsibility.

Image Credit: Pexels.com/HiClipArt

Is Gender Equity The Future of Contraception?

F

or many students today, "hook-up" culture is an aspect of university life, as many individuals explore their sexualities and newfound independence. When hearing stories of one-night stands and short-term flings, one may begin to question who is risking the most to be in these precarious situations.

The answer is that women risk the most and often try the hardest to prevent these risks.

Disregarding immediate dangers and differing gendered impacts, individuals who have the potential to become pregnant face a huge risk when having sexual encounters.

Combatting this risk then creates a pressure for women who wish to be promiscuous to partake in a form of contraceptive method. Women have access to 13 different methods of contraception including reversible long acting contraception, emergency contraception, and sterilisation.

All of which, unfortunately, carry the potential of physiological sequelae affecting the female body.

The Current State of Oral Contraption A poll on Stirling University's shared story on Instagram showed that 34 per cent of sexually active students were currently taking some form of oral contraceptive, including either the combined

oral contraceptive pill or the progestogen-only pill.

According to the NHS website, the progestogen-only pill can result in risk of ovarian cysts, breast cancer, and weight gain.

The combined pill includes the same risks as the progestogen-only pill as well as others such as high blood pressure, blood clots, and cervical cancer.

This shows that for many students at Stirling University, taking responsibility for protection and, therefore, taking the risk of having these side effects is part of everyday life.

On the other hand, men only have access to two kinds of contraception which are the male condom and the vasectomy. There is no form of oral or hormonal contraceptives for men on the market at this moment. The introduction of a male birth control pill would ensure women and men both have an equal opportunity to take responsibility in ensuring safe sex.

Contraception's Potential Future Although there are limited contraceptive options for men today, there are a couple male contraceptives being studied and developed, including YCT-529 and NES/T. As of 2025, clinical trials have shown that the non-hormonal oral contraceptive YCT-529 was safe and reversible. If released,

the pill would be taken daily and would prevent the body from being able to create sperm.

Research conducted so far has shown no side effects attributed to YCT-529. However, the efficiency of YCT-529 has not yet been researched and more trials must be carried out before YCT-529 can be regulated.

NES/T is a daily gel which would absorb through the skin to increase testosterone and progestin levels in the body, causing signals to be sent towards the brain to stop sperm production. Research has shown NES/T to be effective, safe, and reversible. The gel is expected to go through the first phase 3 study of a male hormonal contraceptive ever, which is a huge step towards regulatory approval.

How do Students Feel About Contraception?

Brig interviewed 4 university-age students to uncover a student-focused perspective on the pill.

When asked, male participants stated that they would not “expect” their potential partner to be on an oral form of contraception.

However, one participant argued that it would be a “good idea” for sexually active women to be on birth control. When asked if they would take a male hormonal pill (with similar risks to current options available for women), both men answered no. One participant furthered this by

saying he would “never” take a pill that has the same potential risks as the combined oral contraceptive pill or the progestogen-only pill. However, if the side effects were limited to potential headaches and sickness, he would then take it. The other participant said he would only take a contraceptive pill if there were zero side effects.

When the female participants were asked if they would “expect” their partner to take a male hormonal pill, both individuals said “no”, but said they would appreciate it if their partner did. Both individuals expressed that they believed women were already taking on the risk of pregnancy, so it would seem rational for their partner to take some responsibility in preventing these risks.

The idea that sexually active individuals should take precautions to decrease the chance of an unwanted pregnancy is logical, however, the risks associated with taking currently available forms of oral contraception are just not worth it for some individuals.

One of the interviewees was a student who is currently not taking any oral contraceptives. She stated that she would "never consider the pill as an option" due to the potential side effects, emphasising her experience in knowing individuals who developed symptoms of depression

and personality changes, while on the pill.

According to Monique Tello, a clinical instructor at Harvard medical school, this is a valid concern. Hormonal forms of contraceptive measures, including oral contraception, are linked to an elevated risk of symptoms of depression. Hormonal pills have the potential to affect a woman’s mood, libido and their cognition.

However, for many individuals, the positive side effects of the pill outweigh the negative. Another interviewee said she is currently on the pill and has never personally experienced any negative side effects that she would directly attribute to being on the pill. Showcasing that, while not for everyone, the pill is still beneficial for many individuals.

Equal access to contraception would reduce the disproportionate burden placed on women in sexual scenarios, and new research into male contraceptives shows a gradual shift towards gender equity.

However, until research is further advanced, it is essential that all individuals are fully informed of current contraceptive options and the risks associated with each option, regardless of their mixed opinions about them.

By Sophie Holmes

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FOOD

THE BEST EVER Sustainable Snacks PEANUT BUTTER and Soundbaths: Vegan PRETZEL BROWNIES Festival coming to In all her glory. Image Credit: Spencer Haynes

Stirling University The Stirling Vegan festival will take place on Stirling University Campus on March 14. From 10:30 am to 4:30 pm,.

Visitors can explore and discover new vegan faves from a variety of vendors, from Greek foods to plant-based bars. Hosted by Vegan Events UK, the f estival hopes to bring vegan living to the local area and support small and family-run businesses working only with ethical traders to bring exciting and delicious vegan food all over the UK. The festival promises more than just good and sustainable food. In

If your winter has been anything like mine, a gooey, salty, rich brownie is needed. Should I be feeling my feelings? Yes, but I would prefer a peanut butter pretzel brownie, so here we go.

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Skill level: easy peasy

Ingredients

5 eggs 300g chocolate 275g peanut butter 280g caster sugar 50g cocoa powder 100g self-raising flour 50g pretzels 100g honeycomb pieces 2 decent pinches of flaky salt

Method

Step One Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a 9x13-inch tin with parchment paper.

Step Two Over a low heat, combine 175g of peanut butter, 150g of chocolate, and all the sugar until combined into a smooth paste; it will look awful and taste amazing.

Step Three Remove from the heat, and let cool for a few minutes.

Step Four In a separate bowl, combine the flour and cocoa powder, and add in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Step Five Beat in the eggs, and fold in the honeycomb pieces and remaining chocolate chopped into chunks.

Step Six Pour the mixture into the lined tin, swirl on the remaining peanut butter, place the pretzels, and sprinkle on the flaky salt on top. At this stage you can add anything that makes you happy.

Step Seven Bake for 30 minutes, eat the same day or the pretzels will go soggy.

By Spencer Haynes A sexy little Slice. Image Credit: Spencer Haynes

Food Editor

addition to the 18 different food and drink vendors present, there will be conservation and animal rescue organisations alongside businesses selling vegan beauty products, clothes and household goods.

On top of all that, June Meaghe will be hosting soundbaths throughout the day.

Sound baths are a meditative experience and are part of June's practice as a holistic and spiritual healer. These sessions are free to attendees of the festival and BYOYMAAP (Bring your own yoga mat and a pillow), but she will

have extras onhand if needed. The sound baths are set to be popular, so be sure to arrive early to secure a spot.

Tickets are £5, with the option to get a £15 VIP ticket, which comes with a goodybag of items. If you want to shop more sustainably or are interested in learning more about plant-based alternatives, find out more online or through Instagram veganevents_UK. If you are imterested in plant based cooking, head to Brig Bites to find some vegan recipies

By Spencer Haynes Food Editor

My University Comfort Foods

By Amelia Fryer News Editor

I’m not particularly good at cooking. Ask anyone I know, they will confirm this very factual statement about me. However, since moving away from home, my survival instincts have kicked in and I have learned that cooking isn’t always something to run away from, or that I can’t do.

While not being particularly good at it, I still enjoy giving it a go. So, here are some of the vegetarian dishes I rely on at university that I have learned to cook while being here.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta This dish is perfect for mushroom and cheese lovers (two of my favourite things). My need for this arose from a visit to La Cucina in the Bridge of Allan, their Ravioli Porcini dish immediately made me realise that I was not making the most of some very cheap and accessible ingredients for a uni student.

Boil some pasta as per instructions on the box (pop some garlic bread in the oven if you fancy), heat up butter and oil on low heat in a pan, add in the mushrooms, garlic and onions and leave them on low-medium heat until everything has softened, add about half a 300ml pot of double cream, salt and pepper to taste. Strain the pasta, stir it into the sauce, and whack in some grated cheese and give it all a stir – then serve!

There are also many other versions of many other pasta dishes (creamy tomato pasta, cream cheese pasta, and the ultimate uni struggle meal: plain cooked pasta with some sad grated cheese on top) - pasta can really go with anything.

Crispy Tofu and Rice

This one was definitely not stumbled upon; this was taught to me, and I am eternally grateful for it.

I had never gone near tofu before coming to university. I never knew what to do with it, but now I don’t know what I’d do without it.

Boil some rice in a pot, about a 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio is good for most types of rice. Cube some firm tofu, then soak it in a beaten egg and toss it in flour seasoned with whatever you wish. Heat a neutral oil in a pan and fry some diced spring onions for a few minutes before adding in your tofu. Serve the rice, then the tofu and onions, top with sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce to finish. You can even boil an egg to have with it, if you so desire, or steam some veg as you're

cooking the rice.

Potato and Lentil Soup This one truly has become a comfort food, and one that I find incredibly fun to cook when looking for a break from studying. It’s also one I’ve never made the same way twice.

Start by dissolving a vegetable stock cube in a pan of hot water, cube a baking potato and pop it in the stock to boil with some red split lentils. In a separate pan, heat up some oil and start chopping up whatever other veg you’d like; I usually go with onions, peppers and garlic, and have sometimes added some grated carrot – add the veg to the stock near the end of the cooking and serve.

Amelias Crispy Tofu and Rice. Image Credit Amelia Fryer

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FOOD

27

I LEARNED TO LOVE COOKING THANKS TO MY FAMILY

Little Elliot all dressed up as Linguini from Ratatouille. Image Credit: Elliot Johnstom

I love to cook; a lot of people love to cook, so much so that it has almost become a trope to associate cooking with love.

And there's a good reason for that, for many people, cooking and sharing food is a love language.

But beyond serving and looking after others, the process of cooking itself can mean so much to people.

Learning new recipes, experimenting with flavours, and pushing the culinary boundaries, it’s a marrying of art and science that results in eating, so what’s not to love?

And yet, so many people view cooking as nothing more than a chore, a necessity so they can eat somewhat affordably and healthily.

So what makes people love to cook?

And, more importantly, can others learn to love it too?

As a kid, I didn’t like to cook; in fact, I avoided it entirely. That’s not a surprise for a child; aside from occasionally cooking with a parent, I doubt many kids would say they love cooking.

My mum liked to cook, and she liked to cook exotic food. It felt like every month she would be breaking out some fancy new cookbook she’d seen on one TV show or another, much to my chagrin.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say I

wasn’t thrilled about my mum’s cooking; that’s not to say her cooking was bad, far from it actually, it was just a very poor match for my texture-sensitive 12-year-old self.

My dad was the exact opposite; something thrown in the oven with a couple of chips would do the trick just fine.

Suffice to say, between the two of them, I wasn’t particularly enthralled by the idea of cooking, although my Gran’s cooking was always something to look forward to.

What did entice me, though, was baking.

From about age 9, I began baking consistently, and I got pretty good at it. After every bake, I would share the spoils with my family, who all seemed to love what I made, especially the grandparents.

Because my grandparents always cooked for me and I always loved what they cooked, it felt really nice to be able to make something for them that they loved.

But cooking still wasn’t something I enjoyed or was passionate about.

During the pandemic, it was the first time I really cooked at home, largely because there wasn't much else to do and because I couldn’t see my grandparents.

The first thing I really tried to

make was my Gran's lentil soup, it was always one of my favourite meals as a kid, and so I wanted to be able to make it myself, according to her recipe.

But these were only really dabblings; I only started cooking consistently out of necessity in the years after leaving school, where I was living alone and, for the first time in my life, actually caring about my health.

I know that if I didn’t learn to cook properly, I would either not eat or only eat ready meals and takeaways, which is not only unaffordable but also incredibly unhealthy.

And so, that’s what I did.

I started by recreating my favourite foods that my parents or, more often, my grandparents would make, and then I started trying to recreate my favourites from restaurants and cafés, and even from some of my favourite media.

Cooking gave me such a feeling of independence; I was looking after myself and learning important skills. Not many of my friends cooked, and so when I was feeling somewhat confident, I started to invite them around so I could cook for them.

The feeling of cooking for others is unlike anything else really;

You get to take care of them while sharing something you’ve poured your love and passion into, all the while facilitating togetherness and connection.

I spoke to my Gran about this a few times, and she more than understood it; in fact, I think it was one of the things that defined her.

She was always a feeder, always making sure that everyone was fed, both at home with family and out in the community.

At Christmas, she always made the three-course meal herself while at the same time fussing over everyone, making sure their glasses were full, and they weren’t wanting for anything.

But a few years ago, she fell seriously ill, and she couldn’t make dinner anymore; she couldn’t fuss over everyone, no matter how much she wanted to.

But we could, my brother, my uncle, and I. We could each take a course, and we could fill it with all the love that she would, all the while fussing over her for a change.

My Gran has passed now, but the family will still be fed, fussed over and given a care package of leftovers.

She may be gone, but her love for

cooking and the love she put into it isn’t.

It’s in me now.

Her presence will still always be there in every bite.

The skills, passion, and love she gave me for cooking and for food will always be with me.

So I’ll do what she would; I’ll take the old pot she gave me, and I’ll make sure that no one goes hungry, and no one goes unloved.

Not everyone has that kind of familial passion for cooking, but that doesn’t mean you can’t develop it for yourself.

If cooking is rather more than a chore for you, try doing what I did and recreate some of your childhood favourites, then share them with your friends.

Perhaps, you can even get them to do the same, and you can all share some of your old favourites.

You never know, it might just spark a joy you never found in cooking before, while deepening your bonds with the people you care about.

And then maybe one day, you too will love cooking, and can pass that love down to someone you care about.

By Elliot Johnston Features Editor

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“Cutting-edge research” Gives Stirling’s Olympic Swimmers a Boost in Competing

By Emma Christie Elections Co-editor

A partnership between the University of Stirling and Aquatics GB will see researchers work with some of the best swimmers in the UK to improve performance.

The four-year study will use predictive analytics, machine learning, and applied sports science to deliver real-time insights by the poolside.

Adham Sanoufi, former competitive swimmer and current PhD student, will lead the study. Based at the National Swimming Academy at Stirling, Adham has worked with some of the best, including Olympic champions Duncan Scott, Tom Dean, Jack McMillan, and Freya Anderson.

SwimTrack technology is a 10-camera swimming analysis system developed by Aquatics GB, the UK Sports Institute, and Sheffield Hallam University. It will enable Adham to analyse technique, timing, and trends, contributing to his PhD. Alongside the technology,

research on identifying data sets that most accurately predict performance will be undertaken.

Adham is also seeking to create an online platform for swimmers and coaches which aims to support training and performance.

Speaking about his research, Adham said: “Ultimately, I want to integrate data from strength and conditioning, physiology, wellness, and training load into one model that helps coaches make better decisions.”

Adham’s sporting experience has aided him while working alongside athletes, he said: “Our shared experience of sport meant we settled quickly into a professional rhythm based on mutual respect. They’ve been great to work with – really engaged and proactive. It’s a great environment – very collaborative and supportive.”

Brad Hay, High-Performance Swim Coach, said: “Adham keeps bringing new ideas, which is fantastic. Over the course of his PhD, we expect this to become more refined, so we can individualise

approaches and identify patterns to help younger athletes on their journey to elite level.”

Cathy Gallagher, Executive Director of Sport at the university, said: “Here at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, we are always innovating and looking for new ways to give our athletes the best chance to compete and succeed on the international stage.

“In collaboration with Aquatics GB, we are proud to launch this new research project and are delighted to have Adham on board as our swimmers set their sights on Glasgow 2026 and Los Angeles 2028.”

Olly Logan, Head of Research and Innovation at Aquatics GB, said: “The placement of Adham as a sport-embedded PhD student at the University of Stirling showcases yet another strong example of the collaboration that exists between Stirling and Aquatics GB in our shared ambition to improve upon the existing success that has come from the centre.”

Image Credit: University of Stirling.

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SPORT

A Brief Debrief of the Rules of Ice Hockey

By Kerry Lloyd Braw Co-Editor

Between the show Heated Rivalry taking the internet by storm and the 2026 Winter Olympics always being on when you turn on the tele, Ice Hockey seems to have had a rise in interest in the past few months. Many people, like myself, would have tuned into the USA v Canada Gold Medal game to try figure out what the hype was all about. Does this game even have rules? They’re fighting each other and playing with broken teeth - what is going on?

Whilst not a complete, comprehensive list of every rule and regulation in ice hockey, these are the basic rules you should know going into a game.

The game is split into three periods, both twenty minutes long.

Each team is only allowed six players on the ice at one time, one goaltender, two defencemen, and three forwards. If there are more than five players from a team on the ice at once, a penalty will be called.

There are four lines that swap out both mid-play and when there is a break in play, known as a line change. Players will typically only be on the ice for under a minute before being substituted. If, by the end of the third period, the two teams are tied in goals, they go to 3-on-3 overtime where the first goal wins.

There are three zones in the rink, the defensive zone, where your goal is, the offensive zone where you are

aiming to score, and the neutral zone in the middle. These are divided by the red line in the centre of the ice and two blue lines. The circles on the ice are face-off zones.

This is where play resumes after stoppages and where the puck is dropped.

Icing is when a player shoots the puck from behind the red line and it crosses the thin blue line in the offensive zone without touching a stick. Play is stopped and a face off occurs in the defensive zone.

If a physical fight breaks out, a five minute penalty is given to each party.

Offside is called when a player crosses the blue line before the puck when crossing into the attacking zone. If it's not called in real time, and the player scores, the goal is taken away once offside is decided.

Players cannot kick the puck, or have the end of their stick above their shoulders.

Fouls include, tripping, high-sticking, where a player hits someone in the face with their stick, and hooking, where the stick goes between a players legs.

Penalties are often two minutes long but can go up to ten minutes.

Once the penalty is called, the offending team must play with a player down, five-on-four. This is called a power play. If the opposing team scores during the power play, the penalised player can re-enter the game.

Image Credit: Lynda Sanches, Pexels.

Heated Rivalry: Shining a Spotlight on the NHL's Homophobia

By Sarah DeBeer Comment Editor

In late 2025, Heated Rivalry hit our screens with tension filled scenes with characters Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s situationship of nearly 10 years in the top pro-Hockey league of Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series universe.

For fans that were familiar with Reid’s book series (with a total of six books, another one coming out soon), this was a highly anticipated TV series – despite the fears from some fans that it wouldn’t be as explicit as the books.

Never fear, the TV series was plenty explicit.

The TV series was a massive hit

with HBO quickly picking up the Crave Original to put on its streaming services – and eventually Sky TV picking it up as well for the eager UK fans that wanted to watch as well.

Many fans expected the National Hockey League (NHL) to ignore the TV series due to the organisation’s history of homophobia – and the

blatant criticism of NHL in the TV series and the books. Yet NHL started capitalising on Heated Rivalry with merch, showing Heated Rivalry on NHL jumbotrons on Pride Nights, and even a statement from the CEO (Gary Bettman) of NHL about the show.

Homophobia in the NHL If you weren’t a fan of hockey

before the show – like me – the fact that there are no out gay players in the NHL might be a shock.

However, the more you learn and watch hockey then the shock would fade, especially for a sport with so much violence.

Read more online at brignews. com

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Impact of Alcohol Marketing on Young People Revealed in New Study

By Amelia Fryer News Editor

A new study by the University of Stirling has revealed the cunning and real impact of alcohol marketing at sporting events on young people in Scotland.

This has arisen with the occurrence of the men’s Six Nation’s Championship and FIFA World Cup 2026, both major international sporting competitions which are sponsored by multinational alcohol selling companies.

Young people aged 11 to 17 find it impossible to distinguish between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages when they are encouraged through sports sponsorship, the study shows.

Researchers have shown concern regarding sports sponsorship methods like alibi marketing (using brand-associated slogans, colours, or fonts in place of explicit brand names) and promoting alcohol-free and low-alcohol variants of core brands to increase exposure to alcohol brands (which is known by the industry as NoLo marketing).

A young person who took part in the study described the tactics as “sneaky”, while another participant said it “just feels wrong”.

It has been said by the creators of

the study that the current system of self-regulation for alcohol advertisement in the UK is unsuitable for limiting brand exposure to young people, and have called for stricter rules to be put into place regarding marketing strategies to better defend young people and to support public health objectives.

According to a recent World Health Organization report, the intake of alcohol among underaged people has been and still remains as a global health concern as they are regularly exposed to alcohol marketing across multiple channels, including television, digital platforms, social media, sponsorships, and product placements.

Dr Richard Purves, from The Institute for Social Marketing and Health (ISMH) at the University of Stirling, who led the study, said: “Alcohol branding of major sporting events isn’t just background noise – it’s shaping young people’s attitudes and expectations from an early age in a way that parents and policymakers don’t always see.

“Our findings show that young people are growing up surrounded by alcohol branding, particularly through sport, and this repeated exposure normalises alcohol use long before the legal drinking age.

“Even in countries where

advertising restrictions exist, indirect tactics like alibi branding and core-branded alcohol-free and low-alcohol sponsorships allow alcohol brands to remain highly visible.

“Without stronger regulation, these strategies risk undermining efforts to protect young people from alcohol-related harm.”

Using ten online focus groups of 44 participants, stratified by age and gender, the research found that young people in Scotland demonstrated high levels of recognition for familiar alcohol brand imagery even when explicit brand names were absent.

The partakers of the research were concerned that there should be clearer distinction between alcohol-free and alcoholic products to avoid misleading young audiences.

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) Chair Dr Alastair MacGilchrist said: “This research lays bare that the marketing of alibi and alcohol-free and low-alcohol brands is indistinguishable from the marketing of full-strength products in the eyes of young people.

“The alcohol industry mimics the past tactics of the tobacco industry and constantly finds new and Image Credit: stiruni_athletics Instagram.

innovative ways to market their products which attract future consumers.

“Evidence shows that when young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, they are more likely to start drinking at a younger age and more likely to develop a problematic relationship with alcohol.

“It’s clear that self-regulation by the alcohol industry does not protect children and young people from marketing, despite their claims to the contrary, so I would urge the next Scottish Government to prioritise introducing watertight regulation to end all types of

Sports Editor

By Deaglán Murray Sports Editor

Stirling University athletes delivered a set of determined performances at the 2026 National XC Championships in Falkirk, battling through a tough course and demanding racing conditions.

Stirling’s athletes demonstrated discipline and determination throughout the day – highlighted by a podium finish for the U20 men’s team.

The standout achievement of the weekend came from Stirling’s U20 men, who secured an impressive team bronze medal in a fiercely competitive race.

Leading the charge was Patrick Cole, finishing 14th in a stacked field. He was closely supported by Chris Black (21st), Andrew McKechnie (34th) and Cameron

Rankine (37th), whose combined efforts sealed the podium position.

Further finishes came from Ryan Kellock (45th), Aedan McGonigle (48th) and Lukas Robinson (59th), underlining the squad’s breadth and competitive resilience on the national stage.

In the U20 women’s race, Anna Calder produced a composed and determined run to place 17th, navigating the course with confidence.

Leah Brown followed in 50th, adding another valuable national-level performance to Stirling’s tally.

The senior races featured particularly large and high-quality fields, reflecting the prestige of the final major championships of the season.

In the Senior Women’s race, Alice Jones led the Stirling contingent with a strong 17th-place finish. Louisa Brown finished

31st, competing under Garscube Harriers, while Emma Livingstone placed 160th in a physically demanding contest.

In the Senior Men’s race, Fraser Gilmour crossed the line in 32nd (running with Kilbarchan AAC), with Cameron Kerr finishing 38th for Central AC. Rhys Williams (141st, Bellahouston Harriers) and Fraser Morris (282nd) completed Stirling’s senior representation.

The National XC Championships in Falkirk represent one of the most competitive fixtures in the Scottish endurance calendar, bringing together leading club and university athletes from across the country.

With a team bronze medal secured, multiple top-20 finishes recorded and representation across various age categories, Stirling demonstrated its strength across the endurance disciplines.

Image Credit: University of Stirling.

STIRLING COUNCIL HAS 'NO PLANS' TO AWARD WORLD CUP BANK HOLIDAY

By Deaglán Murray

Stirling Impresses at National XC

alcohol sponsorship of sports.”

The study Young people’s views of NoLo and alibi alcohol sponsorship was published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

It was funded by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and SPECTRUM, a UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) Consortium funded by the UKRI Research Councils, the Department of Health and Social Care (England) and the UK devolved administrations, and leading health research charities.

Stirling Council has confirmed it has no plans to observe the Scottish Government’s newly announced bank holiday marking Scotland’s return to the FIFA World Cup this summer.

The one-off bank holiday, set for the day following Scotland’s opening match against Haiti, was introduced by the Scottish Government to celebrate the men’s national team qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998.

Ministers described the move as a moment of national significance and an opportunity for communities to come together.

However, while bank holidays are announced at national level, local authorities retain control over their own public holiday schedules.

This means councils are not legally required to close services or grant additional leave to staff.

A spokesperson for Stirling Council indicated that the authority has no plans to amend its existing public holiday calendar to accommodate the additional date.

As a result, council-run services in the area are expected to operate as normal. Brig reached out to the council for more information, however we received no response.

Stirling is not alone in its position. Several other local authorities across Scotland have also confirmed they will not implement the extra day.

The divergence has prompted debate about the practical impact of the Government’s decision.

Supporters argue that the holiday recognises a rare sporting milestone and could boost morale and local economies, particularly within hospitality and tourism sectors.

Critics, however, question the logistical and financial implications of introducing an additional day off at short notice, particularly for essential public services.

While the Scottish Government has presented the holiday as a symbolic gesture of national celebration, its uneven adoption across councils suggests that any sense of a collective party will be lost.

For Stirling residents employed by the local authority, it will be business as usual.

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SPORT

A Guide to Sport in Stirling: The Best Pubs for The Right Occasion

By Lena Johnston What better way is there to spend your night than watching good sports with your mates over some cheap pints? It all starts with knowing where to go and how to make the most out of your money and your time.

Knowing where to start when it comes to Live sports in Stirling is tricky. When the usual Spoons and Fubar combo runs dry, the only thing left is to throw yourself into the world of excited Rugby fans and people screaming "Touchdown!" at one of ten TVs surrounding you and dozens of happy fans.

If you, like so many others, are curious about the sport night life at Stirling but feel stuck on where to start, consider this an unofficial guide to the best pub's for your favourite game.

Jessica O'Marley's If there's two things the Irish

do best, it's drinking and Rugby.

Jessica O'Marley's always puts on a show when it comes to sports, especially during bigger events like the Six Nations and the Super Bowl.

They offer table bookings and have shown every Six Nations game live, so if you're stuck on a plan for next year, they have you covered.

For any budding NFL fans, Jessica O'Marley's just hosted their first successful Super Bowl watch party earlier this month. It was free entry (with no re-entry after 12) including free hot dogs during the halftime show.

O'Marley's offers a student discount in addition to the promise of a lively atmosphere and good live music when the match ends. It's a good start for anyone looking to get involved with sports nightlife in Stirling.

Molly Malones If you love sports, but don't so much love a big busy bar filled

with screaming students... Molly Malones is the place for you.

Located on 11 Maxwell Place (or just outside of Fubar) it stands slightly tucked away from the busier clubbing scene, offering a quieter, more relaxed environment for sports fans.

Like Jessica O'Marley's, and most pub's in Stirling, Molly Malones offers a student discount, which leaves you able to have more fun for less, with doubles just under £5 and some pints for even less. There are a few TVs around the bar and big booths to fit all your friends within that quiet, cozy atmosphere.

The Cold Beer Company Informally known as Morrisons, The Cold Beer Company is the best place for those looking for a more lively, energetic night. Located just to the right of Fubar, it's filled with eager sports fans shoulder to shoulder with everyone having their last drink before the club.

see her continued dominance at this major competition.

“Under Scott’s leadership, the high-performance tennis programme continues to go from strength to strength.

“For Scott to be recognised by his governing body for his contribution to performance sport in Scotland is brilliant – and we send him our congratulations.”

Anna McBride at the Australian Open At this year’s Intellectual Disability Championships at the Australian Open, held in Melbourne, third-year student Anna put in another impressive performance to win the Women’s Intellectual Impairment-1 (II1) singles, beating Eva Blanc 6-2, 7-6 in the final, before winning the doubles with her Australian partner Kelly Wren.

Anna said: “This event continues to be a real highlight of my year – competing at such a prestigious event, alongside so many talented athletes, is always incredibly special and inspiring.

“I am proud to win the ladies’ singles title for the fourth consecutive year, and to claim the ladies’

doubles title alongside Kelly – my third doubles title.

“To achieve this success four years in a row is truly amazing, but it’s the experience itself and the incredible atmosphere that makes it even more special.

“Competing at the Australian Open, surrounded by world-class athletes, is an unforgettable experience – being so close to some of the best players in the world is incredibly inspiring and motivates me to keep pushing myself.”

Performance Coach of the Year Scott was celebrated at the prestigious Tennis Scotland Awards 2026, where he was recognised with the Performance Coach of the Year award.

The accolade was presented following Scott’s unprecedented achievement in securing the ‘quadruple crown’ of national BUCS titles and Anna’s performance at the Australian Open 2025.

Speaking afterwards, Scott said: “I am incredibly honoured. Success in tennis is never a solo effort – this award is testament to the hard work, discipline and resilience of the players that I’m lucky enough to work with every day."

Perfect Start to 2026 for Tennis at Stirling University

By Deaglán Murray Sports Editor

The University of Stirling’s tennis programme has enjoyed a successful start to 2026 – with its players triumphing in major competitions and its coach winning a top award.

Anna McBride scooped her fourth singles title in a row – and her third doubles title in four years – at the Australian Open’s Intellectual Disability Championships.

In further success for the programme, Lead Coach Scott MacAulay was crowned Performance Coach of the Year at the Tennis Scotland Awards 2026.

David Bond, Director of Performance Sport at the University of Stirling, Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, said: “It has been an incredible start to the year for our high-performance tennis programme, with major wins in prestigious competitions and a well-deserved award for Scott.

“For Anna to win her fourth consecutive singles title, and her third doubles title in four years, at the Australian Open’s Intellectual Disability Championships, is a phenomenal feat – we are delighted to

Stirling Taekwondo Athletes Take Home Hardware at World Championships

By Melissa Thomson Sports Editor

The University of Stirling’s Taekwondo Club took part in their second competition as a club, coming away with nine medals.

The British University Taekwondo League (BUTL) World Championships took place in Leicester. It is one of the most prestigious student-based martial arts

competitions.

Stirling sent nine athletes to compete with a total of almost 1,000 students partaking from over 60 different countries.

Stirling’s two gold medals came from Eilidh and Emily who both placed first in ITF Sparring.

Ben won a silver medal for Black Belt ITF Patterns. Both Blake and Seumas came second in ITF Sparring.

Hope came away with two bronze medals, one for Black Belt ITF Sparring and another for Black Belt ITF Patterns. Will also went home with two bronze medals, one in Black Belt WT Patterns and a second in Black Belt WT Sparring.

Maddy, Adler, and Emily also put in an incredible effort, and the club is proud to have had everyone represent them.

There are TVs in every corner for the noise, as well as a smoking area on the upper deck for anyone looking for a quiet escape.

Being on the expensive side should give The Cold Beer Company a disadvantage, but they more than make up for the price with the energy and the atmosphere of the pub. It is also the most versatile option for people unsure of what sports they like watching. The Cold Beer Company show football, American football, rugby... they don't discriminate.

They are especially famous for their annual Super Bowl watch party, starting around 11pm and going well on into the night. Tickets are around £5, and if you remember the night, you're guaranteed to remember it well.

The City Walls Further away from the town centre, City Walls is a naturally calmer option. It's less of a sports bar, like

other options, but they are often showing the rugby and most of the more anticipated football games.

With pool tables and a karaoke mic, City Walls is an unbeatable afters if nothing else.

On top of being full of different activities, City Walls is one of the cheaper options on this list, so you know where to turn when SAAS starts looking scary.

Conclusion Finding the right place for you isn't as daunting or intimidating as it may seem. Whether you're a recent sports fan, or you just want to be a part of the fun, there's something for everyone. Sometimes it's easiest to see for yourself, but feel free to use this guide to help steer you in the right direction and find your favourite local spot.

(Below) Stirling Uni golfers.

Image Credit: R&A.

Coxon Perseveres for a Stirling Win in Portugal

By Melissa Thomson Sports Editor

University of Stirling golfer, Will Coxon, hung on to win the R&A Student Tour Series in Portugal despite terrible weather conditions.

Coxon took home the win after playing two rounds in extreme rain, wind, and thunder. The event took place at Palmares Golf Club in the Algarve.

When the final round had to be cancelled due to the weather, Will was six over par, one shot ahead of second placed Conor Stapleton from Maynooth University. He was four shots ahead of tied third place Judd Sundelson from the University of St Andrews, and Tommy Evans from the University of Exeter.

The R&A Student Tour Series has five events, taking place at courses

across Europe. The first two events took place in September at Halmstad Golf Course in Sweden, and in October at Malone Golf Course in Ireland. The fourth event takes place this week at La Sella Golf Club, near Alicante. The final will take place in St Andrews at the end of March.

Dean Robertson, the University of Stirling’s Head of Golf, said that due to the weather “it was very much about survival - improvising and adapting to the challenging conditions… Will showed a great deal of character, grit, and determination to win the event - he did well and I’m delighted for him.”

Will, among other University of Stirling golfers, is in contention for the R&A Student Tour Series Men’s Order of Merit, recognising the best player over the tournament.

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Image Credit: University of Stirling

Sport Spotlight: Snow Sports

By Melissa Thomson

(British University Dryslope Championships) often takes place in Edinburgh at Hillend. However, this year it took place in Bristol, with other competitions happening in places such as Birmingham and Aviemore.

Stirling has sporting success across the board, and SUSS is no different. Savanna commented that “last semester our slalom team was really successful, they put a lot of work into it and a lot of practice.”

If you are considering joining SUSS, Savanna tells us what your week would look like. “It’s busy. We jam pack the schedules quite a bit, we usually train on a Tuesday, so we pack up the cars with the equipment and drive to Bearsden in Glasgow and we do slalom training for one to two hours. If the freestyle slope is available the freestylers will do their thing over there, and then probably stop at McDonald’s on the way back, maybe go to the pub; and then obviously socials on a Wednesday. Sometimes we’ve got competitions and little group trips on the weekends, so it’s different every week.”

Every year SUSS has a big snow

sports trip, with their most recent one having a record number of attendees, showing just how much people love the club.

Why Should You Join SUSS? SUSS gives you the opportunities to “meet so many new people, you’re constantly making connections.” Savanna also added that as committee, she has learnt a lot about how to deal with “businesses, and negotiations, and contracts, and just trying to speak to people who don’t really prioritise what you want, and trying to work with that.”

If you think that SUSS might be the club for you, but you aren’t sure about the sport itself, that’s okay too! SUSS “will teach you if you want to learn, and it you don’t want to learn you can just come and have fun!” Savanna goes on to add that “we’re like a big family, everyone’s welcome”.

So, if Savanna has convinced you to join SUSS - or even if she hasn’t yet - she urges everyone to “just come give it a go, come and say hi; we’re really friendly, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out!”

University of Stirling

Whoosh. Dribble. Shoot. That was the moment Team GB, who University of Stirling wheelchair basketball player Shayne Humphries was playing for, scored their eighth point against Team Spain, and nearly [but not quite] took home the FISU trophy.

Humphries, a 19-year-old sports scholar from Dundee, took home a silver medal alongside five other teammates last summer at the FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. Sporting defeats can feel crushing, but for Humphries, coming second was a win for the underdogs, who’d been voted least likely to win in fan polls and had knocked hostteam Germany out of the contest, against a backdrop of roaring

German fans.

“I’ve done friendly tournaments representing GB before, but this was my first time to win an actual medal for them. So for me individually that [winning silver] was a really good moment. (...) We only lost by three points against them [Spain], so doing that as a squad felt amazing,” Humphries says.

“Our oldest player was 24, and I was the youngest. So obviously the highest level we’d played at that point was the UK league. So going into it, we thought ‘We’ll do all we can’, but then we only lost by three points which we were really happy with.”

Humphries is Stirling Uni’s only wheelchair basketball player, and took up the sport at age 11 after discovering it through a Dundee

parasporting festival. Now playing at a senior level, Humphries has been poached by Nottingham University to play with them down south, as well as winning gold competing with them at the British University and Colleges Sports (BUCS) competition.

He’s also a crucial part of the game’s Scottish community, which comprises only a handful of wheelchair basketball clubs in cities across Scotland. At the moment, he’s playing for Lothian Phoenix, a team based in West Lothian near Edinburgh.

“In Scotland, the wheelchair basketball community isn’t too small - like, it’s not massive, but if you consider how spread out we are…”

Humphries says.

Read more at brignews.com

of conversation around eating disorders within the Unions and university as a whole, as this was a positive change that we thought needed to happen.”

Events began with a joint yoga session alongside university yoga societies on Monday 23 February at Level 3, Campus Central. On Friday 27 February, the club hosted a walk-and-talk in King’s Park, offering a relaxed environment for discussion.

Although taking place just outside the official awareness week, the campaign will conclude with a talk delivered by SupportED, Scotland’s national community eating disorder charity.

The session aims to provide a safe space for students to learn more about eating disorders and ask

questions in an open, supportive setting.

The club believes sport has a crucial role to play in tackling stigma.

While exercise can promote wellbeing, it can also intersect with pressures around body image and performance.

“We thought that it was incredibly important for sports clubs to be involved in this campaign as unfortunately sport and exercise have often been contributing factors towards the development of an eating disorder,” Anderson said.

“By more people becoming aware of the complexities that come with an eating disorder, we can better look out for one another and hopefully be proactive in aiding those who might be struggling.”

She acknowledged that

conversations around eating disorders can feel daunting. “It’s completely understandable that the topic is scary, and that talking about it is hard because there’s always a worry that you might ‘make it worse’”.

“But by sitting in silence we are creating spaces for eating disorders to develop – and that is where they can become deadly.”

By encouraging open discussion within teams, the club hopes to normalise seeking support and dispel common misconceptions.

Tilly also encouraged other sports clubs to engage with awareness initiatives. “It doesn’t have to be anything major – It could just be sitting in a circle and having an honest conversation for 10 minutes at the start of your session,” she said,

while stressing the need for sensitivity when approaching the topic.

At the heart of the campaign is a simple message: students are not alone. Reflecting on their own university experience, Anderson added: “When I came to university four years ago, I was still heavily immersed in my eating disorder, so if I saw something like this I would have felt a sense of understanding from others and that things were going to be okay.”

Students seeking support can access university mental health services. Nationally, the UK’s leading eating disorder charity Beat provides helplines and resources for both individuals and carers, while SupportED runs support groups and educational sessions across Scotland.

Sports Editor

Stirling Student Launches Low-Income Sports Programme Investigation

By Connor Peebles Deputy Editor

With the World Cup on the horizon, a PhD student has taken up the task of researching a successful Scottish football programme for school children from low-income families.

The Scottish Football Association’s Extra Time Programme is a partnership between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Football Association (SFA). It was launched in 2023 as a part of the broader Best Start, Bright Futures scheme.

Extra Time has entered its third phase which will run till March, and the University of Stirling is one of the 31 organisations taking part in the partnership’s expansion.

Funded by the SFA, PhD student

Thomas Buchanan will be investigating the programme to examine how effective it has been in tackling child poverty in Scotland, under the supervision of Business School Professor Micheal Roy. He said: “I see football clubs as lightning rods of community action. In Scotland, nothing elicits the same fanaticism, devotion and dedication quite like football, and we’ll see that even more this year with the World Cup. But within the last decade especially, clubs have begun to realise their power for delivering social good.

“This study is a chance for a look under the bonnet, to find out why Extra Time is so transformative and better understand how football acts as a vehicle for social innovation.”

Read more at brignews.com

With the Winter Olympics coming to a close, Brig caught up with Stirling’s own Snow Sports club president, Savanna Butler.

Savanna is in her fourth year with the club, having joined in her first year with no experience. She went to an assortment of give it a go’s before settling on SUSS simply because she thought “they looked fun, and the rest was history”.

The fun nature of SUSS continues to this day, even in Savanna’s role as president - “snow sports is kind just like a big friendship group, so it doesn't really feel like a presidential role, it’s more just like making the hard decisions and then hanging out with everyone; so it’s a lot of fun.”

What is SUSS? SUSS offers beginner lessons for skiers and snowboarders, there are competitions throughout the semester, and they are a part of the UK-wide university snow sports community.

Scottish competitions tend to take place in Glasgow as there are two slopes there, and BUDS

Player Highlight: Shayne Humphries

By Robbie McAvenue

Shayne Humphries. Image Credit: Jeff Holmes/

Shinty Club Marks Eating Disorder Awareness Week with Campus Events

By Deaglán Murray Sports Editor

The University of Stirling Shinty Club is marking Eating Disorder Awareness Week with a series of events aimed at opening up conversation around disordered eating and challenging stigma within university sport.

The campaign, which includes a yoga session, a walk-and-talk and a dedicated talk with SupportED, has been shaped by personal experiences within the club.

“One of the primary driving forces was personal connections within the shinty club to the impact of eating disorders,” club secretary Tilly Anderson told Brig.

“We wished to address the lack

Stirling Uni golfers. Image Credit: R&A.

VOL.56 ISSUE.3

2 MARCH 2026

Coxon Perseveres for a Stirling Win in Portugal

By Melissa Thomson Sports Editor

University of Stirling golfer, Will Coxon, hung on to win the R&A Student Tour Series in Portugal despite terrible weather conditions.

Coxon took home the win after playing two rounds in extreme rain, wind, and thunder. The event took place at Palmares Golf Club in the Algarve.

When the final round had to be cancelled due to the weather, Will was six over par, one shot ahead of second placed Conor Stapleton from Maynooth University.

FULL STORY P30

Stirling Uni wows at National XC

By Deaglán Murray Sports Editor

Stirling's Success at BUCS Nationals

By Melissa Thomson Sports Editor

BUCS Nationals took place in Sheffield in mid-February, and Stirling athletes put on a show. The University of Stirling sent athletes to compete in four different sports - athletics, badminton, mountaineering, and swimming.

Athletics Stirling University Athletics Club won three medals at the BUCS Indoor Championships.

Ryan Martin took home the gold in the 1,500m race, with the season’s best time of 3:46.94. Sofia Videk came second in the 800m event with a personal best time of 2:05.42. Stirling’s last podium place came from Cameron Thores who placed third in the T4 60m Ambulant event, with a time of 7.60.

Badminton Stirling University Badminton Club sent seven athletes to BUCS Nationals.

Amber Tan and Valentina Carrier

represented Stirling in the women’s singles. Amber made it to the final eight, before a loss in the quarter finals, and Valentina lost after a close loss in a three set match.

Jane Scott competed with Amber in the women’s doubles, where their strong performances over the BUCS year seeded them at 17/32.

Blair Spence, Thomas Calder, and Ciar Pringle competed in the open singles, with Thomas making it to the final 32, and Blair making it to the last 16.

Thomas and Ciar were paired up in the open doubles, alongside Blair who was partnered with Ruaridh Leck. Thomas and Ciar made it to the last 32 pairs with a close loss to a dominant University College London team.

The mixed doubles teams were made up of Ciar and Amber, Thomas and Jane, and Ruaridh and Valentina. After competing until 10:15pm on the Saturday, Ciar and Amber made it to the quarter finals on Sunday morning,

where they lost a close match to Loughborough.

Mountaineering Stirling University Mountaineering Club sent five athletes to BUCS Nationals, three of whom were competing nationally for the first time.

Stirling’s Ben Carrigan placed 91st in the men’s competition, an impressive ranking as he was competing against team GB members and Olympic level climbers. Sam Bryson also competed in the mens competition, placing 213th.

In the women’s competition, Julia Ferris, Maria DeSilva, and Grace Gilligan placed 142nd, 178th, and 182nd respectively.

Swimming Stirling Swimming hauled in a massive 22 medals at the BUCS Long Course Championships.

Stirling finished the weekend with six gold, ten silver, and six bronze medals, second overall to Loughborough University.

Angharad Evans won every

breaststroke event to solidify her position as the top female swimmer of the meet.

Mikhail Andriushkin set two new BUCS records in the S15 classification, finishing the Freestyle 100m in only 58.10 seconds, and the Freestyle 1,500m in 17:43.98.

Sam Downie also set a new BUCS record in the S10 classification, with a 100m Backstroke time of 1:10.95.

Three of Stirling’s six gold medals came from Evans in the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke races. Stirling’s Female 400m Medley team, made up of Evans, Holly McGill, Lucy Grieve, and Evie Davis, gained Stirling their fourth gold of the competition.

Stirling’s relay teams continued dominating, winning gold in the Mixed 400m Medley, and Female 400m Freestyle.

Read more BUCS coverage and find the full story online at brignews.com Image Credit: Adam Bates, BUCS.

Stirling University athletes delivered a set of determined performances at the 2026 National XC Championships in Falkirk, battling through a tough course and demanding racing conditions.

Stirling’s athletes demonstrated discipline and determination throughout the day – highlighted by a podium finish for the U20 men’s team.

The standout achievement of the weekend came from Stirling’s U20 men.

Image Credit: stiruni_athletics Instagram.

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