WhatNOW

What’s hot in Notts

Where are all the vets?

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Page 15

Chasing the youth vote Page 11

WHATNOW

June 2024 / Free

FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW . . . MORE

I’M A

THRIFTY SWIFTIE How I found my second-hand Eras fit for JUST £20

CONTENTS

JUNE ISSUE

Don’t know what to watch?

We’ve got you covered.

6-8 On the Cover Ella Craig

Editor

Caradoc Gayer

Head Designer

Sayli Mohite

Contributing Writers

: g n i c u d Into

I’ll watch what she’s watching!

A brand new

podcast brought to you by CBJ Studios.

So, next time you can’t think of what to watch, don’t fret! Just watch what she’s watching NOW AVAILABLE ON SOUNDCLOUD AT CBJ MAGAZINE.

12-13

16-17

4-5 10 Things to do in Nottingham in June

Our round-up the events welcoming summer 2024 in Nottingham.

6-7 Swiftonomics

Lorena Lobo investigates how Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour could bring an economic boost to the UK.

8-9 How to be a Thrifty Swifty

Read how Ella Craig found an entirely secondhand outfit for the Eras Tour.

Afreen Khan Autumn Milburn Caradoc Gayer Cara Wheeldon Ella Craig Emelia Turner Lorena Lobo Lydia Arundel Narmada Kumar

10 5 Brit inspired spots in LA

Printed by

East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward speaks on how to get young people voting.

CBJ Team

Cover Photograph

Cara Wheeldon

Cover Design Sayli Mohite

Published by CBJ Team

Hosted by Cara Wheeldon, Emelia Turner and Lydia Arundel, I’ll watch what she’s watching is perfect for the cinephile on the go who doesn’t always have time to check the TV guide or search Netflix for hours just for something to watch!

I’ll watch what she’s watching will take you back through the past 60 years of cinema, focusing on one movie per decade for each movie genre. The first instalment of the show takes a look at the past 6 decades of romance- guaranteed to pull at the heart strings!

6-7

Emelia Turner reveals the best UK themed places-to-eat in the city of dreams.

11 An election stunt?

How viable is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s controversial new election promise?

12-13 Force for Change?

14-15 The harsh reality for animal-lovers.

Cara Wheeldon speaks to those closely affected by the UK’s severe vet shortage. .

16-17 You don’t have to fit in.

The complex issues around butch identity and why representation matters.

18 Editor Interviews

A round-up of our conversations with leaders in the world of magazines.

Read more at cbjmagazine.co.uk!

From the Editor: Welcome to this edition of WhatNow! In this issue,

Editor: Caradoc Gayer

there’s all kinds of profoundly original and imaginative journalism written by postgrads soon to venture into the media. From a rundown of the best Brit-inspired places to eat in Los Angeles to an emotional piece highlighting the UK’s vet shortage, each piece in this issue makes me very proud of the friends I’ve made studying MA journalism and very excited to see where everyone’s careers go next. I hope that you enjoy reading and that your summer turns out to be enriching.

What Now / June 2024

CBJ Magazine

@magazinecbj

@MagazineCBJ

AM IN...

H G IN T T O N IN O 10 THINGS TO D

JUNE

1

Nottingham Poetry Festival

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Date: June 7-16, Nottingham city centre

Date: 5pm-8pm, June 7; 10am5pm June 8; 11am-4pm, June 9

Price: Free - £20

Price: Free entry

The Festival celebrates local, national and internationally acclaimed writers such as Anthony Joseph and Carol Leeming. It will include performances, workshops, debates and other activities.

Showcasing over 40 stalls, the fair features an array of talented makers and designers from across the country offering, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and homeware.

Summer Craft Fair, Nottingham Contemporary

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7

Magic Of Thailand Festival Date: £5, Free for kids under 15 at Forest Recreation Ground.

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Price: Free entry

Forest Live 2024

Date: June 21 to June 23 at Sherwood Pines Price: £55 to £145 Known to be a major live music series held in Britain’s forests, the festival is back in Nottingham.

This year Anne-Marie joins Sting and Nile Rodgers & CHIC at Forest Live 2024 in Sherwood Pines.

Rothesay Open

Nottingham

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Price: £6 to £18 Part of the British Grass Court Season in the run up to the Wimbledon Championships, Rothesay Open is back at Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre.

Katie Boulter (GBR), the current women’s British No.1 tennis player, is among the players competing this year.

Girls Aloud

Date: June 12 and 13, Motorpoint Arena Price: From £58 Celebrating 21 years since its formation, the girl band is coming to Nottingham for its milestone celebration.

The group, formed by Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle, will be performing.

4

8

EID in The Park 2024

Date: 12pm to 5pm, June 23 at Wollaton House

Did you know?

Boots - health + beauty retailer and pharmacy chain was founded in Nottingham by the famous Jesse Boot

Price: Free entry

Date: June 8 to June 16 at Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre

4

Experience a taste of Thailand in Nottingham at ‘Magic of Thailand,’ a two-day Thai Festival this summer. Visitors will be enchanted by traditional music and dancing, food and product stalls, and other Thai cultural elements.

The Byron 200 Lecture

Date: 6pm-8pm, June 27, Lakeside Arts Price: £3

Nottingham Craft Beer Festival

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Date: 5:30pm - 10pm, June 14 // 12pm - 10:30pm, June 15 and at Sneinton Market

Celebrating the bicentenary of Lord Byron’s death, Lakeside Arts presents the Byron 200 Lecture: a lively panel discussion with six guest speakers sharing their views on the life and legacy of the legendary poet.

Wollaton House presents EID in the Park 2024 to celebrate the end of the month-long fasting during Ramadan.

Music and entertainment stalls will be available at the event, including food, fashion and toy stalls.

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Notts Queer Glitter Ball Date: 7pm, June 28 at Broadway Cinema Price: £10 For the first time Nottingham will host a Queer Glitter Ball.

Brought to the city by Daisy Bee & Kiki Dee, all the proceeds from ticket sales will go to four LGBTQIA+ charities / programmes, like Albert Kennedy Trust and Rainbow Migration.

Price: £12 to £20 Attendees can enjoy a wide variety of finest craft beers, ciders and ales from local and international breweries.

The festival is open for 18 years-old and features live music, and food stalls, promising a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

Image credits (in order): Trust Tru Katsande, Unsplash; Adrian Vitelleschi Cook, Nottingham Contemporary; Chris Czermak - Flickr, 2021; Girls Aloud - Fascination Management and Nottingham Craft Beer Festival.

Image credits (in order): Visit Nottingham; Magic of Thailand; wowinside via Adobe Stock Matthew via Adobe Stock and BBiDDac from Unsplash.

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SWIFTONOMICS

LIFESTYLE

Image credit: Paolo Villanueva

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Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has come to the UK, promising not only electrifying concerts but also an economic boost of nearly £1 billion.

Lorena Lobo speaks to Taylor Swift fans on their willingness to spend big seeing the star.

T

aylor Swift will kick off the UK leg of her Eras Tour on June 7, with three nights at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium. She will then take her show on the road, hitting Liverpool, Cardiff and London - returning to the capital in August for five final dates.

Named Swiftonomics the Barclays report, launched in early May, predicted that fans are expected to spend an average of £848 on tickets, travel, accommodation, outfits and other expenses.

Based on the total spent by nearly 1.2 million ticket-holders across 15 nights at four stadiums it’s predicted that the tour will rake in £997 million.

Tom Corbett, Head of Group Sponsorship for Barclays, said that the tour will substantially boost the UK’s experience economy within the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.

“Fans are increasingly going all-out on experiences that resonate on a personal level; turning every concert into a potential holiday, every ticket into a cherished memory and every event into an opportunity for splashing out on new outfits, food, and merchandise,” says Tom.

GOLD RUSH Fran Millett, 24, has been a Swiftie - as Taylor Swift fans are known - for more than 10 years. She’s excited to see the singer for the first time in Liverpool and expects to spend £300 on the ticket, outfit and merchandise.

In the end, this will all be worth it for Fran, she says: “It’s not just a concert, it’s a full production with outfit changes, backing dancers, a long setlist and surprise songs. I think that the audience will definitely get their money’s worth.”

Barclays’ report said that the average amount spent on an Eras Tour ticket was £206. After tickets, fans will spend around £121 on accommodation and £111 in travel costs.

Fans will also pay out an average of £56 on outfits, £59 on a pre-concert meal and £79 on official merchandise.

Having spent around £400 on the cost of attending the concert, James Arundel, 20, said that he is going for the official merchandise and that he doesn’t mind the prices.

“It is quite expensive, but I’ll be buying something that will stick around for the rest of my life without me getting bored of it.”

Despite the predictions on how much Swifties are willing to spend, many fans are intending to stick to a tighter budget.

Erin Verlaque, 22, is attending the concert in London in August with her friends and will be trying to spend more frugally.

Along with the tickets - which cost £130 - she is spending on travel, food and complementary details for her outfit, but isn’t planning on getting merchandise.

“When I was younger and attended concerts, I felt like I had to buy the merch to prove my love for them. Now, I am trying to be more responsible with my money.”

BLANK SPACE Even if the £1 billion boost is taken at face value, some specialists are sceptical about whether Swift represents a one-woman economic miracle.

Regardless of whether the fans spend all this money, not all of it can be counted as a boost to the economy.

Tim Harford, host of the BBC’s More or Less, discussed the figure published by Barclays Bank and why the writers of the report could be somewhat ‘overreacting.’

Professor Simon Shibli, Sheffield Hallam University, developed a methodology called Event Impacts. He explained to the hosts that most people attending the concerts will be from the UK so will be spending money that originated there.

Nearly 1.2 million ticket-holders will attend the shows in one of the 15 nights in the UK (Image credit: Paolo Villanueva).

“Those people would spend that money anyway on either going out for a meal or drink, a weekend break, holiday clothing or something else. We call this deadweight. So from that perspective, most expenditure is deadweight,” he says.

Professor Shibli added that there will be a redistribution effect as people come to various venues and spend their money in host locations.

He also emphasised that most of the money generated in the UK would be going back with Taylor Swift to North America.

“From a UK perspective, most of the money spent will be expatriated to America, where Swift and her business is based.”

CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT Even if the economy is not boosted as much as Barclays predicted, it’s undeniable that fans are willing to spend all the money that they can to transform this into a full Swiftie experience.

Cara O’Sullivan, 22, is travelling from Luxembourg to the UK just for the concert.

She is attending the concert in London in August, but has already gone to The Eras Tour in Paris with her father. Both spent £1200 in total attending the Parisian concert.

For Cara, the cost of the three hour concert was worth it. She said that the performance stood out in every way.

“It was amazing! The production level is so incredible and the background is insanely theatrical. Everything was so well oiled and so well performed that I don’t even know how to describe it. And besides that, the atmosphere was so good. You could see that everyone was having a good time.”

Doing it all over again in August, Cara expects to spend at least £500. She said that even if she knows what to expect from the experience, she is still really excited for it.

Dr Peter Brooks, Chief Behavioural Scientist at Barclays said there is growing evidence that spending on experiences boosts happiness and well-being.

“When it comes to cultural icons like Taylor Swift, supporters have such a strong connection to the artist and the rest of the fandom that the desire to spend becomes even more powerful.

For non-fans, £848 may seem like a lot to splash out – but for ticket holders every pound they spend is an investment in the memories that they will create.”

MJ Magazine 7 5

If you’re in need of second-hand outfit inspiration for the Eras Tour, Ella Craig has some last-minute tips.

LIFESTYLE

I

How to be a

Thrifty

Swiftie 8

MJ Magazine 5

’ve been a Taylor Swift fan since Love Story‘s release in 2009. Me and my mum would sing and dance to the song on the UK Top 40 every Sunday morning – it’s been her ringtone for 15 years!

Since then, Taylor’s music has accompanied every part of my life, in particular getting married last year, walking down the aisle to Lover.

However, I’ve never seen her in concert.

Last year I finally managed to secure tickets to the Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium, for me and my family – including my mum.

How I put my outfit together: I was so excited for the concert and figuring out my outfit was the top of my agenda.

I knew I wanted a bejewelled outfit that represented her album, Fearless, which mine and my mum’s favourite song Love Story is on. I decided to take on the challenge of finding the perfect pieces second-hand.

The sparkly boots were just £2 from Vinted.

Image credit: Cara Wheeldon.

As with many people my age, 24, I always aim to shop sustainably for occasion wear. I even bought my wedding accessories from Vinted.

Statista’s 2023 Consumer Insights show 32% of Gen-Z purchase clothes secondhand online.

I searched ‘Sequin mini dress’ on Depop and found a sparkly black dress with silver butterflies for just £5. Perfect condition, my size and it screamed Fearless era. When it arrived and I tried it on, it made me even more

9

excited for the concert.

For the accessories, I found silver sparkly boots on Vinted for just £2 and heart-shaped sunglasses from a charity shop for around £3.

The dress was £5 from a Depop seller. Image credit: Cara Wheeldon.

Looking for your outfit second-hand?

Here’s my advice:

The glasses are a nod to Taylor’s in her 22 music video. I remember as a teenager, waiting up until midnight with my mum just to see the video drop.

My black shoulder bag, was originally my mums from the early 2000s. I upcycled it by switching out the strap to a silver chain. It’s the perfect size for my essentials and fits Wembley’s bag requirements.

The final touch to my outfit is friendship bracelets, which have been a tour staple for Swifties, inspired by the lyric ‘make the friendship bracelets’ in her song You’re on your own kid.

I knew making bracelets ahead of the concert would be another fun way to hype up the excitement, but I wasn’t too keen on buying so many plastic beads.

I thought carefully about how to make them in an eco-friendly way and bought vintage necklaces to repurpose from various charity shops – costing £5 in total.

I detached the beads and will them make them into new bracelets with my sister before the show.

My mum, Mandy Craig, 55, said, “I’m going to cry at the concert seeing how Taylor’s music brought two sisters together.”

In total, my whole outfit cost under £20, is fully second-hand and made up of pieces that remind me of Taylor’s impact on my life.

1

Research

Familiarise yourself with the different eras of Taylor Swift’s discography. Each album has its own distinct style and associated colour, from Fearless’ sparkly country vibes, to 1989’s 80s glam and Folklore’s cottagecore aesthetic.

2 3 4

Check the quality

Make sure the clothes are in good condition. Look for stains, tears, or missing buttons. My silver boots have a few scrapes on the toes but I don’t mind as I will likely only wear them to the concert before reselling.

Be comfortable

You’ll likely be on your feet and in your outfit for a long time.

From queuing to dancing the night away to all your favourite songs, comfortable shoes and clothes are a must.

Have fun

Thrifting is a way to express yourself and should reflect your personal style and enthusiasm for the tour. My outfit references Fearless and many of the pieces have sentimental back stories of my memories of enjoying Taylor’s music.

MJ Magazine 5

An election

LIFESTYLE

Tasteof home

stunt?

In the run-up to the July 2024 election, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak introduced a controversial national service scheme as a part of the Conservative manifesto.

Afreen Khan investigates how viable it really could be

5 Brit-inspired spots in LA The Olde Ship pub in Fullerton, serving classic British pints and food. Image credit: Emelia Turner

Whether you’re in the mood for some familiar flavours while travelling or an expat missing UK comforts, our LA correspondent Emelia Turner shares five British places around Los Angeles to make you feel right at home.

1

The British Grocer

Opened in 1988, this family business in Fullerton sells a selection of British staples.

From quintessential favourites like Cadbury’s chocolate and rich tea biscuits, to beloved pantry products such as jams and PG Tips, The British Grocer offers a taste of home for expats and curious locals alike.

The store also has sausage rolls and pies, reminiscent of classic English bakeries.

2

The Olde Ship

With a wide range of traditional British beer and hearty meals such as fish and chips, bangers and mash, and a full English breakfast, this pub in Fullerton, Orange County, has truly succeeded in capturing the essence of a classic British pub.

Standing in front of the pub is the 10

iconic British red telephone box, with a double-decker bus in the beer garden.

Wooden furnishings, cosy nooks, and vintage memorabilia adorn the interior, creating a warm and inviting environment.

Newspaper stories featuring the royal family are pasted on its bathroom walls, offering a nostalgic glimpse into UK history and culture.

If you find yourself in Los Angeles and fancy a pint, a trip to The Olde Ship will feel just like popping down to your local.

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The Chippy Fish & Grill

Nestled within Anaheim’s bustling Packing House, The Chippy Fish & Grill offers the UK’s favourite seaside comfort food.

They pride themselves on serving up authentic British fish and chips using family recipes from the UK. They provide a healthier and lighter option than traditional cooking methods, by dipping their fish in a batter made with zero trans fat soybean oil.

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McKenna’s Tea Cottage

Located in Old Town Seal Beach, a neighbourhood in Orange County, this quaint tea house transports guests to

POLITICS

London with the aroma of brewed tea and freshly baked scones.

Its antique-inspired decor, with vintage teapots, lace tablecloths, and ornate chandeliers, evoke a sense of English high-society.

The menu features a variety of teas, including classic black tea and flavoured options, alongside British-inspired dishes like soups, sandwiches, salads, and quiches.

5

Robin Hood British Pub

With its welcoming atmosphere and mix of British and American staff, Robin Hood, situated in Los Angeles, is a favourite for both locals and visitors.

Opened in December 1982 by Londoners Michael and Lorraine Williams, the pub has a selection of imported beers on tap including Old Speckled Hen, Guinness, and Stella Artois.

Guests can also enjoy British dishes such as shepherd’s pie, fish and chips and homemade meat pies.

Robin Hood hosts weekly events such as dart league nights on Mondays and lively pub quiz nights on Tuesdays, drawing crowds to the bustling dining room.

For those from Nottingham, a visit to Robin Hood in Los Angeles holds a special relevance, given its nod to the legendary outlaw.

The idea of national service is not new. Several countries in Europe, including Sweden and Norway, already have these schemes. But prime minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement of reintroducing it to the UK has caused surprise, anger, and questions about how realistic the idea is.

Home secretary James Cleverly said that teenagers who choose the military option will be paid and those who refuse either option will not be sent to prison, as reported by Sky News.

The Conservative Party plans to reintroduce the National Service scheme if they win the General Election on July 4. Under the plan, 18-year-olds will have to choose between a year of military service or one weekend a month volunteering for charities, the NHS, police or fire services.

65% of young UK adults aged between 18-24 opposed the scheme while only 27% supported it according to YouGov’s survey on May 28. In contrast, 63% of people over the age of 65 years supported it, while only 31% opposed it. The Labour party has called the scheme “a desperate gimmick.”

Matthew Mokhefi-Ashton, politics and international relations professor at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), believes that there needs to be more data about the national service scheme before it can be judged and raised several questions around its practicalities. “Would everybody be doingit equally? What about Northern Ireland?” asks Mokhefi-Ashton.

“There are an awful lot of people there who ideologically wouldn’t want anything to do with the British Army. I think that if the Conservatives do win the election and deliver on this policy, they are going to run into huge amounts of problems.” He also points out that it would take a long time to roll out and that costs for training thousands of people over 12 months are unclear.

The Conservative Party estimates that the scheme would cost an estimate £2.5 billion per year. “What if the scheme does turn out to be incredibly popular? What if loads of young people join the army and you have to let them in? How do you pay for it? How do you organise it? Do we have enough money for them to actually do it?” he continues.

Home Secretary James Cleverly told the BBC that these funds will be diverted from the UK Shared Prosperity Fun (SPF) by “cracking down on tax evasion and avoidance.” According to the BBC, it would cost Wales £275m if the SPF funds are diverted to the National Service scheme. The SPF was set up to replace the EU economic aid to help level up economically inactive places. Mokhefi-Ashton feels that the scheme is targeting traditional Conservatives and older voters, alienating the younger and working-class voters adding that it seems like an “election-winning stunt

“One thing we know from the polling is that it tends to be older people who are keener on the idea of a national service than younger people. It’s trying to keep these voters on the side, knowing that young people who aren’t keen on national service aren’t going to vote for Conservatives anyway.” Young people were quick to criticise the idea of a national service as well as one of Rishi Sunak’s reasoning’s that parents are “worried” about what the youngsters are getting up to on a weekend. A national service scheme, he says, would add rules, structure and discipline to their lives.

“Lauren, a 23-year student in Nottingham, questioned what structure it might give to young people, considering they would have completed more than a decade of structure in education. “No one has asked for this plan. It has almost come out of nowhere. People should have the right to choose their path in life and freshly turned adults do not need to be held to a regimented scheme after finishing 15 years in school,” says Lauren.

She said the reason was “ironic,” considering governmental cuts to children’s services, such as the community centres shutting down, adding that the prime minister’s statement was a stereotype of young people. “It is implying that 18-year-olds are unruly citizens with limited self-control over their actions, which is not true.”

Similar sentiments are echoed by 21-year-old Sophie, another Nottingham student, who is not a fan of the scheme. She said, “It would be better to invest in other services for young people such as mental health and youth clubs, so that from a young age they can then foster a sense of community and responsibility rather than from work that is forced on them.”

11

Force for POLITICS

change?

Newly-elected East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward wants to solve longstanding regional issues, including getting more young people involved in local decision-making.

Caradoc Gayer reports

4 MJ Magazine 12

Claire Ward is the very first Mayor of the East Midlands. Credit: East Midlands Combined County Authority.

Credit: Adobe Stock.

As the General Election looms on July 4, the question of how and when young people might have a louder political voice has become all the more pertinent.

The East Midlands could soon see a panel of young people participating in local politics under a policy proposed

by Claire Ward, 52, who on May 3 was elected as the first mayor of the region.

Ward, formerly Labour MP for Watford, pledged to improve many aspects of East Midlands infrastructure: from transport links to establishing a new ‘homelessness task force’. She sees these problems as overlapping with the need to include young people in local decisions.

“Young people that go to university here or live in the counties don’t often stay here: our retention rates are much lower than the average,” says Claire Ward, adding, “overall, it’s because our connectivity is poor: particularly if you live on the county outskirts and must get over to the city for good quality work.

“The bright lights of London or Manchester may seem more appealing for good jobs and transport. I think that we have the potential to establish those things here, but we could do better.”

In September 2023, YMCA reported that 86% of under-25s intended to vote in the next election. Up until this point young people have been very disengaged from national decisionmaking: the 2019 general election saw just 47% of 18-24 year olds casting their vote, a 7% decrease from 2017.

Matt Ashton, politics lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, says: “Young people often get involved in the political process but terribly, become a little bit cynical about it because an awful lot of the political process is dealmaking, compromise and arrangements

where you get about 20% of what you want.

“Research shows that young people are tremendously interested in political issues but, of course, they will often prefer direct action, marching, protests and similar.”

“Young people can feel politics is done to them” Ward’s election as the East Midlands’ first mayor is part of broader changes, the process of ‘devolution’ which transfers decision-making power from Westminster to local authorities across the country. With more citizen assemblies and local investments on the horizon, this could well be the best time for young people to push for direct action on the issues that they care about.

“Devolution is often a good thing, as long as there is the financial budget to back it up,” says Ashton.

“But I think that to get young people involved you need to say more than ‘there are these new roles available.’

You’ve got to recognise that young people might be in full time education, they might be carers, they might be working multiple jobs to stay at university – there’s not a one-size-fits all solution.“ The first stage of Claire Ward’s solution is to recognise that young people should no longer be standing on the fringes of the conversation.

Then, she says, will be the time to set up collaborations between youth organisations and local authorities.

“Young people can feel that the consequences of politics are done to them,” says Ward, adding that the current debate about national service has sparked interest from young people but “not in the right way because it doesn’t take into account the long-term benefits of young people in society.”

But what about real young people representing their constituencies?

Nottingham East’s Nadia Whittome, 27, and Selby’s Keir Mather, 26, are two of the youngest MPs standing for reelection in July.

Last year, Sky News reported many younger MPs were quitting their roles due to “a toxic working environment at Westminster.” Claire Ward is advocating for this to change, too.

“Politicians of all parties need to raise the standard of what’s acceptable in terms of the way that they behave,” says Ward, adding, “but we also need the media – social and mainstream – to behave more appropriately.

“If we want to encourage more young people, women and people from diverse backgrounds into politics then it needs to be a more welcoming environment.

“Hopefully young people will be able to champion that cultural change in politics.”

MJ Magazine 5 13

FEATURES

The HARSH reality for UK vets

The vet profession is struggling to cope with financial pressures, staff shortages, and burnout, leaving some owners without the life-saving care their pets desperately need. Cara Wheeldon talks to some of those affected.

4 14MJ Magazine

“My dog would have survived if the vets would have agreed to see her earlier,” says Lisa Dove from Selston in Nottinghamshire.

COVID has also had a major effect on this issue, according to some. “Suddenly we can’t keep up because pet ownership has doubled,” says one Newcastle vet, 29, who has spent seven years working in the field. “The shortage has also affected all of our stress and workload,” she adds. “I noticed that in my small animal job, the vets we were recruiting were seeming to get progressively younger, with less experience.”

She explains how the increase in hiring younger vets is leading to a rise in burnout from more experienced vets left to train the graduates, along with managing their own day-to-day routines.

“I’ve suffered burnout myself, which is actually why I left my last practice.”

Along with unpaid overtime and unfair pay rates, this is causing a lot of frustration for the quality of care within the veterinary field.

“I think a lot of people have left the profession as well because of salary reasons. ”For pet owners, this shortage translates to longer waiting times, difficulty in securing appointments and in the worst cases, like Lisa’s, animals not getting treated in time.

“We were literally fighting fires just trying to fit people where and when we could. It was most definitely a very stressful situation.”

Lisa, 52, faced this heart-wrenching reality when she realised, that despite her best efforts, her three-year-old dog, Autumn, would not be receiving care from a vet until it was too late.

Experiences like Lisa’s are unfortunately becoming all too common in the UK where factors like burnout, unjust pay, COVID and Brexit are causing a critical shortage of veterinarians in the field.

A PDSA pet hospital in Wolverhampton told BBC reporters that, “Vets are “the backbone” in protecting animal health and welfare,” adding “the shortage is putting industry standards at risk.”

But for Lisa, the veterinary shortage in the UK runs much deeper than the industry’s quality of practice.

She first noticed that her Afghan showdog, Autumn, was unwell after they couldn’t get her to eat or drink in the early hours of the morning. Immediately, she sought medical care.

“I tried to get her to the vet at 9am and I couldn’t get through. When I finally did, they just didn’t seem bothered at all,” recalls Lisa, who was told by the receptionist that her dog was no longer registered with that practice and it would be an upfront £250 emergency visit fee just to get seen.

Lisa tried to contact another local practice: “They told me that they couldn’t take her because they didn’t have the room, they were all busy.”

Then, an independent vet: “told me that they aren’t taking on any new patients at-the-moment. I didn’t want to be a new patient; I just wanted my dog treated. I wanted help.”

At that point, Autumn’s health had deteriorated so rapidly that she passed away before being able to get treatment.

“I eventually had to ring the vet back in hysterics because my dog had collapsed,” says Lisa, “but it took so long for the vets to get back to me to say they’d treat her that she died in the car on the way there.”

This UK shortage isn’t just affecting those struggling to seek medical treatment for their pets. It is also having a direct impact on the veterinary staff within the practice.

Nicolas Bangay, 51, has been working in the veterinary practice for over 20 years. Although he is stationed in South Africa, Bangay spent a year practising in the UK during the pandemic.

“We had considerable waiting lists because of COVID in our branch, and routine things like pet vaccinations were regularly missed. I was faced with trying to get those things back on track,” explains Bangay when describing the conditions he faced when joining a large UK-based veterinary firm. “It was tiring, and it was hard to work to deal with the rate of sick pets that needed to be seen as soon as possible. Brexit has led to a reduction in the number of European vets practising in the UK. “Vets that were originally able to just come into the UK to work, now require visas to get into the UK. For a lot of people the whole application time, waiting for those Autumn with her sibling. visas to come through is frightening,”

“BY THE TIME SOMEBODY FINALLY AGREED TO HELP HER, SHE’D DIED IN THE BACK OF THE CAR”

MJ Magazine 155

‘You don’t W have to fit in’

PRIDE

Pip Warcup, 37, from East Yorkshire.

Credit: Pip Warcup

Masculine man? Manly woman?

Lydia Arundel explores the complex issues around butch identity and why representation matters

4 MJ Magazine 16

Kay Knighting, 47, a writer and TikTok creator.

Credit: Kay Knighting

hen people hear the word ‘butch’, they may turn their nose up or laugh or might imagine a very masculine man or a manly woman.

Not much is known or appreciated about butch people - both in and out of their community. Masculine-presenting women, for example, can be viewed negatively by some lesbians.

An identity, butch is complex — defined by its history, stereotypes and, most importantly, actual butch people.

How butch is represented in the media has significant influence in today’s world.

“Positive representation for the LGBT+ community is vitally important throughout all aspects of life,” says spokesperson from Notts LGBT+ Network. “It opens up a space for wider cultural acceptance and the breaking down of barriers.”

Lack of positive representation has led to stigma and stereotypes associated with the label — making younger people shift away from wanting to even utter the word butch out loud.

For Ell Harrison, 21, who uses she/her pronouns, this rings true. “If I’m honest, I have no relation to the word butch. It carries shame and too much masculinity. I feel like there is a really strict stereotype in how you have to present to be able to use the term.”

For Generation Z, the most popular representation of butch identities includes stereotypes such as Boo from Orange is the New Black and Shane from The L Word.

Pip Warcup, 37, who uses they/them pronouns, came out during their time at university and used their 20s to figure out their sexuality and gender identity.

“I thought to myself, I’m going to shop in the men’s section now, but then I think I just realised that it was because I was more comfortable with it, and that was who I am.

“Dressing in a butch way is actually quite freeing because it’s an expression of myself,” they add.

Kay Knighting, 47, a writer and TikTok creator, who uses he/him pronouns, describes his past as “chaotic” after facing a troubled childhood

and conversion therapy.

Kay uses his platform on TikTok to spread joy and, most importantly, be a visible and happy butch person, breaking down the identity’s stereotypes.

He says, “The whole world tells people who are born female that they have to be feminine, can we not just be positive about being masculine as well as just embrace and show the positive sides of being butch?

“I strongly connect to this side of being a gentleman and just the aspect of being the hero guy and rejecting all that toxicity that I understood and experienced from men.”

The lack of representation means butch people often turn to men for masculine role models in the media, which sometimes can be dangerous.

Kay found himself looking up to action heroes and gentlemen to inspire him. “My role models, because of the invisibility of butches, were heroic men. They were the action heroes that were also gentlemen, particularly old Hollywood men,” says Kay. “That was actually dangerous because some of those role models were potentially toxic as well. I wish I had seen more people like me, standing proud and being real about the hard stuff, but also just saying- you can be happy! You don’t have to fit in!”

For Pip, trying to find representation in the media felt impossible until they saw Ginny Lemon on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2021. It was their “lightbulb moment” as they realised they were non-binary.

“I always knew that I was queer or other. I was obsessed with Oscar Wilde and anybody else within the culture that I could latch on to their otherness. Growing up, I don’t think I saw anybody that I identified with as such.”

They adds, “I remember in school, we had some teachers we thought were gay, and we’d know that other teachers were talking and ridiculing these members of staff. I remember seeing that and thinking, wow, even adults are not OK with this, why would I ever try to be OK with it?”

As a member of Generation Z, Ell’s exposure to representation is no better than those of generations above her, she says. “I wish I could have seen at least one lesbian on TV growing up, so I didn’t have to come out to my friends as if I was telling them I had murdered someone.”

Butches have always existed within the LGBTQ+ community and long before the community could even be called one, positive representation is vital for every sub-community, but butches especially need to be able to see it’s okay to be butch.

In Kay’s words: “If you don’t see it, you don’t know it’s possible.”

Ell Harrison, 21, from Hull. Credit: Ell Harrison

17

MEDIA

Magazine People

What does life look like for editors and leaders at top magazines? We spoke to senior people about their route into the industry, what they love about their role now, and their advice for aspiring journos

Ad Paula Merlo, editor-in-chief at Vogue Brazil.

Georgina Kiely, editor at Ginned! Georgina shared

Joanna Magill, digital writer at Radio Times.

Danny Eccleston, senior editor at MOJO.

Lorena Lobo spoke to Paula about her journey and insights on Vogue’s status in the fashion industry, discussing how it became the biggest fashion media outlet in the world and her thoughts on AI. “I was lucky to be part of the transformation of this media into a complete content platform.”

Joanna’s passion for journalism began in her student days where she wrote for university media on pop, TV and pop culture. “My top piece of advice for students would be to get involved in student journalism,” she says. “Also, for freelancers, while pitching ideas to magazines, expect rejection as it’s part of the process. Many people experience impostor syndrome, but you must push past it.”

Sara Ward, editor at Slimming World. Narmada Ananda Kumar talked to Sara about how her role at Slimming World drove the magazine to success. “My passion lies in authentic storytelling and prioritizing testimonials for a lasting impact. I enjoy brainstorming new ideas, merging visual and written elements, and contributing to projects.”

the excitement of producing Ginned! and the importance of collaboration in the success of the magazine with Lydia Arundel.

“It’s great to have the wider team to bounce ideas off because they sometimes see things that you haven’t seen because you’ve had your head in it too much.”

Caradoc Gayer spoke to Danny about his career, from making history at Q magazine to a close working partnership with an old friend, to building MOJO’s strategy. “We’re not just celebrating what’s new and novel, we’re celebrating the music and artists that will stand the test of time.”

Jo Checkley, editor-in-chief at Prima. Emelia

Turner interviewed Jo about her rise to the top from starting out as a history graduate to editing multiple weekly magazines.

Listening to your audience is vital, she says. “I answer readers’ emails or phone calls. I want to hear from people, and I don’t mind if that’s a negative. If there’s a complaint, I do note it.”

Read the interviews in full at cbjmagazine.co.uk/magazinepeople 18

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