Concrete 345

C

. . . . .. . .. . .. .. . . . ... . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .

A very

Chistmas

16 11 >> Comment gets into Christmas

>> The Norwich sleep out

5th December 2017 Issue 345

The official student newspaper of the University of East Anglia | concrete-online.co.uk

Calls to end 'hidden' rent surplus SU says university making a profit of 1.k per student

Matt Nixon News Editor The students’ union will launch a campaign on what they call “ever growing” rent costs. The SU claim the university made a profit per head of over £1,200 from campus accommodation last year.

However, a spokesperson for UEA said: “The university is not-for profit, but does need to generate surpluses in order to reinvest in maintaining and improving our facilities.”

The union suggested between 2016-17 the university made an

UEA says money is reinvested, defends rent

overall profit of £5.8m, which they claim is £1.3m more than the university projected.

An SU spokesperson said: “It’s now clear that if the university had frozen rent for this year they would still be on track to make their budgeted increase in profit.

[Sic] Few students would know or believe that the surplus per student made out of halls on campus is £1,200- and as such that is hidden.”

UEA disagree that there are ‘hidden costs’ to campus accommodation, as rental fees are published.

A spokesperson added: “Last year the University worked closely

with the sabbatical officers to reduce the planned rent increases to 3 percent for 2017/18 and that reduced rate is also the proposed increase for 2018/19.”

The SU will ask UEA to freeze rent at 17/18 levels for the next

academic year.

SU Campaigns and Democracy Officer Jack Robinson said: “The cost of rent on campus is basically a cartel which has seen profits skyrocket to over £1k per student.

Not only is this unaffordable, but it’s helping to hike up the cost of private accommodation in the City.

“We’ve ended up in a situation where the student funding package barely covers accommodation, but a surplus from it is bankrolling the Uni’s budget.”

The SU hope this will lead to a reduction in costs. However, UEA have defended the price of accommodation on campus, and

are encouraging more large-scale private options in Norwich.

A spokesperson explained: “Over the past three years UEA has directly invested £41.2 million in building new on-campus student accommodation.

[Sic] Having increased on-campus bedrooms by 746 over the past three years, the University continues to plan for more on-campus accommodation (c 500 beds) on land next to Barton House and Hickling House, to be developed and run by a private provider.”

University accommodation presently ranges from £53-153 per week.

benefits scheme to what they call a “market-leading” defined contributions scheme.

In the present system, the state of the market does not impact the amount an employee receives when they retire and the employer takes on investment risk. However, the new system places any financial risk or reward on the employee.

If the vote passes, a day of industrial action will take place in February.

Vice Chancellor Professor David

Richardson said: “As an institution, the University does not want to see the interests of our students harmed in any way by industrial action and we would urge colleagues to consider these important pension matters fully and to take the time to make an informed decision.”

Maddie Colledge, Postgraduate Officer for UEA’s students’ union, said she supported academics on the issue. She said: “Given the derisory pay settlements awarded to academics over the past few

years, proposals from the national employers body on pensions are a real Christmas kick in the teeth to the heroes here at UEA who teach us.

"Neither students nor academics want this to get as far as industrial action, so we would urge UCEA (who represent universities nationally) to tone down the aggressive rhetoric and get round the table to do all they can to come to a settlement” Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said the change is

needed for long-term sustainability.

“Change is needed to address the scheme's deficit and the rising cost of future pensions. Our proposals for reform will tackle the scheme's funding challenges so that universities can continue to offer attractive pensions benefits to staff,” he said.

The option of no reform would be a dangerous gamble that employers are unwilling to take."

"The university is not-for profit, but does need to generate surpluses in order to reinvest"

Lecturers to vote on strike action Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief

Staff at UEA will decide whether to take strike action against a new staff pension scheme in a vote.

The union which represents university staff, the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) oppose a new scheme proposed by the body representing university employers.

Universities UK (UUK) intend to change the system from a defined

Continued on page 6

2

5th December 2017

Editorial Royal wedding news fixes student deadline blues Sophie Bunce Deputy Editor

Photos: Peter Preciado and Matt Nixon

Thank you to our readers for sending in their snowy pictures of Norwich!

2017 is drawing to a close...

Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief 2017 is drawing to a close, the end of term bringing Concrete’s traditional round-ups and reflections with it.

There was a general election, UEA brought the Derby Day trophy home once again, and a controversial statue made its home on the roof of the Library. Concrete interviewed Stephen Fry, Ed Balls, Michael Palin, Harriet Harman and many more. We were also reporting on the issues that mattered the most to students, being the first outlet to report on a data breach that saw students’ sensitive information mistakenly emailed to their peers, staying up all night to report on the snap election, and live-reporting on Derby Day with the UEA Media Collective.

We’ve asked students about sex, the students’ union, and study spaces. We picked up Highly Commended Best Publication at the Student Publication Association (SPA) awards in May, as well as awards for a feature following UEA Security around for a night and an interview with Norwich South MP Clive Lewis.

It’s yet to be determined whether we will survive another production weekend, but the wonky Concrete Christmas tree has been put up, the

Livewire Christmas single recorded and released, and a few paper hats (made of issue 344) are scattered across Media Collective desks. We might not have managed to get any sleep, but it’s been another year with a packed calendar for Concrete.

"We’ve asked students about sex, the students’ union, and study spaces" This issue, we’re also looking forward to the new year and our writers have started to think about the changes they want to make in 2018. In Finance this week, reporter Tony Allen has listed the ways he will try to budget better next term.

Head over to page 15 to get some ideas.

On the note of progression, it was exciting this week to see a collaboration between UEA Sport

and UEA SU’s LGBT officers in the form of a joint sports night and Colours LCR event. Despite reports of booing at the announcement of the night the week before, students joined together on the night to celebrate LGBT+ students’ involvement in sport and an attitude of inclusion in sport at UEA. You can flip to our back page story for our coverage on the night.

We’ve also got not one but two exciting opportunities to join the team here at Concrete, and are opening applications for the role of co-editing the paper’s Features section. (Turn to page 10 for some more info on what the role entails.)

Venue are also looking for someone to take over the position of Gaming editor, so if Pokemon or, er, Digimon, is your thing then get in touch! (Gaming is evidently not my thing.)

If you think one of those jobs sounds perfect for you, then head over to concrete-online.co.uk/getinvolved to find out about how you can get applying.

There are dozens of other ways to get involved in Concrete, from writing to illustrating to copy editing, and fact-checking.

Team Concrete will be there at Refreshers’ fair, so come say hi in January if you can’t make it to our last post-pub pub Tuesday 5 December!

I was one of the few women on November 27 who did not feel cheated. There had been months of speculation but now it was official.

Harry and Megan were engaged.

I received messages from friends and family members throughout the day, all along the lines of “oh it should have been me.” “I missed my chance at being a princess.”

And most often, “does this mean we get a bank holiday?”

After furiously Googling our fate, a Guardian news bulletin set it in stone. No bank holiday. No day off. No royal wedding excuse to sit at home, maybe watch 10 minutes of the matrimony and then eat copious amounts of cake.

However, it might be for the best.

I’m not sure how a student bank holiday works. Would the library still be open?

Nevertheless, news of royal nuptials truly has lightened the summative load. Why worry about deadlines when I can day dream about their colour scheme and the number of bridesmaids. I wonder what the Queen will wear?

While we wait until May to find out, Concrete has some more season appropriate content for you. Head over to Features for Saoirse Smith-Hogan’s ‘Roast with the most’ on page 3, in which she talks the pros and cons of a student cooked Christmas. I am lucky enough to have a housemate whose food is better than most restaurants, but if I had to cook it would be a very different story. For those of you yet to buy Christmas gifts in fear of upsetting your overdraft, take a look at page 15.

In Finance, Tom Bedford gives us ‘A Scrooge’s guide to Christmas’ where he suggests the best gifts are the thoughtful ones. Which conveniently appear to be the cheapest.

With royal weddings, my final deadlines, and Christmas ahead, I am excited for 2017 to end and 2018 to begin. I hope you enjoy our last issue of the year and you get something out of it. Even if it is using the issue as wrapping paper.

concrete-online.co.uk Concrete_UEA concreteuea concrete_UEA Front page: N. Chadwick

The University of East Anglia’s Official Student newspaper since 1992 Tuesday 5th December 2017 Issue 345 Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 01603 593466 www.concrete-online.co.uk Editor-in-Chief Emily Hawkins concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor Sophie Bunce concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk Online Jacob Chamberlain Nathan Price Natalie Cotterill concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News News Editor: Matt Nixon Senior Reporter: Shannon McDonagh concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Global Eddie Booth concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features Hattie Griffiths Tony Allen concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Comment Jack Ashton concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Finance Finance Editor: Jodie Bailey Senior Reporter: Will Richardson concrete.finance@uea.ac.uk Science Science Editor: Beth Papworth Senior Reporter: Alex Millard concrete.scienv@uea.ac.uk Travel Beverly Devakishen concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Sport Daniel Cook Sophie Christian concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy-Editors Hannah Brown Sophie Clayton concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Events Amelia Rentell Social Media Emily Latimer Freddie Carty Art and Design Yaiza Canopoli Emily Mildren concrete.artdesign@uea.ac.uk

Editorial Enquiries Complaints & Corrections concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

No part of this newspaper may be reproduced by any means without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief, Emily Hawkins. Published by the Union of UEA Students on behalf of Concrete. Concrete is a UUEAS society, but retains editorial independence as regards to any content. Opinions expressed herein are those of individual writers, not of Concrete or its editorial team.

News

3

5th December 2017

Norman Lamb talks mental health

Former Minister of State for Care and Support asks UEA: "What are you doing to meet your responsibility?"

EXCLUSIVE Matt Nixon News Editor On Friday 1 December, UEA’s Liberal Democrat society hosted a talk on mental health with Norman Lamb, the MP for North Norfolk who served as the Minister of State for Care and Support from 2012-15.

Before the talk, Concrete caught up with the MP to find out more about his views on mental health.

Mr Lamb, who describes himself as a champion for mental health awareness, spoke about his own experiences with mental health, alongside the regional and national picture. “There is quite a gap between the rhetoric and the reality of what’s going on,” he said.

“The money often doesn’t get through to mental health and it always tends to lose out to physical health services.”

"Universities need to understand they have a responsibility for their students' welfare” He continued: “[There are] a lot of increasing pressures on young people in particular, and the services that we have at the moment are

not adequate to meet the needs of people.”

Though Mr Lamb is no longer a health minister, he remains an advocate for mental health issues primarily because he has experienced the detrimental effects of mental illness in his own life.

In 2015 Mr Lamb’s older sister, Catherine, took her life. “The nightmare is that for some [people with mental illnesses], they find they can’t wait, and too many people take their own lives waiting for services.”

Lamb’s son, Archie, is 29 and suffers from OCD. During the talk, Mr Lamb addressed how mental health issues ,like OCD, are often trivialised in society. “People think it’s just being a bit orderly about things,” he said to the crowd. “But it is in fact about obsessing over dark, distressing thoughts.” Lamb went on to explain his experiences of seeking treatment for his son.

“I was told by our GP that the wait to be seen on the NHS would be six months.” This caused Lamb to seek private treatment, which he said is unfair. “Anyone who could afford it would have done the same, but those who can’t are left waiting.”

Concrete asked Mr. Lamb about his views on mental health services at UEA. Some students say the Students’ Support Service (SSS) is stretched. In April this year, the university announced they would be closing the School of Education and Lifelong Learning’s Counselling teaching programme.

“Obviously, the university has to respond to this reduction in service, and indeed the inadequacy

of the current service to make sure that there is sufficient support for students,” said Mr Lamb.

He added: “I think universities need to understand that they have a responsibility for their students’

"The NHS services we have at the moment are not adequate to meet the needs of the people” welfare.

It’s not just about the delivery of an academic education. Students are paying £9,000 in fees and I think there’s an obligation on the universities to step up to the plate.”

During the talk, a student asked Mr Lamb whether he thought higher education institutes or the NHS should provide features of mental health provision like counselling therapy.

Mr Lamb said: “Universities UK, the representative body, sort of accepts the importance of supporting students with mental health issues.

If Universities UK are saying universities should step up to the plate, then what are you doing UEA to meet that responsibility?”

When asked about claims that the Liberal Democrats failed to resist austerity measures which

UEA research links feminist theory and anorexia recovery Troy Fielder News Reporter

Researchers from UEA’s school of Art, Media and American Studies (AMA), have shown the potential positive effects that discussing cultural expectations surrounding femininity can have in the treatment of anorexia.

Researchers carried out their study in a treatment centre in Norwich, which took place over a ten-week period and involved seven patients.

Patients were shown news articles, adverts, Disney films, and social media posts which were catalysts for the discussion of “gendered constructions of appetite” and “cultural prescriptions of femininity”.

The study gave evidence that these kinds of conversations can

have the effect of reducing feelings of self-blame which often affects sufferers of the condition.

"A greater understanding of society's impact on mental health and body dysmorphia” Dr Susan Holmes, who led the research, also reported that such discussions could evoke a “greater sense of personal agency” in the patients, thereby enabling a potentially improved recovery framework, especially with regards

negatively affected mental health provisions, Mr. Lamb said: “I was operating at a time when the money wasn’t flowing into the NHS. But there is a long debate to be had about how this country should have responded to the financial position we were in in 2010.

“I think we made mistakes, but overall we were a good influence and I think you can tell the absence of the Lib Dems in the government now.”

Connor Bell, the President of UEA’s Liberal

to feelings of self-control.

Eating disorders affect roughly 1.6 million people in the UK alone.

This research could lead to a greater understanding of society’s impact on mental health and body dysmorphia.

One patient from the study has warned against the potential trivialisation of anorexia by sole attribution being to the commonplace ‘skinny model’.

Anorexia remains a complex eating disorder that is driven by a mixture of physical, social, and environmental triggers, and so cannot be wholly attributed to societal pressures.

This research, however, does shed light on the potential feminist theory has for helping to tackle issues that arise from environmental pressures acutely affecting sufferers of anorexia.

Democratic Society, told Concrete h e thought “having [Norman Lamb] down was an excellent idea and he really portrayed the issues that mental health can have on people.

Overall the event went well.”

Photo: Matt Nixon

Academic shortlisted for prestigious Costa Book Award Natalie Cotterill News Reporter Professor Rebecca Stott, from UEA’s school of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing (LDC), has been shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards with her book In the Days of Rain: A Daughter, A Father, a Cult.

It is one of four shortlisted for the Costa Biography category.

Rebecca Stott is a professor of literature and creative writing, as well as a novelist, broadcaster, and non-fiction writer.

She has written a number of critically acclaimed books, and works across different disciplines including history, literature, and the history of science.

In the Days of Rain is Stott’s personal story of growing up in a cult in 1970s Brighton, and her family’s story of breaking from it.

The judges of the Costa Book Award have described it as “a vivid and

truly unforgettable family story of life in a cult”.

Stott writes: “At university when I made new friends and confidantes, I couldn’t explain how I’d become a teenage mother, or shoplifted books for years, or why I was afraid of the dark and had a compulsion to rescue people, without explaining about the Brethren or the God they made for us, and the Rapture they told us was coming. But then I couldn’t really begin to talk about the Brethren without explaining about my father.”

The Costa Book Awards run annually and judge books in five categories - First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry, and Children’s Book - that have been released throughout the year.

The category winners will be announced on January 2, at a ceremony in London. Then, on January 30, one of the five winners will have their work selected as the Costa Book of the Year.

4

5th December 2017

News

VC pay to be dealt with by regulator Mingming Zheng News Reporter

Sir Michael Barber, the chairman of the government’s new Office for Students (OfS), which begins operating next year, has said that Vice-Chancellor pay levels which are "out of kilter" with an institution’s performance will be exposed and dealt with by the new regulator.

After controversy surrounding the pay of Bath University’s ex ViceChancellor, Barber said: “There are some Vice-Chancellors’ pay packets that look out of kilter with the performance of their institutions, their contribution. We will certainly bear down on in a variety of ways.”

Barbed added the ratio between a Vice-Chancellor’s pay and the average pay of staff in an institution will also be compared by the regulator.

“That will make it very visible where certain pay packets stand out like a sore thumb.”

Still, the OfS has made it clear that universities will still be allowed the independence to set their own pay rates.

Bath University Vice-Chancellor resigns

“We aren’t going to interfere directly with university autonomy which is fundamental to the success of British universities,” Barber said.

"Some ViceChancellors' pay packets look out of kilter with their performance” “I have said publicly to universities and to Vice-Chancellors, the best form of regulation is selfregulation. See among yourselves where the pay packets stand out and see whether you should reduce them.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Barber said Vice-Chancellor pay is a “key aspect of value for money.

And people are interested in that.”

He added that the OfS certainly has the powers to control levels of value for money.

Battle of the Bands success

Photo: Si Chun LAM, Wikimedia Imogen Barton News Reporter The University of Bath’s ViceChancellor has chosen to step down following outrage over her wages.

Dame Glynis Breakwell, who was the UK’s highest-paid ViceChancellor with a salary of £468,000, will step down at the end of the academic year to mark seventeen years of holding her post. She plans to take a sabbatical, where she will receive around £230,000, before officially retiring in 2019.

Dame Breakwell will also have a £31,000 car loan written off but the university has claimed that “no payments for loss of employment or office will be made to her”. The decision, which was made two days before the university’s next council meeting and proposed student and staff protests, was met with heavy criticism.

Representatives for Bath

Students Against Cuts And Fees impelled her to “leave now and without further recompense,” and a joint statement made by the campus unions said that the £600,000 Professor Breakwell will receive is “an enormous reward for failure”.

This came on the heels of news that the former Vice-Chancellor had received a pay-rise of £17,500, a rise of 25 percent compared to 0.5 percent of some other university employees.

Meanwhile, Lord Adonis, the former education minister who helped prompt an investigation of Bath University, stated that her position was “clearly untenable, and had been for many months”.

Adonis added that this story is not an isolated incident, saying “most of England’s Vice-Chancellors are grossly overpaid,” and that they “need to take careful note of the student and public backlash against fat cat salaries.”

He is not the only politician to react; four MPs gave up their positions on the University of Bath’s advisory board. In a joint statement, MP Kerry McCarthy and David Drew said that they did not think her salary was justified “especially when students are taking on debts of £60,000 to pay fees, and spending 30 years of their working lives paying them off.”

Dame Breakwell defended her position when announcing her leave, claiming that since 2001, the university “has almost tripled in size and is now among the top universities in the UK”.

In an interview, she claimed that: “The amount that I’m being paid is actually associated with the sort of global competition that exists now for leadership within universities,” and that, while it was possible for someone to perform well if paid less, whether “they would do a really good job…is a different issue".

Lewis vows to help end indefinite detention Fin Aitken News Reporter

Shannon McDonagh Senior News Reporter Last month saw the return of Livewire’s annual Battle of the Bands event, taking place off campus this year for the first time at Be At One. This year’s judging panel consisted of a host of industry experts, including Livewire alumni Thomas Little (former Head of Music), Issy Panayis (former Station Manager), and Sam Parker (former Head of Technical), who all hold positions at leading companies in music and radio such as Sony, Radio X, and Smooth FM. Joining the special guests was Blur Drummer and Norfolk County Councillor Dave Rowntree.

The event hosted five acts of various genres, from garage rock three piece Gladboy to Oliver Beardmore, who followed with a more acoustic sound. Alternative outfits Simple City Dress and Robust Soul also impressed, but it was rapper Zoka that astounded the audience with his impressive flow and elaborate wordplay which lead to him being crowned winner of this year’s event.

Speaking to Concrete on his

victory, Zoka said: “I had such a good time on stage, to be honest. I was just happy to be able to share that much of my music with people, having never performed for that long before.”

Noting his distinction as the event’s only rapper, he added that, “winning was very unexpected, as my music is very different from the stuff being played, but I’m so happy it connected with people in the way it did.”

"The event was an outstanding success for the society” Livewire’s Social Secretary Alex Dalton, said: “I'd just say that like the event was an outstanding success for the society, especially being brave to move off campus and give something different a go for the event, which is all thanks to the fantastic Eleanor Martin (Livewire’s Head of Events) - Zoka was a very well deserved winner working the crowd amazingly.”

As part of the nationwide Being Human Festival, UEA hosted a Refugee History Q&A talk on Thursday 23 November, discussing the current status of refugees in the UK. Members of the panel included Orwell Prize shortlisted journalist Rachel Shabi, writer Daniel Trilling, ‘Women for Refugee Women’ campaigner Marchu Girma, equality Think Tank director Omar Khan, and Norwich South MP Clive Lewis.

Trilling started the event by describing the ‘refugee crisis’ as “more of a crisis of the law,” referring to the harsh government filtering system introduced

by Blair at the turn of the

Photo: Chris McAndrew

century.

The UK is the only country in the European Union which lacks a time cap on the detainment of refugees.

This is reflected in the thousands of refugees held on indefinite detention in the UK, something which Lewis vowed to amend “when the bill comes to parliament”.

Mr Khan, a refugee himself, suggested that British schooling continually implements students with “false ideas about what it means to be British”. Mr Khan argued that if Britain wishes to follow Germany in welcoming large numbers of refugees, they must take inspiration from German schools’ honest retelling of their own national history. This, Khan

believes, would help to disprove outdated ideas of who is and isn’t British.

"The UK is the only country in the EU which lacks a time cap on the detainment of refugees” The event ended with the panel reflecting on the positive changes they had witnessed both in Norwich and around the country. Despite their detention, Girma spoke of the hope felt by many female refugees in the UK who are “still confident they will secure a good future in this country”.

The panel encouraged the audience to get involved in charities such as Safe Passage or by attending various events designed to raise awareness on refugee issues.

Trilling used a quote by the late Tony Benn to summarise the event: “Pay close attention to how your government treats refugees, as it is how they would treat you if they could get away with it."

5

5th December 2017

Graduates won't be overcharged on repayments From April 2019, the government will use accurate tax data to ensure fairness Camomile Shumba News Reporter University graduates will no longer be overcharged when repaying their student loans, as tax authorities have now agreed to share their data with the Students Loan Company (SLC).

Papers released under the new budget on Wednesday 22 November say that by 2019 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the SLC will set up a system to share data, so that repayments will automatically stop when the loan has been repaid.

Between 2015-16, as many as 86,000 graduates overpaid on their student loan, each by an average of £592.

This is because the SLC only receives updates once a year on what students owe from HMRC, meaning the information is out of date, causing students to pay too much, and later reclaim their money.

Before the budget was released, universities minister, Jo Johnson, told the Commons that the government had realised this was a problem that needed to be addressed. He said: “We do take the issue of overpayments extremely seriously.

“We do want to see close and effective cooperation between HMRC and SLC, so that we avoid the risk to the extent we possibly

News Norwich man sentenced for sex crimes near UEA Sophie Bunce Deputy Editor A man has been jailed after admitting to a series of sex offences on the 25 and 26 Norwich buses.

Dean Eastwood was sentenced to 22 months in prison after admitting one count of outraging public decency and three counts of sexual assault on women.

Photo: Ana D'Silva can of students overpaying when they repay.”

Former head of the SLC, Steve Lamey, had previously asked for HMRC to share tax information to eliminate £51m in annual overpayments. He was told this was not possible, and has since been dismissed from his role after speaking out about the organisation’s problems. Many have seen the new budget as an attempt

by the Conservative government to attract younger voters, primarily students. Other changes included extending the railcard to 26-30 year olds, and investing £350m to immediately address problems in education this winter. Last month, Theresa May promised to raise the student loan repayment threshold from £21,000 to £25,000 and it was announced tuition fees would be frozen at £9,250 until at least 2019.

"Eastwood was sentenced to 22 months in prison after admitting one count of outraging public decency and three counts of sexual assault on women" The offenses took place in May on the number 25 and 26 bus routes

which surround UEA and Norwich train station.

Eastwood targeted young and vulnerable women in the area using public transport.

He was tried at Norwich Crown court where his offences were recounted.

Two offenses were committed on Saturday 27 May on buses travelling to UEA. These included exposing himself to a woman on the top deck of a bus and carrying out a sexual assault in which he approached a female passenger.

After approaching her he attempted to engage her in conversation. He followed the victim off of the bus and proceeded to touched her inappropriately.

He had previously assaulted a woman on Friday 26 May on Telegraph Lane East. Eastwood followed her off of a bus going from Earlham Road to the Norwich train station.

He carried out another assault on the same day, on a bus from UEA which terminated at the train station after similarly attempting to begin conversation and sexually assaulting the woman.

The victims said they had been left in a state of shock following the sexual assault.

UK to loosen visa rules for researchers and graduates

News in brief

Seàn Bennett News Reporter

UEA in top 40 for social media use

According to the government’s newest budget, it will soon become easier for international students and academics to find work in the UK. The budget detailed that the government will “change immigration rules to enable world-leading scientists and researchers endorsed under the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route to apply for settlement after three years.”

"It will soon become easier for international students and academics to find work in the UK” The changes made intend to “make it quicker for highly skilled students to apply to work in the UK after finishing their degrees; and reduce red tape in hiring international researchers and members of established research teams.”

The government state they will do this by relaxing the labour market test and allowing the UK’s research councils and other select organisations to sponsor researchers.

Photo: Secretary of Defence This will allow graduates who apply for a Tier 2 skilled worker visa to be granted as soon as they finish their course, as opposed to once they are awarded their final degree.

As for the settlement of Tier 1 workers, the announcement reduces the programmes’ current five year wait for eligibility to just three following an increase in the number of visas available from one to two thousand annually.

Indications from the Home

Office also point towards an extension of a scheme that relaxes visa rules for master’s students applying to the universities of Bath, Cambridge, and Oxford, as well as Imperial College London.

Though the changes have been generally well received, some have questioned whether it is enough to simply alter existing legislation for EU nationals or if completely new systems are needed following Brexit. Pam Tatlow, chief executive

of the MillionPlus mission group, claimed “the key to the future is reconciling issues around settled status of EU nationals in the UK at the time of Brexit, but also achieving a system that supports continuing mobility between the UK and the EU. “This is why the Home Office needs to publish the White Paper, which would precede the immigration bill, as soon as possible.”

UEA has been ranked in the top 40 universities across the UK for its social media use.

A survey conducted this year has placed UEA 35th for its activity, engagement, and popularity.

Uni Shoots, the student video production company that conducted the study, compared their social media rankings with the Guardian’s 2018 league table to see if there was a correlation between the number of followers on social media and the university’s overall ranking.

Their results were varied. For instance, one outlier is London Metropolitan University, which was 117th in the Guardian league table, but took fourth place in its social media ranking.

After analysing university activity on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, Oxford was voted number one for the highest social media ranking with over 3,000,000 followers.

Later surveys will also consider the activity and engagement with Snapchat and Twitter in regards to university ranking.

The study concluded the most socially active universities have higher followers across their social media platforms.

Louise Lazell

6

News News in brief Innovative design award for TEC

The Enterprise Centre building on campus has won another award for its “truly innovative design”.

The Institution of Structural Engineers made the building the winner of the sustainability category at their annual awards show.

Judges explained that they were rewarding the building’s architects, engineers, and the contractors who decided to make as much of the building out of wood as possible.

The building used locallygrown wood so it could remain an innovative, low-carbon, and sustainable building.

The engineers of the building, BDP, were praised for the timber structure which forms an integral part of the building, and also conforms to BREEAM and Passivhaus ‘Outstanding’ standards.

It was the first large commercial building in the UK to receive both of these awards.

The Enterprise Centre has now received over 20 awards since its opening in July 2015.

Other awards the building has received include the Guardian sustainable Business Award, the BREEAM Award, and the Architects Journal Reader’s Choice.

The building has also been placed as aPhoto: finalistMatt in five Nixon other awards, including the EDP's 2015 business awards.

Matt Nixon

5th December 2017

ENV school given royal accolade for its research

Photo: Big C

Photo: Leo Reynolds Seàn Bennett News Reporter The UEA School of Environmental Sciences has recently been recognised for 50 years of groundbreaking work with the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

The prize, the UK’s most prestigious of its type, is awarded annually to those who demonstrate the highest level of academic work at a world-class level.

It will be the fourth Queen’s prize awarded to UEA following awards in

2010, 2011, and 2012 being bestowed respectively upon the School of International Development, UEA’s Creative Writing Programme, and INTO UEA. Founded in 1967, the UEA School of Environmental Sciences has since become one of the largest and most interdisciplinary faculties of its kind in Europe. The School engages in both research and teaching on a number of issues including climate, ocean and atmospheric interactions, the governance of resources and sustainability, the geosciences, and natural hazards.

The School is also home to a number of highly respected research groups including the Climatic Research Unit (CRU), the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, CSERGE – the Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, the Science, Society and Sustainability (3S) Research Group, and The Anglian Centre for Water Studies.

Speaking about the award, Head of School Prof Kevin Hiscock said, “For 50 years, we have been combining natural, social, and environmental sciences to advance

UEA student organises bungee jump for cancer charity

Continued from front page Mr Jarvis called the UCU’s ballot “premature and disappointing”.

The UCU’s vote will close in January.

David Nowell-Smith, a senior lecturer in the Literature, Drama, and Creative Writing school, said he felt the present pension system was “one of the only things protecting the university sector from privatisation by stealth”.

Shannon McDonagh Senior News Reporter Leading Norfolk Cancer Charity Big C has organised a 'Santa Jump', taking place on December 9th over Beccles Airfield. Participants of the event will be jumping at an incredible 14,000ft, with UEA Learning Disability Nursing student Becky Herdman set to partake.

"Proposals from the

"Cancer patients have to face things that scare them every day so this is just my way of acknowledging that" Becky has previously been involved in numerous fundraising efforts for the charity, including UEA's Pimp My Barrow event, bake sales, and a bungee jump in which she raised £230, more than double her original goal. She is also the founder of UEA's Big C Society.

Prior to her studies she worked as a Health Care Assistant at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital's Oncology Ward, which

our understanding and protect the environment.

"This is a tremendous accolade because it not only recognises half a century of ground-breaking environmental and climate science, but it also recognises the continuing excellence of what we do.”

At an event at Buckingham Palace in February, the School will receive a royal certificate signed by the monarch herself along with a silver gilt medal and the right to use the Queen’s Prize logo for four years to show off their outstanding achievement.

national employers body on pensions are a real Christmas kick in the teeth "

Photo: Big C she describes enables her to have "developed a real love of cancer care and supporting patients and their families with cancer."

Speaking on the participating in the Santa Jump despite a fear of heights, she said: "Cancer patients have to face things that scare them every day so this is just my way of acknowledging that.

"I wanted to do the same, to show solidarity and my support but also to raise some more much-

needed funds for the charity. I can’t think of a better way to send off the year!”

Clive Evans, Director of Communications and Income Generation at Big C said: "Every penny raised will go directly to help Big C fund our four local support and information centres, groundbreaking research at Norwich Research Park and state of the art medical equipment.

“Friends and family are

welcome to come along and watch the skydive.

"We can’t promise reindeer, but a big red suit is compulsory for everyone taking part!”

Becky is hoping to raise £300, and at the time of writing she has raised £130 of her goal.

For more information about how you can assist Becky in reaching her fundraising goal can be found at: https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/rebecca-herdman1

“None of us want to strike, or to disrupt our students' education; we dedicate our lives to educating our students.

“But we need to defend the university system for future generations of students, and if this is the only way to get our employers to listen, we have no choice.

“The new proposals place liabilities on individual academics, so expect these conglomerates to take over universities, and run them not for the students but for the shareholders.

“So this isn't just about us being poorer in retirement: it's about defending universities for future generations.”

1 PIZZA GET 1 FREE

BUY

ENTER CODE AF115E IN YOUR BASKET Collection or delivery Limited time only. Lowest price pizza is free. Deal does not include small pizzas. Ask instore for more details.

Minimum delivery spend applies. Only available from participating Pizza Hut Delivery stores. Not available as takeaway from restaurants. Subject to availability.

T&Cs apply, see www.pizzahut.co.uk/terms ® and ™ indicates trademarks owned or used under license by Pizza HutInternational, LLC © 2017.

ORDER ONLINE PIZZAHUT.CO.UK

01603 220066

Grove Road Mon-Sun 11:30 - 01:00 Tues & Sat 11:30 - 04:00 Minimum delivery spend £11.99

8

Global

5th December 2017

Hundreds dead after bombing in Sinai Ollie Ryan Tucker Global Writer At least 311 people have been left dead after Islamist militants attacked a mosque in Sinai, northeast Egypt. The attack took place during Friday prayers, which often sees high attendances at the Al-Rawda mosque’s services. It is believed that around 30 attackers took part in the massacre.

An initial bombing inside the mosque was followed by gunfire and grenade attacks on those trying to escape. Emergency services were targeted also. The death toll is expected to rise, it is already the deadliest terrorist attack in Egyptian history.

Egyptian officials have said the attackers were carrying ISIS flags and it is widely suspected to have been carried out by the Islamic State’s affiliates in Sinai. Since 2011 it has killed hundreds of Egyptian security personnel and claimed responsibility for the 2015 downing of a Russian passenger flight, killing 224. Until recently, Egyptian Islamists have focused their attacks on Egypt’s Christian Coptic minority: however, this attack suggests a change in strategy.

Islamists have extensively tried to win support of the local population both in Egypt and across the Middle East, and the horror and magnitude of this attack will represent a blow to those efforts.

ISIS have still not claimed responsibility for it but other local

Photo: Wikimedia,Tobias Kleinschmidt

Photo: Department of Defence, Wikimedia

Islamist groups such as the AlQaeda affiliated Sons of Islam condemned the attack.

Friday’s attack was against a mosque affiliated to Sufism. In the eyes of ISIS and many other Salafist jihadists those affiliated with Sufism are committing ‘shirk’, denying the oneness of God, through their practice of Islam which is mystical and often involves music and dance. Salafists seek to return to the religious ways and practices

of the Prophet’s first followers, the Salaf, and therefore see Sufis as practicing an impure form of the Islamic faith. Religious practices such as the veneration of saints are seen as polytheism, and therefore ISIS refers to Sufis as “mushrikin”, Arabic for polytheist. Sufism itself is not a sect and is better described as a religious devotion, part of mainstream Sunni Islam.

According to Egyptian media reports, the mosque had been

warned the week previously to end its Sufi rituals and the religious leader in charge complied with the demands. In an earlier edition of the now defunct ISIS magazine, an article gave both a theological justification for their position and also photos of a Sinai Sufi cleric with a blade to his throat. They threatened Sufis in Egypt writing that their “blood is filthy and permissible to shed”.

Many Egyptians on social

media have accused the country of failing to do enough to prevent extremism. Al-Azhar University, the most prestigious educational institution in the Sunni Muslim world, has been accused of “fanning the flames of extremism” by some.

Others have criticised the government and its President Abdel El-Sisi, who came to power in a 2013 military coup against the elected President Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood party, bringing a wave of Islamist attacks.

According to critics, government repression and the targeting of those willing to work within the democratic political system has driven opposition away from peaceful means and towards violent extremism. Sinai has been under strict military rule with restricted access for journalists.

However, according to Samuel Tadros, an expert on Egyptian jihadism, this recent attack shows the lack of local cooperation with ISIS and many Sinai tribes have been working with the Egyptian army to defeat the ISIS insurgency.

The Egyptian Army has responded aggressively, with ElSisi vowing “the utmost force” against militants and a series of airstrikes, reportedly killing ISIS fighters.

With the territorial collapse of the Islamic State across the region it is expected that ISIS will return to its insurgency phase, and atrocities such as this one will be repeated.

Srebrenica war criminal sentenced Massacre in numbers:

Sian Roche Global Writer

Former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic, known as the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the U.N. Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for war crimes during the Bosnian War of the 1990s.

74-year-old Mladic was charged with ten counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including mass rape, civilian terrorisation, and genocide in Srebrenica. He was found not guilty of a second count of genocide. Mladic was not present in court to hear his sentence, having been removed for heckling the judges. He said: “Everything said in this courtroom is a lie.” Mladic’s lawyer stated he will appeal his sentence.

The Bosnian War began in 1992, when Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Croats voted for independence from Yugoslavia.

When the referendum was boycotted and ignored by the Serbs, war broke out.

Mladic was a prominent military figure on the Serb side of the war, overseeing key events such as the

8000

The overall estimate for Muslim Bosniaks killed

25,000

The number of women and children separated from their families

16

The number of years Mladic evaded capture for

Photo: Srebenica memorial, Michael Buker Siege of Sarajevo, the longest siege in modern warfare history, which lasted for three and a half years.

“The consequence of the verdict will only be felt by Serbia”

It led to the deaths of more than 10,000 people, due to shelling and sniper attacks, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Throughout the war, Mladic also pursued a campaign of ethnic cleansing, resulting in the murder of tens of thousands of Bosniaks.

Most notorious was the Srebrenica massacre of July 1995, in which over 8000 Bosniak men and boys were slaughtered. Former General Secretary of the UN, Kofi Annan, described the Srebrenica massacre as the “worst crime on European soil since the Second World War”.

Following the end of the Bosnian War in 1995, Mladic went into hiding, evading capture for 16 years, until May 2011, when he was caught in Belgrade, and brought to The Hague, where his trial began in 2012. Many question why the International Criminal Court (ICC)

took so long to bring Mladic to justice, and whilst some Bosnians relish the ICC’s judgement, others feel the verdict comes too late; Vladan Dini the editor of Svedok magazine in Belgrade, told The Guardian he worries that “the consequence of the verdict will only be felt by Serbia and not Mladi, who due to ill health and the fact that he was denied the right to be seen by his doctors, probably will not be around for much longer.”

Mladic’s trial was the last one to be heard before the ICTY, which is due to close in December. Fellow war criminal Slobodan Praljak killed himself yesterday, drinking poison in court, after The Hague upheld his conviction for genocide.

9

5th December 2017

Era of Mugabe over at last Daniel Peters Global Writer Over the past fortnight the world has witnessed an event that many thought they would never see. Almost forty years into his premiership, Robert Mugabe was forced to resign as Zimbabwean President. He has ruled the country with an iron grip since they first gained independence from Britain.

“For Zimbabwe, actions speak louder than words” A former teacher, Mugabe made his name in the 1970s-independence war against Britain. He was imprisoned and exiled, and eventually gained control of the ZANU Party, both a political and military entity. After Britain eventually relinquished control of her former colony, Mugabe gained national power. He spoke of reconciliation with remaining colonial settlers and was seen by many throughout the western world as a favourable leader to take the country forward.

As time passed, this rhetoric shifted drastically. Mugabe turned

on white farmers and led a brutal campaign against them, mirroring his violent suppression of groups and individuals he saw as a potential threat to his power. Zimbabwe was also economically ruined through years of economic mismanagement and financial corruption. Despite this, Mugabe was able to maintain control throughout a number of elections, widely discredited by outside observers.

The fall of Mugabe has been prematurely predicted countless times over the past forty years, but each time he was able to maintain and often strengthen his authority.

In his ninety-third year, many now believed that his leadership would inevitably continue up to his death.

The tide began to shift when Mugabe sacked Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the man widely seen as Mugabe’s eventual successor. Mugabe accused his Vice-President of plotting against him and instead favoured his fiftytwo-year-old wife, Grace, to take up the reigns upon his death.

This was significant for two reasons. Firstly, it marked the start of a potential Mugabe dynasty.

The realisation that a Mugabe would remain in power long after the current President’s death was a bitter pill for the people, and military, to swallow. Secondly, it was also significant because of Mrs Mugabe’s deep unpopularity, which

Photo: Sgt Jeremy, Wiki Commons

rivalled that of her husband.

For the army, this was the final straw. With minimal bloodshed, they seized control of the capital and addressed the nation via a televised statement. They assured the safety of Robert Mugabe (effectively under house arrest) and attempted to paint their takeover as a legitimate. With Grace Mugabe reportedly in exile, Robert Mugabe was nonetheless defiant and refused to step down.

The army was keen to portray their involvement as entirely

Border impasse for Brexit talks Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief Some of those living alongside the Irish border “go to bed in Northern Ireland and have their breakfast in the Republic of Ireland,” one resident living near the land boundary told Sky News earlier this week. This is, in part, why the discussions between the Irish and UK governments over the fate of the border in a post-Brexit landscape is so fraught.

Both countries have recognised that there cannot be a hard border, which means physical infrastructure and customs posts, but this has been thrown into doubt as the UK prepares to leave the EU in spring 2019.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s government presently intends that the UK will leave the EU’s single market and customs union. This means that the land boundary between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will become the external border for the EU’s single market and customs union.

However, the new Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar wants to see Northern Ireland continue to abide

by EU legislation and for goods to

be able to move across the border.

The UK government opposes the idea of the customs border being pushedout into the Irish Sea, and the effective creation of an internal customs border between Northern Ireland and the UK. The exiting the European Union Committee published a report in which they concluded a conciliation of both stances appears impossible.

“We can’t be asked to leap into the dark” Both of the UK government’s proposed solutions have been criticised by the Select Committee.

One proposal would see the use of “technology-based solutions”, including pre-screening of goods and trusted trader schemes that would reduce the need for customs checks at the border.

The second would see a customs partnership whereby the UK left the single market yet did not introduce a border between the EU and UK. The Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said it would be hard to avoid physical checks given

legislation surrounding animal welfare, food safety and medical regulation could change following the UK’s departure from the EU. He said: “What the British government has been asking of the Irish government is ‘just trust us we’ll solve these issues with a broad bold trade agreement.’

“But that may not be possible, we don’t know. We can’t be asked to leap into the dark by opening up phase two discussions in the hope that these issues might be resolved.”

“The area that we’ve focused in on is the need to give reassurance that there will not be regulatory divergence between the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, because if there is it is very hard to avoid a checking system,” he added.

Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, said the EU will support Ireland’s stance on the matter. Mr Tusk said: “If the UK offer is unacceptable for Ireland, it will also be unacceptable for the EU. The UK started Brexit, and now it is their responsibility to propose a credible commitment to do what is necessary to avoid a hard border.”

Mr Tusk said the key to the UK’s future “in some way” lies in Dublin.

Ireland hopes to resolve the issue within two weeks.

legal, in an attempt to safeguard Zimbabwe’s future standing in the global community. Impeachment proceedings thus began against the President, and with his own ZANU-PF Party turning against him, Mugabe finally accepted that his time in power had come to an end. His resignation letter was met with rapturous celebrations in Zimbabwe’s parliament, and on ordinary streets throughout the country.

The exiled former Vice-President

Emmerson Mnangagwa returned to Zimbabwe and has now been sworn in as the country’s new leader.

Mnangagwa is known locally as “the crocodile” due to his ferocity whilst serving under Mugabe.

The man once considered an accomplice to the Mugabe regime has transformed into a national hero, promising his people a ‘new democracy’, with aid from the miltary. Nonetheless, history has shown that for Zimbabwe actions speak louder than words.

Eddie Booth on the Kremlin’s threat to foreign press freedom The Kremlin continued it’s retaliation against the investigation into Russian hacking during the 2016 US election this week, forcing through a new law targeting foreign media. The law will require reporters from non-Russian news agencies to declare their funding sources, and label their own reporting as coming from ‘foreign agents’, an attempt to undermine the validity of the stories. The law was forced through both houses of the Russian parliament, and signed

by President Putin on Tuesday.

This marks the continued escalation of the media war that has broken out since the pilling up on allegations about Russian intervention in Donald Trump’s victory over Hilary Clinton last year.

Culminating in the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, Robert Mueller, the US has been grappling with the possibility that the sitting President, or at least his campaign, conspired with a foreign enemy to win an election. More specifically, this area of the controversy relates to the use of Russian bots and news networks to spread ‘fake news’ during the campaign. Recently, the US has sought to crack down on Sputnik and RT, two international Russian media outlets, both state-

owned, and the Kremlin has said that the requirement for western media to register as detailed is in response to this. Sputnik and RT, however, very much tow the line of the Russian government, given that they are funded by the Kremlin, and are not often considered as reputable news sources. This is a sharp divergence from the western media, which is almost never funded from the government and so is often free to be more critical, both internally and externally, free from the fear of political or economic repercussions.

This latest move could only be the start, with the Mueller investigation moving towards more indictments, and revealing further Russian covert operations. If more revelations were to emerge, the west should expect increased retaliation from Moscow, as the new cyber war continues apace. Allegations about Russian bots usage during the 2016 British EU referendum, mentioned by EU President Donald Tusk and reinforced strongly by a sharply critical speech on Russia

by Theresa May several weeks ago, have drawn Europe into the conflict. Though new technology muddies the waters, the old cold war tensions remain.

Features

5th December 2017

10

A different kind of Christmas Vecteezy Joseph Dear Features Writer

to allow for the reality of death to truly sink in and for you to fully comprehend your experience. It gives you an opportunity to not just be upset but also for you to be proud of how far you have come and how strong you are as an individual, especially as a young person.

I came to find a certain unfulfillment in the empathy of those around you who have not experienced the situation that you are in. That is not to say that people do not try their best to help you, they do, but you are often left with the sense that after having a chat with a friend that they are able to resume their lives whilst all of your feelings are still trapped inside of you.

It was this feeling that made me seek help from the student support service at UEA. During the first term of my second year I, like many students must be this year, was growing anxious at the prospect of the first Christmas without my brother.

I decided to look at what the student support service had to offer and was pleasantly surprised. I’m

sure I was like many other men in that I was wary of seeking any sort of counselling.

However, I was part of a bereavement group which gave me the chance to explain my feelings to people that had been through similar situations to me and to hear their experiences and how they felt.

People often perceive grief to be temporary pain that eases over time. Grief comes in stages with good days and bad days.

Louise Lazell looks at how to help those in need this festive season

Is Features for you?

Christmas is fast approaching and for most people this is a time of celebration and joy, as we spend time with family and friends over the festive period. For many students the Christmas break is a time to look forward to. After a long term away at university, it offers a chance to be reunited with friends and family for four weeks.

However, for students who have recently lost a member of family, the weeks and days leading up to Christmas are more associated with anxiety and sadness, rather than celebration and joy.

During the Easter holidays of my first year of university my family suffered the tragic loss of my brother, Paddy at the age of 16.

Paddy died whilst away on a school trip after contracting sepsis.

He was a healthy young sixth former with a passion for sport.

His untimely death came as a shock to the whole family as well as the whole community.

Christmas is just around the corner and ‘tis the season to be giving.

The Christmas wish-lists have been sent off, the sales have hit the shops and everyone’s revision playlist is suddenly blasting Mariah Carey and Michael Buble.

It’s easy to get whipped up in all the usual festivities and traditions of Christmas and forget those who aren’t so fortunate. For charities, this holiday season is the most critical. Nearly every charity will be reaching out for support but here are a few that particularly need your help this Christmas.

For the NHS, Christmas is a really difficult time for those in desperate need of blood. The Give Blood charity appeals to anyone willing to donate blood for the first time, or to continue doing so. At such a busy time of year, donor attendances can drop up to 20 percent, meaning blood donation is more important than ever. So maybe this year give a life-saving gift, give blood.

The strength of the community in coming together to support my family and I was invaluable, and I’m sure other students in a similar situation to me would understand how much a little kindness from people around you can help you get through the early stages of a bereavement.

“The strength of the community in coming together to support my family and I was invaluable” UEA were also very supportive in terms of my course. After informing my adviser of my situation I was

Picture: Christmas Day. The table is brimming with spuds and Yorkshire puds, the tree is twinkling and the array of presents are scattered beneath. For most of us, it’s hard to imagine Christmas Day without any of this. But many do not have the same prospect.

Right now, there are 65,000 homeless families in Britain that need support. There are children and adults who face their holiday season on the streets. The Charity Shelter is asking for donations to help those in need. Just £10 can pay to answer an urgent call to their helpline, and £30 can pay for faceto-face advice that could help a family keep their home.

Another big charity at Christmas is the Salvation Army who offer several ways to do your bit to help those in need, and recommend ways of fundraising yourselves. This year, Salvation Army centres across the UK will be running a

granted extenuating circumstances on my assessments. This took the pressure off me and allowed me to focus on my well-being and the well-being of those closest to me.

However, there inevitably came the point where it was time to leave my family and return back to UEA for the final term.

For me this brought about mixed feelings and emotions. When I was at home I was still very much in this bubble of bereavement.

Everyone I encountered on a day to day basis knew my situation and was experiencing similar feelings of loss.

At UEA, this wasn’t so much the case. Although my friends knew my situation and were very sympathetic and caring, it is unreasonable to expect them to be able to comprehend the feelings that such a tragic bereavement brings.

I think a big part of bereavement is being alone with one’s feelings.

As much as people try to help you and be kind, often all you need is your own space.

You must give yourself this time

Christmas Present Appeal.

To take part in this, you can donate new, unwrapped toys and gifts at your local centre that will go to children who might not have received any presents at all.

“Money can be a big issue for students, but charities appreciate even the smallest donation”

Or, give one of their fundraising ideas a go, like a Great Christmas Bake, Carol-oke, or even challenge yourself to something new.Many of you may remember in primary

school sending off a shoebox to children in other countries. The Samaritan’s Purse Charity still continues its successful Operation Christmas Child, meaning you can send off your lovingly filled shoeboxes to children in more than 100 countries. Since 1990, more than 146 million children in over 150 countries have received these shoebox gifts. Simply fill a shoebox with a few fun toys, hygiene items and school supplies for any age between 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14, and you could put the biggest smile on a child’s face this Christmas.

Money can be a big issue for students, but it’s important to remember that any charity appreciates even the smallest sign of support or donation of whatever kind. Spread your festive cheer this year by helping those who aren’t as fortunate.

All details can be found online.

“Grief comes in stages with good days and bad days”

Knowing there is support there for you from the people around you and from other sources like the student support service allows you to be comfortable and confident in your daily life.

This support is invaluable over Christmas.

Ever looked at Features and thought 'I could do this'? Now's your chance!

We’re looking for an individual interested in writing about student life, Norwich, and whatever else might make an interesting feature in Concrete.

You’ll be working with another Features editor to produce original and engaging features for the section, as well as commissioning and editing writers’ articles.

The role will include editing the section’s pages on Indesign and Photoshop, interviewing and proofreading.

You don’t need Indesign or Photoshop experience to apply, (but if you have some then let us know!)

Please send a 500 word statement outlining your ideas for the section, including at least two ideas for investigative articles you think would be relevant for UEA students, and why you think you are suitable for the role, to concrete. editor@uea.ac.uk If you have any questions about the role drop an email to concrete. editor@uea.ac.uk.

Images: Vecteezy

5th December 2017

11

A night on the streets of Norwich £30,000 raised in the Norwich Sleep Out for charity Chloe Howcroft Features Writer When I made the decision some few weeks ago to sleep outside, in a car park, for an entire night, with nothing more than a sleeping bag and one layer of thin cardboard to separate me from the cruel, concrete ground, most friends and family members thought I was crazy.

“Chloe’s going to be homeless this week,” a close friend of mine teased, days before the Norwich Sleep Out. “Why are you even bothering?” And indeed, why did I? It’s true, I had never done anything remotely like this before, unless you count camping in a field for a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, and neither had many others. So naturally I expected it to be cold, but no amount of hot chocolate quite prepares you for such an experience.

Once myself and over 100 other “crazy” sleep-outers began winding down into our sleeping bags from around 11pm onwards on that Friday night, conditions were relentless. The harsh winds were unforgiving; the streetlights conveniently beaming down on where I was situated made it seem as though I was making a premature trip up to Heaven (and I’m assuming freezing toes and tips of noses are a sure sign of Heaven’s close embrace?). The snores from the man two sleeping bags down made me green with envy – just to top things all off. How is it even possible for someone to sleep six hours straight in such undesirable conditions anyway?

But this shouldn’t be seen as a petty old moan about sleeping outside for a night. Rather, we should be reminded that a distressing number of people have to do this every night, for months – sometimes years – at a time, without a choice.

As participants, we knew that once 7am came around, we would all be making our way back to our homes and into our warm, comfortable, supportive beds, but can we truly say the same for those who are less fortunate?

The Benjamin Foundation, the charity which organised the Sleep Out on Friday 17 November,

Photos: Chloe Howcroft looked after us all amazingly with a constant supply of hot drinks and dinner, followed by breakfast the next morning, and even supplied us with entertainment from the talent of a young musician; spirits were certainly high despite the extremely low temperatures.

But for those sleeping on the streets for reasons such as unemployment, a breakdown of social networks or disownment, a luxury of this kind simply does not cross their path. And with the festive season creeping up on us, a roof over our heads is a much more appreciated gift than a Peaky Blinders boxset or another pair of socks, surely? Yes, the objective of

the Sleep Out was primarily to raise awareness of youth homelessness as a growing issue in Norfolk and Suffolk, and elsewhere in the UK, but it does not claim to replicate the true conditions of homelessness, though I can certainly vouch for it creating empathy for those who have no other resort.

And that’s why I took part. Not because I particularly enjoy sleeping like a miserable slug in a sleeping bag in the cold night air, but because others don’t have any other choice.

If more empathy was created and awareness raised, then I believe perceptions on homelessness would change immensely. It was announced by the Benjamin

Foundation during that same weekend that we had collectively raised over £30,000, the Sleep Out being their biggest fundraising event of the year. The money raised will now go towards housing more 16-25 year olds, an age group the charity works with specially for up to two years at a time, as well as providing support to encourage self-support and independence. But this is a long process. Inevitably, views on tackling homelessness are varied, particularly with regards to long term, sustainable solutions.But by identifying why homelessness still exists and taking collective action to address this, surely this is a step in the right direction?

Who are the Benjamin Foundation?

The Norwich-based Benjamin Foundation was founded in 1994 by the parents of Benjamin Draper who died in a motorcycle accident two years previously. Since then, the charity has expanded its reach across Norfolk, last year also moving into Suffolk. The Benjamin Foundation works with young adults who have become homeless or suffered abuse to get them back

on their feet by offering support and accommodation. The foundation also supports families and those with childcare issues, and visits schools to help victims of bullying.

A well-known local charity, the Benjamin Foundation raise money through several second-hand furniture and electrical stores. They also hold a number of other events aside from the Sleep Out like their

annual Christmas gift appeal.

In 2008, after winning a public vote between local charities, the Benjamin Foundation’s logo adorned the front of Norwich City Football Club’s jerseys for a match, which were then auctioned to raise funds. Several former Canaries stars have also taken part in previous Sleep Out events including club legend Grant Holt.

Emily Hawkins on the hidden problem of student homelessness Come December, and accommodation worries, from house hunting to heating bills, beleaguer many students. But for some students, the issue is a far graver one.

A comprehensive picture of how many students are affected by homelessness is hard to create, potentially owing to a culture of embarrassment. The housing charity Shelter do not hold any statistics on the issue amongst students, but said they would always advise anyone in need of housing advice to call Shelter’s free emergency helpline line on 0808 800 4444.

London Metropolitan University (LMU) conducted a research study which showed homelessness was a hidden problem in the capital.

In one of the university’s ten undergraduate departments, 27 students said they were homeless and had been sleeping on friends’ floors, in hostels, or temporary council accommodation. Research into homeless students has not been carried out in any great detail in recent years, outside of London, making the topic a hard one to investigate accurately.

However, the charity Homeless discovered almost half of all people living in homeless accommodation services in the UK are aged between 16 and 24.

Looking across the pond, in California one university found that one in ten of their students were homeless. At California State University, one in five students said their access to enough food is not constant and poverty is an issue.

The university’s chancellor, Timothy White, called this “a gasp” and said the university would be looking at taking action for immediate solutions to the problem but it seems the issue isn’t specific to just one university.

Other universities in the US have reported similar accounts from students about insecure living situations. The rapper Big Sean made headlines when he donated to Wayne State University (WSU) in Detroit, Michigan, in order to fund emergency provisions for students who experience accommodation issues.

A professor at WSU told a New York Times reporter that stigma means there may well be a hidden epidemic of homelessness amongst students. Professor Paul Toro said: “‘Homeless college student’ seems like a contradiction in terms.

If you’re someone who has the wherewithal to get yourself into college, well, of course you should be immune to homelessness.

“But that just isn’t the case.”

5th December 2017

12

Features

Norwich cyclist finishes strong Thirty years on, Paul Strong took a second ride from Greece to the Norwich Lanes Eddie Bingham Features Writer A Norwich local has compled 2,000-mile cycle from Greece to the Norwich Lanes in aid of Movember.

In 1987, Paul Strong completed his first adventure from Greece to the Lanes in three months. 30 years later, he has managed the feat again in less than one.

“Paul has used his cycle as a way to raise funds and grow a moustache as part of Movember” Paul’s journey took him from his father’s home country of Greece, through Sardinia, Italy, France, and finally to Norwich.

Packing lighter than he had done before, and being more willing to spend on luxuries, 55-year old Paul had a very different journey to that of 30 years prior.

The advent of the smartphone meant that he opted to rely on Google Maps this time, rather than the small-scale physical maps he had used previously.

“The smartphone has changed everything. Thirty years ago, I spent much more time planning… but I did seem to be in control. I knew where I was going. I was more engaged. Now I only have a very general idea.”

Paul spoke of the struggles of modern technology as a guide for the journeyman.

Often led through hills, mud and other unusual detours, he sometimes found himself having to walk rather than cycle the odd routes he had been given by his phone.

But the changes to Paul’s journey went beyond phones. He was cycling through a different world to that of before.

France in particular, had changed quite substantially over the last 3 decades.

“These little D type roads that were so quiet 30 years ago are not quiet anymore.

Now all you hear is the deafening scary hiss of wide tires, and the whiff of diesel. Everything, everywhere smells of diesel.”

At times, he felt ‘awkward and

alone’ cycling through the busier towns and cities.

“I began to feel that I was being perceived as a homeless person, a refugee.”

And to make matters worse, he was stopped by the French police on suspicion of vagrancy; needing to show them evidence of where he was staying and proof of adequate finances for his travels.

In spite of his struggles, Paul admitted to liking the cycling more this time than before.

“Most of the travelling was excellent; a lot of alone time. I put in longer days, treated it like work. Last time I had no sense of discipline; no or little understanding of work.”

Paul also said that he appreciated “the value of everything” this time around. And on completing his journey, he was able to appreciate the value of a good pint in the Birdcage on arrival at the Lanes.

Previously diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (cleared this September), Paul has used his cycle as a way to raise funds and grow a moustache as part of Movember.

He has so far raised over £2,000.

If you would like to donate to his page, you can do so here: h t t p s : / / u k . m o v e m b e r. c o m / mospace/13567431

...and we’re ofo! Concrete goes for a test ride Rachel Crockart Features Writer

Yellow bikes have been popping up over campus and around Norwich over the last few weeks. ofo was founded in 2014 but after launching in London, Oxford, and Cambridge, the world’s first “non-docking” bike-sharing platform has made its way to Norfolk. I decided to take advantage of them being completely free for their first two weeks before they become just 50p for every ride under 30 minutes.

Affordable?

A First Bus pass for three semesters costs £205 and is valid from the 18 September 2017 until the 24 June 2018 giving you 280 days of travel at about 70p a day for as many journeys as you like across Norwich. When you compare this to ofo, with a set rate of 50p for 30 minutes, it hardly seems worth it when a student bus pass is so much more convenient and flexible than finding an ofo bike every time you want to travel somewhere.

Accessible?

The ofo app shows available bikes near you so you don’t just have to try your luck coming across one in walking distance. They’re not like ‘Boris Bikes’ in London where there will more than likely be a few bikes in the docking stations. I understand that the whole concept of ofo is how

Photo: Tony Allen they are “non-docking” but this does not necessarily make them more functional.

The test ride:

From campus, the app showed two available bikes in walking

distance of the Square. The one that I found first was unable to be used as when I scanned the QR code. `the

app said a fault was reported. As much as it’s good that you can report these bikes if there are problems, it doesn’t tell you this until you have found said bike.

With there being scarce bikes anyway, this does limit is the functionality, because I doubt that they have a team of people ready to make their way to fix the bikes straightaway.

The actual bike ride was enjoyable, but as a Norfolk girl, I’m not used to hills, the UEA campus and surrounding area seems to be home to all the hills in the county.

So I did struggle a little and did find the bike relatively uncomfortable in that aspect. Or it could just be that I am incredibly unfit.

What I did enjoy was how you can just leave the bike anywhere you wish, and you just have to lock up the wheel again by using the QR scanner.

I used this to my full advantage and left it at the far end of the Colney Lane playing fields just because I could. It really saves all the hassle of having to take the bike back to a docking station.

Ofo presents itself as an innovative new method of transport but in reality it’s just an idea that people will use for fun for a few weeks before they are forgotten about.

I doubt that students are going to stop using the bus and rely on ofo bikes. I certainly would not.

13

5th December 2017

Foodie Features

Pumpkin spice up your life

Amy Newbery asks if pumpkin spice is here to stay or simply another hipster fad

I spent an afternoon in Norwich city last Saturday, and realised something; Christmas is approaching.

I mean, it’s not like I could have left the city without knowing due to the majority of stores playing Christmas tunes, and selling festive paraphernalia (I won’t bother telling you how many plastic evergreen trees I saw for sale). Additionally, I was in town the day after Black Friday so the city was packed.

You must think I’m one of those people who hates festivities but truthfully, I’m indifferent about them. Sure, they’re great and the atmosphere is fun but after experiencing them for nineteen years, it gets rather tedious — and people know this.

This is why companies are constantly introducing something new each Christmas to keep their

customers loyal and returning.

Can’t think of an example? How about pumpkin spiced lattes? It’s quite a recent trend but surprisingly, Starbucks actually introduced this drink back in 2003.

Now, with most hypes, I was quite sceptical about this seasonal drink. I made it a mission of mine to try it out, and I did. It wasn’t bad, but not amazing.

I like pumpkin and I like spices so the taste was pleasant enough. However, it wasn’t mind-blowing enough for me to get regularly.

I’m sure a lot of people think this way, so how did pumpkin spiced lattes become so popular?

Simply because they’re more than a drink, they’ve become a trend.

A limited edition object, and everybody wants something that

there’s only of.

You

a

certain number c o u l d

almost call the pumpkin spice latte a lifestyle.

They’re incorporated in memes, specifically the ‘basic bitch’ meme.

At this point, some people don’t even care if they like the flavour or not. It’s similar to driving an expensive sports-car in a crowded city; you can’t use it for its speed but it’s the brand you care about.

By no means am I saying that one should avoid pumpkin spiced lattes. You do you. If you want to indulge, go ahead.

Starbucks really hit the jackpot with pumpkin spice latte, so props to them.

If you are ever wanting to try something new, don’t be afraid to order a pumpkin spice latte.

If you don’t like it, so be it but at

least you can say you’ve tried it.

Although it’s not my cup of coffee (I’m more of a tea person actually), pumpkin spice lattes receive a lot of unwarranted hate.

If you don’t like it, there are many more items available to order.

Personally, I usually go for a classic hot chocolate which is great for a cold day.

However, I am interested to see how long the hype about pumpkin spice lattes will last. Like all trends, they have their peak and gradually end up falling out of favour.

Soon enough, another trend will pop up that will occupy everyone’s Instagram and Snapchat. Any idea what it could be?

But for now, pumpkin spice lattes reign supreme over the Christmas season.

Photo: Free Photos and Skitterphoto

Eddie Bingham on Al Dente Roast with the most

A new, authentic, and original Italian restaurant in Norwich, Al Dente, is a place that I was eager to go to.

But my initial plans didn’t come to fruition. Hoping to arrive late in the evening, I realized on a Monday that it closed at 7pm. Rather unusual for a modern restaurant. But this isn’t a restaurant, owner Adriano Turco tells me it’s an eatery.

“It’s a cozy, playful, cheerful eatery,” he said. While the typical restaurant focuses on high presentation costs, and multiple course meals, “An eatery is a place where you can come for one meal at a reasonable price, and go.” They open at 8am, serving traditional Italian breakfasts, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Specializing in pasta, Al Dente offers a lighter main course than the typical Italian-style restaurant, and so closes early. It leaves the heavier meals to the high street chains, and instead caters to a different kind of consumer.

“Not focused on pomp and circumstance, it’s décor is warm and vibrant”

The style of Al Dente is certainly unique among the high street restaurants of Norwich. Not focused on pomp and circumstance, it’s décor is warm and vibrant; a wooden interior, with blue and yellow chairs and cushions. The cutlery is held in quirky re-used pasta sauce tins.

Locally run, the food is prepared

by Adriano, who has 18 years of experience, and his assistant. You are able to see them both over the

Saoirse Smith-Hogan Features Writer

Photos: Eddie Bingham counter, cooking right in front of you. The service was very friendly, and the staff are happy to explain the menu to anyone new to Italian cuisine. The menu is simple, but unique. You can choose your type of pasta, your sauce, and toppings from a list of options. Adriano says Al Dente is only the sixth restaurant in the UK to offer this kind of selection; the seventh is opening soon, and just so happens to be run by a friend of his.

I opted for the Pasta al Forno, a pasta bake with beef ragout, aubergines and parmesan - one of the chef’s specials.

It’s clear that Al Dente take the time to prepare their dishes from scratch. The pasta was incredibly

soft, with wonderfully cooked aubergines, and the bake was neither too light, nor too heavy.

Desert options are mostly cakes and gelato, with an array of coffees available. The pistachio gelato was among the smoothest I’ve tried and is something that I would strongly recommend. It’s only just being added to the menu, as they’ve been awaiting its delivery from Italy.

I would highly recommend Al Dente to anyone looking to try authentic Italian food. It offers an array of breakfast options from Egg Milanese, to Croque Gorgonzola that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere in Norwich. The mains are ideal for a date night, or a lighter main before evening drinks.

“We should cook for ourselves! Like the true adults we are now.”

“Yes, let’s! We can make all the trimmings and we can even buy some mulled wine!” said no student, ever. Christmas is hard. Not only are we all settling in to a new environment, with new people and new ideas, but we have workloads provided by Satan himself, and the cold of a lifetime. What better way to relax than a lovely meal with your flatmates? Only if you don’t have to cook it though, right?

Granted, going out for a Christmas meal is lots of fun.

Perhaps a carvery will be a great time for you and your flatmates to bond over food – if they put sage and onion stuffing on their plates, they are keepers, and if they dump a load of cranberry sauce all over their wonderful roast, red flags. Get out, get out! However, nothing beats a pub roast quite like a roast made by you and your flatmates, that exudes time, passion, and effort.

Bear in mind, it doesn’t have to be Christmassy. In first year, myself and 20 select housemates decided that a family meal would be the perfect way to wave goodbye to our first ever completed semester

Vecteezy

at UEA. We planned for each person to bring a large portion of something they loved to cook, whether they were good at it, or not. We wanted to taste the dish that everyone was individually known for.

Mine, of course, was sweet potato chips. This was a successful way for us to make enough food for everyone to have a plate-full, and it didn’t require any more effort than what I would normally exert when cooking. Plus, it was so delicious.

Alternatively, cooking a full Christmas meal may be another way for you to bond with your housemates. Team work makes the dream work, right?

Get everyone on board, get a few to buy the ingredients, splitting up who will buy the Yorkshires, the vegetables, the meat – this shouldn’t be too expensive if you shop at somewhere like Aldi, or order an Asda delivery.

Then, select a few of the better cooks to bring everything together.

Organisation and communication is the key to kitchen success. Although, if you’re in accommodation with no oven, like a prehistoric caveman, then don’t even bother with a roast.

Will your chicken even cook anyway?

How would you even roast a chicken with a grill? Go out for dinner. Treat yourself.

14

FINANCE

5th December 2017

Local Unilever and Britvic jobs still under threat

The Finance Tony Allen reports on continuing efforts to protect 350 Norwich jobs Roundup

“Britvic’s first redundancy notices could be served as early as next summer" The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a voluntary body organised by government formed of local authorities and businesses hosted a meeting where Mr Clark sat down with workers

and bosses from the site, local MPs Clive Lewis (Norwich South) and Chloe Smith (Norwich North) plus representatives from Norwich City and Norfolk County Council.

The LEP’s chairman Doug Field reflected: “The Secretary of State was very aware of the importance and heritage of these companies to Norwich and the wider area. He has agreed to support our efforts in trying to maintain production in the local area and to support staff in this uncertain time.

“We will continue to talk to both companies ahead of the end of their consultation exercises and work with all our partners to support the interests of workers and of our economy.”

The Eastern Daily Press reported that three possible options to keep production of Colman’s Mustard in Norwich were presented at the meeting. They are either for Unilever to remain at the Bracondale site, move to the Norwich Airport Industrial Estate or relocate to a site at Honingham Thorpe, eight miles north-west of the current factory.

Consultations by Britvic and Unilever are still ongoing, with the Business Secretary having pledged to ensure the processes are fair.

If plans go ahead, Britvic’s first redundancy notices could be served

as early as next summer.

Britvic’s consultation has come under particular scrutiny following investment in its other UK plants, with unions Unite and GMB writing to the firm’s independent directors calling on them to look into the process.

GMB regional organiser Ivan Mercer commented: “There is a strong feeling that this process is being rushed, and that there has not been any meaningful consultation with the workforce or their Consultative Group. “[Britvic] have admitted to withholding from the Consultative Group a key report into the site operations.

They have also taken more than four weeks just to share critical financial information with the Consultative Group.

“Members at the factory are concerned that there are a number of conflicting answers to simple questions.”

Since the plans were announced in October, there have been a variety of campaigns aimed at keeping the 350 Britvic and Unilever jobs in Norwich. MPs Ms Smith and Mr Lewis have visited the factory and attended various meetings with workers and management.

In Parliament on the 20

UK manufacturing increased in November.

November, Shadow Minister Bill Esterson asked DEFRA minister George Eustice about the potential job losses in Norwich and his discussions with Britvic and Mr Clark.

Mr Eustice replied: “Britvic is in the process of consulting on the proposals with elected employee representatives and, therefore, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment at this time.

“We know that this is an uncertain time for Britvic workers affected by the news and we will be working with the company to ensure that employees receive appropriate support.”

The EDP’s petition calling on Britvic and Unilever to maintain production in the city has now passed 11,000 signatures.

The possibility of retaining at least Unilever’s local jobs provides a glimmer of hope after a tough few weeks for industry in the county which have seen plans for over 200 redundancies of BAE Systems employees at RAF Marham and almost 600 staff members of the Construction Industry Training Board, who have announced an intention to move their head office from Bircham Newton to Peterborough.

Growth in the manufacturing sector last month was at its fastest in over four years. The figures come from the purchasing Managers’ Index, and they suggest that exports were instrumental in the increase in this growth.

RBS job losses and branch closures announced.

The Royal Bank of Scotland is to close one in four in-store branches - 259 in total. They have also announced that they will cut 680 jobs as more customers make the move to online banking.

Bitcoin increasingly

The value of the digital currency Bitcoin has become very unstable of late. Its value recently surpassed $11,000, however its value has since gone down to $9,600. The fall from its peak is 16 percent. The sharp changes in value come after calls from industry specialists to be cautious about the currency.

Store closures expected from Thomas Cook.

Thomas Cook has announced plans to close 50 stores around the UK, potentially affecting up to 400 members of staff. The holiday firm has 690 stores throughout the country, but only 47 percent of its holidays were actually arranged within branches this year.

Getting into the spirit or getting out of pocket?

Matt Denton Finance Writer

days of simple chocolate calendars, replaced by candles, jewellery, and alcohol.

The buzz around the Christmas adverts is symptomatic of how caught up we seem to be in an consumerist culture.

Generally, the most anticipated one is from John Lewis, who create short stories with the intention of gaining access to their wallets through their hearts.

Other companies have followed suit, and this year Waitrose was ranked Best Christmas Ad by Metro.

Photo: Pixabay, Alexas Fotos being forced to turn to financial services to fund their Christmas. It creates undue stress at a time when people should be free from worries and pressures.

When we think back to what Christmas used to be all about, our modern Christmas seems shallow and tacky in comparison. Companies have managed to commercialise the pleasure of having the family round and enjoying the festive cheer, and it’s sucked a lot of the joy out of the festive season. Adverts are full of

shots of presents under the tree, extravagant Christmas dinners and flowing drinks. This creates an image of Christmas that a lot of people struggle to live up to. You just have to look at one of the most controversial Christmas items for sale this year.

Zoella, a prominent British YouTube star popular among young girls, has released an advent calendar for an eye watering price of £50. She’s not alone either in releasing luxury advent calendars – gone are the

“But is it all getting too much? For some families, the answer is yes"

Australian brand Billabong receives $150m takeover bid.

The struggling surfwear company received the offer from rival brand Quiksilver after suffering a $58m loss this year, and other significant and persistant losses over the last five years.

Google declines to disclose pay records in gender discrimination case.

The internet search engine giant refused a legal request to give information on how it pays its workers in a class-action gender discrimination lawsuit. Despite having previously said that there is no gender pay-gap amongst its employees, the company refuses to offer evidence to demonstrate whether its workers are paid equally. The judge is still to decide whether Google should comply with the legal request.

Jodie Bailey

It’s a great shame that we have lost the true sight of the festive period. The usual behaviour of companies can be seen again as they monopolise on the festive spirit.

Let’s hope we don’t lose sight of what Christmas is all about; family, love, and a Boxing Day hangover.

£

Christmas is upon us yet again.

The TV is overrun with Christmas ads, the highstreets are awash with fairy lights, and Bublé is back on the radio. If you head to the local shopping centre, you’ll be sure to find swathes of festive shoppers, buying up this year’s ‘must have’ toys and tech.

But is it all getting too much?

For some families, the answer is yes.

The cost of your average Christmas is now an estimated £800 according to the charity Money Advice Trust, which is becoming too much for the poorest in our society. Expectations for what a perfect family Christmas should be, however, are getting more outlandish every year.

There are a number of businesses that offer financial budgeting services for families who wish to spread the cost of Christmas over the year. Park is the biggest of these companies.

They offer customers vouchers for high-street shops that can be paid for over a year. The cost of these plans range from £25 to £60 per month, a substantial expenditure for a lot of families. They claim that when Christmas comes you can ‘indulge yourself in a massive guilt free shopping spree’.

It feels wrong that families are

currency unstable.

£

£

£

£

Business Secretary Greg Clark has promised to contact bosses of Britvic and Unilever, who are considering leaving their Norwich factory and moving over 350 jobs out of the city.

Britvic, manufacturers of Robinson’s Squash and Fruit Shoot, were first to announce plans to depart the city at the beginning of October with Unilever, who make the iconic Norfolk brand Colman’s Mustard, soon announcing a consultation over their future operations in the shared factory.

5th December 2017

15

A Scrooge’s guide to Christmas Tom Bedford Finance Writer Christmas is a time when we are encouraged to spend excessive amounts, but studenthood brings with it the burden of not having that much money to spend.

This festive dissonance leads us to feel we are not embracing the season’s feelings if we don’t spend enough. Or, we do spend enough, and have to live with the stress of going deep into our overdrafts.

Except we don’t – there are many ways to continue to be a cheapskate even in this season of excess.

Beyond Black Friday The savings are never as much as you think they are – retailers can be very misleading when it comes to offering discounts. Not only are their savings focused on higher-range items like electronics and jewellery, not typical gift items, research suggests that other days provide better savings (like early November for electronics and the week before Black Friday for Christmas decorations). Be intelligent about

spending; don’t just pull the trigger because everyone else is.

Enjoy the festive fairs You don’t have to spend time in the same old soulless retail prisons and labyrinthine department stores to buy gifts – Christmas markets are on the rise. These feature independent sellers and make for a relatively authentic festive experience to boot! Data in 2014 showed that Christmas markets in the UK saw 24 million visitors, all enjoying the festive atmosphere and variety of vitange and handmade goods.

Love locality Data shows that around 10 percent of Christmas spending doesn’t go towards gifts, or food, but simple travel. This is about £80 per household: enough money to buy presents for several people – or have a full social life for two whole months.

Sometimes spending is unavoidable, especially in this season of family and friendship, but you could stay in Norwich with your university friends, or use price comparison sites to get the best deals on your travel.

Budget Christmas gift ideas...

• An IOU – the best cop-out gift of all time, simply write on pieces of paper ‘a pint’ or ‘a home-cooked meal’ and distribute them at random.

Although you won’t necessarily save much money, you’ll put off spending money until after your student finance comes in (or the recipient forgets).

• Charity donation – no-one can fault you if, instead of giving someone a box of soaps, you give a goat to a village in their name. Oxfam and similar charities have loads of inexpensive options like this from as little as £5 on their websites.

• Home-baked goods – cakes, biscuits, and cookies are easy enough to bake. Personalise them with icing to add a personal touch.

• Other hand-made objects – if you have a crafty hobby then make the most of it this season, be it knitting, sewing, watercolour. The list goes on.

Homemade, individual gifts are unique and personal, and they can really make a loved one’s day.

Photo: Public Domain Images

New Year’s financial resolutions Aviva’s step forward Tony Allen Finance Writer In the blink of an eye, Christmas will be over, and we’ll all be back at uni.

You know how it goes by now. Your phone vibrates, you look down and see the message you’ve been pining for since about the start of October.

It’s from SFE and it’s announcing the impending arrival of your student loan.

You feel like a million dollars, although there aren’t quite as many zeroes after those numbers as you would like. But instead of blowing your new-found wealth on a full wardrobe and drinks cupboard, here are some top financial New Year’s resolutions…

Budget Sometimes the old advice is the best. Even having a rough idea of what you’ve got to spend each week can help make sure you don’t run out by week 10. Factor in expected bills (remember heating will be higher in winter), a food allowance, transport, rent, some cash to treat yourself and some contingency money just in case.

Put some money aside If you’re able to, try putting a small amount aside as soon as your student loan comes in and budget with what’s left. It’s then available if something unexpected comes up, or you find yourself short

by Easter.

But if not, you’ve started to create some savings for the summer

or beyond.

Find next year’s house Fairly near the top of many people’s financial list of priorities for 2018 will be finding a house. The Homerun list from SU approved landlords is released on the 20 January, but there’s no harm in looking at other options beforehand.

The key advice here is not to panic, there are plenty of houses to go around. Attend one of several SU housing socials if you want to meet new housemates. View your potential new house, use the SU’s services, and get them to check over the contract and deposit arrangements before putting pen to paper to avoid any nasty surprises and make sure you’re not stung by unexpected fees.

Look for internship opportunities Now is the time to look forward to Easter (17 March-15 April) and s u m m e r (15 June- 2 4

Vecteezy

September) and try to arrange some invaluable internships, work experience or placements.

CareerCentral, located in the Street and online, is the place to go to find out all about the best opportunities, and they can also tell you whether you might be eligible to apply for financial support to undertake placements.

Look at charities If you’re in the fortunate position of having a small amount of money to spare, January could be the perfect time to choose a cause you feel strongly about and sign up to give a couple of pounds a month.

Compare bills and bank accounts Have a surf online to check out the best bank accounts, which offer a variety of perks and benefits. If living off-campus, ask your landlord if you’re allowed to switch utilities providers and shop around for the cheapest gas and electricity. Don’t be afraid to call your existing providers to ask if they can match another offer - they’re keen to keep your custom!

Leave your card at home on nights out The LCR. VKs. 10 please.

Contactless payment. You know the rest.

Investigate cheaper travel Do some sums based on last semester’s journeys and work out whether it would save you money to buy a Railcard, National Express Coachcard or First bus pass.

for gender equality Will Richardson Senior Reporter for Finance In a landmark step towards gender equality in the workplace, insurance firm Aviva has become the first UK firm of its kind to offer 6-months parental leave to all their staff regardless of regardless of gender, sexual orientation or how they became a parent (birth, adoption or surrogacy).

Mark Wilson, Aviva plc’s CEO said: “I want to live in a world where the only criteria for success is someone’s talent, not their gender.

Treating parents equally will help make this happen.

We want Aviva to be a progressive, inclusive, welcoming place to work.”

The government currently offers a maximum of two weeks paternity leave, but also introduced rights to shared parental leave which became effective in 2015.

This allowed parents to split their 52 weeks of leave between them (receiving parental leave payment for 39 of those weeks).

However, take-up rates have been low with fewer than 9000 parents sharing paternal leave in 2016. In contrast Swedish parental leave became gender-neutral in 1974 and although in the first year men took ~0.5 percent of all paternal leave, close to 90 percent of Swedish fathers now take paternity leave.

With the extension of shared parental leave as a right in the UK and firms such as Aviva extending parental leave rights, the UK is hoped to have similar success in the long-term.

Sarah Morris, Chief People Officer at Aviva, said: “This will transform the first year of parenthood for many families, giving them the opportunity to spend precious time together. It’s one of our commitments to build a more inclusive and diverse culture at Aviva.”

“A landmark step towards gender equality"

Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality party, said that the new Aviva policy would “demonstrate to other businesses that they can provide fair and equal parental leave to all their staff, if they are willing to try”.

Equality in parental leave both recognises the role of fathers as carers and also women’s choices to participate on the labour market on equal terms with men.

As the UK government continues to make a concerted effort to reduce the gender pay gap, firms such as Aviva will help with workplace equality initiatives.

16

Comment

5th December 2017

Give someone a book this Christmas Jack Ashton Comment Editor

you, so seeing what book they gave you is always a good indicator.

Not only does giving a book allow this weird judgement of character, but it also gives the entire family a bit of time to just step back.

Christmas can be stressful as hell.

Iin my house it’s a constant struggle between wanting to help but not wanting to ruin the fabled ‘system’, because we can wash things up, but all hell breaks loose if it’s not put back in the right place.

This Christmas Eve, as temperatures dip below freezing and log fires fight until their last breath to keep the cold from creeping into homes, families across Iceland will hand each other a singular present.

The wind’s howl will be drowned out by the hasty tearing of wrapping paper, and any distractions will be put aside for the evening as to not waste a drop of attention on anything other than the books that have just been given new owners.

“Giving a book requires a tremendous amount of thought”

“My friend recommended me Virginia Woolf once - we’re not friends anymore” This is a yearly tradition in Iceland - on Christmas Eve books are exchanged and the rest of the evening is spent reading them.

I for one am inconsolable that, A) I do not live in Iceland and, B) I don’t have a family who read, because I don’t think I’ve ever come across a better idea in my whole life.

I spend about 40 percent of my time thinking about books, with the over 60 percent sliced up somehow between politics, food, re-runs of Gossip Girl and women wearing dungarees (original, I know), which means I am probably a bit biased towards this idea, but it’s still something which could be

Photo: Ginny, Wikicommons absolutely wonderful if it happened in the UK. If done properly, giving a book requires a tremendous amount of thought - you need to think what the person is like in general, what they would read, how it would make them feel, if they enjoy reading long or short books, or no books at all.

It’s not like recommending a film or a show, if someone doesn’t like that they only wasted an hour or two of their life, if someone doesn’t like a book you gave them then you’re responsible for those lost 10 plus hours. My friend recommended me Virginia Woolf once - we’re not friends anymore.

The potential for unreciprocated love for a book is crushing, and the reason why I’ve never lent anyone any of my McCarthy books, but the potential for a new found love is enough to make it worth it.

Luckily, that street goes two ways, and if you’re like me you’ll love to know what people think of

Giving everyone a dedicated time to sit back and fall into a book for a couple hours can do a world of wonders.

Sadly, not everyone’s family are big readers - this is the case for me.

So obviously the tradition doesn’t have to be kept word for word. I’ve already arranged with a couple of my friends to do a book swap this Christmas, and I’d happily do more.

Books have the power to terrify someone, to make them untouchably happy or irretrievably sad, they can provide new options, solve problems you didn’t even know you had and transform entire ways of thinking - or, they can be really shit.

You never know. But either way, make sure you give someone a book this Christmas.

Harry Routley casts his eyes back on 2017 Believe the hype, it’s the best bit Daniela Ponjuan Sanabria Comment Writer

Photo: GigglingGigi, Flickr The idea that 2016 was a bad year is not an especially new one; from the deaths of prominent celebrities to political developments causing society to become increasingly divided, there was a general consensus that 2017 could only get better. However, my own experience over the last 12 months started with a general malaise and more than anything, the first half of this year felt confused and sluggish.

In a strange way, I saw this same pattern reflected on the political stage as the year went on. The snap-election was called to provide a definitive answer to Britain’s political divisions; if the Conservatives won then they would

have a clear mandate to handle Brexit negotiations while if Labour won then they could have begun an ambitious and controversial program of anti-austerity reforms.

Instead of a clear outcome, the result was a Tory government propped up by a national party that most voters could only form an opinion on based off their Wikipedia page.

However, my first indication that the global stage may be improving came with the tidal wave of allegations against Hollywood stars and high-ranking politicians.

These allegations are being treated extremely seriously is a sign that society is finally moving in the right direction. These offences existed as

‘open secrets’ for decades but only in 2017 have they finally come to public attention.

While the idea of harassment in Hollywood and Westminster being taken seriously may not seem particularly uplifting, it is incredibly important that these issues can finally be the subject of public scrutiny.

2017 may not have been the perfect year to serve as a palatecleanser after the train-wreck of 2016, but I am cautiously optimistic that 2018 will see the continuation of the upward trend that started towards the end of this year.

Besides, I hear there’s going to be a wedding…

The build up to Christmas and the New Year is probably the best part of the whole Christmas holidays. Even though on the actual Christmas Day we get all the presents and the required family time, it is the excitement along the way that makes this the best holiday ever.

While some people celebrate after Halloween, or Thanksgiving, I start exploding with Christmas cheer on the first of December, which is the best time to bring out the classic Christmas movies, make hot chocolate with marshmallows and dance around in your favourite Christmas socks to your favourite Christmas songs.

Don’t get me wrong, Christmas Day is great, but after you open the presents there’s never anything to do after opening all the presents except have the usual lazy day.

During the build-up for Christmas you have something to look forward to each day - it’s another excuse to go shopping and spend your money on unnecessary things instead of getting your aunt that shirt she

always wanted.

After Christmas is over, we can start planning and building up our expectations for New Years’ Evewhich usually never goes as we want either.

I always feel a bit disoriented after Christmas and I’m left confused on New Years’ Day. On New Years’ Eve we get the fireworks, the sparkly outfits, the last dinner of the year, the ‘see you next year’ jokes and heaps of hope and goals for the year to come. But then on the day there are no more fireworks, and the make-up doesn’t look as good as last night.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that’s its too early to start prepping” Therefore, don’t let anyone tell you it’s not worth the hype or that’s its too early to start prepping up for Christmas and New Year’s.

The earlier you start the longer the Christmas you get.

17

5th December 2017

Dan Struthers is board of Christmas cheaters The unstoppable steam train of Christmas hurtles forward, as does the usual drill: mingling with relatives you only see once a year, consuming more in one month than you thought humanly possible, and working your way through the usual slew of board games.

Board games that are always accompanied by that kind of person who proclaims: “rules are meant to be broken”. This poor excuse for a human is either an idiot or they’re just terrible at board games (most likely both).

“If you see your uncle looking suspicious playing Buckaroo...”

While you may shake your head and ask why I’m taking charades so seriously, which you will no doubt follow up with “it’s only a bit of

Comment editor Jack Ashton explains his festive takeover I find myself saying the sentence “politics is fun” far more than the average person. It’s mumbled to my mam, my sisters, my housemates and honestly anyone who I speak too.

In each edition of Concrete you can come to Comment for some good political opinions. So far this year we’ve taken on pieces against the National Minimum Wage, pieces supporting the end of the welfare state, pieces on banning books. Sure, every now and again we trade blows over the best VK instead, but there’s gotta be a break somewhere, right?

Plenty has happened this last fortnight; the royal engagement, another Johnson/Gove uproar, oh, and there was that entire budget in which the Tories tried to figure out how to fix the housing market without building houses. No biggie.

Problem is, Christmas isn’t supposed to be this serious.

Sure, the world still spins and Governments will spin more, but there are bigger things happening, and they only happen once a year.

There’s plenty other things to enjoy over Christmas. Energy that should be focused on stopping your siblings cheating at Monopoly cannot be wasted on inter-party politics, and any attention you have to spare for pretending to laugh at cracker jokes shouldn’t be thrown away on budgets.

For those of you, like me, who enjoy politics, make sure it’s not the only thing you enjoy,. And for those of you who’re reading Comment for our hot political takes, you’ll have to make do with all our Christmas cheer.

In essence, being a bad loser is usually the cause of cheating.

Whether it be abusing your position of power as the banker, speaking out during your turn in charades or glancing at your neighbour’s cards, it’s never right.

I admire a determination to win but if you can’t handle the heat (losing), then get out of the kitchen (room where you’re playing board games).

fun,” I will lay out my case with an anecdotal tale with a moral.

In my first year I was playing Monopoly with my flatmates (terrible idea, not even the strongest friendships survive this game) when someone landed on my property and had to pay a hefty amount of Monopoly dosh.

She flat out refused to pay me (angered by my extravagant and allconsuming Monopoly empire which

I had now built, no doubt), and I in turn refused to take my go until she did so. We entered a stalemate where neither of us backed down which eventually led to a swift end to a perfectly good game.

Now in hindsight, maybe I was a tad stubborn, but if she had obeyed the rules of the game then we could have seen off what we started instead of resulting to this childish strop.

“Being a bad loser is usually the cause of cheating” All in all, I want you to have a lovely Christmas, dear reader.

But if you see your uncle looking suspicious when playing Buckaroo or your gran feigning ignorance while playing poker, make sure you give them a stern talking to. Albeit it in a Christmassy and jolly way, of course.

It’s time to appreciate our traditions Photo: Angelo Amboldi, Flickr

Heating On Vs Heating Off The timely debate that raises temperatures in all our homes, or not...

Gwennan Holt turns the heat up I’m not quite sure how this debate is still going on. Look, being a university student during the winter is a difficult enough as it is, there’s a deadline waiting around every corner, you’re desperately trying to get into the Christmas spirit, you’ve spent most of your student loan on absolutely nothing, and to top it all off, it’s bloody freezing.

Why would you make things harder on yourself by not having the heating on? Sure, you might pay a bit extra, but surely it’s worth it so you don’t get first degree frostbite in your sleep?

Imagine waking up and not feeling like you need to defrost yourself in the morning like a poorly built Vauxhall Corsa. Coming home after a cold day at uni and being able to actually take off your coat and jumper and still be warm?

Trust me, those extra pennies are worth it.

Tony Allen tells us to put a jumper on Hannah Brown Comment Writer For as long as I can remember, the Christmas period has always been the same. On Christmas Eve, I spend the day baking. Anything from mince pies and cookies, to shortbread and cheese twirls - you name it, I bake it.

“Christmas Eve tradition is something I hold dear to my heart” In the evening, my mum, brother, and I go to the local church for their Christmas Eve service; and then we have a takeaway with our next-door neighbours. On Christmas Day, my brother and I open our Christmas stockings on our parents’ bed, cups of tea and cat

abound. We have a toast of mulled wine at 11am with grandparents and aunts, we have brunch, we have Christmas dinner, we have presents, we have cheese and biscuits for dinner, and at about 11pm, we all go to bed.

Despite the fact that our routine has been the same ever since my childhood, I look forward to Christmas more than anything every year. It is a time when my family, friends, and I are happy; where good smells are abundant, and where traditions are vital.

Whilst you may be thinking that I am talking about traditions such as a Christmas church service, or Christmas dinner having to include Yorkshire puddings (which, by the way, I am), I am mainly talking about the traditions we all hold dear to us; the traditions our families value the most. For some reason, the 11am toast is one that our family has upheld since my grandad’s childhood. Even when I was

underage I would still toast with a glass of apple juice.

Our Christmas Eve tradition is something I hold dear to my heart; it’s the day before the rush of Christmas, a day where I can relax and make the foods we will enjoy over Christmas, and a time where we can be together as a family.

“I look forward to Christmas more than anything”

Whilst there are some traditions that everyone follows, for me, I prefer the ones that vary from family to family.

Everyone views Christmas differently and I think that is what makes it so special. Traditions are something which people hold dear to their hearts, and something which draws people closer, and for that reason, I will continue to uphold

It seems, when it comes to our student houses, some like it hot.

If that’s your thing, then great, but there are many, many merits to keeping that boiler turned down.

It’s far cheaper, provides less of a shock when you finally work up the will to go outside and allows you to flaunt your favourite cosy Christmas knits around the house.

Furthermore, isn’t a hot house almost always slightly too warm?

I’d say it’s far worse waking up in the middle of the night with a parched throat, feeling like you need to drink a small reservoir, than being a bit chilly.

At the risk of sounding like Scrooge - put another jumper on.

Humbug to feeling like you’ve woken up in the Sahara, and humbug to receiving a nasty energy bill after the festivities are over - you thermostat busters certainly won’t have that warm feeling then.

Photo Credit: (Above) Debi Geroux, PublicDomainPictures

18

5th December 2017

Science

2

Californian man intends to prove his theory that the Earth Environmentalists call for plastic tax AisCalifornian man blasts flat by launching himself 1,800 feet high on Saturday in a home-built rocket. off in homemade rocket Image: NOAA Marine Debris Program

aerodynamics dynamics Mike Hughes,anda fluid 61-year-old and how things move through the limo driver,theclaims 500 air, about certainthat size his of rocket

Sophie Christian Science Writer

nozzles, and thrust. But that’s not A Californian man intends to prove science, that’s just a formula. his theory that the Earth is flat by “There’s no difference between launching himself 1,800 feet high on science and science fiction.”

Saturday in a through home-builtthe rocket. mph flight Mojave Mike Hughes, a 61-year-old desert is the beginning limo driver, claims that his 500 of mphhis flight throughspace the Mojave desert flat-Earth programme, is the beginning of his flat-Earth sponsored

by Research Flat space programme, sponsored by Research Flat Earth.

Earth.

Hughes is determined to launch himself miles above the Earth and capture isphotographic Hughes determined evidence to launch revealing that the Earth is flat. himself miles above the Earth He stated at a fundraising and capture eviinterview with photographic a flat-Earth group: “It will shut the door on this ball not theatfirst time Hughes dence revealing that the Earth is flat.This Heisstated a fundraising Earth,” proving that astronauts lied has invested in rocket science, as interview with he a flat-Earth about the shape of the Earth. built his first rocket in 2014 and The steam-powered rocket flew a quarter of a mile in Arizona, is constructed from scrap metal despite it leaving him injured. parts in his garage and has cost However, this experiment was approximately £14,911.70 ($20,000). based on round-Earth technology, This includes Hughes buying the Washington Post reported. a motor home from Craigslist that was converted a ramp.

Images: Pixabay: proving that asgroup: “It willinto shut the door on this ball Earth”, “I don’t believe in science,” MWDesignCologne, tronauts lied about the shape of the Earth.

Hughes stated. “I FreeStockPhotos know about

“There’s no difference between science and science fiction”

Sean Bennett Science Writer In response to calls from a number of environmental charities, Chancellor Phillip Hammond has announced that the government will consider introducing taxation on a significant number of single-use packaging types.

Following the successful implementation of a 5p charge on plastic bags in 2015 which propped an 85 percent fall in use, a four week consultation on a deposit return scheme for bottles has ended this week with a report due to follow soon.

Calls have been made for 30p to be added to plastic bottles of volume 500ml or more, and 15p to be added to those of volume below.

The added value would be returned to the customer once the bottles had been deposited for recycling, similar to systems found in other countries, such as Germany.

Disposable cups for hot drinks will also be targeted with a 5p tax in an effort to increase the recycling of them by more than 90 per cent.

“Calls have been made for 30p to be added to plastic bottles”

During his announcement of the possible changes, Chancellor Hammond noted that "Audiences across the country, glued to Blue Planet II, have been starkly reminded of the problems of plastics pollution. The UK led the world on climate change agreements, and is a pioneer in protecting marine environments... Now I want us to become a world leader in tackling

2017

UEA Marrow supports stem cell research break-

in

science

the scourge of plastic, littering our planet and our oceans.”

With over 300 million tons of plastic produced worldwide every year, it is without a doubt a tall order.

Many plastics are extremely difficult to recycle, and with only 12 percent of waste being recycled as it stands, the path to a litter free world is paved with many a challenge.

Calls have been made for the most harmful plastics to be banned from use in manufacturing in favour of more environmentally friendly packaging solutions.

In response to the announcement from the Chancellor, Llewwlyn Lowen, Scientific Officer at the RSPCA, said to The Telegraph, “We warmly welcome this first step towards plugging our plastic pollution problem... Despite initial concerns, plastic bag charges have had little impact on our pockets but a big impact on the environment, and throwaway plastic charges would do the same.”

through Photo: Pixabay: JCrane and UEA Marrow

Concrete works with The Forum’s Young Communications

Best quote

“Irma could be coincidence, but Jose following behind has to be climate change in action”

Team on the Norwich Science Festival

Best headline

“Unbeelievable insects”

The steam-powered rocket is con-

structed

from

Images: Pixabay: MWDesignCologne, FreeStockPhotos

Squirrels help stroke patients Caitlin Vance Science Writer Research published in The FASEB Journal revealed how a cellular process during squirrels’ hibernations could prevent brain damage.

A protective stage present in hibernation results in squirrels suffering no consequences from reduced blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Researchers discovered that a cellular process, named SUMOlyation, is responsible for protecting the cells of squirrels when they hibernate.

When SUMOlyation is combined with the enzyme ebselen the process is boosted.

Ebselen has been proven to improve the longevity of cells following deprivation of blood and oxygen.

Scientists from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) are particularly interested in the cellular changes squirrels experience.

Creating a drug which replicates

the process could prevent brain damage in stroke patients. Professor Francesca Bosetti, program director at NINDS, reflected positively on the research following decades of limited advancement in stroke therapy.

She stated, “If the compound identified in this study successfully reduces tissue death, and improves recovery in further experiments, it could lead to new approaches preserving brain cells after an ischemic stroke.”

It is estimated that 100,000 people suffer strokes a year in Britain with 85 percent of cases reported as ischemic.

Ischemic strokes are problematic as a blockage or clot severs the blood supply to the brain causing cells to die; frequently this results in paralysis and speech problems.

The only treatment available requires the removal of the clot to minimise further cell death.

Currently, 1.2 m people in the UK live with after-effects caused by stroke-related incidents.

19

5th December 2017

Injection could cure MS Coffee consumption

reduces mortality rate with an increased risk of fractures, concluding that “excluding pregnancy and women at risk of Drinking coffee is “more likely to fracture, coffee drinking appears benefit health than harm” according safe within the usual patterns of to a new umbrella study. consumption,” and that they “call The conclusion, published in for robust randomised controlled the British Medical Journal, was trials to understand whether the key the compiled result of over 200 observed associations are casual.” previously conducted studies on the Providing clarity to the study, subject, which included data from he stated that doctors shouldn’t both observational research and recommend drinking coffee for clinical trials. health reasons, and that people The study found that drinking shouldn’t start drinking coffee for 3-4 cups of coffee a day appears health benefits, as the effects. to reduce the risk of a variety of Professor Eliseo Guallar, who health problems, including higher authored the study’s editorial consumption correlating with an argued that “coffee consumption 18 percent reduced risk of cancer seems generally safe… but hold than lower consumption as well the cake,” in reference to the types as a “beneficial association” with of food associated with drinking gallstones, gout, and diabetes among coffee, which could have negative other conditions.

Additionally, effects. the study found links between The results of the study are not coffee drinking and lower rates of being treated as conclusive, with neurological conditions, such as further calls to expand the results Alzheimer’s disease and depression. already coming out as a response.

The effects were not reciprocated to However Professor Guallar the same degree for decaffeinated added the final remark that “even coffee, but there were still notable with these caveats, moderate coffee associated benefits. These benefits consumption seems remarkably were not extended to certain groups, Photo: safe, and JeffitVanuga, can be incorporated Wikimediaas with the authors of the study noting part of a healthy diet by most of the that pregnant women and people adult population.”

Jack Ashton Science Writer

Photo: Pixabay: Frolicsomepl Beth Papworth Science Editor In a recent medical trial to test a revolutionary stem cell treatment for MS, Mark Lewis, libel and privacy lawyer, was formally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, aged 24.

The experiment was used with 48 patients at Hadassah University Medical Centre in Jerusalem.

Carried out by Professor Dimitrios Karussis, the trial involves taking stem cells from a patient, fixing the defect thought to cause MS and then injecting the cells back into the patient. During the trial, each patient receives two injections, although it is not known by the patient or doctor if it is a placebo or

the real treatment.

When Lewis received his first injection, the procedure did not go as smoothly as planned. He said: “It was honestly the most painful thing I’ve ever done. On film, the footage is edited down from over an hour of injection after injection.”

“After the injection, Lewis’ mobility dramatically improved” Just two hours after the first injection, Lewis had improved his

mobility in his legs and was able to shake his right hand, a gesture he claims is “something he would never have done.”

He added, “Although Jerusalem is pretty good at miracles, I believe this is all to do with the treatment.”

Lewis was able to walk without holding onto the walls or any other object. Nevertheless, there is still little doubt in Lewis’ mind that it produced “a wonderful effect.”

Although the effects have worn off, there is still noticeable improvement. The “wasp sting” sensation in his wrist that Lewis lived with for 24 years has completely disappeared. Lewis believes that there is a cure for MS and this clinical trial is evidence to suggest that this could be a revolutionary cure for the degenerative condition.

this year uea and the SU are giving you the opportunity to do something different every day

this week is the

12 days of different

mon: bar(su) presents: christmas cocktails Tue: uea christmas market wed: music soc presents: christmas showcase

something

different

thu: baking soc presents: gingerbread house making fri: vegan soc presents: vegan festive feast

fInd out more: ueadifferent.com

Travel

20

5th December 2017

Christmas around the world Denmark

Singapore

Hygge is a Danish word, though hard to translate into English, which is centered on the Danes' love of life’s simple pleasures.

From friends and family, to the content, cosey feeling of being sat in front of a roaring fire in the winter; anyone who has made the three hour trip across the North Sea would have left without a doubt as to the meaning of the word. Hygge truly is something you can only feel once you’re in Denmark, more specifically Copenhagen, and even better than that, Copenhagen at Christmas time.

Denmark may not be known for having the best weather, especially during the winter; however a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine at one of the many Christmas markets scattered across Copenhagen is sure to warm you up.

Talking of markets, a trip to the Danish capital during the month of December would not be complete without a visit to the Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli, the second oldest theme park in the world offers far more than your average day out to Alton Towers.

It is easy to see why the park has become cemented in Denmark’s Christmas traditions. From its spectacular lights show to the seemingly endless array of fairy lights, Tivoli is joy for everyone young and old.

Christmas may have originated in Europe, but it is pretty much celebrated globally now, even in Asia. Singapore is one example of an Asian country that is extremely enthusiastic about celebrating the festive season. All you have to do to find this out is take a stroll down one of their most famous streets, Orchard Road. Orchard Rd is an area that's brimming with several modern shopping malls, and it certainly becomes even more impressive during the Christmas season. Huge light displays line the roads, giant baubles hang from the roadside trees, and incredibly tall Christmas trees can be found at every corner, all flashing with colourful lights.

Staying true to its image of a competitive country, Singapore has a competiton in Orchard Road for the best decorated mall during Christmas season.

The result of this competition is a road full of buildings that are extensively decorated, usually with their own theme within the general Christmas vibe. It's honestly pretty impressive, and everyone loves taking pictures there during Christmas! Besides, who doesn't love heading to the mall for Christmas sales?

Belgium I arrived in the capital of Belgium two days after Christmas Day, meaning the Christmas season was still going strong.

Brussels was very multicultural, I only had to wander through the busiest Christmas market in Grand Place to see that.

The well-preserved gilded buildings rightfully earned Grand Place UNESCO World Heritage site status. Stalls offered fresh mussels, Belgian fries and Belgian waffles, all against a backdrop of the beautifully lit up Brussels Town Hall. I had the pleasure of introducing my travel companion to Godiva, a Belgian chocolate company.

Needless to say, the food was incredible! During our hunt for Mannequin Pis, an appropriately named boy shaped-fountain that looks like it's peeing, we chanced upon a massive crowd.

The surrounding buildings were flashing in time with a song being played on loudspeaker.

The sound and light show was totally exhilarating (this year Sia’s Christmas album was played!)

Disneyland Paris The Christmas period is a magical time, when everybody can go back to their childhood and believe in fairytales. So why not to spend it in a fantasyland? To tell the truth, it is not as unrealistic as it seems.

Just imagine colourful lights, Christmas songs, parades and even a little bit of miracle with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. All these are waiting for you in Disneyland.

My little journey to Paris last year ended up with the most spectacular Christmas show in front of the famous Disney Castle. Live Frozen characters illuminate the castle and create a tale accompanied by fireworks.

Spectacular Parade with Santa in his sleigh and all the Disney characters dressed up in their festive provide the visitors with unforgettable moments.

The giant Christmas tree, the sound of sleigh bells, hot chocolate and sing-along shows are there to make your holidays sparkle. The season starts in November and ends the beginning of January. Do not miss out!

Netherlands

Finland

Exploring the world during Christmas is probably one of the best way to really submerge your self in the culture and traditions of that country. In The Netherlands Christmas its self is not celebrated as obviously as Sinterklas, celebrated on the 5th of December. Sinterklas arrives by sea and parades through the cities of Holland on his white horse. However on Christmas Day there is plenty to do. You could go ice skating, and then treat yourself to a hot chocolate and savoury pancakes by the Dam (Amsterdam).

You could also visit one of the many winter themed parks such as Efteling (personal favourite) , a theme park all about classic fairy tales, and celebrate Christmas in a Winter Wonderland. It is a truly magical experience which includes winter attractions, bonfires, fairy lights and even a Christmas meal. It all feels like fairy tale town during Christmas. What could be better than that?

Christmas tends to show every city in its best light, however there is one part of the world that lives almost exclusively for this holiday period. In the northernmost region of Finland, Lapland has a population smaller than Norwich, but they can boast one exceptionally famous resident who goes by the name of Mr. Claus.

Those who brave the freezing temperatures are rewarded with a true wonderland. Reindeer accompany visitors through the ever thick snow before the northern lights illuminate the night sky. A seemingly never-ending collection of tiny villages across a vast region all offer tourists a slightly different experience, but all follow the general pattern of roaring fires and friendly welcomes in a deeply traditional setting.

Neither Ebenezer Scrooge nor The Grinch could resist the wholly authentic magic of this place. Grab the gloves and throw on your warmest hat, things are going to get chilly.

Germany Aside from the plethora of spiced sweets, such as Lebkuchen, and the magical Christmas markets that appear in every city, there are a number of German holiday traditions that may be less known to the rest of the world.

On the evening of 5 December, you will find that many in the German-speaking world will be preparing for Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas Day). The traditions vary, but some will polish their shoes before laying them outside of their bedroom doors. On the morning on Nikolaustag (6 December), they will awake to find their shoes stuffed with small gifts and treats.

Then - Christmas Eve. Presents are exchanged in Germany and with real candles lit on the tree (it’s not as dangerous as it sounds, don’t worry!)

The room dances with soft orange light. Families often dress up smart for the evening before eating a nice meal together and exchanging gifts after darkness has fallen.

Finally, on Christmas Day the food of choice is usually goose. In much the same way as in the UK, families will gather for an enormous lunch before spending the rest of the day complaining that they ate too much.

Travel writers Daniel Cook, Daniela Sanabria, Tatjana Greciuk, Daniel Peters, Sean Bennet, Beverly Devakishen and Swathi Kumar on their winter wonderlands Megan Furr

21

5th December 2017

Winter Wonderland or wonder-lost?

Roo Pitt Travel Writer

Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland has opened its doors once again, but is it as magical as you're lead to believe?

Set in the majestic backdrop of one of London’s Royal Parks, the Winter Wonderland experience returns year on year, bringing an assortment of festive activities to entice you into the park.

"The atmosphere is great but it is overrated and overpriced"

Photo: Beverly Deviakshen Of course, at Norwich you also wont have the travel costs and can enjoy the local sights, such as the illuminations and local eateries galore.

Alternatives to trekking all the way to the capital for a Christmassy experience are easy to find, with north Norfolk’s seaside town Cromer being highly rated for

shopping during the festive period.

Even closer, Norwich BID have put together another incredible display of Christmas lights for us to enjoy in this fine city, with an award winning

Courtesy Taxis Store this number in your mobile NOW!

01603

44 66 44

FIND US ON PRINCE OF WALES ROAD 24HR SERVICE • NO INCREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT, 6,7 & 8 SEATER MINIBUSES AVAILABLE e • sa em

Photo: Rosie Burgoyne

r taxi sch fe

me • sa he

www.courtesytaxis.com

r taxi sc fe

Entry to the park is free.

However, everything you’ll find once inside is far from it. Food is overpriced and inadequately portioned to supress your appetite.

Most of the experiences can be found elsewhere, for better value.

An example of this is, ice skating.

At Winter Wonderland it will set a student back £13.50, compared to £9 for ice skating at the Castle in Norwich.

Tunnel of Light as its centrepiece! 45 metres long, it comprises of 50,000 pulsating LEDs, and it is certainly a spectical not to be missed!

Some students have previously been drawn in by the promise of wonder and amazement. Emma Kurton said: “I’ve been to Winter Wonderland a few times. The atmosphere is great, but it is overrated and overpriced.” This has been echoed by many.

Winter Wonderland claim to have over 400 stalls in their Christmas Market, but once you've seen ten of them, you've seen them all.

You'll be hard pressed to find anything truly original or even on some stalls anything Christmassy.

There is of course a fun fair where you can exchange money for tokens for overpriced rides and play games for the chance to take home a stuffed animal.

So, if you happen to find yourself in London sometime between now and 1 January, it may be worth strolling around Hyde Park and soaking up the festive atmosphere of the Wonderland.

However, I would urge you not to plan a trip based around this alone.

Photo: Beverly Deviakshen

5th December 2017

22

Sport

Basketball get their head in the game at Lincoln was coming out to defend Silke put up the shot - the three point shot was a success, but her celebration was what topped off the play!

The player of the game went to Giulia, who was outstanding on both offence and defence, totting up 23 points.

Amy Choi Sports Writer Women’s basketball faced the University of Lincoln in the first round of the BUCS cup, looking to make it into the quarter finals and continue their 7-game winning streak.

Undefeated in both BUCS and Norfolk Local League, their morale was high going into the game, despite only having six players being able to travel.

The first quarter started with some easy buckets, getting UEA a quick lead that set a mark for the rest of the game.

Rhéanna Maitland, starting rookie for the team, scored six points in the quarter and was decisive on defence with her rebounds. Maitland’s six added to UEA’s score of 17, to Lincoln’s seven in the first quarter.

“The first quarter set off with some easy buckets” The second quarter began with several fast-break plays, with Amy Choi getting some easy assists to Giulia Corsetti-Antonini and

“At the half UEA were up 3815 and ... they continued their strong defence and offence”

from the three point line which she has practiced to perfection in training.

Coming up the court, Giulia called the play which followed

by Hana setting a screen on the top defender. Silke set herself in position behind her Hana and was passed the ball. As a Lincoln player

However, unselfish play won UEA the game, with everyone making smart decisions to play to each other’s strengths.

Lincoln were held to less than 10 points each quarter with the biggest difference being a 27 to 7 point fourth quarter, proving UEA’s stamina and resilience to the last whistle.

The final score was 84 – 29, a stunning victory to make it 8 and 0 in the season – an amazing start to the year which they hope to continue throughout the season.

PB by over a minute, 54:56. Michael ducked under the magic hour with 59:47.

The team enjoyed seeing alumnus and ex-president Tom Huband, who was racing in the proto-col Chilly Duathlon before the first BUCS wave set off. He came 10th overall with 6th fastest bike time (again!).

UEA set off back to campus, stopping off for a debrief at the usual

South Mimms services. The team would like to give special thanks minibus and van drivers Simon Brown (also chief mechanic) and Katie Houston, car drivers Bethany Plummer and Nancy Connolly also, kudos and thanks to alumnus Dr Dave Chesterman who drove down after a long shift to cheer us on and grab some great GoPro footage.

As always, UEA will be back again next year.

Photo: Barry Ford Saori Furukawa. Giulia and Saori shone from the 3-point line, taking advantage of Lincoln’s defence who were slow to get out to UEA’s shots. Saori made some great steals, anticipating the pass and making easy lay ups on the offensive end.

At the half UEA were up 38 – 15 and, looking to build on this, they

continued their strong defence and offence. Hana Sztepanov’s hustle gained UEA rebounds on both ends of the court, which she then translated into several points, scoring 22 overall in the game.

The offensive play of the game was drawn up by UEA’s coach, Barry Ford, to play to Silke Arets’ strength

Personal bests for UEA duathletes Caolan Stowe Sport Reporter

BUCS Duathlon – the biggest runbike-run event on our race calendar each year - is a two-mile run, tenmile cycle, followed by a final twomile run to the finish. This year UEA Duathlon took twenty triathletes to race at Castle Combe circuit, an equal spread of ten men and ten women. Fearing the worst as the minibus was pelted with rain along the M4 on Saturday, conditions were surprisingly mild on by the time the first wave set off just after 1pm the next day, cold but dry and bright.

All of the UEA competitors did exceptionally well, some brilliant first-time results and lots of PBs for returning duathletes.

Bikes racked in transition, warm outer layers stripped off and lastminute fuel in the form of Go Native energy bars taken on board, UEA were ready to race.

First up were the elite men (Jake Brockwell, Matt Floyd, James McLean, and Caolan Stowe), with Brockwell sprinting a 5:08 first mile, pushing ahead of other UEA participants. Floyd made up some time in T1 then managed to pass Jake on the bike. Meanwhile Brockwell and I were battling for third UEA male on the bike, where Brockwell managed to make up lost time on the first run to come steaming past a large chunk of the field.

Onto the final two-mile run, Brockwell managed to push on and get past Floyd – both deep in the pain cave by this time. Brockwell crossed the line in a time of 45:19.7 putting him in 52nd place, with Floyd only five seconds behind in 53rd.

As I racked my bike in transition, I could see James McLean disappear around the corner. The few seconds I managed to gain on the second run weren’t enough to catch up with the Irish powerhouse, who crossed the line in 49:30, thirty-six seconds ahead of my newly set PB. Whilst the elite men were pounding the pavement in the final leg of the race, the elite women set off: Hannah Bye, Abby Carter, Nancy Connolly, Daisy Donaldson, Bethany Plummer, Holly Prentice, Lydia Felton, and Katie Houston.

Bye was fastest UEA woman in all three legs, with a time of 51:10.1 earning her an impressive 19th place in a very competitive field.

After the first run, Connolly was the second UEA elite woman, with just over a minute on Carter in third at this point.

Carter’s impressive bike split of 25:56 allowed her to overtake Connolly before they both hurtled into the final run. Connolly made up some time over the two miles, coming in 54 seconds after Carter finished with 56:01.

The final mixed wave set off at 2:30pm, with plenty of athletes representing UEA Tri: Ollie Tooth,

Photo: Simon Brown Michael Michaelides, Henryk Haniewicz, Fufu Fang, Peter McCarthy, Georgia Penrose, Pat Niyomsilp, and Kelly Phillips.

Tooth led the way from the gun, Michaelides hot on his tail coming into T1 just 4 seconds behind. Tooth managed to pull away on the bike putting him in a great position as he dismounted and headed into T2.

Hampered by a stitch on the second run, he still managed to smash his

5th December 2017

23

This Girl Can comes to UEA This week proved to be a success, particularly during the open evening on Thursday 23 November, which saw 200 individual attendees.

Sophie Christian Sport Editor

Last week saw This Girl Can take over UEA, where sport clubs organised a range of activities for female students to participate in, aiming to encourage and empower women to be active in sport.

This Girl Can is a campaign that was created by Sport England in response to their research, revealing that two million fewer 14-40 year old women participate in sport because they fear judgement, despite 75 percent admitting they want to be more active.

Sport England states that This Girl Can is “the first of campaign of its kind to feature women who sweat and jiggle as they exercise.

“It seeks to tell the real story of women who play sport by using images that are the complete opposite of the idealised and stylised images of women that we are used to seeing.”

Léa Denley, a former UEA student who now leads on This Girl Can for Suffolk Sport, stated: “The This Girl Can campaign is great because it celebrates all the active females who are taking part in sport and physical across the UK. We are often very critical of our bodies, and the campaign encourages females of all sizes that we should not care about how well we do it or how red

Photo: Tasha Illife our faces get.

“We should not compare ourselves to the perfect images we are so used to seeing in adverts and on social media (Instagram is especially bad for this).”

She continued: “I love how the campaign uses a variety of different body shapes, ethnic backgrounds and sports as no two females are the same and we should celebrate our uniqueness. We need to create supportive environments in exercise settings and online where females should be able to be active without

the fear of judgement, and help each other out to break down the variety of barriers we face. I will continue to supportive this campaign as I feel that everyone female should be able to access the variety of benefits that physical activity and sport has on our mind and body.”

Georgina Graham, Women’s BUCS Captain for UEA Tennis, reflected on the campaign after a successful session which the club hosted on Monday.

“Girls have always been underrepresented in the sporting

world, and by running these all girl sessions, it eases women into the sport without feeling intimidated.”

She added: “Our tennis session this year had a great turnout with lots of new faces.”

Amy Choi, President of Women’s Basketball, added to the campaign’st praises.

She told Concrete: “At UEA it has been a great success with so many sports getting behind it, so Women’s Basketball were grateful t o be a part of such a meaningful campaign.”

“It seeks to tell the real story of women who play sport by using images that are the complete opposite of the idealised images of women that we are used to seeing” Commenting on the week, SU Activities and Opportunities Officer Camille Koosyial said: “In partnership with uea+sport, the Sports Park and our amazing sports clubs, This UEA Girl Can week was full of activities.

“I’m thrilled so many women took the opportunity to get involved - with a big thanks to the clubs and volunteers that made it happen.”

Tony Allen comments on safe standing After the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, where 96 Liverpool fans were tragically crushed to death, the Taylor Report and subsequent Football Spectators Act mandated all teams in the top two divisions of English football to have all-seated stadia.

This draconian rule continues today, sapping the atmosphere out of our stadia. New clubs promoted into the second tier (now the Championship) have three years to convert their stadium or have their terraces closed, and clubs with any ambition building a new stadium naturally make it all-seated. Fans sitting down are quieter and it feels like you’re observing an event from afar rather than stood on your feet taking part in it. Furthermore, what we have at the moment is an inconsistent culture where away fans especially will stand in seated areas where possible, unless a particularly strict set of stewards lay down the law early. I’ve been to so many matches where the only time I’ve folded down my seat was to rest my legs at half time.

With a small plastic tripping hazard in front, it is so easy for someone to fall forward into the next row, potentially creating a domino effect. Here, seating creates an unsafe situation which puts fans at risk and inflames tensions if and when they are told to sit sometimes

well into the game.

But there is a clear solution.

Rail seating provides a bar in front of every row to prevent crowd surging, with a seat which can be unlocked by ground staff when regulations dictate an all-seater stadium is necessary. Tickets can be allocated for a particular standing space or small area. This is far safer than the current norm of standing in seated areas.

Furthermore, research has shown that with safe standing, more fans can be accommodated in the same space, which will help our clubs’ revenues and allow even more fans in to watch the biggest games.

Of course, no fan would be forced to stand at a match. In Germany, where Bundesliga clubs have been some of the pioneers of safe standing technologies, seats generally cost more, are usually in the prime viewing areas of the stadium and constitute the vast majority of fan areas.

Safe standing is in no way a blight on the memory of the 96 Liverpool fans who tragically lost their lives, as has been suggested. Even some of their families have come out in support, correctly identifying that the deaths of their loved ones were caused by failure to count fans in and a catalogue of policing, planning and infrastructural faults,

not the fact they were standing.

Four-fifths of Norwich fans surveyed recently by the Evening News were in favour of safe standing. An even higher proportion of Liverpool fans surveyed said the same.

“Rail seating provides a bar in front of every row to prevent crowd surging” Time will tell if Norwich City’s German revolution will work on the pitch. Off it, there is a growing consensus Carrow Road should join the list of stadia looking to follow in the footsteps of their state-ofthe-art European counterparts and install rail seats.

Celtic blazed a trail as the first British club to install rail seating last year, because Scottish league matches do not fall under the Football Supporters Act or UEFA regulations which prevent standing areas.

The more clubs that follow the Glaswegians’ lead, the sooner football’s governing bodies might realise it’s no longer a choice between buzzing atmospheres and safety. Rail seating can give us both.

Optiknv, Wikimedia

Canary Corner: what’s up at Carrow Road?

In the recent Norwich City v Preston North End game, NCFC fan David “Spud” Thornhill found himself faced with the opportunity of a lifetime. At the 83rd minute, Mark Jones, one of the linesmen, found himself suddenly struck by injury, meaning the fourth official, Andy Davies, had to take over the now vacant position.

With no substitution for Mr Davies, this left referee Tim Robinson with a difficult decision. Robinson had even called the players of both teams in, with the consideration of stopping the match if emergency cover could not be found.

Luckily for Norwich City fans a hero waited in the wings. One of, their very own, Spud, rose to the occasion and saved the game. As a qualified referee who officiates for local games, Mr Thornhill was able to step in, enabling play to continue. After a quick change and a briefing from the referee, Spud was ready to take his position centre stage. Just moments later, like a true professional, he raised the LED board for all at Carrow Road to see,

displaying at least 10 additional minutes of play.

You could say that this experience has been something of an early Christmas present for the lifelong Norwich City fan, who has been attending matches since his first experience of a home game in 1982. Spud boasts a collection of every Norwich City matchday programme, home and away, from 1971 to present day, and has dedicated an entire room of his house to memorabilia. He appears to have been thoroughly overwhelmed by the whole episode attracting attention from both local and national media.

Suffice to say, Mr Thornhill may think he was the lucky one that day.

However, it would appear that we are the lucky ones, for the faithful 'Spud' has won over the hearts of many, embodying the true meaning of sportsmanship by not letting the match end prematurely. As Norwich City Football Club said in a tweet later that day "Always bring your boots, eh?" You'll never know when you need them!

Roo Pitt

24

5th December 2017

Sport

LGBT+ players celebrated Sophie Christian Sports Editor UEA SU’s LGBT+ officers teamed up with UEA sport clubs to host Sports Night Does Colours. The event aimed to show support and appreciation for LGBT+ athletes at UEA. The Sports Night was made particularly special as it was hosted in the LCR instead of the Blue Bar, which boasted face painting and two inflatables for students who had not already had enough of an adrenaline kick on the BUCS Wednesday. Students made a huge effort to show their support, with rainbow laces and glitter being the most prominent additions to students’ outfits.

Rhys Barton, social secretary for UEA Tennis and a second year Law student, said: “Colours, from the meaning behind the night, to its execution, was a raging success.

Falling at a critical time for LGBT+ rights internationally, following Australia’s recent referendum, UEA showed itself once more to be an accepting environment for people of all sexual and gender identities to openly express themselves without limits.”

Last week, Concrete reported that a few members of sport teams booed when the announcement of the themed night was made at a previous Sports Night. Clubs condemned homophobia on social media following the incident.

However, the attitude of a minority did not stop the night from being a widely-enjoyed success.

Ben Place, President of UEA Tennis and third year PE student, said: “As a tennis club, we held a social for the event and had around 30-40 members turn up which shows just how behind the LGBT+ society we are. Within the club, we have several LGBT+ members and I know it meant an awful lot to them to know that there was so much support for them, and of course it led to a fantastic night overall.”

Oliver Varco, President of UEA Squash, weighed in on how he felt the event went. He said: “I think the

event was a massive success and I’ve never seen the LCR so packed.

It was great to see so many of the sports clubs out in the support of the LGBT+ community, especially after what happened the other week.”

“Everyone should feel comfortable being their authentic selves” Amy Choi, President of UEA Women’s Basketball, stated: “Women’s basketball strongly supports the LGBT+ community and we were so glad when we heard that Sports Night were doing a collaboration with UEA Pride.

Obviously, some people at Sports Night in the previous week did not have the same feelings and voiced their opinions in the worst way, proving that in certain areas of life the LGBT+ community are still stigmatised. Everyone should feel comfortable being their authentic selves and this should not change for sports. There is a desperate need not only to cut out outward homophobic behaviour, but also offhanded comments that people might not think twice about.”

She continued: “Committee members have an important role here, since they not only need to be examples to the rest of the club, but also need to make sure that if derogatory comments are made, then these are addressed straight away. It saddens me to think that UEA Sport’s reputation could be tarnished because of a small minority of athletes acting in a homophobic manner. I pride myself on being part of a sports team at UEA and everyone should be able to feel this way.”

Charlie Albuery, Publicity

Photo: Sylvie Tan

Photo: Charlotte Jones Secretary for Lacrosse, said: “We had a great time! It seemed like a big success and it is always nice to see new faces getting involved with UEA Sport. We’re of the opinion that there is no reason that members of the LGBT+ community

should not be as welcome to play sport as anybody else; and any steps that can be taken to make that clear as possible at UEA is a great thing.”

The women’s rugby team added to the night’s plaudits. 1st team captain, Joely Sockett said: “It was

a great atmosophere, friendly, inclusive and welcoming. It’s important that there is no stigma in sport.”

Similarly, the president Sophie Sibley said it was the “best sports nights of the year.”

Women’s football defeat Nottingham Trent Charlotte Jones Sport Reporter Conditions on the day were not ideal, with a heavy down pitch wind, an unexpected 3G pitch, and only 13 players with no roll on roll off, it seemed UEA would be struggling against the full team that Trent 3s had brought.

Having lost the captain’s toss up,

UEA kicked off, fighting the wind for the first half.

Neither team made much of an impact with Trent having a few long range shots that were easily scooped up by UEA. Having held their ground despite the wind, UEA went back in after half time at 0-0, making a substitute and bringing the captain, Powell, into the game.

With the wind behind them, it

wasn’t long before Davis slotted the ball past the keeper bringing the score line to 1-0, and quickly again within ten minutes to 2-0.

Sitting comfortably, UEA continued to sweep up Trent’s offensive wing movements.

Carver and Atkinson worked well together to cut out their attempts. Stanley bought the score up to 3-0, and would have again to 4-0.

However they were caught by the linesman with a dubious offside call. With Trent’s heads down, UEA kept the ball in the opposition’s half for the majority of the last ten minutes, with Riggall, Powell and Guyatt creating some fast pace passing movements upfield.

Guyatt scored an impressive long range shot in the last ten minutes, making the final score 4-0 and earning herself Player of the

Match.

The 4-0 win for UEA will take them to the BUCs Midlands Conference Cup Quarter Finals, against rivals, Oxford, in February.

Having faced Oxford twice in the BUCS league, and lost both matches, UEA hope their experience playing Oxford previously will help them finally get a win that will take them to the semi-finals.