Issue 752- 13 December 2023

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The UK’s Best Student Publication

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ISSUE 752 13 DEC 2023 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

Guild election nominations open Image: University of Exeter, Students’ Guild

Exclusive: in conversaton with Jeremy Corbyn Page 8

Livvy Mason-Myhill and Joshua Smith Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor

Review: Dick Whittington at the Northcott Page 18

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HE nominations for the Student Elections 2024 are now open. The roles up for election are Guild President, Education Officer, Student Living Officer, Societies and Employability Officer, Communities and Equality Officer, and AU Sports President. The applications are open till the 10th January, with candidates set to be announced on the 17th.

Voting then opens on the 29th January, and closes on the 1st February, with the results announced on the 2nd.

The Students’ Guild is the student’s union for Exeter students. They are the recognised representative channel between students and the University and their role is to provide social, cultural, sporting, and recreational activities and forums for discussions and debate for the personal development of its students. This can take the form of promoting the interests and welfare of students at the University, and

representing, supporting, and advising students. In practical terms, this means that they are the point of contact for independent, impartial advice on academic matters such as mitigation, course structure, module selection, or academic tutors; and the organisation through which all societies can register and operate, which means it sets the rules for risk assessments, finances, and elections for societies.

A registered charity, it is an independent non-profit which relies on grants for a large proportion of its income.

Guild officers are full time employees of the Guild who represent all students and influence change across the Guild, University, and City. Previous initiatives and activities full time officers have undertaken include playing a leading role in major campaigns, such as the £2 meal deal campaign, which benefit students; attending national conferences on issues that affect students, such as conferences on safety and attending NUS AGM’s; and the Reference Right campaign to help student correctly reference their work.

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Postgraduate population at Exeter increased by over 50 per cent Charlie Gershinson Deputy Editor

Exeter takes the Big Dip for Movember Page 32

Images (top to bottom): Chris McAndrew, Wikimedia Commons, Lauren Walsh, Anabel Costa-Ferreira Title: (pngimg.com, Basil Fritts, Flickr)

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ATA exclusively obtained by Exeposé through a Freedom of Information request has found a substantial increase in the number of postgraduates studying at the University of Exeter since 2019, among other trends in the student population.

Information showing the total number of students enrolled in each subject at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level has shown a sustained increase in the student population at the University each year since the 2019/20 academic year, most prominently among postgraduate students. In 2019/20, only

4361 students were enrolled in masters courses. This number has increased to 6577 this academic year, an increase of 52 per cent. According to government policy, postgraduate courses are not restricted to a cap on tuition fees, compared to undergraduate courses which are capped at £9250 each year for UK students. For example, a one-year full-time postgraduate course in history will cost £12,000 in the 2024/25 academic year while a masters course in business and management will cost £16,200 (the fees for both examples applying only to UK students).

There have been less drastic increases in the numbers of undergraduate and PhD students. The undergraduate population has increased only by 18 per cent since

2019, or by 3492 students in terms of raw numbers. Doctoral students have meanwhile increased by 23 per cent. Overall, 23 per cent more students are enrolled this year compared to in 2019/20, from 26,014 to 31,928 in terms of raw numbers (overall seen in the bar chart). A spokesperson for the University noted that the current figures for enrolment for the current 2023/24 academic year are provisional.

Viewing subject-by-subject data, the most popular subject has consistently been those taken within the Business School. In 2019/20, 20 per cent of all students took subjects within the School, a percentage which has increased steadily to 23 per cent in 2023/24 with a total of over 7266 students this year. The Business School’s pop-

ularity dwarfs that of all other subjects with the next popular subjects within the medical school, with total enrolment taking up only 43 per cent of the Business School’s numbers in the same year. The next three most popular subjects are social and political sciences, philosophy and anthropology (SPSPA), psychology and the Law School (a total representation for the 2023/24 academic year is seen in the pie chart). Meanwhile, the least popular subject has consistently been within the Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies with an average of around 145 students enrolled at all levels per year. In the 2022/23 academic year, only 95 students were enrolled in the school.

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EXEPOSÉ

Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ Editors Print: Anabel Costa-Ferreira & Livvy Mason-Myhill Online: Jamie Speka & Amelie Thompson Print Deputies: Harry Craig, Charlie Gershinson & Joshua Smith Online Deputies: Ewan Edwards & Megan Haynes editors@exepose.com Executives Finance: Willow Cracknell Social Media: Charlotte Randall Events: James Allen & Kritika Balhotra Welfare: Destiny Walsh News Editors Print: Rosie Batsford & Oliver Lamb Online: Shagnick Bhattacharya & Anna Kane news@exepose.com Features Editors Print: Henry Parker & Benedict Thompson Online: Michelle Chung & Callum Martin features@exepose.com International Editors Print: Josie Sharp Online: Agata Koralewska Comment Editors Print: Lisette Reed & Charlotte Zeyssolff Online: Charlie Oldroyd & Amy Rushton comment@exepose.com Satire Editor Print: Rosie Peters-McDonald Lifestyle Editors Print: Lucy Rawlings & Amberly Wright Online: Emily Roughton & Zoe Sperry lifestyle@exepose.com

Editorial

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E'VE made it through term one and with a few days left, we hope you are all looking forward to the winter break. After a busy few months back we are so grateful to everyone who has contributed to making this such a succesful term for Exeposé and we look forward to seeing what the new year will bring!

In News this week, we focus on the opening of nominations for the Guild elections. We also look at the increase in the postgraduate population in Exeter. In Features, there's an exclusive interview with Jeremy Corbyn (page 8) as well as a discussion of how the autumn statement affected young people (page 9).

In Comment, there's a discussion about Tinder's latest features (page 12) as well as a debate on the effectivness of Secret Santa for gift-giving (page 13), whilst Satire gives us an Exeter wrapped inspired by Spotify (page 14).

In Exhibit, Lifestyle shares experience of the Butterfly effect (page 16) and reflect on lessons from strangers (page 17).

Arts and Lit review the Northcott's Christmas pantomime (page 18), and writers share their favourite Christmas shows (page 19). Music looks at Sabrina Carpenter's new EP (page 20) alongside recommendations for

SPA AWARDS some of the best releases from this year (page 21), and Screen reviews the new film Saltburn (page 22).

Tech looks at recent Amazon strikes on Black Friday (page 24) and Exetera Exetera looks at a recipe for Christmas pancakes (page 26).

Science reports on the government's plans for planting new forests by the end of 2025 (page 29). Sport reflects on the Movember Ultimate Swim Off (page 30) as well as putting forward their candidates for the greatest sportspeople of 2023 (page 31).

As always, it's been another busy press week for us at the Exeposé office!

This time with our annual X-Media Christmas ball, various illnesses (special thanks to Vicks) and trying to convince the rest of the team the release of this issue accidentally coincides with Taylor Swift's birthday...

We hope you enjoy reading this issue and want to say a huge thanks to all our contributors and proofers. We hope everyone has a lovely holiday and takes the time for a well-deserved rest!

2023 Best Publication 2023 Best Publication in the South West Images (top to bottom): :Juliescribbles Wikimedia Commons, Anabel Costa-Ferreira, Gary Spears Pexels, Alex Watson Flickr

COMMENT In the name of swiping right PAGE 12

SATIRE Twas the week before Exemas PAGE 14

LIFESTYLE Christmas traditions PAGE 17

TECH

Livvy and Anabel

British Library hacked PAGE 25 Proofers: Livvy Mason-Myhill, Anabel Costa-Ferreira, Harry Craig, Charlie Gershinson, Joshua Smith, Oliver Lamb, Henry Parker, Lauren Walsh and Eloise Grainger.

Arts + Lit Editors Print: Maddie Conlan & Lauren Walsh Online: Gracie Moore & Violet Berney artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Jake Avery & Scarlett Cracknell Online: Maya Fernandes & George Warburton music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Emily Sara Rizzo & Kayleigh Swart Online: Jess Cadogan & Katie Matthews screen@exepose.com Tech Editor Print: Ewan Gregory & Charlie McCormack Science Editors Print: Eloise Shewring & Hannah Woodley Online: Orla Watson sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Eloiise Grainger & Oliver Rickwood & Ben Scott Online: Mikhail Shklover & Ceri Vaughan-Jones

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editors@exepose.com The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild.

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University news home and abroad Hunt pledges "up to £7m" New rules enable indebted Oxford Brookes scraps music department before US students to access to tackle antisemitism in opening concert hall college records schools and universities

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Australia's seven-point plan to end sexual violence on campuses

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N the 22nd November Jeremy EW regulations will allow LETTER to the Vice ChanN a bid to address the pervasive issue Hunt, the Chancellor of the Exindebted US students to accellor of Oxford Brookes of sexual violence on university camchequer, pledged “up to £7m” to cess their college transcripts. describes a recent purposepuses, a working group in Australia has tackle antisemitism in schools and universiTranscripts are records of students’ built performance hall as “A music proposed a groundbreaking seven-point ties. In light of sharp increases in antisemitic academic performance, and are vital for venue designed to bring together mu- plan, including the establishment of the naincidents, with a spike of 89 between the 7th- students, employers and colleges. Cur- sic, STEM and the creative industries.” tion's first independent student watchdog.

10th October, Hunt has promised funding to rently, institutions are able to withhold This comes as a petition calling for the The plan, made public following a organisations such as the Holocaust Educathem as leverage to extract debt music department to be saved from clo- special meeting with education ministers, tional (HET) charity to raise awarerepayments — which can sure has attracted over 2,800 signatures. also advocates for a whole-of-institution ness and combat antisemitism be anything from unOxford Brookes University is due approach to prevent gender-based vioin pedagogical institutions. paid tuition fees to open the performance hall next year, lence, upheld by a national higher education This can be linked to to library fines. a move that many view as hypocriti- code. However, the ministers have stopped two Jewish North LonThe new cal, as on the 16th November, Oxford short of immediately adopting the plan, don schools which were r e g u l a t i o n s , Brookes University announced that they instead opting for a consultation period unsmeared with red paint which come would be closing the music department til the 31st January, seeking feedback from in what has been a called into force on and the music graduate intake in 2023 stakeholders and the wider community. brazen act of vandal1st July next would be the last one. Brookes’ decision The working group, formed earlier ism. The community has year, require to scrap dual honours degrees, as well as this year in response to significant backbeen left shaken as, in the colleges to re- declining student numbers are amongst lash against the sector's handling of such words of Chaim Hochhauslease transcripts the named reasons the Board of Educa- incidents, called for the creation of a naer, chief executive of Shomrim, for semesters in tion gives for the department’s closure. tional ombudsman. This independent a neighbourhood watch group: “the which a student received As music departments across the body would serve as a watchdog with inharsh reality of hatred... has literally stained federal grants, loans, or work-study UK come under fire from budget vestigative powers, empowered to recomthe walls of their educational sanctuaries.” funds and paid off everything owed to cuts and dwindling student num- mend specific administrative actions to This funding will be provided over the school. Colleges will still be allowed bers, this closure by Oxford Brookes resolve complaints. However, Universithree years and Geoff Barton, general secre- to withhold transcripts of semesters sends a powerful message of the con- ties Australia, the sector's peak body, has tary of the Association of School and Col- for which a student still owes money. sequences of the government’s re- expressed concerns about the ombudslege Leaders, has welcomed this support, Withholding of transcripts is al- duced funding of arts education. man's powers, suggesting potential duplicathough is still “concerned about other forms ready outright banned in 11 states. tion and overlap with existing regulations. of prejudice, including Islamophobia.”

Image: Chris McAndrew, Wikimedia Commons

By Tabitha John, Oliver Lamb, Cora Jamieson and Shagnick Bhattacharya

13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

3 NEWS

Devon Health Trust chosen for cancer vaccine trial Image: Rhoda Baer, Wikimedia Commons

Gracie Moore Online Arts and Lit Editor

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WO weeks ago, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust announced that its research and development department at Torbay Hospital had been selected to be part of a trial that is set to examine the use of a personalised cancer vaccine. The trust said that those who participate would have their cancer mutation personally studied to create a unique vaccine, specific for their tumour.

They have said that cancer patients who are at risk of the disease returning would be eligible to take part in this trial.

BioNTech and Genentech are the pharmaceutical companies working together on this vaccine after BioNTech helped make a Covid-19 vaccine which used the same mRNA technology.

The aim would be to train the immune system to recognise the

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HE University of Exeter has been presenting projects, including the first Global Tipping Points Report, at the COP28 conference on climate change in the United Arab Emirates.

The Global Carbon Budget, led

by Exeter’s Professor Pierre Friedlingstein, has since 2006 provided an annual update on carbon emissions and progress towards the targets agreed at the 2015 Paris Agreement. This year’s report found that global annual carbon emissions have risen again, to a projected 40.9 gigatons. If that output is maintained, warming of 1.5°C will be locked in by 2030, the report said.

The University also presented the first Global Tipping Points Report, which found that the planet is at risk of crossing five thresholds which would lead to significant and irreversible climate change, with three more such tipping points looming in the 2030s.

200 researchers worldwide worked on the report under the direction of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute.

Other projects presented at COP28 included a collaboration with the Private Infrastructure Development Group on climate change in Africa, and the Economics of Energy Innovation and System Transition project, focused on technological innovation.

services doubling between the 2017/18 and 2021/22 academic years, rising from 3,044 to 7,138.

Moreover, as Exeposé Online HE University has reported in February following a opened a new building Freedom of Information request, to house extra space for in the 2021/22 academic year wellbeing services. The space Estate Patrol received 180 welfare is designed so that students can related reports — all of which access wellbeing services in a involved mental health support or relaxed, stress-free, and private required them to intervene with environment. This opens up first aid. Despite the numbers the capacity for more faceof students reaching out to-face appointments to wellbeing services and counselling rising, many still do sessions.

It not know exactly also includes how much a reception, support they w e l c o m e are entitled area, office to. A survey spaces, and conducted by appointment Exeposé Online in rooms, with February found Image: Charlie Gershinson extra rooms that one third located in the chalet of polled students located outside the main claimed that they were not building. Also currently in the aware of the full support available, works is a landscaped garden while fifteen per cent did not space around the facility. know about the Nightline service, The building is located at the but crucially, 30 per cent said they top of Mardon hill, near both the were unaware of the wellbeing Mardon and Holland Hall blocks centre located at Reed Mews. of student accommodation, and This raises the question close to the existing wellbeing whether the University is doing centre at Reed Mews. Mark enough in terms of marketing Sawyer, Head of Wellbeing and wellbeing services to students.

Welfare Services at the University However, with this new building, stated: “the University’s the University obviously have Wellbeing team provide a range an intention to invest in more of internal and external support services, and expand the capacity and advice services for students. for more students to have quicker The new building is providing access to Wellbeing services. additional safe and welcoming The project also supports space for those that need it. The the University’s net-zero new space allows for more face- goals, which are aimed to be to-face appointments within achieved by 2030, with its a range of quiet and sound achievement of a BREEAM proofed private meeting rooms ‘Excellent’ rating, meaning that within a relaxed environment.” in it has been built according to Many students will see this as a sustainability measures which much needed investment in well- reduces operational carbon. being facilities, with the amount of students contacting wellbeing

Joshua Smith Deputy Editor

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cancer returning and either delay its return or halt it altogether.

Dr Nangi Lo, medical oncology lead for the trust, said the “pioneering” study could benefit cancer patients across the South West of England.

She said that “The ability to evaluate bespoke vaccines against a person’s own specific cancer as part of a clinical trial may bring us one step closer to improve outcomes for patients.”

The senior government advisor for the UK national cancer vaccine advance, Dr Lennard Lee, has said that this work is “inspiring” and that “we are now witnessing a renaissance in cancer research as part of this cancer vaccine advance.”

It has also been said that trials like this taking place in Devon could be revolutionary for improving cancer patient outcomes.

University of Exeter attends COP28 climate conference Oliver Lamb News Editor

New purpose-built facility for Wellbeing Services opens

Additionally, the University has led the ‘We Are The Possible’ project, which uses “poetry, education, theatre and music” to create “new narratives to help us to understand our role as responsible beings with agency”. Presented to conference attendees, the programme includes ‘12 Poems for 12 Days of COP28’.

Image: Serine Ben Brahim, Wikimedia Commons

Nearly 200 countries are attending COP28. Among other controversies, the BBC reported in an exclusive investigation that the UAE planned to use the conference to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 countries.

The University of Exeter’s Professor Pierre Friedlingstein, the lead author on the Global Carbon Budget, said, “The impacts of climate change are evident all around us but action to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels remains painfully slow.

“It now looks inevitable that we will overshoot the 1.5°C target of the Paris agreement, and leaders meeting at COP28 will have to agree rapid cuts in fossil fuel emissions even to keep the 2°C target alive.”

A spokesperson for the University said, “The University of Exeter is playing a significant role at COP28; the UN Climate Change Conference being held in Dubai until the 12th December. The University’s work at COP28 includes a vital reality check from the Global Carbon Budget, risks and opportunities presented in the Global Tipping Points Report and harnessing the power of poetry through We Are The Possible — all part of the wider worldwide aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Exeter is also involved in a wide range of other events at COP28, and have scientists presenting work on the Arctic, Antarctica, the oceans and rainforests collaborating with other partners from around the world.”

Image: Harry Craig

4 NEWS

13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

Students provide mixed reactions to ELE 2 Anabel Costa-Ferreira and Harry Craig Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor

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FTER a term of the new ELE2 system being in place, Exeposé contacted students to enquire how they had found this change. At the start of this academic year, ELE and eBART were replaced by ELE 2, adjoining the sites used for course materials and assessment submission. While the new update has been welcomed by many, some students drew on concerns about how they’ve adapted to this change. It is particularly interesting to note that the concerns surrounding ELE 2 are focused largely on the assessment submission process as opposed to the course material element.

As with ELE 1, the main purpose of ELE 2 is to provide a platform for students to access their module information and course materials. Opinion on this has been split, with students particularly liking that assessment submissions are now in the same place as their module tasks. One student told Exeposé that “having coursework submissions and weekly tasks all in one place can be very helpful.” Similarly, another student shared that they liked the tick-box system to see their module reading.

Rob Freathy, Dean for Taught Students at the University of Exeter, said he was “delighted that students generally prefer ELE 2 for course materials”, and that “we believe this will further improve as academic colleagues became more familiar with the new platform.”

There was, however, discontent following problems earlier in the term with lecture recordings. Students initially struggled to find these, as they are stored in a different place on module pages, and are

now available on the right-hand block drawer. Hubs informed students of this change via email on the 17th October, which appears to have resolved difficulties in finding these recordings.

ELE 2 has also replaced eBART, which students formerly used to submit assessments. Many students shared concerns with Exeposé that the process of assessment submission had become more complicated than before, making it not only “harder to submit” but claimed it was “confusing our professors”. One student detailed an issue with a recent submission, with Turnitin unable to read the document, and whilst the problem was fixed, the general uncertainty with a new system has naturally caused anxiety when problems such as these arise. However, several students did praise the updated format of ELE 2.

Freathy told Exeposé that, this term, the University set up around 3500 assessments and received 57,000 submissions through ELE 2. Introducing the new system, Freathy stated that ELE2 “offers a wide range of marking and feedback tools to help course tutors provide richer and more helpful feedback.” In particular, he noted the improvement to the assessment dashboard, with students now able to view all their assessment information, including submission deadlines and feedback dates.

One student responded to Exeposé and shared that it was “good to see examination/coursework in the same place as the module content” and that, in particular, the “due in X-days feature is really helpful for keeping up with assignments.”

One of the major issues students have had with the new assessment submission system is that, unlike eBART, ELE 2 no longer sends emails to notify students when they have received feed-

back on their assessment. Numerous students have said that this has caused them disruption, referring to the lack of emails as “incredibly inconvenient” and stating that “it’s much harder to find feedback”.

One student told Exeposé that “you have to constantly check if you’ve got a mark back — an anxiety-inducing process”. Similarly, another noted that it is no longer possible to see the break-down of marks as per the mark scheme, stating that “I found it really useful with eBART to determine if, for example, my analysis was a 1st but perhaps my structure was at a 2:2.”

When asked about the lack of email notifications, the University said that “to reduce unnecessary email traffic, we decided not to send email notifications when feedback is available. However, we’re happy to review this, if students would prefer both the dashboard and email notifications, so please let us know if you have strong views either way.”

Similarly, students have also experienced problems with Turnitin when submitting their assessments through ELE 2. One student told Exeposé that they “cannot see the Turnitin score or report until a week after you submit”.

The University responded to this by stating that “visibility to the Turnitin similarity score for students is set according to individual Faculty/Department policy.”

They continued by acknowledging that some students have experienced issues with Turnitin feedback, noting that “in some cases we’ve had reports that this setting has not been enabled when the assessment has been set up.” They urged anyone who previously had access to this and can no longer see it to check with their course tutor or Hub. Students have also had mixed reac-

Image: Harry Craig

tions to the fact that they are no longer able to access other courses beyond their own modules. One student in particular noted the disadvantages of only seeing modules they were enrolled in, as “others may have information that’s useful to you.” In response to this, the University explained that, while they were once “an outlier in the sector in allowing students to access almost all courses in its virtual learning environment”, Exeter had “now, like other universities, restricted access to only the courses on which students are enrolled.”

Freathy shared that this “enables us to better understand how individual cohorts of students are engaging with our online materials, what resources are proving most useful, and where we can make improvements year-by-year.” He also stated that “we will also be able to identify where students may be struggling because they haven’t engaged sufficiently with the resources available.”

When speaking to a lecturer about how they’ve adapted to the new system, they stated that while they “have

not yet engaged with all the new marking tools offered by ELE 2, it does seem to promise a smoother marking process and new varieties by which students can receive feedback on their assessments.”

In particular, they praised that “it is great that everything now, including submission and assessment, can be found in the same place with the rest of the module materials on ELE.” While there have been challenges for staff, as expected with most new systems, they stated that “colleagues at the department and from professional services have been working very hard to offer support and troubleshoot issues as they emerge, and I hope that with more time taken to adapt to ELE 2 we can begin to make more use of the advantages it offers.”

In acknowledgement of the issues raised by students, the University recognised that while “there have been some teething issues as academics, Hub staff and students get used to it, we’re working closely with the Students Guild and Students Union to deliver the best possible student experience.”

Reclaim the Night march returns to Exeter in protest of sexual violence Livvy Mason-Myhill and Oliver Lamb Editor-in-Chief and News Editor

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RECLAIM the Night march took place in Exeter on the 30th November.

The annual event protests violence against women. A sign-making session had been held in the Positive Light Projects from 16:30. The Students’ Guild and the University of Exeter’s Feminist Society also held a sign-making session on the 29th November, before leading students to the march on the night.

Attended by more than 350 people (according to Reclaim the Night Devon), the march started outside the Positive Light Projects on Sidwell Street at around 18:15.

Multiple different groups joined forces again this year to make a large visible protest on sexual violence, including Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, Local Feminist groups and students from Exeter University. It

looped through the city centre and finished in Bedford Square. There, speeches were made by Davina Cull, CEO of the charity Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services; Yvonne Atkinson, from the charity Fawcett Devon; and a representative from the Plymouthbased charity Trevi. Writer Susie Williamson performed a poem, and attendees were led in a rendition of the Reclaim the Night song.

In her speech, Cull stated that, “one woman is killed every three days in this country… this is a countless pandemic”. She went on to say: “together, we must keep going forward. There are too many people being abused and experiencing sexual violence, and that’s all of us, no matter what gender, what background, what race, what sexuality we are, where we come from, this is a human issue and it must end.”

Atkinson said, “roughly one in

four women will suffer violence against them in their lifetimes… prosecutions for rape are at a record low, domestic abuse in this country is soaring, charging perpetrators Image: Livvy Mason-Myhill

is falling, sexual abuse in schools is being normalised according to Ofsted. Violence against women comprises the largest number of crimes that Devon and Cornwall

Police have to deal with.” She went on to describe the support available for women in Exeter, and called on local and central government to do more, and on men to help challenge misogyny.

Emma Pope, from Feminist Devon was also present at the march, indicated that “women have been socially, culturally and economically conditioned to defer to men, we want to challenge this. We want women at Reclaim the Night to lead, feel strong, safe and empowered.”

The first Reclaim the Night March was held in Leeds in 1977, in response to police advice for women not to go out at night in the wake of murders by Peter Sutcliffe (the Yorkshire Ripper). Cull went on to say “Reclaim the Night events have been hosted across the country since 1977 and we are so pleased to be generating more and more interest in our annual protest in Exeter.”

Mandy Barnes, Volunteer and Training manager for Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, highlighted that these Reclaim the Night events are crafted to promote public awareness surrounding the high levels of harassment and violence experienced by women and girls on the streets.

The Students Guild have encouraged students who are walking home at night to walk in a group, or take the Night Bus that runs on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We also recommend having the SafeZone app downloaded as this is a quick way for you to get in touch with the University’s Estate Patrol team." The Guild has also signposted that they have safety products available in their Wellbeing Cupboards which are located on the ground floor of Devonshire House (by the kitchenette) on Streatham, and in G48 (by the reception desk) on St Luke’s. Furthermore, they are stocking items such as drink covers, bottle tops, safety alarms and torches.

5 NEWS

13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

Guild election hustings scrapped for 2024

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HE 2023 elections saw 4000 votes counted, a 12.3 per cent turnout, with Trey ‘Captain’ Hook Tallon coming in second place in the Guild President vote. In an interview with Exeposé Online after the election, Tallon expressed how “second place was genuinely surprising. For a joke candidate to beat four other serious campaigns is shocking, and a fundamental damnation for the Guild’s failures to engage the interest of its students.” The Guild will inevitably want to change this in this year’s election, and with the rebrand of its brand identity, and remodelling of Devonshire House, they are ramping up efforts to be more visible, and relevant to students. This may explain why the elections have been moved forward this year. As last year results were announced on the 24th February, whereas

this year they will be shared on the 2nd February, the date set for this academic year, since this is not a period when many students typically have assessments due.

The Guild have outlined in their rules document on their website regarding the Guild elections that the Returning Officer oversees and interprets election rules, ensuring their proper execution. Additionally, the Guild have also indicated that the Deputy Returning Officers can be appointed by the Guild, with delegation of regulatory aspects to them by the Returning Officer.

They have also implied that 'Candidates' encompass anyone involved in election activity on behalf of a candidate, with the candidate being accountable for all associated actions. The rules highlighted that the Guild and University maintain impartiality, providing equal resources to all

candidates for fairness as well as how candidates must adhere to principles promoting a free and fair election. Other rules that the Guild covered regarding the elections included how candidates must comply with laws, University regulations, Guild policies, and directives from Campus Services, Estates, Estates Patrol, Grounds, and Guild staff during the election period. They also covered that attendance at a candidate briefing session and submission of relevant documentation are mandatory for every candidate.

For this academic year’s Guild elections, the Guild has decided that there will be no hustings process, in which the candidates would have been interviewed and voters given the opportunity to ask them questions. This change is to aid the time constraints that had usually been associated with the Guild elections in previous

years. The candidates also won’t be having manifestos this year, instead having personal statements where they can showcase the skills they would aim to incorporate should they get their desired role.

During the elections, student media groups, including Exeposé, XTV, XPression FM and PhotoSoc, have been encouraged by the Guild to “promote the election by encouraging students to consider nominating themselves and to vote.

Moreover, the Guild had also informed Exeposé that the NUS representative elections are also expected.

In response to the announcement of the Elections period, the Guild stated that “this is earlier than previous years to align with graduate scheme applications and recruitment to appeal to more students.”

The Guild added that, “the Officer team have been incred-

ibly busy this term, with the Student Living Officer working on a student housing campaign and initiatives to alleviate living costs, including a ‘Feed your Flat’ event.

Our Education Officer has been representing Exeter students at a number of national conferences and has been in talks with the University about improving pastoral and academic support.

Our Societies and Employability Officer has been working on how we can better support our societies and has brought student input into important discussions around freedom of speech.”

They concluded by stating that, “if you are interested in becoming a Full-Time Officer, or would like some more information, take a look at our Elections webpage or email us at elections@exeterguild.com.”

Sustainable fashion project launches in Exeter Anabel Costa-Ferreira Editor-in-Chief

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PROJECT that initiated at Durham earlier this year, ReDress is a dress rental service that has now been launched in Exeter. Organised by students and for students, the service allows students to rent out a dress for a week for a price between £10 to £20. An idea that originated in Durham, the scheme arose in response to the fast fashion crisis caused by formal events. At this time of year, many female students choose to purchase dresses for holiday events, and as expected many are worn once and simply

forgotten in the back of a wardrobe. After the project was also launched at the University of Edinburgh, Exeter has become the third institution to be invited to join the initiative.

The Exeter branch of ReDress began in early November and there are currently three ambassadors: D a r c e y T ho mp s on , Lilac Brown, and Millie Rice-Jones.

Elected via an online application through Fashion society, the Exeter group are currently working to raise awareness of the project as involvement remains key for development.

The greater the student involvement, the greater range of dresses they will be able to offer.

In conversation with Exeter ambassador Lilac, Exeposé was able to learn more about the project and how it is run. As they work mainly via Instagram, students can view the dresses online and reserve them for a formal event. Those who choose to rent out their dresses can take back their items at any time, and the dresses themselves are also insured for further

assurance. When asked how current students can get involved in this project, Brown responded that individuals could donate their old clothes to make use of their unworn items. As well as this, students can apply to be models for their photoshoots, which are then used on social media to advertise the items available.

Once an item is reserved, students can message the social media for an address and collect their dress between 6-9pm on a Sunday at a drop-in session. The drop-in sessions enable items to be swapped and with snacks and music allow like-minded students to socialise. It is key to note, that while this project is largely focused on sustainability, it also looks to empower women and create an altogether confidence-boosting experience.

Individuals could donate their old clothes to make use of their unworn items A solution to linear economy, Exeposé learned ReDress also has a charitable purpose. Across the three universities, 50 per cent of the proceeds go to charity, with

the remaining profit fed back into the business.

For instance, p u r c h a s i n g stock to increase size range and inclusivity. Again, these items would be purchased from secondhand outlets such as Depop, Vinted and local charity shops.

Speaking to the founder of ReDress, Jess Ward, she detailed what the project means to her and why she chose to branch out to Exeter. “Redress is so important to me as it really provides an opportunity to introduce people to second-hand fashion in an accessible and subtle way. It is brilliant to be able to contribute to the environmental movement in such a fun way. I chose to expand to Exeter as, like Durham, a huge part of the university culture is built on black tie and formal events. These universities are among the last to continue these almost archaic traditions, so ReDress is a great way to put a bit of a modern spin on them.

I cannot wait to see how the

Images: Darcey Thompson

project spreads in Exeter and to grow the community even more.”

It is brilliant to be able to contribute to the environmental movement in such a fun way With a plethora of formal events from Winter balls to fights nights and 21st birthdays, the ReDress scheme continues to promote sustainability, and for those interested you can find them on Instagram: @redressexeter.

6 NEWS

13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

University is split 54-46 in favour of women

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XEPOSÉ also requested the gender divide within each subject at the University, showing which subjects are dominated by either sex. Women have consistently outpopulated men within the

University overall, with women taking 54 per cent of places compared to 46 per cent for men this year. However, according to the most recent research from the Higher Education Policy Institute, women took up 56

Image: Nicole Hoskin

per cent of higher educational places — meaning that Exeter is more male-dominated than the national average.

Analysis of the University’s data found that psychology is the most female-dominated subject with 82 per cent of students being women this academic year while engineering contains the most men with 84 per cent. The subject with the most equal split between the genders is Earth and Environmental Science with 51 per cent of students being men and 49 per cent being women.

When Exeposé reached out to the University concerning the increase in the students population, particularly regarding postgraduates, a spokesperson said, “the University of Exeter is recognised globally as an attractive choice for students, centred around our world-leading

research and teaching that is committed to ensuring a greener, fairer and healthier future for all. We are delighted to welcome such a strong cohort of students at the start of each academic term. In common with much of the Higher Education sector, Exeter has seen an increase in demand for Postgraduate provision, and have worked to meet this de-

mand where possible. However, it is important to stress our student numbers are carefully planned to managed to align with our commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience.”

Images: Charlie Gershinson, Excel Spreadsheet

Rugby pundit Ugo Monye racially abused at Sandy Park Harry Craig Deputy Editor

stated in a further tweet that “you weren’t with me when you saw and heard the most blatant OLICE have launched racism I’ve seen from a supporter an investigation after at a live game. So fed up.” rugby pundit and former Devon and Cornwall Police later England rugby player Ugo Monye confirmed on the 22nd November was racially abused after an Exeter that they had “identified and Chiefs match at Sandy Park. made contact” with a man in Monye tweeted on the 19th connection to the incident, and are November that, as he was in the process of speaking to the leaving the stadium after victim. In an earlier statement, Exeter’s victory against superintendent Antony Gloucester, “one Hart from Devon supporter running and Cornwall through the crowd Police affirmed start[ed] shouting that “we take all “N****, N****””, reports of hate and that “not a crime extremely single person said seriously and we Image: UK Government, a word, challenged will not tolerate Wikimedia Commons or even reported it.” this behaviour”.

Referring to the lack of Hart also urged anyone support he received from others who has any information regarding at Sandy Park in the immediate this incident to contact police aftermath of the incident, Monye quoting 258 20/11/23, stating that

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“reporting makes a difference and can prevent these incidents happening to someone else.”

Exeter Chiefs and the authorities at Sandy Park have been working alongside the police following this reported incident. They confirmed that, although it took place outside of the stadium and not within their grounds, the incident was captured on CCTV, with all evidence passed on to the police.

The team also stated that they “have a zero-tolerance policy for behaviour of this kind, and have acted as quickly as possible to ensure that this has been dealt with following the advice of all appropriate authorities.”

They were joined by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), who said in a statement that they are “appalled by the racist abuse Ugo Monye faced following the Premiership match between

Image: Derek Harper, Geograph

Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester.”

“Ugo is a great champion of rugby, inclusion, and diversity; he has our full support. Racism cannot be accepted in our sport. Rugby authorities, clubs, fans, players, and volunteers must all act consistently and without tolerance to any form of abuse or discrimination.”

Monye had been working at the

Premiership match as part of TNT’s Sport punditry team before the incident took place. He has also been an advocate for greater diversity and against racism in rugby since his retirement in 2015, having been appointed chair of the RFU’s independent advisory group on diversity in 2021.

Graduation protestor fined almost £900 Charlie Gershinson Deputy Editor

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JUST Stop Oil protestor who disrupted the University of Exeter’s summer graduation ceremony has been ordered to pay £881 by the Exeter Crown Court.

In July, Edred Whittingham took out a fire extinguisher from his backpack after receiveing his degree at the graduation ceremony and proceeded to spray orange paint on sandstone slabs on the Forum piazza.

As security guards proceeded to lead Whittingham away, some paint got on her clothing. Whittingham was

charged with two counts of criminal damage — both of which he denied.

Appearing at Exeter Crown Court on the 1st December, Whittingham claimed that his acts were protected by European law and that his acts were justified due to the University “up[holding] the status quo leading to thousands of deaths in not calling the government to stop using oil,” according to District Judge Stuart Smith. He was also protesting the University’s partnerhsip with oil giant Shell and aimed for media attention and to attract other students to his cause DJ Smith found that Whittingham did criminally damage the security

officer’s clothes and so ordered him to pay £881 in compensation and costs. However, he did not find that he criminally damaged the sandstone slabs as the law provides some cover for those who criminally damage property while protesting and the prosecution had not proven their case. The University has said that the clean-up bill amounted to £500.

This comes amid news that police forces across the country have arrested 470 indiviuals over a month-long period in connection with peaceful climate protests. Some were held in custody for days under Section 7 of the Public Order Act, which allows the police to conduct

mass arrests and hold suspects for up to 12 months. The Metropolitan Police have separately said that they have spent almost £20 million

Image:Just Stop Oil

on policing Just Stop Oil activists.

Exeposé reached out to the University over the DJ's verdict. The University's spokesperson refused to comment.

13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

8

Features

FEATURES EDITORS: Benedict Thompson Henry Parker

Exclusive: in conversation with Jeremy Corbyn Benedict Thompson, Features Editor, speaks to Jeremy Corbyn MP on social housing, Ken Loach and the COVID-19 pandemic local authorities the legal and financial power to increase levels of inspection.

There is no reason why this approach should not apply beyond the social housing sector too. We need a transformation both in policy and attitude toward the housing needs of everybody.

Image: Chris McAndrew, Wikimeda Commons

Awaab’s death is just one harrowing example of the widespread contempt for social housing

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EREMY Corbyn, former Leader of the Labour Party from 2015-2020, now serves as an independent MP for Islington North. Corbyn served as Leader of the Opposition from 2015-2020, against numerous Conservative governments under David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson. However, Corbyn’s experience in politics and as an MP dates back to 1983 and Thatcher’s government. Throughout his career, Corbyn has consistently campaigned on social reform, in the health, housing and social care sectors. Corbyn’s legacy remains prevalent in British politics and continues to shape narratives around social change. Benedict Thompson, Features Editor, spoke to Corbyn about these social issues in Britain, Ken Loach, and the Covid-19 pandemic. É: In a PMQs session in 2016, you rightfully pointed out that Damian Green had termed Ken Loach’s film, I, Daniel Blake as “monstrously unfair” without even watching it. Should these films be incorporated into the training of local councillors and government-run bodies to raise awareness of poverty and to improve policy making?

JC: I, Daniel Blake is one of the

most powerful depictions of the institutionalised cruelty underpinning this country’s welfare system. I remember telling the Prime Minister, Theresa May, in 2015 to watch the film when I was Leader of the Opposition. She had just spoken in defence of the government’s benefit sanctions, which to me signalled that she either did not know or did not care about the reality of poverty in this country. Elected representatives need to understand that the policies they make from the comfort of their offices have consequences.

You would not oversee 13 years of austerity if you knew the material impact it had on people’s everyday lives.

So, I think it would be a very important, educational thing for elected officials to watch I, Daniel Blake — and indeed any of Ken’s fantastic films — so they are compelled to witness the personal impact of their political choices.

You would not oversee 13 years of austerity if you knew the material impact it had on people’s lives É: In the same PMQs session, you labelled the government’s fail-

ures as “institutional barbarity.”

Would you also say that there is also institutional prejudice against people living in social housing?

JC: Absolutely, yes. It is not just institutional prejudice but institutional neglect. In 2020, a 2-year-old boy named Awaab Ishak passed away because of a prolonged exposure to mould in a flat, later declared unfit for human habitation. Awaab’s parents first complained of mould in 2017, before Awaab was even born. This was one of several warnings made to their social housing provider, and one of several warnings that was ignored or dismissed. Awaab’s death is just one harrowing example of the widespread contempt that is held for social housing tenants across the country. Around 120,000 social households live with mould. More than half a million — or one in seven — social homes in England do not meet basic health and safety standards. As you point to in your question, successive governments have not just overseen the decimation of social housing (1.2 million households are currently on social housing waiting lists in England) but the stigmatisation of those who live there. If the government wants to do something meaningful, it could immediately give

É: Why are local councils approving the selling off of land to private developers across London during a housing crisis? An example of this is the recently built penthouses and apartments next to the Television Centre in Shepherds Bush.

JC: We will never fix the housing crisis until we dismantle the root cause: market-based logic that treats housing as a commodity to be bought and sold, rather than as a human right to be recognized and respected. That means, absolutely, organizing and mobilising to stop local councils from selling off land to private developers. But it’s not just about inhibiting the ability of councils from taking these harmful actions. It’s also about empowering differently minded councils who want to reclaim housing as a public good. Local authorities should have the power to increase levels of public health inspection, and more importantly the power to introduce rent controls. Ultimately, the solution to the housing crisis must transform the economic structures that deprive millions of people of a safe and secure tenancy. É: Would you agree that the term ‘social housing’ should be changed to ‘public housing’ to destigmatise the underlying tones of prejudice against social housing tenants?

JC: That is a good way of putting it. In 2019, we defended a manifesto that would have overseen the largest programme of social and council house building in British history. Underneath this was a commitment to changing the public’s attitude toward social housing itself, away from a kind of stigmatised handout for the poor, and toward a human right that enables everybody to live in comfort, security and dignity. Building social housing is about shifting the balance of power away from the private market to the public sector. From private landlords to the community. This policy

was about demonstrating why publicly owned council housing is beneficial for us all — that we are better off as a society if everybody has security of tenure. É: In 2017, you recommended that thousands of care homes should be taken into public ownership. Reflecting on the Care Quality Commission’s report of degrading conditions and the deterioration of resident’s wellbeing in care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic, would public ownership have prevented this?

JC: The pandemic exposed the appalling state of our care sector. Between 2012 and 2020, the number of beds in care homes in England declined by 15 per cent. This is not just a result of austerity, but privatisation. Corporations now own and run 84 per cent of beds in care homes in England. Where there is profitability, there is exploitation. 4 per cent of care workers are on zerohour contracts. 40 per cent of the domiciliary care workforce is on zero-hour contracts. The median real terms pay of a care worker is £8.50 an hour. By the time the pandemic hit, a diminished, overworked and expensive care service was expected to cope with its biggest ever demand. Vast numbers of unpaid carers — predominantly women — end up filling the gap, sacrificing their careers and income to provide roundthe-clock care. These costs — physical, emotional, and social — rarely enter the calculation of those complaining that we cannot afford to ensure that social care is freely available for all those who need it. The truth is: an inadequate social care service is already costly. It is a cost borne by those who are forced to sacrifice their own mental well-being to fulfil a duty of care that should be shared by us all. That is why I continue to campaign for a National Care Service, where social care is freely available to all those who need it, wherever they need it, whenever they need it. The care service does not need managing. It needs transforming. The National Health Service was created in 1948 on the principles of universalism, equality and dignity. Instead of desecrating the principles of the NHS, we must expand them, and guarantee care from cradle to grave.

The pandemic exposed the appalling state of our care sector

13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

9 FEATURES

Will justice finally come for Grenfell victims?

Joshua Smith, Deputy Editor, on the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the new Independent Public Advocate

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N 14th June 2017, Grenfell Tower in North Kensington became a blazing inferno in what has come to be seen as one of Britain’s worst modern disasters, and the subsequent inquiry into what caused it revealing the grave mistakes and misjudgements which led to it, and their socio-political roots.

Six and a half years since the tragedy, the Ministry of Justice has announced that a new Independent Public Advocate (IPA) has been appointed. The IPA will aim to offer faster help and assistance to victims of major incidents such as the Grenfell Tower fire and Manchester Arena bombing. This will include help to access financial, physical, and mental health services, and ensuring victims know their legal rights.

The IPA has been brewing in the government’s mind since 2017, when it was floated by then-Prime Minister Theresa May in response to a report by Bishop James Jones, titled The Pat-

ronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power, which found significant failings in the treatment of the families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 97 people were killed in a crush at the FA cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, received from the authorities. It took till March of 2023 for Dominic Raab, then Justice Secretary, to confirm plans to pass the legislation, and until the end of November, to establish it. IPAs will also be able to advise the government on whether reviews or inquiries should take place after a major incident, and will have independent power from the Justice Secretary in producing reports. Raab, speaking earlier this year, stated that the new IPA would help make sure the “appalling injustice” of Hillsborough could never happen again.

In a move which has at long last recognised the human aspect of these tragedies front and centre, many are asking if it is too little too

Image: Catholic Church England and Wales, Flickr

late. The six years since the tragedy has been marred by controversy, delay, and guilt, all tied up in the damning reports published so far on the lax and dangerous building regulations enabled by cowardly policy which contributed to the blaze. Key figures in the disastrous refurbishment at Grenfell are braced for a damning report on the causes of the tragedy.

The six years since the tragedy has been marred by controversy, delay, and guilt The tragedy has provoked a nationwide campaign against the policies which produced the building regulations which allowed construction companies to use the aluminium-based Reynobond Polyethene cladding which contributed to the spread of the Grenfell Tower fire.

The cladding is in use around the country, and is common in high-rise blocks built in the 70s and 80s, such as Grenfell Tower. The government have been criticised for still not addressing safety issues on thousands of tower blocks around the country, with the scandalous fact that two-thirds of London boroughs still having at least one tower block with the same combustible cladding which burnt like petrol at Grenfell, making this even more damning. Devon, Exeposé has found, has no housing blocks using the cladding; in an FOI request submitted to Devon County Council, we received the information that “no cases of aluminium-based Reynobond Polyethene existed with the housing stock owned and managed by Exeter City Council” and that “there have been no safety concerns regarding cladding or cladding removal being required for any Council residential properties.”

However, the controversies surrounding the Grenfell tragedy go beyond cladding, which is

why many see the IPA appointment as too little too late, and not an adequate delivery of justice, or something which can ease the pain of a tragedy which for half a decade weighed on consciences with no glimmer of justice.

The final report from the inquiry is still yet to be published after being delayed again in November. A statement from the public inquiry details how the findings may not be released until summer, down to the process of writing to those likely to be criticised “proving timeconsuming.” This isn’t just another roll of the eyes moment, this is the prolongation of a six year wait for justice, in which the families of the 72 victims in the fire still await the conclusion to an inquiry which will reveal the appalling failures at Grenfell, which brought so much horror and grief to so many. Justice4Grenfell cofounder Yvette Williams told the Evening Standard: “Seventy-two lives we can never get back.

How can we ever give up fighting for justice?”.

People will continue to fight, and as we pass the 72-month mark since the tragedy, we are no doubt going to see more questions being asked which go beyond blame and causation, but question the very fabric of the social conditions which allowed this to happen. Any serious enquiry into the tragedy must not see it as happening in a vaccuum, but ask why it was that dangerous, flammable, cladding was used on a building in one of London’s richest boroughs, what decisions led to this, and where the roots of them really lie.

Any serious enquiry into the tragedy must not see it as happening in a vaccum To recognise the deep, systematic, levels of injustice at play, is to truly mourn the loss of the 72 victims, and to fight for change, is to avenge them.

Rishi Sunak snubs Greek PM over Elgin Marbles

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Charlie Gershinson, Deputy Editor, on the sudden diplomatic row between Greece and the UK

RIME Minister Rishi Sunak’s unconventional choice to start a diplomatic fracas with Greece, a friendly European nation and ally in efforts to curb illegal immigration, has brought up a simmering cultural clash between the two nations and raised doubts about his ability to present himself as a statesman.

The first signs of discontent came after Sunak cancelled a planned meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after an interview BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg conducted with Mitsotakis where the Elgin Marbles was raised. Mitsotakis described Greek’s loss of the Marbles as equivalent to having the Mona Lisa being cut in half. Sunak cancelled the meeting soon after, claiming that Mitsotakis had promised not to raise the issue while he was in the country. Mitsotakis strongly denies this. This has led to embarrassment and ridicule for Sunak, including from Labour leader Keir Starmer who said Sunak had “lost his marbles” and accused him of engaging in “small politics.”

Sunak and the UK government claim that the issue of the Elgin Marbles has been “longsettled.” However, this was rebutted by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis who said that, “the demand for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is a demand that arises from law, from history and from universal cultural values.” The issue comes from some of the

ruins of the Parthenon — an Athenian temple built in the 5th century BC and perched on the Acropolis — which were taken from Greece by Lord Elgin in 1816, with some being built between 1300 and 1250BC. The sculptures have been on display in the British Museum ever since.

The UK government claim that the issue of the Elgin Marbles has been “long settled.”

Where the sculptures belong has been a sore diplomatic issue between the UK and Greece since then. Elgin claimed that he had permission from the Ottoman Empire, the then rulers of Greece, to take the Marbles, though the letter stating this has been lost to time with its wording unknown and unclear. Since 1835 — when Greece gained its independence — the country has requested the UK government to hand back the sculptures and asked for help from multinational bodies, such as Unesco. It is still a current issue in the Greek public conscience, with the Greek culture minister calling Elgin’s acts 200 years ago and the UK’s refusal to hand back the sculptures “a blatant act of serial theft.”

The British Museum and the UK government claim that the Marbles are safer in the UK despite the Greek government building a special-

ised structure to house them and reports of the British Museum’s roof leaking during heavy rain.

Where the sculptures belong has been a sore diplomatic issue between the UK and Greece.

The example of the Elgin Marbles is perhaps the most well-known of the numerous cultural artefacts from foreign countries which have been taken by the UK over the years. The Koh-i-noor, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, was taken from India in 1849 once the British established full control and is now a key part of the crown jewels, while the Benin bronzes from modernday Nigeria tells a more brutal story of colonial conquest. These sculptures — 900 in total includ-

ing 200 bronze plaques — were looted from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897 as part of a pillaging of their city as punishment for a rebellion.

These are only a few of what the British Museum terms as ‘contested’ items in their collection.

While Rishi Sunak seems to have chosen to pick a fight with the Greek government over the status of the Parthenon sculptures, with the King now being drawn into the issue after he chose to wear a tie featuring the Greek flag at a public speech, there continues to be no end in sight over this contentious issue.

Image: Simon Dawson, Flickr

13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

10 FEATURES

How the Autumn statement affected young poeple

Anna Kane, Online News Editor, details the impact that the statement will have on students and young people

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HANCELLOR of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, revealed this year’s Autumn statement on 22nd November. The statement outlines the current state of the UK’s finances and reveals the government’s new plans for taxation and public spending.

Hunt’s Autumn statement has elements that initially appear promising for the economy and quality of life of the nation. He proposed drastic tax cuts, stating “for businesses, I have today delivered the biggest business tax cut in modern British history with the most competitive investment allowances of any large economy.” The

“biggest business tax cut,” will see National Insurance (NI) reduce from 12 per cent to 10 per cent from January 6th, and reduced NI contributions for the self-employed via scrapping the Class 2 charge and reducing Class 4. NI and income tax thresholds, however, remain frozen until 2028, so there remains potential for employees who receive pay rises to face higher taxation.

Hunt’ s statement has elements that initially appear promising for the economy

Image: HM Treasury, Flickr

There are three components of the statement that young people will be impacted by greatly.

The first component concerns inflation.

Hunt explained the trajectory of prices that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts. Students living in a house, flat, or noncatered accommodation will be familiar with the rising costs of food. Though food prices are up by 30 per cent compared to 2021, the inflation rate is predicted to drop to 2.8 per cent by the end of 2024, and the target of 2 per cent for inflation will supposedly be achieved by 2025. If these goals are met, this will lift pressures off students and young people struggling to fund meals. Young people should bear in mind the emphasis on future targets being met, as currently, prices continue to rise.

The second component is the rise in minimum wages in April 2024. Many students work alongside their secondary school studies and degrees. The minimum wage for those over 21 will rise from £10.80 an hour to £11.44, nearly a 10 per cent increase. The 18–20 year old rate will see a 14.8 per cent increase, and the 16-17 year old rate will see a drastic 21.2 per cent increase. While these statistics are seemingly good news, the benefits of these will only be apparent if prices will drop as hoped. From now, young people will also have to wait four months until these pay rises are implemented.

A third component of the statement impacting young people is that regarding the costs of cigarettes and alcohol. Hunt explained that he is increasing the duty on hand-rolling tobacco by 10 per cent, and that he is freezing duty on al-

cohol until 1st August 2024. Given the drinking culture associated with student life, the freeze on alcohol duty will come as good news to young people. The increase on the duty of hand-rolling tobacco, at face value, seems a positive way of discouraging young people from smoking. The imposition may, however, encourage young people into vaping as a cheaper alternative. Recent science has shown the hazardous impacts of vaping, and there have been several stories of young people developing lung conditions because of vaping. If this does happen, then the percentage increase may not have a positive impact.

While these statistics are seemingly good news, the benefits of these will only be apparent if prices drop Hunt’s Autumn statement is dependent on the reduction of living costs to cater to the needs of people amidst the cost-of-living crisis. There are aspects of the statement that are overtly unhelpful to the wider British population, such as the rise of state pensions and the lack of clarity on welfare. If Hunt’s predictions on the decrease of the inflation rate are correct, then young people should feel the positive impacts of the statement. The Conservative government, however, do not have the confidence of the public on their side as the November opinion polls reveal, with the Labour Party surpassing them by 19.5 per cent.

UAE-backed firm looking to buy The Telegraph

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Louis Bear, on the concerns over the possibility of a takeover of the British Newspaper

ITH COP 28 well under way, great focus has been on its hosts the United Arab Emirates (UAE), not least due to the irony of one of the world’s most powerful oil producers hosting an environmental event, but in light of allegations claiming that the UAE had plans to leverage the event to strike oil deals with foreign nations.

But a matter concerning the UAE that is perhaps even more topical at the moment here in the UK, is the potential acquisition of The Telegraph by an Abu Dhabi-backed fund.

For nearly 20 years, David and Frederick, known colloquially as the Barclay Brothers, originally from Shepherd’s Bush, owned The Telegraph and The Spectator. The two identical twins held a lust for entrepreneurship and represented a true rags to riches story, going from painters and decorators to joint owners of The Telegraph and even the Ritz hotel for a period.

The Barclay Brothers... represented a true rags to riches story Now, following the passing of the late Sir David Barclay, The Telegraph and its sister newspaper, The Spectator, have been put into receivership by Lloyds Bank, to which the Barclay family owes over 1 billion pounds, with an aim to seek a buyer of the parent company. Yet, an investment consortium, RedBird IMI, have stepped in and have offered to pay the Barclay family’s debt to Lloyds Bank, but in return, RedBird IMI would require a transfer of ownership to themselves from the Barclay family, it is understood.

However, many MPs have raised concerns over this potential acquisition, since RedBird IMI’s

offer is backed by Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan — who also owns the football club Manchester City — which raises questions of editorial freedom and the UAE’s influence on British politics.

Many MPs have raised concerns over this potential This comes at a time where the UK government are keen to try and support foreign investment into the UK, in order to achieve their goal of a global Britain in the backdrop of Brexit.

Whilst Rishi Sunak was keen to iterate that a free press is “important” to our democracy, other MP’s have gone further, and a number of MPs have a signed a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden urging him to conduct an investigation into the transfer of ownership, claiming that it “presents a very real potential national security threat”. This suspicion afforded to the UAE’s potential acquisition of The Telegraph and The Spectator is not least because of concerns over the UAE’s own domestic politics and their unscrupulous human rights record, but MPs are more concerned with increasingly close relations between the UAE and China. Many MPs see this as a potential avenue that China could exploit, in order to exert influence over British politics.

It “presents a very real potential national security threat” The Telegraph’s own journalist, Suzanne Moore, points to the UAE’s own lack of free press, where censorship is ubiquitous, and can foresee a “situation where certain awk-

ward things are just not talked about”, such as recent stories concerning the daughter of the leader of Dubai who claims to be held against her will or the dangerously high pollution levels which are reported to be making migrant workers ill.

Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has now intervened, and announced on 30th November that her department have issued the Barclay family and RedBird IMI with a public interest intervention notice (PIIN) — which does not apply to The Spectator.

This will now trigger an investigation, by both the CMA and Ofcom, who will look at the potential acquisition’s effect on economic competition and editorial freedom respectively. These investigations are set to be reported to the department by 26 January 2024.

Whilst these investigations are ongoing, the transfer of ownership from the Barclay family to RedBird IMI will be suspended, until the department have deliberated on the reports provided to them by the CMA and Ofcom and a conclusion has been reached in accordance with the Enterprise Act 2002.

Image: Donaldytong, Wikimedia Commons

11

International Javier Milei — the new Argentinian President-Elect

Florence New discusses the new right-wing President-Elect

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HE term ‘populist’ is often overused and misunderstood, but when it is used in reference to Javier Milei, Argentina’s new President-Elect, the term could not be more accurate. In a run-off election last month, Javier Milei, of the right-wing party La Libertad Avanza, (Freedom Advances Party), won 56 per cent of the vote and will now be inaugurated.

Compared to the election of other populists, this event has not been met with surprise. Milei quickly became a muchdiscussed politician due to his conduct, rather than his politics. More attention should be paid to his policies, which will have far-reaching consequences.

Javier Milei is a libertarian economist turned media personality, turned politician. He is well known for his controversial and attention-grabbing statements about politics and the economy,

and for his quirks, which include cloning his childhood dog. Milei was first elected to the legislature in 2021 and supports legalising t h e sale of human Image: Wikimedia Commons

org ans, restricting abortion, and loosening gun control. His major focus is tackling the extremly poorcondition of the economy.

Argentina is currently facing inflation above 140 per cent and

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Irem Ozdemir, discusses Italy’s recent social action after the murder of Giulia Cecchettin

Image: Wikimedia Commons

The most peculiar... Christmas tradition takes place in Japan As well as traditions, there are different versions of Santa Claus, some a lot less jolly than the figure on Coke bottles that many of us are used to. For ex-

use the summit to strike fossil fuel deals with a number of countries. This included proposals for joint talks with China on natural gas exploration in Mozambique, Canada, and Australia.

It is no surprise, therefore, that climate activist Greta Thunberg referred to the COP summits as just “blah, blah, blah”. It is almost a decade since the “historic” Paris Agreement between 193 countries to cut carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and keep global temperature rises to 1.5C. Even this now looks vastly optimistic; according to the Climate Action Tracker, current governmental policies would lead to a rise in global temperatures of nearly 3C. There have been plenty of photo opportunities and press conferences in Dubai for the last two weeks, but very little in terms of actual change. As well-intentioned as these COP summits are, they risk devolving into a cycle of empty gestures and broken promises.

Italy’s roar against gender violence

Lauren Walsh, Arts and Lit Editor, shares the different traditions of Christmas an estimated 3.6 million families eat Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas every year, thanks to an extremely successful marketing campaign in the 70s. And there is also a tradition emerging in China where you gift apples to your friends and family on Christmas Eve, because the Mandarin word for Christmas Eve (ping’anye) sounds a lot like the Mandarin word for apple (pingguo)!

Josie Sharp

Harry Craig, Deputy Editor, shares the irony of the summit taking place in the United Arab Emirates

I Christmas around the world

ITH the Christmas season now in full swing, and while many of us will be opening advent calendars or going to a carol service, other countries all over the world have their own unique Christmas traditions, some more similar to ours than others.

A Christmas dinner to me or you might involve turkey, pigs in blankets (my personal favourite) and maybe even Brussel sprouts, but other places have different Christmas specialties. For example, Germany is famous for its lebkuchen (a cake-y gingerbread) and stollen (a fruit cake with marzipan) while Italy eats panettone, a sweet bread or cake with fruit. But perhaps the most peculiar food-related Christmas tradition takes place in Japan, where

INTERNATIONAL EDITOR:

Oil deals smear COP28

HE COP28 summit came to a close yesterday, after two weeks of the is $44 billion in debt to the IMF. world’s leading politicians, scienMilei has promised a range of ag- tists, diplomats and businesspeople disgressive economic policies to ad- cussing how to combat the climate emerdress this. He seeks to close the gency. This noble mission, however, was Central Bank, make the US dollar undermined by the activities of the sumlegal tender, and stop trade with mit’s hosts — the United Arab Emirates.

Brazil and China. Such policies are unlikely to be implemented.

This noble mission...

Freedom Advances does not was undermined by the have a majority in Congress activites of the summit’s and more extreme policies are hosts unlikely to pass. Regarding foreign policy, Milei wants Dubai had been a controversial venue to be closer to the US, a choice for the COP summit, as one of the step already taken as Milei world’s largest oil producers and with a third has met with top US of- of the UAE’s GDP coming from oil revenues. ficials and IMF officers. This controversy escalated further on the eve This election marks a sig- of the summit, when a BBC investigation renificant shift in Argentinian poli- vealed that the Emirati organisers planned to tics and once stable institutions and systems will be challenged.

In trying to fix the economy, the situation will be worsened before it is improved. Milei’s personality and economic views have already attracted much attention and the next four years of his presidency will be eventful.

and his plans for Argentina

13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

ample, Austria has the Krampus, a horned, devil-like figure who punishes naughty children on 6th December while Saint Nicholas visits well-behaved children. And if you thought 6th December was too early to celebrate Christmas, in Mexico, they don’t celebrate until a whole month later, on 6th January, or the ‘El Dia de los Reyes’ (The Day of the Three Kings).

And in the southern hemisphere, December is in the middle of summer, so a white Christmas would be unheard of. If you’re in New Zealand, you might use a tree called a Pohutukawa as a Christmas tree, which has bright red flowers and grows on the coast.

With these diverse foods, Christmas figures and traditions in mind, are you going to try out any of these at your Christmas this year?

N recent weeks, Italy has been gripped by a wave of protests, with tens of thousands of people taking over the streets to demand an end to violence against women. The catalyst for this public outcry was the tragic death of Giulia Cecchettin, a promising 22-year-old biomedical engineering student who was killed by her ex-boyfriend before her graduation.

The profound impact of the crime highlighted the failure of modern society, sparking national conversation and prompting citizens, activists and officials to unite and call for change.

The scale of the issue is underscored by the stark statistics provided by the Italian interior ministry. 106 women have lost their lives to violence

this year alone, with 55 of the crimes being attributed to partner or ex-partners. These numbers paint a shocking image of deeply rooted gender-based violence in Italy.

The tragic death of Giulia Cecchettin has become a symbol, shedding light on the systemic issues that enable violence against women.

It serves as a stark reminder that addressing this crisis requires reevaluation of societal norms, gender roles and the legal framework surrounding domestic abuse. The current wave of protests in Italy signal a pivotal movement in the fight against violence targeting women.

An entire nation is in a collective pursuit of justice and equality.

George Floyd murderer attacked

Isabella Richardson, recounts the prison attack on the disgraced police officer

L

ATE last month we learnt the shocking news that Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who was convicted in the murder of George Floyd, had been stabbed in prison. Despite being knifed 22 times, Chauvin is now reported to be in a stable condition. Ex-gang member, John Turscak, has been charged with attempted murder by using, what prosecutors say, was an improvised blade to commit the assault in the federal prison in Tucson, Arizona.

Given how the murder of George Floyd triggered nationwide protests and hatred to-

wards Chauvin, this begs the question: why was such a serious assault allowed to happen on such an, undoubtedly, high-risk prisoner?

This contributes to the wider debate on the safety of prisoners, with Arizonian prisons being heavily criticised in reports from the US Department of Justice, referencing unsanitary conditions and understaffing.

Although Chauvin’s notoriety will unlikely garner him much sympathy, this shouldn’t dissuade from the wider issues at bay; are prisons no longer fit for purpose if preventable incidents such as these continue to occur?

Comment

13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

12

COMMENT EDITORS Lisette Reed and Charlotte Zeyssolff

MPs gone wild

Magdalena Kanecka considers whether Nigel Farage’s appearance on “I’m a Celebrity ...Get Me Out of Here” makes a mockery of politics today rights and same-sex marriage, along with his policies against immigration security, supporting the Rwanda deportation policies and claiming climate change to be a scam, the former Reform UK leader has arguably already presented us with a clear outline of his economic and social values. Thus, his appearance on the show seems to be a poor attempt at concealing his past and wanting to appear fun and relatable.

Image: Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons

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HE recently announced lineup for the next season of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here! has caused controversy from the moment it introduced that the former Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, will be entering the Australian jungle alongside nine other contestants. This has caused controversy and increasing public outrage, especially after the latest episode, in which another contestant — Nella Rose — expressed her

great disappointment following a heated conversation with the former Reform UK leader regarding cultural appropriation and his arguably immature stance on whether using local dialects and dressing up in cultural clothing should be classified as such.

On the one hand, Farage stated that he wants to show viewers “the real him” — however, considering his history and the policies supported by him and his party in the past, such as his negative stance on LGBTQ+

He wants to show viewers “the real him” It is clear that following MP Matt Hancock’s footsteps and joining the show has mostly ended with Farage receiving equal backlash from the public, especially considering his encounter with Nella Rose. While he attempts to show the human side of politicians to the public, it is hard to reinforce this when the life of privately educated Farage himself, does not reflect the lives of the majority of the UK’s population, belonging to an entirely different social class and experiencing

a life most of us did not live.

With Reform UK’s poor electoral performance even following its rebrand from the Brexit Party in 2021, it makes sense for media outlets, along with casual watchers of I’m a Celebrity, to question whether Nigel Farage wishes to show us his “human side” or the more likely option — that he is only in it for the media attention and the potential cash prize, in an attempt to gain both sympathy and more votes in the next general election.

With neither Hancock nor Farage’s appearances on the show actually bringing any real changes in interest polls of their parties and mainly receiving backlash instead, this raises the question of whether MPs should be allowed on shows like these. So far, we have only seen members from right-wing parties — Conservatives and Reform UK — potentially attempting to improve their media image on live TV — Hancock following his cheating and lying to parliament controversies, and Farage in a potential attempt to build public interest in his party, which currently holds no seats in Parliament.

So, what about the centrist and

left-wing parties? MPs from those parties have also been known to be involved in controversies, such as the ex-leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, having caught himself in an antisemitism scandal in 2020. Yet the party took the correct step of kicking Corbyn out of the party, which further adds to the conversation: it is interesting that the more left-wing parties, with their arguably more inclusive manifesto policies, do not seek to improve their public image.

It is interesting that the more left-wing parties... do not seek to improve their public image Thus, as complex and secret as the world of politics is to most of us, we should all question why politicians of the parties mentioned are joining these shows. Is it to appear fun, relatable, and more human to the public, despite the inhumane policies their parties support? Or, less likely, is it simply to have fun and compete with others?

In the name of swiping right

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Annabel Jeffery examines how “real” the latest features on Tinder will make online connections feel

ANY of us have been there; it’s just an ordinary evening, sitting in bed with nothing particular to do. The days of freshers’ week and the non-stop socialising are gone, and ‘uni’ now becomes ‘university’. You decide you want a change, a distraction, a bit of excitement in your life. So you download Tinder, and mindlessly swipe left and right until you reach a match and eventually a paywall.

For many people, that will be it: just mind-numbing swiping and sending a message or two. Or perhaps it’ll go further. Tinder is rather rigidly seen, especially by students, as a place for casual dating and hookups. Pictures taking up most of the screen space, users swipe based on appearance.

It goes without saying that this contributes to the superficiality

of the app, like many social media platforms. After all, who really takes the time to go and check profile descriptions? According to a 2008 study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 80 per cent of people lie about themselves on their online dating profiles. From running ‘addictions’ (the occasional park run), their ‘culinary skills’ (pesto pasta doesn’t count), or how many yachts they (mummy and daddy) own, the platform is seen by many as simply lighthearted fun. If it’s only for one night, they can be as imaginative as they like.

80 per cent of people lie about themselves on their online dating profiles Nevertheless,

the

platform

is attempting to inject more authenticity onto users’ screens, in a move that seems to overlap with other dating apps like Hinge and Bumble. Users can now use prompts such as ‘one surprising thing about me’ and ‘the way to win me over is’ as well as tags to filter preferences such as drinking habits and pet parenting.

Moreover, a new ‘Profile Quiz’ function allows users to answer questions about their interests and preferences, and display these on their profile to test compatibility.

The move comes after a recent survey conducted by Tinder revealing that Generation Z’s dating preferences reflect a need for connections that go beyond surfacelevel. “We know the new generation of daters prioritises value-based qualities such as respect (78 per cent) and open-mindedness (61 per cent) over looks (56 per cent). They

care about authentic connections formed through s h a r e d Image: Juliescribbles, interests Wikimedia Commons a n d

common c a u s e s , and have no time for the ‘game-playing’ of previous generations,” the platform revealed.

For anyone wanting to date to find a relationship that will last, not prioritising such values over

appearance would seem unusual.

But perhaps Tinder is attempting to reform itself for the wrong audience.

Dating apps in their nature are always going to reflect a form of social media; we never know what is truly below the surface until we meet someone.

Image: Tinder, Wikimedia Commons

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13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

COMMENT

“Should we do Secret Santa this year?”

Comment writers debate the nature of Secret Santa and its effectiveness when gift-giving this holiday.

A stress-free, ice-breaking method of gift-giving?

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HRISTMAS time is a joy for many, yet there can also be the age-old struggle of trying to work out which presents to buy for all your loved ones and colleagues.

There’s the contrast between those who have got all their presents before December even starts, and others that are still rushing around on Christmas Eve, trying to find the perfect gift.

Secret Santa can be an effective antidote to these issues: through randomly selecting the present recipient, rather than having to buy gifts for everyone, attention can be focused on just one.

This can allow quality, rather than quantity, and reduce the stress of trying to find good presents for everyone.

This can allow quality, rather than quantity, and reduce the stress The deadline for presents also can focus the mind on present buying — though there will always be someone who leaves it to the last minute! If participating in a workplace Secret Santa, it also encourages people to get to know their colleagues more, and ensures that everyone receives a present, preventing any awkward moments.

The spending limit that is often applied to Secret Santa is a clear benefit, as it means everyone’s gifts are more equal, rather than massive dis-

An insincere, generic method of giftgiving?

S

crepancies based on ability to spend (providing everyone abides by the limit). Also, having to buy a present for one person rather than many is more affordable, which can be particularly useful when working with a student budget, or being in a large group of friends or colleagues.

More affordable... when working with a student budget There can be the argument that Secret Santa prevents personalisation in gifts or inhibits people from being able to buy Christmas presents for the people they want. Yet, I would argue that there are always other times for giving gifts, and more specialised presents can be perfect for birthdays. Plus (if people don’t give it away) the mystery of Secret Santa makes it a fun activity for all.

I would recommend people give it a try before disregarding it!

Amélie Thompson, Online Editor-in-Chief

ECRET Santa seems to have become a standard method of gift giving in groups at Christmas. But how good actually is it? While it means participants o n l y have to buy one gift instead of many, if you aren’t f a m i l iar with the people in the Image: pxhere group, whether it be friends, colleagues or family, it can be very difficult to know what to buy for someone. For example, Secret Santa is often done with a large friendship group but if you only know a few people in the group well, it can be hard to de-

people that you want to get Christmas presents for, and a Secret Santa prevents you from being able to show someone close to you that you care about them with a more personalised gift.

Furthermore, if a budget isn’t set on a Secret Santa, people can have very different ideas of how much to spend, which can lead to some awkward gift exchanges. And even if there is a budget, there is no guarantee people will stick to it! I personally have been involved in Secret Santas before where I felt that I had struggled to find anything good for a person I didn’t know very well on a small budget, and somehow other people had bought much more impressive gifts.

Overall, there are certainly some negatives to Secret Santa and perhaps this model of swapping presents doesn’t work for every group.

People often end up getting each other very generic gifts

It can be very difficult to buy a present for someone you don’t know well, especially if you do have close friends or family members you want to buy gifts for.

Image: pxhere

cide what to get for anyone else. This means people often end up getting each other very generic gifts, whereas they might have bought something more meaningful for a closer friend.

Sometimes there might be certain

Model of swapping presents doesn’t work for every group

Emily Irving

“You’re joking me, not another essay?”

O

Lisette Reed, Comment Editor, discusses the overwhelming pressures of deadline season

VER the last month, students have been facing essay after essay, exam after exam, in what can only be described as an overwhelming whirlwind of academic pressure, from not only subjects and piles of coursework due, but also an impending fear of failure. This period has seen students applying for mitigation, over concerns about not being able to meet deadlines, as well as a general decline in student wellbeing.

With modules coming to an end in term 1, it certainly makes sense to set essays and exams for students, for their abilities and knowledge of their subjects to shine, proving that term 1 was not just a time for freshers, and other year groups, to party and settle into a

new academic year. But the constant creation of essay deadlines, many being back-to-back and within days of each other, means that students are under constant pressure to meet them, whilst also still balancing everyday student life. Many students feel a lack of general support, and accessibility, in managing deadlines and ongoing lectures, which means that many students are falling behind on current classwork as the essays are prioritised completely.

Students are falling behind on current classwork as the essays are In turn, module convenors are

striking students up on a lack of attendance, thus adding to the academic pressures many are facing.

As well as this, with the nights getting darker earlier and the weather becoming colder, many students experience mental health issues, such as seasonal depression. Due to this, some students are finding everyday tasks difficult, and with the overbearing lurk of deadline season seemingly consuming them on top of this, it becomes increasingly hard to ignore the impact this period of the academic year has on the student body.

Moreover, on top of this, for many students the Christmas break is not actually an academic break for them as the deadline period will continue over the holiday and after New Years,

thus extending the pressures students are currently facing and preventing the well-deserved break some students need. As well as this, the majority of students will return to university after the break with exams waiting for them.

The overall consensus of this dead-

line season and the overwhelming buildup of essays and exams demonstrates the University’s prioritising of academic values, over the wellbeing of their students. It seems there needs to be a bigger focus on the students of Exeter, to thus achieve their academic potential.

Image: pxhere

13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

14

Satire

Twas the week before Exemas

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SATIRE EDITOR:

Livvy Mason-Myhill Harry Craig

Spotify Wrapped: Exeter edition

Images: Harry Craig; Scarlett Cracknell; Pixel Icons; Yan Krukau, Pexel; RDNE Stock project, Pexel

TP’s Top Songs

WAS the week before Exemas when all through the campus

Brightside 1 Mr. The Killers

Not a regular Timepiece goer was stirring, not even a chav.

The rugby lads were nestled all snug in their uni beds, While visions of chocolate orange Venoms danced in their heads,

You spent 74,113 minutes in Timepiece in 2023.

And rah rah girls still ask for their baccy, and I in the Exeposé office,

That’s 51 days!

When outside the Forum there arose such a clatter, A hungover first-year threw up with a splatter.

Perplexed students who had procrastinated their work, Stood shocked and disgusted trying not to lurk, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But another stupid student dressed as a reindeer, Alongside the reindeer, there stood a festive slick rick, I knew in a moment he must be St Nick.

Livvy Mason-Myhill, Editor-in-Chief

gossiping in the library

2 Dancefloor

14,398 minutes

3 Bonkers Dizzee Rascal

8,576 minutes

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

In hopes that Napoleon soon would drink them there;

Ready to question the student who was smashed,

23,169 minutes

Murder on the

The Pret coffees were left in the Forum with care,

Away from the office, I flew like a flash,

You spent...

SPOTIFY.COM/WRAPPED

Harry Craig Deputy Editor

J

UST like the group of Exeposé editors squealing excitedly outside Devonshire House on 29th November when they realised Spotify Wrapped had been released, I’m sure many of our readers are also obsessed with Spotify’s annual stats feature. But this got me wondering — what would the University of Exeter Wrapped look like?

Much like the real Spotify Wrapped, we kick off with top genres — or in this case, the top types you find in Exeter. First and second

Image: Anabel Costa-Ferreira

buying sweet treats from the Marketplace

4 Pitbull

Fireball

24 minutes

5 Daddy Yankee Gasolina

actually studying

SPOTIFY.COM/WRAPPED

come as no surprise, with the daddy’s money rah girl and rugby boy, respectively. In third was the Tory membership card-holding, finance-studying crypto bros, who also single handedly ensured Andrew Tate was at the top of Exeter’s podcasts in 2023.

One of the most exciting features in this year’s Spotify Wrapped was the “Sound Town”. However, the University’s Sound Town is not, as you would expect, Exeter itself, with its musical contributions of Muse, Radiohead and Coldplay. Instead, it’s somewhere far more rah — Surrey’s unofficial capital, Guildford.

Wrapped also revealed that Exeter’s club of the year was, un-

queuing for Pret

surprisingly, Timepiece (it wasn’t going to be Unit, was it?). The average Exeter student spent 74,113 minutes in Timepiece, 171,834 minutes looking for TP tickets on Overheard, and spent £810 on Venoms. Exeter’s peak Timepiece months were May and September, with a prolonged, deadline seasoninduced dry spell in November.

Wrapped also plunged deeper into student habits at the Piece, revealing the top five songs played there to be ‘Mr. Brightside’, ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’, ‘Bonkers’, ‘Fireball’ and ‘Gasolina’ (that last one solely carried by Salsa Tuesdays).

There was also some insight

SPOTIFY.COM/WRAPPED on those rare occasions when students made it to campus to ‘study’.

The average Exeter student spent 23,169 minutes gossiping in the library, 14,398 minutes queuing for Pret, 8,576 minutes going to buy sweet treats from the Marketplace, and 24 minutes actually studying.

For now, Exeter students are looking forward to being able to enjoy the month of December without worrying about what it might make their Spotify Wrapped look like — queue the non-stop playing of the ‘Nativity!’ soundtrack (as if that hasn’t already been blasting from the Exeposé office since early November).

A diplomats’ day out in Exeter Charlie Gershinson Deputy Editor

A

S the diplomatic fracas between the British and Greek governments rumbled on in London, British government advisers spoke in favour of keeping the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum to not “set a precedent” for the departure of “British heritage,” including one senior adviser insisting that the British government is “generally not in favour of deporting foreign objects.”

Most interesting to their Greek

counterparts was the alma mater of most of the Conservative advisers: one University of Exeter.

the government is “generally not in favour of deporting foreign objects” What commenced was a whirlwind tour of Exeter by a delegation of senior Greek diplomats to see for themselves what made Exeter students so desperate to hold on to British traditions, such as hoarding artefacts from foreign cultures. A warm welcome was planned outside

Northcote House with a delegation of senior staff — including Vice-Chancellor Lisa Roberts — but was interrupted by a swarm of buses hired by multiple sports societies for their away fixtures, as well as the accompanying players.

Quickly getting a glimpse of the Exeter way of life, the delegation made their way to the Ram to sample more of the campus experience. Hoping for a taste of home, they each asked for a homemade gyro but were quickly disappointed when they were told the closest thing they had to the Greek delicacy was a halloumi tortilla wrap. They were even more disap-

pointed when their food arrived.

The team later went out to TP Wednesday with a group of Exeter students they met at the Ram, using their diplomatic status to get everyone tickets. They took in the atmosphere and, naturally, a Venom, and afterwards the night carried on to Efes Grill. While they preferred the food there, the mood was interrupted by a drunken crowd recitation of ‘Sweet Caroline’. Reflecting on the day, a member of the delegation told Exeposé that they understood why Exeter alumni were so keen to keep the Parthenon sculptures: “it’s not like there’s any culture here.”

LIFESTYLE

TECH

ARTS + LIT

MUSIC

STUDY BREAK

SCREEN

Image: Ralph Whitehead

Image: PickPik

17

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

REVIEW: DICK WHITTINGTON AT THE NORTHCOTT

19

Image: Flickr

“AND THE DECADES DISAPPEAR LIKE SINKING SHIPS”

20 Image: mirror of erised, Flickr

REMEMBERING MICHAEL GAMBON

23

Image: Scottish Government, Flickr

AMAZON WORKERS STRIKE ON BLACK FRIDAY

25

STUDY BREAK

27

Image: The Blue Diamond Gallery

16 - 17

18 - 19

20 - 21

22 - 23

24 - 25

27

LIFESTYLE EDITORS Lucy Rawlings Amberly Wright

ARTS + LIT EDITORS Maddie Conlan Lauren Walsh

MUSIC EDITORS Jake Avery Scarlett Cracknell

SCREEN EDITOR Joshua Smith

TECH EDITORS Anabel Costa-Ferreira Ewan Gregory

STUDY BREAK Puzzles by Matthew and Livvy

lifestyle The Butterfly Effect Gracie Moore, Online Arts and Lit Editor, shares her experience of trusting in the power of the universe

T

HE Butterfly Effect can be defined as making a small, localised decision or change which ends up having major impacts elsewhere in life. It suggests that even the smallest decision we make can change the course of our entire lives. Some people live fearfully because of this; I choose to seek solace in it.

For me, it means that if I make decisions based on what feels right at the time, I will always end up where I am naturally meant to be in life. Due to this, I don’t feel any resentment or regret for events that have happened in my life which, at the time, were difficult or caused me distress. They have all shaped me into the person I am today, so instead I am filled with gratitude.

THE SMALLEST DECISION WE MAKE CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF OUR ENTIRE LIVES

An example I have of the Butterfly Effect working its magic was actually an accident! I am currently working in Madrid on my year abroad, my placement starting at the beginning of September. Unfortunately, when obtaining my visa, mistakes were made in my application causing it to be delayed indefinitely. At first, I didn’t know why this was happening to me; I’d tried my best in all walks of my life and I felt punished, painfully getting through the days waiting for its arrival so I could finally move abroad. Little did I know, this was the way my life was meant to be panning out. The day of my appointment in London truly set the cat amongst the pigeons because the next day I met a boy that would shift my world on its axis.

Had I gone to Spain when initially planned, I would never have been able to meet someone who genuinely cared for me, date him and experience a plethora of firsts

with him. He has taught me heaps of things about myself, the world and the way I live my life. Without that small mistake in my visa appointment, none of this would have happened. While things are grey for us right now, the Butterfly Effect is at play, and I am certain that anything that is happening or isn’t happening right now between us is following the natural course of our lives and that what’s meant to be will be. I firmly believe I needed this experience just before moving abroad. He was present during a period of immense stress and fraught emotion, and I needed the lessons he has taught me.

I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MEET SOMEONE WHO GENIUNELY CARED FOR ME, DATE HIM AND EXPERIENCE A PLETHORA OF FIRSTS WITH HIM

But The Butterfly Effect is at work in all aspects of our lives. Last-minute change of degree? Be ready to meet your best friend in a seminar. Impulsively running for that committee position? Be ready to gain invaluable skills that you take on into your career.

Any decision you make is the right one and at the time, it may not feel like it, but every mistake or risky choice is leading you down the right path. There is a divine plan for each of us and the important part is trusting the process of it and going with the flow. Don’t try to fight it because what’s meant for you is on its way and there’s nothing you can do to change that.

Image: Doc List,Flickr

Caring for nature in the cold Lucy Rawlings, Lifestyle Editor, reveals how we can look after the natural world as we enter the winter months

A

FTER spending my Sunday evenings listening to David Attenborough’s impactful climate messages on Planet Earth III, it is imperative that we use our human privileges to support the natural world as it confronts the harsh season of winter.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE USE OUR HUMAN PRIVILEGES TO SUPPORT THE NATURAL WORLD Our gardens are a powerful ecosystem for animal rejuvenation. Even if your university Image: Alexas Fotos, Pexels

house has a patio yard rather than a blanket of grass, putting a bird feeder out or providing various bruised fruit and sunflower seeds helps to support birds who struggle to unearth the frozen soil for food. As the cold seasons also freeze water sources for local birds and wildlife, leaving a new bowl of water out each day reduces animals from losing energy to support themselves due to dehydration.

Small habits like these make a massive difference, as I have recently discovered with some new inhabitants around my family home.

Over my time at home during Reading Week, I discovered a couple of hoglets (baby hedgehogs) roaming about in our garden. We were

not sure where their mother was, and therefore, we took it upon ourselves to make our garden a secure and abundant home for them.

After researching how to support hedgehogs, we provided specific hedgehog food in a corner of our garden, which had many fallen autumn leaves — ideal for their shelter and protection. As the days get colder, we will begin to leave fresh water nearby to avoid the hoglets travelling in seek of hydration, which could come from contaminated sources.

OUR GARDENS ARE POWERFUL ECOSYSTEMS FOR ANIMAL REJUVENATION In our communities, volunteer support to protect our wildlife is needed more than ever during the bitter winter months.

Devon Wildlife Trust create opportunities for people to record their wildlife sightings, which recently included the ‘Brown Hairstreak Butterfly’ monitoring, and offer advice on how to make a log shelter, plant trees and provide bushes for nesting birds.

Many local areas also organise beach and park clean ups, where litter becomes minimised to not only purify our outdoors, but also avoid wildlife getting trapped in plastics.

Through performing these acts of kindness towards animals, it helps the next generation of wildlife to thrive against the growing pressures of global warming. Hopefully, the support we can give will work towards building an organic and blossoming space for nature.

Image: Port of Dover, Flickr

exhibit

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lifestyle

EDITORS: Lucy Rawlings and Amberly Wright

13 DEC 2023 | 17

Independent treasures

Lessons from strangers

Dina Evdokimova tells us about Exeter's independent shops

Maximus Woodley reflects on magical moments with strangers

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HRISTMAS shopping is a daunting task, juggling the budget, personalisation and aesthetic.

Wanting to find the perfect gift to reflect your love and appreciation for your loved ones during this season may be challenging but Exeter has a few unique options that need to be explored.

A common favourite is Hyde and Seek.

It is a two-storey shop that contains a large variety of options for Christmas shopping, from cards to gifts to Christmas decor. It is Image: Gustavo Fring, Pexels a great start if you are shopping for people of different ages as it has a selection of toys, books, mugs, accessories and gadgets that will suit all the varied tastes of your family, spinning generic gifts like socks and mugs to be a bit more fun. The business is also located adjacent to Gandy Street, known for its independent shops like Maker Mart, which boasts the perfect variety of handmade cards and treasures. It stands out as a prime Christ-

mas shop stop due to its spread of local arts and crafts, such as jewellery and pottery that can be purchased at reasonable prices.

By shopping at independent stores, you are sharing the joy of giving not only to your family but also to the local community by supporting the artisans and family-run businesses of Devon, like Magdalen Cheese and Provisions.

Although it is slightly out of the way for those studying on Streatham Campus, this treasure of the Magdalen Road is great for those who love trying new cheese and wine. The shop prides itself on finding the cheese that is the best version of itself and sourcing local high quality products, hence it is one of the best gift options for the foodies in your life.

All in all, Exeter houses many options for unique Christmas shopping; the shops mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg. Be sure to explore the neighbouring stores on Gandy Street, Fore Street and Magdalen Road to complete this complex yet rewarding task.

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TRANGERS are just friends you haven’t met yet.

Indeed, the inverse is true, all friends were once strangers we learnt to love. But what about the strangers who never became more than that momentary conversation: on a bus, in the queue at Boots or on the drunken walk home from the club? I’d argue that, even in such fleeting moments, these interactions can have just as profound an impact on our lives as the company of friends we may have known for years.

What strikes me, thinking back on my several late-night taxi conversations, train ride exchanges and long-haul flight consultations, is how little of the discussions’ content I actually remember. Some words stick out to me (particularly from a woman who told me I was, "the type of young man she’d love for a son-in-law," praise that an egotistical romantic doesn’t forget in a hurry), but these occasions are few and far between.

What I overwhelmingly recall from these moments, instead, is the sense of humanity. It is always strangers’ compassion that stays with me years after our interaction. There is a security in knowing we will likely never see one another again; it is a guarantee that allows walls

to come down with ease, a vulnerability that is echoed in our transitory partner.

I can’t remember the name of my greying Uber driver’s first love, but I reminisce about how we empathetically gushed for one another, hours after falling for mine. Nor do I recollect the specific bad news a woman had just received on her way to London Bridge, yet her burning look of gratitude at our parting, after staying with her until she had calmed down, is forever etched into my memory.

Interacting with strangers offers us a chance to listen and be heard without the preconceptions that so often get in the way of honest conversations with the ones we hold dear. To amend the old adage: "strangers are the best friends you’ll never have."

Image: Gary Knight, Flickr

Christmas traditions Lifestyle writers share their favourite Christmas memories Image: pickpik

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BELIEVE Christmas will always be the most magical holiday of the year for myself and my family. As someone who has seven siblings who now have their own growing families, Christmas is a major event and brings us together once again.

Why would we not make the most out of it?

I BELIEVE CHRISTMAS WILL ALWAYS BE THE MOST MAGICAL HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR Christmas Day itself is normally chaotic to say the least. Between the people, the food and the alcohol, there barely feels like a moment to catch a breath. Yet, I would not have it any other way. While we say goodbye to the days of waking up before your parents, we continue to begin the day with present opening. We take our time, focus on the individual gifts from each other, and listen to Christmas music (a must).

WE TAKE THESE LITTLE MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS AND MAGIC BROUGHT BY THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Afterwards, the panic of Christmas dinner kicks in. Bucks fizz on the go, vegetables get prepped, the chicken goes in the oven, and everyone is running around the

kitchen as if this doesn’t happen every year.

As always, the food turns out delicious.

Family members come over, a Christmas film is on in the background, and the day winds down as another Christmas Day passes.

While we are not a particularly religious family, Christmas is one time in the year where you know all the stress running up to the day will be worth it. It reminds us how fortunate we are to be able to celebrate in the way we do, for some years it has been very different.

We take these little moments of happiness and magic brought by the spirit of Christmas and spend the day appreciating it all.

Antonella Perna Image: Gary Spears, Pexels

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AM a big fan of traditions. Having some sort of routine is what makes any special days really special, making me both feel connected to the past and excited to anticipate the future. And this season is no exception.

To me, Christmas has always meant spending the day in with my whole family, at my grandmother’s place, surrounded by an abundance of decorations and cultural food. This year, however, my family is going to be moving out of the apartment I grew up in and into a new space, just days before the 25th, which means only direct family, no familiar home, no too-early decorations and misplaced pots and pans: naturally, this sent me for a loop.

But then I thought back to the Christmas I spent in Covid. December’s natural yuletide glow had dimmed to barely a flicker, and a terrifying silence lingered in the air.

Nothing was conventional about the whole world that year, let alone holiday traditions.

Still, within my family’s four walls, Christmas still managed to feel like Christmas. Conversation still flowed, the colourful tree still beamed, and the food was still delicious.

DECEMBER'S NATURAL YULETIDE GLOW HAD DIMMED TO BARELY A FLICKER I think it may be human nature to get hung up on perfection, letting our expectations define what constitutes a satisfying outcome. At

the risk of sounding very cliché, it really is all too easy to be so focused on what’s wrong to be able to see everything that’s right. To me, Christmas is about celebrating love, whatever Image: pxhere the scenario may be, and that is how I will be choosing to celebrate Christmas this year.

Phoebe Ozanne

Image: Laura James,Pexels

arts + lit

Review: Dick Whittington at the Northcott Maddie Conlan and Lauren Walsh, Arts and Lit Editors, share their thoughts on the Northcott’s Christmas pantomime

Image: Ralph Whitehead.

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OR a stormy Thursday in the harsh rain and freezing cold, the Northcott Theatre was absolutely packed with adults and children alike. The atmosphere of anticipation was electric, which is a testament to the excellence of the show.

We walked into the theatre to a display of ‘Dick Whittington’ in shining glitter and bright red lettering, and this set the scene for a hilarious Christmas production.

This show is everything you look for in a pantomime: it is fun for the whole family with enough silliness and slapstick shenanigans to keep kids, and immature adults like us, laughing and in stitches. It wouldn’t be a pantomime without lots of innuendos and puns sprinkled throughout (I mean, come on, the main character’s name is Dick), where

the cast would state lines such as “London needs Dick tonight!” to the joys of the adult audience and the confusion of the children.

LONDON NEEDS DICK TONIGHT! In Dick Whittington, the Exeter-based theatre troupe Le Navet Bete and the Exeter Northcott Theatre have created a hilariously funny and entertaining retelling of the classic pantomime. With a mix of aspects from different styles of theatre, such as the classic pantomime and jukebox musical, it was incredibly difficult for the audience to tear their eyes away. The jukebox musical aspects, with beautifully sung spoofs of

Bonnie Tyler and also ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and other feel good 80s power ballads which had the audience itching to sing along. They made sure to include some Christmas spirit with a fun-filled parody of ‘Twelve days of Christmas’.

One thing that stands out in this production of Dick Whittington is the actors’ seamless repertoire with the audience. The fourth wall was broken consistently, and always with humour, to the sadistic glee of the audience and their heckling. It was an incredibly interactive performance with hilarious, if a bit jarring, references to news stories regarding AI and different pop culture scandals, and a cameo from ‘Elon Muskrat.’

The cast is outstanding, with mesmerising singing and dancing from every cast member, and Le Navet Bete providing most of the comedic relief for the show. You can also tell that the actors love being a part of this production, as they also get to terrorise the audience with the classic aspects of audience participation you expect from a panto, like a singalong, and “it’s behind you”, but also with their own twists, such as chaotically spraying audience members with water pistols.

The physical comedy from the cast was also phenomenal.

Poppy Joy who played Sox the Cat and Matt Freeman who played the ‘Dame’ Sarah Suet were particularly amazing.

Freeman impressed us greatly with his ability to move fluidly in towering heels while engaging in complex choreography. The whole cast was clearly incredibly talented and we can’t wait to see what they do next.

THE WHOLE CAST WAS INCREDIBLY TALENTED AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THEY DO NEXT Dick Whittington is running at the Northcott until the 7th January and we definitely recommend going to watch it if you get the chance! The Northcott is a charity so not only would you be watching a fantastic show for the festive season, but also helping those in need this Christmas.

Image: Lauren Walsh

Interview: Stephanie Lysé Maddie Conlan and Lauren Walsh, Arts and Lit Editors, talk to the Exeter alumni who plays villain Queenie Rat in Dick Whittington É: What can you tell us about the pantomime? And what makes it different or more special than a regular theatre show?

S: This year’s pantomime is going to be a fantastic family show, with a little something for everyone. In our panto Dick Whittington is from Exeter and there’s many familiar and Devon-based references throughout. The songs are super catchy, the cast are incredibly talented and overall it’s looking to be a real feel-good, festive show. É: What makes being involved in the Christmas pantomime special?

S: Being involved in panto is always a joy because it’s a show full of laughter, silliness and heart. It’s a special time of year and can often be the first or only time people go to the theatre. Panto feels unique because it really does bring people together. É: What’s been your favourite aspect of playing Queenie Rat? S: My favourite part about playing Queenie Rat is being allowed to cause

mischief and a bit of chaos on stage.

Also my costume because its pretty epic! É: Do you have a favourite place from your time at Exeter? (especially at Christmas?)

S: My favourite place is probably the Cathedral grounds.

The Cathedral is so beautiful and it feels even more magical with the Christmas fair. É: What’s it like returning to Exeter to perform?

S: It is so great to be back performing at the Northcott but this time professionally.

I performed here during my degree with Footlights and I have Image: Ralph Whitehead the best memories

from it. Being back on the stage feels incredibly familiar even though the theatre and city have changed a fair bit over the last ten years. It feels like a full circle moment. É: Do you have a favourite Christmas tradition? Whether it’s to do with Exeter or something you do with your family, we love hearing about everyone’s special Christmas plans.

S: If I can I always like to attend a carol service.

There’s something really warming and comforting about it. It also really gets me into the Christmas spirit. É: What’s been your favourite role

that you’ve ever had the pleasure of playing?

Do you have a dream role for your future?

S: My favourite role I’ve ever played was probably Marmee in Little Women when I was in training at The Royal Academy of Music. I would love to play that role again one day in the future when I’m older. É: Is there one particular performer who you look up to and has inspired you throughout your career?

S: Hannah Waddingham has always been a big inspiration of mine. She is super talented and very funny. Her voice is also incredible. É: Do you have any tips for students hoping to make a career in theatre or the arts?

S: I would say practise is key. Get as much experience and practice during your training because after graduating it can be a difficult juggling act when other life things become important or get in the way. But also never stop learning, especially from your peers!

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EDITORS: Lauren Walsh & Maddie Conlan

arts and lit

13 DEC 2023 | 19

Cosy Christmas traditions Arts and Lit writers share their favourite Christmas shows THE PANTOMIME

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VERY family has Christmas traditions that they partake in each year. My favourite one, that I would recommend to everyone is a very popular British tradition. That is of course the panto! The panto is a great Christmas activity for everyone, no matter their age.

THEY TAKE YOUR FAVOURITE FAIRYTALES AND MAKE THEM FUN AND ENTERTANING I’m sure you’ve heard of it and I’m sure a large majority of people have seen one before.

Some people think they’re only for children but I disagree; I think pantos are for everyone.

They take your favourite fairy tales and make them funny and entertaining. The show is always full of stock characters and tropes that are all overdone but still hilarious to watch.

Also, most Pantos have celebrity cameos. Well, sometimes the term celebrity may be a stretch.

Theatre is also a relatively expensive activity, but in my research, pantos are a lot cheaper than a normal theatre show, making them far more affordable for you to go watch.

I try and go to the panto every year and for me, it’s the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season. A lot of families stop going when their kids grow up, so for me the panto is filled with nostalgia and childhood memories. If you have any interest in fairy tales, theatre or having fun, then the panto is definitely for you and it’s not too late to get tickets for your local panto this year.

Kayleigh Swart, Screen Editor Image: Anabel Costa-Ferreira

THE NUTCRACKER

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ACH year, I feel beyond lucky to enjoy a performance of The Nutcracker ballet at the Royal Opera House. A family tradition that began in the latter half of the 2000s, this yearly outing (carefully marked off in my calendar from August) is something I especially look forward to. After a deadline season of baggy jumpers and jeans, my sister and I especially enjoy taking the opportunity to dress up, steal an item of clothing from each other’s wardrobe, and attempt to blend in with the opera house regulars.

Image: Flixir, B

Taking the day to head into central London, we begin with a wander around the festive Apple Market in Covent Garden with its endless stalls and often live music.

Tucked away in the corner of this square is the entrance to the glorious Royal Opera House — the photo beside speaks for itself.

As it flawlessly follows the tale of Tchaikovsky’s two-act ballet, we watch young Clara at a Christmas Eve party as she is gifted a handcrafted nutcracker by her godfather Drosselymeyer. As night falls, the doll comes to life and we watch an incredible series of dances as the pair venture through a fantastical land, meeting several distinctive figures. Notable moments and scores of the production include the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy as well as the unveiling of the stunningly decorated Christmas tree. As well as appreciating the music and pure talent of the dancers, a moment of credit must also be given to the stunning period costume design

by Julia Trevelyan Oman. The Nutcracker is a breathtaking ballet, and this tradition is one I know we will keep for many years to come.

Anabel Costa-Ferreira, Editor-in-Chief

Comforting winter reads THE STARLESS SEA

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Y the time we hit the middle of December, winter is fully upon us. We are plunged into darkness by 4pm and sit, shivering in our homes without any desire to leave. Winter is a time of hibernation and there is nothing better to do while hibernating than catch up with a good book, a fluffy blanket, and a hot cup of tea.

One of my favourite winter reads is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. Published in 2019 it is a whimsical, beautiful, and lyrically enchanting novel. Morgenstern weaves a nonlinear narrative that incorporates stories within stories and enraptures the readers in a world of magic, libraries, and folklore.

In our modern perspective, we follow Zachary, a normal graduate who accidentally falls into a world of magic doors and hidden seas. Entwined with Zachary’s adventures are multiple short stories following Fate and Time and the creation of the world. While messy and confusing at times Morgenstern’s undoubtedly beautiful writing style will not fail to entrap and mesmerise you.

This book is not for readers who want a straightforward plot, instead, it is for those who want to be swept away into a sea of mystery, folklore, and magic. The world of The Starless Sea will capture anyone who dares to enter it.

Maddie Conlan, Arts and Lit Editor

LITTLE WOMEN

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URING the wintery nights, there is nothing more inviting than to drink a mug of herbal tea with the comforting pages of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women at your fingertips. Her enchanting tale of sisterhood intricately blends with the festive season, where Alcott challenges Jo’s opening line “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents” to unfold how this time creates gratitude for togetherness and encourages us to practice compassion.

REMINDS THE READER OF THE TRUE VALUES OF THIS SEASON When the sisters provide their Christmas breakfast for the poor family in their village, Alcott reminds the reader of the true values of this season: being grateful for what one might gloss over as the mundane. One of my favourite parts of the book is when Laurie and Jo ignite their charismatic bond and begin to dance in secret behind the glamour and excessiveness of the ball. This captivating moment in the story is followed by the simplistic joys of the sisters’ artistic plays, ice-skating on a frozen lake and their wholesome family reunions. Alcott creates these precious moments in their lives to reflect how they hold the most beauty, where these memories stem beyond the materialistic shadow which can often cast over the authentic meaning of Christmas.

My most-loved interactions in Little Women often evoke nostalgia, because the sisters make me realise that, in Jo’s words, “I can’t believe childhood is over.” Alcott encourages us to embrace the humble joys and creative wonders of Christmas with our loved ones, because these hold much deeper value than materialistic outlooks.

Lucy Rawlings, Lifestyle Editor

Image: Maddie Conlan

THE SECRET HISTORY

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S the cold sets in and the winter nights grow longer, I would argue that it is the perfect time to delve into a captivating psychological fiction. One such literary gem is Donna Tart’s modern classic, The Secret History.

History.

This 1992 novel is hailed for its contribution to the dark academia genre, set against the backdrop of a liberal arts college in which a group of intellectually gifted students form an exclusive circle. The study of classical literature and philosophy begin as a setting of academic ambition, but soon spiral as the boundaries of morality and obsession are blurred.

Richard Papen, the novel’s narrator and protagonist, becomes entangled in a web of dark secrets, inviting readers to question the complexities of human nature. Tart’s prose is both eloquent and haunting, and the novel’s winter setting mirrors the chilling undertones of its plot. The novel unfolds against the backdrop of a small, snow-covered New England campus.

For me, the desolate landscape and academic confines provide the perfect literary companionship for a cosy evening.

So, bundle up, pour yourself a hot drink, and let the secrets of Hampden College unfold in the quietude of winter nights. nights.

Maya Fernandes, Online Music Editor

Image: Flixr, Fred Merchan

MUSIC "December is a prison": our new Miss Claus Scarlett Cracknell, Music Editor, discusses the modernisation of Christmas in Sabrina Carpenter's new EP fruitcake

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AVING just accepted the Variety Hitmakers Rising Artist award, Sabrina Carpenter has concluded a stellar year for her music career. It is somewhat difficult to make sense of her self-description as the tortoise in the infamous tortoise/hare analogy when her year has been so packed.

She started 2023 with the release of emails i can’t send fwd:, a reissue of her 2022 album; spent August touring with Taylor Swift as her opening act for the Eras Tour; scandalised the Catholic community with her music video ‘Feather’, and has now released her EP fruitcake just in time for the festive season.

The most interesting outtake that we can draw from the EP is the way that the young artist has been able to modernise Christmas. Aside from the final song on the EP, ‘white xmas’, the artist abandons the conventions of the season and the songs that we would expect. Instead of attempting to revisit the themes of Christmas past, the young female artist is able to use her newest release to extend the topics that her other songs cover — the romantic and self-identity struggles of young women in their 20s.

ROMANTIC AND SELF IDENTITY STRUGGLES OF YOUNG WOMEN

Carpenter cleverly starts the EP with two more light-hearted takes on what Christmas could mean for the 24-year-old artist and her fanbase. The first song, ‘A Nonsense Christmas’, is a clever reiteration of her 2022 hit song ‘Nonsense’, which is able to set this fun-loving tone with lyrics like "when you’re comin’ down the chimney, ooh, it feels so good." This runs nicely alongside ‘buy me presents’ which plays on the idea of Santa being an older, wealthier man funding the younger girl in a comic manner. Carpenter here makes apparent the season's capacity to be empowering for girls in their early 20s.

The next three songs then take a more serious turn in looking at the potential heartache of the festive season which is marketed as a couples holiday or, more widely known, ‘cuffing season’. Her tracks bring light to the pressure that we often place on ourselves to be happy for particular landmarks or events; Carpenter makes it clear that the issues of being a young woman don’t fade away as soon as December arrives. ‘Santa doesn’t know you like I do’ uses classic Christmas 80s synth with a sadder tone in order to encapsulate the heartbreak of ending a relationship with someone who you feel you know and love everything about. Carpenter sings

"don’t you wanna wrap me up and mistle touch under the tree?" to highlight the complications of love in your early 20s where you feel old enough to have something with longevity but also acknowledge your youthfulness in wanting to be a present under the tree. These tensions are then carried through to her next track ‘cindy lou who’ which uses the female character from The Grinch to explore an age-old issue: the other woman.

Carpenter relentlessly highlights how these complicated matters are not exclusive from the festive period. ‘Is it new years yet?’ then, with a more satirical cynicism than the previous two, tackles the feeling of wishing for Christmas to be over, cleverly using the title of the album in the lyric “fruitcake makes me sick” to epitomise this disdain towards the sickly sweetness of this holiday that a lot of people feel unable to aptly express.

In finishing with ‘white xmas’, Carpenter is able to summarise the feelings that the EP navigates. A desperate wish to enjoy the simplicity of Christmas and the struggle to do this as a young woman navigating the complex transition from girlhood to womanhood. Its relevancy to the modern issues that we face in a more culturally saturated digital landscape that songs like

‘All I Want For Christmas’ can’t fulfil mean that the tracks are able to add something fresh to a saturated market of Christmas hits.

Sabrina Carpenter successfully pioneers herself as a new, modern Miss Claus; single and without needing a Santa figure to help her through the season.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

"And the decades disappear like sinking ships"

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Harry Craig, Deputy Editor, reviews The Killers’ 20th anniversary compilation album, Rebel Diamonds

WENTY songs for twenty years. The words of Brandon Flowers when The Killers announced Rebel Diamonds, their second greatest hits album after 2013’s Direct Hits, last month. Although greatest hits albums are less important in the streaming era, they Image: Flickr

offer an entry point for new fans into an artist’s rich discography, and give fans a chance to reflect on what has made the artist so great.

Casual fans will likely be most familiar with The Killers’ earlier work, most notably Hot Fuss, which turns 20 next June. It is no surprise, therefore, that this album gets the most tracks (four) on Rebel Diamonds, including 'Mr. Brightside', the song which catapulted them to global stardom.

With 20 tracks in which to cram seven albums’ worth of songs, there are bound to be controversial exclusions. Hot Fuss single ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ is left out in favour of fan favourite and one-third of the band’s famous Murder Trilogy, ‘Jenny Was a Friend of Mine’.

Another surprise is the decision to include just two tracks from their sophomore album, Sam’s Town. Nonetheless, this includes arguably the band’s greatest song of all time, ‘Read My Mind’, whose lyric “the stars are blazing like rebel diamonds cut out of the sun” is not only one of Flowers’ best pieces of lyric-writing, but also gives this compilation album its name.

Although most of the song choices from the first five albums speak for themselves, encompassing hits like ‘Human’ and ‘The Man’, the band have still included a handful of deep cuts. ‘A Dustland Fairytale’ is yet another exam-

ple of Flowers’ poetic lyric-writing, as a moving tribute to his late mother. Similarly, ‘Be Still’ shows that a band renowned for bombast can still slow things down with a beautiful ballad.

If the mission for Rebel Diamonds was merely to show off the best of the band’s early work, then 2013’s Direct Hits would suffice. However, the attraction of this newer compilation is that it showcases their two most recent albums, less known by the general public but constituting the band’s best ever creative streak.

The three contributions from Imploding the Mirage demonstrate how this album, released at the height of the pandemic, see the band doing stadium rock at its very best. Concept album Pressure Machine could not be more different, originating from Flowers’ introspective reflections on his childhood years in Utah during lockdown. I was delighted to see that the band had chosen to include the title track ‘Pressure Machine’, with its heavenly falsetto and fiddle outro.

There are also three ‘new’ songs, although two of these were already released, having initially formed part of the band’s now-scrapped eighth studio album. ‘boy’, released in 2022, fuses The Killers’ more traditional sound with thematic similarities to Pressure Machine. Meanwhile, ‘Your Side of Town’, released in August, harks back to 80s

synth-pop influences like Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode. It sounds like what the band would have become if they had stuck with their Hot Fuss style and not deviated into Springsteen-inspired Americana. Although it may initially sound more Daft Punk than Killers, it is genuinely addictive.

The only truly new song on Rebel Diamonds, therefore, is the trancey, anthemic single 'Spirit'.

Its melody seems to recall 'Mr. Brightside', a fitting away to mark 20 years since the release of their breakthrough début single, but layered with inspirations from Underworld's 'Born Slippy' — a bizarre combination, but it works. The lyrics seem to be a reflection on frontman Flowers' relationship with religiosity and faith in his time since becoming a rockstar, something he spoke about extensively in an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe to mark the release of Rebel Diamonds.

Two decades of The Killers have disappeared like sinking ships, and thankfully there will be more from the Las Vegas rockers for many years to come, with the band set to tour the UK next summer. Although we look to the future and hopefully an eighth studio album soon, the 20th birthday of one of the defining bands of the 21st century is worthy of the moment of reflection offered by Rebel Diamonds. For now, it’s over and out from all these things that The Killers have done.

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EDITORS: Jake Avery and Scarlett Cracknell

music

13 DEC 2023 | 21

2023: Year of The National

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Jake Avery, Music Editor, reflects on the Cincinnati maestros' brilliant releases

ELEASING not one, but two full-length albums and cruising across America and Europe on a spellbinding tour that featured two ecstatic London Alexandra Palace shows, The National squeezed every drop of musical potential from 2023.

Having struggled with writer’s block and depression in the years prior, April’s highly anticipated release First Two Pages of Frankenstein saw frontman and soft-spoken vocalist Matt Berninger rediscover his passion for music whilst exploring with delicate precision the themes of mental health, strained relationships and embracing the periods of time in life that are isolating. Berninger’s lyrics are renowned for their tender and vulnerable musings, often shrouded with ambiguity and poignancy.

April’s release was no exception to this, an album embellished with lines that take

ordinary objects and ideas and twist them into captivating vessels for introspection.

'Eucalyptus', for example, frames a dissolving relationship through the allocation of household objects, such as the titular plant. The album possesses a mellower approach to its contemplations, with tracks such as ‘New Order T-Shirt’ and ‘Ice Machines’ leaning into soft guitar melodies from Aaron and Bryce Dessner that sweep gentle melodies.

The success of ‘First Two Pages’ marked only the start of the Cincinnati band’s release efforts for the year — a surprise second LP announced at a hometown concert confirmed the existence of a twin album, Laugh Track, featuring tracks recorded in the same sessions. The release, whilst continuing to elaborate on the themes of its predecessor, adopts a thornier approach in places; opener ‘Alphabet City’ descends into brooding vocals,

Albums of the year

with Berninger musing that "Something’s wrong with me, like it always is" as tender guitar chimes reverberate with anxiousness.

‘Turn off the House’ and ‘Crumble’ swing with a delicate, somber sensibility, whilst final track ‘Smoke Detector’ burns through the emotional journey of both LPs with decadence, flare, deliciously rampant guitar hooks, and dazzlingly eclectic vocals.

The titular track brings the focus to the central theme of the album, accepting the troubles that one has when in a difficult headspace, and the way that it can alter the relationship that one has with other people in their life. Given how seamlessly Berninger’s lines regarding this mental reconciliation is, it’s easy to dismiss the mental and creative struggles he endured before both albums' creation. These problems even extended to his approach to performing, with Berninger declaring that he questioned the

Massive Attack comeback

Images: Andy Witchger, Levi Manchak. Flickr

Exeposé writers recommend some of the best releases of 2023 Sleaford Mods — UK GRIM

future of the band as live gigs previously felt "like going to the dentist." Despite experimenting with an array of vibrant new tones, what makes The National’s corpus of work and aura so compelling has always remained the same — they prescribe value to the emotional complexities we all face and explore them with the attention they deserve, reinforcing the importance of addressing emotions head on.

‘Your Mind Is Not Your Friend’, the penultimate track on First Two Pages, serves as a fantastic example of this tenet, highlighting the awareness required to overcome negative sentiments, as your mind often "takes you by the hand and leaves you nowhere." The warm embrace of 2023's releases fortifies an already compelling discography, and further demonstrates the superb appreciation the band have for combining smooth, syrupy guitar and piano melodies with the most obscure and captivating lyrics. The National, now ten LPs deep, have demonstrated that there are no bounds to their musical innovations.

Nothing But Thieves — Dead Club City

Scarlett Cracknell, Music Editor, triumphs the climate-inspired comeback of the Bristol collective

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ASILY one of the most effortlessly scathing albums of the year, UK GRIM leans full force into ripping apart society's bitterness and inequality with no mercy. Jason Williamson chatters along , spitting venomous takedowns of the showboating consumerist superficiality that pervades the streets. His jabs possess an alluring quality, even in spite of how blunt and profane they are, proving the vocalist to be as sharp as he is with his lyrical craftmanship as he is with his sour delivery.

Leaning into the gruff banalities and sharp edges of modern life cements the album with a harrowing, honest perspective. 'Smash Each Other Up' addresses the increasing prevalence of violence on the streets, whilst 'I Claudius' picks at the dire state of the cost of living within the UK, the narrator witnessing "Santa Claus with a bag of chips" before asking "Does he eat, Dad?" As downbeat as these topics are, the comic and bizarre world illustrated makes it a fascinating listen, and an ultimately horrifying one once you realise that these descriptions aren't exaggerated in the slightest. Backing Williamson's brutal depictions of austerity is Andrew Fearn's brilliant electronic post-punk synth work.

These elements excel at decorating the album with eerie and dystopian atmospherics whilst accentuating Williamson's abrasive remarks, an accomplishment that retains the duo's iconic barebones approach to instrumentation. UK GRIM stands as a fantastic dive into the ugly consequences of consumerism, delivering a stark picture of unpleasant day-to-day experiences, and the resentful sensation of feeling like "hopeless cogs in the town that snogs itself."

In an age prolific with celebrity shallowness, populist politics, and more online tension than ever before, UK GRIM is the perfect vent.

Jake Avery, Music Editor

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HE idea of the concept album would strike fear into the heart of most artists, but Nothing But Thieves has joined the ranks of bands like Green Day and My Chemical Romance to aid the revival of the format with Dead Club City.

The band’s fourth album, and first to reach number one on the UK album chart, explores the urban landscape of the eponymous city which rhetorically asks its listeners “Is it a shared consciousness? Another planet? The next corporate wasteland? Heaven? Or somewhere else?"

Whatever it is, the band explores its rich culture through songs which discuss the social issues which they have become known for.

The first two singles released in advance of the album begin with an optimistic tone. 'Welcome to the DCC' sounds like an advertisement for the Dead Club City with promises to “live your perfect life” and of “all the heaven, all the time.” Meanwhile, 'Overcome' tells the story of a couple on a road trip bound for the city.

The album’s themes quickly darken with 'Tomorrow Never Closes' and 'Keeping You Around' repeating themes previously drawn upon by the band in their previous albums, such as climate change and mental health. The most direct reference being the 'Keeping You Around' lyric “I’m still a broken machine babe,” calling back to the band’s second album.

The Essex-born band continue to innovate their musical and narrative styles as they continue their worldwide tour, with particular appreciation to vocalist Connor Mason and Dom Craik, the latter acting as both guitarist and producer of the album.

Charlie Gershinson, Deputy Editor Images: Stefan Müller, Flickr; Wikimedia Commons

FTER five long years without announcing any live shows, Massive Attack have announced their homecoming gig, Act 1.5, for the 25th August 2024 on Bristol Downs. Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall are not only hoping to wow with trip hop classics like 'Teardrop', 'Unfinished Sympathy', 'Safe from Harm' and 'Protection', but also with their performance being solely powered by renewable energy. The collective have been actively concerned with their climate ethics so much so that in 2019 they opted to travel via train rather than by flight for their European tour.

In 2021, they also worked with the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in publishing an open resource to the music industry: the Roadmap to Super Low Carbon Live Music. And now for their 2024 comeback, they are putting this roadmap into direct practice on the promise of an incredible perfomance and atmosphere at a lower cost to the climate. Their minimisation of the event's carbon footprint are not only confined to the event procedures themselves, but also in their efforts to ensure lower audience travel.

And thus, sadly for those who don't live near Bristol, those in Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire will be able to register for pre-sale before those not living in these areas. So if you do live in these areas, please take advantage of this incredible opportunity to take part in a history-making event in terms of its climate politics and its soundscape.

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screen Sex, scandal and erotic mystery

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Maddie Conlan, Arts and Lit Editor, reviews Emerald Fennell’s new film Saltburn

MERALD Fennell made her directorial debut in 2020 with her critically acclaimed, and Oscar-winning, Promising Young Women. Now, three years later, Fennell has the jaws of audiences dropping once again. Her newest release Saltburn can be summed up as a sweaty, sexy, scandalous and erotic mystery that will enthral and deeply horrify you in equal amounts.

Barry Keoghan plays the shy and awkward Oliver Quick who we follow as he starts his freshman year at Oxford University. Initially, his lack of connections makes him a sad social outcast, that is, until he strikes up an unlikely friendship with privileged aristocratic Felix Catton, played by Jacob Elordi, who rules over the ‘it-crowd’ of Oxford’s freshmen. Eventually, Felix invites Oliver to his family estate Saltburn for the summer, and in the manner of a classic gothic the rest of the plot unfolds in a series of twists, turns, and shocking moments that leave audiences clutching their pearls.

The chemistry between Keoghan and Elordi

throughout the film is electric and dangerously walks the line between homoerotic and platonic. While the mystery and the setting of Saltburn draw you in, it’s this tender friendship and dangerous dynamic between Felix and Oliver that keeps you guessing at what exactly will happen next. Their friendship is an ode to literary relationships, such as The Secret History and If We Were Villains, where male friendships dance on the edge of insatiable desire and thrive in the setting of an aristocratic world.

The offthe-cuff satire of the British aristocracy that was produced by the phenomenal cast had the audience bursting out in uncontrollable laughter. I was enamoured

with Rosamund Pike’s performance as Elsbeth Catton; she was the perfect stereotypical high society woman who was so out of touch with reality that everything she said sounded both ridiculous and entirely believable. These contradictions of characters are a running theme throughout the film: Felix is both kind and obnoxious and Oliver is many different shocking things that are revealed to you slowly.

Set in 2006 the soundtrack, aesthetic and lifestyle choices are ironi- cally reminiscent of the worst parts of the mid-2000s and are used to great comedic effect. Such as poor fashion choices and chain-smoking indoors. The ‘historical’ setting aids in the sheer visual beauty of Image: dackelprincess, Flickr the film and al-

lows for an enhancement of the opulent aesthetic of the set of Saltburn. From the sweeping shots of Oxford and the house of Saltburn itself to the custom font and the beautiful gardens, the cinematography was astounding. The visuals are encompassed to an all-time high towards the end of the film where the audiences are blown away by rich fancy dinner parties and a beautifully designed Midsummer Night’s Dream party that is so stunningly decorated that you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from it.

Despite its unparalleled beauty Saltburn is deeply disturbed and doesn’t go in any direction that you initially think it will. With a focus on erotic, and sometimes disgusting sexual behaviour, and a depiction of startling unimaginable wealth, everyone left the theatre with their jaws on the floor. Fennell with both Promising Young Woman and now her sophomore production Saltburn has firmly positioned herself as a director to watch.

Hearthrobs, anti-heroes and goofiness

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Screen writers discuss their favourite Christmas film characters Mr Poppy, Nativity!

Amanda Woods, The Holiday Billy Mack, Love Actually

HE Holiday’s Amanda Woods, played by the legendary Cameron Diaz, is a character who epitomises just how the festive magic of Christmas can catalyse self-discovery. Her character development portrays the beauty of a quieter, humble and rustic way of life, which contrasts greatly to her hectic work schedule and materialistic luxuries in America. Her blossoming relationship with Graham (Jude Law) and growing connection with British culture captures the warm glow of the countryside during the winter days, as she gradually adjusts to Iris’ quaint cottage and the slowness of rural living.

The pinnacle of wholesomeness in the film is Amanda’s charming interaction with Graham’s daughters as they read bedtime stories together in the girls’ fort. It is a key moment where we observe Amanda’s guard melt away and relax into the possibility of new love, which the audience root for after the unfaithful actions of her previous partner. Despite the turbulent stability of their relationship, Amanda and Graham’s reunion (which is heightened through Amanda crying for the first time in years) reveals not only an unlocking of Amanda’s emotional connection with her desires, but establishes the perfect trope of a romantic Christmas film: fate.

Ultimately, Amanda’s ‘holiday’ reflects what it means to transform your selfhood through a wild, spontaneous adventure that stems beyond your comfort zone.

Lucy Rawlings, Lifestyle Editor

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URE, Christmas is about putting on heart-warming films about HE lovable teaching assistant Mr. Poppy from the film Nativity! universal love and peace and all that wishy-washy cliché of famihas won over hearts all around the UK and grown to become a ly-friendly stories, but this writer wants to commemorate the less beloved Christmas symbol. His infectious energy, genuine love of conventional Christmas character of Love Actually’s Billy Mack, the ageing Christmas, and childish enthusiasm capture the essence of the season. rockstar whose crude and self-deprecating humour go hand-in-hand with Mr. Poppy, portrayed to perfection by Marc Wootton, lends a dishis massive ego and comically blasé attitude to life. While the rest of the tinct charm to the story of Christmas. Audiences of all ages are moved cast are dealing with love and loss and all sorts of big, dramatic emotions, by his boundless pleasure and unwavering faith in the enchantment Billy takes what comes his way with cool swagger. Cheeky and shameless, of the holiday season. Mr. Poppy adds a feeling of amazement to viewers will want to watch the film the whole way through to see what the film that reflects the joyful anticipation felt during the ChristBilly has planned for Christmas Eve; that’s if they can sit through the heavy mas season, whether he’s making elaborate decorations, spreadrain of cursing with which he opens the film. And, trust me, if you take ing Christmas cheer, or putting together creative nativity scenarios. nothing away from this film, you will at least have learnt all the words to In addition to his humorous antics, Mr. Poppy reminds both adults the hit single ‘Christmas Is All Around’, which I can guarantee will play in and children of the value of maintaining a sense of childish wonder your head on loop over the holidays. So, do yourself a favour, and put Love and the magic that Christmas brings. His persona serves as evidence Actually at the top of your Christmas watchlist, not just for its romcom that the Christmas season is about more than simply decorations and appeal, but to giggle at Uncle Billy and his cocky Christmas escapades. gifts; it’s also about the happiness that comes from spending time with Emily Sara Rizzo, Screen Editor loved ones, gathering, and indulging in the season’s small pleasures.

His love of Christmas cheer even melts the ice around Martin Freeman’s character, Mr. Maddens, who first detested the season of Christmas since it reminded him of heartache but ultimately he came to love it.

Among the Christmas character pantheon, Mr. Poppy is a timeless representation of the warmth, wonder and camaraderie that characterise the season. Given his antics, he has become a cherished character and has earned a spot among other classic Christmas figures that never fail to make people grin in December.

Livvy Mason-Myhill, Editor-in-Chief

image: Flickr: lucy_kaleidoscope

Exe-posing the years best films

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HE votes have been counted and it’s time to reveal the winners of Exepose’s best film of the year poll 2023!

The results are as follows: 1. Barbie, Greta Gerwig 2. Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan 3. Past Lives, Celine Song 4. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Song-

Exeposé writers vote for the best films of 2023 birds and Snakes, Francis Lawrence 5. Saltburn, Emerald Fennell 6. Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse 7. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film 8. Bottoms, Emma Seligman 9. How to Have Sex, Molly Manning Walker 10. Dream Scenario

Yes, that’s right, Barbie is the number one film of 2023 according to Exeposé writers, closely followed by Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer and Celine Song’s poetic story of fate and love, Past Lives. All the big names from 2023 cinema feature, from the biggest blockbusters to the popular indie gems such as Bottoms and How to Have

Sex. All in all, it’s been a great year for cinema, despite the rigmarole of the Sag-aftra strikes, and we’ll hopefully be rolling into a new year in which writers are paid, and capitalism is destroyed (we can dream).

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EDITOR: Joshua Smith

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13 DEC 2023 |

23

Remembering Michael Gambon

Maya Fernandes, Online Music Editor, reflects on the life and legacy of Michael Gambon

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ICHAEL Gambon, recognised for his contribution to both the stage and screen in a staggering six-decadelong career, passed earlier this year. In the months following, he has been praised for his ingenuity, wit and ability to effortlessly commandeer the stage. Whilst Gambon is widely associated with his illustrious acting career, with notable mentions including his portrayal of King George V in The King’s Speech (2010) and Winston Churchill in Churchill’s Secret (2016), it is safe to say that he will be remembered most strongly for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise.

Following the news of his death, co-star Daniel Radcliffe paid tribute in a statement to Variety, writing: “with the loss of Michael Gambon, the world just became considerably less fun… he was silly, irreverent and hilarious. He loved his job, but never seemed defined by it.”

Gambon’s early life in a working-class neighbourhood of Dublin seemed a world away from the grand stages he would go on to grace. His early forays into the world of acting were marked by an undeniable prowess on the stage. Gambon was appointed as an associate of The National Theatre in 1990. He went on to play a host of contemporary figures, as well as the classical Shakespearean roles, embodying several titular characters including Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear.

Michael Gambon has left a lasting impression

on the world of drama; he even received a knighthood for his services in 1998, following his Broadway debut in David Hare’s Skylight. Furthermore, he has undoubtedly made an exceptional contribution to the cinematic realm, with the late 1980s marking a transition to the silver screen. However, I was first introduced to the work of Michael Gambon when he assumed the role of Dumbledore from Richard Harris, and introduced t h e world to a new Image: mirror of erised, Flickr e m -

bodiment of the Hogwarts headmaster in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).

The process of recasting a major role in a franchise of such success is rare. Gambon’s take on the character was endowed with pressure from both the fans of Harris’ portrayal, and lovers of the original J.K. Rowling series. As a child, I remember being drawn to Gambon’s Dumbledore, particularly through the authority he commanded in his speeches in the Great Hall, as well as a disobedient sense of fun in his interactions with the other

professors. Gambon’s take on the character finds its own voice in the darker films of the series, exuding the wisdom and gravitas of the powerful wizard. Whereas his predecessor for the role depicted Dumbledore as a whimsical figImage: Wikimedia Commons ure, Gambon was able to seamlessly transform the literary character into the morally complex character we see in later films.

It is no wonder that Gambon’s passing caused an outpouring of tributes on social media, with many celebrating his ability to step into another actor’s shoes so effortlessly to depict the beloved role. However, it is also important to recognise Michael Gambon for his many accomplishments as one of the ‘greats’ of stage and screen. As the winner of three Olivier Awards and four BAFTAs throughout his lifetime, Gambon’s unforgettable performances set a standard of excellence that I believe will continue to inspire generations of actors to come.

Seasonal TV

Harry Craig, Deputy Editor, writes about his favourite Christmas TV specials

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HERE’S something special about a sitcom Christmas special. The festive period is always ripe with comedic opportunity, and Christmas specials are always amongst my favourite episodes of my favourite comedy series.

Arguably my favourite TV Christmas special does not even need to be named — for most, the words “No turkey?!” will suffice. For those not inducted into the joys of noughties British pop culture, these are, of course, the words of Mark Corrigan in Peep Show festive special ‘Seasonal Beatings.’

Depicting the classic tale of a family Christmas gone wrong, this episode packs in possibly more iconic moments than any other show, from the aforementioned “no turkey” scene, to Mark’s father’s insistence that “cauliflower is traditional”. All the chaotic dynamics of a standard British family are on display, from the casual homophobia of an elderly relative to the Christmas present bought for Mark by his parents — socks with sex positions on them.

This family Christmas is complicated further by the presence of a “dangerous unstable chemical”, as Mark attempts to conceal his relationship with Dobby from his parents, despite his girlfriend’s presence at the dinner table. Although this provides a hilarious, yet somewhat depressing, storyline in typical Peep Show fashion, as Mark ends up calling his girlfriend a “freak”, the episode’s comedic value is perfected by the presence of another Peep Show classic character around the dinner table — Super Hans, of course.

The self-described “Father Spliffmas” is the epitome of everything Mark Corrigan’s parents stand against, with his overt use of drugs (explain-

ing drug terminology to the table), and making of sexual innuendos (telling Mark’s mother “you look like you might enjoy a cock-a-too”). The presence of so many conflicting personalities around the

entering his flatmate Eddie (Edmondson)’s room to deliver Christmas presents. The parallels with Peep Show continue, as chaos ensues with Richie attempting to cook Christmas dinner, including

Image: Flickr

Christmas dinner table — Hans, an anxious Mark, his secret girlfriend, a horny Jez, an infuriated father — provides ample opportunity for comedy gold.

For the second of my favourite TV Christmas specials, we have to wind back the clock a bit further to the early 1990s, with comedy double act Ade Edmondson and Rik Mayall’s Bottom and its Christmas special, ‘Holy’. Much like Peep Show, this begins with one of the two protagonists, Richie (Mayall),

vodka margarine being proposed as an alternative to brandy butter, and Richie accidentally chopping off his finger. This preserves the fine balance between wit and slapstick that the EdmondsonMayall duo did so well.

The episode’s secImage: Flickr ond half transitions

into a modern-day version of the birth of Jesus Christ, as Richie becomes convinced that he is the Virgin Mother of God when a baby is left on their doorstep. Their Christmas guests, now reincarnated as the three wise men, bring gifts of gold (a Terry’s All Gold), Frankenstein (a Halloween mask), and Grrr (an aftershave). Although Richie’s insistence on being “Richard Mary” soon collapses when their landlord (and grandfather of the baby) arrives, this episode also marks a departure from a Bottom tradition, being the only episode of the show which doesn’t end with Richie and Eddie befalling some terrible fate — the true Christmas spirit!

TECH The boardroom drama of OpenAI Charlie Gershinson, Deputy Editor, summarises the recent firing and rehiring of Sam Altman

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HE higher echelons of technology firm OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT, have seen extreme turmoil over recent weeks after their co-founder Sam Altman was fired and then rehired within a few days.

In November, Altman was removed from his position on the board of directors by fellow cofounder and Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever and three non-employee board members: Adam D'Angelo, Tasha McCauley and Helen Toner.

Soon after, the third co-founder Greg Brockman followed suit and stepped down from the board voluntarily. This was the beginning of the backlash against the board for Altman’s firing with many other senior employees threatening to resign en masse unless Altman was reinstated.

Sutskever apologised for his role in Altman’s ousting on X (formerly Twitter) and signed an open letter asking for Altman to be rehired.

Microsoft, which uses many of OpenAI’s products and services and is also OpenAI’s biggest investor, offered Altman a role leading a “new advanced AI research team.” Days later, OpenAI’s board agreed in principle to Altman’s return with new additions to the board including former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. Brockman also said he would be return-

ing to the firm. This led one quantum physics professor Andrzej Dragan to comment on the irony that “people building [artificial general intelligence] unable to predict consequences of their actions three days in advance."

While the 72-hour episode ended quickly and amicably with interim Chief Executive Emmett Shear being “very pleased” with Altman’s return, there have been concerns about the long-term direction of the company. Given the popularity and importance of the company in the development of AI, Nick Patience of S&P Global Intelligence told the BBC that "OpenAI can't be the same company it was up until [Altman’s firing]. That has implications not only for potential investors but also for recruitment."

Business partners of OpenAI were also approached by rival AI firms and offered to replace them. Despite these questions, morale at the firm has risen with staff cheering their unity at pressuring the board to reinstate Altman, with many internal group hats being filled with ‘exploding head’ emojis at the news of Altman’s return.

The open letter, signed by 700 staff, stated that they would resign unless the board did, and that Microsoft had assured them that there were roles for all those who left OpenAI and would match their existing pay. The

internal unity was symbolised by text messages of coloured hearts, similar to the saluting emojis seen amid the mass layoffs upon Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter last year.

OpenAI began life in 2015 as a not-forprofit firm to create “safe artificial general intelligence that benefits all of humanity." It went on to create a for-profit subsidiary in 2019, though the original board remained in charge.

The company is now valued at $80 billion largely through its now well-known and wellused ChatGPT service, with Altman promising an updated version soon which will make the current iteration look like “a quaint relative.”

According to a BBC article reasons for Altman’s firing are unknown at the time of writing, but there have been many theories proposed as to why. One theory reported by Wired is that OpenAI had recently invested $51 million in AI chips into Rain AI, which Altman had also invested in to the tune of around $1 million. This would have meant that Altman had a financial interest in ensuring that Rain AI had investment from OpenAI. While it is unknown if this was the origin for the boardroom drama, it offers an insight into the inner workings of what is becoming one of the most important companies in the tech world.

Image: Andrew Neel, Pexels

Amazon workers strike on Black Friday

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Helena Hughes outlines the reasons for the Amazon warehouse strikes

LACK Friday saw mass striking of Amazon workers across Europe and America, with unions referring to it as "the biggest walkout in Amazon history", according to the BBC. Strikers in their hundreds gathered outside Amazon’s Coventry warehouse on Black Friday, with trade unionists from the US and UK taking part in a global campaign calling for greater worker rights and pay from Amazon.

The Coventry strikers have so far taken 28 days of industrial leave since January and had support from Germany, Italy and California for their endeavour.

GMB Coventry organisers have now gathered 1200 members for the strikes, with American spokesperson Jessie Monero declaring “this is a global fight, so we are happy to . . . support our brothers and sisters at the GMB, we have to spread the word and bring awareness.”

Monero stated the main aims of the campaign as “living conditions . . . respect, and of course it’s money. We’re living in poverty conditions while the CEO, Jeff Bezos, gets richer and richer off our hard work.”

the Make Amazon Pay campaigners who were heard outside the Amazon Coventry facility on Friday chanting, “what do we want? £15! When do we want it? Now!” There has been significant back and forth

lowing these proceedings, the Central Arbitration Committee confirmed Amazon’s claim that the representation of dissatisfied workers was not high enough. However, the GMB are currently considering a new application for union status following the current strike action.

Globally, Amazon strikes and protests are not limited just to pay and working conditions, but also concern taxation, environmental fears, claims of monopoly power and anti-competitive practices.

AMAZON IS ADAMANT THEY ARE OFFERING FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS

WE'RE LIVING IN POVERY CONDITIONS WHILE [...] JEFF BEZOS GETS RICHER This idea was echoed by the voices of

between Amazon and the union in Coventry, with Amazon being accused by campaigners of recruiting another 1000 workers to “bust the union” so the number of workers against them would be less than half of all staff. Fol-

Image: Scottish Government, Flickr

Amazon is adamant that they are offering fair working conditions and pay terms, with a spokesperson stating, “we offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, opportunities for career growth, all while working in a safe, modern, work environment. At Amazon, these benefits and opportunities come with the job, as does the ability to communicate directly with the leadership of the company.”

Workers globally remain firmly in disagreement, and it is highly unlikely that Amazon’s union resistance is likely to end in the near future; particularly with 150 legal actions taking place against the company across more than 30 countries and two continents.

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EDITORS: Ewan Gregory and Anabel Costa-Ferreira

13 DEC 2023 | 25

British Library hacked

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Harry Craig, Deputy Editor, discusses how this crisis has impacted university students and staff

INCE the 31st October, anyone at- high-profile action. The group are believed tempting to visit the British Library’s to be based in Russia or another former Sowebsite has been greeted with a tem- viet state, and the FBI and the US Cyberseporary holding page reading “our website curity and Infrastructure Security Agency is currently unavailable” as a result of a cy- warned of the threat they posed last month. ber-attack. This has meant that, for over six Although the data leak is limited to perweeks, the online services of one of sonal information, the outage of the the largest libraries in the world British Library’s website has caused have been completely unasignificant disruption for academvailable and possibly comics and researchers, who have promised — yet there has been unable to access the inbeen little more than a murstitution’s services. The Library mur in the press about what has advised users to change should be a national scandal. their logins to the website, Consequently, the preand have affirmed that they are Image: Blogtrepeneur, Flickr cise details of the attack are working with the National Cystill somewhat blurry. On the ber Security Centre, the Metropoli22nd November, the British Library tan Police and cybersecurity specialconfirmed that personal data of employees ists to investigate and resolve the attack. had been stolen in the attack, with ransomThe scale of this attack cannot be exagware group Rhysida claiming responsibil- gerated. Although the British Library’s sites ity for the hack. The group subsequently in London and Yorkshire remain open to the posted low-resolution images of personal public, its digital collections are of vital imporinformation online, offering to sell the “ex- tance for remote research and academia — inclusive, unique and impressive” data to a cluding to many university students. It holds single bidder and setting a starting bid of more than 150 million items, including nearly 20 bitcoins (approximately £596,000). 14 million books, rare manuscripts, maps, photographs and music, with a legal mandate ONE OF THE LARGEST to collect any book ever published in the UK. As the rest of the world has gone digital, LIBRARIES IN THE WORLD HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UNAVAILABLE so too has the British Library, having made AND POSSIBLY COMRPOMISED much of its collection available online. This included the recent conclusion of a twoAlthough an unfamiliar name to most, and-a-half-year project to digitise the entire the Rhysida group has conducted cyber- collection of Geoffrey Chaucer’s works, inattacks before, including on the Chilean volving uploading 25,000 images of often army, the Portuguese city of Gondomar and elaborately illustrated medieval manuscripts. the University of the West of Scotland, but Yet, in a single cyber-attack, all of this has the British Library attack is by far its most been rendered unusable for six weeks. As

university students, we are likely all familiar with the idea of using digital resources and archives as the backbone of our academic work — one of the pleasures of being a student in the 21st century, with centuries of historical documents and texts available at our fingertips. Entire academic articles and books, from undergraduate dissertations to groundbreaking research papers, can be written without the necessity of a potentially expensive and time-consuming archive trip.

YET, IN A SINGLE CYBER ATTACK, ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN RENDERED UNUSABLE FOR SIX WEEKS

As the British library attack has proven, however, this reliance on digitisation also comes with significant risks. Digital media can be erased from the internet in an instant, jeopardising the work of academics, researchers, students and ordinary members of the public who can also gain from the digital access to archives.

Digitisation has enabled the democratisation of academia, with archives no longer restricted to professional academics and researchers, and instead opened up to everyone — and this can only be a good thing. But the British Library hack serves as a reminder of how easy it can be to lose this access, whether through malice (as is the case with Rhysida) or accident.

Image: Alex Watson, Flickr

The Black Friday weekend

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Anna Kane, Online News Editor, considers the declining popularity of this 'holiday'

HE highly anticipated day of the year of 2020 and 2021 led to a surge of online where retailers offer huge discounts shopping. Despite this increase, 2020 saw a on their merchandise. The concept decline in Black Friday UK sales. The cost-ofof ‘Black Friday’ in the UK was taken from living crisis brought about by the pandemic the USA. The day of discounts takes place has had significant impact on the holiday. the Friday following Thanksgiving, so this The Guardian acknowledged year it was Friday 24th November. the effect the cost-of-living Its origins trace back to the crisis has had on Black 1930s, when there was conFriday, stating that troversy in US stores about sales were only starting the Christmas set to increase shopping season before by 0.4 per cent Thanksgiving. President from last year.

Roosevelt announced Spending in 1938 that Thanksgivtrends were ing would occur on the also predicted fourth rather than the to differ, as last Thursday of Novemthe consumber, allowing for stores er’s focus is on to begin stocking ChristChristmas gifts mas merchandise sooner. rather than nonThe dawn of technology led essentials such as Image: rawpixel.com to a craze for e-commerce, and outTVs and homeware. The lets advertise Black Friday deals online as Amazon warehouse strikes well as in-store. The day often extends into taking place across Europe were also a ‘Black Friday Weekend’ and many stores predicted to impact Black Friday sales. Over observe ‘Cyber Monday’ following this, with 200 Amazon workers in Coventry went on deals exclusively online. The Covid lockdowns strike demanding better pay. The BBC cited

TikTok influencer Kate Leech in a recent article. Leech, whose content focuses on money-saving advice, stated: "with the costof-living crisis, there's never been a better time to see through the corporate nonsense that is Black Friday, so don't feel that FOMO.”

THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE HOLIDAY The article also points out the controversies surrounding Black Friday. Often, retailers will increase the price of their items in the months leading up to the Friday. This means that when you think you have found a bargain through a heavily discounted item, you are likely paying more for it than you would have in spring. Online scams are also abundant, and people should be wary when confronting unrealistic deals. Shoppers should keep in mind that Black Friday, at face value benefitting the consumer, caters significantly to the interests of the retailer.

Image: Marco Verch, Flickr

13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

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Exetera Exetera...

ASK NAPOLEON: advice column

Question 1: How do I deal with being ill during term time?

EING ill whilst trying to focus on your degree or commit to social plans can certainly be a bit of a nightmare. I would reccomend resting up as much as possible and taking things slow. I also think that Vitamin C dissolvable tablets are extremely beneficial alongside many cups of Lemsip (make sure you don’t overdose on it though!). Also make sure you stay hydrated and keep a bottle of water and a pack of tissues on you at all times. I find that cold and flu capsules can help to speed up the process of recovering from a cold. Overall, just try to look after yourself and try to get through your illness as best as you can.

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Question 2: How do I manage revising for exams over the Christmas holidays?

HILE it seems crazy to be thinking about exams in the middle of deadline season, iExeter has other plans as last week many of us received both emails and notifications about the January exam season. Though it seems an age away, the fast-paced nature of Christmas and the general business of the holidays means we will be back before we know it.

Taking the time to plan and manage your schedule over this period, while not the most enjoyable of tasks, will save you stress and help you in the long run. The first suggestion I would make is to make a list of all your upcoming exams, making sub-lists for each as to what topics your revision needs to cover. Once these lists have been made, make sure to prioritise the order in which topics are reviewed to match which exams are first. Personally, as an English student for rereading texts, I would recommend setting a daily target. For instance, reading 50 pages of one book a day or an academic article. Prioritisation is key to avoid feeling overwhelmed, but remember to also take a day off — it is Christmas after all...

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Images: Anabel Costa-Ferreira

EDITORS:

Anabel Costa-Ferreira Livvy Mason-Myhill Joshua Smith

Student stars CAPRICORN (22 ARIES (21 MAR — DEC — 19 JAN) 19 APR) Your voice and curiosity You might aim to are stronger, but there feed your desire for may be the need to look to the past for different experiences by adding new answers before pushing forward. activities to your daily routines.

CANCER (21 JUN — 22 JUL) You’re also rounding out your life with non-routine experiences, connections, and ideas.

LIBRA (23 SEP — 22 OCT) There is much to deal with in the short term, but you can also find time for longterm vision and planning.

AQUARIUS (20 JAN TAURUS (20 APR — LEO (23 JUL — 22 — 18 FEB) 20 MAY) AUG) Others see you in a Your conviction to rid You find it especially good light, and you yourself of bad habits easy to pursue your enjoy your responsibilities, work, or is potent. Still, as the month advances, desires, and your propositions are reputation more than usual. your focus turns outward. well-received.

SCORPIO (23 OCT — 21 NOV) You’re more interested in security and long-term endeavours than you are in the excitement of the moment.

PISCES (19 FEB — 20 MAR) It can be a time to take charge of your work, manage others, and make strides toward your broader goals.

SAGITTARIUS (22 NOV — 21 DEC) You have a lot of energy to pursue your interests with the backing of others.

F

VIRGO (23 AUG — 22 SEP) You’re paying more attention and pouring more energy into family, living conditions, and nesting.

Image: OpenClipart, SVG

Recipe: Christmas pancakes

OR this week’s recipe I have the perfect pancake recipe, I know it may seem strange with the vanilla extract and sunflower oil, but it honestly makes them sweet, lovely, and scumptiously fluffy.

Step 1 Whisk together into a smooth batter 100g plain flour, 2 large eggs, 300ml milk, 1tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, 1tsp vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and (if you want) a dash of ground cinnamon.

Step 2 Set aside utes, or

GEMINI (21 MAY — 20 JUNE) It’s strong for seeing yourself through others’ eyes and finding ways to bring balance to your life in general.

for firteen minbegin immediately.

Step 3 Place a frying pan over medium heat and wipe with kitchen paper oiled with olive oil.

Image: pxHere

Step 4 When hot, cook the pancake mix for 1 minute one each side, keeping the cooked ones warm undder a sheet of aluminium foil.

Step 5 Eat, topped with anything you like.

Recommendations from the Exeposé office include: spreading one half of the pancake with peanut butter and the other with chocolate spread and folding it over (Harry says it tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups),

drizzling them with maple syrup and topping with bacon (a true Canadian classic, courtesy of Anabel), melting some Biscoff spread and spreading it on them, then placing banana slices on top, crushing some candy

canes with chocolate (Livvy says it’s like something Buddy the Elf would eat), or if you’re weird like me (Joshua) spreading them with mascarpone cheese, and drizzling with honey (don’t knock it till you try it).

Exeposé archives: An introspective special

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S the end of the academic year quickly approaches, it feels only right to take a moment to highlight this issue from the 8th December 1992 — which was both a Christmas special and introspective edition.

Within this festively designed copy of Exeposé, random students were interviewed, and had their say on how they felt about the paper. The following page, the editors of the time wrote on themselves, reflecting on whether they “were doing their jobs and whether those late nights are worth it!” — all in an attempt to make “the new, livelier Exeposé” to celebrate their tenth issue.

Titled “Left-Wing Trash: You have your say,” for us as editors, and I am sure for most student publications, it is a constant reminder of both the importance and difficulty of remaining impartial in writing. To highlight some responses received at the time, a third-year student noted how he tends

to acquire a copy of the paper from “a table in the considering our mysterious (and most definitely Ram (in a drunken stupor)” and always read the unexpected) London delivery of hangover tablets reviews and letters. His suggestion for the paper a mere few weeks ago. As the rest of the week was that “there should be more ‘readable is detailed, struggles of a student pubfeatures’ and that the grammar could lication with funding, ads and be MUCH better.” Nowadays, comparisons to other universiI am sure this student would ties remain all too relevant very much be an advocate today. Finally, the speof our fortnightly pizza cial contains an Exeposé and proofing sessions.

Charter alongside 101 Turning to the next uses for our beloved papage, the Exeposé Introper. These range from spective, you can find the as dramatic as start“Diary of Three Mading a fire or revolution, men” detailing what press to stealing for toilet roll week used to look like for the or even creating a fencing Image: Anabel CF Editors. Opening with a mornsword. However, my personal faing of “hangovers and droopy eyes” it vourite, and one that is fitting for the seems student life has barely changed, especially season, is to make some Christmas decorations...

study break | 13 DEC 2023

exhibit | 27

STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

Across

SUDOKU

1 Gentle stroke (3) 3 Descend (from) (5,4) 8 Turn of phrase — modii (anagram) (5) 9 Ideal (7) 10 Con scene (anagram) — fix firmly (8) 11 Duo (4) 13 Sobbing - weeping — howling (6) 14 In instalments (6) 17 Leaf (of a book, for example) (4) 19 Using logic (8) 22 Foolish (7) 23 Laser printer chemical (5) 24 Startling enlightenment (informal) (3-6) 25 Take to court (3)

Down 1 First in quality (5) 2 Desirous — longing (7) 3 (Prison) enclosure (8) 4 Collision — consequences (6) 5 Dog’s cry (4) 6 Musical drama (5) 7 Innate — sincere (7) 12 Official list (8) 13 Turn over (7) 15 Batting turn (cricket) (7) 16 High-kicking dance (6) 18 Complaint (informal) (5) 20 Great — big — giant (5) 21 Cease (4)

TRIVIA CORNER

1. What is the name of the tool commonly used to grind substances in a mortar?

2. What year was the film Titanic released?

3. What does a camel store in its hump?

4. David Bowie starred in which 1980s cult classic?

ANSWERS

5. How many people have walked on the moon?

6. Which author penned the first Winnie-the-Pooh books?

Across: 1 Pat, 3 Climb down, 8 Idiom, 9 Perfect, 10 Ensconce, 11 Pair, 13 Crying, 14 Serial, 17 Page, 19 Rational, 22 Idiotic, 23 Toner, 24 Eye-opener, 25 Sue. Down: 1 Prime, 2 Thirsty, 3 Compound, 4 Impact, 5 Bark, 6 Opera, 7 Natural, 12 Register, 13 Capsize, 15 Innings, 16 Cancan, 18 Gripe, 20 Large, 21 Stop.

Trivia: 1. Pestle 2. 1997 3. Fat 4. Labyrinth 5. 12 6. A.A. Milne

Science 28

13 DEC 2023

SCIENCE EDITORS:

Eloise Shewring Livvy Mason-Myhill

NASA delivers 'teaspoonful of asteroid' Bennu to the UK

Oliver Lamb, News Editor, discusses NASA's delivery of the most dangerous rock in the solar system to the UK

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NE way to describe a sample of the most dangerous object in the solar system is "one hundred milligrams of beautiful." Specifically, it is how Professor Sara Russell describes fragments from the asteroid Bennu.

Most dangerous object in the solar system Bennu is the highest-scoring object on the Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale. You are less likely to find a four-leaf clover than the asteroid is to collide with Earth by 2300.

If it does so (the chance is one in 1750), it will create a crater 6.4 miles wide and obliterate nearby cities. In the meantime, it can tell us more about how the solar system formed.

In 2020, NASA’s ORISIS-REx spacecraft scooped up material from the surface. The sample landed in Utah in September this year, and a fraction

of it has now arrived in the UK, to be tested at the Natural History Museum, the Open University, and the Universities of Oxford and Manchester.

As reported by the BBC, the 100-milligram sample given to the UK is just a fraction of the roughly 270 grams that was collected — although most of that is stuck inside the container thanks to an enclosing plate that can’t be unscrewed. Luckily, 70 grams of the sample was spilled on the lid of the container. Given that the mission’s minimum target was 60 grams, that will be plenty to work with. Russell says, “we are going to be looking at this material grain by grain.”

Wheedling secrets out of Bennu is the worldwide project of hundreds of scientists. NASA has already found the sample to be replete with carbon and water. That bolsters the theory that asteroids like Bennu helped provide Earth with water and some of the compounds necessary for life. A key next step is to compare the hydrogen isotopes in Ben-

nu’s water to those found in our oceans.

Image: Hubble ESA, Flickr

Key next step is to compare the hydrogen isotopes in Bennu's water to... our oceans The Natural History Museum has an extensive meteorite collection against which to compare the Bennu sample.

But whereas meteorites are put through the wringer on their journey through the atmosphere, the Bennu sample is unaltered. X-ray diffraction (XRD) will shed further light on what types of minerals the fragments contain, and how much.

Here, too, the Museum is well-placed: its XRD facilities exceed most others’ capabilities — although the UK’s biggest XRD machine is in Oxfordshire.

Scientists will provide an update on what they’ve learned at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in March. But, says Russell, “it could be a lifetime of work ahead of us.”

Clean water is crucial to tackling the antibiotic resistance crisis

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Tabitha John raises the alarm about the health and economic threat of antibiotic resistance

LTHOUGH the waves of Covid have finally started to crash more calmly on our shores, there is a new threat gaining momentum on the horizon. In September of this year, world leaders gathered in New York for the UN General Assembly to discuss urgent matters of health and welfare. With universal health care being a focal point of the discussion, it is important that we give antimicrobial resistance (AMR) the scrupulous consideration it deserves. Ever since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, we

have relied on antibiotics to treat a variety of illnesses, from tuberculosis to food poisoning. Yet despite the scope of its effects, there are limits that need to be recognised before one of our most valuable methods of treatment is rendered completely ineffective.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), AMR is listed among the top 10 threats to global health. There is no denying that this is an issue that has and will continue to affect society socially, politically, and economically. Even recently, the UN Environment Programme has stated

that, “according to recent estimates, in 2019, 1.27 million deaths were directly attributed to drug-resistant infections globally. By 2050, up to 10 million deaths could occur annually.”

Yet, although it may seem shocking, the sad truth is that the foundation of this increase has been laid for many years. Antimicrobial resistance, also known as superbugs, are the byproduct of the repeated use and misuse of antibiotics to treat diseases and infections. Despite being effective in the short term, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi are able to develop resist-

ance to our attacks and eventually construct an impenetrable defence.

As is nature’s way, microorganisms are able to adapt to their environment with vigorous efficiency, especially when confronted with one of the world’s greatest threats: pollution.

Unlike humans, pollution creates favourable conditions for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria to thrive and reproduce. With polluted water acting as their microscopic breeding ground, areas with poor sanitation and wastewater management systems feed superbugs and affect those who have no other choice but to consume them and wash with them, day in and day out.

Pollution creates favourable conditions for anti-microbial resistance

Image: PxHere

According to UNICEF, it is estimated that “one in 10 people (785 million) still lack basic services,” with 144 million of those being forced to drink untreated surface water — water that is often affected by wastewater discharge and sewage leaks. Needless to say, people are forced to seek medical care as they develop deadly

illnesses like cholera or dysentery; yet, when there is a lack of clean water, how are they supposed to defend themselves against infection? With antibiotics. This vicious cycle not only elongates hospital stays, jeopardises surgical treatment, and increases death rates, but also ensures those living in poverty are unable to escape it.

Fortunately, there are ways to address this. However, there should be no illusions about the time and money that need to be invested to safeguard people’s health. The UK has already taken important steps in the right direction by launching an international programme to aid in improving water sanitation. They intend to invest over £18 million in this project with the aim of helping lower-socioeconomic countries which are most vulnerable to the effects of antimicrobial resistance.

This is only the beginning. If we truly want to approach this problem effectively, we need to first consider the impact that the environment plays in exacerbating this resistance and support climate change initiatives. Secondly, we must keep investing in the improvement of clean, safe water for all to slow the wave encroaching upon us.

EXEPOSÉ | 13 DEC 2023

SCIENCE

29

New ‘national forests’ to be planted by the end of 2025

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Charlie Gershinson, Deputy Editor, explores the government’s plans for planting new forests HE government has announced the planting of two new ‘community forests’, one

in Derbyshire and one in Tees Valley, as part of a competition to create a national forest. The competition is part

of a government effort to allow more Britons to access the countryside.

The Environment Secretary, Steve

Image: W. Carter, Wikimedia Commons

Barclay, announced that local communities will be allowed to put forward bids for their area to be chosen, with up to £10 million to be made available to them in funding. These areas are not limited to rural areas. Sir William Worsley, head of the Forest Commission, told BBC Radio 4 that urban areas which has little existing woodland are also welcome to apply as, “trees and woods are wonderful things and bring so much.” Applicants will be judged on how a forest would change their local area; make habitats available for animals, and aid the government’s net-zero agenda. Combined, two of the new forests will cover 370 hectares of land by 2025, according to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Barclay commented on the programme saying, “public access to nature is so vital, which is why we pledged in our Environmental Improvement Plan that everyone should have access to green space or water within a 15-minute walk from their home — such as woodlands, wetlands, parks or rivers. This new forest for the nation will help make that happen.”

He went on to discuss the benefits

of more trees and woodland, saying, “the value of trees to people and nature has never been clearer. They are vital for our health and security.

We can’t do without them. We know that spending time in green spaces and getting hands on with nature has a positive impact on our health and wellbeing, which is why £5.77 million has been invested through our green social prescribing programme to tackle and prevent mental ill health. I will continue to make the case for investment in this area.”

The value of trees to people and nature has never been clearer The programme comes off the success of similar programmes since the 1990s. Former mining communities in the Midlands had a similar rejuvenation through the creation of a national forest, with an increase from 525,000 trees planted by the end of 1995 to 9 million by the end of 2022, corresponding to an increase from a 7.2 per cent woodland cover to 21 per cent.

Spike in childhood pneumonia in China explained

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Anna Kane, Online News Editor, observes the increase of respiratory illness in children

HINA has seen a significant increase of respiratory illness this winter, amongst these is childhood pneumonia. As this winter marks China’s first without Covid-19 restrictions since 2020, an upward trend of infections was predicted. The World Health Organisation (WHO) put down the rise of hospitalisations to common winter infections. However, epidemiologists are saying that the outburst of childhood pneumonia is unusual, and this has not been the case in the easing of Covid restrictions in other countries. Groups like the Programme for Monitoring Emerging Diseases have been reporting on groups of undiagnosed pneumonia in Children in the northern regions of China.

So, what is the explanation behind the surge? On the 23rd November, WHO released a statement: “the upsurge of respiratory illnesses among children — Northern China.” They put down the rise in respiratory illness from October to well-known pathogens like adenoviruses, influenza, and RSV. The increase in pneumonia in children, especially in the Northern regions of China like the city of Beijing, owes itself to a bacterium called Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

This lung-infecting bacterium is normally relatively mild and is also known as ‘walking pneumonia’. Epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong, Benjamin Cowling, explained that the reason why the surge began early this year (from May) and has led to hospitalisations, is because of the impact of three years of Covid meas-

ures. The lack of the immune system’s exposure to respiratory infections has made their effect more significant.

Several people worldwide noticed a

The lack of the immune systems exposure to respiratory infections has made their effect more significant weaking in their immune systems when re-integrating back into society after

the ease of Covid measures. Because, worldwide, people were engaging in lockdowns, their immune systems were not picking up seasonal pathogens to nearly the same extent, therefore weren’t building up an immunity.

China has been particularly impacted by Covid lockdowns, with easing on restrictions only happening very recently. On Wednesday the 6th December, China’s State Council announced 10 new guidelines that will enable the easing of Covid restrictions — the first official

change in Covid policy nationally.

University of Exeter student, Anna Malik, when asked on her view of the Chinese outbreak of childhood pneumonia, said: “these children who participated in worldwide lockdowns are now put in a compromising position; their weakened immune systems simply cannot cope with the resumption of socialisation.” Anna also spoke about her own experience of the easing of Covid restrictions in the UK: “I definitely noticed my immune system’s weakness follow-

ing lockdown. I went from hardly getting ill to taking frequent trips to Boots for Lemsip and Strepsils!”

The concerning feature of the Mycoplasma pneumonia is its resistance to modern medicine. Ioannis Tsanakas, Professor of Paediatric Pulmonology at the University of Greece, has said that Mycoplasma has a resistance of up to 90 per cent of available drugs. Where pneumonia can usually be treated with a course of antibiotics, there is fear of the inefficacy of the antibiotic macrolide.

There have also been recent surg-

There is a fear of the inefficacy of the antibiotic macrolide

Image: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels

es of Mycoplasma pneumonia in Europe, with rises of the bacterium being recorded in France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland. Denmark and France in particular have noticed a spike, with the bacterium reaching epidemic levels. Surveillance of pneumonia cases has also increased in Asian countries, such as India, Nepal, Taiwan and Thailand, in response to the prevalence of the bacterium.

Consequently, there are fears that the pneumonia will pose a significant international threat and a new pandemic will ensue. It is important that nations follow the advice of the WHO, and acknowledge and monitor symptoms, which include difficulty breathing, high temperatures, and coughing.

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13 DEC 2023 | EXEPOSÉ

SPORT

The Ultimate Swim Off

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Mikhail Shklover, Online Sport Editor, reviews a thrilling day of action in the pool

RADITIONAL 50-metre Olympic disciplines, a variety of silly relays, musical accompaniment, excellent team spirit, media coverage — the ‘Ultimate Swim Off' involved it all. Despite the denselypacked BUCS schedule, as well as the inevitable deadline season, six wateroriented clubs were able to assemble at St Sidwell’s Point on 22nd November and unite for the annual charity occasion. Hosted by the University of Exeter Swimming Club as the spotlight Movember event, the Swim Off succeeded on all facets. With the Hockey, Football and Cricket clubs dominating in the Movember leaderboards, the Ultimate Swim Off became Swim So-

ciety’s fundraising occasion. With £613 raised in a single afternoon, the event became a worthy contribution to the crucial cause. Aside from the financial aspect, the action in the water and on the poolside lived up to the expectations too.

As the clock passed 1pm, St Sidwell’s poolside was packed, with representatives of each club preparing on the blocks. Canoe, Triathlon, Surf, Windriders, as well as two teams from Water Polo and Swim lined up next to the designated lanes,

Images: Kieran Moore

ready to compete in a multivarious programme. The 14 events included a range of different challenges, thus allowing every team to display their strengths and benefit from certain events.

Nevertheless, the favourites were established quickly.

With swimmers shared equally among the different teams, a close, evenlybalanced race was anticipated. However, as the competitors dived into the water for the opening team relays, a few teams appeared to be out of contention in the early stages. Teams Water Polo 2, Swim 2 and Canoe all failed to register points in the first three races (a result that would set the tone for their overall performance), with Water Polo 1 making the strongest start. With the intermediate quiz breaks providing the opportunity to add to the tally, the teams also took the chance to regroup in preparation for the most challenging, unorthodox part of the programme.

The diverse programme that unfolded past the first question time interval offered unending excitement for St Sidwell’s attendees. The 5x25metre arms-and-legs relay underlined the importance of team work, and the

duck-and-dive and Water Polo relays challenged the water polo members, forcing them to adapt to the strict regulations of the relay. Finally the creative rolypoly and open-water relays tested the ability of students to propel forward without making contact with the walls or the bottom of the pool. While some teams demonstrated excellent pace and endurance during races, others made great use of changeovers often closing down the gaps at the turns. The more traditional relays, as well as individual butterfly, backstroke and freestyle races, added to the diverse programme and appeared to be of equal importance in terms of points.

While some teams demonstrated excellent pace and endurance... others made great use of changeovers The noise was amplified as the contestants dived into the pool for the final individual event — the classic 50-metre freestyle. At that stage several teams demonstrated the great-

est level of determination and consistency, while Triathlon were putting together a decent comeback from lane eight. The chaotic T-shirt relay concluded the afternoon with the final podium standings (quiz points included) as follows: Water Polo 1 in first, Surf in second and Triathlon in third.

And with that came the end of the ‘Ultimate Swim Off ’. Organised expertly by Captain Lauren Cooley and Swimming Club’s committee, with the involvement of six AU clubs and media coverage from XpressionFM and XTV — the event was a success and ultimately only had one real winner: Movember.

With half of Swim Club's Movember funds raised through the Ultimate Swim Off this year, its return in 2024 looks very likely. Hopefully this will be a new legacy in Exeter’s sporting calendar.

A 'Nice' future for the Winter Olympics?

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Harry Craig, Deputy Editor, covers the newly announced 2030 and 2034 Olympic hosts in France and the US, and what this means for the future of the winter games

HE future of the Winter resort city of Nice and outdoor events Olympics has looked to be up in the French Alps. 2034, meanwhile, on thin ice at times in re- will be hosted in the United States, recent years. The 2022 games were held turning to 2002 hosts Salt Lake City.

by Beijing, with the alpine skiing held In both cases, almost all venues in a resort that receives just five cen- already exist — a stark difference to timetres of natural snow a year, after the last three editions, in which Rusnarrowly beating the only other bid sia, South Korea and China spent great from Kazakhstan. In 2026, the games deals of money building entire resorts. head to Milan, after a lucky Both host cities are located in last-minute Italian bid traditional winter sports bailed out the Intercountries, and venues national Olympic actually have reliCommittee (IOC). able winter climates.

The IOC will be Even better delighted, therefore, news for the IOC with last month’s is that this opens hosting announceup 2038 to SwitzerImage: Міністерство молоді та спорту України, Wikimement for the 2030 and land, who had origidia Commons 2034 Olympics, which nally been bidding for have been entrusted to two 2030. The IOC should therevery safe pairs of hands. France is fore have four consecutive Winter to host the 2030 edition, just six years Olympics lined up in traditional winafter Paris will host the Summer Olym- ter heartlands — an impressive turnpics, with indoor events in the Riviera around from the 2010s, when costs

spiralled out of control and potential hosts dropped like flies following the calamitous 2014 Sochi Olympics.

However, is there another threat close on the horizon for the Winter Olympics? It’s no surprise that an event that depends on snow for more than half of its disciplines is threatened by climate change. This was noted by the IOC last year, who said that only ten countries will have the climate to host snow sports by 2040, in proposing pragmatic ideas such as rotating pools of hosts, minimum climate conditions and more flexible venue criteria. The latter has already been adopted

by Italy and France, who are spreading their games across a large area to avoid having to construct new venues.

An event that depends on snow... is threatened by climate change

Image: Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Wikimedia Commons

Although it is refreshing to see an international organisation be so upfront about the risks of climate change, there still seems to be a lack of urgency among sport administrators about how the climate emergency could destroy sport as we know it. In October, the International Ski Federation responded angrily to a petition from climate ad-

vocacy group Protect Our Winters that called on the sport’s leaders to do more to reduce its own carbon footprint.

Thanks to last month’s announcement, the future of the Winter Olympics is now secured until at least the late 2030s. Whether there will be a sufficient winter climate by then for the games to continue remains to be seen.

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13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

Sportsperson of the year

Sport writers put forward their candidates for the greatest sportspeople of 2023 Max Verstappen Lauren Hemp Harry Brook Fran Williams

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ED Bull Racing have nurtured a true motorsport legend, but providing a fast car is only half of the story; while the RB-19 challenger was astonishingly competitive, so too was its driver. Max Verstappen has had a season like no other. Breaking numerous records, he left the F1 world with its jaw dropped… and he didn’t even take all season to do it; the 26-year-old Dutchman claimed his third championship world title at the sprint race in Qatar, leaving six Grands Prix to further his points accumulation and showcase his utter dominance.

Verstappen clearly took charge of this 2023 campaign by winning 19 races, scoring 21 podium finishes, and obtaining 575 points — the highest total in a single season. Red Bull won the Constructors’ Championship solely from the points Max scored, whilst his teammate, Sergio Pérez, struggled to match Max's flawless and consistent performance.

Verstappen became the first driver to lead over 1000 laps throughout a season, and while some think this dominance makes for a repetitive and ‘boring’ watch, it isn’t the first time we have seen a driver noticeably stand out from the rest of the pack… remember Vettel’s four consecutive world titles between 2010 and 2013? Or, perhaps more recently, between 2017 and 2020 where Hamilton shone?

Verstappen should be praised for the work he has achieved this year in pushing himself and the team ever further forward, and it is up to the rest of the field to try to catch up. Everyone should acknowledge that this domination is history writing itself in front of our e y e s.

Eloise Grainger, Sport Editor Image: Automotive Rhythms, Flickr

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RELATIVELY unsung hero in this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup is Manchester City and England national football team forward Lauren Hemp, who has shone and demonstrated her unmatched value and criticality for both teams.

Statistics speak for themselves: at 23 years old, she is a four-time winner of the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year Award, UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 champion, and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 finalist, notably scoring and being voted Player of the Match in the match that sent England to that historic final. Hemp’s recent 50th cap for the England national team, with 47 goals and 32 assists for Manchester City, elucidates her as an asset. I need not mention her equaliser in last Friday’s match against the Netherlands which, amongst England’s desperate final moments of the qualifying campaign, served to keep Olympic dreams alive: she always has a way of winning the ball back, and driving forward to victory in nail-biting, do-or-die moments.

Former teammate Ellen White has expressed Lauren’s “excellent technical ability” not only in attack, but uniquely also in defence. White also expressed her desire for England in games to “get the ball to [Hemp]”: her remarkable speed, sporting intelligence and infallible determination has delivered for crucial games countless times.

From her beginnings in Norwich City, she has always been held in high regard for her natural agility and skill, but also for playing with “immense humility, embracing every challenge presented to her."

Lauren Hemp proves an undoubtedly well-deserved candidate for Sportsperson of the Year 2023.

W

HILE 2023 has been a mixed year for England cricket, it has certainly been a good year for Harry Brook. After making his England debut in September 2022, and winning the T20 World Cup, Brook has had a successful 2023 where he has established himself as a key member of England’s batting lineup in all three formats. He has a very impressive Test average of 62.15, and a strike rate of 91.76.

In the Test series against New Zealand in February, Brook was the Player of the Match in the first Test with scores of 89 (from 81 balls) and 54 (41), and he also scored 186 (176) in the second Test to earn Player of the Series. He top-scored in all three innings and batted with a confidence and positivity now synonymous with Bazball.

In the Ashes, Brook scored four 50s and in the third Test he reached 1000 Test runs — the fastest player ever to do so by number of balls faced.

In The Hundred this summer, Brook had an average of 47.60, and strike rate of 196.69. He scored 105 not out from 42 balls which was the first hundred of the competition, cementing himself as a destructive shorter format player.

Just last week, in ODIs against the West Indies Brook scored 71 and a key 43, showing his success is far from over. Brook has had a great year and is still only 24 so he has a long career ahead of him.

2

023 was a fantastic year for netball across the world but notably for the England Roses.

A large chunk of their success can be put down to the fantastic spirit and hard work of Fran Williams who often carries the team on her back.

At the World Cup in the summer, England made history by beating Australia in the preliminary stages of the finals, a feat that had never been successfully completed before in a world tournament. England fans couldn’t believe it and for me, the reason for England’s position in the Grand Final was due to Williams’s incredible knack at boosting the team when they really need it.

The interceptions, the deflections, the rebounds, the energy that she maintains is something to admire and is also welcome in the England Super League.

Her team, Loughborough Lightning were the team to lift the trophy this year and Fran Williams won the NSL Player of the Season due to her efforts.

To perform well under pressure is something even the most experienced players can’t manage but Williams seems to thrive from it. In the iconic match against Australia in the World Cup where England secured a nailbiting one-goal victory, the moment that tipped them over the scoreboard was an incredible flying interception from Fran Williams that came out of nowhere. It had the entire stadium on their feet and fans jumping for joy in front of their TVs. Williams is humble and doesn’t ever directly recognise how she is a stalwart of the England Roses and this is what helps her avoid complacency, going from strength to strength and causing headaches for any opposing team. I can’t wait to see her further success in 2024.

Emily Irving

Eloise Shewring, Science Editor Image: Dave Morton, Flickr

Image: James Boyes, Wikimedia Commons

Gracie Moore, Online Arts and Lit Editor

Image: England Netball

Women's football: an historic year in review

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Magdalena Kanecka looks back on a year that has changed the face of women's football

HE year 2023 has been marked as a record-breaking one for women’s football, with the recently concluded Women’s World Cup being the most watched and attended yet. Furthermore, the recent Wembley match between England and the Netherlands was accompanied by an attendance of nearly 90,000 people — proving that there is a growing interest in female success, and that women are now taken more seriously in male-dominated sports. In the World Cup final between England and Spain, Spain won the most successful Women’s World Cup in history with a steady score of 1-0.

There is growing interest in female success and... women are now taken more seriously

While the attendance and the public interest in the Women’s World Cup clearly show progress with regard to women’s success and participation in football (and sport in general), female success remains significantly overshadowed by male actions. In particular, reports from sources such as Sky Sports reflected on how, after the World Cup final, Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, was found guilty of sexual misconduct when he was seen grabbing his crotch during the medal ceremony and non-consensually kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso, later claiming his actions to have been consensual.

It is essential to note that relevant action was immediately taken by FIFA; Rubiales was initially suspended from his role for 90 days. However, following FIFA’s joint investigation with the High Court of Spain, he has been found

guilty of both sexual assault as well as coercion concerning the incident. After suspending Rubiales from attending any football-related activities for three years, this proves the matter was taken seriously and a considerable breach of boundaries took place. The former Spanish Football Federation president has since claimed he will continue to appeal this decision.

However, even though the relevant organisations took the necessary steps to ensure Luis Rubiales takes full responsibility for his gross misconduct and assault, this doesn’t take away from how inappropriate and potentially traumatising the event must have been for Jenni Hermoso. It is important to note that the event itself took place during the medal ceremony — meant to be a time for the team to celebrate their success and victory together, which was taken away from Hermoso as some-

one she trusted took advantage of her.

As a result, while it is a significant achievement that female success is now far more celebrated than it used to be, reaching phenomenal and not-yetseen-before numbers in terms of pub-

lic interest and attendance, it appears there is still a long road to equality. We will not reach it until the misconduct and discrimination women still face is tackled with appropriate consequences for the perpetrators of such violence.

Image: Ailura, Loads To Do

13 DEC 2023| EXEPOSÉ

32

Sport

SPORT EDITOR:

Harry Craig

Exeter takes the Big Dip for Movember

Image: Anabel Costa-Ferreira

Anabel Costa-Ferreira Editor-in-Chief

A

S November draws to a close, it is time to take a look back at the highlights from yet another successful Movember campaign at the University of Exeter.

To end Exeter’s successful month of Movember, the annual Big Dip took place on the 3rd December at Teignmouth beach. Arranged by students and for students, this event saw a collaboration between EUOWSS (Exeter University Open Water Swimming Society), Tennis, Bodysoc and Exeter Movember.

Movember, while a term often associated with a month of questionable looking moustaches represents a hugely important cause. What began as a small movement set up by two Australian friends (Travis Garone and Luke Slattery) over the past 20 years Movember has developed into a global campaign raising awareness for both men’s physical and mental health. On their website, the campaign details how it has currently funded 1,320 men’s health projects around the world. Currently, their work focuses specifically on “three of the biggest health issues affecting men: mental health and suicide prevention,

prostate cancer, and testicular cancer” cials and with an unexpected day of The concept of the ‘Big Dip’ is a snow, many (myself included) likely well-known winter challenge, raising avoided checking the forecast for Sunmoney for charity by braving the icy day’s outing. As the day arrived, over a waters of December. The Movember hundred students made their way challenge has been around at to the beautiful TeignExeter for several years mouth beach, which and continues to enis only 30 minutes courage students to away by train. participate in this Though upon month of raisarrival we ing awareness. In were greetparticular, this ed by some sport is scienlight showtifically proven to ers of rain, have immeasurable the group was health benefits, alenthusiastic and Image: Exeter Movember, Instagram lowing you to disconwords of encournect from the present and agement from friends relax. Open-water swimming is helped spirits remain high. also reported to improve mood, as just As typical of the December months, being near water leads to a reduction the waves were fairly strong and the in the production of stress hormones tides too. Therefore, the safety brief(such as cortisol and adrenaline). ing was a vital discussion before the swim, led by EUOWSS. Following Reported to the safety briefing and a quick group everyone changed as quickly improve mood, as just photo, as possible and braved the water. On being near water leads a cold winter morning, the beach to a reduction of stress was absolutely stunning, and surhormones prisingly the water was not as freezing as I’d anticipated. Speaking on Leading up to the swim, societies the event, Movember ambassador gave safety guidance through their so- Rhianna commented on the “amaz-

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Instagram: @exepose

ing turnout for such an important cause” and praised how “spirits were so high despite the chilly weather.”

Amazing turnout for such an important cause After the swim ended, we were fortunate enough to participate in a post-swim dance fitness session led

by Bodysoc. A mixture of 2010’s classics and even the new song from Barbie the class was a fantastic end to the morning and a great success, as evidenced by the passers-by that joined the routines. At this time, Bodysoc also continued to raise money by selling some delicious homemade brownies. Reflecting on their involvement in the event, they stated that “it was a great way to end our fundraising efforts where we donated money in our ‘bring a boy to Bodysoc’ event for every boy that came to a class! We raised over £200 from these classes, and additional money from our members attending the big dip. It was a great morning for a great cause.”

Also involved in the event, the Tennis Club celebrated how “the big dip was a great success, it was lovely to see different societies

come together for the Movember movement. Shoutout to all the club members that embraced the cold!”

Briefly, reflecting on the month, the University raised an impressive total of over £100,000. A spokesperson for the University of Exeter said: “There has once again been some truly amazing work from Movember Ambassadors and all the Clubs, Societies and individuals who have organised, or taken part in, fundraising for Movember this year. In addition to the Big Dip there has been an enormous range of events and challenges that, thanks to the hard work and passion of our students, have already raised more than £100,000. More importantly, they’re helping raise awareness for men’s health— particularly their mental health — and the importance of reaching out for support at any time of year. All students can find out more about the support which is available on our wellbeing web pages, which includes a page dedicated to men’s mental health and wellbeing, at exeter.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/.” While locals probably questioned why a hundred odd students were crazy enough to wear swimsuits in December, looking around it was an incredible display of solidarity.

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