THE GLASGOW GUARDIAN
18 October 2016
5
News
Glasgow Oktoberfest cancelled Wallis Spence WRITER
Organisers of Glasgow Oktoberfest have been forced to cancel their 2016 event after failing to obtain an alcohol licence due to police complaints of public drunkenness and violence at last year’s gathering. The event celebrating German beer, food and music was intended to be held in Blythswood Square between 19-23 October. Police Scotland had raised concerns about the location and safety of attendees during the initial attempts to obtain a license. The Glasgow Licensing Board were alerted by police to the high levels of violence and disorder that occurred during last year’s Oktoberfest in Glasgow, where the number of attendees surpassed 2,000. The board also refused to grant the event an alcohol licence because they felt that Blythswood Square was not a safe enough lo-
cation. They expressed concerns that attendees would have to walk on the busy roads surrounding the Square after consuming alcohol. Organisers attempted to relocate the beer festival to another venue in the city where they could legally sell alcohol. However, the event was ultimately cancelled. At last year’s Oktoberfest, staff were warned by police about serving alcohol to heavily intoxicated customers. As part of its objection to this year’s Oktoberfest, a statement on behalf of Police Scotland Chief Constable Phil Gormley detailed drunk and disorderly behaviour at last year’s Oktoberfest. He stated: “The atmosphere soon changed and a number of fights broke out, approximately 25 persons were ejected by stewards for being too drunk.” A spokesman for Glasgow Licensing Board said: “An application for an event in Blythswood Square was rejected due to the location and related public safety
Glasgow University make breakthrough in Zika research New sequencing of the virus genome discovers immune response Katy Scott NEWS EDITOR
Scientists at the University of Glasgow have made a major breakthrough in defeating the Zika virus. The researchers recently succeeded in sequencing the full genome of the virus from a patient in Brazil displaying symptoms of the disease. They discovered that certain molecules derived from the virus inhibit an important part of the host’s immune system, which could be fundamental to understanding how the virus causes disease. The team compared the genome sequence obtained from the patient in Brazil to other available samples and examined non-coding regions of the sequence. They were then able to detect a portion of the viral genome in infected cells called sfRNA. sfRNA is found in viruses which cause similar diseases and acts likewise by inhibiting particular sections of the host cell’s antiviral response. The research has recently been published in the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) Neglected Tropical Diseases and has been supported by the UK Government and Brazilian partners. Dr Alain Kohl, of the Medical Research Council-Universi-
ty of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said: “We have used the information from a Brazilian isolate, which we obtained from our colleagues in Brazil and fully characterised it in collaboration with them, to identify a virus-derived molecule that inhibits a very important part of the host antiviral response system. “It is particularly important to show this with sequence information as close as possible to the patient-derived virus, as virus strains that are adapted in cell culture may start to mutate. “This information is important for understanding the pathogenesis of Zika virus infection but may also be useful for the design of attenuated viruses for vaccine studies in the future.” The World Health Organisation have declared the virus’s link to microcephaly a public health emergency. Outbreaks of the virus have been reported in the Pacific region, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The virus is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes and is thought to have originated in Bahia, Brazil last year. The epidemic has so far resulted in over 1.5 million cases worldwide and researchers hope that this latest advance will support them in their search for a vaccine.
concerns. “No further licence applications were lodged by the event organiser. “It’s our understanding the organiser was unable to secure an alternative venue.” Similar events will still go ahead in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Glasgow Oktoberfest organisers have confirmed that everyone who already purchased a ticket for the Glasgow event will be refunded. Tickets to the event were priced at around £35 each. The event organisers stated on their Facebook page: “After a long fight for a license which got rejected at several potential venues we now have no chance to come to Glasgow this year. Be assured we did all possible to make it. “We refunded all ticket holders in full and they should receive the money back on their card within 5-10 working days. We are so sorry this is happening but hope to be back [in] 2017.”
Revellers celebrate with a pint at Oktoberfest
SRC holds mental health and self-care panel
Advocates discuss stigma and funding issues Wallis Spence WRITER
The Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council (SRC) hosted a panel on 28 September comprising four professionals involved with organisations working in areas across mental health. Speaking in this session were Angela Stewart from the Steve Retson Project, a specialised sexual health service for gay and bisexual men; Sarah Laverty, one of the 25 young ambassadors in Scotland for Beat, an organisation providing support for those suffering with eating disorders; Lisa Lee from Penumbra, providing a range of support facilities; and Alison Cairns from Bipolar Scotland. The panel discussed the necessity to reduce stigma surrounding mental health issues and the importance of self management. A repeated response discussion point was that of funding. Cairns admitted that Bipolar Scotland have the equivalent of 2.5 staff. She commented that the organisation “Haven’t had expertise to find it [funding], part of it down to Scottish government changing priorities. In the past 3 years they have cut 70% of it... we can’t deliver what we want to deliver if we’ve not got the resources. We know what’s needed because people tell us what’s needed, but unless we have the resources to back it up, we’re stuck.” Lee followed, stating that
her organisation has two crisis centres in Scotland. She was applauded after she addressed the audience directly: “If you guys are here as advocates of the future, of what our world’s going to look like and how our society is driven, then health and social care really, really, need to look at mental health being equitable with all these other health targets that we might have for cancer, or heart disease, or diabetes. We need to have the same kind of level of intervention for mental health.” Lee complemented Glasgow University for its wide range of peer support available for students. A representative from Glasgow University Sports Association spoke about the Starfish Programme, an organisation on campus revolving around disordered eating and exercise, running buddy systems for those who are anxious in the gym and hosting drop in meetings. There are also counselling and psychological services as well as student support teams who are readily available to contact. However, the panel agreed that stigma surrounding mental health prevents many students from seeking the help they might need. Laverty commented, “I can only speak from an eating disorder perspective, but it can happen to anyone, any mental health condition, and I don’t think people realise that until they find that a family member or friend has been in that situation... The quicker you are treated the less time it
has to fester... I can honestly say that reducing the stigma will save lives drastically... If we can talk about it then people are more comfortable to go and get help, and if people can go and get help then the better the outcome.” The panel discussed the strategies they would recommend for self care when you do not have much time. Laverty commented, “Make the time. If you’re mentally well you will be efficient in everything else you do. If you are busy and stressed then everything takes a lot longer... It could just be ten minutes out of your day to do exercise, or do something... If you get your head in a good place then you will be a lot more efficient, so making that time will be very beneficial.” Stewart addressed the difficulty of speaking out, commenting, “Who is that normal person? Cause everyone’s got their own wee quirks, they way they are, their own personalities... We need to talk about these things more. We just need to be honest, people just need to be honest when they’re struggling. I might not need to speak to a professional... but these five thousand things that are happening, it’s all just a wee bit too much and actually, I should be able to talk to my friends about that... Being more open about these things helps bring it to the forefront and lets people feel more comfortable with themselves.”