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April / May 2010 A UWIC Student’ Union Publication
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Election Success for Rafferty & James UWIC Sabbatical Elections 2010 Summer Drink The Bar Dry Page 3
Graduation Ball 2010 Page 5
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Full Story on Page 3
Big Changes to Retro! The 2010/11 academic year holds huge changes for Retro.
BUCS Championships 2010 UWIC experience another successful year at BUCS.
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RetroWelcomes Student President’s Welcome Retro Contents “I’d just like to say a huge thank you” Welcomes
By Claire Rafferty UWICSU President
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Welcome back! Hope you all had a lovely easter and managed to catch a few rays!
Feature Stories Election Results
2010’s Sabbatical Elections saw success for Claire Rafferty & Nicola James.
Summer Drink The Bar Dry 2010
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First off, I’d just like to say a huge thank you to all who voted for me in the Sabbatical Elections this March. I was so happy to be voted in again for a second time, and I’m hugely proud to be able to represent you all for a second year. So, thank you! This term is the shortest but there’s a lot going on! The food coop resumes monday 19th so don’t forget to place your orders for all your summer fruit and veg, this will be taking place every monday in the student centre in Llandaff and Centro at Cyncoed. The most anticipated event of the year is nearly upon us ..... Drink the bar dry tickets are selling fast so get yours before they fly out. Tickets for the sports awards are also available from the su, where you can also make your nominations for who deserves an award! Check out the student union and athletic union facebook group for all details on upcoming events including graduation! Have a fantastic term make the most of those long evenings and sunny days. Good look with all the exams! See you soon x
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Grab your Sun cream & shades, its Summer time!
Changes to Retro
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Graduation Ball
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Get your tickets to the biggest Graduation Party in Cardiff.
Llandaff Parking for 2010/11
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With all the Colchester avenue students & staff moving to Llandaff campus next year, where will they all park their cars?
Vice President’s Welcome
“Hello and a Big Welcome Back”
Feature Articles
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Music
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Art & Design
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Movie Reviews
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Take-A-Break
Some light entertainment to keep you...entertained?
Assistant Editor - Gareth Dunt garethdunt@googlemail.com Music Editor - Jake May j.j.may@uwic.ac.uk Photographer - Kieran McManus kieran@kieranmcmanus.co.uk SU Tube - Ephraim Lewis redmetheph@yahoo.co.uk Advertising - Gavin Rickard grickard@btconnect.com Retro Newspaper UWIC Students’ Union Western Avenue Cardiff, CF5 2YB Tel: 02920 416335 Retro Content Statement Content printed in the Retro is not the opinion of the Students Union, but of the persons who submitted it.
UWICSU Staff Contact Details
Students’ Union President Claire Rafferty crafferty@uwic.ac.uk Students’ Union Vice President Alex Hales ahales@uwic.ac.uk
Events & Marketing Manager Gavin Rickard garickard@uwic.ac.uk Events & Marketing Assistant Mallory Cottell mcottell@uwic.ac.uk Membership Services Manager Ffion Mainwaring fmainwaring@uwic.ac.uk
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Sport BUCS Results
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BUCS Photography
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Scholar of the Month
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Sport News
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Nicki Avery
Retro Staff Editor - Terence Rosoman trosoman@uwic.ac.uk
Athletic Union Officer Ian Campbell icampbell@uwic.ac.uk
Regulars
• Kick-Ass • Clash of the Titans • How to Train Your Dragon
Retro Contacts
Centro Bar Manger Robert Caldwell rcaldwell@uwic.ac.uk By Alex Hales UWICSU Vice President
Hello, hello and a big welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed a lovely break and are newly refreshed, relaxed and recharged ready for the Summer Term. There are so many things coming up this
term it’s hard to fit everything into one small welcome. That’s why we’ve got the Retro packed full for you to peruse at your leisure. Highlights for this term are the Sports Awards (May 5th), exams (once they’re out the way they can be seen as a highlight?! No… didn’t think so!), the last edition of the Retro for this year, summer Drink the Bar Dry (get your tickets online NOW for May 28th!!), Graduation, and the two Graduation balls (tickets available from 12noon, 26th April). Look out for opportunities
to have your say this term. “YOU SAY! / DWEDWCH CHI!” is our brand new initiative being run by the Students’ Union. This is your opportunity to voice your opinions on what you think the Students’ Union should be focusing on – simples! It might be something academic, something to do with socialising, facilities or even representation. “YOU SAY / DWEDWCH CHI!” does exactly what it says on the tin. As always, pop in if you think we can help you in any way to help make your experience at UWIC the best ever.
The Loft Manager Steve Watkiss swatkiss@uwic.ac.uk Tommy’s Bar Manager Karl Price kprice@uwic.ac.uk UWICSU - Cynceod Campus Tel: 02920 416190 UWICSU - Llandaff Campus Tel: 02920 416335
Retro
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Sabbatical Election Results 2010 By Terence Rosoman Retro Editor
During March the UWIC Students’ Union ran its annual Sabbatical Elections to find the Students’ Union’s President & Vice President. Well, the results are in and have been counted... UWIC Students’ Union is pleased to advise you of the results from last nights Sabbatical Election count in which there were 1385 votes cast across all UWIC sites. The UWIC Students’ Union can therefore confirm that Claire Louise Rafferty has been re-elected as President and Nichola James as been elected as Vice President. Well done to all who competed in the elections and to all students who voted. I’m sure you’ll all be looking forward to having Claire and Nichola represent you next year to make sure your voice is heard and improve your overall student experience even more!
Sabbatical Elections 2010 Results President
Claire Rafferty 49%
RON & No Vote 1%
Pippa Hancock 34%
Florance King 16%
Vice President
Nicohla James 75%
RON & No Vote 15%
Sabbatical Officers for 2010/11: Vice President, Nicola James (Left) & President, Claire Rafferty (Right). Picture: Kieran McManuc
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Retro To Go Digital for 2010/11 By Gavin Rickard
UWIC Students Union is excited to announce that the well known and loved student newspaper Retro will be going digital from September 2010. So what does that mean for Retro? Well it doesn’t mean we are going totally digital, we will be printing one edition every term. So for those traditionalists out there its covered. We are also going to keep printing the freshers guide and sending it to first years so that all important introduction…is yep covered. Going digital is such a positive move that the Union Events and Media department can’t wait to get started. Not only is it green to print less but the new publication will be much better. It’s clear to us that UWIC students are
all about the new developments in tech just by the amount of you who have blackberrys or I-phones. It makes sense that your Union publication can be accessed anywhere in the world at anytime even in the palm of your hand. But the good news doesn’t stop there from now on you will be able to view videos such as interviews, sports, music and basically anything we think will be of interest. Hey why read when you can it watch right? Want to be famous on campus? Why not make a video and send it to us? If it’s any good, interesting or just funny it will go in and thousands of UWIC students will be able to see it. As always we are looking for as many of you to be involved in the publication as possible. It doesn’t matter what course you are doing or if you have no previous experience. It looks great on the CV when you finish University and it has helped countless ex students to get jobs. For more info email Taz on: trosoman@uwic.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY OF WALES INSTITUTE, CARDIFF
AT H R O FA P R I F Y S G O L C Y M R U, C A E R D Y D D
Why People Boycott…
Awards Ceremonies 2010 at Wales Millennium Centre
Don’t wait for your results - book your place now!
www.uwic.ac.uk/graduation If you don’t want to attend you MUST still complete the on-line form at: www.uwic.ac.uk/graduation
Wednesday 7th July 2010 - 10.00am Cardiff School of Sport Wednesday 7th July 2010 - 1.30pm Cardiff School of Art & Design Thursday 8th July 2010 - 10.00am Cardiff School of Management (excluding MBAs) Thursday 8th July 2010 - 1.30pm MBA (from Cardiff School of Management and London School of Commerce), BABS, MBA and MSc Friday 9th July 2010 - 10.00am Cardiff School of Health Sciences Friday 9th July 2010 - 1.30pm Cardiff School of Education
By Jake May
Despite their huge popularity and financial success, Coffee giants Starbucks are one of the most heavily boycotted companies worldwide for what some people see as unfair treatment towards employees by stopping them from forming trade unions. Unions are incredibly important to ensure that staff members are not taken advantage of by the rich and powerful management. They provide support for individuals and ensure that companies are working legally and fairly towards their employees. The vast majority of large companies allow trade unions, who strive to improve working conditions, negotiate
wages and help staff members get their voice heard in these workplaces – all meaning more happy and fairly treated staff. And yet Starbucks reportedly spends millions of pounds each year in an attempt to stop their employees from being allowed to form a trade union. This essentially means that they can easily get away with forcing their staff to work long hours with small pay and in poor working conditions. The mere introduction of a union would simply give more rights to their employees to fight for better conditions, and yet Starbucks do not allow it. It is for this reason that many, many ethical consumers worldwide refuse to buy any Starbucks products; hoping to damage sales figures and ultimately bring about change to make a fairer future for those less fortunate individuals. If you feel that workers deserve better, then maybe you should do the same and give another coffee shop a try.
Retro
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April / May 2010
UWIC Graduation Ball 2010 By Mallory Cottell
To all of you lucky students who WILL be graduating this year (have faith!) make sure you get online www.uwicsu. co.uk/gradball for your 2010 GRADBALL tickets aka the last time you and your friends will start the night looking lovely altogether. With a wonderful two course meal and some awesome entertainment YET TO BE ANNOUNCED! Keep your eyes peeled. The Grad ball will be held in part of Cardiff’s Castle grounds, a night to remember. We are even holding two graduation balls for you guys simply because of last years
demand; so make sure you decide which one suits you most the 8th July or 9th July? Don’t miss out on tickets as they sell out very quickly! Not only that but there is a chance for 50 of you graduating beauties to get yourself a FREE, yes FREE cut and blow dry for your special day courtesy of Ocean Hairdressers on Wellfield road…all you’ve got to do is email me the answer of this question: “Where is Ocean hairdressers situated?” to mcottell@uwic.ac.uk ………EASY MUCH!? So make sure you get your posh frocks, heels, suits or tuxedos on, and obviously get your hair done- all out to impress! Tickets go on sale Monday 26th April! Where can I get my tickets? Get yourself online: www.uwicsu.co.uk/gradball or go into a UWIC SU office and buy your ticket at either Llandaff or Cyncoed.
Win one of 50 Cut and Blow Dries at Luxurious salon Ocean Hairdressing!
Ocean Hairdressing is at the forefront of hairdressing and is renowned for making people look and feel fantastic. Situated on Wellfield Road, the luxuries salon is welcoming and relaxing. Luckily for you – Ocean has teamed up with XXXX to offer 50 of you the chance to win a cut and blow dry at the salon! The perfect way to get glammed up for grad ball or just as a pampering treat. Whether you fancy a big and bouncy style like Cheryl Cole or an understated wave as seen on Whitney Port, the talented team at Ocean can deliver. This exclusive prize is only available for fifty readers. To be in with a chance of winning please answer the following question:
Q. What street is Ocean salon on? Terms and Conditions Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Selected Stylists only. Appointment times and restrictions may apply. Prize must be redeemed within one month of being informed you have won.
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The current student carshare zone will be relocated to the Plas Gwyn residential campus situated a 10 minute walk away from the Llandaff campus. Students who feel they have exceptional circumstances, and therefore need to park at Llandaff, will be assessed on an individual basis for a permit. Applications and contact details can be found online
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As you all know, Colchester Avenue will be closing next year and relocating to the brand new CSM building on the Llandaff campus. With this in mind, UWIC has needed to concentrate on making sure staff can park on the Llandaff campus in order to be able to deliver your lectures. Unfortunately this means that there will be no student parking on the Llandaff campus from September 2010.
at www.uwic.ac.uk/parking. Although this may appear to be a difficult situation for some, there are lots of alternative ways to get to the Llandaff campus. Our bus routes will be amended over the summer to improve the UWIC Rider and Fast Track service which not only stop at each UWIC campus but also pass through all major halls of residence and Roath and Cathays. Please see www.uwic.ac.uk/uwicrider over the summer for the improved routes, times and an application form for our UWIC Rider pass which enables you to use the entire Cardiff bus network for 10 months of the year! Cycling is another easy way of getting to your lectures on time. It will only take you 20 minutes to cycle from Roath to the Llandaff campus, passing through the park to avoid busy roads and there are plenty of safe cycle routes. Please see www.uwic. ac.uk/BUG for cycle routes as well as information on UWIC’s Cycling Officer who can help you arrange and plan a safe route. The maps will also help any people deciding to walk to lectures, just make sure you remember to stay safe and walk with others at night. If you have any travel questions or queries, please email travel@uwic.ac.uk or call Menna on 029 20416852.
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Llandaff Parking from September 2010…
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Cardiff Bus
The largest dedicated Wales university bus service in
uwic.ac.uk
• The U2 UWIC Fast Track - The only dedicated route between Roath/Cathays and Llandaff campus • The U1 UWIC Rider - Your pass is valid for every Cardiff Bus throughout Cardiff • Cycling - The Llandaff campus is linked to numerous cycling routes, email: travel@uwic.ac.uk • Car share - Register at www.carshare2cardiff.com , form a group and park at the nearby Plas Gwyn campus • Walking - Try living closer to campus in Pontcanna and Canton, which are both only a short walk away. email: accommodation@uwic.ac.uk
Retro
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RetroNews
Finding Work in a Recession By UWIC’s Career Development Services
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Find a job search strategy to match your goal.
A KTP - Gain a qualification while working: www.ktponline.org.uk
Job hunting in a recession is hard work, so it’s useful to have a strategy. Our best advice is ‘Keep Busy’ – any activity, paid or unpaid, is good for the CV and your self esteem.
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Will all the jobs in your sector get advertised? If so, where?
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Is there a hidden job market (eg jobs that go by word of mouth)? How will you break into it?
Be competitive Make sure your CV, application form and interview skills are top notch and tailored to each company/ vacancy.
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Is it best to send off a CV and letter or sign up to a recruitment agency?
Do you have a career goal? 1 If so, try to build relevant skills and experiences as you work towards it. Think about further study – but remember that it’s a big commitment in time and money so you need to be sure it fits into your plans. Research the employment market If you can be flexible, head towards growth areas such as green energy production and the food industry (not all the opportunities are for scientists and engineers.)
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Network: Tutors, advisers, family, friends and colleagues may know of opportunities for work shadowing, volunteering or paid work.
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Consider alternatives such as: A GO Wales placement (£240 a week for 6-12 weeks), or a work taster: www.gowales.co.uk
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Graduate Internships in England: www.direct.gov.uk/graduates
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Need help?
Visit www.uwic.ac.uk/careers, for all the careers support you need, including the Current Vacancies database. Join UWIC Careers on Facebook to keep up with events and the best of the new vacancies. Use the Blackboard Your Career e-module. It’s full of interactive sessions to help you identify your skills and aptitudes for particular careers and take you through the whole job search and applications process. The free GO Wales Graduate Academy offers intensive careers support, a leadership and management qualification and work experience.
FREE
Key Cover* - Register now Collect your new accommodation keys and we’ll automatically insure them against theft and loss, because your new landlord won’t
Simply go online to endsleigh.co.uk/key text ‘Key’ followed by your email address to 60070**
* Up to the value of £500. Full terms & conditions available at www.endsleigh.co.uk/key ** Texts will cost 1 standard network message charge. Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This can be checked on the FSA Register by visiting its website at www.fsa.gov.uk
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RetroNews Focus on….. FAN Society UWIC FAN Group is the newest addition to the ever-growing list of UWIC Students’ Union societies. FAN stands for Friends Across Nations. It has been set up to give every student the opportunity to meet different people who are in their University world or who attend FAN Meetings in Cardiff. FAN attendees meet in a spirit of friendship at one hourly meetings held each week. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys meeting new people whether students, staff or neighbours, listening to anecdotes based on differing themes each week and telling your own stories to contribute to the meeting, then this is for you! The special benefit of FAN is that you will feel a kinship with people from 14 other FAN Groups in Cardiff and can attend them and know that they work in the same way. If you love to meet a great range of people – check their website and see if you can help create a better world! www.thefancharity.org To begin, meetings will take place at Cyncoed in the Meeting Room at Centro from Monday 26th April at 4pm. Here, students will have the opportunity to meet once a week on one campus initially. There is no charge for coming. From there students will decide if they’d like to set up more meetings on other campuses to get their friends/course mates involved. Any student, member of teaching or ancilliary staff is more than welcome to attend the FAN society meetings. The primary purpose of this society is to promote friendship and social cohesion amongst people of all backgrounds and beliefs. If you are interested in coming along to the first meeting of its kind at UWIC in April, or want to know any more information then get in touch with Alex Hales at the Students’ Union; ahales@uwic.ac.uk or Ricardo on 07507604662 or just pop into FAN on any Monday at 4.00pm and be sure of a welcome!
Think You Know About Islam? The UWIC Islamic society is here to attempt to dispel myths and misconceptions surrounding recent world events pertaining to Muslims. By Nurudeen Hassan International Representative UWIC Islamic Society (ISoc) is an organizational body conceived and managed by students to facilitate understanding on and around campus about the religion of Islam as a comprehensive way of life, providing authoritative information, references and reflection on Islam, Muslims and the Muslim World. The society attempts to dispel myths and misconceptions surrounding recent world events pertaining to Muslims. In addition, UWIC Isoc provides support programs and activities to assist Muslim students in the practice of their faith and an opportunity to socialize with peers in University. UWIC Isoc was established three years ago and within the last two years the society has won four awards, including ‘Brotherhood and Sisterhood’ award (for the level of cooperation between members of the society), ‘Best Prayer Room Facility’, ‘Best Host’, and ‘Most Outstanding Event’ at the annual FOSIS Wales Awards dinner. The annual dinner usually attracts University Islamic societies from around Wales and West England, including Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Bristol, Bangor and Lampeter UWIC ISoc events are open to all, regardless of race, gender or creed and have organized various activities including religious activities, lectures, dinners, sporting programs as well as special activities during the holy month of Ramadan and other significant religious occasions such as Eid. Islam Awareness Week is the highlight of the academic year comprising an assortment of events and displays to allow a greater understanding of the faith, primarily amongst the University staff, students and also the general public. UWIC ISoc does not profess to be a scholarly group, rather a student body that represent Muslim students on campus and strive to promote understanding, tolerance and respect between Muslim students and others. UWIC ISoc is an independent body that works with the University chaplaincy and the wider Muslim community, including local mosques, schools, colleges, youth and charity
groups. The society maintains a nonpolitical view and steers clear of pursuing a sectarian agenda and respects the right of difference of opinion both amongst Muslims and between Muslims and individuals of other faiths. The society organizes many academic courses and lectures that are open to everyone and give both Muslims
etc… From the recent events and activities organized by the society are two University level structured weekend courses in collaboration with a world class institute, The ‘Alkauthar Institute’. The first one took place in November on the subject ‘Relationships and Respect in Islam’, this course attracted individuals from across Wales and England with over
and non-Muslims an opportunity to learn about the Islamic faith. UWIC ISoc also holds annual campaign weeks/events to raise awareness and/or money for the underprivileged around the world, of which include ‘One Day National Fast’, ‘Make Poverty History’, ‘Charity Week’, and ‘Palestine Awareness Week’, amongst others. On the Social side, the society also organizes numerous activities such as Sisters Go-karting, Football tournaments, Sisters talent shows, Barbeques, Eid dinner
150 attendees. The second course titled ‘World of the Unseen’ which took place on the 13th and 14th of February 2010. This again proved no less in grandeur and was widely received by individuals willing to learn attending from various cities around the UK, attracting those from within the university and also the wider community. Due to the intensive and interactive nature of the courses, it was found that they both appealed greatly to individuals from all walks of life, ranging from students to
professionals. On Sunday 21st of February, UWIC ISoc was honoured to host a lecture presented by Dr Jamal Al Badawi, a retired Professor from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Canada. The topic addressed to an audience of around 120 was regarding the duties of Muslims in the West and how they can contribute to civic society and engage with people in a constructive way to improve understanding of the faith. Having authored several books and articles on Islam, Dr Badawi is considered to be one of the foremost Muslim thinkers in the West and has received numerous accolades for his contribution to understanding Islam in Canada and the West and for encouraging integration and contribution of Muslims to their society. He also researched, designed and presented a 352 segment television series on Islam, broadcasted on many local TV stations around the world. Membership to UWIC Islamic Society is open to all students and staff members. UWIC ISoc is chartered through the UWIC Students Union and is an affiliate of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies in the UK and Ireland (FOSIS). FOSIS is the premier Muslim Student representative body, It was established in 1962 after a meeting held in Birmingham by students from the cities of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Wolverhampton and Dublin who realized the need to co-ordinate the work of Islamic societies across the UK and Ireland. For more information, visit their website: www.fosis.org.uk All members of the society actively seek to gain the best in all walks of life, with the previous President and founder of the society, Miss Alaa Khundakji graduating in 2009 and soon after securing the position of Chair for FOSIS Wales which she holds till date alongside her job within the prestigious Welsh Blood Service in Llantrisant, South Wales. The current president of the society is the international student representative within the Student Union and also a Student Ambassador for the International Office. For suggestions, queries or to join UWIC Islamic Society please email us at: isoc.uwic@googlemail.com
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RetroNews
Stay Safe This Summer
BEE Club News By Jo Wright BEE Intern
Welsh Dragons Den: Beermat Final
By UWIC Nursing Department
We all want to go away for the perfect holiday but many of us end up ill and wishing we were home. Being prepared will help to reduce your risk of ill health, so here is a list of things to do and check before you go and while you are away. European Health Insurance card (EHIC) This card will get you reduced cost health care when travelling in the EU. You can apply for a card online. If you already have one, check the expiry date of your EHIC before you travel. You can renew your card online. Adequate Travel Insurance: Make sure you are covered for the activities in which you plan to participate.
Vaccinations up to date: These sometimes need to be given months before you are due to travel; so if you haven’t done so already see the Practice Nurse at your Doctors’ surgery as soon as possible. Medical Supplies up to date: Check your First Aid Pack before you travel. General Health Advice: Listen to the Practice Nurse when you visit for your vaccinations. Use this as an opportunity to ask questions. Eye/Dental check up: Make sure your routine checks are up to date. Get any necessary work done before leaving. Contraceptive Advice: Available from Family Planning Clinics and your Campus Nurse. Remember if
you are going to travel and have sex use a condom. Don’t put yourself at risk. Sexually Transmitted Diseases: If you have been at risk get checked at the local GUM Clinic before you go. As above always remember to use a condom. Deep Vein Thrombosis (D.V.T.): Wear flight socks, don’t sit for too long, get up and move around. Move your feet and ankles when sitting. Protect you skin: Every time the sun touches your skin, exposure to ultraviolet radiation damages cells, accelerates skin ageing and possibly triggers mutations that lead to skin cancer. 1. Protect your skin with clothing, including a hat, T shirt and UV protective sunglasses. 2. Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm
3. Use a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 (SPF 30 for children or people with pale skin) with high UVA protection. Keep babies and young children out of direct sunlight. 4. Check country destination for particular advice. This is by no means an exhaustive list of things to think about. For further information please contact your Campus Nurse, Nurse Practitioner or G.P. who can give you more advice dependant on your individual circumstance. This may mean referral to a Travel Health Clinic for some of the vaccinations required dependant on your planned destination, which would incur a cost. Further information and reading at: • www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/ index.aspx?id=1 • www.nathnac.org/travel/index.htm • www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.doc • www.uwic.ac.uk/studentservices/health
The UWIC Drama Scoiety The Newest Addition to the UWIC Society Family By Danyal Fryer
It started on a frozen hill in the middle of winter. We looked up to the blazing sun as the frigid wind slammed into our faces. It was then we knew. A Drama Society was the answer; but the answer to what? We probably will never know or find out. You’re probably wondering why I have the attention span of a piranha that’s lost his/her spectacles. Or not. So let’s get talking about the beginning of the UWIC Drama Society. Along with a couple of the
other first year English and Drama society students, after obtaining “signatures” from them obviously, I handed in the form. It was ten harrowing days later that I found out that the request was accepted and that this great (potential) society was created. Shame we didn’t get the millions of pounds of funding I didn’t request. The next few steps were the creation of a face book page (who doesn’t use it....tom) and the attachment of the society email address to my student one (well, that’s when face book lets me create one). Now all is needed is unsuspecting victims... I mean alcoholic... I mean “normal” people to join. You may be thinking what does the Drama Society do, or plan to do? Well, that’s next! I think. The Drama Society is for ama-
teur and seasoned writers, actors, cameramen and directors. If my former English and Drama students do not join I shall be deeply, deeply, deeply disappointed. See what I did there? We will be “obtaining” contacts with local theatres and possibly even some outdoor theatre (is it legal?) and will be putting on shows and the like. When we get a little more organised and sorted out, we will be organising rooms to use for sessions to practise improvisation skills and generally having fun with performing. We will be deciding what shows to put on and cast them to members of the society. We will be writing new material and accepting material from any member. The Drama Society will be run by its members, for its members (and audience). Don’t worry, I am not an evil genius bent
upon world domination by gathering minions through a University society. I will not then brainwash them into doing my bidding. They won’t be sent around the world committing acts against humanity and bribing government officials. Don’t worry. I do not even know what’s in my head, and I feel sorry for any psychologist that wants to venture there. So please, if you go to UWIC (which is kind of hard not to if you are reading the RETRO) join the UWIC Drama Society if you love the prementioned activities, or laughing at me.
Contact Details
Danyal Fryer (NOT EVIL GENIUS) baherroth@Hotmail.co.uk Tel: 07917095004
Congratulations to our Bee members that competed in the beermat competition on 10th March 2010. There were some very interesting and imaginative business ideas. Well done especially to Jennifer Roberts from Howard Gardens Campus. Jennifer is a Textiles student and had the original business idea of fibre optic wallpaper and won £300 for her amazing pitch! Second place was Cameron Nott from the Cyncoed Campus who won £150 with his groundbreaking invention of the “electric heated dressing gown”! Finally third place was scooped by Martin Boaler an MBA Colchester Avenue student who won £50 with his “Take out” Magazine. Well done to all of you that got involved and pitched it was a really fun day and your ideas were really inspiring!
Events In April Buisness Start Up Workshops by Venture Wales: For those of you that are serious about setting up yout own business. This one day workshop is not be missed! Venture Wales will guide you through the steps to starting your own business. To reserve a place please email: bee@uwic.ac.uk Bee Gala Awards Ceremony celebrating UWIC’s Entrepreneur of the Year! Marketing Volunteers Needed! Here is your chance to get some work experience, enhance your CV and help with this brand new event. If you are interested in getting involved please contact Jo on 07999449156 or email st08002792@uwic.outlook.ac.uk for more information. We we need help with sponsorship, prizes for the auction and general marketing. Cheers and look forward to seeing you soon!
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RetroFeatures University Dating By Helen Di Duca
So many frogs, so little time! The big question: Is it possible to find love on a university campus? Definitely. But as most things tend to adjust, so has the definition of dating. You will be lucky if ‘dating’ consist of any actual dates. Often it means that a guy and a girl meet on a crowded dance floor and exchange numbers. Don’t hold your breath on that nextday text. Relationships aren’t as they seem with the notion of sex first, dating later as not so uncommon. In the real world, sex should always be meaningful. In university, more than likely it happens with a person who struggles to remember your name. At least you will manage to get your 20 minutes of exercise as the walk of shame may become part of your exercise routine! You may also see people in an embrace a typical romantic gesture. In university it’s usually a sign that someone needs help to stand on their own. You can find love is the strangest of places but please remember that the term ‘study partner’ has a connotation that takes place far from the library. Unfortunately for all you nice guys out there ‘what’s on the inside’ is put to one side. We know that hot guys are arrogant but we go for them anyway, leaving the nice guys to finish last again. At least chivalry’s not dead; he’ll let you buy the first drink! Experimenting with relationships in university can be fun, but use caution; the truth can be ugly!
Customise
By Gaz Dunt Assistant Editor
Well it’s that time of year again. Too many books, too much coffee, and not enough sleep. It’s the time of year that makes you sweat at the impending thought of it and rejoice when you know it’s all over. Exams. We’ve all been there, some more than others. And the fact remains that this stage in the academic year is extremely stressful. So here at Retro we thought we’d lend a hand and offer some revision tips to guide you through the storm.
There’s been a lot of coverage on the television about how to maximise your memory and give yourself the best chance to pass an exam. The most effective of which is discussed in Derren Brown’s book ‘Tricks of the Mind’. Here, Brown describes a tried and tested method of remembering vast amounts of information called the Linking Technique. This method is concerned with building up a visual representation of the information you need to recall and linking them in your mind. Furthermore as the stored information is now in picture form, we
have a much better ability to recall it later on. What’s important to do is group the information into packets and assign a mental image to that packet. Try and make the mental image as strange and ridiculously unforgettable as you can. Now the trick is to assign this mental image to your surroundings, in this case it would be the room that you know you will be sitting the exam in. Find cues in the surrounding area that you can recall on to access the information you assigned to it. I’ve given it a go and it is very surprising the amount of information you can recall at any time- it really does work! But as with any mental process,
you really need to look after your brain in order to give yourself the best chance of success. Think of your brain as an engine. We all know that if you put petrol in a diesel engine if will cause an insane amount of problems. Similarly if you overuse one it will burn out, and without oil and engine simply cannot function. Your brain is no different! So make sure you… • • • •
Eat healthily! Drink plenty of water! Get a good nights sleep! Don’t revise for vast amount of time- it will not sink in! • And save the alcohol for AFTER the exam!
By Helen Di Duca
Students from all over chose to call Cardiff their second home, creating both a stylish and diverse set of campuses. Being a student is the perfect time for reinventing or tweaks or your personal style. This can be tough with shops lacking the style we’re craving. Here is your chance to change this as one size does not fit all and neither does every look. This can be easily done with so many on-line companies offering you a design element to their websites. All you need is some creative flare and you can create from the comfort of your own room! So, here are Retro’s top sites for customizing your clobber: 1. 2. 3. 4.
www.nike.com www.streetshirts.co.uk www.makeyourownjeans.com www.handycandy.co.uk
When Does Someone Else’s Problem Become Your Problem? And if it becomes your problem, should you do anything about it? Heather Daniels As a student dietitian, I am constantly having it drummed into me that people make their own choices. And, when it comes to someone accepting help, I’m all for this. But what if they’re not deciding whether they want your help – what if they’re asking you to harm them? Should you still respect their decision?
Yesterday evening I suffered one such dilemma, finding myself stuck deep in that tricky no-man’s land of ‘The Middle’. I was behind the bar at the pub I recently started working in, in the process of having an amicable chat with a pleasant chap, one of those nice Uncle-y types who wears a fluffy green jumper and slip-on shoes. During our conversation, he kindly proceeded to tell me that a) he used to drink far too much, had been sober for a while now but was going to have a ‘holiday’ and have a few drinks tonight, and b) that he had recently had rather major surgery for a condition caused by his drinking, and then proceeded to lift up his top to show me the rather large, padded and,
by the looks of it, oozing (sorry) wound, and then order a pint of lager (extra cold). Morally, this put me in rather an awkward situation. What do I do – get on my moral high horse and pass judgement, and command that henceforth He Shalt Not Drink? Or stand blithely by and merrily aid him in his quest for self-destruction? I don’t have a problem with what people do when it doesn’t directly involve me, but telling me his life story made me actively involved, almost an accomplice. Suddenly the ‘respect people’s choices’ adage didn’t seem quite so simple. Growing up as someone with what was at times an almost ludicrously strict policy of non-harm that spanned the whole animal kingdom, even including
the annoying ones like ants, wasps and, on most occasions, my little brother, could I do something with a fair inkling that it could harm someone else with a clear conscience? In the end my conscience compromised with itself - there’s a fine line between respecting other people’s decisions and compromising your own morals, and I think this lies in a different place for each individual. I’m still finding out where my line is. I half wish I’d said to him, ‘If I told you I was going to hang myself, would you sell me the rope?’ - I wonder what he would have said.
Retro
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April / May 2010
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RetroFeatures
Is There Life After University?
Chaplaincy Corner
By Rev Paul Fitzgerald UWIC Chaplain
Katie David gained her PGCE Primary qualification at UWIC last year. She talks about her experiences since qualifying and how Cardiff School of Education’s own recruitment agency, Education Specialists @ UWIC, have helped her. From UWIC’s Education Specialists When I qualified as a primary teacher I knew I’d just enabled myself to enjoy a career where I’d feel fulfilled and, more importantly, genuinely happy. However, I hadn’t secured a permanent teaching post and I was initially worried what this would mean. Then I received a call from Hayley at Education Specialists @ UWIC and from that moment I knew my career would start interestingly, if not how I’d expected. From quite a young age I was interested in working with children. My initial work experience in high school was in a primary school and I knew from then children were the people I wanted to make a difference to in life. My initial degree was in English literature for two reasons. Firstly because I have always been a keen enthusiast of literature and all it entails, and secondly because I wanted a broad degree to fall back on in case anything went wrong or didn’t work out with teaching. As it turned out, even after my degree, I still wanted to teach, so after a year as a teaching assistant in a local school, I enrolled on the PGCE at UWIC. The PGCE is perhaps the hardest but most rewarding thing I have ever done. The fact that a three year degree
is crammed into a 9 month course in the PGCE makes for an intensive time but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. As long as you are determined and motivated the course flies by and with the help and support of both the lecturers and the placement schools it can be an incredibly fulfilling experience. Supply teaching is not something I aspired to throughout my course
at UWIC but when I didn’t secure a permanent position it was something I decided to throw myself into. It is not always easy, especially financially when you don’t know for sure, one week to the next, if you will have any work, but supply teaching gives you an opportunity to widen your experience within primary schools by having the opportunity to teach different age groups beyond your chosen specialism age range. You also get to make yourself known to many schools, meet lots of
different children and teachers and learn from a lot of different experienced staff which you may not have met otherwise. The team at Education Specialists are both supportive and helpful. They make the otherwise stressful situation of visiting different schools daily a breeze. Where other agencies can be pushy and can pile on the pressure, Education Specialists listen to you and understand you, calling in plenty of time of a placement and always able to offer advice on every situation that arises. After working on a supply basis at a local primary school for a few days Education Specialists contacted me to say that the school was so pleased with me that they’d like to have me back to cover a long-term assignment for them! I’m now teaching a Foundation Phase class in a lovely school and really enjoying it – although I didn’t plan to work as a supply teacher it’s provided me with some great opportunities. If you’re due to gain Qualified Teacher Status this year and would like information about Education Specialists @ UWIC, please contact he team: educationspecialists@uwic.ac.uk Tel: 02920 416951.
In the last few days (just before Easter as I write this) I have been forced to look at myself and my role very seriously. It is very easy in a university to become ‘target’ orientated and to focus on achieving certain goals or defending a preciously held position. It is also all too easy to become compelled to fight for certain Student’s or Staff rights and to pursue justice relentlessly. The need to put our own workload first and subsume our personality into belonging to the institution is all too commonplace and all too dangerous. This has happened to me, as I know it has happened at times to most staff and a good deal of students. Work matters, it is important and we are at university to succeed and not to fail. Work to some degree defines who we are; it moulds us and
shapes our identity but it is not who we are. The single most frequent crises situation that I encounter is work place stress, from lecturers, support staff and students equally. We are all human, sentient, physical & spiritual beings. We are fragile, strong, compromised and repaired. We are dynamic, free, changeable, wise, stupid, different, unique and beautiful. We are amazing in our diversity. I don’t care if this sound’s naff, but we all need to take the time to be individual; to smell the flowers, time to chat with friends, to fall in love, to be angry, to be free. We all need to time just to be. If we take some positive time for ourselves, not to party or tear up to city, but to read, watch a film, relax, talk to friends, pray or walk, some positive ‘me’ time. I do believe we will all be a lot happier and perhaps a lot saner! Paul
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Retro
April / May 2010
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RetroMusic Retro Recommends... By Jake May Retro Music Editor
Release of the Month: May 2010 The School Loveless Unbeliever
UWIC Artist of the Month
Ivan Moult
The School are fronted by Liz, the (pretty much) famous Cardiff gig promoter working under the name Loose. Liz obsesses over 60’s pop, and she guides her band into similar waters with their debut effort Loveless Unbeliever. Being signed after only 4 live shows and having a song featured on a Korean oven advert, the Cardiff 8-piece have an interesting background; and it’s a background that you can find out more about by reading their feature on Guardian’s Band of the Day (Band No. 752). Loveless Unbeliever is expected mid-May.
April 26th: The Futureheads Chaos
(File next to: The Young Knives, Good Shoes, Pete & the Pirates)
Gogol Bordello Trans Continental House (Gypsy/Punk/Folk)
Trash Kit Trash Kit
(Lo-fi/Alternative/Punk)
Photography by Darragh Murphy
May 3rd:
By Jake May Music Editor
Alabama 3 Revolver Soul
Ivan Moult writes dreamy acoustic folk songs in his bedroom. When speaking to Ivan, who is currently a deferred History and Politics student at UWIC, you get the impression that he was always destined to be a musician.
(Electronica/Blues/Rock)
Broken Social Scene Forgiveness Rock Record (Post-rock/Alternative)
May 10th: Foals Total Life Forever
“My parents decided we weren’t gonna have a TV in the house when I was a kid, so we just listened to a lot of records. My mum was massively into folk and 60s pop and my dad liked blues and jazz. My mum had a big thing for classical music as well so I had all of this music in the house, plus this weird obsession with The Beatles that my Dad had.” Besides from his parents (pretty darn impressive) musical tastes, music has also featured heavily in his life,
(Alternative/Math-rock/Post-rock)
May 31st: Born Ruffians Say It
(File next to: Tokyo Police Club, Vampire Weekend)
Bands and Solo Artists Wanted!
Each month Retro gives its students a chance to get acquainted with a band or artist from UWIC.
So, are you in a band/artist? Are you a current student at UWIC? Do you want to be seen in 3,000 Retros distributed across Cardiff for UWIC Students? Of Course you do!
writing his first song at 16 about an ex, as well as making some slightly surprising music. (Especially surprising when you listen to his solo stuff ). “[I was] in quite a few bands when [I was] younger which just seemed like a lot of fun. We had a ska-punk band called Pelican Skeleton, because we were all listening to Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish. We were massively into that, so we started a ska-punk band. We were… good” he told me, not wholly confidently. As well as naturally being a talented musician, Ivan also seems to have had a fair amount of the luck that is useful to make it in this industry, almost stumbling into national radio appearances. “A mate of mine from uni did work experience at BBC Wales. He heard my music and was doing work experience with Bethan (who does BBC Introducing) so he took one of my demos and said that he’d give it to her. He did, and she liked it and she gave me a gig and put me on her show and played my songs. I was pretty happy about that.”
Then get in touch with our Music Editor Jake May and show your interest! j.j.may@uwic.ac.uk
Retro
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April / May 2010
RetroMusic Editors Gig Review
The Great Hall, 21st March 2010 By Nathan Chubb
Since 2005, Editors, with their debut album ‘The Back Room’, have been growing in stature, touring regularly and making headline slots at major festivals. They’ve been lauded as the second biggest British band of the decade after Arctic Monkeys by The Mail on Sunday. With this in mind, Editors coming to Cardiff - with their array of electrifying guitar work, dreamy piano, impressive
Not only that, but Ivan also recently joined Cardiff indiepop band The School after lead singer and songwriter, Liz, who also promotes through her moniker “Loose”, had put him on for one of her nights. “[Liz] just mentioned that they needed a guitarist. I was a bit drunk at the time so I just said ‘I’ll do it, pick me, I’ve got nothing to do!’ and I woke up in the morning and thought ‘what have I signed myself up for?!’”. Surprisingly, The School, despite not having even released their debut album (which is due out soon and featured in Retro Recommends), have had a song used for a Korean oven advert, and were not long ago featured as Guardian’s Band of the Day - though when asked if Ivan was at all nervous about being in a band that seem to be going places, he replied amazingly confidently. “No, it’s just really exciting to be honest. I wouldn’t say it was daunting. It’s pretty cool, seeing my picture on [the Guardian website]. I’ve only been in [the
band] for a little while so it’s been quite good for me, just kind of stepping in at the right moment.” With things moving for his new band The School, Ivan is equally as eager to make a success of his solo work. “I’m just trying to get a decent collection of songs at the moment and then I’m planning on sending it out to labels. [A friend’s] got a little label and they put out singles for their own bands. He said that he might be able to help me distribute and get some nice, proper, press CD’s and digi-packs and get it on Spotify and iTunes and stuff. So that’d be good... I’m going to try and send it off to some festivals for the little, unsigned stages and see if they have any last minute spots.” Best of luck to him! Ivan has an EP, partly recorded at UWIC recording studios with his friend Stuart Cumming, expected soon and also plays regular live gigs and open mic sessions around Cardiff.
To find out more, and to listen to Ivan Moult songs (which I highly recommend for fans of Johnny Flynn, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Buckley), head to his MySpace page at:
myspace.com/sayhiivan
or for his band, The School (for fans of The Beach Boys etc,) head to:
myspace.com/theschoolband
vocals, ambiguous lyrics and some synthesizers (courtesy of the new album ‘In This Light And On This Evening’) enthused me with anticipation. So when Tom Smith strode out onto the impressive factory-esque stage and kicked off the set with ‘In This Light And On This Evening’, it didn’t take much to get the crowd involved and off their feet. With the set soon becoming a mixture of both classics like ‘Munich’ and ‘Racing Rats’, and the introduction of newer tracks such as ‘Papillion’, the 1,000 plus crowd that turned out on a Sunday night were treated to an exceptional gig. Notably ‘Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool’ surprised with Kraftwork Synths and stage graphics in full flow, “You, Him, Her” lighting up the hall to the android call chorus bringing new depth to the performance. Tom Smith
then swapped guitar for piano to perform ‘Well Worn Hand’, the stage again allowing the whole hall to experience the performance in full with a camera invading Tom’s face on the piano bringing out this emotive track; the whole crowd was treated to a power-ballad piano masterpiece, a testament to the range of their back catalogue. The combination of ‘End Has A Start’, ‘Munich’ then followed by ‘Smokers Outside The Hospital Door’ once again brought the crowd jumping with Tom Smith’s words pouring out to the crowd entering into a magnificent echo of vocals in the great hall. When the encore arrived, it did so in style and made certain to me the Editors are one of the best live bands touring today with the brilliantly timed ‘Fingers In Factories’.
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Retro
April / May 2010
Well Hello There! By Gaz Dunt Art and Design Reporter
www.uwicsu.co.uk
THE NEW DYNAMISM
Welcome to the last Art and Design section of Retro. Here you can find your last installment of Retro creative goodness for the year. So enjoy it! My name is Gareth Dunt. I’m the Assistant Editor and Design Reporter for Retro. This month has seen a shift to the digital side of creative communcation. I spend a lot of time searching for interesting things in the world of art and design. Some of which I put in Retro, but most end up on my design blog due to the sheer amount of it. So if you have 5 minutes and want to check out whats happening in the world of art and design, be sure to take a look at my design blog at -
Sascha Pohflepp’s “Dandelion”
blackmaths.com This month has seen a lot of blog contributions from around the world. There has been some great photographers posting work on the various design blogs. Keep your eyes peeled for them as they are not to be missed! Also if you have anything you want to share on Black Maths, just sling me an email! Furthermore if you have a question or would like to have a chat about anything featured in Retro, feel free to contact me. garethdunt@googlemail.com
National Visit a Museum Day I am fully aware that the title of this so called ‘national day’ is somewhat geeky. However the truth is rather exciting. On the 18th May every year, museum professionals, sponsers, workers, and speakers get together in various places round the world to discuss all sorts of topics ranging from exhibitions to future events. It’s based around the motto “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, co-operation and peace among peoples.” I think it’s a great idea. Mark it in your diaries! If you want to find out more, check out icom.museum/imd.html
“Reacticles”
By Gaz Dunt Art and Design Reporter Digital design is a rather broad term in this day and age. The label is given to all manner of printed and electronic communication where a computer has been part of the creative process. But this is a misguided assignment of the term. Digital interactive design is an exciting, often transparent area of the creative industries that brings together a diverse range of designers, programmers and computer scientists. It is a sphere of visual communication that has grown in public awareness and technical complexity at some pace indeed. One of the recent examples of its rise in public appreciation is the Decode exhibition that was shown at the V&A museum in London. This display of digital design is a collaboration between the V&A and the contemporary arts organisation onedotzero. Artists such
Calling all UWIC Artists and Designers!
as Daniel Rozin, Sascha Pohflepp and Jonathan Harris feature with some of the finest examples of interactive visual communication I have seen. Sennep’s Dandelion stood out as a great example of how technology can be playful and accessible for members of the general public. The piece features a photorealistic rendering of the common dandelion supplied with a physical hair dryer. Users are then invited to blow the plant with the device, making the seeds scatter across the screen in an elegant array of organicity. Whilst watching the exhibitiongoers interact with the piece, I couldn’t help but think of the aging paintings and sculptures poised in other areas of the museum. Here, people were touching, laughing and shaping the installations in real time. Something that can’t be said for the often fenced-off works of old. Accessibility, dynamicity and interactivity were the beauty of Decode. However this area of digital design is not exclusive to London. Cardiff has seen much activity in this area with projects such as Reacticles, a playful
Retro want to hear from you!
interactive experience using colour, shape and form aimed at children on the autistic spectrum. Reacticles is currently being developed by Wendy Keay-Bright, reader in Inclusive Design at the Department of Creative Communication in Cardiff. The emphasis is placed on the user and how they can create their own experience from their actions. Movement, touch and sound all affect the visual output given back to the user. This exciting project has brought together a wide range of designers and programmers and is currently being developed for the iPhone. This move to a portable device will make the user experience more personal, tactile and responsive. Due to the nature of the iPhone, users can now squeeze, shake, tilt and press the screen of the product. With current interest and funding from the V&A museum, Reacticles has a very exciting future indeed. Digital interactive design allows us to explore our own creativity in dynamic, highly artistic ways. Its research empowers us to make sense of the world and more importantly, share it with others
If you fancy featuring as the next Retro Artist/Designer of the Month, submit an article or advertise an exhibition please get in touch with our Art & Design editor -
UWIC Students’Union listens to Nation Radio - 106.8 & 107.3 FM, www.nationwales.com
in engaging ways. It can be used to help individuals in ways traditional print based media cannot. As technology develops, our ‘digital tools’ will develop creating a limitless sphere of visual communication that is accessible to all.
WHAT TO SEE MORE? INTERESTING WEBSITES: universaleverything.com everyoneforever.com advancedbeauty.org/blog kvnst.com practise.co.uk suprb.com pixelfuckers.org troika.uk.com naxmix.com thestrangeattractor.net thisisduty.com paulwagenblast.com neasdencontrolcentre.com muti.cx jennyholzer.com
Gareth Dunt garethdunt@googlemail.com
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
By Gaz Dunt Art and Design Reporter
GARETH DUNT
The winning design was by 3rd Year Contemporary Textile Practice student Marta Mendes!
Photograph: Carl Sutherwood
Well seen as it is the last Retro of the year, we thought we’d show our appreciation to the man behind the Art and Design section of Retro- Gareth Dunt. We’d like to thank him for his efforts over the past 2 years and you will be sadly missed! We caught up with him to find out what makes him tick. Hello! First things first lets get some background info on you. Where do you hail from? What college did you attend? And what course are you currently studying here at UWIC? Hello there, my name is Gareth Dunt and I’m in my final year studying Graphic Communication at the Cardiff School of Art and Design. I’m originally from Rhuddlan in North Wales. I went to Yale Art College and studied Graphic Design, Multimedia and Photography. In your opinion, what is the best thing about studying an art and design degree at university?
There’s a lot of benefits to studying an art and design course at degree level. I suppose the main advantage of being here is having similar minded people around me every day. As creatives we need lively, passionate individuals surrounding us as much as possible to fuel our minds. University allows you to meet new people and network within the field of creative communication, probably the most important thing you can do as a designer. Who are your current art and design heroes? Who do you look to for inspiration? I find inspiration in photography, illustration, science and sculpture to name a few. Since being on my course I’ve branched off into more technology-based work and using digital technologies with traditional media. So the work cultivated by Onedotzero and Greyworld is a real inspiration for me. What things around you inspire your work? The way in which people interact with design greatly inspires my creative process. I always try to find new way
people can experience conventional media. I try to keep knowlegible of emerging technologies and the possibilities they present to us as designers. These days I find myself inspired by the efforts of programmers and computer scientists. I am particularly interested in the projects that happen between designers and programmers. Any design philosophy you want to share with us? I strongly believe the era of ‘form follows function’ is over. I feel that both form and function should be given equal attention. A graphic outcome could have a fantastic message, but if the execution is poor or ill-considered then people will not engage with it to it’s full potential. And furthermore design is about communication, not decoration. Everything in the design should have a purpose or it is simply a distraction. Looking into the future, where would you like to be in 5 years time? I have had it in my mind to work in London for the first few years after university and work my way up the creative ladder. I think the design
environment there is electric and full to the brim with interesting people from all walks of life. But I’d like to move from London further on down the line and experience new things again. Ultimately I’d love to channel my efforts into my own company, but that’s a few years off yet. What is the most important piece of advice you would give to someone thinking about starting an art and design degree course? Any words of wisdom? Be interested in the world around you. As visual communicators we must never stop absorbing information from our planet, or even universe. Always question your belief system and what you stand for as a designer. Respect those that came before you and the efforts they contributed toward the design environment we know today. Furthermore, I’d recommend seeing your work as an extension of your social life. Let your play influence your workbecause if you love what you do, you will never work a day. garethdunt.com blackmaths.com
The BA (Hons) Textiles course are now taking orders for the hoodies, they cost just £20 and come in a choice of Jade, Hot Pink, Burgundey or Steel Grey in Small, Medium or Large. Of course the ‘CTP2010’ is featured as a small logo on the front of the hoody but the main text is on the back and consists of ‘UWIC, Cardiff School of Art and Design’ so not exclusively just for Textiles students. The cool and original design appeals to any graphics, illustration or Cardiff School of Art and Design student etc who want a UWIC hoody with a bit of a difference. Make sure you head over to the Contemporary Textiles space to see the winning design!
Upcoming Exhibitions
Be sure to check out UWIC’s illustration graduate show on the 4th June. You may, or may not know that this will be a landmark exhibition for Cardiff as it is the first illustration graduate show the city has seen! The exhibition runs till the 11th June and has a website over at cardiffillustration.tumblr.com
Design for the new HG Wells’ series of books
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And the winner is...
DESIGNER OF THE MONTH
By Terence Rosomon Retro Editor
April / May 2010
“The Source”
UWIC Students’Union listens to Nation Radio - 106.8 & 107.3 FM, www.nationwales.com
UWIC’s Graphic Communcation degree course also has it’s graduate exhibition from the 4th-11th June. Don’t forget to check it out!
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April / May 2010
www.uwicsu.co.uk
cineworld
RetroFilm Reviews
cinemas
How to Train Your Dragon By Adam Chubb
Starring (the voices of ): Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson. Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Christopher MintzPlasse, David Tennant Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders Writer(s): Cressida Cowell, Dean DeBlois Cinematography: Pierre-Olivier Vincent Original Score: John Powell Running Time: 98 Mins.
Dreamworks Animation Studios have an Achilles heel, it is something which may well pepper their films with belly laughs on release but it is also something that stops them having the same kind of longevity as anything that their rival, Pixar. Their heart might well be in the right place and all the elements there for a classic, Shrek for example, but those goddamn pop culture references just bring the film down within a very short time following the initial release, whether it be in the oh-so hip soundtrack, the in-jokes and the starry voice-cast, it is something which will also see Dreamwork’s efforts never retain the longevity of Toy Story or Snow White. Thankfully then bringing in some talent from Disney (DeBlois and Sanders) has encouraged this approach to be dropped, in comes a proper story with warm humour that stems from relationships and incidence, a story that favours character over celebrity and upon seeing How To Train Your Dragon you would be unsurprised that whilst at Disney DeBlois and Sanders were behind Disney’s last truly great hand-drawn feature, Lilo and Stitch. Easy to draw comparison once you are aware of this fact, heck even the dragon hero Toothless looks like Stitch, but this is no bad reflection on How To Train Your Dragon, quite the contrary, simply put, some of that Disney magic has found its way into a Dreamworks production.
Verdict
How To Train Your Dragon is Dreamwork’s finest, helped by an injection of Disney-esque magic and delivered via the narrative thrust of a believable friendship and exhilarating action.
Kick-Ass By Adam Chubb
Starring: Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong Director: Matthew Vaughn Writer(s): Jane Goldman, Mark Millar (graphic-novel) Cinematography: Ben Davis Original Score: Ilan Eshkeri, Running Time: 117 Mins.
Much has been made of the supposed originality of KickAss’ concept, those without powers become superheroes, but I was sceptical, how original could it be for to my mind this is ground covered before from numerous stances.
Mystery Men offered a similar premise albeit with more comedic leanings, Watchmen, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, deals with heroes without powers, even Batman offers a hero bereft of actual powers (though he is name-checked early on in Kick-Ass and written off as “not an everyday man” due to his wealth). What does mark Kick-Ass out as different however is its approach, part comedic parody of super-hero films, part serious superhero tale replete with a proper villain and origin story it treads the fine line of being an actual film in it’s own right, that can sit along-side Spider-Man, Batman and Iron Man whilst acting as a gentle piss-take. An approach which could have, in the wrong hands, failed spectacularly. Focusing, initially at least, on Aaron Johnson’s titular hero Dave, Jane Goldman’s script, based on a graphic novel, (which was written in tandem) follows him on his origin from plain high
school teen to no-quite super-hero who ends up with numerous metal plates in his body via a tragically comic mishap. Dave’s story plods along and acts as the film’s drive but it is the sub-plots that really provide the meat on Kick-Ass/Dave’s bones, one involving a revenge plot and the other an attempt by arch-villain and drug dealer Frank Da’Mico’s (Strong) son (Mintz-Plasse) to impress his father. That these are the section’s that entertain the most goes some way to highlighting that Kick-Ass strengths lay in actually telling a story rather than poking, admittedly amusing, fun at its subject matter. Though the script and direction are solid it is in the casting that the real flair is to be found, Aaron Johnson provides, like his story arc, a the bones on which the better parts hang, likeable enough he provides something of a Peter Parker demeanour and even in his Kick-Ass alter-ego isn’t given much to play with, an attempt at catch-phrases and one-liners doesn’t seem to sit right, something may just stem from the unfamiliarity with Kick-Ass as a hero against, say, SpiderMan, though I would hazard a guess that come the inevitable sequel he will grow in stature enough to pull it off with much more aplomb. Something which means it
Clash of the Titans By Adam Chubb Starring: Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Danny Houston, Jason Flemyng, Mads Mikkelson Director: Louis Leterrier Writer(s): Travis Beacham, Phil Hay Cinematography: Peter Menzies Jr. Original Score: Ramin Djawadi Running Time: 106 Mins.
Updating the original Clash of the Titans (1981) for today’s audience was, quite frankly, a nobrainer, a blockbuster premise if ever there was one, though as we all know big-budget and effects cannot make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.
This is not to say that Clash of the Titans (2010) is a disaster, more a collection of effects-heavy set pieces loosely spun together through the most slender of premises and acting that on the whole proves hampered by the lack of characterization. Thankfully all manner of beasties are on hand to provide some respite between the lame attempts at character development, episodically jumping from set piece to set piece meaning that seekers of big-dumb action will likely be impressed enough to warrant the ticket price and the budget is up there to be seen on-screen. All of the (largely) re-designed creatures are a success if not all are realised with quite the same level of success. Sadly Sam Worthington, who showed great promise in Terminator Salvation is bland at best, so thank heavens
then for Ralph Fiennes who in his all-toobrief screen time lights up the screen in ways that no amount of money and visual effects can. All raspy and appearing in billows of smoke to torture and torment all and sundry, his Hades is the highlight and provides the menace and danger that is lacking elsewhere.
Verdict
Clash of the Titans is cram full of money shots it though it lacks a note-worthy hero and the script is poor to say the least, thank the gods then for Fiennes as Hades lighting up the screen every time he appears elevating it to a slightly above average experience ... sporadically at least.
is up to Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Nic Cage and Mark Strong to provide the real performance gold, though to be fair to Johnson, how often is the hero actually as interesting as his sidekick or the villain! As each plot-strand is masterfully intertwined a suitably heroic finale is reached, incorporating gun-fights, explosions, people flying! and the inevitable revenge moment echoing Spider-Man, something which highlight’s that despite its credentials as a some-time spoof, KickAss is a much more worthy homage to the genre, embracing rather than mocking.
Verdict
While not the game-changer many critics would have you believe, Kick-Ass is a brilliant example of using a genre as a platform to tease at its outlandish nature, whilst also embracing it to tell your own story.
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
April / May 2010
RetroTake-A-Break Retro’s Crossword 1
fmainwaring@uwic.ac.uk
Dear Aunty Archer I’m a fresher and have loads of exams later this term! I’m a little bit nervous and I can’t stand revising, I never really know where to start! Any words of wisdom to keep me going? Sarah Hi Sarah. Firstly, don’t fret. All of your friends are in the same
situation as you. Everyone revises a little differently, and something that might work for a friend might not work for you. You’ve got to play around with different techniques to find one to suit you best. There are lots of great hints and tips for revision and exams in the Academic Skills section on your student portal and now on the UWIC SU website (www.uwicsu. co.uk). Revision is all about time management, and is helped by making sure you take enough breaks and giving yourself some treats to keep you motivated! Good luck!
Hello Aunty Archer I finish my degree this summer and although I’m excited to finish, I don’t really know what to do with myself! I’ve got a little bit of work experience and obviously my degree but I’ve not chosen a particular career path yet – there’s nothing in particular I want to do. I’m sure I’m not the only one in this situation but thought I’d ask for your help! Ricardo Hi Ricardo. Your choices are pretty much endless! It depends what you want to do really. Do you want to go straight in to the workforce? If this is the case the first thing you need to do is set out a generic CV (which you then tailor for specific jobs), and then start looking for jobs! You can book an appointment with the Careers Service at UWIC who would be able to help you narrow
Plum!
down jobs suited to you, and then it is up to you to start applying to various places to see what happens. Maybe you want to take some time out and go travelling? If you were to go travelling, there’s nothing to stop you getting work experience while you’re abroad which will do wonders for your CV as well as being able to experience different cultures and climates. You say you’ve got a little bit of work experience. You could spend six months to a year doing temp work aimed at enhancing your CV for when you find that dream job you want to get. The choices are yours; I hope I’ve helped to give you some options. The rest is up to you.
Hi As we’re coming to the end of the year, I was wondering if the Students’ Union will be putting any big events on for the students to celebrate before we all leave for the summer? John Hello John. The SU are putting on events, of course! The Sports Awards take place on the 5th May, there’s Summer Drink the Bar Dry (tickets are available online now www.uwicsu.co.uk), the biggest student event taking place at UWIC this term, and then it’s the Graduation Ball for all UWIC Graduates this year. Due to the massive demand last year, the SU is putting on two grad balls – one on the 8th July and one on the 9th July. So get your tickets early… Also, don’t forget the SU bars and social areas at each campus where you can go at any time with your friends for a relax and catch up!
If you have a picture of UWIC Plum then we want to know!
Email your pictures to the Retro editor: trosoman@uwic.ac.uk.
8
5
6
7
12
13
10 11
14
15 16 17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Across
Down
1. Female Horse (4) 2. Outdoor grill (8) 8. Flower - ascended (4) 9. Wary (8) 11. Light unpowered aircraft (4-6) 14. Person who may certify legal documents (6) 15. Get (6) 17. Reckoning of value (10) 20. I am legit (anag) (3, 5) 21. Verdi Opera (4) 22. Once (8) 23. Gratis (4)
1. Trader (8) 2. Vibrate sympathetically (8) 4. Language of North Africa and the Middle East (6) 5. Large pulse (6, 4) 6. Dog - food (4) 7. Simple (4) 10. Rudely hostile (10) 12. Well acquainted (8) 13. Flood - and unite (anag) *8) 16. Proper to a son or daughter (6) 18. 50% (4) 19. Equipment (4)
Answers:
Retrodoku Easy:
5 8 4 4 3 8 9 3 6 1 2 7 6 9 5 6 9 4 5 1 7 6 9 2 3 1 6 5
6
Geraint Morris
4
9
Hard:
th’s This mon onth M e th f o Plums in by: n e s re e w
3
Across - 1. Mare, 3. Barbecue, 8. Rose, 9. Cautious, 11. Hang-glider, 14. Notary, . Obtain, 17. Estilmation, 20. Age-limit, 21. Aida, 22. Formerly, 23. Free Down - 1. Merchant, 2. Resonate, 4. Arabic, 5. Butter-bean, 6. Chow, 7. Easy,10. Aggressive, 12. Familiar, 13. Inudate, 16. Filial, 18. Half, 19. Gear
Do you have a question for Aunty Archer? Please email:
2
9
1
6
9 5
Medium:
7 4 5 6 4
2 1 9
7 2 5 1 7 8 2 4 1 7 4 3 3 1 5 2 8 1 5 8
1 4 3 2
7 2 6 9
6
4 9 7 2 5
9 5 1 3 Evil:
1 9 3 7 9 2
3 9 1 4
3
3 8 2 9 1
7 8 3 4
6
7
6 4 EVIL! 4 1
9
5 2
6 4 5
8 5 3
8 9 7 5
17
18
Retro
April / May 2010
www.uwicsu.co.uk
fully furnished high quality student accommodation
Summer Accommodation available throughout July and August All bedrooms include your own private en-suite bathroom Available in 3,4 & 5 bedroom flats with a television & Sky package included in each flat and broadband available in every bedroom
For more information contact the Victoria Hall Management Office on:
02920 359 500 cardiff@victoriahall.com fax: 02920 359 507
Victoria Hall, Blackweir Terrace, Cardiff, CF10 3EY
welcome to your
future www.victoriahall.com
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
April / May 2010
RetroBUCS Results BUCS Water Polo - Men’s Tier 1D 2009/10
BUCS Golf - Premier South 2009/10
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
BUCS Rugby Union - Premier Men’s South A 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
P
W
D
L
F
A
1
University of Bristol
3
2
1
0
26
11
5
1
Bournemouth Unversity
10
7
3
0
44
16
24
1
UWIC
12
10
1
1
329
115
31
2
Cardiff University
3
2
1
0
17
10
5
2
University of Exeter
10
7
1
2
39
20
22
2
UWE Hartpury
12
7
1
4
221
150
22
3
University of Birmingham
2
0
0
2
8
14
0
3
University of Plymouth
9
3
0
6
19
34
12
3
University of Exeter
12
7
0
5
216
192
21
4
UWIC
2
0
0
2
5
21
0
4
UWIC
9
4
2
3
29
25
11
4
University of Bath
12
5
0
7
203
277
15
5
Cardiff University
10
2
1
7
22
37
7
5
University of Bristol
12
4
1
7
210
241
13
6
University of Bath
8
1
1
6
13
34
4
6
Swansea University
12
3
1
8
210
212
10
7
St Mary’s University College
12
4
0
8
130
332
9
Pts
BUCS Badminton - Western Conference Men’s 1A 2009/10 1
UWE
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
10
9
0
1
68
12
27
BUCS Hockey - Western Conference Men’s 2B 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
UWIC
9
7
1
1
40
10
22
Pts
BUCS Rugby Union - Premier Men’s South B 2009/10
2
UWIC
10
7
2
1
57
23
23
3
University of Southampton
9
5
1
3
44
28
13
W
D
L
F
A
Southampton Solent
10
4
1
5
38
42
13
2
P
4
University of Bristol 2nd
10
6
0
4
30
15
18
1
UWE
13
9
1
3
246
168
31
Swansea University
9
6
0
3
23
25
18
2
Cardiff University
12
9
0
3
239
139
30
1
5
University of Glamorgan
9
2
0
7
17
55
9
3
6
University of Gloucestershire
10
0
0
10
8
72
0
4
Cardiff University 2nd
10
2
3
5
15
20
9
5
3
UWE Hartpury
13
9
0
4
268
162
27
University of Bath 4th
10
2
2
6
12
29
8
4
UWIC 2nd
12
7
1
4
265
166
25
L
F
A
Pts
BUCS Badminton - Premier Women’s South 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
BUCS Hockey - Western Conference Men’s 3B 2009/10 P
W
D
5
Oxford Brookes University
13
5
0
8
197
235
15
6
Oxford Unicersity
12
5
0
7
212
264
12
1
University of Bath
6
6
0
0
39
9
18
2
UWIC
6
2
1
3
26
22
7
1
University of Bristol 3rd
10
8
1
1
60
11
25
3
University of Cambridge
6
2
0
4
13
35
6
2
UWIC 2nd
10
6
4
0
30
17
22
4
3
Cardiff University 3rd
10
3
4
3
25
28
13
4
Cardiff University 4th
10
2
3
5
27
39
9
P
W
D
L
5
University of Gloucestershire 2nd
10
1
4
5
17
32
7
1
University of Gloucestershire
14
12
0
2
6
Aberystwyth University
10
2
0
8
14
46
6
2
University of Exeter 2nd
14
12
0
2
349
4
University of Exeter
6
1
1
4
18
30
BUCS Basketball - Western Conference Men’s 2B 2009/10 P
W
L
F
A
Diff
Pts
1
UWIC
6
6
0
635
318
317
21
2
University of Bristol
6
5
1
620
317
303
18
3
Swansea University
6
4
2
453
323
130
15
4
Aberystwyth University
5
2
3
309
362
-53
12
5
Cardiff University
6
2
4
364
391
-27
9
6
Swansea University 2nd
6
2
4
314
459
-
6
7
University of Glamorgan
5
0
5
150
646
-
-6
4
8
UW Newport
2
1
1
105
135
-30
-12
5
Oxford University
10
2
1
7
27
27
7
6
University of Cambridge
9
1
1
7
7
35
1
BUCS Basketball - Premier Women’s South 2009/10
BUCS Hockey - Premier Women’s South 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
University of Exeter
10
8
0
2
37
16
24
2
University of Bristol
10
7
1
2
35
14
22
3
University of Bath
9
4
1
4
22
22
16
UWIC
10
5
0
5
22
22
15
1
BUCS Hockey - Western Conference Women’s 2B 2009/10
P
W
L
F
A
Diff
Pts
1
UWIC
10
10
0
1090
335
762
30
2
London Metropolitan University
10
7
3
728
522
206
21
1
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Swansea University
10
6
4
0
34
10
22
3
Oxford University
10
6
4
725
604
121
18
2
UWIC 2nd
9
6
2
1
53
7
17
4
University of Brighton
10
5
5
519
705
-
15
3
University of Bristol 3rd
10
5
2
3
34
25
17
5
University of Bristol
9
1
8
428
765
-
6
4
Cardiff University 3rd
9
2
4
3
14
14
13
6
University of Portsmouth
9
0
9
258
824
-
-3
BUCS Basketball - Western Conference Womens 2A 2009/10 P
W
L
F
A
Diff
Pts
5
University of Bath 3rd
10
3
2
5
22
19
11
6
University of Glamorgan
10
0
0
10
4
86
0
BUCS Hockey - Western Conference Women’s 3B 2009/10
1
UWIC
7
7
0
470
245
225
21
2
Southampton Solent
7
6
1
389
256
133
18
3
University of Gloucestershire
7
4
3
315
322
-7
12
2
University of Gloucestershire 2nd
10
6
3
1
34
10
21
4
UWE
7
4
3
369
373
-4
12
3
Cardiff Medics Cardiff University
10
4
3
3
43
32
15
5
University of Plymouth
7
3
4
330
299
31
9
4
UWIC 3rd
10
3
5
2
19
16
14
6
University of Bath
7
3
4
330
345
-15
9
5
University of Bristol
9
1
2
6
9
36
8
7
Swansea University
7
1
6
281
373
-92
3
6
Aberystwyth University
9
0
1
8
22
48
-2
8
University of Winchester
7
0
7
141
412
-
0
1
Royal Argicultural College
University of Glamorgan
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
7
2
1
34
19
23
BUCS Lacrosse - Western Conference Women’s 1A 2009/10
BUCS Football - Western Conference Men’s 2B 2009/10 1
P 10
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
University of Bristol 2nd
7
6
0
1
132
24
21
10
9
0
1
33
10
27
2
University of Southampton
8
7
0
1
155
31
21
2
UWE Hartpury
10
8
1
1
26
13
25
3
University of Exeter 2nd
6
5
0
1
115
28
18
3
UWIC 1st
10
5
1
4
15
12
16
4
University of Goucestershire
7
4
0
3
91
58
12
4
Cardiff Medics Cardiff University
10
2
2
6
10
19
8
5
University of Bath 2nd
7
2
0
5
43
89
9
5
UWIC 2nd
10
2
1
7
9
25
7
6
UWIC
4
2
0
2
29
57
6
4
7
University of Plymouth
7
2
0
5
27
133
3
8
Royal Agricultural College
7
2
0
5
33
101
3
9
Swansea University
7
0
0
7
27
131
-3
6
University of Gloucestershire
10
1
1
8
12
26
BUCS Football - Western Conference Men’s 3B 2008/09 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
Swansea University 2nd
10
6
2
2
19
12
20
2
Cardiff University 2nd
9
5
1
3
13
10
19
3
Aberystwyth University
10
4
3
3
22
17
15
4
UWIC 3rd
9
4
1
4
16
19
10
5
University Gloucestershire
9
2
0
7
21
25
9
6
Trinity University College
9
3
1
5
14
22
7
BUCS Football - Premier Women’s South 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
University of Hertfordshire
10
7
1
2
50
12
22
2
Brunel University West London
10
6
1
3
21
19
19
3
UWIC
10
6
1
3
32
12
19
4
University of Portsmouth
10
2
4
4
19
27
10
5
University of Brighton
10
2
2
6
9
24
8
6
University of Bath
10
2
1
7
13
50
7
BUCS Football - Western Conference Women’s 1A 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts 21
Kukri BUCS Netball - Premier Women’s South 2009/10
7
Cardiff Medics Cardiff University
12
4
0
8
124
276
12
8
University of Reading
13
1
0
12
146
387
0
F
A
Pts
468
193
36
138
36
BUCS Rugby Union - Western Conference Men’s 1A 2009/10
3
University of Glamorgan
14
12
0
2
420
195
36
4
University of Bristol 2nd
14
6
0
8
213
311
18
5
UWE Hartpury 3rd
14
5
1
8
252
310
16
6
UWIC 3rd
14
5
0
9
266
374
15
7
UWIC 4th
14
2
0
12
192
470
6
8
Royal Agricultural College
14
1
1
12
154
323
4
BUCS Rugby Union - Premier Women’s South 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
UWIC Women’s 1st
9
9
0
0
484
15
30
2
University of Exeter
9
7
0
2
195
107
24
3
Oxford University
8
2
1
5
93
209
13
4
University of Chichester
9
5
0
4
68
192
12
5
Brunel University West London
8
1
1
6
62
205
-2
6
College of St Mark & St John
7
0
0
7
33
207
-3
Pts
Barclays BUCS Tennis - Western Conference Men’s 1A 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
1
University of Exeter
10
10
0
0
89
11
30
2
University of Bath
10
7
0
3
60
40
21
3
UWE
10
4
0
6
46
54
12
4
Univerisity of Bristol 2nd
10
4
0
6
43
57
12
5
UWIC
10
3
0
7
35
65
9
6
Bournemouth University
10
2
0
8
27
73
6
Barclays BUCS Tennis - Western Conference Men’s 2B 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
University of Gloucestershire
7
6
1
0
54
16
19
2
UWIC 2nd
7
4
2
1
50
20
14
3
Aberystwyth University
7
4
2
1
35
35
14
4
Cardiff University
7
3
3
1
47
23
12
5
Swansea University
7
3
2
2
34
31
11
6
Cardiff University
7
2
0
5
28
37
6
7
University of Gloucestershire
7
1
0
6
17
53
3
8
Swansea University
7
0
0
7
10
60
0
Barclays BUCS Tennis - Western Conference Women’s 1A 2008/09 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
University of Bristol
10
10
0
0
88
12
30
2
UWIC
9
6
0
3
55
35
21
3
University of Exeter 2nd
10
6
0
4
59
41
18 13
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
4
University of Bath 2nd
10
4
1
5
48
52
1
Brunel University West London
10
8
0
2
519
270
24
5
University of Gloucestershire
10
2
0
8
21
79
6
2
UWIC
10
7
0
3
435
304
21
6
Swansea University
9
0
1
8
19
71
-2
3
University of Bath
10
6
0
4
476
308
18
4
University of Bristol
9
6
0
3
316
285
15
5
Cardiff University
9
1
0
8
227
459
6
6
UWE
10
1
0
9
273
620
3
Kukri BUCS Netball - Western Conference Women’s 2B 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
UWIC 2nd
10
9
1
0
459
300
28
2
UWIC 3rd
9
6
1
2
305
263
19
3
Unviersity of Glamorgan
10
5
1
4
410
373
16
4
Swansea University
8
3
1
4
277
279
10
5
University of Bristol 2nd
9
2
0
7
241
351
6
6
Cardiff Medics Cardiff University
10
1
0
9
324
450
3
Pts
1
University of Gloucestershire
9
6
0
3
22
14
2
College of St Mark & St John
8
4
1
3
14
10
16
3
University of Bristol
10
5
1
4
16
20
16
P
W
D
L
F
A
4
UWIC
9
5
0
4
26
6
15
1
University of Gloucestershire 2nd
10
10
0
0
368
254
30
5
University of Exeter
10
3
2
5
19
26
11
2
Cardiff University 3rd
10
8
0
2
404
280
24
6
University of Southampton
8
1
2
5
11
32
-1
Kukri BUCS Netball - Western Conference Women’s 3B 2009/10
3
Swansea University 2nd
10
4
1
5
287
321
13
4
UWIC 4th
10
4
0
6
316
305
12
5
Aberystwyth University
9
2
1
6
283
328
10
6
UW Newport
9
0
0
9
216
386
-3
19
20
Retro
April / May 2010
RetroBUCS Photography
www.uwicsu.co.uk
www.uwicsu.co.uk/au/gallery Photography by Kieran McManus
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
RetroScholar of the Month
Scholar Of The Month Nicki Avery
school and my PE teacher saw me playing netball and have been playing ever since.
Sport: Basketball
Who is your biggest sporting influence? I grew up being involved in athletics so I would say Kelly Holmes.
Position: Guard Sporting Achievements: I play for UWIC Archers and have just won BUCS finals for the third year running! Represented England U18s in 2007 and 2008 and Great Britain U20s in 2009 in the European Championships. Course of Study: Sport and Exercise Science. When did you first start playing your sport and how long have you been involved? I first started when I started secondary
What does an average week of training consist of? We have shooting sessions every day, strength and conditioning twice a week and have team training twice a week. Then we have games on a Wednesday and Saturday. Do you have any pre-competition rituals? Not really, I like to score my first shot, but mostly like to just chill out.
How do you find balancing your sport and studies together here at UWIC? I don’t find it that hard, although some people would say I leave things till the last minute but it always gets done! What are your hopes for the future after your time at UWIC? I’m not really sure at the moment, I hope to get a good degree and see what happens form there.
April / May 2010
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UWIC Make it 3 Titles in a Row, 41 Unbeaten Wins! Story From Back Page. The 2nd quarter was a little closer but with last years MVP Meagan Hoffman getting into foul trouble early and her rolled ankle causing issues Coach Jennings was forced to rest her. Jo Raper came on to replace Meg and provided some crucial rebounds to keep the possession & maintain the scoreboard ticking over. UWIC went into the half 9pts down and looking like momentum could not be clawed back. The past offers valuable lessons as UWIC were in a similar position 2 years ago against Team Northumbria. In that final UWIC were 16 down at half-time to come back and win it by 1pt and take home their first championship title. Hoffman & Spasowska were now back on the floor, although Meg’s minutes had to be managed with her ankle injury. You often see Stef Collins,
Nicki Avery & Meg Hoffman produce, but it is often a surprise performance that gets the team pumped, and this came in the form of Rebecca Brough. The freshman confidently went about face-guarding Leeds’s top-class American point guard Keesha Tate, making her life hell. At the offensive end Rebecca hit two huge 3’s to bring UWIC ever closer, and helped herself to 10 eventual game high points for UWIC. UWIC won the 3rd 20-12 and were mounting a come-back from Rebecca’s contributions and the general team shift in morale. Crucial defensive stops came from Nicki Avery, Meg Hoffman and Mia Spasowska as Stef Collins stepped up in the 4th quarter and began to lead her UWIC team to the final stanza. A 3-pointer from Bec Brough sealed a 68-65 lead and placed UWIC ahead for the first time in the game. From there it was cat and mouse all the way to the final plays where Stef Collins nailed the finale scoring the last
5pts for UWIC and sealing their 3rd BUCS Championship title in a row and extending their unbeaten legacy to 41 wins and personal MVP honours! Coach Jennings was extremely proud in his reflections, “Anyone who watched this game can not say that there isn’t top-level basketball going on in the women’s game in Great Britain. This final was an excellent example of the hardwork and level of good players and committed people in British basketball who are making attempts to drive it forward. Leeds were very good tonight and I know they will be bitterly disappointed as it really was a game of two halves and the first was certainly there’s! That said I am extremely proud of my players and how they turned around what felt like a huge mountain to climb and truly trusted in our preparation – this is very difficult to do when you are 9pts down, and having to face different rotations from injuries and foul trouble. This win is special - 3 in a row is special; but more specifically the manner at which we achieved today will live on just like it did 2 years ago when we came from 16pts down to win our first ever BUCS Championship.”
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April / May 2010
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RetroSport
The UWIC Athletic Union Sports Awards Evening By Ian Campbell Athletic Union Administrator
This year, UWIC Athletic Union presents the 31st Annual Sports Awards presentation evening, and we are please to have Mr Kevin Bowring, the RFU Director of Elite Coaching to present the keynote Speech. Whilst a lecturer at UWIC, Kevin was also the Director of Rugby at UWIC and his coaching and development went someway to forming the team that won the 2001 BUSA Championship under the then new Director Chris Davey.
The 2010 Athletic Union Sports Awards The Frank Cartmell Trophy: Awarded to the best student club organiser/ administrator
The awards have developed from an informal presentation evening held in Taffy’s Bar’ Cyncoed to the event that it is today, one of the most important evenings in UWICS calendar. These awards over the years have gone to students who have graced the playing arenas at Olympic, Commonwealth and International events. As a result of the high profile of the event, we are lucky to have Mr Lynn Davies and Mr Mitch Fenner to compere the evening. Lynn is a renowned for his Long Jump Gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, but he is a constant presence at UWIC encouraging young athletes to aspire to the top. He is also active in the BUCS sports management group ensuring that the Athletics Indoor and Outdoor events attract the highest competitors.
Mitch has for many years been associated within the world og Gymnastics, and his voice can be heard on the television commentating on all of the world Gymnastics events including the Olympic an World Championships. We are extremely lucky to have them compere once again, and I know that they are proud to be associated with the event and see the Students of UWIC succeed. Since Kevin Edwards was the first recipient in 1985, other famous sportmen and women from various disciplines have received the honour, Claire Wright (Olympic Trampolining), Kyron Sullivan (International Golf ), Ryan Jenkins (Commonwealth Table Tennis), and current staff member Gareth Iwrin (Commonwealth Gymnastics) to name just a few. The award was last year given to Rachell
The Darren Griffiths Trophy: Awarded to the most successful student NOT based in the School of Sport.
The Most Improved Team/Player: To a team or individual for meritorious performance
The Student Union Shield: This is presented to any person who has served Student Sport, but does not include current students.
Fresher of the Year: A fresher, who either as an individual or as a member of a team has shown outstanding ability.
The Student Union Shield: For services to Student Sport, not necessarily a student or staff member.
The Peter Bubbear Memorial Award: Awarded to the student who has achieved success in more than one sport.
Poolman for her performances in Rugby Union at International, club and BUCS level (Can we put her phot from last years awards in here). Rachel follwed up this award by being voted the British Universities & Colleges Sports female Personality of the Year 2009. Apart from the main Sports Personality of the Year award, there are several other awards that recognise student, staff and others for their commitment and contribution to the success of UWIC Athletic Union Teams and Clubs. Under this article is a list of the Awards with a brief description of the crieteria. The Frank Cartmell, Darren Griffiths, Peter Bubbear, Stuart Griffiths, Sportec Trophy and Sports Personality of the Year awards are all decided after being
nominated by students or staff. The following are awarded after consideration and nomination by the Award presenter, The Principals Award (Now the Vice Chancellor), The SU President’s Award, The Athletic Union Awar of Merit, and The Student Union Shield, whilst the Most Valuable Player and Fresher of the Year care identified by the organising committee from nominations. Over the years the evening has proved to be one of the University’s most important evenings, and it is anticipated that this year will surpass all previous events. Tickets are on sale from the Student Union office at £25.00 each, but be quick as the numbers are limited.
The Stuart Griffiths Shield: Awarded to the Team of the Year.
The ‘Sportec’ Trophy: Awarded to the most successful coach of the year.
The UWIC Athletic Union Award of Merit: Awarded to a team or individual for meritorious achievements throughout the year.
The Pricipals Award: This award is presented by the Vice Chancellor to the team/individual at his discretion
The Most Valuable Player: The most influential Team Player.
UWIC ATHLETIC UNION
ANNUAL SPORTS AWARDS PRESENTATION DINNER Wednesday, 5th May 2010 MERCURE CARDIFF - HOLLAND HOUSE HOTEL & SPA NEWPORT ROAD, CARDIFF Doors open 6.30pm, Presentation starts 7.30pm Tickets: £25.00 Available from the 1st March 2010 from: UWIC Students’ Union, Campus Centre, Cyncoed Campus. Dress Code: Smart / Jacket & Tie
With Support from:
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Success at 2010 BUCS Championships By Terence Rosoman Retro Editor
reached the final of the Western Conference cup against Bournemouth University. This was the second year running UWIC Netball have travelled to Sheffield, after defeat in last years trophy final. The girls arrived with the intention to win at all costs. Unfortunately for Bournemouth that is exactly what they did, and they did it with style racking up a score of a 44 – 15 win. In athletics UWIC celebrated one of they’re most successful years picking up 2 gold medals, 1 silver medal and two bronze medals. Overall, the UWIC men came second in the competition and the women came 3rd. Athletic winners included T Marley in the men’s 800m and E Pullen in the women’s 400m. J Abraham picked up the silver in the women’s pole vault and there were bronze medals for I Thomas in the men’s 1500m and K Lysons in the women’s high jump. Congratulations to all of our UWIC Athletes, they have really set the bar for next year’s competition.
From March 11th – 15th a host of UWIC athletes travelled to Sheffield to compete in the 2010 BUCS Championships. UWIC were successful in a number of sports including Basketball, Netball & Athletics. An astonishing game of basketball saw UWIC’s women hold on to the Women Championship for another year after holding off Leeds Met. The match was even throughout with neither side able to edge more than 8 points ahead. Leeds Met lead for most of the match with UWIC not taking the lead until well into the third quarter. The game ended UWIC 85 – 83 Leeds Met. Head Basketball coach, Damian Jennings was very happy with the result, and is now looking forward to causing some damage in the EBL league. UWIC’s Netball 2nds also
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UWIC Make it 3 Titles in a Row, 41 Unbeaten Wins! uwic
archers basketball uwic
By Archers Media Team
archers basketball
The University representation of the UWIC Archers programme made history at the BUCS Championships this March as they set to create a basketball dynasty in the women’s competition. The bookies predictions were spot on until the final result with Leeds Carnegie & UWIC both making it to the grand final. The bookies predictions stopped there, as UWIC pulled back a 9pt half-time deficit to
bounce-back and squeeze a 2pt win in the dying seconds of the game. The Final 8’s began for UWIC with Loughborough on the Friday 12th March. This turned out to be a real team affair with UWIC rotating players aggressively and maintaining their freshness for bigger games to come. The game finished 102-44 to UWIC as they moved into the semi-final. Saturday’s semi was a tougher scenario although Coach Jennings continued to rotate it didn’t look like it went perfectly to plan. LSBU are a raw, athletic team that simply do not roll over. Although UWIC always maintained a lead, LSBU chipped away as different 5’s for UWIC tried to find rhythm. The game
finished 77-66 progressing UWIC to the grand final but with starting centre Meagan Hoffman rolling her ankle and most of the starters having to play significant minutes it was not quite the perfect semi. Sunday’s Final had ‘A-grade’ game written all over it. Both teams compete in the EBL Division 1 taking a game off each other in the top-flight. The Finals might as well have been in Leeds with the amount of noise and support there was for Carnegie Met. Having both men and women’s representation in the Finals it provided added motivation for supporters to travel the 45 minutes south, and they came in their droves. Having the Finals in Sheffield, although a familiar Arena for the UWIC double champions, it certainly did
not sound like any type of home-court advantage as over 600 Leeds fans cheered on their side. Leeds smashed their way into an early lead looking convincing on the break and finding great joy through American import Loui Hall and keesha Tate running Pick & Roll basketball to perfection. Loui Hall’s size and experience helped her to 37pts for the game and she did her damage from minute one. The first quarter ended 22-17 in Leeds’ favour with UWIC simply holding on, and relying on the Free throw line to keep them in touching distance.
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UWIC’s BUCS Championship Results
Men’s Trampolining Championships 1. Jason Ploughman (Kent) 1. Liam Abraham (Southampton) 1. Mike Yeates (UWIC) Women’s Trampolining Championships 1. Emma Scanlon (Manchester) 1. Mel Bailey (UWIC) 1. Sarah Gibbons (UWIC) Men’s Trampolining Team 1. UWIC 2. Exeter 3. Glasgow Women’s Trampolining Team 1. UWIC 2. Hertfordshire 3. Brunel Womens Basketball - Final UWIC - 85 Leeds Met - 83 Womens Netball - Final UWIC - 44 Bournemouth - 15 Athletics - Men’s 800m Final 1. T Marley (UWIC) 1.52.18 2. A Stanton (Birmingham) 1.52.73 3. C Smith (Birmingham) 1.52.75 Athletics - Men’s 1500m Final 1. J Taylor (Teesside) 3.46.12 CBP 1. T Burt (St Mary’s) 3.48.29 1. I Thomas (UWIC) 3.48.54 Athletics - Women’s 400m Final 1. E Pullen (UWIC) 54.89 1. C Granville (Cardiff) 56.15 1. H Pryke (Brunel) 56.18 Athletics - Women’s High Jump Final 1. P Hughes (Brunel) 1.77 1. L Logan (Strathclyde) 1.68 1. K Lysons (UWIC) 1.65 Athletics - Women’s Pole Vault Final 1. S Scott (Loughborough) 4.00 1. J Abraham (UWIC) 3.90 1. A Haywood (Loughborough) 3.80 Athletics - Men’s Overall Results 1. Loughborough 71.5pts 2. UWIC 55.5pts 3. Brunel 54.5pts Athletics - Women’s Over Results 1. Brunel 76.0pts 2. Loughborough 64.5pts 3. UWIC 42.0pts