Issue 1517

Redbrick Issue 1517, Vol. 84

Friday 20th March 2020

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Strike Supporting Students Argue With Old Joe on Twitter

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The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

Community Responds to COVID-19 Ella Kipling News Editor

On Sunday 15th March, a group of University of Birmingham students, as well as Selly Oak residents, formed a group called ‘Selly Oak Community Response to COVID-19.’ At a time of panic-buying, the group’s aim is to help the community and specifically those self-isolating and in high-risk groups.

The initiative came about when a small group of people connected on the ‘Birmingham Community Solidarity’ Facebook page, and after seeing the impact the community and councillors had in wider areas such as Northfield, they decided to form a group for Selly Oak and the student community.

Amy O’Neill, one of the founding members and a student at UoB, told Redbrick, ‘We are disappointed with the University and government responses to the outbreak of the virus, and felt that a robust community response was needed.’

The group were also upset by the video of the queues coming out of Aldi, which was shared on student Facebook group Fab N’ Fresh. They questioned ‘what that meant for elderly or disabled residents, and those who will have to

self-isolate who wouldn’t be able to access necessities like toilet paper.’

The group’s main aim is to assist those in self-isolation with tasks such as helping to deliver food, pick up prescriptions, and ‘provide a friendly voice.’

One of the largest groups impacted by COVID-19 is the older generation, who have been advised to self-isolate by Health Secretary Matt Hancock ‘in the coming weeks’ - a situation which could potentially last for months.

Loneliness can become a large factor in the lives of the elderly, and according to Age UK, over two million people over 75 in the UK live alone. With selfisolation now being encouraged, the Selly Community group are planning to call elderly people in the area to help combat loneliness, as well as letting them know ‘they’re not alone.’

After just a few hours of the Facebook page being posted, the group has gained the support of 300 people who are keen to be involved, as well as the seven members running the initiative. You can help by donating to the foodbank they are running, as well as signing up on the Facebook page to help those in isolation. You simply enter your address, so you can be paired with someone needing help near you, as well as what you would like to help with, for example

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‘delivering post’ or ‘picking up prescriptions.’

There is also an online form for those who are in need of help due to self-isolation, where you can select what service you need help with, be it ‘picking up shopping’ or needing a ‘friendly person to call.’

This service will prove vital to the community, with a secondyear Geography student stating, ‘Luckily I’m in a position where I’ve got people around me who have been so helpful but the group is so amazing for people that would really struggle.’ Another student said: ‘This is so heartwarming, I had a little happy cry reading it.’

See their Facebook page ‘Selly Oak

Selly Oak’s Comunity Response to Covid-19

Community Response to Covid-19’ for both forms (one for those in need, and one for those wanting to help), as well as a list of what can be donated to the foodbank.

A decade of Pixar movies in review

What does COVID-19 mean for domestic travel?

Film 22

Travel 30

INSIDE: Redbrick Film, Music and TV Collaborate to Discuss Their Favourite Soundtracks

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Letter From the Committee: As we write this, we have no idea as to whether issue 1517 will even make it to print. We are writing in one of the most uncertain times for students and the country. That being said, we have been able to reflect on how amazing this year has been and how much Redbrick means to us.

When thinking about all the things we have achieved this year, we instantly thought of Redbrick Recap, our newly-launched, gorgeous podcast. We have had so much fun recording these episodes and getting to know our editorial team even more. BURN FM, our hosts and neighbours down here in the dungeon, have truly been our partners in student media crime throughout the year. Emily Youlton (AKA ‘Bad Sharon’), thank you for bursting into our EA sessions with your wonderful energy, and Liff Atherton and Georgia Long for always fixing our podcast problems, South African accent and all.

We have also been nominated for five national SPANC awards, won ‘Best Publication in the Region’ and ‘Best Investigation’ in our regional awards. Thank you to the 2018/19 committee for building such a great foundation for us to begin on - our success this year would have been impossible without you.

We have created ten brilliant prints (hopefully 11 if you’re reading this), bonded with the most special team of student journalists, had a ball, many socials and - in particular for us as Deputy Editors - got to know and train the most brilliant team of EAs. Whether you dropped in for one session, or were a regular hero like Daniel Bray, thank you for putting up with the same playlist (and us!) every week.

For both of us, Redbrick has defined our university experience.

Aside from the fact that we get to work with each other as best friends every day, we have been able to make lifelong friends within the Redbrick. Anyone who has tickled us with a ‘Quote of the Week’ or just sat and chatted with us and Anna in the office, these are permanent memories, and part of Redbrick's history. Editors, writers, EAs, we have watched you all grow and seen how resilient and passionate you’ve been-particularly when your teammates need help.

We are so proud of every article that Redbrick has published this year - we took great pleasure in breaking Guild news in issue 1513, we published SPANC shortlisted pieces on the 2019 General Election and on the gaming industry throughout the 2010s, and published so many other amazing articles that we wish we had the space to mention individually.

Amongst eating lots of Joe’s curly fries with our lovely committee, particularly our print side of #TeamBrick Natalia and Tom, who we want to thank for being just the best. Tom and his weekly tragedies has taken us through every bump in the road with a smile on his face. He has led this year of Redbrick with so much dignity and compassion, we want to thank him for being our resident weatherman and always being there - thanks, Sherriff.

Talia has been our partner in print from the beginning and has grown to be one of our best friends.

Her banana bread and warm energy not only light up the office during a print week, but her spirit, approachability and willingness to help is why our print editors are able to make the beautiful paper that you have seen fortnightly. We cannot thank her enough for Mind&Solve’s entertainment and for the happy times that she has brought us all.

The digital side of Redbrick is flourishing this year, making a triumphant return. Holly and Lucy work tirelessly to make sure that all of our fantastic online content is up and available for you to read.

Redbrick.me is silently but expertly maintained by our resident TikTok superstar, Jetpack Joe! Thank you Joe for backing up the server when we didn’t know it even needed doing, and being the glue that holds Redbrick together.

This has been Theo’s second year on committee, and he has done amazing things for our campus presence and our alumni relations. Even though he probably thinks we’re both really odd, we think that he’s great, and want to thank him for everything he’s done for Redbrick.

Becky is just the best Social Secretary ever. Thank you for dealing with the prosecco drama at Media Ball, for keeping the Instagram pop-

ping, and for making sure everyone is okay. She is our resident Christmas Elf, and she radiates joy wherever she goes. Our committee has truly been golden. We know that the end of our time in committee may not be ending in the way that we expected, but all that we could do in this editorial is show how much we care and appreciate this paper and everyone involved in it.

Redbrick Rewind was a recent success, where four of our alumni came to speak to Redbrick with advice on how to use their time at Redbrick in application to future career paths - there may have been a literal explosion but it was an incredible evening. In light of this, we want to wish everyone the best in whatever they do at university and beyond, as the two of us move onto new pastures.

If you have contributed to Redbrick in any way shape or form this year, we want to say thank you.

Even though we might not know what the future holds, we know that this has been the best year we could have ever asked for. So, thank you.

From the dungeous, we salute you.

Emily Calder & Lydia Waller Deputy Editors

Redbrick Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Tom Leaman editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

Deputy Editors Emily Calder Lydia Waller deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk

Print & Features Editor Natalia Carter print@redbrickonline.co.uk

Digital Editors Lucy McCann Holly Pittaway digital@redbrickonline.co.uk

Lead Developer Joseph Chotard

News Editors Aneesa Ahmed Alex Boscott Christina Manns John Wimperis Rhiannon Wood news@redbrickonline.co.uk

film@redbrickonline.co.uk

Comment Editors Emily Chapman Hannah Lay Alice Macfarlane Abby Spreadborough

Television Editors Amrita Mande Catrin Osborne

marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk

Social Secretary Becky Hall social@redbrickonline.co.uk

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Culture Editors Grace Baxendine Luca Demetriou culture@redbrickonline.co.uk

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Marketing Secretary Theodore Wrigley

Film Editors Amy O’Neill Matt Taylor Todd Waugh Ambridge Sam Zucca

Gaming Editors Alex Green Tom Martin Sam Nason gaming@redbrickonline.co.uk

Music Editors Gemma Elgar Daisy Kirkaldy Dylan Lucas Bethany-Jo O’Neill

Food&Drink Editors Harriet Laban Beth Sadler Gabrielle TaylorDowson

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Travel Editors Josie Hart Katie Norris Fern O’Shaughnessy travel@redbrickonline.co.uk

Life&Style Editors Estelle Dragan Frankie Rhodes Ellie Silcock Elizabeth Winter lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sci&Tech Editors Peter Amor Francesca Benson Ellen Heimpel tech@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sport Editors Luke Bosher John Rogers Kit Shepard sport@redbrickonline.co.uk

Editorial Assistants Corinne Atkinson Daniel Bray the EA Aimée Calvert Izzy Frost Kyle Moffat Emma Stephenson

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Designed and typeset by Redbrick Copyright (C) Redbrick 2019 The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the editor.

Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

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2020 Guildon Elections: University Updates Students The Results Ongoing COVID-19 Situation News Reporter Adam Toms highlights the restrictions put in place for the COVID19 outbreak following government advice Adam Toms News Reporter

The UoB has continued to detail in email updates to students that most of campus will remain open despite the potential exposure of staff to coronavirus and the PM advising ‘increased social distancing.'

An email sent on behalf of Professor Jeremy Pritchard, Director of Education at the UoB’s College of Life and Environmental Sciences (LES), stated that professional services staff ‘may have contracted Coronavirus’ at the LES Student Hub on Sunday 15th March.

Said staff are consequently self-isolating and a 48 hour ‘deep clean’ of the LSE hub has taken place.

This follows a previous false alarm at the University’s medical centre.

The UoB’s Vice Chancellor,

David Eastwood, has detailed the university’s plans to combat COVID-19 in an email to staff following the meeting of the UoB’s Strategic Emergency Response Team.

“On site research will cease from 5pm on Friday 27th March” Online teaching will be phased in between 16th and 23rd March vis Canvas and the VC emphasised that students will still be able to seek help from tutors and lecturers via ‘discussion boards, email, skype or telephone.'

Nevertheless, the email also states that on site research ‘will cease from 5pm on Friday 27th March’ as some campus operations are ‘restricted’ to ‘minimise

the risk to staff and the wider community.'

Some modules have also been cancelled and emails have been sent to students from schools, such as the school of engineering and humanities, detailing their plans to phase in online teaching as campus remains open.

Although, this may well be subject to change as ‘unnecessary social contact’, attending ‘crowded places,’ and ‘unnecessary travel’ was advised against by the government on Monday 16th March.

This will undoubtably put pressure on commuter students and Birmingham based students alike to stay at home rather than spend time on campus.

The PM stated that this advice is ‘based scrupulously on the best scientific advice’ and aims to ‘flatten the peak of the epidemic,’ mitigating the spread of the virus.

Johnson also stated that the government’s Scientific Advisory

Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has warned that the country is ‘approaching the fast growth part of the upward curve.'

“Our immediate concern is for the affected individual and their family as they are being cared for in hospital ” He was flanked by Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, and Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Advisor during the first of now daily press briefings regarding the coronavirus crisis.

After these announcements

the UoB sent an email to students detailing further campus restrictions including the closure of ‘non-essential buildings’ including the sports centre, Tiverton Gym, campus museums, and all catering outlets.

Face-to-wellbeing sessions have also been cancelled and students have been asked to make sure they are prepared for home study.

The same day, the university tweeted an update about a suspected case of COVID-19 at the UoB’s Business School stating, ‘Our immediate concern is for the affected individual and their family’ as they are being cared for in hospital.

If you have any opinions or thoughts about this, let us know by tweeting us or contacting us on Instagram @RedbrickNews.

UoB Student-Staff solidarity

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Young People Encouraged to Donate Blood Becky Gelder News Reporter

The NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) department are appealing for more University of Birmingham students to register as blood donors.

Currently, the Birmingham Donor Centre receives blood donations from 12,079 people, only twenty percent of which are between the ages of 17-24. As part of its aims for 2020, NHSBT is looking to recruit 3,559 new donors in the Birmingham area, with particular emphasis on increasing the number of young people donating blood.

Each year there is a need for new donors to volunteer due to the fact that regular donors may have to stop because of health issues or age related factors. This creates a deficit, resulting in the need for 135,000 new donors every year in order to sustain not only the number of donors but also the ‘right mix of blood

groups to match patient needs in the future.’

donors are aged under 24.’

‘Students make a huge proportion of Birmingham’s residents and they have a unique chance to plug the generation gap by giving blood. Giving blood saves lives and it’s quick and easy to do – all our donors will tell you how rewarding it is and the tea and biscuits always go down well.’

Cerys Gardner, and English and Creative Writing student at These patient needs require the University of Birmingham, the collection of 1.4 million units explained how easy it is to give of blood per year. As well as this, blood: ‘Giving blood can be a bit the NHS is urgently appealing nerve wracking but it’s a really for more black donors, as they easy and relaxed process (and an are ‘more likely to have the excuse to sit on your phone for blood type needed to treat the 20 minutes). I would really increasing number of patients encourage people who can to do suffering from sickle cell disit, it helps a lot of people and ease.’ takes less than an hour in total.’

Tom Aggett, Young Donor The Birmingham blood donor Recruitment lead for NHS Blood centre is located on New Street, and Transplant, explained: close to the Bullring. It is open ‘Young people hold the future of on evenings and weekends in an blood donation in their hands, yet effort to make it more convenient not enough are donating and cur- for people to fit it in around rently only one in five local work, study and social lives.

“Young people hold the future of blood donation in their hands”

Petition to Save Selly Oak Library Launched Becky Gelder News Reporter

Community Partnership for Selly Oak has launched a petition to save Selly Oak library. The 1905 library is a grade 2 listed building, designed by John Osborne.

The library, situated on Bristol Road, closed in 2018, however it has not been sufficiently maintained since its closure.

The petition hopes to raise funds in order to restore the old building. The Community partnership believes that the building has great potential, as a study space and a shared workspace.

The campaign has managed to secure a tenant to take over the building but to start the renovation process, Community Partnership needs Birmingham city council to purchase the old library.

A UOB second year student who has signed the petition said,

‘I think it’s important that we should preserve the few beautiful buildings we have left in Selly Oak as they are an integral part to local culture.’

Angad Grewal who also signed the petition stated, ‘I live in Selly Oak and it’s sad to see such a building to go to waste.’

The petition is part of the wider, ‘famous five’ initiative by Community Partnership to save a series of old buildings across the Selly Oak area. Some of the buildings involved in the campaign are the Selly Oak Institute and the Water pumping station.

Richard Batley, a member of the group said in correspondence with Birmingham Mail, ‘We want to propose, not only oppose, to give new heart to the community.’

The building was listed as grade II by Historic England in 2011.

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COVID-19: What We Know So Far Becky Gelder News Reporter

The University of Birmingham is looking to move all teaching online in an effort to limit use of the Edgbaston campus and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In its most recent statement regarding coronavirus, released on 26th March 2020, the University responded to the Prime Minister’s statement regarding the pandemic, saying, ‘any students or staff that fall into the following categories – over 70, pregnant, or with a pre-existing health condition – should not come onto campus in light of today’s guidance from the Prime Minister.’

Professor Sir David Eastwood, the Vice-Chancellor, made a statement explaining, ‘In all our planning we have been guided by two principles – firstly the need to minimise the impact and risk to staff and students, and secondly the requirement to sustain essen-

tial operations while minimising the need for staff and students to travel to or operate from the Edgbaston campus.’

“None of us have experienced a situation like this before … It is important to look out for your friends and family” For students holding a Tier 4 Visa, current regulations have been relaxed by the government, meaning that if they are not able to return as planned as a result of COVID-19, ‘they will not face any penalties or visa restrictions as a

consequence of the current situation.’

Prior to the statement made on the 26th March, an email had been sent to students in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences (LES) informing them of a number of suspected cases within the college. The email also notified students that these members of staff would be ‘staying at home to selfisolate in accordance with PHE guidance’ and that as a ‘precautionary measure’ the first floor of the Old Gym would be closed to allow a deep clean to take place.

The University has also made the decision to close all non-essential buildings, and is looking to move towards restricting campus operations, aiming for this to be in full effect by the 27th March. This will mean that all on-campus research activity will cease on this date, although the belief is that much of this will be able to carry on remotely.

It is likely that most examinations due to take place in the sum-

mer term will be moved online, or in some cases an alternate form of assessment will be used.

In a statement made during Officer Question Time on the 16th March, Guild President Joshua Williams said, ‘I cannot tell you what tomorrow will bring, but the one thing I can say is be kind.’

‘None of us have experienced a situation like this before. It is important to look out for your friends and family and those around you.’

Activities and Employability Officer Ryan Ginger also apologised during OQT for a post made to the student Facebook Page ‘Fab N' Fresh’, in which he wrote about drinks deals available at the Guild’s student night. Ginger noted that the post had been ‘in poor taste’ considering the current climate, and maintained it was ‘not the Guild trying to make a profit,’ but instead that all of the money made through drinks sales would in fact be used by the Guild for the benefit of the students.

The spread of the virus has also had consequences for university sports fixtures. In a statement on their website, British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) made the decision to ‘suspend the commencement of any BUCS activity, both sporting and non-sporting, from 23.59hrs on Tuesday 17 March 2020 until 9.00hrs Wednesday 1 April 2020.’ As well as this, University of Birmingham Sport and Fitness have made the decision to close both the main gym and Tiverton Gym from the 27th March. The email reassures students that they will be compensated for the loss of access to fitness facilities, although due to uncertainty about reopening dates this is not able to be confirmed at the current time.

As of 9am on 16 March 2020, the UK government have reported 1,543 confirmed cases, while on a global scale the World Health Organization (WHO) have stated that there have been 167,511 cases, with a total of 6.606 deaths.

Government Issues Shared Living Advice Matt Taylor Film Editor

The UK government has published advice on how to self-isolate if you live with other people.

Their official advice includes staying in a well-ventilated room with a window open as much as possible and the door closed. If this is not possible, they recommend keeping a minimum of ‘2 metres (3 steps)’ away from others at all times.

The advice stresses the importance of others in the household following the previously released advice concerning regular washing of hands, avoiding the touch-

ing of faces, and the cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.

“Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community” For communal spaces in a shared house, they advise to ‘minimise the time’ spent in these areas,

including kitchens and bathrooms, and to ensure the use of separate towels from housemates. They say that the kitchen should be avoided altogether when others are present, and that meals should be eaten in a separate room, while you should be sure to clean shared bathrooms yourself after use.

The government also says that they ‘understand that it will be difficult for some to separate themselves from others at home,’ but stress that ‘you should do your very best to follow this guidance and everyone in your household should regularly wash their hands, avoid touching their face and clean frequently touched surfaces.’

On 16th March, the Prime

Minister issued an update on the government advice for those in shared accommodation. Should any member of the household show symptoms and require selfisolation - all other members of the household should also engage in a two-week isolation in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“You should do your very best to follow this guidance” The government website states that ‘if you live with others and

you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days.

The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.

‘It is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or be infected already.

Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.’

More information on the government health advice can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stayat-home-guidance#history

UK Universities Facing Funding Gap Due to Coronavirus Christina Manns News Editor

Universities across the UK are facing a loss of hundreds of millions of pounds in tuition fees due to international students postponing or cancelling their studies for the upcoming academic year.

Universities are planning for international students, mainly from China and other countries severely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, to postpone the start of their enrolment until January 2021. In 2018-2019, there were 120,000 students from China, 17,000 from Hong Kong and Macau, and 8,000 from South Korea and Japan studying in the UK, and a 10% fall in enrolment from these regions would mean a loss of £200 million in tuition fees. In addition to tuition fee losses, the UK economy would be hit by a reduction in international students spending money on accommodation and living costs.

Exams and English language tests required for visas and univer-

sity admissions in the UK have been cancelled in China, which will further affect 2020-2021 university enrolment for international students. Furthermore, The Guardian reports that some international students are unhappy with the British government’s current response to the coronavirus outbreak, and this may lead to increasing numbers of students suspending their studies, returning home and requesting refunds.

The UK had been expecting 90,000 new students from China, Hong Kong and South Korea to be starting at universities in September, but the current global pandemic could mean that substantial numbers of these students delay the start of their studies.

Master’s courses could be particularly affected by this loss of international students. The number of students from China, Hong Kong and South Korea is especially high in postgraduate courses, which could be cancelled if student numbers drop dramatically.

Vivienne Stern, director of

Universities UK International (UUKi), told The Guardian: ‘Coronavirus is likely to have a significant impact on this year’s recruitment and admissions cycle

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for international students, including but not only from China.

‘Measures universities are considering will include greater use of online delivery and delayed start

dates. Meanwhile we are engaging with the government on a wide range of issues affecting the student recruitment, admissions and visa application cycle.'

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Redbrick Meets: Student in Lockdown in Italy Cerys Gardener News Reporter

Italy is currently the European country most affected by coronavirus, and it has introduced a strict nationwide lockdown in order to try and slow the spread of the virus. Redbrick spoke to a student living in Urbino, Marche for university, but originally from Sardinia. Urbino is one of the heavily affected northern areas whereas Sardinia is in the less affected south.

She has already been on lockdown for over three weeks due to university closures and government advice to only leave the home when necessary. Of being under home confinement, she said, ‘It still annoys me that I

can’t go outside unless it’s for groceries.’

When asked what she thinks of the government’s handling of the crisis, she told Redbrick that she thinks the government has been ‘handling the whole thing in a rather panicked way, putting places without the same situation under the same orders as other places with more people affected by the virus… closing all big public spaces like schools and pubs is necessary, without a doubt, but those restrictions shouldn’t be applied to places without any cases of infection because they don’t need it and it only ends up spreading more panic and blocking the daily life of normal people.’ She added that ‘TVs are constantly talking about the virus, making the population that doesn’t

know any better get excessively paranoid and buy stuff they don’t need.’

“It still annoys me that I can’t go outside unless it’s for groceries” She didn’t think that the new measures, at the point of inter-

view the lockdown of northern Italy, would stop the spread of the virus. She talked about ‘the wave of people still being affected despite schools and other places that offer chances of people gathering being closed up.’

She also said that people ‘keep ignoring that you shouldn’t go to the ER if you have a fever during a period like this.’

She said she only knows one person suspected of having the virus, who is forced to stay home.

She lives alone and so won’t risk being infected by or infecting others in her home but, at the time of interview, she was hoping to go back to her parents in Sardinia, where she would have had to be quarantined for a further two weeks in case she wasn’t showing symptoms yet.

IFS Study: One in Five Lose Money By Attending University Matt Taylor Film Editor

Research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that one in five students attending university lose money over the course of their lives by doing so.

According to their research, most men will be £130,000 better off by going to university, while most women will be £100,000 better off. These figures account for approximately 80% of graduates, but the IFS estimate that the remaining 20% – 70,000 students every year – ‘would actually have

been better off financially had they not gone to university.’

The research also shows that most financial growth is likely to occur for graduates between the ages of 30 and 40, but, again, the wages of men increase more than the wages of women.

The subject studied at university is hugely important in dictating graduates’ earnings. The study finds that women studying subjects such as law, economics and medicine have an average of £250,000 net discounted lifetime returns, but close to zero for those that studied creative arts and languages. Male graduates that stud-

ied creative arts and languages appear to have ‘negative financial returns,’ while those having studied medicine or economics ‘have average returns of more than half a million pounds.’

In a statement, universities minister Michelle Donelan said that while she appreciates the benefits of higher education for many, she was still concerned about the value for money of certain courses.

‘It is no surprise our universities attract students from all over the world. However, that prestige is built on quality and my role is to work with the regulator to safe-

guard that, while ensuring students and the taxpayer are getting the value they would expect for their investment,’ she said, while Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union said that ‘It is vital to recognise that education is about much more than just financial benefit.

Focussing on future income following university ignores the wider benefits that education brings to individuals and to society.’

The study overall expects ‘85% of women and around threequarters of men to achieve positive net lifetime returns.’

Student-Staff Solidarity Protest During Post-Grad Open Day Dylan Morgen News Reporter

The student-staff solidarity collective linked with the University of Birmingham (UoB) handed out leaflets critical of the UoB at the recent Postgraduate Open Day. They told Redbrick their intention was not to put off candidates enrolling at UoB, but to inform them what to expect and enable them to change things.

The UoB Postgraduate Open Day took place between 1.45 and 4.30pm on Wednesday the 11th November 2020 in the Great Hall and the Bramall Building. A ‘tranquil and picturesque’ campus tour was also on offer.

The protestors handed out many hundreds of leaflets from 1pm onwards at the University Station as potential new postgraduates and their companions arrived. The protestors held ‘Ask Us’ placards which drew the potential postgraduates to their leaflets.

The leaflet’s headline was

‘Here is what the University won’t tell you’ and listed nine points.

These points included ‘Our University refuses to report on the BAME pay gap,’ ‘in 2016, 70% of staff were on casual contracts, the highest Russell figure,’ ‘student workers faced shift reductions’ and ‘our VC earns £450,000 with support staff using food banks.’

The protestors continued leafleting outside the Aston Webb main entrance from 1.30pm where security staff instructed them to stop and move on, which they complied with.

One protestor said a security officer told him ‘I know who you are’ and ‘I recognise you from the photographs.’

This protestor explained that security staff told protestors with a banner outside the Bramall Hall entrance they needed two weeks' notice for a protest.

Another protestor replied that a judicial review of the University protest rules would show if they complied with the human rights act or not. The demonstrators then moved on.

University rules say that four weeks notice is needed for protests, charity collections and outdoor events. The longer four-week rule was introduced in June 2019.

The UCU says this new notice

UoB Student-Staff Solidarity

period was implemented without the agreement of the trade unions.

The University of Birmingham was contacted for a comment but did not respond.

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Old Joe Caught in Twitter Storm Joseph Meakin News Reporter

A tweet from the @oldjoeclock Twitter account (which poses as the famous campus clock tower and is described as a ‘private account’ by the University’s press office) has sparked a row online – with Old Joe even being branded a ‘neoliberal scab’ by one user.

Tweeting in the first person, the account described how ‘bitterly disappointed and upset’ he was at having been graffitied with chalk.

The writing, which has since been removed from Old Joe’s base, was a series of pro-UCU strike statements.

Challenging @oldjoeclock’s stance, one Twitter user said: ‘They are messages of support for striking staff, so messages of love!

Old Joe supports students and staff, not your BS.’ In response, the account tweeted saying ‘I don’t want to [be] drawn on. By anybody.’

Not all of the replies were critical, with some users supporting the sentiment of the tweet – one started the hashtag #justiceforjoe.

Redbrick contacted UoB, who responded: '@oldjoeclock is a private account. The main official University of Birmingham Twitter accounts are @unibirmingham and @news_ub.'

UoM Compares UoB to ‘Beyonce’ Over Election Turnout Becky Gelder News Reporter

The record breaking voter turnout in this year’s Guild Elections has earned the University of Birmingham the title of ‘Beyonce,’ according to an email sent to students at the University of Manchester.

The email, sent by the University of Manchester’s Student Union, awarded the title of Beyonce to Birmingham while comparing its own student body to Michelle. Within the correspondence, Manchester’s SU admitted: ‘Let’s be real, everyone wants to be Beyonce.’

‘The University of Birmingham had a record turnout in their SU election and its putting the University of Manchester to shame.’

Birmingham Guild President Joshua Williams commented on the email, saying, ‘Listen, Manchester are clearly going crazy in love over our election turnout but they clearly weren’t ready for our jelly. Birmingham students made this a flawless election and [have] shown that we really run the world! Honestly though, thank you so much Manchester for all the love and recognition for our record breaking voter turnout.’

Ultimately, the University of Manchester was not able to match the voter turnout of Birmingham, instead reaching a total number of 5,812 voters and 30,161 votes.

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NEWS

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricknews

Student Starts Petition for UoB to Adopt ‘Campus Cat’ Christina Manns

News Editor

Inspired by universities such as the University of Warwick and the University of Essex, University of Birmingham students have been signing a petition to adopt a campus cat. The petition currently has 87 signatures.

UoB student Yernur Niyetkaliyev started the petition on change.org in response to a popular Brumfess post, which said: ‘Warwick uni have a campus cat. We should have one as well!

Give this a like and I'll start a petition.’ The post gained 103 likes.

The cat in question, named Rolf, is owned by a family who live half a mile from the Warwick campus rather than the University itself. However, Rolf spends much of his time on campus and even inside the University’s buildings, and he has been known to visit first-year accommodation as well.

Rolf currently has over 28,000 followers on Twitter.

“I think a campus cat will be an extremely fine addition to our campus community!”

On the change.org petition, Niyetkaliyev lists a number of reasons why the University of Birmingham should adopt a designated campus cat. He argues that a campus cat would be beneficial for raising ‘awareness of animal welfare issues,’ university ‘branding,’ ‘biodiversity’ and student mental health, as ‘recent research demonstrates the benefits of pets on student mental health and a stronger sense of community.’

However, on the Fab N’ Fresh post about the petition, other students highlighted concerns about this idea, such as how the cat would be taken care of and how this would affect students allergic to cats. In response, Niyetkaliyev told Redbrick: ‘I think a campus cat will be an extremely fine addition to our campus community!

The responses have been largely positive, with lots of proactive discussion and constructive feedback. There will be logistical and ethical considerations along the way which will need to be discussed in detail, such as the safety of the cat, protecting birds on campus and allergies to name a few.

I'm trying my best to address these concerns and improve the case overall, as well as learn from the case study of Pebbles, Essex University campus cat! Currently the aim is to demonstrate that there is enough interest in the campus cat so keep those signatures coming! But ultimately, if through consultation with all the parties it is proven that it is impossible to ensure the safety of the cat as well as people on campus, I will drop the project as that would be the only right step to take.’

Selly Oak MP Calls for ‘Buffer Zones’ Around Abortion Clinics Amy Lakin News Reporter

Content Warning: This article contains mention of abortion which some readers may find distressing

The MP for the constituency of Birmingham Selly Oak, Steve McCabe has strongly advised the government to enforce buffer zones around local abortion clinics.

His response comes after patient reports of frequent harassment outside the BPAS abortion clinic in Kings Norton, Birmingham.

Although the protests are not illegal, significant concerns have arisen for the mental welfare of patients leaving and attending the clinic.

The implantation of buffer

zones would mean that protestors are legally obliged to keep within a 100-metre radius from the clinic. The measures would also see protest numbers limited to four at a time.

In correspondence with Birmingham Mail, McCabe said, ‘I am in touch with both the clinic and police about these protests.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had this problem. I understand from both the clinic and the police that at present the protesters are not committing an offence but the situation is being monitored and any constituents who think the protesters are engaging in criminal behaviour or causing harassment should report it to the police on 101.’

‘My view is that we need legislation for a buffer zone around the clinics to protect the interests of vulnerable patients and staff.

Anyone who is carrying out cam-

paigns designed to cause persistent alarm, harassment and distress should be charged accordingly.’

The Kings Norton clinic has been targeted by pro-life supporters regularly in recent years.

Forms of protest include distributing graphic leaflets, shouting at patients, and attempting to prevent entrance into the clinic.

The Marie Stopes clinic in Edgbaston, Birmingham was also targeted in 2017.

The first buffer zone in the UK was introduced in April 2018

by Ealing Council to prevent antiabortion activists from operating around the Marie Stopes clinic.

There are currently two buffer zones within the UK. In March 2018, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in Richmond was granted a buffer zone.

The government carried out a review in September 2018 into buffer zones. The extensive review

concluded that the zones were not necessary nationwide. The review contained evidence from medical professionals working and patients affected by the protests.

A representative for the Home Office when questioned about the zones said to The Independent, ‘This is a sensitive and complex issue, which is why last year we conducted an in-depth review of protests outside abortion clinics.

The right to protest is a vital part of a democratic society, but it is completely unacceptable that anyone should feel harassed or intimidated, and we are clear we expect the police to take action in such cases.’

In 2018, there were 205,295 abortions carried out in England and Wales.

Government Postpones Local Elections Amid COVID-19 Fears Joseph Meakin News Reporter

Following a recommendation by the Electoral Commission, the independent body responsible for regulating elections, the government has postponed local and mayoral elections. This has impacted the West Midlands mayoral election, which was originally scheduled to take place in May of this year.

The postponement comes in response to the current global coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking about the develop-

ment, the commission’s chief executive, Bob Posner, said: ‘We welcome and support the UK Government’s decision to postpone the May elections. This will allow local authorities to focus their efforts on delivering front line public services and importantly, mitigates risks to voters and campaigners’.

Posner went on to say that they will be working with ‘the wider electoral community to ensure elections in 2021.’

Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, tweeted that he was ‘pleased that

the Government has taken a clear and decisive decision in delaying May's Mayoral election.’

“The focus of everyone in the West Midlands needs to be on how we tackle COVID19” ‘The focus of everyone in the West Midlands needs to be on

how we tackle COVID-19 and look after the most vulnerable in our society.’

His main rival for the mayoralty, Labour’s Liam Byrne, also said in a tweet that ‘Delaying the elections is a sensible decision for public health. Local authorities need to be able to focus on working with the health service to protect people from the virus.’

Elsewhere in the world, elections are being affected by the coronavirus, too. The state of Louisiana became the first in the U.S. to postpone their presidential primary due to the outbreak.

Education Sector in Need of Reform, Says Think Tank Joseph Meakin News Reporter

A report entitled ‘Universities at the Crossroads,’ by the think tank, Policy Exchange (which counts former education secretary, Michael Gove, amongst its founders), has warned that the higher education sector could descend into crisis, if it does not carry out reform.

The report – completed following more than 50 interviews with stakeholders (including current and past vice-chancellors) – says that whilst the sector has ‘much to be proud of,’ universities have, in some key areas, ‘lost the trust of the nation.’

Policy Exchange has called on the sector to resolve internal issues, highlighting the need to improve governance, address vice-chancellors’ salaries, and bring the disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions to a resolution.

In addition, it highlights con-

cerns about the low quality of some degrees and the controversy surrounding the rise of unconditional offers and the practise of grade inflation.

The authors have also called out the perceived political biases of the sector, noting that many leaders in higher education were opposed to Brexit and commenting that ‘there is a growing risk that some on the right may begin to see the sector as actively and irredeemably opposed to conservative and British values.’

In the wake of this report, it is thought that the new government might tackle higher education next as part of Boris Johnson’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.

A contributor to the report, Sir Steve Smith, vice-chancellor of Exeter University, is reported by The Guardian as having ‘told colleagues it was no longer business as usual for universities.’

However, Nick Hillman, the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, is quoted in the same article as saying that ‘uni-

versities are just getting the scrutiny that other institutions have long had.’

The government is currently said to be considering its options, mindful of ‘not want-

Redbrick

ing to tarnish the reputation of England’s universities,’ but wanting at the same time to curb the growth in courses which represent poor value for money for students.

NEWS

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricknews

AEO Responds to Fab N’ Fresh Backlash

PictureCapital

Adam Toms News Reporter

News Analysis: Spring Budget News Reporter Adam Toms looks at Rishi Sunak's first budget in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak Adam Toms News Reporter

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, unleashed monumental levels of spending - fuelled by increased borrowing - in his budget on Wednesday as the government seeks to combat the spread of coronavirus and fulfil their promise to ‘level up’ the country.

The Chancellor had only held his current post for 27 days.

With ex-Chancellor Sajid Javid ousted and the establishment of a new joint team of No. 11 and 10 economic advisors, the Johnson administration was free to announce billions upon billions of investment.

Accompanying this spending are levy reliefs which will benefit students, including the freezing of duties on alcoholic beverages after a planned increase.

Moreover, VAT on eBooks, newspapers and academic journals has been scrapped, ensuring the cheaper acquisition of learning resources in the future. This may mean a larger variety of free secondary and primary material for students to access.

A report by the Publishers’ Association from 2018 suggests that the removal of this ‘outdated tax’ will save universities and libraries up to £55 million a year.

These savings will be consolidated by UK research spending

Government Ends Tampon Tax Aneesa Ahmed The government has announced that they will be ending the tampon tax in the recent budget.

Currently tampons, sanitary pads, and menstrual cups are viewed as 'luxury' items rather than essentials, and are therefore subjected to 5% tax. The announcement was made by Rishi Sunak, current Chancellor of the Exchequer, who announced the 2020 budget. The zero rate will come into effect on January 1st, the first day when EU laws no longer apply to the UK. Many women across social media are praising this move and calling it a ‘step in the right direction’ to end period poverty.

A Tribute to Michael Guy Alex Guy Boscott Having spent a life-long career in journalism, my great-uncle, Michael Guy, sadly passed away this month at this age of 85.

Starting his career at the Banbury

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reaching £22 billion by 2024-25 with an immediate injection of £400 million for 2020-21.

The government states that ‘the Budget puts science, innovation and technology at the heart of the UK’s investment strategy’ as it has set an ‘objective of increasing economy-wide investment in R&D to 2.4% of GDP by 2027’.

“Significant action to support firms affected by coronavirus is very welcome” The chancellor made a commitment that these funds will be distributed to universities outside of London, Oxford and Cambridge.

This rhetoric has become familiar as the government seeks to suggest that they are standing by elections promises of more equal monetary resources nationwide, not just in the south east.

Professor Markus Perkmann of Imperial College London states that this funding would ‘more than compensate for the loss of EU funding for research of which the UK is a large recipient’.

This may free up funding at the UoB and facilitate existing research projects.

Sunak’s proliferation in spending concerned Javid and ex-PM Theresa May, now the old guard,

who advocated caution and continued application of fiscal rules.

After the chancellor’s speech, May said that it was ‘necessary to ensure that we have that restraint and caution that enables us to make the public finances continue to be strong into the future’.

Some experts have echoed her concerns and warned that public finances may become vulnerable after to a rise in borrowing costs due to a proliferation in spending.

Be that as it may, in one of her final speeches as PM, May stated that further education had been ‘overlooked, undervalued and underfunded’.

This investment certainly suggests a change of direction from the economic strategy of previous Tory governments to one more reminiscent of policies outlined in a Labour manifesto.

Sunak has also allocated £5bn extra for public spending and £7bn of support for households and businesses, claiming that the funds are ‘temporary, timely and targeted.’

Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation thinktank, stated that: ‘Significant action to support firms affected by coronavirus is very welcome and should help ensure the temporary shock does not do them lasting damage. In contrast to significant help for firms, targeted support for families affected by coronavirus was less evident.’

Ryan Ginger, Activities and Employability Officer at the Guild, received backlash on the Facebook Group Fab’n’Fresh.

This was following Ginger reposting an article titled ‘Coronavirus may be taking over, but Fab is still definitely not cancelled’ by the Birmingham Tab with the caption ‘ “forget the Corona – it’s two VK Ice’s for £4 at Fab, courtesy of the big man himself Mr AEO.” ‘My manifesto promised you more drinks deals at Joes Bar at this unprecedented time enjoy 2 ice VK for £4 or a tropical j bomb for £2 ‘See you at fab tomorrow (FAB is still on).’

“In hindsight, the post was not appropriate given the rapidly“I think the way changes the Guild Officer circumstances” Team have Ryan Ginger told Redbrick,' In handled the hindsight the post was not appropriate considering the rapidlypandemic is changing circumstances surroundatrocious” ing COVID-19. I apologise for

The post gained over 200 Facebook angry reactions.

Holly, a final year student, told Redbrick that she believes Ginger’s post was very distasteful.

‘I think the way the Guild Officer Team have handled the pandemic is absolutely atrocious.

While they should follow government guidelines which at the time weren’t enforcing any gathering bans they should have also taken into account the vulnerability of students at an event where people would have been in close contact, sharing drinks.’

Guardian, before moving into was suspended from the website publishing his own papers (includand has since been investigated ing the successful Leigh by authorities for price gougTimes), Michael soon ing. Colvin has been sent became an expert in the death threats since the story field - working alongside of his price gouging was some of the biggest reported in The New York names in the media.

Times. He said: ‘I’ve Throughout my time been buying and selling with Redbrick, he things for 10 years now would often proof my … When we did this articles for me and trip, I had no idea that give me feedback so these stores wouldn’t that I could progress be able to get replenfurther as a journalist. ished.’

Even in ill-health, he would read my articles Harvey Weinstein The Redbrick News team with great enthusiasm.

Convicted Michael will be sorely have a gander at the missed by me, his family John Wimperis and friends - I shall dearly Convicted rapist Harvey goings-on away from miss our conversations and Weinstein has been sentenced UoB this week his guidance. Rest in peace, to 23 years in prison. The conMichael. secutive sentences of twenty years for a first-degree criminal sex and h o a r d e d 17,700 bottles and three years for third-degree Price Gouger Decides to of hand sanitiser to re-sell on rape were passed at the New York Donate Amazon has donated his stockpile supreme court by Judge James to a local church, where volun- Burke. Weinstein was one of the Christina Manns teers will distribute the product to most powerful men in the movie those in need. After trying to sell business and abused women while A man from Tennessee who hand sanitiser for as much as $70 in this position. The women who caused controversy when he (£57) on Amazon, Matt Colvin spoke out against him began the

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‘The post itself was completely insensitive, making light of a situation that has already caused thousands of deaths worldwide.

He needs to take accountability.’

A second-year politics student defended Ginger’s post and said, ‘Ryan Ginger is merely forming his role as an officer and promoting a Guild event, and he was also only following Government Guidelines at the time, and the Government is still not closing pubs and clubs.

‘I can understand why some people are frustrated but it is unfair to take it out on Ryan who is merely trying to keep university life going as normal.’

Round-Up

any upset caused by this. The Guild and the Guild officer team this week have been working hard with student safety the priority.

Guild events are all cancelled including Guild Awards, club nights and more with refunds available and more with full refunds available. We are working with student groups to support them to cancel events.

The advice is for students to not feel obliged to remain on campus. Despite any concerns over the weekend, myself and the officer team are there to support and represent you so please, I implore you to get in contact with us.

#MeToo movement.

COVID Causes Chaos at Supermarkets Rhiannon Wood As panic escalates across the country, supermarkets seem to be burdened by hundreds of customers attempting to stockpile, as a result of the advice to self-isolate by the government.

A video was uploaded to ‘Fab N Fresh’ which depicted a large queue of people, starting from the front doors of the Selly Oak Aldi, to almost the traffic lights by the Tesco Express. This has caused a number of aggressive responses from frustrated students, with one student posting an anonymous ‘Brumfess,’ stating: ‘Can people STOP queuing at Aldi and creating food shortages for others?!’

In many stores, customers are limited by a two-item policy, in which buyers are only able to purchase two quantities of the same item - with this policy being enforced on toilet paper and dried pasta in particular in order to prevent cusotmers stockpiling.

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COMMENT

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@redbrickcomment

Panic Buying: The Psychology Laura Bull talks about how panic buying works, and why it doesn't help anyone Laura Bull Comment Writer

Coronavirus: the topic we all can’t stop talking about. One of its effects is shoppers panic buying products. Social media has been full of reports of empty supermarket shelves. There have been dramatic scenes of the panic buying, most notably the two women in Australia fighting over toilet paper. I myself visited the Sainsbury’s in the Selly Oak Shopping Park and along with a lack of soap and hand sanitiser was a shortage of toilet paper, paracetamol, pasta and rice. The UK government has told British people not to panic buy as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, but many are not heeding this. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘I am confident we have fantastic supply chains. It is very important that everybody should behave responsibly and think about others.’

Psychologists have branded panic buying irrational. They have said that in times of crisis, particularly with public health situations where the length of time and strength of the disease is unknown, people panic and buy more than they need as it is the only area that they can control. Toilet paper is one of the items that people have been panic buying in some countries including the UK, with some people questioning why. Hand sanitiser is a more obvious candidate, it is usually an infrequent purchase, and combatting the coronavirus requires a stepup in its usage, so it is logical that demand will outstrip normal supply. But why toilet roll?

Because it has a long shelf life and it is a large item which people are drawn to in times of crisis. Psychologically people think the larger an item is, the more importance it has. It also means that shops appear emptier than they are, as these larger items are some of the first to go.

“The larger an item is, the more importance it has” This response is likely a result of shoppers believing the risk to them is higher than it is.

As so little is known about coronavirus, this is how people react. This has only been escalated with the constant news coverage of coronavirus which makes the situation seem worse than it is. Psychologists have reported that people usually begin to think more rationally after a month, so we are likely to see less panic buying after the next few weeks.

People very much follow herd behaviour, meaning once some people start panic buying others will follow very easily.

People are also reacting to the

fear that others will panic buy resulting in a lack of products, so they in turn panic buy to ensure they have the products.

This is creating a seemingly never-ending cycle. People think that products will run out, so they buy more than they need. This can become an acute problem when the people who actually need the products, particularly medicines, find they cannot buy them anymore.

Kantar, market analysts on consumer behaviour, have reported that sales for handsanitising products were up 255% in February from January.

A survey from Retail Economics has suggested that as many as 1 in 10 UK consumers are stockpiling.

“1 in 10 UK consumers are stock-piling” As a result of panic buying, supermarkets have begun to ration food online and in-stores as there are concerns over shortages. Tesco was the first UK supermarket to introduce food rationing. They have announced that customers are limited to 5 items on products such as dried pasta, long-life milk, antibacterial wipes, gels and sprays and baked beans in some stores.

Asda and Boots have restricted hand sanitisers to 2 per customer. Supermarkets have not been able to cope with the increase in the demand for these products. They have said they are in talks with their suppliers to try and ensure that the increased demand will be met.

This will likely mean over the next few weeks shelves will be restocked. Delivery slots for online supermarket orders are also becoming fewer as more people panic buy online. The Competition and Markets Authority have announced that they are monitoring pricing to ensure that supermarkets do not exploit consumers during the coronavirus outbreak. However, a quick search on Amazon for hand sanitiser reveals that some unscrupulous, or opportunistic depending on your point of view, traders have already ramped up prices by up to factor of ten or even more!

With the number of coronavirus cases increasing, panic buying has become worse as this is an area people can control. This shortage of products is most likely a short-term effect of the coronavirus outbreak which will be improved in the next few weeks. Supply chains will react and make more products available. However, in the short term it exacerbates an already very difficult situation for others, and is an irrational and indeed selfish act so, think before you panic buy!

Fab N’ not-so-Fresh?

Abby Spreadborough criticises the Guild's recent handling of Coronavirus fears, as well as its promotional two VKs for £4 deal Abby Spreadborough Comment Editor

‘A leading global university’ is how the University of Birmingham chooses to announce itself on its website, adverts and open days. Yet, you would be forgiven for thinking that the university, specifically the Guild of Students, is not as outward looking and as forward thinking as it seems to be. As the UK moved from the ‘contain’ phase to the ‘delay’ phase in coronavirus pandemic, AEO Ryan Ginger was delighted to announce that Guild event Fab would go ahead. In a cheery post he quoted Guild President Josh Williams in saying ‘forget the corona – it’s two VK ice’s for £4 at Fab, courtesy of the big man himself Mr AEO.’ Ginger added ‘My manifesto promised you more drinks deals at Joe's Bar at this unprecedented time enjoy 2 ice VK for £4 or tropical j bomb for £2.’

“Two VK ices for £4 at Fab, courtesy of the big man himself Mr AEO” At a global university which educates 8,700 international students from 150 countries, this kind of response is not only irresponsible but bewildering.

Many of these international students will come from countries profoundly impacted by the pandemic. As it stands China is most affected with over 80,000 cases followed by Italy and Iran both with over 10,000 cases.

There too has been a rise in coronavirus related hate crime specifically directed towards East Asian students, with one Singaporean student beaten up in London as his attackers yelled ‘I don’t want coronavirus in my country.’ Yet, international stu-

dents are only one side of the story, students with underlying health conditions are also dismissed in the statement.

Students with asthma, diabetes and auto-immune diseases cannot ‘forget corona,’ and to ask their peers to forget this looming threat to their health and wellbeing for the sake of some cheap drinks is arguably abhorrent. The fact these cheap drinks are a manifesto pledge fulfilled only adds insult to injury at what the AEO himself calls an ‘unprecedented time.’ In fact, it isn’t entirely correct to call the AEO’s VK deal cheap, one VK costs £2.85 meaning a minimal saving which led one student to call it ‘not worth getting corona-virus for.’ Others criticised the post in the comments with one asking ‘what happened to flattening the curve?’ and ‘UoB loves a danger fab, but this aint it.’ When the Guild chooses to publicly adopt a tone gleeful abandon as they have done in this instance I believe they cease to be able to call themselves the voice of students.

Elsewhere across the country universities and their student unions have been quick to respond.

Durham, LSE, Manchester Metropolitan and Southampton are just as few of the many universities that have taken the decision to shut before the end of term. Similar to US universities, these institutions have chosen to adopt remote online learning. UoB is due to do the same after announcing a transitional week to ready departments for this switch to online teaching. During this final week no students are obliged to attend and have been urged to follow government advice to self-isolate if they have a fever or cough. This advice has been criticised by some, but I feel it is a measured, responsible and appropriate response to the developing situation. I only wish the Guild had adopted the same approach.

Before the government's

recent crackdown on 'mass gatherings' on Monday, it would have been fine to allow Fab to go ahead and expect fewer students to attend given the justifiable wariness of many. Keeping calm (and informed) and carrying on (within government guidelines) as young, healthy individuals at a time of panic buying is to be desired. But as our routines adjust, we need to cut back on inessential contact with crowds which Fab and events like it offer.

“The fact these cheap drinks are a manifesto pledge fulfilled only adds insult to injury ” For the Guild a simple announcement to confirm that Fab was going ahead, without the needless, thoughtless and frankly exploitative mention of a frivolous drinks deal, would have sufficed. Ryan Ginger told Redbrick ‘In hindsight the post was not appropriate considering the rapidly-changing circumstances surrounding COVID-19. I apologise for any upset caused by this. The Guild and the Guild officer team this week have been working hard with student safety the priority.

Guild events are all cancelled including Guild Awards, club nights and more with refunds available and more with full refunds available. We are working with student groups to support them to cancel events.

The advice is for students to not feel obliged to remain on campus. Despite any concerns over the weekend, myself and the officer team are there to support and represent you so please, I implore you to get in contact with us.’

Creative Commons/ piqsels

COMMENT

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickcomment

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Prejudice and the Travelling Community

Comment Editor Emily Chapman argues that not enough attention is paid to the racism and prejudice felt by the gypsy and travelling community Emily Chapman

refusal to grant the local council permission to ban gypsies and travellers from camping on Prejudice against the roma, open spaces and car parks. gypsy and traveller communi- Many local authorities over the ties is the last form of accepta- last few years have made ble prejudice and racism in this attempts at passing similar injunctions, in order to prevent country.

In November, Home travelling communities from Secretary Priti Patel announced stopping on certain areas of a ‘consultation’ on granting land. Incidents like the one in police ‘new powers to arrest Bromley are not isolated; comand seize the property and vehi- munities regularly are forced to cles of trespassers who set up stand up for themselves against unauthorised caravan sites.’ local and city councils to proThis consultation includes pro- tect their rights to stop and posing a number of measures camp. that hugely restrict the moveThis prejudice results in furments and freedom of the trav- ther animosity between settled eller community, such as lower- and traveller communities, ing the number of vehicles dividing us when we should be needed for a camp to be deemed united. Children from gypsy a problem from six to two, and and traveller communities sufincreasing the time between fer the most: across the UK, returning to the same spot after 90% of gypsy and traveller chilbeing removed from three dren of school age were missing months to a year. The Home from school in 2018. 14-yearSecretary claims that members old Romany Gyspy, Ben Bennett of local communities want to be spoke at a Human Rights protected, and perceive travel- Commission in 2018, to tell of lers a threat to this protection. his own experiences of racism The roma, gypsy and travel- within the education system, ler communities have to con- having to change schools 13 tinuously fight to protect their times despite living in the same rights under the Equality Act. In place throughout his life. By January this year, a community subjecting children to this racof travellers in Bromley cele- ism, settled communities conbrated the court of appeals tinuously isolate travelling ones, Comment Editor

furthering our sense of distance from them and pervading existing social tensions. Children, especially, do not deserve to have their education disrupted because the way their families live is different from their teachers and fellow pupils.

“We should be celebrating difference, learning to understand one another and coming togther” Racism against Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers is ingrained in the UK; everyday there are incidents that involve gypsies or travellers being refused service or assistance because of their ethnicity and heritage. By way of councils putting up signs prohibiting camps being set up, we are taught from an early age that members of these communities are ‘trouble’, and associated with having a violent nature.

Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT), an advice service for members of the community, features a number of race hate case studies on their website. In one instance, a client contacted FFT for being refused service in a pub, because an unconnected group of Irish Travellers had once caused a fight on the premises. According to the landlord, the police had advised him to take action against serving any members of the traveller community. Imagine if every pub you went into whilst wearing a football shirt refused you service because a bunch of football hooligans started a fight, once?

Our depiction of the travelling community in the media and on television, particularly in the early 2000s with wellknown ‘reality’ television programme ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding,’ that ran for 4 trashy seasons between 2010 and 2015, sensationalised ‘gypsies’ as glitz and glamour obsessed people, who live distinctly different lifestyles from those viewing these programmes. This programme furthered a rhetoric of difference, allowing viewers to make broad assumptions about the gypsy and traveller lifestyle as a whole, rather than seeing

the families on the show as, just like any other reality tv show, a small cross-section of a much larger and more complex whole.

The insidious branding of the traveller community as ‘trespassers,’ who only bring disruption and crime to communities, is a vile form of un-educated prejudice that has no place in the 21st century. Just as stereotyping black and ethnic minorities has come to be viewed as misinformed and fundamentally wrong, the stereotyping of roma, gypsy and traveller people should be viewed in the same way. These communities have long-standing and complex histories, just as any other ethnic group, and should not be treated as deviants or criminals because of the way they choose to live. Choosing to isolate gypsy and travelling communities is the real threat to our society. We should be celebrating difference, learning to understand one another and coming together in order to cultivate stable, caring and safe communities, not pushing people away.

Poll of the Week: Graduate Degrees With seemingly more graduates than ever pursuing further study we asked readers whether the undergraduate degree was losing its value Jadzia George Comment Writer

N

“Too many grads not enough grad jobs, you need more and more to impress employers and get hired!” o

7% -1

Ye s

3% -8

Do you think that the undergraduate

degree is becoming less valuable?

(Poll Conducted on 14th March)

“Because further education is no longer exceptional, it’s so ordinary and ubiquitous, your degree is becoming another set of GCSEs” “So many people have one, it's the new normal, so you need something more to stand out from the crowd” “More people have an undergraduate degree now so I feel there is a pressure to constantly be looking for other things”

“Too easy to get in, too many people.

Even PhD is worthless right now” Take part in our polls: @RedbrickComment Redbrick Comment Contributors

According to official figures, despite increasing tuition fees, the number of young people participating in higher education post-secondary school is steadily increasing, and from 2017/18, more than half enrolled in a university course. In light of the increasing number of bachelor’s graduates entering into an ever more competitive job market, this week Redbrick’s Comment section asked students whether they believed the value of an undergraduate degree was on the decline.

The response is overwhelmingly clear; an astonishing 83% of participants agree that an undergraduate course alone is not enough to secure a job postgraduation. One student noted that bachelor’s degrees are often seen as baseline requirements for jobs nowadays, ‘meaning the only way to differentiate even slightly from other candidates is to have some form of post-graduate degree.’ Many others agreed that a master’s degree was becoming rapidly more common, particularly in certain sectors; one student remarked that in ‘the engineering world, a master’s degree has

already become the standard minimum with PhDs preferred’, while another argued that ‘as an Arts student, it's as though you need to prove your worth, because STEM is valued far more in the jobs market.’

Although a few of the survey’s participants asserted the value of an undergraduate degree, believing that ‘degrees are valuable for how they develop you as a person’, the prevalent opinion is one of disenchantment with the job market, across a variety of subjects. The consensus appears to be that students feel backed into a corner, with a master’s degree being their only way to pursue their desired career. Sadly, as one student aptly noted, with students feeling pressured to pursue postgraduate education while government funding for these courses rapidly decreases, it ‘is particularly detrimental to working class students’; it seems not only more necessary to obtain a masters ‘as the undergrad depreciates in value’ but it appears to also be less accessible.

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Multi-Level Marketing Scams Colette Fountain invesitgates the reality of MLMs, how people are manipulated into them and how you can support people wanting to leave them Colette Fountain Comment Writer

Pyramid schemes are hardly a new phenomenon – Charles Ponzi became the namesake for the fraudulent ‘ponzi schemes’ after his business antics in the 1920s, however, in the digital age they are more accessible than ever before. Whereas previously, founders of these schemes would be restricted by geography, nowadays a single post can reach thousands of potential recruits making it the easiest it’s ever been to launch a pyramid scheme.

The defining characteristic of both pyramid schemes and multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses is their pyramid-like structure. Essentially, there is the founder at the top of the pyramid with the highest income. This founder then recruits people who in turn recruit more people and so on, until the business is big enough to produce profit. Pyramid schemes don’t exist within one set industry, instead they can encompass anything from beauty to finance to travel. Some pyramid schemes rely on selling products, often priced far above their actual value, while many simply rely on providing a service such as financial advice. For many pyramid schemes, profits from sales is often overshadowed by the main income source: recruitment. Usually, recruits will pay an extortionate entry fee, ranging from several hundred to potentially thousands of pounds; a percentage of which is given to the person who recruited them, with the rest of the money being divided as it travels through the upline (recruiters). This allows the founder of the company to amass immense wealth while those at the bottom of the pyramid lose money.

The distinction between MLMs and Pyramid Schemes is very hard to define. MLMs follow a similar business structure with distributors and recruits who serve as ‘independent business owners’, selling company products. Famous MLM businesses include companies like Avon and The Pampered Chef; hardly seen as sleazy, underthe-table businesses. Some critics consider all MLMs to be pyramid schemes as it can still be very difficult to make money from selling products, however the main difference is that MLMs want you to succeed and a r e n ’ t designed to exploit those at the bott o m , instead

attempting to empower them.

Generally, MLMs are less of an out-right scam, meaning less emphasis is placed on recruitment, start-up fees are far less, unsold products can be returned for at least 80% of what you paid if you decide to leave and the majority of money is made from selling products. Another significant difference between the two is that pyramid schemes are illegal, while MLMs are not, with the establishment of Consumer Protection under the Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 which banned the creation, involvement, running and promotion of pyramid schemes, although again, detecting a pyramid scheme can be very difficult.

As I have established, the main issue with pyramid schemes is the heavy reliance on recruitment, something that often leads to the involvement of close friends and family.

When faced with the realisation that without recruitment, they are unlikely to make enough money to even cover the initial investment cost, pyramid scheme members turn to recruitment, despite knowing the problems with being at the bottom of the pyramid. Essentially, recruitment helps the individual move up a rung of the pyramid, giving the potential for higher earnings at the detriment to their recruits.

This is my main issue with pyramid schemes. I understand the appeal of wanting to belong to one - after all their marketing relies on the idea of the perfect job which seems ‘too good to be true’; however, I lose some of my sympathy when individuals begin to exploit others. Pyramid schemes rely on the powers of manipulation and essentially brainwashing. They create this idea of the ‘dream job’ which, in reality, only exists at the top of the pyramid. And to get to the top, you have to exploit others.

One of the best ways to find recruits is through social media, something which h a s ena-

bled the seemingly sudden boom of pyramid schemes. We’ve all seen people on social media promoting their jet-setting, wealthy lifestyle which they’ve achieved from ‘the comfort of their own home’; I’ll even admit that I’ve caught myself becoming jealous of these people who seemingly have the dream life.

After looking at multiple social media posts, however, there is always a common theme, often even the same buzzwords. These include ideas like being able to work from home, make money fast, have your own time schedule and often implies that they themselves are already on a sixfigure salary after only a few months. I can’t think of many fields of work where all of these benefits occur. Yes, it is possible to have a six-figure salary, but this usually comes at the cost of hours and hours of hard work. It is also possible to have a flexible schedule and be in control of your own time, however, this is rarely accompanied by a six-figure salary. For many jobs, time and money are mutually exclusive; you cannot have both, making these pyramid schemes all the more enticing.

One of the main target demographics for pyramid schemes are students as their b u s y schedules make them vulnerable to the idea of flexible jobs.

Nearly 40% of students

report having been approached by recruiters, with 30% reporting that it occurred on Facebook, further demonstrating the importance of social media in the running of these schemes.

While there are a lot of jokes online about pyramid schemes and the people who get sucked into them, people don’t need to be naïve to be manipulated by these companies. There are countless websites offering advice for recruiters, essentially helping to create the perfect strategy to best manipulate people into joining the company, meaning literally anyone is at risk. Even if recruited by a legitimate MLM like Herbalife, 88% of distributors reportedly earned nothing in 2012 despite the company earning over $4bn in sales, therefore even legal MLMs often don’t fulfil the promises they make.

So, you’ve come to the realisation that you’re trapped in a pyramid scheme – what now?

Unfortunately, due to their illegitimacy, it is very difficult to escape a pyramid scheme, although not impossible.

Waiting for the pyramid scheme to collapse is perhaps the worst thing to do as you continue to pay into the business while relying on so many factors that are out of your control; instead try to get out as soon as possible.

There is no one way to leave a pyramid scheme, instead there is a range of vague advice on the best ways to leave. If you know someone in a pyramid scheme it can be very difficult to persuade them to leave, particularly as they usually believe in the company so may view it as an attack causing further alienation. Instead, it is recommended to try and empower them and help them acknowledge their situation rather than belittling them for falling prey to the manipulation.

This is a

process that will take time; allow them to come to their own conclusion on the dangers of the company and they will be far more likely to want to leave.

At this point you can step in to offer a support network in the difficult transition out of the manipulative powers of those in charge. Essentially, they just need support. Try to encourage them without coming across as preaching, helping them to reconnect with family/friends they may have alienated themselves from when they were indoctrinated into the company.

A significant concern people have when leaving pyramid schemes is the financial damage. With MLMs, products can usually be returned so sell back any unused products, even if it is for less than you paid for it.

Cut ties with the company; this includes deleting any ‘friends’ from the company on social media, blocking phone numbers, emails etc. so that they cannot continue to manipulate you. Many people recommend waiting to tell your uplines until you have sold all your stock and left the company so that they cannot convince you to stay as you will be particularly emotionally vulnerable. Contact your bank to make sure that any future payments get cancelled and you don’t end up causing further financial damage. It is up to the individual whether they decide to tell their recruits, however, if the decision to leave has been caused by a particularly harmful incident, they may feel it is the correct thing to do, but again this is a very personal decision.

Pyramid schemes and MLMs have existed for decades and it doesn’t look like they’re going to go away any time soon. The internet and social media have only exacerbated the issue, making it easier than ever before to find new recruits and grow the business. The main lesson here is, as with a lot of social media, don’t believe everything you see; if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if you find yourself in a pyra m i d scheme, know that there are ways out and you a r e n ’ t trapped there indefinitely; after all, without recruits the pyra m i d schemes become worthless.

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COMMENT

Friday 20th March 2020

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No Neutral Stance on Passports Comment Writer Cerys Gardner takes a closer look at the practical implications of the court ruling against gender neutral passports Cerys Gardner Comment Writer

The High Court has ruled that the UK will not allow people to have gender neutral passports, with an ‘x,’ meaning unspecified, designation rather than male or female. This news has disheartened the trans community and is a frustrating setback, especially for nonbinary people who have to continue to choose between two designations that do not accurately reflect them.

However, as a nonbinary person myself, I think that actually we should be campainging to remove gender designations from IDs such as passports and driving licenses altogether.

This is because having a gender neutral designation on a passport or driver’s license will lead to confusion from bouncers, police and border authori-

ties. All places and institutions that can be already unsafe for trans or gender non-conforming people, especially for people of colour (gender non-conforming people can be cisgender, it is about not conforming to gender sterotypoes/’typical’ gender expression rather than about gender identity.) For example, I have short hair and usually dress in a fairly masculine way but in my drivers license photo I have long hair and bouncers often do a double take before letting me in, and this is a relative best case scenario. However, with an ‘x’ designation on my driver’s license as well this would likely lead to further questioning or confusion from bouncers who may be unaware of what it represents, or who may be transphobic and then could use it to deny entry or harass a person. Let us not forget that even at the Guild of Students there have been

transphobic incidents involving security. Em Andress, one of the Guild's Trans and Non-Binary Students' Officer told Redbirck 'that there have been serious issues where security isn't trained to deal with trans people.' This issue could also become even more dangerous in encounters with police or at borders where it may result in additional questioning or be used to deny someone entry to a country, especially places that don’t recognise or have regressive laws with regards to trans people. The Guild of Students told Redbrick ‘Policies and training has been issues to Guild staff to ensure that everybody feels safe when they enter our venues.’

Furthermore, there is the question of why gender is recorded on passports.

According to an ICAO report from 2012, based on an investi-

gation by the New Zealand passport office, it is used to verify the identity of travellers and to risk assess travellers, gender is used to identify if someone matches a person of interest. The report also points out that it would be costly to update the systems border authorities use, which currently requires inputting of gender.

However, with these issues of verifying identity and risk assessment there are other ways to verify identities and match someone against a watchlist such as checking for matching date of birth. Also, using gender to verify the identity of a traveller is where issues come in for trans and gender non-conforming travellers whose gender presentation, that is how they look, may not match the gender in their passport and so it is not a reliable way of verifying the identity of travellers. With

regards to cost it would need to be a worldwide switch in order to prevent a complex system of some countries having gender and some not, requiring a system that can analyse both but I acknowledge that this is no easy feat and unlikely to happen anytime soon.

There are some understandable reasons why gender is still included on passports but there are other ways to deal with these needs and the benefits of removing gender, therefore creating a safer environment when travelling for trans people, outweigh the costs for me.

Therefore, while it is disappointing that the High Court has denied gender neutral passports for UK citizens in the long term we should be pushing for the removal of gender from IDs such as passports.

Feminism Falls Short: Are We Failing Women?

Comment Writer Freya Wainstein argues that not enough is being done to tackle gender inequality as the UNDP reveal key targets are not being met Freya Wainstein Comment Writer

I need no persuading that feminism has a long way to go. Yet, even as a somewhat pessimistic feminist, recent statistics demonstrating attitudes toward women and girls have left me shocked, frustrated and disheartened.

Undeniable progress has been made in closing the gender equality gap, but a new index has revealed the striking global backlash towards gender equality. Last week, an analysis of 75 countries revealed that worldwide, 91% of men and 86% of women hold at least one bias against women in relation to politics, economics, education, violence or reproductive rights.

Of the countries studied, in only six do the majority of people hold no bias towards women.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) suggest that ‘if the current pace continues, 67 countries – home to 2.1 billion girls and women – will not achieve any of the key gender equality targets we studied by 2030.’

If this news wasn’t enough of a blow, a recent survey reports that in the UK, only 62% of boys aged 16 to 18 strongly believe that girls and boys have an equal right to education.The charity Theirworld has similar doubts to the UNDP about gender equality targets, suggesting that without dramatic change, by 2030 more than

half of the world’s children will lack the basic skills needed to maximise their potential.

“Language has real world implications, shaping what we perceive what goes on around us and influencing how we treat others” Seemingly, if we thought that the inferior status of women would soon be dismissed and disdained as a thing of the past, we were wrong. With only 9% of men and 14% of women worldwide who view the sexes as entirely equal, one thing is clear: we are failing females everywhere. Less clear, however, is what is going wrong?

I expect that a significant contributing factor is the language that we continue to accept as common-place, and yet which perpetuates views of women as second-class citizens. Language has real-world implications, shaping how we perceive what goes on around us and influencing how we treat others. The way that we use language to reinforce prejudice against women can be exemplified by

merely opening a dictionary.

Synonyms for ‘woman’ include ‘bitch’ and ‘maid.’ Similarly, examples of the usage of the word include ‘God, woman.

Will you just listen?’ In stark contrast, the definition for ‘man’ includes ‘a person with the qualities associated with males, such as bravery, spirit, or toughness.’

This is both an instance of and a way to maintain the existence of ‘Everyday Sexism,’ a term coined by Laura Bates who set out to bring to light to sexism experienced in day to day life whether it’s ‘serious or minor, outrageously offensive or so niggling and normalised that you don’t even feel able to protest’. Her ‘Everyday Sexism’ project aims to reduce gender inequality by proving wrong those who suggest women are now equal and can no longer complain. One only needs to listen to the lyrics of a popular rap song or turn on the TV to reveal that the use of sexist tropes – and thus the perpetuation of sexist attitudes – exist virtually everywhere. Sexist language leads to sexist action and both lead to a widespread acceptance of the view that women are inferior. So, put simply, everyday, everywhere, sexism is reinforced.

Evidently, we need to act to change this apparently neverending cycle. Initially, this means recognising it exists. We can no longer ‘let things go’ if the result of doing so is that yet another decade goes by without

significant strides to end the oppression of women and girls.

Urgency is necessary and the belief that women have got ‘enough’ equality now – because wives are no longer the property of their husbands and some of our MPs are women – can no longer be peddled. After this recognition comes education of others and fighting for active change.

“This means educating everyone around us - not only the young and calling out sexist tropes in the hope of extracting the pernicious sexism” The good news is, people are doing so. An open letter – with leaders of Women’s Aid and the Women’s Equality party among its signatories – has been published, calling on the Oxford University Press to change its definition. Similarly, in regard to their findings, the UNDP has called on governments to introduce legislation and policies in order to actively address ingrained prejudice. However, maybe this is not enough.

Perhaps the bigger problem that feminism faces is the implicit biases prevalent among us: our ‘unconscious attribution of particular qualities to a member of a certain social group.’

Implicit biases against women may, for instance, associate women with emotion and men with rationality. These biases are outside of our control and often our awareness, reflecting the associations we acquire through socialisation.

Implicit biases shape the way we treat women, so the problem we face is how one disposes of something they’re not aware of possessing. I will not attempt to address the deep epistemic issue of Implicit bias here. However, I hope that as implicit biases are largely shaped by our experiences, when we begin to make active changes to reduce Everyday Sexism, our implicit biases will begin to take care of themselves.

Whilst it seems as if reaching gender equality by 2030 is somewhat of a myth, instead of merely feeling disheartened, let’s take it as a wake-up call to commit ourselves to active change. This means educating those around us – not only the young – and calling out sexist tropes in the hope of extracting the pernicious sexism that contaminates the world around us.

Perhaps then, by 2040, gender equality will no longer require a miracle.

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Redbrick Picks: The Best Music of Film and TV ‘Hedwig’s Theme,’ Harry Potter Natalia Carter Print Editor

Growing up, the Harry Potter franchise was probably my first experience of being completely absorbed within a film franchise – I am not a committed filmgoer, so this speaks volumes. As a result, I have very fond memories of going to the cinema with my sister and my dad to watch the latest release. ‘Hedwig’s Theme,’ arguably the most iconic piece from the soundtrack, takes me straight back to that feeling of excitement which I associate with those memories. The magical quality of that opening motif followed by the dramatic orchestral flare is absolutely timeless. It transcends the ‘fad’ style of soundtracks rooted in popular contemporary music and instead looks towards a blend of the classical and theatrical.

“It transcends the ‘fad’ style of soundtracks rooted in popular contemporary music” Composed by John Williams, this piece is used throughout the film franchise and has become bound up in its marketing and brand identity. When the soundtrack to a film becomes so deeply ingrained within its public image, you know you’ve created a masterpiece. The inability to separate the film from the soundtrack is what makes Harry Potter unbeatable. I am completely unashamed to say that I will sometimes listen to it for motivation or to brighten my day: it’s just that good.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Jade Matlock Redbrick Writer

It’s one of the most iconic films of the 2010s, with an entire generation of teenagers growing up with the trials and tribulations of Scott Pilgrim in his quest to secure the love of Ramona Flowers. While the music of his band Sex Bob-Omb is objectively terrible, the surrounding soundtrack has some hidden gems worth your attention. ‘By Your Side’ by Beachwood Sparks acts as the perfect backing to Scott and Ramona’s first date, the gentle vocalisation and instrumental crescendo quickly establishing their blossoming connection. Brie Larson’s cover of ‘Black Sheep’ by Metric is still revered to this day for her personal take on the song, one that has left fans of the movie enamoured ever since. Perhaps the most famous name to grace the soundtrack are The Rolling Stones, with their hit ‘Under My Thumb’ adding to the heightening tension of the movie’s plot.

All is well in the film’s conclusion, with ‘Ramona’ by Beck rounding off Scott Pilgrim’s journey into the world of romance with more delicate vocalisation.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World possesses an incredibly underrated soundtrack for a movie centred around music, one that remains in the forefront of my mind 10 years after its release.

“The show’s eighth season brilliantly featured a different cover of DeGraw’s title track every episode” Lenz and Hilton’s beautiful ‘When The Stars Go Blue’, featured when Chris encourages Hayley to pursue her singing career, is a wholesome moment from an otherwise unlikable character. The stand out musical moment on the show for me was when Laura Izibor debuted her track ‘Can’t Be Love’ whilst appearing as Erin Macree.

Hayley’s shocked reaction at Erin’s voice resonates in everyone, as it is something reminiscent of the greats. The music that came from One Tree Hill has been a platform f o r many careers, and its recent resurgence is introducing this brilliant soundtrack to a new generation.

scenes.

If I had to pick a personal favourite, it would be ELO’s ‘Mr Blue Sky,’ b o t h because I love the song and because it’s hard to hear it without seeing Baby G r o o t Marvel Studios d a n c e obliviously around a battlefield. David Bowie, the Jackson 5 and even Fleetwood Mac rub shoulders across both albums, making them as varied and idiosyncratic as the Guardians themselves. If that doesn’t get you hooked on a feeling, nothing will.

And in these times of hardship, just remember: We...are...Groot.

Spider-Man (2002) Peri Cimen Redbrick Writer

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Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol. 1&2) Universal Pictures

One Tree Hill Bethany-Jo O'Neill Music Editor

Flickr/hehaden

club ‘TRIC’ hosting shows by Hayley, DeGraw himself and Chris Keller (Tyler Hilton).

For a show with a theme song as strong as Gavin DeGraw’s ‘I Don’t Want To Be’ and guest appearances from Fall Out Boy, it would be surprising if One Tree Hill did not have an incredible soundtrack. The show’s eighth season brilliantly featured a different cover of DeGraw’s title track every episode, the highlight of these being Kate Voegele’s (Tree Hill’s own Mia Catalano).

Unsurprisingly, music is a key theme in the series through the story of singer Hayley (Bethany Joy Lenz), record label executive Peyton (Hilarie Burton) and local

Danny Elfman is perhaps best characterised as one of the most versatile composers working today, and his score for Sam Raimi’s SpiderM a n

and rapidly paced violins enable the music to resonate thematically with the confusion, humour, growth, freedom, anger, betrayal, love, and jealousy, as each play an integral role along Peter’s journey.

“The score is sinister at times and whimsical at others” The music that accompanies Spider-Man’s title sequence alone (complete with ghostly choral vocals) complements the impending danger, as well as the awe, of Peter’s new-found abilities in a distinctly compelling way. The stuff that goes down in SpiderMan gets pretty tense and scary, too, and through such dramatic shifts in intensity, Elfman’s score emphasises a very real sense of danger, rendering us fearful for Peter’s fate. Spider-Man is memorable, menacing and fun in large part due to the musical web spun by Elfman, emphasising Raimi’s unique perspective on Peter’s path to heroism.

Sam Arrowsmith Redbrick Writer

I make it no secret that Guardians of the Galaxy is my favourite film. It brings together everything I like about Marvel, with a great script, fantastic special effects and the best post credit sequence in years - all in one convenient package. What really makes this film, though, is the soundtrack. Both films are set to Peter Quill’s mixtapes, left to him by his mother, and it is this eclectic mix of 70s and 80s tracks that makes these films unique. From the moment we see Star-Lord dancing across Morag (‘Come and Get Your Love,’ Redbone), to the Guardians watching Yondu’s ashes drift into space (‘Father and Son,’ Cat Stevens), the songs set the tone for each of the key

(2002) happens to be my personal favourite. The score is sinister at times and whimsical at others, but most importantly, it encapsulates what I love the most about SpiderMan. As Uncle Ben so aptly put, if ‘with great power comes great responsibility,’ then Elfman provides Peter’s story with a level of maturity that is achieved successfully through the eerie undertones of the score. The use of swelling brass instruments

Sony Pictures

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Star Wars Alex Boscott News Editor

What can be said about the artist that is John Williams? This is a man that is responsible for the music behind Jaws, Indiana Jones and Superman: The Movie.

However, his true stroke of genius came in the form of ‘The Imperial March’ track from Star Wars.

Specifically designed for Darth Vader, it has become synonymous with villainy and evil in the film world - as well as being able to instill fear in anyone who grew up watching Star Wars. To this day, Vader’s sinister accompanying music is still the best character theme to ever grace our cinema screens.

Lucasfilm

Tarzan

Kyle Moffat Redbrick Writer

The soundtrack accompanying Disney’s Tarzan is one of the most heartfelt (and best) that I have listened to. Phil Collins does a fantastic job of creating a soundtrack that firstly acts as a narrative voice for the film and secondly acts as a way for audiences to understand the feelings and connections between characters such as Tarzan, Kala and Jane. ‘You’ll Be in my Heart’ earned Collins an Academy Award for Best Original Song and for me, it’s clear to hear why. This masterpiece allows the audience to understand t h e bond between Kala a n d her adopted son, Tarzan. ‘Son of Man’ is another fantastic song and one that refers back to Tarzan’s origin while establishing that he is now a man of the jungle. However, the best song in my opinion is ‘Two worlds,’ which works as the film’s opening. 'Two Worlds' opens the film by establishing a narrative voice through Collins, who sings about the bond that humans, animals,

a n d nature can share as we transition between Tarzan’s family and the Gorilla family. It transitions perfectly when Kala Disney loses her baby, perfectly encapsulating her melancholy in response to the loss while establishing hope when she hears Tarzan’s cry.

Flickr/@Keng Susumpow

The Holiday Emily Calder Deputy Editor

Oh Hans Zimmer, you’ve done it again. The score for The Holiday is undoubtedly my favourite score of all time, and never fails to give me goosebumps and fill me with joy. In a film that foregrounds music and composition, especially in Jack Black’s character Miles, the soundtrack definitely does not disappoint.

“Oh Hans Zimmer, you've done it again” The opening track ‘Maestro’ intertwines comfortably with Kate Winslet’s narrative; the strings and tinkling piano are just gorgeous, woeful with the right amounts of hope and drama.

Another favourite of mine is the wistful, guitar-driven ‘Busy Guy,’ which is the loveliest accompaniment to Amanda and Graham’s blossoming romance. ‘Cry’ is another highlight, as strings accompany Cameron Diaz’s momentous tears, building as she proceeds to run back to Jude Law (also crying) through the snow.

Aside from the score itself, the film also boasts empowering classics like ‘Mr Brightside’ and Jet’s ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl,’ as well as the wonderful Imogen Heap’s ‘Just For Now’ to accent a more painful moment in the film.

The Holiday also, of course, features my favourite Christmas song, ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ and as a whole is just the most delightful emotional rollercoaster. I look forward to enjoying this film and its impeccable soundtrack every year.

Big Little Lies Anoushka Nair Redbrick Writer

Big Little Lies has one of the best soundtracks that television has to offer. Audiences needn’t look further than the show’s title track, ‘Cold Little Heart’, performed by Michael Kiwanuka. That track more than anything, epitomises the feeling of the nostalgic and soulful soundtrack that the HBO series delivers. Featuring artists such as Leon Bridges, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Fleetwood Mac, Sufjan Stevens and even Elvis Presley, the soundtrack is as diverse as its cast. Combined, these artists and their tracks work in tandem with the murder element of the show, providing an air of mystery as well as a sombre and melancholy tone. The music encapsulates the themes of darkness, empowerment and love that are laced throughout the show’s narrative. The soundtrack of both seasons is available on Spotify and is perfectly constructed to be enjoyed on a rainy day.

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Moulin Rouge Gemma Elgar Music Editor

If you’re looking for a little bit of everything in the musical sphere, Moulin Rouge has got you covered. Finding out that Ewan McGregor can sing was, at the time of discovery, the shock of my life; who knew Obi-Wan was hiding this voice from us? With a soundtrack ranging from Nicole Kidman’s cathartic performance of ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’ to Jim Broadbent and Richard Roxburgh’s hilarious reinvention of Madonna’s ‘Like A Virgin,’ Moulin Rouge reinterprets contemporary songs to a point of being unrecognisable. I’d still love to hear a full version of the way Kidman sings Wings’ ‘Silly Love Songs’ during the ‘Elephant Love Medley,’ an assortment of romantic fragments sewn together in a conversational duet between the film’s leading lovers, and a special recognition deserves to go to ‘El Tango De Roxanne.’

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It’s a recreation of The Police’s classic ‘Roxanne’ that makes for a deeply sombre, even harrowing scene, matched to a dance sequence that parallels a narrative of sexual assault.

‘Come What May,’ the only track in the film that is not a reinvention, but an original, also manages to completely belong when integrated among the other preexisting songs. It makes for the perfect climax to the story after being peppered throughout, and completes the soundtrack as the cherry on top of a musical rollercoaster.

Rocketman Matt Taylor Film Editor

To re-record the songs of pop legend Elton John for a movie may seem like sheer heresy, but when your lead singer has a voice as good as actor Taron Egerton’s, Rocketman’s soundtrack goes down a total treat. Egerton lends his versions of the songs an extra feeling of authenticity; he becomes so involved in the role that, dare I say it, his covers carry more of an emotional punch than John’s originals. ‘Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)’ has always been a bop, but the dual vocals of Egerton and Kit Connor provide the track with extra punch and gusto; ‘Your Song’ perfectly captures that indescribable feeling of love in a way that Ellie Goulding never could; ‘Crocodile Rock’ is given extra ferocity to become a true toe-tapping banger; while ‘Tiny Dancer’ is a true ballad for the ages that somehow manages to get into words that feeling of innate loss and fear that comes with being out of your depth. The album’s true standout, though, is Egerton’s version of ‘I’m Still Standing.’ The track’s slow beginning that gradually speeds up into the breakdown gives it a feeling of peace before the guitars and drums come crashing in, all of which combines to give us the best version of the best breakup song ever written. I would apologise for preferring these versions, but sorry seems to be the hardest word.

Twin Peaks Seb Rolley Redbrick Writer

Very few TV themes are as recognisable from their first notes as Twin Peaks. Its vibraphone and rising strings have the ability to bring a tear to many a hipster’s eye, instantly evoking the show’s iconic opening sequence.

The role of music in d i r e c t o r

Paramount Pictures

20th Century Fox

David Lynch’s work is undeniable, and the close working relationship he maintained with composer Angelo Badalamenti throughout the creation of Twin Peaks’ soundtrack resulted in arguably one of the all-time greatest marriages of visuals and sound.

Seamlessly blending jazz, classical, and traditional soundtrack styles, songs such as ‘Laura Palmer’s Theme’ and ‘Audrey’s Dance’ have all become classics in their own right. The tone and style which is established here is so distinct that Twin Peaks-esque is often used to describe work of a certain tone.

“The role of music in director David Lynch’s work is undeniable” Experimental band Xiu Xiu’s Twin Peaks cover record is a perfect example of the longevity of Badalamenti’s music as one of Jamie Stewart and co.’s best records. Check out their cover of 'Sycamore Tree,' possibly better than the original. Whether within the context of the show, as a standalone work of music, in its original form or in the many reinterpretations of it by countless artists, the music of Twin Peaks remains timeless.

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Chernobyl Sam Zucca Film Editor

The soundtrack to the 2019 HBO series Chernobyl is unique in that it doesn’t just add to the sense of horror, but is the main source of it. Paired with the sound design, Hildur Guðnadóttir’s music tries to capture the invisible threat of radioactive poisoning.

“It doesn’t just add to the sense of horror, but is the main source of it” The vibrato of Guðnadóttir’s main instrument, the cello, broods in the background, and is paired with Geiger counter sound effects that increase in volume when characters get closer to radioactive material. The cello sounds act as the force of looming dread, hearkening back to monster movies like Jaws, as the danger rapidly approaches. Guðnadóttir recorded the music at the same time as shooting and visited the decommissioned power plant in Lithuania where the series was filmed. In an interview she said how she wanted to convey all the sounds of the plant, not just those typically associated with radioactive fallout. And so throughout the score we not only get the vibrations of the cello, but also long reverberations reflecting the hollow corridors, and electronic crescendos that mimic the whirrs of the pump room.

Her

known for ‘The Moon Song,’ a duet from Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs which was nominated for an Academy Award, but sadly lost out to Frozen’s ‘Let It Go.’ The score is largely attributed to Arcade Fire with their most notable contribution being ‘Supersymmetry’ which featured on their album Reflektor. With lyrics such as ‘I know you’re living in my mind, it’s not the same as being alive’ the song reflects the often rose-tinted sequences Theodore shares with his ex-wife as well as his doubts about the validity of human connection with AI. More atmospheric tracks include ‘Avril 14th’, an ambient piano track from Aphex Twin, an artist better known for his IDM works. This complements the meandering ‘Song on the Beach; photograph’, which accompanies Theodore and Samantha’s walk along a crowded beach. The lightness of the track aligns with the sense of warmth and familiarity he feels for Samantha, who is learning and re-adjusting to his humanity in order to fashion herself as a convincing equal.

Her has stuck with me since it was first released in 2013. I regularly revisit the film and find that it raises new questions with each new leap forward in technology that increases our sense of isolation and alienation. Alongside these enduring questions, the atmospheric soundtrack only adds to the joy of watching such a wellmade film.

The Truman Show Molly Schoenfeld Redbrick Writer

Think soft synthesised strings, but also thundering timpa, and there you have the astonishing soundtrack of The Truman Show. This soundtrack’s ability to express both emotion and menace is, in my view, unrivalled in film music, rendering the score itself an essential character in this award-winning film. The original score, by Burkhard von Dallwitz and Philip Glass, is wonderfully variable. For instance, the dreamy ‘Truman Sleeps’ u s e s i n t i mate, melodic piano, whilst ‘Living

Waters’ uses edited woodwind, strings and organ to convey threat.

“This soundtrack’s ability to express both emotion and menace is ... unrivalled in film music” ‘Reunion’ is a masterpiece not only for its stunning composition, but its significance in the film.

Christof, the creator of Truman’s world, cues the studio pianist to play the piece during an emotional scene with Truman, a chilling representation of how Truman’s life is both artificial with its orchestration by Christof, yet real, with the character’s genuine emotions. The music ultimately reveals how even in a twisted world like Truman’s, there is beauty amidst the ugly. The combination of both digital and classical sounds in the score reflects this dichotomy. Our own world, also like Truman’s, is governed by media and consumerism resulting in a blend of the real and artificial. It is so beautifully demonstrated in this outstanding soundtrack.

The Twilight Saga Emily Chapman Comment Editor

The Twilight movie franchise was, generally speaking, an unforgettable experience. One would assume that the questionable acting, make-up and special effects around the story of a love triangle between a human, a vampire and a werewolf would be unredeemab l e .

Abby Spreadborough Comment Editor

The soundtrack for Spike Jonze’s 2013 film Her, a film about one man’s relationship with his artificially intelligent personal assistant, is the perfect score for the perfect film. Her resists your typical depiction of a devastatingly bleak and entirely automated dystopian future in its crisp, light cinematography; deeply human story which doesn’t allow the mechanics of the OS technology to dominate; and also in its rich and textured soundscape.

The film is most well-

Sony Pictures International

Universal Pictures

Entertainment One However, the soundtracks, speaking to our teenage angstridden souls, provides this redemption.

Muse, Paramore, Death Cab for Cutie, and Linkin Park - just some of the artists that feature on the soundtrack to the first movie come together to form a perfectly curated masterpiece of sound, every track fulfilling its purpose perfectly, not one of them out of place. A particular favorite of menmine comes from the New tary Moon Soundtrack; Lykke that Li’s ‘Possibility’, playing will whilst we watch the seasons make you change around Bella’s pit of laugh so much your depression after Edward leaves is face hurts; this is largely thanks the perfect track for this scene, to its incredible soundtrack courand brings back all the emotions I tesy of Conner4Real (Andy felt when I read the books 10 Samberg) as his solo career takes years ago. Whether you love the a spectacular dive and he refuses films or hate them, or somewhere to reunite with his old rap group, in between, it is an undeniable the Style Boyz. If you’ve ever fact that the soundtracks form an coveted the challenge of not incredible indie-rock playlist that laughing out loud in public spacyou can either cry or sing your es, this soundtrack is for you; it’s heart out to. It seems the sound- the quintessential Lonely Island track, thankfully, was the one brand of silliness and satire elething the makers of these films vated by their featured celebrity took seriously. friends ranging from Adam Levine to Emma Stone. ‘Equal Rights’ stands out especially as an excellent Macklemore parody, and the full album is a treasure trove of catchy and crude songs that you’ll be happy to have stuck in your head even at the most unsuitable times.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Sian Allen

Redbrick Writer

Chances are if you’ve frequented YouTube at any point during the last fifteen years, you’ve probably stumbled upon a Lonely Island music video. You might know that they’re responsible for viral classics such as ‘I’m On A Boat,’ ‘I Just Had Sex,’ and ‘Jack Sparrow.’ You probably didn’t know that they made a movie, and its original soundtrack is every bit as ridiculous, wildly inappropriate and wonderfully catchy as you want it to be.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a criminally underrated music mocku-

Baby Driver Dylan Lucas Music Editor

Edgar Wright’s 2017 heist film Baby Driver is a film which doesn’t simply score itself with a wonderful soundtrack, but is inherently defined by it. The film’s defining aspect is its approach to sound and how the tracks are utilised in each of the film’s heist sequences - whether this be discussion of Beck’s ‘Debra’ to forward its romantic subplot, or the importance of the Commodores’ ‘Easy’ to the character development of the film’s lead. Most of all is the utilisation of music to the film’s heist sequences, which are some of the most creative uses of soundtrack in the genre. Most notably is a sequence wherein Blur’s ‘Interlude’ essentially choreographs the entire shot. In the selected heist the dramatic tension of the scene builds alongside the development of the song, with a gradual increase in pace and drama simultaneously.

This kind of soundtracking is employed throughout the film with various legendary tracks and easily make up its best scenes.

It’s an interesting incorporation of an often-overlooked factor in film making which manages to celebrate the mediums of cinema and music simultaneously; and it separates Baby Driver from the rest of the action-thriller genre by leaps and bounds.

Sony Pictures

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Gossip Girl Aimee Calvert Redbrick Writer

Whilst Gossip Girl is believed to attract one demographic - teenage girls, its soundtrack is quite the opposite. There is music from a variety of genres featured across the series, and the episodes in general, which served to reinforce the tone of these scenes. The show’s music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas also worked on extremely popular American soap operas Grey’s Anatomy and The O.C. and these both feature well-known soundtracks which help to define the shows themselves. Throughout the eight seasons, the genre-spanning soundtrack defines so many of the series key moments - I can’t help but think of the series’ opening scene every time I hear ‘Young Folks’.

Florence and The Machine’s songs feature heavily throughout the series; the band even have a cameo in season four, and, in some cases more than others, these songs serve to create some of the most extremely emotional, and important, moments throughout the show.

Beatles, or the Queen. Ever since, successive scores have been performed by a diverse pool of artists ranging from Louis Armstrong to Duran Duran. Although Shirley Bassey might be regarded as the first lady of Bond themes, having provided a record three songs for the films Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker, my personal favourites are Paul McCartney and Wings’ ‘Live and Let Die’ and the late Chris Cornell’s ‘You Know My Name.’ ‘Live and Let Die’ is an unusual mix of rock and reggae but fitting for a film where voodooism features large. Whilst Cornell’s theme, produced for Casino Royale, is a thrilling introduction to Daniel Craig’s Bond – a twentyfirst century answer to the original theme from Dr. No. My opinion of ‘No Time to Die,’ the newest theme by Billie Eilish, is that although it is not a bad song (like Madonna’s ‘Die Another Day’), it is a thoroughly unremarkable addition to the franchise – more Sam Smith’s ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ than Adele’s ‘Skyfall.’

“The genrespanning soundtrack defines The Great so many of the Gatsby series’ key Daisy Kirkaldy Music Editor moments ” No matter if you think the storylines or characters of the show are questionable, its soundtrack should not be overlooked and, honestly, in my opinion, it’s definitely one of Gossip Girl’s biggest pull factors.

James Bond Joseph Meakin Redbrick Writer

I can’t think of many film franchises where the hype surrounding the release of the theme music rivals that of the release of the film itself. The James Bond franchise is one such example. The original theme music, released with the first film, Dr. No, is a classic. I would argue it is as much a British icon a s the red phone box, the

The soundtrack in Baz Luhrman’s The Great Gatsby is a perfect blend of huge emotion, modern pop culture, 1920’s influences and an impressive integration of rap (don’t get me started on the visuals, we’d be here for days). Lana Del Rey’s ‘Young and Beautiful’ is the recurring motif throughout the orchestral score, but is integrated so subtly into scenes that it’s unnoticeable upon first watch.

This immersive music accompanies the important bits in the film - and then there are the parties.

These layer so many songs that they become intoxicating to watch. Gatsby’s introduction is accompanied by an incredible brass crescendo, furthering the excessive extravagance of the whole film. Another musical moment is when Gatsby and Nick drive into NYC for the first time. Nick spots a car filled with partygoers while ‘Izzo’ by Jay-Z plays, my jaw dropped at this song’s inclusion in a 1920’s setting. We see New York and (of course) ‘Empire State of Mind’ plays in the distance.

It’s details like these that really cause the soundtrack to shine: The Great Gatsby just would not be the same without its soundtrack.

a gripping

Sex Education Catrin Osborne TV Editor

Netflix’s hit series Sex Education is determined to attack the stigma around sex in our society. This core message is reflected in the soundtrack which frequently uses pop songs that were controversially explicit in their time such as The Stranglers ‘Peaches’ and Saltn-Pepa’s ‘Push It’. The show has recurring comedic themes to set the mood but the music is also used as an essential part of Sex Education’s humour. One scene which perfectly exemplifies this is the holy choral version of ‘I Touch Myself’ playing over Otis’ masturbating monWarner Bros. Pictures tage.

The soundtrack watch. There are moments of also compliments the vaguely 80s intense action, and these scenes aesthetic of the show as the charare accompanied by thrilling acter’s fluorescent jackets and music that fits the situation, add- printed shirts are matched with ing to the tension as the US teeters songs like ‘Dancing With Myself’ on the brink of nuclear war with and ‘Two Tribes.’ Another interRussia. However, what makes the esting aspect of Sex Education’s score so memorable is how it soundtrack is how it engages with helps to introduce the film’s more other films and television shows. subtle moments of drama. There For instance, ‘Cosmic Dancer,’ are occasions when an eerie echo the song from Billy Elliot’s iconplays, illustrating the loneliness ic opening, is used in a scene of and isolation that being on a sub- Bollywood-style dancing, a little marine provides. There are acknowledgement to Britain’s instances when the two main char- increasingly diverse culture. acters (played by Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman) debate whether they should preemptively attack the enemy and risk an apocalyptic war, and Faith Parker these are accompanied by a backRedbrick Writer drop of slow, intense music that confirms the magnitude of the situation. And finally, when the Booksmart is a movie about a submarine’s safety is confirmed, strong female friendship that took the same tune, that was so fast- 2019 by storm, and is the epitome paced in earlier scenes, relaxes, of a film characterised by its confirming that the crew’s soundtrack. The music sizzles exhausting and traumatic ordeal is throughout, accompanying the over. This fantastic range of music two study-driven girls as they go helps to transform Crimson Tide on their quest to have a bit of fun from just another action film to a before they graduate. The film deeply layered story which tack- begins with the effortlessly les issues such as order, leader- smooth, collaborative track ‘To ship and morality.

Whom It May Concern’ as Molly and Amy dance outside on the street, showcasing their kookiness and lovability as characters.

Throughout, the film weaves from one slick track to another, including ‘Come Down’ by Anderson .

Paak and the funky track ‘Boys’

by Lizzo with its grooving bassline. The pinnacle music moment of Booksmart is during Nick’s party just before Amy jumps into the pool, a n d

Booksmart

‘Slip Away’ by Perfume Genius begins to play. This is one of my favourite moments in film; the lyrics ‘Don’t hold back, I want to break free’ are perfectly in tune with Amy trying to break free of her reservations and are reflected as she plunges into the pool.

Booksmart is fresh and funny and Olivia Wilde gives it the upbeat soundtrack it deserves.

The Harder They Come John Wimperis News Editor

It has been said that Perry Henzell’s 1972 crime film The Harder They Come had the soundtrack that ‘brought reggae to the world.’ Should this be true, there could not have been a more perfect vessel.

While the film is loosely based on real Jamaican outlaw Rhyging, The Harder They Come makes its fictionalised Ivanhoe Martin (Jimmy Cliff) into a struggling reggae singer. It is testament to the film’s soundtrack that one of the film’s most powerful scenes, where Ivan finally has the chance

“The soundtrack that ‘brought reggae to the world'” to prove himself and record his song (the titular ‘The Harder They Come’) in front of the scheming dispassionate record producers, is carried by almost a single shot of Ivan singing. As well as Cliff, reggae icons the Toots and the Maytals make an appearance in the film, while the soundtrack features countless other Jamaican artists, from Desmond Dekker to the Melodians. Henzell’s film is an achievement of realism, depicting an authentic Jamaica that foreign filmmakers were not interested in exploring. The film’s Jamaican actors spoke real Patois and, according to Cliff, ‘the ganja was real too.’ Naturally, the soundtrack had to be real Jamaican reggae, rocksteady, and ska.

Crimson Tide Kit Shepard Sport Editor

Universal Pictures

Crimson Tide’s score, written by Hans Zimmer, perfectly reflects the action, emotions, and military dilemmas that make it such

Twitter/@BooksmartUK

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The Power of Suggestion What does it feel like to be hypnotised? Print&Features Editor Natalia Carter talks about hypnotism and how it can be used therapeutically Natalia Carter Print&Features Editor

Hypnosis, from the Ancient Greek for ‘sleep,’ is a rather controversial phenomena which has existed for more than 200 years. It often splits people into two camps – those who totally believe, and those who think it is absolute nonsense. However, contrary to popular belief it is very difficult to make someone do something under hypnosis if they do not want to. Hypnotism works on the basis of suggestions which cause seemingly involuntary responses.

Depending on how suggestible you are, you will react to these suggestions differently.

I was always sceptical of hypnotism, I thought I would be too aware of what was happening to fully feel the effects. I was incredibly wrong, it turns out I’m about as susceptible to hypnotism as you can get.

During my friend’s 21st birthday party we had a hypnotist perform and we all learnt how it functioned and got the opportunity to take part.

One of the first things we experienced was a test to find out how suggestible we were. I will describe what happened to emphasise how everyone will react differently, as well as meaning that you can test it out for yourself! To start with, we all sat on a chair with our eyes closed. We held out our arms at shoulder height with left palm facing the ceiling, and the right facing the floor. Whilst I sat there I had to imagine that balloons were being tied to my left hand and heavy books were being placed on my right. These images were repeatedly vocalised with emphasis being placed on the ‘lightness’ of my left hand and the ‘heaviness’ of my right. After a few minutes we were told to open our eyes.

Some people had not moved their arms at all, other had raised their left hand up to head height, and others (like me) had their arms almost vertical. As you

can imagine, the further your arms move, the more suggestible you are.

Throughout the experience people would fall out of their trance and would leave to sit down, eventually you end up with the most suggestible people left on the stage – I was one of these people. I won’t go into lots of detail about what types of things happened (partly because I don’t remember all of them), but because I don’t want to ruin the magic should you go and see a hypnotist in action.

But it was extremely entertainingz441 to watch. If th0 e videos tell me anything it is that I am more than ready to pretend a chair is my pet tiger and that I love aerobics even though I have the athleticism and coordination of a paperclip.

“I am more than ready to pretend a chair is my pet tiger” I think it is more interesting to discuss exactly what it felt like to completely ‘go under’ like this. It’s worth noting that I experienced this in a room full of friends and people I trust to look after me and my best interests. I’m not sure that I would have felt quite as safe and willing to participate had I been in a room of strangers or participating in a larger show venue as opposed to a birthday party.

Although I would do it again in a heartbeat, it was initially rather disconcerting watching videos back of you doing things five minutes earlier, which you don’t remember at all.

When I try to describe what I was seeing and feeling, I can only describe it as having a disconnect between the mind and the object. For example, when I was told that the chair was my pet tiger, the chair didn’t transform into a tiger, but my mind

insisted on associating the object of the chair with the tiger. I was seeing the real world, but I wasn’t experiencing it.

In addition to this odd liminal experience between knowing and not knowing, what I didn’t realise was that the effect of the hypnosis would last throughout the night. Even after the experience concluded, with the click of his fingers and the uttering of the word ‘sleep’ I would instantly fall back into the trance I thought I had left. My head would become heavy and drop to my chest, my eyes would close I would be straight back to that state of complete suggestibility. It felt unthinking and instantaneous, yet looking back I feel as though I could have fought it if I wanted to. Yet it happened so quickly that I didn’t even consider working against the effects.

This made me feel somewhat vulnerable because I had opened myself up to being seemingly completely under the control of another person. However, I never felt threatened or at risk. I was merely just aware of the possibility of being vulnerable. I think what is important is being around people you feel safe with and ensuring that you do your research before taking part. For example, if you experience severe mental health issue or you are pregnant then you should not participate – and this should be made explicit by the hypnotist in order for you to remain safe.

Whilst hypnotism is often used as a party trick or part of a magician’s toolkit, it actually has a variety of uses within therapy. The way in which hypnotism can affect perception allows it to be utilised medically. Hypnotherapy, currently used in Europe and the United States, has been found to be effective in treating IBS, insomnia, sleep disorders, migraines and pain control. For example, hypnobirthing is a growing childbirth trend in which women utilise these techniques to manage childbirth

Emily Youlton Station Manager @Burn_FM

Well it certainly feels a little odd to write this column. I knew it would feel a bit weird writing my last column for Redbrick, after four years spent in the Guild basement building my love affair with student media but these circumstances make it that bit harder to say goodbye. We’re all a bit lost, scared and sad.

Things we’ve all worked hard on are being stopped, shows and gigs cancelled, all while we fear the worst for friends and loved ones. Our sadness seems small in comparison with the rest of the world but I sympathise with our friends across the corridor, pushing

pain.

In addition to this, hypnotherapy has also been used to uncover a person’s repressed memories, or even to achieve past life regression in which memories from previous lives come to the surface. Whilst these effects are widely debated, with some research suggesting it may result in the production of false memories at risk of ‘convincing individuals of the truthfulness of these fictitious recollections.’

Whilst these effects may seem far-fetched, if you have ever engaged in meditation you may have stepped closer to the realm of hypnotism than you think. Some studies have suggested that due to their part in mind-body regulation, meditation and hypnosis may be closely interlinked. However, this is contested due to the distinctly different mechanism the two systems rely upon.

Whichever way hypnosis may be used, I believe that it could be an extremely effective tool when used successfully. As a parting gift, my hypnosis experience ended with the suggest i o n

that I would find falling asleep much easier from that point on. I was told that when I was ready for bed I

through to get the paper to print, I feel sad for the radio presenters who couldn’t say their final goodbye on their last shows and I am sad for all the celebrations that could’ve been.

But yet in all this, I have seen so much kindness and it brings me so much comfort.

Those from Burn have constantly supported each other, we’ve hugged (even if it was meant to be elbows), we’ve made the most of our last moments in the studio before we graduate and although it wasn’t what we planned, somehow it felt monumental.

So yeah this column has been bloody weird. The whole world is talking only about one word and it is ruining many things, changing the end of our University careers

would get comfortable in my favourite position, feel my body relax and fall asleep very quickly. Sure enough, when I got home this is exactly what happened, and ever since I have found it much easier to sleep.

No matter what you think of hypnotism, it is immensely fascinating in both its entertainment and medicalised capacity.

Of course, it is not for everyone and indeed should not be used in some cases. You should always talk to a professional before embarking on such an experience for medical needs.

Whilst it was an odd experience, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Pxfuel

and it is all out of our hands.

I’m not sure any of my words are worth much in this climate but I urge you to care for your friends, tell them that you’re scared too and hug them tight if the tears fall. But also take this as a reminder to enjoy life, because I am grateful for four fantastic years at Burn FM and all of those memories make it a sweeter ending, even if it wasn’t how we had all planned. Go to those events, have fun and laugh, join a society, spend too much time doing it that you rush to submit that essay but know that you’ve made the most of university, because although this ending isn’t perfect, I wouldn’t have had Burn FM any other way.

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Mind+Solve Sudoku (Easy)

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First Lines The premise of First Lines is simple: each issue, we supply a selection of opening sentences from various novels,

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‘This is your lunch, OK? Now, I put a dollar in there so you can buy some milk.’

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‘Day to night to morning, keep with me in the moment / I’d let you had I known it, why don’t you say so?

‘When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold’

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‘You know the song / Forget everything that went wrong / And I'll sing along’

Anagrams Can you unscramble these creatures and objects from under the sea?

1. COT SOUP 2. CHIRP SKEW 3. CHIN WOLFS 4. ADVICE RUBS

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LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS | Crossword: 1. Demonstrate; 2. Strategic; 3. Iron; 4.

Wilderness; 5. Lodge; 6. Copper; 7. Bury; 8. Swallow; 9. Coat; 10. Hostility; 11. Energy; 12. Warn; 13. Minor; 14. System; 15. Skin; 16. Needle; 17. President; 18. Undertake | First Lines: Jounrey to the Centre of the Earth (Jules Verne); 'No Time To Die' (Billie Eilish); Some Do Not... (Ford Madox Ford) | Anagrams: 1. Marie Curie; 2. Jane Goodall ; 3. Mae C Jemison; 4. Jennifer Doudna; 5. Jane cooke Wright; 6. Sau Lan Wu; 7.

Rosalind Franklin; 8. Tiera Guinn; 9. Dorothy Hodgkin; 10. Gertrude B Elion Get in touch with Redbrick Mind&Solve by sending all answers, applications and queries to print@redbrick.me

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CULTURE

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickculture

Review: Judy Watson at Ikon Gallery

Judy Watson / standing stones with spines

Culture Critic Orla Taylor-Davies discusses Judy Watson’s current exhbition at Ikon Gallery Orla Taylor-Davies Culture Critic

The complex nature of institutional discrimination against Aboriginal communities’ manifests in various ways in Judy Watson’s work. The seeping colours and overlapping patterns of her paintings immediately evoke a dreamlike experience of viewing, as one languidly contemplates these imprecise forms. But this is disrupted when one considers the spiky, dark shapes often in the centre of the canvas; they seem to focus the work and allude to a more precise and urgent meaning. On closer inspection, certain patterns look familiar, or questionable, and it is clear something troubling lurks beneath these works. Indeed, in ‘standing stone’, ‘kangaroo grass’ and ‘bush string’, the phrases ‘water as weapon’ and ‘poison chalice’ refer to the use of water by colonial forces for the dispossession and massacre of Aboriginal people. The dark shape of the bush string against the bleeding blue dyes suggests that it is floating on a body of water, referring to the deep connection between Aboriginal cultures and their land that is threatened by corporate industrialisation.

Watson states that art as a vehicle for social change has the potential to be ‘soft, hard, in your face confrontational, or subtle or discrete’. She aligns her practise with the latter, describing the messages that imbue the ‘seductive beautiful exterior’ of her work as deadly poison darts ‘that insinuate itself into the consciousness of the viewer’. Indeed, details that at first seem merely decorative are representative of

the experiences of Aboriginal communities. Stitches contributed to some of Watson’s works by family members and colleagues, the depiction of Kangaroo Grass found in endangered grasslands, and her use of traditional techniques reaffirms ownership and speaks of resistance in the face of cultural repression. Indeed, repetitive, circular forms reference the buttons worn by mounted police recruited from a British military regiment to suppress and massacre Aboriginal people.

“Forty beeswax sculptures of ears pinned to the wall tell the story of brutality inflicted upon Aboriginal people in Waanyi country” Genocide is directly addressed in Watson’s installation, 40 pairs of blackfellows’ ears, lawn hill station. Forty beeswax sculptures of ears pinned to the wall tell the story of the brutality inflicted upon Aboriginal people in Waanyi country by Jack Watson (no relation to the artist), who proudly displayed ears torn from murdered Aboriginals on a slab hut homestead. The slender, sharp objects named Resistance Pins, placed beside this bleak installation, ensure that Aboriginal communities are not represented in this section of the exhibition as passive victims; these delicate items were used by women for

survival as well as activism.

The overlapping of aesthetically soothing forms and references to troubling events within Watson’s paintings is repeated in her video work. In the video entitled ‘invasion’, filmed during Watson’s travels to British sites of pre historical significance such as the Stonehenge and Avebury, these locations are overlaid with artefacts, such as human bones and hair, stolen from Aboriginal people and currently residing in British museum collections. She explains the ‘images of standing stone forms-shadowy or very ghostly presences- and the floating of Aboriginal cultural material across the top’ as a ‘layering of experiences and a layering of understanding of what is culture’.

The super-imposition of artefacts of such inherent trauma over quintessentially British landscapes reminds the viewer of the history and legacy of cultural invasion, and the entwinement of these histories despite geographical distance.

Overall, Watson’s most comprehensive international exhibition to date encouraged viewers to re-evaluate how to look at art, to uproot the hints and glimmers of what curatorial advisor Hetti Perkins called Australia’s ‘secret war’ amongst the enticing blots of colour and pattern that make up Watson’s work. I felt privileged to have learnt about a history that does not receive mainstream coverage in Britain, and Watson’s often subtle, sometimes blunt manner of addressing the experiences of Aboriginal communities throughout history captured the nature of the oppression she represented; multi-faceted, its visibility sometimes heightened, often hidden, but always ingrained and met with resistance.

Covid-19 and the Arts:

Culture Editor Grace Baxendine updates Redbrick on COVID-19’s effect on the arts Grace Baxendine Culture Editor

Concerns over coronavirus are having a deep impact on performing arts and cultural institutions across the United Kingdom.

As the pandemic unfolds day by day, more and more cultural Arts events are being cancelled and causing, as well as for many other industries globally, havoc.

But the West End carries on and is yet to cancel shows and performances.

The Paris National Opera have cancelled the long awaited adaptation of Manon as well as the International Booker Prize

Shortlist Ceremony, to name a few among the hundreds of thousands of culture-based cancellations worldwide within the past few weeks.

The Arts Industry is already a fragile one, one which relies on the continued funding and support of the government. But more importantly, it relies on the population to support creative works.

Comedian Sofie Hagen has expressed on Twitter her difficulties as shows are getting cancelled and being refunded to fans. This will have a detrimental effect on her whole team and not to mention Hagen herself. On Twitter she has mentioned how rent is

going to be a struggle this month with such a set back to her income and that of her colleagues. Though the likes of Hagen are rather famous in the UK, people often forget that this does not correlate with wealth - something these artists sacrifice for the industry and creating what they love.

The Arts Council England have provided this statement:“We will refocus some grant programmes to help compensate individual artists and freelancers for lost earnings. This will require further planning. It may take about 10 days before we can announce the details.”

Judy Watson / gumbi gumbi, stone tools

Judy Watson / kangaroo grass, red and yellow ochre

CULTURE

Friday 20th March 2020

19

@redbrickculture

Cézanne and the Modern French Print Culture Critic Lucy Perrior reviews the Barber’s latest lithograph exhibition Lucy Perrior Culture Critic

Tucked in the Green Gallery Print Bay alcove at the Barber Institute is an original exhibition on Cézanne and the Modern French Print. Lights illuminate the room as you walk through the archway and in the centre ‘Les Baigneurs, Petite Planche’ is lit in a display case. This piece is the collection’s principal work: a black and white lithograph of bathers in a lake set in a vibrantly coloured landscape.

This is one of two of Paul Cézanne’s prints of male bathers, the larger of which, ‘Les Grands Baigneurs’, resides at the Tate in London but is not currently on display.There is little information in the exhibition on the process of lithography and the relationship between these two depictions of the bathers, but this is not difficult to find with a bit of online research. Making ‘Les Baigneurs, Petite Planche’ central to the exhibition highlights Cézanne’s mastery of lithographic printing with

the help of Auguste Clot, the master printmaker. It also brings to light Cézanne’s status as an avantgarde artist who continually reformed the artistic modes of his time.

“It brings to light Cezanne’s status as an avant-garde artisit who continually reformed artistic modes” The bathers’ bodies are outlined and muscular but details of their facial features are absent: of the six bathers, two are looking away into the landscape, and the eyes of the four faces that are in profile are shadowed slits avoiding contact with each other and with the viewer. The use of the medium of print to obscure the

facial features of the subjects is displayed in other works in this collection, such as in the etchings ‘Charles Baudelaire’ and ‘La Guerre Civille’ by Edouard Manet, and ‘Les Becheurs’ by JeanFrançois Millet. These pieces show how the depth of engraving into the copperplates can enhance the ink transferred to the paper thereby obscuring detail in the eyes of the subjects. Creating this effect reinforces the ominous identity of these subjects – the gloom present in Baudelaire’s literature (such as his translations of the brooding poetry of Edgar Allan Poe), the atmospheric despair of the man lying dead in ‘La Guerre Civille’, and the mundane work of the diggers.

The exhibition also highlights the popularity and purpose of prints throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: from the use of printmaking for mass-production of advertisements and posters to its popularity among high-profile artists. The prints by artists in this exhibition highlight the changing perception in the

late nineteenth century that the technique is akin to drawing, since shading is achieved by the depth of the engraving in etchings and the layers of paint applied in lithographs. This innovative attitude to the method of printmaking in this period is particularly present in Walter Richard Sickert’s ‘La Gaité, Montparnasse’, a depiction of the inside of a concert hall.

Sickert is noted as one of the first British artists to illustrate a subject like this, and such works highlight the synergy between a medium of printing that had previously been regarded as ‘low’ art, and a subject - the concert hall - previously considered to be unrefined: the combination of which has been transported to the realm of ‘high’ art. It displays the prints and the artists that produced them as revolutionary regarding both form and subject.

The accomplishments of this exhibition are to allow comparisons between Cézanne’s prints and those of his contemporaries, and to show how collectively they transformed the art form of print-

making by working alongside the technical mastery of printmakers.

It also provides access to some less well-known works by one of the world’s greatest artists. Of the nine prints produced by Cézanne, three are displayed in this exhibition and so it is an invaluable chance to observe them together.

Whilst the Barber Institute has no paintings by Cézanne, the central piece in this exhibition, ‘Les Baigneurs, Petite Planche’, allows an opportunity to compare Cézanne’s depiction of bathers in the print form with his famous collection of oil paintings of similar subjects. This exhibition also highlights how avant-garde Cézanne was not only an innovator of art forms, but also revolutionary within his established canon: adopting printmaking as a new medium in his later life and helping to establish its significance to the wider art community.

Cézanne and the Modern French Print is on display at the Barber Institute until 7th June 2020.

Wikimedia, edited by Luca Demetriou

WikiMedia / Paul Cezanne

Review: SIX

Culture Critic Ben Johns reviews Six at the Wolverhampton Grand Ben Johns Digital Editor

‘Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived’ goes the saying, but the stories behind Henry VIII’s queens are rarely developed further. SIX builds on the important work done to reclaim and retell the stories of women throughout history, with the high-energy show offering Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr the opportunity to tell their own her-stories.

Instead of being a conventional musical, SIX is a one-half pop concert. Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ book mixes together the queens of the 16th Century with the soundings of Adele, Ariana Grande, Avril Lavigne and so many more. After the feisty opening number ‘Ex-Wives’, the queens decide to compete in a

musical battle to determine who was done the dirtiest by Henry VIII with the winner being crowned the lead singer of this Tudor girl group.

Each of the past queens has their own contemporary ‘queenspiration’, and so each of the six actresses has a clear kind of performer to channel. Sticking with the chronological order of Henry VIII’s marriages, Catherine of Aragon, portrayed wonderfully by Harriet Watson, was the first wronged woman to take to the floor. Her performance of ‘No Way’ got the ball rolling on a show bursting to the seams with girl-power; and with the other queens acting as backing dancers and a four-piece female band, The Ladies in Waiting, providing the musical accompaniment, SIX feels like a true feminist statement.

Following on was Maddison Bulleyment as Anne Boleyn, with the bratty ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’ reaffirming the petulant reputa-

tion of arguably Henry’s most famous wife.

“Each of the past queens has their own contemporary ‘queenspiration’, an so each of the six actresses has a clear performer to channel” A torch song plonked in the middle of the show could have derailed all the hilarity. However, thanks to Lauren Byrne as ‘the one he truly loved’ Jane Seymour, ‘Heart of Stone’ is elevated from being a by-numbers musical theatre ballad. Although all the

actresses flex their singing talents, Byrne has the vocal performance of the night and provides one of the most moving parts of the musical without becoming saccharine.

The thrashing europop of ‘Haus of Holbein’ and its accompanying neon light show plunges the audience back into the lightheartedness. Shekina McFarlane as Anne of Cleves provided most of the laughs with ‘Get Down’.

The story of the original catfish is transformed into a swaggy bop about being an independent boss.

Katherine Howard’s story also gets a facelift. Jodie Steele had a hard task to undertake, but on the flirty ‘All You Wanna Do’, she expertly balanced the caricature of Howards’ ‘promiscuous’ public persona with her actual vulnerability as a victim at the hands of men in power.

Last up was Athena Collins as Catherine Parr, the only wife to live to tell her tale. The defiant ‘I

Don’t Need Your Love’ gave a metaphorical finger to Henry VIII, instead reeling off Parr’s history as an educational innovator and a writer, and how it was time for all of the wives to take back control and rebuke their history as being reduced to just one of six. It all led perfectly into the final song ‘Six’, and with its rallying cry about the power of unity, it was the perfect ending to this empowering show.

SIX is a prime example of a creative team taking a risk and being rightfully rewarded. Its journey from a student production at the Edinburgh Fringe to a musical theatre sensation playing at theatres across the UK, Australia, and Broadway proves the importance of supporting young and vibrant theatrical idea.

Long shall its joyous reign continue! And for any nay-sayers, it should be off with their heads.

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MUSIC

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickmusic

Album Review: Tame Impala - The Slow Rush Hannah Massey Music Critic

In his new album, The Slow Rush, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala combines deeply personal lyrics informed by his own experiences with upbeat, psychedelic tracks. A focus on the past and fear for the future pervades the album, opening with ‘One More Year’ and progressing through the twelve tracks like a ticking time bomb counting down to the foreboding final track ‘One More Hour.’ The essential feature musically here are the drums and bassline, creating funk-like rhythms that underpin Parker’s synth melodies and confessional lyrics resulting in a technicolour explosion.

Experimental as ever, The Slow Rush forces different sounds and moods to interact and uniquely combines Parker’s upbeat, kaleidoscopic rhythms with his heartrending lyrics.

The opening track ‘One More Year’ introduces the album’s theme of the passage of time and explores feelings of being overwhelmed by nostalgia; dwelling on letting go of a reckless youth, Parker laments ‘I never wanted any other way to spend our lives / now one of these is gonna be the last for all time.’ This then morphs into ‘Instant Destiny’, a song about Parker’s thought process when proposing to his wife, who he married on the 9th of February 2019. Parker’s high-pitched vocals cut in immediately with the lyrics ‘I’m about to do something crazy / no more delayin’ / no destiny is too far’. The previously released single ‘Borderline’ may have become a skippable track for some listeners, however the album version actually has subtle differences: Parker disclosed ‘there were things that I could hear in the song that I didn’t realise no one else could, for example the bassline.’

‘Posthumous Forgiveness,’ was also a previously released single, but is perhaps the most striking song on the album. This

song functions as a confession, a mournful ode to Parker’s late father which is split into two parts, the first being filled with resentment. Parker accuses ‘and you could store an ocean in the holes / in any of the explanations that you gave / and while you still had time, you had a chance / but you decided to take all your sorrys to the grave.’ He then aggressively questions ‘Did you think I’d never know? / Never wise up as I grow / Did you hope I’d never doubt? / Never wonder, work it out?’ The poignancy of these lyrics lies in the knowledge of the split between Parker’s parents when he was young; the impact that his divorce had on Parker is unpacked in this song as he digs up a traumatic past and works through the complex emotions this creates. The middle of the song builds, perhaps representing a culmination of anger, before shifting into the ‘forgiveness’ of the song’s title. In this second half, Parker excuses his father’s actions: ‘you were runnin’ for cover / doin’ like any other / fallin’ out with a lover / you didn’t know that I’d suffer.’ He longs for the parental relationship he lost, mourning ‘wanna tell you ‘bout the time / I was in Abbey Road / Or the time that I had / Mick Jagger on the phone / I thought of you when we spoke.’ This song tracks Parker’s journey to forgiveness, and uses the psychedelic trippy composition that he is known and loved for to explore the traumatic events of his childhood.

It is at this point that the album becomes more light-hearted, the following track ‘Breathe Deeper’ perhaps being the funkiest song on the album with its repetitive rhythms and 70s vibes. Despite it’s danceability, this doesn’t mean it lacks experimentation; it is a song that shifts and morphs, becoming different versions of itself as it progresses. ‘Tomorrow’s Dust’ comments on the passage of time and notions of cause and effect, and ends with a recording

of Parker’s wife talking about the future and the unknown.

‘On Track’ is a power ballad that grapples with feelings of imposter syndrome; Parker confides that he feels he hasn’t done enough in his life or career in the lyrics ‘One other minor setback / but strictly speaking, I’m still on track / Wikimedia Commons And all my dreams are still in sight / album. strictly speaking, I’ve got my The final song, ‘One More whole life.’ ‘Lost in Yesterday’ Hour’, looks forward to a future examines feelings of nostalgia, spent with Parker’s wife. This this shifting between future and song embraces simplicity; it is past becoming disorientating. introspective and foreboding as Parker describes this song as Parker finally turns to the future. being about ‘nostalgia as a drug to It focuses on his marriage, as he which we are all addicted’, as he confesses ‘one more hour and you looks back on his past through know your life is one to share / rose-tinted glasses, reflecting just a minute baby, right before ‘when we were living in squalor / we go through here / all these wasn’t it heaven? / back when we people said we wouldn’t last a used to get on it / four outta minute here.’ He seems to feel seven’. He then questions ‘it guilt about the future he can give might have been something, who’s to his wife, but inevitably the time to say? / Does it help to get lost in bomb ticks, and as the song ends, yesterday?’ and this is a question Parker is forced to enter into the that underpins the album. future the album has apprehend‘It Might Be Time’ again con- ed. fronts the notion of time and the This album is deeply personal, future, as Parker questions ‘cause functioning as a confession I just wanna keep this dream alive through which Parker is able to for now / don’t they know, noth- grapple with his traumatic past ing lasts forever?’ This anxiety and deal with the passage of time. about leaving the past behind is It is a strikingly poignant album recklessly abandoned in about change, about the impact ‘Glimmer’, a danceable instru- time has on humans, about the mental track that focuses on play- past and about the future, and this ful bass and drums. Parker is explored flawlessly through exclaims ‘I just wanna let it go,’ Parker’s characteristic glittering expressing a readiness to leave technicolour rhythms and psychbehind the past that contrasts the edelic experimentation. apprehension of the rest of the

Upcoming Events: Editors’ Pick: Genesis, Utilita Arena, 6th December The band reunions just keep coming and this month was the turn of prog-rock icons Genesis. They bring The Last Domino tour to Birmingham in December of this year and, by the sounds of what they have planned, the show should not be missed!

Best of the Rest: Thomas Truax, Centrala, 28th March Hunter & the Bear, Castle & Falcon, 31st March HINDS, Castle & Falcon, 15th April The Imbeciles, Muthers Studio, 17th April LIFE, O2 Academy, 19th April Buster Shufle, Castle & Falcon, 1st May Hands Off Gretel, O2 Academy, 7th May Boston Manor, O2 Institute, 8th May Grace Petrie, Glee Club, 10th May Grayscale, O2 Academy, 21st May Teddy Thompson, Glee Club, 26th May Pet Shop Boys, Resorts World Arena, 30th May Courtney Marie Andrews, Hare & Hounds, 16th June Four Tops & Temptations, Arena Birmingham, 4th November

Single Review: Phoebe Bridgers Garden Song Sarah Mawson

Music Critic

David Lee

Comparing the cover art of Phoebe Bridgers’ first album, Stranger in the Alps, to that of her latest single, ‘Garden Song,’ it appears Bridgers has graduated from ghost to skeleton. I can’t say I know what this means but I do know that ‘Garden Song,’ the longawaited solo single after a series of collaborations, is wonderful.

The instrumentation is more complex than her earlier work but still has the fragile, entrancing nature that is signature Bridgers.

There’s something like broken static, reminiscent of the audio on a home video, that can be heard underlying throughout the song

that traps the listener even more so in the world that’s created by Bridgers’ greatest strength: her lyricism.

The combination of organic and man-made imagery in lines such as ‘they’re gluing roses on a flatbed’ speak to the very 21st century attempt at finding balance between natural and unnatural, probably felt even more so by Bridgers who was born and raised in the famously superficial Los Angeles.

Amongst the lines about ‘gluing roses’ and her adolescence going ‘up in flames,’ it becomes clear Bridgers is actually the one growing, getting ‘taller’ – metaphorically or otherwise – as an anonymous ‘doctor puts her hands over my liver,’ potentially using

poet Horace’s ideas about the liver (the apparent location of love and anger) to tell her that her ‘resentments are getting smaller,’ that she’s getting more level-headed.

Unlike Billie Eilish’s ‘everything i wanted’ in which Eilish depicts the disappointment that comes with success, Bridgers sings in the final verse that she is content with getting ‘everything I wanted’ after her ‘hard work,’ providing a gentle joie de vivre that makes the track so much warmer than her deathly costumes would suggest.

If ‘Garden Song’ is any indication of things to come, anyone going to see Bridgers accompany The 1975 in July should be in for a fantastic experience.

MUSIC

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickmusic

21

Live Review: The 1975

Daisy Kirkaldy was impressed by The 1975’s recent show at the Arena Birmingham, despite noticing a hint of recycled material Daisy Kirkaldy Music Editor

The 1975 had not sold out the Arena Birmingham this time around, but the venue still felt packed and tension was heightened. Having pushed back the release of their third studio album (now to be released at the end of April 2020) I admittedly was curious to see what this tour would be like, the lack of a new album would surely mean repeating material from previous tours and their headline slot at Reading + Leeds last year. This turned out to be the case, but certainly didn’t ruin a brilliant gig nor mar the band’s stellar reputation.

They started with ‘People,’ the angriest song they’ve ever released and a firm fan favourite.

The song is the perfect opener, shouty and rowdy enough to make a huge impact on every member of the audience. The visuals were equally as arresting - they demanded your attention and were the perfect opening for what would continue to be a show of stunning backdrops.

‘Sex’ was up next, which shocked me due to its usual place as part of the encore of the set. ‘Sex’ was one of the bands breakthrough singles, and is one of the most memorable from the band’s first album. The shift from ‘Sex’ (moody visuals) into (colours everywhere and the emergence of the Jaiy twins, The 1975’s brilliant backup dancers) was perhaps the most bizarre of the night, but confirmed for the audience that The 1975 are a band that keep you perpetually on your toes.

ditching music altogether, I’m not sure, but I can say I’m intrigued and excited.

After continuing with the alwaysbrilliant ‘Sincerity is Scary’ and ‘It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)’, Matty struggled with wires on stage, while claiming ‘I’m getting worse at this’ - I’d have to disagree. ‘Menswear’ was unexpectedly played next, another one from the first album, which achieved immense support from

the audience, due to the rarity of its place on a setlist. There was a rumour amongst fans that the setlist would be different every night, the position of ‘Menswear’ on this night’s setlist seemed to confirm this.

After ‘Love Me,’ arguably the most energetic song from their second album, the stage went black and the screens flashed with a montage of ‘MATTY’ in various fonts. Healy has always faced

criticism over his self-absorbed stage presence, so I thought this was hilarious. Healy also grabbed the mic to state that ‘It’s a joke guys come on,’ which was a nice touch.

Next came the first of a pair of completely unreleased tracks from their new album: Notes on a Conditional Form. ‘If You’re Too Shy (Then Let Me Know)’ is fantastic. The lyrics appeared on screen in various forms, which is

“The 1975 are a band that keep you perpetually on your toes”

“Healy truly had command over everyone in the Arena”

Instagram: @the1975

The 1975 are a band defined by eras. Their first album/era, The 1975, is remembered amongst fans for Matty’s shaved mohawk (which I must add has finally made its long-awaited comeback for this tour), an all-encompassing black-and-white image and general teenage angst. The following album/era, I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it, was characterised by pale pink imagery, and a shift towards 80s synth pop; think John Hughes’ movie soundtracks. The third album/era was A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships and saw a move towards a more experimental approach to pop as well as a far more political agenda for the band. We are now firmly planted within the Notes on a Conditional Form album/era, which Matty has claimed is the beginning of the end for this phase of the band. He’s always very vague about it all, whether this means them releasing music under one of the band’s previous names (like Drive Like I Do or Bigsleep) or

ingenious for an unreleased song but almost not necessary as the chorus is so infectious. The saxophone solo was astounding to say the least, John Waugh has been the long term saxophonist for the band and his talent is insane. The second of the two unreleased tracks, ‘Guys,’ came a couple of songs later, accompanied by a montage of footage from 2011 present of the band touring, performing and messing around on tour buses. Matty now had an acoustic guitar and the song seemed to be a lovesong for his bandmates, lyrics like ‘The moment that we started a band / Was the best thing that ever happened’ hammered home to the heartfelt message of the song.

Matty concluded ‘Guys’ with ‘That was for sixteen-year-old me, and this is for sixteen-yearold you.’ The audience was left enthralled until the iconic opening riff of ‘Robbers’ was heard. Healy really seemed to be aware of the intensity of the fans who were present.

One of the highlights of the evening was Healy’s solo rendition of ‘Be My Mistake,’ accompanied by a single spotlight and an intensely quiet Arena. He delivered a ‘No Phones for 3 minutes please’ speech which I always find hard to stick to, but looking around, it did seem as if people had abided by this rule. Healy truly had command over everyone in the Arena.

‘The 1975’ was played next: consisting of a speech by environmental icon Greta Thunberg, Matty strolling around the stage, and huge cheers accompanying certain powerful statements. The political undertone was furthered by ‘Love It If We Made It,’ an intensely passionate reflection of worldwide politics.

Anyone who has been to a 1975 gig since 2016 will recall with intense nostalgia ‘The Sound’ closing the show accompanied to Adam Hann performing the best guitar solo of The 1975’s repertoire. After being made aware of those struggling at the very front, Healy came out with ‘Don’t panic down the front just fight for your f**king life’ - a perfectly hilarious phrase for someone not in the midst of the swarming crowd.

Twitter: @the1975

All in all, The 1975 excelled yet again, both in stage presence, visual effects and musicality. I must say though, parts of the night did feel slightly recycled (not a Thunberg pun) - having seen their tour last year and again at Reading Festival in the summer, but not to the extent of becoming predictable. The 1975 are such a phenomenal band, I’m almost hoping an extended break is in their immediate future: they deserve one in every right.

FILM

22

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickfilm

Pixar: A Decade in Review

Walt Disney Studios

Redbrick Film writers evaluate at the last ten years of Pixar movies Catrin Osborne

TV Editor

Antonio Miguel Aguila

Aimée Calvert

Film Critic

Film Critic

Jade Matlock

Film Critic

Caitlin Gittins

Film Critic

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Inside Out (2015)

Finding Dory (2016)

Coco (2017)

Incredibles 2 (2018)

The third edition of a film series can have catastrophic effects, take Shrek the Third for example, but Toy Story 3 managed to improve on its predecessors.

Released fourteen years after the first film, Pixar massively developed their animation styles, so the third film boasts wonderful animation. One of my favourite examples of this is the nursery scene which we see from the toys’ perspective, including a toddler licking the screen.

Despite the improved visuals, Toy Story 3 retains the emotional core of the originals.

Inside Out is a Pixar film that practically screams the studio’s talent. The director of Inside Out, Pete Docter, is responsible for other Pixar classics such as Up and Monsters Inc. It is no wonder the film is as fantastic as it is. Released in the midst of a slew of unnecessary sequels, Inside Out was essentially the needle in the haystack used to demonstrate Pixar’s unrelenting creativity in the face of the corporate overlord. Despite being made by Disney to churn out cash-grab sequels, Pixar continue to prove time and time again their ability to deliver something profoundly original and heartfelt.

Following Inside Out, Pixar fell again on to hard times with The Good Dinosaur and even more sequels to follow, practically establishing a new pattern.

Inside Out is a pivotal movie as Pixar films have now been reduced to a minority of originals having to pass onto the torch against the darkness of sequels. Fortunately, Coco and Onward have kept this flame alive, and also (hopefully) Docter’s next film Soul.

Inside Out is a written masterpiece that both plays to and breaks out of Pixar’s conventions. Because it is a children’s film it is easy to fall into simple visual spectacle and nostalgic glee, but then it slaps you in the face with its masterful storytelling and pedagogy. Not enough people realise but Inside Out falls into the line of tradition of morality plays. Like Everyman or Sandman, personifications of abstract concepts interact with each other in agreements, conflicts and reconciliations to say deep statements in simple, beautiful ways. Furthermore, the writing team spent extra time and effort in learning from psychology professors.

Most importantly, however, is that the film tells universal themes of childhood. Pixar is a studio that adores entertaining and teaching children while leaving us adults with something to cry about. In this morality drama about a young girl leaving her childhood behind to mature emotionally, the experience is so authentic and real and showered in love and purpose that you can even hear Docter cry in his director’s comm e n t a r y.

This passion b e h i n d Pixar is what keeps the studio improving its works even with the unnecessary pile of sequels.

Finding Dory was one of the most highly anticipated Pixar films of the last decade.

Following the announcement in 2013 that loveable and forgetful Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) was to be the star of the sequel to Finding Nemo, the public had to impatiently wait another three years for the film to be released, 13 years after the original.

It was as wholesome as we had all expected it to be but also rather similar to the extremely popular Finding Nemo. There was the ocean wide search, accompanied, for a time, by some ‘turtley awesome dudes’, the soundtrack was just as soothing as the first and the film ended with an emotional family reunion. But, there were also some new faces added into the mix.

Audiences were introduced to Hank, a grumpy seven-tentacled Octopus who acts as Dory’s guide in the aquarium, and whales Bailey and Destiny and all three became fan favourites and just as memorable as the characters in the fish tank from over a decade before.

A problem with a film being so anticipated, like Finding Dory was, is that it comes with so much expectation. The children that watched Finding Nemo when it was first released were all grown up when the sequel finally came to cinemas and it brought with it a fresh wave of nostalgia. The film had so much to live up to, especially 13 years after the undeniable success of Finding Nemo, a film that I imagine makes it onto a lot of people’s all-time favourites list.

It was unlikely to become as beloved as the first film but, in my opinion, it was still incredibly enjoyable to watch, and the most successful of Pixar’s stream of sequels in the last decade even if it did feel rather unoriginal at points.

But maybe that’s why it works so well. Because the plot is rather similar to Finding Nemo, it makes it so incredibly familiar to us.

Coco has been warming the hearts of adults and children alike since 2017 and goes down as an audience favourite of not only the 2010s, but Pixar’s entire repertoire. Its focus on the Day of the Dead is a respectful tribute to Mexican culture and acts as an educational experience for both children and adults who may be unfamiliar with the festival. This, in combination with a stellar soundtrack by Michael Giacchinot, is what establishes this film as one of the highest rated Pixar films on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Incredibles upon release became Pixar’s second highest grossing film and set itself apart as a dynamic, comic superhero film where the heroes in question were ostensibly a normal, suburban family. The long-anticipated sequel, Incredibles 2, became Pixar’s highest grossing film of all time, and was released fourteen years after the first film, picking up where the suspenseful cliffhanger had left off, with the Parr family prepared to fight the Underminer.

The failure of the Parr family to defeat the Underminer becomes segue into questions Ellena Macleod raised the film about the useFilm in Writer fulness of superheroes, the need for superheroes and whether they do more harm than good. It is the catalyst that leads to the decision to shut down the Superhero Relocation programme, having dire consequences on the Parr family’s financial support, pitting the Parrs against a world that has soured to them. Although set in 1962, the Parrs are confronted with an enemy unfamiliar to that of the supervillain Syndrome in the first film: technology, fronted by the elusive antagonist Screenslaver. The world explored onscreen is one of unimaginable progress not seen in the 1960s we know, creating a narrative where the traditional and the modern must coexist, tensely.

Incredibles 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor but in a very dynamic and unforeseen way, exploring superheroes in their diminished form, out of touch with the technology the Screenslaver utilises, but still bold-faced to the end.

Walt Disney Studios

The film is overflowing with humour that all the family can engage with, such as Buzz’s Spanish mode or the aliens’ iconic ‘claw’, and Ken’s closet scene. Alongside Ken, Toy Story 3 brought multiple other intriguing new characters. Lotso is an excellent antagonist, as you end up despising his strawberrysmelling sweet façade but can’t help to sympathise with his backstory. Unfortunately, this perfect twist villain began Disney’s overuse of the trope in the 2010s.

Alongside the laughs and smiles, there is a plethora of heart-wrenching scenes. I must admit that I’ve never made it through the final scene without tearing up as we see Andy pass his beloved toys onto Bonnie.

Now in university, this scene holds even more emotional resonance. Whether you liked Toy Story 4 or not, the third film provided a poignant comment on the importance of growing up and moving on for both its child and adult viewers.

Walt Disney Studios

Walt Disney Studios

Walt Disney Studios

One of the things that makes Coco so enchanting is its environmental immersion. The establishment of the streets of Mexico in the opening of the film delve into the rich culture that surrounds the Day of the Dead. The colour scheme of this environment is warm and welcoming, establishing it as the epicentre of life and vivacity in the narrative. The Land of the Dead, while beautifully vibrant in its own right, has a much cooler colour palette and lacks the same warmth as the Land of the Living. It is these subtle details that make the film as mesmerising as it is – no stone is left unturned and details are pursued to the fullest of the animators’ abilities.

The central characters of the film are so well written that we are entirely invested by their own unique journeys by the film’s end. Miguel’s infectious enthusiasm is felt at every moment in the narrative, his passion for music keeps the audience invested until he achieves his goal. We feel Hector’s desperation to be accepted from the moment that he appears on screen; his final moments, seen walking towards the Land of the Living with a newly gifted pair of shoes and tears brimming in his eyes, will never fail to leave a lump in my throat. The appearance of Frida Kahlo’s eccentric presence is a beautiful addition to the story, showcasing some of the best talent that Mexico has to offer, alongside an exceptional all-Latino cast.

Despite being targeted towards children, Coco is entertainment for the entire family.

Its multi-layered humour and complex narrative surrounding grief and closure make it a tearjerker for anyone who dares to give it a watch. There won’t be a dry eye in the house - whether you’ve lost a loved one or not, it taps into all of your emotions.

Walt Disney Studios

FILM

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickfilm

23

No Time for No Time To Die How film releases are being affected by coronavirus... and what to watch in isolation Amy O'Neill

Film Editor

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has dominated news cycles for the last couple of weeks, with cases rising around the world, borders closing, and public gatherings being banned across Europe and Asia.

Though of course paling in comparison to the human cost of this outbreak, the cultural and film world has also been shocked, leaving film fans with little to entertain ourselves with other than Netflix and Amazon Prime in our impending self-isolation.

Many upcoming releases, such as A Quiet Place: Part II, Mulan and No Time To Die, have been pushed back due to public health concerns. John Krasinski, actor and director of A Quiet Place: Part II released a short statement on Instagram, saying ‘One of the things I’m most proud of is that people have said our movie is one you have to see all together. Well due to the ever-changing circumstances of what’s going on in the world around us now is clearly not the right time to do that’.

At the time of writing, cine-

mas in many countries under lockdown have shut completely.

Cinemas are places where sometimes hundreds of people can be sat together, and the magical experience of the movies just isn’t worth the risk of endangering people’s health. Cinemas have historically been a means for people to access entertainment during hard times – they were the affordable alternative to theatres, and even throughout wartime Hollywood continued strong. Sadly this scenario doesn’t hold up in today’s crisis, but we are lucky to have streaming services at our disposal for entertainment.

So if a lockdown does happen, it is important that we all look after each other and ourselves, both mentally and physically, and staying entertained is a valuable part of that.

Movies can be therapeutic and help us to escape the stresses of the outside world. Here I have compiled the top three movies to add a bit of fun and comfort to these troubling times.

The Terminal (2004)

sweetheart, Viktor Navorski, who gets stranded and confined to New York’s Kennedy Airport after a coup-d’état renders him stateless. He creates a life for himself within the confines of the terminal, creating a bedroom, finding himself a job, and pursuing romance, whilst evading the attempts of the airport manager to get him imprisoned. The Terminal is a valuable lesson in learning to make the best of what we have, it is the perfect film to lift your spirits, and may even make your house seem a little bit more limitless.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

This story of a family road trip, with tumultuous ups and downs, is one of the best pieces of storytelling about family put to film. It follows a family as they road trip to California to take their daughter to a beauty pageant, and has an all-star cast at their best: Steve Carrell, Greg Kinnear, Toni Colette, Abigail Breslin and Paul Dano are astonishing. If you’re struggling being isolated with family members, this is a down-to-earth, deeply truthful, bittersweet snapshot of an average family’s life, their arguments, their joys, their jokes, and their troubles – it is a real emotional rollercoaster, but

a truly rewarding one nevertheless.

Spirited Away (2001)

or any Studio Ghibli movie ...with many of them now on Netflix, take your pick! Spirited Away is a famous classic for a reason: this is a magical, colourful adventure through a spirit world from Japanese folklore that amazes and inspires imagination. 10 year old Chihiro must find a way to get herself and her parents back to the human world, in a spectacular coming-of-age story that will transport you from your sofa to a truly mystical world. Just the perfect film to take your mind off the ever-breaking news.

DreamWorks Pictures Fox Searchlight Pictures

Tom Hanks plays an absolute

Review: Misbehaviour

Misbehaviour succeeds in subverting the male gaze, but is a bloated protest drama Ellie Burridge Film Critic

Something that struck me during Misbehaviour, the film chronicling the controversial 1970 Miss World pageant, was the fact that – in many ways – things have gotten worse. The Miss World competition itself has declined in popularity (in this country, at least, with no channel broadcasting it). But director Phillipa Lowthorpe (seeming far more pessimistic than screenwriters Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe) skilfully reveals the ways beauty standards have climbed to a higher and higher extreme in the years since Miss Grenada (as portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) was crowned the most beautiful woman in the world. The pageant finalists in Misbehaviour wear makeup and uncomfortable-looking clothes and parade around in swimwear (naturally), but one can’t help but fixate on the fact that they all look like real human people, with ‘imperfections’ that might scupper their chances of being a finalist in a 2020 beauty competition.

For the record, I don’t watch beauty pageants. As a child, however, I obsessively watched America’s Next Top Model and there were several scenes in Misbehaviour that hit close to home in that regard, as Sally Alexander (Keira Knightley) struggles with watching her young daughter getting dolled up and strutting around, pretending to be a beauty queen.

My own mother probably wasn’t thrilled to see her nine-year-old performing pretend photoshoots in the living room, ‘smizing’.

It’s impossible for me to determine the impact America’s Next Top Model had on my psyche, but I have vivid memories of the disgust one woman inspired during her cycle when she went into the makeover week without having shaved her armpits. I remember a woman being eliminated for not wanting to be naked in a photoshoot. I remember the constant othering of plus-size contestants. I remember the cycle where all the contestants were 5’7 and under, because anyone under that height would be disadvantaged otherwise.

“Lowthorpe [...] successfully mimics the male gaze” Chances are you don’t need me to tell you this, but women have been and continue to be victimised by capitalism. We’re told from a young age that we must devote a considerable amount of money to removing 90 per cent of the hair from our bodies; darkening our skin by ten shades (or lightening it, as the racist case may be); getting surgery to tighten our faces, fix our noses, plumpen our lips, remove cellulite and fill out our breasts and bums. This was true when Naomi Wolf wrote The Beauty Myth in 1990, and it was true in 1970, and it is true now.

Misbehaviour is most suc-

20th Century Pictures

cessful in simply exposing this – by simply allowing the camera to do what it always does: gaze.

Although Lowthorpe is a woman, she successfully mimics the male gaze in a few key scenes, giving credence to the Women’s Liberation claim that beauty pageants resemble a cattle market by filming the women’s bodies as though they are pieces of meat for consumption. Better yet, the objectification is always viscerally uncomfortable; when the camera trails along the row of women all presenting their ‘backs’ to be scored, it makes you want to recoil.

Despite this, Misbehaviour didn’t quite hit its target. The fault lies mainly in the script, which gives the impression of having been written by two people who realised early on that they didn’t have enough story to fill an hour and forty minutes, and so decided to compensate by having six different character

arcs. There’s Keira Knightley as Sally Alexander, who realises that the route to female liberation might not be through the male establishment and her mother (Phyllis Logan) contending with her own traditional views. It also presents a more ‘liberated’ feminist voice in the form of Jo (Jessie Buckley) and the emotional journey of the first woman of colour to win Miss World (Gugu MbathaRaw), along with the first black South African to compete (Loreece Harrison). There’s also a focus on Miss Sweden (Clara Rosager) and Miss USA (Suki Waterhouse). And that’s not even getting started on the men ‘behind the curtain’ of Miss World and their frustrated wives: Eric Morley (Rhys Ifans) and wife Julia (Keeley Hawes) get a spotlight, as does comedian Bob Hope (Greg Kinnear) and his long-suffering wife Dolores (Lesley Manville). The constant

switching between focal characters leads to a film that feels a little scattered and messy, without a consistent perspective. In a film like this, which aims to put a spotlight on a particular issue, consistency of perspective is vital.

The end result is a film that sits a good few rungs below great protest films like Pride and Selma, but is still a worthwhile watch. It simply won’t leave any viewers wanting to start a revolution right after the credits roll.

VERDICT: Misbehaviour treats the feminist issue at its heart with nuance and passion, but one can’t help but wish for a little more anger and focus.

When you’re preaching to the choir, you might as well try to get them fired up.

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TELEVISION

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricktv

Review: Doctor Who TV Critic Sian Allen suggests that this former star show no longer shines bright Sian Allen

Television Critic

Doctor Who is one of the most famous, most beloved sci-fi series of all time. The first television show I ever felt passionately about, and one I have remained passionate about for almost a decade.

Unfortunately, after watching the twelfth series, it is currently a passion born out of immense frustration.

Tragically following a recent trend in beloved science fiction, the most painful thing about this series is its ultimate mediocrity such as The Rise of Skywalker.

Chibnall uses elaborate setups and revelations only to fail to stick the landing. The antagonists, allies and concepts he introduces and weaves throughout the season are all interesting ones – that’s what makes it all the more disappointing when Chibnall leaves a string of glaring plot holes, stilted dialogue and missed opportunities in his wake.

“Chibnall leaves a string of glaring plot holes, stilted dialogue and missed opportunities” Worse, some of the glaring problems leftover from series eleven still stand, with T e a m TA R D I S remaini n g

over-crowded and suffering from a severe lack of meaningful character development as a result. Doctor Who has always been at its most compelling when it has deep, emotional and personal consequences for the Doctor and their companions – but series 12 seems to mostly favour the classic and largely uninspired Earth-is-indanger plot. Team TARDIS almost mindlessly follows along from one episode to the next, rarely questioning the Doctor even when she lashes out or shows a darker side.

It is not all bad, by any means.

Sacha Dhawan’s take on The Master is fun and gives new life to the well-loved unhinged and unexpected antagonist, taking the most underwhelming reveal possible in his stride.

Bradley Walsh as Graham O’Brien is the surprise endearing heart of the show as he was last series, and Y a z (Mandip Gill) shines as the reckless and k i n d hearted police officer who holds a candle to the Doctor – but after two series, it still feels

like we barely know them.

‘Fugitive of the Judoon’ also stands out as Chibnall’s best episode so far, made all the more surprising and engaging by the fact that it’s a series midpoint that feels like a finale.

Also, ‘The

Haunting of Villa Diodati’ deserves credit as a great homage to the gothic writers it features mixed with a classic Who twist. Sadly, these episodes are outliers, with much of the series either unmemorable or frustratingly dense and confusing, peppered with great moments or concepts that eventually fizzle out and lead nowhere.

Many of series twelve’s episodes have also tackled social issues. Everything from climate change to mental health to microplastics has been addressed, with degrees of subtlety that range from poignant to preachy to downright cringe-worthy.

Doctor Who does deserve praise for its inclusivity - but with these issues so often addressed s o heavyhande d l y, a n d w i t h such a wonderfully diverse principle cast at their disposal, you have to wonder whether the time would h a v e been better spent on proper

character development rather than the show’s current surface-level commitment to diversity and representation.

“The time would have been better spent on proper character development rather than the show's current surface-level commitment to diversity” As a long-time fan of Doctor Who, it is incensing to see so much wasted potential in Thirteen’s era so far. As ratings dive and the future of the show becomes more and more unclear, it’s painfully ironic to see a show about reinvention and regeneration suffering from the same old problems.

However, with reports that Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole may be set to leave the show in this year’s festive special, there’s hope yet for course correction in the future.

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Twitter/@bbcdoctorwho

Web Series of the Week: The Slow Mo Guys Tom Leaman Editor-in-Chief

The Slow Mo Guys, also known as Gavin Free and Daniel Gruchy, are YouTubers who have now produced two full web series, the Super Slow Show and Planet Slow Mo. The Slow Mo Guys rose to fame in 2010 for their stunts filmed in Free’s back garden using a specialist Phantom high-speed camera. These included bursting a six-foot water balloon and filming Free’s cat jumping out of a tree.

More recently, the success of their channel has brought more funding to capture ambitious events all over the world.

Their first YouTube Originals series, the Super Slow Show, was described by the presenters as including ‘slowmotion we could never pull off in our back garden,’ such as blowing up a house, dropping a car from a crane and even showing how world-famous skateboarder Tony Hawk looks in super slow motion.

Their footage is informative and satisfying in equal meas-

Twitter/@TheSlowMoGuys

ure. It’s hard to describe how it looks to see an underwater photographer record a man bellyflopping into a pool 10 feet high in super slow-mo, but its certainly an entertaining watch.

Their subsequent series, Planet Slow Mo, built on the educational side of their channel. The pair interview experts and conduct experiments to better explain what they’ve filmed.

Free and Gruchy’s chemistry, built over a number of years, makes each 10-minute

or so episode light and accessible despite the often complex subject matter. Both series provide a new perspective of either everyday events or rarely-seen occurrences.

Their series leave you laughing, entertained and interested to learn more about the world around you. From humble beginnings, Free and Gruchy’s rise has been phenomenal, with each episode in their web series gaining millions of views. Besides these two series, their channel’s entire back catalogue of 184 videos offer plenty of crisp slow-motion footage.

TELEVISION

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricktv

Shining a Light on Crime Jade Matlock Television Critic

With the release of The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez being released on 26th February, there has been no shortage of opinions about the harrowing details referred to in the docuseries. What seems to strike people the most about this series is that everything depicted could have been prevented.

Had the American Child Protective System removed Gabriel from the family home, some claim he may still be alive today. This seems to be the opinion of celebrities like Cardi B who tweeted her distress to her fanbase ‘The system failed that lil boy sooo bad. Im disgusted... Each and every1 of them...’. While the outcry over the treatment of Gabriel Fernandez has been heart-wrenching, this is not Netflix’s first foray into documentaries that have caused a public stir, it is almost guaranteed that it won’t be the last.

The most notable instance of Netflix shifting public opinion comes in the form of Making a Murderer. Released in 2015, the ‘did they, or didn’t they?’ nature of the Steven Avery and Brendon Dassey case is one that still divides audiences today. The evidence provided by the docuseries acts as just enough to tempt viewers with the idea that perhaps the pair were innocent; every piece of evidence

provided by the authorities seems to be challenged or counteracted in some way. We see Steven Avery being wrongly charged with violent crimes in his youth, for which he served 18 years in prison. The end of the series leaves viewers questioning institutions (such as the District Attorney’s office and Law Enforcement) previously deemed to be fighting for justice.

Familiar faces such as Alec Baldwin, Ricky Gervais and Mandy Moore weighed in on the docuseries’ findings and a petition for the White House to pardon Avery and Dassey amassed 536,714 signatures after the show ended. With the release of the second season in 2018 covering Dassey’s appeals process, the public remains invested and divided by the series – it establishes itself as one of the first of Netflix’s documentaries to drastically change the opinions of the public.

Amanda Knox, released in 2016, functions as another Netflix documentary that helped to shape the public opinion on a controversial case. It follows the murder of Meredith Kercher and Knox’s conviction and acquittal for the crime; evidence is displayed from both sides, featuring interviews from Knox herself and the Italian police force.

The pre-

vious public opinion surrounding the Knox case was overwhelmingly negative, with both the tabloid media general public wasting no time in professing Knox’s guilt in the case – this documentary sought to provide watchers with enough information to make an educated assumption for themselves. Opinions on the case are now seemingly less so clear cut, forcing the public to look at the case in terms of presented fact rather than tabloid scrutiny. The power of explorative documentaries to shift the views of individuals so easily seems to showcase the power of this particular format of entertainment.

It would appear that 2020’s The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is set to have a similar effect on the public. The subject matter is certainly harrowing, seemingly showcasing the failure of multiple institutions in preventing the death of Californian eight-year-old; it is one of the most distress-

i n g watches of 2020 so far, but takes on the task of demonstrating to the public what happens when a child slips through the

Top TV Picks for Easter

cracks of Child Protection Services. Cardi B, producer of The Ellen Show Andy Lassner and boxer Devin Haney have all been vocal about the impact of the documentary, with similar comments and frustrations being voiced by the public on social media. The documentary series has shone a light on institutional failings and changed the public opinion on a government service that was once thought to protect vulnerable children.

The impact of Netflix’s true crime documentaries on the public cannot be overstated. The presentation of facts on such uncomfortable and distressing x lco topics Wi t carry Ka

Television Critic

I remember reading the novel Noughts + Crosses by Malorie Blackman when I was younger and thoroughly enjoying it, so I was thrilled to hear it was being adapted into a six-part BBC series, particularly since it had been a while since I read it so thought I was going into it with fresh eyes.

The story takes place in a dystopian world where Aprica (or as we know it, Africa) colonised Albion (equivalent to Britain), which is now a partially segregated society made up of the ruling black Crosses and the oppressed white Noughts.

Noughts + Crosses aims to explore race politics and demonstrate the injustice black people face within our society by flipping the roles and power dynamic of white and black people. The most obvious example of this is the depiction of police brutality against the Noughts. They are frequently thrown up against police vans or to t h e ground whilst having the slur ‘blanker’ spat at them.

Twitter/@BBCOne

Another brutal example of the discrimination experienced by the Noughts is within the wider justice system. The series shows us how the Noughts are faced with far harsher sentences, and then treated so much worse once they are inevitably put in prison. The courts are not there to provide justice for the Noughts, they are there to punish them, and this could not be m a d e clearer than through the treatment of the Noughts once they are inside prison.

However, beyond the blatant discrimine natory CO B B behav@ ter/ iours, wit T t h e aspects of the show that I found more interesting were the far more subtle examples of the power of the Crosses permeating society.

Examples of this that I found most intriguing were how the Noughts in the army have their hair cornrowed, as is required as part of the military dress-code, a Cross giving a Nought a plaster that doesn’t match his skin tone, and only ever seeing crosses on the tv in the background of scenes. It is these subtler nuances of the show, rath-

er than the bigger acts of racism, that make the world seem so realistic and draws a true parallel between this fictional dystopia and the real world we live in.

The main way in which the story deviates from our world today, however, is in the criminalisation of interracial relationships, which brings us to the main plot point that draws us into the show; the illegal relations h i p between S e p h y ( M a s a l i Baduza) and Callum (Jack Rowan).

Unfortunately, not only is this illegal, p l a c i n g Callum in significant danger if their relationship is discovered, but Sephy’s failure to understand Callum’s life and the way society, and the ruling crosses, treat him continually proves to be a source of conflict for their relationship.

No matter how good her intentions are, Sephy repeatedly fails to consider how certain experiences may be different for Callum, particularly with regard to how authority

Twitter/@ themandalorian

The Mandalorian Disney+ 24th March

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with them an unparalleled level of emotion, with documentaries such as The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez and its international reaction proving exactly why this kind of television is needed. Bringing awareness to these issues in this way could not be more effective in reaching a wider audience of individuals.

Review: Noughts + Crosses Ella McFarlane

25

figures a n d organisations treat him.

Their relaTwitter/@BBCOne tionship is an excellent representation of how, even when making a conscious effort, there will always be things that the privileged overlook when it comes to the experiences of the oppressed.

Finally, the depiction of the two mothers in the show is also particularly noteworthy. Watching their relationship with one another and how they aim to prioritise the welfare of their children is incredibly insightful. Whilst you cannot fault Jasmine’s (Bonnie Mbuli) concern for Sephy, her treatment of Meggie (Helen Baxendale) when under pressure always highlights how those in power are prepared to sacrifice those without it in the name of protecting those close to them.

This leads to an intelligent and brilliantly told story of structural racism with the deliberate intention of making the viewer uncomfortable. I would definitely recommend to anyone that they watch Noughts + Crosses.

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Twitter/ @ disneyplus

High School Musical: The Musical - The Series Disney+ 24th March

Twitter/@ simonstalenhag

Tales from the Loop Amazon Prime 3rd April

Twitter/@ rickygervais

After Life Netflix 24th April

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GAMING

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickgaming

Review: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX Team17

Writer Kyle Moffat takes a nostalgia trip and checks out the latest Pokémon release to see if this remaster has evolved beyond its original release Gaming Writer @KyleMoffat11

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team was one of the first games I owned on my Nintendo DS. Being able to play as a choice of amazing Pokémon and going on an adventure with my team – from one to four Pokémon at any time – was exciting, as I pumped countless hours into this game and its sequel, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. With the recent remaster of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX on the Nintendo Switch, my excitement levels rose knowing that I could revisit a game so personal to me. Playing the remaster, I can say I am not disappointed because enough is changed to make the experience feel fresh yet enough from the original remains to bring back the nostalgia.

In line with previous Pokémon Mystery Dungeon titles, the gameplay is arguably the most important part. Rescue Team DX is a dungeon crawler, meaning that you venture through dungeons with a number of floors alongside your team collecting items, additional team members and EXP Points. Alongside the dungeon-crawling you will interact with many Pokémon across the journey as well as purchase items to help you.

Preparation is definitely important for the harder dungeons of the game, making strategy integral to the players’ success.

As a result of the game’s style, Rescue Team DX can

get very repetitive if you let yourself play for hours without a break, more than other titles. As a result, this is a game more suited to short bursts of 60-90 minutes, as this is the best way to remain engaged in the gameplay and the story. If you play in bursts, there is a higher chance of enjoying the title.

“This is a game more suited to short bursts...”

Like with many Pokémon games, the gameplay will very much depend on the members you add to your team and the Pokémon that you start with. This is what I very much enjoy from the series, allowing the linear story to contrast the diverse range of choices you can make with your team. As a result of this, the difficulty of certain dungeons will very much depend on your starting two Pokémon. For example, I chose to play as a Machop (a Fighting-type Pokémon) for my journey, with a Treeko (a Grass-type Pokémon) as my partner. This meant that Flying and Fire-type dungeons were a hassle but at the same time, dungeons focusing on Steel or Rock-type Pokémon were less challenging to venture.

Unfortunately, difficulty spikes can occur due to type advantages and disadvantages but this is something that can be prepared for. Furthermore, this emphasises the importance of recruiting new team members so you can deal with these obstacles.

Post-game is another important aspect of Rescue Team DX. Content isn’t scarce so I have no doubt that the game can hook players for many more hours after the main story is finished. You unlock many features, such as the ability to befriend very rare Pokémon and to also unlock brand new missions.

Rescue Team DX – as the title suggests – is largely focused on building your rescue team. This is where some of the greatest satisfaction arises from t h e

game, as you befriend your without a doubt. The most obvifavourite Pokémon and create the ous improvement arises within best move set for each team mem- the graphics, as I find the 2D and ber. Building your perfect team is 3D combination very interesting one of the main reasons to keep and it makes the game much more playing through the game, as you beautiful than the original. Many have the choice of over three- of the landscapes are incredibly hundred Pokémon to bolster your enhanced, encapsulating the seateam with. Add to this the feature sonal effects of certain dungeons to buy camps to store your as well as showing what the Pokémon means that Rescue Team Nintendo Switch can visually DX’s length is extended, taking offer. Rescue Team DX feels much time to unlock every camp. smoother to play than predecesIf you think this sounds simi- sors by making the game feel less lar to main-series Pokémon clunky with great animations, games, then you would be correct. often specific to certain Pokémon.

In fact – despite being a spin-off Furthermore, the game is much game – there are a fair few more of a challenge I find than the mechanics that transfer over from original, but not an unfair chalmain-series games. Type match- lenge by any means. You can be ups were mentioned previously defeated by a single attack but because they are an important you are also given plenty of mechanic of this game. There is opportunities to level up your also the use of held items, strate- team and collect useful items. gic turn-based combat and an There are several other changes I overlying sense of goofiness – at approve of but I think they are least in the story – that makes this better for you to find for yourself similar. Resemblances are almost in the game. uncanny but also significant to I find the price of this game to consider before purchasing this be ridiculous, considering it is a game because if you don’t know remaster. Most shops are charging about the mechanics of main-se- £50 for this game which I think is ries Pokémon games you may unfair, considering that when the struggle much more than an expe- Spyro and Crash trilogies were rienced Pokémon player. released, roughly £30-£35 was It should be noted that being charged. If you can this is a game for pick this up for £40 or Pokémon fans rather less, I would highly than casual videorecommend, as I gamers or those understand that with no Pokémon £45-50 is too experience so I much to ask for a would not recremastered game. ommend this as Nonetheless, a first Pokémon the improvements experience. You are sufficient Years since the first must take into enough to justify Pokemon Mystery consideration that picking up and Dungeon game this game has a while there are some niche audience before minor problems for buying as I believe this me, such as the price and is the reason why review sites the varying difficulty, the such as IGN and Metacritic have experience has been fantastic. given unfair ratings to the title. Overall I believe this could be a Despite rave reviews from those great stepping stone for creating who bought the game, these sites Mystery Dungeon titles in the in particular have rated the title future that hit the mark, unlike the poorly – and the entire spin-off 3DS Mystery Dungeon games. series overall – due to having a lack of understanding for the game’s target audience.

Remasters are meant to improve upon the original and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX does this

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Game Frea k

Kyle Moffat

GAMING

Friday 20th March 2020

27

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Feature: E3 2020 Cancelled amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Ninja Theory

Half-Life: Alyx (23/03)

Bleeding Edge (24/03)

fans directly through online channels, the absence of the show could end up demonstrating beyond any doubt that it is simply no longer relevant.

The cancellation of E3 will lead to a lack of many familiar gaming rituals this summer.

Developer interviews and handson impressions will be amiss, as well as the often wacky antics of the physical presentations (though of course these have been reducing as the years pass regardless).

It is instead the small developers who will miss the most through the event’s cancellation, with a consistent opportunity to benefit their studios evading them in 2020. Though health-wise E3’s cancellation is a consistent and smart decision, the lasting implications of its year-long absence will prove to be a massive talking point over the next twelve months and may ultimately decide the future of the conference in its entirety.

Persona 5: Royal (31/03)

Capcom

effective for the companies; it does, after all, cost a great deal to create a sophisticated live presentation, as well as showcase demos on E3’s exhibition floor. XBOX and Devolver Digital are amongst the developers who have committed to digital events in the wake of this news.

Evidently then it seems relatively simplistic for large developers and publishers to navigate E3’s cancellation. The same, however, cannot be said for smaller studios, who use the event for networking or publicity. Mike Bithell, developer of Thomas Was Alone and Volume, tweeted ‘The impact of a year without GDC and E3 in terms of projects unsigned and deals undone, is gonna last for years. It’s a largely invisible influence, but I don’t know of many devs above a certain budget level that this hasn’t had any effect on’. The independent scene is infinitely more effected by this disruption as opportunities to stage meetings and pitches – as well as announce projects to a global audience – slips from their reach.

Yet it may be the large studios who dictate the show’s future if they see success through their alternate methods of announcement this year.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, industry expert Doug Creutz hypothesised that if publishers are able to adequately reach

Resident Evil 3 (03/04)

Ni

Square Enix

to retailers, the press and (with the event’s growing online presence over the last decade) the consumer watching at home.

This rise of online video disE3 2020 has been cancelled on tribution has emerged as both a account of the coronavirus out- blessing and a curse for E3, no break. doubt increasing the trade show’s Originally taking place visibility yet also positioning its between the 9th and 11th of June physical conference system as in Los Angeles, the obsolete as consumers become Entertainment Software increasingly enamoured Association released a with the methods of statement on March Nintendo Directs or, 11th stating that the more recently, Sony’s precaution was taken State of Play. for the ‘health and Though steps First conference safety of everyone have been taken to in our industry’ and make E3 more accescanceled since its that they are explorsible and boost its inception in ing ‘options with popularity (the previ1995 [their] members to ously private show coordinate an online opened to the public for experience to showcase the first time in 2016, for industry announcements and example), the event has unmistaknews’. The statement can be found ably suffered from dwindling in its entirety on the E3 website. interest. With companies increasWith the prospect of a mass ingly choosing to skip the expo in ‘online expo’ being coordinated, favour of hosting their own events E3’s cancellation has been met or using their own digital chanwith much speculation regarding nels to preview the year, it is fair the show’s future, and whether a to say E3’s prominence is not ripple effect may be observed what it was a decade ago. where this year’s absence marks Sony and Nintendo have been the end of E3’s importance as we the most prominent absentees of know it today.

E3 press conferences in recent The Electronic Entertainment years, with the former having Expo, originally a private trade skipped 2019’s show and the latshow for retailers, has occurred ter’s last physical presentation annually since 1995, with this being all the way back in 2012. As year marking its 25th anniversary. mentioned previously, these two With time, it has transitioned from companies have since favoured an exclusive, business-focused the use of pre-recorded online event to a public showcase of broadcasting to achieve the same some of the industry’s newest and purposes as E3’s physical press marquee titles and hardware. The conferences. These videos allow shows see Nintendo, Sony, their announcements to be more Microsoft and a host of other streamlined, on-demand and developers preview their products perhaps most importantly – costGaming Editor @samjoshuanason

EA

Sam Nason

Deep Silver

Gaming Editor Sam Nason takes a look at the future of E3 after the ESA announces the cancellation of the yearly trade show

nt

en

do

Final Fantasy VII Remake (10/04)

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FOOD&DRINK

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickfood

Introducing: Budget Bites Food&Drink introduce duo Rosie and Liv, also known as Budget Bites, and get to the heart of their foodie philosophies and what they have in store for readers Rosie Cossins & Liv Johnson Food&Drink Writers & Food&Drink Editors

Redbrick Food&Drink are introducing a new section, Budget Bites, with food duo Rosie and Liv. Although their articles will be predominantly online, we thought we’d give them a proper introduction here, explaining what they’re all about and why you should be keeping an eye out for their delish recipes and student-friendly tips and tricks.

“How to make your weekly shop frugal, but still filled with flavour” What is Budget Bites?

Budget Bites is a new column that we have started in order to document our favourite recipes, and show you how to make your weekly shop frugal, but still filled with flavour. If you’re looking for inspiration, hopefully we can provide it! This time last year, we

admittedly could only cook pasta, whereas now we enjoy cooking together several nights a week.

Budget Bites is the place to share our failures and successes on our cooking journey.

What gave you the idea to start it?

We sometimes struggle to think of meal ideas ourselves, and so thought that our idea could help other students in our situation. After looking on the Redbrick Food page, we felt that Budget Bites could slot neatly into the other Food & Drink articles. It also is an opportunity for us to be more creative, and produce content we are interested in.

What do you hope to achieve by writing these articles? What do you want to share with your readers?

We hope that our articles may prove useful for others that are struggling for meal ideas, or struggling for ways to shop frugally. We also hope that now we are part of the Food&Drink community, we can learn things from other writers that we haven’t thought of ourselves, and expand our culinary experience of

Birmingham, based on othe r s ’ reviews.

What’s your go-to supermarket that sells good ingredients and is friendly on student wallets?

O u r favourite go-to superMomentmal market, as we’re sure most students in Selly Oak will agree, definitely has to be Aldi.

We think that the ingredients are tasty and good quality, but at a much cheaper price compared to other supermarkets in the area.

Having said this, we admittedly do quite like branded condiments, such as Heinz, Hellmann’s, and What’s your favourite student- Blue Dragon, so we go to friendly meal to cook?

Sainsbury’s every now and then It is hard for us to pick one, to stock up on these essentials. but our favourite student-friendly meal has to be spaghetti bolog- Any secret shopping tips you’d nese. We cook it all from scratch, like to share? so the ingredients are super cheap, One of our biggest tips has to super healthy, and one batch can be: don’t be drawn in by that midmake multiple meals. dle aisle in Aldi, where they sell Our snack obsession has led to every type of kit and packet (such the discovery of Chinese style salt as the fajita kits we mentioned last and spicy chips, but to save week), that will supposedly make money, we have found a way to your life easier. Despite the advermake our own. It may not be that tising on the box, they don’t really healthy, but it is certainly healthi- save you much time, but they do er than buying them from the make a deeper hole in your pocktakeaway! et.

Also, always go with all of

your meals planned for the week, and a shopping list that is specific to your meal plan. Therefore, you won’t buy anything that will go unused, and also means you won’t mindlessly add things to your basket, so saving you money.

“Always go with all of your meals planned for the week and a shopping list” What’s in store for Budget Bites?

There are lots more recipes that we are wanting to share, regardless of whether or not they end up being successful. Having briefly mentioned our Chinese chips, these are such a favourite of ours that we will definitely be sharing our recipe. We hope that others will enjoy the articles we produce, so look out for some more from Budget Bites next time you are scrolling through the Redbrick page!

Budget Bites: Homemade Chinese Night Food&Drink’s Budget Bites give us the perfect homemade alternative to a Chinese takeaway which is both cheaper and tastier Rosie Cossins & Liv Johnson Food&Drink Writers

Bring Chinese takeaway to your home – but not by delivery! As mentioned in our Budget Bites Interview, our new favourite delicacy is Chinese style salt and spicy chips (also known as salt and pepper chips). Obviously to be ordering this on a regular basis would be fairly unhealthy and very expensive – especially with a minimum spend on most online deliveries. So, after endless scrolling through food accounts on Instagram, we have managed to develop our own salt and spicy recipe, so that we can make this in the comfort of our own home, and for a significantly cheaper price.

Ingredients (makes two portions): Vegetable oil Oven chips, as many as you would like 3 spring onions Half of a red bell pepper (lots of takeaways do green pepper, but

we prefer red peppers for a sweeter taste) 3 cloves of garlic A whole white onion Chilli flakes For our Salt and Spicy Mix: 5 pepper and Cornish sea salt mix from Sainsbury’s (Selly’s ‘big’ Sainsbury’s, £1.50) Chinese five spice Normal salt Method: 1. First put your oven chips on a tray and drizzle them in vegetable oil so that the spice mix can stick to your food.

2. Then sprinkle your desired amount of our spice mix all over your chips, and rub it in so that they’re evenly coated. We think the more spice the better! Cook your chips in the oven at 200C for 25 minutes (or however long your instructions say).

3. Whilst your chips are cooking, it’s time to fry the vegetables.

Slice the red pepper, spring onions, and white onion as thinly as possible, and crush your gloves of garlic.

4. Add the white onion to a wok or frying pan of heated vegetable oil, and stir. As soon as the onions start to brown, add the red pepper, spring onions, and crushed garlic. Also stir.

5. Then add your spice mix again, and some chilli flakes, too.

As much or as little as you would like, depending on your spice tolerance. Note that our salt and spicy mix is more of a peppery and salty heat, rather than a chilli heat, so until you add chilli flakes, your Chinese chips won’t have a strong chilli kick. If you really love the heat, add some fresh red chillies or sliced jalapenos, like they do at the Chinese takeaway.

6. Once your chips are cooked, take them out of the oven, and add them to your pan. Stir and toss your chips through your fried vegetables, until all the ingredients and flavours are combined.

This should only take a minute.

SERVE! To make this a more rounded meal, we also enjoy adding chicken goujons, and cooking them in the spice mix, using the same

method as the chips. We aim to also try this with potato smiles instead of chips, and nuggets instead of goujons.

“This would also be a very easy meal for a vegetarian to replicate with Quorn nuggets” This would also be a very easy meal for a vegetarian to replicate with Quorn nuggets.

Now you can have salt and spicy chips whenever you like, without breaking the bank. We think this is the perfect meal to impress your friends for a night in, or to enjoy post-night out.

Rosie Cossins & Liv Johnson

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbrickfood

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Preview: Dishoom Food&Drink Editor Beth Sadler slices into the newest addition to the Bombayinspired restaurant chain, soon to be opening in Birmingham Beth Sadler Food&Drink Editor

Adding to Birmingham’s plethora of international cuisine, Dishoom will be opening up their eighth restaurant in the development 1 Chamberlain Square at the beginning of April.

Aiming to re-create the buzz of the Irani cafés which were once an integral part of food culture in Bombay (now Mumbai), Dishoom brings a wide variety of dishes into the heart of Birmingham. With food from Hindi, Muslim, and Irani traditions, Dishoom looks to bring everyone together to celebrate eating as a way of life.

“Dishoom also offers a takeaway service” It is no surprise then that their menu involves breakfast, lunch and dinner options, enabling you to head over to the restaurant at all hours of the day.

Drop in before work for a Parsi Omelette or The Big Bombay, or head over in the evening for Tikkas, Biryanis, or even a Chana Chaat salad. With vegan, gluten free and dairy-allergy menus available, there is guaranteed to be food for all. What’s more, if you feel like enjoying a taste of India from the comfort of your own home, Dishoom also offers a takeaway service.

The new restaurant will also be home to The Permit Room, where customers can enjoy Indianinspired cocktails such as The

Dishoom

Dhoble – a blend of orange juice, lemon juice, Lukusowa vodka, jaggery and orange bitters. Drinks such as the Dishoom Espresso Martini or the Bollybellini take a

fresh twist on well-loved classics, and although each cocktail is just under ten pounds, the menu offers diversity of choice and flavour.

Dishoom will be opening

between the 21st and the 31st of March 2020, offering 50% off food as part of their soft launch.

As they do not take reservations, simply turn up to taste their menu

and experience what the restaurant has to offer. Dishoom will officially launch on the 1st of April.

Losing the Weight of Calories Food&Drink Writer Ameek Gilhotra approves of Public Health England’s decision to push restaurants to cut the calorie content of their dishes Ameek Gilhotra Food&Drink Writer

UK restaurants have been asked

by Public Health England to cut the calories in their dishes by 20% by 2024, in order to combat the looming issue of obesity facing the nation. This means that many restaurant meals will be affected, and the calorie content might not be the only thing to disappear.

Chefs have expressed their diagreement with this, as their creative choices will be reduced heavily, and there will be potential impact on taste. As Dale Berning Sawa says in The Guardian, this step is being seen as ‘stupid; ludicrous; ridiculous; absolutely crazy; crazy and horrendous; a massive disaster; a nightmare’ by chefs.

While there are limitations to

the plan, it might be a step in the right direction. Some people have to exercise a fair amount of willpower to maintain their health, and seeing eating out as synonymous with indulging, may cause people to feel guitly when it comes to going to restaurants.

There is a continuous consciousness looming around food, and such a focus can result in people compensating taste for lower calorie intakes. Perhaps if calories are reduced, some people might feel less conscious of a guilt around food- many low calorie options can be as enjoyable as the original.

Sawa says, ‘(n)o paying punter wants to be careful when they are treating themselves.’ A question of ‘want’ arises here; we live for ourselves, and we must eat what we want, but also what we need, including what we need to

stay healthy. If staying healthy was as easy as we would have liked it to be, we would not have to think about intake and indulgence, even after eating high in sugar and saturated fats foods, which can feature on restaurant menus. The ‘tastiest’ options would be the ‘healthiest’ if it were up to us. Since that is not the case, I argue it might be better to put in place schemes such as PHE’s calorie cut in restaurants, to monitor what we can choose to consume.

Nisha Katona runs the Mowgli Street Food chain of Indian restaurants, and works to reduce the calorie contents of her dishes. She says that calculating calories is a difficult process, and only her set menu includes them. That said, the process has become easier nowadays, and many people try to track their calories. Calorie content is usually mentioned on food

packaging, and even if not totally accurate, it gives the consumer a rough idea about how many calories the food they are eating contains.

As Oscar Wilde puts it, ‘Everything in moderation, including moderation.’ Measures such as reducing the calorie content of food are not so drastic, and can be seen as an effort to lead us towards eating in moderation. It might help people design a lifestyle which could be beneficial for their health. By putting such schemes in place, eating out would not be deemed as particularly ‘unhealthy’ or much of a ‘treat’ in regards to calories.

However, perhaps that moderation should be exercised by individuals, and not imposed by restaurants. How healthy is it to be resisting food? We all know how tempting food that is a little

bit cheeky is. The glittering eyes we get when seeing pizza are almost unavoidable and sometimes knowing you’re indulging is part of the enjoyment. Imagine a world where we could all intuitiely eat, without ever having to consider calorie intake, on the side of the consumer and provider.

Potenitally this world can be created by reducing calorie content in foods initially. You would not have to save foods for a special day or find an extraordinary excuse; eating out would not have to be a ‘cheat meal,’ but just enjoyed for what it is: perhaps that is what schemes such as PHE’s will do.

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TRAVEL

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricktravel

Roughing It: Anti-Luxury Holidays From glamping to Centre Parcs, Travel’s Georgina Tait discusses what type of holiday is worth spending money on Georgina Tait Travel Writer

Camping, log cabins, glamping, and any other similar anti-luxury holidays can pose some slightly unfortunate situations. The grotty shower facilities, finding a hole in your tent when it starts to rain, eating baked beans for a week straight, your air bed collapsing, the bugs crawling into your sleeping bag are not ideal – how do you even put up a tent?

Due to these unappealing features, some might be surprised to find out that, according to the Great Britain Tourism Survey, in 2015, there were 4.24 million caravan trips, and 4.38 camping trips in the UK alone. For glamping trips, although it is still impressively high, the figure was significantly lower; 0.24 million. One might assume that if someone were to go on an anti-luxury holiday, they’d at least opt for the glamping option. This doesn’t

seem to be the case.

The more appealing aspects to these staycations appear to make it all worth it: camp fires, toasting marshmallows, bike rides through forests, the countryside scenery, time with friends, family or a partner, a break from the hustle and bustle of life, a social media detox, and star gazing, if you’re lucky. The low prices for camping in comparison to a hotel abroad are also a huge benefit, yet, a surprising number of people will choose camping over a hotel, regardless of their financial situation.

For instance, Center Parcs is a popular staycation choice. With locations all over the country, such as Woburn, Longleat and Whinfell, there is the potential for a great holiday for anyone.

Accommodation ranges from their Woodland lodges, their cheapest option, sleeping up to eight guests, to their Executive Lodges, to their Treehouses, which is their most

luxurious choice. Center Parcs are popular for the multiple activities they have on offer. With scenic walks, rock climbing, water parks, arts and crafts, spa facilities and much more, you can get a wellearned break and make long-lasting memories with friends and family.

“It seems that some students part with more than £500 for a summer holiday” Alternatively, for an even cheaper option, the New Forest has multiple different camping stations and glamping businesses scattered across the grounds.

Particularly for students on a budget, it provides people with

the excellent opportunity of experiencing a holiday, without parting with too much cash. Ruby, a second-year student, admits that a camping holiday with her friends would probably be a more sensible choice. She spends ‘up to £500,’ for just one week abroad, when that money could get her up to four weeks worth of camping instead.

It seems that some students part with even more than £500 for a summer holiday. In 2017, the average cost per person for a ninenight holiday was £815.

Unsurprisingly, the biggest part of this figure is not the accommodation or flights, but the cost of food, drink and entertainment.

Typically, holiday-goers on a budget will opt for the cheapest, most basic accommodation, which consequently has no kitchen or cooking facilities. This means that eating out at restaurants and ordering takeaways add up very quickly. When calculated accurately, it

can sometimes be more cost effective to spend that extra bit of money on accommodation for cooking facilities, to then have the option to cook your own meals, and avoid the hefty bills after an evening out at a restaurant.

According to Student Hut, the most popular holiday destinations abroad for British students are; Amsterdam, Berlin, Zante, Tenerife and Magaluf.

These statistics are likely to be partly due to their low prices, but it is clear that some students are unaware of the even bigger money save they could make, with just a simple holiday change.

So if you’re in the process of planning your summer, consider a staycation, and join the trend! You may be pleasantly surprised by how equally enjoyable, and ironically, luxurious, an anti-luxury holiday can be.

Flybe Goes Bust: What Does It Mean For Domestic Travel?

Josie Hart explains how coronavirus was the final straw for Flybe and questions whether their bust is also the final straw for domestic travel Josie Hart Travel Editor

Many essential flights routes across the UK were put at risk after the news emerged that Flybe had gone into adminstration. This came after setbacks and dwindling finances led them to request funding from the government.

“Flybe have blamed coronavirus as being the factor that finally broke the camel’s back” Whilst operating in an extremely competitive market, and choosing to face competition by offering very low cost flights, at the cost of profit, played into their struggles, Flybe have blamed coronavirus as being the factor that finally broke the camel's back.

The outbreak of COVID-19 meant that people were reluctant to travel, which was

detrimental to the already struggling business.

This wasn’t helped by the government’s increasing instruction not to travel, along with their denial of a grant to Flybe.

The lack of demand for flights also put a barrier in the way of key re-routing and re-strategising plans that could have saved the company, such as connecting Newquay to Gatwick airport.

This bust put 2,000 jobs at risk.

The government responded to this disruption to the work force by stating that they would aid workers in finding new employment.

There were also questions over the kind of compensation that passengers with booked flights would receive, with rights being put into question in this unique situation.

However, a major issue was that the company was renowned for servicing u n d e r serviced routes across the UK at very low prices. Often described as an ‘airline for the masses,’ it was popular for reaching locations that other airlines did not. For

example, Flybe made the key connection between the UK and Northern Ireland and the popular holiday destination of Newquay in Cornwall.

This is a journey that will now increase from one to five hours, which will have considerable effects on tourism in Newquay.

They also had a deal with the NHS to transfer patients from the Isle of Man to Liverpool. Clearly it can be seen that closure of the airline will therefore have major impacts on UK travel.

Closer to home, this can be seen regarding the reliance that many university students on these key routes. A third-year student, David, commented that his ability to go home to see his family in Jersey over the holidays was put in jeopardy after affordable flights with Flybe disappeared.

The government are working to find other airlines and services to supply travel to some of these routes and the UK’s more peripheral locations.

David, for example, told us that he is now able to travel home through another airline that has taken the opportunity to pick up passengers flying to the Channel Islands.

Nonetheless, the overall disruption means that it can be said that domestic travel is another service that has been made victim by the coronavirus.

Tom Barnett

Marco Secchi

TRAVEL

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricktravel

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Rotterdam: Eurovision’s Next Sustainable Travel: Destination Billie Eilish Becomes Kelsey BaxterSibley The ‘Good Guy’ Travel Writer

Although it's often overlooked in favour of Amsterdam, Rotterdam is a brilliant city in its own right, well-deserving of being the Eurovision 2020 host city.

Although Rotterdam may not have as many famous attractions as Amsterdam, there are still many things to do in the city, from the obvious to the more quirky.

“Rotterdam is home to a huge range of weird and wonderful architecture” Visit the Markthal Although De Markthal was only opened in 2009, the large indoor food market dominates the square next to Rotterdam’s Blaak train station, due to a combination of its horseshoe shape, one-ofa-kind combination of housing, office space and market hall, and its dramatic internal artwork by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam, which is so spectacular it has earned the Markthal the nickname of the ‘Dutch Sistine Chapel.’ The Markthal is home to around 100 different food stalls as well as food shops, restaurants, a supermarket

Ben_Kerckx

and multi-storey underground car park. The huge variety of local foods, sweet and savoury, mean something is bound to appeal to everyone, and it can be a great place to spend a couple of hours trying out different cuisines and getting a cheap meal. There is also the Tijdtrap to peruse – a collection of medieval archaeological discoveries uncovered during the Markthal’s construction, for those who enjoy their food with a side of culture.

The Cubehouses Rotterdam is home to a huge range of weird and wonderful architecture – alongside the Markthal and the ultra-modernist library is work by the architect Piet Blom, including the residential block commonly known as the ‘Pencil building’ and the iconic neighbouring Cubehouses. These bright yellow buildings are right on the waterfront and are what they sound like – buildings shaped like cubes, elevated and tipped on one side. These can be experienced in a number of ways, either through staying in one of them rented out as an Airbnb, in the Stayokay hostel or by visiting the Kijk-Kubus (Show Cube) which is a museum designed to let the visitor experience life in a Cubehouse. However you visit them, they’re definitely a mustsee when in Rotterdam!

Fenix Food Factory Founded in 2014 and moving to a new location in January 2020, the Fenix Food Factory is

another must-visit for culinary fans in Rotterdam. Although it used to be a fresh food market doing retail and catering, similar to the Markthal, it has recently updated its style to match its new location and now features several stalls from entrepreneurs selling their food products, which are then used in a central kitchen to create delicious meals at all times of day. Located in a warehouse in Katendrecht, a visit to the Fenix Food Factory will take you slightly out of the city centre and allow you to try local produce of the highest standard.

Visit the Dutch Pinball Museum One of the quirkier attractions on this list, the Dutch Pinball Museum is located in the historic Delfshaven area and is home to over 100 pinball machines dating back from 1900. But this isn’t a typical museum – visitors are actually allowed to play with over 80 of the machines, making this a fun option for a rainy day or just a quick break from more traditional sightseeing.

Euromast Tower If views of the local skyline are what you’re after, there is no better place to visit in Rotterdam than the Euromast Tower. Built in 1960 and over 600ft tall, the tower is the tallest building in Rotterdam and is great for getting the best views over the city. It also hosts a restaurant, which would be the ideal spot to watch the sunset from. There is an entrance fee of around 10 euros, and if you want to liven up your trip with an adrenaline rush there’s also the option to abseil down from the tower.

Alongside these there are also a number of museums, art galleries and quirky shopping districts – Rotterdam really does have something for everyone!

Katie Norris Travel Editor

Billie Eilish is taking a stand against climate change by trying to make her upcoming world tour Where Do We Go? ‘as green as possible,’ just like her hair.

Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian are branded ‘hypocritical’ for tweeting about climate change whilst making unnecessary trips on private jets, providing a contradictory message on their platforms. This contradiction openly flouts Greta Thunberg’s words ‘the bigger your carbon footprint, the bigger your moral duty,’ instead creating an image of having ethical values without accountability.

The celebrity lifestyle has been associated with a substantial contribution to climate change, with celebrities dubbed ‘superemitters’ having carbon footprints up to 300 times that of the average person, Paris Hilton producing up to an estimated 10,000 times more emissions from flying than the average person alone. The negative impacts of this lifestyle are not only restricted to the flying itself, but the representation of this luxury on social media as desirable, creating an elite image to be aspired to.

So Billie Eilish’s words of action come as a breath of fresh air into this responsibility-free lifestyle, consciously using her worldwide platform to spread awareness about the importance of climate change. She revealed her new plans on US talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, describing how she will be collaborating with the organisation Reverb to achieve this, a non-profit aimed at reducing concert and tour footprints. Plastic straws will be banned, fans bringing their own water bottles to fill up at water stations offered, and recycle bins (often overlooked at music venues) will accompany

normal waste bins. These small changes will make a big impact when spread out across 55 shows and 23 countries, especially as the venues are large, including a performance at the ‘World’s Most Famous Arena’ Madison Square Garden.

A large part of rethinking the hypocritical thinking espoused

by Billie’s celebrity counterparts is to claim responsibility and use their platforms where they can’t necessarily reduce their travel carbon footprint. To encourage this rethinking, each show will have an ‘Eco-Village’ stationed in order to offer fans more information on how to make a positive impact on reducing climate change.

By combining education with the actions she can make at shows, Billie Eilish is taking her moral duty and her large platform only enables this. Her initial Jimmy Fallon appearance came out alongside a video shared on Instagram entitled ‘Our House Is On Fire,’ referencing Greta Thunberg’s famous speech. In this video, Billie Eilish, alongside the actor Woody Harrelson, speaks about the damage created by climate change and how ‘cutting out meat and dairy from your diet and reducing plastic use’ can help this damage.

The video has since been viewed 4.8 million times, and is working against the perception of luxuries such as air travel as a necessity to the celebrity experience. Rethinking the way we view air travel, especially in an age of social media that celebrates such luxuries, is essential, and Billie Eilish’s compensation for hers is the first step, hopefully, amongst other celebrity ‘superemitters’ to use her ‘moral duty.’

The next step would be to follow Greta Thunberg's resolution to stop taking flights.

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LIFE&STYLE

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricklife

The Superficiality of Influencer Marketing

Life&Style Writer Caitlin Gittins investigates the superficial nature of influencer marketing campaigns Caitlin Gittins Life&Style Writer

Three weeks ago, YouTuber Natalia Taylor conducted a social experiment wherein she faked going on a holiday to Bali by staging a photoshoot in IKEA. The purpose of her experiment was to bring attention to the ability to seamlessly pretend online, and put that theory to practice.

In the thirteen-minute-long video posted on her channel, she demonstrated an easy manipulation of the photos taken within the store made to look like feasible places in Bali, which she then posted on her Instagram, and later expressed surprise at the easy acceptance of the pretence. She expressed in the video simultaneous shock and flattery at this easy acceptance, explaining that this was probably owing to the close relationship she maintains with her online following, but mentioned the guilt she felt deceiving them.

Natalia’s experiment into what people see and believe online, however, is certainly not the first of its kind, and raises broader questions about the ethics of the inauthenticity of Instagram, where pretend experiences are easily forged. Regulations, to some degree, are enforced in the UK; laws on advertising state that the person advertising must not, quote, ‘include false or deceptive messages,’ or ‘leave out important information.’ YouTube’s terms and conditions stipulate that YouTubers are obligated to acknowledge any paid product placements in their videos.

Despite this, the ideal online lifestyles perpetuated by ‘influ-

encers’ create the perfect window for brands to promote themselves via their social media, taking advantage of their relevance and online following. This does not necessarily always lead to positive results, as last year Kim Kardashian was criticised for having accepted a brand deal from Flat Tummy Co. promoting an appetite suppressant to her Instagram followers, a move many felt was a promotion of an unhealthy lifestyle.

“The ideal online lifestyles perpetuated by ‘influencers’ create the perfect window for brands to promote themselves online” In response to this campaign, actress Jameela Jamil tweeted: ‘You terrible and toxic influence on young girls. I admire their mother’s branding capabilities, she is an exploitative but innovative genius, however this family makes me feel actual despair over what women are reduced to.’

Jameela’s tweet touches upon a tension wherein people with large online followings can be commended for their marketing abilities, but simultaneously criticised for exploiting their following in the first place.

YouTuber WillNE in August of last year tested to what extent

influencers - specifically, past contestants of Love Island - would go to for brand deals, which make up a large part of their income. In the video, he created a fake, online brand ‘Verifyfree,’ by making a website and official-looking signature that would sign off the emails he sent. He emailed a number of past competitors proposing a brand deal wherein they would promote his brand on Instagram in exchange for payment. He observed the great amount of interest his emails generated from competitors, highlighting the absence of questioning his fake brand got, and bringing into question the ethics of influencers accepting brand deals - even fake brands - for payment.

This issue is felt by a number of YouTubers, especially by Tana Mongeau, who posted a video advertising Lounge Underwear which sponsored the video, and used the topic of sponsorship as a justification for accepting Lounge Underwear’s sponsorship but turning down a million-dollar brand deal as she felt it wasn’t authentic enough for her to accept and promote.

It becomes clear that the issue of inauthenticity online is very apparent and, to some extent, affects all of us. Although there are regulations in place to prevent the exploitation of online followers, perhaps they are not enough.

Inauthentic brand deals continue to be sponsored by influencers with no personal interests nor consideration for the effects they may have on their following.

Whatever the case may be, I argue that it is important we remain aware that social media is merely social media, and that we should stop believing everything we see online so readily.

PickPik

Diet Videos: Helpful or Harmful?

Life&Style’s Alys Lloyd discusses the effects of ‘What I Eat in a Day’ videos on viewers Alys Llloyd

quickly become an obsession.

The term ‘orthorexia’ was Life&Style Writer coined in 1998 and means an obsession with proper or ‘healthy Content Warning: This article eating.’ Despite not currently contains themes of weight loss being recognised in a clinical setting as a separate eating disorder, and body image which some orthorexia is a serious ailment readers may find distressing. that can have long-term implicaWhen you search ‘what I eat in a tions. A person suffering with day’ on YouTube you are greeted orthorexia becomes fixated on with endless thumbnails of so-called ‘healthy eating,’ potenincredibly petite women, usually tially feeling extremely anxious in sports attire and a caption that or guilty when faced with the reads ‘what I eat in a day to lose prospect of eating something they weight.’ Google searches for this deem unhealthy. Warning signs type of video have risen steadily and symptoms include compulover time, more than doubling in sive checking of ingredient lists the last 15 years. Although these and nutritional labels, an increase videos may seem harmless and in concern about the health of risk-free, questions are being ingredients and an obsessive folraised as to whether the abun- lowing of food and ‘healthy lifedance of diet-specific videos may style’ blogs on Twitter and be contributing to an unhealthy Instagram. Orthorexia can cause obsession with healthy eating. lasting unhealthy implications to Social media is progressively the body, with beliefs about what becoming integral to the lives of is healthy and what is unhealthy young people. A recent study leading sufferers to cut out essenreports that teens between the tial nutrients or whole food ages of 13 and 18 spend an aver- groups from their diets. age of nine hours a day using Known as ‘The Blonde entertainment media. When con- Vegan,’ influencer Jordan sidering such a shocking statistic, Younger considered herself the potential impact of social incredibly healthy. Her diet was media becomes even more daunt- gluten free, sugar free, oil-free ing. and plant-based. However, in the As aforementioned, spring of 2014 Younger although these videos noticed that her hair may seem harmless, was falling out. they are an indication Alongside this, her diet of our society’s probwas resulting in other lematic validation of Wikimedia health implications, thinness and obsession Commons/@Jarould such as her period stopwith the lives of celebping and her hair having rities. Within these videos, an orange hue. Upon this realisaextreme ways of eating are por- tion, Younger sought medical and trayed. On the one hand, moni- psychological help and discovtored ways of eating are presented ered that she was suffering from as normal and desirable. Often orthorexia. Younger then adapted videos show young women glori- her diet, much to the dismay of fying their diets of under 2,000 her followers who rapidly unfolcalories (the recommended intake lowed her and criticised her tranfor an adult woman) and accom- sition away from veganism. panying this with images of their Our unhealthy obsession with slender physique. On the other ‘clean eating’ can be seen to hand, some women show them- mask societies’ underlying obsesselves frequently eating high cal- sion with physicality and our preorie meals with no acknowledge- scribed expectations of beauty. ment of the genetic reasons for Despite influencers attempting to their small frame such as a high educate and improve the lives metabolism. As such, young, eas- and health of others, often diet ily influenced teens see these videos portray unrealistic eating eating habits as normal and often habits, rarely acknowledging the disregard the fact that different variations in our genetic makeup diets suit different people. which heavily influence our Nonetheless, there are influ- physical appearance. Moreover, encers that produce content under videos are easily manipulated, the bracket of ‘what I eat in a day’ although an individual may claim that are realistic reflections of to have only eaten under 1,500 healthy, full eating habits. In this calories in a day they may have sense, healthy eating videos can eaten more and left it undocube beneficial as they have the mented. Overall, ‘what I eat in a ability to educate people on the day’ videos hold the potential to necessity of a varied, nourished negatively impact young viewers, diet. However, although healthy with impressionable teens often eating can lead to major improve- taking these clips at face value ments in health and wellbeing, and adapting their own diets to fit for some a focus on creating and unrealistic and unhealthy expecmaintaining a ‘proper diet’ can tations.

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricklife

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The Journey to Tackling Domestic Abuse SVGSilh

Life&Style’s Abi Bacon discusses the practical restrictions that domestic abuse victims might face which problematize escaping abusive situations, and highlights a new Women’s Aid initiative which can help remedy these issues Abi Bacon

their perpetrator, but for many women, fleeing can often be made Life&Style Writer more difficult by the UK’s high transport costs. Furthermore, ecoContent Warning: This article nomic abuse, whereby victims are contains themes of domestic vio- under the financial control of their abuser, makes escapism increaslence which some readers may ingly more challenging. find distressing.

Although data regarding domestic abuse is often unreliIn a new initiative set up by able, LWA (Living the domestic violence Without Abuse) charity Women’s Aid, reports that domesvictims of domestic tic abuse will abuse will be pro“Domestic abuse will affect one in vided with free four women transport tickets in throughout affect 1 in 4 women order to help them their lifetimes. throughout their lifeescape abusive sitAdditionally, ” uations and take in the most times refuge in protected recent report accommodation. conducted by the Victims escaping CSEW (Crime abuse are often advised Survey of England to seek shelter away from and Wales), it is esti-

mated that only 18% of women who have experienced abuse from their partner in the previous 12 months reported the incident(s) to the police. Such statistics demonstrate not only the frequency of domestic abuse against women, but more worryingly reveal an alarming reality about the lack of response abuse provokes. It is therefore necessary to ask: how can escaping domestic violence be made more accessible to victims?

Working alongside Women’s Aid and Imkaan (a charity dedicated to addressing violence against Black and minoritized women and girls), Women’s Aid have partnered with two major rail networks, Southeastern and Great Western Railway, in order to launch the scheme. The idea was first proposed by Southeastern station warden Darren O’Brien,

who became aware of the issue for women escaping an abusive after having watched Channel 4's partner, and free train travel will documentary Safe at be one less thing for these Last: Inside a women to worry about Women's Refuge. at a time of acute criIf a victim sis.’ The Great “ The railway is has secured a Western Railway safe place of director Joe much more than refuge accesGraham added trains and rail track; sible via that the ‘railway Southeastern is much more it is about supportor Great than trains and We s t e r n rail track; it is ing the communities Railway routes, about supporting ” that it serves she will be able the communities to claim an e-ticket that it serves.’ With from either company two major railways in order to cover the costs already onboard, Adina of her journey to safety.

Claire urges other train operators Adina Claire, the CEO of to follow suit and join the scheme, Women’s Aid, recently announced which loudly broadcasts the unfalthat the charity is ‘delighted to tering message that domestic launch the scheme to support abuse is everybody’s business. women fleeing domestic abuse.

Access to cash is a major barrier

Guide Beauty: Making Makeup Accessible

Life&Style Writer Chelsie Henshaw discusses how a makeup brand made by a woman with Parkinson’s disease has helped revolutionise makeup application and made it accessible to people with the condition Chelsie Henshaw Life&Style Writer

Guide Beauty is the new makeup brand that everyone should know about. The brand was created by Terri Bryant, for those, like herself, who struggle to apply makeup due to illnesses. For those of you who suffer from shaky hands, the brand will become your new Holy Grail.

Bryant decided to create the inclusive makeup brand after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder(PD). Although symptoms vary across different people, most commonly, people with PD experience tremors, especially in the F Op reeS en VG Cl /@ ip ar t

hands, as well as limb rigidity, gait and bal-

ance problems, and Bradykinesia – a slowness of movement.

Tremors, in particular, can clearly make makeup application much more difficult for those suffering from Parkinson’s, especially eyeliner application - even those of us without tremors struggle to get the perfect wing. Statistically, Parkinson’s currently affects more than 10 million people worldwide, yet it is not necessarily something most brands have adapted to. This lack of inclusivity, however, has been challenged by Bryant with her stylish, ergonomic products.

In terms of the personal story behind the brand, Bryant spent many years as a makeup artist before showing symptoms of the disease, and later being diagnosed with it. At this point in her life, makeup had not only become her ‘livelihood,’ but more importantly, her ‘creative outlet,’ and therefore, it was something she desperately ‘didn’t want to let go’. Why should she have to let it go? Diseases and illnesses shouldn’t hold people back from

their passions and Bryant is a perfect example of this. Living with the symptoms of the disease had an impact on Bryant’s ability to apply makeup with many of the ‘typical’ tools of makeup not meeting her needs, yet she didn’t let this stop her. After noticing the seemingly large gap in the market for ergonomic makeup, Bryant met with experts to develop her own products and Guide Beauty was born.

The brand, which was launched in February this year, currently consists of four products: an eyebrow gel, a potted gel liner and an accompanying eyeliner tool, as well as a mascara. The way each product has been designed allows for the easiest application of makeup possible, allowing even beginners to apply flawless eyeliner. The eyeliner wand has a precision tip curved towards the natural eye shape with a vertical design to allow for greater control. The eyeliner itself consists of a ‘luxurious, rich black formula’ which is waterproof and transfer resistant.

The mascara is named ‘Lash Wrap’and comes with a comfortable applicator which helps to steady your hand when using it.

The product is said to last all day, as well as being smudge proof, but also easy to remove when needed; three qualities which are desired but often unfortunately d o not go together.

Finally, the brow gel also has an applicator which is useful for those with tremors. It has a longwear formula and a fine tip brush for precision.

The brand is also cruelty free, vegan and sports-friendly a simplistic and easy to use website. This brand also sets itself apart from others due to its focus on makeup educ a t i o n .

Included on the website are tutorialsfor the different types of eyeliner wing, from the classic to the cat FreeSVG/@ eye, as well as OpenClipart

videos on how to achieve the best results from the other products.

To learn more about the brand and see pictures of the products, you can also follow them on their Instagram account @guidebeautycosmetics.

“This lack of inclusivity, however, has been challenged by Bryant with her stylish, ergonomic products” Guide Beauty is refreshingly different and all-embracing in a largely consumerist market which is most concerned with profit.

Bryant is producing quality items, whilst also aiding those who aren’t able to use normal products due to symptoms and difficulties of illness and disease. Hopefully in the future we will see more brands embracing the everyday difficulties of many people’s lives.

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The Robot With OCD Sci&Tech Writer Joseph McGrory explains and critiques a new study showing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms in robots Joseph McGrory Sci&Tech Writer

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious anxiety disorder that is characterised by obsessive thoughts that can be mitigated or neutralised by compulsive actions. These thoughts and actions can come in many different forms and vary from person to person. An example of an obsessive thought might be a mental image of harm coming to someone close to you, or feeling that your hands are very unclean. This would then be mitigated by completing a specific compulsion that goes ‘hand in hand’ with the obsessive thought. In these examples they might be turning something on and off to make sure everything is ‘right,’ or washing your hands a number of times until they feel clean. The obsessive thoughts are very upsetting and can often involve unpleasant and graphic images that make the sufferer feel ashamed. In fact, a big problem with OCD is that it makes people feel deeply ashamed and as though they are a ‘bad’ person. It is also an often-belittled condition - it is a habitually used joke to say that someone is ‘so OCD’ when really they mean that someone is simply clean or neat.

This further trivialises the condition and pushes sufferers further from acceptance.

“This condition can be quite difficult to understand and study” This condition can be quite difficult to understand and study.

It is very personal, and varies massively from person to person with there being many different types of OCD. However, researchers have tried to model the behaviour of people with the condition using a robot. They gave the robot three goals: ‘eat,’ ‘groom,’ and avoid damage. The robot ‘eats’ by moving into a patch of light on the floor of its enclosure, replenishing its energy. The only way that the robot can ‘groom’ is by knocking into a pole, however this causes damage which is modelled by energy loss. This obviously is contrary to its goal to avoid damage. Thus, the ‘grooming’ drive models a damaging behaviour, which in OCD is considered to be the compulsion. The robot feels compelled to complete these behaviours, but they are damaging to the robot and cause energy loss. The failure of the robot is considered to be when it runs out of energy. When the goals of the

robot are balanced properly, the robot only fails 10 percent of the time. However, when the researchers modelled obsessive behaviours in the robot, essentially by making the ‘grooming’ drive far too high, they found that the robot failed around 95 percent of the time. This demonstrates how destructive compulsive behaviours are for people.

It is in its early stages currently, but the researchers believe that the robot can become a valuable tool in treating OCD. They believe they can model the robot undergoing therapy and showing improvement. This would be useful and encouraging for people looking to get better.

However, not everyone is convinced of the benefits of this robot model. Trevor Robbins from the University of Cambridge said ‘It might be a clue to understanding OCD and simulating what appears to be repetitive behaviour, but it is a long way from specifying how this may occur in a biological system.’ Essentially, the robot might be a helpful demonstrative tool but does not provide any real information that we do not already have in other forms. As an OCD sufferer myself, I have another concern. The mental image of a robot banging itself repeatedly against a post verges on the comedic. This might simply further the image of OCD as a comedic, ‘neat-freakish,’ and weird condition. I am already very

discouraged whenever someone makes a joke about OCD, and I want to avoid anything that causes more of an alienation of people with OCD and other mental health conditions. In a time when we should be breaking down these harmful ideas and showing people with OCD that it is a normal condition, this robot could actually hinder us. The researchers have to make sure that they are balancing these considerations as the research progresses.

“As an OCD sufferer myself, I have another concern [...]

This might simply further the image of OCD as a comedic, ‘neatfreakish,’ and weird condition”

Kids on COVID-19 Lockdown Try to Get Homework App Banned Sci&Tech Writer Daniel Bray delves into an ingenious plot by school kids in China to try and get their homework app, DingTalk, deleted Daniel Bray Sci&Tech Writer

Picture this: you are a student in a Chinese school. You have spent the Chinese New Year holiday indoors due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

School is due to start again, but you are still in lockdown. Your school tells you to download an app called DingTalk so that you can work from home. Is there a way that you can beat the system?

According to Alibaba, who own DingTalk, On February 10th - which was supposed to be the first day back from the Chinese New Year break for students in China - more than 600,000 teachers in China livestreamed lessons using the app, with 50 million students watching these streams.

The students, though, showed their ingenuity by working together to try and get out of doing their work. According to analytics firm App Annie, they left 15 thousand one-star reviews for the app on February 11th alone, in an effort to

get it kicked off of app stores.

DingTalk themselves caught on to what was happening, and released a video of a song, which includes the line ‘I’m only five years old, please don’t kill me,’ and seems to be one-and-a-half-minute meme begging for mercy. Possibly as a response to this, many new five-star ratings have started to appear on app stores, with many following the sentiment that the app would train students to become good employees in the future.

The app doesn’t appear to have been removed by any app store, which is good news for the people behind DingTalk. When looking at the Developer Distribution Agreement for the Google Play store, we can see that ‘Google may use or publish performance measurements [...] to identify or remove Products that are not meeting acceptable standards, as determined

by Google.’ What we can see from this is that low ratings themselves don’t seem to be enough to get the app removed from the store Google can determine grounds for

removal on a case-by-case basis.

This also applies to other stores such as the Apple App Store.

While the students were not able to get the app removed from any stores, there is something slightly worrying about DingTalk.

Before being adopted en-masse by schools, DingTalk was mainly a productivity-monitoring app installed by companies onto their employees’ phones. It offers group chats, voice & video calls, and file sharing, but also has some more interesting features for the privacyconscious among us. The app has a clock in/out feature, which can automatically detect when a device is connected to the office Wi-fi, allowing it to track when a user arrives at work, and leaves - say, for

example, to go for lunch. If users enable location services, the app can also tell managers whether an employee was at a location that they said they’d be at, which on the one hand may prove useful for the occasional naughty employee who fakes a doctor’s appointment, but on the other hand, is a concerning breach of privacy.

As of 12th March, DingTalk has a 1.4 star rating on the App Store, and a much better 3 star rating on the Google Play Store. The app was never removed from any store, but maybe rather than removing it due to the flurry of poor reviews, the owners of stores should be looking at their privacy policies and making a call based on the complicated matter of user privacy.

DingTalk

Creature Feature: The Blanket Octopus Jade Matlock Sci&Tech Writer Comingio Merculiano in Jatta Giuseppe

The blanket octopus, known scientifically as Tre m o c t u p u s s p p , i s t h e classification of four varieties of octopus that are identifiable by the transparent webbing that connects their dorsal and dorsolateral arms in female adults, earning them their common association with blankets. Their other limbs are considerably shorter and have no such webbing.

They can be found occupying the shallow to midwater depths of subtropical and tropical oceans.

As a species, they have the largest case of sexual size-dimorphism in any non-microscopic animal.

The females can measure up to six feet and six inches in length, whereas the males grow to approximately three centimetres in length on average. Male blanket octopi were not discovered until one was seen in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia in 2003 – their drastic size difference from their female counterparts has left scientists baffled for decades. It is understood that the naming of the blanket octopus is derived entirely from the characteristics of the female, the male is said to share none of these characteristics.

Male blanket octopi are able to reproduce due to producing sperm through the detachment of a specialised arm, the hectocotylus, which is presented to the females for fertilisation. The arm is then k e p t i n t h e f e m a l e ’s m a n tle cavity until it is needed, when it can be used to fertilise upwards of 10,000 eggs.

The blanket octopus is one of the most confusing spec i e s o f a q u a t i c a n i m a l c u rrently dwelling in the tropical oceans, with its mammoth difference in size providing entertainment to all who find it.

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Friday 20th March 2020

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e

The Valuable 500: Accessible Tech Print Editor Natalia Carter describes a movement to put disabilities on the buisness leadership agenda, and why this is such an important campaign Natalia Carter Print Editor

The Valuable 500 is a ‘global movement putting disability on the business leadership agenda.’ Their aim is to gain the signatures of 500 leading businesses in order to harness the potential of 1.3 billion people living with disabilities who are currently unrecognised within diversity agendas. When companies join The Valuable 500, they agree to table disability on their board agenda from 2020, make a firm commitment to action by September 2020, and to share this commitment internally and externally. The final 500 leaders are planning to be announced at the United Nations General Assembly 2020.

The social, cultural and economic value of those living with disability is frequently overlooked, with only 4% of businesses focused on making offerings inclusive of disability. To put this in perspective – there are currently more clothing lines created for dogs than there are for disabled people. When you start to consider these dynamics, it becomes clear how many businesses are currently working without disability, and therefore without

diversity, in mind. As the movement states, ‘If disability is not on your board agenda, neither is diversity.’ There are so many aspects of daily life which I know I have personally taken for granted. But when you begin to look at how we function on a daily basis, it quickly becomes clear how important The Valuable 500’s mission really is.

Take a moment to consider your surroundings, or even just to list five objects which you use on a daily basis. Now consider the ways in which these objects are accessible to those living with a disability.

For example, a remote control.

Various design considerations go into making and designing a remote control – but how many of these considerations involve accessibility? Could you navigate the controls without sight? Are there varying

shapes or textures to indicate which way you need to point the remote, does each button have a clearly definable edge? It is now common practice to find a

GDJ

raised dot or line on the number 5 button to indicate what the button and its adjacent buttons are used for.

But what about a large area of business which does not have a tactile element to it, but instead relies purely on sight. How accessible are online retail platforms?

Digital accessibility is something that I had previously not considered until I encountered Molly Burke, a YouTuber, motivational speaker, and spokesperson. She is also blind. On her YouTube channel she runs a series where she orders clothes from various online retailers to review her experience both in terms of the clothes themselves, and the accessibility of their website. Through watching these videos I quickly realised how shockingly bad some online platforms are in regards to digital accessibility. What’s even more ridiculous is that if these issues were

confronted, and websites were made accessible, 82% of customers with disabilities would spend more online.

Some of the common issues found in terms of accessible website design include the inability to navigate with a keyboard for users with limited mobility or dexterity, or the absence of image descriptions (labelling a dress with a female name but no detail can result in a very confusing experience). There may even be issues with captioning on product videos for those who are hard of hearing. The point is, that if disability was considered more universally and seriously by businesses, not only would there be immense economic incentive for companies, but the world and its products would move a step closer to being universally accessible.

The Valuable 500 and their mission statement should be promoted more avidly. Whilst they have already acquired the signatures of some major brands (Adobe, Santander, Google, and Virgin to name a few), they are currently 144 signatures away from reaching their goal of 500. With 187 days of the campaign remaining, I hope to see their success, in order to create the ‘tipping-point for change’ we should all be striving for.

Rare White Giraffes Killed

Sci&Tech Writer Daniella Southin explains the tragic loss of a unique family of animals Daniella Southin Sci&Tech Writer

The white giraffe - a rare, unique, and majestic gift of nature – slaughtered.

Just days ago at the time of writing, there was a family of three white giraffes thriving in the heart of Kenya. But now, down to their last survivor, the white giraffe will be seen no more. The Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy has reported that they have found the bodies of a mother and her 7-month-old calf murdered by poachers. With the mother’s male offspring orphaned as the only relic of the beautiful species, the fate of the white giraffe is set in stone perhaps a tombstone.

“Unlike creatures with albinism, these giraffes only lack pigment in their skin” To understand the catastrophe that is their deaths, we must understand the genetics of the white giraffe. These giraffes have leucism – a genetic disease meaning their skin cells do not produce pigment.

Their unique beauty, however,

comes from the dark eyes embedded in their piercing white skin.

Unlike creatures with albinism, these giraffes only lack pigment in their skin, meaning other organs such as their eyes still retain colour.

Although not unheard of, this condition is exceptionally rare. But soon, these examples will be little but a memory.

“In the last 30 years, we have lost 40% of all giraffes” Some will have the memory of their murder as we mourn the slaughtered species; killed for their hide, killed for their meat, killed for their bone, killed for daring to be alive. In the last 30 years, we have lost 40% of all giraffes worldwide. If change does not come soon they will cease to exist. With communities urging urban developers to take the animals’ welfare seriously, change is coming, but will it outpace extinction? As they are pushed by humans into humanpopulated areas, only to be killed by the humans living there because of vehicle and crop damage, their race against extinction is really a race against humanity.

Will we ever stop the bloodshed? Will we ever take responsibility? Will we ever change?

Twitter/@NationBreaking

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SPORT

Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricksport

Ole’s At The Wheel: Are United’s Fortunes Changing for the Better?

Jack Wooldridge Sport Writer

Since his appointment as full-time boss, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer (pictured, left) has had a mixed start to life in the Old Trafford hot seat with questions raised over his managerial credentials during his short tenure. There are however, signs that the club has turned a corner under his stewardship in recent months.

Manchester United’s 2019-20 campaign could not have begun any better with a 4-0 win over Chelsea on the opening day.

However, since then, inconsistency has been their main problem this season, with wins over Leicester, Manchester City and Tottenham and losses against the likes of Bournemouth, Newcastle and West Ham. Since their shock 2-0 defeat to Burnley in late January, things have started to look very good for the Reds. Man United are on an eleven-match unbeaten run in all competitions, defeating Chelsea and Manchester City along the way.

Manchester United’s improved recruitment is reaping its awards.

Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire have unquestionably strengthened

Instagram/manchesterunited the back four and have been mainstays in the United team under Solksjaer. Maguire has formed a formidable partnership with Victor Lindelöf, and the team has also been bolstered by the return of Eric Bailly. Solksjaer will be delighted that his side have managed to keep nine clean sheets in the last eleven games.

The capture of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in January has been a gamechanging piece of business for the Red Devils. The Portuguese

attacking midfielder has brought some much-needed creativity and flair to Solksjaer’s attack.

Fernandes has three goals and four assists in his first nine appearances in a Manchester United shirt, winning the Premier League and PFA Player of the Month for February. The loan signing of Odion Ighalo, formerly of Watford, surprised many, but the Nigerian has silenced his critics with some promising cameo appearances.

Whilst the new signings have

Dance: Art or Sport?

Catrin Osbourne Television Editor

Whilst it is an ongoing debate about whether dance counts as an art or sport, there is no question that UoB’s BALADS (Ballroom and Latin American Dance Society) provides a physically enduring, competitive and rewarding environment for all its members.

‘Ballroom and Latin dancing involve maintaining intense physical activity for a considerable amount of time and people don’t realise the behind-the-scenes training that goes into being a good dancer.’ Rosie Saul-Paterson, Publicity Officer, explained that BALADS is her form of fitness with an average of 9 hours minimum spent training each week.

Alongside cardio, Ballroom and

Latin dancing helps to improve core and upper-body strength.

Moreover, female dancers perform in heels, requiring immense muscular ability.

The society offers open practices in which members perfect their routines in a social environment. Like other sports, being part of BALADS involves constant training and chances to improve one’s skill.

BALADS regularly competes in the University Circuit for Ballroom and Latin dancing.

These are day-long events with an abundance of rounds in which multiple dancing partners enter the floor at the same time and dance their routines at the same time as each other. The judges will then choose a certain number of partners to go through to the next round. At the IVDC (Inter Varsity Dance Championships),

Pixabay/habanera

the judges had to cut the number from 47 couples to 16.

Beth Gardiner, BALADS’ incoming President, explained that this creates a highly competitive environment that ‘they are only looking at each duo for around five to seven seconds, so dancers have to be constantly performing at their best.’

“Physically enduring, competitive and rewarding” One of BALADS’ strengths is that it caters for all abilities. Over their time participating in varsity dance competitions, members can progress through the four categories: beginners, novice, inters and advanced. Emilie Butler, incoming Vice President for BALADS, highlights this as an essential element of why BALADS should be recognised as a university sport society, stating: ‘I’ve gone from not having danced at all to making rounds and even reaching the finals. You can never go backwards in BALADS, everyone is improving every lesson and every practice.’ Although it may not be an official sports society, BALADS is a perfect opportunity to exercise, train, improve and compete like any other sport at the university.

contributed nicely to United’s upturn in form, the same can be said of players that have underperformed in the past. A rejuvenated Fred looks a completely different player to the one that featured under José Mourinho. As well as displaying his ball-winning capabilities, Fred has finally begun demonstrating his creative side and is looking very good value for the money spent on him two years ago. Nemanja Matic is arguably playing his best football in a Man United shirt, whilst Luke Shaw is putting together a run of good performances that could result in future England call-up from manager Gareth Southgate.

Solksjaer’s faith in playing young players has also been refreshing for the supporters.

Scott McTominay has developed significantly as a player this season and his recent return from injury will be welcomed by Solksjaer and the supporters.

Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood have both been shining lights in what has been a mixed season for the Reds.

Whilst strong individual performances have helped United on the pitch, Man United have improved tactically under Solksjaer. The Norwegian has switched between his preferred 4-2-3-1 and a 5-3-2 formation.

The 4-2-3-1 has predominantly been used against weaker sides where United have looked to play with added width and have relied on creative players, like Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata, to play between the lines in order to break teams down – which had been a recurring problem for United earlier on this season.

The more conservative 5-3-2 formation has been used to counter the attacking threats of teams such as Chelsea and Manchester City, relying on United’s ability to play sharp and incisive counterattacking football.

Alongside a flexible tactical approach, Solksjaer has installed a strong work ethic into his team, with greater intensity to Man United’s play since January.

At the moment, it is unclear whether the football season will continue with the outbreak of COVID-19 across the country. If the season is completed, the aim for United will be to compete in the cup competitions and push for a Champions League spot. There are still areas in which they can improve, but if things continue the way they are, Manchester United could easily see the return of Champions League football to ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ in the distant future.

Orient to Host FIFA Tournament Luke Bosher Sport Editor

Although football has sadly been halted for the foreseeable future, with the FA suspending all football activity on Monday and UEFA postponing Euro 2020 by a year on Tuesday, Leyton Orient have taken it upon themselves to fill the void left in many fans’ lives.

After challenging a number of teams on Sunday, they announced a 128-team tournament the next day - but instead of competing on grass, teams will be play each other on FIFA 20. Predictably, there has been an uptake in Esports in recent weeks, with Counter Strike reporting 1,000,000+ simultaneous active players for the first time over the weekend and Football Manager also reporting record numbers.

Teams competing in the Ultimate Quaran Team tournament come from 16 countries around the globe, and presents a unique opportunity for the likes of Manchester City, Fiorentina and Accrington Stanley to face off against each other. The clubs will be represented by a champion of their choice who will play as their club, and could be anyone from a first-team player to a fan - Crystal Palace have already announced that winger Andros Townsend

Twitter/andros_townsend (pictured) will compete for them.

The exact rules and details are yet to be fully announced, and the draw not yet made (at time of writing), but Orient have announced the tournament will support MIND and a coronavirus response charity.

Celebrities have already expressed interest in the tournament, with BBC’s Guy Mowbray and Love Island’s Ian Stirling volunteering their commentary services. Sky Sport's Laura Woods has also agreed to host the draw.

With the coronavirus pandemic causing untold havoc with life as we know it, it is refreshing to see that whatever the circumstances people will always find a way to enjoy themselves and stay connected to the sport they love.

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Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricksport

The Italian Job: Why Atalanta’s Results Are Far From a Miracle Massimo Spinelli Sport Writer

Bergamo, northern Italy, is a relatively small town that counts around 120,000 citizens. Walking down the streets of the city centre you cannot meet anybody who is not a supporter of Atalanta - or the ‘Dea’- especially after the triumphant period the local team is going through. Don’t you dare call it a miracle, though!

The successful results Atalanta are taking home are exclusively the result of all the hard work of the technical group and virtuous management skills of the ownership. This second element is often underestimated or even forgotten; however, it is a fundamental piece of the path, which leads to high achievement. Club President Antonio Percassi is the mastermind behind the club’s success, as well as genuinely being its no.1 supporter. As Leicester proved a

Column: Sport that Stuck With Me Lauren Coffman Sport Writer

few years back, chances to see smaller clubs emerging and reaching the top of national and international competition in football is increasingly getting slimmer, but just about possible. This is obviously due to the substantial budgetary disparity shown among the major national football leagues across Europe, which translates into greater inequality in terms of opportunities.

Atalanta has always distinguished itself through the years for its ability of spotting future prospects, and the ability to nurture them to be able to compete on the national and international stage. Flourishing talents such as Daniele Baselli (now playing for Torino), Roberto Gagliardini (Inter Milan) and Franck Kessiè (Milan) were once the foundations of this surprising young team which has enchanted Italy intitally, and now the entirety of Europe. Starting from its very foundation in 1907, Atalanta has

Twitter/@Atalanta_BC

always pledged to be a talent-lab, back in the times when these concepts were uncommon and innovative. Since then, any young player coming out of their academy has taken away a valid stamp, guarantee of quality.

“Reaching the quarter finals of the Champions League is a welldeserved reward” In recent years the football society based in Bergamo has consistently managed to squeeze in between Serie A’s dominant teams, proving that professional football is not only and always ruled by money yet. Reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League is the welldeserved reward that both club and warm supporters have been waiting for.

The current roster of Atalanta is made of versatile, dynamic, and modern players, rather than elitetop class champions, who are used to expertly switch roles depending on the characteristics of their opponents. The coaching activity of the expert Gian Piero Gasperini, now an icon of the club, has brought a new wave of disruptive aggressive game to the team.

Players like Robin Gosens, Roman Freuler, Josip Ilicic, or Alejandro Gomez, who have been largely underestimated for a long time, are now the leading interpreters of Gasperini’s dogma. On top of

that, the development of the team’s tactics on the wings, with players like Hans Hateboer or Timothy Castagne, always brings an added value and an additional weapon to Atalanta offensive strategy.

Unfortunately, nowadays Bergamo is sadly famous for a different issue. Coronavirus is quickly spreading around the whole country and now the whole world, and this small town in Lombardy is one of the most heavily struck by the pandemic, already counting hundreds of deaths and thousands of people infected. Despite the national lockdown and the strict necessary measures taken to slow down the contagion, people want to prove their spirit is far from being crushed. After their last legendary Champions League victory, Atalanta players have dedicated the victory to the country and especially to the badly hit city of Bergamo, hoping that a couple of hours spent watching their Dea winning could have helped some of them to cope with these hard times.

Leading Goalscorers in Europe (Top 5 Leagues) PSG - 75 (27 games) Bayern Munich - 73

Atalanta - 70

(25 games)

(25 games)

Dortmund - 68 (25 games) Man City - 68 (28 games)

Fan Unrest in German Football Jake Lang reports on protests against the Hoffenheim owner Jake Lang Sport Writer

The matchday 24 tie between Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich saw the first instance of a referee taking players off the pitch consequent of the actions of fans. Not in response to racism, but instead due to Bayern fans in the away end holding banners reading ‘Du Hurensohn,’ with the D and H coloured in Hoffenheim blue, making it clear this protest referred to Hoffenheim’s main financial backer, Dietmar Hopp (pictured).

Bayern CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge consoled Hopp as the two watched on from the VIP stand. Flick and Salihamidzic immediately went over to the away fans with clear distaste, raising six fingers suggesting to the fans the 6-0 score line might be in jeopardy. Referee Christian Dingert, as is protocol for discriminatory incidents, took the players off the pitch. Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, along with the Hoffenheim players and manager,

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Twitter/@achtzehn99_en discussed a strike for the remaining 13 minutes, with both sides agreeing not to score. The players returned to boos from the home fans who wanted the game cancelled, Hopp and Rummenigge, in an act of solidarity, also emerged onto the touchline holding hands. The highlight of the last 13 minutes was Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and former Bayern player, Sebastian Rudy, juggling the ball together.

At the full-time whistle, both teams applauded all sections of the crowd, with Hopp placed in the middle, except for the Bayern section, who had exhibited what

Rummenigge called the ‘ugly face of football and of Bayern Munich’ post-game.

The German FA, DFB, stipulate that individuals or commercial enterprises are not to have full control over the team – fans must have 50+1 percent of the deciding votes. However, this rule has been eased, under the Lex Leverkusen ruling. Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are both teams founded by workers of Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Volkswagen, and under Lex Leverkusen, can be majority ran by commercial interests due to the continuous and substantial investment over a period of 20 years. This is also the case for Hopp and Hoffenheim.

Hopp, since the late 1980s has invested around $350m into his hometown club, taking them from the sixth tier of German football to the Champions League last season. He made his money in IT, founding the SAP in the 1970s.

Despite donating hundreds of millions to benevolent causes, as Rummenigge and his supporters were keen to highlight, his critics

see this as irrelevant to football.

This was not the first time fans have protested Hopp’s ownership; in 2008, Borussia Dortmund ultras raised a banner featuring Hopp in crosshairs with the message ‘Hasta la Vista.’ More recently, in February, fans of Borussia Monchengladbach copied the very same banner. For most German football fans, there is increased frustration with the DFB for their lack of consistency and for not having the right priorities. For example, Jordan Torunarigha was racially abused during the SchalkeHertha Berlin game in early February, but there the referee there did not interrupt the game.

The Hertha player was instead sent off for his reaction to the racist chants coming from the stands.

Further, Mesut Ozil, who was targeted by far-right politicians during the last World Cup (owing to his Turkish heritage), was not appropriately supported by the DFB. Fans are beginning to question, and rightly so, why billionaires are protected yet ethnic minorities are not.

As an Arsenal fan born in the early 2000s, growing up success has been few and far between.

Whilst I was alive through the Invincible season, and even the double in 01/02, to say I vividly remember our early 2000s success would be nothing more than wishful thinking. I grew up hearing the stories, of exactly how it felt watching ‘the boys in red and white’ triumph domestically, as we suffered through nine years of disappointments and ‘almosts.’

Then, in 2014 I finally got the opportunity to feel it for myself, and I’ll never forget it.

Twitter/@Arsenal An FA Cup final against relegation surviving Hull City, it may not have had the glamour of a league title win at the ground of your biggest rivals, but to 14-year-old me that didn’t matter in the slightest. Trying, and failing, to get tickets to Wembley, settling for the big screens set up at the Emirates instead did nothing to dampen my spirits as the day approached.

Then came the game itself, taking our seats in a packed-out Emirates Stadium full of fans wishing they were at Wembley, but relishing the occasion nonetheless. Hull scored in the 4th minute, just a slight blip, at least until the underdogs got their second less than five minutes later.

The Emirates fell silent, people around us got up and left, everyone believed we were going to fall short once again. Santi Cazorla got one back not long after, his perfectly placed free kick giving us some hope, and, after a long and incredibly anxious wait Laurent Koscielny bundled in the equaliser to restore our faith as extra time loomed.

And then came the goal that will live long in the memories of all Arsenal fans. It was one of those moments that felt like slow motion as Olivier Giroud’s shrewd back heel found Aaron Ramsey, who was in the right place at the right time, as he had been so many times that season, to slot it home first time.

After what felt like the longest ten minutes of football I had experienced the final whistle blew, and thousands of us ran onto the empty pitch in N5, watching the scenes at Wembley unfold as Vermaelen lifted the trophy high into the sky. Finally a trophy, and a day I had dreamed of for so long.

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Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricksport

Football in Logistical Turmoil after Coronavirus Causes Chaos

Jack Wooldridge assesses what, if anything, can be done to rescue the football season Jack Wooldridge Sport Writer

Last week, the FA, the Premier League and the EFL made the unprecedented decision to suspend all footballing activity until 3rd April due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Whilst the situation will be reassessed in a few weeks’ time, it does not look likely that the football season will resume on that date as the virus does not appear to be easing in the near future.

“It is perfectly reasonable to give this season a chance to finish” I share the view held by the league and most club officials that the league season should be completed in some shape and form. It is perfectly reasonable to give this season a chance to finish. Euro 2020 has been postponed to 2021

by UEFA this week, which will provide some leeway for the top leagues to be concluded. I do not think too many professional teams would be against playing into the summer months, although this would have its own challenges altogether.

How long will it take for players to get match-fit again? Where will cup matches fit in? What will happen with contracts expiring?

What will happen with the trans- would be completely unfair on fer window? What will the impact the likes of Liverpool, Leeds and be on the following season? These West Bromwich Albion, amongst are some of the questions a host of other teams, that that the footballing bodhave worked extremely ies and clubs will have hard to find themto answer. selves in favourable A second option positions as they – which is supapproach the end The last year there ported by a minorof the season. was no English ity – is to declare It is perhaps football champion this season as void as unfair as if the with no promotion leagues were termidue to the Second or relegation and nated immediately World War start afresh next seaand the current standson. For the realists, it ings were used to deterlooks very likely that this mine the league winners, may turn out to be the only option. promotion and relegation, which It would avoid those uncertainties has been put forward as an option with finishing the current season to solve the crisis. There has been at a later date. This rationale be- talk, however, that the Premier lieves that it would make sense League could face legal action to have one season, in essence, from relegated clubs if the season ruined rather than two. As much was ended as it is and for this reaas I would hate to see this hap- son, I do not think this option is pen, I do not think it can be ruled practical at all. out completely, especially in nonleague football. However, like all the other scenarios, declaring the season as void has its own complications.

Last week, West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karen Brady controversially gave her backing for the Premier League to be made ‘null and void’ over coronavirus, declaring it as the ‘only fair and Alternatively, there have been reasonable thing to do.’ calls to cancel the season, but I hardly agree that it is a ‘fair’ hand Liverpool the title and prothing to do, especially in the high- mote Leeds and West Brom to the er tiers of the English game where Premier League, extending it to there is so much at stake finan- 22 teams for next season. Whilst cially. For instance, it would serve this has gained credibility as an some teams much better than oth- option, it would still be unfair ers like Brady’s West Ham, who on those other teams vying for are threatened by relegation. It promotion in the Championship,

Twitter/@BleacherReport

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“Public health must be prioritised over everything else”

whilst it does not solve the issue of how European qualification will be determined.

I agree with Brady, however, on the fact that public health must be prioritised over everything else and if this season cannot be fulfilled then football must take the hit, regardless of whether the final decision seems unfair and ruthless. Although some of the measures may seem irrational at the moment, these are unprecedented times and drastic measures may have to be taken to get over this short-term hump for long-term gain.

Personally, I believe the English leagues should be given every opportunity to be completed before we hastily make the decision to void this season in one form or another. If this means extending the professional leagues into the

summer, then so be it, but plans must consider the scale of disruption on football clubs at all levels and future campaigns. Cancelling this football season must remain on the table as a last resort and due to the uncertainty surrounding the virus, I would not rule it out from happening.

13th March: All professional football in England postponed until at least 3rd April. UEFA postpones all matches scheduled for 17th-19th March.

16th March: The FA advises for all grassroots football to be postponed indefinitely.

17th March: UEFA confirms that Euro 2020 will be postponed until summer 2021.

Six Nations: Where Do We Go From Here?

Dan Hague lays out the state of play after coronavirus leaves the tournament in flux Dan Hague Sport Writer

In any other year, last weekend would have seen England play Italy, Scotland travel to Wales and France clash with Ireland.

This year no fixtures took place.

Covid-19 has caused a plethora of sporting events to be postponed, including the Six Nations, and this has left fans with lots of

Twitter/@SixNationsRugby

questions. Foremost among these are: what happens now and which team is in the best position going forward? In what follows, I try to answer these questions.

There is precedent for Six Nations fixtures to be cancelled. In 2001, Ireland’s final three matches were postponed due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

These games were subsequently reorganised and played on 22nd September, 13th October and 20th October. Something similar is

likely to happen in 2020.

However, while organisers have insisted that no dates have yet been finalised the likelihood is that England will play Italy on 31st October and France's clash with Ireland could take place on the same day. However, Italy’s trip to Dublin also needs to be rescheduled. During the autumn international fixture schedule neither Italy or Ireland have matches on 28th November, and so it is probable that the tournament will not conclude until then.

England, France and Ireland all have a realistic chance of winning the title. However, it is almost impossible to assess which team is best-placed to lift the trophy. England and France have played four games while Ireland have played three. This means that we find Ireland four points behind both England and France on nine points. This is already very confusing but add in the likelihood of a drawn championship and the points difference calculations that come along with that and you have a tangle that is very difficult to unravel.

If we begin with England we

find that their job is very simple; beat Italy by as many points as possible while also securing the bonus point. If England score four tries or more and trounce Italy they will have done all they can to win the championship.

“England are in prime position to be crowned champions” Moving onto France, Les Bleus are currently in second place with 13 points and an almost identical points difference to England.

This means that they can guarantee themselves the championship if they beat Ireland with a bonus point and finish with a points difference greater than England's.

Ireland create the most confusion because they can win the championship in two ways. For an outright victory, they need two bonus point wins against France and Italy. However, Ireland can still win the championship while

only picking up one bonus point.

In the likely event that England claim the maximum five points in Italy, then Ireland could finish top by taking nine points from their final two games, provided they finish with a superior points difference to the English.

We may now ask: what is going to happen? Considering Italy's abysmal Six Nations record, and that France should be only narrow favourites when they welcome Ireland, England are in prime position to be crowned champions.

Six Nations Table P

W

PD

PTS

ENG

4

3

15

13

FRA

4

3

13

13

SCO

4

2

14

10

IRE

3

2

5

9

WAL

4

1

25

7

ITA

3

0

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Friday 20th March 2020

@redbricksport

BUCS Sports Club of the Fortnight: Squash John Rogers Sport Editor

The University of Birmingham has a close relationship with the sport of Squash, regularly hosting premier league events in the state-of-the-art facilities. It is unsurprising then that the university team regularly sees success on the court, and this year has been no exception.

Squash is a game of intensity. When watched at a quality level it is made to look easy, but it is far from it. Points are scored when a player is unable to return a shot without the ball bouncing twice, or hitting outside the boundary lines. Inventive shotmaking is guaranteed off all

walls of the court, making it a great spectator sport.

Last week, the mens and womens teams competed in the BUCS championship semi-finals, universities elite end-of-year competition. The womens' team hosted Manchester university, while the men travelled up to Nottingham.

It was a tale of two home victories, with the UoB women comfortably defeating the Mancunian's 4-1, and the men narrowly defeated 3-2.

Unfortunately, given BUCS recent suspension of all events due to the coronavirus outbreak, the finals will not take place.

However, the women can reflect on their position as a top-two side in university squash.

Sophie Peck

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A Note From the Sports Officer: Josh Dooler Sports Officer

UoB Women's Basketball

We had three Birmingham teams in the championship semi-finals last week. The netball first team played Bath in a crunch game, while our squash club had both women’s and men’s teams competing. The girls took on bitter rivals Manchester at home and the boys made the trip across the Midlands to Nottingham. I was lucky enough to watch the women’s team thrash the Mancunian outfit 4-1 to comfortably make it through to the finals. The boys faced a tougher task in Nottingham, unfortunately losing 3-2 but for both teams to make it this far in the best level of student sport in the country is an amazing achievement!

Taekwondo Squad Finish Season in Style at National Spring Championships Rachel Higgins The University of Birmingham Taekwondo Club attended their final BUCS competition of the season last weekend at the National Spring Championships.

In what was the biggest success the club has seen all year; the team came home with a total of 15 medals.

Despite initial fear of cancellation due to the coronavirus outbreak, the team travelled down to the University of Essex for two days of intense fighting and display. The first day began with poomsae patterns, both individual and team events. Captain Fabian Burkhardt was up first in WT style and came away with a welldeserved bronze. Marianna Hurst followed shortly, competing in a

very talented group and narrowly missing out on the podium. The two then paired up to win gold in the team event and were joined by Eleanor Warrington to win yet another gold in a stunning triple team show.

Next was Ellie Parker, Shannon Couch and Grace Leppard who performed in their individual ITF style poomsae.

Jack Harrison competed in the same style and gained another bronze for the team. In ITF teams, Ellie, Grace and Jack scored a silver for their performance and are aiming to bring home the gold next year. Both Miles Dabbs and Jack Wright also competed in B class and C class WT respectively and gained great experience in large categories.

In terms of fighting, Thomas Pibworth began in a tough category of A class and GB level fighters

BUCS Suspend All Activity

UoB Football Defeat Local Rivals

Sport Writer

British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) have suspended all activity due to the Coronavirus outbreak, commencing on Tuesday 17th March at 9am until April 1st 2020.

No league or cup fixtures will be played in this time, meaning the cancellation of so-called Big BUCS Wednesday, the championship finale of the season.

The suspension comes with still over 1500 league fixtures outstanding in the BUCS calendar.

The measures come as a response to the UK government changing the phase of infection control to ‘Delay,’ and their recommendation that all non-essential social gatherings are cancelled in efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

yet persevered through and made the team proud. Rachel Higgins and Grace Leppard also competed in A class ITF sparring, both making it to the final of their categories. In a split decision Higginsl came away silver and Leppard faced a tough fight but pushed through, also claiming silver.

Koray Pinarbosili had some very close fights and returned with a well-deserved bronze.

It was not only the competitors that put in the work. All the coaches should be commended for showing dedication and care in offering the best advice to the team as well as volunteers from the club helping officials, who were low on staff and judges, so the competition still ran smoothly.

In terms of the overall team standings, Birmingham are currently ranked tenth out of all UK universities.

Marianna Hurst

Due to a weekend of considerable success, the team can only move higher. Captain Burkhardt has commented, ‘I am really proud of what the team has achieved in the first ever

Taekwondo BUCS season.

Bringing home an incredible amount of 9 gold, 7 silver and 19 bronze medals is an achievement that I couldn't have dreamed of last year.’

Kyle Moffat reports on UoB men's firsts vs Aston last Sunday Kyle Moffat Sport Writer

On Saturday 14th March, UoB men's first XI battled with rivals Aston on Bournbrook, triumphing 1-0 with a goal from Sam Winsbury.

Both sides went full-throttle from start to finish, with a number of close chances and moments to excite the crowd. It looked like a game that could have seen more goals, but what settled it in the end was a goal from Sam Winsbury- scored in the first half – to see UoB triumph at home over Aston.

After the match, Winsbury highlighted the importance of

defeating Aston, stating: ‘it’s massive for the club. Obviously, Aston are huge rivals and a lot of effort has gone into planning the game so to win in front of a crowd like that meant a lot to us.’

Their reputation as one of the strongest football teams in university competition was on the line for UoB, so to perform under this pressure as well as with the knowledge of the rivalry with Aston is certainly a big achievement.

The knowledge of having the fans cheering the team also added another level of pressure to the game. ‘We’re quite a young team and knew there would be a big crowd so the main thing for us was keeping our heads in the game and staying focused,’ says

Sam. He also comments on the strategy going into the match, stating ‘we knew that if we played how we normally do - playing out from the back with minimal touches - we would win the game.’

UoB played an exciting style of football, moving the ball around as quickly as possible to open up spaces. These spaces opened up especially on the left wing, as many chances came from crosses into the box. It must also be said that Aston was tough competition, with the goalkeeper keeping UoB’s rivals in the game until the final whistle.

For a drizzly and c hilly Saturday evening kick off, the turnout was fantastic for the match. Students in the hundreds

cheered on the talented UoB team, creating a true football atmosphere that will be missed in coming weeks with the concerns over COVID-19. This match was a way to bring students together and forget about the growing uncertainty for a few hours. Fans chanted, applauded and respected the UoB Men’s squad as the players did their job and worked tirelessly for one another.

Unfortunately, the game is likely to be the last of the season for both teams, with BUCS fixture suspended until April 1st, although this is likely to be extended indefinitely. If the curtain has fallen on UoB's season, a win over a rival is not the worst way to do it.

Twitter/@goal

20.03.2020

SPORT

True Power of Sport Revealed as Coronavirus brings it to a Standstill The global pandemic has only increased sport’s value, argues Kit Shepard Kit Shepard Sport Editor

The world of sport has always seemed unstoppable. No matter what else is going on around it, sport persists through everything, providing people of all backgrounds a place to temporarily forget their troubles and immerse themselves in something fantastic. It has the power to turn a terrible day into a great one, and vice-versa.

Yet over the past few days, the unthinkable has happened. Put simply, coronavirus has cancelled virtually all professional sport for the foreseeable future. As recently as a couple of weeks ago, there appeared to be a belief that sport could do what it has done with seemingly every crisis since the Second World War; struggle through without major disruption. Then, one after another, every major league and competition around the world began to be impacted.

When Utah Jazz all-star Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 just moments before his team-mates were about to play a game, the NBA had no choice but to postpone the league for at least 30 days.

Two days later, when Arsenal manager Twitter/@SInow

Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi also tested positive, the Premier League was forced to make a similar decision. Elsewhere, events that have been postponed or cancelled include the Champions League, Euro 2020, the Masters and the Six Nations, but the list is endless. If you can think of any notable sporting competition, the chances are it is not happening any time soon, if at all.

“Sport is one of the few rituals we have left in society” As a sports fan, this is devastating. Of course, the slew of cancellations was undoubtedly the right decision, but the news that we have seemingly nothing to watch and enjoy over the coming weeks is immensely tough to take.

I have heard a lot of people say that, during a global catastrophe like this, sport is utterly pointless, and I understand that perspective to an extent. Sport, on the one hand, is never important. Victory does not bring permanent happiness, and defeat does not guarantee endless despair. As the coronavirus pandemic shows no sign of letting up, it does seem silly to have ever cared about something as insignificant as a group of athletes chasing a ball around a field.

On the other hand, as nations get plunged into turmoil that will take some time to recover from, the pandemic has confirmed that sport is priceless. In a world which is always changing, sport is one of the few rituals we have left in society. It is something which we build our lives around without even thinking about.

Whether it is listening to the sports news every morning, supporting your local foot-

ball team every Saturday at three o’clock, or simply talking about matches and stories with your friends, sport is central to so many people’s identity. Perhaps we needed it taken away from us to truly appreciate this.

On a larger scale, sport has the power to unite people with joy like nothing else.

Cast your mind back to London 2012.

That fortnight lifted the mood of the nation, as we came together to welcome the world and showcase the best of Britain, forgetting our petty differences. Likewise, England’s 2018 World Cup run has already become the stuff of legend, as people up and down the nation danced on the streets, delirious and united by the fact that we had something everyone could get behind.

Can anything besides sport provide scenes like that?

“Through giving people back their identity or by bringing entire nations together, [sport] is perhaps the best way for us to recover” So while sport has been rendered worthless for the time being, it still has a vital role to play in the future. There will come a point when coronavirus is under control and we have the opportunity to rebuild a wounded world. Sport, be it through giving people back their identity or by bringing entire nations together, is perhaps the best way for us to recover.

The importance of sport has been put into perspective over recent weeks. Yet equally, as we realise just how much of a privilege it is to care about such a trivial thing, it seems more valuable than ever.

INSIDE SPORT THIS WEEK:

Sophie Peck

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BUCS Page

Twitter/@WalesOnline

COVID Cancellations

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Twitter/@BBCSport

The Rise of Atalanta

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