The River Issue 112 by River Newspaper

Riveronline.co.uk

26TH NOVEMBER 2021

FREE COACHING SESSIONS SET TO HELP KU WOMEN IN SPORT CONTINUE ON P.G 15

Ali Abucar Vigil Photo: Omar Marwa

Hero Killed

By Omar Marwa

Many people gathered on Saturday evening for a tribute in memory of a KU student who was murdered when trying to save a life. Ali Abucar Ali, 20, died

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ISSUE 112

PLANT - BASED ALTERNATIVES FOR CHRISTMAS

See page 10

“IT IS THE LONG-TERM VIEW THAT IS IMPORTANT”

LECTURERS

REACH BREAKINGPOINT

By Diego Evrard- Broquet KU’s lecturers will go on strike from December 1 to 3 and will also take action short of a strike (ASOS), which could include working contracted hours only. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted for the action in a ballot earlier this month along with 57 other universities.

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News 2

Black Friday: Are students heading to the shops or sticking to online?

By Harry Brogan Black Friday is here again with bargains galore to be had both in stores and online. The event is an imported concept from the US that dates to the 19th century and has been present as a tradition here since its introduction by Amazon to a UK audience in 2010. Miranda Lyons, who is studying digital marketing, said: “I usually do Black Friday with my parents and family but while in London I’m probably just going to end up going online. If I do go out I will be a bit concerned about Covid with the infection rates spiking again, but I wouldn’t be completely worried because I would make sure not to go anywhere that would make me uncomfortable.” The day is usually a marker for the beginning of the holiday season, offering incentives for people to buy anything ranging from electronics to clothes. Omar Aﬁfy an aerospace engineering student said: “Covid isn’t my concern, it’s more how busy the shops will be with queues. Sometimes I’ll do online shopping for it, but I think Black Friday is a scam. They try to catch you out with items that aren’t on sale and make you want it anyway, which I think is their tactic.” In the UK, in 2019, businesses on Black Friday made an

estimated profit of £5.6 billion, rising to £6.0 billion last year despite being only online sales. Aisha Ahmed, who studies biomed, said: “I never really go and look for deals for Black Friday. I would be cautious and stay online due to Covid, especially since not everyone wears masks or is vaccinated and it can be quite a frenzy in store.” According to a recent article in The Guardian, Black Friday is predicted to make £9.2 billion this year in the UK alone, attributed partially to people being eager to make savings as the cost of living rises. Adam Wan, a criminology and forensic psychology student, said: “I’ve never been myself but from what I’ve seen on the media it just seems hectic. I’d prefer to stick to online where I can filter out deals and see what I want, and can even preview deals before they’re up.” A Statista report stated that around 10 per cent of all global Black Friday searches this year came from the UK, with the same report identifying that both online and in-person sales are expected to rise this year. Nour Sulieman, studying economics, finance and management said: “I wouldn’t really want to go to the shop in such a busy environment. I already have all my online baskets ready on multiple sites just to see what items are a part of the sale.”

Black Friday earnings are predicted to be signiﬁcantly higher than recent years, but are the sales only happening online? Photo: Danny Lines

TASTE OF KINGSTON: TRAVEL THE WORLD ONE BITE AT A TIME

Photo: Dane Deaner

Students who are curious about food traditions will be able to celebrate cuisine from all over the world this weekend at the Taste of Kingston event. From November 24 to 28, the Creative Youth charity is hosting an initiative involving local businesses. Pop up street food stalls and tastings, alongside creative workshops are coming to the town centre in celebration of Kingston as a cultural hub of global cuisine. “Taste of Kingston is taking over Kingston, from brilliant lunch spots like The Cheeky Pea, to bustling restaurants like Chakra and Hache and buzzing

bars like The Fighting Cocks and Woody’s,” said Daniel Cartlidge, creative projects and marketing coordinator. The event will encourage people of all ages, including students, to get involved and be creative through art workshops and spray painting. “The Undercroft workshop and mural is going to be the centre of all activity. From there we can direct you anywhere on the trail or tell you what is happening that day,” Cartlidge added. Since September, Kingston’s town centre has seen a lot more students in comparison to last year as the university has returned to mostly on-campus teaching since the pandemic.

Beth Friebel, a media and communication student, said: “This is very exciting. I have not seen anything at uni about this, but Kingston deﬁnitely needs events like this. “I will take some friends and go and see what this is about.” The event is inviting KU students to try foods that they are likely not to be familiar with. Anjeni Khusul, another media and communication student said: “I can’t cook very well, so it will be exciting to see what there is to eat. I will learn something new.” “I will go and see, as it’s fun to have an event like that happening in Kingston,” said Jess Arnold, a dance student.

Photo: Victoria Shes

By Chris Dudek

News 3

Universities’ strategy on suicide prevention could include parents Photo: Toa Heftiba

An interesting caption goes here. Photo: Toa Heftiba

By Ella Devereux The Office for Students (OfS) is developing guidance to universities that includes them establishing a policy on how information should be shared with family and friends if they are concerned about students’ mental health. In a new suicide prevention briefing released this month, the OfS has said that universities should “involve all parts of the institution including students, staff, welfare teams, academic departments and student services”, and make suicide prevention an institutional priority. This is alongside guidance that institutions should “establish a policy on information sharing with family and friends and ensure that disclosure and consent are considered appropriately and sensitively.” Amanda Björklund, a creative and cultural industries student, said: “With the mental health crisis at the moment, I think it’s great that they are trying to do something. But parents aren’t always the answer, because they don’t have a guidebook saying ‘this is how you help your kid when they’re feeling low’.” The guidance is currently advisory and will be supported by official guidance on how information should be shared when students are at risk of self-harm or suicide by advocacy organisation Universities UK (UUK). However some KU students recognise the complexity of involving family and friends in the personal lives of students. Ioanna Stergiaki, an art curation student, said that the success of universities enforcing

this guidance would depend on the relationship a student has with their parents. “If you’ve got a great relationship with your parents, that’s like the support network you need. But if you don’t, that’s something you might not want them to know because it could affect you in a negative way,” Stergiaki said. Kingston University states in its 2021 safeguarding policy that it deals with students directly, without the involvement of third parties. However Viv Adams, from the Information Commissioner’s Office said: “University staff should do whatever is necessary and proportionate to protect someone’s life. “Data protection law allows organisations to share personal data in an urgent or emergency situation, including to help them prevent loss of life or serious physical, emotional or mental harm,” she continued. It is widely recognised that students at university are a grey area, as they are technically classified as adults yet the university still has a duty of care for its students. Some students think these measures are only applicable to younger university students. Sani Muazu, a PhD renewable energy student, said: “As an adult you are responsible for what happens to you so, to me, it does not matter. In my opinion, if something happens to an undergrad, then the parent should know.” Bereaved parents, who have been fighting for years for better knowledge of high-risk students, welcome the changes.

James Murray, whose son died at Bristol University, has launched an online service, Kooth, which offers students access to qualified counsellors, funded by the NHS. This service is available to KU students online, and you can sign up through your university GP postcode or your home postcode. According to a 2021 student mental health report published by Randstad, 7 in 10 students are “experiencing a short-term mental health condition or have been diagnosed with a longterm mental health condition.” It also found that 48 per cent of students have considered leaving their course because of their mental health. There were 174 student suicides in England and Wales in 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics, with over two-thirds of these students unknown to campus support services. At KU, there are several services available for students who need mental health support. Students can book a slot online and drop in every Tuesday and Thursday at Penrhyn Road Health Centre, to speak with a member of the Wellbeing Team. There are also listening sessions, stress and time management sessions and counselling services available. In an emergency, or if someone’s life is at risk, students should always call 999. In non-emergencies, students can fill out a safeguarding concern reporting form, which can be found on the MyKingston website or call the Samaritans any time on 116 123.

Student reactions

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People deal with mental health differently so some might cut off people around them, and that’s not because they hate them, it’s just how they deal with it. - Malcolm Solomon, fashion design student

“

”

I wouldn’t want my parents to know, but then I think it depends on how severe the situation is. - Lanya Sarawan, pharmacy student

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In an ideal world that would be brilliant but it’s dependent on the relationship you have with your family. - Ioanna Stergiaki, art curation student

”

News 4 Dorich House Museum to host Russian Winter Weekend

Help available on the Health and Wellbeing Services page of the KU website.

Russian Winter Weekend: Celebrate culture and tradition at Dorich House. Kingston’s Dorich House Museum is preparing to host its annual Russian Winter Weekend, inviting students to a range of free talks and activities with a festive Russian theme. The event will be taking place between December 2-4, starting each day with different talks on topics related to their Russian collection. “It’s a great event for students who haven’t visited or aren’t aware that the museum even exists,” said Glenyss Lipscombe, a venue and events coordinator at the Dorich House Museum. The museum is located near Richmond Park and was the former home of Richard Hare, an expert in Russian art and culture, and Dora Gordine who was a talented sculptor and artist. The museum was taken over by Kingston University after Gordine’s death and is now a museum open to the public. Now, students have a chance to become more familiar with the museum while learning about Russian culture and tradition. One of the talks will focus on traditional woodwork and will be hosted by KU PhD student Lauren Warner who boasts an MA in Russian art. Participants can also expect to hear about Fabergé, exquisite expensive jewellery, and Russian silver and works of art that were stolen from the museum in a burglary in 1988. Additionally, there will be a workshop focused on papercut art which has its roots in China and is a well-known form of decoration in Russia. These decorations will be displayed on the window of the modelling studio in Dorich House. For those wishing to indulge in the festive spirit, Lipscombe added that along with the talks and activities, students might be interested in enjoying the place itself. “There is no more tranquil and special place to relax in than the beautiful modelling studio where students can enjoy seeing our decorated Norway spruce Christmas tree and soak up the views from this room out to Richmond Park,” she said. If you are interested in attending this free event, tickets can be reserved online through Eventbrite on Dorich House Museum’s website.

access mental health support Photo: Nathan Dumlaoc/Unsplash

By Jamelia Brown

KU students unsure how to

By Abby Lake Kingston University students are unsure what mental health support is available on campus and how to go about accessing it. With Movember helping to raise awareness of men’s mental health, it is important to know how to access support and speaking to KU students revealed that there is a need for better promotion of mental health support at Kingston. Interior design student, Drew Bentley, said: “In Freshers Week, I did see a stall about generic mental health and all the rest of it targeted towards all people, but none necessarily speciﬁed towards a gender. “If anything, the university could maybe separate the mental health support stalls at freshers slightly so that people don’t miss it, because if it is just linked to general well-being it could be overlooked by the person seeking any help.” Salim Ammouni, an economics student, said that he does not

really know what support there is available for mental health on campus but he hopes that it exists. “I think mental health support should be promoted better because some people, for their ﬁrst-year, don’t really know many people around here or have many friends so they may experience mental health problems,” Ammouni said. “From the university, I would like to see some people having one-on-one sessions with students who experience mental health problems and in general more people should talk to everyone so people don’t feel alone. There are always differences between people so everyone should come together.” Kingston University offers wellbeing services and mental health support for students who need it, with information outlined on the Health and Wellbeing Services page of the Kingston University website. The university offers drop-in sessions remotely or bookable face-to-face-sessions twice a week at Penryn Road campus. It

also has listening sessions stress management and counselling. Media and communications student, Deon Dre, said: “I feel there is enough mental health support on campus but it depends on whether students will decide to seek it out which is the main issue. “I also think guaranteed conﬁdentiality may help encourage students to access the support that is available,” Dre added. The drop-in sessions offered by the university’s Health and Wellbeing Services are conﬁdential and students can talk to a wellbeing practitioner or health adviser who will offer advice, support and if relevant an onward referral. If you need support outside of the university, you can call Samaritans any time on 116 123. In terms of whether men’s mental health is taken seriously, Bentley expressed how he feels men themselves do not take their mental health seriously due to the stereotypes that still surround them. “I don’t feel that men’s mental health is taken seriously, more-

so by men themselves because of the whole toxic masculinity, kind of horrendous nature about not talking about feelings or anything that hurts you or causes damage,” Bentley said. Ammouni also agreed that he feels men’s mental health is not taken seriously because girls are more openly vulnerable, so society takes them more seriously while there is still a stigma around men’s mental health. Similarly, Dre added that, due to the way men are presented in the media, it prevents men from actually being vulnerable. He believed that men look at the media, see big macho men, and think they must be like them, especially the fearless ones that don’t really feel anything and are kind of seen as these big ﬁgures. Dre said: “Men kind of think they have to be like that and then they suffer from mental health issues, like they become depressed and don’t know how to deal with it. They become very angry and almost misplaced within society.”

News 5

Local community turn up in tribute for KU ‘hero’ after tragic murder By Omar Marwa People gathered on Saturday evening (November 20) for a tribute in memory of a KU student who was murdered when trying to save a life. Ali Abucar Ali, 20, died on Albany Parade, Brentford, as he stepped in to save a woman in a stabbing incident Michael Kwentoh organised Ali’s vigil near to where the incident occurred on November 12. He said in a speech: “His death was a tragedy for us all, his name will forever be remembered in our community.” The pair were both coaches at Chiswick Gators youth basketball club which Ali helped form, and where he dedicated much of his time on his way back from university.

Kwentoh said: “I will never meet a soul as pure as Ali was, he was a driven individual who wanted the best out of everyone else.” Hundreds of people witnessed as the darkening sky was lit up by candles in Ali’s honour, followed by a two-minute silence. Twenty balloons were later released in celebration of the years he lived, followed by a round of applause. Ali was a second-year accounting and ﬁnance student who aspired to become an accountant after graduation. Former school friend, Abdul Mohammed, said he has not come to terms with the death of his friend. “He was so caring, and always put others before himself. We should all learn from his character; a true hero.

“I have known him since I was 10, he was a lot more mature, so he would be around my older brother, he was also such a hard worker, and great all-rounder in sports.” “I remember every time we made our way to the train station from school, we would sing along to 90s music, which was our guilty pleasure, and to think we will never share moments like this again makes me devastated.” Ali promised to one day build a mosque and his family has set up a go-fund-me page. Over £100,000 have been raised by generous donors around the world to honour his dream. Anyone looking to support the family can donate through their Go-Fund-Me page Sadaqah jariyah for our brother Ali Abucar Ali.

Child at vigil. Photo: Omar Marwa

‘Vibrant and lively’ work hub opens at Roehampton Vale A new workspace, called the Bernie Hub, has opened at Roehampton campus which provides students with an open space for quiet study and group work. The Bernie Hub at Roehampton. Photo: Hava Kiani

By Alex Raikov & Hava Kiani KU students are excited about the opening of The Bernie Hub, a new space to work in and socialise at Roehampton Vale. Located on the ﬁrst ﬂoor of Roehampton’s main building, the new hub offers high back sofas for individual study as well as more open seating areas suitable for group work. “This space has really made me more motivated to study

as before it felt lifeless as the only working space really is a small library. I hope it motivates other students as it has for me,” said Zaniab Al Shamari, a masters student in international commercial law. Claire Saygili, a fellow international commercial law student, agreed: “It’s opened up more space in the university other than just the library. It automatically gives a vibrant and lively feel to Roehampton Vale.” Considering that the campus

is dedicated to the study of engineering, The Bernie Hub pays tribute to Kingston aerospace engineering alumna Anita Bernie. In an announcement issued by the university, Bernie said she is honoured to have the space named after her. “I hope people can use it as a forum for their own learning and development and building their own teams,” she told the university. “The thing I really loved about Kingston was combining the academic and

the practical. Engineering is such a creative discipline – it’s about making difficult things happen.” According to Wasim Azam, a medical engineering student, the Bernie Hub is living up to her vision. “I have met new people in the Bernie hub studying my course and it has made my conﬁdence as well as social skills go over the roof,” Azam said. “I ﬁnd it as my perfect place to study, everyone respects each

other and keeps this as a quiet working zone,” he continued. Mohammed Abdi, a secondyear mechanical engineering student is also happy to take advantage of the new space. “The hub is a nice place for me to go to when I need some time for myself when completing work, and without being distracted. “It’s also quite cosy so it’s a win-win for me,” he said. here to work in. The addition of the sofas add a warm atmosphere in the hub too,” he said.

News 6

SAYS

Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat, or so the nursery rhyme says. This Christmas season feels very different from last - while not totally allayed, the fears of Covid are in some part, the ghost of Chrismas past. While turkey might not be on the table this year we can at least bask in the warmth of the ﬁre and the musings of the Queen while surounded by the ones we love. Continental uncertainties will likely leave stockings a little lighter with Mr. Claus yet to facilitate a trade deal with Mr. Johnson. Many of those who were once clapped and pot-banged for on the nation’s doorsteps will wake up on Christmas morning ready to take the burden of our care. The oft forgotten heroes of the piece.To them, we raise a toast, a thanks, and an all-the-best. For the rest of us it is important to appreciate the day. A time to switch off and be grateful for what we have. Regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and sexuality, Christmas, or at the very least is a time for all to enjoy. The holiday itself, is a time for all to enjoy.

IS The River is written, edited and produced by journalism students at Kingston University. The River aims to serve the University and the local area. Our mission statement commits us to raising and addressing the issues relevant to students and local people, as well as to entertain and inform them. It is our aim to celebrate the achievements of students and local people alike. If you have information or a story which would interest our readers, please contact us. We aim to conform to the standard codes of conduct for the profession of journalism. It is The River’s policy to print timely corrections and clarifications when we have something wrong. If you feel we have misrepresented or that we have made a mistake, please get in touch with us: editors.river@gmail.com

Students excited by new vintage street market coming to Kingston

By Xenia Cherednychenko

To KU students’ pleasure, an Antique and Vintage Market is coming to Kingston for the ﬁrst time, offering a variety of second-hand treasures. On November 28, Old London Road will turn into a vibrant street market selling vintage textiles, accessories, illustrations, and retro clothing. “In fact, [it will have] a huge array of items, too numerous to mention. From small furniture to gardenalia and kitchenalia,” said the organiser of the market, Jackie Edwards. Interior design student Maddie Erb, said she is excited about the upcoming event: “I’ll have made an effort to shop more sustainably, so I’m happy to see more options for second-hand shopping in my local area,” she said. “I actually used to go to That Vintage Shop on Old London Road but was sad to see it shut a while ago,” Erb continued. Similarly, Abigail Martucci, a biological sciences student, said that she likes going to an-

People at the kingston vintage market Credits: Jackie Edwards tique shops in Kingston, so she is looking forward to seeing a bigger market in the area. Those interested in the eco-friendly side of vintage shopping will be happy to learn the market also promises a selection of redesigned goods. “Some of the items for sale beside antiques, collectable & retro items will be made of found and upcycled materials.

These could include new decorative pieces either to wear as an accessory or for the home,” Edwards said. Rachel Essex, a creative writing and fashion student said: “I feel like everybody else who’s ever gone to a vintage market really enjoyed it, so I’d like to go there because it sounds interesting.” Kayona Daley, an English

and creative writing student, hopes to ﬁnd some good vintage bargains at the market. “It is always nice to have a fun piece that no one is going to have,” she said. The market is the ﬁrst of a number of markets set up in collaboration with Old London Road Trade Association, with more dates to coming relativly soon in early 2022.

Excitement builds as plans for new Kingﬁsher Leisure Centre unveiled

By Evie Barrett

According to a recent poll, 79% of students are excited about the new Kingﬁsher Leisure Centre following the release of its latest proposals. The announcement, made on November 16, detailed new facilities which were not seen in the old leisure centre, including squash courts, and a rooftop ﬁve-a-side football pitch. “The proposed rooftop pitch sounds cool, as long as there are nets around the pitch to catch stray shots,” said Teo Ayodeji-Ansell, Social Media Secretary for Kingston University FC. “Hopefully it’ll be a facility that KU teams will be able to use for sports and exercise and such.” Students have been without a local leisure centre for almost two years, due to the sudden closure of the original centre in December 2019, when Kingston Council said concerns were raised about the structural integrity of the roof.

Athlete swiming Photo: Brian Matangelo

Despite a petition to save the old centre, which 21% of students said they preferred, the Council ofﬁcially allowed the bulldozing of it in September this year, promising a new centre by 2024. In a survey carried out by The River on social media, 91% of students agreed that this ﬁve-year gap between the closure of one centre and the opening of another was far too large. On the other hand, 9%

believed the new centre would be worth the wait. “The visualisation looks very utopian, the artists did a good job,” said Ayodeji-Ansell. Other facilities set to be included in the new Kingﬁsher are a 25-metre pool designed speciﬁcally for short course competitive swimming, a rooftop yoga space, a climbing wall and a six-court sports hall for basketball, netball and badminton.

“We want this to be an outstanding place with the very best in sporting equipment and facilities,” said Kingston Council’s Transform Kingston in a statement. “Whether you’re a future Olympic swimmer or just trying to keep ﬁt, this will be a great place to come and be active.” Kingston residents now have the chance to comment on the latest proposals on the Transform Kingston website.

News 7

KU lecturers to strike and stop working unpaid extra hours starting December

Continued from page 1

Protester holding a banner. Photo: shutterstock

KU lecturers to strike and stop working unpaid extra hours from December 1 to 3 and will also take action short of a strike (ASOS), which could include working contracted hours only. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted for the action in a ballot earlier this month along with 57 other universities. Known as the Four Fights, theprotest is over pay deﬂation, pay inequalities, increased workload and the casualisation of the workforce. Additionally, from December 1, for up to six months unless an agreement is reached, work-to-contract action will be undertaken. This could mean lecturers will stop working over their contracted hours, including marking or answering emails at evenings and weekends. Rosemary McNiece, Vice-Chair of Kingston UCU branch said: “I will be very clear that no academic lecturer wants to take strike action. We rather feel we have been forced into this position.” Professor Steven Spier, Vice-Chancellor of KU, said in a statement sent to students and staﬀ: “We respect the right to industrial action in relation to this national dispute but remain concerned about the impact this may have on our students. We would always hope

to be able to resolve our disagreements through dialogue rather than strikes.” How big was the turnout? UK law requires a 50 per cent turnout in each university for strike or ASOS to take place. At KU the turnout was 60 per cent, with 74 per cent voting in favour of a strike and 92 per cent voting for ASOS. “It is a very clear mandate from our membership that conditions are getting steadily worse,” said McNiece. The Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association

“We rather feel we have been forced into this position,”

- Rosemary McNiece, ViceChair of Kingston UCU branch (UCEA), which represents university senior management nationally, said: “UCU’s disaggregated ballot results saw just 52 [plus two in Northern Ireland out of 146 UCU branches meeting the required 50 per cent turnout. UCEA has read the low turnouts in the UCUs’ ballots as a clear indication that the great majority of university union members as well as wider. The employees understand the ﬁnancial re-

alities for their institution.” McNiece said that the issues at stake were not just about current conditions but that making the profession attractive was crucial: “It is the long term view that’s important here, it’s not just we want a pay rise at this point in time. It’s actually let’s think about developing this profession in the future of our youth, our young people, because we’ve now reached a point where no one is getting satisfaction from the sector at the minute.” What did the SU say? The Union of Kingston Students (SU), issued a statement ahead of the vote for a strike acknowledging their members would have strong feelings for both positions – both for fairly paid and better-treated staﬀ and about further disruption to their education. They said: “We also don’t believe that it is appropriate for the students’ union to sway the legitimate democratic expression of another union’s membership. Therefore, at least for the time being, we will not take a position on proposed industrial action without an open referendum of our own membership.” This statement is in contrast to the National Union for Students (NUS), which supports the UCU campaign. Larissa Kennedy, the NUS president,

said in a statement: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with our educators in fighting for a more just education system... It is entirely in the gift of vice chancellors and employers to come to a negotiated settlement and address the fundamental issues repeatedly raised by staff.” The NUS also ran a poll, which showed that 73 per cent of students supported university staff taking part in the campaign and strike action whilst just 9 per cent of students opposed it. McNiece said she found the SU’s answer disappointing. “Our working conditions are your learning environment. And when the working conditions are poor, your learning environment is. It is baffling because a lot of what they wrote seemed supportive, but then they took the decision that they couldn’t support and so I find it almost quite contradictory.” What do students think? A psychology student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I don’t think it’s a good idea because it’s going to impact the students who aren’t involved in this situation. And then that’s going to affect the results they get and their education which I don’t think is fair. They added that in the event of a strike “students shouldn’t be

graded, they shouldn’t be having deadlines”. “I just know that personally, if I text my tutor on a Sunday at 10am, they will still answer me so I don’t think that they will be that affected by the strike. But I think it’s different from tutor to tutor,” said Azza Wielach, an illustration student. A Kingston University spokesman said: “The University will do everything it can to ensure disruption to teaching and other activities is limited around this time. We appreciate our students have been through a difficult period during the pandemic and we hope staff will do their best to minimise the impact on students.”

Comment 8

Scrap the stern emails: students with high

absense rates need additional support By Ella Devereux

As we enter the darker winter months, characterised by cold mornings and daylight saving, it can feel harder to embrace the commute to university. Attendance at nine o’clock lectures is noticeably sparser in winter, as everyone battles to get themselves out of bed. As a result, it is unsurprising when you become the recipient of a few stern ‘poor attendance’ emails from lecturers. But at what point does poor attendance become a more serious matter for the university? In the general student regulations 2021/22 document for Kingston University, it states that where “engagement is identiﬁed as causing concern the University will write to you to offer academic guidance and to remind you that failure to engage may result in the termination of your registration.” On the surface this seems fair, given that there is little point in paying for a degree which you are not engaged with. But to students who are not attending because their mental wellbeing has deteriorated, this statement is likely

Person holding book up to their face. Photo: Siora Photography on Unsplash to increase the quantity of negative thoughts already swirling around their heads.This statement enforces a feeling of wrongdoing within any student, and a telling off is the last thing that some require. Not only is this threat unwarranted, arguably, it is hollow. After all, what university would kick a student out when they can squeeze £27,000 out of them

over three years? As someone who had around 50 per cent attendance in my ﬁrst year, I know that repeated poor attendance can become an inescapable cycle. If you spend enough time away from lectures, it feels like there is no feasible way to catch up. I have often felt that stern “where were you today?” emails make a generalisation about absence. There really is

no telling why someone did not come in. This generalisation can be dangerous, much akin to the hollow threats of academic termination, it can create a feeling of wrongdoing within a person, even when you know if you had the means, you would have attended that day. However there is a lifeline offered to students in the form of personal tutors. The success of

this relationship feels somewhat based on luck, as students who will never cross paths with their personal tutors in lectures may feel reluctant to go to these individuals with problems in personal or academic life. This relationship can be most effective when tutors can offer guidance and support to students who admit that they are struggling. This demonstrates, then, that the best way to break the cycle of poor attendance is to offer students a safe space to speak. Rather than treating all students as wrongdoers, treat all students as people who might be struggling and in need of a helping hand, as you never know what somebody is going through. Of course we need to strike a balance between adopting this approach to those who are frequently absent and ensuring that the academic achievement of other students is not affected at all in the process. However students will naturally be encouraged to break the cycle of non-attendance if they feel like they are coming back into a space which is supportive, uplifting and most importantly, non-judgemental.

Why did it take a pandemic to record lectures?

By Tara Rashica

The Covid-19 pandemic put us in to a completely different reality overnight. Life almost became a virtual reality with virtual work, virtual learning and even virtual parties. Opinions on virtual learning are split, some students preferred it others did not. For me virtual learning was hell, I hated being cooped up in my room for hours on end. However, recorded lectures were a God send, it makes you think why were they never recorded in the ﬁrst place? One thing I struggled with massively with before was going over content after my lecture. Lecturers would go through power points incredibly fast and follow with “the slides are on Canvas so you can go over them at home”. However, once getting home and going through them they made little sense, it felt as if I was just copying things down but not actually taking in the information. Pre-recorded lectures on-

line were much easier to work through in your own time. So why now that we are back on campus learning are they no longer being recorded? Speaking to Kingston students most agree that lectures should still be reordered. Pharmaceutical science student Rukayah Majeed pointed out: “Sometimes you may not be able to go in for unforeseen circumstances, so if they were recorded that would not be a problem because you can go over it at a later date.” Going over slides from a lecture you did not attend can sometimes feel like you are trying to crack the Da Vinci code, especially when lecturers just bullet point their slides instead of adding the additional information they provide in class. Criminology student Nour Warid also thinks they should be recorded: “People that live far may struggle, it’s not fair for them if they can’t catch up.” Pharmaceutical student Ahmad feels students that commute are not considered by the university

at all. “My commute is an hour and a half long. Sometimes I miss the beginning of a lecture or miss one altogether,” he said. He also pointed out how useful they are for things like revision: “I was relying on it this year.” Ahmad makes a good point, I have lost count of how many times I have gone over slides for help with an assignment or revision and I am sure that many students have experienced the exact same thing. However, some departments are still recording them. Law student Katie Neligan says two of her modules this year are online. “I’m kind of annoyed because I’d rather be on campus, but the plus side is that the lectures are recorded so I have more freedom with when I can do my work.,” she said. Cyber security student Zain said: “Some of our lectures are actually still recorded which is useful when you want to look back on any materials.” Kingston University’s Student Union Vice President of Educa-

Microsoft Teams on a laptop. Photo: James Veysey on Shutterstock tion, Sami Mehkri, has started a petition for live streaming and recording lectures. The consensus seems to be that students want recorded lectures to further their learning. It is un-

fair for students used to online learning and recorded lectures to then scrap them upon returning to campus. While some departments are still recording lectures this should apply to all.

Comment 9

Night-time transport options must improve By Jamelia Brown

With the capital’s nightlife finally back in full swing after an 18-month disruption due to the pandemic, students couldn’t be happier to get back to the clubs, arguably a key aspect of the university experience. But after the fun is finished, an all-important question arises: how am I going to get home? As a woman, I always have to plan and calculate my route home and I am sure others can relate to the safety precautions I have to take. If I am getting an Uber I do not think twice when I share my journey and vehicle number plate with a friend. It is normal for me to board a train carriage with the most amount of people in it, knowing the British Transport Police number to text if I witness or a victim of sexual harassment (61016 for those that don’t know it). I know the exits of my most frequently used train stations by heart and using well-lit routes home have been second nature to me for a long time. However there is one glaring omission here. The night tube used to be an easy and reliable option but the Transport for London (TfL) service has been halted since March 2020 when the first national lockdown was announced.

The night-time trains would run on Friday and Saturday nights on selected lines including the Central, Jubilee and Piccadilly. There would also be many TfL staff deployed at hotspot stations to ensure safety and make sure everything was running smoothly. This would give me and many other female students a safety net of knowing there was a way to get back home after spending the evening in central London. A petition started by Ella Watson to reinstate the night tube on women’s safety grounds reached over 100,000 signatures meaning it had to be discussed in Parliament and last month it was announced that the service would return but only on the Central and Victoria lines. Despite this small victory, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has announced a series of strikes against the revival of the once-popular transport system, jeopardising the planned comeback date on November 26. With no way to get home, many have no option but to wait for the ﬁrst train in the early hours of the morning after a night of clubbing. This creates a breeding ground for further tragedies as happened to Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa to happen again. Despite the Met constantly reminding the public

People on the train. Photo: Just Jack on Unsplash

that London’s streets are safe for women, a survey by YouGov found that a quarter of women do not feel using TfL services even on the day. This has left many Londoners resorting to using expensive Uber’s. However, the popular taxi company which is already not a student budget-friendly option has recently announced that they will be hiking prices up by 10 per cent in Greater London due to a lack of drivers. The safety of Uber was called

into question last year when TfL initially refused to renew the ride-hailing company’s licence to operate in the capital because of historical failings. Despite TfL’s recent campaign to stamp out sexual harassment on public transport more needs to be done to tackle women’s safety, especially during the night. Female students should be able to enjoying the nightlife London has to offer without the constant worry of how we are

going to get home safely without breaking the bank. Additionally, a discussion needs to be opened about why London’s night public transport system is so limited especially in areas that do not have tube stations like Kingston. Other major European capital cities all have well established nighttime train services, so why has this not been put in place in London yet? Students are waiting for a safe and cost-effective way to get home.

students will be deterred from going to grab a drink or order their favourite takeaways since it will be signiﬁcantly less affordable than it would have been two years ago. Nadya Cheetham, a creative and cultural industries design marketing student said: “This rise of prices has already affected how often and how much I buy when I go out. I’m from up north, where a pint typically costs £2.50. I have already been limiting my nights out and social gatherings because of the prices. Why spend £15 on a single gin and tonic when I can buy a litre of gin for £20 and a bottle mixer for an extra 30p.“ University students that aren’t being funded by wealthy parents are going to be deterred by the soaring prices. The price of rent has even gone up to account for

landlords having empty rooms for several months over lockdown, meaning that students pockets are feeling lighter than ever without even considering leisure and the occasional eating out which will leave them struggling to make ends meet. Cheetham continued: “Delivery services are extremely expensive, such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo etc. But very convenient during deadlines and exam season. Because of the expense, I now buy packet food such as noodles or couscous for around 30p and add hot water.” While nothing compares to the atmosphere of a nice bar or restaurant, it may beneﬁt students to cut corners when it comes to buying alcohol or food. There are always cheap and convenient options when saving up for a night out.

Are students able to keep up with the skyrocketing bar and restaurant prices?

People clinking their pints of Guinness. Photo: Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Shutterstock By Harry Brogan With heavy goods vehicle drivers in short supply and businesses still reeling from lockdowns, it is no surprise that prices in bars and restaurants are on the rise. This is problematic for the entire nation, but for students it could mean that nightlife and eating out become a less com-

mon occurrence. Living in the UK is becoming more and more expensive by the day. The government is no longer offering additional support to businesses in the pandemic, so business owners are now left to pick up the pieces and ﬁgure out a way to stay aﬂoat – usually resulting in raising their prices accordingly.

As anyone that has lived in London would know, it is not a cheap place to live with high rents and higher-than-average prices for food. The student loan helps, but in London it may not completely cover all of your living expenses. If prices at bars and restaurants continue to rise, by an estimated by three times by April,

Features 10

Are you willing to have a meat-free Christmas? By Jamelia Brown

With Christmas only a few weekends away, many have already started preparing for the festive season. High on the priority list is planning and preparing the long-awaited Christmas meal with all the trimmings: potatoes, pigs in blankets and Brussels sprouts - for those that enjoy them. However, could you imagine a Christmas dinner without the main feature, a turkey? Last month British farmers warned of a turkey shortage due to a lack of staff available to meet the astronomical December demand. Workers in the poultry industry estimated that this has left them raising one million fewer birds than needed. KU dance student Emily Jacob can’t imagine having a Christmas without turkey: “I’ve always been a meat lover since I was younger and it’s a tradition to have it on Christmas Day. I couldn’t imagine sitting down without it, a turkey’s my favourite part of the meal,” she said. The government has announced that they will allow poultry workers from the European Union into the country on a temporary basis in a bid to help curb the shortage and ensure that supermarket shelves stay stocked for the festive period. However, it has recently been revealed by the British Poultry Council (BPC) that only around half of the target recruitment of 5,500 has been reached. Although the BPC has recent-

British farmers warned of a turkey shortage. Photo: Claudio Schwarz/ Unsplash ly promised that there will be enough turkeys to go around this Christmas and they have enough workers to get them over the demand, they have acknowledged that there will be less variety and choice this year. Rebeca Hewitt, a third-year dance student is relieved by the conﬁrmation by the BPC: “Turkey is my favourite part of a Christmas dinner, I could never give it a miss.” Even though Christmas spreads will most likely not be missing the festive bird, KU students have considered whether they would be willing to give up turkey this year and try a meat-

free alternative instead. Sarah Eames, a third-year studying dance said: “It’s hard because I love meat but I have it all the time. One part I wouldn’t give up are the roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings so if I had those then I could happily go without a turkey, it wouldn’t be missed as much.” When asked if she would swap turkey for a vegan or vegetarian alternative Eames said: “I’ve tried vegan chicken and it was quite nice so I wouldn’t mind. If there was a meat-free alternative I’d deﬁnitely give it a go instead of having turkey.” Whilst supermarket shelves

sic on Spotify and YouTube, it gets me in the zone and keeps me focused for a long period of time because it is very easy to get distracted whilst studying,” said Creative Writing student, Kayona Daley. “When I study, I draw mind maps because it helps me to organise all of my thoughts,” said Creative and Professional Writing student, Rachel Essex. “I always make sure to get a good night’s sleep before an exam. I also recommend mak-

ing quite a few friends in your class to study with so that you can form a study group,” said Pharmacology student, Azad Khan. “I record voice notes to revise and I listen to them when I am travelling to and from university, so it sticks,” said Biomedical Science student, Hannah Haastrup. “Don’t procrastinate. Leaving your studies till the last minute could also affect your grades and put you under a lot of unwanted pressure,” Dance student, Peggy Serwaa.

should be stocked with your seasonal favourites, here are some tried and tested meatless Christmas dinner ideas for those looking to cut down on their meat consumption, cook for a plant-based family member or just want to try something new. Quorn vegetarian roast: Made of mycoprotein, you put this roast into the oven for an hour, slice and serve. It has a very realistic chicken-like texture and is perfect for those wanting to give up meat but not the taste. This product is also gluten-free. Marks and Spencer Plant Kitchen vegan beef wellington: If you are looking for something

different to traditional turkey ﬂavours this could be you. This dish is pea protein ‘beef’ covered in mushroom and pastry which is heavy and rich in ﬂavour. This is also quick and easy to cook, with an hour’s oven time. Nut roast: Made of nuts, pulses and vegetables this alternative is perfect for those looking to try a plant-based main without mock meats. Although time-consuming, this meal tastes best when it is homemade so is ideal for those looking to go the extra mile. If you are looking for a quicker cook time, Waitrose four-nut roast bake is a perfect option.

KU Students share their top study tips By Melissa Okoroafor

Preparing for assignments or exams? With exam season quickly approaching Kingston University students share their top study tips that they use whilst studying. “I would recommend starting assignments early, taking breaks to reward yourself and writing notes in words that make sense to you,” said Pharmacy student, Bridgit Obeng. “I always listen to study mu-

A person studying. Photo: Wes Hicks/ Unsplash

Features 11

Are climate protests still relevant today? By Diego Evrard-Broquet

The Metropolitan Police arrested over a hundred of Insulate Britain protesters who blocked Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges last week. Insulate Britain protesters have been jailed for breaching injunctions to prevent road blockades. What would push people to get arrested as a means of alerting the rest of us on climate change? To try to understand their side of the story, I spoke to “armchair activist” David Kidd, Course Director of the MSc in Geographical Information Systems and Science programme as well as two KU philosophy students who are climate activists. I spoke to the latter two on the occasion of a climate protest on November 13. COP26 was a failure. Why is there a need to protest to start with? The simple answer is the failure of traditional political institutions. This was illustrated by the watered down agreements and pledges at COP26 which most people believe do not go far enough to keep the global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees.

Why protest? “Protests are a lifeblood of democracy. An active citizenry that is politically engaged is an important part of the separation of powers,” said a KU philosophy student who wished to remain anonymous. This means protests are of the

There is rising public concern about climate change - what could possibly be the cause of that? Big meetings like COP26? Or could it be because of an increase of climate related extreme weather events, like flooding? “It definitely impacts the dynamic of climate opinion. People are realising that climate change is not a far-off problem, but that it is already here and is only going to get worse if we do not take any action immediately. Extreme events like droughts and fire, impact our archaic infrastructure which are not adapted to climate change,” said Kidd.

same importance as the executive, the parliament, the judiciary or journalism. “Protests also have an important transformative function. It shows individuals that if they come together and aggregate their power they can inﬂuence policy. Power does not simply reside in the hands of the government,” said the philosophy student. A KU philosophy graduate, who also didn’t want to be named, said: “We have got to be organised. We have got to move against powerful corporations. They’re only going to react if we do something about it.” “Protest is more about gradual

‘Betrayed by the government’ sign with a protestor in action. Photo: Dominika Zarzycka/ Shutterstock

I think the targeting of fossil fuel infrastructure is a legitimate form of protest. I do not consider this a form of violence

pressure and keeping ﬁxing the news,” added Kidd. On the same note, Heleen de Coninck, lead author of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body aimed at producing solid climate science for governments worldwide, told the Economist: “The pressure that activists place on business and political leaders is indispensable for climate actions.” Are climate activists methods a p p ro p r i a t e ? “Climate protests are too soft in character, given the severity of the crisis. Public opinion is massively in favour of taking large and transformative measures to develop a sustainable and resilient society. We need to demonstrate this commitment more b o l d l y, ”

said the philosophy student. “You have to disrupt. It is about choosing the right media moment, when best to get everyone’s attention,” said the recent graduate. “I think protests that engage in targeted disruption are important to indicate the willingness of citizens to support transformative social and economic policies that are able to tackle the severity of the climate crisis,” said the philosophy student. “I think the targeting of fossil fuel infrastructure is a legitimate form of protest. I do not consider this a form of violence. It is not aimed at harming anyone. On the contrary, it is aimed at preventing the climate crisis that will inﬂict upon millions of people if we do not take any political action. I would draw a parallel with Nelson Mandela and the ANC targeting

material infrastructure to exert political

pressure on the government to end apartheid,” added the student. Targeted action does not always have to be extreme. “Guerrilla gardening in extra-suburban areas would also be good examples,” said Kidd. This practice refers to gardening on land that the gardeners do not have the legal rights to cultivate, such as abandoned sites, areas that are not being cared for, or private property. Protest is community. Climate protests are also an occasion to meet people sharing the same values. Some might argue it is part of the point of protests. “Protest is about community and internal bonding, local community actions which participate in a necessary decentralisation,” said Kidd. The philosophy graduate added: “It is good to see so many different groups at the same time and place, this gives a feeling of unity.”

Features 12

Kingston’s handmade Christmas

Cemeramic design created by Lexy Cooper. Photo: @a.mica.c By Eleanor Yates With the festive season fast approaching, it is time to think about the importance of giving your loved ones thoughtful presents. After the holidays were put on hold for most people last year, this is a great chance to make this Christmas one to remember. A shortage of lorry drivers and rising shipping costs have raised fears of shortages and according to Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys selection committee of the Toy Retailers Association: “All industries are tackling some supply chain challenges this year.” Possible supply issues for toys and presents might limit your options when shopping for gifts but not your creativity. KSA students have some great tips for

making your own presents this year. Illustration animation student Lexy Cooper, 20, said: “The best tip I have for creating is to upcycle. It’s a lot more fun in my opinion. Finding something old to make something new and charming. I mainly find old jewellery, whether it’s combining different beads or repainting an old necklace, it’s easy to make a new pair of earrings for a friend. This could be applied to so much, even clothes. There’s so many tutorials on TikTok at the moment for bleach painting trousers.” Across social media there are easy to find short tutorials for DIY and crafts. If you are not as confident in making something elaborate, then creating a funny gift may be for you. “I received a gift from a friend recently that makes me smile

every day. They’re in New York, so they sent me a mini cardboard cutout of themselves. It’s like a personalised elf on the shelf, and easy to make if you have a printer at home,” said Cooper. “There’s too many possibilities with DIY. Once you start digging it’s endless and Pinterest is a great place to look. I’ve been super into air dry clay recently. The cheapest pack I’ve found was three pounds and it’s easy to make a few ash trays, jewellery stands or even clay rings from. Again, Pinterest is your best friend when looking for inspiration. I’d say everything I’ve mentioned is applicable to any level of creativity. Receiving something handmade is a gift enough, whether it’s good or bad, it’s personal and you put effort into making it. But finally a card, be brave, scribble if you

want, Picasso made a living off scribbles,” Cooper added. If the person you are giving to is a foodie then illustration animation student, Lucy Daniell, 21, gave this advice: “Keep it simple. Baked goods always go a long way and people appreciate the time you’ve put in.” A traditional route is also a good one to take. Knitted and crocheted items are things that will last and would look great with a handmade scrunchie. “Play to your strengths. I love crochet so a lot of my Christmas gifts to people this year will probably be crochet made. Use what you have already to reduce cost and waste. Scraps of material could become scrunchies or cheap long candles can be bent into fun shapes if you heat them in a bowl of hot water,” Daniell continued. When it comes to hand making gifts, you can think more personally and create something sentimental that they can keep for a long time, rath-

er than a material short-term present. Fashion communications student, Lucy Brine, 21, advised: “I’d say a perfect gift that’s almost universal is anything involving old photos or memories. If you’ve got pictures of your siblings, friends, whoever your gift is for, a printer, and preferably photo paper too, you can make beautiful, thoughtful gifts with very little in the way of supplies. These are often a lot more sentimental than shop bought gifts and save a lot of money too. The great thing about this gift is that you can personalise it depending on the individual’s interests and favourite things.” These ideas can easily be created and show much more thought than generic toys and gifts and this year is a great chance to put in the extra effort and make it a truly special Christmas.

Hand in Jam located in the Not My Beautiful House shop. Photo: Lexy Cooper

How my artwork has changed my life By Omar Marwa

Josephine Miller standing by her artwork. Photo: Kingston first

As the end of 2021 approaches, there have been many challenges and obstacles that a lot of students can relate to throughout this difﬁcult year. Despite this, there is always a light at the end of a tunnel. Opportunities arise, and the talents of KU students are being noticed. KSA graduate, Josephine Miller, turned her dream into a reality when she landed her job as an art director and 3D artist at a creative agency called Little Rooms. “There’s a lot of great learning curves in this role. Each project is different which always keeps me on my toes. I’ve always loved to explore and stretch my skills combining storytelling, technology and psychology in my work and this allows me to do

all that,” she said. Miller, 22, explained the difﬁculties that she faced during lockdown as she had to work several jobs in order to cover her expenses, but she believed that something positive would come out of her struggle and it encouraged her to build up her portfolio.

I try to incorporate the latest technology in my work

For her current employers, a project that stood out in her portfolio was Surreal Swans, a piece which adorns Kingston shopfronts and allowed Miller to showcase her talent. It was an opportunity given to her by Kingston First. “I pitched my idea in front of the Kingston First team and they decided to select my idea,” she said.

Miller explained that all her art pieces have specific representations behind them. “I try to incorporate the latest technology in my work to hint at our digital future,” Miller explained, a woman confident with her imagination. Her artwork was unveiled a year ago this month and it has captivated central Kingston with a luminous 3D design of multiple swans. Miller was inspired by seeing groups of swans streaming by on the river in Kingston, a sight common to many Kingston residents, and interpreted it into her own style. A passionate learner who inspires others to take every opportunity that is presented to them, Miller sees herself 10 years from now working in the virtual or augmented reality field as an art director for the Metaverse, the future vision for the internet.

Entertainment 13

Top 3 Netﬂix movies to watch in the run up to Christmas season By Kumba Kpakima

As the trees start to go up and festive decor creeps in to store windows you may be wondering where exactly the time has gone? Not to worry though, we are here to get you into the Christmas spirit, with our list of must-see Netflix films to get yourself prepared for the big day. So, grab a cup of coffee and get prepared to Netflix and Chill, the festive way. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star The Princess Switch, which was first released in 2018, follows the story of two women, Stacey and Margaret - a Chicago baker and the Duchess of Montenaro - who just so happen to look exactly alike. They meet at a Christmas baking competition in Belgravia where they are astonished at how similar they look. They decide to swap lives for two days but the story gets complicated when Stacey falls in love with Margret’s fianceé,

of Bill’s closest friends from showing their support. Chris Rock, Miley Cyrus and Maya Rudolph also make a special appearance and even perform a special Christmas song for the show. Actress Rashida Jones plays a jilted bride whilst Jenny Lewis plays a cocktail waitress, who just so happens to have a really good singing voice. A good watch.

the prince, and the Duchess falls in love with Stacey’s co-worker. Luckily for us, the movie returned to Netﬂix’s screens on November 18 for a third installment. A must-watch.

Vanessa Hudgens in the Princess Switch 3 Photo: Shuttershock Bill Murray at the Netflix premiere of

to venture into Elfhelm in search of his father. His father, who was offered a chance to make a lot of money, left home to pursue his new job in the frozen north, leaving his son behind to be looked after by the child-hating Aunt Carlotta. After years of mistreatment, Nikolas decides to run away from Aunt Carlotta and find his dad. On his journey to Elfhelm, he meets a reindeer named Blitzen who helps him find his father’s hat. He later runs into danger but is saved by a pair of elves who just so happen to work with his father. Definitely bound to get you into the Christmas spirit.

A Very Murray Christmas a Murray Christmas in 2015 Photo: The film sees Bill Murray put together Shutterstock his first Christmas show but after a terrible snowstorm hits New York City, he is worried no one will show up. Joined by A Boy Called Christmas This film explores the origin story of actresses Amy Poehler and Julie White, who play his stressed-out producers, Father Christmas through the eyes of UK Premiere of A Boy Called Christthe weather doesn’t seem to stop some an ordinary boy, Nikolas, who decides mas Photo: Shutteratock

30 brings a new sound and JLS new album 2.0 to be a new direction for Adele released in December

By Evie Barrett

Adele is back with her most emotional album yet. The 33-year-old powerhouse released her latest project, 30, on November 19, making a bold statement with her new sound. The album opens with a twinkling, strippedback piano tune, instantly marking the start of something special and unique. As she sings, Audrey Hepburn’s Moon River comes to mind, as the track conveys nostalgia, sounding simply classic. Throughout the album, this theme of unlikely influences is followed, with Cry Your Heart Out’s drumbeat, sounding distinctly reggae-inspired, or akin to that of a Stevie Wonder song. There is also a guitar-based track, Can I Get It, which starts off like a Red Hot Chili Peppers rock ballad, and continues to fluctuate between this and a 2010’s pop vibe. Adele truly keeps listeners on their toes throughout this project, making it impossible to know what to expect next. A noticeable difference on this album is the elaborate production which graces a handful of tracks. With the exception of Hold On, a rather underwhelming and lacklustre entry, most of the songs sound sonically engineered in an unexpected way, offering booming basslines and peculiar sound effects that work to freshen up Adele’s image. All Night Parking is one example of this, sounding like a lo-fi beat in the best way possible. The moments where 30 really shines though are the moments when Adele’s emotion, both

lyrically and vocally, are brought to the forefront. My Little Love and Picks Up Again shine a spotlight on her soulful side, raising inevitable comparisons to Amy Winehouse. These tracks, particularly the former, show Adele’s vulnerabilities like never before, yet this rawness brings with it an air of maturity that makes her seem stronger than ever. The best vocal performance undeniably comes from To Be Loved, an atmospheric and chill-inducing power ballad of acceptance. On the whole, Adele brings innovation to her signature sound, offering fans an honest depiction of her life in a way they may have never imagined. She takes clear risks on a large portion of this album, but they undoubtedly pay off, resulting in a re-invention of her image which still somehow captures that quintessential Adele essence we have come to know and love.

Adele waving Photo: Shutterstock

By Tasnin Athay

Following their recent reunion fans of the English boy band JLS can now look forward to the release of their latest album JLS 2.0 on December 3. Describing themselves now as a ‘lad band’ due to their age, Aston Merrygold, 33, JB Gill, 34, Oritsé Williams, 34, and Marvin Humes, 36, have been back on tour after an eight-year hiatus following their split in 2013. The Brit Award winners shot to fame in 2008 as runners-up on the 2008 series of The X Factor, coming second to Alexandra Burke. They enjoyed huge success producing four albums and clocking up ﬁve UK number ones together. They announced their intention to split in 2013 with a farewell tour and compilation album of their greatest hits. The group took a break to work on solo projects but delighted fans in 2020 when they revealed plans to reunite after seven years. However, their resurgeance Beat Again tour was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic and was rescheduled to start in October 2021. Their new single, Eternal Love, from the JLS 2.0 album is out now

and was written by the one and only Ed Sheeran. After a recent concert they thanked their fans on Instagram saying: “We’ll never forget this moment and having our families there with us.” Following four nights at the O2 London they are moving on to Manchester and Birmingham before returning to London for Capital radio’s Jingle Bell Ball in December 2021.

JLS at the Brit Awards Photo: David Fisher

Entertainment 14

Celine and Mariah festively return to Kingston By Chris Dudek

Celine performing in Montreal Photo: Canadian/ Shutterstock

Mariah Carey New Years Eve concert Photo: MJ Photos/Shutterstock

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas… Kingston town centre will soon be ﬁlled with classic festive music. Here comes that time again when people step into busy coffee shops where the windows are all steamed up, the talk is of food and presents and that familiar soundtrack plays. Everyone has their own favourite Christmas song, but this is the time when the two of the world’s best-loved divas are head-to-head. The two of the biggest selling female albums are Celine Dion’s These are Special Times and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas. According to Billboard.com both women have sold around 5.5 million copies in the US, each year adding to the total amount of album sales and streams. Both artists have had a similar success in the UK and Europe with their Christmas offerings. The two albums sound different. Celine Dion’s crystal-clear tone brings a level of tranquility and sounds angelic. Mariah Carey’s album on the other hand brings

a different feeling of happiness, it is a lot more joyful and euphoric. Both albums are iconic in their own right and deserve their commercial success. But how to choose which songs are the best? Here is The River’s top 5 list of songs for you to enjoy over the festive period. 5: Joy To The World- Mariah Carey There is not much to say apart from the fact that it’s the best Christmas karaoke song. 4: O Holy Night- Celine Dion It will give you goosebumps, no doubt about it. A masterpiece. 3: The Magic Of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)- Celine Dion The ultimate favourite. It brings a true feeling of nostalgia. 2: All I Want For Christmas Is You- Mariah Carey No list can be without this gem of a song. Make sure to sing the high notes. 1: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)- Celine Dion Her glorious ice-cold voice mixed with the amazing lyrics is a must-listen.

The name’s Bond, but who’s name is Bond? By Will Arnot

(Warning: spoilers ahead for No Time To Die) By the time serial womaniser and suave super-spy James Bond takes to the silver screen again, he will be sporting an entirely new look. The ending of the franchise’s most recent incarnation saw a rather explosive end for the character under the tenure of Daniel Craig and has left many fans wondering where the series will go next. Firstly, let us talk about the “he” aspect of that opening line. The next Bond will be a man, that is set in stone. Barbara Broccoli, who inherited control of the franchise with her half-brother, Michael G. Wilson, in 1995, said at the beginning of last year that while she is in control, Bond will be many things, but never a woman. So that puts to bed any dream castings of the most recent person to hold the 007 mantle (other than Daniel Craig) Lashana Lynch. Also, out of the running from the bookies favourite list are the likes of: Suranne Jones, Ana de Armas, T’Nia Miller and Emilia Clarke. With that being said, we must turn our attention to the long list of eligible acting bachelors that have been linked with the role, and the reasons as to why it is unlikely that your favourite choice will be Bond. Broccoli and Wilson will also be quick to eliminate the risk of repeating the singular mistake on the lineage of Bond, George Lazenby. While Lazenby was a ﬁne Bond, and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service a fun if a little too cheesy ﬁlm, Lazenby, being Australian, somehow never sat right, with the former model having to receive elocution lessons to walk and talk like the Eton educated Bond. Therefore, it is important that

this bastion of all things British, is at least from the United Kingdom. No time for goodbyes then for: Mahershala Ali, Adam Driver, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Michael B. Jordan. An important factor in the hiring of the new face of Bond is age. Daniel Craig was 36 at the time of his hire, a perfect age to carry a franchise for the next 15 years. While the next Bond may not be in the position that long, it is an important factor and would likely eliminate any actor over the age of 40. That means it is a Dr No for a lot of the fan favourites: Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Michael Fassbender and Charlie Hunman. While Bond himself is a man of many faces, the character does have many defining characteristics. He is traditionally handsome – a term difficult to describe, but you know it when you see it. Connery through to Brosnan all had that signature Bond aesthetic: tall, dark hair, chiselled jaw and slightly weathered but extremely clean cut. Daniel Craig went against some of that grain, and maybe his replacement will be more akin to his look than the look of Bonds past, but for the sake of narrowing down, we will exclude anyone who does not fit that ‘Bond aesthetic.’0 Goodbye another day to: Jamie Bell, Riz Ahmed, Callum Turner and Kingsley Ben-Adir. Lastly, the subtlest of the defining factors of Bond is experience, any actor that will be up for the role will likely need to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and have a number of acting credits in action roles under his belt. For at least the last two, Brosnan and Craig, you can point to a defining role that set them up for Bond. With Brosnan’s performance in Remington Steele drawing

plaudits likening him to a ‘young bond’, and Craig’s performance in Matthew Vaughn’s dark and gritty crime thriller Layer Cake, showed his ability to be as rough and ready as her majesty’s secret servant needs to be. A lack of experience is where many of our younger actors fall foul, time to wave a Goldenbye to: Rege-Jean Page, Luke Pasqualino, Tom Brittney, Theo James and Max Irons. So, who is left? After starting with 100 of the bookies favourites, we find ourselves with five names remaining: Tom Hopper; James Norton; Dan Stevens; Sam Clafin and Ed Skrein. Tom Hopper and James Norton are the overwhelming favourites with the betting odds compared with the others, with some bookies offering less than 4/1 odds on either man taking on the role for the next, as of yet untitled, Bond film. While bookmakers are often speculative basing decisions of the slightest whisper in the wind, the odds are certainly stacked against Stevens, Skrein and Clafin – with the latter two being given 66/1 and 100/1 odds respectively. Based off this, Stevens, Skrein and Clafin will find themselves shooting out of the proverbial ejector seat and receiving a (Gold) finger-wag. Unlike his four fellow finalists, Norton possesses the least experience in action roles, playing most often a bumbling toff in television shows like ITV’s Granchester, where he played the ever charming Reverand Sidney Chambers. Norton has turned his hand to some darker roles, such as Alex Godman in the BBC’s McMafia, but Godman in that series acted more as man thrust into an unknown world rather than one who thrived in the unknown, as

Bond often does. The other favourite, Tom Hopper, has a far greater lineage of action roles on his resume. A literal giant of a man, Hopper stands at 6ft 5ins and would tower over each of his predecessors by at least three inches over the current tallest Bond, Sean Connery. His recent role of Luther Hargreeves in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy shows that not only does Hopper possess the ability to be a strong leading man, but also has the comedic acting chops to deliver some of Bonds typically cheesy one liners. Broccoli and Wilson, as well as their fellow Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executives, have a tough couple of years ahead, and it is very likely that their current ideas board is far more expansive than the 100 this article looked at. One thing is for certain however, with Bond, it is not the actor that defines the role, but rather the role that defines the actor.

Tom Hopper at the 2021 GQ Men of The Year Awards Photo: Scott Garﬁtt Shutterstock

Sport 15

Women’s rugby team finds hope in KU This Girl Can partnership after facing ‘bad stigma’ By Evie Barrett

The president of the KU women’s rugby team fears that female students do not want to get involved in rugby, because of stereotypes and worries about being judged. This comes shortly after free sports coaching sessions for women were announced by KU’s Sport and Active Lifestyle Team, who are attempting to tackle gender imbalance in support of the This Girl Can campaign. “I’m happy that the university is getting involved in the campaign, as hopefully it encourages more women to take part in any sport they want to play, whether it’s rugby or football,” said Michaela Warr, Women’s Rugby President and international law student. Warr admits that growing up in Dubai, the stigma surrounding women in sport was not nearly as prominent. “I grew up in a country where girls everywhere were playing rugby, and it was amazing,” she said. In the UK however, she has noticed some differences. “There’s such a bad stigma here around women’s rugby,” Warr said. “I’m still finding that we don’t get a lot of girls because it’s a ‘man’s sport’ and there are quite a few stereotypes around us.” “It’s quite annoying as I’m worried that’s why people don’t want to join rugby, because of what other people might think of them.”

Siobhan and Michaela from the KU women’s rugby team Photo: Zahra Khadir

“Are women who play rugby not pretty enough?” The Women’s Rugby President has seen the effect of these preconceptions in professional sport too, noting the difference between male and female advertising strategies. “There was an ad where England showed models wearing the [women’s] England kit, and used male rugby players to model their kit,” said Warr. “Why did they do this? Are women who play rugby not pretty enough?” The KU This Girl Can scheme will focus on helping women to train as sports coaches, allowing them to “lead from the front”. “Currently there are more men coaching than women, and we think that everyone doing sport should have the choice as to who

coaches or leads their activity,” said the Sport and Active Lifestyle Team in a statement. Warr agrees that it is necessary for the university to provide more coaches, saying: “I’m currently coaching the women’s team because we haven’t got a coach, and I’m not really sure what is being done about that anymore.” On the encouragement the women’s rugby team receives from the university overall, Warr said: “We get a couple of people coming to watch us at games, however I don’t think we get enough support.” Despite this, Warr enjoys her role as Women’s Rugby President, saying: “This is my second year as president, as I wanted

troubling shots on goal. Young opened the scoring from the spot after Kingston centre back Cameron Solly hacked him down in the box with a mistimed tackle. Kingston grew into the game and had a goal to show for their efforts. Justin Domfeh scored a brilliant goal by chopping in onto his left foot and placing a shot past the keeper after Damien Lopez played him through following brilliant footwork of his own. Surrey scored against the run of play late into the first half when Budge looped the ball over Max Burrell after the Kingston goalkeeper came rushing off his line. Drama ensued as both teams got heated after Reed had put the ball in the back of the net and started cel-

ebrating, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside. Casmir Umeh managed to pull the sides level in the second half from the penalty spot after a congested Surrey box yielded a penalty. Minutes later, Surrey were awarded a penalty after Burrell clattered into an opposition player inside of his own box. Young made no mistake from the spot for the second time in the game sending Burrell the wrong way with his well placed effort. Mike Butterfield added to Kingston’s woes scoring late on and sealing the game from a well worked corner kick. The loss leaves Kingston men’s team bottom of their league and in desperate need for a win.

to have a leadership role in the sport I love to play. I like being a leader, as people can come to me and ask me questions about rugby and I’ve got the answers most of the time.” According to the Sports and Active Lifestyle Team’s statement, EU research shows that only 30 per cent of the coaching workforce are women, with only 17 per cent of qualified coaches being female. As a result, helping more women into sports leadership roles is vital. On the whole, they say the goal of the scheme is “to get more women and girls moving, regardless of shape, size and ability”. Another huge benefit of participation in sport can be the

social element it adds, as Warr has found. “I’ve made so many friends from joining rugby,” she said. “From the moment I joined, everyone was so welcoming, and each year we get new people joining our little rugby family.” The gameplay itself is enjoyable too, Warr adds, saying that she has fun regardless of the outcome. The team has got off to a good start this season, playing their first game on 10th November and winning by a huge margin with a final score of 43-7. “I was so amazed and super proud of the girls who had never played before,” said Warr about the game. “I’m also grateful for the team helping me to coach the new girls. It’s been a ride but we managed.” The women’s rugby team have more games lined up before the end of term, which they encourage students to keep an eye out for on their Instagram, @KUWRC. They also train every Monday at 6pm at Tolworth, where students are able to join in. For more information on the free sports coaching for girls, contact Sports Development Manager Jo Heath.

Kingston men’s football team beaten despite valiant effort By Jadyn D’Souza

Kingston men’s football first team was beaten by Surrey firsts 4-2 in the Men’s South Eastern Tier 3A on Wednesday. Goals from Dillion Budge, Michael Butterfield and a Ben Young brace from the penalty spot helped Surrey on their way to victory. Teo Ayodeji-Ansell, Kingston’s centre back provided a damning assessment of the team’s performance. Ayodeji said: “The other team was just better than us. There isn’t much that we can do about today, but if we cut out mistakes from our game I’m sure we can reach their level.” Surrey dominated the game and had plenty of chances with forward Will Reed going close by hitting the post and threatening further with

Credit: Will Jaques

Sport 16

Kingston swimming society struggling to stay aﬂoat By Elijah Cruz

President of the KU swimming society. Photo:Vanessa Burini

The newly-formed KU swimming society is struggling to access pool time and believes the Student Union should do more to help. Vanessa Burini, President of the swimming society, has been working to create a successful swimming society, but has only managed to secure one training session per week. Burini said she felt exhausted after having tried her best to get the society up and running. “We have almost 80 students wanting to swim and train. We need the student union to commission our planned training sessions in the pool. If they do not grant us access, we can’t officially train together as a team,” she added. The role of the student union is to make sure that all societies are set up correctly and to offer any assistance to the society when required. In response to this, a spokesperson for the student union, Jessica Tansley, said: “The closure of the local Kingfisher swimming pool and lack of nearby appropriate pools that meet our guidelines and requirements to ensure the safety of all athletes have made a swim team difficult to facilitate.”

Kingfisher Leisure Centre was the closest swimming pool to the university, however, in early 2020, the pool was closed due to the possibility of the roof collapsing. Many of the swimmers who had signed up to the society last year or at the start of this academic year have so far only had one training session together. Tansley added: “Our sports department are continually working hard to find suitable, safe facilities and continue to provide appropriate support to all students who wish to partake in our sports programmes.” However, Burini has been in contact with various pools and clubs around Kingston to find an alternative pool to Kingfisher to make sure that the 80 students signed up to the society are able to train. Burini said that she understands the closure of Kingfisher have made things difficult, but argues that “there are so many pools around Kingston”. Burini and her team have got in contact with Kingston Royals (Kingston’s local swim club) so that they can train with the team on Monday evenings “at least one day a week.” Georgiana Carrington, a first-year art student who is part of the society, said: “I

do not have a problem with only having one session a week but maybe that is because I am not coming from a competitive background.” She added: “Even if we end up only having one session a week, that is still cheap and it works out for me because I do not think I have time for more.” In contrast, another KU swimmer, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It’s both frustrating and annoying only having one session a week. We want to swim more and have a good sense of direction but the Student union just isn’t helping.” Although the swimming society is having difficulties in fully establishing itself there still seems to be hope for the future. Many KU swimmers who are passionate about the sport and the society are working hard to ensure that this club turns into a success. Burini said that despite the negatives, there has still been progress. “I have been at this university for three years now and we still do not have a proper swimming club, but to be fair when I joined university there was no swimming club at all... I care deeply about this club and I do not want it to die”

KU Women’s Rugby team suffer devastating loss to Imperial College London KU women’s rugby team Photo: Zahra Khadir

By Will Arnot & Zahra Khadir

The Kingston University Women’s team lost 48-10 to Imperial College London on Wednesday afternoon. Despite a fast start from Kingston, Imperial took an early lead and scored their first of eight tries inside seven minutes.

Kingston remained resilient and defended well for the next 15 minutes but did little with the possession that they had, ultimately succumbing to two Imperial tries in quick succession. Another Imperial try after some smooth team play just before half time left Kingston with a mountain to climb in the sec-

ond half with the Cougars yet to score any points. The return from the half time did little to bolster Kingston’s spirits with Imperial scoring two more tries just after returning, but Kingston finally scored their first point as Kaitlin Crossman sprinted past the Imperial backs.

Imperial’s seventh and eight tries did little to dampen Kingston’s spirits as the Cougars let out huge cheers when Siobhan Lynch crossed the line for her team’s second try. Kingston Captain Siobhan Lynch was proud of the team’s efforts in their second game this season: “The game was pretty

good, and a lot of the girls were new, so this was their first game, but I am really proud of them.” “We have a few things to work on, and we will go through that in training, but we kept our lines really well,” Lynch added. The River wishes the Kingston Women’s Team the best of luck for the rest of the season.