HNC Echo March 2021

FOR STUDENTS BY STUDENTS

ISSUE 14

Three of our Echo journalists were lucky to interview leading journalist John McCarthy – who is also famed for surviving 5 years as a political hostage.

Read their pieces Megan Hall: pg 14 - 16 Jessica Eastwood: pg 22 - 23 Amber Lear: pg 24 -27

4 The Price of Fashion Buy Better. Choose Well. Make it Last.

12 Covid-19 and the local economy: what’s the future?

17 Sport: What will be Premier League look like post Covid-19?

inside

issue 14 As Principal, I am delighted to welcome you to the HNC Echo – our magazine written for students, by students.

I have genuinely loved reading this edition, and have enjoyed the variety of articles on offer – there’s a wide range on offer covering everything from exploring the true price of Fast Fashion to ancient treasures and the Premier League.

This is a particularly special edition as we recently welcomed special guest speaker John McCarthy, a writer and broadcaster. He is also famous for being held as a political hostage in the direst of circumstances for five years.

Our Echo journalists were lucky to be able to interview him and ask him first hand about his experiences, and as aspiring journalists themselves, they also asked for his advice on succeeding. The resulting three features are fascinating.

4 The Price of Fashion 9 Poetry by Heart 10 Egyptian Wonders 14 Talk with John McCarthy 17 A return to the good old days?

18 Love Island 2020 : A Parody 22 - 27 Talks with John McCarthy

Please do enjoy this varied selection of articles from our talented young writers. And if you are a student who would like to join the Echo team, you can find out more via Moodle or by emailing h.doyle@huddnewcoll.ac.uk

Angela Wiliams OBE Principal

The HNC Echo is written for students, by students. It is a core part of our Student Voice, with our writers independently developing their own ideas and content.

Please note therefore that the magazine contains the individual views of our young people, and any views expressed are not necessarily those of Huddersfield New College. We hope you enjoy the creative efforts of our students.

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BUY BETTER. CHOOSE WELL. MAKE IT LAST. Amber Lear takes a look at the price of our appetite for cheap ‘fast fashion’ for the environment, and explores how we can be kinder to the environment without losing our style!

Fast fashion is creating a larger sustainability issue than ever before, and change is coming too slowly.

Ok. We’ve heard it all before, that popular retailers are providing us with low quality clothes that harm the planet and those who made them. You’ve probably read the horror stories and have been told to stay as far away as possible from high street shops. Which is of course unrealistic! But nobody ever really tells us what to really do about it, leading to little change and a growing problem.

I’ll be one of the first people to admit that whilst it is a problem, sales and discounts interest me as much as anyone else!

And the whole purpose of fast fashion is that it is targeted at us, as young people, as those with little money and a desire to look good. It provides us with instant gratification, which, especially during the pandemic is a way for us to have something to look forward to, and most of all; it’s cheap.

Who wouldn’t be tempted by discounts and sales and reduced prices on one of the things that we can continue buying in lockdown?

Still, it’s a huge issue. And whilst I’m not perfect, and neither is almost anyone else, I still want to try and do something.

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The BBC found that only 1% of clothing is recycled each year, but clothing makes up 5% of the world’s emissions. Even worse, fast fashion is designed to fall apart after a short while.

We’re being tricked into a cycle of waste.

The dangers of such a ‘monstrous, disposable industry’ have effects that will last far into the future, on us, the earth, and on wildlife. Eleven hazardous toxins are found in new clothing.

That’s eleven chemicals that are currently banned by UK and EU laws.

And whilst a cheap price tag may be part of the reason we fall for buying so much new clothing, it has devastating effects on the workers, and working conditions have only declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Boohoo Leicester centre, there have been allegations of modern slavery, of workers being forced to work without PPE after testing positive, furlough fraud and benefit theft.

Despite this, however, just as Phoebe English a fashion designer says, it “isn’t the fault of individuals who just want to stay warm and look good. It’s part of our economic system that values profit over people and planet”.

Still, the blame has slid to the consumers, especially us as young people, and whilst recent limited change has come through the form of second-hand sale sites such as Depop and eBay, there are still billions of pounds worth of clothing being sent to landfill each year.

Gwen Hughes

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With charity shops shut and bags of unwanted clothes taking up space in our houses, as well as the reluctance to take away clothing from people who rely on finding the majority, if not all of their clothing second hand, what solutions are out there? Just like with a multitude of other social and environmental issues that we hear about daily, the problem is worsening and our ability to do anything about it is too.

Feeling helpless in the face of it all is to be expected. And even if cutting back on fast fashion doesn’t change the world, it does help you feel slightly less like you’re the one ruining it.

I reached out to some students who have been making a switch to more sustainable options for the purpose of this article and asked for some advice for people who wanted to start to alter their fashion habits.

I also spoke to a volunteer of the Prince of Wales Hospice, Anna Calvert, who runs a Depop shop on behalf of the hospice. As of February 2021, the Depop shop has over 700 followers and raised nearly £3000. (@princeofwaleshopsice on Depop.)

Anna says; “For the younger generations online, secondhand platforms have completely transformed the way we thrift, yet charity shopping still has its unique appeals: cheaper pricing, accessibility, and of course a donation to a charitable organisation.

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As sustainable clothes are a lot more expensive than fast fashion it is unlikely it will ever replace it.

However, as more is invested into sustainable options, sustainable techniques will become cheaper and much better. Plus, the business model of fast fashion- large stores in shopping centres, holding lots of stock- will become unaffordable as people move away from these retailers. Sustainable options may be a lot more common within our lifetimes.”

Whilst apps like Depop are perhaps not a replacement for fast fashion, these online marketplaces definitely have the potential to challenge fast-fashion retailers. Instead of eradicating these brands (that do make apparel more accessible to less affluent families), the goal should be preventing unsustainable overconsumption

So, how can you become more sustainable with your clothing choices?

When shopping online for second-hand pieces use filters to narrow down searches and avoid buzzwords like Y2K which usually mean the item will be sold at a higher priced than it is worth. If you have the time and opportunity, try a voluntary placement at a local charity shop.

The easiest way to start is to download Depop, and before buying anything from a fast fashion retailer, look for it on Depop first as there will often be the same option available but it will be much cheaper and better quality. Once lockdown ends and charity/ vintage shops reopen, these are great options. Whilst you do need a lot more patience than going to a fast fashion retailer, there are some particularly unique pieces or bargains to be found.

Have fun! Second-hand shopping is a great way to experiment with new styles on a low budget.

Some of the items you pick up may need altering to perfect the sizing, however rather than seeing this as a chore, it is another opportunity to get creative and make something really unique.

Using eBay can be especially useful too, for less trendy brands such as M&S clothes or for real leather jackets.

Other options include Pop Boutique in Leeds, and charity shops in Cleckheaton as there are many of them close together (please be aware of any restrictions around non essential shopping).

student vox-pop

Q: Do you think that changes in the fashion industry- including things like wider acceptance for different styles and clothing rather than everyone trying to follow one style- is a good change?

Q: Do you think it is possible for people to ever move away from fast fashion entirely?

A: Unfortunately, no. Under the current economic systems, people rely on fast fashion because they can’t afford (in both terms of money and time) more sustainable options.

A: Increasingly diverse fashion choices have helped lessen the classism often associated with charity shops and brought thrifting into the mainstream. Whilst it is sad that the ignorance toward second-hand shopping occurred in the first place, it is great to see more acceptance of this.

Q: How much of your clothing is second hand?

A: As much as I would love to buy all my clothing second hand, I have to admit it’s usually around a 50-50 split and due to lockdowns, I’ve turned increasingly to fast fashion brands to find loungewear in particular.

Q: Do you prefer getting clothing from charity shops? Why? A: To an extent buying from charity shops is more enjoyable, not only is it the more ethical option, but there is also a sense of satisfaction in finding a good piece in and amongst everything. However, it has to be said that it is time-consuming and for most not feasible to develop an entire wardrobe from purely charity shops. Hence why I would encourage a balance between second-hand clothing and reducing your fast fashion consumption.

Q: Opinion on the supposed gentrification of charity and thrift shops?

A: Whilst many are quick to dub resellers exploitative, and it is disheartening to see a £1.99 jacket being resold for £50, resellers are often a vital part of the charity shop anatomy. Donations that go unsold go into bags to be bought per kg at low prices. Whilst this is still the case resellers (many of whom are adults trying to make keep their households afloat) provide an important service.

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Here we share some top tips for changing your wardrobe.

1. Don’t buy a whole new wardrobe off of Depop.

It’s tempting to just make an account on Depop, and buy all of the trendy pieces for under £10 each, and start your new life as an environmentally conscious, sustainable activist.

But that won’t happen. Instead, buy what you really want. Is it something you could wear with twenty other tops, or can those jeans only be worn once, to one place, at one time?

2. Buy things you really want.

To be fair, this sounds obvious. But if you’re buying something just because its cheap, maybe re-evaluate if it’s actually something you’d enjoy wearing, or if it’s just reduced.

3. Learn to sew.

This sounds drastic, but it’s not as crazy as it sounds. Thousands of tonnes of waste clothing are sent to landfill every year, and one of the main reasons for throwing out clothing is due to ill fit. Knowing how to sew on an extra button to fasten something properly or sew up a rip in your clothes can help it to stay in your wardrobe for a little longer.

4. Look for vintage clothing.

Have fun with it. Statement pieces can be found easily, especially second hand, for a lot less money, and they are likely produced to last.

5. Once you don’t wear it, donate it.

The spring clear out- time to normally get ready for summer, move winter jumpers to storage and buy a whole new season’s worth of clothes. Instead of throwing out bags of clothes you no longer wear, donate them. And even though charity shops are currently closed due to the pandemic, clothing banks are always open.

Ultimately, choosing to become more sustainable is personal to yourself, and is dependent on your personal tastes, your budget, and a number of other unique factors.

So have fun with it: there are a range of cheap alternatives for you to try, and it is a great way to explore new styles, lots of small actions can collectively change the world.

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poetry by heart

AILS FOR FURTHER DET HEART EMAIL ABOUT POETRY BY EWCOLL.AC.UK S.DALEY@HUDDN

Courtney Bostock reveals why she thinks every student should give it a go!

Last year I entered the Poetry

By Heart competition and was lucky enough to win the college’s internal heats and get invited to the National finals in London as one of the top 10 competitors in my key stage, here’s how it happened: I entered the Poetry By Heart competition because it had been recommended to me by Sam Daley, who runs the competition here at College. I was hesitant and actually had no intention of taking part initially, because I was nervous about public speaking and thought I would not be able to perform with people watching me.

However, last year I was on a level 2 course and hoping to progress onto A Level, I realised that a good way for me to show my skills and dedication to being an active member of the College community was to take part in competitions, so I signed up for Poetry By Heart.

I had some experience with memorising literature because, being a massive bookworm as a child, I used to memorise passages of classic books and recite them from memory to impress my grandparents. Memorising poetry is different, there’s a tone and rhythm that your performance really needs to capture.

Nevertheless I memorised 2 poems, one pre 1914 (If

by Rudyard Kipling) and one post 1914 (A Century Later

by Imtiaz Dharker), and preformed them in front of a panel of judges including the Principal, and won!

This win was a massive confidence boost for me, it helped me to realise I had public speaking skills, memorisation skills and performance skills I had previously been unaware of. It also helped me to develop some memorisation

techniques that I’ve been able to carry over into my studies this year. The best part of the competition is that I met some other competitors who enjoyed literature as much as me, this made the competition especially enjoyable.

I’m going to be entering the competition again this year (and you should too!), because I discovered last year that reciting poetry is something I really enjoy, (also because I got through to the national finals last year but they had to be cancelled, and I’m secretly hoping for the chance to be invited to London again), but mostly because the experience of competing last year was such an enjoyable and fulfilling experience.

If you’re thinking of competing this year, please do! It’s a fantastic opportunity, you’ll develop personal skills, learn some new poetry and you might even win a free trip to London!

Good luck!

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egyptian wonders Jessica Eastwood shares a fascinating insight into some recent archaeological discoveries Archaeologists recently discovered a 3000-yearold cemetery, in Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, excavations took place by Pharaoh Teti’s pyramid. In 2007, Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, the government that protects Egypt’s heritage sites, suggested the presence of a temple. Digging began, only to reveal 52 tombs buried 10-12 meters deep.

The 52 Egyptian graves belonged to aristocrats, along with perfectly preserved coffins, several items were found that date back to 1570 and 1069 B.C, such as: copied verses from the book of the

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dead, a collection of prayers, bronze tools, and objects of worship to the gods Anubis, Ptah and Osiris. The most intriguing discovery for the archaeologists is the inscriptions on the tomb walls, naming an unheard-of Egyptian Queen Neti from the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt.

These new discoveries allow historians to rewrite the history of ancient Egypt, only 30% of the site is so far unearthed.

The Necropolis of Saqqara is known as the largest group of Egyptian tombs and was used as a large cemetery since Egypt’s 1st Dynasty. This site is vital to knowing Egypt’s early history and from this early knowledge, we can learn how it shaped other civilisations. There are also tombs from the 3rd dynasty but by the 5th and 6th dynasty it was full of pyramids and royalty.

This is a major discovery in the archaeological world and has allowed us to imagine for the first time, what it would have been like in Egypt all those years ago.

Topics – exam topics for almost every UK qualification packed into the app, so that you would have access to any of the subjects you are doing.

Flexible algorithm – The Adapt app is, adaptive!

It will change your timetable if you missed a certain topic and will find time for you in the future to return to it.

Review: Adapt App

Aleksandrs Ribalkins reviews the Adapt App, a revision support tool.

Timetable – a calendar generated specifically based on what you are learning, advising you on which topics you should focus on each day.

Homework – add your upcoming homework, set a date for when its due and the Adapt app will find a time for you to do it in the timetable.

Progress – track your progress for your exams and rate each topic on how confident you feel about it, flagging up anything you may be uncomfortable with for later.

With the current world situation and the uncertain safety for just grading, it is more important now than ever to put in as much effort as you can and plan your time accordingly. Revision skills will be key at university too.

Even if your exams have been cancelled, or you are taking them the following year – there is nothing wrong with squeezing in any additional information that will allow you to get where you desire and dream to be.

The Adapt app is an automated revision timetable planner. Just put in your exam board, subjects and the topics you have done for it to generate your own personalised and ‘adapted’ planner that will guide/instruct you on what topics you should revise when you are available.

The only negative parts of this app are that there isn’t a lot of motivation given to follow the actual timetable, so it is very important for the person to be willing to do the work themselves and not having them rely on a system that reminds them to revise every hour or so. Another issue I have is that even when you do look at the topics to revise, sometimes they can be very ambiguous and not specific enough for you to clearly be understanding what exactly you are meant to be doing. For example, it can say you need to revise topic ‘x’ but that topic contains many sub-topics and sections – it can get confusing.

Overall, for me, this app has come in really useful as it has allowed me to stay on track with all my subjects and has also helped me with my time management. I believe this app is great for anyone who struggles with time management and wants to get some extra work/ revision done on the side.

COVID Covid-19 has imposed major costs for the nation’s economy and health.

Huddersfield has been hit especially hard. Nicholas Budgen looks at the future for the local economy.

Britain has long been a world leader. Successive governments have long contradicted the policies of the rest of the worldsometimes for better, often for worse. Boris Johnson’s Government has exemplified this trend. Britain entered its national lockdown much after most European countries. As a result, the pandemic has struck the UK uniquely hard.

We have the highest death toll in Europe- at over 80,000.

The efforts of the Exchequer to limit the damage of the pandemic on the economy have had some success at supporting employment- but Britain has still endured the worst recession of any major economy (the worst for three hundred years, in fact).

The Government’s Business Support Scheme has provided struggling businesses with welcome support.

Unemployment has remained low, at just 5% (in France the figure exceeds 9%), largely thanks to the Government’s efforts to encourage firms to retain their workforce despite the sizeable losses

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firms have encountered since the beginning of the first lockdown. Annie Gascoyne, the Director of Economic Policy at the CBI, credited the scheme with keeping “millions of people in their jobs” since the beginning of the pandemic. However, with tumbling revenues, businesses are still feeling the squeeze.

Huddersfield’s town centre was suffering before the pandemic; years of sluggish economic growth and the rise of online shopping meant businesses were already battling to remain open.

The collapse of BHS was a warning sign of brewing trouble for our precious high street. Matters have only got worse. Debenhams, whose town-centre shop was one of the town centre’s largest employers, is going bust.

Asos, an online fashion brand, agreed to save Topshop at the last minute- but refused to salvage the physical shops, all of which are forecast to close.

Helen Dickinson of the British Retail Consortium recently told Business Live the UK has seen a “record number of shuttered shops”.

As a result of the crisis, existing social problems are set to worsen. Child poverty has sky-rocketed. For the first time in its history, UNICEF has given emergency food

the

DOUBLE-EDGED

SWORD

parcels to British families.

The health consequences have been equally dire. Britain has recently surpassed 95,000 deaths- a milestone which was shocking, but not inevitable.

“ Britain has still endured the worst recession of any major economy ” The vaccines have been a success. Britain is a worldleader in vaccinations; over 10 million doses of the vaccines have been administered, more than any other country. Boris Johnson’s Government has rightly hailed this as a triumph; a route back to normality. But this triumphalism will pass. The consequences of covid- both on the nation’s health and on the economy- will be much more long-term.

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talk

A talk with hostage survivor and journalist John McCarthy by Megan Hall.

The media; a second home to where we all pretty much spend all our time at the moment. In a time like this, where else is there to be?

We’re all hungry for that new update or insight in this weird situation that we can let ourselves get quite caught up in it, almost lost in it.

I had the pleasure of speaking with John McCarthy, someone who has been through treacherous highs and lows through his media career in journalism and broadcasting.

After being captured and held hostage by Islamic Jihad terrorists in Lebanon for over five years, his miraculous return to the media industry makes his experience one we can listen and learn from.

This article explores a media expert – who was the subject of intense media attention himself.

Background John McCarthy is a British journalist who in April 1986 and was held against his will until his release on the 8th of August 1991. Before his world was stopped, McCarthy was a regular guy working as a journalist for United Press International Television News and was on his way to begin his first job abroad in Lebanon.

The greatest opportunity of his career so far, turned into the UK’s longest held hostage in Lebanon.

The Weird Wonders of the TV World When McCarthy was captured there was no internet, and being kept very hidden from the outside world during captivity, John had heard very little about it.

Therefore, his return to England and the media world was a tough one. John recalls his sudden spotlight in the media like a ‘News Frenzy’ as he was not a famous person before his capture. He had been a journalist for around four years and says, “I was just an ordinary bloke and quite shy”.

One of his biggest opportunities after returning to England was sailing with Sandy Toksvig for a travel documentary. At this point McCarthy was very new to the world of broadcasting and was glad to be with such an expert.

However, he had some huge adjustments to make to succeed and he shared the example of an incident when filming where he and Sandy were told by the directors to just walk past the camera and into the pub. He tells us he believed he was doing just fine until Sandy turns to him and said “Darling…You’re just walking.”

acting. You’ve got to do walking acting.”

John reports what she meant was that on camera you have to exaggerate your movements by looking around at your surroundings and appearing interested at everything you come across. He says that this made him realise how unaware he was of the new things in media that were so weird to him, not just because he was new to broadcasting at this point but had missed out on the new technology too.

Striving for your Passions After such a horrible experience, McCarthy hadn’t just missed out on his life, but on the world too.

On his return, he exclaims, he had worries about continuing with his dreams.

During the pandemic we have all missed so many opportunities.

John McCarthy experienced this disadvantage greatly, however his ambitions didn’t fall or change.

I asked if he ever considered changing his career path due to his great miss of time and opportunity, he says: “I didn’t actually, perhaps I should have done but I got sort of carried away, well not carried away, I just really did enjoy it.”

And he reports he replied “Yes, we’re just walking past the camera and into the pub” and he explains Sandy explained “No no! Walking

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The Theatrics of Theatre McCarthy recalled a dramatic moment with the paparazzi and his girlfriend at the time, Jill Morrell, who had also been through her own struggle. Jill had created a campaign for John’s release called ‘Friends of John McCarthy’. Jill and John had been to see a play based on himself and the hostages of Lebanon and they were spotted immediately.

John was not so sure about life on the other side of the lens.

A few years after his return, John was living with his brother. The tabloids came round to take photos and John says this showed how media with people can be so different, and it is important not to judge. One journalist came up to the door and as soon as John opened it with the plan of turning him away, the man was already back down the drive, insisting “No comment, thank you sir!”John felt this journalist understood and didn’t want to disturb him.

“I hated it, I absolutely hated it.” John says when he discovered the paparazzi were outside the theatre waiting for them to come out. He exclaims ‘I didn’t know what to do’ as they had been bombarded with their cameras. Jill had dealt with her fair share of unwanted photshoots through the years, but to John this was all new. ‘I was just frightened.’

This was his new life.

On the other hand, John had another man taking photos repeatedly while he repeatedly denied his permission to do so. The man said “Oh you understand mate you’re a journalist.”

John disagrees saying “I’m not that sort of journalist. Our media presence is what we make of it. We can make our own difference supporting one another.”

At such an emotional overbearing time for him, it felt almost too familiar.

“I’m being sort of held captive again by these journalists, these people who are supposed to be one of me.”

Behind the Scenes Care We all need care behind the scenes of our online persona.

Our new online lives over the past year have left us struggling, and it’s important to reach out for help.

Your Personal Input In the media there will always be the good parts and the bad parts, which John has definitely experienced a big mix of. McCarthy’s career as a journalist has shifted over the years, and this story shows his good heart still at the core.

John is a patron for the charity ‘Freedom of Torture’ that helps survivors through the healing from experiences of torture. Along with the craziness of his new celebrity status, this was a place where he could really talk to people and hear other people’s stories.

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“That was an important part of sort of dealing with the celebrity weirdness was because I could feel there was a purpose to it.”

Advice for the Future Inspired by his story and thinking about getting involved in the media industry?

Here’s McCarthy’s main advice to young people going in to the big media world: “Be wary of being taken advantage of.

Young people can find themselves doing someone’s job without being paid through the struggle for experience in such a competitive industry. Find out in job and intern applications what you’re entitled to. “ “Get out there, get experience’ In the media industry, experience means so much. Whether it’s local, online or just focusing on your own work, everyone’s gotta start somewhere!”

“Build a network Contacts are your friend. The more people you know, the more opportunities available to you. “ Towards the end of my talk with John, he exclaimed the gained joys he has from his successful career. Despite his bad experiences, he finds his work to be fulfilling in how he has been able to speak on his experience and help others from that; “You can do good stuff for the world and the communities around you.” I think John is inspiration for even a generation born into the world of the web like Gen Z.

a return to the good old d a y s?

George Kelly shares his opinion on the post-lockdown world of the Premier League It’s been an interesting time in the world of sport, the impossible has been made possible in many ways. It has had the obvious lows as well as the biggest highs for a few. That few would be those Liverpool fans who saw an end to a 30-year barren run in the league and it seems like we are seeing rangers stopping Celtic’s dominance over the Scottish premier league this season. But the most 2020 thing in sport I would say is the Premier League of the 2020/21 season. It is a return to form of crazy score lines and giant killings after a few years of dominance from Manchester City and Liverpool in their respective cases, even if City or even Liverpool go on to win the league this season.

The latter is less likely as it stands as Liverpool are going into a game with city 7 points behind while city have a game in hand.

It’s been a crazy and enjoyable season for pretty much all I would assume as all the 20 teams, on the most part, have had their moments, even Sheffield in their upset against

the red side of Manchester.

I think it’s an advert for the game as a whole for those who may not understand the appeal, and it has offered a sense of relief and escapism from what life has become but that isn’t what we are bothered with here. It might not earn me many points with some people when I say I’m a Liverpool fan and so I’ve witnessed a lot of the craziness of this season first-hand. From the Aston Villa game when I saw the ball land in the net for the seventh time to losing our unbeaten run at home to Ashley Barnes penalty, it’s safe to say that the relief hasn’t always been present for me. But even in that it is a distraction, a distraction that may not be for the reasons really wanted.

I’m going to move on from the Liverpool stuff now because it’s too depressing!

This season has been this way since the start as we can’t forget the Everton and Aston Villa title race that lasted about two weeks and the arsenal relegation battle.

It has been a fulfilled season and has had lots of content

to talk about in the group chats.

And football might even come home this year, at this rate it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing to happen or maybe it would, but I wouldn’t hold our breath.

The world of sport is in a poor place but there is still a lot of entertainment to be had there, and that is not just in football.

We are edging towards the return of rugby league and so I hope that we can see some success for the mighty Huddersfield Giants this year.

That is why I’d recommend you find something to find joy in this time but expect that it won’t always be this happy, but you will feel better off for it in the long run. You might find a tv show. I think it’s important to find a distraction no matter what it is and not only in the current situation but because those are the things that are there for us, make us feel better and can unite us no matter what life throws at us. There’s a thing I could say that is quite famous with my club, but I think you’ll have heard it before.

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love island 2021 location: UK parliament Welcome to Love Island 2021 in the glamourous Villa of Commons, filled with notso-sexy suits and mini games galore, which by mini games we mean just the entire future of Britain, of course. Britain’s favourite summer romance show didn’t arrive on our screens last year, however we sure were still… entertained, let’s say. Now that it’s all over, maybe we should have a lookback on the unforgettable people trying to find their perfect Parliament 2021. Want to meet the contestants? Here Megan Hall imagines a world where our politicians are contestants on Love Island!

BORIS JOHNSON Occupation: Prime Minister of The United Kingdom Interests: This PM may not seem the sporty type, but he likes things where he can go at his own pace, be flexible with timings and push through to the finish line, or even push it back. Boris, after promising there would be no extension to Brexit’s deadline, which was October 31st 2019, took a quick water bottle break and fixed his stitch before him and the UK finally left the EU on January 31st 2020. He also changed his routes from time to time, making a U-turn decision in June to give free school meals to the country’s poorest children after the government voted against it and got a lot of backlash.

What are you looking for in 2021?

Boris seems to love anything spontaneous. He likes to keep things new and exciting, which might end as a ‘tierful’ trait, but it keeps 2021 on its toes none the less.

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RISHI SUNAK Occupation: Chancellor of the Exchequer Interests: Rishi is interested in a 2021 where he can show his appreciation in the most glamourous way; a showering of dimes in these ‘hard times’. He gave a total of £330 billion in emergency support for businesses and a salary subsidy scheme for employees.er the government voted against it and got a lot of backlash.

What are you looking for in 2021?

This Chancellor is looking for a 2021 that he can grow with, a wish that led his previous lover, The Economy, to unfortunately part ways with him. He announced that the Office for Budget Responsibility showed the economy would contract by 11.3% in 2020, the biggest decline in three centuries. Rishi his hopeful yet realistic with his goals, saying that it will take until the end of 2022 for the economy to return to the size and state it had before the pandemic.

MATT HANCOCK Occupation: Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Interests: This contestant prefers a cosy life indoors with his 2021 outside the world of drinking and clubbing into the night, or so we thought. Matt was accused of breaking the government’s coronavirus drinking curfew as he was seen drinking in the House of Commons bar after 10pm. The senior MP who claimed this stated “stand 100 per cent by my story” while Matt’s spokesman challenged this, saying the “proposed timeline of events is false”.

What are you looking for in 2021?

Matt appears to be looking to settle down, looking for something ‘substantial’. Which means…? It seems this part of Matt’s interview was unclear to us as well as the rest of the Nation, as his comment on what a substantial meal was began to be discussed throughout the UK as well as News and Morning shows. Matt said that “a scotch egg that is served as a substantial meal, that is a substantial meal”.

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DOMINIC CUMMINGS Occupation: Former Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister Interests: Like many, Dominic is passionate to speak his mind and debating opinions, no matter how, um… controversial. At the early discussions of Covid-19 in March 2020, he said that the government’s plan to battle coronavirus was herd immunity, “and if that means some pensioners die, too bad”. However, apparently he pressed for a faster lockdown in a meeting on March 18th after sitting in on SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) meetings.

What are you looking for in 2021?

Dominic likes a chill, laid back 2021 where he can be at ease, have fun and bend the rules. Or even break them. In May 2020 he was caught travelling from London to his parents’ farm in Durham, breaching lockdown rules. Unfortunately for Dominic he had to end the search for his perfect parliament 2020 early as in November he was cited leaving 10 Downing Street, however he has said that his position had not changed but he had already planned to make himself “largely redundant” by the end of the year.

PRITI PATEL Occupation: Secretary of State for the Home Department Interests: Priti is known to be interested in sitting back, relaxing and not always partaking in everything. Peaceful, right? She is, apart from when people refuse to not partake with her. In June, she told the public not to protest in order of the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, saying it was “utterly disgraceful” in response to the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston due to his involvement in the slave trade.

What are you looking for in 2021?

We know Priti to look for a parliament recipe not quite up to her taste so she can slightly switch up the rules and add a pinch of salt to the mix. And just happen to get allegations of bullying along the way. In February she was accused of bullying when apparently trying to force out the most senior civil servant in her department, then in November it was discovered that she had broken the ministerial code following allegations of bullying in the three government departments she has worked in. Perhaps less salt the better on this one.

GAVIN WILLIAMSON Occupation: Secretary of State for Education Interests: Gavin is a simple man who likes simple plans and is not afraid to take a rain check when needed. In March 2020 he announced that schools in England would close from 20th of March until further notice, and that exams in that academic year would be cancelled, replacing them with teacher assessed grades.

What are you looking for in 2021?

We know that Gavin is open to communicate his differences with 2021 and own up when 2020 thinks he has messed up.

Very, very badly. When several Ofqual board members stated that the algorithm making GCSE and A-Level student’s grades was politically unacceptable as it included student’s postcodes in the process of predicting their performance, Gavin apologised.

He said, “where we haven’t got everything great, of course, I’m incredibly sorry for that.” In August, it was announced that teacher assessments would be used instead.

Disclaimer: These interviews may or may not be fake interviews but made up using facts, statistics and the good humour of your great writers at HNC Echo :)

talk

Jessica Eastwood was one of Echo journalists who also had the privilege of interviewing John McCarthy.

On the 12th of March 2021, John McCarthy, a British Journalist, writer, and broadcaster, captured in the April of 1986, during an assignment in Lebanon, came to Huddersfield New College Via Teams and gave an inspirational talk to many students, teachers and parents who tuned in.

February 1986, John left to fulfil an assignment in Lebanon - unaware that he would not return for over 5 years. During his talk, he mentioned this was his first time out of Europe. You can imagine his excitement.

Upon arrival in Lebanon, the images he’d seen on TV became a reality. Bullet holes filled each building, potholes covered the roads, yet he watched as the resilient people of Lebanon continued their daily life as if a bomb wasn’t about to go off.

During his stay he was informed that two English men and one Irish man had disappeared. He was told to go home for his safety.

However, just 5 minutes from the airport (he said “he could taste home”) a car raced passed them, blocking their way. A man holding a gun jumped out, pulled John McCarthy into the car, and drove off.

He stated, “It felt like I was watching a movie, I couldn’t

believe what was happening.”

For 2 months he was completely isolated, if anyone entered his cell, he had to pull down a blindfold. He spoke of the cells horrendous humidity, due to power cuts or lack of fans.

He recounted his time alone, how did he keep hope alive?

“I sunk into a depression.”

“Initially when I was in solitary confinement, I was sort of like wildly optimistic, I thought they must have made a mistake, you know, I’ll be alright. I’ll be out soon, then it didn’t work out and got more and more horrible with a man being beaten and murdered.”

He spent his time reviewing his life, had he wasted time?

Was he kind? What would people remember him for?

What had he done with his life?

However, he tried to lift his spirits with one thought, “when I will get out - not if I get out.” He decided once he got out, he would make the most of his life. He even started doing press ups and sit ups in his cell.

After those first 2 months, he was moved to a new cell with Brian Keenan.

“I could sense someone else was there, I slowly lifted my blindfold”.

They spent 4 years together in different cells and became great friends, who still meet up to this day. John said, he was thankful to no longer be alone, this gave him the hope and strength needed to continue.

“I had the boost of being with Brian, Brian was sort of actually much more realistic than I was, I kept thinking it’ll only be a few more months and I kept thinking this for five years, there’s no reason to think that you know we don’t know anything, You have a sort of responsibility obviously to each other, you’ve got to keep going for each other, in those circumstances we also had to keep going you know for our folks back at home, at times it was so bleak and yet you’d make each other laugh.”

Humour helped keep their spirits up, they would often tease each other.

When they first met, John remembers being unable to understand Brian’s thick Irish accent and asked him to tone it down, Brian replied, “If you stop talking like prince bloody Charles.” This was the first time John laughed in 2 months.

This provided both Brian and John with an outlet to their awful situation, they would often tell each other stories and talk about the future, imagining themselves meeting each other’s friends and family. This is beautiful advice to take during the pandemic, us this time to reflect and really research your options for the future.

It was due to John’s hope and positivity that he often was passive about the situation and Brian would often remind him of human rights and encourage his anger.

“He said John never heals, anger heals.”

This form of anger was healthy as it allowed them to feel human and long for freedom without seeking revenge. But there were still hard times for their mental health:

“There were times when one would be just sort of besides ones self with frustration, I had this thing in my head, it was just kinda floating around and I’m gonna sound mad but I suddenly had a pistol a sliver gun, it was just the sense of having one and saying right you do what I tell you now not that I wanted to shoot them it was just having some sort of power” Throughout their time as hostages, they were moved a total of 14 times. They always had the fear of the unknown, when would they go home?

When would they next be moved? Just as we suffer with the unknown of the pandemics end or parliaments new move.

John believes his experiences taught him to listen and is extremely positive and often laughs when recounting his experiences nowadays.

“I learnt to respect myself and others more”, “I learnt to listen, that was really important to me as a journalist, when I came back and sort of picked up the journalism after writing the book.”, “I learnt more about people and came out with a couple of incredibly close friendships.”

He felt this experience made him take life by the ‘bull’s horns’ and explore new opportunities, that he would never have without his unfortunate fame. He made documentaries, wrote books, and broadcasted.

What have you learnt this pandemic? Patience? The importance of family? A new skill?

John McCarthy’s story is incredibly inspirational, his story of friendship, strength, and hope; is one that can empathise with our world today. Whether it is through, friendships and family bonds, isolation, family deaths or mental health.

His message of hope should be held within all of us during these uncertain times.

John compared the pandemic to the plague and said he would be interested in the difference of reactions between the two if he could report on any moment in history.

“I think I’d like to be reporting on a really major change in the history of the world, the Black Death or the bubonic plague given we’re in a pandemic at the moment and write about that, that would be fun to see what was going on and who the experts were such as they might have been in those days, I’d also be interested in society of those times and how that worked maybe doing it in a city like London which would be a bustling and important place but with everyone terrified and dying how do you cope with that?”

During the pandemic, all our lives have been shaken up much as they did in 1348 and 1659.

As young people, we have missed out on GCSEs, A-Levels, Proms, 18th Birthdays, relationships, driving lessons and it’s a shame to miss such a time of growth for our independence and life skills. We all have great futures ahead of us and I can’t wait until lockdown ends and I can see everyone again.

Lastly, to anyone struggling with metal health in this terrible time, look towards a brighter future just like John McCarthy and see the light at the end of your tunnel.

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talk

Amber Lear speaks to John McCarthy about surviving a difficult experience.

Whilst in lockdown, it’s been difficult for us to maintain normality. FaceTime can never begin to replace face to face conversations, social media never replaces real experiences with our friends.

The return to ‘normal’ life seems so close, yet a million miles away at the same time.

But relationships are one of the things we need to get through these sorts of difficulties, and John McCarthy, who endured being a hostage for five long years, explained that having connections with others was “absolutely vital.” He tells his story and highlights that his relationships with Brian Keenan especially, was one of the things to keep his sense of self, and his confidence going. During his interview John laid out the importance of finding others to spend time with and how it helped him through this ordeal.

After merely months trapped in solitary confinement, hearing tremendous acts of violence in a nearby cell to another hostage, the occupant was killed. And it sent him, and undoubtably other hostages, into a deep depression. John vowed to put more effort into his relationships with not only his fiancé Jill, but his family and other friends, and it was the memories of them that kept him going whilst he was alone.

Though the situations are different; our ability to connect with others is undoubtably one of the better things about the modern day, and though we are only at home, not trapped thousands of miles away by terrorists, the difficulty of this pandemic should not be downplayed.

And doing lessons online, not being able to go see our friends, it really does affect our mental health.

It’s okay to put yourself first.

In fact, in times such as these, reaching out for help can be one of the most worthwhile things to even consider doing.

Even for John, who spent his first lockdown in 1986 in a tiny cell in Beirut, has found the pandemic difficult. “I think the way to best deal with it is to remember that we are all under this stress, and not to pretend that we’re not.

And not to get bogged down about what other people are saying, or what they’re doing, and just to focus on yourself- take a step back and not have to make decisions immediately, to have a think that in the broad scheme of things, were all in pretty good health, physically, that our friends and family are too, and that hopefully soon we will be able to do more, and in the meantime, caring for ourselves and others means we will get through it,” he says.

Our friends and family are the constants during this pandemic. It has always been company that help us through. Finding humour, and company, are the best ways to cope with events out of our control. If we were to endure

alone, we would reach the end of our emotional tether within moments.

Even though the need to see others again is something we have pinned our hopes on, feeling disconnected from yourself, and from our peers is something to be expected. As we have become increasingly dependent on technology to connect us with people we can no longer see, it can feel as though we have to be accessible; that we have to be available at all times, and that can also wear us down. Feeling as though we are drifting away from one another is also a symptom of this pandemic. For John, it was a matter of wondering whether, as somehow “that memory was fading, was this some sort of metaphor for us drifting apart? Will we recognise each other?”

over for ourselves, too.

Finding company in unlikely places is something we must do to get through the present. Whether it is a friend, a neighbour, a family member, (or for John, a cellmate,) dealing with them is important to be able to think “I can.” John explains finding this company as “very important to keep the mind going and keeping the sense of self going.”

So, as we look forward, it is important to remember our friends and family. And remember that reaching out- no matter the issue- is something overwhelmingly important.

Some of us may be thinking that way now. Have our experiences in this pandemic made us unable to get along, or changed us in some way, and is it our own fault that it feels so much more difficult to concentrate, or to strike up a conversation, or to sit through a class?

However, these fears may be short lived as we return back to education, head back to seeing our friends and peers.

Though it seems unlikely, for John it wasn’t like he was seeing strangers. “It was like “oh, you’re just the same.”

And then suddenly we were talking about something as bonkers as “so how has your day been?” and I could think “oh, I’m safe with you.”

And it was wonderful. “And hopefully this will transfer

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John’s advice: You were kept with several other hostages throughout your time there – Terry Anderson, Terry Waite, Brian Keenan, and Frank Reed. Would you say that the company was one of the reasons you were able to endure it for so long, rather than being alone? Did it make it any easier?

“Definitely! I was near the end of my emotional tether by the end of just two months of solitary confinement, and I think that if that had gone on any longer, I would’ve found it really hard to keep going. The relationships I had, particularly with Brian, Terry (Waite) and Terry (Anderson) they were absolutely vital to me- they gave me a sense of self, and although I wasn’t a very confident young man, being with them and actually dealing with them- was important to think ‘I can do this’. It was very important to keep the mind going and keeping the sense of self going.”

Did you ever feel disconnected from the rest of your family and friends when you returned home due to what you went through?

“I had worried about it when I was locked up. It was weird because you’ve seen your family every day of your life. It was a weird thinglike if you’ve got a printed

photograph, if you leave them up on a wall, they gradually fade. It was almost like I’d be trying to remember my mum, or my dad, my brother, or Jill, and somehow that photograph was fading, and is this some sort of metaphor for us drifting apart? Will we recognise each other?

But what was amazing was when I got to Damascus, (capital of Syria), when my dad and brother flew in, I was thinking, ‘well I’m free.’ And I had gotten my first pair of trousers, and a shirt, in five years, and a little watch, and I felt like a little kid. And the door opened, and there was my dad and brother coming out. I walked over to them; gave my dad a hug, (we kind of sobbed together, for a moment,) and then over to my brother. And it wasn’t like we were looking at strangers.

It was like “oh, you’re just the same.” And then suddenly we were talking about something as bonkers as “so how has your day been?” and I could think “oh, I’m safe with you.”

And it was wonderful. “ You said that you managed to have an almost friendly relationship with some of the guards. What difference did this make to you? “there were a couple of guards who we could never really feel safe with. They were always menacing, or

just stupid. But there were a few that we did get to know, over the years. And when we moved locations, you would hear a set of guards and if it were one of the friendly ones, you could think ‘ah, we can have a degree of sense here, we’re safe here, we don’t have to worry.’ If we had a headache, or an upset stomach, we could ask for some medication. And there’s not going to be any unnecessary violence. And with some, they were quite fond of us; one of them hardly spoke any English but he had a great sense of humour. And he understood that Brian was from Northern Ireland, and was pro-Republican, and I was a posh Englishman. And he used to come and have these mad jokes, and it would lift the mood that this guy was interacting with us. (On one occurrence, he took Brian, and I heard this grunting, and thumping, and they came back in, and they were both giggling, and the guard just wanted to have a wrestle.)

Obviously, it can’t be properly compared to your time as a hostage, but what advice would you give people struggling with their mental health during the pandemic?

“I think it can be comparedwe all deal with different

things quite differently.

I particularly thought it wouldn’t be too bad, for me, but as it wore on, it especially wore me down.

And doing lessons online, not being able to go see our friends, it really does affect our mental health. So, I think the way to best deal with it is to remember that we are all under this stress, and not to pretend that we’re not.

And not to get bogged down about what other people are saying, or what they’re doing, and just to focus on yourself- take a step back and not have to make decisions immediately, to have a think that in the broad scheme of things, were all in pretty good health, physically, that our friends and family are too, and that hopefully soon we will be able to do more, and in the meantime, caring for ourselves and others means we will get through it. It doesn’t make it easybut it still wears you down.

And rather than sitting and worrying about things, doing something like going for a walk is a tonic. And taking a break is important.

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