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Day: 1 February 2012

MUSEA & Lomography Manchester join forces at Pangaea

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Pangaea was a huge success, with 4,000 student revellers enjoying all the delights of the circus, with many societies contributing to its success – Hip Hop, Drum ‘n Bass, Fuse FM, MUSEA… To name but a few!

To make sure that everyones fancy dress efforts were not forgotten, MUSEA (Manchester University Society for Emerging Artists) teamed up with the new Lomography Gallery Store on Oldham Street to snap away at the party goers on a snazzy Diana Mini camera in a photo booth in the union.

If you want to find the photos, ‘like’ the Lomography Manchester page at www.facebook.com/lgsmanchester  where the Pangaea pictures will be uploaded once they’re developed.

If you fancy getting your hands on one of their cameras, why not pop along to the Student Lock-in they’ll be holding on Thursday 9th February, where you can get 15% off all purchases on presentation of your student card. You can find the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/361845523827292/.

To RSVP email your name to [email protected].

Local campaign stalls plans for new cancer research facility

Written by Solomon Radley on . Posted in News.

Plans to construct a £20m cancer research centre run by the Christie Hospital have been scrapped following a campaign from locals opposing the design of one of the car parks.

Council planners rejected the application for the multi-million pound facility amid concerns over the size and location of a staff car park and building on Withington Green – a small grassy area used by people living near by.

Around 150 campaigners turned out to greet members of the council’s planning committee when they visited the area before the meeting last month.

Locals claim that the structure would have clogged up the currently quiet residential roads with traffic.

Plans to replace the structure with a smaller, single story car park are now being considered.

Campaigners have presented hospital officials with an alternative car park design in the past, but the idea was deemed unacceptable.

A spokesman for the Christie Hospital said that representatives have met with the architect behind the alternative design three times, but that on the third meeting it was acknowledged that the proposal did not meet the requirements of the brief.

“The capacity for the car park has been calculated to re-provide the existing car parking and provide extra car parking required for future needs. We are taking a prolonged approach: provision of a realistic level of car parking allied with initiatives to reduce demand.”

However, Withington councilor Chris Paul argued that the current plans are excessive.

He said, “Residents don’t want a 750-place staff car parking among homes. The Wilmslow Road junction is often clogged anyway. There are two primary schools. Christie must get staff on bikes busses and trams, and living local so they can walk. Cars are a health risk here.”

The Christie is the largest cancer treatment centre of its kind in Europe and an international leader in research and development. It registers 12,500 new patients and treats about 40,000 patients every year.

The hospital is attempting to expand further in order to become one of the largest clinical trials units in the world.

“Poorer students are not discouraged by higher fees,” says Ucas

Written by Joe Sandler Clarke on . Posted in News.

The number of applications to UK universities has fallen by 8.7 percent – yet figures suggest that the tripling of fees for most courses has not deterred people from disadvantaged backgrounds from applying for university.

The coalition government’s decision to raise fees to £9,000 last year led to a series of violent clashes between police and students, while Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was called a “hypocrite” after he decided to support the policy.

Ucas figures published last week show that the number of UK applicants fell by just 3.6 percent, a drop of only 8,500 people.  The total number of applicants, including EU national and foreign students, was down by 8.7 percent.

The news will be a welcome boost to the government, who last year were warned by organizations like the National Union of Students that the decision to triple fees would have a disastrous impact on social mobility.

“Our analysis shows that decreases in demand are slightly larger in more advantaged groups than in the disadvantaged groups,” said the chief executive of Ucas, Mary Curnock Cook.

“Widely expressed concerns about recent changes in HE (Higher Education) funding arrangements having a disproportionate effect on more disadvantaged groups are not borne out by these data.”

Wendy Piatt, the director general of the Russell Group, which represents the top research universities in the country, stated that the Ucas figures proved that demand for high education remained strong despite fee changes.

“Demand for higher education is not only strong – it’s actually rising over the long term. This year 540,073 prospective students have applied, which is 16% more than the 464,167 who applied just three years ago in 2009,” she told The Guardian.

“More than half a million potential students have rightly recognised the benefits of going to university. Prospective students know a good degree remains a smart investment.

“It’s not surprising the number of applications is lower than last year, but there are a number of reasons for that. Demographic changes mean there are fewer 18-year-olds in 2012 than in 2011 and we also know there was a peak in applications last year as fewer people chose to take gap years.”

But there were some individuals who chose to treat the figures with more trepidation. Nicola Dandridge, Universities UK’s chief executive, said that more research needed to be carried out to assess the true impact of fee changes.

“We will have to look now in more detail at whether students from certain backgrounds have been deterred more than others,” she said, adding.

“We will continue monitoring the impact of the new system on students and specific subjects.”

Liam Burns, President of the NUS was similarly skeptical.

“At a time when jobs are in short supply and youth unemployment has increased dramatically, the full impact of the Government’s changes to higher education funding cannot be fully understood until we know which groups of students have applied and been accepted to particular types of university,” he argued.

Burns also alluded to the fact the number of mature students applying for university decreased dramatically compared to last year. In total, the number of over-30s applying to universities was down by more than 3,000 compared to last year.

Where are they now? – Itzik Zohar

Written by Jan Metcalf on . Posted in Sport.

Itzik Zohar was one of the influx of Israeli players who graced the Premier League in the mid 90’s. He signed for Crystal Palace in 1997 for a fee of £1.2m. With Palace struggling badly in the league, they were looking to Zohar with his reputation for taking a superb free kick to inspire them to their first home win of the season, and ensure a miraculous climb out of the relegation mire. However, it was a set piece of another kind, a penalty, which ultimately defined Zohar’s ill fated stint in south east London. With only minutes left against fellow strugglers Southampton, and the game balancing on a knife edge at 1-1, Palace were awarded a penalty and a chance to secure a priceless win. Up stepped Zohar, with confidence exuding from him, only for the Israeli to comically miss and deny Palace a crucial three points, a feat which has seen him forever scorned by Palace fans. Zohar only managed 9 appearances for the Premier League side, before returning to his native Israel to play for a variety of clubs in the Haifa area. However, a series of injuries, and racism allegations made against him by a fellow professional resulting in a fine and ban, put paid to any real resurgence of his career that ended in 2005. Since his professional football career ended, Zohar has become heavily involved with Israeli beach football, starting up the first Israeli national team and playing for various other sides. As well as this, Zohar has become somewhat a media personality in his home country, featuring as the face of many advertising campaigns including Gillette, whilst also pursuing an acting career in an Israeli drama imaginatively named ‘The Show’. Whilst Zohar has not pursued a further career in football via coaching, he has established a successful career as a pundit, acting as the Israeli Gary Lineker on highlights show ‘Israel 10’. Ultimately, Zohar remains a respected football figure in Israel, however, here in England he will always be remembered as the man who missed the penalty, and has been immortalised into Crystal Palace folklore by being nominated as one of their top 10 worst ever signings.

Conte nurses ‘The Old Lady’ back to winning ways

Written by Thomas McMahon on . Posted in Sport.

The all-conquering Juventus sides of the late 1990s were packed with star names: Alessandro Del Piero, Edgar Davids, Filippo Inzaghi, even Zinedine Zidane. Antonio Conte was never one of these names. An undemonstrative, industrious midfielder, he was nevertheless a favourite of Marcello Lippi, and was given the captaincy in 1996. In the summer, after a dismal season in which the Bianconeri finished seventh under Luigi Del Neri, the Juventus hierarchy once again turned to Conte. The appointment of the 42-year-old as manager was widely mocked outside of Turin, with Conte’s relegation at Atalanta thought to outweigh his good work in Serie B with Siena.
However, under Conte’s stewardship, Juventus have secured the ‘winter championship’ and top the table ahead of Milan by a single point. The new manager has made subtle tactical alterations to the system imposed by Del Neri, moving from the 4-2-4 which frequently left the defence exposed to a more balanced 4-3-3. With no Juventus player yet reaching double figures in the league, victories have largely been based upon hard work, with the team built in Conte’s own tenacious image. Even Mirko Vucinic, the laconic former Roma forward, has been converted into a defensive right-winger in the Dirk Kuyt mould. The acquisition of Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal has proved pivotal, with the former Bayer Leverkusen man adding bite and pace to the centre of the park. Veteran playmaker Andrea Pirlo, meanwhile, provides the team’s creative spark after his summer move from Milan.
While much of the club’s fine work in the transfer market can be attributed to sporting director Beppe Marrotta, Conte undoubtedly deserves a great deal of praise. He has dealt with the squad’s biggest egos skilfully, offloading Italo-Brazilian flop Amauri to Fiorentina for a nominal fee and silencing Eljero Elia’s twitter outbursts, but also coaxing Fabio Grosso back to his best form. Youth team graduates, meanwhile, have been gradually integrated into the first team, with attacking midfielder Luca Marrone looking particularly promising. The Old Lady has also benefitted from the move to the new Juventus Stadium in central Turin, with the more compact ground producing an atmosphere unrecognisable from the Delle Alpi.
Juve’s closest rival for the title seems to be Milan, who sit just a point behind them in the table. Massimiliano Allegri’s champions have not quite produced the magical form which saw them storm to the Scudetto last season, but remain a formidable unit. Zlatan Ibrahimovic tops the goalscoring charts with 15, while former Juventus midfielder Antonio Nocerino has helped himself to seven. Much may depend on the Rossoneri’s ability to adequately replace Antonio Cassano, whose continued absence in the wake of brain surgery has robbed the team of its most potent creative outlet. Udinese, six points adrift of the leaders, head up the chasing pack. However, the Umbrians have a small squad, and their continued reliance on Antonio Di Natale for goals and creativity is likely to see them fall short. Inter’s charge, meanwhile, has hit the buffers after they ended a run of seven consecutive wins with a 1-0 defeat Conte’s hometown club, Lecce. Come May, the 42-year-old Juventus manager may have a great deal more to smile about.

Tiger tamed as the Rock rises

Written by Jack Burke on . Posted in Sport.

Robert Rock went into the final day’s play in the Middle East holding a joint lead with Tiger Woods. After birdying three of his first six holes, Rock faltered on the 13th but held his nerve to finish impressively despite the presence of Woods, which Rock admitted was “a special honour in itself”. Such a performance is undoubtedly the highlight of Rock’s career thus far. A member of the European tour since 2004, the former club pro had only managed one title prior to this victory which was the Italian Open in 2011. Yet that tournament did not have a playing field of the quality on show here with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell also finishing high up the leader board. Indeed prior to this display Rock was more known for his perfectly formed haircut which gets regular exposure since he does not wear a cap or visor while on the course, a rarity amongst golf’s elite. He also gained publicity at the 2011 US Open after taking a $1000 dollar cab ride to the tournament from the airport after visa problems delayed his arrival. Victory here propels the self confessed ‘swing nerd’ into the top 60 of the world rankings, giving him an excellent chance of playing at the Accenture Match Play championships in Arizona later this month. It was a new high for a man who began his professional career as an instructor at the Swingers Golf Centre in Lichfield.
Yet for all Rock’s heroics inevitably it was former World Number 1 Woods who was the centre of attention throughout the tournament. It was the first time Woods had opened his season on the European tour, with the American usually usually begins his season at San Diego’s Torrey Pines but was swayed by a large appearance fee from the tournament organizers clearly looking to cash in on his popularity which for all his recent mishaps remains high. Tiger looked to be back to his best at points during the tournament. An excellent third round in particular having all the commentators and analysts proclaiming the return to form of the greatest player the game has ever seen. Yet much like his performances in other tournaments over the past two years, Woods could not maintain such a high level in the final round, allowing Rock to pull clear of the field. Yet under the guidance of new coach Sean Foley, Woods swing in particular is looking more comfortable than it has for some time.
However it was not enough for the Tiger, allowing Robert Rock to seal victory, a deserved reward for a man who has worked right from the bottom of the professional golf pyramid to achieve success.

Blind date: Will and Ellie

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Will Brockbank, Fourth year, Russian and French

What were your expectations for the evening?

I was expecting your typical ugg-boot sporting, fake-tan smothered, red brick university student (i.e. a southerner) and plenty of awkwardness.

First impressions?

She wasn’t the type of student described above at all, so I was pleasantly surprised. She seemed chatty, interesting, and up for a laugh.

What did you talk about?

Clichéd topics of conversation aside, we talked about how odd it was that we live literally round the corner in Manchester and not much further away back home, as well as nights out at Twist and Shout at Venue, and a shared love for listening to The Beatles on vinyl in the small hours.

Best thing about them?

I would have to say her sense of humour and her ability to weave a really good story.

What did you eat?

Naturally, the most expensive thing on the menu: the beef steak with sweet potato wedges.

Any awkwardness?

Not at all!

How did you part ways? 

With a friendly hug and a frantic legging it to get off the bus at my stop.

Out of 10?

8

Would you see them again?

Given that she lives round the corner, chances are I won’t have any say in the matter! Hah! But, yes, I would.

 

 

Ellie Robertson, Third year, Drama

What were your expectations for the evening?

Marriage

First impressions?

Wow, you’re tall. I’m not.

What did you talk about?

Everything and anything. Mostly about where we’re from and how drunk we can get.

Best thing about them?

He talked back and laughed. Laughing is extremely important.

What did you eat?

Everything.

Any awkwardness?

Course there was, it was a blind date. Idiot.

How did you part ways? 

Got the bus. Good hug.

Out of 10?

A solid 7.

Would you see them again?

Yeah he knows my mate Woodsy. I’m sure its bound to happen at some point.

 

Also, a blind date at The Deaf Institute? Who organised that?!

 

 

Will and Ellie ate at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Thanks to the guys down at Grosvenor Street for getting involved. To check out their menu, gig listings and have a look at what club nights are coming up visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

To sign up for blind date please e mail your name, year of study and course to [email protected] with ‘blind date’ as the subject

Ask Keir: Ecstasy

Written by Keir Stone-Brown on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Ask Keir is a column aiming to answer all your health questions. If you want to know about that funny looking lump that won’t go away, why your GP won’t give you those antibiotics or anything at all to do with health get in touch at: [email protected]

All questions will of course be kept confidential and anonymous


Q: Hi, I’m really enjoying going out in Manchester but the only thing I find a bit weird is that we went to the Warehouse Project in December and quite a few people were taking Es? Essentially I just want to know if they’re safe for me to take or not?

A: Well the short answer to that question is we don’t know. Even with the thousands of studies done on the effects of Ecstasy (aka MDMA, MD, pills etc.) there is no conclusive evidence of any long term positive or negative effects. The findings range from it having cancer fighting properties to them causing long term depression and anxiety.

The main short term effects are

– An energy buzz that makes people feel alert, alive, in tune with their surroundings, and with sounds and colours often experienced as more intense

– Users often develop temporary feelings of love and affection for the people they’re with and for the strangers around them

– Short-term risks of ecstasy can include feeling anxious or getting panic attacks, and developing confused episodes, paranoia or even psychosis

– Some people have been known to take another `E’ when they haven’t yet felt the expected `high’ of their first `E’. The danger then is that both Es kick in at once and you’ve got a double dose of effects to deal with.

 

The most stand out danger with ecstasy is that more often than not it is `cut’ with something else.

This `something else’ can be another recreational drug such as cocaine or ketamine but it’s much more likely to be something cheaper like talcum powder, in some cases even rat poison has been found, so those peddling the drugs can make the ecstasy go further and make more money for their pockets.

Another thought to take into consideration is that ecstasy is a class A drug and if caught by police in possession of it you can get up to 7 years in jail and a fine. Caught supplying it can get you life imprisonment. Any form of prosecution can limit your future job opportunities and may affect you being able to travel to some countries like the USA.

So all in all the risks go further than those to your health.

 

University museums win £2 million grant

Written by Gareth Lewis on . Posted in News.

Manchester’s museums have won approximately £2 million from the Arts Council England (ACE) despite many regional museums being stripped of government support.

The money will be used to expand Manchester University’s volunteer training programme for the long-term unemployed.

The purpose of the volunteer programme is to “get people back into work”.

University spokesman, Tim Manley says the programme will help the ill, disabled and long-term unemployed develop their “people and communication skills” as part of the University’s 2015 vision commitment to community outreach.

Whilst many students do volunteer for the museum and galleries, the core of the Partnership’s 150 volunteers are members of the local community. Often, these people are disadvantaged through disability or a lack of job history.

Recruiting more volunteers will make galleries more accessible through tours and visitor interaction and forms part the Manchester 2015 vision of increasing University attractions visitor numbers to 1 million per year. Currently the Partnership receives 850,000 visitors a year.

Dame Nancy Rothwell has praised ACE’s Renaissance Major Partners scheme for recognizing the “regional and national excellence” of The Manchester Museums Partnership, recipients of the grant. The money will be shared between The Manchester Museum, The Whitworth Gallery and Manchester City Galleries, which comprise the partnership. This investment is particularly significant against a backdrop of major cutbacks to arts and culture funding. Only 16 of the 29 organisations that applied won grants.

Yet Manley was keen to emphasise that “it’s not all new money”. Some of the grant comes from funds already promised to regional museums under the soon to be defunct Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

Any museums that missed out on this three-year stream will receive a single year of transitional funding before central government support is cut off for good.

This change forms part of the government’s quango cutback, and includes a reduction in the amount of money available, which now stands at £20 million. The biggest loser in this policy is Museums Sheffield, which has described as being “bitterly disappointed” at the news by its Chief Executive, Nick Dodds.

Manchester’s sum, yet to be finalised, has already been allocated to salaries for staff supporting access to more of the collections held by the partnership.

Besides the volunteer programme, two other accessibility and outreach programmes include a sensory programme to interest babies in art and arts lessons and tours for older people.

 

Fitness the “fun” way

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

For the general population new year resolutions begin on a hungover January 1st but for students who have to endure a painful few weeks confined to the library, with only comfort food and energy drinks to get them through revision, it’s much more practical to postpone new starts until February comes around.

Now exams are over, there is no excuse. Put the multipack of biscuits down and get up. With most of your student loan probably already blown on post-exam celebrations a gym membership is out of the question. Instead, stick with exercise at the click of a button and from the comfort of your front room: fitness DVD’s. Here are the latest tried and tested.

 

The Only Way is Essex: The Essexercise Workout

The sight of Sam, Billie and Lydia(who?!) in bikinis on the front cover is enough to make you want to give up and eat yourself to death. Watch a few minutes of the three twenty minute workouts that follow and you can understand how they look that good. A mixture of dance, combat and toning you’ll see the effects in no time – providing you do it more than twice. It isn’t easy being reem. With bonus features that give you a guide to get the full Essex look, it’s exercise and entertainment all rolled into one.

3 out of 5 stars – much more effective if put on mute, those accents are just too much.

 

Pussycat Dolls 2 Dancer’s Body Workout

Robin Antin, founder of the infamous PCD, has upped her game since her first fitness DVD in which “exercises” included rubbing a feather bower between your legs. Aptly titled ‘dancer’s body workout’ Robin makes the assumption that we all have the bodies and fitness staminas of dancers, or olympic athletes. The moves are quick, difficult to follow and for safety reasons you’re recommended not to do them in 4 inch heels a la the dolls. One move Robin repeats from the last DVD is the seductive biting of the finger. How many calories that burns I do not know, but combined with an overload of PVC and raunchy lunges this could be mistaken for a DVD of a totally different kind.

3 stars – this is one for the boys

Jennifer Ellison’s Fat Blaster Workout

Remember when Jennifer Ellison was really obese? No me neither. But apparently she thought she had some fat to blast and is now a mentor to those looking to do the same. Under the traditional format there’s three parts: tone blaster, box blaster and power blaster. If the repetition of ‘blaster’ isn’t enough to inspire you there’s a six foot illuminated sign that says ‘hot’ in the background through out. You’ve got to hand it to Jen though this is bloody hard, a little too hard. My inner slob struggles to put up with her motivational pep talks but if you’re less of a cynic than I am this might just be for you.

4 stars – for the positive and pro active among us

 

 

Davina: The Ultimate Target Workout

As if there could be a fitness feature without Davina making an appearance. In what feels like her four hundredth fitness DVD she’s back with personal trainer pals Jackie and Mark. This time the focus is “ultimate target” so whether you’re trying to shift a beer gut, tone up bingo wings or get rid of unloved love handles Davina’s got the moves for you. Supposedly it only works if you ditch the stuffed-crust pizzas and Mars bars – who knew?! – so make sure that’s a sacrifice you’re willing to make.

5 stars – serious gym goers only, Davina takes no prisoners

Death of Manchester’s powerful Green activist

Written by Ellen Conlon on . Posted in News.

Gayle O’Donovan, a General Election candidate and leading Green Party activist in Manchester died last week.

Gayle served as Local Party Support Co-ordinator for the Green Party from September 2010 to December 2011 and was involved with a variety of green campaigns in Manchester, including the Save Hasty Lane campaign opposing the expansion of Manchester Airport.

She was the co-founder of “Call to Real Action,” which aims to reduce Manchester’s carbon emissions and prepare for the changes climate change will bring and the co-ordinator of BRiM (Bike Recycle in Manchester) which supports people in Manchester becoming confident cyclists and stops bikes going into landfills.

She played a key role in helping Salford Green Party set up independently.

Anne Power, Membership Secretary of Manchester Green Party described Gayle as: “clearly a dynamic person, attracting people and invigorating them.” Her presence at Green Party meetings and Climate Change events was always accompanied by “laughter and serious debate.”

Gayle’s campaign to be Manchester’s Green Party MP stated that she was concerned about Manchester’s “traffic congestion, the lack of quality green spaces and the low level crime currently blighting the community.”

She believed that Manchester needed: “more investment in neighborhood policing, far better provision for youth activities, and more social health resources.”

Power states: “The Green Party and environmental movement have lost a powerful activist and I personally have lost an amazing friend.”

The funeral took place on Wednesday in Gayle’s hometown of Limerick.

Thieves dig 100ft tunnel to rob cash machine

Written by Hannah Tosh on . Posted in News.

A group of thieves dug a 100ft tunnel underground to rob a cash machine attached to a Blockbuster Store in Fallowfield of £6,000.

The robbery, which took place on January 2, was the second time in four years that the cash machine had been targeted by a tunnel. After the robbery four years ago the tunnel was filled in.

The police believe that the criminals could have spent up to 6 months building the passageway that was approximately 100ft in length and 4ft tall.

The thieves dug the tunnel from a rail embankment at the rear of the store underneath the car park and foundations of the buildings. The tunnel ended directly beneath the cash machine where the gang then had to cut through more than 15 inches of concrete to get to the ATM.

The thieves only managed to steal a limited amount of cash as the machine had yet to be filled up following the busy Christmas period. Had the machine have been refilled up to £20,000 could have been stolen.

Police said that it was quite a sophisticated heist as lights and support beams had been fitted throughout the tunnel. They estimated it could have taken around six months to be built. Detective Sergeant Ian Shore said: “we doubt they would have been able to keep their plans secret for all that time, without telling others about their scheme. They must also have spent a lot of time in the area over the past few months, which people may have noticed. In all my years of service I have never seen something quite as elaborate as this.”

The police urge anyone living in the Fallowfield area noticed anything suspicious to get in touch.

Editor’s Note, Issue 10 (Christmas Issue)

Written by Nick Renaud-Komiya on . Posted in News.

Well, that went fast didn’t it?

The first semester is almost at an end. Many of you will be studying abroad next year, beginning a whole new chapter in your university life. Looking back now I wish I had been more active and had spent six months overseas. You’ll be back next September with stories to tell and new friends made.

We here at Mancunion Towers will be saying some fond farewells to some of our team. Phoebe Chambre, one of our brilliant Arts editors will be jetting off to Vancouver, while Patrick Madden, one half of our super dedicated Sports editorial team will be spending half a year in Australia.

I hope you two have a great time and return with hilarious suntans. Canada isn’t known for its tropical climate but who knows, anything is possible!

So, what do we have in store for you this week?

The music team have done battle to find the 11 best albums of 2011, along with the year’s highlights. Turn to page 20 to find out who made it to the top of the list.

The law requires that we publish a recipe for Christmas dinner (on pain of death!), so go to page 26 to see how to put on an ace festive meal for you and your housemates. Why not have a go at whipping up some mulled wine. We’ve got it covered here.

So there we have it, our last issue of the year. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our humble rag this first semester. If you would like to get involved putting it together please do get in touch. We are always looking for contributors, both young and old, undergrad and post grad alike. Look out for our special recruitment event happening at the start of next semester.

For those of you with exams in January, I wish you all the best of luck.

Above all, enjoy yourselves over the festive period.

Now, I’m off for an eggnog.