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Year: 2017

“Micemageddon” in the Learning Commons

Written by Tom Patterson on . Posted in News.

A video of a mouse that was spotted in the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons building has been widely circulated on Facebook this week. The video, titled “Micemageddon”, was shared via the ‘Spotted: The University of Manchester page’ and has been viewed over 17,000 times.

‘Spotted’ allows people to anonymously post pictures and videos of unusual things that they see around the University campus including several showing rodents.

In March last year, another video of a mouse in the Learning Commons was viewed on the ‘Spotted’ page over 16,000 times.

Mice eat sporadically from a number of different food sources throughout the day rather than relying on larger meals. According to the Manchester Council website, in order for traps to be effective “all rubbish and food waste should be removed.” So any crumbs and other food that is being dropped on the floor in University buildings, may be providing an alternative to the bait in the pest control traps.

There has also been extensive work on Oxford Road since last year, as part of the council’s GROW project which aims to “see more than £1 billion invested into city centre infrastructure by 2017”.

However, a council spokesperson told The Mancunion that they haven’t had an increase in the number of rodent reports in recent months. Which, they say, suggests that the problem hasn’t been exacerbated by the work. They did add that there are other pest control services that operate in Manchester so they couldn’t definitively say whether or not the road works have had an effect on the overall reports across the city.

The Mancunion contacted the University to ask if they were aware of any rodent problem and has received the following statement from ‘a University spokesperson’:

“The major building works currently taking place on campus are disturbing the ground, which will inevitably bother rodents and bring them to the surface. We are currently carrying out extensive baiting and trap laying in the buildings and areas surrounding the works as a result. If anyone spots a pest, they should report this to House Services on 0161 275 2606, who will arrange for our pest control contractor to attend to the issue.”

Two men in custody after man shot outside Moss Side takeaway

Written by Araddhna Patel on . Posted in News.

Two men have been taken into custody after a man was shot in the thigh. Armed police were called to Great Western Street near the Silver Spoon takeaway at 3pm on Sunday the 19th of February 2017.

The victim was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

Crime scene investigators and a team of forensic officers started work on Monday at the scene of the shooting to determine what happened.

The two men, aged 20 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and questioned by the police.

It was later reported that this targeted attack may have been due to rising tensions between an old established gang and a new crime group.

Manchester Evening News learned that the police believe the victim was associated with the notorious Doddington gang, based in Moss Side.

Detectives believe he may have been involved with the new gang, the majority of its members being of Libyan and Somali heritage.

According to Manchester Evening News, Chief Inspector Mark Kenny of Greater Manchester Police’s City of Manchester Team stated: “When something like this happens it can cause worry and unrest in the community.

“I want to offer my assurances that we have extra patrols in the area and a dedicated team of detectives working on this case.

“Our enquiries are at an early stage but we do believe this was a targeted attack, and that there is no wider risk to people living in the area.

“We know that Moss Side is a very tight knit community so it is possible that somebody may hold key information about those responsible.

“If you do know who is responsible, or have any information about what happened to this man, who is seriously injured in hospital, please come and talk to us.”

The police stressed the severity of the crime and pleaded for anyone who had information on the attackers or what happened to the victim to contact the police directly or anonymously report to Crimestoppers, the independent charity.

Since then, we have learned that the victim remains in a serious condition but is expected to recover.

Top 5: Oscar Acting Snubs

Written by Shema Begum on . Posted in Film.

5. Jacob Tremblay (Room, 2015)

Last year Brie Larson took home the Oscar for Best Leading Actress for her role in Room. The Academy however failed to recognise her counterpart in this film – Jacob Tremblay. The now 10 year old played her son, Jack, through whose eyes we see this film, and emphasis must be given to his age. Tremblay gives one of the best child performances ever, it is powerful, raw, and will move you to tears. The harrowing story of a mother and child who —SPOILER ALERT — escape from their captor would not have been as profound, if it wasn’t for Tremblay’s strong performance. The Academy has many times previously nominated child actors, most recently Quvenzhané Wallis, so it is a shame that Jacob Tremblay could not be added to this exclusive list.

4. Amy Adams (Arrival, 2016)

Critics and audiences alike presumed Amy Adams would be nominated for her role as linguistics professor, Louise Banks, so it was quite the surprise when she was excluded from the Best Leading Actress nominations. Adams is the soul and driving force of Arrival. Her performance brings realism and emotion to what is a sci-fi film. Having previously been nominated five times before, she is now considered to have inherited Leonardo DiCaprio’s bad luck with the Oscars.

3. Michael Fassbender (Shame, 2011)

Michael Fassbender brilliantly portrays Brandon in Steve McQueen’s Shame. For a character that does not speak a lot, arguably it is a very challenging role, though this only proves to demonstrate how impressive Fassbender is in this film. He effortlessly brings depth, and humanity to his character. The intricacies of Fassbender’s gestures and expressions, reveals the nature of Brandon and the emotional battle within him. Michael Fassbender’s performance is the anchor of this film, and he most certainly deserved an Academy Award nomination at the very least.

2. Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine, 2010)

Derek Cianfrance’s brutal relationship drama shifts back and forth in time, depicting the courting and slow deterioration of a married couple. Despite Michelle Williams’ very well deserved Leading Actress Nomination, the film as a whole was overlooked. Though particular attention must be given to Ryan Gosling — who was snubbed completely — as he arguably gives his best performance as Dean. Blue Valentine is an example of a film driven by its characters, and Gosling is exceptional at portraying the emotional evolution of Dean. How he did not receive an Oscar nomination is beyond me, however perhaps the same can be said for his performances in Drive, and Lars and the Real Girl — what has the Academy got against Ryan?

1. David Oyelowo (Selma, 2014)

Selma celebrates the journey of Martin Luther King Jr, as he advances the civil rights movement through an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, which meets resistance from local authorities.  This was one of the most critically acclaimed films of all at the time of it’s release and there was a lot of Oscar buzz surrounding it. The biggest shock of the 87th Academy Award nominations was David Oyelowo’s exclusion, and his snub has since gone down in Oscar history. It sheds further light on the underlying issue of diversity in the industry.

Reclaim the Night: We do not live in a rape culture

Written by Francis Edge on . Posted in Opinion.

On Thursday 23rd of February, protesters took to the streets of Manchester to “reclaim the night” in protest against “sexual violence against women, street harassment, rape culture and victim blaming”. All of those causes are absolutely worth fighting.

Any proponent of equality will understand and agree with the sentiments expressed. That is, except for one thing: the idea that we live in a rape culture. The phrase describes a society where rape is omnipresent and sexually normalised. This claim requires inspection.

In January 2014, the subject of rape culture gained international attention when former President Barack Obama remarked: “It is estimated that one in five women on college campuses have been sexually assaulted during their time there.” However, according to a United States Department of Justice study released in December 2014, on average, one in 164 college women aged 18-24 reported experiencing rape or sexual assault (including unwanted touching) between 1995 and 2013. These statistics cast substantial doubt on claims that we live in a rape culture.

The origin of the one-in-five statistic is from a 1985 survey of college campuses conducted by Professor of Psychology Mary Koss. A little over 3,000 women were asked 3 questions to determine how many had experienced rape or attempted rape. 15.4 per cent of these women had been raped and 12.1 per cent had been victims of attempted rape.

The media picked up on this story instantaneously but scholars questioned the results as they represented a severe deviation to previous estimates. It turns out that one of the three questions was: “Have you had sexual intercourse when you didn’t want to because a man gave you alcohol or drugs?” As Christina Hoff Sommers, author of Who Stole Feminism?, points out, the ambiguity of the phrasing was called into question:

“If your date […] encourages you to drink with him and you accept a drink, have you been administered an intoxicant, and has your judgement been impaired? Certainly, if you pass out and are molested one would call it rape. But if you drink and, while intoxicated, engage in sex that you later come to regret, have you been raped?”

Furthermore, only 25 per cent of the “raped” women described the incident as rape, and 40 per cent chose to have sex with their ‘rapist’ afterwards. Correcting for biased data interpretation, the actual number of victims fell to three to five per cent. Nevertheless, feminist lawyer Catharine Mackinnon famously proclaimed: “By a conservative definition rape happens to almost half of all women at least once in their lives.” Is this viewpoint accurately represented by studies?

If we add the more inclusive definition of rape then we would expect, or have been told so by activists, that there would be a dramatic rise in the number of reported rapes. According the FBI’s legacy definition, there were about 80,000 incidents of rape in the U.S. in 2013. Using the revised definition, which includes drunk sex, the number of rapes increases to approximately 109,000 with a rate of one incident per 2,900 persons, both male and female. Does this support a notion of rape culture?

Furthermore, as well as statistic inaccuracy, there is the pressing issue of victimisation of men. Since the 1970s, one of the most prevalent claims has been that just 2 per cent of rape accusations are false. The main source of this was Against Our Will: Women and Rape, a popular book written by American feminist Susan Brownmiller — a claim for which there is no data available. Though, this didn’t stop it from becoming one of the official slogans amongst feminists.

A more accurate figure is that 41 per cent of accusations are false. This figure comes from a report carried out between 1978 and 1987, in which researchers investigated rape reports in a small metropolitan area with a population of about 70,000 people. The researchers determined that the “false charges were able to serve three major functions for the complainants: providing an alibi, a means of gaining revenge, and a platform for seeking attention/sympathy”.

If for a moment we assume the accuracy of rape reporting, the women in this town experienced seven actual rapes a year. Based on our previous calculations, this amounts to an exaggerated 0.7 per cent lifetime probability of being raped, or 1.7 per cent, if we assume only 40 per cent of rapes got reported.

Bruce Gross, director of University of South California’s Institute of Psychiatry, Law and Behavioural Science, points out the lack of accountability for making a false rape accusation:

“Essentially, there are no formal negative consequences for the person who files a false report of rape.” Furthermore, “when rape cases go to trial, alleged victims are protected by ‘rape shield statutes’. In brief these statutes are designed to prevent defence attorneys from using the accuser’s sexual history ‘against’ her. At the same time, these rape shield laws may suppress evidence [including] prior false accusations of rape filed by the alleged victim.”

Amongst this, there is a tragic reality for some men. This was exemplified by the case of Jay Cheshire, a 17-year-old boy who, after rape allegations were made against him, was cleared. According to coroner Grahame Short, Jay was a sensitive young man who had “found it difficult to cope with the police investigation.” Allegations made against the 17-year old were withdrawn by the complainant just weeks after being filed, resulting in the investigation being closed — and she was not prosecuted. Yet, two weeks after the teenager was acquitted of the charge, with his adult life still ahead of him, Jay hung himself from a tree in his local park.

Not one second was reclaimed for him.

Review: The Eyes of My Mother

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Film.

The Eyes of My Mother opens with the penultimate scene before regressing back to the early years of Francisca’s childhood to tell the story of how things came to be. The use of monochrome is a bold decision by cinematographer Zach Kuperstein. A technique more commonly used in art films, the producers have married art with horror in a way which attempts to show the terror that can be hidden in the beautifully simple.

Unlike classic horrors, the chronological depiction of Francisca’s life helps aid explanations of why she is the way she is. From mutilation of others to stealing of a baby, Francisca is a truly terrifying woman, formed from of the deepest recess of your nightmares, capable of anything and very much so a product of her environment.

The actions of Francisca are driven, and almost excused, by her love for her mother, but we’ve seen the power of her own volition (even when her mother was alive) besides Francisca choose perform eye and vocal cord removal at no older than the age of 12 and on the day of her mother’s death. As Francisca grows, there a lot of unanswered questions relating to the death of her father and Kimiko. There are apparent signs but it is what is not said, which gaps are not filled, which make the film more horrifying by letting the viewer explore the possibilities.

Francisca’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, the patron of animals, is alluded to heavily during the film. This naming is purposeful and this is evident in Francisca’s traits in her need to make her own animals out of Charlie. The torture and killing of Charlie is very different, in purpose, to that of Lucy. Charlie is kept as a friend for over 10 years, blind and mute, she believes he gives her life purpose. When things go south for Charlie, Francisca sees Antonio as a gift from her mother but the reason she keeps Lucy captive like Charlie is not quite clear, as she treats Lucy differently to Charlie. Lucy’s attempt to scream after her disfigurement is one of the most blood-curdling sounds you’ll hear this year. Her desperate attempt to escape the madness is heart-breaking and chilling — especially when we know how useless it is.

The classic hero of the film is Antonio, Francisca’s stolen son, who inadvertently frees his mother from captivity in the barn. And even though the classic villain is and should be Francisca, I can’t help but feel that Charlie is also at fault for the beginning of the spiral of events and her silent father only helps to isolate her more, causing her tendencies to rise to the surface. Francisca may commit gross acts of violence in the most tender manner, but at the end of the day, she is just a woman trying to salvage her loneliness.

Q&A with Free Fire director Ben Wheatley

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

Introducing Ben Wheatley’s new film Free Fire, the director and actor Michael Smiley are in a jovial mood. “I have just bought a new pair of jeans that have lycra in them” Smiley pronounces in his deep Irish accent, whilst stretching this legs to emphasis the joke. Almost acting as a warm up act to the film’s black comedy, Smiley knows how to work his audience. Focusing on the film, its cast is an international one with the likes of Armie Hammer, Oscar winner Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, alongside the British talent of Smiley, Cillian Murphy, and Sam Riley.

As a defined auteur who isn’t afraid of tackling any genre, Wheatley has established himself as a film workaholic who regularly creates a film every year. With producer credits on the absurdist The Greasy Strangler, Gareth Tunley’s upcoming The Ghoul, and Peter Strickland’s mesmeric The Duke of Burgundy he is more than just a director. As the post-screening Q&A would reveal, he is one of Britain’s best film-makers and a true cinephile.

After Wheatley’s homage to the action genre / 70’s B Movie, the director and Smiley once again reappear. Joined by HOME’s Artistic curator Jason Wood, the two men undergo the formalities of any Q&A — still both men’s passion for their medium shines through. Starting where he left off, Smiley inquisitively asks a member of the audience on the front row if he, like the actor “has any elastic in your gullet”. After another few minutes of comedic rambling, Woods interjects, “well that’s all we have time for’’. Hallelujah it wasn’t.

After interviewing the film-maker at the London Film Festival, Wood wastes no time in getting into the really meaty subjects of the outlandishly hilarious film. Free Fire is executive-produced by the godfather of contemporary American film, Martin Scorsese. Wheatley described that a meeting between himself and Scorsese was set up in New York when touring with Sightseers in the US.

The Italian-American had been made aware of British films such as Andre Arnold’s Red Road and Wheatley’s second feature film Kill List when shooting Hugo in London. “It’s a weird thing when you talk to someone who you have bought really expensive coffee table books about’’, which I myself can ditto. “As I looked at him as he was talking and thinking I’m not just one hand shake away from the history of cinema.”

After Wood’s conversation with Wheatley and Smiley expanded to the audience, I wasted no time in raising my hand. The promise of a free t-shirt was on the line for any audience member who asked a question. Yet, as I had seen on the director’s twitter account there was a secret second option: A funky orange Japanese Free Fire tour poster. Asking for said poster instead of the t-shirt, Smiley jokingly implied ‘F**k your t-shirt’. Greeted with a nervous laugh, I continued: “Obviously you are working with Laurie Rose (cinematographer) again who did such great work on High-Rise and your other films. As Jason suggested, it is quite a claustrophobic film. But he (Rose) adds a lot of depth to the scenes with Dolly shots and POV shots of canisters exploding. What was the experience of that?” Redeeming my request of a poster with a respectable question, as Woods himself pointed out, Wheatley explained that there was a lot of planning and story boarding involved in the cinematography.

Continually he and Rose “built the whole set initially in Minecraft because it is the only 3D programme I can use”. Further, 1700 drawings were created in an attempt to film the organised chaos found in the shootouts. Filming with sometimes up to six cameras in very long takes, Rose was enabled to run the action right through to capture every inch of the warehouse. With the continual use of Laurie Rose, writer Amy Jump, and actors such as Michael Smiley, Wheatley has furthered his winning formula.

What become most apparent in the Q&A was his urgency to just be working in the film industry and both men’s humility and humour. Free Fire manages to capture the comedy of previous works such as Sightseers whilst working as a step forward for the director in terms of scale and budget.

Free Fire is released on the 31st March by StudioCanal.

More from Orange 4

Written by Farah Elhouni on . Posted in Books.

The Arabic collection in Main Library’s Orange 4 is a relatively small but rich collection of books. Three books only begin to scratch the surface of the Arabic literary experience. The following are three more to delve into the treasure trove that is Orange 4. Set in two countries, Lebanon and Sudan, these books are all available in English, adapted from Arabic in Main Library.

Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih [Orange 4 (892.73 S73 )]

This novel written by Sudanese novelist Tayeb Salih is a beautifully written and structured work on postcolonialism and power. This is essentially a reflection on the relationship between postcolonial Sudan and its former colonists, subtly dealing with the power play and the divide between the global north and the south; the west and the east. It raises the question of whether a disequilibrium between cultures can be a cause for their differences.

The story follows the protagonist who recently returned to his homeland, whom we learn more about through his relationship with the mysterious Mustafa Sa’eed. Through these odd conversations we learn about his life in London, the global north, and his professional and sexual adventures. We later learn that Mustafa may or may not have a reason to confide in our protagonist  himself. Through them we learn more about the differences that exist between societies and how the imagination of Salih, the author, attempts to remedy them through his use of symbolism.

Selected by a panel of Arab writers and critics as the most important Arab novel of the twentieth century, his story is especially important for readers interested in Arabic literature, not only for the literary status this work holds, but also for a chance to decipher the political, social, and philosophical symbolism that is characteristic of his work.

The Broken Wings by Khalil Gibran [Orange 5 (892.78 K51 )]

Kahlil Gibran, a leading figure of idyllic literature, wrote The Broken Wings to document his first encounter with love, albeit never realized.

Published in 1912 Beirut, Lebanon, traditions and customs of that era are chronicled in this novella. The story follows Gibran himself, and his beloved Salma, and the way they face familial and societal pressure in the form of circumstances and traditions.

One of Gibran’s most popular works, this is a cliché love story which depicts the turbulences many lovers face in a conservative society.  Gibran’s ‘version’ of this widely circulated scenario of star-crossed lovers is set apart from other similar themed stories in its descriptive and poetic nature. His romantic use of metaphors, not quite lost in the English translation, shows a side that is unique to Arabic literature.

Beirut ’75 : a novel, by Ghada Samman [Orange 4 (892.7309 S10 )]

Ghada Samman’s first full-length novel was written and published months before war broke in Lebanon, predicting what later came to be known as the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990). Not only is this a story about the dangers of war, it is also a social commentary on the Lebanese society, set in the capital city of Beirut. As many socially critical novels set in the Arab world, it follows the lives of a number of characters within the city to illustrate certain stereotypes about the people and reflect social problems ranging from poverty to sexual repression to desperation and problems rising from sectarianism.

It raises questions that delve deep into human nature: its inevitability, its repetitiveness, its necessity. It examines the human condition and leaves it to the reader to decide whether or not war has to be a part of it. To paraphrase an oracle — a character in Beirut ’75 — we come to realise that the result is always ‘sadness and blood. Lots of blood’.

It is relevant today because it tells us that just like the author, paying close attention to social problems allows us to predict when societies might crack. But it also gives us hope that maybe, if we act in time, we might be able to turn it around before it’s too late.

Feature: In conversation with Laura Marling

Written by Rebekah Shaw on . Posted in Music.

13th February at Goldsmith’s Students’ Union

In a musical career spanning just nine years, Laura Marling is imminently releasing her sixth studio album, and it is clear that Semper Femina represents a new stage in Marling’s artistic career. Working on a collaborative project The Reversal of the Muse last year, and self-directing her music video for first single ‘Soothing’, the singer-songwriter has been exploring her creative abilities.

Her exclusive student press conference, broadcast live on Facebook, was an opportunity to be grabbed, considering Marling has only given interviews sparingly over recent years. Her eagerness to emphasise the importance of student journalism seems evident, and this excitement was keenly shared by the representatives from student newspapers all over the country sat in Goldsmith’s Students’ Union, decked out in ambient dusky lighting.

The conference followed a format interspersing selected questions from students and online fans with three acoustic performances from the album tracklist: recent single ‘Wild Fire’, and the final two songs of the album ‘Nouel’ and ‘Nothing Not Nearly’.

Charmingly flippant and relaxed, yet serious about her wishes for the album, Marling happily answered questions on her inspirations, experience in the music industry, and the importance of exploring — even if not fully understanding — femininity.

Addressing the big question of her inspiration for Semper Femina, Marling highlights her focus on female experience. Initially wanting to exercise power over the trope of men writing about women, she later decided to write from a woman’s perspective.

Vehemently insisting on not attempting to assert a defining position on feminism and feminine culture, she instead sees this album as a way of exploring her experience amongst others in the world we live in. This seems a particularly apt response to a purportedly ‘post-gender’ world in which misogyny nonetheless remains rife.

The subtleties of this argument are present throughout the album, and legitimating feminine experience is just the start of it. “Fickle and changeable, semper femina” sings Marling in ‘Nouel’, paraphrasing the Virgil quote which inspired the album’s title.

Now tattooed on Marling’s body, the phrase roughly translates to “always a woman”, subverting the meaning of the whole sentence, which associates femininity with less flattering characteristics. In this sense, Marling and her new album embody a fitting challenge to male attempts to define womanhood.

Photo: Press shot

Marling was eager to talk to me about the impact of her recent project The Reversal of the Muse upon her latest creative work. The project, a series of podcasts discussing creativity in the female experience with other women working in the music industry in positions ranging from production to songwriting, saw Marling work with guests including HAIM, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.

The project inspired her to further probe other creative industries such as visual art and film, as well as widening the discussion about the nature of femininity. Most importantly, it confirmed to Marling that she was on the right track by inquiring after a multi-faceted, thought-provoking issue in understanding feminine experience. She concluded that Reversal of the Muse “allowed me to keep asking questions about these things, and that’s what I want to keep doing”.

“Whereas Short Movie [her 2015 album, recorded in anticipation of a move to Los Angeles] was based on a landscape, this album was more based in thought,” Marling explains when questioned on her creative move between the two. She ascribes English homesickness on tour as an important feeder into Semper Femina’s reflective core.

In comparison to the anxious urban bustle of Short Movie, Semper Femina is calmer and considered, yet Marling remains just as passionate, if not more honestly so. Despite being in search of answers, she is exploring them with an older and wiser head upon her shoulders.

Suitably placed as the final track of the album, ‘Nothing Not Nearly’ has a sense of finality about it, stopping short of concluding the issues raised within the album but certainly learning from them. Distorted guitar and assertive lyrics such as “love waits for no one” are indicative that Marling has gained both knowledge and confidence through the exploratory creative process behind Semper Femina.

The discussion ends on a more personal note, with Marling suggesting that if she had not become a musical artist, she would have wanted to become a chef or a writer. For anyone dying to know Laura Marling’s favourite self-written song, it’s ‘Rambling Man’, from I Speak Because I Can, which has never been off her touring setlist. “It’s very satisfying to sing and it’s quite fun to play,” she explains with a smile on her face; “I’m probably playing it in my sleep now, I suppose!”.

She finishes the conference on a question about her experience in the music industry, busting the myth of a glamorous lifestyle with an exhausting, scary reality, particularly for a female. The restricting fear of being alone, which she highlights here as part of the female experience as a touring musical artist, is a recurrent theme of many of her songs, even before Semper Femina. Marling doesn’t proclaim to have the answers to these issues, but she’s continuing to ask the right questions.

Semper Femina is released on 10th March 2017.

Preview: Highly Suspect

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

With three Grammy nominations in the past two years, and a new single that has been dominating the Billboard Rock chart, Highly Suspect are a band that have been making a lot of noise in the scene recently — and with good reason.

Following the success of debut release, Mister Asylum, which saw the band receive fantastic critical reviews, Highly Suspect are back with their signature sound for a second studio album. Their latest release, The Boy Who Died Wolf is a marriage of 90’s grunge, early 00’s pop-rock with something refreshingly new and exciting.

In most recent releases, ‘My Name is Human’ and ‘Serotonia’, earnest lyrics are met with punky guitar in an explosive combination. Lyrics range from political commentary to loss and love in an album that is by no means afraid to deliver itself.  What is evident from these tracks is that this is a band with everything needed to deliver a great live show.

Formed of twin brothers Rich and Ryan Mayers and Johnny Stevens, Highly Suspect are back on tour in the UK next month, gracing Manchester’s Sound Control on the 7th of March and it is set to be a fantastic opportunity to see the trio in one of the city’s most renowned intimate venues. With the success they have received already, this may be your last chance to catch them in such a small venue.

Tickets to see Highly Suspect on their March UK tour are on sale now, though selling fast.

Andrew Wakefield returns to UK for controversial documentary screening

Written by tabitha hanks on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Earlier this month, Andrew Wakefield, well known for his now discredited paper on the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and its association with autism and bowel disease, received an award and gave a Q&A session at the UK premiere of his controversial film Vaxxed.

The event took place at Regent’s University in London  and was hosted by the Centre for Homeopathic Education (CHE). A university spokesperson said in a statement that the university had not been provided with the title of the film and had since severed links with the CHE.

Wakefield was the chief author of the 1998 paper “Enterocolitis in children with developmental disorders,” which alleged a link between the MMR vaccine and increased rates of autism in children. The paper was declared fraudulent by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after an extensive follow up study conducted on over 95,000 children.

The original paper was published in The Lancet, which retracted it in 2010; the same year that Wakefield was removed from the General Medical Council’s medical register in the UK.

‘Vaxxed’ is a documentary directed by Wakefield in support of the anti-vaccination (‘Anti-vaxx’) movement. The film focuses on the claim that the CDC omitted data in their study dispelling the link between the MMR vaccine and autism, and heavily defends Wakefield’s 1998 study. Wakefield is currently a leading member of the ‘anti-vaxx’ movement, which has support from President Donald Trump.

The documentary is estimated to have grossed over $1 million in initial box office sales, but was recently removed from both the Tribeca Film Festival and the Curzon cinema prior to screening due to the controversial message of the film. It had also been due to be shown to European Parliament, but this was abandoned after public protests.

Concerns have been raised that the film could reignite public doubt in the MMR vaccine. This could lead to another generation of un-vaccinated children and further outbreaks of preventable disease, such as the 2012 outbreak which resulted in 1,219 measles diagnoses in children across Swansea.

Dr. Simone Turchetti from the University of Manchester’s Centre for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine commented: “What is interesting about scientific controversies is that they never end. Uncertainties always keep on haunting us. But vaccines affect so many people that this lack of closure heightens public concerns.”

Although it has been almost 20 years since Wakefield’s paper linking MMR to autism was published, there is still widespread public doubt on the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and propaganda from ‘anti-vaxx’ groups could reignite public skepticism and endanger the health of many who go un-vaccinated.

BUCS Success for University of Manchester Karate

Written by David Brierley on . Posted in Sport.

The BUCS University Nationals occurred in Sheffield on the weekend of the 17th-19th of February this year, seeing action from 6,620 athletes across nine disciplines, all vying for medals and coveted BUCS points. Just under 500 Karate-ka from across the country converged on Pond’s Forge International Sport Arena to take part in this huge sporting weekend, competing in the disciplines of individual and team Kata (athletic performances of set techniques) and Kumite (semi-contact combat).

Manchester set off in the young hours of the morning across a misty Snake Pass, taking a team of 12 members, 10 of whom were competing for the very first time.

Saturday saw the performance of Novice, Intermediate, and Senior Kata, which saw former medalist David Brierley competing in Senior for the first time after moving up from Intermediate, Zuzana Bujnovská seeking to improve her Bronze in Women’s Intermediate from last year, and many novices competing for their first time.

A string of close 8th place finishes presented encouraging results for future competition success for our novices, and first year students Allen Wang and Theo Fisher made strong first impressions in a Senior category with 81 competitors all seeking BUCS Gold – David unfortunately bowing out in the 3rd round 3-2 to Sunderland. However, the day was Zuzana’s, who took home silver in her final BUCS performance in a close final under the Pond’s Forge spotlights.

Sunday brought the Kumite events, where novices James Turner and Nick Hemingsley both claimed 8th in the Men’s Novice -80kg event.

A frustrating fight for Allen Wang saw him narrowly lose his first fight, and unfortunately Theo also lost out in a slim margin in the second round of his senior -75kg category. However, in -67kg Macedonian National Team member and Manchester fresher Adil Mehmed stormed into the final in stunning style, winning his first fight in 45 seconds, and making it through without dropping a single point against his opponent.

With the lights dimmed and the crowd baiting their breath in anticipation, Adil took to the tatami against his opponent Adam El-Shafei from Strathclyde, who had previously won the -60kg event.

A lightning punch from Adil sent him into an early lead, but Adam soon overtook him in points with a heavy roundhouse kick to the side, putting him 2-1 up. Over halfway through the match and Adil retook the lead with a show-stopping head kick, placing him at 4-2 into the closing seconds of the match, with Adam’s only options being to score with a head kick or a throwing technique to win.

The tension mounted as a bad kick from Adam sent Adil to the floor, worrying the crowd that had already seen four injuries end the hopes of gold that day. However, Adil recovered and took to the tatami for the last fifteen seconds, defending himself against an onslaught of techniques from Adam who hoped to either score with a kick or force Adil off the mat, with the potential of disqualification.

Adil stood his ground and held Adam off in the dying seconds, with Pond’s Forge erupting in a massive roar from the Manchester crowd as his victory was assured. To take a gold and silver from such an inexperienced and young team was a great result from the weekend, and the University of Manchester Karate Club looks forward to BUCS 2018, where our team will be returning more experienced, more eager, and even more Purple and Proud.

2017 Formula 1 Season Preview: New Excitement

Written by Jack Greeney on . Posted in Sport.

The 2017 Formula 1 season is “lights out and away we go” next month. On March 26th, the new year of motorsport’s premier competition will start off where it has for all but two of the past 20 seasons: Melbourne, Australia. However, Formula 1 will be looking very different to last year: and not least due to the absence of a reigning champion, after Nico Rosberg’s “classy” retirement.

Although there won’t be any new circuits for the drivers to get to grips with this time around, the destination list remaining largely unchanged aside from the removal of a German GP, there will be major rule changes in action for the developers to handle. In a renewed effort to generate greater appeal for the sport, new F1 regulations aim to enable the machinery to race faster and appear more dramatic. Tyres will be fatter, increasing in width by around 25 per cent compared to 2016, with rears up to 405mm and fronts up to 305mm. The front wing will be 150mm wider, aiming to eke out every morsel of downforce it can possibly get ahold of, for vastly improved cornering speeds.

The new plan seeks to make the cars up to five seconds per lap faster than in the previous season: a sizeable quickening of the pace. Wider, longer, and much faster: it’s as if last year’s batch of cars spent all the winter off-season in the gym. At least on paper, these changes point towards a new era of physicality in Formula 1, testing the drivers in ways they have not been tested for a decade. These changes hope to take the sport by the throat and inject a sense of rawness that some feel has been declining over recent years: and in the process, end years of domination from Mercedes. Whether these intended aims will come into fruition, however, is yet to be seen.

There is certainly the possibility that the results will entail a dramatic change. Senior F1 insiders say downforce gains could hit a 40 per cent increase by the end of the year, a huge increase. Engineers have certainly become excited by the news, the BBC reporting talk of 130mph bends becoming 150mph belters, new sections of full throttle track space opening up, and cornering forces ballooning upwards by more than 1G. All of these exciting new statistics remain only as educated guesses until testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona gets underway on February 27th; but the signs are certainly promising.

Whether the increased speed will lead to better racing, however, is still an open question. In these modifications, the FIA did not seek to render overtaking any more difficult than it already was, but there are fears that the new shape and size of car will have just that effect regardless. Increased width will lead to increased drag: with cars slower in the straights and faster in the corners, braking distances will be reduced, which will make overtaking a bigger challenge for each and every driver in each and every seat. On the other hand, the changes might lead to a closer pack of race cars, especially at the front: a prospect which always makes for exciting viewing on the race track.

It’s not just a thrilling prospect for the viewers, either: teams hoping to reap the benefits of a shake-up in the order also seem to be returning to the sport with a newfound enthusiasm to bring down the current order. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner promises a “brand new engine” and a “change of philosophy” after a big winter for the outfit, describing the atmosphere in the camp as “excited for the year ahead”. If it’s enough to get the blood pumping for even the most well seasoned and highly decorated of Formula 1 bosses, that surely bodes well for the humble spectator.

The new season of Formula 1 has certainly continued to set itself up to be one of the most pacey and exhilarating years the sport has seen in many a year. Let’s hope that this newfound speed leads to not just better lap times, but more stirring and competitive track racing too.

Preview: Amber Run

Written by Emily Pite on . Posted in Music.

Amber Run are currently touring in support of their new album For A Moment, I Was Lost, released on the 10th of February. We can expect their show at Academy 2 on the 23rd to showcase many new songs, hopefully alongside some older material such as ‘I Found’, one of the most recognised songs from 2015’s 5AM, which reached the Top 40.

Honestly admitting they weren’t where they wanted to be musically for their last album, for For A Moment, I Was Lost they have developed into the band they envisaged when they first formed. Their comments that “the new album trims the fat from our previous music” suggests concert-goers can expect some of the band’s more complex arrangements to be cut back for the upcoming tour, while still retaining the essence of Amber Run.

Although the new pieces may appear a little bare to some, and with the loss of their fifth member, the music alludes to their future progression with songs that may not display the same kind of mainstream appeal but seem to have a more mature feel through their use of instrumentation and strong focus on singer Joe Keogh’s vocals.

For those who haven’t heard Amber Run’s music, think of a mix between Royal Blood, The Cinematic Orchestra and Hans Zimmer (think the Inception soundtrack). To get an impression of the album before they play it on Thursday night, ‘No Answers’ and ‘Dark Bloom’ should get you on the right track.

Amber Run play at Academy 2 on 23rd of February.

Live: Galactic Empire

Written by Joe Hunt on . Posted in Music.

10th February at Satan’s Hollow

6.5/10

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…. Darth Vader shreds guitar to crowds of screaming fans while Boba Fett keeps rhythm on drums and a Jedi knight punts merch round the back. This is not a strange piece of fan fiction, but rather something that actually happened, albeit at a different time and a different place. On Friday the 10th at Satan’s Hollow, Star Wars-themed metal group Galactic Empire played the third consecutive sold-out show of their current UK tour.

When I arrive the basement venue is filled with a motley crew of Leias, Yodas, families with kids and old men who have an impressive amount of hair for their age. I make my way past the giant glowing eyed Satan to the edge of the stage. The lights dim, there’s a moment of silence, and the band enter to the sinister chorus of John William’s ‘Duel Of Fates’.

Vader leads the troop, his lightsabre swings, deftly removing any haughty notion that I wouldn’t enjoy seeing a Stormtrooper play bass guitar, while deepening my worry that this may not have been the best thing to bring my girlfriend to on one of her few visits before she leaves for Argentina. They are all in full costume, tweaked for copyright reasons and with the allowance of a pair of nikes here or there. It’s an impressive sight: even the roadie is decked out as an imperial soldier.

The entire set consists of instrumental adaptations of Star Wars theme music, which is where things become a bit of a hard sell for the non-devoted. However, importantly and perhaps surprisingly, the joke doesn’t wear thin (although they do only play for thirty minutes). While not that musically exciting, the successful transposition of an orchestral film score to a rock quintet has to be appreciated.

It is undoubtedly John Williams’ famous compositions being flung between the guitarists’ fretboards and I’m struck by how well they lend themselves to the adaptation. When I say this later to an extremely dehydrated Boba Fett he agrees:

“Yeah I don’t think John Williams knew in 1979 that he was composing progressive metal tracks but turns out he was.” How hot is it in that outfit? “Very.”

Performing in large crash helmets has the potential to limit band-crowd interactions. However, Galactic Empire circumvent this with genuinely funny skits pre-recorded in the various characters voices. Littered with references, these prevent the spectacle from becoming monotonous. At one point a lucky audience member is brought up on stage and force-choked by the band’s lead guitarist. Needless to say, it’s not something you see every day.

Galactic Empire are decidedly niche, and a novelty not really worth seeing for those with only a passing interest. However, the performance is full of humour and well thought out, offering plenty for fans of both the films and the music. If this sounds like your kind of thing, then it probably is. Take it from someone who is by no means a metalhead; for a Star Wars fan, Darth Vader headbanging his way over to you is a strangely thrilling experience whatever your musical leanings.

Lie Lie Land

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in Arts.

Artists have never been known to shy away from political statements through their work, be it Picasso’s criticism of US intervention in Korea or Ai Weiwei giving up his freedom to stand up to the Chinese government.

However, it is street art where we see some of the most of-the-moment political messages being made. Even the public and — debatably — unownable nature of graffiti is a political statement in itself.

Many of the best graffiti artists go to great lengths to preserve their anonymity, and London-based artist Bambi is no exception. Her pieces cut to the very core of politics today — most recently making headlines with a piece called ‘Lie Lie Land’.

It appeared in Islington earlier this month and plays on the promotional imagery for multiple award-winning La La Land. Lead actors Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have been replaced with Donald Trump and Theresa May, who are seen dancing together hand-in-hand.

Known for her stenciled graffiti works, Bambi employs representational imagery to offer social commentary and address political concerns, often through the depiction of notable contemporary figures such as Ai Weiwei or David Beckham. Her work focuses on contemporary female identity and its relationship to patriarchal culture, as well as the commodification of the art world and various political injustices.

Speaking to the Huffington Post, Bambi said she decided to spray the sketch after seeing film posters plastered across London with a strong performance anticipated at next week’s 89th Academy Awards.

She said: “A happy couple dancing without a care in the world, this film was released during a dark political time in our world.”

But why the rise in political art on the street? With its biting reality and tongue-in-cheek humour, street art has become a kind of public expression to articulate socio-political criticisms all the while expressing individual artistry. Placing them in especially deprived areas only amplifies their message allowing them to reach out to the masses.

Bambi previously sketched a mock up image of the Statue of Liberty in Camden, days after President Trump was inaugurated and called it ‘Make America Sane Again’. Similarly, a mural in Lithuania that showed Putin kissing Trump was shared widely on social media in May whilst a swastika-inspired “Truck Fump” found itself in the Northern Quarter’s Stephenson Square.

2,500 attend Reclaim the Night

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

2,500 students took to the streets of Manchester on Thursday 23rd of February to ‘Reclaim the Night’, protesting the prevalence of violence against women, street harassment and victim blaming.

The annual march from the student area of Fallowfield to the University of Manchester Students’ Union was attended by a range of student and non-student representatives, led by a women-only bloc. There was also a LGBT block, a youth and families block, and a Muslim block.

The number of students attending was down on previous years, with 2016’s march attracting 3,500 students, but reduced numbers have been blamed on Storm Doris.

The march ended with a rally in the Contact Theatre car park, where Councillor Sarah Judge, the lead member from Manchester City Council on all women’s services, spoke of the fact that “across our city we still have stats like a third of women experience domestic violence, the rape crime reporting rates are so low, yet we all know it’s happening everywhere. This has to change”.

The Mancunion and Fuse FM spoke with some of the people on the march to find out why they were there and why they believed events like Reclaim the Night were so important.

Naa Acquah, General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students’ Union, told us she believed it was “really important that we keep doing this every single year.”

It was her fourth Reclaim the Night, and she explained how “every year it just gives you that real empowerment to take back the streets.”

Saffa Mir, Community Officer at the Students’ Union, said she was marching at Reclaim the Night, in particularly the Muslim bloc, “because we believe our voices are being silenced, and we’re here to show that we, as Muslim women, do have a voice”.

When asked if she believed Manchester’s streets were safe she responded: “No. Certain streets, especially the ones we’re about to walk down now, are not safe at all, they’re not safe from catcalls, sexual violence, sexual harassment, not all at all — and we’re here to tackle that”.

One girl, when asked why she was marching, said it was because she had been raped by her ex-boyfriend.

But she added that she thought it was great “when people do this, it makes you feel so much better to see you’re not alone.”

Personal experiences of sexual violence or assault were brought up by a number of women at the march, with women speaking about being followed to their doors, groped in broad daylight and catcalled on the streets.

Most spoke of feeling vulnerable and unsafe alone, particularly within Fallowfield and along the Curry Mile. Emma, a University of Manchester student, said: “It would be nice to not always have that bit at the back of your mind, saying ‘what if’, and always being on guard”. Another student added that women should not have to “change their lifestyle because of the fear of being attacked.”

One female student told us she was marching because “it’s time that women feel comfortable to walk around by themselves — because we’re not sexual objects, we’re people.”

The march was disrupted towards the end by a group of young people throwing things into the crowd and heckling.

Responding to this incident student Ella said: “It’s sad because they feel that they can’t do anything, because especially when you look at the black community, especially black men, there’s a big divide and it’s viewed as if feminism is destroying the black community. And looking around here there aren’t a lot of black women. I feel there could be a better outreach to the black community here.”

We spoke with some of those watching the march pass through Curry Mile, including Tony and Anton who were watching from H&D Hair Design. They had not heard about the protest before, and when asked whether they thought protests about sexual violence were necessary, they responded simply, “look at what’s happening — there must be something wrong if everyone is out like this”.

They added that they believed “these things have got to happen, and the voices have to be heard to let people know what’s going on, with all the things that are going on in this world.”

Not everyone on the march believed it was an effective way to tackle the issues, Kritik Patel, a Genetics student, said: “I don’t actually think Reclaim the Night does anything useful.”

When asked why, he said: “Because it’s just one night. And the issues that they are campaigning on tonight are important, but it’s only done once a year. It should be more of a sustained direct action, like more demonstrations, more campaigning on campus, on issues like more lighting on streets, against catcalling”.

Despite this, most of the people we spoke with spoke of the march as a means to raise awareness of the issue, including Helen Clegg, third year and founder of the newly formed Feminist Society at Salford University, who said “if we shout about it enough then people will pay attention.”

After the march, Jenni Smyth, Women’s Officer for the University of Manchester Students’ Union expressed a huge thank you on Facebook “to all 2500 of you who braved storm Doris and came out to Reclaim the Night. Together we raised our collective voices and filled the City with noise, colour and light as we said NO! to sexual violence, street harassment and victim blaming”.

Letter from the Deputy Editor: Women in Media

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in News.

This week’s issue of The Mancunion promises a look into the yearly Reclaim the Night and what the people marching had to say, as well as a student safety special in our Opinion section.

However, as some of you may be aware, with the help of Amnesty International and the NUS, this weekend the People’s History Museum will be throwing it’s doors open to host our Women in Media Conference. A conference which I am very proud to say I am a Co-chair of.

All money raised this weekend will go to Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH), a small local charity that provides long-lasting help to women involved in sex work; from their safe house in Manchester’s red light district they provide workers with everything they need to keep safe and well.

Women in Media was an idea completely created and developed by the student volunteers involved in the Manchester Media Group, and it wasn’t just the female ones either.

Put simply, we aim to surround our delegates with fantastic women who have incredible media careers and empower confidence in other students to do the same.

As someone who is proud to be from a Manchester working class family I have never felt that my socio-economic status has impaired me in anyway. I didn’t struggle through school or college, my family’s encouragement never faltered and my aspirations weren’t shackled to a postcode. Only now, approaching my final semester, I feel that my class will become a hurdle. And this is because of one simple thing: The education system isn’t the same as the real world.

The media is an industry which relies heavily on unpaid work when first starting out, and unfortunately this is a luxury which leaves many behind. With reports of unpaid internships, poor work experience and even bidding for internships, a large number of high profile media professionals and celebrities have come forward to speak out about this issue.

Although it can often feel that these opportunities are only for the privileged, things are changing.

Creative and industrial industries are one of the fastest-growing sectors in the region, with the industry growing faster than anywhere in the UK. Manchester is home to Media CityUK, which is due to expand in coming years. Hopefully, this is a sign that media concentration in London will spread it’s wings and share the distribution.

This is why I’m particularly looking forward to sessions such as ‘Our Manchester Women’ and Robyn Vinter’s workshop ‘The class barrier: Why Media needs more Working class women’. Although last year’s conference exceeded expectations, we’ve made a conscious effort to make this year’s line up even more diverse in terms of media genre, age, race, and class.

Tickets are still available and if you can’t make it you are still able to donate to such a worthy cause! Each day kicks off at 10am and finishes at 4pm, all information can be found at our website: womeninmediacon.co.uk.

There’s something there for everyone, so I hope to see you there!

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this issue of The Mancunion.

Disadvantaged teens four times less likely to apply to university

Written by Yasmin Mannan on . Posted in News.

Official figures reported in The Independent have shown that teenagers from the most disadvantaged areas of the UK are four times less likely to apply to university than their better-off, socially advantaged counterparts.

The statistics suggest that a teenager’s chances of a successful application, or even applying at all, to a degree course are heavily dependent on where they live.

In December 2016, The Independent reported that there was a record gap between rich and poor students winning university places, causing some to express concern about the lack of social mobility within education.

Press Associations analysed UCAS data to reveal that 55 percent of 18-year-olds living in the top ten percent of parliamentary constituencies in terms of university applications applied for a degree course by the main 15th of January deadline.

In contrast, only 24 percent of those living in the bottom ten percent of constituencies had applied by the same point.

The highest application rate, identified by Press Association, was in the Conservative-held seat of Wimbledon, south-west London, where 70.3 per cent of eligible students applied to go to university.

At the opposite end of the scale, in another Conservative-held seat in Havant, Hampshire, the application rate was 17.4 per cent.

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and executive Chair of the Sutton Trust, commented on the data and told The Independent: “The fact that London has the highest proportion of young people going on to university reflects both high aspirations and improvement in the capital’s schools.”

“The massive difference in the numbers going on to university between the top and bottom constituencies reflects the fact that the chances of getting to university are very much dependent on where you live and where you go to school.”

The Sutton Trust have also drawn attention to stark educational inequality at a secondary school level, implying a north-south divide.

A spokesperson from the University of Manchester stated: “The University of Manchester is located in one of the UK’s most deprived urban regions — therefore much of our work to widen access is focused on gifted but disadvantaged young people in the Greater Manchester area. We are the only university in the UK to rank social responsibility equally alongside world-class research and outstanding learning and student experience as one of our three core goal.”

The spokesperson pointed out various programmes aimed to increased social mobility at the University of Manchester including the Manchester Access Programme and Undergraduate Access Scholarships, Schools outreach, and Year 10 summer schools.

They also stated that “in the current climate, with recent research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation indicating that 7 million working families are living in poverty, we are committed to helping the next generation achieve their full potential and become global citizens” and that “The University of Manchester offers eligible students one of the most generous support packages in the UK”.

The diversity officer of the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union, Ilyas Nagdee, stated that:

“Educational institutions have a duty to ensure they are attracting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply to university – our university does this through their widening participation team and our fantastic Access All Areas group sees students going into communities to support their aspirations for higher education.

“It is vital that universities continue to do and fund this work and we will continue to monitor and push for more work in this area.”

Manchester drug testing lab accused of manipulating police evidence

Written by Serena Holloway on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A forensic lab in Manchester is currently being investigated for internal manipulation of drug test results used in criminal prosecution by the police.

Randox Testing Services (RTS) analyses blood, saliva, and hair samples to provide forensic results for the use of police forces across the UK. An internal investigation at RTS’ Manchester site found that many drug toxicology results may have been manipulated by staff.

Forces around the country are now having to review as many as 484 cases since November 2015 for potential miscarriages of justice, as the false results produced by RTS may have led to the incorrect prosecution of hundreds of individuals.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) have confirmed that a full criminal inquiry has been launched. Two male RTS employees, aged 47 and 31, have been arrested by Greater Manchester Police for perverting the course of justice and are out on bail until March.

Chief Constable Debbie Simpson of the NPCC said that they are working in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to help police forces in their review of each case. She added that the “CPS will take appropriate action in any cases [of incorrect prosecution]”.

RTS, based in Northern Ireland, said the investigation revealed “manipulation of quality control data” that is used to support the test results, and not of the samples themselves. They also stated that no alcohol samples had been affected.

However, they admitted that many results had been “compromised” and insisted that they are “working tirelessly to fully assess the impact and implications for each case”.

A drug-driving case against a 26-year-old man from Chester has already been dropped following re-review of blood test data originally conducted by RTS. The CPS said that there was “too little evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction”.

On their website, Randox Testing Services describe themselves as “a market leader in the Forensic Toxicology and Drug and Alcohol testing industry”. They have worked alongside Greater Manchester Police for the past two years and pride themselves on being the “[testing] provider of choice”.

Before 2012, an independent state-run Forensic Science Service provided all forensic science services to police forces in England and Wales. Following closure by the Government, forensic testing for the police since then has been conducted in-house, or contracted out to private companies such as RTS.

High student debt is leading to stress and poor mental health

Written by Isabel Oldman on . Posted in News.

According to a recent study, the accumulation of university debt — along with extortionate living costs — is contributing to stress and mental health issues amongst students.

The research, conducted by the financial technology company Intelligent Environments, suggests that as many as 75 per cent of students who received a maintenance grant for their studies feel stressed about money, with 39 per cent stating that they could not afford their weekly food shopping and 27 per cent admitting to missing payments on rent.

University debt is even going as far as to damage friendships, relationships, and exam results, but for the most part it is leaving students without the means to be independent.

This is the case for English and French University of Manchester student  Gemma, who says: “Now that I’m in final year, with no time for a well-paid job, I’m realising that it was in fact my wages that were helping me stay out of my overdraft every month – now I’m constantly in the red.

“The maintenance loan isn’t enough – I’m lucky that my parents can partially support me, but for people who don’t have that option, it’s a cruel reality.” She also believes that “a lot of people are in genuine need of [greater] maintenance loans”, but there are also “some students who cheat the system”.

The truth, therefore, is that frugality accounts for much more in student life than many expect. Despite this, The University of Manchester is still preparing to raise its own tuition fees from £9000 to £9,250 per year.

Similarly, those with disabilities and special support needs are also being hit significantly hard due to budget cut-backs, but have even less freedom to pursue part time work.

Alex Smith, a University of Manchester second-year languages student, is an example of such a student: “I would identify as a disabled student and have found the lack of funding for students with additional needs to be highly unsatisfactory, I love my course… but times are getting hard… especially for disabled students.

“I attend meetings with a study coach as part of my DSA entitlement, but next year this will be cut… I’m now highly dependent on antidepressants just to cope with the financial burden of university.”

In a statement, The Students’ Union’s Wellbeing Officer Izzy Gurbuz outlined some of the services that the Union offer students who find themselves with money troubles: “Financial pressure can have a huge effect on students’ wellbeing, from worries about debt affecting your mental health, to the need for a part time job leaving you with no time for socialising or sports. £9,000 fees are already too much, which is why we’re asking students not to fill in the NSS, as it’s being used as part of the TEF to raise fees even further.

“The scrapping of maintenance grants and slashes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance have also exacerbated financial problems for students. The Students’ Union Advice Service can give advice on Student Finance and additional funding sources, and they can also provide emergency loans of up to £100. The University also has some great online resources around managing your money here.”

The University of Manchester’s Press Office added: “We know that 4 out of 5 students worry about having enough money to get through the academic year, and that money worries can affect diet, academic performance, and mental health. With this in mind, the University has partnered with Blackbullion, an online financial education resource designed for students. The resource, which is free for University of Manchester students, comprises of a series of online modules helping students to gain skills in saving, budgeting, and more.

“What we love about it is you can access the modules from your phone and get money skills wherever you are. We have also developed a series of online resources with tips and apps to ease the stress of managing money, available through the My Finances tab on My Manchester. Our online support accompanies our Student Support and Advice Service based in the Atrium of University Place where we are happy to speak with students about any money worries they may be having.”