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Month: October 2020

The TikTokers promoting body positivity

Written by Caitlin Rawlings on . Posted in Lifestyle.

TikTok is a video-sharing social network that allows users to create and watch short videos. The app has over 800 million active users worldwide. It has become the social media sensation of lockdown – during March 2020 the app had over 745,000 downloads in the UK, surpassing Facebook and WhatsApp.

Contrary to popular belief, the app is not just for pre-teens replicating global dance crazes.

TikTokers have utilised the app as a way of championing body positivity and celebrating all body types. #Bodypositivity has over 2.4 billion hits on the app to date. It allows real people to show off their stomach rolls, acne, cellulite, or body hair. There are clothing hauls, tutorials, dance videos, and vlogs, radiating the message that you do not need to change your body to fit society’s unattainable beauty standards.

While delving into the world of ‘bopo’ (body positivity) on TikTok, I connected with four leading creators who have over 9 million likes and 445,000 followers combined.

@luvjessicablair

@luvjessicablair

all of these are natural!! pls don’t let anybody shame u for them! 🥺 #fyp #foryou #selflove #bodypositivity #FeelingGood

♬ Heart Of Glass (Live from the iHeart Music Festival) – Miley Cyrus

Q: What does body positivity mean to you?

Jess: It means combating “ideal” beauty standards and systemic fatphobia by doing something seemingly radical: loving yourself and your body. I think it has become commercialised and watered down, but the movement’s original intent was a fat acceptance movement initiated by black women. Therefore, while everybody deserves to be comfortable in their bodies without facing discrimination, it’s important to recognise those roots and take the history of the body positive movement into account when discussing its true meaning.

Q: Why is it so important to love your own skin in 2020?

Jess: It’s always important to try to love the skin you’re in, but the pandemic has clearly highlighted the need for self-love. A lot of people are gaining weight or have been forced back into environments where their appearance is constantly commented on, which ends up reverting a lot of people back to toxic mindsets. You don’t need to be super productive or constantly working on “improving” yourself. Even if there wasn’t a pandemic, it is natural for people’s weight to fluctuate over the course of their life. We’ve been taught to associate weight gain with unattractiveness or failure, when in fact there’s nothing wrong with it. Weighing more doesn’t make you unworthy of self-love and respect, it’s just your body adapting and changing.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a university student struggling with their body image what would it be?

Jess: Try your best to be patient and kind to yourself. There’s no special secret that will improve your body image overnight, it’s something you have to work on daily. If you’re having a bad day, try to be understanding and don’t beat yourself up.

@cultivate_your_curves

@cultivate_your_curves

#iwouldntwannabeanybodyelse 💗 #bodypositivity #bopo #normalbodies #womensupportingwomen

♬ original sound – Hawkeronni

Q: What does body positivity mean to you?

Charlotte: It means never being ashamed of things we see as flaws – stretch marks, cellulite, scars, loose skin, missing limbs, tummy rolls, and skin conditions. We need to embrace our bodies and accept that they are part of our story, but that they do not define who we are as people.

Q: Have you always been body confident or was self-love something you had to work on?

Charlotte: It was definitely a journey for me to become body confident. I wish I had found self-love at a much younger age. I have more confidence now than I had when I was a size 12 during my late teens and early twenties. After having my two boys, I struggled with the changes my body went through and there were days I could not bear to look in the mirror. I began modelling a few years ago through encouragement from family and friends and it made a huge difference to my confidence. As I am getting older and immersing myself more into the ‘bopo’ world, it has become a huge passion of mine. I’m still breaking down barriers with my body confidence, posting pictures and videos of my body that I would never have dared upload.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a university student struggling with their body image what would it be?

Charlotte: Stop comparing yourself to others, be it people you know or strangers on the internet. Unfollow any account/page that makes you feel like you’re not good enough and only surround yourself with people who lift you up and support you.

@emmamattewsxx

@emmamatthewsxx

Topshops so cool I wish they did plus size:( #uk #haul #topshop #rippandagirl

♬ original sound – Lorenzo Garay

Q: What does body positivity mean to you?

Emma: Being body positive means being accepting and kind to your body regardless of shape size or weight.

Q: Why did you choose TikTok as a platform to promote body positivity?

Emma: I made a TikTok account as the world was starting to shut down with the pandemic, since I no longer had work or university commitments. It wasn’t my intention to spread the message through my videos but as people followed me and noticed how I was genuinely myself, the things I care about like self-love and body positivity shone through. 

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a university student struggling with their body image what would it be?

Emma: The biggest thing I have learned from sharing my life on social media is that when you see people being judgmental or hateful it definitely says more about them as a person than you. People who are down love to drag others down with them. You keep shining!

@cut.cake

@cut.cake

you have to stop comparing your body to other people’s bodies. #bodypositivity #plussize #fyp

♬ A Moment Apart – ODESZA – Hannah Stater

Q: What does body positivity mean to you?

Sarah-Jane: It means being able to show up exactly as you are. It’s accepting and celebrating everything about yourself and those around you and recognizing that people come in all shapes and sizes and that’s what makes us sparkly and special!

Q: What has been the response to your Tik Tok videos?

Sarah-Jane: For the most part incredibly positive! I feel like I have gained 300,000 best friends who are always hyping me up, and I do the same for them. As always, you get those people who tell you that you promote obesity by being happy in your skin when you live in a larger body. I try to focus on the other much more amazing comments and remember it’s impossible to please everyone.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a university student struggling with their body image what would it be?

Sarah-Jane: This is the time of your life when you are going to learn the most about yourself and grow into a whole new person. You learn what makes you tick and what you are truly passionate about without the influence of others. Take time to work on yourself. Remember that who you are is not the same as what size you wear! You are special, beautiful, and strong no matter what your size or weight.

 

These TikTokers prove that social media can be a safe and inspiring environment for individuals across the globe. Regardless of the platform, the message that these creators are promoting is something that we all need to hear. You are beautiful now. Not when you have lost weight, shaved your legs, or covered your acne.

How to remain focused in a spinning world

Written by Agata Flak on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Contrarily to what science says, the world is spinning faster and faster. As we are presented with the newest ways to get through our daily life, our environment gets progressively more demanding, and new challenges keep coming up every step of the way, especially at university.

Our parents can keep saying that their life was harder without all the access to resources that we have today. Nonetheless, we are still expected to study, save money, stay updated on what’s going on, all while keeping our mental health and social life neat and intact. The world has never been more connected than it is right now.

Directly or not, we are constantly being observed and judged.

Therefore, here is some advice on how not to lose your mind and make the best use of your time while studying.

Reset

Hitting that reset button is the best thing you can do. Taking a moment to relax and breathe can do miracles during a busy week of lectures and shifts at work. Although you might feel like you’re losing control, the main point of this little break should be to regain it.

Imagine that you’re in a car, looking at trees by the road: as you accelerate, they become blurry and it’s hard to focus on just one of them. But if you look in the distance, the image becomes clear and you can see all the objects one by one.

This is exactly what we’re aiming for: taking a break in order to have a different, neater perspective of what we’re doing.

There are plenty of activities you can engage in to disconnect. Whenever you feel too much pressure, try going for a walk or for a coffee, even by yourself. You could watch a movie, or read the book you’ve been putting aside for months. You can dedicate one day a week to just rebooting the system.

Don’t do anything that might remind you of the task you’re escaping from, and most importantly, don’t feel guilty: it’s not procrastination. You’ll see that when you come back to work, everything will seem clearer, and you’ll get right back on track with double the productivity!

Plan

Making lists might not be for everyone. If you’re good at meticulously ticking your bullet points – you’re a super-human, everybody would like to be like you. Most of us, however, keep making those endless to-do lists, just to end up losing or forgetting them.

If you can relate, scheduling might be better for you. The aim of the game is to make your routine less chaotic. You’ll be amazed how much time you could save if you only took a little bit longer to plan your week.

Even if you think it’s unnecessary or too obvious, take a piece of paper or open a Word document and make a table, then fill it up with everything you have to accomplish. That way you’ll have a clear idea of what the next couple of days will look like and you’ll know how much time you can dedicate to your hobbies.

Be precise about time! Remember that you can’t clone yourself or travel in time – you can’t be in two places at once.

Resign

You can’t give up when you’ve already committed. After all, your social life is at stake, right?

Wrong.

Changing your mind is human. No matter how hard you try, anything can shift your schedule, consequently complicating your day. Never forget that this is your life to live, and nobody else’s.

Essentially, if you have to choose, prioritise yourself, especially if this doesn’t harm anyone else. Anything you do now can have a significant impact on your future, while that playlist you promised to make for your friend can really wait a little bit longer.

As long as you don’t make it a habit, don’t be afraid to say you don’t have time. At the end of the day, you’re the priority.

Take action

Limiting and planning your routine is crucial, but don’t be too restrictive. The fuller your schedule is, the less you’ll have to do later on. You’re young, your mind is as active as it will ever be, and it would be a shame to waste it.

Besides, the more experience you gain now, the easier it will be to find a job after you graduate and thus you’ll progress faster. Not to mention, varying your routine between university, work, and hobbies will give you better chances of meeting new people and expanding your network.

The opportunities around you are endless. You can be whoever you want to be, and being in control is important. But don’t stress too much: it is crucial to remain lucid and approach your tasks rationally. Take your time to plan your day and re-schedule whenever you find it appropriate.

Have fun, stay focused, and don’t let anyone get in your way to success.

Should the Prime Minister be allowed to misspeak?

Written by Lucy Nichols on . Posted in Opinion.

On Tuesday, 29th September, Boris Johnson was forced to apologise after “misspeaking” during a speech.

When explaining the newest restrictions on social gatherings, the PM claimed that people in the North East were allowed to socialise with other households outside of their own as long as they adhered to the “rule of six”.

Later, he tweeted an apology correcting what he had said earlier. The new advice was that those in the North-East should avoid meeting with other households outside.

The PM’s semantic blunder seems to suggest that the rules surrounding coronavirus are so complicated that not even those who set them can understand them.

If this is the case, then maybe we should allow the Prime Minister to misspeak?

History is full of examples of prime ministers making mistakes. Some point to Tony Blair’s decision to enter the Iraq War, while others look at Thatcher’s litany of errors as the reason why she alienated the entire North, as well as her own government.

This is not the first time that the PM has put his foot in it.  Throughout his long career as a journalist, author, and politician, Boris Johnson has had to apologise for all manner of things.

Apologies have been forced out of Johnson for various reasons. In 2012, Johnson was made apologise for inappropriately referring to victims of the Hillsborough tragedy as “drunken fans” in an article for Spectator Magazine from 2004. In 2017, Johnson had to express his regret for remarks that endangered Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s life whilst she was imprisoned in Iran. Finally, in November 2019, The Muslim Council of Britain made him apologise for Islamophobic comments within the Conservative party,

Johnson has also come under fire for refusing to apologise to care workers for his handling of the Coronavirus, and for the racist remarks he has made throughout his career.

Although it is not as offensive as past remarks, or as life-threatening as in the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the Prime Minister’s latest slip-up is rather revealing: it indicates that he believes to be able to easily get out of any situation, and he does get away with almost everything.

His cabinet support him seemingly and unconditionally, and the Parliamentary Labour Party appears to be committed to a strategy of constructive criticism rather than actually opposing to his actions.

It doesn’t really matter if Johnson makes a slip-up. Even if it makes him look like he doesn’t know what he’s doing, a large proportion of the public seems to be standing firm behind ‘Alexander de Pfeffel’ Boris Johnson.

The unconditional support Johnson receives from his Party, from the public, and the lack of a meaningful opposition from Labour are the reasons why he receives no scrutiny over the handling of the pandemic. Since March, thousands have died, as many have lost their jobs, and we’ve dipped back into recession, while Brexit is still being drawn out.

Whether you voted to leave or remain, it is impossible to believe that Brexit has been handled well.

The reality is Johnson will continue to make blunders that will have severe consequences for others, but not for himself or those sitting on the green benches in the House of Commons.

Why is Johnson untouchable?

Perhaps this is something to do with his position as an extremely upper-class man, or because he won such a huge majority in the last general election, or even because this country is just as right-wing as his government.

Whatever the reason, Boris Johnson is not above scrutiny.

Throughout the crisis, the opposition to his leadership has been significant. Though opposition has always come neither from Her Majesty’s Opposition, nor from Sir Keir Starmer, trade unions, protests, and ordinary people have provided a strong opposition to Johnson’s mismanagement of the worst crisis many of us will ever live through.

We combatted the government’s virulent racism by marching for weeks on end through every city in the country supporting Black Lives Matter. What is more, we fought the drive back to universities and schools by working alongside with trade unions, while A Level students managed to get into universities even after the classist algorithm put so many of them at a disadvantage.

So is the Prime Minister allowed to misspeak?

This depends on who you ask. The Conservative Government would probably argue that everyone makes mistakes, and the Prime Minister is no different; But a fair amount of members of the opposition would say the same.

Though if you were to ask an ordinary working person, a student, or a care worker, they would probably justify the special treatment.

This blunder likely represents the final straw for many. Though it was just a very small mistake, it’s the latest mishap in a very long series of decisions that have brought this country to have one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in Europe, leaving many lives in ruins, damaged beyond repair.

Airport featured image Photo: Jeshoots.com @Unsplash

The countries you can travel to without having to quarantine

Written by Anna Jin on . Posted in News.

At the time of writing, you must go into self-isolation for two weeks if you have travelled to many countries outside of the UK.

Some countries on the government’s travel corridor list are considered low risk, which means that you can travel to these countries without quarantining when you return.

On the other hand, countries on the list may impose restrictions on travellers from the UK.

The list is reviewed each week and updated based on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Countries currently on the UK’s travel corridor list are:

  •  Akrotiri and Dhekelia
  •  Anguilla
  •  Antigua and Barbuda
  •  Australia
  •  the Azores
  •  Barbados
  •  Bermuda
  •  British Antarctic Territory
  •  British Indian Ocean Territory
  •  British Virgin Islands
  •  Brunei
  •  Cayman Islands
  •  the Channel Islands
  •  Cuba
  •  Cyprus
  •  Dominica
  •  Estonia
  •  Falkland Islands
  •  Faroe Islands
  •  Fiji
  •  Finland
  •  Gibraltar
  •  Germany
  •  Greece (except the islands of Crete, Lesvos, Mykonos, Santorini, Serifos, Tinos and Zakynthos – if you arrive in England from any of these islands you will need to self-isolate)
  •  Greenland
  •  Grenada
  •  Hong Kong
  •  Ireland
  •  the Isle of Man
  •  Italy
  •  Japan
  •  Latvia
  •  Liechtenstein
  •  Lithuania
  •  Macao (Macau)
  •  Madeira
  •  Malaysia
  •  Mauritius
  •  Montserrat
  •  New Caledonia
  •  New Zealand
  •  Norway
  •  Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
  •  San Marino
  •  Seychelles
  •  Singapore (if you arrived in England from Singapore before 4am 19 September 2020 you will need to self-isolate)
  •  South Korea
  •  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  •  St Barthélemy
  •  St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
  •  St Kitts and Nevis
  •  St Lucia
  •  St Pierre and Miquelon
  •  St Vincent and the Grenadines
  •  Sweden
  •  Taiwan
  •  Thailand (if you arrived in England from Thailand before 4am 19 September 2020 you will need to self-isolate)
  •  Vatican City State
  •  Vietnam

Regardless of where you come from, you must fill in a passenger locator form before you arrive in the UK – or else you’re committing a crime, and risk a fine of £100.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises British nationals against all but essential international travel.

To keep up to date with the latest travel advice, sign up the UK government’s email alerts.

The information in this article is correct as of the time of writing.

Book club sign

How to run a successful online book club

Written by Maisie Scott on . Posted in Books.

Lockdown has given the bog standard book club format a modern renaissance, with a digital makeover allowing them to be seen as cool again.

Online book clubs hosted over zoom or social media offer a new way for people to connect virtually over a shared pastime.

Ongoing uncertainty over coronavirus restrictions, and the increase in people isolating at home, makes it the perfect time to join, or start a book club. Alice Porter ran a lockdown book club via her Instagram page and blog. I asked Alice for her advice on how to set up a book club.

Alice’s six top tips for setting up a successful book club:

1. Be flexible. Book clubs can seem like quite a big commitment. To begin with you don’t have to set any rules, and I would encourage you to allow it to develop as a collaborative effort with everyone. You could focus on reading a book altogether or chatting about a range of different books.

2. Reach out on social media. Instagram stories are a useful way to connect, so you could start a poll to register people’s interest. Online book clubs provide a space for conversation with friends, as well as people you’ve never met before in person, so make the most of social media.

3. Keep an eye out for opportunities. Book clubs can be an expensive commitment. My book club were able to keep costs low because we got involved with the Reading Agency’s collaboration with the Women’s Prize . The #ReadingWomen initiative posted out three previous Women’s Prize winners to book clubs across the UK. It was a really cool collaboration to be involved with, and it meant no one had to worry about how they would pay for the books.

4. Democracy is key. The #ReadingWomen initiative saved us the stress of choosing the books ourselves. It can be difficult to make democratic decisions on books if everyone has different reading tastes. I think it’s important to allow everyone in the book club to be part of the decision making process. If you’re struggling to come up with that initial list, try to pick a theme like books by women, or previous Man Booker prize winners. Focus on something that unites the groups’ reading tastes.

5. Make sure there’s no pressure. I previously studied English Literature at university, so I know the stress that can come with being forced to read books. I never wanted my book club to feel like an obligation. It’s important to make sure people feel comfortable to attend the book club even if they haven’t read anything that week.

6. Be prepared but ready to move off course. I think it’s good to have a list of questions to ask the book club, especially in the first few meetings when everyone might be a bit shy. But don’t be afraid to ignore them when the discussion starts to find its feet. You can always come back to them if it falls flat again!

Online book clubs to check out:

Facebook groups including Gals Who Graduate founded book clubs in lockdown which still continue to thrive. Check out their Facebook page and join the private group for some reading inspiration.

The University of Manchester’s Feminist Collective set up a successful book club over Instagram in collaboration with the Literacy Peak Project. This month they are focusing on Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman. Click on their Instagram to see how you can get involved.

Photo: Manchester SU

Here’s why you might not be getting that tuition fee refund any time soon

Written by Josh Sandiford on . Posted in News.

The recent news that Manchester universities will suspend most face-to-face teaching due to coronavirus concerns has raised even more questions about tuition fees.

Can the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University justify fees of £9250 and more for fewer and fewer contact hours?

Well, at an SU ’town hall’ style event earlier this week, Manchester University’s Senior Leadership Team were quizzed on everything from coronavirus to student mental health.

And when asked how the University could justify keeping fees at the current level, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, UoM’s Vice-Chancellor, said the cost of online learning was “significantly higher, a lot higher”. 

“There have been all sorts of things put in place: new platforms, new equipment, stuff we’re doing both face to face and online, and then, of course, we’ve had massive costs which we’ll just have to absorb as a result of Covid-19,” she said. 

Rothwell added: “The fee we receive in many cases doesn’t meet the cost of delivering an education, but we’re very sensitive to the fact that we need to be able to justify that [students] get the outcomes that they want.“ 

Patrick Hackett, the University’s Registrar, added that studying at university was not a “transactional relationship”.

Hackett added: “Ultimately, as a student, you are paying to have the opportunity to study for a degree that serves you well for the rest of your life.

“The real measure of value is whether ultimately you achieve those learning outcomes and whether they helped you in your future career.”

Rothwell also said the University was in “absolutely unprecedented” times due to the pandemic.

She said Covid cases were high among students, and particularly in halls of residence. 

“We are hearing of high infection rates in Manchester, and among students in the university,” she said.

“We are meeting very regularly with local public health and they’re advising us on the actions we should take to ensure as much as we possibly can do the safety and wellbeing of our students.” 

Watch the full video of the SU’s Town Hall with Nancy Rothwell, alongside other members of UoM’s senior leadership team, here.  

Force to bee reckoned with: Manchester’s new anti-violence statue

Written by santiagoillingworth on . Posted in News.

Manchester’s worker bee is one of the city’s best-known symbols and has represented its hard-working industrial roots for more than 150 years. Many different sculptures and images are spread throughout the city in honour of it, with the latest addition to the North’s best hive being commissioned.

This will be a giant sculpture of a bee made out of knives, guns and other deadly weapons collected off the streets of Greater Manchester.

The sculpture is the creation of The British Ironwork Centre, who were behind the National Monument Against Violence known as the Knife Angel. The Knife Angel toured the UK back in 2019 and is scheduled to be hosted in Manchester in August 2021, by which time the Centre hopes it will have been to over 20 cities and towns. 

In a statement to The Mancunion, the British Ironwork Centre said that the idea came from their meetings with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) last year, when discussing how the city would host the National Monument Against Violence. 

They said: “We offered to partner with GMP in creating a permanent sculpture against violence, that would stay in Manchester hopefully permanently.

“The bee concept was developed by our design team after feedback was gained from many Manchester groups contacted and GMP. 

“The concept is that it’s something beautiful created from something awful….all the weapons will have been collected from the Manchester streets.” 

Currently, there are no set plans as to where the sculpture will be positioned. This may not be decided until its size and weight is accurately known, but it will most likely reside in a prominent position with lots of foot traffic. 

When asked what they thought the sculpture would accomplish, the centre said that it hopes “it will be a permanent symbol of Manchester’s intolerance to violence”. 

They added: “It will be used as a visual tool, for anti-violence and aggression workshops, initiatives and programmes.

“It’s a permanent reminder of how much more we can all be doing to reduce violence (of all kinds) in Manchester and within the wider world.” 

The Centre also said that it received a very positive reaction from the local community.  Many have asked for their loved ones to be remembered on the “Manchester anti-violence monument”.

They continued: “Many are going to travel here, to inscribe a weapon on the monument themselves, we are offering them that ability by providing access to the workshop and an engraving machine…. any that struggle we will do for them.

“Our main concern is reaching all the affected – especially the 800 reported to have been injured but survived the [Manchester Arena] blast. Offering everyone the opportunity to include their name or most importantly a message or brief statement condemning violence or a message to a loved one, whatever they feel is right for them.” 

The Covid-19 outbreak is likely to delay the monument’s instalment. However, the Centre confirmed that work on it had begun and that it will be completed either this year or by early 2021. 

The Centre said: “We always apply ourselves to these projects fully, it will be stunning…. No corners will be cut….it’s our passion to support our nation and to see our work address and improve national issues and difficulties. 

“Art has the power to provoke thought and to encourage people to self reflect over how they behave, this will succeed in doing the same.” 

PHOTO: THE MANCUNION

Safe zone approved outside Fallowfield abortion clinic in “huge victory”

Written by Hannah Connery on . Posted in News.

Manchester City Council has approved a safe zone around an abortion clinic in Fallowfield to protect service users from harassment, following ongoing protests outside by pro-life groups.

The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) will be implemented this Friday around the Marie Stopes Clinic on Wynnstay Grove. There will be a six-week appeals period for parties to challenge its implementation.

The PSPO will ban people from protesting in the area surrounding the Clinic. It is the third safe zone to be introduced around an abortion clinic in the UK.

The development comes after an investigation by the Council found reports of intimidating behaviour towards users and staff outside the Clinic. This included ‘abusive language’, ‘displays of graphic images’ and the ‘throwing of holy water’ towards those accessing the building.

Sister Supporter Manchester, a pro-choice, anti-harassment group, has been campaigning for a safe zone at this Clinic for two years. Their founder, Eabha Doherty, said in a statement:

“This news will come as a great relief to clinic users and staff who have had to endure years of harassment and intimidation from anti-abortion protestors. The distress and trauma that has been caused by these protestors over the years can never be undone, but we are hopeful that this new measure will provide adequate protection for those accessing the clinic from now on.”
The Council’s decision can be appealed in the next six weeks. However, last year, a pro-life group lost their appeal against the UK’s first PSPO around an abortion clinic, in Ealing, West London.
A pro-life group, 40 Days for Life, began one of their twice-yearly vigils outside Fallowfield’s abortion clinic, and many others, last month. They are yet to say whether they will appeal the Council’s decision.
Managing Director of Marie Stopes UK, Richard Bentley, called the development a “huge victory” for those in Manchester, but highlighted the need for more protest restrictions at abortion clinics nationwide.
He said: “The fact is whether it’s one woman being harassed or 1,000, it’s still too many. It is time for the UK government to end the postcode lottery of harassment and legislate for Safe Access Zones outside all registered abortion care providers in the UK.”
Dr Rupa Huq MP for Ealing Central and Acton, introduced a bill in June to prevent demonstrations outside all abortion clinics nationally. Its second reading is scheduled for 13th November.
Words: Emma Riener Photo: Radek Kucharski @ Flickr

The US election through the eyes of Manchester students

Written by The Mancunion on . Posted in News.

Written by: Emma Riener 

2020 has been a turbulent year for US politics. Starting with Trump’s impeachment, the year has only gotten more chaotic, and will culminate in a polarising election in November.

Political differences and division along the party lines are more evident than ever – the two presidential candidates and their respective supporters strongly disagree on the future of the country.

Patrick, an American student at the University of Manchester, describes the situation to The Mancunion:

“I think the current mood is pretty tense. The country is pretty divided, increasingly so. There’s a lot of inward-looking, either self-flagellating or self-defensive.”

Trump’s reelection does not look as likely as it did 4 years ago. According to the Economist Election forecast, he is trailing in swing-state polls behind his Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden. The model gives Biden an 88% chance of winning the electoral college as of 1st of October 2020.

Despite his deficits in polling, Trump has the advantage of incumbency. He is willing to use the power of the presidency to discourage or even prevent people from voting. High election turnout,  as Trump once said himself, would make it impossible for him and other Republicans to stay in power.

Rebecca, another Manchester student from the US, was asked about the possibility of Trump interfering with the election:

“I wouldn’t put it past him to find a way of bypassing the election outcome or flouting democratic principles throughout the process.”

The primary target of his attacks has been mail-in voting – an option more popular than ever during the pandemic, particularly amongst Democrat voters.

Trump is insistent that Mail-In-Ballots are vulnerable to fraud. He has appointed a Post-Master General who has made significant changes to the US Postal Service, and which have made it more difficult for Mail-in-Ballots to arrive in time to be counted. Furthermore, Trump lawyers are fighting legal battles in several states to stop them from taking steps to make voting easier.

There have been allegations that Trump is willing to circumvent the vote all together: an article by Barton Gellman in The Atlantic claimed that Trump’s national team has been laying the groundwork to legally challenge the legitimacy of the election on grounds of claims of rampant fraud.

A contested election has been speculated to be one of the reasons Trump has been eager to replace recently deceased Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with conservative Amy Coney Barrett before the election. A 6-3 Conservative majority on the court is more likely to rule in Trump’s favour in a lawsuit arguing the election is fraudulent. 

Patrick says he is frustrated about how the American political system has not been able to stop Trump’s actions:

“American institutions don’t seem to be strong enough to withstand what’s happening now and what may be coming after the election.

“Very few people with any chance at power seem interested in making the kind of structural or institutional changes that will prevent things getting worse in the future.”

Even if Trump’s presidency ends in January, it appears he has permanently damaged the American people’s trust in their government.

Rebecca puts it this way: “The last year hasn’t necessarily changed my view of the American political system, but has reinforced it – I feel resentful toward a system with such innately oppressive structures that have enabled the disenfranchisement of marginalised communities for so long.”

Immy, another American student, describes her experience of voting in an election like this:

“This is my first national election, so it is quite exciting. The first box I had to check on the absentee ballot was ‘President and Vice President’.

“Living overseas, it’s hard to feel the policies made by the Trump administration are actually real – John Quiñones is not coming out of the curtains and saying ‘Psych! This was all a social experiment.'”

Talking to these students, it has become evident that there is more than the president on the ballot this November. Immy says some of the issues she is particularly worried about are: “Women’s access to reproductive healthcare, policies that harm black and brown people disproportionately, police brutality, tax exemption for the obscenely wealthy.”

The USA is at a moment of national reckoning. Trump and Biden have fundamentally different visions for the country, so a pivotal decision about the future of the USA will made on November 3rd.

The most crucial issue facing the American people however, is, according to Rebecca: “This election is critical because American Democracy is at stake.”

Bread and Bowl: Teaching the industry a lesson on quality and quantity

Written by Camila Florencia Rusailh on . Posted in Food & Drink.

It’s been a tough year for us all, and the hospitality sector has been no exception. Despite many obstacles, Bread and Bowl has adapted its business to stay afloat, whilst also carb-loading many Mancunians with no expenses spared in quality or quantity.

We sat down with Charlotte, the founder of Bread and Bowl, to talk about how the business came to be, the year she’s had keeping the business afloat, supporting local, and her entrepreneurial plans for the future.

*Make sure to read until the end in order to get a 2 for £15 student discount code valid for the whole of October!

You took the plunge at the start of this year to open up Bread and Bowl. Had you been in the industry before? 

“I’ve always wanted to start a business. I’ve always thought of funny ideas I could do, for example I started a cleaning business, apps, all sorts of stuff. I wanted to turn anything I did into a social enterprise, I didn’t just want to consume and consume… I want to empower people around me.

“I had a corndog stand called Charlie Mac’s Fancy Corndogs at Hatch for three months, then I got a place at Spinningfields. It wasn’t working at Spinningfields […] so I was either going to get a job or start this Bread and Bowl business that I had been thinking of for ages and ages…

Photo: @The Bread and Bowl on Facebook.

“I put my last £500 into it. I don’t come from a wealthy family so when I run out of money, I’m out of money for real, so this was a big risk for me. We started with soups and pastas at first and it was going really well in Spinningfields. Then the lockdown was looming, so I adapted it into a delivery service.

“[It] carried me through lockdown, then I had to get a kitchen to move into The Wheatsheaf in July and now I’m moving into The Crown & Anchor which has got a beautiful beer garden!”

Who makes up the team? Is it just you or do you co-own the business with anybody else? 

“It’s just me! I have a lot of help from my friends, my mum and step-dad, but it’s mainly me, though I wouldn’t be able to do it without all the people around me. I’ve got a couple of employees, but it’s a really small team. I’m hoping to hire and get bigger, but obviously Corona is stopping me from growing at the moment.”

Though you may not be able to grow at the moment, it’s an impressive feat that since opening this year, you’ve already managed to set up a full delivery system infrastructure in order to survive during lockdown. How did you solve this logistical nightmare so quickly?

“I’d never done anything like this before and I’m terrible with technology. I started without a website and was invoicing everyone. I was getting 100-200 orders every weekend, where I’d personally email everybody and ask for money that way.

“There were loads of teething issues of getting the right delivery drivers and organising times, as I was doing it all over Greater Manchester as opposed to the area-by-area system I’ve got now. I’m still working it out, but it’s going alright!”

You must be excited for this new chapter at The Crown & Anchor?

“I’ve got full control – will probably adapt it a bit to see what their customers are saying, but it’s going to basically be The Bread and Bowl. I’ve got loads of brand new items coming out, and the winter menu as well.” 

Big chains are often stingy with their items or portions, but you’re proving that if a small business can do it everyone can. What made you decide to create a menu that doesn’t compromise on quantity or quality at a great price?

“I’ve always been like that, even with Charlie Mac’s Fancy Corndogs – I want to make stuff that I would eat. I’m pretty greedy; when I go out and get a small plate I’m furious. Ultimately I can make this food; I know how much things cost and I’m not greedy financially.

“I want to make sure people are having an amazing experience without compromising on quality. I’m a vegetarian and serve a lot of meat, so I want to make sure it’s not coming from dodgy sources. I get my meat from Grandad’s Sausages, bacon from the butcher’s round the corner.

“It’s not that expensive, so I really don’t know why people charge £15 for a meal.”

Grandad’s Sausages based in Hatch? That’s so cool to hear you’re collaborating with local businesses to source your ingredients. 

“Exactly. I’m about to do a collaboration with an alcohol business that does Bloody Mary’s to make a Bloody Mary Breakfast Bowl in collaboration with them. It’s all about lifting each other up. These are hard times – it’s always a hard time for businesses in the winter, so if we can work together to make the industry stronger then why not?”

We touched on your inspiration earlier, but I wondered what inspires your menu and the concept of bread as a bowl?

“The Bread and Breakfast is the perfect hangover cure because it was created on the back of a hangover! I’d seen it in some sort of way in New York (minus the fry-up). I stuffed it all into the bread, and that’s how the Bread and Bowl was born.

“I get inspiration by looking at dishes from places like San Fran & NY and seeing anything carb-y that I can put into a bread bowl. It comes from my friends, dates, the odd Hinge conversations and listening to people I suppose! It’s about creating a cosiness and comfort – it’s comfort food done well.”

Photo: @The Bread and Bowl on Facebook.

“Ask for help. I would say that to anybody who’s a business owner. Don’t be afraid, don’t do everything on your own. It’s really lonely when you’re a business owner. Listen to people, and when people offer their help, take it!”

– Charlotte, owner of The Bread and Bowl.

You’re not just B&B but you also do sourdough kits and smoothies. With the upcoming move to The Crown & Anchor you must have more up your sleeve – do you have any sneak peeks we could look forward to? 

“I’ve got my winter menu inspired by San Fran dishes as it’s their ‘thing’ over there. Clam chowder is a big thing, so that’ll be going on the menu.

“Loads of soups, more vegan options as I know how rubbish it is when you’ve only got one portobello mushroom or falafel option. I’m looking into more halal options as well, any way to be more inclusive. Any way that I can open the doors to more people.

“I’ll move more into my desserts as well, as I currently have my chocolate fondue, but I want to make that better and crazier. Maybe move into a cheese fondue into a bread bowl. Carbs, carbs, carbs!”

I saw that you’re non-judgemental and fair on the complications yet need to shop and support local businesses. Did you feel supported during lockdown by the people of Manchester?

“Absolutely. Honestly, Manchester came out and they really did support. The amount of customers that got in touch with me to tell me what a good job I was doing, giving me feedback and texting me after to tell me how amazing it was… that makes all the difference.

“When you’re your own boss you always ask yourself, ‘am I doing this right?’ but people took the time to tell me.”

How about now that restrictions have been (somewhat) lifted?

“I was more scared for after lockdown with the worry of if people were going to stop coming here. I’ve seen a slight decline in customers, but I’ve also got a lot of loyal customers who have kept me going and made sure I can pay my rent.”

Especially with the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, a much larger discussion was sparked on the ethics of where we put our money, so it’s great to hear you felt supported. 

“It was frustrating to go past Nandos or Pizza Hut and you’d see huge queues outside as they can afford to do 50% off in January, whereas small businesses can’t.

“In the same breath, I do understand that not everyone can come and spend £10 on a breakfast. I totally get that; it does price people out. You want to be able to treat your kids and stuff and sometimes it is only McDonalds. I’ve been in that position myself where I can only go shop in Primark; it is the society that we’re trapped in, not the person.”

B&B will be opening its doors at The Crown and Anchor on the 16th October. In the meantime, you can take a look at their menu and order on their website. For weekend deliveries, order by Friday 8PM. You can also check them on Instagram and Facebook. 

Their 2 for £15 student discount promotion will continue throughout October. You can claim this offer using the discount code ‘CARBS 123’. You can also get two bowls and two smoothies for £20 with the discount code ‘mancunion’. 

Photo: James Shuttleworth @ The Mancunion

Tensions rise in Fallowfield, the country’s Covid hotspot

Written by Bella Jewell on . Posted in News.

It hasn’t been long since students returned to Fallowfield, bringing not only platform shoes and flared trousers, but a massive spike in Covid cases.

The South Manchester suburb has found itself as the country’s number-one coronavirus hotspot, with a stunning 612 cases in the 7 days up to the 3rd of October.

And it seems the outbreak is getting to residents and undergraduates alike.

Students living in Fallowfield have reported multiple incidents of aggression towards them in the past week, with perpetrators allegedly weaponizing the fear of Covid-19 transmission. 

On the 29th September, a group of four students reported an alleged incident on a bus. University of Manchester student, Leanne Durojaiye, said she was on the way back to Fallowfield when a man began threatening them.

“Me and 3 of my friends were on the bus back to Fallowfield and the man in question, who was sat directly behind them, took off his mask to cough violently,” she said. “My friends moved away and I asked him if he could please put it back on.”

That’s when, according to Durojaiye, he began to hurl abuse at them.

“He instantly hurled more abuse, calling us slags and saying he’ll cough if he wants, threatening to spit on us and much more,” she claimed. 

Wearing a face covering is mandatory on all public transport in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Greater Manchester Police said they were aware of the incident but no arrests had been made.

In a separate incident on the 1st October, a Manchester Metropolitan student alleged that a man spat on front doors on Brailsford Road. The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said a nearby couple came to warn them. 

“We couldn’t understand why but made sure to clean the door with anti-bac,” they said. “Then maybe half an hour later my housemate shouted me saying there was someone lurking about. I also saw the neighbours leaving their house to pursue him, I did the same.” 

GMP told The Mancunion they had been called out to a report that a man was spitting on doors at 9 pm.

On a post on Manchester Students’ Group, many students expressed shock and disgust at the alleged incident. 

One student commented: “Thanks for letting us know. People keep telling me I’m being over-cautious in using hand-gel after touching the front door handle but I knew there’d be someone out there trying to weaponise covid.”

The Mancunion contacted Jade Mary Doswell, Labour Councillor for Fallowfield, for a response to both incidents.

Doswell said: “Threats, spitting and attempting to spread Covid-19 is absolutely not acceptable. We all have to be respectful of everyone else who lives and studies in Manchester. If anyone does experience being spat at or threatened I’d urge them to report it to the police via their online reporting service.

“Generally, our students and long-term residents live together quite harmoniously and we even have long term residents involved in delivering supplies to students via our Fallowfield mutual aid group.

“At the moment we are doing our best to manage a crisis of the Government’s making. Students were brought back too early against the warnings of local government and the teaching unions.”

With increased media coverage of student misbehaviour, tension between the thousands of students who have moved to Manchester and local residents is high.

Red stage set up at Main Stage, Mallory Knox performing.

Reading and Leeds festival 2021: An option or opportunity for change?

Written by gabrielbarnett on . Posted in Music.

Festivals today are rightfully pushing towards gender-balance in order to provide more equality within the music industry.

Early pioneers, Glastonbury and Primavera indicated that 2020 would be completely gender-balanced. Artists like The 1975 helped prompt this by agreeing to perform at festivals on the condition that they had an equal split of artists. In light of progressive moves, the 2020 line up for Reading and Leeds provoked huge controversy. Namely because amongst the 90 artists, only 20 were women and worst of all? Not one was headliner. Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac voiced her frustration on Twitter: ‘disheartened’ by “the blatant lack of want to represent women.”

Then came the news of the current pandemic which triggered the cancellation of the 2020 festival – in turn, giving the organisers ample time and opportunity to reflect, study their competitors’ actions, and perhaps mend their ways.

However, despite an increase to six from three headline slots, (a perfect opportunity  to achieve a 50/50 gender split,) There was no such realisation or understanding.

At a glance, a male dominance is obvious  to comprised five out of six headliners. This blatant misogyny, really enforces a certain two fingers salute to the foundations of progress laid by other festivals and female creatives of our time.

The organisers cannot even claim that unavailability of quality acts forced their hand. The line-up is lukewarm at best, with Stormzy being the most progressive and exciting. Disclosure, an easy choice, Queens of the Stone Age who have headlined before in 2014. Has-been Liam Gallagher, followed by Post Malone, whose last album ‘Hollywood Bleeding’ was a calamitous flop, and, worst of all, Catfish and the Bottlemen, a band as bland as a brick wall. This list would have felt dated in 2015, let alone in an era driven by #MeToo and BLM. Apart from these cultural omissions, the festival has apparently failed to recognise new music released since then. A  line-up, devoid of moral or cultural interest and musically outdated.

Festival organisers such as Geoff Ellis of TRNSMT have rebutted this claim, arguing that there aren’t enough female artists to fill up the headline spaces. Ellis called for females to pick up guitars and get in bands – A patronising, wholly redundant argument, for there are a handful of female and non-binary artists that would trump most of the headliners, in both musicianship and performance.

Billie Eilish and Phoebe Bridgers,  whose recent albums ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go’ and ‘punisher’, have not only brought huge commercial success but also showcased their exceptional song-writing abilities. They are genuine inspirations to younger generations, especially girls, who want to enter the music industry. The bands Florence + the Machine would bring more to the festival than Catfish, as well as artists such as Lana Del Ray, FKA Twigs, Dua Lipa, Cardi B, M.I.A and Lily Allen.

Callum Harrison @_califlower (Image : Beabadoobee, the latest artist to be added to the line-up)

Luckily for Reading and Leeds, Doja Cat, Mabel, Beabadoobee, Charli XCX, Lyra, and Girl in Red, all exciting, up-and-coming artists, are an included minority. Achieving a 50/50 split would partially make up for the lineup catastrophe and go some way towards displaying the diverse showcase of talent that all festivals should be aiming to achieve.

Gender-balanced festivals can genuinely highlight the music industry’s mission for gender equality in general. Furthermore, festivals are the perfect platform to reinforce equality in the industry as they attract (especially younger) people from around the world. (Reading and Leeds is a yearly tradition for Post-GCSE kids). Not to mention the festivals are transmitted globally.

It is bad enough that Reading and Leeds are failing to follow the example set by Glastonbury and Primavera. Worse still is their  outright refusal to allow women to take up any headline slots. Those few festivals that are starting to implement gender-balanced festivals show ‘it’s been a long time coming,’ but for Reading and Leeds is ‘a change gonna come?’

Photo: Georgina Davidson @ The Mancunion

Manchester universities suspend face-to-face teaching amid 1000 confirmed Covid cases

Written by Josh Sandiford on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University are moving most teaching online for the next month after Covid outbreaks across the city.

Most courses will see face-to-face learning suspended, except for those with “clinical, medical and some laboratory-based teaching”.

In an email to students, Nancy Rothwell, Manchester University’s Vice-Chancellor, said the measures would be implemented tomorrow (Wednesday 7th October) and reviewed at the end of the month.

The email read: “We will increase the level of online learning for most programmes and will retain in-person provision for some courses which, for example, include clinical and medical and some laboratory-based teaching. 

“This change will be in place until the 30th October 2020, but will be reviewed on 23rd of October.”

The move toward online teaching is a collaborative decision between UoM, MMU and local public health authorities. 

The Manchester Evening News has reported that the council has decided to “escalate” its public health response. 

It comes after UoM said that 1041 of its students have tested positive for Covid-19. 

20 staff members have also come down with the virus in the figures that are based on self-reporting. 

The total number of students currently self-isolating is unknown.

Some have expressed dismay at having face-to-face seminars cancelled. One second-year French and Italian student told The Mancunion: “I have [already] been moved to 100% online teaching. It’s extremely frustrating since the majority of us have been used to a traditional way of learning.”

Another second-year International Management student added that undergraduates should get a tuition fee refund.

They said: “I understand why we are having to move to more online teaching methods, but the fees should be lowered. The Open University are more qualified in online teaching yet our fees are triple.”

A joint statement from both universities said: “Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Manchester recently met with the public health authorities and Manchester City Council following the significant increase in the number of Covid cases across the city of Manchester.

“As a result, we have agreed to increase the level of online learning for most programmes, with effect from tomorrow, Wednesday 7th October. This change will be in place until 30th October 2020.

“Our campuses remain open and we will continue to ensure the necessary safety precautions are in place to make any activity on campus as safe as possible. We will continue to support our staff and students.”

David Regan, director of public health at Manchester council, added: “This is the right thing to do and supports our approach using data and a local approach to contain outbreaks so that we reduce the possibility of further infection.

“More online teaching will protect staff, students and the wider community, which is what we want and need.”

Fallowfield Central, were many Manchester undergraduates live, was named the Covid hotspot of the UK last week. It saw 558 new Coronavirus cases confirmed by Public Health England in the week to 1st October.

Libra

Horoscopes: Week commencing October 5th

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Horoscopes.

See if you can figure out which musical has inspired this week’s horoscopes…

Libra Icon

Libra Sept 22 – Oct 22

You are probably procrastinating already (and we are only 2 weeks into term)! So this week, stop saying ‘wait for it’, and get it done!

 

Scorpio Icon

Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 22

Everyone is making plans this week, and you might feel a bit left out at times. Try not to let your jealously sting others, or you will likely not be invited to the things you want to be.

 

Sagittarius Icon

Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21

Your free-spirit has been able to flourish these last few months, but this week it’s time to knuckle down and get the work done. We are not quite ready for the world turned upside down again!

 

Capricorn Icon

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20

Sometimes your ego and confidence can overshadow and even scare others. Try to listen just as much as you talk this week, even if your name is Alexander Hamilton.

 

Aquarius Icon

Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19

At times, you can be lost in your head and forget what is going on in the outside world. Make sure to keep on top of your work this week, or you’ll be left asking: ‘what’d I miss?’

 

Pisces Icon

Pisces Feb 20 – Mar 20

An argument with a dear friend is on the cards this week. Instead of holding a grudge and saying ‘you’ll be back’, try to be a bit more understanding and bury the hatchet.

 

Aries Icon

Aries Mar 21 – Apr 20

Things may not stay on schedule this week, but don’t let your hard head get in the way of enjoying yourself. Remember that not everything has to end with the 10 duel commandments.

 

Taurus Icon

Taurus Apr 21 – May 20

You will be renowned for your work ethic this week! Your friends will be asking you for advice on how you keep those notes in order, so don’t throw away your shot.

 

Gemini Icon

Gemini May 21 – June 21

Your gift of the gob might get you in trouble this week. So try to be careful with what you say, especially to Aaron Burr, sir.

 

Cancer Icon

Cancer June 22 – July 22

It’s been a long time since we’ve all seen each other, and it’s great to be back, but remember to give your friends some space – try not to come across too clingy or helpless.

 

Leo Icon

Leo July 23 – Aug 22

You are the life of the (socially distanced) party! And whilst the story of tonight will be well remembered – this week, try to keep everyone included.

 

Virgo Icon

Virgo Aug 23 – Sept 21

Sometimes you can come across a bit cold and heartless. Just remember to see the positive in everything that comes your way this week, and you are sure to be satisfied.

Photo: Clockedindk @ Pixabay

Puzzle page: October 5th

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Puzzles.

Welcome back to the Mancunion puzzle page. Now we are all back at university, we thought it would be fun to do a Manchester themed puzzle. Good luck!

Puzzle #3 and #4

Model wearing leather jacket and ripped denim jeans in Manchester streets

Autumn trend forecast: how to style for September/October

Written by Alice Holder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

A typical September may introduce a season’s worth of clothing that means nothing more to the average consumer than jeans instead of shorts and boots instead of Birkenstocks. This 2020 season, however, proves to differ from the norm, bringing us some stylish staples for our autumn wardrobe.

It’s true that we’ve been trapped in our rooms, thoroughly fed up of ‘glamming up’ with nowhere to go and wearing half-dressed outfits for Zoom conferences. Now, however, we’re ready to embrace ‘the new normal’, and step outside in the hottest new trends.

Whilst our new appreciation for the ‘comfort over everything’ mantra still stands (about time – thank you, lockdown), there is no doubt that the fashion market is coming back with a bang. Here are my predictions and trend forecasts for the upcoming season.

Zebra print, anyone?

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☁️🖤☁️

A post shared by Mary (@maryljean) on

Whilst it can be argued that animal print is always in fashion (now considered a staple, for most), there is no doubt that zebra print is making waves this season, both on the runway and the street.

‘It-girl’ influencers have been donning the baguette bags from the early noughties for the best part of a year now, but keep an eye out for newer, animal print versions (especially in teen-targeted trendy stores such as Subdued) this season.

How do you make animal print new and fresh, I hear you cry? Exhibit A: The fall Versace show’s take on the statement-making fabric. Their message? Treat the loud pattern as nothing special. When paired with a vibrant floral top and a houndstooth coat, the zebra print pencil skirt becomes almost an intriguing afterthought.

Whether paired with boots or MaryJane’s, this is a power dresser’s moment to play with print. Check out entrepreneur Mary Jean (@maryljean) for the modern Parisian fashionista’s ultimate style inspo when it comes to this unexpected pattern.

Photo: LordSarnoc @ Wikimedia Commons

Lancashire CCC defeat Sussex to reach T20 Finals Day

Written by Luke Keohane on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester’s home county Lancashire are through to their 3rd Finals Day in 5 years after they spun themselves to victory against Sussex at Hove.

Lancashire lost the toss and were forced into bat and instantly felt the pressure being reduced to 52-3 having already lost key man Keaton Jennings for a paltry 5. Captain Dane Vilas and Steven Croft then initiated the fightback.

Vilas hit 3 fours as well as a stunning six over point on his way to a match-saving 40 off 28 balls. Croft helped him steady the ship with 3 more maximums. However, he was eventually caught off the bowling of George Garton for 41. Garton was by far the pick of the Sussex bowlers taking 3-28 off 4 overs.

Despite the Lancashire fightback, Vilas was left with no solid batting partners. All of the following batsmen struggled to reach double digits. This meant that Lancashire were unable to push further than their well below-par score of 140.

Sussex started decently with the experienced Luke Wright proving a difficult competitor for the Lancashire bowlers, hitting 36 off 35. Despite this, Sussex never really got going, losing wickets at key intervals before a colossal batting collapse.

Sussex lost 5 wickets for just 6 runs in a superb bowling display from Lancashire’s spinners which forced Sussex into batting errors. Liam Livingstone, who was part of the England training squad this summer, took 4-23. Matthew Parkinson helped him at the other end with an economical 3-9 which included Scottish international Calum MacLeod.

Lancashire now proceed to Edgbaston for the 3rd time in 5 years and chasing their second T20 title. Despite their bowling line-up in good form, Sussex exploited Lancashire’s potential batting problem. Surrey are certainly favourites to take the crown with the likes of South-African Hashim Amla and Jason Roy in the squad. It is an uphill task for Vilas and his team but certainly not impossible.

Research galore: The big projects in UoM chemistry

Written by Blake Crompton on . Posted in Science & Tech.

Life here at the University of Manchester is exquisite, there are societies, the nightlife and of course the people.

In terms of chemistry, the rich history here cannot be understated; from our Nobel prize winners to our many breakthroughs, including valence theory and John Dalton’s atomic theory alongside many others.

More recently, our discovery of graphene is a great example of our thriving modern-day research.

With so many new students arriving, it is worth looking at what the academic staff who are going to be teaching them are involved in.

The three branches of chemistry are organic, inorganic, and physical, and UoM was actually one of the first organic chemistry institutions in the UK. As you might expect, researchers have recently been making terrific strides in this area.

Spectrometry:

The first exciting set of research involves spectrometry, which is a technique that helps scientists investigate different aspects of molecular structure.

One new method focuses on analysing the surface chemistry of solid organic material. Previous methods for this analysis only revealed information about 1% of the surface of the subject material, which puts a limit on investigation.

The use of the ‘C60’ molecule (commonly known as the Buckyball), a common fullerene, has reduced these limitations. This will revolutionise the industry of biochemical analysis and have economical benefits for companies that rely on analytical chemistry.

UCL Mathematical & Physical Sciences @ flickr

The second new spectroscopic method developed by the University of Manchester (we chemists like measuring stuff) has been adopted by many other institutions worldwide.

‘Diffusion ordered’ nuclear magnetic resonance  spectroscopy (DOSY), was developed alongside research institute testing in over 60 countries.

DOSY is a useful method for effective, detailed analysis of complex mixtures like pharmaceutical products. It allows us to look at the composition of fine products and to better predict their properties.

Safer methods in drug productions:

Another area of research our chemistry department is impacting is pharmaceuticals, with our own professors developing safer, efficient methods in drug productions.

Fluorine,the lightest halogen, is commonly used in organic chemistry for a variety of uses. However, it is naturally hazardous, so when preparing for drug manufacture many precautions are needed.

Now, thanks to research done in-house, a chemical agent ‘Selectfluor’ can jump past these hazards in synthesis.

This makes drug production far safer and more cost-effective. This agent has helped the whole pharmaceutical industry to thrive.

Hopefully this informs you all of the strides, developments and changes us as students can aspire to even if you are not a scientist. I encourage all of you to find out even more about the research going on at our university at this very moment. Start now! I promise you’ll find plenty of fun scientific facts and developments.

Photo: Brad Tutterow @Wikimedia Commons

Why Pep Guardiola must win the Champions League with Manchester City

Written by arshasthana on . Posted in Sport.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in football history, Pep Guardiola’s incredible trophy haul speaks for itself. His revolutionary tiki-taka tactic helped Barcelona clinch the famous treble in 2009.

Nine years after his incredible triumph at Wembley against Manchester United, fans are still scratching their heads as to how the Spaniard has been unable to replicate the success since.

Pep Guardiola hasn’t gone past the semi-final stage ever since the achievement. After leaving Barcelona in 2012, Pep has gone on to manage  German giants, Bayern Munich, as well as Manchester City, one of the English heavyweights. Both the teams had a precise goal in mind when appointing Guardiola – winning the Champions League.

A Spendthrift

Although defence has never been a strong suit for him, Guardiola has conceded a dangerous amount of goals and failed to outscore his opponents.

Pocketing 15 million pounds each year at Manchester City, Pep won all the domestic titles that were available to him. However, the European glory still evades him.

When we consider the amount of money he has spent to acquire certain players and assemble his teams, his recent performance in the Champions League is even worse. In total, the Spaniard has disbursed over 700 million pounds. His latest acquisition of the Portuguese centre half Ruben Dias for a club-record 65.2 million pounds took his defence spending at Manchester City to a staggering 428.1 million pounds.

Some of his signings have turned out to be massive hits, such as Leroy Sane, Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, Rodri, and Riyad Mahrez. But some of them have not lived up to their price tags. In fact, John Stones has been largely inconsistent, while Benjamin Mendy’s career at Manchester City has been riddled with injuries.

Questionable tactics

These highly expensive squads look even less impressive when we look at each of Pep Guardiola’s Champions League exits. Each team he lost against cost way less than Manchester City under his leadership.

During his semi-final matchup in 2014, he employed a four-two-four formation in the first half, which was exploited by Real Madrid. The following year, he decided to play three defenders against the lethal trio – Messi, Suarez, and Neymar. Finally, he played three at the back against Lyon in their quarter-final tie in 2020. All these games resulted in a loss.

His team has conceded more than five goals over two legs to Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Monaco, with his side being a likely favourite against the latter.

He must now prove the doubters wrong by winning the Champions League without Barcelona and Lionel Messi.

Missing characteristics

Photo by Arsh Asthana

Guardiola has dominated the domestic football scene in England by winning the first men’s English team treble and securing more than 100 points in the league, all in the same season.

But he needs to prove that he can conquer Europe.

The legendary manager is clearly missing an important characteristic that would bring him up to the standard set by his counterparts – the ability to build a team from the ground up and make them European Champions.

Porto and Milan, once perceived as massive underdogs, conquered the UCL trophy thanks to Jose Mourinho after 45 and 17 years respectively. Similarly, from a team that couldn’t even qualify to the Champions League, Jurgen Klopp managed to raise Liverpool to become European champions 14 years after their last triumph in the Championship.

If Pep Guardiola wants to cement his legacy as one of the greatest football managers, he must win the Champions League with Manchester City…

Photo: Arsh Asthana 

This is what 42s and Factory currently look like inside

Written by Sharon Lei on . Posted in News.

Manchester’s favourite student night clubs have re-opened as bars with full table service. In a city famous for its nightlife and music scene, the new Covid restrictions have forced Manchester’s clubs to adapt to new rules to stay open. We spoke to the most popular student clubs to find out how they are operating under new restrictions. Loved by thousands of students, here’s how they have changed!

42nd street nightclub

Undoubtedly one of the most iconic student clubs in Manchester, it is safe to say you have not had a full university experience without going on a night out at 42s. Famous for its classic indie nights and noughties retro music, the club is definitely one of the most important music establishments in the city.

Cheap drinks, Skint Thursdays and unbelievably long queues: How different does the club look now?

42s is currently open as a seating only bar with socially distanced tables. Table bookings must be made in advance, with thorough cleaning between bookings. They have the capacity of 160 seats with maximum six people per table. Speaking to the club manager Siobhan, she mentions one of the biggest challenges of running socially distanced club nights is the music choice, “you can’t just play ‘not nineteen forever’ because everyone would go crazy and want to stand up to dance.”

They have partnered with Topkapi take away, where people can order pizzas to enjoy with their drinks in the club for a new bar experience. Their opening hours are 6-10 pm, Monday to Friday.

The club is also currently partnered with Dominos Pizza from the 1st of October for a free pizza giveaway night!

 

This is how 42s looks operating as a bar. Photo: @42ndstreetnightclub @ Facebook

 

Factory Manchester

Factory is another classic student club in Manchester. Famous for its ‘quids in’ Mondays and the variety of music across three different floors, Factory is massively popular among students. Like many other nightclubs, they have turned into a bar with full table service. Customers have to be seated at all times unless going to the toilet or to smoke. Reservation in advance is required with no more than six people per table. Upon arrival, safety measures are introduced to guests.

As the former club turns into a bar, the volume of sound changes too. Songs will be played at a much lower volume, as opposed to the usual blaring music and flashing lights.

Photo: @42ndstreetnightclub @ Facebook

A ‘club’ night at Factory under the new restrictions. Photo: @42ndstreetnightclub @ Facebook

Even though it is not the same as before, clubs are trying their best to accommodate students in these strange and uncertain times.