Meet your Sabbatical Team

... pages 8 - 9

Outstanding effort for charity from Christ Church students

... pages 4 - 5

Find out what events are on during freshers

... pages 12 - 13

... story continues on page 3 ...

Christ Church Students’ Union opened the new St George’s Centre in September 2012, with the building located between Rochester House and the Odeon Cinema on St George’s Street, Canterbury.

The central location in the heart of the city centre puts our students within easy reach of the campus, high-street and transport links.

Why is this such great news? Because it is the home to your Students’ Union and further student accommodation: whilst mainly housing brand new student accommodation, the ground floor of the building hosts a lounge bar, an internet café and the Students’ Union offices.

The Lounge is the Student Union’s Boston inspired sports bar, and students very own living room atmosphere, with a mix of leather, wood and rust effect steel, this is a place that we know students will want to hang out in day though to evening.

With live sports shown on the 6 screens, as well as the large projector screen on the back wall, moveable staging for a multiude of different performances, from live bands and DJ’s to performace art, plays, cabaret acts and film showings, there will always be something happening throughout the day.

The varied pub grub menu is student friendly and will fill

you up between lectures. Pool tables and It Boxes will add to the activities to entertain you, as will the collection of board games you can help yourself to. Sports Teams will love the fact that their trophies will be showcased in here in the trophy cabinet as well. Open all day, from breakfast to midnight, this versatile space offers something for everyone.

Thanks-A-Latte is the Coffee Shop of the Union, a chilled out, relaxed place for students of all ages and backgrounds to get together over a coffee and a catch up. Featuring vintage comfy furniture you can sink into, warm woods and soft furnishings, stocked bookshelves for students to help themselves to, chalk art

boards for students to write on and a varied menu throughout the day, Thanks A Latte is the ultimate relaxation zone ...

Each campus holds a Freshers Fayre and this is our chance to introduce you to the many sports clubs, societies and local businesses at Uni. It’s also a great chance to grab some freebies too!

For the sportier among you, there are over 30 clubs, from mens’ and womens’ football, right through to trampolining, cheerleading, and many more. Like a slower pace in life? There are over 40 societies to choose from, covering interests like film, music, gaming, and cultural organisations such as Afro Caribbean and LGBT. Can’t find a club or society you like? You could always get some mates together and start your own – it’s a great way to make lots of new friends.

Congratulations on making Christ Church your home for the next few years. You are about to embark on an exciting adventure and meet people who will be widely regarded as your new family.

For many of you this will be your first time reading an issue of Unified and contained within you will find all the information about how the Students’ Union can help you during your time with us. Whether you need help with your general welfare or education, want to join a sports team or society, or want to get involved with our studentmedia.

In this very special edition of Unified, all will be explained as to what exactly the staff and sabbatical officers do to keep things moving within the Students’ Union, what life will be like in Canterbury and what

to expect from your time here, as well as this there is also a guide to Freshers’ Week, so at least you’ll have some idea if you don’t already know about what is going on around you. So what should you expect from Christ Church University over the next year? Well, first of all there is your education which is the fundamental reason you are here but alongside that there is

also the more “fun” aspects of being at University. For those of you who are in second or third years or even have studies at a Uni before then you will know the excitement which lays ahead, especially at the beginning of a new year. So go out and have fun, enjoy every aspect that Uni life has to offer but most importantly be yourself!

The SU welcomes ud ni

St. George’s Centre is now open!

St. George’s Centre

Freshers’FAYRE

News and Current Affairsfollow us online:

www.ccsu.co.uk/unified

St. George’s Centre - home of CCSU

3

... story continues from page1The centre is the main hub for student life and activities

Editor:Anca Popescu

Contributors:Abigail James

Adem Djemil

Aidan Ainsley

Andrew Cameron

Antonia Dyson

Chris Hawksey

Chris Hougham

Claire Miller

Dave Wood

Dennison Packer

Ellie Martin

Felicity Ravenwood

Geoff Haworth

Ian Dancy

Ioana Roman

Jo Bartson-Umuliisa

Josh Benn

Katie Smith

Laura Spencer

Lee Soden

Lucy Brown

Mel Lewis

Oliver J R Cooper

Phil Mooney

Prof. Robin Baker

Rebecca Ward

Rhian Stone

Rose Cummings

Ryan Bartrop

Sam Eskenazi

Silvia Rasca

Vanessa Neupauer

...between lectures. Especially designed for the international and mature student markets, this is a space that all students can enjoy.

In the evenings this cosy space transforms into an intimate venue for live comedy, poetry readings and society get togethers.

Bright, vibrant and student friendly, the Study Zone offers a comfortable atmosphere for group work and is wi-fi enabled throughout. With bright seats and clean lines, the furniture is all moveable so you can sit on your own or with a group. Students can bring their own

food in here, or purchase from Thanks a Latte or The Lounge – whatever they want! The bank of vending machine and the cash point also mean that there is snackage available at all times of the day.

The giant chalk board is a space for students to write their ideas and wishes about new initatives.

Open from 8am to midnight (and longer for the students who live in the accommodation above), this is a truly great space for people who need to get some work done – no matter what the time!

The Reception desk, with its

clean lines offers a one-stop shop for students who want information, need to book an appointment with an advisor, want to collect a hoodie, book a minibus, collect tickets to an event, find out about a club or a society, get some printing or binding done at the Print Shop, send a fax – pretty much anything you can imagine!

The fresh and funky Union

Offices house the Union Sabbatical Offices and staff members, as well as providing a space for student part-time officers, sports and society committee members and the media volunteers to work on their various areas of involvement. Housing two

Welcome! To those of you who are returning to Christ Church after the summer vacation, I hope you had a good one and feel excited to embark on your next year of study. To those of you who are joining us for the first time, I hope your early impressions of studying at Christ Church are all that you expected and that you quickly experience the welcoming, supportive environment for which the University is famous.

Fifty years ago this month - September 1965 - Christ Church opened its doors for the first time and welcomed around 70 students. In that half century, the University has grown exponentially to 20,000

but, rather wonderfully, has retained its friendly community feeling. This is something we all appreciate - students and staff.

As part of the development of the University, we have invested in a brand new student union building in New Dover Road, Canterbury - half way between the main North Holmes Road campus and the Augustine House Library. It opens this month and the facilities it provides right in the centre of Canterbury are fabulous. I hope you will make an early visit there and see for yourself just how much it has to offer. Besides that, in October we will be opening our totally refurbished concert and performance venue - St Gregory’s - which will be much used by our Music and

Performing Arts students and the Maxwell Davies Building with state of the art music practice rooms.

These new developments are in response to feedback from students about how to make the experience they have here even better. Every year we ask our students to complete an on-line questionnaire to help us give you the best experience we can. Many of you did this for us last year - for which many thanks - and it is great to see in the University Student Survey that in almost all categories student satisfaction with Christ Church has risen further, in some cases very considerably. With this helpful survey information we are able to target our efforts, working with the Students Union, to

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Robin Baker

Prof. Robin Baker

A warm welcome to all students

enhance even more your experience of studying here.

I wish you a very successful and happy year.

St. George’s location is in the heart of the city centre

consultation rooms for private advice appointments that are also available for nursing mothers and a large meeting room that any club, society or group of students can book for their own use for free, this space is the real hub of Union life.

Bright murals on the wall keep the area fun and reflect the vibrancy of Union life.

Pictures of CCCU Sport and Societies are spread across

the lounge and thanks-a-latte

On the 27th September 2011 began an epic adventure for 46 Christ Church Students’ (and two Sabbaticals) which promised a once-in-a-lifetime experience, along with an immense mental and physical challenge – raising at least £2,500(per person) and then jetting off to Tanzania, Africa to climb The World’s Highest Free Standing Mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, in aid of supporting the development of education, healthcare and human rights for underprivileged children living in Tanzania via the UK based charity, Childreach International.

Unfortunately over the course of the year since registration several people were forced to drop from the project, leaving a smaller group of 28 students, but nevertheless… On With the Show!

All in aid of fundraising, the group planned and ran many events, some incredibly crazy, some incredibly ballsy! Legs were shaved, baked beans were thrown, pub quizzes, pig races, horse races and beach parties were thrown… and much much more. The success of these events saw the CCCU group raise a total

of over £92,000 (inc. Gift Aid), most of which was banked in good time before the final fundraising deadline. Some necks were definitely close to being forced to resign their places in the project, but after some last minute fundraising and a spectacular show of team support almost every body made it!

At Heathrow airport shortly before jetting out to Africa on August 20th the group found themselves meeting up with another student group all the way form the Dublin Institute of Technology. The adventure began by flying from Heathrow to Zurich, Switzerland, and then onto Nairobi Airport; travelling through Kenya (Nairobi), Tanzania (Moshi), when on the 22nd the group paid a visit to a local school & Childreach project where development funded by the charity had previously started. The children sang to the group, the teachers presented the school with a short speech about their history, the sights on their future and also information about how fundraising, like the group had done, was helping the school and many more. The group then took a stroll around Moshi town before heading back to the hotel for final preparations before the next day’s big event… The Climb!

Day 1. Whether people had trained or not, everybody found the first day more difficult than they expected. That night at the first proper rest, the silent truth that they should expect to be tested even more creeped through the campsite.

Day 2 passed slowly, the terrain changed dramatically from Rainforest to rocks and little vegetation, everybody was exposed to the sun, and having passed 3000m above sea-level, several people were starting to feel the headaches that come with the unpredictable altitude sickness. Unfortunately on that evening, the group had to say goodbye to two brave members who found themselves unable

to continue with the trek. That night those remaining saw themselves sleeping at an incredible 3800m above sea-level.

On Day 3 the group ascended even higher to an altitude of 4600m, traversing giant boulders, skirting around the base of the famous Lava Tower, climbing down an incredibly steep 150m drop down the side of a cliff, trekking across several ups and downs, before descending all the way down to 3900m in the Baranco Valley, a descent with the purpose of some hardcore acclimatization! Could it get any harder?

Day 4, admitted by the entire group, saw the biggest challenges of them all. Waking in the morning to a sky without sun, the group saw an early breakfast followed by what can only be described as an incredible vertical feat up the side of a cliff – the Baranco Wall. A maze of short and narrow, loose graveled pathways, gaps in the floor that required lunges, jumps or teamwork and extremely large boulders which could only be scrambled up in order to move onto the next stage. In time, even a few members of the group who have fears of extreme heights conquered the wall!

After what I myself describe as a near-death experience, the next challenge lay ahead – a steep but relatively short

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News and Current Affairs 4

descent followed by an incredibly steep ascent up to the Karanga Valley (sitting at just over 4000m) where the group stopped for lunch. What followed was an even longer,

even more trying ascent to the Barafu Hut. At 4900m above sea-level the camp sits on the edge of a very high cliff, right on the edge of the ice-shelf that leads to the peak. Following dinner that night the group had little under 2 hours to catch some shut-eye, before being woken around 10.30pm to begin the final push to the summit.

Everybody was exhausted, everybody was cold, most people were suffering from headaches, dizziness, vomiting, sore muscles, intense sunburn, swelling and more, but the show had to go on. Just a few hours into the 8/9 hour

trek to the summit numbers dropped quickly – people were collapsing or chundering left right and centre, people were getting headaches so intense they couldn’t stand,

There and back again: after raising over £92,ooo for Childreach International, a group of 28 students packed their bags and started the journey of their lives. This is their story!

Volunteers making their way to the summit

Team leaders, Yildiz Albay and Dennison Packer

one member of the group even went temporarily blind. Lucky everybody had what we can all agree are the machines, which are… ‘The Porters’. Trained in first-aid, the porters could see a danger before it got worse, and those people were escorted back down to Barafu Hut for immediate rest and recovery.

From around 6am the next day, the brave and persevering bunch that were the summit achievers reached Uhuru Peak. Safe to say, they had their pictures taken and didn’t hang around – after over 9 hours of hiking everybody wanted to descend back to camp as soon as humanly possible! Following Day 4, the entire group agreed on one thing; standing at an extreme 5895m (19,340ft) above sea-level, climbing Kili turned out to be the hardest thing any of the group had ever done.

After 4 nights and 5 days, everybody who made it to Barafu Hut or tried for the Summit had returned down to the final camp, sitting at around 3000m, a welcome descent which came with relief on many headaches that were lingering among the group.

And now, having seen each Two members of the group right before reaching the summit of

Uhuru Peak, 5895metres above sea-level

Dennison Packer

Christ Church students conquer Mount Kilimanjaro - and they do it all for charity!

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News and Current Affairs 5

The Christ Church and DIT groups with the school children from James Ole Millya Primary School, Moshi, Tanzania. The volunteers were overwhelmed by the welcome they received

There and back again: after raising over £92,ooo for Childreach International, a group of 28 students packed their bags and started the journey of their lives. This is their story!

Eoin proposed to Beth in Zanzibar ... She said YES!

other at their best and worst, having visited the school that it was all for, covered in blisters, some covered in cuts and bruises, some still suffering from major sunburn, running on reserve power, having seen the brilliance of what Tanzania had to offer… they’re back!!!

First and fore-most, the entire group would like to thank everybody from Christ Church who took part in the organised events and donated, as well as those who may be reading who reside in and around other parts of Canterbury, attending events such as the racenights, pub quizzes, bake sales, donating prizes for raffles and so on. Secondly the group would like to thank Anca Popescu (VP, Student Activities) Jo Bartson-Umuliisa (VP, Welfare & Education) and Joe Martin (former Childreach International Student

my life, and to be honest, I’m not sure anything else I do can ever come close enough. Its the hardest thing to describe but I’m going to use the word PHENOMENAL! Meeting the children and seeing where the money went was priceless, and there was too much emotion every second of the trip so its a shame to say unless you were there, you will never get it! I have memories that people won’t be able to dream of... And I have a huge family of 35 who mean so much more to me than they could ever imagine, if you can do it, do it!!” (Yildiz Albay, Team Leader)

“I don’t quite know what to say about it all, like Yildiz said, if you haven’t done it or been there, you won’t understand in so few words. I’ve resorted to

just showing photos and giving nutshell descriptions, because I just can’t think of what to say without repeating the words incredible, amazing and unreal over and over! The hard work from the past 12 months was worth it and then some.

Sharing the experience with the students from DIT was definitely a welcome bonus, we met at Heathrow not knowing a thing about each other, we left being a close-knit family. We’d all seen each other at our best and worst, and we were all there for each other for motivation and support when it was needed. I’m so proud of myself and the rest of the team for making it as far as they did, and so glad that at the end of it all I have so many memories that I know will never leave me!” (Dennison Packer, Team Leader)

“To see where all the money we raised goes was a heartfelt experience that I’m sure none of us will ever forget! The climb itself was the best and the most hardest thing I have ever done! I now have something to say when people ask me what my greatest achievement is: Climbing mount Kilimanjaro, and I can’t forget about the people who made the whole experience even more amazing! P.s Poa kichizi kama ndizi ;) (Scott Cornes)

“When you sign up to

Childreach your signing up for an adventure of a lifetime! From that first fundraising event to that plane home from Africa you’ll have the time of your life! From greeting the children at the school to that first leg up Kilimanjaro it’s an emotional roller-coaster that has you wanting more. The sights you’ll see will stay with you forever and the people you meet you’ll treasure forever. The greatest part of it all is the people you’ll get to know and grow to love because their in the same boat as you and lived through it all with you on such an incredible journey.” (Anthony Cheung, DIT)

“I pooped, I vom’ed, I couldn’t breathe, walk, or feel my toes, and it was worth every single second. The experience was worth the adversity; the

friendships made it the most special event of my life. The mountain builds character, and it showed in the fact that even though many of us went up the mountain as acquaintances, we came down as a unit. Incredible.” (Eoin Baldock)

“My time in Africa was truly amazing, I made some great friends and shared some unbelievable experiences. Kilimanjaro was incredible, I felt like I was on top of the world! The climb itself was at times brutal, but together we pulled through and everyone made a valiant effort! And I’m proud to say I climbed it with such an amazing group of people, who I hope will stay life long friends with. And to top that off we did it for a great cause and raised a hell of a lot of money!” (Alex Field)

Christ Church students conquer Mount Kilimanjaro - and they do it all for charity!

Fundraising Manager and liaison to the group) for bringing the project to Canterbury Christ Church University and giving everybody the chance to take part in something so spectacular!!

To finish off, here’s a few comments from several members of the group who took part in the adventure:

PS. Two of our intrepid explorers got hitched! Eoin Baldock took his prime chance and proposed to Beth Horner on the beach at sunset in Kendwa, Zanzibar. Congratulations to the pair!

“...you don’t realise how much hard work and climbing you are doing until you look down and you are above the clouds!

that view was unforgettable, and seeing the children at the school made it all come together, this is why we had all signed up 12 months ago, and this is why we worked hard to fundraise and help the kids have a brighter future.” (Laura Johnson)

“If you ever get given the chance to help others and accomplish something amazing, do it! You will never forget the feeling.” (Darren Parris)

“That mountain is a bitch!! But one of the best experiences of my life... I don’t think I will ever forget the good time or the amazing people that I met while there xxx” (Leah Murray, DIT)

“Signing up to Childreach almost a year ago was the best thing I have ever done all

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Comment 6

Over the last year, staff at Christ Church having been working hard to develop a student portal which is dynamic, intuitive and personal to each of our students. From listening to students and what they desired in an online learning environment, CLIC was born. The new portal launched in September 2012.

Canterbury Christ Church Learning and Information Community or CLIC, is the one-stop-shop for all student services and information, including CLIC Learn, the new virtual learning environment.

Dr Alison Eyden, CLIC Project Director (image of Ali) explains, “We want our students’ time at CCCU to be the best it can be, and increasingly, this includes their online environment. Students told us they wanted to be able to access all their key services in one place;

they also said they wanted a more modern virtual learning environment. Therefore we have developed CLIC and CLIC Learn in consultation with students and staff. They chose the name ‘CLIC’ and the design and also advised the project team on content and functionality.

“This project has involved many different departments throughout the University, working together in a new way. By doing this, we have a much better understanding of each other’s perspectives, pressures and ways of working. This project would not have been possible without this collaboration and the support of students and staff.”

From CLIC, you can access pretty much everything you need, including: your University email, the e-library, your timetable, the i-zone for

help and advice, your course information and much, much more. CLIC Learn, the virtual learning environment, uses the latest version of Blackboard, used by universities worldwide. It facilitates innovative teaching and learning, helping us to deliver a stimulating and valuable learning experience. You will also be able to access CLIC on your mobile and set up an email to receive the information you’re interested in directly to your account. Clever.

CLIC is still evolving and your feedback will help shape its future. Features coming soon include new and improved email accounts and a single sign-on system, so you will only have to log-on once to access all the services you need when on and off campus. If you have any comments or suggestions for the University’s new portal, please email: vleportal@canterbury.ac.uk.

For students studying at the Medway campus and with the nature of most courses, transport for students studying there becomes an integral part of the daily University life for those students. The Universities at Medway have for a while established a relationship with the local Arriva Bus Company to assist with student travel across the West Kent area. This has meant that Christ Church students can now purchase a discounted bus pass, making the transport problem less of an issue than in previous years.

The 116 bus service in Medway goes through campus, stopping on Central Avenue near the Pembroke Building and on the New Kent Road next to the University of Kent’s Gillingham Building. The service stops within walking distance of the Chatham and Gillingham train station as

well at the Medway Maritime Hospital and the Hempstead Valley shopping centre.

For details of the route and for up to date timetable information, head to www.arrivabus.co.uk and head to service information, where you can navigate your way to timetables and services available to you.

Ticket Student Price• Ten Journeys (south-east

zone) - £10• Four weeks - £25• Twelve weeks - £65• Academic year + summer

vacation free (valid from 1st September to 31st August) - £140

In order for you to gain this great advantage, you need to use the promotional code for 2012/13 which is: 63371261

There are a number of ways in which you can do this:

1. Head over to http://ccsu.co .uk/green/susta inab le-

travel/, where you can find the code as well as more information

2. You can log into CLIC for details.

3. You can buy them online at www.arrivabus.co.uk by following these simple instructions;

• Click on ‘Best Value Saver Tickets’• Select region ‘South East’• Select zone ‘UniMed’• Enter the promotion code and click on student• Select Return in acceptance of the code box• Continue to add to the

basket, the type of ticket you want and the number required, and then continue onto the payment process! Job done!

• When you reach the delivery method click on the drop down box which defaults back to mobile and select post.

4. Head over to http://ccsu.co.uk/green/sustainable-travel/ , where you can find the code as well as more information

All tickets except the 10 journey ticket are also available through a mobile phone. All you need to do is download a free app from www.arrivabus.co.uk/m-ticket. After you’ve bought the ticket, all you need to do is board the bus, show the driver your m-ticket along with some ID.

Sales arrangements for the ’10 journey’ ticket are being

Christ Church students at Medway can now buy discounted bus passes

finalised but, will be available from the Arriva Offices at the Pentagon Centre.

For further information about Arriva buses, including current prices, a map showing the area within which you can use the pass and instructions on how to purchase a ticket can be found at www.arrivabus.mobi/student-saver-tickets-in-south-east-south.

Transport issues are taken care of for Christ Church students at MedwayJo Bartson-Umuliisa

Medway travel: a bus in the right direction

Have you heard? CLIC has now landed!

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Comment 7

Being good to our environment and building for a better future is really important to us at Christ Church, and we couldn’t do it half as well if we didn’t have so many staff and students on board with us, taking part and making a difference.

If you’re new here this year, or a returning student, and want to get involved or just stay up to date on what’s going on around the university, drop us an email at sustainability@canterbury.ac.uk

We have a small sustainability library of books and DVDs that people can borrow, planters that are up for adoption so you can grow your own herbs or beg on campus, film screenings in Powell through out the year, Student Switch Off competitions and giveaways including Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and Odeon cinema tickets, photography competitions and much more.

We’ll be running events, promotions, projects and campaigns throughout the year, and would love you to get involved in any that interest you. You can also keep on top of what’s going by reading our blog; http://cccusustainability.wordpress.com or liking our facebook page: CCCU Sustainability.

Look out for us at Freshers and other events around campus, and feel free to pop into the bungalow to see us, just inside Gate 4, if there’s any projects or ideas you’d liketo discuss with us over a cup of tea! Looking forward to

meeting you and starting brainstorming on those projects.

Above (left): Sustainability Engagement Officer, Felicity

Ravenwood

Above: Sustainability

Projects Officer, Lucy Brown

Student Engagement Officer, Lucy Dearden

CCCU Shuttle Bus #winning #canterbury

Transport for Christ Church students has always been something that both the University and the Union have tried to better. This becomes more than evident when

*Shaded column denotes Request Stop (customers must hail down, or request the vehicle to stop)* The stop at the bus terminal will be at one of the bus stopping zones directly outside the row of shops (H&M, La Senza etc) but this location may vary depending on

other bus traffic using the bays. Please ensure you flag the driver down to indicate your intention to board. The vehicle will be displaying the University Logo for ease of identification.

**Passengers wishing to go to Augustine House from Hall Place must ensure they advise the driver when boarding the bus. You will be dropped off at the Kent & Canterbury Club in New Dover Road. If no request is made, the driver will proceed to the Bus Terminal.

Passengers wishing to be collected from the Kent & Canterbury Club (Augustine House to North Holmes Road) must notify the receptionist or security officer on duty at Augustine House who will then get a message to the driver. This request needs to be made at least ten minutes before the published departure time from Hall Place.

talking about the free Shuttle Bus Service provided by the University to cater for students travelling around Canterbury and Harbledown sites. This service has provided a great chance for students with access difficulties to be allowed the chance to move around

the city easier with as little hassle as possible. Last year, after numerous requests and concerns about the Shuttle Bus service in relation to students with access issues, the Union requested that the University put Gate 4 on the North Holmes Road campus as a stop off

point, since many disabled students who lived on campus found it difficult to reach the nearest stop off point, which was Old Sessions House. The request was discussed and the stop was put in place for the academic year 2012/13. This now means that access

issues are decreased, and that not only those with disabilities but all students can now board the bus at a campus stop off. Notable thanks for this goes to Jos Achner, the Disabled Students’ Officer who was integral to putting the student views across.

Jo Bartson-Umuliisa

It’s all about who you know once you’re hereFelicity Ravenwood

Hello and welcome to a fresh new year at Canterbury Christ Church University. My name is Lucy Dearden and I am the University’s new Student Engagement Officer (SEO).

As SEO, I work closely with the Students’ Union, academic departments and professional services to promote, co-ordinate and support a range of projects and activities aimed at greater student engagement.

In particular, over the next year I will be working on exciting new initiatives such as the Graduate + certificates, Student Ambassadors, Peer Mentoring and engaging students with reviewing their academic progress.

Through these projects, and more, we hope to encourage students to take an active role in their education, in order to achieve their potential and develop into exceptional

Lucy Dearden graduates who can make a real difference in their communities and professional life.

I hope to have a regular slot in Unified to keep you updated on Student Engagement at CCCU and opportunities available to students, but in the meantime if you want to find out more please go to www.canterbury.ac.uk/engagement or get in touch by emailing me at lucy.dearden@canterbury.ac.uk.

Have a great year!

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Comment 8

Welcome to Christ Church and of course welcome back to the 2nd and 3rd years too. My name’s Aidan, I’m part of your new Sabbatical Team for 2012-13, and my remit is Sport. The main areas of my role are to get as many people involved in sport as possible, and make sure your sporting experience whilst studying here, is a successful one.

We have a wide range of sports operating through the Students’ Union, therefore there is something for everyone. I strongly encourage you to get involved as much as you can as it will thoroughly enhance your time here as well as develop your employability! You don’t need to be Christ Church’s next Jessica Ennis to participate, as there are opportunities at all levels from those looking to represent the University, to

those just wanting to play with friends or try something new!

On a personal front, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Christ Church largely due to my involvement in the Students’ Union activities. The Fresher’s Fayre on Wednesday 26th September is the best opportunity to speak to current sports club members and find out more about what is available from a Sports and Societies perspective, so make sure you go along to it in Augustine House (The Library). If there is something you would like to be involved with that isn’t yet available, just approach me and I’ll support you through it.

The pinnacle of the sporting year comes in the annual Varsity in March when Christ Church plays University of Kent at every sport.

As a Sabbatical Officer, I also have the responsibility of putting your needs and desires into realistic changes (not just on a sporting front) along with the rest of the Sabbatical Team, so please don’t be afraid to give suggestions and ideas to any of us as we are here to make your experience the best it can be!

As I’m sure you 2nd and 3rd years are aware, the Students’ Union now has a brand new shiny building at St George’s Place which will be the hub for all members of the University, so make sure you come in as soon as you can!

As for you brand new freshers… My best advice would be to get involved in as much as so you can in your time at University So get involved and I’ll see you soon!

This is a very exciting year for CCSU as we have the new student building; St George’s which is open from the 3rd September. This is your new SU which you are all members of so come over and see the new bar; the lounge and the coffee shop; thanks-a-latte. Also this is where the SU team is based as well in our new offices.

As the new President and working with such a great team it is amazing to have such a marvellous building and office to work in. This is a real turnaround from the old building. I just hope you are all as impressed as I was.

I am really excited about the year ahead. We have the new student building for you all to enjoy starting in freshers’ week. Look out for the freshers’ planner which shows you everything that is going on and how you can get involved. There is loads of exciting things to enjoy which will hopefully suit the wide range of students

we are lucky to have at CCCU.

During this year of presidency there are a number of aspects of the student experience I wish to improve. Firstly I want to make St George’s a place students want to be in. Secondly increase the number of available computers and laptops in Augustine House. This is a real issue especially at the end of terms when everyone has work due. Furthermore I want to increase the number of students who engage with the Students’ Union. We are here to help you escalate your student experience with a wide range of ways to do so.

Looking to the year ahead I am enthusiastic about being one of four people chosen to represent, shape and enhance the student experience of which we want you to be part. I can’t wait for Canterbury to once again be the vibrant city full of students it is in term time and I look forward to seeing you around St George’s.

Stacey Hawes - PresidentHello and welcome to the

new students of CCCU and welcome back to all the returners. Hope everyone has had a great summer and is looking forward to the year ahead. I’m Stacey Hawes the newly elected Students’ Union President.

Before becoming President I was studying early childhood studies combined with fine and applied arts. During this year I was very involved with the Students’ Union. I was elected as education officer. Also during the year my main involvement in the SU was through events crew. They are the team who support the running of events in the Students’ Union.

This was a great team to be part of as we got to put on events while enjoying being with our friends. My favourite part of this was the success of take me out. This took a lot of planning but the enjoyment of seeing the students enjoying the night was worth it.

Aidan Ainsley - Vice-President (Sports)

Favourite Friends character: Chandler

Favourite piece of clothing: A black dress

Favourite TV advert: Anything with David Beckham in

Marmite - Yes or No?: NO!!!

Did you know that ... Stacey has seen Labrinth 3 times this year alone?

Favourite Friends character: Rachel

Favourite piece of clothing: My football boots

Favourite TV advert: All Nike Football adverts

Marmite - Yes or No?: No

Did you know that ... Aidan’s middle names are Francis and Courtney?

Meet your elected Sabbatical Officers Meet this year’s sabb team and find out what their plans are for you

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Hi guys! Welcome back to all returning students ... we’ve missed you over summer! And of course, a very special welcome to all new students ready to begin the best years of your lives!

My name’s Anca Popescu and I am the VP (Student Activities), which means that I’m here to make sure that you make the most out of your univesity experience! Because of the variety of activities that my role covers -societies, media and RAG (Raise and Give)-, I get to see a diversity of students actively involved with the Students’ Union .

One of the projects I am most proud being part of is helping a group of students fundraise over £92,000 for Childreach International and see them climb Mt. Kilimanjaro (or rather receive updates from their journey) in August. This was the first big charity challenge we did at Christ Church, and

political and religious ones, to societies focused on games such as Muggled Quidditch. I encourage all of you to have a look at what’s available to you and join whatever takes your fancy. You’ll have a great time and meet amazing people!

The place to be is the Freshers’ Fayre in Augustine House, on Wednesday 26th September, from 10am until 4pm. There, you’ll get a chance to have a look at everything we do and offer, from sports clubs and societies to several volunteering prospects.

Take this opportunity to go crazy and get involved in as much as possible, and I guarantee it you won’t regret it! Remember that I’m here to help, so if you have any questions, simply get in contact via email (anca.popescu@canterbury.ac.uk), telephone (01227782510) or social media (@anka_popescu) and I’ll do my best to assist you. Simples!

Hello and welcome back to students studying back at Canterbury Christ Church University but an especially warm welcome to every new student that has started on a great journey of self discovery! My name is Jo Bartson-Umuliisa and I’m the Vice President (Welfare and Education), but what does that mean? I am, in the simplest terms here to represent all 20,000 students spread out across all campuses. Any student is an automatic member of the Union and so I work to fulfil the growing demand for an amazing student experience, whilst making sure you are all aware of ongoing issues that may affect you, from national, to international to right here.

My job title means that I am here to listen to any academic issues you wish to voice or even change. It also means that if you feel strongly about a cause, whether it’s to do with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights, environmental issues or even simply just want to make people aware of things that

affect students in particular, for example raising awareness of meningitis, then I am your first port of call. All you need to do is contact me or the Union in general and we will assist you or if you’re bogged down in endless amounts assignments then we have a dedicated group of enthusiastic students who give up their spare time to help run/organise /plan theses sort of events. They are the Welfare Wombles!

To become a Welfare Womble, all you need to do is email jo.bartson@canterbury.ac.uk. Pop along to the welcome meetings, where we discuss creative and useful ways of promoting student issues or raising money with a twist! The first welcome for the Wombles will be in the Study Zone in the shiny new Students’ Union on the 2nd and 4th October. If you want to get involved in World Mental Health Day, Breast Cancer Awareness or even Black History month (to name but a few), then all you need to do is turn up with your ideas and willingness to have a bit of

Jo Bartson-Umuliisa - Vice-President (Welfare & Education)

Anca Popescu - Vice-President (Student Activities)

fun and meet new like minded people and head down to the group chat!

One thing that I am looking forward to doing this year is starting up ‘Feel Good Friday’s!’. Simply put, it will do exactly what it says on the tin. Every Friday afternoon, you can have the chance to rest, relax and revive! Look out for the free massages being handed out on a weekly basis! Another project that the Union will be taking on this is year is looking into the attainment levels of black and minority ethnic groups at Christ Church. If you are a student from this background, and are interested in being part of a panel of students that has a frank and honest discussion about this taboo matter, then please get in contact with me for more information.

As cheesy as it may sound, being apart of the Union means that you can be part of the change, whether you become a student rep for your class, or if you just want to change one thing...get in touch!

Favourite Friends character: Chandler

Favourite piece of clothing: My onesie

Favourite TV advert: All the Meerkovo adverts

Marmite - Yes or No?: Definitely no (it’s evil)

Did you know that ... English is Anca’s 3rd language?

it only made us think of the opportunities we could offer students wishing to get involved with RAG.

The Media Society is an on-growing project and has seen a massive increase in membership and involvement since it was first set up: for instance, the Varsity promo received over 5,000 hits in a week - a lot more than the Kent one, might I add. With re-vamping UNIfied and CCTV over summer, this year is a very promising one, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the next Michael Moore or Lois Lane coming out of Christ Church Media.

Societies are getting more and more recognition, having grown from under 10 to 45 in the past year. It’s really amazing to see students taking the lead on starting up new ones and encouraging their colleagues and friends in joining them. They range from

Favourite Friends character: Ross

Favourite piece of clothing: My red Converse

Favourite TV advert: The Guardian Advert (3 little pigs)

Marmite - Yes or No?: Only in small portions

Did you know that ... Jo has shaken the Queen’s hand?

Comment 10follow us on twitter:www.twitter.com/christchurchsu

A new Students’ Union - A new directionChrist Church Students’ Union underwent a makeover this summer!

A quick overview

The Students’ Union is an independent organisation, set up as a charity, which aims to enhance the student experience by representing the interests of all students at Canterbury Christ Church University, both individually and collectively. We promote and organise Representational, Educational, Welfare, Social, Cultural and Sporting support and activities for the student body to access and participate in. Although we work very closely in partnership with the University, being a

separate organisation allows us to offer independent advice and support to students, particularly for your academic experience.

The Union has four Union Leaders (also called Sabbatical Officers, or Sabbs) who are all elected by you, the students, for one academic year. They have the responsibility to represent the entire student population of 20,000 students, as well as stirring the direction of the Union alongside external trustees through the Board of Trustees.

In addition, the Union has got permanent staff members who support the Union Leaders with developments,

as well as running the Union through strategy, operations, commercial aspects, and offering specialist expertise for students.

Throughout the previous academic year, the Students’ Union went through an institutional consultation and reorganisation which led to a restructure of the Union management, which took place alongside the work towards opening the new premises of the Union in St. George’s Place and contracting a company to run the commercial aspects provided.

For the first time the Students’ Union will run two commercial outlets at this scale, one being

The Lounge (the pub, the home of students) and Thanks A Latte (the coffee shop, flexible and versatile space for student use).

The Students’ Union has now got clear division between the commercial aspect of the Union and the membership services areas, both working towards bettering the student experience at Christ Church.

Meet the team

You met the Sabbs on pages 8-9; now it’s time to meet the staff members; they are here to help with the day-to-day operational running of the SU so that the policies decided by the Sabbatical Officers

and at Union Council can be implemented. Each member of staff has a different role but they all work together to ensure that CCSU is the best that it can be, as explained in the chart below.

Ian Dancy, the new Strategic and Operational Director of Christ Church SU, says: ‘My role is to lead the executive functions of the organisation on an operational and strategic level to ensure the best possible outcome for our students and wider University community. I’m incredibly excited about the year ahead and aim to help support CCSU in becoming an organisation fit for the modern education sector and supportive and inclusive for all.’

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Studying abroad is a big step. But not to worry; Canterbury Christ Church University has a support system that will help you make the transition.

Laura Spencer, CCCU’s International Student Adviser, is able to offer advice and guidance on immigration and welfare matters to prospective and current students (EEA and overseas) and their immediate dependants.

Topics on which Laura can advise include:

• Immigration procedures for entry to the UK as a student

• How to renew your student visa/extend your leave to remain in the UK

• How to complete form Tier 4 (General) Student

•UKBA’s Points Based System

• Important things to do on arrival in the UK

• Opening a UK bank account • Dependants of students • Change of circumstances

(suspending your studies/ withdrawing from CCCU)

• Travelling abroad during your studies (visas for overseas - including to mainland Europe)

• Healthcare • Working during your studies • Working after your studies • Lost passports and ID cards • Police Registration procedures

• Council Tax• Money problems• Private-sector housing

For enquires and appointments, please contact the i-zone helpdesk on 01227 782222 or by emailing i-zone@canterbury.ac.uk.

Here’s ISA to the rescue!

Give it a go Sherlock! An iPad up for grabs!To celebrate Christ Church’s

50th year in the historic city of Canterbury, the University is hiding 50 Golden Keys around the city and across its campuses. Anyone lucky enough (or clever enough) to decipher one of the cryptic clues associated with each of the 50 keys hidden around Canterbury and our campus network - will be entered into a draw to win an Apple iPad.

From Tuesday 25 September 2012 - the University’s actual birthday - there will be 10 keys hidden at various iconic places in Canterbury for five weeks (10 keys per week for 5 weeks). To find the key’s hiding place you will have to work out the answer to one of the clues hosted on a dedicated Facebook app, www.canterbury.ac.uk/

50GoldenKeys.

The clues will give you an idea of where the key is hidden so the only hard bit is getting down to the location as quickly as you can to get the key before someone else does! Once you find a key just enter its attached code into the Facebook app to be in with a chance of winning that iPad.

Everyone is invited to join the hunt and there are also Amazon vouchers for second and third place. The treasure hunt is set to be a highlight in the University’s diverse programme of Golden Jubilee events to mark a significant milestone in the history of Christ Church.

Keith Gwilym, Golden Jubilee Project Director at Canterbury Christ Church, said: “So far 2012 has been an exciting and memorable year for Christ Church. We have celebrated our Golden Jubilee in a number of ways and we are sure the treasure hunt around Canterbury, our home for the last 50 years, will be one of

the exciting contributions to a momentous year.

“Everyone is invited to join the hunt, including students, staff and the general public to try and crack the cryptic clues and find a limited edition golden key. Hopefully everyone will learn more about some of Canterbury’s history along the way too.”

This unique campaign will be run across the University’s social media channels. The game is hosted on the 50 Golden Keys Facebook app at: www.canterbury.ac.uk/50GoldenKeys with regular updates taking place on Facebook and Twitter.

Throughout the competition keep an eye out for #50GoldenKeys on Twitter to see which clues have been found and which ones are still waiting to be claimed.

For more information and to join the hunt, visit: www.canterbury.ac.uk/50GoldenKeys

Christ Church Uni hosts treasure hunt to celebrate its Golden Jubilee

With new UKBA regulations, who can international students turn to for advice?

Laura Spencer, International Student Advisor

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Entertainment 12

Christ Church Students’ Union presents: YOUR Freshers’This is where you can find the freshers’ fortnight planners - get up to date with our events and see what takes your fancy

Canterbury CampusWristbands

All ‘Freshers’ Week’ Events will only be accessible to students with a WRISTBAND, these will be issued when you arrive to start your course. You just need to make sure you have your acceptance letter or your new student ID card and we’ll issue a wristband. Do not worry, there are plenty of opportunities and time to get this.

*Wristbands are ONLY for students who are new to the university, not for any students who have previously attended Christ Church, friends or guests.*

Have you seen the Freshers’ Crew?

Freshers’ Crew are a group of enthusiastic and friendly student volunteers working to help new students to settle in, have fun, stay safe and enjoy all the opportunities of life at university.

The Crew are specially selected 2nd & 3rd year students who are there to answer any questions you have, give directions, help run and co-ordinate events, and most of all help you settle in to your new life at Canterbury Christ Church University.

The crew are all current students, have been there and done that, and have all been Freshers in the past so they know what you’re going through.

This is your entertainment!

Have a look to see what our satellite campuses have on during freshers’

left: Medway centre: Broadstairs right: Folkestone

Entertainment 13follow us online:

www.ccsu.co.uk/unified

Christ Church Students’ Union presents: YOUR Freshers’This is where you can find the freshers’ fortnight planners - get up to date with our events and see what takes your fancy

Other Campuses

What have we got planned?

Each campus has its own freshers timetable of events going on during your first week at Uni.

We try and put on a variety of events during Freshers so that there is something for everyone as we know that some students are up for clubbing until the early hours, some students prefer a quieter night, and some like a mix and will try everything.

During the first week’s activities events will usually be based around your campus and yoour town but in the following weeks there are chances to get involved with other campuses too and see what they’re up to.

What else?

We’ve got lots of other events planned for the rest of the year but we depend on student feedback to tell us what you want to see so please contact us with your suggestions and let’s see what we can make happen.

Twitter – Send us a message on our account @christchurchsu.Facebook – Send us a message on

facebook.com/christchurchfreshersEmail – Send us an email on

ccsu@canterbury.ac.uk

Entertainment 14follow us on twitter:www.twitter.com/christchurchsu

Patrick’s music echos his passion for Motown, Gospel and Soul

SCN Film-Club: movies with a message In November 2011 we

launched the Sustainability Champion’s Network film-club at CCCU.

The first screening was of the heart-wrenching and inspiring documentary called ‘The Pipe’ by Director Risteard O’Domhnaill (2010). This is a film about the Corrib Gas Pipe

project and the effect that it is having on the local community.

The SCN film-club members gathered in the main lecture theatre in the Powell building. We were all moved by the amazing actions of the local farmers, fisherman and other residents of the small town of Rossport in North West Ireland, as they stood up against the might of the Oil Corporation ‘Shell’. Their ‘Shell to Sea’ campaign continues...

After this launch, the SCN Film-club screened a number of other documentaries - such as ‘No Impact Man’ (2009), ‘Just Do It’ (2011) and ‘Food Inc.’ (2008) and feature films - including ‘Erin Brockovich’ (2000), ‘Into The Wild’ (2007)

‘Shell to Hell’

and ‘The Road’ (2009). To return to the theme of local activism, in light of the UK Government giving the go ahead for preliminary digging to take place in Kent into the possibility of it being lucrative to ‘frack’ for natural gas, we thought it was a good idea to organise a screening of Josh Fox’s ‘Gasland’ (2010). This film is a spectacular investigation into the botched style of natural gas removal across the USA.

The screening of ‘Gasland’ was attended by several members of the anti-fracking group, based in Deal, called ‘Deal With It – frack off!’ as well as by a local councillor from the town of Sandwich, and a member of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

Wednesday 3rd October 6.15pm in Powell’s Pf.06

The latter gave a fascinating introduction to fracking and what it would mean for ALL of us living in Kent it to begin as a full-blown commercial operation. We watched the film then had a lively debate afterwards, during which we talked about the massive demand we make for supply of energy, due to our current lifestyles. We are all responsible for the resultant often irreversible environmental destruction that comes from hauling finite resources out of the earth.

Join us on Wednesday the 3rd of October at 6.15pm to watch ‘The Age of Stupid’ (2009) and again on Wednesday the 10th of October (also at 6.15pm) to watch ‘The Corporation’ (2003). Both films will get you

riled up and ready to do your little bit (or perhaps more than that) to make the world a better place!

Music Review: Patrick Channon Rhian Stone

‘Cynical Man’ is just one of the many tracks Patrick has produced that incorporates his love for Gospel, Soul and Motown music. I could detect these influences in Patrick’s distinctive earthy tones, the claps and shouts, the bouncing use of the tambourine and the complicated plucking of guitar strings. Integrating, reggae, ska, jazz, soul and folk Channon, along with his backing band, is like a street-style Ray Lamontagne, an artist

Although Patrick Channon is no doubt an excellent songwriter, it is his use of or in this case lack of use of instruments, which brought this local Kent artist to my attention. ‘Cynical Man’ primarily consists of vibrant vocals and the beat of a tambourine. Simple yet incredibly effective,

Music is one of the most wondrous things in this world. A single song can capture the most indescribable emotion, a look between two people, a secret desire, a wandering thought, or the skeptical ranting’s of a man working in retail. Patrick Channon’s song ‘Cynical Man’ does just this.

Patrick acknowledges as an inspiration. What I wanted to know was what drives him as a singer/songwriter?

“It’s all about the lyrics for me. Music,” he said “is all about moments; it’s got to be sincere”. These moments are captured by Patrick in a way that is rather

unusual. Although Patrick was somewhat reluctant to relay the meanings behind his songs, it is clear that many of them are about moments in life so often overlooked, love being the focus of most pop songs.

“I don’t feel like I’m qualified to write a great love song” Patrick states, “or at least not right now”. Instead he argues that the most important thing to him is to produce music that he and the audience will connect to. In a discussion of his song ‘Soldier’ a hidden track on his new EP, Patrick revealed that the song has moved crowds to tears, much to his own surprise and awe: “If you connect with people on that level then you know that you’ve done it right.” How then does he convey such a message to his audience?

In a world that is so focused on social media and the branding of an artist, is it hard for a singer/songwriter to prevent themselves from falling into the trappings of a glittering performer without substance? How much of a façade does one have to put up, and does this guise prove potentially limiting? Patrick confesses to be a naturally awkward person, thus engagement with the crowd has often been a struggle for him. He therefore feels that to make it as artist

one has to have a certain level of confidence, a stage persona that is more assured than one really is for “if you don’t see yourself as good at what you do then what use is it?” It is clear from watching Patrick live that his love of music possesses him on stage, if he feels nervous beforehand it is not evident.

Nevertheless Patrick Channon, like many artists, is highly self-critical. However, he uses this to his advantage as a way to stay grounded and fuel his ambitions. By constantly challenging and improving himself, Patrick is able to keep each performance fresh. Not only does he revel in guitar melodies but he also loves to experiment with his vocals. In each performance Patrick attempts to alter the way he sings a track in order to keep it invigorated. Such ambitiousness is also reflected in his style of writing. Patrick often refers to poetical forms when writing, as a way of experimenting with different styles, causing him to often rework and improve his songs.

This lead to the development of his EP ‘The Long Man’, an achievement of which Patrick

is particularly proud of. The third track ‘No Provider’ is perhaps the most captivating. With howling vocals and the twinkling patter of the tambourine, Channon repeats the lines ‘no provider, no protector, no survivor, no surrender’ until his lungs are sore. Yet it is the track ‘Already Gone’ that he feels reflects him personally, giving it the most sentimental value.

With an EP already out and with several gigs lined up I ponder whether this is enough for the young musician? The answer? Not by a long shot: “I’m really excited to see what direction my music goes in next…I’m not doing it for the ultimate goal to be famous…I’m doing it out of love for music, I just want to keep gigging, keep recording, and get people hearing my music.”

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before or after 1740?)A: “Second half of XVII

century” is the best estimate we may give. There is some stuff and people from 1640s and from 1690s peacefully coexisting together. We believe being particularly pedantic about this issue would diminish the experience greatly.

Q: On the theme of the rum ration, what is the importance of historical accuracy to you guys?

A: The answer is the same as the one regarding realistic features – we care about historical accuracy as long as it doesn’t get in the way of gameplay. One thing for sure – there are no fantasy elements in the game. We’re working with a genuine historical period in a particular region, so there are no Krakens to fight or curses to lift.

Q: How will siege combat work? Will the ships be able

A: As they say, in Soviet Russia the pirate novels read you. :) So, our reading background is somewhat limited to whatever was made available in our childhood. R.L. Stevenson goes without asking, Sabatini’s Captain Blood books are another all-time favorite.

Q: What year is the game set? Can I expect the British rum ration to be half a pint twice a day, or less (and by that I mean

I had the fantastic opportunity to speak to Snowbird Games Studio, developers of the upcoming Mount and Blade standalone, ‘Mount and Blade: Caribbean!’. Snowbird were kind enough to let me ask them some questions from the perspective of not just an M&B lover, but someone with a passion for the historical period the game is set.

Q:Hi there. Straight to the good stuff: how intricate is the naval combat going to be? How much of a focus is it for you guys? Am I going to need to close my lower deck gun ports due to adverse weather, for example?

A: Ahoy! When it comes to realism in our game, we’re trying to simulate a fair number of things whenever is prudent. Ships are damaged and set aflame during the fight; strong winds affect the sailing speed, etc. Thus, we’re trying to make the players’ experience as rich as we can. However, we don’t want to overwhelm them with too much micromanagement at the same time. So, the answer is ‘no’ - you don’t need to operate your lower deck gun ports manually. It’s not a Silent Hunter: Now With Sailships game after all; we prefer to position it as a humble and grateful heir to Sid Meier’s Pirates!

Q: Have you read many books that pertain to the setting? ‘Hornblower’, perhaps? Or (even better) Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series? If you have, did it positively influence your development?

Entertainment 15

Game Release: Snowbird Games Studio

to bombard settlements mid-battle?

A: We’ll bring siege artillery to the battlefield, and players will be able to destroy city walls during the assault. Otherwise, you can attempt to invade a city from the seaside, overcoming its forts and batteries in a naval battle then landing within its walls against a seriously depleted garrison.

We’re also considering a feature allowing the player to call „support fire” from his fleet during a land-based assault. Sort of like artillery and aicraft support in Combat Mission: Shock Force.

Q: Will there be disobedience in my crew? Will I need discipline those that defy my harsh, tyrannical pirate captain ways?

A: Absolutely! There will be a plenty of special events dealing with disobedience and rebellions of the crew. Players will be able to choose how to deal with these issues out of several options, and every decision will lead to some consequences – sometimes pretty unpleasant for the captain.

Q: Can I force them onto 6-water grog, just to show them who’s boss?

A: Maybe. Let’s wait for the game release – we don’t want to spoil any interesting in-game situations in advance.

Q: Can I expect the men to mutiny if I suck as Captain? Will morale lower because they haven’t had fresh meat in weeks?

A: Definitely. Those tough sea dogs are terrible whiners if you think about it, they don’t like their wages yesterday, they are in uproar you’re serving them some mincemeat full of white worms (you know, the “macaroni” ones) today, they are pissed off you had saved those hapless Spanish shipwreck survivors instead of dragging them beneath the keel tomorrow. Lack of food affects morale, and so are many other factors. In fact, I am having a

UNIfied’s Sam Eskenazi, snatches an exclusive interview with Snowbird Games Studios about the upcoming - ‘Mount and Blade: Caribbean’

Sam Eskenazi

In the upcoming game, naval combat uses an overhead mode

Swivel guns mounted are now implemented on ship railings

hard time keeping my starting party from deserting and taking along most of my starting fleet right now :)

Q: Will scurvy be a legitimate problem? If so, will I know the solution or will I just vaguely know that I need to thrust green stuff down my crew’s throats?

A: Scurvy is just one of the diseases that can plague your crew, along with dysentery and a few others. The solution used to be “have a few days of comfortable rest and good food in a portside tavern”, but we’re considering reinventing the ways diseases work.

Q: Will the parrot on my shoulder (I’m just assuming there’s going to be one) insult my evil ways, or compliment me on my dashing, piratical good looks?

A: The thing is – we haven’t planned to implement parrots at all initially, but in the last few months we have received a lot of questions about this ‘feature’. That’s why we definitely will include them in Caribbean! in some way or another. We can’t promise that parrots will be able to talk just like any other NPC, but we can guess it would be fun!

Q: Do I need to take account of my fresh water supplies? Previous M&B games had you watching your food stores, but now that I and my crew are at sea, will fresh water now be an issue?

A: That’s not very likely, the Caribbean is a small pond after all, with hundreds of islands scattered everywhere providing fresh water to anyone

in need. Unless someone left you behind on the Deadman’s Chest with a bottle of rum and one bullet for your pistol, you’re unlikely to face massive issues procuring fresh water.

The food management is still as important as ever, but there will be ways to somewhat circumvent it - like a perk the player may learn, granting his crew an increased ability to hunt and forage for supplies at their own.

Q: Lastly, honestly now: do you think it’s fun? Will this appeal to both M&B vets &

piratical fanatics?A: Sure we do! Otherwise, the

entire idea of developing such a game would be pointless. We’re huge fans of Mount & Blade concept and we always believed that it has a great potential for being adapted to other settings and historical periods. On the other hand, there wasn’t a single decent game about pirates since, well, almost forever. We know for sure that there is a plenty of pirate fans out there, and they’re craving for another game about galleons, treasure hunting and Jolly Roger flag. We won’t let them down.

The game is going to represent the true ‘Carribean’ atmosphere

of the vast and dangerous world

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Entertainment 16

Hello and welcome to Canterbury! Hope you are all settling in well and enjoying your first edition of UNIfied. My name is Ryan Bartrop and I am the Station Manager for your university radio station – CSR FM.

CSR is a student and community station that broadcasts 24 hours a day on 97.4FM and online worldwide at www.csrfm.com. At CSR – we try and offer an alternative to 10 tracks on repeat or cheesy pop music. Very rarely will you hear the same old pop songs that every other radio station is playing. We are the ones who give you real music variety!

Throughout the day we have a great team of presenters that attempt to charm their way into your radio favourites list, with wit, ridiculous features and great music from our carefully selected playlist. We like to mix it up a bit and aren’t afraid to play the new Skrillex track alongside Santigold, Theme Park or M83. Anybody can help decide our music; member, listener or gigging fanatic. We play new music that people like even if no other radio station is playing them. (We played the ever popular ‘FUN- We are

Young’ song months before Radio 1 and Capital ever did!)

During the evenings, we have some really wicked speech shows – anything goes from comedy radio plays, quizzes and hard-hitting current affairs debates or documentaries.

Into the night, CSR is proud to present the best in specialist music – choose a genre, we try to cover it. If you fancy getting involved in the station, anybody in Canterbury over the age of 18 is welcome. We have two studios in the city - one on the University of Kent’s campus and one right here, on Christ Church’s doorstep in the Erasmus Building.

And the opportunities are endless. You can be part of shows – presenting and producing, or can get involved in other areas of the station, including production (responsible for our station sound), marketing and events (design promotional material and manage social sites) and tech – the guys responsible for making sure something actually goes out on air!

I like to think that not only will you gain valuable experience which can set you in good stead for the future, but also make new friends – we aren’t

CSR: Your radio stationThis is Canterbury’s Community & Student Radio Station. This is your only alternative!Ryan Bartrop afraid to geek out over radio

news or party (most notably, at the same time).

In the last year we have;• Launched a brand new

studio (studio blue) at CCCU• Won ‘Community Spirit’

award at the National Student Radio Conference.

• Broadcast live from Lounge on the Farm 2012, interviewing and recording loads of the acts - including Emile Sande, The Wombats and BigKids

• Launched a summer workshop for under 18’s (CSR Youth Academy)

Freshers - please don’t think that just because you’re a first year you can’t get involved or need time to settle in and will wait to join. Get stuck in now. I joined in my first year and am still here loving it in my final year! We also have many members who jumped in the very first moment they got here!

If you have any questions about joining CSR then email me manager@csrfm.com

Pop by and see us at Freshers’ Fayre, hopefully we will be next to the pizza.

P.S if you don’t join then you can still support your local station by listening in on 97.4FM and online at www.csrfm.com

CSR FM has had a very successful year, with members broadcasting live from festivals, charity and sporting events. Summed up in images is Canterbury’s favourite radio station

Music Review

Anthony and the Johnsons is an artist you need to approach with caution. Like a beautiful and dangerous creature. His music can consume you before you’ve even realised it and then suddenly you are drowning in a wash of brass and strings.

His latest album ‘Cut the World’ is no different. It is an album of re-worked past tracks, like a “best of”, with a symphonic orchestra that makes your heart bleed.

Anthony has the kind

of vocals that vibrate

on the air, like tiny

particles of sadness and wonderment,

seeping into your

skin, both fragile and beautifully

eerie.

It is painful, heart-

achingly

UNIfied reports: Anthony and the Johnsons - Cut The World

Rhian Stonepainful but you want it.

The crescendo of the full chorus on the only new single ‘Cut the World’ washes over you. Instead of feeling empty I feel full, full to the brim with ‘Saudade’ a Galician -Portuguese word meaning a nostalgic longing for something or someone, a love that remains.

This is exactly what ‘Cut the World’ is like, it remains with you, somewhat painful, somewhat fulfilling, a reminder of loss and love and wonder at the world.

Features and Lifestyle 17

Barry started his Martial arts training in 1993 studying Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Kickboxing and attended various National competitions, winning many. In 1999 he decided to concentrate on competitive Tai Chi; as he had a natural talent and ability and his passion for this lead to him leaving his job to become a self employed martial arts coach.

In the next three years he won

silver and bronze medals and also won the hand forms, push hands and sword categories at the B.C.C.M.A (British Council for Chinese Martial Arts) national championships in 2003. Since then he has kept the title more or less every year he has entered.

In 2010 he was asked by his teacher; former world medallist Simon Watson to be a member of the British Team. In 2011-2012 Barry won 5 silvers at the European open, 3 golds and a silver at the B.C.C.M.A British Championships, 2 golds and 3 silvers at the British Open championships, Gold and bronze medal at the European

championships and finished the year winning best athlete and every gold at the Dutch open.

Q: What motivated you to study martial arts?

A: I sensed something was missing, but I didn’t know what it was. I was doing things in life, but didn’t have a path or a direction and I didn’t know where I was going, but I didn’t want to stand still and live a standard life. It wasn’t enough for me. I knew there was something more out there.

Q: Why Kung Fu?A: It looked different and it had

more to it than other martial arts around, more depth. It is more real: I was also attracted to the mysticism and spiritual side of kung fu.

Q: What about Tai Chi? A: Not knowing what tai chi

was, I joined in on a class. I Found that I could pick it up quite quickly and soon found that I was overtaking people that had done it a lot longer. I was told that I had a natural ability with Tai chi.

Q: What kept you going during difficult times?

A: Partly due to: enjoyment, gritty determination and belief in myself. When you look at things you can’t do; if you face them, they get closer. You just do it. A black belt is just a white belt that has never given up. Sometimes being told no is a big motivation, if someone says to you can’t do it, sometimes it motivates you to do it.

Q: Where do your drive and

passion come from?A: My mind is creative, but

it is only recently that I have understood that it is, from doing certain things that are creative, carving, photography, music, salsa, dancing and of course martial arts. My drive comes from my youth, as a child I didn’t value myself and maybe in some ways I have just recently been coming to terms with that as well. The older I get the more I understand myself and other people. By understanding yourself, you have more of an understanding of how other people are, understanding what motivates me, I understand what motivates other people.

Q: What do you think are the most important elements to being successful?

A: Determination and commitment: the determination not give up and the commitment to practice. And also the discipline to know when not to practice. Eating and training in the correct ways and the correct amounts. Understanding that

Local talent: Tai Chi European Champion

most of your practice you will do alone.

For the full interview or to read similar articles by Oliver JP Cooper, please visit:

www.interviewswithsuccessfulpeople.co.uk

Now entering its sixth year, The Lighthouse Project continues to serve tea and toast to the clubbers of this city on Wednesday nights and has no plans of stopping just yet.

The project was launched in 2007 as a joint project between Canterbury Baptist Church and the Christian Union at Canterbury Christ Church University, in response to the concerns from these groups over the welfare and wellbeing of the clubbers, and in particular the students of our city.

Through the very simple offer of free drinks, toast and a warm place to sit down, we aim to help people to sober up on their way home, as well as being a location for friends to meet up if they have lost each-other through the course of the night. Over the course of the

three hours we’re open each week, we generally see around 150 people come through the doors; some a little worse for wear, and some in their PJ’s after a quiet night in, but in need of some tea and toast! Everyone is met with a warm welcome, and the volunteers love getting to know new people, which gives a fun, friendly atmosphere to the place.

Working together with the Community Safety Unit at Canterbury City Council and other local partner agencies, The Lighthouse has been strongly supported over

its time, and we see it as a great honour to be included in Canterbury Communtiy Safety Partnership’s (www.c a n t e r b u r y c s p . o r g . u k ) Partnership Plan for 2011-2014. By developing relationships with the local council, police, licensed premises and universities, we aim to not simply be working in isolation, but instead, we seek

to serve the community in the best way we can.

The last four years have been amazing and we have seen a growth in numbers from just 20 or 30 a night to up to 300, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.

You can find us on facebook by searching for ‘The Lighthouse’.

The Lighthouse Project continues ‘Tea & Toast’After having such tremendous success since it first started, everyone knows that ‘Tea & Toast’ is the place to be after a Wednesday night outJosh Benn

Oliver JR Cooper interviews Barry Phelan, Tai Chi champion from Kent

Oliver JR Cooper (left) with Tai chi champion, Barry Phelan (right)

Oliver J R Cooper

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Features and Lifestyle 18

Claire Miller

Hidden Risks: Tuition Fee LiabilityUNIfied reporter interviews Geoff Haworth, Director of Student Support and Guidance, to assess the situation

Deciding to interrupt or withdraw from your studies is a major decision that should not be taken lightly (if at all) and needs to be well thought through and properly discussed with your academic tutors. However, due to a recent change in the fee arrangements for those students coming into university from September 2012, it is important that any decision to withdraw is done in a timely manner to avoid incurring unnecessary debt.

This year universities will receive tuition fees (on behalf of those students taking out the Tuition Fee Loan from the Student Loans Company) according to a set payments schedule. This new arrangement will affects how much tuition fee you are liable to pay back if you decide to withdraw early or interrupt from your studies, based on the timing of your decision.

‘What do the new arrangements mean for me?’

If you choose to interrupt or withdraw early from your studies then your tuition fee liability depends on what point in the year you do this.

If you interrupt of withdraw within the first two weeks of your course start date you would not be liable for any tuition fee debt. However if you chose to interrupt or withdraw any time in the first term after

the first two weeks you would be liable for 25% of the annual tuition fee amount.

If you interrupt or withdraw at any point in Term 2, you would be liable for 50% of the annual tuition fee. And at any point in Term 3 you would be liable for 100% of the annual tuition fee amount.

For most students the first few weeks of university won’t provide a sufficient representation of the whole University experience. You may feel like you want to leave in week one but by week three you might absolutely love it. So it’s important not to make a decision to leave too early. Make sure you assess your options and don’t rush into any decisions.

‘I’m thinking of interrupting/withdrawing from my studies what should I do?’

It’s a good idea to discuss your options with your programme staff before making any final decisions. You may also wish to seek careers advice from the Employability and Careers Service and discuss the financial implications of your decisions with the Student Financial Support team, both of which are contactable via the i-zone.

‘I’m certain that I want to interrupt/withdraw from my studies what should I do now?’

You are required to complete a Change of Academic Circumstances (CoAC) form,

which is available from: w w w. c a n t e r b u r y. a c . u k /support/registry/Student%20Resources/studentresources.asp.

When you have completed the form it must be submitted to your programme Director, and you should also copy in i-zone@canterbury.ac.uk so that the timing of your decision can be recorded.

‘I’ve filled in the CoAC form and it has been submitted to my programme Director what happens next?’

Once your programme director has completed their section they will sent it on to the Registry who will then update your University record to show your interruption/withdrawal.

You will receive a letter to confirm your interruption or withdrawal and the University’s finance department will calculate how much tuition fees you owe according to the fee arrangements (shown above) and the date shown on your record for your withdrawal/interruption.

If you are SLC funded, the

Registry will inform the SLC of your circumstances and the date of leaving.

‘I have interrupted/withdrawn from my studies and I am SLC funded, will my interruption/ withdrawal affect when I repay the tuition loan?’

The terms of agreement with SLC aren’t affected. Normally, you will be required to pay any fees loan back to the SLC from the April after you finish, provided you are earning over the current threshold of £21,000, in the same way as those who finish their studies will repay it.

It is really important that you think through any decision you make regarding interruption or withdrawal very thoroughly and talk to your programme director or the i-zone if you have any queries.

If you have any financial concerns, you can attend the Student Financial Support drop-in sessions at Augustine House, Canterbury (Monday to Friday from 10.00-11.00 and 14.00-15.00) or at other campus locations by arrangement.

Thousands of people across Kent Surrey & Sussex have stopped smoking with the support of local NHS Stop Smoking Services. Evidence shows that smokers are four times more likely to quit smoking with the support of the NHS Stop Smoking Services.

In Kent, Surrey & Sussex a total of 25,888 smokers quit the habit between April 2011 and March 2012. This is the highest number reported by local services and the third successive year that NHS South of England (East) has achieved their target.

There is a network of convenient, local advisers across Kent, Surrey & Sussex who run free advice sessions and can offer practical support and guidance on the best methods to quit smoking. Stop smoking sessions are held in a variety of locations including as local pharmacies, GP surgeries, the workplace and the local village hall.

A variety of individually tailored support is available, including a telephone helpline and local group activity- both in the community and the workplace, and over 50% of those setting a quit date successfully quit.

Fiona Bower, Public Health Outcome lead for NHS South of England (East) said: “We offer free, expert local support that really works. We are experienced in helping people to quit smoking and we know what works. What works for one individual will not necessarily suit the next and we are mindful of that when offering support and advice.”

To find your nearest service phone 0800 0224332 or follow this link: www.smokefree.nhs.uk

Record numbers S t u b - I t - O u t

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Features and Lifestyle 19

the added responsibility of being financially independent. Students have the reputation of being forced to live a modest lifestyle, living off baked beans and noodles, however there are plenty of ways to make sure you can enjoy your life at uni without having to constantly worry about money.

Know your money: It may seem obvious, but knowing how much money you actually have is vital. Once you are aware of all of your bills it’s a good idea to make note of your monthly/termly outgoings. It might be easier to make your budget after a few weeks at uni, that way you can be realistic about things like food and nights out.

Get wise about Student Accounts: If you are planning

on opening a student bank account, search around for the best deal rather than just going with the first one you find. Most major banks offer different gift incentives and the overdraft limit varies from bank to bank. Have a look at the student account comparison on moneysavingexpert.com to find the best option for you.

Get discounts: plenty of places offer student discounts, all you have to do is flash your Christ Church student card. However if you are a shopaholic it might be worth purchasing an NUS extra card, which offers a larger range of discounts for only £12 a year.

Supermarket shopping: go for a big weekly supermarket shop rather than more frequent purchases from expensive

corner shops. Getting food delivered can also save you money, work out whether the savings outweigh the delivery cost. If you often make impulse buys of things that aren’t on your list or get a taxi home it might be worth it.

Cook from scratch: This might sound like your idea of hell, but cooking from scratch is cheaper, usually tastier and you might discover that you are actually a culinary genius.

Cheaper travel: if you go home on the train each term, it could be worth getting a 16-25 rail card for the year, which will get you 30% off ticket prices. Shopping online for your ticket can also save you money if you buy your tickets via www. nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com.

Don’t join a gym: Unless you really love it, ditch the gym (and the expensive membership) and join a sports club or society instead, that way you’ll keep fit, save money and make a great group of friends.

There are plenty of other ways to save money while at university, look out for the handy budgeting tips in the next issue of UNIfied.

Budgeting your way through University

Being introduced to the student lifestyle, surrounded by new people in a new city can be a daunting enough without

How to save your pennies and stay out of your overdraft throughout uni

Claire Miller

Reseach which bank to open a student account with

Plan your nights out and leave your bank card at home

often find ourselves ‘stuck’.

Rather than shopping at a supermarket chain that flies food in from every corner of the world at great C02 expense, we can choose to buy local food from Farmer’s Markets. Transition Towns help set up and support Farmer’s Markets.

We can question where the cotton content of our clothes came from, asking if it is fairtrade certified? And we can also question whether those who made our clothes, often in distant countries without secure systems for ensuring worker’s rights, are being treated fairly – look for ‘living wage’ certification.

We live in a beautiful area, rich in resources. We are aware of the pressing issues around peak oil and climate change. Now is the time to ask how can we meet our needs locally and what skills we need. We can make a difference by uniting together in the communities where we live; now’s the time

to make a change.

Many of you will be new to Kent, having just arrived to start University. Now you are living in a beautiful area of the UK that is rich in resources. Canterbury is an official Transition Town and the CCCU sustainability team are proud to be supporting the community group by hosting the link-up gathering.

This gathering allows all those working for the same goal to meet each other. The aim is to showcase the bigger picture of what is going on to protect and conserve the East Kent environment, building community resilience. The aim of this meeting on Sunday the 30th September is to explore the possibility of becoming at least 80% self-reliant as a community, in food and in other needs across East Kent.

Refreshments shall be provided, including fresh local produce and home-made baked treats. See you there, and bring a friend!

East Kent Transition in Augustine House

On Sunday the 30th of September from 2-6pm there will be an exciting event taking place in the main hall at Augustine House, Canterbury. This is a special gathering of all the pro-environmental sustainability Transition Town projects that are going on all across East Kent, from Faversham to Deal, and many more!

But what on earth, I hear you ask, are ‘Transition Towns’?!

Well, you can read all about it at www.transitionnetwork.org but to give a basic overview: these are community initiatives that consist of over 500 towns and cities all over the world taking responsibility at the grassroots level. Their members envisage a very different world. One that with a changed, improved way of living… The basic premise is that we can act now, and act together to make a difference to those structures in which we

Special gathering of all pro-environmental Transition Town projects Lucy Brown

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Sports and Societies 20

How a genetic treatment intended for use on the very ill is now being used to enhance sports performance of the already very fitAbigail James

Athletes - forget drugs & change your genes

How far would you go to be the best at your discipline? Work out until you drop? Consume countless servings of Maximuscle protein shake at £30 per kilo? Pop the next fad ‘get fit’ pill? Suffer the detriment of health, the guilt and potential disqualification through steroid use? Would you even consider changing the very stuff that makes you, you; would you alter your DNA?

Gene doping, the performance enhancing technique in which athletes may genetically modify their bodies, has been dubbed the ‘evil twin’ of gene therapy - the successful treatment initially developed to nurse the seriously ill. The technique involves encouraging the body to naturally produce useful proteins and bulk up muscle, and guess what? It is almost undetectable; an athletic doper’s dream. Both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) have expressed concerns of this dubious practice, supposing it may have been used in professional competitions as early as the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

So how does it work? To answer this question we’ll need to return to a few GCSE Biology concepts. (Almost) every cell in your body contains 23 chromosomes, consisting of 2 tightly wound lengths of DNA, attached by bonds between 4

bases: A, T, C and G. It is the sequence of these bases which constitutes a particular gene, determining the production of a specific protein, a building block of our bodies. Science has unveiled 30,000 human genes, several of which have been linked to particular diseases and disorders. Cystic fibrosis, for example, results in breathing difficulty, since a faulty gene produces thick sticky mucus in the lungs of sufferers. A new hope, in the form of gene therapy, will see the replacement of the faulty gene with a normal copy to the affected cells. This pioneering medical treatment is still in its infancy, a fact posing serious concerns for the crude and unregulated spin-off in sports.

So, imagine this. Its 2016, the Rio Olympic Games are unfolding, the biceps of weightlifters and the thighs of cyclists are bigger than ever, records are broken daily, previously inconspicuous nations climb the medal table, the world hotly anticipates the men’s 100m final; can Usain Bolt score an Olympic hat trick? What, who is this? A man almost plucked from obscurity is propelled to greatness, an instant household name, as he closes in on the track between Bolt and the finish line. Impossible. Illicit drug use is suspected by most; but our new ‘superhuman’ is stripped of his title on different grounds - “the nontherapeutic use of cells, genes, genetic elements having the capacity to enhance performance”. What was on

offer at the shop of genetic modifications?

Increased muscle bulk. Maybe he would have put the IGF-1 gene into his shopping basket. This gene could be inserted directly into muscle fibres, increasing the concentration of Growth Hormone; giving rise to thick muscle fibres and greater muscle bulk. Using IGF-1 with strength-based training could lead to even greater muscle growth response and the bogus breaking of sprinting world records.

Growing new blood vessels.The development of a gene therapy to grow new blood vessels for patients with inadequate oxygen supply could be used for improvement of blood vessel production. Athletes would boast a hyper supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the heart tissue, muscles and other parts of the body – delaying their exhaustion and keeping ahead of the competition.

Increasing endurance. Eero Mäntyranta, skier and double Olympic gold medallist, blew the opposition away in the 1964 Games; later it was found that he had a naturally occurring genetic mutation, giving him double the red blood cells of the average person. The skier was able to supply more oxygen from his lungs to his tissues – a dream come true for any endurance sportsperson. Athletes may soon seek to alter their genes to mimic Mäntyranta’s natural medal-winning mutation through inserting an extra copy of the gene that controls the production of EPO, a hormone that instructs the body to manufacture new red blood cells. This treatment would see a tremendous benefit to sufferers of anaemia and AIDS, but for athletes increased EPO would give rise to enhanced tissue oxygenation and ultimately greater endurance.

Feeling no pain. A British cyclist infamously said “if it

takes ten to kill you, take nine and win” – ironically, he cycled through the pain barrier doped up on amphetamines, his body shut down, and he died on the climb up Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France. What if ‘naturally’ prescribed pain relief had been available to him? Genes producing pain relieving substances, such as endorphins and enkephalins, could be inserted. Relief from the painful accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles (that anyone whom has undertaken vigorous exercise will have experienced) has the potential to bear better athletic performance and for longer periods.

Brilliant. It all sounds fantastic - I imagine you’re wondering where to sign up. But think twice, there’s a catch; the health risks are colossal. The IGF-1 gene, for increased levels of Growth Hormone, could see the development of cancerous tumours. The growing number of red blood cells from EPO doping would make the blood thicker and thicker, making the pumping of blood around the body more difficult – leading to strokes and heart attacks. And with all gene doping practices comes the risk of contracting a nasty virus, since genes are inserted into your body via a virus cell. Legitimate providers of gene therapy would ensure

the illness-inducing parts are wholly removed - but can we expect the same from illicit uncontrolled laboratories giving crude treatments that have not undergone rigorous trial and assessment?

If you’re bold enough to put your body in the hands of these crooks at least your actus reus is likely to go undetected. Unlike drug users, whose synthetic substances can easily be found in the body, it will be virtually impossible to distinguish between naturally occurring substances in the body and substances naturally produced by genetically modified cells. WADA is currently developing a test to detect illegitimate gene doping; they warn athletes of Rio 2016 – you will be caught out.

But why must tests for drug and gene doping alike, exist? Where is the consideration of fair play, the respect for rules and the spirit of sportsmanship in all of this? Many will recall how frequently the phrase “Inspire a generation” was banded about at London 2012, but what an erroneous example these gene doping athletes would be setting to the young admirers who have so idolised them. Think again before putting that poster up, there may be a gene cheat in your midst.

Usain Bolt at the London 2012 Olympics

Eero Mäntyranta at the Innsbruck 1964 Winter Games

Capoeira is a fusion of combat, music, songs, and dance. With a deep routed history starting with the black slavery in Brazil this unique martial art emerged. It is unique to other martial arts in its fluid movements; it could not be classified as a ‘dance’ due to its kicks and blows,

that when used in self-defence could be potentially lethal.

It is a Combat Dance that is around 500 years old, originating predominantly from Brazil. It’s a game of skill that combines self-defence fighting techniques, acrobatics,

CCCU Capoeira - more than a martial art

Sports and Societies 21

Being part of a society whilst at UniversityHaving fun with people who share your hobbies is just one of the advantages of being part of a society whilst studying at University

Anca Popescu

Here at Christ Church Students’ Union we recognise that the easiest way to make friends and get involved at University is to have something in common, whether that’s musical taste, sharing a faith, a mutual love of art, or just a way of life.

Coming to University isn’t just about getting qualifications, it’s about having fun, and societies are a great way to do this. Whilst the Union will try to engage, enable and encourage student

activity, your experience is ultimately up to yo, and so put in that effort to join a club. We have a wide range of activities for you to chose from; in the past year alone, the number of societies grew from 10 to 44 across all campuses, because students realised that this is a way to bring shared interests and hobbies together, no matter where they’re based.

Established societies are always welcoming new members so don’t miss out on the chance to be a part of something special. Not only will you meet new people, but

you’ll also have the opportunity to develop new skills and enhance your employability, which is critical in today’s society.

Current societies vary from religious and cultural based societies such as the Redeemed Christian Society or the Afro-Caribbean Society to more niche interests, such as the Circus Skills or Ballroom Dancing Society. Coming to a University, where you may not know many people, can be a daunting prospect, so joining a club is a good way to meet new people, and most importantly be part of something you feel passionate about.

If there isn’t a society here that appeals to you, all you need is support from five other students and you can set one up. Running your own club couldn’t be easier, with so much help on offer from the Students’ Union, but ultimately it will be a rewarding venture and you will definitely gain

significant skills and experience which will come in handy in the future.

For help and information on this or on how to get involved, email me at anca.popescu@canterbury.ac.uk , give me a call at 01227 78 2510, or just pop in to the Students’ Union offices located at the bottom floor of the new St. George’s Centre.

Below is a sample list of all the Societies that the Students’ Union currently offers:

• Law Society • Circus Skills Society• Conservative Society

• Drama Society • Equestrian Society • Fencing Society• Forensics Society• Hellenic Society • Labour Party Society• LGBT Society • Video Gaming Society • Performance Society• Dance Society • Psychology Society • LINKS Society• International Society • Media Society• Muggled Quidditch Society

For a full list of current societies, please visit: www.ccsu.co.uk/student-activities.

dance and music. Capoeira is characterised by the players’ acrobatic ability, physical skill, flexibility and strength. The infectious musical rhythm to which capoeira is practiced injects a fluidity and grace to this powerful art. It is a way of life for many people around the world today; it must be seen to be believed, played to be appreciated and embraced to be loved.

Capoeira is a fairly new society, having only started at Canterbury Christ Church University in 2011. Led by a very passionate group of students and Madeira, their instructor, the society is an on-growing one, with more and more students interested in joining and learning this art and esentially, lifestyle. The classes focus on all aspects of Capoeira, from the fight to the history and philosphy, from the

art to the music and dance.

To find out more, find the Capoeira Society at the Freshers’ Fayre on Wednesday 26th September, in Augustine House, from 10am until 4pm.

You can also visit www.

capoeiramuzenza.co.uk, or contact Zeki, the president of the society at zekib88@googlemail.com.

“Capoeira is capoeira. So that you can understand this better, you must live it”

-Mestre BURGUES

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UCF Drama Society during their final year show

Madeira also performed at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games

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Sports and Societies 22

Pumped-up by London 2012 this Summer?

If watching the Olympics or Paralympics has made you want to pick up a badminton racket, start running or perhaps get out on the handball court then look no further than trysport! After a successful first year where over 1,000 students and staff participated in the project trysport is back for another year!

If you’re a Fresher or somehow missed what it was all about last year trysport gives you the chance to try

a sport over a 5 week period for just £1 per session. You can be a complete beginner, someone looking to get back into a sport or a student who can’t commit to being a member of the University team due to placement or other commitments.

With trysport there is no pressure to perform, it’s just about having fun, giving something a go and meeting new people, all you need is an open-mind!

We’re running: zumba, futsal, climbing, badminton, beginners running, golf, horse riding, netball, tennis, handball,

surfing, basketball, watersports and more!

To find out the days and times

and more information, please visit www.canterbury.ac.uk/trysport or simply find us on facebook.

Canterbury Christ Church rider represents Team GB at World Class Equestrian eventAllison Rountree, is part of Christ Church University’s elite

Canterbury Christ Church students have always strived to excell in everything they do, but this summer, with the Olympics taking place and a multitute of competitions taking place, we saw outstanding performances from everyone involved in any sporting activities.

A Canterbury Christ Church University student sponsored by Jacksons Fencing’s Jackson

Equestrian Solutions (launched in July 2012 to represent Jacksons Fencing’s dedicated equestrian portfolio which now includes a range of premium stables/field shelters alongside the existing equestrian fencing products) was one of a team of four selected to represent Great Britain in the 10th World University Equestrian Championships, held on Aachen 22-26 August 2012.

Stowting based 25-year old Alison Rountree - who is studying Sport Science - had undergone a number of gruelling selection trials over the last two months to secure the prestigious place on Team GB. As one of the three riders selected, Alison left the UK on 20 August to make her way to Aachen, accompanied by her fellow team mates and a reserve.

Alison is no stranger to this challenging equestrian event, having been previously shortlisted for the 2010 World University Equestrian Championship. The young rider also had a superb start to 2012 following her success in a World Finals Championship where she was a member of the Team GB which won Gold in the dressage discipline (competing in a field of 45

international riders from 15 countries including Canada and the USA).

The World University Equestrian Championships comprises a mixture of dressage and show jumping, and provides an opportunity to compete at both an individual and team level. The competition attracts over 200 riders from all over the world and requires competitors to ride horses supplied by the event organisers.

Commenting on the competition Alison said, “I’m thrilled to have made it onto the team and feel honoured to have been given the

opportunity to represent my country at a world class event. Equestrianism is quite literally, riding on a high following the success of our eventing team at London 2012 and we will be working hard to ensure that the ‘other’ Team GB will be able to follow suit and once again fly the equestrian flag for Britain”.

Alison joined the Jacksons Professional Rider Team earlier this year. The elite squad includes top international show jumper Guy Williams; international Olympian dressage rider Emile Faurie; three-day event rider Liz Halliday and international dressage riders Hannah Biggs and Anna Ross-Davies.

The Jacksons Professional Rider Team

Above & Below: 25 year-old, Allison Rountree, representing Team GB at

the World University Equestrian Championships

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Sports and Societies 23

Join rugby now!

... leagues see us play teams from all over London and the South East of England as well as the opportunity for Cup glory, something achieved in emphatic style by the 1st XV last season.

The most important fixture of the year happens in March. The Varsity match against the University of Kent (UKC) is traditionally the most intense yet enjoyable week of the season. All of the University sports teams now compete in Varsity matches in their respective sports over the course of a week; Men’s Rugby were the very first team to compete in a Varsity game and that proud heritage is recognised by the University awarding the Men’s 1st XV the honour of the opening game. This game is played under floodlights in front of a deafening crowd of supporters well in excess of 3,000 people! Last season we won 2 out of our 3 Varsity matches including an epic victory by our

1st XV so this year we are more determined than ever to secure a clean sweep.

Our main weekly training sessions are held at Canterbury Rugby Club (CRFC) on a Monday evening. This is supplemented by further focus sessions that are usually held on Fridays and Sundays.

Games are played on a Wednesday afternoon, and our home ground is at Stodmarsh playing fields.

Socials are usually on a Wednesday night after our matches. Occasionally however we may have socials on a Friday evening, or joint socials with other teams. Socials are eagerly awaited and generally consist of getting a few beers down your neck and celebrating our victories with your team mates before tearing up the top floor of BaaBars (Club Chemistry for all you youngsters!)

All Club Information is accessible via our Facebook page, so make sure you join it if you haven’t already.

We always look forward to welcoming new members of all

abilities to the Club, so come find us at the Fresher’s Fayre and get

involved in what will be an amazing and memorable season for the mighty C4 Men’s Rugby Club!

... story continues from page 24Christ Church Netballer Charlotte Butler has had a very busy summer indeed. Not only was she part of the brave group of students that raised £2,500 each to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, she also stayed in Africa for an extra 7 days, and shared her Netball coaching and umpiring skills and knowledge with students from a school in Tanzania after the exhausting climb.

The second year PE, Sport and Exercise Science student stayed with former 1500 meter champion Filbert Bayi who managed to set a former world record in the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch New Zealand back in 1974. Charlotte also had the opportunity to coach and umpire with recently retired Malawian Netball star Mary Waya, who could be seen as the equivalent of coaching with Wayne Rooney! The school called Filbert Bayi

Schools Ltd, beat Kampala University in a game which was broadcast on East African TV in which Charlotte was scoring.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Lifeline Netball Club, Charlotte’s Netball Club in Surrey paid £80 shipping fees for bibs, balls, skirts, whistles and more which Charlotte got Surrey Netball to

donate to the school. Christ Church sport and the Netball Club are delighted to have such an enthusiastic sportswoman giving so much of her time and efforts into improving the sporting experience of those of other communities, and Charlotte should be very proud of her achievements. We definitely are!

Christ Church netballer lends a helping hand An insight into what the

Men’s Rugby team is about

Want to make a difference? ‘Time to Change’ is a campaign which will be making itself known in CCCU, which aims to end the discrimination that surrounds mental health.

A student project, lead by

CCCU PsySoc is supporting Mental Health Day by putting on a play

Chloe Tyler, is currently being run titled ‘Stigmaphrenia’, a short play which will be filmed and promoted not just on campus. Join the journey of Max, a young boy bombarded by the numerous stigmatised media portrayals of mental health issues (including schizophrenia, autism, bipolar and depression) as ‘mad’

and ‘crazy’. Max confronts these mental health labels and uncovers the truth of mental diversity which leads to surprises, revelations and acceptance.

This play mixes reality and fiction in order to discuss the fascinating world of the neuro-diverse, containing poems, literature, art and a cast prospering from neuro-diversity. There are a few acting roles that still need to be filled, as well as places on the promotions team and set designers, if you’re interested please email Chloe at t.l.tyler8@canterbury.ac.uk or join the Psychology Society page www.facebook.com/groups/cccupsysoc.

This is a great opportunity to be part of something great so don’t miss it!

... TIME TO CHANGE ...

Vanessa Neupauer

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A successful summer for Christ Church Sport

Not only was it an eventful summer for London staging a successful Olympic games but Canterbury Christ Church University also made it on to the sporting headlines.

The University played its part in the build-up to the summer games as an official pre-Olympic holding camp for the Puerto Rico Olympic team across two weeks during July. The University hosted over 35 athletes, coaches and support staff from the Puerto Rican team, sports including athletics, boxing, swimming, weightlifting and gymnastics were represented. The party included Javier Culson the 400m hurdler who ended the games with a bronze medal

beating team GB’s Dai Greene in the process. Success was also seen in the wrestling where Jaime Yusept Espinal won a silver medal in the 84kg category.

The team trained at the University’s sports centre and other sites across the city including Body & Mind Leisure Club athletics track, Canterbury High School, Canterbury Boxing Club and Kingsmead Leisure Centre. Although various different sites were used by the team they were mainly based at Christ Church using the university’s sports centre and staying in the main campus in student accommodation with an office set up for the support

staff. The Puerto Rico team ended the Olympics 63rd in the medal table and no doubt felt Canterbury Christ Church University played a part in helping the team to success in London. With the Olympics now over the university can proudly boast international class sporting facilities.

David Wood the manager of the Sports Centre: ‘’ It was great having the Puerto Rican team train here, just shows what fantastic facilities we have. With the GB team doing so well at the games we look forward to seeing more students and staff taking out membership at the Sports Centre using the same equipment as the Olympians’’.

Why join Men’s Rugby this year?

This is an incredibly exciting time to get involved in Men’s Rugby at Canterbury Christ Church University, we’ve seen the Club virtually double in size over the past few years, and this season we are very proud to have three fully fledged teams competing in BUCS for the first time.

On top of this we are working

in close partnership with the RFU to deliver a brand new development squad initiative for the Club that will provide regular game time and expert coaching aimed at those players new to the game. We have a great heritage as strong competitors in our leagues with both the 1st and 2nd XV being promoted in recent years so we are looking to build on that success and take the Club to new heights this season. The ...

Sports and Societies 24

London 2012 Olympics started here!!!

Phil Mooney

... story continues on page 23 ...

Also in Unified Sport this issue...

Page 21 ...

Societies Round Up

A list of our societies on offer and how you can join one

Page 22 ...

Team GB Equestrian!

Read about Alison Rountree’s performance in this year’s Olympics

Page 20 ...

Gene doping - how far would athletes go to break a World Record?

With more than 40 active societies, there’s something for

everyone

Christ Church rider part of Team GB

What shall we expect from Rio 2016?

World number 1 400m hurdler Javier Culson from Puerto Rico,

training at Canterbury

The Canterbury Christ Church Men’s Rugby squad had a tremendous success in 2011/12 and they have no plans of stopping here ...