the jourknow

the Jourknow is no more...

2013-12-22T21:26:00.000+00:00

Hi Everyone!

Thank you for all your loyal support with my blog, the jourknow. Following a review, I have decided to stop updating this blog from this day forward. I have instead created a more professional, new-look website on Wordpress.

You can find my new website, Kieran Watkins: Freelance journalist, writer and student here.

For more updates from me, please follow me on Twitter or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Universities remain 'committed' to campus bar Coopers

2013-06-27T15:32:00.000+01:00

Kent and Greenwich universities have both confirmed they are “committed” to keeping the Medway campus bar Coopers open.

The future of the bar, which is the only venue on the Medway campus in Chatham Maritime with a licence to serve alcohol, had been in doubt following several rumours of an apparent closure.

Dismissing the rumours that the pub may be forced to close, Louise Dancy, Marketing Manager for Kent Union said: “Both the University of Kent and the University of Greenwich have committed funding for Greenwich and Kent Students’ Unions Together (GK Together).

“Part of that funding is specifically to continue to operate Coopers Bar at Medway.

“All institutions, Universities and Unions involved in the partnership, feel that the student experience at Medway is a priority and are committed to developing and delivering a fantastic student experience at the Medway campus, including through Licensed Trade Activities.”

Coopers, managed by Gareth Gay, currently employs around 18-20 staff throughout the year.

Despite the drop in student numbers on the Medway campus, Dancy went on to confirm that Coopers “had performed well financially”, seeing a 14% rise in sales from the previous year.

“This shows a clear demand for social space from the student population. All institutions are in continued discussions about longer term social space including a non-licensed premises”, she added.

The Medwire has learned that Coopers will stay open for at least another year, with the bar once again hosting the campus Freshers Week in September.

The Medwire also asked for information on Coopers profits, but these were unable to be disclosed.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

Mystery behind Medway campus stones revealed

2013-06-26T15:09:00.000+01:00

Some have likened the structure to Stonehenge, while others have called it an eyesore. But the Medwire can exclusively reveal the facts behind the mysterious new stone structure outside the Gillingham building.

The new stone seating on the Medway campus was erected last Tuesday (May 14), much to the surprise of students and staff.

A Freedom of Information request sent by the Medwire to the University of Kent can reveal that the stones were found while development was taking place on the University of Kent’s Gillingham building.

The stones, which feature three stone benches and a centre piece – described by one student as a “concrete lump of cheese” – are made of granite, with the design and works instructed by the University’s Creative Campus Group.

Gary Cordes, the Information Compliance Officer for the University of Kent, said: “All the stones used in the scheme were originally found on the site during the development of the Gillingham building.

“The stones are provided as benches and their location was agreed by the Creative Campus Group.”

Responding to the Medwire’s request as to whether the stones were a memorial or symbol, Cordes stated that the “stones are not symbolic”.

Reactions from students and staff to the seats have been mixed.

Dave Woolley, University of Kent social sciences student, said: “It’s like parts of Stonehenge have been transported to Medway.”

A member of the Gillingham Building reception team said: “Since they’ve been put in [place] no one has sat on them.

“It would have been more practical to put in proper seats. It’s a bit odd.”

Although the stones were free, the exact cost the university has incurred by cleaning, mounting, and placing them by the building is unknown.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

Defunk'd change band name following Keynestock win

2013-06-25T15:19:00.000+01:00

Keynestock winners Defunk’d have dropped their band name for a surprise alternative.

The popular group, who are based on the Medway campus, revealed their new name Aztec on Friday (May 31).

Speaking to the Medwire about why they decided to change their name, the band, made up of second year music tech students Joel Bailey, Zack Mitchell, Rob Mayzes, Jack Tann and Jake Heath, said: “We’re so versatile that the name didn’t really fit us.”

The band say the new name is “better”, and will appeal to fans more.

Writing on the band’s Facebook page, member Rob Mayzes said: “It’s [Defunk'd] hard to spell and there are already lots of bands with that name so it’s not very marketable.

“Aztec is more for our original material, and we will still be using the guise of Defunk’d for function work (weddings, functions, parties etc).”

The funk-rock group, who appeared at last nights Kent Summer Ball – Party in the Car Park – also revealed their plans for new music and forthcoming gigs.

“We have new ideas, more songs in the future.

“We all have our own styles, all have different musical backgrounds.”

The band will be performing at the Kent Factor later this year, with other performances planned for Gravesend and possibly Northern Ireland.

(Written for the Medwire by Kieran Watkins)

Students see rent at Liberty Quays rise by 27%

2013-06-24T15:27:00.001+01:00

Medway students have seen accommodation costs rise by a staggering 27% between 2009 and 2012, a new report by Kent Union has revealed.

The ‘Restrained by Rent’ report, unveiled this week by outgoing Kent Union welfare officer Colum McGuire, looks at how rent levels at the University of Kent’s accommodation on both the Medway and Canterbury campus has increased over the last few years.

In Medway, prices at Liberty Quays, the privately-managed halls provider for students studying on the Medway campus have increased from £3,900 a year in 2009/10 to just under £5,000 per year in 2012/13 – a 27% increase in the last three years.

Students living at Liberty Quays were paying £100 per week when the accommodation opened in 2009/10, but are now paying £127 a week – despite contracts being reduced from 42 weeks to 39 weeks.

The report states that students at Medway have a “complete lack of choice or variance in rent levels”, with “only one type of accommodation available and therefore only one type of rent which happens to be at a very high level”.

The study also highlighted the growing problems students are facing with Liberty Quays management.

The Medwire reported last year how alleged accusations of tampered fire extinguishers, unfair charges and mice infestations had led to a petition reaching over 150 signatures from disgruntled residents, and the departure of former manager Stephanie Triggs.

With the research and comments from students reviewed, the report recommends that the university “should note the concerns laid out regarding management of Liberty Quays.”

“The University must consider its position on accommodation at the Medway campus given the particularly high rents faced by its students there.

“The University should work closer with Liberty Living to ensure that Medway students receive a fair deal.”

The research, which took nearly a year to complete and features case studies of students and findings from the National Union of Students and other universities student unions, also looks at how student halls can have a detrimental impact on student welfare.

Speaking about the project, Colum said: “It’s been a huge project this year and one that for many years Kent Union has been working toward.

“We now have a real opportunity now to present the students case on sky rocket rents to the University like never before.

“I’m looking forward to how we can take this forward and create a positive impact for students.”

Other findings from the report found that rent in Canterbury has risen by 19.1% between September 2008 and September 2012, with a rise in cost not matching against levels of student support, which have remained almost stationary.

The average weekly rent for 2013/13 accommodation across the University of Kent is £136, compared with the national average of £118.49.

Kent Union now plans to work with the University in improving accommodation for students studying on both campuses.

The Medway Student Committee, which has already met with Liberty Quays on the issues raised by Kent students, is also planning to campaign on behalf of students.

Read the report in full here.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

Students party at Kent's annual Summer Ball

2013-06-24T15:23:00.001+01:00

Thousands of students partied to the likes of Labrinth and Chase & Status last night, as the Kent Summer Ball was hailed a “big success”.

The University of Kent’s annual summer ball, organised by Kent Union, was this year called ‘Party in the Car Park’ and took place on Saturday (June 1), featuring music performances, a circus act, fun fair rides and other attractions.

Top of the bill was chart-topper Labrinth, who closed the night with songs including ‘Earthquake’ and number-one hit ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’.

Clearly enjoying the evening, the 24-year-old from London dived into the audience, and teased the crowd when he disappeared off-stage, only to return once again.

Other performances on the night saw the UK’s female beat boxing champion Grace Savage take to the stage.

Speaking to The Medwire, Grace said she had “a great time” at the gig.

“This is my first uni gig, I’ve popped my uni cherry. It’s great seeing everyone hopping, I had a great time.”

The beat boxing champion will be defending her title on June 21, and will be performing at gigs and venues over the summer.

Medway band Defunk’d, now known as Aztec, also took to the stage following their win last month at Keynestock. Talking about their future plans, the guys said fans can look out for “more songs in the future”.

“We have new ideas, more songs in the future.

“We all have our own styles, all have different musical backgrounds,” the group added.

The band will be performing at the Kent Factor later this year, with other performances planned for Gravesend and possibly Northern Ireland.

Other acts performing included veteran hip-hop star Alex Blood, performing with band The Diggers.

He said of the event: “It was good, nice and buzzing. Bit of a festival vibe. They were getting down with it and skanking.”

Alex also told the Medwire about his experience at university, where he studied music tech.

“[I] went to to uni twice and dropped out of uni twice. I did love the social life, the after parties, the smoking, the drinking … everything other than my course.”

Despite the good-feel of the event, some students were left disappointed by the performance of Chase & Status. Upon arrival to the venue on the Canterbury campus, it was revealed that the Chase & Status DJ set would be performing, not the duo themselves.

The Medwire’s Comment Editor and disgruntled ticket holder Jade Edwards said: “Some of us had only paid for the tickets because we wanted to see Chase & Status live.

“When we got there we were handed flyers that said that it was only a DJ set. We were really disappointed.”

Other highlights of the evening included the jaw-dropping stunts and tricks of ‘Soap Circus’, and the fantastic DJ Angelo on the Ministry of Sound tent.

Photos from the event can be found on our Facebook page.

The Medwire would like to take this opportunity to thank Mel Lewis for organising two press passes for the Medwire.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

Guide to the Kent Summer Ball 2013

2013-06-24T15:15:00.003+01:00

With the likes of Labrinth and Chase & Status all taking to the stage, or rather car park, this year’s Kent Summer Ball looks set to be a night of fun, bad dance moves and lots of alcohol to celebrate the end of the summer term.

Party in the Car Park kicks off tonight at 6pm on the Canterbury, and judging from rumours that the event is sold out, we’re hoping that this year’s ball will be better than last year’s mixed success – let’s not mention The Saturdays!

Several of The Medwire team will be at the party this evening, and we’re delighted to announce that Editor Jem Collins and Deputy Editor Kieran Watkins will be reporting backstage from the event, so make sure you follow our Twitter page for all the updates from Kent’s biggest party event of the year.

For those that are going tonight, we’ve put together a quick guide to the evening, including times and all the important event info:

Live Stage:

6pm – 6.30pm – CSR (Canterbury Student Radio)

6.45pm – 7.15pm – The Friday Club

7.30pm – 8pm – Winners of Keynestock – we’re delighted that the fantastic Defunk’d from the Medway campus won the event and will be appearing – DO NOT MISS!

8.15pm – 8.45pm – Grace Savage

9.00pm – 9.30pm – Alex Blood & The Diggers

9.45pm – 10.30pm – I Am Giant

10.45pm – 11.45pm – Soap Circus

12.00pm – 12.30pm – The Trinity Band

1.00am – 2.00am – Labrinth

Ministry of Sound Tent:

7.00pm – 8.00pm – Winner of the DJ Competition

8.00pm – 9.30pm – Prism

9.30pm – 10pm – DJ Angelo

10.00pm – 11.00pm – R3wire & Varski

11.00pm – 12.00am – Mista Jam

12.00am – 1.00am – Chase & Status

1.00am – 2.00am – Monsta

Other important info:

- other entertainment at the Party in the Car Park includes a fun fair (complete with dodgems), a chill out bar with Pimms tent, food stalls (prices start at £3.50), bar, cloak room (£1 per item) and first aid. There will be photos too, so smile for the camera!
- credit and debit cards will NOT be accepted, and there will be no cash machines, so make sure you bring plenty of cash with you
- to get in, you need your ticket, Student ID and your normal ID (passport, driving license etc.) If you’re a guest and not a Kent student then you will only need your ID or student ID for those coming from other universities

Medway students – travel information:

Despite asking Medway Activities to move the bus departure times forward so that Medway students can see D’Funkd perform, the bus times have only been moved forward by fifteen minutes, so Medway student will probably miss part/ all of the performance. Buses will depart from the back of Liberty Quays at 6.45pm. All students need to arrive by 6.30pm, remembering to bring their tickets and ID. The bus will NOT wait for late students, so pre-drink early!

For more information, visit the Kent Union Party in the Car Park FAQ page.

And from everyone at the Medwire, stay safe and have fun!!

(Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

Twin popstars Jedward to perform in Medway

2013-05-11T18:00:00.003+01:00

If you found their performances on The X Factor and Eurovision annoying, then you might want to avoid Chatham this September because Jedward are coming.

The Irish-duo, who rose to fame on ITV’s The X Factor in 2009, are playing at the Central Theatre in Chatham on Friday, September 27.

More than 100 tickets were snapped up by Jed-mad fans in just a few hours when they went on sale yesterday (May 9), with tickets being sold to fans from the Netherlands, Bosnia and Australia.

Taking to Twitter, fans could barely contain themselves at the news.

@xStephGrimes13x said: “I still can’t believe I’m seeing @planetjedward in September, anyone else going to Chatham if so I’ll see you there <3.”

And @itsJasmineHey said: “JEDWARD ARE COMING TO CHATHAM OMG LIFE IS COMPLETE.”

The songsters, who also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and have released nine singles and three albums, were voted Yahoo! OMG UK’s Best Boy Band in 2012.

The concert starts at 7.30pm at the Central Theatre, Chatham on Friday, September 27. Tickets start from £23, available at Medway Tickets Live.

(Story written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Petition urges Tesco to drop controversial greetings card

2013-05-11T17:56:00.000+01:00

A petition calling on Tesco to remove a controversial greeting card from its stores has gained nearly 400 signatures in just 24 hours.

The petition, entitled ‘@UKTesco Remove this card’, was sparked following a series of tweets sent by students and customers outraged by a greeting card sold by the supermarket chain.

The card, which shows a female secretary at her desk, along with the caption “Glenys had heard all about sexual harassment in the workplace and deliberately wore a short dress with a plunging neckline to ensure she didn’t miss out”, “trivialises sexual harassment” according to Kent Labour Students.

Signatories on the online petition – which currently has 389 signed names – called the card “unacceptable” and “inappropriate”.

Julie Webster, from Hucknell, wrote: “It perpetuates the idea that women can be bought, that their bodies are somehow commodities.”

Nick Cooper, from Oxford, said: “Tesco should reflect on how this reflects on them as a company. Sexual harassment is a serious issue; can’t imagine they’d have a card making light on racial harassment, so why sexual?”

Meanwhile, Medwire readers have been sharing their views. Commenting on our Facebook page, ex-University of Kent student Holly Stewart said: “It’s making light of the sexual harassment thousands of women get each day at work? It’s saying to victims of sexual harassment that it is their fault which is obscene.”

However others have suggested the card is ‘humorous’.

Kent journalism student Sophie Wentworth said: “I really don’t see the problem with it, it’s obvious it’s not meant to offend anyone.”

Sarah-Jane Foreman added: “All its saying is as a woman, she would like some attention, and to be fair isn’t that what every girl does on a saturday night with the smallest dress and highest heels?

“I loved working in a male dominated environment and the boys “sexual harassment” was the funniest bit of the day… sure made working in a warehouse a little bit more enjoyable.”

Liam Powell said: “Not really funny, but you’d have to be pretty daft to get offended by it.”

The campaign has also been criticised by former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, who attacked the Kent Labour Student twitter account yesterday.

The 44-year-old, who won the first series of The X Factor but was later dropped by his label, tweeted: “Ignore the students Tesco. Commies don’t want any fun. #Censorship””

He later added: “If Labour students had their way they would ban happiness and we would all have to wear grey and eat cardboard.”

The Medwire are still awaiting response from Tesco on the matter though a previous twitter response said that while “the subject matter is serious”, the “card is knowingly a joke that many find humorous.”

Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire

The dirty business of disposable nappies

2013-05-11T17:50:00.001+01:00

Disposable nappies are a pain in the bum for any parent, but for the environment they pose a real toxic danger; a disaster waiting to happen. Yet with more disposable nappies ending up in landfill every year, Kieran Watkins asks, is it about time we binned the disposable in favour of the reusable nappy?

It is one of life’s most infuriating challenges. As an expectant mother, you prepare for it by reading as many baby books as you can cram into nine months. For dads, you quietly wait with bated breath, praying that you do not have to rise to the challenge and actually do it. For anyone else who happens to be in the room at the same time, the best advice would be to hold your nose and get out quick.

Yes, the art of changing a nappy is a rite of passage for every parent. It all begins with the tell-tale sign; the rancid smell that fills the air like a field that has just been covered in manure during spring. As your stomach churns you hold it together, determined to achieve the impossible. Man might have walked on the moon or built the automobile, but nothing compares to dealing with the contents of a dirty nappy. Grabbing hold of your bundle of joy, who at this point has stopped crying and is now laughing at you, you grapple with the nappy and start to uncover the true delights to the task you have unwillingly taken on. Hold it together now.

With the sweating, swearing and struggle all over and a baby smelling of talcum powder and Sudocrem, you can chuck the dirty diaper in the bin with a sense of pride, breathing a sigh of relief as you celebrate. It is all over, your efforts were not in vain and now you can go back to normal life before you repeat the process in four hours’ time.

But whilst you relax and cuddle your baby, that disposable nappy you just chucked away in the bin is sitting there. Ticking away, like an unexploded bomb waiting to wreak havoc on anything and everything around it. And it is not alone. It will be joined by 4,000 more disposables from your child alone as they grow up, before it is taken away and joins 8 million more dirty nappies in the UK every day. All sitting there, slowly rotting away.

And with more children being born every year, not just in the UK but across the world, the problem of disposable nappies looks set to linger for the years ahead.

90% of disposable nappies in the UK end up in landfill according to Which? magazine. Each nappy takes up to 200 years to decompose, which has a significant impact on the environment.

Before the introduction of the first disposable nappy in the mid twentieth century, cloth or reusable nappies were commonly used, with some indicators dating the first nappy back to the 16^th century. The word ‘diaper’ comes from Middle English which refers to ‘a type of cloth’. The word was used by William Shakespeare in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’, where he wrote: “Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper.”

During the 19^th century, their use spread throughout the UK. The traditional nappy was made of cloth, mainly cotton, held together by a safety pin and usually accompanied by a muslin blanket to stop any leaks. It could be washed and re-used, with minimal impact on the environment except for when washing the nappy.

But despite mass production, worries started to circulate about their effectiveness. Mothers were concerned about the damage to their child’s skin, whilst others complained about the difficulties with cleaning the cotton and muslin cloth.

Thankfully, British housewife Valerie Hunter Gordon realised the potential for a new, effective and disposable nappy product. She came up with the concept of a two-part disposable nappy in 1948 called the ‘Paddi’. It was an instant success. Made of cellulose wadding covered with cotton wool and held together by an outer plastic, adjustable garment with press-studs holding it together; the Paddi was patented and sold nationwide through Boots stores in 1950 before making waves across the pond in America.

Commenting on the first disposable product for mums, Ari Antika from Best Choice for Baby website said: “The Paddi was extremely successful.

“It was her personal touch that made the product so successful.

“Valerie Hunter Gordon made over 400 Paddis herself using her sewing machine at the kitchen table.”

With time-conscious parents preferring the Paddi over the traditional cloth nappy, the modern day disposable was born. And we have hardly looked back since. Today, disposable nappies are used on average five times a day until children are toilet trained around 24-30 months.

It is estimated that a child will use between 4,000-6,000 nappies in their lifespan. In weight, this means 150kg (62.2 stone) is wasted per child. In total, 3 billion nappies are thrown away by households in the UK alone. (Source: Nappy Alliance)

The figures speak for themselves, but these are just for the UK. Compare the figures to the US and the results are shocking. Research by Time Magazine in 2008 estimated that 27.4 billion disposable diapers are discarded each year in the US, resulting in 3.4 million tonnes being sent to rot in landfill.

Disposable nappies are big business in the US, where multinational companies like Procter and Gamble and Kimberley-Clark, owners of Pampers and Huggies respectively are worth $5.7 billion to the US economy, with the figure increasing year on year as consumer demand pushes nappy production to the limit.

The pressure on the $5.7bil business was made apparent last year following a fire at the Nippon Shokubai Co. plant in Osaka, Japan in September last year, which threatened to wipe out 320,000 tons of superabsorbent polymers which go into making one fifth of the world’s nappy supply.

Before it closed, the plant was running at full capacity to cope with increasing demand from developing nations such as China and Brazil, where births among the population are high.

Retail analyst and mother-of-two Michelle Zipp, 38, said at the time of the explosion that there “could well be empty shelves” as a result of the explosion.

“There may soon be long lines of people attempting to buy what's left in stock”, she said.

Although the factory is now back open and operating, with prices lowering at the start of 2013, the effects of the explosion highlights a growing dependence on disposable nappies. The reality is they are expensive and they are dangerous to the environment. We might well lead busy lives, but as the world starts accepting the consequences of climate change and global warming, change is needed.

This is why the traditional cotton nappy - the reusable nappy - is making a comeback. Dogged by claims that it was too hard to clean and a waste of precious time to bother with, the reusable nappy is back in fashion.

Supported by retailers, county councils, waste disposal companies and of course, their most important backer, mums; the ‘Go Real’ campaign is one of the groups leading the reusable nappy movement.

Launched in 2009, the group originally started out from the government-led Real Nappy Campaign with the promise that they would “demystify” the assumptions commonly made about reusable nappies.

A spokesperson from the Go Real campaign said: “The Team at Go Real is passionate about demystifying real nappies.

“The reality is, it is confusing when faced with so much choice.

“That is the very reason why Go Real exists; to assist parental choice and make the 'Going Real’ process as simple as possible.”

The campaign launched with an official website, www.goreal.org.uk, which offers support, discounts on reusable products and tips for mums who want to “feel confident” about using reusables.

The main aim of Go Real however was to try and persuade councils to join the cause. Research from Go Real shows that for every 4,000 disposable nappies used by a child, only 24 reusables would be needed.

The cheapest reusable kits cost £80, which including washing costs saves a family £500 per child compared to the cost of using disposables. They are also 40% better for the environment, helping families reduce their carbon footprint.

By offering their advice to councils, the campaign has gone nationwide. One council which supports the campaign is Lincolnshire County Council. Working with parents and Go Real, the council founded the ‘Lincolnshire Real Nappy Network’ in 2011 and has helped promote reusables through cash-incentive schemes and free reusable nappy kits.

Victoria Frodsham, Sustainability Education Officer for the council said: “Using real nappies is a way for parents to reduce the amount of waste they produce and save money.”

With 9,000 tonnes of disposable nappies thrown away each year in Lincolnshire, enough to fill 27 Airbus A380 planes, the council was keen to promote an environmentally-friendly alternative.

10 free kits, made up of different reusable nappies and cleaning accessories are loaned to parents across the county for up to three weeks. If a parent decides to buy a kit or product after the trial period, the council will help fund the parent, as Victoria explains.

“To further support the use of real nappies, Lincolnshire County Council offers a cash-back scheme.

“Parents can claim £30 back when they spend over £50 on real nappies.”

The network is run by volunteers, all of whom Victoria says “have children and use real nappies themselves”, passing on their experience to Mothers who wish to change from disposables to reusables.

Mum of three Alexandra Harris is one of the volunteers involved with the network. Mum to Emily, Imogen and Daniel, she spoke about a “cloth revolution” in Lincolnshire.

“Using disposable nappies never sat right with me morally, the thought of all those nappies in landfill made me despair.

“Thankfully, there are a range of types, systems, brands of reusable nappies out there.

“It’s important that people are able to get advice on the best ones, which is why I volunteered.”

Although Alexandra admitted that there was “still many people that need convincing”, the message of the Go Real campaign is certainly spreading.

Another council which has invested in the campaign is West Berkshire Council. With disposable nappies accounting for 8% of all landfill in the county, the council has decided to tackle dirty nappies head on by working closely with their waste disposal provider Veolia on launching their own real nappy network.

Jessica Stone, Waste Minimisation Officer for Veolia in West Berkshire said: “The main reason the council and Veolia Environmental Services support the campaign is to reduce the amount of nappies and sanitary waste ending up in landfill.”

The 25 year commitment between Veolia and the council, which started in 2009, includes launching a monthly ‘Nappuccino’ event where mums can meet with a real nappy advisor to assist them when changing from disposable to reusable. The council also offers free trial kits, which Jessica says have benefited “nearly 200 families” in the area.

“The campaign has been positively received in West Berkshire amongst the community.

“The benefits for parents are primarily cost savings, but for the wider county, the council has been able to save on waste disposal and help improve the environment.”

With other councils following suit, West Berkshire and Lincolnshire are not alone, and as councils change their view, so have the retailers. Sales of reusables have increased in the last decade, with retailers including Tesco and Boots selling reusable nappies alongside disposable brands in-store and online.

Reusable nappy company Bambino Mio is one reusable nappy brand which has benefited from the rise of the reusables. Founded by husband and wife Guy and Jo Schanschieff, the small family business now sells reusable nappies in more than 70 countries and has earned the couple an MBE and numerous industry awards.

Talking about the company’s values, Guy stressed that his company have proved successful because of their “green credentials” and “family focus.”

“Bambino Mio may have grown in size but the core family values remain the same.”

Guy Schanschieff was also one of the founders of the Nappy Alliance, a group of reusable nappy companies which have joined together to “promote consumer choice and to help protect the environment”.

With other brands out there for parents to use, it is down to the supermarkets to try and promote reusable brands alongside common disposable ones such as Huggies and Pampers, as well as their own-branded nappy product.

One retailer which plans to take advantage of parents buying reusable nappies is Britain’s third biggest supermarket Sainsbury’s.

In a statement, Sainsbury’s Nappy Buyer Marcus Hughes said: “Sainsbury’s do not currently sell reusable nappies but this is something we are looking into.

“Although there is only a small percentage of people using reusable nappies – approximately 2.5% by value – Sainsbury’s feel strongly in offering products that sit within our 2020 Sustainability initiatives.”

Sainsbury’s went on to confirm that they were also ensuring their own branded nappies were “primarily being made by reusable, biodegradable resources.”

Sainsbury’s commitment to changing its nappy policy comes at a time of uncertainty for the disposable nappy industry.

One of the UK’s biggest nappy brands Huggies will be pulling out of the UK and Europe in April this year following owner Kimberly-Clark’s decision to focus on developing markets in Asia and Africa. The move will allow retailers to expand their own nappy products, but also encourage reusable brands to fill the gap left when Huggies vacates the supermarket shelves.

However some retailers are sticking to disposables. When asked whether they sold reusable nappies, health and beauty retailer Superdrug said: “Superdrug does not sell reusable nappies.”

When pushed on the environmental problems associated with disposables, the retailer went on to add that: “All our own-brand nappies carry disposal advice advising customers to dispose of them in a responsible matter.”

Their stance on reusable nappies mirrors the UK government’s reluctance to support reusable nappy groups. In a statement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Helen Matthews from the Defra Waste Programme said that “Defra does not take a specific policy decision on nappy waste.”

“Defra is not working with nappy companies or campaigning charities to promote reusable nappies”, she added.

The Freedom of Information request did reveal however that Defra would be publishing a waste prevention programme by the end of 2013, looking at which “waste streams should be a priority.”

Even at a local level, reusable nappy schemes have been criticised by county council staff. Johanna Walker, who works at Lincolnshire County Council as Sustainability Education Officer alongside Victoria Frodsham took a different stance to her colleague on the effectiveness of the Go Real campaign.

“Before setting up the network I contacted Go Real for some best practice information about how to set up a network etc.

“As a service provider I found that the services we received from Go Real for the money we paid didn’t equate to value for money.”

Johanna went on to confirm that the council had since “decided not to continue” their partnership with Go Real, but will continue to run the Network on their own.

But the key to changing people’s perceptions of reusable nappies is to win over the many mums who have to deal with nappy changing; mums and the brave few dads who boldly go where most parents have but dread to go each time their child needs changing.

Like councils and retailers, opinion among mums seems to be changing. Lizzie Fox, 38 from Farnham in Surrey used nappies for her son Berry, now 12, and never looked back.

“I decided to use reusable nappies because I was concerned about the environmental impact of disposables.

“Reusables work out much cheaper than disposables over the three years of use, even with the washing taken into account.

“I would definitely recommend them over the non-biodegradables. I have friends who saw me use them with Berry when he was little and are now using them with their own babies.”

Kirsty Hannam, 36, a full-time mother living in Fremantle, Western Australia to William, 4, and Angus, 9 months, agrees with Lizzie that the “ethical and financial reasons” were why she chose to use reusable nappies.

“Today’s reusable nappies are much more user friendly than the ‘old school’ towelling nappy our mums used.

“Plus the level of impact on the environment is much less when using reusables”, Kirsty added.

But some Mums remain unconvinced. Jade Williams, 20, from Alton, Hampshire, said that disposables were “easier” to use and clean.

“Using disposable nappies is easy. Although slightly lazy, they are perfect for busy, working families.

“What also puts me off about using reusable nappies is cleaning them after your child has made a mess in them.

“The idea is not appealing”, she added.

It seems the pong of disposable nappies just will not go away. Reusable nappies still have a long way to go before they become the preferred choice for parents. But with more councils and supermarkets supporting them and history showing that reusables do work, it does suggest that the UK is heading in the right direction.

Whatever happens though, parents are still going to end up getting their hands dirty changing their beloved son or daughter’s soiled nappy, choking on the fumes being omitted from a rather ripe mixture that only a mother could handle. Good luck mums!

Go Real’s ‘Real Nappy Week’ campaign starts from Monday, April 15 till Sunday, April 21. The Nappy Week will be supported by local councils and charities, and will round off with a Guinness World Record attempt to break the record for the most reusable nappies changed simultaneously. For more information, contact 0845 850 0606 or visit www.goreal.org.uk.

This 3,000 word essay was submitted as part of my Journalism degree at the University of Kent

Kieran Watkins at Digital Spy

2013-05-11T17:44:00.000+01:00

I was lucky enough to spend two weeks at Digital Spy during April and early May on a work placement.

The entertainment news website, based in London, offers exclusive content and news on sections including film, television, music and gaming, along with videos and pictures.

I was very lucky to gain a two week placement with their team, and over the course of ten days wrote up more than 70 articles.

One of my articles, on two Nasa Rovers which 'accidentally' drew a penis on Mars, was shared nearly 2,000 times on social networks including Twitter and Facebook, with Digital Spy's story featured on the US satirical show, The Colbert Report.

You can find a link to all my articles here.

Special thanks to Ben Lee from the Digital Spy team for organising my placement. I hope to return to the website next year.

Kent students condemn Tesco greetings card

2013-05-11T17:32:00.001+01:00

Tesco has come under fire from students at the University of Kent for selling a new card which the students claim “trivialises sexual harrassment”.

The greetings card, on sale in Tesco – the UK’s biggest supermarket – was criticised by Kent Labour Students for its portrayal of women and sexual harrassment on Twitter yesterday (May 8).

The card, priced at £1.50, shows a female answering a phone and typing at a typewriter, with a message that reads: “Glenys had heard all about sexual harassment in the workplace and deliberately wore a short dress with a plunging neckline to ensure she didn’t miss out.”

In a direct tweet sent to Tesco UK’s main Twitter account, Kent Labour Students said: “Kent Labour Student’s appalled at @UKTesco for selling a card that trivialises sexual harassment and women’s equality.”

One Labour student Bex Bailey, from Nottingham said in a series of tweets sent to Tesco: “You are showing utter disregard for the thousands of women (incl. your customers) who suffer from sexual harassment every day.

“By making a joke of it you portray sexual harassment as not being a big deal…

“…discouraging victims of sexual harassment to come forward and making men think that such behaviour is acceptable.”

Ashley Wise, Kent student and KLS member, tweeted Tesco: “It suggests women invite sexual harassment because of what they wear.”

Tesco responded to the Kent Labour Students tweet, stating that while “the subject matter is serious”, the “card is knowingly a joke that many find humorous.”

The retailer confirmed that comments from KLS and other students would be passed on to head office.

Meanwhile, one Twitter user, Helena Dollimore (@gingersocialist) has started a petition asking Tesco to stop selling the card.

(Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Gender balancing will not tackle issues of inequality

2013-04-21T17:43:00.001+01:00

During the NUS National Conference 2013 earlier this week, a controversial topic was brought up and deliberated by delegates from universities across the UK. The issue was on ‘Gender Balancing’, and whether the NUS should adopt a policy where at least 50% of its executive and 50% of its student delegates are made up by women.

Motion 701 was being whispered around conference like a dirty word, one which was not spoken aloud for fear of debate and outcry. The debate itself lasted nearly an hour, with the delegates voting on the controversial motion to be decided by a secret ballot. In a narrow victory, delegates decided to vote against the motion.

There was no applause by the audience, in fact the situation in Sheffield City Hall was so hostile you felt like you were sitting in the middle of a Coalition cabinet meeting. People moaned about the result, others complained that the result was bad for women and female students.

If anything, I think the result was a good thing. The problem with gender balancing is that it does not solve anything. It just coats over the problem of gender inequality with a whitewash.

For those that don’t understand what gender balancing means, it’s the idea that we should set a quota for the number of women in an executive panel like the NUS, to make it more equal and fair for women. The subject has cropped up in the world of business, where efforts have been made to increase the number of women in company boardrooms.

Although I do believe that in this society, the hegemonic views of men in society have oppressed women for far too long, gender balancing in my view just isn’t the answer. We seem to be content on using women as a number, objectifying females to boost a figure on a spreadsheet in the name of equality.

The idea that selecting female candidates for roles such as the NUS on the basis that they’re a woman and not for their ideas is degrading. It doesn’t represent anything, it just proves that people are naïve about the benefits of gender balancing.

The arguments for motion 701 were that “discrimination and oppression in society often means women students are underrepresented”. This argument seems slightly ambiguous. If the argument is that society is oppressing women, surely we should be attacking society and the government to do more, rather than focus on putting more women in the boardroom. You need to get to the core of the problem to resolve it; voting for at least 50% of candidates to be women will only exacerbate the issue.

20^th century society has often put the man at the top of the food chain. But that is changing, the 21^st century is becoming more equal. Think about education results; more girls are consistently achieving higher marks then boys at school and college. During the Olympics, it was thefor their sporting triumphs and presenting styles. Over the last decade, women in politics have had a much bigger voice – Harriet Harman, Theresa May etc; all showing how women can achieve through their hard work and determination alone.

Even the NUS proved that their concerns about gender inequality are unfounded, a union where more than 50% of students are women. 3 out of the 6 executive members from the NUS elected by students this week were women, including our new NUS president Toni Pearce. They were picked for their policies and pledges, not to meet a quota. They were elected on merit, not sex.

Inequality is still apparent in our society, I certainly don’t deny that, but voting to elect people on their gender and not their policies is unequal. Voting for gender balancing by the NUS would have been a case of ‘ten steps back’ for women.

Lets look at raising the profile of women in society by working with businesses, in government and in education together, but also focusing on minority groups; ethnic minorities, disabled groups and the LGBT community. Positive change and campaigning will always prove more pivotal than a token woman sitting at the boardroom table.

President of NUS Liam Burns to talk to Kent students

2013-04-21T17:29:00.000+01:00

Outgoing NUS President Liam Burns will address University of Kent students about student funding in May.

The talk will see Liam, who has been president of the National Union of Students for two years, explain the findings behind the NUS’ ‘The Pound in Your Pocket’ report and discuss potential policy responces to tackling the financial problems facing students.

The report, which took two years to complete and involved surveying thousands of students from across the UK reveals the true financial concerns facing students at university.

Issues the report addresses include where and how students get their financial support, and the problems with hidden course costs.

In a joint statement with NUS Welfare VP Pete Mercer, Liam said: “Through our research, we have come to the conclusion that many students are struggling to meet ends meet, concentrate on their studies and stay the course.”

“This is because financial support is systematically inadequate across both further and higher education.”

The free talk and presentation by Liam Burns starts at 6pm on Friday, May 10 at the Rutherford Lecture Theatre 1 on the Canterbury Campus.

The talk is part of the Spring 2013: Open Lecture Series run by the University of Kent. To find out more about the talk, click here.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

More election results from NUS Conference 2013

2013-04-21T17:26:00.001+01:00

The National Union of Students has announced the final set of results from last weeks elections.

Results for the Block of 15, DPC (Democratic procedures committee) and NUS Student Trustee Board, which were voted on last week at the NUS National Conference, are as follows:

Block of 15
The five reserved FE places go to: Rosie Huzzard, Jeni-Marie Pittuck, Rhiannon Durrans, Harry Fox and Matt Stanley

The remaining ten places go to: Ben Dilks, James McAsh, Peter Smallwood, Paul Abernethy, Charles Barry, Chris Clements, Jessica Goldstone, Edmund Schluessel, Mark McCorkell and Kirat Raj Singh

DPC
The five places go to: Sam Gaus, Fatima Junaid, Mike Ross, Jo Johnson and Guy Drury

NUS Student Trustee Board
The three trustees elected are: Nick Pringle, Kayode Damali and Abi Jenkins

The results from Conference follow the elections for NUS President and VPs which were also voted on last week. More information on these results can be found here.

(Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Volunteers needed for Medway Samaritans bucket collection

2013-04-21T17:19:00.001+01:00

Medway Samaritans are holding a bucket collection next week and are looking for volunteers.

The two-day bucket collection, at Tesco Extra on Bowater Roundabout, Gillingham needs volunteers to help out for a couple of hours between 10am and 6pm.

The collection will be raising money for the Samaritans, a charity which has offered emotional support to people in the UK since 1952.

Each year the charity deals with over 2.5million contacts from people who may be distressed or despaired.

The Medway branch of Samaritans is run entirely by volunteers, who help run a 24 hour support service.

David Coldwell, Volunteering and Skills Development Coordinator for the University of Kent said: “The impact that Samaritans has on people they support is immense and this opportunity helps raise valuable funds and its presence will help raise awareness.”

“Any hours that you can do can be added to your volunteering hours for this year.”

The collections are taking place on Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday 25th. If you have a couple of hours spare and fancy helping raise money for a good raise, contact D.Coldwell@kent.ac.uk for more details.

(Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Students from across UK elect NUS representatives

2013-04-14T14:51:00.002+01:00

Students across the UK have elected new representatives for the National Union of Students.

The NUS, the union for students in the UK, held its annual National Conference this week in Sheffield, where 1,000 students voted in their new NUS representatives.

Joining the delegates, Kieran Watkins and Nick Duffy from the Medwire were present along with Kent Union and University of Kent delegates as representatives from universities and colleges voted in Toni Pearce as their new National President.

Currently Vice President for Further Education, Toni will take over the reins from outgoing President Liam Burns later this year. She was elected on 424 votes, nearly double that of her nearest rival Vicki Baars.

Toni, who said in her manifesto that she wanted to link college and university students’ unions together and campaign for a single central admissions system, said about being elected: “I’m really proud to have been given the opportunity to build the student movement around a vision for public education, and to be leading NUS as we build towards the next general election.”

In other results, Kent Union’s very own Colum McGuire was voted in as VP Welfare. Colum won with a landslide victory, gaining 545 votes.

Speaking about his victory, Colum said: “In my first year at University I joined a society committee to help organise a couple of events. I never imagined where that would take me.

“I cannot believe I have just elected as Vice President (Welfare) of the National Union of Students. What an honour to take office in July and start working and fighting for the 7 million students across the UK.”

Other results include: Rachel Wenstone (VP Higher Education), Joe Vinson (VP Further Education), Raechel Mattey (VP Union Development) and Dom Anderson (VP Society and Citizenship). Results for the Board of 15, Democratic Procedures Committee and the Trustee Board will be announced in the next week.

With voting for their new NUS representatives aside, students also decided on new policy for the NUS. Three days of motions saw controversial subjects including gender balancing, votes at 16 and trustee boards decided on.

Commenting on his first experience of the NUS and the national conference, Kieran Watkins says: “NUS opened my eyes to the importance of the national student movement in the UK.

“Before I arrived here, I like a lot of people just viewed the NUS as the student card that gives you a free cheeseburger at McDonalds.

“In reality, the NUS is much more than that. All the students that attended conference are all active campaigners for real change; change to the problems and issues that affect their students back on campus.

“Conference opened up my eyes to the real significance of the NUS, and I for one can’t wait to make a greater impact campaigning in Medway.”

For more information on the NUS, the new representatives and the policies passed, check their website here.

Kent Summer Ball 2013 line-up revealed

2013-03-30T22:32:00.000+00:00

Labrinth will be the headline act for this year’s Kent Summer Ball, it has been announced.

At midnight this evening at The Venue on the Canterbury Campus, Kent Union made the announcement for this year’s summer party, which will take place on Saturday June 1 and has been renamed “Party in the Car Park”.

Other acts confirmed to play include Chase & Status, I Am the Giant, The Trinity Band and Alex Blood and The Diggers.

Early bird tickets for the event will go on sale today at 9am, costing £30, with general sale tickets from May 1 at £37.50, making a £9.50 drop on last year’s price.

24-year-old Labrinth, real name Timothy McKenzie has had a string of successful hits over the last year with ‘Earthquake’ featuring Tinie Tempah, ‘Let the Sun Shine’ and his duet with Emile Sande, ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’, which reached number one last November.

The headline act follows disappointing acts in previous years. Last year’s ball was headlined by Noah and the Whale and The Saturdays, with the latter band arriving 30 minutes late and being booed by students when they finally arrived on stage.

Reacting to the news, Journalism student Lydia Hamilton said: “I’d definitely go to the summer ball this year.

“I was a bit disappointed last year with the quality of the acts, and so to have Labrinth would be amazing.”

For information on the ball or to pre book tickets, visit www.loveitkent.co.uk or follow the Ball on Twitter: @kentsummerball

Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire

Details for forthcoming Medway Summer Party announced

2013-03-30T22:28:00.001+00:00

The Medway Campus Summer Party will return to Coopers this year with a promise that it will be “bigger and better”, The Medwire can exclusively reveal.

Last year’s event was held at Coopers and featured live music, food and plenty of sunshine.

It was also widely heralded asa success by students from all three universities on the Medway Campus.

Looking to succeed on last year’s event, Coopers manager Gareth Gay, music student and Kent Union Vice President (Activities) candidate Jack McDonnell and Activities Officer Clarissa Place will be organising the festivities.

Talking about the plans for this year’s party, Clarissa Place said: “We are hoping to make the event bigger and better than the previous year, hopefully with more societies able to take part.

“The event is for students from all the universities on campus to celebrate the end of term and hopefully they’ll come down whatever the weather.”

The summer party is expected to take place on Saturday, May 18 and will include 12 hours of live bands and DJs throughout the day.

The theme is set to be “Exam Buster”to celebrate the end of exams.New additions to the party this year will include a planned marquee allowing for bands to play outside, as well as various showcases and displays from the campus’societies.

The popular Coopers BBQ and cocktail bar will also return, with a range of drinks deals to be revealed closer to the event.

Coopers will also be hoping to provide a range of summer themed refreshments, including ice cream.

A motion to charge students to go to the event has, however been scrapped, The Medwire understands.

A consultation meeting for the Summer Party is scheduled to take place later this month, with more details to be released in the coming weeks.

Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire

Allergic reaction at club leads to investigation

2013-03-30T22:24:00.005+00:00

Management at Canterbury’s Venue nightclub have launched an investigation after alleged delays in getting an ambulance when a student suffered a “severe” allergic reaction.

Liam Hewitt, who made the claims on Facebook, raised concerns when his friend, Jack, fell ill at the club’s SOAP St. Patrick’s Day event on Saturday, March 16.

He claimed his friend experienced “facial swelling and an increasing inability to breathe” after drinking part of a friend’s drink who had eaten nuts earlier that day.

Though Liam praised the door staff as “compassionate” and “understanding of the situation”, he claimed staff at Venue “failed to understand the severity of the incident”.

Although Liam admits him and his friend were “inebriated” at the time, he says that staff should have been quicker to react.

Liam said: “I feel it could have had much more serious consequences had Jack consumed higher amounts of nuts.”

Liam did however praise the help of security staff at the nightclub, who assisted the boys with skipping the queue at Essentials, the campus shop, and giving the boys money to pay for antihistamine tablets.

“The bouncer staff handled the situation impeccably”, Liam said. “They were faultless.”

Colum McGuire, vice president for welfare at Kent Union, said: “We take all complaints seriously and following an incident in the Venue on Saturday night, our Licensed Trade senior management are currently investigating the complaint.

“It is therefore inappropriate to comment until these investigations have concluded.”

Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire

Kent Union Election coverage 2013

2013-03-30T22:20:00.002+00:00

I was thrilled to attend the hustings at both the Medway and Canterbury campuses for this year's Kent Union elections on behalf of The Medwire, Medway's student news group. The election saw more than 30 students stand for five sabbatical roles. My coverage for The Medwire involved profiling all the candidates, giving details about their manifesto pledges and telling students a little bit more about their candidates.

For the full coverage, visit The Medwire's Election page here.

Info on how to vote in the elections.

Info on President candidates 2013.

Info on VP Activities candidates 2013.

Info on VP Welfare candidates 2013.

Info on VP Education candidates 2013.

Info on VP Sports candidates 2013.

The new sabbatical officers for Kent Union 2013 are Chelsea Moore (President), Amy Gilchrist (Activities), Megan Wells (Welfare), Alex Murray (Education) and Chris Bull (Sports). I was thrilled to attend and cover the event on behalf of The Medwire.

Just under 100 students voted from the Medway campus.

I'm looking forward to reporting (or maybe even standing, who knows) next year!

Plans unveiled for Paramount Studios London

2013-03-30T22:05:00.000+00:00

“Britain’s largest post-Olympic regeneration opportunity” was promised by the project leader behind London Paramount, students at the University of Kent were told recently.

Speaking at a talk arranged by the Kent Business School, Tony Sefton, the project leader behind plans to build a £2bn theme park and entertainment resort in Kent, unveiled details ahead of a public consultation in June this year.

The project by London Resort Company Holdings, which if granted planning permission would open in 2018, includes a number of plans to develop “a new world-class entertainment destination.”

Unveiling the “Master Plan” for the park, which was code-named Project C to avoid leaks, Mr Sefton told students that the park would merge hotels, rides, event space and restaurants together to “utilise facilities” in order to create “the largest entertainment complex in the world.”

London Paramount will be situated on the Swanscombe Peninsular, and will consist of an entertainment district at the centre of the park, with rides, attractions and a water park spread around the entertainment plaza.

The theme park will be based on themes from different films, including romance & drama, comedy, family and action & adventure.

Speaking about the theme park, Mr Sefton said: “The park will have more rides and shows per hour than any other studio park in the world.”

“There will be five first class rollercoaster’s,” he added.

Films from Paramount Pictures that will feature as attractions include Mission Impossible, Tomb Raider, Titanic and Star Trek.

The theme park brand and theme has yet to be unveiled, however it is likely the park will feature heavily on British themes. Mr Sefton confirmed that the British Film Institute would be working with the project, with other partners to be announced in the future.

The main entertainment plaza of the park, which will be accessible to guests for just £5, will feature an array of attractions. This includes nine world-class experiences, a spectacular evening show, plaza shows every half hour, a daily carnival and two amazing play areas.

Other areas of the park planned include a Techno Expo, which Mr Sefton called “our version of Epcot”, which “will consist of 10,000 sq m of high tech attractions based around the best technology in the world.”

A 1,500 bed hotel, 150 food outlets and 10,000sq m of retail space will cater for more than 26,000 guests on peak days, with 7,000 staff on hand to manage facilities.

Guests will also benefit from “75% of the operating area being undercover” to cope with the British weather, as well as a revolutionary new queuing system which will ensure guests are not wasting their time in queues for their favourite rides.

Mr Sefton went on to confirm that the park would open all year round. “Business won’t be seasonal, there will be full time jobs”, he confirmed.

With “infrastructure key” to the project, Mr Sefton confirmed that lobbying was underway to extend Crossrail to the site to improve transport links into the city.

The park will be accessible by the current HS1 line, with trains taking just 17 minutes to travel into central London from Ebbsfleet International Station.

The station will also allow for visitors from further afield in Europe to travel to the park, which will open slightly later then most parks to avoid congestion on roads like the M25.

“Every customer is an entertainment customer”, Mr Sefton said as he stressed the importance of local communities and families to the project. The park has the backing of local MPs and councillors in Kent.

Talking specifically to students from the University of Kent, Mr Sefton said: “There are serious job prospects here for students, with hundreds of jobs available in many departments.”

Public consultation on London Paramount will begin in June. Although the scheme has not officially been given the go-ahead, Mr Sefton said he was “quite confident that it will go ahead.”

If planning is approved, the 872 acre park will start construction in 2015.

Tony Sefton, the project leader behind the plans, also unveiled that the project had come together as a result of a night-out in South Korea. When asked by one of the Kent Business Students how the project had been brought about, Mr Sefton said: “The ideas came together at a karaoke bar in South Korea four years ago”.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Writers wanted for Medway Law Journal

2013-03-30T22:01:00.000+00:00

One of Medway’s newest societies is appealing for writers to provide legal news, academic work, analysis and court reports for their website.

The Medway Law Journal, which was the idea of third year journalist student Jemma Rogers, is an online academic journal similar to the National Law Journal and hopes to rival Cambridge and Harvard.

Already live and just a click away, Jemma has had help from other students including Harriet Lythgo- Smith and Anthony Toma in setting up the website, and is now hoping that other students will get involved and start to write and post content.

Talking about what the journal will offer to students, Jemma said: “It is primarily for people who are interested in really beefing up their CV, as writing for a law journal is highly recognised by employers in any sphere.”

Although the journal has not yet applied to UMSA to become a society, it is hoped to be approved in the near future.

You can find out more by visiting the group’s Facebook page, or visiting their website. Anyone interested in writing for the journal should email jzr2@kent.ac.uk

(Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Medway students to meet man behind new theme park plans

2013-03-02T17:09:00.001+00:00

Students on the Medway Campus will get to meet the man behind Kent’s answer to Disneyland in March.

Project leader Tony Sefton will be talking about the £2 billion project which could create up to 27,000 jobs in the local area.

Under plans unveiled last October, London Resort Company Holdings wish to build a “Disneyland rival” on the Swanscombe Peninsular, near Dartford in Kent.

The company were successfully granted a license from Paramount Pictures to use their name for the entertainment resort, which would include Europe’s largest indoor water park, live music venues and hotels.

The park, which if built would be the fourth biggest resort in the world, would be right next to Ebbsfleet Station, which is on the London St Pancras line from Gillingham.

Mr Sefton will be talking about the impact the park will have in the local community, as well as the difficulty in developing and planning a resort.

Kent Business School, who have organised the event, said on their Facebook page: “This event would also be a great chance to network with the project leader regarding the 27,000 jobs this development is estimated to create, to help get your foot in the door early.”

The talk by Tony Sefton is from 4pm to 5.30pm on Monday, March 4 2013 at Kent Business School on the Medway Campus (Room M3-04), and is open to all students. To attend, email kbsm@kent.ac.uk or attend through the Facebook event.

(Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

A crazy little thing called love!

2013-03-02T16:58:00.000+00:00

A new internet scam is wrecking your chance of love online; Kieran Watkins looks more into the problems facing online dating sites (article written for The University of Kent Centre for Journalism)

Depressed, lonely and empty; just some of the feelings many single people will be feeling this Valentines. As we cry into our pillows, devour our way through the chocolate aisle of Asda and contemplate reaching for a kitchen knife, one simple solution to our desolate lifestyles is just a few clicks away.

Yes, internet dating. In the last ten years the virtual Blind Date has become so popular that it is believed to generate up to £2billion to the global economy. With one in five relationships being formed online, sites such as match.com and eharmony.co.uk have proved popular for single Brits as we search for the perfect guy or girl to fall in love with.

But behind your loved-up computer screen lies a growing international problem, one which threatens to ruin any romance you thought you might have, and take your money and possessions with it.

The rise of online scammers on internet dating sites has sparked fresh concerns about the dangers of using internet chat rooms online, as more people become victims to online scammers.

“I’ve lost everything”, says Amy Champion, 33, from Winchester, Hampshire. She lost all her money when she was targeted by a scammer through a dating site.

“He, if it was ever a he, posed as a businessman living in London. His photo was of a dark, handsome man in a suit. I guess you could say it was love at first sight.

“We hit it off instantly, and chatted all the time. We messaged privately and on Facebook, he never gave me his number.

“After a few weeks, we arranged to meet up, but he said he had no money at the moment because he had just invested in a new business.

“Despite only knowing him for a short while, I felt like I could trust him, so sent my bank details over to him so that he could book a train ticket to visit me.”

For Amy, it was the last time she heard from Michael, 42, who described himself as ‘a relaxed, funny guy looking to start a relationship.’ But although Amy failed to hear from Mark, he left a lasting memory that will haunt her life forever.

“He took my bank details and transferred all my money over to his account. Everything was gone. I went from being madly in love to broken-hearted and penniless.”

Amy’s story is not uncommon. Research by Leicester University in 2012 estimated that 230,000 Britons had been targeted by conmen, who target vulnerable adults in to giving them their bank details.

The conmen are usually based overseas, and start by targeting their victim by posing as an innocent single man or woman, usually using an alias formed around a picture of somebody else and taken from a social-networking site.

They then start talking to victims, usually through private messaging services, forming a relationship with the online dater over several weeks before flying over to meet the loved one. At this point, they then make up a story about being denied a visa, requesting that money and the person’s bank details be sent over so they can finally meet.

But you never do meet each other. In fact, whilst you queue up at arrivals in Heathrow, the potential love of your life is splashing your cash at your expense.

And it’s an expensive game. More than £37 billion is estimated to have been stolen by online scammers in the UK alone, and with police unable to prevent or track down the scammers, the problem is one which is deteriorating rapidly.

“Scammers come in droves, and they’re very aggressive”, explains internet consultant Mark Brooks, from Online Personals Watch.

“I would strongly advise talking to someone on the phone before meeting them.”

One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, lost £50,000 to £60,000 after sending her personal bank details to her lover, whom she had been in contact with for more than a year.

But despite losing the money, she says that she “forgives him” for what he has done.

“I’ve formed a relationship with him, even if it is online. I love him and I can’t wait to finally meet him one day.”

In the majority of cases, police and the dating websites are unable to locate the villains behind the crime, meaning many of the victims are without justice as well as no money.

Despite the concerns, the Office of National Statistics has recently added online dating to its basket of goods and services to calculate UK inflation rates.

But some councils in England remain unconvinced about the benefits of online dating, and have taken it on themselves to warn the public about being misled online.

Medway Council has launched a new campaign to coincide with Valentines’ Day, to help raise awareness about the growing problem with online scammers.

The council’s Trading Standards team have provided a set of guidelines for members of the public to read and follow when setting up their own profiles online, which include warnings to never give out personal details and be suspicious of a request for financial help.

Councillor Mike O’Brien, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Customer Contact said: “Locally we have probably a minimum of a dozen reports a year from people who have been conned via dating agencies.

“These range from bogus dating agencies who promise ‘matches’ and then disappear without any introductions with the memberships fees to the extreme detailed in the press release of people handing over thousands of pounds to bogus people who they believe they are in love with.

“It really is pernicious and as usual exploits people at their weakest point, in this case emotionally.”

So as you mop up your tears and watch yet another Richard Curtis film this Valentines, think to yourself; maybe it is better to be single, because signing yourself up to an online dating site could ruin your life forever.

Medway Council’s Trading Standards teams’ six steps to staying safe:

Only use well-known, reputable online dating agencies
Always be sceptical and if you are asked for any type of financial help be extremely suspicious
Be careful when going on a date and always try and meet someone who lives locally
Never give out any personal details
Be extra careful of anyone using PO Box addresses or telephone numbers that are never answered
If your online date only ever talks about themselves and never actually answers your questions it could be because they are only sending a standard email to hundreds of other people