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Loughborough Sports Personality Enter ShikariUniversity Confessions

Win your 1st

Months rent paid for

by Donkey. Just return

him to his stable!

Here’s the game: Donkey is hiding somewhere in and around Lufbra the �rst student to lead Donkey back to his stable on Ashby Road & WIN their 1st Months rent for 2013/14, paid for

by Donkey. The rules are simple like our Facebook page /donkeydigs and add us on twitter @Donkeydigs and each day Donkey will give more clues to his hiding place.

Once you think you know where he is then go to the location �nd Donkey and bring him back to his stable to claim the prize.

What could be easier happy hunting! Love the Donkey Digs Team

Contents

Natasha CoxEditor in Chief

Grace MerittEditor

Ana CurbeloArt Director

George MostynOnline Content Editor

Broderick SuthlerlandDeputy Editor

Greg CarterHead of Illustration

Carolyn BrownHead of Photography

Jan BaykaraDesign Assistant

Meghan McCabeKiera SweeneyNews Editors

Cathryn AntoniadisLaura SmithFeature Editors

Dan NicholsonElla StanbrookMusic Editors

Beth Baker-WyseJoanna DonnellyCulture Editors

Anna BirtwistleChloé FallonStyle Editors

Chloe HemmingsRebecca OldhamSport Editors

Peter WoolleyWebmaster

Maxine CheyneyHead of Events and Marketing

Xmas Pudding in Loughbor-oughTowers Dining HallFlooding devastation Education Week

University Confessions You Know it’s Christmas When...Lufbra Overheard

Think Outside the Gift Box Disney FashionThe Fashion Shwap

Walking in a Cyber Wonder-landChristmas Movie Culture International Love

How to Launch a GigIt’s Chrissstmaaaas! Song Battle Label Meets: Enter Shikari

Sports Personality of the Year Predictions What Not To Do in the Gym A Year of Sport Loughborough Sports Per-sonality

Cover photo by Ana CurbeloPhotography Carolyn Brown

6 NEWS

12

10

16

24

29

34 SPORT

CULTURE

FEATURES

STYLE

MUSIC

22 TOTTY SPOTTER

Xmas SpecialsWhat Present Buyer Are You?Christmas Beard

Disclaimer: Label is the publication of Loughborough Students’ Union. The opinions contained are those of individual contributors, not of Loughborough Students’ Union, the editorial team, or any other officer of the union unless otherwise stated.

Label Magazine, your Fortnightly Fix of all things Loughborough.

CONTACT US!Is there a story you thInk

we should know about? Contact us at labeleditor@lufbra.net

with any information, letters and queries

From the Editor

What Makes Christmas in

Mariah Carey, on in fusion, every midnight 18%Some people are still wearing flip flops 79%Two poundland shops = cheap presents! 3%

For all the latest stories, visit www.lufbra.net/label

CONTACT US!Is there a story you thInk

we should know about? Contact us at labeleditor@lufbra.net

with any information, letters and queries

Grace Meritt

From the Editor

?This Issue, Label Online asked you:

Here we have it, the Christmas edition of Label. We’ve decided to embrace the time of year where we can, but have enough varied content that even the scrooges among us can’t complain!

Whenever it’s the end of a term and us students leave the bub-ble, I wonder what Loughborough town becomes. It must be one of the only parts of the UK where the shops become quieter in the run up to Christmas than they were before. The students depart, and the locals can once again reclaim the streets for themselves. It’s probably a peaceful place, with no chanting outside clubs, no men in flip flops despite minus temperatures, and no awful works of art in the form of fancy dress outfits.

Sounds terrible doesn’t it?

Never fear, as soon enough we will all return for term two, and can roam the streets once again. Label will be back with its next issue, the Executive Elections will hit campus, and we’ll all wonder how Loughborough could survive without us.

Enjoy the last Label of term and I hope it gets you all in the Christmas mood, I particularly enjoyed the cut out Father Christmas beard on page 11. Consider it as Label’s Christmas present to you.

Until next year,

Loughborough Unique

In response to Label Online’s ‘Abercrombie and Fitch: Not So Cool?’

Tweets @LabelOnline

This article was very interesting and really well written. Great read, hats off. :)

Laurie

Abercrombie is the worst case of mindless sheep-like trend following behaviour. If almost any Abercrombie garment was half the price, or had a different word roughly stitched accross the front, nobody would be interested, but quite frankly their clothes look terrible.

Tom

Really good article, although I doubt the brand will be gone from campus for a while yet... No one really seems to care where their clothes have come from despite all of the coverage in the media, I guess it’s just an out of sight out of mind scenario which is definitely the case for people in the bubble.

Ana

Helen Crossley @helencrossleyHoping that writing an F1 review for @labelonline will result in me being snapped up for a lifelong career in F1 media #dream

Broderick Sutherland @BrodSutherlandLabel Online - Abercrombie & Fitch: Not So Cool? by Geidre Gab via @labelonline. (Personal Note: This is a great read)

Max Weedon @MaxWeedonThe BA1 Records Daily is out! Top stories today via @labelonline @bbc_radio_1 @matthilde

Billy Marsh @LufbraActionQuality video from @LSUTweetV Will be interesting to see @LSUPostgradDO in @labelonline, so much love for Henrah.

Beccy Oldham @BeccyOldham@labelonline We may have had a reputation for being quiet and unsociable but The Holt gave me the best experience and the best of friends.

Winter has truly hit us here in Lough-borough, and what better way to get in the festive spirit, then by picking up our last Label issue of 2012. This term has been a fabulous mixed bag of content for LSMedia.

Kicking it all off was one of the best packages of media coverage over fresher’s that we’ve ever produced. Label’s first issue proved popular with an influx of illustrative, and design flair, cutting edge stories, and content that appealed to all. LCR popped up all over campus, reaching the thousands with a now completely full schedule, with LSUTV creating original content that reaped in the laughs.

Moving forward, LSmedia has gone from strength to strength, with some fantastic achievements including the first live broadcast of the year, ‘Fight Night Live’, LCR playing host to the na-tional student chart show, and the first ever Loop committee being appointed!

If someone asked me to give a highlight of the year, it would be this: seeing the vast amounts of new, shiny faced, excited volunteers enter into the media realm and gain some amazing skills, experiences, and joy filled times. But don’t panic, 2013 is set to be even bigger and better! All committees are in the planning phase for a whole host of new and exhilarating project s, so if you would like to get involved with any of our fabulous committee’s, make sure you send me an email at www.lufbra.net/media

Have a fan-tastic, festive, fabulous, Christmas

Natasha Cox Head of Media

EDITORIAL04 - 05

Falk Egg Refurbishment

The Student Union recently released a video updating students about the redevelopment of Falkner Eggington Hall. The Director of Finance Andy Stephens said that the university were investing £10.5 million which will see 520 rooms refurbished over this academic year.

Pilkington Library Refurbishment

Around £4.5 million has been allocated to redevelop the third and fourth floor of the Pilkington Library. The ‘Transforming the Library’ scheme is going to have more effective accommodation for the high demand collection, more toilet facilities, and a more impressive library entrance.

Multiplex plans for town

Citygrove, a development company could be interested in creating a multiplex cinema as well as family restaurants in the town centre. Cineworld are interested in locating themselves in the town and the developers are also interested in bringing the likes of Nando’s, Pizza Express and Wagamama to the area.

Super- Sized Christmas Pudding To Appear In Loughborough

at 12:30 by Loughborough’s mayor, Diane Wise, and Ziggy, the Mini- Monsters mascot. After this the giant mixture will then be open to the gene-ral public who will be allowed to stir it and make a wish.

The Christmas pudding market co-mes after Loughborough University itself began to get into the Christ-mas spirit on Tuesday, with their own Christmas market.

The Loughborough Students Union Christmas market provided visitors with choir singers, as they browsed the Christmas stalls to put all in the Christmas spirit. Stalls included: Bit-ter Sweet Chocolate, Brocklebys, Yorkshire Crisps, fair-trade Christ-mas gifts, handmade cakes and Flipside brewery and was an overall success.

The University is set to continue with its Christmas Spirit throughout next week as the Piazza holds the festive Society Showcase on Tuesday De-cember 11 and the final Christmas FND of this year is to take over the union on Friday 14.

Meghan McCabeNews Editor

On Sunday December 9, Lough-borough Market will see a Super- Sized Christmas Pudding greeting visitors at Loughborough’s first ever Christmas pudding market.

The market will begin at 10am on Sunday and will be family friendly with a Mini Monsters Christmas card workshop, live music, and the Rotary club of Loughborough`s Santa Fun Run.

The Christmas market will give visi-tors a chance to support the Santa Fun Run which also takes place on Sunday, whilst also finding out Christmas pudding recipes from the stalls.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture, Paul Harley, has sta-ted that: ‘we are creating our own Christmas traditions this year insi-de our giant, inflatable, Christmas pudding. We are looking to launch Loughborough’s own Christmas pudding recipe for Christmas 2013 by asking people to swap their own treasured recipes this year.’

It has been said that the chef from Swan Street Social will assemble the ingredients for the giant Christ-mas pudding which will be stirred

Loughborough

News in Brief

Outside News in Brief

New York City’s first crimeless day in living memory

No stabbings, murders, or muggings were reported to NYC’s police for 24 hours on November 29. The number of murders happening in the city is at its lowest in more than 50 years.

Royal Baby

It has been announced this week that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are now expecting a baby. It is unknown how far into the pregnancy Kate is, but it is thought under 12 weeks. Bookies are already taking bets on what the baby will be called, ranging from Elizabeth at 8/1, Diana at 12/1 and Rylan at 1000/1.

Polar Ice Caps Melting Faster

A recent study has found that the ice sheets covering Greenland and Antarctica are melting three times faster today than they were in the 1990s. Experts say that these new findings could help predict rising sea levels in the future.

‘The students acted and the Uni-versity listened. Well done and thank you to everyone that helped, we did it! #Lufbrawalkonwater’: this was the tweet posted on No-vember 26 by @SaveLufbra2012, after a yearlong campaign to save Towers dining hall.

Working alongside the Students Union, students of Towers Hall have succeeded in persuading the University to reconsider their plans to close the dining hall. Closure of the facility would have meant students living in Towers having to dine elsewhere on cam-pus. As the campaigners wrote on their online petition, ‘dining halls are an integral part to the Lufbra experience and university life.’

Initially, the University proposed the complete removal of the East Park Complex: Towers dining hall, laundry facilities and common room. The former facility was not to be replaced. In response to this proposal, the ‘Save Lufbra Cam-paign’ which originated in 2007 was reignited. Protests, petitions and many Facebook and Twitter pages constituted the highly suc-cessful campaign, led by Piers Harrison and Georgie Martindale,

Towers Dining Hall to Remain Open

Towers Hall Chair and Vice Chair respectively.

The SaveLufbra2012 ipetitions.com page read: ‘Of course this group is not just about Towers. This group is about showing the power of the student voice at Loughbor-ough at its best, in unity’.

University Facilities Management have now said that, ‘due to the strength of student feeling’, anoth-er option will be explored, ‘either through refurbishment or rebuild’. George Mostyn, former Towers Rag Rep, told Label: ‘Absolutely delighted with the decision. The dining hall is an important part of Towers’ social structure, and a lot of our hall’s activities focus around it. Very happy a common sense agreement has been met for the good of the hall’.

Towers Hall Freshers Facebook page posted on November 26: ‘We did it! From the first punch party to the first protest we did it! Thanks to everyone that helped, this couldn’t have been done with-out you!’

Kiera SweeneyNews Editor

NEWS06 - 07

Floods have recently been affecting students and residents of Loughborough due to heavy rain. The Environment Agency issued a flood warning at 05:00 on November 26, which was in force until 11:00 the following day.

Label spoke to a student living in the King-fisher Estate, Victoria Bradford, about the flooding: ‘The water was half way up my Hunt-ers. Some of our friends’ houses flooded which was devastating for them – the water on their ground floor was up to shin level.’ Victoria added that the problem seemed to be easily solved in some areas: ‘As soon as my friends and I went around and pulled all the leaves out the drains, the floods disap-peared. It definitely made the students work together with the locals and created a sense of community.’

Other residents on the estate were not so fortunate. The King family were forced out of their home after sewage flooded their house on November 25, the day before the flood warnings were issued. Mr King said: ‘It was flooded up to about three feet in my ga-

rage and between six inches and a foot in the house, with horrible black water.’

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said: ‘Wood Brook flows into the River Soar. Due to the unprecedented amount of rainfall received, Wood Brook was unable to do this.’ After a weekend of rescues, fire-fighters said the situation had calmed down and from November 28 onwards, no flood-related inci-dents were reported.

Back in the summer, flooding was also a problem in Loughborough. On June 27, flash floods hit the town after major downpours and the effects were devastating. Flood wa-ter appeared in just one hour and fire-fighters responded to 190 incidents in just four hours.You can find out whether your home is at risk of flooding by entering the postcode at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ or calling 0845 988 1188.

Kiera Sweeney News Editor

Flooding in Loughborough Causes Devastation

This week, from Monday December 3 to Fri-day 7, Loughborough University has taken part in Our Education Week; a campaign with the aim of getting students together to plan the future of their education.

Throughout the week, the Students Union, VP Education Lazar Zindovic, Programme Presi-dents and Programme Reps worked along-side students to find out what it is they think that needs improving about their courses, and ensuring that improvements that need making are actually made.

Various activities were undertaken through-out the week such as education stands with prizes so as to encourage students to go along and take part, a special ‘Our Education Stupid Tuesday’ which was designed espe-cially for all Programme Reps, Programme Presidents, and Department committee members, alongside an ‘Our Education Pro-gramme Rep Conference’ which included guest appearances by the Vice Chancellor, Robert Allison, and NUS VP Higher Education, Rachel Wenstone.

The week long campaign took on the slogan ‘Use You Voice, Shape Our Future’ and was aimed at significantly improving academic representation for the University and improv-ing student education as a whole.

The campaign has stated that it will be fo-cusing on ensuring that the right Programme Reps are elected at the beginning of the year, and that they receive the support and guid-ance that they should. It has been stated they are essential building blocks to ensuring the students get their say on their education.

The campaign will also focus on electing the new position, ‘Programme President’ who will lead academic representation at Lough-borough. Alongside this, Our Education will also be providing students with information regarding exam stress and ways to deal with other struggles that students may experi-ence during their time at University, as well as looking at ways for students to make them seem more employable when searching for jobs.

Facebook groups have been created as the Students Union would like to hear from as many students as possible surrounding their views on Our Education, or anything else that has an impact on students’ Loughborough experience.

Meghan McCabeNews Editor

NEWS08 - 09

What type Of pReSeNt BUyeR aRe yOU?

To buy near the time

To be left alone to

shop

Attention to detail

To finish buying quickly

Do you prefer

To spend a lot

To spend alittle

To besentimental

To be humorous

Toask for ideas

Togive up

Chocolates and

flowers

Jewellery and

perfume

Control FreakChristmas becomes a

systematic time for you. Every person on your list

WILL get the best present ever, and NOBODY will get in the way of your planning.

Joke Buyer‘Banter’ is at the top of your thoughts when it comes to buying a gift for someone,

who doesn’t want something hilarious to open on Christmas

day?

Thoughtful ThinkerYou are one of the best type of Christmas buyers around.

People can expect well thought out and sentimental gifts,

probably neatly wrapped up with a bow on top. Keep up the good work and make sure they

know to return the favour!

Get it DoneYou put thought into your presents, but you’re not

the biggest fan of the gift buying process. At least by getting it done early you’re

safe from the stress for another year.

Play it Safe A secret santa present for

someone you don’t know, will probably be similar to the one you get for your best mate, the

obvious choices. Why risk an item of clothing or a CD that someone may hate, when you can go for the

old classics like chocolate.

Flash the CashYou may leave present buying till near the end, but what does it matter if you spend a lot of

money? Whatever gift you end up with is guaranteed to be

better than those cheapskate buyers so it’s win win for you.

Last Minute LarryYou do try your hardest

when you finally get round to gift buying, it’s just it never seems to be top of your ‘to

do’ list. It’s not your fault your life is so much more

packed than others...

What Present?It’s Christmas eve, and you have yet to buy your gifts, what’s the solution? Give

them a hug? Give them an IOU to a back massage?

The sentiment is there after all.

To buy in advance

To ask for advice

Do you prefer

Do you prefer

Do you prefer to buy

Do you prefer

Do you prefer

Do you prefer

Grace Meritt, Editor

Christmas Beard Cut-Out

XMASSPECIAL

10 - 11Des

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Shocking as statements like these are, people seem to be finding it easier to unload their hidden antics, however embarrassing, hilarious, or disgusting they might be, through the means of varying social media accounts. Say hello to the newest Internet craze, ‘University Confessions’.

University Confessions pages have been popping up all over Facebook and Twitter, where the page administrators actively encourage students, past and present, to expose their previous deeds and mishaps through anonymous messages. These are posted for all to see, and I mean ALL. I spent hours browsing through different University Confession pages from all over the country, learning about what adventures took place. Some confessions were hilarious, and a few were heartfelt, with people confessing that they thought a particular person in their seminar or lecture was beautiful. Most however, seemed to be a mixture of lies and fantasies.

The problem with anonymous posting is that people feel that they can create wild and farcical tales in the hope of impressing those who read the posts, and due to the anonymity behind the posting, they may just get away with it. Most of the posts that I read seemed too far fetched to be considered real, and I wasn’t the only one who felt like this. Other users in the comment sec-tions seemed to be ripping into the confessions, and trying to pull them apart and point out their flaws and weaknesses. People seemed to relish trying to guess who was the author of each confession, tagging their friends’ names when they assumed they were the cul-prit; suggesting that in fact these confessions aren’t anonymous at all.

Some posts have been condemned on the grounds that they can be seen as glorifying alcohol abuse, due to the fact that the majority of the confessions open with, ‘After a few too many drinks...’. Universities such as Manchester and Exeter have forced the closure of

their University Confession pages on the basis that a negative picture of student life has been created, and could be seen to tarnish the reputation that these establishments have worked hard to create.

However, some confessional pages online focus on a lot darker subjects than walks of shame and excreting on flat mates’ food. One of the popular web pages that posts users’ deep and hidden secrets is postsecrets.com, with the most common tags being ‘suicide’, ‘abortion’, ‘abuse’ and ‘drugs’. But just like the University Confession pages, is the Internet really the best place to unleash your secrets? Although you are posting anonymously there are ways for people to track you down if they really wanted, despite the fact that you haven’t given out any personal information.

The difference with postsecrets.com, and University Confessions, is that the latter was never intended to be taken seriously. So should we be criticizing those brave souls who are willing to confess to events for entertainment purposes? In all honesty, I found some of these posts to be a source of great enjoyment. Other confession pages online, such as fmylife.com (where users post unfortunate moments of their day) can be seen as similar to the University Confession pages, due to the fact people can find enjoyment out of other people’s misfortunes.

Is it right for Universities to shut down these pages, or are their actions too extreme? The comedic element behind some of the confessions shouldn’t be ignored, however, next time you do wish to post something anonymously just remember that if someone was to trace it back to you, would you be willing to admit to your confession?

This one time at band camp...

“I have a confession to make... I slept with my mate’s Dad. Twice.”

University Confessions

Best

Confession

s

• The guy who mixed his wee with mayon-

naise and combined it in his best frie

nd’s

handwash. He walked in the room and his

friends’ mum was sniffing her hands saying

she wanted to get some for home as well.

• The girl who got asked by a guy if h

e could

go back to hers. They both walk in to a room

filled with Lego blocks (the girl still p

lays

with them) and he says nothing, walks in

and starts building. At 4 am, he takes what

he built, kisses her on the cheek, leaves his

number and goes.

• A guy got a text from a girl he knew saying

‘Come to mine, if you’re feeling up for it. X

’.

He arrives, knock on her door and three guys

run out the room naked. Her flatmates had

stolen her phone and set the whole thing up.

This one time at band camp...

Phot

ogra

phy

by B

en Ja

ckso

n

FEATURES12 - 13

The Coca Cola advert plays on TV

You wake up looking forward to the little advent calendar chocolate (if you haven’t eaten them already!)

Wham! Wizzard and The Pogues suddenly make a re-appearance in everyone’s music collections

‘Come on, it’s Christmas!’ becomes a reasonable excuse for many things

Standard seasonal chick-flicks start playing on TV (looking at you Love Actually)

It becomes acceptable to try and wake everyone up at 4 am in the morning to open presents, regardless of how old you are

The entire family sits in front of the TV watching afternoon films with at least one relative snoring in the corner

Having a huge tree inside your house becomes the norm

You wake up every morning to check if there’s snow outside the window

Everyone starts wearing fluffy jumpers

Michael Buble and Mariah Carey take over the radio

Sect

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Dan

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YOU KNOW IT’SChristmas

WHEN...

GO

ING

UP

GO

ING

DO

WN

Love Actually: We’ve been waiting all year, but finally we’re allowed to watch this festive favourite.

Long Hugs: According

to research, hugs lasting

for more than 20 seconds

release oxytocin which can

make you trust someone more.

Victoria Secret Models: Not making girls feel good about life, but probably nice for the lads.

:p faces in texts: So very very

cringe.

Loughborough University:

A week less for the Christmas

holidays? Scrooges. Facebook

Statuses about the weather: Yes, thank you, I can see that it is raining.

Lufbra overheard

Girl: Aren’t male deer moose?

Girl 1: Did you see Cheryl Cole on TV?Girl 2: Yeah, wasn’t she singing her new song?Girl 1: No, she was on with that group she’s with... what do you call them...Girl 2: Oh yeah, The Spice Girls!

Girl 1: It’s 13 hours to fly to CubaGirl 2: What? Straight? Can they not just land in the middle?Girl 1: Where? In the Atlantic Ocean?! .... It is the Atlantic Ocean right?

(In Costa)Guy 1: Can I have a hot coffee please?Staff Member: Huh?

Guy 1: Sports bring us all together and make us feel close.Guy 2: That’s not the sports; it’s the jagermeister

Guy: what’s gammon?Girl: I think it’s some type of fish.

Guy: What’s the difference between a horse and a reindeer?

Guy: ...cheese is definitely a dairy product because I’m pretty sure when you microwave it for long enough, that’s how you make milk.

Sect

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Des

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Allu

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Dan

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aulk

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FEATURES14 - 15

Think OuTsideTheGifT BOx

Once again the annual holiday shopping race has begun. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, shopping frenzy and Christmas fever are all around us. In fact, over the past few decades, the kind gesture of gift-giving has been turned into a multi-billion business affair. But what damage is our shopping habit having, and what can we do to have a greener Christmas this year?

A recent ICM poll revealed that 47% of shop-pers plan to spend the same amount as they did during the last winter holiday, with a further 9% planning to spend more. And even the sav-viest of shoppers can’t escape the allure of a good deal, as 87% of those surveyed said they expected retailers to start their seasonal sales before Christmas.

One need not look further than Harrods’s Christmas World to comprehend the grand scale of this phenomenon. From River Island and Topshop, to Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, there are hardly any stores that haven’t put on special offers to attract customers looking for Christmas gifts.

As shoppers ponder whether to choose good-value-for-money gift sets or discounted beauty items, websites such as stylecompare.co.uk are pooling together all sorts of Christmas deals so that consumers can find where the best savings are.

And here’s where technology comes in. The latest trend forecasts predict that consumers will spend £4.6 billion online over the two weeks commencing the 3rd and 10th of December. Moreover, almost a billion’s worth of those pur-chases will be made through mobile devices.

This combination of cheap products, ever rising shopping demands and rapidly improving online shopping technology can have a far-reaching impact, as is evident in the fashion industry.

When it comes to Christmas gifts, fashion items are often part of the top gift categories. To meet this demand for inexpensive presents, many retailers are having to adopt unethical working conditions.

Just as H&M was preparing to launch it’s latest collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela earlier this month, the high street retailer was accused of paying its Cambodian workers less than 25% of what constitutes a living wage - only $61 a month.

Yet another negative effect of this shopping trend has just recently been found by a new study. Apart from all the environmental pollution that is created from the waste of unsold and non-recycled products, Greenpeace recently reported that many high street and high end fashion brands use dyes containing chemicals which could potentially cause cancer and hormonal imbalances.

Despite these grim facts, one should remember that the Christmas holiday is first and foremost about spending time with loved ones, and creating memories which one will hopefully treasure forever. At the heart of such cherished memories lie the small bursts of happiness and surprise when we unwrap gifts under the Christmas tree.

And not all kinds of gifts have a negative impact.

Homemade items make for more meaningful gifts and are easy on the pocket too. The best bit about homemade gifts is that they can be made up of anything lying around in the house - art and craft supplies, sweet treat ingredients or simply pen and paper for a heartfelt letter.

Furthermore, there are always presents that give back. You could clear out your closet and donate items you currently own to aid organisa-tions. If you are finding it hard to part with your favourite garments, then you can always share

Miranda Kusi

your talents with the community and volunteer your time at a local, non-profit organisation.

Or why not search for a unique gift at a charity shop? From buying a share of your own farm-land to help support Tanzanian families, to fair trade accessories from recycled fabrics, which help train people with no education, big charity organisations like Oxfam offer more than just second hand items.

Coming back to fashion and beauty items as top Christmas gifts, plenty of designers and high street retailers are changing their ways and now employ much more ethical practices. Take for example Lush, whose deliciously smelling products are made with natural ingre-dients by well-paid UK staff, without being tested on animals.

Although ethical and eco-friendly fashion garments are more commonly found in high street retailers, high end fashion is catching up. New designers stormed September’s London Fashion Week and the first ever ethical Vogue’s Fashion Night Out, with garments made from ecological materials such as vegetable dyed waste silk.

As the shopping race continues, we should all remember that there’s a wide range of gift ideas. A little indulgence won’t hurt if ethical, and socially responsible choices have been made.

Illus

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by L

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Hal

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STYLE16 - 17

With her trademark red bow, bright yellow heels and black and white polka dot dress, we can all agree that Minnie Mouse is the most fashionable of the Disney cartoon crew. Minnie has had her own OPI nails collection, and with designers such as Lulu Guinness and Richard Nicoll also adapting Minnie’s iconic elements, this branding is becoming increasingly acknowl-edged and cherished. Lulu Guinness created her handbags using the iconic black and white polka dots and stand out red bow. Each piece was unveiled at London Fashion Week, and auctioned off on eBay to support the BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation.

Similarly, Barneys have recently launched an animated video with more of our favourite stars. The video uses designers and characters including: Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Daisy Duck and Snow White to portray

high fashion versions of their original Disney costumes. Throughout the film, we follow Minnie as she dreams her way to Paris Fashion

Week, meeting a whole host of fashion faces along the way, including Alber Elbaz, Anna Dello Russo, Naomi Campbell,

Sarah Jessica Parker, Linda Evangelista and Pat McGrath. The video has been launched just in time for Christmas,

adding extra excitement to this time of the year!

When it comes to Christmas, Harrods always pull out all the stops for their window displays and this year they’re using iconic Disney Princesses instead of something a little more traditional. Many well know global design-ers have stood up to the challenge, with the likes of dresses for Mulan by Missoni, Arial by Marchesa and Pocahontas by Roberto Cavalli. The window displays cause a great uproar every year as the public wait in anticipation to see the theme. This year is no different, and Harrods have outdone themselves with the help of a few designer friends. Our favourite adaptation is Ra-punzel by Jenny Packham who has used the iconic long hair with a simple and beautifully elegant lilac sheer and heavily embellished floor length dress.

It is clear that Disney is everywhere, and as we em-brace the adaptations, it is a loving reminder of our childhood. With a host of designers taking inspiration from our idols and heroines, it seems as though these idyllic images will continue to be firmly embedded within the fashion world.

Milly Green

When We Think Of DiSney anD ChriSTMaS TOgeTher, We Think Of PrinCeSSeS WiTh BeauTiful gOWnS, anD iT aPPearS ThaT ThiS feS-Tive SeaSOn, DiSney iS Taking Over everyWhere.

DisneyiT’S Beginning TO lOOk a lOT like

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Looking for a fashion website with a difference? Well look no further then The Fashion Shwap.

Style Editor Chloé Fallon, caught up with Loughborough student and founder, Hannah Redding-ton, to get the lowdown on the exciting new venture. Ladies, get ready to shwap!

How did the idea come about? We know so many girls who wear an outfit once, put it back in their wardrobe and never wear it again. So my sister and I wanted to create a website where you could get a new outfit in exchange for an old one, and be given a fair price, unlike eBay where we felt items were not sold or exchanged for their true value.

How does it work?The Fashion Shwap is unique in that you can trade an item in exchange for a given price or a higher amount of store credit. This can then be put towards a second hand dress, or something new from our collections. If you email a photo of something you no longer wear and it is in great condition, we will send you a bag to put your item in and send back to us, and you will not be charged for p&p. This also allows the customer to have access to a constant flow of dresses.

Is there an ethical element? The swapping aspect is a way of recycling fashion and avoiding creat-ing excess waste. In exchange for your unwanted items, you get a new outfit and therefore another fashion lover will too. We purchase a limited amount of each item from wholesalers so that the web-site has a constant influx of new designs, because there is nothing worse than seeing five people wearing the same Topshop dress as you.

What should we look out for?We are stocking pieces from Love, Rare, Influence, Sugarhill Boutique, and an

array of second hand dresses. We are looking to secure some more brands in the near future. The website is trend led, so expect to see embel-

lishment, printed playsuits, and lots of Peter Pan collars. The deep red maxi

dress with cut out detailing from Love is perfect for the up-coming party season.

Follow

@fashionshwap

for updates and

offers

STYLE18 - 19

In aid of LSU’s charitable activities

In aid of LSU’s charitable activities

Photographers: Luis Oliviera, Mathew Dent, Ben Jackson, Carolyn Brown

Label Caption competition: ‘What do you thinkof imago food?’ - James Plowright

The winner of

this issue´s caption

competition has won a free

entry to Hey Ewe plus drink

tokens, look out for the

next one,

at lufbra.net/label

TOTTYSPOTTER

22 - 23

A WinterCYBERWalking In

OnlineNo Impulse Buys

Yes, going out to do your Christmas shopping is a tradition most of us are familiar with... but online shopping trends increase every year. First of all, there is no need to spend money on petrol, parking tickets, food whilst shopping, and impulse buys, pressured by experienced and insistent sales attendants. Shopping online allows you to see a larger range of inventory that may not be available in some shops, and certain websites offer price comparisons and ‘what other viewers bought’ categories. As a result, the online shopper can buy the gift he/she wants without having to return to the shops for a forgotten, and essential accessory.

Surprise!

Going Christmas shopping with friends and family is a tradition for many and can be loads of fun, even if it’s your first time. On the other hand, part of the magic of Christmas is the surprise of receiving an unexpected gift. Online shopping makes buying gifts incognito simple, with only having to erase your browser history to get rid of any evidence. Also, by getting Christmas shopping out of the way, you have more time to partake in other festive activities such as decorating the house or cooking a fantastic Christmas feast!

LandHas part of the Christmas culture been taken out of the Festive season, by being able to organise the day from touching a few buttons? Culture debates between online shopping, and

the traditional in store trips.

Efficiency and Ease

Online ordering is time efficient, and can take perhaps an hour of browsing, comparing, selecting, and paying. As an added bonus, online shopping sees no boundaries, allowing you to purchase gifts from shops abroad and have it delivered to your door with no hassle on your part. Whilst it may be more complicated to return a delivered item, online stores have the same legal obligations as actual shops and do offer information on how, and up to when, an item can be returned. Embrace the future!

The community spirit of Christmas culture will never be taken out of the festive season... just ask the Grinch! Christmas isn’t about gifts, it is about the giving, receiving, bonding, and bringing together loved ones, and that does not necessarily boil down to shopping.

Dominique Eguren

inSTOreCommercialization

Christmas shopping, I have to admit, has become a hectic time. With commercial retailers going overboard to supply the nation with enough choice for the festive season. Gifts are churned out of factories and fill our T.V. screens from as early as September, and the hustle and bustle of everyone looking for something for that special someone may be your idea of hell. However, I think what gets everyone in the mood for Christmas is taking time out to visit your local shops or coffee hideouts and hearing those Christmas classics blaring out, whilst seeing your everyday stores transformed into magical grottos.

Christmas Markets

If that isn’t your glass of mulled wine however, there is an alternative. Christmas markets are booming in the U.K, with permanent fixtures popping up all over the country. Wrapping up in winter woollies, getting family and friends together, and arranging a trip to enjoy the festive fun on offer, Christmas markets can’t be relived online! The gifts are often handmade, from small family businesses, or from a foreign country displaying particular craftsmanship – the perfect opportunity to get somebody a special gift that they can’t get anywhere else.

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Size is Everything

When it comes to buying for those really difficult members of your close circle, I feel there’s nothing safer than visiting the shops and being able to see and hold a potential gift in front of you. Often on online shopping websites, the colours or actual forms can be distorted, or turn up on your door a completely different size than expected! With only a few days left till Christmas, this is not the dilemma you want to be faced with – and what if it doesn’t even turn up at all? That could be awkward to explain on Christmas morning!

I find Christmas an incredibly special time of the year, and yes, technology can make it easier, especially with so many people juggling hectic lifestyles, but many rely heavily on technology and spend the majority of their working day staring at a computer screen. In store shopping can remind us what it’s all about by spending time with loved ones away from cyberspace.

Olivia Newall

CULTURE24 - 25

Sitting down in front of the TV over the Christ-mas period is something students love to do, as does the rest of England. 9.92 million of us watched EastEnders on Christmas day last year, with a further 8.13 million viewing Downton Abbey at the same time. With so many of us interested in TV and films during the Christmas period, it is no wonder that companies have embraced the idea of the Christmas movie.

Films like A Christmas Carol (of which there are currently 19 versions), Home Alone and Elf, are all quite distant from the Christian narrative of the festive period, were nev-ertheless wildly popular in their time. (OK, maybe not EVERY Christmas Carol was, but there’s a reason broadcasters show at least six of them every year). But why do we like them?

Here’s a comparison. Love Actually was re-leased in 2003, and focuses on the crossing lives of multiple couples over the Christmas period. New Years Eve, meanwhile, was released in 2011, and follows an identical route, except focusing on New Year’s Eve (obviously). Very similar premises: yet Love Actually grossed $100,000 more than New Years Eve, and received mainly positive reviews. New Years Eve, on the other hand, was globally panned by critics, and was

nominated for five Razzies, awards known for saluting the worst hollywood has to offer each year. It was beaten to all of them by Jack and Jill (the only time someone was thankful for that films existence).

It’s true that Love Actually was a British made film, whereas New Years Eve was American. But there is more to it than that. The answer lies in what Christmas movies evoke within us, and, bizarrely enough, this comes back to that original Bible story.

Christ’s birth is a tale of struggle against adversity, fighting oppression, and courage. In other words, hope. And we relate to that. During the Christmas period, those ideas ring very true for us, as a mostly Christian nation. Christmas movies (the popular ones, anyway), capture that spirit, and wrap it in tra-dition, tinsel and turkey, images that invoke warmth and nostalgia.

It may be exploitative, it may disguise the Christian message of Christmas, but these films make us excited for the magic of Christmas. And with the new film, Rise of the Guardians hoping to capture the holiday spirit once more, it’s clear that Christmas movies are here to stay.

Alex Davies

Christmas Movies:Why do we LOVE Them?

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England from Abroad‘It’s what we’ve all been thinking but never said aloud’, Polish Writer Gosia Gantner discusses those

little quirks that make Loughborough so fascinating to the International Student.

The question how are you? is usually a big mystery for foreign students. British people tend to ask this ques-tion with no intention of hearing the answer. Interna-tional students, flattered with a friendly ‘gesture’ want to start a conversation, but there is no time for that as our native friend walked away ages ago.

Party-hard!!!, but max till 3-4 am, as that’s when the clubs are closed and people go home. Pubs are also closed at midnight, so don’t even think of sitting there until you get

drunk. For the international student this is usually a big shock, as we usually start pre-drinking at

11pm – 12am, while clubs and pubs are open till the last customer.

While playing drinking games, I have been shocked by how fast people can get drunk on so little here.

Mysterious punch, 1.5 litre bottles of some fizzy blue thing and of course Lambrini, are making most

international students full, but not drunk.

Five degrees outside? Flip-flops and a hoodie is a wonderful idea! Going for a party in December? Miniskirt, no tights, nor coat. British people genuinely do not feel cold! Why? Somebody once told me, that British mothers leave their children in the cold for hours, so they would toughen up for the cold weather... True story or a myth?

British design is one big question mark. Fair enough they are original in having different electricity sockets than in any other European country, but seriously two taps on the oppo-site side of the sink is too much. Either way you will burn your

hands, or freeze them out. Why not use one tap?

Even Brands are different than in any other European country. Opel is Vauxhall, Lay’s are Walkers, Panasonix is Panasonic and Elseve is El-

vive. Confusion also comes when you go to the shop asking for cheese, and you can only afford to choose from cheddar or... cheddar.

They drive on the other side of the road, drink tea with milk, and instead of metres they count feet, but maybe that is why so many people from different countries decide

to come and live here. It’s always best to embrace the changes.

International Love?

how are you?

Only Party till 3am!

Drinking games

immune to the cold!

Strange Sockets and

Taps!

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CULTURE26 - 27

Label Music’s Guide on

Like music? Yearning for experience in such a field? Then why not get into small scale events management. If you enjoy the odd concert, then the chance to create your own on an absolute budget is for you. Here is Label Music’s guide on launching your own gig.

To start off on such an endeavour, you’re going to need some friends who are musically inclined. If you know at least one performer then you can probably pull this off, be-cause chances are he’ll know someone else who would jump at the offer to perform. You could repeat this into a chain reaction, till lo and behold, you have a full line up!

It’s also worth thinking of what you’re going to name it. If it is an Indie night then quote a clever/pretentious book/film (e.g. Rum Diaries or Stranger Than Paradise) or if it is something heavier try a name that is a bit weirder sounding.

Now you’ve got some friends who are interested in playing and a name to suit, it’s time to find a venue. This sounds like a daunting and expensive task but if you live in a densely populated area then you almost certainly shouldn’t have too much trouble. My advice is: start small. Bars/clubs/pubs that have a function room with a small capacity are perfect for any crowd and selection of acts that you’ll probably be able to get on the first attempt. Once you have this then you’re ready to start promoting.

Thanks to the wonders of social networking and Photo-shop, it takes minutes to get an event page up on Face-book with a semi-professional looking poster accom-paniment. It takes another few minutes to invite anyone you know in the area and make sure anyone somehow involved in the night is doing likewise. Don’t stop at this, Skiddle, Ents 24, Songkick and many other respectful looking event guides are pretty easy at making you look like you suddenly control the internet to your friendship cir-cle. You can even sell these tickets with no set up charge if you set up properly.

On the night, make sure people leave the stage at the right time and enjoy the fact that everyone around has come because of you. Well, they came for their friend whose a bassist in the act you put at the bottom of the bill, but don’t let that damage your ego.

Best of luck on your attempts and who knows, if you keep it going for long enough, maybe one day you’ll be able to get an artist ‘Joe Public’ might have heard of!

Tim MossPaper Nights Collective Events Company

How to Launch Your Own Gig

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MUSIC28 - 29

It’s ChrIssstmaaaas!

5. Paul MCarTney – WOnDerful ChriSTMaS TiMe

2. BanD aiD – DO They knOW iT’S ChriSTMaS?

4. WiZZarD – WiSh iT COulD Be ChriSTMaS everyDay

3. MiChael BuBlÉ – ChriSTMaS (BaBy PleaSe COMe hOMe)

Without meaning to put a downer on the occasion, at Christmas it is easy to forget about the ongoing pain and suffering in other parts of the world. This is where my second choice comes in, a charity single written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, to raise money for a famine stricken Ethiopia. Geldof and Ure found enormous success with this, as the song soon became the biggest selling single in UK Singles Chart history, and of course became the Christmas Number 1 in 1984.

Don’t we all? Wizzard belt out the words we are all thinking at Christmas time. Un fortunately released the same year as my number one Christmas tune by Slade, and therefore missed out on the Christmas Number One, however it reached number four in the charts where it stayed for four consecutive weeks. While you’re putting the tinsel on your Christmas tree this year, stick this tune on to create an immediate yuletide atmosphere.

This is one track I can guarantee will be played in your home this Christmas, and if not, stick the radio on and you will hear it. This is an absolute classic Christmas track from the for-mer Beatle. The track found relative success reaching number six in the UK Singles Charts, however it is played copious amounts every year around Christmas.

1. SlaDe – Merry ChriSTMaS everyBODy

This track is simply, in my opinion, the best Christmas song to date. The up-beat tempo and energetic rhythm will create excitement in any household. Deservedly, this track earned the band the UK Christmas Number One slot in December 1973, where it stayed for 5 weeks. By December 1980 it had gone platinum, and in a 2007 poll it was voted the UK’s most popular Christmas song, undoubtedly a worthy winner.

What would a Christmas playlist be without a Bublé tune? Michael has done it again with a modern twist on an old classic originally sung by Darlene Love in 1963. A modern gem out of these traditional tracks to say the least. There is not much that Bublé cannot do, but Christmas music is something he does incredibly, and this song proves it.

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ella’s Top 5

What are the best ever Christmas songs of all time?

It’s ChrIssstmaaaas!

1. greg lake – i Believe in faTher ChriSTMaS

For me, this is the greatest Christmas song as it has been a family favourite in my household since I can remember. This is one of the most underrated Christmas songs as most people wouldn’t feature this in their top 10. However, it has everything a Christmas song needs: great lyrics, a brass band, bells and a choir – what more do you want!

2. The POgueS feaTuring kirSTy MaCCOll – fairyTale Of neW yOrk

The angriest Christmas song there could ever be, yet still sits firmly as one of the greatest and most recognisable songs for the holiday season. Bar Mariah Carey, I think this is the most played Christmas song (definitely in the union anyway!) and you can guarantee that you will hear this song on every radio station you tune into.

3. ChriS rea – Driving hOMe fOr ChriSTMaS

‘I’m driving home for Christmas, Oh I can’t wait to see those faces’ the opening line of the song, which nearly any student can relate to. Even if you don’t drive and are getting picked up to go home for the Christmas break, this song will always get a smile on your face! Chris Rea’s husky voice provides a great edge on this song and the catchy, upbeat tune gives it a real traditional Christmassy feel.

4. JOna leWie – STOP The Cavalry

Considering this was never intended to be a Christmas song, the brass section and the line ‘Wish I was at home for Christmas’ make this the Christmas hit it is today. The song peaked at number 3 in the charts in December 1980, only missing out on the top spot because of two re-issues of John Lennon songs after his death on the 8th of that month. Not your conventional Christmas song, yet put on that starting tune and try not to dance to it. Near impossible task!

What would a Christmas playlist be without Bing? This ultimate classic of a Christmas song has been played through generations for 70 years after its release in 1942 and is the best-selling physical single ever with over 50million sales worldwide. This song is the pinnacle of a Christmas playlist.

5. Bing CrOSBy – WhiTe ChriSTMaS

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Dan’s Top 5

as it’s nearing Christmas, the label Music editors go head to head, sharing their top 5 favourite Christmas songs of all time. Which playlist would you prefer?

Label Music

Playlist of the Fortnight Olly Murs – Trouble Maker

One Direction – Little Things

Labrinth ft Emeli Sande – Beneath Your Beautiful

Rudimental – Hell Could Freeze

James Morrison – This Boy

Iron and Wine – Each Coming Night

MUSIC30 - 31

As they proclaim, ‘Smashing music genres since 2003’, Enter Shikari have been one of the most talked about bands of 2012. They have been hugely successful this year with a new album ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ and a headline tour including stop offs on the way to some of the world’s biggest and best festivals. Music Editor Dan Nicholson had the chance to talk them in the midst of their tour in the USA, supporting Falling in Reverse.

EntEr Shikari

music meetslabel

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You’ve had a very busy year in 2012 with ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ becoming a top five album after its release in January, playing at some of Europe’s biggest festivals and a massive headlining tour of your own. Would you say this has been one of the biggest years for the band?

Yeah definitely, we weren’t ex-pecting the album to reach the top five obviously and we have had just an awesome summer playing at huge festivals and mostly on bigger stages which was great!

Following on from that, I saw you headline Evolution Festival in Newcastle a couple of years back, and then on the main stage at Leeds Festival this summer. How does it compare playing high up on a major festival main stage to headlining a smaller festival and which do you prefer?

Well, there are pros and cons to each to be honest, if you are headlining, you can enhance your shows by improving and adding your own production. Playing in the dark always gives a better atmosphere and allows you to put on a better light show. However, when it comes to the bigger festivals, we were not expecting to be playing main stage and it was awesome. The stages are much bigger and allow us to run around and be a bit more energetic and mad on stage. So, I would say we don’t really have a preference as they both have positives and nega-tives.

Do you have a favourite place to play?

I wouldn’t say we do, we take the same approach to every

gig. We appreciate any gig and when starting out we played in any place here and there, so we aim to please at every show and we put the same enthusiasm and energy into every show no matter where we play.

You have a big headline tour coming up in the UK this December with ‘A Flash Flood of Christmas’. This has had a lot of people talking about whether there will be any Christmas songs that will get the Enter Shikari treatment?

(Laughs) Well, as we’re in the US at the moment, we are starting to plan and organise the show. There will definitely be a Christmas feel surround-ing the show and possibly some of the songs may have a Christmas twist, but whether we will do any outright covers, I’m not sure.

A theme we are discussing at the moment is the issues of illegal downloading and I was wondering if you would like to share your views on this matter?

Well, with us, CD sales have never been a driving force; we have never been a band of such size where our income is based on record sales. Most of our money comes from the tours we put on and even then, most the money we make, we put back into our shows. We don’t feel like we are a band that needs to get into that battle. However, what I will say is that many people will happily pay over the odds for a cup of coffee which provides a few minutes of pleasure, but they are not willing to pay 99p or whatever for a song which can provide a satisfaction of emotions and has longevity

as it can be played over and over again. As a society, our values are messed up! But on the other hand, if you step out the eco system, music is an art form and I can see why people would not want to pay as I am a believer that art should be available to all.

Finally, I’ve been trying to ask all artists in interviews if they could pass on some knowledge. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to start up in the music industry?

Basically all I can say is what we went through. Take any and all opportunities for shows that you can, you never know who may be in the audience and who you may impress. Get your own sound and show, and be confident with this, don’t be afraid to experiment and most importantly, don’t become a carbon copy of your favourite band, music should be ripped up and added to! It makes it art.

MUSIC32 - 33

Pulsing Side-Plank

Nip your waist in this season by ensuring your body is in line whilst pushing your hips up and down for twenty reps before switching over to your other side. Maximise your burn by comple-ting this three times.

kneeling leg lift

To make sure you aren’t leaving your bum behind try kneeling leg lifts! Once you are on all fours lift your leg towards the ceiling, ensuring that your abdominals are engaged at all times. Try twenty on each leg in three sets to achieve the perfect bum.

Christmas Workout... Beat the Fes-tive Flab

It’s not hard to walk into the testosterone fuelled realms of Powerbase and feel intimidated by the hordes of burly males lifting double their body weight in iron. The first reaction would be to run away and hide from the squat rack but if you look closely you’ll find these so called gym fanatics making some very common mistakes.

‘I’m going to lose weight by sticking to cardio’

The age old myth that pounding the treadmill for the longevity of a gym ses-sion will shift the pounds and tone you up is just a myth. Although cardio-vascular work outs burn fat, if you stick to the same leisurely pace for 30 minutes and believe you are challenging your fat cells you’re wrong. Interval training and sprints are the best way to shed body mass, and don’t neglect the weights, they aren’t going to turn you into the incredible Hulk or a 1st Team Rugby player.

‘I can lift 10000Kg’, No, you are swinging your reps.

Nobody is impressed by those in the gym who have clearly tried to pick up a dumbbell too heavy and is proceeding to swing their reps as fast as they can to get it over and done with. Your muscles deserve to be fully pushed so slow down those reps engaging every fibre to ensure maximal growth and endurance.

Poor Posture

Everyone is guilty of reaching the final few reps and trying everything to make it seem a little more comfortable, or easier. In reality they’re only go-ing to make everything hurt more tomorrow; so if you’re squatting with poor posture expect your knees and back to tell you about it tomorrow! Check your form, engage your abs and keep your back straight.

‘I am ripped’ – Where are your legs?

It’s all so tempting to train the upper body every day in order to fill out those t-shirts for FND, but don’t neglect your biggest and strongest muscle group, your legs. By spending a little time on your legs, at the squat rack or dead lifting, you are challenging your whole body, not just muscles but your cardio-vascular system as well.

Ignoring your rest days

Despite wanting to make immediate gains ignoring your rest days can have a detrimental effect on your muscle percentage. Don’t shock your body into using your muscles as an energy source, take a well-earned rest.

Rebecca Oldham Sports Editor

Five Com-mon Mistakes you’re Making in the Gym.

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More than just the Olympics Of course 2012 was going to be a year of Olympic headlines – after all the London games had been all over the papers for the previous seven years, and in my opinion, deservedly so.

Although I am very pro-Olympics, I feel for all of the sport that has missed out on its deserved attention because of the year it’s fallen on. Below is a list of some of the best sporting achievements this year has seen outside the 2012 games.

At the time, Novak Djokovic winning the Men’s Grand Slam at the Austral-ian Open in January was big news. 2012 was supposed to be the year of Andy Murray, but he was knocked out in the semi-finals. However, Murray redeemed Britain’s faith in Tennis when he won the US Open off the back of an Olympic Gold Medal where he beat Federer in the final only weeks previous.

It’s hard to believe that it was only in February of this year that John Bish-op made the whole country incredibly proud to be British by completing the ‘Week of Hell’ as he ran, swam, and cycled 290 miles from Paris to London for Sports Relief, raising an incredible 3.4 million on the way. With the new Premier League season well under way, does anyone except from the Manchester City fans re-member the dramatic last day of the 2011/12 season? Being a United fan, I for one have brushed that one under the carpet. The two injury time goals to give City the league was enough to leave many a United fan heartbroken.

June saw Poland and the Ukraine jointly hosting Euro 2012, a football tournament that seemed to get caught up in Olympic preparations. Spain managed to come out on top, beating Italy quite comfortably in the final, 4-0.

August saw Rory McIroy win the PGA World Championship setting a record victory margin set in 1980 by Jack Nicklaus.

Peter Eriksson replaced Charles van Commenee as the new Head of Athletics, and Paula Dunn filled Eriks-son’s position as Head of Paralympic Athletics.

We also shouldn’t forget the contro-versy surrounding Lance Armstrong’s retirement from cycling after being accused of doping throughout his career, which is expected to ‘change the face of cycling’.

And as for English Cricket... maybe 2013 will be their year?

A year ofSport

Chloe HemmingsSports Editor

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SPORT34 - 35

2012In what has been an extraordinary 2012 for British Sport, Label Sport tells us who they think should win team, and individual of the year.

SPORTS PERSONALITY

Chloe Hemmings Sports Editor

Rebecca OldhamSports Editor

GB CyclistsTeam GB’s performance over the summer was a fairly incredible feat, not least that of the Cycling team. Coming away with an incredible medal haul of eight Gold, two Silver and two Bronze, the team delivered more medals than any other British Olympic team this summer and that doesn’t even cover the Paralympics cycling success. This surpassed UK Sport’s target of six to ten medals across all four disciplines – track, road, BMX and mountain bike. From a time trial Gold from Bradley Wiggins off the back of his Tour de France win only a week previous, to Laura Trott becoming a household name, British Cycling made a huge name for themselves.

Ryder Cup The European Ryder Cup team have an incredible chance of the team sports personality prize after taking the title 14 ½ to 13 ½ in Medinah after a dramatic final day show down. America faced inevitable victory, going into the last day only requiring four points out of a possible twelve to retain the title; but in a shock turn of events and some composed play, Europe snatched the win of the year as Martin Kaymer sunk his 5ft putt. Equally magnificent performances were seen from the likes of wildcard Ian Poulter, and Rory McIroy who both faced

O F T H E YEARTEAM

WINNER?

extreme adversity. This victory stateside was made even more prominent by the way the team dedicated it to the late Seve Ballesteros.

If any team deserves the accolade this year it would be the European Ryder Cup Team.

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After being crowned the first ever British Tour de France winner, Bradley Wiggins went on to secure Olympic Gold in the time trial at the 2012 Games, making his achievements as good as any in this year’s contest.

We were reminded of the disarray that the sport of cycling has overcome in October by the stripping of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong’s titles, but Wiggins has emerged as a new symbol in a new era for the sport.

Few candidates have been more effective at inspiring both the current and future generations to take up sport – British Cycling has reported a 100% increase in membership, and retail

In my opinion, Andy Murray is the strongest contender having achieved so much this year. Murray has had an amazing year, from coming heart-wrenchingly close to winning Wimbledon 2012 to winning gold and silver Olympic medals at London 2012, Murray has shown how improved his game is and he has put himself amongst the top.

He topped all this success off with winning his first Grand Slam in a tightly fought US Open Final against Novak Djokovic, becoming

Jess Ennis was the face of Team GB Athletics before the Olympics had even started this year. It seemed like the British media and advertising agencies had already decided she was going to win Gold at the Olympics.

The reason I believe Ennis should win SPOTY is that there were few athletes with as much pressure on them as Ennis. The fact that Ennis was able to cope with being labelled a ‘favourite’ by the media for months before the

INDIVIDUAL WINNER?

Bradley WIGGINS

Jessica ENNIS

Andy MURRAY

spending on bikes, equipment and servicing is up 15% compared to twelve months ago.

Last year Mark Cavendish took the prize in a moderately run contest, but the standard of this year’s field is truly exceptional. Ladbrokes have already paid out on Wiggins winning this year’s title, and whilst little would provide greater satisfaction than seeing them forced into a double payout, it can’t be favoured at the expense of seeing Bradley Wiggins crowned Sports Personality of the Year.

Olympics and still had the bottle to win was impressive. The way in which Ennis won it was even more remarkable, she managed to break the record for the 100m Hurdles in the Heptathlon, finish with her highest ever points tally (6955) and break the national record. If that’s not enough to win her the award, I’m not sure what is!

the first British man in over seventy years to win a singles Grand Slam. In addition, throughout all this we have all seen a once reserved Murray develop into an emotional and inspiring sportsman.

It has been a remarkable year for Murray, the best in his career to date; surely this year is his to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

SPORT36 - 37

After such a suc-cessful year, it’s no surprise that the Men’s Tennis team are Label

Sport’s Team of the Year. Recently becoming European Champions after hard fought Euro-pean Collegiate Tennis Association Finals, the team have built on their success of BUCS and have picked up a change in coaching personnel in Tom Kisiel along the way.

Captained by third year student Scott Whit-bread, the team travelled to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, where they faced the highly regarded German Sport University of Cologne in the final, facing Stirling (8-4) in the quarters and Dublin in the semi-final along the way.

The invitation-only competition is a combi-nation of individual and doubles matches; with Loughborough’s Myles O’Meally, Lucas Poelman and Scott Whitbread all winning their singles games.

Following a closely fought defeat by Lucas Poelman and David Scales, the pairing of Whitbread and Triston Farron-Mahon sealed the title in the subsequent game. The pair are yet to lose a single game since their two-year partnership began.

It was an excellent performance and one which deserves our Team of the Year award. After all, there are few teams even at Loughborough who can claim to be European Champions!

To pick the Loughborough Sportsman of the year is a tough decision; in an institution such as ours there are simply so many choices to pick from. The focus of the award is for someone who has dedicated themselves to their AU club and been a great example for Loughborough Sport. George Williams has been that person. ‘Willo’ as he is known by most, was made captain of the team in 2012 and lead the men’s first team to the Midland Alliance League Cup and was part of the BUCS gold winning side last year. Williams is one of the most versatile members of the first team squad, he has the ability to play along the backline or in midfield. This just highlights his technical ability, and extensive understanding for the game.

Williams, formerly of MK Dons has made quite the impres-sion on the team, not just by his own ability but the attitude he brings to the club. He is a true leader who doesn’t take his foot off the pedal at any time and is always looking to improve. Eric Ramsay (First team assistant coach) told label ‘There couldn’t be anyone more deserving in my eyes, he’s an asset to the football programme and he’s had a huge hand in the first team’s success since his ar-rival in Loughborough.’ This just goes to show that George Williams, the player and the leader, is truly worthy of this award.

Individual GeorGe WilliamsCaptain of mens 1st team football Team of the Year

men’s tennis

James PlowrightChloe HemmingsScott Whitbred

loughboroughSportS perSonality

of the Year

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