2012 1

Latest News from Your Student Union RAG DAY Essentials Bringing you the best of Bridgwater College

Contents:
RAG Day. 20th December Your Student Union Your NEW Student Union Christmas TimeMistletoe and Wine Secret Santa Oxjam Review NUS Demo 2012 The uprising of Tumblr Health and Fitness Our Christmas playlist

RAG Day Traditions

RAG day has been a long running tradition in the UK and other countries. The aim is to raise money for charity through entertainment, to encourage people to be more charitable. "An act of ragging; esp. an extensive display of noisy disorderly conduct, carried on in defiance of authority or discipline" Now...its translated as

Raise and Give

The biggest RAG Raid record is held currently by Loughborough Students' RAG - who with 118 collectors raised 62,126.26 in London for the Poppy Appeal in November 2011. So do you think we can beat them? Maybe its time to think less of about drink and more about those around us this Christmas.

Around 30,000 people are diagnosed with a blood cancer in the UK every year.
At any one time Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research have: 65 million committed to life-saving research

To provide high quality specialist palliative care for whoever needs it, whenever and wherever it By investing in the best UK research into blood cancer is needed in Somerset and surrounding borders.
we aim to find a cure for all these diseases and improve the quality of life for all patients touched by leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and related conditions. http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/

260 active research projects around the UK to beat blood cancer

Our Mission and Aspiration

Strategic Objectives
Reaching more patients with specialist palliative care needs Maximising the use of our resources Broaden our funding base

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition which affects around 100,000 people in the UK. Most people are diagnosed between the
ages of 20-40, but it can affect younger and older people too. Almost twice as many women have MS as men. Our local charity for fundraising is St Margarets Its complex, and has many symptoms. Hospice, who raise money for local people in Most people won't experience them all, certainly not need. Picture above is the shop in Bridgwater so at the same time. Symptoms might include fatigue, vision problems and difficulties with walking, but MS is different for everyone. There are lots of options for treating and managing MS. They include drug treatments, exercise and physiotherapy, diet and alternative therapies.

as youre passing the array of pubs in Bridgwater make sure you head in this place, never know what vintage delights you might find. http://www.somerset-hospice.org.uk/

http://www.mssociety.org.uk/

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY DO?

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If you didnt already know there is a Student Union in Bridgwater College, making decisions which directly affect you! Most of you probably see us chilling in the office chatting over a cup of tea, but we do a lot more than this, stuff which you guys may not notice. So check out who your leading voices are and what theyll be covering this year...
Name: Georgia Hodges Position: President (1)
The role consists of me managing a team of people and throughout the year making sure people are carrying out their individual roles correctly and most importantly, on time! I have to watch over everything and liaise between staff, students and executives. The jobs delegated to the rest of the team are all to benefit you as student, because as a union our goal is to make student life at the College as best as it can be. As well as this, the job specifies I must be a Student Governor. Here I must attend meetings and report to them student issues we may have and then pass back the relevant details to the rest of the union members to make change happen! I want to make this year at College an active, productive and most importantly a fun year to experience.

Name: Emma Baker Position: Vice President (2)

As Vice President my most important jobs are internal to the Student Union. Each officer has their post to fulfil and it is partially my responsibility that I make sure everyone is on task so that we can progress as your union. Taking the

minutes of our meetings, keeping on top of our files and having frequent updates from NUS (National Union of Students) means I can ensure if any important campaigns, events or ideas are passed forward to us, that they are suggested to our officers. If you have any ideas youd like to share or query with us, be sure to get in touch so I can help you and direct you to the officer youll need.

Name: Lucy Williams Position: Clubs and Societies (8)

I joined the Student Union because I wanted to express my voice, get other voices around the College heard and to make changes to the College which will make your time here the best imaginable. I aim to start up more activities and clubs for all students interested in just having some fun in the things which you may not necessarily wish to pursue in later life. I am excited about the next year and hope as a member of the team do the best job possible. Clubs we are looking into setting up are things like book club, Anime club and even a zumba club!

Name: Beaujolais Bussell Position: Treasurer (3)

Throughout the year I will be in charge of the Student Unions finance, budgets and accounts ensuring that all the right money is spent on you. For certain College parties we may spend more money at one time, like the end of year party, which we usually pay out more to celebrate the fantastic year we have had at College. Other things which we spend our money on are things like Freshers Fair, conferences and campaigns. Last year BCSU funded the travel costs to go to the higher education fair at UWE, as we felt every student should have the opportunity to go.

Name: Beth Ridler Position: Welfare Officer (9)

As soon as I heard about the student union and the work that they do I was instantly interested in running for a position to help get others and my own opinions and ideas heard. I chose to run for the position of welfare as I have always been interested in the good fortune and happiness of others. This year I hope to help make people feel comfortable at college. I also hope to support and further publicise things that they College are already doing to help students.

Name: Tyler Holdom Position: Equality and Diversity Officer (4)

I encourage equality around the College and together as a union we work hard to protect the nine protected characteristics. Name: Victor Medeiros I ran for this position because I think equality is very topical, and an essential aspect which we need to promote in our col- Position: Hub Officer (10) I decided to do this due to the amount of time I spend around lege. Im always happy to help. this area at College, it's a very relaxing area where I can enjoy talking to friends and move away from studies for a short Name: Harrison Whitehouse while. My key role as Hub Officer is to make sure that the Hub Position: Publicity Officer (5) is clean and everything is in order as well as make sure everyI publicise all the events which you guys will need to know one is enjoying themselves. To do this I try my best to listen to about throughout the year, from the College parties which we peoples opinion on how the Hub could improve! For example hold every half-term, to the clubs and societies and campaigns we have recently bought new gaming consoles and currently which are held within the College. This role requires interest undergoing application for a new sound system for you guys in and skill in the field of things like Photoshop to edit and dethe hub! signing posters. If you need anything posted up on the walls, to advertise an event or a club, either internal or external, Name: Kayleigh Edwards please dont hesitate to pop in the student union.

Position: Department Officer (11)

Name: Dan Neenan Position: Campaigns Officer (6)

In this roll youll find yourself setting up some events with the potential to change how things are run. Not too long ago the Union got involved in the Get On The Bus campaign, a petition to help lower bus prices in Somerset, as well as some smaller campaigns around College such as Vote for 16 and the Return of the Spicy Chicken Burger to our colleges restauName: Jazmin Hodges rants. But dont think youll be alone in this role as every memPosition: Honorary (12) ber of the student union works as a team, for each other and The position of honorary is an internal role which is available for the College. to anyone who shows initiative and has an interest in being involved in the union. As I spent more time with the union Name: Zoe Vearncombe members I gradually became more involved. After seeing the Position: Entertainments Officer (7) different things the union offered, I wanted to formally be a As Entertainments officer, I have to arrange the College parpart of the team so I could have a role of my own. The title ties, ensure the venue is booked, tickets are designed and we doesnt have specific requirements, just the general assistance have music there, of course! As Im sure youve heard College in areas that may need an extra help or more ideas J parties are pretty impressive here at the College with recent acts such as Pendulum and Ms Dynamite creating a storm... Anything is possible!

This is a new role bought to BCSU this year and it is to try and bring a balanced and fairly represented cross College voice onto the union. There are four departments within the College curriculum and we have one student from each area to represent their department. These four students liaise with me to ensure their voice is heard as I can pass on any problems, ideas or opinions to the rest of the team.

Bridgwater College Student Union recently had their student elections and your new union already have a lot of plans and ideas already for the next College year.
But do you know who we all are?

President Katie Adams

I am the Prime Representative of the Union and liase with the College over any matter affecting students and participate fully in Executive Committee Meetings.

Vice President Ellie Sims

I organise and publicise all of the union meetings and ensure everything is efficient and safe.

Treasurer Tabitha Duncan

I regulate the expenditure and ensure that all accounts are presented to the board of governors.

Campaigns Officer Alice Horn

I develop existing and new campaigns that raise awareness for the students.

Clubs & Societies Stacey Tizzard

I encourage existing clubs and societies but also develop new ones too and Im responsible for Freshers Fair and Student Magazine.

Hub Officer Imogen White

Im responsible for Common Room areas and look after the equipment.

Equality and Diversity Officer Michaela Meeking

I ensure all students are treated equally regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, disability, age, and religion.

Department Officer Ashleigh Bell

I liaise with all departments across the College Forum to make sure all views are heard and recognised.

Publicity Officer Lily Rowland

I publicise all events and ensure they are monitored and distributed to all faculties.

Entertainments Officer Billy Jacques Parker

I establish and maintain contact with NUS and organise the College parties.

Welfare Officer Shannen Trout

I ensure that the welfare of all students is maintained and raise awareness of welfare issues, such as safe sex and drug/alcohol abuse.

We hope that as a team we can make your experience at Bridgwater College the best it can be and feel free to speak to any of us in the Student Union at any time.

Secret Santa
Christmas; that time of year you spend terrorising shop floors and desperately looking for that perfect present, though half the time youre racking your brain about what exactly that perfect present will be. Unsurprisingly, after tacking on spending limits, what NOT to get and avoiding the decision of buying the same box of chocolates as last year, you are left with that mustard coloured jumper your Grandma got you last Winter and the mouldy sandwich youve stashed behind the biscuit tin (Yep, you really have exhausted youre presentinventing brain).
So, I declare the only way to get out of that rut is to go original; original, personal and creative and something that wont break the bank. But most importantly something that these people wont forget, after all bear in mind that for some us this is our last whole Christmas spent with friends and family.

COLLAGE
A collage of photos or images never goes wrong as a present, its original, creative and best of all brings a smile to the face. Simply find a photo frame, that way they can place it anywhere without it becoming ruined, or you can just use a piece of cardboard or canvas. Next, choose your pictures: the best ones, the worst ones and the embarrassing ones and arrange them in a collage. Perhaps add your own comments, really personalise it and show how much you value their friendship.

Expense: You can easily find a decent frame for 99p.

NOTES
For the romantics out there, how about a collection of songs, quotes or general messages of love with a packet of Sweethearts thrown in there for good measure, to show that special person just what they mean to you.

Expense: Depending on what you choose 0p - 5.

JAFFA CAKES
Now for the guys, dont ask but Ive discovered that a packet of Jaffa Cakes is enough.

Expense: 1
Or you could just go for the old humour card and joke present. Expense: totally worth it for the laughs.

TREASURE CHEST
Or the treasure chest. Pick out a box, any size, and fill it with things the person you are giving it to likes. For example: friendship pictures, pet pictures, something to represent their future career, a CD of their favourite songs, something to represent a moment in the past, maybe even their favourite cookie.

Expense: 5 - 10
However, if all else fails chocolate never goes wrong. Chocolate and Alcohol. By Michaela Franks

Dont they know its Christmas Time?

With all the craze about Christmas its easy to forget that there are people and religions that do not celebrate Christmas, nor recognise it as a holiday at all. When speaking of Christmas its important to remember there are two types of Christmas; the Christmas that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and the commercial Christmas, the one in which it is just a time to bring out the decorations and exchange presents, while listening to Band Aids Do They Know Its Christmas on repeat.

Jehovahs Witnesses are perhaps the most widely known to not recognise Christmas as a holiday. As a Christian sect, meaning they belong to a branch of Christianity and although hold the same basic beliefs, there may be differences in customs, liturgy and organisation. One of the main beliefs is that there is no such thing as Trinity (The Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit) and that Jesus and God are separate entities; God being the Almighty, the Creator and the Father of Jesus, hence they only worship God and not Jesus. So now you know a little background, lets explain why they do not celebrate Christmas. As you may or may not know (well its true, some kids think that we celebrate Christmas in aid of Simon Cowells birthday) the 25th December is the birthday of Jesus, however the Bible says to commemorate his death, NOT his birth. Jehovah Witnesses also do not celebrate Christmas because of its many Pagan origins, true Christians do not celebrate holidays based on false Gods.

As well as Jehovah Witnesses, Judaism does not celebrate Christmas either. Judaism is the religion and way of life of the Jewish people and its main belief is that God appointed the Jews to be his chosen people in order to set an example of holiness to the rest of the world. They do not celebrate Christmas for the simple fact that it is a Christian holiday; the difference between Christians and Jews is that Christians believe Jesus was the messiah who was sent to save us all and die for our sins; the Jewish people are still waiting for that messiah to come, hence they do not celebrate Christmas (the birth of Jesus).

Muslims do not celebrate Christmas as a holiday as it is a Christian holiday and not part of their religion. However there may be some Muslims who celebrate the commercial Christmas which it is not related to religion, but the whole idea of spending time with the family and giving gifts.

Along with the religions mentioned, there are many others that do not celebrate Christmas, whether that is because Jesus Christ is not part of their beliefs or because they have differing views on Jesus himself.

When shopping is hell and the weather is cold, its best to appreciate all the films and food at this time of year.
As well as religions, one has to remember that there are non-religious people who do not celebrate Christmas. This may be because by the time theyve been bombarded by Christmas decorations and destroyed their ears from the repetition of Christmas songs in the shops, they may be sick of the whole thing. It might also be because they cant be bothered with the whole thing and believe it a waste of time. Whatever their beliefs, we must always be respectful and remember

Happy Holidays Everyone.

By Michaela Franks

Personally Oxjam is my favourite College party. It appeals to those students who enjoy great local music without the generic grinding of the usual College party.
This years Oxjam College party raised an impressive total of 1713.44 for Oxfam.
The night kicked off with Colleges very own band- playing great rock classics setting the standard to a night . Local acts that followed included Drewbag- a three piece hip-hop/ acoustic rock group who never fail to make people move and although there was no sign of Mr Mellow, it was undoubtedly a sick set from the trio. Bridges alternative sound and tight harmonies evoked compliments all round, their catching melodies and cool presence certainly didnt disappoint. Shoot the moon closed the night, their skarocka genre was new to some people, and following their to quote- insane set last year, I knew people was once again appreciate their individual style.

cess. Sets from Heartwood, Michael Goodwin, Natalie Williams, Lucy Williams and Lily Rowland and a class closing set from Rhiane Hacker- were very well received. We will definitely open up Kazbah to the more laid back of students.

After reviewing last years Oxjam we decided to open Kazbah as an acoustic stage, so there would be a place to sit and enjoy great music in a more relaxed environment. This was a great suc-

Volunteers handed out badges, stickers and thrust money pots in people faces on the night, not to mention a massive sixty-five quid raised selling a pound for a kiss,-BCSUs elect President Katie Adams and Imogen White forced themselves onto innocent passer byes, but it was for a good causeso its fine. I think all who attended would agree Oxjam was a great night, raising money for a great cause, and if you missed it: open your mind to the possibility that theres other great music outside Dubstep. Written by Zoe Vearncombe, Entertainments Officer

This autumn, students and supporters will take to the streets of central London calling for a new generation of activists to set an agenda for the next general election. Liam Burns, NUS President said, Youve got a lot to be angry about. Youve had your education systematically attacked across the board by the coalition. And even if you get to the other end, what have you got to look forward to?

Youth unemployment is at an all-time high, getting on the property ladder is next to impossible and we dont even have the safety net of pensions to look forward to any more.
In a year in which there are no votes in parliament and no legislation coming before politicians, its about time we started setting the agenda. Nick Cleggs recent apology for not keeping to his governments promises I feel is nowhere near sufficient compensation! If we dont demand that politicians listen to us well be ignored, so Bridgwater College Students Union is trying to gather the support of its students, as well as taking a handful of them to London on November 21st 2012 to make the difference we know we can achieve as a unified nation.

march it seemed like a well humoured affair compared to the protests/riots that took places in 2010. The protestors followed the designated route and there didnt appear to be any trouble caused on the march. The rain caused some upset with the protesters however, causing a few of the number to disperse. The march ended at Kennington Park with a rally and messages from the NUS President, Liam Burns. By this time the crowd had started to lose faith and numbers had been estimated to have fallen to less than a thousand. The rain probably didnt help the crowds attitude and probably only aggravated them more. During Burns speech he was heckled and pelted with eggs. The anti-NUS group, accusing the NUS of poor leadership, stormed the stage and interrupted Liam Burns speech which he then proceeded to try finish by megaphone from the crowd. Despite the final events of the day Liam Burns felt confident with how the protest went:

November 21st NUS Demo 2012

It was an early start for everyone going up to London, but the idea of marching through London with other students campaigning for the same thing was enough to keep our moods high. The journey to College was arduous enough through some of the worst weather weve seen this year. This delayed our initial set off by at least an hour as we waited for the others to arrive. After who was in charge of the money in each car we set off towards London. The rain and general conditions on the roads made joining the motorway a taxing task. As well as the hard rain, difficulties with the defogger in the car meant that visibility from the car was severely hindered. Making it past Bristol and up towards Gloucester, passing numerous cars that had gotten into accidents, we finally had to stop and turn around. The conditions were just too rough. From the other reports, it sounds as though other Colleges and universities were having similar difficulties as us. For the thousands that braved the weather to turn up to the

"It was an amazing day. Thank you to everyone that came out to march on the streets and all others that supported online. But the campaign is not over yet" Liam Burns, NUS President.
NUS are still pushing forward the message educate, employ, empower and have a series of events and campaigns being ran over the next few months and years.

The Upcoming Social Site

Many of us now spend our time on popular Social Networking Sites, either Tweeting, Blogging or typing up a Status update, whilst friending or following people we either know vaguely or know nothing about. We can now also Like random topics or agendas and track the trend by checking the Trend Chart. However, over the past couple of years, a new form of social networking has gathered up from the ashes of those that once were the site to be a part of (Aka Bebo, MySpace), becoming one of the most current websites to post your interests, equally in work and personal use. A combination of Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, uniting all the best tools and features of the major conglomerates. I, personally, have been with Tumblr for over a year, constantly creating and modernizing new accounts and blogs, posting anything that takes my fancy with a few clicks of a button. Now that it has over 72 MILLION blogs and with 32.5 billion posts to view from, its so easy to become addicted to the sites uses for both information and entertainment, whether its about the hottest Goss in the Celeb world or the latest hilarious GIFS created. Especially when you can access it from many devices including your mobile phone and your tablets. Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything, meaning you can post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos, with the capability to customize everything, from colours to

your theme's HTML. If you want to find something specific, you can search the site through Tags, quickly finding the post you were looking for. You can then Reblog as your post or store it in your Likes, where you can refer to it at anytime. Or if you want to Follow your friends, you can find then through Facebook search app, comparing email addresses through both the sites accounts. It can work the other way round, publishing your Tumblr posts on either your Facebook Wall or your Twitter Timeline. And instead of having one blog per account, you can create as many as you like with reason.

Check it out. Be part of the modern society of social networking and join the fun.
Emily Grace

Dont Be Silly Wrap Your W lly

Want to avoid picking up a nasty S.T.I? and get all the information you can before you Or maybe postpone becoming a young go on any type of birth-control it is important that you know! parent? The best protection against these repercussions is to use a condom! Condoms? Condoms are the best protection availa- Condoms are expensive these days but are defible against S.T.Is and as a massive plus nitely worth the money! You can also collect a can prevent pregnancy if used properly. C card which is available from most doctors
practices and CASH (Chlamydia and Sexual Health) clinics but you can also pick one up What is Safe Sex? from college, just come and see us in the union Safe sex is just that, completely safe from all woroffice or if you would rather visit the health cories. When you feel ready to have sex with a partcoordinator. A C card allows you to collect a ner, it should be worry-free, enjoyable, and exciting. free batch of condoms 10 times throughout the By practicing safe sex, you are protecting yourself year containing whatever sizes and designs of from S.T.Is, and possibly pregnancy! (Condoms condoms you would desire. Surely thats a noarent as complicated as people these days think; brainer right? There seems to be this consenjust a pinch of the nib, and a slow drag of the condom down the penis. sus of opinion that the man should always provide the condoms when there could be sex on the agenda, but thats ridiculous! Look after number one; if that means that you girls out there carry a light-weight condom around in your purse then so be it, you dont want to be left empty-handed when it comes to sex! If a boy refuses to wear a condom=girls dont do it to yourselves your only putting your own health at risk! And guys if a girl wants you to have sex without a condom=just dont its not embarrassing to say no and its just common sense!

Birth-control?

There are soo many forms of birth-control out there and it can seem really hard to make a decision! But dont waste time! If you want to go on a form of birth-control then do it! Just go by to your doctors and ask, dont be scared or embarrassed, you could even take an ally with you if you would like to! But trust me the doctors talked about this with teenagers millions of times I can assure you! Just dont waste time

If theres only one thing you take from this I hope it is that you can still have a passionate sex life and be safe at the same time! And if you have any queries about anything to do with sex or any surrounding issues then do not hesitate to get in touch with your doctor or local sexual health clinic! By Michaela Meeking

ChristmasChristmas miniRecipes Mince Pies

Ingredients

350g/12oz high quality mincemeat, preferably homemade 200g/7oz plain flour, sifted 40g/1oz golden caster sugar 75g/2oz ground almonds 125g/4oz unsalted butter, diced 1 large free-range egg, beaten milk, to glaze

muffins
Ingredients

200g/7oz self-raising flour, sifted 100g/3oz golden caster sugar 100ml/3fl oz sunflower oil 75ml/2fl oz milk 1 large free-range egg 50g/1oz qood quality dark chocolate, chopped 1 heaped tbsp high quality mincemeat 50g/1 oz good quality white chocolate, chopped 50g/1oz dried (or fresh) cranberries

Preparation method
1. Lightly butter a 12-hole pie or patty tin. Tip the mincemeat into a bowl and stir so that the liquid is evenly distributed. 2. Place the flour, sugar, almonds and butter in a food processor and process briefly until resembling breadcrumbs, then slowly add the egg through the feeder tube. (Or rub the butter into the dry ingredients by hand and stir in the egg.) 3. Bring the mixture together with your hands, wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour or so. Thinly roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, large enough to fill the base of the prepared tin. Press gently into each hole, then fill with the mincemeat. 4. Cut out another 12 slightly smaller discs and use to cover the mincemeat. Press the edges together to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each, then brush lightly with milk. Chill for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. 5. Bake the pies for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and serve warm.

Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and put 24 minimuffin cases inside a mini-muffin tin. 2. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl, then make a well in the centre. Whisk together the oil, milk and egg and slowly pour into the bowl, stirring gently. Divide this mixture between two bowls. In one bowl add the dark chocolate and mincemeat. Add the white chocolate and cranberries to the other bowl. Stir very gently. 3. Divide the two mixtures among the 24 muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and risen. 4. Remove the muffins to a wire rack and eat warm.

Christmas Playlist

Music
Lady GagaChristmas Tree Spinal TapChristmas with the Devil The Pogues-Fairy-tale of New York Band AidDo they Know its Christmas? Jackson 5-Santa Claus is Coming to Town Gene Autry-Frosty the Snowman Eartha Kitt-Santa Baby Frank Sinatra-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Michael Bubl-Cold December Night Perry Como-Its Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas Taylor Swift-Last Christmas Mr Hanky-The Christmas Poo

Film
Bridget Jones Diary The Muppets Christmas Carol Miracle on 34th Street Polar Express Home Alone The Nightmare Before Christmas Scrooged Elf Gremlins The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Love, Actually Black Christmas Its A Wonderful Life Die Hard Bad Santa Jack Frost Bad Santa

Media Academy 3
Interested in working with Creative students? 3 Schools - 3 opportunities to work hand-in-hand with Bridgwater College students who will provide a comprehensive service for any promotional and informational briefs for small and local businesses. Mission. To provide a balance between education and a professional working environment within the Creative Industries Description A Bridgwater College Academy. The Academy consists of 3 Schools - Journalism School, Production School and Design School. The core nature of the Schools will be to work together on live briefs to provide a comprehensive service for professional clients and create a real working

environment for those student wishing to pursue a career within the Creative Industries.

FB: Media Academy3

T: @MAcademy3

W:http://mediaacademy3. wordpress.com/

Meetings held every Wednesday 5pm till 7pm