The Informer 2015 - The Bishop`s Stortford High School

THE INFORMER
The Bishop’s Stortford High School
NICE TO MEET
HUW
Huw Edwards is an award winning
broadcast journalist, presenter and
news reader, presenting Britain’s most
watched news programme, BBC’s 10
o’clock news.
On the 13th October, Mr Edwards visited the TBSHS as a guest speaker, talking to the Sixth Form during an afternoon citizenship session. The Informer
Interview Team were able to catch him
for a brief interview to ask him about his
work and experiences.
2015
cast journalism.
INTERVIEW
Olly: How did you become a journalist?
Huw: I did want to become a journalist
when I was at school so I started editing
the school newspaper. I was helping out
with hospital radio and I got involved in
my local commercial radio station as
work experience but I didn’t think I’d
make it as a full time journalist.
‘I started editing the school
newspaper’
In those days, which is more than 30
years ago, I thought I’d become a teachThe interview contains advice from Huw er but I didn’t get rid of the [journalism]
for aspiring journalists, including how to bug, so I applied for a trainee course at
strengthen a profile in order to improve the BBC and I had a go. I was obviously
lucky because I got a place on that
the chances of landing a job in broadcourse and that’s how it started. The
In This Issue:
Huw Edwards visits TBSHS

How to cope with
stress

Agony Aunt

Punny jokes

SHOWCASE

School sport
reason I got a place on the course was because I had helped
out with the school newspaper and hospital and commercial
radio. I think that kind of experience does help.
quite a few areas. To get out of Tripoli we couldn’t take the road
journey back because the road was too dangerous, so the only
way out was either to try and
pay someone to take us by
That’s what probably got me a place on the BBC course and a boat across the Mediterranean
2-year contract and I’ve never left, which is either a good or a
or to wait for a flight out of Tripbad thing, depending on what you believe.
oli airport, but there were no
flights. We sat there with thouMatt: What is the best advice you could give to a student who is
sands of other people, and
interested in a career in broadcast journalism?
eventually a Turkish airlines
plane showed up out of noHuw: The first advice I would give to anyone who is interested
in a career in broadcast journalism is to do something about it I where and there was chaos,
but that’s sort of the advantage
of working for a big media orThe first advice I would give to anyone who is
interested in a career in broadcast journalism is ganisation - the tickets can be
bought elsewhere. You could
to do something about it
see the queue for the tickets, it
f you’re at the kind of school where you can show your talents, was hundreds of people! I didn’t feel like I was in imminent danin terms of news writing, editing or looking for stories. Showing ger, but it was not very pleasant to say the least. You look at
the people around you and you think ‘you’re far luckier than
that you’ve got some kind of interest – that’s the first thing. It
they are’ – so it’s all relative isn’t it?
helps if you go to a university where you can get involved in
what the student university does. For example, television staJake: Do you feel that incidents like the phone hacking scandal
tions, radio stations, that kind of thing. Choose your subjects for
and the Leveson inquiry have improved the standards of jouryour academic study quite carefully and don’t be tempted into
nalism in our country, or do you think that the problems that
thinking you have to do a course in media studies - you don’t.
were raised i still inherent today?
Very often employers prefer a
traditional degree from a good Huw: I think it shone a very bright light on what parts of the
university and they will then
press do, which no one would applaud. I’d like to think that the
train you rather than pick up
press is cleaned up its act in the meantime – I’d like to think
on training you’ve already
that. There are still revelations being made about phone hackhad. For example, someone
ing, the Leveson inquiry came up with some very strong recomwith a degree in geography
mendations and we’re still waiting for some of those to be imfrom a good university can happily apply for [a job in broadcast plemented. The press, of course, objected to the form of regulajournalism]. There are some very good courses in the UK which tion that Leveson put forward. So, it’s difficult as a broadcaster,
will give you a very good chance of getting a good job. There
to be honest, to be casting impartial comments on what parts of
are quite a few universities which offer this post-graduate diplo- the press are doing.
ma – they will give you a good level of training and then you are
in a very strong position for getting a good job.
‘
’
Oscar: I’d read on the Telegraph website a bit about your travels in which you’ve said that your worst travel experience was
in Tripoli. What’s your clearest memory of that trip?
Huw: So this isn’t so long ago- the end of 2012 I think? The
strongest memory was the journey in, because we had to take
flights to lots of places.
‘Strongest memory was the journey’
‘Certainly members of the public will think that
journalists generally were up to no good’
We do think that we’re in a very different place to them, because by law we are obliged to work in a way which is different
to them. We are obliged to try and be balanced, but newspapers don’t have to.
So I feel that we’re in a different area of the industry, but overall, there’s no question that the phone hacking thing caused a
lot of damage to journalism generally. Certainly members of the
public will think that journalists generally were up to no good,
and we are unfairly dragged into that kind of thing.
Then, there was an 18-hour drive from Tunisia across the border into Libya and the drive from the Libya border to Tripoli
wasn’t very… relaxing. The area was quite ‘troubled’ but we got Jake: If you knew that when you started, would it have discouraged you from considering the career you have?
there. This was a few days after Gaddafi was killed so there
was a lot of turmoil and a real sense of tension - violence in
Huw: No, because I think that I was never that interested in
working in print media to be honest. I was always excited
by the prospect of working in broadcast media – either
radio or television (there was no online in those days) because I like the immediacy of broadcasting and I like the
element of speaking to people and I like the challenge of
getting complex stories down into concise form, which is
quite a challenge. So I
think for all of those
reasons, I think my
ambitions in broadcast journalism wouldn’t have changed, and
I think that’s exactly
what I would have
been.
know you can still get caught out, because the story will
happen in a part of the world that you know very little
about, or someone will feature in the news that you’ve never heard of, so to move across as many things as possible,
is, for me, the key to it, and if you’ve got a decent breadth
of knowledge and hopefully you’ve got a certain way with
‘The goal is to get it right, most of the time.’
words (you can express things fairly clearly) – you’re in a
good place. But live broadcasting is a high-wire act, and
there’s no hiding place, there are lots of people watching
and you’re responding live to things, so there is always an
element of risk involved and you have to accept that sometimes you’re not going to get it completely right. The goal is
Olly: In light of what you’ve just told Jake, can you talk a bit to get it right, most of the time.
about the pressures of live television and their effects?
Huw: The main thing I’d say about working on television,
especially, let’s say, a ‘rolling’ television service (because
that’s very different to a formal bulletin service such as the
6 O’ Clock News – those are much more structured) is
much more fluid, and you really have to be on your toes. If
you haven’t been across the day’s news, or the last several years you can easily get caught out and even then you
Interviewed by The Informer Interview Team – Olly
James, Matt Clements, Oscar Saggers and Jake Shepherd (13/10/15)
Edited by Olly James and Matt Clements
and modern thinking faith who think that homosexual
thoughts are ok, unlike some leaders of the Catholic
church. Their sense of community is deeply established in
their homeland, Salt Lake City, as it fosters a sense of
belonging
and faith
within every
individual.
Mormonism is not a mainstream religion in many parts of
Could we
the world, especially the United Kingdom of Great Britain
apply this
where it has a mere 190,000 members of the church. The
sense of
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was estabkind, caring,
lished by the prophet Joseph Smith in 1830, after he found
and
the scripture of The Book of Mormon through the direction
thoughtful community into our everyday lives? Aren’t we all
of God, and subsequently published it. The Mormons are a
just Mormons at heart?
free thinking and kind collection of people, if their scripture
is followed correctly. Their aversion to swearing and malice
Matthew Port
makes for a kind and thoughtful church. They’re a forward
Thought for the Day - Is
the Mormon way of life a
better way of life?
Crackers, Carols, and
Christmas Commercials
watching the Doctor Who Christmas special to the sound of your
dad snoring? Although, I’d like to know how much this family spent
on Christmas this year – as something this extravagant can’t come
cheap. But somehow I think a scene of the mum sorting out her
debts and saving accounts just doesn’t scream ‘Christmas spirit’.
The time has come for our TVs to be bombarded with adverts filled
Over to Sainsbury’s then, I had high hopes for this after last year’s
with songs, food and family – Christmas is coming. But how Christemotional (and actually including something realistic) story about
massy really are these adverts?
the war and the soldiers involved. This year they’ve chosen to
bring back a childhood favourite: Mog the cat. I think Mog must
It’s not Christmas until John Lewis has released their advert, so
have developed some sort of powers since my childhood, as I
now it’s finally appeared – you can officially put your Christmas
don’t remember her being able to open ovens and use a teletree up. The first time I watched this 2 minute story of a little girl
sending a telescope to the man in the moon, I’ll admit I was teary. phone. Despite it being
entertaining and cute,
In all honesty, it’s questionable whether we Brits are actually crying at the heart-warming adverts or the emptiness of our bank ac- the length of the advert
seems more like a
counts. After last year’s story of a penguin living in a house and
Christmas special of
being presented with a girl penguin for Christmas, I didn’t think
‘Mog Saves the Day’.
they could get anymore unrealistic and frankly, odd. But they’ve
done it. Who is this man in the moon? Why is he on the moon? So What I do like, however,
is the aspect of everymany questions. £6 million spent to enable a little girl to give this
one helping clean the
man a telescope, so he could peer into her window. I’ll just leave
house. Finally, an advert showing the non-materialistic side to
that one there.
Christmas – caring for everyone and sharing. Maybe there is hope.
The Asda advert is looking more realistic this year, filled with the
Alice Linford
fun aspects of Christmas – children, family, food and partying.
What I find most accurate, though, is the scene of the family
asleep on the sofa. Is it really Christmas until you’re sat down
beginner conferences like StortMUN and the incredibly small
Baghdadian FuikMUN of 10 people, to the massive Harvard MUN
Conference hosting 2500 people. The map below shows the distribution of MUN conferences across the world that are registered
with the MyMUN website.There are over 100 different conferences
The 7th November saw the return of the StortMUN conference, the taking place across the world.
8th annual Model United Nations conference to be held by The
The conference can only be described as a huge success with
Bishop’s Stortford High School. The student-organised conference
Miranda Wilson, the Secretary General, saying that “[she] couldn’t
had over 80 delegates and numerous chairs, presidents and depuhave been more proud of how well the conference went”, and gave
ties keeping the day running smoothly. For those of you not familher “thanks to
iar with MUN, in the lead up to the conference each delegate must
absolutely evedo their own independent and in-depth research into a given memryone involved”.
ber state of the United Nations, and into the topCombatting
ics dictated by the committee they are sitting on.
every obstacle
This year we represented 5 committees of the
thrown in their
UN: GA1 Disarmament and International Securiway, of which
ty, GA4 Special Political and Decolonization,
there were
Security Council, ECOSOC, and the Human
many, the
Rights Council. Each was discussing its own set of topics in its
team came together to pull off what Mr Darren Solomons (MUN
own committee room (converted maths room, shh), for the majority
Director) called “The most enthusiastic and successful StortMUN
of the day. The “aim of the game” is to try to pass resolutions,
yet”. A big thanks must go to all involved, but especially the core
which are sets of guidelines that the UN members agree will beneorganising team consisting of Miranda Wilson, George Cook, Matfit the given situation at hand. This year’s overarching topic of conthew Port, Sophie Hargrave, and Daisy Aylott.
versation was “Conflict in the Middle East”, exploring in the committees topics such as the Yemeni Uprising in General Assembly
Matthew Port
1, and the question of Kurdistan in the Security Council.
Yet to Find Real Models at
MUN
MUN conferences take place all over the world, ranging from small
Live Lounge– Walking the
Tightrope
Once again, TBSHS put on the show of the century with their
school- famous Live Lounge. Taking influence from BBC Radio
One’s regular radio segment, Jack Mullings, our musical pimp,
took some of the sixth form’s finest musicians and placed them
on stage. The top of the Sixth Form Centre imitated the likes of
Wembley Arena or the O2 but with a more relaxed vibe and a
lot less moshing.
As we let the queue of restless fans in through the double
doors, the room was soon filled with eager students, waiting for
the highly anticipated show.
We had some outstanding performances such as Chris and
Rashid who created a wavy vibe with their original and unique
cover of Outkast’s “Hey ya!” and their fusion of “(Sittin’ On) The
Dock of The Bay” and “Stand By Me”, creating a united atmosphere (sadly, Rawlo said no to lighters).
The game was then completely changed with the quality act of
Shem Jacobs who was spitting some mad bars as the crowd
went wild. Watch out Skepta.
The event drew to a close with the upcoming cover- band,
Tightrope, completely destroying the stage with their outstanding performance, making up for our loss of Cam Johnston and
The Golden Boys this year.
As well as this, we had some other incredible performances
from Jack Mullings, Millie Cornwell and Emily Barker.
Not only was Live Lounge a fantastic opportunity for the sixth
form to show off their musical talents, but we were also able to
raise over £100 which will be split between going towards the
Sixth Form Centre and an honourable charity.
We would like to thank all the acts; Jack Mullings, Shem Ja-
cobs, Millie Cornwell, Emily Barker, Chris Campbell and
Rashid Baldeh and Tightrope (Will Beagles, Alex Hughes,
Olly James and Georgia Bell) as without you, there would
have been no show. A massive thank you also needs to
go towards everyone who gave in to the pressuring ticket
sellers (I’m not sorry) and came to support their friends
and fellow pupils. If you’re sad that you missed this Live
Lounge, don’t worry, we will be coming for you soon.
Jasmine Paramasivain
ing I don’t enjoy a good chit-chat with the girls about current
affairs of the sixth form, as how would we survive without
knowing who’s getting with who, and who said what? It might
be the fact that once released from the clutches of the Head of
Year 11, swapping their black and gold TBSHS blazers for
new snazzy blue, or perhaps grey ones, they feel a sense of
Coming from a secondary school full to the brim with hierarexcitement: girls. After 5
chy, gossip and drama to the black and gold spirit of TBSHS
was weird, to say the least. Being surrounded by orange-faced years, there are girls in
their classes, girls in their
girls and overly groomed ‘lads’ was a thing of the past. Walkforms, girls all around
ing through the corridors used to be a sort of ‘fight to the
them.
death’ situation as you battled to break through the cliques of
girls and swarms of boys screaming ‘banter’ at each other.
Being thrown into an allNow, most of the time, you’re greeted by fresh faced year 7s
boys school has been an
who will open doors for you and wish you a good day. Even
experience, and I’m sure
the Year 11 boys, well most
we’ll take away fond memories of ‘polite’ Year 9s muttering to
of them, appear to be well
their mates ‘Oi, let her past… you’re welcome’ and the oddmannered compared to the
ness of being surrounded by a sea of year 7 boys with not a
ones I encountered back at
single pony tail in sight (well, not many). Not to mention, the
my old school. It is clear that
pitch in which the hymn is religiously sung in assembly every
at TBSHS, good manners
week. Hiding your girly high voice in a swarm of deep harmony
and proper speech habits are
gets easier as the year goes on. Acapella, anyone?
hugely important to everyone.
Life for a girl amongst
boys, boys, boys
After being here a while, however, we soon discovered that
the sixth formers were more like our old friends than we
thought. Gossip is inevitable in a teenage filled environment,
but boy, do these lot enjoy a gossip. I am not in any way say-
Top 15 Greatest
Modern Comedies
change for Ron and his cronies when an ambitious woman is
hired as a new anchor.
7.
The Writers Guild of America have just announced their list of the
8.
greatest comedies of all time. Having looked through it I felt the
need to offer up my own list of modern comedies as I feel they
have missed the point of what a comedy really is. Comedies are
not great films that make us laugh, e.g. the Guilds number one
choice Annie hall. They are in fact films that are great precisely
9.
because they make us laugh.
1.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - A
group of misfits enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament in order to save their
cherished local gym from the onslaught of
a corporate health fitness chain.
2.
Superbad - Two co-dependent high
school seniors are forced to deal with
separation anxiety after their plan to stage
a booze-soaked party goes awry.
3.
The Other Guys - Two mismatched New
York City detectives seize an opportunity to step up like the
city's top cops whom they idolize -- only things don't quite go
as planned.
4. Happy Gilmore - A rejected hockey
player puts his skills to the golf course
to save his grandmother's house.
5. Wedding Crashers – Two middle
age womanisers crash weddings to
hook up with women, until one of them
falls for the secretary of state’s daughter.
6. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron
Burgundy - Ron Burgundy is San Diego's top rated newsman in the maledominated broadcasting of the '70s, but that's all about to
21 Jump Street - A pair of underachieving cops are sent
back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.
Hangover - Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in
Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night and the
bachelor missing. They make their way around the city in
order to find their friend before his wedding.
There’s Something About Mary - A man gets a chance to
meet up with his dream girl from highschool, even though his
date with her back then was a complete disaster.
10. The Longest Yard - Prison inmates form a football team to
challenge the prison guards.
11. Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Of
Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan - Kazakh TV talking head
Borat is dispatched to the United
States to report on the greatest country in the world. With a documentary
crew in tow, Borat becomes more
interested in locating and marrying
Pamela Anderson.
12. Step Brothers - Two aimless middleaged losers still living at home are
forced against their will to become
room-mates when their parents marry.
13. Four Lions - Four incompetent British
jihadists set out to train for and commit an act of terror.
14. Starsky And Hutch - Two streetwise cops bust criminals in
their red-and-white Ford Torino with the help of police snitch
called Huggy Bear.
15. American Pie - Four teenage boys struggle through their last
year of high school.
By Oliver Lukies
The allegations surfaced in December of 2014 however it took several months before any formal conclusions could be drawn. Moreover, on 9th November 2014, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency)
published a report claiming that there has been a collusion
amongst Russian sports associations. The connivance branded the
term ‘State-Sponsored doping’, used to express the industrial scale
RUSSIA SET FOR TOUGH REPERCUSSIONS AFTER DOPING
that the cover-up had occurred
SCANDAL.
over. The report also revealed
that the conspiracy had even
The world of sport has been shaken after the mist shrouding Rusreached the highest levels of
sian sport was cleared, exposing to the world for their crimes
the IAAF, which had
against sportsmanship and fair play. Lord Coe is set to host an
‘sabotaged’ the London 2012
emergency meeting for the IAAF to discuss the fate of Russian
Olympics. The evidence
Athletics. It has been confirmed that the drug conspiracy included
not only the athletes and coaching staff, but also the Russian Anti- showed that athletes were
Doping Agency and that the Russian Federation were aware of and given advanced notice of drug
helped to cover up the wrongdoing. Furthermore, recent investiga- tests, drug control officers
tions have shown that the Russia Anti-Doping Lab aided the blood were bullied, threats were made towards their families and bribes
were taken in order to cover up positive drug results,. In addition,
doping process.
Russia Runs Risk of Repercussions
some athletes were allowed to compete before the end of their ban
and the Anti-Doping Lab destroyed more than 1400 samples from
drug tests.
Anti-Doping Panel, Chairman of the Independent Commission for
WADA, Dick Pound called for a suspension of whole the Russian
team from the 2016 Rio De Janeiro.
Whilst the investigation is ongoing, the head of Russia’s athletics
federation, Vadim Zelichenok, has made an attempt to stop investigators interviewing athletes and coaching staff until a statement
can be published by the officials.
World athletics has been shamed by the scandal. For many people
anything but meaningful repercussions, namely a ban on Russian
athletes entering the 2016 Olympics, will see continued reduction in
confidence in National and International governing bodies.
On Friday 13th November, the result of the emergency meeting of
the IAAF will be known. A popular speculation surrounding the controversy is that 5 unnamed Russian athletes and their coaches are
to be given lifetime bans. In a recent interview with the Athletics
Punny Jokes
My colleague can no longer attend next weeks Innuendo
Seminar so I have to fill her slot instead.
Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a
small donation towards the local swimming pool. I
gave him a glass of water.
How did I escape Iraq? Iran.
What was Forrest Gump's email password? "1forrest1"
When wearing a bikini, women reveal 90 % of their
body... men are so polite they only look at the covered
parts.
My math teacher called me average.
How mean!
Make the Most of Music
Most people would agree that music is hugely important in their
lives, and can evoke a range of different emotions. Music can make
you want to sing, dance, cry and can even console you in times of
need. Many great artists have been and gone since the beginning
of pop music, however their legacy lives on. The bestselling American artist of all time
had his career well
over 50 years ago.
The king of rock
himself- Elvis Presley. There is no
doubt that his music
influenced a generation, with his originality and charismatic charm. Legends like Chuck
Berry and Little
Richard still continue to sell records
today.
The artists of the 50’s and 60’s also oozed cool. How many of today’s artists can you describe this way? If you’ve struggled, I’m not
surprised. Just look at Percy Sledge, The Animals and The Beatles. Who in today’s charts are on this level?
The musicians of this era have such a musical presence, and their
heartfelt songs are catchy, and unique. If you were to listen to
‘Good Vibrations’ by The Beach Boys for example, it is like listening
to 3 different songs in one. Songs like this have stood the test of
time, because of this originality.
Recommended artists:







Unfortunately, the
modern day ‘music’ 

is questionable and
lacks the sparkle of 
the past. If you’ve ever been subjected to Radio 1 Live lounge, then 

you will probably be familiar with the ever present disappointment


of live vocals. Believe it or not, auto-tune wasn’t always essential

for an artist to ‘make it’ in the music industry. In the 50s and 60s

auto-tune was unheard of, and it was only talent that would allow


you to succeed. In all honestly, it is impossible to even try to com
pare greats like The Rolling Stones, with today’s 5SOS... if you
want to fight me on this point, I beg you to look at their performance
on this year’s Teen Awards (tragic).
Elvis
Chuck Berry
The Contours
The Cleftones
Mamas and Papas
Kingsmen
The Animals
Rolling Stones
Frankie Lymon
The Troggs
Little Richard
Jerry Lee Lewis
Buddy Holly
Del-Vikings
Ben E King
Percy Sledge
Johnny Maestro and the Crests
Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
Chris Montez
Written by Amie Bruce (and very little input from Jacob Waldock)
Leading the Greens into the Future
was first elected leader, lots of people were saying “So what new
policies are you bringing in?” and I would say “The policies of the
Green Party are made by its members” – people don’t get what a
truly democratic structure is, that’s what the Green Party is!
Oscar: I was looking into policies the Green Party have and one of
them was to abolish the City of London Corporation. I live in Epping and we have a forest consisting of 2,400 hectares of land.
Natalie Bennett was elected as the leader of the Green Party on
September 3rd 2012, after formerly working as an editor of The
Guardian Weekly and The Times and joining the party in 2006.
Natalie Bennett: I know, I used to walk my dog in it!
TBSHS were lucky enough to have her visit the school on November 3rd, Natalie spent some time to talk to Informer interview team; Oscar: What are your views on that considering that the city of
here’s what she had to say:
London corporation is largely responsible for the upkeep and
maintenance of Epping forest?
Olly: What was the biggest challenge you had to face as party
leader so far?
Natalie Bennett: The city of London corporation was originally setup to look after the people and its funds have built up over the sevNatalie Bennett: No one has ever asked me that so it is very good, en centuries from widows who donate hundreds of pounds in the
the challenge is dealing with the frustration of seeing so many
1600’s which is now turned into a large amount of money. And that
things that need to be dealt with and in the last election there were money should belong to the people of London, the corporation is
so many issues that weren’t debated. There’s the frustration that
not a democratic structure. We want to restore democracy within
politics is reported like a football game. We want to look into how
society! People should decide what the city’s money is spent on
schools are becoming exams factories and people are shoved
such as the implementation of affordable housing.
through exam after exam as well as the importance of mental
health issues but the media focus on things like how do politicians We’d like to thank Natalie Bennett for the time she gave up for this
eat bacon sandwiches … or focussed on what people are wearing interview.
or how does Corbyn tie his tie. The frustration is trying to get really
serious issues into debate and this is a challenge because you can
sometimes ask a really stupid question and turn it around to talk
about a really serious issue even though you’re not really answering the question.
Luke: Have any of your party’s aims or focusses changed since the
election?
Natalie Bennett: Not since the election. One of the things about the
Green Party is that people can be sure of what we stand for; each
policy is made by its members and so it doesn’t change fast. The
economical policies and principles have always been there. When I
Showbiz Showcase
2015 Preview!
It’s back! The time of year which we all anticipate. The legendary
collaboration of hard work and talent. The event that can only be
referred to as epic. TBSHS Showcase 2015. It’s back and better
than ever!
place amongst the audience. Tickets are on sale now, and they are
available at TBSHS. The professional ticket selling super team will
be out and about every day and everywhere to make sure that no
one misses out on the chance to buy a ticket.
Now, it may not quite be on the scale of the London 2012 Olympics
or the Rugby World Cup, nor the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee but the
TBSHS Showcase crew is sure as hell treating it like it is. The
blood, sweat and tears that have gone into the planning is enough
to fill an Olympic swimming pool. And more than enough to ensure
a night to remember for all. The ‘Interact’ team at TBSHS have had
uncountable meetings, numerous auditions and never-ending deliberations on how to make yet another successful Showcase. On
its 15th anniversary, it is safe to say that Showcase is a part of
TBSHS and what we stand for; hard work, raw talent, raising
awareness and fun.
The Bishop’s Stortford High School couldn’t be more excited to
stage the event of the year and
to be a platform for the vast
amount of young talent in this
town. Whether you love singing,
dancing or comedy you’re sure to
love the mind blowing entertain- Like every fundraiser at TBSHS the charity of choice has been
thoroughly discussed and analysed. With so many incredible and
ment. So get your hands on a
thought-provoking charities, it was hard to make a decision on just
golden ticket and ensure your
one. However with Christmas in our spirits the “Make A Wish Foundation” was the charity of choice. Established in 1986 the charity is
a non-profitable organisation which “grants magical wishes to enrich the lives of children and young people fighting life-threatening
conditions”. The organization has been able to grant 9,000 wishes
to date. These experiences bring joy, happiness and wonder to
and struggle. There could be nothing more rewarding than to know
you’ve contributed to taking a dream and making it a reality, especially for someone whose precious life has been tragically transformed by a threatening medical condition.
The line-up is that of a similar nature to Glastonbury, with the likes
of “Tightrope” and our very own Mr Etheridge, whose living legacy
makes showcase what it is today. So the Bishop’s Stortford musical
legends are coming together to create a whirl pool of showbiz. To
match such an exclusive line-up we must have the appropriate introduction to do them justice. With that in mind we asked the one
and only Huw Edwards of the BBC, to present the opening video,
so yes we do mean business! The audience are definitely in for a
treat.
Whether the legacy of Showcase, the forthcoming talent drawing
you to it or the urge to donate to the simply wonderful cause. Take
yourself at The Bishop Stortford High School on the 1st or 2nd of
December to showcase your support!
children, whose lives have been centered around illness, hospitals
Esther Roberts
school in the library would be beneficial.
4. Realistically, unless you’re some kind of knowledge- ab sorbing robot, no one can physically spend all their time studying.
Get active and make time for friends and family! Keeping fit, eating healthily, perhaps going to the gym for an hour a week or taking the dog for a walk will help clear
your mind and de-stress.
Your
friends
are
probably
some
of
the
most
important people in
Juggling A-Levels, friendships and relationships, family, and peryour
lives
at
this
age,
haps a part time job can prove stressful for anyone. Not to mention
and
getting good
UCAS, personal statements, interviews and offers. All whilst dealgrades doesn’t mean
ing with the general stress of just being a teenager. It can get
tough. Bar tearing your hair out or screaming at your parents, there losing them. Don’t
guilty for
are numerous ways you can deal with stress. Here are some tips to feel
wanting
to go out
keeping your cool.
and have fun once in
1. When you’ve got essays and coursework staring at you in the a while, j ust don’t
overdo it.
face with tight deadlines, being told to ‘relax’ is enough to tip
you over the edge. Take time to get organised and make a todo list; once things have been prioritised, perhaps by deadline It’s natural to feel
or how long it will take, you will know clearly what you’re doing stressed, especially
in the run up to exand when.
2. You’ve been told it by parents, teachers, doctors, but it’s worth ams, university interrepeating – get enough sleep! Staying up until 4am completing views and other school-related issues. But it doesn’t have to control you. Figure out something that relaxes you the most, and take
the homework due yesterday because you were on the Xbox
time to indulge in it. Whether it be going to visit a family member or
all evening seems good at the t
taking a long bath, all the stress will be worth it in the end.
Stressed and tired? Don’t
despair. Here are some
ways to help...
ime, but when it gets to 12pm the next day and you’re
falling
asleep at your desk the regret might start to kickin.
3. Avoid procrastinating when you get home from school,
the
sooner you start the sooner you can relax. If you’re
one of those
people who just find studying in their bed room too distracting,
whether it be your phone or your
hamster, perhaps staying after
Alice Linford
Kashmir – The eternal
struggle between India
and Pakistan
to ruin the land even further.
China, a powerful nation that has a great standing in this world,
has barely any say in this situation. China took a region called
Aksai Chin and left the rest of the region to deal with their own
problems, not acknowledging that part of the region as being involved in the disputes at all. This leaves the issue to be debated
only by India and Pakistan.
As a British citizen, I have
no bias towards either side.
Most countries fail to
acknowledge Kashmir and
think it is an ugly situation.
Not to be cocky or naïve but
I don’t think it is that ugly
and instead think it’s just a
This stems from the 1947 partition of the British Indian Empire
regular dispute over land
into the Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. Since the exthat can be settled by bilatpected outcome of Kashmir being given to Pakistan (due to its
eral discussions and understanding of the situation from others.
high Muslim population and boundary with Pakistan) was not met, This will need full co-operation from the three countries and help
militants entered the region but were quickly driven away by Indi- from outside countries, the votes need to be enforced and the
an soldiers. The UN stepped in to help relieve the stressful situa- violence needs to stop.
tion and found a much better alternative to the fighting in the form
of a plebiscite (vote where all the electorates are asked to vote on A land such as Kashmir should be settled through peaceful negotiations to minimise lives lost and emphasise the beauty of the
a particular proposal). However since this has never been carried
land. The history of the place should be forgiven and a new future
out, due to India’s incompetence and inability to acknowledge
should be established.
their mistakes, there have been two more wars which has worked
Kashmir is a region in South Asia that has a beautiful landscape,
a rich culture and an abundance of natural resources. However,
this piece of land is highly contested between the three major
powerhouses of Asia: The Indian Lion, the Pakistani Tiger and the
Chinese Dragon. These three countries all have claims to some
areas of the land, each claiming it is sacred to them, which results
in wars and dispute, ravaging the land.
Whatever the reason, things need to change. If you genuinely
think that giving money to the homeless just goes towards alcohol
and drug, then you can always take a few minutes out of your day
to look up the ‘The Single Homeless Voucher Scheme’ or the
many Homeless services which as much support and generosity
they can get. It was nice to see the very famous, very important
George Clooney fighting for the cause in Edinburgh yesterday and
Christmas. What comes to mind? The Turkey Christmas dinner?
Presents under the tree? Family Board Games? Snuggling around donating $1000 (the equivalent of £650). But more can be done. A
the fire? The Downton Abbey Christmas special? Or the homeless, lot more.
desperate for food and longing for warmth. With Christmas in our
Homelessness is an ever increasing issue in the UK and we are
hearts, I passionately believe that we must take time to think of
those who won’t have a Christmas dinner, the presents, the family forever ignoring it. We need to face the tragic truth and the brutal
reality. Since 2010, homelessness has risen 55%. In 2014 it was
time or the fire.
estimated that one night in England 2,744 people slept rough. In
It was hard for me when I found myself walking straight past some- the last five years the number of young adults living on the streets
in London had doubled. All this is not okay. I’ll say it again. Things
one, holding out their hands to me, as a pleading. Then it was
worse knowing in the back of need to change.
The Homeless at
Christmas
my mind that in this society
the normal thing to do is to
turn a blind eye. Why is this
the case? Is it because people believe that the fault of
the homelessness is that of
those who are living on the
streets? Or is it because people think their little donation wouldn’t go to the right cause? Or is
the reason due to people ignoring the flaws of their own country?
In 2009 it was recorded that main reason young people were
homeless (25%) was due to unwillingness of parent to accommodate their children. How can society judge people living on the
streets, when in the early years of these young adults lives it became brutally clear to them they were unwanted by the people
who should want them the most? What start in life is this?
So can someone please explain to me that whilst the number of
people on the street are dramatically rising in the UK, the decisions have been made over the last four years to cut the funding
for over half of homeless services and reduce over 4000 beds in
hostels for those living on the street?
imagine having everything stripped away from you and spending
this Christmas without food, without warmth and without joy. Now
make your own donation and take that one step closer to change.
Imagine your last Christmas. The food, the warmth, the joy. Now
imagine never having the opportunity to gain those memories. Now By Esther Roberts
Opinion column
ing itself with the US or the com
Anyone who thinks we
should leave the EU is
wrong - and here’s
why...
monwealth is not just bad but simply stupid. Regarding the former, the UK is arguably considered by the US as its closest ally,
being united in the Security Council and NATO, this ‘special relationship’ is already special enough, lest we become the lapdogs
that the Outs advocate. The argument suggesting greater alignment with the Commonwealth is equally as ludicrous. The commonwealth is more like a group of loose acquaintances that used
to be affiliated and could never amount to anything.
By Luke Tang
Whenever I hear Eurosceptics braying on, migration is inevitably
mentioned. It’s a delightfully easy point to attack, especially with
tensions already high in Europe. Most Outs are quick to point
trembling fingers towards the dangerously open borders of Germany and Sweden, where the influx of migrants are seemingly
running amok among the People. The argument is sadly invalid –
immigration has repeatedly been shown to promote growth and
therefore an increase in the amount of jobs available. This is just
one face of a baseless argument, the general theme of the antiEU voter being the lack of ‘British control over British affairs’, this
is laughable; the UK has large amounts of influence in the EU,
being part of the magic circle of Britain, France and Germany.
The Eurosceptics say they want the UK to be unrestrained and to
be able to leverage its own influence on the world, but Britain is
already becoming irrelevant. Leaving the EU would render the UK
to being an insignificant country on the fringe of European politics.
The argument that we would be to take ‘a higher profile’ by align-
Sports Report: TBSHS
vs. Bishop’s Stortford
College Rugby 1st XI
9th November 2015
All this is not mentioning trade – no matter how loudly the Outs
screech about China and India, most of them don’t consider the
huge amount business going through Europe, with more exports
going through Germany than
India. With the loss of European trade agreements, tariffs on
imports and exports would
become prohibitively expensive. Take automotive factories for example, with new
tariffs on exports, these companies would pack up shop
and move to the mainland –
remind me how leaving the EU
would create jobs?
When asked what the greatest threat to the EU was, former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt poignantly stated that it was “not
Russia, and not the meltdown in Syria or the Middle East, but the
possibly of Britain leaving” – perhaps this is the greatest indication of how important it is for Britain to stay; Outs want the UK to
remain a power, but leaving would fade Britain from relevancy.
huge determination teams. Due to some foul play TBSHS
gained an early penalty with Dom Lily stepping up to the mark,
giving them an early were 3 point lead. However the College
fought back to level the scores ending the first half 3-3.
When asking our very own captain, Angus Learmonth for his
opinion he said “With high tension and high talent, it was a
tough match but we weren’t giving up at any point”. And that is
certainly true.
In the second half the tension couldn’t have been higher. The
Whether getting muddy on the rugby field, or standing in anxiety cold crisp air suited the intensity of the occasion. The deep rooton the line side, it has been an eventful week for the TBSHS 1st ed rivalry, along with a little bit of healthy competition caused a
Rugby team. A very important match in the Daily Mail Cup
little bit of fierceness amongst the players (as well as the
crowd). Due to hard work, determination and the breaking
turned into a crucial, must win game when TBSHS was drawn
through of Billy Teather TBSHS scored a try, making the score
to play against arch rivals “The Bishop’s Stortford College”.
10-3. Once again the College fought back, making the score a
The match started with two sides full of hopeful expectations
nerve-racking 10-10. After a stern speaking to by the referee,
both captains kept their teams in order, which become an ever
increasingly difficult as the game came closer to full time and as
the pressure rose.
The whistle blew and there was confusion in the air. The score
was tied, still at 10-10 and the crowd were silent. What was the
outcome going to be? But the stillness soon changed when
TBSHS P.E teacher Mr Hale turned around and informed the
crowds that as the match was away, TBSHS had the advantage
and were going through at the expense of The Bishop Stortford
College. Silence turned to shouts! TBSHS went home feeling
very proud. Congratulations TBSHS First Team.