Monday, November 2Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

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Royal Holloway named the best example of Victorian Architecture
News

Royal Holloway named the best example of Victorian Architecture

The Victorian era was well known for its innovative style. The nineteenth century saw an exceeding development in architecture as a result of industrial advancements across Britain. The Victorians saw this form of modernisation as a method to show off their wealth and impress surrounding nations. This trend was ever evident in Egham, Surrey as Thomas Holloway Victorian patent medicine trader and subsequent philanthropologist put his fortune to the development of Ladies College, Royal Holloway. This was one of the most notable achievements of Victorian architectures and key investment following Holloway’s business success. The architect, William Crossland, had a high specification when it came to the work behind his building and Holloway was no cheapskate when it came to the work behind ...
Update on Financial Support for EU Students Following Brexit
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Update on Financial Support for EU Students Following Brexit

The organisation - Universities UK (UUK) – represents universities as a voice, ‘helping to maintain the world-leading strength of the UK university sector and supporting university members to achieve their aims and objectives’. Following the terms of the advisory referendum held in June 2016, in which 52% of votes were cast in favour of leaving the EU, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the government would invoke Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, and the formal procedure of withdrawal, by the end of March 2017. Immediately this caused a friction of worry among EU students attending university in Britain as uncertainty arose regarding their position, fees and the general security of their degree programmes over the next few years. Furthermore, students on courses with E...
Anti-racism and the failure of the Left Wing: Royal Holloway hosts insightful discussion
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Anti-racism and the failure of the Left Wing: Royal Holloway hosts insightful discussion

On Thursday the 24 November, Royal Holloway held a public discussion on the failure of left-wing politics in the fight against racism, with the title “Anti-racism: has the Left Failed?” Hosted by the Women of Colour Collective and the Left Forum, the two-hour talk featured representatives of both societies, accompanied by esteemed journalist, Wail Qasim, and NUS Black Students’ Officer, Aadam Muuse. There were five panellists in total. The event comes after the British decision to leave the EU in June, as well as the surprise election of Donald Trump in the United States earlier in the month. Both decisions have been perceived as movements of the traditional left towards more right-wing politics, especially concerning immigration and issues of race. Accordingly, the chairman introduc...
What We Know; Arson attempt in Founder’s Building
News

What We Know; Arson attempt in Founder’s Building

UPDATE 15:11 PM 2nd December - Royal Holloway's student intranet has posted an official statement stating that the college are currently working with Surrey Police and the Surrey Fire Investigation Service to investigate last nights fire. They thanked the Security team, Surreys Fire and Rescue Services and Surrey Police and students and staff for co-operating. They state one bedroom, as well as toilets and bathrooms have been damaged, but that there is no damage to Founder's Building itself. The statement went on to speak about access to services within Founders; "Our Support & Advisory Services team, including the Disability & Dyslexia team, Counselling team, Chaplaincy and other services, are providing services from the Windsor Building. Founder's Post Room is current...
NUS Vice President attends SURHUL preparations for National Mass Demonstration
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NUS Vice President attends SURHUL preparations for National Mass Demonstration

Sorana Vieru, NUS Vice President for Higher Education, was present at a banner-painting event organised by the Royal Holloway Student Union on Wednesday 9th November. The meeting, attended by members of the Left Forum, saw students prepare for a mass demonstration due to take place on the 19th November. Organised by the National Union for Students, the London protest will involve students from across the country voicing their opposition towards increasing tuition fees and a new tiered system.  It is being put in place by the current Conservative government. Ms Vieru, who was democratically elected to her post early in 2015, was intensely critical of the Higher Education and Research Bill, calling it “ideologically driven.” She criticised plans to introduce tiered systems, where unive...
Thorpe Park Thrill Seekers Trapped for 2 Hours
News

Thorpe Park Thrill Seekers Trapped for 2 Hours

With Thorpe Park being one of the most popular, not to mention closest, national amusement park to Royal Holloway, concern is erupting over the regular break-down of the Saw ride. On Saturday 8th October, passengers on the Saw roller coaster ride were part way round their terrifying trip on the ride which is themed on the 2004 horror film franchise, when the rails jammed 30-feet in the air on a vertical incline. Eight people in the cart had to be evacuated manually by theme park staff when the ride broke down on the Saturday afternoon (October 8), and it took the staff around an hour and 45 minutes to release the passengers back down to safety. The ride is described by Thorpe Park as "the world's first horror movie roller coaster' with a "beyond vertical" 100-degree drop from 100-...
Russia is more than its politics
News, Opinion

Russia is more than its politics

Russia is a country that Westerners almost inevitably view in a negative light. Thanks to a selective representation of its social and political backwardness, and its destabalising foreign policy, this vast and diverse nation has been condensed into a single, villainous entity. It is there to be lambasted, mocked, and feared. I went to Russia and spoke to some of its citizens. This is what I learnt. The Russian population is suffering. Gripped by the constricting vice of an economic slump, their infrastructure is failing; even in the major city of Samara, a quick detour from the centre reveals unmade roads and dilapidated housing. Speaking to residents, it’s clear that this deficit extends beyond the aesthetic. Soviet-era apartment blocks experience regular shortages of cold water – a ...
Firefighters battle fire threatening luxury property
News

Firefighters battle fire threatening luxury property

A million-pound home in Egham has been saved by firefighters after a “fast-moving” fire threatened to destroy it on the morning of Thursday, 3rd November. The luxury wooden house, on Green Road, had flames coming out of the roof when emergency responders managed to find and extinguish the fire. They had been called from as far as Epsom and Dorking, after crews from Staines and Chertsey realised more personnel were needed at the scene. In total, 60 firefighters were present to deal with the blaze. Watch Commander Jason Patrick, from Egham fire station, explained the urgency: “The call came in at 11.25pm. It was a house fire in Green Lane, Egham. It had gone through the roof. We arranged breathing apparatus so we could get a jet in and fight it from the first floor. “We had fo...
Football fraudsters ordered to payback £1m
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Football fraudsters ordered to payback £1m

Two convicted criminals have been ordered to pay back nearly £1m thanks to successful orders made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The pair who illegally sold access to Premier League football coverage are required to make a payback of £992,947.60 following a number of successful confiscations and forfeiture orders following a hearing at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (September 30). They have to pay back the money by January 3 2017, or at risk of serving a further six years behind bars. Hopkins, 47, of Park Road, Stoke Poges, Slough, Berkshire and Passlow, 58, of Broomfield Drive, Ascot, Berkshire were both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud between January 2008 and September 2012, in a prosecution by the Football Association Premier League (FAPL). Through the work of ...
Six Injured in Egham Collision
News

Six Injured in Egham Collision

Six Egham occupants were injured when a black Nissan pick-up truck collided head on with a white Mercedes van around 7:40pm on Sunday 2nd October. The incident occurred at the Vicarage Road junction by Mead Close in Egham. The road was closed while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the event were carried out at the scene, blocking vehicle access. Out of the six pedestrians who were involved in the collision, two were deemed to have been seriously injured. They were then taken to St Geroge’s Hospital via ambulance to be treated for the injuries to their arms and legs. Surrey Police is appealing for witnesses of the collision, which continues the ever more frequent series of road accidents in Egham. In February two Royal Holloway students were injured, one seriously,...