Universities remain 'committed' to campus bar Coopers

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

Mystery behind Medway campus stones revealed

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

Guide to the Kent Summer Ball 2013

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

Petition urges Tesco to drop controversial greetings card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

However others have suggested the card is ‘humorous’.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire

Volunteers needed for Medway Samaritans bucket collection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Article written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Fresh allegations of bogus fines made against Liberty Quays

Further allegations of false charges have been brought to the student halls from a current resisdent (written by Kieran Watkins, for the Medwire)

A Liberty Quays resident today told how he was threatened with additional fines for unpaid rent, despite having previously agreed to delay the payments.
In an exclusive interview with the Medwire, student Alex Zarach, 18, told us Liberty Living had sent him “threatening” letters.
The halls provider at Liberty Quays in Gillingham sent him letters claiming for unpaid rent – despite having previously agreed to delaying payments to coincide with his student loan payment.
Alex, a first-year business IT student, moved into Liberty Quays during September, having agreed with former manager Stephanie Triggs and current Duty Manager Alison Lidster that he would pay his instalments later than scheduled.
In a letter sent from Ms Lidster to Alex, which The Medwire has obtained, both parties agreed and signed in writing that the rent would be delayed until Alex’s student loan came in on September 24, 2012.
The letter from Ms Lidster states “we hereby agree to you paying said rent instalments”, following evidence provided by Alex to Liberty Quays from the student loan company.
Believing the payments had been processed, Alex said: “I moved in to Liberty Quays and all was fine.”
“Nothing was mentioned of the payment,” he added.
However, arriving back from lectures to his room one day, Alex noticed a letter that had been pushed through his door.
The letter was sent by General Manager Mark Moulding, dated September 28, four days after Alex paid his first instalment.
The letter claimed that the “rent instalment due on 15th September 2012 in the sum of £1981.20 is now overdue,” despite having already previously agreed with Liberty that the rent would be paid a week later.
The letter also confirmed that Liberty Living would charge him £30.00 for sending the letter, which would cover their administration fees.
“I was shocked! I had never been informed about the £30 charge, and was angry and upset that they had decided to charge me despite the fact I had paid everything on time.”
Despite demands from Liberty Quays for more money to pay for more letters, Alex is standing by his refusal to pay up.
“These letters were sent for no reason at all”, he explained. “I had already paid the fees, it was a mistake on their part to send me a letter telling me I was overdue on the rent.”
Alex has also mentioned that his family lawyer branded the claims as “harassment”, and would be looking into the case.
Having spoken to a receptionist at Liberty Quays himself, who he described as “rude” and “disinterested”, Alex said they confirmed that his rent payment had indeed been processed, but that they would still be charging for him for the letters.
Liberty Living declined to comment on the issues raised.

Liberty Living bosses intervened in departure of halls boss

Former Liberty Quays manager Stephanie Triggs left after a series of failings at the student halls, it has emerged today.
In an exclusive story for the Medwire, a source at the university confirmed that management from Liberty Living, which owns the University of Kent halls in Gillingham, “could not risk” having Ms Triggs as a manager during the Welcome Weekend.
As new students settle in to the halls this week, we revealed last week that Liberty Quays was without a manager following Ms Triggs’ departure from site after just six months in the position, the second manager to leave in just a year.
The source confirmed that management had been to see Ms Triggs just weeks before the start of term, after a series of failings and mistakes made by the former manager.
“They couldn’t risk having her as a manager during welcome weekend,” the source, who does not wish to be named, confirmed.
The source went on to confirm that Ms Triggs had sent emails to various Liberty Living representatives, staff and even students, asking for advice and help.
This comes after a campaign by over 150 disgruntled students, parents and members of the public criticised the halls, complaining about the checking-out procedure, steep fines and rude, unfriendly staff.
The source said: “She used to ask people what to do in silly situations.”
“They needed a manager who could make decisions on their own”, the source added. “Not someone who kept hassling other people for help.”
“Liberty Living have officially said it was a joint decision she left,” the source said.
In exclusive emails obtained by the Medwire, Ms Triggs had asked one student to provide an appraisal for the company as a gesture of goodwill.
In an email sent to student trustee Maya Esslemont, who had previously launched a successful petition against Liberty Quays following bogus fines sent to students regarding fire extinguishers, Ms Triggs asked Maya to give her “an honest appraisal of the general check out experience at Liberty.”
Ms Triggs went on to reveal that the appraisal was needed after several students and parents had complained about the service provided by Liberty Quays.
“We have had a few unpleasant accusations”, Ms Triggs said in the email.
“I really would like to see if you have a perspective that would help me put things into context”, she added.
Commenting on the request, Maya said: “I couldn’t help but wonder if my involvement in the last Liberty Quays controversy crossed her mind when my heavily stained room was given the seal of approval.”
“Even if my intentions weren’t cynical, I could never support a company that continually rips off students, through high rent and scams in equal measure”, she added.
Liberty Living were unavailable for comment. Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire

Why everyone should embrace Freshers at university

So the car is packed full of your belongings and one too many toilet rolls, you’ve tearfully waved goodbye to your friends and family and you’re ready to start your new life at university. We’ve all been there, and it’s weird to think that you’re waving goodbye to eighteen or so years of your life for pastures new.
Sounds a bit daunting really. But not to worry, you see universities across the country have this thing a week before studying commences where you basically get drunk, make new friends and experience the reality of uni life. It’s called Freshers’.
Freshers’ for me was one of the best weeks of my life. Standing outside my new flat with a hundred or so bags, I was apprehensive about my new life. Worried about making new friends, getting along with flat mates, doing well on the course etc. But it’s best to leave any worries you have in the car.
As soon as I entered my flat, I was welcomed by my seven flat mates. They turned out to be a fantastic bunch of guys to live with over the next year. You might start off having trouble understanding their accents or remembering their names, but it’s nothing a few beers wont sort out. In fact, having moved in on the Sunday afternoon, I was off out to my first flat party later that night where I made more friends and started a turbulent relationship with my new found love, alcohol.
Your first night in your new flat is a little bit daunting to say the least, but all it takes is a few hours kip and you’re ready for the week ahead. And what a week it will be.
I kicked off my Freshers’ with an introduction to my course, which was great. It meant I finally met my other course mates, who all turned out to be a perfect, colourful bunch. In fact they ended up (and still are) my drinking buddies during Freshers’. Nights spent at Coopers were brilliant with the fancy dress themes just adding to the excitement. The School Disco was my favourite, with all the cheesy tunes you could wish for.
The good thing about the Medway campus is that there are so many people from all different walks of life. It’s great to make friends from different cultures and countries, and having three universities sharing the same campus means you’re guaranteed to make lots of friends.
Apart from the nights out and barbeques on campus (you won’t need feeding during Freshers’, practically all the food is free), the Freshers’ fayre is a good chance to socialise and make new friends by joining up to various societies. And if that doesn’t take your fancy, then the various stalls offering discounts and free pens are pretty handy too. So you won’t need to bring any stationary with you to uni either!
My course also put on a special dinner for all the new first years, which can only be described as the last supper; the only decent meal you’re going to get for the next year.
The downside for me last year was the horrendous Freshers’ Ball, which I hope will be a lot better this year. When you hear that your friends at other uni’s have the likes of Florence & the Machine and Tinie Tempah headlining at their Freshers’ Ball, disappointed is just one of the many words I could have used to describe our ball.
The headlining act were ok, but the fact I can’t remember their name sums up how rubbish the ball was. Apart from a face painting stall and an over-priced food counter, entertainment was scarce. In fact, it seemed fitting that whilst sitting in the middle of the dance floor wondering why I‘d stumped up the cash for this rubbish evening, Sak Noel’s hit ‘Loca People’ would play in the background. What the fuck indeed! Fingers crossed it’s better this year.
So what did I learn by the end of Freshers’ week? Well there’s the fact my liver should be nominated for an Oscar for the performance it put in over that week. Or that I’ll go to great extents to get freebies, like swapping a pot of pee at the Chlamydia stand in return of a free keying (totally worth it). But most importantly, I realised that university was to be the start of a fantastic, fun-filled three years of my life, with new friends, new challenges and new opportunities. So don’t miss out on Freshers’, because once the week is over, you’ll be praying for it to happen all over again. Written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire

Halls provider Liberty Quays fails to sell out

 

The University of Kent's privately owned accommodation halls in Medways is left with several vacancies (written by Kieran Watkins for the Medwire)

Student halls provider Liberty Living, which runs the University of Kent halls on the Medway campus, has announced a drop in student applications for rooms this year.
In an email sent by the University of Kent accommodation team to current students, Liberty Quays stated that “a number of rooms were still available”.
Liberty Quays, situated at Victory Pier in Gillingham, offers en-suite rooms for new and current students, with communal areas shared by up to nine people.
The drop in room occupancy comes after a series of revelations by The Medwire revealed staff negligence and questionable living conditions at Liberty Quays.
In a previous article, it was revealed that several communal areas had been infested with mice, with faeces being found in other areas.
The revelations came after a petition by former Liberty resident, Jem Collins, saw over 150 disgruntled students, parents and members of the public complain about the service and facilities on offer by Liberty Quays.
Complaints ranged from expensive maintenance costs to delays in deposits being handed back to students. A number of comments were also made about the management team at Liberty, with students branding staff “rude” and “unhelpful” on numerous occasions.
Students have also claimed the room prices have led them to seek accommodation away from the halls. Prices have increased by an extra £10 a week from last year to £127.
One student said that he could “barely afford to live” on the prices, which total just under £5,000 for one year.
“If I paid £5,000 to live at Liberty, I’d starve!” he said. “It’s ridiculously expensive, Liberty Quays is more expensive then London student accommodation.”
In a move to entice students, Liberty Quays has offered a 2% discount on accommodation prices if fees are paid in full by September 15.
Students who choose not to live in halls usually opt for a private landlord, where a fully-furnished bedroom in a house shared with four other people can start from as little as £90, bills included.
However, the down turn in student numbers could come at a cost for Liberty Living, who are currently extending their halls at Victory Pier. The new extension is scheduled to open next summer.

The essential guide to food and gyms in Medway

 

Kieran Watkin's dishes the dirt of the best places to eat both on and off campus, as well as where to burn it all off! (written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

Not all university students have to live off tins of baked beans and pot noodles. Some may attempt to cook, some may wish to order a takeaway, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you could always sample the local cuisine of Medway. Here to help you with a few picks of the best fine-dining establishments is the Medwire’s very own guide to eating in Medway:

On campus:
The university campus has various cafes and restaurants for students. On the Kent campus, the newly refurbished No.1 Bistro in the Rochester building offers everything from maple pancakes at breakfast to lasagne in the afternoon.
On the Greenwich campus, there is Costa Coffee and a range of hot food in the Pembroke building, with food available in the Canterbury Christ Church buildings.
The Pilkington building offers the best choice for hungry students with a varied menu each day. The campus bar, Coopers, also offer pub grub. Watch out for their special curry nights too! The Drill Hall Library and the campus shop, Essentials, offer various snacks and drinks too.

Chatham:
Just a five-minute walk from campus is Chatham Dockside, where a host of fast food outlets and restaurants are all conveniently located next to the waterfront. For a quick snack, Burger King or Subway should do the trick. For cheap meals, Dean’s Diner and Pizza Hut will leave you and your wallet looking healthy. Student favourites The Real China (all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet) and Nandos are both available here. Fancy something a bit upmarket? Dine on Italian cuisine at Zippers or be treated to a bit of Mexican spice at Chimichanga.
Dockside is also great for coffee too, from the fantastic range of Panini’s at Caffe Fratelli to the Australian-inspired flat white at Boomers café. You can also grab a bite to eat and wash it down with a nice cold pint at the Ship and Trades pub, just off Dockside towards St Mary’s Island.

Gillingham:
When you come to Medway, you will realise that takeaways are aplenty. And I mean aplenty! You just have to walk through Gillingham High Street to see for yourself. There’s everything from kebabs to southern fried chicken, Thai to Indian; there is something for everyone.
Our favourites however? For oodles of noodles, head to Tai Won Mein where for just a fiver for head, you’ll be full for days. Dixy’s Chicken in Gillingham will almost certainly cure a hangover after a heavy night at Bliss, just off the High Street. And if you love American food, head to the Hollywood Bowl opposite Medway Park for one of Gillingham’s best-kept secrets.

Rochester:
In the cathedral town of Rochester, hundreds of café’s and tearooms with freshly made sandwiches are surely enough to tickle your taste buds. Pubs are aplenty here too, so it’s the perfect place for a Sunday lunch.
Our pick? Head to the yummy Serendipity cupcake bar for Rochester’s finest cup cakes.

And after you’ve eaten to your hearts content? Well ensure you don’t have a heart attack by signing up to Medway’s finest selection of gyms and recreational facilities
- Medway Park, Gillingham (Tel: 01634 336655)
- Roko health club, Gillingham (Tel: 01634 382333)
- Waterfront health and leisure club, Gillingham (Tel: 01634 280033)
- Virgin Active, Rochester (Tel: 01634 292900)

Petition calling halls “extortionate” reaches 100 signatures overnight

A petition calling for an end to apparent "unfair" and "unjustifiable" charges at Liberty Quays has attracted mass support

A petition branding Liberty Quays as “extortionate” and “opportunistic” has received over 100 signatures overnight.
The campaign, calling for the Medway student halls to address a number of issues from high check out charges to rodent problems, currently has over 140 signatures.
Set up by disgruntled student Jem Collins, the online page has attracted dozens of comments from students, families and members of the public.
She said: “I set up the page after having problems with my own experience when management insisted that I was the only one complaining and I thought this just can not be true.
“They’ve told me I’ve accrued over £200 worth of damage, but the only evidence I’ve received is a couple of photos showing pictures of a pen on a shelf and some paper on the floor”.
She added: “Management have been extremely rude and patronising throughout the whole procedure and aren’t taking anything seriously”.
Other complaints about the accommodation, which is owned by Liberty Living and is the only halls provider in Gillingham for University of Kent students, range from fictitious faults to rude and unhelpful staff.
One student said he was charged for a chair that was broken upon arrival, whilst another said that they had been refused access to pictures showing the alleged damage.
One student commented: “I was charged £10 for a key that was never given to me in the first place and then treated very rudely and disrespectful (sic), accused of lying and given absolutely ridiculous excuses by S.Triggs : ‘must have fallen off before you even realised you had it.’”
Deposit charges range from £15 to replace standard shower curtains, up to £30 for dust and £65 for replacement chairs.
When quizzed over the high prices, Mrs Triggs, manager at Liberty Quays, said: “Many of our items like the shower curtains are not of standard size and the cost reflects this”, though admitted they could be sourced as cheaply as £1.

She added: “These charges are necessary to ensure the standard of accommodation at Liberty Quays is maintained at a high level in an exceptionally short space of time to ensure the accommodation is ready for our summer students.”
She also said that she had encouraged students in the past to seek to buy the items from other places to avoid paying the charges set by Liberty Living.
Other comments from students included reports of a mice infestation, leaving students unable to use their kitchen for over a month.
In another incident, a number of flats were charged for faulty fire extinguishers that the halls provider claimed the students had tampered with.
However, following a similar petition and campaign, the faulty fire extinguishers were found to be untouched.
Ms Triggs said: “The fire extinguisher incident did not result in any charges to any students. ”
Other complaints have included faeces being left in a communal area for over three days and lack of proper security patrols, allowing members of the public to walk into flats freely.
In a statement from Mrs Triggs, who in a bizarre move has signed the petition herself, she said: “We take all complaints seriously and investigate each on its own merits.”

Have you had problems with Liberty Quays or did your stay go just fine? Let us know in the comments below!

Article taken from the Medwire student magazine, written by Kieran Watkins

Could Coopers be coming back....?

Here is an article I have written for the Medwire magazine, a student-run company based on the Medway campus at the university.

Coopers has changed. Like an ugly duckling turning into something altogether more attractive, it seems Coopers might be the new beacon of hope for our Medway nightlife.

It is safe to say that Coopers has had a fair amount of stick in the last few months. Since I arrived at the University of Kent last September, I have been a somewhat irregular punter to the on-campus bar. The ongoing staff troubles, lack of entertainment and bleak atmosphere had turned me off the idea of spending my precious student loan in the SU bar, preferring to gallivant off in the town centre instead.
But that is all about to change. Because recently, Coopers has had something of a revival. Like a phoenix emerging from the ashes in Harry Potter, the bar has changed its appeal, its menu and more importantly, its prices, in an attempt to attract those who walked away at the beginning.
A new management team are now in place, and the staff seem to be a lot happier with the new situation. The atmosphere has brightened, and it has become a much more social place to have a drink, relax and unwind from hard-core studying.
Coopers has begun to offer things we students value the most – cheap drinks and good entertainment. The new management has introduced a range of great deals and offerings to tease are taste buds with, but without denting our bank balances! A comprehensive list is printed at the end of this article, but some of the best deals include £1.50 for a pint of Snakebite, Carlsberg and Strongbow, Monday to Friday from 7 till 11pm. For a non-alcoholic beverage, J20 is only £1.25 for any flavour. If you fancy a shot, Jagerbombs are now £2 all day, everyday.
If you are feeling cold, Curry Tuesdays are a great way to warm yourself up, with a Curry, Rice, Naan Bread and Pint for only £4.95.
Besides food and drink, Coopers are now offering an exciting range of entertainment. A mix of live music, including the legendary Open Mic night on Tuesdays, is still on every week, along with all the seasonal sport matches, currently including the Six Nations and selected football matches. The quiz machine and pool table remains popular with students, and if that is not enough, the bar team are well known to show off a dance move or sing you a song. And with rumours of the Events Society teaming up again with Coopers to help publicise and organise new events in the coming months, it looks set that there will be plenty of events to go to in the not-to-distant future.
On a recent night out at Coopers, I was pleasantly surprised. It was busy, with a friendly and inviting atmosphere that made me want to stay and spend my money. I enjoyed it, so if you fancy a cheaper, more relaxed but still as fun night out, then head down to Coopers on the Medway campus, and support out student bar. You will not be disappointed.
Current Deals list:
Mon – Fri: 7pm – 11pm:
£1.50 – Snakebites, Carlsberg and Strongbow.
£1.25 – All J2O Flavours.
Curry Tuesdays!
Come Down and add a some flavour into your Tuesday.
Curry, Rice, Naan Bread and a Pint for only £4.95
Sat-Sun: 1pm-7pm
Come down and watch the sport on our TVs and see your team win!
Follow the Six Nations throughout February and March.
£1.75 – Snakebite, Carlsberg, Strongbow
£2.00 – Kronenberg and Guinness
Coopers Platter – £4.95 (Chicken Nuggests, Scampi, Garlicc Bread, Onion Rings, Curly Fries)
Coopers Brunch – £3.95 (2 Bacon, 2 Sausages, Egg, Chips, Beans, Tomato)
… Jagerbombs are now £2 ALL DAY EVERYDAY!

You can read more from students on the Medwire website: http://www.themedwire.co.uk/