Aston Students' Union's Official Magazine

March 2013

27th-28th April 2013Aston University Lake, Birmingham

24hrs

Aston RAG’s annual 24 hour Relay For Life will take place on 27th April

at 12 noon sharp at the University Lake.

In aid of Cancer Research UK, we are calling for teams of between 8-12

members to walk/jog/run/crawl/sprint around the lake for 24 hours!

ANYONE CAN DO IT!!! GET YOUR SOCIETIES INVOLVED!!!

“Relay For Life 2013 - Aston University” @AstonRAG

Contact Ahmed Hassan:

hassana3@aston.ac.uk

07531 957502

relay.chair@For more information contact:

astonunion.com

24HR BBQ

ENTERTAINMENT CANDLE OF HOPE

March 2013

2

CONTENTSLetter from the Editor...Psst! This is your chance to makea change to the face of yourUnion, and the voice of all AstonStudents! Of course, I'm talkingabout the upcoming elections, andurging you to get involved! Take agood look at the candidates,weigh up in your mind who youthink will be best at running theA.S.U. and take the plunge - vote!

Along with the S.U. shake-up,we've also got the low-down onHindu Soc's Diya, InternationalWomen's Day and an interviewwith Villa player AshleyWestwood! Go on, read on!

Besma Whayeb@besmalucy

Contents 2The Team 4Students UnionA.S.U. Elections 5Your Candidates 6FeaturesDiya 13International

Women's Day 15EntertainmentJimi Hendrix 17Bo Keeney 18Cave Painting 19Disney on Ice 21

March 2013

3

AwardsMy Astonishing AstonAcademic Awards 29

The Place to GoJekyll & Hyde 22Sports ReportAshley Westwood 23Acorns 26CompetitionsLove System Festival 27Teach First 28T's & C's 28

@iAstonMagazine

The Team

4

Reha KansaraDiya, #13

Emily OwensIWD, #15

Henry WalkerSports Report, #23FEATU

RED

WRITE

RSEditor: Besma Whayeb

Features Editor: Reha Kansara

Sports Editor: Henry Walker

Music Editor: Rushiv Nayee

Film Editor: Noémie Noel

Assistant Editor: Alex Rymer

Head of Promotions: Jema Wyatt

Chief Photographer: Craig Shuker

This Month's Team

Reha Kansara

Emily Owens

Rushiv Nayee

Sandra Nimako-Boatey

Chris Barnes

Henry Walker

Union Sabbatical Officers

President: Max Pullen

VPFME: Marie-Shireen Hadid

VPEW: Agnes Jacobs

VPSA: Tom Farrelly

Your Candidates

5

A.S.U. Elections

The Candidates

It's that time of year again! The current Executive Team willbe handing over the baton to a new team, and it's up to youto vote for the best candidates!

President

Vice President of Finance, Media and Entertainment (VPFME)

Vice President of Education and Welfare (VPEW)

Vice President of Student Activities

Editor

Chairperson

Neil Bushell

Ahmed Hassan

Jake Delaney

Becky Jones

Dimitar Kostadinov

Ryan Skeet

Candidates Question Time26th Feb 1pm - Martin Luther King Centre28th Feb 3pm - Martin Luther King Centre4th March 5pm - The Loft, 2nd Floor SU

How You Can VoteStudents' Union Foyer and University Upper Foyer4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

Your Candidates

6

PresidentName: Neil BushellAge: Twenty-twoCourse: Human PsychologyYear of Study: Final yearInteresting fact: I have previously appearedon The Weakest Link (Having got the further thenanyone else in Aston so far. Whoop whoop!)

The Students’ Union is important tostudents because… It offers a variety ofservices and experiences for students, rangingfrom advice and representation to a place to enjoy yourself!

What is the biggest challenge the Students’ Union will face in thecoming year? The biggest challenge facing the union this coming year isinvolvement. Students are not accessing it and using it as much as theyshould be, whether this is due to them not knowing about what is available inthe union or something else is something that needs to be explored. Theunion is here for all students and for their benefit, without the students itdoesn’t serve the purpose intended. So the biggest problem is retainingstudents interests in the union, a problem I feel can be tackled by a greatexecutive team!

Why should the students vote for you? Students should vote for mebecause I wish to strive on behalf of them. My main aim is to represent thecurrent student body with authority, respect and integrity. I’m passionateabout the student experience after having such a positive one myself, and Iwant all students to get the most from their university experience. I feel theyshould vote for me for this reason, but also because I wish to achieve myother aims of making the union executive more approachable and ready forfeedback, and also to lead them to success in the coming academic year.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!Want to vote for Neil? Go to Students' Union Foyer and University UpperFoyer during 4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

Your Candidates

7

VPFMEVice President of Finance, Media and EntertainmentName: Ahmed HassanAge: 21Course: International Business and EconomicsYear of Study: 2Interesting fact: I’ve lived in 6 different countries

The Students’ Union is important to studentsbecause… It is a second home to students wherethey can relax, access help and make new friends.

What is the biggest challenge the Students’Union will face in the coming year? The biggestproblem facing the students’ Union in the comingyear is interest. Due to a rise in fee’s many students are concentrating alot harder on studying and not involving themselves with anything else dueto lack of funds. This means less and less students are joining clubs andsocieties, using Union facilities and attending the various events. This putsthe union in a bad financial situation and leaves the many resources it canprovide students unused.

Why should the students vote for you? If elected I promise to bringback the Union’s reputation to a place where students can gain help, relaxand enjoy themselves to maximise their university experience. I will try tomake things as less costly as possible because due to rising rents and theincrease in fee’s students there is less disposable income to use. An issuethis year is that many students are unaware of events and facilities andtherefor I aim to address that by heavy promotions through social mediaand word of mouth via a dependable promo team as well as a regularlyupdated website.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!Want to vote for Ahmed? Go to Students' Union Foyer and UniversityUpper Foyer during 4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

Your Candidates

8

VPEWVice President of Education and WelfareName: Jake DelaneyAge: 20Course: Cell and Molecular BiologyYear of Study: Final YearInteresting fact: I have taught both First Aidand Martial Arts

The Students’ Union is important tostudents because… It is the public face ofStudents to the University, offers loads of services includingwelfare and advice, and encourages participation

What is the biggest challenge the Students’ Union will face in thecoming year? I think the biggest challenge the Union faces is promotingthe events that they put on. Throughout this year, loads of events havebeen organised, both by the Union and external companies, and the majorproblem is always turnout. Those who attend events always give feedbackof how enjoyable it was, but what can be done about the people who didn’tcome in the first place? There needs to be a massive push for promotion,as well as a change in attitude about attending events in the Union.

Why should the students vote for you? Students should vote for mebecause I have some great ideas for next year, I’m passionate about theSU and I’ve got experience in the ‘Education and Welfare’ aspect of theUnion, from sitting on committees, to organising events and being amember of Senate. I understand the responsibilities that the role entailsand, while my main focus will be on campaigns, International Freshers’Week, and other key areas such as The ARC, I have other goals I want toachieve like dragging the Union into the 21st Century. For more informationon my campaign go to www.votejake.co.uk

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!Want to vote for Jake? Go to Students' Union Foyer and UniversityUpper Foyer during 4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

Your Candidates

9

VPSAVice President of Student Activities

Name: Becky JonesAge: 23Course: Business and PsychologyYear of Study: 4Interesting fact: I am hyperflexible.

The Students’ Union is important tostudents because… It is one of the few placeson campus where everything a student needsis under one roof!

What is the biggest challenge the Students’ Union will face in thecoming year? I think the biggest challenge with be raising interest andincreasing participation back up to the level it used to be. The Students'Union is a brilliant place to meet friends, enjoy a night out, grab some food,join a club, add to your CV, get advice or even grab a haircut and highlightingthis to students and getting them interesting in what the Union has to offerwill be the main challenge.

Why should the students vote for you? Students should vote for me as Ihave the knowledge, experience and drive to help the Union be the bestplace it can be. Having been involved since first year I know what needs tobe improved and would love the chance to be able to make theseimprovements. I have excellent organisation and listening skills and would bewilling to listen to and help any student who wants to get involved.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!Want to vote for Becky? Go to Students' Union Foyer and UniversityUpper Foyer during 4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

Your Candidates

10

ChairpersonName: Dimitar KostadinovAge: 21Course: BSc Business and PoliticsYear of Study: FirstInteresting fact: I don’t like tomatoes, but loveketchup

The Students’ Union is important tostudents because… It is an independentstudent organization representing their interests.

What is the biggest challenge the Students’ Union will face in thecoming year?Widening participation. For a number of students the UnionBuilding is just the building next to ‘uni’ with Subway in it. A goal to beprosecuted is students to acknowledge themselves with the Union and theactivities that occur within it.

Why should the students vote for you? The position of a chairperson I runfor and my field of studies make me a promising candidate. I have abackground in young led organizations and activities. Furthermore, I’mawesome… and modest :)

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!Want to vote for Dimitar? Go to Students' Union Foyer and UniversityUpper Foyer during 4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

Your Candidates

11

EditorName: Ryan SkeetAge: 26Course: English LanguageYear of Study: First

Interesting fact:I'm such a massive nerd I got a tattoofrom a video game character.

The Students’ Union is important to studentsbecause… It helps provide a hub where there's always something to do,someone to talk to and some way to GET INVOLVED.

What is the biggest challenge the Students’ Union will face in thecoming year?From speaking to students around campus, the SU seems like the "uncool"place to be. A bad reputation goes a long way, especially somewhere as fast-paced as Aston. In order to remain a viable institution, the Union need to trulylisten to and engage with the students. It's not just about providing funactivities but relevant experiences to enrich student life on campus and givethe student body a sense of being PART OF SOMETHING.

Why should the students vote for you?I never back down from a challenge and iAston will be that challenge for me.I hope that my wide base of interests will mean that I can collect and judgevaried and interesting content. I have already begun to select a skilled teamto join me and plan a few interesting changes. The biggest of all being myaim to create a YouTube iAston monthly video-magazine. This will bring thecontent to life in a new and interesting way. Oh, and I have secured anEXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with the creator of "Spotted: Aston University

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!Want to vote for Ryan? Go to Students' Union Foyer and UniversityUpper Foyer during 4th - 8th March 2013, 10am - 4pm everyday.

Interview

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Diya 2013!Aston's Hindu Society prepares for their biggest event to date!

After years of showcasing theraw talent they hold, Aston's veryown Hindu Society is back at itagain. And this time, it's evenbigger! From their show-stopping flash mob to their tastysamosa sale and of course theirtremendous ticket sales, theyhave certainly kick started off theyear with a big bang. So what isall the fuss about? Well, I got upclose and personal in an

interviewwith twovery important committeemembers to findoutwhat’s goneon!

Right, before we get into all the nitty-gritty details about the Hindu Societyand of course Diya, let's hear about yourselves!KISHAN:Well, I'mKishanGhelani, president of theHinduSociety hereatAston.I'm in second year and I'm studying Pharmacy.RONIKA: I'm Ronika Gandhi and I'm one of the events co-coordinator for thesociety and I as well am in second year studying Pharmacy.

Ok, so you guys are part of the Hindu Society. Can you tell mewhat you asa society actually do?K:We'reacharity-basedsocietywith theethosof keeping theHinduculturealivein the modern day. This is expressed by our various events such as our weeklyaartis (Hindu prayers), weekly sports and socials that are open to all.R: Yeah, with all our events it's to also teach other people about Hindus as wellkeep it alive and keep it going with people who have been brought up with itthrough sports such as kabbadi and ko and events.

And of course you have Diya coming up, your biggest event of THEYEAR.Canyougivemesomemore informationabout it?What is it?What is it for?And how does it link to the Hindu culture and the Hindu religion?R: Diya is our annual charity ball. Charity is the key word in that. It's more aboutculture and we show it through fashion shows, musical acts and a tasty Indianthree-course meal.

Interview

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K: It’s our flagship event of the year, so it's what really stands us out from others.It's really a sophisticated type of dinner, show and dance. The most importantthing to realise is it's a show run by our members for our members!

The name Diya. What is the significance of Diya? And why have youchosen to name your event Diya?K: The Hindi word Diya translates into English as 'light.' So this event is ourhighlight of our year! Diya signifies the awakening of something good. It's a kindof annual thank you to our members and to the Aston Student Body too.R: It's definitely a different kind of night to most university nights out. We'rebringing a unique type of event to people. People dress up in more traditionalclothes, it's visually different. Obviously fashion shows, dances, musical acts,they're things you wouldn't see on a night out either.

In termsofcharities,whoareyoucharitiesandwhyhaveyoupicked them?R:Our twocharities areAutismWestMidlands, a local basedcharitywhowecaninteract with easily due to its location and Madhav Sadna in India which is anNHSF chosen charity; it's good because we can help out back home as well as

here.

So what do we have in store for us? Any hints?R:Without revealing toomuch…We’ve got dances andfashions shows that are quite different and there aresome musical acts that I don't think have been donebefore. A lot more people auditioned this year, so thestandard of the participants is very high.We’ve steppedup the bar!

How has it been behind the scenes? Planning Diyafrom the beginning to where you are now? Howhave your progressed?K: Planning Diya has literally been a full time job for us.You don't realise how much there is to do! But what Iwould say is that the whole committee is enjoying it andit's really bringing out the best in everyone.Fancy attending Diya? Contact any Hindu Society CommitteeMember (contact details can be obtained from the StudentActivities Office, 2nd Floor of the S.U.). Diya will be held on 13thMarch at The Tower Ballroom at 7pm. Remember to have yourbest outfit on! Members £23, Non-members £25. A STRICTLYNO MEAT, NO ALCOHOL EVENT!

Music edit

Book club

Preview

The PLACE to go

Feature

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Redressing the ImbalanceWith International Women's Day around the corner, just how muchhave women achieved in the fight for equality? By Emily OwensMarch 8th 2013 marks the 102nd International Women’s Day (IWD). In recentyears, the day has taken on a particular theme, each aimed at addressing oneof the many areas in which women still struggle for equality - IWD 2011 wasdedicated to ‘Women’s History’, recognising and celebrating women’sachievements and their contributions to US history in particular, whilst in 2012,the UN declared the day as a chance to ‘End Poverty and Hunger’, with Oxfamcampaigning to drawattention to the plight of women living in poverty around theglobe. This year, the UN has set another theme: ending violence againstwomen.

But in modern day society, how do women fare in the fight against genderinequality, and how effective are the movements involved in progressingwomen’s rights? In terms of representation, the past 12 months have provedincredibly promising for women. The US elections in November saw a recordnumber of women elected into the Senate, and in April and December and bothMalawi and South Korea elected their first female Presidents respectively – withMalawi electing Joyce Banda, a long-standing gender activist.

The London 2012 Olympics provided another hotspot for gender equality, as –for the first time since the gamesbegan–every single countrywho took part senta female athlete to compete,meaning thatwomenaccounted for 45%of the totalnumber of competitors. This is reported to be the closest to total equality ever,and The Guardian even going so far as to claim that more women broke worldrecords than men.

However, violence against women still continues to be an issue, with incidentssuch as the horrific attack against a female medical student in Delhi, who wasrapedandbeaten to death onabus, and the recentmurder ofReevaSteenkampat the hands of her boyfriend highlighting just how important these issues are.In the case of the Delhi rape victim, although her tragic death sparked protestsall over India and raised awareness of the startling lack of women’s rights in thecountry, it still cannot be ignored that a youngwomen had to lose her life in order

Raise money, challenge your friends and spice up your CV!Abseil here on campus! 20th March 2013

Email us to find out how: oxfam@aston.ac.uk or go to...

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Feature

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to do so.

Even in Britain, the campaign for gender equality continues as reports inNovember 2012 claimed that women still earn up to 14.9% less per hour thantheir male counterparts. Within the media, the No More Page 3 campaign wasonce again cast into the spotlight this month as Rupert Murdoch hinted viaTwitter that he may consider scrapping the controversial feature from The Sun,breathingnew life into thecampaignagainst theobjectificationandsexualisationof women in the media.

There are many, many more instances I could cite, but I’ll simply conclude thatregardless of your gender or political stance, it is becoming increasingly difficultto deny that the state of women’s right across the globes remains tempestuous,as for every woman defying the odds and making great achievements there isa story of another who, stripped of her rights, remains at war with a society thatis still inherently stackedagainst her. So, this IWD I ask thatweall takeamomentto consider not only the incredible strength of a woman, but the fight that liesahead of her.

KEEPCALM

ANDRELAY

N27th-28th April 2013

Aston University Lake, Birmingham

Music

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Jimi HendrixSomewhere (Single)

When I initially heardof theplanned releaseof anewJimiHendrix album Iwassceptical.A cynicmay claim releasingmusic after an artist has passed epitomises the exploitativemethods used by record companies to stuff their pockets.While anothermay argue thatit helps the legacy of an artist live on. Nevertheless, it is a practise commonly employed.Indeed, Hendrix, who released only 3 albums during his lifetime, has had 6 releasedfollowing his death.

But surely, if there were any half-decent recordings of Hendrix still around the recordcompanies wouldn’t have waited more than 40 years following his death to releasethem?... were my exact thoughts, until, I heard lead single, Somewhere, from PeopleHell and Angels.

Somewhere is arguably some of Hendrix’s finest work. After a melodic intro explodesinto a rapturous, piercing, opening, the song settles into typical Hendrix fashion, with aconsistent, driving bass riff allowing him to spew creativity over the verses. There is noneed for a chorus; Jimi lets his fingers do the talking, withintense guitar solos sandwiching the mellow

verses. The tempo continuously shifts.The bridge is melodic and refreshing._And as we pass the four minute mark,_the piercing tones abruptly stop andwe_are left with the knowledge that 40_years later Jimi Hendrix remains_peerless. - Rushiv Nayee

People Hell and Angles containstwelve previously unreleased JimiHendrix studio recordings and willbe released digitally on March 4th.

Music

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Bo KeeneyRushiv Nayee checks out Bo Keeney's Don't You Worry EP

Bo Keeney showcases his skills as a talented multi-instrumentalist, while at the same timeensuring that the array of instruments never override his vocal performances, which prove to bethe star of the show.His stylish offering twists and turns at every avenuewhile constantly leavingthe listener wondering as to what lies around the corner.

The EP opens with Don’t YouWorry. Clean guitar chords eventually give way to dubstep whichremains dominant until the stripped-down bridge gives us a chance to catch our breath andappreciate Bo’s vocals. The track subsequently fades out as eloquently as it started.

Ambulance is characterised by a funky and persistent bassline. Relative simplicity is the keyhere, which succeeds in sustaining a melodic vibe throughout.

Motivation sees the return of the synthesisers previously employed, with another catchy riffthrown in for good measure, both techniques complement each other to create a memorablechorus.

The two remaining tracks are remixes ofDon’t YouWorry and allow the listener to further indulgetheir penchant for dubstep and synth.

Bo Keeney appears to have identified and exploited the lack of originality prevalent in much oftoday’s music, and subsequently succeeded in creating a terrifically unique sound. On hisFacebook page hemuses, ‘can’t wait to releasemoremusic this year’. We look forward to it, Bo.

Music

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Cave PaintingLeaf (Single)

With sounds that I can only describe as ‘magic’, Ican only exclaim that Cave Painting have anintense amount of talent! This five-piece bandfrom Brighton has showcased this talent on theirever so popular track ‘Leaf’. The lyrics arehaunting, but with everything you’d expect from anindie band, they transform the sadness intosomething beautiful. The song ends with 48

seconds of what I deem absolute paradise, simply because it’s in thoseseconds you really feel each member connecting with their audience – it’spowerful.

Also listen to the instrumental edit for this song, don’t let the beginning foolyou, it’s a slow starter but worth it. 1:30 into the song and you will be gladyou waited because you will be soothed by the guitar and the drums. Theseamless interaction takes you on a journey that I can only compare towalking in the woods at sunrise – beautiful.

- Sandra Nimako-Boatey

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Events

21

Disney on Ice, Let's Party!Reha Kansara visits the LG Arena for a real Disney Wonderland!

Last week's arrival of Disney on Ice, Let's Party in Birmingham left families andDisney fans alike dazzled by bright lights, theatrics on ice and most importantlythe array of brilliant characters. From the traditional Minnie & Mickey to the notso traditional Lilo & Stitch, LG Arena's show was filled with special effects, jawdropping stunts and spectacular outfits.

Mickey Mouse introduced each scene, starting with the magical Fantasiabrooms before introducing the Halloween bonanza led by Jack Skellington andhis spooky crew which welcomed the likes of the big diva Cruella Deville andmost importantly the wicked witch from Snow White as she tried to lure Mickeyinto taking a bite out of a poisonous apple. Although Mickey was fooled, thechildren from the audience weren't having any of it!

Valentine's Day arrived and all Minnie wanted was her Prince Charming. Thiswasaperfectway toshowcasesomeof themost famousDisneycharacterssuchas Aladdin and Jasmine, Mulan, Cinderella and many others.

Of all the scenes, my favourite was when Mickey and Minnie whirled arounddifferent parts of the world, from Hawaii to Japan and China to Brazil and mypersonal favourite, NewOrleans. Themusic, the colour and the outfits were veryenjoyable. The show turned out to be not only a thrilling display, but aneducational one too! So for those with children in the family, or if you're just a kidat heart I'd really recommend treating yourself to Disney on Ice tickets!

The Place to Go

22

The Jekyll & HydeA quirky, classy pub minutes from Aston's campus!

Aspart of a review for iAstonMagazine, Iwentalong to theJekyll andHydeonaTuesdaynight with a few friends to take part in their pub quiz as well as sampling their gourmetburgers. It’s amazing that a bar like this can be overlooked by students when it has somuch to offer and is so unique! With quirky decorations, a gin parlour upstairs and anAlice in Wonderland themed garden, it's an amazing place. The bar serves great foodwith 2 for 1 gourmet pies on a Monday, burgers on a Tuesday, fish and chips on aWednesday, and has a number of curious cocktails created by the skilled barman.

It was a “retro” themed pub quiz on the Tuesday- £1 entry and a bottle of prosecco asthe prize. The quizmaster put on a funny accent, wig and made a few interesting jokesbut entertained us nonetheless.We came last, as we didn’t take it particularly seriouslyon the night but the fact that the quizmaster couldn’t pronounce our team name (KenDodd’s Dad’s Dog’s Dead) meant that we left feeling like we’d taken the moral victory.

Slightly out of the ordinary places like this perhaps appeal more to final years andpostgraduates who want to try somewhere a bit different from Gosta Green, and thisplace fits the bill perfectly. In fact, we even bumped into local Aston “celebrity” NickHolzherr whilst we were in there! It also hosts events such as the pub quiz, “Gin’ll fixit”, cinema club, cocktail making lessons and monopoly boards.

All in all, I would thoroughly recommend the Jekyll and Hyde to Aston students -especially Monday through to Wednesday - who are looking for a chilled out drink ormeal and want to go somewhere a bit different. It’s well worth venturing into an almostenchanted venue and trying something new, especially with its 2 for 1 food offering inthe week! - Chris Barnes

Sports Report

23

Ashley Westwood:From League 2 to Premier League

“2012…I won’t ever beat that year!”Even by a professional football player’s standards, young Ashley Westwoodhas had a pretty enviable year. Playing for your boyhood team at Wembley,being made captain of that club, the birth of your first child AND securing abig money move to a Premier League Club all in the space of a few monthsis more than any young player could dream of.

Ashley’s journey started when he joined the academy of his local team,Crewe Alexandra, where his Dad happened to be the electrician. In theseearly days Ashley perceived this to be more than just mere coincidence andbelieved the reason he was accepted into the academy of the club hesupported was just down to his Dad.

“I started at the academy at 6 and thought nothing of it but then I made itthrough to the Under 16’s and thought wow I’ve got a chance here. Beforethat I just thought I’d go and work with my Dad,” Ashley said.

Sports Report

24

“Then I got signed on as an apprentice before going pro and going out onloan to Nantwich, the local non-league team, in my first year. I did alrightthere with the manager Steve Davis who then got the job at Crewe which didme the world of good and I was able to break through [into the first team].”

Ashley got his first taste of professional football at the age of 18 in twosubstitute appearances at the tail end of season already destined to end inrelegation. The relegation, however, turned out to be a blessing in disguisefor Westwood, as the following season he broke into the first team making hisfull debut and going on to make 38 appearances taking the club’s player ofthe season prize in the process.

A further two seasons earning his spurs in English football’s lowestprofessional division were about to be rewarded and propel Ashley’s careerto dizzying, previously inconceivable heights.

“Luckily I played at Wembley last year in the play-offs and we gotpromoted. Captained Crewe for 5 games the next season then got the moveto Villa. It was an unbelievable summer- my first kid was born as well.”Unable to prevent the escape of a big beaming smile Ashley recaps, “2012…I won’t ever beat that year. It was unbelievable…playing at Wembley, firstchild born and then the move to Villa.”

A defining moment in what promises to be a distinguished career is thephone call he received from Crewe’s chairman on transfer deadline day. “I’dhad a few bids in the summer for me turned down but on the Friday thechairman called me- ‘I’ve had a bid from Villa…would you like to go?’ Straightaway I was like ‘Yeah too right!’ And then he said ‘make your way up the m6then.’ It was a no brainer really with the size of Villa. I never thought I’d beplaying in the Premiership”

Fast forward several months and Ashley is one of the first names on PaulLambert’s team sheet, a feat the grounded and unassuming youngster wasn’texpecting to achieve so quickly.

“I’ve started a few games now,” he modestly explains, “I never thought I’ddo that. Just thought it would be the odd appearance here and there then

Sports Report

25

In addition to a wonderful range ofpassing Ashley also has superbtaste in reading material.

hopefully next season break into theteam. But I’ve taken myself bysurprise really and hopefully I cankeep improving. Since theSunderland match I’ve more or lessplayed every game which I neverthought I’d be doing this early on.”

The fact fans bemoaned hisabsence from the team (due tobeing cup-tied) for the shock semi-final loss to Bradford is a measure ofhow quickly he has settled into theside and how highly he is rated bythe Villa faithful. The no-nonsensepassing that keeps the team tickingover and heart-on-sleeve chasingthat quashes opposition attacks,evokes comparisons to EnglandInternational Michael Carrick. And

these comparisons are welcomed by Westwood, having based his gamefrom an early age on the Man Utd midfielder:“The way he sits and plays the game it’s nothing spectacular although havingsaid that he seems to be getting the praise he deserves now. He’s just a topplayer. Even when I was at Crewe he was the one I looked up to andmodelled myself on- keep it nice and simple and let the other lads have allthe glory.”

Ashley is a pivotal figure in Paul Lambert’s designs having arrived to the clubwith several other young hungry players recruited from the lower leagues toadd to the talented youngsters already at the club.“It’s helped with me, Matty Lowton, Jordan Bowery and Joe Bennet allcoming in together from lower leagues because we know what it’s like andthat’s helped us bed into the squad.”

Sports Report

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“We’ve shown what we can do in recent weeks against the likes of Arsenal,who we gave a good game and were unlucky not to get a point there, andagainst Man Utd we were also 2 nil up. We’re young lads and we need tolearn how to see games out and when we do that we’re definitely looking atbeing a good team.”

If Villa survive this season relegation dog battle the sky really is the limit forwhat Ashley Westwood and co can achieve. - Henry Walker

See Ashley in action andsupport Villa’s charity partnerAcorns, against QPR onSaturday 16th March 3pm KOwhen the club will becelebrating ACORNS DAY tomark the charity’s 25thanniversary.

Acorns Children's HospiceTrust is a registered charity

offering a network of care for life limited and life threatened children andyoung people, and their families, across the heart of England. Thesechildren and young people are not expected to reach adulthood andrequire specialist care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Acorns is currentlysupporting over 640 children and more than 910 families, including thosewho are bereaved.

AcornsAston Villa's Chosen Charity

Competitions

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Love System Festival Tickets!We've teamed up with Love SystemFestival, a brand new festival inCroatia, to give away a pair of ticketsto one lucky reader! Love System is abrand new European festival takingplace just outside the beautifulCroatian town of Petrcane, tuckedinto the Adriatic coastline. The visionwas to create an immersiveexperience for avid followers of housemusic and all its various guises. LoveSystem takes place in the never-before-used Punta Radman wood.The shaded, intimate site contains amaze of bars, stages and chill-outareas nestled in between the trees.Venture further into the wood and,without a building in sight, puntersspill out onto the coastwhere themainstage lies floating over the Adriatic.Here, festival-goers will have the

WIN! WIN! WIN!WIN! WIN!

opportunity to dance the day and night away to the beat of electronic music’selite, caressed by the afternoon summer sun or the blissful Croatian night-time.

Taking place from 30th May - 2nd June, the line up already consists of: Shonky| Bicep | Mario Basanov | Finnebassen | Ralph Lawson | TomDemac (live) | JayShepheard | Ben Pearce | wAFF | HNQO | Midland | George FitzGerald | SvenWeisemann | Paleman | Ossie | Trikk| Kolombo | Dirty Channels | Climbers |JOBE | KloseOne |Matt Fear | Kreature | Squarehead | SION |MikeGill | Markas| Jonny Cade | Lauren Lo Sung + more TBC

Foryour chance towin, simplysendanemail entitled "LoveSystemFestival"withyour name, email address and student number* to editor@astonunion.com

For further information, tickets, mixes, interviews and news, visit:WEB:www.lovesystemfestival.comEMAIL: info@lovesystemfestival.com

Competitions

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What Would You Change Competition - #WWYCSince 2002, thousands of lives have been changed by Teach First’s energeticpursuit of its mission to address educational disadvantage by transformingexceptional graduates and experienced professionals into effective,inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields.

Education is linked to happiness, life expectancy, crime rates and the economy.If you had the opportunity to make a difference what would you change abouteducation in the UK?

Teach First want to hear your ideas about how to improve education foreveryone. Submit your idea via a short video (two minutes max) or by writing a500wordproposal. This year's prize includesan internship at TeachFirst acrossa range of departments, as well as a tablet computer. Find out more and submityour entries at: www.teachfirst.org.uk/WWYCContact aston@teachfirst.org.uk to find out more about future Teach Firstevents on campus.

Competitions Terms & Conditions*Student number can be found on the front of your Student Card, highlightedin orange.All entries for Love System Festival competition must be received by Friday29/03/12.All winners chosen at random. Only one entry per student.Winners will be emailed notification of winning, please make sure to checkyour inbox and junk mail regularly.If winner(s) does not respond within two days, another winner will be chosen.For more information, please email editor@astonunion.com

Awards

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My AstonishingAston Academic AwardsThe results are in! Thank you to everyone who voted for their Astonishing AstonAcademics, and to all those who are listed below- both winners and nominees - thankyou for being astonishing academics!Most Motivational Academic

Best Personal Tutor

Academic Who Made The Most Difference

Academic Who Inspired Your Career Choice

Outstanding Feedback

Most Engaging Use of Learning Technology

ABS EAS LHS LSSGeorge JonesAndrew CocoranLaura ChamberlinClaudia SacramentoPatrick TissingtonLisa Weaver

John HewittDr John BrammerDavid SmithDr Joanna LumsdunDr Andy Sutherland

Dr Edward Walford Simone SchothDr Garry PlappertDr Muna Morris-Adams

ABS EAS LHS LSSYves GuillaumeLaura ChamberlinGeorge Jones

Dave UptonDr Yasir MakkawiDr Joanna LumsdunDr Gareth Griffiths

Dr Carl Senior Dr Pam Lowe

ABS EAS LHS LSSGeorge JonesClaudia SacramentoPaul BocijLaura ChamberlinRobert Goddard

Christian McLeningDr Sotos GeneralisDr John FletcherGareth ThomsonDr Joanna Lumsdun

Emma Wilson Dr Urszula ClarkRacquelFernandez Sanchez

EAS LHS LSSDr Gareth Griffiths Prof Anthony Hilton

Emma WilsonDr Chrissie RogersDr Pam LoweDr Nicci McLeardDr Tim Grant

ABS EAS LSS

ABS EAS LSS

George JonesLaura Chamberlin

Dr Joanna LumsdunDr George DrahunMark Prince

Helene StaffordDr Nicci McLeard

Patrick Tissington Mark PrinceDr John FletcherDr Joanna Lumsdun

Dr Nicci McLeard

The[Festival[Issue!

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