As my bead to take part and get involved in the fair trade fort night, I thought it would be a good idea to carry out my on research on the subject and share my finding with others in the hope to get more people involved and more aware on the subject. As you may or may not know England in one of the largest consumers of tea in world, with tea part of the British culture.

Using tea as the basics for my own investigation, I paid a visit to the three BIG super markets in my local area, which included Tesoc, ASAD & Sainsbury’s. In this current economic climate where everyone is tightening their bleats I did not think it would have been that relevant to focus on the high-end brands of tea. So I focused on value packs of tea and compared them to price of the supermarket own brand of fair trade tea.

The results:

Tesco’s Finest box of Fair trade tea would cost £1.58 where as the Tesco’s value box of tea would cost £0.28 (£1.30 price difference)
ASDA’s Fair trade box of tea would cost £1.83 where as the ASDA’s Smart Price cost £0.28 (1.55 price difference)
Sainsbury’s Red label Fair trade tea would cost £1.34 where as the Sainsbury’s Basics Tea cost £0.28p (£1.06 price difference important to note that Sainsbury’s Basics Tea was Fair trade endorsed)

My finding showed that the super market value tea’s where cheaper which was to be expected by £1.30. But what was unexpected was that Sainsbury’s was the only supermarket to have their value tea endorsed by Fair trade. This begs the question why the other supermarkets are not following suit whilst Sainsbury can stock value Fare trade tea and still remain completive. Results of this investigation go show the misconceptions that is associated with Fair trade products are not true. For instance, that Fair trade does not automatically mean more expensive, it also dismisses another misconception that Fair trade it not completive but the evidence clearly show that Sainsbury can sell Fair trade tea bags at a completive price.

I can conclude that Sainsbury’s came out on top I would recommend as part the Fair trade fort-night 2010 (the Big Swap) we should swap from your every day tea and try something new that is cheaper would benefit others in the third world. By take part it means you get to show your support for developing world producers through what you buy. ‘Two billion people - a third of humanity - survive on less than $2 a day. Unfair trade rules keep them in poverty, but they face the global challenges of food shortages and climate change too.’ Just by swapping one item in our shopping bags we can help change this statistic.

So what is this glittering prize that so many students are willing to campaign in rain, snow, and blazing sunshine for? Well, it’s the chance to be part of the team that leads the Union for an entire year.

The 4 Full Time (paid) Sabbatical Officers (President, VP Sports, VP Education and Welfare and VP Student Activities) are the equivalent of Managing Directors in any other organisation, and being part of that elite group will give you the skills that other graduates can only dream of, making you highly employable. You also get the chance to shape the future of the Union, making decisions that affect the lives of hundreds of students, liasing with the University and local community about key issues and campaigning for student rights. Chat to any one of the current officers, and they will all tell you that its hard work, but incredible rewarding.

If a full time position isn’t your thing, then how about being a Student Trustee? This person gets the same decision making power as the Sabbs, with none of the day-to-day responsibilities, allowing them to shape the Union while still focussing on their studies.

There are also a whole plethora of Part-Time Officer Positions available, from the Community Officer to the 2nd Year Representative, from Campaigns to Sports, Societies to LGBT, there is bound to be something there that fits you.

Every position is worthwhile, valued and can make a real difference and we need students to put themselves forward for election to lead the Union forward.

Nomination packs are available from the SU or on www.ccsu.co.uk to download. Included in the packs are full details of all positions as well as an outline of the 4 Full-Time roles.

Deadline for nominations is 12 noon on the 22nd February.

Voting starts on the 1st March in Medway, 2nd March in Broadstairs and 3rd-5th March in Canterbury with results announced on the 5th March.

You may have seen the posters, possibly joined the facebook groups or even read the documents on CCSU.co.uk, but you still may not be entirely sure exactly what was going on, so let me elaborate.

About 18 months ago, the Charity Commission announced that all SU’s whose income was over a certain bracket (and ours is) would have to register as a charity with them within a certain timescale. As a result, the Union had to completely redo all of its governing documents that outline how the Union is run - a process that took a full 18 months to complete. None of it would have been meaningful though without the stamp of approval from at least 100 students of Christ Church, and this is what the AGM was for.

Simply put, not enough students at the meeting meant not enough people to vote for or against the documents, so no document to give to the Charities Commission in the summer of 2010, so we couldn’t change to a charity, and therefore wouldn’t be legal!

The Union holds an AGM every year, but this one was truly special as the students of Christ Church proved that they wanted to safeguard their Union for the future.

The students scrutinised the Union’s accounts from 2008-9, passed motions to lobby the University to increase the networking capacity and the Wi-Fi coverage around campus, as well as have more student-run night in the Student Building bar and remove the £35 charge for charities to attend events.

They also heard reports about what the Officers had been up to and made sure that they were doing what they had promised to do last March.

Thank you Christ Church, you proved that students are not apolitical and apathetic and can rally around when it matters the most.

Full details of the AGM can be found in the minutes of the meeting on www.ccsu.co.uk

Whether you are in a relationship, or enjoying the perks of single life, sexual health is a very real issue which should not be side lined; nor does it need to be. Our television screens, radio broadcasts and magazine articles are bursting with quips and quotes; warning us of precautions we should take, and tests available, but to what extent do we actually respond to them? According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA),

“Young people (aged 16-24 years old) are the age group most at risk of being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection, accounting for 65% of all chlamydia, 50% of genital warts and 50% of gonorrhoea infections… across the UK in 2007” (Last revised 2009).

These ought to be adequately scary figures for all of us to want to know what’s going on with our bodies. But do we? How often do you go to the clinic for a check up? The HPA recommend getting checked for ‘the clap’ and general sexual health at least once every year, or every time you are with a different sexual partner. So, an appropriate round of applause for those who do! But seriously, as Canterbury students, what does the city provide for us in regards to sexual health?

Canterbury Health Centre will give you guidance about contraception and family planning. This establishment is able to test for chlamydia but cannot provide a full comprehensive sexual health screening.
Tel: 01227 597033.

Choices Young Person:
Mon 16:30 – 19:00
Wed 15:30 – 18:00

Family Planning Clinic:
Tues 09:30 – 12:00/17:00 – 19:30
Thurs 09:30 – 12:00

The Gate Clinic at Canterbury Hospital offers a GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinic, which, as the central hub of sexual health, provides level 3 services, i.e. up to and including HIV management, syphilis, and Hepatitis B and C, as well as a ‘Chronic Clinic’ for chronic skin problems associated with genitalia. Being tested means being treated by a supportive and confidential network, and, being covered by the Venereal Disease Act of Parliament for Confidentiality, unless your information is required in a court room, it will remain entirely classified. This clinic can invariably diagnose a condition on site, although there is usually a week long wait for the results to be officially confirmed. For more specific cases, the wait may be longer. The nurses operate on a “no news is good news” basis, unless you specifically request some form of contact. A sexual health helpline is available on a Wednesday evening from 5 – 7pm which you can call to check your results, or with any other queries you might have. Tel: 01227 783120.

Gate Clinic Walk-in Service: Mon to Fri 09:30 – 12:30/13:30 – 16:00. (NB: Take car park change if you’re driving!).

Christ Church also provides free condoms for students. Just pop in to the SU Welfare office on the main campus or the Students’ Union office at Augustine House.

Sexual Health And Guidance (SHAG) Week will take place during March at the Students Union (Date to be announced in next issue of Unified), where screening and chlamydia tests will be available, as will confidential and friendly advice about any sex questions you’d like to raise. Canterbury Christ Church University recognises the importance of sexual awareness and aims to provide reliable support and guidance should you need it.

Remember, in maintaining your sexual health, not only are you protecting yourself, but you’re also respecting yourself, and, subsequently those you are sexually involved with.

The best thing about pom poms is that they are inexpensive and quick to make… with kits on Amazon starting from £3.00. Alternatively use a cardboard template, made from an old cereal box, and a ball of wool from your mums sewing box and add to old hats, ends of scarves and coat strings to update a worn out piece.

Designer Ashish’s funky take on the classic pompom affect at a recent fashion show in London…
If making your own isn’t feasible at the moment due to essays piling up, do not worry all the high street stores are churning out their own take on the pom pom revival!!

New look pom pom hats start from eight pounds, ranging in colours and some include matching gloves. As well as DP, Miss Selfridge and H & M getting in on the action.

Another great thing about the pom pom; the hats can be used to hide those bed head and bad hair days; when you wake up and realise you only have ten minutes to get to class!

Whether on the catwalks or on the heads of celebs these little balls are causing quite a stir.

I spoke to one student from Canterbury who was willing to share the harsh reality of what some female students are prepared to do in order to put themselves through education. (The names of the individuals mentioned have been changed to protect their identities).

Hazel is 20 and in her last year of a physics and biochemistry degree. She is a pretty girl with long brunette hair, slim frame and a clear complexion. She is very sweet and extremely intelligent and has been working as an “escort” for the last eighteen months.

Hazel explains “It’s not something I planned to get involved in, and it’s not something I’d recommend. But when rent is due, food is needed and unexpected car repairs clear out your bank account, I guess everyone has their breaking point.”

It is clear that Hazel finds this particular subject difficult to talk about, but she is keen to help people realise that girls are willing to sell sex in order to support themselves through university. “I know a lot of people would say that I should take out another loan or ask my parents for help, but it’s not that simple, my parents don’t have the money to support me and another loan means more debt.”

This is a situation that the vast majority of students know all too well and it is common place for students to take out extra loans to cover costs whilst studying.
“It’s certainly not something you dream of when you’re a little girl, but I know so many girls who see working in this industry as just another job, as do I, I suppose. Where I’d only get paid five or six pounds an hour in a shop or bar, I can get a grand for four hours work on a Saturday night! In three nights I have paid off a whole year’s tuition fee!”

Although these figures seem hard to believe, Hazel showed me the agency’s website she was working through, and the fees are listed under each of the girls’ profiles. Hazel started her fees at £500 for a two hour slot, £1,000 for a four hour slot, and anything over four hours would be charged at £500 per hour. Despite Hazel’s agency being at the more expensive end of the market, it shows just how much money can and is being made.

Of course escorting is not the only way money can be earned, as Hazel reveals:
“I know three girls who work in strip clubs, one of them was in Canterbury actually, and they can get around a grand for a four hour shift on a good night. My friend, Charlie works some of the red light district areas near her uni and she makes more than I do! I don’t know any of the girls who work at the agency I do, but I know at least two other girls who work for other online agencies.”

Hazel’s situation may seem extreme but student prostitution has risen by up to 50% in the last six years, which is consistent with the findings of Dr. Ben Roberts, a health psychologist. He said: “our figures represent a 50% increase in the prevalence rates for student prostitution since 2000.”

Many girls who now work in the sex industry were vulnerable, and were attracted by how lucrative this type of work can be. Rising tuition fees seem to be the main reason for female students resorting to such measures. But is it any wonder, when in 1998, (the year tuition fees were introduced) students paid £1,000 per year in comparison to £3,290 this year.

In a survey conducted by The Times, 130 students were asked whether they knew any friends involved in the sex industry, one in ten said they knew of students who had stripped, lap danced or worked at massage parlours and escort agencies to support themselves through university. Just over 6% said they knew students who worked as prostitutes.

As clients spend an average of £534million on prostitutes each year (which are similar to how many Britons spend on going to the cinema each year); a spokesman for Universities UK emphasised that the institutions provide support for struggling students, but “students are responsible adults and we treat them as such.” No further comment has been given. Clearly, students’ working in the sex industry remains rather a taboo subject.

Unified says: It is common knowledge that students frequently struggle financially. However, the sex industry should never be considered as an option for earning extra cash. Prostitution is a slippery slope of potentially dangerous liaisons which can lead to serious illness, physical harm and alcohol or drug abuse. Students thinking of taking such risks are advised to seek safer means of income, and emergency financial aid is available. If anyone is having trouble coping with the stresses of university they should contact Student Support Services immediately.

The first two weeks saw hopefuls audition in front of judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue. But obviously these weren’t the real X Factor judges, they were even better! We had the arrogant Mr Cowell played to perfection by CCSU president Liam Preston, the cute little Irish Louis Walsh by myself, Kal Sajad (No idea why I had to be the camp judge!), our fab Sports Sabb Steph White took to the stage as the glamorous Cheryl Cole. Last but definitely not least, Vice President Welfare and Education, Steve Godwin, played the judge from down under Dannii Minogue. Mr Godwin proved to be a crowd favourite, putting in full effort in trying to imitate Dannii, as week in week out he turned out in a black wig and sexy little dress (although if we’re getting picky he could have shaved his chest).

As the audition stages ended, the number of acts were whittled down to the final 16 and each judge was assigned as a mentor to four of the finalists. Unfortunately, financial limitations meant that Pop Factor was unable to replicate ITV’s X Factor in being broadcasted on prime time television with the facilities to phone in and vote for your favourite act. However, we had the next best thing, in a sound-o-meter hidden away in the Union, which determined which act would go through based on the noise levels of the cheers they received. The bottom act each week left the competition with the next two taking part in a ‘sing off’, from which the judges had to make the difficult decision in voting who would be leaving the competition. As the weeks progressed, disappointed acts were “sent home” (using the X Factor lingo) as Pop Factor picked up pace and popularity.

There was the assumption that Pop Factor would be a pub karaoke style competition, but it was anything but. As something that started out as a light hearted ‘bit of fun’, Pop Factor’s continuous growth in popularity meant that some acts started to take it very seriously indeed. There were numerous Facebook groups supporting particular acts, and some fans even turned out with banners as they cheered on their friends. And the rivalry amongst the judges was also clear to see, as friendships with the performers grew, with no one wanting to see one of their own acts get voted out.

There is no doubt that the ‘Jedward’ of the competition went out to the ‘Jumbo Skets’, a girl band consisting of a number of Christ Church Cheerleaders. They didn’t necessarily sing the perfect notes, but their enthusiasm, energy and creativity came in abundance, epitomised by their performance of ‘It’s Raining Men’, in which presenter Jake ‘Mclane’ Kemp was hosed down with water and stripped to his Calvins.
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It is imperative to mention the efforts of both Mclane and Georgie Farrer, who mimicked presenters Dermot O’Leary and Hollie Willoughby. Their on stage chemistry was spot on, as they engaged well with the acts, judges, and most notably kept a sometimes boisterous audience under control. Despite Georgie’s repetition of the phrase “I thought that was FAN-tastic!” and Jake’s cringe worthy humour (My favourite being when he asked an act carrying a guitar in a case why he had “bought his tennis racquet?”), there is no doubt that Pop Factor would not have been the same without the two “FAN-tastic” presenters.

So to the final. After over a month of singing their hearts out each week, and the consumption of dozens of Lemsip sachets to keep those sore throats away, we were down to four acts. The cheeky ladies’ magnet Elton George Lewis, the consistent Stevie-Louise Attwood, the soulful Casey Erin Hall and the passionate duo of Henry and Angel. After the first round of performances, in which acts had to belt out a song from the theme of ‘Christmas’, the judges had to choose one act to be sending home. After much deliberation, the four judges agreed that the unlucky act would be Henry and Angel.

That left three acts battling it out to be crowned the first ever Pop Factor winner. However, before all that, there was a special treat for the audience. As the SU doors opened at eight o’clock, there was excitement in the air as an X Factor finalist, whose identity had been kept a secret, would be performing later that night. There were rumours and whispers around all week prior to the final as to who the guest act would be, and it’s safe to say that not many were left disappointed as Rachel Adadeji, from the recent series of X Factor, came from behind the curtains to perform a number of hit songs including Robbie Williams ‘Let Me Entertain you’ and Beyonce’s ‘If I Were A Boy’. It was clear that Rachel had not let her new found fame to take over, as she got involved with the audience, inviting them on to the stage as she smiled throughout.

The three Pop Factor acts then sung a final song of their choice, in a last ditch attempt to sway the vote of the judges. However, the format of the competition had a slight twist for the last performance - the reliable sound-o-meter was replaced by a new judge; Rachel Adadeji. The pressure was on for the Christ Church finalists as they prepared to sing in front of someone who Simon Cowell (The real one, not Liam Preston!), once described as having “great vocals” and putting on “superb performances.” However, all three acts performed to the best of their abilities and truly justified their place in the final. But there was one act who took the audience by storm. The deciding vote went to Rachel Adadeji and there was only one winner she could pick. With his dapper dress sense, his dance moves that made every bloke in the audience envious, and his cheeky smile, this gentleman was ultimately the most entertaining performer in the whole competition. As he performed a memorable rendition of Jackson 5’s ‘Blame it on the Boogie’, winner of Pop Factor 2009 was Elton George Lewis. EGL was ecstatic as the fans ran on to the stage during his ‘Winners Performance’, demonstrating the craze and interest that the competition had generated.

Pop Factor might now be over but it has shown us that the Students’ Union is THE place to start off a Friday night. And throughout this term you will be able to win up to £250 as CCSU does ‘DEAL OR NO DEAL’ on Friday nights. But for those of you who want to see more of Elton George Lewis, you will just have to wait a little bit longer until the Summer Ball.

December came and went and a lot of the teams, particularly Hockey, bid farewell to their American team mates. I have to say it was quite a sad occasion to see so many girls that had got hugely involved in the Hockey teams, especially in a social capacity, go back to their homeland. However we do say a big welcome to more American students who flocked to Christ Church at the start of this term. Let’s hope the new bunch get equally involved within our Sports and Societies.

January, usually quite a quiet time for the Student Union, hasn’t been quite so for Sports and Societies this year. The new term saw our Re Fresher Fayre where our teams had a second chance to attract more students into their Sports and Societies. The day was a great success for many and I think I may have even been convinced to join Karate. Watch out I’ll be a black belt in no time!! Next we saw the Sports Federation Auction take the Student’s Union by storm on Wednesday 20th January. Myself and my beautiful assistant Kal took to the stage to auction off an array of different prizes that had been donated by various businesses in town. These ranged from meal for two coupons, alcohol, hairdressing vouchers, Big Phil’s cleaning services and the football President and his sidekick Jenga sold to cook the bidder and their house mates a meal. I heard they do a mean sausage casserole; I am just going to say the Union is in no way responsible if these chefs give their guests about of food poisoning! I have to say though. without a shadow of a doubt. the star of the show was Amy Wragg. The Intra mural football boys battled against the Hockey boys in fierce bidding war to have this beautiful lady as their slave for the night, not sexual I might add! Wragg was sold to C4 Rejects for a mighty £101.50. All in all I have to say it went down well with the teams and we raised a tremendous £300. Keep coming to the Union on a Wednesday night, whether you belong to a Sports team or not, the atmosphere is great and it’s all for a good cause.

In other news preparations for the Sports Federation Dinner and Varsity, are well under way with our teams coming face to face with our rivals for a photography session of our captains in the Cathedral grounds. It’s going to be a thrilling second term so get as much out of it as you can. And again if you are reading this and aren’t involved in a Sport or Society, change that and get involved. Come see me upstairs in the Students’ Union.

Nicolas Verdier: Don, how do you feel with just two months until Varsity commences?

Don Fletcher: I feel confident. We’ve had a good season so far, even if we did get knocked out of the Cup in the first round. But we are top of the league with only one loss.

N.V: How will you prepare for Varsity?

D.F: We will carry on training on Mondays but we will have two fitness sessions a week. We are also going to make training a lot more demanding for the players over the coming months.

N.V: You haven’t trained for nearly two months now due to the weather, do you think this will affect your preparation?

D.F: Probably, because you need to train as a team. Even if the players are going to the gym quite often, the less you train together, the worse you perform. The weather should get better from now on though and with two fitness sessions a week, everybody should be back to full fitness pretty quick. So I am confident.

N.V: What are you expectations for the rest of the season and Varsity?

D.F: Definitely to win Varsity. But we also want to get promoted in the league with no more losses on our record.

N.V: On a personal note, are you back to full fitness after breaking your thumb?

D.F: Not quite yet. I have been doing a lot of weight training so I am stronger. But I have not played rugby for two months so I am not match fit yet.

N.V: Being the 1st team captain, is there any more pressure for Varsity?

D.F: Without a doubt. You worry about everyone else’s performances, the way the match is going and, making the right decision throughout the game, as well as playing your own game.

N.V: Have you thought about players you will pick for Varsity?

D.F: Definitely. It’s a big decision for everyone so I want to get that right.

N.V: What do you expect from your teammates?

D.F: Putting in the commitment we did last year. We trained hard and it all paid off.

The welcoming new centre contains one large sports hall (which can easily be separated by a barrier in the middle), a gym facility with accommodating changing rooms and a dance studio on the upstairs floor. There is also a state of the art ‘Performance analysis suite’ that can be utilised by students.

Outside, the striking architecture uses natural materials to give the building real character and a defined style of its own. The large Christ Church Emblem embedded on the side of the building is there to make sure there are no mistakes when trying to locate it for an early morning practical! When you make it inside, which with the not-so-automatic-doors is no simple matter, the building is a really impressive and nice place to be. The gym has that brilliant brand new feeling and the wide range of machines, makes for a really comfortable and enjoyable environment to exercise in. If you are lucky, you may even visit when Live Premier League football matches are being shown on one of the two large screens within the gym, a must when slaving on the treadmill after a heavy night.

The exercise studio upstairs, which has had its false start (the mirrored windows decided to fall down early on in the term), really is a great place to exercise and is used mostly for the wide range of classes the gym provides to suit people of all fitness levels.

The impressive facility is being used as a training base for the 2012 Olympics, boasting specialist equipment to cater for Fencing and Basketball in particular. This fact will help to raise the profile of the University as a place where sportsmen and women are given the opportunity to excel.

The only criticisms that have been circulating on the University grape vine are the lack of parking at the actual centre (given that spring lane sees regular incidents of vandalism on cars). Also, the absence of a swimming pool has seemed to raise some eyebrows. Some may argue that if the University was willing to go to the effort of having the Centre built, why not go the ‘whole hog’ as it were and put a swimming pool in, putting our centre on a par with other gyms in the area.

These, however, do not overshadow what the centre has added to CCCU, and it certainly is a facility that can be developed and utilised by all