Week two news column: Medieval graveyards, wine shortages and binned lectures

You’ll never guess what’s been hiding under King’s the whole time…


Week two is complete and as we get back in the swing of the Cambridge grind I think it’s fair to say we all forgot how intense doing a degree at Cambridge can be.

But it hasn’t been all work this week, there has definitely been time to shed a tear or two at the loss of our beloved Fez and for Queens’ students to deal with the loss of their May Ball. However, we also saw some big highs as the Tab launched its iconic BNOC competition (If you haven’t nominated someone yet, do it!).

But you’d be silly to think that that was all that occurred in Cambridge this past week, so as per usual, we’ve collected all the other bits of news that you may have missed in week two…

AMES Faculty installs a safety net 

On January 25th (so yes, technically not in week two, but I won’t tell anyone if you won’t), the faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern studies (AMES) announced that it would be following in the footsteps of the MMLL and HML faculties in issuing a safety net for their finalist students.

The safety net will work in the same way as the MMLL equivalent whereby students cannot score lower in their final year exams than the grades they scored in second year.

Students studying AMES were adversely affected by the eruption of the pandemic when many of their year abroad projects were cancelled and students were forced to return to the UK.

In addition to installing the safety net, all AMES students will receive a week extension on coursework and a two week extension on dissertation deadlines.

Medieval graveyard uncovered at King’s 

This week a medieval graveyard was uncovered underneath student accommodation at King’s College containing more than 60 Anglo-Saxon graves.

The discovery occurred when the college was demolishing a student accommodation block built in the 1930s and has been hailed as an incredibly significant find. I bet all the archaeology students are proper excited now that they finally have something to do!

Currently, over 200 items have been uncovered, including bronze necklaces, swords and pieces of pottery at the site on Barton Road.

Fine wine shortage strikes Cambridge

Brace yourself… it looks like Cambridge is facing a fine wine shortage due to delivery delays from Europe following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. Perhaps its a relief to be away from Cambridge after all.

Currently, Cambridge Wine Merchants based on King’s Parade is waiting on 20,o00 bottles of Spanish wine that is being held up in Essex.

Thank goodness the shortage wasn’t during the Christmas build-up when visiting the merchants for your mulled wine practically became a personality trait.

Students mourn the closure of Fez 

This week another notorious Cambridge club bit the dust and so many students were sad to see the iconic Fez go. In order to cope with the grief, students flocked straight to Camfess to express their sorrow. Here are some of the best reactions…

(Image Credit: Camfess via Facebook)

Is there a higher power at work here?

(Image Credit: Camfess via Facebook)

Perhaps this isn’t so radical after all?

(Image Credit: Camfess via Facebook)

It looks like Jesus Green is going to have to start hunting for a resident DJ.

(Image Credit: Camfess via Facebook)

What is happiness without a sweaty Fez experience?

Cambridge Period Project calls for ‘fair access to menstrual products for all’

This week the Cambridge Period Project and the SU Women’s Campaign released an open letter calling on the university and its colleges to “ensure fair access to menstrual products for all Cambridge students.”

The letter currently has over 400 signatures from students and has also been signed by the JCRs of Peterhouse, Magdalene and Selwyn colleges.

Women’s and Marginalised Genders’ Officer for Peterhouse JCR, Georgia Hawthorne, told the Tab Cambridge: “For too long this problem has gone under the radar and been ignored. I think a lot of this is due to the stigma that still surrounds menstruation… We should not stay silent about period poverty. As long as period poverty still exists within the university, it cannot claim to be an equal and accessible space for all students.”

RAG Blind Date launches Virtual Valentines

RAG Blind Date has announced this week that this years event will be moved online, dubbed “Virtual Valentines”.

This year the RAG cupids will be matching people online and all dates will be COVID safe, running from 7th-15th February.

RAG is Cambridge University’s largest fund-raising society and raises money for local, national and international charities.

Virtual Valentines is a way for students to go on blind dates with matches, all whilst raising money for charity. One date costs £5, and you can get two dates for £7.50… what a bargain! Any interested romantics out there and can sign up here!

Catz Boat Club lit pink for Pink Week

On Monday, St. Catharine’s College lit their boat house in pink to mark the start of Pink Week, a week long celebration that aims to raise awareness about breast cancer in UK universities.

St Catharine’s Boat Club was lit in pink to celebrate Pink Week (Image Credit: St. Catharine’s College)

This is part of a uni-wide campaign which aims to beat the total of £20,000 raised in 2020 for breast cancer charities.

I bet all the ducks swimming past enjoyed the view!

PBS Faculty accidentally bin lectures 

This week the Physical and Behavioural Sciences Faculty (PBS) accidentally deleted a series of lectures, making them impossible for third year students to reach… I wish some of my lectures were “accidentally” deleted.

“Oopsies” (Photo Credit: Camfess via Facebook)

To add to the woes of the faculty, they also mislabelled the start date of one of their lecture series and are now subsequently two lectures behind. It looks like it’s not just students that are left dazed by online learning.

In an email sent out to PBS third year students, the faculty wrote that there was an “issue relating to the deletion of files” and that they were “working to get [the lectures] restored as quickly as possible.”

The PBS Faculty told the Tab Cambridge: “The Department was made aware of the issue and worked quickly to restore the missing files […] all items on the page are now fully restored.”

Trinity launches teaching masterclass

Trinity College has this week announced that it has teamed up with World Class Schools to bring a new masterclass series for teachers to “drive student engagement and achievement at A-Level.”

Trinity’s Outreach Coordinator Jon Datta has commented on how important it is to remind teachers of their passion for their subject in order to then encourage students, saying that it is “[teachers’] enthusiasm that galvanises students and propels them to realise their potential.”

Target Oxbridge helps 71 students gain places at Oxbridge

This week, Target Oxbridge announced that they have helped 71 Black students achieve places at Oxford and Cambridge, with 37 students holding Cambridge offers.

According to the Target Oxbridge website: “Target Oxbridge aims to increase the number of UK students of Black African and Caribbean heritage at Oxford and Cambridge by providing talented pupils with application support and advice.”

Sine its conception in 2012, over 280 Black British students have gained places at the two prestigious universities with the support of Target Oxbridge. The programme plans to double its provision this year, providing an additional 160 students with online support.

Sidney Sussex to restrict windows

Sidney Sussex College announced this week that they will be “fitting window restrictions to all windows above the ground floor on all college properties” that will restrict how far they can be opened.

In an email sent to students, the college say the decision comes after a university-wide safety audit.

Tara Choudhury, a student of the college, told The Tab Cambridge that she was “extremely concerned” when she was Sidney released the news.

Tara added: “Given how claustrophobic lockdown can feel, restricting access to fresh air isn’t just bad for our mental health but also goes against government advice on increasing room circulation.

“We’ve been given no warning or opportunity to object despite a large number of us not being happy with the measure.”

Christ’s College taps run dry 

Momentarily on Monday, students at Christ’s College lost access to water as their taps ran dry following a burst water pipe due to current construction works at the college. So with no wine or water, students will definitely be going thirsty!

The pipe has since been fixed and the water is back running.

Current construction works caused a burst water pipe. (Image Credit: Charissa Cheong)

And that’s a wrap for this week! It’s safe to say I didn’t anticipate writing about an archaeological dig and a wine shortage in the same article, but Cambridge can be a crazy place. I wonder what it has in store for us next week..? 

 

Christ’s College,  Sidney Sussex College and the PBS Faculty have been contacted for comment.

Feature Image Credit: Ed g2s via Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License)