Friday 11th July 2025
Blog Page 10

Oxford Bus Company urges County Council to curb ’emergency’ congestion levels

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Urgent action by Oxfordshire County Council to alleviate Oxford’s congestion problem has been called for by managing director of the Oxford Bus Company, Luke Marion. 

Marion called for “urgent measures” to combat “emergency levels” of congestion in a post to the Oxford Bus Company website in March. He pointed to the closure of Botley Road for improvements at Oxford Station as a particularly important cause. 

Marion told Cherwell: “Our own data tells us journey times on the Abingdon Road have increased by an average of 17% since the closure of Botley Road. Furthermore, services between Blackbird Leys and Oxford City Centre have slowed by 33% in the last decade, and journey times from Wood Farm into the city have worsened by 15% since 2019.”

Botley Road was first shut in April 2023 to allow for improvement work at Oxford Station. The road was originally scheduled to re-open in October 2024, but delays to construction have meant that it is currently set to re-open in August 2026. 

Oxfordshire County Council told Cherwell: “As highways authority, throughout this period we have done all we can to minimise the impact on the rest of the road network by working closely with Network Rail and our other partners, such as the bus companies, to keep the city moving.”

The County Council had planned to tackle congestion in Oxford in 2024 by establishing a system of traffic filters, which would have fined motorists in the centre of the city without a permit. 

The County Council told Cherwell that the filters would reduce traffic flow in the city centre by around 35% during “morning and evening peak periods” and “improve average bus journey times during the day by 6.5% across the Oxford SmartZone, which includes Oxford and surrounding areas.” However, the Botley Road closure has meant that the traffic filters will only take effect in autumn 2026. Marion has urged the council to find a “plan B” in the meantime.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management at Oxfordshire County Council, responded to calls for urgent congestion management, saying: “The county council’s cabinet takes these calls for action seriously. We need faster, more regular, cheaper bus services, and we need them now.

“The way to do that is to tackle congestion, which will of course also deliver safer, quieter, cleaner streets, and help key workers and businesses delivering vital services on our roads. We acknowledge the calls from our partners in the bus companies to act now, and I look forward to engaging on proposals soon.”

Labour MP Sean Woodcock and Labour county councillor Brad Baines have called on the Liberal Democrat-led Council to take advantage of new powers set to be granted to local transport authorities in the government’s Bus Services Bill. 

The bill will give local authorities new powers over fares, routes, and timetables, with private companies bidding for contracts to operate. Woodcock said: “I urge Oxfordshire County Council to seriously consider what steps are available to them, and I look forward to their response.”

Baines said: “Public transport is a key public service and cannot just be about profit. The government is giving us the powers, let’s take back control of routes, fares and timetables to improve services for passengers.”

Labour councillors were challenged by Green County and City councillor Emily Kerr, who said: “whilst Labour and the Tory Alliance say they want [decreased bus journey times], they’ve opposed the policy suggestions which will deliver it, such as traffic filters.”

Improvements to the local transport system are set to be discussed by the County cabinet, elected last month.

The Song Is Over: The Who on their farewell tour

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In a quietly emotional press gathering at Iconic Images Gallery that Cherwell was privileged to attend, The Who formally announced their final curtain call. Formed in the smog-choked backstreets of 1964 London, four angry young men from Acton chose to hurl their post-adolescent fury through amplifiers into the ears of a changing Britain. Over the decades, they have become one of the UK’s most influential bands, with landmark albums like Tommy, Who’s Next, and Quadrophenia, and anthems such as “My Generation”, “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, The Who have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Now, they prepare to take their final bow on American soil.

The 16-show tour marks the conclusion of a six-decade transatlantic love affair – one last lap of honour from the sonic architects who birthed the rock opera, pioneered the art of instrument destruction, and turned windmill guitar strums and primal screams into defining iconography of rock rebellion.

“Everybody’s dream was to make it in America,” reflects singer Roger Daltrey. “Every young musician’s dream was that act. That’s where the first pulses of rock music came from.” There’s a tender reverence in his tone when discussing American audiences – an acknowledgement of completion, of a circle closing. “It meant so much, and it’s been so loyal to us. And I hope we’ve given back to it in the same manner. But it’s got to come to an end one day, and it would be great to do it while I can still sing the songs in the same key, and Pete’s still playing great guitar, and the music’s still got that vitality to it.”

With a touch of wistfulness, the conversation shifts to memories of the band’s first arrival in the country. “It goes back to 1967 in New York. Murray the K’s ‘Music in the Fifth Dimension’,” begins guitarist Pete Townshend before Daltrey cuts in, reaching further back: “Even before that, we had a show in a school gym in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We turned up, set our equipment up in this little part of the gym, went about playing our songs. And the audience just kind of stood over the mouth of it. We didn’t know how we’d be received. But when we smashed the guitar at the end, they went absolutely nuts. So we thought, well … there’s hope.”

That hope, however, demanded persistence. Their American conquest was not immediate, nor was it without struggle. “It took a lot of schlepping,” Townshend told Cherwell wryly. “A lot of tour buses and cheap motels before we actually made it. An awful lot of work went into doing it. And it wasn’t until our record Tommy, which eventually led to us playing Woodstock, that we were really surrendered into American pop culture.” 

Another early turning point was the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, where the band shared the bill with Jimi Hendrix. “I felt it was wrong for The Who to go on after Jimi, to be honest,” Townshend admits with characteristic frankness, “because I felt he was a superior performer, and certainly a better guitar player. Though I won’t say he sang better than Roger, because he didn’t.” Such humility from one of rock’s most celebrated guitarists speaks volumes about the genuine respect these musical titans held for their contemporaries.

Those early American shows cemented a special relationship with audiences, particularly in New York. “They came and they had a good time and they shouted and screamed, but they really, really listened,” the band recalls with evident fondness. “We had experienced that in universities here in the UK. We played in lots of common rooms, and the students would sit down and have a drink or roll a joint and really listen. And now these days, a lot of people have got memories of meeting their future husbands and wives at Who shows, and they bring their grandchildren to see us. Us being out there performing for the last time is really just to say thank you.”

Discussing their setlist planning, Daltrey reveals the challenges of modern touring: “It’s very difficult. I can’t tell you what we’ll play.” Townshend adds that the technological demands of contemporary performances have transformed how they approach live shows: “Running a show these days is totally different from how it used to be. We used to turn up with a load of amplifiers, a PA that we set up on the stage. We knew what songs we would start with. And then as we went through the show, we would feel the emotion of the audience. And I used to shout out to the guys the next song. But in today’s technology world, where you mix the sound from out front, you have a light show and all that everyone seems to expect, it’s impossible not to have a setlist. Because you’re working as a military unit. The gun batteries rely on the infantry.”

When asked which songs he’s particularly excited to include, Townshend mentions ‘Love, Reign o’er Me’ as the track he’d most like to be remembered for. Daltrey, after some hesitation, suggests ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ is the best song he’s ever written, though he confesses he finds it impossible to pick just one favourite from their extensive catalogue. The tour is aptly named ‘The Song Is Over’ – a title that Townshend calls “Roger’s idea, and I think it’s brilliant”. The song from their 1971 Who’s Next album might feature in the setlist, though Townshend admits that they are still learning to play it.

Daltrey, when asked for advice he might offer his younger self after six decades in rock and roll, responds with a practical quip: “Yeah, read the contracts.” But he proves equally capable of deeper reflections when asked about how he feels he has evolved as a vocalist: “I can still sing songs in the same keys as back in those days, but it’s got a totally different quality. That’s because there’s 60 years of living coming out in that voice. Even though you’re saying the same word, the expression that’s being connected is just that bit different.” When describing the emotional connection he feels to the music, Daltrey becomes almost mystical: “It’s like an energy comes through me that I can only get when I’m singing songs that I love to sing and I’m passionate about connecting. There’s a feeling…I don’t feel whole unless I’m singing. That’s when I’m most comfortable in my life because I’m almost on another planet.” 

While fans might expect the famously guitar-smashing Townshend to have a deep relationship with his instruments, he surprised the interviewers by describing guitars simply as “tools”. “I don’t have a relationship with a guitar,” he confessed. “It’s a tool…a slab of wood with strings.” This practical approach hasn’t stopped him from testing new models, however. “Recently, I bought two guitars online. I bought a Paul Reed Smith guitar, and a guitar called a Jackson, which is made by Fender now, I think. Both those guitars – I played them and they completely blew me away. But on stage, I have to go back to something which is proven, which I know is going to do the job and which isn’t going to fall apart in my hands because I’m pretty brutal.” 

It’s a strangely utilitarian view from the man who elevated guitar destruction to an art form. The iconic image of him smashing a perfectly good Rickenbacker against the stage floor became as much a symbol of rock rebellion as any anthem in their catalogue. There’s something almost paradoxical about Townshend – the mania onstage masking a deeply thoughtful composer offstage. When asked what’s kept him going all these years, he looks inward: “Creativity has been what sustained me rather than performing. For me, it’s the link between the creative stuff and the performing. Whatever we play, the chances are I will have written it. So there’s that sense of closing a circle, having one last grab at trying to bring that thing to life.”

When pressed about a potential UK farewell show, both musicians remain noncommittal. Daltrey, having just completed a solo tour in Britain, notes the contrast, particularly in terms of travel logistics: “Touring America is a damn sight easier than touring the UK because for some reason or another the UK has decided to make it as difficult as possible to go from A to B. In America, you seem to want to make it as easy as possible.” Townshend acknowledges potential options – perhaps a week at the O2, a couple of weeks maybe at the Albert Hall – but points to their need for recovery time between performances, with Daltrey adding: “I’ve been ordered by my throat specialist to say you have to have a day off after every gig and after every three gigs you have to have two days off. Because otherwise you will wreck your voice and you will not be able to sing.”The North American Farewell Tour begins on August 16th in Florida and concludes on September 28th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. No overwrought farewells, no excessive spectacle – just two survivors of music’s most volatile era, raising a toast to the country that gave them back their echo. The music will never die, but this particular song is, indeed, over.

University launches new online resource for state schools

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Oxplore Teach has been launched by the University of Oxford as the an free online platform aimed at supporting academic enrichment in UK state schools. The platform offers ready-to-use activities designed to help students aged eleven to develop confidence and critical thinking skills, helping them to think like a “university researcher”. 

This initiative is part of the University’s broader access and outreach efforts to engage pupils earlier in their educational journey. They aim to encourage more applications from state schools through introducing the idea of Oxbridge at an earlier stage. The University has improved in its state school admissions over recent years with 67.6% in the 2023 admissions cycle. However, there is still a disparity compared to the 93% of the population in state education.

The team behind the platform told Cherwell that the programme is designed to engage their “established network of schools who are less likely to send their students to Oxford”. They have been working with the senior leadership teachers at The Challenge Academy Trust in Warrington to create the programme. 

The platform aims to tackle what the University calls the ‘leaky pipeline‘ phenomenon, where initially high-attaining children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds at Key Stage 2 often cannot carry this through to GCSE or A-Level attainment. 

Teachers can use the Oxplore Challenge within their timetables. They consist of a 45-minute session, which can be broken into four shorter activities, designed to be used at lunch or in after-school clubs. 

The topics are designed to provoke curiosity and stretch students intellectually as they are often more philosophically inclined or research-based rather than the typical information-recall focus of their regular curriculums. 

Questions such as ‘Can you build a shelter on the moon?’ are intended to prompt pupils to think creatively about space research and engineering, while others like ‘Can you speak more than one kind of English?’ facilitate exploration of dialects and language diversity.

One state school teacher from the comprehensive West Derby School in Liverpool, told Cherwell that they would definitely consider making use of the platform during lessons and considered the lessons “exciting and different”.

The fate of Oxbridge Launchpad shows only the University can improve access

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The most rewarding thing I did in my first year at university was to sign up to Oxbridge Launchpad. During the Hilary break and in desperate need of something to take my mind off a sub-par Q-Step essay, I came across the initiative – a non-profit aimed at increasing the number of state-educated and underrepresented students enrolled at two of the best universities in the world. As a volunteer tutor, I was assigned to an extremely bright young person and we worked in free weekly sessions to develop her personal statement, practise for the entrance exam, and prep for her interview. 

When the news came in January that her application was successful, I was buzzing. I by no means got her place for her but I felt my small effort had at least sent her into that fateful Teams call in December a little more prepared, having helped bridge the ‘information gap’ that means private school students are more aware of what’s needed to succeed than their state-educated counterparts. In a year of privilege and solipsism, dining in giant halls, dressing up for silly Latin ceremonies and fretting over the trivial concerns of my degree, it felt like genuinely important work. 

So when an email arrived this March inviting me to a Zoom call to hear about the “exciting new chapter” for the organisation, I was naturally interested. What I found, however, left me less than stoked. We were informed that the organisation was becoming for-profit, putting its resources behind a paywall and charging £29.99 per tutoring session. They would now offer ‘community spaces’ (read: a discord server) for paying customers to be in constant contact with Oxford students, in what very much resembles the money-for-connections network that the initiative was founded to challenge.

It is obvious that this is a betrayal of the organisation’s original raison d’être. Slapping a hefty fee on the tutoring makes the crucial information tutors provide drastically less accessible. Take the (at least) 22 hours of free tutoring I provided. It would now cost a student £660, a sum few have to splash on an application that may well be unsuccessful. Whilst the staff on the zoom call cited issues with the old system (too many tutors and too little oversight) as a reason for this change, rectifying these does not require the introduction of profit. The founders could have created stronger vetting for tutors or introduced a small fee to cover administration costs, without yanking the prices as high as they have. The old website, now replaced by a sleek new model, declared that “our sole mission is to propel the brightest minds to two of the most prestigious institutions in the world”, but clearly making a pretty penny has become a priority as well. Oxbridge Launchpad is now just another tutoring company, albeit one that is shrouded in the language of social justice. This, in the context of Oxford’s declining state school offer rate, is pretty depressing.

But I’m not here just to bash the organisation for its decision. Ultimately, these changes to Oxbridge Launchpad are a reminder that no-one can improve access to Oxford and Cambridge for them, they must do it themselves. As long as the disparity between private and state education remains, and it looks set to do so as Rachel Reeve’s budget indicates that no new funding is coming, only the institutions themselves have the means to correct imbalances. Crucially, they are also the ones with the real incentive to do so. Remaining a top university requires choosing the students with the most potential to excel in higher education, not those who have been molly-coddled to success at their secondary school. 

Certainly, the universities are making some effort, for instance Oxford’s Astrophoria foundation year. But places on such initiatives are limited, and are not the widespread reform of the admissions process needed to correct the legacy the pandemic left on education inequalities. The current provisions remain exclusive, selecting those who have managed to already excel despite their disadvantages, for instance Oxford’s UNIQ program states that it “prioritises places for students with good grades”. More must be done to discover not only the already successful, but those with potential. 

Many individual colleges do fantastic access work, but the problem is compounded by the fact that those most determined to correct inequalities often have the least means to do so. Mansfield, the only Oxford college whose ratio of private to state school students reflects national averages, has the smallest endowment. Meanwhile, many of the wealthiest colleges, such as Magdalen, remain happy to sit on their hands and accept the highest proportions of the privately educated. What’s required is a coordinated effort across colleges, and that will only occur if the central administration makes it happen. 

External charitable initiatives are important. I for one have seen the difference they can make. But Oxford and Cambridge can no longer rely on them to do their access work for them. Oxbridge Launchpad’s prioritisation of profit over progress shows us that, if inequalities in admissions are to improve, the universities will have to roll their sleeves up and get to work. 

University discipline statute retains ‘problematic clauses’ despite year-long consultation

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Proposed changes to Oxford University’s disciplinary code have faced criticism for retaining “problematic clauses” that “remain at risk of overreach”, despite a year-long consultation prompted by backlash over free speech concerns. The power of the University to temporarily ban students from its land as a precaution, as well as limiting freedoms to protest, has been met with scrutiny.

The amendments will also enable the University to investigate more cases of serious misconduct without complaints having to first be lodged with the police. They aim to make the disciplinary process clearer and more accessible, according to a notice in the Gazette.

The proposals also address artificial intelligence, stating that the unauthorised use of AI in examinations is a form of academic misconduct. It clarifies that submitting “materials generated by artificial intelligence” is not considered a student’s own work.

If passed by Congregation later this month, these changes will be enacted to Statute XI, which includes the code of discipline for all students. The updates would come into effect from September 2025, bringing university procedures in line with Office for Students (OfS) guidelines that come into place this summer. 

Concerns with proposed changes

Amendments to the statute proposed in June 2024 were met with concern as a statement circulated which warned of “illiberal” and “alarming” clauses. Opposition to the amendments was noted by over 15 academics in a resolution submitted to Congregation, and over 30 academics backed a resolution in support of a working group. This led the University Council to withdraw them, and the working group was established to revise the proposals. 

The authors of that statement, who have now come forward as Daniel Tate, Isabella Cuervo-Lorens, and Lara Hankeln, told Cherwell that there remain a number of clauses that “still continue to concern [them],” despite some “notable improvements” as compared to last year.

One of the clauses in question stipulates that no member of the University or student member may “disrupt or obstruct” university activities. If the new amendments are passed, this will include disrupting or obstructing “the lawful exercise of freedom of speech”, including by visiting speakers. Protests permitted by the Proctors, however, will not breach the disciplinary rules, though the University did not respond to how many had been allowed in the last two years.   

Another clause introduces the power to temporarily ban students from University premises for up to 21 days. This can be used as a “precautionary measure” if there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that an individual “is likely or threatens to cause damage to property or harm to other users”.

The authors told Cherwell that both of these clauses “remain at risk of overreach, vagueness, and ambiguity.” They asserted that these clauses, as well as another that pertaining to police arrests, could have a “chilling effect” towards freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and academic freedom.” 

Statute XI Working Group

The authors told Cherwell that they provided recommendations on how to address these concerns to the Statute XI Working Group and to members of the three University committees reviewing the amendments. Although they are “relieved” at the improvements, they maintain that the updated proposal retains these “problematic clauses”.

The Working Group on the Statute XI Amendments was proposed by 31 members of Congregation to address the problems with the 2024 legislative proposal. The Student Union (SU) Vice President for Postgraduate Education and Access (VP PG), Lauren Schaefer, was a member of the Statute XI Working Group. 

The SU told Cherwell that Schaefer presented student views in the Working Group, and described it as a “productive and informative space, eager to hear and respectful of student views.” They told Cherwell that “the SU is confident that Statute XI issues have been subject to all due scrutiny through the University’s governance processes.”

By contrast, however, the authors of last year’s statement told Cherwell about issues with “the spirit and terms” of this Working Group. They claim that the process was “undermined by the University administration’s undue influence over the Working Group’s output, as well as by the Working Group’s lack of transparency and approachability.”

The authors told Cherwell that they urge “fellow students to keep up-to-date on the Statute XI process, scrutinise the University Administration’s actions with critical eyes, and remain mindful of their rights under UK and international human rights law.” The SU encouraged students to use formal complaints channels if they believe rules have been applied inappropriately.

In response to concerns with the amendments, a spokesperson for the University told Cherwell: “The proposed changes before Congregation build on a previous set of proposals that was initially developed in 2023/24, and has been further comprehensively reviewed over the past seven months. Staff and students throughout the collegiate University have been extensively consulted.

“The proposals will allow the University to investigate more cases of serious misconduct, make the disciplinary process clearer, more accessible, and more effective, and ensure that the University meets the appropriate regulatory requirements on harassment and sexual misconduct. Congregation will now consider the changes.”

Council installs first canal eco moorings to reduce air pollution

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Oxford City Council have installed the city’s first eco moorings in an attempt to reduce air pollution along Oxford’s waterways. A total of three electric bollards have been installed at the Aristotle Lane canal in collaboration with the Canal & River Trust.

The canal bollards are the first of their kind to be installed in the UK outside of London where they have previously been trialled in Camden and Islington. Each bollard contains two plugs, enabling up to six boats to connect to the electrical grid at any one time. 

An estimated 140 boaters live on Oxford’s rivers and canals. Boaters normally use diesel engines, generators or log burners as a source of energy for heating and cooking. But these methods release emissions which are harmful for both humans and the environment. 

Boaters are most at risk to the adverse effects of pollution since they are in close proximity to emissions over long periods of time. Wood burners are especially harmful, emitting particulates known as PM2.5. Long-term exposure to these particulates is linked to cardiovascular disease, and short-term exposure can exacerbate lung and heart conditions.

By providing clean electricity, the eco moorings aim to reduce boaters’ reliance on polluting energy sources, improving air quality on Oxford’s canals for boaters and members of the public.

Labour Councillor and Deputy Leader of the Council, Anna Railton, said: “it is fantastic that Oxford’s first eco-moorings are now here and ready to use. Many boaters have no other choice but to use wood-burning and diesel generators to keep warm, but this can be harmful to their health and that of their neighbours.”

The funding for the moorings, totalling £193,000, was awarded to the Council and the Canal & River Trust in 2023 as part of the Government’s annual Air Quality Grant.

Ros Daniels from the Canal & River Trust said: “While boats are a very minor contributor to overall air pollution when compared to road traffic and other sources of emissions, we recognise that they can have a localised impact on air quality; indeed, those most at risk from boat engine fumes are boaters themselves.   

“These first eco moorings outside London are the start of a journey for boaters on the Oxford Canal towards reducing emissions. I am delighted that our charity has been able to work in partnership with Oxford City Council to deliver them in time for the busy summer season.” 

Oxford City Council has a proven track record on improving air quality in the city, with air pollution in 2024 falling at a greater rate in Oxford compared to the national average.

A strikingly egalitarian meal at Rhodes House 

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When I arrived at Rhodes House, someone pointed gently to my shoes – off, please – and handed me a head covering. I was then quickly led into a very tall, very ornate hall, where the first thing that struck me wasn’t even the impressive architecture, but the rows of white sheets laid neatly across the floor.

Dozens of people sat cross-legged along them, listening quietly to a speech. As I hesitated by the doorway, someone leaned over, pointed to the mats, and whispered: “We all sit on the floor here.”

I paused. I had arrived with a backpack, a purse, a cap (which I could not wear under or over my headscarf), and was still holding my knee-high boots. 

Suddenly aware of how much I’d brought with me, I tried to shove them quickly and awkwardly into a corner. I was struck by how unwieldy my belongings had made me. All around me, the hall felt calm and very intentional, stripped of excess. There was no seating plan, no obvious hosts. Just a lot of people sitting down together. From the corner of my eye, I spotted a long row of tables with metal and plastic canisters piling on them, the contents of which I could already begin to guess. 

You see, this event was a Langar, the Sikh Society’s third annual one in Oxford. Langar, as I’d read when I skimmed the Wikipedia page beforehand, is a centuries-old tradition of serving free food to anyone, regardless of religion, caste, status, or background. While it began traditionally in Sikh gurdwaras, the principle at the heart of it is simple: No one gets turned away, and no one leaves hungry.

It was one thing to read about it and quite another to be sitting there, with the sound of the tabla, a set of small drums, and the dilruba, a long stringed instrument, ringing an entrancing rhythm through the room. Apparently, the name dilruba can be translated as ‘thief of the heart’. 

I wanted to understand more, not just about the logistics of putting on an event like this, but about what it meant. So, before the food was served, I managed to grab and sit down with Serene Singh, a Rhodes Scholar who helped bring the first Langar to Oxford three years ago.

She talked about experience. “Sometimes we forget,” she told me, “You don’t need to teach Sikhism through books and lectures. Come experience it for yourself. You will sit on the floor in equality.”

Serene also describes Langar as an “anti-segregation movement that was started 500 years ago”. She told me: “everyone sits on the floor completely egalitarian, and everyone is served the exact same, vegetarian, simple, nutritious meal. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professor, it doesn’t matter if you’re a lord, it doesn’t matter if you are the Queen. Everyone sits alongside one another”. 

This, I must attest, is something I did experience myself. At one point, when being served food, I found myself sitting next to a legal academic who had apparently that very morning had breakfast with the head tutor in my college. 

I couldn’t help but ask Serene about how she had found setting up an event like this in Oxford; however much we may love it, the University does have its fair share of hierarchies. From high tables at formals to scholars’ gowns, there are levels everywhere.

“Actually, I think Oxford students have craved this type of event,” she tells me. “We say eradicate the tables. Everyone sits on the floor. It’s all One Light. There is no difference. And so, the real radical act of Sikhism is non-discrimination completely.” 

I wasn’t the only one noticing the difference. Quite a few people I spoke to, whether attending their first Langar or returning for another, echoed what Serene had told me. Guests ranged from undergraduates to academics to staff, all with varying degrees of familiarity with Sikhism. 

Kim, a staff member at Rhodes House, told me that what struck her most was the openness: “I think one shouldn’t be afraid of walking through a gurdwara’s door. Tonight’s langar is open to all.”

Another guest, from a Sikh family, confided that: “I don’t think I felt as at home or like I belonged in Oxford as much as I do today.”

As much as everyone was telling me that the event was about the people in the room, it was hard to ignore the elephant in the room. After all, we were sitting in the imposing hall of Rhodes House, surrounded by ten-foot-tall paintings. A meal on the floor is one thing, but a meal on the floor of one of Oxford’s most formal National Heritage sites, known for its controversial past, is something a little different.

According to Fennella Porter, the Director of the Scholar Programme at Rhodes Trust, this event began as “most of their best events have,” from the scholars. In this case, Serene herself suggested the event three years ago. 

I couldn’t help but feel that there was perhaps a twinge of bitter irony in such an event being held in a building built in memory of Cecil Rhodes. “A building like Rhodes House is, sort of, originally built on hierarchical power,” said Gurkarishma Dhillon, incoming Graduate President of the Sikh Society. “But we have the power to change that. We have the power to promote unity as opposed to focusing on our differences. No place is ever stagnant.”

She gestured around the room: “People like me and you would probably not even be let into this building, right?”

“Who would’ve thought so long ago that we would all be sitting here? With the opportunity to share our faith, and share that love to others.”

Sitting there, at an event that had grown so large from the seed of one scholar’s idea, I couldn’t help but think: maybe this is what change at Oxford really looks like. Not big initiatives, not sweeping statements, just letting people in, and letting them share what matters to them. 

And yes, the food was excellent. And there was a lot of it. I spotted Serene helping pass out some rice on the fourth round of helpings, who waved at me cheerfully. 

Earlier on, I had asked Serene what she hoped people would carry with them after leaving this room. 

“We’ll see Oxford students become prime ministers and heads of states and scientists and lawyers and judges and journalists,” Serene said. “The one thing we ask of you at Langar is, can you also take these values of equality and oneness we teach here with you in those disciplines, and out into the world?”

CRUSH preview: ‘A chaotic scramble through the teenage years’

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I sat down with Hannah Eggleton, Director & Writer of CRUSH, to talk power, performance, and the making of her debut full-length play, premiering at The North Wall.

Presented by WriteOff Productions, CRUSH is a sharp and tender coming-of-age play that examines the blurred boundaries between power and affection, teacher and student, performance and reality. It probes the messy, often uncomfortable truths about adolescence, desire, and authority with insight, wit, and emotional honesty. 

It also arrives with an impressive pedigree. The play grew out of Growing Pains, a one-woman monologue Hannah wrote for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays initiative – a nationwide call-out for fresh voices in British theatre. Growing Pains was selected as one of the winning entries, and CRUSH marks Hannah’s full-length follow-up. 

With all the sharpness of youth and the clarity of hindsight, this debut asks difficult questions about power, consent, and the roles we play – on stage and in life. It’s a timely reminder that, even in a school play, the most powerful drama often unfolds behind the scenes. If you’ve ever had a teacher you adored, a best friend you idolised, or a version of yourself you’re still trying to outgrow, then you’ll feel right at home in the audience. 

Set in the emotionally charged microclimate of St Margaret’s School for Girls, CRUSH follows a group of teenagers as they prepare to stage a performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream in collaboration with a nearby boys’ school. What begins as a lively rehearsal process soon takes a darker turn, as protagonist Annie begins to notice something unsettling between her classmate Mary and their charismatic English teacher, Ms Evans. 

“There are parts of my school experience that snuck their way into CRUSH,” Hannah reflects. “The underground workings of an all-girls’ common room felt very familiar. I also took part in my fair share of joint school productions. Though none of us, to my knowledge, lost our virginity at the Harvest Day parade.” 

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream plays a central role in CRUSH – quite literally. “[A Midsummer Nights] Dream has certain themes – passion, self-discovery, jealousy – that naturally chime with the world of CRUSH,” Hannah explains. “It’s also just a delightfully silly play: witty insults, bad actors, physical comedy, a donkey’s head… What’s not to love?”

CRUSH celebrates a very specific age,” Hannah notes, “the age when you’re learning how to be a ‘good person,’ and the many, many ways in which you can get that wrong. It’s painful, but we all go through it. In that sense, I hope that CRUSH is a play that all ages can relate to. It’s a chaotic scramble through the teenage years, however long ago they might have been.”

The North Wall Arts Centre offers one student production annually the chance to stage their show in a professional theatre environment, complete with mentorship and support. The residency has a history of helping student productions flourish, with past participants going on to win awards, launch professional theatre companies, and succeed at major festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe. 

WriteOff Productions, the company bringing CRUSH to the stage, is working closely with The North Wall team to make the most of this opportunity, offering the audience a real-world theatre experience that stretches from creative development to production management. 

Ria Parry, Director of The North Wall, explains: “Through our ArtsLab programme for early-career artists, we’re delighted to be hosting WriteOff Productions. Hannah is a brilliantly talented new writer whose work was previously recognised by the RSC’s 37 Plays season. ArtsLab is all about giving young artists – whether they’re writers, directors, producers or designers – the space and support to understand how professional theatre really works. We’re thrilled to be welcoming audiences to CRUSH’s premiere.” 

Producer Carys Howell echoes this appreciation for the collaborative environment. “It’s such a unique opportunity to get a piece of new writing on its feet with a team of professionals supporting its creation,” Carys explains when asked what attracted the company to the residency. “You don’t often get that – and it means so many new writers and companies don’t get the support they should when they’re starting out.” 

According to Carys, this experience isn’t just about putting on a play – it’s about making WriteOff a creative space for students, actors and crew alike, who want to take their work beyond Oxford. “Having the North Wall team’s input throughout the process has really helped us look at things with a longer lens – they’re invested in the project being taken further, which is a massive vote of confidence both in Hannah’s writing and for a new production company! We’re keen to keep that energy for our future projects both within and outside of Oxford.” 

This residency offers emerging theatre artists an invaluable stepping stone into the industry, providing the kind of hands-on experience that can transform ambitions into careers, and it’s this blend of professional support and creative exploration which helps make CRUSH a standout moment in this year’s student theatre calendar. 

CRUSH premieres at The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford, from 5–7 June, as part of their 10-year partnership with University student theatre. 

Real-World Problem Solving: What No Textbook Can Teach You

There is comfort in textbooks. They present problems in neat packages, offer tidy solutions, and promise mastery if you follow their logic. But the world outside the classroom resists this kind of order. In real life, problems are not clearly defined, solutions are not always obvious, and success often relies more on judgment than formulas. That’s where real-world problem solving begins, at the point where the instructions end.

In school, we learn to solve for x. We memorise historical dates, define biological processes, and draft essays with thesis statements and topic sentences. These are useful skills, but they only go so far. When you’re asked to lead a team through a stalled project, respond to a public crisis, or launch a new product in an unfamiliar market, the variables are messy and human. You can’t just turn to a chapter called “What to do when the client threatens to cancel the contract.” That’s when students and professionals alike find themselves searching online for tools that go beyond coursework – sometimes landing on an essay writing service in hopes of making sense of something far more complex than the academic model ever prepared them for.

Why Textbooks Aren’t Enough

Real-world problem solving requires a toolkit that’s built through experience: adaptability, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and communication. Consider the workplace conflict. It’s rarely about just one disagreement. Instead, it’s layered-personality clashes, misaligned goals, communication breakdowns, and perhaps even cultural differences. A textbook might suggest conflict resolution strategies, active listening, assertive communication, but applying those in a room with real people who have real emotions and real stakes is something else entirely.

Even the process of defining the problem is often overlooked in formal education. In real life, problems are rarely handed to you in clean language. You have to identify them yourself, often in ambiguous, high-pressure situations. A team misses a deadline, why? Was it poor planning, low morale, unclear goals, or something else? Getting to the heart of the problem requires asking hard questions, analyzing conflicting information, and sometimes challenging assumptions that others take for granted.

Facing Problems with No Instructions

Real-world solutions are constrained by more than just time and resources. They’re also shaped by politics, social dynamics, and competing interests. A decision that makes financial sense might alienate a key stakeholder. A move that boosts productivity might damage employee trust. In academic exercises, the “best” answer is usually objectively correct. In life, choices often come down to trade-offs, compromises, and risk management.

Collaboration plays a central role in this environment. While school teaches group projects, these are often more about logistics than true cooperation. In real-world problem solving, you must navigate diverse personalities, delegate effectively, and maintain alignment over time. You might need to build consensus among skeptical peers, motivate a disillusioned team, or explain a technical concept to a non-expert. None of this can be fully taught in a lecture hall. It comes through doing: trial, error, and adjustment.

The Role of Uncertainty and Risk

Another layer that textbooks can’t fully address is uncertainty. In the real world, information is often incomplete. Outcomes are unpredictable. You might make the best decision possible with the facts at hand-and still fail. Academic instruction doesn’t prepare you for failure that isn’t your fault, nor does it teach you how to keep going when there’s no clear reward. Resilience, the capacity to absorb setbacks and continue learning, is essential. It can’t be memorized. It must be lived.

Creativity also plays a larger role than most students expect. Textbooks tend to frame creativity within limits. But real-world problems often demand new ideas, not just new applications of old ones. Whether you’re designing a user experience or figuring out how to get clean water to a remote village, innovation is often a necessity. Problem solvers who thrive are those who connect ideas in innovative ways, not those who rely on memorized knowledge alone.

Developing the Right Mindset

Textbooks reward certainty, correctness, and following the rules. But the real world favors those who adapt to ambiguity, question conventional wisdom, and take calculated risks. The people who grow in difficult environments often treat failure as data and change as opportunity. This mindset can’t be downloaded or crammed before a test. It’s cultivated over time, often in uncomfortable situations.

This doesn’t mean that academic learning is irrelevant. Foundational knowledge matters. But real-world problem solving stretches beyond it. It builds on that base, asking us not only to apply information but to reshape it. We navigate uncertainty, manage competing demands, and act decisively even without perfect clarity.

In a world increasingly defined by complexity, this kind of thinking is more valuable than ever. Consider the pandemic: governments, businesses, and individuals had to make decisions quickly and with limited information. Some succeeded. Many didn’t. The difference often came down to how well people could interpret trends, communicate clearly, and adapt in real time.

The same applies to the climate crisis, technological disruption, and global shifts in labor. These are not textbook problems. They are evolving, unpredictable, and deeply human. They demand leaders who can think broadly, act responsibly, and stay flexible under pressure. They require people who see relationships others overlook and act without waiting for complete certainty.

Turning Experience into Expertise

So, how do we build this ability? By leaning into experiences outside the classroom. Take on projects that challenge your assumptions. Volunteer to lead, even if you don’t feel fully ready. Ask questions no one else is asking. Listen deeply to those who disagree with you. Reflect after every success and every failure. 

Surround yourself with people who push your thinking, not just those who affirm it. Seek out moments of discomfort and complexity; this is where the learning happens. Avoid reducing challenges to a list of steps. Most real problems won’t follow one.

Ultimately, real-world problem solving is not about having the right answer. It’s about asking better questions. It’s a skill that grows with every stretch outside your comfort zone. No textbook can give you that, but life can if you’re willing to learn.

Ellie Goulding to perform at UN and Uni-backed climate concert in Oxford

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Singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding will perform at Oxford’s New Theatre on Friday 6th June in a concert hosted by Oxford University and United Nations Human Rights. The event, ‘The Right Here Right Now Global Climate Concert’, aims to highlight the effect of climate breakdown on human rights worldwide. 

The show forms part of a series of exhibitions, lectures, performances, and workshops centred on environment issues. Events will run until the 8th June, and will be held in different locations around Oxford. 

Ellie Goulding, a multiple BRIT award winner who also has two GRAMMY Award nominations, became a UN Goodwill Ambassador in 2018. She is a longtime campaigner for environmental causes who addressed 85 heads of state at an Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London. She also became a WWF ambassador in 2022. 

With songs like ‘Love Me Like You Do’ and ‘Outside’ receiving over 1 billion streams on Spotify, tickets come in at just under £60 each. 

Meanwhile, the wider series will be launched this Wednesday by Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey at the Sheldonian. Guests will include COP26 president Alok Sharma and Volker Türk,  UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. This will be followed by a hybrid event on Thursday, coinciding with World Environment Day.