Plymouth – Plymouth Gazette

2020 Graduation is Cancelled as University Plans Unfulfilling Zoom Call

29Oct

By Owain GullamNo Comments

COVID-19

2020 Graduation is Cancelled as University Plans Unfulfilling Zoom Call

BY OWAIN GULLAM On Friday 23rd October, 2020 graduates were told via email that planning for an in-person graduation had been stood-down in favour of planning for a virtual ceremony. Typical views of celebrations on the Hoe. Current restrictions limit all gatherings to a maximum of 6 people, yet the University states in an email that each ceremony usually hosts 800. The University is apologetic about the cancellation, but reminds graduates that current circumstances are out of their control. Planners have asked that a virtual ceremony be accepted, with the offer of an in-person "celebration" next September. The University has yet to release an official press statement. We have reached out to the University of Plymouth this morning; they are yet to comment. Their comments ...

Sports Clubs Dependant on the Life Centre may Suffer into 2021

12Aug

By Josh MarrNo Comments

Plymouth, Societies, Sport

Sports Clubs Dependant on the Life Centre may Suffer into 2021

BY JOSH MARR A Plymouth Herald article last week revealed that the Life Centre will be closed for “essential repairs” until at least April 2021, leaving the survival of some sports clubs in question. The Everyone Active-owned facility has been open for eight years and supports at least six sports clubs as their facility, on top of the free student swimming sessions and countless other local sports clubs and teams. "It's been announced at the worst possible time" Max Kimble, Chairman of the Plymouth Mantas told Plymouth Gazette, "we had a really successful year last year in terms of gaining more paying members than ever before [...] this closure could send us back to where we were five years ago; struggling to get students interested and worrying about not being able to continue." Th...

28Jul

By Amii JamesNo Comments

Cartoons, Cartoons: Amii James

Plymouth Barbican

Plymouth Barbican. Image: Copyright Amii Illustrates The Barbican was left covered in litter from drunk revellers during lockdown on the night of June 24. Litter included plastic cups, beer bottles, nitrous oxide canisters and more. Pub-goers awaiting the reopening of pubs on July 4, and a lack of police presence on the historic harbourside, left the situation to spiral out of control. A large clean-up operation was actioned by Plymouth City Council the following morning to clean the litter on the cobbled streets and waste discarded into the harbour water. There has been an increased police presence in the area and the removal of public toilet fees to prevent a recurrence of these scenes. View more Plymouth Gazette illustrations here

25Jul

By Rory Eaves1 Comment

Plymouth, Politics

Who Was Nancy Astor? – Opinion

BY RORY EAVES Nancy Astor - Unknown photographer, 1923 Rightly or wrongly, I had never heard of Nancy Astor until I came to Plymouth, and even then I never took the initiative to find out more about her. I knew nothing about her being the first female Member of Parliament to take her seat, nor did I know anything about her vocalisation of anti-Semitic views. Considering that I studied Woman's Suffrage and pre-WWII Europe for GCSE history, it's quite alarming that such a pivotal and important figure such as Nancy Astor never once came up. Time to right that wrong and explore the life and importance of one of Plymouth's most famous public figures. Nancy Astor's Claim to Fame Nancy Astor is revered and remembered as the first female British MP to take her seat in 1919 for Pl...

9Jul

By Amii JamesNo Comments

Cartoons, Cartoons: Amii James

The Messenger Plymouth

The Messenger Plymouth. Image: Copyright Amii Illustrates Messenger is a large statue in Plymouth, created by the Cornish artist Joseph Hillier, depicting a female actor crouching in preparation to run onstage. It was commissioned by and installed outside the Theatre Royal, Plymouth in 2019 in preparation for the city's 2020 celebration of the 400th anniversary of the ship Mayflower sailing to the New World. View more Plymouth Gazette illustrations here

Plymouth’s Arts Community: The Rise out of Lockdown

8Jul

By Melissa HawkinsNo Comments

Culture, Entertainment, Plymouth

Plymouth’s Arts Community: The Rise out of Lockdown

BY MELISSA HAWKINS Copyright - Amii Illustrates Theatre-goers bustle into the warm auditorium, hugging their damp coats and fistfuls of confectionery as they take their seats amongst the wine fuelled chatter that floats around The Drum. A few doors down, ticket holders patiently wait in line for tonight’s band, a buzz of excitement trailing way beyond the doors and giggling queues of the Pavilion. Set back from the eclectic energy that seeps through the city centre, small groups gather to review their most recent book club read; a tricky dystopian page turner that appears worlds apart from our own. I think back to the last time I went to the theatre – I caught a one woman show at the Barbican Theatre on a whim after lectures one evening; it was raining outside so I was very...

The Fight Against Racism Takes More Than a Two-hour Protest

26Jun

By Emily BrownNo Comments

Black Lives Matter, Editor's Pick, Plymouth

The Fight Against Racism Takes More Than a Two-hour Protest

BY EMILY BROWN Photography by Lucas Voss A few weeks have now passed since the people of Plymouth took part in the Black Lives Matter Solidarity Protest, where 1000 people were estimated to have gathered. The organisers of the two-hour demonstration iterated on their Facebook page that it would be “a peaceful protest for the racist killings of Black people and those affected by police brutality,” which is not just a reality for those living in America, but also for Black people living in the UK. Black people make up 3% of our population yet 8% of all those who die in police custody are Black. Even in the middle of a pandemic, racism and police brutality could no longer be brushed aside in the UK, and white people could no longer choose to ignore racism which continues to occur. D...