Author Archives: Alice Allwright

Gulbenkian cinema to reopen

The Gulbenkian Cinema will reopen on 20 August.

The opening two weeks will see a mix of new films, including Clemency, Summerlandand Parasite, plus the return of Emma, Jojo Rabbit and 1917.

The popular family screenings are also back on Sunday afternoons, with Onward and Trolls World Tour the first offerings.

Initially the cinema will screen films Thursday to Sunday, to test audience demand, but the team aim to return to a full offering in September.

The team at Gulbenkian have been busy putting in place systems to support social distancing, as Operations Director David Haigh explains:

‘Gulbenkian is an independent arts centre with a strong sense of community. It has been so sad to see the building empty these last few months and we are all looking forward to being open again.

‘We have put a lot of thought into how we maintain our friendly, personal welcome whilst keeping staff and audiences safe. We have reduced our cinema capacity, put in place clear one way systems and improved our online booking process to ensure the public can book and visit with confidence – and you can expect the usual cheerful welcome from our front of house team.’

The first tickets went on sale from Friday 7 August, and full details can be found online at www.thegulbenkian.co.uk

Laura Bailey talks to Kent Online about vocabularies created in the pandemic

Dr Laura Bailey, Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics, recently spoke to Kent Online for an article titled How the ‘Covid-19 pandemic created new words and phrases including covidiot, furlough and support bubbles’.

This new vocabulary has helped us to better understand and make sense of the change and disruption to our everyday lives. From social distancing to self-isolation the coronavirus pandemic has led to an explosion of new words and phrases.

Laura said: “Anything that people are going to talk about that either introduces new things or behaviours or concepts you need new terms for. We already had the word ‘quarantine’. You can still use it in the sense of bringing an animal in from another country – it has to be quarantined for four weeks. But we know when we are talking about quarantine now we are talking about the two weeks of staying inside your own house if you develop symptoms.”

Dr Bailey also commented on the suggestion language could be weaponised in times of emergency with war metaphors such as “on the frontline” coined by politicians.

Top 10 picnic treats

As we enjoy the balmy days of a long, hot summer, now is the perfect time to get outdoors, roll out a blanket and enjoy a picnic or two!

While we all love the staple snacks of sandwiches and sausage rolls, these top 10 seasonal recipes are sure to make your picnic spread just that bit tastier…

Savoury delights

1. Italian pinwheels

As well as being quick and simple to make, these delicious appetisers are a fun addition to your picnic basket.

2. Healthier potato salad

Swap most of the mayonnaise for yoghurt and crème fraiche and add mustard and chives to enjoy this healthy take on a potato salad.

3. Tomato-Manchego Tartlets

These miniature finger-foods look stunning and make for the perfect picnic snack.

4. Chicken, ham & asparagus picnic pie

The combination of these three ingredients make this a great picnic show-stopper. It may take a while to create, but it’s well worth the effort!

Sweet treats

5. Lemon and blueberry bars

Gooey on the inside and crunchy on the out, these bars are so moreish you won’t be able to pick just one from the picnic basket!

6. Mini chocolate chip sandwich cookies

Not your average sandwich, these sweet and mouth-watering treats will be a hit with all your family and friends.

8. Apple hand pies

Everyone will love the convenience of helping themselves to these individual grab-and-go minis, instead of cutting up a whole pie. No cutlery needed here!

8. Vegan lemon-baked donuts

These fluffy and light donuts are not only delicious, but quick and simple to make, and perfect for enjoying outdoors.

And something to drink…

9. Watermelon cooler

Get in your five-a-day with this simple to make beverage. On a warm summer’s day, it will go down well with the whole family.

10. Dogwood Punch

This adults-only combo of strawberry lemonade and sparkling rosé is the perfect, refreshing drink for relaxing while the kids play in the sunshine.

Can you think of any Top 10 summer ideas? If so, please send them to stories@kent.ac.uk

Care first webinars w/c 17 August 2020

As our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support.

Their weekly webinars continue this week (Monday 17 – Friday 21 August) and are as follows:

Monday 17 August 2020 – ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 14.00-14.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Tuesday 18 August 2020 – ‘Loneliness during COVID-19’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 19 August 2020 – ‘Dealing with feelings of anger & frustration’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 20 August 2020 – ‘Managing Survivor Guilt during COVID-19’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 21 August 2020 – ‘Tips for Employers and Leaders’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

EIRA Online training for delivering successful consultancy projects

Would you like to develop your skills and confidence in providing consultancy to businesses?

If you are an academic who is considering working on a consultancy project or a seasoned academic looking to enhance you consultancy skills, the School of Computing’s KITC in collaboration with the Enabling Innovation: Research to Application (EIRA) Project are hosting an online training event on Thursday 17 September 2020 10.00, that will introduce a range of consultancy tools to help you achieve a successful consultancy project.

Over several years the KITC, the University of Kent’s student staffed IT Consultancy, have developed a framework for delivering successful consultancy projects for business clients. In this 60 minute webinar Jason Marshall, the KITC Business Manager, will provide an overview of the KITC consultancy framework and introduce you to some of the design thinking tools that the KITC use to deliver successful consultancy projects.

To help you consider how you could use and adapt these tools Jason will present a case study to illustrate how the KITC has used the framework to deliver consultancy projects.

Academics at any stage of their career are welcome.

To register please visit Eventbrite

For more information contact the EIRA team on eirakent@kent.ac.uk

Donation to black education causes by SSPSSR UCU staff

In June, the School of Social Policy, Sociology & Social Research issued a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The statement expressed how University & College Union members of the school were intending to use leftover funds from our precarious strike fund (comprised of donations from the pockets of school staff) to make a £1000 gift to a black education charity.

We asked our students to participate in a vote as to which organisations they wished us to support. The aim of the donation was to show solidarity and demonstrate our collective commitment to improving the experience of education for black students. One of the objectives of the recent industrial action was to promote equality and diversity in HE, and we believe this is a practical and effective way to contribute towards that aim.

Of the responses to the poll, over 40% chose Black Learning and Mental Health (BLAM), but as there were several very popular causes, SSPSSR opted to donate £500 to BLAM, and £250 each to the Reach Society and Wonder Foundation.

A HUGE thank you to all SSPSSR students who participate in challenging racial injustice, both on campus and beyond!

Care First webinars w/c 10 August 2020

As our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support. Read their latest Tips for a UK Summer Holiday.

Their weekly webinars continue this week (Monday 10 – Friday 14 August) and are as follows:

Monday 10 August 2020 – ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Tuesday 11 August 2020 – ‘Quarantine Guidelines’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 12 August 2020 – ‘COVID-19: A Dr’s perspective’
Time: 12.00-13.00 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 13 August 2020 – ‘What does a local lockdown look like?’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 14 August 2020 – ‘COVID-19: Starting a new role remotely’
Time: 14.00-14.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Bring a picnic and enjoy an outdoor musical!

If you’re looking for something fun to do with the family this month, why not enjoy an outdoor performance of the musical ‘Urinetown’, taking place at the end of August?

When:

Thursday 27 August at 18.00

Saturday 29 August at 13.00 and 18.00

Sunday 30 August 13.00 and 18.00

Where:

Open Air @ The Woodstock, Sittingbourne, Broadoak Road, ME9 8AG

Featuring our colleague Tracey Ashmore (Student Learning Advisory Service Manager within the Education Directorate), this outdoor show is a “bring your own picnic” event and is the first pro-musical theatre performances in Kent to take place since the pandemic.

The production team and performers are adhering stringently to safety guidelines and there is a crew managing the distancing measures for audiences as well as managing an outdoor bar.

To find out where to book tickets please visit the Urinetown Open Air Facebook page.

Capacity is strictly limited per performance to allow for social distancing, so book now!

Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic opening on Monday 17 August

We are pleased to announce that the Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic will be open for face-to-face appointments from Monday 17 August.

Please be aware, there are a few changes that have needed to be implemented for the safety of our staff and clients. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience with the need for these changes.

When you book for treatment at Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic, we will send you a detailed email with further instructions prior to your appointment. Below are guidelines to better manage expectations when visiting our facilities.

Is it safe to visit the clinic and Kent Sport?

Staff have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the facilities are compliant with not only Government policy, but also University policy in relation to Covid-19.

A risk assessment has been completed on the facilities, activities, staff and also the physiotherapy clinic and all therapists understand this.

We will use PPE to treat you and we take your safety extremely seriously.

For all patients, including those shielding/vulnerable patients, we will complete an online consultation first to decide whether a face-to-face appointment is appropriate and necessary, which is another layer of precaution to ensure your safety is fully considered.

Entering Kent Sport and onwards to the Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic

To adhere to distancing measures, entrance to the Sports Centre will be staggered to help Kent Sport support all customers. Appointment times will be slightly different to ensure patients arrive and leave the clinic at different times and allow time between appointments to thoroughly clean. We will still be offering online consultations indefinitely if you would prefer this method.

How do I book and pay for my appointments?

Bookings are now open! To book an appointment, please email physio@kent.ac.uk and we will get back to you within 24 hours. At this time, we are unable to take telephone calls. You will be able to pay on the day at main reception, but as we are now contactless, we will only be able to take card.

Please bring with you means to record your next appointment as we are reducing contact and not issuing appointment cards.

For more information about pricing, please visit the Kent Sport physio website.

How will my clinic experience differ?

You will be asked to complete forms electronically prior to the appointment. They are editable and do not require access to a printer. Once completed, please return to: physio@kent.ac.uk. If this is not possible, the physiotherapist can complete with you during the session.

Prior to your appointment, you will receive an email explaining what to expect and the main changes include:

Please do not arrive more than five minutes before your appointment time and please wait outside the Sports Centre. Your therapists will come and greet you.
A face mask will be provided and all clients must wear one. Unfortunately, no mask means that we are unable to treat you.
You will be asked to attend your appointment alone, unless you are under 16 or have a reason for bringing someone along. This must be discussed in advance of the appointment.
Please wear your treatment attire (vest top and shorts) under your clothes as our changing rooms will not be open at this time. You may change into your attire in the treatment room while the physiotherapist waits outside, if you wish.
Parking is available in the Pay and Display zone behind the Sports Centre. Cash is not accepted, so you will need to pay by either contactless or pay-by-phone.
You will be asked to wash your hands thoroughly before entering the treatment area, and again before leaving the clinic.
Please be aware that your physiotherapist will be wearing the appropriate PPE to treat you.
All physiotherapy appointments will be 45-minutes regardless if it is initial or a review.
Massage appointments will be 30-minutes in length. If you would like 60-minutes, please ask and we can look to accommodate this.

We greatly appreciate everyone’s cooperation during these uncertain times and look forward to welcoming you to our facilities. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email physio@kent.ac.uk.

Find out more about Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic please visit our website and to stay up to date Like us on Facebook. Please consider showing your support by donating to the NHS charities.

For more information about the way Kent Sport’s facilities are reopening, please visit Kent Sport’s FAQs.

Return to campus series – Spotlight on Estates

Taking part in our ‘Return to Campus’ series is Helen Holland (Head of Planning and Space Management) and Jenny Martine (Interior Services & Signage Manager), who tell us all about the work of the Planning and Space Management (P&SM) team to ensure a safe return to campus for us all.

Members of the P&SM team – Helen Holland, Sophie Pearson, Karen Weatherley, Jenny Martine and Pete Hayes – look after space management, planning and data, property leasing, as well as Interior Services covering removals, furniture and signage.

Helen Holland explains: ‘In preparation for enabling restricted access, our team has been busy working with stakeholders from all divisions, schools and professional services departments to determine maximum capacities and develop one-way systems (where possible) to enable social distancing around buildings on the Canterbury and Medway campuses. This is all part of making the campuses Covid-19 secure.

‘Once the one-way systems have been designed and reviewed by the team to check signage quantities are sufficient, these are then passed to the Design and Print Centre for printing. We have created a schedule of all buildings and a rolling programme of signage installation to ensure all buildings are ready for the start of term.

‘Due to the varying size of the buildings, it can take from one day to a whole week to install all signage as every route has to be rechecked to make sure there are no clashes and it’s easy for people to navigate. We are working closely with HR and the Safety, Health and Environment Unit to enable some staff (whose critical work cannot be done at home) to return to their offices or labs as soon as the buildings are ready.

‘This is a huge undertaking as we have approximately 96 non-residential buildings across the Canterbury and Medway campus. The project is not just limited to our team within Estates, as colleagues from our Estates Administration, Environment and Sustainability, Projects, Customer Services, Logistics and Postal teams are all helping with installing signage.’

Jenny Martine says: ‘The process of installing the signs has been a mammoth job from weeks of pre-sticking the posters in advance (thanks to Waste and Cleaning for their support on this task!) to testing routes in each building and laying out all the posters to ensure the routes flow.

‘Myself and my team – Pete Hayes, Karen Weatherley, Emma Grove, George Baker, Emily Mashford, and Catherine Morris – have each clocked up an average of 16,000 steps per day and can be seen wheeling our signage-filled suitcase around campus from one building to another.

‘We won’t mention the blisters and the night terrors of falling down posters, but all in all it has been a fantastic team effort and camaraderie. If the social rules change…we have already booked our annual leave!’

Find out more about the services the Estates department provide.