DIRTY KITCHENS
TURN STUDENTS OFF THEIR DINNERS
GROTTY kitchens are being
blamed for turning North West students off cooking in digs,
according to research by National Union of Students and The
Co-operative Food.
The study discovered that while 84% of students in the region are
keen cooks, 33% are being put off making food from scratch due to
the state of their kitchens.
The worst offending are kitchens are those in university halls of
residence and privately owned shared houses, with students pointing
the finger at dirty housemates as the most common gripe, closely
followed by lack of space and dirty work surfaces.
However, despite the kitchen being declared the dirtiest room in
digs, figures from The Co-operative Food show students are not
shunning home-cooked fare completely, with fresh produce including
broccoli, onions and mushrooms all making the top ten most popular
items bought in Co-operative stores using their NUS Extra discount
card.
Raechel Mattey, NUS Vice President, said:- "Students
historically have a 'can't cook won't cook' reputation, and
while the research shows they are keen to prepare fresh food, it is
very concerning that something as simple as the state of their
kitchens maybe putting them off. If kitchens are simply
a bit dirty, a cleaning rota could make all the difference, or if
they are very dated and shabby students should be approaching
landlords to request improvements."
CJ Antal-Smith, Head of Commercial - Grocery, The Co-operative Food,
said:- "Cooking in a clean environment is essential for
hygiene reasons, but also to make the whole experience of preparing
a meal enjoyable.
Since becoming the first food retailer to offer students with an NUS
Extra card a 10% discount on groceries, it has been fascinating to
see what is being bought, and it's heartening to see so much fresh
produce up there in the top 10. I hope that, one way or another,
students are able to overcome the issues with their kitchens so they
can roll their sleeves up and make some delicious home-cooked
meals."
The top 10 items bought by students since The Co-operative Food
introduced a discount to NUS Extra cardholders in September are:-
Milk
Bananas
Lemonade
Quilted Velvet
Broccoli
Onions
Mushrooms
Walker's crisps
Cucumber
Carrots
Top tips
from students to keep digs free from dirt:-
A cleaning rota is a must! Little weekly cleans mean less to clean
at the end of term/year. Also, watch the state of things in the
fridge. Finding very mouldy cheese is a massive put-off for other
housemates!
A strong bathroom bleach is a necessity. It will easily tackle foul
smells, grubby waterlines and nasty marks without you really needing
to get your hands dirty.
Antibacterial wipes solve all problems. Dirty table? Antibacterial
wipes. Mouldy windowsill? Antibacterial wipes. Unknown glob of
generally disgusting detritus on the counter tops? Antibacterial
wipes. They're a cheap and quick way of cleaning most things.
Bicarbonate of soda is an excellent all-rounder, and it's cheap too.
It's particularly good on cleaning grout.
CCTV image issued after men act
aggressively with baseball bat at Bidston Station
OFFICERS from the British Transport Police
have issued a CCTV image of 2 men they would like to speak to
following an incident at Bidston Rail Station. Shortly after 11pm on
Friday, 3 January 2014, 2 men entered the station booking hall
complaining that someone had stolen their bike. PC Colin Pattison
said:- "The men were carrying a baseball bat and Merseyrail
staff on duty at the station genuinely feared for their safety
because of the level of aggression. No complaint has been made to
BTP regarding the theft of a bike, but it is important that we trace
the men as soon as possible." If you recognise the men in
the CCTV image; or have any information about the incident; please
call British Transport Police on:- 0800 40 50 40 or call
Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111. In all calls please
quote log:- NW/B9 of 28/1/14.
Candlemas Vigil
to be held A
Vigil Service for the Eve of Candlemas is to be held on Sunday, 2
February 2014, at 6:30pm at the Ancient Chapelry of Formby, St.Peter
Apostle and Martyr, L37 7DL. If you do not know what it is, it is a
Christian festival that commemorates the purification of Mary after
giving birth, as well as the presentation of Jesus in the temple.
It entails prayers, readings, hymns and special Choral Music to
celebrate the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
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Horse powered Chinese New Year
ONE of Liverpool's most popular City centre events is
galloping into the City in February. 2014 marks the Year of
the Horse and Liverpool's Chinese New Year celebrations will take
place in spectacular style across the weekend of the 1 and 2
February.
Activities will start off at 11am on Saturday, 1 February 2014, with
lantern making workshops at FACT for all the family, and the
creative results go on display in a special installation at St
Luke's Church (participants will be able to take lanterns home after
the exhibition).
At 3pm, there will be a rare chance to see Europe's largest Chinese
orchestra, the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, rehearse as part of a
special open day.
Lark Lane Community Association (located at the old police station
on Lark Lane) will see dance, music and Tai-Chi performances taking
place from midday, and The Garden at FACT will host a traditional
Chinese tea experience from 10.30am to 6.30pm.
The celebrations will be in full-swing on Sunday, 2 February 2014, from
11am with the family friendly fun fair and the popular Chinese
market on Great George Street selling gifts, souvenirs and
mouth-watering food. At 11.30am the dragon, unicorn and lion parades
will get underway in Chinatown, culminating at 1pm in a spectacular
fire cracker display in Great George Square starring the 'Lucky
Man' who will be handing out red envelopes to children.
Liverpool City Council's Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for
Culture and Tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- "Liverpool
excels when it comes to celebrating Chinese New Year. Each year
thousands of visitors are always overwhelmed by the spectacle they
are greeted with as the City celebrates its Chinese roots and
community. It's wonderful to see so many organisations work
together to put on this memorable event, which grows in popularity
year on year. There's a whole host of events taking place
across the weekend and beyond offering lots of family friendly
activities which are either free, or cost very little – so it's a
great way for everyone to get involved in marking this special
event."
Some activities taking place across the
weekend are:-
Saturday, 1 February 2014:-
11am to 4pm:- Lantern Making Workshops, FACT, £2 per lantern...
Midday onwards - Chinese New Year Celebration workshops, Lark Lane
Community Association, free of charge.
3pm - Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra rehearsals, Pagoda Chinese
Community Centre.
Sunday, 2 February 2014:-
11-4pm – Performances in Great George Square~
11am – Join in and dace with Movema – just wear red! The Black-E, £1
per person
11am-4pm – Static Gallery Indoor Market, Static Gallery.
11.30am-3.30pm – Traditional Chinese Lion, Dragon & Unicorn Dance,
Nelson and Berry Street.
12-4pm – Chinese Dragon puppets workshop, FACT, free of charge.
12-4pm – Urban Strawberry Lunch decoration making session, St Luke's
Church, free of charge.
1pm – Firecracker displayer, Great George Square.
2-4pm – Wah Sing Singing and Dance Group, Wah Sing Community Centre.
3.30pm – Chinese New Year performances, Pagoda Chinese Community
Centre.
The event is organised by the 2014 Liverpool Chinatown Chinese New
Year Co-ordinating Committee in partnership with Liverpool City
Council. For full details of the celebrations, visit:-
itsliverpool.com/culture. |