Latest news with #LiverpoolHopeUniversity
Spectator
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Why I don't pity short men
I couldn't help sniggering when I read in the Guardian that Tony Robinson, the diminutive (5'4) droll most famous for being in Blackadder, is venting his miniature wrath over the tendency of women on dating apps to desire men taller than them: 'Nowadays, you don't pick on people's looks, do you? It's like kind of a new understanding over the last ten or 15 years, you don't deride people for what they look like' he scolded on Elizabeth Day's How to Fail podcast, admitting he had seen his shorter than average height as 'a problem in life.' A quick peek at his Wikipedia shows that Sir Tony (a long-time member of the Labour party, knighted in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours) has been gainfully employed as an actor since the age of 13 in the theatre, radio, television, films and as an advertising voice-over for cleaning products, including Vanish. But far from vanishing, at the ripe old age of 78, he's still going strong. To say he's had a successful career in a profession where around 90 per cent are out of work at any given time is to utilise classic English understatement somewhat. Because of this, he is a wealthy man with homes both here and abroad. Sir Tony has been no slack in his private life, either. Three times married, his current wife Louise Hobbs is some 35 years younger than him. I'm not pointing the finger, as Mr Raven is some 13 years junior to myself, but it's one of those amusing situations comparable to Stephen Fry and his spouse in that when you see a photograph of them together, you do initially think 'isn't it lovely to see someone that close to their adult child!' before looking a bit closer and thinking 'Ah…but not that close, perhaps. Silly me!' You'd think having a gorgeous young wife would have rendered Sir Tony totally uncaring about what the youngsters get up to. But he gets in a right kerfuffle about the girls on Love Island: 'Look at Love Island, every woman who is asked what bloke they want will always start by saying 'I want a tall man' and then everyone else will laugh in collusion.' Why is a 78-year-old man watching Love Island – and would he watch it if the bikini-clad babes doing all that mugging and hugging were of his vintage? Of course, the Guardian is keen to back up the miserable old leftie: 'Studies over decades show heightism leads to bias, yet it appears even today to be more socially acceptable than other forms of physical prejudice. The term 'heightism' was first coined by the sociologist Saul Feldman in 1971. Dr Erin Pritchard, a senior lecturer in sociology and disability studies at Liverpool Hope University, believes much heightism is subconscious, but that it is ingrained. It has also not benefited from widespread acceptance movements. 'You had the fat acceptance movement, and while there's still issues, you would never go, 'Well, how much do you weigh?' But it's perfectly acceptable for people to go, 'How tall are you'?'' But also recently in the Guardian – or the Good News Gazette, as I think of it – there was a fat girl having a moan about models being thin, so it's basically any poor-me in a storm. 'Live and let live' used to be a popular liberal tenet before liberals decided that telling everyone else what they should be doing and thinking was a lot more fun. I'd bring it back and add a new one; like and let like, or even love and let love. Don't try to push your way into dating groups that don't fancy you; go and find a dating group that's keen on your kind. It's going to save a lot of aggro and hurt feelings all around. Just as some people are going to be better runners – or writers – than others, some people are going to be more physically attractive. Babies smile at photographs of conventionally attractive people more; are we going to start re-educating them about beauty before they can count to two? Besides, very few apparent gifts are free in this life; with beauty comes the curse of witnessing its loss, either by natural decay or unnatural injections of plastic which invariably rob the most fantastic face of what made it special in the first place. Before I was in a wheelchair, I was 5'9. I loved being tall. It suited me; I was a swaggering, swashbuckling show-off. Sometimes I used to actually pat my shorter friends on the head. I'm about four feet tall now; it's weird seeing life from a child's point of view. But I'll have to grin (and occasionally) grizzle and bear it. I don't believe for a moment that anyone should have to find people in wheelchairs as attractive as those striding along on their long healthy legs. I don't see many public figures in wheelchairs – but I don't believe for a moment that if I did, it would make being in a wheelchair any less annoying. In my opinion, the phrase 'If you can't see it, you can't be it' is one of the silliest of modern sayings. Rosa Parks never saw someone do what she did; neither did Barack Obama. Looking to others for approval (unless it comes in the obvious shape of getting paid) is one of the surest ways to court under-underachievement, self-loathing and mediocrity. But if 'Sir' Tony really does 'need' to see an example of a rich, successful shorter man date/bang/marry a taller woman, there are many to choose from. The tall young starlet with the short mega-millionaire is a long-standing cliche, from Bernie Eccleston to Rod Stewart, who far preferred girls who towered over him. As he gamely chortled in 'Blondes Have More Fun': 'You can keep your red heads/ You can keep your brunettes too/I wanna girl that's semi-intelligent/Gimme a blonde that's six feet two.' The blonde he finally settled for, the ex-model Penny Lancaster, has been vice president of the Royal National Institute of Blind People and a fully-qualified Special Constable with the City of London police. She's the catch, as much as him; when you can't tell the difference, I guess they call it love. So contrary to what Dr Prichard says – 'We need more voices like Tony Robinson coming out and saying it, to show this is not all woke nonsense, [to] just sort of sit down and listen to what they have to say and go, OK, these are their lived experiences' – we need, in the sexual arena, more people who don't feel outraged at not being found attractive by those more attractive, and taller, than they are.
BBC News
01-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Liverpool Hope University staff to strike over job cuts
Staff at a university in Liverpool are set to strike for 10 days over planned job and College Union (UCU) members at Liverpool Hope University will walk out for five days from 22 September and for another five days a week union describes proposed cuts to academic posts across several departments, including education, social sciences and creative arts, as "outrageous".The university said it was "disappointed" at the decision to take industrial action and remained "committed to mitigate against compulsory redundancies where possible". In May, it was revealed 39 jobs were set to be cut at the university, which has two campuses in the city.A UCU representative said following negotiations fewer roles were now at risk but 30 staff still remained under threat. They said the university had reopened its voluntary redundancy scheme but had refused to rule out compulsory strike comes after 69% of UCU members voted in the recent ballot, with 85% backing strike action. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Liverpool Hope University is trying to slash vital academic jobs as part of a politically motivated plan to reshape the institution. "These cuts are not driven by necessity, they're the result of poor management choices and ballooning capital spending.""It is outrageous that hardworking staff are being made to pay the price while senior managers continue to reward themselves handsomely."She called on the university to "halt these cuts, rule out compulsory redundancies, and work with us to find a constructive path forward".But a Liverpool Hope University representative said entering the redundancy process was "extremely difficult" but had been driven by financial considerations of "funding challenges" being faced by universities across the UK and the needs of future students. "We are in contact with at-risk colleagues, providing information about redeployment opportunities and continue to offer colleagues wellbeing support," they said."We remain committed to mitigate against compulsory redundancies where possible." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
14-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Liverpool Hope University cuts 'devastating' for its reputation
Proposed job cuts at Liverpool Hope University (LHU) will have a "devastating impact" on the academic institution's reputation, a union has have been invited to apply for voluntary redundancy, said Roberto Catello from the University and College Union (UCU), with 39 lecturers facing losing their said the proposed cuts would have a "devastating impact on our academic community, the reputation of the university... and the local economy".A university spokesperson, who confirmed the voluntary redundancy scheme, said leaders tasked with ensuring the institution's financial and academic stability were working with the UCU "to explore all options". Dr Catello added: "The fact the LHU plans to drastically reduce the size of the Theology and Religious Studies academic team, from a headcount of six to two, is particularly telling."It shows that management is willing to sacrifice our institutional identity as a Christian and Ecumenical University just to make some savings from the academic staff budget."Part of the national Cathedrals Group of Universities, LHU said it was seeking to "ensure financial and academic stability".A university spokesperson said they appreciated it was a worrying time for staff and stressed that no staff member had been issued with a redundancy notice."The situation is still fluid," the representative added. "We await counter-proposals from the union and continue to consider suggestions and counter-proposals from individual staff."Our institution is not immune to the challenges facing the higher education sector across the UK and these proposals have been put forward to ensure financial and academic stability, while enabling us to continue to deliver excellent educational outcomes into the future." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Liverpool Hope University staff threaten strike action over cuts
University staff are warning of potential strike action if plans to cut jobs goes University and College Union (UCU) said Liverpool Hope University had threatened to cut 39 jobs, affecting courses including sociology, education studies and health claimed the university had healthy cash reserves and the planned cuts were "shameful".A Liverpool Hope University representative said the institution appreciated it was a worrying time for staff and it was working with the union "to ensure we explore all options". UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Liverpool Hope has strong finances and plays a key role in providing access to the arts and humanities to young people across the North West, so it is shameful that management's knee-jerk response to a projected deficit is to attempt to slash vital jobs."Senior managers must think again, otherwise our members will fight to defend jobs and student provision by any means necessary."The university said the proposal of potential redundancies was "not one that has been taken lightly" and the institution was "working with UCU to ensure that we explore options"."The proposals are currently undergoing consultation and no plans have been confirmed thus far," it said."We are committed to working in partnership with UCU, and with colleagues to protect their wellbeing during this difficult period." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meet the 'extravagant' Ribble Valley musician with cult Instagram following
A Ribble Valley musician with a sparkling social media following is inspiring a new generation of music lovers through both Instagram and in-person tuition. Dr Rebekah Okpoti, known online as The Girly Organist, has built a cult following on Instagram for her glamorous and engaging posts as a pipe organist, where she shares behind-the-scenes glimpses of her life performing in churches and cathedrals across the UK. With almost 7,000 followers, Rebekah has become a recognisable influencer in the classical music world, celebrated for her extravagant performance dresses and fresh, fun take on a traditionally reserved genre. Dr Rebekah Okpoti, known as The Girly Organist online (Image: Garry Cook) 'The Girly Organist is a platform to share behind-the-scenes of being a musician in Lancashire,' said Rebekah, who lives in Wilpshire. 'My dresses have created so much space for women in the male-dominated classical music world.' Now, through her Whalley-based Ribble Valley Music School, she hopes to develop the next generation of musical talent right here in Lancashire. READ MORE: Blackburn woman wants her cancer story to help others open up Ribble Valley Music School offers bespoke one-to-one instrumental tuition on piano, guitar, drums, violin and singing from its studios at The Sidings in Whalley. The school accepts students from the age of three upwards and prides itself on giving young children the opportunity to thrive through enjoying learning how to play a musical instrument. The family-friendly music school has a team of specialist tutors who are all fully DBS enhanced checked and have completed music education safeguard training. They offer 30-minute and 60-minute weekly music lessons in piano, guitar, singing, violin and drums. Okpoti is known for her extravagant dresses she wears during performances (Image: Garry Cook)Rebekah said: 'While we are popular with young people from three years old who want to learn music, we also have students of all ages, even into retirement age, who have come to us eager to learn how to play a new instrument or improve skills they have had for decades. 'The Ribble Valley is fortunate to have a great live music scene, but scratch the surface and most of the musicians are coming from outside the county. 'Our music school provides music learning opportunities for all ages, which I think is really important in setting a solid foundation of music making on a local level. We have a long-term commitment to producing musicians from Lancashire.' READ MORE: Teacher hoping to inspire generations with 'Super Nani and Captain Yaz' Rebekah lectures in musicology at Liverpool Hope University and until recently was director of music at Lancaster Priory. She is the editor-in-chief of The Organ Manual magazine, an international specialist online magazine. She has worked as an associate organist at Leeds Cathedral and has developed music projects for Blackburn Cathedral, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Lancaster Priory, Halifax Minster, Longridge Parish, and worked with Blackburn Music Service and Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. Okpoti runs the Ribble Valley Music School in Whalley (Image: Garry Cook) Rebekah added: 'We believe in the transformative power of music and that anyone can learn to play a musical instrument. We offer a welcoming and supportive training and learning environment for students of all ages and abilities. 'Every student has a unique focus when pursuing learning an instrument. Some aim to pass graded exams to enable themselves more opportunities in their lifelong music journey, some thrive being able to perform on stages, while some simply enjoy the relaxation music brings and others want to enhance their confidence or strengthen their musical skills in relation to other pursuits such as drama/dance/musical theatre. The practical skill of learning a musical instrument is of value at every level. 'We will work with you to create a bespoke program to help you make progress and achieve your goals."
