The Team
Sam Hall, 22, Founder and Editor
Sam is currently reading Chemistry at the University of Bristol. He enjoys sport, listens to questionable music, revels in the guilty pleasure of gaming and specializes in not finishing books. Sam wrote for his local and then university papers before coaxing ThisAffectedYouth into existence, with huge help, in February 2011. His current writing focuses on politics and domestic affairs but can wander onto more irregular topics. He thanks you for being here now, hopes that you enjoy what TAY does and most of all that you return again.
Jamie Walker, 23, Founder and International Affairs Editor
Having studied at the Universities of Kent and Brighton, Jamie has been teaching English at a Sixth Form college since 2010. He loves to write about international current affairs, especially events in the Arab world and Sub-Saharan Africa, though he regularly turns his hand equally adeptly to sport and music. Prior to taking up the mantle of Sam’s #2, Jamie wrote for various sports sites, as well as producing his own poetry. Outside of the classroom, Jamie’s life is dominated by a love of rugby, cycling and hip-hop.
Alex Rickets, 21, Domestic Affairs Editor
A penultimate year Law student at Sussex University, when he isn’t buried under legal textbooks Alex writes on a range of social and political current affairs issues. Fear not though; despite studying at one of the preeminent liberal institutions in this country he would like to think that his work is passably balanced. Particular areas of interest are the European Union, domestic politics and general civil liberties stuff. Extra-journalistic interests include music and sport. After scattering his opinions across these web pages over the last few months, Alex was honoured to recently receive the post of section editor for Domestic Affairs for TAY.
Joel Durston, 23, Sports Co-Editor - @joeldurston
Joel graduated from the University of Kent in 2010 where he read Philosophy and Religious Studies and, after realising he actually liked writing rather than had to do it, and wasn’t a very good teacher, started doing journalistic stuff, completing an NCTJ at News Associates, Wimbledon, then getting a job doing PR/journalism at Gorkana Group. He particularly likes writing about sports, culture, arts, and dabbles with politics and other things. He’d like to think he’s nice enough, a good journo, and posts stuff of interest, but then again he would, wouldn’t he?
Isaac Leigh , 19, Sports Co-Editor - @IsaacLeigh
A second-year student at the University of Warwick, Isaac studies English Literature and therefore likes to write when he’s not reading – what else is he good for? He takes some notice of the important things that are happening in the world, but his heart lies in sport, particularly football. A Newcastle United fan, Isaac hopes that the occasional article happens to be informative and original, and has really enjoyed contributing to TAY so far. He is delighted to accept the role of Sports Co-Editor.
Nicola Marchant, 22, Arts and Entertainment Co-Editor
Nicola, (or Nicky on a fun day) with her degree in Film and lack of social life, aptly took to the role of providing weekly cinema coverage for TAY. ‘Movie Monday’ aims to provide readers with a fresh – and often satirical perspective on the silver screen. When the DVD player’s broken or she can’t find an Orange Wednesday code, she’ll pen her interests towards music, pop culture and a good dose of feminism.
Polly Allen, 22, Arts and Entertainment Co-Editor - @misspallen
A London College of Fashion Journalism graduate, Polly is a travel marketer by day and a fashion blogger by night. You’ll mainly find her writing about all things clothing-related for TAY, but don’t expect any features on how to mimic Kate Middleton’s style, because she’d rather not write about someone who dresses as adventurously as your gran. In her spare time, Polly is addicted to art galleries, photography and telling incredibly bad jokes, whilst her specialist subject on Mastermind would be the early career of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Geoffrey Janes, 23, Technologist - @geoff_janes
Geoff is a graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, playing the Tuba of all things. Whilst studying, he became interested in other art forms and now plies his trade as a freelance creative professional, specialising in photography. Arsenal mad, he is a geeky tech fiend in the highest regard, writing controversial articles on occasion.
Adam Looker, 25, Designer and Online Marketing - @adlooker
Adam graduated from the University of Kent, having read Politics and International Relations, in 2009. He has recently joined the Marketing team of the successful Poole Bay Holdings. In his ‘spare’ time, he enjoys the gym, rugby, and long romantic walks along the beach. Each and every Movember he enjoys growing what can only be described as a monument to men, atop his lip.
Andy Smith, 23, Resident humourist
Andy is currently in his final year of a degree in Chemistry at the University of Bristol, and has recently accepted an offer to do a PhD. When he isn’t sitting in corner of the TAY offices with a gun in his mouth crying into a cold pot noodle, he writes barely coherent pieces of ‘satire’. Saner literature has been written in excrement, but TAY aims to be on the foremost edge of being edgey, and so publishes these hoping that one day they will not end up in police evidence files.
Also contributed:
Chris Hunt (former Sports Co-Editor), David Tanner, Benji Wright, Charles Lewis Meyrick, Tom Brown, Edd Paul, Tom Hibbs, Umrish Pandya, Jack Allen, Spencer Murphy, Yuli Levtov, Jonny Kates, Jack Burden, Paul Willis, Alex Shaw, Chris Sheppard, Max Roche, ThisAffectedExpat, Bloody Beetroot, Georgina Martin, Louis d’Heudieres, Maurice Fermont, Toby Avis, Ellie Cox, Toby Harding, Dominic Antill, Karen Reeves, Ellie Cox, Adam Grant, Umrish Pandya, Emma Rigby & others.
