James Goffin

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Editor, September 2000 to July 2001 – various roles before that including news editor, reporter, and copy editor 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

Far too many to recount – since starting on Concrete in my first year it took up an inordinate amount of my time and forged lasting friendships

I think my first published article was about a giant inflatable pyramid on campus outside of Nelson Court sponsored by the now defunct Orange mobile phone network. They gave me a free mobile that got me through university, and I still have the same number to this day.

Among the most surreal was posing with cut out face masks of the Vice Chancellor of the time for a Concrete Photo Casebook story about a cult that worshipped him. I’m sure it made sense at the time.

One issue we had nothing for the centrespread of The Event – the arts supplement before Venue – and so I drove out some of the editorial team for a film inspired road trip to Norfolk’s own California, a tiny village on the coast. The chance photographs with a police car for a Thelma and Louise parody and the money wasted in the arcades to get a cuddly Gonzo will stay with me forever. I think The Event’s editor Stephen Collins – now an award-winning illustrator – only just survived the stress of that one.

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

We had frequent battles with the university and student union, including one edition while I was news editor that was banned by the student union because of a story about the BNP and by the university because a feature was illustrated with some explicit graffiti. I think we got it delivered out to rooms and handed it out on campus wherever we could.

It also saw the start of the union gradually cutting back their funding of the paper. I was lucky enough to be employed as editor on the same wage as a sabbatical officer, but we had to meet print cost by selling advertising. I helped pay for the last two issues of my year by doing freelance work editing the University of Essex’s student union newsletter. Within a few years the union cut the funding for the editor role, which I still think was a real shame.

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

I’m going to cheat a bit and actually say the favourite things I wrote were the headlines. I was lucky enough to have a brilliant deputy editor, Nick Henegan (who went on to work for the Mirror and for the BBC and Government press offices) and we both loved puns and having fun with stories. We had ‘Porn in the UEA’ for a story about university computers being hacked to show adult websites, ‘Water cheek’ for a story about the Sportspark charging for a drinking water, and ‘You’re ugly’ complete with a giant pointing finger for a story about UEA failing to top a survey on the best looking students. At the more serious end we splashed with “25,000 people, 270 acres, 2 security staff” for a story about cuts to the university’s security staff. Really proud of the bold and impactful approach we took. 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

The proudest moment was always on publication day, walking through The Hive and seeing people devouring the paper. Winning student newspaper of the year as news editor, and runner up for my year as editor wasn’t bad either. 

While editor and news editor I think it was sticking to our guns and taking risks. One of my news editors, Katie Hind – who has since worked across the national press – did an expose of a firm that had been exploiting students in poorly paid factory jobs. The trouble was the firm was also an advertiser. After the story they apologised, promised to improve things- and kept advertising. 

Some of the proudest moments have come after leaving – seeing the successes that people on the editorial team went on to have, in part because of the skills they honed working on Concrete.

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

Concrete definitely set me up for my career. I’d wanted to be a journalist from a young age, but Concrete gave me really strong experience to take to employers – in my case to the Eastern Daily Press, who had picked up several of our stories. The EDP paid for me to train as a journalist and gave me my first job. 

Since then I ran the websites for two daily and five weekly newspapers in Suffolk – including live blogging a major court case before Twitter was a thing – and then designed and ran the editorial side of a publishing system used to produce newspapers, magazines, and websites for more than 100 publications.

I now work in public relations, with experience across education, the NHS, and local government.

Nick Henegan

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Deputy Editor, 2000-2001 
Sports Editor, 1999-2000 
Assistant Sports Editor, 1998-99 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

There are too many. The whole three years was a blast. It’s fair to say our red top tabloid approach to news at UEA wound a few people up. Above all it was great fun with an eclectic and talented group of people. And by some miracle we managed to get a decent newspaper produced every fortnight, quite often with the thumping of the LCR below the office as we pulled all nighters to get it finished. 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

The internet was becoming a thing and new fangled digital cameras made sourcing pictures – albeit grainy ones – much easier. 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

The standout for me was interviewing the late, great Arthur Miller. It was incredible to sit down and chat with such a literary legend for an hour. I still pinch myself about that one to this day. 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

Being part of the team that won Best Newspaper at the Independent / NUS Awards in 2000. I also got nominated for best sports writer by The Guardian Student Media Awards the same year. 

I also like to think our successful campaign to get a second fridge put in the kitchens of Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace benefitted generations of students (just a bit). 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

Concrete was the gateway to my career in media and communications. I made it onto the Mirror’s graduate training scheme and spent five years as a news reporter on national newspapers. I then moved into communications and PR working for the Met Police, BBC and HM Government. I’m now Head of Comms for Hertfordshire County Council. 

Anything else you’d like to add!

I’m delighted to hear Concrete is still going strong. Congratulations on the 400th issue! 

Clare Dennison

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Proofreader 2005ish! 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

My main memory was there was always a pot of coffee ready to go. An absolute essential for any news room and probably my personal highlight.

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

I included it on my CV when I looked for a job in publishing (though if I was being very honest I probably only worked on half a dozen issues). I had so little office experience though that I’m sure this helped me to get the first step on the ladder. Still working in publishing 17 years later.

Isabel Dyson (now Vincent)

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Various contributor roles but ended as News Editor in 2005/06. Somewhere around issues 170-190 I think. 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

I loved working on the layouts and with so many great people. I lost whole weekends to the Concrete office, surviving on pizza and coffee. I’d spend all day in the Concrete office, then work downstairs in the LCR bar until closing and cycle home in the middle of the night. Good times. 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

Same sex partnerships became legally recognised. Smoking indoors was outlawed. The Student Union banned (or motioned to?) Nestle and Coca-Cola products. There was controversy over a gravestone-lined footpath into Chaplefield shopping centre. Pete Doherty couldn’t make his LCR gig following an arrest the night before. Shane McGowan too. Amazing LCR gigs did play out though, just downstairs from the office, including Blondie, The Streets, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, The Darkness. Many structural changes occurred on campus and lots of articles covered issues around accommodation and construction noise. I found a piece that mentions the most expensive option for an en-suite room as being just over £80 per week (in 2005). I’m not sure how that compares today but I imagine it remains just as contentious an issue. 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

I used to love doing the film reviews in my first year, getting a press pass to the cinema felt like a win as a broke student! 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

Taking on the News Editor role. 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

After graduating I moved to London and worked in marketing and communications for several years. My partner and I then shipped an old motorbike to Alaska and zig-zagged down to the tip of Argentina. We published a travel blog and then I wrote a travelogue book on our return (Beads in the Headlight) which was published by a US-based publisher. 
 
I worked in communications again, for a government funded project that aimed to achieve better outcomes for public service users, by improved information sharing between agencies and public service providers. I married my partner and we are raising a young family of 3 boys, while I am currently working as a freelance writer. 
 
Concrete gave me confidence to put myself forward, achieve progress through hard work, collaborate with others, explore new technologies, be more inquisitive and curious, and to understand the significance of adapting your style and tone of writing for specific audiences. 

Anything else you’d like to add!

Good luck to you all at Concrete, it’s amazing to see how it has evolved. 

Andy Judson

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Film Editor – 2006/07 
Deputy Editor – 2007/08

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

Receiving a Borat mankini for the release of the Borat film – if you don’t know it, google it! 

Generally working feverishly to the early hours in order to keep to deadline.

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

Celebrating Concretes ‘Sweet 16th’ which also coincided with several of the editorial teams 21st birthdays.

We also held the inaugural MediaBowl, against LiveWire-a three round competition involving a pub quiz, football and pub golf (not all on the same day). Obviously, we won.

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

I tended to write a lot of film reviews or NIBs. It was a good way to learn to write concisely! 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

I always felt proud every issue simply that I’d helped produce something tangible, which people (usually) enjoyed. 

I also enjoyed winning the MediaBowl.

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

I’m an accountant now! But Concrete probably did teach me how to manage a team and work to a deadline (I did not do either of these well). 

Anything else you’d like to add!

I loved my time at Concrete! It was where I met a lot of my friends at uni and it dictated my schedule much more than lectures! 

Andrew Jones

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Opinions Editor: 2007-08

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

Every weekend we had to put the print copy together was great fun. 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

Me and my wife were the co opinions editors at Concrete. We started dating after we left UEA and have just had our first child. 

Emmeline Saunders

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Opinions Editor, 2007-8 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

So many! Mostly filing my fortnightly column hungover on a Sunday afternoon, hours before deadline, from the Blue Bar, while my young writers had submitted their copy days earlier. Celebrating Concrete’s 15th (!) anniversary where then-deputy editor, Andy Judson, bravely downed 15 shots of whatever disgusting liquor we could find to mark the occasion. Heated rows in the office over Dicky Reynolds’ spiciest take of the week. Passing out on the battered old sofa after a night at the LCR. Speaking of which, I hope to god that sofa is long gone, because that thing had a thousand-yard stare even when I was there. It had definitely Seen Things… 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

I vaguely remember someone talking about how we should really start a website because it would be useful for Concrete to have a digital presence. We thought it would never catch on! 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

I wrote a column that referenced mega-lorries cluttering up the M20 (look, it was a slow news week), which REALLY incensed one reader. That was my first angry letter… I wish I’d kept it now! 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

After graduating UEA in 2008 I did my NCTJ diploma and started writing for a content marketing agency. After a few years in the trenches I got lucky and scored some shifts at heat magazine – and after three years as a showbiz journalist I was headhunted to the Mirror, where (among several roles) I came full circle and served as the paper’s first Opinion Editor. While journalism is a challenging industry, Concrete was a great introduction to the newsroom… and an excellent grounding for filing copy from the pub. 

Anything else you’d like to add!

As well as kickstarting my career, Concrete is also where I met my husband, Andy, and in November last year we had our Concrete baby, Serafina. I also made lifelong friends from my time on the paper, and have travelled as far as Australia to watch them tie the knot and start their own families. 

Harry Low

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Sports editor (08-09) 
Deputy sports editor (07-08) 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

The Mediabowl was always fun – an annual competition with Nexus TV and Livewire Radio 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

We had a 15th anniversary celebration (I think) 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

I used to have all of my clippings but not sure I do now – possible the Carnage splash in 2008. 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

Being invited onto BBC Radio Norfolk to discuss the Carnage pub crawl which I was covering it for the newspaper, which led to me to get work experience there and eventually (possibly) helped me to land a role with the BBC a few years later. 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

… I am now a reporter for BBC News. Taking my first steps into the word of journalism with Concrete was enormously helpful 

Anything else you’d like to add!

Thanks for the memories and the friendships – I have been to three weddings of friends made through Concrete (including one Concrete couple who now have a baby) and later this summer will be the celebrant at the wedding of my co-sports editor from my second year on Concrete. 

Marcus Jones

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Editor from 2007-08 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

I enjoyed our front page headline for a story where behaviour on a university ski trip had got out of hand: Piste off 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

It was the first year we put every edition online as well as in print 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

I wrote a lot of self-indulgent editor’s columns, including one where I added up the amount of time I had spent watching ‘Friends’ in my lifetime. 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

We really widened the writing base so it wasn’t such a small team of contributers. It became a society open to more people and led to some excellent social events too. 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

I was a financial journalist for a short time, but wasn’t that good at it. I’m a far better English teacher. The main thing Concrete gave me was the ability to never miss a deadline of any sort. 

Grace Simpson

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

Food Editor (2007/8), Features Editor (2008/9), The Event Editor (2009/10), President (2009/10) 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

Impossible to pick one out there were so many. We had such a good time that we had to write it all down in a quote book. Really loved the “Get A Room….. Or This Happens” Facebook group and accompanying articles. I enjoyed everyone being subjected to my Fernando Torres calendar. 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

Fair bit of drama with Richard Reynolds trying to set up a rival paper when I was President! Can’t remember the name of the doomed rag but Concrete prevailed. 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

Obviously I thought all my articles were hilarious but one of my first was for the Food section when local restaurants sponsored Valentine’s Day blind dates in return for a review. Harry Low’s date didn’t turn up so he reviewed his date with a blow up doll. I also wrote a lot of articles about Newcastle United that no one cared about. 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

Winning a very hotly contested Media Bowl when I was President. 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

I am now a HR Director and looking back, being an editor was my first experience of managing a team. A very unruly team who didn’t get paid and were perpetually drunk or hungover! Although I didn’t pursue a career in journalism, I learnt so much more about the world, work, life, people than doing my degree. The 40 hours a fortnight were well worth it. 

Anything else you’d like to add!

Long live Concrete!

Justine Dashwood (formerly Wallis)

What were your role(s) at Concrete?

I think I wrote articles throughout my time at UEA, but I was Lifestyle Editor from 2008-9 (hope that date is correct, it’s feeling like a long time ago right now!) 

Do you have any favourite stories or stand out moments from your time with Concrete? 

As Lifestyle Editor, I would sometimes go and try out new things hoping to write an article about them later. I decided to get a spray tan for an potential article on self care. I’d never had one before as I have quite pale skin and reddish hair, so I didn’t realise the tan would darken over time. Anyway, spray tan complete and looking lightly bronzed, I hopped on a train back home to see my family. It was a hot day and I had a window seat so the sun was shining on my face for the entire journey. Three hours later, I arrive in my home town and hug my Mum. Noticing she looked a bit surprised I said ‘It’s a spray tan, do you like it?’ to which she gave a very noncommittal answer. We then went straight out to lunch, during which I got more than a few odd looks. It wasn’t until we got home that I finally looked in the mirror – my arms now had a slight greenish hue, but the tan residue on my face had oxidised in the warm train carriage to a rich, earthy olive green. Why didn’t my Mum tell me I looked completely mad *before* we went out to lunch? Well, apparently she thought this might have been an intentional fashion choice and didn’t want to discourage me from ‘expressing myself’. I don’t think spray tans made their way into the final article and I never used fake tan again! 

Were there any key events, developments or changes in Concrete during your time?

I don’t think so, though I do remember many conversations about needing a better office than the one we had in a crowded corridor above the LCR. 

Do you have a favourite article that you wrote?

Not that I can remember! 

What was your proudest Concrete moment?

Just being part of it! I was really proud to be involved with the University student newspaper, it felt worthwhile and like we were giving the student body a voice. 

What have you done since leaving, and has your experience with Concrete helped you?

I began working in publishing soon after I graduated in 2009 and I do think my experiences at Concrete helped me to build a portfolio and get interviews for my first few roles. Somehow, unpaid advocacy roles sharing my experiences of mental health, disability and LGBT+ inclusion turned into a career, and I’m now an EDI practitioner. Currently I work as the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at the University of Stirling. 

Image: UEASU (2000: Katie Hind, James Goffin, James Tapsfield, Caroline Jeater)