Xplode Magazine | Issue 15 | Winter 2017/18

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Credits
Team
Saeed Atcha
Chloe Bennett
Ed Jankowski
Saimah Malji
Khalil Malji
Aliyah Khan
Ambreen Memon
Kasey Smith
Lydia German
Mo Jiva
Adam Toorawa
Grace Neilson
Lydia Edwards
Zahra Khan
Aliaa Toorawa
Chloe Wilson
Emma Baker
Nathan Byrne
Shabih Syed
Alisha Zahid
Amaan Memon
Kajol Patel
Katie Hinkinson
Sabrina Burton
Taibah Hussain
Zamaan Al-Islam
With special thanks to
HM Lord-Lieutenant of
Greater Manchester, Mr. Warren Smith
Contact Xplode Magazine
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Bolton, BL1 1LS
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Xplode Magazine Bolton, Registered Charity 1155789
strives to provide accurate and up-to-date information. If
you have seen any mistakes or anything you are not happy
with then please e-mail us: info@xplodemag.co.uk
Welcome to Xplode Magazine
WE give you the
opportunities,
information
and guidance
to better your
chances in life.
We
have trained
young people
in media and
business skills and
have given them the
opportunity to showcase their writing,
photography and management skills
in this magazine.
We’re not just a magazine
though - we train young people
across the UK in how to get jobs.
From searching for a job to smashing
the interview, we’re
there every step of the way.
Because of this, we’re a registered
charity helping thousands of young
people aged 12-22 across the UK.
All our volunteers take pride in
what they do and we are so proud to
have been recognised by Her Majesty
The Queen who gave us an award for
what we do!
To learn more, go to xplode.co.uk
Enjoy the magazine!
All information is correct at the time of print and any
unauthorised copying or reproducing of Xplode Magazine’s
content will constitute an infringement of copyright.
Xplode Magazine 2017. All Rights Reserved.
Saeed Atcha
Chief Executive

SINCE ISSUE 14...
26
Contents
AWARD WIN: Xplode’s CEO
Crowned ‘Young Person of
the Year’ in Bolton & Bury!
INTERVIEW: The Apprentice
Winner - Alana Spencer
24
VISIT: The Xplode Team on
an Xchange Trip in London!
SPORT: 5 Ways Wanderers
Can Avoid Relegation
12
MAYOR ANDY: Visited
Xplode HQ and said “Xplode
is Brilliant in terms of the
opportunities it gives to
young people.”
LIFE: 10 Things I Wish I Knew
About College Beforehand
3

Jorja
Smith
MUSIC
MEET the super
talented 20-
year- old Jorja
Smith who went
from making
frappuccinos at
Starbucks to being rumoured to
be dating Drake! The ‘Blue Lights’
singer racked up 100,000 plays in
a week after releasing the song
onto SoundCloud last year and
is about police injustice and her
experiences whilst growing up in
Walsall.
Her music has a bluesy,
Amy Winehouse-esque feeling
to it and her voice is absolutely
captivating, which rightfully
caught the attention of Stormzy,
Drake (of course) and Skrillex.
It’s safe to say that after
thismoment Jorja didn’t need to
be making flat whites anymore!
Throughout her childhood, Jorja has
been surrounded and influenced by
her band member father and the
reggae music that always seemed
to be played whilst her mum was
cooking.
Her music has been greatly
recognised, notably by being
shortlisted on the BBC Music
Sound of 2017 ‘ones to watch’ list,
following in the footsteps of Years
& Years, Sam Smith and Ellie
Goulding.
We’re yet to see Jorja’s
debut album, so hopefully it will be
released later this year with many
eagerly anticipating its arrival!
Calvin is back
GONE are the days where it was
‘acceptable in the 80s’ as Calvin’s
new album is worlds apart
featuring collabs with Nicki Minaj,
Frank Ocean, Migos, Future and
many more!
His recently released album,
‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1,’ has a
fitting title, expect to turn up the
feel good and funky beats.
It features ‘Slide’, a strong
contender for 2017’s song of the
summer, and ‘Heatstroke’ featuring
Pharrell Williams. Its release has
been perfectly timed to be our ‘go
to’ summer album- go check it out!
4
Article by Chloe Bennett

TOP
5
BOOKS
FOR LONG
JOURNEYS
Long journeys can be boring; car, train,
plane, the bus- they are all a pain. So
here are 5 books to keep you busy on
your travels.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
(850 pages) – The first in the
Outlander series (and season 1 of
the Starz tv show by the same
name). Taken from 1946 on her
second honeymoon, Claire
Randall is thrown into the 1700s and
rescued by highlanders all heading for
the tragedy awaiting them at Culloden.
While attempting to escape, she finds
someone who will tempt her away from
the comforts of her own time and into
the dangers of his.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett
and Neil Gaiman (430 pages) – A
brilliantly funny book that takes
a new look at the apocalypse.
The apocalypse is nigh. Everything
seems to be going according to the
divine plan, except as the end draws
near, an angel and a demon are not
looking forward to the rapture, and
someone seems to have misplaced the
Antichrist.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
(635 pages) – (TV show of the
same name by Starz). Shadow
Moon is released early from
prison only to find it’s to attend
a funeral, his wife’s funeral. On his way
home, he meets Mr Wednesday who
claims to be a God and King of America.
Shadow is employed by Mr Wednesday
as a driver, and they embark on a
journey meeting all kinds of people as
a preternatural storm is just about to
break.
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie
Blackman (479 pages). The
first book in the Noughts and
Crosses series looks at racism
and prejudice in an alternate
society. Crosses are dark-skinned and
the ruling class (Sephy is a Cross), the
Noughts are pale and were slaves to
the Crosses (Callum is a Nought). Sephy
and Callum have been friends since
childhood, but they can never be more.
In a world where the Noughts are tired
and have started to fight back, can they
be together?
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
(441 pages) – The heroine of
Rebecca is a lady’s maid for
an older woman on vacation
to Monte Carlo where she meets
handsome widower, Max de Winter.
His sudden proposal of marriage takes
her out of her dull life and throws her
into the intricate running of the manor
house, Manderley. The heroine can’t
imagine herself running the house,
or being loved by Max or in any way
meeting the standards set by his first
wife, the hauntingly beautiful Rebecca.
All of these books are over 400 pages
and will definitely take up a few hours of
that long journey. Enjoy!
5
Article By Sabrina Burton

A suitcase for every time
you’re AWAY!
Finished school, college or uni?! It’s
time to treat yourself to a holiday!
Taking on board Xplode’s essential
travel hacks on pages 11 & 12,
we definitely recommend an ‘Away’
suitcase!
They look sleek, playful, and
strong (and that’s not their Tinder
bio ;) )
The best thing about these suitcases
is that they come with a USB charger
so you never have to run out of juice,
ever again!
With a hidden laundry bag,
ways to make more space, a built-in
lock and spinner wheels, this suitcase
is bound to be your favourite
travel companion.
And what better companions
than the Minions?! If you want to take
over the world, you’ll need help! Enter
the minions!
This limited edition collab features
classic ‘Away luggage’ with a
bright yellow shell and ID tag shaped
like the Minions’ signature eye goggles.
You can find all the goss at
awaytravel.com Article by Saeed Atcha 11

12
THINGS I WISH I
WAS TOLD BEFORE
10STARTING SIXTH FORM

College is definitely different to how I expected
it to be – don’t get me wrong it isn’t that bad,
but it’s certainly been challenging. I’m a student
who is about to go into my second year, and
these are a few things I wish I were told before
joining last September.
When they say it’s fun – that’s true and
false. Yes, you make friends and go out
and socialise more. But there is also so
much work you actually have to put
in. I recommend starting your revision
from September as I did. Don’t leave it
to the last minute.
Don’t skip class and stay in bed – 8/10
tutors don’t go over things twice until
the end of the year, and that’s no
use. For example, in sociology, we go
through booklets and don’t go over
that section again unless it’s revision.
It is completely fine to not know what
chosen career you want to pursue and
its okay if you don’t know what course
you want to do. So many people are
there to help you if you need it.
Free periods at college aren’t for
messing around and being sociable.
Use them wisely – I tend to go to the
library and study for the full hour or
more to catch up on work. Sometimes
I like to revise or do homework set on a
Friday for that weekend so I don’t have
lots to do at home and I have more
spare time during the weekend.
A-levels are a massive jump from
GCSEs. I know teachers at high school
always say that college is better than
school and that you’ll have an amazing
time, but they are just buttering it upit’s
difficult. A-levels are one of the
hardest parts of the UK education.
Give yourself time – create yourself a
timetable and give yourself time to get
to college. Also, if you have a long way
to walk to different buildings, set off
early. At Bury college, they have hard
starts and easy endings to classes, so
you start on time but leave the lesson
ten minutes early to get to other
buildings.
Try to make an effort and meet new
people. Not everyone at college is nice
I’ll be honest but the odd few are, and
some are so lovely. On the other hand,
don’t forget about the people at high
school – even though they do say they
will keep in touch, I honestly doubt it.
Assignment deadlines are so
important – don’t miss one. College
isn’t like high school where you miss
handing in a piece of work and then
get a detention. It’s your problem and
you’ll most likely be put on a warning.
You might even have to speak to the
head of A-levels. Getting work done is
down to your self-effort
Get involved with as much as you can.
I mean things like extra-curricular
activities that can be added to your
CV and personal statement. Also, try
to attend revision classes, they are so
helpful if you don’t understand certain
topics.
At the start of the college year, I was
so worried to call my tutors by their
first name. I would say miss or sir and
then apologise for saying it. But don’t
panic, they’re not evil – in fact, they
are so lovely. They care about you and
genuinely want to help you. So, don’t
panic, just make sure you open up to
them – they are not there to upset you
or catch you out.
There are so many things that you are not
told about college and it does make you
feel so unprepared. However, as long as you
turn up bright faced, head held high and
ready to take on your course you will be
more than fine.
Article By Chloe Wilson
13

5 Reasons You Need a
Night at The Light!
T h e n e w L i g h t B o lt o n i s t h e t o w n ’ s o n ly c e n t r a l
c i n e m a a n d t o c e l e b r at e o u r p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e m ,
w e ’ v e r o u n d e d u p 5 r e a s o n s y o u n e e d t o v i s i t T h e L i g h t !
01
LOCATION!
You couldn’t ask for a
better location than
the Market Place Shopping Centre!
Right in the heart of Bolton,
you’re only a short walk from the
bus or train station.
03
THE CHEAPEST IN
BOLTON - £££!
The Light Cinema is
officially the cheapest in
Bolton with no extra
online booking fees,
or hidden charges
for things like 3D
films or the Theatre
performances!
05
02
THE WORLD’S
COMFIEST SEATS -
EVER!
I’ve never sat on a cinema seat as
comfy as the ones at The Light!
Each screen has its own unique
style of seating with LOADSA leg
room!
04
THE ‘GREEN ROOM’!
Who ever thought
that you could go to the cinema
and have a coffee before the
film?! With plenty of just-ascomfy
seats outside the
screens, the Green Room is
where you can relax whilst
waiting for your mates, or
simply chilling out before the
film!
EVENTS! We’ve always said that Bolton is missing a beach!
There’s always something going on at The Light, from transforming
the ‘Green Room’ into a Beach for Baywatch, or the special
‘Light Arts’ programme showcasing live theatre!
14
With films from as low as £5, you’re sure to enjoy your visit to The Light Cinema!
Get Xplode magazine timeline for special offers, film reviews and competitions!

Effortless Go-To
Outfit.
Get these jeans on whilst
it’s cool! Pair with the
white frill top and bold
accessories to keep the
summer alive!
Jeans, New Look, £24.99, Bag,
New Look, £12.99, Shoes, New
Look, £25.99, Bracelet, River
Island, £8.00, Top, H&M £17.99
Sunglasses, H&M, £5.99
SUM
MER
Stand Out…
... with this bold fuchsia off-the-shoulder
dress. Stand Loud and Proud with these
pom-pom shoes!
Trainers, Topshop, £28.00,
Dress, New Look, £17.99

Throwback to summer...
with this go-to white
dress. Stand tall with
colourful block heels.
And warm up with a
cute cardi
Dress, ASOS, £32.00
Bracelets, New Look, £5.99
Bag, New Look, £12.99
Shoes, New Look, £25.99
Jump for Joy...
...now you’ve smashed your
Xmas shopping! Pair this floral
jumpsuit with sunglasses
during those winter rays
Jumpsuit, New Look, £34.99
Sunglasses, H&M, £6.99
Shoes, New Look, £25.99
Bracelet, River Island, £8.00

Going on holiday?
Perfect your evening look with
these culottes! Dress up
with accessories or
dress down with a
pair of converse!
Culottes, New Look, £24.99
Shoes, New Look, £25.99,
Bag, Zara, £29.99,
Bracelet, River
Island, £8.00
Add a splash of fun...
to your holiday wardrobe with
these cute pom-pom shoes
matched with a colourful skirt, you're
bound to pull off the perf summer
look, no matter what the weather!
Trainers, Topshop, £28.00, Necklace, Missguided, £6.00
Top, New Look, £6.99, Skirt, New Look, £19.99
Bag, Zara, £19.99

DRUGSTORE MAKEUP MUST-HAVES
As all of us makeup lovers know that make up
isn’t the cheapest thing out there but it certainly
doesn’t stop us buying it, right? If anything,
it makes us want things even more! For
me, it motivates me to find good buys that
are cheap but just as good, if not even better
than high end items. Therefore, I have a few
recommendations that are cheap but do the
job just as well!
FOUNDATION
To start with, one of the best
foundations I have recently tried
is the Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix
Foundation, it does exactly what it
says on the bottle. It hydrates, lasts
and blends easily. Not only this, but
its demagogically tested and has 8
shades which fit most skin tones.
Credit: Hunt or Dye
BRONZER/CONTOUR POWDER
Right, the best drugstore bronzer would be
the Revolution Ultra Contour Palette, this
contains 8 compacts; 3 bronzer shades, 3
highlights and 2 normal. Each bronzer is a
different shade with a different tone.
£7.99
Credit: Miss Sunshine and Sparkle
£9.99
Credit: MakeupAlley
Another recommended foundation
is the L’Oréal Paris True Match
Foundation, it’s medium to full
coverage and fulfils its purpose. It’s
super blend-able, hydrates the skin,
has an SPF of 17 and is available in
23 amazing shades!
£9.99
CONCEALER
HIGHLIGHTERS
Everyone’s favourite part, right? I mean who
doesn’t love to glow! Highlighters are different
for everyone; it depends on the colour of their
skin and what colour highlight they would
like.
The highlight part of the Revolution Ultra
Contour Palette is a silver shimmery highlight
where a little goes a long way! This amazing
highlight suits all skin tones and is sure to give
you all the glow you desire.
18
My favourite drugstore concealer
is the Maybelline Age Rewind Eye
Concealer, long name right? But I’ll
tell you one thing, it’s better than
a lot of the high-end concealers
I have tried. Its perfect not only
under the eye but also as an eye
primer set with a bit of powder
and to cover pigmentation and
acne scarring. Its sponge applicator
makes it easy to apply and it gives
a natural finish.
£8.99
Article by Ambreen Memon
Credit: Feelunique
£7.99
Also, the Goddess of Faith Triple Baked
Highlighter comes in a few different shades
with enough product to last you a lifetime!
I mean it, this thing never runs out and it
lasts you all day and I mean ALL day without
budging, it’s currently a go to of mine.
£4.99
Credit: Lovesandloathesuk.com

Bargain Highlighter
Article by Lydia German
Who DOESN’T love an amazing highlighter?
With so many high-end products to choose
from these days, you’ll invest in a product and
the next thing you know, there’s a brand new
palette out.
But, what if I told you that there’s an amazing
highlighter out there for a bank-breaking
99p? Seems too good to be true? Well, it’s not
– welcome to High lights by Technic!
It looks like a nail varnish but has the texture
of a very thin cream, which you can easily
spread over your key highlighting points: the
area above your cheek bones, the tip of your
nose, cupid’s bow, inner corner of your eyes
and your brow bone. Shine away ladies!
Credit: Manicurez.org
MARK
THE
SPOT
DOESN’T
Bite Size Lessons In Young Leadership
19

吀 椀 挀 欀 攀 琀 猀 ꌀ㈀ 㠀 ⸀ 㔀 ⴀ ꌀアパート ⠀ 䌀 漀 渀 挀 攀 猀 猀 椀 漀 渀 猀 ⼀ 搀 椀 猀 挀 漀 甀 渀 琀 猀 愀 瘀 愀 椀 氀 愀 戀 氀 攀 ⤀
䈀 漀 砀 伀 ϻ 挀 攀 ㈀ 㐀 㔀 ㈀ 㘀 㘀
漀 挀 琀 愀 最 漀 渀 戀 漀 氀 琀 漀 渀 ⸀ 挀 漀 ⸀ 甀 欀

HOW
BOLTON
WANDERERS
ACHIEVED
PROMOTION
Article by Kasey Smith
In August, I and many others
had expressed doubts about
how Bolton would fare in
League One. They had kept the
same core of players who had
failed in the past, off-the-field
disputes were never-ending
and Bolton had no real goal
threat. But remarkably, Phil
Parkinson turned the team
(with additions) into one of the
best goal scoring sides, and
one that keeps clean sheets.
Here is how Bolton achieved
promotion.
Credit: Lion of Vienna Suite
KEY SIGNINGS
The signing of the season has been Mark
Beevers. He never makes a mistake, he is a
solid defender and has scored a few goals
too! Filipe Morais is another magnificent signing.
After losing Ameobi and Clough, some
wondered where the goals would come from
but since joining in February, he has provided
twelve assists with fans nicknaming
him ‘The Postman’. Bringing back Le Fondre,
a fans favourite, was also a big step towards
promotion.
MAKING THE MOST
OUT OF SET-PIECES
Parkinson has made Bolton a well-drilled
side and at every free-kick or corner, they
look dangerous. As a result, David Wheater
and Mark Beevers have scored fourteen goals
between them. As Bolton do not have a
striker who will score 20+ goals, this has been
a brilliant way of getting the best out of the
squad.
RESILIENCE
Last season, too many players were disinterested
and there was an absence of leadership.
But Parkinson has transformed them
into hard-working players who have a neversay-die
attitude. If things aren’t going Bolton’s
way in games, the players have the right temperament
and the guile to sway the match in
their favour.
CONSISTENCY
Parkinson has tried to keep the same team
all season and has rarely tampered with the
squad and only made changes when forced
to, through injury. This has instilled confidence
in the players as Parkinson believes in
them and it has also encouraged the players
who are not in the first eleven to work their
hardest to break into the team and to prove
their mettle.
BOARD COMMUNICATION
The last regime was criticised because fans
were often left in the lurch about what was
happening with the club. But since Ken
Anderson has took over, he has had regular
communication with fans through Q&A’s and
weekly columns, which has provided muchneeded
clarity about the clubs’ finances etc.
The board and fans are now back on side and
the club has a community feel to it.
Credit: Chadwick Media 21

We have some of
the best young
players in the
world, it is our
responsibility to
turn them into
world stars.
Last summer was certainly a cause for
celebration after the England U20’s
lifted the World Cup; the U19’s won the
Euros, and the U21’s were semi-finalists
also in the European Championships.
For years, we have been told that
English clubs have not produced
enough home-grown players. But it
is evidently not true. We have just had
one of the most successful years for
English youth players, yet the prospect
of an England senior team getting to
the final stages of a tournament still
seems a very long way away.
We have, of course, been here before.
Under Stuart Pearce’s management,
the England U21’s got to the semifinals
of the Euros in 2007 and in
2009 were finalists. But what good
came from the hard-work put into
producing these young talents? The
answer? Not much. Of the 2007 squad,
only seven are now playing regular
22
Premier League football. Amongst
those seven are players such as Wayne
Routledge, Ashley Young and Mark
Noble. They are hardly world-beaters.
The 2009 squad, who were finalists,
tells a similar story. But, the German
team which England lost to had
Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil, Jerome
Boateng. All of whom have won World
Cups and are currently playing the
best teams in the world of football.
So, why have our players not gone on
to have stellar careers? It has to be
down to the vast amounts of money
in the top division and the fact that
the majority of Premier League clubs
are foreign owned and managed. In
Germany, Spain and Italy, the vast
majority of top division teams are
owned and managed by people from
their own nations. So, in England,
there is less of an appetite to develop
the English national team because

the clubs are run by people who have
little or no affinity with the national
squad. Also, the Premier League has
instilled a culture and mentality of
excessive spending and greed. Why
would English clubs bother spending
5-10 years developing young players
when they can buy a ready-made
star for £30m and still have money to
spare?
For many English clubs, the
development of young players is
viewed as a commercial enterprise,
rather than a benefit to a first team
squad. For instance, Premier League
clubs will poach the best young stars
from lower league teams for a couple
of million pounds, loan them back
out again, and when they are fully
developed, will sell them on for a
profit.
Of course, it would be deceiving to say
that this is the case for every English
club – it’s not. Southampton, Everton
and Tottenham Hotspur, in particular,
have put a lot of effort into developing
players and also playing them in their
squads. It comes as no surprise that
Tottenham has had two of their best
seasons in the last two years finishing
3rd in the 2015/16 season and 2nd
last year. Everton, after implementing
young English players, finished 7th last
year, one of their best results for some
years. This refutes the myth that young
English players are not of the same
standards as a £20m foreign transfer,
they just need to be given a chance to
prove themselves.
But more Premier League clubs need
to take note, how many U21 players
in 2007 and 2009 missed out on
great careers because their parent
clubs never gave them the chance
to prove themselves and develop
further? Premier League owners and
managers need to put more effort into
properly developing young English
players, and playing them in their first
team. It cannot be the case that it is
not their responsibility. The fact that
they are in charge of an English club
should be enough. Do these owners
not have a duty to their fans? It is not
just owners and managers; however,
it is also Richard Scudamore, who
has a duty as Executive Chairman of
the Premier League to oversee more
English players being given game
time.
We have a world-class crop of young
English talent, many of whom could
become world stars if they are given
a chance in the Premier League. It
is high time everybody took more
responsibility of producing more
English talent rather than passing
the buck. Otherwise, it will be another
decade of the England national team
in the doldrums.
Article By Kasey Smith 23

5WAYS
BOLTON
WANDERERS
CAN AVOID
RELEGATION
Credit: Bolton Whites Hotel
The Championship is one of the most
grueling leagues in the world, it is awash with
sleeping giants who all believe they have
what it takes to, at least, get into the top six.
Three quarters of the teams in the division
at the start of the season would have argued
that they had a chance of winning promotion.
And as Bolton re-enter the championship
after an outstanding season, they need to be
aware that it is going to be a lot tougher than
their promotion-winning campaign. Here are
five ways Bolton can avoid relegation.
STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD
Bolton need a goalkeeper, unfortunately
both Alnwick and Howard have appeared
too shaky and that won’t work in the
championship. Bolton have had a lot of
injuries this season and when players such
as Spearing, Taylor and Madine have been
out, they have (understandably) struggled in
games. Bolton need better back-up options
for these players, but at the same time
keeping the core squad which won them
promotion.
CUT SEASON
TICKET PRICES
The board have worked wonders in getting
the fans back on side and as a result
attendances have increased massively and
people are proud to call themselves Bolton
Wanderers fans again. Decreasing the season
ticket prices for next season will encourage
more fans to sign up, create a better
atmosphere and will be a real boost to the
team.
BE VERSATILE
Phil Parkinson, so far, has done an exceptional
job. But, this season there has been too
much reliance on Gary Madine holding up
the ball and for us to be successful in the
Championship next year, they will have to
have a better plan B otherwise Bolton will be
out very soon.
DEFENCE FIRST,
ATTACK SECOND
This is a no brainer. If you get your defence in
order, then you will pick up points. Parkinson
has already adopted this mantra in League
One, but he needs to build on that. What
if Beevers or Wheater get injured? And
let’s not forget how bad Dervite was in the
Championship a couple of years ago.
USE THE ACADEMY
It is well documented that Bolton cannot pay
fees for players, and over the years they have
produced some fantastic talents e.g., Clough,
Holding and Vela. This needs to continue to
bolster our squad and so that Bolton can be a
sustainable club.
Those were my top tips for success but let’s
see if any are put into action next season.
COYWM!
24
Article by Kasey Smith
Credit: Bolton Wanderers

INTERVIEW: The Apprentice
Winner Alana Spencer’s Advice
for Young Entrepreneurs
After becoming Lord Sugar’s Business
Partner and crowned winner of The
Apprentice, Alana Spencer is fast becoming
Queen of the Cake Empire.
Alana, from a village in Wales,
founded an incredible cake business
‘Ridiculously Rich by Alana’ and caught
up with us at the Bolton Food and Drink
Festival.
The 24-Year-Old started her
business back when she was in school
at age 16. Alana’s on a hugely impressive
journey and we wanted to find out
more.
Watch the interview!
Search Xplode XTRA
“If you’re entrepreneurial, you’ll
just get out there and get on with it. You
don’t really need advice - a lot of people
throughout my journey have tried to give
me advice – some of it great and some of
it not so great. The best thing you can do
is to just go out there and do it!”
Teamwork and having a strong
network of people around you is important
to Alana:
“Surrounding yourself with positive people
that believe in what you’re doing and
definitely listen to feedback from people
because ultimately the way to grow is
to work out what’s going to be best for
you and your company. Listen to people
but don’t listen to them too much! Do it
yourself!”
25

“all i needed was a
a diff
Meet Kieran Roberts who set up his
own charity at 23-years-old. Kieran is a
teacher at West Didsbury Primary School
and is changing the world, one step at a
time.
Around a year ago, Kieran visited
Tanzania on holiday and as he was driving
through, he saw some schools that looked
terrible - schools that didn’t even have books for
the children who studied there.
26
Kieran wanted to change
that, he wanted to make a difference
and so he set up ‘The
No Barriers Foundation’ which
works with schools in countries
that need support. His charity
helps to hire teachers and raise
materials for them to use.
Speaking to Xplode Magazine,
Kieran said:
“After I visited Tanzania
and saw what the children had
to put up with, I wanted to make
a difference. Your life chances
shouldn’t depend on where you
were born and the best way to
get out of poverty is education,
so I started sending a few books
to less-well-off countries.
“The word then spread and
I had lots of different charities
approaching me for help and I
started a big book drive to help as
many schools as possible.
“I ran the recent Manchester
10K Run and raised enough
“250 million
children worldwide,
can’t read”
money to pay for a teacher in
Bangladesh, which is just incredible.
I feel really proud and I didn’t
intend for it to go this far.
“When I first sent the books
away, I thought that’s it, I’ve done
my part and then I got some
photos of the kids with the books
that we’d sent over and that just
motivated me to do more.
“There are 120 million chil-

a laptop to make
erence”
dren across the world living in
poverty and I’m only helping a
couple of hundred at the moment,
so there’s more to be done!
“There are lots of ways to
get involved and the easiest way
is to help with teaching supplies
– books, pens and pencils. It’s all
about the small items.”
Speaking about how he set
up, Kieran said it was easy: “I’ve
not had any money to finance it,
I’m just an average teacher – all I
needed really was a laptop. I just
wanted to help and I asked people
– you don’t need to be a different
breed of person or well-off.
If you want to make a difference,
just take the initiative.”
To get involved with
The No Barriers Foundation,
head to their website:
nobarriersfoundation.org
27

BOLTON VISION 2030 CONFERENCE
Article by Jonathan Wright & Jaya Patel
As Bolton’s Youth MPs, we have the privilege
to be the voice of the young people of Bolton
on a local, regional and national level. Back
in January we attended the Bolton 2030
Vision conference. Here, representatives
from different organisations, businesses
and voluntary groups met in the newly
renovated Albert Hall to discuss what we
wanted Bolton to be like in 13 years’ time
and how we can achieve it. One thing was
clear, the involvement and participation of
young people is essential! A popular idea
included more celebration of voluntary
work, development in the town centre, and
more highlight events like the Food and
Drink Festival. After the event, it was clear to
see Bolton has a lot of amazing assets and
potential. We can’t wait to begin work on
creating a better, more aspirational and more
inclusive Bolton for all.
28

GENERAL ELECTION
SHOWS YOUNG PEOPLE’S
VOICES MATTER
‘Out of touch’, ‘snowflakes’ – these are just some of
the phrases thrown around to describe many of us
young people - after the EU referendum last June.
One year later and things have
moved on unrecognisably,
delivered by the sheer
numbers in which young people
across our country turned out to vote
on Thursday, 8 June. Under-25s voting
in the General Election rose 12 points,
research by NME found and some
pollsters saying 72% of the young
electorate turned out.
Politics just ‘isn’t interesting’, ‘voting
doesn’t matter’ and ‘pointless shouting’
– this is how many young people
describe the politics of our country as
their first impression. What about the
issues that matter to young people?
The unfortunate mix of wanting to
better our life chances, which forces
many young people to carry a mountain
of debt; the stigmatism of mental
health, and getting a job, are just some
of the issues often ignored.
Things are changing and young people
are at the centre of it. The shift began in
the Greater Manchester Mayoral Election
in May 2017. Labour’s Andy Burnham
and the Conservatives’ Sean Anstee put
forward a vision for the young people
of our region. From transport pledges
tackling the cost burden on young
people, to opening up pathways through
new infrastructure for apprenticeships
and a focus on full-time volunteering
programmes.
The surge in the youth vote was
unprecedented at the General Election,
but this renewed focus on young people
is no doubt on course to end the statusquo.
Young people have been excluded
from the core-vote that politicians of all
political shades clamber after.
We can’t afford to go back to business
as usual; we must keep force behind
the momentum engaging more young
people in their democratic right.
29

THE TRUTH
ABOUT
SMOKING
Whether you’re a social smoker,
vaper or a regular smoker, smoking
can have some damaging effects
on your health. Despite these
effects being well advertised, there
are still a few misconceptions
surrounding smoking, so here are a
few myth-busting answers.
IF I SMOKE, PEOPLE
WILL THINK I’M COOL
A recent survey said that one of the
biggest reasons behind why young
people smoked was in order to
look cool and was closely followed
by starting smoking because
your friends do! Some people
might think that smoking makes
you look cool, however, smoking
over a prolonged period of time
can often affect your physical
appearance. Certain chemicals
within cigarettes can cause hair
cells to degenerate, which can
lead to dull, lacklustre looking
hair. Other research has found
that smoking can also cause the
hair to thin which could lead to
balding. It’s not only your hair that
is affected- smoking can deprive
the skin of its much-needed
oxygen and nutrients, which can
cause pale and uneven skin colour.
These issues aren’t normally
Article by Chloe Bennett
supported by Bolton Council’s
Public Health Department
common amongst young people;
however, these effects can occur
more quickly in young smokers
compared to non-smokers.
Other toxins inhaled during
smoking can damage the skin
causing the early onset of wrinkles,
which might make you look several
years older and isn’t particularly
attractive.
SMOKING ONLY
AFFECTS ME
Smoking can have a damaging
effect not only on the smoker
but on those around them. So,
even if you don’t smoke, frequent
exposure to second hand smoke
may also have damaging effects.
Research into smoking and its
consequences found that young
people aged between 16-24 years
old were amongst the highest
group to report exposure to
second hand smoke. With 64% of
secondary school pupils reporting
to have been exposed to second
hand smoke. The damage caused
by smoke inhalation can be the
same as actually smoking yourself,
which can result in cancers and
other smoking related diseases.
SMOKING ROLLIES IS
BETTER THAN NORMAL
CIGARETTES
Research has shown that ‘rollies’
(hand-rolled cigarettes) have
become more popular amongst
smokers in recent years especially
with younger generations, due

to being cheaper than normal
cigarettes. Their appeal has also
been linked to the want of being
able to roll the ‘perfect cigarette’,
which might be seen as attractive
to other young people. Alongside
the increased popularity, is the
misconception that they aren’t as
bad for you as straight cigarettes.
Studies have shown that people
perceive rollies to be made of
more natural ingredients with
fewer harmful toxins than normal
cigarettes. This perception has
been warned to be dangerous by
experts as they conclude that they
are at least as damaging as normal
cigarettes. It has also been claimed
that rollies can contain more
additives which might increase
addiction.
SMOKING ‘LIGHT’
CIGARETTES ARE LESS
HARMFUL
Many people buy ‘light’ cigarettes
as it is thought that they contain
less tar which would therefore be
less damaging to their health than
normal cigarettes. However, just
like rollies, no type of cigarette
can be said to be less harmful.
Tar exposure from light cigarettes
can be just as high as normal
cigarettes if longer or deeper puffs
are taken.
VAPING IS BETTER THAN
SMOKING CIGARETTES
Vaping is often used as an
alternative to smoking or is used
as a method to quit smoking
cigarettes all together. Some of the
common side effects from vaping
include, coughing, dehydration,
headaches and dizziness. However,
there’s still a lot of conflicting
research about whether vaping
is better than smoking normal
cigarettes. Obviously, not vaping
at all would still be the best option
health wise!
THERE’S NO-WHERE
TO GO FOR HELP
There’s lots of help available if you
want to quit smoking! You can go
to smokefree.gov. which offer loads
of tips and tools to help you quit
once and for all. Alternatively, look
out for local ‘stop smoking service’
for help and guidance.
31

10
must see places for
Fans
1
Glenfinnan Viaduct,
Lochaber
Based in Scotland, this is the
Victorian Railway which is seen
in the Chamber of Secrets when
Harry and Ron almost crash
into the Hogwarts Express. It’s
also seen in the Prisoner of
Azkaban when the train stops
on the bridge during Harry’s first
encounter with a Dementor.
2
Alnwick Castle,
Northumberland
Madam Hooch’s first flying lesson
takes place outside Alnwick
Castle at the Outer Bailey. As
well as serveral other scenes, it’s
where Harry and Ron land the
Ford Anglia in the Chamber of
Secrets.
32
3
Durham Cathedral,
Quadrangle
The Quadrangle of Durham
Cathedral is used to film the
corridors, outdoor courtyard
and classroom shots, which
includes Professor McGonagall’s
classroom. In the first film,
Harry can also be seen releasing
Hedwig and it’s where Ron
vomits slugs.
4
Lacock
Abbey
On the outskirts of Lacock
Village, is the Abbey which
was used for many Hogwarts
interior scenes. Here, the Mirror
of Erised, Professor Snape’s
classroom and Professor
Quirrell’s classroom scenes were
filmed.

5
Malham Cove,
Limestone Pavement
In The Deathly Hallows, Harry and
Hermione set up their camp in a
tent on the Limestone Pavement
at the top of Malham Cove.
6
Goathland
Station
Filmed at Goathland Train
Station in North Yorkshire is the
Hogsmeade Train Station. This
location can be seen when the
students of Hogwarts are on the
train back to Kings Cross Station
at the end of the movie.
7
9
Loch Shiel, Glencoe
and Virginia Water,
Surrey
Also based in Scotland this
location is used as the magnificent
lake that surrounds Hogwarts.
However, the lake where Harry
sees the Hippogriff Buckbeak and
later confronts the Dementors is
Virginia Water in Surrey.
Kings Cross,
Platform 9 ¾
At Kings Cross Station in London,
between the walls of Platform 4
and 5, lies Platform 9 and ¾. You
can take pictures here with the
trolley stuck in the wall and there
is even a Harry Potter gift shop
located here.
8
10
Freshwater West,
Pembrokeshire
This beach located in South-west
Wales is where Dobby tragically
dies at the end of Deathly Hallows
Part One and also at the beginning
of Part 2 as the exterior set of Bill
& Fleur’s Shell Cottage.
The Elephant
House Café
Based in Edinburgh, Elephant
House Café is where the magic
of Harry Potter came to life by JK
Rowling. The author of the Harry
Potter series wrote parts of the
first book in this café.
Article by Aliyah Khan 33

FUN! FUN! FUN!
By Shabih Syed
Jokes
Q.
A.
What did one wall say
to the other wall?
I’ll meet you around
the corner!
Q.
What do you call a bear
with no teeth?
A.
A gummy bear!
Q.
A.
Why did the math book
look so sad?
Because it had so
many problems!
Q.
Where do cows go for
entertainment?
A.
To the moo-vies!
Q.
What animal needs to
wear a wig?
A.
A bald eagle!
Q.
Why are ghosts bad
liars?
A.
Because you can see
right through them!
Q.
A.
Why do bees have
sticky hair?
Because they use
honey combs!
34
Brainteaser Answer = 15

FUN! FUN! FUN!
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