The Bournemouth Rock - Issue 26

SPORT

P24

Andrew Surman exclusive

FEATURES

Celebrating Black P12 History Month

OPINION

How the media affects the migrants

P10

Bournemouth’s What’s On guide Paul Weller is among our top picks of must-see acts coming to Dorset this month.

P18

Energy alert after Navitus bombshell

Former Jam frontman, Paul Weller

Reece Evans

REFUSAL to allow the controversial Navitus Bay wind farm will now put pressure on councils to support other major green initiatives to meet energy targets.

That’s the view of East Dorset Friends of the Earth representative Angela Pooley who added: “The current government appears to be in denial about the scale of climate change, and the urgent need to support renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, wave and tidal to achieve the required cuts in greenhouse gases.

“The decision by the Secretary of State, and recommendations by the Inspectorate, appear to have been entirely politically motivated.”

She also warned local councils were now left with a hole in their renewable energey strategy that had to be filled.

The scheme was overruled in September.

It was only the second time an offshore project was rejected by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The project was refused amid claims it would have deterred tourists, risking almost 5,000 local jobs and causing a total economic loss of £6.3bn.

There were also fears it could lead

ALESSIO MICHELINI

to the loss of the Jurassic Coast’s Unesco World Heritage Status.

The decision letter stated there would be “residual significant adverse impact” on the Dorset and Isle of Wight’s Areas of Natural Beauty, a decision that was echoed by the government.

Full story: page 5

2 News

Friday 30th October 2015| The Rock

Pay up or pay the price Josh Anderson- Grey FRIDAY, 30th October 2015

News

Dorset charity gets £15,000 boost

5

Opinion

Why are we so obsessed with selfies?

9

Features My life after X Factor success

14

Sport

Eddie’s transfer plans for Cherries

23

Contact Email

hannahbournemouthrock@ gmail.com

Website

bournemouthrock.co.uk

Twitter

@BournemouthRock

@joshuaag9 A SHOCK report states that over the past year, over half of the people caught watching live television without a licence in Bournemouth and Poole were between the ages of 18 and 25.

Twenty-eight under the age of 25 were caught in Poole, while a staggering 40 were from Bournemouth.

Students are required by law to purchase a TV licence while watching live content in their own bedrooms, while living in a shared house or halls of residence.

Failure to do so could result in the incurrence of fines. Alexis Drayson, Advice Manager of the Student Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU) offered his advice for students in order to avoid legal trouble. She said: “Anyone who is caught will get a warning letter from TV Licencing.

“They will fine you, and if you continue to watch live TV without a licence, you may end up in court.

“Whoever opens the door to the TV licencing people will get named on the letter and become liable in the process, even if they do not watch live TV or already have a licence of their own.”

Ms Drayson advised students to purchase a licence for a whole year, and then divide the cost of the licence between each person, in order to watch live television legally.

She said: “It might be cheaper to purchase a licence than get a fine.”

If the cost of paying a TV Licence is too much, students will not have to pay if they do not view content live and instead view through on demand online services.

Students must, however, inform TV Licencing of this so their records can be updated.

A colour licence costs £145.50 a year, which can be paid all at once, or spread over weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly installments.

For more information go to: tvlicensing.co.uk

Fined: 26,000 under 25s were caught nationally

A. NORMAND

The only way is up for town skyline Hannah Kane EDITOR IN CHIEF @hannahkanee_ BOURNEMOUTH’S skyline will see another addition in the form of a five-star Hilton on Terrace Mount.

The £60 million development is well under-way, complete with a 24-hour fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool and a rooftop bar.

Cllr for Tourism and the Arts, Lawrence Williams, said: “It’s going to bring more conference business, as Hilton’s tend to be for businessmen and women.

“It will also have an element of leisure in it.”

The eight-story hotel is expected to open in December and is neighboured by the three-star Hampton by Hilton, which is already open.

With the new development comes more than 100 full time jobs.

General manager of the Hilton, Cedric Horgnies, said it would bring “great potential” to the town.

Mr Horgnies has over 20 years of experience in the industry, supporting 11 other Hilton hotels, across the globe.

Joining the hotel complex is a host of other developments across the town, including Taylor Wimpey’s Coast construction of residential and holiday flats.

These are being built on the former site of the Bournemouth International Hotel and Palace

Restaurant, and will feature a brand new cinema behind Lower Gardens.

Despite originally opposing the proposed West Central leisure complex, the council has since come round to the idea.

“I have to say, I was a bit concerned at first,” said Cllr Williams.“but having seen the way it is fitting in with the trees and background of the gardens I’m positive it will be fine.”

Following the closure of the Odeon and ABC cinemas on Westover Road, West Central will include a new Odeon cinema Nandos, Handmade Burger, Coast to Coast, Prezzo, Ask Italian and TGI Fridays.

Despite the council’s change of tune, there have been issues brought up by several other groups.

A spokesperson from the Bournemouth Civic Society raised “concerns” over the new complex, fearing that it is too close to the Lower Gardens.

Despite these concerns, Cllr Williams remains positive.

“Bournemouth wants to be, and is rapidly becoming a world class resort,” he said.

“That’s the direction we are trying to steer the town in, and as a tourist resort, area of banking and the university life, the whole picture of Bournemouth is changing.”

Spanning over 91 countries, the Hilton sees a staggering average of 127 million guests staying in their hotels each year, according to Hilton’s 2013 statistics.

The building includes 14 exclusive apartments

MIKE SEARLE

News 3

The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Odeon prepares for Spectre mania Rosie Crass NEWS EDITOR @RosieCrass CINEMAS across Bournemouth faced a hectic week after the release of the latest installment of the James Bond franchise.

Spectre is the 24th film in the 007 series and has set box office sales ablaze with all screenings at Bournemouth’s Odeon cinema selling out on its debut night.

Odeon manager, Spencer Clarke said: “We’ve prepared months in advance.

“The team have an action plan and we have had to ensure that we planned very far ahead.

“650 seats sold out on the opening night.

“It’s the same with any big Bond film as everyone wants to see it.”

The film begins where its hugely successful predecessor, Skyfall, left off and looks set to do just as well in the box office.

Skyfall earned £102.9million at the domestic box office, making it the U.K’s highest grossing film.

The latest film in the saga is set to help the U.K box office end the year on a record high.

Spectre is in cinemas nationwide.

Daniel Craig with co-star Monica Bellucci on the Spectre film set in Rome

PA

Cllr warns students ‘know your rights’ Joe Papworth @JoePapworth A BOURNEMOUTH councillor has spoken out against student landlords for not allowing tenants access to their rights.

Ward councillor for the town centre, David Smith, believes there is a lack of moral perspective in landlords housing students new to the market, often hiding certain property information such as damp.

He said: “When anyone does a financial transaction of any sort they really need to know what they’re going to buy and what the terms and conditions are.

“Students need to make sure they are clear on their rights, and look at the contracts thoroughly.”

With many students unaware of the details of what exactly they are entitled to, the Mr Smith also suggests ‘taking a video of the property before you’ve moved in, filming any damage that is already there, and making a note of it.’

The councillor’s advice would be sufficient evidence in proving any breach of agreement with

the landlord, as well as assuring students that they will not become a part of the 1.4 million students ripped off every year.

A recent survey found that students are being ripped off a collective £335 million a year by companies because they are either too scared to complain or are unaware of their entitlements.

The Ombudsman Services report stated that eight in ten students are losing money because they do not know their rights.

One tenant determined not to fall victim to this is Bournemouth University student Polly Shearer, 19, who said: “When my housemates and I moved into our house this year, we were instantly unhappy.

“There was brick dust everywhere where the estate agents hadn’t checked after some builders did work on the house, and they wouldn’t get someone out to help until the following week.”

The English student from Oxford found it difficult to get in contact with the agency when they had other problems with the house.

She added: “They kept just blatantly lying as they said we couldn’t receive our inventory as it

Winton high street is a popular student area had only just started to be written on the day we moved in.”

It wasn’t until three weeks later that they received the document, which then revealed it had in fact been completed three weeks prior to the move in date.

“A lot of the items in the inventory hadn’t even been tested, like the oven and shower,” Polly added.

“We’ve since had our shower replaced as it was either boiling hot or freezing cold, but it took a lot of phone calls and angry parents to get anything to happen.”

Cllr Smith believes the best way

CHLOE DESAVE

to combat this problem is by setting up a “mini citizen advice bureau”, as well as educating students through courses set up by the university.

He said: “The best way is to lobby the students union as they’re a powerful body and are there to help the student experience.”

For students looking for some help, contact ‘AskBu Students Service’ or visit www.subu.org.uk/advice, or simply go on letting review forum, Move’m, before renting a student property to see if the landlord has good or bad reviews.

Landlords to be rated by new student service MOVE’M are going to launch a new service, Move’m Raider, which will help students get in touch with their letting agencies.

The service will include a dedicated call team to converse with letting agents about student issues, including the lack of repairs on the properties.

Managing Director Peter Ramsey said: “We hope this will raise cooperation between students and lettings agencies, and create a more cohesive experience for all involved.”

BU students created the letting review platform two years ago after they had idea about designing a housing forum specifically for students.

The service has teamed up with the university’s student unions and they have already reviewed 3000 properties altogether.

SUBU president Chloe SchendelWilson said: “It’s great to make students more aware of the dangers of moving in with a dodgy landlord or agent, and Move’m helps students to make more informed decisions.”

4 news

Friday 30th October 2015| The Rock

Editorial: A new year at The Rock Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Hannah Kane Deputy Editor Emily Cox News Editor Rosie Crass Chief Reporter Luke Hastings Opinion Editor Corrie Smith Sports Editor Liam Grace Deputy SE Mat Jelf Online Editor Chloe Desave

Letters to the editor: hannahbournemouthrock@gmail. com The Rock needs you. We still have many jobs available on the editorial and business staff, as well as online.

To find out more and register your interest, visit: www.bournemouthrock.co.uk/getinvolved/ Letters to the editor must be signed (including the course of Bournemouth University students, the working title and school for staff members, company name, or home address for individuals

@bournemouthrock

Hannah Kane EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @hannahkanee_ WELCOME back to another year of The Bournemouth Rock.

After the summer we are back with a brand new team, after former editor Hollie Wong handed over the reigns to myself.

Our new editorial team consists of Emily Cox as deputy editor, Rosie Crass as news editor and Liam Grace as sports editor;

with opinions being held firmly in place by last year’s opinions editor, Corrie Smith.

Chloe Desave is heading up our online team, which we hope to expand this year with the addition of multimedia projects being made available on the website.

This year we have opened up a new position, chief reporter, which went to Luke Hastings.

However, we are still searching for several key positions: features editor, deputy news and deputy opinions. If you think you are up to any of the jobs, do not hesitate to get in touch.

In this issue, our front page features our exclusive look at the Navitus Bay refusal, with East Dorset Friends of the Earth representative Angela Pooley providing us with her expert insight into what it will mean for the UK’s renewable energy quota.

Elsewhere in the issue, awardwinning novelist, Bill Bryson, talks to our reporter Sam Beamish 20 years after his book Notes from a Small Island, which featured Bournemouth, was released.

Be sure to check out the opinions section for a comedic look into the entertainment value of Strictly

and the latest Bond film.

With AFC Bournemouth having moved up into the Premier League, it’s an exciting time for the sports section, with Liam and his team of reporters getting to the forefront of the action.

In this issue, Liam takes a look at Eddie Howe’s bid to sign new players in January.

At The Rock we hope to bring you the latest local news and original features, every three weeks.

So look out for us in Winton’s Buffalo Bar, the Bournemouth Asda store and Bournemouth University.

Fringe fest returns to Bournemouth Rosie Crass NEWS EDITOR @RosieCrass BOURNEMOUTH Emerging Arts Fringe (BEAF) has returned to the town for the second year running, with over 500 different artists taking part.

Showcasing some of the best creative talent across town, the independent festival includes exhibitions, live music, poetry, theatre, talks, workshops and even a film festival.

Event coordinator, Daniel Broadbent said: “It is incredible to see how much great work has come out of Bournemouth.

“It’s really becoming a creative town to live in and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Running until 1st November, the 18-day festival will see 150 events take place across the whole of Bournemouth in a range of unique venues.

The festival, which is put together on a shoestring budget, was developed after organisers felt it was important that local artists had a platform in which they could showcase their work.

Since it’s debut, BEAF has steadily grown.

The festival was put together in just six months by its group of volunteers.

This year the festival has largely been funded through BEAF’s own crowd funding campaign, with organisers already looking ahead to next year’s event.

“We are going to Arts Council England to put in an even larger bid,” said Daniel.

“Hopefully we can secure some more funding and expand the festival further.”

Upcoming events include Yeti Wild at the Bandstand, in the picturesque Lower Gardens, a tour of the hidden terracotta treasures in the streets of Bournemouth and Direct Theatre Improv’s evening of comedy held in the Mad Cucumber.

One of the most eagerly awaited events is Outcoming, an open-mic night where members of the LGBTQ community will share their stories.

For more information on the festival and the events on offer visit www.b-e-a-f.co.uk

The festival will include (clockwise) ‘Little Snippets’, ‘Grass Men’, ‘Secret Walls’ and ‘Women’s Figurative Art’

news 5

The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Dorset charity gets £15,000 grant Daniel Bennett @dan_benn3tt

It costs £17,000 per day to run the local charity

DIVERSE ABILITIES

THE BBC’s Children in Need charity has given a Dorset based charity a grant of over £15,000 for its ‘Coping with Chaos’ service.

The grant, given to disability charity Diverse Abilities, will fund open house drop-in sessions during the school holidays to provide children with disabilities aged up to 18 with a safe environment to play in.

Tessa Masterman, general manager at Coping with Chaos, said: “We are extremely grateful to Children in Need for granting us £15,183.

“The play sessions are a way children with disabilities explore the world around them.

“It allows them to learn through curiosity and invention and develops the creative process.”

The sessions last five hours and provide a place for families to receive some respite while their children can have lots of fun.

The service also gives parents the opportunity to relax whilst their

children have fun.

She adds: “Many parents say that without these sessions their children wouldn’t have opportunities to play as many mainstream clubs won’t accommodate disabled children.”

Diverse Abilities was founded

by Mrs Phyllis Edwards in 1955 who formed together a group of parents wanting to provide better opportunities for their children with physical and learning disabilities.

This year marks the charity’s 60th anniversary, which has come to support over 600 children and adults.

Erika Petrie, a parent supported

by Diverse Abilities, said: “The open house sessions for me and my children are invaluable.

“It has given us an opportunity to have everything in the same place during the holidays with the added peace of mind that both my youngest with special needs and my eldest can enjoy doing their favourite activities in the same environment.

“It has lightened the burden for us and given us as a family a real spring in our step.”

For more information about the drop in sessions contact Coping with Chaos on 01202 855105.

Green warning over Navitus refusal Continued from Front Page

THE plans would have involved building 121 turbines off the coast of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Around 700,000 homes would have been provided with the electricity generated from the turbines, and developers stated that the UK’s economy would have gained £1.6bn over 25 years from the project.

The Isle of Wight Council was the only body in favour of the scheme, yet Bournemouth Borough Council remained firmly against it.

Richard Brown, Landscape Planning Officer for the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, also felt the decision to refuse the windfarm was fair: “To a certain extent there is a feeling of relief.

“The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and the Dorset Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are here to protect this area of the coastline, and we feel that this decision reflects the high level of protection that the area has.”

The wind turbines would have been built 13.3 miles from the Bournemouth coastline, and been visible on clear days, sparking fears of the possible decline in the

Angela Pooley believes the wind farm would have had no effect on the protected coastline tourist industry.

Bournemouth Borough Council claimed tourists would “detract” from visiting the area due to “ugliness”.

Stuart Grant, project director at Navitus Bay, was “disappointed” with the rejection.

On the future of the project, Mr Grant said the Navitus Bay team will

“discuss the options available and update stakeholders in due course”.

Ms Pooley believes the refusal will put pressure on the council to fulfil its green pledge.

She said: “Dorsets’ councils will now have to support major initiatives if they are to meet the hole in their renewable energy strategy left by this decision which was

to provide 25% of our renewable energy target for 2020.”

Richard Brown continued to say that he thinks renewable energy is a good idea, however the location is very important: “We are supportive of renewable energy in general, it’s just a case of finding the right location.

“Unfortunately, this wasn’t, so

CHLOE DESAVE we haven’t been able to get any renewable energy which is a regret in some ways. I don’t think it’s fair to say this was an entirely politically motivated decision.”

He added that the decision was made by the Secretary of State, based on an panel of four planning inspectors who are politically independent.

6 news

Friday 30th October 2015| The Rock

Bournemouth businesses win big Max McLellan @nosferatufellow Mid-October saw the announcement of the winners of the 2015 Dorset Tourism Awards, in which 51 businesses from throughout Dorset left with trophies for their contributions to the county’s tourism industry.

The ceremony was attended by 215 hopefuls at the Tank Museum in Bovington.

The awards, which are managed

by Services for Tourism Ltd, are carried out annually, and look for a “passion for excellence” from managers and business owners in the Dorset area.

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest were the stars of this year’s awards, securing the Winner of Winners award, including a gold in the Large Attraction category and silver for Access and Inclusivity.

Team leader at Moors Valley, Clare Gronrow said: “Moors Valley is a joint venture between East Dorset District Council and the Forestry Commission and

the work we do here goes beyond the remit of most visitor attractions including, as it does, countryside management and forestry.

“With over 800 acres it is a large site to look after and we always aim to balance the needs of our visitors with those of the environment.”

The awards made their debut in 1994, when there were only five categories to compete in, which has since grown.

Now with just under 20 categories to choose from, there is a wide scope in which a diverse range of businesses can compete.

Local Bournemouth tourism attractions also fared well this year, with a gold award in the Bed and Breakfast and Guest Accommodation category going to The Balincourt Guest House on Christchurch Road.

BOD Bournemouth, a business specialising in self-catering guest houses and flats for disabled people, also won gold in the Access and Inclusivity category.

“We are delighted with the high standard of entries to this year’s Awards,” said Ian Girling, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Our new addition to the award categories ‘The VoIP Unlimited

Business Engagement with Education Award’ has proven businesses in Dorset are supporting the workforce of tomorrow.”

The awards, hosted this year by journalist Jonty Bloom, have been praised for the exposure and feedback they give to those that enter, or are successful in their respective categories.

Lesley Foot, of Access for All Seaside Holidays in Bournemouth, said: “We have learnt so much from the awards process.

“Not only does it make you think things through for yourself but you also get superb feedback which is like having free consultancy.”

Nicky King, of the Eastbury Hotel in Sherborne, added: “We have found the feedback excellent and, for the most part, constructive.

“Just completing the application form makes you look at your establishment in greater detail than you may do on a day-to-day basis and encourages you to make changes even before the judges give you their input.”

This year’s awards ceremony will take place on 26th November.

Contact Lorraine Hubbard on 01202 714810 or lorraine.hubbard@ dcci.co.uk for ticket information.

Moors Valley Country Park won several awards

CLIVE PERRIN

Grow your own food bid gathers pace Bekhi Valls Moragas

@bekhimofa

It’s estimated 90,000 people in the UK are waiting to get an allotment

CHRIS HOLIFIELD

A LOCAL company has become the new member in a group of organisations and businesses that are banding together to support a new partnership planning to revolutionise food across Bournemouth and Poole.

With the inclusion of Ringwoodbased Eco Food Recycling, there are 10 official partners that are encouraging the community to grow and make their own food.

Commercial manager Mr. Simon Heaps said: “The Sustainable Food City Parnership is a great initiative, and Eco Food Recycling is pleased and proud to become an official partner.”

The plan is also trying to raise awareness and sustainable businesses and is giving support to and trying to prevent locals from falling into food poverty.

For the next 18 months, the main work of the company will be to make a difference to holiday hunger, by implementing healthy start vouchers, the use of lunch clubs and the distribution of surplus food.

Founded in 2010, the company works the south-middle part of England, but also covers all of

the country, and extends national partnership programmes with similar companies throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.

Previously, food waste was taken to landfill sites, where the rotting process causes methane gas – in itself a powerful greenhouse gas that is more damaging to the environment.

Using anaerobic digestion plants, the company provide a solution with zero landfill-impact, where the waste can be converted into renewable energy.

“We work with all of our clients on waste reduction,” said Mr Heaps.

“This is to ensure that they are compliant with their legal requirements under the European Waste Hierarchy.”

In four years, the partnership initiative has gathered 200 people, businesses and organisations as members, who share the drive to create more communal gardens and make Bournemouth and Poole the world’s first sustainable fish city.

The partnership will also be hosting a discussion to decide on the Future of Food across the Bournemouth and Poole area.

The event will be held at The Factory on the Alder Hills Industrial Estate on Tuesday 3rd November, from either 13:00 - 16:30 or 17:30 21:00.

For more information about the event please contact Sarah on 07825 844362.

news 7

The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Hollie Wong @HollieWong

TWENTY-FIVE local artists have come together for an art exhibition raising awareness for extinct and near-extinct wildlife as part of the Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe.

The Bourne Into the Wild exhibition is in aid of the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and is a one night only exhibition, starting at 6pm till 10pm on 30th October at the Factory Studios in Boscombe.

AUB Illustration student Annie Bushnell is one of the artists looking forward to seeing the variety of art on show: “We all worked in different mediums and styles to portray a variety of endangered and already-extinct wildlife.

“It saddens me to see many animals and species becoming endangered and I decided I wanted to do something about this.”

There are 25 contributing artists, ranging from first year to third year students, graduates and students from other universities.

The mediums of art on display include sculpture, digital paint and traditional methods.

One artist’s work focuses specifically on primates.

Kate Copsey’s small series of illustrations looks at the various reasons behind their falling population numbers, such as

habitat loss due to commercial development, habitat loss due to agricultural development, and being killed for bushmeat.

Dorset Wildlife Trust donation boxes, complementary wine and leaflets about the charity will be available at the exhibition, which is free to attend.

Annie, who curated the project, hopes the night is a success for this worthy cause, but also hopes this will be a night to celebrate local artwork.

She said: “The event will be a place for people to gather and artists to illustrate an issue they’re passionate about. The night will be an opportunity for like-minded people to meet, for artists to get their work out to the local community and, most importantly, to raise money for a good cause.”

The exhibition is a special opportunity for Annie: “Personally I wanted to create an art exhibition that could not only benefit the artists involved, but to raise awareness of an important issue that is close to my heart,” she said.

“As an animal lover and a natural history illustrator, I felt it was only fitting to raise money for a cause I am passionate about.”

For more information visit www.be-a-f.co.uk or the Bourne Into The Wild Facebook page.

Artists take a walk on the wild side

Artwork from (left to right): Faiz Nabheebucus, Kate Copsey, and Annie Bushnell

New halls planned for BU students Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1

New student halls will add to BU halls that currently includes Dorchester House

CHRIS DOWNER

A NEW £120 million scheme to build new student halls, a hotel and offices at Bournemouth’s Lansdowne has been approved.

Developer Watkin Jones was granted permission to begin work on Oxford Road, Holdenhurst Road and Christchurch Road at the council’s planning board meeting earlier this month.

The plans include building new student accommodation for Bournemouth University, housing 930 students.

There will also be a new 128-bed budget hotel built and 400 new underground parking spaces across the sites; however, the students’ tenancy agreements prevents them from bringing a car to the town.

On the plans, Cllr Mike Greene said: “It’s a great idea for more exciting development in an exciting place.

“The council has great ambitions for it.”

On more students moving into Lansdowne, he added: “I would hope they would be promoting

creative and digital industries.”

Cllr Chapman praised the plans, highlighting the need for more student accommodation.

“Lansdowne has always had lots of students, but we have to be careful we aren’t choked with cars,” he said.

“We are going to have more facilities for cycling and the university does subsidised bus travel.”

Cllr David Smith welcomes the new proposals, but he did express concern that the new student halls “will be taking away space for offices”.

On students moving into Lansdowne, the councillor has “no concerns” about their behaviour. “They are an asset to the community,” he said.

He also added: “We need to add a new doctor’s surgery, coffee shops and laundrettes for the new students.”

As part of the project, there will also be over 200 square metres of retail space on a new walkway between Christchurch Road and St Swithun’s Road, as well as a pedestrian plaza linking Holdenhurst Road and Oxford Road, and another between Christchurch Road and St Swithun’s Road.

A date has not yet been set for construction to begin.

8 news

Friday 28th November| The Rock

BU commemorates Mental Health Week

BU joins the top 500 universities in the world

Max McLellan

BOURNEMOUTH University in on the rise after moving up in four major university league table ranking’s this year.

After rising in three UK league tables, the university has also entered into the top 500 universities in the world for the very first time.

According to the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, BU is one of only four post -92 UK institutions within the worldwide top 500.

The university has also risen eleven places in the Complete University Guide to 54th, six places in the Sunday Times Good University Guide to 82nd and has gone up eight places in the Guardian University League table to 63rd.

This comes as graduate employment rates are consistently high, with the latest independent data, which covers UK undergraduates, showing that 93.3% of graduates are in work or in further study six months after employment.

The university has recently opened its newest building, Bournemouth International College, on Holdenhurst Road.

@nosferatufellow TO COMMEMORATE World Mental Heath Day 2015, local societies united for a fight against prejudice surrounding mental health issues at a Bournemouth University event lasting a week.

The event, spearheaded by the university, involved organisations from the Dorset area, including Dorset Police, Bournemouth and Poole councils, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, and Dorset Mental Health Forum.

Representatives for the university were pleased with the success of the event.

Dr Andrew Mayers, who is a mental health campaigner and psychologist at the university, said: “I am proud the university produced such a wide range of events.”

There were a variety of guest speakers who bravely shared their experiences and discussed many

aspects of mental health, including author and humanitarian Terry Waite, who spoke of his time as a hostage between 1987 and 1991, revealing the effect it had on his physical and mental health.

Sue Baker, CEO of the mental health campaign group Time to Change, which aims to reduce discrimination against people with mental health problems, stressed the importance of employers supporting their staff if they are struggling with mental illness.

Mental health in sport, an issue often neglected, was also discussed which was supplemented by talks and activities based on fitness and well-being.

Terry Waite visited BU to talk of coping with stress PA Dr James Palfreman-Kay, who is the equality and diversity adviser disabilities at the university, was under the Mental Health Act at Bournemouth University, was in hopeful about the effect that the (1983), which has raised concerns charge of the week’s proceedings. events had on those who attended. from a number of Mental Health He said: “The programme has He said: “My hope is that Campaign groups. provided an excellent opportunity everyone who participated will The emergence of these figures for the university to show its sustain their interest.” indicates a growing need for strong commitment to equality and According to figures released awareness surrounding mental diversity, as well as the well-being of by the Health and Social Care health as a serious issue that cannot staff and students.”

Information Centre (HSCIC), 2015 be dealt with through detaining Dr Andy Mercer, in charge has seen a ten percent increase in the those suffering from similar of mental health and learning number of people being detained illnesses in police cells.

Wedding bells ring for student musical

AUB and BU students Ensemble from the performing Arts Society 2015

Nina Nagel and Lucy Thomas ARTS University Bournemouth and Bournemouth University’s Performing Arts Society (PARTS) are preparing for this years’ amazing 80’s themed musical, The Wedding Singer.

The cast were only chosen two weeks ago, but rehearsals are already underway.

While the ensemble is practicing their funky dance moves, the main roles are focusing on acting and getting a feel for their characters.

Everyone is really excited about performing the adaptation from Adam Sandler and Drew

Barrymore’s romantic comedy.

The Wedding Singer, directed by Frank Coraci, made over £1m at the box office during its opening week in June 1998. When it opened in America its ticket sales were second only to Titanic. It went on to gross $123m worldwide and was adapted into a Broadway musical.

Organisers have said the quality

PARTS and enthusiasm of this years PARTSTERS is “extraordinary”.

Will you take a walk down the aisle and watch The Wedding Singer this March?

For more information on PARTS and how to get tickets visit: www. facebook.com/buaubparts or email the Director Seamus O’Dare on: sodare93@hotmail.co.uk.

Gender divide revealed in jobless figures THE 2015 unemployment rates for Bournemouth and Poole have been released, showing a stark contrast between the male and female population.

These September figures, released in October by the Office of National Statistics, show a higher amount of unemployed men on benefits in the area than women.

The data is based on the area’s claimant count, which is the number of people receiving jobseekers allowance (JSA).

The stats show that in Bournemouth alone, there are 1,043 men that fall under this bracket, which is more than double the amount of unemployed women, which is recorded as 497.

This number of men measures at 1.6% of the town’s population, unlike the female figures, which account for only 0.8%.

Bournemouth’s figures are also significantly higher than Poole’s.

The neighbouring town has only 501 men and 317 women claiming the benefit.

Despite the disparities between both the towns and the genders, Bournemouth’s claimant count has in fact decreased in the last year.

In 2014, Bournemouth’s male population receiving jobseekers allowance was at a staggering 1,307, while the female population measured 750.

Other areas in Dorset, such as Christchurch and Weymouth and Portland, have considerably lower claimant counts.

opinion 9

Friday 30th October 2015 | The Rock

OPINION

It’s Bland, James Bland Lauren Fletcher

With the upcoming release of Spectre we find ourselves asking yet again: has the ‘Bond’ franchise finally ran it’s course?

Since 1962 we’ve watched the famous 007 fight off enemies whilst still finding the time to meet beautiful ‘Bond girls’ and saunter around in his Aston Martin whilst sipping Martinis (shaken not stirred, of course).

The last Bond film, 2012’s Skyfall, took cinemas by storm, stealing the title of the highest grossing film in UK box office history from Avatar.

However the Bond films have been regurgitated over and over again since the 60’s, encouraging British stereotypes and undertones of misogyny.

I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if we saw Bond sharing a pot of tea with the Queen before he went on his next mission (as long as PG Tips were willing to fork out millions for product placement, that is).

It would seem as if Bond has become closely connected with the representation of British culture, which was reflected in it’s involvement in the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony where we saw Daniel Craig as Bond skydiving into the Olympic Arena alongside the Queen.

This again shows James Bond as one of the few franchises that is

Bond

Will 007 move in to the 21st century?

considered typically British.

Yet how can this be said when the most recent of the films is actually distributed by Sony, a huge American company?

This then means that despite Bond being regarded as a British film, the majority of the money is still fed back into the American film industry.

As for the misogyny, it is no secret that the women in Bond films are treated with a lack of respect, between the over sexualised Bond girls and general dismissiveness towards women.

I mean lets not forget the character of Severine in Skyfall who after she sleeps with James Bond is brutally murdered without a glimpse of grief from Bond and then never mentioned again throughout the entirety of the film.

Or the character of Eve Moneypenny who begins as an agent working in the field and by the end is ‘put in her place’ when given the stereotypically demeaning role as secretary.

In the countdown to the film’s release, we see the Bond girls plastered all over mainstream fashion magazines, typically involving partially nude or revealing photoshoots.

With the new-wave feminist movement, this old-fashioned representation is surely out of date as in an age where the Sun has toned down their infamous page 3 and Playboy magazine is to rid itself of nude shoots.

This only emphasises that the films’ attitudes towards women is yet another eye roll inducing aspect of Bond that is out of date with the common culture of today.

007 is back in yet another clichéd Bond actioner

Halloween: A commercialised nightmare

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Migrants Media and Manipulation

10

Halloween is plagued by High Street greed

Luke Baldock Email

opinonseditor @bournemouthrock.co.uk

I personally don’t hold much hope for Spectre but don’t worry, if the 24th Bond film disappoints I’m sure there’ll be a 25th, 26th, and 27th to quench your thirst.

The High Street has done it again.

Yet another day of the calendar year has been mercilessly slain into commercialisation.

When this is considered can you blame the Grinch for despising Christmas? Sadly, amongst this commercial madness, I have converted to the Halloween substitute.

I can’t be the only one to have a substantiating fear as to what may become of our traditions in a

ROADSIDEPICTURES few generations as all significant historical value is wiped clean and replaced with reminders to buy more products in “spirit” of the event.

In the dark ages, long before children and acne infested teenagers were knocking on their neighbours’ doors in fancy dress begging for

PA

more sugar infested goodies to line their pockets, this time of year was for people to light bonfires and dress up in appropriating costumes to ward off ghosts and demons.

What now might be perceived as archaic, and, let’s face it, a bit mental, the history has been lost through the years, as well as the art of telling a good story.

Whilst a bit abnormal, in its original form, Halloween was able to bring together people in humbling community spirit, an act that appears sadly all too rarely nowadays.

Halloween, it is important to remember, is by no means the first casualty of the calendar year to be commercialised into a High Street shoppers love dream.

Other important marked days of the year to be butchered by the High Street has expanded from the original of Christmas, to Mother’s Day and Easter.

The scariest thing is, this Halloween may just be the concluding price tag on the end of that receipt. I know I’d choose Freddie Krueger over this daylight robbery any day of the week. It certainly would provide me with fewer nightmares.

10 opinion Strictly Z-List entertainment

Friday 30th October 2015 | The Rock

Life through a four inch screen

Corrie Smith

OPINIONS EDITOR @Corrie_R_Smith Autumn is here. This year’s Strictly Come Dancing is in full swing and I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! is looming around a cockroach ridden corner. These reality televison staples, though often lambasted by the press are hugely popular with an undeniably high number of the Great British public.

It’s true that most of the participants on these programmes have rarely seen the light of day since the mid-80’s or had previously had a glimmer of fame but faded into the deep dark abyss of ‘celebrity’, but let’s take it for what it is. Pure entertainment.

Does it really matter that Ainsley Harriott has not been seen since his Ready, Steady Cook days when he’s dressed as a penguin dancing the Cha-Cha-Cha? Let’s be realistic. We will never see Angelina Jolie share the testicle of a kangaroo with Sir Elton John as they sit around a camp fire, reeling from jumping out of a plane only an hour earlier.

Nor will we ever see Her Majesty The Queen’s sexy Samba to ‘Hips Don’t Lie’.

To me, it’s a lot less about who they are and what they’ve done and much more about the immersive viewing experience, whether it be the spectacle of the Strictly dancefloor or the sweltering heat of the I’m a Celeb jungle. I am rather envious of those chosen to participate and if offered, they really can’t be blamed for taking part. I’m sure the hefty paychecks are a huge enticement too.

In fact, I often find it preferable when the ‘celebrities’ are less known to me as preconceived notions often take away from the show itself. It’s more interesting learning about the personalities as the show plays out and as cliche as it sounds, follow the individuals ‘journey’.

I’m not saying I agree with the level of questionable celebrity often scrapped off the bottom of the barrel for the likes of Celebrity Big Brother.

A nonentity who slept with someone famous or is infamous rather than famous does not constitute a celebrity. However, we should know what to expect from these shows now. Why does there always have to be an uproar when we don’t know all of the contestants?

It amuses me that those who cause the biggest furore tend to be those who will watch the show anyway.

Rather than sitting and angrily tweeting about the poor calibre of celebrities, perhaps just watch it and enjoy the programme. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.

Selfies have become an unneccessary trend

Silva Chege We could be at the birth of our first child, watching a World Cup game, just had sex or spending a day at the beach with our family, but within seconds of arriving we already have our cameras out recording or taking pictures.

So instead of surrendering ourselves to the beauty of the moment with our own two eyes, nowadays it seems we would rather see it through a four inch screen.

Sure the screen is HD, but at the end of the day can 20 megapixels replace seeing a sunset, a child’s face brighten with laughter or

P. CHIAPERRINO

seeing your favourite band live on stage. What do you reckon was the most popular word in the whole of 2013? I’ll give you a clue, it wasn’t love, it wasn’t family or friendship instead it was ‘selfie’ a term used to describe the act of taking a picture of yourself, as part of a group or with a friend. The term was so popular it even spawned a song - and no I don’t want to take a selfie. Please stop with all the selfies.

You eagerly count down the days until you have the pleasure of seeing Vance Joy live, with all the same excitement of a kid at Christmas. The day finally arrives and eventually you find yourself a front row seat for the performance of Riptide. You’re surrounded by friends and you’re listening to your favourite musician, but yet something is missing. Time

to flip out your iPhone and film the whole thing and ruin the moment.

By the very fact that you have a four inch piece of metal and plastic glued to the front of your eyes, you can never truly be in the moment.

You’re not allowing yourself to be swept up in its beauty because you’re too concerned about filming it for your social media world to see.

But if you insist on seeing the performance through a mobile screen, why bother splashing out £60 in the first places, when you could have stayed at home for free and watched it on your computer on an even bigger screen. But don’t forget about the artist; who rather than being met with a sea of faces gets walls of apple logos instead.

Ultimately, I just feel that out over reliance on technology renders the whole live music experiences less intimate and personal and more robotic and cold.

Don’t you hate it when you are half way through a conversation and you notice that your friend isn’t actually listening to a word you said, but is instead trying to find the right light so they can send a snap chat of themselves?

The big reason why the word selfie was so popular in 2013, is simply because we have become obsessed with taking pictures of ourselves.

Sure there is nothing wrong with taking the odd picture of yourself.

But when it becomes excessive, it verges on the vanity and superficial, leaving you beneath the surface with

a far more serious consequence.

With the growing obsession of taking pictures and looking our very best 24/7, it can only lead to greater insecurities and wanes our confidences when we realise that you aren’t blessed with supermodel good looks.

This obsession with taking pictures of ourselves has the potential to create a more vapid society that is more concerned with people’s looks rather than who they are as a person and what makes them unique.

The last thing we want is a society of people that start to associate self worth on how many likes they get on Instagram and Facebook on their profile pictures.

Sure taking pictures and videos of things can help solidify an extraordinary moment or a memory for a life time.

But for me what makes a memory so special is it’s fleeting nature and how it can be lost in the wind so easily, so you desperately grasp at it and you treasure it for a life time.

And what I also love are that they are unique to each and every one of us; we can be experiencing the same situation, but we are always going to remember it in a different light or frame, at any one time it may not be 100% what really happened, but it is real to us.

But with our insistence on trying to capture it on screen, for me kind of trivialises the memory because we’re diluting its uniqueness and taking away all its magic.

The migrant crisis and a media circus Kieran Graves @Graves_Kieran Most of us will have heard something of the ‘migrant crisis’ over the summer, and if not, you should probably get your head out of the clouds. This story has, understandably, maintained a prominent position in the headlines for the last six months, though for those involved, it has lasted years.

Already, it has been the largest movement of people since the Second World War, with millions having been displaced both domestically and internationally from countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria.

It is the first event of its kind that has been covered in such depth by the media, so naturally questions have been raised. Most concerning of which, has our response to the crisis simply been fed to us?

In order to understand this we need to look at the way that the story has been presented, taking into consideration what we as the public have and, in some cases, haven’t been shown. For example, the image of young

Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, who drowned off the Turkish coast, made headlines and shocked the world into widespread empathy toward the Syrian refugees.

Then, less than two weeks later, with newsfeeds filled with images of refugees confronting riot police in Hungary these judgements were called into question, or at least mine were.

Thankfully, though, I am aware of the power media manipulation has, so read it with a pinch of salt.

Another aspect of the media fundamental to how we interpret what’s happening around us is the words chosen in headlines.

A subject which has received substantial debate recently thanks to the frequent reference to ‘migrants’ rather than ‘refugees’, leading to a petition on change.org receiving over 73,000 signatures requesting “the BBC to use the correct term ‘refugee’”.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a migrant is someone who ‘chooses to move so that they can find work and better living conditions’ whereas a refugee is ‘forced to leave in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster’.

Therefore, bearing in mind this idea of choice, refugees, rightly or wrongly, are typically

received more compassionately than migrants, who sometimes experience a more hostile welcome.

Based upon this I feel that the fact that many news corporations have referred to both groups together, either as part of the ‘migrant crisis’ and less frequently ‘refugee crisis’, is likely to have impacted public perception.

This negative reaction is evident in countries such as Hungary, who have closed their southern borders, and, closer to home, in the UK, where David Cameron has agreed to home only a small number of

asylum seekers compared to the 800,000+ expected in Germany.

It’s not nice to think that we’re part of a xenophobic, right wing culture that’s closed to the idea of helping people, though I sense this may be our reality.

Especially considering that the UK population is already over 64 million, I doubt that the addition of 20,000 refugees spread across the country will make much of a difference to our communities.

Realistically, are we going to notice another couple of families in town?

Overcrowded boats had to be rescued

IRISH DEFENCE FORCES

features 11

FEATURES

The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Bryson’s memories of Bournemouth are in his Notes From a Small Island

RHINO NEAL

Bill Bryson’s Britain tour

Following the 20th anniversary of Notes From a Small Island, Bryson hits our shelves again with his new sequal

Max McLellan nosferatufellow

Black History Month

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Bournemouth famously has rich cultural and literary associations.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the majority of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from his house in Westbourne, and the town is also resting place of Mary Shelley, Percy Bysse Shelley and her parents Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. While these writers cemented the idea of Bournemouth as a Gothic mecca simply through association, there is one more contemporary literary figure who some don’t realise has connections to the town.

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Notes From

Light up the prom

15

Email

featureseditor @bournemouthrock.co.uk

Bill Bryson

PHIL LEFTWICH

a Small Island, the humorous travelogue written by none other than Bill Bryson, the critically acclaimed non-fiction writer from a small town in Iowa who found a new home in the form of the British Isles. Notes From a Small Island sold just under a million copies, and catapulted Bryson into the British cultural psyche, endearing him to the self-effacing public of a tiny island nation.

After arriving in Britain during a four month backpacking tour of Europe in the March of 1973, Bryson managed to find a job working on the Tuke Ward of the Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water, Surrey. There he met his future wife Cynthia Billen. For two more years Bryson stayed in the country before returning to Des Moines, Iowa, to complete his college degree. It wasn’t until 1977 that he returned to the British Isles, where he settled in Bournemouth for two years.

Bryson’s intimate look at the town where he landed his “first real job in Britain” as a sub-editor at the “vaguely art-deco offices of the Bournemouth Echo,” provides a tongue-in-cheek look at the “genteel” qualities of Bournemouth in the late seventies. He described the town as “one of Britain’s great Victorian communities,” full of “piers and promenades and miles of ornate brick offices and plump, stately homes, most of them with elaborate corner towers and other busy embellishments that are generally now evident only to bus riders and window cleaners.”

To commemorate the twenty years since the book’s publication, Bryson embarked on another tour of Britain to rediscover the country which he fell in love with over 40 years ago,

documenting the journey in his new book entitled The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes From a Small Island, which hit shelves in early October this year.

While Notes From a Small Island was more of a celebration of the twee, well-to-do pleasantries that were firmly embedded in everyday British culture, The Road To Little Dribbling has a more curmudgeonly tone to it. Following the book’s release, there were moments of intense self-reflection for British readers, as they were forced to confront the notion that the moral fabric of the country was slowly disintegrating. What prompted this was a section of Bryson’s new book, where he talks about a woman he saw in a Keswick cafe, who paid tipped a miserly 10p after spending £20 on her tea. He wrote: “Am I wrong or is this becoming a feature of British life - behaving in quietly disgraceful ways when you think no one else is watching?”

Given his reputation as an apt commentator on British life, it would be easy to assume that his comments about the deterioration of social etiquette were true. However, Bryson is much older now. The Britain he fell in love with has changed; inevitably so. In this sense, the lines are blurred: Are we really as a nation leaving behind quaint niceties in favour of a more apathetic, less communal society, or have Bryson’s nostalgic memories of post-war Britain got the better of him? Either way, what cannot be denied is the humorous way he still manages to critique that which bothers him, without descending into a confused, indecipherable rant: “You might not leave a tip - you were British after all -but you wouldn’t pretend to leave

a decent tip and then stick in a small coin.”

He has openly stated that the motives behind his second adventure were mainly commercial, but that seems to have had little effect on reviews, Alexander Larman of The Guardian calling it “thoroughly entertaining,” and Cole Morton of the Independent praising how he “rails magnificently against the bad manners, mediocrities, rip-offs, and talentless celebrities that have infested the place since he arrived.”

What is especially endearing about Bryson is perhaps the fact that he confirms the notion of some Americans as being reservedly enamoured with British culture.

This endearment was confirmed by an opinion poll arranged on World Book Day in 2003, where BBC Radio 4 listeners voted the book as the best representation of Britain. Bryson acted as a transatlantic cultural ambassador with Notes From a Small Island, celebrating the qualities of British culture with a dry wit not usually associated with Iowans. He briefly peeled away our insularity as people (and as a nation) to give a humorous insight as to what we look like from across the water.

While in his new book he grumbles about the societal and political changes the country has undergone since he got off the ferry in Dover on that dreary March morning in 1973, it can be safely said his homely feelings toward the United Kingdom haven’t changed.

Speaking to The Guardian earlier this year he said of Britain “In practical terms, life is bedded down here, and also in a more emotional sense. I never even think that I’m here voluntarily, I’m just here. It feels completely natural. This is home.”

12 features

Friday 30th October 2015 | The Rock

Celebrating Black History Bournemouth welcomes Black History Month with open arms, bringing culture, entertainment and celebration together throughout October.

Charlotte Andrews @Charlotteeliz1 Twenty-two years after the horrific murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence his mother will be coming to Bournemouth University to discuss race crimes today.

It comes as part of Black History Month this October in the UK. Since 1987 people all over the country have been coming together to celebrate the contributions that black people have made to society and Bournemouth is no different.

“

I want to raise awareness and get more people involved in this zero tolerance on being treated unfairly because of your race.

”

While Bournemouth has been embracing October’s Black History Month, racism is an ongoing issue in our society.

Nationally there were a staggering 52,528 hate crimes in the 12 months to March 2015, up 18 percent on the year before, according to the Annual Crime Survey in the UK. Locally in Dorset, a number of cultural events have been held throughout Bournemouth in recent years including Bournemouth University’s Scriptwriting students

staging plays, annual culturally influenced evenings and speeches from experts who have had to deal with prejudice first-hand.

The Black History Month events commenced with an Old Skool Reggae Night at the Corn exchange in Dorchester on the 10 October. It was organized by the South West Dorset Multicultural Network and featured rap, reggae and ska music accompanied by Caribbean cuisine such as authentic stewed goat curry.

This year BU was the venue for the Black History Soirée held on 14 October. It was an evening of discussion and keynote speakers organised by Dr Deborah Gabriel the founder and chief executive of Black British Academics.

Co-hosted by BU Equality and Diversity and Black British Academics, and keynote speakers included Kevin Hylton, Professor of Equality and Diversity in Sport in the Carnegie Faculty at Leeds Beckett University and world famous classical composer and cultural activist Dr Shirley Thompson, Reader in Music at Westminster University.

The event was informative and entertaining and while everyone seemingly enjoyed the event, nobody forgot why they were there.

BU, along with other local institutions, organised a range of events over Black History Month in order to raise awareness for racial discrimination.

However, Dr. Gabriel commented on the lack of recognition from Dorset’s councils on Black History Month: She said: “I feel there should be

more leadership in terms of the council.

“In other areas, councils officially celebrate Black History Month by organising a series of events and this is the type acknowledgement I’d like to see from Dorset in the future.”

Continuing with the month’s festivities, also in October the Black Theatre Live touring their performance of ‘She Called me Mother’ at the Lighthouse Theatre in Poole. Written in a poetic Trinidadian vernacular by Michelle Innis and starring Golden Globe

“

I feel there should be more leadership in terms of the council.

”

and BAFTA winning actress Cathy Tyson - the plot follows the life of a homeless, 70 year old AfroCaribbean woman being reunited with her long-lost daughter.

The events continued with a charity football match hosted by Kick It Out entitled ‘Let’s Kick Racism out of Football’ on 21 October.

Traditionally, the English football scene has not been a hotbed of forward thinking and acceptance.

In 1998 Justin Fashanu- an openly homosexual Premier League footballer – suffered homophobic and racial bullying and later committed suicide.

Vincent Edwards, a Kick It Out supporter who works for the YMCA

Doreen Lawrence of Clarendon, OBE will be visiting Bournemouth in October

SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Black history month is marked around the world in Bournemouth said of racism in football: “I think racism still exists in football - probably not as much as it did years ago – but it’s still there.”

The importance of football in English culture means that a positive attitude towards any kind of prejudice within the game would provide an example to many young people. Vincent added: “I want to raise awareness and get more people involved in this zero tolerance on being treated unfairly because of your race.”

This month BU’s student venues also paid homage to Black History Month through an evening of music held at The Old Firestation on 22 October.

Scratchylus and Empress Reggae performed their single ‘Our Story’, which was nominated as the official song for Black History Month 2015.

Alongside this, events including poetry from Ros Martin and Mackayla Ford and perf1ormances from SUBU’s Dance Society and DJs have also been intertwined into the month’s festivities.

Later this week, Doreen Lawrence of Clarendon OBE, an anti-racism campaigner and peer to the Labour party, will be discussing 50 years of the Race Relations act at Bournemouth University on Thursday 29 October.

Named ‘the most powerful woman in the country’ by BBC Woman’s Hour in 2014, she will also be discussing her personal perspective on race related experiences.

In April 1993 her son Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racial attack in South east London

DEOMI

spurring her on to create the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust supporting young people through discrimination in the workplace.

After the inquiry she continued to campaign for justice within racist hate crimes and went on to receive an OBE in 2003 for services to

“

In other areas, councils officially celebrate Black History Month by organising a series of events and this is the type acknowledgement I’d like to see from Dorset in the future

”

community relations.

The talk at the university will be held in BU’s Kimmeridge House at 4.30pm and give an insight into her personal perspective of race crimes, reflecting on changes to the UK Relations Legislation over the last 50 years.

Occasions like Black History Month are undoubtedly important as they expose the public to a culture that is often left outside of the mainstream.

However, as Morgan Freeman famously stated in an interview: “You’re going to regulate my history to a month? What do you do with yours? Which month is white history month?”

Racism is a year round issue and appreciation of diversity is something that we must keep in mind for twelve months of the year.

Drawing our attention to the successes and celebrations of black culture can never be a negative occurrence.

features 13

The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Bournemouth pier lights up for charity this autumn

The skies of Bournemouth filled with fireworks on Friday to raise money for local charities as part of their Light up the Proms evening this October.

Charlie Callear @CharlieCallear Turn on your lights, spark up the fireworks and light up your... hat? Yes, all of the above featured at Bournemouth’s second annual Light Up the Prom last Friday with particular attention paid to the most cheerful toothless man in Bournemouth and his light up blue hat.

Under a yellow street lamp, he chuckled as the song ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams rang out through large speakers while he showed off his impressive baseball hat dotted with blue lights. He was there, like everyone else, to gather together as a community and commemorate loved ones with a two minute silence while lighting up the seafront with £5 lights purchased from local charities.

“It really struck a chord last year.

I don’t just mean the way we are able to come out to the beautiful Bournemouth seafront and have an excuse to spend time to remember people but the fact that everyone is doing it collectively,” said Neil Williams, Trust Secretary for Macmillan Caring Locally.

Bournemouth Pier and beach, which needed to be lit up after suffering a dismal day, hosted hundreds of people for the joint Macmillan Cares Locally and Bournemouth Charity Hospital event. For such a chilly night, the crowd were chatty and alive up until the respectful two minute silence which only heard hushed waves. If not for the smell of coffee lingering in the air and the long cue at the Prom kiosk for hot chocolate beforehand, it was easy to be distracted by the buzzing crowds and forget the cold nipping at your toes and nose.

As the two minutes began, the crowds sang silence and one by one the lights appeared out of the darkness. Hundreds of them glowed where the crowds hugged together along the beach and near the pier, each representing a family member or friend lost to illness.

To mark the end of the silence, a single firework crept into the sky from the top of the tower on the pier. It was met with a poor child’s shocked cries but mostly cheers, applause and the return of energy to the seafront.

The music continued to blare through the speakers and other fireworks surged into the air, sizzling and popping, followed by a chorus

of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’.

Last year the event was a huge success raising more than £4,500 which contributed to the Macmillan unit at Christchurch hospital and decor in the cancer unit at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. But this year the goal is set at a much greater and much more ambitious £10,000.

Barry Wilson, Events Officer for Bournemouth Hospital Charity, was there setting up the gazebos and organising volunteers from the start to the very end. He said: “It’s an event where everyone can join in, no matter gender and physical ability.

We’re not asking people to run, walk, skydive, we’re just asking you to come along and remember the ones you love.”

The massive difference in profit for the charities is because property developer Quantum Group sponsored the event. In another joint venture with the NHS, they are building a first-class care home in Christchurch to provide a high quality health campus and 80 bedrooms for the elderly community.

As a result of the sponsorship, all the money raised goes towards charities and none is lost to funding the event.

Thanks to this, Bournemouth Charity Hospital will put their rewards from such a successful night towards the Orchard Garden Project. As a patient, the typical cold white walls of hospitals can be claustrophobic. Therefore the project was established to provide a landscape garden exclusive to patients where they can escape to.

The small retreat will include various seating areas and a lake to admire and help them relax.

On the other hand, Macmillan Cares Locally, who are completely independent from the national charity, have no particular projects planned but the money will go towards their unit in Christchurch Hospital and community services which 1,100 local people benefit from.

Just as the night’s excitement seemed to end with the fireworks and their smoky smell filled the air, a burst of light flashed from the pier.

All eyes on the beach turned towards the name ‘Clairey’ lit up in fireworks revealing the lucky family who won the bid to have their loved ones Name in Lights.

Overall the spirit, strength and support of Bournemouth’s community was revealed through the electricity of the atmosphere.

Organisers, volunteers and local residents of all ages and genders joined for a memorable occasion.

Images from the poignant evening at held at Bournemouth pier and beach

EMILY EADEN PHOTOGRAPHY

14 features

Friday 30th October 2015 | The Rock

Joe McElderry gets personal The Rock reporter Sam Beamish spoke with X Factor winner Joe McElderry to find out how the years in showbiz have changed the young performer Sam Beamish @SamBeamo

‘The Winners curse,’ - a phrase associated more and more commonly with the X Factor every season, especially following runners up One Direction and Olly Murs achieving astonishing success.

The 2009 winner, 24 year old Joe McElderry, is proof of this, four albums later he begins his latest tour ‘Evolution’ which is heading to Bournemouth this November.

Evolution is his fourth tour to date and most personal.

“I Wanted to do a show which demonstrates how I’ve grown in myself and in my music. I was only 18 when I won the show and people forget that but I’ve gained a lot more experience since then, so I really wanted to show the different types of material I’ve performed over the years and the different styles of music I can perform.’’

During the interview Joe’s voice sounds a lot different to the young man who won the show at the age

of 18, winning a £1million contract with record label SYCO. Now 24 years-old the performer is no stranger to the showbiz industryhaving won three reality TV shows, including hit channel 4 show The Jump and musical programme Pop star to Opera star. ‘’I’m going to be performing the pop classics which is what most people know me for but I’m also going to include some songs from the Opera star stuff,” he said. “I think it’s important to have a variety of material, it keeps me on my toes.’’

His appearance at The Poole Lighthouse on the 13th November will mark the third time McElderry has toured in Bournemouth since learing the X Factor.

He added: ‘’The thing I like about touring is that the people are there just to see you and hear you perform whereas when performing at festivals you’ve got to hit the ground running by performing your most popular songs, also the smaller venues are a lot more intimate.’’

McElderry has also become a wellknown stage performer gaining the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing

Technicolor Dreamcoat for its 2016 UK tour. ‘’I’m excited to be performing on stage, I like to commit 100 percent whether it is singing or musical theatre and in some ways I think I get less nervous when part of a cast.’’

Like previous X Factor winner Leona Lewis, McElderry was dropped by Simon Cowell’s production company SYCO and now instead operates under Decca records. However he feels no remorse towards the company and still names the X Factor one of his greatest opportunities.

He said: ‘’It really provided me with a platform and allowed the public to get to know me.

“I have no hard feelings both companies work a lot differently and in their own ways.’’

Joe is obviously humbled by his career, the opportunities he has received and how he has been able to continue in an industry where it’s literally make or break.

However when asked to what he owed his success McElderry couldn’t come to a conclusion; maybe just maybe, he has the X factor.

2009 X Factor winner Joe McElderry

PA

Signals slay Southampton

Southampton-based musicians Signals shake the walls of Talking Heads

Charlotte Andrews @charlotteeliz1 Originating from Southampton, Signals are a self-described math rock band formed in 2010. The upand-coming four piece are unsigned, but undoubtedly not for long.

An apathetic atmosphere instigated by the support acts lingered in the air. The crowd didn’t seem overly engrossed in the music and had stood around talking through the last couple of sets.

So when blue-haired front woman Ellie Price, clad in quirkily patterned clothes, stood in front of the crowd at Southampton venue Talking Heads and asked, “How’re you all doing guys?” the response was fairly negligible. But that didn’t seem to phase Signals - as soon as the band broke into their first song “Come Out the Blue”, everything went north.

The track, a call and response piece brimming with syncopated guitar riffs, instantly grabbed the attention of the room and by the end, everyone had left their drinks at the bar and gravitated towards the stage.

Signals then launched straight into

their second song, “Constructions” (taken from their EP Facial Furniture) featuring atypical swung rhythms and tempo changes from drummer Ryan Beauchamp, which perfectly encompassed the progressive math rock genre.

The band then paused for a moment while Mikey Webber retuned his guitar. Bassist Alex Vanblaere took to the microphone, “This next one’s called Paresthesia,” he announced. “It’s about feeling numb.”

This launched the band into their next song, laced with myriads of psychedelic harmonies and featuring the lyrics “you give me pins and needles”.

Sleep Talk, the fourth song in their set, justified the reason Price was the band’s lead singer; her flawless vocals an amalgam of the distinctive English tone of Kate Nash and the powerful belt of Hayley Williams (Paramore). Her ability to sing and simultaneously handle the keyboard appeared effortless.

Signals’ next two songs “Lungs Apart” (released October 15th) and “Trojan” exhibited similarities to indie-folk bands such as Daughter and Local Natives – mainly due the copious amount of pedal board reverb added to Webber’s wistful

guitar phrases.

“This is our last one guys,” said Price as she pulled a comical sad face, ‘”Come and see us after the show though. We’ll be lurking somewhere by the bar as usual.”

At this point, Price abandoned her keyboard and moved to a different

microphone for the dénouement, a song called “Dusk”.

The track was an intense, synapse-dissolving ending to the set, exploiting every last morsel of the band’s energy and leaving the audience applauding in fascination.

Each band member shouted a

modest goodbye of “cheers guys,” before departing the stage to pack up.

Signals gave a professional and captivating live performance and their unique sound is a welcomed addition to the south coast’s music scene.

Signals

ADAM PROSSER

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The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Flooded with creative arts Bournemouth is brought to life with a spectacular sight lighting up the skies Mirva Villa @MirvaVilla The fifth annual Arts by the Sea festival filled the town centre and the Lower Gardens with performances from all manner of art during its opening weekend.

Taking its theme from UNESCO International Year of Light, the festival’s opening weekend highlights included a magnificent interactive digital fireworks display by the PixelPyros, and a highly popular Water Light Graffiti wall created by French artist Antonin Fourneau.

Interactivity was one of the key elements of the festival. The festivalgoers of all ages were able to take part in the many interactive installations and theatre performances that took place on the walkways in the town centre, creating an almost outlandish atmosphere.

Jeanette Camilleri, studying International Hospitality and Tourism Management at Bournemouth University, was

volunteering at the Water Light Graffiti, which was situated under the Cloisters.

The artwork consisted of a wall of thousands of LED lights, which reacted to the touch of wet paint brushes, illuminating the dark space under the Cloisters’ stone arches.

When asked about her feelings towards the festival Jeanette said: “It’s an amazing discovery of water and electricity, and their connection.

It’s really something new for me.”

Clara Dorrington, PR and Communications Co-ordinator at Bournemouth Borough Council, was ecstatic to see the town square bustling with people during the festival’s opening weekend.

The organisers had aimed to ensure that every visitor would find something to suit their interests be it exhibitions, family activities or performances. ”We’re really pleased to be able to offer such a huge range of events. We’ve had a great mix of ages: there’s been lots of children with their families, but also I think there’s been something for the older generation.”

“I think Bournemouth is starting to develop quite a creative feel within itself, and people now know to identify it with arts”, Clara says, “It’s great to see that visitors come here, not just for the beach and general family activities, but that there’s something that appeals to the creative industries as well.”

The seaside town is en route to becoming a lively hub for the arts. Dorrington hopes to see even more local talent in Bournemouth: “Obviously we have the Arts University and Bournemouth University here, and we hope that people stick around after they finish studying, and know that it’s a place to come for for creative industry.”

The Arts by the Sea Festival showcased local talent as well as international artists. The ten-dayfestival

The Little Prince in theatre

In a compelling new format, The Little Prince becomes a one woman show

Bekhi Valls Moragas @BekhiMofa The story of The Little Prince literally fell into my lap at the tender age of nine, along with the promise that it was ‘going to change my life’.

Curiously sceptic to see how a measly book of 124 well-battered pages was going to achieve that herculean feat I started a greedy gobbling of the story, which lasted an impressive two hours before I gave up, and with wounded pride, put it back on its shelf.

Since then I have read it twice in its entirety; firstly was a few months after the fiasco (and frankly not so much because I wanted to read it but because I wanted to soothe my own ego); secondly in my early teens.

More specifically, four years later, when I picked it up again and it clicked. I finally “got it”.

There is just something magical about The Little Prince and the simplistic approach of story telling poignantly reinforces what the narrator tells the reader; it is of equal (if not greater) importance to note what was left unsaid.

The wonder came to Boscombe’s Shelley Theatre, as part of the Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe

Festival, in the form of a one-woman storytelling play.

Actress Jenny Styles’ production was a beautiful tribute to the world of Saint-Exupéry, enthralling members of the audience since the first word. Like the novel, the simplicity of the performance (which featured no costumes or sets) meant no distractions, and made Styles’ multi-characterisations more poignant.

Styles explained how such an interesting portrayal came about.

With the additions of audience participation and breaks of the fourth wall.

Styles said of her unique approach: “Last year I had the opportunity to work with Jo Blake Cave and Cat Gerrard (two exceptionally talented storytellers and all round wonderful people) and it was from working with them on an ensemble Storytelling production of The Odyssey that I learnt to story-tell.

“This was such a different process to the Stanislavski based character research and exploration that I was used to, and it encouraged me to be more free and playful in my rehearsal and performance.

“I know that one of my faults as an actor is to think about things too much, but storytelling made me break that habit. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the

experience of working with Jo and Cat in this new way has made me a better actor.”

When asked about any influences that shaped her performance, Styles mentioned the novel had a huge impact on her.

“I first read The Little Prince about four years ago after a friend recommended it to me, and it changed me as a person; the story itself is so densely packed with good advice for a happy life that it made me re-think my whole perspective.

“I originally adapted the book into a performance for my Dissertation and performed it at the Northampton Flash Theatre Festival.

“I decided to do The Little Prince because I believe in the story. It taught me how to be a happier, better person and I wanted to share that with other people.

“It gave me the freedom when I was adapting the book to pick out challenges for the audience and to provoke their consideration.

Whether they were greedy like The Businessman, or naïve like The Pilot, I felt if I was going to put that question to the audience, I owed it to them to admit to a few of my own faults.”

The play was a compelling, unique look into The Little Prince, wan excellent achievement for a one woman performance.

The Little Prince

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Friday 30 Octobery 2015 | The Rock

Harvey Squires @ HarveySquires26

My name is Harvey Squires and I am a photographer usually based in Hampshire.

I started photography when I was really young. I can’t remember exactly when, but I always had access to a camera (an old Olympus OM-10 film camera) and started to seriously get into photography when I was about 12.

It originally started out as a hobby, but after upgrading my kit to professional standard cameras, lenses and equipment it essentially developed into a small business in selling prints and taking on commissioned work.

Living in Hampshire and being on the edge of Dorset, gives me so many locations to shoot that all offer something different to photograph. The New Forest and the Jurassic Coast are right on my doorstep, and are my favourite places to take photographs.

Landscape photography is my favourite type of photography.

Shooting landscapes is great because a single change in light or composition can transform an entire scene into something new. I am mainly self-taught and learnt by just getting out into locations and experimenting.

Harvey Squires is a Bournemouth Multimedia Journalism Student.

Mudefrord Quay Dorset

Durdle Doore Bournemouth

The Rock | Friday 30 October 2015

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St Aldems Chapel Swanage

Lepe Beach Hampshire

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Friday 30th October 2015| The Rock

What’s on: Your entertainment guide From fireworks to theatre this November is jam packed with events around Dorset.

Music and dance Staves

Pyramids Plaza 11/11/15 From £14.75 The acoustic folk rock trio of sisters from Watford have achieved national and international success following the release of their second album: ‘If I Was’. The sisters play guitar and sing in perfect harmony, with the resulting sound leaving you as the audience captivated.

Diversity

BIC Windsor Hall 20/11/15 From £39.55 Internationally renowned dance troop Diversity head to the Bournemouth for their most close and personal tour yet. Performing exclusively choreographed routines based on their ITV special, this is definitely a dance show not to be missed.

Jive Talkin’ present The Bee Gees

The Regent Centre 20/11/15, contact box office for prices A stage production based on the career of the Bee Gees is coming to The Regent Centre on the 20th November. The production includes stars from TV and London’s West End.

Paul Weller, Young Fathers BIC 21/11/15 The former Jam frontman has had big solo hits with “The Changingman” and “From The Floorboards Up” and released his latest album Saturn’s Pattern earlier this year. He will be supported by Scottish trio Young Fathers.

Tribute to Nirvana: Nirvana UK

The Anvil, Bournemouth 21/11/15 The grunge tribute band will start performing at around 8pm and will cover hits such as “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come as You Are”.

Definitely Might Be

02 Bournemouth 26/11/15 This Oasis Tribute band are playing at the 02 academy to mark the 20 year anniversary of Oasis’ What’s The Story Morning Glory Album. The album will be played in full along with hits from other albums such as “Live Forever” and “Cigarettes and Alcohol”.

The Vaccines

BIC Window Hall 30/11/15 From £28.25 Thia Indie group were awarded as the “Best New Band” at the NME awards and have had hits with “If You Wanna” and “Handsome”.

Comedy Jimmy Carr, Funny Business

Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 10/11/15 From £26.88 One of the UK’s most distinctive comedians is back with his latest stand-up tour. As expected the show promises to be packed with jokes, rude and offensive and a great night out.

Alan Davies

Bournemouth pavilion Theatre 28/11/15 From £26.88 Whether you know and love Alan Davies as the man from QI or as detective Jonathan Creek this autumn extension of his live tour is not to be missed as he performs at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.

His witty jokes and story-telling will leave you in stitches in a show which is not to be missed.

Theatre The Simon and Garfunkel Story

The BIC 04/11/15 From £18 This show tells the incredible tale of two young boys from New York on their journey which resulted in them becoming the world’s most successful music duo of all time. An all-star West End cast showcases the songs and stories that shaped them, their dramatic

Paul Weller split and their respective solo careers, before being reunited in a recreation of the memorable 1981 Central Park concert.

Events Bournemouth guided walks

Bournemouth town throughout November New to Bournemouth and feel like exploring the area more? Why not let a knowledgeable friendly guide take you on an informative 1 hour walking tour of the town.

It cost just £3 per person, with tours running every Tuesday and Thursday at 11am until the end of November.

Exbury Ghost Train

Jimmy Carr IAB UK

Exbury Gardens 26/10/15 – 06/12/15 The Exbury Gardens ghost train is running its spooky services from the 26th October to the 6th December. The quarter of a mile journey will run around 5 times a day at 10:45.

ALESSIO MICHELINI Space Day

Hengistbury Head Vistor Centre 21/11/15 From £2 The day includes two sessions, one from 1:30 to 4pm where there is the opportunity to view the sun through a special telescope and another from 5:30 to 8:30pm which includes star gazing and moon watching.

Fireworks at Poole Quay

Poole Quay 05/11/15 Free A free firework event is being held at Poole Quay to celebrate bonfire night. The event starts at 5pm and includes and includes music and family entertainment before the fireworks start at 8pm.

Bournemouth Fireworks

Littledown Centre 07/11/15 £5 - £7 The Littledown Centre in Bournemouth is hosting a firework event. Gates open at 5:30pm and includes three firework displays at 7, 8 and 9pm. Sessions will also be available for kids to play football, cricket and a range of other sports.

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SPORT

The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Liam Grace SPORTS EDITOR @liamgrace_

Poole Comets season review 20 Ladies eyeing up treble 22 Eddie Howe’s transfer plans 23

Email

liamgrace02@hotmail.com

HELLO everyone and welcome to my first issue of the Bournemouth Rock as sports editor.

I’m absolutely thrilled to have succeeded Ross Maffey after working closely under him last year.

I must say a big thank you to Ross. Last year we had a very small team and Ross and I had to generate a lot of content; he is a fantastic journalist.

He’s now on an internship with ESPN but says he will still contribute the odd article to us.

This year we have a much bigger team and I’m really looking forward to getting started and hope you enjoy the first issue.

This is a special role for me personally as I’m AFC Bournemouth through and through.

The first game I attended was a 2-0 win over Wrexham on the 8th February 2003.

I was just seven years old. I’ve held my season ticket in the East Stand for five years now and have been there every step of the way on this incredible journey.

Becoming Sports Editor of the Rock in line with the club’s first ever season in the Premier League is a huge honour for me. However, despite my deep-rooted links with Cherries, I will do my best to

Cherries in rude health AFC Bournemouth are currently enjoying their first ever Premier League season. WIKIPEDIA ensure the entire local sports scene is covered.

Our coverage will not only include Poole Town FC, Poole Pirates and Dorset Cricket.

I also believe in covering a wide range of sports so more niche sports such as American football and cycle speedway will be included.

I really feel the Bournemouth Rock is going to be better than ever this year so please continue to keep reading and checking our website for all the latest breaking news. www.bournemouthrock.co.uk @BournemouthRock

Ollie Sirrell

Ollie Sirrell

AFC Bournemouth will be on live TV at least five times before Christmas. Cherries return to Anfield on the 28th of October in the Capital One Cup which is live on Sky Sports 1. Just a few days later Bournemouth take on Southampton live on the same channel. BT Sport have the Cherries covered for their home tie against Newcastle in November. In December Bournemouth face Chelsea and Manchester United, also on TV.

England and QPR forward Charlie Austin has congratulated Poole Town FC for their triumphs in the FA Cup. The Evo Stik Southern League side advanced to the fourth qualifying round of the competition having beaten Hastings United 2-0 at home.

Austin, who scored 46 goals in 46 appearances for Poole in the 2008/2009 season, tweeted ‘Congratulations @PooleTownFC delighted your (sic.) through to the next round of the fa cup’.

Bobcats relishing the new season Daniel Sansom SPORTS WRITER

@DanSansom95 BOURNEMOUTH Bobcats are the university’s very own American Football varsity team.

Founded by Joshua Edwards in 2012, the Bobcats have gone from strength to strength in a very short period of time.

With numbers increasing year after year, Gustaf Sander, team captain of the Bobcats, gave up his time to speak to the Bournemouth Rock: “I first started playing American Football in 2012, when the Bobcats were founded. I had no previous experience of the sport, so it was all new to me.

I’m now 25 and this will be my fourth season.”

“The sport is fantastic. It’s very violent so you have to be prepared for the physicality side of the game.

If you’re enthusiastic enough though, it will be very enjoyable.”

The Bobcats first competitive home game is against Plymouth University on Sunday 6th December at Chapel Gate, starting at approximately 1pm.

“A game usually lasts about three hours, and this is split into four quarters of fifteen minutes.

American Football is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK. The games are full-on and always played at an intense speed, which I think makes it different to any other sport,” added Sander.

If you feel like this could be the sport for you, contact bobcatshc@ gmail.com for more information.

Alternatively, you can find the team

on Facebook and Twitter.

“The squad this year looks strong.

Year on year we have had a steady increase of players taking part.”

“Last season we had 54 players interested, and for the upcoming campaign 71 players have already put their names forward.

WIKIPEDIA 60% of those 71 are first year students.”

Elsewhere in varsity, there were wins for the men’s rugby team who beat Exeter 16-12 and for the women’s badminton team who Bath Spa 8-0. Bournemouth Univeristy are 23rd in the UK rankings.

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Friday 30th October 2015 | The Rock

Cycle Speedway: Poole Comets season review Liam Baldock SPORTS WRITER @LiamJBaldock POOLE Comets’ 2015 season started off unluckily with a trip to Elite League holders, Horspath. ExHammer Steve Harris was among the three cyclists to accumulate the most points alongside the immaculate Greg Gluchowski and Gavin Wheeler earning 15+1, 20, and 16 respectively. The Comet’s trackcraft wasn’t enough come the end despite their resilient effort, being pipped 89-88 at The Village to begin the campaign with zero points.

Looking to start May with a victory eluded The Blues as they crashed to a 94-78 defeat in Sheffield. Despite leading during Heat Four thanks to Bristowe and Smith, it was a runaway victory for the team in orange.

Race three saw Harbourside, home of the Poole Comets, set the scene for Newport to visit with weather and track conditions near perfect. What wasn’t perfect though was the Welsh side’s turnout. They arrived with a

number of non-availabilities with their squad’s riders. There would not be a better chance for Poole Comets to earn the two points - and that’s what they did, comfortably winning 105-74 thanks to help from the in-form Gluchowski dropping only one point.

Team Manager Colin Sutton spoke to the Bournemouth Rock about the Polish rider: “He’s one of the top riders in the world. The benefit we get from him, not just the points he scores in matches, is the benefit we get from his training. He can pass on good training tips to our younger riders and the rest of his team-mates.”

It was a tough spell for the Poole Comets faithful from May to September as they suffered heavily.

Four consecutive defeats were followed up by a whopping display by table-toppers and undefeated Wednesfield as they cruised to a 11364 victory over the team from Poole.

Sutton kept the team settled before their penultimate match adding: “It’s always about the next match.

We cannot dwell on the last match.”

In the most important tie of Poole Comet’s season, Ipswich travelled to Harbourside in a match in which Poole needed to earn a victory in order to secure a place outside

the bottom two. Confidently and securely, Poole came out on top with a 99-77 advantage – a thrilling end to the campaign which saw the teams with serious financial resources storm the Elite League.

Already optimistic about next season, Sutton said: “‘We don’t tend to have a benchmark. You balance all the time. The balance has to be wanting to have a reasonable team which is good for morale and getting the crowd to matches. It’s our ethos – having home produced riders and bringing younger riders through.” A warming quote from a genuine club.

the gym has never struggled for numbers in the past. You cannot help but feel that there is a clear sense of growth at the gym - a growth that can be shared around the whole of Bournemouth’s boxing community.

A lot of new members starting out are “younger boxers” which shows that it is not only the number of participants growing.

There is also a higher likelihood that there will be boxers of a high level coming through the ranks to hopefully represent Bournemouth on boxing’s biggest stages.

Bournemouth has been represented in the professional ranks many times – including the legendary Freddie Mills who won the World Light-Heavyweight crown at White City Stadium in 1948 before 48,000 fans.

More recently, teenage prodigy Jake Carr who trained at ABC Bournemouth was crowned England junior champion in Decemeber 2014.

ABC Bournemouth will certainly be looking to produce more boxers

capable of fighting at the very highest level in the future.

That doesn’t mean that local boxing fans can’t start getting excited now. There are a number of young boxers from Bournemouth being entered into the National Championships and Barrie feels that the group have “more than a fair shout to go somewhere in it.”

The case could be that one of Bournemouth’s future sporting stars are on show at the event.

Barrie admits there are some challenges ahead as the sport evolves and changes and some of the local fighters go to university, potentially leaving their boxing career in the lurch.

However, leaving the venue after this insightful conversation with words of boxing knowledge and passion ringing in the ears, it is clear to see why people fall for the sport.

You can’t help but feel confident that the sport of boxing will thrive in a town where sporting impossibilities have been transformed into the attainable in recent times.

Comets in action at Harbourside. @POOLECSC

Boxing scene thriving Danny Lewis SPORTS WRITER @DannyLewis_95 WALKING into the ABC Bournemouth boxing gymnasium, you immediately get exactly the same impression that you experience when you enter Bournemouth itself for the first time.

There’s a seemingly modest setting that has the potential to support and develop people in a way that will allow them to excel.

In a well kitted out gym that gives you an incredible urge to hit a punching bag, one of the coaches who will be vital to the growth of individuals and therefore the community of boxers in Bournemouth is waiting to be interviewed.

As the head coach of ABC Bournemouth, Barrie Bessant says his gym is now “busier than it has been for years,” even though

The sport of boxing is thriving on the south coast. WIKIPEDIA

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The Rock | Friday 30th October 2015

Euro Cherries

Kirsty Bendter examines the AFC Bournemouth players who could play a part in Euro 2016

Harry Arter - Republic of Ireland Arter, 25, made his first international appearance as a second-half substitute in a friendly match against England in June but was ruled out of the Republic of Ireland’s qualifiers after suffering from hip and groin injuries. However, the midfielder has now made a few steps towards a comeback in the Premier League by training with the Cherries first team.

Artur Boruc - Poland The Pole, 35, played his 60th cap during the qualifiers against Georgia, which he used to pay tribute to his late father. Making his debut in the national team in 2004, he was voted the Poles’ star player at the World Cup in 2006 and the 2008 European Cup when he was still playing for Celtic. After two years of absence in international football he came back in form while helping the Cherries into the Premier League and made his comeback for Poland due to Szczesny losing his place at Arsenal.

Eunan O’Kane - Republic of Ireland Eunan O’Kane originally played in Northern Ireland’s youth team but switched to the Republic in October 2011. After his Premier League debut against Liverpool he got his first call-up to face Gibraltar and Georgia in September, and Germany and Poland in October. However, he is yet to feature for Ireland.

Shuan MacDonald - Wales Wales international and AFC Bournemouth midfielder Shaun Macdonald got his call up for the national team in June 2009 but made his international debut on 12 October 2010 against Switzerland. He played his second game this year during a European qualifier against Israel. Although MacDonald has had limited chances in the Cherries’ first team this term, he says that he hopes to keep his spot in the Wales squad, because Euro 2016 is certainly something he looks forward to.

Ollie Sirrell takes a look at the latest sporting champ and chump Former Bournemouth Rugby Club captain Dennis McCabe has died at the age of 89. Born in Nottingham in 1926, he moved down to Bournemouth aged 18 and studied mechanical engineering at college in Lansdowne. Having served in Egypt for two years as a captain with the Royal Engineers, he returned and continued his work with the Ministry of Defence in Christchurch while also playing for Bournemouth Rugby Club.

He was deployed as a tight head prop in the team, playing for the side from 1949 to 1958 and captaining them from 1954 onwards. His involvement with the club continued after he ceased playing, attending matches as a spectator and contributing via his role as Chairmen and later President of Bournemouth Sports Club. The Sports Club said Mr McCabe had “a great personality, (and he) will be remembered for his dedication and hard work to the club.”

WINNER

Cherries fans join in ticket price protest Dan Bennett SPORTS WRITER

LOSERS

@Dan_Benn3tt AFC Bournemouth fans have taken part in a protest against the current price of away tickets.

The Football Supporters Federation (FSF) organised ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ demonstrations across the country, with their aim to persuade clubs in all divisions to cap their away ticket prices at £20.

Both Watford and Bournemouth fans put their footballing differences aside and joined together to promote the cause of cheaper away tickets and displayed ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ banners.

Cherries season ticket holder Chris Millar helped organise the protest.

“Ticket prices at the moment are too expensive,” he told the Bournemouth Rock.

“For a family of four to go to West Ham it was £115 just for tickets. The whole day was around £250-£300, it’s a lot of money.”

Away tickets for adults in the Premier League can cost up to £70 and the FSF argue that many fans

PA

The protests took place outside the Sir Percy Florence Shelley pub in Boscombe. LIAM GRACE now can’t afford to go and watch their team.

When asked about the aims of the protest, he added: “To help get the prices down, that’s all we want.”

In 2013, Manchester City fans were charged £62 to watch their team play Arsenal away from home and last year Liverpool fans boycotted their away fixture against Hull City due to the £50 away ticket cost.

With the Cherries promotion to the Premier League, Bournemouth fans could also now find themselves having to pay a considerable amount in ticket costs when watching their team away from home.

Tickets for the away game against Manchester City on the 17th October cost adult supporters £44 and adult tickets on priority sale for the South Coast derby fixture away at Southampton on the 1st November will cost supporters at least £40, with the coach journey there costing a further £14 for season ticket holders and £16 for non-season ticket holders.

Away ticket prices for the majority of games in the Premier League remain significantly above the FSF’s £20 target and there will be another protest before Cherries take on Everton on the 28th November.

Ollie Sirrell Cherries fans will be wanting to forget the demolition Manchester City dealt them recently, but flashback to 1989 though and the memories are far fonder. City had a 3-0 by half-time and things looked desperate for Cherries but midway through the second half they pulled two goals back in a matter of minutes. Then in the 97th minute they equalised via a Luther Blissett penalty.

Bournemouth winger Max Gradel fell victim to cruciate ligament damage in August which will likely sideline the Ivorian for six months. Things only got worse for the Cherries when new recruit Tyrone Mings, who was a club record signing at £8 million, left the field early on his home debut. He also fell victim to cruciate ligament damage and it’s doubtful he will feature again this season. Then, just to round this off, top goalscorer Callum Wilson was strechered off at the Britannia Stadium just one week later (above). Cherries are also missing captain Tommy Elphick and star midfielder Harry Arter through injury.

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Friday 30th October 2015| The Rock

AFC Bournemouth ladies eye up treble following promotion Tommy Churchyard SPORTS WRITER @t0mmychurchyard AFC Bournemouth Ladies have picked up exactly where they left off from last season with a blistering start to their Division Two campaign.

Last season the team won emphatic promotion from Hampshire County Women’s Division Three and won all but one of their league games.

Now the ladies have taken that form into the new campaign and won all five of their league games so far. Their most recent victory was a 10-1 win against Bournemouth Sports in the cup.

Since their creation in 2011, the ladies have quickly built a strong side which is handling the step up in division with ease, with a goal difference of +21 after their opening five games. This has been helped by the addition of a few players over the summer to help boost the team, including current top scorer Justine Mosley.

Mosley has netted 12 times in the six games so far and has hit the

ground running this season.

She told the Rock: “We’re doing really well and playing as a team.

I think there’s a really good family spirit around the club which makes a big difference making new friends and things like that. I think we’re doing really well and I’m really enjoying it.”

“I was previously playing at a higher standard so it’s a different standard that I’m used to playing.

But I think even though some of the scores have been quite high, it was actually quite a competitive game.”

Although AFC Bournemouth Ladies have had a fantastic start to the league campaign, Mosley believes they deserve to be where they are, in Division Two of the Hampshire County Women’s league. She recognizes that they need to climb through the leagues the conventional way to reach their goal of playing professional women’s football.

When asked if AFC Bournemouth deserve to be further up the pyramid, she said: “I don’t think deserve is the right word. My impression is that they’re quite keen to progress through the system.

Having played at a different level before, I think that we should be in a position to progress through the Hampshire leagues and into the

southern region.”

And Mosley is confident the ladies have the team to compete at higher levels, with the young team having lots of time to develop and gain experience in the women’s game. She feels the team are capable of playing at a higher level.

She added: “I’m the oldest by a long way so most of them are quite young. Some of them only 17 or 18 so we’ve got a good few years in us yet I think”.

This opinion is also reinforced by AFC Bournemouth Ladies Manager Vince Taylor, who wants to take the team to the top after seeing their progression during the last few years.

“The first year we won the cup, the second year we won the double, this year I’m going for all three,” he said. However, there are difficulties holding on to players and keeping a stable side together whilst the club is still in the county leagues. These are issues that Taylor is well aware of.

“With ladies football it is very difficult to know what side you’ll have next year. They’ve got jobs to do, and some of them go off to university, so we don’t know what team we’re going to have. I would like to take them up into the Premiership of Ladies football but

Cherries ladies are in fantastic form. @AFCB_Ladies it’s not only that. It’s whether the club is prepared to back us that far.”

But in terms of this season so far, Taylor is delighted with the start the team have made to the campaign as they strive towards promotion

to Division One of the Hampshire County Women’s League.

“The season is going really well.

We’ve got six wins out of six games with 24 goals scored.” The ladies next take on Gosport at Kings Park.

Poole Town FC seek new investors Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1 POOLE Town Football Club is looking for ten new investors to inject £5000 each into the Southern League Premier side.

The Dolphins went top of the league after an emphatic 5-1 victory over Dorchester Town last week.

Poole Town is offering potential new investors many perks such as free access to all home games with hospitality in return for the investment.

Their vice-Chairman Chris Reeves explained why Poole is looking for more money to be injected into the club: “Certainly we need money to improve the facilities here. When we get to the Conference South we will need around £70,000-£80,000 worth of improvements. As well as that the squad will need improving.”

Manager Tom Killick explained why he thinks investment is

required: “It’s been our ambition to get into the Conference South. It’s a big thing to do financially so that’s where the investment is needed.”

The new funds could be used to help move the club to a bigger and better stadium, as currently the club play on school grounds at Tatnam.

Tom Killick says that he thinks the Dolphins need a better ground: “I think it’s disappointing that a town like Poole with a football team as successful as we’ve got is playing at a ground that doesn’t do it justice.

It’s not a good advertisement for Poole.”

The Dolphins are flying high at the top of the league and their manager Tom Killick gave his verdict on the season so far: “In terms of results the season is going well but performances haven’t been as good as we would like.

“We’ve been winning games without playing particularly well but overall I’m pleased.”

Last season the club narrowly missed out on promotion to the Conference South after a heartbreaking final day 3-2 defeat to Corby Town in what was a winner takes all match.

Killick explained: “We were overwhelming favourites to be promoted for long period’s of the season so to lose that was very difficult to take.”

Club captain Jamie Whisken played that day, and he said: “It was a bitter pill to swallow. We dropped points where we shouldn’t have and there was a lot of pressure on us on that final day. It was a hell of a roller coaster.”

The club were then thrown into the play-offs where they fell at the first hurdle, losing to St Neot’s Town in the semi-final.

Whisken said: “It was difficult to pick yourself up and play in the play-off’s. I think the boys were still wounded.”

Despite the heartbreak in the last few moments of last season costing the team, club captain Jamie Whisken was confident when asked if last year’s experience will push the team to get promotion this season.

He said: “Experiences from previous seasons will help us this year. The lads were wounded last season and maybe we are wounded soldiers this year but now we want to go one better.”

Dolphins captain Jamie Whisken speaks to the Rock. LUKE HASTINGS

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The Rock |Friday 30th October 2015

Distin on Cherries wheel of fortune Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1 AFC Bournemouth defender Sylvain Distin has revealed that the club have a ‘spin the wheel’ punishment system that is more daunting than playing league leaders Manchester City.

Distin confirmed rumours that the club had installed a system where players are punished by doing challenges, instead of being fined for wrongdoing.

He said: “It’s tough, just thinking about it I’m going to start sweating. It’s fun, but it’s a challenge that as a footballer you rarely face.”

The punishment wheel was brought in during last season and manager Eddie Howe explained: “It’s something we do. On the Friday before every game we will have a little gathering and those who have done wrong will get punished.

“We don’t do fines, this is our way of fining players, but hopefully in a better way. It’s the player’s choice whether to pay a monetary fine or whether they do the forfeit.

“It’s all done in a light-hearted way and to get the group to engage differently. We’ve had it since last year and it’s something that has been very beneficial for us. It was an idea from one of us internally.”

When asked if the prospect of facing the wheel was more daunting than facing Manchester City at the Etihad, Cherries defender Distin replied: “It is actually, I’ve got a spin coming up and I’m scared about it!”

Distin joined Bournemouth in the summer on a free transfer from Everton and said that this is the “first time” he has been faced by a punishment system like this.

The 37 year-old revealed some of the challenges the wheel dishes out: “You have to dance in front of your teammates, do magic tricks, I’m not going to name them all because there are hundreds!”

The Frenchman also explained the reasons for having to take the spin: “If you kick the ball away in training, if you’re late, all the basic stuff. You just have to remain professional and if you do something that isn’t professional then you have to spin.

“We’ve got a system where if you see something that should be reported then you just take a picture and you report it and that’s it. It’s really harsh honestly! We don’t help each other!”

Both Distin and Howe said they are aware of a couple in the group who regularly catch their teammates out, but were tight lipped when asked for names.

Distin said: “We don’t know who takes the pictures, you just see the pictures with your name and you have to spin. Either that or you speak in front of the jury to try and defend yourself, but you don’t have much of a chance!”

Howe explained more about the reasons behind using this type of punishment system: “It’s about team spirit and players opening up in a different environment.

“It’s interesting to see the dynamics of the team. It’s almost like a team building exercise where your players are uncomfortable but you will see your leaders who will come out and do

something very inspiring.

“It’s like in every group of people you have your policeman and you have your criminals and we certainly have a few of the same faces stepping up every week who switch off for a moment. We want everyone to police each other to instil discipline.”

Howe added: “Unfortunately, and I’m gutted

by this, the manager is exempt so I just watch!”

When asked if he would pay the fine or do the challenge, the Cherries boss said: “Knowing me with money I would probably do the punishment!”

Sylvain Distin and Eddie Howe spoke ahead of the trip to Manchester City on October 17th with the game finishing 5-1 to City.

Howe: We’re already planning for the January window Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1 AFC Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has revealed that he is already planning for the January transfer window.

With the squad depleted due to several long term injuries, the winter window may be key in the Cherries fight to stay in the Premier League.

Bournemouth made nine signings in the summer window, breaking their transfer record and spending a total of £20 million.

When asked about the January window, Howe said: “I think you have to think about it and prepare and plan, I’ve got

no problems saying we’re trying to do that.

We’ve got things in mind but we’ll see what happens when the window opens.”

On spending money, Howe said: “It’s a responsibility I take very seriously here.

We’ve spent money on players and as much as it’s nice, there’s a feeling that you’ve got to really try and get it right.

Would I like to spend £50 million?

Yeah if we had it I would probably spend it!”

About planning for January, he added: “You saw in the previous window you can have the best laid plans and be rocked within three days of the window shutting.”

Howe is of course referring to the two summer signings who cost record fees but were injured soon

after the close of the window, Tyrone Mings and Max Gradel, both of whom will be out for several months with knee problems.

On injuries, Howe said: “They are bad luck. We’ve had experts analyse the tapes to see whether they can see any contributing factors to them.

They’ve all come back to say they’re just bad luck.”

Star striker Callum Wilson will also be out for six months with a knee injury, meaning Howe may be looking to bolster his attacking options in the January window.

Cherries currently have former West Ham striker Ricardo Vaz Te on trial. The Portuguese forward is a free agent since leaving Akhisar Belediyespor and could sign for AFC Bournemouth in January when Eddie Howe announces his squad for the second half of the season.

Howe’s squad has been cursed by injuries. AFC BOURNEMOUTH

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Friday 30th October 2015| The Rock

El Clasicoast preview:

Saints vs Cherries

Girls’ Footie Week Bournemouth embraces campaign From 5th to 11th October, football fever spread across the South coast, with AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust hosting various open training sessions for any girls interested in showing off their skills as part of Girls’ Football Week. The week ended on a high, with the final training session taking place at Bournemouth University on Sunday 11th October.

Bournemouth University Ladies FC’s Chloe Tape spoke to the Bournemouth Rock: “There is a good standard of football down here. It’s something locals should take pride in. Playing the game myself I’ve seen a huge increase in female players trialling for the varsity team.”

Pirates make history DIVIDE: Cherries Midfielder Andrew Surman has made over 100 appearances for both AFC Bournemouth and Southampton.

Liam Grace

SPORTS EDITOR @liamgrace_ CHERRIES take the short trip down to St Mary’s this Sunday as they take on Southampton in an El Clasicoast derby. It’s the one game in the Barclays Premier League calendar which divides the south coast, and no one will be feeling that more than Cherries midfielder Andrew Surman.

The 29-year-old who has been ever present for Bournemouth this season started his career at Saints in 2004 and went on to make 133 appearances.

“Southampton are close-by so there will be some added spice,” said Surman.“There’s never been a Southampton-Bournemouth rivalry in the past because of Portsmouth but with both sides in the Premier League and them being so close geographically, it will be interesting to see.”

You’d have to stretch back to 1987 for the last time Cherries beat

Southampton, winning 1-0 at the old Dean Court in the League Cup. The most recent meeting ended in a 3-1 away win for the Saints when the two sides were mixing in the 3rd tier of English football back in 2011.

Since leaving Saints as a 23-yearold, Surman had spells in the Premier League with Wolves and Norwich. “Our current squad compares very well against previous Premier League squads I’ve been involved in.

“At Norwich we had players who’d barely played in the Championship let alone in the

PA

Premier League.

“We did well to finish 12th but we should’ve finished higher.”

Surman, crowned Players’ Player of the year for 2014/15, started every single league game as Cherries made history in being promoted to the top flight of English football for the first time. On aims for the rest of the season, Surman said: “Survival is a must. After that we can push on and try and finish as high as we can.

We want to do well this season and prove we can play at this level.”

Don’t miss coverage of Cherries v Saints on bournemouthrock.co.uk

Speedway club win 3rd successive title Another stunning season from Poole Pirates saw them claim @LewisHamilton their third successive Elite League speedway title, the first team to do that in over four decades.

Team manager Neil Middleditch believed the title was “written in the stars” that a month on from Darcy Ward’s horrible crash, Poole would claim their fourth title in five years.

Having only recorded one home loss all season to Coventry, the Pirates showed immaculate form, only coming home pointless on @piersmorgan three occasions all season.

02: What an opener from Kermorgant! His acrobatic volley gives #afcb the lead within two minutes!

Turn to page 23 to read about @afcbournemouth Eddie Howe’s transfer plans.