SPORT The magic of the cup? P24 AFCB v Everton
FEATURES Meet the OAPs taking on the internet one click at a time P16
@jholsson
Tributes paid to tragic band Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1 TRIBUTES have flooded in to tragic band Viola Beach who were due to perform in Bournemouth this week. The four band members and their manager, Craig Tarry, were killed in Sweden on Sunday when their car
plunged from a bridge into a canal. The Rock can reveal that the indie band, who came from Warrington, Cheshire, were due to play at the Old Fire Station in Bournemouth yesterday. The band, made up of Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakin, was due to support Blossom at the student union venue. The Old Fire Station paid tribute to the band on their Facebook page, saying: “This is very tragic news.
“Our thoughts are with the band’s and manager’s friends and families - incredibly talented young lads.” Blossoms also paid homage to Viola Beach with a message on their Facebook page. It read: “Absolutely devastated for the loss of Viola Beach and Craig Tarry. Such genuine lovely lads. Our thoughts are with their friends and families.” Fellow support act The Vryll Society also took to social media.
They said on Facebook: “The rest of the tour is going to feel weird without you boys. “We’ll make sure us and the Blossoms lads blow every venue apart for you over the next two months. Sweet dreams.” Their families have said that the boys were “living their dreams”. The group made their debut at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool and performed at the Reading and Leeds festivals last year.
OPINION BAFTA’s diversity dilemma P9
NEWS BU’s skyline is on the rise P3
2 News
Friday 19th February 2016| The Rock
Drastic cuts to youth services Holly Sawyer FRIDAY, 19th February 2016
News
What students really think of Jeremy Corbyn
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Opinion
Time to switch off C-Listers in ski suits?
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Features
BU celebrates LGBT history month
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Sport
Behind the Dorset Derby
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Contact Email
hannahbournemouthrock@ gmail.com
Website
bournemouthrock.co.uk
@BournemouthRock
@HollyMSawyer FUNDING is becoming a “nightmare” for local support groups after over 50% of their budget has been cut in the last year. Dorset County Council has reduced their funding for Youth Services from £2.2million to £1million just this year, more than a 50% cut affecting essential services for those in need. Potentially disastrous budget cuts mean that organisations in Dorset may not be able to help those in need. Organisations such as Space Youth Project who aid LGBT Youth in the local area have experienced the effects of budget cuts. Project Coordinator Sarah Grayer said: “As of the end of March we don’t know whether we will have any funding. “It’s an absolute nightmare, and it’s just getting worse. There’s no sign of it getting better at the moment.” Bournemouth and Poole Borough Councils, along with Dorset County Council, currently fund the project,
Members of Space Youth Project taking part in one of their weekly sessions although a large proportion of the funding comes from national charity Children In Need. Uncertain of the future, Sarah said: “We don’t know what will happen next year for Space Youth Project.” With further budget reductions potentially resulting in a cut of the service, young people could have
no one to turn to during difficult times. Dorset Body Positive, a charity supporting people living with HIV in Dorset, has also emphasised the importance of local support groups. A spokesperson that has worked at the charity for eight years said: “The
H.SAWYER
charity is hugely beneficial and helps beat the stereotype of drug users and homosexuals as those vulnerable to HIV.” The charity campaigned on World’s Aids Day in order to increase funds and prolong the service for those who need it.
Bournemouth Pizza Company goes vegan Charlie Souter Phillips @CharlieSouter A LOCAL pizza restaurant made the decision to go vegan for an evening after seeing a rise in people asking for their food to be free of animal products. Bournemouth Pizza Company was fully booked for the evening that involved a three-course vegan dinner. Anne Rocke, owner of the pizzeria said: “People ask for vegan every day and there are days when probably 10% of the pizzas we make are vegan.” She added: “ That is a big percentage when you think about the volume of pizzas we make every day.” Veganism has been on the rise in the UK and there are now over 150,00 vegans in Britain. Research carried out by Mintel found that half of Brits see meat free products as environmentally friendly and 52% viewing them as healthy.
Bournemouth Pizza Company in the run up to their vegan evening
C. SOUTER PHILLIPS
News 3
The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
BU plans to expand campuses Hannah Kane EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @hannahkanee_ BOURNEMOUTH University’s campuses will soon be home to new additions, as bold new plans have been launched for £100million worth of developments to compete with world-class facilities. Proposals for the Lansdowne and Talbot campuses include state-ofthe-art facilities for BU’s faculties of Media and Communication, Management, Science and Technology and Health and Social Sciences (HSS). Professor John Vinney, BU ViceChancellor, said: “Bournemouth University has recently been recognised in the top 200 most international universities in the world. “Our proposed new developments are key to helping us achieve our vision of providing world class facilities for a world class university so that we continue to develop global talent.” The new buildings will bring around £100million of investment to the Bournemouth and Poole region. Professor Vinney added: “Our
The new plans for both the Talbot and Lansdowne campuses staff and students contribute more than £1million a day to the south west economy and support just less than one full-time equivalent job in the local conurbation for every 7.4
students. For this to continue we must remain competitive.” The proposed plans are the latest in BU’s developments since the £22m Fusion building on Talbot campus,
BU which is due to open in the spring. The latest proposed additions for Talbot include a Poole Gateway Building for the Media and Communication, Management and
Science and Technology faculties, while Lansdowne’s scheme aims to bring HSS under one roof with modern facilities. If approved, construction will begin in 2017.
A breakdown of proposed developments Talbot Campus
Lansdowne Campus
The Talbot campus is the universiy’s main site, located in Fern Barrow Road. Facilities for the the Media, Business, Science and Technology faculties, and SportBU, will feature: •
A four storey academic building facing the Boundary Road roundabout.
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A visual gateway to the campus with state of the art facilities for the Science and Techonology and Media and Communication faculties.
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A new link road with a fourth arm will be built off the Boundary Roundabout, creating an additional road out of the campus.
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A bus hub will be situated towards the campus’ western boundary for BU-contracted buses. An extension to the existing ‘park and stride’ car park to accomodate parking displaced by the developments will also be added.
•
TV and audio studios, media production spaces, green screen and motion capture suites, and PC and Mac labs are several of the proposed technical facilities.
The Lansdowne campus is situated nearer the centre of Bournemouth and is where many of the HSS teaching facilities are located. This campus’ additions will include: •
•
•
A five to seven storey landmark building to the south of the St. Paul’s roundabout. A unified home for the Health and Social Sciences faculty, which is currently housed in various different buildings in the Lansdowne area.
Specialist teaching areas will also be installed, such as a library, resource centre and learning space and academic and student services. •
South-facing terraces will also be built, as well as parking provision.
•
Lansdowne Road developments include a 550 bed student accomodation block, costing a total of £37m. Proposed by Threesixty Developments, the flats could be up to ten storeys high.
The £22m Fusion building due to open in the Spring
SP
Visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/campus-development for more details.
4 news
Friday 19th February 2016| The Rock
Concerns over police response times Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Hannah Kane Deputy Editor Emily Cox News Editor Rosie Crass Deputy News Editor Dan Bennett Chief Reporter Luke Hastings Opinions Editor Corrie Smith Deputy Opinions Editor Luke Baldock Features Editor Charlotte Andrews Deputy Features Editor Bekhi Vals Moragas Sports Editor Liam Grace Deputy SE Ben Bonsey Online Editor Chloe Desave
Letters to the editor: hannahbournemouthrock@gmail. com Visit: www.bournemouthrock. co.uk/get-involved/
EXCLUSIVE Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1 POLICE allegedly took more than an hour to respond to multiple 999 calls from students after an incident at their Bournemouth home. The Bournemouth University students are now lodging a complaint against the police. It is claimed officers did not respond to the incident for over an hour despite three calls being made on February 2. Local councillor Simon Bull said he was concerened about the claims and hoped there would be an investigation. A Dorset Police spokesperson said the police had been called at 6:19pm on February 2 to investigate reports of an intruder at the house. The spokesperson added: “At the time of the incident officers were unable to attend immediately as they were
Students have expressed concerns over the police response to an incident in Bournemouth heavily committed with other priority calls. “Officers have done a number of follow up visits to reassure the
residents and offer security advice, as well as identifying a suspect. “A 31-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of
WIKI
assault in relation to this incident and is currently on police bail until the beginning of March, pending further enquiries.”
Poole rescue calls for puppy parents
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 outside BU). Prior to the publication, letters will be verified for authencity by the editor.
@bournemouthrock
Two lucky Collie pups with their new owner
Kassia Wordley @KassiaHope A POOLE-based animal rescue organisation is appealing to the public for doggy foster families.
The appeal comes in response to a backlog of animals left needing homes after the busy festive period. Pound Puppy Animal Rescue, founded by Jayne Gooderman, takes in cats and dogs when shelters have run out of space. Jayne rehouses the unwanted pets with temporary foster families until
BUZZ NEWS a long-term solution is found. She said: “The problem is, we’re just completely full at the moment.” Despite keeping as many as 13 dogs in her own home, the backlog of animals from December is now straining the organisation’s resources. With euthanasia rates still
shockingly high across the country, Jayne provides a last bid sanctuary to some of the animals whose fate is looking bleak. This month, however, following a December of being inundated with unwanted animals, Pound Puppy has run out of housing options. Since setting up Pound Puppy over 20 years ago after visiting a welfare shelter, Jayne has observed this December’s dumping trend emerge. She said: “The problem is, people get puppies in the spring and when it comes to early December, many of them haven’t been trained properly. “What you’ve got then is essentially a teenage dog running rampage in the house, making a mess and ruining decorations.” She suspects this is the reason so many adolescent dogs are left without homes in December. Pound Puppy is desperate to find foster homes for as many dogs as possible in order to make space for ones whose time is running out at pounds across the country. Although figures suggest euthanasia rates of unwanted animals are slightly decreasing yearby-year, authorities are still battling to deal with around 280 strays every day. Despite many of these animals being reclaimed by owners, shelters are still so inundated that recent figures suggest the death toll amounts to 14 animals daily.
news 5
The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
Over half of BU students would vote for Corbyn Rosie Crass NEWS EDITOR @RosieCrass
REVOLUTION-BAHRAINMC
BU students have their say on Jeremy Corbyn
A SURVEY conducted by The Rock has found that over half of BU students would vote for Jeremy Corbyn if there was a General Election tomorrow. BU’s president of the Politics Society Erin Gaffney said: “Corbyn has a strong message which reaches out to young people disillusioned with mainstream politicians whose policies can often be confusing.” She added: “Corbyn takes on issues like tuition fees and graduate employment which is what young people really care about.” However, despite student’s appearing happy with the Labour leader, 43% said they did not care about Corbyn’s reshuffle back in January. Erin said: “Politics has never been ‘cool’ and reshuffling can be seen as a boring aspect. “A lot of people are simply not interested.” With so many students appearing despondent with politics Erin believes more needs to be done to get them involved with political debate. She said: “Teaching young people how the political system works will not enthuse young people but the possibility of change might.”
Student braves Kilimanjaro climb Joshua Anderson-Grey @joshuaag9 A BOURNEMOUTH University student has volunteered to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with a group of fellow students to raise money for the Hope for Children charity. Liam Baldock got involved after speaking to a member of the university’s RAG (Raising and Giving) society at BU’s Fresher’s Fair in September 2015. RAG provides opportunities for students to raise money for charitable causes while embarking on adventures across the world. In a bid to get more sponsors, Liam took it upon himself to create an online fundraiser called “1to100”. He told over 150 people via multiple social media sites about his plan to hike up Mount Kilimanjaro while asking them to donate £1 each to sponsor him, with the hope of raising at least £100 before the window for donations closed. Liam said: “My original aim was only £50, but then someone donated £30, so I decided to try for £100. I wanted to see if I could achieve it.” As of February 10th, £140.25 has
Left to right: Liam giving a presentation at his primary school, and hosting a dinner party fundraiser been raised. Liam and the other participants in the RAG expedition are due to travel to Tanzania, where the mountain is located, and commence their summit in late August. While Liam’s personal goal was to raise £100, the rest of his group
intends to raise £2990 in total, with half of the proceeds to be donated to a children’s centre in Tanzania. Prior to the RAG team’s mountainclimbing expedition, time will be spent working at a Tanzanian school completing team-building exercises. While Liam’s enterprise was
successful, he does not intend to end his charitable work here. He will be working with RAG to establish more outlets through which other BU students can support charities, such as bake sales and a student pyjama party at the Old Fire Station, for which tickets will be
LIAM BALDOCK sold. The proceeds will go to support people in need. Liam aims to raise as much money as possible saying: “Every little helps.” More information on Liam’s newest fundraising efforts will be released later in the year.
6 news
Friday 19th February 2016| The Rock
Marine pollution doubles in 30 years Jessica Clive MARINE Awareness Officer for Dorset Wildlife Trust, Julie Hatcher, says marine pollution has more than doubled in the last three decades. She said: “It’s a massive problem, and people are now talking about marine litter pollution being on a level of concern along with climate change and over fishing.” The Trust recently managed to rally a total of 24 volunteers who removed a whopping 310kg of litter from Kimmeridge beach. Twenty-seven sacks full of debris including larger items such as rope and plastic barrels were collected. Plastic poses the biggest threat as marine animals often mistake tiny pieces of plastic for food, which blocks their stomachs, and can lead to starvation. The Marine Pollution Bulletin found plastic had been ingested by 700 species of marine wildlife. As a result, one million sea birds and 100,000 sea mammals die each
year. Although these are global statistics, the problems still exist close to home. Julie said: “The most visible ones [threats] for us, are when animals get entangled in fishing rope and fishing net. “It’s a problem for sea birds, it’s a problem for whales, dolphins, seals and all those kinds of animals.” Plastic absorbs toxic chemicals which enter the food chain, and pose risks to public health. Every piece of litter that has ever been created, still exists today, either in landfill or the ocean. The Ocean Conservancy estimate that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. The Trust feel it is important for everyone to do their bit to help stop this prediction from becoming a reality. They are urging the public to take part in “two minute beach cleans”. Spend two minutes picking up litter on every trip to the beach, take a picture of the haul and post it on Twitter using the hashtag “#2minutebeachclean Dorset”. Julie said that taking part in beach cleans isn’t the only way to help. The public can try to cut down
Britain’s seas are home to more than 8,000 different species of plants and animals. on the amount of plastic waste produced in the first place. Eighty percent of all the plastic in
the ocean comes from on land. “There’s lots and lots that people can do such as not flushing things
BUZZ NEWS
down the toilet,” she said. “Things like cotton bud sticks end up on our beaches.”
Aviary gardens revamp Katie Mallalieu @ katiemallalieu BOURNEMOUTH Council have introduced plans to rebuild the aviary in the Lower Gardens. This comes as part of a ‘master plan’ that is set to regenerate Westover Lower Gardens, starting next month. Volunteers, who currently manage the aviary, will be working with local architects and developers to improve the site, and increase the flight area for rescue birds. This project hopes to be funded through public donations and with support from the Bournemouth Parks Foundation. Lead volunteer at the aviary, Darrell Sturmy, said: “I’m really excited by it. The current aviary has been here for 50 years and it needs to be brought up to date and be made more aesthetically pleasing.” Many of the birds that appear in the aviary have been made homeless, or abandoned, by their previous owners who could no longer care for them. Darrell added: “We need to show our appreciation for these birds, the joy they bring us, and to give them a place where they can be proud to call it their home.” The council would also like to see
Nicolas Cage dating app kickstarts in Bournemouth The aviary is home to many abandoned birds a new alfresco cafe developed, to help enhance the area’s beauty. Chairman of the Lower Gardens Trust, Bob Chapman, said: “We’re keen to improve various areas of the gardens, but we are turning our attention to the aviary now as it’s past its sell by date. “The plans are ready.
BUZZ NEWS
“We are looking at various ways of raising funds, but we are hoping to get more donations from local people.” Darrell continued: “We need to sDonations can be made at http:// dev.bpf.panlogic.co.uk/rebuildbournemouth-bird-sanctuary/.
A BOURNEMOUTH man has created a kickstarter dating app with a twist. Cage Match, created by Adam Burt, is advertised as offering “a comprehensive view of the most vital aspect” of a prospective lover’s character - how would they rank the works of actor Nicolas Cage? The mobile-friendly dating website asks users to create a profile, add an image of
themselves and type in their favourite Cage films. The app will then show a list of potential matches based on your Cage preferences. Users can either like or dislike their matches, and if your match returns the like, it unlocks a messaging feature. To launch the app Adam needs £20,000. With only 22 days to go until the end of the campaign, the app has only managed to raise £1,106, with 18 backers.
news 7
The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
Cherries host green campaign Hannah Kane EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @hannahkanee_ THE Climate Change Coalition were at Dean Court last Saturday in a bid to raise awareness of the devastating effects of flood waters. The Show the Love campaign greeted those who went to watch the Bournemouth v Stoke game with AFCB running a range of activities inside and outside the stadium. Dom Goggins, from the campaign said: “AFCB Bournemouth and Stoke City have been two of our most prominent supporters in football. “Everyone seems really interested and we really hope the green heart, which is the logo of the campaign, will really become a symbol for the things we love and stand to lose to climate change.” He added: “Today, we are trying to start a conversation. “For too long, climate change has become an issue that has become technical, which is apocolyptic and it’s scary for people, but is way off in the future.
“The reality of it is that it is happening right now.” The campaign was prompted by the devastation at Carlisle football stadium, when the groud was completely swamped by flood waters. Dom added: “Extreme weather is a big risk to our lives, and that includes sport. “Clubs like Bournemouth are doing a lot in terms of becoming more sustainable, but also I think clubs realise that they are the focal point of their communities and that they have a responsibility to their community to help.” On why he is getting involved in the campaign, Dom said: “I recently became an uncle and now that I have a tie to the next generation, it really brings it home that they might not be able to enjoy some of the things we take for granted. “I’m doing this for her.” The Cherries’ mascot was wearing a green heart t-shirt, a trend followed by manager Eddie Howe and Stoke manager Mark Hughes during the half-time interval when a five minute film about the campaign was shown to spectators. The film was written and directed by War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, and stars Jeremy Irons and Maxine Peake.
Who are the Climate Change Coalition? THE Climate Change Coalition, alongside sister organisations Stop Climate Chaos Cymru and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, is the UK’s largest group dedicated to action on climate change and limiting the impact on the world’s poorest communties. The charity has a combined supporter base of over 100 member organisations, totalling support from more than 15million people across the country. Members range from environmental, faith and union organisations. These groups include ActionAid, Islamic Relief and Greenpeace. Other projects the Coalition has acted upon is the Ethiopian food crisis, as well as the Action for Children dispute. The main goal of the group is to make 100% clean energy a reality, within a generation. They believe this is possible in two main ways:
AFCB in action against Stoke on Saturday
PA
•
“Ending climate pollution from coal use in the UK, on the way to phasing out carbon from our power system - in line with the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change.”
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“Making the investments in warm homes, sustainable transport, and clean energy needed to meet our obligations under the UK Climate Change Act.”
For more information visit theclimatecoalition.org.
Marathon mum running for late husband Rosie Crass NEWS EDITOR @RosieCrass A FULL-TIME mum from Dorset is set to run in this year’s London Marathon in memory of her late husband. Anna Gregory, from Wimborne St Giles in East Dorset, will be running in the race taking place on April 24th for Dorset based disability charity, Diverse Abilities. Anna’s late husband James was a doctor in the Navy and served with the Royal Marine Commando Unit. He became paralysed from the chest down after being involved in a helicopter accident in 2002 and as a result became wheelchair bound and dependent on full-time carers. Anna said: “I am running the London Marathon to raise money for Diverse Abilities, a fantastic local charity that enables children and adults with disabilities to live life to the full, just like James did.” Anna is a keen runner and over
Anna with twins Harriet and Oscar the last few years has taken part in a number of 10k races and also two half marathons. She is currently in training for the gruelling 26.2 mile race ahead of her. Anna aims to raise £1,000 and is holding an Easter egg hunt and
DIVERSE ABILITIES James with the twins
coffee morning in a bid to reach her target. Anna said: “Our twins are sadly without a daddy but I want them to know what an amazing man he was and running the London Marathon to help more people like James means the world to me.”
Diverse Abilities supports children and adults with profound physical and learning disabilities and their families in Dorset. The charity has been running since 1955 and now supports over 700 children and adults in the county. If you would like to sponsor Anna
DIVERSE ABILITIES
please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/ Anna-Gregory4/ To find out more about the charity’s work visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ diverseabilitiesplus or their website diverseabilities.org.uk.
8 news
Friday 19th February 2016| The Rock
Canvas hosts music TV event Brooke Elias
@brookeelias1 NEW multimedia entertainment company Britrox hosted the first of their monthly shows in Bournemouth. The show, Live at Canvas, uses an online platform to showcase unsigned emerging and new artists worldwide, promoting their original material. Paul Wookey, founder and CEO of Britrox said: “There is a massive market of incredible talent out there, so I wanted to create something that would allow unsigned new and emerging artists to be seen. “What I wanted to do is what most people haven’t been able to do, and put these unsigned music artists on television.” Britrox have their own crew of experienced music video producers to ensure high quality videos within the artists’ budget.
The company is endorsed by a multitude of music industry professionals, including Judge Jules, who believes the television side of the business sets it apart from other unsigned platforms. The launch saw performances from two artists, one-man-band Paolo Morini, and Burning Codes – the project of Belfast-born singer and songwriter Paul Archer. Burning Codes have recently released their latest album Hope Is Our Lightning. When asked how the night went, they said: “We were so excited, and deeply indebted to Britrox and Canvas. “It’s a fantastic opportunity and we feel really privileged and honoured.” Social Media and Marketing Assistant for Vocalzone Throat Pastilles, Joe Powell, attended the launch night. He said: “We love checking out new music, and what better way than to see our local music scene here in Bournemouth. “Great music, and a great venue. I would definitely come again.” The night was a success for Paul and Britrox, with over 200 people in
Burning Codes performed at the launch attendance. They currently have access to 26.5 million viewers on all of their broadcast platforms in the UK and USA. Sky Showcase Channel 212,
B ELIAS
Freesat 401 and a live stream on SUB TV are just several networks that broadcast the project. To book tickets for the next monthly filming of Live at Canvas, contact info@ britroxmanagement.com.
Southbourne B&B in top 20 in the world Connor McLoone @CMcloone
A BOURNEMOUTH B&B has been voted one of the best in the world. Travel website Trip Advisor ranked ‘Bed & Breakfast By The Beach‘, in Southbourne, 13th in the global chart. The B&B is owned by John and Chris Griffith, who have experience in managing and running an assortment of hotels. Chris said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to bits. “It’s like a pat on the back after a lifetime of being in the hospitality industry. John added: “We’re completely surprised and shocked. But we work really hard with our home made food and we’re glad that our guests have enjoyed it. “ The award is based on guest feedback gathered throughout the year, so what sets the winners apart is not just a high standard of service but the fact that they deliver this every day of the week. Spending a night at the B&B will cost £90 for a midweek king size suite and breakfast, which includes fresh fruit, smoothies, home-made jams and toast. ‘Bed and Breakfast By The Beach’ beat several top B&B’s in Milan, Paris and Tokyo and also
Chris and John appeared on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed won Channel 4’s ‘Four In A Bed‘ programme. The Trip Advisor awards have been running for 14 years
and are based on the feedback customers give on their stay at the establishments. Out of the world’s top 25 B&B’s,
BUZZ NEWS nine of them are from the UK. On their recent success, John and Chris said: “Thank you to our guests and thank you to Trip Advisor.”
BU enters top 200 universities worldwide BOURNEMOUTH University has been ranked in the Times Higher Education top 200 list of the most international universities in the world. The accolade comes just a few months after the university entered the top 500 higher education institutions in the world for the first time, according to the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings. BU is ranks at 401 in the world. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are globally recognised and uses the ‘international outlook’ indicator of the World University Rankings to determine the top 200 most international universities. The university caters to many international students which account for 18%. BU’s rank at number 171 puts it ahead of several other UK universities, including Oxford Brookes and University of Salford. At the very top of the ranking is Qatar University, followed by University of Luxembourg and University of Hong Kong.
BU graduate wins BAFTA for Star Wars: The Force Awakens BOURNEMOUTH graduate Paul Kavanagh has won the Best Special Visual Effects BAFTA for his work on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Paul, who collected the award on Sunday, received his masters degree in Computer Animation and visualisation at BU in 1991. He won the award for his work as a visual effects supervisor for the latest Star Wars movie. Paul was joined on stage by collegues from Industrial Light and Magic who created the visual effects. The film was a global success, breaking box office records and grossing over £100 million in the UK alone. Around 20 fellow graduates from the National Centre for Computer Animation at BU worked on the scifi adventure. Many others have contributed to the visual effects for BAFTAnominated films including Mad Max: Fury Road starring Charlize Theron, The Martian starring Matt Damon, and Ex Machina starring Alicia Vikander.. BU alumni have previously worked on Oscar winning films such as Avatar and Gravity. BU graduate Andrew Lockley went on stage to accept Best Visual Effects for Interstellar last year. This was the second Oscar for Andrew who previously won in 2011 for Inception.
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OPINION
Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
BAFTA’s brought into race row Hollie Wong
2016’s awards season has been fraught with controversy. Across the pond this year’s academy awards have been jilted by an astonishing lack of diversity in their list of nominations with all its acting nominations consisting completely of an all-white line-up. The subsequent #OscarsSoWhite Twitter campaign has seemingly shaken Hollywood and called to arms the likes of Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith who have boycotted this year’s Oscars by not attending. The film industry’s struggle over its troublesome relationship with diversity continued in last week’s BAFTAs. The British Academy has received less stick for its lack of diversity, as Oscar-snubbed actors Idris Elba and Benicio Del Toro were both included in the best supporting actor category. But BAFTA’s efforts to dodge the controversy were unbridled. Pitch Perfect actress Rebel Wilson and Borat and Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen called attention to this much-needed issue in last week’s ceremony. “I have never been invited to the Oscars, because as you know they are racists,” joked Wilson when she took the stage to present the best supporting actor category. While Baron Cohen quipped: “The nomination for best white actress
BAFTA’s Diversity dilemma
goes to…” These teasing jibes only slightly call attention to a shocking problem in 2016. Don’t think this problem is merely privileged Hollywood celebrities crying out for attention. This is an engrained social problem regarding
a general lack of opportunity for non-white people. Social tension regarding black Americans and the police in the US and Trump’s racist political campaigning has spilled on to the red carpet as our most loyal allies
Idris Elba controversially failed to be nominated for an Oscar
Super Bowl
Is it a big deal?
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Bowling for Soup
Emily Cox
DEPUTY EDITOR
opinonseditor @bournemouthrock.co.uk
PA
Stop killing off the Pop Punk genre
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are under pressure to acknowledge and embrace diversity. If you think this issue is contained to Hollywood think again. BAFTA’s all-white best actress category highlights this glaring problem is very much a British problem as well.
Out of curiosity I Googled ‘What is Pop-Punk?’ What I found was a group of pretentious Internet dwellers perfecting their list of bands that fit into the genre of pop punk. This included everyone from
EMILY COX Bowling for Soup to Fall Out Boy, The Offspring to Paramore. It also said that these bands are ‘out of touch’ and past their sell by dates by years. There are over 76 definitions of what Pop-Punk is or is not on the Urban Dictionary website and hundreds of articles detailing why punk is or isn’t a dying sub-genre of the rock scene. Everyone from Green
Day to Good Charlotte have been branded with the Pop-Punk stamp of approval and they both continue to entertain fans young and old now. My first problem with this is that all of these bands have sold out tour dates. After recently witnessing the sheer happiness pouring out of a Bowling for Soup show and the variety of ages, genders and fashion statements throughout the
Boscombe 02, I refuse to accept that pop-punk fans are a dying breed. My second point is that a lot of the new, up and coming bands in the rock genre who are now shouting from my television screen whenever I hop back to the Kerrang! Channel fit into the Pop-Punk genre perfectly. All Time Low, We Are the in Crowd and Sleeping With Sirens all slot lovingly into the palm of Pop-Punk’s hand but people refuse to recognise that. They instead choose to lump them somewhere on the alternative music spectrum and glaze over the fact that Pop-Punk is still very much alive. My final issue with the apparent death of pop punk is that it seems to be over zealous Indie or Heavy metal fans who have the problem. They have crawled so far into their cool zones that they refuse to remember the days of bouncing around to pop-punk music in their bedrooms, spiking up their hair and brandishing sweatbands with their favourite artist on them. The genre formed an entire generation and continues to influence younger age groups more and more. I am so excited to see what the future holds for Pop-Punk and will continue to brandish my Defend Pop-Punk title until I’m old and grey.
10 opinion Is it the end for print journalism? Emily Cox Last week saw the announcement that The Independent, a national paper whose history spans over 30 years, is ceasing to exist. With such a prestigious newspaper not being able to withstand the test of the digital era, does this bode well for the future of print journalism? I noticed my favourite magazines becoming more and more expensive. Then I noticed them getting thinner and less frequent. Fast forward to 2016 and I struggle to find many people who still enjoy spending £5.99 on their favourite publications when they can find the bulk of what is included online. The same goes for newspapers. With the Underground now broadening their Wi-fi access people are less inclined to pick up their usual daily paper with the WHSmith meal deal in the morning, favouring the easier alternative to check their phone for the latest updates. The likelihood of newspapers being a dying source of information is increasing every day and the idea terrifies me. We spend enough time gawking at our phones without getting our news fixes solely from the World Wide Web too. Jobs are being lost and soon many perfectly capable and extensively intelligent people will be worrying that their jobs are on the line because they are not trained in what is becoming the audience’s main source of information. While I don’t think the end of print is on the immediate horizon, it is something that is becoming inevitable. Babies are born to play on iPads and gain their knowledge from electronics and it is an obvious progression for a world brought up in a progressive era. I hope that newspapers don’t die out. I hope magazines continue to be printed and yes, I will continue to spend £12.00 on the magazines I crave each month. The idea that future generations may miss out on the joy of turning the pages of their chosen publications really upsets me. Newspapers sit on a nostalgic pedestal for me. I learnt to read not just from library books but the magazines and newspapers left lying around my house. Call me old fashioned but reading an article on a website will never be the same as seeing the words jump from the Sunday newspapers as I discover the depressing trials and tribulations of Worldwide disasters. I hope to be seeing newspapers and magazines adorning our shelves for years to come and while I am addicted to the Internet just like every other twenty-something, I am praying it doesn’t take over print journalism.
Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
Super Bowl is super dull Corrie Smith
OPINIONS EDITOR @Corrie_R_Smith
Beyonce performed new single Formation at the Super Bowl PA
The 50th annual American sporting extravaganza, The Super Bowl, had everyone on the edge of their seats as the Denver Broncos were victorious over the Carolina Panthers, beating them 24 points to 10. Personally, I see no appeal although I am bias in the fact that I am not a sporty person. Watching a couple hours worth of people running up and down with a ball excites me as much as being put in a padded cell and forced to listen to the complete discography of Miley Cyrus for eternity. I do not think I’m alone however. Most of the buzz relating to the Super Bowl, particularly in the UK, surrounds the half-time show rather than the sporting event itself. This time it seems justified. Headliners Coldplay are a British export and should be celebrated for featuring at such a prestigious American event. However, I think it was a terrible shame that Coldplay invited their stage to be shared with Beyonce and Bruno Mars, who are icons in their own right. This completely detracted from the headline act and put Coldplay on the back burner. Further surprise came in the eccentric package that is Lady
Gaga, who sang a pitch-perfect rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Many were shocked that she could pull off such a good vocal performance. I concur that it was indeed very impressive. However, all these elements together surely goes to show that the Super Bowl has just become a means in which mega stars can perform to a global audience. It has been quite clear that the media reported on the actual match itself as much as the musical interludes. Who is really interested in watching the game? Further to this, through the duration of the game, as per usual, there were frequent cuts to commercial breaks. CBS, on which it aired, charged $5 million for a 30 second ad slot during the Super Bowl. It seems to me as if it is used as a money-making gimmick, rather than an event which should demonstrate great sportsmanship, camaradarie and American spirit. The football equivalent, the World Cup, whilst having many ad breaks does not have a focus on a massive half-time spectacle. I just don’t believe that it is actually necessary. By the very fact that the seven most watched American TV broadcasts of all time are in fact a Super Bowl however demonstrates its lasting appeal so as much as I don’t agree with the way in which it’s produced I do understand that my belief is perhaps in a very small minority and it is here to stay.
Time to dump The Jump? Corrie Smith
OPINIONS EDITOR @Corrie_R_Smith Channel 4’s answer to the Winter Olympics is back for its third series. The Jump is infamous for broadcasting C-List celebrities flying off of ski slopes and plummeting to the ground, breaking bones in every nook and cranny of the human anatomy. Reality TV has seemingly hit an all time low. Taking a former Superman actor, Arg from TOWIE and Paul McCartney’s ex and injuring them in the name of entertainment may be appealing to many. However, I can see why there is a public outcry asking to end the show. It is sad that we live in a society where seeing people suffer potentially debilitating injuries has become a source of entertainment. It may come as no surprise that in 2012, ITV turned down the offer to produce the series, deeming it as “too dangerous”. Perhaps it would have been a wise decision for Channel 4 to follow suit. What I find most hard to swallow however is the use of professional athletes. The
likes of Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington and Linford Christie all had to withdraw from this series due to their injuries. Although all retired, this show has put all of these incredibly skilled and revered sportsmen in a position in which they may never be able to compete at any level ever again. This would be their livelihoods destroyed. Obviously, a show like this has to go through multiple rigorous safety checks and thorough precautions must be taken. Furthermore, in the competitors contracts and in the first stages of negotiation, they are surely informed of the risks that they may face. It should also be common sense that a show like this doesn’t come without a high level of danger. So when all is said and done, I don’t believe that Channel 4 should be berated for broadcasting the show when the celebrities themselves are still willing to sign up. Ultimately, they have only got themselves to blame. As well as this, the show still has 2.4 million viewers, so whilst The Jump is still hitting modest ratings it will continue to be broadcast. The best way that those so determined to see its demise can ensure its end is to switch off. No viewers will mean that Channel 4 will have to sit back, take notice and cancel the show.
Beth Tweddle underwent surgery after an injury on the show PA
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FEATURES
The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
The Chocolate Boutique Hotel Imagine a trip entirely themed around chocolate. Now, imagine discovering not even having to leave Bournemouth for the privilege. Charlotte Andrews FEATURES EDITOR @CharlotteEliz1
LGBT History Month
12 Facing your body demons
13
CharlotteBournemouthRock@ gmail.com
The Chocolate Boutique Hotel has been providing chocoholics across the UK with weekends of sumptuous cocoa-sampling since opening in 2013. Situated in Bournemouth’s sophisticated Soho quarter, the hotel is a grade-two listed mansion built in the Nineteenth Century. It boasts being the only chocolatethemed accommodation in the world and was named as one of the top six novelty hotels in the world by The Sunday Times Travel Magazine. The hotel can cater for up to 29 guests and has 15 suites, each given a themed name. The rooms are decorated with chocolate tones; from the creamy white bedding to the rich brown leather sofas and the caramel coloured curtains. The hues contribute to the relaxing, warm atmosphere of the hotel. It provides a chocolate haven for couples, birthday parties and work outings. In their rooms, visitors will find chocolate bars, truffles and a chocolate fountain. The bar encapsulates the theme, offering chocolate cocktails. Some include the Chocini Bikini Martini, the Choccywocky Minty and the Chocmeister. Gerry Wilson is a chocolatier and the brains behind the hotel. “The idea was to theme it on chocolate, but not in a corny way. Each room has chocolate colours and we put chocolate in the rooms. There’s chocolate to help yourself to in the bar, there’s chocolate on
reception and we do chocolate cocktails… it’s all pretty chocolatey!” For breakfast, guests can enjoy chocolate pancakes and, in addition to a night at the hotel, guests can also book a chocolate masterclass workshop with Gerry. “Our chocolate classes are very in-demand. The most popular one is truffle-making but we also do portrait painting, shoes and handbags – all made out of chocolate.” Each communal room has an array of chocolate drops and truffles for guests to help themselves to. Many examples of chocolate portrait paintings are on display in the corridors.
And if after all that, people still haven’t had their fill of chocolate, they can purchase hampers to snack
“
Our chocolate classes are very in-demand.
” on in bed. “We only use high quality Belgian chocolate, which everyone seems to love.” In the past, Gerry has been request-
ed to provide chocolate functions by celebrities, and fitted a chocolate fountain for Katie Price and Peter Andre’s wedding. The hotel was featured on Channel 4’s popular programme Three In A Bed, in which hoteliers stay at each others’ hotels and rate them. Despite not winning, Gerry said: “When we did the TV show, everyone including the film crew loved it.” Gerry and his team have recently invested in another hotel nearby that will be called The Chocolate Box. Gerry explains: “It’ll be the same theme but slightly less extravagant and probably a bit cheaper.”
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Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
Bournemouth celebrates LGBT History Month During the month of February, Bournemouth raises awareness of LGBT History Month and the trials and tribulations faced by the community
An LGBTQ March
Charlotte Callear @ charcallear Bourne Free has been the pinnacle of Bournemouth’s Gay Pride movement for the last 12 years, employing a confidence to be yourself and challenge conformities. Now, Bournemouth’s youth are on board and bringing along the outrageous Lucinda Lashes with them to the very first Student Pride event on the February 23 for LGBT History Month organised by SUBU, AUB SU and BPC SU. A man and queen, Lucinda Lashes, is a performer as colourful
Lucinda Lashes
as the LGBT flag and will be performing as a DJ at the Old Fire Station in drag for the parade’s after party, taking place from 12:30pm at the Arts University Bournemouth Courtyard. The tongue-in-cheek gay drag queen, also known as Ben Edwards Cullens Hathaway (making the benefits of changing persona and giving yourself a different name obvious), dwelled in the joys of an increased acceptance in society. For the past seven years, he has been a representative at Bourne Free which has been around as long as the Civil Partnership Act 2004, a massive milestone in the movement yet still fairly new, begging the
question: has equality really been achieved yet? And if not, how can it be? Lucinda believes: that if our grandmas and grandads had been homosexual, the dedication to normalising the LGBT scene would be none existant. Put more delicately, LGBT History Month is about educating the newer generations and ‘celebrating the contribution of LGBT in society’, as stated in their online magazine. It takes place in February to coincide with the triumph of the abolition of Section 28 in 2003 which banned the ‘promotion’ of homosexual material in schools and councils as acceptable.
LUCINDA LASHES
The aim of the month is to educate out homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and ‘change embedded ignorance (heternormativity)’ so the older generation who brings up the next will have a more open mind. Throughout school, Lucinda was constantly bullied. One incident saw
“
You can just type in ‘gay’ and it will bring up everything around you
” him being knocked unconscious by a concrete police cone when he was 13 and accused of being gay – a realisation that only came about at the age of 23. Lucinda said: “There wasn’t a huge amount of ‘lets walk down the road being gay and happy and throwing petals across the floor.’” Such bullying leads to depression and low self-esteem which Schools Out, an organisation that originated as The Gay Teachers Association in 1974, believes can be prevented by introducing LGBT history and sex education. Stonewall, a charity named after the Stonewall Riots in 1969 which is widely considered to be the defining moment that led to the gay liberation movement, constantly battles the many obstacles facing LGBT people. Last year, donations to the charity enabled 9,300 teachers to receive training on LGBT education. Bournemouth has revealed great progression as its council placed seventh in the Top 10 local authorities in Britain to tackle homophobic and biphobic bulling according to Stonewall’s Education Equality Index in June last year. To Lucinda, such progression is down to what attitudes children are
URBAN BAMBOO
raised with: “Everyone who is born is like a computer; you’re only going to get out of it what you put in. If you put a load of crap in then you’re going to get a load of crap out of them”. Unfortunately, he believes true equality can never be achieved, saying: “We could even go backwards.” With Vladamir Putin’s Russia entering a period of one of the worst human rights violations in the post-Soviet era due to a surge in homophobic propaganda, the future might not be as rainbow-coloured as anticipated. Meanwhile, Western mainstream media continues to increase exposure to LGBT people. More recently, the Golden Globe winning film The Danish Girl, starring Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe, which tells the story of one of the very first men to undergo gender reassignment surgery in the mid-20s, was released. Lucinda added: “We’ve got so much on in the world now where we can get information pretty much anywhere. You can just type in ‘gay’ and it will bring up everything around you and… God knows what else!” With his lesbian friend, he has two children via donor insemination, an eight year old daughter and a six month old son. He said admirably about his daughter: “She knows everything about everything. She speaks to every type of race. She talks to anyone who’s straight or gay, old or young. She’s a little cow at times but what you get out is what you put in.” For Bournemouth’s Student Pride anyone is welcome whether lesbian, gay, bi, transsexual or heterosexual. From July 10-12, the Bourne Free Pride Festival will be taking place so show support by going along and having fun.
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The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
Facing your body demons
Alice Fiancet Dominic Edwards is 31. As a teenager he started obsessively thinking about how his legs looked. “I would check men’s legs in magazines and check mine in the mirror. At its worst I’d be in front of the mirror for 10 hours.” The mildest comment that someone made, even if just in passing, would turn into an obsessional thought: “You become worried that in some way you’re different from other people. “You’re operating on 20% because you can’t think about anything else.” Edwards suffers with bodydysmorphia disorder (BDD), a condition that affects 1 in 10 men in the UK. According to Cognitive Behavioural therapist Stuart Mead, it is a condition where people have a preoccupation with a part or parts of their body: “It affects the way they think, feel, their relationships and the way they live their lives.” Edwards’ obsession with how he looked slowly started to get worse. He began to exercise excessively, having to go for a run everyday in order to relieve the worry he was feeling.
RUNAR EILERTSEN
It is an anxiety disorder affecting an increasing amount of men. Many of these will be suffering with muscle-dysmorphia, a form of BDD that leads men to abuse their bodies, overdose on steroids and in some cases can drive them to suicide. Many sufferers are turning towards steroids as a means of helping them get the body they think they should have.
“
One of the main consequences is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and of cerebral events.
”
Figures published by the Home Office show that 60,000 people were using steroids in 2014 but it is estimated that there are a lot more. According to Professor Julien Baker, who specialises in steroids at the University of the West of Scotland, needle exchange centres have seen a usage increase of 600% in the last decade with the average age of steroid users being men in their early 20s. Between 2009 and 2012, the number of teenagers who used steroids more than doubled. Professor Baker’s research has found that children as young as 13 are now using them. But why are people
No shortcuts: Weightlifting requires years of dedicated training
Raising awareness of Body Dysmorphia Disorder in UK males taking steroids and what has led to this increase? Experts believe that the growing culture of quick results and instant gratification could be linked to the rise in BDD sufferers choosing steroids. This sentiment is echoed by drug-free British bodybuilding champion Jon Harris: “People want results now rather than later, it can’t be done overnight so the shortcut is to use drugs to get there.” Altug Kop, who suffered with muscle-dysmorphia from the age of 16 believes that the “pitfalls” of Instagram and Facebook are to blame. Kop had always idolised the biggest names in wrestling and wanted to be just like them. He thought he could look like the top names in wrestling almost instantly. Some of the trainees at his wrestling school squashed his naivety and told him he would never get there naturally and pushed him into considering the use of steroids. Following two years of researching, Kop decided he was going to take them: “I felt I had to give myself that edge.” Harris considered taking steroids at 19 following an international competition but after doing research, he decided against it. He found that there were lots of options to compete drug-free: “I felt I had an avenue I could pursue safely
RUNAR EILERTSEN
and didn’t need drugs.” With many psychological and physiological effects associated with them, people believe they are taking steroids to look better when in fact they could be doing the opposite. Professor Baker explains: “One of the main consequences is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and of cerebral events.” With the Internet being so accessible, it’s no wonder that buying steroids is so easy. Kop fell into this by purchasing his online but realised it wasn’t going to be that simple. “I was always scared before I did it because you heard horror stories about people going into their sciatic nerve.” Accidental damage is a danger associated with the use of steroids and a lack of knowledge is one of the biggest killers. Professor Baker conducted a study and found that over 30% of the samples analysed were counterfeit, with one containing aftershave and olive oil. “You don’t know what these people are putting into the substances they are selling.” The average BDD sufferer will keep silent for a long time before seeking help, some even waiting 10 years. Edwards knows all about this: “I suffered in silence until everything started falling apart. I was late all the time.” With this silence comes the danger
BDD Sufferer Dominic Edwards
of suicide. It is estimated that 1 in every 330 people diagnosed with BDD take their own lives each year. As with other mental disorders, families play an essential role in the recovery process. Edwards’ father was the one who helped him realise he had a problem and encouraged him to see a doctor. The treatment for BDD involves a combination of medication and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Sufferers are given SSRIs, antidepressants that decrease the obsessive and compulsive behaviours. Mead explains that CBT works by looking at situations people find themselves in and their reactions to them. The therapist then works with the sufferer, finding ways to change those reactions and thoughts into something positive. Kop and Edwards battled with their body demons but have found ways to cope with BDD. Kop has started a fitness blog to help people excerise without becoming obsessed with aesthetics. His modus operandi is to stop kids from getting into steroids “You can’t inject years of training in a bottle.” Edwards now works for the BDD foundation helping other sufferers to cope with their disorder. “There is a way out, I was diagnosed at 19 and have been getting better ever since.”
ALICE FIANCET
14 features
Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
Emily Cox Photography showcase @Thedreaminglily
When I was deciding if I was going to persue education again, I busied myself by learning more about photo editing and how to use a camera to my best ability. This led me to freelancing weddings and working on studio shoots throughout my time at college, where I studied Media Production, and into University where I take Communications and Media. I used a variety of cameras including DSLRs and film cameras that I had loved so much as a child. I continue to use my love for photography to further my blog, The Dreaming Lily, and to enhance freelance ventures. My passion for photography grows stronger every day and I am excited to experiment with different styles in the future.
Travel on film
Film photography is a fond past time of mine and on a trip to Milan I captured this city centre scene.
Women of Britain
I created a photography project based around the different cultures, looks and identities UK women associate themselves with.
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The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
Festivals
Capturing memories and moments from festivals is one of my favourite past times. These ones from The Village at Download 2014 really captured the atmosphere.
Weddings
I have previously photographed weddings and attended the Most Curious Wedding Fair at Truman’s Brewery in London where these two photographs came from.
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Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
The silver surfers of the Internet With the rise of digital communication over snail mail, older people are embracing online media to boost their personal and social lives. Chris Jones investigates
Margaret Mullet at the Age Action Ireland Silver Surfer Awards with the playing band
Chris Jones In the mid-90s Shirley Curry was given a computer and videogame by her son, igniting a passion that was ignored by her friends for many years. But when her son introduced her to YouTube in 2007 and made her an account, Shirley was able to connect with other like-minded individuals and her passion grew. Eight years later and she has become popular in the online gaming community, enjoying success on her channel that has, at the time of writing, 110,000 subscribers. Shirley loves to talk about her passions, which also include quilting and reading, and says her experience of using YouTube has enriched her social life beyond anything she experienced before. “The greatest thing about this experience online is that I’m meeting so many people and that I get to share something that I love doing with others,” says Shirley, who is 79. “Other older gamers will comment to me letting me know they’re an older gamer.” She’s still a member of the quilting guild, a friend of the library board, and goes out with her friends, but wants to use her popular channel to attract other older gamers, “because I feel we are not represented enough on YouTube,” she says. Her first gameplay video was immediately popular on community website Reddit.com. This prompted her to become more active online as the demand for her genuine style of commentary grew among younger viewers.
“It’s the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me,” she recalls. “I put it up there just because I thought it would be fun to try and record and because a lot of commenters had asked me ‘why don’t you record games?’” Shirley begins each commentary video with “hey grandkids!” the vast majority of her audience being in the age range of 18-34. The twoway conversation in the comments section, with personal thoughts and praise from viewers, has proved to be touching for her. “I love reading their comments and I try to respond to as much as possible. Some of them have made me cry with their laments about their elders,” adds Shirley. Her experience of posting videos online has so far been stimulating and rewarding. “I’m a happy and busy person but this has given me something else more fun to do.” In 2006, Age Action Ireland set up its annual Silver Surfer Awards. Designed to raise awareness of the achievements of over 50’s who use the Internet, they also showcase the benefits of being online. “I think the awards really highlight the amazing things that older people are doing and once people retire there is a lot more they can still contribute hugely to society,” explains Pauline Power, National Development Manager at Age Action and manager of the Silver Surfer Awards. “They’ve got a huge life experience, such knowledge and value.” Chicago-based YouTube video blogger Craig Benzine sees the social appeal of YouTube. “I think that [starting a YouTube
channel] would be fantastic, aspects of society can be represented on YouTube that aren’t represented as well in other places.” The site is currently used by 44% of baby boomers in the US, but the predominant age group on the site is still 18-34. According to Craig, a big social push is needed to encourage older people online. Shelia Cotton, Professor of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State University, emphasises the need to encourage older people online with research published last year that found Internet use among the elderly could reduce the chances of depression by more than 30 per cent. “It all has to do with older persons being able to communicate, to stay in contact with their social networks, and just not feel lonely,” says Shelia to MSUToday, who led the research published in the Journal of Gerontology in April 2014. According to the National Strategy Development Report published in July 2013, only 3% of those aged 75 and over had used the Internet. Age Action believes there is a real need to encourage more people to go online and use internet based services, especially those over 50. “These are people who might be very confident, managing their affairs up to now but because they’re missing out online they’re certainly struggling,” says Pauline. Since beginning the annual awards, Pauline has no doubt that they’ve made a difference to its winners. “They’ve transformed people’s lives. It’s just getting those amazing stories out there to people and inspiring others to give it a go.”
AGE ACTION IRELAND
Shirley Curry, a 79-year-old Youtube gamer
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SPORT
The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
New sport Yball hits Bournemouth Oliver Dyer
BU student on world stage Does FA Cup matter to Cherries?
Dorset derby
liamgrace02@hotmail.com
YBALL, a new high intensity, semi contact sport originating in Bournemouth, is helping to get people of all sexes, ages and abilities fit and healthy, using just a PA system and a nerf ball. The sport created by Vince Golden, 53, combines elements of handball, basketball, and netball with the aim of the game being to get the nerf from goal defender to goal receiver in ten passes. One catch equals one goal. Vince, who previously played American Football twice for England, came up with the game after admitting he could no longer deal with the consequences from such an impact sport. “I used to play for about 14 years,” he said. “As I’m getting older I could do without the injuries but I still want to play a high tempo game. I still want to play a sport.” He added: “It’s a cardio based, catch and pivot game.” “It’s about space awareness and the nerf ball we use now gives us that speed I want in the game.” Despite being a high intensity sport, Yball remains fun with music being played throughout. The music takes the competitive mind set away: “The referee who’s
Yball being played on Bournemouth beach on the microphone is neutral so you’ll get roasted, like in America.” The sport, which can even be played at night using high vision jackets and goggles, is forever growing in popularity and currently has two primary schools with the sport on their curriculum, and has also got a year-old society here at BU. Despite admitting to being thrilled with the reaction, Vince isn’t
planning to stop there and has high expectations for the sport and the community it creates.. Vince, who is originally from Gloucester but moved to Bournemouth 13 years ago, said: “Football started with one person’s idea and so did rugby. Yball starts with me today, with my idea. Yball is about the community coming together, people having BBQs and listening to music together.
YBALL “We’re looking at doing starter packs and having a few lectures in the future, looking to get people actually physically coaching Yball. “And there are a few people looking to sponsor us and jump on board.” Vince coaches alongside fellow Yball promoter and BU student Steve Dewdney, 25, every Sunday at 11am until 1pm in the SUBU sports hall where you can take part for £4.
Boscombe hosts special boxing night Danny Lewis
BOSCOMBE’S O2 Academy is often revered for having talented musicians gracing its stage, but on February 20th it will be boxing talent that is taking over the arena. The ‘Evening of Professional Boxing’ event will be considered as a showcase of up and coming boxing talents, as there will be local fighters and even fighters from Europe pitting their wits against each other. If November’s ‘Fast and the Furious’ event is anything to go by then this is one that boxing fans in Bournemouth will not want to miss. There was a great showcase of local talent, with shorts decorated in AFC Bournemouth badges and one local boxer even had Cherries legend Steven Fletcher in their corner. At the upcoming event, the local talent on offer will include the likes of Jake Gosling, Jake Best and Jimmy Cooper amongst others and so it will be good for the locals to see the fighters who could be representing Dorset in the future. As well as this, there will be a number of people who are trying to raise their profile on the boxing stage in England, whether that
Boxing is set to take centre stage in Bournemouth
is a youngster coming through or somebody who is new to the country and so this should ensure that there will be plenty of passion on an action packed night. The use of venues such as this can be seen as a great tool to attract more people to come to watch boxing, which will inevitably help the sport to grow in stature. Promoter Mark Prior said: “The
O2 is such a good venue and if we can get more people to come to the shows then it will help to get more professional fighters through.” He admits that work needs to be done in order to get more people into the venue but also said that “When people go to the events they will always come back”, due to the enjoyment they have, which has to be seen as encouraging. With the rise of certain sports
FLIKR
in the area and many forms of entertainment on offer in the town, boxing may not be under the spotlight as much as football and other sports but these events will help improve both the fighters involved and the amount of people watching. Boxing fans should be looking forward to seeing their sport take centre stage at the O2 and hopefully can look forward to many more venues and dates in the future.
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Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
Cherries v Stoke City : Picture special Steve Cook and Simon Francis battle for the ball
PA
MATCH FACTS AFC Bournemouth 1 Stoke City 3 Possession: Cherries 66%, Stoke 34% Shots on target: Cherries 2, Stoke 6 Corners: Cherries 9, Stoke 2 Scorers: Ritchie (AFCB), Imbula, Afellay, Joselu (Stoke)
Benik Afobe in action
PA
Stoke City’s Ibrahim Afellay gets away from AFCB’s Harry Arter
PA
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Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
England tipped for Six Nations glory Liam Driscoll @LiamDriscoll96 WITH Europe’s biggest international rugby competition returning to centre stage, the postWorld Cup boasting battle begins. England, being the bookmaker’s favourites, will look to take the title from reigning champions Ireland. However, can the England squad led by new coach Eddie Jones live up to the expectations? Bournemouth locals seem to think so: “Watch out for Danny Care around the break down,” said rugby fan Neil Bibby. “His snipes will put England on the front foot.” Having selected Danny Care at scrum half, England will look to give quick ball to their backs. They will also be dangerous at ruck time with the back row trio of Chris Robshaw, James Haskell and Billy Vunipola. Despite being the favourites, England were beaten by an injury struck Wales team in the group stage of the World Cup. Wales will look to kick their way to their first Grand Slam in three years through the boot of Dan Biggar while the returning centre partnership of Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies will
provide a solid platform for Wales to attack from. Wales make the trip to Twickenham in the penultimate round of the tournament which England fan George Jones believes will decide who is crowned champions: “The Robshaw – Warburton battle will decide the six nations. If Robshaw can get enough ball, Jonathan Joseff will run the tries in.”With injuries in key positions, Ireland could struggle this year but will be hoping new captain Rory Best can carry them to silverware. The French and their new squad are somewhat underdogs this tournament following a poor World Cup. They have appointed a new coach, Guy Noves, who has surprisingly left Mattieu Bastareaud out of the squad and the tournament marks the start of a French campaign without retired captain Thierry Dusautoir. The surprise package of the World Cup, Scotland, could cause some upsets. The impact of W P Nel at tighthead prop has meant Scotland’s scrum is now solid and the Gray Brothers being line out specialists means Scotland’s set piece platform is very effective. They also have a mobile pack with a very high work rate who will try to break games up. Italy, also with injury worries, are huge underdogs at this Six Nations. They will be heavily reliant on their talisman Sergio Parisse up front and Exeter Chief, Michele Campangaro
in the backs. With nothing to lose and some direct players in the backline they could have one of their best tournaments in recent years. France vs Ireland Ireland travelled to Paris for the first game of the second round. Coming off the back of good form against Wales, Ireland were big favourites. The game disappointed and was a scrappy lacklustre affair. Handling errors riddled the game and neither Johnny Sexton or Jules Plisson took charge. The former left the field in the second half with an injury. Both teams were unimaginative in attack playing lateral rugby and rarely broke the gain line. The stalemate saw Ireland leading 9-3 until the 72nd minute as Maxime Medard parted the Irish defence. Plisson added the extras. France win 10-9, securing the seven vital points in just eight minutes. Wales vs Scotland Saturday evening’s game set the stage for another frantic battle. Wales started well, scoring seven points in as many minutes. Scotland bounced back with a score of their own, Russel’s cross field kick was gathered in the corner by Seymour to touch down. Scotland dominated for long periods but with second half tries from Jamie Roberts and George North, Wales claimed the victory – 27-23. Man of the match deservedly went to Jamie Roberts who’s work rate and tackle count were through
Bournemouth locals are backing England (left) for Six Nations glory.
the roof. Italy vs England England remain top after the second round of the Six Nations with an emphatic 40-9 win in Rome. It was a game of two halves. The first half was dull with England leading 11-9 at the break. George Ford scored the only try of the half which Farrell failed to convert. After the interval, the game continued as the first half ended until the 53rd minute when Jonathan Joseff capitalised on a poor Italian offload to open the flood gates. Joseff went on to score two more completing his hat-trick.
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Farrell added another in the dying moments of the game to cap off the victory. Replacements Danny Care and debutant Maro Itoje made a big impact when they came off the bench – Care sped the game up and Itoje made crucial turnovers at the break down.After the first round, England sit at the top of the table. However, with Ireland and Wales both performing strongly it seems England may soon be knocked from the top. Only time will tell if Bournemouth rugby fans will be disappointed come the 19th of March when the Six Nations concludes.
Competition in sport creates true greatness Jason Lewis @_JasonLewis
Novak Djokovic recently won the 2016 Australian Open.
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AFC BOURNEMOUTH fans are fortunate to be experiencing greatness in their current team, born from the spirit of manager Eddie Howe. When Howe’s time does inevitably come to move on to bigger pastures there will be no doubt about his spot at the top of the Cherries hall of fame. Appreciation of greatness is rarely so black and white. As Novak Djokovic stepped forward to collect the Australian Open title in January, a record sixth triumph in Melbourne, the world number one took his Grand Slam tally to 11. Yet, his popularity and support from tennis and sports fans alike falls way short in comparison to his decorated record. Djokovic is a sporting great. The Serbian’s statistics speak volumes. In an era of Nadal, Federer and Murray he has seized control in the power struggle and done it with a brand of tennis that should excite and amaze even the armchair fans amongst us. Alongside his hoard of Grand
Slams he has won the end of season Tour Finals five times, reached 15 straight finals in 2015, had 185 weeks at world number one and is the only member of the ‘big four’ to hold a positive head-to-head against the others in the elite group. Federer is now 34 and having had knee surgery there is still doubts if he will come back the same player. In the case of Nadal, although still only aged 29, you have to fear the best of his career has already been and gone. Whilst Murray continues to get every ounce of success from his ability, it takes a super-human effort from the Scot to challenge the world number one. The Olympics is something that is missing from Djokovic’s CV and he will be looking to amend that in Rio this summer. What remains after that is to haul in Nadal’s record of 14 Grand Slam’s, before mounting a charge on Federer’s 17. Achieving these feats will not define his greatness however. His achievements to date should already provide enough weight to his cause to sit on the top table of tennis history. What must be remembered is that things can suddenly change in sport.
Blink and the era of sporting magnificence in tennis will be a time that we look back on with both fond memories but also regret. A regret that we did not enjoy the experience of Djokovic’s near flawless game causing havoc to the rest of the tennis field. Football will always maintain a global pull, but warnings must be headed as the two giants of the game enter the final few acts of their esteemed careers. Lionel Messi will feel at the peak of his powers, but with so many games under his belt it is naïve to picture him playing into his late 30s. Cristiano Ronaldo has begun the journey into the 30s and is already being managed by physio staff to ensure we see him in full flight for as long as possible. Neymar has commenced his climb to being a global superstar, but without competition his fame will never reach the heights of Messi or Ronaldo. It is this collision of greatness that provides us with a double-edged sword. The luxury as fans to see such brilliance compete against each other is enthralling, but in the case of tennis and Djokovic it can far too often leave us greedy for something more than sporting class.
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Friday 19th February 2016 | The Rock
University student Chloe Thomas to compete on table tennis world stage Liam Grace SPORTS EDITOR @liamgrace_
BOURNEMOUTH University’s own Chloe Thomas, a first year nutrition student, is set to represent Wales at the World Table Tennis Championships this month. The 21-year-old, who originally hails from the small Welsh town of Tredegar, has lived in Bournemouth for the last five years. Speaking exclusively to the The Rock, Chloe said: “I found out in an email that I had been selected for the World Championships. I was mega happy. I’ve never played in the team championship before so I can add this to my list of achievements.” The World Championships take place in Malaysia from the 28th February to the 6th March. Quite remarkably, Chloe has been playing senior table tennis since the age of thirteen, playing against fully grown adults. “My older brother got me into table tennis. “He played to begin with,” explains Chloe. “I picked up a bat for the first time when I was nine years old.
I started doing a forehand just as the pros did it. The coach saw and asked me if I wanted to join their club,” she added. Chloe then played for her local county team Blaenau Gwent before impressing Welsh scouts at national tournaments when she was twelve. “At one time I was playing for Wales under thirteens, under fifteens, under eighteens and the senior team all at the same time,” she said. Chloe, who moved to the south coast at the age of sixteen, decided to further her studies locally at Bournemouth University whilst pursuing a career as a table tennis star in September 2015. However, she admits that she is not your everyday student: “I train four times a week for two hours on the table and also have to go to the gym three times a week to stay fit. I could say I’m quite busy juggling everything but I’m enjoying it. “I don’t live a normal university life like every first year does but I’m happy with it. It’s all about finding a balance.” Chloe has played in two individual World Championships before but never as part of a team, playing in the Netherlands in 2011 and China in 2015. “I was absolutely gutted,” admits Chloe, talking about last year’s
Chloe Thomas in action for Wales. World Championship. “I won two games in the group stage and only didn’t progress by two points. I came second in my group but only one goes through.” Chloe is keen to correct that this time around, but admits there is more pressure playing in a team than individually. “I find it more pressure personally playing for a team because you have to carry your own weight and you don’t want to let the team down,”
BU she said. However, the World Champions are by no means the end of the road for Chloe. In fact, her current season does not end until May this year: “After this tournament I go into the Luxembourg Open on the World Tour which is at the end of March during the Easter break.” “Then I have the National Championships on the 14th May then a break before the season starts again in September.”
Gold medal for BU’s Noorin Gulam Luke Hastings CHIEF REPORTER @LukeHastings1
BOURNEMOUTH University scholar Noorin Gulam has won a weightlifting gold medal at the English Senior Championships in Manchester. Noorin retained her title for the second year running, winning a gold medal in the -53kg class, fighting off stiff competition. The BU scholar took the top spot after making five out of six of her attempts, lifting an impressive total of 154kg. She also achieved a personal best as she lifted 70kg in the snatch discipline, which was just 2kg short of the current British senior record. She spoke exclusively to The Rock about her success and what’s next for BU’s very own weightlifting gold medallist: How many times a week do you train? “I train 6 days a week at Sport BU!” How hard do you work for your
success? “I’d say I work pretty hard towards my successes, I am lucky enough to train with people who are determined to work hard and achieve, so it’s a pleasure to train with the Bournemouth University Weightlifting team.” When did you first notice how strong you were? “I wouldn’t say there is an initial notice of strength, you just realise that if you put in the work you get results.” Did you have to work hard to get where you are now? “I definitely had to put in a huge amount of work to get to the standard I am now, I was never naturally strong hence why it can be argued it’s taken me a little while longer that some individuals that are naturally strong and genetically gifted.” How did you get into doing weightlifting? “I actually got into the sport of Olympic weightlifting in GSCE P.E. It was introduced to me in my practical lessons, as I didn’t have a sport I was particularly good at, so I decided to take up weightlifting in the hope that I’d develop good
Noorin Gulam competing in the English Senior Championships. BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY
technique to pass the course.” How proud are you of your achievements? “I’m extremely proud of all that I have achieved to date, it really goes to show that if you put the work in you get results and I am pleased I have managed to balance studying and lifting.” How did it feel to retain your title for the second year in a row? “There was some fresh talent at the recent English Championships
and it was really a battle to show that I had what it took to be the best and I’m really pleased to have proven myself as an athlete that has already been involved in the sport and one that has faced some injuries in the past year.” What’s next for you? “I’m really looking forward to making an international debut this year, specifically the European U23’s and World University Championships.”
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The Rock | Friday 19th February 2016
Premier League survival or FA Cup glory for Cherries? Tommy Churchyard @t0mmychurchyard
AFC BOURNEMOUTH have made a strong start to their Emirates FA Cup campaign this season, seeing off Birmingham City and Portsmouth to set up a fifth round showdown with fellow Premier League outfit Everton on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium. A victory against The Toffees would see Eddie Howe’s men one win away from a trip to Wembley and just three wins away from lifting the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history. It would also mean Cherries would reach an FA Cup quarter-final for the first time since 1957, back when the club was known as the Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Football Club. However, with Bournemouth sitting only four points above the relegation zone at the time of writing, should they be dreaming of lifting silverware or concentrating on survival in the Premier League? Looking at the starting line-ups for the two games played in the FA Cup so far this season, it would seem that Eddie Howe’s opinion is with the latter. For the third round win away at Birmingham, Cherries boss Howe made eleven changes to the side he put out against Leicester in the Premier League a week before. It was a similar story in the fourth round in which Adam Smith was the only player to remain in the side following the previous Premier League game against Sunderland. Whilst many clubs fall down the trap of fielding weakened sides and losing to lower league opposition every season, Bournemouth have avoided this and managed to progress whilst resting their better players; a win-win scenario. There is no doubt that rotating the starting line-up has its positives. It allows players who aren’t getting regular game time to improve their match fitness so they are better prepared when needed in the league games. It also allows younger players to prove themselves on the big stage and regular first teamers a rest to let their bodies recover from the gruelling Premier League fixture list. But fielding a second string side is unlikely to continue
Marc Pugh (left) celebrates after sending Cherries through to the fifth round. PA
producing results, especially against an in-form Everton team. I think it is fair to say Howe would have to minimalize rotation in the latter rounds in order to fulfil the dream of a cup final at Wembley. But is it worth it in the long run? You only have to look at the capitulation of Wigan Athletic to see that winning the FA Cup does not always have a fairy-tale ending. Despite lifting the trophy in 2013, Wigan got relegated from the Premier League in the same season and now play their football in League One. I am sure many Latics fans would instantly swap their FA Cup win for Premier League status again, should they have the option to do so. There is nothing to suggest that the same would happen to AFC Bournemouth if they do well in the FA Cup, as they are a club who have progressed unbelievably since almost dropping out the football league in 2008, but history can have a nasty habit of repeating itself. Although Cherries fans have been turning out in numbers to support their side in the FA Cup so far this season, with 2354 fans travelling to Birmingham and 2885 travelling along the coast to Portsmouth, the general feeling amongst the supporters is that
Premier League survival takes absolute priority over a cup run. Cherries fan Matthew West says: “I think our entire efforts should be focussed on the Premier League campaign as teams in the past have done well in the FA Cup but have been relegated and are now struggling to get back into the Premier League.” This is reinforced by another Cherries fan, Edward Williamson, who also looks at the financial benefits of staying in the Premier League, especially as Bournemouth were in administration not so long ago. He adds: “As a club that’s just been promoted, it will be better for us to focus on the Premier League as it will financially put us in a better position in the future.” But does it have to be one or the other? Bournemouth only have to play three more games after Saturday in order to win the FA Cup and it may not affect the league campaign at all. This is a view taken by Tom Mitchell, who says: “If we have a good FA Cup run, it could boost the confidence of the team which may carry over to the league and see us finish even higher than we are now.” But in the modern era of football, where the FA Cup is argued to be losing its magic, it can be argued that there is too
much risk injuring players in cup games when the rewards of staying in the Premier League are far greater. It is much more important to stabilise AFCB as a Premier League club before worrying about winning the FA Cup. That time can come in the not so distant future, when we all hope Cherries will be pushing for a top half finish in the Premier League as opposed to fighting for survival. It is a shame that the FA Cup has been shunted to the back of the priority list for most Premier League clubs nowadays and hopefully the past magic of the cup can be reignited. But the reality of the situation is that the top flights clubs battling for survival have to put the league campaign first to avoid relegation at all costs. Cherries cannot end up like Wigan, Portsmouth or Birmingham, who all got relegated the same season as they did well in the cup. It will be very interesting to see who Howe decides to start on Saturday and that will give us more of an idea about his intentions for the rest of the season. But with a semi-final at Wembley only two wins away, winning the FA Cup is now a genuine possibility for AFCB, a feat deemed unthinkable by many back in 2008.
FA Cup 5th round draw: Arsenal vs Hull Reading vs West Brom Watford vs Leeds Bournemouth vs Everton (Live on BBC One at 5.15pm on Saturday 20th February) Blackburn vs West Ham Chelsea vs Man City Tottenham vs Crystal Palace Shrewsbury vs Man United
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Friday 19th February 2016| The Rock
Behind the Dorset derby
Poole Town (right) and Weymouth (left) are Dorset rivals and contest the El Jurassico derby. Luke Robers is mobbed after putting the Dolphins 2-0 up.
Ben Bonsey DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR @BenBonsey Poole Town 2 Weymouth 0
DOLPHINS beat fellow Dorset rivals Weymouth at Tatnam earlier this month in a heated Dorset derby. On the day, Poole town sat second in the league, four places above rivals Weymouth. With 676 fans turning up to this re-arranged match, an impressive number for a Tuesday night at this level, optimism was in the air for both sets of fans. Poole Town Secretary, Lisa Cann, was in high hopes coming into the evening’s game: “This game means the world. Apart from promotion, this will be our biggest game of this season for
a supporter. “It brings a lot of money to the club which we need. To have the original tie postponed on a bank holiday was disappointing, but there was good turn out and a good atmosphere from the Weymouth fans.” Tony Smith, a Weymouth fan for 47 years, said: “It always means a lot when it’s a Dorset derby, but I was reading on the Poole forum that their fans think this is the true El Jurassico, but it’s not, Weymouth against Dorchester is.” Weymouth have been slightly off the boil recently but Tony went onto say: “If we don’t end up in the play-offs I will be disappointed.” The game started off at a slow pace, which was then halted due to a floodlight failure on the 27th minute. Until this point nothing had really happened in the game other than two yellow cards. With the game only being five minutes away from being suspended,
much like the light its self, a spark entered the game after the 40 minute delay. Poole hit the bar late on in the second half, which could have easily put the Dolphins in a commanding position. Weymouth had an early long range effort in the second half causing an acrobatic save from Dolphins goalkeeper Nick Hutchings. In the 60th minute, Weymouth’s Shane Krac made another reckless challenge resulting in his second yellow card in the game, putting Weymouth down to ten men. From this point on, Poole Town seemed in control of the game. The breakthrough came soon after on the 63rd minute when Luke Burbridge played a neat through ball to Marvin Brooks who smashed it into the back of the net putting Poole Town 1-0 up. Soon after the lead was doubled by Luke Roberts. He picked up the ball on the half way line,
passed three Weymouth players before beautifully lobbing the keeper to make it 2-0 in the 76th minute. The game petered out from this point, with never team playing particularly well. However, it was a huge three points for the Dolphins to put them back in control of the league leading by two points and a game in hand over second place Chippenham Town. Poole Vice-Chairman Chris Reeves said after the game: “I think we deserved the win, our lads got a few draws recently but the quality of the performances have been pretty sound and I was pleased with them tonight.” “It was a typical derby. I was relatively comfortable and confident we would come through before the red card, but the red card on this big pitch does make a difference. “I think we would be very disappointed if we ended up in the playoffs, but after last season we definitely are not going to count any
ANDY ORMAN
chickens. Poole Town manager Tom Killick was also in a positive mood after the game: “We have had, by our standards, four poor results in having four draws, so the league table doesn’t look as rosy as it did three or four weeks ago. The vital thing was whoever we were playing tonight, we needed to get back to winning ways. To be strong physically and mentally was very pleasing.” “It is huge because of the points we dropped, if we dropped more points today suddenly there is an awful lot of pressure going into another home game on Saturday, I feel like this takes the pressure off a little bit and can give us a bit of confidence going into Saturday, trying to put together a little run of wins.” Poole sit top of the league with 16 games to go, this year looks like it could be the year of the Dolphin as Poole Town edge closer and closer to automatic promotion.
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The Rock |Friday 19th February 2016
Eddie Howe: Cherries ‘lacked confidence’ in Stoke defeat Dan Bennett DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR @JournoDan97 EDDIE HOWE blamed a lack of confidence for his side’s home defeat to Stoke City on Saturday, as Cherries were beaten 3-1 by the Potters. Goals from Giannelli Imbula, Ibrahim Afellay and Joselu sealed the victory for Stoke as Matt Ritchie’s 56th minute goal failed to spark a comeback for the home side. Despite an improved second half for Cherries going forward, two quick fire goals at the start of the half along with Imbula’s early first half strike were enough to give Stoke victory against Howe’s side. Howe said: “We realise we need to be at our fluent best at this level to win games and in that first half we were a little bit hesitant and a little bit negative with what we were trying to do and our usual movements weren’t quite right. I can only, at this moment, put that down to confidence levels.” Bournemouth enjoyed far more possession than Stoke but failed to carve out many clear cut opportunities, until Matt Ritchie and Josh King were introduced at the start of the second half. Howe added: “I thought we were a lot more positive in the
second half despite the fact we conceded those two goals and we did create chances. We had some really good opportunities we didn’t take.” The result comes as a disappointment to Cherries fans given their side’s good form prior to the Arsenal game and Stoke’s poor form leading up to this fixture. Though Howe insisted: “I think any defeat can be a positive in time because hopefully it makes you refocus your aims and ideas and everything that you’re trying to do and that’s what we need to do at this moment.” “It’s now very much focused on the next challenge but know we have to do better.” Howe made one change for the fixture, bringing in Junior Stanislas for Matt Ritchie whilst Jon Walters replaced Marko Arnautovic in the Stoke starting eleven. Despite a bright start to the game by the Cherries, they went behind on nine minutes thanks to a brilliant goal from midfielder Imbula who managed to beat Artur Boruc and find the bottom corner from the edge of the area with a spectacular volley. Bournemouth were looking for an instant response and Marc Pugh nearly found Benik Afobe with his powerful cross, though Stoke were able to clear their lines. The Potters continued to threaten Howe’s side with their attacking pace, Jon Walters nearly made it two around the 20 minute
mark as his effort on the half volley hit the side netting, much to the surprise of the travelling Stoke supporters who thought his effort went in. Xherdan Shaqiri was the next Stoke City player to go close as he cut in from the right hand side and unleashed a powerful strike at Boruc, who was forced to palm away the Swiss international’s effort. Cherries were attempting to create opportunities but went without success as a series of corners were dealt with well by the Stoke defence. This was before Walters had his second big chance of the game, latching onto an Afellay through ball before firing an effort into the arms of Boruc. Jack Butland wasn’t tested much in the first half but was forced to deal with Marc Pugh’s looping effort as he tipped the ball away to safety. There were big appeals from Cherries fans a few minutes before half time as Afobe was sent through on goal and fell over under the challenge of Muniesa, who appeared to miss the ball with his attempted challenge, but the referee gave nothing. The half ended with Bournemouth 1-0 down and Howe was clearly keen to see his side create more opportunities in the second half, introducing Josh King and Matt Ritchie in place of Dan Gosling and Marc Pugh in an effort to get back into the game as
Eddie Howe watches on as his side lost 3-1 to Stoke.
Stoke introduced Teixeira for the injured Muniesa. King was immediately involved in proceedings and found himself in a great position on 47 minutes but was denied by Butland from very close range. However, Stoke were still showing signs of adding to their goal tally and did through Afellay. Bournemouth were caught out on the break as Walters picked up the ball on the right hand side before laying a perfect pass into Afellay who buried his effort into the bottom right corner from the edge of the area. The Potters then made it three just two minutes later as Shaqiri’s cross found the head of substitute Joselu, who headed home just a minute after coming off of the bench in place of Glen Johnson. It seemed to be game over for Bournemouth but Matt Ritchie gave the fans some belief on 56 minutes as the winger caught an
Cherries boss Eddie Howe has signed three players in twelve days. PA
PA
effort beautifully on his right foot and managed to find the bottom corner to bring the score back to 3-1. Cherries looked inspired by Ritchie’s goal and continued to threaten the Stoke defence as Afobe found himself in space at the back post but volleyed over the crossbar. Howe introduced Juan Iturbe on 74 minutes in the hope of finding a result and his tricky work down the left wing on 79 minutes won Bournemouth a corner which was then dealt with by Stoke before Arter fired over from the clearance. The game finished 3-1 in what was a disappointing afternoon for AFC Bournemouth. A poor first half along with two quick fire second half goals were enough to lose them the match and despite improvements being made after the introductions of King and Ritchie, a three goal comeback never really looked on the cards.
Howe: ‘I get several letters a week from fans asking for tickets’ Liam Grace SPORTS EDITOR @liamgrace_ CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe has admitted that he receives “several letters a week” from AFC Bournemouth supporters asking for tickets to home matches. Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium is currently the smallest football ground in the Premier League, housing just 11,700 people. The ground was built back in 2001 and originally only had three stands (main, east and north) before a fourth temporary south stand holding 2,400 extra supporters was erected in 2013. “Our problem is our supporters actually getting tickets because
of our small stadium and the small capacity we have,” said Howe. “I’m getting several letters every week and I have throughout the season saying ‘can you do something to get me a ticket? I’ve been a loyal supporter for a long time’ and it’s tough to read because people can’t actually get in to watch us.” The idea of the Vitality Stadium being expanded has been long debated, with Cherries chairman Jeff Moystn suggesting in November 2014 for a new permanent south stand to be built and for the corners of the ground to be filled in, which would bring the overall capacity up to around 18,000. However, the club’s chief executive Neill Blake confirmed in May 2015 that Bournemouth would not be expanding the Vitality Stadium just yet due to other requirements needed to improve the ground to secure Premier League ap-
proval. Last month local MP Tobias Ellwood told The Rock he wanted to expand the stadium to increase business interest in the local area: “Now that we have a Premier League team situated here it is a great revenue generator. I have been talking with AFC Bournemouth about the feasibility of expanding the stadium slightly to allow for more corporate boxes and seats to be able to sell more tickets.” Last season saw some supporters queuing overnight for home and away matches, with Cherries fans desperate to secure tickets in a historic season which saw the club reach the Premier League for the first time in their history. AFC Bournemouth introduced a new loyalty points system in the summer based on home and away matches attended in the last two seasons to determine loyalty. Supporters with more points get more priority
The Vitality Stadium currently only holds 11,700 supporters.
based on the number of games they have been to. This means for many home games, tickets do not make it to general sale for supporters with zero points as they are snapped up by season ticket holders and fans with loyalty points.The price of match tickets has also been a burning issue in the Premier League recently, with Liverpool fans protesting at the new £77 match day ticket and stag-
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ing a ‘walk out’ in the 77th minute of their game against Sunderland. But Howe argues this is not a problem for the Cherries faithful: “Our ticket prices are on the low side which I think is a great thing for us and our supporters. As football managers we’re not responsible for ticket prices and we’d like all football fans to watch as many games as they can for the cheapest price possible.”
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Friday 19th February 2016| The Rock
Cup comes second January signings: The Rock’s verdict
Cherries fans admit league survival takes priority
Michael Cox
@michaelcoxify
Watch AFCB vs Everton on BBC One tomorrow live at 5.15pm from the Vitality Stadium.
Tommy Churchyard @t0mmychurchyard
CHERRIES have made a strong start to their Emirates FA Cup campaign this season, seeing off Birmingham City and Portsmouth to set up a fifth round televised showdown with fellow Premier League outfit Everton on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium. A victory against The Toffees would see Eddie Howe’s men one win away from a trip to Wembley
and just three wins away from lifting the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history. It would also mean Cherries would reach an FA Cup quarterfinal for the first time since 1957. However, with Bournemouth sitting only four points above the relegation zone at the time of writing, should they be dreaming of lifting silverware or concentrating on survival in the Premier League?
Full story on page 21
Also in this issue:
• Eddie Howe • Six Nations • El Jurassico • Yball
A RELATIVELY busy transfer window saw AFC Bournemouth put pen to paper with four new signings. The first signing, Benik Afobe, arrived on the south coast for £10 million, smashing Cherries’ transfer record. He is five games into his Cherries career and has scored three goals - already paying off his price tag. The former Arsenal man scored his first goal in the red and black stripes as Bournemouth breezed to a 3-0 victory over Norwich at the Vitality Stadium with Afobe scoring the third and final goal. Afobe has proven a handful in the final third and his recent goal scoring form sees no sign of faltering despite the grueling step up from the Championship to the Premier League. It’s no surprise the Englishman has strolled his way into the Cherries’ starting eleven. Benik Afobe’s future on the south coast seems bright. The second signing, Juan Iturbe, has made one starting appearance so far for Cherries, featuring in the FA Cup fourth round clash against south coast neighbours Portsmouth. The 22-year-old was unlucky not to score on his first start after a connecting well with a headed clearance, his effort swiped onto the framework by the Portsmouth goalkeeper. And there’s still much to come from the young Argentine – shown in his recent two hat-tricks for the Cherries development side. Bournemouth’s third signing came in the form of old tailsman Lewis Grabban. He too started against Portsmouth in the FA Cup alongside Iturbe. It was Grabban’s effort which forced a save from Pompey keeper Fulton that eventually led to the winning goal as Marc Pugh headed home the rebound. Grabban has come off the bench twice in the Premier League since his return but is yet to find a finishing touch. The 28-year-old has looked fit, putting himself about but will ultimately have to battle it out with instant favourite, Benik Afobe, for the striker role. Eddie Howe’s fourth and final signing was former left-back Rhoys Wiggins for a bargain reported price of £200k. Yet to feature in Eddie Howe’s match-day squad, Wiggins will have a point to prove if he is to win back favour of the Bournemouth faithful after his controversial exit from the South Coast in 2011. PA