End of the spare room
Joe Nerssessian
Thousands of people across Dorset will be effected by the Government’s introduction of the controversial ‘bedroom tax’ planned in April. The penalty scheme will apply to tenants of social housing who are deemed to be under-occupying their home and will, on average, reduce their housing benefit by over £50 a month. In order to avoid the penalties, tenants are encouraged to move out of their home to a smaller house with fewer bedrooms, although this could be just as expensive. Many young families are being charged as children are expected to share a bedroom until they’re ten, or sixteen if both of the same gender. Single mum, Kim Cotton, is in a three-bedroom house with her son, eight, and daughter eleven, however as custody is split between her and her ex-husband, she is deemed to have an extra bedroom. She will lose over £600 a year which she can’t afford, but moving will be too costly as well. “I won’t get any financial help to move and I just can’t afford it at the moment. It could end up costing
Continued on page 3
OPINION Murdoch hints at end of Page 3 P18
FEATURES What makes this pope so divisive?
P22 Dorset families could soon feel the pinch after the Government announced ‘bedroom tax’ CHRIS FAY
Welcome to The Rock’s community edition SPORT Julia Denni
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Bournemouth Rock has teamed up with the Bournemouth Council, for a special Community edition, to distribute the newspaper to 25,000 homes in Winton, Moordown, Charminster and Queens Park. We are available in Asda in Lansdowne and in supermarkets in Winton. The Bournemouth Rock is an ambitious Bournemouth University project started in 2011 to provide a vital service to the community on its doorstep. This area is key to the university, because more
than 7,000 students, one in three of those enrolled, live within walking distance of our main campus near Winton. This special Community edition is an exciting opportunity for the students behind the publication to show their talent and dedication to the community. Entirely student-run, the newspaper has already seen more 200 students through the doors of its newsroom, gaining a real-world experience, giving many of them a chance to develop both on a personal and professional level. The Bournemouth Rock is produced at the University, the institution is playing the role of a springboard for students to spread information. The publication has an
independent editorial team, enjoys freedom in its journalistic choices and does not give into any form of pressure. It is an authentic publication with honest and truthful values. Its first aspiration is to serve and reflect the diversity of its readers, giving Bournemouth a unique perspective on the world. There is a strong community in this area with plenty of stories to tell. The Bournemouth Rock wants to reach out and provide it with a compelling mix of news, sport, features, and entertainment. The newspaper capitalises on the creativity and resourcefulness of students, under the expert guidance of experienced staff in Bournemouth University’s Media School.
The University is investing in its students because they have talent and potential to create an enterprising publication that serves the vibrant town of Bournemouth. The Rock wants to show people locally that there is more to students than some of the impressions they may have had in the past. It aims to work hand-in-hand with residents to help improve the community to which it belongs.
Howe: No magic formula
We would welcome and appreciate any feedback. You can get in touch at jdennirocks@gmail.com.
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2 news
February 2013| The Rock
Free sport with BU FEBRUARY, 2013
Tazz Gault
NEWS EDITOR
News
Gay marriage: what is really happening?
6
Opinion North Korea: the Cold War heats up
17
Features
The fight to save our ocean wildlife
16
Sport
SportBU are aiming to reach over 2000 students by 2014 and get many involved with sport SPORTBU
Michael Seymour
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Students have the opportunity to get involved in discounted, or even free sport as part of a project at SportBU to get more people to take up sport. ‘Free Your Fitness’, inspired by the Olympic legacy, aims to get students involved in a healthier lifestyle as part of the three year Sport England funded-project. Chris Payne, FYF Sports Activator said: “This is a unique project. and a lot of it is free or heavily reduced.” Students are offered a range of sports to get involved in, with new
classes being added all the time. “Judo is something I’ve started up this term. I’d like to have a club set up by September,” Chris said. “We’ve only had a couple of classes, but the numbers are picking up week by week.” The top sports so far have been surfing, cycling, boxing, volleyball and archery, but there are many more on offer on the SportBU website. Last year, the project aimed to get 655 students involved, but that was easily achieved, exceeding the target by 27%. Chris aims to have 1485 involved by the end of this year, with hopes to increase that to 2425 students by 2014, increasing their numbers four times in two years.“It has been
Anna Gillespie
38
Contact Email
jdennirocks@gmail.com
Bournemouth Rock
@BournemouthRock
pretty successful,” said Chris. Students can also get involved in volunteering to run the courses, and SportBU aims to have at least 24 student volunteers by the end of the third year. In addition, SportBU has seen a 50% increase in membership since its refurbishment last year. Charlton Clarke believes the gym ‘caters for everyone’ with the new facilities and varied exercise classes, such as those offered by Free Your Fitness. Bournemouth University spent £1.3million refurbishing the gym, building training rooms for Varsity teams, as well as buying new equipment which can be used by anyone.
Winton High Street has been revamped with an old fashion touch, as the charity store Barnados has added a vintage section to its shop. The store opened its vintage section early last week, and so far it has been a great success. “We managed to take £400 in one week on top of our usual takings which is an amazing figure,” said Katie Yates, 25 and one of the store assistants. “It has been quite quiet recently after Christmas, so this has really helped. We just want to reach out to students and bring people to Winton for vintage clothing, and show that other parts of Bournemouth can provide this style, not just Pokesdown.” All money that is raised in the vintage section goes towards helping vulnerable children, young people and families across the UK. The charity is curently selling vintage dresses, which start at £20, blouses at £4.99, handbags begin around £9.99 and bric-a-brac at just 99p. For more information, please call the store at 01202 535166 or visit the Bernado’s website to donate to the charity.
BU shakes up 70,000 views
SportBU set to manage marathon
Vintage style hits Winton high street
The video has been recommended by rapper Dizzeee Rascal OD RONNO
A group of Bournemouth University students have attracted new found fame after posting their own version of ‘The Harlem Shake’ video on YouTube. The 30 second clip, entitled ‘Harlem Shake – Student Edition’ has now received over 70,000 views with the help of the Uni Lad YouTube channel. The video has also been featured on numerous websites including being recommended on the YouTube homepage, Lad Bible and even rapper Dizzee Rascal’s website. The Harlem Shake is a dance craze sweeping the web involving one person dancing to the song ‘Harlem Shake’ by New York based DJ, Bauuer. For the first 15 seconds or so, everyone around them is seemingly unaware. Then the beat drops and everybody joins in. The
videos usually involve some form of costumes or nudity. Various forms of the viral hit have been posted which include office workers, firemen and even families. Mitchell Hickman, one of the students involved in the dance, said: “I said we should be the first to do it here. All the lads were up for it so we did it on a Saturday night when we were bored. “We knew it could go either way, it had the potential to get hundreds of thousands of views or maybe even a million. But we just took the risk and weren’t too bothered if it didn’t get popular, as it was all for a good laugh.” Keeley Moore, who uploaded and edited the video, said: “When I finished putting the video together and watched it back I thought it was funny, but I had no idea how much attention it was going to get. With there being so many other versions around I didn’t expect it to become as popular as it has.”
news 3
The Rock |February 2013
Spare room not spared from tax
Joe Nerssessian
Continued from page 1
me more with the removal costs and there’s a waiting list for around five years for a council house in the area. I would still end up paying bedroom tax while I’m here waiting,” said Kim. Self-employed, Kim currently receives no wages, so her only option is to convince the council she is in need of a three-bed house, she also feels leaving would be “too much upheaval for the children. “We moved here seven years ago, the children have lived here pretty much all their life. It’s the only place they see as home, we’ve got pets buried in the garden,” said Kim. Bournemouth Borough Council has confirmed that in order to ensure all social housing tenants were aware of the changes, they have been visiting residents and are also releasing leaflets offering an explanation. They released an official statement explaining: “If this reduction in benefits becomes law, then this will probably free up larger houses that are currently
under-occupied by tenants. There is a desperate need for family-sized accommodation in the town and it does seem unjust when perhaps one person may be occupying a property that is too large for their needs.” Across the UK it is estimated that 249,000 households in social housing are overcrowded, it was this statistic that prompted action from the government. Lyn and Mike Davidson, from Poole, are having to give up their family home of 23 years due to the reforms, and say that they have only received one letter from Poole Council to inform them of the changes. “Paying for it would be too much of a struggle. They [Poole Council] don’t care about our circumstances, or how much we’ve spent on our home. We haven’t spent a lot obviously, because we haven’t got a lot, but its still our home,” said Lyn. They live in a three-bed house and accept that it’s suitable for a family yet Mike is registered disabled with leg ulcers, and they haven’t been able to find a new home suitable for him. “He’s got to have a downstairs loo, there’s not many of them about, and have got to be near a bus stop because he can’t walk very far. They’ve either got the downstairs loo or the bus stop, not both,” said Lyn. Three years ago the couple had a new fireplace installed worth £1500 after Mike’s late mother offered to pay for it, and now say they
One couple who may be affected by the reform are Lyn and Mike Davidson from Poole JOE NERSSESSIAN wouldn’t have spent the money if they knew they were going to leave. Another tenant affected by the new regulations is mum of two, Sam Wrapley, of Southbourne, she agrees with Kim that moving is too expensive and would effect her children. “Lewis was one when we moved in and Chelsea was going on to three, so that that’s all. They remember as their home. They’ve got
their friends, the school, the doctors, I don’t think moving is an option. It’s a matter of paying it.” She will lose almost £80 a month from April, but only until next year when her daughter turns ten. “I have to try and find the money for a year and four months, some people have to pay it a lot longer but it will be a struggle for a year.” In many parts of the country families are bringing lodgers into
their homes to fill up the rooms, however in Bournemouth this is proving difficult, as there is such a high amount of private lettings. There are almost 40,000 private tenants in the town. The Davidsons considered bringing in a tenant but Lyn said it wouldn’t work. “We did think about it but then your house isn’t your home and you don’t know who you’re going to get,” she said.
Students take extra steps to support community Tazz Gault
NEWS EDITOR
Dev and Jesse want to connect with the community SUBU
Two students from Bournemouth University have been made the first Shrievalty Community Award recipients. Jesse Banovic and Dev Mistry will be working within the community to help bridge the gap between the University and the public. They will be awarded £1,000 each. Ian Jones, Community Culture and Sport Manager at BU, said: “It is all about making a change for Bournemouth – their role is to connect with people and not just look at the safety and wellbeing for our students, but the community as a whole. “We want to do something quite different, so that they are looking at the problems and coming up with solutions of how they can be fixed, whether that’s heightening what’s happening in the community already or getting schemes off the ground and building a legacy.” The project, supported by the former High Sheriff of Dorset, Alan Frost. It is a community-based award that will see Jesse and Dev
explore community projects across Bournemouth and to help raise awarness of certain campaigns. Alan Frost, originally proposed the idea for these awards to enable those selected to continue work on community projects and to set up new initiatives. Last October, the newly refurnished ‘Safe Bus’ was launched to help provide a refuge for people who are vulnerable as a result of intoxication from alcohol or drugs, or who are lost, injured and unable to get home. “The Safe Bus is a great example of what Jesse and I are trying to achieve,” said Dev Mistry of Sedgely Road, Winton. “We have both been observing the scene to see what happens, the problems with it, the practicality and what is great about it. We are aiming to get together a communication plan to advertise properly to those who are most likely to use it. “Nowhere near enough people seem to know about the bus, but since we started promoting it around the University, the likes on its Facebook page have increased around 70%.” The use of social media has played a key role in Jesse and Dev reaching out to people and raising awareness with a younger audience, whilst
working alongside the High Sherrif. “Getting the message out on facebook could never have been done in the normal way, because people who work for the High Sheriff are older businessmen, and are not so in touch with young people like Dev and Jesse are. This is a perfect opportunity,” said Ian. Alan Frost wanted this new award to help bring the University and the rest of the community closer together, after successfully fundraising for the Safe Bus last year. Mr Frost said: “The Safe Bus project is a great success, and I would like to further assist this as well as deepen the relationship with BU at the same time.” The students are advised to work alongside local MPs and spending hours with the Youth Offending Team in Dorset. The plan is for new Shrievalty students to begin at the start of the next academic year, who will be chosen by an interview process. The project is a work in progress, but hopes to be one of many to encourage the community and the University to work together. Ian said: “I think this could be the catalyst to do something quite big and make a change in the community.”
4 news
Editorial Team Editor in Chief Julia Denni Editor’s Assistants Chris Fay & Alesia Robertson News Editor Tazz Gault Deputy NE Jonny Byrne Assistant NE Hailey Hammer Assistant NE Michael Seymour Opinion Editor Oliver Hill Assistant OE Sinead Lambe Features Ed George Underwood Assistant FE Tom Beasley Assistant FE Gabriela Vlahova Sports Editor Ben Fisher Deputy SE Jack Cozens Chief Sub Maisie Buchan Assistant Chief Subs Emma Buchanan & Will Richards Head of Design N Briana Millett Head of Design O Shanae Staple Head of Design F Fran Tatman Head of Design S Rachel Currie Online Editor Robyn Montague Assistant OE Joe Nerssessian Managing Director Minee Bhise Head of PR Kelly Phelps Head of Promotion Rosie Bailey Social Media Editor James Bayani 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. Anonymous letters will not be published. The editor reserves the right to edit all letters in regard to libel law, length, taste, grammar and punctuation.
Letters to the editor: jdennirocks@gmail.com
February 2013| The Rock
Dorset artwork is showcased at Bournemouth University Katrina Quick
Several artists from the Dorset area have displayed their stunning work in an exhibition at Bournemouth University. A private viewing of the exhibition was held on Wednesday evening in the Atrium Art Gallery. This exhibition was one of three taking place between February and December 2013, entitled ‘The Art of Making: Handcrafted 2D works’. The showcase includes the traditional form of pinhole photography by Denis Roberts, who lectures in photography and also works as a freelance photographer. Denis described Bournemouth University’s involvement with art as “wonderful” and called the students “fascinating”. His work can be viewed in the Poole House foyer, along with pottery from renowned artist Bernard Leach of St Ives, life figure drawings with charcoal from Julia Polonski, and work of traditional photographer Krishula Auckland. All of the work is individually produced, taking time and creativity with both traditional and contemporary art processes. Dreamy nostalgia is a common theme running throughout
The art produced by local Dorset artists depicts how plants change and over the seasons JULIA DENNI the artwork, but is prevelant particularly in the nature photography by Krishula. “My work shows how leaves change over the seasons,” said Krishula. “The lighter parts of the leaf are the parts that have received the most sunlight.” Whilst some of Krishula’s photography may appear simple, it took two years for her to prepare for this exhibition. “I grow the plants myself and document their growth.
I am quite romantic about my artwork,” added Krishula. Demeter Dykes, who specialises in folded paper, hopes that the exhibition will encourage students to take time to enjoy the art around them. “Students are so busy here, running from place to place, that they just accept what is around them. These artworks will hopefully engage the students rather than just being part of the scenery.” Art curator at the Atrium Art
Gallery, Julie Herring, said of the exhibition: “It is important to support the local artists, and I hope the students will enjoy these exhibitions.” The Art of Making: Handcrafted 2D works exhibition will be open until April 6, with the next exhibition beginning April 25 featuring handmade pottery, sculpture and woodwork. The final exhibition, titled Textile and Texture, will take place on September 19.
Fresh start for the new Priva Alesia Robertson ASSISTANT EDITOR
Priva night club has moved into the old Alika premises CHRISTIAN LAWSON
The Priva nightclub held a reopening party at its new premises, receiving mixed reviews from those who went. Ben Dudman and Joshua Simmons, directors of Priva, which was previously located at The Triangle, grabbed the opportunity to move to a bigger space in a more dynamic area. Previous tennants of Christchurch Road, Alika, had a history of noise disruptions and neighborhood complaints. “This location is definitely where we feel the town is moving. The area is a hub for nightlife,” said Ben. He believes Priva can succeed where the other club failed due to a “different philosophy to music, brand associations, management and customer experience”. He recognises that being situated nearer the student halls will be good for business. However, a regular Priva customer and Bournemouth University
student who wishes to remain annoymous, feels dissatisfied with the opening night. “We were told to arrive early at 10pm to avoid the queues, but they changed the time to 10.30 pm about ten minutes before opening, causing us all to stand in the rain,” she said. She also felt that the music wasn’t great and that the toilets were “horrible”, but admitted these may have been teething problems. Priva director, Ben, said the new club has been a “success so far, although there is plenty of room for improvement.” Jasmine Kneale is also a regular visitor, and said the launch party was a great night. “I had all my friends out for a birthday, the music was good and in general the atmosphere was nice,” she said. She frequently visited Alika but likes the new Priva even better. “The launch night was nuts,” said Will Robinson, who works on the doors of the club. Will urges people to visit the club to experience the changes that have been made, and to see what difference the new location has made.
news 5
The Rock | February 2013
South West feed many on food banks Joe Nerssessian
There are more food banks in the South West than anywhere else in the UK – according to the figures released by the Trussell Trust charity. Bournemouth food bank, based in Charminster, is one of 34 across the South West. It has seen an alarming increase in use since 2009, when the food bank served around 2,000 residents. Last year, almost 6,000 people received help there. As financial struggles grips the country, many have turned to food banks as a last resort. These centres are built purely for crises, with each individual only allowed to visit three times in six months. Mother of two, Samantha Wrapley of Southbourne, has turned to the town’s food bank
recently due to a struggle with paying her bills. “We need the help. We have two children, and without it I would be struggling. Basically, I would have to cut down on food, which could lead to health problems with the children.” Samantha first heard of the food bank from a social worker at her nearby community centre. It is only professionals, such as these, that can hand out the vouchers which are used to claim food. Others include doctors and probation officers ensuring an extremely tight system, according to Colin Osborn, a volunteer at the food bank in Bournemouth. “It’s so tightly run. The vouchers are all on the computer and go off to the professionals. We have to trust them to give them out sparingly, and to the people really in need. Nobody is taking advantage,” said Osborn. Visitors to the food bank receive a food pack relevant to their family
size and circumstances. For example, a single person is entitled to 500 grams of pasta, whereas a family with three or more children would be given 2 kilograms. Whilst the food bank currently has several tonnes of food in storage, several volunteers can recount times when the shelves have been nearly empty. Greg Dewsbury has been volunteering at the food bank for almost a year now and said: “A lot of times we have to make up what we can because, unfortunately, what we want to put in the boxes, we can’t, because we haven’t got the supply. We just have to do the best we can.” However, he also admits it can work the other way. “One girl came in- it’s just her and her six childrenand sometimes we give them a little bit extra if we’ve got it.” Last year Bournemouth food bank gave away over 40 tons of food, Osborn predicts this will reach over a ton a week in 2013.
Greg Dewsbury volunteers at a local food bank JOE NERSSESSIAN
A three day food pack for a family with two children:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Breakfast Cornflakes, milk, sugar, tea, juice and water
Breakfast Cornflakes, milk, sugar, tea, juice and water
Breakfast Cornflakes, milk, sugar, tea, juice and water
+
Lunch One tin of soup each tea, juice and water
+
Dinner Tinned chilli con carne, pasta 80grams each, one tin of vegetables shared tea, juice and water
+
+
Lunch Pasta and chopped tomatoes, tea, juice and water
+
Dinner Tinned hot dogs, mash and beans, one tin of vegetables shared, tea, juice and water
+
+
Lunch Two tins of tuna and one tin of vegetables shared
+
Dinner Tinned sausage casserole, pasta 80g each, one tin of vegetables shared tea, juice and water
+
Pudding One tin of rice pudding shared
Pudding One sponge pudding shared
Pudding One tin of rice pudding shared
Snacks Biscuits, cups of tea, vegetables, beans
Snacks Biscuits, cups of tea, vegetables
Snacks Biscuits, cups of tea, vegetables, beans
+
+
+
6 Gay marriage
February 2013|The Rock
A long road ahead
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill has a long way to go before becoming law in England and Wales, but it is progressing. Currently at the Committee stage, the bill will be scrutinised line-byline, with amendments being made by a Public Committee of experts and interest groups. The select committee will return the bill to the Commons by March 12, ready for the Report Stage of its journey towards becoming law if approved. At the Report Stage the bill is again assessed by MPs, who will have the opportunity to debate the bill futher, scrutinise the amendments made by the committee and suggest new amendments. After MPs have finished with the bill in its Report Stage, the bill is once again read in Parliament and a vote is taken, this is referred to
as the Third Reading. If a majority votes in favour of the bill, it is then passed on to the House of Lords, where the same process is started again, begining with a First Reading. There is much speculation that the bill will have an arduous transition from being debated in parliament to becoming UK law, with a majority of Conservative MPs voting against the it. Despite a majority of 400-175 in favour of the bill, Tory MPs voted with a majority of 134-126 against the bill, with five abstaining (voting both for and against) and a further 36 deciding not to vote. Regardless of his party’s views on the bill, Cameron has remained positive about its progress and has stood by his desicion to begin implimentation of the law in England and Wales.
Gay marriage 7
The Rock | February 2013
Reverend speaks out over gay marriage A Bournemouth based Reverend has spoken to The Rock about the passing of the same-sex marriage bill and revealed what he thinks the main problems are in allowing gay men and women to get married in churches throughout Britain. Michael Seymour
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Reverend Robin Nash, of St. Alban’s Church, Charminster, argues that deciding whether to allow gay marriage or not is about more than equality. “It’s going to be difficult in terms of legislation,” said Mr Nash, who hailed the bill passing through the House of Commons as a landmark for equality in Britain. “One reason a marriage can be annulled is that the marriage was never consummated. How do you define that within the gay marriage law?” he added. “People in gay relationships have already been given the opportunity of being in civil partnerships.” Same-sex civil partnerships were legalised in Britain in 2005. When asked what his view of the bill was, he replied: “I don’t have a view either way. “A lot of people in civil
partnerships actually use the word marriage anyway. As far as I can see, the only difference is that they can legally use the term.” St Alban’s Church is unable to conduct gay marriages as it is bound by the decisions of the Church of England, and there is no legal obligation under the bill to do so. “I don’t think it will ever get approval [by the CoE],” said Mr Nash. But many people are arguing that in one or two years time, this decision will not be thought of as a big thing, and wonder why society did not allow gay marriages before. Will the church think so too? “It will take them quite a bit longer,” replied Mr Nash. “I’m not sure it will ever get to that position.” Prior to the bill going through Parliament, the he said: “We ought to be able to conduct blessings of civil partnerships.” Despite the bill’s success in the House of Commons, it is yet to be approved by the House of Lords. David Cameron has announced that he plans to have the bill enacted sometime this summer.
Reverend Robin Nash, of St. Alban’s church says there are still problems with the bill MICHAEL SEYMOUR
Progressive Europe Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights have improved dramatically in Europe since the turn of the century, with many countries legalising samesex marriage. Of the eleven countries that have changed their marriage laws, eight of them are European. Fourteen European countries have legalised Civil Unions or an equivalent form of same-sex partnership recognition. With France, England and Wales set to change their policies on
homosexual relationships, Europe can continue to lay claim to leading global recognition of equal marriage rights, with over three-quarters of countries where same-sex marriage is legal from the continent. Only Northern Cyprus deems homosexuality illegal between two male partners, but has legalised same-sex sexual activity between females. In Luxembourg and Andorra, proposals for same-sex marriage have been made. In Finland they are currently under consideration. Europe’s status as being the most accepting of same-sex marriage is enforced by the UK’s vote CHRIS FAY
news 9
The Rock | February 2013
New BU building designed by students Sam Thomson
The building will cost £10.5million, building is expected to start in May or June and take around 18 months BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY
A new multi-million pound student centre is to be the next big development at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus. Aimed at providing additional learning space for students, the centre will also form the new home for SUBU and student services. The centre, which has been created based on student feedback, will bridge the gap between SportBU and the University Library, and is expected to cost £10.5million. Construction on the six-storey building is due to start in May or June, and will last at least 18 months. The centre will also become the new entrance to the recently renovated SportBU facilities. Students are also being offered the chance to influence the interior design of the building at a workshop which is being held in the student hall of Talbot House on, February 22. “We want to ask students what they want it to look like, so we can shape it around them. We always try our best to ask students their opinions,” said Scott Bellamy, Students and Internal Communications Officer. He said: “We want more space which this will give us. It really is what we need as a new student centre which we have never really had before.”
Poetry night at Winchester goes down a treat Katrina Quick
The Freeway Poet’s night happens at the beginning of every month, and allows professionals and amateurs to perform their work on stage, using a theme as inspiration. This month the pub was decorated in the form of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, with sweets, chocolates, grass and flowers covering the room. The film played on repeat on a large projector screen behind the stage. A few of the poets’ work reflected the theme, with one poet asking, “After a long day, ladies, would you rather have a man or a bar of chocolate?” The Winchester lets artists draw live on some of their events, and this time it was produced by artist Mirek Lucan and turned out to be a unique version of Willy Wonka’s factory. “I have no idea what I’m doing until I pick up a pen,” he said.
Headliner Rosie Garland stole the show with her refreshingly honest poems, which described her struggle with cancer and her journey from diagnosis to remission. Guest poets included Elisabeth Pontoski, whose poem about the evils of technology brought a loud round of applause. Elisabeth studies Media and Communications at Bournemouth University and was very pleased with the evening. “I think the Winchester is great for stuff like this. It’s wonderful that poets get to perform in such a welcoming environment,” she said. Manager, Louise said of the night: “It’s a brilliant opportunity to get everyone involved with poetry.” There was also a stall offering earrings and Henna tattoos. The bar sold Willy Wonka chocolate bars containing golden tickets for everyone and offered vegetarian food Heston Blumenthal style. The Winchester pub in Bournemouth’s Triangle will once again play host to a night of poetry and live art on March 6. Next month’s event will be Alice in Wonderland themed and headlined by Ehi Joshua Idehen.
Artist Mirek Lucan provided live art on the poetry night, and drew the chocolate factory THE WINCHESTER
10
COMMUNITY SPECIAL
advertorial
February 2013|The Rock
We are listening Find out what is going on in your community DORSET POLICE OFFICER BASED AT BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY, ANDY SCARRATT
Since September 2010, there has been a Universities Safer Neighbourhood Police Team overseeing the issues surrounding University staff, students and the wider community. The team consists of Sgt Steve Houston, PC Andy Scarratt and PCSO Majid Samadi. They work out of Winton Police Station but also have an office on the Talbot campus of Bournemouth University. Their work varies from dealing with victims and offenders of crime, through to more targeted and community based initiatives. There has been a lot of multi agency working on tackling the student noise issue within the
community. The Police team, along with staff from the Council’s Environmental Health Team and university staff have been regularly tackling noise issues. This has resulted in a more streamlined and standard approach for the local community to report incidents. The Universities Safer Neighbourhood Team also runs various initiatives to reduce the chances of students becoming potential victims. Recent initiatives have been targeting the issue of burglaries to student houses and bike thefts from the Campus, both of which have seen a drop in reported crime. Operation Protect is a continual initiative run by Dorset Police that aims to reduce the amount of drink assisted sexual assaults and provide a safer environment for going out in the town in the evening. The team, working with the University’s Student Union, provide regular inputs and awareness displays in and around the University to remind students of their responsibilities for their own safety. If you would like to speak to any member of the team then contact them on 07554 439650 or email universitiessnt@dorset.pnn.police.uk
The Police are here for you Dorset Police officers have worked well with the council for a long time now, and believe that this new role will be of great benefit to local residents. We take reports of ASB seriously, and as well as contacting the Community Enforcement Officer you can forward any local concerns to universitiessnt@dorset.pnn. police.uk. A key target in 2013 is also to reduce burglaries, so we would encourage everyone to lock and secure their homes. If you require any crime prevention advice, please also contact us on the email address above, and an appointment will be made for police officers to visit you.
The Bournemouth Rock covered this new initiative in Issue 10, featuring Matt King, Steve Houston and Ian Jones, who all spoke in depth on the subject
Winton Community Forum has a new face CHAIRMAN OF THE WINTON COMMUNITY FORUM, PAT OAKLEY
Concerns over quality with student housing appeared on the front page of Issue 8
Pat Oakley is chairman of the Winton Community Forum. Although he has only had this position for two days he worked with the former chairman, Anson Westbrook, for six years. He is responsible for the Community Forum Website where members of the community may post issues and questions on the message board, to be answered by the chairman. “A big amount of students have issues with their housing. There was an incident recently where a student accommodation was so cold and damp several of them caught pneumonia. It turned out their central heating had not been working since last November,” said Mr Oakley. Bournemouth has started a ‘Dorset Register of Accredited Landlords’ scheme’, and is the first town in the country to do so.
The scheme aims to ensure that landlords are fully aware of their legal requirements and ensure that their properties are well managed. “Any student looking for a house and shown properties by a letting agent, should ask them to remove those without an accredited landlord,” said Mr Oakley. He also wishes to improve the relationship of students and permanent residents in Winton. “A lot of the work is about supporting, helping and directing students to living in a community.” This involves letting them know when to take their bins out so that mums with children and shopping bags are able to comfortably use the pavements. “Big parties are also an issue we try to work on. We urge students to notify their neighbours if they are planning on having a big 21st party, to be quiet when they leave in the night and of course when they come back,” he said. “The key to harmony in a community is about the little
Both of the universities
things, such as where you park your car, where you place your dustbins, and being quiet during the night.”
To contact Pat Oakley call 01202 773834, email him at chair@wintonforum.co.uk or for more information, visit www.wintonforum.co.uk
Bournemouth University (BU) and the Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) make a substantial economic and social contribution to the local area and many of our students are involved in voluntary and community work. We recognise that anti-social behaviour from a small minority of our students can impact substantially on the community and also have concerns about students living in substandard housing stock. We remain committed to our partnership work with local community services and landlords and wholeheartedly support this role and will continue to contribute to the funding of community initiatives.
COMMUNITY SPECIAL
The Rock | February 2013
advertorial
11
Your Winton Community Enforcement Officer A friendly introduction to Matt King and his new role COMMUNITY OFFICER FOR WINTON, CHARMINSTER AND WALLISDOWN I would like to introduce myself as the new Community Enforcement Officer for the Winton East, Wallisdown & Winton West and Queens Park Wards. Following consultation regarding houses in multiple occupation and the issues surrounding them, the council has decided to have a dedicated officer for these three wards to help deal with issues affecting any of the residents in these areas. A dedicated telephone line and email address are now available to report any disturbances, untidy properties, unsafe private rented housing conditions, bins on pavements, letting boards and any other issues affecting the amenity of the local environment. The council’s out-of-hours noise service is also available on this number. I will be working in partnership with the police, universities, student unions and residential forums to help detect and tackle any issues as mentioned above. I am committed to the cause and will be inviting all responsible parties to engage with me in the first instance, but will not hesitate to take robust enforcement action if necessary to get the issue resolved in an acceptable and timely manner. Most of my working week will be spent out and about in the three wards so feel free to come and have a chat if you see me.
A community works when we can talk to members of the council. We encourage you to give Matt a call if you have any concerns or questions
The new accreditation scheme PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT MANAGER, STEVE DAY
If you are living in accommodation which is affected by disrepair or health and safety risks, then you should first contact your landlord or letting agent to give them the opportunity to deal with the report. If this is not forthcoming, the Council’s Private Sector Housing Team, led by Steve Day, are able to assist and if necessary inspect the property and take
enforcement action as required. It is important to get all the information on a property as possible before taking any further steps. Steve Day said: “We would encourage anyone looking for accommodation to first look for properties let by accredited landlords, who have signed up to a code of practice to help ensure problems do not reach the level where the Council are required. “However, if it is clear the repair of the property is not fit for purpose, we will not hesitate to approach the responsible person and issue a notice to carry out the repairs if required.”
For more information on the accreditation scheme, please visit www.bournemouth.gov.uk/ accreditedlandlords
BU’s community strategy in depth COMMUNITY CULTURE AND SPORT, IAN JONES
In short I believe it is so important for BU staff and students to engage with the local community. There are so many advantages that come from having a stronger relationship with the community. It is my hope that students should be encouraged to volunteer and work with local groups and businesses in order to really make a difference. I am keen for the community will see The Rock as a way of highlighting both the successes and challenges that face us going forward. BU is very well renowned regionally, nationally and internationally, but locally there is a challenge for us to see
how we can develop our role in the community and embrace the culture that’s around us through our students, staff and other stakeholders. We’re currently looking at the community strategy and at the heart of it has to be student engagement. We need to ensure that students are recognised positively in the community, but also that they understand that they have to immerse themselves in the community.
Atrium Art Gallery Bournemouth University Poole House, Talbot Campus Fern Barrow, Poole Dorset BH12 5BB
Enquiries to: Julie Herring, Curator T: +44 (0)1202 961428 E: atrium-gallery@bournemouth.ac.uk
Single Journey, Ink, acrylic and collage on paper, 122 x 183cm David Atkins
The Art of Making: Handcrafted 2D works Curated by Julie Herring The Art of potter Bernard Leach; printmaking by David Atkins, Demeter Dykes, Ruth Oaks & Poole Printmakers; charcoal drawing by Julia Polonski; and photography by Krishula Auckland and Denis Roberts
Thursday 14 February – Saturday 6 April 2013 Monday- Saturday, 9am-6pm,
free admission This gallery exhibition supports the new display of public art on Talbot Campus: The Art of Making: Handcrafted & Traditional Skills www.bournemouth.ac.uk/atrium-gallery
news 13
The Rock | February 2013
Alcohol fuelled violence reduced Emily Connah
Actions and campaigns by Bournemouth Council and Dorset Police have led to a decrease in alcohol related violence, organisers say. The council runs the ‘Operation Protect’ group, which aims to reduce alcohol related violence and anti-social behaviour. Dorset Police ran a poster campaign with slogans to encourage individuals to stay out of trouble, such as “If you cause trouble tonight, you will be arrested.” Jon Shipp, night-time coordinator from Bournemouth Council said: “Alcohol is a major cause of violent behaviour, and it is important for us to introduce other alternatives for people to enjoy that does not involve alcohol.” Other procedures are CCTV units, with 130 cameras in the town centre alone and an increase in door staff at clubs, the safe bus and night bus services. According to Shipp the campaigns are working. “Alcohol-related violence has definitely decreased over the last four years,” he said. Sian Jenkins, from
Bournemouth’s community safety team, said the number of recorded violent crimes between 9pm and 6am on a Friday and Saturday has reduced from an average of 120 in 2011, to 81 in 2012. Steve Lyne, Neighbourhood Inspector from Dorset Police, said people were not aware of their own strength and the dangers they imposed on others when drinking. “It’s easy to go out thinking you’ll be safe, but if you get in a fight under the influence of alcohol it takes one punch, someone to hit the pavement, and you’ve committed murder,” he said. Bournemouth’s alcohol harm reduction strategies for 2012 revealed those drinking sensibly play a valuable role in Bournemouth’s £426.5million night-time economy. It showed that those who drink excessively create financial and economic pressures when involved in violent crime. Nicole Roake visits Bournemouth regularly and believes strategies such as the Safe Bus have helped the town at night. “I’ve never come across alcohol related violence when I’ve been out in Bournemouth but I am aware it does occur. “Police are always around at night when the clubs are emptying. Student nights in Bournemouth seem to be every night, which is brilliant for when I visit but it is always nice to feel safe on a night out.”
“If you cause trouble tonight you will be arrested” says new campaign poster to stop violence DORSET POLICE Mr Shipp argues that Bournemouth actually has little alcohol related violence in comparison to other towns. He said: “There are around 45,000 individuals in the streets of Bournemouth at night, and within
this around 12 are arrested, so this needs to be put into perspective. “Bournemouth gets bad press for alcohol related violence but this does not take in consideration the capacity of the bars and clubs in Bournemouth town compared to
other towns. We are pleased with the reduction of alcohol-related crimes and our aims will always be to continue to reduce it further.” Shipp said the council, residents and Bournemouth’s reputation all benefit from the campaign.
Rare seabirds at risk on Dorset’s coast Hailey Hammer
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Dorset’s rarest seabird - the puffin - is under threat after a mystery spillage. This is after a total of 276 seabirds were washed up on shore two weeks ago. They were found with their feathers glued together by a then unidentifiable substance, and were sent to the RSPCA West Hatch wildlife centre to have it washed off. Forty birds died from being bashed against the rocks. Nicki Hoar, of Dorset Wildlife Trust and said some of the birds that were damaged, such as Puffins, only exist in handfuls in the Dorset area. “We certainly saw at least one dead puffin,” she said. “If many of these birds were injured this would make a big dent in the number of Puffins nesting in Dorset.” She said this was a very upsetting episode. “These birds are getting ready for the breeding season and their lives are already perilous enough as they struggle to find enough food to eat and feed their young. Rarely seen puffins in Dorset are now under threat after being coated in an oil-based substance T. MULLER The last thing they need is a major
problem like this damaging many of them and killing several.” Other bird species that were injured were guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. The substance damaging the birds is now identified as Polyisobutene, a synthetic rubber. It is used as an additive in machine lubricants and motor oils, and can also be used to clean up oil spills. Nicki said: “We don’t know how it came to be in the water, or the source of it. We do know that it is an oil based substance, and when mixed with the seawater it becomes sticky like glue, and sticks the birds’ feathers together”. Deputy Chief inspector of the RSPCA John Pollock was leading the rescue mission and said the number of birds which were washed up on shore was overwhelming. “We had to go down to the beach daily scouring the shores trying to rescue as many birds as we could.” In the end they were fortunately able to wash the substance off with a mixture of washing up liquid and margarine. Nicki said it looks like the birds are “making a good recovery, and they don’t seem to have been poisoned by the substance”.
14 news
February 2013| The Rock
Tourism video goes viral on YouTube Michael Seymour
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
A video produced by Bournemouth Tourism featuring famous faces that are linked to the town, has become an internet sensation after being released on YouTube. ‘Bournemouth vs California’ has now been viewed over 60,000 times on the video sharing website. “It’s mad!” said Beverly White, PR manager at Bournemouth Tourism, who was stunned by how quickly the video had spread. “We haven’t even stared the PR campaign for it yet.” Some of the big names, that feature in the video include former Bournemouth and current QPR manager, Harry Redknapp, actress and impressionist, Debra Stephenson, and Blur bassist, Alex James, who comes from Boscombe. But the inspiration for the video came from a less local celebrity. “It was something Katy Perry said at one of her concerts whilst she was performing in Bournemouth [last year]. “Bournemouth reminded her of her home town in Santa Barbara, California,” she said. “She wanted to be a fellow ‘Bournemouthian’.” Santa Barbara is often discribed as the American Riviera, with it’s Mediterranean climate. The video was launched as a parody to the tourism TV advert for Visit California, which features Arnold Schwarzenegger, Betty White and Kim Kardashian, trying to entice holiday makers
by dispelling common myths that people have about California. Bournemouth vs. California is part of a social media campaign that Bournemouth Tourism is rolling out over the next three months to attract more tourist to holiday in the town, but they have been taken by shock by the immediate success. “Overnight it went up to 24,000 [views on YouTube]... and then the national news got hold of it,” said Beverly. The advert, which was first shown on Channel 5 and ITV news, has since been picked up by national newspapers like the Daily Mail and the Sun, aims to dispel the misconceptions people have about Bournemouth, such as the town is one big retirement home. It has been received affectionately by Twitter users, who found the ad “hilarious”. One person tweeted: “That definitely cheered me up for the day. Too funny”, while another tweeted “Brilliant parody of the visit California ad.” Next up for the campaign is a Facebook competition, being rolled out next week, where members of the public can send in their own images of why they think Bournemouth is better than California. The winning photo will win a luxury weekend in Bournemouth. The competition is even being offered as far as California so they likes of Katy Perry have a chance to win the holiday. “We’ve been in touch with Visit California and they love the video, so we might be doing a few things with Visit California in the next couple of months,” said Beverly. At the moment, there are no more big names lined up for the campaign.
‘Bournemouth vs. California’ has been viewed over 60,000 times on ‘BournemouthTourismTV’ YOUTUBE
Festival season with a twist at Bournemouth uni Tazz Gault
NEWS EDITOR
The Festival of Learning - June 3 to June 14 this year BU WEB
Festival season will be brought to Bournemouth University this June in the form of a fun-filled learning experience for the community, called the Festival of Learning. Around 100 different events will run from June 3 to June 14, and be open to students, the community and any members of the public with an interest in discovering new things. The University will open its doors to enable the community to take advantage of its resources, and for the public to pick the brains of many academics and specialists in an ever growing list of subjects. The majority of the workshops and short courses will be free of charge. Dr Rebecca Edwards, Research Development Officer in Public Engagement for BU said: “It is all about getting the community
involved and encouraging public engagement. We have set this up so it serves the community and to ensure the projects mean benefits extend further than the institutional walls. “It is a great opportunity to have some fun and learn something at the same time, to contribute to the community and develop yourself.” Workshops include social media classes for those who want to find out more about the world of cyber communication, a behind the scenes tour of a TV studio where participants will have a chance to do basic vision mixing, sound and camera work and many workshops on healthy eating and wellbeing. By making this available to the public, the University hopes it will mean that many more people can enjoy and benefit from a level of training that is not easy to find elsewhere. It will also help connect the University with the community. “We have got a fantastic range
of events and workshops to attract as many people as possible - there will be something that will interest everyone,” said Dr Edwards. “The Festival of Learning will be a great opportunity to have some fun and learn something whilst at the same time contribute to the community and develop your own knowledge.” The full timetable will be released this March, and those interested in attending are encouraged to sign up for as many events as they can. There is also a chance to sign up to various short courses which will have a small charge, but will enable those attending to extend knowledge in personal and professional development.
If you are interested in signing up, please visit www. bournemouth.ac.uk/fol For further information, please contact Dr Rebecca Edwards on 01202 961206 or redwards@ bournemouth.ac.uk
news 15
The Rock | February 2013
Pitfalls of the Leveson report Julia Denni
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Media Reform post-Leveson Conference held at the Executive Business Centre in Lansdowne attracted a mix of academics, practitioners, activitists, politicians, students and members of the public. Key speakers discussed the consequences of the Leveson report and the opportunities for reshaping media ownership in the future. Leader of the Green Party and former journalist, Natalie Bennett, gave her view on the close relationship between politicians and journalists: “If you ask me how they are related, the short answer is, with our current media ownership structure, far too closely. I heard a very good phrase today - the ‘Berlusconisation’ of the media. Across Europe politicians and media owners are very close together. We’ve had plenty of examples of that, whether it involves horse riding or sending text with ‘lol’ at the end of it.” She also explained how she moved from one side to the other: “I have been a journalist for 23 years and you get to the point where you’re reporting say, for example, yet another African famine, which is caused not primarily by the weather but by human factors, by poverty, by
failure of distribution, by corrupt government, and you think, this is just like last year’s story, I can change the place names and it’s not going to be any different. “As a journalist, you can make sure the journalism you’re doing is being done as well as you possibly can, but at some point you start to think this is not making any difference anymore. Given the acuteness of our economic and environmental link to crises, it seems like going to the place were the decision are actually made, rather than try to influence the decision makers for me was a logical step.” The debate was animated by a variety of speakers from diverse backgrounds. Meredith Alexander from Avaaz, an international global civic organisation promoting activism, said: “Leveson reads like a playbook of Murdoch’s dirty tactics, it’s clear that the only way we will be able to cure the disease that is inherent to our media is to solve the problem of ownership.” Natalie Bennett added: “I think it’s getting more and more acute, partly because, I talk about the dark side of journalism getting more and more desperate as commercial competition is getting higher, there is more sense of competition from the internet and new media. There is a real sense of perhaps almost a dying animal thrashing around and clinging on to survival.” Jason Cridland, editor and cofounder of the Dorset Eye believes that: “Citizen journalism absolutely
The panel of journalists answered questions from the audience at the Leveson conference EINAR THORSEN needs to be right at the centre of shaping news in the future. One of the great things about it is that it actually allows the first person to be the one that articulates that experience to others. “I don’t think Leveson paid any attention to citizen journalism and was far more focused on a more narrow printed press. I think that perhaps they did not want to
upset the establishment.” Professor James Curran was optimistic and hopes that the report will bring improvement: “The Leveson enquiry will probably lead to improve the quality of journalism and the worse excesses of the tabloid press will be constrained.” A panel of participating journalists included Darren Lilleker, Shelley Thompson, Karen Fowler-Watt and
Stuart Allan from Bournemouth University as well as Andy Martin from the Bournemouth Echo. Stephen Jukes, Dean of the Media School, was pleased with the success of the conference: “We made a major point that the Leveson inquiry and report haven’t covered all the real issues. We highlighted the gaps in the Leveson committee around, for example, the plurality of ownership.”
Celebrities help three-year-old with cancer Sarah Hugill
Henry Allen has received lots of support from celebrities and the local community DAWN ALLEN
An appeal to collect funds for an infant cancer sufferer has raised over £9,188 in a little over a month. This is in aid of Henry Allen, aged three, who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer one year ago. Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with this condition. There is an 80% chance of relapse and with no treatment currently available in the UK, Henry’s future is uncertain. All money raised is going towards seeking what could be life saving treatment abroad. Celebrities such as the Kardashians and soap star Scott Maslen are supporting the fundraiser via Twitter, and the Chelsea football team have sent young Henry a goodie bag. Henry’s mother, Dawn Allen, said: “I can’t find the words to thank everybody. The support we have received has been amazing from
celebrities to the local community. Fundraising has ranged from cake sales, to head shaving to skydives.” Dawn said she was devastated when she heard the news about her son’s disease. “You just don’t put children and cancer together. You hear about it, but just don’t imagine the reality,” said Dawn. Henry’s treatment involves taking oral medication for two weeks followed by a week of injections, which it is hoped will naturally rebuild his immune system. There are horrendous side effects of flu like symptoms. Dawn describes him as her, “superhero. He gives me the inspiration to carry on. Dream and believe is my little motto.” If you fancy organising your own fundraiser Dawn would like to hear from you. “We are willing to take on any crazy idea. We’ll support you with media attention because we know that every little helps.” To help support the cause you can follow @henryallenappl on Twitter or visit their facebook page (Henry Allen Appeal). To donate please visit www.justgiving.com/henryallen
What’s on, when, where and how to get involved!
Discover Music at BU Spring 2013
Sunday 3 March Schubert Ensemble Kimmeridge Hall, 3pm Mahler Piano Quartet in A minor Mozart Piano Quartet in Gminor, K.478 Enescu Piano Quartet no.1 in D, opus 16 Tickets £15 (BU/AUCB students free) In association with Bournemouth Chamber Music
Saturday 23 March Bach ‘St. John Passion’ (sung in English) St. Ambrose Church, Westbourne, BH4 8BE, 7.30pm BU Choir & Orchestra Philip Salmon: Evangelist Tickets £10 (BU/AUCB/ Under 16 free)
Tuesday 26 March Spring Scholars’ Recital Student Hall, Talbot House, 5.15pm Eclectic mix of music performed by BU Music Scholars Admission Free.
Sunday 12 May Kokoro (Musicians of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra) Kimmeridge Hall, 3pm Ferguson Octet, opus 4 (1933) Schubert Octet in F major, D.803 Tickets £ 15 (BU/AUCB students free) In association with Bournemouth Chamber Music
Sunday 12 May Mozart violin Concerto in G Haydn Symphony 104 Grieg Holberg Suite St Peters Church, Hinton Road Bournemouth BH1 2EE, 7pm BU Orchestra Admission Free
Sunday 12 May Haydn ‘Little Organ Mass’ – Finzi ‘God is gone up’ St. Peter’s Church, Bournemouth BH1 2EE, 10am BU Chamber Choir and Orchestra – Sung Eucharist for Ascension-tide Admission Free
Find the music group for you! Orchestra | Contemporary Choir | Big Band | BU Chamber Choir For more information or tickets contact: musicadmin@bournemouth.ac.uk telephone: 01202 965018 or visit: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/music
BU Music, Bournemouth University, Talbot House, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB
opinion 17
OPINION
The Rock | February 2013
Editorial Auf wiedersehen to Pope Benedict XVI
Julia Denni
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Pope Benedict has broken with 600 years of tradition and resigned – a move that has shocked Catholics around the world. I’m not surprised he has decided to
go. How many 85-year-olds want to work for an institution rife with internal splits and long-drawn out investigations into paedophilia? His entire reign as pontiff has been tarnished by scandals. Even before he took office, pictures surfaced that revealed his involvement with the Hitler Youth. Benedict didn’t help his cause with his controversial declarations about AIDS and HIV. In addition to this was his inflexible stance on issues including abortion, contraception, homosexuality and women priests. He was criticised on for his lack of modernization in the 21st century. But despite a turbulent time, the Pope leaves at the peak of his popularity¬ with 45% of Catholics saying he has defended their
values well – against 15% who think the contrary. The question remains: is Pope Benedict right to step down as old age and infirmity creep up on him? If he was any an ordinary European citizen then he would be well into drawing his old age pension by now. But for devote Catholics the answer is a no. God chose Pope Benedict to perform this very special mission, so the pope can’t turn around now and say “Sorry God, you’ve made a mistake with me”. Take a look at our own Queen, who is still hanging on to the day job at 86 and shows no sign of knocking things on the head. We could blame the resignation on the fast-pace of the digital era, the media scrutiny and the numerous scandals and
say they have taken their toll on the old man. Compare his reign to that of his predecessor – the charismatic Pope John Paul II, who carried on despite a crippling illness. If you’re tempted to apply for the vacancy, be warned. The job demands somebody who’s super fit and with an abundance of energy. Hopefully this will be a wise and brave decision leaving the way for a younger and dynamic pontiff who will able to make some radical changes to the church. Benedict XVI will be remembered as a caretaker pope. With a large part of Africa and Latin America being Catholic, the logical answer is to look to these areas for the next man.
Kim Jong-Un reaches critical mass as UN stands powerless Chris Fay
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Scandal
Horsemeat: you get what you pay for
19 Progress MPs approve same sex marriage bill
21
ohillrocks@gmail.com
It’s that time of the year again. The snow has thawed and spring is beginning to creep back into the air - along with the threat of nuclear war in the Korean peninsula. Like father like son, in aspects of international relations, the most glorious leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea has overseen yet another step towards a fully nuclear North Korea. Last year saw the failed attempt at launching a rocket into orbit for what we are assured is space exploration. Perhaps the DPRK is under the impression food for its starving population is somewhere in space? The current state of the region is a bad joke as if told by a geopolitically aware Russell Brand. The United States continue to wag their armoured finger at the psychotic regime while the United Nations sends it 266th angry letter, this time with a footnote from Mother Russia tutting with nostalgic disapproval. South Korea sits beneath its hungry neighbour waiting for the day that the next test is not underground but above the city of Seoul, powerless to attempt to save its northern relatives from the despots with their heads in the mushroom clouds. The South does after all provide the North with majority of its aid in the form of food, without which the people of the north would have starved to death long ago. See Ukraine 1933 for more details. Unification of the peninsula and an overthrow of the regime is desperately needed, but will not happen any time soon. No, not with the DPRK’s best friend
standing behind it. The small nation is not even up to the ankles of the military might of the rest of the international community, but what does that matter when you have China to back you up? China holds the DPRK as a delightful relic of the Cold War. This
is the stalemate and the quagmire that is the Korean peninsula. A modern nation living in fear and an impoverished population at the mercy of a totalitarian state. Both sides are at the mercy of the game of international relations being played by the superpowers that be.
So long as China remains the world’s manufacturing district, it will have the power to keep its military. It will be able to keep backing up the insanity of the DPRK. The up side of all of this however is that this provides a wonderful setting for the next Call of Duty.
North Korea continues to test its nuclear weapons despite warnings from the United Nations
C. FAY
18 opinion
‘Bedroom tax’ helps a crowded situation Oliver Hill
OPINIONS EDITOR
Two hundred and ten Aston Martins for every Dorset resident each year. That’s what the government’s annual social housing benefit budget could do if George Osborne decided to completely forget about the vulnerable in our society and treat us to some luxury sports cars instead. In case you’re wondering,
the cost of all social housing to the state, and therefore the tax payer, is £23billion a year, and that’s the sort of number I felt I had to quantify for it to have any sort of real world relevance to us all. The so called ‘bedroom tax’, which kicks in from April this year, is the government’s latest scalpel in its operation to cut the welfare bill and get spending back to a more realistic and manageable level. Although it might be branded as a tax by Mr Miliband, the reality is that it is a cut in social housing benefit. It hits those who live in what used to be known as council houses, but don’t need the number of bedrooms they currently have. The idea is to get these people to move into smaller properties which are more suited to size of their full household. It works by deducting a certain amount from the claimant’s housing benefit should they want to remain where they are. Contrary to the popular belief
that the government will take more money away from people in this situation, they will simply get less benefit to start with. It is no secret that Britain’s population is soaring, and that inevitably means there is a huge deficit in social housing. Bournemouth Borough Council currently has more than 8,300 people on its waiting list for such housing. What’s more, because the government hasn’t got any money, it cannot afford the apocalyptic welfare spending any longer. The way I see it, those who will choose to live in properties bigger than they actually need - and opt for docked benefits come April rather than downsizing - are being incredibly selfish. They are denying families who are in desperate need of more bedrooms the opportunity to better their own living standards. Based on national statistics, there are around 2,000 Bournemouth households, that’s approximately
half of all dwellings in Corfe Mullen, which are suffering from overcrowding, and it is these people that the change to housing benefit is aiming to help. That is a figure which has been forgotten while everyone is up in arms over the reform. I think it is only fair and right that a couple whose children have flown the nest and are consequently left with empty bedrooms should look to move to a single bed social house in order to make way for big families in tiny homes who need the extra space. I’m certain that they would feel differently, were the shoe on the other foot. This does of course mean that the couple are effectively being dug up from a comfortable and familiar settlement and surroundings.You might argue that it is wrong for men in suits to tell you to move on or be fined for your stubbornness. That has to be the way forward if social housing is to meet the increasingly
Let the sun go down on Page 3 Adam Trimby COLUMIST
An off-the-cuff twitter remark explaining how The Sun’s beloved Page 3 is “so last century”, has received a response from News Corp giant Rupert Murdoch. He replied to the tweet by suggesting that she was probably right and that they were “considering” other options for the page. Is this a refreshing step in the right direction, an end to The Sun’s misogynistic ways, or will it be exactly how it has always been, just with a little less nipple inside the cover? Newspapers and media alike have objectified women for as long as memory serves. Yes, Page 3 is an obvious choice for lines of attack and the ‘No More Page 3’ campaign is a noble cause to follow. Unfortunately, nudity is not the problem here and the very essence of the situation has somehow been overlooked. Page 3 has been outdated since the rise of the internet. Any person wishing to look at the female form, or even male for that matter, can simply go online and find some pictures instantly. The real worry should focus on the words used to describe women
and the stories about females that, beyond all reasoning are deemed to be newsworthy. The tabloids run celebrity sections entirely dedicated to what women look like with or without make up. Not just that, but also how they are looking and coping with a break-up, or how much weight they put on whilst going through the motions of parenthood. Admittedly, Page 3 is no longer needed, or indeed ever was needed in our society, but scrapping news in brief is hardly the end of the feminist front’s fight. This is just the beginning and if we want more equality in the media, more stands like this need to be made. The Daily Mail online celebrity section is one of the most widely used in the world; filled with misogyny, the editors are gleefully clapping at the fact that many women are more than happy to read the paper. The problem is, for those who oppose Page 3, there are an equal number religiously reading the gossip columns. In an age where sex and nudity are so easily accessible, showing a teat on Page 3 doesn’t feel as wrong as it maybe once did. Granted, these women are being objectified, but at least they aren’t being scrutinised. Page 3 will fizzle out on its own - it’s had its day. Let’s look a little closer at how women are represented in newspapers generally, not just on Page 3.
Murdoch has hinted that Page 3 has had it’s day WORLDECONOMICFORUM
February 2013 | The Rock
Twitter wit turns from droll to drab Tom Beasley
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
I’m a Twitter evangelist. I spend hours of my life glued to my timeline and hashtagging everything in sight. It’s a great resource for news-gathering, discussion and for just chatting with friends. However, the last few weeks have turned Twitter into a deeply unimaginative place: a graveyard of puns. The ongoing scandal over horsemeat contamination in food has led to a barrage of equine wordplay that, whilst initially amusing, becomes simply depressing after the millionth variant on the tiresome “to mascarpone” gag. Even the brief moments when horsemeat hasn’t been in the news haven’t stopped Twitter. Richard III, the Pope’s resignation and, most recently, Oscar Pistorius’ murder charge have taken over the mantle of being subjected to the world’s unfunniest tweets. Twitter is usually a hive mind of debate, discussion and the occasional whiff of pointless foodrelated banality, but the current craze for topical wordplay is becoming, if you’ll forgive me a pun, beyond a joke. The issue is that Twitter users do not feel the need to attribute the jokes they so willingly steal from other users. Every time a notable comic posts a topical witticism, it takes only minutes before there are hundreds of users passing the comment off as their own with not even a glimmer of attribution. In the case of the numerous horse puns, this was amplified by a factor of hundreds. It’s not difficult for anyone to conjure up a bit of wordplay and the immediacy of Twitter is the perfect platform for genuinely funny people to make others crack up. However, it also provides an easy way in for those too lazy to come up with a way to link Richard III’s famous horse-related line to Findus’ beef lasagne. Twitter is becoming overrun by the constant need of its users to be the funniest and to get the most amount of retweets. For many users, it doesn’t even matter whether the humour is theirs or not. It’s probably time for this tired lack of originality to stop. However, I fear that may be closing the Twitter door after the horsemeat has bolted.
opinion 19
The Rock | February 2013
Run riot, be our guests Sinead Lambe
ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR
It’s been 18 months since the riots that caused mayhem and disrupted Britain. Yet figures released under the freedom of information act have shown that only 15 of the 200 convicted foreigners have been deported. Why do we let people who caused so much devastation to our country remain here? More than 30 immigrants have been told they can stay in the country, and while plenty are awaiting decisions, many have been let out from behind bars with little punishment. Disgusting if you ask me. I wonder how the small local businessman who had his shop front smashed and destroyed feels about the slack work that has been put in by government to get these criminals deported. Those who remain behind bars are costing the taxpayer tens of thousands pounds a week yet the authorities are slow to act. Three offenders were even lost by The Border Agency after
breaking their bail conditions. Non-UK nationals played a large part in the riots with one in seven convicted rioters coming from overseas, with some still awaiting trial. Every other country in the EU has the authority and backbone to get rid of criminals who enter the country and do nothing but purely cause mayhem, yet Britain lets them live punishment-free and at the tax payers’ expense. I’m sick of ministers saying they promise, or they pledge to sort this epidemic out rather than acting and getting rid of these thugs. In my view this was a more important issue than gay marriage being legalised. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate as one in seven convicted were foreign nationals, it means Brits themselves made up the other six which of course is an embarrassment and another issue all together. But what I cannot get my head around is why we are paying to keep these people in our country. When it comes to money, with the triple dip recession on its way and numerous companies going into administration, it’s too much. Deporting these law-breakers should have been a priority but it seems like everything else the government was too busy trying to keep the true figures under wraps.
The riots resulted in havoc and devestation with destruction caused to many businesses
XPGOMES6
When buying meat you get what you neigh for
Varying quantities of horse DNA have been found in food products from Tesco, Asda, Findus, Aldi, Co-op and Lidl leaving many consumers horrofied
Robyn Montague
Since the scandal of horsemeat in supermarket foods began I’ve yet to arch a brow to Bolognese, reach for ravioli or ponder my pie. Quite frankly, I couldn’t care less that I have potentially eaten Bullseye or Black Beauty when I thought I was munching on Daisy or Chicken Little. I’m not
a horrible person, I’m just realistic with food. Regardless of the species, I enjoy carnivorous culinary dishes, but I do understand that some people need their creature comforts when it comes to munching the meat. In the UK we’ve become accustomed to seeing horses as pets, so eating one seems immoral and to some disturbing. However in some European countries, especially Italy, horse is eaten on a regular basis. A lot of people are scuffing their hoofs about this type of meat, when
really it’s the false advertising that should shock us most. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said in a speech to the House of Commons “This appears to be an issue of fraud and mislabelling.” If a supermarket is putting tripe and veal on display, why are they so scared of admitting they sell horsemeat. Several products have been taken off the shelves as a result of the panic. DNA results prove 60% of Tesco beef Bolognese contains horsemeat. In this case every little bit of meat,
as the saying goes, didn’t help. The press have irresponsibly handled the concern that it may contain a chemical known as Bute, a drug given to horses to reduce pain and treat fevers. This did make me feel that the Mayans may have been a few months off with their prediction that the world will end. But experts warn that if there is a risk, it is substantially small and what people should worry about is high levels of fat and large quantities of salt. These are thing which are not
VISUALPANIC
advertised on the food packaging. Beef is heavily regulated in the UK, but meat from non-regulated countries such as Romania, is not as rigorous with their tests. This raises the question of whether or not we should import, and if we do choose to cut the fat people need to prepare for a rise in the price. Either pay for good quality cattle, so you know what you’re getting, or risk the cheap and pick the pony. It’s cliché but you get what you pay for, so yay or neigh?
opinion 21
The Rock | February 2013
Gay wedding, mixed reception Adele Couchman
Devon Francis
Marriage is about love. It is not about a religious scripture, producing children or as one soulless bishop likes to put it, upholding the “common good of society”. A marriage is about two people who love each other. The new bill passed by MPs legalising gay marriage is not only a triumph for any same sex couple wishing to announce a lifelong commitment to one another in the very same way as a man and woman would, but a triumph for humanity too. For the first time ever, no state, religion or institution is able to dictate who we can and cannot love. As well as banishing the notion of same sex relationships not being as worthy as heterosexual ones, what this bill will also hopefully bring is tolerance. Although we like to think we live in a liberal and accepting society, there are still places in the UK where gay couples do not feel comfortable holding their partner’s hand. To me, this alone speaks volumes about the bigoted attitudes still commonplace in our society. Sadly, one only has to look at look at some of the most powerful figures in Britain to see such hateful views put into practice. The fact that nearly half of the UK’s leading party insists on continuing to treat gay marriage as inferior which is disgraceful and inexcusable. Allowing gay couples to get married will in absolutely no way ‘dilute’ the definition outlined by religious scriptures. Any church that objects to holding a gay wedding on their premises should be happy to know that the law is very much on their side. Gay marriage will not affect the church and is purely the business of two people in love.
There’s outcry from many Christians over the gay marriage bill being passed by our MPs. Couples in civil partnerships already have exactly the same rights as married couples do. So why the hype about gay marriage? Is it because it’s marriage, and deep down people know that it is sacred between a man and a woman? I know a number of people who are gay and bisexual. Some of them very are close friends. However I wouldn’t put them in a box and say they’re my ‘gay friends’. Yet, as a Christian, I believe that the coming together of a man and a woman in marriage is sacred. It should be between two people who know each other fully, and are coming together with no secrets or hidden issues. God made men to be attractive to women and visa versa. We are created to be attracted to the opposite sex. There is no denying that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people have been mistreated and there is no saying that it will not continue. However society will bully something it doesn’t understand. I think the introduction of gay marriage will only add to that confusion. If two gay people came up to me, for example, and told me they were, married my face would turn to that of utter bewilderment. When my friend recently told me that she and her boyfriend were engaged I was over the moon. I will never have that feeling towards two gay people even if they were getting a civil partnership. Christians are always going to stand out and are becoming increasingly alien in a society that is often going in the other direction to many biblical values. I know that what I believe is steadfast and I stand on the firm foundation that is God the Almighty.
COLUMNIST
Exclusive illustration for The Bournemouth Rock
The House of Commons voted 400 - 175 in favour of the same sex marriage bill
SAM MATTACOTT
Parental snooping keeps our kids safe Maisie Buchan
In the most recent edition of The Bournemouth Rock an argument was made against parents reading the messages on their children’s phones, and I found myself torn as to what I believe. To be honest
I find the concept of young children having mobile phones a little hard to grasp anyway, having been born in the 80’s I didn’t get my first mobile until I was 13-years-old. And, on top of this, I’m a serial phone loser/breaker so why you would give such an expensive piece of equipment to a child is completely beyond me. I do however see the benefits that they bring to a child’s safety. I would always get overexcited when I met up with my friends and forget to tell my mum I’d safely arrived; now one quick text would have eased her worry. Not that you
see many children ‘playing out’ in the streets anymore, but if they did, a phone would be a great tool for communicating where they are and, for the parent, when it’s time for them to come in. So, if the purpose of a child having a phone is to help keep them safe, then where is the issue in checking their messages? I’m not saying to read the whole thing, but if there’s a name on there you don’t recognise then maybe have a quick skim. This is a good way to safeguard them before they know any better. It’s hard for me to judge how most
teenagers react to strangers through technology, I was always super cautious and always will be. However, I do think that most teenagers who have grown up with mobile phones and the internet are aware of the dangers, and for a parent to read their conversations is a complete invasion of privacy. For children under eleven though? It’s best to keep an eye on things.
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22 features
FEATURES
February 2013 | The Rock
Pope waves farewell
A polarising figure in the Catholic Church, resignation is Pope Benedict XVI’s final controversy. Rebecca White examines the highs and lows of his career
Sex Ed
A writer’s quest to avoid the 50 Shades effect
25
Music
Interview with Heaven’s Basement
27
gunderwoodrocks@gmail.com
Pope Benedict XVI, the leader of the Catholic Church, shocked the world when he announced his resignation on February 11, 2013. He is the first Pope to do so since Gregory XII in 1415, who chose to resign amidst civil war, and the first to do so voluntarily for over seven hundred years. Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman has said that the Pope’s closest aides were left ‘incredulous’ at the news of his unprecented decision. In his statement, the pontiff declared: “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.” He has spoken of his ill health, which has in recent years caused concern, and claimed that it has left him incapable of fulfilling his role. In November, the Pope did announce that ‘it is beautiful to be old’, but combined with his health, he is feeling the strains of his role. The Pope grew up in Germany, but deserted the German army during World War II. Formerly known as Cardinal Ratzinger, his stern nature earned him the nickname ‘God’s Rottweiler’. Elected in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI was 78, making him one of the oldest new Popes ever. In a move which has rocked the Catholic world, Pope Benedict has drawn attention to the Vatican City, as the world awaits the appointment of a new Pope. However, his short reign will leave a mark on history. His pontificate has weathered the fierce scandal of sex abuse by priests, amongst other criticisms and scandals involving members of his own Church. Only the second non-Italian Pope since 1522, his strict reputation preceded him. Despite this, in recent years he has tamed that image, becoming known for his charming manner, even if his conservative stance is famous. He has his own official Twitter account (@pontifex) and became the second Pope known to visit a mosque. His time as Pope has not been without criticism – his remarks have offended several high profile groups around the world, including members of other religions such as the Islamic faith. A comment made in 2006 perceived to be a criticism of Muhammad caused outrage to Muslims, however he later apologised and attempted to clarify his views. His apology was
publicly accepted by many Muslim authorities. He again came under fire in 2009 when he lifted the excommunication of British bishop Richard Williamson, the man who became famous as the ‘Holocaust denier’, causing Pope Benedict to garner reproach from leading members of Judaism. Despite this, the Pope announced that it was ‘intolerable’ for anyone to question the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the bishop in
The Pope has been a “ rock for many Catholics during difficult times, admired for hard work and strong principles
”
question has remained suspended. Despite his traditionalist views on homosexuality, he condemns ‘violent malice in speech or action’ against homosexual persons. Controversial or not, the Pope has been a rock for many Catholics during difficult times, and is admired for his hard work and strong principles. Until the very last day of his pontificate he will be maintaining his full daily diary, determined not to let standards slip for a second. His choice to begin using social networking website Twitter was praised, as was his decision to create accounts in eight languages to communicate with followers all over the world. He has been lauded by environmentalists across the globe for his advocacy of protecting the environment. During his tenure it was revealed that by 2020, 20% of the Vatican’s electricity will be provided by renewable energy sources. He was presented with an electric car, and chose to install solar panels on the Paul VI auditorium of the Vatican. His four day visit to the United Kingdom in 2010 garnered wide media attention, with ‘The Popemobile’ appearing all over national television channels, as he addressed young members of the Catholic faith. Perhaps this is a move which should have been expected: after being elected Pope Benedict XVI admitted he had prayed not to get the post, and had hoped for a peaceful old age. He may now get his wish. It seems odd that being Pope is considered a lifetime commitment. Pope Paul VI introduced a mandatory retirement age of 70 for priests, and 75 for bishops and archbishops, whilst the Pope is able to hold his post for life.
The entire world will be affected by the appointment of a new Pope, not only Roman Catholics. The views and actions of the Pope affect the whole world; Pope Benedict XVI discussed abortion issues with President Obama, and his comments on controversial issues such as contraception in the fight against AIDS frequently grab headlines. For those living in a Catholic country, the direction of the Pope can even affect the law as the legislature remains devoted to religion. The Pope is in charge of the world’s smallest country (the Vatican City) but his decisions affect over a billion people across the world. Forbes ran a piece on how the Pope has taken the right decision to retire, and how this decision can be admired and learnt from in a business context. The decisions and views of the next Pope – for example, on contraception or the ordination of women – could either drastically alter the Catholic faith, or could continue tradition as it stands. The world will simply have to wait to see the effects of his successor.
Papal Prospects Cardinal Peter Turkson This possible successor has defended legislation like Uganda’s ‘Kill the Gays’ bill.
Archbishop Angelo Scola This Italian has been active in reaching out to the Muslim faith.
Cardinal Marc Ouellet The Canadian Cardinal previously said the job of Pope “is a crushing responsibility”.
Benedict XVI is the first Pope to resign in 600 years
MAZUR 2010
features 23
The Rock | February 2013
A reform too far for Gove The Education Secretary has fired on all cylinders with his policies to reform aspects of the UK education system. As his English Baccalaureate initiative to replace GCSEs suffers a considerable setback, is he still a heavy hitter within the Conservative Party or will he fall off this political cliff? Tom Beasley
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
Gove’s controversial career has often led to protests
Gove is at a turning point in his career as a politician
STATICGIRL
JAY WOOD
The beginning of 2013 will be looked back upon in one of two ways in the political career of Michael Gove – currently the coalition’s Education Secretary. It will either be seen as the tough, formative months of a trajectory leading to the summit of the political mountain, or it will exist in posterity as the turn of events that shot down an overzealous reformer in mid-flight. For months, the flagship Conservative education policy has been the sweeping reform of the GCSE examination process. After last summer’s marking fiasco, Gove reacted by announcing to the House his excitingly monikered English Baccalaureate. A slight climb-down from his initial position of returning to a two-tier examination system similar to O-Levels, this would be a certificate of academic excellence comprising Maths, English, Science, a language and one of the humanities subjects. In the view of Gove and his party, this brings hard, academic subjects to the forefront of British education, replacing the so-called “soft subjects” that have become the norm for those seeking an easy route into further and subsequently higher education at university. Gove’s critics called the EBacc a stealth method of returning to traditionalist, outdated values. He was criticised for his poor treatment of Arts subjects in favour of rote learning of poetry and a return to the study of Classics as a prominent part of mainstream education. Gove was forced to at least partially shelve this idea recently after growing concern from those within the coalition government and education groups. In a statement to the Commons, he admitted to MPs that the EBacc was “one reform too many” and “a bridge too far”. His detractors have seized upon this as a huge U-turn and evidence of the Cabinet member’s seemingly misguided attitude of reforming everything and then simply hoping for the best result. However, Gove does still aim to incorporate many elements of the English Baccalaureate into a new raft of education proposals that amount to a wide-ranging shake-up of the National Curriculum. Key among these reforms is a move from modular and coursework
based assessment to a more traditional methodology of teaching towards a single exam at the end of the two-year GCSE course. In the Education Secretary’s opinion, this will diminish the growth of a “resit culture” in which students can cruise through their studies in the knowledge that they can always try again if everything goes wrong. He is equally keen to reshuffle the way in which school league tables are decided and ordered. His claim is that the current system, which ranks schools based on the number of pupils achieving five A*-C grades in subjects including English and Maths, is unfit for purpose and places too much emphasis on the C/D grade borderline. This comes alongside his slimming of the National Curriculum, which is being seen by some as a return to the traditional education system
Gove’s critics called the “EBacc a stealth method of returning to traditionalist, outdated values
”
of which Gove has always been a prominent champion. Again, critics attack Gove’s policies for their lack of acknowledgement of the Arts in education. Additionally, drafts of the new History curriculum leaked before Christmas, show that it largely skims over anyone other than the white, male figures of Britain’s military past. Ironically, the reformer is eschewing coverage of fellow reformers, with Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale amongst those getting short shrift under the Education Secretary’s new plans. Of course, there are numerous figures speaking out in support of this curricular change, with many applauding the return to the curriculum of what they see as important patriotic figures. It’s a very conservative attitude to the education system and this cements Gove’s position as a hugely polarising figure in the inner circle of the Tory party. Aside from his curriculum reforms, Gove’s flagship policy is the academisation of as many of the UK’s schools as possible. Although the academy idea was introduced by the last Labour government, the programme has been rapidly accelerated under the
coalition with half of UK secondary schools now in possession of academy status. Primary schools have been less quick on the uptake, with only 6% of state primaries electing to apply to become academies. It has been recently reported that Gove’s department has been offering primary school headteachers huge cash bribes in order to get on board with the Secretary of State’s scheme and, amidst controversies throughout his staff, this is the last thing he wants. The controversies Michael Gove has been facing recently within his ministerial department focus largely on the behaviour of his special advisers – known as Spads. Several of Gove’s Spads have been accused of using Twitter to smear those who speak out against education policy through the @toryeducation account. They have been described as acting as a praetorian guard, defending Gove at every turn and are accused of being prevalent users of bullying tactics to scare off those in opposition to the Cabinet minister. It is considered by many to be utterly inconceivable that Gove would not be aware of the behaviour of Spads acting on behalf of his department, despite his continuous assertions of ignorance. Given how widespread bullying in the Education Department would appear to be after recent revelations, questions are raised about whether Michael Gove has any control over Spads and his other staff whatsoever. And if Gove can’t control a department, few will feel he is capable of keeping control of a party, especially with the schisms and tendency towards volatility of the Conservatives. With Tory MPs forming an orderly queue to rebel against David Cameron in the Commons, the next few months are set to be absolutely pivotal for the future of the Tory party at the next election. Recent years have led to Michael Gove being groomed as the potential next leader of the Conservatives, but as he faces criticisms from both inside and outside the party, his ascent to the political summit is increasingly becoming less clear. This is especially true with “British Obama” and backbencher Adam Afriyie breathing down his neck. The months of January and February of 2013 are certainly going to be a memorable time for Gove’s political career. It’s just a case of whether the memories will be sweet or unbearably sour.
FASHION MUSIC CULTURE LIFESTYLE ISSUE 3 IS OUT NOW www.pebblezine.com
features 25
The Rock | February 2013
Britain’s pornified society
With the lack of detailed sex education in schools becoming a hot political issue and Fifty Shades of Grey flying off bookshelves, one author is taking a different approach to the birds and the bees
In numbers
11 the average age at which a child first sees porn online
23 to 40% of all alleged sexual abuse of children and young people is perpetrated by other young people
The large amount of time young people spend online has led to calls for parents to snoop on their children’s activity
Myah Guild Amelia Jones At the end of January this year, Shadow Health Minister Diane Abbott expressed her dim view of today’s society saying: “I want to highlight what I believe is the rise of a secret garden, striptease culture in British schools and society, which has been put beyond the control of British families by fast-developing technology, and an increasingly ‘pornified’ British culture.” In the same week, Claire Perry, the new Conservative childhood advisor, encouraged parents to snoop on their children’s emails and text messages. It is not at all surprising parents are becoming increasingly worried, as technology and society evolve it has become more and more difficult to protect children and young adults from explicit content, which has now become easily accessible through a number of platforms. The risks of popular social networking sites are adding to parents’ fears and add to the growing need to ramp up the continuing fight against child abuse and pornography.
Stories about the unrealistic expectations pornography sets are commonplace nowadays, with many blaming the sexualisation of the young for a range of social issues from ‘slut-shaming’ to nude footage circulation in schools. A new approach to the issue is being explored by author Wilma Davidson who believes the best way to conquer the controversial topic is to educate young people themselves about issues such as sexual abuse and pornography. She describes her two books, Tears and Fears and The Porn Plague as being written “to create awareness in young people of the dangers of sexual abuse, date rape, trafficking and pornography”. Wilma, who also describes herself as a ‘spiritual healer’, addresses the issue of sex education in schools: “I think there is a lot of sex education but I think some subjects are not touched or are skirted over and I’ve started writing another book, but this one is for schools, and I’m combining both my books because I think there’s a lot of things kids are not being told.” The taboo nature of sexual abuse has proven to aid sexual predators in evading prosecution, most recently highlighted by the revelations about Jimmy Savile, whose offences were only exposed after his death. Other legal cases,
like that of Chevonea KendallBryan, a 13-year-old girl who committed suicide after a video of her performing sex acts on boys was circulated by her peers, illustrate that sexual material can influence relationships between young people in more ways than one, as young people can use this footage to blackmail and victimise. The prevalence of erotica like
are blaming “theMany sexualisation of the young for a range of social issues
”
Fifty Shades of Grey has also been linked to the unrealistic expectations people can have of sex and the sexualisation of the youth of today. The accessibility of the book on the internet also undermined any controls in place meaning children could access material graphically describing sadomasochistic acts and bondage easily. Wilma views the easy-toreach nature of such material as dangerous: “I think we are on a slippery slope in that it is spreading at one heck of a rate. People don’t realise the effect it’s having on the health of teenagers and I mean it’s the same with
NEVIT DILMEN
child sex abuse; it’s all affecting health. If a virus affected one in 4 girls or one in 4 boys, the World Health Organisation would be immediately doing something about it but, because this is being kept under wraps, kids are just not being treated. And pornography is affecting them quite badly without them realising because it’s a very slow process.” If teenagers feel they are not getting the information they want then they will search for it, especially with sensitive matters such as sex or drugs, and with these topics being delicate and embarrassing many teenagers hit the internet to find out the answers, yet this is where results are genuinely not the type of educational material the youth of today should be seeing. The sex education offered in British schools has been criticised in recent years, partly because of its failure to keep up with the constant changes the internet has brought to society. With more teenagers than ever hiding inappropriate online activity from their parents and government ministers labeling many of the country’s schools as failing in terms of sex education, maybe Wilma’s approach is the final answer to the ever growing problem of the sexualisation of young people.
12%
of all search engine requests are pornography related
1 in 7
youths have received some form of sexual solicitation
24%
of young adults experienced sexual abuse during childhood
34% of minors suffered sexual abuse but did not tell anyone
26 features
February 2013 | The Rock
Making a comeback The craze for nostalgic band reform is hitting top gear as a new ITV reality show brings back from the past the pop music of Atomic Kitten, 5IVE, Liberty X and 911 S Club 7 have been touring in many different line-ups for the last few years NEIL DORGAN
Marianne Calnan
The Spice Girls, Black Sabbath, Madness, Fleetwood Mac, Fall Out Boy, B*Witched…the list is endless it seems. Reform fever has well and truly hit the music industry! Whether it’s a lastditch stab at fame and fortune, or simply a desperate attempt to have a career, bands and artists are wriggling their way back into our lives. As bands and artists release new material and venture out on a tour after years out of the public eye, many do not receive the reception they initially expected. For instance, S Club 7 (give or take a few members) have been touring all over the UK in intimate venues for the last couple of years with little to no recognition. When 5ive reformed no one batted an eyelid, even if they got wind of the news. However, the likes of The Spice Girls and Steps have enjoyed success their second time out, with huge tours and much publicity. The former have even begun promoting their very own musical ‘Viva Forever’, which is essentially a similar format to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ musical, or Abba’s ‘Mamma Mia’, a money making machine. Speaking of Queen, they are a prime example of a band desperately attempting to make it back into the hearts and ears of fans who once adored them. But unfortunately, with the lack of legendary frontman Freddy Mercury’s worldly presence, their stabs at fame have been to no avail. As a threesome, the remaining members have joined forces with the likes of American Idol’s Adam Lambert to get themselves noticed. But what fans must question, is Queen’s motives behind their
actions. Is it simply the hunger for financial boots, or an innate hunger to be as loved by fans as they once were? Even compared to a decade ago, reality television has also taken hold of the public’s television schedules, with Big Brother, The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent being some of the most popular programmes around. When fused together, musical comebacks and TV seem a killer combination for publicity and eventual ticket sales. Steps enjoyed their own show on Sky Living after splitting in 2001. They
Comebacks come “across as well thoughtout marketing and corporate schemes
”
planned a 14-date tour which sold out in about ten minutes and evolved into a 22-date tour, and also released a new album ‘Light up the World’, just in time for Christmas. Comebacks currently come across as well thought-out marketing and corporate schemes used to manipulate the nostalgic habits of us Brits, especially with regards to our music taste. With the success of Steps, other 90s favourites are jumping on the comeback bandwagon. The likes of B*Witched, 5ive, 911 and Atomic Kitten are taking part in an ITV2 reality documentary series about their own reunion stories called The Big Reunion. Bands taking part are also said to be in talks about a full UK tour following a one-off show at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on February 26, 2013. Tickets for the concert sold out within five minutes of the first show airing on New Year’s Eve 2012. Financially speaking, it is logical for bands and artists to split-up at their peak of success and reunite several years later rather then have them attempt to override changing
musical horizons. More money is to be made through embracing the cheesy and nostalgic vibe, as opposed to struggling through the industry somewhat unnoticed. Unsurprisingly, what reunions tend to boil down to is money. Most of the time, band members tend to be unsuccessful as solo artists and never peak in the way they did as a collective. As much as artists such as Phil Collins will deny that money has anything to do with the sudden desire to reform, there is very little believability in the idea. Having had eight number one singles from 1993-1996, Take That have been basking in the glory of their reunion since 2006. They have achieved one of the most notable comebacks in musical history. And what’s their secret? Fan loyalty, so it seems. The foursome played 30 sold out shows to half a million adoring listeners, which was followed by a new record, that went on to be the second biggest UK album that year. Putting the immense secondtime-round success of boyband Take That to one side, even Fall Out Boy have jumped on the bandwagon. Being one of the most popular Pop Punk/Emo bands around from their 2001 inception, Fall Out Boy basked in the glory of tetchy teens and peaked at number four in the UK Album Chart. Despite fans having grown from discontented, angsty school kids to adults, the internet-based hype around the reunion is astounding, with endless rumours of tours, albums and basically, the biggest comeback in Emo history is now in full swing. The mass reunions are simply proof that music is like fashion; same old, same old. Once something popular is pin-pointed it’s manipulated, and eventually overdone until there is no longer a reception for it. But fashion is cyclic and audiences are clearly ready to welcome music from their past into their present, judging by recent ticket sales.
Better together? Queen (2004) At the end of 2004, remaining members Brian May and Roger Taylor – without the retired John Deacon – embarked on a successful world tour with singer Paul Rodgers. This was the first time the band had toured since the death of iconic frontman Freddie Mercury in 1991. The new line-up split amicably in 2009.
Take That (2006) Since getting back together, the band have experienced an extraordinary success, especially when Robbie Williams returned to the group in 2010. Their Progress tour broke all box office records and even briefly disrupted the UK’s telephone network. A poll for Music Week in 2011 confirmed Take That’s comeback as the greatest in British music history.
Steps (2011) Reuniting against the backdrop of a Sky Living documentary series, the cheesy pop group achieved great success when their greatest hits disc The Ultimate Collection soared to the top of the album chart. They were last seen in late 2012 when they released Light Up The World; an album of Christmas songs.
Fall Out Boy (2013) The pop punk outfit announced a reunion this month, ending the indefinite hiatus the band started in 2010. They are set to play a sold out tour this year, release an album and play the festival circuit. Fans have reacted very strongly to the news, showing their barely contained glee on social media websites.
features 27
The Rock | February 2013
Heaven’s Basement They cracked the US last year with The Darkness and, now touring as their debut album Filthy Empire hits shops across the country, Chloe Oliver talks to one of Britain’s most exciting new rock bands
British hard rock band Heaven’s Basement have toured with The Darkness, played Download last year, and have just released their debut album Heaven’s Basement don’t do things by halves, and their latest project is no exception. Currently on a worldwide tour, the band are returning to their home turf for a UK tour early this year, as well as releasing their new album this month. The new album, Filthy Empire, is full of the band’s experiences and their different backgrounds have helped to make it what it is. “There’s good dynamics on the album,” says drummer Chris Rivers. “There’s the heavy songs - there’s the soft songs. When we’re on tour there’s lots of experiences to write about.” Their long awaited debut album, which was released on February 4 , includes songs such as ‘Fire, Fire’, as endorsed by DJ Fearne Cotton. “The title of the album came about when we were just sitting down and we thought everyone can make what they want out of the title; everyone can interpret it in a different way. “Filthy Empire basically stands for every establishment - whether it be a school or the governmentthey have a dark side like a room at the back where the dirty deals go on.” The UK rockers are extremely excited about the release of the album and are excited to present the new material on tour. In 2011 Aaron Buchanan became the band’s new front
man, following lead singer Richie Hevanz’s departure in 2010, and the band haven’t stopped to look back since. “Like any band, it takes a while to find what’s right but with this change the band just continued along. It’s the natural development process, having different members in the band changed the chemistry slightly but it’s just continued along as we always wanted. “It was quite a long time ago now and we can just move on to the future.” Since forming in 2008, the rock group have extensively toured the UK and following the success of their 2011 UK tour, they were offered an Acoustic slot at Download festival and Sonisphere festival, as well as a slot at High Voltage festival in London. “Download was a real success, it was amazing. That response was fantastic. We were invited back last year and we played the tent, it changes the acoustics and there was about 3000/4000 people in there which was amazing.” 2012 saw the band tour across the pond with The Darkness in Los Angeles which went down a storm with US fans. “It was amazing. It was our first ever show in the States. Everyone warned us that LA crowds can be a bit stand-offish and to not expect much reaction, but it was kind of the complete opposite. We found
the crowd was great and really warmed to us. “We made a lot of good friends and it was great to play with a British band over there for our first time ever. “We got on really well when we were playing with The Darkness, they’re really nice guys. As we’re both British bands we had that in common straight away so that always helps.”
We really love the “ smaller venues like Southampton where fans are in your face
”
Being constantly on tour and living out of a suitcase, the band must enjoy the vibe and excitement of playing new areas as this will be their fifth year out on the road. “Apart from being on stage and playing to the audiences, I just love playing music and to have it as a job is a privilege. There’s no real downside to touring, there’s small things like having to wash your own socks but that’s about it. It’s great.” Playing hundreds of venues over the years, Heaven’s Basement reveal their time on the road is usually structured from country to country and that they spend most
of their time on the tour bus. “In Canada we’re driving for 17 hours and we have our own time zone. The average drive in Canada is about eight hours so we usually drive at night and we sleep on the tour bus. “We’ll usually wake up in the town the next day. It’s kind of the same every day, we play the show and then after we’ll go out and have a beer and make some great new friends.” After touring Europe, America and Canada the band have confirmed they are set to return to Europe in April on Black Veil Brides’ Tour. Before they set sail again, Heaven’s Basement are travelling the entirety of the UK from Leeds to Southampton throughout February. “We really love playing the smaller venues like Southampton where fans are in your face as it’s a great atmosphere. It depends on the audience as well as we feed off the circle of energy in the room which you kind of miss in the bigger venues.” As a reminder that the boys still have their feet firmly on the ground after their short and explosive success, drummer Chris reveals he misses the home comforts of the UK when on tour. “Being away from home, I do miss cups of tea, the tea out here is rubbish! I actually usually pack some PG Tips but I forgot.
CHUFF MEDIA
“Obviously, though, I miss all my family and friends. I’m a big Manchester United fan as well so I also miss keeping up with the football scores.” After securing a deal with Red Bull records, the single ‘Paper Plague’ was released as a free download in 2011 and now the band are renowned for their heavy touring schedules and energetic live shows. “What makes our band so special is the passion that we play with. All four of us come from backgrounds of playing in bands since we were younger. “Being on stage every night, personally, is the place where I feel the most comfortable in the whole world. We can’t go on stage and play half-heartedly, whenever we come off stage we’re completely exhausted and that’s the way it should be.” The band, with an ever-growing bucket list, are looking to fill the empty void of UK rock’n roll bands and are positive about what the future holds. “Our ambition is to take our tour to new places like South America, Australia and of course keep touring Europe and the UK as it’s our home. “We’re always thinking of new ideas we can do but we’ve just got to see what the future holds for us. Maybe something ambitious like play a concert for 24 hours.”
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The Rock | February 2013
Captured by the sea Seals are one of the many sea creatures the Marine Conservation Society aims to protect from the effects of human activity on the sea
SALKODE WOLF ECOMARE/MCS
As part of their continuing efforts to protect the future of Britain’s oceans and their diverse wildlife, this month the Marine Conservation Society is taking their fight straight to the Government Helen Winter
“I dread to think,” says Emma Cunningham when asked what would happen if the Marine Conservation Society’s efforts to protect the sea suddenly stopped. Emma, who has previously worked at a sea turtle conservation in Greece, is the pollutions campaigns officer for MCS. “I have always been inspired by the natural world and conservations, and that’s all I’ve wanted to do.” The Marine Conservation society is a small charity of 60 staff members who work hard to protect marine life. It is made up of three core work areas: the pollution team, who deal with litter and water quality issues, the biodiversity team, who are there to protect the marine species and habitats, and the fishery team who work on developing sustainable seafood strategies. All of these teams are working towards one single aim: protecting our seas and shores. “At the moment our
Get involved
seas are under so much pressure,” Emma explains. “Too many fish are being taken out, too much rubbish and pollution is being put in, and too little is being done.” Currently in Europe, 88% of fish stocks are overfished or completely vanishing. Although a lot of people find that shocking, Emma admits that it is sometimes difficult to get the contribution they so desperately need. “Unless you’re a diver or really passionate about the marine environment, it’s just out of sight, out of mind.” Despite all this though, the MCS has been running since 1977, and is still working hard to make their campaigns successful. One of the most important volunteer programmes the pollution section of the MCS runs is its beach cleaning. People might think that picking up a bit of rubbish won’t really do much other than make the beach look a bit tidier, but Emma explains how beach cleaning contributes to the society in a much greater way than is apparent at first. “The volunteers are recording what they find, and it’s that information that helps us determine what campaigns we’re going to run to try and make a difference.” Emma continues to say how it is
this data that underpins her work at the MCS and has helped them to run campaigns to encourage people to change their behaviour as well. One of their most prominent campaigns at the moment is Break the Bag Habit, which aims to encourage shops to charge for plastic bags and then to ultimately for
127 Marine Conservation Zones What? A march to Westminster. When? Monday February 25, 11am. Where? Paved Plaza by County Hall and the London Eye.
Big Beach Clean Up What? Over 110 beaches in the UK will be filled with volunteers doing a clean up and litter survey. When? April 22 - 28 2012 Where? Any beach near you!
Become a Sea Champion What? MCS are looking to recruit four voluntary sea champion recruits. Why? Meet like minded people, develop new skills and it’s great for your CV.
Unless you’re really “passionate about the ocean, it’s just out of sight, out of mind
”
people to use sustainable carriers all the time. Many people moan about having to fork out that extra 5p for a Lidl bag, only to forget it on their next trip, but plastic bags do more than just look ugly on the beach. Many turtles have died from starvation after mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish, which then block their stomachs. This is also the case for sea birds, and over 90% of fulmars found dead around the North Sea area were found to have plastic in their stomachs. In fact, plastic litter has increased by a horrific 102% since 1994.
Another important campaign that the society have been running for several years now is the ‘Don’t let go’ incentive. The sight of hundreds of balloons or lanterns may be beautiful, but these floating orbs can have a detrimental impact on the marine environment in terms of litter and also pose a threat to marine wildlife. For instance, in its annual report in 2011, the MCS found 1,359 balloons or balloon pieces on 335 beaches over just one weekend. Similar to plastic bags, these balloons can be mistaken for food and animals can also easily become tangled in the string. No one likes getting told what to do though, so that’s why the MCS not only aims to educate people, but to also provide a list of alternative solutions. Some examples are lighting a candle, or planting a tree for a memorial service. If it’s for a celebration or promotion, buy some reusable colourful flags and streamers, or have a go at making some balloon sculptures. And it’s not just the general public that they’re trying to encourage to take more care. They’re not afraid to use this information to go up against the government and other certain industries to take essential steps
to help eliminate pollution on our shores. A successful example was an agreement from the White Stuff company to change their mind about their initial plan to release balloons from all of their stores at the end of the Easter period. Bigger plans are ahead. On February 25, the MCS is teaming up with Sea life and the British Sub Aqua Club to take the fight to Westminster. Emma explained. “Scientific advice has told us that we need 127 Marine conservation zones around England to help protect English seas for years to come,” Emma explains, “but the government is now saying it will only be doing 31, and that’s just not good enough.” They have already managed to gain thousands of pledges. “It’s going to be a fun day out, but with a serious message. Now is the time to act and save our seas.” Think you haven’t got what it takes? Don’t be silly. “You don’t need prior knowledge of marine issues,” Emma says. “It’s just the love and the desire to take action and meet fellow people to help us all save our seas, because there’s an awful lot to do and there’s an awful lot of people who don’t realise what we’ve got in this country.”
How? Find out more by visiting: www.mcsuk.org CHRISTINE MCGUINNESS/MCS
30 features
February 2013 | The Rock
Photographer of the Fortnight Charlotte Dart
I am a 2nd year TV Production student, with a huge passion for photography in my free time. I picked up an SLR for the first time when I was 15 and haven’t stopped since. Over the years I have created a freelance business in photography and more recently filmmaking. I
have photographed weddings, portraits, events, etc. and I am also Photography editor for Pebble Magazine. I have a huge passion for portraiture photography, and love to hear and see new creative ideas. www.charlottedart.co.uk
My favourite photograph This photo was taken back in the summer. I had the idea of photographing in water for a long time. After persuading a good friend of mine to model, we waited for a nice sunny day and had a long, fun day shooting. The reflections in the water that day were fantastic so I decided to capture water movement with quick shutter speeds. I directed the model to compose herself nicely whilst flicking up the water to help reflect to elegance of the water and to emphasis the movement. It’s hard to choose a favourite photo, but this is one that I find striking.
One that inspires me This is one of my more ‘obscure’ photos. I have a great love for Photoshop so I thought I would use what I knew to create something rather surreal. This image is full of inspiration, as it was constructed around a 6 week process of research and shoots. The concept behind this photo is sub-consciousness. The girl in black represents the surreal subconscious we have in our dreams, which are drawn out from our bodies when we are asleep. I have been informed that the inspiring process I went through for this image has now been transferred on to the other students from my secondary school. It is fab to hear that I have inspired.
The Rock | February 2013
features 31 One that I treasure This photo was taken for my final piece in AS Level Photography in 2010. I have always loved this photo. Sometimes as a photographer you have unplanned surprises and this was one of them. The photo was taken as a quick last shot to end the shoot, and when I got it back onto my computer my thought was ‘YES!’ I highly recommend shooting in a yellow rape field as they create gorgeous scenes and provide striking portraits. I have the image printed size A2 on my bedroom; I will always treasure this photo.
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SPORT
The Rock | February 2013
Wrestling dumped
Ben Fisher
92 ground trek for charity 34
Gold medalist Jade Jones is able to breathe a huge sigh of relief after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to provisionally drop Wrestling from future games instead of Taekwondo, which was thought to have been close to the ‘tornado-kick’. The board reviewed the current 26-sport line-up and it was expected that the modern pentathlon would face the axe, to form a 25-strong list. The IOC analysed TV ratings and ticket sales as just some bearings on what to chop from future Olympics. Wrestling’s cut will see the sport, which has had a place in the worldwide event in all but one of the games since 1896 in Athens, omitted from future games unless it is re-instated for the 2020 Games but that’s doubtful – as it will battle with seven other sports to be included. It’s a blow to Sport England who heavily invested at grass-roots level, but there are clearly bigger fish to fry.
FUTACCS
SPORTS EDITOR
Wrestling has been thrown out despite its popularity at the ExCeL in last years’ legacy-making games
Adam Spencer-Hicken SPORTS WRITER
In my mind, the Olympics should be about achieving the pinnacle in a career. Wrestling, a sport with terrific history and one that is universal across the globe. Just take Golf, one of the new sports introduced for 2016. It is undoubtedly one of the biggest sports in the world, the thought of an Olympic Golf tournament being the ultimate accolade in a golfer’s career is frankly laughable.
Jack Cozens
DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR Let’s be clear – this isn’t the fake world of WWE where any and every action is hyperbolised for viewer entertainment – this is a sport that requires true dedication, with a global reach and fan base. And although some of the sports that have been nominated to replace it share those qualities, the prospect of Roller Skating taking its place as an Olympic sport in 2020 verges on farcical.
Olympic know-how 37
tweet-twoo BBC: Health Authorities allay public fears stating there is no evidence that any domestic football competitions contain traces of Arsenal @prodnose, Danny Baker
benfisherrocks@gmail.com
Froome flies
Chris Froome blew away his arch-rivals on the final stages of the Tour of Oman MICHELLE COUND
Michael Seymour
British rider Chris Froome has won his first race of the season beating the likes of Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodriguez and Cadel Evans, as well as his fellow rider at Sky Procycling, Sir Bradley Wiggins. The Kenyan-born cyclist won the Tour of Oman by 27 seconds, ahead of the Spaniard Contador (Team Saxo-Tinkoff), and 39 seconds in front of the Australian
Evans (BMC Racing Team). All three are among the favourites to win this year’s Tour de France, which starts on June 29. Other favourites include Rodriguez (Katusha Team), who looked more than comfortable in the hills during the 2012 Vuelta a España and finished fourth in the Tour of Oman, plus Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) who looked strong but only managed seventh. The six-day race started on Monday’s mostly flat stage, where German Marcel Kittel (ArgosShimano) managed to win a bunch sprint, automatically awarding him
the General Classification red jersey. But his lead was short lived. Slovakian all-rounder/sprinter Peter Sagan (Cannondale) managed to stick with the leading group in the two climbs, both in the final 25km of the 146km stage, then powered away to take the victory and leader’s jersey from Kittel. Stage three was similar for the Slovak; he attacked with 500m to go, leaving the rest of the bunch breathless and unable to compete, building his GC lead to 16 seconds. But that is where his dominance came to an end. Thursday’s stage (Stage Four) saw the only
John Walters SPORTS WRITER
For a sport that has given rise to the likes of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and subsequently to the light-hearted family comedy films Johnson has appeared in, to be removed from the Olympic timetable is nothing short of a travesty. It’s a real shame that the IOC see dancing horses – ‘Dressage’ – as a much worthier activity than the long-standing sport of wrestling. mountainous route, which favoured the likes of Froome and Contador. Sagan dropped to number 54 after struggling to keep up with the climbers. The 152.5km course marked a clear shift in the racing and Contador led an attacking group of Froome, Evans, Nibali and Rodriguez into the mountains. After numerous attacks, Rodriguez finally managed to get away and win the stage, with Froome four seconds behind, after the rest dropped away. That meant Froome took the leader’s jersey as a result of his times in the previous stages, with a 24-second lead over Evans and 25 ahead of Contador. Froome must have been feeling confident heading into Friday’s stage, as it was another one for the climbers. There were three ascents in the final 50 km, with a 13km descent to the line. Once the breakaway was caught – 120km into the day – the attacks came thick and fast. Soon only Contador, Froome and Rodriguez were left at the front. In an unlikely sprint finish, Froome clawed his way across the line just in front of Contador to take his first stage win and almost certainly seal the GC title. Saturday’s final stage was always tipped as a bunch sprint, which meant Froome only had to worry about keeping within 27 seconds of Contador, which he did comfortably to win the Tour. This marks his first race title since 2009, and is a great start to the season for the Brit, who is aiming to win his first Tour de France title later this year, following in the footsteps of compatriot Wiggins.
34 sport Ash Hover takes a look at this month’s sporting champ and chump Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, aka the ‘other Ronaldo’ in recent years, netted over 400 times for the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan, as well as lifting the Jules Rimet trophy twice in his glittering career. But since retiring, the Brazilian Ronaldo may have just achieved his biggest feat. After announcing his retirement in 2011, the prolific striker emotionally said in a press conference: “It’s very hard to leave something that made me so happy. Mentally I wanted to continue but I have to acknowledge that I lost to my body.” In the months to come, he would continue to pile on the pounds and leave his stardom behind. But, after turning to reality television to help him shed the weight, the 36-year-old posted a topless photo on Twitter last week showing a changed figure. Three-time FIFA Player of the Year? Well Ronny, we would like to present you with the Rock’s ‘Beat the Bulge’ Player of the Year 2013, top of the trophy cabinet?
WINNER
LOSER Pistorius however may have just picked up the award for worst Valentines Day in history, as the South African Olympian and Paralympian could be making the switch from his carbon fibre ‘blade runners’ to the steel cages of a prison cell. The ‘fastest man on no legs’ was charged for the murder of his girlfriend, former FHM model Reeva Steenkamp, on February 14, at their mansion home in Pretoria in the early hours of the morning. Due to the high crime rate in the area, it has been revealed that Pistorius kept numerous weapons in his bedroom, including a 9mm pistol, of which it is alleged he shot his girlfriend with numerous times. Just six months after becoming the first amputee runner to compete at an Olympic Games, the sporting role model’s life seems to have taken a horrific turn for the worse, with the news shocking the entire world in just hours.
February 2013| The Rock
A world of sport Six Nations
The third round of fixtures sees Italy face Wales, England host France and Scotland battle Ireland. With Stuart Lancaster’s side topping the table, a win against bottom placed France could see them with one hand on the trophy with two games left to play.
F1 Testing
Match Play
F1 testing – with the dropping of the first checkered flag of 2013 just three weeks away, pre-season testing is in full throttle at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona this week. Red Bull’s RB9 topped the time sheets at the first Jerez test earlier this month and will be hoping to replicate this form.
Day two tees off today from The Golf Club at Dove Mountain, in Marana, Ariz, with Hunter Mahan looking to retain his title, but he will face stern competition from the likes of McIlroy, Donald and Woods.
BU duo target record books Jack Cozens
Two second-year students, David Clarke, 19, and Peter Cooper, 21, will cycle to each of the 92 Football League grounds in England and Wales, covering 2400 miles in just over a month, starting on June 1. The pair, who are both studying Retail Management at Bournemouth University, will be raising money for David’s family charity, Edgar’s Gift. The charity was set up in 2010, after David’s stepbrother Ben died after battling Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of muscular cancer. Set up in 2010, the charity say their aims are to raise money to provide special days out, unique experiences and luxury gifts for cancer sufferers between the age of 18 and 30 and recently gave out its 50th gift. Such
an achievement has been made possible in part due to hard work in promoting and organising sponsored events, something that David and Peter have been keen to retain for their challenge. “The promotion has been really good so far – the charity’s Twitter following has grown to 1400 in the time that we’ve been working.” The challenge could also see the pair make the record books, as they try to complete the tour in the quickest time ever recorded. “When most people do it they normally take a few months to complete it, so we wrote to the Guinness Book of World Records to see if we can do it in the quickest time. We’re starting on June 1 and finish on July 6 so it’s going to be just over a month.” Having never undertaken a challenge of this scale before, training has obviously been of vital importance for the duo. The pair
Europa League Europa League – Tonight sees the return legs of the Europa League round of 32, with three Premier League clubs looking to advance in the competition. Hugo Lloris will be back between the sticks at Lyon, as his side take on the French club, where Liverpool and Chelsea entertain Zenit and Sparta Prague respectively.
Ash Hover examines what’s happening this week across the globe including the increasingly anticipated Six Nations fixture list
club and they’ve kindly agreed to give us free tickets and a piece in the programme. Apparently we can’t use the PA system for some reason, but we’re still hoping to be able to do something like go on the pitch at half-time.” Visiting 92 grounds means that David and Peter will see the rags and the riches of the Football league’s stadia, and David revealed that there were some parts of the journey that he was looking forward to more than others. “Old Trafford would be great to see. I’ve never seen Chelsea’s ground before so I wouldn’t mind that, likewise with Arsenal, and of course my home ground of Leicester! “And naturally there are some journey’s that we’re not as keen to take on. Carlisle is a difficult one for us because it’s not close to any other grounds – where some days decided that their best bet would be we’d like to tick off three or four to join the University’s cycling club, grounds on that particular day it but didn’t find that as easy as won’t be possible. Cheltenham they would have hoped. to Swansea is over 100 “We were going miles, so that’s going to to join the be a tough one too.” University’s club, David intends to but when we bring more than went to do so, just a memory we found that away from each there wasn’t stadium. one,” David As for a explained. fundraising “So instead target, David we decided to insists that set one up.” his priority To step up is currently to their regime, the promote the ride, pair plan to cycle but has set his from Leicester to Edgar’s Gift is a worthy cause sights on a big Derby on March total. 16, in time to “At the moment watch the game between the two we’re still focused on spreading the sides at Pride Park, a match that will word, but if we can interest every be televised live. club and the auction goes well, “We’ve spoken to someone at the hopefully about £10,000.”
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The Rock | February 2013
Men’s side have rivals in pocket Marcin Bryszak speaks to the BU Lacrosse Varsity team members about their experience of the sport. Lacrosse is a game played by a bunch of guys chasing around a field wielding fishing nets they use to shoot out a solid rubber ball. The sport has a long history and originated from a version of the sport played by Native Americans. But introduce a new discipline to the Brits and they will give it a go. Now, lacrosse is so popular that it has been given its own university league, with Bournemouth University’s 1st team leading the pack, eight points clear from second place Exeter University. Three of the players behind the success of the team are captain
Dominic Garcia, 21, a radio student from Nottingham, the vice captain, Jamie Morris, 22, from London, studying animation, and one of the attackers, Albert Whitehead, 19, from London, studying English. Dominic said: “I went to the freshers’ fair, saw a guy promoting lacrosse and I thought I’d give it a go because I’ve never seen the sport before. It was something different. Since I picked the stick up for the first time, a day has not gone by where I would not throw a few balls.” Dominic decided to take up lacrosse two years ago after playing
five-a-side football for two years prior to that. Dominic, Jamie and Albert lead by example when it comes to the games. “First year I scored no goals,” said Dominic. Albert said: “But when you score your first one, it feels incredible. Firstly, each guy when they score asks himself is it in, is it in? Then comes the euphoria when you see that it’s gone in.” The boys, as a team, have been through many highs and lows. “The highlight of this season has been the first game where we beat second in the table, Exeter 4-2. But we have also had our fair share of tough losses. “Last year, we drove three hours to Swansea for an away game,
only to get thrashed 20-0. It was an awakening,” confessed Jamie. “But with the current squad, we would have to implode physically and mentally to not win the league because we are first, have won six from six games and we are eight points clear of Exeter,” said Dominic, who believes that confidence is high amongst the players. As the sport becomes more popular in the British Isles, the debate over whether or not lacrosse deserves a place in the Olympic Games is growing in intensity. Dominic said: “We think it has its place and that it has potential to become an Olympic sport once again.” He spoke of a lacrosse committee which is targeting an introduction at the 2028 Olympics. In
order for that to happen, 60 countries need to have a national team. So far 48 have signed up. One of the factors that has led to a surge in participation of the sport, and talk of possible Olympic status, is the positive atmosphere amongst the players and even rival teams. “Everyone’s nice. Opponents, even when you smash into them, after the game you all go to a bar, shake hands and drink together. Then we share our bruises with each other,” laughed Dominic. “And the good thing is you can be in any shape or size, and any age as well. We have a coach who is 50 and an ex-professional player for America. He uses all sorts of body tricks to make up for his absolutely diminishing speed,” said Dominic.
Dominic Garcia and his team are enjoying maiden success at a Varsity level
National recognition Adam Spencer-Hicken
The biggest date in the University swimming calendar is fast approaching for the Bournemouth University varsity team as the BUCS long course swimming championships takes place this weekend in Sheffield. The BU squad are looking in great shape, boasting 13 representative swimmers - a record number for the University. Swimming coach Sam Woodward works in partnership with Swim Bournemouth to build the strongest team possible and he explains what it means to be sending a 13-strong squad. “It’s really good, it just shows the great swimming development across the University.” The hotly contested competition features a large programme of events for ablebodied and disabled swimmers and BU’s team have hopes in a number of them.
The team’s main chances come even medal. “It’s going to be pretty from scholar swimmers Martin tough this year, there’s also the Bleaken and Jordan Clarke, and World student games which means Coach Woodward is confident that some world class swimmers will the pair will thrive. feature in this event so it will be “Our scholars have the difficult.” best chances of success And as for his aspirations in the team. Martin to qualify for the Bleaken can summers World definitely make Student Games the final of the himself, Bleaken 100m butterfly reveals it may just event which is be one step too far. definitely the “My personal goal for him. best is currently Jordan Clarke two seconds off is a disability of the qualifying swimmer and time needed, so it’s I’m hoping for possible but I think it maybe a medal may just be out of my from him.” reach. Of course Swimmer Martin Bleaken will Bleaken is that is my aim competing in his compete in the upcoming though!” BUCS Championships second BUCS Being a long course varsity swimmer swimming event undoubtedly has and is excited about the prospect of its benefits but there is no secret to improving on last year. the commitment it requires as the “It’s a massive competition, Bournemouth scholar outlines: “I last year I got to a final and train in the pool five times a week came seventh, which was a great on evenings as well as four gym achievement, but I definitely want sessions a week, so that is nine to improve this year and maybe training sessions a week.”
Women’s netball set for double Jess Long
The Bournemouth University Netball first team are still on course for a league and cup double after a hard fought win against the University of West England. In an early evening match the girls overturned an uneasy start to take the win 52-34 against the team who are propping up the table. The first quarter saw end-to-end action with Megan Pleva at goal defence making great interceptions, whilst being at the wrath of some debateable umpiring calls. Shooting duo Clair Priest and Sarah Riddoch put goals away with ease but the Bristol side were no pushovers and Bournemouth took a slim lead into the second quarter. The same team took to the court for the next quarter but some nervous play allowed UWE to claw back Bournemouth’s lead. Once again the officiating led to
problems for the girls, with a couple of the players on their last warnings. A combination of these factors meant that at half time Bournemouth were down by one. A spirited team returned onside for the third quarter, with Elizabeth Ferguson taking the shooting bib, and the other six fuelled to show their class. Controlled play down the centre court from Laura Purssell and Francesca Munns made it easy for the shooters to convert passes to goals and Bournemouth began to pull away. A controversial timeout by UWE didn’t disrupt the girls pattern of play with Jessica Long taking tips off the opponents passes and Pleva and Emma Mosley dominating the circle, ensuring the girls took a healthy lead into the last quarter. The final fifteen minutes saw Bournemouth confidently take the win with a score that didn’t truly reflect UWE’s fight. Player of the match was awarded to Purssell and the girls are now preparing for their semi-final against Swansea.
36 sport
VARSITY
February 2013 | The Rock
Varsity side hoping weather holds off Tim Taylor
BIG RESULT Men’s Hockey notched up their third victory of the campaign with a 3 -1 victory against Exeter bringing them ever closer to the teams above them
Last year’s wet and wild weather left the BU cricket team stranded as the splash summer meant promotion became impossible. Despite finishing first place in the Western 1A Division, Mother Nature had her say and the lack of games subsequently enforced all teams to be ironically ‘frozen’ in their leagues proving a massive disappointment for all those involved in the side. But beneath the dark, damp and bitter battle faced with outdoors last year all the work is now being done inside to ensure when the sun eventually does shine on South Coast, the BU cricket squad will be prepared and ready for action. Since the start of the 2010/2011 season a change of management has drastically transformed and improved the quality of the cricket squad. Many university sides may turn up to a session, have a hit and a giggle and wait to do the same thing a week later. But that’s not the case here. This is primarily down to First Team coach Steve Wilson whose two years in the job have implanted changes both on and off the training ground. Both the First and Second team
take part in whole squad training every Wednesday afternoon in Hurn, Christchurch. These vigorously intense sessions focus strongly on being the best in the fielding department involving specific throwing and catching exercises to improve technique and accuracy with the additional aim of trying to eliminate failure and injury which is always a concern for any sports side. As well as this, fitness and team bonding are viewed as a key aspect to coaches Steve Wilson and Greg Parsons. There are many ways this can be achieved it seems, one of which was for all players to write down their achievements and share them with the group. Others involved trust exercises, vision tests and even a spot of juggling. One thing is for sure, team chemistry is an integral part of bringing about success at Bournemouth University Cricket and with the continuance of these exercises, the effects will inevitably be long lasting. In his latest session, Wilson said to his players “These drills I set out for you may only help by 1%, but that 1% has made you a better player.” Nevertheless it’s not all about being mentally prepared for BU cricket – being physically ready for the up and coming season is something every player is expected to be. In order to do this every player has to participate in two compulsory team sessions of strength and
conditioning every week with an attendance rate above 75%, or else you won’t be picked. Run by Sport BU’s Russell Jolley, these long, gruelling workouts include using the weight section, the dance hall and the spin room to ensure a variety of exercises. Although many players find it difficult after a rough night out at Lava, it’s foreseeable that the effects will be most beneficial when it comes to the summer months. Despite winning and later being frozen in their league, the team experienced success in the National Men’s Cricket Trophy. Our First Team side managed to reach this prestigious final and eventually finished as runners up to Leeds Metropolitan University, having beaten some excellent sides including Cardiff Metropolitan, Bristol and Oxford University.
Unfortunately this year only sides in the leagues above can be entered for the cup competitions meaning all efforts for both teams will be the games played in the league format. Alex Butler of the First team commented about the situation, saying: “It’s a shame, but we have a fantastic chance of winning the league this year. “The fact that we didn’t get promoted last year because of the weather was heart breaking for all of us.” With just five league games scheduled for the upcoming cricket season, the pressure will be pilling on ahead of the first fixture – and, as luck would have it, BU’s first team will be playing BU’s second team on this momentous occasion. Even though one side is destined to lose, hopefully this summer the weather won’t be the winner once again.
Varsity cricket matches still offer a feel good factor even on a rainy day TAYLOR
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The Rock | February 2013
Olympian dream curtailed for some Ben Fisher
SPORTS EDITOR
Dan Hunter could quite easily cut a frustrated figure but he still has a lot to be happy about. After appearing at last year’s Olympics for Team GB, the reality is that he may not be travelling to Rio in 2016, due to cash constraints. But most recently, the Sport BU Men’s volleyball side made it through to the last eight of the BUCS Championships, for the third year running. “We are top of the league, into the semi-finals of national cup so the season is on a good path so far. We’ve only lost one game all year so you could say it’s been a good season,” said Hunter. He has played in front of thousands of spectators at the Olympics last summer but it wasn’t easy to do so. “I played in the Olympics after five years
of real hard graft to get there. I left here when I was 17 to train full-time. When I was 22, I walked out into Earls Court. It was unreal, the crowd, the atmosphere and the fact it was an Olympics.” Funding cuts mean that longevity in the sport as an athlete is difficult for Hunter, who is studying Software Engineering. Regarding financial constraints Hunter is optimistic, he said: “I still feel I’ve got a career ahead of me but with the funding announcement things are a hell of a lot more difficult. But then, when there’s a will there’s a way. “Funding is a big issue as we don’t have the money to train, get physios, have the facilities or access all the support services you need as an athlete. You need money to travel and we will have to fund that ourselves which is impossible, when you need to work as well. Sponsorship or help from UK Sport is needed, I mean, to get nothing from them is a bit disappointing, despite other sports not doing as well as us in terms of performances.” For the games last summer UK
Sport set out guidelines with what they expected from each team in terms of performance, with Hunter’s team exceeding expectations. He said: “We were expected to get one win across all disciplines but we actually got two. To then see other sports, which didn’t meet their criteria, still land funding is frustrating. It’s not as if we’re asking for £20 or £30 million, just £100,000 per team, per year and that’s nothing. We weren’t asking for considerable amount to keep the programme going.” Hunter laughed and his eyes beam after the word experience is pushed towards him. “I can use my experience quite well, I’m still at a similar age to the other guys. I get on well with them, I think we have quite a strong team and hopefully I can give an insight into what volleyball is like at the top and what level they need to be at. In this country we struggle to understand what is good volleyball, it’s only when you leave England and see volleyball on the continent in professional leagues that you understand - blimey England’s
Coach Profile
Andy Jones Who is he?
Head Coach for Wessex BU. He coaches the University’s Varsity Volleyball teams and also heads a development squad for Beach Volleyball.
As a player Hunter represents Team GB last year quite a way behind. They can pick my brains. “It’s strange, I’ve got over 100 caps in the five years I was there, being in my position I’ve played in every game, so it’s a lot of court time and experience and I’ve been lucky.” The student coaches the Wessex Volleyball U18 side which is a job he enjoys doing, if it means he doesn’t have too many hours left in his day. Hunter smiles and said: “It’s nice to do it but the only thing I struggle with is that they don’t have the ambition I had because, I knew could play for my country where as they have nothing to aspire to. “I knew I could get to Olympics but for them – there is no GB team or senior team. At the age of 18 they’re saying I’ll go to university instead, I’ll get a job. They have no real outlet if you cannot play for your country. I can train these kids all I like, but they’ve got nothing to go to.” Looking ahead to the next Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Hunter is unsure over just exactly what part he will play. Nervously he admitted: “I hope to be at the Olympics as a spectator if I’m not playing. I’d love to be there as an athlete, and I’ll train to be there as an athlete, but the reality is if we can’t go to the training camps and tournament qualifiers, we can’t play at the higher level and better matches - we won’t qualify.”
Beach Volleyball is developing under coach Andy Jones SPORTBU
“I started playing at the age of ten. My father was an international Volleyball referee and he set up the sport in this area. I came through the ranks as it were, playing at a junior level and representing England at U16/U18 and U20 level and played in the European Championships for indoor. I went on to play in London, for Aquila, for ten years, where we won national championships and cups. I did the double at the end of my career, at the age of 36.”
As a coach “Wessex Coaching has been going for four and a half years and I’ve been Varsity coach for seven years. Volleyball becoming a focus sport has pushed the sport on and that’s down to results and a good programme, where athletes train twice a week. I’ve always been interested in coaching and have been a qualified coach from the age of 18.”
On having an Olympian in the ranks.. “Having Dan is a bonus, number one for what he brings, but I’ve known him since he started playing and for him to get where’s he’s got, he brings a lot off the court. The other men and ladies in the squads respect having him around, and what he’s got on his CV at the age of 23 is magnificent.”
38 sport
Thumbs up for festival John Walters Ben Fisher Bournemouth’s first marathon has been mapped out ahead of the big day on October 6th. SportBU’s involvement has been confirmed for the marathon, which will see them take up section three of the route. This sector runs from Boscombe Overstrand, over Eastcliff before going back along the promenade onto Boscombe Pier, around the pier and back to the beach station on Bournemouth Pier. There are initial discussions taking place regarding potential opportunities for student engagement, which could see students entertain runners and onlookers with a PA entertainment system. There is a provision for 25 student marshals for the section that the University will run. BU staff will also coordinate water stations and will be paid for their time on the day. The course could also provide a great advertisement for the University itself, with the section of the course headed up by Sport BU and branded in its colours. Barry Squires, Head of Sport Development at Sport BU, said: “We are very happy to be supporting the Bournemouth Marathon Festival in its first year. The 26.4 mile course is quite unique, taking in both piers as well as the town itself. “Under the supervision of SportBU, who will act as the sector lead, students will get the opportunity to be trained up and act as course marshals on the day. BU will also be manning a water station, organising entertainment in front of Boscombe Pier and contributing towards other small logistical duties over the race weekend. It’s a great opportunity.” Squires will act as section leader, overseeing the recruitment and training of the student marshals, co-ordinating with the race organisers in the lead-up to the weekend, and management of the sector on race day. Both the half-marathon and the marathon will start in Kings Park, before sending runners through to Southbourne on the way to the sea-front. The marathon will reward runners with finishers t-shirts, accurate chip timing, a 16-week training plan and a medal. The Edinburgh event raised £4.6million in 2011.
February 2013| The Rock
Dunn slams league plans
Director of Rugby David Dunn has expressed worries over the league officials’ relegation plans DENIS MURPHY/dmsportingimages.com
Andy Mitchell
Bournemouth Lions’ Director of Rugby David Dunn blasted league officials for the uncertainty surrounding relegation places in the National Two South, but maintains his side won’t be affected. The number of relegation places in Bournemouth’s league was expected to be reduced from three to two after Warwickshire club Rugby Lions were liquidated before a ball had been kicked. But the National Clubs Association (NCA) recently informed all clubs in both National Two North and South that long standing rules could see the third-bottom club in the North reprieved if they take a higher percentage of available points than their southern counterpart. And Dunn, whose side dropped to fourth bottom after a pulsating 33-54 defeat to Henley Hawks last weekend, said it was unfair to move the goalposts in the middle of the season. The Lions chief said: “It is very difficult to start the season only get to the end of February and not know what rules you’re playing to. “It becomes a ridiculous situation when you’re looking at the league table and having to pull out a calculator to work out what’s going on. “I believe that there should only be two teams relegated from the South to keep parity, and I don’t just
say that because we are in the South because we’re not looking down at that end of the table. “We have a tough game coming up against Hartpury but after that there are eight games that I feel, if we perform as well as we have recently, we can win. “Whether two or three teams go down, if we keep playing in the manner we have then we won’t have to worry about it.” The NCA meets this Friday to decide what will happen, but chairman Norman Robertson hinted that Dunn may get his wish. Robertson said: “The RFU competitions sub-committee bought it to our attention and we’re in the process of dealing with it now. “After a precedent was set a couple of years ago it was assumed that only two would go down from the National Two South, but the way the rules are written, the thirdbottom club with the best playing record should stay up. “The plan is to set this regulation aside because we believe it is the fairest way. Once the season is over we will work with the RFU to address any anomalies before next season. “We cannot say for certain, but that is the direction we want to take. There is a caveat for it to happen.” As things stand, Bournemouth seem set to be safe either way. The Lions have taken 32.63% of all possible points this season, just ahead of league rivals Taunton, but both records are considerably better than the third-bottom club in the North, Westoe, who have just 21%.
Bournemouth RFC in action against Worthing at Chapel Gate MURPHY
Dunn has concerns over plans but has confidence in his side MURPHY
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The Rock | February 2013
Howe praises ‘special players’ of the season. Prior to the signing of Painter, Howe had deployed fellow loanee Dan Seaborne in that position and even the new recruit, winger Ritchie. Speaking of Ritchie, Howe said: “He’s done very well. We’ve asked him to come in at left back, a position totally foreign to him really but needs must and he has shown a real self sacrifice if you like but he’s done it very well.” The Cherries’ boss has been without skipper Tommy Elphick for the past three games through injury, and he will be out for the foreseeable future. Howe said: “The
injury is frustrating for various reasons especially considering the manner of how he got there. The tackle he received was a very poor one – you don’t want to see that in football and we’re desperate to get him back.” A revelation since making his loan move permanent in January, Brett Pitman has notched nine goals since returning to Bournemouth. He took a while to get going and Brett was a little short of fitness initially. But he has been growing since returning and he’s had a real good goal return in a short number of games. Asked whether the Cherries can achieve promotion this season, Howe responded “hopefully’’. The manager said: “We are top of the league at the moment with 14 games to go, so to be in this position at this stage of the season is very exciting times for everybody connected with the club.” Reflecting on his time with Portsmouth, following on from the South-Coast derby of couple of weeks ago, Howe said: “My time at Portsmouth shaped me in several ways. I wasn’t able to do what I loved to do and they were frustrating and low times. I was able to see Harry build his team from the sidelines and watch some top quality players conduct themselves professionally.” Howe touched upon the morale in the dressing room at the Goldsands, prior to defeat at Preston at the weekend. He said: “Since coming back, there’s been a really good feel about the place. There are some special people in the changing room and there are some really good role models in the dressing room. “
hospitality, do your job and get back on the road. It’s fascinating to see how other clubs operate, the hundreds of staff that pull together to ensure we can all enjoy watching our favourite game. It’s particularly nice going to different stadiums, every one similar but so individual at the same time. The key to these games is preparation. When you have a trip up to Crewe you have to make sure you have films on your iPad, work to complete, magazines to read and the all important snacks for morale.
I think it’s a goal for most ardent football fans to visit every stadium and watch every club in the country at least once in their life. A trip to Old Trafford may be more appealing to most than a visit to Accrington Stanley’s Crown Ground, but both are as unique and glorious as the other 90 clubs in the football league. Away days are the perfect way for a football fan to get their fix of new knowledge in the vast spectrum of the world of the beautiful game. See, a cold night in Crewe doesn’t sound too bad now, does it?
Howe is overjoyed with new signings but he remains very aware of tight division MICK CUNNINGHAM
Ben Fisher
SPORTS EDITOR
Eddie Howe lauded January recruits Matt Ritchie and Brett Pitman before insisting that the club can be promoted this season. Speaking about the Cherries’ handsome position in the League One table, Howe said: “It is nice but we haven’t given it too much thought at the moment.” He added: “It’s where we want to be and we’re capable of staying
there. It’s up to us to get results to maintain the position we’ve got ourselves in.” The manager dismissed any magic formula, saying: “There’s no secret, it is just a case of hard work and a good group of players who are professional in everything they do. The players have been outstanding in their approach of everything they’ve been asked to do, so a combination of all those factors and you have a successful team.” Howe moved to bring in Marcos Painter on loan from Brighton last week in a bid to strengthen the squad for the final 14 games
Awaydays Jasper Taylor
Let me give you a proposition. Your boss rings you up and asks you if you would like to travel to Crewe on a cold Tuesday night. It will be an eight hour round trip, you’ll need at least three pairs of socks to even begin to protect your feet from the cold and you’ll get back at 2.30 in the morning. In any other job
you might be inclined to tell them to jog on. But when your job is to report on football there’s only really one response to your boss’s proposition: I’d bloody love to. It’s true that home games are more convenient when you cover a football club. You can get there quickly and get home at a reasonable time. You know everyone there and it feels homely. But there’s something so unique about an away day, a bit like when you go to someone’s party. All of the preparation is done, you just need to turn up, enjoy the
A word from
Richard Hughes
Flying fears I remember watching the draw for the Europa League group stage while I was at Portsmouth and praying that we would be able to look forward to games against AC Milan, Valencia or Paris St Germain. But that wasn’t just because I wanted to test myself against some of the best players on the continent. I was, and still am, a nervous flyer and couldn’t bear the thought of a couple of long journeys to Eastern Europe. In the end, we were placed in a group with Milan, Heerenveen, Braga and Wolfsburg, with the prospect of trips to Portugal and Germany. By this time, I had stopped flying domestically but there was no way round it when it came to playing in Europe. I just had to grin and bear it. The last away game of the group stage was played in Wolfsburg’s and, as usual, I flew out to northern Germany with the rest of the squad. But I didn’t make the return journey with my team-mates. We were sat on the runway when I noticed smoke coming into the cabin. This was around the time my anxiety was at its worst and I was straight out of my seat, demanding to be let off the plane. It turned out there was a problem with the engine and we would have to spend the night in Hannover. The next day we returned to the airport and were told we were to fly back on a different plane, which turned out not to be true. There was no way I was getting on board. Instead, I hired a car and drove to Brussels with Jermain Defoe, who also didn’t enjoy flying, and the club’s press officer to catch the Eurostar back to London. That was the last time I ever flew for a game. My fear of flying started when we began travelling by plane to away games every other week and had more than our fair share of rough trips that left me a little shook up. It got to the point where I would be on the pitch, thinking about the flight home while the game was going on. I’m certainly much happier with my feet on the ground.
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February 2013 | The Rock
I don’t believe it! An extra incentive Nigeria’s triumph in the African Cup of Nations against underdogs Burkina Faso was met with joyous celebrations throughout the nation. None more so from the Association of Nigerian Prostitutes (ANP). Prior to the final match, the ANP promised that if the Super Eagles were to win the final, they would provide seven days of free sex. A statement from ANP secretary Jessica Elvis read: “We want to congratulate the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, for qualifying for the next round of the competition. “To show our support for the national team, we’ll be declaring one week [of] free sex if the Super Eagles can win the trophy.” If the Premier League stars in the Nigerian national side don’t return on time - we know where they’ll be.
Captain suffers major injury blow
The injury to Tommy Elphick at MK Dons courtesy of Ryan Lowe’s horror tackle is worse than originally feared MICK CUNNINGHAM
Ben Fisher John Walters AFC Bournemouth captain, Tommy Elphick, has confirmed that he will be out for a further six to eight weeks. Elphick sustained an injury during the Cherries’ clash with MK Dons three games ago and it was thought the defender would be out for initially two to three weeks. Elphick said: “It was just a bad tackle really and it tore a bit of my hamstring at the bottom of my knee. I went for a scan a couple of days after and they didn’t show the correct image due to the swelling. “I went to London to see a specialist [last week] and got some clearer pictures. The damage was a bit more than we first expected so it’s going to be about six to eight more weeks.” The news will come as a major blow to manager Eddie Howe
and fans who have witnessed the defender’s near faultless form in the heart of defence. Elphick however insists he can still play a role from the sidelines. “I’m going to be there for the lads if they need anyone to talk to or to give any advice to them for the up and coming games.” He then said: “If I can, I’ll try and watch as many games as I can while I’m out and try and keep learning,” said the captain. Despite facing a lengthy absence from the field of play, Elphick is still very positive that the Cherries can gain promotion to the Championship this season. “We have hit the right form at the right time. It’s now business time and hopefully we can stay about the top until the end of the season.” Elphick pointed out that his side still have work to do, but is optimistic. “We still need to play a couple of the top teams and it is purely in our own hands now whether we go up or not. We laid down the challenge for everyone to catch up. It is a good feeling. You
cannot really beat confidence so for us to be where we are is good timing.” The defender is also delighted at how January signing Matt Ritchie is fairing at the club. The midfield starlet completed a £500,000 move from League One rivals Swindon Town late on in the January transfer window. “We played against him a couple of times and he was a player we singled out as the danger-man and so to have him on board is a great asset to have. I mean, to take him away from Swindon Town not only gives us a little bit of an edge but gives a disadvantage to one of the main rivals at the moment.” The Cherries captain then went onto praise striker Brett Pitman and manager Eddie Howe. “Brett’s scored a lot of crucial goals for us, none more so than at Crewe. He brings something different to the table. We have got a lot of different qualities and Brett certainly adds to that.” The 25-year-old centre-back went
on to praise manager, Eddie Howe. “He has spent time here before and has been superb for us. He brought the lads together and gave us structure and confidence. The first thing he got us to do is to get us together more often and bring more cohesion to the squad. I think that’s really showing in our recent form.” The Cherries captain has starred in all league games under manager Eddie Howe during impressive second reign at the club, where the have only been beaten twice in the league, most recently away at Preston on Saturday.
Turn to page 39 for Howe’s reaction on the Cherries’ form
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